A Personalised Induction Will Always Be More Effective Essay Example for Free

A Personalised Induction Will Always Be More Effective Essay Every successful hypnotherapy session must have an induction ensuring that the client is relaxed and is in a disassociated state in order fully experience the process. The type of induction used can be dependent on the personal preferences of the therapist or the type of hypnotherapy being undertaken in the session. There has been some debate as to whether a generic induction will be suitable for all clients or as some hypnotherapists advocate that only a personalised screed to each client will do. Commercial hypnotherapy which is produced for the mass market is widely available in CD, book or e formats. These materials deal with common issues such as giving up smoking, weight loss etc and by their very nature have to be generic as there is no option for personalisation. However as there is no therapist present at these sessions, the success of commercial non personalised screeds cannot be assessed. In my opinion, commercial materials can reach many people but they are more about making money for the person producing them than about making a difference for the individual. It is also impossible to have a personalised induction if the therapist is holding a group session. In hypnosis the therapist relies on verbal communication rather than on body language. Psychology professor Albert Mehrabian studied communication and stated that how humans communicate can be broken down into quantities; ie words account for 7%, tone of voice accounts for 38%, and body language accounts for 55%. Therefore the vocabulary the therapist uses becomes vitally important to how successful the therapy will be for the client. Therapists who prefer a personalised approach believe that preparation of the client is essential especially if they have no previous experience of hypnotherapy and/or have pre-conceived ideas. Discussion before the session is crucial to discover what the client’s expectations are and when necessary, allay fears and correct their beliefs. During this discussion the therapist can also probe to discover the clients’ preferred or dominant modality. Modalities were defined by Bandler and Grinder the â€Å"Language of our minds†. (Chrysalis, Module 2). The three major modalities are, Kinaesthetic (feeling), Visual (sight), Auditory (hearing) as well as the two minor modalities of Olfactory (smell) and Gustatory (taste). As individuals we all have a preference for the way we perceive and process our experiences and in order to create a personalised induction, the therapist will try to ascertain the client’s preference during the initial interview and discussion. During the induction, the client may have his eyes closed or the therapist may not be within sight, so communication with the client using their preferred imagery will help them feel more comfortable. Kinaesthetic people have a preference for vocabulary which will invite them to feel. For example in an induction where the client is in their special place outdoors, you could suggest the client feels the warmth of a breeze as it moves through the trees. Whereas for those with a visual modality it could be suggested that they imagine leaves moving in the warm breeze in the nearby trees, while those with an auditory modality may feel more comfortable if it is suggested that they can hear the rustle of the leaves when they are moved by the warm breeze. Language and imagery can also have a negative effect on the client, Karle and Boys (1987, p45) suggest that imagery is first planned with the client to ensure it is acceptable and congenial. The example they use is suggesting descent by means of using a lift to a client who is phobic of lifts. Therefore it is important to have some personalisation in the induction. There is, however, a risk of mis-judging an individual during the initial interview and consultation that the therapist must be aware of. The client may present an image that they think the therapist wants to see; also as humans our feelings can change frequently throughout the day which causes us to react differently. And until the therapist gains a deeper understanding of the client a truly personalised induction may not be achieved yet the client has successfully reached a deeper hypnotic state. When creating an induction it is suggested by Karle and Boys (1987) that therapists use a technique known as â€Å"Compounding† which employs all modalities in the sensory descriptions and suggestions. While the content of the inductionis one area which can be personalised, the delivery of the induction is also a major influence on how accepting and comfortable the client will be. During the initial interview and as the relationship between client and therapist grows, the style of induction most suited to the client should be employed. They are referred to today as â€Å"Permissive† and â€Å"Authoritarian†. However as with the modalities, the style preference of the therapist will be a major influence on the style employed in the induction. Sandor Ferenczi, a Hungarian psychoanalyst who practised in the early 1900s first investigated these styles after moving away from Freudian theory and developing relaxation therapy. He called them ‘maternal’ and ‘paternal’ and used them in his induction delivery. He considered the maternal style to be nurturing, caring, supportive and permissive while he considered paternal to be direct, authoritarian and aggressive. (Chrysalis, Module 2). Dave Elman, a stage hypnotist and entertainer working in 1948, at the invitation of doctors began to work on induction techniques. He continued in this career writing books on the subject and teaching students up to his death in 1968. He is well known for using his preferred authoritarian style of induction which he adapted from the sharp commands used in stage shows. Conversely, Milton Erickson, born 1901, utilised the permissive style of induction together with indirect suggestion. He believed that ‘people must participate in their therapy’ and was skilled at using metaphors to assist his therapy. Erickson believed that it was not possible consciously to instruct the unconscious mind, and that authoritarian suggestions were likely to be met with resistance. He firmly stated that the unconscious mind responds to openings, opportunities, metaphors and symbolic language. He advocated that effective hypnotic suggestion should be artfully vague, leaving space for the client to fill in the gaps with their own unconscious understandings even if they do not consciously grasp what is happening. The skilled hypnotherapist constructs these gaps of meaning in a way most suited to the individual subject in a way which is most likely to produce the desired change (Wikipedia. rg) Authoritarian inductions will be more directional and commanding; they allow the hypnotherapist to be in charge with the client following a set of demands. This can work well on some clients who respond to authority and like set boundaries. An authoritarian induction will be straightforward with no embellishments, for example making commanding statements such as, ‘Close your eyes, you are in control at all times’, ‘You are now feeling relaxed’. Clients who prefer authoritarian styles may have a logical preference; it has also been shown to work well for those individuals who are sceptical. While this approach may seem to be domineering, it only creates an illusion that the therapist is in total control. In fact the client has to be willing to participate and therefore is actually fully in control and can stop the therapy at anytime. Once the client has relaxed into a trancelike state, suggestions and choices can then be introduced. Permissive inductions are gentler where the therapist is the facilitator, allowing the client to make their own choices while in a safe reassuring environment reinforcing the therapist’s initial discussion with the client. Sentences used will be suggestive, for example, ‘You may like to close