United Nations, Power Broker or Toothless Tiger essays

United Nations, Power Broker or Toothless Tiger essays United Nations: Powerbroker or Toothless Tiger? The United Nations has given us the appearance that they are an integral part of the system of international relations; all they do is provide a central link in the chain of international organizations that are tackling global problems today. Furthermore, the United Nations does not play any other key role in tackling many essential problems that occur in the world. The United Nations has no real influence in the world; this is a result of their lack of structure in the Security Council and their poor reactions to events, such as Kosovo and Iraq. These events have given the United Nations the image as a toothless tiger; however, peacekeeping practices held tightly by the United Nations does give the tiger a bit of a bite in the global fight for peace. The United Nations does not have clout in the world, but in certain situations the UN has proven itself as real powerbroker in today's world. With the recent situation that is occurring in Iraq all eyes have been placed on the United Nations to see what steps they are going to take, if any, to stop the United States. The Iraq issue is shining a bright light onto the United Nations. It is highlighting a key issue for the world; does the United Nations have real any influence, is their presence beneficial to the world? The United Nations is caught between domestic oppositions to a war and increasing pressure from pro-war countries, mainly the United States. With other nations' opposition hardening, the White House left open the possibility that it would not seek a United Nations vote on its war-making resolution if the measure was clearly headed for defeat. (The Associated Press) By the United States overstepping the United Nations just as NATO had done in Kosovo it will ultimately show to the world the ineffectiveness of the Security Council. The decision made by the United Nations will help prove if they truly do wield powe...

Banana Chips

This provides an ample opportunity to a new entrant as the market is not dominated by some brands and with good quality and competitive pricing, it is possible to capture adequate market share. Production Banana Chips or Crisps are deep fried snack a small or casual meal. Cooking type bananas produce good Chips/Crisps. It is easy to make and the product is very tasty. The small-scale production requires but a few equipment, viz. A stove (Gas, Diesel fired or even a Firewood Stove), Kitchen knives, Peelers, Cutting boards, Plastic buckets, Cooking pots, Containers, Frying pan or Wok, Long Spoons or ladles, Cheese cloth, Colander, Trays and Baskets, Plastic Pouches, Candles amp; old Hacksaw blade or a small Electric Impulse Heat Sealer and Weighing scale. Production steps of Banana ChipsGood large size green cooking bananas slices are cut cross wise to give circular shape. Bigger size fruits are preferred to produce large size slices and an attractive product. Different varieties give products of different colour, flavour and taste. Crosswise slicing gives uniform, circular, attractive, product and is universally adopted for commercial production. This way as the slicing is faster the production increases. The steps involved in Banana Chips processing are: Selection: Good quality, green cooking bananas is preferred. Cutting and Peeling: Using a knife, banana bunches are separated from the main stem and individual bananas hands are separated from the bunches. Using a hand peeler, bananas are peeled and immediately sliced cross wise into thin, round slices. As some varieties with latex cause itching or irritation while handling, it is better to rub the hands with salt before peeling and slicing. Immersion in salt water: Immediately after slicing the slices are placed in salt water @ 3 to 5% of salt to the water. Added salt gets in to the slices and improves taste arid acceptability of the product. If slices are not placed in water, they turn Brown and later give an unacceptable dark product. Frying: Keep a large shallow Frying Pan or wok over a suitable stove (with adjustments for flame/heat control). The frying pan should be thick bottomed and with side rings for easy handling. Good edible vegetable cooking oil is used for frying. Bring the oil to fuming hot temperature. The long spoon or ladle used for taking out the fried chips from the wok can be either a big perforated one, of 8 to 12 inches in diameter and with long handle or of a large diameter wire mesh spoon with bamboo handle. The salt soaked slices are then dropped one by one manually into the hot oil in the frying pan. Never put the slices together in clusters into the oil as the slices being starchy stick to each other and are difficult to separate later. The normal practice followed is: Holding slices in left hand and dropping in rapid succession the separated slices one by one into the hot oil, or Slices taken out from the salt solution, separated and arranged either on a cheese cloth or on the dry big spoon itself and then carefully dropped into the hot oil. The frying temperature is maintained around 150 to 160C (just fuming) and frying time around 3 5 minutes depending on the slice thickness. Slices are deep-fried to golden yellow colour (till the bubbles seize) and taken out immediately using big perforated spoon. Over frying turns the chips dark and this will be considered an unattractive product. Draining of oil: Deep fried chips are put into perforated Colander for the excess oil to drain out and later transferred to a wide plastic or aluminum tray lined with craft paper or kitchen towel which absorbs/removes excess oil in chips and product is allowed to cool. Packing: Chips should never be packed while hot since hot air inside the pack condenses into water, which moistens the crisps resulting in soft, soggy chips. After cooling, chips are packed manually in plastic pouches and scaled airtight using either Hacksaw blade over candle flame or an electric impulse plastic sealer. Market PotentialDemand and SupplyThere is a very large market for banana chips and they can be sold at all such places where people assemble like theatres, picnic spots, bus stands