Sunday, January 26, 2020

Coffee Shop In Singapore Marketing Essay

Coffee Shop In Singapore Marketing Essay This business report aims to provide in detail the information of an investor as well as the basic strategic business plan that necessary for operating and establishing initially of One Shot coffee shop. This plan outlines the following contents such as market analysis, company overview, operating plan, products and services, sales and marketing strategy, risk assessment, projected financial report and business growth plan. President of One Shot coffee shop is Mr. Wang and the vice president of One Shot coffee shop is Mr. Kun, vice president has a 45% share of the company, and president has a 55% share of the company. President of the company also is a CEO of the coffee shop, the CEO Manager the employees, and the vice president in charge with the goods supply. A vision can be defined as an eye chart, sometimes also referred to as the Company in the picture, but it is so much more than this. Your vision statement is your inspiration, your strategic planning framework. An eye chart, can be applied to a single sector of the entire company or the company. Whether all or part of an organization, the eye chart to answer the question, Where we want to go? Become the leading branded coffee shops in the region to business casual, taking into account the mood of consumer. About three years to recover the total investment cost, and gradually began to profit. 2.2 Mission Mission statement is a statement of the purpose of company or organization its reason for existing. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization. spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making. It provides the framework or context within which the companys strategies are formulated. Hill, Ch, Jones, G. (2008) To become a leader in this industry and provide a stable and reasonable income for the owners of the place for investment. (2) The successful completion of the construction and development of the stores, and gradually withdraw the investment capital. 3.Product and service Product and service are when a firm offer a mix of both products and services, in compare to the traditional focus on products. As define by a marketable set of products and services capable of jointly fulfilling a users need. largely motivated by the need on the part of traditionally oriented manufacturing firms to cope with changing market forces and the recognition that services in combination with products could provide higher profits than product alone.Face with shrink markets and increased commercialization of their products, those firms saw service provision as a new path toward profits and growth. 3.1The main product and service Cappuccino With less milk than a latte, cappuccino offers a stronger espresso flavor and a luxurious texture. To make it properly require more skill and attentiveness. Arguably the most important things is frothing the foam to velvety perfection as the milk steams something One Shot coffee shop barrister take great care to achieve . The milk mous tache that clings to your upper lip is proof weve made yours right. And we may say, you wear it well. Espresso Smooth and versatile Espresso Roast is the very heart and soul of One Shot. Its rich flavor, lingering aroma and caramel sweetness make it the perfect found for lattes, cappuccinos and all One Shot coffee shop espresso based beverages. But you can also enjoy it all by itself indeed, that might be the best way to discover its nuances. White Chocolate Mocha White chocolate fans will tell you they like it elegant, creamy taste. Its smooth subtle, is a perfect complement to a bolder taste. There is no bolder than we are rich, full-bodied espresso tastes. And it turns out, there is no better way to experience the decadent white chocolate, rather than in this delicious beverage. Caramel Macchia-to Scores of people are passionate devotees of the signature beverage. So bewitch are they, youd think it was any kinds of magical elixir. Well theres no hocus pock here. Well tell you exactly what goes into it: creamy vanilla flavored syrup, freshly steamed milk with a topping of velvety rich foam, one intense hit of One Shot Espresso roast, a finish of buttery caramel drizzle. okay, we take it back. It sounds like is magic to us. but it taste even better. Vanilla Latte There are many delicious ways to join espresso, but one of that couldnt be more classic is that Vanilla latte. Just need a few ingredient make up that favorite: One Shot Signature espresso. Creamy steamed milk and our classic vanillas syrup. Simple, .Satisfying always. 4.Industry summary and analysis 4.1PESTEL This sector examines in detail the external environment as well as the macroeconomic forces include the current issues such as the global financial crisis, inflation, etc. facing the coffee industry operates. In this case, an analysis and estimation of the main external environment factors to the One Shot coffee shop by using the PESTEL Analysis. Any analysis of the successes and failures facing a SME must understand the macro environment within which a SME operates (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). The PESTEL framework is designed to provide managers with an analytic-al tool to identify different macro-environment factors that may business strategies, and to assess what difference environmental factor may influence the business performance now or in future. The PESTEL framework include six types of important environment influences: political, economic social, technological, environmental and legal factors. These factors would not be seen as independent factor. Factor such as a technological advances may probably affect the social and economic conditions in different markets. 4.1.1Political factors The political factor is to what extent the government intervention in the economy. Specifically, political factors, such as tax policy, labor law, environmental law, trade restrictions, tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services, the government should provide or provided (merit goods), the government does not want (demerit goods or advantages of bads). In addition, governments have great influence in health, education, and a national infrastructure It is known that Singapore is a very stable country with low social risk, at the same time; the government of Singapore is encourage more and more tourists to Singapore, ;like the government building the casino in Singapore, the government also want more tourists come to Singapore. The government agencies in Singapore play a very active role in promoting Singapore as a global destination. Under the guidance of STB (Singapore tourism board) it takes majors to promote itself as a MICE destination. For such a good political factors let the business in Singapore get more benefit. Hence, the One Shot coffee shop may run its business stability and benefit its investment profitability under Singapores strong government policies. 4.1.2Legal factors Legal factors include discrimination law, consumer protection law, antitrust law, labor law, health and safety laws.These factors may affect the Companys operations, its cost, and the demand for its products. As Singapores law is very strict and the government will protect Intellectual property rights and doesnt allow other companies to infringe the copyright and intellectual property so it is very good for company to compete with each other fairly. For the One Shot coffee shop in Singapore its intellectual property rights had been protect under the Singapores legal. 