Village to City essays

Village to City essays From Village to City Over the years of history, there have been many civilizations. We will look at the earliest of all civilizations known to man. From Village to City began in 8000BC and spanned all the way into 3000BC. Throughout this report we will look at the 6 key features of this civilization as outlined in our classroom discussions, and hope to convey what we have learned in a useful, and interesting way. The development of a city: The first city to be built was Jericho, in the Middle East Map: This map is a picture of what the division of land would have looked like in those times. Clearly identified here, it is possible to see Babylon, Ur, and Eridu. Â © Microsoft Encarta 95. (Appendix 1). Sumer at this time evolved into the largest city-state, established by a people known as the Ubaidians. The development of the city, allowed for rapid population growth due to the abundance of food. Sheep, goat and pigs had been originally domesticated for use as food, not as sources of clothing. The main economic activity during this time was trade and barter. Obsidian, a volcanic glass was fashioned into razor sharp tools and weapons. It was also used as trade. People who lived near Obsidian deposits often risked their lives to collect it and eventually barter it off for food or money. Obsidian comes from volcanoes and was a kind of glass, the only of the times. The value of Obsidian was great, and so therefore was the supply and demand. Salt, ore, copper, and soapstone were accepted trade materials around 8000BC. Most of the Village to City civilization took place during the copper age, when copper was mined and used for many purposes. Trade developed between different cities, Jericho, Sumer, Adab, Eridu, Isin, Kish, Kullab, Lagash, Larsa, Nippur and Ur. Most of the trade consisted of livestock and other things such as weapons and food. Sumerians constructed large temples called Ziggurats. These temple...

SAT Security Protocols What to Expect on Test Day

SAT Security Protocols What to Expect on Test Day SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The security of standardized testing materials is critical in preserving the relevance and fairness of the test as a whole. Since so many students around the world take the SAT, it can be difficult to prevent leaks, but the College Board does have many measures in place to keep confidential questions from being released to the public. In this article, I'll go over the specifics of theSAT security measures, explain the most recent breaches in test security, and review what all of this means for you. Why Is SAT Test Security a Concern? Test security is a huge concern for the administrators of standardized tests like the SAT.If anyone manages to access test questions before the exam is administered, the whole system is compromised by the students who had an unfair advantage. The invalid scores of students who cheatedwill ruin the curve, which just ends up hurting the scores of other students who didn't get a sneak peek at the test. This means that the integrity of the test is extremely important for all students.If people are able to access materials before the exam, their unfair advantage can actively hurt your scores by creating artificially high numbers of top scorers. Breaches in test security also undermine the overall validity of the SAT as a measure of academic ability, which is a huge problem for the College Board and for universities that rely on SAT scores to assess candidates. How Does the College Board Ensure SATSecurity? There are a variety of measures that the College Board implements to ensure that test questions don't fall into the wrong hands. These regulations come into play throughout the test registration and administration process. Registration Security Regulations The College Board shares scores and registration information with each student’s high school. If an investigation into a student’s scores is conducted, this information will also be shared with any colleges where he or she has been admitted.Keeping all parties in the loop ensures that it’s much more difficult for someone to take the SAT for another person or circumvent the regulations in any other way. The College Board also implements an â€Å"intended use† policy, which means they take steps to ensure that everyone who registers for the SAT is using it to apply to colleges or scholarship programs.People who are taking the SAT for other reasons can only take it on dates in October, January, and May (January will be replaced with August in the 2017-18 school year) because the College Board discloses the test form for those dates with its optionalQuestion and Answer Service. For example, everyone here at PrepScholar originally signed up for the first administration of the 2016 SAT in March. However,all of our registrations were transferred to the date in May instead because we were just taking the test to get a feel for the new exam, not to apply for anything (and also very few of us could pull off a 21 Jump Street thing).If anyone who takes the test has the opportunity to order the QAS, the test material will be out there for the public to see anyways, so there’s no real risk of compromising the integrity of the exam.All students