or railway stations, traffic junctions etc. Retailing has to be done through small grocery shops as well as big departmental stores and super markets. There exists a strong demand for banana chips as most people enjoy eating snacks. While fresh cooking bananas are widely available, banana chips are not easily available in many parts of the country. Making chips increases the shelf life of the product in times of abundant harvest. Sales Location The owner has several options for selling the product as follows: At the local market; Through shops; and Through hotels amp; clubs. If the owner wishes to sell direct to the end customer, then the location with the highest traffic should be chosen. This will generally mean higher expenses in the form of rent. If the owner wishes to sell through shops, hotels or clubs, then the business can be started from your house. However, the owner will have to accept a lower mark-up to allow for a margin to be made for the shop owner. Costing the BusinessEquipment cost The following list represents a range of possible equipment needed for establishing a small scale banana chip producing business: Item | Quantity | Estimated Cost (Birr) | Purpose | Equipment | | | | Wok of frying pan | 1 | 500 | Fry chips | Gas Burners | 2 | 3000 | Stove top cooking | Plastic pots with lids | 5 | 200 | Storage | Knives | 3 | 60 | Cutting food | Spoons, wooden ladles | 5 each | 100 | Stirring for uniform frying | Cooling trays | 2 | 100 | Cooling hot fried chips prior to packing | Bag sealer | | 1600 | Packing fried chips | Total Equipment | | 5560 | | The prices used are estimated average cost based on Adama prices at the time this document was prepared. The above capital requirements are based on the principle of starting a small scale banana chip producing operation with minimum outlay of capital. This business can be of larger scale through the introduction of a deep fryer, and slicing machine. Staff CostA basic banana chip operation could be started by an owner helped by a family member. Position | Main responsibility | Monthly salary (Birr) | Owner | Manage business: decide prices, prepare chips, procure suppliers, supervise all staffs | 1500 | Helper | Assist in all areas | 700 | Total Staff Cost | | 2200 | Raw Material costYour major raw material is cooking bananas. Availability and price you pay for bananas will be determined to some extent by the weather conditions. In times of drought, availability will be less and price will be high. We will buy regularly from a few farmers. Once the suppliers know that we will be buying regularly, they will adjust their production to meet our demand and they should be willing to offer us a special price. Based on the costing and pricing part of this document, our raw material cost will be 1. 80 birr per 100 gram package. Raw materials include the raw banana, oil, salt, packaging and label. Raw material cost for one month consumption: Item | Quantity | Estimated Cost (Birr) | Raw Banana | 50kg | 600 | Edible Oil | 30ltr | 850 | Salt | 5kg | 15 | Packaging polythene/plastic | 1package | 200 | Total Raw Material Cost | | 1665 | License or Registration CostThe size and nature of this business does not require company registration and will be set-up as small and micro enterprise. For the purpose of this guide, the annual licence fee is estimated at 200 Birr. Operating CostA banana chip producing business has certain operational costs. Some of these costs are: Paid once when we establish services such as water, electricity ; Some are paid on a monthly basis. When we start our business we will usually need some working capital (money) to establish services, pay certain yearly expenses and to meet some of our monthly operational costs until the business can generate enough income to meet these costs. In the case of a banana chip producing business this should only be for the first month. The size and nature of this business probably will not warrant renting a new place. Electricity is not needed, but water is essential to the operation. Hence the operating costs listed below are on the basis of incremental costs incurred to run the business. For the purposes of this guide, it has been assumed that the product will be sold through a market stall. Below is a table showing the start-up and monthly operating cost associated with a banana chip producing business. Operational Cost | Initial Working Capital (Birr) | Monthly (Birr) | Rent (market stall) | 1000 | 500 | Water charges | 10 | 10 | Electricity | 50 | 50 | Gas | 200 | 200 | Cleaning supplies | 50 | 25 | miscellaneous | 100 | 50 | Total Operating Cost | 1410 | 335 | Startup Costs Item | Total (Birr) | Equipment | 5560 | Staff | 2200 | License and Registration | 200 | Raw Materials (First month) | 1665 | Operating expenses | 1410 | Total Start-up cost | 11,035 | The cost to start a banana chip producing business is around Birr 10,000. Costing and PricingIngredients: Bunch of cooking banana Water Salt Cooking oil Plastic bag Label Costing Ingredients | Quantity | Cost (Birr) | Cooking Banana | 100gms | 1. 35 | Salt amp; Cooking oil | | 0. 15 | Plastic Bag | | 0. 15 | Label | | 0. 15 | Total Cost per 100gm bag | | 1. 80 | Selling PriceObviously our selling price cannot be below Birr 1. 80. To determine our selling price we will try and investigate prices for similar items available. If there is a similar item, then our price will be close to that price. As we will be selling our product through shops, hotels or clubs, so we would have to allow a reasonable margin for the reseller. Probably a reasonable price for the above product will be Birr 2. 50. We will review prices if our product is not selling. ProfitabilityMonthly profit and loss | Breakeven Sales | Sale per day | 175 bags | Sales per month (25 days) | 4335 bags | Cost of raw materials | 1. 80birr/bag*4335 bag=7803 birr | Gross Profit | 2. 50birr/bag*4335bag-7803birr=3035 | Operational expenses/month | | Rent(market stall) | 500 | Wages | 2200 | Electricity | 50 | Gas | 200 | Water | 10 | Cleaning Supplies | 25 | Miscellaneous | 50 | Total | 3035 | Operating profit per month before tax | 0 | If we assume 2. 0 birr per bag unit price then the breakeven sales for this business is 175 bags per day. This means that if you sell less than 175 bags per day, you will make a loss. If you sell more than 175 bags per day at unit price of 2. 50 birr, you will make a profit. Financing the BusinessThe size and nature of this business is such that savings must necessarily be used for financing the business. In addition to our saving we will take a loan from Oromia Micro Finance Enterprise. Source of Finance | Amount (Birr) | Saving | 300 0 | Loan | 9000 | Total | 12,000 |

