Theories Of Explaining Behavior Through Observation

Adolescent Psychology Term Paper Jamila Williams Tuskegee University Behavioral psychology is based on the concept of explaining behavior through observation. Behaviorists, psychologist that study behavior, believe a person can be understood through observing their behavior. This school of psychology assumes that we are born as a blank state and everyone is equal. However, environmental factors are what leads to us behaving differently from one another. American Psychologist and Founder of Behaviorism John B. Watson studied the ultimate goal to provide basis for prediction and control of human beings acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Scientist strongly believe that individuals respond to an environmental stimulus that shapes our actions. Russian Physiologist Ivan Pavlov and American Psychologist and Behaviorist B. F. Skinner broke down conditioning into two types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is a behavioral intervention technique by means of two stimuli being paired together in a consistent pattern to result in the same behavioral response. Pavlov was looking at salivation in dogs in response to being fed. His notion was that dogs can be taught to do certain things, for example dogs salivating when they see food. Operant conditioning is a similar technique that aims on the association between voluntary behavior and consequences. Skinner believed that subjectsShow MoreRelatedBehaviorism And Social Learning Theory1531 Words   |  7 Pageslearning theory are examples of two mechanistic theories that focus on explaining children’s behavior. Social learning theory emphasizes observational learning and imitation. On the other hand, behaviorism is rooted in focusing on how the environment impacts development. The environment shapes the child’s development as the child strives to adapt to the environment. Both theories deal with explaining behavior and consist of similarities, but are composed of different elements of explaining behaviorRead MoreReasoning And Justification For Drug Abuse1542 Words   |  7 Pagespeers use reasoning and justification for drug abuse that sounds very similar to the reasoning exemplified by Russell Brand in the above quote from his book. Drug use is potentially explained by many different criminology theories, but the one that does the best job of explaining drug use is presented by Gresham M. Sykes and David Matza of Princeton and Temple Universities respectively, and is called: Techniques of Neutralization. According to the root article published in the American SociologicalRead MoreThe Humanness of Hume and Kants Moral Theories Essay1071 Words   |  5 PagesThe empirical nature of science has allowed for its success in solving great human problems and in understanding the world around us. Real life data and observations lead to such findings, which only then can be translated into theory. A theory without data is merely a hypothesis waiting to be shown true through observation. If you start with a theory and then try to prove it, you are taking a biased position and setting out to complete an impossible task. Nothing can be proven in science, only acceptedRead MoreCompare And Contrast Bergson And Davis Theories1743 Words   |  7 Pagestheir own theories of what makes a person laugh. Bergson and Davis’s theories have given people an indication of what that could be. Together these philosopher’s theories enlighten us to why people might laugh. Bergson and Davis’ s theories limit us in explaining to the fullest extent of the workings of comedy. Bergson’s theory has three elements that he believes constitute why we laugh and claims, â€Å"†¦the mechanical encrusted upon the living,† promotes laughter (Bergson 10). While Davis’s theory is concernedRead MoreThe Social Control Theory And Social Learning Theory1713 Words   |  7 Pagesperception has come from, many have created theories about the topic while others have combined theories to get a better insight. The reason behind this is to create a better understanding as to why people commit crimes. With all the theories that seem to be possible, two of them seem to be the most popular: social control theory and social learning theory. Although they have their similarities and differences, the social control theory and social learning theory bring a better understanding to the worldRead MoreArgument Essay : Withholding The Missing Portion 1690 Words   |  7 Pages writings is to influence the reader of the strength of his readings and the power of his theory through his clever use of rhetoric. In particular, Fish refers to the role of the unconscious in Freud s theory, arguing that it can be freely used by Freud in such a way that it can appear to account for any data acquired in practice. This attitude reflects the commonly-held view amongst modern scientists that Freud s theories are unscientific. In this essay, I aim to argue that while Fish makes a valid pointRead MoreFundamentals of Research Methodology1216 Words   |  5 Pagesas the science dealing with the mind, mental and emotional processes, and the science of human behavior. It defines science as systemized knowledge derived from observations and study. Scientific study is a way of understanding life and developing theories based on what is observed (Simonton, 2009). Psychologists develop theories and conduct psychological research to answer questions about behavior and mental processes that impact individuals and society. The scientific method, a meansRead MoreReflection Paper989 Words   |  4 Pagescounseling theory has certain qualities, such as clear operational definitions so that it can be tested further. To be most useful, a counseling theory should be parsimonious yet comprehensive enough to include known related empirical findings. It should stimulate new discoveries and predict events deductively within its purview and preview. A counseling theory also should serve an organizing and explaining function for observed events. Ones theory should help them to simplify observations and toRead MoreSocial Learning Theory Of Crime1278 Words   |  6 Pagessocial learning theory has been applied to the many different fields of social science to explain why certain individuals develop motivation to commit (or abstain from) crime and develop the skills to commit crime through the people they associate with. Social Learning Theory (SLT) is one of the most frequently looked at theories in the criminology field. This theory was introduced by Ronald L. Akers as a reformulation of Edwin H. Sutherland s (1947) differential association theory of crime meld withRead MoreCognitive Psychology863 Words   |  4 PagesPsy/360 April 11, 2013 Dr. Turner Cognitive Psychology Hermann Ebbinghaus said, â€Å"Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short† (Goodwin, 2008, p. 28). He was referring to the belief that while the study of human thought, emotion, and behavior is firmly entrenched in philosophy, psychology as its own discipline has only been around a short time. During this short time, different branches of psychology have come out, one of them is cognitive psychology, which is only roughly 50 years old

Critically Assess the Claim That People Are Free to Make...

3) Critically assess the claim that people are free to make moral decisions (35) Libertarians support the view that people have free will and so we are free to make moral decisions. For a Libertarian, the key evidence for this is the act of decision making in our daily lives. Hume states that â€Å"experience is what we see to be true†, each human being experiences the feeling of being free to make a decision. If experiencing any other action constitutes it to be true, then why not the same for free will? Libertarians argue that we have awareness of the choices we make; we can choose to do anything that we are capable of. Though we are influenced by our environment and experiences, ultimately we can make our own decisions, nothing is†¦show more content†¦Humans do not have an essence, our existence precedes our essence. The fact that we have no essence gives us our free will. Sartre wrote in his work Being and Nothingness that â€Å"Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.† For Sartre, every man is defined by what he does. Mozart was not born a genius composer, it is Mozart’s symphonies and concertos that are his genius, we create ourselves through what we do. Sartre also put forward his theory of a delusion he called ‘mauvaise foi’ or ‘bad faith’. Mauvaise foi is believing and pretending to be determined and have an essence, when in reality you are absolutely free. Sartre’s own examples of bad faith are put forward in his short story, Intimacy, from the series, The Wall. A woman is on a first date and decides to ignore the obvious sexual implications of her suitor’s compliments to her appearance, but instead just accepts them as words. When the man goes for her hand she lets her hand rest indifferently on his, she delays the decision of whether to succumb or reject his advances, instead telling herself that her hand is only a thing in the world, a physical part of her body separate from her thoughts. Sart re describes this woman as acting in bad faith- denying her freedom in order to avoid any blame for making a decision that is potentially wrong. For Sartre, the very act of denying our freedom shows our free will through ourShow MoreRelatedEssay on Choice and Free Will1511 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Free will† is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate. Free will has long been debated by scholars, philosophers, and psychologists. It is a subject that has been argued, theorized, and predicted to the extent of human ability, but recent data has been brought up by two psychologists named Shirley Matile Ogletree and Crystal D. Oberle. These two psychologists assess surveys given to college level students to evaluate the â€Å"common† or â€Å"plain† perspective of free will. TheyRead MorePhil 235 Paternalism Essay2256 Words   |  10 Pageshealing process; and doctors have the responsibility for our health and therefore have the duty t o make all the important medical decisions.† Critically assess that claim. The issue of doctor patient relationships has become more and more prevalent in our world today. It is hard to draw a clear line in deciding what the appropriate roles are of both the patient and the medical professional. The claim that the paternalistic model is the appropriate and most realistic model will be argued in this paperRead MoreBusiness Ethics2140 Words   |  9 Pagestheories to see why they are incompatible. The ethical theories include Utilitarianism, Kantian moral theory, virtue ethics and rights theory. Drawing on two of the theories, we will outline their positions and critically discuss the claim in a business situation. We will also outline and access at criticism level for these two theories. Purpose of ethical theory An ethical theory is to provide theory for people to value human beings through their behaviors, to access a person if he/she is ethical goodRead MoreBusiness Ethics Essay4857 Words   |  20 Pages71203 Business Ethics Assignment 1 Drawing on ethical theory to critique a claim. Businesses putting something back into the local community... ...Morally obligatory - or not? Utilitarian and Kantian Moral Theory Viewpoints Tanya Lundie 9118692 27 March 2009 Rainbow (2002) describes ethical theories as being â€Å"...the foundations of ethical analysis...† because they are viewpoints from which guidance can be obtained in the interests of determining â€Å"...what counts as acting ethically...† (TheRead MoreCritically Evaluate the Claim That People Commit Crime as a Result of Socio-Economic Inequality.3092 Words   |  13 PagesCritically evaluate the claim that people commit crime as a result of socio-economic inequality.Critically evaluate the claim that people commit crime as a result of socio-economic inequality. Word Count – 2,849 It is a global fact that crime is most rife in areas of extreme poverty and lower-working class, and has been for many centuries. This essay will delve into many theories to assess whether the varying rates of crime in different societies and groups of social status are a result ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Justin Bieber s Latest Hair Cut3010 Words   |  13 Pagesthe local school fete; the desire to know what is going on in the world around us is at our core as a people. Journalists are by and large the guardians of truth and accountability within our society. The public entrusts the fourth estate to vigorously hold those in public life to account, to seek out injustice, to sift fact from fiction, to expose corruption and to inform the people so we might make an informed judgement on the events that shape our modern era. The camera that captures no lies andRead MoreResearch Proposal: Examination of the Impact of Appraisal on Employees at Workplace2391 Words   |  10 Pagesappraisal is a comparatively new approach to assess employee’s performance. It is commonly used in organisations to bring successive change in employee performance, and it is an opportunity for employees to participate and resolve all kinds of work related matters including wages, job recognition. The main objectives of this review for employers are to identify the areas of employees training and development needs. Introduction Before going to make a concept of performance appraisal system clarifyRead MoreMy World View2785 Words   |  12 PagesPart 1: Define precisely and defend robustly your own worldview. The three components that make up my personal worldview are God, ethics, and spiritual knowledge - because they play a vital role in all my thoughts, experiences, and life decisions. Putting God first in my life is at times quite difficult. For a Christian, it may be the most difficult thing to do. As an indication of faith it’s probably designed to be difficult. God has immense knowledge to communicate to each one of us, but HeRead MoreEssay on The Guardians in Plato’s Republic3052 Words   |  13 Pagestemperance. These three social classes are compared to the components of the soul that are the reason, the spirit, and the desire. Guardians are believed to represent the reason in the soul since they are supposed to use their minds in order to make the right decisions that will promote the well being of the society. Auxiliaries represent the courage of an individual because they are supposed to protect the society from outside dangers. Finally, workers are compared to the desire that pushes individualsRead MoreEthic Audit7199 Words   |  29 Pagesfreamer@ric.edu Recommended Citation Reamer, Frederic G., The Social Work Ethics Audit: A Risk-Management Strategy (2000). Faculty Publications. Paper 173. http://digitalcommons.ric.edu/facultypublications/173 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Books and Publications at Digital Commons @ RIC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ RIC. For more information, please contact hbenaicha@ric.edu

