Difference between women now and centuries ago Essay

Women are important asset in one’s life even if you are living in the 1800’s, 1900’s or nowadays. The difference between women living years ago and now might varies, such as cultural, social, and fashionable differences. Have you ever wondered what women’s role in life was? Well this depends on the perspective of the person whether a male or a female, it also depends on the time zone. At various time throughout history, working women were viewed as cruel and not devoted to help their children and family. This is wrong; women should develop, gain rights, and become more independent because ignorance kills the identity of a person. What’s the difference between women’s life nowadays and before? Men considered women in ancient societies to be only wives who cook, and take care of their house and children; on the other hand nowadays men look at women as a respectful hard worker and an important asset to our society. Examples of change, women in ancient societies were forbidden to vote. Yet, a brave woman Lydia Taft was courageous enough to be the first women who breaks the rule and vote , after this courageous act New Zealand decided to allow women to vote , since then women made a great change and made their rights approximately equal. Women in the earlier centuries were not allowed to be sociable, they were not allowed to walk on the streets alone or even travel alone, and on the other hand women recently are free to do whatever they like. Even marriage has different aspects many years ago women didn’t have a choice who to marry or to see his face. Marriage took place through tribal processes and father’s decision, but Nowadays women might marry without even caring what her parent’ point of view. This gave the freedom of choice, and by this way less family divorces will occur. Job opportunities for women differ from back then and now. What comes in mind when someone first asks you what is the gender of an engineer instantly what comes in mind is a man. Nowadays this all changed women have many unlimited opportunities in jobs. They can get paid sometimes more than men, they can now run companies, and unlike many years ago their best job is to be teachers. Another aspect is their clothing. Women were extremely cautious when it comes to what to wear. Back then it was rude to wear like nowadays small skirts, Shorts that show thighs, and much more. Education plays an important role to portray how women nowadays differ than women lived centuries ago. Education back then was only offered to men, this lead huge inequality between sexes. This made illiteracy rate high and affect the society negatively making only one brain in the family working rather than two brains. Education is the core of life. Nowadays education is a must and societies are in a good shape due to both sexes educated. Due to the publisher Cox, Matthews & Associates, Inc., from a journal of an unknown author, his point of view stands with that education for women is a vital role that has high opportunities unlike women that didn’t get educated centuries ago. â€Å"Many of us here at Diverse have been privileged to meet dynamic women in the world of higher education and beyond. They lead some of the most demanding and consequential organizations and programs on the planet. No longer sitting on the decision-making sidelines, they have shattered the glass ceiling and, subsequently, have introduced new ways of thinking about and approaching leadership.† Women that are recognized and entered history books will always be praised and remembered as heroes; unlike women living centuries ago that are illiterate. Example from Belle S.Wheelan , president of the accrediting body since 2005, it also means â€Å"Students Are Central to Success,† a fitting description for what motivates her on the job. Wheelan is the first African American and the first woman to lead SACS.† Women struggled a lot in the earlier centuries, but as time passes everything changes. Women achieved a lot and made it into the highest rank in over society. A wise man once said â€Å"Every brave warrior was once a defenseless baby and every building was once a picture it’s not about where you are today but where you’ll reach tomorrow†. Reference: 25 WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE. (2012). Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 29(2), 10-15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/928543490?accountid=8555

Gender and Leadership Essay

The seemingly never-ending battle between the descendants of Mars and Venus has permeated the corporate setting. The workplace has transformed into a fierce arena that directly witnesses the competition between men and women. Who performs better? Who is a better leader? These questions are often encountered within corporate environments. However, based from a critical examination, one cannot help but wonder whether gender readily define and determine the individual’s competence and efficiency. This is most especially true as for the case of relegating leadership and managerial roles. Despite of strong efforts to eliminate, if not totally, eliminate gender bias, women continues to suffer from discrimination and unequal distribution of power. On a deeper context, this dilemma is triggered not by the apparent lack of talent and skills of women. Moreso, the unequal treatment is attributed to one’s gender or sexual orientation. Discussion Former President Bill Clinton’s statement which places heavy emphasis on having a â€Å"new gender of leadership† can be interpreted in several ways. First, the said statement may pertain to the act of reconstructing the gender-based leadership roles in the corporate environment. As previously mentioned, the work place is highly patriarchal orientation. Having said this, such scenario therefore demands not only gender sensitivity, but more of recognizing and acknowledging the contributions of women employees. Oftentimes, women, despite of their hard work, are frequently neglected and taken for granted. Thus, having a new gender then, equates to providing new perspectives and approaches on how to address gender-related issues such as leadership, for example. Secondly, the statement may also refer to the actual replacement of male leaders. Clinton’s argument could be also understood as a rallying cry to eventually topple patriarchal hegemony in the corporate setting. But then again, regardless of the various interpretations given to such statement, one thing is clear—gender equality and opportunity should be readily exemplified in the workplace (Davidson & Burke, 2000). Men and women should be given equal chance to pursue career growth and at the same time, showcase their skills and abilities. However, the bitter truth is that women employees continue to struggle and feasible solutions have not been made. There are different factors that seem to exclude women from the core functions of the workplace. First of all, women are constantly subjected into positions in which they cannot fully participate in decision-making activities. Sound and healthy decision-making skills are strict prerogatives of a competent leader. However, it seems impossible for women to develop such skills since they are denied of the chance and opportunity to put their talents into the test. In addition to that, the patriarchal ethos that prevails in corporate arenas leaves no choice for women but to continuously exert more effort in order to prove their value and worth. Relatively, the normative leadership traits attributed to women are also one of the reasons behind the lack of opportunity to acquire leadership roles. In many cases, women as leaders, are often questioned and to a certain extent—criticized when it comes to formulating concrete decisions (Hartmann-Tews & Pfister, 2003). Women are perceived to constantly change their minds, which is a proven weakness, most especially in highly critical situations. In addition to that, women as overtly emotional beings are also being challenged since leadership roles heavily demand an authoritative figure. Also the idea that male leaders, are more likely to take risks, thus, manifesting a strong sense of competence, further subjects women into derogatory positions. But nonetheless, a careful analysis shows that the above-mentioned leadership characteristics of women are highly stereotyped. The truth of the matter is, gender can hardly affect the individual’s management and leadership traits. These two core functions are not innate—rather it is developed and improved via constant exposure to situations that require a pragmatic approach. Yet, as explained, exposure and career opportunities are often denied from women. Conclusion The call for a new gender in leadership, more than anything else, serves as a challenge to the whole corporate set-up. Everyday, a new breed or generation of efficient leaders and managers shall come into life. However, it is important to note that these commendable leaders are not determined by their gender. Regardless of whether an individual is a man or a woman, the ability to rule and govern are not exclusive to a specific gender. Being a leader is a right, not a mandated privilege. Therefore, in such a case in which discrimination and inequality may still persist, indeed, former President Clinton is correct; a new gender of leadership must be readily formed and established. However, this gender should be characterized by neutrality and not by socially-constructed terms such as being â€Å"male or female. † References Davidson, M. and Burke, R. (2000). Women in Management. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Hartmann-Tews, I. and Pfister, G. (2003). Sport and Women. London: Routledge

Finkelpearl social art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Finkelpearl social art - Essay Example By so doing he looks carefully into how the art intersects with real life and how artists are working hard to re-imagine this intersection to make a community inclusive art, rather than an outcast kind of art. These public artworks mean that they have a certain influence on how the public experiences, thus public art is the central concern for the artists. As Tom Finkelpearl suggests, public art is in its efforts to be both personal and abstract, does not include dead images; it instead names them (Finkelpearl). Naming is the norm for many memorials, for example the AIDS memorial quilt that began in California, the biggest art in the world today. Public art gives a visually impressive and monumental ambition, to an almost legendary character but that are just spectacles in performance. Nearly all people see public art but most of them are only able to identify the works through recorded documents or photographs. Tom Finkelpearl (Finkelpearl)says there is a possibility within this relatively work of art to have opportunities to explore the contemporary world through its many multifold and become a recognized and credible discipline in fine

Crossover of Opera to Popular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crossover of Opera to Popular Music - Essay Example Opera music also has an extended work that is dramatic in nature. How opera crossed over to film commercials and radios In Western opera, narratives are usually expressed musically in radio commercials. This may seem unrealistic at times. Several arias can be removed from opera music without affecting the story lines at any point in time. Despite removing all the gratuitous arias, Western opera music has never been criticized at any point. The reason is that most people believe that opera is a little concerned with narrative of the economy and realism. Hindi films are perfect examples that show how opera music has transformed from the music part into films. The powerful films, television, radio commercials and the internet demonstrate steps taken by India to embrace the crossover. It is arguable that some Hindi songs are better incorporated and presented. The music has incorporated opera music into their films. Their films are gratuitous and they can be seen to arise from familiarity of some set conventions. These conventions deem the cinema with characters voicing their emotions. Although there is immense pressure from Hollywood, high Western and cultural discourses see the Hindi films immature and unrealistic due to the incorporation of opera music in their films. The musical nature of Hindi films is usually characterized as expressing emotions in a large way. With their films not showing any signs of abandoning one of the most important parts of the narrative expression, it is harmless to say that Hindi film songs have demonstrated incorporation of opera music into their films. They tend to retain the cinematic and dramatic qualities rather than become an independent tradition. How music listeners listen to opera music even though they do not realize. There are people who listen to music but they do not know what kind of music they are listening to. They may even be watching Hindi films that have got opera music incorporated in them, but they have never know n that they are listening to opera music. For one to actually appreciate the music, one should buy a ticket so that they can appreciate the music. Many people feel that opera music may not be proper for the first time. Before one sits down to enjoy the music, a little of effort is required from the listener. One should know the kind of work that is going to be performed early in advance. The listener should have learnt, at least early enough, about the music. This is done by listening to the music before and understanding it perfectly well. For sure, listening to the music is a source of joy and fulfillment either at home or in the theatre. The first thing that people should do in order to learn the music is to know the story. This is quite crucial as it helps to know the synopsis and understand the libretto. Both the libretto and synopsis are found in the CD set. They can also be found in the internet. Conceptualizing themes Habanera Habanera is a famous aria that originates from t he opera Carmen. It was written by Georges Bizet. The habanera is at times referred to as â€Å"Love is a rebellious bird†. Habanera is usually based on a scale that is chromatic in nature and descending. It is then followed with variants of similar phrases in the major and minor keys. They usually correspond to the vicissitudes of lyrics that are expressed in the form of love. A brief synopsis of the story of Carmen The story was done George Bizet and this was one of his famous opera. The setting was in Spain

