Heineken Success Story Essay Example

Heineken Success Story Essay Success Story Heineken Extends Brand Equity with First â€Å"Experience Store† Background Heineken is one of the world’s most recognized brewers, with 170 beer brands that generated revenue of US$13 billion in 2008. The 146-yearold Dutch company is famous for its pioneering advertising and innovative marketing, which go beyond beer by associating the Heineken brand with socializing and having fun. In the face of changing beverage consumption, advertising restrictions, and a blurring of its positioning among self-owned and competing beverage labels, Heineken’s marketers decided to use the company’s strong brand equity to expand into adjacent markets and provide consumers with new ways to interact with the brand. Through a series of workshops, demonstrations, and relationship-building activities, the Cisco ® Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) provided support and guidance on how technology could help Heineken achieve this vision. A major component of Cisco IBSG’s engagement was working with Heineken on a new â€Å"brand experience store† in Amsterdam called â€Å"Heineken the City. † The store is part of an overall marketing/branding strategy that combines traditional and new media to create connection points between Heineken and its customers. In doing so, Heineken is sharpening its â€Å"fun-loving lifestyle† image while increasing customers’ brand preference and loyalty. Executive Summary CUSTOMER NAME Heineken INDUSTRY Consumer Packaged Goods ChAllENgES Changingpatternsofbeverage consumption and self-owned brands were eroding Heinekens brand preference and customer loyalty †¢ Neededtoconnecttoanew, tech-savvy generation of consumers †¢ P otentialbanontraditionalbeer advertising necessitated new, technology-based marketing SOlUTIONS †¢ ntegratedmarketingstrategy I combining traditional and new media †¢ tate-of-the-artpromotionalstore S showcasing techn ology as well as products †¢ -commercewebsiteswithperE sonalized products and sports and entertainment sponsorships RESUlTS Challenges We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Clearly (Re-) Differentiating the Brand: Heineken has always been a widely recognized name, but the brand had become less clearly differentiated in recent decades. In the Netherlands, where there are numerous beer brands—many associated with regions or specific target drinkers—brand preference and loyalty had eroded, and Heineken’s communications were not conveying the intrinsic values of the brand. The company believed that new media, platforms, and markets were needed to revitalize the brand and make Heineken a â€Å"lifestyle† as well as an instantly recognizable beer. Heineken asked Cisco IBSG to provide idespreadpublicityfor W Heineken the City store; 300,000 visitors the first year †¢ etter-than-expecteddemand B for customized and branded products †¢ womorestorestoberolledout T in London and Milan; technology foundation will be expanded in future Heineken projects Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) Cisco IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Success Story guidance on incorporating new media into The City project. Cisco IBSG also recommended new strategies for the future, such as the use of personal mobile and video services. Changes in Beer-Consumption levels and habits: Another challenge for HeinekenisthatbeerconsumptioninWesternEuropehascomeunderincreasing pressure; consolidated beer volume in Europe declined 1. 6 percent in 2008, according to Heineken’s 2008 annual report. Heineken has seen marginal growth, mostly from acquisitions of new labels and brands. Economicandpoliticalissuesalsoarefactors. Whileexperienceindicatesthat beer consumption as a whole is relatively resilient in a period of economic downturn, there may be shifts from consumption in bars and restaurants to in-home consumption, and from mainstream beers to economy beers. A smoking ban introduced in the Netherlands in July 2008 caused a significant decrease in beer consumption in cafes, whereas wine and various trendy drinks aimed at younger target groups experienced increased consumption. Although the Netherlands is Europes No. 2 beer exporter, about half of all beer brewed in the country is consumed locally, making the industry sensitive to local taxation. Tax-induced price increases, together with the effects of the smoking ban, the economic recession, and an increase in home beer consumption, make the outlook uncertain. Ad Restrictions and Social Responsibility: Beer brands are increasingly expected to promote â€Å"responsible† consumption to their users and society. Moreover, many governments have placed restrictions on how beer companies can promote their products, just as they have done with tobacco. As a premium brand that embraces quality over quantity, Heineken seeks to promote a responsible drinking culture. This became an even more visible component of Heineken’s communications strategy in 2008, with initiatives aimed at raising awareness of responsible alcohol consumption. For example, Heineken displayed an â€Å"Enjoy Heineken Responsibly† tagline on promotional boards at Champions League soccer matches, which draw 850 million television viewers weekly and are Heineken’s main sponsorship platform. New Ways To Connect: Simultaneously, younger consumers increasingly are connecting with brands through the web, video, mobile devices, and experience/ entertainment locations. They are demanding personalized products and services, and they expect a two-way relationship with brands. Terms such as â€Å"push to pull,† â€Å"mass customization,† and â€Å"individualism† have been used to describe these trends. Media consumption also is changing as consumers increasingly take control of what they view and read. Traditional media such as TV, radio, and print have become less effective at reaching target markets and are losing mindshare to the web and time-shift TV. Information about a brand often is created by Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. â€Å" eneedednewtechW nology solutions to connect with consumers in Heineken the City and make it one of our new connection points. Withoutapartnerlike Cisco IBSG, it wouldn’t be possible to do these kinds of things. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands 2 Success Story customers, and therefore is difficult to control. As a high-profile beer brand, Heineken needs to be diligent about how its brand is perceived and positioned by its users on blogs, wikis, and Internet forums. In the face of these changes, Heineken’s challenge was to creatively integrate traditional and new media into a holistic, immersive marketing strategy. The company used Cisco IBSG’s technical expertise to resolve two key issues: †¢ Howtodevelopacloserrelationshipwithitsmarket †¢ Howtocomplementtraditionaladvertisingandcommunicationwith innovative marketing enabled by new technology In short, Heineken needed a strategy that was consumer-minded rather than channel-driven. The intent was to build customer loyalty as a hedge against changing consumption patterns and attitudes toward beer. Heineken needs to be seen as a brand that gets it—it knows that its consumers’ habits have changed, and the company is changing along with them. Solutions A holistic and Integrated Marketing Strategy: Heineken has learned from other successful consumer brands such as Nike, Apple, and Nespresso, which have combined traditional and new media, and exploited consumer and technological trends with their â€Å"mass customized† products and integrated media campaigns. Apple, for example, has used a combination of engagement (Apple Stores), transaction (iTunes), exposure (â€Å"Think Different† TV ad campaign), interaction (Apple. com), and relationship (MobileMe) to develop multiple touchpoints and two-way relationships with its customers. Doing so has helped drive image, customer loyalty, and commercial success. Heineken has also built a holistic marketing strategy around the themes of interaction, exposure, engagement, and relationships. In combination with traditional thematic marketing communications channels such as TV spots and activation channels such as events, new customer connection points are being developed to support the reinforcement and unique positioning of the Heineken brand: †¢ Interaction: An e-commerce site, http://www. ouwheineken. nl (yourheineken), with Heineken-branded products and merchandise that can be customized and personalized by the consumer †¢ Exposure: Heineken â€Å"Saving the Planet† TV campaign, accessed through TV and web channels (such as YouTube) †¢ Engagement: Heineken the City brand experience store †¢ Relationships: Sports/entertainment sponsorships – Champions League soccer – Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam Prepared by Cisco Internet B usiness Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Success Story †¢ heineken Access loyalty Program: Includes a new web/mobile entertainment portal and an RFID-enabled customer-loyalty credit card in partnership with Visa that gives Heineken customers preference for a range of Heineken products and events. †¢ heineken the City: The most visible element of the renewed branding effort on which Heineken and Cisco IBSG collaborated is a six-building brand experience store, Heineken the City. Heineken acquired a prime location in the center of the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to build a state-of-the-art promotional store where visitors can interact and engage with nonbranded products and services within the adjacent markets of travel, entertainment, fashion, and retail. No beer is sold or consumed within The City. †¢ The City is a historic location that that has been outfitted with modern technology and ultramodern interiors by some of Europe’s top designers, and is built on a Cisco technology platform. The City also is used to promote other Heineken platforms—for example, selling Champions League travel packages. The store’s offerings include: †¢Personalized collectibles, merchandise, and fashion items by well-known designers. Customers also can design customized Heineken beer labels to commemorate birthdays, weddings, or other occasions. †¢A recording studio for new bands and DJs. Music sponsorship will be represented in the store with music lessons, new-talent shows, and DJ workshops. †¢Tickets. Customers can buy tickets to concerts and for package tours to Heineken-sponsored events. Computer screens promote the events throughout the store. †¢Exclusive boardrooms. These rooms can be hired out for meetings and business events. Heineken the City provides a multidimensional media vehicle that clearly positions the Heineken â€Å"way of life† and offers branded products and services (other than beer) to its target customer segments. These include local residents who enjoy sports, music, fashion, entertainment, festivals, trendy parties, and beach clubs, and who like to discover new shops, unique products, gifts, and so on; tourists who like to travel, have new experiences, and meet other people; and explorers—tourists who are looking for cool products and enjoy contact with the local population. Amsterdam’s Heineken the City pilot store is the first of an international rollout, with other stores planned for London and Milan. â€Å" ehavecreatedthese W new connection points, and now we are looking for new possibilities, together with Cisco IBSG, to put new technology in place for the next steps. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Success Story Cisco Solutions Heineken was looking for an innovation partner with knowledge of how technology can provide solutions to marketing problems. Cisco IBSG, through a series of workshops, demonstrations, innovation sessions, and business cases, provided a technology blueprint that Heineken’s marketing team can use to develop retail and customer marketing solutions for the near and longer term. The foundation of Heineken the City’s technology platform is a fully Cisco-based IP architecture that drives efficiency within the store and allows for the development of new solutions and connection points with Heineken’s customers. Building on this foundation, Cisco: †¢ ProvidedIPtelephonyonHeineken-brandedXMLphones,enabling efficient in-store communications and information services through a touch-screen interface †¢ IncorporatedCisco-enabledphysicalsurveillance,allowing24/7proactive, real-time virtual monitoring in high-definition video †¢ BuiltwirelessLANandWi-FiphonesonthelatestWi-Fistandards,allowing employee and customer connectivity throughout the store and providing the basis for new, context-aware applications for mobile content †¢ InstalledaCiscoDigitalMediaSystem(DMS)thatallowsrecordedandlive streaming video within the store, and is easily managed from a central location. Cisco DMS will also support personalized, customer-facing video applications when combined with RFID in loyalty cards. â€Å"It’s all about how the consumer can experience the technology. The objective is to make the consumer more loyal, and the technology is a very important part of that. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands Projected Results/Benefits Heineken the City opened in July 2008 and received widespread press coverage in the Netherlands and abroad. In terms of revenue from merchandise and meeting room rentals, the store has hit the breakeven mark, with a return on investment within 13 months. Visitor numbers have been steadily increasing, totaling more than 300,000 the first year. The site has hosted a number of entertainment events, meetings (meeting room utilization is more than 70 percent), and reference visits from other organizations. Customized items such as beer labels have been major successes, and Heineken is evaluating how to efficiently keep up with demand. Heineken the City is not intended to be a large revenue-making vehicle, but is instead a platform for increasing loyalty and brand equity. The City has exceeded Heineken’s marketing aspirations, with greater-than-expected visitor numbers and high demand for nontraditional items such as Heineken-branded designer clothes. Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Success Story Next Steps Having laid the technological foundations within Heineken the City, Cisco IBSG will support Heineken as it builds new solutions not only within The City, but also across other customer connection points within the Heineken holistic marketing strategy. Intheareaofmobileplatforms,forexample,dual-band(Wi-Fi-enabled /mobile network) handsets will allow users to track their friends’ whereabouts in Heineken franchise bars and cafes, and Heineken will be able to push tailored content to handsets, based on a consumer’s location. Heineken will be able to address communities or individuals with tailored messaging, thereby building even more customer interaction points. Heineken also will be able to use Cisco Digital Media Systems to recognize users with Heineken Access Cards (RFID-enabled loyalty cards), as well as to stream two-way, high-definition live video with the integration of Cisco TelePresenceâ„ ¢. This again will allow Heineken to further strengthen customer loyalty through personal interactions with customers. The convergence of entertainment locations and interactive, high-definition video channels, context-aware handsets, and social networking will be an interesting and relevant area for Cisco and Heineken to explore. Heineken has inquired about using Cisco architecture and video solutions to allow it to provide new bundled services to bars and clubs, providing additional income generators for the bar owners themselves. Cisco and Heineken share the vision of â€Å"making the world a more fun place. † AsanInternetexpertwithincreasedpresenceinconsumer,video,andWeb 2. environments, Cisco IBSG will provide support and guidance to Heineken’s vision and strategy for enriching the customer experience. In doing so, Cisco will learn from the new standards set by this marketing-savvy organization, discovering ways to apply Cisco technology in never-before-seen applicati ons. Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Success Story Americas Headquarters Cisco Systems, Inc. San Jose, CA Asia Pacific Headquarters Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Singapore Europe Headquarters Cisco Systems International BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www. cisco. com/go/offices. CCDE, CCENT, CCSI, Cisco Eos, Cisco HealthPresence, Cisco IronPort, the Cisco logo, Cisco Lumin, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Nurse Connect, Cisco Pulse, Cisco StackPower, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco WebEx, DCE, Flip Channels, Flip for Good, Flip Mino, Flipshare (Design), Flip Ultra, Flip Video, Flip Video (Design), Instant Broadband, and Welcome to the Human Network are trademarks; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn, Cisco Capital, Cisco Capital (Design), Cisco:Financed (Stylized), Cisco Store, and Flip Gift Card are service marks; and Access

