Marketing Plan for Hotel - 12276 Words

Marketing Plan for the April 2010 Executive Summary Contents: Executive Summary 2 1.0 Corporate objectives and strategy 5 2.0 Marketing audit 5 2.1 External Analysis – PESTLIED 5 2.2 Industrial and Market Analysis 7 2.3 Competitive Analysis 9 2.3.1 Direct competition 9 2.3.2 Indirect Competition 9 2.3.3 Critical Success Factors 9 2.4 Customer Analysis 10 2.4.1 Grey Market Customers 10 2.4.2 The business related travel. 11 2.4.3 The youth market (16-25). 11 2.4.4 The youth market (26-35). 11 2.5 Market Audit Conclusion – SWOT Analysis 12 3.0 Assumptions 13 4.0 OBJECTIVES 14 4.1 Strategic Objectives 14 4.2 Financial Objectives 14 4.3 Marketing Objectives 14 5.0†¦show more content†¦It is estimated that between 2006 and 2011, the economic outlook for the French Hotel Industry appears positive to steadily grow by an average of 3.5%. Apart from topping the general tourism industry, France also tops the Business travel market. The preceding 5 years, have seen a substantial decrease of 18.5% but the overall attractiveness of this market remains strong as it attracts 12.6 million such business travellers in the past year. The Languedoc-Rousisillon region receives 8.8% of the 1.5 billion overnight stays in France. It is further expected that culture and nature-based tourism within this region will bring a further 1 – 1.5 million tourists next year. 2.1.3 Social The French Tourism market is highly dependant on its local travellers which make up 55.5% of this market. This market is expected to grow further owing to the reduced 35-hour working week thus allowing people with more free time for more frequent short holidays. Added to this, older people are travelling more frequently owing to an improved and cheaper travelling infrastructure. Recent trends show tourists seem to be opting for independent hotels over chain hotels, which is a competitive advantage that ought to be exploited. Further to this, a 2005 survey has shown that the most popular reasons for leisure travel are related to Health/Spa, Sea and gastronomy. 2.1.4 Technology Hotel on-line bookings have increased owing to improvedShow MoreRelatedStrategic Marketing Plan for a Hotel16235 Words   |  65 PagesMaarit Karppinen STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN FOR A HOTEL Hotel and Restaurant Business 2011 2 VAASA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES Degree Programme of Hospitality Management ABSTRACT Author Title Year Language Pages Name of Supervisor Maarit Karppinen Strategic Marketing Plan for a Hotel 2011 English 59 + 2 Appendices Peter Smeds The aim of this thesis was to form a strategic marketing plan for Hotel X, a small privately owned hotel in Helsinki. The theoretical part of this thesisRead MoreMarketing Plan Of Hilton Hotels Resorts3078 Words   |  13 Pages Marketing Plan of Hilton Hotels Resorts in China [æâ€"‡æ ¡ £Ã¥â€° ¯Ã¦  â€¡Ã© ¢Ëœ] [ä ½Å"者å §â€œÃ¥  ] â€Æ' Executive Summary This report seeks to devise a marketing plan for the implementation of the marketing strategy of the Hilton Hotels Resorts in China. In particular, this report analyzes the external environmental factors facing Hilton Hotels Resorts in China using PESTL analysis, as well as a market analysis for the hotel and resorts industry and the competitors of Hilton Hotels Resorts in China in terms of brand awarenessRead MoreRosewood Hotels Marketing Plan Essay1450 Words   |  6 PagesMARKETING PLAN OBJECTIVE The main objective was to foster customer retention and loyalty increasing cross-property usage. The number of multi-property guest stays should be increased to 10% from the 5% rate experienced during the last year. MARKETING SITUATION Problem situation: Rosewood brand was muted, not very well known butRead MoreMarketing Plan Four Seasons Hotel5523 Words   |  23 PagesSeasons Hotels and Resorts Four Seasons Lausanne 1. Executive