Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids, Order Orthoptera

If youve walked through the grass on a warm summer day, youve likely encountered members of the order Orthoptera--the grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Orthoptera means straight wings, but these insects would be better named for their characteristic jumping legs. Description Crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids undergo incomplete or gradual metamorphosis. Nymphs look similar to mature adults but lack fully-developed wings. Powerful hind legs, built for jumping, characterize the Orthopteran insects. The muscular legs propel grasshoppers and other members of the order for distances up to 20 times their body lengths. Insects in the order Orthoptera are known for more than their jumping skills, however. Many are accomplished singers as well. Males of some species attract mates by producing sounds with their legs or wings. This form of sound production is called stridulation and involves rubbing the upper and lower wings or the hind leg and wing together to create a vibration. When males call for mates using sounds, those species must also have ears. Dont look at the head to find them, however. Grasshoppers have auditory organs on the abdomen, while crickets and katydids listen using their front legs. Orthopterans are usually described as herbivores, but in truth, many species will scavenge other dead insects in addition to feeding on plants. The order Orthoptera is subdivided into two groups--Ensifera, the long-horned insects (with long antennae), and Caelifera, the short-horned insects. Habitat and Distribution Members of the order Orthoptera exist in terrestrial habitats throughout the world. Though often associated with fields and meadows, there are Orthopteran species that prefer caves, deserts, bogs, and seashores. Worldwide, scientists have described over 20,000 species in this group. Major Families in the Order Gryllidae - true or field cricketsAcrididae - short-horned grasshoppersTetrigidae - grouse locusts or pygmy grasshoppersGryllotalpidae - mole cricketsTettigoniidae - long-horned grasshoppers and katydids Orthopterans of Interest Oecanthus fultoni, the snowy tree cricket, chirps the temperature. Count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 40 to get the temperature in Fahrenheit.Ant crickets of the subfamily Myrmecophilidae live within ant nests and are wingless.Large lubber grasshoppers (family Romaleidae) raise their hindwings when threatened and produce a foul-smelling liquid from pores in the thorax.The Mormon crickets (Anabrus simplex) are so named for a legend. In 1848, the first crops of Mormon settlers were threatened by a swarm of these voracious eaters, only to be eaten by a flock of gulls themselves. Sources: Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity, Stephen A. MarshallKaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, Eric R. Eaton, and Kenn KaufmanOrthoptera - Dept. of Entomology, North Carolina State University

Autism Children And Your Dreams - 1276 Words

â€Å"I am autism. I have no interest in right or wrong. I derive great pleasure out of your loneliness. I will fight to take away your hope. I will plot to rob you of your children and your dreams. I will make sure that every day you wake up you will cry, wondering who will take care of my child after I die? And the truth is, I am still winning, and you are scared. And you should be. I am autism. You ignored me. That was a mistake†¦.† ( I am Autism 2009 Autism Speaks commercial) Is this really autism? Is this what 1 in 68 children across America are diagnosed with? Is this what my child is diagnosed with? Autism will rob me of my children and my dreams? I will cry everyday, now that my child has been diagnosed? What kind of advertisement†¦show more content†¦A person with autism can have mild to debilitating impairments, and even though autism is not fatal, it is life long. People that are diagnosed with autism need many specialized therapies and services, as well as family support. Bob and Suzanne Wright, founded Autism Speaks in 2005 after their grandson was diagnosed with autism. At that time there was little known about autism, so it was difficult for them to find information and support. Bob and Suzanne decided to change that. Bob Wright was CEO of NBC Television at the time and had a great deal of influance in the media, over the years Autism Speaks has used that influence to gain popularity and momentum in their campaign against autism. Autism Speaks has made it quite clear that they believe that autism is an epidemic and it must be stopped. Autism Speaks has grown to be the largest organization in autism, as well as the most controversial. Autism Speaks promises to provide advocacy, awareness and research to find a ways to prevent and eventually cure for autism. Autism Speaks offers adult and family services, linkage to resources and research. The research that is conducted by Autism Speaks is largely focused on prevention, and eradication of the disorder. Currently Autism Speaks has partnered with Google for the 10k Genome project. This project with look at 10,000 autistic genomes to look for any patterns that can give clues to finding a cure for autism. Autism is often compared to AIDS cancer

Dna And The Human Body - 1485 Words

Inside the human body there lies something very unique to us that we call the DNA. It is predicted that there are over 3 billion base-pairs of DNA inside the average human. DNA itself is huge so let’s cover the basics you need to know about it. The DNA includes, RNA, Double-Helix, Base-pairing and an alternate DNA structure. It may seem amazing but beware your DNA can be damaged and or Replicated. In crime DNA comes very handy because detectives use forensics. Every living thing on the planet or most things have a DNA inside of them, therefore DNA is said to have evolved over the trillions of years. Translation is the final step on the way from the DNA to a protein. It is the synthesis of which proteins are directed by mRNA template. The information contained within the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA is read as three letter word, called codons. Each word stands for just one amino acid. During translation of the amino acids, they are linked together to form the polypeptide chain in which will later folded into the protein. The translation is also dependent on many components, of which the two are extra important. To start off the ribosome which is the cellular factory responsible for a protein synthesis. It is made up of two different subunits, one very small and one very large and is built up from rRNA and a protein. Inside the ribosome the amino acids are linked into a chain through many biochemical reactions. The other component is the tRNA, a specialized RNAShow MoreRelatedDna And The Human Body1772 Words   |  8 Pages Each cell in the human body has the same exact geneti c material, with a few exceptions, and yet each cell does something different