are prohibited from discussing exam content unless it's released in the form of the QAS. Accurate depiction of me taking the SAT Test Day Security Regulations The College Board also takes measures to keep test materials secure before, during, and after the exam. If you’ve taken the SAT before, you know that you have to break a seal on the test booklet to begin, which ensures that no one can read the questions ahead of time without the College Board’s knowledge.Test materials are secured in lock boxes when they’re sent to international locations to prevent the theft of test booklets. Every student must have a valid photo ID and admission ticket to be allowed into the test center. Photo IDs are checked against your admission ticket multiple times throughout the testing process to ensure that no one can swap identities. You have to upload a photo of yourself during SAT registrationso the test coordinators can verify that you are who you say you are. As you might expect, phones and other electronic devices are banned from test centers to prevent people from documenting the content of the exam. No one is allowed to read test materials without completing an answer sheet or leave the building before the test is finished. If you do, you will be dismissed, and your scores will be canceled.These actions are red flags that the person might have registered for the exam just to get a look at the test content and share it unlawfully. Even if you've been given extra time, you’re not allowed to skip ahead to preview sections before you start them.Seeing the questions before the section starts, even if it only happens during an earlier part of the test, leads to an unfair advantage. Prepare for separation anxiety when you can't look at your phone every five seconds (I do this too - I'm not just making fun of teenagers here). Recent Breaches in SAT Test Security The College Board has experienced some issues in the past few years with people obtaining test materials ahead of time.In fact, in 2013, they brought in an independent consultant who recommended additional security measures to ensure the confidentiality of not just physical test materials but also the College Board’s servers, storage, and data.The potential for system hacking complicates the security measures the College Board has to take to ensure exam safety, meaning sometimes things slip through the cracks. Also, for international test administrations, the College Board sometimes reuses questions or entire sections that have already been given to students in the US. This greatly increases the risk that students will have prior knowledge of the material.Problems with SATsecurity are particularly prevalent in Asia, where the College Board has delayed score releases and even canceled test administrations several times after finding evidence that the material was previously released to the public. In January of 2016, test administrations were canceled in China and Macau due to evidence of leaked test materials.In May of 2013, all scores in South Korea for both the SAT and SAT Subject Tests were canceled. The latest version of the SAT, introduced in March of 2016, has experienced major issues with question leaks.Reuters reported that a disgruntled ex-College Board employee with access to the materials showed them hundreds of confidential test questions.The College Board confirmed that these were official questions and that their public circulation would have dire consequences for the integrity of the test. They even got the FBI involved.Agents raided the home of the whistleblower in question, seizing computers and other potentially incriminating materials. This matter is still under investigation, and the College Board is working to switch out sections of future tests that they fear may have been compromised. The College Board treats the release of confidential test questions to the public as an extremely serious criminal matter. This makes sense because of the huge amount of time and money that went into creating questions that are now essentially useless. This is the actual whistle that was blown to call out the College Board for shoddy preparation of test materials. Just kidding, this one is far too whimsical for such purposes. It was definitely a more robust metal whistle. How the College Board Is Cracking Down on SAT Cheating In February 2017, the College Board announcedthey will begin implementing new regulations to crack down on SAT cheating in both the US and abroad.Some of these new measures include: Reducing how oftenthe SAT is administered overseas. (The SAT will now be offered four times a year overseas, in October, December, March, and May.) Reducing the number of questions that are reused formultiple tests. Providing the names of people andfirms suspected of cheating to law enforcement and federal agencies(both in the US and abroad). Preventing people from taking the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, or AP Exams if the College Board has found they were guilty of past cheating offenses. Making it easier for test takers and proctors to confidentially report suspected cheating. These new measures won't eliminate cheating completely, but they should help make it even harder to cheat on the SAT and get away with it. Reducing the number of