Using Nonrenewable Resources And Its Effects On The...

My artifact was a flip project designed for students so that they could learn about nonrenewable resources and how their uses affect the environment. This flip went along with the Illinois Learning Standard for Science 4-ESS3-1, â€Å"To obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resource and their uses affect the environment.† I completed this artifact in August of 2014. I did a SMARTBoard lesson flip project and recorded it in a video so that students would be able to watch it at their own pace, unlike in class lecture. I combined an audio of my voice, a power point like presentation, lots of realistic photos, graphics, and gave many examples to enhance my students’ learning. I provided them with real-life examples so that they would have better knowledge and understanding on the subject matter before we met in class. By doing the lesson in a video, we would be able to have more time for activities and for students to share their ideas. Along with the video lesson plan I also created a quiz so that I could assess what the students learned after watching the video. According to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard Knowledge Indicator 5C, â€Å"knows how to implement effective differentiated instruction through the use of a wide variety of materials, technologies, and resources,† I met the qualifications and demonstrated my understanding of this standard. I did use multiple tools in my artifact so that I could provideShow MoreRelatedRenewable Fuels And The Energy Issue1583 Words   |  7 PagesInvestigating whether a renewable fuel produces the same level of energy as an equivalent amount of nonrenewable fuel would be beneficial to help save Earth’s natural resources and is a very relevant and important science project. The purpose of this project is to figure out which type of fuels is most efficient. In my science project, I will be burning various types of renewable fue ls and non- renewable fuels and comparing the duration that they burn and comparing the temperature that they burnRead MoreGrowing energy demands, rising energy costs, and increasing concern about global climate change900 Words   |  4 Pagesimprove environment quality. Although nonrenewable energy resources are the main supplier to our energy system, they have many adverse effects on society and the economy. Nonrenewable energy resources, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, have become our main energy source for a long time. We are used to cheap electricity and gas stations at every corner; however, it comes with a price. The first and most important issue is to conserve. Eventually, all nonrenewable energy resources will beRead MoreLandforms In Nebraskaa Lab Report838 Words   |  4 Pagesinfestation) on the human and physical environment. †¢ NESS 4.3.5.c Classify resources as renewable or nonrenewable resources. Materials: Social Studies-States and Regions- Fourth Grade. 2003 Know: Hemisphere Equator Prime Meridian Continent Relative Location Gulf Strait Isthmus Types of landforms Sea Level Piedmont Parts of a river Erosion Floodplain Tributary Hurricane Natural Resource Scarce Conservation Renewable Nonrenewable Understand: †¢ Students will understandRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects985 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Earth caused by the greenhouse effect due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. There are many variables that are to be blamed for the cause of global warming. Because of rapid growth of population, people started industrializing and revolutionizing the way we live. In order to take care of the high demand of the needs of everybody, people started using and burning natural resources and fossil fuels. Overtime, these resources have been becoming even scarcer andRead MoreThe World After Running Out Of Fossil Fuels Would Be A1602 Words   |  7 Pagesfind new energy resources. Nowadays, many countries are reliant on energy from conventional sources like crude oil, natural gas, and coal. These sources are limited and they eventually will run out at some point in the future. Considering this fact and increasing demands for energy, the search for new energy resources is reasonable and it should be taken seriously. In recent years, renewable energy resources have proven as an interesting alternative to conventional energy resources. Renewable energyRead MoreHuman Population And Its Impact On The Environment921 Words   |  4 Pagespopulation grows to the point where it extends past the limit, the environment no longer has the capacity to support them and individuals must die to stabilize the population. Humans are no exception to this rule, as their populations are constrained by such density dependent factors as the availability of food, land, and other resources. Growth in the human population in particular, profoundly worsens the effect on the environment as well, based on the IPAT equation which states that population directlyRead MoreHuman Activity and Energy Sources968 Words   |  4 PagesEarth’s resources, for instance water, productive farming land and energy, outlines the basic foundations of our continued existence on earth. However, with the continued human activities, for example logging and charcoal burning, these resources are quickly being depleted. Human inhabitation and increased consumption of the natural resource s is resulting in untold destruction. The climate change being experienced globally, the rapidly depleting freshwater catchments, the dwindling forest cover,Read MoreBiology - Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative Energy Source1525 Words   |  7 Pages4 The Effect of Fossil Fuels on Biodiversity Alternative Energy Resources Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon deposits derived from the remains of