than all the other cells. Contained within the nucleus, the entire genome can be found, and within the genome, there is all the information needed to construct a specific organism. The genome is composed of deoxyribose nucleic acids, also called DNA, which breaks down into smaller units called genes. A gene has a specific sequence of adenine, thymine, cytosine, andRead MoreGene Therapy Essay779 Words   |  4 Pagesremoved functioning ADA gene into the viral DNA so that recombinant circular DNA (cDNA) can be created. Viral DNA is obtained from a virus, such as an adenovirus (often used for gene therapy treatments) which has been ‘purified’ so that it does not cause harm (infect host with the virus) to the human body when introduced. The ADA gene is then spliced into the open vector (viral cDNA), using the enzyme ligase which glues the ADA gene into the viral DNA by bonding the sugar phosph ate groups togetherRead MoreThe Role Of Proteins Of A Cell Range From Structural, Enzymatic And Hormonal Functions1345 Words   |  6 Pages The DNA encodes specific characteristics of an organism which breaks down into genes. The genes goes through a transcription process. Transcription is where the language of the body s building blocks is transcribed from DNA to RNA and the body will recognize it so it can carry out the next process. Translation of the information collected from RNA is the next step. The information collected is transported to the protein. Certain proteins play specific roles so the body synthesizes the right proteinRead MoreThe Human Body Limits Iron Stores1287 Words   |  6 PagesGenes are small segments of DNA (on a specific locus of a chromosome) that contain the code used to synthesise a protein and mRNA molecule (Khan Academy, 2014). The ‘normal’ function of the HFE protein involved with haemochromatosis is to regulate the production of the protein hepcidin, produced in the liver, which determines levels of dietary iron absorption and the it’s release from storage sites in t he body (Haemochromatosis.org.au, 2014). The human body limits iron stores through the HFE proteinRead MoreThe Role Dna Serves For The Human Cell1267 Words   |  6 Pages The Role DNA Serves For The Human Cell Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) accommodates a variety of purposes, including data storage and replication, in the human cell and in the cells of many other organisms. DNA in a human cell is primarily responsible for storing genetic information that is utilized to control virtually every aspect of cellular expression. This genetic information is passed down from parents to progeny, resulting in progeny with some genetic traits of each parent. DNA is withal replicatedRead MoreWhat is DNA? Where is it found? Essay660 Words   |  3 Pages What is DNA? Where is it found? What makes it so special? How does it work? DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), is defined as a heredity material in humans or all over other organisms in this world. In a person’s body, nearly every cell has a same DNA. Mostly DNA can be found in cell nucleus and few are found in Mitochondria. (Christine A.Evers, 2012). †¢ COMPONENTS OF DNA: The DNA information is stored as a code and they are made up of four chemical bases:Read MoreGene Therapy And Delivery Methods1245 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Each human body consists of net numbers of genes in which half of genes are defective in nature. We do not suffer any injurious effects from that defective genes as we carry two copies of DNA that carries two copies of the specific gene present in somatic cells. The gene which is likely to be harmful is recessive gene so if we inherit two copies of recessive gene from our parent, then disease will occur ( Carroll, 2011).Now days every year noticeable children are born with geneticRead MoreEssay about DNA: The Basis for Sustaining Life1334 Words   |  6 Pagesof DNA Have you ever asked yourself â€Å"why my eyes are this color?â€Å" Have you questioned why you look the way you do? All of your physical features come from our genetics. Those genetics are family traits that are passed down through our individual bloodline. All of these individualities come from what is considered the fundamental building blocks of life, DNA. DeoxyriboNucleic Acid is the scientific name for DNA (SITE). A Swiss medical student named Johann Friedrich Miescher discovered DNA inRead MoreEssay The Benefits Genetic Engineering for Medical Purposes677 Words   |  3 Pagesscientific, and many other organizations. Most are centered on the idea of using Stem cells as a way of curing diseases. Stem cells are cells that have the capabilities to develop into many different types of cells in the body. Serving as a type of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to take over for other cells for as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become anotherRead MoreThe Ethics of Cloning Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pages The first area of cloning is DNA cloning which is the copying of genes to better understand how they work and find cures for genetic malfunctions. DNA cloning is, perhaps, the oldest of the three types of cloning with it being around since the 1970’s (Cloning Fact Sheet, 2009). This form of cloning is the most widely accepted form since it does not cross into the realm of human cloning which is one of the largest debates that exists. One of the things that DNA cloning can accomplish is curing

The Quran And The Bible - 1432 Words

Section two. Throughout the Quran, there are many beliefs that Muslims and Christians agree and disagree about concerning the personage of Jesus. Among the few areas of agreement between the two, both the Quran and the Bible claim that Jesus came into the world through Mary, a virgin. While he came from Mary’s womb, it was not through intercorse but by the work of God. In the Quran, when Mary encounters one of Allah’s angels, Mary responds to his message, â€Å"‘My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ {The angel] said, ‘This is how God creates what he will: when he has ordained something, He only says, â€Å"Be†, and it is.† (3.47). Evidently, Jesus came into the world because it was the will of God, not through the actions of Mary. Because Allah chose to bring him into the world, Allah merely spoke and it came to be. The Quran then establishes through this that it was not through intercourse that Mary came to bear Jesus, but purel y through Allah’s willing the creation of a child in her womb. Similarly, Luke 1.34 records how the angle of the Lord came to Mary to inform her of how she would become the mother of Jesus. To quote Scripture, the gospel of Luke states, â€Å"And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.