Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism Research Paper

Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism - Research Paper Example It was a peaceful religion with brotherhood and kindness, taking precedence over the activities of daily living. Although many have considered it a type of pre-cursor to monotheism; there is no proof that it was; neither was it polytheism. It was actually a quasi-blend of the two more associated with the New Age religions, also known as henotheism. Atenism as Related to Henotheism, Monotheism, and Polytheism Initially one can say there are elements of monotheism, polytheism, and henotheism intrinsic to the ancient Egyptian religion of Atenism. In taking a closer look, Atenism is not polytheism, the worship of many gods and goddesses, or monotheism, the worship of one close and personal god, exclusive of all others, but more closely related to henotheism, a blend of the two where there is one main deity, either with multiple manifestations and names, or one main deity with many associates. While early Egyptologists felt that Atenism was a predecessor of monotheism, there has been no p roof linking that cult with today’s traditional monotheistic beliefs. (Lawlor, 2007) Atenism is the religion associated with the worship of Aten, the sun disk, who until about the 12th century B.C., was just one of the many gods and goddesses associated with ancient Egyptian religion. ... worship of other gods was permitted; however within five years of its introduction; Atenism had become the supreme religion with only one Supreme Being worshipped. During this time, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaton, Glorious Spirit of the Aten, beneficial to Aten. He then proceeded to build a new city in honor of Aten, Akhenaten, the horizon of the sun disc; it is near what is known today as Amarna, between Thebes and Memphis in the Valley of the Kings. There is some speculation that since pharaohs were thought to be deity personified that perhaps Akhenaton was, as well, the messenger person for Aten. (Geller,2002) With the installation of Aten, nine years from the beginning of Akhenaton’s reign, all traces of Amun, the previous supreme deity, were erased even to the point of chiseling the inscription off of temples, statues and entering tombs to remove all traces of the former deity. This was a common practice aimed at removing the old and instituting the new as tho ugh the old never existed; it continues with Egyptian history today, as the national history books are re-edited with the installation of new leaders, showing the previous leaders as ineffective and requiring replacement. (Geller, 2002) In Atenism, God is seen as loving and beneficent, protecting and supporting his people through his very presence, which is real enough, though not personally involved. He is not seen as authoritarian, judgmental, and justice-oriented. The worship of idols was banned, and all references to Aten in written form were shown using a sun disk whose rays culminated in upraised hands. Later, Akhenaton permitted it to be written phonetically; a symbol of his radicalism in the new religion.

Themes, Motifs and Symbols for the Twelfth Night Essay Example for Free

Themes, Motifs and Symbols for the Twelfth Night Essay Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy, and romantic love is the play’s main focus. Despite the fact that the play offers a happy ending, in which the various lovers find one another and achieve wedded bliss, Shakespeare shows that love can cause pain. Many of the characters seem to view love as a kind of curse, a feeling that attacks its victims suddenly and disruptively. Various characters claim to suffer painfully from being in love, or, rather, from the pangs of unrequited love. At one point, Orsino depicts love dolefully as an â€Å"appetite† that he wants to satisfy and cannot, at another point; he calls his desires â€Å"fell and cruel hounds†. Olivia more bluntly describes love as a â€Å"plague† from which she suffers terribly. These metaphors contain an element of violence, further painting the love-struck as victims of some random force in the universe. Even the less melodramatic Viola sighs unhappily that â€Å"My state is desperate for my master’s love.† This desperation has the potential to result in violence—when Orsino threatens to kill Cesario because he thinks that Cesario has forsaken him to become Olivia’s lover. Love is also exclusionary: some people achieve romantic happiness, while others do not. At the end of the play, as the happy lovers rejoice, both Malvolio and Antonio are prevented from having the objects of their desire. Malvolio, who has pursued Olivia, must ultimately face the realization that he is a fool, socially unworthy of his noble mistress. Antonio is in a more difficult situation, as social norms do not allow for the gratification of his apparently sexual attraction to Sebastian. Love, thus, cannot conquer all obstacles, and those whose desires go unfulfilled remain no less in love but feel the sting of its absence all the more severely. The Uncertainty of Gender Gender is one of the most obvious and much-discussed topics in the play. Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s so-called transvestite comedies, in which a female character—in this case, Viola—disguises herself as a man. This situation creates a sexual mess: Viola falls in love with Orsino but cannot tell him, because he thinks she is a man, while Olivia, the object of Orsino’s affection, falls for Viola in her guise as Cesario. There is a clear homoerotic subtext here: Olivia is in love with a woman, even if she thinks he is a man, and Orsino often remarks on Cesario’s beauty, suggesting that he is attracted to Viola even before her male disguise is removed. This latent homoeroticism finds an explicit echo in the minor character of Antonio, who is clearly in love with his male friend, Sebastian. But Antonio’s desires cannot be satisfied, while Orsino and Olivia both find tidy heterosexual gratification once the sexua l ambiguities and deceptions are straightened out. Yet, even at the play’s close, Shakespeare leaves things somewhat murky, especially in the Orsino-Viola relationship. Orsino’s declaration of love to Viola suggests that he enjoys prolonging the pretence of Viola’s masculinity. Even after he knows that Viola is a woman, Orsino says to her, â€Å"Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times / Thou never should’st love woman like to me.’’ Similarly, in his last lines, Orsino declares, â€Å"Cesario, come— / For so you shall be while you are a man; / But when in other habits you are seen, / Orsino’s mistress, and his fancy’s queen.† Even once everything is revealed, Orsino continues to address Viola by her male name. We can thus only wonder whether Orsino is truly in love with Viola, or if he is more enamoured of her male persona. The Folly of Ambition The problem of social ambition works itself out largely through the character of Malvolio, the steward, who seems to be a competent servant, if prudish and dour, but proves to be, in fact, a supreme egotist, with tremendous ambitions to rise out of his social class. Maria plays on these ambitions when she forges a letter from Olivia that makes Malvolio believe that Olivia is in love with him and wishes to marry him. Sir Toby and the others find this fantasy hysterically funny, of course—not only because of Malvolio’s unattractive personality but also because Malvolio is not of noble blood. In the class system of Shakespeare’s time, a noblewoman would generally not sully her reputation by marrying a man of lower social status. Yet the atmosphere of the play may render Malvolio’s aspirations less unreasonable than they initially seem. The feast of Twelfth Night, from which the play takes its name, was a time when social hierarchies were turned upside down. That same spirit is alive in Illyria: indeed, Malvolio’s antagonist, Maria, is able to increase her social standing by marrying Sir Toby. But it seems that Maria’s success may be due to her willingness to accept and promote the anarchy that Sir Toby and the others embrace. This Twelfth Night spirit, then, seems to pass by Malvolio, who doesn’t wholeheartedly embrace the upending of order and decorum but rather wants to blur class lines for himself alone. Motifs Letters, Messages, and Tokens Twelfth Night features a great variety of messages sent from one character to another—sometimes as letters and other times in the form of tokens. Such messages are used both for purposes of communication and miscommunication—sometimes deliberate and sometimes accidental. Maria’s letter to Malvolio, which purports to be from Olivia, is a deliberate (and successful) attempt to trick the steward. Sir Andrew’s letter demanding a duel with Cesario, meanwhile, is meant seriously, but because it is so appallingly stupid, Sir Toby does not deliver it, rendering it extraneous. Malvolio’s missive, sent by way of Feste from the dark room in which he is imprisoned, ultimately works to undo the confusion caused by Maria’s forged letter and to free Malvolio from his imprisonment. But letters are not the only kind of messages that characters employ to communicate with one another. Individuals can be employed in the place of written communication—Orsino repeatedly sends Cesario, for instance, to deliver messages to Olivia. Objects can function as messages between people as well: Olivia sends Malvolio after Cesario with a ring, to tell the page that she loves him, and follows the ring up with further gifts, which symbolize her romantic attachment. Messages can convey important information, but they also create the potential for miscommunication and confusion—especially with characters like Maria and Sir Toby manipulating the information. Madness No one is truly insane in Twelfth Night, yet a number of characters are accused of being mad, and a current of insanity or zaniness runs through the action of the play. After Sir Toby and Maria dupe Malvolio into believing that Olivia loves him, Malvolio behaves so bizarrely that he is assumed to be mad and is locked away in a dark room. Malvolio himself knows that he is sane, and he accuses everyone around him of being mad. Meanwhile, when Antonio encounters Viola (disguised as Cesario), he mistakes her for Sebastian, and his angry insistence that she recognize him leads people to assume that he is mad. All of these incidents feed into the general atmosphere of the play, in which normal life is thrown topsy-turvy, and everyone must confront a reality that is somehow fractured. Disguises Many characters in Twelfth Night assume disguises, beginning with Viola, who puts on male attire and makes everyone else believe that she is a man. By dressing his protagonist in male garments, Shakespeare creates endless sexual confusion with the Olivia-ViolaOrsino love triangle. Other characters in disguise include Malvolio, who puts on crossed garters and yellow stockings in the hope of winning Olivia, and Feste, who dresses up as a priest—Sir Topas—when he speaks to Malvolio after the steward has been locked in a dark room. Feste puts on the disguise even though Malvolio will not be able to see him, since the room is so dark, suggesting that the importance of clothing is not just in the eye of the beholder. For Feste, the disguise completes his assumption of a new identity—in order to