One of the greatest ingredients to the entertainment industry is animation. It is the rapid display of images in two or three-dimensional artwork that achieves the creation of the illusion of object movement. Animation forms the success factor behind giant entertainment houses such as Disney and Warner Brothers. The history of animation dates the back to early 1800s and has evolved, adopting technology to give rise to some of the best-animated movies in the entertainment industry.
History of Animation
The discovery of the persistence of vision took place in the early 1800s which stated that human eyes can retain visual impression for approximately 1/30 of a second. This discovery is illustrated by Brigman (1992) in stating that “this persistence of vision denies us the opportunity to discover that motion picture screen is dark in approximately ½ of the time and that pictures projected by television screens are single bright and very fast, discrete dots moving across the screen”. According to Brigman (1992), “motion pictures show one new frame every 1/24th of a second and the same frame is shown three times during this period while the eye retains the image of each frame long enough, giving an illusion of smooth, continuous motion”. “This same principle of eye persistence is used by animation in the rendering of the idea of motion” (Brigman, 1992). The knowledge in the understanding of the movement of the human eye led to the creation of the devices such as Zoetrope that was composed of a cylinder with long slits meticulously cut in between each of the images.
Whereas these devices were popular in the 1800s, they never moved beyond the level of simple curiosity. “The ability to make lifeless things appear to move was first achieved in 1890 by Meleis through the application of simple sticks” (Brigman, 1992). According to Owens (2008) the earliest pioneers in film animation were Emile Cohl, a Frenchman who produced several vignettes, J. Stuart lack to, an American, who animated smoke in a scene in 1900 and who is credited with the first animated cartoon in 1906, and the first celebrated animator, Winsor McCay, an American best known for his works Little Nemo and Gertie the Dinosaur.
Winsor McCay is recorded in the history books to have been the first person to produce an animated character on the screen. The application of technology in the production of the animated character was pioneered by John Bray who worked with translucent cells. According to Griffin (2001), “developments by Bray and others enhanced the overlay idea to include multiple translucent pieces of celluloid (cels), added a peg system for registration, and the drawing of the background on long sheets of paper so that panning could be performed more easily”
In 1915, Fleischer introduced rotoscoping in a period in which animation as an aspect of art was still in its struggling stages. Just a year later, Earl Hurd introduced cel animation that made the work of the cartoonists simple. This drastically reduced the number of times a picture had to be redrawn because this technology enabled the laying of clear cels over one image. The evolution was carried further by the famous Walter Elias Disney who used the combination of cel animation and placed audio with a rodent. This ushered the new era in cinema cartoons. According to Owens (2008), “working with animator Ub Iwerks, he created the most famous character in drawn animation history – Mickey Mouse.”
The third film that was developed for Mickey in 1928 contained a musical score written by musical composer Carl Stalling. This propelled Mickey to become the most famous animated character in the history of animation. In this period, the evolution of animation had begun to adopt technology as its most driving factor. Walt Disney Company influenced the entertainment world to a greater proportion than any other in the history of animation entertainment. According to Owens (2008), “the Walt Disney Company influenced the whole world and is largely responsible for making cel animation the industry standard.”
The competition among big studios gave birth to the rise in animated characters that had very strong screen personalities. The acquisition of Brunswick Records by Warner Brothers in 1930 led to the creation of Warner’s first film star, Bosko. Bosko became famous for the “short Sinkin’ in the Bathtub in 1930” (Owens, 2008). Looney Tunes by Warner Brothers and Silly Symphonies by Disney became the biggest names in animated movies in the mid-1900s. This period gave birth to Mel Blanc to become the famous voice behind the original Bunny Bugs created by Ben Bugs in 1939. The latter part of the 1900s has seen the growth of animated movies through the eyes of technological advancement and computer graphics.
Technological Aspects of Animation
The two-dimensional classic animation has not been adapted to a larger scale by artistically expressive and experimental animators. This is because” the success of animation is exclusively tied to the story and character development of animated movie which is best given by three-dimensional classic animations” (Swanson, 2003). Based on the fact that quality animation of three-dimensional was not economically sustainable, there was the need to develop cheaper and at the same time maintain the standards of movie qualities. According to Swanson (2003), “CAPS and animation systems such as Softimage Toonz and Animo, while still relatively expensive, are making it possible for small animation groups to put together films that can compete in quality with animation produced by larger studios.”
The merit of these small animation systems is that they are less manipulated by the dynamics of the movie market. The technology behind Animo is well illustrated by Griffin (2001) in stating that “it allows users to import or scan in animation sketches and backgrounds, manipulate and clean images, create color model sheets, paint, construct scenes, render final frames, edit, add sound and break down voice recordings.” It has been noted that it achieves all aspects of movie production right from the preproduction stages.
The development of sophisticated and technologically savvy computer soft-wares has taken the animation industry to greater heights. Griffin (2001) elucidates that “many strongly art-oriented animators prefer working single-handedly and computers allow them to do this.” Finch (1995) on the other hand buttresses this fact by stating “in the past, people without animation experience could not be in the industry, whereas now, if they’re competent with a computer, and have interesting personalities, they can find a place in the industry.”
The digital arts and graphics programs such as PaintShop, Photoshop, and Microsoft Image Composer have been adequately put to the best use in putting the pieces together in the development of animated characters. The application of Flash technology in animation has been considered the biggest breakthrough in the development of animated characters. According to Swanson (2003), “flash is perhaps one of the biggest success stories in amateur experimentation by taking a tool and using it in a way not intended by its creators.” It also comes along with other advantages such as its cheaper market price in comparison to other available systems.
Social and economic aspects of Animation
Animation has been used in a variety of ways within our society to promote social change. This is because animation forms a powerful tool for a demonstration that enables learners to memorize important aspects of a lesson. Promotions of healthy living lifestyles and lessons on social problems within the society such as drug abuse have been done best by the application of animation. In addition to the above, animation forms a major contributor to the entertainment industry and provides employment opportunities to thousands of people in the entire world.
Conclusion
Whereas it can be confidently stated based on the above discussion that the evolution of animation has been a long historical journey, digital technology is still expected to contribute significantly to the further evolution of animation. This is because computers are increasingly allowing people to express their feelings and artistic expressions in better ways.
References
Brigman, C. 1992. Looking Inside Cartoon Animation. Santa Fe, New Mexico: John Muir.
Finch, C. 1995. The Art of Walt Disney. New York: H.N. Abrams.
Griffin, H. 2001. The Animator’s Guide to 2d Computer Animation. Oxford: Focal Press.
Owens, A. 2008. the evolution of animation & an animator.
Swanson, A. 2003. How Digital Technologies are Changing Animation.
On 14th of February, 2005, the entertainment industry entered a new era that would henceforth change its future. On that Valentine’s Day, Youtube.com was registered on whois.com. Six months later, the social site was launched and since then, it has continued to shape the interpersonal interaction between people in different parts of the world.
From that time, many other social media sites have been launched in the market, in effect altering the experiences of consumers with regard to television, film, and music (Belloni 2012). Social media has significantly influenced the tastes and preferences of consumers in the world market.
Most contemporary consumers base their consumption and spending behaviours on global conversations taking place over the internet and such other social media (Schultz, Block & Labrecque 2012). Furthermore, the activities of people on social network sites influence their decision making processes, as well as their behaviour.
In this regard, studying the behaviour of consumers and underlying motivational factors can assist organisations in finding out how they can design their programs and corporate strategies (Andzulis, Panagopoulos & Rapp 2012). The current essay is written against this backdrop.
The major objective of the essay is to determine how social networking and new media have impacted the entertainment industry in general and the filmmaking industry in particular.
A social networking service refers to an online site, platform, or service, whose main objective is to create social relations or social networks among different persons. The networking service targets individuals who share activities, interests, real-life connections, or backgrounds.
The service takes into consideration, among others, the individual’s personal profile and their social links in the society. Social networking services and platforms keep the members connected to each other. They give them the opportunity to keep in touch in real time over the worldwide web through, among others, instant messaging services (IM) and e-mails. The sites allow people to share their ideas, events, interests, and activities within the network.
There are various social networking sites available today. The three most popular social networking sites are Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus, all of which are based in the United States of America (Scott 2010).
According to Belloni (2012), 47 per cent of all Americans are members of social networking sites. Some individuals are members of more than one networking site. For example, an individual may have an account with Facebook, and another account with Twitter.
New media is a term used to describe on-demand content access. The consumer is able to access the content from anywhere and at anytime through the use of a digital device, such as a computer or a phone. The consumers can access the content through community formation, user feedback, and creative participation with such content (Scott 2010). Sago (2010) provides another definition of the term ‘new media’.
The scholar is of the view that the concept can be used to refer to the creation of unregulated content. According to Sago (2010), new media technologies are expected to be digital, interactive, compressible, dense, and networkable.
The user should also be able to manipulate such technologies. The various technologies include the internet, computer multimedia, websites, CD-ROMS, DVDs, and video games. Television programs, magazines, feature films, books, and paper-based publications do not constitute new media (Brogan 2010).
According to an exclusive poll conducted by the Penn Schoen Berland research firm, 88% of individuals regard such social networks as Twitter and Facebook as forms of entertainment (Godley 2012). In addition, the research highlighted that listening to music and social networking is the major form of Generation-C entertainment.
Bruce, Foutz & Kolsarici (2012) note that social media is like a connective tissue that helps consumers to connect with each other and share their opinions on different entertainment experiences. Moreover, 83 per cent of viewers connected to TV search the internet as they watch television programs, while 41 per cent tweet about what they are watching. Brogan (2010) is of the view that in its own capacity, social networking is an online reality show.
There has been a long controversy about the influence of digital media. However, it is clear that digital media has the ability to change the behaviour of a person. For instance, people who are tweeting about movies determine the behaviour of their Tweeter followers. That is why a third of all connected TV consumers go to a theatre to watch a movie after reading posts on social network sites (Manjoo 2011).
Sago (2010) reported that horror movies and other genres targeted at young people are the largest beneficiaries of social networking publicity. For instance, 8 per cent of all the respondents included in the Penn Schoen Berland survey watched Paranormal Activity 3 after being influenced by online posts and conversations (Godley 2012). On the basis of findings made in psychological studies, the behaviour patterns associated with social commerce are determined by social proof or the fear of missing out (FOMO) (Sago 2010).
Another interesting finding is how social networking tends to enhance the entertainment experience in the theatre. Nowadays, almost all movie theatres have to plead with movie goers to avoid using mobile phones in the theatre as the movie goes on. There are two reasons for that: the sound distraction caused by ringing phones and the light distraction from the phones, which affects the darkened room (Lipsman, Mud, Rich & Bruich 2012).
A recent study has, however, found that social networking is prevalent during both home and theatre movie watching times (Jamar 2012). The study found that 56 per cent of people who go to the movies have sent a text during one or more movies. The study also reported that most of the people aged between 18 and 34 years believe that the use of social network in the theatre (as they watch a movie) enhances their experience in the movie theatre.
Close to half of the persons interviewed pointed out that they would choose a theatre that allows web surfing and text messaging over those theatres that did not allow such activities. However, this behaviour is only observed among individuals aged between 18 and 34 years, but not among all consumers.
The reason for this is because 75 per cent of individuals who were included in the Jamar (2012) reported that using mobile phones in the theatre distracts them. Furthermore, 21 per cent and 24 per cent of informants had posted on Twitter and Facebook, respectively, as they watched a movie in a theatre (Jamar 2012).
Generation-C is often identified, falsely, as having a short concentration span. However, in most cases, they focus on many things at the same time, as long as these are things that fall under their list of interests. Individuals falling under the category of Generation-C are different.
Instead of working so hard to debunk the values of this generation, there should be an understanding of the role of multitasking in enhancing their experience. Lica & Tuta (2011) found that the two most popular activities during social networking are watching TV programs (66%) and watching TV movies (50%).
Eleven per cent of the respondents noted that they network as they watch movies in the theatre. The question is what these people do on social networks as they watch programs and movies. Evans (2008) found that social networking is a give and take affair because 33 per cent of people on social networks post their own thoughts and opinions, while 67 per cent are either reading or listening and responding to what others are saying.
