Foreign market entry strategies Essay

â€Å"Firms which participate in the business system as partners complement the company and its suppliers, thereby increasing the value to customers†. Explain your understanding of this view and provide examples to reinforce your arguments. For a company, entering new foreign markets may be achieved in a variety of ways. Each of these ways places its unique demands on the company in terms of organizational and financial resources. Most of the times, entering international markets is not a matter of choice but of necessity to remain competitive in new or established markets by meeting the consumer’ needs and values. The decision to go international represents an important commitment, to go into a new line of activity, this being the reason why it should be taken step by step: obtaining information, analyzing them, formulating alternative action plans, (Tookey, 1975) and of course find the right partners that match the company brand image and values. The international business system model is focused on the advantages determined by the internationalisation process and less on the development process of the internationalisation of companies. The main scope obtained by applying the Uppsala Model is predicting the company’s evolution on foreign markets. Two elements are at the basis of the model: the notion of essentiality attributed to the process and the notion of physical distance. The internationalisation of a multinational company takes place step by step, according to the Uppsala Model, which minimises the risks regarding the new market (Johanson; Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). Therefore, the company is being involved gradually (investments, control and profit), getting to the point of creating a production subsidiary which ensures also the selling of the products on the new market. The stages of the internationalisation process are presented in Appendix 1. The concept of physical distance, the second element the Uppsala Model is based upon determines the companies to select, in a first stage, the neighbour countries in order to reduce the cultural, economical, political differences. According to this approach, the bigger the physical distance, the bigger is the incertitude about the new market and bigger the risks associated to this market. In the view of the globalisation phenomena, there are numerous criticisms about the â€Å"physical distance† notion. Many papers have developed the subject of the company’s internationalisation; a special place holds J. Birkinshaw who analysed the problems regarding the role of the subsidiaries and the evolution of the mandated in the internationalisation process at the multinational’s level. Therefore, Birkinshaw and Hoods (1998) have shown that creating a subsidiary can be explained on the basis of the interactions between the decisions of the mother-company, the initiatives o f the subsidiary and the specific conditions existing on the new market. The model developed by Birkinshaw (1997) is based on three variables: The relation headquarters – subsidiary; the subsidiary’s initiatives and the local environment. Regarding the internationalisation process, the company has more options (see Appendix 2) The first choice is represented by the development of the existing markets and it is being used by companies that are acting on highly competitive markets; the second choice – the company can choose to develop its activity on new markets, similar to the ones they are already acting on – in this case, they are usually choosing to export their products; the third strategy is developing a new line of products similar to the ones they already have and which will be sold on similar markets- in this case the company can choose between strategic alliances: creating a joint venture or licensing. . Management’s involvement in export operations is different, as we talk about passive exporters (when selling abroad is induced by the demand existing on the foreign market, meaning that the business is initiated by the importer) or active exporters (when the operation is initiated by the seller, which has an export strategy and a suitable business plan (Popa, 2006) From the operational point of view, exporters can be indirect exporters(with the participation of trading houses), when it isn’t necessary to create an organizational structure specific to the export activity or direct exporters, which is made by the producer, which is creating services or departments for international business. The determinants of export behaviour are experience and uncertainty effects; behavioural and firm-specific influences and strategic influences. 1. Experience and uncertainty effects Knowledge and learning regarding the exporting activity may be possessed or accumulated by the company in time. Experience has a key role, as firm’s involvement in international markets is most of the time a gradual process. During the early stages of exporting, firms have a more concentrated foreign market focus, while increased involvement in foreign market encourages diversification to a wider range of markets. As a firm’s knowledge of an export market increases, the uncertainty factor diminishes. This knowledge allows the identification of concrete opportunities, as distinct from theoretical that may be apparent from objective knowledge. 2. Behavioural and firm-specific influences Recent theories of exporting are strongly influenced by the behavioural theory of the firm, which stresses decision-maker characteristics, organizational dynamics and constraints, ignorance and uncertainty as key variables in decision making. Exporting has been described as a development process based on a learning sequence involving six stages Bilkey and Tesar, 1977): Stage 1: the firm is not interested in exporting Stage 2: the firm supplies unsolicited business, doesn’t examine the feasibility of active exporting Stage 3: the firm examines the feasibility of exporting in an active way Stage 4: experimental exports on neighbour countries Stage 5: the firm becomes an experienced exporter Stage 6: the firm explores the feasibility of exporting to additional countries of greater business distance. According to Welch (1982), the export commitment is influenced by four groups of factors (see figure 4): pre-export activities, direct export stimuli, latent influences on the firm and the role of the decision-maker. 3. Strategic influences The opinion among researchers and managers is divided on the issue of the relation between the firm size and export success. Still, the importance of a positive managerial attitude to exporting and the necessity of committing managerial and financial resources to the internationalization process are crucial to the success of the firm, irrespective of size. As a mode of international market entry, strategic alliances allow the firm (Bradley, 2002): †¢ Access to assets not readily available in the market †¢ Access to technology and markets †¢ The smaller firms can have access to technology and new products †¢ The larger firms can have access to markets †¢ Synergetic effects in the partner firms. Choosing the way to enter a foreign market represents an important part of the foreign direct investment strategy. The companies should select the new market, decide upon the types of operations that are about to be developed on these markets and decide the type of entry –green field investments, acquisitions, joint ventures. Choosing the way to enter a foreign market was also explained through cultural and national factors. Many studies have been concerned about this topic: †¢ Kogut and Singh (1988) after researches have concluded that a big cultural distance between the country of origin and the host country have as a result choosing joint ventures or green field investments. †¢ Gatignon and Anderson (1988) have shown that an important socio-cultural distance, measured with the help of the Index developed by Ronen and Shenkar (1985) – goes to the partial propriety right. †¢ Gatignon and Anderson (1988) have concluded that multinational companies avoid having 100% owned subsidiaries in high risk countries. †¢ Cho and Radmanabhan (1995) have shown that companies from Japan are not willing to make acquisitions in developing countries. Choosing the joint venture as a mechanism to enter new markets (especially the developing countries and the ones with centralised economy) is usual ly a second-best option for the companies from developed countries. Still, the companies show through this the major interest for the local market; the participation in the joint-venture could be qualified as a foreign direct investment. Many times, this mechanism represents the only way to be present on a certain market. Licensing in international markets: License is the purchase or sale by contract of product pr process technology, design and marketing expertise (Bradley, 2002). It involves the market contracting of knowledge and know-how. International licensing takes place when a company provides, for a certain fee-royalty, a technology needed by another company in order to operate a business in a foreign market. Licensing of this firm involves one or more of these elements: †¢ a brand name †¢ operations expertise †¢ manufacturing process technology †¢ access to patents †¢ trade secrets. Licensing may be attractive when host countries restrict imports or foreign direct investment, or when the market is small and when the prospects of technology feedback are high. Franchising to enter international markets: Franchising is a derivative of licensing. In franchising a business format is licensed, not a product or a technology. Trademarks, trade names, copyright, designs, patents, trade secrets and know-how may all be involved in different mixtures in the „package† to be licensed. Franchising is a form of marketing and distribution in which the franchisor grants an individual or company, the franchisee, the right to do business in a prescribed manner over a certain period of time, in a specified place (Ayling, 1986). A franchise is, according to International Franchise Association (IFA), the agreement or license between two legally independent parties which gives: †¢ a person or group of people (franchisee) the right to market a product or service using the trademark or trade name of another business (franchisor) †¢ the franchisee the right to market a product or service using the operating methods of the franchisor †¢ t he franchisee the obligation to pay the franchisor fees for These rights †¢ the franchisor has the obligation to provide rights and support to franchisees. Types of Franchises There are two main types of franchises: product distribution and business format. Product distribution franchises simply sell the franchisor’s products and are supplier-dealer relationships. In product distribution franchising, the franchisor licenses its trademark and logo to the franchisees but typically does not provide them with an entire system for running their business. The industries where you most often find this type of franchising are soft drink distributors, automobile dealers and gas stations. Some familiar product distribution franchises include: Pepsi, Exxon, Ford Motor Company. Although product distribution franchising represents the largest percentage of total retail sales, most franchises available today are business format opportunities. Business format franchises, on the other hand, not only use a franchisor’s product, service and trademark, but also the complete method to conduct the business itself, such as the marketing plan and operations manuals. Business format franchises are the most common type of franchise. The United States, today reported that the 10 most popular franchising opportunities are in these industries: fast food, retail, service, automotive, restaurants, maintenance, building and construction, retail—food, business services, lodging. The many advantages and disadvantages of owning a franchise should be carefully evaluated before deciding to purchase one. Throughout all these different foreign market entry strategies, by understanding every characteristic detailed we can conclude that partnership can be at the core of international marketing decisions and enable possibilities of internationalisation. Partnerships can be structured in various ways depending on their purpose. Wholly foreign-owned enterprises, non-equity/contractual/co-operative strategic alliances, equity strategic alliances/joint ventures, and franchises, are basic types of formal partnerships. There are numerous other types of informal partnerships including; joint marketing & promotion, joint selling or distribution, technology licensing, R & D contracts, design collaboration, production agreements, and other synergies. Consequently, the ideal partner in a business partnership is one that has resources, skills and assets and values which complement the company. The partnership has to work financially and contractually, but it is also essential that a partner’s areas of strength and weakness are known and that an assessment is made of what actions would be needed to achieve an appropriate level of operational fit between the cultures of the two organisations. To meet the market needs effectively and in a sustained way, the business partnership must be based on a systematic and transparent agreement between the client and the partners (common values). That agreement provides the basis for a partnership deal and has to be sufficiently strong to engage the sustained commitment of both parties but also sufficiently flexible to enable the partnership to be responsive to changes in market needs and conditions. Being at the forefront partners are an extension of the company capability, image and valu es perceived by the consumer, therefore, complement the company by increasing the value to customers. For instance, Sony is an international and reputed company for its high standards range of TVs. Today, within the UK market, Sony position itself as a seller of durable and high end products by practicing a selective distribution. Their products are mostly found at Sony Centres (Sony own shop) or PC Currys World, exclusive partner (distributor) chosen by Sony well known in the market and sharing similar values such as expertise in the audiovisual area or guarantee of quality products and services. It reflects well a relevant and consistent image of the values conveyed by both organisations to the customers.