† (1.34-35). Here, Mary is portrayed as a pure, unmarried woman who is a virgin, and the angel foretells of God being theShow MoreRelatedThe Bible And The Quran968 Words   |  4 Pages The Bible and the Quran, while rooted in many of the same stories, have vast differences that reflect the respective audiences of each religious text. The Bible, which is tailored to Judaism, includes many lessons and covenants involving land and the promise of prosperity; Jews had been uprooted from their ancestral home and needed the reassurance that there were better days to come, the Bible offered this solace. On the other hand, Muhammed is concerned with convincing polytheists that there isRead MoreThe Quran vs. The Bible Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pagesevents due to lack of education or preferential teachings. Both the Bible and the Quran claim to have been inspired by God; however, that would mean both conflicting religions are considered absolute truth. This would also conclude that both books were inspired by the same Messiah, even though the Quran and the Bible claim to have different high powers. Many questions arise from such topics, such as: can the Quran and the Bible both be absolutely true if they hold opposing standards? Many controversialRead MoreEssay on Bible vs. Quran1630 Words   |  7 Pagesa large white book with gold-tipped pages. On the cover, prominent gold letters display the words The Holy Bible. This extravagant Christian place of worship, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, shows the importance of religious establishments as additional resources used in teaching religion. Two of the world’s largest religions use faith-powered books, The Holy Bible and The Holy Quran, to educate members. The scriptures in these books have provided direction, spiritual guidance, and theologiesRead MoreComparative Scriptures : The Bible And The Quran836 Words   |  4 PagesComparative Scriptures: the Bible and the Quran The Bible and the Quran are two of the most well recognized and significant religious books across the world. They contain a plethora of similar principles and recounts, however, comprise of a great sum of differences. The first sections of the Bible, recognized as the Old Testament, consists of books of the Hebrew Bible, or Torah. The Quran is the main religious text of Islam. Muslims believe it to be a message from God, the Allah, to humanity. InRead MoreEssay about Jesus in the Quran and the Bible1486 Words   |  6 PagesJesus in the Quran and the Bible The three most influential books in human history, the holy books of the three main Abrahamic religions, share a common though checkered history. With a string of familiar figures and incidents, each book builds upon its predecessor, sometimes retaining the exact nature of the story and sometimes giving it a new version. Each book seems to have been influenced by its specific purpose and the circumstances of the time it was revealed, with the stories meeting theRead MoreReligious Texts- Examining the Content of the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran1621 Words   |  7 Pagesshoulders interlocking with her robe below. To the right of the infant, a table displays a large white book with gold-tipped pages. On the cover, prominent gold letters display the words The Holy Bible. Two of the world’s largest religions use faith-powered books such as the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran, to educate their members. Scriptures in these books have provided religious history, given spiritual guidance, and established moral theologies passed down from one generation to another. StillRead MoreIslam and Christianity: Two Figureheads in Two Influential Texts1110 Words   |  5 Pagestheir beliefs and gives rules or commandments to live by. Islam has the Quran, and Christians have the Bible. Many people in today’s world would deny that there are any similarities between the two books; however, two figures appear in both texts, Abraham and Jesus. The stories of Abraham and Jesus are incredibly similar but, the theological interpretation of these stories creates differences between the Bible and the Quran. Abraham and Jesus were very important during their own lifetime as wellRead MoreChristian Writing : The Dead Sea Scrolls950 Words   |  4 PagesChristian writing was written that correlates with the Bible, such as the Dead Sea scrolls, can be traced back to between 400-300 BC. Having the ability to know where a text comes from and what for can often give us a unique insight on other pieces of literature that was written around the same era. Nevertheless it may help us also understand other writing that seem to be written about the same or story that appears to be similar. If we examine the Quran, we see that there is some evidence that is indicatingRead MoreThe Dead Sea Scrolls1073 Words   |  5 Pageswritten that correlates with the Bible, such as the Dead Sea scrolls, can be traced back to between 400-300 BC. Understanding the context of where a text comes from and what period it was written in, often give us a unique insight on the pieces of literature and allows us to interp ret it correctly. Nevertheless, it may help us also understand other writing that seems to be written about the same story or ones that appear to be similar. While we examine the Quran, we are able to see that there isRead MoreWorldview/Religion Analysis of Islam Essay1238 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Bible became flawed when it was translated from the Greek.3 Islam is a worldview and a religion that intends to impose its system on the whole world including beliefs, diet, dress, work, home, politics and allegiances. These rules are still held in every country today designated as an Islamic republic. 4 Flaws of Islam Islam is a flawed worldview/religion for many reasons. While Islam claims to worship the creator God of the universe as introduced in the book of Genesis, the Quran is filled

Understanding The Business Environment †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Understanding Business Environment. Answer: Introduction Environmental analysis is the systematic process through which the business marketers identify the business environment. The location of the business operations are often surrounded by enormous challenges posed by the potential competitors, political factors, and other environmental issues. It is thus essential to conduct the complete market research prior to establish the business or develop any initiative. The utilization of the simple framework for the environmental analysis would be fruitful for the business marketers. According to Matzler, Veider and Kathan (2015), the simple framework used for the presenting the environmental analysis helps in understanding the business environment more precisely. It not only identifies the external business environment, it generates the ideas about the relevant strategies to be used for the business to cope with such environment (Angulo-Ruiz et al. 2014). It is essential for a business manager to manage the basic step to analyze the external e nvironments. Firstly, the environment is needed to be scanned for identifying the major factors that create influence on business. Secondly, each of the factors is required to