My Experience At The Technical Side Of Writing - 979 Words

I expected coming into this course and not having a clue what I was doing. I also expected not being able to complete each task properly and on time. The reason I was expecting these things to happen was because I am not good at the technical side of writing. I am often discouraged from writing about topics that I do not want to write about; also learning the technical parts of writing can be frustrating for me. I thought that I was going to be overloaded with chapters to read and a ton of work that I did not want to do; however, this was not the case. This class was not as bad as I expected. I was able to keep up while still maintaining my grades. I was able to hand my assignments in on time as well. The McGraw site was easy to navigate and the information was all very helpful as well. In a sense this class met my expectations but more so in a positive way than a negative one. I was pretty confident in my writing abilities before the beginning of this class. When I was in school English was one of the only classes that I could pass with flying colors. I always received compliments from my teachers and friends on my writings. I once had my teacher tell me that an essay I wrote on a cheesecake was so descriptive it literally made her want to go buy a cheesecake. I was also nervous about my writing abilities in this class because I had never written a college essay before and I was not sure if I would be able to comprehend new concepts. I feel my writing abilities haveShow MoreRelatedCritical Thinking Reflection1121 Words   |  5 PagesW233 helped shape my writing and critical thinking by reframing my concept of what constitutes a good piece of writing. Prior to this course, I thought that a good paper consisted of an argument supported with solid word choice and consistent organization throughout to guide the reader through each paragraph. My thoughts at this time were more focused the â€Å"what† of an argument, but I learned that in order to write a great paper—especially one that involves mediating an argument—it is equally importantRead MoreThe Case For Intern As Oracle And Sql Developer1614 Words   |  7 Pages20171 Supervisor: Mr. Raj Kilaru ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES My role is an Oracle PL/SQL developer in Sriven technologies, working for a client. Some of roles and responsibilities are †¢ Design, develop, testing and support the Oracle Applications †¢ Need to develop SQL Scripts, Packages and Procedures †¢ Work with the business analysts and DBA’s to review and understand the business requirements and functional specifications †¢ Involved in writing pl/sql packages, procedures, functions and triggers whichRead MoreMedia Communication : A Reflection On Media And Communication1108 Words   |  5 Pagesout to complete 80-hours at the New South Wales Rugby League to earn valuable experience in my chosen field of media and communications, but came out the other side with much more. On one side, I completed my goals of bettering my writing skills, writing media releases, a basic learning to manage the media, improving my communication skills and working in a media environment, but I never thought my learning experience would go so far beyond these intended objectives. Examples of this including dressingRead MoreThe Discourse Community Of Volleyball1487 Words   |  6 Pagesgoal. Within the group, there are certain ways of communicating with one another, relaying information, and using common speech or terms that everyone in the group understands. Being part of different discourse communities can help dev elop different writing styles and skills. A non-school discourse community that helped me develop as a writer was volleyball. There are many aspects to volleyball that a player has to understand: the common goals, the rules, and the terminology. Being a part of the volleyballRead MoreAutonomous Cars : Tension Between Occupant Experience And Intersection Capacity1209 Words   |  5 PagesThe article â€Å"Autonomous Cars: The tension between occupant experience and intersection capacity†, by Le Vine, et al. is designed to help get a better understanding of the questions that are raised about how effective the experience riding in an autopilot car can be for daily efficiency. It also examines the effects that these cars have on road networks for traffic managers when designing how roads are created. The majority of the article compares and contrast high speed trains and autonomous carsRead More Reflection on My Portfolio Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesReflection on My Portfol io Literature has fascinated me from an early age. I was always an extremely active child, yet all I needed to settle down was a good book. The worlds created from the page within my mind were wondrous and amazing. However, I never imagined that I would become an English Literature major in college. Like many others before me, I wasn’t sure what you could do with an English major but teach or write, neither of which I planned on doing. A business or management majorRead More Logic, Imagination and Deduction Essay784 Words   |  4 PagesThese are some of the common inquisitions I heard while trying my best to pay attention during elementary school classes. It seems that I had some issues with staying on task. Perhaps it was a problem that I would outgrow, or at least be able to control, but as the years went on by I found that time did not change me. What a break! It turns out that using my imagination has helped me numerous times in solving networking issues, writing code, troubleshooting electronic devices, and designing complexRead MoreHow Technology Can Make Learning More Accessible1658 Words   |  7 Pagespeople to achieve a brighter future based on their background and experiences. In the beginning of the book, the readers are questioned about their previous jobs and what the level of literacy demands was required in that generation period. To better understand the book, I took the question to myself to ask my parents that question, since my generation demands the same demands throughout the five years that I have begun working. My father answered that in his early generation, around the 1980s, peopleRead MoreDon t Drop Out By Article890 Words   |  4 PagesCongratulations on getting your article â€Å"Don’t Drop Out† published. After reading the piece it has for certain committed me to finishing my undergraduate degree. I’m sure it is going to have the same impact on almost all your readers. I say this with full confid ence because you are speaking from personal experience as someone who was on the verge of dropping out but decided to stay in the fight till the end. You’ve produced an effective article and I wouldn’t change much to it. As a fellow colleagueRead MoreTeaching Education At The University Of Virginia s College At Wise Essay1532 Words   |  7 PagesUniversity of Virginia’s College at Wise. During my time at the university, I gained a thorough knowledge of English Literature, writing, and teaching pedagogue. Through this experience, I have developed and changed my teaching philosophy. I have had the opportunity to see new and exciting teaching techniques and observe under some great teachers with excellent ideas. I plan to create a safe, creative, and comfortable classroom environment for my students. I believe students learn better when they

