Individual Portion of Group Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Portion of Group Project - Assignment Example Year 2011 Profit Margin = (864 / 13,198) * 100 = 6.55% Question 29 a. Days in Inventory = (Average Inventory / COGS) * 365 b. Year 2012 Average Inventory = (1,365 + 1,174) / 2 = 1,269.5 Days in Inventory = (1,269.5 / 8,763) * 365 = 52.88 days c. Year 2011 Average Inventory = (1,174 + 1,056) / 2 = 1,115 Days in Inventory = (1,115 / 8,046) * 365 = 50.58 days Profit Margin Profit margin is one of the most important financial metrics that helps to evaluate the profit making ability of the company. It measures the capacity of the company to control its direct and indirect costs. The ratio is normally classified as a profitability ratio and calculated as: Profit Margin = (Net Income / Net Sales) * 100% Kellogg’s net profit margin improved in 2012 by 20 basis points. The company contributed 6.77c in 2012 as compared to 2.55c in 2011 to the net income for every unit dollar sales made. The improvement in the margin was due to the company ability to control its indirect expenses in 2012 . The company was able to reduce its selling and administrative expenses by 100 basis points despite an increase in the sales figure. However, the increase in the net profit margin could have been higher if the company had been able to control the growth in the direct costs. The cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales increased by 70 basis points; which ultimately reduced the gross margin of the company. Another entity that reduced the profitability of Kellogg was the high interest expense. The company is highly leveraged and pays a massive amount as interest each other. In 2012, the company paid $261 million as interest expense as compared to $231 million in 2011. (SEC 2013) The increase in the profitability will have a positive impact on the Kellogg operations. It will allow the company to retain more of the earnings and invest in the company operations. This will allow the company to expand into the new markets each year and increase the profits of the company in the foll owing year. Similarly, the increase profitability impacts the investors psyche – they are more prone to invest in the company with better margins and payout ratios. The management at Kellogg needs to effectively control its growing direct costs. The resulting decrease in the cost of goods sold will increase the profit margin. Likewise, it needs an effective and efficient inventory management system that will allow the company to reduce its inventory costs as well. Similarly, the company needs to efficiently reduce its selling and administrative expense which will again directly affect the profits. Kraft is one of the biggest competitors to Kellogg in the food products industry. Kraft contributed 9.0c in 2012 as compared to 9.5c in 2011 to the net income for every unit dollar sales made. Although, Kraft’s net profit margin declined in 2012 by 50 basis points; it still has a better net profit margin compared to the Kellogg. (MSN Money, 2013) The main reason behind the hi gh margin is the company’s ability to control its direct costs as well as indirect costs. With higher margins and profits, the company reinvests a massive amount to expand and test the new markets. Similarly, these margins allow the company to maintain an effective advertising plan to stay at the top of the consumer’s mind. (MSN Money, 2013) Works Cited Bloomberg Businessweek. "KELLOGG CO (K:New York): Stock Quote & Company Profile."

Polar Bears Essay Example for Free

Polar Bears Essay Class: Ursidae. 9bPhysical characteristics: Bears have big heads, round ears, small eyes that face forward, very short tails, and stocky legs. They are plantigrade, walking on the heels and soles of their feet like humans do. Each paw has five curved claws that are not retractable, or cannot be pulled back. Habitat: The polar bear habitats encompass the entire Arctic region. Polar bears have adapted to be able to live in the water and on land. Unlike other bear species, the polar bear are excellent swimmers, and have been spotted more than 100 miles away from land or ice. The polar bear habitat is that of the entire Arctic region. Life cycle: Female polar bears reach sexual maturity at about four to five years. Male polar bears reach sexual maturity at about six years. Breeding takes place from March to June on the sea ice, but most occurs during April and May. During the breeding season, males and females find each other by congregating in the best seal-hunting habitats. Male polar bears have been seen following the tracks of breeding female polar bears for more than 100 km Competition for females is intense. Females breed about once every three years; therefore, there are about three adult males to every breeding female. Before mating, a female polar bear may be accompanied by several males. The males fight fiercely among themselves until the strongest or largest male succeeds in chasing the others away. Dominant males may succeed in mating with several females in a season. Females have babies in the den while hibernating. Polar bears life span is about 15-18 years. Prey: The Polar bear’s main prey is the Arctic seal which is a rich source of high-fat blubber. They have a very interesting way of catching their prey. A Polar bear would make a breathing hole somewhere in the middle of a vast ice expanse. Seals would often come out of these holes to breath. The Polar bear would patiently lie on its stomach with its mouth near the hole, waiting for any unfortunate seal to appear. This wait could sometimes last for several hours before a Polar bear could have his meal. Polar bears also prey on bearded seals and harp seals. When this prey is difficult to find, Polar bears would attack young walrus, narwhal, fish, seabirds and eggs. Species status: Polar bears were added to the list of threatened species because polar bears are vulnerable to this loss of habitat. Hunting of polar bears as a food source by certain native people and trade in native handicrafts made from polar bears will also continue. However, importing polar bear products from Canada (where trophy hunting is legal) will be banned. Pollution from man-made kills polar bears also Use for humans past and present- pas was they were hunted for food and fur. Present still hunted but also hunted for trophies but that has been banned Interesting facts: Polar bear cubs learn to freeze and remain still while their mother hunts. If they move, the mother disciples them, with a whack to the head. A polar bears fur is not white!! It is hollow. The fur reflects light. The hollow fur also traps the suns heat to help keep the polar bear warm. Known as the king of the artic.