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz--Insecurities Essays

The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzInsecurities Essays The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzInsecurities of Duddy Question #3: Duddy hides his insecurities from himself and others. He is afraid to ask his father if his mother had liked him. What does this reveal about Duddy? Why do we often hide our fears? Two thousand years ago, Jesus had said,"Man does not live by bread alone." This is true, for other than physiological needs, man also has other basic necessities. As outlined in an article written by Professor A. H. Maslow called "A Theory of Human Motivation", these basic necessities include a persons desire for security, love, esteem and self-actualization. Thus, when Duddy hides his fears from others and himself, he is only pursuing a sense of safety, which is one of the human fundamental needs. A persons self-projected image is very important. We often hide our own fears because we do not want to acknowledge our dreads. We are afraid that if we show our dreads, our images as great persons will be ruined. People want to feel important, significant and superior; people do not want to feel inferior, subordinate and insignificant. We are afraid that if we concede our fears, others will dismiss us as unimportant. This is even more true for an ambitious young man like Duddy. He springs from humble beginnings, but clearly, he is very eager to become a successful and powerful man. "...his bony cheeks were criss-crossed with scratches as he shaved twice daily in his attempt to encourage a beard." This clearly indicates to the readers that Duddy wants and tries to be someone that he is not. He wants himself and others to think that he is of great significance. The fact that his friends, family and others reject him make his self-projected image even more preponderant. He must convince himself and others that he is a very important figure and he does this by denying his insecurities. Duddy is not a very well-liked figure in the novel. He arouses readers sympathy because his family and friends do not appreciate him. There is much evidence of this throughout the novel. Perhaps the best illustration of this is when Duddy returns from St. Agathe with six expensive sport shirts for Max as a gift, but only to find out that his father is not interested in the gift. Duddy is not loved in his family, yet he needs love desperately. Since his father, uncle and brother do not love him, his desire for love is projected onto his dead mother. Everyone needs to love and needs to be loved, and it is very reasonable for Duddy to inquire about his mother. But Duddy does not dare to ask his father if his dead mother had liked him because if he exposes his sensitive nature, he will ruin the image that he has been trying to build up for himself. And what if his father tells him that his mother did not like him? He cannot take the risk of losing his image, only to find out that his mother had not liked him. He cannot let his fears be exposed either. Other than hiding his fears, Duddy also keeps his image by crazily pursuing money. He does this because he does not want his family, friends and all the people around him to despise him. He tries desperately to be "somebody". Jerry Dingleman, the Boy Wonder comments, "Theres something wrong. A mistake somewhere when a boy your age is already pursuing money like he had a hot poker up his ass." But the truth is that Duddy is only following one of the human drives. He pursues money for the same reason as he hides his insecurities to preserve his self-image and to make others think him worthy. People are often very conscientious about their own images. This is why we curse acquaintances who slander us. We want people to think us great. Trying to be significant is simply one of the human drives. We try to cover all our weaknesses, all our faults and all our fears, because we want to impress others and we want them to think us great. If we say that we do not care what people think of us, we are only lying to ourselves. And Duddy is no different from an ordinary human being. He hides his fears because he must protect his own image. And all of us perhaps to a lesser extent is doing the exact same thing.

