Defining moments of Canada

All these years Canada expanded into a well-built country. Canada has participated in many battles throughout the world and this has changed how Canada was seen. The first defining moment was the battle of Ypres, where Canadian soldiers were the victims of the first gas attack by the Germans. The second defining moment was the liberation of Netherlands, where Dutch people thank Canadians for the concern towards them. The third defining moment was Canada in Rwanda Africa, where heroism was greatly achieved due to the efforts made by the United Nations.Due to all these major events; the battle of Ypres, the liberation of Netherlands and Canada in Rwanda Africa, Canadian soldiers gained reputation. The battle of Ypres began, during the first week of April 1915 (Warmuseum. com). Many Canadian’s troops were sent to the city of Ypres. â€Å"During the battle German soldiers were advancing fast, they gathered and covered the North, South and East sides†. On April 22th 1915, Ge rmans introduced there new and powerful weapon that can wipe out most soldiers, it was a poison gas (Warmuseum. com).Many media and people thought that Canadians would have died but many survived and some escaped. The soldiers survived because the leaked on their cloth and covered there face, to survive the gas. During the battle Canadian soldiers would have serious trouble, sometimes there rifle wouldn’t work and get jammed due to the muddy conditions. After a formidable fight, Canadian prime minister received many congrats messages from many countries stating that it was a smart play by the Canadian. Canadian soldiers managed to survive for 48 hours after they were recalled to recruit back (Veterans.  gc. ca).It was one of the biggest defining moments in Canadian history. Canadians have tremendous respect in Netherlands, all because of one event. It was the liberation of Netherlands. During fall of 1944 to spring allied forces closed and surrounded Germany (Veterans. gc. ca). There were many battles that occurred before this event such as the battle of Dieppe. Canadian soldiers played a key role during this event that brought freedom to Dutch people in Holland. Before they got into the liberation, there were many steps to go through. The battle of the Scheldt was a major key step.Months after D-day, allied forces needed to supply weapons to the soldiers and they required a sea port. The Canadian army had a forceful battle through to open the Belgium port, many soldiers were captured, tortured and killed but this was a major step. After opening the port many Dutch people were starving and cold so the Canadians joined the final push and fed all the Dutch people. Around 200,000 Canadians joined (Veterans. gc. ca). â€Å"When Canadian soldiers were marching on the street, Dutch people came and partied along by running behind the tank, inviting the soldiers for lunch†.They were really happy and respected Canadians for their amazing rescue. This wa s the second defining moment that changed Canadian history and made the Canadian army superior. The genocide of Rwanda Africa was a major event. It was an issue between to tribes called the Hutus and Tutis. This mission was done along with the United Nations. The deaths began to rise when many Tutis were murdered by the Hutus. Approximately 500,000 and one million were ended up dead (Book : The Rwanda Genocide). Many were raped, killed or murdered. United Nations tried to end the genocide.â€Å"A team was formed called the UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda)†. There were two Canadian commanders in charge; they were Major – General Romeo Daillaire and Major- General Guy Tousignant (Veteransaffair. gc. ca). During the mission to save Rwandans, 125 personnel ended up dead. After the mission of Rwanda was over, Canada and the rest of the United Nations remained in the country to clean up the humanitarian efforts, and refugee effort and left the country in 1996 (VeteransAffair. gc. ca). â€Å"The genocide of Rwanda is still remembered; in April 7th 2004 was an international day for the Rwanda genocide†.The genocide still remains in many hearts and Canada did a marvelous job assisting them. It was also an important moment in our history. These three defining moments; the battle of Ypres, the liberation of Netherlands and Canada in Africa Rwanda, changed Canada history in many ways. It allowed Canada soldiers to be seen superior with stunning skills. Canada displays a peace keeper role and always will. The Canadian army played major roles in all these moments and we hope that Canadian soldiers we continue their achievement along with success.

Pyscological Disorders Essay

Behaviourism has many different strengths and weaknesses. One strength of the approach is that is has successfully applied classical and operant condition to its theories. This is strength as it is used in different therapies such as systematic desensitization, which is a type of behaviour therapy to help overcome phobias and other anxiety disorders; it is based on classical conditioning. Another strength is that it uses scientific methods of research making it much more objective, measurable and observable as well as being able to obtain reliable results. An example of this is Banduras’ bobo doll of study of aggression. However, there are also weaknesses to this approach. The Behaviourism approach focuses too much on the â€Å"nurture† side of nature/nurture debate and suggests that all behaviour is learned. However, research has shown that cognitive and biological elements have been proved to affect individual’s behaviour. For example, people learn behaviour by observing others getting rewarded for certain actions. Another weakness is the ethical issues raised by using animals in experiments. This is because animals cannot consent to take part and are unable to withdraw themselves from experiments, for example, Pavlov’s dog studies. A major strength of this theory is that it is quick and affordable. As the behaviourism theory focuses on the future and what is happening now instead of the past, treatment can be quick and effective as they are not discussing past experiences which may be time consuming. However, because this theory ignores past experiences and influences, it may cause problems as individuals may need to discuss past experiences in order to sort their emotions out. Because this theory ignores them and focuses on present experiences it can cause a major problem as people may not be able to benefit from the therapy as they need to discuss their past. * Social Learning Theory: The Social Learning theory was developed my Albert Bandura who believed that we can learn by observing others. This theory however, has different strengths and weaknesses. One of the great strengths of the social learning theory is that it combines important models of learning. This therefore makes it a good education theory. Another strength is that children are seen are easy to teach and any child can be taught. Albert believed that motivation comes largely through praise. The praise, however, is seen indirectly, since it is the model that is praised, not the child. Once motivated, the model provides the bulk of teaching. The general concept is that children just the right environment to begin learning useful skills. Another strength is that it is an easy theory to grasp and it seems to be generally proven by actual experience. For example, when learning to play football, individuals often first watch a game on TV, which provides the inspiration and motivation to learn to play. However, there are weaknesses that question if this theory is correct. The main weakness of this theory is that is does not include the child’s cognitive development. While there are some cognitive insights in the social learning theory, they are not explained. Albert believed that a child was seen as a sponge, absorbing information through modelling. However, the child’s contribution to how models are absorbed is processed and worked out through time and is not present to any extent in the theory. Another weakness is that is does not have any given cause. The social learning theory explains that motivation exists though praise. However, it seems that motivation is socially conditioned, and therefore relative. The social learning then takes the basic social structure as normative and standard, without judgement. * Psychodynamic: This theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and Erik Erickson and believed that we are not always aware of all aspects of ourselves. They ignored all science theories and focused going â€Å"inside the head†. However this theory has different strengths and weaknesses. One strength of the psychodynamic theory is that is focused on the effects that childhood experiments have on the personality. This is a strength because Freud was the first psychologist to realise the importance of childhood. It also led to other psychologists including Piaget developing theories on childhood. Another strength is that it takes both nature and nurture into account. This is a major strength as is emphasise the importance of both. For example, Freud’s assumption of childhood experiences focused on nurture whereas the ID, Ego and Super-ego focused on nature. However, a weakness of the psychodynamic approach is that it is capable of being tested. This is a weakness because the assumptions cannot be scientifically measured or proved wrong, for example, is the idea of the mind being split into three parts. This cannot be proven so therefore questions if its valid information. Another weakness is that it suggests that all behaviour is pre-determined and people do not have free will. * Biological approach: The biological approach was developed by Arnold Gessel who explained the developmental process and stages involved from conception onwards. A strength of this theory is that it is very scientific. This is a major strength because the experiments used are measurable, objective and can be repeated to obtain reliable results. Also, the researcher has more control over the variable. Another strength of the approach is that it increases the likelihood of being able to treat people with abnormal behaviour and provides explanations about the causes of behaviour. This is a major strength as it can be used to improve people’s lives. However, a weakness of the biological approach is that is focuses too much on the â€Å"nature† side of the nature/nurture debate. It argues that behaviour is caused by hormones, neurotransmitters and genetics. Another weakness of the biological approach is that it develops theories about disorders and generalises them to apply to everyone. It does not take into account the view that humans are unique. An example for is that general adaption syndrome assumes that everyone responds in the same way to stress but does not take into account that some people have or need more support than others. * Cognitive: The Cognitive theory was development by Jean Piaget who believed children are born with a very basic mental structure, genetically inherited and evolved, in which all subsequent learning and knowledge is based. One strength of the cognitive approach is that is looks at thought processes which were ignored by other psychologists, especially behaviourists. It looks at processes such as memory, attention and perception which all have an effect on our behaviour. Another strength of this approach is that its theories have been applied to cognitive therapies such as rational emotive therapy which is a therapy that focuses on resolving emotional and behavioural problems and helping people to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. This therapy has been successful in changing irrational thoughts so that behaviour improves. However, a weakness of the cognitive approach is that it reduces human behaviour down to individual processes such as memory and attention. This is a weakness because the human is a product of all the processes working together and not just individual parts. Another weaknesses is that the approach is too mechanical, it compares the human to computers and suggests they have similar though processes. This is a weakness as humans are much more complex than computers. * Humanistic: The humanistic approach was developed by a psychologist called Abraham Maslow who observed the study of the whole person. He looked at human behaviour not only through the eyes of the observed, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. A strength of this theory is that is focuses on both the positive nature of humankind and the free will associated with change. Another strength is the way in which many of its aspects fit well with other approaches. Many therapies have provided a more humanistic undertone in their work with clients. Even though they may argue that the humanistic theory does not go far enough, they see the benefit in helping people change. However, a weakness of this theory if that is appears to centre on its lack of concrete treatment on specific issues. With the basic concept behind the theory being free will, it is difficult to develop treatments and study the effectiveness of this theory. Secondly, there are those who believe that the humanistic theory does not help those with more severe personality or mental health problems. Another weakness is that this theory is still not complete as there are different questions that are still unanswered. For example, are people basically good or are their some individuals who are not capable of this? As these questions are still unanswered it questions if the theory is effective.

It Happened On The Way To War Paper Essay

It Happened On The Way To War is a book by Rye Barcott. This book talks about a marine who dreams of making a difference in the world. We read about his life, feeling as if we were a part of it. Three values that he clearly shows in this book are balance, leadership and Inspiration. Somebody once said that in order to succeed in life, you have to have a balance between your personal life and your professional life. Rye Barcott not only shows us the importance of having a balance, but he also shows us how hard it is to find that balance. While he was a part of the Marines, he was expected to transition easily from the combat mode to peace keeping mode. He thought that he will be able to separate the founder of Carolina for Kibera(CFK) from the marine that he was meant to be and vice versa. However as he started his journey, he soon realized how difficult finding balance actually is. After he came back from Kibera and started bootcamp. Rye noticed a difference in his performance. His said that for the first time in his life, he was in the bottom half of the class. â€Å" It’s like a dual culture shock† (90 Barcott, Rye) thats what is what his mother said that he was going through. This was the first time, we see Rye struggling to keep his personal and professional life separate. As time went by he was able to over come the cultural shock, however once he was an official marine. he was presented with a new challenge. He had to look at children that he was trying to improve the lives off, as potential suspects. As a marine he had to check kids that looked innocent for bombs and weapons and then then as a founder of CFK he had to go and help them. In my leadership class, I have been taught that in order to be a good leader you need to do 5 things. You have to model the way, inspire a shared vision, encourage the heart, challenge the process and enable others to act. In the book, Rye demonstrates most if not all of these 5 qualities. He modeled the way, by showing people that you don’t need to be rich in order to make a difference in the world, you just need dedication and a good group of people who are willing to work with you. When Rye met Salim, he decided to take take Salim’s vision of Kibera and make it his own. He inspired a shared a vision, Salim told Rye his dream about Kibera’s future and how he is currently trying to achieve it, however he probably did not expect Rye to actually support the dream or even come back to Kibera. However Rye shocked him by not only coming back to Kibera, but also by working with him to achieve his goal. Tabitha’s meeting with Rye is a great example of how Rye encouraged the heart.He had just met Tabitha and she was asking him to trust her and help her. There was no guarantee that Tabitha would succeed, but Rye supported her and helped her achieve her dream. Challenging the Process requires you to stand up and stand out of the crowd. There are many books published about a person and the amount of good her or she does in the world. However the reason that Rye’s story is different from others is because Rye is a marine. People are attracted to this book, because on the front cover the caption reads â€Å"A Marines Path To Peace† Which is very unique. When people think about the Marines, they think of war not peace. There aren’t many books about a marine that fights a war in the day, and runs a non-profit organization by night. The work that Rye does in his book, things like organizing soccer tournaments and trash clean ups, enables others to act. In order for the kids to play the sports, they have to help the community by cleaning up the trash. It taught the kids positive feedback. They did something good for others and in return they got something good out of it. This practice motivated the people of Kibera to act! This wasn’t the only way he enabled other to act, he was able to convince his friend Nate to help others and modeled the way for him. Inspiration is a huge deal in Rye’s life. He would have not achieved some much in his life, if he wasn’t inspired by the people he met in his life. Tabitha and Salim showed him that even though they have faced many hardships, it is still possible to achieve your dreams as long as you work hard with passion and integrity. His teachers/professors at UNC helped him tremendously. When him and his friends weren’t able to get many funds, it was his professors that helped him get through, and motivated him and gave him guidance that eventually got him the funds that he needed. Not only did they guide him, but they helped him with his project. Professor Peacock and Kohn who he met in his freshman year helped him with his thesis in grad school and taught him how to run an effective non-profit organization. Even when he was a kid, his father’s marine friends were mentors for him. â€Å"My good fortune started when I was a bot.† (110, Barcott, Rye) They guided him and helped him realize his future plan. They guided him because they knew that he would in return be an inspiration and guide others in the future. Which is exactly what he did. He became an inspiration for the kids of Kibera. Rye Barcott’s journey in this book, wasn’t an easy one. The three values that he demonstrated in this book, balance, leadership and inspiration made him very unique. When he first started his journey, he did not have all three values, however as he grew as a person, he developed these values and tried to perfect them. Work Cited †¢ Barcott, Rye. Carolina For Kibera. N.p., n.d. Web. . †¢ Barcott, Rye. It Happend on the Way to War. USA: Bloomsbury, 2011. Print.

