McDonald Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

McDonald - Essay Example Recent statistics shows that McDonald’s operates 31,000 restaurants in 119 different countries (Kroc 23). Additionally, the corporation also operates several other restaurant brands like the Piles Cafà © and Donatos Pizza. Some of the countries that have the McDonald’s food store include Singapore, Malaysia, India and most of the states in the United States and Europe (Kroc 29). McDonald has maintained its vigorous advertising campaign for several decades. They usually use the radio, social networks, billboards, newspapers, television and the internet to advertise their products. Through these advertising schemes, McDonald’s has significantly augmented its market. Until recently, McDonald’s has used up to 23 different slogans to advertise its products in different regions and countries. One of the interesting ads by McDonald’s is the ad concerning Rock and Fries. The ad portrays the McDonald emblem using a human hand. Such an advertising strategy has touched me and many others, and it proves that there is a proper marketing integration because McDonald has augmented its market (Kroc 34). The company is considered as one of the most vigorous fast food

“the Effectiveness of Teaching Moral Values to Elementary Essay Example for Free

â€Å"the Effectiveness of Teaching Moral Values to Elementary Essay ABSTRACT Nowadays, we need the improvement in intensity and quality of character building implementation in formal educational institution. This claim is based on the growing social phenomenon, namely the increasing juvenile delinquency in society, such as brawl and various other cases of moral decadence. These phenomena are obviously not expected to happen in our society. Therefore, the formal education institutions which are functioned to create the younger generation is expected to increase its role in the formation of personality of students through increased intensity and quality of character education. Since the reformation of our national curriculum, we have been developing new methods in building the students’ character, which we know better in schools as character education. It has been applied to the national curriculum method which turns around developing â€Å"good character† in students by practicing and teaching moral values and life skill. Moral values and life skill can be taught in a fun way using the media such as music, specifically songs which has a good moral values and life skill. This paper reports the effectiveness of using character development songs in teaching moral values and life skill in SDN Adiarsa III Karawang. The samples taken will be only the 6th grade students. Data are collected through interview and classroom activity. The study reveals that the effectiveness of using character development songs in teaching moral values is unexpectedly successful, though there are some difficulties in organizing the 6th grade class which are great in number. This study is expected to give contribution to those who are planning to conduct a research on character building in English Language Teaching (ELT). Research Question 1)How can songs as a media in CTL of ELT be implemented in teaching moral values? 2)The students’ response to the use of character building songs in CTL of ELT to teach moral values to the 6th Grade students in SDN Adiarsa III Karawang. Background Nowadays, the need of improvement in intensity and quality character ducation implementation in formal educational institutions is increasing. This idea is based on the growing social phenomenon, namely the increasing juvenile delinquency in society, such as a mass brawl and various other cases of moral decadences. These phenomena are obviously not expected to happen in our society. Therefore, the formal education institutions which are functioned to create the younger generation is expected to increase its role in the formation of personality of students through incre ased intensity and quality of character education. Before we discuss further about the need of character education nowadays, it is better to know the definition of character itself. The Sage’s English Dictionary and Thesaurus defines character as â€Å"the inherent complex of attributes that determines a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions†. American Dictionary of the English Language defines character to be â€Å"the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determine his or her response regardless of circumstances†. Abraham Lincoln once said that, â€Å"Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree. † Our character is not just what we try to display for others to see, it is who we are even when no one is watching. Good character is doing the right thing because it is right to do what is right. Nancy A. Wood (2008) defines character as an evaluation of a particular individuals moral qualities. It can also imply a variety of attributes including the existence of lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits. When someone is a moral character, it is primarily referring to the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one individual from another. Character building is the way to strengthen one’s character by molds oneself into a productive person within one’s sphere of influence. Developing such personal qualities seems as a purpose of education. Character building in school, we call this term as character education, is applied to the national curriculum method that turns around developing â€Å"good character† in students by practicing and teaching moral values and decision making. On the other word, character education is an investment system of the character values to the citizens of schools that include components of knowledge, awareness or volition, and actions to implement those values (Bila Nastiti, 2010). As Theodore Roosevelt expresses that to educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace society. His statement implies that if we want to make students good at not only cognitive aspect but also have a competent in moral aspect, we should educate them in a pleasurable condition. Songs are one of a pleasurable media to teach moral values in English subject. English teachers can use songs as part of their classroom teaching repertoire. Larry M. Lynch (2010), states that songs contain authentic language, is easily obtainable, provide vocabulary, grammar and cultural aspects and are fun for the students, especially to Elementary students. The 6th grade elementary students somehow will enter Junior High School later. This is a stage of adolescence for them. According to Ghifari (2004), adolescence is a group of people who are leaving childhood full of childhood dependency and towards the establishment of responsibility. Therefore, teaching moral values through education is important to be implemented in early education, as well as an early preparation for them to face their adolescence later. This research titled â€Å"The Students’ Response to the Use of English Character Building Songs in CTL of ELT to Teach Moral Values to the 6th Grade Students in SDN Adiarsa III Karawang†, is carried out to see how the students response to the implementation of using character building songs in teaching moral values to them. In order to accomplish this purpose, the writer conducts a teaching simulation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) using songs as a media in English Language Teaching (ELT) and wrote their responses through interview to conclude how the students response. The writer also purposes to see how songs as one of a pleasurable media, can be implemented to teach moral values to the young learners, specifically to the 6th grade elementary students.

Impact of Digital Marketing on Food Service Industry Essay -- Digital

Statement of the Problem In the contemporary world, every type of business is going digital. Manufacturers, retail stores, and restaurants, to name just a few, are realizing unimaginable profit margins due to incorporating modern technology in their marketing strategies. Entrance of digital media and real-time marketing into the scene has resulted in a significant improvement in the traditional ways of marketing and carrying out business. Dissemination of information and media has been highly revolutionized. However, there is limited research related to real-time marketing especially as it concerns the service industry. Digital media have proved to be very efficient in their degree of reliability and fast data transmission. This has led to a major boosts in the connectivity and communication of restaurant businesses with their customers. In restaurants, there exists a very close relationship between the attendants and the customer. With such attributive aspect, good customer-producer relations can be built comprehensively through digital media. This study will help justify the past research work and will also seek to unravel the mystery of the impact of technological marketing approaches on the discovery and progress of food and restaurant services enterprises. Background The internet is the biggest digital networking tool. The internet offers a number of platforms for digital marketing. Many electronic communication tools offer access to the internet. Personal computers, mobile phones, smart phones, tablets, and various other electronic products offer access to the internet. Over the internet, platforms such as websites, emails, applications (classic and mobile) and social networks are essential for marketing (Hutley,... ... of current research (Belch & Belch, 2001). References Ashcroft, L., and Hoey, C. (January 15, 2001). PR, marketing and the Internet: implications for information professionals. Library Management, 22, 68-74. Belch, G. E., & Belch, M. A. (2001). Advertising and promotion: An integrated marketing communications perspective. Boston, Mass: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Hutley R. (2009). Social Networking as a Business Tool. Cisco Internet Business Solutions Joint Research Center Technical Reports (2008). Social Computing: Study on Use and Impact of Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2005). Principles of marketing. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Tamburrini, G. and Zhang, W (2014) Entrepreneurship in Time of Crisis: The Outsourcing of Services through Franchise Arrangements in the Italian Food Service Industry. Journal of Food service Business Research, 17(1), 28-47.