SAT questions used on multiple exams should especially lower the number of studentswho walk into the SAT already knowing some of the questions and use that information to inflate their scores. What Does SAT SecurityMean for You? For the most part, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about this issue.However, it’s in your best interests to protect the security of the test by following protocol during the exam, not sharing confidential information, and reporting any leaks you hear about to the College Board. Leaks of test materials create unfair advantages for certain groups of students and damage the credibility of everyone’s SAT scores.Such incidents may lead the College Board to cancel the scores of a large group of students if they aren't sure who had access to the test beforehand, which is very unfair to people who played by the rules. When you arrive at the test center, make sure you have a valid photo ID and admission ticket ready to present to the test coordinator. During the test, don't peek at sections ahead of time or try to go back and fix mistakes on sections that have already passed. Don't discuss exam content during breaks or leave the building for any reason. The only electronic devices you should have are a watch (if you want) and an approved calculator. Keep your smartphone turned off and in your backpack for the duration of the test. It's best not to risk violating any of these rules because if you're caught, you may be dismissed and have your scores canceled. You should also refrain from discussing or posting about specific questions in the aftermath of a test administration.These same questions may be reused overseas or on a future SAT test date in the US.Once the questions are out there on the internet, there’s no telling who will find and take advantage of them. Conclusion To ensure security of SAT test materials, the College Board takes steps to preserve the integrity of the test questions both before and after the exam is administered. Despite these precautions, there continue to be question leaks and cheating scandals that have affected many students' scores. Test security is extremely important due to the nature of standardized tests, and it is especially critical for the SAT considering how popular it is around the world as a college admissions assessment. As you go through the process of registering for and taking the SAT, make sure you avoid sharing confidential information. This could have a huge negative impact on the validity of your scores and the scores of potentially thousands of other students. What's Next? What is SAT test day really like? Read this guide to learn exactly what to expect after you arrive at the test center. You don't want to bring anything to the SAT that might compromise your scores. This article will tell you which materials to bring and which to leave at home. Finally, if you notice any suspicious behavior during the test, it's in your best interests to speak up. Find out how you can report cheating and address other issues at your test center. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Manufacturing and Production Enterprises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Manufacturing and Production Enterprises - Essay Example CIM involves use of other independent technologies like the computer in all sections of the business making it easier to monitor the progress of each section and monitor process flow. Information sharing to any employee demanding it for effective decision-making if made easier. On implementation, businesses implement it differently and use tools that are dependent on diverse factors affecting the business (Markert & Backer, 2009). This makes it more of a manufacturing philosophy than a technology since it is adopted differently by different organizations to suit their demands. CIM does not include a specific implementation process or predetermined structure that is to be adopted by any organization intending to use the strategy. There are no specific technologies that are identified to be part of the setup. With no specific implementation structure, CIM is more of a management strategy that intends to assist businesses integrates their existing technologies to achieve quality products. An integration of electrical, information and mechanical subsystems makes it possible for management personnel in design and manufacturing to communicate with each other using computer workstations (Markert & Backer,

Human resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human resource - Essay Example In order to deal with these influences, it is essential for managers to develop their internal structures and employees’ behaviors to enable them handle the external forces. The environment in which an organization operates in is responsible for organizational activities and their eventual outcomes. This paper evaluates the effects of external factors on Human Resource Planning (Rothwell and Kazanas, 2003, P.176). Economic uncertainty Economic factors have a direct effect on recruitment, staffing and rewards that employers can give to their workers. The reason is that demand and supply law holds that when supply of labor is high, employers can obtain labour at lower prices, and when demand exceeds supply, and