Marketing campaign for a small retail business Essay Example

Marketing campaign for a small retail business Essay In this project I am going to produce a marketing campaign for a small retail business. The business, which I am going to make, will have competitors in the local area. Before I am going to open my business, I will have to decide on a few main things. E.g. which products I am going to sell, the prices at which the products are going to be sold, where my business is going to be located and how I am going to promote my shop and the products. For my marketing Campaign Plan, I am going to develop a small supermarket, which will be called Shoprite. I want to keep the supermarket as small as possible and the products at the best standard. The supermarket will sell essential household products and I also We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing campaign for a small retail business specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing campaign for a small retail business specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing campaign for a small retail business specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Would like to stock a selection of sweets/crisps newspapers and magazines, ice creams, fruit and vegetables, cards, yoghurt, cigarettes etc. Shoprite will not be located in central Seaford but on the outskirts of town, mainly in residential areas. The reason for this is that it will save people from driving into town for their necessities. Shoprites competitors will be: 1. Costcutters 2. CO-OP 3. Scoop n weigh 4. Green Grocers Before I decide on the products, which my supermarket will be selling etc. I am first going to draw up a research plan as; it is going to help me with the information that I will need. The data that I will collect, I am going to gather by handing out questionnaires to people aged 10 years and older. The questionnaire will ask questions like; What is your age, sex, what product do you mostly buy, how much do you pay for it, where do you buy your weekly shopping from etc. I am going to do market research by, handing out questionnaires, from the Internet and magazines and by looking at competitors prices. BUSINESS OBJECTIVES In this task I am going to look at the businesses overall aims and objectives. First of all I am going to explain the difference between an aim and an objective. An aim is the overall goal of a business or the main thing the business wants to achieve in the long term. An objective is what a business must do in that term to achieve its aims. For example, it may have the objective of cutting its costs by 5% in order to achieve its aim of surviving a difficult patch. There are five basic aims businesses could follow. For each of the five aims listed below, I am going give two objectives. AIMS OBJECTIVES Survival Match competitors on price and quality, Break even. Growth Increase product range, Increase the number of employees. Maximising Profit Carry out market research, Carry out advertising to maximise sales. Social Responsibility Sponsor an organisation in the local community, Provide a safe and constant service. Prestige Carry out advertising to maximise sales, Improve quality of customer service. In my case, I am only going to use two of the aims that are listed above. The reasons why are as follows: * Survival To me this aim is extremely important. The aim is to make a profit; therefore it is not satisfactory to break-even in the long run. I am going to achieve this aim by staying open later than all my competitors do. * Prestige I am going to try and keep the products that are going to be sold to a better quality/standard than my competitors. For my secondary research, I am going to carry out a questionnaire. MARKETING RESEARCH PLAN The definition of Market Research is, the process of gaining information about customers, competitors and market trends through collecting Primary or Secondary data. In this task, I am going to carry out a marketing research plan to find out; * What customers want * What my competitors are doing * How successful marketing plans have been. Primary Data is information, which has been gathered for a specific purpose through direct investigations such as observations, surveys and through experiment. Secondary Data is information, which already exists such as, accounts and sales records, government statistics, newspaper articles or reports from advertising agencies. There are two well-known market research methods namely: 1. Desk Research (Secondary Research) This research uses existing sources of Information to research the market. E.g. * Company sales reports * Government statistics * Trade Association Publications * Market Research carried out in the past Advantages: * It is less expensive * Quicker to carry out because the information is already available. 