Television marketers are currently striving to determine how they can use social media to woo viewers. According to Johnson (2011), serendipity contributes in getting viewers to tune-in. Johnson (2011) estimates that 2 out of ten people watch a show or movie on television because they saw something on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or other such sites.
Social media has also given rise to a new generation of critics. The media enables members to partake and contribute to real-time experiences. Many people are beginning to pay attention to how others feel about a movie before and after watching it. However, it has not yet been established how such criticism is affecting the decisions of others.
Hettche & Clayton (2012) document that 72 per cent of all movie watchers who are on social networks post their opinions on social media after watching a movie. Most of the responses are on the quality of the movie, in terms of audio and visual presentation. The responses also touch on whether or not the movie has a plot worth the time of other viewers.
It is only realistic to hypothesise that the expressions of these critics, to some extent, determine the impressions that other people on the network have towards the movie (Hennig-Thurau, Henning & Sattler 2007).
Additionally 20 per cent of viewers post their thoughts and opinions about a movie before watching it (depending on what they know about the movie producer). 9 percent of them post their thoughts and opinions during the movie (Hettche & Clayton 2012).
The individuals who spend a lot of time on social media are aware of the fact that these sites update them on what is happening all over the world. Many people on social networks learn of something that has happened or is happening in other parts of the world through social media.
After reading about the event, the individuals then go to search for more information from news websites or turn on their televisions to get the news in depth. However, Hearing & Ussery (2012) documented that 28 per cent and 31 per cent of people get breaking news from news sites and television news stations respectively.
However, Hearing & Ussery (2012) did not indicate whether they were referring to a main source of news or a primary source. The scholars also reported that 19 per cent of all the informants in their study learn about breaking news from social sites. Goel, Miesing & Chandra (2010) point out that more than 50 per cent of all news watchers in the United States are currently receiving breaking news through social media.
The scholars also averred that 46 per cent of all news watchers and readers visit the internet to watch or read about news at least three times a week. Examples of some of the most important news that broke on social media before airing on the television or newspapers include the killing of Osama bin Laden (Twitter), the death of Whitney Houston (Twitter), and the Egyptian uprising (Facebook).
In addition to television programs and movies, the peer-to-peer influence seems to have invaded all the other major forms of entertainment. Musicians are benefitting from posting their music on social networks, especially YouTube.
In a study conducted by Filice & Young (2011), 70 per cent of the respondents pointed out that they listen to music depending on what their peers are posting on social networks. In this regard, the fans of a certain musician have the duty to popularise his or her music on social media. One way of doing that is by sharing what they are listening by blogging, Facebooking, tweeting, or posting their videos on YouTube.
Andzulis et al. (2012) compared the advantages and disadvantages of the two most popular social network sites, Facebook and Twitter, to the entertainment industry. Out of all the respondents included in the study, 98 per cent of were on Facebook, while 56 per cent were on Twitter.
egarding daily visits, nine out of ten informants visited their Facebook account each day, while half of the respondents visited their Twitter accounts on a daily basis. Andzulis et al. (2012) asked the respondents what or who they followed on Facebook and Twitter, and they gave varying responses.
Andzulis et al. (2012) made a very interesting observation from their study. They concluded that Twitter is the main social media site that people use to connect with others, while Facebook is the one that people use to connect with shows, movies, and brands. It is important for marketers to keep track of these developments. For example, they should analyse the way people are creating communities and fandoms online (Andzulis et al. 2012).
Based on the behaviour of all consumers engaged in social networking and news media, it is the role of marketers to determine how the sites impact on consumption of goods and services. Clark & Roberts (2010) found that social media is significant in determining how people watch movies and share their experiences.
However, the choice to purchase a movie still largely depends on the traditional marketing strategies of firms. Previews and trailers are the main determinants of whether a person buys a movie or not. The consumers can watch trailers on YouTube, movie websites, TV, or at the theatre. The previews and trailers influence about 40 per cent of the consumers, while TV adverts and word of mouth influence 20 percent and 18 percent of the consumers, respectively. The influence of social media is placed at 9 per cent (Bruce et al. 2012).
In conclusion, it is important to note that new media and social networking have a significant impact on the entertainment industry. In particular, the two influence how people are watching movies and programs on the television, as well as how they are listening to music. In addition, social media have emerged as important sources of breaking news.
Marketers can take advantage of the influence the new media and social networking services has on consumers. For example, by using social media, marketers can gather information on what consumers want by sneak-previewing their public conversations.
References
Andzulis, J Panagopoulos, N & Rapp, A 2012, ‘A review of social media and implications for the sales process’, Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, vol. 32 no. 3, pp. 305-316.
Belloni, M 2012, ‘The social media poll’, Hollywood Reporter, vol. 418 no. 9, pp. 64-66.
Brogan, C 2010, Social media 101: tactics and tips to develop your business online, Wiley, New York.
Bruce, N Foutz, N & Kolsarici, C 2012, ‘Dynamic effectiveness of advertising and word of mouth in sequential distribution of new products’, Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), vol. 49 no. 4, pp. 469-486.
Clark, L & Roberts, S 2010, ‘Employer’s use of social networking sites: a socially irresponsible practice’, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 95 no. 4, pp. 507-525.
Evans, D 2008, Social media marketing: an hour a day, Wiley, New York.
Filice, M & Young, S 2011, ‘From mainstage to movies to media: sustaining the live and performing arts through artistic convergence and the Balaban and Katz philosophy of continuous performance’, International Journal of Arts Management, vol. 14 no. 2, pp. 48-56.
Goel, S Miesing, P & Chandra, U 2010, ‘The impact of illegal peer-to-peer file sharing on the media industry’, California Management Review, vol. 52 no. 3, pp. 6-33.
Hearing, G & Ussery, B 2012, ‘The times they are a changing the impact of technology and social media on the public workplace, Part I’, Florida Bar Journal, vol. 86 no. 3, pp. 35-39.
Hennig-Thurau, T Henning, V & Sattler, H 2007, ‘Consumer file sharing of motion pictures’, Journal of Marketing, vol. 71 no. 4, pp. 1-18.
Hettche, M & Clayton, M 2012, ‘Using social media to teach social media advertising: how to leverage student prior knowledge and word press blogs’, Journal of Advertising Education, vol. 16 no. 1, pp. 45-55.
Jamar, SD 2012, ‘Copyright aspects of user-generated content in the internet social networking context’, Journal of Internet Law, vol. 16 no. 5, pp. 3-13.
Johnson, RL 2011, ‘Corporate strategy and the social networking phenomena’, Journal of Service Science (19414722), vol. 4 no. 2, pp. 1-10.
Lica, L & Tuta, M 2011, ‘Predicting product performance with social media’, Informatica Economica, vol. 15 no. 2, pp. 46-56.
Lipsman, A Mud, G Rich, M & Bruich, S 2012, ‘The power of “Like”: how brands reach (and influence) fans through social-media marketing’, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 52 no. 1, pp. 40-52.
Manjoo, F 2011, ‘The great tech war of 2012’, Fast Company, vol. 160, pp. 106-146.
Sago, B 2010, ‘The influence of social media message sources on millennial generation consumers’, International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, vol. 2 no. 2, pp. 7-18.
Schultz, D Block, M & Labrecque, L 2012, ‘Consumer retailer preference and facebook: friends or foes?,’ International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 7-18.
Scott, D 2010, The new rules of marketing and PR : how to use social media, blogs, news releases, online video, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly, John Wiley & Sons, London.
The Roman Empire came to be as a result of the ancient roman civilization, with diplomatic governments and enormous territorial wealth in Europe and some parts of Africa. The Empire had a long and rich entertainment history that’s evident in its various entertainment venues; it was a part of daily in Rome and its provinces, even one Roman poet Juvenal (100 AD) noted in his poems that only two things mattered most to the Romans “bread and circuses” (panem et circenses) meaning bread and games.
The rulers used entertainment to satisfy common Roman’s mere needs by giving free entertainment and bread to keep them happy and unaware of the governance in the Roman Empire and a simple way to become more powerful. The following analysis will focus on these Roman Empire entertainment venues and their roles in the Roman Empire.
Theaters
Most Roman Empire ceremonies and events took place in temporary wooden structures. The first such theater was ordered constructed by Pompey in 55 BC on the Campus Martius at Rome. Built on level ground, it had a capacity of 27000 seats and was built of stone (see fig.1). Theaters hosted choral events, plays and written material narration.
Fig.1. Theatre of Pompey Theater of Pompey.
Theaters were constructed anywhere, on flat plains, by building the whole structure from the ground and out of the sides of hills. All were built of Roman concrete and had a circular space in front popularly known as an orchestra, where performances took place (see fig.2). The structure was more complex and entrances and exits were built into a cave as it is in large theaters today. It created an enclosed atmosphere that may have reduced noise from other places (Beacham 200).
Fig.2. Amman Roman Theater Amman Roman Theater.
The theaters were free to the public and as a result the audiences were huge in numbers and noisy at times. To make it easier for the audience to understand the plays, costumes and masks were introduced to show the type of person on stage. To distinguish between males and females in an act, the male was recognizable by a brown mask while the female was recognizable by white mask. Other masks worn resembled various emotions depending on the act, like happy, sad, and angry. The women didn’t take part in any performance or act. Performers spoke the actual act lines while a second performer translated the lines through signs as music was being played. Decorated masks and costumes were to make the performances more interesting.
Most of the plays, dancing, and other presentations were associated with important occasions and religious festivals; eventually they were very popular in the Roman Empire and became common rather than on special occasions. The plays were their own playwrights or borrowed from the Greeks and most of the actors were slaves because it wasn’t a respectable job amongst the Romans.
The theaters had no seats and only those who came with their seats sat the rest remained standing or sat on the ground. Women and men were separated, women were placed in the worst places and the best places sat the nobles of the Roman Empire. Children were also in attendance with their mothers; and were very emotional and expressing any reactions from the plays and presentations.
Amphitheaters
The name amphitheater means double theater, which originated from its shape that resembles that of two theaters joined back to back, with a central space referred to as “arena” (see fig.3). The sand was scattered on the arena to drench blood spilled from bloody games. The first amphitheater was built by one of the architects of the great politician Curio in 53 BC (Borngardener 34). It was built of wooden stands on a pivot and swiveled about to form an oval shape. The amphitheaters were used for games, spectator sports, displays and other public events, such as criminal execution and forced fights that led to death as Gladiators.
To the Roman Empire the amphitheater held vital symbolic significance. The seating arrangements represented the various classes of the Roman Society. A special area on a large platform was for the Emperor and senators occupied marble seats divided into fourteen subdivisions. At the lower level of the amphitheater were twelve rows were associates of the equestrian class occupied. Next were well-off or reputable Romans who occupied nineteen sections of marble chairs in the center area, while the ordinary, slaves and freed slaves occupied the top seating area. Finally at the peak of the amphitheaters, wives of the noble and rulers occupied wooden chairs shaded by colonnade.
Fig.3. Pompeii amphitheater.
The amphitheater was a defining feature of the Roman Empire civilization where many events portrayed the vast Roman dominion. The gladiators were the main attraction in the amphitheaters. They were either slaves or volunteers who were made to fight to death, staged by the rich as a sign of their power and influence in the local community. Gladiator paintings are still evident at the Pompeii amphitheater specially crafted into walls by professional painters (Borngardener 36). The gladiators originated from the Etruscan funeral ceremonies but as the Empire grew such ancient ceremonies were no more.
Other than gladiatorial games, the amphitheater gave a venue for venations, spectacle involving killing animals by trained hunters known as bestiaries. Public execution was also a spectacle, where condemned criminals were executed by cremation, crucifixion, and attacked by wild animals.
Smaller towns in the provinces built one amphitheater, which was the only venue for most of their entertainment. Eventually they were huge in size so as to accommodate the massive audiences attending and were built on the edge of the towns or just outside its boundaries. The military built their amphitheaters on forts and fortresses which served as training venues for the soldiers.
Circuses
The Roman circus used to be huge open-air location used for mainly communal events and festivals in the Roman Empire. The first circus in the Roman Empire was the Circus Maximus, which was a venue for games and mass entertainment with a capacity of 250000 audiences (Humphrey, 57). Circuses were one of the main amusement venues of the time where horse races, chariot races and main performances of the empire took place.
