Sales and Distribution Management

BRAND BUILDING STRETEGY OF AIRTEL A brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as â€Å"cultural accessories and personal philosophies†. Brand strategy is much more than visual identity. While a beautiful logo, catchy color scheme, and clever tagline are all elements of a brand strategy, they are merely supporting elements. Behind Nike's â€Å"Swoosh† and AIRTEL's â€Å"AIRTEL† are all the elements of a brand strategy, the activities the companies engaged in to give target buyers a reason to buy their product or service and not a competitor's. While the visual identity may elicit a response, it does not cause the response—the elements of brand strategy do. Elements of Brand Strategy To build a powerful brand, companies need to have all the elements of brand strategy in place. There are many elements of brand strategy. †¢ Brand strategy includes targeting †¢ Positioning is an element of brand strategy Product or service configuration and pricing †¢ Marketing communications (e. g. , advertising and direct marketing) †¢ Media allocation, an important part of brand strategy †¢ Customer service is included in brand strategy What’s in a Brand? Sometimes it’s easier to understand what something is by first understanding what it is not. A brand is not a name. It’s not a logo. It’s not a product, service or business. Others have described it as a promise, an expectation and, ultimately, an experience that a person—a customer, patient, guest, visitor, physician, or employee—has with your product or service. Mission, vision, values, strategic plan, and brand strategy: Where do they connect? Most organizations’ brands are inspired by their mission, vision and values statements. The organization’s strategic plan will drive the long-term vision for what the organization will do, and the brand strategy should help the organization define why and how they will accomplish those goals. The real differentiator comes when you discover what makes your brand unique, giving it a market advantage. Consider Nike. The brand is not the â€Å"swoosh. † That’s a logo. The brand is not â€Å"Just do it. † That’s a slogan. Their brand strategy—what makes them number one in sports apparel—is an attitude: Give the consumer the freedom to just do the sport. So, when the Nike strategic (business) plan called for a diversification strategy into athletic equipment, such as golf balls, the brand strategy guided Nike to understand why that strategy was appropriate and how it had the potential to strengthen the brand AIRTEL: It's All About the Brand |Bharti Airtel  [pic] | |Telecom giant Bharti Airtel is the flagship company of Bharti Enterprises. The Bharti Group has a diverse business portfolio and has | |created global brands in the telecommunication sector. Bharti has recently forayed into retail business as Bharti Retail Pvt. Ltd. | |under a MoU with Wal-Mart for the cash & carry business. It has successfully launched an international venture with EL Rothschild | |Group to export fresh agri products exclusively to markets in Europe and USA and has launched Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company Ltd | |under a joint venture with AXA, world leader in financial protection and wealth management. |Airtel comes to you from Bharti Airtel Limited, India’s largest integrated and the first private telecom services provider with a | |footprint in all the 23 telecom circles. Bharti Airtel since its inception has been at the forefront of technology and has steered | |the course of the telecom sector in the country with its world class products and services. The businesses at Bharti Airtel have been| |structured into three individual strategic business units (SBU’s) – Mobile Services, Airtel Telemedia Services & Enterprise Services. |The mobile business provides mobile & fixed wireless services using GSM technology across 23 telecom circles while the Airtel | |Telemedia Services business offers broadband & telephone services in 95 cities and has recently launched India's best Direct-to-Home | |(DTH) service, Airtel digital TV. The Enterprise services provide end-to-end telecom solutions to corporate customers and national & | |international long distance services to carriers. All these services are provided under the Airtel brand. | The Name – Airtel was born free, a force unleashed into the market with a relentless and unwavering determination to succeed. A spirit charged with energy, creativity and a team driven â€Å"to seize the day† with an ambition to become the most globally admired telecom service. Airtel, in just ten years of operations, rose to the pinnacle to achievement and continues to lead. As India's leading telecommunications company Airtel brand has played the role as a major catalyst in India's reforms, contributing to its economic resurgence. Today we touch peoples lives with our Mobile services, Telemedia services, to connecting India's leading 1000+ corporate. We also connect Indians living in USA, UK and Canada with our call home service. | |Our Vision & promise   | | | | | |By 2010 Airtel will be the most admired brand in India: | |Loved by more customers | |Targeted by top talent | |Benchmarked by more businesses | |â€Å"We at Airtel always think in fresh and innovative ways about the needs of our customers and how we want them to feel. We deliver what | |we promise and go out of our way to delight the customer with a little bit more† | The Logo – The Airtel logo is a specially drawn woodmark. It incorporates two solid, red rectangular forms whose counter-form creates an open doorway. The title case lettering with its capital ‘A’ reinforces our leadership position. Thered dot cues in our focus on innovation. Our logo is a reflection of our identity – a confident symbol of a brandthat is always ahead of the rest , always ‘In-touch’ and on customer’s side. . The airtel logo is a strong, contemporary and confident symbol for a brand that is always ahed of the rest. The image style –it incorporates two solid ,red rectangular forms whose counter form creats an open doorway. Te airtel typo graphical style – the title case lettering with its capital â€Å"A† was deliberatiely choose to reinforce the brands leadership position. The red dot on the letter form â€Å"I† cues airtel’s focus on innovation. the words express yourself are very much part of the brand identity. The airtels color palette – the lettering is grey so that the pure black of airtel is visually on harmed The Slogan – â€Å"Nigahhein nigahon ko milakar to dekho, Naye logo se rista bana kar to dekho†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With this the focus have shifted to vibrating the innermost core of a viewer’s heart. The ad is made up of five snippets, each one displaying the importance of reaching out the others. In this Ad, there is the range of situations/relationships covered, from two little girls in the first one to an aged couple in the next one to the young lovers and then to student-teacher pair. Best part about the AD is that it never shows anyone using a cell phone!! This is definitely one of the best Ads of recent times. It certainly makes you believe in the line- â€Å"Aasman simat jaayega tumhara aaghosh mein, chahat ki baahen phalli kart ho dekho†. AIRTELS's Branding Strategy Brand Architecture: Bharti is working on a complex three-layered branding architecture — to: †¢Create specific brands for each service, Build sub-brands within each of these services and †¢Use Bharti as the mother brand providing the group its corporate identity as well as defining its goal to become a national builder of telecoms infrastructure. †¢ This is also called umbrella bra nding by Airtel Also the brand airyel follows co- branding in which it is being tied up with nokia, google and also i-phone 3g to cater the need of its increasing customer’s efficientely. †¢ nokia, ———[pic] †¢ google ——–[pic] †¢ i-phone——-[pic] †¢ Integrated Telecom Company 1. Wireless Services a. 2G/3G b. Rural Market 2. Telemedia Services a. Fixed Line b. Broadband c. DTH 3. Enterprise Services †¢ Carrier †¢ Corporate 4. Passive Infrastructure †¢ Bharti Infratel †¢ Indus Tower AIRTEL (Cellular Operations) BHARTI TOUCHTEL (Basic Service Operations) INDIA ONE (National Long Distance) AirTel – The flagship brand for cellular operations all across the country. Touchtel – The brand earmarked for basic service operations. India One – The brand for national long distance (NLD) telephony Though the costs of creating new brands are heavy but the group wants to create â€Å"distinct independent brands toAddress different customers and profiles†. SEGMENTATION- On the bais of gepography –divided Indian market in telecom circles –subdivided states into category –A,B and C TARGETING- †¢ Earlier elite class above age group of 25 years †¢ Corporate people ad bsiness man Again targeted youth by introducing â€Å"YOUTOPIA† plan †¢ Targeted women and senior citizens by introducing postpaid plans POSITIONING- â€Å"we position airtel as a aspirational and life style brand , in way that trivalised the price in the mind of the consumer . it was pitched not merely as a mobile service , but as something that gave him a badge value†. By Henmant sachdev. CMO â€Å"power to keep in touch ‘ year 1995-98 Significance-The tag line â€Å"power to keep in touch† used in the brand promise was designed to make the user feel â€Å"in control†¦ powerful† positioned premium category aimed at elite ckass of society perception of aspirational and ife style brand. REASON FOR CHANGE- now cellular service operators could drop their prces ad target new customer segments . as the category developed with pricess going down sharply , airtel bean talking to wider spectrum of potential users. this gives he birth to the new tag line Bharti is working on a complex three-layered branding architecture — to: †¢ Create specific brands for each service, †¢ Build sub-brands within each of these services and Use Bharti as the mother brand providing the group its corporate identity as well as defining its goal to become a national builder of telecoms infrastructure REPOSITIONING-(TOUCH TOMORROW) YEAR1999-2001 SIGNIFICANCE Airtel started talking to new segments by positively positioning and establishing itself as a brand that improved the quality of life. -New look and feel of the brand tagline indicated the core values of the brand i. e. leadership, performance and dynamism. REASON FOR CHANGE -Airtel started to look from a regional level to pla n India position -rediffusion DY, which is the ad agency that took charge of revamping Airtel’s brand image thought. To become an Indian leader, Airtel needs to change in it’s tagline. FURTHER REPOSITIONING-LIVE EVERY MOMENT YEAR2002-2003 SIGNIFICANCE -This was the first time A R Rehman had agreed to work for any brand, anywhere in the world. The music from the commercial became the most downloaded ringtone it the history of telecommunications. Tagline denots that each and every person in India live every moment(emotions, feelings etc. ) of the life with Airtel. REASONS FOR CHANGE -Rediffusion DY, which is the ad agency that took charge of revamping Airtel’s brand image again changed the tagline to give better tagline to Airtel which catches some emotional appeal. FURTHER REPOSITIONING-EXPRESS YOURSELF Year2003-2008 SIGNIFICANCE -‘Express yourself’ was successfully launched taking the ownership of the entire space of communication and strengthening the emotional bond Airtel enjoys with it’s customers. -The masterminds behind the ‘express yourself’ campaign are the joint vice-presidents:Mr. Prasant Godbole and Zarwan Patel. Airtel is a market leader in the cellular network and they wanted to very fresh and contemporary idea to build a brand image which their customers could identify. BRAND AMBASSADORS OF AIRTEL SHAHRUKH KHAN——–[pic] SACHIN TENDULKAR—–[pic] A R REHMAN—————[pic] SAIF AND KAREENA——-[pic] VIDYA BALAN AND MADHAVAN– [pic][pic] To understand the brand strategy, let’s first look at the brand building exercise associated with AirTel — a brand that had to be repositioned recently to address new needs in the market. When the brand was launched seven years ago, cellular telephony wasn’t a mass market by any means. For the average consumer, owning a cellular phone was expensive as tariff rates (at Rs 8 a minute) as well as instrument prices were steep — sometimes as much as buying a second-hand car. Bharti could have addressed the customer by rationally explaining to him the economic advantage of using a mobile phone. But Sachdev says that such a strategy would not have worked for the simple reason that the value from using the phone at the time was not commensurate with the cost. â€Å"Instead of the value-proposition model, we decided to address the sensory benefit it gave to the customer as the main selling tack. The idea was to become a badge value brand,† he explains. So the AirTel â€Å"leadership series† campaign was launched showing successful men with their laptops and in their deluxe cars using the mobile phone. In simple terms, it meant Airtel was positione aspirational brand that was meant for leaders, for customers who stood out in a crowd. Did it work? Repeated surveys following the launch showed that there were three core benefits that were clearly associated with the brand — leadership, dynamism and performance. These were valuable qualities, but they only took AirTel far enough to establish its presence in the market. As tariffs started dropping, it became necessary for AirTel to appeal to a wider audience. And the various brand-tracking exercises showed that despite all these good things, there was no emotional dimension to the brand — it was perceived as cold, distant and efficient. Sachdev and his team realized that in a business in which customer relationships were the core this could be a major weakness. The reason? With tariffs identical to competitor Reliance Infocomm. and roughly the same level of service and schemes, it had now become important for Bharti to â€Å"humanize† AirTel and use that relationship as a major differentiation. The brand had become something like Lufthansa — cold and efficient. What they needed was to become Singapore Airlines, efficient but also human. A change in tack was important because this was a time when the cellular market was changing. The leadership series was okay when you were wooing the creme de la creme of society. Once you reached them you had to expand the market so there was need to address to new customers. By that time, Bharti was already the leading cellular subscriber in Delhi with a base of 3. 