2. Field Research (Primary Research) This is research, which involves obtaining new information about the market by asking people. The main methods of collecting Primary Data include: * Questionnaire A list of questions are to be answered by respondents and it is designed to give information about consumers and their tastes. * Test marketing Is a limited introduction of a product or service to test public reaction for a full market strategy. Giving the public a small sample of what is to be offered is a form of test marketing. * Consumer Panels This type of research is quite expensive as, an interviewer has to be employed to interview customers. Advantages: * The information is more accurate Disadvantages: * It costs more money * It takes more time to collect the information than with Desk Research To find out what potential customers want, I am going to draw up a Questionnaire because I feel that it is an easy way to collect data and it is accurate. Below is an example of what my questionnaire is going to look like. QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Which age group do you fall in? (Please tick one box) 10 20 21 30 31-40 41+ 2. Which of the following products do you mostly buy? (Please tick one box) Quick meals newspapers and magazines sweets ice cream 3. How much do you think is a reasonable price to ask for that specific product? (Please state answer) 4. Where do you buy your bread, milk and other house necessities? (Please tick one box) Safeway Sainsburys Somerfield Asda Tesco (Please tick one box) 5. What attracts you to that particular shop? (Please tick one box) Variety of products quality products friendly service 6. Which local newspapers do you read? (Please tick one box) The leader Friday-ad Harold Argus Seaford Cazette 7. Where do you usually find out about new shops? (Please tick one box) Newspapers Internet Magazines Shop windows People Thank you very much for taking the time in answering my questionnaire. Before I am going to let people fill in my questionnaires, I first chose a sample that would work best. In my case I am going to use: * Convenience sampling chooses the individuals that are easiest to reach or sampling that is done easy. Convenience sampling does not represent the entire population. * Stratified sampling a sample obtained by the process of dividing a population into categories representing distinctive characteristics and then selecting a random sample from each category. After I have collected the data, I analysed the outcome on graphs. MARKETING CAMPAIGN OBEJECTIVES I am first of all going to explain what Marketing Objectives are and then I am going to explain the likely Marketing Objectives of my Marketing Campaign Plan I am going to give the definition for each of the following words: Marketing, Marketing Objectives and the Marketing Mix. Marketing: The management process which is responsible for identifying Potentially profitable products and then selling them to customers. Marketing Objectives: Before embarking on any marketing activity, the marketing department must decide on their aims and objectives. An objective is how an aim could be achieved. Marketing Mix: The Marketing Mix is the term used to describe the various Marketing activities of a firm. These are referred to as the 4 Ps. The 4 Ps stand for: * Product goods made or services provided by businesses. * Price A price where the demand for a product equals its supply. * Promotion communication between business and customer, making the customer aware that the product is for sale, telling or explaining to them what the product is. * Place Where a business is situated. e.g. Safeway is situated in the residential area. There are four marketing Objectives that I am going to use for my marketing campaign. * Advertising: To create goodwill in a competitive and changing environment. * Sales Promotion: To maintain/improve levels of sales in a short term. * Promotion: To minimise the bad effects that a change might have on the market. * Market Research: To change existing or develop new products/services to meet customers needs. PRODUCTS I am going to outline the products/services that my business will be offering and then explain how I will differentiate my products/services from my competitors. Shoprite is not going to be anything grand and smart, it is just going to be a plan and simple supermarket, as it isnt going to have a huge selection of different brands (an named product which customers see as being different from other products) and products. All Shoprite will be mainly selling is household necessities, a few newspapers and a small selection of sweets. There is only one way in which I can think of making Shoprite any different from the competitors and that is that: * Shoprite is going to be located on the outskirts of Seaford (in residential areas) so that people can buy their house necessities e.g. bread and milk. Product differentiation means: Making one product different from another, for instance through the quality of a product, its design, packaging or advertising. There is no doubt that Shoprite will have good quality products because I will never be able to get it over my heart if I knew that I ripped off my own customers! PRICE In this task I am going to explain: The factors that affect the choice of pricing strategy, the different pricing strategies available to businesses and which pricing strategies my business will use and why. A business must decide on how they are going to price its products, in making this decision it must consider: * What profit it wants to make. * What your competition is charging for their products * What your customers are prepared to pay for your products. There are several pricing strategies, which are available to businesses: * Cost-plus fixing a price by adding a certain percentage profit margin to the cost of a product. * Penetration setting a low price initially