Business Strategy and Marketing Channels Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Business Strategy and Marketing Channels. Answer: Introduction Chick-fil-A has decided to set up business in UK market. As a marketing consultant, an environment study needs to be conducted to highlight the pros and cons for the same. The report does a quick analysis on three of the external environment factors to check whether the market would prove a potential to an already successful Chick-fill-A in UK. It will hence assess the current scenario and make recommendations to create a plan of action. To check the current market potential for Chick-fil-A, external environment analysis was conducted and the factors were weighed in favour of Chick-fil-A to set up in UK. It is for this reason that a detailed PESTEL analysis was conducted. PESTEL analysis is usually the model analysis to be conducted to gauge the environment factors outside the direct control of an organization. The analysis is an audit of the factors which further assists in making strategic decisions. For the purpose of project, three factors such as sociological, technological and environmental were considered for now to research. PESTEL was conducted for UK as macro environment. PESTEL is an acronym for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal study. It gives a snapshot view of the situations, in terms of external environment and which are out of direct control of the organization; the business might be in. Such an analysis is favourable to conduct to make sure the strategies to conduct business in a new territory by a business firm or to understand the market (Wilson, 2010). Not only that, even in changing market dimension, it is advisable to use this strategic tool periodically to help pick up new trends and make changes in strategy of conducting business. This is because, a change in environment may become a critical situation for the survival of business or may have severe consequences if modifications are not made accordingly. Advantages Disadvantages Simple, easy to use framework Users tend to simplify the already simplified information and may take important highlights lightly Uses cross functional skills and expertise by different business heads Organizations deter from conducting the analysis periodically and do not invest in it Reduces threats and potential impacts from the environment Too much information sends users to confusion, stress and paralysis by analysis forgetting the objective of the tool Encourages careful planning and developmental execution of strategic decisions The process is time consuming and requires investment, organizations leave out key people, hence the analysis as well as the decisions may not turn out to be effective as there are missing perspectives Acts as a tool to identify new opportunities and utilize them Owing to the cost and the time required for analysis access to strategic information may be restricted Helps understand the implications of entering new markets Data uncovered is mostly assumptions, use is subjective PESTEL analysis results do not prove to be fruitful in the long run. Also, only considering the macro environment to analyse the threats or barriers to setting up business is not useful or complete (Steenkamp, 2017). United Kingdom stands out to be one of the largest economies in EU. It is the strongest in social welfare and standard of living. It has a very strong democratic system, however, owing to them following a Westminster system in politics, equal distribution of power between, departments led by prime minister, their judiciary and bicameral legislature often causes friction. Then, there is the concern of rising debt of the Government. With respect to Chick-fil-A, analysis of environment was conducted for Social, Technology and Environmental factors to see the feasibility of the brand to set up business in UK. Some of the social factors that were taken into consideration are: Distribution of age Population growth Employment percentage Income levels Education/career level Religious inclinations Cultural/social conventions UK has high social standards which make it an overall all around better environment to conducting business. UK also has strong education infrastructure in place. It has history supporting the fact and that even today it attracts students from across the globe. It has around 170 universities and higher education institutes, including 3 ranking among the worlds top 3. Its healthcare proves to be one of the most successful social welfare venture. Owing to evolving technology and private sector involvement, it has become a strong opportunity point for UK (Key et al. 2017, p. 593). UK has high public expenditure on this front and owing to that it maintains efficiency and quality as well. Some of the challenges are child poverty and high dependency ratio. Government has made a target to eliminate child poverty by 2020 and in the last decade has taken up considerable measures to reduce the percentage. Today, it stands 16th in world rankings amongst OECD countries. Owing to the recent global recession, income levels have further dropped and the dependency ratio has increased. UK is tackling the matter with managed immigration tools (Ganguly et al. 2017, p. 1750016). The positives of this environment are: Many Free public services such as medical etc. Densely populated Cosmopolitan environment, a good mix of migrants ensure there is cheap workforce available Standard of living is high Negatives of this environment are: Dependency ratio is high and increasing Some migrant and ethnic groups create unrest Education costs are steep UK faces challenges though in maintaining the levels of public services it has to offer. Scarcity of funds makes it difficult for it to maintain the services For Chick-fil-A, this means that this may be a fair to conducive environment for conducting business as: Cheap workforce would be available as staff for conducting business Since standard of living is high, people may not face issues with pricing With a mixed ethnicity in population, tastes of people drawn towards the products and services of Chick-fil-A may turn out good with may be moderation in its menu to suit the taste of UK people Population is high means there may be wide market to cater to Since the education costs are high, staff education requirements for hiring may have to be relaxed at higher positions Training exercises need to be more rigorous Dependency ratio higher could mean more children or senior in a family, there may be budget constraints when opting for the product, some product offering prices may need to be customized In terms of technological factor, it could be divided into manufacturing and infrastructure. Some of the activities under technological factors play a big role in gaining or losing market share such as: Automation Cost savings Incentives Improved process and end product Measures to cut costs and improved flexibility Changes in technological factors could change the way competitors conduct business, affects pricing and rate at which goods or services are being offered. It is highly capable of impacting business on a big scale (Johansson and Kask, 2017, p.331). UK is a MEDC (More Economically Developed Country) and has access to good technology. However, a point to be noted is that there is a considerable decline in number of patent applications. This may be pointing towards declining technological competitiveness for UK in future. Currently, UK is picking up in adoption and RD of lot of new upcoming technologies like nanotechnology, space tourism, renewable energy etc. despite being high on investment and uncertainty filled returns, persistent companies may find a breakthrough (Keegan and Rowley, 2017, p. 127). So, there is tremendous scope for new industries owing to a strong technology base prevalent in the nation. Innovation skills Good quality standards Advanced in Science and Technology Intellectual Property Rights laws are in place and effectively managed by the Govt. Internal competition stimulates growth For Chick-fil-A the positives and the negatives point towards an advantage it has owing to its origin in US. It has access to advanced technology than UK and its quality and innovation standards are better. Owing to this, it stands a good chance for conducting business in UK (Nath and Mahajan, 2017, p.99). Also, social media has given business across the globe a new edge. With the opportunity of free communication with consumers, social media today takes the marketing to a whole new level of transparency. Chick-fil-A has a huge following on social media in US. It requires repeating the strategy, albeit with modification to UK sentiments, and could create a similar engagement with UK (Line and Wang, 2017, p. 127). In terms of environmental factors, some of the aspects to be considered are: Environmental Ecological Regulations Sustainability Adverse weather impacts Carbon footprint policies It is to be noted that UK has a very strong influence towards environmental issues. UK is a global power in industrialization, with its ties with large many countries, powerful influence on Commonwealth, membership of G8 often obtains commitments from countries not so developed who do not want to forego their ambitions for growth and development in return for protection of environment. However, itself, it faces high levels of pollution, mostly affecting London, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham. When talking about renewable energy market, UK has been promising and has shown good CAGR unlike France and Germany, who have been meagre in their performance in this field. Also, the carbon footprint in the country is declining (Helo et al. 2017, p. 38). Hence to sum up, UKs current strengths are strong global influence and good track record in implementation of policies while challenge is already high air pollution. One of the future risks on this front is its ability to balance out the economic developments with environment protection policies. Hope is with evolving technological advancements happening in the nation, it may find a balancing point. Also, since the decline in industrial sector, it has already affected the environment by putting less pressure on it. What it could mean for Chick-fil-A is adhering to strict environment protection laws. US already has strict environment protection laws existent to which Chick-fil-A adheres to, moderation on some technicalities may be needed but this does not pose to be a threat to organization (Burford and Chan, 2017, p. 155). Critical Evaluation As a management consultant, responsibility covers the thorough analysis of the environment and shed light to vital points that could impact the business of the organization. To start with, post BREXIT, UK negotiation powers are decreased. Like Canada negotiating with US. Europe is still a big part of market for UK (Benyoussef and Zaiem, 2017, p. 337). Brexit means, UK now could have its own negotiations and deals with non-EU countries. UK has a high potential as a market. With its policy of managed migrations it is trying its level best to combat high dependency ratio of the country suffering with an aging population. It has a large consumer and B2B base, specifically strong in high technology sectors (Felix et al. 2017, p. 121). Education is fine in UK with its education levels revered across the globe despite being pricey. UK market turns out to be few of the most rewarding and interesting ones. There is high competition in UK and every global start-up has a spot in UK. Entrepreneu rs are flocking to London to make best use of its every evolving market. PESTLE analysis of UK as a market seems inadequate by itself (Keegan and Rowley, 2017, p. 451). The PESTLE analysis audits the environmental factors but the factors are so dynamic and fast changing. It is quite tricky to predict why and how the factors may affect the business. This implies that despite thorough analysis, there could still be level of uncertainty which undermines its very requirement to rule out the uncertainties. Also, it is difficult to just present a simple list of factors that could affect the project. It is necessary to evaluate the impact in detail to point out the implications appropriately. The accuracy of PESTEL analysis is mostly dependent of the details of data collected, how reliable it is and how much accurate. This is a time and cost consuming process (Harker and Bennan, 2017, p. 831). The analysis conducted for UK turns out to be still incomplete as only three factors were evaluated. Detailed study needs to be conducted and mapped to the organizations current functions to check the value of impact. Chick-fill-A needs to have detailed reports procured even in the three contexts in which the report presents itself (French, 2017, p. 29). In terms of social impact, UK declining working age group may be of concern however dependency ratio is not an accurate indicator of social age map. Further research requires to be done. Even in terms of environment protection policy, proper mapping requires to be done to understand the additional investment that may be required (Paladines et al. 2017, p. 215) Even in terms of technology, even though UK is far behind US in its innovation, UK has high standards of RD in it country and it may prove to be beneficial to Chick-fil-A. Overall, the findings point toward a good business centre potential for Chick-fil-A but whether it should set up business in the country requires further research and digging to know the complete picture and any strategic decision should be put on hold till it is clear (Line and Wang, 2017, p. 127). It is also important to point out that along with analysis of macro environment, Chick-fil-A should also invest to find out shortcomings and opportunities in its internal environment to get a complete picture of the barriers that could present itself while setting up business in UK. A thorough analysis of competitors and actions in the same industry in UK is also recommended. Recommendations Some of the recommendations that would like to present to management are: Owing to a high dependency ratio certain changes in pricing structure could be made Locations which are low on social unrest history could be picked up for safer environment to conduct business Since there is a cosmopolitan society and mostly posh lifestyle, targeting public with customized or suitably modified offering in terms of products and services for events could be a great idea Environment factors need to be checked thoroughly and suitable arrangements if needed needs to be made for lower carbon footprint as the nation is inclined towards innovation and application of renewable energy Could essentially prove to be a good halt before venturing out into further EU territories as UK is the biggest market in EU Other analysis, along with PESTEL to be conducted like Porters five forces model, STEEP etc. Internal environment analysis should be conducted by Chick-fil-A Competitors analysis should also be conducted Conclusion So, in the end, considering the analysis conducted on 3 factors from the macro environment i.e. technology, social factors and environment policies, the analysis points out towards the following: Aging population, religious differences and ethic friction are a rising concern, its only advantage is the literacy rate Amongst other EU member countries, UK, when it was a part of EU fared well and above average among most members in terms of innovation and technology. Post Brexit, effects are still to be noticed but the knowledge remain its capacity. That should act as good brace for Chick-fil-A Since 90s, UK has fared good in terms of pollution check and handling environmental pressure. This could be one of the good indicators and may or may not pose to be a barrier to entry in market. US already has good and strong federal laws in place for environment protection. Hence, this may not be a new challenge for Chick-fil-A Reference List Steenkamp, J.B., 2017.Global Brand Strategy: World-wise Marketing in the Age of Branding. Springer. Wilson, R.M., 2010.Strategic marketing planning. Routledge. Benyoussef Zghidi, A. and Zaiem, I., 2017. Service orientation as a strategic marketing tool: The moderating effect of business sector.Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal,27(1), pp. 333-367 Burford, M.R. and Chan, K., 2017. Refining a strategic marketing course: Is a flipa good fit?.Journal of Strategic Marketing,25(2), pp.152-163. Felix, R., Rauschnabel, P.A. and Hinsch, C., 2017. Elements of strategic social media marketing: A holistic framework.Journal of Business Research,70, pp.118-126. French, J., 2017. The Importance of Segmentation in Social Marketing Strategy. InSegmentation in Social Marketing(pp. 25-40). Springer Singapore. Ganguly, A., Das, N. and Farr, J.V., 2017. The Role of Marketing Strategies in Successful Disruptive Technologies.International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, p.1750016. Harker, M.J. and Bennan, R., 2017. The strategy and tactics of cases in marketing education. InThe Customer is NOT Always Right? Marketing Orientationsin a Dynamic Business World(pp. 826-829). Springer, Cham. Helo, P., Gunasekaran, A. and Rymaszewska, A., 2017. Improving Marketing and Operations Strategy Through Industrial Services. InDesigning and Managing Industrial Product-Service Systems(pp. 37-42). Springer International Publishing. Johansson, T. and Kask, J., 2017. Configurations of business strategy and marketing channels for e-commerce and traditional retail formats: A Qualitative Comparison Analysis (QCA) in sporting goods retailing.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,34, pp.326-333. Keegan, B.J. and Rowley, J., 2017. Evaluation and decision-making in social media marketing.Management Decision,55(1), pp. 123-489 Key, M., Clark, T., Feng, S., Ferrell, O.C., Price, L., Stewart, D. and Rajaratnam, D., 2017. Is the Marketing Function Influential or Not? We Should Really Be the Ones to Know!. InCreating Marketing Magic and Innovative Future Marketing Trends(pp. 591-594). Springer, Cham. Line, N.D. and Wang, Y., 2017. Market-Oriented Destination Marketing: An Operationalization.Journal of Travel Research,56(1), pp.122-135. Nath, P. and Mahajan, V., 2017. Shedding light on the CMO revolving door: a study of the antecedents of Chief Marketing Officer turnover.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,45(1), pp.93-118. Paladines, F., Tandazo, C.G. and Fernndez, V.A.M., 2017. The Situation of Digital Strategic Communication in Ecuador and Other Countries in Latin America: The Management of the Community Manager. InMedia and Metamedia Management(pp. 213-219). Springer International Publishing. Chick-fil-A. (2017).Who We Are. Available at: https://www.chick-fil-a.com/About/Who-We-Are [Accessed 1 May 2017].