Summary 3 2. Market and Situation Analysis 4 Market Size 4 Market Growth 5 Market Segments 5 Current Offerings Competition Analysis 6 3. External Environment Analysis - Macroenvironment 8 Political Factors 8 Economic Factors 8 Social Factors 8 Technology Factors 9 Environment Factors 9 Legal Factors 9 4. Internal Environment Analysis - Microenvironment 11 The Company 11 Suppliers 11 Marketing IntermediariesRead MoreMarketing Plan for Crown Plaza Hotels Resorts2043 Words   |  9 PagesExecutive Summary Competition among hotel and hospitality business has increased enormously as customers are getting more educated and fashionable. They’ve been demanding more luxurious services and products which urge organisations to focus on better marketing and strategic planning. Hotels and firms now believe that personal and strong relationships with potential customers is key to competitive advantage in today’s competitive business environment. The idea of developing and upholding the relationshipRead MoreStrategic Marketing Plan- Hpl, Four Seasons Hotel8242 Words   |  33 Pagesvisitors to Singapore on average per year (Hotel Industry Background, 2010). A calculation made on the projected number of hotel beds in year 2000 showed that the country could accommodate up to 16 million visitors. Singapore has been a priority location for hotel conglomerates to set up headquarters to develop new products and concepts for Asian markets.The nation is well-equipped to assist expansion and grooming Hospitality and Tourism talents for the region. Hotel guests have raised expectations by lookingRead MoreMarketing Strategy of Jupiters Gold Coast Hotel828 Words   |  3 PagesJupiters Gold Coast Hotel Marketing Strategy Introduction Jupiters Gold Coast Hotel offers not only a large-scale casino the only one in the area but also a variety of entertainment and dining options in addition to its luxury hotel amenities and its oceanfront views and beach access (Jupiters Hotel Casino, 2012). This gives the hotel and casino a great deal of attract to guests and ought to result in a high occupancy rate and a high proportion of market share compared to its chief rivals inRead MoreMarketing Plan At Coca Cola Company Essay1575 Words   |  7 Pagessupply chain involves working closely with marketing department within the business so that they align their strategic plans with supply chain capabilities. At Coca Cola local operations teams put out marketing plans from the marketing department into practice in each of the business units so they gather valuable knowledge about the regions in which they operate to make sure that the brands plans are fit for purpose. At Coca Cola Company, the marketing department along with the sales department worksRead MoreMarketing Strategies for Travelodge Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesExamining existing marketing strategies and tactics of Travelodge Existing marketing strategies: â€Å"Marketing strategies can have a broad impact on the business in terms of instilling a marketing orientation among all those in the firm: the way of thinking or philosophy of the whole organization. However, marketing strategies can alternatively be seen as dealing only with the development of competitive advantages directly associated with the marketing function such as customer loyalty and distributionRead MoreImplement Plan for Eagle’s Nest Hotel Inc Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesImplement plan for Eagle’s Nest Hotel Inc Human Resource Department [pic] Name: Xiong Words: 1507 Table of content: Overview....................................................................................................................................3 Impact of human resource department.......................................................................................3 Time plan..........................................