77 lakh (it now has 1. 2 million customers). And with tariffs becoming more affordable — as cell companies started cutting prices — it was time to expand the market. How could Bharti leverage this leadership position down the value chain? Surveys showed that the concept of leadership in the customer’s minds was also changing. Leadership did not mean directing subordinates to execute orders but to work along with a team to achieve common objectives — it was, again, a relationship game that needed to be reflected in the AirTel brand. Also, a survey showed that 50 per cent of the new customers choose a mobile phone brand mostly through word-of-mouth endorsements from friends, family or colleagues. Thus, existing customers were an important tool for market expansion and Bharti now focused on building closer relationships with them. That is precisely what the brand tried to achieve through its new positioning under the AirTel â€Å"Touch Tomorrow† brand campaign. This set of campaigns portrayed mobile users surrounded by caring family members. Says Sachdev: â€Å"The new campaign and positioning was designed to highlight the relationship angle and make the brand softer and more sensitive. † As it looks to expand its cellular services nationwide —to eight new circles apart from the seven in which it already operates — Bharti is now realizing that there are new compulsions to rework the AirTel brand, and a new exercise is being launched to this effect. Right now, the company is unwilling to discuss the new positioning in detail. But broadly, the focus is on positioning AirTel as a power brand with numerous regional sub-brands reflecting customer needs in various parts of the country. If AirTel is becoming more humane and more sensitive as a brand, Bharti has also understood that one common brand for all cellular operations might not always work in urban markets that are now getting increasingly saturated. To bring in new customers, the company decided that it needed to segment the market. One such experiment, launched last year, is Youtopia, a brand aimed at the youth in the 14 to 19 age bracket and for those who are â€Å"young at heart†. With its earlier positioning, AirTel was perceived as a brand for the well-heeled older customer; there was nothing for younger people. With Youtopia, AirTel hoped to reverse that. In order to deliver the concept, AirTel offered rock bottom tariff rates (25 paise for 30 seconds) at night to Youtopia customers — a time when they make the maximum number of calls. It also set up merchandising exercises around the scheme — like a special portal for young people to buy things or bid for goods. The company is now looking at offering other services at affordable prices to this segment which include music downloads on the mobile and bundling SMS rates with normal calls to make it cheaper for young people to use. The other experiment that Bharti has worked on is to go in for product segmentation through the Tango brand name. The brand was created to offer mobile users Internet-interface services or what is known as WAP (Wireless Application Protocol). The idea was to bring Internet and mobile in perfect harmony. The name was chosen from the popular movie title It Takes Two To Tango: basically, you need the two services to tango to offer customers a new choice†, says Sachdev. This, however, had less to do with the branding exercise as with inefficiency of service (accusingly slow download speeds) and the limited utility of WAP services. Subsequently, the ads were withdrawn, but the company re-iterated that the branding exercise could be revived because Tango will be the brand to offer GPRS services — or permanent Internet connectivity on the mobile phone — which AirTel is expected to launch soon. The Magic: Perhaps the more ambitious experiment has been with Magic — the pre-paid card. The idea was to make the brand affordable, accessible and, most importantly, feasible as a means of expanding the market even faster. PHASE I – Magic was aimed at bringing in infrequent users of a mobile phone into the market and assure him that he would have to pay only if he made a call. Such a customer used the phone sparingly — mostly for emergencies — and was not willing to pick up a normal mobile connection with its relatively high rentals (pre-paid cards do not include rental charges). To achieve its objectives Bharti did three things. .One, the product was made available at prices ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 3,000 with no strings attached and was simple to operate. Two, the product was made accessible and distributed through small stores, telephone booths and even kirana shops so that the offering was well within arms reach †¢Third, to make the product more â€Å"approachable† to the customer, the company came with vernacular ad campaigns like à ¢â‚¬Å"Magic Daalo Se Hello† which appealed to local sensibilities. This apart, the company roped in Karisma Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan for a major ad campaign all across Delhi, a ruse that saw the number of subscribers go up from 5. 47 lakh to 12 lakh today, overtaking Essar’s branded pre-paid card Speed, which was launched much ahead of Magic. The company is now re-working its Magic strategy even further. Earlier, the branding strategy was aimed at roping in only interested customers — that is, customers who were already inclined to opt for mobile services. But now, with basic service providers having been allowed limited mobility at far cheaper rates, mobile service providers could find themselves under threat again. That is why the new exercise is aimed at co-opting non-adopters. While the exact strategy is under wraps, insiders say the new branding strategy would be aimed at offering them value which they had not perceived would be available from using a pre-paid card. PHASE II – Bharti used AirTel Magic to build a strong value proposition and accelerate market expansion through India’s first national pre-paid card TV brand campaign ? First time ever in India – any pre-paid card brand goes on TV A combination of the film genre exposed through the TV medium designed to connect with the masses of India ? Youth based – romance driven strategy platform makes the value proposition of AirTel Magic – ‘Mumkin Hai’ come alive ? All elements – user imagery, context, tone & language created to connect the category to the lives of the SEC B & SEC C segment – the middle class non-mobile user. ? AirTel Magic positions itself on the platform of being excellent for emergency situations – increasing productivity as a part of everyday life. ? Sharukh Khan makes ‘everything in life possible’ while romancing pretty Kareena Kapoor with AirTel Magic, India’s leading pre-paid mobile card. AirTel today unveiled its strategy for market expansion with the launch of its new AirTel Magic pre-paid card brand campaign – ‘Magic hai to Mumkin hai’. The strategy is targeted at the non-user segment defined as young adults, 15-30 years of age; in the Sec B & C segment is aimed at accelerating market expansion. The value proposition is centered around a person’s desire to make all his / her dreams, ambitions & aspirations instantly possible. The new campaign for AirTel Magic is all about empowering millions of Indians to be on top of their lives. The brand is positioned to be relevant to the mass-market who want to make all their dreams, hopes & desires come alive†¦ instantly. (At just Rs. 00/- per month AirTel Magic is so easy to buy. ) Improving productivity, letting you befriend the world and opening up new horizons. It gives you the freedom to control your life in a way never possible before. Indeed, anything that you think is possible is possib le with AirTel Magic. The new brand slogan ‘Magic hai to Mumkin hai’ has been specially created to capture this effectively. This strategy is designed to help us talk to this segment directly in the tone, manner & language of the masses. The â€Å"Mumkin hai value proposition will help us expand the market and gain a higher percentage of market shares in the process. The brand ambassadors Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor embody this ‘can do’ or â€Å"Mumkin Hai† spirit (infact that is the reason they were selected as brand ambassadors). Sharukh rose from a TV actor to become India’s top film star and national heartthrob. Kareena’s success is due to her ‘attitude’, talent, hard work and the sheer ability to make a mark in such a short time. Both these stars have said ‘Mumkin hai’ and made it happen for themselves. The genre of this new strategy & campaign is Hindi cinema led. This genre connects millions across India. The spirit of romance, dancing†¦ the Indian cinema, well known to most as Bollywood, holds millions of Indians together as one. The new TV campaign of AirTel Magic crafted in the Hindi film idiom, magnifies the empowering optimism of â€Å"Mumkin Hai†, in the endearing situation of a boy-girl romance. Where Sharukh Khan, sets his eyes on Kareena Kapoor and wins her love with the help of AirTel Magic. (Poignantly conveying that special feeling we all get when a dream is made possible and a victory of the heart is won). The strategy & new brand campaign is targeted at the large untapped base of intending mobile customers from Sec A, B & C. The estimated addressable market of such customers in the next two years is around 25 million in AirTel’s 16 states. The new strategy aims at correcting the perception that the mobile category is useful mainly for ‘business’ or ‘work’ related scenarios. The new strategy, brand positioning & brand slogan is an outcome of an extensive nationwide research and is an integral part of AirTel Magic’s new multi-media campaign. The campaign has been created by Percept Advertising. PHASE-III – Bharti used AirTel Magic to build a strong value proposition and accelerate market expansion through India’s first national pre-paid card TV brand campaign †¢ First time ever in India – any pre-paid card brand gives such freedom to recharge any value †¢ A combination of the film genre exposed through the TV medium designed to connect with the masses of India †¢ Youth based – romance driven strategy platform makes the value proposition of AirTel Magic – ‘Aisi azaadi aur kahan? † come alive Sharukh Khan makes ‘everything in life possible’ AirTel today unveiled its strategy for market expansion with the launch of it’s new AirTel Magic pre-paid card brand campaign †“ ‘Magic hai to Mumkin hai’. . The value proposition is centered around a person’s desire to make all his / her dreams, ambitions & aspirations instantly possible. The new campaign for AirTel Magic is all about empowering millions of Indians to be on top of their lives. The brand is positioned to be relevant to the mass-market who want to make all their dreams, hopes & desires