be monitored and culled. Thirdly, it is essential to understand the impacts of these factors on the business functions (Perlow and Kelly 2014). Finally, the complete forecast of the scenario is needed to be presented for identifying the necessary strategies to be implemented further. Accordingly, the study would present the strategic analysis of Best Buy Co., Inc., which is a renowned electronics retailer company operating in the global environment. The study would present the PEST analysis to recognize the environmental feasibility to operate the electronic business. The study would also discuss the global competitiveness by using the porters five forces model. The identification of internal strength and weakness of the company would also be presented in this study. Accordingly, the preferable recommendations would be presented in this research paper. Evaluation of the Trend in the Macro environment (PEST Analysis) Best Buy Co., Inc., is a electronic retailer company that offers the commendable electronic services for computing, gaming, and telecommunication gadgets. The company has established the operational activities over 1,100 stores in United States (Bestbuy.com 2017). The focus of the company is to ensure the best offers on the technological gadgets for fulfilling the customers expectations and enhance the customer base. The major purpose of developing the mission is to enrich the lives of the people by providing the advanced solutions to the technological gadget use. In order to accomplish such mission, it is essential for the company to identify the major environmental factors that have the significant impact on the business operations (Lee and Grewal 2013). In this section of the study, the PEST analysis would be formulated to recognize the impact of the external factors, such political, economical, social, and technological aspects. The PEST analysis provides the in-depth ideas about the external factors that have the clear impacts on the business activities. The influence of the external market is necessary to be identified to ensure the probably of the business sustainability. The basic demands of the external market would measure the success of the business. The analysis is presented further: Political Factors Political scenario is one of the most important factors that create impact on the business operations. It is notable that the political environment has been influencing the company for creating the long term profitability in a country. Best Buy Co. Inc., has been operating over 1100 locations that have the diverse political preferences and risks. In United States, best Buy complies with the local, state, and federal laws that are concerned with the corporate contributions to the ballot initiatives and the political candidates. However, it has been observed that the federal law is prohibited in order to eliminate the direct funding to the federal candidates (Cao and Li 2015). Therefore, it is allowing the corporations to establish the political actions for facilitating the contributions from the voluntary employees to particular committees and candidates. In order to accomplish this purpose, the Best Buy Employee Political Forum PAC is established to encourage the eligible employees t o participate. It is noticed that the company pays the taxes by maintaining the applicable laws that are consistent with the goals and transparency of the company (Aithal 2017). This PAC Forum is federally registered under the non-partisan political action committee, which is governed and controlled by the Federal Elections Campaign Act (Corporate.bestbuy.com 2017). Economical Factors The unfolding of the current credit crisis and the housing system is decreasing the chance of the fruitful rebound in the immediate future. The disposable income rate was strongly felt in the retail sectors of US. After the economic crisis in 2008, the world economy was completely shaken. It is reported that the year-on-year (YOY) retail growth rates have been hovering between 4% and 9% from the year of 2003 to the third quarter of 2008. However, it is also recognized that the fourth quarter of 2008 experienced the decrease of 4.57%, which created the significant shrink in disposable incomes. Apparently, the electronic goods and appliances are perceived as the luxurious goods. It is noticed that the current economic structure in US is quite challenging for Best Buy Co. Inc. due to the constant decrease in the income rate. Social Factors The company maintains the effective CSR policies for offering the best products and services to the consumers. The social atmosphere in US and Canada reflects the preferences for the higher sophistications (McArthur, Weaven and Dant 2016). People in these countries are much inclined towards using the luxurious goods with high quality and reasonable prices. The electronic apparels and gadgets offered by Best Buy Co. Inc. are considered as the luxurious goods that are sold by considering the price-consciousness. The company concentrates on building the effective relationships with the consumers to gain the effective customer base (Thursby and Berbari 2016). The price consciousness is the major factor for the company to sell the electronic goods to the potential consumers. Hence, concentrating on the pricing strategy is important to ensure the sustainable position in the market. Technological Factors The portfolio in the private brands is one of the distinct elements for the electronic retailers. The company offers the different brands, such as Platinum, Dynex, Rocketfish, and Insignia. The advancements in the technologies are quite demanding among the consumers. United States is a country that welcomes the technological advancements and innovations in the retail goods (Hodges et al. 2015). Moreover, the consumers are willing to consume the luxurious and sophisticated apparels for the improvement of their lifestyles. Hence, it can be implied that the company can avail the opportunity of the technological acceptance for ensuring the future growth in the business. The obtained ideas from the above PEST analysis indicate that the company may face the obstacle in managing the prices of the electronic goods. The technological advancements require more capital investment that may create the impact on the customers minds (Blackwell and Eppler 2014). However, the utilization of the useful pricing strategies would be helpful enough in attracting more customers towards the products and gain profitability for longer time. Competitive Environment Analysis (Porters Five Forces Model) Best Buy Co. Inc. aims to provide the high technology deliver to the potential customers. The company has already captured the high market share for exclusive product quality of the electronic goods. However, in order to accomplish the purpose of serving the better technological gadgets to the customers, the company requires concentrating on the competitive environment (Blackwell and Eppler 2014). Porters five forces analysis helps in identifying the market