Compare & contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare & contrast - Essay Example Abstinence is advantageous because it ensures quick transformation from a bad habit to a good habit. For example, a person may decide that starting today; they will never smoke, and then stick to their decision. Secondly, a person may break a bad habit by tapering off, which highly bases on harm reduction. Bad habits result in harm, so one may choose to reduce the harm by reducing the number of times they engage in the bad habit. A person will start cutting back on the bad habit, like gradually rolling back the bad habit until it finally disappears completely. For example, a smoker used to five cigarettes daily may decide to smoke only two, then one, and finally quit smoking. The two ways present different conditions, so one may choose depending on how well they can cope. Comparing the two, abstinence may be harsh and hard considering that a habit, which has existed for many months or years, needs to be broken within a short period. This makes abstinence appropriate for habits such as gambling, but inappropriate for others, such as procrastination. With tapering, one risks prolonging their relationship with the old bad habit if they lose focus. However, tapering is effective as it enables gradual deviation from bad habit, which is less stressful than abstinence. In conclusion, bad habits bear adverse effects on lives, therefore should be abandoned. Before breaking a bad habit, first, it needs to be identified, and then one decides to break it. Different ways of breaking it may be chosen depending on effectiveness and nature of the habit. Abstinence may be useful in addictive behavior influenced by environment, while tapering may be used together with other methods due to its

Schizophrenia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Schizophrenia - Research Paper Example Schizophrenia in general as a disorder has a peculiar symptom, namely that the affected person may hear sounds that surrounding people don’t hear. They have a curious feeling that other people are trying to read their minds or in other words are gaining control of their thoughts. They are superstitious enough to harm themselves as well. This can frighten people with the illness and exclude them from the society because of extreme agitation. This brain disorder is considered to be costly and time consuming due to the behavior of the patient. Superstitions are common feelings of the patient which are caused by low intake of the medicine. First generation and second generation medicines are introduced for the patients who deal with certain types of the syndrome. Trust should be developed while treating a patient with schizophrenia. Introduction: Schizophrenia is basically a brain disorder which is found to be persistent, severe, and even disabling the brain and it has affected pe ople throughout history. About 1 percent of Americans have this illness. People with schizophrenia may give a feeling as if they are lost in thoughts. Such person can sit for hours without moving or talking. One cannot judge a person until he/she speaks about what they are really thinking. Depending upon the conditions and causes families and society are affected by schizophrenia too. It has been found that people suffering from schizophrenia have difficulty within their social circle, maintaining a job or even taking care of themselves, so they rely on others for help. With developing research and more effective medications, researchers are finding solutions to this brain disorder. Use of medicine and treatment helps relieve many symptoms of schizophrenia, but often people fight with symptoms throughout their lives. However, many people with schizophrenia can lead rewarding and meaningful lives in their communities. (Regier DA, 1993) Prevalence of the Disease Several factors affect the prevalence of schizophrenia, such as the recognition and reaction to treatment. The prevalence of schizophrenia can be calculated either from cases registered or field surveys. Researchers report that figures have been hypothesized that prevalence estimates would differ between lifetime, period, and point prevalence. Estimates were calculated as a proportion by dividing the total number of individuals who had the disorder by the total population at risk including those with the disorder. It is predicted that males from urban areas and migrants would have a larger proportion as compared to females. (Bhugra, 2005) Schizophrenia rarely occurs in children but affects men and women equally. It occurs regardless of religion and ethnic groups around the world. Mainly symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions usually commence between ages 16 to 30. Men are exposed more to symptoms a little earlier than women. Most of the time, people do not get schizophrenia after age 45. (SR, 2004 ) Schizophrenia in teens can be difficult to diagnose, because some of the first signs can include a change in emotional behavior, change of friends, low performance in education, sleep problems, and bad temper that are common among teens. However, a series of factors can forecast the disorder for up to 80 percent of youth who are at high risk of

The Effects of Madol on the Physical Activity Research Paper

The Effects of Madol on the Physical Activity - Research Paper Example For the purpose of this study 3-month-old adult Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) will be reared in one climate-controlled room in standard plastic cages. Standard food pellets and water will be provided ad libitum. The light/dark conditions will be 12:12 with the light intensity varying between 200 to 300 Lx (Unit of luminance) during the day and 5 Lx (Unit of luminance) during the dark period. The temperature will be regulated to 25 + 2 Â º Celsius and the relative humidity will be maintained between 60 to 65 %. The protocols for using the hamsters for the experiments will be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and all National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines and procedures for care and use of laboratory animals will be followed. Hamsters (n = 80) will be divided into four groups. Group I (n = 8) will receive an intraperitoneal injection of an equivalent volume of ethanol used in other groups for drug delivery. Group II (n = 24, 8 per each dose) will be injected subcutaneously with testosterone (1,2 or 5 mg/Kg body weight). Group III (n = 24, 8 per each dose) will be injected intraperitoneally with dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 1,2, or 5mg/Kg body weight). Group IV (n = 24, 8 per each dose) will be treated with major (DMT, 1,2, or 5 mg/Kg body weight) intraperitoneally. Testosterone, DHT (derived from testosterone by enzyme 5-alpha reductase) and DMT will be dissolved in ethanol. Testosterone and DHT are natural anabolic androgenic steroids present in the human body. Dose levels are derived from the extensive literature review for testosterone and DHT. All these drugs will be procured from a chemical company.

Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection

Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection The aim of this report is to identify traditional methods of recruitment and how they have been revolutionized by the emergence of the Internet. In the past few years, the Internet has dramatically changed the face of HR recruitment and the ways organizations think about the recruiting function. Presently, Information Communication Technologies (ICT), which provide enabling technologies to assist Human Resources (Hers) professionals in the delivery of services, have also simultaneously increased the expectations that employees, managers, customers, and regulators have for the HR functions. The feedback I received from essay one is that Internet recruitment is viewed as an important additional tool and traditional methods are continued to be used in recruiting process. The pros of e-recruitment were to identify and reach large of qualified candidates advertise with dispersed location, provide cost effective method, save the recruiting process time and increase image of organizations. The cons of e-recruitment were the discrimination issue forward to Internet non-user, difficult to recruit executive-level talents on the Internet, the digital divide gap between computer literate and illiterate and the risk of overload of resumes. Analysis of Viva process: The viva process went very well and that was after I submitted my both essays to my supervisor. When it came to the Viva (oral defense), I really wanted to do it well. I spent quite more than enough time preparing the viva in the way that I have seen others make similar preparations. After having been informed that I will be required to defend my second essay, I decided that a good presentation comes from good planning and having at hand all the information that anyone might request, so I spent a long time in the preparation and I went feeling confident. As soon as I arrived at the conference where the presentation was taking place, I became nervous when I realized they were all waiting for me to speak and my nerves made me tremble. I did not know how to stop it. later on, I noticed that panelists seemed not to understand what I was saying despite all the preparations I had made. I suddenly calmed myself down, and in no minutes time I found myself flowing and everybody in the room un derstood I had gained momentum. I did it so well and this happened when I decided talking more slowly without trembling. It was interesting because everyone saw a change in my attitude after a very short time, and from there, I personally started seeing things differently. I regained sufficient confidence and was able to discuss matters in greater depth, thus, I felt more positive until the end of the Viva. The title of essay and aim: The title of essay two is Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection, and the main question is whether E-recruitment is an efficient tool for recruitment, and analyzing how beneficial e-recruitment is to organizations implementing it. The aim of this paper was to: Identify what e-recruitment methods are being used, and what are experiences of organizations trying to implement e-recruitment. Establish how organizations are evaluating the success of their e-recruitment initiatives, and establish the level of success being experienced This paper will help to establish a baseline on the use of e-recruitment by organizations, thereby enabling the on-going monitoring of progress and developments in this area. How essay 2 builds on essay 1 Essay two builds on essay one by analyzing the benefits of e-recruitment to organizations implementing it. However, e-recruitment is an efficient method of recruitment due to a number of reasons, most notably for cost reduction, increases the efficiency of the process, reduce time to hire and provide access to a larger and more diverse candidate pool. The most notable benefits reported by organizations having introduced e-recruitment are the cost savings, which have mainly been due to reduced advertising cost, a reduction in the resources required to process applications and a reduction in recruitment agency costs. Other benefits include more efficient management of communication with candidates and the ability to easily report on key performance metrics as a result of internet based tracking systems. It also shows that online recruitment is an improvement but cannot totally replace the traditional recruitment. Thus, increased use of e-recruitment methods and systems is helping to facilitate this trend by removing much of the routine administration involved in recruiting allowing HR to more easily monitor and track recruitment related activities. What I did well or could have done better: What I did well was planning and researching. I came up with really good research based on what I had planned. The communication and listening skills I acquired during the course made me to respond to questions very well and with full confidence. I gathered all the materials and data that I wanted, compiled it before coming up with the final report. Though during report writing, I was not sure whether I was going the right direction as far as the flow was concerned. I kept doing what I thought was right from my own perspective. What I learned: I have learned that planning and preparing for a Viva does not guarantee someone from trembling, but makes you have the information you need at hand. I also noticed how important it is to go back over things I have written about before presenting, for this could make me familiar with what I had written down. There were things I did not know at the time of questions and answer session, and I recognized there were some areas in which I went wrong. This made me realize that the panelists did not understand what I was saying. I have learned that I was not confident enough to present what I had prepared for. I need to think from the beginning about the process of giving a good Viva, as well as being sure about my reliance on what I have prepared/planned in order to have the best Viva. Conclusion: In order to prepare a good Viva or any presentation, good planning is required as well as doing enough research (have enough information at hand). On top of planning, being confident is another important aspect that can lead a person to present a good Viva. If I was confident enough, I am sure I would not have trembled and my oral defense would have been perfectly done from the time I entered the room. I, therefore, would like to encourage students to make sure they have full confidence in mind before attempting any presentation, which for my case was an oral defense (Viva).