The major performance area of the Roman extravaganza was a rhombus rectangle of two linear parts of a racing track alienated by a middle strip along the middle of the space, and capping at each end with two curved parts linking the linear sections forming a course for racing (see fig.4) (Humphrey, 59). The mid strip was referred to as the spina that had complex columns, statues, and memorial obelisks (piercing pillar). Just like amphitheaters, the circus performance area was surrounded by an ascending seating position. The circuses are believed to be the biggest entertainment venues in the Roman Empire which were like the modern-day stadiums, some covering over 200 acres of land.
Fig.4. Typical Roman circus design.
The circus paid a host to various circus games (ludi circenses), like athletics and wrestling, eventually chariot racing remained the favorite sport among the citizens in the Roman Empire. Being a sport it was very expensive since it required horses that were expensive at that time, but was organized into a very profitable business. The charioteers were subdivided into four groups recognizable by their different colors, blue, white, green, and red which represented the different provinces of the Roman Empire. Reds were the architects and engineers, the greens were farmers, blues were the fishers or from near the sea, and whites were from snowy mountains (see fig.5).
The four factions contested greatly, to an extent of causing violence among audiences and supporters, however greens and blues were the best and favorites. The ruling senators took advantage of the races to showcase their dominion and gain power and popularity among the Romans.The circus also provided a good chance to make money among the wealthy by placing bets on racers on who would win.
Fig.5. the four groups of chariots.
The circus was an all-in-one political, unions, gambling, and sports and entertainment industry, where all Rome attended. It was a fantastic spectacle, parades and processions of leaders, kings, gods and goddesses, exotic and tamed animal acrobats showcased that built energy for the races; sellers of every food and drink and flags decorations over racers while their supporters dodged death on the racing path (Humphrey 64).
Everybody was allowed in the circus except for the children and all were allowed to sit together. In times of victory the rulers had the games played for even a fortnight making the circus a very important entertainment venue for the Roman Empire.
Baths
The public Roman Empire baths (thermae) were designed along an inner axis which included a hot bath (caldarium), a warm bath smaller in size (tepidarium), the cold bath (basilica), and an outdoor bathing bath or pool (natatio) (Potter 20). Besides the Roman public baths a series of rooms were built for various purposes, such as a massage house, a room for changing clothes, a room for exercise, and a special room for medical treatment (see fig.6). such baths are still standing up to now, such as the Caracalla. Bathers started at the changing rooms (apodyteria), then to the gymnasia (palaestra) for exercise and then to a sauna (laconic) to stimulate more sweat. Bathers then proceeded to the hot bath where they cleaned their skin using a strigil and finally to the cold bath(Potter 23).
Fig.6. Typical layout of thermae.
The bath was mostly taken once a day and stood for decency and health only. Their origin came from the highly populated towns where civilians of the Roman Empire were populated and mostly lived in small and congested apartments that didn’t have any bathing space. The baths were mostly built on hot or mineral springs and operated in all parts of Rome and in the provinces. The baths weren’t free, but a low fee was charged so even the poor could visit. The baths were also meant for leisure, social gatherings and sheltered gardens, libraries, and museums. Complimenting the magnificent havens were marble statues and artistic structures.
The Roman architects improvised a local heating system for the baths; the floor was put up from the earth by pillars and spaces left in the walls to enable hot air from the heating system (furnace) circulate. The rooms needing more heat were near the heating system, where heat was generated from burning wood. The baths also had large toilets made of marble seats over a canal filled with flowing water that constituted what’s today known as flush toilets.
Leisure Activities
The Roman Empire entertainment was evident from the information above, but as time went on the games increasingly started ending. However for the rich and noble civilians of the Roman Empire, entertainment took place in their homes. They hosted dinner parties and expensive banquets. While dining music, dancing, and signing were presented by professionals and in some homes recitation of speeches and poetry followed.
For the majority of the poor Romans, entertainment meant visiting the taverns which are the modern-day bars and inns where food, beverages, and alcohol were sold. Other venues for their entertainment were brothels and gaming houses. Brothels were also referred to as gentleman’s club, which was houses meant for prostitution only. The children also had their traditional games like hiding and seek which are evident in Roman Empire art (Potter 30).
Works Cited
Beacham, Richard C. The Roman Theater and its Audience Washington DC, Washington: 1991. Print.
Borngardener, David. The story of the Roman amphitheatre London: Routledge, 2002. Print.
Humphrey, John. Roman circuses: arenas for chariot racing. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1986. Print.
Potter, David. Companion to the Roman Empire. Oxford: Blackwell, 2010. Print.
The hospitality industry is highly competitive with new players coming up and old ones developing new working strategies or approaches; to be competitive in the industry mostly in an international market, then there is need to have strategic decisions and ensure that scientific methods of decision-making are adopted (Schrage 2010). Latin American countries are offering a good market for the hospitality industry thus Burswood Entertainment Company, an Australian base entertainment company wishes to venture in Brazil.
In Brazil, the Burswood may offer Casinos, Sauna, massage parlours, restaurants, Gyms, bars, hotel, golf course, day spa, and nightclubs among others. Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and offers low barriers to entry. Despite the favourable entry environment in the country; a market entry strategy need to be developed; an effective entry strategy assists a company tap the new market potential successfully.
When developing an internal marketing entry strategy, a company need to undertake an external environment analysis using situational analysis tools like P.E.S.T.L.E, which includes Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological and Legal environment of the country within which the business operates and an internal analysis using analysis tools like S.W.O.T. It involves critical identification Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a company.
The analyst then develops strategies of converting weaknesses into strengths. Through pursuance of the opportunities for the business, the analysis reduces prospective threats of the company.
This paper undertakes a P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis of Brazilian market and S.W.O.T. analysis of Burswood Entertainment for the purposes of the company’s expansion. Burswood Entertainment is an Australian based entertainment industry that has various entertainment industry modern facilities, they include Casinos, Sauna, massage parlours, restaurants, Gyms, bars, hotel, golf course, day spa, night clubs among others; it is situated in Swan River near the city of Perth, Western Australia.
The company has a strong brand name and wishes to diversity its services and line of business to Brazil. When in Brazil, the company will aim at offering similar services but will be offered by Brazilians who have undergone training and hand on experience in Australia; however for the introduction stage of the venture, Australians will be the main service provider so as they can set pace for the business.
In order to reduce cost of labour however, the company will deploy the local Brazilians in both non-managerial and non-technical positions. Within a considerable time of operation in Brazil, the company will train the locals in order to equip them with relevant skills for the business and enable them to take up these positions to reduce cost of importation of human resources.
Political Environment
Government stability
The country has a democratic governance policy with three main arms of the government, the States, the Municipalities and the Federal District, each of the arms work for the general good of the country. The country has all its executive and legislative members elected while the judiciary members like judges are appointed after passing an exam.
Brazil has presidential form of government with the president elected by the people. With a female president, political analysts project that the countries’ situation in terms of politics is likely to remain stable for over a considerable time (Magdalena, Eugenia and Oana 2008).
Government and contribution
When it comes to business, the administration of the country has made policies to facilitate fair trade among domestic and international companies. There are some businesses that are given incentives when venturing the market while others only enjoy industrial deduction relieve from taxes payable.
The growth of the country population and need for social amenities have necessitated the government to attract international hospitality industries entertaining companies; it does this through incentives like easy licensing, tax relieves and tax holidays and intellectual rights protection (Magdalena, Eugenia and Oana 2008).
Analysis
With the situation expected to remain stable, most businesses from all over the world will be confident to invest in Brazil. Political stability guarantees peace and security and hence increases the people’s need for recreation amenities.
The result is high market for Burswood Entertainment, which further will dictate the company to expand its resources in terms of quantity and quality for competence and customer satisfaction in Brazilian entertainment sector. Extremely this will affect the companies’ strategic planning and management as it will have to formulate strategies applicable in the new market (Brazilian market).
Legal Environment
Regulatory framework
The country supreme source of law is the constitution, which every person is expected to respect: it supports respect of human rights in fields like employment, retirement and environment. The Brazilian framework is rigid which has rendered the country reluctant to constitutional changes (Lora 2007).
Business laws
Like the other laws in Brazil, business laws particularly import and export laws are stringent and to some extend unfavourable to foreign companies. The constitution expects the foreign countries to work with the local companies maybe in form outsourcing other services. The foreign companies are disadvantaged, as they do not benefit from the government incentives. These legislations however, are meant to facilitate free and fair trade among different players in the country (Lora 2007).
Labour laws
The law spell out the rights and freedoms of the workers. For international companies, the laws provide that at least 25% of the employees should from Brazil, with some in management and technical responsibilities. The constitution provides for formation of trade unions; for instance, the hospitality industry has a union where it advocates for its rights and the rights of employees (Lora 2007).
Taxation laws
Taxation laws are flexible in the country and have numerous deductions. Taxation laws govern the importation, daily operation and ownership of the property of the foreign companies within the country (The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) 2011).
Analysis
Since Burswood has to adhere to the rule of law of Brazil for business survival, it will have to train Brazilians in Australia for the relevant skills of its business in order to ensure at least 25% Brazilian employees at the onset of its operations. In its strategic planning, it will have to review its financial allocation to meet the taxation requirements in Brazil. In fact, it is essential for the company to contract services of local legal experts to acquaint their operations with the laws of Brazil.
Economic Environment
Interest rates
The interest benchmark in Brazil last showed an interest rate of 11.75%. Since 1999 to 2010, the COPOM has recorded an average interest rate of 17.22%. This in overall indicates a growth rate of 0.70% (IBGE 2011).
Inflation rates
Having recorded a change in trend in 2008 where the government reported an inflation of 5.9% and less in 2009, the economic growth rate was expected to grow at a rate of 7% in 2010. Since the inflation rates are gradually falling, the people’s purchasing power is also increasing and needs beyond necessities are growing (IBGE 2011).
Currency exchange rate
In Brazilian currency market, 1 US dollar costs 0.599136 BRL and sells at 1.66907 BRL. This indicates that Brazilian currency is among the strongest in terms of US dollar exchange 4.4 Free-market/command /mixed economies.
Brazil is a mixed economy country with the country’s economy driven by export sector, which is well developed, and deals with items like iron, aircrafts and foodstuffs. The country has well developed telecommunication and transport system with the internet and mobile communication rated as one of the most efficient (Kotabe and Kristiaan 2004).
Economic trends/forecasts
With the Real Plan of 1994 in place, the economy of Brazil has grown from three-figure inflation rates in 1994 to a projected growth of 7% in 2010. The continued forecasts on future political stability progressively provide a positive prediction in growth of the Brazilian economy (Lora 2007).
Tax policies
Series of changes in tax policies in Brazil have resulted into rise in tax burden for both businesses and individuals. By 2010, the country saw a rise in tax beyond 37 points, which is the largest in Latin America (IBGE 2011).
Analysis
With the economic situation, Burswood Entertainment is likely to enjoy a well-developed infrastructure, which will enhance its business operations such as advertisement and communication. The projected economic growth rate in Brazil offers the company a bright future. Since economic growth means expansion of international trade and growth in consumption, the companies’ profits in the foreign country, Brazil, will therefore increase and hence its overall business will expand.
Socio-cultural Environment
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Uncertainty avoidance
The society is classified to have a low tolerance to uncertainty; in the past, the country has had a high Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) of 76; this means that the people are risk averse; they are guided by laws and have high value for truth. High UAI means that the Brazilian society is reluctant to change (Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil 2011).
Power Distance Index (PDI)
In families, the noblest element of a society and the society itself, there is high levels of inequality in power distribution; Power Distance Index (PDI) is high with a score of above 80. This means that head of the family, the man has control over all other members of the family and further means that there is a great inequality in Brazil; the powerful stringently segregated from their followers (Geert Hofstede –itim 2009).
Collectivism Vs Individualism
The people of Brazil have minima ties among them, they interact for particular reasons and hardly do they stay in groups; it is an Individualism (IDV) country. It has high IDV in which individuals should independently look into their issues.
In collectivism, the society consists of cohesive groups in which the individuals are integrated in blood relationships. The country has men as the dominant group, they are perceived to be superior to women; their roles are different from those of men, because of their perceived Masculinity (MAS); Brazil has high MAS (Geert Hofstede –itim.2009).