come alive†¦ instantly . At a amount of your choice you can recharge your account with available validity time . Improving productivity, letting you befriend the world and opening up new horizons. It gives you the freedom to control your life in a way never possible before. Indeed, anything that you think is possible is possible with AirTel Magic. The new brand slogan ‘Aisi azadi aur kahanhas been specially created to capture this effectively. Other Brand Building Initiatives to create loyalty:- The main idea is to stay ahead of competition for at least six months. Working on the above game plan Bharti is constantly coming up with newer product offerings for the customers. The focus, of course, is to offer better quality of service. To make the service simpler for customers using roaming facilities, Airtel has devised common numbers for subscribers across the country for services like customer care, food services and cinema amongst others. †¢ It will also launch a unified billing system across circles so, customers moving from one place to another do not have to close and then again open new accounts at another place. †¢ To assist customer care personnel to deal with subscriber queries, a storehouse of 40,000 frequently asked questions and their answers have been stored on the computers. †¢ Bharti expects that most of its new customers (one estimate is that it would be 60 to 70 per cent of the total new subscriber base) would come from the pre-paid card segment. So, they must be given value-added products and services which competitors don’t provide. †¢ Bharti, for the first time for a cellular operator, has decided to offer roaming services even to its pre-paid customers, but the facility would be limited to the region in which they buy the card. To ensure that customers don’t migrate to other competing services (which is known as churn and ranges from 10 to 15 per cent of the customer base every month), the company is also working on a loyalty program. This will offer subscribers tangible cash benefits depending upon their usage of the phone. The loyalty program will not be only for a ‘badge value’, it will provide real benefits to customers. The idea is to create an Airtel community. †¢ Another key area which Bharti is concentrating its attention upon is a new roaming service launched in Delhi under which calls of a roaming subscriber who is visiting the city will be routed directly to his mobile inste ad of traveling via his home network. †¢ The company also offers multi-media messaging systems under which customers having a specialized phone with a in- built camera can take pictures and e-mail it to friends or store it in the phone. The cost per picture is between Rs 5 to Rs 7. Bharti is also aware that it has to make owning a ready-to-use cellular service much easier than it is today. A key area is to increase the number of activation centers. Earlier Bharti had 250 Airtel Connect stores which were exclusive outlets (for its services) and about 250 Airtel Points which were kiosks in larger shops. Now activation can be done by all of them, and not only by Connect outlets, all within 15 to 20 minutes. In comparison, the competition takes two to four hours. †¢ Pre- paid cards are really catching up with the mobile phone users and it is actually helping the market to increase. First, they are easier to obtain and convenient to use. Unlike post- paid, one need not pay security deposits for picking up a pre- paid card. It is often available even with paanwalas. As befits a fast-moving consumer service, the game is now moving beyond price to expanding distribution reach and servicing a well-spread-out clientele with technology and strategic alliances. Bharti is focusing on two factors to make pre-paid cards more attractive. Keeping the entry cost low for consumers and making recharging more convenience. †¢ Bharti is in the process of launching a new system in alliance with Mumbai-based company Venture Infotech which will enable a pre-paid card user to renew his subscription by just swiping a card. The system will not only save users the hassle of going out and buying a card every time it expires but also enable mobile companies to reduce the cost of printing and distributing cards. †¢ Bharti Televentures has tied up with ‘Waiter on wheels,' a company delivering food at home, to reach its Magic pre-paid cards to subscribers' doorsteps. The company is also joining hands with local grocery shops which will enable users to recharge their cards by just making a phone call to the shop. †¢ Apart from improving the convenience of recharging, mobile operators are beefing up their distribution channels. The company is constantly innovating to enhance the value proposition for its pre-paid service. They are leveraging technology to expand their distribution network and deliver round-the-clock recharge options to its MOTS (Mobile On the Spot) subscribers. Bharti Cellular has also launched a special service, CareTouch, for high-value, corporate customers, providing them with instant, single-point access for any assistance they require. Customers can dial 777 and enjoy a slew of services, which includes easier payment of bills, service on priority basis, and value-added services without any additional paper work. Bharti Cellular is offering a range of services without going through an interactive voice recorder ensuring that they save time. Dedicated ‘CareTouch’ executives are expected to assist customers with any service on priority basis. Besides the regular proactive reminder calls for bill payment, customers can also call CareTouch for bill payments at free of cost. †¢AirTel presented MTV Inbox; the first ‘on-air’ SMS based interactive music dedication show exclusively for AirTel and AirTel Magic customers. Highly interactive VJ based show with real-time feedback mechanism. Both brands joined hands to target the high growth youth segment. BRAND RECALL- for brand recall airtel used so many promotional strategies as celebraty endorsement ? also goes for promotional activites like hoardings, billboards,sponser many events ? along with this amny corporate social activity being carried out by airtel ? signature tune as given by A. R Rehman being the most successf ul tool of Airtel in creating brand recall; Bharti’s View on its Branding strategy:- First, brand building efforts in today’s context have to be seen in a more holistic manner. Delivering value on a sustained basis is perhaps the most potent key to build a brand that lasts. Unflinching orientation to customer needs is the second key success factor. Customers (be it for industrial products or consumer goods and services) across the world are more informed and, at the same time, becoming more individualistic in their needs and far more demanding with the passage of time. Pro-active tracking of shifts in consumer behavior, anticipating redefined or emerging customer needs, and then reacting in â€Å"real- time† are essential to attract and retain customer loyalty — a key element of creating brand equity in the present situation. Customizing the product (and communication of its benefit) to meet the specific needs of various consumer/customer sub-segments is the third element in creating brand appreciation. As far as allocation of time and financial resources are concerned, too many companies mistakenly allocate a disproportionate amount on mere advertising and promotion. This is not to say that advertising and promotion are less relevant. On the contrary, with more choices and higher media clutter, businesses need to budget for an increasingly higher spend on their brand promotion but this has to be undertaken in tandem with enterprise-wide â€Å"reengineering† of the business philosophy and core design, production, and delivery operations for the product itself. The positive spin to this argument is that by first addressing the fundamentals, the enterprise itself becomes more competitive. This can be the beginning of a virtuous cycle wherein brand equity continues to increase as the enterprise sustains delivery of an appropriate product or service at an ever increasing value. It is, however, crucial to note that in the years to come, not only will the cost of building a regional or a national (or an international) brand will continue to rise but also the time taken to do so will be longer and will need sustained and focused efforts. Brand value:- â€Å"The brand Airtel is our most valuable asset after our people. We have built it with a lot of passion,† says Bharti Airtel CEO and Joint Managing Director Manoj Kohli. Airtel is all about trust, innovation and ownership bundled with an emotional connection. I can think of very few brands in the whole world which straddle so many categories and talk to so many different economic groups. † Tata, Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and Airtel have been identified as the top three most valuable brands in India by 4PsBusiness  and Marketing magazine in its annual ranking released here Friday. And according to icmr survey Airtel is regarded as the second trusted and valued service provided brand after LIC. Brand personality: AIRTEL- |Airtel: Leadership, power†¦ feelings? | |Airtel has a branding strategy that focuses on the emotions and lifestyle of consumers. The Airtel’s brand personality is about lifestyle; | |innovation; passion; hopes, dreams and aspirations; and power-to-the-people through technology. The Airtel brand personality is it is also| |customer centric and a elite class product and most reliable on the basis of is good network service and customer centric approach and | |shows its leadership — be it in network, innovations, offerings or services | |   | |â€Å"In a service industry like telecom, people live a brand 24X7. It’s all about experience; and for Airtel ‘brand=customer experience’,† says| |Rajan Mittal, joint managing director, Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd. |   | |That’s now, but when mobile telephony began in India a decade ago, the brand was all about aspiration. That’s understandable: a handset | |cost about Rs 45,000 — the price of a second-hand Fiat — and call charges hovered around Rs 16 a minute. | |   | |Naturally, the personality of the brand airtel is ike | |: elite class and innovative product/service provider | |Used by professionals | |successful entrepreneurs. |Leader | | | | | |â€Å"We positioned Airtel as an aspirational and lifestyle brand, in a way that trivialised the price in the mind of the consumer. It was | |pitched not merely as a mobile service, but as something that gave him a badge value,† recalls Hemant Sachdev, chief marketing officer | |(mobility) and director, Bharti Tele-Ventures. | |   | |   | |The way to the future, though, seems to be through product innovations such as easy charge (recharging prepaid connection through SMS), | |hello tunes, the Blackberry option, stock tickers and M-cheques (mobile credit cards). |   | | | BRAND ASSOSIATION- The Airtel brand positioned it as a customer centric and a elite class product and most reliable on the basis of is good network service and customer centric approach and shows its leadership — be it in network, innovati ons, offerings or services Airtel associates it self with the customers both on functional and emotional values.. these can be jotted down as follows †¢ elite class and innovative product/service provider †¢ it shows the personality of a leader †¢ reliable network and customized service †¢ innovative product †¢ leading the market †¢ trusted and beneficial BRAND loyalty- |Bharti airtel Offers so manY programs to create brand loyalty which is the basic success of airtel .. some schemes such as | |Bharati Airtel offers two points on every Rs 100 on the member’s monthly billing or recharge. | |   | |The company is also considering bringing credit cards, loans and liabilities services under this program. | |   | | | †¢ PRE-PAID users of Airtel can look forward to some free talk time each time they recharge their card. The company is going to launch a new customer loyalty programme across the country for the pre-paid customers called Recharge Reward. †¢ This loyalty programme, which is supposed to be the first of its kind for pre-paid users, would be based on the number as well as the value of recharges the customers opt for. †¢ Speaking to  Business Line, Mr Ramesh K. Narain, Chief Officer – Sales & Marketing, Bharti Mobinet Ltd, said the company for the first time is specially focusing on the pre-paid segment. â€Å"We are looking at pre-paid as a recruitment category and through this loyalty programme we hope to not only increase our customer-base but also in the long run convert them into post-paid users. † Conclusion