competition to determine the preferable strategies for the company. The porters five force analysis would present the ideas about the external market competition and business potentiality to operate in a location. Bargaining Power of Buyers (Low) The power of buyers is considerably low for Best Buy Co. Inc. the competitive pricing tools are the major focus of the consumers while purchasing the electronic goods. Apparently, the electronic goods are perceived as the luxurious products. Therefore, consumers buy these products in small quantity (Porter and Heppelmann 2014). It also relies on the repeat purchases due to which it can be assumed that the prices for the products would match with the potential buyers. Bargaining Power of Suppliers (High) The power of the suppliers is generally higher. It has been observed that the company receives the products direct from the manufacturers due to which it pays low prices for the raw material. This price is generally passed on to the customer benefits. However, if the company does not comply with the conditions raised by the suppliers, it would create the negative consequences (Martnez, Galvn and Alam 2017). If suppliers increase their rates, the USP rates of the company would not be feasible anymore to the customers. Threats of Substitutes The threats of substitutes are considerably low. It is noticed that the customers seek the highly improved and good quality of the electronic apparels (Lee and Grewal 2013). However, there are no such product variations available in the market. Hence, the company requires focusing on the improvement quality parameter more specifically. Threats of New Entrants The threats of the new entrants are moderate in case of Best Buy Co. Inc. It is noticed the electronic retailers need a huge investments to sustain the competitive position for a longer time. Moreover, the parts of the electronic apparels are quite expensive for the manufacturers. However, it is noticed that the well investments on such industry helps in building more customer loyalty due to which the other entrants will be automatically restricted (Cao and Li 2015). Rivalry Best Buy Co. Inc. has the direct competition with Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, and Circuit City. However, it is noticed that Best Buy Co. Inc. provides the best quality of the electronic apparels. The prices of the electronic goods are also quite appreciable to the customers. However, it is noticed that the rival companies are maintaining the balance in managing the price, quality and variations more than Best Buy. Hence, the competitive rivalry is considerably higher for the company. The above analysis of porters five forces indicates that Best Buy has the potentiality to improve the customer base and strengthen the sustainable position. However, the high competition in the market is quite challenging for the company. The rival companies are focusing on the continuous improvements by availing the technological advancements (Matzler, Veider and Kathan 2015). Hence, it is necessary for the company to identify the most preferable strategy to improve the business scenario. Accordingly, the functionalities would be determined. However, it is even necessary to concentrate on the capital investments and generating revenues for improving the customer base. The further section of the study would provide the insights about the strengths and weakness of the company to utilize the opportunities and deal with the potential threats from the external environment. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis presents the ideas about the internal strengths and weakness of the company to determine the opportune potentiality in competing in a challenging scenario. The identification of the strengths and weakness of the business determines that whether the company has the potentiality to conduct the business and maintain the competitive position. The business often seeks the fruitful opportunities that would be beneficial for establishing the long term positioning of the company. Moreover, it is also important to recognize the potential threats that may affect the business activities. The complete SWOT analysis provides the ideas about the opportunities and external threats that create impact on the business. The analysis is presented below: SWOT Analysis Strengths Best Buy Co. Inc., maintains high quality service, best products, effective inventory management, reputation development, and niche marketing. In order to develop the brand reputations, the company maintains the remarkable efficiency by managing the large domestic and global distribution channels (Pestleanalysis.com 2017). The strong brand name is quite effective for retaining the customers and making them more loyal. The company is maintaining large footprints in the United States with almost 1,731 stores. The effective relationship with the larger brand like Apple is also quite commendable (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). The growing market of the consumer electronic products, such as smart phones and games is also the considerable strength for the company. In addition to this, it is also notable that the company keeps record of the e-commerce business, which is quite helpful in increasing the online sales ratio. Weaknesses The company is highly dependent on the brick-and-mortar location while the online sales increase in a considerable rate. In fact, in the year of 2015, the company made the limited profit margin of 1.92%. One of the major weaknesses of the company is the higher dependency on the supplier credit. It indicates that some of the items in the stores are not much necessary for the customers (Angulo-Ruiz et al. 2014). The operating expenses inside the stores are often higher than the online retailers. High costs of the in house stores are the major weakness for the company. In addition to this, the extreme dependence on the luxury items, such as video games can be the reason for the downturn of the economy. Opportunity The growing market for the electronic apparels is quite opportune for the company. It includes the different electronic devices, such as video games, and smart phones. The constant stream of the innovative smart phone types increases the sales and interests of the customers. Moreover, the growing concerns about e-commerce are also quite opportune for the business development. The continuous improvement in the technological field is quite helpful for the business growth in the future (Angulo-Ruiz et al. 2014). The advancements in the technologies are also quite a remarkable opportunity for the company. Moreover, the growing popularity of the electronic media is quite opportune for the business development in future. Threats The sudden digital delivery of the electronic media is reducing the foot traffic, which is the major threat to business. The online mediums like Amazon, Netflix, iTunes, and Google Play are treated as the primary source of the entertainment. Therefore, the company has been facing the