Made or Born a Serial Killer Free Essays

Lexis Munoz Professor Miller English 5B 23 April 2013 Are Serial Killers Born or Made? Psychologist John B. Watson expressed in his scientific studies of human behavior that emotion is learnt and as humans we are highly social creatures, and by integrating those two ideas it signifies how much we, as the human race, are influenced by others as well as with the environment causing our behavior to be similar to the ones around us. A study conducted by American psychologist Albert Bandura in 1961 called the Bobo Doll experiment in which Bandura studied on small children between the ages of three and five. We will write a custom essay sample on Made or Born a Serial Killer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each child was placed in a room with an adult and multiple toys including a bobo doll which is an inflated doll, soon after the adult would then hit, kick, and scream at the doll. Bandura used his theory of social learning to â€Å"stress the importance of observational learning, imitating, and modeling. † During the experiment the adult later would leave the room while the child would remain there. Bandura continued observing what the child did to the doll after seeing how the adult treated it and of course the child did exactly what the adult did; imitating everything from what the adult used to hit the doll with, the kicking, and the hitting. Humans cannot control their behavior because it is learned along with the emotions that come with it. Children that are brought up in an unloving, abusive, and neglected environment are later on in their adulthood emotionally scared for life and can soon become psychopathic serial killers at an extremely young age as four or even five. In an interview with a young child named BethThomas this little girl talked about her background of abuse and molestation. Her mothers death lead to the horrific abuse her and her younger 3 month year old brother at the time in the hands of their father. The abuse and molestation happened at a very young age but still stuck with her as she got older. While growing up her and her brother were sent to child services but were welcomed into a loving family that had no idea of their past. As time went by their adopted parent started realizing things were not right with little Beth. She killed and abused multiple animals as well as hurting her brother by hitting him and squeezing his private parts. Beth also hit her brother’s head on a cement floor until her adopted mother heard his screams and she even confessed to wanting to kill him. She took knifes from the kitchen and said in the interview that she wanted to use them to stab her parents when they were asleep. Abuse and molestation caused so many problems in her future but she got therapy and was placed in a controlled environment and is seemed to have turned out a better person, but because of her unfortunate past, no onecan ever know if she will kill or snap at any moment. In all Beth was put through a traumatic childhood that will always be with her due to the violence she experienced. Due to her experiences as a child she has psychological problems and hardly has a conscious which many children go through as growing up but in comparison to Beth’s case they do not always get the psychological help they need causing them to remain violent as Beth would have if she did not get treated as soon as she did. Child abused in the United States happens every thirteen second. Serial killers are not born they are made. Psychopaths grow up in harsh and unlivable environments and sometimes in inhabitable places as well. For example in the book a Child called it, there was a boy who was abused, neglected, unfed, unloved, and so on. Though he did not turn out to be a serial killer children like Albert DeSalvo who was raised in an abusive home and whose father often brought home prostitutes and taught him how to shoplift. Further more, some may say when nature versus nurture is in comparison with whether or not serial killers are made or born that they are born into a killing machine. For example Andrei Chikatilo who is serial killer and also a cannibal was simply made into the monster he turned out to be. There was no abuse, neglects, or bad up bringing he had to endure. He had a normal life, went to school, and never experienced abused, but soon turned into a sexual predator and molester at a young age. Many people go on and on about we are who we are and we are born a certain way. One great example to prove this theory is the disease of cancer. Cancer is a disease some just get unexpectedly that is unpreventable basically. There are some ways to try to prevent it but honestly, there is just no way anyone can completely have the ability to prevent such a complex and difficult disease. Another judgment people may say is that there are multiple reasons and explanations for a serial killer to become into killers but it is not because of abuse, neglect, or ridiculous accusations like porn, but because they are born the way they are. It is all in their genetics many argue and there is no way abuse is the cause for a serial killer to murder, rape, and molest, and so on. It is only correlation not a cause which means those are only factors and not solely the cause of a psychopath. How to cite Made or Born a Serial Killer, Papers