4.1.3Economic factors Economic factors such as economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and inflation rate. These factors have significant impact on the enterprise how it works, and make a decision. For example, interest rates affect the companys cost of capital, and therefore, the extent to which the business growth and expansion. Exchange rates affect the cost of export goods and the supply and price of imported goods in the economic Based on trade, economics (2011), Singapores per capita GDP (gross domestic product) is higher than most developed countries. In fact, with the economic development of Singapores economy diversified, open trade policies, international communication links, and attract multinational investment. Singapore is a vibrant economy, and its economy is heavily dependent on exports. From 2007 to 2010, 7.62% of the to enjoy average GDP growth. It enjoys a higher per capita income than most developed countries. February 14, 2007, the Singapore government announced that the annual economic growth of 7.9% in 2006, 7.7% higher than originally anticipated. Singapores unemployment rate was 2.2%, around February 20, 2009. As of August 7, 2010, Singapore is one of the worlds fastest growing economies, the growth rate was 17.9% in the first half of 2010. Singapore is a highly abundant natural resources. Have advanced the state of the infrastructure, including country hotels, roads, transport facilities, telecommunicate facilities, aviation services. One Shot coffee shop might be an opportunity in such a good condition. 4.1.4Social factors Social factors include the cultural aspects of health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on the safety. Trend of social factors on the impact of the companys products and needs, the companys operations. For example, the aging of the population may mean a smaller, more willing workforce (thus increasing the cost of labor). In addition, the company may change to a different management strategy, in order to adapt to these social trends (such as to hire older workers). Social environment in SMEs is concerned about innovation, risk taking, and large-scale transformation to social problem solving (Kuratko, 2008). Singapore has a very vibrant cosmopolitan culture. It has a very strong education system. Everyone is comfortable with English. Along with business tourism opportunities it has great facilities for leisure activities such as state of the art shopping malls, casinos, resorts, restaurants etc. Thus it can be concluded that the social factors are very supportive for the coffee industry in Singapore. Singapore is considered as a very safe city. 4.1.5Technological factors Technical factors, including the technical aspects, such as R D activity, automation, technology incentives, technological change speed. They were able to determine the access threshold, the minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. In addition, changes in technology will affect the cost, quality and lead to innovation. There is no doubt that the modern technology not only improves all the coffee equipments quality and productivity. but also accelerate the commercialization process of the coffee business. SMEs primarily face challenge of technologies in transportation, utility, health care, electrical, and computer industries. Technological forces can create new markets, reduce and eliminate cost barriers between businesses (David, 2009). Using a professional Espresso coffee machine made by Italian, never on the details of some coffee neglect. 4.1.6Environmental factors The environment factors such as the weather and climate change. The One Shot coffee shop will set hotel royal queens at 12 queen street Singapore. the weather and climate change doesnt affect One Shot coffee shop. 4.2SWOT Humphrey, Albert (December 2005). SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Limitations, Opportunities, and Threats are involved in one project or in a commercial venture. It involved specifying the objectives of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. By using SWOT analysis can assist One Shot coffee shop to identify the internal weakness and external threats factors, then improve the performance and search the benefits from opportunities and counter the threats as well. 4.2.1STRENGTHS The freshest coffee. Now cook baked transported on a weekly basis, to ensure that the beans are in the peak of tasting The most rigorous training. Three months to six months rigorous training of professional coffee Daren implement the recipe from the coffee to the professional knowledge of coffee plus Leadership and Service concept, inject One Shot passion for each cup of coffee. The most professional and coffee.   A professional Espresso coffee machine of  Italian, never on the details of any coffee neglect. The most comfortable environment.   Most spacious seating space, with the tone of European art-style decor, and free wireless Internet service offers consumers the most comfortable and convenient dining environment The special location. In this hotel just have one coffee shop inside. 4.2.2WEAKNESSES Affected by the location, almost customers are the person who is live in this hotel. One Shot coffee shop is a new company, almost customer are like the Starbucks. 4.2.3OPPORTUNITIES An unfulfilled customer need. There is an opportunity to increase the customer base by advertising as well as developing the new products and services. The merger or other types of expansion strategy can be considered as the opportunities factors when this coffee shop business plan get to the stage of maturity. The coffee shop set in hotel industry is a new developing market. 4.2.4THREATS Price wars with competitors. Some of competitors strive to earn a higher market share by selling its products and services at a lower price. New entrants and cost: the threat of new entrants in the market is a critic elements. This is a growth factor in the development, but also the threat of new entrants,intense competition and rapid deployment in the target market. 4.3 Porters five forces The porters five forces model of competitive analysis is a widely used approach for developing strategies in many industries. Indeed, the five forces model can determine the kinds of competitive forces are the firm staffs facing and measure the force on how strong are there in different parts the company facing. The figure shows the porters five forces model of competition below. Porters five forces model of competition Threat of new entrants Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Rivalry a mongst existing firms in the industry Threat of substitute products or services Porter Five force High Medium Low Competitive Rivalry à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Threats of New Entry à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Bargaining Power of Customers à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Bargaining Power of Suppliers à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Threats of substitution à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ (Source: diagram created for this assignment) 4.3.1Threat of new entrants (high) The threat of new entrants is the threat of new competitors in the industry, existing competitors. A profitable industry realized profits will attract more competitors. If these new entrants is very easy to enter the market low barriers to entry the company has been a threat to competition in this market. More competitive while consumer