ancient plants and animals under enormous amounts of heat and pressure. Oil, or petroleum, is one of the most common fossil fuels utilized by people all over the world on a daily basis. Crude oil is a smelly, yellow-black, viscous liquid composed of mostly nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, which is found in underground reservoirs. Oil is nonrenewable which meansRead MoreFossil Fuels And Its Effects On Our Lives1847 Words   |  8 Pagesgoes for other forms of nonrenewable resources that help power items in our everyday lives. Nonrenewable sources will eventually run out and so will a lot of our ways of receiving energy. With today’s technological advances, alternative energy has become better equipped to provide us with other alternatives options of energy. These renewable forms of energy are more efficient and will always be there to provide us with our surplus of energy. The high usage of nonrenewable energy has caused problemsRead MoreRenewable Electricity : Generating Electricity, Heating And Making The Food That We Eat1300 Words   |  6 Pages Generating Electricity 10/03/16 Introduction: There are several methods to generate electricity that we use daily for transportation, light, heating and making the food that we eat. Renewable and non renewable are the two types of energy resources available to us. The standard method of creating electricity has been by burning coal, releasing carbon dioxide into the air. It was perviously thought carbon dioxide created warming however this is strongly disputed now as the correlation between

Elements Influencing The Research Essay - 758 Words

Elements influencing the believability of the research The article is well written, grammatically correct, well organized and succinct. The article uses no jargons and is very influencing. The article is well organized and contains all the necessary heading. The qualification and position of the author indicates a degree of knowledge in the effect of drugs on brain activities in Alzheimer’s disease. The title of the report is composed with eleven words, is of medium length. It is accurate, clear and unambiguous. The abstract provides overall view of the study conducted. It includes method, finding, conclusion and recommendation for future. However, purpose of the study and sample size and selection of the sample is not included in the abstract. Elements influencing the robustness of the research The purpose of study is clear and indicates what is to be studied. It states that the study was conducted to understand the possible mechanisms of action of different pharmacological regimes. The research report is not full report. It is a summary so it includes the introduction with few literatures and the purpose of study followed by the methodology section, the data analysis, the findings and discussion. There is a clear link between each heading but the theoretical framework, the research question and conclusion with further study is missing. There is no separate literature review. However, the literature used in the introduction portion develops the importance of why theShow MoreRelatedPSY 301 Week 5 Final Paper Social Psychology Bringing It All Together618 Words   |  3 Pageswith the subject matter of social psychology.†(p.22) This is a formal research paper and must be eight to ten pages in length. Imagine that this paper will be used as a reference for individuals wh o are completely unfamiliar with social psychology principles. This paper will provide them with an overview of the field, and explain the key principles associated with its practice. Include the following components in your research paper: 1. Discovering the Self – How do we perceive ourselves andRead MoreFactors Influencing The Performance Of Start Up Business Essay1303 Words   |  6 Pagestechniques that were used to gather, process, and analyse data. In addition this chapter discusses the procedure that was used to carry out the research and for handling the findings. 3.2 Research design This study adopted a descriptive and correlational research design which yielded both qualitative and quantitative data in order to interpret factors influencing performance of start-up businesses in Northampton United Kingdom. According to Cooper and Schindler (2003), a descriptive study is concernedRead MoreGestalt Psychology1707 Words   |  7 Pagesessential difference between behavior and mental processes is A) complexity. B) observability. C) controllability. D) ease of description. 3. Why is psychology a science? A) It attempts to separate the elements of the mind. B) It uses rigorous methods of observation. C) It has more than one research method. D) It uses thought to achieve understanding. 4.Which of the following is a key term in the definition of psychology? A) behavior B) habit C) introspection D) induction 5.Strictly speakingRead MoreFactors Influencing Nurses For Clinical Nursing Practice1206 Words   |  5 PagesFactors Influencing Nurses to Leave Clinical Nursing Practice In their article Why Are Nurses Leaving? Findings from an Initial Qualitative Study on Nursing Attrition, MacKusick and Minick (2010) outline a participatory case study using a phenomenological research design to identify factors that influence Registered Nurses (RNs) decisions to leave clinical nursing practice. This paper will examine the study using a qualitative critiquing approach. The information discovered will be used to determineRead MoreFactors Influencing Individual Investor Behavior1439 Words   |  6 PagesFactors Influencing Individual Investor Behavior: An Empirical study of the KSA Financial Market research Contents TITLE PAGE NO 1. ABSTRACT 3 2.INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background to the Study 2.2 Statement of The Problem - Specific Objectives of the study - Research Questions 2.3 The scope of the study 2.4 The