Timber 2013 Major Folio

Timber 2012/2013 Hsc major project folio Research Ergonomics How efficient will it be in a working environment? I have taken into consideration that I am a bit taller than other people, and after measuring all cabinets in my house they ranged from 900 mm to 950 mm and for me personally I considered them to be to small. Which is the reason I have chosen to make it to 1000mm. Design How did I come up with the design and why? Originally I started looking on the Internet and browsing through images but there were just so many options and I would not have known how to begin making them.During our theory lesson at school the teacher brought some magazines into the classroom, after reading through and getting some ideas I finally found a cabinet that captured my attention both because of the amazing look and the complexity of it, my design I very similar to the one that was in the magazine. I chose to make a cabinet as I noticed that one particular cabinet at my house is very bland and is s tarting to deteriorate due to its old age. Timber Selection What timber did I use and why?For the legs of my major project I have used Sydney Blue Gum as it is a hardwood timber that is more than capable of holding my job upright and also as I have used it before and have seen how it finishes. Glues What Glue/s have I used and why? Poly Vinyl Acetate (PVA) is the most common glue that I will be using as it is fast drying, dries clear, creates a strong bond between both timber surfaces and is easy to work with. Hardware What hardware has been used and why? Joints What joints have I used and why? Time Management PlanWeek| Monday| Tuesday| Wednesday| Friday| 1| Designing Project – SketchingTheory| Designing Project – Sketching Theory| Designing Project – Adding DimensionsTheory| Selecting Timbers – Bought Blue Gum timber for LegsTheory | 2| Cut out legs 45mm X 45mmEach 1000mm long| | Marked and cut first curve on front legs| Roughly sanded curves with drum s ander| 3| Marked and cut out second curve on front legs| Roughly sanded curves with drum sander| Problem – One of the curves was out significantly, new leg had to be made. Cut out new leg and cut curve on one side| 4| Cut second curve on leg and sanded on drum sander| | Major Project Portfolio explained and examples shownTheory| Cut all legs to precisely 1000mm| 5| Began sanding legs with 80 grit sandpaper| Sanding legs with 80 grit sandpaper| Sanding legs with 80 grit sandpaper| Sanding legs with 80 grit sandpaper| 6| Sanding legs with 80 grit sandpaper| | | | 7| | | | | 8| | | | | 9| | | | | 10| | | | | Materials ListMaterial| Length (mm)| Width (mm)| Thickness (mm)| Estimated Cost| Cost| Sydney Blue Gum (Legs & Top)| 1200| 300| 45| $90| $137| Jarrah (Door Frames)| | | 15| $45| | Maple (Draw Fronts)| 800| 140| 20| $20| | MDF (Back)| 900| 480| 3| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Statement of intent Throughout this year and next I intend on designing and constructing a modern wood en cupboard. It will consist of two drawers up the top of the job and two doors with glass panels in them below. My goal is to make it perfectly with minimal complications or problems.I plan to achieve this by following my original designs and if need be small alterations might be made to ensure the job is up to a suitable standard. For the legs and the top of my job I plan on using Sydney blue gum as in previous years I have used it and personally I think it has a nice colour and finishes well. For the framing of the doors I plan on using some Jarrah as I think it will mix well with the Sydney blue gum and provide an amazing contrast of colors. For the draw fronts I plan on using a lighter material such as maple because it adds another colour that I think will look good.I also plan on putting frosted glass panels to add some extra complexity to it. I decided to make this particular design, as I think it is a practical piece of work that if made properly would serve me well througho ut its life. Its main use will be for storing objects in the draws and bottles in the bottom compartment where the doors are. Throughout the process of making my project, I will be using various types of timber and tools to make up most of my job. I will also be using glue, nails and various joints to join all aspects of my job together.Classification of Timbers Sydney Blue Gum Hardwood or softwood – Sydney blue gum is a hard wood Botanical Name – Eucalyptus Saligna Origin – Blue Gum is found along the NSW coastline from Batemans Bay to Southern Queensland Appearance – The colour varies from soft pinks to dark pinks and dark reds Texture – The texture of this timber is moderately coarse and even Grain – The grain is straight or slightly interlocked in some cases Common uses – Joinery, Furniture, Domestic, Floor Boards, and Commercial ConstructionJarrah Hardwood or Softwood – Jarrah is a Hardwood Botanical Name – Eucalypt us Marginata Origin – Jarrah grows in the Southwest corner of Western Australia Appearance – Heartwood varies from rich reds to deep browns; the Sapwood is a pale yellow colour Texture – The texture is relatively even but coarse Grain – The grain is generally straight but sometimes slightly interlocked producing a fiddle back figure Common Uses – Wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, framing, flooring, and joinery

3 CHoices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

3 CHoices - Essay Example Sound effects are a deciding factor in determining the audience response and viewership especially when it comes to horror, action and futuristic movies. Sound effects can be further categorised as: dubbing, special effects, background scores, playback, music track etc. Each category is applied in present day films and consequentially sound effect has tremendous significance in the success of a movie. The absence of sound in the 1927 film The General, a classic of the silent era, makes much room for convincing acting and gesticulation to make situations, conversations and the overall plot clear. Screenplay gets more space and opportunity to experiment and compensate for the lack of a sound track. The presence of a slow and detailed video shoot frame-by-frame can be seen in the film ‘The General’, deliberately reeled in a slow pace for the audience to understand the incidents in the movie and follow the overall plot. Closer shots are taken in order to lip read the dialogue. After watching silent movies and especially the movie that we’ve chosen to analyse and discuss: ‘The General’ we can say that a lot is left to the audience’s anticipation. The reactions of various characters in the movie can have multiple verbal interpretations or dialogue association where the visuals of lip movement or even the gesticulation is obscure. It is similar to reading a book where greater attention is required due to the complete absence of one sensation: that of sound. A movie is all about entertainment. If we consider the silent era series: Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy we can easily connect to the obvious fact that silent movies necessitate heightened visual drama, distinct actions and riveting visual effects to keep the audience invested in watching the movie till the end. All these movies and TV series have one thing in common: a convincing visual appeal. In the movie, ‘The General’, Buster Keaton performed several daring stunts

Reason for decline of trust empathy and civic engagement to us Essay

Reason for decline of trust empathy and civic engagement to us government, influence to democracy and solution - Essay Example In other words, trust and understanding between the government and its people are essential for a country’s government to work well. Moreover, civic engagement is also an essential condition for a country’s healthy political environment. The term civic engagement refers to community’s joining together to be a collective source of change, and which can be political and non-political in their nature and objective (Wikipedia). The positivity of attending community activities can be a way of viewing citizens’ positivity of caring about their country’s politics. However, in recent years, trust, empathy as well as civic engagement have gradually declined between the federal government and US citizens. There are growing negative reasons for the declining for today’s America, and the major reasons can be attributed to citizens’ lack of political knowledge and enthusiasm. When politicians lack efficiency and do not keep good communication with their people, they tend to lose public trust and empathy; and this will affect both the country and the government in the long run. Moreover, media plays a major role in revealing the ugly facet of politics, which makes Americans skeptical about their government. Evidently, both US citizens and the US government officials should be responsible for the declining of trust, empathy and civic engagement prevailing in the country. As for the citizens, Volgy claims that US citizens neither have political knowledge nor they try to understand it. Also, they may not even know about the personal lives of their own political representatives. As Volgy writes,â€Å"Yet few if any citizens have much inkling about the daily lives of those who represent us in the government† (37). Politics is often made much more complex with what we read and watch over media. However, most people have no patience at all to comprehend the situations and support the government in crucial times. People may have many

The difference between Strategy and Management Research Paper

The difference between Strategy and Management - Research Paper Example The paper tells that there are some core functions of management, which are planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. These functions completely explain the concept of management. Management starts from planning. Plan is made according to the goals. Plan provides manager with a way to achieve the goal within the required time and resources. The time and cost schedules are prepared in accordance with the plan prepared. After the plan is made, the manager accumulates the resources required to accomplish the goal. This occurs in the stage of organizing. Either in-house resources are utilized or the resources are outsourced depending upon which of the two proves more convenient in terms of cost and accessibility. Staffing is basically linked to the stage of organizing. The difference between the two stages is that in organizing, non-human resources are accumulated whereas in staffing, human resources are accumulated. This is the stage in which the manager advertises the jo bs and recruits. The manager chooses the process of recruitment from among a myriad of options that include but are not limited to face-to-face interviewing, telephone interviewing and tests. Once the employees have been recruited, the manager needs to lead them. Leadership and management are to much an extent, the same concepts. Every leader is a manager but every manager may not necessarily be the leader. A leader is somebody who makes independent decisions and makes sure that the needs of followers are met which is basically management. Even the lowest employee in the organization structure is a manager as he/she is supposed to manage his/her work, but he/she might not have anybody under him to lead. However, managers usually are leaders as well. In the stage of leading, the manager makes decisions and provides the followers with the necessary resources to make it practicable for them to follow his/her decision. The manager also develops a hierarchical system wherein every employ ee is assigned a specific level. The last stage of management is of controlling. Controlling is a process of evaluation of the existing systems with an intention to identify the loopholes so that they can be eradicated and the efficiency of system can be improved as a whole. New plans are made and implemented for continual improvement of the system. Strategy is basically the efficiency of a manager and his/her capability to display optimal performance in each of the aforementioned functions of management. Strategic thinking can be defined as â€Å". . . using analogies and qualitative similarities to develop creative new ideas . . . (and) designing actions on the basis of new learning† (Stacey, 1992). Mintzberg (1994) defines strategic thinking as a specific way of thinking that has well defined and clear characteristics. The strategy aligns a manager’s efforts with the goals and enables him/her to work in such a way that maximizes the chances of success and minimizes the threats. If properly developed and employed, the strategy enables a manager to not only minimize the risks, but also convert those left into opportunities. While management has always been there, strategy has gained more emphasis in successful management in the contemporary age as the competition in market has increased and newer and innovative ways of business are surfacing. Over the decades, people have become more conscious about the health and safety of all living beings and the protection of the environment. Media has played a very important role in raising such concerns and creating such awareness. This has led managers to be more cautious in the selection of their plans to achieve their goals. Critics evaluate the actions of managers according to their negative