Microsoft Csr

â€Å"Technology creates opportunities for people and organizations to realize their full potential† is the thought driving Microsoft’s corporate citizenship program. With the enduring commitment to serve needs of communities worldwide Microsoft is playing the role of a responsible global citizen. Going far beyond its products and services it has collaborated with business partners, governments and non profit organizations around the globe to fulfil its commitment. It delivers new technology to people and organizations to unleash their creativity, productivity and opportunity across borders.In today’s world there is no scarcity of opportunities yet there is a growing divide between young people who have the chance to succeed owing to their enhanced skills and those who don’t. In response to this divide Microsoft has targeted its corporate citizenship program particularly towards youth empowerment. Microsoft YouthSpark is a youth empowerment initiative that connects millions of youth the world over and provides them with opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.It brought together more than 350,000 students from more than 260 regions and countries to participate in the 2012 Imagine Cup—the world’s largest student technology competition. In the auspicious event students from different parts of the world and cultures use their skills to solve world’s most challenging problems. Such competitions are great motivators for youth as it provides them with a platform to showcase their talent across borders and to explore and enhance global opportunities.Microsoft has provided students free access to state-of-art technology facilities at more than 90 Microsoft innovation centres in 44 countries to accelerate their career opportunities. It has also provided innovative designer and web developer tools to students and teachers around the globe under the Microsoft Dreamspark initiative. Most of the companyâ €™s donations are targeted towards Non-profit organizations addressing the need of youth skill development. Also, through Microsoft BizSpark the company is helping young entrepreneurs launch new businesses by providing access to software development tools, industry connections, and investors.Empowering non profits: It goes without saying that the biggest problem a non-profit organization faces is raising funds for the upgrade and betterment of its core processes. â€Å"Nonprofits need powerful tools to transform passion into progress. Modern productivity, communication, and collaboration solutions help people drive social change where it’s needed most. † says Kurt DelBene, President, Microsoft Office Division. Through its technology for good program Microsoft is helping 62,000 non profit organizations around the globe to get affordable access to technology for serving communities with a greater zeal.Some activities under the initiative were donating hardware and so ftware to non profit organizations and providing them with refurbished laptops at relatively cheaper rates. Microsoft also collaborates with nonprofits for hosting more than 100 NGO Connection Days and in educating NGO staff on how to get the most value from donated software via webinars. Other than the above mentioned points Microsoft also provides technological process solutions to the non profits so that they can reach out to the people in need efficiently and effectively.Microsoft’s Employee giving program: Employees are the heart of any organization and the initiatives taken by them are prone to be embedded in the core of the organizational culture . The Microsoft’s employee giving program is a campaign by which employees devote their time and money as a service to the communities. Since its inception in 1983 the company has raised nearly $ 1 billion as donations. On 18th Oct, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman and Founder Bill Gates commemorated Microsoftâ €™s 30th Employee Giving Campaign during a special town hall event where the congratulated the employees for their efforts.In FY12 the employees gave nearly $100 million with a volunteering percentage of 65%. The company Encourages employee giving and volunteering by offering company matching contributions for US employees up to $12,000 for total time and cash donations. It gives employees at least three days off from their office work if they want to volunteer outside the United States. The volunteering percentage has increased 12. 5% year over year and more than 12000 employees and 2,000 non-profits have been registered on Volunteer Manager, Microsoft’s opportunity matching system for bringing needs and skills together.The organization motivates volunteering through the Give SharePoint site, where employees can share experiences and opportunities with the rest of the Microsoft community. Beyond direct service to the community, Microsoft has made significant strides in t he areas of human rights and environmental sustainability. It consulted with businesses, government and other key stakeholders to develop a human rights statement that brings together long-standing policies on issues such as privacy, security, free expression and labour rights.It exceeded its goal to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent compared with 2007, due in part to the 1. 1 billion kilowatt hours of green power it purchased, the third most of any US company. Its endorsement of the United Nations Global Compact drives Microsoft to continually improve its business practices and increase its accountability. â€Å"Stick to your core competenciesâ€Å"– the famous business jargon is what Microsoft is incorporating in its pursuit of becoming a world leader in Corporate citizenship.