Relevance of the study 4 5 6 6 7 7 3. LITERATURE REVIEW 8 4. THE RESEARCH DESIGN a. Type of study b. the Model equation c. Hypothesis d. Data collection methods c. The sapling designRead MoreExploring Disparities Between Teachers Expectations And The Realities Of The Educational Profession862 Words   |  4 PagesIn the research paper, Exploring Disparities Between Teachers’ Expectations and the Realities of the Educational Profession, Sunddip Panesar talks about first year teachers’ expectations before teaching and then the realties of the classroom. She also asks what factors are influencing their decision to stay or leave the profession. For her research she went to three schools in the school district of British Columbia, Canada in search for first year teachers. From those schools she chose 20 firstRead MoreECO 370 Benefits Cost624 Words   |  3 Pages This file of ECO 370 Benefits Cost comprises: Convention on Nature Protection and Wild Life Preservation in the Western Hemisphere Business - General Business Learning Team Benefit-Cost Analysis Presentation Research your chosen proposed surface mine. Choose an interest group to whom you will address your presentation. The Learning Team will play the role of a team of environmental analysts reporting on the costs and benefits of this mining proposal to theRead MoreLiterature Review On The Field Of Online Shopping1187 Words   |  5 Pages2.0 Literature Review: Before we start practically working on our project we had to do a lot of theoretical work which includes reading research papers to get a clearer image of recent advancements in the field of Online shopping . In-fact we believe research is the most essential phase of our project because this is the first time we are working on this particular type of project and it’s a challenge for us. So, to make ourselves feel comfortable with this project it was quite necessary for us toRead MoreEcological Systems Theory : Urie Bronfenbrenner1378 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican developmental psychologist who most is known for his Ecological Systems Theory of child development. Scientific work and his assistance to the United States government helped in the formation the Head Start program in 1965. Bronfenbrenner’s research and his theory was key in changing the perspective in developmental psychology by calling attention to the large number of environmental and societal influences on child development. Bronfenbrenner’s model is often visually displayed as a childRead MoreThe Impacts of Globalization and Technology on Healthstream1205 Words   |  5 Pagesmanagement. These elements are showing how the company is concentrating on offering cliental with unique services that will address their short and long term needs. (Healthstream 10K, 2012) To fully understand the impact they are having on the sector requires focusing on how globalization and technology changes have impacted the firm. This will be accomplished by examining the industrial organization / resource based models, how the vision / mission statement are influencing its success and the

Compensation Management free essay sample

Compensation does not refer, however, to other kinds of eployee rewards such as recognition ceremonies and achievement parties. The ultimate objectives of compensation administration are: efficient maintenance of a productive  workforce,  equitable pay, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations based on what companies can afford. The basic concept of compensation administration—compensation management—is rather simple: employees perform tasks for employers and so companies pay employees wages for the jobs they do. Consequently, compensation is an exchange or a transaction, from which both parties—employers and employees—benefit: both parties receive something for giving something. Compensation, however, involves much more than this simple transaction. From the employers perspective, compensation is an issue of both affordability and  employee motivation. Companies must consider what they can reasonably afford to pay their employees and the ramifications of their decisions: will they affect  employee turnover  and productivity? In addition, some employers and managers believe pay can influence employee work ethic and behaviour and hence link compensation to performance. The increasing competitiveness of the labour market and turnover of employees had resulted in nightmare in compensation planning. Apart from this, the growing demands of the employees and competitive salaries offered by multinational companies had almost resulted in a compensation war in certain industries. Therefore, the human resources managers and tax experts have to evolve proper compensation planning for High end and qualified employees. The components of compensation have to be devised in such a way that, it focuses on the growing demands of employees while retaining the competitiveness and profitability of the company.Compensation management, also known as wage and salary administration, remuneration management, or reward management, is concerned with designing and implementing total compensation package. The traditional concept of wage and salary administration emphasised on only determination of wage and salary structures in organisational settings. Pay is a difficult topic of conversation in most organizations. In fact, the topic is altogether taboo in many workplaces. It simply isn’t discussed unless absolutely necessary. And, when it is necessary, such as when a pay raise (or lack of one) must be xplained to an employee, many managers find themselves at a loss for words. As the dreaded date of such a discussion approaches, managers may begin checking their sick time banks to see if they can disappear for a day or two. While it may be a touchy subject, pay is a critical factor in the work lives of