Forensic Science 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forensic Science 2 - Essay Example Due to his contribution in forensic science, sometimes he is referred to as the â€Å"Father of Forensic Toxicology† The police and other law enforcing agencies benefit most in forensic science as they use it as a tool for investigation and gathering the necessary evidence to close a given criminal case. As such, forensic science enables these investigating officers to analyze scientifically every piece of evidence that they come across at a crime scene and piece them together to come up with a conclusive motive, purpose, as well as evidence for the crime. For instance, they use forensic science to check on the fingerprints that they collect at a crime scene, and then use this evidence to point to possible suspects of a crime. Forensic science refers to the laboratory examination of evidence, using scientific procedures such as prototyping and anatomy. This matching of evidence from a crime scene enables the investigating officers to find important leads to the crime or case under investigating. For instance, the police can find a dead mutilated body at the crime scene and do not know whom it belongs to, and what happened in the moments leading to the person’s death. The police then apply forensic science to identify the body of the deceased, such as using fingerprints and running the results through a police database to find a matching record of the person. The scientific method shapes the prescription of forensic science because they all apply solely for the resolution of a crime or to find evidence related to a given crime. The application of science in law provides unrepuatble evidence in court for a crime because science does not lie. This helps in the fast resolution of legal hurdles and cases. For instance, a difficult case of conflicting paternity can be solved easily through application of forensic science under the examination of DNA composition of the child in question and

Central Asian Politics - The US and the EU in Central Asia Essay

Central Asian Politics - The US and the EU in Central Asia - Essay Example The most fundamental of these concern the issues of security, geopolitics and the energy potential of the region. Security In the area of security, Central Asia was catapulted to international prominence after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in America. The incident has underscored how political and economic difficulties of distant states could have repercussions in the very U.S. soil. The conflict and the authoritarian regimes the dominate Central Asia is also becoming an increasing concern for the European Union. In a white paper, for instance, it has been expressly stated that the conflicts and despotic regimes in the region could harm European interests, first in terms of security (as with the case of the US) and, secondly, in its interest in Central Asian energy resources. (Melvin 2007, p2) Failed states like Afghanistan became breeding ground of terrorists that could attack America and Europe and their interests all over the world. Central Asia is significant in this r egard. First, it is predominantly Muslim and many policymakers fear that states undergoing political and economic underdevelopment could be a fertile area for religious extremism. John Negroponte, the former director of National Intelligence, underscored this when he testified before the US Congress that, â€Å"Central Asia remains plagued by political stagnation and repression, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and widening socio-economic inequalities, and other problems that nurture radical sentiment and terrorism.† (Blank 2007) The case of uprising in the Uzbek city of Andijon demonstrated the actual expression of the grim projections by analysts. The crisis began when a band of armed men stormed a jail and freed several prisoners. Soon, however, people started to join the fray, apparently seizing the opportunity to air grievances against the government. Wary of a full-scale uprising, the government ordered its soldiers to shoot the protesters. Hill and Jones stresse d that â€Å"there is legitimate disagreement over the number of citizens that were in the square and even the number injured and killed, but it is clear†¦ that government forces fired indiscriminately.† (p112) Fearing international reprisal, Uzbekistan closed itself up by rounding up and jailing oppositionists, expelling international media and human rights watchdog from the country and closing a U.S. military base. This experience could prove to be a dangerous precedent for the other Central Asian states, which are also facing similar socio-political difficulties. There is also the perennial challenge of the tribal/clan conflict in Central Asia. Ethnic differences and fragmented nationalist aspirations have consistently destabilized the country since their independence. The proximity of Central Asia to Afghanistan aggravates the situation further in the American perspective. What this means is that the region is highly at risk of being influenced, infiltrated or co-opt ed by the Taliban. This is in addition to the fact that foreign policy orientation could shift towards China and Russia, as in the case of Uzbekistan. Geopolitics Another important aspect in the Central Asian importance to America and Europe is its strategic location. It is bounded from all sides by global players that are significant in the respective foreign policy orientations of both. For instance, there is Russia to the north, China to the east,

The Devils Bermuda Triangle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Devils Bermuda Triangle - Essay Example The Bermuda Triangle is one of these locations of the world that has been a source of curiosity and attraction for thousands because of a course of inconceivable events linked to it. Bermuda’s Triangle also known as the Devil’s Triangle is located in the North Atlantic Ocean and Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico form the boundaries of this imaginary area of the triangle in the ocean. This particular area of the ocean gained the world’s attention when five Navy planes known as Flight 19 disappeared fifty-eight years ago into the ocean mysteriously. Neither the crew members nor the remains of the planes were found in the ocean which has not been explained logically up till now. The disappearance of the crew members and the aircraft leftovers in 1945 was the event that made this area highly controversial and many theories and explanations have been put forward to this day. Apart from Flight 19, which was the most conspicuous event, many other ships, aircraft and yachts have mysteriously vanished along with the onboard travelers which add up to the puzzling nature of this place. Many explanations have been put forward to explain the rationale behind this inconceivable string of incidents occurring in the Bermuda Triangle. Some label these incidents to be caused by the supernatural forces or extraterrestrial forces which lead to the disappearance of anything that enters into the boundaries of the Devil’s Triangle. On the other hand, others explain these occurrences in the light of scientific knowledge by blaming the ocean weather, violent waves or human errors.

Contemporary leadership issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary leadership issues - Research Paper Example Effective leaders are able to influence employees, organizational departments and teams to work towards an organizational goal of outperforming their competitors. Multinational companies operate under different external environmental factors and employ people from different regions across the globe. The leadership must therefore motivate and influence the diverse employees towards a collective organizational goal in different regions (Tayeb 14). Nestle company is among the most successful companies that has been able to influence its employees to forego their cultural diversity and goals to adopt the company’s cultural practices in a vibrant business environment across the globe. This paper will critically evaluate nestle company in regards to its products, operations, culture and leadership. Company Analysis Nestle is a leading international company dealing with dietary, health and well-being foods and beverages. It’s headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland and runs over 4 60 production plants in 83 nations across the globe and employs over 330,000 staff from all nationalities. The company’s history dates back to 1866 when Henri Nestle launched the first products to save a neighbor kid. Growth of the company is based on nutrition, corporate culture, flexibility and international diversity. In 1905 the company merged with Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company to form Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Milk Company (Zehnder). Over the years the company has launched different nutritional products. The company’s brand mainly consists of food and beverages for all individuals including those with specific health requirements and includes baby foods, nutritional cereals, water, chocolates, coffee, confectionary, dairy products, cold and hot drink products, ice-cream, foods, frozen foods, healthcare nutrition, and pet care among others (Nestle. com). The main objective of the company is to improve the quality of life of its customers by offering quality and n utritious food products as well as the lives of its employees and other stakeholders by adjusting to the dynamic environment whereas its basic values of integrity, fairness and appreciation of people’s health remains the same. The company has a management strategy that ensures diversity, accountability and professionalism across all levels of management. This is portrayed in their executive board of directors that consist of 13 members from nine different nationalities while its headquarters employs people from almost a hundred countries (Zehnder). CEO Bio Paul Bulcke is the current chief executive officer of Nestle Company (Annual Report 2012 6). He was choosing to this position in April 2008 after working in the company for thirty years. Paul Bulcke was born in the year 1954 and joined Nestle when he was 25 years after working for another company in the position of financial analyst (Zehnder). He served in various management in operations, marketing and management positions before being appointed to lead nationwide operations in Portugal in the year 1996, in the year 1998 he was the leader in Czech and Slovak regions and in the year 2000 he was moved to German. During his tenure in these regions the

Investment Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investment - Research Paper Example I am not a risk adverse person which implies I am willing to assume risk. The stock that I selected to purchased stocks was Advanced Cannabis Solutions (CANN). On February 4, 2015 I purchased $100,0000 on CANN stocks. Advanced Cannabis Solutions is a company dedicated to the rental of commercial space and equipment to companies dedicated to the regulated marijuana industry. The corporate headquarters of the firm are located in Denver, Colorado. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the firm is Robert Frichtel. The companys executives are reasonably paid in this early stage of development of the company. The salary of the CEO is $125,000 a year which is relatively low considering that most CEO of public companies in the United States make millions of dollars per year of compensation. The firm targeted service is to provide leasing space for players in the cannabis industry, but the firm also offers consulting services for its clients including agricultural expertise, logistics, and distribution. The firm is currently targeting its home state of Colorado. In 2014 marijuana sales were expected to reach $540 million. The national legal marijuana market is currently worth between $2-3 billion, but by t he year 2018 this market is expected to grow to $6 billion. The legal cannabis market is an emerging market that has the potential to grow exponentially as more states begin the legalization process of marijuana. Currently three states, Washington State, Colorado, and Alaska have legalized marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. In these three states the consumption of recreational marijuana is going increase drastically as the drug continues to gain social acceptance. On February 23, 2015 Alaska became the third state to legalize marijuana consumption (Abcnews). Currently the legal marijuana market has only penetrated 6% of the U.S. States. Further penetration is expected and eventually once the Federal government approves weed then