Importance of consumer centric approach marketing Essay

           A consumer centric approach is a method in marketing that focuses on the needs and wants of an individual consumer (Kaufmann & Mohammed 302). The approach does not deal with customers like the mass market. It makes constant interaction with the customers. This is done so as to get information that makes a business understand what are customers’ expectations, perceptions and desires. By acquiring all the necessary information the business is able to design new and best strategies to increase its loyalty in the services and products. The businesses also use this approach to increase the customer’s satisfaction. The customer centric is like focusing on what the customers’ value in life. After finding that value is when the business can dedicate its efforts on a particular high value customer segment. Internal and external factors associated with consumer-centric             According to Jham & Puri (3) there are internal and external factors that affect the consumer- centric method from identifying the customers’ behavior. They make it difficult for a business and its consumer to have an interaction. The external factors are the environmental influences and the internal factors are the individual differences. The external factors such as social class, personal influence, attitudes and family: complicate the consumer’s decisions (Jham & Puri 3). The internal factors include; motivation knowledge, personality, attitudes, lifestyle, consumers’ resources and values. They also affect the consumer’s decisions. The consumer resource as part of internal factors; reflects on time and money. It is difficult to establish an interaction with the consumer if he or she is not financially stable. The most crucial factor is behavior. Most of the customer’s can buy the product out of convenience not because they bel ieve in the brand. Why do we need to focus on consumers?            The customers are very important in a business. They are the ones who determine the success of any organization. When an organization focus on consumer satisfaction; it becomes easy to find some metric that it can use to improve its business. However, it also becomes easy to manage the selling of the products and services. Concentrating on consumers has advantages to the business. It helps the business identify the consumer’s loyalty (Beard 1). The consumers’ acts like advocates in a business. They can help the business grow. A satisfied customer is able to share with others the goodness of the product or a service. This help increase the rate of consumers in a certain business. They are like small marketers or â€Å"evangelists.† Unhappy customer results to a risk of losing many consumers in the business. This is because of the negative word of mouth.               Concentrating on consumer help bring differentiation (Beard 1). A market is a competitive place that every business fights to get more customers. In order to succeed in this kind of environment one need to focus customer satisfaction. The customer can only choose to associate with the business that satisfies them. They find that kind of businesses unique and different from others. Customer satisfaction reduces Churning. Poor services make customers want to experience products from the competitors. A certified customer does not find it necessary to experience the quality of other products. In a business, it is very expensive and difficult to acquire new customers. The organization may spend resources on marketing and adverts so as to acquire more customers. The best option to avoid these circumstances is by retaining customers through satisfaction. It is the only way for a business to succeed. Consumer-centric in companies          Customer centric marketing is used by many companies in the world today. The companies that use this approach become knowledgeable on ways to enhance their products and services. However, the consumer-centric companies have more qualities compared to others. They are accessible. The customers find it easy to connect with them. They are responsive. They are able to reach out to their customers by different channels and respond to their suggestions and needs. Customer centric marketing (CRM) has been upgraded into eCRM in many companies (Kaufmann & Mohammed 302). The advances in the technology have changed the way consumers such for information of the products they need. The old CRM did not satisfy the needs of all consumers.             With the help of the new technology both eCRM with traditional CRM are now used by companies to enhance consumer quality service standards. The eCRM is a new tool being used by many companies to enhance their marketing skills. This is because it allows transferring of information across channels through the data driven tools. The companies that use eCRM are able to increase consumer satisfaction, their services and loyalty. However, some of them have increased online sell through this new technology. Customer centric companies have large market share compared to others. This is because they are able to reach out the market through â€Å"customer satisfaction.† This is very important thing. Other companies that do not have CRM have small market share. The business can only have a large market share by being the heart of the consumers. Concept of relationship marketing in consumer-centric approach            Relationship marketing is a concept in the business related to Consumer-centric marketing. Its main agenda is to achieve the consumer’s loyalty. The approach makes sure the businesses have interaction and long term engagement with the consumers (Learning business 1). The approach allows open communication with customers and gives them information suited for their needs. It makes the business develop an emotional connection or relationship with the customer. This approach is same as the consumer-centric. It deals with loyalty and developing a good interaction with the consumers. It has the same agenda of satisfying consumers. The methods used in relationship marketing apply in CRM. They use methods such as; marketing campaigns. This can be used by the CRM to promote organizations, the products, special offers and the brand.             Methods such as competitive prices, excellent customer services and quality products are essential in providing a good relationship with the customers (Learning marketing 1). They lead to best buyer- consumer relationship. They are the best methods of retaining customers in a business. However, the relationship marketing monitoring methods used to ensure customer satisfaction are appropriate for CRM. Personal interview by use of questionnaires or phone calls is best to find out consumers view regarding products and services. The mystery shoppers can also be applied. They include suggestion boxes, online surveys. Customer complaints and customers’ general comments are also important. They help business know where they stand in the market. The CRM help the business to come up with the best market segmentation. It is because they can know the needs of each individual in a certain area. The fit of marketing offering in consumer-centric approach             Marketing offering is appropriate when using the consumer- centric approach. It is because it deals with additional values to the customers (Hunt 1). In order to deliver values such as availability, technical support, convenient delivery or quality service; CRM is the right approach. It deals with maintaining a good relationship with the consumers. Adding the values to CRM helps the consumers be more loyal and trust the products or services. The offering marketing fits in the CRM because before it is carried out. The business needs to understand customers’ important factors. They help understand if the products are supportive or convenient. The convenience acts like a differentiator between the values offered to that of the competitors. The offerings are determinants whether the customer can buy from a certain company or not. They also involve the customer service similar to the CRM. If a business responds to the request of customers immediately; it gives t hem confidence. Conclusion               Customer- centric is a good approach for business. It enable establish a good relationship between the business and consumers. However, it responds to customers request which a very important aspect. Customer satisfaction is a very important thing. Consumers determine the growth of the business. They are advocates. A business that practices consumer satisfaction has a competitive differentiation. However they do not experience churning since their services and products are convincing than others. CRM is related to the relationship market. All this approaches are interested in customers’ loyalty. They are approaches that help the business acquire a large market share. Customers’ are always attracted with satisfaction than any other thing in the product or service. Reference Beard, R. Why customer satisfaction is very important (6 reasons). (2014). Retrieved on 27th February 2015. < http://blog.clientheartbeat.com/why-customer-satisfaction-is-important/> Hunt, Shelby D.  Marketing Theory: Foundations, Controversy, Strategy, Resource-Advantage Theory. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe, 2010. Print. Jham, Vimi, and Sandeep Puri.  Cases on Consumer-Centric Marketing Management. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, 2014. Internet resource.Kaufmann, Hans R, and Mohammad F. A. K. Panni.  Customer-centric Marketing Strategies: Tools for Building Organizational Performance. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, 2013. Print. Learning marketing. (2014). Relationship marketing. Retrieved on 27th February 2015.< http://www.learnmarketing.net/relationshipmarketing.htm> Source document