employees. Jobs are accepted or rejected based in part on starting salary and the opportunity for future increases in pay. Employees compare their pay to that of others in the same line of work. They constantly compare their pay level to their level of contribution, trying to determine whether the ratio of give and receive is a fair one. While it may not be a frequent topic of open discussion, employees think about pay often. Components of compensation:- Basic wages/Salaries:- These refer to the cash component of the wage structure based on which other elements of compensation may be structured. It is normally a fixed amount which is subject to changes based on annual increments or subject to periodical pay hikes. Wages represent hourly rates of pay, and salary refers to the monthly rate of pay, irrespective of the number of hours put in by the employee. Wages and salaries are subject to the annual increments.They differ from employee to employee, and depend upon the nature of job, seniority, and merit. Dearness allowance:- The payment of dearness allowance facilitates employees and workers to face the price increase or inflation of prices of goods and services consumed by him. The onslaught of price increase has a major bearing on the living conditions of the labour. The increasing prices reduce the compensation to nothing and the money’s worth is coming down based on the level of inflation. The payment of dearness allowance, which may be a fixed percentage on the basic wage, enables the employees to face the increasing rices. Incentives:- Incentives are paid in addition to wages and salaries and are also called ‘payments by results’. Incentives depend upon productivity, sales, profit, or cost reduction efforts. There are: (a) Individual incentive schemes, and (b) Group incentive programmes. Individual incentives are applicable to specific employee performance. Where a given task demands group efforts for completion, incentives are paid to the group as a whole. The amount is later divided among group members on an equitable basis. Bonus:- The bonus can be paid in different ways.It can be fixed percentage on the basic wage paid annually or in proportion to the profitability. The Government also prescribes a minimum statutory bonus for all employees and workers. There is also a bonus plan which compensates the Managers and employees based on the sales revenue or Profit margin achieved. Bonus plans can also be based on piece wages but depends upon the productivity of labour. Non-monetary benefits:- These benefits give psychological satisfaction to employees even when financial benefit is not available.Such benefits are: (a) Recognition of merit through certificate, etc. (b) Offering challenging job responsibilities, (c) Promoting growth prospects, (d) Comfortable working conditions, (e) Competent supervision, and (f) Job sharing and flexi-time. Commissions:- Commission to Managers and employees may be based on the sales revenue or profits of the company. It is always a fixed percentage on the target achieved. For taxation purposes, commission is again a taxable component of compensation. The payment of commission as a component of commission is practised heavily on target based sales. Depending upon the targets achieved, companies may pay a commission on a monthly or periodical basis. Mixed plans:- Companies may also pay employees and others a combination of pay as well as commissions. This plan is called combination or mixed plan. Apart from the salaries paid, the employees may be eligible for a fixed percentage of commission upon achievement of fixed target of sales or profits or Performance objectives. Nowadays, most of the corporate sector is following this practice. This is also termed as variable component of compensation. Piece rate wages:-Piece rate wages are prevalent in the manufacturing wages. The laborers are paid wages for each of the Quantity produced by them. The gross earnings of the labour would be equivalent to number of goods produced by them. Piece rate wages improves productivity and is an absolute measurement of productivity to wage structure. The fairness of compensation is totally based on the productivity and not by other qualitative factors. Fringe benefits:- Fringe benefits may be defined as wide range of benefits and services that employees receive as an integral part of their total compensation package.They are based on critical job factors and performance. Fringe benefits constitute indirect compensation as they are usually extended as a condition of employment and not directly related to performance of concerned employee. Fringe benefits are supplements to regular wages received by the workers at a cost of employers. They include benefits such as paid vacation, pension, health and insurance plans, etc. Such benefits are computable in terms of money and the amount of benefit is generally not predetermined.The purpose of fringe benefits is to retain efficient and capable people in the organisation over a long period. They foster loyalty and acts as a security base for the employees. Profit Sharing: – Profit-sharing is regarded as a steppingstone to industrial democracy. Profit-sharing is an agreement by which employees receive a share, fixed in advance of the profits. Profit-sharing usually involves the determination of an organisation’s profit at the end of the fiscal year and the distribution of a percentage of the profits to the workers qualified to share in the earnings.The percentage to be shared by the workers is often predetermined at the beginning of the work period and IS often communicated to the workers so that they have some knowledge of their potential gains. To enable the workers to participate in profit-sharing, they are required to work for certain number of years and develop some seniority. The theory behind profit-sharing is that management