Contemporary Theories of Political Economy Essay

Contemporary Theories of Political Economy - Essay Example The Second World War had a great impact on almost all the world economies as it led to greater spending and a need for more and more arms and ammunition. All of this led to the building of more and more industries, which made countries around the world tap and realise their industrial potential. The 1950s and 60s were a time when most economies began to understand the true power that they possessed in terms of both physical as well as mineral resources. This World War was termed as the age of anxiety – when people were running helter-skelter for their lives and wishing for their sons, husbands, and fathers to return from the war scene, as well as families growing and prospering in terms of consumer spending because of the incessant revelation of the need and desire for more and more things. Prior to the war, the country had thus been witnessing a boom in the economic sphere; this was because of the introduction of machines, tools and all kinds of equipments which were helping the primary, secondary as well as the tertiary sector of the economy to grow and develop. A number of changes were being brought into the economy as more and more women began working which helped labour and knowledge go hand in hand and get nurtured. Scientists began finding ways to implement their thoughts in terms of inventions and discoveries and with the help of machines, everything had become possible and people were beginning to realise that it was possible to achieve the American dream by just having access to some purchasing power and being able to spend money. However, it is only natural that every economic demand and supply structure can never remain a constant because the needs and wants of the people or the consumers change with time. Thus, the American economy too, began to witness a decline in the profits around the year 1968. Post the Second World War, profits related to industrialization began to see a close not only in America, but also in various parts of the world , because of the impact that the American economy had had on the various world economies. Various steps were taken in order to help the economy boost and find constancy in its establishment. For example, President Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ program helped to establish Keynesian economics within the American economy and stabilise it with respect to understand demand and supply of the consumers. However, since profits from industries and firms kept on decreasing, something had to be done in order to make changes and not let the economy decline to an extent that it would fall into a depression and not be able to recover from the depths of the same. In the year 1972 the then President, Richard Nixon, even took the dramatic step of pulling the American dollar off the Gold Standard; this was considered to be a very pragmatic step taken in order to move towards a fiat currency system which had been started in the 1910s. Back in the year 1933, President Roosev

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource - Essay Example Furthermore, more detailed ideas and concepts about the said topic are elaborately obtained from various studies through the use of academic journals. Critical evaluation There is no question about it; sexual harassment is prevalent in diverse parts of the world especially in the workplace. The sad thing about it is the thought that victims have little idea that they were already sexually harassed. One reason may be due to cultural orientation (Poulston, 2008). Some may have different perspective about it (Pierce et al., 2004). This further resulted to situation in which sexual harassment and its definition has not been fully understood by all. It is therefore important to study on this aspect because this can be informative to individuals especially those who have little information about the abusive capacity of those who can impose power over them. It is also important to understand this because sexual harassment has specific undesirable impacts that can eventually result to ineffi cient output in the workplace. Thus, workplace harassment is proven to have negative consequences in an individual and organisation (Bowling and Beehr, 2006; Raver and Nishii, 2010; Hershcovis and Barling, 2010 ). Thus, the human resource department must essentially address this issue in order to ensure efficient output of the human resource. The authors were consistent about their purpose of their paper and that is to outline their position on sexual harassment, how to avoid it in the workplace and the responsibilities of the employers to control this kind of situation. There were various sources employed in the paper and these include those with relevant discussion about the real definition of sexual harassment in the workplace. This makes the paper informative because it tries to inform the readers about the basic forms of sexual harassment in the workplace. Furthermore, more relevant literatures were included in order to justify their points on how to avoid sexual harassment in the workplace especially on the best part that employers can do to protect the human resource. It was also evident in the paper that the authors were able to critically consider various sexual harassment related incidents. From this stand point, it was evidently clear how the authors tried to emphasize the relevance and prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. The authors concluded that sexual harassment can represent abuse of power in the workplace. This basically is one of their strong stands on this issue. It is in fact true that through sexual harassment, everyone has the chance to dominate someone through imposition of power based on the definition given by the authors. Unfortunately, they failed to expand on this issue. Even though they are suggesting more important and relevant studies on this part, but they failed to expand or give detailed explanation on this aspect. They failed to provide available literature that could support this claim. Primarily, they have imp arted logical explanation and some relevant statistics about sexual harassment in the workplace but they failed to emphasise how many of them are eventually caused by abusive use of power over the abused or victims. For instance, they pointed out that women are said to be commonly sexually harassed in the workplace. However, there is no clear justification that this result is evident because women are primarily weak in physical strength than men for instance or the latter is more powerful than the former in the