Swisher Motor Case Analysis Essay Example

Swisher Motor Case Analysis Essay Example Swisher Motor Case Analysis Paper Swisher Motor Case Analysis Paper Essay Topic: Push Precious Wayne Swisher, President and Chief Executive Office of Swisher Mower and Machine Company (SMC), was weighing the proposal of a private branding arrangement for SMC’s line of riding mowers. He thought the inquiry presented an opportunity but details should be studied more closely. Situation Analysis: Company Background: Established in 1945 by Max Swisher, SMC grew steadily with unit volume for SMC riding mowers peaking at 10,000 units with sales of $2 million in 1966. In the 1990s, the unit volume remained constant with around 4,250 riding mowers per year. Compared with 1,263,000 unit sales in riding mowers and tractors industry, SMC only occupied around 0. 3% market share. Max Swisher, the current CEO, thought maintaining a small company image had also been an important aspect of his business philosophy, which led to the good personal relationships with dealers and customers alike. SMC produced limited but differentiated products. SMC’s flagship product, the Ride King, was credited with the first zero-turning-radius riding mower. SMC also produced a trail-mower called T-44 with a cutting width of 44 inches. Kits, the self-propelled push mower, accounted for 8. 2% of SMC’s total sales, though it did not provide a material contribution to the company’s gross profits. The replacement parts for mowers posed a good business for SMC, accounting for 20% of the total sales. The following table showed the detailed comparison of the percentage in total sales and total gross profits across different modes of mower together with replacement parts. 1995 dataRide KingT-44KitsReplacement Modes of MowerRiding MowerTrail-mowerPush mower/ % of total Sales63. 60%8. 20%8. 0%20% % of Gross Profits57. 80%13. 20%029% SMC planned to broaden SMC product line in 1996 by introducing a high-wheel string trimmer product, Trim-Max, a high-wheel, walk-behind product. With manufacturing plant in Warrensburg, Missouri, SMC owned an annual capacity of 10,000 riding mower units on a single 40-hour-per-week shift with distribution mainly in non-metropolitan areas. About 75% of sales of SMC were made in non-m etropolitan areas. SMC sold 30% through wholesalers, 25% through direct-to-dealer, 40% as private-label, and the rest 5% as exports. It sold the Ride King through wholesalers, who located throughout the country, focusing on farm dealers situated in the south central and southeastern US. SMC remained a profitable company since its founding with a net profit return on sales of 10 percent or more annually. The sound financial position minimized the need for any major short-term or long-term financing. Industry Backgrounds: Riding lawn mowers are classified as lawn and garden equipment with two basic configurations, the front-engine lawn tractors and rear engine riding mowers. However there are some mid-engine riding mowers on the market, such as those produced by SMC. Front-engine lawn tractors are the most popular design followed by rear-engine and mid-engine models. Rear engined lawn tractors are perceived as stronger and more durable. Competition in riding lawn mower market was fierce with ten manufacturers comprising major competitors in 1995, while SMC only occupied around 0. 3%, based on sales units. All these companies made Riding mowers under a nationally branded name and at the same time were engaged in private-label production. It was estimated that private-label mowers account for 65 to 75 percent of total industry sales. Each riding mower manufacturer priced its products at price points. The representative retail prices for national and private-label riding mowers typically ranged from $800 to $5,000. The manufacturer’s price of Ride King of SMC, $ 650, was quite comparative, compared with industry average. Sales trends of riding mowers were cyclical and highly seasonal. With slice decline of sales in 1991, projections for 1995 and 1996 point toward further increases in unit volume. Industry statistics show that over half of manufacturer shipments of these products occur in the four-month period from January to April. A SWOT Analysis on current situation of SMC: InternalStrengthsWeaknesses Producto Distinct products o High quality, simple design, ease-to-use and maintain, no significant claim o Interchangeable parts o Competitive priceo Limited range of products o Perception on rear and mid engine not as strong and durable as front-engine Managemento Customer-oriented Personal relationship with dealer, distributors and end-customers o CEO expertise in marketing, VP of Sales for 6 yearso One man makes all the decision o Small business mentality Marketingo Co-op advertising with its dealers o Good relationship with dealers and end-customerso Previously neglected consumer advertising o Insufficient attention for promotion and advertising campaign o No national distribution network RDo One new product on the way (Trim Max)o Not so aggressive Financeo Consistent net profit of approx. 10 percent o Adequate cash flow to finance operation o Minimize the need for short-term or long-term financingo Poor cost management o Possible liabilities – self-insurance of products External OpportunitiesThreats Market expansiono Limited market coverage (south central, southeastern). Potential expansion to the west o New target market include consumer housing, in addition to farms o Private labels business may be growingo Many big competitors like Honda, John Deere, American Yard Production etc with stronger financial resources and economic size of capacity Industry Outlooko Growing industrieso Cyclical industry o After next year, industry may be down Technologyo Possibility for automation by technology development in long term (production streamline, cost reduction)o Imitation is allowed as patent expired Problem Statement How to grow the business since sales plateau existed for almost 20 years despite continuous profits? This is what Wayne Swisher had been concerned for several years. In early 1996, Wayne Swisher received a certified letter from a major national retail merchandise chain, inquiring about a private branding arrangement for SMC’s line of riding mowers. Wayne had to decide whether or not to accept the proposal as well as the next step to grow SMC. The Private-label Proposal Contract: A 2-year contract which could be automatically extended on a year-to-year basis, with price and other terms negotiable then. Also can be terminated by any party with a 6-month notice. ? Product: Minor changes based on Ride King ? Order: An annual order of approximately 8,200 units, a sample order of 700 standard riding mower units to be delivered in Jan1997. ? Price: FOB; 5% discount on SMC’s manufacturer’s list price for its standard model; Reorders will be at the same price Marketing: SMC did not need to make any promotion effort to either the chain or the consumers. In addition, the private label relationship with the chain should be held confidential. ? Negotiable Inventory holding payment term: The chain would carry inventories in its regional warehouse. However, only until the mowers were shipped to a company store, or only when they had been in a regional warehouse for 2 months, would title be transferred and would the 45 da ys’ payment term start to take effect. Warranty: SMC’s standard warranty would be required for all mower parts. SMC was expected to bear any labor costs resulting from warranty work at $22 per hour. Replacement parts would be sold to the chain at present price point and shipped FOB factory. Proposal evaluation To facilitate our analysis with limited information, the following reasonable assumptions are taken: a) Unit sales without cannibalization, selling prices and costs (except the additional costs mentioned in the case) of Ride King would remain the level of 1995. b) Ignore the impact of decreasing unit fixed cost with expanded production volume. ) Recognize sales in late 1996, though the sample order of 700 was to be shipped and sales were to be recognized in 1997 d) Assume consistent cannibalization rate among two-year contract period (=300 cannibalized annually/8,200 annually) e) Average the one-time costs of $10000~12000, i. e. $11,000, and the costs are expense d when accepting the proposal. f) Assume SMC could well arrange production and avoid excess OT work for PL/Ride King over the minimum of 2100 units/year. g) Assume the new mowers under proposal (â€Å"PL†) occupied the same capacity as Ride King did. ) Assume after negotiation, title can be transferred upon shipment from SMC. Sales Analysis (Table A) Total Ride King Sales, both the original and those from Private Label proposal (â€Å"PL†), would be 4,874, 12,100 and 12,100 units for year 1996~1998 respectively, with net increase of 674, 7,900 and 7,900 after cannibalization. Financial Analysis ? Additional income per unit (Table B) * As stated in Assumption b), united fixed cost is overstated. Hence, gross profit of the proposal would be slightly higher. Hence, the proposal would bring an additional per unit income of $42. 5 (gross profit of 6. 5%) if within the 10,000 capacity with a single 40-hour-per-week shift and an additional income of $16. 25 (i. e. GP of 2. 5% ) if over capacity with overtime work. ? Capacity Analysis (Table C) Assume SMC could manage to arrange a smooth production without significant fluctuation to counter the seasonal delivery. Hence, production volume could be consistent with sales volume as shown in Table A. Hence, in 1996, as total production volume still under capacity, no overtime work for PL needed. While for both 1997 and 1998, 2,100 units of PL would be produced with overtime work. Incremental Income (Table D) Based on the assumption and calculation above, total incremental income can be derived as follows. The proposal would generate an extra net profit before tax for SMC of $11,098, $88,850 and $88,850 in year 1996, 1997 and 1998 respectively. On the base of year 1995, the sharp increase in sales by 178% would bring in a 21% increase in net profit before tax. Table D Ride King199619971998 Cannibalization loss Gross Profit per unit97. 5097. 5097. 50 Cannibalized volume-26-300-300 Cannibalization lost-2,535-29,2 50-29,250 Additional Income from PL Within capacity Volume7006,1006,100 Gross Profit per unit (see Table B)42. 2542. 2542. 25 Additional Income29,575257,725257,725 Over capacity Volume02,1002,100 Gross Profit per unit (see Table B)16. 2516. 2516. 25 Additional Income034,12534,125 Total Additional Income29,575291,850291,850 Incremental Income27,040262,600262,600 Additional Cost One-time cost-$11,000$0$0 **Additional Financial expenses For additional AR (ignore that of sample)$0-$57,929-$57,929 For additional Inventory (Average inventory of 2100units. )$0-$116,091-$116,091 Additional net profit before tax$16,040$88,580$88,580 1995199619971998 Additional net profit before tax $11,098$88,580$88,580 Net Profit$430,200$446,240$518,780$518,780 % increase in net profit 3. 73%20. 59%20. 59% Sales -Ride King $2,713,354$2,535,000$2,535,000 -PL $432,250$5,063,500$5,063,500 Sales$2,730,000$3,145,350$7,598,500$7,598,500 % increase in sales 15. 21%178. 33%178. 33% For detailed information on Additional Financial Expenses, please see the Table F as follows: (To simply analysis of AR financing cost, we ignore cannibalization of the sample order, and use the same selling price and payment term of PLs for the small quantity of cannibalized Ride King. Also, we ignore the inventory financing cost for 1996. ) ** Additional Financial Expenses 199619971998 Cost to finance additional AR Cannibalized Ride King-26-300-300 PL7008,2008,200 Net Additional Unit Sales 6747,9007,900 Net increase in Sales (@617. 5)$416,195$4,878,250$4,878,250 Impact on AR (45 days /360)$52,024$609,781$609,781 Cost to finance additional AR (@ 9. 5%)$4,942$57,929$57,929 Cost to finance additional Inventory Additional average inventory (assume nil for sample order)02,1002,100 Average unit cost [=((6100*(650-42. 25)+2100*(650-33. 5))/8200]$0$582$582 Average inventory cost$0$1,222,008$1,222,008 Cost to finance additional Inventory (@ 9. 5%)$0$116,091$116,091 ? Sensitivity Analysis: In order to gauge the risks associated with the terms and conditions of the proposal, SMC tried to analyze the sensitivity of the sales and profits to the changes of terms and conditions in payment terms, inventory costs, interest rates and cannibalization volume. To illustrate the point clearer, the breakeven point of each terms and condition is calculated with other situation held constant. SensitivityNo Additional Profit Payment terms -65% 114 days Extra holding inventory-131%3,700units Interest rate-196% 14. 