be Sir Topas, he must look like Sir Topas. Viola puts on new clothes and changes her gender, while Feste and Malvolio put on new garments either to impersonate a noble man (Feste) or in the hopes of becoming a nobleman (Malvolio). Through these disguises, the play raises questions about what makes us who we are, compelling the audience to wonder if things like gender and class are set in stone, or if they can be altered with a change of clothing. Mistaken Identity The instances of mistaken identity are related to the prevalence of disguises in the play, as Viola’s male clothing leads to her being mistaken for her brother, Sebastian, and vice versa. Sebastian is mistaken for Viola (or rather, Cesario) by Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, and then by Olivia, who promptly marries him. Meanwhile, Antonio mistakes Viola for Sebastian, and thinks that his friend has betrayed him when Viola claims to not know him. These cases of mistaken identity, common in Shakespeare’s comedies, create the tangled situation that can be resolved only when Viola and Sebastian appear together, helping everyone to understand what has happened. Symbols Olivia’s Gifts When Olivia wants to let Cesario know that she loves him, she sends him a ring by way of Malvolio. Later, when she mistakes Sebastian for Cesario, she gives him a precious pearl. In each case, the jewel serves as a token of her love—a physical symbol of her romantic attachment to a man who is really a woman. The gifts are more than symbols, though. â€Å"Youth is bought more oft than begged or borrowed,† Olivia says at one point, suggesting that the jewels are intended almost as bribes—that she means to buy Cesario’s love if she cannot win it. The Darkness of Malvolio’s Prison When Sir Toby and Maria pretend that Malvolio is mad, they confine him in a pitch-black chamber. Darkness becomes a symbol of his supposed insanity, as they tell him that the room is filled with light and his inability to see is a sign of his madness. Malvolio reverses the symbolism. â€Å"I say this house is as dark as ignorance, though ignorance were as dark as hell; and I say there was never man thus abused.† In other words, the darkness—meaning madness—is not in the room with him, but outside, with Sir Toby and Feste and Maria, who have unjustly imprisoned him. Changes of Clothing Clothes are powerful in Twelfth Night. They can symbolize changes in gender—Viola puts on male clothes to be taken for a male— as well as class distinctions. When Malvolio fantasizes about becoming a nobleman, he imagines the new clothes that he will have. When Feste impersonates Sir Topas, he puts on a nobleman’s garb, even though Malvolio, whom he is fooling, cannot see him, suggesting that clothes have a power that transcends their physical function.

Analysis of Sports Bar Businesses in India for Opportunities

Analysis of Sports Bar Businesses in India for Opportunities Sports Bar Business in India from a Cultural and Branding Perspective INTRODUCTION Post liberalization the Indian economy has grown exponentially. The fall out of this is the increase in disposable income of the consumers, emergence of credit card culture and the decreasing size of households. The change in the economic status is the catalyst to the change in the social and cultural trends that have caused the change in the way a consumer views everyday food and beverages. The consumer today has very different preferences. Consumers today are more aware about different things in the world due to extensive travel and foreign media. These are some of the social and economic reasons behind the consumer moving towards fine dining, imported spirits and wine as opposed to conventional beverages. Due to this paradigm shift coffee shops, restaurants, fast food joints and bars have become successful. India is relatively new to the concept of a bar. In India bars are located mostly in the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. Sports bars in particular are very new to our country and are growing at a very rapid rate. The advent of IPL and the increase in craze for club football and F1 has only boosted its prospects. LITERATURE REVIEW The Indian economy is booming and the living standards and the lifestyles in the urban areas are fast changing. Entertainment as an industry is growing exponentially over the past decade. From the turn of the 21st century more and more avenues of entertainment have opened up in our country. Eating out as a form of entertainment has been catching up over the last decade. More and more families are going out for dinner or lunch on a regular basis and this is a form of entertainment for them. Changing Indian Economy Consumer Preferences: As of 2007 the median age of India is 24. Due to the abundant job opportunities and the surge in the economy the amount spent by a consumer on alcohol has increased significantly. The number of women working has increased by a large percentage and due to this the double income households have more disposable income. They can afford give their children more pocket money and they are spending a far greater amount socializing in restaurants and bars. The expenditure of consumers on alcohol drinks has increased by 650% from 1995-2007. (Consumer Lifestyles india, 2008) The rise in income is leading to overall growth in consumption by an average Indian. Eating out on a regular basis has now come to become a cool habit. Eating outside is becoming more and more popular. According to a research conducted by Federation Of Hotel and restaurant Association of India (www.fhari.com 2005) there are 10 million households in India with an average income of Rs 46,000/month and 2 million households with average income of 115,000/month. Due to the change in their economic strata, eating out has become a trend within these elite groups. There are 100 million 17-21 year old in India, and six out of 10 households have a child that was born in the post liberalization and has been brought up with no guilt of consumption. It is estimated that as of 2005 there are 5,00,000 restaurants in the organised sector and this will only increase in the future. According to a survey conducted by The Economic Times, 1.7 percent of Indians dine out more than once a week, 2.5 percent do so once a week and around 2.1 percent dine outside once a fortnight. About 5.5 percent eat out of home once a month on an average and 5.4 percent eat out once every 2-3 months. Around 8 percent say eating out is relegated only to festivals. For 69.6 percent eating out is a rather rare occasion. (Ref: The Economic Times, 21 May,2005). The consumers in the urban areas are more aware of the international brands due to their exposure from offshore travel and media and do not hesitate to pay for premium goods. According to National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) there are five classes of consumer households and the greatest growth is in the upper strata. Upper strata are defined as households with income in excess of Rs 215,000. More than 80% of the top earning households in India are located in the top seven cities of our country. Due to this most of the disposable income in the country is located in these areas. This is the reason behind the growth rate of restaurants, coffee shops, fast food joints and bars in these cities. Another major factor influencing the growth in the food and beverage industry in India is the fact that more than 70% of the countrys population is under the age of 40. This explains the rise of expenditure on leisure products and entertainment. (Sarin, 2005) Indian Theme Restaurants: However, eating out as a concept is also fast changing. People want to break away from the monotony of eating in the same food joints and are looking for more experiential and new avenues to hang out and spend time with their family and friends. Themed restaurants and bars are the flavour of the season. More and more themed bars and restaurants are mushrooming in various metros like across India. A number of theme restaurants have been successful in India. Some of the successful and well know theme restaurants are Mercurries in Delhi Theme, Solar system Orient Express at the Taj Palace New Delhi Theme, Railway carriage of yore Village in Mumbai Theme, Indian village Gufaa Ohris in Hyderabad Theme, Dungeon etc. Serengeti Ohris in Hyderabad Theme, Jungle (Roy, 2008) Each of these theme based restaurants has been successful as the people are looking for a lot more than just eating at the food joints. The time they spend at the restaurant is made more enjoyable interactive and memorable because of the different concepts of these restaurants. This theme based format has been inspired from the success stories of the west. Indian Theme Bars/Sports Bars: Another popular retail format which is just picking up in the Indian market is the bars. Bars in India have mostly mushroomed around metros and other urban areas. There are very few bars in other parts of the country. Traditionally consumers bought the liquor at wine shops and consumed them at home. However, now with the advent of Restaurant/Bars, Bars and clubs, the consumption habits are changing. Bars in India are of various types. Some are social bars where people get together to socialise drink, eat and have fun. Some of these bars are theme based like the Hard Rock Cafe and TGIF. Then there are the shady bars where only men go. Bars with a big enough dance floor are termed as nightclubs. Sports bars are another kind of bars which have just made their way into the Indian market. Sports bars are bars where sports fans find an authentic sporting ambience with large LCD screens for watching live feeds of important international matches, pool tables, basketball courts and video games. Today there are close to 30 sports bars in India across various metros. The biggest player in the Indian market currently is Future Groups subsidiary Galaxy Entertainment Corporation Ltd. It has two brands under it, â€Å"The Sports Bar† and â€Å"Sports Express.