Methods of Fusion :: Nuclear

Methods of Fusion Abstract Nuclear fusion was discussed in this paper. First, the reader is given an introduction to nuclear power and is then led to fission/fusion. Fusion is discussed as being better than fission and reasons are given as to why that is so. Fusion methods are then discussed and current and planned machines are placed for discussion. Lastly, the machines are summarized. Introduction Today, you hear news about nuclear power. But what is nuclear power? Well, in an atom, there is a force known as the strong nuclear force, which exists in atoms. The first way is fission, which breaks the atom apart using some method. This is the method that is currently providing 20% of the power in the power grid. The other less developed method is still in the testing stage but the basic concept is fusion. Hydrogen isotopes (atoms with different numbers of neutrons) are combined together using several different methods which will be discussed later. This results in bonds, which generate energy (Jensen 2006). Discussion Now you know how fission is being utilized throughout the world, and you have a basic idea of how nuclear power works. However, there is a problem with nuclear fission being that there are many dangers. For one, nuclear fission creates nuclear waste, which cannot be destroyed and must be stored somewhere. Also, this waste is radioactive which makes the life surrounding the waste exposed to radiation and as a result, the waste destroys the nearby ecosystem. Also, if there happens to be a meltdown, radiation could spread for miles depending on the wind and kill many people. Take Chernobyl for example. There was a nuclear reactor there that meltdown. As a result, the area in a 20- Methods of Fusion mile radius around the plant had to be evacuated because the radiation levels were so high. The fuel is uncommon and takes time to purify in some cases. The solution to this problem is to use nuclear fusion. Through this, humankind has a much better way to create energy on the scale of MW. Not to mention, the fuel needed for nuclear fusion is only deuterium and tritium, which is an isotope of hydrogen, the most common element on Earth. Also, the energy output is very high. For example, JET, the Joint European Tokomak can produce 16 MW in one pulse. That’s 16 million watts. Also, the waste product of the fusion reactor is not radioactive but is instead helium.

External Environment

Chapter 4 The External Environment The Environmental Domain Organization Environment is composed of all elements that exist outside the boundary of the organization that have the potential to affect all or part of the organization. Its domain is the chosen field of action. The environment comprises several sectors or subdivisions of the environment that contain similar elements (ie. industry, raw materials, human resources, market, technology, financial resources, economic conditions, government, sociocultural, and international. Task Environment – includes sectors with which the organization interacts directly and that have a direct impact on the organization’s ability to achieve its goals. oIndustry, raw materials, market sector and hr and international sectors †¢General Environment – includes sectors that might not have a direct impact on the daily operation of a firm but will directly influence it. oGovernment, sociocultural, economic conditions, technol ogy, and financial resources sectors †¢International Context oDomestic sectors can be affected by international events Environmental UncertaintyResponding to the need for information. 2 Ways the environment influences organizations: (1) the need for information about the environment and (2) the need for resources from the environment. Uncertainty applies to sectors that the organization deals with on a regular basis, the task environment, and this must be analyzed along dimensions of stability and degree of uncertainty. †¢Simple Complex Dimension concerns environmental complexity, the heterogeneity, or the number and dissimilarity of external elements relevant to an organization’s operations. ^ in external factors and ^ in # of organizations in that domain = ^ complexity †¢Stable-Unstable Dimension refers to whether elements in the environment are dynamic oIf an environmental element remains the same over a period of months/ years = ^ stability FRAMEWORK FOR AS SESSING ENVIRONMENTAL UNCERTAINTY Environmental Complexity SimpleComplex Environmental ChangeStableLow Uncertainty Low number of external factors Low change Low-Moderate Uncertainty High number of external factors Low change UnstableHigh-Moderate Uncertainty Low number of external factors High changeHigh UncertaintyHigh number of external factors High change Adapting to Environmental Uncertainty Positions and Departments †¢An ^ in complexity and uncertainty in the external environment = ^ in # of positions and departments in the firm, which in turn ^ internal complexity Buffering and Boundary Spanning †¢The purpose of buffering roles is to absorb uncertainty from the environment. Buffer departments (hr, purchasing, finance, legal) surround the technical core (primary org. function) and exchange resources and information between the organization and the external environment. Some firms rid the organization of buffers and expose the technical core to the uncertain environmen t opening up the organization and making it more fluid and adaptable. †¢Boundary-spanning roles link and coordinate an organization with key elements in the external environment. Primarily concerned with exchange of information to: oDetect and bring in to the organization information about changes in the environment, and oSend information into the environment that presents the organization in a favourable light. †¢Business intelligence and competitive intelligence is necessary to analyze large amounts of data and find patterns.Differentiation and Integration †¢Organizational differentiation is â€Å"the differences in cognitive and emotional orientations among managers in different functional departments, and the difference in formal structure among these departments. † †¢When the external environment is complex and unstable, organizational departments become highly specialized to handle the uncertainty in the external sector. †¢High differentiation = difficult to coordinate between departments, so integrators become essential additions. †¢Uncertain environments = high level of differentiation and integration Organic vs. Mechanistic Management Processes Mechanistic Organizational System: ^ stability = ^ Formal structure and control imposed on employees †¢Organic Organizational System: v stability = v Formal structure and control imposed on