Auditing and Assurance for Auditing Model- MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theAuditing and Assurance for Australian Auditing Model. Answer: Introduction Auditors play an important role in ensuring that the Australian investors must be confident about their decisions for the investments. The high quality of the audit is being undertaken by the help of the quality audits that supports the quality of the financial reports and also enables the investors to investors. The construction of the work can be easily made by depicting the concerns which are contributed to the likelihood of the auditor (Horngren, 2014). Therefore the objectives can be easily outlined as per the Australian Auditing model and also the Auditing standards are also followed. Main Body Opportunities of Auditing Profession under Australian Auditing Model The accountants and auditors are having a wide opportunity in the market as the companies have to prepare the financial report with the help of accountants and auditors. The Accounting rules and standards require that the companies have to appoint external auditors to determine and evaluate the fair value of the company. The stakeholders of the companies demand better tracking of the financial health of the company. The changes in the accounting rules, regulations and laws require help from the accountants and auditors by the companies (Weirich, Pearson, Churyk, 2014). It has become very important for the organizations to present the financial report in an appropriate manner in front of the stakeholders. It has changed the accounting processes of many organizations, and they are depended on the accountants and auditors to prepare the financial statements. The opportunities can be easily explained in the form of the remaining auditing process which is being used for showing the uncha nging of the decades that also enables them to have the appropriate test. This simply defines the categories of the auditing liaisons which is being used for the usage of the evolving technology. This simply undertakes the appropriate and actual verification of the payments that is being used for recording the information. The auditing profession in Australia operates under the co-regulatory regimes. The largest professional bodies: CPA Australia, the National Institute of Accountants and Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia have in place codes of ethics and rules that governs the professional conduct of their members. ASIC provides direction for the registration of the auditors. Thus, the auditors have the wide scope to enter into the auditing profession. Any individual who wants to become an auditor is required to make the application for the registration to ASIC (Stice, Stice, 2014). The individual should satisfy the requirements for the registration as an auditor which includes experience and educational requirement as per the ASIC. The individual should be capable of carrying out his/her auditing duties. ASIC have powers to determine and evaluate breaches of the rules and regulations by the auditors. Membership of the professional accounting body is considered as the legal requirement for becoming an auditor. The subparagraph 1280 (2)(a)(i) of Corporations Act states that members of CPAA or ICAA should satisfy the educational qualification requirements in order to be registered as an auditor. Most of the auditors are the members of one of the bodies. The professional bodies provide wide opportunity to the auditors in order to carry their auditing practices in an appropriate manner (Bodnar, Hopwood, 2013). The accounting standards changes their rules, laws and standards which need to be followed by the organizations. The organizations have to appoint the accountants and auditors in order to prepare their financial statements as per the accounting standards. The Auditing and Assurance Standards Boards publishes and develops the auditing standards that are similar in framework to the accounting standards that are issued by the AAASB. The CPAA and ICAA have developed the joint code of the professional conduct as the ethical code (Ricchiute, 2006). The audit firms have to carry out their accounting process in an ethical manner which means fair representation of the financial statements. The audit firms also provide wide opportunity to the auditors to continue their auditing profession. The audit firms have also provided with opportunity under the Australian Auditing Model. Conclusion The overall explanation is seemed to be revolving around the opportunities, and the challenges that are faced by the Auditing profession are discussed in this case with the help of the Australian Auditing Model. The use of the artificial intelligence system is also explained in this case which is showing the appropriate applications in the field of accounting and auditing. The preparation of financial statements in an appropriate manner is very much important for the organizations. References Bodnar, G., Hopwood, W. (2013).Accounting information systems. Boston: Prentice Hall. Horngren, C. (2014).Accounting. Toronto: Pearson Canada. Parker, L., Guthrie, J., Milne, M. (2008).Accounting, auditing accountability journal. [Bradford, England]: Emerald. Ricchiute, D. (2006).Auditing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western/Thomson Learning. Stice, J., Stice, E. (2014).Intermediate accounting. Mason: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Weirich, T., Pearson, T., Churyk, N. (2014).Accounting auditing research. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Acid Rain (807 words) Essay Example For Students

