Management of Diversity

MANAGEMENT OF DIVERSITY WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION Written and presented by: Tyson Johnson Charles Bushell Kori Greaves Introduction When most people envision diversity, the first things which come to mind are age, sexual orientation, race and gender. In Workforce America! Managing Employee Diversity as a Vital Resource, diversity is defined as: â€Å"otherness or those human qualities that are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet present in other individuals and groups. â€Å"The dimensions of diversity are further expanded but not limited to: age, ethnicity, gender, race, physical abilities/qualities, sexual orientation, education, geographical location, income, marital status, religion, work experience, military involvement. † (Loden and Rosener 1991; 18-19) Principles and Objectives To address diversity issues directly one must question: What policies, practices or current strategies within our organizational culture have differential impact o n different groups? What organizational changes should be made to meet the requirements of a modern diverse workforce and maximize the potential of all workers? The Key Principles and objectives of The Organizational Diversity Plan are as follows: * Promote awareness of workplace diversity within the organization (acceptance) * Develop and maintain a highly skilled and efficient workforce where the value and motivation of employees is present across the board * Develop a supportive environment where staff have a balance between work and their personal life * Provide a prejudice and harassment free working environment * Include diversity management principles in recruitment processes The Solution Acceptance of diversity: First and foremost, management must acknowledge that their working environment encompasses a wide variety of people. It is often difficult to see what part diversity plays in a specific area of management and how it relates to the development and success of the organization. A manager must understand that in the modern world, where migration due to education and opportunities is prevalent, diversity is an inevitable issue and must be handled in such a way that the organization can benefit and succeed. Development and maintenance of workforce: To develop an efficient team, a leader must be established within each team, group or department. The most effective team leaders build their relationships with workers through trust and loyalty as opposed to fear and power. A manager should consider the suggestions and ideas of all his employees. No idea should be considered as unworthy or idiotic. Employees should be made to feel like they belong and are part of the bigger picture. One should always seek chances to mediate and solve minor disputes before they get out of hand. This leads to greater harmony and a step towards achieving company goals. In mediating, directives should be clear and concise and must take into consideration everyone’s differences and views. The contribution of each team member should never be undervalued and the manager must remind his employees about the importance of his/her job to the success and development of the business. Employees should work on creating solutions on their own. This develops communication and builds a stronger bond. As a supervisor your initial priority in problem solving is stimulating debate. Employees are often afraid to disagree with one another and this may result in poor decisions made. Debate inspires creativity which further leads to a workforce which thrives on cohesion and efficiency. Develop a Supportive Environment: The working environment is always an important variable in having a productive staff. Diversity introduces many struggles including trying to maintain a balanced environment for employees. One must accept the fact that there is life outside of the workplace regardless of timelines and working hours. Families must be attended to, social activity to be maintained. It is up to management to forge a bridge between work and personal life in such a way that productivity is still maintained at a high level but with minimal stress. * The introduction of after work care for children of staff, will allow staff to continue to work outside of normal working hours but still be able to take care of their children. * Staff parties or outings are always a good idea to address the need for social interaction. This also gives workers a chance to understand different cultures and personalities of their colleagues. * Religious beliefs, and sexual orientations must be accepted and care taken to respect them. Prejudice and harassment free organization: The main problem realized with diversity is discrimination which comes in many forms. There should be a zero-tolerance policy with relation to prejudice or harassment of any kind. Regardless of race or culture or gender, each employee was hired for a particular set of skills or envisioned potential they could offer to the organization and they should be allowed to display and hone them. Discrimination breeds separation and breakdowns in communication which impacts very negatively on the productivity and advancement of any business. Where discrimination is identified as an issue, all efforts should be made to address the situation(s) as quickly as possible. Discipline must be swift and – in extreme cases – harsh in order to set the standard for further issues. Diversity management principles in recruitment: During recruitment and interviewing processes, management must bear in mind that everyone must have the same access to opportunities and ensure that a nondiscriminatory standard is used for the selection process. This can be aided by: Forming diverse selection committees to ensure bias free selection * Salary and incentives should be offered equally regardless of ethnic origin or sexual orientation * Make sure there is equal opportunity for both men and women Conclusion Management of diversity is one of the key goals of the modern organization. It is extremely important to comprehend how the dynamics of diversity affect performance, productivity, motivation and success within the business and le arn how to merge them. Some human resources policies and structures have created or presented barriers in an effort to mask the problem but this is far from the solution. These blockades must be removed to allow free interaction and communication between staff and staff and employer. Diversity is not a problem, but actually an aid in the development and advancement of an organization. As with any introduced policy, there is a need for continuous monitoring and evaluating. The modern business environment and attitudes contained are constantly being changed and molded. Bibliography Loden and Rosener – 1991 Oxford University Human Resources Department Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal – Ratsamy Phomphakdy, Brian H. Kleiner

Public libraries and hi-tech media

Public libraries should only provide books and should not waste their limited money on expensive hi-tech media such as software, video, or DVD. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Some people hold a view that public libraries should allocate their budget on books only, rather than on the advanced facilities such as software, video, or DVD. In my opinion, the functions of modern libraries can be more diversified with the development of our technology.The hi-tech media brings lots of advantages and convenience to the readers. Firstly, with the assistance of software like information system, or self-service books borrowing and returning system, people are able to find any instruction of any book they want such as loan condition, exact location, series number and numbers left and most importantly, reduce the time spent on waiting in line and consulting the staffs. With this regard, fewer employers are needed in libraries, which save certain xpenditure of labors' payment.Furthermore, such technology mediums store far more content than paper books, as well as enable readers to search for updated references that are beneficial for their works. Apart from this, it is a novel way of learning through resources from videos and DVDs. These mediums strengthen our further understanding and provide several proper solutions for questions generated during our reading. However, with the consideration of limited finance, some people's proposal is educing the introduction of technological equipments.Virtually, this idea is such an old-fashioned one because books are far from enough to meet people's demand for knowledge. If a library is filled with books only, the public are not so eager to study there as in other multi-functional libraries. In conclusion, public libraries should be subsidized by governments to the introduction and maintenance of modern facilities and have the collections of both the books and online sources. Public Libraries and Hi-Tech Media Public libraries should only provide books and should not waste their limited money on expensive hi-tech media such as software, video, or DVD. To what extent do you agree or disagree?Some people hold a view that public libraries should allocate their budget on books only, rather than on the advanced facilities such as software, video, or DVD. In my opinion, the functions of modern libraries can be more diversified with the development of our technology.The hi-tech media brings lots of advantages and convenience to the readers. Firstly, with the assistance of software like information system, or self-service books borrowing and returning system, people are able to find any instruction of any book they want such as loan condition, exact location, series number and numbers left and most importantly, reduce the time spent on waiting in line and consulting the staffs. With this regard, fewer employers are needed in libraries, which save certain expenditure of labors’ payment.Furth ermore, such technology mediums store far more content than paper books, as well as enable readers to search for updated references that are beneficial for their works. Apart from this, it is a novel way of learning through resources from videos and DVDs. These mediums strengthen our further understanding and provide several proper solutions for questions generated during our reading.However, with the consideration of limited finance, some people’s proposal is reducing the introduction of technological equipments. Virtually, this idea is such an old-fashioned one because books are far from enough to meet people’s demand for knowledge. If a library is filled with books only, the public are not so eager to study there as in other multi-functional libraries.In conclusion, public libraries should be subsidized by governments to the introduction and maintenance of modern facilities and have the collections of both the books and online sources.