your eyes now’ or, ‘In your own time choose when to relax the muscles in your arms. ’ This style allows use of imaginative scenarios and metaphors. Clients who will respond to the permissive style are considered to be generally caring, like to please and are imaginative and have strong imagery skills. Direct and indirect suggestion can also be employed in the induction. Indirect suggestion can be beneficial with clients new to hypnotherapy that are resistant either through anxiety or negativity and when the authoritarian approach would not be appropriate. Milton Erikson preferred indirect methods (Chrysalis, Module 2) because he believed that the client should actively participate in their therapy. Erickson created a number of techniques known as ‘techniques of utilisation’ that could be used on people who seem resistant to hypnosis, whether they were resisting through anxiety or stubbornness. † Erickson’s techniques were very manipulative but very subtle, and allowed the individual client to take control of their own healing. He believed that if one technique does not work you must find one that does work. He believed in encouraging the resistance that the individual was exhibiting so that they would feel more comfortable responding within their own boundaries rather than those set by the therapist. In a typical example, a girl that bit her nails was told that she was cheating herself of really enjoying the nail biting. He encouraged her to let some of her nails grow a little longer before biting them, so that she really could derive the fullest pleasure from the activity. She decided to grow all of her nails long enough that she might really enjoy biting them, and then, after some days, she realised that she didnt want to bite them anyway. Indirect suggestion also opens the opportunity to use metaphor and imagery. This is particularly effective with children where storytelling and fantasy is something they can readily associate with. Karl and Boys (1987, p150) state that it is vital that each step should be adapted to suit the age, cultural background, developmental stage and intellectual and educational status of the child. Thus indicating that a personalised induction for children is imperative to achieve success and limit any negative effects. Direct suggestion as with the Authoritarian style will be more effective with clients who prefer this approach; however compounding the two styles as with the modalities will be effective as it ensures you are connecting with the client via their preferred style. Other styles of induction that can be employed is the â€Å"confusion technique†. This is used on individuals who may be very rigid and analytical. They are prone to criticise and would want to pick everything apart instead of relaxing into the hypnosis. By giving a confused message which contains little to understand, the client’s brain will be forced to shut down and go into a trancelike state. In this method there can be no personalisation for the client to focus on. In conclusion I think that in order to build a genuine rapport with the client, the therapist should always aim to personalise the induction, in relation to the reasons the client is seeking hypnotherapy. It is imperative to always carry out an in depth discussion to assess the client’s needs and to identify if there are any underlying factors which may prevent the therapist from treating the client. e psychosis. Also a client’s likes dislikes and phobias must be taken into account, therefore it is important to listen carefully to the client and be respectful of their needs. However it must also be accepted that an individual’s preferences and modalities are not fixed precisely because we are individuals whose reactions can change regularly throughout the day; therefore it would be preferable to compound all modalities and styles into the induction. It is also important to remember that the therapists’ preferences will also have an influence on how the induction is carried out and on the relationship with each individual client. Therefore I conclude that all inductions on a one to one basis are personalised inductions based on what the therapist has learned about the client and by learning what works best for that client.

English Should be Declared the Official Language Essay Example for Free

English Should be Declared the Official Language Essay In recent years, the America’s ability to resolve cultural diversity and political unity has been challenged at new level. The influx of immigrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America has brought changes in the character of many natives and accelerated demands for government services in their own languages. The aspect of linguistic diversity has in fact sparked insecurity about national unity and fostered a wave designed to make English the official language in the United States (Inhofe and Munoz  ¶1). Entrenched in the politics of language and especially making English the official language in United States is the deeper contest of American identity and means of preserving it. Ensuring a common official language create and establish the foundations of national unity, on top of enhancing ethnic harmony. Policymakers and some American citizens have responded to this issue in various ways. Court decisions, administrative regulations and federal laws have always favored the ultimate use of other languages in public offices, but most citizens have favored English language as a valued symbol of American nationhood worthy being established and defended for (Zehr 23). Pros of English as Official United States’ Language Although lawmakers in the United States have lingered on deciding on endowing English with a special legal status, it was assumed that a common language would develop in America. To affirm this hypothetical assumption, linguistic researchers consistently found out that the typical pattern of language usage among the immigrants to America shifted from non-English in the first generation of immigrants to use of the many languages in their surrounding neighbors in the second generation and the reverted to English in the third generation (Scholastic  ¶1). This was because speaking English was the only way to cope up for the new immigrants to adequately adapt to the society they found in America, increase their earning potential, for students to succeed in schools, and eventually enhance their future career options in the land of many opportunities. The immigrants and their descendants learned English not because the law forced them to due to the reason that learning English was a precursor to helping them get ahead in America. The debate of making English the United States’ official language is founded on the believe that the stability of the American institutions and values heavily depended on cultural homogeneity. The America’s citizens and courts have sent clear message that people should unite behind a common official language and especially English which has been grasped by the majority and help foster American values that appreciate one another in that cultural diversity. By helping the immigrants learn the official language would ensure that the services from government institutions are accessible to all and by extension would enable save taxpayers money initially used to cater for those services of an interpreter (Gillespie  ¶ 1). Looking at the bigger picture, bilingual systems like in education require special services which prove to need a lot of money and more so create segregation on ethnic groups against the values endeavored to be achieved in the American dream (Inhofe and Munoz  ¶1). Let’s look at the issue in this perspective; suppose an employer wanted to train employees of different native languages what would he or she do? Having that common language is a major boost as everyone would endeavor to just be literate in it and break the barriers of language (Cincinnati  ¶ 1). Training people in their native language narrows the perspective to ethnic level and would mean a lot