Acid Rain (807 words) Essay Acid RainThe damaging effects of acid rain on society is becoming overwhelmed with greatamounts of pollution from cars, factories and an large amounts of garbage. Theimmense amounts of sulphur dioxide put into the air causes high levels of acidin the atmosphere. When this sulphuric acid is absorbed into moisture in theair, then rain can be harmful to the environment. Acid rain is destroying lotsof things in our environment. It is hurting lakes, air and thew rest of ourecosystem. Acid rain is killing lakes and decreasing the number of animals inthese lakes. Acid rain greatly lowers the amounts of pH in the water. Eachdecade the pH levels of lakes around Ontario have become ten times more acidic. The high acid levels contained in lakes also causes a decrease in the number offish living in these lakes. Also the high amounts of acid in the water can leadto fish being deformed. They have messed up and out of shape backbones,flattened heads and strangely curved tails. When there gets to be a lot of acidin the water, then there is barely anything left besides rock bass, pumpkinseedand lake herring. As with sulphur dioxide in rain, mercury is also dischargedinto the water. There is a direct connection between the mercury rich lakes asthere is with those with high acidic levels. This metal becomes concentrated inthe blood and tissues of fish. Acid rain causes traumatic effects in naturallakes and rivers. Acid rain causes air quality to deteriorate. As in water, acidrain causes the pH levels in the air to decrease. The sulphur dioxide, whichdiffuses into the air, mixes with moisture causing the pH levels to drop fromthe normal level. Again, the normal level is somewhere around seven, yet in someacidic air masses the levels can be as low as three. These lowered pH levelsform a photochemical smog in the atmosphere. In the air Anitrogen oxides reactwith ozone and some hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight to formphotochemical smog, the kind of yellow-grey haze which it literally alive andgrowing in stagnant air (Howard Perley, 1980, p. 44). This smogcarries serious risk for respiratory disease and crop damage. The photochemicalsmog is also causing the ozone layer to disintegrate. The ozone layer isbecoming a part of this smog, which is causing holes in it. An inordinate amountof sulphur dioxide is let into the air, more than can be neutralized bynutrients in the air. Decrease in pH levels, photochemical smog and depletion ofthe ozone layer are some effects of acid rain in the air. The ecosystem isslowly eroding due to the increased amounts of acid in the soil. Acid in thesoil in causing the carbon dioxide respiration process to decelerate. In orderfor plants to go through photosynthesis, they need carbon dioxide. When acid inthe soil causing this soil respiration to slow down, in turn it causes thephotosynthesis process to slow down. The soil also erodes when the pH levelsdrop. The acidic levels of the soil cause nutrients in the soils such asaluminum to break apart and the soil to erode. Soil erosion also causes a lowerproduction of plants in the ecosystem. In the soil a process of decay Acalledoligotrophication, means that fewer of the ions of acid are neutralized by thedepleted biological community so the acid can cause further degeneration ofnatural processes, which in turn are less capable of combating the acid, and soon, in an accelerating (Howard Perley, 1980, p. 32). Disruptionin the life span of trees and plants is also another effect of acid rain. Theacid rain corrodes the thin, waxy layer, which coats and protects the leavesletting the acid suffocate the leaves. This can cause an interference in theplants metabolism and pho tosynthesis may be altered meaning the leaves cannotproduce and efficient amount of food which may result in death of the plant. .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .postImageUrl , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:hover , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:visited , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:active { border:0!important; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:active , .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u39a2357f947c23432013222cf21e467f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Supreme Court - Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Res EssayAcid may obtrude fertilization , stunt or kill the growth of seeds and make themsterile. A second generation would be in danger of not being produced causingdeforestation. Naturally the reduction of plants is causing the biological foodchain to weaken. As smaller animals and insects feed on these plants lose theirfood supply, they may also ensue death. In effect the animals which feed off ofthese animals also ensue a decrease in their supply. In turn humans may becomestarved if the acid rain effects increase. Acid rain causes death of soil,plants and animals, effecting the ecosystem. Acid rain is becoming a majorprobl em in our environment today. It is killing our fresh water lakes and it=soccupants. Also the quality of air is depleting, increasing the amount of smogand pollution in our atmosphere. Once the acid is absorbed in the soil, thisputs the ecosystem in jeopardy of extinction. This is killing plants, animal,and soil, which is the basis of our existence. If this acid rain problem is notdealt with urgently, the natural world may in hazard of demise.