Time orientation
The county has a Long-Term Orientation (LTO); this means it aims at respecting their tradition today as they prepare future generation to adopt and respect the cultural practices taught (Geert Hofstede –itim.2009).
Analysis
As long as Burswood entertainment adheres to the laws of Brazil and with high UAI, it is likely to capture a good niche of the market. The company should take advantage of the vast inequalities within the society and provide services for all levels of people in this society. This will require the management to design a variety of services to suit all levels of people. Since Brazil has high LTO the entertainment, Burswood should provide services, which promote and enhance culture among the generations. The success of the entertainment industry is indeed dependent on the prevailing social economic situation in the market.
Technological Environment
Technological infrastructure
Scientific invention and innovation has lead to new hardware and software that assist in business operation. Brazil strategically situated in respect to US enjoys access to computer softwares and systems for effective operations of businesses. Like any other country, Brazil is constantly investing in innovation of its systems. Brazil has the infrastructures and human resources to develop in-house software for the benefit of Burswood Entertainment, which depends on modern technology for its operations (Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil 2011).
Communication networks
As mentioned, Brazil has well-developed communication systems in mobile and internet communication systems.
Logistics networks
With highly developed road network, Road transport is the major means of transport in Brazil. Air transport, sea and railways are also other transport means available for businesses in Brazil (Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil 2011).
Analysis
Developed networks of transport and communication will enable Burswood to administer efficiently its operations in Brazil. Recruitment of qualified personnel requires effective transport and communication systems. With developed technology in computer systems, Burswood will be able to benefit from advantages of e-business.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
In the entertainment industry, Burswood Entertainment is one of the most renowned restaurants that offer quality and competitive products and services; it thus has taken strong roots in the industry. Its brand strength can be seen from the growing numbers of executives, business people, politicians and international customers continued support to the company.
To maintain the high quality and not to disappoint their customers, the restaurant have embarked on quality foods, high tech Casinos, pleasant environments, high tech customer service and always aims at giving its customers a memorable experience.
Other than employees, the company has vision-ally management teams willing and with the knowledge and expertise to drive the company to a completely new level. Financially the company has a strong financial base and good credit policy; this will assist the company access to loan facilities to finance its diversification (Burswood Entertainment Company Official website 2011).
Weakness
Though the entertainment industry is as old as humanity, the target customers that the company has are only the high-class people in the society: it thus loses market of the greatest population, middle and lower class people. Secondly, the company is skewed to one line of business, entertainment. It misses an opportunity to enjoy the goodies that are brought about by other sectors like accommodation (Burswood Entertainment Company Official website 2011).
Opportunities
The main opportunity that Brazil presents to Burswood is the increasing world living standards, people are developing fast and the demand for recreational services is on the rise. In Brazil, the countries high youthful population will offer market for the company’s products.
The most important thing in the market is to differentiate ones products among the many players. Cheap labour from the most educated youth in Brazil provides an opportunity for low cost operation of Burswood Entertainment. The country’s high technological advancement provides an opportunity for Burswood betterment of its services (Zahra, Ireland and Hitt 2000).
Threats
The world is recovering from financial crisis that started in 2007, Brazil is not an exemption to these effects and as a result, it is experiencing a slowed growth. The hospitality industry in Brazil, specifically the entertainment industry is undergoing massive changes, innovations and inventions: this has created an increase in competition in the industry, as companies search for competitiveness strategies.
Because of projection of economic growth and political stability in Brazil, analysts predict that more players in entertainment sector are likely to invest in Brazil and hence Burswood faces threat of being edged from the market. The growing technology is also a source of threat to Burswood business as it is likely to make its traditional entertainment systems obsolete and outdated, hence future risks of losing market (Hooley and John 1993).
Analysis
Burswood Entertainment financial standing, reputation and its brand name are strong elements that it can ride on in its expansion strategy, when these internal forces are tapped to take advantage of opportunities in Brazil, and then the company is likely to benefit a successful venture and an increased business.
The company has little to do to eliminate threats by the external world but can develop strategies to mitigate any losses. With expansion, the company can develop products targeting the middle and lower class so as it can enjoy an increased market.
Recommendations
From the analysis conducted, Brazil has an untapped market that Burswood Entertainment. The most important thing that the company should have is an effective market entry strategy and should have an open-mind: being open-minded will assist it adjust its strategies to fit the needs of the Brazilian market. Success in the entertainment industry depends with the quality of services that the company will offer as well as how its services will be updated.
In order to competent satisfactorily within this market, Burswood Entertainment should consider the following recommendations:
It should vastly invest in research and innovation in order to reduce chances of being squeezed off the market by technologically advanced modern entertainment companies.
Train as many local Brazilians as possible to take up most positions of the company. This will ensure the company’s products and services are in phase with the society needs.
Since Brazil is a diversified society with all levels of social settings, Burswood should provide innovative wide range of services, which suits all in terms of cost and quality.
Finally, Being a new company, then research should be embarked on to assist in product development and differentiation. Burswood Entertainment has minimal pollutants however manageable it at all they exist, so this factor cannot limit the company’s development. In close consideration of the above recommendations, the management should go ahead and expand its business to Brazil.
Conclusively, to develop an effective market entry strategy as well as making business strategic decisions, Burswood Entertainment needs to understand its internal strengths and weaknesses. The Understanding will help it tap opportunities offered by Brazilian market as it mitigates against possible threats in the market, Using management tools for internal analysis (S.W.O.T.) and external analysis (P.E.S.T.L.E.), will assist the management make sound decisions.
Brazilian P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis revealed that the country has a potential in the entertainment industry which Burswood Entertainment, on the other hand Burswood Entertainment has a strong financial standing and a strong brand name that can assist it enter the market effectively. Internal weakness can be solved through research and development whereas strategic measures are developed to mitigate external environment threats.
Burswood Entertainment Company Official website. 2011. Burswood Entertainment. Web.
Geert Hofstede –itim. 2009. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Web.
Hooley, Graham, and Saunders, John. 1993. Competitive Strategy: The Key to Marketing Strategy. New York: Prentice Hall.
Kotabe, Masaki, and Helsen Kristiaan.2004. Global Marketing Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Lora, Elias. 2007. Trends and outcomes in of tax reforms, in Lora, The state of state reform In Latin America. Washington, D.C: IADB-Stanford University Press.
Luiela-Magdalena, Csorba, Ţligan Eugenia, and Brînzan Oana. 2008. “International Marketing Strategy.” Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series 17, no. 4: 848-850. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). 2011. IPCA of February was 0.80. Web.
Zahra, Shaker A., R. Duane Ireland, and Michael A. Hitt. 2000. “International Expansion by new venture firms: international diversity, Mode of market entry, Technological learning and Performance.” Academy of Management Journal 43, no. 5: 925-950. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.
The hospitality industry is highly competitive with new players coming up and old ones developing new working strategies or approaches; to be competitive in the industry mostly in an international market, then there is need to have strategic decisions and ensure that scientific methods of decision-making are adopted[1].
Latin American countries are offering a good market for the hospitality industry thus Burswood Entertainment Company, an Australian base entertainment company wishes to venture in the country: Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and offers low barriers to entry. Despite the favourable entry environment in the country; a market entry strategy need to be developed; an effective entry strategy assists a company tap the new market potential successfully.
When developing an internal marketing entry strategy, a company need to undertake an external environment analysis using situational analysis tools like P.E.T.L.E. and an internal analysis using analysis tools like S.W.O.T. This paper undertakes a P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis of Brazilian market and S.W.O.T. analysis of Burswood Entertainment for the purposes of the company’s expansion.
Burswood Entertainment Company
Burswood Entertainment is an Australian based entertainment industry that has various entertainment industry modern facilities, they include Casinos, Sauna, massage parlours, restaurants, Gyms, bars, hotel, golf course, day spa, night clubs among others; it is situated in Swan River near the city of Perth, Western Australia. The company has a strong brand name and wishes to diversity its services and line of business to Brazil.
When in Brazil, the company will aim at offering similar services but will be offered by Brazilians who have undergone training and hand on experience in Australia; however for the introduction stage of the venture, Australians will be the main service provider so as they can set pace for the business.
P.E.S.T.L.E. Analysis
Political situation
The country has a democratic governance policy with three main arms of the government, the States, the Municipalities and the Federal District, each of the arms work for the general good of the country. The country has all its executive and legislative members elected while the judiciary members like judges are appointed after passing an exam.
When it comes to business, the administration of the country has made policies to facilitate fair trade among domestic and international companies. There are some businesses that are given incentives when venturing the market while others only enjoy industrial deduction relieve from taxes payable.
The growth of the country population and need for social amenities have necessitated the government to attract international hospitality industries entertaining companies; it does this through incentives like easy licensing, tax relieves and tax holidays and intellectual rights protection[2].
Economical
The economic growth rate is expected to grow at a rate of 7% in 2010, the country economy is driven by export sector is well developed and deals with items like iron, aircrafts and foodstuffs. The country has well developed telecommunication and transport system with the internet and mobile communication rated as one of the most efficient[3].
Looking at the economic situation, when Burswood Entertainment ventures in the market, then the company is likely to enjoy a well-developed infrastructures and the economic growth rate offers the company a bright future. The expansion of the economy and international trade will also work for the benefit of the company.
Technological
Scientific invention and innovation has lead to new hardware and software that assist in conducting business; Brazil has adopted the new technology from other countries and it is inventing and innovation of its own systems. Computers are used in different sectors in the hospitality industry; Brazil has the infrastructures and human resources to develop in-house software for the benefit of Burswood Entertainment, which depends on modern technology for its operations.
Social
The country is undergoing a positive population growth rate with the population expected to have been 190 million in 2009; the rate of population growth is expected to be at 1.05% with about 84% living in urban areas. Over sixty percent of the population are under the age of 45 years. Brazilian is known to be soft and not hostile to foreigners[4].
The society is classified to have a low tolerance to uncertainty; in the past, the countries has had an Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) of 76; this indicates that the people are risk averse, they are guided by laws and have high value for truth. In families, the most noble element of a society and the society itself, there is high levels of inequality in power distribution; Power Distance Index (PDI) is high. This means that head of the family, the man who has control over all other members of the family.
The people of Brazil have minima ties among them, they interact for particular reasons and handle do they stay in groups; it is an Individualism (IDV) country. The country has men as the dominant group, they are perceived to be superior to women; their roles are different from those of men, because of their perceived Masculinity (MAS).
The county has a Long-Term Orientation (LTO); this means it aims at respecting their tradition today as they prepares future generation to adopt and respect the cultural practices learnt [5].
The countries improved social economic status is likely to benefit the Burswood Entertainment venture since it will offer market for the company’s products ; the success of the entertainment industry is dependent on the prevailing social economic situation in the market thus with an increasing young population, the company is more likely to benefit.
Legal
The country supreme source of law is the constitution, which every person is expected to respect: it supports for respect of human rights in fields like employment, retirement and environment. These legislations are meant to facilitate free and fair trade among different players in the country.
The hospitality industry has a union where it advocates for its rights and the rights of employees. Taxation laws are flexible in the country and have numerous deductions that will benefit Burswood Entertainment. Burswood Entertainment has no option other that respects the rule of law operating in the country.
Ecological
The world has embarked on massive environmental conservation mechanism; Brazil has policies administered by its ministry of environment that aims at ensuring that the county’s ecology is protected by firms, companies, and individuals. The policies set are attainable so Burswood Entertainment should not have a problem in respecting the set standards and policies[6].
Analysis
Looking at the external environment as portrayed above, the Brazil has untapped market in the entertainment industry, the country has an effective governance system that is actively involved in the development of the country; with economic developments comes the issue of improved living standards of which will form a market for entertainment industry.
Burswood Entertainment has minimal pollutants in case of some they are manageable, so the factor cannot limit the company’s development. The management should go ahead and diversify in the economy.
S.W.O.T. Analysis
Strength
In the entertainment industry, Burswood Entertainment is one of the most renowned restaurants that offer quality and competitive products and services; it thus has taken strong roots in the industry. Its brand strength can be seen from the growing numbers of executives, business people, politicians and international customers continued support to the company.
To maintain the high quality and not to disappoint their customers, the restaurant have embarked on quality foods, high tech Casinos, pleasant environments, high tech customer service and always aims at giving its customers a memorable experience.