demand increases or increase capacity which means less profit to go around. According to the power of one of Porters five forces model, the threat of new entrants, shape the competitive structure of an industry. Porters definition of the threat of new entrants, and completely changed the way people look at an industry competitive. Coffee shop is a low expensive shop , and One Shot coffee shop is a new brand in Singapore,the required investment is low. The major cost includes the real estate and coffee related equipments. Franchise is also an option that investment risks are low,Barriers to entry are low, thus the threat of new entrants are high due to low switch cost, and low capital requirements, and low restrictions. So the threat of new entrants is high. 4.3.2Threat of substitute products or services (high) The threat of substitute products or services: product substitutes and other products to perform the same or similar functions. Professor of microeconomics, more alternatives, the demand for the product becomes more elastic. The elasticity of demand is the consumer price sensitivity, which is equivalent to less certainty of profits. An attractive alternative to price the price of alternatives as the upper limit of the price of the underlying product. An attractive alternative behavior, depressed prices to reach its profit potential of the industry. Improved quality, alternatives alternatives quality is high, there are more and more pressure, the increase in the quality of the main product. Low switching costs passed on to consumers switching costs for consumers can come in the form of currency conversion costs cost or lifestyle. The monetary cost to the price of alternative products, and the cost of living is subjective, it is difficult to determine. In either case, more easily and lower cost is to switch to the alternative, the Alternate higher threat. Other substitutes tea, juice, soft drinks, alcohol and other coffee and non-coffee related drinks. given the sensitivity of consumers to price of coffee and a number of substitute available, the significance of the threat from substitutes is high. 4.3.3Bargaining power of suppliers (medium) Powerful bargaining power of suppliers, the seller and the buyer, the seller greater influence. This effect can be used to reduce the profit the buyer more favorable pricing, the limit product or service quality, or part of the cost is passed on to the buyer, the supplier is powerful. coffee is supplied by a variety of farms from South America or Africa. Third of all the coffee farms are less than one third. Industry main hedge position by diversifying those supplier portfolio. The power of suppliers is medium since there is a wide array of farmlands that supply specialty coffee beans, however, the farmers do supply a differentiated product. 4.3.4Bargaining power of buyers (Low) Porters five forces buyer bargaining power is consumer pressure, can play on the enterprise, allowing them to provide higher quality products and better customer service, lower prices. In the analysis of the bargaining power of buyers, industry analysis, from the sellers point of view. According to Porters five forces industry analysis framework, the buyer power of the forces shaping one of the competitive structure of an industry. The number of buyers in the industry is large, and their purchases are low volume. Industrys products, service and experience are differentiated.A cup of coffee does not represent a significant fraction a buyers cost of living. The buyers power is low because of that they lacked negotiation power and the ability to force down prices and pit competitors against each other. 4.3.5Rivalry among-st existing firms in the industry (Medium) Competitiveness increasingly competitive, when one or more competitors see an opportunity to grow, and competitors customers, or feel the need to attract more customers because of low profitability. Competition in the industrial competitiveness is an important issue, usually there will be many competitors are trying to carry out a sufficient rate of return on investment, profitability is generally low. Several competitors those who have already established a competitive advantage the profits of treason, but the more competitive competition means that the balance of payments, and generate enough cash to survive the struggle. Retaliation competitive competition intensified, the reaction of competitors, an aggressive strategy, with its own offensive or defensive strategy. This kind of competition is often the reasons for lower prices, competitors use a marginal contribution to the cost of administrative expenses. However, the competitiveness of the competition by fighting in advertising, product introduction and customer service. One Shot coffee shop is a coffee shop in the hotel ,The intensity of rivalry is medium because of the numerous competitor within the industry, despite it being a growing at 15% annually. On the other hand, there is no evidence of price or advertising wars within the industry. 5.Market strategy One Shot Cultures marketing strategy will be focused at getting new customer, retaining the exist customers, got customers to spend more or come back more often. Building a loyal customer base is a paramount importance since such customer core will not only generate most of the sales but also will provide favorable referrals. 5.1Competitive Edge One Shot culture, positioning itself as a unique coffee bar, its customers can not only enjoy the perfect coffee a cup, but also spent time in the surrounding environment. Comfortable sofas and chairs, dim lighting and quiet relaxing music will help customers relax from everyday stress, to distinguish single from incumbent competitors culture. 5.2Sales strategy The shooting cultural balistas the processing sales transactions. In order to speed up customer service, and at least two employees to provide services to customers of an employee, customer orders will be ready, the other employees will be taken care of sales transactions. All data will be recorded on the sales of computer point-of-sale terminal in the subsequent analysis for marketing purposes. In order to build its customer base, we will use the banner of a single culture and flyers, customer referrals with other businesses, communities and cross-promotional. At the same time, the customer retention program will be used to ensure that customers come back and spend more coffee. 5.3Marketing mix The Marketing mix is a common words that used to describe a various choices which the company must process the procedure of bringing a specific services or products to the market. Besides, it is also known as the four Ps which include the Price, Place, Product and Promotion. (Kamil et al 2009) 5.3.1Product strategy The product actually means that the service or product introduced by the company which offer to the customer of the target market. In this business plan, the product of One Shot coffee shop company is the services such as the pool lessons, the rental of One Shot coffee shop, and the snacks and beverage counter services. constantly developing new breakfast cereals the product element is the new product themself, setting the price right involved examining customer perception and rival products as well as costs of manufacture, promotion involved engaging in a range of promotional activities e.g. competitions, product tasting etc, 5.3.2Place strategy Marketing experts know that the best product in the world will never make an impact in the business world if no one can locate and obtain it. Keeping this simple, yet vital brick in the house of marketing, One Shot coffee shop gives careful consideration to the placement of its restaurant. Within that marketing research, It takes into consideration the population of a given part, major roadway in the vicinities of the proposed coffee shop site, traffic that passes by the coffee shop site, and the demographics of that area, as they know a great deal about One Shot customers. The place of One Shot coffee shop is in hotel royal queens at 12 queen street Singapore, in the hotel ,there is only had one coffee shop inside.so the place of One Shot coffee shop is a very good place, its in the central of Singapore. 