† Sports Express offers a wide variety of entertainment activities ranging from Television Programmes, Cricket, Soccer, Pool, Basket-Ball area, Darts and certain places also have a Cricket Pitch. They also serve various Indian and imported brands of liquor along with pan Indian cuisine. It has seven outlets in various cities and another four outlets in the pipeline. â€Å"The Sports Bar† another brand of Galaxy Entertainment Corporation Ltd is located in Mumbai. It is a complete sports bar complimented with an unrivalled ambience. It has a giant screen, multiple LCD TVs, basketball court, pool tables, punching bags and dart boards. It is a favourite destination for many professionals who just wish to unwind after a hard days work. Xtreme Sports Bar is another chain of sports bars; it has seven outlets across Hyderabad, Bangalore and Gurgaon. They also have similar offerings as the other sports bars. However, they are looking to expand further and are looking for suitable people to take up the franchise. Other popular sports bars in India are, Champions, Delhi Starstruck, Kolkata Super stars, Kolkata (Roy, 2008) Other theme bars in India are, Hard Rock Cafe one of the biggest retail brands in the world has opened its shops in various locations like Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore etc. TGIF (Thank God Its Friday) is another example of an international retail format opening up in India and doing well. 21 Fahrenheit Condom bar Chandigarh There are a number of factors due to which these theme based bars and restaurants are successful. One important factor which is attractive to people to come to these places is the authenticity they have in decor and food. All these theme based food retail outlets are true to their name and provide a unique experience in line with their theme. The moment you step into these places you are transformed to a fantasy world and the food they serve is very authentic and apt to their name. Even in the case of sports the whole ambience created in the place is so electrifying during any international sporting event. The decor and the buzz in a sports bar are beyond words. With the flags hung in every corner of the place and the giant screen to watch the watch on with a drink in your hand is an experience a lot of the consumers have come to love. Some have argued that the concept of having theme bars and restaurants are just a fad, but it has been proved otherwise. Knowledge Gap Most of the academic articles that I came across were written in the global perspective. There is little literature or data available about bars in the Indian context. In particular when it comes to Sports Bars in India the only information available is about some of the sports bars in India in brief and about the themed restaurants in India. There is no clear information available about the consumer profile of the people who frequent the Sports Bars in India. Also, there is no information available about the consumption pattern of Sports Bar as entertainment/leisure in the Indian context. The articles I have found have no information what so ever on the branding opportunities Sports Bars have. The Socio-Cultural changes that have impacted the average consumers outlook towards a bar are also an important factor that is missing in the literature available. The reasons behind the bar being perceived as a socially acceptable and sophisticated socializing place today is also not covered in the information Available. Problem Definition Research problem To study the sports bar business in India and identify the opportunities these bars have as a business in India. Also to understand the changing customer behaviour towards sports bars. Research Objectives To study the evolution of sports bars in India and understand their system of operation To study the growth of sports bars in India and also understand the consumer behaviour related to sports bars RESEARCH DESIGN Exploratory research in 3 areas: Study the evolution of the sports bars in India Attitude of consumers towards sports bars Patterns and reason for visiting sports bars RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Data Collection Method: PHASE I: Secondary Research Studying the different retail formats of bars in India and their evolution by gathering information from different articles and journals published both globally and locally. PHASE II: Primary Research Primary research involved mostly qualitative research. 1. 5-6 In-depth interviews with industry stake holders like bar owners and bar managers; Ravi K Malpuri owner Hall Of Fame Sports Bar, jubilee hills, Hyderabad Eddie Richards manager Hall of Fame Sports Bar, jubilee hills, Hyderabad Arjun Yelluri owner of Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Santosh Nath bar manager, Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Pramod Reddy owner Live Sports Bar, Nubilee Hills, Hyderabad 2. In-depth interviews with consumers (10-15) 3 Male (21-30 age group), 3 Male (31-45 age group) 3 Female (21-30 age group), 3 Female (31-45 age group) The findings of these interviews will be used to generate a questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire is to validate the findings from the In-Depth interviews. 3. Type of research: Qualitative/Quantitative Number of respondents 150 Age group 21-45 Questionnaire administered to consumers and non consumers of bars/sports bars. The In-depth interviews with the industry stake holders will give me a better idea about the target audience and their profiles. The questionnaire was designed from the inputs gathered after the In-depth interviews with industry stake holders and consumers. The questionnaire was administered online due to the absence of bars in the state of Gujarat. The questionnaire is attached in the appendix. The information and data collected through the In-depth Interviews and Questionnaire would be analyzed to come up with research findings for the Sports Bar Industry. Sampling Universe: Anybody living in cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, within the age group of 21-45. The person could either have visited or not visited sports bars. Sampling Technique: Random Sampling SCOPE: Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore Evolution of Sports Bars Introduction Bars have been around in India for decades. Mostly they were dance bars and some bar upscale bars in the metros. Since the beginning of the 21st century more and more upscale bars and theme bars have been proliferating in India starting with the major metros like Delhi and Mumbai to now cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Gurgaon etc. As the income levels of an average Indian in the cities is increasing, they are looking for different avenues to spend their leisure time and hang out with friends and colleagues. Western Influence The Indian businessmen have always looked to the west for success stories to start their endeavours in India. The bars/restaurants is an example of that. Serving alcohol in a restaurant was a thing of the star hotels only initially. Today hundreds of restaurants have a bar and serve a variety of foreign/Indian liquor and a wide range of cocktails and mocktails. Then came the concept of having gaming areas like pool and bowling. This business model did not take off in India as the Indian government did not give permission to this kind of gaming zones to serve liquor and they retired to becoming just gaming zones and entertained youth and families. After this during the late 90s and early 2000s theme restaurants started opening in India. These restaurants charged a premium for the experience they provide to their customers. The decoration in these restaurants was exquisite. Places like the Oriental Express and The Village restaurant are examples of this. Evolving Indian Market Consumer The Indian customer is ever evolving and adapts to the western trends very easily. The cumulative impact of increasing disposable income, foreign exposure and western media has changed the requirements and consumption habits of young Indians. Hanging out in bars has become a casual thing and a way to unwind for us. Thanks to these upscale bars and clubs, it is not a taboo anymore to go and have a drink in a bar in India. As the consumption of bars has increased also came in a number of clubs starting in major cities like Mumbai Delhi and Bangalore. Initially only hotels had in-house clubs, but over the years a lot of independent clubs have emerged. Sports Bars are popular hang outs in Europe and America. The first ever sports bar was opened way back in 1894. â€Å"Nuf Ced† McGreevy opened his â€Å"3rd Base Saloon† in Boston. The number of local tournaments that happen in these countries is much larger. Due to this a large number of local fans flock to these sports bar to form a community of sorts to support their teams. Apart from these general sports bars there are a large number of bars which promote and support a particular sports club. Most of these bars are in collaboration with the sporting club itself. The telecast all live matches of the club, sell merchandize and have fan interactions at a regular basis at these bars. There was little or no real differentiating factor between bars in India. The need to differentiate gave way to different theme bars and restaurants across India. The first sports bar in India was opened in Goa. It was the perfect place to open the first sports bar as it has a rich culture of football and has a number of spectacular local football clubs like Salgaocar, Dempo, Churchill Brothers, Vasco Sports Club. The fans here have been known to travel to different venues to support their teams. Today there are a number of clubs and bars in all major cities in India. Due to this there is not much differentiation between these places. Sports Bars have always been very popular in the western countries where it has become a culture of a sort where friends go to a particular sports bar to watch every local teams match. This popular successful and well tested format of bar was introduced in India only a few years back. Today there are more than 40 sports bars in India. Impact OF IPL The recent surge in the number of sports bars in India can be attributed to the success of IPL (Indian Premier League). Cricket has always been like a religion in India. The only problem was it was not short like a football match. Now with the advent of 20-20 cricket it has become easier for the audience to consume this sport. Due to the fast nature of this format of cricket IPL has become a huge success and this has helped sports bars in India flourish in leaps and bounds. As most of the major cities have their own IPL teams it has increased the local audiences involvement in the sport. This has been the major factor which has influenced the proliferation of sports bars in the recent years across cities in India. Sports bars are filled to capacity on a match day. The most popular sports in Indian sports bars apart from cricket are football and F1. Some sports bars have tie-ups with local sporting teams and sell their merchandize and promote those teams. Branding Opportunity For example, Xtreme sports bar in Hyderabad has a tie-up with Deccan Chargers which is the cities cricket team in the IPL. They have different offers and promotional events during the IPL season and in particular during a Deccan Chargers match. Deccan chargers in turn use this bar as a platform to promote and interact with the local fans. The team players make appearances during the IPL season and interact with the fans, also, they have other promotional activities like having the official team cheerleaders come and perform at the bar. Recently Manchester United Food Beverage (Asia) Pte Ltd and Billionaire Sports Pvt Ltd in collaboration have announced that they will open the first ever offshore club sports bar in India in the city of Delhi. The first ever Manchester United Restaurant and Bar will set the precedence for other clubs to setup their sports in the country where the love and fan following for English Football is rapidly increasing. Local clubs like the Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals have announced their intentions to launch their own sports bar to promote their clubs and entertain their loyal fan base. This would give them an avenue to brand their sporting clubs and also sell their wide variety of merchandize. Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Manufacturers of sports equipment could use sports bars as a platform to indulge the customers through subliminal branding. The branding at the bars can be done very subtly. As there is already a lot of player merchandize available, sports manufacturers like Nike can promote their brands by hanging only Nike sponsored player jerseys and memorabilia. Apart from this the manufacturers merchandize can be sold at these bars. For ex: Puma the official sponsor of Deccan Chargers can choose to sell their merchandize in these bars where the involvement of the customer is very high as most of the customers are sports fans. Xtreme Sports Bar, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad SuryaRay Elixirs Pvt. Ltd.the parent company Xtreme Sports Bar has the largest chain of sports bars in India. The annual revenue of this chain is already in excess of Rs. 25cr within just 2 years of launching. They have 7 outlets across India in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Gurgaon. They plan to expand further in the next couple of years and target revenue of Rs. 160 in a couple of years. Apart from the large number of high definition TVs and a few large projection screens Xtreme Sports bar also offers Foos Ball, Golf Simulators, Dart Board Games, Console Gaming, Lan Gaming and Pool tables for the entertainment of their customers during non match days. Live Sports Bar, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad Hall of Fame is the new sports bar that has opened in Hyderabad located in Jubilee hills. This bar boasts of eighteen 42 inch televisions and two large projection screens to provide the ultimate match viewing experience to their customers. Licence of sports like NBA etc have been taken by the bar to telecast uninterrupted matches over broadband. The menu itself consists of 12 different types of chicken wings which are the most popular among the match watching crowd apart from other continental dishes. The raw materials for the food are directly imported from the US in order to provide the highest quality of food to their customers. They call themselves a sports grill and not just a sports bar as they give a lot of importance to their expertise in the food services they provide. Hall of Fame plans to expand its branches into cities like Mumbai and Bangalore later this year. Focus On High-End Decor Quality Of Service: In order to compete in the clustered bars and restaurants segment sports bars have carved a niche for themselves. The food service industry is very competitive and in order to compete in them sports bars are redefining this segment and investing a lot in high end decorations and facilities. These bars have a large number of high resolution plasma TVs, and large projection screens and comfortable seating arrangements equipped with class bean bags, sofas and comfortable booths as opposed to the normal seating arrangements available in other bars and restaurants. To keep up the upscale image most of these bars serve a variety of cuisines and employ well trained chefs. The menus are exquisite and offer a large variety. Both Indian and foreign liquors are served in these bars ranging from beer, wine, whisky, scotch, cocktails, mocktails and other in-house specialities. The menu is quite often named after the local club players and sports stars to increase the involvement of the customers. To add to the ambience and the experience player jerseys and flags of different players and sports teams are displayed in the bar. Autographed photos of players, jerseys and other sports memorabilia are hung on the walls. These bars partner with sports teams and liquor companies. As most people come here to watch live matches and have a drink while doing so, the menu focus is mostly on starters and appetizers as people would like to have something to munch on while drinking and watching the matches. One of the unique attractions of these bars is the private cabins they offer. A customer can call and book the private cabins which have a seating capacity of 8-12 people and are equipped with comfortable sofas and bean bags along with a plasma TV. Customers can enjoy the match, sports bar ambience whilst having their privacy. Regular customers are given preference for the cabin and also these bars offer a variety of offers when a local teams match is being telecast. This encourages more customers to come in to watch the local teams matches. These bars try to focus more on the experience and not merely on telecasting the matches. As not all customers who come into these bars are sports oriented, they give equal importance to the level of service and offering they have apart from the viewing experience itself. The key elements of a sports bar Sports based themes—the sports bar should focus on themes that have mass appeal in India. So the focus should be primarily on cricket and other popular sports like football and F1. Distinctive design features and decor— Every bar should have its own characteristic and the main attraction is the visual appeal of the design and layout of these bars. The large collection of sports memorabilia that is displayed at the bars is a big attraction and adds great value to the place. The more authentic the memorabilia the better. Even Hard Rock Cafe does the same with musicians memorabilia displayed all around the place. The location of the sports itself is very important. The bar should be located at a high profile location. The bar should be located at a location which is close to both high profile residential area and also offices. It is also important to take into account the traffic conditions in this area and the income levels of residential areas near to the intended location of the bar. Getting in celebrities and sportsmen into the bars is an important promotional activity. A sports bar get into a tie-up with celebs and athletes as these events would give them enough media coverage during their appearances at these bars. The waiters and bartenders uniform is also designed to fit the mood and decor of these bars. They all wear uniform which look like sports jerseys with the company logo their number and name written at the back ala sportsmen. Some of these bars sell merchandize of the sporting clubs they are involved with. Some stores which have garnered a fan following of sorts can also sell their own bars merchandize to their loyal customers. Apart from providing liquor and telecasting live matches on high resolution televisions and screens, a sports bar also has to focus on providing a wide variety of cuisines The pricing should be reasonable and affordable and each bar should have its own signature dish In order to improve the experience of the customers all sports bars should maintain a high ratio of personnel to customers. This would mean that the customers are tended to quickly. Also the training given to the service personnel and the bartenders should be of the highest order to keep up the high class image of these bars. Having private cabins in your offering is beneficial. Though a large number of people come to sports bars to get immersed in the match along with a large crowd and get a live match feeling, a certain group of customers still would like to have their privacy. This where the private cabins come in handy. Changing Indian Consumption Habits Among Indians eating out is a popular activity. Every year Indians spend over INR 350 billion on eating out in restaurants, fast food joints, bars etc. Eating out is a very popular activity while attending other functions. It is estimated that Indians spend INR 350 billion eating out annually. Of this organized establishments account for only INR 20 billion. International fast food chains such as Subway, McDonalds and Pizza Hut are found in shopping malls and near cinema theatres. The well-off† in urban areas are increasingly eating out in coffee shops, malls or retail stores. Lounge bars are the latest trend in urban areas and are frequented by young professionals, successful executives and single women in their late 20s. This trend began in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata and will no doubt spread to other urban areas. Among the affluent, clubs are becoming popular. In addition to many recreational Facilities they are upgrading their food facilities and can compete with s ome of the finest restaurants or hotels of India. The new in thing are the sports bars which are mushrooming in different corners of the country. People who are interested in sports or like to be associated with sports go to these places. These bars are frequented by students, young professionals and executives most often. Table 1 Number of On-trade Establishments by Type 2004-2008 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Bars/pubs 22,411 23,942 25,100 26,211 27,154 Source: Trade interviews, Euromonitor International estimates MARKET INDICATORS Table 13 RetailConsumerExpenditure on Alcoholic Drinks 2004-2009 Rs bn 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total 125.4 137.5 149.7 167.9 185.8 183.7 Source: Euromonitor InternationalNote: 2009 data is forecast Sports Bars Target Segment: The customers who visit sports bars are segments into five different groups, Students Young Professionals Successful executives Sports Enthusiast/Fan Families Young Adults Men and women between the age of 21-25 who are either studying or unemployed fall under this segment. This segment of customers come to a sports bar just to hang out with their friends, enjoy the ambience and enjoy the food and liquor services provided by the bar. This customer comes into sports bars with a group of friends both male and female, and all within the same age group. These people get pocket money from their parents and hence are not spendthrifts. However, portions of this group come from very affluent families, and have no limit on their expenditure. This target segments are very trendy and are very seldom loyal. They are attracted to special offers and discounts and look for these offers availability before going to a place. Offers like happy hours of buy one get one free attract this segment of people. They are generally seen before the peak hours as discounted prices are available at this time. Working Professionals These people are in the age group of 24-30. They have a decent amount of disposable income and like to indulge in activities which help them distress after work. They often come in after work to unwind. They come in either with their colleagues or other friends. These groups can have people from different age groups. They come in to watch the matches as well as to just sit and chat with their friends or colleagues. Successful Executives The people in this segment generally fall under the age group of 30-45. They have already arrived in life and belong to a high income segment. These people often come in just for a drink to catch-up with their friends over a few drinks or with their colleagues to discuss business offline. These people often consume foreign liquor and generally have time to watch only important matches. Sports Enthusiasts This target group accounts for a third of the revenue generated by the sports bars. They are big sports fans and follow their favourite sports passionately. They belong to different age groups and can be students, young professionals or successful executives. This group of sports enthusiast t Analysis of Sports Bar Businesses in India for Opportunities Analysis of Sports Bar Businesses in India for Opportunities Sports Bar Business in India from a Cultural and Branding Perspective INTRODUCTION Post liberalization the Indian economy has grown exponentially. The fall out of this is the increase in disposable income of the consumers, emergence of credit card culture and the decreasing size of