to attract more customers. * Skimming selling a low product or service at a deliberately high price, this is for high quality/unique goods. * Competition a price based on what your competitors are charging. * Price discrimination selling the same product or services for different prices to different segments of the market. * Non-prices competition strategies other than prices which are used to attract customers. For my business to have a good start, I need to think about what pricing strategy Shoprite will use. I thought by starting off, it would be good if my first strategy is competition as I feel that it would be good if I start off by asking the prices which my competitors ask for their products. PLACE This task is about: * The location of my business. * The transport, which my business is going to use. Shoprite is going to be a small supermarket so it will be located on the outskirts of Seaford (preferably in the valley dip area) because I reckon that people would rather quickly buy there house necessities at a shop which is near their home than drive down town. Channels of distribution For a product to sell, it has to be at the right place, at the right time. There is a channel of distribution between the customer and the manufacturer of a product. The channel of distribution that Shoprite will be using is: * Through wholesalers because Shoprite is a small shop and cant buy directly from the manufacturer because my orders are to small so, I will be buying my products through wholesalers. There are a variety of different types of transport that are available. * Road: It is quite expensive and more flexible than any other form of transport. * Rail: Goods, which are carried in bulk for long distances are more, suited for rail transport. * Air: It tends to be used to transport items that require fast delivery or which are highly perishable. * Sea: There are many forms of sea transport which includes: Cargo liners, tankers and container ships. Although it is slow compared to other forms of transport, ships can move bulky items and is more cost effective. Two other methods of transport that arent very popular are Canals and Pipelines. Shoprite will use road transport it is the only type of transport that I will need and it is very flexible and I wouldnt need to move a lot of bulky items. PROMOTION This task is about promotion techniques and the ways to help raise awareness of business products or services and encourage consumers to buy them. There are a few definitions of promotion: * Communication or the main aim between a business and customer. * Making the customer aware that the product is for sale. * Tell or explain to the customers what the product is or how it works. * To make the customers aware of how the product will serve the customers needs. * To persuade the customers to buy the products for the first time or again. Shoprite will use the promotion techniques that are listed below: * Public Relations it is free advertising. Press releases are sent to for example newspapers and magazines to announce new products or company activities that may help to promote a company and its products. * Advertising it is a form of non-personal communication with customers. An advertising message may be informative (provide customers with information) or persuasive (influence or persuade customers) advertising.

Mistakes With Regard

Mistakes With Regard Mistakes With Regard Mistakes With Regard By Maeve Maddox The English word regard has multiple meanings as both noun and verb. A common error is to attach an s to the noun in certain expressions. Incorrect: In congressional questioning, assessment of Clintons performance at State in regards to the Benghazi attack was split by party line.- US News World Report. Correct : In congressional questioning, assessment of Clintons performance at State in regard to the Benghazi attack was split by party line. Incorrect: Texas Tech wants all or nothing in regards to AM  rivalry- NBC Sports. Correct : Texas Tech wants all or nothing in regard to AM  rivalry. Incorrect: Yoga outfit said to stretch truth in regards to assets - New York Post. Correct : Yoga outfit said to stretch truth in regard to assets. Incorrect: IRS Provides Guidance With Regards to Same-Sex Married Couples - Nova Southeastern University site. Correct : IRS Provides Guidance With Regard to Same-Sex Married Couples. Incorrect: If he was seen to be taking the party line and demonstrating strong leadership with regards to opposing the bill, this would do his chances no harm whatsoever.- UK History Learning site. Correct : If he was seen to be taking the party line and demonstrating strong leadership with regard to opposing the bill, this would do his chances no harm whatsoever. When does regard take an s? 1. When it is used to close a letter: Best regards, George 2. When it is preceded by as: As regards  the  issue of  complexity, this is quite evident: the brain is one of the most complex systems we know. 3. When it is used as a third person present tense singular verb: Respect is very important in the way  Scorsese  works with actors and also the way he  regards his  audience. Related posts: In Regard to Your Letter In Regards To Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?List of Prefixes and Suffixes and their Meanings