Other than employees, the company has vision-ally management teams willing and with the knowledge and expertise to drive the company to a completely new level. Financially the company has a strong financial base and good credit policy; this will assist the company access to loan facilities to finance its diversification.
Weakness
Though the entertainment industry is as old as humanity, the target customers that the company has are only the high-class people in the society: it thus loses market of the greatest population, middle and lower class people. Secondly, the company is skewed to one line of business, entertainment. It misses an opportunity to enjoy the goodies that are brought about by other sectors like accommodation
Opportunities
The main opportunity that the company has is the increasing world living standards, people are developing fast and the demand for recreational services is on the rise. In Brazil, the countries youthful population will offer market for the company’s products; the most important thing in the market is to differentiate ones products among the many players[7].
Threats
The world is recovering from financial crisis that started in 2007, Brazil is not an exemption to these effects and as a result, it is experiencing a slowed growth. The hospitality industry specifically the entertainment industry is undergoing massive changes, innovations and inventions: this has created an increase in competition in the industry, as the companies search for competitiveness strategies[8].
Analysis
Burswood Entertainment financial standing, reputation and its brand name are strong elements that it can ride on in its expansion strategy, when these internal forces are tapped to take advantage of opportunities in Brazil, and then the company is likely to benefit a successful venture and an increased business.
The company has little to do to eliminate threats by the external world but can develop strategies to mitigate any losses. With expansion, the company can develop products targeting the middle and lower class so as it can enjoy an increased market.
Recommendation
From the analysis conducted, Brazil has an untapped market that Burswood Entertainment can tap, the most important thing that the company should have is an effective market entry strategy and be open minded when in the community: being open minded will assist it adjust it strategies to fit the needs of the Brazilian market.
Success in the entertainment industry depends with the quality of services that the country will offer as well as how updated its services will be, however; Brazil may be ahead in the sector or lagging backwards, this should be interpolated to assist the company fit the level of the county. Being a new company, then research should be embarked on to assist in product development and differentiation.
Conclusion
To develop an effective market entry strategy as well as making business strategic decisions, Burswood Entertainment needs to understand its internal strengths and weaknesses. The Understanding will help it tap opportunities offered by Brazilian market as it mitigates against possible threats in the market, Using management tools for internal analysis (S.W.O.T.) and external analysis (P.E.S.T.L.E.), will assist the management make sound decisions.
Brazilian P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis revealed that the country has a potential in the entertainment industry which Burswood Entertainment, on the other hand Burswood Entertainment has a strong financial standing and a strong brand name that can assist it enter the market effectively. Internal weakness can be solved through research and development whereas strategic measures are developed to mitigate external environment threats.
Bibliography
Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil. 2011. Brasil. Web.
Burswood Entertainment Company Official website. 2011. Burswood Entertainment . Web.
Geert Hofstede –itim. 2009. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Web.
Hooley, Graham, and Saunders, John. 1993. Competitive Strategy: The Key to Marketing Strategy. New York: Prentice Hall.
Kotabe, Masaki, and Helsen Kristiaan. 2004. Global Marketing Management.New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Luiela-Magdalena, Csorba, Ţligan Eugenia, and Brînzan Oana. 2008. “INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY.” Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series 17, no. 4: 848-850. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost,.
Schrage, Michael.2010. Design, Innovation, Organizational Behavior. New York Times, A4.
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). 2011. IPCA of February was 0.80. Web.
Zahra, Shaker A., R. Duane Ireland, and Michael A. Hitt. 2000. “INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION BY NEW VENTURE FIRMS: INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY, MODE OF MARKET ENTRY, TECHNOLOGICAL LEARNING, AND PERFORMANCE.” Academy of Management Journal 43, no. 5: 925-950. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.
Footnotes
Schrage, Michael. 2010. Design, Innovation, Organizational Behavior. New York Times, A4.
Luiela-Magdalena, Csorba, Ţligan Eugenia, and Brînzan Oana. 2008. “INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY.” Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series 17, no. 4: 848-850. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.
Kotabe, Masaki, and Helsen Kristiaan. 2004. Global Marketing Management.New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Burswood Entertainment Company Official website. 2011. Burswood Entertainment . On-line.
Geert Hofstede –itim. 2009. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions.
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). 2011. IPCA of February was 0.80.
Zahra, Shaker A., R. Duane Ireland, and Michael A. Hitt. 2000. “INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION BY NEW VENTURE FIRMS: INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY, MODE OF MARKET ENTRY, TECHNOLOGICAL LEARNING, AND PERFORMANCE.” Academy of Management Journal 43, no. 5: 925-950. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.
Hooley, Graham, and Saunders, John. 1993. Competitive Strategy: The Key to Marketing Strategy. New York: Prentice Hall.
Introduction: Business and Technology Seize the Power
There can be no possible doubt that technologies rule the modern world, and that business is one of the most efficient ways to take one’s place under the sun.
In the present-day world, the role of social networking and modern leadership theories cannot be overestimated – with efficient management and a good use of social network, one is likely to reach the peak of his/her business career.
Taking a closer look at the way business works and learning more about its mechanisms can help understand the way business theories can be applied into practice.
One can possibly see the best way to handle a company and to succeed in the fast-changing world, learning about the typical mistakes that managers make to void them in future.
As for the business field which is most preferable to consider, it seems that the sphere of entertainment is the most popular at present, which makes it a perfect target for further exploration.
Analyzing an interview with a leader in the field of entertainment, one will be able to see the mechanism of the XXI century business and see what practices are the most efficient.
The Social Impact of Technology: When Media Rules the World
The impact of social media on the modern world is truly huge. Since social networking is one of the key means to learn more about a specific product, people rely much on online reviews, which can both pose quite a threat to a certain company and contribute to its success.
Facebook as the ultimate evil plan: people and their opinions
According to what the interviewee claimed, social networks such as Facebook and the like pose a considerable threat to the development of business.
When socializing online, the interviewee claimed, people can easily post negative comments about the company and its production without being detected, which can dent the customers’ confidence in the quality of the services.
Indeed, the concerns raised by the interviewed can be easily understood – there are certain pieces of evidence which show that people do post negative reviews about certain services which they have tried and which have not met their standards and expectations.
Although one might think that a humble opinion of a certain user will definitely sink in the avalanche of other more engaging news and hardly anyone will ever notice the negative review; yet there are proofs that negative product reviews in blogospheres and social networks have considerable impact on people’s idea of a company:
“An employer’s business reputation can be damaged by negative comments by individuals on their own social networking pages, or, more problematically, because of the issue of anonymity on those specifically formed networking groups” (Pickard, 2008, 68).
Therefore, it seems that social networking can be easily used against entrepreneurs and their business, causing considerable drops in the company revenues.
Counterarguments: about the rights to speak openly
Indeed, if considering the positive aspects of social networking, one must admit that it can work for the benefit of business and even promote the products of a certain company with tremendous success.
Indeed, if using the social networking wisely and think of the effect it can produce, one is likely to reinvent people’s perceptions of a certain company. As Hartley (2010) explains,
Social networking is the game changer for business. If you own or run a business of any kind, whether it’s a solo consulting practice or a worldwide enterprise employing thousands or workers, social networking is quickly becoming a key connection point between your business and your customers. (Hartley, 2010, 1)
Therefore, the negative effects of the social networking can be easily questioned; and, even though there are certain factors that can harm an enterprise, they can be easily counterpointed by the numerous positive effects.
Therefore, the idea expressed by the interviewed can be considered only partially valid. For a company which is going to stand firm on its feet, it is necessary to take into account not only the threatening factors, but also the issues which the given company can make a good use of to become even more successful.
Business and Professional Practice: Concerning the Managerial Issues
It goes without saying that team management is one of those pillars which corporate management stands on; the key principle of successful company leadership and an excellent way to bring the members of the company together, team management helps to make the working process flawless clockwork (Altfeld, 2010).
Thus, learning more about the advantages of working in a team and managing a team of employees rather than the work of individuals, one can possibly reach another stage of business enlightenment.
Bound by the same chains: motivation and team building
As the interviewee claimed, the idea of team management is the only possible way a company can work; once all employees work for the sake of the customer’s satisfaction, success is just around the corner.
Indeed, as Margerison (2002) says, the success of a company depends on the “overall team management contribution” (Margerison, 2002, 10).
The reverse side of team management: when togetherness fails
Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that the management by objectives can be used together with team management.
According to what James (2003) claims, the given approach can help reach the company’s key goals without putting the employees under the pressure of team work.
Conclusion: There Is Still a Long Way to Go
Therefore, it is clear that at certain point, the conventional approach does not prove as efficient as it could.
Unlike one might have thought, numerous social media which have become a part and parcel of the modern life can be both a huge benefit and at the same time a great disaster for the image of a company, depending on the information posed in blogs and social networks.
Likewise, the idea of team management might seem somewhat redundant and not necessarily suitable for all types of staff, since one might simply dislike all sorts of team-sprit-building activities, yet it does bring results to the company, increasing its revenues and making the people working there more devoted to the company.
On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the given results can be easily questioned when being used in a certain environment with very specific elements that do not fall under the conventional standards.
Hence comes the ambiguity of the given decisions and the conclusion that the situational management must be the ultimate and the most appropriate way to handle the company business, as well as the relationships among the staff.
Once choosing the right track is not enough – as time goes, the company must change.
Reference List
Altfeld, H.-H. (2010). Commercial aircraft projects: managing the development of highly complex products. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing.
Hartley, D. (2010). 10 steps to successful social networking for business. Alexandra, VA: American Society for Training & Development.
James, D. (2003). Team and personal development. Canterbury: Global Professional Publishing.
Margerison, C. J. (2002). Team leadership. Stamford, CN: Cengage Learning.
Pickard, M. (2008). Facilities management legal update 2008: Special report. Cambridge, UK: Workplace Law Publishing.
Children in the United Kingdom (UK) should be offered the right of entertainment as in Japan and other developed countries. Kidzania city in Japan is an exemplary case, where the entertainment of children is perceived seriously. Kidzania city does not only offer children entertainment services, but also offers the children an opportunity to explore and make their own decisions on their future careers.
In Kidzania city, children are given an opportunity to have an adults’ experience of the real world, where responsibility is the main issue being stressed on. For example, adults are not allowed to interact with their children during their stay in the Kidzania city. From this perspective, children in the UK can have the exact same experience as adults.
The UK has a viable market for Kidzania that will be looked at in the following paper. The viability of Kidzania in the UK is based on the fact that there is a viable market, a growing demand for entertainment among children, and the growing trends that focus on children care.
Size and growth of the UK market
According to statistics recorded by the Office of the National Statistics (ONS), the number of children aged between 2 to 13 years in the country remains steady, taking into account the immigrants’ children. Basically, the steady birth rates recorded in the UK, especially in most of the urban set-ups, give the Kidzania city a readily available market.
Moreover, the immigrants’ arrival in the UK is constant, taking into consideration the fact that most of the immigrants are comprised of young families looking for employment and education. Most of the UK citizens live in urban areas, and, thus, most of the children do not have places to have fun and rest when their parents are working.
Emerging trends
Children entertainment with electronic gadgets is one of the fastest growing phenomena in the UK and other developed countries. The UK is also regarded to be the place of a growing demand for parks, which children can visit in case of some social events, holidays, etc. However, the introduction of new kind of entrainment for children offered by Kidzania, presupposes a new entertainment trend that consists in the fact that the children are paid for working in an entertainment sphere. For instance, a child gets paid for being a waitress.
Competition analysis
The introduction of electronic education in the UK has been growing faster than it has been projected. As a matter of fact, electronic education formally known as e-learning, is not only being introduced in secondary and tertiary education, but also in primary and basic education. In almost every homestead, children starting from 9 years can use computers.
On the other hand, children’s health has been negatively impacted since the emergence of fast food and synthetically processed food stuff. This has negatively affected children nutrition, so a close consideration of the issue is also necessary. For the past decade, children in the UK have been given an unnecessary freedom on choice of the food consumption, which will impact their health in the long-term.
In addition, the children have been given the freedom to eat fatty food and snacks rather than eating fibers, proteins and vitamins. Nonetheless, Kidzania in the UK will be focusing on changing these nutritional trends by educating children on nutrition.