Women in Textile Industry Supply Chain Management

Question: Provide an analysis of the business environment of the firm. You should consider the main competitors and their competitive position; market details (value; share etc.); current trends in the market; future trends in the market (Attractiveness of the industry). Provide an internal analysis of the firm giving details of its current strategic position and tactics. You should also consider the resources and capabilities of the firm and how they impact upon the success or otherwise of the firm (Distinctiveness of the firm).? Answer: Introduction The textile industry is focused on the production of yarn, clothing and the distribution of these products to the industry retailers. The raw materials include natural or synthetic products provided b y the chemical industry. In the Victorian period the textile industry was at the centre of expansion of United Kingdom (Baluchamy 2012). The technological advancement helped in production of cotton and wools, dyestuffs and silks at the unprecedented rates, which results in export of the textile goods throughout the empire. The advertisement from 1880 viewed the array of fabrics, which were available for clothing. From the recent reports, the manufacturing textile and clothing industry in UK is commercially viable and supporting the UK textile manufacturing with the huge potential for the industry. The manufacturing in textile industry is not much expensive, in this industry the mid-priced to the expensive fashion items can be profitable to manufacture in United Kingdom (Choi 2012). Howe ver there are some issues related to the labor factors, but the supply chain factors can offset these issues. Within UK textile industry, the Lancashire Textile Ltd. is one of the important textile companies which are situated in Burnley. The company is situated in the historical textile manufacturing town in Lancashire. The company has more than hundred years of experience in the textile industry and the reports specify the superior quality goods by the company. The company supplies superior quality textile products which include mattress toppers, cushions, bed linen, home accessories, duvets, pillows etc. In this assignment, the inter analysis of the company and the external analysis of the textile industry of UK textile industry would be discussed. Analysis of the Industry Trends With the rapid change in international trade agreements the textile industry is also changing its trends and customer values. Clothing and textile industry is a chief part of world trade. The textile industry updates the latest trends on the basis of the customers demand and by fulfilling their requirements. Technology improvement- The advanced technology is supporting the growth of the industry. The technology innovation provides ways for producing longer fibers from used textiles. The technology innovation like 3D knitting, weaving is leading to economically viable textile production in UK with increased responsiveness (Black 2012). Customer preference- The UK textile industrys one of the most important trend is customer preference. Industry players are more concerned with their customers fast fashion or rapid change in fashion demand. The new flexible technology like knitting and CAD allows the production to take place in joint facility. It involves customers in designing clothes, thereby fulfilling their requirements (Damianov and Germanova-Krasteva 2013). Environment control- Advanced technologies has also contributed to the environmental benefits. With advanced technologies and research, UK textile industry has been using equipments which are not incorporating harsh effect to the environment. The involvement of UK in negotiation of international agreements on trade is used for promoting environmental responsibility. Working condition- With the continuous innovation of technology, the working conditions has also been improved in UK textile industry. It has decreased the labor intensity and helped in rapid delivery. The automated equipments used in the textile industry has been made the working condition flexible for the workers (Gleba and Mannering 2012). Key Drivers The key drivers of a business are the resources and procedures, which are essential for the continuous growth, success and sustainability of a business. An organization should identify the key drivers for undertaking attempts for maximizing these conditions, thus extending the profitability and success of the organization. The key drivers of an industry influence and affect significantly to each organization in the industry. Therefore, it is important to analyze the ley drivers of UK textile industry in this context. Globalization- The global scenario of the UK textile industry is becoming potential for high profit and innovative products. With the globalization, working condition is improving under international pressure. It is the key driver of economic growth of the industry. The UK textile industry is growing rapidly. The industry has their manufacturing units in India and China, where they are able to produce goods at low rate and the outsourcing is being profitable to the corporate units monetarily. Employment Opportunity- The reports in last year suggested 5000 jobs, which would be able to add 15000 more by 2020 with opportunities in traditional areas like knitting, spinning, weaving. UK industry is establishing their manufacturing units in the developing countries like China, India, where millions of job opportunities are getting available. Supply chain- With emerging demands of customers in short time, manufacturers are more concern with longer and complex supply chains. The retailers in industry investing in direct manufacturing supply capability with few suppliers (Hines and Bruce 2012). The supply chain is a key driver, as the rapidly changing environment of the organization is being changed, real product innovation based on new fibers are focusing more on fragmentation of retail structure to supply specialist products and service Government and Regulation- The sustainable development of the industry is related to government influence. International government bodies are influencing the growth of the sector. The eco-friendly fiber, import and export of clothing and fashion substances related legislations and regulations as well as health and safety acts are providing the guidance to the textile industry members to run their business sustainably. Power Threat of new entrants- It is low for the UK textile industry as the cost of maintaining sustainable business is high enough with use of technology advancement Suppliers- Bargaining power of supplier is weak here, as the industry contains a large number of suppliers, as a result the power is low Buyers- The bargaining power of customers are high enough, as with the rapid changing customers demand, textile industry players attempt to address the demand and attempt to satisfy them. Substitutes- The threat of substitute products are moderate, as a number of eco-friendly options are emerging, but people are not familiar with those options (Purushothama 2013). Rivalry- The internal competition is low as this industry needs huge investment, but external rivalry level is high from the developing countries including