Crime in Literature

When crime features in literature, there are often many ways it is dealt with. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Jones was almost robbed by a boy named Roger. Instead of calling the cops Mrs. Jones took the boy home to her house, washed, fed and gave him money to buy the sneakers that he had wanted to steal the money for. In contrast, in Roald Dahl’s â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter†, Mary kills her husband, Patrick Maloney, after he told her he is going to leave her. After killing her husband, she tricks the police that she found him dead when she came home and also tricked them into eating the leg of lamb that she killed him with.While the lesson that is taught in each literature work are far different from each other, both show that crime is treated differently in many cases. However, were as Hughes illustrates the lesson that is being taught about theft, dhal demonstrates the unexpected turn in a common crime. In both works of literature w orks, â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† and â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter†, crime is a common theme. Though in both literature works crime is conveyed differently. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† Mrs. Jones is almost robbed by a young boy Roger. But instead of calling the cops, Mrs.Jones catches him and takes him home where she taught him that stealing may not be the solution to his problems. In contrast, in â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter†, Mary Maloney kills her husband, Patrick Maloney. But instead of getting caught, she finds a way to cover her tracks. Though both themes were crime, it’s shown in different ways. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† the theme can portrayed as crime is solved by forgiveness. Mrs. Jones shows roger forgiveness which made the reader believe that roger will change his ways. In â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† the theme shows that crime can be solved by lying.Mary will not go to jail because she covered her tracks an d the cops can’t trace her to her husband’s murder. Another example of how the theme is different by the ending of each story. In the end of â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† roger leaves Mrs. Jones house changed, speechless of what just happened to him. However, in â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† Mary giggles at the end of the story. This can show that both works of literature were conveyed differently throughout each story. Therefore, this shows how he crime is common in both works of literature through to theme is different. These two examples show how the themes are different.In both works of literature, â€Å"Tank You Ma’am† and â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter†, characterization is a common influence on how each story plays out. However in each works of literature characters influence in different ways. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† Mrs. Jones helps roger realize what his wrong doing was. Therefore, Mrs. Jones influences roger t o realize what he has been doing wrong. In contrast, in â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† Mary tricks to police into eating the lamb, the weapon in Patrick murder case. This shows that Mary influence the police to believe that she did not kill her husband.In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† Mrs. Jones could be characterized as kind. It was kindness that Mrs. Jones showed Roger for him to realize his wrong doings. And yet, in â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† Mary can be characterized as manipulative. In addition, the characterization could change the seriousness of a crime. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† Roger is characterized as a minor. He was just a young boy who had potential of changing his ways. In â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† marry could be characterized, in this case, as a consequential adult. Mary was dealing with a serious crime that she had committed.This shows that even though both works of literature consist of crime, the authors illustrates a different kind of crime in each by using the characterization of each character. Roger was a kid with a chance of change, who as just committed a robbery, but in Mary’s case she as an adult that had committed a murder. Through characterization, these stories consist of a common trait, but are conveyed differently. These two examples show how the two text are different. In conclusion, throughout both works of literature, there were common traits that consist in the story that is told by convey themselves differently.In both â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† and â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† consist of crime, but in each work they convey itself differently than the others. † In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† crime was resolved by forgiveness. In â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† crime was solved by lying. Both works also consist of characterization that play out the story, but is used differently in each one. In â€Å"Thank You Ma’am† Mrs . Jones characterization help roger for the better. In â€Å"Lambs to the Slaughter† Mary’s characterization helped her for the bad. There were common trait but all was conveyed differently to create a different reaction of each literature works.