Six Flags free essay sample

We focused our secondary research on past and current articles on Six Flags as well as the theme park industry as a whole. Databases and websites were utilized in gathering this information. In addition, we delved into previously conducted research regarding the theme park industry and Six Flags. This further allowed us to gather exactly how Six Flags arrived at its success, and ultimately to its failure over the past few years. This is information that could have been obtained through interviewing Six Flags employees; however, we chose to proceed with the more efficient choice of secondary research. The biggest issue Six Flags faces is its huge debt of over $2 billion dollars. The firm is on the verge of bankruptcy and has been pulled from the NYSE due to their shares falling below the $1 requirement. The firm needs to pay $300 million dollars to preferred stockholders, and lacks the capital to do so. Another key issue they face is their narrow target market. Six Flags has decreased their focus down to the youth, or teen market with less emphasis placed on appealing to families. This represents a huge loss of potential customers for Six Flags. Furthermore, there is a demand for thrill rides and rollercoaster’s that Six Flags can continue to benefit from. In order to meet both of these issues head on, Six Flags must not only expand their demographic target, but also their product offerings. Revenue must be generated as quickly as possible through increased traffic to the parks and product diversification. The marketing objectives we aim to address, execute and accomplish are to increase revenue through diversification and pricing methodologies, and to increase the target market to include families, teens, and young adults. Increased guest spending is a major component of what target markets we are trying to reach. We want to move away from the teen market, which does not spend much if any money in the park beyond admission. The two new target markets Six Flags is going to cater to are families and 21+ young adults. Six Flags will differentiate itself by providing both of these sources of entertainment in one location. We want Six Flags to be a place like no other in the country. In order for Six Flags to stay competitive, we need to diversify our means of revenue. That will be done with the introduction to two new ventures, Motion Simulators and Boulevard Six. Six Flags’ current pricing strategy for their online daily tickets is proving to be successful in terms of attracting more visitor attendance. Extended hours for special events can also deliver an extra added value to 21 and over patrons who are willing to pay a 25 percent increase on top of regular one-day admission. Being open until 12 midnight for such events would grant exclusivity to a smaller crowd with less falling in line. Another feature would be to have hard liquor and beer priced at a premium to further maximize profits. The first sales promotion will be a yearly engagement, every Fourth of July where all guests get in for free. We will call this promotion â€Å"FREEdom Day†. Another frequent promotion will be called Fun in the Sun. We anticipate an increase in Six Flags performance through the execution of our Marketing Plan. 2 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team __ Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Research Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Situation Analysis SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Competitor Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Customer Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Company Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Marketing Problems and Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Managerial Recommendations Market Focus Marketing Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Target Market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Differentiation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Positioning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Marketing Programs Product Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 Pricing Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 0 Promotion Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 Distribution Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 Implementation and Control Financial Data†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 Financial Projection†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Financial Control†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 3 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team __ Introduction Six Flags has had great success over a number of years through providing a one-stop entertainment destination complete with thrilling roller coaster rides and an exciting atmosphere. In recent years, however, Six Flags has been struggling and is now in dire need of a boost to help regain its success in the Theme park industry. The amusement park industry offers a variety of attractions to a very large and diverse market. With everything from high-flying roller coasters to cartoon and movie character based offerings, theme parks have created a very successful market that has been on the rise for many years. However, like everything else, companies have seen their good times as well as their bad. It seems as though Six Flags may be on the decline in an exhausted market. Notwithstanding increased attendance on an annual basis, including the sharp decline of their teen market, the amusement park industry has been affected greatly by harsh economic times. Six Flags, Inc. specifically has become the epitome of this trying industry. Despite an increasing attendance rate over the years, Six Flags has seemed to dig itself into a hole that it cannot seem to get out of. Their debt-load has handcuffed them to the verge of bankruptcy. Their inability to increase attendance to the point of improved profitability and debt-reduction has helped lead this company toward potential failure. The significance of an increased attendance rate in 2008, (up to 25. 3 million from 24. 9 in 2007) yet still reporting a net loss of $207 million for the fourth quarter of 2008 is very big. 1 This signifies the tremendous amount of trouble Six Flags is currently in as their biggest point of profitability, attendance, has not been enough to dig this company out. This indicates that a drastic change of direction is in need for Six Flags, Inc. Although the numbers are bad for Six Flags, a marketing initiative may help bring this dying company back to life. Research Methodology Due to lack of resources and low participant count, we have decided to focus our research on secondary research only. While we do believe it may be beneficial to gather information and suggestions through primary research, there are many resources available through secondary research that will sufficient. As the theme park industry is large, a vast amount of literature and information is available. Through researching readily available information, we are able to gather both positive and negative options and research from very credible sources. Although the utilization and execution f primary research is ideal and extremely beneficial, particularly for marketing initiatives, its overall implementation is not a simple task. The type of primary research required to make sound marketing decisions, especially for a depressed company like Six Flags, would need to be on a much larger scale than we are capable of handling in such a short period of time. We focused our secondary research on past and current articles on Six Flags as well as the theme park industry as a whole. Databases and websites were utilized in gathering this information. In addition, we delved into previously conducted research regarding the theme park industry and Six Flags. This further allowed us to gather exactly how Six Flags arrived at its success, and ultimately to its failure over the past few years. This is information that could have been obtained through interviewing Six Flags employees; however, we chose to proceed with the more efficient choice of secondary research. 1 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team __ Situation Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Six Flags’ main strength in the present state of the U. S. economy seems to be its â€Å"free falling† prices. For instance, everyone who buys a daily ticket online for Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA) pays the kids’ price of $29. 99. This has directly increased attendance. Next to its attractive prices is Six Flags’ internationally recognized brand name. The name, along with its wide array of entertainment products and experiences, has built enduring equity for 48 years. To refocus and re-energize its brand, Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro and his marketing and entertainment teams have worked to make the theme park more family-friendly while still maintaining its ignature reputation for record-breaking thrill rides. The parks are cleaner, there is more broad-based entertainment, an enforced code of conduct for guests, and better trained employees who can deliver more quality service. As a result, key satisfaction scores were at or above all time highs for the company. Six Flags advocates special causes by holding annual walk-a-thons in the park, joining the fight to help cu re childrens cancer. They further support the â€Å"green movement† by using biodegradable commercial trash bags throughout the company’s 20 locations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Location is another strength of Six Flags. The theme park is located in major metropolitan areas making it a probable, convenient drive away from home. Weaknesses Although Six Flags is now showing an increase in visitor attendance due to advertisements showcasing low ticket prices and an increased value offering, its number one weakness seems to be leveraging their massive debt load of over $2 billion dollars. It must also pay $300 million dollars to preferred stockholders in which it has no way of paying. The creation of new thrill rides can cost up to $20 million dollars each while consumer spending remains low. This debt will continue to stifle Six Flags’ growth and may lead them to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Since admission is up, the lines for each major attraction will also increase. This may make impatient patrons waiting in the hot summer sun to go elsewhere for entertainment. Another weakness is the retention rate of teenagers and young adults has continued to lessen because they claim â€Å"there’s nothing new for us. Disappointingly, a major weakness that the theme park is also trying to control is its fatal freak accidents. In June 2008, a 17-year-old was decapitated by the Batman roller coaster when he scaled two six-foot fences and entered a restricted area at Six Flags Over Georgia. The year before, a girl’s feet were cut off when a freefall thrill ride malfunctioned at the Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. A cable had snapped and wrapped around the 16-year-old’s feet, severing them at her ankles. Opportunities Six Flags is limited in opportunities as they have no cash on hand and an overwhelming debt load. However, to attract back the decreasing retention rate of its young adult market which as a result can leverage the debt, perhaps Six Flags can open a 21 and over nightclub. The club can have different elaborate themes each night, such as a â€Å"Batman† or â€Å"Terminator† party. A sports bar and restaurant can attract a new demographic of sports fanatics. Guest appearances by sports icons in these restaurants can also drive traffic through the park. Ride simulators in malls, introducing new and upcoming thrill rides, may also convince prospects to try the â€Å"real thing† at a 2 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 theme park. Six Flags can also try to sell some of its land that it owns surrounding its parks to help lessen their debt. It can even hold more events ranging from special causes to entertainment and extend its operational hours to the 21 and over crowd so as to increase ticket sales. Joining more strategic alliances internationally such as Dubai Holding to build a Six Flags in Dubailand can also prove to be profitable. Most importantly, Six Flags needs to get to the root of the problem and come up with a restructuring agreement that will satisfy both its stockholders and the company. Filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy may inadvertently decrease attendance as visitors may perceive that operations, including safety on rides and the cleanliness of the premises could be affected (although Six Flags confirms that these will not be affected if they do file). Thus, bankruptcy could ruin Six Flags’ image and limit more of their opportunities to expand. Threats Threats mainly include other major theme park competitors such as Disneyland and Universal Studios and indirect competition with more affordable fun activities such as miniature golfing or watching a movie. Other threats include the current swine flu that has spread rapidly throughout several states in the U. S. from its origin in Mexico. Some families may think twice before going to a theme park with hundreds or thousands of other persons in which any may be infected with the deadly virus. Severe weather conditions can even temporarily close down the park. In 2005, it was necessary for Six Flags New Orleans to close down in preparation for Hurricane Katrina. Katrina’s heavy winds and floods left an estimated $32. 5 million worth of damages. The park has since been closed. Competitor Analysis The major competitor of Six Flags Inc. is the Walt Disney Company. In comparison, the Disney Company focuses on attracting visitors from across the world to visit its parks while Six Flags targets its local demographic and does not seek to advertise internationally. Although Disneyland offers the magical experience that families have grown up to know and love through its flagship characters and movies, Six Flags is seeking to be the alternative getaway in a downward economy. First off, Six Flags is just a drive away for those who live in close radius to metropolitan areas. At Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA), as mentioned earlier, everyone can pay the online daily kid’s price of $29. 99. Disneyland and Disney World mainly require a whole vacation package, including airplane flights and a hotel stay. To visit Disneyland’s entire theme park in one day, a patron will have to shell out as much as $94 per day. In 2008, Six Flags even reported a 5 percent increase in revenue with reduced costs from the previous year while Disneyland recently reported an 8. 2 percent drop in revenue and increased costs for this year’s first quarter. Universal Studios movie-theme park, known for simulating their top rated movies into rides and other experiences, is another competitor that also requires a vacation package. Its general admission is $67. 