Underlying Messges in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s My Kinsman,...

A lot of the time when we look at the writers that wrote specifically during the romanticism era we see it vital to figure out the significant, every so often underlining, messages that an author may be trying to convey through their plot, character arrangement or even the scenes that the characters find themselves in. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s My Kinsman, Major Molineux, is a great example of how an author tells more about the world around themselves through the stories they write. In this short story we are introduced to a young boy, Robin, who is in search of an older gentleman, Major Molineux, which he feels a strong connection to and is determined to find. From a literal perspective one could see this short story for exactly what is†¦show more content†¦By thinking so fondly of them he begins to miss his father even more. He now enters a dream like trance where he focuses on his family. Robin breaks the trance when he encounters a gentleman who comes off as an intell igent and well-mannered man. Here, through Robin’s dialogue with the man, we get a deeper look into the relationship between Robin and Major Molineux. Robin elucidates to the man that his father was once a clergyman while his brother and Robin’s uncle, Major Molineux had inherited riches of the family. He goes on to tell the man that his uncle did not have any children of his own. Robin tells the man that Major Molineux showed an interest in him and because his older brother was to inherit the farm that his father would leave behind, he was the one that was supposed to receive his uncle’s wealth and generosity. As they sit, they hear a crowd of people approaching. As they approach their grumblings grow louder and louder. When the crowd comes nearer, the street is filled with people. Robin recognizes the leaders of this crowd as the very man who had insulted and threatened him in the inn and given him advice to wait by the church because the Major would come by t here. Robin recognizes that in the center of the crowd Major Molineux was standing there tarred and feathered. When Robin and his uncle’s eyes meet he finally sees the truth about his uncle. Nathaniel Hawthorne does a tremendous job of showing a sense of coming of age and the destruction of

SWOT Analysis of Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc Free Essays