Wooden truss Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wooden truss - Assignment Example Materials In selecting any material, it is necessary to put into consideration a number of factors including cost, performance, safety and regulation. The following materials are needed during the construction of a wooden roofing truss. Wood Truss plates Nails Hammer (claw hammer) Tape measure Marking pen Saw (cross saw and tenon saw) The step-by-step construction process Step I: A research should be conducted to ensure that the designed truss suits the project or building. In addition, the truss should not violate local and international codes. Moreover, it should be designed to meet wind load, snow load and any other load associated with building structures. Figure 1 shows basic truss members Figure 1: Basic wooden truss members Step 2: Truss design The selected truss design should suit the building. Measure and cut materials for a truss using the recommended measurements taking into accounts allowances.fit the pieces together using nails and using correct dimensions. All connectio ns should be tightly fitted Select the best quality for top cord and the bottom cord. These areas bear the highest stress. Figure 2 shows various forces acting on a bridge that an engineer should consider while making a design. Figure 2: A representation of a truss under the compression and tension forces. Nail all truss connections on a solid, level ground. Nails must penetrate all gussets and plates The amount of load that a timber can sustain for a given period is determined using the modification factor table shown on appendix III. Step 3: select appropriate lumber for the truss Softwoods are most preferred for making lumbers. The following factors are considered while selecting the lumber for a truss; Size of the lumber Quality of the lumber Straightness It should be kiln... Wooden trusses the most common types used in building and construction industry today because they are cheap and requires less labor and experience to construct. Roofing materials are designed to support various building loads. In addition, trusses come in various shapes and sizes In selecting any material, it is necessary to put into consideration a number of factors including cost, performance, safety and regulation. The following materials are needed during the construction of a wooden roofing truss. A research should be conducted to ensure that the designed truss suits the project or building. In addition, the truss should not violate local and international codes. Moreover, it should be designed to meet wind load, snow load and any other load associated with building structures. Figure 1 shows basic truss members. The size/shape of a wood truss is requires that some field assembly be done. The installer should ensure proper field assembly is done. In addition, the building compo nent safety lists all details that guide a field installer on how to place a truss on the wall.

Networking 208 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Networking 208 - Case Study Example This would require a server room which shall control all the network connections. Once the server rooms are setup, LAN within the floors must be setup. Network troubleshooting is one another important aspect of network setup. In case of any issues such as heavy network traffic, the first thing to be done would be to increase the bandwidth or shutdown the network. As a part of the network Performance monitoring, the first task would be make sure that all the network resources are utilized only until its maximum threshold. It is of most importance that all the counters are not over utilized. Counters such as CPU utilization, memory availability, Disk utilization and network availability are the most important counters to be monitored. These form the basic core components for any network. Monitoring these components are the most important. Along with these, the network traffic, the performance of the routers, switches, adapters and the cables are to be monitored to keep the network perf ormance in

Comparing Domes of Architect Sinan to Renaissance Architect Palladio, Essay

Comparing Domes of Architect Sinan to Renaissance Architect Palladio, Palladianism - Essay Example On the other hand, one of the associations coming to one’s mind with a dome is the centrepiece symmetry. It serves for the harmony of the building and the place where it is located. Following in keeping with the best traditions of Vitruvius and Alberti, two architects are highlighted so that to point out the use of the dome in their works. The comparison of the works by both architects is not a mere attempt to find out who was the best, but to show off where the edge between different cultures went through the aesthetic sensitivity of a man’s feeling and vision of what he/she feels. A slight connection in the use of dome in the architectural ensemble by Sinan and Palladio re-unites Eastern and Western culture and religion in a peculiar way. First off, it should be mentioned that the medieval architecture was full of the slight overlapping of new styles which layered the old ones in a peculiar and sophisticated way. In this respect it is necessary to mention that the Rom anesque style was followed by the Gothic style and then appeared so-called Mannerism. In this gradual follow-up, there were plenty of the architects able to add something new to the development of the overall look of the architectural ensemble in its connection to the place, epoch, people, and religion (one of the most important constituents underlined in the paper). Thus, the works of Sinan as the one of the most famous architect of his time across the Ottoman Empire go first in this enthusiastic analysis on the world’s architectural heritage. The mosques made by Sinan cannot but inspire to the deepest strings of a man’s soul. Creating his magnificent mosques during the time of more than 50 years, the 16th century Turkish architect felt a huge desire to never stop on using dome as the core idea of Islam, so to speak (Roose, 2009). The perfection seen on the example of Sehzade Mehmet Mosque outlines the uniqueness in how Sinan approached toward the glory of God seen on the example of patterned fornications. With the greatness of the Sinan’s creations, the classical architecture of the Ottoman Empire â€Å"reached its pinnacle† (Celik, 1993). Nevertheless, being Sinan’s first major work built in 1545-1548, it was well appreciated by the contemporaries for the articulated geometry and the arrangement of the domed hall (Moffett, Fazio, & Wodehouse, 2003). Apparently, the link between the central dome and half-domes illustrates the Islamic multifaceted implementation of the gorgeous ornaments. To say more, the dome was inserted with a huge passion of Sinan who tried to engrave the memory of the sultan Suleyman’s son Mehmet (Foster, 2004). What is more important, the construction of the columns supporting the dome in the mosque is also done in a symmetrical proportion, so that to shed light on the logic of the architectural form. Coloured stones and the mosaics incremented in the interior part of the dome of the Sehzade Mos que are done with the pure genius of Sinan. It means that the glory of the Ottoman classical architecture is rooted to the picturesque and full-of-wealth representation of the religious tradition throughout the Empire. Admittedly, Sinan felt his responsibility for praising Islam in terms of the architecture. Hence, his first mosque proved this idea right. Another Example of Sinan’s talent, as an architect is Selimiye Mosque. Built by Sinan in 1575 in Edirne, Turkey, the mosque is full of the architect’

IMPORTANT TO HAVE TWO GUARDS PER SHIFT AT KINDER MORGAN Essay

IMPORTANT TO HAVE TWO GUARDS PER SHIFT AT KINDER MORGAN - Essay Example rmation (2012), â€Å"Kinder Morgan monitors and inspects its pipeline system 24-hours a day from its state-of-the-art System Control Center† (Kinder Morgan: Pipeline, 2012, p. 3). Likewise, the organization enjoined the public to assist in ensuring safety and security of the noted assets through reliance on â€Å"neighbors, contractors and government and safety officials to help local field personnel protect the pipeline and identify possible damage or suspicious activity† (Kinder Morgan: Request, 2012, par. 1). It is therefore justifiable that more than one security guard per shift, particularly two security guards per shift, would man identified organization’s physical assets and perimeter due to the following reasons: (1) assets and resources to be guarded are highly volalite and flammable; very costly and any disruption due to theft, pilferage or damage would be detrimental to the organization and to the community it serves; (2) security personnel should be strategically located in diverse sites to ensure that critical risk areas are covered at all times; (3) as noted in the company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, specifically under the provision of Protection of Assets, it was noted that â€Å"company property or equipment may not be removed from the premises without advance authorization from the employees supervisor. Personal use of Company tools or equipment is prohibited except in case of prior supervisory approval† (Kinder Morgan: Code, 2012, p. 17); th erefore checking and verifying approval protocols necessitate the assistance of an additional security personnel, if and when, immediately required; (4) if one guard needs to be excused at one point in time due to any valid reason (for personal hygiene or to eat, drink or take a quick and much needed snack), there is another one who could fully assume the position which was temporarily left. An organization such as KM, which reportedly discloses that safety, environmental protection, and the

