Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Mid Valley Megamall Tourism Essay

The Mid Valley Megamall Tourism Essay In the previous chapter, secondary data such as books, journals and online journals are used to conduct the literature review. In this chapter, primary data is collected through the case study. This chapter will cover the research framework consists of research purpose, research method, sampling method, research instrument and information collected from the case study. The analysis of the data is discussed in the next chapter. This case study is conducted for the purpose of investigating the level of customer satisfaction of the local customers towards the performance of a shopping centre. Mid valley megamall is chosen as the subject in case study. The time frame for the whole research is 1 month. RESEARCH FRAMEWORK First of all, the measurement objectives must be specified in order to simplify the research process. Basically, there are four types of customer satisfaction survey which is based on the measurement objectives of the research (Vavra, 2002). Since this research is used to investigate the level of performance of a shopping centre from the customers satisfaction in general, thus, it is known as overall status survey. According to Vavra, overall status survey is emphasized more on the general issues, overall performance, and overall customers satisfaction. (2002) RESEARCH METHOD AND PURPOSE This research is conducted using quantitative research method. From the customer satisfaction survey, the research information collected from the sample is the primary data. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of customers satisfaction in a shopping centre, to identify the actual need of customers through the distribution of questionnaires to the sample and to clarify whether the performance meet the customers expectations. POPULATION AND SAMPLING METHOD Sampling method is a method of choosing a group of peoples from the entire target population in order to obtain the required information. Basically, there are two types of sampling designs: probability and non-probability. This research has adopted non probability sampling technique which is most suitable for a widely dispersed population such as the customers of Mid Valley Megamall. It is impossible to use the probability sampling method for this research due to the difficulty in identifies the target populations as it is too large for research. The sample is selected to estimate the gross results because less cost and time required and the sample is easily obtained while compared with the probability sampling technique. The target populations for this research are the Malaysian customers of Mid Valley Megamall and the sample is limited to adult from 18 to 50 years old. This sample is chosen because these groups of person visit the shopping mall more frequently than other demographic profile. The sample size of 100 customers ranged from 18 to 50 years old is considered as representative of Malaysian customers of Mid Valley Megamall. 3.4 DESIGN OF QUESTIONNAIRE Questionnaire is used as research instrument for this study. The questionnaires are prepared according to the objectives which set up at the beginning. In order to obtain better response from the sample, the questionnaires are designed to be simple and easy to be understood. If the length of the questionnaires is too long, it will affect the rate of response. According to Vavra, there are four types of question can be collected, namely facts, attitudes, prediction behavior and demographics. (2002). Diversified types of question are more interesting for the customers. The questionnaire consists of three sections. The first section is about the demographic profile of the respondent. The objective is to know the respondents background. The second section is about the general information regarding the relationship between the respondents and the shopping mall. Besides, it is used to identify the actual need of the customers. The third section is about the investigation on the level of satisfaction of the customers from the sample chosen towards the location, product performance, staff, building layout, infrastructure and facilities provided in the shopping mall. This section is important in determine whether the shopping mall meet the requirements of the customers. Furthermore, it includes the recommendations from the customers in order to help the shopping mall to enhance their performance in the future. 3.5 SCALE For the questionnaire, every question has its own response options such as open-ended response and close-ended response. Open-ended questions require the opinions of the customers regarding the overall performance of the shopping mall. Close-ended questions are more efficient and quantifiable because it consists of numeric scales which used by the customers to express their feelings in a simple way. The scale is known as Likert Scale. The 5-point numerical scale is adopted which ranging from 1 to 5, 1 represents not satisfied, 2 represents somewhat dissatisfied, 3 represents neither satisfied or dissatisfied, 4 represents somewhat satisfied and 5 represents strongly satisfied. The scale help the respondents to make a clear decision based on their level of satisfaction. 