Genres Of Literature Essay Example for Free

Genres Of Literature Essay Genres of literature are important to learn about. The two main categories separating the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction. There are several genres of literature that fall under the nonfiction category. Nonfiction sits in direct opposition to fiction. Examples from both the fiction and nonfiction genres of literature are explained in detail below. This detailed genres of literature list is a great resource to share with any scholars. Types of Nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is presented in a format which tells a story. Essays are a short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point. A short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative. A Biography is a written account of another person’s life. An Autobiography gives the history of a person’s life, written or told by that person. Often written in Narrative form of their person’s life. Speech is the faculty or power of speaking; oral communication; ability to express one’s thoughts and emotions by speech, sounds, and gesture. Read more:  How to write a reflection essay. Generally delivered in the form of an address or discourse. Finally there is the general genre of Nonfiction. This is Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject. This genre of literature offers opinions or conjectures on facts and reality. This includes biographies, history, essays, speech, and narrative nonfiction. Nonfiction opposes fiction and is distinguished from those fiction genres of literature like poetry and drama which is the next section we will discuss. Genres of Fiction: Drama is the genre of literature that’s subject for compositions is dramatic art in the way it is represented. This genre is stories composed in verse or prose, usually for theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue and action. Poetry is verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that evokes an emotional response from the reader. The art of poetry is rhythmical in composition, written or spoken. This genre of literature is for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality. Humor is the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical. Fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement which meant to entertain. This genre of literature can actually be seen and contained within all genres. A Fable is a story about supernatural or extraordinary people Usually in the form of narration that demonstrates a useful truth. In Fables, animals often speak as humans that are legendary and supernatural tales. Fairy Tales or wonder tales are a kind of folktale or fable. Sometimes the stories are about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children. Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential science, either actual or  imagined. Science fiction is one of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on other planets. Short Story is fiction of such briefness that is not able to support any subplots. Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is true to real life. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a person of â€Å"folk† that was handed down by word of mouth. Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held, but false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs. Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting. Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by literature that is frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting. Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader. A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible with an here of nonchalance. Legend is a story that sometimes of a national or folk hero. Legend is based on fact but also includes imaginative material. Mystery is a genre of fiction that deals with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets. Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown. Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative. This is often based in part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods. A body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person. Fiction in Verse is full-length novels with plot, subplots, themes, with major and minor characters. Fiction of verse is one of the genres of literature in which the narrative is usually presented in blank verse form. The genre of Fiction can be defined as narrative literary works whose content is  produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. In fiction something is feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story. Basic Parts of Essay Introductory Paragraph The introductory paragraph accomplishes three purposes: it captures the reader’s interest, it suggests the importance of the essay’s topic, and it ends with a thesis sentence. Often, the thesis sentence states a claim that consists of two or more related points. For example, a thesis might read: A college essay has an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding  paragraph. You are telling the reader what you think are the most important points which need to be addressed in your essay. For this reason, you need to relate the introduction directly to the question or topic. A strong thesis is essential to a good essay, as each paragraph of your essay should be related back to your thesis or else deleted. Thus, the thesis establishes the key foundation for your essay. A strong thesis not only states an idea, but also uses solid examples to back it up. A weak thesis might be: Wikipedia is a powerful resource in many ways. As an alternative, a strong thesis for the same topic would be: Wikipedia is a powerful resource because it allows users with knowledge in a specific area toshare their knowledge, because it allows users to quickly find information about a vast array of topics, and because studies have confirmed that it is as accurate as any other encyclopedia. Then, you could separate your body paragraphs into three sections: one explaining the open-source nature of the project, one explaining the variety and depth of information, and a final one using studies to confirm that Wikipedia is indeed as accurate as other encyclopedias. Tips  Often, writing an introductory paragraph is the most difficult part of writing an essay. Facing a blank page can be daunting. Here are some suggestions for getting started. First, determine the context in which you want to place your topic. In other words, identify an overarching category in which you would place your topic, and then introduce your topic as a case-in-point. For example, if you are writing about dogs, you may begin by speaking about friends, dogs being an example of a very good friend. Alternatively, you can begin with a sentence on selective breeding, dogs being an example of extensive selective breeding. You can also begin with a sentence on means of protection, dogs being an example of a good way to stay safe. The context is the starting point for your introductory paragraph. The topic or thesis sentence is the ending point. Once the starting point and ending point are determined, it will be much easier to connect these points with the narrative of the opening paragraph. A good thesis statement, for example, if you are writing about dogs being very good friends, you could put: A dog is an example of a very good friend because X, Y, and Z. Here, X, Y, and Z would be the topics explained in your body paragraphs. In the format of one such instance, X would be the topic of the second paragraph, Y would be the topic of the third paragraph, and Z would be the topic of the fourth paragraph, followed by a conclusion, in which you would summarize the thesis statement. Example As we travel through our lives, we will identify many people as friends. In truth, most of these individuals are simply acquaintances. They will enter and depart from our existences as matters of mutual convenience. True friends will be there for you always. There is no friend truer than a dog. Identifying a context can help shape the topic or thesis. Here, the writer decided to write about dogs. Then, the writer selected friends as the context, dogs being good examples of friends. This shaped the topic and narrowed the focus to dogs as friends. This would make writing the remainder of the essay much easier because it allows the writer to focus on aspects of dogs that make them good friends. Body Paragraphs Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence. If the thesis contains multiple points or assertions, each body paragraph should support or justify them, preferably in the order the assertions originally stated in the thesis. Thus, the topic sentence for the first body paragraph will refer to the first point in the thesis sentence and the topic sentence for the second body paragraph will refer to the second point in the thesis sentence. Generally, if the thesis sentence contains three related points, there should be three body paragraphs, though you should base the number of paragraphs on the number of supporting points needed. If the core topic of the essay is the format of college essays, the thesis sentence might read: A college essay has an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The topic sentence for the first body paragraph might read: The first paragraph of an essay is the introductory paragraph. Sequentially, the topic sentence for the second body paragraph might read: The introductory paragraph is followed by several body paragraphs. And the topic sentence for the third body paragraph might read: The college essay’s final paragraph is its concluding paragraph. Everybody paragraphs uses specific details, such as anecdotes, comparisons and contrasts, definitions, examples, expert opinions, explanations, facts, and statistics to support and develop the claim that its topic sentence makes. Tips When writing an essay for a class assignment, make sure to follow your teacher or professor’s suggestions. Most teachers will reward creativity and thoughtful organization over dogmatic adherence to a prescribed structure. Many will not. If you are not sure how your teacher will respond to a specific structure, ask. Organizing your essay around the thesis sentence should begin with arranging the supporting elements to justify the assertion put forth in the thesis sentence. Not all thesis sentences will, or should, lay out each of the points you will cover in your essay. In the example introductory paragraph on dogs, the thesis sentence reads, â€Å"There is no friend truer than a dog. † Here, it is the task of the body paragraphs to justify or prove the truth of this assertion, as the writer did not specify what points they would cover. The writer may next ask what characteristics dogs have that make them true friends. Each characteristic may be the topic of a body paragraph. Loyalty, companionship, protection, and assistance are all terms that the writer could apply to dogs as friends. Note that if the writer puts dogs in a different context, for example, working dogs, the thesis might be different, and they would be focusing on other aspects of dogs. It is often effective to end a body paragraph with a sentence that rationalizes its presence in the essay. Ending a body paragraph without some sense of closure may cause the thought to sound incomplete. Each body paragraph is something like a miniature essay in that they each need an introductory sentence that sounds important and interesting, and that they each need a good closing sentence in order to produce a smooth transition between one point and the next. Body paragraphs can be long or short. It depends on the idea you want to develop in your paragraph. Depending on the specific  style of the essay, you may be able use very short paragraphs to signal a change of subject or to explain how the rest of the essay is organized. Do not spend too long on any one point. Providing extensive background may interest some readers, but others would find it tiresome. Keep in mind that the main importance of an essay is to provide basic background on a subject and, hopefully, to spark enough interest to induce further reading. Example A true friend will be there for you whenever you need them. Any dog owner will say that there is nobody that will stick with you through thick and thin as much as a dog. My own dog can barely contain her joy when I come home from a hard day. Regardless of my mood, and my attitude towards her, she is always happy when I am home, and that is usually enough to make me feel better about everything. True friends will help you when you are in need. Whether it is to protect their owner against some sort of threat or to help a blind person walk across the street, dogs are the most reliable companion a person could have. Few villains would attack a person walking a dog at night, and statistics show that homes with dogs are among the least likely to be broken into. The above example is a bit free-flowing and the writer intended it to be persuasive. The second paragraph combines various attributes of dogs including protection and companionship. Here is when doing a little research can also help. Imagine how much more effective the last statement would be if the writer cited some specific statistics and backed them up with a reliable reference. Concluding Paragraph The concluding paragraph usually restates the thesis and leaves the reader something about the topic to think about. If appropriate, it may also issue a call to act, inviting the reader to take a specific  course of action with regard to the points that the essay presented. Aristotle suggested that speakers and, by extension, writers should tell their audience what they are going to say, say it, and then tell them what they have said. The three-part essay model, consisting of an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph, follows this strategy. Tips As with all writing, it is important to know your audience. All writing is persuasive, and if you write with your audience in mind, it will make your argument much more persuasive to that particular audience. When writing for a class assignment, the audience is your teacher. Depending on the assignment, the point of the essay may have nothing to do with the assigned topic. In most class assignments, the purpose is to persuade your teacher that you have a good grasp of grammar and spelling, that you can organize your thoughts in a comprehensive manner, and, perhaps, that you are capable of following instructions and adhering to some dogmatic formula the teacher regards as an essay. It is much easier to persuade your teacher that you have these capabilities if you can make your essay interesting to read at the same time. Place yourself in your teacher’s position and try to imagine reading one formulaic essay after another. If you want yours to stand out, capture your teacher’s attention and make your essay interesting, funny, or compelling. Example It is no accident that many people consider their dogs as part of their family. Just like every other member, dogs contribute to the happiness and well-being of the home, making the burdens of caring for them well worth the effort. Dogs deserve love and respect every bit as much as they love and respect us. After all, what more can a friend be? In the above example, focus shifted slightly and talked about dogs as members of the family. Many would suggest it departs from the logical organization of the rest of the essay, and some teachers may consider it unrelated and take points away. However, contrary to the common wisdom of â€Å"tell them what you are going to say, say it, and then tell them what you have said,† you may find it more interesting and persuasive to shift away from it as the writer did here, and then in the end, return to the core point of the essay. This gives additional effect to what an audience would otherwise  consider a very boring conclusion.