Corporate Ethics from a Bottom-up View Point Research Paper

Corporate Ethics from a Bottom-up View Point - Research Paper Example In establishing an ethics program, a bottom-up approach is recommended (Brown, 2005). This entails engaging all the employees in the discussion and thinking about ethics. This makes it easier to implement as everyone in the company may feel that they had an input in deciding about ethics program. As fact, top-down nostrums are less effective in most organizations. They tend to perpetuate even further, the varied perception toward corporate ethics as perceived by the employees and the top management. Nevertheless, senior managers are known to influence the character and the scope of the organization’s corporate ethics program. They are charged with the responsibility of ensuring the integration of the ethics into the day-to-day routine of the organization. In general, senior managers have much to play in the successful implementation and management of ethics in an organization. Thus, their take and perception on ethics matters a lot. Research has evidenced that senior manager in most companies exhibit a more positive perception towards organizational ethics as compared to the lower level managers and employees. On the other hand, lower level managers and employees tend to be more cynical when it comes to business ethics in organizations. Thus, there is a clear contrast in perception towards organizational ethics between the two groups. Even so, many senior managers have proved to be ignorant of the ethical problems and matters affecting their organization. This plays a pivotal role in discouraging ethics as well as perpetuating the differences in perception towards ethics in most organizations.... Thus, there is a clear contrast in perception towards organizational ethics between the two groups. Even so, many senior managers have proved to be ignorant of the ethical problems and matters affecting their organization. This plays a pivotal role in discouraging ethics as well as perpetuating the differences in perception towards ethics in most organizations. On the other hand, a substantial number of lower level managers and employees perceive ethics programs, mission statements, codes of conducts among other ethics-related programs to be of little help or of no value to them. The employees also believe that the top managers usually are out-of-touch in matters concerning ethics. They believe that the top managers tend to avoid any discussion about ethics. According to Byron (2006), this is attributed to the fact they are too busy for ethical issues or they are just deliberately avoiding responsibility. There is also escalating tendency of cynicism of the lower level employees and the higher level managers. The lower level employees tend to psychologically distance themselves from the top managers in several instances. The positive perception towards organizational ethics as exhibited by senior management has been attributed to various reasons. Their social interaction and their role expectation is one of the reasons. Another reason is the link between the senior mangers identity and that of the organization. In this regards, senior managers usually play a significant role in the establishment of the organization reputation. According to Trevino, Weaver and Brown (2007), they tend to identify themselves strongly with the organization as well as its image. On the contrary, lower level managers and employees are less likely to identify themselves with the

Modern Children are Being Over-Medicated Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modern Children are Being Over-Medicated - Essay Example Currently, about half of all American children aged 2 to 4 are being prescribed with psychotropic drugs. In just 14 years, the number of children taking psychotropic drugs has gone up by 327% (CHAADA). The problem of overmedication, however, dates longer than that. The World Health Organization warned doctors and parents as early as 1966 that the use of behavior-altering drugs, such as Ritalin, can have serious effects on children (Doherty). Children are at great risks of overmedication since most of the drugs psychiatrists administer to them have only been tested on adults. Frontline quotes Dr. Patrick Bacon saying that the medicating children with psychotropic drugs are â€Å"to some extent an experiment.† If the â€Å"gamble† does not pay off, it could lead to serious physical and psychological side effects, just as in the case of Matthew above. It is true that children who are behaving differently than normal need medical attention to prevent any behavioral illness from reaching its peak. If they are not given the proper medication, both children and their parents will suffer. Treating behavioral disorders will also help children function properly in school and live normally with other children. More than anything else, early diagnosis and treatment would give children a greater chance grow into normal adults. The effects of the wrong diagnosis outweigh the benefits of the early medication. As in the case of Matthew described above, improper medication could be fatal. In the case of another child, Jacob Solomon, his parents put him on Ritalin after he was diagnosed with ADHD. The parents did see improvements in the behavior of their five-year-old child but the drug caused him to develop severe muscular contraction around his neck (Frontline). Aside from physical side effects such as this, powerful behavior-altering drugs could also have psychological effects.

Borders Group Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Borders Group Inc - Essay Example The Borders Company facilitates online shopping through their website, Borders.com. This facility assists customers to get easy access to company’s products and services from any part of the globe any time. It mainly offers e-books through online shopping and it additionally offers a desktop e-Reader for computers, which would also suit many other applications. Similarly, Borders’ promotional tactics involve offers sent to customers as e-mails and text messages. The company gives great emphasis on collaborated operations because the firm believes that this practice would ensure organizational sustainability and further business expansion. For instance, the ‘Borders’ formed an agreement with Starbucks subsidiary Seattle’s Best Coffee so as to enhance its expansion activities. Another notable feature of the company is that Borders’ international expansion is based on franchising strategy. Likewise, diversification is also one of the main grand s trategies of ‘Borders’. Recently, in 2008, the company opened 14 stores nationwide that offer variety of electronic devices such as MP3 players and Sony Reader. 3. Long-term objectives It is evident that international expansion is set as Borders’ long term objective. The company has opened a large number of stores in different parts of the world namely in UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, and Sharjah. The words of Borders group chief executive officer George Jones (cited in The Free Library) indicate that the company emphasizes on the superstore business because the management believes that superstore is the foundation of their strong brand. After a failure in global market, the firm... ‘Borders’ seems not to have employed this strategy so far. To illustrate, its online prices are always different from that of in-store prices and they are subject to changes without giving any prior notice (Borders). The company tends to charge an additional premium for this facility. Focus strategy involves concentration on narrow market segments in order to focus the interests of that segment (Marketing Plan). Grand strategy involves framing comprehensive plans to meet the major objectives of a firm by employing all available weapons such as ‘market, product, organizational development through acquisition, divestiture, diversification, joint ventures, and strategic alliances† (Grand strategy). The Borders Company facilitates online shopping through their website, Borders.com. This facility assists customers to get easy access to company’s products and services from any part of the globe any time. Long-term objectives It is evident that international expansion is set as Borders’ long term objective. The company has opened a large number of stores in different parts of the world namely in UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, and Sharjah. The words of Borders group chief executive officer George Jones (cited in The Free Library) indicate that the company emphasizes on the superstore business because the management believes that superstore is the foundation of their strong brand. In addition, the firm frames wide ranges of marketing and promotional tactics in order to maintain brand loyalty.

Classroom Tardiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Classroom Tardiness - Essay Example It is a relatively common understanding that youths, today, tend to congregate outside of various classrooms to discuss personal elements of their lifestyles which create social connection between the youth groups. However, through this type of discussion and other personal distractions, tardy pupils continue to cause disruption to normal, routine class activities when teachers are forced to deal with tardy pupils and reprimand these students for their inappropriate actions. These delays can take away from quality, group classwork activities. This research proposal offers a study to identify whether teachers themselves, through the use of mobile communications technologies, can reduce tardiness in different classroom environments. This study aims to identify whether through the use of mobile communications technologies, teachers can interact regarding classroom tardiness, thus projecting authoritarianism and unity into the classroom and promoting student adherence to classroom tardiness guidelines. Measure student reactions to routine mobile-to-mobile teacher conversations to measure whether tardiness ratios, through authoritarianism and the mobile device, can be reduced in a typical classroom environment. Weismann and Foerch (2008) offer a unique perspective about educators: Many teachers do not offer students consistent penalties for being late, such as projecting an authoritarian attitude regarding all classroom credits being lost for tardiness. This allows for the leniency to be abused and students simply will not adhere to these rules. It is, again, a relatively common understanding in society that, through proper discipline, children can learn to respect authority and are often intimidated by authoritarian adults. Strict adherence to rules of tardiness would create this rigid atmosphere where actual grades lost become an outcome of disobeying these rules. This would require much more effort on behalf of the teacher. The idea of

Impact of Internet on Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Impact of Internet on Society - Research Paper Example To what extent have the governments embraced the Internet as a tool for development? This research seeks to find out what governments need to address so as to make the Internet a tool for development. While many researchers have tackled this topic, there is a gap with regard to the failure of developing countries to entirely invest in the Internet. Besides, many of these researchers have not fully addressed the significance of the Internet in key sectors that touch on the youth. The youths from the majority population in most of these countries. There is silence on the relationship between the Internet and pluralism, and this report seeks to deal with that. In conclusion, the Internet revolution needs the government to be in control of it as opposed to being laid back as it seems at the moment. This is a challenge to developing countries to rethink the significance of the Internet. Introduction Problem statement â€Å"Impacts of internet in developing countries have not been fully a cknowledged.† Explanation Almost everybody in the world knows something about the phenomenon called the Internet. It has sparked a lot of excitement. Most governments in the third world countries perceive internet to be a youth’s issue. They tend to underestimate the influence of the Internet on the growth of the economy. More importantly, they tend to imagine that Internet is a short time happening. This has caused the government not to invest in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth through internet. In most developing countries, the Internet is appreciated by the private sector. The governments remain rigid. This has caused the citizens to lose quality services and opportunities that come through internet. The few sectors that have experienced growth through internet tend to be downplayed. This is the reason we must do this research. We have to demonstrate to third world countries that internet and economic growth cannot be separated in modern times. In d oing this, we have to point out some of the visible impacts of the Internet. The Internet is a combination of two words which are â€Å"international† and â€Å"network.† It is a phenomenon that has helped link the world so that it operates like a unit. It has created a platform that cuts across international boundaries and continents. People of different races and cultures can now interact and share ideas and opinions at a click of a mouse (Atwood & Gallo, 2011). More and more computers are continuing to be manufactured. It is fascinating to observe that computers are considered less useful unless they are connected to the Internet. This is because the effectiveness of a computer is being made to depend on Internet connection. According to Botha and Bothma (2008), people have already felt a tremendous change. The Internet has become an immensely key aspect of growth and development. Children in schools are being taught how to use it. In high school, it is one of the m ajor subjects. More and more computer-related degrees and diplomas are being awarded.  Ã‚  