3.6 DISTRIBUTION METHOD Distribution method also known as field method and it defined as the way used by the interviewer to distribute the questionnaires to the sample. The questionnaires in research are distributed to the customers personally at the Mid Valley Megamall and at the same time they return the questionnaires. 3.7 CASE STUDY: MID VALLEY MEGAMALL 3.71 BACKGROUND Mid Valley Megamall is one of the Malaysias largest urban development projects in the world. It was one of the projects inside the Mid Valley City. Mid Valley City desires to be the most modern and integrated mixed-use developments in the world. The construction starts in year 1995. At present, it comprises Mid Valley Megamall, Cititel Hotel, Menara IGB, Boulevard Offices, Boulevard Hotel, Northpoint Mid Valley City, Centrepoint North and South Towers, The Gardens Retail Gallery, The Gardens Hotel, The Gardens Residences and two landmark office towers. IGB Corporation Berhad, a property and investment holding company listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad is the developer of Mid Valley City while the Mid Valley Megamall is owned and operated by Kris Assets Holdings Berhad, a listed IGB subsidiary company. A two dimension master plan of Mid Valley City is enclosed in appendix. 3.72 DESCRIPTIONS OF MID VALLEY MEGAMALL Mid Valley Megamall is selected for the case study. Mid Valley Megamall is launched in year 1995 and it was opened in November 1999. Mid Valley Megamall is a complex consists of a shopping mall, an office tower block, 30 signature offices and two hotels. It is the first shopping mall comprises four successful anchor tenants, namely Jaya Jusco, Metrojaya, Carrefour and Golden Screen Cinemas. Besides, it comprises 13 junior and mini anchors and 403 specialty shops. Mid Valley Megamall has a gross floor area of 4.5 million square feet and net lettable area exceeds 1.7 million square feet. Mid Valley City is planned and developed as a City in a CityMid Valley Megamall is a key part of Mid Valley City. It was awarded the Best Shopping Complex Award 2000 by Tourism Malaysia and Best Retail Development Award 2001 by FIABCI Malaysia (International Real Estate Federation). Mid Valley Megamall is a good choice for the local residents and foreign tourists. Jusco is the Malaysias shopping retailing chain and supermarkets Carrefour is the largest hypermarket chain in the world in terms of size and the second largest retail group in the world in terms of revenue and third largest in terms of profit. It occupies one floor of Mid Valley Megamall. It provides a wide range of products, from fresh farm products, colourful seafood to household brands. Metrojaya occupied three floors of Mid Valley Megamall and offers wide range of local and international quality products which cater the need of medium and high income groups. Golden Screen Cinemas is the Malaysias largest chain of cinema which offers 18 screens and provides 2899 comfortable seats and spacious leg room. GSC not only brings you the best blockbuster, but also the international screening. Figure: Four Anchor Tenants of Mid Valley Megamall 3.73 MISSION AND VISION Mid Valley Megamall is aimed to fulfilling everyones needs. In order to achieve the mission, the highly energetic and talented professionals are appointed in departments. In fact, Mid Valley Megamall emphasizes on their service standard and it wishes to create a modern and stylish shopping paradise for their customers. As long as the customers are in the Mid Valley Megamall, they will make sure everyone enjoy the services and products provided. Besides, Mid Valley Megamall aims to maintain the growth of the shopping mall in the competitive retail industry. 3.74 FACTORS INFLUENCE THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY Mid Valley Megamall is strategically located between Kuala Lumpur Central Business District and Petaling Jaya. It is located in a convenient location that can be easily accessible from all corners on the Klang Valley. Besides it is surrounded by Petaling Jaya, Bangsar and Damansara. There is a KTM Komuter train-stop and a LRT Station nearby while taxis are available at the entrances of Centre, North and South Courts. The KTM commuter station can be accessed through a covered pedestrian bridge to the Megamall. Its believed to bring an average of 10,000 passengers each day. The station is disable-friendly, and facilities comprise toilets, lifts, covered platforms, ticket and information counters and ticket vending machines. Furthermore, Mid Valley has offers free complimentary shutter bus services (Trinton Bus) at an interval of 30 minutes to 1 hour that travel between Bangsar LRT Station and Mid Valley South Court. Other option of transportation