The Mesopotamians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Mesopotamians - Essay Example The Mesopotamians had a pessimistic view of life because of the uncertainty in their lives. They were uncertain because of how land their land was open and the rivers were difficult to control. This pessimistic view of life was reflected even in some of their art. They revealed their pessimism through hiding statues and other arts about the things they were pessimistic about in their culture.They had a pessimistic view even of their gods. They viewed them as caprious and had to constantly struggle with their whims. This affected their art and especially when designing their temples. The designing and art work of the temples were in such a way that the statues of their gods were hidden or interrupted. This way, they became distant and difficult to be seen. Other than the pessimism revealed in the art of the Mesopotamians, other features that the culture’s art reveal depend on the type of art being made. The art indicating nudity revealed that frailty and destitution of those in dividuals killed or enslaved in war. Vases on the other hand revealed that the Mesopotamians were people who presented offerings to their goddess during important ceremonies like marriages. The art also revealed that they valued and respected their rulers and leaders and this was depicted in arts of their leaders once they died.

Information sources in marketing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Information sources in marketing - Term Paper Example They also contain accurate information on past financial activities and thus act as reliable historical sources of information on financial management (Mort, 2003). Information sources in financial management also dwell on financial accounting, its principles and its assumptions. These sources analyze the international accounting standards that are upheld in terms of analysis and presentation of financial information. Some of them give a good analysis on currencies in Financial Management. The world has many currencies; as many as the number of countries available. These currencies vary in their market strength, and studying them is essential in establishing their relationship. It also enables one to compare the imports and exports of countries in terms of foreign exchange and international trade. To add to this, one gets to understand the various Fiscal policies and their implications in the modern financial markets. The information sources in this field of business are easily available. They exist in both soft and hard copy, with some being exclusively digital sources. Audit and government institutions provide this information through the cri tical analysis of the economy. There are various communication structures in Financial Management. These include associations, societies and journals. Some of the major associations include the Financial Management Association. This association supports scholars in various financial grounds and activities. It assists in the professional, academic and day-to-day life development of college students who are interested in banking, real estate, investment management and financial management. It gives them a firm background and foundation in their business studies, enabling them to be among the best in the financial industry. The European Financial Management Association is another association that is used as a communication

Person centered approaches (nursing- learning disability ) Essay - 2

Person centered approaches (nursing- learning disability ) - Essay Example In terms of social aspects, Mary has been leading an active life by going out on shopping trips and taking walks in the park. Moreover, she enjoyed collecting seashells and likewise, desired to decorate objects with those. Mary was even fond of hearing music and singing. However, the stroke, which she suffered, left her in the state of immobility. Prior to the stroke, Mary was able to communicate verbally with others and thus, enjoyed signing along to her CDs. After the stroke, Mary failed to communicate effectively and her left side of the body was consequently paralysed. In general, stroke is regarded as an unexpected attack in brain, caused at the time when blood flow gets interrupted in a human body to be reached into brain (WebMD, LLC, 2014). In addition, Mary became prone to the episodes of coughing. On certain occasions, she also became quite much reluctant towards eating as well as drinking. Thus, it is obvious that the above stated complications have been affecting the healt h conditions of Mary that restricting her to conduct daily activities smoothly. These complications can be managed in the form of adopting varied measures that may comprise taking medicines within due time, making Mary to take lesser pressure in brain as she already went through stroke and taking initiatives from preventing another stroke. From a theoretical perspective, it can be affirmed that the adoption as well as the execution of the above stated assessment may aid in providing effective care to Mary despite possessing adverse health conditions through various ways. These ways generally include determining the level of social interactions made by Mary, identifying the psychological functions that perform by Mary and most vitally making viable biological assumptions among others (Munson & Vogelsang, 2013). Gaining confidentiality and developing researches based on informed consent are the prime needs for an effective nursing practice. This eventually