of trainers-unnecessary expense of the company. On the issue of language rights, which are mostly demanded by ethnic minorities, they are symbolic affirmation of their continued attachment to their original cultures. In the context of international arena, people have started thinking globally; the revival of ethnic consciousness does not anchor well with postering that international standards and more specific the concern of national unity (Inhofe and Munoz  ¶1). Maintaining the ethnic lines brings about unrest and polarization as experienced in most parts of the world. United States is the greatest nation on earth and ensuring preservation of English as the official language would be a great feat of achievement for it would ease out discrimination in offices which occur because people cannot be understood or are discriminated simply because they cannot speak a certain language. Inhofe and Munoz ( ¶ 1) point out a Zogby International Poll established that eighty-five percent of the sampled expressed their support for making English as the language that should be used in all government operations. Surprisingly also, seventy-one percent of the Hispanics surveyed, were for the idea of making English as the official language in United States. This positivism has also been expressed in other polls and call for the implementation of bill that gives English the legal status as the official language and so there is no reason whatsoever to offer government services at extra costs in foreign languages. In cordial feat the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem through English show the patriotism in bringing the nation together in the spirit of sharing the American Dream. Cons of English as Official United States’ Language The demographic and political changes that began in America in the 1960s opened an era of clash over language. It was the blacks who emphasized the values of ethnic distinctiveness and solidarity in the use of their native languages and other groups followed. Alleviating English to the status of English has all along been perceived as a way of weakening the group’s ethnic heritage, where activists especially Hispanics have articulated that language rights are constitutional privileges that deserve to be observed in the law (Gillespie  ¶ 1). This in fact advocated that the United States government should move beyond toleration minority languages in the private arena to promoting bilingual languages in its institutions. This has always remained as the biggest threat to ensuring that English is made legally the official language in the United States. According to Inhofe and Munoz ( ¶1) another reason that has been a draw back in ensuring English is legal recognized as the official language in America is because there are other languages that are also spoken by a considerable number of people like the Spanish. Spanish is said to be spoken by over forty million Hispanics in the United States at work, at homes and in their daily lives. Inhofe and Munoz ( ¶1) argue that by virtue of making English as the official language and relieving the government role of assisting non-English speakers and this could spell doom to those who cannot quickly learn English. It is agreed that people can learn English and money can be devoted to helping non-English speakers learn but the trick comes in passing a law that would magically expect people learn promptly may proof to be hard (Cincinnati  ¶ 1). Minority activists have all along supported cultural maintenance programs that teach children subjects in English and their native language in their education. The concept celebrates the multicultural conception of identity in America and in the process celebrates ethnic consciousness. The symbolic importance considerably undervalues the English language on the specter of accepting the bicultural approach, where the culture of a group is embedded in their language (Zehr 23). Cincinnati ( ¶ 1) argues that the United States has never declared an official language because of the drawbacks that are faced in trying to do so and many people have tried without much success. In 1780, a congress man John Adams proposed to the congress for English to be made the official language, but he received much criticism where the proposal was deemed as threat to individual liberty and undemocratic. Over the years whenever the debate arose, there have been people on both sides (Scholastic  ¶1). Only twenty-seven states have officially made English their official language others remaining in the dark. Others people are opposed to the stand of making English official language simply because their business of translation would be affected as learning English for Spanish people they can understand and translate the manuscripts themselves (Cincinnati  ¶ 1). Scholastic ( ¶1) points out that the estimates according to a U. S. English Inc. , a group that is a proponent of declaring English as the United States official language, there are close to 322 languages spoken by the citizens in the country. Twenty-four of these languages are spoken almost in every state. Statistics has it that Wyoming has the fewest languages fifty-six in number while California State has the highest, two hundred and seven in total. Cincinnati ( ¶ 1) strongly argues that because the U. S is a nation of immigrants as rightly proved by the numbers, declaring English as the official language would be impeachment of the individual rights for those incapable of speaking English, who on the other hand pay taxes and should be served their languages notwithstanding. Gillespie  ¶ (1) reminds us that when the question of language comes up many argue that it is aimed at dividing as it has remained a hot button to touch. Many politicians argue that immigrants have been coming to America and have consequently contributed without holding back to the nation and eventually working to fulfill their dreams of better lives for their families and themselves. For this reason declaring English as an official language these immigrants would turn their backs on the American common dream. Conclusion The many reasons brought forth strongly propose that English should be made the official language of the United States. On the other hand, valid opposition on the issue also comes up, bearing weight which should be negated at policymakers’ peril. English as the official language has many benefits to offer to the American citizens and the national unity at large. Homogeneity in language would cut down unnecessary costs encountered in the education and in judicial courts not forgetting polarization of the ethnic groups overtly felt and seen around the world. Moreover, it would be a plus in enhancing stability of the American institutions. The pros override the cons and supporting English as official language in the U. S would bring more benefits than the demerits expressed.

Financial Statement Analysis of Hilton Worldwide Holdings