Knowledge and skills framework Essay

According to DH (2004), NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) refers to the information that NHS employees need to implement in their service delivery to guarantee quality. NHS issues a single, comprehensive, consistent and exceptional structure to execute in the review and motivation for all the staff. NHS KSF and its success have been as result of its drive for Agenda for Change. The designs are made to cut across all NHS employees irrespective of their capacity, as long as they fall under the change agreement for the agenda. This agreement is applicable to all the staff with exceptions of physicians, dentists and board management team, who have different arrangements for their advancement review. Throughout this study, the staffs mentioned are those who fall under the Agenda for Change National Agreement. Purpose of NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework The role of NHS KSF framework is to foster advancement of services to address the needs of the users and the entire public. Also it supports efficient learning and advancement of persons and groups of persons in their career development. This purpose does however; consider other facets such as empowerment of individuals in their capacities which promotes diversity and equality for the entire staff, in order to foster development (DH, 2004). Core dimensions According to Moullin (2002), NHS KSF is structured to create 30 dimensions which seek to identify major roles required by NHS to facilitate better quality services to the people. Six of the dimensions however are core to every position in NHS. These core dimensions include communication, which suggests ways of improving communication between various categories of people, individual and people advancement, which seeks to advance individual capacity as well as empowering other stakeholders within the health sector, health, safety and security which assists in the maintenance of one’s health status while considering the security of others, quality which facilitates the maintenance of one quality of service delivery and encourage others to formulate a culture that seeks to improve quality, service improvement and lastly, equality and diversity. The other dimensions do not apply to all groups and are specific to particular jobs. Communication as a core dimension According to McSherry (2008), Communication as a core dimension may assume the following forms: verbal communication, written and signing communication, electronic conveyance of information, communication aids, communication through third parties (for instance translators and interpreters). This passage of information entails communicating with patients, families, general public and their representatives, co-workers and colleagues. These forms of communication may also face challenges for instance a noisy environment. Personal health and the welfare of the individuals involved and social conflicts such as violent situations are other obstacles to effective communication to various groups of people. Communication may also be impaired by illiteracy levels which may interfere with the capacity to read and write. The existing policy frameworks and procedures may also act as barriers to communication when assessed from local or international dimensions. The policies may entail confidentiality, conflict resolution and preservation of information among others (McSherry, 2008). Application of effective communication Effective communication entails identification of the information conveyed by others in additional to self communication. It also involves advancing effective communication interactions which are characterized by advancements in the communication situation, subject matter, intention and the number of individuals being communicated to, their backgrounds and the impacts that this may have on the communication skills obtained. Effective communication entails communicating with a wide range of persons over diverse issues and formulating procedure of advancing communication on complex matters and situations (DH, 2000). Equality and Diversity Promotion of equality and appreciation of diversity is based on the belief that investment in workforce enhances service delivery and improves patients care across the continents (DH, 2004). Trainers, trainees and others stakeholders need to be involved in the administration of relevant questionnaires regularly. People’s diversity and equality attract recognition on the basis of gender, age and social backgrounds. Patients, families, co-workers within NHS and those from outside may experience oppression, discrimination or harassment based on their place of origin, ethnicity, mental status, bodily outlook among others. The policies, regulations and procedures that have been put in place to address inequality and diversity include domestic laws and international agreements pertaining to human rights, employment, anti-discriminatory activities and conflict resolution mechanisms (KAI, 2004). According to RCGP (2007), equality entails participation by all and access to opportunities to reveal their maximum potential. Under UK laws, all institutions have a responsibility to counter discrimination and enhance diversity. Diversity involves recognizing and appreciating the differences in order to create a culture that values, respects and harnesses the difference for the satisfaction of the entire institution. Influence on communication on my current practice and personal life Effective communication has contributed significant in influencing my personal life as well as my life as a nurse. It has enabled me to minimize the common obstacles of communication for instance addressing individuals of particular groups while maintaining a positive image of myself. Communication has also enabled me to provide reports with precision according to institutional procedures. This however does not make me forget that there are policies, legislations and procedures that need to be observed. Every form of communication goes along with accountability, to ensure that it does not jeopardize the discharge of responsibilities bestowed on me (DH, 2004). Communication has also enabled me to exemplify my skills to a wide range of persons and help resolve any differences that may accrue. This has helped me to address people of diverse backgrounds consistently especially when delivering information that I feel may not be pleasant such as the death of a close relative. This is accompanied by giving relevant feedbacks which comply with institutional policies and procedures. Decision making is another attribute which have gained through effective communication. There are some instances when I am expected to provide an immediate feedback especially on life threatening matters. Effective communication has also helped me in the resolution of disputes arising during the daily discharge of my duties. These skills do not only apply to professional life and have come in hand to shape my personal life towards the positive direction. It is based on this argument that Moullin (2002) states that communication dimension applies to all the sectors where there is interaction between people. Moullin also notes that this does not come without challenges for instance where the actions of people are beyond their control, poor historical background in communication and complexity of circumstances which may sometimes go beyond once control. Communication comes in handy when advocating issues on behalf of my colleagues, asserting a stand and retaining its adversity, revelation of unwelcoming news and supporting the recipients of the news. Communication has also emerged vital in the delivery of presentations which significantly encourages active contribution by the audience (DH, 2000). Influence of equality and diversity dimensions in my current practice and personal life According to Moonie, Bates and Spencer-Perkinsd (2004), equality and diversity are two crucial dimensions that have enable me in my profession to improve my interpersonal relationships with people. It has assisted me in my interactions with clients, colleagues and people across various institutions. I have appreciated the diversity that exist within the society and have learnt to appreciate people of diverse cultures, ages, creeds and other social backgrounds. The nursing profession has exposed me to diverse issue which can only be addressed by accommodating and appreciating people the way they are. My movement from one institution to the other within the health sector has improved my performance after being exposed to different values and challenges which have made me a better nurse. My support for equality has been unperturbed and I have learnt various policies and legislative procedures which assess the effectiveness of institutions for instance the Gender Recognition Act, 2004 (Cooper, 2004). Equality has helped me to appreciate the fact equal opportunities need to make accessible to all people irrespective of their financial capabilities. Through my understanding of equality and diversity, I have perceived the extent to which laws could be applied to foster culture and to address the discriminatory challenges that engulf the society. I have also appreciated that the success of this core dimension is subject to proper resource allocation, advancement and existence of relevant services. Lastly, equality has motivated me to play the role of being a good model that is considerate of all members of the society irrespective of their shortcomings (Hargie, (2006). Conclusion From the literature cited above, it is exhibited that NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework creates opportunities for information sharing and the implementation of this information enhances service delivery and creates motivation for the staff working in health institutions. NHS has been motivated by its drive for change which has enhanced the implementation of the six core dimensions in health care delivery. Communication which is the first core dimension determines the operations of the other core dimensions. Efficient communication entails establishing a good rapport with various stake holders who include professionals, institutions and clients. NHS Knowledge and Skills framework also identifies and appreciates the significance of equality and diversity while dealing with individuals of various backgrounds. Relevant policies, laws and procedures are put in to place to ensure that discrimination does not jeopardize service delivery in the health sector (Moonie, Bates and Spencer-Perkinsd, 2004). References Berry, D 2007. Health Communication Theory and Practice, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Cooper, D 2004. Challenging Diversity: Rethinking Equality and the Value of Difference. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Department of Health, DH 2000. The Vital Connection-an equalities framework for the NHS working together for quality and equality. Department of Health, DH 2003. Equalities and Diversity in the NHS-progress and priorities, London: Department of Health. Department of Health, 2004. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and the Development Review Process, Department of Health Publications: London, Retrieved from www. dh. gov. uk/policyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/agendaForChange/fs/en Department of Health, 2004. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF), London: Department of Health Publications. Hargie, O. (ed), 2006. The Handbook of Communication Skills. London: Routledge. Hilary, G, 2007. Unequal lives: Health and Socio-economic Inequalities. London: Routledge. KAI, J. (ed), 2004. Valuing Diversity- a resource for effective health care of ethnically diverse communities- a Training manual London: Royal College of General Practitioners. McSherry, R, 2008. An Introduction to Excellence in Practice development in Health and Social Care Maidenhead Open University Press. Moonie, N. , Bates, A. & Spencer-Perkinsd, 2004. Diversity and Rights in Care. Oxon: Harcourt Education Ltd. Moullin, M, 2002. Delivering Excellence in Health and Social Care. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Royal College of General Practitioners, RCGP, 2007. Promoting Equality and Valuing Diversity, 14 Princes Gate, Hyde Park: London.

Three Perspectives on a Current Issue from the Three Paradigms Being Research Paper

Three Perspectives on a Current Issue from the Three Paradigms Being Covered in Class - Research Paper Example Rent paid by entrepreneurs basically constitutes the land resource, which is used to produce other economic goods and services. Human resource is an active factor of production, which constitutes human labor as a service provision for the production of goods and services that is paid through wages and salaries. Man-made goods that are used for further production of goods and services are referred to as capital goods and include buildings and machinery that are paid as interests. Land, labor, and capital are exploited for production of goods and services in the economy to constitute the national income. Factors of production that can be shifted are capital and labor while land cannot be shifted, since it is a limited factor of production. Labor organizes capital for production although entrepreneurs must maintain an effective ratio of capital goods and labor with a production firm. The decision-making process needs to put into consideration that excess labor per unit of capital and vi ce versa may lead to losses due to inefficiency. Therefore, labor and Capital must be applied in effective ratios for realization of the highest possible economic value (Sagar 50). Organization of Factors of Production Enterprises should be organized by combining labor, land, and capital effectively through a business plan so as to start and run the business. Organization of factors of production does not only constitute planning and running a business, but also absorbing loss for continued production. Enterprise organization as Production process is complex and essential, since there exists small situations in and outside a country that influence organization, thus the necessity of proper planning and operation of an enterprises. Land, as a factor of production, is controlled by land owners, while capital goods are controlled by capitalist and labor as a human resource with respect to occupation skills and salaries. These factors of production are scattered within the economy and t hus the need for organization of these factors of production. Social Institutions The economic interactions of technology, capital goods and social institutions contribute significantly to economic growth through effective production. Social, political, economic and legal institutions in a country affect the economic growth both positively and negatively. Normally, countries seek to redesign their social, political and legal institutions to alter their impact for the improvement of the economy. Institutions that are known to be beneficial in contribution to economic growth should lead to importation of the institutional structures of another country that has benefited from economic growth. Examples of countries that have imported institutional countries include Dubai, which imported London’s commercial law that helps the government in city regulations. However, in many countries, the complete overhaul of institutional structure may not be possible due to political and social disagreements. Political, legal and social institutions go beyond the aspects of basic institutional entities such as the judiciary and parliament.

Social Policy and Welfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Social Policy and Welfare - Essay Example According to the report findings Welfare usually comes in the form of financial assistance through subsidies and vouchers issued by governmental and non-governmental organizations. Funding can come directly from institutions or be paid for by members through a salary deduction scheme to be returned at a premium and in stages. Some aspects of welfare can be universal like health coverage in the NHS in the UK while some can be residual targeting only specific sectors such as the unemployed, people of old age and veterans.This discussion declares that  Welfare provision is designed to target two key aspects of society: the family and the labor market. The underlying reason behind the importance given to the family is that it is considered to be the most important and powerful welfare provider. Families provide ‘emotional support’ and virtually free care which no other external state can provide. Health of family is less likely to be compromised with the presence of a dedi cated overseer thus minimizing the need for health coverage. Public support of the family can then be a crucial factor in ensuring that people have peace of mind and are enjoying the company of their family.  Intervention in the labour market through regulation is the bane of free-market believers but it has long been recognized. Labour market intervention schemes are usually designed to protect people from market fluctuations. This guarantees them from arbitrary termination, working conditions and compensations.

National Security and Science and Technology policy Essay

National Security and Science and Technology policy - Essay Example This exceedingly complex mission requires a focused effort from our entire society if we are to be successful. To this end, one primary reason for the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security was to provide the unifying core for the vast national network of organizations and institutions involved in efforts to secure our nation." (http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home5.jsp, para 2) United States history tells that war prompted the creation of most U.S. government science agencies. The integration of an applied Research and Development programs were essential elements in addressing and supporting the agencies' missions. Elements of fundamental science allows breakthrough of these unlimited opportunities. (http://www.issues.org/18.2/ bonvillian.html, para 18) Thus, R&D, as an integral part in the science and technology policy, has become a major factor in attaining the US national security. The role of science and technology in the nation's security was launched when Thomas Jefferson was commissioned to Lewis and Clark two centuries. Since then, territorial expansion and the industrial revolution continued to drive U.S. science and technology policy throughout the 19th century. The country's unforgettable experiences in the two World Wars and their aftermaths were the primary factors that influenced the government's realization of science and technology in the 20th century which soon became the turning point that lead to the revolution of science and technology and the importance of its research and development programs. (Marburger, 2005) The birth of the National Science Foundation in 1950 was the result of the country's attitudes towards the government's role in science and technology. Larger and more advanced Department of Energy laboratories were existed and established under the Atomic Energy Commission. Military services were at the same time provided with an official research office in 1951. At that time National Institute for Health (NIH) had existed for twenty years, wherein National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) were established eight years later. Some reorganizations occurred after 1960, notably the metamorphosis of the AEC into the Department of Energy and more recently the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, but since 1960 the federal framework has evolved very little. (Marburger, 2005) Presidential science advisors were appointed by the government to take the responsibility in overseeing adherence to a presidential policy that insists on competent, objective, balanced, and open advice. Their roles moreover involves in creating strategies on implementation and enforcement of these policies. (Branscomb, 2005) Some of the most significant roles of science advisors in the US federal government involved national security. During the war they linked the President and top