is the public transport available, the detail information about public transport is shown in figure. Figure: The KTM Route (Source: Mid Valley Megamall official website) Monday-Thursday Friday-Sunday Services available at every 30* minutes intervals *Subject to traffic conditions Form Bangsar LRT Station First Departure: 8.05 am Last Departure: 10.40pm From Mid Valley Megamall First Departure: 8.10am Last Departure: 10.45pm Form Bangsar LRT Station First Departure: 8.05 am Last Departure: 10.40pm From Mid Valley Megamall First Departure: 8.10am Last Departure: 10.55pm No shuttle services between these time 10.55am 11.25am 3.10pm 4.10pm 7.30pm 8.00pm No shuttle bus services between there times 10.55am 11.25am 2.45pm 3.45pm 7.15pm 7.45pm Figure: Bus Schedule for Shutter Bus (Source: Mid Valley Megamall official website) Bus No Bus Route Frequency Bus Stop Location T631 University LRT Station Mid Valley Megamall University LRT Station 20 30 min North Court U66 Klang Bus Stand KL Sentral Brickfields Mid Valley Megamall Taman Medan 15 20 min North Court South Court U84 Klang Bus Stand KL Sentral Bangsar LRT Station Mid Valley Megamall Kelana Jaya 15 20 min North Court South Court U85 Klang Bus Stand KL Sentral Bangsar LRT Station Mid Valley Megamall SS2 Seapark 15 20 min North Court South Court U87 Klang Bus Stand KL Sentral Bangsar LRT Station Mid Valley Megamall Bangsar Park 15 20 min North Court South Court Figure: General Bus Services (Source: Mid Valley Megamall official website.) Mid Valley Megamall can be accessed through five major highways and two railway lines. In the future, the improvement of road and public transportation will be done. It includes a designated monorail station, a link bridge to the Putra LRT Station and the upgrading of internal traffic flow. Being located in between Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, an amount of RM250 million was invested in constructing a flyover and enhance the network of road for the purpose to connect the Federal Highway and all the major catchment and residential suburbs or businesses premises within Klang Valley to Mid Valley Megamall. The location plan is enclosed in appendix X. Meanwhile, the location of the department stores is also very important for the convenient of the customers. INFRASTRUCTURES AND FACILITIES Mid Valley consists of four entrances located at the direction of east, south, north and west respectively. Information Counters are available in Centre, North and South Court at ground floor. They are willing to assist those customers by showing a helpful attitude. In terms of car parking, Mid Valley is provided 4000 car parks in order to cater the need of high crowd during peak hours. Effective from 5 May 2008, the basement car parks of Mid Valley Megamall The Gardens Mall were separated where the car parks for Mid Valley Megamall are zones A and C. The exact location of the parking area is shown in the plan enclosed in appendix. Figure: New Car Park Rates effective 26 March 2007 until the present. (Source: Mid Valley Megamall official website.) Besides, Mid Valley Megamall also provides washrooms and baby changing facilities. The washrooms provided for the benefit of all the customers while the baby changing facilities are provided for the benefit of a mother. In addition, Mid Valley Megamall is comprises five lifts which enable the customers to travel from floor to floor. Escalators also available at East, South and North Court and there are two travelators that connecting the lower ground floor with basement which is very convenient for the customers. A proper floor plan is enclosed in appendix for further clarification of the exact location for the facilities and infrastructures. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Mid Valley consists of five floors where each floor is specifying for certain products and services. Lower ground floor is for daily essentials such as hypermarket, supermarket, pharmacies and money-changers. Besides, this floor is providing a numerous fast food outlet and local delights. Ground floor is mainly for the adults which include the apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty care, health care, bookstore and others essential items that fulfill the desires of an adult. First floor is the paradise for a kid, which include the fashion for kids, beauty and hair saloons for the adults. Second floor is specialized for those who wish to decorate their house. Besides, IT Centre is also available in this floor to cater the need of young generation in the ever changing technology of the world. Third floor is for entertainment such as Golden Screen Cinemas, Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Pets Wonderland, Cosmic Bowl, Megakidz and a food court. Besides the products, the proper display area also being taken into consideration in order to be easily accessible by the customer. Mid valley is able to stimulate customers to spend more time and money in Mid Valley through the visual display