employees oRules were loosened, free-flowing, adaptive, and decentralized MechanisticOrganic 1. Tasks are broken down in specialized, separate parts 2. Tasks are rigidly defined 3. Strict hierarchy of authority, control, and rules 4. Highly centralized at top of organization 5. Communication is vertical1. Employees contribute to common tasks of the dept. 2. Tasks are redefined through employee teamwork 3. Less hierarchy of authority, control, and rules . Decentralized 5. Communication is horizontal Planning, Forecasting, and Responsiveness †¢Planning and environmental forecastin g becomes necessary in uncertain environments contributing to the organization’s ability to quickly respond to sudden changes in the environment. Contingency Framework for Organizational Responses to Uncertainty CONTINGENCY FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL UNCERTAINTY & ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSES Environmental Complexity SimpleComplex Environmental ChangeStableLow Uncertainty Few departments No boundary spanning Non integrating roles Current operations orientation, low-speed responseMechanistic structure: formal, centralizedLow-Moderate Uncertainty Many departments Some boundary spanning Few integrating roles Some planning, moderate-speed response Mechanistic structure: formal, centralized UnstableHigh-Moderate Uncertainty Few departments Much boundary spanning Few integrating roles Planning orientation, high-speed response Organic structure: teamwork, participative, decentralizedHigh Uncertainty Many departments Extensive boundary spanning Many integrating roles Extensive planning orientation, high-speed response Organic structure: teamwork, participative, decentralizedResource Dependence Resource Dependence means that organizations depend on the environment but strive to acquire control over resources to minimize their dependence; vulnerability comes from dependence and negative effects on performance can follow with too much dependence on other organizations. †¢Interorganizational relationships present a trade-off between resources and autonomy Controlling Environmental Resources Responding to the need for resources. Two strategies are adopted to manage resources in the external environment: 1. Establish favourable linkages with key elements in the environment 2.Shape the environmental domain Establishing Interorganizational Linkages †¢Ownership – companies/ use ownership to establish linkages when they buy a part of or a controlling interest in another company giving the company access to technology, products, or other resources it doesnâ €™t currently have access to (ie. acquisitions and mergers) †¢Formal Strategic Alliances – when there is a high level of complementarity between the business lines, geographical positions, or skills of two companies, the firms often form a strategic alliance (ie. contracts, joint ventures) †¢Cooptation, Interlocking Directorates Cooptation occurs when leaders from important sectors in the environment are made part of an organization (ie. board of directors) oInterlocking Directorates is a formal linkage that occurs when a member of the board of directors of one company sits on the board of directors of another company. †¢Executive Recruitment – transferring or exchanging executives to establish favourable linkages †¢Advertising and Public Relations Changing or Controlling the Environmental Domain †¢Change of Domain – organizations can change the domains it is in, in each of the 10 domains specified (ie. t can choose which market its in, what relationships to hold, suppliers, and locations, etc. ) †¢Political Activity, Regulation – political strategy can be used to erect regulatory barriers against new competitors or to squash unfavourable legislations †¢Trade Associations – when work to influence the external environment is accomplished jointly with other organizations that have similar interests †¢Illegitimate Activities – when excessive downward pressure leads managers to adopt unfavourable techniques to reach an ends. Organization-Environment Integrative Framework

Branding Bangladesh Essay

We would always be available and ready to explain further any of the contexts whenever asked. Sincerely yours, Members of the Brainstormers Acknowledgements Any comprehensive work such as report making owes credit to multitude of people. Certainly, we should acknowledge the contributions of the pioneers in the field of marketing & branding, especially those whose teachings have become a part of our thinking. First we commit ourselves grateful to almighty Allah who gives us power and knowledge to complete the report. Then we acknowledge our honorable course teacher Rafiuddin Ahmed; who has opened the door of knowledge in front of us. Through the whole semester he has broaden our outlook in Pricing and related sector. Next we acknowledge the Writer of the book who has helped a lot by writing a core book on: Strategic Brand Management (3rd Edition) -Kevin Lane Keller Without the direct and indirect support of these dear people this report would not exist. Contents |Serial No. | Topic Name |Page no. | |1 |Introducing Sundarbans |12 | |2 Nation Branding |13 | |3 |Branding Bangladesh |13-14 | |4 |Why select Sundarbans |14 | |5 |Branding Sundarbans |15-18 | |6 |Main attractions |19-20 | |7 |Requirements and recommendations |21 | |8 |Key Development strategies for Branding Sundarbans |22-25 | |9 |Conlusion |26 | |10 |Reference |27 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In our report, we have discussed about a very significant phenomenon and that is our country’s natural pride Sundarbans. No other thing is so important for our nation in branding our country than the one and only Sundarbans. It is our nation’s very much blessing from God that, he has given it upon us. Not only its natural beauty but also its natural resources have made us very resourceful. Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world and it was on the short list of the new natural Seven Wonders of the World. The most amazing matter about Sundarban is that, it is the only forest in the world where the Royal Bengal Tiger lives. This Bengal tiger is a very rare animal in the world and its now on the verge of extinction. Most part of the Sundarban is water covered area and that is why it is called mangrove forest. Bangladesh can easily brand this mangrove forest and could gain a lot of attention of the foreigners. As a UNESCO world heritage site, the government of Bangladesh can make this extraordinary forest much more attractive to the outside world especially to the westerners. This â€Å"Beautiful Forest† sundarbans is the thing that we can proud of very much. It can be the main attraction for the visitors who love forests. The beauty and natural resource of the Sundarbans can symbolize the natural beauty of Bangladesh. The name may have been derived from the  Sundari  trees (the mangrove species  Heritiera fomes) that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers. Tourism as an industry can have all grounds to contribute to the national exchequer along with other industries. Perhaps, it sounds quite new when it comes up as industry in our country but tourism is one of the oldest industries across the world. As we look into the growth of tourism in the region, we do come to see bewildering facts that many countries of this region those developed quite a lot in industry did not have substantial natural advantages to turn tourism into industry. Though Sundarban consists of two countries- Bangladesh and India, most part of it are located in the Bangladesh portion. And again most number of royal Bengal tiger also live in the Bangladesh part. For that reason, it can easily be a tourist attraction and thus could become a good tourist spot for the tourists all over the world. Introduction As a student of marketing, we have to acquire a thorough knowledge about nation branding and country image. As a result to brand our own country is a very big as well as effective effort for us to achieve that knowledge. Moreover, the worthwhile thing is that, Sundarbans could be a good area of interest for the foreigners to visit our country. The Sundarbans provides a unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. According to the 2011 tiger census, the Sundarbans have about 270 tigers. Although previous rough estimates had suggested much higher figures close to 300, the 2011 census provided the first ever scientific estimate of tigers from the area. The management of wildlife is presently restricted to, firstly, the protection of fauna from poaching, and, secondly, designation of some areas as wildlife sanctuaries where no extraction of  forest produce  is allowed and where the wildlife face few disturbances. Although the fauna of Bangladesh have diminished in recent times[  and the Sundarbans has not been spared from this decline, the mangrove forest retains several good wildlife habitats and their associated fauna. Of these, the tiger and dolphin are target species for planning wildlife management and tourism development. There is high profile and vulnerable mammals living in two contrasting environments, and their statuses and management are strong indicators of the general condition and management of wildlife. Origin As a marketing student it is necessary to know different tactics and policies available to the term of Branding. The main purpose of our report is to make it an efficient as well as well-concerned item for a branding manifesto in the criteria of nation branding. Our teacher Mr. Rafiuddin Ahmed has been very much concerned with our topic and helped us in every step to create this wonderful report. The most important aspect of this report is that it has the latest information about the country aspect, the natural resources allocation items, the forest related articles and much more. It is a report which consists of all the current stuffs about the nature, the scenario, the natural habitat issue related to Sundarbans. Mostly our report is based on the nation branding that means we are very much focused to brand our country by Sundarbans and it is our main view of making this report. Therefore the natural scenario and the tourist attraction are all covered in this report about the Sundarbans. The most general view of this report is that, if a general person reads this report, he or she could easily understand the branding in Bangladesh and its current market situation, position, relevance in our country. Many organizations and renowned personalities of the world have made their report according to this planning process. Therefore to make this report meaningful and acceptable, we have tried our best to do this work a perfect one. Objectives Every report has some objectives. There are one broad objective and some specific objectives in their respective field. Our report on ‘Sources of Nation Branding’ has some specific objectives and a broad objective. Broad objective To make Sundarbans as a major branding element for Bangladesh. Specific objectives: ? To know the branding aspects of Sundarbans. ? To know the current tourism situations. ? To explain the various branding ways to brand our nation. Methodology We prepared one third of our report from secondary sources. We collected all the required information from different reference books, journal and related papers. All the members of our group worked hard in seminar for preparing this report. We also followed our text book for collecting some necessary information. The sheets provided by our course teacher also helped a lot for preparing report. Limitations We face some specific problem while preparing this report. These problems created some barriers to go ahead. Those specific problems are – 1. We didn’t get enough time to prepare this report, that’s why we prepared the report in a hurry. 2. We also had some financial problems to prepare the report. 3. We didn’t get all the required materials for enhancing the report. Introducing Sundarbans Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Two third of the Sundarbans remain in Bangladesh and the rest of it are situated in the India. The name  Sundarban  can be literally translated as â€Å"beautiful forest† in the  Bengali language  (Shundor, â€Å"beautiful† and  bon, â€Å"forest†). The name may have been derived from the  Sundari  trees (the mangrove species  Heritiera fomes) that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers. Alternatively, it has been proposed that the name is a corruption of  Samudraban  Shomudrobon  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sea Forest†) or  Chandra-bandhe  (name of a primitive tribe). However, the generally accepted view is the one associated with  Sundari  trees. The history of the area can be traced back to 200–300 AD. A ruin of a city built by  Chand Sadagar  has been found in the Baghmara Forest Block. During the  Mughal  period, the Mughal Kings leased the forests of the Sundarbans to nearby residents. Many criminals took refuge in the Sundarbans from the advancing armies of Emperor  Akbar. Many have been known to be attacked by Tigers  Many of the buildings which were built by them later fell to hands of Portuguese pirates, salt smugglers and dacoits in the 17th century. Evidence of the fact can be traced from the ruins at Netidhopani and other places scattered all over Sundarbans. The legal status of the forests underwent a series of changes, including