Corporate Responsibility for Childhood Obesity Essay - 3

Corporate Responsibility for Childhood Obesity - Essay Example Unlike Zinczenko,Linn and Novosat deem the main reason for rise in children obesity is due ro fast food firms spending millions of dollars on product marketing but little consideration of their customers’ health. These companies normally target children because they are their main clients (Linn & Novosat 133 Apart from comparing the two articles, the essay will also state both their central and supporting arguments. Zinczenko says the reason he grew fat was because of his lunch and dinner always, which came from food shops such as McDonalds, Pizza hut or Taco bell. He says that this has never changed and in fact the stores have doubled (Zinczenko). He further says child obesity is the main contributor of the large amount of money being spent on diabetes treatment. According to him, lack of alternatives is the reason behind increased child obesity (Zinczenko). He states that while driving through America, one will spot thousands of McDonald’s stores but hardly will he see fruit stores or other alternatives where one can get dirrent and health food. Apart from lack of alternatives, Zinczenko also identifies lack of proper information about the food being consumed as another cause of children obesity(Zinczenko).He says that unlike grocery stores which include information charts on their packages, fast food stores hardly offer calory information charts neither do they have health warning lab els. Based on his argument, child obesity can be controlled if fast food companies minimize the level of calories and sugar in their products.These companies should also consider their customer’s safety by providing nutrition information charts for makes people be in a position to make more informed decisions. Another reason behind children obesity is because food companies are ever using various techniques to lure children into purchasing their products which are full of calories and little nutritional benefits (Linn & Novosat

Dissertation Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Proposal - Dissertation Example 2. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH 100 words i. Identify and list your objects of study: these must be PRIMARY sources that you can see/ visit/ access directly now and later. Make it very clear what and where these are. (WHAT exactly are you researching) This research aims to explore the existence of Feminism if any in the field of arts, media and design. The research takes into consideration the various transformations that have happened over the centuries in order to have an insight on the transformational process. The study will focus completely on the feminism aspect in arts and media studies and will tend to explore the stages involved. ii. Define the significance of the subject. (WHY you are researching this) Arts have been a successful medium for girls in schools and it has been one medium that is free from all sorts of gender inequality and the lack of opportunity. Although arts have been successful among the girls as far as the education is concerned, however there has been explicit o mission of this gender in art education books. This research will attempt to find out the issues of gender in the art and media design and how it has been carried out over the years in terms of the social and economic contexts. iii. Define the approach you will adopt: provide theoretical approaches that may be relevant to your study - explain how; reference carefully.

HLSS311 Forum 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HLSS311 Forum 4 - Assignment Example Conversely, the victims of such circumstances are the local populace and the country (Andreas, 2009). Smuggling of animal products such as ivory and animal skin results to extinction of certain animal species whilst smuggling of natural resources results to loss of revenue, rural poverty, deforestation and climate change. Moreover, smuggling of illicit firearms results to escalated rates of homicides. Drugs result to massive school dropouts and corresponding escalation of crime rate (Richardson, Gordon & Moore, 2009). Populaces who suffer from smuggling are mainly the locals as it disturbs peace due to human rights violation thus undermining both economic social and political advancement. Moreover, it also results to massive corruption and numerous health problems (Treverton, et. al.2009). U.S government can triumph war on drug by increasing educational awareness on its negative effects to the consumers thus ensuring that do not take part in drug trafficking (Andreas, 2009). The governments ought to initiate proper coordination with the underlying international communities via identification, investigation and prosecuting the existing smugglers. Moreover, the government can train more specialized law enforces in drug trafficking unit in order to escalate intelligence in combating smugglers and corresponding drug traffickers. Training in the means of utilizing technologies will aids in arresting drug smugglers (Treverton, et. al.2009). U.S government can also support the prevailing developing countries in countering smuggling threats. Supplementary border violations that normally threaten the expedition of genuine trade encompasses smuggling of citizens money to foreign accounts to avoid suspicion, which corrupt tycoon utilize in purchasing the other assets at the expense of the suffering citizens (Andreas, 2009). Globalization of organized crime is

Western Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Western Civilization - Essay Example According to Thucydides, Hobbes & Greene (1989), in the speech, Pericles depict the society of Athens as democratic. He purports that democracy allows men to advance based on merit and not because of wealth or what they inherit. The speech describes the society of Athens as one where citizens portray lawful behavior without any fear. Pericles observe that the system of governance in Athens does not assert that imitate laws of their neighboring countries. Thucydides, Hobbes, & Greene (1989) Democracy in Athens comes out clearly when Pericles says that the administration system respects the multitude. Therefore, the society of Athens can be described as democratic since it gives all the citizens equal rights and freedom. Thucydides write that the Athens constitution favors the majority and not a few. The laws offer equal justice to all people, in cases of private conflicts and differences. Pericles note that the Athens society does not favor people based on class differences. Merit takes precedence in all aspects of the democratic Athens society. Additionally, democracy in Athens gives equal chances to those who want to serve the state. Pericles maintain that freedom and democracy enjoyed in Athens spreads to the ordinary life (Thucydides, Hobbes & Greene, 1989). I feel that Pericles did not idealize or exaggerate the Athenian democracy. He portrayed positivity and strength to his people, which many followed. Pericles can be described as a powerful and confident leader; people followed actions of Pericles governance. Lysistrata conveys her opinion concerning the place of women in the Greek society. She is against the fact that the Athens democracy only consists of men. Lysistrata has the feeling that the Greek society does not recognize women’s strength and abilities. In her opinion, women have similar abilities to men and can do everything, which men can do. In Periclean Athens, women did not

Respiratory therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Respiratory therapy - Essay Example He did not see a doctor although he was advised to. At the point when his fever reached 38.3 C (101F) and he was experiencing shortness of breath he drove himself to the hospital. O: Patient was well-nourished, and in respiratory distress n 2l/min oxygen by nasal cannula. His blood pressure was 165/90, heart rate of 120 bpm, respiratory rate of 33/min and oral temperature of 39.5 C (105F). "He demonstrated a frequent strong "hacky" and productive cough of white and yellow sputum. His skin appeared pale and damp." At the pronunciation of the 99 phrase the increased tactile and vocal fremitus were observed over the right lower lung along with bronchial sounds in the same region. His oxygen saturation was 87% and his arterial blood gases were as follows: "pH 7.56, PaCO2 24 mmHg, HCO3 -24 mmol/L, PAo2-56mmHg. His chest X-ray shows a right lobe infiltrated with pneumonia, air bronchograms, and alveolar consolidation. His white blood cell count was 21,000mm^3. S: The therapist performing the rounds, 6 hours later, noticed that the patient complained that his doctor is too "young" and that he feels worse when he came to the hospital, although at this time his vitals were better O: high blood pressure at 135/85, hr=90bpm, and resp, rate=19/min; oral temperature was 37.3C or 99F.; he also had strong nonproductive cough; chest ray indicated a partial resolution of the pneumonia, his bronchial breath sounds were audible and his SPO2 and ABGs values improved

New Right and 1970's - 1990's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New Right and 1970's - 1990's - Essay Example Social issues came to the forefront of voters' minds. The New Right tackled these social and economic issues (Nelson 9). This paper will discuss the social, economic and political issues which contributed to the rise of the New Right in the 1970's and 1980's. It will also discuss the effects it had on the Americans. Economic, social and political factors, which led to, the rise of the New Rights There exists more than one explanation for the rise of the New Rights. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that people could specifically point out the factors that led to the development of the New Rights (Vaguer 16). This is with a regards to the Conservatism era, which could be viewed as a continuation of an already set American tradition. The Conservatism era joins religious, moral and political principles into one thematic philosophy. One of the major factors for the development of the Conformist Right is as a counteract response to the liberalism of the counteract-society. The counteract-socie ty of the 1960s brought about the dismissal of family morals, spiritual ethics and the extensive distrust in the government set up. One could predict that a hostile response would arise (Vaguer 23). The feminist movements, and in particular the fundamental parts of the feminist association, have indeed had a leading role in the growth of the post-war conservative group. They formed the counterattack group that opposed sexual liberalism (Vaguer 23). They were responsible of changing the responsibilities of women in the workplace and family to a much better state. This was when the general ideas of the feminist group promulgated. Another leading factor is that during the recession of 1970, unemployment and inflation concurrently increased. Budget deficits were starting to rise at alarming rates. Some countries were still at a progressive stage in the early ’70’s (Lowndes 12). The citizens held up social programs and voted down efforts to reduce taxes. By the end of the ` 70’s, a developed tax revolution had been under way, led by the overpowering passage in 1978 of Proposal 13 in California. It eased assets taxes, and increased Congressional support for the Kemp-Roth tax statement, which looked to ease federal income taxes by 30%. Supply-side money matters developed in the 1970s in reply to Keynesian economic strategy and the failure of demand management. This was to calm down Western economies in the stagflation of the 1970s. It drew on a variety of non-Keynesian economic deliberations, mainly the Neo-Classical School and Chicago School (Lowndes 17). The scholar pedigree of supply-side money matters have also been linked to early thinkers who date back to earlier years, such as David Hume and Jonathan Swift. A significant political icon who influenced the adoption of the New Rights was Ronald Regan. In Tehran, the Islamic army freed some captives at the time Ronald Reagan were sworn in to power (Nelson 34). With his triumph in 1980, a new Am erican conservative association took command. Republicans took command of the Senate as of 1980, and conservative ideology dominated Reagan's foreign and economic rule. His policies were of the supply side economics and stern antagonism to Soviet Communism that described the Administration's idea. Reagan's thoughts were adopted by the conservative Heritage Institution, which developed radically in its sway, in the Reagan reign (Nelson 35).