Quality Customer Service Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quality Customer Service - Research Paper Example It would tell the individuals concerned that the organization looks after them and wants to give them what they deserve the most – impeccable service that is of serious quality. This paper shall discuss the five significant techniques which play a role at implementing superior service quality within organizations and which have remained as a metaphor beyond despair in the present times as well as the times to follow. These five techniques that are deemed as pivotal here comprise of winning with the customer, showing a positive attitude, identification of the customer needs, providing for the needs of the customers, and lastly making sure that the customers come back for more sales that shall benefit the organization in the long run. One must remember that these five techniques include a number of other sub points as well which shall be discussed within the entirety of this paper here. To start with, the first technique to achieve and implement superior service quality is that of winning with the customer which takes into account the determination to make it happen for both the organization and the customer in essence. It is imperative that the organization which is imparting superior service is winning right next to the customer himself. How this will happen is something that shall have to be comprehended properly. First of all, quality customer service needs to be identified and its description is made note of (Lin, 2011). When this has been done, the next step is to be aware of the fact that the end customer gets the satisfaction that is asked of the entire premise. If this does not take place, customer satisfaction has failed to fulfill its role and there are other avenues that need to be touched upon to reap success under such domains. The reasons for service quality’s importance are discerned as to whether they shall uplift the business in financial terms or provide relief in the wake of bringing in serious sales returns. The second technique is to demonstrate a positive attitude. It is because a positive attitude is the basis of solving half the quandaries that are related with customer service. If the organization wants to achieve supremacy within such departments, positive attitude is the solution to make it happen. Being an optimist always creates more room for understanding, especially on the part of the customers who are always looking for answers that would satisfy them in entirety. It is important however that the service levels communicate the best possible image no matter how difficult or trying the circumstances turn out to be. With that being done, staying energized all this while; while the service quality levels are being ensured refer to success within such realms. The third technique is to identify the customer needs. What this means is that this technique brings the customers in direct communication with the service team as to how the actual problem will be given a remedy that shall solve it in the firs t place (Martin, 2009). This will also aim to study the inherent areas where basic needs are understood and then worked upon to bring about a solution for the end customers. It is quintessential to stay one step ahead of the customer requirements and to fulfill them through a proactive approach, which is

Fear of Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Fear of Terrorism Essay Since September 11th, 2001, the world has witnessed a radical change in the world order. Fear, anxiety, sentiments of repugnancy and hate, and, mostly, a deep sentiment of great uncertainty took their place and dominated, and still dominate, problematic, issue. There has been much discussions and debates about the events that has taken place in the fatal date and consequent repercussion acts. The images of the two hi-jacked planes crashing into the Twin Towers, has a major part in producing all the sentiments that certainly all of us felt, and will continue to feel as of today. That is what this research paper will explain. It is a very contemporary issue and, many believe it is interesting looking at it, studying, and analyzing it. In the next pages, this research paper will focus on the definition of terrorism, history of terrorism, and the effects it has on society. Defining Terrorism Terrorism beams into our homes through television screens, it assaults us in newspapers and magazines, and it sometimes touches our lives in more direct manners. People do not seem to worry about the definition of terrorism at such times. They simply feel terror when they see the violence. Sometimes it seems as though the event itself defines terrorism. For example, when a plane is destroyed by a bomb, it is frequently called terrorism, but when military forces shoot down a civilian aircraft, it can be deemed an unfortunate mistake. The United States may launch missiles at a suspected terrorist base and claim it is defending national interests. Yet, it may condemn another country for doing the same thing in another part of the world. Dual standards and contradictions lead to confusion any time the term terrorism is employed. The term terrorism has spawned heated debate. Instead of agreeing on the definition of terrorism, social scientists, policymakers, lawyers, and security specialists often argue about the meaning of the term. H. H. A. Cooper (1978, 2001), a renowned terrorist expert from the University of Texas at Dallas, aptly summarizes the problem. There is, Cooper says, a problem in the problem definition. We can agree that terrorism is a problem, but we cannot agree on what terrorism is. There are several reasons for confusion. First, terrorism is difficult to define because it has a pejorative connotation. Pejorative means that it is emotionally charged. A person is politically and socially degraded when labeled a terrorist, and the same thing happens when an organization is called a terrorist group. Routine crimes assume greater social importance when they are described as terrorism, and political movements can be hampered when their followers are believed to be terrorists. Further confusion arises when people intertwine the terms terror and terrorism. The object of military force, for example, is to strike terror into the heart of the enemy, and systematic terror has been a basic weapon in conflicts throughout history. Some people argue that there is no difference between military force and terrorism. Many members of the antinuclear movement have extended this argument by claiming that maintaining ready-to-use nuclear weapons is an extension of terrorism. Others use the same logic when claiming that street gangs and criminals terrorize neighborhoods. If you think that anything that creates terror is terrorism, the scope of potential definitions becomes limitless. One of the primary reasons terrorism is difficult to define is that the meaning changes within social and historical contexts. This is not to suggest that one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter, but it does suggest the meaning fluctuates. Change in the meaning occurs because terrorism is not a solid entity. Like crime, it is socially defined, and the meaning changes with social change. History of Terrorism Terrorism has been around since the days of ancient Egypt. People have been killing leaders of countries to try and overthrow the government, and for the past one hundred and twenty years terrorists have had new weapons of mass destruction, such as bombs. Many political figures in the past were assassinated: King Tut in Egypt, who was poisoned and hit in the back of the head by a political rival, the members of the Roman Senate and Brutus, his best friend, killed Caesar. John Wilkes Booth, a southerner who was angry about the way the Civil War turned out assassinated Abraham Lincoln; and Lee Harvey Oswald killed John F. Kennedy. But terrorism in revealing itself in new forms in this modern world, such as massacres, hijackings, attacks on U. S troops, and hostage taking. But there is a difference between a criminal and a terrorist. A criminal is after money or drugs, while a terrorist is after the long-term disruption of life in a country, and to attempt to overthrow its leaders. There are many causes of terrorism, hate, religion, politics, and power. Modern terrorism originated from the French Revolution (1789–1795). It was used as a term to describe the actions of the French government. By 1848, the meaning of the term changed. It was employed to describe violent revolutionaries who revolted against governments. By the end of the 1800s and early 1900s, terrorism was used to describe the violent activities of a number of groups including: labor organizations, anarchists, nationalist groups revolting against foreign powers, and ultranationalist political organizations. After World War II (1939–1945), the meaning changed again. As people revolted from European domination of the world, nationalistic groups were deemed to be terrorist groups. From about 1964 to the early 1980s, the term terrorism was also applied to violent left-wing groups, as well as nationalists. In the mid-1980s, the meaning changed again. In the United States, some of the violent activity of the hate movement was defined as terrorism. Internationally, terrorism was viewed as sub national warfare. Terrorists were sponsored by rogue regimes. As the millennium changed, the definitions of terrorism also changed. Today terrorism also refers to large groups who are independent from a state, violent religious fanatics, and violent groups who terrorize for a particular cause such as the environment. It is important to realize that any definition is influenced by the historical context of terrorism. Media Many times on TV after a terrorist-attack the news will announce that this person had terrorist connections in the past. Now if they had terrorist connections, why were they allowed to live freely, where they could plan terrorist attacks? If the government had a monitoring service to keep track of people with suspected histories of terrorism, or possible connections to terrorists, the FBI could make a careful watch of a person s communications. This would help prevent terrorism from happening by not allowing correspondence between the suspect, and the organization. Many argue that the realm of politics has a particular and controversial way of broaching, analyzing and, thus, conceptualizing â€Å"terrorism†. In Murdock’s view and many certainly agree with him. Politicians always try to limit and simplify the definition of terrorism in the name of the state’s political interests. Jeanne Kirkpatrick, former U. S. representative to the United Nations, simply identified and defined a â€Å"terrorist† as a person who â€Å"kills, maims, kidnaps and tortures. His victims may be schoolchildren†¦ industrialists returning home from work, political leaders or diplomats†. (Quoted in Graham Murdock, 1997: 1653). On the other hand, and mostly due to their special deontology and the specific rule of impartiality, journalists are said to broach and use the term terrorist â€Å"when civilians are attacked† (Murdock, 1997: 1653). David Paletz and Danielle Vinson, in â€Å"Terrorism and the Media†, analyze and describe the theme of terrorism in a very interesting way. Thus, they identify many forms of terrorism. The ones they believe to have most renown and prominence are: State Terrorism, waged against inhabitants of a state; State Sponsored Terrorism, against the people of the other states; and Insurgent Terrorism, also called by Schmid and De Graaf asâ€Å"Social-Revolutionary, Separatist and Single Issue Terrorism, aiming at the top of society†(Schmid De Graaf, 1982: 1), where the â€Å"violence is mainly perpetrated for its effects on others rather than the immediate victims† (Schmid De Graaf, 1982: 2). Schmid and De Graaf also argue that because the word terrorism has, by nature, such profound negative connotations, maybe a more neutral term would be preferable. They suggest the word insurgent. As far as I’m concerned, my argument is clearly this: western society, most dominated and influenced by the North American Culture and North American International Policy, constructed the term â€Å"terrorist†. Many argue that such construction is merely the reflection of western’s strategic political interests versus the Eastern ones, and most particularly, the Middle East’s cultural power. Impact of Terrorism on Society and Economy Terrorism poses a serious law and order problem and leads to disintegration of society. The incident of murder, torture, mutilation, kidnapping, arson and extortion create atmosphere of suspicion, fear and panic all around. Life becomes uncertain. The terrorists kill unarmed civilians including women and children. Organized crime and violence cause social disharmony. The inter relationship among various insurgent groups and their foreign linkages bring illegal money and encourages smuggling. Many insurgent groups collect certain percentage of money from the employees and businessmen on regular basis. Economic development of the area comes to an end. Our government has to make heavy expenditure to meet the challenges of terrorism. Ways to Control Terrorism A way to prevent terrorism is gun control. Gun control will prevent terrorism by reducing the number of weapons accessible to terrorists. Violent crimes and urban terrorism has dropped over 33% since the introduction of the background check. (Philips, 15) Something as simple as having a waiting period at gun shows can help reduce terrorism. It is possible for a group of people to go into the show separately, purchase three or four weapons, and then use them to rob a bank, or take hostages. Currently at gun shows, as long as you are 18, you can buy a variety of weapons, and ammunition. Although a full ban on guns would not stop weapons from coming into this country illegally, it would limit the guns accessible to criminals and possible terrorists. Many times on TV after a terrorist-attack, the news will announce that this person had terrorist connections in the past. Now if they had terrorist connections why were they allowed to live freely, where they could plan terrorist attacks? If the government had a monitoring service to keep track of people with suspected histories of terrorism, or possible connections to terrorists, the FBI could make a careful watch of a person s communications. This would help prevent terrorism from happening by not allowing correspondence between the suspect, and the organization. Although the person would not be a prisoner, he would be on parole so to speak, so he could lead a normal, productive life. However, if he made a large purchase of any possible bomb making materials his house would be searched. This can help prevent attacks because the person would not have any opportunities to plan any attacks. Some other preventive measures can be taken to stop bombings from occurring. One way is to put two-foot concrete pillars around federal buildings to prevent drive up bombings. Nevertheless, there are other ways to cause mass killings. Biological warfare is one of the most feared forms of terrorism in the world. Capable of killing thousands within a few days, and constantly spreading, it is the most effective form of terrorism there is. (Gaines,15) All it takes is someone with a small flask of anthrax in a powdered form to get on a subway, spread the virus, and get off. In the powdered form, the dust would spread into a fine dust, and then would be breathed in by hundreds of passengers. (Snow, 15) Now some things like that cannot be prevented, but a way to keep the people from getting sick is to make sure everyone born has vaccinations for any disease that can be spread, such as anthrax, and Ebola. However, there are not enough shots to go around. There is only one dose of anthrax vaccine per four people. The government needs to produce enough vaccine for everyone in the country. Terrorism against the United States in other countries continues to be a serious problem. The United States has not been able to effectively deal with terrorism directed at its embassies, personnel, or military installations. The United States has put up concrete barriers around its embassies to protect Americans from suicide bombers. In many cultures, religion and politics are intertwined; it is a great honor to die for your country on a suicide mission. It happened during World War II with the Kamikaze pilots and it happened again most recently with the attack on the U. S. S. Cole. The suicide bomb is most often used in the Middle East. Terrorism can be reduced with prevention, detection, and action. The problem will not go away if people just sit there and not take any action against it. Society needs to create a team to counteract terrorism, have better gun control, and monitor high-risk people. With these simple steps we can reduce terrorism.