then employers have to pay higher wages and benefits. In instances where a country’s economy is growing at a positive rate, companies register high demand for their goods and services. In order to cope with such demand, organizations recruit more labor force, event ually lowering the rate of unemployment. When there is low level unemployment, the need for professional workers increases. This necessitates for organizations to enhance their employee retention and training strategies. When the economy is growing at a negative rate, demand for products and services reduces, and firms have to grapple with that in two ways. One option is laying off some workers, or lowering the amount of wages and benefits for in a bid to retain existing employees. Unemployment rates increase and employers are overwhelmed with applicants for advertised vacancies (Mathis and Jackson, 2008, P.454). Socio-cultural context Population trends are a key driver of the social sphere. This is demonstrated in the counter-cyclical shifts, in population trends. UK and other parts of the globe are registering increasing population growth. However, eastern and western Europe is registering low birth rates. United Kingdom in particular and Europe in general experience numbers of mi grants, resulting in an increase in the size of the prospective labor force. Moreover, migrants also form a considerable portion of consumers for the country’s goods and services. Kandula (2007, p 59) notes that the high number of the aging citizens marks a loss in the pool of knowledge, skills and capabilities. The reason is that elderly people have so much knowledge from the organization, and their retirement and departure from the workforce creates a significant gap in organizations. Kandula further notes that elderly people have a vast number of needs and special services. For illustration, elderly people require welfare benefits and caregivers, which is extra consumption for the country. United Kingdom is also registering high an increasing gap between the affluent and the poor. This results in the rise of socio-economic disparity that creates an increase in asset prices. Cascio and Boudreau (2012, P.51) note that socio-economic developments influence organizations human resources in one way or the other, particularly through the supply and demand for labor and consumption goods. Other social trends are such as rising divorce rates and rising numbers of single parents, drug use and changing roots of social individuality. The effect of these trends results in solo-living among people of all ages. Reduced interest in social conformity, vanity and individual

America’s Assistance to the Tibetans Essay -- Argumentative History Ti

America’s Assistance to the Tibetans Starting in the late 1940s, with Cold War tensions running high and the subsequent Communist takeover of China as well as the outbreak of the Korean War, there was a growing fear in the United States of the possibility of a global conflict between the Communist bloc and the West. Thus, the US government adopted a policy of doing its best to contain Communism around the world, especially in Asia after the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). When the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invaded Tibet in 1950, the US considered it possible or even probable that the PRC would use Tibet as a launching pad to expand Communism into the rest of South and Southeast Asia, an early appearance of what was later famously called the â€Å"domino theory† during the Vietnam War. In line with our newly stated and evolving policy committing the United States to a â€Å"global containment† of Communism short of actual war, when a spontaneous Tibetan resistance mo vement arose in Tibet, we decided it to be in our national interest to covertly aid this movement through the training of Tibetan fighters and airdrops of arms and supplies to them. Although the US did provide direct and extensive assistance to the Tibetans for several years we eventually ended the program. I believe that if we truly had wanted to follow through on our application of the containment policy, we would have done more to aid the Tibetan resistance. Ultimately, the US looked to what it deemed to be its own self-interest in forging ahead with a plan of rapprochement with the PRC and abandoned the Tibetan resistance fighters when they most needed our help. I will elucidate how our policy regarding the resistance movement evolved from th... ... Department, the CIA, and the Tibetan Resistance.† Ebsco, 2003.: 54-79 Knaus, John Kenneth. Orphans of the Cold War: American and the Tibetan Struggle for Survival. New York: Public Affairs, 1999. Liu, Melinda, Tony Clifton, Patricia Roberts, and Thomas Laird. Newsweek 134.7 (1999): 2 p Norbu, Dawa. China’s Tibet Policy. Richmond, Surrey, UK: Curzon, 2001. Shakya, Tsering. The Dragon in the Land of Snows: A History of Modern Tibet Since 1947. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999. Tibetan Young Buddhist Association. Tibet: The Facts. Dharamsala: Tibetan Young Buddhist Association, 1990. Roberts, John B. II. â€Å"The Secret War Over Tibet.† American Spectator 30.12 (1997): 7p Xu, Guangqiu. â€Å"The United States and the Tibet Issue.† Asian Survey 37.11 (1997): 1062-1077.