5.3.3Pricing strategy Built in the right area, the people will come, but a good price does play a role, so that they come back. The single main content of the marketing strategy is one of the efficient pricing of their products. Understanding of the target market, including a large part of the family, they always need an affordable way to go out to dinner with their children, over the years a menu price, almost anyone can eat a lens, and enjoy quality meals without flowers a lot of money. What is really down the value of people enjoy single food, which is a big part of repeat customers, the best in the world price of products sold, if consumers do not think, what they buy. In fact, a single pointed out in their value menu in recent years, it provides a selection of menu items at a low price, this thoroughly. Other marketing concepts are integrated into the strategic value menu. Menu as the value of this project , to sell profitable products, this is a small loss leaders, if any profits are usually single cafe, coffee and soft drinks of your choice to accompany earnings, so that you have a a good price, but single cafe achieve the profitability. 5.3.4Promotion strategy One Shot coffee shop are still some basic promo gimmicks that most cafes should have like coffee mugs with your logo print on it. Travel mug is one of the most besought after item coffee junkies want. One Shot can sell these at shop or give it away on special occasion like your store open or yearly anniversary. One Shot coffee shop should also or have other standard promotional items such as shirts, key chains, tumblers, and note pads. If you want your promotion items to been seen more, offer things what people will really used outside the home like T- shirts, caps and visors, laptop bags, and backpack. For the high end market, One Shot coffee shop can sell CDs with a collection of music One shot coffee shop usually play at One Shot coffee shop Another method to market One Shot coffee shop business is by increasing One Shot coffee shop visibility online. Set-up a website where One Shot coffee shop can post materials related to the coffee business. One Shot coffee shop can also post announcements on One Shot coffee shop website for special offers and contests. Post One Shot coffee shop details on One Shot coffee shop site such as name, logo, location and telephone number. Add one page for suggestion, a forum and contact pages. Promote a special item on your menu on a week basis. One Shot product can be one coffee beverage, pastry or dessert. Announce the promotion on One Shot coffee shop site. Make One Shot coffee shop promo exciting and fun to encourage customers to come. One Shot coffee shop could have a contest like a coffee art contest wherein customers can create their own coffee art win prizes. Post the contest details and prizes on One Shot coffee shop website too. Prizes can be inexpensive like a free mug of coffee, coupon or free T-shirt with One Shot logo. Offering coffee charge cards is a very good idea. It is convenient for some staff and client. Instead of searching for coin and bill in their wallet or bag, customers can simply use a prepaid charge card to buy One Shot coffee. It is pretty convenient for customers who bought coffee daily. In other advantage is that One Shot get to sold more coffee in advance. 6.Management team and company structure This section of the business plan is essential information for investors and financial institution-it gives information about how your company is organized and who is in charge. This section is useful for relaying who accomplishes what tasks for the business, the business knowledge of the management team and the qualifications of the board . In this coffee shop Mr.Wang is the CEO, and Mr.Kun is the Chief Operating Officer,and one Chief Financial one Officer Chief Marketing Officer one Chief Technology Officer CEO may be able to set strategic, predict the future and control the budget, CEOs think about where the organization are going, the people and process need to get there, and how they will work in the current market. A COO handles a companys complex operational details. The companys COO insures the business can deliver day by day. COO figure out just what need to be measured so COO can tell if that things are going well. Then COOs team create the systems to track the measurement and take action when the company is not delivering. CFO will been busy figuring out that customers, business line and product is profitable, so the next year you can afford the really cool equipment. CMO owns the marketing strategyand that often includes the sales strategyand oversees its implement. The CMO will know or learn One Shot industry inside out and helps One Shot position One Shot product, differentiate it from your competitors products, enlist distributor, and make sure that customers are learn to crave One Shot product. CTO is a very important person in One Shot coffee shop, CTO need produce the coffee which one can make it more good. And at last we need 10 waiters, One Shot coffee shop must ensure that when a customer needs help always had one waiter in the side. 7. Operating planning It is describe one short term way of achieve milestones and explain how, or that portion . A strategic plan will set into operation when a given operational period, in the case in a commercial application, the fiscal year or another given budget term. One operational plan are the basis for, and testificatory for an annual operate budget request. Therefore, five year strategic plan need five operation plan fund by five operate budget. Operational plans should build the activity and budgets for every part of the organization for the next 1 to 3 years. One Shot link the strategic plan with the activity the organizations will deliver and the resources require to deliver their. An action plan drawn directly describe institutions and plan tasks and goals, plan objectives and plan activities of agencies and programs of strategic plan. 7.1 Clear objectives In fact, the objectives same as the Goals addressed at the beginning of this business plan, the details of the clear objectives summarized . The clear objectives of the One Shot coffee shop company Objectives Description Rent a venue approximate 5,000 square feet as the location of One Shot coffee shops business operation. Offer a custom-made coffee lessons. Provide in details the One Shot coffee shop companys first year projected profit and loss statement. Establish the working relationships with the hotel during the period of first operating year. Build a positive image and perception as well as enhance the One Shot coffee shops awareness to the public. (Source: diagram created for this assignment) 8.Risk Assessment Management Risk assessment is a step in a risk management the procedure. The risk assessment is to determine the quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to the specific circumstances and recognized the threat. Quantitative risk assessment need to calculate the risk of the two components (R): the amplitude of the potential losses (L), and the probability (p), loss will occur. Risk assessment assumptions and uncertainties explicitly consider and present an objective risk assessment. The difficult part of the risk management is one of the number of measurements,