the distinction of being the first  mangrove  forest in the world to be brought under scientific management. The area was mapped first in Persian, by the  Surveyor General  as early as 1764 following soon after proprietary rights were confiscated from the  Mughal Emperor Alamgir II  by the  British  East India Company  in 1757. Since the British had no expertise or adaptation in mangrove forests. Systematic management of this forest tract started in the 1860s after the establishment of a Forest Department in the  Province  of  Bengal, in  British India. The management was entirely designed to extract whatever treasures were available, but labor and lower management mostly were staffed by locals. Nation Branding Nation Branding is the establishment of an image (internally and externally) for a country based on positive and relevant values and perceptions. Nation branding aims to measure build and manage the reputation of countries (closely related to place branding). Some approaches applied, such as an increasing importance on the symbolic value of products, have led countries to emphasize their distinctive characteristics. The branding and image of a nation-state and the successful transference of this image to its exports – is just as important as what they actually produce and sell. This is also referred to as country-of-origin effect. Nation branding is still a developing field in which scholars continue their search for a unified theoretical framework. Many governments have resource dedicated to Nation Branding. Their aim is to improve their country’s standing, as the image and reputation of a nation can dramatically influence its success in attracting tourism receipts and investment capital; in exports; in attracting a talented and creative workforce and in its cultural and political influence in the world. Simon Anholt is widely considered to be the â€Å"founder†, â€Å"champion† and â€Å"instigator† of this concept and field of study and practice. Branding Bangladesh Like other countries, Bangladesh has started to brand her and trying to figure out the resources, capabilities, acumen in the related field. We have lots of scopes/opportunities; resources say novel laureates, historical places, longest beach in the world, culture, manpower, cuisine etc. Lack of proper branding initiative and expertise, we are lagging behind form the race of branding the country. Simon Anholt identifies 6 criteria for branding a nation. They are: 1. Tourism, 2. Exports, 3. Governance, 4. Investment ; immigration, 5. Culture and heritage and 6. People. Tourism sector Tourism sector has a lot of potentiality for branding. It can be our major criteria for branding. We can create a positive brand image about Bangladesh by branding our beautiful tourist area. Because most of the people when think about any country, the first visual image come to mind that the tourism place of the country. We have many place in the country which is full of natural beauty, they need to be properly advertised and maintained. Why Select Sundarbans We have the largest mangrove forest in the world. This is The Sundarbans. The Sundarbans over the years attracts adventurous forest product collectors, hunters, nature and wildlife lovers, researchers, and tourists. The beauty and natural resource of the Sundarbans can symbolize the natural beauty of Bangladesh. It has the unique beauty with the dazzling expanse of green, the blue heaven overhead meeting the horizon, the playful high tide and the ebb, the very smell of life in the air and the pristine sea beach. The Sundarbans play an important role in the economy of the southwestern region of Bangladesh as well as in the national economy. It is the single largest source of forest produce in the country. The forest has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. So, we select Sundarbans for Branding Bangladesh. Branding Sundarbans The word â€Å"brand† is widely used but unequally understood. Its meaning ranges from source country to consumer’s perception about a product. In today’s world, consumer perception gets more currency. If we put it simply, a brand is defined as a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of all these elements that is intended to identify the goods or services of a seller and differentiate them from competitors. According to marketing guru Philip Kotler, â€Å"Brand image is the set of beliefs consumers hold about a particular brand. † Simon Anholt, pioneer of nation branding, argues that brand is intangible because it has brand value as outlined in his book Brand New Justice. The brand value lies in the trust of a brand name for quality and reliability, a form of guarantee for its reputation, a promise the brand delivers and the service it provides to the consumers. An increasing importance of the symbolic value of products has led marketers and, consequently, policy makers of countries to leverage their products with distinctive characteristics of the country of origin. Here comes the concept of ‘place branding’. Dr Heather Skinner provides a comprehensive definition of place branding: â€Å"a place’s promotional activities, contextualized in the domain of marketing communications, marking the place with a distinct identity in the minds of the various target groups targeted by the incorporated place, from an inside-out approach, assuring the place’s multiple stakeholders, in partnership, manage and communicate the place’s brand identity to a wider world as they wished it to be presented. † The idea of nation branding is an extended form of ‘place branding’. Nation branding focuses on the nation as a whole — its people, culture and heritage, products and exports, investment, climate, tourism and so on. Bangladesh must take care of its own brand. This means that it must invest in its brand. It must manage and promote its brand. This is a task that must be taken by the government. The government has to take initiative to identify the full agenda of the country and mobilise the power. For this, the government needs to involve the key stakeholders. Participation in the branding process would encourage the stakeholders to promote the brand. The government, with a positive initiative, can get the willing support of other stakeholders. Every citizen and organization in a country would like to share a positive image of the country. A successful brand will represent the diverse. A good brand will take into account the inherent complexities and, at the same time, it will differentiate the nation from the others, putting it in the best light possible, without exaggeration or distortion. Bangladesh is a wonderful Country in the world. Bangladesh has many tourist spot. All spot are very attractive and