DB 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DB 3 - Research Paper Example On the other hand, the power of virtual integration is the use of the internet or general technology to replace physical elements of a company with specific information. Ford Motor Company recorded 5.7 million motor sales worldwide last year, using a huge network of suppliers. As part of its objectives to create a competitive supply chain, the firm makes use of Six Sigma procedures through collaborating with Penske Logistics to improve and streamline supply chain activities. Before Ford sided with Penske Corp, its assembly plants in South America each took care of its logistics, an initiative that led to unexpected costs in transport and supplying materials as suppliers used to pick up light loads, carrying them from plant to plant. In an effort to solve this, the company established various Order Dispatch Centers (ODC) to merge shipments to plants (Chopra & Sodhi, 2012). Within a short time, it was noted that the majority of trucks have increased the capacity to 95% when distributing shipments to and from the ODC as well as a reduced plant inventory by 15%. New technology has been put in place to help in streamlining performance. Ford Motors has used Logistics Management System, order tracing software, and metric reporting system based on the internet to achieve this goal. This shows how technology can be used to enhance competitiveness as drivers in the company now carry an electronic log and PDA scanners to offer real-time updates and ensure that all carriers have satellite communications. Meanwhile, the supply chain is stabilized through scanners that are utilized in monitoring plants delivery (Austin, 1999). A vital facet of the strategies used in the supply chain is Ford’s emphasis on accountability at every level of supply. In order to reduce expenses and boost services, the company strengthened the car manufacturer’s bidding procedure for carriers, initiating higher specifications on technology, driver certification, safety, time

Business skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business skills - Assignment Example This paper will provide how the entrepreneurial mindset would add value in the business environment(McGrath, 2000, p. 244). A good mindset should set its ambition for achievement. By doing this, they are setting their standards high and have an ambition to achieve. Their mindset should be forward looking. Looking forward will show the way the business has still to follow. The business mindset should be self-sufficient. Owners have to accumulate the necessary capital to sustain the business. Furthermore, the business mindset has to be optimistic(JM Haynie, 2010, p. 87). The mind has to see an advantage rather than a disadvantage for venturing into business. To achieve higher, the business has to be task and result oriented. The management should define to the employees on what the business wants. All employees, either the manager or cook should be restless and energetic. A hardworking workforce can attain any level of profit realization. Managers and supervisors have to be observant of the situation of the businesses(Hitt, 2001, p. 80). They should keep all employees on track and ensure they produce the b est. A self-confident businessperson is destined for success. They should fear no competitor and have the ability to participate in risk-taking ventures. The businessperson should also be persistent. He has to be determined to achieve anything. A business dedicated to completing a task would achieve higher in the end. The trait of independence is very important in businesses. The operators of these businesses should do things their own(Mauer, 2009, p. 98). Thus, they have to demonstrate that they enjoy conducting unconventional things. Thus will be their beginning of success. Being independent is working alone. Businesspersons should not involve family members or friends in running a business. Working independent will demonstrate the real potential of the business. In the market, there are forces that diverge attention of most entrepreneurs. They lure

Business economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business economic - Essay Example Thus, a double-dip recession occurs when the GDP rises to positive levels (the recovery period) followed by negative levels (another recession) (Quiggin, 2010). It is often referred to as the â€Å"W-shaped† recession (Quiggin, 2010). One of the most prominent double-dip recessions took place in the 1980’s in the United States (Appendix 1) (Quiggin, 2010). Two recessions occurred in the 1980’s in the United States. Initially, the economy shrunk by 8%, then grew at 8% after which the economy dipped into the second recession due to the Federal Reserve’s policy to raise interest rates to curb inflation (Quiggin, 2010). Following that, the economy re-entered into growth for the rest of the years (Quiggin, 2010). Although, there are no definite characteristics that define a recession, there are a few symptoms that are generally agreed by economists. First is the inverted yield curve model which was determined by Jonathan H. Wright which uses 10 year yield of Tr easury Securities as an input (LaBonte et al., 2010). Second, is the change in unemployment rate over a three month period (LaBonte et al., 2010). Third, lower prices of assets including real estate and financial assets as well as large personal and corporate debts (LaBonte et al., 2010). ii) The contraction in Ireland’s economy was of particular significance at a time when other Euro nations were showing positive growth rates. This fall in Ireland’s GDP is attributed firstly, according to Author of the Bulletin, Dr. Dan McLaughlin, Group Chief Economist, Bank of Ireland, to the drastic fall in capital spending. Although capital spending decreased by 11%, on average, throughout the rest of the developed world; in Ireland it fell by a drastic 30% along with a 34% decline in building and construction activity (McLaughlin, 2010). The share of construction in general, and house-building in particular now accounts for only 2.5% of Ireland’s GDP, compared to 12% in 20 05 (McLaughlin, 2010). Secondly, consumption expenditure also saw a decline throughout the Western regime by 1.1%, due to reduced employment and falling growth in wages (McLaughlin, 2010). In the case of Ireland, employment slashed by 8% along with decline in wages which partially contributes to the fall in real consumer purchase power of Ireland (McLaughlin, 2010). A significant trend emerged at this point; that of higher savings. Although real disposable income dipped in Ireland, it was accompanied by a rise in the marginal propensity to save, leading to a higher savings ratio (McLaughlin, 2010). At the same time, Ireland’s exports fell by much more than that of its Euro competitors, implying that Net Exports also declined. Thus, to sum up; since all the components of GDP including consumption, investment and government expenditure along with net exports fell, GDP was bound to decline. iii) A Keynesian style stimulus package is a policy measure used by policymakers and inst itutions that involves stimulating one or more of the components that make up aggregate demand in an attempt to increase employment, income and output of an economy (Tool & Samuels, 1989). This approach is consistent with the Keynesian theory that negative output gap can lead to a bottleneck in the economy; a situation it finds difficult to escape. The paradox of thrift comes into force whereby loss of valuable consumer and investor confidence combined with high propensity to save exacerbates the recession (Meltzer, 1988). If such is the situation,

Astronomy 123 Homework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Astronomy 123 Homework - Assignment Example He believed that everything in the space was located within the galaxy. Shapley advocated a proposition of relative size to support his idea that if the Andromeda galaxy had not been part of the Milky Way then the distance of it could have been 1000000000 light year. This research was not fully welcomed by most of the scientists during the period. The Andromeda spiral almost sparkled at an era of time in the Andromeda galaxy. Outwardly and for new star, the gross energy was not reasonable. Consequently, the Andromeda and new star should be in Milky Way. The evidence showed optical spectrum of the spiral nebula was not distinguishable from spectrum of the galaxy. Shapley also utilized the kind of absurdum and reduction fully. If Andromeda had been independent, then it had possessed a miraculous brightness so that people could have detected from far. 3. Andrew McKellar was a Canadian astronomer, who studied physics and mathematics in the University of British Columbia. He showed his first observations to astronomers in 1930 and early 1940s. He suffered a number of setbacks that made him not to realize it. One of the setbacks was non-uniformity in observations. This was due to coherent fluctuations on angular scales that were larger than cosmological horizon at combination. Instrumental errors due to the use of different instruments were another major cause of difficulty in data collection. Planck telescope which was more sensitive and had larger angular resolution confirmed the axis of evil observation. Non- equivalent dependent variable designs used by Andrew McKellar hindered effective collection of