Hamlet Rosencrantz and Guildenstern :: Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet Rosencrantz and Guildenstern This procrastination cannot be due to an instinctive and fastidious repugnance to killing, for Hamlet kills Polonius, and Laertes, and in the end the King himself; and he dispatches Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their doom with true alacrity. Whence then does it come? The answer will be found by examining all these cases. And before them all, let us look at those two lines in 1.4. unhand me gentlemen, By heaven I'll make a ghost of him that lets me! It is one of the key points in the drawing of his character. When it comes to doing what he is determined to do, he will not hesitate to kill even his closest friend, for Horatio is one of the gentlemen whom he threatens sword in hand. Hamlet's spontaneous tendencies are therefore essentially individualistic; and, the point must be emphasized, not even death of others, if need be, will stand in his way. This the Hamlet whose behavior towards Rosencrantz and Guildenstern we are now to study. They were his friends, and we know from his mother that he had much talked of them and that two men there are not living To whom he more adheres. The two young men receive from the King a commission which, whatever the King's secret intentions may be, is honorable. Hamlet, the King in fact tells them, is not what he was. The cause of the change "I cannot dream of." Therefore, I beg you so by your companies To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather So much as from occasion you may glean Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus That opened lies within our remedy. Guildenstern's words show that the two young men understand their work in an irreproachable way: Heaven make our presence and our practices Pleasant and helpful to him. They enter upon their new duties at a later stage in the same scene. Cordial and lighthearted, the meeting of the three young men leads to some fencing of wits on ambition; for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who know nothing about King Hamlet's murder, naturally assume that the trouble with Hamlet is frustrated ambition (and so in part it is): Hamlet, of course, parries, and as he tries to move off, his two companions, in strict obedience to their master, the King, say: "We'll wait upon you.

Airbnb Marketing Strategy Essay

INTRODUCTION Airbnb, founded during the economic downturn of 2008, is one of many innovative businesses operating within the growing shared economy. Airbnb offers an alternative to the traditional hotel business and allows property owners, termed â€Å"hosts,† to advertise and rent their extra space, be it a spare room, apartment or treehouse. â€Å"Guests† search through the Airbnb website, read reviews and connect with hosts to find less conventional and, often more, affordable lodging. Key to Airbnb’s business success is establishing a framework of trust on which both hosts and guests can rely, a system Airbnb has developed through a strong marketing strategy and through specific practices that support host and guest throughout the rental process. Building this framework of trust in the system is a focus not just for Airbnb, but is also typical of a company operating in the new sharing economy. WHAT IS THE SHARING ECONOMY? The sharing economy is a new economic opportunity for customers to access goods whenever they are required at that moment – with access trumping ownership. For example, if a person only uses a car once a month, they could rent a car from a sharing economy company like ZipCar instead of paying a monthly car payment for a car they barely use. Following the economic recession, many Americans have become less wasteful in using their economic resources. In addition, more Americans are expressing an interest in being more socially conscious of green initiatives and other social responsibilities (Neilson). These trends have resulted in a new focus on shared resources. Beyond just the economic benefits, goodwill and community building are important drivers of the sharing economy. Today, people who feel the burden of the current economic period may prefer to rent or sell to their peers instead of giving their business to major corporations. Furthermore, the Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) business model is allowing many individuals to exploit their own resources to gain additional income without the high startup costs and long-term commitment for business sustainability. Although the idea of sharing is an old idea, the ability for sharing to generate profit is relatively new. The sharing economy is greatly influenced by online commerce and social media. Online commerce has made it easier for  peers to share their goods and services with one another using trusted financing services through websites such as PayPal. Social media has helped spread the economic and personal benefits of the sharing economy and has served as the fundamental marketing tool for the growth of countless collaborative consumption companies. Companies functioning primarily in the sharing economy consistently urge their users to share their experiences via Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. These social platforms have become so integrated in w eb transactions that once a customer has confirmed or paid, they are prompted