feels its workers will fulfill their responsibilities more diligently if they realise that their efforts may result in higher profits, which will be returned to the workers through profit-sharing.Approaches of compensation management There are 3P approach of developing a compensation policy centered on the fundamentals of paying for Position, Person and Performance. Drawing from extern al market information and internal policies, this program helps establish guidelines for an equitable grading structure, determine capability requirements and creation of short and long-term incentive plans. The 3P approach to compensation management supports a company’s strategy, mission and objectives. It is highly proactive and fully integrated into a company’s management practices and business strategy.The 3P system ensures that human resources management plays a central role in management decision making and the achievement of business goals. Paying for position Paying for person Paying for performance Because it is so important to employees, the issue of pay deserves to be clearly addressed. In spite of their hesitance, managers are capable of dealing with this sometimes difficult issue in a professional and effective manner. By keeping the following basic points about pay in mind, they can address virtually any pay-related topic with their employees in a professional and productive manner.Specificity is Key Pay is a topic with many different shades and a variety of implications. Whenever approaching the subject, it is important to work out the details beforehand so that specifics can be clearly communicated. For the manager, this means that the increase amount is nailed down before discussing a promotion with an employee. No chance of misunderstanding or false expectations can be permitted. Far too often, managers are apt to discuss generalities. â€Å"It will mean a good increase. † What exactly does that mean in terms of the employee’s monthly budget?If care is not taken here, good news can become the source of conflict and resentment. By the same token, if asked for a raise, the manager should request that the employee suggest a specific number that he believes reflects his value. Once the employee provides that number, the manager can do his homework and decide what, if anything can be done. The employee can then be given a definitive response. Pay is Relative What one employee considers a fantastic increase maybe an insult to another? Each individual has a unique set of creativity and competencies.Pay should be based on the performance, position and the competencies/skills the person is having. Pay is Not Created Equal Various forms of pay have different purposes. The two most common forms of direct cash compensation in most companies are base pay and bonus. Base pay is the annual salary or hourly wage paid to an employee given the job he holds, While bonus is typically (or at least should be) rewarded based on the achievement of a goal of the organization. Discussions about bonus payments should be as specific as possible. This is the opportunity to point out particular accomplishments that contributed to overall team or company success. Even if the bonus is paid to all employees based on a simple overall company profit target, the manager should use the opportunity to point out specifically how individual employees helped achieve that target. Distributing bonus checks presents a unique motivational opportunity for a manager. Handing money to an employee while discussing actions and behaviors he would like to see repeated, creates a powerful link between performance and reward.Discussions about base pay increases can be a bit different. Most companies claim to link their annual base pay increases to performance. In reality, however, base pay decisions take into account a variety of factors, including the relative pay of others in the same job, the company’s increase budget, market practices and where the individual falls within his pay range. Even when performance is a factor, the manager is faced with the difficult task of evaluating an entire year’s worth of activity and then categorizing it according to the percentage increase options allowed by the budget.It becomes very difficult to pinpoint specific employee actions or accomplishments as the reason for the increase. For these reasons, it’s appropriate for the discussion about base pay increases to be more general and balanced. Both strengths and weaknesses of the employee should be addressed. The actual increase is then based on an overall assessment, as opposed to a link with one or two specific outcomes. Any other factors that impact the increase percent, such as budget or pay range should be openly discussed as well. Development of a Compensation PhilosophyAll organizations pay according to some underlying philosophy about jobs and the people who do them. This philosophy may not be in writing, but it certainly exists. Pay maybe treated in a formal and structured manner at one company. At another, any appearance of structure is intentionally avoided so that decisions can be made arbitrarily. Either way, the approach taken reflects a fundamental belief about people, motivation and management. Before an organization actually develops a compensation plan, there are several questions that need to be answered.Taking the time to consider and answer these questions will make the both the process of developing and administering a compensation plan much easier and will result in the development of a compensation plan that more closely matches the organization’s goals and objectives. Managers often want to view each individual as a separate case. It is important to understand, however, that employees operate within a compensation system. A manager is wise to take the time to learn as much as possible about his company’s compensation system.