Business economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business economy - Essay Example This will bring them to the Sainsbury store, aside from the fact that Sainsbury is the only supermarket with all sorts of food and other available product in that area. On the other side there is Oxford Street which has a huge amount of employees and costumer. Again for the same reason people would prefer to shop in Sainsbury store. Two major determinants of demand are at work in this situation: population and absence of related services. First, we expect Sainsbury to have higher demand since the population in the area is large (Fao Corporate). Given that it is the meeting place of two major streets, the location can be conveniently reached by many consumers. Second, the absence of related services provides no rivals for the services given by Sainsbury (Mankiw). This also increases the demand for this particular store. However, the problem with the service is the absence of self-serve cashiers. Given a higher demand for the service, this would mean that people will always have to queue when paying. Queues in this particular store are usually long and given that people have to use their nectar cards, it would take long before they can finish their transactions. This is a lack of service thereby reducing customer convenience. Certainly, inconvenience is one that can possibly drive the demand down. Employees 2. Upon observation, I realized that employees are not skilled enough or properly coordinated. Apparently, the planning and design of the employees' tasks were not properly done, so that when the store gets so busy, the employees fail to help each other, thus the problem of long queues cannot be addressed. Employees were not trained enough to do the tasks of others in case some experience a problem. This makes the operation paralyzed whenever the number of customers increases beyond usual. Size 3. The size of the store is very much important in delivering the service. Given that there is a large population of buyers in this particular store, it is necessary to also expand the floor area. This is a problem with Sainsbury since the area of the store remains small, compared to the number of possible customers. This problem has many possible bad effects. First, a small store area against the number of customers will bring inconvenience to the shoppers. Instead of enjoying their shopping experience, customers might feel it a burden. Second, this prevents the store from maximizing the existing demand for the product. Third, this will be a problem if a competitor builds a bigger store in the future. Sainsbury might find them divested of customers. Part Two In today's retail market, evermore discerning customers are requiring a wider range of goods and services. Increasing competition is putting profit margins under pressure and businesses across the industry must learn to manage objectives and resources professionally, efficiently and effectively. There are many factors and circumstances affecting the industry and as a result retail executives must consider fundamental solutions to their businesses in order to secure success in the market place. In order to achieve this, a large retailer such as Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited (SSL) must improve customer service and meet customer demands continuously taking into account

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 9

Management Accounting - Essay Example Coordination involves the systematic combination of various processes to achieve optimal results of pre-planned outcomes. It involves three main processes, which are performing situational analysis, competitor analysis and self-evaluation. Both micro-environmental and macro—environmental aspects must be considered. Concurrent with the above process, clear and specific objectives must be set. Vision statement, overall objectives both short-term and long—term are crafted (Abdel-Kader and Luther, 2006)). With regard to situational analysis, the above processes give rise to a strategic plan. The plan provides details of how coordination is to be achieved. Coordination involves managing dependencies among activities. Chandler suggests that to understand the business coordination concept, a simple intuition must come into mind that, if there is no interdependence, there is nothing to coordinate. It is comprehensible that players carrying out interdependent actions may have inconsistent interests and that might be called opinionated processes. These are ways of managing them in order to ensure best results are realized. According to Chandler, coordination occurs in many kinds of systems, biological, human, computational among others. The question on how community run enslavements among their actions are middle to parts of organization theory, sociology, management science, social psychology, linguistics, law and anthropology. Coordinating these dependencies gives rise to direct and indi rect costs (Lisa, 2006) Indirect Costs are the ones that have been sustained for universal or joint objectives and cannot be enthusiastically recognized with the exact final cost objective. They can also be defined as costs that cannot be directly quantified and may need further analysis to quantify them. They are incurred for various or interlinked activities and are not easily categorized into specific

Product Evaluation †Slenda Fat Burner Essay Example for Free

Product Evaluation – Slenda Fat Burner Essay Slenda Fat Burner is a product name distributed by Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems, a company that aims to provide natural remedies for losing weight and keeping healthy. Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems claims that the components of Slenda products are all-natural ingredients, thus providing for a safe and effective way to shed weight, enhance the performance of the digestive system, speed up metabolism, augment the formation of slim and slender muscles, and keep healthy by feeling energized. The ingredients used in manufacturing Slenda products are said to have come from different parts of the world to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the product and have undergone biological tests to guarantee not only weight loss but also overall wellbeing. These ingredients include Vitamin B6, Garcinia Cabogia, Guarana Extract, Citrus Auranthium, white willow bark, L-carnitine, Chromium picolinate, dandelion leaf, Uva Ursi, green tea, and cayenne powder. (Slenda, 2008a) Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems manufacture and distribute Slenda Fat Burner. Apparently, two people who endorse and practice the use of natural medicine founded the company. One of their primary goals is to provide products that are made from fine natural ingredients and educate consumers about the positive effects and benefits from using their products. The Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss Systems products claim to be an important instrument to â€Å"lose excess weight and fat easily and healthily.† The company claims to be dedicated in conducting continued and thorough research and remain conscious about new innovations that allows the them to develop and enhance nutritional supplements that promotes the health and being of everyone. Slenda products include Slenda Supergreens, Slenda Supergreens with Ashwaganda, Slenda Carbo Block, and Slenda Vital Vitamins. (Slenda, 2008b) I found the product over the internet as I was searching for general wellness merchandises. I browsed through their main website, slendasystems.com, and read the facts, news, frequently asked questions, and other related pages in their website to gain knowledge about their products and their goals and objectives. However, I was not able to find credentials and other relevant information that would prove the legitimacy of the company. Looking through the website about the use of their products, they are advising their consumers to use all their products simultaneously for best results (Slenda, 2008b). If a consumer uses the product for a month, assuming that all Slenda products last for three months $150 for three months totals to $600 a year. However, if the consumer uses Slenda Fat Burner alone, then he would be spending $30 for three months, or $120 per year (Slenda, 2008c). The main website of Slenda does not divulge any information regarding the side effects of Slenda Fat Burner. It only claims that ‘it is a natural, safe and effective way to reduce body size and weight, without any jittery side effects!† (Slenda, 2008d) There are no testimonials and other warnings from books, peer-reviewed articles, etc. that can be found over the internet by using Slenda Fat Burner. However, it still has not been reviewed and approved by the Food and Drug Authority (Acu-Market, 2008). Slenda Fat Burner is even more frightening because there are no comments or testimonials about it. Perhaps nobody tried to use it. I would not recommend this product to a friend who wants to try using it. First, it is not FAD approved, and second, there is no guarantee that it is really effective in losing weight. It also suggests that exercise and proper diet is needed to be able to achieve best results (Slenda, 2008e), which is hilarious, because if you want to lose weight, you really need to exercise to burn fats and maintain proper diet for health and wellness. Just doing this two, exercising and having a proper diet are enough for people to lose weight. Resources Acu-Market. (2008). Fat Burner by Slenda (100 Capsules). Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Medical Technology Products, Inc. Website: http://www.acu-market.com/prodinfo.asp?number=58272 Slenda. (2008a). Introducing Slenda. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/home.htm Slenda. (2008b). About Slenda. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/about.htm Slenda. (2008c). The Slenda Range: Buy Online. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nutritional Weight Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/products.htm Slenda. (2008d). Slenda Health. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional Weight Loss   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/health.htm Slenda. (2008e). Questions Answered. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from Slenda Nutritional   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weight Loss Systems. Website: http://www.slendasystems.com/faq.htm

The Education Games In Primary Schools Education Essay

The Education Games In Primary Schools Education Essay While educational games might be very important to the learning process, one of the biggest downfalls of this genre is that the learning objective is quite evident to the learner and often doesnt have much meaning for the learner. In more interactive educational games, the learning objective is submerged in a rich world that creates learning opportunities [Ahuja, Mitra, Kumar Singh, 1994]. Despite the mixed success of educational games designed specifically for learning, the impact of digital gaming has drawn many educators and researchers to question how they might be used to facilitate student learning. Over the past decade, the use of educational gaming has prompted considerable attention in exploring how and why games might be powerful tools in the classroom. As a result of this interest, there are potential benefits of this for education and learning in schools. Some important reasons why educational games should be fully implemented in primary schools are enhancing learning sk ills, engaging and motivating the children and preparing them for living and working in the 21st century. The first reason why educational games should be implemented in primary schools is to enhance learning while developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. In playing educational games, it is evident that skills and competences are developed. Using teacher evaluations of mostly simulation and quest-based educational games found numerous skills to be developed through their use [McFarlane, Sparrowhawk Heald, 2002]. Some of the skills developed playing educational games are, strategic thinking, planning, communication, decision-making, personal skills, spatial skills and social skills. Some educational games cultivate these skills by just engaging in them. If educational games have such a great impact on the development of a child, it should be incorporated in the curriculum of our primary schools. It will create a learning-based environment in which the children can fully utilize their learning capabilities. While the curriculum set by the Ministry of Education is academic, educational games will develop the basic motor skills in children of that level. The challenge is to identify how a certain educational games would connect to the curriculum. Educational games are tools to engage children in learning. The game is the hook or the stimulus, both for the learner and, in many cases particularly at primary level, for developing a rich and wide learning context. In classes, educational games provide a particular focus in one subject, for example, Mathematics or English Language but it is still valued as a stimulus for learning. An example of an educational game is Simcity which can be used to teach aquatic habitat in the subject area of Science. Educational games offer a rich mix of audio, video, text and the manipulation of the mouse to enhance learning. There is no comparison with an inert textbook. Educational games facilitate the multiple intelligences of children such as verbal, mathem atical and spatial. The second reason why educational games should be implemented in primary schools is to engage and motivate children via a student-centered approach to learning. Children can enter environments in games that would be impossible to access in any other way, for example going back in history, understanding the complexity of running a major city, managing entire civilizations or nurturing families. Games require engagement with complex decisions by allowing the player to explore the effects of different choices and a multiplicity of variables. Ongoing and responsive feedback on choices is usually given which encourages the users to discover new limits to their abilities. Games stimulate conversation and discussion since players are able to share ideas, hints and tips in what increasingly tends to be a very lively and supportive learning community [ELSPA, 2006]. Educational games allow children to interact and the nature of the games provides three main factors for motivation: fantasy, challenge and curiosity [Malone, 1981]. Fantasy relates to the use of imagination and the childs inherent inclination towards play. It provides a way for the children to feel freedom to fail, experiment, interpret and identify. Challenge is created by the task or puzzle in an educational game and when appropriately aligned with the childs ability level, the challenge falls within their zone of proximal development. Curiosity here is the sense of testing the educational game or exploring to determine what happens if the child does a certain task. Educational game creates a way for children to be motivated at the cognitive level and in using the new technologies; these games will have a greater impact on childrens everyday lives. One excellent example of motivating children via a student-centered approach is the world education games originating from Australia. Students play Literacy, Mathematics and Science against fellow students in a live, global forum. The teachers role is a facilitator of learning. Feedback is provided for participants while they develop their ICT skills. Finally, the third and most important reason why educational games should be implemented in primary schools is to prepare the children for living and working in the 21st century. Technology has certainly taken over many aspects of life. Children of today are using computers more often as well as handheld consoles. Teachers and school leaders want their children to be prepared for the world of work and to see them inspired towards a relevant future career. Educational gaming can help equip children with the skills required to adapt to the outside world. While the Ministry of Education is slowly implementing the game-based learning in schools, teachers are using the computers in their schools to facilitate educational games and provide game-based projects to the students. Educational games will provide the learning outcomes beneficial to excelling in the higher levels of education. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, individuals will be required to have skills in computing and o ther electronic devices in the future. If educational games are implemented in primary schools, it will certainly prepare the children for the future and it will provide a new perspective of learning in schools. In conclusion, it is clear that educational games present an opportunity to engage students in activities, which can enhance their learning. Like any successful outlay, outcomes need to be well planned and classrooms carefully organized to enable all children to engage in learning. Educational games seem like a viable way for the future learner to bring their existing interests, skills and knowledge into the classroom and then use the games as a hook or stimulus to build the activities for learning around them. Educational games provide a forum for learning in a happy way while developing cognitive and psychomotor skills. It prepares the child for their future life and so it is imperative that educational games should be implemented in primary schools in Trinidad and Tobago.