considerable threats from the external market. The aggressive discounts from the retail giants are attracting more customers and posing challenges for Best Buy Co. Inc. The continuous changes of the demands of the new generation customers are quite threatening to the company (Angulo-Ruiz et al. 2014). In addition to this, the direct sell to the consumers by the manufacturers can be challenging for the company. Table 1: SWOT Analysis of Best Buy Co. Inc. The above SWOT analysis of Best Buy Co. Inc. presents the ideas about the major obstacles of the business. It is noticed that the company has the remarkable capacity of adapting, surviving, and making profits in a high competitive market place. However, it is still necessary for the company to make changes in the operational process for ensuring more profits in this competitive scenario. Conclusion and Recommendation The study provides the insightful ideas about the market scenario in which Best Buy Co. Inc. operates. The internal and external analysis of the company provides the knowledge about the huge market competition, which is the major obstruction. Therefore, it is necessary for the company to utilize the preferable strategies that can help the company to develop the market position. The restructure of the operational process would be much preferable for the company to adjust the prices and quality of the products. The company needs to develop the promotional activities to gather more customers towards the brands. Understanding the potential threats and opportunities is quite helpful for the company to gather ideas about the market potentiality for sustaining the business. The identification of the internal and external market influence suggested that the company requires improving the operational activities to attract more customers. Moreover, it can also be suggested that the company can provide the effective value propositions to gain the attention of the potential customers. When the customers receive the value based products that are superior to other companies, it becomes easier for them to select the suitable product for their use. In addition to this, introducing the product variations and developing more innovative products would be much attractive to the customers. The company can even develop their customer base by improving the organizational functionalities and customer services as well. Lastly, the continuous monitoring and total qualitymanagement would be helpful for the company to strengthen the competitive position for a long run. References Aithal, P.S., 2017. An Effective Method of Developing Business Case Studies Based on Company Analysis. Angulo-Ruiz, F., Donthu, N., Prior, D. and Rialp, J., 2014. The financial contribution of customer-oriented marketing capability.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,42(4), pp.380-399. Bestbuy.com, 2017. [online] Available at: https://www.bestbuy.com/ [Accessed 30 Oct. 2017]. 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Receptionist and Cabin Crew free essay sample

Jobs in the tourism sector are all different and all of them follow with different duties and responsibilities, in this assignment I will be comparing two different jobs in the tourism sector, I will be focusing on receptionist at a hotel and air cabin crew. To compare these jobs I will be focusing on their duties and responsibilities of both jobs, I will also compare entry requirements for receptionist and cabin crew and also if both jobs could progress what can they promote to and what is the difference and similarities in both. Being a receptionist at a hotel is completely different to a air cabin crew member, their job may involve several similar skills such as having good communication skills or having skills to work in a team, but however their roles and duties are different, a receptionist is based at front of house in a hotel and they are the main key feature of the accommodation service as guests will be approaching them first when they visit the hotel, whereas cabin crew staff’s main location is on the aircraft and this is where they will be providing service to passengers on board. The difference between the duties and responsibilities of a receptionist and cabin crew is that a receptionist deals with guests through different method and this can be through face to face, telephone, email and on some occasions fax as well, using these methods the guests will contact the receptionist, and they will be responsible to book the guests services they need such as rooms or the venue of the hotel where as being a cabin crew is completely different as their roles and responsibilities will include only meeting and greeting passengers on board and providing customer service throughout the flight. Being a receptionist will also come with responsibilities such as checking in the guests and checking them out as well, upon arrival the receptionist will greet the guests and identify their needs and also checking the guest in with the key to their room and when the guest’s stay is over the receptionist will have to check them out and ensure that they hand in the key back, comparing this responsibility to a cabin crew is very different and this is because a cabin crew staff do not have any responsibility such as checking the passengers in as this will already be done at the airport,  cabin crew staff also do not have the responsibility to check passengers out as this will be done at the airport as well, the similarity in this responsibility will be meeting and greeting as both roles requires the responsibility of meeting and greeting their guests and passengers upon arrival and when leaving. A receptionists duty is to work their shift at front of house at all times and while working they will have the responsibilities to use computers and fill in paperwork, and this could be for various reasons for example when guests checks in they will have to put in their information on their database, however a cabin crew’s responsibility is different to being a receptionist as they will not need to use computers during the flight at any time, also they will be provided with the passengers information already in order for any emergencies. Within this responsibility there is a similarity and that is that both roles will require filling in paperwork, however the receptionist will fill in paperwork for the guests whilst the cabin crew will have the responsibility to fill in paperwork at the end of each flight to record how the flight went and if there was any emergencies. A cabin crew’s role and responsibility includes three stages such as before the flight, during the flight and after the flight, each of these stage comes with different steps that needs to be completed as a routine on every shift and these stages include duties and responsibilities that needs to be carried out before a flight which includes attending meeting with cabin manager or senior manager, checking that there are enough supplies on the aircraft and also being positioned in different