99 a day. Last year, the park underwent attendance downturns due to construction and visitors holding off on vacations until the new rides were complete. However, even in a troubling economy families are willing to pay a premium to visit such parks as Disneyland and Universal Studios to go to a place â€Å"where dreams come true† and to get the ultimate Hollywood experience as seen through television and movies respectively. These are deemed to be more affordable when comparing it to a family trip to Europe or Asia. Six Flags’ other competition includes the experience of shopping at a mall, going out to the movies, or even staying home and obtaining thrills through Sony Playstation or Nintendo’s Wii. Consumers feel like â€Å"getting away† once in a while and if they are restricted to a budget, they may consider the cheaper activity that they can repeat more than once during closer periods of time. 3 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 Customer Analysis Approximately 25 million guests attend Six Flags annually. The park appeals to a broad demographic in which seventy-five percent of its customers live within 100 miles. Its main customer focus is its family unit. Most of its parks are limited to being open during the spring and summer seasons and only on weekends during off-seasons (due to weather factors). In this case, generating revenue from the family unit is crucial while still trying to retain its core audience of teens and young adults who are drawn to extreme rides. Thus, Six Flags is providing a wider product offering to increase its overall visitor attendance. It is also remaking its image into a wholesome, highly-branded, family-friendly place similar to that of Disney. There are more rides and attractions not only for a young demographic, but also for families. Six Flags has also given these customers more to do and spend money on by bringing in brands such as Johnny Rockets, Papa John’s, Cold Stone Creamery, and Kodak. The park’s attendance has gradually declined in recent years but started to pick up again in 2008 and is showing great promise this spring season. For instance, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom had its largest attendance since 2003 during their two-week spring break period. The family unit is price sensitive; therefore with daily ticket prices being fairly low along with current low gas prices, Six Flags seems like an affordable trip. The company is projecting 55 percent of its total revenues to come during the months of July and August. More families and higher disposable income families are expected to contribute to these revenues. Also, seventy-five percent of Six Flags consumers claim that their primary reason for attending the park is to spend time with friends and family. Company Analysis Six Flags, Inc. is the largest regional theme park company in the world providing a national brand with regional focus. The firm has 20 parks total, 18 of which are in the United States, with the other 2 located in Mexico and Canada. The entertainment destinations in the U. S. comprise theme, water and zoological parks with over 900 rides, including 130 rollercoaster’s. Six Flags, Inc. is headed by CEO Mark Shapiro and is a publicly-traded corporation headquartered in New York City. The first Six Flags theme park, Six Flags Over Texas, was opened in 1961 by Angus Wynn. The parks name came from the six themed sections, modeled after the culture of the six countries whose flags flew over Texas during the states colorful history. Today’s parks offer a complete one-stop diversified entertainment destination for all ages. 3 Thrill rides, restaurants, games, themed areas, children’s areas, parades, concerts, shows and much more are available for the customers’ enjoyment. Business Model Six Flags operates as a seasonal business over 85% of park attendance and revenues are generat ed between the second and third quarters of the calendar year. 4 Its business model is comprised primarily of making money through ticket sales, in-park food and merchandise sales, and sponsorship revenue. 5 4 Confidential Ticket Pricing For Internal Use Only Team 8 Ticket pricing covers a broad range, with tickets available for a single day park visit to season passes. There are 3 types of tickets available: †¢ †¢ †¢ Single day 1 park (general and children admission) Single day 2 park pass (general and children admission) Season Pass Single day 2 park passes are for locations that have both a Six Flags theme park and water park located next to each other. Please note that some theme parks have a water park inside of them, but do not require a 2 park pass. General admission prices range from $29. 9 $69. 99. Children admission prices range from $20. 99 $29. 99. These ranges cover Single Day 1 and 2 park passes for theme, water, and animal parks. Season Pass prices range from $39. 99 $125. Season Passes may be purchased for single park admission or dual park admission. Season Passes include: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Unlimited visits Free tickets for guests Over $300 in pa rk savings Access to Rise and Scream early openings and private Season Passholder Day Accepted at 15 Six Flags locations including La Ronde, Montreal Season passes are Six Flags core value offering. Passes cost little more than a day’s regular admission ticket price, and provide Six Flags visitors with added benefits and savings. Six Flags also offers a premium pass – the FLASH Pass – that serves as a ride reservation system. A limited number of FLASH Passes are available each day of operation and are valid the day of purchase only. There are 2 tiers for the FLASH Pass, Regular and Gold, with different stipulations for each. Regular FLASH Pass †¢ Avoid lines by making a reservation †¢ Wait as long as everyone else is waiting, but not in line †¢ Prices: $27. 9 for 1 person to $117. 99 for 6 people Gold FLASH Pass †¢ Enjoy discounted wait time of up to 75% †¢ Prices: $37. 99 for 1 person to $177. 99 for 6 people In-park Merchandise and Food Six Flags has various licensing and partnership agreements with other firms. Six Flags has held a licensing agreement with DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products enabling Six Flags to utilize the rights to the cartoon characters. Six Flags has used the licensing agreement to create character programs including meet and greets, meals, photograph and autograph opportunities. 6 5 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 Six Flags has further utilized the characters’ likeness for merchandise sales including toys, souvenir items, apparel, and more. In addition, cartoon themed rides have been constructed after both DC Comic and Warner Bros characters. Six Flags employs in-park and out-park alliances with restaurants and food manufacturers. Past and current out-of-park alliances have included promotions with Coca Cola, Kraft’s Lunchables product line, and Papa Johns Pizza. 7 In-park alliances have included the implementation of restaurant chains within Six Flags parks. Johnny Rockets, Papa Johns Pizza, and Cold Stone Creamery can be found within the parks, and Tyson chicken has become the official chicken supplier to all parks. 8 Additional Partnerships Other promotional alliances have been implemented as well. One such example is the sale and availability of Kodak products in Six Flags paks. Moreover, Six Flags and Nintendo have collaborated by offering free Wii game plays to the Six Flags visitors standing in-line, thus allowing them the opportunity to sample the Nintendo DS games. Six Flags also promotes its brand through American Express, Chase, Blue Green, Panda Express, and The United States Army. 9 American Express and Six Flags have a promotional offering for park visitors in the form of a VIP tours. Patrons may book their Six Flags VIP Tour Presented by American Express for participating theme parks. Please note that the VIP Tour is for theme parks only and does not include water slides and other waterpark attractions. Tours are given to groups or families by an experienced tour guide and can be customized. Tours are priced at $299 and include: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Private guided tour for your family or group Front-of-the-line ride privileges Preferred parking Theme park admission Reserved show seating Private autograph session with select LOONEY TUNES or The Justice League characters Lunch and dinner with reserved seating at restaurants Unlimited snacks Souvenir ride or character photo Expedited access to most rides in the park American Express cardholders gain an additional offer by receiving 20% off each VIP tour booked when they pay with any American Express card. Six Flag Parks California Six Flags Magic Mountain, Los Angeles – theme park Six Flags Hurrican Harbor, Los Angeles – water park Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo – theme and animal park 6 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 Georgia Six Flags Over Georgia, Atlanta – theme park Six Flags White Water, Atlanta – water park Illinois Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor, Chicago – theme and water park Kentucky Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Lousiville – theme and water park Maryland Six Flags America, Baltimore/Washington DC – theme and water park Massachusetts Six Flags New England, Springfield – theme and water park Missouri Six Flags St. Louis – theme and water park New Jersey Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson – theme park Six Flags Hurrican Harbor, Jackson – water park Six Flags Wild Safari, Jackson – animal park New York The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George – theme and water park Six Flags Great Escape Lodge and Indoor Waterpark, Lake George – lodge and water park Texas Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington – theme park Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio – theme and water park Canada La Ronde, Montreal – theme park Mexico Six Flags Mexico, Mexico City – theme park Six Flags will be opening a third international location in the United Arab Emirates, Dubailand, which will open its doors to customers in 2011. Marketing Problems and Opportunities The biggest issue Six Flags faces is its huge debt of over $2 billion dollars. The firm is on the verge of bankruptcy and has been pulled from the NYSE due to their shares falling below the $1 requirement. The firm needs to pay $300 million dollars to preferred stockholders, and lacks the capital to do so. Another key issue they face is their narrow target market. Six Flags has decreased their focus down to the youth, or teen market with less emphasis placed on appealing to families. This represents a huge loss of potential customers for Six Flags. Furthermore, there is a demand for thrill rides and rollercoaster’s that Six Flags can continue to benefit from. In order to meet both of 7 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 these issues head on, Six Flags must not only expand their demographic target, but also their product offerings. Revenue must be generated as quickly as possible through increased traffic to the parks and product diversification. Managerial Recommendations Market Focus Marketing Objectives The marketing objectives we aim to address, execute and accomplish are to increase revenue through diversification and pricing methodologies, and to increase the target market to include families, teens, and young adults. We seek to create promotional offers that affect price and new product offerings, and to re-position Six Flags theme parks as an entertainment destination that appeals to all ages, and more importantly families. Value communication is extremely important in the current economic situation we are experiencing. Six Flags is a one-stop entertainment destination that offers very low admission prices along with numerous attractions and activities. It is a park that price-sensitive consumers can enjoy and afford. Six Flags needs to increase its revenue to become viable. These additional revenue streams are to include diversification and promotions. The largest project to create more revenue is the creation of Boulevard Six. It will create the opportunity to have in review stream all year long, rather than just the summer months. It will have a diverse collection of food and entertainment to please the target markets of families and young adults. This will include well known restaurants and entertainment companies, as well as new and excited ventures. Next would be the introduction of Motion Simulator rides located in malls around the nation. These would bring in additional revenue as well as bring awareness of Six Flags. At these locations, the rides would be of the most popular attractions from across all the Six Flags. Promotions could also increase traffic to the parks and increase the revenue during these times. Boulevard Bash is a Saturday night event for those 21 years and older with live entertainment. Six Dollar Sundays would increase visitors to the parks and would bring in more repeat customers. Too Hot to Resist Days would entice people to come to parks on days when it is warm out. They could partake in the water rides to stay cool during these times. And â€Å"Free†dom Day would increase traffic to the park, however there would be revenue from ticket sales there would be from parking, food, and Boulevard Six. Target Market Increased guest spending is a major component of what target markets we are trying to reach. We want to move away from the teen market, which does not spend much if any money in the park beyond admission. The two new target markets Six Flags is going to cater to are families and 21+ young adults. Six Flags current target market is mass-market blue-collar, with average income $50,000 per year, and probably split between teens and young adults on the one hand, and families on the 8 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 ther. 10 These families are not the type that are/were taking international family vacations. These families are â€Å"trading from a three-day, four-figure trip to Disney to a one-day, three-figure trip to Six Flags. †11 A trip to Six Flags is not cheap, but it is cheaper than. â€Å"A typical Six Flags visitor in 2007 spent $36 for the day, including parking, the price of a ticket, and meals. So, the company says, a day at Six Flags for a fami ly of four costs less than $175. †12 Young adults are another target market Six Flags is looking into. They are a segment that had more disposable income than teens do, possible even more than families. â€Å"Young adults in the U. S. spend 52% of their money on clothing, 22% on food, and 13% on music. †13 With the addition of Boulevard Six, there is the opportunity to bring in more of the young adults, who would normally go to the local mall. Differentiation Six Flags has a lot going for it right now and with our marketing strategy, it may have the ability to differentiate itself from all the competitors. We aim to focus our differentiation based on the style of entertainment it offers. Six Flags will be a place people can go to have a day of excitement like no other theme park can offer. Without having to spend lots of money, people can have a great deal of fun during the day at an exciting theme park, and at night can cruise the Boulevard (Discussed below). There are obviously many places where one can go and enjoy a day at a theme park, however, they may have to travel a great distance if they desire to cap off the day with a night on the town. Six Flags will differentiate itself by providing both of these sources of entertainment in one location. Positioning We want Six Flags to be a place like no other in the country. In order to do this, we seek to position Six Flags in two ways. Due to the different offerings from Six Flags we don’t want to position ourselves in just one way. First, we aim to position ourselves as safe, family-friendly, lowcost form of entertainment. This position will be targeted to families and younger guests. We will advertise through day-time television and kid’s programming. Second, we will position ourselves as cool, fun, energetic and young-hearted. This position will be targeted to teens and younger adults (over 21) who would be interested in the Night of Fun as described below. We will hope to utilize different types of social media to target this demographic and project this type of positioning for Six Flags. Marketing Programs Product Strategy Six Flags has been providing their visitors products through their main channel, theme parks, during their existence. In order for Six Flags to stay competitive, we need to diversify our means of revenue. That will be done with the introduction to two new ventures, Motion Simulators and Boulevard Six. The motion simulators will be distributed throughout all major metropolitan malls that will be in close proximity to a Six Flags park. Malls are a choice location as they allow us to reach the broad demographics we target – families, teens, and young adults. The rides will have a selection of popular rides from Six Flags 19 parks. After the ride is over, it will â€Å"spit out† a 50% off admission coupon good for any Six Flags park, and must be redeemed within one month. This tactic is expected to drive sales up dramatically. 9 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 Boulevard Six will be an outdoor shopping district located outside of Six Flags larger parks. Its intention is to help produce revenue all year long, even while the parks are closed for the season. Boulevard Six will have a mix of food, shopping and entertainment for all ages. Restaurants will include California Pizza Kitchen, P. F. Changs, Johnny Rockets and more. Shopping will include Fossil, Gap, Abercrombie and more. Entertainment will come from the Comcast Sports Bar, nightclubs, live concert stages, Lucky Strike Bowling and movie theaters. Boulevard Six will also be the location of Boulevard Bash. Pricing Strategy Six Flags’ current pricing strategy for their online daily tickets is proving to be successful in terms of attracting more visitor attendance. A great example is Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA). As a price bundle, the theme park can also offer online daily tickets with one-day discounted parking at 20 percent to further raise attendance. For its Discovery Kingdom park, visitors will pay $29. 99 plus $12 for one-day parking totaling $41. 