merchandising. The store directory: Anchors Accessories Apparel Discounters Entertainment Exhibition/ Property Showroom Food and Beverage Health/ Personal Care Houseware and Furnishings Information Technology Jewellery Leisure Luggage Shoes and Bags Sporting Goods and Apparel Sundry and Services Tailoring Textile Watches and Pens Mid Valley Megamall also provides certain services for the convenience of the customers. The services provided: ATMs Banks Cobbler Laundrette Money Changers Post Office Alteration Shop Clinic Dentist Locksmith Newstands Print Shop STAFF In addition, Mid Valley Megamall is continually investing in a comprehensive staff training and skills development programme which aimed at improving both the soft and hard skills of the staff and enable them to perform their responsibilities in a right manner. The quality and attitude of the staffs will be indirectly affecting the level of customer satisfaction towards Mid Valley Megamall. The important qualities of the staffs are friendliness, helpfulness, communication skill and responsiveness. BUILDING LAYOUT Challenge of the management team of Mid Valley Megamall is to ensure the customers willing to visit Mid Valley Megamall repeatedly. Mid Valley Megamall is a customer-centric shopping centre which offers best and wide range of services. It is operated by an experienced team of industry experts to ensure the innovative marketing and leasing initiatives. Besides, Mid Valley Megamall was invested over millions in comprehensive store renovation and upgrading activities in order to improve and enhance the malls environment. In terms of marketing, Mid Valley Megamall has planned the promotion aggressively with the mission to provide the delightful shopping experience to the shoppers. In order to bring excitement and hour of enjoyment to the shoppers, visual merchandising are used in creating a unique atmosphere for the public and enhance the competitiveness of Mid Valley Megamall. The marketing and promotional activities are supported by themed and strong-concept in-house events throughout the mall such as Mid Valley Megamall Fashion Week 2009 which introduce the hottest spring or summer collections through the fabulous design and chic runway shows. This show is designated for the fashion lover. During different festivals such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Merry Christmas celebration, Mid Valley Megamall will decorate the centre court into atmosphere with unique and attractive theme. Mid Valley Megamall was the only shopping mall in Asia that achieved international recognition in MAXI Awards ceremony held in Hollywood last year. This award is organized by International Council of Shopping Centres. For the Hari Raya celebration 2008, Mid Valley Megamall themed as Cherish The Good Old Days in a Brand New Way that create a harmony atmosphere. This unique theme help Mid Valley Megamall won in the Visual Merchandising category of the MAXI Award. 3.5 SUMMARY This chapter has discussed about the research process which include the research framework, research method and purpose, population of questionnaire, the scale for the questions and distributing method. A case study in Mid Valley Megamall has been discussed in this chapter; it includes the background, description, mission and vision of Mid Valley Megamall. Furthermore, the factors that influences the customer satisfaction being discussed for the case study of Mid Valley Megamall. The factors are location and accessibility, infrastructure and facilities, product and services, staff and building layout.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Memory Strategies Essay -- essays research papers

Memory Strategies 2 Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The research is demonstrating the use of memory strategy in an educational setting; this study examines the use of chunking on telephone numbers by students on campus. There were a total of 40 students that participated, and they were split into two groups consisting of 20 students per group. The control group used chunking as their memory strategy for memorizing a list of 10 telephone numbers. In contrast, the experimental group has used no specific strategy to memorize the list of numbers that was given to them. Each group was given 15 minutes to memorize their list of 10 telephone numbers and they had 5 minutes to write it down on paper. People that used memory strategies has shown to have memorized more telephone numbers, than people who don’t use any memory strategy to remember their list of numbers. Memory Strategies 3 Memory Strategies and Chunking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People have shown to have better recall on certain tasks when they use specific memory strategies. There are many types of strategies that people can use to improve their memory, but everyone has an effective strategy that suites them most. For activities involving memorizing a list of 10 telephone numbers, chunking would be the best method because it