The complex matrilineal social structure of spotted hyenas

The complex matrilineal social structure of spotted hyenas Amazons of the animal world: the complex matrilineal social structure of spotted hyenas. The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta ¸ has evolved a matrilineal society in which the females are more dominant and aggressive than males within the clans. Female and male behaviors come together to form a complex societal structure that promotes variability and reproductive success. This species is an exceptional example of matrilineal hierarchy and social organization as opposed to the regular male-dominant societal structure present in the case of most mammals. Scientists continue to study the spotted hyena for its remarkably sophisticated social behavior, which may be comparable to that of some primates and possibly even human beings (Jenks et al., 1995; Drea et al., 2002; Engh et al., 2002; East et al., 2003). The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, is a very intelligent animal that organizes itself into large clans of 50-80 members (Engh et al., 2002). While most mammals exhibit a male-dominant society where males fight for rank and the right to reproduce, the spotted hyena has developed a matrilineal society (Jenks et al., 1995). Females are more dominant and aggressive than males and pass on their rank to their offspring (Jenks et al., 1995; Engh et al., 2002). They are responsible for reproductive choice due to their dominant status (East et al., 2003). Males regularly travel to clans outside their natal society, despite the cost of access to food, for the chance of higher reproductive success (Engh et al., 2002). They also engage in specific favorable behaviors to entice females to choose to mate with them (East et al., 2003). All of these sophisticated behaviors have evolved to promote variability and overall success for the spotted hyena. Even more amazingly, the same social structure a nd behaviors of dominant-submissive interactions emerged within an isolated group of spotted hyenas raised in captivity (Jenks et al., 1995). The spotted hyena is definitely a very unique case of societal arrangement (Engh et al., 2002). With further study, the evolution of this remarkable case of sex-role reversal and complex hierarchy may soon be fully understood. It may provide further insight into similar social arrangements seen with other animals such as primates (Jenks et al., 1995). The study of spotted hyenas may even provide insight into more primitive stages of human societal structure, especially where there are matrilineal cultures. Females are without question the more dominant gender within spotted hyena clans and they exercise this dominance when it comes to reproduction (Engh et al., 2002; East et al., 2003). They are on average larger, more aggressive, and more violent than males within the clan (Engh et al., 2002). Their special anatomy an enlarged clitoris through which copulation occurs gives them full control over sexual activities and partners (East et al., 2003). There is no chance for forced copulation simply because the male hyena needs the females full cooperation for proper coitus to occur (East et al., 2003). Theories for the evolution of this physical characteristic include (a) counter-evolution in the presence of high rates of forced copulation and (b) selection for overall more dominant and aggressive individuals resulting in masculinization (Drea et al., 2002). Since more dominant and aggressive females also attain a higher rank within the clan, they tend to be more successful in raising a larger number of young. A higher rank correlates to greater access to food and thus higher chances of survival for both mother and offspring (Engh et al., 2002). Female spotted hyenas have multiple criteria for choosing mates. They prefer immigrant males to natal males, those born within the community a possible measure for prevention of inbreeding (Engh et al., 2002). Even more amazingly, females generally prefer males of similar age, preventing sexual interactions with fathers or sons (East et al., 20023). Females also show preference for more submissive, less aggressive males (East et al., 2003). This selection for less aggressive males further emphasizes the sexual dimorphism, both in behavior and physical characteristics, present in this species. Females copulate with several males when in heat, possibly to dissuade males from infanticide (East et al., 2003). This behavior further increases variability it is quite common to see single litters whose cubs can be traced to different fathers (Engh et al., 2002). It serves to confuse males and dissuade them from killing cubs that may or may not be their own a complex behavior that shows fo resight and intelligent thought (East et al., 2003). Female choice for less aggressive males and behavior to prevent infanticide may have evolved to counter the extremely high-risk pregnancies these animals go through due to their anatomy (Drea et al., 2002). In a study conducted by Engh and colleagues (2002), the reproductive skew among male hyenas was investigated. One of the major discoveries was that immigrant males had an immense advantage over natal males. Over the 10-year period that one clan of hyenas was observed, it was found that immigrant males sired 97% of the cubs, while natal males only sired 3% (Engh et al., 2002). This explains the males behavior of leaving natal clans and immigrating elsewhere: the cost of rank and access to food are highly outweighed by the reproductive benefits in a non-natal clan (Engh et al., 2002). Within the group of immigrant males, it was found that rank did not have a statistically significant effect on a males reproductive success. In fact, males a few ranks below the highest ranking immigrant had the most success in terms of cubs sired (Engh et al., 2002). In general, tenure the measure of how long an immigrant male had been in the clan was found to be a better indicator of reproductive succ ess. The immigrant males rates of producing cubs increased significantly the longer they remained in the clan, showing a strong correlation between tenure and reproductive success (Engh et al., 2002). Male spotted hyenas are also observed to exhibit behaviors to make themselves more attractive to females. As found in a recent study by East and colleagues (2003), there was no reproductive advantage to harassing, shadowing, or defending females from other competition. In fact, males exhibiting these behaviors were often attacked or chased away by females and other clan members. Instead, males found significantly more reproductive success by fostering relationships with females over longer periods of time a surprisingly complex behavior very close to that of humans (East et al., 2003). Having these friendly relationships also were seen to solidify the males places within the clan hierarchy once again, a very complex sociological behavior, especially when seen outside the order of primates (East et al., 2003). The sophisticated system of hierarchy was even recreated in captivity by a group of previously unranked hyenas collected at infancy (Jenks et al., 1995). Amazingly, these young hyenas grouped themselves in a matrilineal hierarchy, as observed over the course of two generations (Jenks et al., 1995). This structuring occurred despite the lack of maternal input for the first generation, showing that social organization is programmed into the spotted hyenas behavioral patterns (Jenks et al., 1995). While the first generation had little to no maternal interaction to help rank them within the clan, they went on to influence their own offsprings place in the clan hierarchy, just as observed in wild clans (Jenks et al., 1995). The only significant difference between the experimental clan and wild clans was the speed at which the cubs ranks stabilized within the community. Experimental group cubs solidified their place much faster than those in the wild, possibly due to smaller numbers and le ss movement within the clan (Jenks et al., 1995). The spotted hyena is a remarkable animal. It shows extremely complex behavior that leads to sophisticated social structure something that is rarely seen in mammals outside of primates (Jenks et al., 1995). In fact, the matrilineal group structure of hyena clans is very similar to that of Old World primates (Jenks et al., 1995). The sense of organization in this manner is so strong within the hyenas evolved behavioral patterns that matrilineal structure is even seen to spontaneously emerge in isolated hyenas raised in captivity (Jenks et al., 1995). Complex sexual behaviors, such as the females choice of partner based on immigrant status, tenure, and age, seem to promote the creation of this social structure (Engh et al., 2002; East et al., 2003). Carefully nurtured relationships between same- and opposite-sex individuals show the multifaceted interactions between clan members that also contribute to the development of matrilineal organization (East et al., 2003). Female dominance is even supported by biological mechanisms and the altered anatomy of this species (Drea et al., 2002). With further study, the circumstances that led to the evolution of this unique system may soon be uncovered. This will provide insight not only into the spotted hyenas sociological history, but also into that of Old World primates and possibly even that of human beings. It is an exciting prospect that will hopefully emerge within the years to come.

Peirce, Thirdness and Pedagogy :: Philosophy Education Teaching Learning Papers

Peirce, Thirdness and Pedagogy It is well known that the word pedagogy comes from the Greek paidagogos (teacher, pedagogue) which has the same root as paideia, usually translated "culture." The theme of this congress highlights the hope of many teachers of philosophy, that their teaching and writing has some impact on the culture. In this paper I want to show a connection between a Peircean understanding of persons (as interpreted by Royce) and its implications for how we go about conducting classes in philosophy. This connection is very recent with me, and it has changed my approach to teaching, especially at the "introductory" level. Our line of thought will have three major phases: 1) the Peircean understanding of persons as members of a community of interpretation; 2) its implications for a theory of pedagogy which emphasizes "induction into" more than "introduction to" the subject; and 3) the specific techniques that I have adopted in introductory classes to enact this theory of pedagogy. At the outset I should say that at least half of my teaching is at the introductory level, with classes ranging from 30 to 50 students each. It is these students, most of whom will not take any more philosophy, that I am most concerned about in this paper. How can their one exposure to academic philosophy convince them that it is a vital part of their heritage and a cultural resource that is absolutely necessary to a healthy society? Especially if a course is historically oriented, as ours is by catalogue description, it is easy for students to feel that philosophy is the irrelevant meanderings of dead white males! Good teaching can overcome this in some measure, but I believe that a Peircean understanding of persons can lead us to a theory of pedagogy that directs us towards the kind of classroom practices that will make the experience of philosophy more vital and significant for our students. I. Peirce, Thirdness, and Personhood Every philosophy of education in informed, at least implicitly, by a notion of personhood. Peirce focused more explicitly on epistemological understandings than personhood, but his epistemological writings supplied perspectives which were used by Josiah Royce in his last major work, The Problem of Christianity, to formulate a notion of the self as a member of a "community of interpretation." In his discussion of this concept, Royce was explicit about his debt to Peirce, especially Peirce’s notion of "thirdness.

Ridged Puritan Society in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter: Ridged Puritan Society In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a rigid Puritan society in which one is unable to divulge his or her innermost thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the opportunity to express how he or she truly feels; otherwise the emotions are bottled up until they become volatile. Unfortunately, society did not permit this kind of expression; thus characters had to seek alternate means to relieve their personal needs and desires. Luckily, at least for the four main characters, Hawthorne provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious forest. Hawthorne uses the forest to provide a kind of "shelter" for members of society in need of a refuge from daily Puritan life. In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the pivotal characters bring forth hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement out into the wilderness where all signs of civilization vanish. This is precisely the escape route from strict mandates of law and religion, to a refuge where men, as well as women, can open up and be themselves. It is here that Dimmesdale openly acknowledges Hester and his undying love for her. It is also here that Hester can do the same for Dimmesdale. Finally, it is here that the two of them can openly engage in conversation without being preoccupied with the constraints that Puritan society places on them. Truly, Hester takes advantage of this, when Arthur Dimmesdale appears. She openly talks with Dimmesdale about subjects which would never be mentioned in any place other than the forest. "What we did..." she reminds him, "had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said to each other!" This statement shocks Dimmesdale and he tells Hester to hush, but he eventually realizes that he is in an environment where he can openly express his emotions. The thought of Hester and Dimmesdale having an intimate conversation in the confines of the society in which they live is incomprehensible. Yet here, in the forest, they can throw away all reluctance and finally be themselves under the umbrella of security, which exists. In Puritan society, self-reliance is stressed among many other things. However, self-reliance is more than stressed- it is assumed. It is assumed that you need only yourself, and therefore should have no emotional necessity for a "shoulder to cry on". Ridged Puritan Society in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays The Scarlet Letter: Ridged Puritan Society In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a rigid Puritan society in which one is unable to divulge his or her innermost thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the opportunity to express how he or she truly feels; otherwise the emotions are bottled up until they become volatile. Unfortunately, society did not permit this kind of expression; thus characters had to seek alternate means to relieve their personal needs and desires. Luckily, at least for the four main characters, Hawthorne provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious forest. Hawthorne uses the forest to provide a kind of "shelter" for members of society in need of a refuge from daily Puritan life. In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the pivotal characters bring forth hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement out into the wilderness where all signs of civilization vanish. This is precisely the escape route from strict mandates of law and religion, to a refuge where men, as well as women, can open up and be themselves. It is here that Dimmesdale openly acknowledges Hester and his undying love for her. It is also here that Hester can do the same for Dimmesdale. Finally, it is here that the two of them can openly engage in conversation without being preoccupied with the constraints that Puritan society places on them. Truly, Hester takes advantage of this, when Arthur Dimmesdale appears. She openly talks with Dimmesdale about subjects which would never be mentioned in any place other than the forest. "What we did..." she reminds him, "had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said to each other!" This statement shocks Dimmesdale and he tells Hester to hush, but he eventually realizes that he is in an environment where he can openly express his emotions. The thought of Hester and Dimmesdale having an intimate conversation in the confines of the society in which they live is incomprehensible. Yet here, in the forest, they can throw away all reluctance and finally be themselves under the umbrella of security, which exists. In Puritan society, self-reliance is stressed among many other things. However, self-reliance is more than stressed- it is assumed. It is assumed that you need only yourself, and therefore should have no emotional necessity for a "shoulder to cry on".

Forced Reading :: Reading Writing

Forced Reading Before I entered kindergarten, my mother, who had been an elementary school teacher, had me read and do arithmetic every day while my brother, four years my elder, was in school. I remember the days sitting at the dining room table. I was only four and my body was still disproportional to the furniture. The chair was too low and the table too high. My easy reader was on the table, and I strained to view it properly from my position. I fidgeted a bit as I wondered why I had to do this. I could hear the dogs outside. I wanted to play with them. I spotted my kitchen set in the next room. I wanted to play with it. My mother was in the kitchen baking something that smelled much more appealing than reading. She must have been looking at me through the pass-through window, as she caught me in my daydream and reminded me that I was supposed to be reading my book. The cat ran away from the man. I made my own story up in my head. The girl ran away from the table. She played with the toys. She was happy. I suppose, for quite a few years, I was a big disappointment to my mother as far as reading went. It wasn’t that I couldn’t read, it was that I never wanted to, and compared to my older brother, who read a book everyday, I was quite a let down. It might not have been such a dilemma to any other parent, but to my mother who’d taught and encouraged kids to read for many years, it certainly was. Kindergarten was successfully useless, as between recess and nap time there was only time for coloring, and none for reading or learning of any type. I kept this fact hidden from my mother, though I’m certain she knew as my daily dining table ritual continued throughout the year. When I started first grade, I finally started to appreciate some of my mother’s work. At the beginning of the year, everyone had to take a reading level test, and I ranked the highest among my classmates. I flexed my reading skills before everyone. I volunteered to read during class. I read to my parents, to my grandparents, to my dog.