ABSTRACT This is an in-depth analysis on market capitalization of Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc., a global hotels company ranked at position 72 in the FTSE 100 index at the close of business on March 2nd 2012. It is a comprehensive analysis of its strengths and weaknesses in strategy and operations, threats in its business environment, current and future opportunities for growth both financially and in its market. We will write a custom essay sample on SWOT Analysis of Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc or any similar topic only for you Order Now INTRODUCTION Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc. (IHG) is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom (Datamonitor 2007). It is involved in ownership, management, leasing or franchising hotels and resorts, through subsidiaries around the world with 4,480 hotels in about 100 countries and territories (Datamonitor 2007). Its brands include Crowne plaza, Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Staybridge Suites. Listed at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) with a secondary listing at the New York Stock Exchange (NSE), IHG is ranked 72nd in the FTSE 100 index with a market capitalization of ?3.4bn at the end of 2011 (FTSE index report 2012). The company operates a diverse portfolio of brands across multiple economic segments which cater for multiple price segments from the upper upscale (5-star) segment focusing on the international business traveler, to the upscale (4-star) segment catering both to the business traveler and the leisure traveler down to the midscale (3-star) targeting both domestic business and leisure travelers (Annual report 2010). It makes most of its money from royalty fees of franchises and management fees from the hotels it manages. IHG provides expertise in hotel management, systems, and marketing leaving investment in property to its partners as it is far more capital intensive. This â€Å"asset-light† operating structure enables the Group to commit less of its capital in development and maintenance its hotels. It only owns a small number of hotels it deems important strategically to its brands. A major strength for IHG is its preferred brands with its vast portfolio commanding leadership in their market segments (Annual report 2010). Quality service from these brands strengthen the market position of IHG giving it its competitive edge as it seeks to take advantage of increasing business and leisure travel globally. The group is also keen to grow new innovative brands that meet the unique experiences guests desire. It has newly launched the EVEN hotels brand, the first mainstream hotel focusing on wellness keen to take advantage of the growth in the wellness sector globally (IHG 2011). This brand fulfills a demand for healthier travel by uniquely providing solutions for all aspects of traveler’s wellness needs in the areas of exercise, food, work and rest. Additionally, its re-launch of its Holiday Inn brand focused on quality and consistency for a better customer experience shows the company’s focus to improving its brands. With these, IHG is positioning itself to benefit from enhanced customer numbers and their demand for specialty services. IHG’s diversified geographical presence reduces risks associated with operating in a particular region due to adverse geo-political, economic conditions as well as demand fluctuations. The Group is taking advantage of potential growth opportunities that other regions offer and is investing in expansion in these emerging markets such as China. Growth in these new markets counters slump in traditional markets such as the Euro zone which is experiencing economic and political challenges affecting travel. Furthermore, presence in far-flung areas of its tourist resorts and getaways also differentiates it from its competitors who mainly focus on major cities. This gives the company an additional revenue stream with more to offer to the customer in terms of diverse locations and experiences. The Group’s global systems and scale is also its strength with it commanding leadership positions in 13 of the top 20 markets around the world accounting for over 80% of global lodging spend (IHG 2011). Its hotels are strategically positioned to benefit from the market segments and nature of travel in the regions. For instance, the segment in the US with the greatest share is the midscale and IHG’s Holiday Inn brand family is the largest in this segment. The company is seeking to enhance its presence with more rooms in more locations through its pipeline with franchise agreements and signing of additional rooms (hotels) to the group’s portfolio (IHG 2011). The Group also boasts of an innovative web and mobile presence mainly focused on online reservations. Its reservation system consists of 11 global call centers and several local language websites making it the most active on the web in the industry and strategically positioning it to benefit from an increase in online reservations (Annual reports 2010). This channel delivered 19% of rooms revenue through IHG’s direct websites in 2011. Also of note is Priority Club Rewards, the group’s loyalty program with over 63 million members which creates repeat traffic and enhances its relationship with its clients (IHG 2011). The company’s balance sheet is robust with a 26% growth in operating profit from $444m in 2010 to $559m, with revenue of $1,768m in 2011 up from $1,628m the previous year (IHG 2011). These gains allow IHG to invest in accelerated growth strengthening its brands with a lowering of its debt. Raising finance is a challenge globally as it diminishes the net system for growth. As such, IHG has expectations for growth in the region of 2-3% in 2012. However, perceived as offering greater security through reservation systems, loyalty schemes and international networks, branded hotels are gaining in market share over the unbranded portion of the industry. This perception makes it easier for property owners to leverage on these brands when seeking debt financing. IHG is positioned to gain from this trend with its attractiveness boosted by its offer of great brands and effective revenue delivery through global reservations channels. Intercontinental hotels group has a weakness in its geographical concentration. The hotel and hospitality industry though fragmented is still geographically quite concentrated with the top 20 countries having over 80% of the world’s rooms and the US accounting for 25% of that (IHG 2011). Over half of IHG’s revenue comes from the Americas, accounting for 69% of the Group’s operating profit (IHG 2011). This large exposure to the US market makes IHG vulnerable in the event of a recession. However, having long-term management and franchise contracts for most of its hotels makes IHG less vulnerable than its competition. Its focus on growing its presence in emerging markets and globally also seeks to counter such vulnerability with diversification of revenue sources. CONCLUSION The strength of IHG’s brands, bolstered by their global systems and scale enables the company to perform well in the US and Greater China, key global markets. With its deliberate attempt at strengthening its business through developing its brand portfolio supported by targeted investment. IHG ensures that it benefits from opportunities available in its business environment in spite of considerable uncertainty in the Euro zone and the Americas. IHG is striving to position itself globally to benefit from opportunities in industry trends in the long term, in particular, emerging markets with growing demand and specialty. This it is enabled by its preferred brands, geographic diversity, robust balance sheet and its scalable business model. APPENDIX Revenue per available room (RevPAR) – room revenue divided by the number of room nights that are available (can be mathematically derived from occupancy rate multiplied by average room rate). Occupancy Rate – rooms occupied by hotel guests, expressed as a percentage of rooms that are available. Pipeline – signed/executed agreements, including franchises and management contracts, for hotels which will enter the InterContinental Hotels system at a future date. REFERENCES Annual report, 2010. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC . {Viewed on 5th March 2012} from http://www.annualreports.com/Company/2353 Datamonitor, 2007. Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc. {viewed on 3rd March 2012} from www.datamonitor.com FTSE Index report, 2012. FTSE All-Share Index Ranking (unofficial guide) as at close on Fri, 2 March 2012. {Viewed on 3rd March 2012} from http://www.stockchallenge.co.uk/ftse.php Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc. (IHG), 2011. Preliminary results 2011- twelve months to 31 December 2011. {Viewed on 3rd March 2012} from http://www.ihgplc.com/index. How to cite SWOT Analysis of Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc, Essay examples