Interweaving Characters and Surroundings in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights:  Ã‚   Interweaving Characters and Surroundings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definitive criteria for judging the success or failure of a work of fiction are not easily agreed upon; individuals almost necessarily introduce bias into any such attempt.   Only those who affect an exorbitantly refined artistic taste, however, would deny the importance of poignancy in literary pieces.   To be sure, writings of dubious and fleeting merit frequently enchant the public, but there is too the occasional author who garners widespread acclaim and whose works remain deeply affecting despite the passage of time.   The continued eminence of the fiction of Emily Bronte attests to her placement into such a category of authors: it is a recognition of her propensity to create poignant and, indeed, successful literature.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a novel about lives that cross paths and are intertwined with one another. Healthcliff, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw has two children named Catherine and Hindley. Jealousy between Hindley and Healthcliff was always a problem. Catherine loves Healthcliff, but Hindley hates the stranger for stealing his fathers affection away. Catherine meets Edgar Linton, a young gentleman who lives at Thrushcross Grange. Despite being in love with Healthcliff she marries Edgar elevating her social standing. The characters in this novel are commingled in their relationships with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The setting used throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, helps to set the mood to describe the characters. We find two households separated by the cold, muddy, and barren moors, one by the name of Wuthering Heights, and the other Thrushcross Grange. Each house stands alone, in the mist of the dreary land, and the atmosphere creates a mood of isolation. These two places, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange differ greatly in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between storm and calm that Emily Bronte develops as the theme. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange both represent several opposing properties which bring about all sorts of bad happenings when they clash. For example, the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights were that of the working class, while those of Thrushcross Grange were high up on the social ladder. The people of Wuthering Heights aspired to be on the same level as the Lintons. This is evident by Heathcliff and Catherine when the peek through their window. In addition, Wuthering Heights was always in a state of storminess while Thrushcross Grange always seemed calm.