Ethical And Environmental Factors Essay Example for Free

Ethical And Environmental Factors Essay The state of Belina is situated in the sub-Saharan region. The countries in the sub-Saharan region have suffered a lot for many years. Most African countries in the sub-Saharan parts have been depicted to be suffering heavily due to the low industrialization level in the region. The transformation of country’s economics together with the changes of living standards of the people begin with education, which is brings about technology changes. Education in the region has been low with just most people attaining the elementary education. There are a few elites with higher education whom the state hope would transform their states. (Williams, 2004. pp 95) The governments of the sub-Saharan states have encouraged their investors by offering them favoring production and investment terms. As the past investment reveals, the investments which have been conducted in the African countries has adversely affected them. There is unfathomable damage and disadvantages which have been created as result of industrial development within many African states. This ranges from the high rates of there natural resource exploitation as well as human labor exploitations to the adverse environmental changes they have implicated. Davidson, 1992, pp402) Despite all the investment made within the sub-Saharan countries, energy investment has received low investors. Due to the low energy production in the region the majority of the people in the region are believed to be subjected to abject poverty. As the people within the region suffer a lot, the energy scarcity has contributed to the low economic growth. Introduction The energy demand has eminently risen in many countries allover the globe over the mid and the last century. This has been as result of rapid developments in the industrial sector as well as in the revolution in technology. Besides this industrialization factor, the state population has also increased several folds. The state populations have been increasing in high rate, thus it has multiplied more than 4 times between 1985 and 2005. The energy demand has increased twelve times within this particular period. This has lead to the government and other individuals to embark on more resources for energy. This indicates the important aspect the country men leaders attaches to the energy production. The people from the sub-Saharan countries such as the belina community should be cautious of the environmental impact that any industrial development might have in there livelihoods. Many people have developed technologically leading to industrialization, but the development which has been done also turned out as draw backs to future generations. The American and the United Kingdom states such as Germany and the Japan are such developed countries which are currently savaging from such development. This is because any technology which is introduced within the state should perpetually yield positive more advantages than its disadvantages. (Munasinghe, 2005, pp 35-48) The effects of energy productions plants are similar to those of other processing and manufacturing plants. While the industrialized countries are savaging from great environmental pollution, there has been campaigns on environmental control. The impacts of environmental pollutions are globally felt. The energy producer companies and the consumers companies of such energies have both been major contributors to the scourge felt. As the effects of global warming are being felt, the sub-Saharan countries seem to be in worse hit. This is because global warming has affected the good climatic conditions under which they have thrived in economics means. This climatic change has been associated with the industrialized countries of which most of them are much far from the continent. Due to the above consideration, the government of belina has an obligation of considering such campaigns of eliminating and discarding the energy companies interested in investments that has got inadequate pollution control measures. For this reason, the government has to view those companies having the utilization of old traditional methods as environmentally unfriendly and also some of those modern technology methods which are not renewable. Energy sources and their effects The old traditional energy sources have greatly led to the advancement of our production. They have been credited for they have enabled men to the discoveries which were fundamental for high productions. However, this old traditional methods of energy sources have now created another milestone of environmental clean up. The major traditional energy sources which are available range from the fossils to wood and to some extent the reactive elements used in the nuclear powers. These have continued for long being in use, and even today, they form ninety percent of the energy produced and consumed world wide. The application of energy resources such as coal, natural gas, petroleum products as well as uranium have for long been used. These are all non-renewable sources which have high risk of depletion besides high hazards to the environment and the people handling them. The fossils fuels have only been of continued used initially as they were plentiful and inexpensive. However, these advantages are no longer valuable as there are other means for which energy has been produced cheaply and with consistency. Usually, the consumption of these substances and their products has now been a major risk to the country consuming them. The consumption of these substances has generated numerous air pollutants and other air by-products which have lead to global climatic changes. Coal as energy resources take millions of years to be formed. Despite this, it is historically disputed as a threat to the miners/ workforce and also as an environmental hazard. While petroleum has served for long in the transportation systems and other industrial sectors like manufacturing of plastic and synthetic fabric, it has also posed greater dangers to the environment of our people. The spillage which may occur within the seas and rivers during its transportation to the power plants creates a lot of stress and tension to the environment. This significantly destroys our rivers, seas and marines live, hence the whole aquatic live. This not only affects the water ecosystems but they also leading to endangering the human life through food chain systems. The natural gas products are also enormously boosting both agricultural production and our health through their application in the medical systems. Although the natural gas seems to contribute much towards environmental conservation, the methane gas has got enormous effects which relates to the greenhouse effects. (Hall and Mao, 1994, pp 234) The non-renewable fossil energy sources are indiscriminately disastrous to the environment. The extraction of these fossils causes many changes to the soil structures hence causes disturbances to the soil. Apart from affecting the soil and its inhabitants, the method of extraction causes disturbances in the water systems, which my lead to diversion of the water ways making a particular region to experience unexpected dryness water scarcity while other part enjoys plenty of water availability. Vegetation and other significant resources are not spared either and this perhaps affects the whole ecosystem of the region which may act as tourism attraction centre. The twentieth century has endeavored to utilize the technology advances on combating with the problem of limited energy. Undoubtedly the discovery of the nuclear energy was a period of great hope to the world. Many individuals thought that nuclear energies would save the world from its limited natural resources as elements are quite abundant. The believed results turned out as unfulfilling very soon. Just after the introductory of this energy production technique, numerous fearful cases were reported allover the world. As with the Japanese case, many countries were apprehended with awesome fear as the enormous disaster left behind with the prolong killing of people. As well known, any excess without control is dangerous. Due to excess energy that is generated, the nuclear energy mistakes left thousands of the Japanese killed and many others injured. The state is also suffering from this long historical happening even after heavily assistance to curb the radiation effects. Many are born disabled due to affected human molding factors. The non-renewable based companies may thus find no way of solving the Belina problem of energy crisis. (Ministry of Water, Energy and Mining, 1988, pp 16) The struggle for the belina energy shortage takes the alternative energy sources. This adopts the issues of renewable energy sources. The Belina is positioned within the advantageous positions of the world. The fact that Belina lies in the sub-Saharan region; there is an immeasurable advantages over other countries which lies in the far ends of the artic and Antarctic of the globe. Being in the sub-Saharan region, it has the full advantage of utilizing the major world energy sources which is believed as the sun. The state does not have to succumb to the developed states demands on favors which will bring them more future life uncertainty. However, the country would need to tap the solar energy which is availed for twelve plus hour in a day. The use of this energy has not only been praised for its natural occurrence but it has been environmentally friendly. It is the best natural occurring clean energy in spites of its limited amounts that depend on the intensity of the sun. Furthermore, solar plant installation clears only a minute piece of land affecting a few vegetation cover. (World Bank, 1989, pp 23) Windmills have transformed the lives of many people living in the sub-Saharan and sub-Saharan states. Windmill energy production is thus a rapidly growing energy sources, this is thriving well in places where wind is freely blowing such as the ones experienced in the Belina. The wind blowing along the ridges and others part are potentially trapping position of energy to the industries. This would mitigate the lives of the communities by enhancing economic growths while maintaining the low effects which are short lived such as vegetation clearing on the wind pathways. Although, this may affect the country economy, it is anticipated the most hit sector is the tourism which depend on birds as their attraction means. The killing of such birds by the blades of turbines is quite minimal as compared to the energy non-renewable sources (Ministry of Water, Energy and Mining, 1988, pp 16) As the country come to the culmination of industrialization leading it to the level of developed state, the urban centre would be highly populated more than the cities are packed now. This will lead to an unimaginable sanitary state of the city environment. The living places of the people are now ravaged and littered with garbage from fruit refuse and other organic plant litters. This is making the people to live barely struggling to breathe for pure oxygen. This poses great threat of health hazards to the people. The chances of endemic and epidemic are now in the verge of being rampant in the region. But, with the modern technology, the people in the cities and other metropolitan can be saved with the utilization of the refuse both for the energy production and for economic agricultural production through soils enrichment. It will be a prime reason for not investing on others energy forms while refuse is indirectly and directly disseminating diseases to the population of the nation (Johansson, 1993, pp 96-118) The investment in bio-fuel and other biomass degradable materials has lead to the production of products such as gasohol, gasoline and many other products. The products have been a means of saving the countries from the energy crisis which is associated to the over dependency on non-renewable energy sources. Apart from their application by other states as energy alternative, they have an impact on the maintenance of stable prices of the products from the factories, making the products affordable to the consumers in poverty stricken states such as those in the sub-Saharan regions. (Sokona, 2002, pp 145) Conclusion The energy crisis and shortage to countries in the sub-Saharan region has contributed to the persistence of great suffering of the people due to poverty high level. However, the investment on energy production to solve the problem should be a careful process that does not impact adversely both in the environmental factors as well as in the ethical factors. The traditional energy sources have been major contributors to the worse economic conditions of the people in the sub-Saharan states. This can thus be altered by the adaptation of the energy production methods which are renewable. References: Davidson O. (1992): Energy Issues in Sub-Saharan Africa: Annual Review of Energy and Environment Vol. 17 pp401-403. Hall, D. and Mao, Y. (1994): Biomass and Coal in Africa. London Johansson, T. et al (1993): Renewable Energy:. Island Press Ministry of Water, Energy and Mining, (1988): Lesotho Energy Master Plan: GTZ and Department of Energy World Bank, (1989) Sub-Saharan Africa From Crisis to Sustainable Growth: The World Bank. Williams, J. (2004). Sustainable development in Africa: is the climate right? IRI Technical Report Munasinghe, M. (2005). Primer on climate change and sustainable development: Cambridge University Press. Sokona, Y. (2002) Think bigger, act faster: a new sustainable energy path for African development: University of Cape