well-known. Sundarban is one of them. It is more beautiful place for the Tourist. The largest mangrove forest in the World (140,000 ha). The World famous Royal Bengal Tiger’s homeland and about 400 tigers live in sundarban. About 30,000 wonderful spotted deer live in sundarban. There are many Tourist Spot in Sundarban. We have the largest mangrove forest in the world. This is The Sundarbans. It can be the main attraction for the visitors who love forests. The beauty and natural resource of the Sundarbans can symbolizes the natural beauty of Bangladesh. place. Our most of the tea garden is situated in Sylhet district. It can symbolize the beautiful image of Bangladesh. KATKA Katka is one of Heritage sites in Sunderban. In Katka there is a wooden watching tower of 40 ft. high from where you can enjoy the scenic beauty of Sundarban. A beautiful sea beach is there is Katka; you will enjoy while you are walking to go the beach from the watching tower. Verities birds are visible in Katka. Most beautiful place in sundarban. Kotka beach is truely magnificent. This sand track   is five km long. I heard   Kotka Beach is beautiful. But, it was more than beautiful. Moreover, it is built by nature and cared by nature. We were standing in front of Bay of Bengal and behind us there was the largest mangrove forest of the world. The weather was perfect to take a sea bath. We made a lot of joy while some other were too busy to keep the snaps of this beautiful place in a beautiful day. We   stayed there till noon and then slowly made a return walk through the mysterious jungle of Sundarban again. It was really a thrilling walk. If one are interested to go to kotka beach, you will find it  Ã‚  south-east of  Ã‚  Nilkamal  Ã‚  in the range of the Sundarbans. Usually it is convenient to start from the nearby island of Mongla (Khulna) by a variety of different boats, such as speedboats and cabin cruisers. The World famous Royal Bengal Tiger’s homeland and about 400 tigers live in sundarban. About 30,000 wonderful spotted deer live in sundarban. There are many Tourist Spot in Sundarban. Katka is one of Heritage sites in Sunderban. Katka a base for safaris, and well spot to see tigers and for bird-watching. Katka is well known for many rare and majestic wild animals. At Katka, one can see many precious wild animals right from tigers to deer and also varieties of birds and many kinds of monkeys. Here one can hear the natures’ music mixed with the wild fowls in the mornings and evenings. For those interested in wildlife trekking, the vast expanse of grassy meadows running from Katka to Kachikhali (Tiger Point) is an ideal route. Don’t miss this place if you are an adventurous tourist. HIRAN POINT This is another tourist spot in Sunderban. It is called the world heritage state. You can enjoy the beauty of wild nature and dotted dears walking and running in Hiron point. There is number of spot in sundarban. Hiron Point is another tourist spot in Sunderban. It is called the world heritage state. Hiron Point is a graceful spot, great for spotting tigers and other spectacular and rare wildlife animals. Also known as Nilkamal, it is well-known for tiger, deer, monkey, crocodiles and many precious birds. Often they are looking out there. This place attracts many tourists owing to its natural beauty and connate splendor. This is a place to have a look at the rare species of wild animals and birds, to be noted in the diary of bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Every visitors can Enjoy their time by watching this beautiful sinary of the nature. Here land and water meet in many novel fashions, Wildlife presents many a spectacle. No wonder, you may come across a Royal Bengal Tiger swimming across the streams or the crocodiles basking on the river banks. With the approach of the evening herds of deer make for the darking glades where boisterous monkeys shower Keora leaves from above for sumptuous meal for the former. For the botanist, the lover of nature, the poet and the painter this land provides a variety of wonder for which they all crave. Its  beauty  lies in its unique natural surroundings. MAIN ATTRACTIONS Wildlife photography including photography of the famous Royal Bengal Tiger, wildlife viewing, boating inside the forest will call recordings, nature study, meeting fishermen, wood-cutters and honey-collectors, peace and tranquility in the wilderness, seeing the world’s largest mangrove forest and the riverine beauty. FAMOUS SPOTS The main tourist spots in Sundarban are Karamjol, Katka, Kochikhali, Hiron point and Mandarbaria. Hiron Point (Nilkamal) for tiger, deer, monkey, crocodiles, birds and natural beauty. Katka for deer, tiger, crocodiles, varieties of birds and monkey, morning and evening symphony of wild fowls. Vast expanse of grassy meadows running from Katka to Kachikhali (Tiger Point) provides opportunities for wild tracking. Tin Kona Island for tiger and deer. KARAMJOL Karmajal is one of the wonderful visiting places in sundarban. To appreciate and to view the most cherished species of Bangladesh’s wildlife, thousands of visitors make their way to Karamjol, a ranger station deep in the forest that also serves as a deer-breeding center. Bangladesh has some exquisite wildlife species that are unique to the country, and Karamjol is one of the gateways to the majestic wildlife sanctuary, Sundarban. About karamjol: Karamjol is one of the gateways to the majestic wildlife sanctuary, Sundarban. ? Karamjol, a ranger station deep in the forest that also serves as a deer-breeding center. ? In the year 1966, the 38 500 square kilometers of Sundarban was declared a wildlife sanctuary . ? Hunting in this area is strictly prohibited and illegal. ? Karamjol is one the main tourist attraction point in shundarban. ? Every year thousands of visitors make their trip to karamjol. ? The preservation and conservation of rare and endangered species, such as the Royal Bengal Tigers, are the primary concern of this national park. Wildlife of karamjol the treasure of karamjol is its wildlife. t is a kind of the focal point for the tourists. here one can enjoy the true sprite of the amateur forest. here one can see many kinds of species from birds to crocodiles. The lists of wildlife are following thereby: 1. Mammal, 2. Insect. 3. Bird species (260 species). 4. Reptiles and fish (120 species). 5. Wildlife enthusiast can look forward to viewing River Dolphins. 6. Salt-Water Crocodiles. 7. Deer. 8. Wild boar. 9. Ducks. 10. Sandpipers. 11. Moths. 12. Monkeys. 13. Snakes. 14. Foxes. 