Visa Sponsorship Marketing Group

rP os t CASE: SPM-5 DATE: 7/22/03 VISA SPONSORSHIP MARKETING op yo Visa was the world’s leading payment brand and its vision was to be â€Å"The World’s Best Way to Pay. † In 2002, Visa-branded cards (credit; debit and prepaid; corporate; purchasing and business products)1 generated more than $2. 4 trillion in annual volume; totaled more than one billion cards worldwide, and were accepted in over 150 countries and territories. Visa was among the most globally recognized brands and it held 7. 1 percent share of global personal consumption expenditures (PCE). Its U. S. tagline, â€Å"It’s everywhere you want to be,† had become part of the American lexicon. Appendix A and Exhibit 1 provide summary information on Visa. tC Visa attributed an important part of its success to high profile sponsorships such as its Olympic Games sponsorship. Visa also sponsored numerous events such as the Rugby World Cup, Best of Broadway, the Toronto Film Festival, NASCAR, the NFL, the Visa Triple Crown, and the Paralympics, and has an international alliance with The Walt Disney Company.In the fall of 2002, Visa announced its decision to extend its Olympic Games sponsorship through 2012. Its original sponsorship deal was structured through the 2004 games in Athens, but the sponsorship was extended because the partnership had become increasingly successful over time. The deal would extend a relationship between Visa and the Olympic Games that started in 1986. The company spent an additional two to three times that of the sponsorship fee it pays for advertising, promotions, and other efforts to maximize the value of the ponsorship – not an atypical amount for such sponsorships. 1 No Visa International was comprised of six regional operating organizations: Asia-Pacific; Canada; Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEMEA); European Union; Latin America & Caribbean; the United States. Despite its global reach, Visa remained very much a lo cal organization. Its regional offices had a high degree of operating and marketing autonomy. Visa felt that because its regional organizations were closest to their local markets, they knew best how to help member institutions serve their customers.Do Debit products allowed consumers to access their checking or bank deposit accounts directly. Debit products gave consumers the choice to â€Å"pay now,† whereas credit products allowed consumers to â€Å"pay later,† and prepaid products to â€Å"pay before. † 2 Personal consumer expenditure represented the market value of all goods and services purchased by households and nonprofit institutions, excluding the purchase of homes. In 2003, global PCE was at $19 trillion and was comprised primarily of cash and check payments.Visa had an average annual increase in its share of global PCE of 12 percent over the prior five years. Victoria Chang prepared this case under the supervision of Professor George Foster as the ba sis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 2003 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, e-mail the Case Writing Office at: [email  protected] stanford. du or write: Case Writing Office, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 518 Memorial Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means –– electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise –– without the permission of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. du or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 2 Thomas Shepard, Visa’s executive vice president of international marketing, partnerships, and sponsorship, played a key role in convincing Visa’s six regional boards and its international board to allow Visa to extend its Olympics and Paralympic sponsorship. The sponsorship gave and would continue to give Visa and its member financial institutions (i. e. , banks and credit unions) exclusive marketing rights, including advertising and promotional use of the Olympic rings and other graphics.Visa also would be entitled to exclusivity with transactions under Olympic control, including online transactions, ticket sales, and Olympic-themed events. SPONSORSHIP MARKETING op yo In the summer of 2003, Shepard and his team gathered at Visa’s International headquarters located in Foster City, California, to reflect on the impact and lessons of its past sponsorship activities. Specifically, they planned to discuss the current corporate strategy and through this process refine the existing sponsorship strategy. The current corporate strategy emphasized greater involvement in the field of entertainment.An outgrowth was selecting and working with new partners such as The Walt Disney Company (2002). General Sponsorship Marketing No tC Sports marketing was an important marketing platform for many companies – see Exhibit 2 (Panel A). Sports sponsorship was often a key component of sports marketing. There were many ways to own/sponsor properties — by an event title or presenting title; a naming rights sponsor of sporting venues; a supporting level partner; a supplier and/or licensee; or a media sponsor; athlete endorser. In several instances, companies who did not officially sponsor events participated in ambush marketing techniques. Companies typically sponsored general properties and sports events to: 1) strengthen customer relationships, 2) acquire new customers, and 3) provide incentives for their retail distrib ution channels. 4 In 2002, global sponsorship spending reached $24. 4 billion. In the U. S. alone, companies spent $9. 4 billion on sponsorships in 2001. 5 According to Shepard, sponsorship marketing had increased in popularity due to globalization; new access points, including new media that allowed companies to reach consumers in very segmented ways; and convergence of the sports and entertainment industries.Do Most major consumer brands leveraged sponsorship marketing to enhance their marketing efforts. For example, according to sponsorship consultancy IEG, in 2002, Anheuser Busch spent between $215 and $220 million on sponsorship marketing, PepsiCo. between $190 and $195 million, and Nike between $105 and $110 million. According to IEG, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express together spent $150 to $165 million on all types of sponsorship in the U. S. in 2001. Visa and MasterCard each spent $65 to $70 million, making them respectively the 11th and 12th largest spenders on sponsor ship.American Express spent $20 to $25 million and was ranked 49th. These figures only included the rights to purchase properties. Big-time sponsors such as these companies typically spent two to three times as much promoting their official 3 Ambush marketing was when companies who did not officially sponsor properties led consumers to infer that they were part of the official event through marketing, advertisements, or other marketing methods. 4 â€Å"Winning the Sports Sponsorship Game,† Bank Marketing International, June 24, 2002, p. 8. 5Michael McCarthy, â€Å"Sports Sponsorship Game Heating Up,† USA Today, June 12, 2002, p. 3B. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 3 sponsorship status as they paid to get that official status. â€Å"The price of entry is what you pay for the proper ty,† said Shepard. â€Å"Where you really start to spend, and reap the most benefits, is in the marketing tools that your constituencies need — the advertising programs, promotional templates, nd onsite efforts. † William Chipps, senior editor of IEG Sponsorship Report, a Chicago-based sponsorship newsletter, agreed by stating that in order to be worthwhile, Visa’s total Olympic expenditure needed to be at least three to four dollars on marketing for every dollar paid for the sponsorship — and that did not include its media buy. â€Å"A company can sponsor an event, but the sponsorship isn't going to do much for them unless they spend some extra money to activate it through consumer sweepstakes or client hospitality6,† said Chipps. Sports Sponsorship Marketing p yo Sports marketing was a particularly high-stakes game. In 2002, in the U. S. alone, companies annually spent $9. 4 billion on sports sponsorships. 7 In 2001, companies spent $6. 5 b illion on sports sponsorships in the U. S. , up from $2. 1 billion in 1992. 8 In the U. S. sponsorship market, sports held the largest market share, or 69 percent of the total sponsorship market in 2001, up 10 percent from $5. 9 in 2000. 9 IEG expected sports sponsorships to increase in future years and to outpace the rate of growth in general sponsorship spending. tCAccording to some analysts, sports marketing was more complicated than simply putting a logo on a shirt: â€Å"Part of the problem is that some clients and agencies think that the sport they align with will do the marketing job by itself. In reality, to be effective at sports marketing requires the same attention to detail as any other discipline. †10 Andrew Hampel, managing director, Europe, of the sports marketing group, IMG, commented: â€Å"Sports sponsorship may give you the right to talk to customers, but if you want to say anything worthwhile about your brand, you have to engage them at a number of levels .The starting point is always to identify your target audience and set your objectives. When you know what you want to do, choose a sport that you can afford and leverage it creatively through above-the-line advertising, PR, sales promotion, hospitality, and community tie-ins — just as you would do in any well-orchestrated non-sport strategy. †11 No VISA SPONSORSHIP MARKETING STRATEGY AND PROCESS Visa sponsored events such as the Olympic Games, the Best of Broadway, NASCAR, NFL, the Visa Triple Crown, the Walt Disney Company, and the Paralympics – see Exhibits 3 and 4.Shepard discussed how sponsorship could help Visa improve upon and alter its brand image: Do Within the payment service industry, we’re doing research that shows how consumers view the brand. We’ve learned that we are very relevant in the minds 6 Hospitality programs included free tickets, travel packages, and corporate events hosted by senior Visa management. Beyond sports sponsorship s, companies spent over $27 billion on traditional sports advertising and more than $1 billion on endorsements and Internet advertisements. 8 Michael McCarthy, â€Å"Sports Sponsorship Game Heating Up,† USA Today, June 12, 2002, p. B. 9 â€Å"Winning the Sports Sponsorship Game,† Bank Marketing International, June 24, 2002, p. 8. 10 Andy Fry, â€Å"Beyond Branding—Sports Marketing is More Complicated than Putting a Logo on a Shirt,† Sports Marketing, March 29, 2002, p. 26. 11 Ibid 7 This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 4 of consumers and have a significant impact on consumer lifestyle. Visa gives people piece of mind and people use their cards everyday.They believe we’re a quality organization, but we’re not perceived as unique. That’s what we have wor ked on and that’s what sponsorship can help us achieve. Visa’s sponsorship portfolio was also skewed [toward] male and low-end [markets] in some cases and we are balancing our portfolio as a result of this research. Periodically, Visa embarked on a â€Å"sponsorship refresh† where the sponsorship team made sure that its objectives paralleled Visa’s corporate objectives. â€Å"Our sponsorship marketing objectives are grounded in corporate objectives and executed through the brand value proposition,† explained Shepard. p yo Sponsorship Development Cycle Visa divided its sponsorship opportunities into three development cycles: 1) emerging markets (name recognition, branding, and product sampling), 2) maturing markets (name building, signage, advertising, public relations, and promotions), and 3) mature markets (presence, products, partnerships, and alternative media). In this final mature market category, Visa sought to differentiate its product from competitors. Sponsorship Selection Criteria and Internal Integration tCVisa’s sponsorship selection criteria included the following: 1) brand fit, 2) usage stimulation on behalf of Visa’s members, 3) event history/credibility, 4) broad reach, 5) governing body control, 6) advocacy creation, 7) low risk, 8) event’s marketing plan, 9) ease of implementation, and 10) strong member interest. Shepard commented on the challenges of evaluating long-term sponsorship opportunities: â€Å"There are a lot of new payment schemes out there in the payments industry and looking out into the future to try to figure out what the landscape is going to look like is probably the hardest part of evaluating any sponsorship opportunity. Sponsorship Marketing Platforms and Marketing Mix Do No Shepard discussed Visa’s sponsorship marketing platforms and marketing mix: â€Å"The property Visa is associated with is all about creating platforms. From an advertising platform standp oint, we seek to build awareness and imagery and support member acquisition/usage. From a promotional platform standpoint, we seek to increase usage and partner with strong brands. From a corporate relations platform, we seek to enhance impact/reach of other marketing efforts, strengthen our corporate reputation and image, and improve employee relations through employee programs (e. . an event with Disney, Visa’s sponsor, to show employees why Visa decided to partner with Disney). From a product platform standpoint, we seek to showcase new technologies; launch new products; and develop infrastructure on site. † (Exhibit 5. ) To implement sponsorship marketing platforms, Visa first conducted core/primary consumer research and then held an initial task force meeting and promotional briefing. It believed in developing a multi-agency â€Å"promotional platform† where various advertising agencies and internal onstituents developed and tested the marketing and promotio nal concepts as a team. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 5 THE OLYMPIC GAMES Overview op yo The Olympic Games transcended political and geographical boundaries to deliver international exposure, broad-based audience appeal, and a wide range of cultural and sporting events appealing to virtually every demographic.For example, during the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000 Summer), more than 3. 7 billion viewers across 220 countries watched over 3,500 hours of coverage totaling 36. 1 billion viewing hours while athletes from 80 of the 200 countries participating earned 928 medals. During the Salt Lake City Games (2002 Winter), 2. 1 billion global viewers in 160 countries amassed 13. 