Financial Statement Analysis of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Company Overview HiltonWorldwide Holdings Inc.is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world. The company is correctly positioned in the industry. We expect Hilton to grow at about 6.92% the same rate as its competitor and to maintain the median returns it currently generates. Hilton has relatively high profit margins while operating with median asset turns. Hiltons year-to-year change in revenues and earnings are better than that of its competitor. Hiltons revenue growth in recent years and current P/E ratio are both around their respective peer medians suggesting that historical performance and long-term growth expectations for the company are largely in sync. Analytical Conclusion Although the hospitality industry can get volatile Hilton Worldwide will continue to make strides as the company has a dedicated team coupled with an award winning portfolio and tailor made strategies for each hotel. Hence, the company will continue its operations for years to come. While Hilton has little control over external shocks, the company has the ability to adapt to its competitors, both old and new in all 104 countries and regions. Hilton worldwide is fairly valued. The company is currently valued at $19.07 billion with an anticipated value of $19.70-20B. Summary Financials Price (Sale):2.63(BV):3.21Float: 192.69M Debt to Equity: 184.85 52 Week Trading Range: 41.55 60.40Insider Holdings: N/A Current Ratio: 1.33 Cash: 1.42B Equity: 5.89 B P/E trailing: 54.77 Exchange: NYSEProfit Margin: 4.82% P/E forward: 27.65 Market Cap: 19.18BOperating Margin: 28.07% Shares Outstanding: 329.73MROE: 6.17% Selected Financials FY 12/31 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 Revenue 9.66B 8.88B 11. 66B 11. 27B 10.50B 9.74B 9.28B Net Income 743M 571 M 348M 1.4B 673M 415M 352M EPS (Basic) 2.06 1.74 1.06 4.26 2.04 1.35 1.14 EPS (Diluted) 2.06 1.74 1.05 4.26 2.04 1.35 1.14 P/E 28.22 33.25 21.59 30.65 34.40 33.82 35.98 Company Highlights Net loss for the fourth quarter was $382 million, and net income for the full year was $364 million. Diluted loss per share was $1.17 for the fourth quarter, largely driven by $513 million of non-cash corporate restructuring charges incurred prior to the spin-offs, and diluted EPS was $1.05 for the full year. Added 354 hotels to its system in 2016, opening nearly one hotel per day in the year. Completed spins-offs of Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) and Park Hotels and Resorts (PK) Hilton launched its newest brand the Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Description Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with a portfolio of 14 world class brands comprising over 4,900 properties with more than 800,000 rooms in 104 countries and regions. Hilton is committed to fulfilling its mission to be the worlds most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences at every hotel, to every guest, every time. Hilton was founded in 1919 by Conrad Hilton when he purchased his first hotel in Texas, Hiltons is the most recognized hotel brand in the world. Hiltons operate its business across three segments: ownership; management and franchise; and timeshare. Hiltons strategy focuses on providing service and cost models tailored to each hotel, reflecting size, business complexity, and market environment. Hilton provide appropriate levels of engagement depending on each hotels needs, by ensuring hotel owners are fully engaged in decision-making. This consolidated approach means Hilton maximize cost and scale effici encies, by sharing best practice, market and trend intelligence and ensuring appropriate affordability to each hotel. For example: Hilton refine its luxury brands to deliver products and service standards that are relevant to each region. Hiltons operations are mainly concentrated in the United States, however, it has its presence in the international markets such as in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and in the Asia Pacific region. Operations Hilton operates its business across three segments namely; ownership, management and franchise, and timeshare. Ownership Hilton is one of the largest hotel owners in the world based on the number of rooms at the companys leased, owned and joint venture properties. Hiltons diverse global portfolio of owned and leased properties includes a number of prominent hotels in major cities such as New York City, San Francisco, London, Chicago, SÃ £o Paolo and Tokyo. Hiltons portfolio includes renowned hotels with significant underlying real estate value, by the end of 2016, the ownership segment had 141 hotels with 57,716 rooms. In recent years Hilton has expanded its hotel system less through real estate investment and more by increasing the number of management and franchise agreements the company has with third-party hotel owners. Hilton focuses on maximizing profitability and cost efficiency of all its portfolios by, reducing fixed costs and implementing new labor management practices and systems. For instance, Hilton has developed and executed strategic plans for each of its hotels to enhance the market po sition of each property. At many of its hotels Hilton has renovated guest rooms and public spaces and added or enhanced meeting and retail space to improve profitability. At certain of its hotels, Hilton is evaluating options for the adaptive reuse of all or a portion of the property to residential, retail or timeshare uses. Management and Franchise Hiltons management and franchise segment enables the company to manage timeshare properties and hotels and license its trademarks to franchisees. Hilton currently manages 4,734 hotels with 738,724 rooms. Therefore, this segment generates its revenue primarily from fees charged to homeowners, hotel owners and associations at timeshare properties. Hilton grows its management and franchise business by attracting owners to become a part of its system and participate in its brands and commercial services to support their hotel. On Hiltons part, these contracts require little or no capital investment to initiate and provide substantial return on investment for Hiltons. Hiltons primary management services consist of operating hotels under management contracts for the benefit of third parties, who either own or lease the hotels. Hilton earns an incentive fee based on gross operating profits and a management fee based on a percentage of the hotels gross revenue. For a fee Hilton franchise its trade, brand names, operating systems and service marks to hotel owners. Hilton does not directly participate in the daily operation or management of franchised hotels but its conducts periodic inspections to ensure that brand standards are maintained. Hilton approves certain aspects of development and the location for new construction of franchised hotels, in some cases, Hilton also provides the franchise with product improvement plans that must be completed in accordance with brand standards to remain in Hiltons hotel system. Timeshare Hiltons timeshare segment generates revenue from three primary sources: Resort Operations, Timeshare Sales, and Financing. Hilton market and sell timeshare interests owned by Hilton and third parties. The company sells timeshare intervals on behalf of third-party developers using the Hilton Grand Vacations brand. Through resort operations Hilton manages the Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) Club, receiving annual dues, enrollment fees, and transaction fees from members. Hiltons also provides consumer financing, which includes interest income generated from the origination of consumer loans to customers to finance their purchase of timeshare intervals and revenue from servicing the loans. Strategy Since Hilton Worldwide was founded, the company has been among the top hospitality companies in the industry. In fact, after almost 100 years it is considered one of the largest and fastest growing corporations with the goal to deliver outstanding customer experiences and excellent operating performance. Hiltons business strategy is based on its service differentiation, the company distinguishes itself from its competitors by providing high quality service combining it with IT systems. According to Dudovki, (2016), Hilton has been focusing its strategy on digitalizing mobile services, booking channels, loyalty and data driven-personalization, and also improving guest experience and privacy. Enhanced service offering is at the forefront of Hilton strategy. In order to allocate more of customers travel spending to Hilton hotels, and consequently to enhance customer loyalty for the entire system of hotels and timeshare properties, the team created Hilton Honors Loyalty Program. The program rewards guests with points for each stay at any of Hiltons more than 4,900 hotels worldwide. Members can use the points earned for free hotel nights and other goods and services; moreover, it is possible to spend the points with 130 partners, among which car rental, rail, and airlines companies, credit card providers and others. The loyalty program