Zipcar free essay sample

It has a wide range of automobiles for its members to choose from including Volvos, mini coopers, pickup trucks and many more. Each vehicle has a designated parking space in a street or parking spot within the members’ area. It serves over 14 major markets in North America and Europe such as Boston, Portland, Vancouver, London and many others. Members are issued access cards. This allows one to unlock the doors in case the keys are still inside the automobile. They can make reservations online or by making a call. Zipcar allows its members to make reservations even up to a year in advance. It also offers an application on the iPhone. This application enables members to honk the horn so as to locate the car and also to unlock the doors. Zipcar charges an application fee only once along with an annual fee. These are charged depending on the market prices. We will write a custom essay sample on Zipcar or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Reservation rates vary depending on day of the week, model of the vehicle and the market. Gas and parking prices are included in the reservation rates. In 2007, Zipcar combined with Flexcar, a rival company, to build a car-sharing corporation with a nationwide reach. Zipcar has made significant contributions to the environment. This system of car-sharing encourages individuals to use cars only when they need to. Persons with their own cars tend to drive them whenever they want even when it is not necessary. This exposes the air to unnecessary emissions of carbon dioxide. On the contrary, Zipcars enable people to use cars when need arises. Therefore, use of Zipcar services greatly reduces air pollution. Environment In addition to reduction in levels of air pollution, the use of Zipcar services leads to reduced congestion on the roads. It also leads to reduced total mileage on vehicles implying that less fuel is used. The significance of Zipcar to the environment and the local communities is quite apparent in that it has become very important in the metropolitan transportation mix. A number of residents in urban areas have increased their use of public transportation, with a number of them getting rid of their own cars so as to make use of car sharing services such as Zipcar. The most effective way of reducing emission of greenhouse gases into the environment is by reducing the number of vehicles on the roads. This is what Zipcar aims to do through their car sharing services. The more individuals are encouraged to use this car-sharing service the less they make use of their own personal vehicles, thereby reducing congestion on the roads. As Zipcar progresses, it seeks to find even more ways to protect the surrounding and reduce risks that the environment is exposed to. Segmentation Market segmentation refers to the division of the targeted market into subsets so as target prospects that will give the highest returns. A market segment is a section of individuals with like traits that make them demand the same products and services. Market segmentation allows a company to focus their resources on market segments that yield the highest returns. An effective market segment is one that has its own unique needs. Individuals in this segment have the same needs. In addition, reaction of the members of this segment to market stimuli should be the same. Market segmentation can be done on a number of bases. Zipcar has done this on four bases. Its market segments are consumers, businesses, government and universities. It targets the consumers so as to provide them a less expensive hence cost effective means of transportation. Car rentals and car ownership are becoming quite expensive especially in the current economy thus individuals are embracing this system of car ownership (Leboyer, 2009). Another market segment for Zipcar is businesses. Businesses that require a lot of transport for their goods may need cheaper ways to do this. Zipcar provides a cost-effective avenue of transporting items. Zipcar is also available in a number of universities. Students in the campus are constantly looking for ways to minimize their expenditure. It would be very expensive or a student in the campus to maintain a car they own or to rent a vehicle when they need one. Thus, car sharing services such as Zipcar are highly effective in universities and the trend is catching on quite fast. The last market segment for Zipcar is the government. It works with the government to substitute and expand fleets. Before Scott Griffiths became its Chief Executive Officer, Zipcar operated more like a nonprofit organization targeting those close to where Zipcar was situated. Scott Griffiths came up with ways to increase its market base and make it a high profit earning company. Zipcar’s marketing strategy at the time was very costly, and a cheaper means of advertising needed to be found. Though there were advertisements everywhere around the city, individuals were not signing up to enjoy the services Zipcar offered. Marketing Strategy Scott Griffiths came up with ways to minimize advertising costs and reach more people at the same time. In public places such as movie theatres, there are posters of Zipcar and brochures of the organization and what it has to offer are issued out to the public. Zipcar aims to make everyone aware and willing to use their car sharing services. Zipcar has faced a number of challenges and also has many competitors in the same industry. Major competitors include U Car Share, PhillyCarShare and Co-operative Auto Network. They are classified as major competitors because they share the same market and have similar organizational forms. Zipcar operates in many major markets, thus the system of leadership is decentralized. Each market has its own manager and staff. This may lead to lack of proper communication due to lack of direct contact. Different branches may have different