helps aids the sequence of numbers. People can remember about seven items give or take two, which is between five and nine items (Shiffrin, R. M., & Nosofsky, R. M. 1994). There’s a certain amount of items that everyone can store in their short-term memory. That’s why it’s important for people to find an effective way of remembering all of the information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Relatively large amounts of information are contained in a small number of units by chunking items together into composite units (Bousfield, A. K., & Bousfield, W. A. 1966). A strategy like chunking can be used to break larger units into smaller ones, so people can have an easier way of comprehending the information that is given to them. This process of separating the items can help a person learn things step by step, which increases their chances of recall. Telephone numbers can be separated into 3 groups, for instance 847 - 504 – 8761. People can start by memorizing 847, then 504 and finally 8761, instead of trying to remember the numbers all together.... ...nbsp; 14. Tape Recorded Lecture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this study, 13 people have answered â€Å"No,† when they were asked if they used any specific memory strategies. There was 10 people that has used the recall and recite method to memorize things, 8 people used word association to try relate materials to something their familiar with. Also, there were 7 people that wrote information down in order to rehearse it, while 5 people used flashcards to go over their material. There are 3 groups of 2 people that used color coding, reading things out loud and making a note to remember things. On the contrary, there are 5 groups of memory strategies that a person has used: they practice with others, meditate; remember things by listening, sing a song or rhyme and tape-recorded the lecture. The students who have used memory strategies mentioned above, are the ones that have scored higher on recall. Memory Strategies 12 N= 40 (19 Hispanic/Spanish Descent, 13 Black/African-American, 7 Asian/ Pacific Islander & 1 Other) N= 40 (32 Females & 8 Males)

Monday, November 11, 2019

Grammatical Tenses and English Test Date

Name English Test Date : April 9, 12 G. R. I. T Dep. First Year Duration : min Read the following text, then answer the questions below: Sidney Fisk Work: Sidney Fisk is a lawyer. He’s 45 years old . He’s paid very well, but he usually has to work long hours. He works for an international company in Dallas, Texas, so he travels a lot in his job. At the moment he’s working in Mexico, and next week he’s travelling to France. Home Life: Sidney is married and he’s got two children, aged 11 and 14. He rarely sees his children because so much of his time is spent away from home.He’s got a beautiful house in the suburb of Dallas. It’s very big with eight bedrooms. His wife is an interior designer. Free Time: If he’s at home at the weekend , he and his wife sometimes play golf , but that doesn’t happen very often . They never have much time to relax together . Is he happy : He says he doesn’t know if he’s happy . He ’s too busy to think about it . Questions : 1- What are the good things about Sidney’s life ? ( 1pt ) 2- What are the bad things about Sidney’s life ? ( 1 pt ) 3- Do you think his life is exciting or boring ?Would you like to have a life like Sidney’s ? State why ? (2 pts ) 4- What are the ingredients for happiness in your opinion ? State at least three and justify your answer . ( 1. 5 pt ) 5 – Pick out from the text words that may have the same meaning as the following :(1. 5 pt ) A -Corporation b – go from one place to another c- away from city 6 – Pick out from the text :(2 pts) a- Simple present tense and justify its use b- Present continuous tense c- Two adjectives and state the word each modifies d- Two jobs

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist

How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist As Americans face a growing obesity crisis and ever-growing awareness about how what we eat affects our health, medical professionals in the field of dietetics are key members of that front line. Behind every public program like healthier school lunch initiatives or campaigns to fight Type 2 diabetes, dietitians and nutritionists are the ones using science to set healthy food guidelines and diet plans. The Day-to-DayDietitians and nutritionists work in a variety of settings, from healthcare settings (hospitals and clinics) to government (public health agencies) to the private sector (food manufacturing and distribution companies). They may work directly with patients to create and maintain diet plans to lose weight or improve health, but they might also work on larger-scale public health programs to encourage healthy eating to broader populations. You can also find dietitians working on nutrition guidelines and food safety in the government or in private companies. Their tasks often include:Designing diets that target specific conditions, like obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressureHelping patients maintain diets for health or weight loss, and ensuring that patients are dieting safelyDeveloping nutrition programs for an entire facilityImproving accuracy in food labels and advertisingWorking with agencies and manufacturers to improve food safetyResearching how food and nutrition interact with the body and various conditionsEducating the public (broadly or in specific targeted populations) on nutrition, food safety, and healthy lifestyle practicesDietitians and nutritionists typically work a standard full-time work week in an office or clinic setting.  