cabins, the difference between cabin crew and receptionist within this role is that the receptionist will not need to perform anything such as the above responsibilities but however if there are any changes the receptionist will also have to attend certain meetings with their manager or senior co-worker. During a flight cabin crew staff will also have the responsibilities and duties of serving food and beverages to passengers, where as being a receptionist their role will not involve this res ponsibility as the hotel have separate section for this such as their restaurant where the guests can purchase their food or if wish to do so they can call for room service as well. However, the different in this will be that receptionist’s do not have a three stage routine as they shift will always be based at front of house and they will be carrying out the same work pattern at all times. It is a cabin crew’s responsibility to carry out a safety and emergencies procedure before the flight in order to make the passengers aware of what they can do during an emergency situation, also the cabin crew’s duty and responsibility will also involve them to ensure that the passengers are familiar with the procedures, where as a receptionist will not need to carry out this responsibility as guests will be provided with a safety and emergency guide in their room, however at some hotels the receptionist will tell their guests where to go during a fire and what to do when there is a emergency situation. A apart comparing the difference between a receptionist’s responsibilities and a cabin crew’s responsibilities there are also several similarities that both candidates will need to carry out and one of these similarities include selling, both cabin crew and receptionist will have the responsibility of selling products services to their passengers and guests, for example at some hotels receptionists will have the duty of selling products and services within the hotel for example they may ask the customer of upgrading their room to a suit or selling of services within the room such as entertainment facilities on TV, whilst a receptionist will be selling these products and services a cabin crew staff will have the responsibility to try and sell duty free items to passengers on board and this can include items such as perfumes, jewellery, wine, cigarettes and many more, the products that will be selling might be different but however both roles will have the responsibility of selling products and services. Having the responsibility of selling, both roles receptionist and cabin crew will have similar responsibility of payments, billing and receipts. As both roles receptionist and cabin crew have the responsibility of selling, they will also have the duty to take payments of the guests and passengers, however a receptionist may also have to take payment of the guest when booking a room as well, cabin crew members will take payment when a passenger has purchased a duty free item, also this is where they will have the responsibility of processing their bill as well, a receptionist will also have the similar responsibility as they will need to be prepare the guests bill when they have made a payment or about to make a payment. When taking payment and preparing bills, both job roles will have the responsibility of giving the customer a receipt, this is important to carry out for both job roles as the customer will be expecting a receipt to verify their purchase. A receptionist and a cabin crew member will have the similar responsibility of providing a excellent customer service and looking after the guests and passengers, whilst working both job roles will require the receptionist and cabin crew to look after the guests and passengers within providing a excellent customer service and this can include meeting their needs, a receptionist will have to ensure that the passenger is comfortable with their flight and is feeling safe enough to fly, they will also have the responsibility to ensure that the passenger’s needs are being met and also exceeding their needs by providing extra customer service and their responsibilities is to approach them and ask them if there is anything else they need, similar to this a receptionist will also need to ensure that the guest is comfortable during their stay and that they are feeling safe whilst staying at the accommodation service, the receptionist will also need to be aware that they are meeting the ir guests needs and that they are providing them with a high standard of customer service. Both roles will also have the same responsibility such as listening to the guests and passengers and meeting their needs, as receptionist and a cabin crew member will be the first approach of the guests and passengers, they will need to be prepared to listen to them and identify their needs, whilst staying at a accommodation provider the guest will approach the receptionist if anything is needed and also passengers flying will approach the cabin crew staff if anything is needed, therefore both staffs will need to be prepared to listen to their guests and passengers and identify what they need, in some cases both roles will have the responsibility to deal with complaints, when there are any complaints to be made in a accommodation service the guest will approach the receptionist at first and it will be their responsibility to deal with it in a responsible manner, also similar with cabin crew staffs the passengers will approach the cabin crew staff if there are any complaints to be mad e and similar way they will have the responsibility to deal with it in a responsible manner. As both roles have the similarities of dealing with complaints, they will also have the responsibility to deal with it and if the complaint is not in their hand both roles will have to call a senior to deal with it for example a receptionist may call their managers to deal with it and a cabin crew staff will either call their cabin manager or tell the passenger to wait until they have landed to deal with it at the airport. When applying for a job, the employer will need entry requirements in order to process the employees application, a receptionist will ask for certain qualifications and experiences and skills that is needed in order to become a receptionist and also a cabin crew will ask the same but with more intense entry requirements. Entry requirements that a receptionist may ask for include; Entry requirements that a cabin crew may ask for include; As you can see from the academia entry requirements, both job roles require different qualifications; however they both require GCSE grades from their candidates, being a receptionist and cabin crew you will need GCSE’s and they will ask for the grades in specific subjects that they will need for example either English or Maths. Other entry requirements that a receptionist will ask on hospitality and this is because accommodation providers are a hospitality providers and therefore being a receptionist you will need a qualification