3% Cannibalization volume -22%1,690units Because all these conditions above are unlikely to happen, SMC can be rather confident that the proposal is quite favorable in making profits. Evaluation of the proposal Just like a coin has two sides, the proposal also has pros and cons. SMC can benefit from the private label proposal from six aspects. SMC can enjoy the increase in sales and profits after accepting the proposal. The details can be seen in the following table: 19951996 Increase*1997Increase*1998Increase* Sales2,730,0003,145,60415. 22%7,598,500178. 33%7,598,500178. 33% Net Profits430,200446,2403. 73%518,78020. 59%518,78020. 59% * % increase versus those in 1995 If SMC accepted the proposal, its sales could rocket up almost 178% in 1997, compared to sales in 1995. It profits could be increased by 21% in 1997, compared to those in 1995. The proposal posed a good opportunity to SMC to increase sales and profits. SMC could also benefit from stable demands for its products in the next two years. The private proposal would offer stable orders to SMC. SMC could fully utilize its currently idle production capacity. Without acceptance of this private label proposal, the idle manufacturing capacity is 5,800 units per annum, more than 50% of total capacity. The high opportunity cost incurred could not be neglected. Furthermore, SMC could utilize this opportunity to make entry into the most important retail distribution channel: national retail merchandise chains, which currently accounts for 24% of the national market. Moreover, this proposal could provide an extra benefit of free test market! In fact, SMC remains a regional manufacturer of riding mowers for almost half a century. Its sales had plateaued for a decade while industry as a whole embraced record increase in recent years. SMC could take this precious chance to survey customer reaction across US to its unique mid-engine products with the help of the mass merchandise distributor’s strength of marketing without even using any of SMC’s scarce valuable marketing resources. Additionally, this new challenge would be a best learning opportunity for SMC when it operates on a scale twice the size of current operation. SMC could learn how to cope with the production within or even exceeding full capacity. For example, stretched manufacturing would lead to unprecedented pressure for purchasing department, warehouse management, logistics, etc. On the other hand, SMC should look at the other side of coin and analyze the cons of the private label proposal as well. Upon adopting the proposal, SMC would contribute more than 50% of its capacity for Ride King to one single private label mower production. Furthermore the improvement of SMC’s own brand could be limited by the remaining 42% production capacity. Limited capacity could hamper the introduction of new product, say missing the good timing, or could lead SMC to miss the good chance to grow current brand, say if demand for current brand increased. Other than capacity, the proposal also put pressure on SMC’s other resources, such as financial budget, labor, general management, etc. Private label production would consume a certain part of the limited and valuable corporate resources. Moreover, accepting proposal to manufacture private brand and distribute the private brand through other channels might lead to potential conflict with its traditional distributors. Although the chain’s outlets were located in metropolitan areas, there would be some overlap in trade areas with SMC’s current dealers. SMC, a small concern, relies heavily on its regional dealers to promote its products to consumers. Such a bold move might lead to certain percentage of independent dealers to drop the SMC line. The less profitable Private Label could cannibalize 300 units of the sales of more profitable Ride King annually in 1997 and 1998. What is more, the cannibalization rate could be higher than estimated 300 units a year. Additionally, SMC had to bear the risks ssociated with the private label plan. Accepting the proposal is confronted with two uncertainties. One is that the mower producer had committed two third of its current capacity to one single distributor. Once there was no renewal of the contract, it would be difficult to develop another comparable buyer. The other is that the contract would be terminated midway, i. e. one party is entitled to break the deal with a six-month notice beforehand at any time. Furthermore, although the total sales and output would expand almost twice, the increase in profits will not keep the same pace with the increase of the sales. Finally, SMC should consider other potential costs. For example, sudden expanded production might lead to quality insurance challenges. The product liability claims might eat up the minute increase in profit from the contract. Plus, the warranty costs would $22 per labor hour. Alternatives: ? Alternative 1: Accept the proposal and, in the long run, develop own brand based on the experiences of private label production: SMC should incorporate the consideration of the following elements when accepting the offer. Firstly, during negotiation with the mass distributor, SMC should try its best to make the contract terms more favorable. Albeit its bargaining power is somewhat limited, as a reliable provider of a highly differentiated mower product, SMC had some say o n the some part of the contract. To negotiate to transfer title upon shipment by SMC would be very reasonable and fair. Holding inventory of an average of 2,100 units in the chain’s regional warehouse under SMC’s title would be very unfavorable to SMC, given PL’s high average monthly inventory financing cost of ~$4. 61 per unit per month and even higher AR financing cost of ~$4. 9 per unit. Although SMC would not hold a big chance for this as in title transfer, still Wayne could try as 15-day could save SMC an AR financing cost of ~$19,310 a year. Secondly, in order to enhance its own brand and strengthen its own brand product, SMC should make this deal only as a short run option. Production of private label can only be regarded as a temporary way to improve SMC’s sales and profits, and is not a reliable one in the long run. To develop its core competency, SMC has to emphasize on improving its own brand image and establishing its own national distributio n channel. Further actions should be taken if SMC decides to accept the proposal: Aimprove its current product mix. In its four core products, Kits makes up to 8. 2% of its annual sales yet offer zero profits. With the coordination among its relevant functional area within the firm, SMC could gradually drop the whole product line of Kits if it could not improve its profitability. BHire more temporary labor to avoid excessive overtime work Since the firm scaled up its production, it should hire temporary labor with adequate training to ensure the on-time delivery and quality control. Excessive overworking for a long period might causes the decrease in both workers’ productivity and production quality. Of course, SMC should reach a good trade-off between the costs to hire extra hands and the improvement in productivity and quality. C Establish nationwide distribution network Unsatisfied being a regional riding mower provider, SMC should take the chance of free market test provided by the private label proposal to help establish its own national distribution network. Western part of United Sates poses great new chance for SMC. DDiversification of product lines It is important for SMC to build more consumers-oriented mower in addition to its current farm mower offering. For example, mowers used in cutting the grass in garden offer great potential for SMC since SMC are already quite specialized in movers used by farmers. The change in product orientation would help it to capture different market niche and widen its target customer base. ? Alternative 2: Reject the proposal and concentrate on the development of own brands: On the other hand, SMC should consider further actions to develop alternative strategies if it rejects the proposal to produce the private label. ALaunching of new product: Trim Max. If rejecting the offer, the company could put more of its limited resources to the launch of Trim Max as a strategic move, widening its product line of trail-movers under the Swisher name. But the firm will possibly be confronted with some uncertainties, such as poor sales of Trim Max. BImproving profitability of Kits or discontinue it Among SMC’s four core products, Kits makes up to 8. 2% of SMC’s annual sales yet offers zero profits. With better coordination among its relevant functional areas within the firm, SMC could examine closely the root causes of the unprofitability of Kits and try to eliminate the non-value added portion of the value chain. If SMC cannot improve Kits’ profitability at last, it should consider dropping the production of Kits at all. CEstablishing nationwide distribution network Upon rejection of the offer, in the long run, SMC should put its efforts on establishing national distribution network for its product mix, especially Trim Max, the new introduction to the market. As we mentioned earlier, the western part of United Sates is untouched yet. SMC could try to push the distribution channel toward the western part. DDiversifying product lines The advent of the new product, Trim Max, would no doubt improve the product diversification. Furthermore, SMC should expand the newly introduced products and reduce the reliance on its old flagship product, the Ride King, which was designed in the 1950s. EMore advertising Obviously, the introduction of the new product should be fully assisted by full-scale advertisements and vigorous promotions. SMC can promote its products in the current geographic scope of distribution channel to expand the sales. Furthermore, SMC could consider vigorously promoting its product to the untouched part, the western part of US, and help to set up the national distribution channels. Final decision: After delving into all the pros and cons of the two alternatives, Wayne believes that SMC should adopt this private label proposal with eyes on the long-term development of own brand. Major reasons: For SMC, the benefits are comprised of both direct and indirect contributions. Direct cost saving and profit generation, Aexcess capacity utilization The most important reason to accept this offering is that SMC can make a full use of its capacity and make more profit. As we have explored previously, SMC has around 60% of idle capacity which comprised a potential opportunity costs. In addition, analyzing from economics’ angle, we find that total fixed costs of SMC’ s products remain unchange d with the utilization of idle capacity. The additional revenue arising from the sales of private label may possibly increase profits in SMC. BProfitability In 1996, sales can increase by 15. 2% and net profits would boost by 3. 74% after accepting the proposal. In the next two years, the sales and net profits will be rocketed to 178. 3% and 20. 59%, respectively, comparing with those in 1995. Indirect benefits on regarding the production of private label as a stepping stone to promoting SMC’s own brand AAccumulation of profits to finance future development The increased profit aroused from the contract could be accumulated as retained earning to finance the company’s future expansion. This is especially true, when SMC is of such a small scale (market share is less than one percent). It would be quite difficult to fully expand after sales and profits had plateaued for more than a decade. At this stage, private label production could provide SMC with necessary profits, which could finance future development. BAccumulation of operational experience The firm can get much precious experience on operating business on a larger scale and in full capacity. The experience includes management, marketing, operation and technology experience. All of these experiences should be considered as a preparation for great leap in the future. One afternoon in early 1996, Wayne Swisher, satisfied with his analysis about the current and future development of SMC, was confident that SMC could both benefit from the private label proposal, the birds at hand, and stay in track with the long-term development of SMC’s own brand. The funds, raised by utilization of excess capacity and the production of private label, and the experiences learned from production in full capacity, could assist SWC to step further to fully develop its own brands in the long run.