15. And the ever elusive and graceful Royal Bengal Tiger. Requirements and Recommended Items The requirements to make a trip to karamjol are quite easy and hassle free. they are following thereby: Visitors who are elicited in catching a glimpse of the breathtaking wildlife of Bangladesh at Karamjol and Sundarban must first gain permission from the Forest Officer before entering the forest. ? And vaccines against Cholera must be taken before leaving for Karamjol. ? Other recommended items for the trip include dressing according to the tropical climate. ? boots with rubber soles or comfortable walking shoes ? Adequate drinking water. ? Insect repellent. ? A medical kit. ? Anti-diarrhea medication. ? And ant-malarial medication is also proposed. Karamjol and the breathtaking natural world of the Sundarban Wildlife Sanctuary await the adventurous traveler. To stand in one of the world’s largest mangrove belts, the mysterious forests and swamp land, and be amidst he picturesque jungle of Bangladesh, is an experience that will stay forever embedded in the hearts of those who come to explore Bangladesh. DUBLAR CHOR Bangladesh is a wonderful country. Along with sky touching hills and forests there are a lot of majestic beaches and islands. Dublar chor is one of them. This island is an awesome place for visitors. This beautiful little island can be found on the southern border of the Sundarbans. It looks onto the magnificent bay of bangle, providing visitors with some outstanding views. It can be said that Dublar Chor is like paradise in the Bay of Bengle. Around 50,000 individuals stop here every year. Many of these visitors are local, but each year more and more foreigners seem to be added t o the mix. One of the main reasons that so many people make the trip out to Dublar Char annually is because it is the best location to celebrate Rash Mela and holy bath. This Hindu festival is based on the meeting of Radha and Krishna a pairing which is celebrated by a three-day long annual festival. The tradition dates back more than 200 years and is incredibly exciting for both local and international visitors . The island is beautiful and awesome†- that’s what I can say about the Dublar Char. The beach Is a nice one. And the water is like glass. Most important thing is that there is no  pollution  in the island. All are built by nature and taken care of by nature. Forest is very near and you can feel it. | | | | | | Dublar Char, a beautiful island known for its picturesque scenes, is famous for fishing and is a place for fishermen with abundant of fish fauna. One can enjoy the fishing here, The Island has all the natural beauty of any of the world renowned Islands. It is an attractive island where herds of spotted deer are often seen to graze. A casual walk around the Island provides the tourist with the chance of spotting many wild animals. With water all around and with lots of fish fauna, Dublar Char offers unique experience to the enthusiastic visitors. Key Development strategies for Branding Sundarbans 1. Establishing Priority Zones: Overall development of tourism in a country is a huge task that should be a coordinated effort while stakeholders, both public and private one, must reach a consensus in designing and creating priority zones for tourism in Bangladesh. Selecting priority zones is something that needs special focus and consideration from different sectors like Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism in collaboration with Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, different Chambers of Commerce & Industries, and interested corporate houses. To present an international standard Tourism Site, we not only have to take soft policies but also have to take hard policies as well. We ought to realize and believe that Branding for Sundarbans for the international visitors needs to understand the nature of available Tourism facilities they are interested in. 2. Marketing Mix Strategy: For any commercial venture appropriate marketing mix can play a dominating role along with other relevant mechanisms. When it comes to marketing mix for Sundarbans, the concept of marketing mix has to be understood in a way that the industry can become objectively profit oriented by using all its competitive advantages. The 7P’s, that is – Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical Evidence, of the marketing mix needs to pragmatically be considered to create effective market oriented customer services that can attract the local and international customers. There are sea, hill, historical and cultural tourism products in Bangladesh. That is why the nature of marketing strategy or product strategy should comply with the regions and its vicinity. Tourism as an invisible sector especially international tourism, as one of the most vibrant indistinguishable export sectors, get significant amount of foreign exchange to the balance of payment and makes very important contribution to the economic growth of a country (Hossain 2006). Tourism is regarded as an invisible export because it has the potential to bring foreign exchange to a country, through the provision of services to overseas visitors (Davidson 1994). 3. Branding Bangladesh as a Largest Mangrove Forest: In order to promote any country as tourist destination the collective efforts from the different stakeholders are mandatory because the bigger success of the promotion abroad depends on creating and presenting a very positive image of the country where the role of branding plays a definitive performance. So far as our tourism experiences are concerned our biggest fallout in tourism is lack of brand image. Briton (1979) in his article â€Å"the image of the third world in tourism marketing† pointed out the inability of the tourism industry to represent destinations as real places and noted that the third world destinations are portrayed as paradise, unspoiled, sensuous, mystical and/or exotic and these types of representation affect tourists’ expectations and behavior. As a result, branding Tourism in Bangladesh is a part of Branding Bangladesh as a nation, what means that Bangladesh should be branded first as a nation so that the products of the Bangladesh can be placed in the other parts of the world. Baker (2007) argues that creating a brand that is going to stand out from competitors, resonate with customer needs, and gain the support of local stakeholders requires patience, vision, collaboration, and strategic thinking. This is the high time for us to have a collective branding approach for Bangladeshi products abroad in general and for tourism in Bangladesh in particular. 