For more on dietetics and what it’s like to be a dietitian or nutritionist, check out these videos:A Day in the Life: DietitianHow to Become a Registered Dietitian/NutritionistAsk a Nutritionist with Shira LenchewskiIs Being a Nutritionist Right for You?The RequirementsMost dietitians and nutritionists h ave a bachelor’s degree, and have completed a residency, internship, or other form of supervised training. Most states require a license for dietitians and nutritionists, so be sure to check your own state’s requirements if you’d like to start down this career path.The SkillsThe dietetics field calls for a number of special skills and knowledge bases, including:Attention to detailMath and science (particularly biology, food science, and biochemistry)Critical thinkingPatient evaluationAnatomy and physiologyDisease managementPublic health implementationThe PayPer the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for dietitians/nutritionists is $56,950, or $27.38 per hour. In addition, the field offers a lot of fulfillment for its members. According to a survey conducted by PayScale, the average dietitian is â€Å"extremely satisfied† in his or her career.The OutlookAs mentioned before, the renewed focus on food and nutrition, both on a national a nd personal health level, means that this is a gangbusters-level field for growth. Openings in dietetics are expected to grow at least 16% by 2014, which is significantly faster than average.Interested? APPLY HERE

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The on campus Chinese supermarket Essay Example

The on campus Chinese supermarket Essay Example The on campus Chinese supermarket Essay The on campus Chinese supermarket Essay Cathay YA is a sole trader business that specializes in retailing Chinese foods, seasonings and international phone card on campus. We want to penetrate the retail market on campus with traditional and fresh oriental competitive products. Due to the rapid increase of higher education Chinese student population and the demand of Chinese foods, we expect to easily exceed our financial forecasts. The company Cathay YAs goal is to be the market leader in serving university students (mainly Asian) Chinese foods, seasonings and phone cards. We will do our best to know the customers demand and keep in touch with them closely to provide whatever they need. The first Cathay YA will be opened in the centre campus of Warwick University. As the entrepreneur of such a business, I am an undergraduate of Warwick University; who is enthusiastic, creative, and has good relationships with main Asian societies of university and local Chinese restaurants. My sister who graduated with a degree on accounting and finance will help me with accounts maintain and keep good records of my business. The market The rate of Chinese students entering U. K. for higher education is increased dramatically. The number of Asian students of university of Warwick is about 1,800 according to the university profit 2002. Our main customers include university students, staffs and visitors of Arts Centre and Sports Centre. Our main supplier is Far Orient Food Ltd Co in Birmingham. Financial considerations Cathay YA has an initial start up cost of approximately 10,000. We project out monthly break even will by roughly   3,648 or 81 units (20kg rice). The attractiveness of our price and products will provide us with a sales level far above this break-even point. We expect to generate   19,580 of the net profit on   49,000 worth of sales in the first year (see appendix table: cash flow). Objectives Our first object is building good reputation in University of Warwick. In the first year, the profit will not be our unique goal. At the beginning stage, we need get customers trust and welcome. The second stage is enhancing our goods range to satisfy more demand from customers. Hopefully, Cathay YA will become a new retail star in campus instead of Costcutter in three years time. Company summary. Company ownership It is a sole trader business, operated by me, my sister and Lei Diao from computer science department. I am taking charge for the whole management; my sister will do all the fairs associated with finance. Company locations and facilities Cathay YA rents 90 square meters at centre campus from university of Warwick, for display and stock room. It locates where very close to Rootes Reception, Student Union, Arts Centre and Rootes Residences.