households. The change in the economic status is the catalyst to the change in the social and cultural trends that have caused the change in the way a consumer views everyday food and beverages. The consumer today has very different preferences. Consumers today are more aware about different things in the world due to extensive travel and foreign media. These are some of the social and economic reasons behind the consumer moving towards fine dining, imported spirits and wine as opposed to conventional beverages. Due to this paradigm shift coffee shops, restaurants, fast food joints and bars have become successful. India is relatively new to the concept of a bar. In India bars are located mostly in the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. Sports bars in particular are very new to our country and are growing at a very rapid rate. The advent of IPL and the increase in craze for club football and F1 has only boosted its prospects. LITERATURE REVIEW The Indian economy is booming and the living standards and the lifestyles in the urban areas are fast changing. Entertainment as an industry is growing exponentially over the past decade. From the turn of the 21st century more and more avenues of entertainment have opened up in our country. Eating out as a form of entertainment has been catching up over the last decade. More and more families are going out for dinner or lunch on a regular basis and this is a form of entertainment for them. Changing Indian Economy Consumer Preferences: As of 2007 the median age of India is 24. Due to the abundant job opportunities and the surge in the economy the amount spent by a consumer on alcohol has increased significantly. The number of women working has increased by a large percentage and due to this the double income households have more disposable income. They can afford give their children more pocket money and they are spending a far greater amount socializing in restaurants and bars. The expenditure of consumers on alcohol drinks has increased by 650% from 1995-2007. (Consumer Lifestyles india, 2008) The rise in income is leading to overall growth in consumption by an average Indian. Eating out on a regular basis has now come to become a cool habit. Eating outside is becoming more and more popular. According to a research conducted by Federation Of Hotel and restaurant Association of India (www.fhari.com 2005) there are 10 million households in India with an average income of Rs 46,000/month and 2 million households with average income of 115,000/month. Due to the change in their economic strata, eating out has become a trend within these elite groups. There are 100 million 17-21 year old in India, and six out of 10 households have a child that was born in the post liberalization and has been brought up with no guilt of consumption. It is estimated that as of 2005 there are 5,00,000 restaurants in the organised sector and this will only increase in the future. According to a survey conducted by The Economic Times, 1.7 percent of Indians dine out more than once a week, 2.5 percent do so once a week and around 2.1 percent dine outside once a fortnight. About 5.5 percent eat out of home once a month on an average and 5.4 percent eat out once every 2-3 months. Around 8 percent say eating out is relegated only to festivals. For 69.6 percent eating out is a rather rare occasion. (Ref: The Economic Times, 21 May,2005). The consumers in the urban areas are more aware of the international brands due to their exposure from offshore travel and media and do not hesitate to pay for premium goods. According to National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) there are five classes of consumer households and the greatest growth is in the upper strata. Upper strata are defined as households with income in excess of Rs 215,000. More than 80% of the top earning households in India are located in the top seven cities of our country. Due to this most of the disposable income in the country is located in these areas. This is the reason behind the growth rate of restaurants, coffee shops, fast food joints and bars in these cities. Another major factor influencing the growth in the food and beverage industry in India is the fact that more than 70% of the countrys population is under the age of 40. This explains the rise of expenditure on leisure products and entertainment. (Sarin, 2005) Indian Theme Restaurants: However, eating out as a concept is also fast changing. People want to break away from the monotony of eating in the same food joints and are looking for more experiential and new avenues to hang out and spend time with their family and friends. Themed restaurants and bars are the flavour of the season. More and more themed bars and restaurants are mushrooming in various metros like across India. A number of theme restaurants have been successful in India. Some of the successful and well know theme restaurants are Mercurries in Delhi Theme, Solar system Orient Express at the Taj Palace New Delhi Theme, Railway carriage of yore Village in Mumbai Theme, Indian village Gufaa Ohris in Hyderabad Theme, Dungeon etc. Serengeti Ohris in Hyderabad Theme, Jungle (Roy, 2008) Each of these theme based restaurants has been successful as the people are looking for a lot more than just eating at the food joints. The time they spend at the restaurant is made more enjoyable interactive and memorable because of the different concepts of these restaurants. This theme based format has been inspired from the success stories of the west. Indian Theme Bars/Sports Bars: Another popular retail format which is just picking up in the Indian market is the bars. Bars in India have mostly mushroomed around metros and other urban areas. There are very few bars in other parts of the country. Traditionally consumers bought the liquor at wine shops and consumed them at home. However, now with the advent of Restaurant/Bars, Bars and clubs, the consumption habits are changing. Bars in India are of various types. Some are social bars where people get together to socialise drink, eat and have fun. Some of these bars are theme based like the Hard Rock Cafe and TGIF. Then there are the shady bars where only men go. Bars with a big enough dance floor are termed as nightclubs. Sports bars are another kind of bars which have just made their way into the Indian market. Sports bars are bars where sports fans find an authentic sporting ambience with large LCD screens for watching live feeds of important international matches, pool tables, basketball courts and video games. Today there are close to 30 sports bars in India across various metros. The biggest player in the Indian market currently is Future Groups subsidiary Galaxy Entertainment Corporation Ltd. It has two brands under it, â€Å"The Sports Bar† and â€Å"Sports Express.† Sports Express offers a wide variety of entertainment activities ranging from Television Programmes, Cricket, Soccer, Pool, Basket-Ball area, Darts and certain places also have a Cricket Pitch. They also serve various Indian and imported brands of liquor along with pan Indian cuisine. It has seven outlets in various cities and another four outlets in the pipeline. â€Å"The Sports Bar† another brand of Galaxy Entertainment Corporation Ltd is located in Mumbai. It is a complete sports bar complimented with an unrivalled ambience. It has a giant screen, multiple LCD TVs, basketball court, pool tables, punching bags and dart boards. It is a favourite destination for many professionals who just wish to unwind after a hard days work. Xtreme Sports Bar is another chain of sports bars; it has seven outlets across Hyderabad, Bangalore and Gurgaon. They also have similar offerings as the other sports bars. However, they are looking to expand further and are looking for suitable people to take up the franchise. Other popular sports bars in India are, Champions, Delhi Starstruck, Kolkata Super stars, Kolkata (Roy, 2008) Other theme bars in India are, Hard Rock Cafe one of the biggest retail brands in the world has opened its shops in various locations like Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore etc. TGIF (Thank God Its Friday) is another example of an international retail format opening up in India and doing well. 21 Fahrenheit Condom bar Chandigarh There are a number of factors due to which these theme based bars and restaurants are successful. One important factor which is attractive to people to come to these places is the authenticity they have in decor and food. All these theme based food retail outlets are true to their name and provide a unique experience in line with their theme. The moment you step into these places you are transformed to a fantasy world and the food they serve is very authentic and apt to their name. Even in the case of sports the whole ambience created in the place is so electrifying during any international sporting event. The decor and the buzz in a sports bar are beyond words. With the flags hung in every corner of the place and the giant screen to watch the watch on with a drink in your hand is an experience a lot of the consumers have come to love. Some have argued that the concept of having theme bars and restaurants are just a fad, but it has been proved otherwise. Knowledge Gap Most of the academic articles that I came across were written in the global perspective. There is little literature or data available about bars in the Indian context. In particular when it comes to Sports Bars in India the only information available is about some of the sports bars in India in brief and about the themed restaurants in India. There is no clear information available about the consumer profile of the people who frequent the Sports Bars in India. Also, there is no information available about the consumption pattern of Sports Bar as entertainment/leisure in the Indian context. The articles I have found have no information what so ever on the branding opportunities Sports Bars have. The Socio-Cultural changes that have impacted the average consumers outlook towards a bar are also an important factor that is missing in the literature available. The reasons behind the bar being perceived as a socially acceptable and sophisticated socializing place today is also not covered in the information Available. Problem Definition Research problem To study the sports bar business in India and identify the opportunities these bars have as a business in India. Also to understand the changing customer behaviour towards sports bars. Research Objectives To study the evolution of sports bars in India and understand their system of operation To study the growth of sports bars in India and also understand the consumer behaviour related to sports bars RESEARCH DESIGN Exploratory research in 3 areas: Study the evolution of the sports bars in India Attitude of consumers towards sports bars Patterns and reason for visiting sports bars RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Data Collection Method: PHASE I: Secondary Research Studying the different retail formats of bars in India and their evolution by gathering information from different articles and journals published both globally and locally. PHASE II: Primary Research Primary research involved mostly qualitative research. 1. 