organizational cultures. This leads to the difference in opinions and leads to unnecessary disagreements. Lastly, though Zipcar recently added accommodation for disabled persons, it does not provide enough information about it on their website. This may discourage prospective consumers from joining. Zipcar should, therefore, aim at maximize visibility of all options on their website. Awareness is the first stage of customer loyalty and is an inevitable stage if a company a business has to have clients. Zipcar has seen most of its customers passing through his stage. Given the fact that most of the clients in the company are return clients, there is a clear indication that many are aware of existence of Zipcar. What remains to be of concern to Zipcar is the ability to convert those that are already aware of the company and the expeditions it offers. Exploration is the second most important stage in customer loyalty. Taking a look at the Zipcar, we find that awareness is on an average level. This is demonstrat ed by the fact that most of the clients to the company come from neighboring states. Most of, would be customers, fail to develop interests in the using the company services which makes them not to enquire on what the company has to offer. Familiarity is what has made many that are joining the company to always participate in and come back for the services. The fact that most of those that participate in biking come from neighboring states present an issue, which is familiarity. Commitment is the stage that Scott Griffiths would wish to always achieve and maintain. The level of commitment of customers of Zipcar is high. This is demonstrated by the repetitive participation of customers in the expeditions. This means that such customers are satisfied with whatever the company offers. If it were not so, the company would not have been witnessing eighty percent participation of past participants in its motor expeditions (Leboyer, 2009). SWOT and PEST Analysis The company’s strengths include the fact that Zipcar aims to find out exactly what consumers need and how to satisfy those needs. When Griffiths became the CEO of Zipcar, he found that that people were aware of Zipcar and the services they offered but did not trust them. Therefore, Griffiths came up with ways to make Zipcar more accessible to residents. Scott also increased the makes and models they currently had so as to better fit the needs of the younger generation who required fancier cars. In addition to this, strength of Zipcar it the use of technology to satisfy consumer needs. An example of this would be automated access by members using the Zipcard. As explained before, the Zipcard allows members to unlock the doors. Information about Zipcar is available on the internet making it easier for consumers to make reservations and get more information on Zipcar locations. Zipcar has had a number of innovative unions, for example, with the iPhone. Zipcar has an application on the iPhone that allows members to honk the horn to locate the cars and to unlock them, as well. Zipcar collaborated with universities to make their services accessible to students. It got the universities to pay for insurance. However, Zipcar also has several weaknesses as an organization. First, all Zipcar operations are dependent on technology. This includes the billing system, reservations, and many other functions. This suggests that if something were to go wrong with the technology say hacking, for example, then Zipcar would face a lot of damage. Zipcar should ensure protection of its data through constant backups. Zipcar has lots of opportunities in this market if they will take quick advantage of it before their competitors. Consumers aim is to save money. They go for options that are most convenient to their needs. Thus, Zipcar needs to focus on getting non-members to believe that they actually need their car sharing services. They can do this by use of demographics and extensive advertising. Zipcar is mainly used during the night and on the weekends. Zipcar should look for ways to encourage members and non-members to make use of their services during the day so as to maximize their profits. Zipcar can also increase its market base by looking into the opportunity to reserve cars for long distances and one-way trips. Zipcar should also look into ways of retaining student members even after graduation (Smith, 2011). There is also an opportunity for growth in transit connections, Zipcar should, therefore, look or ways of maximizing on that. Zipcar faces a number of threats including competition from nonprofit car sharing companies. Consumers may prefer to join this companies rather than Zipcar which is not a nonprofit organization. Additionally, Zipcar aces threats from rental companies that are now offering car sharing services, as well. The ever increasing fuel prices are also proving to be quite a challenge for Zipcar. This is because even though they transfer additional costs back to the consumer, they cannot charge prices that are too high as they will lose their customers (Leboyer, 2009). Using the PEST analysis, Zipcar also faces a lot of challenges. Zipcar is a company; therefore, it has to adhere to company policies as stipulated by the law. It, therefore, has to keep in line with ever changing laws. Political interference is also an issue. However, the political status of the United States is stable at the moment. The company faces an uphill task of maintaining its neutrality on governance issues especially during the electioneering period. Operating in a federal state, Zipcar faces a great challenge of having to comply with by-laws that may differ from one state to the other (Capon, 2009). The current economy is not very stable and this presents a problem for Zipcar. The cost of living has gone up and people look for ways to minimize costs. Zipcar has to look for ways to attract its customers and convince them that it is the cheaper option. Socially, Zipcar is embraced by the society and with the increase in a variety of cars available to consumers; it has been able to increase its popularity. Zipcar operations depend majorly on technology. It is paramount, therefore, that Zipcar is aware of changing technology and that it changes with changing times. Conclusion Zipcar at the moment has partnered with a lot of companies which has made it easy for them to penetrate the European market. Zipcar has also has also developed an apple application that honks car horns and unlocks some Zipcars. In June 2010, the company filed registration process for the initial public offering. The company finally went public when the first Initial Public Offering in April 2011 raised more than $174 million by issuing 9. 