99. If paid separately, parking would cost $15. For its season pass holders, Six Flags can give an automatic 10 percent on all meals and merchandise simply by presenting their season passes at point-of-sale. Vouchers and coupons do not need to be redeemed for the sake of customers’ convenience. In addition to perks such as free tickets for your friends on select days, and free special events, season pass holders who are 21 and over will also pay a discounted price of $15 to get into Six Flags’ exclusive nightclub in Boulevard Six (mentioned under Promotion). Season parking passes also purchased online can be reduced by 20 percent and bundled with their appropriate season passes to increase the affordability and convenience of visiting Six Flags respectively. The V. I. P. tour requires a 4-person minimum and can cost up to $299 per person. This may seem like an extravagant and an unnecessary option. However, American Express cardholders with more discretionary income can enjoy this option at a 20 percent discount. To appeal towards more price-sensitive families who still want to get the ultimate V. I. P. experience, online specials should include a 20 percent discount on select days regardless of what credit card is being used. Extended hours for special events can also deliver an extra added value to 21 and over patrons who are willing to pay a 25 percent increase on top of regular one-day admission. Being open until 12 midnight for such events would grant exclusivity to a smaller crowd with less falling in line. Another feature would be to have hard liquor and beer priced at a premium to further maximize profits. Ride simulators (mentioned in opportunities under SWOT analysis) will cost the consumer $9 for a four-minute edge-of-your-seat excursion! (These will be located in all major metropolitan malls that will be in close proximity to a Six Flags park. ) After the ride is over, it will â€Å"spit out† a 50% off admission coupon good for any Six Flags park, and must be redeemed within one month. This tactic is expected to drive sales up dramatically. Promotion In order for our marketing efforts to be successful, we need to attract customers to the previously discussed new park and activities. This is where the use of promotions will come into play. With exciting new attractions offered by Six Flags, we will need to engage more people through various type of promotions. We suggest by starting with sales promotions. The first sales promotion will be a yearly engagement, every Fourth of July where all guests get in for free. We will call this promotion â€Å"FREEdom Day†. By incorporating the Independence Day 10 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 theme, every Six Flags park will be the most enjoyable place to be on the Fourth of July. This will be a day where families can come to experience the rides and attractions, all themed accordingly, and can end the day with a 45 minute long firework display coordinated to a serious of popular current music hits. We want this promotion to help Six Flags become the leading place to be during the Fourth of July. Due to capacity constraints in each of the parks, attendance will be limited to the maximum capacity the park can handle. We will let more people in as other leave, and while everyone waits, we will have activities and entertainment out in the waiting area. Even though the guests are not in the park yet, they should still be able to have an enjoyable time while they wait. Since one of our main goals is to improve loyalty among our guests, we also want to have promotions on a more frequent level. One of these frequent promotions will be Six Dollar Sundays. We will offer admission to all Six-Flags for only $6 every Sunday. Another frequent promotion will be called Fun in the Sun. Anytime the temperature hits above a certain temperature (depending on the location of the park) admission will be half-price. This will help entice the people that are reluctant to come to the park if it is too hot outside. This next promotion will give free admission to people on their Birthday. We will call this our Birthday Club and promote keep records of every person’s Birthday so every year we can send them reminders to entice them to come back. Our final promotion will be called Boulevard Bash. This will be for the 21 and older crowd and will be priced at $25 per person. We will block off our Boulevard Six (described below) and admit only persons of age. We will provide alcohol and bring in musical talent to perform every Saturday night. Distribution The main channel of distribution will continue to be Six Flags parks. The majority of our marketing plan is focused around promotional and pricing methodologies, with the promos taking place in Six Flags. Through the price promos we execute, we anticipate an increase in sales of in-park merchandise as consumers will have more disposable income due to their savings on park admission. There will be one other channel of distribution, however, for the thrill Motion Ride simulators. The ride simulators will be distributed throughout all major metropolitan malls that will be in close proximity to a Six Flags park. Malls are a choice location as they allow us to reach the broad demographics we target – families, teens, and young adults. Implementation and Control Financial Data Six Flags is in financial distress, which might lead Six Flags to file chapter-eleven for bankruptcy. Furthermore, in October of 2008, the New York Stock Exchange penalized Six Flags since its stockholder equity had fallen below $75-million, and the stock price had fallen below one-dollar violating the New York Stock Exchange standards. 4 If Six Flags does not increase its stock price 11 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 and market capitalization, it risks being removed from the NYSE. 15 Six Flags will not be able to continue operating without finding a plan to restructure the debt. Six Flags lost $113 million in 2008, which is compared to $253 million in 2007. However, the m ost recent forth quarter its reported loss is $201 million, which is compared to 2007 forth quarter $127 million. 16 The projections for Six Flags are concerning. First, by August 15th of 2009, Six Flags must pay $287. million in Preferred Income Equity Redeemable Shares to the shareholders. However, if Six Flags failed, the amount would reach in excess of $318 million. 17 Second, the financial situation is very critical further complicating Six Flags ability to continue operating. Due to major banks being in financial trouble, there is no access to adequate capital resources and lending procedures are more stringent. In order to obtain capital, our group is projecting the possibility of Busch Entertainment Corporation, a competing theme park operator in the United States, to acquire Six Flags. Busch Entertainment Corporation is a subsidiary of Anheuser- Busch. Busch Entertainment Corporation operates nine-theme parks across the nation including the Sea World and Busch Garden Parks. The company’s financial performance has been generating revenue of $1. 3 Billion and a positive earned income on the revenue. 18 Therefore, by reaching such a deal, Six Flags can have access to capital to meet the financial obligations and payoff the creditors. On the other hand, it will diversify its risk portfolio, and the advantages to share assets of both Six Flags and Busch Entertainment Corporation. Financial Projection Financial Control Six Flags CEO has been proactive in restructuring the Six Flags itself, and not only the debt. For instance, by making some major changes, Six Flags can survive these crucial economic circumstances. Therefore, CEO Mark Shapiro has used his private equity firm, Red Zone Capital, for purchasing the restaurant chain Johnny Rockets in order to integrate the chain into all parks. In addition, Red Zone Capital bought Dick Clark Productions, television home of the Golden Globe Awards, and the Academy of Country Music Awards. This was done with the intention of featuring celebrity and music events in the parks to generate revenue and stimulate and increase foot traffic. 19 Financial control over the Six Flags situation is still valid, by both restructuring the debt, and the theme parks. In addition, to potential of gaining access to some financial resources from a possible merger or consolidation with the Busch Entertainment Corporation is valid as the firms have similar revenue models and Busch has experienced more successful financial performance than Six Flags. Conclusion Six Flags financial situation is extremely dire and the firm is currently floundering to stay afloat. We believe that with our Marketing Plan, we may enable them to greatly increase foot traffic and sales revenue. The pricing promotions will bring people to the park and cause them to spend the money they save on ticket sales, on in-park food or merchandise. The promotions for young adults featuring 21+ nights will provide a great source of income through food and alcoholic beverage sales. The Boulevard will further create a diversified source of revenue. The re-positioning of Six Flags as a fun, low-cost entertainment destination for the family will further increase their target market and communicate value to price-sensitive consumers. Six Flags is an enjoyable theme park where all of your family entertaining needs may be met. We anticipate an increase in Six Flags performance through the execution of our Marketing Plan. 12 Confidential For Internal Use Only Team 8 McCann, Kyle. Rough Year Recorded at Six Flags. ABC2News. com. 12 March 2009. 7 May 2009 . 2 Six Flags Investor Relations. Six Flags. 10 May 2009 Six Flags free essay sample Please address the following questions regarding Six Flags’ goodwill. Perform computations for 2007 and 2008 unless otherwise indicated. 1. Examine Six Flags’ auditors’ report on the financial statements. Is there anything noteworthy about this report? The Company will continue as a going concern†¦with substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern due to recurring losses, stockholder’s deficit, and substantial liquidity needs. The financial statements don’t include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. 2. Examine Six Flags’ balance sheet. Compute the percentage of total assets comprised by intangible assets, net of amortization. Are intangible assets a significant component of Six Flags’ total assets? Intangible assets/total assets: $1,059,486/3,030,845=34. 96% Yes, intangible assets are a significant component of total assets, at almost 35% 3. Refer to part (k) of footnote (1). What is Six Flags’ goodwill balance at December 31, 2008? What proportion of Six Flags’ 2008 intangible assets is attributable to goodwill? Is goodwill a significant component of Six Flags’ total assets? Has Six Flags taken any impairment charges against its goodwill in 2008 or 2007? Goodwill Dec. 31, 2008 = $1,048. 1 million Int. Assets/goodwill = $1,059,486/$1,048,122 = 101. 08% Yes, goodwill is a significant component of assets at 101. 08% No, according to the Six Flag’s, the company has not taken any impairment charges in 2008 or 2007; however, in note 2 it does have recorded impairment on assets held for sale ($3,490) and $1,088 for 2008 and 2007, respectively. 4. Examine Six Flags’ stockholders equity section and note any issues of concern. Based on what you observe, what do you conclude about Six Flags’ past profitability? The Company was less than $75 million; book equity does not exceed the fair market value of equity; since 2004 – 2008 the Company’s stockholder equity has a negative trend, which signifies no profit 5. Compute Six Flags’ net profit margin (Net income (loss)/Total revenues) for the last three years. How has Six Flags’ performed over the last three years? Year200820072006 Net income-$134,933-278,129-327,588 Total revenue$1,021,298970,825942,177 Performance-13. 21%-28. 34%-34. 77% Net Income seems to be increasing each year, along with Revenues; the perfomance over the last 3 years is in a positve trend . Read part (c) of footnote (1). What factors does management identify as casting substantial doubt on Six Flags’ ability to continue as a going concern? What happens if Six Flags defaults on its PIERS? The factors that management identifies as casting substantial doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern are 1) a history of n et losses, which are principally attributable to insufficient revenue to cover fixed costs; 2) a stockholder’s deficit; 3) substantial uncertainty about being able to refinance its debt. If the Company defaults on its PIERS, then the lenders would be permitted to accelerate the obligations due from Six Flags. Also, such a default would result in most or all of Six Flag’s long-term debt to become due and payable. 7. Goodwill reflects the economic benefit that accrues to a firm due to its ability to generate an above normal rate of return. Based on your analysis thus far, do you believe Six Flags is capable of generating an above normal rate of return? Based on your answer, do you believe that Six Flags’ goodwill has suffered an economic impairment? In other words, regardless of what Six Flags balance sheet purports, do you believe that Six Flags has goodwill with an economic value in excess of $1 billion? Yes, I believe Six Flags is capable of generating an above normal rate of return based on its positive trend with net income and revenue increasing the last 3 year. However, it will take another couple of years, based on the positive trend, for Six Flags to see such results. Yes, I do believe that the Company has suffered an economic impairment; No, I do not believe that the Company has goodwill with an economic value in excess of $1 billion due to the financial strain that the Company has experienced for the last several years. 8. Describe the procedure management follows in conducting their annual impairment test of goodwill, as described in the first paragraph of part (k) footnote (1). Based on this test, why did they conclude that â€Å"no impairment was required†? If their stock price were to drop to ZERO, would an impairment be required? Management’s procedure: 1) identifies reporting units, 2) determines carrying value of each unit by assigning assets and liabilities to those reporting units, 3) determine fair value of each reporting unit and compare it to carrying value amount of reporting unit. No impairment was required because their comparison showed the fair value of the single reporting unit exceeded their carrying amount. If their stock price dropped to ZERO, an impairment would not be required because they are comparing the market price of their stock to their carrying amount of stockholder’s equity, which in a deficit. Also, the Company is anticipating those assets to produce future benefits that exceed its costs. 9. If Six Flags’ goodwill has no economic value, the amount reported on the balance sheet is an example of what type of measurement error (gaap-based measurement error, unintentional measurement error, or intentional measurement error). GAAP-based measurement error because in the paragraph describing goodwill, the Company includes what rule it is following, SFAS No. 142. 10. Complete the following table to show how Six Flags’ 2008 balance sheet would change if it fully impaired its goodwill. Ignore income tax effects. Classify â€Å"Redeemable Minority Interest† and â€Å"Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock† as liabilities. | |Assets |Liabilities |Owners’ Equity | |As reported: |$3,030,845 |$3,474,670 |$-443,825 | |Goodwill Adjustment: |$1,971,359 | |$1,971,359 | |Adjusted figures: |$5,002,204 |$3,474,670 |$1,527,534 | 1. Using the liabilities and assets reported on Six Flags’ balance sheet, as well as Six Flags’ liabilitiesand assets adjusted for the write-off of goodwill, compute Six Flags total debt-to-total assets ratio. Interpret the results. Which ratio is more representative of Six Flags’ economic solvency? What is the implication for Six Flags’ creditors and shareholders? Would you invest in Six Flags? |Reported |Adjusted | |Reported |Adjusted | |Assets |$3,030,845 |$5,002,204 |Debt |$3,474,670 |$3,474,670 | |Liabilities |$3,474,670 |$3,474,670 |Equity |-$443,825 |$1,527,534 | |D-to-total assets |$1. 15 |$0. 69 |D-to-E |-$7. 3 |$2. 27 | | ratio | | | | | | As reported, the Company shows a higher debt to assets versus the adjusted numbers show that the Company has a lower debt to assets, making the company more solvent. The adjusted ratio shows a more accurate representation of Six Flags’ economic solvency because assets are shown to be more than liabilities. This implication for Six Flags’ creditors and shareholders is positive news, in contrast to the auditors opinion of the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. I believe I would eventually invest in Six Flags because of the positive trend with net income and revenue postings the last three years. Also, the debt-to-equity ratio using the adjusted figures shows more accurately Six Flag’s financial position with its debt 1