Bangladesh, India. Attractiveness The use of new industrial robotics reduced expensive labor cost, thereby making the industry attractive. Use of automatic made-to-measure clothes are economically attractive and facilitates technologies Recycling of manufacturing fibers reducing the energy production Customer-focused production also attracts them Rapid globalization and increased employment opportunities (Shishoo 2012) Internal Analysis of the Firm Core competence The core competence is achieved by the company during achievements of skills, activities, resources in asset for delivering value and differentiation in the business from the competitors and development. Customer Value- The Company gives value to their customers requirements with technology advancement. The customers perception and demands are being prioritized, according to which the manufacturing and production is being influenced. Competitor differentiation- The Company provides innovative products, which are unique in nature. The products are differentiated from the competitors by using eco-friendly raw materials with 3D knitting technology including (Zhang and Jin 2012). Extendable- As the customers buying trends are fastly changing, the company is extending their products base with research and development. With more customer-friendly products innovations, the range of clothing and other staffs are being included in organizational product range. Resources- With the rapid technology advancement, demand for human resource has been reduced in the industry, as the company adapts automated manufacturing machines. The research and development departments are using advanced techniques transforming the innovative ideas to create eco-friendly fibers with art machineries (The Huffington Post UK 2016). Value chain- With both inbound and outbound logistics activities the manufacturing and inventory activities are going in right direction, therefore they are delivering products in right time at right place. The products quality is carefully checked after manufacturing and storing. VRIN Analysis Core competence V (Valuable) R (Rare) I (costly to initiate) N (Non-sustainability) Competitive Advantage Customer Value Yes (helping profit expansion by giving preferences to customers specific requirements) Yes (Valuing customers choice in each sector of their production and sales is not done all others company) Yes (involvement of new requirement in existing product features would need huge cost) Yes (These new requirements are sometimes costly, so it is difficult to maintain these in business all the time) Yes Competitor differentiation Yes (Add value to the customer service) No (Companies attempt to differentiate their product range to compete with their competitors) Yes (To develop differentiated products, huge cost is needed) No (Product differentiation based on competitor can be sustainable as it enhances brand value) Yes Extendable Yes (Extended research would help to develop more customer focused products) No (Most of the companies has Research and development team, making innovative and extended range of products) Yes (for having strong research and development the company have to invest a lot) Yes (Sustainability cannot be achieved through other departments than research and development) Yes Value chain Yes (The logistic activities and inventory manufacturing activities are valuable) No (Most of the companies are operating their unique value chains) Yes (For highly innovative logistics and huge cost is required) No (It can be sustained with appropriate regulation and reviewing process) Yes Competitive Advantage The company is known to create timeless classics on enduring appeal. They are gaining competitive advantages by using nanotechnology with innovative techniques for producing fine fibers for their unique products. The company has no delivery issues; they are giving enough effort to provide right service to the right customers at right time. High quality products, international business and innovative products are differentiating the companys products, thereby providing competitive advantage (Lancashiretextiles.co.uk 2016). Distinctiveness Strong brand image, strong research and development, involvement of innovative technologies and unique quality with appropriate supply chain management is making the brand distinct from others. The company is providing versatile products also (Lancashiretextilesltd.com 2016). Conclusion After analyzing the selected industry in UK it is revealed that, textile industry has been achieved huge success and profit. The textile industry is one of the most important industries in terms of export and import. The analysis of UK textile industry revealed that, advancement of technology has been playing a major role in its huge success. The analysis of UK customer trends revealed that consumers are rapidly changing their purchase requirements and the industry has to compete with the new demands of the customers. However the innovative technologies and high amount of research and development made the industry competent to fulfill all the requirements of the customers. The industry analysis revealed that the customer-based production with the help of innovative techniques is helping the firms to make more profit. On the other hand, the Lancashire textile Ltd. revealed is providing unique and attractive products to the customers with best quality. The company is providing versatil e products to the customers. It can be concluded that, with innovative technologies and well-management within the organization, the textile company can be competent to be profitable by meeting all the requirements of customers. Reference List Baluchamy, S., 2012. Women in textile industry. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. Black, S., 2012. Knitting. London: V A Pub. Choi, T., 2012. Fashion supply chain management. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference. Damianov, G. and Germanova-Krasteva, D., 2013. Textile processes. [New York, N.Y.] (222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017): Momentum Press. Gleba, M. and Mannering, U.,2012. Textiles and textile production in Europe from prehistory to AD 400. Hines, T. and Bruce, M., 2012. Fashion Marketing. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Lancashiretextiles.co.uk, 2016. Lancashire Textiles. [online] Available at: https://www.lancashiretextiles.co.uk/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016]. Lancashiretextilesltd.com, 2016. Our Services - Lancashire Textile Ltd.. [online] Available at: https://lancashiretextilesltd.com/services.htm [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016]. Purushothama, B. 2013. Training and development of technical staff in the textile industry. Shishoo, R., 2012. The global textile and clothing industry. Oxford: Woodhead Pub. The Huffington Post UK, 2016. 10 Facts About The UK Fashion And Textiles Industry You Didn't Know. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/14/10-facts-about-the-uk-fashion-and-textiles-industry-you-didn-t-know_n_7333834.html [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016]. Zhang, H. and Jin, D., 2012. Applied mechanics, materials, industry and manufacturing engineering. Durnten-Zurich, Switzerland: Trans Tech Publications.