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians Mystery enshrouds the exact origins of todays Albanians. Most historians of the Balkans believe the Albanian people are in large part descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who, like other Balkan peoples, were subdivided into tribes and clans. The name Albania is derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Arber, or Arbereshà «, and later Albanoi, that lived near Durrà «s. The Illyrians were Indo-European tribesmen who appeared in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula about 1000 B.C., a period coinciding with the end of the Bronze Age and beginning of the Iron Age. They inhabited much of the area for at least the next millennium. Archaeologists associate the Illyrians with the Hallstatt culture, an Iron Age people noted for production of iron and bronze swords with winged-shaped handles and for domestication of horses. The Illyrians occupied lands extending from the Danube, Sava, and Morava rivers to the Adriatic Sea and the Sar Mountains. At various times, groups of Il lyrians migrated over land and sea into Italy. The Illyrians carried on commerce and warfare with their neighbors. The ancient Macedonians probably had some Illyrian roots, but their ruling class adopted Greek cultural characteristics. The Illyrians also mingled with the Thracians, another ancient people with adjoining lands on the east. In the south and along the Adriatic Sea coast, the Illyrians were heavily influenced by the Greeks, who founded trading colonies there. The present-day city of Durrà «s evolved from a Greek colony known as Epidamnos, which was founded at the end of the seventh century B.C. Another famous Greek colony, Apollonia, arose between Durrà «s and the port city of Vlorà «. The Illyrians produced and traded cattle, horses, agricultural goods, and wares fashioned from locally mined copper and iron. Feuds and warfare were constant facts of life for the Illyrian tribes, and Illyrian pirates plagued shipping on the Adriatic Sea. Councils of elders chose the chieftains who headed each of the numerous Illyrian tribes. From time to time, local chieftains extended their rule over other tribes and formed short-lived kingdoms. During the fifth century B.C., a well-developed Illyrian population center existed as far north as the upper Sava River valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovenian city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities. The Illyrian kingdom of Bardhyllus became a formidable local power in the fourth century B.C. In 358 B.C., however, Macedonias Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, defeated the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid (see fig. 5). Alexander himself routed the forces of the Illyrian chieftain Clitus in 335 B.C., and Illyrian tribal leaders and soldiers accompanied Alexander on his conquest of Persia. After Alexanders death in 323 B.C., independent Illyrian kingdoms again arose. In 312 B.C., King Glaucius expelled the Greeks from Durrà «s. By the end of the third century, an Illyrian kingdom based near what is now the Albanian city of Shkodà «r controlled parts of northern Albania, Montenegro, and Hercegovina. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans. In the Illyrian Wars of 229 and 219 B.C., Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva River valley. The Romans made new gains in 168 B.C., and Roman forces captured Illyrias King Gentius at Shkodà «r, which they called Scodra, and brought him to Rome in 165 B.C. A century later, Julius Caesar and his rival Pompey fought their decisive battle near Durrà «s (Dyrrachium). Rome finally subjugated recalcitrant Illyrian tribes in the western Balkans [during the reign] of Emperor Tiberius in A.D. 9. The Romans divided the lands that make up present-day Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus. For about four centuries, Roman rule brought the Illyrian-populated lands economic and cultural advancement and ended most of the enervating clashes among local tribes. The Illyrian mountain clansmen retained local authority but pledged allegiance to the emperor and acknowledged the authority of his envoys. During a yearly holiday honoring the Caesars, the Illyrian mountaineers swore loyalty to the emperor and reaffirmed their political rights. A form of this tradition, known as the kuvend, has survived to the present day in northern Albania. The Romans established numerous military camps and colonies and completely latinized the coastal cities. They also oversaw the construction of aqueducts and roads, including the Via Egnatia, a famous military highway and trade route that led from Durrà «s through the Shkumbin River valley to Macedonia and Byzantium (later Constantinople) Constantinople Originally a Greek city, Byzantium, it was made the capital of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great and was soon renamed Constantinople in his honor. The city was captured by the Turks in 1453 and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks called the city Istanbul, but most of the non-Muslim world knew it as Constantinople until about 1930. Copper, asphalt, and silver were extracted from the mountains. The main exports were wine, cheese, oil, and fish from Lake Scutari and Lake Ohrid. Imports included tools, metalware, luxury goods, and other manufactured articles. Apollonia became a cultural