The fall of the Wiemar Republic essays

The fall of the Wiemar Republic essays The Weimar republic was never without some weaknesses, in the early years the republic was marked by economic crisis in the shape of inflation and hyperinflation, which led to declining living standards and obliterated the small savings of many Germans, leading to resentment of the new political order from the very beginning. The second half of the 1920s is often seen as a period of prosperity for Weimar and good years for many Germans. A measure of relief from the burdens of the Versailles Treaty came in 1924 with the Dawes Plan (and furthermore, later with the Young Plan, 1929), which eased the rate at which Germans reparations were to be made and led to an influx of foreign capital, which greatly contributed to the prosperity of Germany during this period. The German industry was re-equipped and capital assets were rebuilt. This created more jobs and more homes than any time since 1914. However the Young plan was also the target of considerable hostility from the German right as they regarded it as capitulation to the Allies. Many Germans supported what the Government was doing at this time so they stopped listening to the extreme ideas of Nazis and Communists and voted instead for more moderate parties. As long as times were good for Germany, the extreme parties did badly in elections. This period between 1924-29 commonly became known as the Stresemann era- named after the dominant political figure of this time. However before his death Stresemann himself warned Germany not to take anything for granted as they were relying to heavily on foreign loans- Germany prospered only as long as the foreign aid flowed. He said: The economic position is only flourishing on the surface. Germany is in fact dancing on a volcano. If the short-term credits are called in, a large section of our economy would collapse. Stresemann was in fact correct in his prediction, with the Wall Street crash obliterating the German Bankin...

7 Redundant Adjectives

7 Redundant Adjectives 7 Redundant Adjectives 7 Redundant Adjectives By Maeve Maddox Redundancies abound in everyday speech: phrases that say the same thing twice. For example, two of the most common expressions that include a redundant adjective are â€Å"free gift† and â€Å"closed fist†: Credit cards  offer free gifts  to new cardholders.   Still she came at me, so this time I  hit her with a closed fist. 1. free gift A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment. The adjective free is redundant. 2. closed fist A fist is by definition a hand with the fingers folded inward toward the palm and held there tightly, typically in order to strike a blow or grasp something. The adjective closed is redundant. 3. verdant green The adjective verdant derives from a Latin word meaning â€Å"green.† Verdant came into English from a French word meaning â€Å"becoming green.† The English meaning of verdant is â€Å"green† or â€Å"green with vegetation.† An enthusiastic fertilizer manufacturer advertises a product that will provide the consumer with â€Å"a verdant green lawn.† Either verdant or green will do. 4. rubicund red The adjective rubicund derives from a Latin verb meaning, â€Å"to be red.† Something that is rubicund is red or reddish. This description from fan fiction can do without one of the adjectives: â€Å"Drawing rivulets of blood, his fingertips glowed a rubicund red.† 5. overused clichà © The blogger who wrote this sentence could have saved an adjective: â€Å"The overused clichà © I hate the most is ‘off the beaten path.’† In reference to language, a clichà © is an overused expression. 6. unexpected surprise A surprise is an unexpected occurrence. The phrase is not uncommon on the Ngram Viewer, and is frequent online: An  unexpected surprise  greeted us upon our  arrival  home. Life is full of unexpected surprises. A foreigner in the dining hall was an  unexpected surprise. As â€Å"unexpectedness† is part of the definition, it’s enough to say that something is a surprise. 7. universal panacea Panacea derives from a Greek word meaning, â€Å"cure-all† and is defined in English as â€Å"a universal remedy.† Because panacea contains the meaning universal, it’s not necessary to tack universal onto it, as in this sentence written by a journalist: â€Å"When Henry Grady was inviting Northern capital South, we were much more certain that industrialization was the universal panacea for all economic and social ills.† Panacea is sufficient. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†Email EtiquetteTypes of Plots

Martha Peer Review of MS Draft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Martha Peer Review of MS Draft - Essay Example Following are some of your weaknesses. There are many typographical errors which I am sure if you go through and revise again you will see, for example, â€Å"training andpassed the post- training† and â€Å"during the interview withthe assistant director†. I felt the repetition of some words made reading quite monotonous e.g.â€Å"I knew I was a compassionate, sensitive, caring person and was often told by friends that I was easy to talk to†(pg 1) could be rewritten as â€Å"I knew I was compassionate, sensitive, caring and am often considered by friends as someone who is easy to talk to†. Or even on page four â€Å"Often these parents have been abused and neglected themselves and need†¦. can establish trust in another person. The primary goal was to support abusive and neglectful parents,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦healthy, functioning family unit†. Here synonyms of abuse and neglect could have been used such as â€Å"Often these parents have been mistrea ted and ignored themselves and need to.†¦can establish trust in another person .The primary goal was to support abusive and neglectful parents... healthy, functioning family unit†. Also on pg 11 â€Å"learned† has been repeated a few times. Words like acquired or gathered could have replaced it. There are some very long sentences which could have been cut down into two to avoid confusion .e.g. on pg 1 last line â€Å"I will discuss how this role helped†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.its effects on children.† Lastly here are some suggestions. I would have liked if you had shown more of your six years experience. Since you have worked with people of diverse culture and even with single, gay and mixed race parents, some more examples would have helped in my better understanding of what challenges you had to face then. Also a brief description on the welfare system could have been provided. There were issues with grammar, where you could have been clearer, for example on page two â€Å"It’s important to make the distinction between being a volunteer and paid