Saturday, January 18, 2020

This house would make the student pay

I strongly disagree in making university students pay for their tuition fees as I feel that education should come as a right and not have to come at a price. We all know that if there were no fees for university everybody who has the required grades for the specific university would have the chance to attend as often high achieving students miss out on the opportunity of university as they had come from a less – privileged family and this is unfair, but also it is discrimination to those from poorer backgrounds. As a result only those that are privileged and can afford the education can send their children to university. Student loans are offered as an option to help pay tuition fees but they tend to do more harm than good as there are unforeseen consequences. Tori Siler dropped out of Purdue University in 1999 after borrowing the maximum amount of federal student loans in America, about $46,000. Today, the single mother of two boys earns $32,000 a year as an administrative assistant, while her unpaid student-loan debt has ballooned to more than $100,000. Her lender wants her to repay $650 a month — one-quarter of her gross income — for the next 35 years. By the time Siler made the last payment, she would be 78. Hundreds of thousands of student borrowers are discovering what Siler has learned: that student loans are increasingly difficult to escape, regardless of the burden repayment might be. Unfortunately many students are having no option as universities tragically withdraw the person from their course due to the inability to pay for their courses which hinders their learning. Loans start being paid off when the student has a secure job which earns a minimum of fifteen thousand pounds and takes at least three years to pay back with interest added on from day one of payment. Therefore a large proportion of students are leaving university with a substantial amount debt. It is hard to agree with the fact that if there were no tuition fees with grants made available then more people will feel inclined to apply for university. Therefore these people would make something out of their lives. Graduates benefit the society as a whole but if fewer people graduate there are less people to fill spaces for specialty jobs e.g. doctors and lawyers as they are not as they will not have the sufficient knowledge and skills for the jobs. The UK is currently below average on how many young people are attending university as several other countries are sending more than sixty percent of young people in their population to university. Finland and Scotland are two perfect examples of countries in which people do not pay university are doing very well. The evidence of this is Edinburgh in Scotland has the most graduates in the entire world and their students are not paying fees! Surely that already shows how university fees are putting the country behind? It can be argued that independence and experience are gained and it prepares them for the future lives as they will have to be paying for those themselves, but in most circumstances parents end up paying so how is it in any way giving them or even offering any independence. The loans students have when they have graduated from university cause them to begin their lives after education in debt and there is no guarantee that they will even be able to pay it off for a very long time. It might be the in the priority of the government to put schools and hospitals first with taxpayers money as they only have a certain amount to pay for but services, hospitals and police but education as a whole should not have to come at a price as it is not a privilege but a basic right. As countries are becoming more developed they need a more highly – trained and skilled workforce. From one point of view it can be seen that the system is fair to students from different backgrounds as the fees are only paid back when a certain salary threshold is reached so someone who fails to benefit from their education doesn't apply for it, but I can easily make it clear that tuition fees discriminate those from poorer backgrounds who are less able to get into debt because even if they choose to go to university, students who happen to have rich parents are a great advantage compared to those who have to pay off the fees themselves. We need to cancel all debt for those leaving university. At the moment it would be persuasively argued that too many people are applying to university (around thirty five percent of all students). So obtaining a degree is simply not worthwhile for some people given their future employment plans; the time could be spent more wisely and constructively in actual work because nowadays universities are feeling pressurised to take as many people as possible as they are funded per student but it is not always in the students best interest as many choose to skip lectures, but what sort of government presumes to decide on behalf of the public what career they should follow? Everyone should have a free choice in deciding whether they want a degree or not, the argument of those opposing me is purely elitism, which is not right in a society like this. Those statistics just conceal the true problem without solving what is needed to be solved. It is like trying to ignore a river by building a dam. The water, like the problems, will just build and build†¦ This country is more developed and is still moving forward therefore more skilled graduates are needed. My own mother who left university nine years ago to her surprise saw that in her last bank statement money for her student loan had been removed from her account and this is happening to an increasing number of people as years go by. It has become more evident that many more people as years go by will be living off benefits and digging the country into a deeper hole. This is because more problems may arise such as crime as many people are becoming idle. The money the government doesn't want to pay on university will just be spent on jails and other problems to arise from this poor decision. It is up to you – lose: and you will be inevitably leaving university with debt to pay off or win: and won't be discouraged from university as you will not have student loans and extra debt to pay off.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Jose Rizal Essay