on hospitality in order to become a receptionist because the qualifications will show that the receptionist has experience and knowledge of hospitality services. As a receptionist will ask entry requirements based on hospitality, being a cabin crew will ask for different qualifications which will mainly be based on aviation industry, as you can see they will ask for certificates in the aviation industry which will include general knowledge on the airports and airline industry. Comparing to receptionists a cabin crew staff will also need certificates for air cabin crew, which can be gained from educational units and they will ask for this as it will show that the candidate has knowledge about being a cabin crew. Both job roles will be asking for different entry requirements and qualifications that are needed in order to process with the job role, as receptionists are asking for qualifications based on hospitality, air cabin crew will be asking for qualifications based on aviation industry which is very different qualifications to each other. Apart from academia entry requirements both job roles will also ask for skills and experiences, some of these skills and experiences will be similar for example both roles will ask for similar customer service skills which will include communication with the guest and passenger at all times, the similarity with this skill will be that when recruiting a receptionist or a cabin crew they will ask for experience with customer service and also both roles will require same level of customer service skills at all times. A cabin crew will also need skills such as dealing with money and also dealing with foreign currency and these are situations when they are selling duty free items, some passengers may pay with different currency, where as being a receptionist you will not need to handle foreign currency as most hotels will only take the country’s currency. Both job roles receptionist and cabin crew staff have similarities in skills such as being organized and on time, for example cabin crew member will need their staff to be on time in order to depart on time as they do not want to delay their passengers journey, on the other a receptionist will also need to be on time and organized as they do want to leave the reception area empty which can lead them to losing on guests and giving a bad company image. Some airlines also look for cabin crew staff that has experience and skills in working with special needs passengers because special needs passengers will always need help and assurance whilst flying, however a receptionist will not need this as much as they will have other members of staff working in the hotel that will help special needs guests such as housekeeping staff or concierge staff. Both job receptionist and cabin crew roles will also be provided with training and development on the role, however the training they will be receiving will be different, for example cabin crew staff will receive training out of house which means in a area specifically designed for training the cabin crew staff where as receptionists will be trained in house which mean within the accommodation service itself on daily bases whilst they will be working at the same time. Comparing the training of both roles is very different, a cabin crew will be provided with more intense training that will either take up to 4 to 6 weeks, where as receptionists will be provided with basic training to give them enough knowledge to use on daily routine. The different between the training a cabin crew to a receptionist is that airlines will provide their cabin crew members an out of house training usually taking up to 6 weeks and within this they train the cabin crew with enough knowledge about the job role and they will also go through certain tests such as physical tests, numerical and English tests, comparing to receptionists training it is very different, a receptionist will be trained in house and will be trained on how to use the computer system, how to book, how to take payment and also how to use switchboard, the receptionists will not need to go through any of the tests also comparing to cabin crews, receptionists training will also not take time as they will be trained on daily basis until they are familiar with the routine of the job. The similarities in training for cabin crew and receptionists is that they will both be provided with different qualifications that will be useful to them in future references for example a cabin crew will be provided with below qualifications, and these qualifications will be provided to them by the airline after completing the training successfully. A receptionist will also be provided with qualifications after getting used to the company and gaining enough knowledge about the accommodation providers, a receptionist will be provided with below qualifications after gaining enough experience within the hotel. Comparing both roles in progressing is similar as both job roles have the opportunity to progress within their roles and also both cabin crew and receptionist would have had to stay within the company for certain amount of period in order to progress within the company. Both jobs are similar in  being able to progress and promote within their positions however the roles that t hey can progress to will be different, a receptionist can progress to different roles for example head receptionist, this is the role where they will have the responsibility of ensuring all documentation is filled out accurately including registration documentations, and also to ensure that the reception area is being run properly at all times, they will also have to attend certain meetings as well with all the other managers, this responsibility will differ from being a normal receptionist as they will have more responsibilities, they may also ask for more qualifications from a receptionist and will also provide different training. Similar to progressing to a head receptionist a cabin crew member can also progress to a senior cabin supervisor where they will have some changes to the responsibilities and duties at this position they will be team leading, in charge of all cabin crew staff performance, dealing with medical situations, locating the cabin crew members in each cabin, responsible for team meetings before departure, leading emergency situations and medical situations, ensuring passengers are feeling safe and selling duty free and many more. In conclusion comparing a receptionist to a cabin crew will have several similarities and a lot of difference, both job roles is completely different to each other that requires different skills and qualities, both job roles comes with different roles and responsibilities that will need to be carried out regularly, however they are several similarities in the skills that the candidates will need in order to be successful at the job role. Comparing the progress and t raining of both job roles is also different as they are two different jobs that require different knowledge.