Report on Hdfc Bank

1 PROJECT FINAL REPORT ON BANKING BY JIGAR SONI AT Summer Internship Project 2 PROJECT TITLE A project report on COMPANY GUIDE FACULTY GUIDE ================ ============== Mr. Manish Panchal Prof. Pragna Kaul Branch Manager IBMR Ahmedabad Kapadwanj. Prepared by : Jigar J Soni Roll no. 5 , Div – A IBMR _Ahmedabad Year – 2008/09 3 Acknowledgements If words are considered to be signs of gratitude then let these words Convey the very same My sincere gratitude to HDFC BANK for roviding me with an opportunity to work with BANK and giving necessary directions on doing this project to the best of my abilities. I am highly indebted to Mr. Manish Panchal. , Branch Manager and company project guide, who has provided me with the necessary information and also for the support extended out to me in the completion of this report and his valuable suggestion and comments on bringing out this report in the best way possible. I also thank Prof. Pragna Kaul, IBMR_Ahmedabad, who has sincer ely supported me with the valuable insights into the completion of this project. I am grateful to all faculty members of IBMR_Ahmedabad and my 4 friends who have helped me in the successful completion of this project. 5 CONTENTS Sr. No. Subject Covered Page No. 1 Banking Structure in India 6-7 2 Indian Banking Industries 8-9 3 Upcoming Foreign Bank in India 10 4 HDFC BANK 11-12 5 Company Profile 13-15 6 Technology used 16-19 7 Product and Customer segments 20-23 8 Business Strategy 24-25 9 Inside Hdfc Bank 26-31 10 Rupee Earned – Rupee Spent 32-33 11 Recent Development 34-41 12 SWOT Analysis 42-48 13 Project on Plastic Money 49-55 6 BANKING STRUCTURE IN INDIA Scheduled Banks in India (A) Scheduled Commercial Banks Public sector Banks Private sector Banks Foreign Banks in India Regional Rural Bank (28) (27) (29) (102) †¢Nationalized Bank †¢Other Public Sector Banks (IDBI) †¢SBI and its Associates †¢Old Private Banks †¢New Private Banks (B) Scheduled Cooperative Banks Scheduled Urban Cooperative Banks (55) Scheduled State Cooperative Banks (31) 7 Here we more concerned about private sector banks and competition among them. Today, there are 27 private sector banks in the banking sector: 19 old private sector banks and 8 new private sector banks. These new banks have brought in state-of-the-art technology and Aggressively marketed their products. The Public sector banks are Facing a stiff competition from the new private sector banks. The banks which have been setup in the 1990s under the guidelines of the Narasimham Committee are referred to as NEW PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS. New Private Sector Banks †¢Superior Financial Services †¢Designed Innovative Products †¢Tapped new markets †¢Accessed Low cost NRI funds †¢Greater efficiency 8 INDIAN BANKING INDUSTRIES The Indian banking market is growing at an astonishing rate, with Assets expected to reach US$1 trillion by 2010. An expanding economy, middle class, and technological innovations are all ontributing to this growth. The country’s middle class accounts for over 320 million people. In correlation with the growth of the economy, rising income levels, increased standard of living, and affordability of banking products are promising factors for continued expansion. 9 The Indian banking Industry is in the middle of an IT revolution, Focusing on the ex pansion of retail and rural banking. Players are becoming increasingly customer – centric in their approach, which has resulted in innovative methods of offering new banking products and services. Banks are now realizing the mportance of being a big player and are beginning to focus their attention on mergers and acquisitions to take advantage of economies of scale and/or comply with Basel II regulation. â€Å"Indian banking industry assets are expected to reach US$1 trillion by 2010 and are poised to receive a greater infusion of foreign capital,† says Prathima Rajan, analyst in Celent's banking group and author of the report. â€Å"The banking industry should focus on having a small number of large players that can compete globally rather than having a large number of fragmented players. UPCOMING FOREIGN BANKS IN INDIA By 2009 few more names is going to be added in the list of foreign banks in India. This is as an aftermath of the sudden interest shown 10 by Reserve Bank of India paving roadmap for foreign banks in India greater freedom in India. Among them is the world's best private bank by EuroMoney magazine, Switzerland's UBS. The following are the list of foreign banks going to set up business in India :- †¢Royal Bank of Scotland †¢ †¢Switzerland's UBS †¢ †¢US-based GE Capital †¢ †¢Credit Suisse Group †¢ †¢Industrial and Commercial Bank of China WE UNDERSTAND YOUR WORLD The Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC) was amongst the first to receive an ‘in principle' approval from the 11 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a bank in the private sector, as part of the RBI's liberalization of the Indian Banking Industry in 1994. The bank was incorporated in August 1994 in the name of ‘HDFC Bank Limited', with its registered office in Mumbai, India. HDFC Bank commenced operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank in January 1995. HDFC is India's premier housing finance company and enjoys an impeccable track record in India as well as in international markets. Since its inception in 1977, the Corporation has maintained a consistent and healthy growth in its operations to remain the market leader in mortgages. Its outstanding loan portfolio covers well over a million dwelling units. HDFC has developed significant expertise in retail mortgage loans to different market segments and also has a large corporate client base for its housing related credit facilities. With its experience in the financial markets, a strong market reputation, large shareholder base and unique consumer franchise, HDFC was ideally positioned to promote a bank in the Indian nvironment. HDFC Bank began operations in 1995 with a simple mission : to be a 12 â€Å" World Class Indian Bank. † We realized that only a single minded focus on product quality and service excellence would help us get there. Today, we are proud to say that we are well on our way towards that goal. COMPANY PROFILE STRONG NATIONAL NETWORK 13 HDFC BANK As of March 31, 2008, the Bank’s di stribution network was at 761 Branches and 1977 ATMs in 327 cities as against 684 branches March 2006 March 2007 March 2008 Citied 228 316 327 Branches 535 684 761 ATMs 1323 1605 1977 14 nd 1,605 ATMs in 320 cities as of March 31, 2007. Against the regulatory approvals for new branches in hand, the Bank expects to further expand the branch network by around 150 branches by June 30, 2008. During the year, the Bank stepped up retail customer acquisition with deposit accounts increasing from 6. 2 million to 8. 7 million and total cards issued (debit and credit cards) increasing from 7 million to 9. 2 million. Whilst credit growth in the banking system slowed down to about 22% for the year ended 2007-08, the Bank’s net advances grew by 35. 1% with retail advances growing by 38. % and wholesale advances growing by 30%, implying a higher market share in both segments. The transactional banking business also registered healthy growth With cash management volumes increased by around 80% and trade services volumes by around 40% over the previous year. Portfolio quality as of March 31, 2008 remained healthy with gross nonperforming assets at 1. 3% and net non-performing assets at 15 0. 4% of total customer assets. The Bank’s provisioning policies for specific loan loss provisions remained higher than regulatory requirements. TECHNOLOGY USED IN HDFC BANK In the era of globalization each and every sector faced the stiff competition from their rivals. And world also converted into the flat from the globe. After the policy of liberalization and RBI initiatives to take the step for the private sector banks, more and more changes 16 are taking the part into it. And there are create competition between the private sector banks and public sector bank. Private sector banks are today used the latest technology for the different transaction of day to day banking life. As we know that Information Technology plays the vital role in the each and every ndustries and gives the optimum return from the limited resources. Banks are service industries and today IT gives the innovative Technology application to Banking industries. HDFC BANK is the leader in the industries and today IT and HDFC BANK together combined they reached the sky. New technology changed the mind of the customers and changed the queue concept from the history banking transaction. Today there are different channels are available for the banking transactions. We can see that the how technology gives the best results in the below diagram. There are drastically changes seen in the use of Internet banking, in a year 2001 (2%) and in the year 2008 ( 25%). These type of technology gives the freedom to retail customers. 17 Centralized Processing Units Derived Economies of Scale Electronic Straight Through Processing Reduced Transaction Cost Data Warehousing , CRM Improve cost efficiency, Cross sell Innovative Technology Application Provide new or superior products HDFC BANK is the very consistent player in the New private sector banks. New private sector banks to withstand the competition from public sector banks came up with innovative products and superior service. 2001 18 Branches 43% ATM 40% Phone Banking 14% Internet 2% Mobile 1% 2005 Branches 17% ATM 45% Phone Banking 12% Internet 25% Mobile 1% ( % customer initiated Transaction by Channel ) 19 HDFC BANK PRODUCT AND CUSTOMER SEGMENTS PERSONAL BANKING Loan Product Deposit Product Investment & Insurance †¢Auto Loan †¢Loan Against Security †¢Loan Against Property †¢Personal loan †¢Credit card †¢2-wheeler loan †¢Commercial vehicles finance †¢Home loans †¢Retail business banking †¢Tractor loan †¢Working Capital Finance †¢Construction Equipment Finance †¢Health Care Finance †¢Education Loan †¢Gold Loan †¢Saving a/c †¢Current a/c †¢Fixed deposit †¢Demat a/c †¢Safe Deposit Lockers †¢Mutual Fund †¢Bonds †¢Knowledge Centre †¢Insurance †¢General and Health Insurance †¢Equity and Derivatives †¢Mudra Gold Bar 20 Cards Payment Services Access To Bank †¢Credit Card †¢Debit Card †¢Prepaid Card —————————- —- Forex Services —————————- —- †¢Product & Services †¢Trade Services †¢Forex service Branch Locater †¢RBI Guidelines †¢NetSafe †¢Merchant †¢Prepaid Refill †¢Billpay †¢Visa Billpay †¢InstaPay †¢DirectPay †¢VisaMoney Transfer †¢e–Monies Electronic Funds Transfer †¢Online Payment of Direct Tax †¢NetBanking †¢OneView †¢InstaAlert MobileBanking †¢ATM †¢Phone Banking †¢Email Statements Branch Network 21 WHOLESALE BANKING Corporate Small and Medium Enterprises Financial Inst itutions and Trusts †¢Funded Services †¢Non Funded Services †¢Value Added Services †¢Internet Banking †¢Funded Services †¢Non Funded Services †¢Specialized Services †¢Value added services †¢Internet Banking BANKS †¢Clearing Sub- Membership †¢RTGS – submembership †¢Fund Transfer †¢ATM Tie-ups †¢Corporate Salary a/c †¢Tax Collection Financial Institutions Mutual Funds Stock Brokers Insurance Companies Commodities Business Trusts BUSINESS MIX 22 Total Deposits Gross Advances Net Revenue Retail Wholesale †¢HDFC Bank is a consistent player in the private sector bank and have a well balanced product and business mix in the Indian as well as overseas markets. †¢Customer segments (retail & wholesale) account for 84% of Net revenues ( FY 2008) †¢Higher retail revenues partly offset by higher operating and credit costs. †¢Equally well positioned to grow both segments. . 23 NRI SERVICES Accounts & Deposits Remittances †¢Rupee Saving a/c †¢Rupee Current a/c †¢Rupee Fixed Deposits †¢Foreign Currency Deposits †¢Accounts for Returning Indians †¢North America †¢UK †¢Europe †¢South East Asia †¢Middle East †¢Africa †¢Others Quick remit IndiaLink Cheque LockBox Telegraphic/ Wire Transfer Funds Transfer Cheques/DDs/TCs Investment & Insurances Loans †¢Mutual Funds †¢Insurance †¢Private Banking †¢Portfolio Investment Scheme †¢Home Loans †¢Loans Against Securities †¢Loans Against Deposits †¢Gold Credit Card Payment Services Access To Bank †¢NetSafe †¢BillPay †¢InstaPay †¢DirectPay †¢Visa Money †¢Online Donation †¢NetBanking †¢OneView †¢InstaAlert †¢ATM †¢PhoneBanking †¢Email Statements †¢Branch Network 24 BUSINESS STRETEGY HDFC BANK mission is to be â€Å"a World Class Indian Bank†, benchmarking themselves against international standards and best ractices in terms of product offerings, technology, service levels, risk management and audit & compliance. The objective is to build sound customer franchises across distinct businesses so as to be a preferred provider of banking services for target retai l and wholesale customer segments, and to achieve a healthy growth in profitability, consistent with the Bank's risk appetite. Bank is committed to do this while ensuring the highest levels of ethical standards, professional integrity, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. Continue to develop new product and technology is the main business strategy f the bank. Maintain good relation with the customers is the main and prime objective of the bank. HDFC BANK business strategy emphasizes the following : 25 †¢Increase market share in India’s expanding banking and financial services industry by following a disciplined growth strategy focusing on quality and not on quantity and delivering high quality customer service. †¢Leverage our technology platform and open scaleable systems to deliver more products to more customers and to control operating costs. †¢Maintain current high standards for asset quality through disciplined credit risk management. Develop in novative products and services that attract the targeted customers and address inefficiencies in the Indian financial sector. †¢Continue to develop products and services that reduce bank’s cost of funds. †¢Focus on high earnings growth with low volatility. 