Most of the competition that Kidzania will get in the UK is expected from huge malls like the Spires Shopping Mall in London, and the already constructed parks that offer similar products and brands.
On the other hand, immigrants are going to be a significant target market, considering their rate and growth in the UK. Most of these immigrants are busy trying to settle down in the UK cities, paying not enough attention to their children’s upbringing. Therefore, Kidzania will offer alternatives to these families by entertaining and educating their children.
The 1st Entertainment Company is a small scale service-based company that specializes in providing venues and equipment for paintball matches. Aptly named “the 1st Paintball”, the facilities are located in Riyadh Saudi Arabia and are the first of their kind in their current location and as such have been drawing considerable attention due to the novelty that the sport provides for individuals 12 and up. The business itself is not an LLC (Limited Liability Company) but rather was formed as a result of a partnership agreement between several young Saudi Entrepreneurs.
What must be understood is that one of the ongoing trends in Middle East society today has been to send high school graduates of the Middle East educational system to various colleges and universities located in other countries to further their education. As a result, many international influences and cultural traditions tend to be brought back by such individuals resulting in new local trends within countries such as Saudi Arabia.
The creation of a company that focuses on paintball within a normally conservative state is one of the results of the sharing of international culture with residents and as such it has gained a considerable following within the country resulting in the creation of an official paintball club. As for why the owners entered into this specific type of business, this can be explained by the growing popularity of American culture (as referred to earlier regarding cultural sharing) and how the sport of paintball is generally well accepted in virtually all locations where it is established.
In the case of the 1st Entertainment company, it is rather ironic that their name coincides with the first mover principle wherein they were the first paintball company to establish itself within Riyadh (capital of Saudi Arabia). This in effect allowed the company to gain a dominant market share and considerable profits due to the effect of being the first mover into what could potentially be a growing type of entertainment genre within Riyadh.
Average Cost versus Profit Ratio
Cost = amount paid per month for maintaining the business
Profit = revenue for the month minus cost for the month
Example: Average revenue for 2010 is 60,000 while the average cost is 40,000. Profit, in this case, is revenue minus cost which is equivalent to 20,000
Further investigation reveals that there have been no other companies within Riyadh that have attempted this sort of venture in the past or the present and as such this further solidifies the dominant position of the company in what could become a decade long monopoly. On the other hand, it must be noted that Saudi Arabia does have a well-deserved reputation for conservatism and this presented itself during the company’s initial development phase.
What must be understood is that while Western culture has indeed been slowly integrating itself into the local Saudi Arabian culture the fact remains that various aspects of it are still largely unknown to large swaths of Saudi society. As such the initial establishment of a business venture that utilized guns to shoot at each other for the sport was initially met with a great deal of skepticism and little local support in the beginning.
Fortunately enough the entrepreneurs that began the venture utilized effective marketing campaigns in the form of print ads, television advertisements, online reviews, a company website as well as a general word of mouth to generate local interest for the venue. The result was booming business venture that today is one of the most visited venues in Riyadh resulting in the necessity for reservations due to the sheer scale of local demand.
Financial Performance of the 1st Entertainment
Presently, the 1st Paintball averages roughly 120 people within a given day (more on weekends) with an average of roughly $40 per customer. On a given day that is equivalent to $4,800 and within a month is equivalent to $144,000. Because the company doesn’t pay as many overhead costs on electricity since most of the facilities are located outside this results in a large percentage of the profits going directly to the owners of the company. It must also be noted that such numbers have been steadily increasing as seen in its performance in 2010 which averaged around 50 to 60 on a given day.
Customers Per day Comparison Between 2010 and 2011
This is indicative of the fact that as the popularity of the sport of paintball continues to grow within Riyadh the more likely it is that the number of customers on average that patronize the 1st Paintball will increase over the next couple of years. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the fact that the 1st Paintball has a considerable dominating position in the market today due to its location in Riyadh and the fact that it has marketed itself more prolifically as compared to other sporting companies within the country.
When examining the sheer amount of positive user rated views of the company online it can be seen that the financial performance of the company will certainly get better and increase over time as the number of its patrons continues to grow. It must be noted though that the 1st Entertainment Company does have plans to diversify its services beyond paintball to encapsulate other activities such as bungee jumping which it plans to include into its list of offerings. This is to prevent problems related to marginal utility and decreased consumer interest in the services of the company.
Examining the Business
As mentioned earlier, the 1st Entertainment is the first business of its kind in Riyadh and as such it came as a direct result of the entrepreneurial activity and wasn’t inherited or bought from a previous owner. One of the advantages of inheriting or purchasing an already established business is the fact that methods of supply, procurement, production as well as sales and customer service have already been established by the previous owner and as such entrepreneurs won’t have to worry about having to establish such systems themselves which can take considerable time and effort.
Another factor to take into consideration is the fact that established businesses already have a well-known reputation within a local community and as such results in constant customer patronage by long time customers of the business. It is usually the case that new businesses have to work hard to ingrain themselves into the awareness of members of the local community through various marketing campaigns which can cost considerable sums with the possibility of such activities having little impact on consumer brand awareness.
Another factor that should be noted is an institutional theory which states that consumers tend to patronize institutions that have been around for a long time as compared to new companies that have better services. This is due to the feeling of stability they gain from knowing that a particular company has been around for so long that it will probably continue to exist well into the future. Such a situation similarly impacts individuals who are part of a local community and as such shows how the perceived brand image of an old and well-established company helps to increase consumer patronage.
To resolve this issue some entrepreneurs buy an old established business and then subsequently change various aspects related to operations, marketing and production to better suit their needs. This enables them to create the processes they want to establish while at the same time take advantage of the brand image established by the previous owner. On the other hand, establishing a new business comes with several distinct advantages that a well-established business cannot necessarily obtain. One of these advantages is a distinct degree of flexibility and innovation regarding processes used for operations, production or even inspiration behind the business itself.
As can be seen in the case of the 1st Entertainment, which is a relatively new business, it was able to establish a unique and one of a kind service that most well-established businesses would not have been able to create themselves due to inherent limits in operational design. Not only that new businesses do not suffer from the inherent problem of reductions in marginal utility as seen in the theory of consumer behavior due to the uniqueness and the fact that such businesses are still viewed by the public as interesting services instead of boring establishments that they had visited several times in the past and are already tired of visiting in the present.
Not only that, but Meyvis and Cooke (2007) also explains that in case of several old businesses instances of tarnished reputations or negative consumer feedback regarding products or services associated with the brand image of that particular company often continue to “haunt” the new owners so to speak despite saying that a company is under new management and thus would put significant effort into improving products and services (Meyvis and Cooke, 200 – 207). Overall though, the choice as to purchase an existing business or to establish one on your own comes down to what an entrepreneur wants to be accomplished.
If they see an existing business and know of innovative methods and processes that can be utilized to improve the inherent operational capacity of the company then buying one that is already existing would be the best possible choice. On the other hand, if an entrepreneur is more inclined towards establishing a new type of business venture that isn’t present within the local area then it would be best to establish a new business. All of this hinges on what an entrepreneur perceives as the best and most profitable method of accomplishing their goals within their chosen market.
One of the unique aspects of markets in various international locations is that each has its advantages and disadvantages and as such influences the type of businesses that can be established in such locations (Lin and Juan, 1257 – 1268). For example, in the case of the Middle East, the sale of various types of air conditioners has and will continue to be a booming business due to the high temperatures within the region. On the other hand, selling heaters in the same market would result in few if any sales and as such show how the unique aspects of particular markets influence product sales and business decisions.
One of the main challenges in establishing a business within Saudi Arabia isn’t a lack of money (since banks in that particular region of the world are quite generous when it comes to loans) but rather in properly configuring new types of businesses with the old world conservatism that is prevalent within the country. It can be stated that while various aspects of western culture have been adapted into Saudi Arabia over the past couple of years in the form of western products and entertainment (i.e. movies, T.V. shows, etc.) there is still a certain degree of resistance over what is perceived as “intrusions” into the local Islamic culture.
Taking this into consideration establishing a business venture such as paintball which is both a western innovation and a sport that is relatively unknown within Saudi Arabia does present numerous challenges in the form of conservative ideas as well as skepticism regarding markets for such a business. It must also be noted that while paintball is a decidedly unisex sport in other countries around the world the fact remains that due to a certain degree of conservatism within Saudi Arabia women are not particularly permitted to be part of such activities with men. This not only limits the potent market for the 1st Entertainment Company but for other companies that enjoy a unisex consumer base in other countries but have a limited market share within Saud Arabia.
Strategies Employed to Overcome Business Challenges
As mentioned earlier one of the initial problems faced by the 1st Entertainment Company when establishing its business in Riyadh was a lack of local support as well as general skepticism from the local populace regarding the viability of the business which was relatively unknown at the time. To resolve this, the business utilized numerous print ads, TV advertisements, flyers and word of mouth to encourage people to try out the facilities. Prices were lowered during the opening weeks to entice customers. Another ploy utilize by the company was to depict paintball as a method in which friends could compete with each other in a controlled environment utilizing non-lethal guns.
Over time, their method of advertising and the company objective they focused on which was to establish a first-class venue for paintball eventually came to draw considerable local attention. What must be understood is that Saudi Arabia does have a prevalent and widely dispersed upper class who have quite literally exhausted all marginal utility that could be derived from local entertainment sources. The result is that such individuals often go to other countries and regions to experience new forms of entertainment. It was based on this predilection that the 1st Entertainment Company was able to capitalize on since it was able to establish a new form of entertainment in the heart of Saudi Arabia that various members of the upper class could enjoy without having to leave the country for extended periods.
This resulted in the creation of various competitive paintball teams and even a paintball club within the country which further increased the overall hype connected to the 1st Entertainment Company and its paintball venue. Over time the company became a well-established venue for paintball tournaments resulting in a considerable monopoly over the paintball business in Riyadh. It must be noted though that this examination of the strategies employed by the 1st Entertainment Company does not take into consideration strategies that resolve issues related to marginal utility and as such should not be considered a complete examination of all potential strategies that the company has pursued at the present.
Guiding Principles in Improving Business Performance
Brand Image
As Taute (2010) explains, a company’s brand image helps to enamor it to customers in that through a distinctive way of presenting the company’s products and services this enables it to distinguish itself from its competitors (Taute, 79 – 85). On the other hand, Weston (2002) explains that a brand image can also be utilized to popularize a company among a particular consumer demographic in that through the uniqueness of the brand image a consumer continues to remember the company and its brand long after the initial consumption of a product or use of a service from that company (Weston, 2002).
Examples of this can be seen in the brand image utilized by U.S. based Apple Inc. which has quite literally developed a cult following among millions of international consumers today. They did this by facilitating a brand image of distinctiveness and quality and further enhanced this by providing innovative products that subsequently created a whole new trend in ergonomic design, stylish looks and above all advanced technological capability. Within the Middle East, the telecommunication company Du which is based in the U.A.E has challenged the monopoly of Etisalat (a major internet and telephone provider which has been based in the U.A.E for decades) by providing cheaper services, better phones and above all as a new and “hip” brand image which has greatly facilitated greater consumer demand for Du’s services.
Another example can be seen in the case of the Philippines within South East Asia where the outsourcing company Convergys has in effect popularized jobs related to the customer service sector by presenting them in such a way that they appeal to new graduates of local colleges within the country. These and other examples, too numerous to mention, show the importance of developing a particular brand image to entice consumers, win over potential employees or stay ahead of the competition. As such, it is recommended for any company, newly established or not, to develop a brand image that appeals to the market segment they are targeting to facilitate a greater market share for the company.
Make it into an experience
In a documented interview, entrepreneurs Rob and Pablo, creators of “Snog”, a U.K. based chain of yogurt outlets, state the following regarding what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur “now we are in a recession and we see businesses that are successful I think the one thing you see that they all have is the experience which is the most important part in everything so we made sure that there was an experience”.
The “experience” that Rob and Pablo refer to is not just the quality of the product itself but what customers feel when they enter into a particular establishment. In the case of Snog, all their outlets have a warm and friendly ambiance which is not the only family-friendly but promotes, in their words, “a happy feeling” for customers.