Events Planning and Management Essay Example for Free

Events Planning and Management Essay What is an EventSpecial or spectacular occasions where people gather together for a purpose whether they be to celebrate, educate, promote or commemorate. They are not the usual and ordinary activities that one engages in as part of his daily life Who is an Event PlannerAn event planner is, quite simply someone who organizes events. He is the person behind the scenes who gets the job done and make sure everything is done and done flawlessly to ensure successful staging of the event. He must be well versed and trained on the communication and organization aspects and requirements of the job. Event planners usually get their start doing, supplying or providing services in one or two particular aspect of an special events such as catering, floral arranging, entertaining and talent agents eg before they decide to plan entire events. Or they may also have started planning and coordinating events for companies they were employed with before deciding to go into the business for themselves Since events may vary in size, scope and complexity, it may require an event planner to do any number of different task but all with the end result of achieving a successful event Categories of EventsSocial Events- more on a local level, attendees are usually related and/or know each other on a more personal level. Care and caution must be taken as the event planner may find himself in the storm of a family event , as emotions often run high on these special occasions. Make sure everyone knows their role and exactly what’s expected of them. List of common social events: weddings, reunions, housewarming/blessings/holiday parties and dinners/birthday parties/bar or bat mitzvahs/baby showers/anniversary parties/bridal showers/stag parties, et al. Corporate Events- the term â€Å"corporate† includes not only companies but also charities and nonprofit organizations. Charities and nonprofit organizations host gala fundraisers, receptions and athletic competitions, among other events, to expand their public support base and raise funds. Companies host trade shows, conventions, company outings, holiday parties and meetings for their employees, staff, board members and stock holders. Some types of corporate events: Annual shareholder meetings, board meetings, client appreciation events, company socials (such as holiday parties, intramurals and sports events, company outings), groundbreaking ceremonies, incentive travel, open houses, new product launch, press briefings, staff training, union events/meetings et al Industry Events Industry events today are sophisticated affairs designed to inform, influence and form consensus on a specific issue or common topic. Industry specific events include: Conventions, association meetings, conferences, industry tradeshows, public exhibitions(bridal fairs, auto shows, home shows), symposiums et al Special Events – The term â€Å"special events† can describe a broad range of affairs which are big, national or local in scope such as major sporting events (palarong pambansa), major public events (EDSA Day celebration), major cultural and religious affairs ( Baguio mayflower festival, dinagyang, ati-atihan, sinulog festival), However special events may also be much smaller, specific and more private in scope. List of special events include the following: Award events, book launching, signing/author reading, CD release parties, charity fund raisers, children’s festival, ethnic celebrations, fashion shows, holiday special events, inauguration ball, music festival, parades, political forums or debates, restaurant openings, sporting event-car races, store grand openings STEPS IN EVENTS PLANNING 1. Client Consultation Whether you have your own event planning business or work full time planning events for one company you will work with clients. As a corporate events planner your internal clients will be other departments (HRD, Marketing, Operations etc). on the other hand if you are doing events planning independently you will be dealing with company representatives or in some cases the company officials themselves. In each case consultation will be of primary importance as these will determine the direction, objective and purpose and vision of the event. At the initial meeting do more listening than talking, pay careful attention to everything the client says, make notes or record the meeting(with clients permission), bring an assistant to make notes for you. When its your turn, ask the client to describe their vision for the event. Then from broad ideas, you will refine the vision as you move through the planning process. Questions such as those below will help the events planner to begin to visualize the event and serve as the foundation for all the work to come. Things to discus with the client: What kind of event do you want What do you hope to accomplish When is the event to be held Who are expected to attend What is the budget At the end of the consultation you should have a clear picture of what your client envisions for their event and be able to form a clear, concise â€Å"mission statement† or objective. Other things to discus: who will be involved in the planning process, who will be the key decision makers, and how information should flow during the planning stage. This is precisely to anticipate and eliminate possible roadblocks as you can before you reach them since as the events planner it is your responsibility to take charge of planning. After the initial meeting and while it is still fresh on the mind of both parties (planner and client) summarize the discussion in writing and send a copy to the client if possible on the same day or soon after. 2. Set Objectives The best and most successful events have a clear purpose or objective. Event planners can avail of the SMART method for setting strategic objectives: Specific- What is the specific result of you event Measurable- Outcome should be measurable accurately Attainable- Given the existing budget and resources and constraint, is the objective attainable Relevant- Do the people involved have the authority, the skill and the resources needed to meet the objective? Is the objective important to the organization or individual? Time- Based- Is there a start and end point to the objective? Setting smart objectives will not only make the planning easier but will help measure the success of the event and create a positive experience for all involved. 3. Choose a Date and a Location At this planning stage, preferred date should be decided upon. Client will often but not always come with a date in mind for the event. If they don’t, it will be your job to help pick a suitable date. But whether you do the setting of the date or not you need to consider the following before choosing the date or accepting the client. Things to consider when choosing a date: Consider your availability Consider other events in the area Consider the season and usual weather in the chosen location Consider your suppliers Consider other related events Consider other holidays Consider your time needs 4. Decide Who to Invite Your client needs to give you an idea of who they want to attend their event before you can begin to formulate a plan to attract the target audience or plan activities. The following data or information are required (depending on the type of event) How many people are to be invited Will spouses or children also attend Demographics of the target audience (eg. Gender, median age, ethnic background, income bracket) Common or shared interest What payback does the client expect Where are the attendees coming from (travel arrangement, customs and traditions) 5. Create Your Theme The most memorable events have a cohesive theme that runs through-out, from initial publicity to printed invitations to decor and right through to the entertainment and final applause. One of the biggest advantages of a strong theme is its usefulness in helping you make decisions throughout the event process. Once a theme has been decided on, print materials such as invitations, banners, place cards, brochures, advertising and websites can be designed. Where to get ideas for a great theme Brainstorm Events Industry Current Events and Trends Adding a Musical Touch 6. Set the Event Agenda After the date, guest list, the theme and setting of the smart objectives , its time to set the agenda for the event. Whether its a simple house blessing or a three day corporate event, its important to layout the entire schedule. Include adequate time for arrival, socializing, speeches, awards/games, food, etc. â€Å"Visualize† the event and run through the entire program from start to finish. Make notes of all you might need such as materials, services, special arrangements, eg. Create a list of vendors and suppliers to contact and task to be done. GETTING ORGANIZED As an event planner, you will need a variety of organizational tools that will help you keep track of all the many details involved in organizing the event and ensuring an orderly and systematic execution of plans aimed towards making the event successful 1. Establish an Event Committee Although it is a given that you will do all the planning and planning of the event yourself, in most cases, you will work with a group of people who are expected to make the event successful Choose a select group of key people to form an Events Committee Assign specific task to each committee member Regular committee meeting Document everything 2. Create a Timeline Schedule Base your timeline on factors such as The size of the event The location The time of year The number of people involved in the planning Develop an outline of specific tasks, deadlines and responsibilities 3. Adding Detail As you start developing your checklist, add as much detail as possible for each item. For example under the â€Å"Assigned tasks for day of event† list the specific task that needs to be assigned such driving to airport pick up, supervising set up, leading briefing sessions with speakers, seating, greeting, supervising set up of luncheon, etc. Once you have develop the checklist, assign target dates to each item, It is a good idea to work backwards from your event date 4. Critical Path ( Assignment of Task) A critical path lists each of the tasks that needs to be accomplished; who is responsible for it and the deadline by which it will be done. It is used as a guide map for the event to assist when delegating responsibilities and show whether you are on track. 5. Budgets Creating a budget is an important ingredient in a successful event. Once you have created a timeline schedule and critical path, you can come up with a list of estimated expenses such as venue rental, food, transportation, accommodations, audio-visual equipment, printed materials and gifts. Get price quotations from your suppliers to find out how much a particular item costs You will also need to include your own fee and corporate clients may want to include any staff time they spend on the event as an expense. When planning a budget, include your potential revenue to offset the cost. For example, is the event a fundraiser? Is it a conference or convention that should aim to cover its own expenses? Attendance fees, sales of related materials, donations, ticket sales and sponsorships can all be good ways to raise revenues. After the event you should compare actual expenses and revenues to your budgeted amounts. This will help you determine if your objectives were met and it may assist in budgeting for future events. PREPARATION TIME FOR VARIOUS EVENTS TIMELINE SCHEDULE EVENT TYPE Recommended Preparation Time Wedding 3-6 months Parties (birthdays/anniversaries/debut) 1-3 months Seminars/Meetings 1-3 months Conference / Convention ~ Domestic ~ International 6months – 1year 1-2years Organized Tours / Field Trips 1-3 months Concerts 6months and above Festivals 6month-1year Exhibitions / Expositions ~ Domestic ~ International 6months-1year 1-2years Sales Bazaar (â€Å"tiange†, night market) 6months Competition / Contests 6months-1year Sport Festivals 6months-1year SAMPLE TIME ALLOCATION (More Than A Year Pre-planning Activity) Activity Period Announcement date location 52weeks before the event First press date 24-36weeks Publication 24th week Mailing of brochures 14-18th week Mailing of 2nd reminder 14th week Mailing of final reminder 8-12th week Mailing of final program 2-6 weeks Sample Budget Groundbreaking Ceremony Estimated Expenses Groundbreaking Site Tent 1,200. 00 Chairs600. 00 Banner600. 00 Podium Sign150. 00 Lights150. 00 Flowers600. 00 Shovels200. 00 Subtotal 3, 500. 00 Luncheon Expenses Lunch 12,000. 00 Rental of Civic Center 1,500. 00 Floral centerpieces600. 00 Gifts for dignitaries (6plaques) 2,000. 00 Gifts for guests (60 mini shovels) 1,600. 00 Information kit folders 1,500. 00 Printing of Fact Sheet 650. 00 Podium Sign 150. 00 Subtotal20, 000. 00 Other Expenses Services of Event Planner 10,000. 00 Long distance / Phone300. 00 Printing of Invitations 1,200. 00 Courier charges for invitations500. 00 Delivery of boxes to site500. 00 Photographer800. 00 Sound system 1,500. 00 Event Planner’s transportation600. 00 Rental of van/minibus 2,500. 00 News release 1,000. 00 Subtotal18,900 . 00 TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSES42, 400. 00 (taxes not included) Event Planning Budget Form EXPENSES Estimated Actual Site Venue or tent rental______________________ Tables and chairs______________________ Meals and beverages ______________________ Tableware rental______________________ Staging______________________ Audiovisual equipment______________________ Decorations______________________ Flowers______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Program Musicians______________________ Speakers______________________ Celebrities______________________ Entertainers______________________ Gifts______________________ Award______________________ Activities (e. g. golf)______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Event Planning Budget Form (continued) EXPENSES Estimated Actual Printing and Promotion Printing invitations______________________ Mailing invitations______________________ Banners and signs ______________________ Printing tickets______________________ Event programs______________________ Name tags______________________ Shipping materials to venue______________________ Advertising______________________ Distribution of news release______________________ Media kits______________________ Long distance telephone______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Personnel Event Planner______________________ Staff salaries and benefits______________________ Registration______________________ Photographer______________________ Bartenders______________________ Security staff______________________ Set-up and tear down______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Event Planning Budget Form (continued) EXPENSES Estimated Actual Travel Airline tickets______________________ Hotel rooms______________________ Ground transportation ______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Other Expenses Registration fees______________________ Ticket sales______________________ Sponsorships______________________ Advertising in event program______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ REVENUE Estimated Actual Registration fees______________________ Ticket sales______________________ Donations______________________ Sponsorships______________________ Advertising in event program ______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ COSTING OF A BIRTHDAY EVENT Profile: No. of Persons: 50 Time: 7pm-12mn (5hours) Site: Function Rooms 3 – Globe Telecom Plaza AT COST 1. Venue a. Function room rate †¦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‚¬ ¦ 2,300. 