contributed over $17 billion in terms of revenues as reported at the end of the year 2016. Another strategy employed by Hilton is premium pricing. Hilton utilizes the premium pricing policies for its upscale services and hotels. The pricing strategy is established to emphasize, among customers, the sense of status and luxury rather than the sense of stay and dining. Through the analysis of previous performance and strategies they provide to manage future profitability. For instance, they engage with sales teams for hotels with significant group/corporate business, to ensure corporate pricing structure is maximized throughout the RFP process. The management of Hilton believe every Hilton Worldwide property has its own unique strengths and challenges. As such they provide service and cost models tailored to each hotel, reflecting business complexity, size, and market environment. Hilton matches its service to the needs of the clients hotel, Hilton management believes that one size fits all. This consolidated approach means that Hilton maximize cost and scale efficiencies, rapidly sharing best practice, market and trend intelligence and ensuring appropriate affordability to each hotel. Hilton have focused on optimizing hotels market share and delivering market-beating revenue per available room (RevPAR) results. Hiltons team provides thorough analysis of previous performance and strategies to drive future profitability. Management Hilton Executive Committee is characterized by key personnel with diverse backgrounds who were able to bring the company to the prominence it now enjoys in the hospitality industry. Among those executive are Hiltons President and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher J. Nassetta. Nassetta has been one of the most important figure in the Hilton family since 2007. With a degree in finance, Nassetta has always been close to the hospitality industry and real estate market. In fact, he worked as President and Chief Executive Officer at Host Hotels Resorts, Inc. since 2000, and before he was Chief Development Officer for The Oliver Carr Company, one of the largest commercial real estate company in the Mid-Atlantic region. He is also involved in several non-profit organizations and volunteering. Another central leader in this profitable company is its Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Jacobs. He began his experience at Hilton in 2008 covering various positions. He is now responsible of the companys global finance, information technology and real estate functions. As his President, Jacobs has a background in the hospitality industry working for other Hotels and Resorts corporations. Jim Holthouser joined Hilton board as Vice President of Global Brands in 1979. He directs the brand management and customer marketing across nine consumer brands for more than 4,000 hotels. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant, lodging, and gaming industries, Holthouser has held a series of senior management positions within Hilton in the franchising, branding, and marketing arenas. The above mentioned key personnel are veterans in their own right with experience in hospitality and related industries, Hiltons executive team is well-positioned to accelerate its momentum. Hiltons executives collectively make a holistic team because they are from diverse background and shares common interests and values as such they all able to contribute to the holistic growth and development of Hilton Worldwide. Markets The hospitality industry is seasonal. It is common for Hilton and the other competitors to expect lower revenues in the first quarter of each year. According to Statista the global hotel industry in 2016 was valued at $490.06 billion. Reports by Financial Morningstar.com indicate that Hilton Worldwide is ranked among the largest player in the global hotel industry, Hilton and Marriott have the highest market share. They are followed by Wyndhams, Choice Hotels and International Hotels Groups. The global hotel industry is fragmented. There is no single company in a position to influence or dominate the industry as no company holds more than 5% of the global market shares. Hilton is growing quickly, as it has the highest global market share by room supply of approximately 4.7%. Hiltons operations are mainly concentrated in the United States, but it has started to increase its presence in the international market. Hilton has a higher market share of 9.3 % in the United States, it has a r elatively small share of 3% in other regions in the Middle East and Africa, 1.6 % in Europe, and 1.2 % in the Asia Pacific region. Hilton faces a strong competition as a hotel, resort, residential, and timeshare manager, franchisor, developer and owner. The hotel and lodging industry inspects several elements in terms of competition, such as the attractiveness of the facility, location, quality of accommodations, amenities, level of service, room rate, public and meeting spaces and other guest services, consistency of service, brand reputation and the ability to earn and redeem loyalty program points through a global system. Hilton principal competitors on a global scale are Marriott International, Accor S.A., Carlson Rezidor Group, MÃ ¶venpick Hotels and Resorts Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. Financial Analysis and Projections Financial History 2014-2015 Hilton Worldwide generates revenue from three business segments namely ownership, management and franchise and timeshare which accounts for the companys strong financial results. For fiscal year ending 2015 total revenue increased from $10,505,000,000 in 2014 to 1$1,272,000,000 in 2015, showing a growth of 6%. This positive revenue is attributed to recovery in the economy. Likewise, cost of revenue also increased from $4,029,000,000 in 2014 to $4,065,000,000. These cost of revenue are consistent with the companys portfolio expansion. However as a percentage revenues, cost of revenues decreased by 2% in 2015 which is a reflection of the companys extensive cost reducing strategy, meanwhile the companys gross profit margins increased by 2.27% in 2015. The companys selling and administrative, non-recurring, and other expenses as a percentage of revenues has shown slight increases over the past two years, which is consistent with expansions. However, the company was able to compress the cost of expenses so that these cost did not increase by more than the increase in revenues. On a per share basis, earnings showed a significant increase from $2.04 in 2014 to $4.26 in 2015, this represented an increase in performance. The companys net profit increased by 5.59% to 1,404,000,000 up from 673,000, 000, as Hilton launched its 13th brand, Tru by Hilton. Hiltons performance was as a result of the increase in revenues from owned and leased hotels in all segments and regions, with occupancy and rate increases in all regions except Middle East and Africa. Hiltons economic growth continued to drive performance, as global RevPAR increased from 3 to 5 percent. Hilton achieved record expansion and financial results in 2015 and continues to lead th e industry as the largest, best-performing and fastest-growing hospitality company. Fiscal Year ended 2016 The fiscal year ended 2016 was a record-breaking year for Hilton as the company increased its system size by 6.6% with 52,000 gross rooms opened, nearly one hotel per day was opened a total 354 hotels and started construction on nearly 77,000 rooms. The first quarter of the fiscal year 2016, was the slowest quarter for Hilton as they reported revenues of $2,750,000, 000, a 5% decrease over the corresponding period for 2015. The second quarter was the strongest quarter of the entire year, with a 9.9% revenue growth over the previous quarter. Revenues saw a consistent decline over the two last quarters. Net income for the first quarters of the 2016 was $ 309,000,000, a 48.5% increase over the corresponding period the previous year. However the company saw a significant reduction in net income over the