to immediately post their money-saving or moneymaking success directly to their social media page of choice. Also referred to as collaborative consumption, the social economy follows the idea that people will first use what they have, borrow, swap, make and thrift items before they actually buy something brand new (Anderson). The marketers of these sharing economy companies primarily target a few segments but are constantly expanding. Urban areas and members of the X and Y Generations are key demographics for the sharing economy. Demographically, the majority of sharing economy companies will target Generation Y due to their concern for environmental and social issues that influence their decision to save and reuse resources (Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller, Chapter 8). Statistics show that the newest generation of adults buys fewer houses and fewer cars than its predecessors (Ciccone). Furthermore, Generation Y is attracted to unconventional practices such as the sharing economy and is highly social, able to spread the word. Generation X is more likely to be those who are renting out their goods and services. As Generation X has more responsibilities, they enjoy the extra income that helps them finance their obligations, such as children and paying a mortgage. People are collaborating informally in their communities out of both necessity and as a lifestyle choice. A sharing economy company should concentrate on branding, networking and experience to ensure its success (Olson). Branding is key because sharing economy companies want consumers to have confidence in their brand. The sharing economy is at an advantage, being relatively new with a market that is interconnected through online commerce and social media. Outside of spreading the work, a sense of community is built within the network. Finally, a sharing economy company has to concentrate on customer experience. Customers are looking for ease of  use and product value. When these desires are met, consumers will return to use the service as well as recommend it to others. One very successful example of a company with the sharing economy employing these factors is Airbnb, who in less than a decade has built a major competitor to the centuries old hotel industry. WHAT IS AIRBNB? Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia founded Airbnb in San Francisco, when they began renting out airbeds in their apartment to people attending a local conference to generate additional income in 2008. The early business model for Airbedandbreakfast.com, later renamed Airbnb, focused on large conferences such as the Democratic and Republican Conventions, which created bustling business in the 2008 election year. In 2009 the founders, now including Gebbia’s former roommate and tech wiz Nathan Blecharczyk, received $600,000 in seed funding from Sequoia Capital. In that same year, acknowledging that renting to complete strangers made many people uncomfortable, Chesky and Gebbia flew to New York City, home to many of their users, to meet with hosts in person and survey for potential improvements. This was an unusual strategy for an internet company but it later proved to be profitable. Over the next two years, Airbnb made several key strategic changes that gave it direction and force in the marketplace. Of particular note was the establishment of Airbnb’s broker’s payment model and the decision to bring in professionals to photograph host homes. By the end of 2011, Airbnb had gone international and reached critical mass (Geron). Forbes estimates that Airbnb likely lost money in 2012 in favor of accelerating growth, a hit the company could withstand due to the influx of capital from various Silicon Valley venture capital firms (Geron). Their market penetration is comparatively strong, according to Tech Crunch, with Airbnb’s booking expected to have surpassed that of Hilton in 2012 (Empson), and hosts renting to an estimated 2.5 million people according to the Economist (â€Å"All eyes on the sharing economy†). The Wall Street Journal valued Airbnb at $2.5 billion in October 2012, and Privco projected their revenues for that year to be at $180 million (Melby). In exchange for customer support, website maintenance and various insurance and security features, Airbnb employs a broker-style payment model, taking a portion of  the rental price between 6% and 12% from the guest, depending on the property price, and a 3% service fee from the host (Geron). Airbnb has come into its own financially, while still maintaining an identity that, though not especially anti-corporate, is certainly fresh, young and innovative. From the company logo, with its big, curly lettering and informal design, to its emphasis on direct interaction with potential users, Airbnb has built its brand for the generation inspired by innovation. The motto â€Å"travel like a human† emphasizes the difference between the traditional, impersonal, corporate travel experience and the opportunity Airbnb presents to users to build their personal networks with hosts in far off places, at a lower cost. As is perhaps to be expected with an internet company, Airbnb relies heavily on social media to create and perpetuate its brand identity. A key aspect of the company brand is the travel experience. They post a â€Å"traveler of the week† on their Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus pages, and recently concluded a photo contest using Instagram, with Airbnb travel credits as the prize. While the choice of prize may be a bit opportunistic, the interactive concept to use the mainstream photo-sharing app, and the reward both fit well with the Airbnb brand and kept the focus on travel rather than profit motive. Naturally, travelers’ blog posts that mention Airbnb, whether they focus on the company or simply mention it in p assing, are often promoted through â€Å"re-tweets† and posts on the Airbnb blog. The experience of travel is only one facet of a company identity that is as carefully well-rounded and appealing as its users. Airbnb also emphasizes its interest in the popular local movement with its â€Å"Living Local† shows, a part of its â€Å"AirTV† series. Each online episode features a tour of a unique Airbnb host property, and interviews