The benefits of Ebay shopping an Example by

The benefits of Ebay shopping: Easy, enjoyable and fruitful Long gone are the days when a full day spent at the mall was the only way to accomplish the heavy load of a multiple item shopping list. Now, shoppers can cross off everything on their list all in the comfort of their own home. Times have changed thanks to the advent of the Internet and the booming economic community it has generated. Perhaps one of the most recognizable of all the online shops is that marketplace we all know as Ebay. Shopping on Ebay has proven, for its millions of customers and sellers, to be an easy, enjoyable and fruitful manner of shopping for almost any needed item. Need essay sample on "The benefits of Ebay shopping: Easy, enjoyable and fruitful" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Shopping at Ebay is an easy way to attain the items needed for ones self or as gifts for other individuals. This is true for a variety of reasons. For instance, before the ever prevalent fixture of computer technology, individuals were required to venture out of the home in order to accomplish feats of shopping that can now be conducted online in mere minutes. Shopping in a mall setting can often be a huge investment in time. It takes time to get into a car and trek over to the nearest mall. It takes time to wander from store to store in an effort to find the perfect item. It even takes times to wait in line at a cash register to pay for the selected item. A much easier method of shopping is available in visiting the virtual marketplace of Ebay. For those with Internet access, a trip to the store simply means signing in online. One does not even need to get dressed to prepare for the shopping adventure. She or he can easily access the Ebay mall by connecting to the Internet and heading to Ebay.com. No need to spend time getting ready to go, transiting or covering all ground at the physical mall. In this way, time is saved through the ease of exploring Ebay. To add to the ease factor of shopping on Ebay, consider those consumers who have children. Packing up the kiddos for an excursion to the mall is not the easiest thing to do. With a toddler screaming in one ear and another child crying over the newest toy he wants, shopping with kids is not easily crossed off the to-do list. With Ebay, however, consumers have the option of shopping at any hour of the day (like when the kids are napping) and away from the prying eyes of those kids who would always find something they need in the old days of visiting an actual, physical store. Also easier now with Ebay shopping is ones ability to research the various types of items on a shopping list. Back when visiting a physical store was the only way to find the items one needs, comparing and contrasting available items meant going from store to store keeping track of the different items, what made them different or preferable over a similar item and how each item was priced. With Ebay, any item can be researched through the sites simple search option, categorized neatly, with full descriptions posted for all to view. Although Ebay is technically a bidding site, the final prices for items typically remain comparable to those items found in physical stores. In many cases, the prices are even better. Speaking of prices, Ebay is also an easy method of shopping due to the many payment forms one can use. Like in physical stores, Ebay accepts cash, check and credit cards. However, Ebay takes it a step further and provides consumer with even more options to make the shopping experience as simple as possible. For instance, Ebay sellers will often work with wire transferring services and online escrow financial sources, with which the seller does not receive the payment until the item has been received by the customer, to provide the consumer with further payment options. One of the most popular methods of payment on Ebay is PayPal. This form of transferring money, similar to a wire transfer, is a safe and effortless way to pay for a purchased item. The PayPal account owner can easily access her or his information and the desired monetary amount can be transferred over to the seller within minutes. What could be easier? In addition to being an easy way to shop, Ebay is also considered an enjoyable method by its millions of shoppers. While shopping in a mall or similar physical setting can be an enjoyable experience, Ebay has many benefits over the traditional shopping methods. Some shoppers prefer not having to wander from store to store in search of needed items. Others will cite the ability to locate just about anything as an enjoyable aspect of Ebay. But perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of shopping on Ebay is the nontraditional method used to determine the price for an item and the rewards associated with it: the online auction. Beyond simply having an all-encompassing marketplace at the tips of ones fingers, consider the excitement involved in the bidding process. Individuals typically enjoy being a part of a contest, as such. Bidding wars can be just as enjoyable for many as the actual attainment of the desired item. Additionally, individuals enjoy the prospect of locating a financial deal on the items they need. Instead of walking into a store and paying the sticker price offered by the business, with Ebay shoppers can capture the feeling of victory associated with locating an item and getting a great deal on it. The all-encompassing marketplace of Ebay is not only an easier way to shop and, for many, a more enjoyable way to purchase items, but Ebay is also a venue known for its fruitfulness. Usually, if someone is in search of an item, she or he can find it on Ebay. Using the simple search engine, one can type in absolutely anything she or he desires to purchase and instantly be presented with options. If the item of choice is a purple, polka dot bikini, the shopper types in that description and she or he will find an assortment of choices instantaneously. Anything that is desired is available according to ones specifications at all hours of the day. Talk about a spoiled society! Individuals typically enjoy being able to stop into one store and finding exactly what is needed. A fruitful shopping experience is the goal in any shopping endeavor and Ebay, with its massive quantities of vendors, is definitely the place for someone to meet this goal. Shopping excursions in a mall or similar, physical setting can not always boast the same result. A store may not have the right size, the right color, the required number of items or may not even have desired item or anything like it at all! Shopping in a physical store is an activity that still may be preferred by some or favored on occasion for various reasons. However, shopping on Ebay clearly has many benefits. Ebay is a marketplace that has nearly perfected the idea of an easy shopping experience for consumers all over the world. Ebay is a marketplace that provides an enjoyable shopping experience to its many loyal visitors. Ebay is a marketplace that features so many vendors selling such a variety of items few people could say that their shopping trip to the online marketplace did not prove fruitful. For these reasons and more, shopping on Ebay will prove many benefits to the average consumer. Reference Riewe, David. (2006). Payment methods on Ebay.