26 INSIDE HDFC BANK FIVE â€Å"S† , PART OF KAIZEN WORK PLACE TRANSFORMATION Focus on effective work place organization Believe in â€Å" Small changes lead to large improvement † Every successful organization have their own strategy to win the race in the competitive market. They use some technique and methodology for smooth running of business. HDFC BANK also aquired the Japanese technique for smooth running of work and effective work place organization. Five ‘S’ Part of Kaizen is the technique which is used in the bank For easy and systematic work place and eliminating unnecessary things from the work place. BENEFIT OF FIVE â€Å"S† 27 †¢It can be started immediately. †¢Every one has to participate. †¢Five â€Å" S† is an entirely people driven initiatives. †¢Brings in concept of ownership. †¢All wastage are made visible. FIVE ‘S’ Means :- S-1 SORT SEIRI S-2 SYSTEMATIZE SEITON S-3 SPIC-N-SPAN SEIRO S-4 STANDARDIZE SEIKETSU S-5 SUSTAIN SHITSUKE (1) SORT :- It focus on eliminating unnecessary items from the work place. It is excellent way to free up valuable floor space. It segregate items as per â€Å"require and wanted†. (2) SYSTEMATIZE :- Systematize is focus on efficient and effective Storage method. Frequently Requir ed Less Frequently Requir ed Remove everything from workplace Junk Wanted but not Required Junk 28 That means it identify, organize and arrange retrieval. It largely focus on good labeling and identification practices. Objective :- â€Å"A place for everything and everything in its place†. (3) SPIC- n – SPAN :- Spic-n-Span focuses on regular clearing and self nspection. It brings in the sense of ownership. (4) STANDERDIZE :- It focus on simplification and standardization. It involve standard rules and policies. It establish checklist to facilitates autonomous maintenance of workplace. It assign responsibility for doing various jobs and decide on Five S frequency. (5) SUSTAIN:- It focuses on definin g a new status and standard of organized work place. Sustain means regular training to maintain standards developed under S-4. It brings in self- discipline and commitment towards workplace organization. 29 LABELLING ON FILE FILE NUMBER SUBJECT FROM DATE TO DATE OWNER BOX LABEL For Example 1 / 3 / A / 6 1 – Work Station (1) 3 – Drawer (3) A – Shelf (A) 6 – File Number ( 6) 30 COLOUR CODING OF FILES DEPARTMENT Welcome Desk Personal Banker Teller Relationship Manager Branch Manager Demat Others In the HDFC BANK each department has their different color coding apply on the different file. Due to this everyone aware about their particular color file which is coding on it and they save their valuable time. It is a part of Kaizen and also included in the system of the Five ‘S’. Logic behind it that , the color coding are always differentiate the things from the similar one. 31 HUMAN RESOURCES The Bank’s staffing needs continued to increase during the year particularly in the retail banking businesses in line with the business growth. Total number of employees increased from 14878 as of March31,2006 to 21477 as of March 31, 2007. The Bank continues to focus on training its employees on a continuing basis, both on the job and through training programs conducted by internal and external faculty. The Bank has consistently believed that broader employee ownership of its shares has a positive impact on its performance and employee motivation. The Bank’s employee stock option scheme so far covers round 9000 employees. 32 RUPEE EARNED – RUPEE SPENT It is more important for every organization to know about from where and where to spent money. And balanced between these two things rupee earned and rupee spent are required for smooth running of business and financial soundness. This type of watch can control and eliminate the unnecessary spending of business. In this diagram it include both things from where Bank earned Rupee and where to spent. 33 HDFC BANK earned from the ‘Interest from Advances’ 51. 14 % , ‘Interest from Investment’ 27. 12 %, bank earned commission exchange and brokerage of 15. 25 %. These are the major earning sources of the bank. Bank also earned from the Forex and Derivatives and some other Interest Income. Bank spent 39. 75 % on Interest Expense, 30. 27 % on Operating Expense and 14. 58 % on Provision. Bank also spent Dividend and Tax on dividend, Loss on Investment , Tax. As we discuss above that balancing is must between these two for every organization especially in the era of globalization where there are stiff competition among various market players. RECENT DEVELOPMENT 34 The Reserve Bank of India has approved the scheme of amalgamation of Centurion Bank of Punjab Ltd. ith HDFC Bank Ltd. with effect from May 23, 2008. All the branches of Centurion Bank of Punjab will function as branches of HDFC Bank with effect from May 23, 2008. With RBI’s approval, all requisite statutory and regulatory approvals for the merger have been obtained. 35 The combined entity would have a nationwide network of 1167 branches; a strong deposit base of around Rs. 1,22, 000 crores and net advances of around Rs. 89,000 crores. The balance sheet size of the combined entity would be over Rs. 1,63,000 crores. Merger with Centurion Bank of Punjab Limited On March 27, 2008, the shareholders of the Bank accorded their consent to a scheme of amalgamation of Centurion Bank of Punjab Limited with HDFC Bank Limited. The shareholders of the Bank approved the issuance of one equity share of Rs. 10/- each of HDFC Bank Limited for every 29 equity shares of Re. 1/- each held in Centurion Bank of Punjab Limited. This is subject to receipt of Approvals from the Reserve Bank of India, stock exchanges and Other requisite statutory and regulatory authorities. The shareholders Also accorded their consent to issue equity shares and/or warrants onvertible into equity shares at the rate of Rs. 1,530. 13 each to HDFC Limited and/or other promoter group companies on preferential basis, subject to final regulatory approvals in this regard. The Shareholders of the Bank have also approved an increase in the authorized capital from Rs. 450 crores to Rs. 550 crores. 36 Promoted in 1995 by Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), India's leading housing finance company, HDFC Bank is one of India's premier banks providing a wide range of financial products and services to its over 11 million customers across hundreds of Indian cities using multiple distribution channels including a pan-India network of branches, ATMs, phone banking, net banking and mobile banking. Within a relatively short span of time, the bank has emerged as a leading player in retail banking, wholesale banking, and treasury operations, its three principal business segments. The bank's competitive strength clearly lies in the use of technology and the ability to deliver world-class service with rapid response time. Over the last 13 years, the bank has successfully gained market share in its target customer franchises while maintaining healthy rofitability and asset quality. 37 As on March 31, 2008, the Bank had a network of 761 branches and 1,977 ATMs in 327 cities. For the year ended March 31, 2008, the Bank reported a net profit of INR 15. 90 billion (Rs. 1590. 2crore), up 39. 3%, over the corresponding year ended March 31, 2007. As of March 31, 2008 total deposits were INR 1007. 69 billion, (Rs. 100,769 crore) up 47. 5% over th e corresponding year ended March 31, 2007. Total balance sheet size too grew by 46. 0% to INR 1,331. 77 billion (133177 crore). Leading Indian and international Publications have recognized the bank for its performance and quality. Centurion Bank of Punjab is one of the leading new generation private sector banks in India. The bank serves individual consumers, small and medium businesses and large corporations with a full range of financial products and services for investing, lending and 38 advice on financial planning. The bank offers its customers an array of wealth management products such as mutual funds, life and general insurance and has established a leadership ‘position'. The bank is also a strong player in foreign exchange services, ersonal loans, mortgages and agricultural loans. Additionally the bank offers a full suite of NRI banking products to Overseas Indians. On 29th August 2007, Centurion Bank of Punjab merged with Lord Krishna Bank (LKB), post obtaining all requisite statutory and regulatory approvals. This merger has further strengthened the geographical reach of the Bank in major towns and cities across the country , especially in the State of Kerala, in addition to its existing dominance in the northern part of the country. Centurion Bank of Punjab now operates on a strong nationwide ranchise of 404 branches and 452 ATMs in 190 locations across the country, supported by employee base of over 7,500 employees. In addition to being listed on the major Indian stock exchanges, the Bank’s shares are also listed on the Luxembourg Stock 39 Exchange. ACHIEVEMENT IN 2007 Business Today- Monitor Group survey One of India's â€Å"Most Innovative Companies† Financial Express- Ernst & Young Award Best Bank Award in the Private Sector category 40 Global HR Excellence Awards – Asia Pacific HRM Congress: ‘Employer Brand of the Year 2007 -2008' Award – First Runner up, & many more Business Today ‘Best Bank' Award Dun & Bradstreet – American Express Corporate Best Bank Award 2007 ‘Corporate Best Bank' Award The Bombay Stock Exchange and Nasscom Foundation's Business for Social Responsibility Awards 2007 ‘ Best Corporate Social Responsibility Practice' Award Outlook Money & NDTV Profit Best Bank Award in the Private sector category. The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards Best Retail Bank in India Asian Banker HDFC BANK Managing Director Aditya Puri wins the Leadership Achievement Award for India 41 SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTH †¢Right strategy for the right products. †¢Superior customer service vs. competitors. WEAKNESSES †¢Some gaps in range for certain sectors. †¢Customer service staff need training. 42 †¢Great Brand Image †¢Products have required accreditations. †¢High degree of customer satisfaction. †¢Good place to work †¢Lower response time with efficient and effective service. †¢Dedicated workforce aiming at making a long-term career in the field. †¢Processes and systems, etc †¢Management cover insufficient. †¢Sectoral growth is constrained by low unemployment levels and competition for staff 3 Opportunities †¢Profit margins will be good. †¢Could extend to overseas broadly. †¢New specialist applications. †¢Could seek better customer deals. †¢Fast-track career development opportunities on an industry-wide basis. †¢An applied research centre to create opportunities for developing techniques to provi de added-value services. Threats †¢Legislation could impact. †¢Great risk involved †¢Very high competition prevailing in the industry. †¢Vulnerable to reactive attack by major competitors †¢Lack of infrastructure in rural areas could constrain investment. †¢High volume/low cost market is intensely ompetitive. 44 COMPETITIVE SWOT ANALYSIS WITH ICICI BANK STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES O P P O R T U N I T I E S S – O Strategies Strength: Large Capital base. Opportunity: Market Expansion. Strategy: Deep Penetration into Rural Market. W – O Strategies Weakness: Workforce Responsiveness. Opportunity: Outsourcing of Non – Core Business. Strategy: Outsource Customer Care & other E-Helps. T H R E A T S S – T Strategies Strength: Low operating costs Threat: Increased Competition from others Pvt. Banks. Strategy: Steps to Ensure Loyalty by old Customers. W – T Strategies Weakness: Not Equal to International Standards. Threat: Entry of many Foreign Banks. Strategy: Consider additional benefits 45 Detailed Analysis: i. Strength – Opportunity Analysis. Strength: It is well know that ICICI Bank has the largest Authorised Capital Base in the Banking System in India i. e. having a total capacity to raise Rs. 19,000,000,000 (Non – Premium Value). Opportunity: Seeing the present financial & economic development of Indian Economy and also the tremendous growth of the Indian Companies including the acquisition spree followed by them, it clearly states the expanding market for finance requirements nd also the growth in surplus disposal income of Indian citizens has given a huge rise in savings deposits – from the above point it is clear that there is a huge market expansion possible in banking sector in India. Strategy: From the analysis of Strength & Opportunity the simple and 46 straight possible strategy for ICICI Bank could be – to penetrate into the rural sector of India for expanding its market share as well as leading all other Pvt. Banks from a great gap. ii. Strength – Threat Analysis. Strength: ICICI Bank is not only known for large capital but also for having a ow operations cost though having huge number of branches and services provided. Threat: After showing a significant growth overall, India is able to attract many international financial & banking institutes, which are known for their state of art working and keeping low operation costs. Strategy: To ensure that ICICI Bank keeps going on with low operation cost & have continuous business it should simply promote itself well & provide quality service so as to ensure customer loyalty, therefore guaranteeing continuous business. 47 iii. Weakness – Opportunity Analysis. Weakness: It is well known that workforce responsiveness in banking sector is Very low in Indian banking sector, though ICICI Bank has better responsible staff but it still lacks behind its counterparts like HSBC, HDFC BANK, CITI BANK, YES BANK etc. Opportunity: In the present world, India is preferred one of the best places for out – sourcing of business process works and many more. Strategy: As international companies are reaping huge benefits after out- sourcing there customer care & BPO’s, this same strategy should be implemented by ICICI Bank so as to have proper customer ervice without hindering customer expectations. 48 iv. Weakness – Threat Analysis. Weakness: Though having a international presence, ICICI Bank has not been able to keep up the international standards in providing customer service as well as banking works. Threat: In recent times, India has witnessed entry of many international banks like CITI Bank, YES Bank etc which posses an external entrant threa t to ICICI Bank – as this Banks are known for their art of working and maintain high standards of customer service. Strategy: After having new entrants threat, ICICI Bank should come up with More additional benefits to its customer or may be even reduce some fees for any additional works of customers. 49 PROJECT ON PLASTIC MONEY PLASTIC MONEY PLASTIC MONEY I give the project on Plastic Money to bank. The objective behind this project is to increase the rich customers list in a bank. Plastic Money title itself says the use of Credit Card and Debit Card in day to day transaction of the business. I prepared the presentation on it and 50 submitted to bank and Bank already started work on this project. Idea behind this project is to sale the bulk product. Target customer Of this project are two parties one is Wholesaler and second is Retailer. Due to this idea bank also sell their swipe machine to wholesaler and create brand image in the market. The idea behind this, bank give the credit card swipe machine to wholesalers and retailers use the credit card of the bank. Bank gives the 50 days credit to their credit card holders. So here retailers can get benefit of long credit period and on the other side wholesalers can get the benefit of same day payment. As a result bank got the wide list of customers of wholesalers and retailers.