Republic Act No. 1425, known as the Rizal Law, mandates all educational institutions in the Philippines to offer courses about Josà © Rizal. The full name of the law is An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities Courses On the Life, Works and Writings of Jose Rizal, Particularly His Novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes. The measure was strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines due to the anti-clerical themes in Noli Me Tà ¡ngere and El Filibusterismo. RIZAL AS A HERO According to Renato Constantino, when the American government conquered the island of the Philippines from the Spanish government in 1896, the American government established a commonwealth government after the Spanish revolutionary government ceased to govern the country. At this time of the Philippine history, Filipinos under the commonwealth government started to frame up Filipino national identities. When the question on who would be the national hero arose, whether Rizal or Bonifacio, the American government â€Å"guided† the Filipino people to choose Rizal. The American rationale was based on Rizal’s peaceful propaganda and diplomatic approaches in attaining Philippine freedom and independence, unlike Bonifacio who chose a bloody revolution. Whether this assessment is accurate or not, Dr. Rizal has been considered a hero of the Philippines from the outset: a public holiday was declared honouring Dr. Rizal in 1898, whereas that for Bonifacio was not declared until 1921. Dr. Rizal was considered to be his inspiration by Bonifacio himself. Even without the assistance of US propaganda, Rizal would have been honoured as a hero in the Philippines. Perhaps the effect of the propaganda was less to boost Rizal and more to denigrate Bonifacio. THE RIZAL LAW AND NATIONALISM Much has been said and written about Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the man whose life we are honoring today. He was dubbed as our national hero, rightly so, as his life and even his morose death has inspired and continues to inspire  generation after generations of Filipinos. In a time where being born a Filipino in the Philippines was a disadvantage, he lived to prove this wrong and in his works that led to his death, he immortalized the true spirit of the Filipino people – the spirit of resilience, of valor, of greatness. His works and philosophies not only sparked a revolution, they were revolutionary. He was even himself a revolution in every sense of the word. Conrado de Quiros, in one of his columns, best described Rizal’s existence as he wrote and I quote, â€Å"Rizal’s greatest act of subversion was not something that he said or did. It was what he was. They probably would have executed him anyway even if he had not written savage satires of the friars and their brethren in government. His very existence was seditious. He was brilliant. That was the most seditious thing of all.† Jose Rizal lived in a time where those who fronted themselves as leaders and evangelizers led by reducing the ruled to nothingness, making them a horde of lazy, uneducated fools who owed the Spaniards a favor for ruling them; and evangelized by feeding them blind faith as they made the Indios believe that they were a bunch of sheep who would be lost without them. Then, suddenly, Rizal emerges from the institutions of Europe, where he turned himself into an arsenal of knowledge, bettering most of them and brimming with the desire to free his people from the brainwashing and the oppression. By virtue of his erudite and the burning passion for his bereaved motherland, he was despised. During those times, Rizal was not the Rizal we know today. Rizal was a traitor, Rizal was a filibuster, Rizal was a heathen, Rizal was even a philanderer, a womanizer, and everything that was no good. Worst of all, he was an excommunicado. In 1956, two world wars and decades after Rizal’s death and the dichotomy between state and church has been pronounced by Law, the Third Congress of the young Republic of the Philippines passed into Law Republic Act No. 1425, â€Å"An Act to include in the curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and universities courses on the life of Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing and distribution thereof, and for other purposes.† It was called the Rizal Law and it was crafted so that the youth may know Jose Rizal so as to not forget who he was and what he did for our country and during the process of knowing Rizal in the formative and decisive years of a student in school, that they be re-dedicated to the ideals of freedom and   nationalism to which our Rizal and the rest of our heroes fought and died for. The Rizal Law My dear friends, this afternoon, I was given the task of lecturing to this august body how the Rizal Law came to be. Given that this is a historic piece of legislation, I hope its significance to our history will be enough to hold your attention until the end of the lecture. Ladies and gentlemen, please do not fall asleep because that would be very un-nationalistic and unRizal-like. The Rizal Law was principally authored by the Senator Jose P. Laurel and if I may add, not to be boastful but to express how proud I am of his legacy, that my grandfather, the late Senator Lorenzo Taà ±ada, co-authored and defended the Rizal Law in the halls of Senate with Senator Laurel. Senator Laurel was known to have read Rizal’s work extensively and he saw Rizal as our foremost hero and he believed that the only way of knowing him as a national hero was to read his works and to find out what he had done for us all, stating matter-of-factly, that there was simply no other way. For the senators who first proposed and defended the bill, one of the ways of honoring Rizal was to accord him recognition as the symbol of unity, and of our nationalistic sentiment as a people, as he himself showed us. When the Rizal Law was first drafted on April 3, 1956 as Senate Bill No. 438 entitled, â€Å"An act to make the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo compulsory reading matter in all public and private colleges and universities for other purposes,† Senator Laurel, then the chairman of the Senate Committee on Education did not expect to encounter any opposition to the bill. However, mainly because of the fact that despite the established secularization between church and state, the influence of the Catholic Church casted a dark shadow on the proceedings on the passage of the bill, highlighting four major issues that forced the principal author to make serious amendments on the original bill – (a) the compulsory nature of the bill, (b) religion, (c) the de finition of â€Å"basic texts† and â€Å"required readings,† and lastly, (d) the power of the National Board of Education. Compulsory Nature of the Act In the original bill drafted, reading of the unexpurgated versions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo was compulsory among students. This  was the bone of controversy to some of the Senators, the press, and the Catholic Church. The substitute bill sponsored by Senator Laurel corrected this by ordering that the compulsory aspect of reading the unexpurgated versions be applicable only to those in the collegiate level but the two books must be present in the libraries of all schools. Senator Laurel maintained throughout the entire debate that there is no compulsion or compulsory reading of the Noli and Fili in their original and unexpurgated form in schools and institutions below college level. Courses on the life, works and writings of Rizal, however, should be included in the curricula for schools, colleges and universities. He strongly believed that students in the tertiary level should be compelled to read the unexpurgated versions, and that Rizal’s two greatest works should not be disfigured or expurgated, because he believed that by disfiguring them, we disfigure Rizal. Religion The compulsory aspect of the bill was considered scandalous because of one thing, Religion. The Catholic Church has always had its way of making its influence known in matters of legislation. In the mid-1950’s, many Catholic Schools still banned their libraries from having copies of the Noli and Fili because of their subversive nature. Section 4 of the Rizal Law states in part that, â€Å"Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amending or repealing Sec. 927 of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.