three last quarters, and even posted a net loss in fourth quarter of 2016, the net loss was $382 million compared to net income of $816 million for the previous period in, 2015. During the fourth quarter of 2016, Hilton incurred a tax charge of $513 million related to a corporate restructuring executed before the spin-offs, resulting in a net loss for the period. For the fourth quarter of 2016, diluted loss per share was $1.17 compared to diluted earnings per share of $2.47 for the fourth quarter of 2015. For the fiscal year 2016, diluted EPS was $1.05 compared to $4.26 for the previous year. Net income was $364 million for the full year 2016 compared to $1,416 million for the fiscal year 2015, a 74% reduction. The companys performance for fiscal year 2016 reflect the effects of the spin-off of Park Hotels Resorts Inc. and Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. which was completed in January 2017. Consolidated Income Statement and Projections Common Size Expected Common Size Expected Common Size Actual Actual Actual All numbers in thousands Revenue 12/31/2018 12/31/2017 12/31/2016 12/31/2015 12/31/2014 Total Revenue 100% 9,661,440 100% 8,880,000 100% 11,663,000 11,272,000 10,502,000 Cost of Revenue 35.00% 3,381,504 35% 3,108,000 34.71% 4,048,000 4,065,000 4,019,000 Gross Profit 65.00% 6,279,936 65.00% 5,772,000 65.29% 7,615,000 7,207,000 6,483,000 Operating Expenses Selling General and Administrative 42.00% 4,057,805 40.00% 3,552,000 43.40% 5,062,000 4,741,000 4,182,000 Non-Recurring 0.09% 9,000 0.17% 15,000 0.13% 15,000 9,000 9,000 Others 5.88% 568,093 6.00% 532,800 5.88% 686,000 692,000 628,000 Total Operating Expenses Operating Income or Loss 1,645,039 1,672,200 1,861,000 2,071,000 1,673,000 Income from Continuing Operations Total Other Income/Expenses Net 4.50% 434,764.8 1.00% 88,800 0.15% -18,000 283,000 73,000 Earnings Before Interest and Taxes 21.53% 2,079,803 19.83% 1,761,000 15.79% 1,842,000 2,071,000 1,765,000 Interest Expense 5.00% 483072 5.00% 444,000 5.03% 587,000 575,000 618,000 Income Before Tax 13.00% 1,255,987.2 11.83% 1,050,600 10.76% 1,255,000 1,496,000 1,147,000 Income Tax Expense 5.00% 483072 5.00% 444,000 7.64% 891,000 80,000 465,000 Minority Interest 0.40% 38645.76 0.40% 35,520 0.43% 50,000 34,000 38,000 Net Income From Continuing Ops 8.00% 772,915.2 6.00% 532,800 3.05% 356,000 1,427,000 692,000 Net Income 7.60% 734269.44 6.43% 571,080 2.98% 348,000 1,404,000 673,000 Net Income Applicable To Common Shares 734,269.44 571,080 348,000 1,404,000 673,000 EPS Diluted 2.09 1.74 1.06 1.35 1.14 Average Share 350,000 329,000 329,730 1,040,000 590,350 Projections for Next Two years Current Fiscal year ending December 2017 As Hilton separate into three distinct, publicly traded company, in order to unlock growth opportunities and to take advantage of the capital market and tax efficiencies, there seems to be a dim outlook for the upcoming year. Experts project that revenues growth will decrease by 23.80% to 8.88 billion down from 11.66 billion in 2016. This expected decline in growth is not expected to translate in a reduction in overall EPS, as EPS, are expected to increase from $1.06 to $1.74. In fiscal 2017 the company plans to roll out its new simplified business model: A market leading fee-based business as over 90% of Hiltons revenue comes from franchise fee and management fee. This new business model is expected to generate significant revenues as the company continues to lead the industry in net unit growth without significant use of capital. Hilton intends to aggressively invest to drive revenues and manage risk. With the enhanced capabilities developed through the 354 hotels added in 2016 and the completion of a further 77,000 rooms. In addition, the company is expected to drive per unit growth due to the launch of its newest brand, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and extensive management contracts with large luxury hotels in countries such as China. However, general and administrative expense, non-recurring expenses and other expenses are projected to be flat compared to fiscal year 2016. Net profit is project to increase by 3.45% to 571,080 million. For the fiscal year ending December 2017, Hilton expects total revenue from continuing operations to increase by more than 20% up 88 million compared to the $18 million loss in 2016. Net unit growth is expected to be roughly 50,000 to 55,000 rooms as such system-wide RevPAR is projected to increase anywhere from 1 to 3 percent compared to 2016. For the fiscal year 2017 cash available for capital return and debt prepayments is projected to be between $900 million and $1 billion. Likewise, capital expenditures for the year, excluding amounts reimbursed by hotel owners, are estimated to be between $150 million and $200 million. Fiscal Year Ending December 2018 For the fiscal year ending December 2018, revenue are projected to increase by an average of 8.80 %, up to $9.67 billion, while earnings are expected to grow to an average of 2% to roughly $2.08 billion, showing positive prospects of continued growth. The earnings per shares are expected to show a corresponding increase from $1.74 to $2.08. Hilton is expected to drive leading investment returns to hotel owners, as hotel owners continue to invest in Hiltons system growth. Hilton is also expecting its market-leading growth to be amplified by its new brands that will bring new customers into its system and offers more opportunities for its existing customers to stay with the company. Capitalization and Other Asset and Liability Analysis During fiscal year 2016, in preparation for the spin-offs, Hilton entered into a series of financing transactions, of which the debt incurred by HGV and Park is the sole obligation of those entities after the spin-offs. Hilton entered into a $200 million senior secured term loan facility for HGV, the company also entered into a $750 million senior unsecured term loan facility for Park and issued two new commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) loans for Park totaling $2 billion. The company also repaid $250 million on the senior secured term loan facility entered into in 2013. Finally the company borrowed $300 million on the revolving non-recourse timeshare financing receivables credit facility entered into in 2013 for HGV. Also during the fourth quarter of 2016, Hilton repaid the outstanding balance of $3,418 million on a CMBS loan entered into in 2013 and a $450 million mortgage loan, using net proceeds from 2016 borrowings and available cash. As of December 31, 2016, Hilton had $10.2 billion of long-term debt outstanding, of which $3.0 billion is transferred to Park and $0.5 billion is transferred to HGV in connection with the spin-offs. As of December 31, 2016, total cash and cash equivalents was $1,684 million, net receivables was $1.15 billion, inventory amounted to 541 million and other current assets was 176 million. In December 2016, Hilton paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share on outstanding common shares, a total of $70 million, bringing total cash dividends paid in 2016 to $277 million. Hilton ended 2016 with property plant and equipment valued $8,930 million, goodwill of $5,822 million, intangible asset of $6,374 million, and other assets of $334 million the company also had deferred long term asset charge of 117 million. Hiltons total asset increased by 495 million to $26,211 million up from $25, 716 million in 2015. At the end of the 2016 the Hiltons had a working capital of $873 million, this indicates that the company has the ability to pay its short term liabilities. The current ratio is 1.33:1, which is also an indication of the companys ability to honor its short term obligations as they fall dues. Hiltons has $2,684 in total current liabilities, $20,312 million in total liabilities and total stockholders equity of $5,899 million and decrease of 52 million over the same pe riod in 2015. Projections indicate that along with Hilton s new simplifies business model and the separation of the three companies, the current capitalization structure Hilton should be profitable without the need for excess borrowing. Balance Sheet for year ended 31, December 2016 All numbers in thousands Current Assets $ Current Liabilities $ Cash And Cash Equivalents 1,684,000 Accounts Payable 2,513,000 Net Receivables 1,156,000 Short/Current Long Term Debt 171,000