5-6 In-depth interviews with industry stake holders like bar owners and bar managers; Ravi K Malpuri owner Hall Of Fame Sports Bar, jubilee hills, Hyderabad Eddie Richards manager Hall of Fame Sports Bar, jubilee hills, Hyderabad Arjun Yelluri owner of Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Santosh Nath bar manager, Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Pramod Reddy owner Live Sports Bar, Nubilee Hills, Hyderabad 2. In-depth interviews with consumers (10-15) 3 Male (21-30 age group), 3 Male (31-45 age group) 3 Female (21-30 age group), 3 Female (31-45 age group) The findings of these interviews will be used to generate a questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire is to validate the findings from the In-Depth interviews. 3. Type of research: Qualitative/Quantitative Number of respondents 150 Age group 21-45 Questionnaire administered to consumers and non consumers of bars/sports bars. The In-depth interviews with the industry stake holders will give me a better idea about the target audience and their profiles. The questionnaire was designed from the inputs gathered after the In-depth interviews with industry stake holders and consumers. The questionnaire was administered online due to the absence of bars in the state of Gujarat. The questionnaire is attached in the appendix. The information and data collected through the In-depth Interviews and Questionnaire would be analyzed to come up with research findings for the Sports Bar Industry. Sampling Universe: Anybody living in cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, within the age group of 21-45. The person could either have visited or not visited sports bars. Sampling Technique: Random Sampling SCOPE: Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore Evolution of Sports Bars Introduction Bars have been around in India for decades. Mostly they were dance bars and some bar upscale bars in the metros. Since the beginning of the 21st century more and more upscale bars and theme bars have been proliferating in India starting with the major metros like Delhi and Mumbai to now cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Gurgaon etc. As the income levels of an average Indian in the cities is increasing, they are looking for different avenues to spend their leisure time and hang out with friends and colleagues. Western Influence The Indian businessmen have always looked to the west for success stories to start their endeavours in India. The bars/restaurants is an example of that. Serving alcohol in a restaurant was a thing of the star hotels only initially. Today hundreds of restaurants have a bar and serve a variety of foreign/Indian liquor and a wide range of cocktails and mocktails. Then came the concept of having gaming areas like pool and bowling. This business model did not take off in India as the Indian government did not give permission to this kind of gaming zones to serve liquor and they retired to becoming just gaming zones and entertained youth and families. After this during the late 90s and early 2000s theme restaurants started opening in India. These restaurants charged a premium for the experience they provide to their customers. The decoration in these restaurants was exquisite. Places like the Oriental Express and The Village restaurant are examples of this. Evolving Indian Market Consumer The Indian customer is ever evolving and adapts to the western trends very easily. The cumulative impact of increasing disposable income, foreign exposure and western media has changed the requirements and consumption habits of young Indians. Hanging out in bars has become a casual thing and a way to unwind for us. Thanks to these upscale bars and clubs, it is not a taboo anymore to go and have a drink in a bar in India. As the consumption of bars has increased also came in a number of clubs starting in major cities like Mumbai Delhi and Bangalore. Initially only hotels had in-house clubs, but over the years a lot of independent clubs have emerged. Sports Bars are popular hang outs in Europe and America. The first ever sports bar was opened way back in 1894. â€Å"Nuf Ced† McGreevy opened his â€Å"3rd Base Saloon† in Boston. The number of local tournaments that happen in these countries is much larger. Due to this a large number of local fans flock to these sports bar to form a community of sorts to support their teams. Apart from these general sports bars there are a large number of bars which promote and support a particular sports club. Most of these bars are in collaboration with the sporting club itself. The telecast all live matches of the club, sell merchandize and have fan interactions at a regular basis at these bars. There was little or no real differentiating factor between bars in India. The need to differentiate gave way to different theme bars and restaurants across India. The first sports bar in India was opened in Goa. It was the perfect place to open the first sports bar as it has a rich culture of football and has a number of spectacular local football clubs like Salgaocar, Dempo, Churchill Brothers, Vasco Sports Club. The fans here have been known to travel to different venues to support their teams. Today there are a number of clubs and bars in all major cities in India. Due to this there is not much differentiation between these places. Sports Bars have always been very popular in the western countries where it has become a culture of a sort where friends go to a particular sports bar to watch every local teams match. This popular successful and well tested format of bar was introduced in India only a few years back. Today there are more than 40 sports bars in India. Impact OF IPL The recent surge in the number of sports bars in India can be attributed to the success of IPL (Indian Premier League). Cricket has always been like a religion in India. The only problem was it was not short like a football match. Now with the advent of 20-20 cricket it has become easier for the audience to consume this sport. Due to the fast nature of this format of cricket IPL has become a huge success and this has helped sports bars in India flourish in leaps and bounds. As most of the major cities have their own IPL teams it has increased the local audiences involvement in the sport. This has been the major factor which has influenced the proliferation of sports bars in the recent years across cities in India. Sports bars are filled to capacity on a match day. The most popular sports in Indian sports bars apart from cricket are football and F1. Some sports bars have tie-ups with local sporting teams and sell their merchandize and promote those teams. Branding Opportunity For example, Xtreme sports bar in Hyderabad has a tie-up with Deccan Chargers which is the cities cricket team in the IPL. They have different offers and promotional events during the IPL season and in particular during a Deccan Chargers match. Deccan chargers in turn use this bar as a platform to promote and interact with the local fans. The team players make appearances during the IPL season and interact with the fans, also, they have other promotional activities like having the official team cheerleaders come and perform at the bar. Recently Manchester United Food Beverage (Asia) Pte Ltd and Billionaire Sports Pvt Ltd in collaboration have announced that they will open the first ever offshore club sports bar in India in the city of Delhi. The first ever Manchester United Restaurant and Bar will set the precedence for other clubs to setup their sports in the country where the love and fan following for English Football is rapidly increasing. Local clubs like the Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals have announced their intentions to launch their own sports bar to promote their clubs and entertain their loyal fan base. This would give them an avenue to brand their sporting clubs and also sell their wide variety of merchandize. Xtreme Sports Bar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Manufacturers of sports equipment could use sports bars as a platform to indulge the customers through subliminal branding. The branding at the bars can be done very subtly. As there is already a lot of player merchandize available, sports manufacturers like Nike can promote their brands by hanging only Nike sponsored player jerseys and memorabilia. Apart from this the manufacturers merchandize can be sold at these bars. For ex: Puma the official sponsor of Deccan Chargers can choose to sell their merchandize in these bars where the involvement of the customer is very high as most of the customers are sports fans. Xtreme Sports Bar, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad SuryaRay Elixirs Pvt. Ltd.the parent company Xtreme Sports Bar has the largest chain of sports bars in India. The annual revenue of this chain is already in excess of Rs. 25cr within just 2 years of launching. They have 7 outlets across India in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Gurgaon. They plan to expand further in the next couple of years and target revenue of Rs. 160 in a couple of years. Apart from the large number of high definition TVs and a few large projection screens Xtreme Sports bar also offers Foos Ball, Golf Simulators, Dart Board Games, Console Gaming, Lan Gaming and Pool tables for the entertainment of their customers during non match days. Live Sports Bar, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad Hall of Fame is the new sports bar that has opened in Hyderabad located in Jubilee hills. This bar boasts of eighteen 42 inch televisions and two large projection screens to provide the ultimate match viewing experience to their customers. Licence of sports like NBA etc have been taken by the bar to telecast uninterrupted matches over broadband. The menu itself consists of 12 different types of chicken wings which are the most popular among the match watching crowd apart from other continental dishes. The raw materials for the food are directly imported from the US in order to provide the highest quality of food to their customers. They call themselves a sports grill and not just a sports bar as they give a lot of importance to their expertise in the food services they provide. Hall of Fame plans to expand its branches into cities like Mumbai and Bangalore later this year. Focus On High-End Decor Quality Of Service: In order to compete in the clustered bars and restaurants segment sports bars have carved a niche for themselves. The food service industry is very competitive and in order to compete in them sports bars are redefining this segment and investing a lot in high end decorations and facilities. These bars have a large number of high resolution plasma TVs, and large projection screens and comfortable seating arrangements equipped with class bean bags, sofas and comfortable booths as opposed to the normal seating arrangements available in other bars and restaurants. To keep up the upscale image most of these bars serve a variety of cuisines and employ well trained chefs. The menus are exquisite and offer a large variety. Both Indian and foreign liquors are served in these bars ranging from beer, wine, whisky, scotch, cocktails, mocktails and other in-house specialities. The menu is quite often named after the local club players and sports stars to increase the involvement of the customers. To add to the ambience and the experience player jerseys and flags of different players and sports teams are displayed in the bar. Autographed photos of players, jerseys and other sports