Going back to the example of Apple Inc., it can be seen that all their stores, no matter what country they are present in, have a stylish and ergonomic design that looks “clean, modern and cutting edge” which has come to exemplify the experience of buying products at an Apple store. Based on the popularity of not only Snog but of Apple itself, it can be seen that by making their store into an “experience” rather than just a store; this helps to encourage buying behavior among their clientele and even repeat visits. As such, for any business that wants to increase its customer base, it is important to develop the experience, its venue provides to appeal better to consumers and create repeat business.
Customers of the 1st Entertainment
Customers of the 1st Entertainment range from 12 to 40 years of age yet on average, the age demographic that patronizes the venue consists of customers aged from 14 to 28. This is because playing paintball has always appealed to a young physically active demographic, and as such, it is not surprising that the age demographics for playing paintball in Riyadh match those in other global locations. It must be noted though that the one major difference between paintball in Riyadh and other countries is the fact that it is gender-specific and class-specific. As mentioned earlier, Saudi Arabia has a distinctly conservative society based on Islamic law.
That is why Arabic women are not expected to participate in certain activities involving a primarily male demographic. This results in mostly male customers coming to the paintball fields of the 1st entertainment with women usually standing on the sidelines acting as the caretakers of children or just coming along since they are bored at home. Aside from this, playing paintball at the 1st Entertainment can be also considered class-specific due to the high prices that the company charges. On average, prices for equipment rental, paintballs, and other miscellaneous costs can run-up to an average of $40 to $80 per person per session and as such is not within the price range for a large percentage of the population in Riyadh.
As such, most customers who go to the 1st Paintball are usually male and well off in terms of the specific social class they belong to. To promote itself with the local community in Riyadh, the 1st Entertainment utilizes a combination of print ads, TV advertisements, flyers and word of mouth to entice people to try paintball as a recreational activity. Aside from traditional methods of brand promotion, the company also utilizes out-of-the-box techniques, such as holding tournaments for local teams in Riyadh to increase the popularity of the venue as the “go-to-place” for young individuals to enjoy a unique form of entertainment in Saudi Arabia.
Customers and the Product
The main reason why people go to the 1st Paintball is that it is a novel form of entertainment in what is usually a highly conservative society. The level of competitive play, camaraderie, and competition does tend to attract a decent following in various paintball fields located in various international locations with the same sort of occurrence happening within the facilities of the1st Entertainment in Riyadh.
As mentioned earlier, the 1st entertainment was one of the original founding companies of paintball in Riyadh and as such has helped to grow the popularity of paintball within the past few years. As a result, more and more customers tend to garner significant levels of interest in the company and the sport continues to grow within Saudi Arabia. It must be noted though that some of the benefits that customers of 1st Entertainment expect out of the company is that the rented equipment works properly and that the company continues providing ever more challenging terrain to introduce a certain degree of variability in the field scenarios that they play in.
Negative Aspects Related to the Business
One of the things I dislike about 1st Entertainment is that it neglects to take advantage of what could be an excellent money-making opportunity by having several restaurants within its premises. The company merely provides customers with a venue where they can play paintball yet it is seen in most cases where customers exert some form of physical activity over an extended period they tend to get hungry.
By either renting out spaces within the company’s location or creating their restaurants, the company could have catered to these hungry clients and thus increase the level of profit they gain per visit. For me, this is a wasted opportunity that the company should find some way to resolve to better improve their services. Another noticeable problem is the fact that there are a limited number of area scenarios within the venue despite the large lot where the paintball fields are located. Area scenarios come in the form of a diverse number of obstacles that can be placed to make a game of paintball more challenging.
This can come in the form of either ditches, tunnels, buildings or an assortment of other constructs that can be placed in the environment. While the paintball areas of the 1st Entertainment are first rated, they tend to be repetitive, and over an extended period, this may cause boredom amongst its clientele due to the effects of marginal utility. Taking this into consideration, it is advised that the company expands its current area scenarios to include a certain degree of diversity to provide more challenges and thus more excitement for its clientele. The third problem that limits the number of customers that come to the 1st Paintball is the fact that the prices are well above the norm for the sport of paintball. With prices ranging from $40 to $80 per person per session, the prices are way too high to entice a much wider consumer demographic.
(This chart shows that on average during promotional periods where rates are below $10 a person the result is a far higher ratio of Middle and Poor class customers that utilize the facilities as compared to instances where normal prices are evident.)
What the company must realize is that to ensure continued profitability that must expand its current consumer base to include a diverse array of consumers from different economic classes. The high price limits the company’s ability to do and thus should be changed to resolve this issue. The last problem with the company is inherent problems with its team registration system. There have been several complaints over the past few months regarding the system used for registration and as such should be fixed to create a far smoother and less troublesome method of registration for consumers. Should such problems be fixed it can be assumed that the 1st Entertainment Company will be able to create a profitable business that should exist for many years to come.
Source of Business
One potential source of business that I could pursue is to create an import company that specializes in shipping into Riyadh various delicacies from South East Asian countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. This could come in the form of fresh fruits, dried fish, bottled native products and an assortment of other edible food stuffs that can be legally imported into country. The reasoning behind this particular type of business is based on the fact that many citizens within Saudi Arabia tend to get tired of continuously consuming the same type of food day in and day out. As such by importing new types of Asian foreign delicacies this would address the need for different kinds of food products to satisfy the palates of the local consumer market.
Key Factors in a Successful Business
Focus on Quality
One of the most important factors in creating and maintaining a successful business is a focus on quality and ensuring that any product bought by a customer is not the result of inferior production or workmanship. What must be understood is that customers tend to patronize businesses that shows that they care about their customer by ensuring that the strictest measures are followed in product quality (Philip, 118 – 136). In instances where a company has failed to live up to the expectations of consumers regarding the overall quality of a product, it is often seen that such companies tend to lose customers in droves (Philip, 118 – 136).
This was seen in various technology companies such as Dell that neglected to implement proper quality control measures on its motherboards resulting in several computers being sold whose motherboards leaked chemicals when overheated. Such a fiasco was a nightmare for Dell and ruined its reputation with several of its customers in effect sending them to other companies as a result. It is based on this that it can be seen that a focus on quality is an important aspect for any company to follow to grow and maintain its consumer base.
Adapting to Changes in Business Environments
Another factor that businesses should take into consideration is adapting to changes within local business environments. What must be understood is that businesses do not operate within a vacuum, and as such, it becomes necessary to observe that it occurs within local business environments and responds accordingly (Philip, 118 – 136). This can come in the form of expanding during times of economic prosperity or cutting back and outsourcing specific aspects of the company’s operations during lean economic times.
Not only that, companies should be prepared to respond to changing consumer trends to stay relevant lest they fall into obscurity and stagnation (Philip, 118 – 136). Such a situation occurred in the U.S. between Netflix and Blockbuster wherein Blockbuster continued to stick to its original business model despite changing consumer habits regarding using the internet. The result was that Blockbuster in effect lost its dominant market position to Netflix and has been plummeting in value ever since. It is based on this and other similar instances that the necessity of observing and responding to change shows its importance for any company that wishes to stay relevant in its chosen market.
Works Cited
Lin, Chin-Tsai, and Pin-Ju Juan. “measuring location selection factors for international resort parks.” Quality & Quantity 44.6 (2010): 1257-1270. Web.
Meyvis, Tom, and Alan D. J. Cooke. “Learning from mixed feedback: anticipation of the future reduces appreciation of the present.” Journal Of Consumer Research 34.2 (2007): 200-211. Web.
Philip, Mathew. “Factors Affecting Business Success Of Small & Medium Enterprises (Smes).” Amity Global Business Review 6.1 (2011): 118-136. Web.
Taute, Harry. “Consumer Racial Profiling In Retail Environments: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Impact On Brand Image.” Journal Of Brand Management 18.1 (2010): 79-96. Web.
Weston, Sue. “Tackling Your Image.” NZ Business 16.1 (2002): 30. Web.
The entertainment industry develops under the circumstances of economic uncertainty. The uncertainty arises from the companies’ constant formation, merging, re-forming, and dissolving. (Entertainment Law – Contracts) Certain risk always exists due to the constant changes in consumers’ tastes that determine the popularity of some artists and their performances and the failure of others. To reduce the economic risk to the minimum the entertainment industry relies on contracts (Entertainment Law – Contracts).
Various contracts either between firms or between firms and artists also exist to establish a cumulated advantage process in the industry. The contracts are based on the basic economics of the media industry – production, distribution, and promotion. The success of these processes determines whether the firms and artists can survive in the entertainment industry or not.
Speaking about contracts between artists and firms we should say that artists usually find an attorney or personal managers to get professional help before negotiating a contract with a firm. In general, the function of a personal manager consists in guiding various aspects of an artist’s career (Entertainment Law – Unique Aspects). The functions of personal managers differ throughout the artist’s career. At the beginning of the artist’s career, the manager performs the functions of agent, publicist, contract negotiator, or emotional counselor; in further stages of the artist’s career, the manager is responsible for dealing with specialists who handle various aspects of the artist’s career (Entertainment Law – Unique Aspects). As for the attorney’s role in the artist career, his or her functions include “conducting litigation, giving business advice, protecting intellectual property, and negotiating contracts.” (Entertainment Law – Unique Aspects)
In Jacob Slichter’s work So You Wanna Be a Rock &Roll Star one sees an example of how the drummer found an attorney and manager before negotiating a contract with Elektra. “Thus armed with an attorney and a manager, we began our negotiation with Elektra.” (Slichter, 2005, p. 35) After the negotiation with Elektra, the firm lends money for making an album. Since the band lends money from the firm, the firm signs a contract with them; they demand to allot a large amount of the profit of the album to pay for a producer, writer, and publisher, etc.
It means that to recover the fixed cost of their album, the album should become very popular: “We wouldn’t see one penny in sales revenue until we sold so many CDs that our slim percentage earned enough to pay off the entire recoupable debt.” (Slichter, 2005, p. 36) However, regarding the number of people who want to get into the industry, it is not that easy to become successful in the media market.
One of the factors that determine one’s becoming a superstar is promotion. This process consists of broadcasting the information about the item to be sold on profitable conditions. One of the reasons artists promote their products is to manage the uncertainty factor. Since they are not sure of their success, they promote their products to increase them as much as possible. Also, promotion highlights the artist’s proficiency, establishes his or her credibility, admits the artist’s style and personality, and maximizes his or her emergence in the public eye. Through the promotion of his/her business, the artist establishes one’s expertise and differentiates oneself from the competition (Media & Marketing, 2005, p. 33).
When artists negotiate contracts with media companies, they need to determine fixed costs and marginal costs. A fixed cost is a required cost when the item is produced and a marginal cost is a cost for the finished product to run the business. For example, in the media industry, they need a lot of money when they make a book. Also, they need marginal cost when they print their books and sell them to customers. Therefore, individual artists loan money from firms and negotiate contracts that cover their loans with the profit of their products. “As money from the sales of our records came in, we would be allotted a percentage of the proceeds, known as point.” (Slichter, 2005, p. 35) It means that the individual artists need to earn a lot of money to cover their loans.
Often contracts occur between firms. To succeed in the entertainment industry, firms need to increase the number of items produced. If we consider, for example, the filmmaking industry we will observe that firms from this sphere should increase the number of films they produce to have at least one movie as a hit.
It often happens that the movie company has to resort to some capital from another movie company. However, the rich company does not lend the full amount of money. For example, ER needs 3 million to make an episode, but NBC is only paying 2.4 million because ER is going to earn a great sum of money through re-run or making DVDs. Therefore, the companies negotiate a contract beneficial for both; the rich company demands promoting its product through the completed movie. It calls revenue streams that recoup the fixed cost from the other profit of the product. The rich company can promote its product at no cost.
To recoup the fixed cost of the product, it should have some level of the marginal cost needed. If marginal cost is too low, a lot of problems occur. Piracy is a pathological form of low marginal cost. Since pirates do not have to recoup for fixed costs, they have very low marginal costs to get a profit themselves.
In Edward Jay Epstein’s article Wal-Mart and the Shanghai Pirate (2006) we find an illustration of the mentioned above. The author states that “the video pirates of Shanghai, China, have developed an amazingly successful business model for exploiting the home market.” (Epstein) The article demonstrates the exploitation of the market with the low marginal cost of CDs: “The DVDs cost about $1.25, which is less than a movie ticket in Shanghai. As a result of this aggressive pricing, people in China rarely go to movie theaters.” (Epstein)
To survive longer in the entertainment industry, firms need to save some money on the marginal cost of the product. Thus, they merge and this helps them to save the marginal cost.