Dengue Fever and Malaria in Thrombocytopenic Patients

Dengue Fever and Malaria in Thrombocytopenic Patients Frequency of co-existence of dengue fever and malaria in thrombocytopenic patients presented with acute febrile illness Dr. Shazia Yasir*, Dr. Muhammad Owais Rashid, Dr. Faisal Moin, Dr. Komal Owais ABSTRACT Introduction: Hepatitis c virus infection affects more than 170 million people worldwide. [1] About 80% of patients with acute infection will afterward develop chronic disease. [15] Interferon (IFN) alpha in combination with ribavirin (RBV) is the current standard care of treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection worldwide. Unfortunately, both drugs have significant hematological toxic effects (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia) Objectives: To determine the frequency of hematological side effects (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia) during combination therapy with interferon and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi from Ten months from April 2013 to January 2014. Methodology: A total of 228 patients of chronic HCV, and meeting inclusion criteria were included from OPD of Ziauddin Hospital North Campus Karachi, Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre and Hepatogastroenterology Section, SIUT. After taking informed consent, patients were given injection IFN 3 MIU subcutaneously thrice weekly and ribavirin 800 – 1200 mg/day, as per body weight, that was, those less than 50 kg will receive 800 mg/day, 50 – 75 kg was received 1000 mg/kg and more than 75 kg was received 1200 mg/day. Result: Overall mean age was 39.6 ( ±9.2) years with Male: Female = 2.2: 1. Hematological abnormalities was seen in 79 (37.3%) cases. Anemia was the most common type of hematological abnormalities developed in 41 (19.3%) cases followed by neutropenia in 33 (15.6%) and thrombocytopenia in 21 (9.9%) cases. Conclusion: Amongst the hematological disorders. Anemia and thrombocytopenia was the most common and least common respectively during the combination therapy of chronic hepatitis C. while neutropenia followed as second common and serious hematological disorder. Key words: HCV, anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, Interferon, ribavirin. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem. The virus infects approximately 3% of the world population; placing approximately 170 million people at risk of developing HCV related chronic liver disease. [1] Currently, chronic hepatitis C infection is the most frequent indication for liver transplantation and accounts for estimated 8000 – 10000 deaths each year in the United States. [2] HCV infection is endemic in Pakistan [3] and is a considerable threat to our population. [4] The prevalence of HCV in Pakistan is reported to be 3.29% [3], 3.3% [4] and 3.69% [5] in different studies. Cure of chronic hepatitis C in the natural course is rare, and the rate of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is also significantly high. The eradication of hepatitis C virus during the chronic stage is, therefore, extremely important. [6] - Department of Emergency Medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, North Campus, Karachi * Correspondence Email: [emailprotected] Treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin has become the standard of care for patients infected with chronic hepatitis C. [7] However, standard interferon and ribavirin combination is still widely in use in Pakistan for chronic hepatitis C infection, because of its low cost. Unfortunately, both drugs (interferon and ribavirin) have significant hematological toxic effects (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia). [8,9,10] Anemia during combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C begins to develop almost immediately after therapy is initiated and becomes most pronounced after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment.8 Hemoglobin levels do not usually change after week 12 to the completion of treatment. [6] The values for incidence and severity of anemia during combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C are higher in Asian studies than in the non-Asian studies. In a study conducted in Taiwan, the mean decrease of hemoglobin was 3.9  ± 1.3 g/dL and 39% of the patients developed severe anemia (hemoglobin levels below 10 g/dL). [9] Treatment with interferon and ribavirin combination therapy is also associated with neutropenia that is more frequent with peg interferon as compared to standard interferon. [11] A study from the National Institutes of Health specifically examined neutropenia associated with combination therapy. The mean neutrophil count decreased by 34% during the 24 to 48 week course of therapy and the frequency of neutropenia was noted to be 63%. [12] Thrombocytopenia is another well known complication of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C but has been infrequently associated with dose reduction or discontinuation. [11] During therapy with at least one dose of standard or pegylated interferon, platelet count decreased by nearly 28%. [13] Few studies have been conducted in Pakistan to assess the side effects of combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C. The frequency of anemia is reported to be 19.6% and of thrombocytopenia to be 13.7% in one study. [14] Another study stated that hematological side effects were noted in 92% of the patients. [10] No local study is available reporting the frequency of neutropenia during treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hematological abnormalities are the most common indications for dose reduction in chronic hepatitis C therapy. Hematological abnormalities accounts for at least one dose reduction in approximately 25% of patients during therapy. Dose reductions or premature discontinuations results in significantly lower sustained virological response. [11] Because hematological side effects have implications on virological response, therefore, knowledge regarding frequency of these side effects is of utmost importance. As stated earlier, there are very few trials conducted in Pakistan that examined the hematological side effects of combination therapy and most of the data in this regard have come from western population. Pakistani population is different from western population in many ways, for example, the HCV genotype 1 infection is more common in west while genotype 3 infection in Pakistan. Moreover, host factors like different genetic makeup, difference in immune status and lower body mass inde x (resulting in lesser dose of ribavirin required during therapy) for Pakistani population may have implications on frequency of the hematological side effects of combination therapy. In addition, there is an enormous difference in the frequencies of side effects reported in different studies conducted at national level. Therefore, there is a need to add-to and strengthen the national literature. This study was designed to determine the frequency of the hematological side effects of combination therapy (interferon and ribavirin) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODOLOGY The study was planned to be conducted on patients attending the out-patient department of Civil Hospital Karachi, Sarwer Zuberi Liver Centre and Hepatogastroenterology Section, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation. Sample size ( n ) = 182 + 25% of 182 = 228* Proportion of thrombocytopenia ( P ) = 13.7%14 or 0.137 Confidence level (1 – ÃŽ ± ) = 0.05 Margin of error (d ) = 5% * A meta-analysis noted that during treatment for chronic hepatitis C approximately 25% of patients required at least one dose reduction for hematological abnormalities (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia) [11], therefore the sample size is augmented by 25% to cover the drop-outs because of dose reduction and drug discontinuation. Patients who will require dose reduction and drug discontinuation will be excluded from the study. The criteria for dose reduction and drug discontinuation are stated in data collection. Inclusion Criteria: Patients of either gender with chronic hepatitis C: Between the age of 18 and 50 years, Presence of anti – HCV, HCV – RNA and persistently raised ALT levels for more than 6 months (on at least two occasions). HCV Genotype 2 and 3; and Compensated liver disease (indicated by presence of all of the following: no history of ascites, bleeding esophageal varices or hepatic encephalopathy, serum albumin > 3 g/dL, serum bilirubin ≠¤ 2 mg/dl and prothrombin time Exclusion Criteria: Patients with: Decompensated liver disease HCV Genotype 1 (Infection with HCV Genotype 1 requires combination therapy for 48 weeks. The study is planned to be completed in 6 months.) Co-infection with HBV Pregnancy, Significant systemic illnesses other than liver disease (cardiovascular or renal dysfunction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, uncontrolled diabetes) Other contra-indications or precautions to combination therapy (history of epilepsy, depression or other psychiatric disorders, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune hepatitis) Interferon/ribavirin therapy in the past Pre-treatment hemoglobin level less than 13 g/dL in males and less than 12 g/dL in females, pre-treatment neutrophil count less than 1500 cells/ÃŽ ¼L and platelet count less than 150,000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L Who require dose reduction or drug discontinuation during treatment. Criteria are mentioned in data collection. The source of the sample was the patients attending the out-patient department of Civil Hospital Karachi, Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre and Hepatogastroenterology Section, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation. Informed consent was taken from the patients who were meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the patients were given injection IFN 3 MIU subcutaneously thrice weekly and ribavirin 800 – 1200 mg/day, as per body weight, that was, those less than 50 kg will receive 800 mg/day, 50 – 75 kg was received 1000 mg/kg and more than 75 kg was received 1200 mg/day. The patients were evaluated at week 4, 12 and 24 and blood was drawn for complete blood counts. Dose of the interferon and/or ribavarin was reduced for any patient in whom hemoglobin level falls below 10 g/dL and/or neutrophil count drops below 750 cells/ÃŽ ¼L and/or platelet count falls below 50,000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L during the course of treatment. The therapy was discontinued in the patients in whom hemo globin level drops below 8.5 g/dL and/or neutrophil count falls below 500 cells/ÃŽ ¼L and/or platelet count falls below 30,000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. These criteria for dose reduction and drug discontinuation were in accordance with the guidelines for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The patients who were required dose reduction or drug discontinuation during the course of treatment was excluded from the study. The final outcome was measured at week 24, when the values for hemoglobin level, neutrophil count and platelet count was recorded for each patient in the performa given in annex 1. The patient was said to have developed anemia if the hemoglobin level falls below 13 g/dL in males and less than 12 g/dL in females, neutropenia if neutrophil count drops below 1500 cells/ÃŽ ¼L and thrombocytopenia if platelet count falls below 1,50,000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. Confounding variables like age, gender and body weight were controlled by stratification at the time of analysis. The collected data was analyzed with the help of SPSS program version 19.0. Frequencies and percentages were computed for presentation of