memorabilia are hung on the walls. These bars partner with sports teams and liquor companies. As most people come here to watch live matches and have a drink while doing so, the menu focus is mostly on starters and appetizers as people would like to have something to munch on while drinking and watching the matches. One of the unique attractions of these bars is the private cabins they offer. A customer can call and book the private cabins which have a seating capacity of 8-12 people and are equipped with comfortable sofas and bean bags along with a plasma TV. Customers can enjoy the match, sports bar ambience whilst having their privacy. Regular customers are given preference for the cabin and also these bars offer a variety of offers when a local teams match is being telecast. This encourages more customers to come in to watch the local teams matches. These bars try to focus more on the experience and not merely on telecasting the matches. As not all customers who come into these bars are sports oriented, they give equal importance to the level of service and offering they have apart from the viewing experience itself. The key elements of a sports bar Sports based themes—the sports bar should focus on themes that have mass appeal in India. So the focus should be primarily on cricket and other popular sports like football and F1. Distinctive design features and decor— Every bar should have its own characteristic and the main attraction is the visual appeal of the design and layout of these bars. The large collection of sports memorabilia that is displayed at the bars is a big attraction and adds great value to the place. The more authentic the memorabilia the better. Even Hard Rock Cafe does the same with musicians memorabilia displayed all around the place. The location of the sports itself is very important. The bar should be located at a high profile location. The bar should be located at a location which is close to both high profile residential area and also offices. It is also important to take into account the traffic conditions in this area and the income levels of residential areas near to the intended location of the bar. Getting in celebrities and sportsmen into the bars is an important promotional activity. A sports bar get into a tie-up with celebs and athletes as these events would give them enough media coverage during their appearances at these bars. The waiters and bartenders uniform is also designed to fit the mood and decor of these bars. They all wear uniform which look like sports jerseys with the company logo their number and name written at the back ala sportsmen. Some of these bars sell merchandize of the sporting clubs they are involved with. Some stores which have garnered a fan following of sorts can also sell their own bars merchandize to their loyal customers. Apart from providing liquor and telecasting live matches on high resolution televisions and screens, a sports bar also has to focus on providing a wide variety of cuisines The pricing should be reasonable and affordable and each bar should have its own signature dish In order to improve the experience of the customers all sports bars should maintain a high ratio of personnel to customers. This would mean that the customers are tended to quickly. Also the training given to the service personnel and the bartenders should be of the highest order to keep up the high class image of these bars. Having private cabins in your offering is beneficial. Though a large number of people come to sports bars to get immersed in the match along with a large crowd and get a live match feeling, a certain group of customers still would like to have their privacy. This where the private cabins come in handy. Changing Indian Consumption Habits Among Indians eating out is a popular activity. Every year Indians spend over INR 350 billion on eating out in restaurants, fast food joints, bars etc. Eating out is a very popular activity while attending other functions. It is estimated that Indians spend INR 350 billion eating out annually. Of this organized establishments account for only INR 20 billion. International fast food chains such as Subway, McDonalds and Pizza Hut are found in shopping malls and near cinema theatres. The well-off† in urban areas are increasingly eating out in coffee shops, malls or retail stores. Lounge bars are the latest trend in urban areas and are frequented by young professionals, successful executives and single women in their late 20s. This trend began in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata and will no doubt spread to other urban areas. Among the affluent, clubs are becoming popular. In addition to many recreational Facilities they are upgrading their food facilities and can compete with s ome of the finest restaurants or hotels of India. The new in thing are the sports bars which are mushrooming in different corners of the country. People who are interested in sports or like to be associated with sports go to these places. These bars are frequented by students, young professionals and executives most often. Table 1 Number of On-trade Establishments by Type 2004-2008 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Bars/pubs 22,411 23,942 25,100 26,211 27,154 Source: Trade interviews, Euromonitor International estimates MARKET INDICATORS Table 13 RetailConsumerExpenditure on Alcoholic Drinks 2004-2009 Rs bn 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total 125.4 137.5 149.7 167.9 185.8 183.7 Source: Euromonitor InternationalNote: 2009 data is forecast Sports Bars Target Segment: The customers who visit sports bars are segments into five different groups, Students Young Professionals Successful executives Sports Enthusiast/Fan Families Young Adults Men and women between the age of 21-25 who are either studying or unemployed fall under this segment. This segment of customers come to a sports bar just to hang out with their friends, enjoy the ambience and enjoy the food and liquor services provided by the bar. This customer comes into sports bars with a group of friends both male and female, and all within the same age group. These people get pocket money from their parents and hence are not spendthrifts. However, portions of this group come from very affluent families, and have no limit on their expenditure. This target segments are very trendy and are very seldom loyal. They are attracted to special offers and discounts and look for these offers availability before going to a place. Offers like happy hours of buy one get one free attract this segment of people. They are generally seen before the peak hours as discounted prices are available at this time. Working Professionals These people are in the age group of 24-30. They have a decent amount of disposable income and like to indulge in activities which help them distress after work. They often come in after work to unwind. They come in either with their colleagues or other friends. These groups can have people from different age groups. They come in to watch the matches as well as to just sit and chat with their friends or colleagues. Successful Executives The people in this segment generally fall under the age group of 30-45. They have already arrived in life and belong to a high income segment. These people often come in just for a drink to catch-up with their friends over a few drinks or with their colleagues to discuss business offline. These people often consume foreign liquor and generally have time to watch only important matches. Sports Enthusiasts This target group accounts for a third of the revenue generated by the sports bars. They are big sports fans and follow their favourite sports passionately. They belong to different age groups and can be students, young professionals or successful executives. This group of sports enthusiast t

Eating Disorders Essay -- essays research papers

The first thing to keep in mind is that as an "outsider" (not suffering from an Eating Disorder yourself) there are many things you cannot do to help a family member or friend to get better. You cannot force an Anorexic to eat, keep a bulimic from purging, or make a Compulsive Overeater stop overeating. The first thing to realize once you have come to the awareness that your loved-one suffers from an Eating Disorder, is that you must not concentrate immediately on the food. All forms of Eating Disorders are emotionally based and the behaviors are only a symptom to emotional and stress related problems. As said many times on this site, disordered eating is an attempt to control, hide, stuff, avoid and forget emotional pain, stress and/or self-hate. If you are the parent of a child under 18 you will have difficult decisions to make regarding their care. Regardless of pleas to "not make me," and promises that the behavior will stop, you will have to stay very attuned to what is happening with your child and may have to force them to go to doctors and/or the hospital. Keep in mind how serious Eating Disorders are and that they can kill. If your relationship with someone suffering from Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating is anything other than their parent, or if your child is over the age of 18 then you cannot force them to seek help. You can support and encourage your loved one, and gently express concern, and the best thing you can do is to learn to attentively listen. In most cases it will be important for each sufferer to find a mode of recovery that will work for them. One-on-one therapy, support groups, clinics, in-patient or out-patient, art therapy, church groups, a combination of any, or none of the above but something completely different ... there are many options out there. Share this website, help your friend or family member to gather information if they are open to your help. Be encouraging -- there can be a lot of road blocks in searching for Eating Disorder recovery so be reassuring that recovery is possible! Be there to listen and communicate. Some options for local treatment are here ... and a listing a national organizations is here. Most of the national organizations can refer you to local chapters, support groups and therapy in your area. For the Anorexic or Bulimic who exhibits any of the following sig... ...derstanding individual. Those suffering with an Eating Disorders are not DOING anything to you, but are struggling tremendously themselves, inside. You need to keep this in mind when posing questions that are selfishly motivated or hurtful (even if unintentionally). "Why are you doing this to yourself?" "Your have good things in your life, what's the problem?" Those with an Eating Disorder do not choose to do this to themselves. There is no conscious choice (in most cases) where a person suffering from an Eating Disorder would prefer that lifestyle as opposed to one filled with self-love and happiness. This is a coping mechanism, a means for dealing with depression, stress and self-hate that has been built up over many years. It is a reflection of how the person suffering feels about themselves inside. Wonderful husbands, kids, supportive friends have little influence (other than sometimes temporarily) in creating the true self-esteem required for permanent recovery, to cope with life positively, and to learn to believe that we deserve good things in life and happiness. These disorders are about the person suffering and how they feel about themselves.