with the generally personable host or hosts. Beyond that, Airbnb is aware of the appeal of its unique and tech-centric business model to engineering and tech nerds. The company provides content catering directly to this audience through its specific engineering blog – nerds.Airbnb.com – and its Tech Talk YouTube series, where young tech enthusiasts present on innovative new technologies and how they can and are being harnessed to build businesses (YouTube). These videos, generally around an hour in length, provide an in-depth review of current technological and business innovations. Airbnb also uses social media to associate itself with other organizations, not unlike cross branding, which  establishes Airbnb as culturally present and economically innovative while also eliminating the costs of a major advertising campaign. Their Facebook page, for example, lists SXSW, TED, Virgin America, Lonely Planet and Business Punk as organizations that Airbnb â€Å"Likes.† Each of these associations strengthens their brand – Virgin America connects them to another untraditional travel company and to Virgin’s maverick CEO, Richard Branson, whose appeal to young professionals has made him by far the most followed â€Å"Influencer† on professional social media site LinkedIn (â€Å"LinkedIn Today: Top minds, big ideas†). Similarly, their public association with SXSW reveals a cultural affinity in line with that of their clientele, and functions in tandem with the demand for lodging during the festival, to which Airbnb has dedicated a specific section of their site. Through these efforts, the company has branded itself as young, innovative and culturally and technically savvy—all traits that exist outside of its travel-focused revenue stream, but which are inherently appealing to the clientele, both hosts and guests, on which Airbnb relies. AIRBNB FOR GUESTS Airbnb’s business model focuses on consumer-to-consumer (C2C) transactions based on trust. Its model is similar to the popular C2C marketplace of eBay where buyers and sellers engage in transactions that are each evaluated by individuals for their level of risk on the basis of detailed profiles, history, product, price and other resources. However for Airbnb, the relative level of investment for guests and hosts is significantly higher on a per transaction basis. Travelers are risking their vacation experience, safety and in most cases, a relatively higher dollar value than a single product purchase. Hosts are offering their homes, their personal privacy and their own safety, as well as their living experience for the time that their place is secured by a guest. With these personal investments in mind, the success of Airbnb’s ability to instill confidence, trust and safety throughout their network was critical to the success of the company. Airbnb’s roadmap to build safety and security for their renters includes a private messaging system that allows users to learn about each other prior to booking while holding private information to be disclosed at a later time. Another system is Airbnb’s â€Å"verified ID† badge where users will  register their social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Airbnb reviews and official documentation from their photo ID and/or passport. With the verification of all of these resources matching up, those users will receive a â€Å"Verified ID† badge with their account information demonstrating to other users that their identification has been vetted. In April of 2013, Airbnb began randomly selecting users to complete this profile and expect to have this expanded worldwide for all Airbnb members in the near future. Over the last two years, Airbnb has made efforts to increase their resources to expand security and sustain the trust in the marketplace by doubling the size of their customer support staff with 24Ãâ€"7 support, creating a dedicated Trust & Safety department and designing tools to verify user profiles and facilitating richer communications between guests and hosts prior to booking. With these basic features, the usability, consistency and accessibility to hosts and the Airbnb support team continue to be critical characteristics to Airbnb’s service roadmap. Although, when travelers are â€Å"shopping† they also have the responsibility of maximizing their use of these tools and take care in evaluating their own transaction risk by perusing host profiles, reviews, social networks and even connecting with their host on a regular basis. AIRBNB FOR HOSTS Hosts are just as much Airbnb’s customers as guests so while they must inspire guests to stay in an individual’s residence, Airbnb must simultaneously inspire trust and confidence in the Airbnb model for hosts. Airbnb’s actions and interactions with hosts and potential hosts are meant to project an image of control, confidence and community for the host, with a particular focus on doing so administratively, financially and socially. To simplify and centralize the hosting process, Airbnb manages all the administrative functions of becoming a host, which provides a support system and protection for the host and his or her property. Rather than having hosts build a new website for their rental, the site is already created (in multiple languages and currencies) and all he or she must do to get started is create a profile. Airbnb has a free customer service team to help first-time hosts understand the process. While Airbnb makes it clear on their website that understa nding tax and legal status for hosts is the  responsibility of the host, Airbnb provides reference documents and answers to common questions on their website. Although Airbnb maintains the site architecture, hosts are in complete control over the rental price, amenities and house rules. Airbnb in some cases will even offer free professional photography for host properties. A secure online payment system is built into the website to guarantee complete, on-time payment directly to the host (â€Å"Why Host†). Hosts are essentially allowing a stranger into their home (or boat, treehouse, etc.) so a sense of control is key for their confidence in this model. To do so, Airbnb creates systems to offer protection to hosts’ persons and property. Hosts have total control over who rents