An Introduction to Car-sharing & Zipcar Essay

Back in 2000, in lieu of overcrowding in the US car rental market, Zipcar implemented a blue ocean strategy and established its car-sharing business as the dominant alternative to car ownership. Compared to car rentals firms that charge users on a per day basis, Zipcar offers users the flexibility of deciding the number of hours and distance of car usage. In addition, unlike car rental firms which require customers to pick up the cars from their offices, Zipcar allows members to pick up a car from their nearest parking lots located at strategic points throughout metropolitan areas. The added convenience over the traditional car rental business model, coupled with Zipcar’s first mover’s advantage in the US market, led Zipcar to be the largest car-sharing company in the world, with a total of 570,000 members and 8,000 cars. Zipcar’s Service Proposition – 4 Simple Steps to Driving a Zipcar Firstly, new users are required to apply for a Zipcar membership which costs about USD60 annually. Secondly, users proceed to reserve a specific car model at their preferred nearest location, via phone, online or the Zipcar mobile application. Thirdly, users proceed to their reserved cars and unlock their cars by having an RFID scanner located on the car’s windscreen scan their assigned Zipcards. Lastly, users return their cars to designated parking lots and will be subsequently billed on a per-hour basis, without having to pay for fuel or insurance costs. Zipcar’s Four Market Segments The bulk of Zipcar’s operations is located within the US, although it does operate in selective cities of Canada and the UK. Its revenues come from the following four market segments. Individual Membership| Servicing individuals who prefer car-sharing to urban car ownership due to significant cost savings| Universities| Working with universities to address the lack of parking lots by providing car-sharing to staff and students and reducing the number of cars on campus| Businesses & Government| Working with businesses and local governments to meet environmental goals by providing employees access to Zipcars and encouraging car-pooling| FastFleet System| Selling its proprietary and trademarked car-sharing management systems to organizations interested in implementing an internal car-sharing program| Opportunity for Zipcar to Enter the Growing European Car-Sharing Market In 2006, the European Union (EU) announced plans to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint across European nations. Under the new EU energy policy, European nations are required to report their annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As such, given their ability to reduce the cars on the road and consequently the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints, car-sharing services flourished in Europe. According to Frost & Sullivan, the revenue from car-sharing in Europe is likely to hit $2.6 billion EURO ($3.4 billion USD) by the 2016. This figure even exceeds the projected US car-sharing revenue in 2016 of $3.3 billion USD. Given that the European car-sharing market is likely to be more lucrative than the US one, Zipcar should not miss out on the opportunity to expand its operations to Europe. Our Recommended Goal for Zipcar and Reasons for Recommending It Despite lacking a first-mover’s advantage, we recommend that Zipcar sets its sight on penetrating the European car-sharing market, specifically Germany and Switzerland, and seizing market leadership in the long run. Our group proposes the use of creative collaboration strategies as a workaround to Zipcar’s lack of first-mover’s advantage when entering the aforementioned markets. These strategies will be further elaborated upon in Component #2. Our recommendation of seizing market leadership in Switzerland and Germany is based on the following reasons. Firstly, Zipcar’s acquisition of UK car-sharing market leader (Streetcar) in addition to its minority stake in a Spanish car-sharing start-up (Avancar) provides a solid geographical platform for expansion across Europe. By tapping on the knowledge base regarding the European car-sharing scene Streetcar and Avancar built up over the years, Zipcar could better understand the differences in consumer preferences between European car-sharing customers and their US counterparts without any incurring any market research expenses. Zipcar could then tweak their car-sharing offering and achieve higher levels of market-fit. Secondly, Germany and Switzerland make up 35% and 19% of the European car-sharing market respectivelyv. Apart from the UK, which Zipcar is a market leader in due to its recent acquisition of Streetcar, the remaining European nations only make up single-digit market shares amongst the European car-sharing market. Since Germany and Switzerland make up almost half of the European car-sharing market, entering these two markets instead of other geographic markets should give them the greatest Return on Investment (ROI). Thirdly, by targeting high-growth car-sharing markets like that of Switzerland and Germany, Zipcar can reap substantial economies of scale and scope, which will lead to a lower cost structure, as it increases the size of its car fleet to meet the increasing demand for car-sharing in these nations. For example, Zipcar could negotiate bulk insurance deals at cheaper rates with insurance companies. Seeing as how Zipcar’s recent profit margins have been eroded by increasing