Writewell Argumentative Essay Examples - Finds the Right Ones

Writewell Argumentative Essay Examples - Finds the Right OnesThere are many different kinds of Writewell Argumentative Essay Examples to choose from. But which one will give you the most benefit? If you are not sure which one to use, you will want to look at the many examples that are available online to get an idea. That way, you can make sure that you find the right one for your essay.First, if you're doing some homework before the deadline, do you need to include your homework in your essay? What is your teacher's advice? Which essay is right for you? You may be missing out on the essay topic that your teacher had suggested. If you're doing homework, think about what you learned.An important word here is 'given'. You don't have to write this word in your essay because you could choose to and be ignoring something important. But if you're going to write it, then put it in.A good example is to go to a store, pick up a couple of clothes, and go out and get a few articles of clothing. You can probably think of a better example than that, but there are many good examples that work well.What does it mean to make the point? Try writing an essay for your essay topic using a large capital letter for a single word. Then, write your thesis statement using a smaller letter.You should try a few different essay samples. Some of these might give you ideas that you never thought about. Write them down so that you can remember them. Later, you can jot down a list of all the different things that you would like to include in your essay. Since many people tend to use paper when they write essays, there are a lot of essay samples that come in paper that is perfect for that. If you are going to be using one of these, consider how long it would take you to read each page in the essay. Of course, you might want to read it as fast as possible, but you also want to make sure that you still learn something. Once you find the right essay samples, you will be able to find the ones that work for you.

A Short History of Microsoft

A Short History of Microsoft Microsoft Corp. is an American technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that supports the invention, manufacturing, and licensing of goods and services related to computing. It was registered in New Mexico in 1976 after being formed the year before by two childhood friends. Two Computer Geeks Before Paul Allen and Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, they were avid computer geeks in an age when access to computers was hard to come by. Allen and Gates skipped high school classes to live and breathe in their schools computer room. Eventually, they hacked the schools computer and were caught, but instead of being expelled, they was offered unlimited computer time in exchange for helping to improve the school computers performance. Gates and Allen ran their own small company, called Traf-O-Data, while in high school and sold a computer to the city of Seattle for counting city traffic. Chesnot / Getty Images Bill Gates, Harvard Dropout In 1973, Gates left Seattle to attend Harvard University as a pre-law student. However, Gates first love never left him  as he spent most of his time in Harvards computer center, where he kept improving his programming skills. Soon Allen moved to Boston as well, working as a programmer and pressuring Gates to quit Harvard so they could work full time together on their projects. Gates was uncertain of what to do, but fate stepped in. The Birth of Microsoft In January 1975, Allen read an article in Popular Electronics magazine about the Altair 8800 microcomputer and showed it to Gates. Gates called MITS, makers of the Altair, and offered his and Allens services to write a version of the new BASIC programming language for the Altair. After eight weeks, Allen and Gates demonstrated their program to MITS, which agreed to distribute and market the product under the name of Altair BASIC. The Altair deal inspired Gates and Allen to form their own software company. Microsoft was started on April 4, 1975, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the home of MITS, with Gates as the first CEO. Where the Name Microsoft Came From On July 29, 1975, Gates used the name Micro-Soft, which had been suggested by Allen, in a letter to Allen referring to their partnership. The name, a portmanteau of microcomputer and software, was registered with the New Mexico secretary of state on Nov. 26, 1976. In August 1977, the company opened its first international office in Japan, called ASCII Microsoft. In 1979, the company moved to Bellevue, Washington, and two years later incorporated there under the name Microsoft Inc. Gates was president of the company and chairman of the board and Allen was executive vice president. History