their listing. A potential guest puts in a reservation request through the online system and then the host has 24 hours to accept or decline the request. During this time the host and potential guest can communicate through the website communications system and reference the aforementioned â€Å"verified ID† system. However, the rental address is not given out until the owner accepts the guest and hosts also have access to the 24-hour customer service hotline (â€Å"Trust†). Since most hosts are renting primary residences or rooms, protecting against potential damage is much more important than if this was a hotel or business. While normal renters’ or homeowners’ insurance is the responsibility of the host, in 2011 Airbnb launched its â€Å"Host Guarantee† property protection program. In May 2012, it took insurance underwritten by Lloyd’s of London to extend the Host Guarantee to up to $1 million in property damages. This covers guest damages beyond the scope of â€Å"reasonable wear and tear† in 23 countries. No additional cost or actions are required for the host to have this protection (â€Å"Guarantee†). The financial incentive is a key reason people become hosts. In a survey of members of Airbnb in San Francisco in November 2012, over 90% of hosts rented their primary residences to visitors and spent almost half the income they made on living expenses (Lawler). To encourage more people to become hosts and to support existing hosts, Airbnb also focuses on facilitating the financial aspects of renting. Firstly, it is free to create a listing using Airbnb. For online payments, the guest submits payment and once the reservation is accepted Airbnb processes and collects the payment in full. Airbnb holds the payment until 24 hours after check-in (and after the guest-host walk through). This helps uphold host cancellation policies and provides a neutral third-party  for financial exchange. The Airbnb website also facilitates cleaning fees which are held until the property is vacated. The secure payment of fees and usage is a key way Airbnb builds confidence for hosts in addition to the social and cultural aspects of hosting. While the first reason most hosts decide to rent their space is financial, another reason is a desire to meet new people, show off their city and be part of the shared economy. Airbnb allows hosts to rent out primary and secondary residences, but 50% of hosts rent private rooms in their residence while they are there (â€Å"Life†). On the Airbnb site, there are numerous forums and guides for people to learn about becoming a host, exchange ideas and form a deeper community within the sharing economy. The social community built in Airbnb, plus the financial and administrative support systems, encourage new and repeat hosts to open their homes and lives up to the world because they trust in the brand and system created by Airbnb. NEXT STEPS Airbnb’s success did not come without the expected growing pains of any startup company, and especially one commanding a dominant market share in the new sharing economy. While its impact on the tourist trade, individual income, revenue to small businesses and economic stimulation are remarkable, the personal price some individuals have had to pay using Airbnb’s service is important not to overlook. From city-issued sanctions to individuals violating lease regulations, to vandalism of personal property and identity theft, the safety, benefits, opportunity costs, and sustainability of Airbnb’s service has been questioned in the media. To alleviate some of these concerns and remain a viable business, Airbnb should examine these obstacles in an effort to institute awareness through its community. They can continue to find ways to provide a more comprehensive and scrutinized ID verification process for all of their users to minimize the existence of bad apples. The level of care that hosts place on evaluating their individual transaction risk and understanding of regulations specific to their city has a direct impact on their safety and success as an Airbnb host. Through consumer forums, hosts, guests, and potential consumers and guests can communicate on a network to learn from their peers. Airbnb should also consider expanding the countries covered and the items covered under the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Host Guarantee† to increase host protections locally and internationally. Moving forward, Airbnb has to be conscious of the popular pitfalls fellow sharing economy companies have faced. In a Campbell Mithun study, consumers were concerned with the following, in descending order: What I lend could get lost or stolen, I might not trust others in the network, my privacy might be compromised, sharing is not worth the effort, and the goods or services might be of poor quality (Olson). As described above, Airbnb has taken necessary measures to help defe nd the safety and privacy of its host and guests. However, as the sharing economy evolves, this could get more difficult and new safety concerns can arise that Airbnb will need to resolve quickly. Collaborative consumption represents a major economic, social and cultural shift as it moves out of infancy and toward acceptance. These companies need to find the balance between the potential of the sharing economy and the standing regulation of the government. The current brick and mortar companies that are participating in highly-regulated industries like hotels or rental cars now have to compete with services that do not go through the same rigorous levels of inspection or qualifications to ensure public safety (Lawler). Sharing economy companies could make a solid argument for self-regulation. Airbnb should take care that they currently have the proper management to ensure there are no nefarious parties in their business dealings and that their brand is strong enough to self-regulate (Lawler). For a well-rounded approach, shared economy companies should look towards or at least be aware of how the government may impose regulations to see how they might help or hinder Airbnbâ₠¬â„¢s progress. There will come a time when companies like Airbnb will need to defend their unconventional and minimally regulated services, and should now put into place a team that