operating costs like soaring prices of petrol, it is important that Zipcar explore cost savings through economies of scale and scope to ensure long-term sustainability of profits. Competitive Advantages that Helps Zipcar Fulfill Long Term Goal Firstly, as a car-sharing firm that owns the largest car fleet in the world, Zipcar has developed numerous patented technologies and invests heavily in research and development to uncover new innovations that might strengthen its technological leadership. For instance, its patented â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology is capable of synchronizing and displaying real-time information like reservation cost, vehicle location maps on various consumer touch-points like the online website, Zipcar mobile application and telephone reservation system. Looking forward, Zipcar is planning to use its proprietary wireless data network to be the first car-sharing provider to implement in-car Bluetooth and even Internet Wi-Fi services. Secondly, over the years, Zipcar has been building a significant amount of brand equity. Today, Zipcar is a brand that is synonymous with car sharing and environmental conservation. Its powerful brand and trustworthy brand name is underscored by the numerous awards it has won over the years. For example, Advertising Age Magazine named Zipcar in its 2009 list of â€Å"Top 30 World’s Hottest Brands†. Given its powerful brand, Zipcar will find it easier to gain the trust of potential collaborative partners. However, transferability of these competitive advantages across geographical boundaries might be held back by differences in consumer behaviours and competitive landscape. For instance, Europe and the US have radically different GPS networks and Zipcar might encounter challenges in implementing its patented GPS-reliant â€Å"Z3D Knowledge Center† technology in Europe. The extent to which Zipcar could leverage on its competitive advantages will ultimately depend on the effectiveness of its deployment strategies. Potential Pitfalls that Zipcar Should Look Out for When Pursuing its Goals While penetrating the European market, Zipcar should be wary of the threat it might face in the US market from an emerging form of car-sharing where online communities like Zimride allow individuals to form car pools with others who reside near them. It is important that Zipcar hedge against this increasingly popular form of car-sharing by not overcommitting its financial capital to the European market, and allocating a fixed portion of its annual marketing budget to the US market, in order to differentiate itself from Zimride as the superior car-sharing offering through the use of creative marketing initiatives and even sales promotions.. Challenges Faced as a Second-Mover into the Germany and Switzerland Market We established in Component 1 that Zipcar’s next logical course of action will be to compete for market leadership in Switzerland and Germany. However, this will be an uphill task, as Car2Go and Mobility, the respective market leaders in Germany and Switzerland, have leveraged on their first movers advantage to erect significant barriers to entry. Firstly, as first movers, Car2Go and Mobility have established themselves as technological leaders and have shaped customer expectations regarding car-sharing technological features. For instance, Car2Go has installed patent-pending electronic dashboards in their cars, which allows users to get directional help via GPS technology, as well as keep track of distance travelled and its resultant costs. Zipcar on the other hand, is in the midst of implementing such technologies and might come across as an inferior choice to certain group of customers. Secondly, Car2Go and Mobility have pre-emptively secured scarce assets vital for success of a car-sharing business. Being first on the scene, they have secured strategic and limited parking lots around the cities as their designated car-sharing parking lots. Facing the above second mover’s disadvantages, it will be challenge for Zipcar to enter the new markets in the conventional manner. As such, our team recommends using creative collaborations strategies, tailored specifically for Germany and Switzerland separately. Entry into Germany as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with a Railway Operator * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Deutsche Bahn AG By collaborating with Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG), the government-owned railway operator, Zipcar will gain swift access to scarce resources in form of car-sharing parking lots. In the urban areas, most of the limited viable parking lots have already been converted into Car2Go’s designated lot due to their first mover’s position, leaving close to none for new entrants. Being a state-owned public transport operator, DBAG holds strategic state-owned land areas in urban districts, which could be converted into designated Zipcar parking lots. This is made possible by a German legislation allowing government authorities to authorize the conversion of state-owned land into car-sharing stations and lots. As such, Zipcar avoids the lengthy process of acquiring parking lots on their own prior to beginning operations, during which Car2Go would have continued to strengthen its market leadership in the absence of Zipcar. * Reasons Why Deutsche Bahn AG Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The DB brand is synonymous with being the â€Å"frontrunner on climate protection†. By collaborating with Zipcar, which â€Å"takes 100,000 cars off the road and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 150 million pounds annually†, DB could tap on Zipcar’s credibility and proven track record of being environmentally friendly to enhance its brand equity as consumers start to closely associate the two brands over time. Besides, prior in-depth studies in European nations have shown that collaboration between car-sharing and public transport firms have resulted in higher profit margins for both party. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership This collaboration will seek to integrate different transport options, giving citizens in Germany the option of catching a train for the main part of a trip, before picking up a Zipcar at a specific station and drive for the last part of the journey. The customers of DBAG are an ideal target segment for Zipcar to extend its service offering to, as these frequent railway commuters are unlikely to own a car. Hence, Zipcar should launch initiatives that convert railway commuters into Zipcar members. For instance, Zipcar could execute joint marketing campaigns with DBAG promoting joint-package pricing programs where consumers enjoy discounted rates for railway train rides and Zipcar’s car sharing services. Zipcar can also leverage on the unique marketing channels DBAG offers by posting marketing collaterals in railway stations and within trains themselves to educate commuters about its car-sharing offer. Given that countless Germans take the railway every day, this serves an effective platform for Zipcar to reach out to an enormous target group. These marketing collaterals should also make the partnership between DBAG and Zipcar obvious, through slogans like â€Å"Zipcar – the public car from DBAG†. Knowing that the service is jointly-offered by their established and trusted public operator, consumers will be more receptive to Zipcar’s offer. In the interest of user convenience and expediting the adoption rate, Zipcar should clearly indicate on the DB railway transport route map which stations offer car-sharing services. Zipcar should also station staff at railway stations providing reliable information regarding car-sharing. Entry into Switzerland as a Second-Mover via Collaboration with Universities Mobility, the Switzerland car-sharing market leader, is involved in a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Railways. Hence, Zipcar cannot use the same collaboration strategy as what we proposed for Germany and we suggest Zipcar collaborate with local universities instead. * Reasons Why Zipcar Should Collaborate with Switzerland Universities Zipcar lacks a knowledge-base about the Switzerland car-sharing market, particularly consumer preferences and strategic locations where car-sharing is in high demand. By collaborating with local universities that serve an importance source of learning, Zipcar could rapidly build up its knowledge-base through interactions with tertiary students, as compared to venturing into the market alone without any form of market intelligence or research. Universities are also ideal collaboration partners as college students are generally open-minded youths who form the majority of the â€Å"early adopters† who are eager to try new innovative ideas like car-sharing. * Reasons Why the Switzerland Universities Would Want to Collaborate with Zipcar The collaboration with Zipcar achieves a strategic fit – reduction of carbon footprint. Switzerland is one of the leading environmentally friendly countries due to continuous governmental efforts to promote a green lifestyle. Zipcar’s mission statement of reducing global carbon footprint will resonate well with these government-linked universities. In addition, most Switzerland universities, especially those located in the city, face parking management issues due to the lack of land and face an institutional need to reduce cars parked on campus. Collaboration with Zipcar provides a cost-effective manner of solving the above issues, given Zipcar eight-years’ worth of partnership experience with US colleges, during which they achieved a proven track record of cutting down the number of cars and traffic congestions in various campuses. * Executing the Collaboration and Achieving Long Term Market Leadership Initially, Zipcar should focus on promoting mass adoption among university students. As it is a rite of passage for most European graduates to purchase a car when they leave school, it is crucial for Zipcar to get students to experience the benefits of car-sharing first-hand and warm them up to the idea of a car-free lifestyle post college years. Since most university students have limited spending power, Zipcar should tailor its marketing initiatives to convey the cost savings students will enjoy as a Zipcar member, due to their lack of a need to pay for car insurance, parking and rising fuel prices. Zipcar might also want to emphasize a story of convenience, where students’ matriculation cards could double as Zipcards that unlock Zipcars. Taking into consideration that university students are mostly Millennial (adults belonging to Generation Y), who are progressively getting more environmentally conscious, Zipcar could also highlight the fact it offers a selection of hybrid cars, like the Totyota Prius and Citroà «n C1. Upon achieving mass adoption status, Zipcar should convert graduating college students into life-long Zipcar members, by offering incentives of lower annual membership fees and loyalty points. By targeting a specific target segment (i.e. college students) instead of competing head-on with Mobility for the same group of customers, Zipcar can steadily grow its market share and eventually emerge in a good position to challenge for market leadership. Bibliography i Baan, J., Mack, D., Murphy, T., Sharma, S., & Watson, L. (2011, 08 22). Zipcar to set the Pace in Race for â€Å"Young Urbanite† Market. Glendale, Arizona, USA. ii Edgar Online. (2011, 04 14). Edgar Online – ZIPCAR INC. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Edgar Online: http://www.edgar-online.com iii Garthwaite, J. (2011, 4 14). Car Sharing Startups Bask in Zipcar’s I.P.O Glow. New York, USA: New York Times. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from NY Times.com: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/car-sharing-start-ups-bask-in-zipcars-i-p-o-glow/ iv Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). How It Works. 4 simple steps to freedom from car rental and ownership – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar: http://www.zipcar.com/how/ v Zipcar Inc. (2011, 01 01). Rate & Plans, car sharing instead of car rental and owning a car – Zipcar. Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Zipcar Inc: http://www.zipcar.com/dc/check-rates

Propaganda Maps

All maps are designed with a purpose; whether to aid in navigation, accompany a news article, or display data. Some maps, however, are designed to be particularly persuasive. Like other forms of propaganda, cartographic propaganda attempts to mobilize viewers for a purpose. Geopolitical maps are the most explicit examples of cartographic propaganda, and throughout history have been utilized to garner support for various causes. Propaganda Maps in Global Conflicts This map from the film depicts the Axis powers plan to conquer the world. In maps such as the aforementioned propaganda map, authors express specific feelings on a topic, creating maps that are meant not just to describe information, but also to interpret it. These maps are often not made with the same scientific or design procedures as other maps; labels, precise outlines of bodies of land and water, legends, and other formal map elements may be disregarded in favor of a map that speaks for itself. As the above image shows, these maps favor graphic symbols that are embedded with meaning. Propaganda maps gained momentum under Nazism and Fascism, as well. There are many examples of Nazi propaganda maps that were intended to glorify Germany, justify territorial expansion, and decrease support for the U.S., France, and Britain (see examples of Nazi propaganda maps at the German Propaganda Archive). During the Cold War, maps were produced in order to magnify the threat of the Soviet Union and communism. A recurrent trait in propaganda maps is the ability to portray certain regions as big and menacing, and other regions as small and threatened. Many Cold War maps enhanced the size of the Soviet Union, which magnified the threat of communisms influence. This occurred in a map titled Communist Contagion, which was published in a 1946 edition of Time Magazine. By coloring the Soviet Union in bright red, the map further enhanced the message that communism was spreading like a disease. Mapmakers utilized misleading map projections to their advantage in the Cold War as well. The Mercator Projection, which distorts land areas, exaggerated the size of the Soviet Union. (This map projection website shows different projections and their effect on the portrayal of the USSR and its allies). Propaganda Maps Today choropleth map maps The maps on this site show how political maps can mislead today. One map shows the results of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, with blue or red indicating if a state voted majority for the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, or the Republican candidate, John McCain. From this map there appears to be more red then blue, indicating that the popular vote went Republican. However, the Democrats decidedly won the popular vote and the election, because the population sizes of the blue states are much higher than those of the red states. To correct for this data issue, Mark Newman at the University of Michigan created a Cartogram; a map that scales the state size to its population size. While not preserving the actual size of each state, the map shows a more accurate blue-red ratio, and better portrays the 2008 election results. Propaganda maps have been prevalent in the 20th century in global conflicts when one side wants to mobilize support for its cause. It is not only in conflicts that political bodies utilize persuasive mapmaking however; there are many other situations in which it benefits a country to portray another country or region in a particular light. For example, it has benefited colonial powers to use maps to legitimize territorial conquest and social/economic imperialism. Maps are also powerful tools to garner nationalism in ones own country by graphically portraying a countrys values and ideals. Ultimately, these examples tell us that maps are not neutral images; they can be dynamic and persuasive, used for political gain. References: Boria, E. (2008). Geopolitical Maps: A Sketch History of a Neglected Trend in Cartography. Geopolitics, 13(2), 278-308. Monmonier, Mark. (1991). How to Lie with Maps. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.