How do retailers make sure that they are reaching the older customer Thesis

How do retailers make sure that they are reaching the older customer How can they successfully keep the retail experience relev - Thesis Example Layout of products and websites (how are products presented) How easy is it to navigate? Screen Language used Promotional offers Delivery charges and methods Mailing, newsletter (sent according to previous purchase or not) Help and FAQ area Swot analysis and recommendations III. Conclusion Recommendations One of the major changes of the century is the global ageing population. As Richard Watson says in his book Future Files (2008), the ageing population is the biggest trend that will shape the next 50 years and that will radically modify the way people consume. According to the British Parliament website, 10 million people in the UK are over 65 years old.   The latest projections are for 5? million more elderly people in 20 years time and the number will have nearly doubled to around 19 million by 2050. We can explain the trend by the fact that people are now not only living longer thanks to great progress in the medicine but also the ageing of the large number of individuals born during the baby boom. Figure 1: Population by age in the UK in 1984, 2009 and 2034 Source: National Statistics Online, 2010 Hence, the 60 plus market represents a great market for retailers who shouldn’t ignore them since they not only have more time to shop than any other age category but they usually have a significant buying power across many product fields. However they have different needs, including the fact that, most of the time, they do not want to go shopping for hours in crowded and gigantic stores or others can’t because they don’t drive (mostly for seniors over 70 years old). As a consequence, the retailers have to find a way to reach these customers by bringing the products to them. Several ways can used to do so, for example Internet or catalogue shopping. They can also facilitate their shopping experience, for instance by offering to deliver the products that they choose in the shop directly at home for free. We will study in this report all of t hese channels focusing on the E-Retailing as a way to reach the older customer. Who are these seniors? As Barry Gunter explains in his book Understanding the older customer (1998), when it comes to communication, a major mistake that the retailers need to avoid is stigmatising the older customer with stereotypes regarding their physical and mental capacities as they could be misunderstood and depreciated. Age is a relative concept; we can’t really define seniors by their age but more by the age felt. For doctors, people become seniors at the age of 70 years old when specific diseases affecting their patients. For the state, the barrier is 60 years old at the time of retirement. But for our study, we will focus on people over 60 years old, the fact that they retire from their careers make them different consumers from younger age groups who buy differently and have much more free time on their hands. We will limit our study to 80 years old people who are part of the oldest gen eration who don’t really consume that much, due to their difficulty to move out of the house and the fact that they are in nursery houses. So how do senior citizens see themselves? At 65, there is a gap of almost 20 years between chronological age

How important were Hadrians trips around the Empire in establishing Essay

How important were Hadrians trips around the Empire in establishing his policies of consolidation - Essay Example pulations and territories in it, Hadrian’s trips became the turning point and the crucial element of the successful consolidation: Hadrian’s trips did not simply bring the territories and populations back to the political and social order, but under Hadrian’s leadership, the territories that had been separated before became one, cohesive and increasingly effective mechanism of the imperial domination. That the years of Hadrian’s political ruling were not easy is difficult to deny: Hadrian was met with the utmost displeasure on the side of other political leaders and the public itself. Hadrian had to abandon many territories and provinces won by Trajan and destroyed the theatre which Trajan had created in the Campus Martius (Anonymous 1921, P29). As the time passed, Hadrian was no longer capable of enduring the pressure of his political opponents and had to devise a strategy that would consolidate the empire and would, simultaneously, strengthen his political position. In the situation Hadrian was in, he did not see the way to consolidate the empire other than to set out on a trip across the imperial possessions. The fact is that Hadrian led his people not by violence but by dignity (Cassius Dio 1925, P437). Although â€Å"the Alexandrians had been rioting, and nothing would make them stop until they received a letter from Hadrian rebuking them, so true is it that an emper or’s word will have more force than arms† (Cassius Dio 1925, P441). Hadrian’s trips highlighted the turning point in the political and territorial development of the Empire: they put an end to the existing conflicts and began the new era of consolidation under Hadrian. Campania was the first on Hadrian’s way to consolidation. There, Hadrian aided the region by giving them gifts and benefactions (Anonymous 1921, P31). The role of Hadrian’s traveling to Campania is difficult to underestimate. He was able to choose and attach the most prominent men to his train of friends (Anonymous

A cross sectional study of tension headache among Ahlia University Thesis

A cross sectional study of tension headache among Ahlia University male students in the Kingdom of Bahrain - Thesis Example Technology has become the mantra of this generation. Cyber technology has allowed people to access the world at their fingertips. No matter how comfortable life today is, we cannot deny the fact that more and more people are being stressed a lot. We now live in a fast-paced environment where people wake up early in the morning, start their day with a cup of coffee, and then rush off to school or work. Some even juggle work and school at the same time. Living through a day is one big headache. Sometimes, some detest getting up in the morning. No matter how convenient living in this century is, it does not always equal to happiness. There are events in one’s life that may cause one to be unhappy. These unpleasant events are one of the causes of tension headache. What is tension headache? Tension headache or tension-type headache is the most common type of chronic recurring head pain (Blanda). According to the International Headache Society, tension - type headache is the most co mmon type of primary headache: its lifetime prevalence in the general population ranges in different studies from 30 to 78%. At the same time, it is the least studied of the primary headache disorders, despite the fact that it has the highest socio-economic impact. It can be further classified as episodic headache, chronic tension-type headache.... There may be mild nausea, photophobia or phonophobia. According to Schwartz, Stewart, Simon and Lipton, tension-type headache is a highly prevalent condition. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, tension headaches affects up to 78% of the general population. It is also the most neglected and undertreated type of headache. Tension – type headache has no specific cause. It is often triggered by emotional tension, anxiety, tiredness or stress. It can affect both young and old. Young students who seem to be healthy but have a lifestyle full of stress often put themselves at a very high risk for tension headaches. Treatment goals for tension headache usually includes analgesics and massage therapy. Through the help of evidenced - based practice, new approaches towards tension headache emerged. Physiotherapy has greatly contributed in the treatment of tension headaches. Despite the comfortable lifestyle that people have, the incidence of tension headache is increa sing. There is evidence that biofeedback, yoga and relaxation techniques can help relieve pain and lower the number of headaches (University of Maryland Medical Center). This study focuses on the prevalence of tension headache across college departments as it relates to the difficulty of courses. Statement of the Problem This research aims to look into the relationship of course difficulty and the incidence of tension headache among the male students of Ahlia University in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is the frequency of occurrence of tension headache among the respondents? 2. What is the common characteristic of pain among the