Sample Business Plan Essay Example for Free

Sample Business Plan Essay Executive Summary Business Description Business Success Consulting is a new business located in North Creek, British Columbia, specializing in consulting services for small and medium sized businesses. Primary services will include market feasibility studies, business plans, operational reviews, re-engineering, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our mission is to provide our clients with business services that help them become more successful and to become a leader in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Ownership and Management Business Success Consulting is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands the firm may develop strategic alliances with other companies. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant and a member of the Institute of Management Consultants of British Columbia. He has a commerce degree from the University of Brigham and a Masters in Business from the University of South Seymour. Mark B. Assets has been a consultant for 15 years with Smith and Smith specializing in small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting will initially only have one employee, Mark B. Assets. Additional staff support will be obtained on a subcontract basis. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Key Initiatives and Objectives Business Success Consulting is currently in the process of obtaining a bank loan for $30,000 to finance the start up of the business. Our key objective during the first 12 months of operation is to develop a profitable consulting business. To do this, a strong client base will be developed through networking with local business leaders and business associations, affiliating with small business loan divisions of the local banks, and holding seminars and workshops. During the first four months of operations eight small business seminars and four small business workshops will be developed. Marketing Opportunities Due to high overhead costs Smith and Smith recently restructured to focus more on large corporate and government clients. This meant the elimination of their small business division. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts; thus creating an opportunity for smaller consulting firms such as Business Success Consulting to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. There are currently no other firms that specialize in this type of consulting located within the region. Mark B. Assets left Smith and Smith to continue to provide small and medium sized businesses with much needed affordable consulting services. Competitive Advantages The key competitive advantages of Business Success Consulting are the small business experience and expertise of Mark B. Assets as well as the businesss relatively low overhead costs compared to competitive consulting firms. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with extensive consulting experience for small and medium sized businesses. Overhead costs are comparatively low because Business Success Consulting will be based at the home of Mark B. Assets and labour costs will be low as there are no other full time employees. Marketing Strategy Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. Business Success will market its services by placing an ad in the yellow pages, listing with all local business and industry associations, developing a brochure to be distributed to lending institutions and clients, becoming an active member of a number of business and consulting associations, networking with the local business community, and developing workshops and seminars for small businesses. Our seminars and workshops will be used to promote our other consulting services. Attendees will be able to pick up our corporate brochure and ask any questions regarding the services we provide. The corporate brochure will outline Business Success Consultings services and fee structure. The brochure will also highlight the past experience and level of expertise of Mark B. Assets. The brochures will be distributed at our workshops and seminars, to lending instituutions, associations, key business leaders, and to potential clients. Business Success Consulting will not do much advertising except for placing an ad in the local yellow pages. Within the next three years, Business Success Consulting may develop an Internet site highlighting key services, level of expertise and fee structure. Mark B. Assets will join local business associations to maintain contacts in the business community as well as to stay well informed about the business issues that are important to local businesses. Summary of Financial Projections The revenue of Business Success Consulting are projected to increase from $121,770 in 1998 to $181,170 by 2000. Revenues will see strong growth of 22% annually as the business grows and expands. The Cost of Sales are 55% including total wages (including subcontractors) at 45% and goods and materials at 10%. The Net Income is projected to increase from $12,330 in 1998 to $17,279 in 2000. Corporate profits will be taxed at the corporate rate of 22.8% while Mark B. Assets wages of $40,000 per year will be taxed at prevailing personal tax rates. Confidentiality and Recognition of Risks Confidentiality Clause The information included in this business plan is strictly confidential and is supplied on the understanding that it will not be disclosed to third parties without the written consent of Mark B. Assets. Recognition of Risk The business plan represents our best estimate of the future of Business Success Consulting. It should be recognized that not all of major risks can be predicted or avoided and few business plans are free of errors of omission or commission. Therefore, investors should be aware that this business has inherent risks that should be evaluated prior to any investment. Business Overview Business History Business Success is a management consulting business that is scheduled to begin operations on March 1, 1997. Business Success will be a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. Mark B. Assets left the large consulting firm of Smith and Smith to specialize in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts creating an opportunity for Business Success to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. Vision and Mission Statement Our mission is to become a leader in small business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful. Objectives Our primary objectives over the next year are to: 1. Obtain a bank loan of $30,000 to cover the start up costs and initial operating costs for Business Success Consulting. 2. Generate one new client contract a month by networking with key industry leaders and local lending institutions, conducting seminars and workshops for small and medium sized businesses, and joining key business and industry associations. 3. Generate a net profit of $12,000 in the first year by developing a strong client base and keeping overhead costs to a minimum. 4. Develop and conduct eight business seminars  and four business workshops that meet the needs of the local business community. Ownership Business Success is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands, strategic alliances may be formed with other companies. Location and Facilities To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home, located at 1875 Wilson Street in North Creek, is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Where possible, all meetings and presentations will be held at the clients location. If this is not feasible, the company has arranged to rent the boardroom of a local law firm as required. Presentation equipment such as overhead projectors and liquid crystal display (LCD) units will be rented from North Creek Community College. Any sub-contractors hired for specific projects will not work in our office but will work from their own offices. This will greatly reduce our overhead costs allowing us to price our services competitively. As Business Success Consulting grows, consideration will be given to acquiring office space. Products and Services Description of Products and Services The primary types of services we will provide include market feasibility studies, business plans, reengineering strategies, organizational reviews, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our services include the development of: 1. Market Feasibility Studies We develop market feasibility studies for businesses that want to market new products or technologies. Some of these companies are looking for government funding to commercialize the technology or product. Our market feasibility studies include a full assessment of potential markets, competitive analysis, and the financial viability of commercializing the product. 2. Business Plans We will develop full business plans for start up and existing businesses requiring financing, introducing new products, entering new markets, and  restructuring. 3. Other Services Our other services will include operational revviews, strategic planning, and development of corporate re- engineering strategies. 