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples)

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples) By now, you probably think you’re familiar with all the pieces of an application package and process. You have your resume (or CV), your cover letter, your list of interview questions. And if you have those together, updated and ready to go, awesome! But there’s another potential piece lurking out there: a letter of intent. Wait, what? Is that the same as a cover letter? And if not, how do you write one? Spoiler alert: a letter of intent is not the same as a cover letter. They’re similar (being letters and all, and focused on yourself), but are actually used in different situations. Your cover letter is what you write when you’re applying to a specific job you found through traditional channels (online job search, referral, recruiter). It details why you’re a great fit for this particular job. A letter of intent is what you write when you’re coldsHi,[No opening]Hey hiring manager,Dearest sirs and madams of JobTech, Incorporated,Good examples: To whom it may concern:Dear JobTech team,As with any professional correspondence, you don’t want to seem too stiff or formal, like you’re writing a letter from a Victorian template or a bad spam email asking someone to send money to a deposed prince overseasPlease allow me to introduce myself. I am Jean, slayer of sales goals and allMy name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an alls[No closing] Jean SmithCall me please,Email me if you read this,Bye,Fondest wishes to you and yours,Good ExamplesSincerely,Best wishes,Regards,Go with one of the classics, because they’re used for a r eason. If you sound too stiff and formal, it comes off like a holiday card. If you reiterate your call to action, it can carry a whiff of desperation. Just get out gracefully and quickly once you’ve said your piece.Assess Your Final DraftAt this point, you’re ready to send it off, either in the mail, handing it off, or sending it through the Internet tubes. Let’s take a last look at the good examples put together, Jean’s better draft.Dear JobTech team,My name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an all-hands-on-deck startup to a Fortune 500 company), I know I can bring a st rong, customer-oriented strategy to your company. Since graduating with a B.A. in Marketing from Benjamin Franklin University in 2005, I’ve built my career on using customer data and strategic campaigns to get results. Most recently, as Sales Leader at Career Industries, my innovative sales strategies and overhaul of our social media lead generation program increased widget sales by more than 200% from 2013 to 2016. While my time at Career Industries has been a valuable experience, I’m ready to move on and grow into a senior manager position that better blends sales, marketing, and innovative strategy. Based on JobTech’s commitment to being on the cutting edge of widget sales, I believe my skills and background jibe well with that mission.I look forward to talking with you about my qualifications, and potential opportunities with JobTech. I am attaching my resume, and have a comprehensive career profile at www.joblinkcareernetworking.com/JeanSmith. If you have a ny questions, please don’t hesitate to reach me at J_Smith@emaildomain.com. Thank you for your time and consideration!Regards,Jean Smith