A History of Bow and Arrow Technology

A History of Bow and Arrow Technology Bow and arrow hunting (or archery) is a technology first developed by early modern humans in Africa, perhaps as long as 71,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that the technology was certainly used by humans during the Howiesons Poort phase of Middle Stone Age Africa, between 37,000 and 65,000 years ago; recent evidence at South Africas Pinnacle Point cave tentatively pushes the initial use back to 71,000 years ago. However, there is no evidence that the bow and arrow technology was used by people who migrated out of Africa until the Late Upper Paleolithic or Terminal Pleistocene, at most 15,000-20,000 years ago. The oldest surviving organic elements of bows and arrows only date to the Early Holocene of about 11,000 years ago. Africa: Middle Stone Age, 71,000 years ago.Europe and Western Asia: Late Upper Paleolithic, although there are no UP rock art paintings of archers and the oldest arrow shafts date to the Early Holocene, 10,500 BP; the earliest bows in Europe are from the bog site of Stellmor in Germany, where 11,000 years ago someone lost a pine arrow shaft with nocks in the end.Japan / Northeast Asia: Terminal Pleistocene.North / South America: Terminal Pleistocene. Making a Bow and Arrow Set Based on modern-day San Bushmen bow-and-arrow manufacture, existing bows and arrows curated in South African museums as well as archaeological evidence for Sibudu Cave, Klasies River Cave, and Umhlatuzana Rockshelter in South Africa, Lombard and Haidle (2012) operationalized the basic process of making a bow and arrows. To make a bow and a set of arrows, the archer needs stone tools (scrapers, axes, woodworking adzes, hammerstones, tools for straightening and smoothing wooden shafts, flint for making fire), a container (ostrich eggshell in South Africa) for carrying water, ochre mixed with resin, pitch, or tree gum for adhesives, fire for blending and setting the adhesives, tree saplings, hardwood and reeds for the bow stave and arrow shafts, and animal sinew and plant fiber for binding material. The technology for making a bow stave is close to that of making a wooden spear (first made by Homo heidelbergensis more than 300,000 years ago); but the differences are that instead of straightening a wooden lance, the archer needs to bend the bow stave, string the bow, and treat the stave with adhesives and fat to prevent splitting and cracking. How Does It Compare to Other Hunting Technologies? From a modern standpoint, the bow and arrow technology  is definitely a leap forward from lance and atlatl (spear thrower) technology. Lance technology involves a long spear which is used to thrust at prey. An atlatl is a separate piece of bone, wood or ivory, that acts as a lever to increase the power and speed of a throw: arguably, a leather strap attached to the end of a lance spear might be a technology between the two. But bow and arrow technology has a number of technological advantages over lances and atlatls. Arrows are longer-range weapons, and the archer needs less space. To fire off an atlatl successfully, the hunter needs to stand in big open spaces and be highly visible to his/her prey; arrow hunters can hide behind bushes and shoot from a kneeling position. Atlatls and spears are limited in their repeatability: a hunter can carry one spear and maybe as many as three darts for an atlatl, but a quiver of arrows can include a dozen or more shots. To Adopt or Not to Adopt Archaeological and ethnographic evidence suggests that these technologies were rarely mutually exclusive- groups combined spears and atlatls and bows and arrows with nets, harpoons, deadfall traps, mass-kill kites, and buffalo jumps, and many other strategies as well. People vary their hunting strategies based on the prey being sought, whether it is big and dangerous or wily and elusive or marine, terrestrial or airborne in nature. The adoption of new technologies can profoundly affect the way a society is constructed or behaves. Perhaps the most important difference is that lance and atlatl hunting are group events, collaborative processes that are successful only if they include a number of family and clan members. In contrast, bow and arrow hunting can be achieved with just one or two individuals. Groups hunt for the group; individuals for the individual families. That is a profound social change, affecting almost every aspect of life including who you marry, how big is your group, and how status is conveyed. One issue that might also have affected the adoption of the technology may be that bow and arrow hunting simply has a longer training period than atlatl hunting. Brigid Grund (2017) examined records from modern competitions for atlatl (Atlatl Association International Standard Accuracy Contest) and archery (Society for Creative Anachronism InterKingdom Archery Competition). She discovered an individuals atlatl scores increase steadily, showing improvement in skill within the first few years. Bow hunters, however, do not begin to approach maximum skill until the fourth or fifth year of competition. The Great Technology Shift There is much to be understood in the processes of how technology changed and indeed which technology came first. The earliest atlatl we have dates to the Upper Paleolithic, only 20,000 years ago: the South African evidence is quite clear that bow and arrow hunting is much older still. But archaeological evidence being what it is, we still dont really know the complete answer about the dates of hunting technologies and we may never have a better definition of when the inventions occurred than at least as early as. People adapt to technologies for reasons other than just because something is new or shiny. Every new technology is characterized by its own costs and benefits for the task at hand. Archaeologist Michael B. Schiffer referred to this as application space: that the level of adoption of a new technology depends on the number and variety of tasks that it could be used on, and which it is best suited to. Old technologies are rarely completely obsoleted, and the transition period can be very long indeed. Sources Angelbeck B, and Cameron I. 2014. The Faustian bargain of technological change: Evaluating the socioeconomic effects of the bow and arrow transition in the Coast Salish past. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 36:93-109.Bradfield J. 2012. Macrofractures on bone-tipped arrows: analysis of hunter-gatherer arrows in the Fourie collection from Namibia. Antiquity 86(334):1179-1191. Brown KS, Marean CW, Jacobs Z, Schoville BJ, Oestmo S, Fisher EC, Bernatchez J, Karkanas P, and Matthews T. 2012. An early and enduring advanced technology originating 71,000 years ago in South Africa. Nature 491(7425):590-593.Callanan M. 2013. Melting snow patches reveal Neolithic archery. Antiquity 87(337):728-745.Coolidge FL, Haidle MN, Lombard M, and Wynn T. 2016. Bridging theory and bow hunting: human cognitive evolution and archaeology. Antiquity 90(349):219-228.Erlandson J, Watts J, and Jew N. 2014. Darts, Arrows, and Archaeologists: Distinguishing Dart and Arrow Points in the Archaeological Record. American Antiquity 79(1):162-169. Grund BS. 2017. Behavioral Ecology, Technology, and the Organization of Labor: How a Shift from Spear Thrower to Self Bow Exacerbates Social Disparities. American Anthropologist 119(1):104-119.Kennett DJ, Lambert PM, Johnson JR, and Culleton BJ. 2013. Sociopolitical Effects of Bow and Arrow Technology in Prehistoric Coastal California. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 22(3):124-132.Lombard M, and Haidle MN. 2012. Thinking a Bow-and-arrow Set: Cognitive Implications of Middle Stone Age Bow and Stone-tipped Arrow Technology. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 22(02):237-264.Lombard M, and Phillipson L. 2010. Indications of bow and stone-tipped arrow use 64,000 years ago in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Antiquity 84(325):635–648.Whittaker JC. 2016. Levers, Not Springs: How a Spearthrower Works and Why It Matters. In: Iovita R, and Sano K, editors. Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Stone Age Weaponry. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. p 65-74.

Eal School Systems and Policies for Meeting the Needs of Children with Eal and or Black and Minority Pupils Essays

Eal School Systems and Policies for Meeting the Needs of Children with Eal and or Black and Minority Pupils Essays Eal School Systems and Policies for Meeting the Needs of Children with Eal and or Black and Minority Pupils Essay Eal School Systems and Policies for Meeting the Needs of Children with Eal and or Black and Minority Pupils Essay Essay Topic: Middle School EAL TASK 1 (Q13) School systems and policies for meeting the needs of children with EAL and/or Black and Minority Ethnic pupils What are the needs in this school regarding EAL and ethnic minority achievement? Middle Row Primary School has a population of 39% pupils who are bilingual. A total number of 21 different languages are spoken throughout the school. According to the Race Equality Policy, 57% of the pupils have English as an additional language. The school has a majority of the ethnic minority as stated below: 17% Mixed White/Caribbean Moroccan – 15% Black Caribbean – 12% Somali – 11% White British – 11% What written policies are there about the school’s approach? The school has a general EMA policy which highlights the school aims in regards to the needs of EAL children. According to the policy the school employs a full time teacher funded by the Language Development Service other than 2 teachers which are funded by the school. In reali ty there is one full time EAL teacher. There is also a section in this policy on new arrivals to the school where it states that the school ‘ runs an induction programme for pupils at the very early stages of learning English. Furthermore, in terms of learning and teaching, the EMA policy acknowledges the large number of pupils which qualify for EAL support, therefore it prioritises its support offered. The EAL teacher liaises with the class teacher in terms of the child’s assessment and development. The school also has a Race Equality Policy to ensure the school/staff fulfils its obligation under the Race Relation Act 1976 [amended 2000]. What are your school’s procedures for raising the standards of BME children and/or children with EAL – are there any particular support programme, strategies or resources used? Middle Row uses the RBKC’s assessment forms for children with EAL needs. This is practiced twice a year by the school staff. Other than this, the EMA teacher and the class teacher also assess children each term. Target levels are than set for the child to achieve by the end of next term. The assessment includes speaking and listening, reading and writing skills test for literacy. What support is available for children at the whole school and classroom level for both groups? The EMA teacher not only works alongside with the Class teacher during sessions or can arrange one to one sessions depending on the class timetable. Due to shortage of staff it becomes impossible to extend support to each and every EAL child present in the school. Support is still provided to the best of ability. How are parents involved and what systems exist for developing home-school relationship? In autumn term (Nov ’09) MRPS in coordination with the RBKC arranged a session for the parents of EAL children. Many parents attended the session, which was mainly focused on the importance of home languages. The school is working towards involving the parents and having more sessions on developing home-school relationships. In the past there have been sessions on parent child reading in the classroom which was quite a success. Find out how it uses local and national data to inform its practice. Are there any particular groups that are targeted for support? The school prioritizes in providing support to beginner levels of EAL children. So far, the school haven’t categorised any particular target group as the main focus stays with children who are new in the country or the ones with little or no English language at all. In what ways have the children’s knowledge and experiences been taken into ccount in curriculum content? The Friday assemblies are a main feature which highlights different cultures and traditions. The children can relate to these assemblies as the parents of children performing are invited to watch the assembly. Awareness is spread about issues like racism and bullying. When planning sessions, teachers do tend to keep interest of the child’s knowledge and experiences and try and make a relation from the curriculum point of view. What place do first languages and culture have in the school and classroom? Does it promote pluralingualism? First languages are not spoken as commonly probably because English is the main language spoken. Spanish is a popular language in the school because of the presence of specialist Spanish staff. Lessons are delivered every week in Spanish and children tend to enjoy these sessions. The school does promote pluralingualism as the school staffs cherish children who speak other languages. Display posters, dual language books are available in the school but not put into much use as one would imagine.