00 b. Electricity for 5hours†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 500. 00 c. Parking for ingress and egress†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100. 00 d. Move-in (refundable)†¦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‚¬ ¦. 1,500. 00 4,400. 00 2. Decor a. Balloons and Arrangement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2,500. 00 (free 50balloons/arched shape/2tower) b. Flowers and Arrangement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1,250. 00 (centerpiece for guests tables buffet table)3,750. 00 3. Invitations Giveaways a. Invitations (P25. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1,250. 00 b. Angels (70 pcs at P23. 00 each)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1,610. 00 2,860. 00 4. Tables and Chairs a. Rent for 6rounds tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 270. 00 (for 8persons at 45. 00 each table) b. Rent of chairs (5. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 250. 00 c. Rent of buffet table (100. 00 x 5)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 500. 00 d. Table Napkin (5. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 250. 00 e. Chair cover with ribbon (15. 00 x 50) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 750. 00 2,020. 00 5. Audio Equipment a. Rental†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 5,000. 00 5,000. 00 6. Food (2 appetizers/ 5 courses / 2desserts/ bottomless drinks-tea/ softdrinks) a. Cost Breakdown 250. 00 rate per person 25. 00 10% service fee 275. 00 x 50 persons†¦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‚¬ ¦ 13,750. 00 13,750. 00 TOTAL 31,780. 00 YOUR COSTS CHECKLIST TYPE OF COST Details Examples FIXED COST Projection Screens, Video projectors, slide projector/OHP, video players(back-up player), preview monitor, LCD for Power point presentation, laser pointer, lectern monitors Sound Speakers, lectern microphones, tie-microphones, CD player, talkback system, mixer cabling, adaptors, music copyright or creation fees Speaker support Design, image production, print proofs, scriptwriting, speaker training, rehearsals Staging Design lecterns, backdrop, steps, dais, furnishings, graphics, carpeting, seating area, special construction, drop banners, room decorations, floor plan, revised lay-outs. Lighting Design, equipment hire, installation, crew, freight and transportation, rigging and de-rigging costs Crew/Staff Get-in crew, on-site crew, De-rigging crew, transportation per diems (allowance for sustenance) for each member, show caller, script assistant, live video crew, lighting director, sound technician, vision technician Fees and Insurance ‘Procedure’s fee, Project fee, contingency for administration cost, equipment insurance Invitations process Cost of advertising, posters, and follow-up activity, flyers, direct mail costs Function Rooms and Contracts VARIABLE COSTS Banqueting Food and Beverages Accommodation Types of accommodations and, inclusions Travel Types of transportations and inclusions Fees Porterage fees, gratuity fees, parking fees, service charges Decors/Giveaways Flowers, candles, souvenir items Insurance Surety bonds, cash bonds, personal accident insurance, travel insurance CONTIGENCY COSTS Contingency for direct costs Contingency for currency fluctuations Peso-dollar exchange rate TYPE OF COST DESCRIPTION LIKELY PERCENTAGE F I X E D C O S T S Production, staging outside speakers Invitation process, marketing, design Venue Agency fees Signage Security, car parking set-up Cabaret, entertainment Registration costs Utilities (telephone, faxes, e-mail) We weather back-up 35% Production Costs could be as much as 25% of direct costs V A R I A B L E C O S T S Meals, breaks Beverages Accommodation Travel Delegate print Table/room gifts Porterage, car parking per person Late bar drinks Insurance, purchase tax Gratuity Fees 50% CONTINGENCY 10% to cover all contingencies for direct costs Allowance for currency movements (for abroad) 15% TOTAL BUDGET 100% 6. Crisis and Back Up Planning Disasters and crises can range from relatively small (the guest of honor’s plane is delayed due to bad weather) to huge and seemingly insurmountable, like the heavy rains and flooding that tropical storm Ondoy brought in Sept. 2009 . A good event planner will be able to think on his or her feet for the small stuff, and have a solid crisis plan in place for dealing with the biggies. You can’t possibly expect to plan for every type of crisis, but a little advance planning will go along way to ensure that you can handle whatever comes your way. a. Maintenance Emergencies If your event takes place in hotel or convention facility you should discuss emergency plans with the Director of Sales and Maintenance Engineer. They should provide you with a contact at the site who will take care of any emergency or maintenance issues. If your event is being held in a private hall, find out who in their organization is responsible for facility maintenance and ask for someone to be available during your event. In your contact list, keep numbers of 24-hour locksmiths, plumbers and electricians. b. Medical Emergencies When planning a large outdoor festival or sporting event, it is advisable to have first aid personnel on hand for emergencies. Festival-goers may suffer from heat stroke (or hypothermia in a cold location), minor or major cuts, sunburn or food poisoning. It’s a good idea to include in your rental items a tent that can be used to shelter people fro the sun or cold while receiving treatment for minor injuries. Discuss option and get advice from your local ambulance volunteer force or contracted service providers. Be sure to include the local hospital, emergency line and non-emergency police number in your list of contacts. Organizing the Team for the Event Most events are organized through good team (2 or more persons working together) work. It is important that when tasks are allocated within a team the strengths of its members are put to good use. For example, it is no good asking someone to be the secretary who is has little skills in oral communications. The following are the roles that can be adopted in any event: Coordinator Secretary Treasurer Marketing/Promotion **The Number in the Team and their responsibilities will vary according to the scale of the event. It is important that all team members fully understand what their jobs entail and are aware of all the schedules and deadlines that have been agreed. It is much better to have someone in your team who is reliable rather than a â€Å"prima donna† who promises everything and delivers nothing. Planning Contributions to A Team Event Most events are not the result of one person’s work alone. Events are made through the concerted efforts of a group of people or a team who are working for the same general objective ~ to achieve a successful event. Within this team there will be a number of weakness in their areas of work. These skills, strengths and weaknesses should considered carefully when the various jobs within the team are allocated. Each team member will plan their own contribution to the event to be staged. The following details have to be considered: How one’s role in an event can support another’s and can support the objectives of the event How by adopting certain methods the resources available can be used to their maximum benefit What a person should do when something happens and their role does not go to plan Problems that may occur and how they could be handled effectively to try to reduce their impact on the event How staff and customers can be informed promptly and clearly of any changes which may affect them General guidelines for undertaking a role in an event Roles and Responsibilities of the Team The Coordinator (Chairperson) Overseas the Event Liaising with other members of the team Ensures that deadlines are met Raises any problems that may be occurring and finding solutions Chairs meetings of the event committee Ensures that everyone has a fair share of time to raise issues. Voice opinions etc. at meeting discuss issues Makes sure that the agenda for the meeting is covered Resolves any disagreements in the team regarding issues concerning the event through voting The Administrator Deals with correspondence, letters and other forms of communications Produces minutes of committee meetings Assist other members of the team with administrator The Financial Controller (Treasurer) Overseas all financial transactions Records financial transactions Holds the cheque book Sets-up a secure system using money available Produces income/expenditure accounts with receipts and others clearly documented Designs procedures for the secure holding of income before, during and after the event Ensures that the event meets the budget set The Publicity Officer Promotes the event Organizes promotional materials (ads, leaf- lets, brochures, flyers, etc) according to the scale of the event Liaising with outside agencies (eg. Local newspaper companies, radio/TV stations, etc. ) Organizes press coverage of the event The Facility Officer Finds and organizes the venue Organizes special tools and equipment needed in the event such as lighting fixtures, sound system etc Arranges for security Arranges for parking Arranges toilet facilities and waste disposal **Though each team member has his own set of res- ponsibilities, it is imperative that he communicate effectively with the others so that problems (should they arise) can be highlighted and dealt with as effectively as possible. After the Team has been organized, the following details will now be covered: Reason/s for holding the event Objectives to be attained Your target beneficiaries/market Period to hold the event Identifying the best site to hold the event The cost of the event including budget allocation The selling price of the event (per person/ per total package cost) The financial goal of the event ~ To raise money To make a profit To cover costs of the event A time-scale of how different tasks to be planned and implemented The need for good team effort, sticking to budgets and using resources available to their best advantages Efficient uses of communications between members Effective publicity Contingency plans Strategy for dealing with customers A good working environment friendly, support, etc Feedback to all contributions on the outcome of the event 3 PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT 1. Pre~Event Phase (Preparation of Materials) Organization of the Team Venue/Site Selection Food Requirements Equipments Tools Preparation of Materials Decors/Artwork Communications Proposal Promotions Schedule of Activities (Program) Costing and Design 2. Actual Event Phase (Implementation Administrative Stage) Production of Materials Needed for the Event Promotions Rehearsal/ Final Briefing Decorations Registration The Output Security Participant’s Evaluation 3. Post Event Phase (Disposal Stage) Egress Evaluation Profitability of the Event Building your Budget Defining the budget is the first major challenge an event organizer faces as eh plans the event. An experienced organizer will know whether the budget is sufficient to do the job to the standard expected. Depending on the event you are organizing, compile a checklist of all costs that will be incurred in making the event happen. Classify costs accordingly: Fixed Costs Variable Costs Contingency Budget CO-PRENEURS OF AN EVENT ORGANIZER 1. Hotels and Other lodging Facilities 2. Travel Agents/Consultants 3. Caterers/ Food Establishment 4. Airline Companies and Other modes of Transportation 5. Artist 6. Audio/ Visuals Consultants 7. Other events specialist (wedding planner/meeting Planner/tour planner) 8. Entertainers/Talents 9. Professionals and consultants, EVALUATING THE EVENT Evaluation of any event is concerned with the feedback from the event – not just from those who organized or staffed the event but from anyone who played a part in it. This could include: Staff Organizers Clients/Visitors Volunteers Sponsors Officials And other co-preneurs of the event planner When an event is planned the purpose of the event is clearly defined. It is against this that the event should be evaluated. Evaluation does not just take place at the end of an event. It is an ongoing process which occurs throughout the event. During the planning stage everything to do with the event is monitored and if any problems appear, adjustments have to be made. It is through this process that the event is finally stage and organized to meet the objectives of the event. **The opportunity to review and evaluate the event is important as a learning exercise. If the event is to be stage again in the future it is an invaluable help as the thing that went well can be repeated and those things that were not too successful can be changed next time. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR EVENTS BE PREPARED. As the Scout motto says! Good preparation is the foundation for a good event. If the team as a whole are well prepared this will set the tone for the event. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR OBJECTIVES. Make sure that the all team fully understand what is to be achieved by the staging of this event. If all team members are will informed, everyone will be working towards the same goal. WORKS AS A TEAM. Any good team builds on the strength of its members and is supportive and helpful to each other. To operate effectively the team should meet on a regular basis and be able to communicate with each other with relative and be able to communicate with each other with relative ease. A good team has a good team leader at its front. This team leader should be a good motivator who can generate enthusiasm and perseverance. REMEMBER CUSTOMER CARE. A smile of welcome costs nothing and will affect the way visitors feel about the event. Remember, even if your stand/ job in the event isn’t very busy do not sir around looking bored and uninterested – this is sure to put potential clients off. Try to be alert, ready for action and enthusiastic at all times. If clients enjoy the event they will come back and tell their friends. BE RECOGNIZABLE. More and more teams in organizations are adopting their own uniforms. These help the visitors as it makes the staff immediately recognizable from the clients. When you stage an event you should consider adopting a uniform for all the staff involved in the event. This does not have to be complicated or expensive . For example, the team may decide to wear black trousers and a white T-shirt. These are items of clothing that most people have in their wardrobes. Plain colored T-shirts are relatively inexpensive to purchase. You may have the name of your event on the front, or local screen printer would do this at a small cost. This creates a good image for the visitors of the event and is something the rest of the team can keep to remind them of the event in the future. KEEP TO SCHEDULES. Reliability, both within the team and within the event itself, sis important. The team should make sure the all deadlines are met if it is at all possible to do so. Punctuality should be important for all team meetings etc. If someone is always late for a meeting it is unsurprising that other team members act on their knowledge and turn up, not at the start time of befo