Female Circumcision Essay Example for Free

Female Circumcision Essay Societies all over the world view an individual’s transcend from childhood to adulthood as a very important chapter in their life. Many rituals are done as part of the individual’s passage through adulthood. Some are ceremonious, while others involve much pain and suffering. One such painful ritual is female circumcision experienced by females in Africa. For many years, health experts have stressed the various complications that are experienced by females who had undergone the procedure ranging from excessive bleeding to death. Governments have attempted to ban the procedure by passing laws making circumcision illegal. In spite of this, female circumcision is continuous to be rampant among African communities both in Africa and even in African communities outside the country. This paper aims to establish the prevalence of female circumcision in African communities is strongly linked to their cultural beliefs regarding the essence and protection of the femininity of their women and the religious tradition of circumcision as prescribed in Islamic teachings. Look more:Â  foot binding process essay Process of Female Circumcision In order to establish female circumcision as a cultural tradition celebrated by African communities as opposed to the viewpoint of many health experts and human rights activists as an act of mutilation against women, the ritual and process surrounding female circumcision must first be discussed as well as its background in its role of preserving the virginity of the women of African communities. Contrary to the belief that female circumcisions is a tradition rooted among the indigenous African tribes, female circumcisions have been done in Arabia, Egypt and Syria as early as the fifth century BC with evidence provided in Greek documents by ancient historians. Female circumcision was also utilized by the ancient Romans among their female slaves where they would pierce the genitalia of the slaves with pins or fibula. Hence, the name infibulation. This was done by the Romans in order to prevent the female slaves from becoming pregnant by their masters. Female circumcision was also evident in Europe and the United States as a solution for the urge of masturbation and nymphomania (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Currently, female circumcision is being practiced by Muslims, Christians, Falasha Jews and indigenous African religions in Algeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal and Mali as well as in the Southern part of the Arabian peninsula, Malaysia and Indonesia totaling approximately between 80 and 100 million women who have undergone some form of female circumcision with another four to five million children and adolescents undergoing this procedure every year in compliance to both their African cultural tradition of female circumcision as an initiation to womanhood as well as the requirements of their religious belief that circumcision must be done in order to be purified (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997). The ritual of female circumcision among the rural African tribes begins with a ceremony where people of all ages would gather within the tribe’s compound and celebrate by drinking and dancing. This is in order for the women who would be circumcised to become tired and eventually numb for the pain that will be a part of the circumcision process. The circumcision rites would be carried out the following day at dawn and held in public without anesthesia with the girl either seated or lying down with her thighs held apart by helpers (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997). Depending on the tribe and preference of the family and woman to be initiated, the severity of female circumcision varies. The least severe form of female circumcision involves pricking the clitoris to cause bleeding. The second form of female circumcision is called the sunna. This procedure removes both the tip and the layer of skin covering the clitoris. The most severe is called the infibulation or Pharaonic type of circumcision. This procedure involves the removal of the entire clitoris, labia minora and most of the labia majora. Whatever is left of the labia majora is then stitched together using thread or thorns leaving only a small opening approximately the size of the head of a match stick to allow both urine and menstrual flow to pass. A powdery substance composed of sugar, gum, herbs, ashes and animal manure will be applied on the area afterwards. While the wound heals, the girls legs are tied together to immobilize her anywhere between fifteen to forty days (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). In more progressive African communities as well as communities in other countries, the circumcision ritual is less extravagant. There is usually no celebration before the ritual and the procedure is usually performed by medical professionals with the use of anesthesia to perform the infibulation (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Health Effects of Female Circumcision Female genital operations is viewed as a major health concern not just because of its geographic distribution but also the number of females involved and the adverse complications resulting from the procedure. A woman who has undergone female circumcision does not only suffer from shock, hemorrhage and injury to the adjacent organs right after the procedure, but becomes susceptible to a number of other infections such as septicemia, tetanus, formation of scars and keloids, urinary infection, cysts and abscesses in the vulva region, pelvic inflammatory disease, infection of the uterus and fallopian tube, painful sexual intercourse, and even death (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Women who had undergone this procedure, specifically from those who came from rural communities, experience psychological trauma as well as irritability, anxiety, and depression, reduced feelings of femininity, alterations of the personality and the absence of arousal in sexual intercourse (Kouba Muasher, 1985) Childbearing becomes hazardous not just on the part of the mother who has undergone a female circumcision procedure but the baby’s health is placed in danger as well. The formation of scars and keloids after the procedure may contribute to extremely painful labor. The tearing of the scar tissue surrounding the area where the procedure was done may also result to hemorrhage on the part of the mother. There is also a high possibility that the newborn will suffer from brain damage and other malformations since the sutures done on the labia majora of the mother will have to be removed only during the period of the delivery when the baby’s head will be crowning in order for the baby to pass through (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Addressing the Issue of Female Circumcision Female circumcision has become an international controversy in reference to human rights and health issues within international conferences. In line with this, various efforts have been done in order to minimize, if not eradicate the proliferation of female circumcision which is now commonly practiced throughout much of Africa and is now being practiced within African expatriate communities in U. S. , Canada and Europe (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). In 1958, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women called upon the World Health Organization (WHO) to study the persistence of customs that subject girls to female genital operations rituals as well as to create measures to eradicate it. The strategy being used is similar to that which led to the discontinuation of foot binding in China. This strategy would include education and public health interventions as well as the formation of groups of parents who will pledge that they will not only cease committing their daughters to the female circumcision ritual but to discourage their sons to marry women who have been circumcised (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Thomas, 1998; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Slowly, this strategy has been yielding positive results. In Somalia, authorities have begun to make considerable effort through their education system to inform the public about the adverse effects of female circumcision. Due to the increase in education in Africa particularly regarding the adverse effects of the ritual of female circumcisions, more and more young women are beginning to favor less severe types of female circumcision if not oppose the ritual completely (Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). But in other parts of Africa, the opposite has been happening. Instead of using education to inform the communities of the complications of female circumcision, it has driven communities to continue the procedure with the process carried out no longer by crude and unhygienic measures as they have normally practiced, but utilized the advancement of medicine in carrying out the rituals. Nowadays, more and more hospitals and health clinics in order to prevent the woman initiated from suffering from shock, hemorrhage and injury to the adjacent organs right after the procedure as well as psychological trauma due to the pain since the procedure now utilizes anesthesia and medicine to prevent possible infections (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Moreover, in spite the government passing legislatures banning the procedures completely, African communities still perform the rituals. For example, the Sudan government passed a law banning female circumcision in 1946. However, about 80% of women within the reproductive age group interviewed between the years 1989 and 1990 in Sudan have still undergone the ritual (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Another is in Kenya where female circumcision has been considered illegal by the government since 1982. Yet, communities still continue to practice this since they argued that it is part of their custom (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997). In fact, in a study conducted by Williams Sobieszczyk (1997), 90% of all African women both residing in Africa and in African communities in other parts of the world had planned to have their daughters still undergo some form of female circumcision with 50% of them preferring the most severe forms of circumcision. Reasons for the Prevalence of Female Circumcision The African tribes and African communities in other countries who have practiced female circumcision for generations have remained undaunted with the continuance of the ritual of female circumcision in spite of the availability of education and resource materials for them with reference to the adverse effect female circumcision have on the part of the women. What is even more disturbing is that there are some women who request to be circumcised (Walley, 1997). One reason for this is due to the strong ties that female circumcision has in reference to Islam. Islam is the dominant religion in the countries in Senegal, Mali, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania which have been noted to practice female circumcision. It is the belief of those who practice Islam is that all forms of circumcision is prescribed by the prophet Mohammed and that circumcision would make the woman more radiant and it is sanctioned by the Islam authorities called the ulama. However, scholars on the Islamic faith have determined that although circumcision is prescribed, the most of the severe forms of the practice of female circumcision is not a requirement according to the Quran or the hadith which are the collection of sayings of the prophet Mohammed. In fact, such forms of circumcision are prohibited (Jhazbhay, 2003; Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Another reason for the continuance of female circumcision is that African communities have viewed female circumcision as an important initiation to adulthood while serving to construct, enhance and reinforce female purity and virginity in connection with the norms that govern family honor, female sexuality and marriage which must be strictly followed. For a woman to turn back from the circumcision rites would amount to disgracing their families and relatives since they will be branded as cowards thus would be isolated by the community. By undergoing female circumcision, they believe that they develop a personal sense of self-confidence and pride as well as public respect. Such is the case among the Sabaot women who are envied by the women of Bukusu since, unlike them; they do not undergo female circumcision since their belief is that circumcision is only for male (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Thomas, 1998; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). African men also require their brides to be circumcised. Women who are not circumcised are prohibited from bearing children, particularly among the women in Meru (Thomas, 1998). Some tribes view the clitoris as a dangerous organ which could kill the baby during delivery. Others view it as poisonous that it will kill a man during sexual intercourse (Kouba Muasher, 1985). Moreover, women believe that fertility is enhanced after a woman is circumcised. Thus, female circumcision would increase the dowry that the men would pay in order to marry a circumcised woman further increasing the pride and self-confidence of the woman since she is now entitled to be married and bear children (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Thomas, 1998; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). The importance of patrilineal kin in African families also influences the decision for the younger females to undergo female circumcision since female circumcision was believed to enhance the masculinity of the males and the femininity of the females through the removal of the external genitalia. It is the common belief, especially among the Hofriyati women female circumcision is seen as a symbolism of emphasizing femininity focusing more on fertility rather than sexuality since many tribes believe that if left alone, the clitoris would grow into a penis (Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997). African communities have also perceived the views of many scholars in reference to the importance of their cultural traditions as harmful, coercive, superfluous and regarded as a myth that must be laid to rest and stated that development is the goal of every country today, with development pertaining to the assimilation of Western technology and living patterns. Although there have been a growing number of African women objecting to the practice of female circumcision, they also objected to the manner how feminists from First World countries are handling the matter. African women believed that women from First World countries do not comprehensively understand their experiences involving the matter. This is because most Euro-American studies about female genital operations view African women as thoroughly oppressed victims of a patriarchal society, ignorant, and not seen as social actors in their own right (Walley, 1997). As such, the practice of female circumcision still persists in many parts of the world because it remains as the center of the roles and how they value their women in society. Its continuance is seen as a social standing and a return to African tradition (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Conclusion This paper has shown that there is a strong relationship between female circumcision and how African communities measure the worth of an African woman. Female circumcision is equated to courage, honor, family status, eligibility to marry and have children. Those who choose not to be circumcised are ostracized by society and are considered as a disgrace to their families, compelling them to endure this ritual. African communities have also viewed female circumcision as a fulfillment of the requirements of their Islamic faith even if scholars have stressed otherwise. In order to minimize, if not eradicate female circumcision, efforts in educating African communities both in Africa and in other parts of the country should center on ensuring that they properly understand the requirements of Islam regarding circumcision. By re-educating them of the requirements of Islam along with the adverse effects, the tradition would eventually be eliminated. References Jhazbhay, I. (2003, August 30). Islam in Africa. Retrieved on February 19, 2008, from http://www. nuradeen. com/currentissues/IslamInAfrica. htm. Kouba, L. J. Muasher, J. (March 1985). Female circumcision in Africa: an overview. African studies review, 28(1), 95-110. Obermeyer, C. M. (March 1999). Female genital surgeries: the known, the unknown, and the unknowable. Medical anthropology quarterly new series, 13(1), 79-106. Thomas, L. M. (1998). Imperial concerns and womens affairs: state efforts to regulate clitoridectomy and eradicate abortion in Meru, Kenya, c. 1910-1950. The journal of African history, 39(1), 121-45. Walley, C. J. (August 1997). Searching for voices: feminism, anthropology, and the global debate over female genital operations. Cultural anthropology, 12(3), 405-38. Williams, L. Sobieszczyk, T. (November 1997). Attitudes surrounding the continuation of female circumcision in the Sudan: passing the tradition to the next generation. Journal of marriage and the family, 59(4), 966-81.