† It is prohibited by law to discuss any problems affecting dogma and religious creed. In one of the interpellations, the late Senator Roseller T. Lim argued that â€Å"the possibility that in some respects we might divide our people, religious doctrines that might be brought up in the Noli Me Tangere or El Filibusterismo may not be touched upon or discussed.† To this statement, Senator Taà ±ada, asked â€Å"are teachers both in public and private schools not precluded from explaining even matters of religion contained in these two novels?† Senator Laurel defends the bill by stating, â€Å"when you use the novels of Rizal and a question was asked by a pupil and the teacher explains, he is supposed to explain in his own way in accordance to his beliefs, but he is not supposed to engage in religious discussion in favor of any religious sect or domination because there is separation between the Church and the State.† He furthers that, â€Å"if there is some question raised  to the teachers, the teachers must explain.† A scenario was raised by another Senator to deepen the discussion, â€Å"what if a professor is Catholic in a public school or an Aglipayan in a private school and the chapter where Pilosopong Tasyo and Purgatory comes up and a student asks whether or not purgatory exists?† If you remember in Chapter 14 of Noli, Pilosopong Tasyo, the man who was considered a lunatic for knowing too much from books by the Indios who knew nothing, boldly explains how he did not believe in purgatory and goes on about how it is just an imagined construct for Christians to live a good life. Of course, that chapter was a stab to the church so it was highly controversial during those times, apparently it was seen as controversial even until 1956. Senator Laurel answered that, â€Å"if you give freedom to the other teacher denying purgatory or defending purgatory, whatever may be his opinion, you have to grant that to the rest of the teachers. We cannot prohibit in one case what we grant in other cases.† The point of it was that if a student asks, the teacher must explain. The Catholic Church even issued a statement backed by the Archbishop then saying that the reading of the unexpurgated versions of the two novels would be contrary to the precepts of the religion of the church. The problem the senators had to face was the fact that students would be placed in a situation where on the one hand, he or she would like to follow the civil authorities to read the two novels, while on the other hand, he or she has the statement from his church that to read these books would be against the tenets of Catholicism. To these arguments, the senators behind the Rizal Law made it clear that those pronouncements which are lofty, patriotic, nationalistic, instructive, and of great educational value are the principles that should be disseminated and propagated and taught to the Filipino youth. Senator Laurel, being well-versed on the works of Rizal defends the hero by arguing that it was not Rizal’s intention to directly attack the church, but only those individuals who have prostituted and oppressed the Filipinos in the name of the Catholic religion. It was never Rizal’s purpose to impair and destroy the sacred institution of the Roman Catholic Church, he simply wanted to expose the rascals, the criminals, the oppressive elements of the religious institutions then in vogue. At the end of the discussion, Senator Laurel boldly states that the students had to make the decision of whether or not to read the two novels for themselves.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Basic Texts† vs. â€Å"Required Readingà ¢â‚¬  Another issue was based on the technical aspects of the substitute bill. Section 1 of the Rizal Law states in part that, â€Å"in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used as basic texts.† Some of the senators found difficulty in understanding the broadness of the term, â€Å"basic text,† so a good number of time was spent on this issue. Senator Laurel, being the principal author of the bill and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, was asked for a technical definition but was adamant about giving one arguing that this task should be relegated to the Board of National Education, which was composed of technical experts on the field of education. Senator Taà ±ada’s thoughts enlightened everyone on the matter arguing that basic text means something that is required because that is the plain meaning. When a text is basic, it is so considered because of its importance. If there is a basic subject that is required for the obtaining of a degree or the finishing of a course, that means that you cannot graduate unless you have successfully passed the subject because that subject is a requirement, and, therefore, a basic subject which if a student has not finished will not permit him to terminate his course or to graduate. Because of the difficulties the senators faced in the compulsory aspect of the bill, the concept of â€Å"required reading materials† was presented as an alternative. Some senators suggested that instead of being used as basic texts, why not just include the Noli and Fili in the list of required readings along with other books containing the same ideals of patriotism and nationalism so that students would have the choice of reading other required books if they find the Noli and Fili offensive to their respective religions. Senator Laurel would later yield to t his suggestion as a compromise to the detractions of the Catholic Church and the senators belonging to her. Power of the Board of National Education In order to settle some of the contentious issues found in the bill, the senators agreed to one solution – to authorize the Board of National Education to carry out the responsibilities of (a) writing and printing appropriate primers, readers and textbooks for the lower years, (b)  promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of the bill, and (c) promulgate rules and regulations for the exemption of students for reasons of religious beliefs. This authorization was given based on logic that the Board of National Education, which was composed of technical experts on the field of education, will carry out the said responsibilities in the manner that will best insure the objectives of the law and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. This would also save the senators from the detractors on and against the side of the Catholic Church, the BNE would be the target of these hecklers later on. The final Rizal Law underwent several changes, but the 23 senators who voted Yes to the compromise bill on that faithful day of May 17, 1956, considered it as a step forward because of how it reasserted the power of the State to control and regulate the education of the people, while at the same time, it also conserved and preserved the liberty of conscience by leaving the option to the parties concerned that is, to the students themselves. Despite of the compromise that was drawn wherein students were no longer compelled to read the unexpurgated versions of the Noli and Fili, the fact that the courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal were to be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, private or public, remained. And this has been in effect since then. The Rizal Law is the reason why we all know and remember Jose Rizal, who he was and