Behavior :: science

Behavior One of the problems with strict behavioral theory is that it very much ignores the ‘human variable’. When we reduce things strictly to stimulus and response, we can easily forget that there are human feelings, thoughts, and cognitions that are involved in the expression of a behavior as well. In the case of Roger a behaviorist will take everything at face value. If Roger comes in and says he is having trouble studying, it is very likely that the behaviorist will agree with him based on the observable evidence and come up with a reinforcement contingency of some sort to correct his ‘problem’. However, the behaviorist is not likely to explore Roger’s motivations, interests, or his desires in life. The true cause of the behavioral problem may have to do with thoughts, feelings, or a person’s concept of themselves. Behaviorism is ill suited to dealing with these highly abstract concepts. This means that while the behaviorist may address the problem and possibly even find a way to get Roger studying and into business school, he most likely will not be able to address the issue of whether or not Roger should be in business at all; or if indeed he should pursue his music interests. Likewise, behaviorism will be of little help in assisting Roger in his problems with his family, which a psychoanalytically oriented or cognitive therapist would most likely feel are very relevant in his situation. For example, there is a possibility that Roger could be much happier as a musician than as a business professional, and that deep down Roger knows this and that is why he is having difficulty studying. The conflict he is experiencing could be coming from the pressure of his parents who tell him (directly or indirectly) that he should be in the business field, that music is not valued by his father, and that his brother is a failure so Roger must make up for him and make his parents proud. Things Roger says, such as â€Å"now the burden to follow in my father’s footsteps is on my shoulders† evidence these issues. This quote implies that Roger does not consider working in business pleasurable and that he does not want to feel looked down upon for doing something other than what his parents want, as his brother did. Roger also states that his younger sister â€Å"has it real easy†¦there is no pressure on her†.

Islam in morned times :: essays research papers

Mission Statement for The Study of Islam Section @ the American Academy of Religion The American Academy of Religion is the world's largest learned society and professional association of scholars and teachers in the field of religion. Through academic conferences, publications and a variety of program and membership services, the American Academy of Religion (AAR) fosters excellence in scholarship and teaching. It also aims to advance publication and scholarly communication on religion; to welcome multiple perspectives on the study of religion; to support racial, ethnic and gender diversity within the Academy; and to seek ways to contribute to the public understanding of religion. The AAR's annual meeting is held every year in late November and provides a lively and enabling context for free inquiry, disciplined reflection and scholarly exchange on the world's religions. The Study of Islam section is one of fourteen program units of the AAR and was officially recognized in 1986. It is one of the major sections of the AAR with a long-standing and committed participation of more than a hundred active members. One of the most diverse groups in the AAR, the section's presenters, panelists, and audience represent scholars at all stages of their academic careers. The section also features regular attendance and participation of international scholars from countries including Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, and China. The Study of Islam section serves as a forum for current research on Islam. The annual meeting of the AAR sponsors at least five sessions related to the study of Muslim faith and practice as well as additional individual presentations on Islamic topics in other program units and sessions. The cultural and linguistic diversity, the regional and historical range, and the varieties of methodologies currently used in Islamic Studies make the section's offerings rich and diverse from year to year. The themes of the sessions fall under the following categories: 1. The study of Islamic texts and scriptures; 2. The study of lived Islam in various regions and cultures; 3. Methodology and approaches to the study of Islam; 4. Issues such as gender, liberation theology, human rights; 5. Specializations within Islamic studies including Mysticism, Law, Theology, Philosophy, Shi‘ism. Our policy is to encourage methodological sophistication, ideological diversity and inter-disciplinary discussion in our program. Shared sessions with other program units of the academy have encompassed fields such as Islamic Ethics, Gender, Islamic and Judaic Studies, and Islam and Academic Teaching, and the Study of Religion.

Significance of Communication Skills

Conversing and corresponding with people around is such a common activity that most of individuals are so preoccupied with their daily routine that they do not stop and ponder over the immense advantages that business enterprises can derive from mastering the art and science of communication. Following payoffs are only suggestive: (1) Communication is the life blood of an organizationOrganization cannot function without people interacting, conversing or corresponding with one another. All enterprises require human beings working for it or with it, to:Interact and reactMake assumptions about future or forecast future events ï‚ · Plan or draw up a rough blueprint for the futureOrganize / design a format of how to get resources together to achieve the planStaff or gather / recruit people and get them to desired locationsLead or direct people, and devise their jobs so as to adhere to the planExchange information, ideas, plans and proposalsMeasure and monitorCoordinate and controlCommu nication has been described as the „glue‟ that holds the entire organization together as one entity. Without communication, managers / leaders are not able to influence the attitude and behaviour of people to achieve the common objectives.Internal communicationBefore the end of nineteenth century, businesses were small; they started growing in size from the beginning of twentieth century. Contemporary business enterprises are very large and have not only become multinational but also transnational in character. Besides, they have grown in complexity in terms of a wide array of products and services they deal in and the number of countries and continents they are operating in. Also, arising from liberalizing of many national economies, global competition has intensified and the rate of change in market place has accelerated. Market forces have  also become very dynamic, almost verging on chaos.With business becoming very large in size, complex in nature and rapidly chan ging dynamics, enterprises must put in place effective internal communication so that every one can be kept informed of happenings within the large corporation. It is the only way managers / leaders can build understanding among people located in far off communities, countries and continents – stringing them together in to a beautiful necklace that everyone can be proud of.External communicationAs a business enterprise in the modern society, it has to interact, pro-act or react to happenings in other institutions viz.Government bodies, statutory / regulatory agencies, municipal authorities etcDistributors, dealers and retailersCustomers, community and society at largeReputed organizations are concerned about their public image, goodwill and trust. In order to further reinforce their reputation, they participate in a number of activities:Public speeches by senior executivesTactful responses to comments and criticisms in the mediaPreparation and distribution of informative pamp hlets about the firmMarketing communications or advertisement / publicityProduction and dissemination of product catalogues, videos etcBecause of their importance, these activities are centralized in the Public Relations and Corporate Communications department of large corporations. These activities have emerged as specialist skills of critical importance to the well being of the company. Successful messaging can: ï‚ · Eliminate unnecessary correspondence  Save time and expenseBuild favourable impression in public mindEnhance reputation and goodwillHelp increase company profits and profitabilityCommunication skills as vital job requirementHuman beings are communicating all the time. Ability to express powerfully and influence the attitude and behaviour of people for giving better performance on their jobs, has emerged as a job skill of critical importance for managers / leaders at all levels of management. Thus all employees are expected to:1 Write good correspondence 2 Be good in oral conversation 3 Develop and cultivate powerful body language 4 Be able to sell ideas and products effectively 5 Be very good in weaning away customers from competitor and retaining themIt is now increasingly understood that even specialists like accountants, engineers, technicians etc should have good communication skills. In the present day knowledge society, competitive advantage of acquiring excellent communication skills cannot and perhaps need not be emphasized!Communication skills essential for promotion Communication skills have emerged as the most critical prerequisite for promotion to senior executive positions in the industry. Consequently, managers at lower rungs of organizations should also have good command over the spoken and written language of the business. As a general rule, managers should have the ability to make their communications heard, read or understood. Individuals who have had quick rise to senior level positions, attribute it to their being good i n conversation and in articulating topical issues besides being very good in written communications – be it in writing persuasive letters or producing concise and compelling reports.Communication skills aid problem solving A person can become a good communicator only when he is a clear and systematic thinker. Acquiring effective communication skills adds to one‟s self esteem and confidence. This helps managers to be able to collect relevant information and get around people quickly that are essential prerequisites for any problem solving effort.Communication skills ignite enthusiasm If a person is able to articulate viewpoint of the group he belongs to, it enthuses him because he becomes the automatic choice as their representative. The person becomes more spirited and involved and his group activities increase manifolds. People rally around such persons more readily and they progress in to more important roles.Communication skills enhance motivation People who have goo d oral or written communication skills usually develop into very good listeners. Listening to others leads to added learning that influences their attitude and behaviour. It goes a long way in re-orienting their mindset towards work and enhancing their performance. Such persons become more aligned to firm‟s objectives and are motivated to accomplish them.Communication skills are advantageous in personal life As private citizens, individuals take part in a lot of activities like sports, club work, social work, community work etc. People also participate in other social, cultural and religious activities. If they are good communicators, they get noticed quickly and can be appointed or nominated to many such activity groups. Before long, they become well-known and prominent member of the community. (10) Communication skills hone leadership traitsFrom the foregoing discussions, it is easy to understand that all leaders in business, industry or political arena, have notably better skills in communication. They are able to deliver informative and persuasive speeches to audience at large. They are able to draw up, compose and distribute most effective posters, banners and circulars. Thus effective communication skills propel them to positions of leadership. (11) Dividends from effective communication skillsCommunication skills have come to be recognized as integral part of one‟s upbringing and personality. His choice of words and phrases and their use is quite unique to him and can directly give clues to his personality. In the modern age of knowledge society when education, training and skills are being formally taught, communication skills have become of critical importance in every day life. It is said that it is no use having brilliant ideas if one cannot put them across properly, accurately and lucidly. Following illustration highlights the strategic importance of role and importance of communication skills: Effective Communications  Enhance