Dramatic Structure Pulp Fiction Essays

Dramatic Structure Pulp Fiction Essays Dramatic Structure Pulp Fiction Paper Dramatic Structure Pulp Fiction Paper Essay Topic: Pulp Fiction Discuss a film that challenges the formulaic structure of the classic narrative. In particular, analyse approaches to Point of View and Time and Space and assess the extent to which the illusion of reality is maintained or disrupted.  In this essay I intend to look at Quentin Tarentinos 1994 Oscar winning film, Pulp Fiction. I will try to highlight and expose both the storyline and plot for their non-linear and unconventional structure. My aim therefore, is to show that Pulp Fiction is a prime example of a film that challenges the classic narrative, and in my opinion does it more convincingly than any other main stream film of my generation. Quentin Tarentino manages to meet the classic narrative demands of dominant cinema but also challenges its structure.  Pulp Fiction establishes itself as a post modern film and also remains a key part of dominant popular culture. The films idiosyncratic characteristics include fragmented storyline, eclectic dialogue, ironic and campy influences, unorthodox camerawork, and numerous pop culture references. We also see brands in the film that were common in the 1960s and 70s but no longer around today, this was again to bring a form of popular culture back to the forefront. Firstly I am going to look at the meaning of a classic narrative which is sometimes referred to as realist as suggested by one of the key characteristics, verisimilitude. The main characteristics of the classic narrative are diegesis or the creation of a fictional world, linearity of the plot or the cause and effect, continuity and the lack of disruption, narrative closure, verisimilitude and the psychological development of the characters. In the classical narrative, events in the story are organised around a basic structure of enigma and resolution. At the beginning of the story, an event may take place that disrupts a pre-existing equilibrium in the fictional world. Structural theorists such as Todorov and Freytag have both analysised narrative structure and perceive it to be one of cause and effect that is eventually resolved. Furthermore the realist aspects of the classical narrative are overlaid on this basic enigma-resolution structure, and typically operate on two different levels: firstly through the verisimilitude of the fictional world set up by the narrative rather than by documentary-style realism and secondly through the inscription of human agency within the process of the narrative. The plot basically tells us of the interwoven lives of several characters who all experience their own difficulties and discissions that have to be made. Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield are two hit-men on the hunt for a briefcase whose contents were stolen from their boss, Marsellus Wallace. They run into a few unexpected detours along the road. Marsellus is out of town, and hes gotten Vincent to take care of his wife, Mia. That is, take her out for a night on the town. Things go smoothly until one of them makes a huge error. Butch Coolidge is a boxer whos been approached by Marsellus and been told to throw his latest fight. When Butch ends up killing the other boxer, he must escape Marsellus. Pumpkin and Honey Bunny are two thieves who have decided to rob the restaurant theyre currently eating at. But the restaurant doesnt turn out to be as easy as the other places theyve robbed. All these stories were written and told in a non-chronological order, we find a fragmented storyline, unorthodox camera work and numerous pop culture references, all challenging the classic narrative we come to expect from a main stream film. The films title and advert/cover refers to the pulp magazines popular during the mid-20th century, renowned for their strong graphic nature. The film as a whole can be broken up into six major parts, we do see within these parts a beginning, middle and an end for the multiple stories and characters, it is not clear however, where these elements fit in. Also we find that there is no unified but a multiple narrative, as each character shares with us there own idea of resolution and what they are trying to achieve during the film. The itself is well known for its cross cutting between stories, characters, time and space, all acting as devices to challenge the Todorov analysis of a classic structure. The opening shot is the dictionary definition of the word pulp followed by the reference to the magazines and their strong graphic nature. This is there to tell us immediately what to expect from the rest of the film.  The first part of the film, The Diner part 1, introduces us to a pair of petty crooks drinking coffee and talking about their aspirations and achievements. At this point in the film we dont know there names just that their occupation is holding up shops. Straight away we see intertexuality of a crime genre just from the dialogue used.

It's in the instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It's in the instructions - Essay Example The product is now one of the most popular gaming devices in the world. The first playstation was developed on the technology of the cancelled Super disc, which was upgraded and developed into a product of its own. This new product was by far superior to other gaming devices such as the Sega or the Nintendo as it possessed a CD-ROM gaming system which was new in this era and easier for manufacturing. The first Playstation launched had a lot of development potential due to the CD-ROM system it used. The approach by the company to introduce third parties for marketing made the product even more appealing. The design was also modern, sleek and was superior to the other gaming devices. Playstation further enhanced its reach by gaining control of several franchises in the gaming word such as Spyro, Crash Bandicoot and Twisted metal which were all very popular games. These were made the faces of the console which was also an excellent marketing strategy. The next console to be introduced was Playstation 2 which was introduced in 2000 (Donovan et al., 10). This console had a superior appearance to the first Playstation and had record breaking sale figures. This is because Playstation had already acquired a loyal fan base and many people were awaiting the upgrade of the already successful Playstation. The sales of PS2 were more than 150 million in total. The success of PS2 also lies in the fact that they kept in touch with the requirements of the customers and introduced the popular characters from the first Playstation. In addition, there were new characters that were introduced. Particularly the first Killzone and God of War were all introduced on Playstation 2. These were also influential and helped in boosting the popularity of PS2. These games also enabled to create loyalty among gamers as they would be waiting for upgrades in the future versions. PS2 Slim was the next to be released and the selling feature of this console

SWOT Conversion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SWOT Conversion - Essay Example They thus provide impetus for strategic changes within the managerial and marketing processes for improved performance. As Marketing Manager of Tesco Plc, I would be evaluating the SWOT analysis tools of Tesco against that of its competitor, IKEA, UK, in its furniture segment. Overview of Tesco Tesco Plc. is one of largest global supermarket chains with workforce of 472000 strong people in more than 4811 outlets across 14 countries (tesco, 2010). As a leading food and non food supermarket, it has created a niche market position in UK and across the globe. Its non food segment, especially the furniture segment directly competes with IKEA which is a leading home furniture retailer with a global presence. Though a relatively recent entrant into this area, Tesco has been able to make significant inroad into this market and compete with the market giant like IKEA through sustained efforts to diversification based on changing preferences of people. Tesco strength lies in its strategic plan ning that has effectively relied on marketing tools like SWOT and Porter’s five force analysis to gain leverage against its competitors in the field. Critical analysis of SWOT theory vis-a-vis IKEA SWOT analysis IKEA’s major strength is its global brand with emphasis on sustainable business practice and cost consciousness. It extensively uses renewable materials through design innovation, reducing wastage and promoting environment conservation in its supply chain management. Tesco, on the other hand has long since been a promoter of sustainable development and has continuously strived for highly indigenous techniques for carbon footprints. It has increasingly introduced organic food and non food item in its ever widening product lines. It is committed to carbon neutral policy by 2050 and diligently helps its customers to considerably reduce their carbon footprints by 2020 (ibid). Tesco has also been a leader in providing its customers with quality products at very comp etitive prices. Tesco’s Clubcard is testament of its huge database of satisfied and committed clientele which boasts of over fifteen million active members! Clubcard is a unique way of rewarding its customers through discounts vouchers and reward points. It has in fact become one of major elements of competitive advantage against IKEA. The IKEA’s KPI or key performance indicator broadly relies on its IWAY process for defining its social and environmental compulsions for its products and its various supply chain partners. Tesco has formulated stringent guidelines under ETI or ethical trading initiatives that promote sustainable practices across all its business partners. IKEA’s design initiatives for its furniture and furnishing, is highly creative. NORDEN and LACK tables, OGLA chairs etc are exemplary examples of waste management. It has also refined its transportation logistics to reduce carbon footprints. TESCO’s ergonomically designed state of the art furniture are cost effective but it nevertheless needs to improve its waste management policies on production through more creative inputs. Not many of its items are made from waste but introduction of products made from paper mache has increasingly become popular amongst the masses. Tesco believes in forging alliances with local