Maritime Port Security free essay sample

Prompted by the US, the IMO agreed to make security amendments to he Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974 (SOLAS). Parties to the IMO and SOLAS convention finalized these amendments at a diplomatic held at the IMO in December 2002 in London. In the diplomatic conference, it was agreed upon that maritime security measures will be accepted internationally by January 1, 2004, and in force six months later by July 1, 2004 worldwide. As a result of this agreement, the International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS) was drafted containing the amendments and complimentary provisions to the SOLAS. The ISPS was included as an Annex to Chapter Xl-2 of the SOLAS Convention. The new security code is the first multilateral ship and port security standard ever created. It requires nations to develop port and ship security plans primarily as a safeguard against the threat of terrorist attacks. It also provides for a standard framework in helping governments to evaluate risks in case of threat to ship and port facilities. We will write a custom essay sample on Maritime Port Security or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The ISPS applies to all passenger ships on international voyages, to all other ships over 500 G on international voyages, and all port facilities serving ships on international voyages (Peppinck, 2003; US Department of Homeland Security, 2003). The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) is considered as the US equivalent of the ISPS. It is the US response to the security amendments required by the SOLAS and its complementary ISPS. The purpose of the Bill is to strengthen and add additional defense to the United States (US) port security. The Bill was designed primarily to protect the US ports and waterways from terrorist attacks. MTSA was signed on November 25, 2002. In July 1, 2003, the temporary interim rules for the Act was published, as well as the effective date of regulations. In the same month, a ublic meeting was held in Washington, D. C. , and the deadline for submission of written comments on MTSA was set. On October 22, 2003, the publication of the final on November 22, 2003. The Act was finally fully implemented on July 1, 2004 (US Department of Homeland Security, 2003; United States Coast Guards, 2006). . Review of Previous Legislation: The Need for MTSA MTSA was enacted pursuant to the ISPS Code, which is considered as the first multilateral ship and port security standard created. Since MTSA complies with the standards and requirements of the ISPS, the ACT is considered as the first specific egislation addressing port and maritime security in the US. Apart from the MTSA, however, Section 89, Title 14 o f the United States Code authorizes the US Coast Guard to board any vessel subject to Jurisdiction of the US, or subject to US Jurisdiction by operation of any law. The Coast Guards have the right to make inquiries, examinations, searches and seizures on board vessels if in violation of US laws. The Coast Guards are likewise allowed to engage in land, water, and air patrols, as well as to order any vessel to stop if it falls within their Jurisdiction. However, what federal law provides is control over the anchorage and movement of vessels in navigable waters of the US. Ship and port security standards were not expressly specified as within the power of the Coast Guard (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001). The Secretary of Transportation also has the broad authority to regulate the movement and operation of vessels subject to US Jurisdiction, as provided in the Ports and Waterway Safety Act (PWSA). The Act also authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to respond to terrorist acts against vessels and waterfront facilities, as ell as to investigate any incident that causes damage to waterfront facilities or affects the safety of US ports. Under the Secretarys authority, a vessels clearance to entry in the US may be refused or revoked upon violation of the PWSA (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001). The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 expanded the authority of the Coast Guard. This law was enacted in response to an incident wherein a US citizen was killed when a passenger vessel, Achille Lauro, was seized by terrorists in 1985. To protect passenger vessels and passenger terminals from errorist attacks, the US Congress constituted Title Xl of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act as the International Maritime and Port Security Act. Title Xl requires the Coast Guard to establish measures to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks, as well as to establish security and safety zones. Passenger vessels and passenger terminal operators are also required under this Act to develop contingency plans for security measures against terrorist acts, subject to examination and approval by the Coast Guard. However, this Act does not cover cargo vessels and erminals. The foreign port assessments are coordinated between the Department of State and the cruise ship industry. In 2000, only two assessments for safety and security plans were conducted (The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 2001 The National Infrastructure Security Committee (NISC) of the US Department of Transportation was created after September 1 1, and is charged with the responsibility of focusing on intermodal security issues and to ensure coordination of the Departments security work across all modes of transportation. Direct Action egulatory and diplomatic initiatives for each mode of transportation. S. 214, The Port, Maritime, and Rail Security Act of 2001 , was introduced by Senator Hollings of South Carolina, as a new paradigm in maritime and port security in the US. In discussing these initiatives, then Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta, in a Statement before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, discussed that focusing exclusively on security at ports is not enough. A comprehensive approach that looks beyond ports and port f acilities, embracing the entire marine transportation system, is crucial. It should involve not only large seaports but smaller ports as well as ports of all sizes handling bulk cargoes, and the security of coastal waters and inland waterways (Mineta, 2001). Admiral James M. Loy, on the same occasion before the Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, had this to say on the US port and maritime security strategy: While effective homeland security is built upon the principles of awareness, prevention, response, and consequence management, the primary objectives are awareness and prevention. Awareness helps focus resources and provides efficiency to prevention. Prevention places a premium on awareness, detecting, identifying, and tracking threats to our homeland security. However, once terrorists or the means of terrorism are on the move towards or within the United States, the nation must have the means to detect and intercept them before they reach our borders and our transportation system. While there are no guarantees, there is good reason to believe that we can improve our national ability to detect potential threats in or to transportation through effective use of information that is, toa great extent, already available. (Loy, 2001). Admiral Loy further stresses that, maritime trade, which is critical to this countrys economic strength, continues to move through ports with minimal interruption. It is no surprise that sustaining mobility will come at a higher cost to all of us. But the reality is that we live in a country that prides itself on the openness of its democracy, so we remain at risk to attacks of terrorism. It is incumbent upon our government to minimize this risk (Loy, 2001). MTSA fills in the gaps of these other past legislations and responds to the need for a more comprehensive approach towards port and maritime security in the US. Based on S. 1214 as earlier introduced by Senator Hollings, MTSA requires vessels and port facilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and to develop security plans that cover passenger, vehicle, and baggage screening procedures. The powers of the Coast Guard under PWSA, involving establishing security patrols, establishing security and safety areas, and to access control measures were deemed incorporated into the MTSA. Unlike the International Maritime and Port Security Act however, the MTSA is not limited to passenger vessels and passenger operator terminals. Its cope and security regulations cover sectors of maritime industry with higher risk of involvement in transportation security incident, and includes not only large passenger vessels, but also various tank vessels, barges, large passenger vessels, cargo vessels, towing vessels, offshore oil and gas platforms, and port facilities handling certain kinds of dangerous cargo or service. MTSA, incorporating the role of NISC, also requires the establishment of committees in all the nations ports in order local and state agencies and industries, as well as the boating public. These ommittees, called the Area Maritime Security Committees, performs much of the same tasks as NISC, with the primary responsibility of developing plans so that resources in the committees particular area are best equipped and utilized to prevent and respond to terrorist threats and attacks (United States Coast Guards, 2006). 