Injured Athletes Use of Self-Talk

Injured Athletes Use of Self-Talk A sports injury can be serious and cause profound physical and emotional distress. The physical aspects of the injury can even contribute to loss of a sports career. The emotional stress of a sports injury can result in affects such as anxiety and depression which result in obstacles to healing and future performance (Myers, Peyton Jensen, 2004). After injury most athletes will suffer from a change in their mood for a short length of time. This change in mood will manifest as anger, depression, tension, and low energy levels. Normally the athlete returns to their pre-injury mental status once they are on their way to recovery (McDonald Hardy, 1990) Sports injuries can have a devastating impact on athletes and the search for effective psychological rehabilitation methods have been ongoing. One study using the open-ended Sports Injury Survey found that athletes that healed the fastest engaged in more positive self-talk, goal setting and healing imagery than slower healing athletes. It was found that the mental strategy of goal setting was the most productive technique and scientists believe the reason for this is that it is easy to learn and is within the athletes control. The results of the study would suggest that there are numerous psychological factors that play an important role in injury recovery. A number of other studies have demonstrated that speed of recovery was effected by goal setting, attitude, imagery, social support, and coping skills (Ievleva Orlick,1991). One study demonstrated that imagery can be helpful in injury rehabilitation. Imagery is used often in training and competition, but athletes dont use it as of ten for recovery from healing and need to be reminded of its efficacy (Sordoni, Hall Forwell, 2000) It has been found that an athletes inability to return to pre-injury performance levels was due to psychological factors and stressors rather than physical ones (Evans, Harding Fleming, 2000). One of the factors with an impact on performance levels post-injury is the athletes perceived inability to demonstrate the same skills they enjoyed pre-injury. One example of this isa rugby player who returned to the game after suffering a shoulder injury. He favoured the injured shoulder and used the other shoulder more frequently. The result of this behaviour was that he put extra pressure on the one shoulder setting himself up for future injuries (Evans et al., 2000). When an athlete returns to the game before they are truly ready the risk for more injures or re-injury is increased. Even if an athlete has been told by his sports physician that they can return to competition they may not be ready psychologically (Evans et al., 2000). Cupal (1998) claims evidence exists that indicates when an athlete returns to the sport before they are psychologically ready they increase the risk of more injuries There are different approaches to explaining how an athlete responds to injury. One of these approaches is designated the cognitive appraisal approach. This approach focuses on the athletes perception of the injury and it offers an explanation for individual differences in responses to injury and their perception of the injury (Brewer, 1994). Brewer (1994) believes that one of the positive aspects regarding the cognitive appraisal approach is that it offers explanations for the diverse responses to injuries unlike other methods that dont provide such insight. There are a number of influencing factors with cognitive appraisal. The individual personality characteristics of the athlete that remain constant over time are a factor. Another factor is the athletes changeable situation which they have no control of. One example of this is time of season of the injury (Gayman Crossman, 2003). A study of the psychology of season ending injuries amongst skiers from the USA Ski Team was conducted (Gould, Udry, Bridges Beck, 1997a; Gould, Udry, Bridges Beck, 1997b). This study included lengthy interviews and revealed different factors of the injury experience. Researchers discovered that some athletes received what they perceived were benefits from the injury. If they had a problem with the stress of the competition they may see this injury as a blessing in disguise and a way out. Performance anxiety can be another reason why an athlete sees the injury as beneficial. Also, rehabilitation can be physically painful and emotionally trying (Gould et al., 1997a). Other factors researchers uncovered were the sources of stress, social support systems, and coping strategies. In some instances a severe injury can interfere with social activities especially if they are sports-oriented (Bianco, Malo, Orlick,1999). Bianco et al. (1999) interviewed skiers from the Canadian Alpine Ski Te am. What they learned was that there was an early phase when the athlete is injured or ill and then they move into a phase of rehabilitation where they begin to recover, and the last phase is when they are fully recovered and back to pre-injury activity. Every one of these phases included a set of events that influenced the emotional and cognitive responses (Granito, 2001, pg. 63). Researchers looked to cognitive appraisal to explain why some athletes suffer from greater psychological distress following an injury than others (Brewer, 1994). What they found was that the manner in which an athlete perceives the injury experience plays an important role in how well they recover and are able to return to pre-injury performance levels (Brewer, 2001, as cited in Gayman Crossman, 2003). The time of the year when an athlete is injured may determine how well and fast they recover and return to competition. For example, one athlete may be distraught and stressed over being injured post-season because after all his hard work and team effort he will not be able to participate in the play-offs. Another athlete may regard the injury as beneficial because they can get out of a horrendous season where the team didnt do very well. The athlete who perceives the injury in a more positive light will have an easier time of recovery than the athlete who experiences more negative emotions surrounding the injury (Gayman Crossman, 2003) Pre-season is important because after a break from sports the athletes are ready to get back in the game again and are looking forward to try-outs. An injury sustained pre-season can be regarded in different ways. The more severe the injury is the greater the athletes frustration and disappointment (Gayman Crossman, 2003). An injury that isnt serious enough to keep the athlete out for the entire season may not be as devastating for some because they become motivated to heal and spend the rest of the season in the game. Different factors enter the picture for mid-season injuries. An athlete who is out due to injuries during mid-season can be more stressed because by this time the team members are bonding. The athlete will also have lost some of their physical abilities that are important to the game. The team has been traveling and playing many games together by mid-season and the injured athlete will feel that they are missing out on the camaraderie and fun (Gayman Crossman, 2003). When an athlete is injured end of season the success of the entire team may be hindered and this is a source of great stress and disappointment for the athlete. If its the athletes last year of college, for example, the injury could end his career in sports. If the injury is severe enough regardless the season; it is devastating for the athlete and requires different and more intense coping techniques (Gayman Crossman, 2003). Finally, the playoffs are important because the team has bonded and worked hard together for an entire season to get that far. Injuries sustained during this time could hamper efforts for the championship title not to mention the personal satisfaction of success (Gayman Crossman 2003) How an athlete reacts to their injury may be based on how they personally view the situation. For instance, injury in pre-season may be regarded more negatively by one athlete than another. It all depends on how they perceive the situation (Gayman Crossman, 2003). There are different factors in the injury recovery process. One of those factors is gender differences. One study found there were differences in the perceptions of male and female injured athletes. It was found that male athletes had reported a more positive relationship with their coaches than the females. Males also were more apt to have a special person in their lives that they received emotional support from. It was discovered that female athletes were more apt to worry about how their injuries would affect their future health than the males (Granito, 2002). Regardless of male or female, it would appear that a good social support network and positive relationships with coaches are important when an athlete sustains an injury. There are, however, more factors involved in the success of an athletes rehabilitation and recovery than that of emotional support from others. Other interventions and coping mechanisms involve goal setting, imagery, and self-talk (Ievleva Orlick, 1991) There are numerous psychological intervention strategies for rehabilitation from sports related injuries. Oftentimes the athletes erroneous thoughts about intervention strategies keep them away from getting the help they need to recover more quickly and fully. The interventions could help them return to competition not only physically ready but psychologically ready as well. Due to a lack of knowledge and understanding leading to faulty beliefs about intervention strategies the athlete doesnt always get the help they need. The efficacy of any post-injury therapy or treatment depends on the ability of the athlete to accept and receive different techniques and strategies (Myers et al., 2004). One of the strategies in treatment for sports injuries that isnt fully understood is that of positive self-talk. Self-talk in injury recovery is even less understood than other techniques and strategies even though athletes do use it for performance improvements. Athletes have used both self-talk that is instructional in nature and self-talk that