1 billion viewer hours. Exhibit 6 shows U. S. television coverage and ratings for each Games since 1960. Despite recent Oly mpic scandals (see Appendix C), many corporations still continued to sponsor the event.Indeed, many of the 10 worldwide sponsors had very long associations with the International Olympic Committee (Exhibit 2, Panel B). tC From 1988 to 2002, Visa USA had donated more than $9 million to the U. S. Olympic Team to help fulfill the dreams of America’s Olympic athletes and hopefuls. Although exact sponsorship figures were not disclosed, in 2002, TOP (The Olympic Partners) sponsors paid over $50 million for a four-year sponsorship cycle. Visa’s members received hospitality benefits due to Visa’s sponsor status, as well as a guaranteed number of rooms and tickets for member and client entertainment (e. . Visa had invited approximately 800 guests to Salt Lake City). Visa’s members could also sponsor an individual athlete or team, use the Olympic theme in marketing promotions (from TV advertising to product literature); or issue Olympic cards with the Olympic rings or a picture of the specific athlete or team they were sponsoring without paying extra fees. Since Visa began its Olympic sponsorship, its members had issued more than 21 million Visa cards bearing the exclusive Olympic rings. NoShepard explained Visa’s rationale for sponsoring the Olympics: â€Å"We look at the equities that a property brings to us to develop our business. We seek out sponsorships that generate advocacy at the highest end of the consumer spending pyramid. If you look at the Olympics, it’s a perfect fit for us. Olympic brand equities include being at the pinnacle of its category; having universal appeal; standing for excellence; having broad-based consumer awareness and acceptance; having global reach with local impact and participation; and standing for leadership.Visa’s brand equities of industry leadership; global yet local; accepted everywhere; innovative and modern; and service excellence parallel Olympic brand equities. Visa probably cou ld work on innovativeness, though, because we’re not known as the most innovative brand. † Do Matt Beispiel, former vice president for Visa said: â€Å"The key is that the Olympics really fit into our overall strategy, which is aligning Visa with the best. It’s a one-of-a-kind event, especially in this country, where Americans are enamored with the Olympic Games. Those five rings really are very, very meaningful.Our hope, with all of our marketing efforts around the Olympic Games, is that all of the goodwill and good feelings that people have (in) [about] those five rings will attach to the Visa brand. †12 12 Lisa Riley Roche, â€Å"Some of Visa’s TV Ads to Promote ’02 Games,† Desert News, April 6, 2000, p. E01. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 6 op yo In November 2002, Visa announced that it would be renewing its Olympic sponsorship through 2012.As a result of the renewed agreement, Visa would be the exclusive payment card and official payment service for the four Olympic Games following Athens (Summer 2004). This included the Winter Games in Torino in 2006, the Summer Games in Beijing in 2008, the Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, and the 2012 Games (locations yet to be determined). Shepard discussed Visa’s continuation of its Olympic sponsorship through 2012: â€Å"I presented to Visa’s six regional boards to get the international board to allow us to sponsor the Olympics through 2012.They asked us, ‘Aren’t you subject to exorbitant fees to make sure that Visa owns the category in TV in the U. S. ’ and that’s something that we and other sponsors must evaluate. It is a costly opportunity. We cannot just look at the cost of the property. We have to look at the cost of the property pl us the television rights that we have to acquire, the manufacturing of all the commercials that we have to do, etc. Millions of dollars were rolled up into this decision. The question is, how can we best leverage the property and how can we make a business case for sponsoring the property. Malcolm Williamson, CEO and President of Visa International said: â€Å"In the eight years following the Athens Games, Visa’s corporate sponsorship is expected to provide nearly $40 million in financial support to National Olympic Committees and through to the athletes in support of their quest to participate in the Olympic dream. †13 According to Williamson, â€Å"It's taken us a lot of time to get value out of that Olympic property. † Over the years since 1986, Visa member banks have become more involved and derived greater benefit from the sponsorship.Williamson believed that extending the sponsorship until 2012 would â€Å"enable these 21,000 banks to have the confidence to go on leveraging this property and recognize that we’re not going to change course. †14 tC Evolution of Olympic Sponsorship Do No Shepard discussed the progression of Visa’s involvement with the Olympics: â€Å"We’ve raised the bar with the Olympics. When we first started with the Olympics, we were just trying to get our name out and use it as an advertising platform. Our sponsorship strategy has evolved to one with a global platform with local relevance; an integrated marketing approach; and n expanded window of opportunity beyond just the Olympic Games. † Shepard continued: â€Å"In Albertville (1992 Winter), we started to engage and build marketing programs for all of our member financial institutions. We expanded member and merchant participation globally. In Barcelona (1992 Summer), we expanded Visa’s presence in the host city for the first time by engaging the merchant community and having onsite visibility with our own service cent ers. In Lillehammer (1994 Winter), it was the first time we rolled out a global corporate relations platform and really started to get visibility throughout the city and we began sponsoring teams.In Atlanta (1996 Summer), it was the first time we did anything comprehensive on site with our products. We issued a stored value product [pre-paid cards] that was marginally successful. Our hospitality program, ATM infrastructure, and Customer Service Center hosting were all significantly larger than those at previous games. In Nagano (1999 Winter), we had overkill in terms of our visibility and we learned that we needed to have a comprehensive effort because at Nagano we 13 â€Å"Visa Extends Olympic Games Sponsorship for Eight More Years,† Visa Press Release, November 11, 2002. Visa Website: http://www. visa. com/globalgateway/gg_selectcountry. tml? retcountry=1. 14 â€Å"Visa Breaks Olympic Record for Sponsorship,† Bank Marketing International, January 22, 2003, p. 8. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 7 had five different Visa logos. Also in Nagano, initially only 6 percent of the merchants took Visa, but by the time we finished, we had a 1,000 percent increase in merchant acceptance of Visa cards. We also used Nagano as a platform and template for a lot of our other Asian activities. OLYMPICS INTEGRATED MARKETING PROGRAM For the Olympic Games, Visa focused on creating an integrated marketing program which included creating a central marketing theme; a look of the Games; member and merchant programs; advertising; promotions; public relations; athlete relationships; host city partner/presence programs; onsite activation capabilities; and hospitality. (Examples are in Exhibits 7 and 8. ) op yo Central Marketing Theme and Look of the Games For the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Visa created an integrated marketing platform centered on a marketing theme, â€Å"You’ve got what it takes. Shepard said this central marketing theme â€Å"spoke to the core brand position of superior acceptance, to the athletes who were the core of the Olympics, to Visa cardholders, and to Visa employees. Visa’s look also complemented the Salt Lake Olympic Committees look and feel. † Member and Merchant Programs and Promotions tC For the Salt Lake City Games, Visa created member and merchant programs in which 500 members around the world utilized Visa’s rights in the form of statement inserts, templates, and other promotional campaigns.Members were its banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions issuing Visa products. More than 50 million statement inserts highlighting Visa’s Olympic marketing programs were distributed to consumers. Visa received an unprecedented 100 percent participation in its member program s from its top 12 U. S. members during the Salt Lake City Games. Of the top members, 75 percent conducted multiple programs that covered multiple lines of business (credit, debit, commercial, employee incentives, etc. ). Do No Merchants received indirect association with the Olympics through Visa.For the Salt Lake Games, statement inserts included offers such as Olympics-related sweepstakes. Fifty-four member sweepstakes programs were also developed during the Salt Lake City Games. For example, each time cardholders used their Visa cards, they were automatically entered to win a trip to the Olympics. Linda Cullinan, a vice president of Intrust Bank of Wichita, Kansas, said it had chosen to ally with Visa over MasterCard in part because of the prestige associated with the Olympic Games. Intrust used some of the Visa Olympic promotional inserts in statements sent to its 100,000 card account holders.Though Visa offered Intrust a better deal financially, â€Å"Visa's standing in the ma rket was the single most important factor in the branding decision, â€Å"followed by the promotions they run and the acceptability of those promotions,† she said. 15 In 1994 Visa also launched another worldwide public relations program effort called the â€Å"Visa Olympics of the Imagination,† a children’s art contest. Children ages 9 to 13 from various 15 Lavonne KuyKendall, â€Å"Gauging Value Has High Degree of Difficulty,† The American Banker, February 27, 2002, p. 1. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013.Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 8 countries were invited to submit art around a designated theme. For the Atlanta Summer games, Visa asked children to invent and then illustrate an Olympic sport of the future, and write about how that sport would promote global peace and unity. For the contest in Nag ano, children were asked to create artwork featuring a person they admired, engaged in a Winter Olympic sport. Winners received free trips to the Olympic Games.For the Atlanta Games, the contest garnered positive coverage in more than 1,000 newspapers, print, TV, and radio outlets in more than 50 countries and Visa received approximately 600 million media impressions. Mike Sherman, vice president of corporate relations at Visa in San Francisco said: â€Å"That's like getting a story in The Wall Street Journal every day for a year. †16 op yo Merchant programs included online and offline efforts. During the Salt Lake City Games, merchants such as Federated, Nordstrom, CompUSA, and Gap. com participated in merchant programs by promoting trips to the Olympics if consumers used their Visa cards.Prior to Salt Lake, merchants ordered over 1 million point-of-sale signs and over 15,000 merchants participated in merchant programs. Advertising tC Advertising was a significant part of Vi sa’s integrated marketing program. During the Sydney Games, Visa launched two television spots highlighting its Olympic ties during the Super Bowl (nine months early). Visa typically tailored its advertising to reflect the unique aspects of each Olympic setting. â€Å"As you go from Olympics to Olympics, each one has a different feel and tone. We try to develop a concept that suits each one,† said Beispiel. What we wanted to exploit this year [Sydney 2000] are the unique aspects of the Australia Olympics. The ‘dream with no boundaries’ theme is a way to capitalize on the magnitude and boundless nature of that continent. †17 No Television dominated the advertising mix for the Sydney campaign. Visa purchased exclusive rights on the NBC Olympic broadcast and was the only advertiser in its category during the Games coverage on that network as well as MSNBC and CNBC. Visa also bought exclusive rights on the local NBC stations in the top dozen markets. Oth er advertising included radio, print, and online advertising.Early Visa television advertisements highlighted places that accepted Visa but not American Express. This campaign was developed in 1985 by BBDO. â€Å"It was intended to separate the Visa brand from MasterCard,† said Beispiel. â€Å"We have both brands that functionally do the same thing and we needed to somehow separate the brands in the mind of the consumers to move our business ahead. †18 Athlete Relationships Do Visa developed relationships with athletes around the world. In the U. S. , Visa had sponsored the ski team since 1986 and for Salt Lake, extended its athlete sponsorship into other sports such as snowboarding, bobsledding (e. . Jean Racine and Jen Davidson), freestyle, figure skating (e. g. 16 Visa Press Release, September 8, 1997, volume 53, issue 25. â€Å"Visa Kicks Off Olympic-Themed Campaign,† Bank Advertising News, February 21, 2000, volume 24, issue 4, p. 1. 18 Ibid. 17 This docume nt is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 9 Sasha Cohen) and other athletes in the Paralympics. Visa also sponsored the Canadian bobsleigh team, the Russian hockey team, and the Japanese ski jumping team.During the Salt Lake City Games, Visa directly tied athletes into its efforts through a â€Å"usage study† called â€Å"One Year, One Card,† with three hopefuls (two Olympians and one Paralympian). Each agreed in March 2001 to give up cash and checks as part of Visa’s â€Å"One Year, One Card† program. Two of the three (one out due to injury) successfully completed the program in February 2002, after spending a year writing no checks and using cash only for purchases under $10. Destination Marketing—Host City Partner/Presence Programs op yoVisa was the first worldwide Olympic partn er to launch â€Å"destination marketing† programs linked to the Olympic Games’ host cities. Visa’s strategy was to extend the benefit of its Olympics sponsorship beyond the actual Olympic Games: â€Å"We have been able to stretch the marketing window from the duration of the Olympics to a four to five year period,† said Shepard. â€Å"We have a worldwide sponsorship of tourism, merchants, and advertising, which never stops. † Visa assisted its partners and members in creating local and regional incremental value and benefits around the Olympic Games.Sydney proved to be the â€Å"gold standard† of Visa’s destination marketing efforts, according to Shepard. In Sydney, Visa generated more than $40 million in marketing value for Australia for the Sydney Olympic Games over the four-year period leading up to the Olympic Games in 2000. 