Retail Banking Sales Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Retail Banking Sales Strategies - Assignment Example (Deutsch, 171) In today’s world time is invaluable. Retail banking has gained so much of popularity is it helps in saving time. However in retail banking the fixed costs are effectively huge as it is not possible to reduce number of staffs or close of the premises in a quick span of time. (Coulbeck, 134) Economies of scale relating to the market size of the banks decide the significance of retail banking. Retail banking in the new millennium has been very acceptable as it is in the throes of major changes. Starting from removing the legal barriers of entry to adopting electronic technology are some of the major changes which has enhanced the overall services in this sector. (Duetsch, 170, 184) In any service sector consumer satisfaction and acceptance remains the critical component which decides the fate of any particular process. Since there is always a competition for retail banks from the other intermediaries they have to come up with new strategies to strengthen their position. In case of retail banks the number of consumers is increasing day by day and they all want to have an online access to the banking functions. â€Å"Cisco collaborative customer experience Solution† is a portfolio which is helping the retail banks to transform into the consumer focused businesses. This solution has been built and designed by the retail branch banks in such a way that it allows the consumers to take active part in accessing the banking functions. (Meet the Demands of Todays Customers). Retail banks have to maximize the data that they have obtained from the customer and quickly analyze those avenues which would grant them future revenues. Client interactions should be of prior importance and a potent strategic tool to improve the overall sales. Retail banks have to come up with specific solutions for consumers after going through the consumers

Training across Borders in Mozambique Research Paper - 1

Training across Borders in Mozambique - Research Paper Example The Erasmus – concentrates on the teaching and learning requirementss of all those in formal higher education including student placements across nations in projects providing and facilitating such education and training; then there is the Leonardo Da Vinci program. The Leonardo Da Vinci program addresses the teaching and learning needs of all those in vocational educational training; considerably, the program’s core objectives are to support those in training to acquire and implement knowledge, skills and qualifications to facilitate personal growth, employability and participation in the European labor market, improve quality and innovation, and lastly, enhance the attractiveness of vocational education, training and mobility (FMER 2013). The program also pursues operation aims that seek to develop and strengthen; mobility in education and that of a series of training sessions, attention span, innovative practices and their transfer between countries, language learning, innovative ICT based content and cooperation between different factors. Significantly, the program also supports actions like partnerships focusing on themes of mutual interest and multilateral projects aimed at enhancing the training systems through relocation and development of good practice in order to adapt to national needs (Move on Net 2013). Moreover, the Leonardo Da Vinci is also up to per with thematic networks of experts and organizations working on particular aspects that are in relational to the vocational education and training, and the dissimilar accompanying measures related to the same. The fourth program of the Lifelong Learning program is the Grundtvig program that is geared to all players in adult education where all its topics are addressed in learning partnerships as the multilateral projects develop innovations for adult education.

Incident response policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Incident response policy - Essay Example IRT Team Leader:Â  The IRT must have an individual in charge of its activities. The IRT Team Leader will generally be responsible for the activities of the IRT and will coordinate reviews of its actions. This might lead to changes in polices and procedures for dealing with future incidents. IRT Incident Lead: In the event of an incident, one individual responsible for coordinating the response is assigned. The IRT Incident Lead has ownership of the particular incident or set of related security incidents. IRT Incident Lead works as representative to the outside when an incident occurs IRT Associate Members:Â  Besides the core IRT team, you should have a number of specific individuals who handle and respond to particular incidents. Associate members will come from a variety of different departments in Gem Infosys. They should specialize in areas that are affected by security incidents but that are not dealt with directly by the core IRT. The following member can be appointed depending on the incident; Legal Representative: - Apart from accidental virus attack, intruders may also launch attacks. Legal representative comes in to action in such incidents. This member is a lawyer who is very familiar with established incident response policies. The Legal Representative determines how to proceed during an incident with minimal legal liability and maximum ability to prosecute offenders. To be able to recover effectively from an incident, it is needed to determine how seriously the systems have been compromised. This will determine how to further avoid and minimize the risk, how to recover, how quickly and to whom that should communicate the incident. Compare systems to previously conducted file/system integrity checks. This enables you to identify additions, deletions, modifications, and permission and control modifications to the file system and registry. 1. Protect