Restaurant Quality and Why Its a Never Ending Technique Essay examples

Quality area unit some things that is exhausting to stipulate as a results of if you raise ten people they will give you ten altogether completely different answers. this text area unit that specialize in why quality is so important among the edifice business. restaurants got to perceive that the quality of their product and repair unit of measurement being evaluated daily by every shopper. every shopper evaluates the quality of the merchandise service on each and every visit. thus you will be able to exclusively deliver the products the foremost effective quality accomplish able if you target it all the time. the aim of this text is to look at what quality is among the Sports Bar Promotions edifice business and why rising the quality may be a endless technique. As I declared earlier quality is improbably exhausting to stipulate as a results of all contains a completely completely different definition or scan of what the quality of the merchandise or service got to be. Take the recent chestnut beauty is among the attention of the person and substitute quality for beauty. The definition of quality among the edifice is completely completely different for each guest and changes on every visit. every edifice wishes to satisfy or exceed the guest standards on every visit but that is nearly inconceivable. Why is merely simply ask? it's as a results of the guest standards unit of measurement frequently dynamic. that is one all told the reasons why it is a never ending technique to spice up quality. As we tend to attempt to boost the quality of the merchandise by raising standards and implementing new policies our customers perceive this and their perceptions of quality in addition rise. this could be why it is not attainable to be sensi... ...ice that they are expecting but every guest are yearning for some type of experience. Quality is either successful or a miss with every guest and it's everyone's job among the edifice to form positive a guest contains a pleasant experience. that is why quality may be a never ending technique. there is frequently another guest that has never been to the edifice and he might would love one factor whole altogether completely different then sequent person. rather like quality may be a ne'er ending technique so is work and selection of staff. By building a staff that has learned that sensible is not adequate you'll be able to manufacture a culture of constant improvement which can cause success. The edifice business is improbably intense and there is such plenty competition in every sector of the business and perceived quality from the guest eyes determines who succeeds.

The Terrorist’s Extradition Loophole Essay -- Terrorists Terrorism Ter

The Terrorist’s Extradition Loophole Most extradition treaties between states call for an exemption for crimes that are political in nature. The political offense exemption was originally created to allow states to protect those that another state may wish to prosecute for crimes that are politically committed against that government. R. Stuart Phillips, a Judge Advocate in the United States Army, distinguishes between â€Å"pure† political offenses and â€Å"relative† political offenses. â€Å"Pure† political offenses are directed specifically against the state and do not directly affect civilians. They also do not contain acts that would normally be considered a common crime. This can include efforts to overthrow the government, treason, and espionage. These types of crimes should be protected by a political offense exemption. A problem with the extradition exemption comes up with the â€Å"relative† political offenses. These offenses are not entirely political in nature. These crimes tend to be common crimes that are committed for a political purpose. The reason behind the crime is not enough to warrant an exemption from prosecution for the crime itself (Phillips 340-343). Terrorists should not be allowed to find the loopholes in a system that enables them to continue to terrorize those whom they blame for their problems. This problem is a direct result of the â€Å"gray areas† that make it difficult to tell the difference between a common crime and a political crime. It combines the two acts into one, blurring the line of distinction (Anderson). The government being attacked sees it as a common criminal attack on its sovereignty, while the terrorist sees it as a legitimate means to an end. The government behind which the terrorist is trying to... ...d for. Bibliography Anderson, James H. â€Å"International Terrorism and Crime: Trends and Linkages.† James Madison University. http://www.jmu.edu/orgs/wrni/it.htm (8 Mar. 2002). Kash, Douglas A. â€Å"An International Legislative Approach to 21st-Century Terrorism.† The Future of Terrorism: Violence in the New Millennium. Ed. Harvey W. Kushner. London: Sage Publications, 1998. Phillips, R. Stuart. â€Å"The Political Offense Exception and Terrorism: Its Place in the Current Extradition Scheme and Proposals for its Future.† Dickenson Journal of International Law Winter 1997. 337-359. Van den Wyngaert, Christine. â€Å"The Political Offense Exception to Extradition: How to Plug the ‘Terrorists’ Loophole’ without Departing from Fundamental Human Rights.† International Criminal Law and Procedure. Eds. John Dugard and Christine van den Wyngaert. Aldershot: Dartmouth, 1996.

Music :: essays research papers

It has been years since I wrote anything at all, although people do see me writing odd pieces of music. But this time I am writing about my past, the past that seems so far away and forgotten. I know that this account is hardly going to interest anyone, but I do need to share my feelings with someone, or in this case, with something. People see me as a berserk creature talking garrulously of her past that probably never existed. And that is the belief of ignorance. They pity me, speak sympathetically and listen to me the gibbering about my past and my feelings. But do they really want to know about my feelings? No they don't, but if they did I would never tell them. Night after night, I sit ruminating about my long-forgotten past. And flashes of it just appear out of nowhere. A young cheerful, little girl with red hair, playing in an overgrown garden with her friends and looming against the sky was her very own castle. It wasn't much but at least it was hers. So innocent she looked, having no clue of what her future might hold. She lived happily with her parents and playing with her headless dolls, while occasionally listening admiringly to her mother playing her tiara. How she longed to play just like her mother. And she slowly learned to play it. She had dreams all right, not about the tiara, but completely different from it. Dreams just like a girl of her own age would have. Dreams of her Prince Charming sweeping her off her feet and taking her away to Paradise...to the land of eternal happiness and live happily ever after. After years of patiently waiting, he finally entered her life. And a Prince Charming he was- with dark lean features and as tall as a giant. She wasn't sure whether or not he was her Prince, but what she was sure about was that she loved him. Loved him with all her heart, and was ready to go to the darkest corner of the world just for him. After a short love affair the young couple married. But what the young wife found out after the marriage struck her much harder than a lightning bolt. It was like an explosion. He was a drunkard! And she couldn't do anything about it. She was shattered and was like a broken soul. All her dreams she had of their happy future together seemed so far away.