4. Seminars and Workshops We will offer seminars to small and medium sized businesses. The seminars will focus on key management issues for small and medium sized operators such as market analysis, product commercialization, how to write a business plan, marketing strategies, customer service etc. Attendance will vary but should average 20 to 30 people each. The workshops will be developed to help small and medium sized businesses write business plans. This service is currently unavailable in the area. Workshops will be held in the evenings and on weekends making it easier for busy operators to attend. Key Features of the Products and Services Business Success Consulting will specialize in small and medium sized firms. While other consulting firms in the region offer small and medium sized businesses consulting services, none specialize in this area. With todays unpredictable political and economic environments, it is increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to successfully start new businesses and for existing small and medium sized businesses to remain profitable. Our services will differ from our competitors in that Business Success Consulting will offer creative, innovative, and effective solutions to business problems. Too many consulting firms try to develop standard models to solve key business problems. Business Success realizes that business problems have a variety of solutions; what may be right for one business would not necessarily meet the needs of another business. Production of Products and Services Initially subcontractors will be hired as needed to work on specific projects. Subcontractors will be hired based on their area of expertise and experience. Due to office space limitations, sub contractors will work out of their own offices and will be linked directly to our office via e-mail and the Internet. Within the next three years, full time consulting and administrative staff will be hired. While all reports will be produced and  edited by Mark B. Assets, the physical reports will be formatted, printed and bound by TempServ, a local secretarial agency in North Creek. Should the company take on any other full time employees, consideration will be given to leasing office space in the North Creek area. Future Products and Services We will continually expand our services based on industry trends and changing client needs. We will also get feedback from clients and seminar attendees on what is needed for future seminars and workshops. Comparative Advantages in Production Our comparative advantages in production are our low overhead and labour costs. Business Success does not have to pay for under utilized staff or facilities. We also have an advantage in that we can pick the most qualified sub- contractors for each project. The sub-contractors will be picked based on their expertise. This allows us to draw from a larger labour pool and skill set. Subcontractors will be hired as needed which means that during down times our firm is not over staffed. Industry Overview Market Research To fully understand the market we are targeting we talked to local business leaders, the Small Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the local economic development office, and all small business lending departments at the local banks. In addition, we read local newspaper and journal articles, and collected industry statistics from Statistics Canada. Size of the Industry There are 500 consulting businesses in British Columbia; there are 34 consulting firms in the North Creek area alone. While there is some overlap in the types of services provided, most firms have developed their own market niches. Firms tend to become well known and recognized for their skills in a specific area such as organizational re-engineering, marketing, training, employee benefits, government program evaluation, or in a specific industry such as forestry, hospitality, health care, information technology,  or communications. Key Product Segments Consulting is a very diverse industry. There are hundreds of different services that consultants provide to all industries and industry sectors. Key Market Segments Key market segments vary by consulting specialty. The key markets for consulting services are corporations, municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments, crown corporations, and institutions such as hospitals and educational facilities. The total size of these markets is unknown because they are continually changing and there are no provincial or federal tracking mechanisms in place to accurately determine how much these market segments spend on consulting services annually. Purchase Process and Buying Criteria The buying process for consulting services varies by type of client and by type of service. Businesses find and chose consulting firms using several methods. 1. Referral Businesses find consultants through their lending institutions, business or industry associations, friends or colleagues, and the yellow pages. Businesses contact these consulting firms to obtain proposals and price quotes for the required services. A consulting firm is chosen based on the needs of the client such as price, quality of proposal, as well as the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 2. Request for Proposal Government and other businesses requiring consulting services sometimes distribute a Request for Proposals to a number of consulting firms that they would like to bid on a specific project. These consulting firms submit proposals for the projects they wish to bid on outlining the sccope of the work, the methodology, a work plan and price quote. These proposals are evaluated based on a predetermined set of criteria developed by the client. The proposal evaluation criteria varies by project and client but usually includes price, quality of proposal, and the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 3. Open Bidding System (OBS) The OBS is an opening bidding system for government contracts. Anyone can access this service and submit a proposal  for any contract they feel qualified to bid on. Business plan services are usually purchased by start up businesses or by small and medium sized businesses requiring financing, commercializing a new product, or entering new markets. These businesses seek business planning assistance from their lending institutions, industry and business associations, or directly from consulting firms. Description of Industry Participants Consulting firms are divided into large firms with more than 100 employees, medium sized firms with 20 to 100 employees and small firms with less than 20 employees. The majority (66%) of consultants in Canada are employed at large firms, 6% and medium sized firms and 28% at small firms according to a recent Industry Canada report. The large consulting firms are usually U.S. based firms and include Andersen Consulting, Coopers Lybrand, Deloitte Touche, Ernst Young, KPMG, and Price Waterhouse. Small firms typically have less than 10 employees. Key Industry Trends The consulting industry is growing for two key reasons. One is that demand for consulting services is increasing as companies downsize and contract out work that was historically done in-house. Corporate downsizing has also resulted in many managers being laid off. It is difficult for many of these people to find similar employment and as a result, many of these managers start their own businesses. Approximately 10% become consultants, many providing consulting services to the firms they just left. Those who start other types of businesses may require specialized consulting services to improve their chances of success. Therefore corporate downsizing has resulted in an increase both in the supply of, and demand for, consulting services. The number of business starts in North Creek has risen 10% annually over the last several years. Approximately 100 new businesses with be started in the area in 1997. This trend is projected to continue for at least another 5 years. Industry Outlook With the continued economic and political uncertainty in this province, the demand for consulting services will grow as many companies are reluctant to hire additional employees. More and more work will be contracted out to outside consultants as companies maintain tight control over labour costs. This trend is also true in the government sector which is under increasing pressure to reduce costs by reducing their employment levels. While the number of business starts has increased so have the number of bankruptcies. Approximately seven out of 10 new businesses will fail within the first two years of operation, primarily due to poor management. Some people who start new businesses lack basic business skills. The demand for small business training and assistance will grow as these entrepreneurs seek the assistance they require in order to reduce their risk of business failure. Marketing Strategy Target Markets Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. We will also submit proposals in response to any Request for Proposals we receive as well as for any relevant provincial and federal government contracts. Description of Key Competitors There are a total of 34 consulting firms in North Creek, British Columbia. Only 14 of these consulting firms offer services similar to Business Success Consulting. The other 20 consulting firms in the region specialize in other areas of consulting such as employee benefits, training, marketing, information technology, health care or forestry. There are four large consulting firms (more than 30 employees) that offer consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. However, these large firms cannot cost effectively service this market due to high overhead and labour costs. Small and medium sized businesses usually cannot afford the high hourly fees charged by these firms. Business from this target market does not represent a significant portion of the revenues generated by these four large firms which all specialize in other areas of consulting. There are 10 smaller consulting firms (less than five employees) that offer consultiing services similar to Business Success Consulting. However, none of these firms  specializes in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. All 10 firms offer a wide range of consulting services. The majority (70%) of these firms are operated by people who have been laid off from large firms and who have limited consulting experience and qualifications. Analysis of Competitive Position Business Success Consulting will be the only consulting firm in the region specializing in providing consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting has a competitive advantage in this area due to the excellent consulting experience of Mark B. Assets. Mr. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with 15 years consulting experience, including 10 years focussing on small business consulting. However, as a new business, it may take time to establish a strong client base and develop a reputation as a small business specialist. Mr. Assets already has an excellent reputation in this area and Smith and Smith, his former employer, will redirect any of this type of business to Mr. Assets new firm. Pricing Strategy Business Success Consulting services will be priced competitively with other small consulting firms. Typically the fees charged by small firms are much lower than those charged by the large firms due to lower overhead costs. Our fees will be based on several factors including the time and resources needed to complete a project, overhead costs, and the fees charged by other competitive consulting firms. Our hourly rates average $90.00 per hour compared to $180.00 per hour for the large consulting firms. Our hourly fees will remain the same for all projects. However, total project costs will vary depending on the time needed to complete the project as well as the direct expenses incurred as part of the project.