3. Summary of Pertinent Provisions of the MTSA The MTSA was intended with the primary purpose of establishing a program to ensure greater security for US seaports. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a vessel identification plan wherein vessel types and US port facilities hat pose a high risk of being involved in a transportation security incident must be identified. The incident as covered by this Act pertains to one that involves significant loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption, or economic disruption in a particular area. The Secretary is likewise responsible for assessing the vulnerability of US port facilities and vessels that may be involved in any of the abovementioned transportation security incidents. In addition to vessel identification and vulnerability assessment, the Secretary of Transportation is equired to develop a plan called the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan, which should prevent and respond to any transportation security incident. The plan requires for the coordination of federal, state, and local government agencies. Consistent with the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan, owner and operators of vessels or facilities are likewise required to submit their own vessel or facility security plan to prevent and respond to transportation security incidents. These plans are subject to the examination and approval of the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary likewise needs to establish security incident response plans for vessels and facilities involved in transportation security incidents. The Secretary of Transportation is also required to assess the effectiveness of antiterrorism measures in specified foreign ports (MTSA, S 102) The Secretary of Transportation may also deny admission, or removal, of an individual from the US if the individual poses as terrorism security risk to the nation. Otherwise, a qualified individual may be issued a transportation security card for entry into secured areas for vessels or facilities. The Secretary can also establish criteria for denial of admission to the US and can direct the Attorney General to perform background checks on individuals seeking entry into the US. Likewise, the Secretary is authorized to deny entry of vessels from foreign ports with ineffective antiterrorism measures or not maintaining effective antiterrorism measures (MTSA, S 102). In addition, the Secretary is tasked with coordinating with the US Coast Guard in developing an international agreement that provides for a uniform, comprehensive, international system for identification of seafarers that will allow the US and another country to establish the identity of any seafarer on a vessel within the US waters or such other country involved (MTSA, S 103). To help in implementation, the Secretary of Transportation is tasked with the establishment of maritime safety and security teams. The scope for these teams is protection of vessels, harbors, ports, facilities, and cargo in US waters. The Secretary is also tasked with implementing a system to collect and analyze information on relating to the vessels crew, passengers, cargo and intermodal shipments. Specified vessels operating in the navigable waters of the US are also required to be equipped ith Automatic Identification Systems (AS) (MTSA, S 102). In summary, pursuant to the MTSA, the Secretary of Transportation is required to implement measures for vessel identification, information collection, vulnerability assessment and to establish security plans for the nations ports and specified foreign ports. Violations of the requirements in this section gives the secretary authority to set forth civil penalties. The MTSA also served to amend past legislation. Section 104 of the Act provides that MTSA amends federal law to extend the Jurisdiction of the US to include all aters of the territorial sea as described in Presidential Proclamation 5928. The Ports and Waterways Safety Act (PWSA), which was earlier discussed in this paper, was also amended to authorize the use of qualified armed Coast Guard personnel to serve as sea marshal on vessel and public or commercial structures which are on or are adjacent to the US. These sea marshals have the duty of preventing or responding to terrorist acts or transportation security incidents (MTSA, S 107). The International Maritime and Port Security Act, which was also earlier discussed as Title Xl of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act, was also amended to require an annual report to be submitted to Congress on threats of terrorism to US ports and vessels. Such an annual report is also supposed to contain an analysis of the effectiveness of maritime transportation security activities under MTSA regarding port security against terrorist attacks (MTSA, S 110). The MTSA has also touched on the authority of the Coast Guard. They are now authorized to conduct marine casualty investigations involving foreign vessels in areas outside US territorial waters. Such authority is consistent with practices and procedures of international law (MTSA, 423). The Act also amends the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act to permit the Coast Guards drug interdiction Jurisdiction to extend to 24 nautical miles from US shores. This constitutes the outer limit of the US contiguous zone. The MTSA also provides for circumstances under which the US Government may legally seize a vessel involved in illicit drug smuggling (MTSA, S 418). One major strength of the MTSA is that, as landmark legislation, it provides for a standard for US ship and port security which is pursuant to one world standard for hip and port security as pursuant to the ISPS Code. The US no longer has to rely on a patchwork of security procedures since there is a comprehensive set of standards that the international community must adhere to (Ridge, 2004). In his Remarks delivered at the Port of Los Angeles, Secretary Tom Ridge stated: This will help create a culture of security at ports around the world and mandate specific improvements (2004). The vessel identification system required by MTSA will allow the US to regulate the entry of vessels, as well as its passengers, crew, and cargo before allowing their ntry into the US. Vulnerability assessment should also help port facilities and vessel owners and operators to evaluate their risks to transportation security incidents and terrorist attacks. The gathering of maritime information will allow the US to analysis make a port vulnerable to such incidents. The action plans required by the MTSA also calls for harbor areas to take affirmative steps in ensuring they comply with security and safety requirements, as well as to coordinate among federal and local agencies, as well as other maritime stakeholders. There is thus a Joint, nationwide ffort to fortify our ports and to protect the nation from potential terrorist attack. Basically, the obvious strength of the MTSA is that it calls for verification in the entry of vessels, foreign or domestic, into US ports. This allows the US to prevent and regulate terrorist threats to the country. Another important strength of the MTSA is that it calls for security plans and assessments which are pertinent per port or harbor area. US ports are not required to follow one strict security plan. Assessments and action plans are designed according to meet the unique security and safety needs for each specific port (Ridge, 004). Critiques of the legislation in related literature have identified three weaknesses of MTSA which relate primarily to security issues. The three weaknesses are as follows: 1) the limited number of ports that will be covered by the MTSA vessel identification system requirement; 2) the scope and quality of the port security assessments pertaining to vulnerability assessments; 3) Coast Guards intention of not individually approving security plans for foreign vessels (Wrightson, 2003). The AS, or automatic identification system, to be developed for vessel dentification system (MTSA, S 102) requires the Coast