qualitative variables like gender and side effects (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia). Mean  ± Standard Deviation was computed for variables like age and body weight. Confounding variables like age, gender and body weight were controlled by stratification. RESULT A total of 228 patients with chronic hepatitis C were included in this study. Sixteen (7.02%) of the patients were excluded due to dose modification or discontinuation during the follow-up period. Due to anemia dose was reduced in 6 and discontinued in 4 cases, due to neutropenia dose was reduced in 3 and discontinued in 1 case and in thrombocytopenia dose was reduced in 2 cases. Mean ( ±SD) age of patients was 39.6 ( ±9.2) years with range = 18 – 50 years. Majority of cases 113 (53.3%) had age between 20 – 40 years. Figure-1 Gender distribution showed male preponderance (male: female = 2.2: 1), 145 (68.4%) were males and 67 (31.6%) were females. Figure-2 Seventy Nine (37.3%) of the patients developed significant hematological abnormalities during treatment with interferon and ribavirin. Figure-3 Anemia was the most common type of hematological abnormalities developed in 41 (19.3%) cases followed by neutropenia in 33 (15.6%) cases and thrombocytopenia in 21 (9.9%) cases. Figure-4 Proportions of hematological abnormalities were similar in both genders. Fifty five (37.9%) were male and 24 (35.8%) were female. Figure-5 Types of hematological abnormalities were also similar in both males and females, 29 (52.7%), 23 (41.8%) and 15 (27.3%) of males and 12 (50%), 10 (41.7%) and 6 (25%) of females developed anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia, respectively in male cases. Table-1 Mean ( ±SD) age of those patients who developed hematological side effects was 38.4 ( ±8.6) years with range = 19 – 50 years. Majority of cases 56 (62.2%) had age between 20 – 40 years. Figure-6 FIGURE-1 AGE DISTRIBUTION n = 228 Mean  ±SD = 39.6  ±9.2 years Range = 18 – 50 years FIGURE-2 GENDER DISTRIBUTION n = 228 Male: Female = 2.2: 1 FIGURE-3 OVERALL HEMATOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS (SE) n = 212 Keys: hematological side effects were evaluated in this study as: Anemia = hemoglobin level 10 13 g/dL in males and 10 12 g/dL in females. Neutropenia = Neutrophil count between 750 1500 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. Thrombocytopenia = Platelet count of between 50,000 – 1, 50,000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. SE = Side Effects FIGURE-4 TYPES OF HEMATOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS (SE) n = 212 Multiple response exist Keys: Anemia = hemoglobin level 10 13 g/dL in males and 10 12 g/dL in females. Neutropenia = Neutrophil count between 1500 750 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. Thrombocytopenia = Platelet count of between 1,50,000 50000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. SE = Side Effects FIGURE-5 OVERALL HEMATOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS (SE) IN GENDER n = 212 Table-1 TYPES OF HEMATOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS (SE) IN GENDER n = 212 Keys: Anemia = hemoglobin level 10 13 g/dL in males and 10 12 g/dL in females. Neutropenia = Neutrophil count between 750 1500 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. Thrombocytopenia = Platelet count of between 50,000 150000 cells/ÃŽ ¼L. FIGURE-6 OVERALL HEMATOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS (SE) IN AGE GROUPS n = 212 Mean  ±SD = 38.4  ±8.6 years Range = 19 – 50 years DISCUSSION The treatment of CHC is now well established with conventional interferon or pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin. [61] However, one of the main drawbacks of this combination therapy is the development of side effects, which can result in suboptimal dosing or discontinuation of therapy. This can limit the likelihood of SVR, since one of the determinants of SVR is adequate dose and duration of therapy, as previously discussed in this supplement. Among the side effects of combination therapy, hematologic abnormalities such as anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia have been reported to result in dose reduction and discontinuation of therapy in up to 25% and 3% of patients, respectively. [11] The withdrawal rate increases with both the duration of treatment and use of combination therapy. [101] For example, therapy was stopped in 13–14% of patients treated with interferon mono therapy for 48 weeks [102] compared with 19–21% of patients receiving combination therapy for the same duration. The withdrawal rate for combination therapy was lower when therapy was administered for only 24 weeks (8%). [103] Mean ( ±SD) age of patients was 39.6 ( ±9.2) years with range = 18 – 50 years. In this study seventy Nine, 37.3% of the patients developed significant hematological abnormalities during treatment with interferon and ribavirin and Sixteen (7.02%) of the patients were excluded due to drug modification or discontinuation during the follow-up period. A study from USA reported 38.2% of the cases developed hematological side effects during the combination therapy, a figure is similar to what is seen in this study.104 Another study conducted in Pakistan reported 92% mild to moderate hematological side effect during the combination therapy. [10] In this study anemia was the most common type of hematological abnormality seen in 19.3% of cases followed by neutropenia in 15.6% and thrombocytopenia in 9.9% cases. Study from USA reported 20.6%, 22.1%, and 8.1% developed neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, respectively. [104] In another study from Pakistan, mild to modest anemia was noted in 70 % of the patients. [10] Anemia is caused both by interferon due to myeloseupression and ribivirin causing hemolysis. [24, 25] In same study mild to moderate neutropenia was reported in 64% of cases and thrombocytopenia in 61% of patients. [10] neutropenia is one of the expected side effects of combination therapy but the risk of the serious infection is very low even with severe neutropenia. [12] Similarly in clinically practice thrombocytopenia does not pose significant problem. [11] In conclusion hematologic abnormalities are common during combination antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Although dose reduction or discontinuation is tool of overcome these side effects, they can adversely affect the efficacy of combination antiviral therapy. This is especially true in the cases of ribavirin induced anemia. Recent evidence has led to increasing recognition that optimal dosing of ribavirin is a crucial determinant of viral clearance. Preliminary data suggest that hematopoietic growth factors may be useful for managing the hematologic side effects of combination therapy (especially anemia). CONCLUSION The frequency of hematological abnormalities during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) in this study was comparable to those seen in certain other studies. Anemia was the most common and thrombocytopenia was the least common hematological side effect noted. The number of patients excluded from the study because of dose modification or drug discontinuation was also greatest due to anemia and least due to thrombocytopenia ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge faculty of Ziauddin Hospital, North Campus for helping us during the study, staff for helping in data collection and all others who have given their input. SOURCE OF FUNDINGS We would like to thank HighQ pharma for financially aiding the research and authors for their contribution. CONFLICT OF INTEREST There is no conflict of interest in any term regarding the article from any authors. REFERENCE Dengue Fever and Malaria in Thrombocytopenic Patients Dengue Fever and Malaria in Thrombocytopenic Patients Frequency of co-existence of dengue fever and malaria in thrombocytopenic patients presented with acute febrile illness Dr. Shazia Yasir (PG Emergency Medicine)*, Dr. Owais , Dr. Faisal Moin ABSTRACT Introduction: Both dengue fever and malaria can present with thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is a consistent finding in dengue fever and is regarded as a strong predictor of dengue fever. Thrombocytopenia is also considered criterion of disease severity, bad prognostic factor and its presence is associated with increase probability of malaria Objectives: To determine frequency of co-existence of dengue fever and malaria in thrombocytopenic patients presented with acute febrile illness in tertiary care hospital Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi from Ten months from April 2013 to January 2014. Methodology: A total of 159 patients meeting inclusion criteria were included in this study. 5ml of blood by venupuncture in EDTA anti-coagulant for platelet count and preparing thick and thin films and 2 ml of blood in plain bottle for detection of dengue specific IgM was collected from all patients. Thick films are used to identify malarial parasites and thin films to identify specie. Dengue fever was diagnosed on positive dengue IgM. Co-existence was labeled as positive if malarial parasites and dengue IgM found to be present at the same time. This diffusion susceptibility test was use to determine susceptibility of bacterial agents to antibiotics. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS software version 19. Result: Overall mean ( ±SD) age was 38.3 ( ±7.9) years, with Male to female ratio was 1.1: 1. Co-infections (Dengue and Malaria) were diagnosed in 5 (5.6%) of cases. From 5 cases, 3 (60%) were male and 2 (40%) were female. Mean ( ±SD) age of 5 positive cases of co-infection was 37.8 ( ±8.3) years. Conclusion: Concurrent infections were found 5.6% in this study. Although this percentage is slightly low; special attention should be given to the possibility of co-infection with malaria and dengue. Key words: Dengue fever, Malaria, Immunoglobulin-M (IgM), febrile illness, Thrombocytopenia _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Dengue Virus is becoming an increasing health problem. Over 99% cases of viral hemorrhagic fever reported worldwide are due to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). [1] Dengue fever is cause by dengue viruses (DENVs) which are members of Flaviviridae family. [2] It has been estimated that 2.5 billion people live in areas which are at risk of epidemic transmission and over 50 million of DENV infections occur globally each year [3,4]. Since we are living in region where malaria is endemic and is considered as the most common cause of fever and in general practice empirical anti-malarial therapy is common, it is important to distinguish the two conditions due to clinical similarities and unexpected progress of dengue fever (DF) to DHF and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). [5] - Department of Emergency Medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, North Campus, Karachi * Correspondence Email: [emailprotected] Both dengue fever and malaria can present with thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is a consistent finding in dengue fever and is regarded as a strong predictor of dengue fever. [6] Thrombocytopenia is also considered criterion of disease severity, bad prognostic factor and its presence is associated with increase probability of malaria [7, 8] In a local study Ali et.al showed that Out of 11 patients diagnosed as having dengue fever on serology 9 (81.8%) also had co-existence of malaria and thrombocytopenia was present in 90% of such patients. [5] Out of 11 DENV positive patients three patients died and first DENV positive patients who died was prescribed anti-malarial by general practitioner in outdoor. [5] On autopsy plasmodium falciparum rings were found in blood and DENV IgM was detected in serum samples [5] Due to clinical similarities in two conditions and possibility of extensive mosquito exposure, high co-existence of both conditions cannot be excluded. [5] This study aims to determine frequency of co-existing dengue fever and malaria in thrombocytopenic patients presenting with acute febrile illness so that magnitude of the condition could be assessed. The findings could be used to plan that all patients with acute febrile illness with thrombocytopenia must be screened for dengue fever without delay. METHODOLOGY This study was carried out at the department of emergency medicine, Ziauddin University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Patients of either gender with more than 12 years of age presenting to Ziauddin Hospital Karachi with acute febrile illness and found to have thrombocytopenia were included in the study while patients known to have disease causing thrombocytopenia e.g. systemic lupus erythematous, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and patients with other causes of acute febrile illness such as pneumonia, meningitis, enteric fever etc. diagnosed on blood culture, chest X-ray sputum C/S, urine D/R were excluded from the study. A total of 159 patient’s fulfilling inclusion criteria were included in the study. 