Evaluating The Sustainability Business Of Hotels In Azerbaijan Tourism Essay

Evaluating The Sustainability Business Of Hotels In Azerbaijan Tourism Essay Azerbaijan, as a country situated in the Caucasus has a very advantageous location for tourism, but tourism is not a leading sector in Azerbaijan. The most important industry here is oil sector as Azerbaijan has very rich oil reserves and economy depends and develops on the oil industry. Over 90% of annual income comes from our oil industry and the difference between oil industry and the others is huge. So thats why Azerbaijani government wants to cover this difference and the best way is to improve tourism sector because we have the potential. Even in the world tourism is the second biggest industry after the oil sector. Most of the tourists coming to Azerbaijan are business travellers and the reason is oil industry again. That is why the hotels are mostly specialized in business tourism. There are some hotels that I would like to mention: The Landmark Hotel, Hyatt, Ramada Baku, Radisson SAS and Park Inn. As a best practice in sustainable hospitality experience I would like talk about Hyatt. In comparison with above mentioned hotels, Hyatt Hotels Baku has a real professional background and prosperous experience in hospitality industry. Contribution to the Body of Knowledge Actually there have been done no studies and researches on sustainability of the hotels in the market in Azerbaijan that made it a challenge to discuss the topic with extremely lack of information given. Therefore, this thesis can be accepted as one of the first researches on the sustainability of the hotels in the market, but not in respect to the environment and nature. Research Questions While working on this topic I am going to find answers to the following questions: What is the current situation in hospitality industry? What are the barriers for sustainability of hotels? Which are the ways of breaking the barriers of hotels sustainability? SWOT analyze What are the recommendations and suggestions for sustainability? Methodology This thesis will be done by hermeneutical kind of research as I am going to search existing literature, statistical reports, articles, etc. While reviewing these materials I will analyze and gather all necessary information and give a final report on sustainability of hotels. In order to get intended information about the hotel I have contacted the sales marketing manager of Hyatt Baku Mrs. Bahar Dadashova. So far we had only one conference call to inform her about my intention, however in the run of the thesis we will keep in touch. Definitions This chapter gives an overview of the different definitions of sustainable tourism. On the other hand, some studies done concerning kinds of sustainable tourism itself. So far, these definitions give an idea about sustainable tourism and its main factors. Sustainable Tourism Sustainable tourism development is defined by the Word Tourism Organisation (WTO), as a development that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity, and life support systems (World Tourism Organisation (WTO), 2003). Based on the Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development, 12 guiding principles of sustainable tourism are set in the Agenda 21 for the travel and tourism industry (United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 2002). In the tourism context, sustainable tourism is often associated with nature orientated tourism or eco-tourism (Eagles et al., 2002) and has become central in the debate on environmentally integrated tourism development (Gà ¶ssling et al., 2002). Tourism in Azerbaijan Sustainability of the hotels in Azerbaijan is very young as the tourism industry itself. The Republic of Azerbaijan was established in the early 1990s. Since the establishment economy of the country was depending on oil industry. 95% of the budget was contributed by the countrys oil industry. The best alternative to cut down this dependency on oil in the budget is to develop tourism industry. Azerbaijan has very good potential for tourism; high mountains, beautiful forests, ancient history, different historical sites and monuments, lots of artists, poets etc. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established in 2005. One year later Azerbaijan Tourism Institute (ATI) under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Azerbaijan was opened. ATI is established in order to cover the lack of qualified staff in tourism sector which is a global issue in world tourism industry as well. Sustainable Tourism in Azerbaijan As it was mentioned above tourism sector in Azerbaijan is young compared to the other industries. Talking about sustainability of the hotels in Azerbaijan we can only mention very few hotels e.g., Hyatt Hotels Baku, Radisson SAS Baku. The names mentioned above are one of the first hotels in Azerbaijan. They are still operating successfully and still very strong in the market. To go back to the Soviet Union period then we can talk about the Hotel Azerbaijan and Absheron Hotel. Those hotels had a big market share as well and were very popular at that time. They had been operating for a long time. The sustainability factors were; Good location Contribution by the government Best service for that time Best staff Since 2005 these both of the hotels were destroyed one after another and now there are 2 big constructions going on; Hilton and JW Marriott. The JW Marriott is replacing Bakus famous Absheron Hotel, which has been demolished, and will be part of a mixed use development designed by ReardonSmith to include 16 floors of private residences, serviced apartments, retail and offices as well as the 20-storey hotel. The architects had a number of key considerations to balance in their concept: location, the high water table, local conventions and successful hotel operations and of course, the clients aspirations for this important building. The result is a unique design that makes a virtue out of addressing these potentially competing dictums. The Hotel Hilton Baku, which is being built in Baku on Azadlig Avenue (instead the hotel Azerbaijan), will be commissioned in August 2011. The total area of five-star hotel Hilton Baku is 42,160 square meters. The hotel will consist of 25 floors and 308 rooms. There will be elevators with panoramic views, different restaurants, concert and exhibition halls, recreation centre at the 670 square meters, sports and fitness centres and swimming pools in the hotel. A bar, which rotates 360 degrees and covers the entire panorama of Baku, will be located on the top floor of the hotel. Hyatt Hotels Global Hyatt I guess this is the only hotel that actually stopped growth of the company related to its policy: Global Hyatt has concentrated on high-end segment, but nevertheless it is among the ten largest. In 2007, the chain launched an innovative hotel brand Hyatt Place, where everything is created based on the results of surveys carried out among the discerning tourists. The hotel is not only providing exclusive services but also tries to make emphasize on its buildings and design. History Hyatt Hotels Corporations well-established reputation as an industry innovator provides a wealth of inspiration as the company looks forward to its next era of creative hospitality. Known around the world for its brands Hyatt Regency , Grand Hyatt , Park Hyatt , Hyatt Place , Hyatt Summerfield Suites and Andaz the entire collection of Hyatt hotels and resorts weaves together authentic service with leading technology to offer its guests unique restaurants, luxury accommodations and distinctive spas. With its new initiatives and design elements continuing to evolve, the next half-century of Hyatt innovation will continue to provide its guests a world of uncommon travel experiences. Hyatt Hotels Resorts opened its first property, a small motor hotel at the Los Angeles International Airport, in 1957 and its portfolio quickly grew to include several other modest hotels along the West Coast and in Chicago over the next ten years. In 1967, Hyatt opened its first major John Portman design ed hotel, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, in Georgia, which featured a space-age design with a dramatic, 21-story atrium lobby. The revolutionary architecture spawned scores of atrium lobbies around the world, effectively changing the course of the lodging industry and reshaping the Hyatt brand as an innovative and significant global hospitality leader. Hyatt successfully distinguishes itself within the competitive hospitality marketplace with six different brands, each designed to deliver experiences attuned to the lifestyles, attitudes, values, and aspirations of the guests for whom it is designed. The 2007-launched Andaz brand is sophistication made simple delivered with a genuine warmth; Hyatt Regency enables productivity and revitalization within a responsive, convenient and contemporary environment; Park Hyatt , a discreet and refined collection located in fashionable cities around the world, epitomizes modern luxury; Grand Hyatt properties are some of the most architecturally dramatic hotels in the world, offering stunning design and a myriad of innovative food and beverage concepts; Hyatt Place is designed for the 24/7 lifestyle of todays multi-tasking business traveller, and Hyatt Summerfield Suites , a reinvention of the all-suites, extended-stay hotel, features timely amenities and inviting, residential design. As a unified portfolio, Hyatts properties share core values across the Hyatt brand: exceptional guest service, upscale amenities, popular food and beverage programs, and innovative interior designs that incorporate local art and style. Currently offering travellers a choice of more than 365 hotels and resorts in over 45 countries, Hyatt Hotels Corporation continues to build on its commitment to clients, staff, partners and the environment as it grows its dynamic vision for the future of hospitality. International chain Hyatt Corporation is one of the leading hotel companies in North America. Owned by the Pritzker family of Chicago, Hyatt manages or licenses the management of 87 hotels and 16 resorts (with a total of 55,000 rooms) in 83 cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In addition to its resorts, Hyatt has also developed other special hotel conceptsthe Grand Hyatt, the Park Hyatt, and Classic Residence by Hyatt. Grand Hyatts are large-scale, higher priced hotels located in culturally rich cities, with three in the United States (New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.). Park Hyatts are modelled after small European hotels and are located in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The Classic Residence by Hyatt properties offers luxury retirement apartments for rental. Starting in the mid-1990s, the company has also sought growth opportunities in franchising, time-share properties, free-standing golf courses, and casinos. Hyatt Hotels Baku Hyatt Hotels Baku consists of 2 hotels -Hyatt Regency Baku and Park Hyatt Baku Hyatt Regency Baku was reconstructed and opened in 1995; second renovation was implemented in 2005; Park Hyatt Baku was open in 1999 and most of the rooms were refurbished with new facilities in 2008 Best Sustainable Hotel Chains InterContinental Hotel Group Since 2004, this hotels chain became the largest in the world. To date, it owns more than 600 thousand hotel rooms, scattered across the globe. Each year their number is being increased by 5,9%, mainly due to the expansion of Holiday Inn Express, but also because of the increasing number of hotels Crowne Plaza and the emergence in Europe, Staybridge Suites and Indigo boutique hotel. Marriott International The company claims that every year, growing by 4,7% and in the near future has plans to build 800 hotel and add to the existing 500 thousand rooms 125 thousand more. The Group also promises to invest a lot in pre-existing ones, including the Marriott floor, numerous brands, covering all niches of the hotel business from budget options for poor tourists to luxury hotels for the discerning VIP-persons. Hilton Hotels Ranking as the fourth largest chain, this brand is popular not only with luxury hotels, but also because of the scandalous Paris Hiltons escapades, the former heir to the empire hotel room. The company is known propensity for innovations: the first one of its owners have introduced a system of star ratings, equipped hotel with Wi-Fi. However, the chain began to suffer losses, and in 2007 the former owners were forced to sell the hotel business group Blackstone. In 2008 net increased with 300 new sites, and the growth of the company was mainly due to expanses of the United States. But the emergence of the companys portfolio of brands Doubletree, Homewood Suites, and especially the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn, as well as the construction of Hilton Hotel in provincial Russia say the desire to start taking over the world. ANALYZING THE general statement Hyatt Hotels in Azerbaijan Hyatt Hotels Group is focused on enhancing the brand preference by continuously improving the performance of their existing hotels and successfully expanding the presence of their brands in select markets worldwide. Smart growth and development is fundamental to achieving these aims. As a company, they add hotels in locations throughout the world where their loyal guests and customers want them to be. Hyatt team works closely with the development partners to ensure their success through innovative and efficient design, operational excellence and effective sales and marketing strategies. Hyatt Hotels are focused on the role of development within the organization and have formed a dedicated and experienced global development team. Hyatt Hotels Baku is committed to establishing a reputation as the leading hotel complex in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region. Their service is known to anticipate, meet and exceed the guest expectations. In order to retain the established position as the market leader in Baku, they focus on the quality of the operation, the physical aspects of both of the hotels, safety and security as well as creating exciting, innovative and trend setting products throughout. Management Widely recognized and industry leading brands of Hyatt Hotels have consistently received top rankings, awards and accolades for service and guest experience from independent publications and surveys, including Travel and Leisure, Mobil and AAA. The mission of Hyatt is to provide authentic hospitality by making a difference in the lives of the people. They focus on this mission in pursuit of the goal of becoming the most preferred brand in each segment that they serve for the associates, guests, and owners. Hyatt Hotels support their mission and goal by adhering to a set of core values that characterizes their culture. Globally, they manage, franchise, own and develop Hyatt branded hotels, resorts and residential and vacation ownership properties around the world. As of March 31, 2010, the companys worldwide portfolio consisted of 434 properties. Sales marketing department of Hyatt Hotels Baku Sales and Marketing department in Hyatt Hotels Baku consists of 8 employees which are-Director of Sales, Catering Manager, 2 Banquet Sales Managers, 2 Rooms Sales Managers, Sales Executive and Revenue Analyst. Besides, there can be Sales Admin Assistant, Sales Coordinator, Regional Director of Marketing, Marketing Communications Manager. Hyatts worldwide Sales and Marketing teams strive to build brand preference and drive revenue to our hotels. Our sales and marketing strategies are rooted in a comprehensive understanding of our customer segments, the current dynamics of the marketplace and the most effective use of new technology and media platforms. Hyatts marketing strategy is designed to secure and build brand value and awareness while meeting the specific business needs of hotel operations. Building and differentiating the brand position of Hyatt and our sub-brands is fundamental to increasing Hyatts brand preference and demand, rate premium and related business imperatives. Hya tt is focused on targeting the distinct customer segments that each of our brands serves and supporting the needs of the hotels by thorough analysis and application of data and analytics. There is a coordinated and integrated communication strategy for the Hyatt master brand and each of the sub-brands across every distribution channel. Promotion of Hyatt Hotels Baku in the World Hyatts Central Reservation System is an important contributor to the performance of the hotels system wide. The system booked 11.8 million room-nights in 2008, representing approximately $2.3 billion in rooms department revenue. Reservation centres are located in the United States, Australia, India, UAE, Germany, Japan and China to provide 24/7 access to prospective guests. Hyatt Hotels work closely with the distribution partners to ensure that they maximize market share across all channels. These include traditional travel agencies (e.g., American Express, Carlson Wagonlit), online travel agencies (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity and multiple regional agencies, etc.), opaque agencies (e.g., Priceline, Hotwire) and multiple user-generated sites that link back to Hyatt.com (e.g., Trip Advisor). Hyatt also has extensive marketing partnerships with all global and regional airlines. Product knowhow Hyatt Baku Hotels offers unmatched variety of facilities and services within one complex, including business and communication technology, vast fitness and relaxation facilities, an array of dining and entertainment opportunities, shops and offices. The USP of Hyatt Hotels Baku is: favourable location and convenient access to select business centres and government offices; the only complete lifestyle complex in the city, featuring 2 hotels, office and residential facilities, wide variety of FB Outlets, multifunctional meeting and conference facilities and state-of-the-art Health and Fitness Centre; largest global distribution / reservation system; largest inventory of suites present in the city suitable for large VIP government groups. Contribution from the Hyatt Hotels International Hyatts properties and preopening sales offices are supported by a network of salespeople in key markets around the world. Sales professionals represent all Hyatt destinations and focus on all relevant market segments e.g., corporate accounts, M.I.C.E. accounts, key wholesalers, travel agencies and luxury travel specialists. Additional support is provided to hotels with dedicated resources managing programs such as Virtuoso American Express Fine Hotels Resorts. The network includes offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Mexico City, London, Mainz, Sydney, Melbourne, Riyadh, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai, as well as additional coverage throughout Continental Europe. Each office is responsible for ongoing support of the Hyatt portfolio. Additionally, each office coordinates the presentation of Hyatt and Hyatts sub-brands at important industry events and shows such as ITB, World Travel Market and Asia Luxury Travel Market. Hotels also have the opportunity to participate in annual Hyatt fairs and sales calls coordinated by each worldwide sales office. These events provide the hotels with face-to-face access to Hyatts best existing and potential clients. Competitiveness of Hyatt Hotels Currently eight five-star international hotels are under construction in Baku. This is not just about attracting well-heeled tourists, as Baku still has a relatively small demand for luxury hotels. It is about making Baku competitive as a mega-event Mecca. Baku will be promoted as a site for conference tourism, Gurbatov, the tourism official, said. Each year, Baku hosts more government-sponsored conferences and other events. But the creation of the appropriate infrastructure luxury hotels, large expo-centres, convention centres, conference halls and stadiums will allow the government to bid on hosting large-scale international events. One 33,800-square-meter exposition centre opened in Baku in May; the government has also begun construction of a 60,000-seat soccer stadium. The sprawling 90,071-square-meter Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre, designed