4. Communications Strategy: Communication means a total sum of different facilities provided by roads and transports, power and energy, telecom and ICT based communication and so on. When the question of branding Bangladesh comes to the table of discussion, ur strategists both private and public ones should have a comparative picture of our communications with our neighborin g countries. Our roads and transport system cannot meet the global standard. Most of the roads of inter-district communications have been suffering from severe damage and maltreatment, for example, one passenger has to take about 7- 9 hours from Dhaka to Khulna. About 95% of the foreign airlines don’t cover any destinations of the country rather than Dhaka. The domestic flights between Dhaka and other destinations are not hassle free. World Wide Web creates a new avenue for a number of new players into the tourism marketplace. Internet as a main distribution mechanism for direct contact is the noteworthy creation. A well-organized, informative, easily accessible attractive website needs to be designed to pull the tourists. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the prime criteria here to make the browser hit the particular website. Better communication will increase the number of domestic tourists as well as overseas tourists. 5. Accommodation Strategy Developing unique accommodation facilities is an integral part of total tourism approach. What has to be stated here is that accommodation facility for tourism industry must be designed in different tiers. In addition, establishment of food shops and restaurants should also focus on income level of the different tourists. Here we want to state that local administration and business body should come forward to control this malpractice. In order to attract international tourists, some accommodation facilities should have all kind of services that are making available by our competitors. 6. Role of Financial Institutions: Tourism has yet to be recognized as an industry in our country. To establish or to recognize a concern as industry different organs of the society, business and government should frame a uniform code of policies where the role of financial institutions is in the front line. Short, medium and long-term project-financing needs to be made available to boost need-based portfolio investment in tourism sector. So, financial institutions, different business organizations and potential investors of this sector might develop a joint working policy to turn tourism into a full-fledged industry where concerned backward and forward linkage industries are equally treated as inevitable part of tourism advancement in Bangladesh. 7. Safety and Security Strategy Many of our tourist places happen to be quite vulnerable to security concerns. Most people believe that effective vigilance by the security agencies play vital role in maintaining security. In some cases, it is true that law enforcing authority can ensure safety and security. On the other hand, if we look into causes of the insecurity in one place, surprisingly it is found that most miscreants and trouble makers are from the locality. Consequently, moral, ethical and cultural upliftment of the local people, to a large extent, is the fundamental and sentinel for ensuring security of tourists. In the same vein, some quarters think that formation and the deployment of especial security force, which may realistically be called â€Å"Tourist Police†, can provide substantial security benefit along with regular security agencies. For example, an specialized police (Beach Police) are already in operation in Cox’s Bazaar but what has to be in the front line is that they need to be equipped so as to withstand against any disturbance from any quarter on beaches. Tourism as an industry can have all grounds to contribute to the national exchequer along with other industries. Perhaps, it sounds quite new when it comes up as industry in our country but tourism is one of the oldest industries across the world. As we look into the growth of tourism in the region, we do come to see bewildering facts that many countries of this region those developed quite a lot in industry did not have substantial natural advantages to turn tourism into industry; however, they for example, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore took effective and rational strategies to establish tourism as industry. At the same time, many countries of this region have earned considerable trust and financial benefit out of their tourism. Bangladesh as a country having enormous natural facilities and being at cross section of the land can be an illustrious destination of tourism. To make Bangladesh so, effective tourism strategies and contemporary product mix have no alternative. Therefore, categorization and segmentation of tourism product remain a challenging issue for our concerned strategies. As we understand, Bangladesh has dedicated room to develop tourism in the areas of hill, sea, history and culture. Concl usion The Sundarbans area is one of the most densely populated in the world, and the population is increasing. As a result, half of this ecoregion’s mangrove forests have been cut down to supply fuelwood and other natural resources. Despite the intense and large-scale exploitation, this still is one of the largest contiguous areas of mangroves in the world. Another threat comes from deforestation and water diversion from the rivers inland, which causes far more silt to be brought to the estuary, clogging up the waterways. A new Khulna Forest Circle was created in Bangladesh back in 1993 to preserve the forest, and Chief Conservators of Forests have been posted since. The direct administrative head of the Division is the Divisional Forest Officer, based at Khulna, who has a number of professional, subprofessional and support staff and logistic supports for the implementation of necessary management and administrative activities. The basic unit of management is the compartment. There are 55 compartments in four Forest Ranges and these are clearly demarcated mainly by natural features such as rivers, canals and creeks. The Sundarbans plays an important role in the economy of the southwestern region of  Bangladesh  as well as in the national economy. It is the single largest source offorest produce  in the country. The forest provides raw materials for wood based industries. In addition to traditional forest produce like timber, fuelwood, pulpwood etc. large scale harvest of non wood forest products such as thatching materials,honey, bees-wax, fish, crustacean and mollusk resources of the forest takes place regularly. The vegetated tidal lands of the Sundarbans also function as an essential habitat, produces nutrients and purifies water. The forest also traps nutrient and sediment, acts as a storm barrier, shore stabilizer and energy storage unit. Last but not the least, the Sunderbans provides a wonderful aesthetic attraction for local and foreign tourists.