what he stood for. It is why we know Crisostomo Ibarra, Elias, Maria Clara, Padre Damaso, and Pilosopong Tasyo. It is why we know Simoun, Isagani, Basilio, Kabesang Tales, Tandang Selo, Ben-zayb and Placido Penitente. My dear friends, as I threw out all those names, I was hoping for only one thing†¦that you can still recall who and what those names stood for. That you can still remember, and as you reminisce, that your memory of those characters awaken the emotions – the hurt, the anguish, the sense of betrayal from the oppressors, and the sense of patriotism, of wanting to fight for those who were oppressed, the love for our countrymen, and the love for our country – all these emotions that Rizal awakened within us when we were just students learning of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. If you are feeling these emotions right now, then I can truly say that Rizal’s legacy and the legacy of the Rizal Law lives on with us today. If not, I beg of you to read the Noli and Fili once again for they  have much to tell us and for they have much more to teach us. You may be surprised that the characters in Noli and Fili are very much alive and have taken different names in present day Philippine society. Ladies and gentlemen, the stories of the Noli and Fili, including Rizal’s struggle to publish them, tells us of resilience – that even the worst of times may not be a hurdle in the quest for excellence. Clearly, the late senators had their fair share of resilience in fighting for the passage of the Rizal Law despite the unpopular image it gave them. Not to drive a nail on the wall, but I think the enactment of the Rizal Bill into law was their way of exercising their patriotism. It was a testament of their living up to Rizal’s ideals and they have been quite successful in teaching Rizal to every Filipino. It was the same sense of nationalism and patriotism from Rizal’s teachings, I believe, that encouraged the 12 Senators 35 years later on September 16, 1991, to reject the continued presence of US Military Bases in our country. But most of all, my dear friends, the Noli and Fili tells us of heroism and nationalism. As Conrado de Quiros once again puts it, â€Å"striving becomes all the more luminous when done in the service of one’s own people, one’s own country.† Rizal believed that Filipinos are capable of far greater things and he and others like him were living proof of this, which is why he immortalized the true spirit of the Filipino people in his two great novels. Jose Rizal may remain unrivaled in his brilliance but he never meant to intimidate, he served to show us, to remind us, of who and what we are and of who a nd what we can become. In Rizal’s writings, our culture of resistance to oppressors was perpetuated. This is why we are a nation that resists when we are subjected to the brink. We are not afraid to dissent, to oppose, to fight. From the legacy that Rizal and our great heroes left us, let us ask ourselves, â€Å"What have we done to live up to this?† Today, we have been unfortunate to have lost the best and the brightest to other countries, our fields are being devoured by floods, our waters continue to be polluted by oil spills and our fishing grounds are running empty, our public schools are festering with termites while teachers sell longganiza to the students to augment their delayed salaries, businesses find no mercy in terminating long-time employees to save money, churches find it better to be chauvinistic than to address the poverty that overpopulation has progenized, where factories see neighborhoods as waste  disposal areas, and most of all, where those in power find it routine to squander the money of the people. We know what the cancer of our society is, it is still the same cancer that plagued Rizal’s time. The only difference is that ours has spread. The question now remains, have we, in any way, contributed to the cure? Or are we part of those who let the tumors fester? In Rizal’s work, The Indolence of the Filipinos, Rizal himself said: â€Å"Peoples and governments are correlated and complementary; a fatuous government would be an anomaly among a righteous people, just as a corrupt people cannot exist under just rulers and wise laws.† In other words, progress and prosperity can only be achieved only by a responsible citizenry. No number of measures for reforms and betterment would be enough if the people themselves tolerate abuses, are indifferent to rising issues, and are timid and apathetic to the ills besetting our country. When we are fully conscious of our duties and obligations to our people and country, when nationalism becomes a way of life, triumphant and influencing our daily life, then we can truly say that we have followed the teachings and examples of Rizal. Only then, can we hold our heads high, knowing that we have re-oriented our ways to the dreams and goals that Rizal had envisioned for us. Nationalism today places before us a grand challenge, a great responsibility. More than ever, in our national existence, we need Rizal to enlighten us, to be a symbol of our onward struggle for the realization of our ambition as a nation, unfettered not only politically, but culturally and economically. With nationalism — as demonstrated by Rizal — as our weapon and means, we will triumph.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Metropolis Terrorism Incident Preparedness Strategy

Metropolis Terrorism Incident Preparedness Strategy The constantly changing nature of terrorism mandates that Metropolis continues to press forward to develop a vision and strategy that defines their terrorism preparedness objectives. Employing insight and identifying eight risk areas, Metropolis has developed this terrorism incident preparedness plan. The intent of this document is to provide Metropolis guidance and cohesion to support agencies during a terrorist event using reactionary and resiliency planning. Moreover, the plan will consist of three parts. Part I will discuss four reactionary and four resiliency areas, Part II identifies impacted segments of the areas discussed in Part I, and Part III will provide detailed step-by-step†¦show more content†¦The four potential risk areas associated with reactionary planning include tourist facilities and special events, college research institutions, government facilities, and telecommunications and radio stations. The City of Metropolis offers a wide assortment of cultural opportunities with attractive locations for tourists seeking a vacation, and local citizens and retirees looking for year-round recreational opportunities. Oceanside features various tourist attractions with 25 miles of beach that provide residents and tourist with a major theme park, watersports, other recreational activities, movie theaters, restaurants, and shops. Year-round programs and special events include concerts and performances that attract large crowds, college and professional sport leagues that attract attendance between 20,000 and 70,000 fans, golf tournaments, and jazz festivals and concerts. This level of activity, combined with the size and scope of tourist facilities and events is an area of concern for tourist facilities and special events because they have several â€Å"soft† targets, and have the potential to influence terrorist attacks. Because the city’s population is culturally diverse, Metropolis’ tourist facilities and special events are attractive to domestic and international terrorists and terrorist groups; therefore, it is an essential part of the reactionary plan for the