19 Shepard stated: tC Sydney was our most robust case of generating volume for our Visa network of members . We still have partnerships from that time period that are around today such as the Australian Tourism Commission, the Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau, etc. We’ve really penetrated the merchant community in Sydney.Sydney became our gold standard. And we continued this effort in Salt Lake City. In Athens (Summer 2004), we’re looking to use Athens as a pan-European footprint, extending our reach beyond Greece. No In the Salt Lake Games, Visa created national television commercials that highlighted Olympic athletes and Utah as a destination during the Games. One spot titled â€Å"Surfing,† featured the Wasatch Powderbird Guides, a Utah-based helicopter ski and snowboard company. â€Å"We have changed our methodology in the 16 years since we first started sponsoring the Olympic games,† said Sherman. DoOur campaign for the 1988 Calgary Olympics was all about branding and we focused on the 17 days surrounding the games. Then in 1994, we saw that Visa was going to have to adapt its marketing to make it closer to tourism and spread its efforts over a much longer period. We realized that we had to work with the Olympic city before, during, and after the Games in order to derive the best benefits for our members. We asked ourselves why host cities bid for the games and we realized the answer came down to showcasing the city to the world. Not only do the games bring tourists to the Olympic city, but also they create a large 9 Visa Website: http://www. visa. com/globalgateway/gg_selectcountry. html? retcountry=1. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 10 halo effect that lasts beyond the games. Prior to the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona was the 16th most popular tourist destination in Europe. In 1993, it was the third. There was a similar kind of lift in Austral ia after the 2000 games. 20The Division of Travel Development in Utah, where the Winter Olympics took place in February 2002, stated: â€Å"One measurement of the improved visibility the state has received during and after the Olympics has been the sustained increase in visits to the Division of Travel Development's consumer website, Utah. com. During February 2002, the number of visitors to the site increased by over 200 percent to nearly 700,000 visitors (compared to a typical month of 220,000). Since the conclusion of the Games, interest has remained high. The number of visitors to the Utah. om website has remained at approximately 400,000, nearly 80 percent above its pre-Games level. †21 op yo Furthermore, during the Salt Lake Games, surrounding areas saw sales on Visa payment cards increase 30 percent over the same period in 2001, and 23 percent over the prior month. The Salt Lake Convention and Visitor’s Bureau reported that overall, 55 percent of reservations we re made on Visa cards, up from 46 percent in 2001 and 41 percent in 2000. 22 â€Å"As an organization, Visa’s involvement in the Olympics went well beyond corporate self interest,† said Dianne Binger, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visa developed a true partnership with Salt Lake’s hospitality community. Their support helped to ensure the success of the Games, as well as our continued success as a world class travel destination. †23 Onsite Activation and Marketing No tC Onsite marketing activities were also an important component of Visa’s integrated marketing program. At Salt Lake City, Visa had its ATM networks at or near all competition and noncompetition venues, including two mobile ATMs, 650 new point-of-sale acceptance terminals at Olympic venues, and a customer information center to help visitors with lost or stolen cards and Games-related questions.Visa believed these efforts helped build consumers’ a wareness and reinforced Visa as the payment brand of choice. Visa pointed to its improvements by showing that Visa’s volume throughout the Olympic venues at Salt Lake City exceeded the 2000 Sydney Games by more than $2 million, even though the Sydney Games were four times larger. 24 Shepard described onsite challenges: Do As a product platform in our sponsorship marketing platforms, we’ve used the Olympics to showcase a lot of our products from a Visa cash platform in Atlanta to a number of our mobile commerce solutions that we’re investing in right now.However, we’re responsible for the infrastructure on site, which has the potential of becoming the program’s Achilles heel because a lot can go wrong onsite. For that reason, a lot of care and onsite management goes into creating and maintaining the systems. 20 â€Å"Visa Launches Marketing for 2004 Olympics,† Bank Marketing International, December 31, 2002, p. 4. Ibid. 22 Visa Website: http: //www. visa. com/globalgateway/gg_selectcountry. html? retcountry=1. 23 â€Å"Visa Honored with Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Achievement Award,† Visa Press Release, July 11, 2002.Visa Website: http://www. visa. com/globalgateway/gg_selectcountry. html? retcountry=1. 24 Becky Saeger, â€Å"Visa Has What it Takes at the Olympics,† Marketer’s Forum, April 2002, Vol. 6, no. 3, p. 30. 21 This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 ATHENS SUMMER GAMES 2004 rP os t p. 11 For the Athens Olympics, there would be 11 worldwide or TOP sponsors, each in a different product category.As one of the worldwide sponsors, Visa was the exclusive payment card and official payment service of the Athens Games and would be the only card accepted at all Olympic Games venues for all official Olympic-relate d transactions. Visa planned to install a special Olympic ATM network and hundreds of point-of-sale acceptance devices at the International Press Centre, the International Broadcast Centre, and the Olympic Athletes Village. The Visa Service Centre (VSC) would provide multilingual emergency services and general assistance to cardholders.Visa also sponsored the Visa Olympians Reunion Center where Olympians could congregate and relax. It had also planned to support teams such as the U. S. gymnastics, track and field, ski and snowboard, hockey, and figure skating teams. tC op yo In terms of its members, Visa planned to utilize the Games as a sponsorship platform by offering marketing tie-ins and opportunities for international exposure and image enhancement. Similar to Sydney and Salt Lake City, Visa planned to conduct destination marketing campaigns with the host city during future Games.In November 2002, Visa and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) formed a global alliance to promote Greece worldwide as a key travel destination and showcase Visa’s sponsorship of the Athens Games. Visa planned to use advertising, direct mail, cardholder communications, and Olympic promotions in more than 50 countries to promote Greece as a travel destination. One program would feature the joint development and creation of an information booth to service visitors, providing information concerning tourist issues. Visa also planned to eature Greece on its â€Å"Visa Destinations† online travel site and planned to promote Greece with its hotel and airline travel partners. â€Å"We are packaging trips to Greece and to the Greek islands which can be offered as prizes to Visa card users,† said Shepard. No As an extension of its Olympic sponsorship, Visa also planned to sponsor the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004 for the first time (Visa had supported the Paralympic Games in other ways at various other Olympics). Visa’s sponsorship resulted in th e first Visa Paralympic Website, accessible to people with vision, hearing, and mobility challenges.Visa’s members would help deliver the messages of the Paralympic Games (Pursuit, Strength, Inspiration, and Celebration). Visa hoped that its sponsorship of the Paralympic Games would create an affinity between its brand and the disabled community and their families worldwide. Shepard noted: â€Å"There are 750 million people worldwide with disabilities. If we can create something relevant for them and their families, we will be creating a partnership with them for mutual benefit. † RUGBY WORLD CUP DoThe Rugby World Cup (RWC) was considered to be the third most-watched sporting event in the world behind the Olympic Games and the FIFA World (Soccer) Cup. In October/November 2003, 20 rugby union playing nations would contest the RWC in Australia. The International Rugby Board (IRB) had held qualifying matches over four years around the world to qualify the 20 nation partic ipants. The first RWC was held in 1987 (Exhibit 9). This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860.Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 12 op yo The RWC was expected to lure 40,000 international visitors to Australia in 2003. Visa had been a sponsor of the RWC since 1995. Coca-Cola paid $3. 5 million to secure both the 1999 and 2003 World Cups. In May 2002, Visa renewed its RWC sponsorship as an Official Worldwide Partner and official payment service of RWC. It had planned to use the sponsorship to deliver unique benefits to its members and Visa cardholders, including providing up to 10,000 tickets for cardholders to win worldwide when Visa cards were used during merchant and cardholder promotions. With banks and branches in virtually every nation around the world, Visa’s members and merchants can effectively market the RWC programs and spe cial offers to hundreds of millions of cardholders worldwide,† observed Shepard. â€Å"It will be our responsibility to provide our members with effective and profitable RWC marketing programs. †25 Shepard also noted: â€Å"In 1999, we had RWC promotional programs underway in all major rugby markets from Australia to Argentina and from the U. K. to South Africa.Visa members worldwide once more will have exclusive opportunities to use RWC 2003 in their Visa marketing, advertising, and promotions and provide unique offers to their cardholders and merchants. †26 Visa also planned to use its ongoing partnerships with Australia’s tourism and convention associations to create even greater synergy with RWC 2003, promoting increased tourism to Australia. Visa planned to develop a joint program with the IRB (International Rugby Board) to develop a Visa/Rugby World Cup Classic TV series that would include four rugby legends, winning players and captains of 1995 and 1999 former Rugby World Cups.The program would feature former great rugby players talking about rugby’s greatest moments and the program would be distributed worldwide. Visa promotions included international promotions that encouraged consumers to use their Visa cards to win trips to the RWC. In terms of corporate hospitality, Visa brought its merchant partners and members to the RWC. No tC Shepard discussed Visa’s rationale for sponsoring the event: â€Å"Visa recognized rugby’s great promise after we sponsored the 1995 Rugby World Cup on a regional basis and then globally for RWC 1999 in Wales.It was a diamond in the rough in 1999, and has continued to develop as a valuable gem. The spirit and passion that rugby fans engender and the vast potential for marketing to its followers worldwide are what attracted us to this event. Rugby World Cup provides Visa with a major global marketing platform reaching some of our most important markets around the world. Visa plans to tap into the passion and spirit of rugby to deliver unique, highly visible business opportunities to our members and their merchants around the world. †27 DoSheng Li, a sponsorship executive at Visa commented: â€Å"We use the RWC as more of a promotional platform versus our sponsorship of the Olympics, which is more of a brand vehicle for us. Thus we run a lot of promotional programs around the RWC. It’s a much less expensive investment for us compared to the soccer World Cup. We get a lot more value for our money with rugby since the rugby demographic tends to have a lot of spending power. †28 25 Rugby World Cup Press Release, â€Å"Visa Renews 2003 Rugby World Cup Partnership,† May 21, 2002. http://www. rugby2003. com. au/. 26 Ibid. 27 Ibid. 28 Interview with Sheng Li.Subsequent quotes are from this interview unless otherwise noted. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement o f copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 13 Li discussed the challenges of working with the event: â€Å"The RWC is a fast growing event and is experiencing customary growing pains. For example, in the recent past, it had a minimal antiambush marketing program. We are working with them in this area, and we definitely understand what they are going through.As a long term partner, we will continue to provide our support to make the RWC an even greater property. † NEW ZEALAND ALL BLACKS op yo Visa secured sponsorship of the New Zealand All Blacks (rugby team) in advance of the 1999 Rugby World Cup. At that time, the All Blacks were considered a favorite to win. Visa hoped that the sponsorship of the All Blacks, combined with its sponsorship of the RWC would provide both local (All Blacks) and global (RWC) marketing platforms leading up to the RWC. However, the All Black sponsorship turned out to be much more of a challenge than Visa had originally expected.Shepard stated: We wanted to sponsor the All Blacks but during the process, we couldn’t get the necessary access from them for appearances, relevant marketing programs, tickets or for other alignment opportunities, and most importantly they were not very proactive or effective in terms of ambush marketing protection. The All Blacks also did not seem to value what we were bringing to the table in terms of global network and communication so we mutually decided not to continue the sponsorship. In retrospect, we were also not engaged enough and didn’t get enough visibility in the marketplace for the property. tCIn February 2003, the All Blacks signed on MasterCard as its official payment card. In addition to Visa’s issues with the All Blacks, the New Zealand Rugby Union also caused much public controversy when in late 2002, New Zealand lost its bid to co-host the 2003 Rugby World Cup because it was unable to guarantee stadiums free from advertising ( see Appendix D). This loss led to an inquiry into the management of the New Zealand Rugby Union and a subsequent major management shakeup. No F. A. PREMIER LEAGUE Do In 1998, Visa began its sponsorship of the F. A. (Football Association) Premier League in England. The F. A.Premier League was a competition involving 20 Premier League Clubs. These 20 included globally known â€Å"Super Clubs† such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool. The league was formed in 1992 to increase popularity and interest in soccer within England. Visa’s sponsorship extended only to the League, but did not include the individual teams (clubs). Other sponsors could sponsor individual teams as well as individual matches. As a sponsor, Visa paid a set amount and received non-exclusive perimeter boards (signage at the matches), the rights to use the Premier League logo, and a certain amount of tickets.Li commented: â€Å"When we first started work ing with the Premier League, it was not as strong as it is today. In addition, at the end of 1999, there was a lot of management turnover at the Premier League. The â€Å"Super Clubs† were the teams that our Members and cardholders were most interested in. However, we had difficulties creating team-related benefits through the League sponsorship structure, especially when we were trying to run promotions outside of the This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.