68 million shares. They exceeded their target during this process. Goldman Sachs amp; Co. and J. P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as the joint book-runners for the offering. Cowen and Company, LLC, Needham amp; Company, LLC and Oppenheimer amp; Co. are acting as co-managers. The reason for going public was to help raise funds for debt repayment and expansion of the business. They needed more working capital to help develop new services, sales, marketing activities, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. Zipcar has overall membership of over 400,000. This is a sensitive market hence every marketing strategy used by the company reflects in its overall operations. Car sharing reduces parking commotion in cities and provides services to its customers. Since the benefits are intangible, the company focuses on satisfying their customers to maintain and improve its market share. Consumers’ great influence is value, utility, and benefit of the product or service. The decision- making process involves stages that the marketer can influence and intervene to attract customers. Recommendations The marketer should trigger the need of the consumer and know the time to emphasize its product or service to consumers to survive in the market. The marketers should put efforts to establish its distribution channels and the location of the business to access more customers to improve profits. Markets should have a comprehensive marketing strategy to produce better results and acquire customer loyalty. The company should take time to analyze its competitors in order to formulate and implement programs that are customer focused. The marketer should identify changing goals of consumer trends in future consumer behavior to ensure a good future performance of the company. The researcher should conduct effective and reliable market research to help the company making the right decision in the process of marketing its product or service. Zipcar has so far done well with its marketing strategy. However, with increased competition and other challenges, the company needs to devise other ways of marketing its products. This can include short term price concessions. This will enable the company to continue expanding while at the same time maintaining its existing clientele. Price concessions would easily boost up the sales of the company given that Zipcar’s products are price elastic. This strategy would also work well for the company given that its competitors have less financial power to compete on the basis of price concessions (Pride, 2011). Groupon and Linvingsocial is another great resource they should be taking advantage of. These are companies that aim at giving customers services at discounted prices while helping companies create awareness of services they have to offer. These two companies have become very popular to young adults, graduates and new parents. New deals on these sites everyday are sorted out by lots of clienteles who want to enjoy freebies during this recession period. Using such marketing schemes will help build awareness for Zipcar while creating a new set of customers. Zipcar also needs to invest more on e-mail marketing. Zipcar can use e-mail marketing strategy to developed and expand its clientele. This can be done through linking its services and or portal to emails through permission channels. This would make it possible for a person surfing to get more information about Zipcar deposited on their mails. It should be done in a manner that would enable information on up-coming expeditions deposited into the e-mails of subscribers. E-mail marketing of Zipcar should be designed to provide feedback mechanism. This means that hyperlinks and hypertexts should be incorporated in its design to enable bloggers to get into Zipcar portal in the shortest time possible. E-mail marketing would be far much better than print mail advertising. This is because e-mail advertising would provide for. I major advantage they should be exploring is franchising. This will enable them grow very fast in the global market rather than just relying on merger and acquisitions only. Reason why is because the local market knows their customers already and would be easier to convince the community of the benefits of Zipcar. The trust of a local owner in a developing country is highly beneficial for the company who is aiming at going global. The communities will not see Zipcar as a corporation who is trying to impose their eco-friendly values on them but as a business that understand their needs and is ready to offer its services to ease their everyday struggle. Reference Pride. W. (2011). Marketing. New York. Cengage Learning. Smith. T. (2011). Pricing Strategy: Setting Price Levels, Managing Price Discounts, amp; Establishing Price Structures. New York. Cengage Learning. Capon. N. (2009). Capons marketing framework. London. Wessex Publishing Basenese, Louis. Zipcar, Inc. : steer clear of the â€Å"winner’s curse† (Part 2). 2011. Web. June 29, 2011. www. Zipcar. com

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