center, and Julius Caesar himself sent his nephew, later the Emperor Augustus, to study there. Illyrians distinguished themselves as warriors in the Roman legions and made up a significant portion of the Praetorian Guard. Several of the Roman emperors were of Illyrian origin, including Diocletian (284-305), who saved the empire from disintegration by introducing institutional reforms, and Constantine the Great (324-37)who accepted Christianity and transferred the empires capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople. Emperor Justinian (527-65)who codified Roman law, built the most famous Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, and re-extended the empires control over lost territories- -was probably also an Illyrian. Christianity came to the Illyrian-populated lands in the first century A.D. Saint Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum, and legend holds that he visited Durrà «s. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in A.D. 395, the lands that now make up Albania were administered by the Eastern Empire but were ecclesiastically dependent on Rome. In A.D. 732, however, a Byzantine emperor, Leo the Isaurian, subordinated the area to the patriarchate of Constantinople. For centuries thereafter, the Albanian lands became an arena for the ecclesiastical struggle between Rome and Constantinople. Most Albanians living in the mountainous north became Roman Catholic, while in the southern and central regions, the majority became Orthodox. Source [for the Library of Congress]: Based on information from R. Ernest Dupuy and Trevor N. Dupuy, The Encyclopedia of Military History, New York, 1970, 95; Herman Kinder and Werner Hilgemann, The Anchor Atlas of World History, 1, New York, 1974, 90, 94; and Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15, New York, 1975, 1092. Data as of April 1992SOURCE: The Library of Congress - ALBANIA - A Country Study

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians Mystery enshrouds the exact origins of todays Albanians. Most historians of the Balkans believe the Albanian people are in large part descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who, like other Balkan peoples, were subdivided into tribes and clans. The name Albania is derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Arber, or Arbereshà «, and later Albanoi, that lived near Durrà «s. The Illyrians were Indo-European tribesmen who appeared in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula about 1000 B.C., a period coinciding with the end of the Bronze Age and beginning of the Iron Age. They inhabited much of the area for at least the next millennium. Archaeologists associate the Illyrians with the Hallstatt culture, an Iron Age people noted for production of iron and bronze swords with winged-shaped handles and for domestication of horses. The Illyrians occupied lands extending from the Danube, Sava, and Morava rivers to the Adriatic Sea and the Sar Mountains. At various times, groups of Il lyrians migrated over land and sea into Italy. The Illyrians carried on commerce and warfare with their neighbors. The ancient Macedonians probably had some Illyrian roots, but their ruling class adopted Greek cultural characteristics. The Illyrians also mingled with the Thracians, another ancient people with adjoining lands on the east. In the south and along the Adriatic Sea coast, the Illyrians were heavily influenced by the Greeks, who founded trading colonies there. The present-day city of Durrà «s evolved from a Greek colony known as Epidamnos, which was founded at the end of the seventh century B.C. Another famous Greek colony, Apollonia, arose between Durrà «s and the port city of Vlorà «. The Illyrians produced and traded cattle, horses, agricultural goods, and wares fashioned from locally mined copper and iron. Feuds and warfare were constant facts of life for the Illyrian tribes, and Illyrian pirates plagued shipping on the Adriatic Sea. Councils of elders chose the chieftains who headed each of the numerous Illyrian tribes. From time to time, local chieftains extended their rule over other tribes and formed short-lived kingdoms. During the fifth century B.C., a well-developed Illyrian population center existed as far north as the upper Sava River valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovenian city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities. The Illyrian kingdom of Bardhyllus became a formidable local power in the fourth century B.C. In 358 B.C., however, Macedonias Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, defeated the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid (see fig. 5). Alexander himself routed the forces of the Illyrian chieftain Clitus in 335 B.C., and Illyrian tribal leaders and soldiers accompanied Alexander on his conquest of Persia. After Alexanders death in 323 B.C., independent Illyrian kingdoms again arose. In 312 B.C., King Glaucius expelled the Greeks from Durrà «s. By the end of the third century, an Illyrian kingdom based near what is now the Albanian city of Shkodà «r controlled parts of northern Albania, Montenegro, and Hercegovina. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans. In the Illyrian Wars of 229 and 219 B.C., Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva River valley. The Romans made new gains in 168 B.C., and Roman forces captured Illyrias King Gentius at Shkodà «r, which they called Scodra, and brought him to Rome in 165 B.C. A century later, Julius Caesar and his rival Pompey fought their decisive battle near Durrà «s (Dyrrachium). Rome finally subjugated recalcitrant Illyrian tribes in the western Balkans [during the reign] of Emperor Tiberius in A.D. 9. The Romans divided the lands that make up present-day Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus. For about four centuries, Roman rule brought the Illyrian-populated lands economic and cultural advancement and ended most of the enervating clashes among local tribes. The Illyrian mountain clansmen retained local authority but pledged allegiance to the emperor and acknowledged the authority of his envoys. During a yearly holiday honoring the Caesars, the Illyrian mountaineers swore loyalty to the emperor and reaffirmed their political rights. A form of this tradition, known as the kuvend, has survived to the present day in northern Albania. The Romans established numerous military camps and colonies and completely latinized the coastal cities. They also oversaw the construction of aqueducts and roads, including the Via Egnatia, a famous military highway and trade route that led from Durrà «s through the Shkumbin River valley to Macedonia and Byzantium (later Constantinople) Constantinople Originally a Greek city, Byzantium, it was made the capital of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great and was soon renamed Constantinople in his honor. The city was captured by the Turks in 1453 and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks called the city Istanbul, but most of the non-Muslim world knew it as Constantinople until about 1930. Copper, asphalt, and silver were extracted from the mountains. The main exports were wine, cheese, oil, and fish from Lake Scutari and Lake Ohrid. Imports included tools, metalware, luxury goods, and other manufactured articles. Apollonia became a cultural center, and Julius Caesar himself sent his nephew, later the Emperor Augustus, to study there. Illyrians distinguished themselves as warriors in the Roman legions and made up a significant portion of the Praetorian Guard. Several of the Roman emperors were of Illyrian origin, including Diocletian (284-305), who saved the empire from disintegration by introducing institutional reforms, and Constantine the Great (324-37)who accepted Christianity and transferred the empires capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople. Emperor Justinian (527-65)who codified Roman law, built the most famous Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, and re-extended the empires control over lost territories- -was probably also an Illyrian. Christianity came to the Illyrian-populated lands in the first century A.D. Saint Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum, and legend holds that he visited Durrà «s. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in A.D. 395, the lands that now make up Albania were administered by the Eastern Empire but were ecclesiastically dependent on Rome. In A.D. 732, however, a Byzantine emperor, Leo the Isaurian, subordinated the area to the patriarchate of Constantinople. For centuries thereafter, the Albanian lands became an arena for the ecclesiastical struggle between Rome and Constantinople. Most Albanians living in the mountainous north became Roman Catholic, while in the southern and central regions, the majority became Orthodox. Source [for the Library of Congress]: Based on information from R. Ernest Dupuy and Trevor N. Dupuy, The Encyclopedia of Military History, New York, 1970, 95; Herman Kinder and Werner Hilgemann, The Anchor Atlas of World History, 1, New York, 1974, 90, 94; and Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15, New York, 1975, 1092. Data as of April 1992SOURCE: The Library of Congress - ALBANIA - A Country Study

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians

The Ancient Illyrians Connection to Todays Albanians Mystery enshrouds the exact origins of todays Albanians. Most historians of the Balkans believe the Albanian people are in large part descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who, like other Balkan peoples, were subdivided into tribes and clans. The name Albania is derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Arber, or Arbereshà «, and later Albanoi, that lived near Durrà «s. The Illyrians were Indo-European tribesmen who appeared in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula about 1000 B.C., a period coinciding with the end of the Bronze Age and beginning of the Iron Age. They inhabited much of the area for at least the next millennium. Archaeologists associate the Illyrians with the Hallstatt culture, an Iron Age people noted for production of iron and bronze swords with winged-shaped handles and for domestication of horses. The Illyrians occupied lands extending from the Danube, Sava, and Morava rivers to the Adriatic Sea and the Sar Mountains. At various times, groups of Il lyrians migrated over land and sea into Italy. The Illyrians carried on commerce and warfare with their neighbors. The ancient Macedonians probably had some Illyrian roots, but their ruling class adopted Greek cultural characteristics. The Illyrians also mingled with the Thracians, another ancient people with adjoining lands on