Guard to implement a process that allows port officials and other vessels to identify the identity and position of vessels entering or operating within their respective harbor area, as an early warning of unidentified vessels or vessels which are not in a location. The problem with implementing such a system is that it requires considerable land-based equipment and infrastructure which are not currently available in many ports across the US. Studies forecast that the AIS will be available in less than half of the 25 busiest ports in the nation (Wrightson, 2003, p. ). The second weakness in MTSA, which was apparent after examination and review by United States General Accounting Office (GAO), pertains to the scope and quality of the vulnerability assessments required by the Act for every port facility and vessel owners and operators regarding transportation security incidents (MTSA, S 102). In a Testimony before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on September 9, 2003, Margaret Wrightson, Director for Homeland Security and Justice Issues, said: As part our work, we have interviewed port stakeholders to obtain their views on the process. At one port, where the assessment has been completed and the report issued, stakeholders said they had not been given an opportunity to comment on the report, which contained factual errors and did not include an assessment of railroads and the local power generating plant. At the other port, where the assessment was still in process, local Coast Guard personnel and port stakeholders noted that a survey instrument referred to the wrong port, asked questions they regarded as not pertaining to security, and was conducted in ways that raised concerns about credibility. Many of these stakeholders saw little sefulness in the assessments, believing that they added little to what the reviews of individual facilities or installations. They said the assessments focused on the same systems that had already been reviewed and would have greater value if they were focused on matters that had not already been thoroughly studied, such as the potential for waterborne assault (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 9-10). The usefulness and accuracy of such vulnerability assessments have been criticized extensively by those required to participate in such assessments. In addition to quality of such assessments, according to Wrightson, the costs for these ssessments are also extremely high. Most assessments have been conducted only at medium-sized ports in the US, and even at each port the costs per assessment is estimated at $ 1 million or more (Wrightson, 2003, p. 10). Given the cost and the questions as to the usefulness of such assessments, implementing this requirement of the MTSA continues to be a struggle and ineffective today. The third issue pertains to the vessel security plans required for all vessels operating in US waters. These security plans, subject to review and approval by the Secretary of Transportation, must comply with MTSA requirements. According to Wrightson, to implement this requirement, the US Coast Guard has stated that it does not have the intent to individually approve vessel security plans for foreign vessels. The Coast Guard provides that flag state approval of a vessel security plan constitutes compliance with the MTSA requirement of MTSA vessel security plans. Unfortunately, MTSA does not mention any role or participation of foreign countries with respect to the US Secretary of Transportations require approval of such vessel security plans. The problem with this is that ISPS provides for an international equirement for a security plan, which provides that a vessels flag state is responsible for reviewing and certifying the vessels security plan. The concern here is that a vessel may belong to a flag state which does not have a strong safety requirement standard. A foreign vessel belonging toa flag state is subject to the review and certification of such states safety requirements of that vessels security plan. According to Wrightson (2003), the Coast Guard implemented rules to address this issue by verifying that foreign vessels have approved, fully implemented security plans (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 0-11). Unfortunately, the US Coast Guard admits that its security effort is modeled after the US safety program, which may differ from a flag states safety requirements. The Coast Guard is reported to not have contingency plans in place in the event that stronger safety measures than those called for in their current plans are required in order to verify a foreign vessel. These concerns however pertain mainly to foreign flag vessels. us-registered vessels and their corresponding security plans will be reviewed and approved by the Coast Guard. Such review and approval also comes at high costs. In the 2004 budget for the US Coast Guard, the review and approval of the security plans as required by MTSA for domestic vessels alone were set for $ 70 million, with 150 full time personnel required to conduct the review and approval (wrtghtson, 2003, pp. 0-11). Lastly, there is a fourth weakness that can be identified in the MTSA. Although it was discussed that the fact that MTSA does not require for a specific security or action plan for each part, and that action plans are tailored to fit the safety needs of drawbacks. Congress has identified the issue of determining what elements of port ecurity might be best addressed through establishing across-the-board or standard measures applicable to all seaports in the US. These common standards and practices is naturally contradictory to the tailored, site specific approach that MTSA encourages in order to meet the safety needs and specific circumstances of each particular port in the US. For instance, the MTSA does not provide for a specific percentage of cargo which Customs Service should physically inspect at US seaports (Fritelli, 2003, p. 6). 5. Final Assessment and Recommendations to Strengthen MTSA Despite its flaws, the MTSA is still landmark legislation as it took a huge step in allowing the US to prevent and deal with terrorist attacks on the nations maritime ports. Of the 46 key areas identified to implement the requirements of MTSA, 43 of these ports or harbors have already transmitted maritime information which is a preliminary step in helping to establish security systems and action plans (Wrightson, 2003, p. 1). Due to the requirements in MTSA, the Coast Guard has also published its six interim rules on the provisions in the ACT wherein it has lead responsibility ertaining to national maritime security initiatives, area maritime security, vessel security, facility security, outer continental shelf facility security, and AS. The rules also provided for a comprehensive description of industry-related maritime security requirements and cost-benefit assessments for US ports (Wrightson, 2003, pp. 4-6). A careful analysis of strategies and issues identified by the US Department of Homeland Security calls for the following recommendations relating to the issues and weaknesses of MTSA identified in this paper (US Department of Homeland Security, 005): Development of an Infrastructure Recovery Plan which sets standards and procedures for recovery of maritime infrastructure following an attack or similar disruption. This should go hand in hand with vulnerability assessment, in order to respond to the criticism as to lack of usefulness of vulnerability assessments in ports. Vulnerability assessment should thus include assessment as to the costs and extent of recovery needed for an area after a transportation security incident or terrorist attack. Development of an International Outreach and Coordination Strategy. This should allow a framework for the US and foreign governments to coordinate regarding security measures and standards. This will address the issue regarding the Coast Guard verification of foreign flag vessels which may have different security measures and standards as the US. The other issues identified as weaknesses of the MTSA costs of putting AIS in place, costs of conducting assessments in ports, and the lack of a standard measure for all ports versus specific area standards per port have been addressed in the 108th Congress, 1st Session, in HR 2193. The Bill, cited as the Port Security Improvements Act of 2003, provides for funding of port security enhancements pursuant to MTSA. The House Bill provides for standardization of security requirements for ports, vessels and facilities, requiring the Coast Guard to issue regulations under Section 70103, Title 46 of the United States Code, to establish national minimum standards for security requirements for each port, facility in a port in the US, and each vessel entering a US port.