Animal Biotechnology in Developing Countries

Animal Biotechnology in Developing Countries ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: APPLICATIONS, RISKS AND ETHICS TO BE CONSIDERED ABSTRACT In majority of the developing countries, the application of biotechnology associated to livestock has to be appropriate for the animal owners who lack resources and who have small land and few animals. Livestock is becoming highly necessary for the developing countries in terms of economic growth, healthy life style and socio-economic objectives. Livestock production is collaborated with technology for viable agriculture. Livestock is an integral part of the ecosystem and is an abundant source of animal biodiversity since local breeds have genes and characteristics that are of great value. Molecular markers are used to a great extent to determine and choose certain genes having desired characteristics and to spread its use in artificial insemination, embryo transfer and various other reproductive methods. These technologies are used extensively in genetic enhancement of the livestock such as in cattle and buffaloes. Presently, biotechnology is utilized for the production of vaccines and diagnostic kits. However, in the absence of proper foundation, inappropriate manpower, inadequate funding to farmers and lacking of available resources, still there is lot gap in the field. In spite of having many advantages, there are several risk factors and ethical issues to be considered in genetically modifying animals for human consumption and animal welfare. This paper deals with the problems faced by the developing countries, applications of animal biotechnology to overcome these problems, risks involved and ethical principles to be considered. INTRODUCTION Biotechnology is considered to be necessary for the human survival and as a tool that will enhance the quality of life of the people in the world [1]. Genomics and biotechnology has a huge ability to combat diseases that mostly affect the world’s poorest population [2]. Although biotechnology is assumed to elevate the life of the person in the world and allow a more comfortable living, commercial considerations and socioeconomic goals that are believed by the society are very important [3]. Animal biotechnology â€Å"is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing or production of materials by animals or aquatic species to provide goods and services†. The production of livestock is expanding when compared to any other sector and by the year 2020, the livestock is supposed to become the most significant agricultural sector. The application of biotechnology in this sector will direct to a positive shift in the economic returns from livestock. 43% of the agricultural production is through the production of livestock where more than half of the agricultural yield is from the livestock of the developed countries and one third is from the developing countries. PROBLEMS FACED BY THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Advantages of biotechnology have only reached the developed countries, with billions in the poor countries largely excluded from these benefits. The practice of using the molecular biotechnologies and the novel breeding principles to the livestock animals by the developing countries is constrained by various factors. Dearth, malnutrition, inadequate hygiene and unemployment are common in the developing countries and techniques related to biotechnology have to be applied under these circumstances. Green revolution has been effective for farmers who have land but farmers who do not have land exist only on livestock and they have been condemned and remained poor. I think developing countries should be able to extend these techniques with the help of government agencies which would help improve their quality of life and living by considering the ethical, social and environmental issues into account. In developing economics, the livestock has become very necessary for the expansion of agriculture. The quest for the products from livestock is the function of income and continuous improvement in the per capita income, increasing urban population and the alterations in the lifestyle and diet are improving the growth in production of livestock. By increasing the income and employment and by depreciating the rural poverty, the production of livestock leads to socioeconomic development. The function of livestock is not only to provide food and nutrition but also acts as a supply in draught power and organic manure. Therefore livestock is necessary source of income and address the unemployment issue. This helps in reducing the poverty and scatters the income among the rural population that constitutes small landholders and a most of the livestock owners. During unfavorable environments, livestock can be reverted into cash and therefore can be used during crop failure. IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY Animal biotechnology has various uses. Transgenic animals with improved growth rates, improved lean muscle mass, greater resistance to disease have been produced ever since the early 1980s [4]. Genetic content of animals such as poultry, swine, goats and cattle have been modified so that they produce more amounts of human proteins in eggs, milk, blood and urine which helps in making of human pharmaceuticals. This therapeutics contains proteins required for humans such as enzymes, clotting factors, albumin and antibodies. Cows are genetically modified by injecting a bacterium containing growth hormone called bovine somatotropin (BST) to increase the milk production rate by 10 to 15 percent. Considerable number of genes and desired traits has been discovered in the livestock of Africa and Asia. Examples of such breeds from these continents are significant in the global level such as, buffaloes that yield milk with more amounts of fat and with greater quality of protein necessary for the production of mozzarella cheese, goats from cold countries that generate pashmina and toos- slender varieties of wool, Black Bengal goats that bear genes for high productivity, Garole sheep that bear genes for twinning and sheep’s, camels and goats that are tolerant to tropical arid environment and can sustain feed with high lignin composition. Milk, meat and eggs production and the nutritional value, prevention of diseases and healthcare has been improved for these products through the use of biotechnology. Biotechnology is a new developing tool for the growth of agricultural technologies. The greater profit of agricultural research and technology is that the poor can buy the products easily since both the average incomes and the use of these food products are improved [3]. The improvement in the production of livestock has called for an increased value of land, labor and goods and services of non-agricultural origin therefore improving the overall growth in the economy. The rural population spends nearly greater part of their additional income on food. Therefore biotechnology can be applied to livestock production which leads to a greater nutritional significance in case the technology is aimed at the poorest producers. However, â€Å"commercialization of agriculture† has depleted the nutritional security of the rural population. APPLICATIONS OF THE TECHNOLOGY There are many technologies that have been evolved to the livestock of both developing and developed countries. However, the large scale technologies that are efficiently utilized in the production of livestock in the developing countries comprises of protecting the animal genetic resources, enhancing reproduction, embryo transfer (ET), detecting and reducing diseases and increasing the nutrition value. 1. Transgenics Gene related technologies have the tendency to boost the ability for the production of livestock thereby assuring larger profits for the farmers [2]. â€Å"The global adaption of genetically modified (GM) crops, which were grown on 67.7 million hectares in 2003 compared with 2.8 million hectares in 1996, has had a greater impact on livestock feed. It is estimated that the United States of America, Argentina, Canada, Brazil and the People’s Republic of China have 63%. 21%, 6%, 4% and 4% respectively, of the global transgenic acreage and that the most frequently grown crops are GM soybean (61%), maize (23%), cotton (11%) and canola (5%)†. Although research in medical field requires the use of transgenic animals such as mice, GM animals have not yet been discharged into the farms [3]. The progress in the genetic alteration of the livestock is very slow when compared to the genetic alteration of crops for a wide range of reasons that include high costs, inappropriate gene t ransfer techniques and small reproductive rates of animals. Recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques contribute to the expression of desires genes, to suppress the expression of unwanted genes, to modify certain genes to obstruct certain pathways. It was determined that approximately 30 enzymes are produced from GM bacteria, yeasts and moulds that are commercially available and most of these enzymes are utilized in the food industry. Milk produced from transgenic cattle has the ability to improve the production of some proteins or growth factors and this improved quality in the nutrient and therapeutic content in the composition of milk may have a greater impact on the development and the survival of the newborn humans and animals. This transgenic alteration in the milk will lead to a greater utilization of milk and milk products in the fields of both agriculture and medicine. By improving the composition of the proteins in milk or developing a new protein in the milk is a â€Å"value added† opportunity for transgenic agriculture. 2. Cloning Nuclear cloning is the process of creating new animals by introducing somatic nuclei into an unfertilized oocyte [5]. In other words it is the process in which one single DNA molecule can give rise to an entire organism [6]. Even though it was started in fishes to know the nuclear totipotency, it was extended for higher organisms like sheep where Dolly was the first cloned mammal. Genetically modified nuclear transfusion can play a better role in cloning with desired characteristics. Since it is a cell medicated transfer addition and deletion of the specific gene can be done depending on the gene of interest that is to be produced. Cloning can be used in preservation of indigenous breeds of global zoo pool which are adapted to a local environment. Multiplication can be done rapidly which give uniform clones. This technology can be used as a therapeutic agent for several diseases like diseases like diabetes, spinal disorders and tissue damage by using the transplanted cells to replace the damaged tissue or using stem cells to differentiate into the specific cells of interest. Cloned animals can be used as research models which give identical twins that have same pathway for their physiological activities rather than using animals with more genetic variability. It improves the quality and quantity of food products produced and also produces several disease resistant plants that reduce pollution indirectly. 3. Artificial insemination (AI) Artificial insemination (AI) is a method by which sperm from male is collected, processed and stored and then is artificially inserted into the female reproductive tract for conception. AI is one of the most essential procedures for genetically improving farm animals and is extensively used for breeding dairy. [7]. The recognition of AI method worldwide presents the development of other technologies, such as cryopreservation and sexing of sperm, estrous cycle regulation, and embryo harvesting, freezing, culture and transfer, and cloning [8]. The rate of conception in the area of AI in the developing countries is less and hence the desired efficiency on the animal development has not been accomplished. Artificial insemination has following advantages over natural breeding. The major benefit of AI is that it makes utmost use of superior sires. Earlier, very few could get the benefit of superior bulls. Naturally, a bull can be bred to 50 to 60 cows per year. In contrast, by AI, thousands of cows can be sired in one year by one bull. [9]. Exposure of sires to contagious genital infections is prevented by utilizing AI thereby preventing the spread of such infections. 4. Embryo transfer (ET) To obtain genetically superior or important animals, animal breeders are attempting to get as many offspring’s as possible. Hormonal induction of multiple ovulations, followed by non-surgical collection of embryos and embryo transfer is extensively used [10]. ET is one of the most important reproductive techniques in cattle that can elevate the genetic improvement. ET in cattle has lately acquired huge popularity with seedstock dairy and beef producers. Like artificial insemination, ET can significantly increase the number of offsprings [11]. ET improves the reproductive ability of a cow because semen from one male can be utilized for a huge number of females, and by using a technique called superovulation, superior female can be made to provide more number of ovules. Cows that are not capable of sustaining pregnancy can still contribute by providing ovules for ET. Embryos can also be frozen and preserved in an embryo bank and used whenever required [12]. 5. In vitro production of embryos In vitro production (IVP) of buffalo embryos has gained an importance because of less acceptance of AI and reduced superovulatory response in buffaloes [13]. IVP contributes a good supply of embryos for studying fundamental research on â€Å"developmental physiology, farm animal breeding, embryo sexing, sperm injection, nuclear transfer, cloning and transgenesis†. IVP leads to a favorable pregnancy and birth of the calf in buffalo. However, the rate of success if less. Therefore IVP must be enhanced in the developing countries before it can be used in the cattle as well as buffaloes. 6. Improving health through vaccines Vaccines are used for the prevention and control of animal and human diseases [14]. Through biotechnology, new and enhanced drugs have been produced that lower production expenses and increase animal welfare by combating infections caused by bacteria and parasites [15]. With the help of modern biotechnology techniques, new and improved animal vaccines have also been generated. Vaccines used to fight diseases such as foot and mouth disease, scours, brucellosis, shipping fever, feline leukemia and rabies. Test kits have been created to diagnose health of livestock and other animals. Molecular biology distinguishes the disease causing agents by sequencing the nucleotides and by determining the origin of these pathogens. These molecular diagnostic techniques are polymerase chain reaction (PCR), monoclonal antibodies and recombinant antigens. These approaches can be made better to promote their use in the developing countries. RISKS OF ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY Although implementing this technology provides many benefits, there are also certain risks involved with this technology [18]. Genetically modified animals interfere with nature and tend to affect normal wild type organisms Genetic diversity of organisms is narrowed down and existing modifies animals will be prone to diseases and threatened as a result. The safety of food containing or produced from engineered animals also raises questions in the public because of its unpredictability (toxic or allergic etc) It has huge impact on the normal farms and their employment. To start up the business, funds are essential which might be obtained from government or private enterprises which is doubtful due to lack of trust. It leads to Negative Globalization which is due to probable mistreatment of developing countries. There is also scope for mistreatment of animals causing stress and future abnormalities which will be opposed by animal welfare organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) etc. Procedures like cloning will reduce naturally occurring genetic variability. Animal biotechnology involves costly processes but the success rate is very less There might be transfer of pathogens and other disease causing organisms from the donors to recipient animals. The life expectancy of such animals even after spending both time and money is very less as they are subjected to strain to produce more and desirable products. Techniques such as embryonic cell nuclear transfer (ECNT) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have raised apprehensions on human safety and animal health. The cloned animals tend to have a poor success rate for embryo development which is called as ‘large offspring syndrome’ [19], placental abnormalities, edema, large umbilicus or perinatal deaths. Concerns still exist on the human consumption of cloned animals. Several other moral and ethical concerns also pose risks in the use of animal biotechnology. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE TECHNOLOGY Today, ethical, social, environmental and economic issues in animal farming are essentially associated with sustainable income and food security for millions of people in the developing countries [16]. The major function of farm animals in social, cultural and economic welfare of humanity in the developing countries contrasts with the condition in developed countries. Basically, there are two areas of ethical considerations. One being the alterations in the genetic content of animals and the other being concerns on animal welfare. Animals are considered to be â€Å"voiceless victims of science† since the painful treatment given to these animals during slaughtering and transportation is contrast of the perceived sentiments and love for animals. Ethical considerations should be regarded on gene based methods such as gene product that has its application in vaccination, genes used for treatment of diseases and to detect the source of infections and making of therapeutic agents through insertion of specific genes into living tissues. Ethical and social examination on the biosafety issues such as harm in the recipient animals and humans who consume transgenic products should be considered. Although transgenic methods such as introduction of a gene to get a desired trait, modification of physiological development and functions, increased reproductive capability, disease resistant animals prove to be of great benefit to the humans, biosafety, environmental risks should not be neglected. According to Monsanto which is an agrochemical company, bovine somatotropin is a natural ‘protein supplement’ that improves the cow’s ability to produce milk [17]. However, some organizations believe that Monsanto is pushing a drug that compels cows to work harder on the factory cattle farm, and that pollutes ordinary processes. Related disapproval has been observed against attempts to genetically altering animals so that they will generate high levels of growth hormone. Animal welfare and animal rights are frequently defiled in most of the developing countries. Certain laws such as anti-cruelty law and animal protection law should be adapted by all the countries so that animals are considered to have a fundamental value and are not solely instrumental for humans. Research should still be conducted to provide a safer and cheaper way of embryo transfer and artificial insemination in the developing countries. CONCLUSIONS AND REMEDIES Progress in the development of biotechnology is being made in many countries. However, only a small proportion of it is reaching the developing countries in the fields of conservation, animal improvement, diagnosis and control of diseases. However, farmers are not benefitted from the gene based techniques. Accessing novel technologies is very expensive for the developing countries and there is less investment for animal health and production. Although many discoveries have been developed in the laboratories by the developing countries, majority of them are not modified into appropriate products. Sufficient national and international platform through international donor consortium is required to manage the cost to access the biotechnological products. In the developing countries, the money expended by the international organizations on animal biotechnology is insufficient. â€Å"The World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Consultative Group on International Agricultura l Research, the United Nations Development Programme, The United States Agency for International Development, The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the International Development Research Centre, the Asian Development Bank† and many such groups have to provide greater funds to the livestock sector. Contributing money in livestock has positive results in human development. I think, by identifying the health needs and making use of the benefits of these technologies, developing countries can exploit biotechnology for enhancing human health. However, the risk factors and ethical issues should be considered not only by the developing countries but also by the developed countries. More studies and research has to be conducted to minimize the risks of applying these technologies. The government agencies should provide proper finance to apply these technologies and also provide trained labor to get a maximum benefit out of it. REFERENCES http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/biotech/in_focus/biotechnology_if_animal.html Daar, et al (2007), Hoe can developing countries harness biotechnology to improve health? BMC Public Health, 7:346. M.L. Madan, Animal biotechnology: applications and economic implications in developing countries (2005), Rev. sci. tech. Off. Int. 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Kurstak et al., Towards new vaccine and modern vaccinology: introductory remarks (1999), Elsevier- Vaccine 17, 1583-1586 file:///G:/443-003.html Kesavan (2005), et al., Ethical, Social, Environmental and Economic issues in Animal Biotechnology, Applications of gene based technologies for improving animal production and health in developing countries, 447-462. Levidow et al., (1997), How biotechnology regulation sets a risk/ethics boundary, Agriculture and human values, 14: 29-43 http://ucbrep.ucdavis.edu/PDFs/Animal%20biotech%20Food%20Expo.pdf Yang et al., (2007), Risk assessment of meat from cloned animals, Nature biotechnology, vol 25, no. 1.