the east. In the south and along the Adriatic Sea coast, the Illyrians were heavily influenced by the Greeks, who founded trading colonies there. The present-day city of Durrà «s evolved from a Greek colony known as Epidamnos, which was founded at the end of the seventh century B.C. Another famous Greek colony, Apollonia, arose between Durrà «s and the port city of Vlorà «. The Illyrians produced and traded cattle, horses, agricultural goods, and wares fashioned from locally mined copper and iron. Feuds and warfare were constant facts of life for the Illyrian tribes, and Illyrian pirates plagued shipping on the Adriatic Sea. Councils of elders chose the chieftains who headed each of the numerous Illyrian tribes. From time to time, local chieftains extended their rule over other tribes and formed short-lived kingdoms. During the fifth century B.C., a well-developed Illyrian population center existed as far north as the upper Sava River valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovenian city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities. The Illyrian kingdom of Bardhyllus became a formidable local power in the fourth century B.C. In 358 B.C., however, Macedonias Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, defeated the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid (see fig. 5). Alexander himself routed the forces of the Illyrian chieftain Clitus in 335 B.C., and Illyrian tribal leaders and soldiers accompanied Alexander on his conquest of Persia. After Alexanders death in 323 B.C., independent Illyrian kingdoms again arose. In 312 B.C., King Glaucius expelled the Greeks from Durrà «s. By the end of the third century, an Illyrian kingdom based near what is now the Albanian city of Shkodà «r controlled parts of northern Albania, Montenegro, and Hercegovina. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans. In the Illyrian Wars of 229 and 219 B.C., Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva River valley. The Romans made new gains in 168 B.C., and Roman forces captured Illyrias King Gentius at Shkodà «r, which they called Scodra, and brought him to Rome in 165 B.C. A century later, Julius Caesar and his rival Pompey fought their decisive battle near Durrà «s (Dyrrachium). Rome finally subjugated recalcitrant Illyrian tribes in the western Balkans [during the reign] of Emperor Tiberius in A.D. 9. The Romans divided the lands that make up present-day Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus. For about four centuries, Roman rule brought the Illyrian-populated lands economic and cultural advancement and ended most of the enervating clashes among local tribes. The Illyrian mountain clansmen retained local authority but pledged allegiance to the emperor and acknowledged the authority of his envoys. During a yearly holiday honoring the Caesars, the Illyrian mountaineers swore loyalty to the emperor and reaffirmed their political rights. A form of this tradition, known as the kuvend, has survived to the present day in northern Albania. The Romans established numerous military camps and colonies and completely latinized the coastal cities. They also oversaw the construction of aqueducts and roads, including the Via Egnatia, a famous military highway and trade route that led from Durrà «s through the Shkumbin River valley to Macedonia and Byzantium (later Constantinople) Constantinople Originally a Greek city, Byzantium, it was made the capital of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great and was soon renamed Constantinople in his honor. The city was captured by the Turks in 1453 and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks called the city Istanbul, but most of the non-Muslim world knew it as Constantinople until about 1930. Copper, asphalt, and silver were extracted from the mountains. The main exports were wine, cheese, oil, and fish from Lake Scutari and Lake Ohrid. Imports included tools, metalware, luxury goods, and other manufactured articles. Apollonia became a cultural center, and Julius Caesar himself sent his nephew, later the Emperor Augustus, to study there. Illyrians distinguished themselves as warriors in the Roman legions and made up a significant portion of the Praetorian Guard. Several of the Roman emperors were of Illyrian origin, including Diocletian (284-305), who saved the empire from disintegration by introducing institutional reforms, and Constantine the Great (324-37)who accepted Christianity and transferred the empires capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople. Emperor Justinian (527-65)who codified Roman law, built the most famous Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, and re-extended the empires control over lost territories- -was probably also an Illyrian. Christianity came to the Illyrian-populated lands in the first century A.D. Saint Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum, and legend holds that he visited Durrà «s. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in A.D. 395, the lands that now make up Albania were administered by the Eastern Empire but were ecclesiastically dependent on Rome. In A.D. 732, however, a Byzantine emperor, Leo the Isaurian, subordinated the area to the patriarchate of Constantinople. For centuries thereafter, the Albanian lands became an arena for the ecclesiastical struggle between Rome and Constantinople. Most Albanians living in the mountainous north became Roman Catholic, while in the southern and central regions, the majority became Orthodox. Source [for the Library of Congress]: Based on information from R. Ernest Dupuy and Trevor N. Dupuy, The Encyclopedia of Military History, New York, 1970, 95; Herman Kinder and Werner Hilgemann, The Anchor Atlas of World History, 1, New York, 1974, 90, 94; and Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15, New York, 1975, 1092. Data as of April 1992SOURCE: The Library of Congress - ALBANIA - A Country Study