of Microsoft Products MicrosoftOperating Systems An operating system is a fundamental software that allows a computer to operate. As a newly formed company, Microsofts first operating system product to be publicly released was a version of Unix called Xenix, released in 1980. Xenix was later used as the basis for Microsofts first word processor, called Multi-Tool Word, a predecessor to Microsoft Word. Microsofts first wildly successful operating system was MS-DOS or Microsoft Disk Operating System, which Microsoft wrote for IBM in 1981 based on computer programmer Tim Patersons QDOS. In the deal of the century, Gates licensed MS-DOS to IBM but retained rights to the software. Gates made a fortune for Microsoft, which had become a major soft vendor. Microsoft Mouse Microsofts mouse was released on May 2, 1983. Windows Also in 1983, Microsofts crowning achievement was released. The  Microsoft Windows operating system had a novel graphical user interface and a multitasking environment for IBM computers. In 1986, the company went public, and Gates became a billionaire at 31. Microsoft Office 1989 marked the release of Microsoft Office, a software package that, as the name describes, is a collection of programs for use in an office. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet, mail program, business presentation software, and more. Internet Explorer In August 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, which included technologies for connecting to the Internet, such as built-in support for dial-up networking, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and the web browser Internet Explorer 1.0. Xbox In 2001, Microsoft introduced its first gaming unit, the Xbox system. Xbox faced stiff competition from Sonys PlayStation, and eventually Microsoft discontinued the original Xbox in favor of later versions. In 2005, Microsoft released the Xbox 360 gaming console, which was a success. Microsoft Surface In 2012, Microsoft made its first foray into the computing hardware market with the announcement of Surface tablets that ran Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro. Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/microsoft-founded https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/the-history-of-the-xbox/ https://www.geekwire.com/2017/bill-gates-paul-allen-business-microsoft-engineer-partner/

A Timeline and History of the Olmec Civilization

A Timeline and History of the Olmec Civilization Olmec: An Introduction The Olmec civilization is the name given to a sophisticated central American culture with its heyday between 1200 and 400 BC. The Olmec heartland lies in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco, at the narrow part of Mexico west of the Yucatan peninsula and east of Oaxaca. The following is an introductory guide to the Olmec civilization, its place in Central American prehistory, and some important facts about the people and how they lived. Olmec Timeline Initial Formative: 1775-1500 cal BCEarly Formative: 1450-1005 cal BCMiddle Formative: 1005-400 cal BCLate Formative: 400 cal BC While the very earliest sites of the Olmec show relatively simple egalitarian societies based on hunting and fishing, the Olmecs eventually established a highly complex level of political government, including public building projects such as pyramids and large platform mounds; agriculture; a writing system; and a characteristic sculptural artistry including enormous stone heads with heavy features reminiscent of angry babies. Olmec Capitals There are four main regions or zones that have been associated with Olmec by the use of iconography, architecture and settlement plan, including  San Lorenzo de Tenochtitlan,  La Venta, Tres Zapotes, and Laguna de los Cerros. Within each of these zones, there were three or four different levels of hamlets of different sizes. At the center of the zone was a fairly dense center with plazas and  pyramids  and kingly residences. Outside of the center were a somewhat sparser collection of hamlets and farmsteads, each at least economically and culturally tied to the center. Olmec Kings and Rituals Although we dont know any of the Olmec king names, we do know that the rituals associated with king included an emphasis on the sun and reference to solar equinoxes were built into platform and plaza configurations. Sun glyph iconography is seen on many locations and there is an undeniable importance of  sunflower  in dietary and ritual contexts. The ballgame played an important role in  Olmec culture, as it does in many central American societies, and, like those other societies, it may have included human sacrifice. The colossal heads are often sculpted with headgear, thought to represent ball player wear; animal effigies exist of jaguars dressed as ball players. It is possible that