consists of positive affirmations (Van Raalte, Cornelius, Brewer, Hatton, 2000). Self-talk has been recognized as an effective tool for improvements in performance but unfortunately, has not been given as much thought as a strategy for recovery from injury. One reason that has been given to explain why there is a lack of knowledge regarding self-talk and its importance to recovery from injury has to do with understanding the fundamentals behind performance improvement in sports (Hardy, 2005) There is a relationship between performance improvements and self-talk. It has been suggested that its the aspect of self-talk that involves functionality that sheds light on its relationship with performance. This includes the cognitive and motivational aspects of self-talk (Hardy, Gammage, Hall, 2001a). Theodorakis, Weinberg, Natsis, Douma Kazakas (2000) investigated the efficacy of self-talk with athletes using positive self-talk in proportion to the specific demands of their physical activity. Instructional self-talk was used for the technical demands and motivational self-talk was used for less technical demands such as the athletes strength and stamina. The researchers expected that instructional self-talk would be more effective when the demands of the activity involved skills and accuracy and the motivational self-talk would be more effective when the demands involved strength and stamina. The results demonstrated that instructional self-talk for technical demands met the r esearchers expectations, however when the demands were for motivational self-talk the results werent as expected (Hardy,2005). The researchers discovered that both types of self-talk generated an increase in performance in the activity of leg extensions but not in the activity of sit-ups which requires stamina. Theodorakis et al. (2000) believe one reason for this outcome is that there wasnt an equal distribution of males and females for the study thus affecting the results. Theodorakis et al. rightly calls for more research in order to determine why positive self-talk (or negative) impacts athletic performance (Hardy, 2005). One factor that may impact the effectiveness of self-talk on an athletes performance is how they interpret their self-talk as far as it relates to motivation. The athlete may regard their self-talk in either a negative or positive light (Hardy, Hall, Alexander, 2001b). If an athlete regards their self-talk asde-motivating it certainly not help them recover faster and can even keep them from getting back to pre-injury performance levels. Theodorakis et al.(2000) explains that the lack of differences across groups in his study is that there are motivational aspects to the instructional self-talk and some of the self-talk used by the athletes may have been either motivating or de-motivating. Self-talk is supposed to be positive for the athlete. The attitude of the injured athlete is important to their recovery. If the athlete is optimistic their chances of recovery are greater and they have better coping mechanisms. Suggestions to encourage the athlete are for them to use only positive words, language and tone, during the rehabilitation-in and out of the clinic (Mind, Body, pg.1). Examples of positive self-talk are: I will get through this I will recover fully I will get back to playing my sport, better than I was before I will get 115 degrees of flexion today (Mind, Body, 2005, pg. 1). These self-talk strategies will create a more positive and healthy mind set in the injured athlete (Mind, Body,2005). In a study with tennis players it was found that instructional self-talk had a positive outcome on performance but not on self-efficacy (Landin Hebert, 1999). It is suggested then that practitioners determine if the athlete finds self-talk is to be de-motivating or motivating. An athlete can learn to perceive themselves in a healthier and more self-affirming manner by engaging in positive self-talk (Hardy, 2005). The speed with which an athlete recovers from injury can be increased by using certain mental strategies. It is up to the athlete and their physician to determine, in light of the patients situation and personal preferences, what would be the best strategy to ensure a rapid and full recovery from injury. The athlete and their sports doctor can be creative in coming up with what techniques seem to fit. Special attention should be given to the psychological state of the athlete and the seriousness of the injury. A comprehensive approach to injury management has been proven to be successful through research suggesting that by using more goal setting, positive self-talk, and imagery, athletes recover more quickly from injuries (Mind, Body, 2005, pg. 1) Self-talk is useful for injury recovery and quite often for the management of physical pain and distressing emotional states. Self-talk is described as, .the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1). This self-talk or automatic thinking can be positive or negative and based on logic and reason (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1). There are times when self-talk can be negative and based on faulty perceptions due to inadequate information. In order for self-talk to be effective for recovery from injury the faulty thinking must be recognized and changed. In order to recognize the faulty thinking its important to recognize the different categories of non-productive thinking. One method of thinking that is not positive self-talk is generalizing. An example of this is when the individual regards one event as a trigger for a never ending series of negative events. As the pain continues the individual thinks they will not be able to carry on as befo re and they begin to devalue themselves. Another example of negative thinking is when the individual thinks in terms of catastrophes. With this type of thinking the individual imagines the worst case scenario. For example, they imagine that the pain from the injury will become a problem and they will become embarrassed if out in public or with friends (Chronic Pain, 2005). Another example of catastrophic thinking is when the athlete thinks things will never change and they will never get any better (Lake, 2005). Polarizing is another thinking style that leads to negative self-talk. This is when the individual sees everything as black and white, good or bad, positive or negative. They cannot concede that there is oftentimes a place in the middle. One of the more serious consequences of this thinking is that the individual feels they have to be perfect or else they are a failure; there is no acceptance of the fact that they are human like everyone else and can make mistakes while not seeing themselves as losers. Filtering is when the individual looks at the negative thoughts in a situation through a magnifying glass and minimizes the positive thoughts. One example given of this is when the individual did a great job at work that day but when they get home they realize they forgot to do one thing. The entire evening is ruined because the individual sits there and ruminates on that one task they failed to do. All the accolades they received that day from boss and co-workers is forgotten and only the negative is focused upon. Another negative thinking pattern that leads to unhealthy self-talk is that of personalizing. When something unpleasant, unfortunate, or bad happens the individual thinks that they are blame, even if its something out of their control and has nothing to do with them. Emotionalizing is thinking where the heart rules the head. Objectivity is pushed aside for irrational thinking. One example of this is if an individual feels they are dull or stup id and therefore they believe that is what they are (Chronic Pain, 2005). This type of thinking is dangerous for the athlete especially one who is recovering from an injury. The athlete must recognize the negative thinking and begin the exercise of positive self-talk. An interesting rule of thumb regarding the process of positive self-talk is as follows: Dont say anything to yourself that you wouldnt say to someone else Be gentle and encouraging. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about yourself. Eventually your self-talk will automatically contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. Your spontaneous thoughts will become more positive and rational. (Chronic Pain, 2005, pg. 1) What people say to themselves all too often sets the stage for how they look at life and what they do about it. One example of this is when the individual comes home after a day of working and says, I dont want to exercise today. Its cloudy outside, theres no one to walk with, and besides, Ive already exercised twice this week (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg.1). A more positive way to respond to this situation is to say, I dont feel like exercising today, but I know Ill feel better afterward and have an easier time falling asleep (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg.1). These examples are very important in retraining the mind to engage in positive self-talk. The self-talk one engages in can literally change the way an individual experiences physical pain. Negative messages can lead to increased pain, while positive messages can help distract you from pain (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1) There are several steps to take in order to change negative self-talk that leads to increased pain into positive self-talk which speeds up the healing process and leads to decreased pain. The first of these steps is for the individual to make a list of all negative self-talk engaged in. The second step is to change each negative statement on the list into a positive statement. One example would be the following, Im tired and dont feel like attending my support group tonight, but if I dont go I might miss out on some good tips like the ones I learned last month. I can always leave the meeting a little early (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1). The third step is to practice the positive self-talk. Even though it doesnt come naturally and may take some time to become comfortable with keep at it until it becomes second nature (Managing Your Pain, 2005, pg. 1).