Final Project Proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final Project - Research Proposal Example Kinect is a motion sensor input device that is developed by Microsoft for use with Xbox gaming consoles and personal computers and was launched on 4 November, 2010. The device resembles a webcam and is plugged into a computer or Xbox console through a USB port. It has a camera which tracks body movements of a user and a microphone for audio input. The microphone can be used for commanding the computer or console through voice commands. Kinect also features a depth sensor that uses infrared to accurately analyze movements of a user. The Xbox Kinect has been a huge success for Microsoft. It is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s fastest-selling consumer electronics gadget. The gadget has also resulted in more sales of Xbox games as the technology attracts buyers to games designed to take advantage of the Kinect’s capabilities. Sales of Xbox consoles have also soared, as consumers opt to buy packages that bundle the consoles and Kinect sensor systems. Through this device, Microsoft has reinvented gaming and completely changed how humans interact with

Business Systems Analysis and Design Coursework - 2

Business Systems Analysis and Design - Coursework Example These people are supposed to carry out an analysis of the different data on workers. After the analysis they will give an appraisal report. 4. Employees receive their appraisal report. This report will show whether an employee has been attending to duties in the correct manner stipulated by the company. CATWOE checklist from HR manager The appraisal system owned by the human resource office is to provide the senior managers with attendance information. The hr department clerks collect data on an employee’s clock in and out time. The data on the staff attendance is transformed to give an appraisal report for each and every employee. The appraisal is carried out by the human resource manager using the system to provide data on promotion. The system will produce quick reports which will be up to date. The system reduces the time the human resource department takes to do an appraisal. Employees The appraisal system owned by the Human resource department of Buckie cooperative socie ty is to monitor our working progress. Different workers will be required to feed their personal data into the system. The system will transform the data and give a final report on production of workers. The system will make the working environment to be unfriendly due to the monitoring process. The human resource department will use the system to retain or fire employees according to the monitoring report. MD of the Buckie Cooperative Society The staff appraisal system as owned by the Buckie cooperative society. The human resource department is to collect data on workers from the different departments and feed into the system. The system will analyze the data and give data on the best performing department. The system will ensure good performance in the different departments of the company. The world view is that the system will improve on the decision making of managers. Line managers The appraisal system as owned by Buckie cooperative society. The line managers will be necessitat ed to provide data on the working progress of their employees. The system will analyze the data and give a report on the productive line and the unproductive line. The system will be used to identify the line of productions that will be shut and which to be maintained by senior managers. The world view of the system is that it will ensure profitability of the company by eliminating unproductive lines. Conceptual models of the system Line Managers Employees HR manager MD of the Buckie Cooperative Society Problems that will be encountered Resistance of system by the workforce The company employees will see this system as a way to curtail their freedom. This will make them resist the adoption of the system by either refusing to use it. These employees refusal to use the system will make it useless to the society. This problem will be addressed by educating the staff on the need of this system. They will be needed to be shown the positive part of the implementation of the system. Some o f the positive things will be, there will no favoritism in promoting workers because the system will always give correct data. Support of the top management is also important. This will come in place because they are the one who will see into it the system is used. The top leadership is mostly made up of decision makers who will be required to appreciate the help of the system in things like making promotion decision. Lack of necessary Infrastructure for Implementation The system might be developed but cannot be deployed on a