[email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 14 U. K. For example, we ran a promotion in Asia to fly winners to England to watch a match between two high-profile teams, but the Premier League did not provide us with adequate assistance. We had to find tickets through other channels. All these factors led us to not renew our sponsorship with the Premier League in 2000. We preferred to foc us at this time on other sponsorships such as the Olympics. † op yo In addition to Visa’s sponsorship of the F. A.Premier League, the company also signed a separate three-way agreement with the F. A. Premier League and Manchester United, as part of its greater F. A. Premier League sponsorship. Li explained: â€Å"When we first signed on as a sponsor with the Premier League, the League had included the Manchester United Platinum Club sponsorship package which secured the League sponsors’ boards and a certain amount of hospitality related to the most successful team. With the Platinum Club, sponsors could also sponsor one Manchester United match in the season. With that match, sponsors would get more tickets, hospitality, etc. SPONSORSHIP PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT tC As sponsorships grew in popularity and became more expensive, sponsors began looking for ways to quantify event marketing value. One of the first techniques used was tracking televised logo time, i. e. , the amount of time a sponsor’s logo is visible to a television viewer. However, over time, marketing professionals have begun to question the value of this analysis, as flashing a company’s logo during an event may have been cheaper than running advertising during the event, but the two many not have been interchangeable in terms of effectiveness.Companies have begun using a variety of research techniques to measure pre- and post-event results ranging from focus groups to onsite surveys. Do No Visa Performance Measurement Visa often used external consultants to quantify the value generated by the Olympic sponsorship to â€Å"persuade us first as a management team and the board second† that there is a business case for a sponsorship. The results showed that a sponsorship translated directly into tangible benefits such as brand recognition and market share and â€Å"has a significant value. 29 Since 1986, the number of Visa cards in issue grew from 137 million to just over one billion, while global volume grew from $111 billion to $2. 3 trillion. Since it started sponsoring the Olympics in 1986, Visa’s market share had risen by 33 percent, to 53 percent, the company said. â€Å"And when you gain the leverage from the member banks,† said Williamson, â€Å"it’s an amazing property [Olympics]. †30 Moreover, during the span of Visa’s Olympic involvement, it had seen brand preference in the U. S. go up — it had seen its rating as â€Å"best overall card† rise to 50 percent. 1 Visa cited research showing that more than 66 percent of Americans thought Olympics sponsors deserved their business. â€Å"Obviously, not all of that is from the Olympics,† said Michael Lynch, senior vice president of event and sponsorship marketing. â€Å"But we’re finding that those who are 29 â€Å"Visa Breaks Olympic Record for Sponsorship,† Bank Marketing International, January 22, 2003, p. 8. Ib id. 31 â€Å"Visa Extends Olympic Games Sponsorship for Eight More Years; Most Successful Sponsorship to Deliver Support Through the Games of the XXX Olympiad in 2012,† Business Wire, November 11, 2002. 0 This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 15 aware of our Olympic sponsorship are more likely to use the Visa card than those who are unaware. †32 According to Becky Saeger, executive vice president of brand marketing: â€Å"At Visa, we frequently review our efforts to ensure a return on investment for our members.Since 1986, no single property has allowed us to build our brand and drive use better than the Olympic Games†¦. Since 1986, Visa volume has grown at a compounded annual rate of 16 percent. Unaided consumer awareness of Visa’s sponsorship after Sydney was an unprecedent ed 72 percent, and research shows sponsorship awareness drives Visa brand preference. Finally, the 2002 Games scored record ratings on NBC, enabling Visa to reach a larger, more diverse audience than ever before. †33 op yo Visa measured specific campaigns as well.For example, in 1992, it advertised that it would donate a percentage of each card transaction to the U. S. Olympic team. Transactions increased by 17 percent. Up until that point, Visa had never received more than a 3 percent increase from any advertising or promotional campaign that it had run. 34 Lynch said it analyzed its sponsorship spending carefully and was still bullish on sponsorship marketing, even at times where the economy was lagging. â€Å"What does end up happening is that a lot of the clutter will go away during times of adversity,† he said. It is an opportunity for the leaders to step up. It is important for us to deliver the proper message during those periods. †35 Other Companies No tC Other Olympic sponsors such as Bank of America had their own ways of measuring performance. Bank of America had paid less than $55 million as a second-tier sponsor and started to advertise 100 days before the games, spending $60 million on ads alone. It built two branches on the Olympic grounds and brought 83 employees to serve visitors, but looked to Visa to provide ATMs under its category rights.Bank of America measured its sponsorship performance through awareness boosts, stating that it had seen â€Å"significant increases in awareness† since the ads began, though â€Å"product sales will lag a little further behind. † To gauge the boost, the company compared account generation and card use numbers for the current quarter with figures from the first and fourth quarters of the prior year. â€Å"All the research we’ve looked at says people perceive Olympic sponsors as leaders in their categories,† said Dockery Clark, Bank of America’s sponsorship marketing executive. 6 Do John Hancock started its Olympic sponsorship in 1993 (in the life insurance/annuities category). Since then, the company’s sales have increased 14 percent, while the insurance business had seen an industry-wide drop of 4 percent. By using trips to the Games as an incentive for agents and customers, Hancock calculated that its Olympic investment of approximately $40 million had 32 Miriam Kreinin Souccar, â€Å"Visa’s Sponsorship Gives it Inside Lane for Olympic Games,† American Banker, November 9, 1999, vol. 264, issue 216, p. 1. 33Becky Saeger, â€Å"Visa Has What it Takes at the Olympics,† Marketer’s Forum, April 2002, Vol. 6, no. 3, p. 30. 34 http://www. onlinesports. com/sportstrust/sports13. html. 35 Lavonne Kuykendall, â€Å"War Jitters Aside, Card Giants Defending Sponsorship Deals,† The American Banker, March 25, 2003, p. 7. 36 Lavonne KuyKendall, â€Å"Gauging Value Has High Degree of Difficulty,† Th e American Banker, February 27, 2002, p. 1. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] arvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 16 translated into a $50 million increase in sales, a 21 percent net gain in purchase consideration, and a 53 percent increase in consumers who believed the Boston-based insurer to be a smart and cultivated company. Patrick Finnegan, an analyst for Moody’s Investors Service, suggested that Hancock’s international business was too small to justify a global sponsorship of the Games, however. â€Å"A 20 percent increase in sales — boy, that’s a stretch,† Finnegan said. When you buy life insurance, you don't think about who sponsored the last Olympics. † Replied Hancock’s Chairman and CEO, David D’Alessandro, â€Å"Do I attribute all this [growth] to the Olympics? No. Do I want to drop out of the Olympics to find out? No. †37 THE FUTURE Do No tC op yo Visa had â€Å"raised the bar† during each of the Olympics it had sponsored since 1986. It had created an integrated marketing program that ranged from advertising to host city partner/presence programs. Visa had also learned much through its other sponsorships that had posed significant challenges, e. . , its sponsorship of the New Zealand All Blacks. In the summer of 2003, Shepard and his team gathered at Visa’s International headquarters located in Foster City, California, to reflect on the impact and lessons of its past sponsorship activities. Specifically, they planned to discuss the process of selecting and working with new partners and creating new alliances such as with the Walt Disney Company (2002); how to evaluate the effectiveness of Visa’s existing sponsorships; and how to apply lessons from its existing and past sponsorships to current and future sponsorships. 7 Craig Copetas, â€Å"Winter Olympics 1998: Despite the Enormous Costs, Sponsors Swear the Olympics are a Good Buy,† The Wall Street Journal Europe, February 18, 1998. This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 Appendix A Overview of Visa rP os t p. 17 op yo Visa was jointly owned by 21,000 member financial institutions (members) such as banks and credit unions worldwide. It was a private, for-profit ssociation whose members offered credit cards and other payment solutions for both consumers and businesses. Cards were issued by Visa’s member financial institutions, not by the Visa association. Its members also signed up (acquired) retailers, recruited cardholders, set fees and determined spending limits and interest rates on outstanding balances. A board of directors composed of representatives from me mber banks supervised each Visa region, and select members from each region composed the international board. Member banks elected the board and votes were allocated according to the volume of various products offered by members.The board developed operating regulations, set transactions fees and interchange payments between members, developed system-wide innovations such as interchange technologies, promoted the association brand through advertising, and coordinated other system-wide matters such as fraud control. tC Visa products and services were offered directly by members to their customers. Visa did not issue cards; set annual fees on cards; determine annual percentage rates (APRs)38; solicit merchants to accept cards; or set discount rates. 39 Members managed the relationships with consumers and merchants.Visa’s goal had been to create a brand that was a trusted seal of approval so that members could use Visa as a platform to meet their objectives. Member objectives in cluded increasing consumer confidence, enhancing customer relationships, and driving usage in new markets. One service Visa provided members was an advanced transaction processing infrastructure, known as VisaNet, run by its Information Technology (IT) and processing subsidiary, Inovant, that processed over 5,000 transactions per second during its peak season (the holidays) and was capable of handling transactions denominated in 160 different currencies.Average transaction approval time was under two seconds. Shepard elaborated on Visa’s relationship with its members: No Our 21,000 member financial institutions own us. We’re similar to McDonald’s who manage their individually owned franchises. Visa’s international role is to coordinate these six regions and try to provide innovative solutions for the properties that we have. Our primary job is to help members grow their business by offering them payment solutions; new payment technologies; dynamic, effici ent, and secure processing services; and the global Visa brand.Do John Ekoniak at Piper Jaffray said: â€Å"The organization stays incredibly focused on maintaining the difficult balance of providing rich services to its members, but not too complete, so as to allow members room to add differentiation as they compete with other members. The members and stakeholders are all competitors and feel that they compete most effectively with the help of the Visa association if it is a closed organization with all returns reinvested. †40 38 The APR was the yearly interest charge on outstanding credit card balances.The discount rate was the fee a merchant paid a member financial institution to process a purchase charged to a Visa card. 40 John Ekoniak, â€Å"The B2B Analyst,† US Bancorp Piper Jaffray Research, January 12, 2001, vol. 2, number 2, pp. 3-4. 39 This document is authorized for use only by Hadi Nejatian until May 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright . [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Visa Sponsorship Marketing SPM-5 rP os t p. 18 TRANSACTION PROCESSINGMultiple parties were involved in every Visa card transaction: 1) cardholder, 2) issuer: a financial institution that issued Visa cards and maintained a contract with cardholders for repayment, 3) merchant: an authorized acceptor of Visa cards for the payment of goods and services, 4) merchant bank: a financial institution that helped the merchant fulfill Visa card payments from customers, 5) Visa, whose members issued Visa cards and/or signed merchants to accept Visa, and 6) VisaNet: a network that acted as an authorization and clearing and settlement service to transfer payment information between parties which was run by Inovant, Visa’s IT and processing subsidiary. 41 op yo Processing a Visa card transaction was a two-stage process. The first stage was called Authorization, where an electronic request was sent through various parties to either approv e or decline the transaction.The next stages were Clearing and Settlement, where all parties settled their accounts and were paid. The Authorization stage included eight steps: 1) cardholder presents Visa card to pay for services, 2) merchant swipes Visa card, enters the dollar amount, and transmits an authorization request to the merchant bank, 3) merchant bank automatically sends the authorization request to VisaNet, 4) VisaNet routes the request to the cardholder’s issuer, 5) issuer approves or declines the transaction, 6) VisaNet forwards the issuer’s response to the merchant bank, 7) merchant bank forwards the response to the merchant, and 8) merchant receives the authorization response and completes the transaction accordingly. tCThe Clearing and Settlement stages included another five steps: 9) merchant deposits the transaction receipt with the merchant bank, 10) merchant bank credits the merchant account and electronically submits the transaction to VisaNet for settlement, 11) VisaNet pays the merchant bank and debits the issuer account, then sends the transaction to the issuer, 12) issuer posts the transaction to the cardholder account and sends the cardholder a monthly statement, and 13) cardholder receives the statement and pays issuer. 42 REVENUE MODEL Do No Visa’s revenue model included a series of fees from merchants who accepted Visa cards. Typical fees included 1) discount rate (a percentage of sale