5ml of blood by venupuncture in EDTA anti-coagulant for platelet count and preparing thick and thin films and 2 ml of blood in plain bottle for detection of dengue specific IgM was collected from all patients. Thick films are used to identify malarial parasites and thin films to identify specie. Dengue fever was diagnosed on positive dengue IgM. To minimize bias all specimen was sent to single central laboratory of the hospital. A proforma especially designed for the study was used to documents findings such as paients age, gender, name, malaria parasite, dengue IgM by the researcher. Co-existence was labeled as positive if malarial parasites and dengue IgM found to be present at the same time. Data was entered in computer and analyzed by SPSS version 19.0 frequency and percentages were calculated for categorical variables such as gender, co-existing dengue fever and malaria. Mean standard deviation was calculated for numerical variables like age. Stratification was done in terms of age and gender to see the effect of that on outcome. RESULT During the study, a total of 159 cases with thrombocytopenia of age > 12 years were included. From 159 cases, 82 (51.6%) were male and 77 (48.4%) were female. (Figure-1) Mean ( ±SD) age of 159 cases was 38.3 ( ±7.9) years with range = 15 – 53 years. Majority 66 (41.5%) of cases had age between 30 – 44 years. (Figure-2) Out of 159 thrombocytopenic cases presented with acute febrile illness, malaria was diagnosed in 55 (34.6%) cases. (Figure-3) Dengue fever was diagnosed on positive dengue IgM. Out of 159 cases, 34 (21.4%) of cases were diagnosed as dengue. (Figure-4) Co-infections (Dengue and Malaria) were diagnosed in 5 (5.6%) cases. (Figure-5) Out of 5 positive cases of co-infection, 3 (60%) were male and 2 (40%) were female. Mean ( ±SD) age of 5 positive cases of co-infection was 37.8 ( ±8.3) years with range = 15 – 52 years. Majority 3 (60%) of cases had age between 30 – 44 years. (Figure-6) DISCUSSION Despite a wide overlap between malaria and dengue endemic areas, published reports of co-infections are scarce in the literature. Malaria and dengue must be suspected in febrile patients living in or returning from areas endemic for these infections. The confirmation of malaria is rapid, and after malaria is confirmed, dengue is usually ruled out without screening for it. Two methods can confirm dengue: dengue-specific IgM sero-conversion or detection of dengue virus particles during the acute phase (day 0 to day 4 after onset of fever) by RT-PCR, which is faster and more specific. In published case reports, [9 – 12] the diagnosis of dengue infection is usually made based on positive dengue IgM; however, this cannot confirm recent dengue, because IgM can persist for months and cross-react with other arboviruses. [13] If RT-PCR requires a specific laboratory and cannot be performed on site, a new test, the Platelia, is now easily included in any laboratory and is indicated particularly for early-acute phase samples. [14] To investigate the frequency of dengue and malaria co-infection, the Platelia test should be used in all cases of dengue-like or malaria-like syndrome, even when malaria diagnosis was positive, in regions w here both infections may overlap. Both dengue fever and malaria can present with thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is a consistent finding in dengue fever and is regarded as a strong predictor of dengue fever. [6] Thrombocytopenia is also considered criterion of disease severity, bad prognostic factor and its presence is associated with increase probability of malaria. [7, 8] Mixed infections with many etiologic agents are not uncommon in malaria. [15] Despite scant data, dengue and malaria coinfection should be common in areas where both diseases are co-endemic in many places of the world. [16] In a study regarding diagnostic techniques and management of dengue and malaria co-infection, all patients with dual infection presented prolonged fever for more than seven days, myalgia, bleeding manifestations, rash and anemia. [17] Moreover, according to Vasconcelos et al, the continuous fever caused by arboviral infection can mask the periodic fever associated with malarial parasites. [18] Out of 159 thrombocytopenic cases presented with acute febrile illness, malaria was diagnosed in 55 (34.6%) cases while 34 (21.4%) of cases were diagnosed as dengue. Of the 89 patients of dengue and malaria in this study, 5.6% had concurrent dengue and malaria. This percentage is relatively high as compared with other international studies. A study from France reported that 1% concurrent dengue and malaria. [19] Another study from Brazil reported 1.8% concurrent dengue and malaria. [20] Very high percentage was found in a local study Ali et.al showed that Out of 11 patients diagnosed as having dengue fever on serology 9 (81.8%) also had co-existence of malaria and thrombocytopenia was present in 90% of such patients. [5] In this study from 9 positive cases of co-infection, 3 (60%) were male and 2 (40%) were female. Mean ( ±SD) age of positive cases of co-infection was 37.8 ( ±8.3) years. Although a reduced sample number was assessed in this study, a limitation that we acknowledge, it is important to remember that dengue and malaria co-infection requires special attention because delayed diagnosis and appropriated treatment can result in fatal complications. [16, 21] Both diseases causes similar symptoms and simultaneous infections with two different infectious agents may result in overlapped symptoms, [22] diagnosis of malaria and dengue based purely on clinical grounds may become difficult for physicians [16] and it is possible that either clinical spectrum of the disease or treatment may also be affected. [23] Finally, it is important to remember that both diseases have similar clinical findings, thus the diagnosis could be made concomitantly for dengue and malaria in patients living or returning from areas where both diseases are endemic or during dengue outbreaks. CONCLUSION Concurrent infections were found 5.7% in this study. Although this percentage is slightly low; special attention should be given to the possibility of co-infection with malaria and dengue. The distinction between severe dengue and severe malaria must be made in an emergency department or hospital setting because in both situations, early diagnosis is essential for patient care. Finally, it is important to remember that both diseases have similar clinical findings, thus the diagnosis could be made concomitantly for dengue and malaria in patients living or returning from areas where both diseases are endemic or during dengue outbreaks. Acknowledgement: We would like to acknowledge faculty of Ziauddin Hospital, North Campus for helping us during the study, staff for helping in data collection and all others who have given their input. REFERENCE Rigau-Perez JG, Clark GG, Gulber DJ, Reitee P, Sanders EJ, Vorndam AV. Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Lancet 1998;352:971-7. Henchal EA, Putnak JR. The dengue viruses. Clin Microbiol Rev 1990;3: 376-96. Pinheiro FP, Corber SJ. Global situation of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever and its emergence in Americas. World Health Stat 1997;50:161-9. Guzman MG, Kouri G. Dengue: an update. Lancet infect Dis 2002;2:33-42. Ali N, Nadeem A, Anwar M, Tariq WZ, Chotani RA. Dengue fever in malaria endemic areas. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2005;16:340-42. Ahmed S, Ali N, Ashraf S, Ilyas M, Tariq WZ, Chotani RA. Dengue fever outbreak: A clinical management experience. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2008;18:8-12. Mahmood A, Yasir M. Thrombocytopenia; a predictor of malaria among febrile patients in Liberia. Infect Dis J Pak 2005;14:41-4. Lathia TB, Joshi R. Can hematological parameters discriminate malaria from nonmalarious acute febrile illness in the tropics? Indian J Med Sci. 2004;58:239-44. Charrel RN, Brouqui P, Foucault C, de Lamballerie X. Concurrent dengue and malaria. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005;11:1153–4. Deresinski S. Concurrent Plasmodium vivax malaria and dengue. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006;12:1802. Thangaratham PS, Jeevan MK, Rajendran R, Samuel PP, Tyagi BK. Dual infection by dengue virus and Plasmodium vivax in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2006;59:211–2. Ward DI. A case of fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria complicated by acute dengue fever in East Timor. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006;75:182–5. Allwinn R. Doerr HW, Emmerich P, Schmitz H, Preiser W. Crossreactivity in fl avivirus serology: new implications of an old fi nding? Med Microbiol Immunol. 2002;190:199–202. Dussart P, Labeau B, Lagathu G, Louis P, Nunes MR, Rodrigues SG, et al. Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of dengue virus NS1 antigen in human serum. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2006;13:1185–9. Singhsilarak T, Phongtananant S, Jenjittikul M, Watt G, Tangpakdee N, Popak N, et al. Possible acute coinfections in Thai malaria patients. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 2006;37:1-4. Ward DI. A case of fatal Plasmodium falciparum malaria complicated by acute dengue fever in East Timor. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2006;75:182-5. Abbasi A, Butt N, Sheikh QH, Bhutto AR, Munir SM, Ahmed SM. Clinical Features, Diagnostic Techniques and Management of Dual Dengue and Malaria Infection. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2009;19:25-9. Vasconcelos PFC, Rosa APAT, Rosa JFST, Dà ©gallier N. Concomitant Infections by Malaria and Arboviruses in the Brazilian Amazon Region. Rev Latinoam Microbiol 1990;32:291-4. Carme B, Matheus S, Donutil G, Raulin O, Nacher M, Morvan J. Concurrent Dengue and Malaria in Cayenne Hospital, French Guiana. Emerg Infect Dis 2009;15:668-71. Santana VD, Lavezzo LC, Mondini A, Terzian AC, Bronzoni RV, Rossit AR et al. Concurrent dengue and malaria in the Amazon region. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2010;43:508-11 Charrel RN, Brouqui P, Foucault C, Lamballerie X. Concurrent Dengue and Malaria. Emerg Infect Dis 2007;11:1153-4. Bhalla A, Sharma N, Sharma A, Suri V. Concurrent infection with Dengue and Malaria. Indian J Med Sci 2006;60:330-1. Tangaratham PS, Jeevan MK, Rajendran R, Samuel PP, Tyagi BK. Dual Infection by Dengue Virus and Plasmodium vivax in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India. Jpn J Infect Dis 2006;59:211-2.