In addition, firms negotiate merging contracts with the purpose to get more profits for both and to manage the risk of failure. Synergy is one of the ways to increase the firms’ profit. “Synergy is a cooperation between and among divisions, creating opportunities by working together that would have been impossible working apart.” (Williams, 2002, p. 453) Cross-promotion is one of the synergy forms. It means promoting the sister companies’ products at no cost. For example, McDonald’s offers toys when kids order Happy Meal. The toys are mostly the characters from Disney movies. Mc Donald is promoting Disney when Disney promotes Mc Donald. Mc Donald does not pay transaction costs to Disney using their characters in the Happy Meal set.
Thus, contracts between firms and firms and individuals if appropriately handled bring profit to both parties. The knowledge of such concepts as fixed and marginal costs, uncertainty, the distribution of success, synergy, effective promotion, etc. and the proper use of this knowledge inevitably results in the firms’ and individuals’ success.
Media & Marketing: MEDIA TYPES Self-Promotion – Something to Shout about? the Value of Boosting Your Business Yourself Came under the Spotlight at a Media and Marketing Nosh and Think-Tank at the Birmingham Post’s Weaman Street HQ. Here Kay Cadman, of Birmingham’s Core Marketing, Promotes the Promoters. (2005, September 12). The Birmingham Post (England), p. 33.
Slitcher, Jacob. (2005). So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer’s Life. Broadway.
Williams, D. (2002). Synergy Bias: Conglomerates and Promotion in the News. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 46(3), 453.
Hiring practice is focused on evaluating resumes of applicants for essential requirements, which include review analytical skills besides academic credentials. In most cases, the process is systematic, and through an aptitude test, elimination of those lacking analytical skills is possible with minimal prejudice or biases. The main idea of a selection procedure is to assess information about applicants in order to determine their fitness for employment. The current employee recruitment and selection at most companies in the entertainment industry is characterized by an effective and procedural system that is completed when the employee is fully integrated into the organization framework. This paper attempts to profile 50 companies in the entertainment industry in terms of their business activities, physical location, contacts, website, and a number of employees. Each company is profiled independently with relations to business activities and location.
Profiling Fifty Companies
Capitol Films
Areas of Business: Film production, film distribution, and film marketing. The company is also successful in special feature documentaries.
Company’s full address: 4150 Arch Dr., Suite 135, Studio City, CA, 91604, Los Angeles.
Company’s contact numbers: (647) 830-6459
Number of employees: The Company has approximately 870 employees across its five subdivisions.
DreamWorks Animation
Areas of Business: Animated films, featured documentaries, and motion picture films. The company has established a successful production brand for a series of motion picture films.
Areas of Business: The Company’s line of business is divided into films, series, animation, and cartoons. The main divisions of the company are 20th Century Fox Animation, Fox Atomic, Fox Interactive, Fox 2000 Films, and Fox Television Studios. The company specializes in film distribution as known for having successfully distributed films such as Avatar, Modern Family, Bones, and the recent Planet of the Apes, among others.
Company’s full address: The physical address of the company is Fox Plaza in Century City, Los Angeles.
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 449-3000
Number of employees: 4,140
Blue Skies Studio
Areas of Business: Film production, animation, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: One American Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut 06831, California.
Company’s contact numbers: Voice: 203-992-6000 and Fax: 203-992-6001
Number of employees: 678
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Areas of Business: Film production and film distribution
Company’s full address: MGM Studios Inc., 245 N Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 449-3000
Number of employees: 670
United Artists Entertainment
Areas of Business: Film production, distribution, and television. The company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 21700 Oxnard St Ste 1000, Woodland Hills, CA 91367-3668
Company’s contact numbers: (818) 593-4000
Number of employees: 1200
Orion Pictures Corporation
Areas of Business: Film production, distribution, and television. The company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 245 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-5319
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 449-3000
Number of employees: 860
American International Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production, film marketing, documentary features, and television.
Company’s full address: 14242 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-2771
Company’s contact numbers: (818) 789-3345
Number of employees: 1150
Filmways
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 245 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-5319
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 449-3000
Number of employees: 160
Tyler Perry Studio
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 541 10th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Company’s contact numbers: (404) 222-6448
Number of employees: 120
Universal Studios
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music.
Company’s full address: 230 California St Ste 405, San Francisco, CA 94111-4335
A number of employees: The entertainment group has more than 4,000 employees distributed across its seven subsidiaries in the US.
Eon Productions
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: Eon House, 138 Piccadilly, London, W1V 9FH, England
Company’s contact numbers: 0207 4937953
Number of employees: 950
Focus Features
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in film production and distribution across the US and the rest of the globe.
Company’s full address: 2001 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 773-3343
Number of employees: 350
Relative Media
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in film production, music production, and film distribution across the US.
Company’s full address: 9242 Beverly Blvd Ste 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-3731
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 246-0119
Number of employees: 340
Paramount Pictures
Areas of Business: Paramount Pictures Company is one of the oldest film production and distribution companies in the US. The company specializes in film production, television broadcasting, and animation/cartoons production.
Company’s full address: 7150 Hayvenhurst Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406-3806
Areas of Business: The Company offers movie library services at the convenience of customers as a movie collection store.
Company’s full address: 2623 W Woodland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92801-2628
Company’s contact numbers: (714) 527-2804
Number of employees: 300
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 10202 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232-3119
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 244-4000
Number of employees: 2,300
TriStar Pictures
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in film production, music production, and film distribution across the US.
Company’s full address: 7150 Hayvenhurst Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406-3806
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 280-8000
Number of employees: 450
Sony Pictures Classic
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 10202 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232-3119
Company’s contact numbers: (818) 543-0755
Number of employees: 1340
Screen Gems
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in the production of animation films besides being the sole distributor of its productions
Company’s full address: 250 W Crest St Ste A, Escondido, CA 92025-1715
Company’s contact numbers: (760) 745-5184
Number of employees: 185
Triumph Films
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 10202 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232-3119
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 280-8000
Number of employees: 890
Destination Films
Areas of Business: Film production, distribution, and television
Company’s full address: 1142 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5335
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 802-1138
Number of employees: 780
Warner Bros Pictures
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music.
Company’s full address: 2001 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 773-3343
Number of employees: 8,000
Castle Rock Entertainment
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 9169 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-3129
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 888-3599
Number of employees: 4,000
New Line Cinema
Areas of Business: Film production and distribution. The company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 2001 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 888-3599
Number of employees: 3,400
Warner Home Video
Areas of Business: Film distribution and production, advertisement agency, and animation production.
Company’s full address: 1701 Lemoyne Ave, Syracuse, NY 13208-1327
Company’s contact numbers: (315) 455-1604
Number of employees: 2,300
Picturehouse
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in film production, music production, and film distribution across the US.
Company’s full address: 9965 Leroy Pavilion Rd, Pavilion, NY 14525-1452
Company’s contact numbers: (585) 768-7880
Number of employees: 1,800
Walt Disney Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production and distribution. The company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Areas of Business: Motion pictures production and animation. The company is also proactive in television broadcasting and production of family series films.
Company’s full address: 1200 Park Avenue, Emeryville, California 94608
Company’s contact numbers: (510) 922-3000
Number of employees: 3,500
Marvel Studios
Areas of Business: The Company deals in movies, video games, television broadcasting, cosmetics, and online shop. Most of these products are offered online through the company’s website.
Company’s full address: Marvel Entertainment, LLC, 135 W. 50th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10020
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 888-3599
Number of employees: 2,000
Touchstone Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution. The distribution channel of the company is one of the best in the US and beyond.
Company’s full address: 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 773-3343
Number of employees: 2,000
Hollywood Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production and distribution. The company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California
Company’s contact numbers: (760) 346-1355
Number of employees: 1,500
Miramax Pictures
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production. Among the notable activities within the company include special feature production and marketing of vintage films.
Company’s full address: Santa Monica, California
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 727-2124
Number of employees: 2,000
Lions Gate Entertainment
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music. The company has seven subsidiaries across the US.
Company’s full address: 2700 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA
Company’s contact numbers: 310-449-9200
Number of employees: 636
Artisan Entertainment
Areas of Business: Film production and distribution. The company specializes in a series of entertainment products and services such as film, broadcasting, music production, and animation/cartoon production.
Company’s full address: 2700 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA
Company’s contact numbers: 310-449-9200
Number of employees: 560
The Weinstein Company
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: LLC, 135 W. 50th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10020
Company’s contact numbers: 310-449-9200
Number of employees: 800
Dimensions Films
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution. Animation production is the most popular product of the Dimensions Films Company.
Company’s full address: 2700 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA
Company’s contact numbers: 310-449-9200
Number of employees: 350
CBS Films
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution. The company has more than six subsidiaries in the UK, Japan, Canada, and the US.
Company’s full address: 4024 Radford Ave, Studio City, CA 91604-2101
Company’s contact numbers: (818) 655-5000
Number of employees: 600
Mercury Radio Arts
Areas of Business: Theatrical production, film production, radio broadcasting, and film distribution. Radio broadcasting is the most popular product in the company, especially in the US market.
Company’s full address: The Blaze, 1133 Ave. of the Americas, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10036
Company’s contact numbers: 888-900-3393
Number of employees: 700
Yari Film Group
Areas of Business: Film production and distribution. The company has a mix of religious and secular films. The company is also renowned for producing long series films.
Company’s full address: 10850 Wilshire Blvd, 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 689-1450
Number of employees: 600
Troma Entertainment
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music.
Company’s full address: Lloyd Kaufman Autograph, 36-40 11th Street, Long Island City, NY 11106 USA
Company’s contact numbers: 718-391-0110
Number of employees: 560
Summit Entertainment
Areas of Business: Film distribution and production, advertisement agency, and animation production.
Company’s full address: 938 E., Swan Creek Rd, Suite 167, Fort Washington, MD 20744
Company’s contact numbers: 301-979-7641
Number of employees: 900
Strand Releasing
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 6140 W Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Areas of Business: The Company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution.
Company’s full address: 202 N Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA, 90210, United States
Company’s contact numbers: (310) 858-7472
Number of employees: 400
Gener8Xion Entertainment
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music.
Company’s full address: 7095 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 1260, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
Company’s contact numbers: (323) 874-9888
Number of employees: 17
World Wide Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution. As the name suggests, the company has expanded its area of operations into the US from its head office in the UK.
Company’s full address: 103 The Timber Yard, Drysdale Street, London, N1 6ND
Company’s contact numbers: 020 7613 6580
Number of employees: 300
Promenade Pictures
Areas of Business: Specializes in long and short Christian film production and distribution across the US and beyond. The Christian films are sold online and offline by the company across the US and beyond.
Company’s full address: 770 Dennery Rd, San Diego, CA 92154-8400
Company’s contact numbers: (619) 662-2698
Number of employees: 120
Sherwood Pictures
Areas of Business: The Company deals in music and film production across the US. The company also acts as a distribution center for its films and music. The company produces both religious and secular films that target the entire family audience.
Company’s full address: 2201 Whispering Pines Road, Albany, Georgia
Company’s contact numbers: (229) 883-1910
Number of employees: 20
Possibility Pictures
Areas of Business: Film production, television broadcasting, animation, and film distribution. The productions of the company are based on religious themes and mainly target the Christian audience.
Company’s full address: 189 South Orange Avenue – Suite 1700, Orlando, Fl 32801
Company’s contact numbers: 407-412-9212
Number of employees: 10
Producers Releasing Corporation
Areas of Business: The company specializes in entertainment services such as music production, film production, television broadcasting, and film distribution. The company operates on online and offline platforms and is renowned for the variety of films and series of entertainment services.
Company’s full address: 7324 Santa Monica Blvd, California
Company’s contact numbers: (619) 662-2698
Number of employees: 29
Conclusion
Most of the companies profiled are based in the US and fall within the film production and distribution industry. Interestingly most of these countries are located in California and operate in the same business environment. Among the profile companies, the most outstanding organizations to work in are Sony Entertainment Pictures, Lions Gate Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Universal Distribution, and Warner Bros Pictures since these organizations have a dynamic organizational culture.