to look like rippling waves, will open in 2013. Attracting sporting events and conferences to these venues is a matter of both the country s prestige and commercial profit from foreign visitors, Gurbatov added. For now, expectations run high that the owners of the new hotel under construction will benefit from their investments assuming that the government succeeds with its conference tourism strategy. Commented Kenan Aslanly, an analyst at Bakus Public Finance Monitoring Centre: If this strategy is successfully implemented, the country will win both economically and politically. Jumeirah will be the first new hotel to open in 2011. Jumeirah will have reasonably strong brand awareness in Baku, since a) Dubai is a very familiar weekend / holiday retreat for Azerbaijanis and b) Middle-Eastern and Persian business is growing in Baku due to the development in the city with Dubai as an ideal. Jumeirah is located close to the Presidents Dacha, approx 15 minutes outside the airport (45 minutes from city centre). The President will use this hotel to host visiting diplomatic delegations and Ministry conferences due to the close proximity to the airport, Buta Palace conference centre and to his summer residence / Dacha, where he resides between April October every year. This will affect Park Hyatt, as we currently get the majority of this business. It will also affect Hyatt Regency when it comes to groups and associations (e.g. sport groups) which look for a secluded place with spaces for outdoor activities (pools, golf course, tennis etc), and groups looking for a location outside the city centre to avoid late party nights. The Marriott (80 room inventory) is located close to Jumeirah. Due to a small inventory and inconvenient location, it will not impact Hyatt much, despite being a well known, international brand with an aggressive opening-strategy to drive occupancy. JW Marriott (228 room inventory)will open Q1 2012.Located at Bakus Freedom Square a national symbol and location of military parades as well as the seafront boulevard with the Caspian Sea beyond. This hotel will also have to compete in the corporate market to achieve occupancy. Hilton will open in June 2011 and is located right next to Park Inn, sea side in the centre of the city. The two hotels have the same owner, something which is of great concern for Park Inn. Park Inn opened in 2005, but is still worried about getting a new, international brand as competitor- and has great concerns about losing corporate agreements for companies located around the hotel and group business. Landmark is also very concerned about this new entry on th e hotel scene. We think the Hilton will also affect Hyatt Regency, both for groups and transient business. Fairmont is the largest of the new hotels; the hotel will also have to compete in the corporate market to achieve occupancy. They will be able to offer moderate corporate rates due to the size of the property, and due to the location we can expect companies and individuals visiting for meetings with ministries etc to perhaps choose this location. Hyatt used to be a good location as we are only a 5-10 minutes drive from the parliament and several ministries. Four Seasons hotel is scheduled to open late 2011. Park Hyatt is currently the only official protocol hotel in Baku, but it will mainly lose this status once Four Seasons is opening. The hotel will be more or less purpose built to host high-ranking government officials, diplomatic visits, VIPs etc., with a 3-bedroom Presidential suite and several 3-bedroom and 2-bedroom suites and a room type called Deluxe deluxe with two k ing beds in the same room (suited for the American- and Asian market). Four Seasons will also have a 330 m2 ballroom. Sheraton is still a project to rebrand the Airport hotel (ex Holiday Inn) Sustainability of Hyatt Baku Hotels Hyatt Hotels Baku has started operating in Azerbaijan since 1995. First, Hyatt Regency was opened in 1995 after the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Contract of Century (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline). Then in 1999 due to the high demand Park Hyatt was opened next to the Hyatt Regency. Till 2004 both of the hotels were very strong and almost alone in the market. The only competitor was Radisson SAS. In 2004 another brand Park Inn penetrated into the market. Since then the market share of Hyatt Hotels in Baku is decreased slightly. Because still the demand is high and accommodation facilities are not enough to meet the need. Currently, Baku features only a few luxury hotels run by international chains the Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Radisson SAS, Park Inn and Airport Hotel. If Azerbaijans Eurovision contestant, Safura, had triumphed at the annual pop extravaganza this year, Baku would not have had the facilities to host the event in 2011, noted Faig Gurbatov, national coordinator of the governmen ts Tourism Development Project, an initiative run jointly with the United Nations Development Programme. Since the 1995 to nowadays both of the Hyatt Hotels in Baku were operating very successfully. This is a main factor showing its sustainability. Demand Demand for Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Park (Baku) is quite high. The average occupancy rate (annually) is around 69%. In high seasons this figure increases up to 90-95%. Target Market One of the components needed to apply hotel revenue management is market segmentation. It allows you to target and market to a variety of consumer groups with different behaviour with an offer that matches their needs and budget level. Your hotel market segmentation shall help to identify the purpose of the trip: either business or leisure. The price does not decide of the market segmentation. Clear distinction must also be achieved between individual and group business .The market segmentation shall help you identify the trends of your business: Length of Stay Day of Weeks stays Total Revenue per room, Total Revenue per client Lead Time Cancellation No Show ratio Due to the last trends in Azerbaijan 3 industries are increasing rapidly e.g., oil business, pharmaceutical industry and information telecommunications sector. Guests from the above mentioned industries are coming to stay at Hyatt very often. Also, the number of governmental officials and walk-in tourists is high enough. Maritz guest satisfaction survey (Benchmarking) Since the competitor hotels give wrong information, Hyatt International has decided to change their strategy. Now, Hyatt Hotels are not doing benchmarking. Hyatt Hotels Baku uses the services of Maritz. Maritz is a guest satisfaction survey. Maritz protects the data about the companies by the world-class policies and procedures. Maritz has developed a security program which includes: Physical Security and Controls Network Architecture and Security System and Remote Access Controls Application Security Database Security Call Centre Security Security Administration Intrusion Detection Change Management Data Back-up and Retention Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Guest Satisfaction Surveys As many hotel chains Hyatt hotels International check the guest satisfaction level. In order to obtain the information about the service quality and better to understand the needs and wants of the guests. Hyatt Hotels Baku is also conducting such kind of surveys in order to get the needed information. Mostly the comment cards are used in hospitality sector. Either the cards are put on the table in the rooms or reception provides with comment cards at the check out. As I have mentioned already, I had a meeting with the sales marketing manager of Hyatt Hotels Baku. She showed me a guest comment card. How would you rate the quality of the food? How would you rate the service quality? Please rate the cleanliness of the facilities. Please rate the friendliness of the staff. Please rate your overall experience. How likely are you to refer us to a friend? Each question can get minimum 1, maximum 5 points from each respondent. The points from each respondent per question are added together. Then they calculate the percentage out of the maximum e.g., 3 respondents answered the 1st question and the results were 5, 4 and 3 points. 5+4+3=12 12*100/15=80% (15) is the maximum number of points for 3 respondents With the results of this short survey conducted among the guests of Hyatt Baku Hotels you can get to know in the chart below: Figure 1: Guest satisfaction survey chart Guest portfolio of Hyatt Hotels Baku by the regions The guest of Hyatt Regency and Park Hyatt are very multi-national. All around the world guests come to stay at Hyatt. Mainly the guests of Hyatt Hotels Baku are Europeans, from GCC and North America. SWOT Analysis Figure 3: Strength Weaknesses Internationally recognized brand Global reservation system with the link to all GDS distributors Quality service and facilities Excellent FB choices Known Health Fitness facilities Extensive room suite inventory with two hotels Increased sales presence NFPA standard life safety Multi lingual/ international staff WWSOs Some companies perceive Hyatt as expensive Hotel considering it only for the management Location away from the city business district is a barrier to some companies All hotels offer complimentary Internet facilities, unlike Hyatt, where the service is perceived too expensive by corporate travellers Opportunities Threats Brand awareness for potential acquisition. To be in line with modest technologies and systems Constantly work on improvements Active promotion on local market Upscale fitness facilities is a very strong decision making point for hotel choice on the market Luxury room inventory and good balance between suites and standard rooms is a strong asset to target any business opportunities in the market Continue building necessary networking and be aware of latest market trends Additional distribution channels Brand restrictions do not allow to compete with lower brand rate offers Create inconveniences in acquisition of leisure business Internet is still very expensive, thus it affects in decision making process for most of organizations