Busn311 Unit 2 Ip

Unit 2 – Probability and Distributions Leah Lopez American InterContinental University Abstract Within this email, I will cover different probabilities within your company. This information can help you to understand whether or not your employees are satisfied with their jobs or not. Also within the results of this survey, you will find that your employees are not distributed equally in terms of gender. Memo To: AIU From: Leah Lopez Date: November 13, 2012 Subject: Survey of employees at American Intellectual Union Dear AIU: Within this email, I will be providing some information from a survey that was given to your employees.This information can help you to understand how satisfied your workers are with their jobs. This will also help you to understand whether or not you should hire more women and men to even out the gender amongst certain departments. Overview of the Data Set The current data set is comprised of 64 individuals who were surveyed, and this is a part of the sam ple of the population at American Intellectual Union, and these individuals were identified by 5 characteristics: gender, age, position (hourly or salaried), tenure, and how they felt about job satisfaction on a scale of one to seven.The qualitative variables include: gender, department, and position. The quantitative variables include: age, tenure, and job satisfaction. Use of Statistics and Probability in the Real World There are several different ways that statistics and probability could be used in the real world. You could see this used in the horse races, the lottery, certain things in the stock market, also in marketing in a corporation. The Value of Statistics Every corporation that is successful exhausts statistics.It does not matter if they are operating a small fish store or they are a member of a board for a huge business, almost every decision made by a corporation is based on statistics. Averages, means and medians are a part of a business’s everyday life. Wheth er it is a chart, a data set, a correlation, or a bias, there is some sort of tool that will make sure your company is successful (Ayres, 2009). Data sets are one of the easiest statistical devices for businesses and one that you will probably exhaust daily without realizing it.When a person is reading over his/her bank statements, and taking care of daily business, they are more than likely going over a data set. When you pick up the morning paper and look at how your company's stock is performing, you are looking at figures gleaned from a data set. When using the words average, mean or deviation, you’re describing statistical tools that are currently being exhausted in your business (Ayres, 2009). Charts aren't just a pretty picture of an aspect of your business they are a visual representation of a data set.Whether you are looking at a bar chart of sales or a pie chart of company profits, these snapshots can tell you where your business is performing well and where it is p erforming poorly. From bank balances to employee compensation, charts and graphs can give you a visual picture of any part of your company which deals with data (Ayres, 2009). Correlations are where one event causes another. For example, you may notice that customers who buy a certain type of product are more likely to purchase another type of product.However, just because you think one event is causing another doesn't necessarily make it true; it could be a coincidence. Correlation analysis allows you to figure out whether one event is causative or not. A knowledge of correlations can be invaluable in planning sales and marketing campaigns (Ayres, 2009). Every business uses or produces some kind of statement or resolution; however, these may not always come out to be reliable. Errors may be present in the data collection, different sources do not always have the same information and there also could be mistakes in he calculations. Bias is when statistical results are different from the real — or true — value. A knowledge of bias will help you to understand which results are worth using for your business (Ayres, 2009). Distributions A distribution table can keep all of this information (numbers, row data) handy. A person can look, and say, oh, the participants in this survey were 75% male, or 25 % female. The managers can â€Å"see† the information and not just the raw data.Then complete the following distribution tables. Please pay attention to whether you should present the results in terms of percentages or simple counts. Distribution of Individuals by Gender |Gender |Percentage | |Females |50% | |Males |50% | Tenure with Company Distribution by Gender Please note that you do NOT have to convert these into percentages. You may leave them in a count format. |Under 2 years |2-5 Years |Over 5 years | |Male | |8 |11 | | |13 | | | |Female | |10 |3 | | |19 | | | Percentage of the Survey Participants in Each Department |Department |Percentage | Information Technology |34% | |Human Resources |25% | |Administration |41% | Sample Mean for Extrinsic Value by Gender |Gender |Mean Extrinsic Value | |Male |5. 32 | |Female |5. 36 | Probabilities The probabilities that will be calculated here are that an individual will be between the ages of 16-21; that an individual’s overall job satisfaction will be 5. 2 or higher; females working in human resources; and an individual’s intrinsic satisfaction is 5 or more.This information will be useful to AIU because they can look at these probabilities and find out what they need to change to increase job satisfaction, and they can also see whether or not they have an equal amount of females and males working in each department. |Classification |Count |Probability | |Probability that an individual will be between |18 |28% | |16–21 years of age | | | |Probability that an individual’s overall job |35 |55% | |satisfaction is 5. or lower | | | |Probability that an ind ividual will be a female |5 |8% | |in the human resources department | | | |Probability that an individual will be a |12 |19% | |salaried employee whose intrinsic satisfaction | | | |value is 5 or more | | | Probabilities in the Business World The theory of probability is actually the study of non-planned happenings. This type of study, of course, is math-related, and started when people would try to win card and dice games for money. Each and every decision that is made in a business setting has some sort of risk involved with it. With this being said, it seems that in the business setting, probability would be used to handle a business’s financial risks.Even the choices that are made by management have a probability of succeeding or (S. , 2010). Conclusion I hope that you have found all of the information within this survey of use. Using the information within this email can help you to improve working conditions for your employees. Sincerely, Leah A. Lopez Senior Board Mem ber References Ayres, I. (2009, August 13). The Value of Statistics. Retrieved from Freakonomics: http://www. freakonomics. com/2009/08/13/the-value-of-statistics/ S. , E. (2010). How Probability is Used in Business. Retrieved from Reference. com: http://www. reference. com/motif/science/how-probability-is-used-in-business