women also played in the games, as there are figurines from  La Venta  which are females wearing helmets. Olmec Landscape The Olmec farms and hamlets and centers were situated on and next to a diverse set of landforms, including floodplain lowlands, coastal plains, plateau uplands, and volcanic highlands. But the large Olmec capitals were based on high places in the  floodplains  of big rivers such as Coatzacoalcos and Tabasco. The Olmec coped with recurring floods by building their residences and storage structures on artificially raised earth platforms, or by rebuilding on old sites, creating tell formations. Many of the earliest Olmec sites are likely buried deep within the floodplains. The Olmec were clearly interested in color and color schemes of the environment. For example, the plaza at  La Venta  has a striking appearance of brown soil embedded with tiny bits of shattered greenstone. And there are several blue-green serpentine mosaic pavements tiled with clays and sands in a rainbow of different colors. A common sacrificial object was a jadeite offering covered with red  cinnabar. Olmec Diet and Subsistence By 5000 BC, the Olmec relied on  domestic maize,  sunflower, and manioc, later domesticating  beans. They also gathered corozo palm nuts, squash, and  chili. There is some possibility that the Olmec were the first to use  chocolate. The main source of animal protein was domesticated  dog  but that was supplemented with white-tailed deer, migratory birds, fish, turtles, and coastal shellfish. White tailed-deer, in particular, was specifically associated with ritual feasting. Sacred places:  Caves (Juxtlahuaca and Oxtotitln), springs, and mountains. Sites: El Manati, Takalik Abaj, Pijijiapan. Human Sacrifice:  Children and infants at  El Manati; human remains under monuments at  San Lorenzo;  La Venta  has an altar showing an eagle-clad king holding a captive. Bloodletting, ritual cutting of part of the body to allow bleeding for sacrifice, was probably also practiced. Colossal Heads:  Appear to be portraits of male (and possibly female) Olmec rulers. Sometimes wear helmets indicating that they are ballplayers, figurines, and sculpture from  La Venta  show that women wore helmet headgear, and some of the heads may represent women. A relief at the Pijijiapan as well as  La Venta  Stela 5 and La Venta Offering 4 show women standing next to men rulers, perhaps as partners. Olmec Trade, Exchange, and Communications Exchange:  Exotic materials were brought in or traded from far places to  the Olmec  zones, including literally tons of volcanic basalt to  San Lorenzo  from the Tuxtla mountains, 60 km away, which was carved into royal sculptures and  manos  and metates, natural basalt columns from Roca Partida. Greenstone (jadeite, serpentine, schist, gneiss, green quartz), played a clearly important role in elite contexts at Olmec sites. Some sources for these materials are the gulf coastal region in Motagua Valley, Guatemala, 1000 km away from the Olmec heartland. These materials were carved into beads and animal effigies. Obsidian  was brought in from Puebla, 300 km from  San Lorenzo. And also, Pachuca green obsidian from central Mexico Writing:  The earliest Olmec writing began with glyphs representing calendrical events, and eventually evolved into logographs, line drawings for single ideas. The earliest proto-glyph so far is an Early Formative greenstone carving of a footprint from El Manati. The same sign shows up on a Middle Formative monument 13 at  La Venta  next to a striding figure. The  Cascajal block  shows many early glyph forms. The Olmec designed a printing press of sorts, a roller stamp or cylinder seal, which could be inked and rolled onto human skin, paper, or cloth. Calendar:  260 days, 13 numbers and 20 named days. Olmec Sites La Venta,  Tres Zapotes,  San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, Tenango del Valle,  San Lorenzo, Laguna de los Cerros,  Puerto Escondido, San Andres, Tlatilco, El Manati, Juxtlahuaca Cave, Oxtotitln Cave, Takalik Abaj, Pijijiapan, Tenochtitlan, Potrero Nuevo, Loma del Zapote,  El Remolino  and Paso los Ortices, El Manatà ­, Teopantecuanitln, Rà ­o Pesquero, Takalik Abaj Olmec Civilization Issues The Olmec Civilization is at the center of the  mother-sister controversy, which is a debate concerning the relative strength of the Olmec society compared to other early Mesoamerican cultures.The  Cascajal Block, a large block found in a quarry that may be among the earliest written records in central America, andThe search for  bitumen  sources, which was an important resource to many archaeological societies in central America. Olmec bloodletting spoons  have a new explanation these daysWas  chocolate  first used and domesticated by the Olmec? 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