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Management Theory and Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Theory and Practice - Essay Example The leaders, especially political leadership of the nations therefore, become major enabling elements of change. The paper would be discussing the leadership dynamics of Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of unified Germany. Angela Merkel, an exemplary leader of contemporary times Angela Merkel was an academician who had plunged into politics when efforts for unifying Germany had started with the fall of Berlin wall. Her party, ‘Democratic Awakening’ merged with Helmut Kohl’s ‘Christian Democratic Union’ in 1990. She was the last spokesperson for DDR, East Germany party. She had become the youngest federal minister in Germany in 1991 when she was made part of reshuffled cabinet of Kohl as federal minister, Women and Youth from 1991 to 1994. She was minister of Environment, Protection of Nature and Reactor Safety, 1994-98. She continued to excel in her designated ministerial position and rose within the party position to take up Chairpersonship of CDU i n Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 1993-2000. Her meteoric rise to General Secretary and later as Chairman of CDU had finally culminated in her becoming the Chancellor of unified Germany in 2005 (Mills, 2007). Her leadership has been unique in many ways. She was the only woman leader who had rapidly gained popularity in the otherwise male dominated political arena of Germany. Her leadership was also exceptional because she had become a major representative of former East Germany and a symbol of new unified nation that promoted a policy of non differentiation and non partisan. Merkel has defied the gender stereotype that makes it difficult for women candidates to excel in adverse conditions. Her leadership style, decision making model and her inherent leadership traits became her major strength in a volatile socio-political environment of new face of unified Germany. Leadership style The fall of Berlin Wall was momentous occasion in the history of Germany. It not only signified a new politica l equation of Germany on the world map but it also bespoke of the change that Germans were ready to embrace. Her fast track political career could best be attributed to her mixed style of leadership comprising of situational and transformational leadership style. She believed in taking advantage of the situation and ensured her position through strategic decisions that were designed to promote her long term goals of gaining political power. She did not hesitate to criticise her mentor, Kohl, in 1998 when he became embroiled in a major scandal involving donation. It was an opportune moment to gain political leverage which she took and became Chairperson of CDU, the major political party of unified Germany (Langguth, 2005). Merkel is a leader who intrinsically believes that dynamic reforms are needed to bring in constructive change for socio-cultural and economic stability of the country. Bass (1999, p9) argues succinctly ‘transformational leader emphasizes what you can do for y our country..’. Merkel introduced dramatic reforms in the foreign policy. Hill (2010) affirms that Merkel has displayed exemplary leadership initiatives in ‘five critical areas:Â  the economic crisis, social policy, global warming, foreign policy and, perhaps most importantly, in refashioning capitalism in the face of its near collapse’. It clearly shows her confidence in reforms for the wider welfare of Germany. Traits As a highly effective transformational

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing - Coursework Example This individual would be old enough to own a credit card for making the purchases and is adventurous to try out new products/services because these make up most of the discounted offers. Groupon.com has carved out a unique market space, considering that it offers diverse products and services, which makes it difficult to evaluate whether it has traditional direct competitors. Of course its success has made numerous clones to pop up across the globe (Wauters, 2010) but it is possible that it still has market leadership in this new market space. Its major strengths are its brand as the trailblazer, its huge market presence, and its large financial backing of about US$ 1.2 billion. Its big weaknesses are that its business model is easy to replicate and therefore it may face difficulty in sustaining its first-mover competitive advantage. Groupon.com’s greatest opportunity is in the ease with which it can extend to more cities in the world. Currently it is leveraging its brand by extending its offering to willing collaborators through its Groupon Affiliate Program. Its major threat is the low barriers to entry or threat of forward integration posed by its suppliers. The macro-environmental climate appears favorable for Groupon.com.