Marketing Strategy For Hotel Brand Radisson

Marketing Strategy For Hotel Brand Radisson Tourism is defined by Burkart Medlik as: the phenomenon arising from temporary visits(or stay away from home)outside the normal place of residence for any reason other than furthering an occupation remunerated from the place visited Lickorish and Jenkins credit the sustained grouth of tourism to the grouth in disposable income and paid holiday;it is now the one of the fastest growing industries in the world.the world Tourism Industry expects international tourist arrivals worldwide to rise from 456m in 1990 to 660m in 2000 and 937m in 2010.(World Tourism Organization(WTO)1986). 1.1 Company Overview Radisson is one of the worlds leading global hotel brands. It delivers vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality that is characterized by its unique Yes I Can!SMservice philosophy. First-class, full-service hotels with a range of World of Radisson features that have been created specifically to be empathetic to the challenges of modern travel, including its 100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee. Worldwide Portfolio Radisson has a strong worldwide portfolio and continues to grow with a focus on adding key hotels in major cities, airport gateways, leisure destinations and other important locations. Radisson currently has over 430 hotels operating throughout the world with 103 contracted properties under development. Radisson is expanding as a powerful, globally consistent, full-service hotel brand, offering vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality that is defined by its distinctive Yes I Can! service philosophy. All of our hotels and resorts offer a range of World of Radisson features that are empathetic to the challenges of modern travel. Expanding global presence Radisson continues to expand its presence in key destinations in The Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reaching new markets and customers in major urban and suburban locations, as well as near airports and business districts around the world. Yes I Can! training program delivers As part of its focus on guest satisfaction, Radisson offers one of the hospitality industrys most dynamic guest service training programs calledYes I Can! This program translates the core of the companys service philosophy for hospitality excellence to the front-line service employees in Radisson operations worldwide. Celebrating its 20 year milestone in 2007,Yes I Can!has become a central part of the Radisson culture, creating a point of difference for the brand. Our goal at Radisson is 100% Guest Satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with something, please let one of our staff know during your stay and well make it right or you wont pay. Its Guaranteed. 2.0 Concept of Marketing Carlson Sets New Marketing Strategy for its Radisson Brand: New Guest Room Concepts, New Restaurant Concepts and New Service Concepts ORLANDO, Fla. (March 3, 2010) As part of its Ambition 2015 plan, Carlson today unveiled a comprehensive strategy for its Radisson brand. As one of the worlds leading brands, Radisson is being positioned to deliver vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality characterized by the Yes I Can! service philosophy. The positioning is being supported by a series of innovations including new room concepts, new restaurant concepts and a series of new service concepts focused on the guest experience. The strategy for Radisson will entail an investment program of up to USD 1.5 billion in North America, focused on establishing flagship hotels in key U.S. cities and on upgrading the existing portfolio. It aims to expand its portfolio by at least 50 percent by 2015 to more than 1,500 hotels in operation. We believe this is a great time to invest in the hotel business. With Ambition 2015, we have a comprehensive and compelling strategy to build the business, said Hubert Joly, president and chief executive officer, Carlson. Ambition 2015 will focus on four priority growth initiatives including: Expanding Radisson as a powerful, globally consistent first-class brand. Accelerating the growth of Country Inns Suites By Carlson in four key markets: United States, Canada, India and Mexico. Growing Park Inn as a winning mid-scale brand across theaters in key countries. Continuing to grow in key emerging markets, with greater emphasis on mid-scale. The strategy entails continuing the growth in key emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, where it has gained significant strength. For example, Carlson is the largest and fastest growing international hotel company in India with 79 hotels in operation or contracted at the end of 2009. These strategies will be supported by investments in marketing, sales, distribution and technology. As part of its Ambition 2015 strategy, Carlson Hotels expects to increase the contribution from brand websites to 30 percent of revenue and to double the number of members in its goldpointsplusSM loyalty program. With 422 hotels in operation and 90 in the contracted pipeline, Radisson is one of the most well-known and fastest-growing brands in the world, delivering market leading guest satisfaction and achieving superior RevPar penetration internationally, said Hubert Joly, president and CEO of Carlson. We have crystallized the success formula for the brand, improved it and are using it as the foundation for its future development. As part of this strategy, Carlson announced the global roll out of five new room concepts And Relax, Naturally Cool, New York Mansion, Ocean and Urban. All of the concepts share a vibrant and contemporary design, the use of bold colors and lighting, and a comfortable feeling. The global strategy also includes two new restaurant concepts. Filini will offer an upscale, sophisticated Italian cuisine, while rbg is a bar-and-grill concept in an inviting, contemporary setting. The strategy also introduces a range of service concepts covering the key touch points of the guest experience including, for example, Business Class and three-hour laundry. Business Class will offer customers the best available room, breakfast, turn-down service, upgraded bathroom amenities, a daily newspaper and other amenities depending on the market. As part of this strategy, the Radisson brand will be tiered across the upper upscale and upscale segments. Radisson Blu will be applied to the upper upscale segment and Radisson Green will be applied to the upscale segment. Both will share the same brand essence vibrant, contemporary and engaging the same style and many of the service concepts. The differentiation will primarily be location based key location in a primary city versus a secondary market. It will typically be reflected in the level of investment that goes into the property. The strategy will include the implementation of the brands new global standard operating procedures, a new quality assurance program and intensive training programs. The strategy will be supported by investments in marketing, sales and distribution as part of the overall Carlson Ambition 2015 plan. 2.1 Marketing Strategy of Radisson Under the leadership of its former president, Radissons strategy focused on growth and the firm added hotels at the rate of about one hotel every seven days. By 1997, Radissons growth at any cost strategy left Radisson with a significant diversity in hotel quality and an unfocused brand image. Alignment with hotel owners (more than hotel guests) also seemed to cause Radissons customer service and hotel management expertise to atrophy. In 1997 and 1998, Mr. Brian Stage, Radissons President, and Ms. Maureen OHanlon, Radissons Executive Vice President, took several initiatives to drive the organization towards becoming a more customer-focused brand. In their words, they re-discovered that their primary customers should be the guests not the owners. Some of these initiatives included a service guarantee, a guest satisfaction measurement program, an employee satisfaction measurement program, and an information technology initiative. Stage and OHanlon were committed to creating the systems and programs that would bring Radisson into the 21-st century as a truly customer-driven learning organization. Their goal was to make Radisson the most trusted and respected brand worldwide. They were hopeful that these initiatives would make a significant contribution to helping Radisson achieve these goals. Service Quality Performance Metrics Radisson uses four service quality performance metrics based on room comment cards solicited from hotel guests: Willingness to return percent of customers who indicate that they are willing to return. Percent advocates percent of customers who indicate a willingness to recommend Radisson Hotels to others. Percent defectors percent of customers who indicate that they are unwilling to return. Percent complaints ratio of complaints to room nights. Information systems, under the leadership of Radissons Vice President of Knowledge Resources, Mr. Scott Heintzeman, produces a dashboard for each hotel that includes these and other more financial measures. The one-page dashboard is Radissons balanced scorecard for each hotel. These measures are often supplemented with ad hoc marketing research. This paper focuses on the service guarantee initiative, the four strategic service quality performance metrics that support the implementation and evaluation of that initiative, and a new measure called employee motivation and vision that was found to correlate highly with Radissons service quality performance metrics. RADISSONS SERVICE GUARANTEE The Service Guarantees Concept Hart2,3, Hill4, and others5,6 have argued persuasively that service guarantees can help many firms to position themselves in the market by clearly defining their value proposition to customers and employees. Service guarantees also stress front-line workers to deliver high-quality service the first time, encourage customers to voice their complaints to the firm, and motivate and enable workers to quickly discover and recover dissatisfied customers. Hays and Hill7 at the University of Minnesota developed a model (Figure 1) to show how service guarantees affect service quality and, ultimately, business performance. In this model, they argue that a strong service guarantee improves customer satisfaction, service quality, and customer loyalty through three intervening variables: Marketing Communications Impact, Employee Motivation and Vision, and Organizational Service Learning. These are defined in the following paragraphs. Figure 1. Service guarantees and business performance Marketing communications impact (MCI) Business performance (BP) Employee motivation and vision (EMV) Service guarantee strength (SGS) Customer satisfaction Service quality Customer loyalty (SQL) Organizational service learning (OSL) Marketing Communications Impact (MCI) A strong service guarantee will have both offensive and defensive marketing impact. Offensively, firms can use a service guarantee to proclaim the reliability of their high quality service and thus attract new customers. Defensively, a service guarantee not only enables companies to recover unsatisfied customers but also encourages dissatisfied customers to complain, thus allowing the firm to recover those customers. Employee Motivation and Vision (EMV) A strong service guarantee motivates employees to fulfil the guarantee and to satisfy customers. The guarantee clearly defines the employees job as satisfying customers not just taking reservations, checking out customers, or cleaning rooms. It can also inspire a new vision for service quality when employees are challenged to really satisfy customers true needs. Hill8 quotes one senior European executive who proclaimed that our service guarantee defines the mission for our firm. Organizational S ervice Learning (OSL) A strong service guarantee can help organizations discover dissatisfied customers and learn from them in order to improve service quality. Organizations with a strong service guarantee will tend learn how to satisfy customers faster than organizations without one. When marketing communications impact (MCI), employee motivation and vision (EMV), and organizational service learning (OSL) are improved, then service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty (SQL) should also improve. Business performance (BP) will improve as a result of improved SQL. 2.1.1 Guerrilla Marketing When using social media for marketing it is not about broadcasting its about engaging. The most successful campaign is the one that engages and activates the most people to become the brands ambassador. The Radisson Blu Hotel brand with hotels in over 200 locations world-wide has started such a campaign. It seems to have started mid-May but is reaching its tipping point these days and is spreading fast. Its actually a very simple competition. They are giving awaythe greatest holiday in the world, probably inspired by the best job in the word. And the greatest holiday on Earth is 365 free nights at any Radisson Blu hotel in the world that the winner can use over the next five years. All you have to do to participate is signing up and telling the world why you should win. Its then up to the users to get as many people as possible to vote for them but each person can vote once every day. The one with the most votes at the end of the competition on July 24th will be the winner of the 365 free nights at any Radisson Blu. Simple and effective. Last Sunday night about 1500 people had signed up and now, on Wednesday, there are about 3000 people competing. And those 3.000 people are now all actively promoting their spot in the competition and the hotel brand at the same time. Not bad! To encourage people further Radisson has enabled sharing options for twitter, face book and a number of other social networks and lists ideas on how people can promote themselves offline. One important thing is lacking though, which is a badge to put on a blog that automatically updates the ranking and encourages people to vote. 2.1.2 Viral Marketing Radisson Hotel is providing the Best Online Rate Guarantee for their customers. Radisson.com, their homepage is customers home base for the best savings. they deliver customers best online rates guaranteed.Customers can get the best online rate for their stay and they will get the best rate online they guarantee it. When customer books their reservation on Radisson.com, they can be confident they have gotten the best rate for their next visit. HowIt Works If you find a rate on another website that is lower than the bestrate on Radisson.com and the rate is for the same date(s), same room type, same number of guests, at the same hotel and same rate termsor restrictions- let them know andthey will honour the lower rate AND discount that rate by 25%. Qualifying Rates Radissons Best Online Rate Guarantee applies only to online rates available to the general public. Group rates, corporate rates, wholesale rates, affinity/association rates or rates which are part of a travel package do not qualify. Radisson Customer Service will verify the rate meets all of the Best Online Rate Guarantee terms and conditions. Once confirmed you will receive the lower rate and 25% discount. Radissonguarantees that Radisson.com will have the best online rate available to their guests. 