can defend them. Lobbying municipal and state governments in high usage areas is a more traditional but still relevant area for Airbnb to protect its business model and by extension its users. The greatest advantage that collaborative consumption has when defending their stance to the economy is that they exist to help people in their communities to meet their goals (Metcalf, Warburg). These companies need to leverage their community-based benefits as a way to gain support and appeal to those wanting greater government intervention. Preparation and understanding of user needs, government regulations and economic trends will bridge the nascent shared  economy into a strong, sustainable economic force. Therefore, if Airbnb continues to focus on building a brand that consumers can trust in and created mechanisms to support hosts and guests then it can be a durable, profitable company for years to come. WORKS CITED Airbnb. YouTube. Web. 27 June 2013. https://www.youtube.com/user/Airbnb Anderson, Lauren. â€Å"Collaborative Consumption Directory – Visualized.† Collaborative Consumption. Collaborative Consumption, 30 May 2013. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com/2013/05/30/collaborative-consumption-directory-visualized. Ciccone, Alicia. â€Å"The Sharing Economy.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 05 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/the-sharing-economy_n_1857201.html Empson, Rip. â€Å"CEO Brian Chesky Says Airbnb Will Be Filling More Room Nights Than All Hilton Hotels By The End Of 2012.† TechCrunch., 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 June 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/12/cloudera-ceo-mike-olson-by-december-31st-airbnb-will-be-filling-more-room-nights-than-hilton-hotels/ Geron, Tomio.†Airbnb and the Unstoppable Rise of the Share Economy.† Forbes, 11 Feb. 2013. Forbes. â€Å"Guarantee.† Airbnb. Web 30 June 2013. https://www.Airbnb.com/guarantee Lawler, Ryan. â€Å"Airbnb: Our Guests Stay Longer and Spend More Than Hotel Guests, Contributing $56M to the San Francisco Economy.† Tech Crunch. 9 November 2012. 30 June 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/09/airbnb-research-data-dump/ Lawler, Ryan. â€Å"Balancing Innovation And Regulation In The Sharing Economy.†TechCrunch. Crunchbase, 9 Dec. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013. http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/09/balancing-innovation-and-regulation-in-the-sharing-economy. â€Å"Life† Airbnb. Web 30 June 2013. https://www.Airbnb.com/life â€Å"LinkedIn Today: Top Minds, Big Ideas.† LinkedIn.com. Web. 29 June 2013. http://www.linkedin.com/today/influencers?trk=tod3-top-nav-filter Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. â€Å"Chapter 8 Identifying Market Segments and Targets.† Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2012. Melby, Caleb. â€Å"Who Will Get Rich from Sky High Airbnb Valuation?† Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Oct. 2012. Web. 27 June 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/10/19/peter-thiel-may-invest-150-million-in-airbnb-at-2-5-billion-valuation/ Metcalf, Gabriel, and Jennifer Warburg. â€Å"A Policy Agenda for the Sharing Economy.†SPUR.com. The Urbanist, Oct. 2012. Web. 02 July 2013. http://www.spur.org/publications/library/article/policy-agenda-sharing-economy. Olson, Kristine. â€Å"Campbell Mithun.† Campbell Mithun. 8 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 July 2013. http://www.campbell-mithun.com/678_national-study-quantifies-reality-of-the-sharing-economy-movement. Temple, James. â€Å"Google Places Draws Complaints from Yelp, Others.† SFGate. San Francisco Chronicle, 29 June 3011. Web. 27 June 2013. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Google-Places-draws-complaints-from-Yelp-others-2352896.php â€Å"The Globally, Socially Conscious Consumers.† The Global, Socially Conscious Consumer. Nielson, 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 01 July 2013.

Wgu Fht Task 1 - 1675 Words

Jessica Odessa Shepherd Human Development and Learning - FHT4 Western Governors University Student ID 259630 FHT4 - Task 1 Cognitive Development refers to the construction of the thought process that includes problem solving, remembering and the ability to make decisions, from childhood up to the adulthood stage. Cognitive/Intellectual Development is the ability to learn, reason, and analyze the fact that a process begins from infancy and progresses as the individual (Educational Psychology). Cognitive Development contains events that are logical, like thinking and remembering. Some factors remain the same throughout many of the theories on cognitive development. All theorists agree that people go through specific steps and/or†¦show more content†¦Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky both agree and disagree in the area of the Nature/Development of Intelligence. Piaget and Vygotsky agree on the idea of constructivism, the certainty that cognitive development happens by accumulation to and building from what is previously recognized and learned. Piaget was a trivial constructivist, he believed that indiv iduals acquire knowledge by interacting with their environment and building on their knowledge and understanding of their environment. On the other hand, Lev Vygotsky was a social constructivist, believing individuals acquire knowledge through social interaction and learning from others. They also both agree that the restrictions of intellectual growth are defined by social interactions. Individuals acquire knowledge from interactions that they have already been exposed to and what other people can teach them, whether if it other children that are older than they are, adults in the life, or teachers. Jean Piaget believed that individuals acquire their knowledge by interacting in their environment, and it comes as a direct outcome of the individual’s actions on to their environment. Piaget believed that individuals must learn before they develop (Educational Psychology). According to Jean Piaget’s theory, the order of acquiring knowledge is an individual acts upon their environment, learning from the consequences of their actions, and then developing knowledge and understanding of