Writing Your Admissions Essay - Choose the Right Essay Essay Sample

Writing Your Admissions Essay - Choose the Right Essay Essay SampleThe admissions process for the University of Phoenix is not an easy one and the application process is only one part of it. There are many other forms of preparation that a prospective student has to go through before the official visit.The University of Phoenix is not the only source of those who wish to join the organization. There are several other schools that offer this degree. Before you choose a particular school, you should ask yourself whether the curriculum is suitable for your career or not. You should also know whether the graduates from the school can help you in your chosen field.To make sure that the admissions process is made easier for you, you should write an essay. Although this process does not take up all of your time, it will still allow you to have a place in the university. The essay can be either a one-page one or a long one.Admission essay samples should include information on the student's p ast achievements. This includes high school records, college records, and even personal information like the parents' names and telephone numbers. The essay should also include information about the students' character and interest in school.This is not the only type of essay that you have to prepare for the admissions process. During the interview, the university also asks for more essays. It is then up to you to decide on what type of essay to give out. All you need to do is to provide the details of your previous jobs, essays, work samples, awards and other proofs.The school's admissions committee will look at all of the essays. It will see which of them is more convincing. It is therefore recommended that you plan out what kind of essay will get you the desired results. school 's admission essay To help you with your school's admission essay, you should start thinking about how you can impress the admissions officer. This would save you from needless struggles and let you focus on what is important.

Brief history of Music essays

Brief history of Music essays The music industry today is growing bigger every minute here in America. However, how did we arrive to the music status that we have today? In this paper, I will provide a brief history of music, and how they link together to form what we have today. The very beginning of music started not with musical notes or pitches, but rather with noise. Noises then are put together in a rhythmic patter to form percussion. Pitch was acquired shortly after and used on special occasions. For example, signals of war, and in ritual dances. The seven-tone scale was developed in China. The seven-tone scale evolved from the non-semi tonal scale: the foundation of music. Through this scale, simple music was formed. Gregorian chants, a form of church music established by Gregory the Great, were created from the use of scales put together with other elements to form a musical setting of the liturgy. This style of music was used in the western churches. Through Gregorian chants, polyphony was born. Polyphony is the use of two notes or more to form harmony, or dissonance. Polyphony formed a new type of music. Two-part singing and folk music are just two examples. Two part harmony soon after expanded to three, four parts, and so on. This expansion of polyphony was spread world wide, and had many different influences due to the birth of music printing in about the year 1500. Sixteenth century was a period of conflict for the history of music. While the Germans and Netherlanders focused more on instrumental polyphony, the Italians focused a lot on the instrumental melody. The outcome of this conflict between the importance of polyphony and monody formed a compromise: the Opera. The Opera is a co-operation of the different areas of music. This made Opera very interesting. Not only did Opera include chorus parts; a form of polyphony, but it also included solos that were accompanied by only one instrument; a form of monody. ...

An Analysis of the Seniority Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

An Analysis of the Seniority Problem - Essay Example Seniority in Companies can be positive or negative. This paper will discuss the positive and the negative of Seniority in companies non-unionized and unionized. How will Seniority affect the Company, Management, Co-Workers? The concept of seniority refers to an individual or a group who is in charge of or commands another individual or group. In companies seniority is often followed by additional privileges such as higher salary, more authority over subordinates, favorable work hours etc. â€Å"Seniority means precedence of position, especially precedence over others of the same rank by reason of a longer span of service. It is a system often used by employers as a basis for granting job benefits† (US Legal, 2009). Seniority systems help in protecting the employees from indiscriminate termination, occasioned by whims, malice or prejudice of the employer. On the other hand, it also helps in creating a harmonious work environment, filled with co-operation and solidarity amongst the workers (Ezorsky, Nickel, 1987). Several companies are known to offer job bidding rights to their employees which facilitate them in availing several perquisites. However these bidding rights are subject to certain restrictions imposed by the organizations, for instance, the employee claiming such a benefit must be employed in the company for a period of at least 12 months and / or worked in his capacity for a period of at least 6 months in his current job. Those who qualify are eligible to bid for additional benefits offered by the company such as promotion or transfer. According to Edwards (1993) â€Å"The right to seniority preference is closely linked to job – bidding rights†. In some organizations seniority preference rather often tend to be the determining factor in for employment, promotion, or transfer, and where factors such as qualification, skill and work record are more or less equal, seniority is

Advanced Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advanced Financial Reporting - Essay Example Another way of achieving growth is through Merger and Acquisition (abbreviated as M&A). The former is also known is organic growth where the firm uses its own resources (retained earnings, reserves and surplus, or equity capital) for financing growth. The later is also known as inorganic growth where the acquirer firm buys the assets and liabilities of the target(s) as on a given date (Sherman, 2010, p.1). Thus, M&A are external growth strategy that gains popularity mainly due to globalization. It has become an important an important way for firms to expand their product portfolios and gaining new markets. M&A also helps the firm’s to acquire knowledge, latest technology and improved management capabilities. In addition, M&A has been found to be extremely successful for specific sectors like pharmaceuticals where extensive Research & Developments are required. R&D does not only require huge capital investment but also requires knowledge in relevant areas so that the target pro duct remains competent on global scale (Kumar and Yadav, 2005, pp.51-63). The main motive for any M&A is to experience a synergy in existing operations as well as profitability of the firms. However, it is also important to note that not all M&A have been successful in the past and thus some failed to maximise values leading to huge capital losses (Frensch, 2007, pp.48-49). In July 2013, TD Travel of Cheshire acquired Hotel scene, the hotel booking agency of Bristol and consequently created a new entity by rebranding called Corporate Travel International. The combined entity is expected to boost revenues for both the companies to over ?100 million and also employ more than 160 staff across different units. With reference to the above recent acquisition, the objective of this study is to discuss with reasons as to why such business combination has taken place and also explain the probable consequences or problems that the companies might face in future. Merger & Acquisition Strategy As on July 12, 2013, TD Travel completed the acquisition of Hotel Scene. The acquirer in this case is TD Travel where as the acquired is Hotel scene. The deal was finance and backed by private equity investment firm LDC. The acquisition is expected to create one of the largest and independent corporate travel and booking agent entity of UK. The companies have decided to re-brand the combined business into Corporate Travel International. It is also expected that such M&A will create a synergy that can boost the revenues of the new combined business entity of over ?100 million. The companies are also expecting to employ over 160 staffs in different branches located across London, Liverpool, Wilmslow, Bristol, and Hull. From the press release of the company it was found that the director of LDC is very optimistic about the M&A and has recommended the deal. He also believes that the management team of TD Travel is very experienced and motivated and thus holds immense potential to take t he new entity to the next level of stimulating growth trajectory. Regarding the financing of the deal, a package of working capital and senior debt facilities was provided by Lloyds Banking Group’s Finance and Acquisition team. The negotiation was primarily led by Relationship Director of TD Travel, Richard Townsend. The responsibilities of lead manager and advisory of the deal was given to BDO LLP which is also one of the most reputed Accountancy and Business