3.0 Public Relation Method March 24th, 2008, Radisson Hotel, Effective Business Solutionsseminar On 24th of March, the Bulgarian Cash newspaper arranged the Effective business solutions seminar in Radisson Hotel. The event was focused on ERP and CRM systems in order to help managers of trading and production companies raise the efficiency of their business processes. The top IT leaders were invited to present their products and Neme schek Bulgaria was one of them. In their exposition, the specialists of Nemetschek Bulgaria emphasized on the simple adaptation of their system ( Customer Center) to the customers needs. Radisson Hotels Reviews Public Relation Prior To Launch Radisson Hotels is reviewing PR for its main hotels brand and is in the advanced stages of hiring an agency to launch a five-star hotel in Manchester. PR manager Jacquiline Willers said the company had seen pitches from four agencies and settled on a shortlist of two for the Manchester brief, with local agency Mason Williams and London-based Pineapple PR in contention. Willers refused to discuss fees for the two briefs, but said: We have budgets for the Manchester project and for a two-year contract to help the Radisson Edwardian brand. It may be that one gets the Manchester job and the other the wider brief. At the moment, were not looking at other agencies for the two-year contract, but that may change, she added. Radisson Edwardian has previously used Brighter PR for its PR work. The agency is not involved in the current pitch process. Willers said the brief for the Radisson Edwardian Hotel Manchester will involve activity to drive bookings and awareness ahead of its opening in June 2004. The company claims the Manchester hotel will be the first five-star hotel in the centre of the city. However, Manchesters Lowry Hotel which falls just outside the city centre in neighbouring Salford and accommodated the England football team last weekend for its friendly against Denmark currently dubs itself the citys only five-star hotel, sparking speculation of a feud between the two hotels. But, Rocco Forte Hotels UK marketing director, Murray Thompson, played down talk of a spat, saying the opening of the Radisson in the city would make life easier for the Lowry: Manchester is saturated with three- and four-star hotels and it will no longer be just us saying its worthwhile to pay for luxury, he said. Radisson SAS Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, has appointed Stephanie AbouJaoude as its Public Relations and Communications Manager. The property is an established landmark on the Deira Creekside and was re-branded Radisson SAS this month. Lebanese-Canadian, AbouJaoude, takes up her new role following three years as Public Relations and Communications Executive at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai where her main duties involved media relations, advertising and maintaining the corporate identity of the brand. Stephanie will spearhead all elements of internal and external communications. She will also oversee the propertys marketing programmes, said Andreas Flà ¼ckiger, General Manager, Radisson SAS Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. Her comprehensive knowledge of this property is a real asset to us and she will play an integral part in establishing this hotel under the Radisson SAS brand. Radisson SAS Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek has 287 guest-rooms, including 39 suites, 16 food and beverage outlets as well as meeting and events facilities. 3.1 Relationship Marketing Radisson is part of the Carlson Hotels Worldwide system of hospitality properties which include Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels, Country Inns Suites By Carlson, and Park Inn hotels. The parent company, Carlson Companies Inc., also owns and operates Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and T.G.I. Fridays restaurants. A world leader in Relationship Marketing, Carlson maintains a consumer loyalty program known as Gold Points Rewards. As one of the leading global hospitality companies, Radisson operates, manages and franchises 435 full-service hotels and resorts, representing more than 102,000 guest rooms in 61 countries. From its franchise partners and strategic allies, to every manager and employee at every hotel, the Radisson organization is committed to providing personalized, professional guest service and Genuine Hospitality With its focus on total guest satisfaction, Radisson employees undergo one of the hospitality industrys most dynamic guest relations training programs calledYes, I Can!This program translates the core of the companys service philosophy for hospitality excellence to the front-line service employees in Radisson operations worldwide. After more than a decade,Yes, I Can!has become a central part of the Radisson culture, creating a point of difference for the brand in the manner with which customers are served. Radisson hotels are named after the famous French explorer, Pierre Esprit Radisson, who visited many parts of the Upper Midwest and Canada during the 17th century. Radisson Gold Rewards offers guests the opportunity to earn and redeem Gold Points ® within an exclusive network of leading brands. Members who earn Gold Points can redeem them for free night stays, airline miles, luxury cruises, merchandise, meals, and more. In addition to all of Carlsons brands, other major national partners in the Gold Points Rewardsnetwork include Thrifty Car Rental, The Flower Club and FTD.com. Currently, Gold Points are earned at all Radisson hotels in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Residents of these countries can earn points at Radisson SAS and Radisson Edwardian hotels in Europe as well. Members of Radisson Gold Rewards earn 1,000 Gold Points per night, up to 10,000 points per stay. Radisson is continuing to add new hotels and resorts in key international business and leisure destinations. Examples of the companys highly successful partnerships include the development of Radisson SAS hotels and three other Carlson hotel brands in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Radisson Edwardian Hotels in the United Kingdom. Global presence and expansion into new markets is a key part of Radissons heritage. Radisson opened the first American-managed hotel in Moscow and today has several locations throughout Eastern Europe. Radissons recent entry into the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in December 2002, expanded the brands global presence to 61 countries. 3.2 Customer Loyalty At Radisson, they are always looking for ways to give customers that little something extra. Thats why they offer Goldpoints Plus (goldpoints plusSM). Its the rewards program thats tailor-made for customers and their needs. goldpoints plusSM Free nights à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Enjoyfree hotel nightsstarting at just 15,000 points. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Combine a fewPoints + Cashfor an Award Night. Miles à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Exchange yourpoints for mileswith over 20 airlines. Prepaid Cards à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Cash in your points for Visa ®or MasterCard ®Prepaid Cards. Express Awards à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Redeem points at the hotel forExpress Awardslike movies, room upgrades and more. Make a Donation à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Gift your points to theWorld Childhood Foundationor to offset yourCO2 emissions. And some more attractive programmes those are really help them to get a loyal customer. 100% Satisfaction If you arent satisfied with something, please let one of our staff know during your stay and well make it right or you wont pay. Its guaranteed. Global Locations With over 400 Radisson locations worldwide, our doors are always open to you. Ready to greet you with our signature Yes I Can!TMservice. Free High-Speed Internet We dont just want you to stay with us, we want you to connect with us. Thats why unlimited high speed Internet is free with your stay. Full Service Restaurant and Room Service Hungry for satisfaction? Youll get it when you enjoy a meal in one of our full service restaurants. If you prefer to stay in, help yourself to something from our room service menu! Business Centers Its easy to stay on the job even when youre traveling. Our business centers are fully upgraded to fit the way you work today. Pool and Fitness Centers Spend your downtime shaping up in our modernized fitness centers or take the plunge poolside and stay fit when youre on the go. Meeting and Banquet Facilities Whether youre planning a business meeting or a family celebration, were here to help. With the space and the services that will make your event special in every way. 4.0 Effectiveness of Marketing and Public Relation strategy Hotels Resorts is committed to change and innovation in all key areas including its growth strategy ,operations, franchising, sales and marketing and technology, to operate with maximum effectiveness in a highly competitive business environment . Technology will undoubtedly continue to develop andRadisson Hotels should continue to progress along with it to stay on top of the service industry as one of the best global hotelcompanies out there. ORLANDO, Florida As part of its Ambition 2015 plan, Carlson today unveiled a comprehensive strategy for its Radisson brand. As one of the worlds leading brands, Radisson ® is being positioned to deliver vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality characterized by the Yes I Can! service philosophy. The positioning is being supported by a series of innovations including new room concepts, new restaurant concepts and a series of new service concepts focused on the guest experience. The strategy for Radisson will entail an investment program of up to USD 1.5 billion in North America, focused on establishing flagship hotels in key U.S. cities and on upgrading the existing portfolio. With 422 hotels in operation and 90 in the contracted pipeline, Radisson is one of the most well-known and fastest-growing brands in the world, delivering market leading guest satisfaction and achieving superior RevPar penetration internationally, said Hubert Joly, president and CEO of Carlson. We have crystallized the success formula for the brand, improved it and are using it as the foundation for its future development. As part of this strategy, Carlson announced the global roll out of five new room concepts And Relax, Naturally Cool, New York Mansion, Ocean and Urban. All of the concepts share a vibrant and contemporary design, the use of bold colors and lighting, and a comfortable feeling. The global strategy also includes two new restaurant concepts. Filini will offer an upscale, sophisticated Italian cuisine, while rbg is a bar-and-grill concept in an inviting, contemporary setting. The strategy also introduces a range of service concepts covering the key touch points of the guest experience including, for example, Business Class and three-hour laundry. Business Class will offer customers the best available room, breakfast, turn-down service, upgraded bathroom amenities, a daily newspaper and other amenities depending on the market. As part of this strategy, the Radisson brand will be tiered across the upper upscale and upscale segments. Radisson Blu will be applied to the upper upscale segment and Radisson Green will be applied to the upscale segment. Both will share the same brand essence vibrant, contemporary and engaging the same style and many of the service concepts. The differentiation will primarily be location based key location in a primary city versus a secondary market. It will typically be reflected in the level of investment that goes into the property. The strategy will include the implementation of the brands new global standard operating procedures, a new quality assurance program and intensive training programs. The strategy will be supported by investments in marketing, sales and distribution as part of the overall Carlson Ambition 2015 plan. We have seen the power of the brand internationally and the very attractive return from renovating to the new standards, Joly said. The brand is poised for significant growth around the world and we expect to grow the portfolio to at least 600 hotels by 2015. Media interested in getting insight into Carlsons new global vision and corporate strategy are invited to view the live webcast of Hubert Jolys opening keynote atwww.carlsonhotelsmedia.com/ambition2015at 4:30 p.m. ET. A replay of this webcast will be available starting at 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday March 3, 2010. Effective Integrated Marketing Strategy Integration marketinghappens when two different, but complementary offers are made in succession, or when a Unit of Marketing Value is placed in front of an existing traffic stream. Radisson offers sleep number beds in many of their rooms. These beds allow guest to adjust the firmness to their liking. In this case, the integration is that, as a Radisson customer, they are entitled to receive Free home delivery, setup and removal OR $150 worth of accessories on select Sleep Number beds. The promotion is co-branded to reinforce that being a Radisson client has its special perks and privileges that they are looking out for customers well-being even when they are not staying at their hotel. In fact, they want the experience of sleeping in customers own bed to mimic the experience of sleeping in their bed. Integrated marketing is happening all around the guest all they have to do is look for it. 5.0 Recommendation and conclusion References www.radision http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2010_1st/Mar10_RadissonPlans.html http://www.greatestholiday.radissonblu.com/ http://www.nemetschek.bg/press/index.htm http://www.discoverfrance.net/Boutique/Travel/Hotels/Chains/Radisson.shtml SERVICE GUARANTEES AND STRATEGIC SERVICE QUALITY PERFORMANCE METRICS AT RADISSON HOTELS WORLDWIDE Arthur V. Hill * , Susan Geurs, Julie M. Hays, George John, David W. Johnson, and Richard A. Swanson Case Analysis: Customer-Driven Learning at Radisson Hotels Worldwide ReferencesAl, L. (1993). Service guarantees in outpatient clinics: a case study. Health Care Management Review, 18 (3), 59-65. Cahill, D. J., Warshawky, R. M. (1995). Beyond competence: unconditional guarantees as a customer-service tool. Journal of Customer Service inMarketingand Management, 1 (3), 67-77. Hart, Bibliography http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-360091-radisson_ambassador_plaza_hotel_and_casino-i