Andrew Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Andrew Jackson - Essay Example On his defense of the rights of the Federal government during the Nullification Crisis of 1832, Jackson invoked his presidential powers to affirm the superiority of the federal constitution. 1Jackson declares that the responsibility 'imposed on him by the constitution" is to ensure that the laws are applied 'faithfully' as long as the execution of his duties is consistent with the authority 'emphatically pronounced in the constitution'. This contention delineates further Jackson's respect of the supremacy of the federal law which bestowed on him the authority to apply it objectively and fairly, making sure that he remains loyal to his obligations within legal bounds. Jackson is also unswerving on his perspective towards the role of the federal government as an overseer of the states. For him, South Carolina's illusory power to nullify a federal law is 'inconsistent with every principle on which [the union] was founded." Jackson's unwavering fidelity to fulfill his obligations as president and to put into practice the fed... This does not connote constraints on the freedom of the states but rather assert the duties of the federal government towards problems that fall beyond the bounds of the states' jurisdictions. 3Without this control, states' would effect its own policy towards the Indians which could result to more complications. Such policy makes it possible for the states and the national government to avoid collision. 4The prevention of this collision which purports to 'preserve the Union by all constitutional means" delineates Jackson's faith in federalism and the ideals he bestows in his office. 5This only shows that Jackson is ready to apply the full force of the law in order to protect the federal principles which for him form a part of a 'happy union.' In his response towards South Carolina's Nullification issue, he proclaims that he will 'recourse to force' to preserve the Union and views further opposition towards the national government's promulgation of the federal law a form of treason. However, this does not try to pit the state authorities against the national government but intends to fortify the federal institutions which all states subjected themselves to. As there had been other states in the past who aimed to weaken the federal institution by threatening to break away with the union, Jacks on's assertion of the power of the central government to bring to a halt these threats resulted to the strengthening of the fundamental system and avoided confrontations between the national government and the states. Jackson's decision not to renew the contract of the Bank of the United States further attested to his consistency in his obligations to the people

Cultural Differences in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Differences in Business - Essay Example It is important to consider that the United States is a developed economy, while Jamaica and China are emerging economies. China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a member of the elite BRICS group. Jamaica on the other hand has struggled to adapt to the business realities of the 21st century. The article presented three ethical situations. The first scenario depicted the general position of businessmen in terms of pollution and environmental laws. Jamaica businessmen are more willing to disregard environmental laws in order to make a profit. The second scenario relates to bribes. In China businessmen are more willing to accept and give out bribes to land a business contract. This position probably is this way due to the centuries of communist regime China has lived through. The third ethical scenario concerned defective product. China was the country that showed the lowest disregard for quality issues. All three countries seemed to believe in the utilitarian et hical approach which implies that it is more important to attend to the countries concerns and needs than ethical matters. The use of positive economics was present within the article. Since the study is a peer review journal article positive economics was used often. ... I read the article twice and there is a slight possibility that no normative economic statements were used. The concept of economizing seemed to be more important within the Chinese culture. The fact that Chinese businesspeople are willing to provide lower quality goods is evidence that the businessmen in China prefer to save a buck to increase operating margins. Another potential reason that economizing is important in China is due to the fact that China has the highest population in the planet. Jamaica was the economy that had the worst market efficiency among the three countries and it also had the lowest uncertainty avoidance. The findings of the article suggested that during the last ten years the ethical positions have not change much in the three countries with the exception of Jamaica being willing to accept lower environmental standards to attract investor in an effort to jumpstart its struggling economy. China has moved away from its command economy and has become more of a free economy. This has been instrumental in the success this economy has had worldwide. China is the biggest exporter of manufactured goods in the globe. Overall the ethical tests showed that the United States as a developed economy has a higher ethical standard in business matters than China and Jamaica. References Fok, L., Hartman, S., Kwong, K. (2005). A Study of Differences in Business Ethical Values in Mainland China, the U.S., and Jamaica. Review of Business, 26(1).

Andrew Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Andrew Jackson - Essay Example On his defense of the rights of the Federal government during the Nullification Crisis of 1832, Jackson invoked his presidential powers to affirm the superiority of the federal constitution. 1Jackson declares that the responsibility 'imposed on him by the constitution" is to ensure that the laws are applied 'faithfully' as long as the execution of his duties is consistent with the authority 'emphatically pronounced in the constitution'. This contention delineates further Jackson's respect of the supremacy of the federal law which bestowed on him the authority to apply it objectively and fairly, making sure that he remains loyal to his obligations within legal bounds. Jackson is also unswerving on his perspective towards the role of the federal government as an overseer of the states. For him, South Carolina's illusory power to nullify a federal law is 'inconsistent with every principle on which [the union] was founded." Jackson's unwavering fidelity to fulfill his obligations as president and to put into practice the fed... This does not connote constraints on the freedom of the states but rather assert the duties of the federal government towards problems that fall beyond the bounds of the states' jurisdictions. 3Without this control, states' would effect its own policy towards the Indians which could result to more complications. Such policy makes it possible for the states and the national government to avoid collision. 4The prevention of this collision which purports to 'preserve the Union by all constitutional means" delineates Jackson's faith in federalism and the ideals he bestows in his office. 5This only shows that Jackson is ready to apply the full force of the law in order to protect the federal principles which for him form a part of a 'happy union.' In his response towards South Carolina's Nullification issue, he proclaims that he will 'recourse to force' to preserve the Union and views further opposition towards the national government's promulgation of the federal law a form of treason. However, this does not try to pit the state authorities against the national government but intends to fortify the federal institutions which all states subjected themselves to. As there had been other states in the past who aimed to weaken the federal institution by threatening to break away with the union, Jacks on's assertion of the power of the central government to bring to a halt these threats resulted to the strengthening of the fundamental system and avoided confrontations between the national government and the states. Jackson's decision not to renew the contract of the Bank of the United States further attested to his consistency in his obligations to the people

Internship Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internship Question - Essay Example There are numerous brands of GIS software employed in GEOINT and cyber security, namely; Google Earth, ERDAS IMAGINE, GeoNetwork open source and Esri ArcGIS. This essay focuses on the Geographic Information System capabilities of current cyber security products. In the middle of a developing awareness that the geospatial facet of IT framework can play a vital role in protecting systems and networks, several companies are creating contributions that integrate those two facets. The rational mapping of cyber-framework has been regarded a good exercise for securing and controlling data and network assets for momentarily. This sort of mapping displays how assets are integrated in cyberspace and how information is transferred from one location on the network to the other without esteem to their physical closeness. Furthermore, a geospatial facet to network mapping may appear redundant at first, because the security highlighting in past few years has been to adopt layers of software (Trendmicro, 1). Geospatial technology can be implemented anywhere in cyberspace from a central control setup. Comprehending the coming together of cyber security and geospatial intelligence starts with the fact that not all attacks to IT infrastructure happen in cyberspace. Deeds of damage or combat or natural calamities can have an effect on wide-ranging systems and networks. Understanding where these are happening in the geographical world allows companies to repair them and work around bleached infrastructure constituents until they are repaired. It also facilitates companies to implement geographical 2fences to cyber-assets (Buxbaum, 1). Apart from that, integrating cyber security with geospatial enables a much more complex comprehension of systems and their attacks and liabilities than the rational mapping. Identifying the geospatial site of the source of a threat can give hints about who are the perpetrators of

War and the Integration of Ethical Principles under the Golden Rule Essay Example for Free

War and the Integration of Ethical Principles under the Golden Rule Essay In today’s moral climate, where the sanctity of life is unappreciated, it is fair to say that the adoption of a comprehensive ethical approach to human interaction should be based on the golden rule principle adopted by Thiroux. Many wars have been fought throughout the history of time, and the taking of human life is almost universally a part of such conflicts. The Golden Rule appears to be a catch-all principle that has the power to reduce the total amount of harm done to humanity for almost any reason that such harmful actions might be considered. The Golden Rule seems inherently utilitarian, as it accords benefits (or the utilitarian â€Å"good†) to those whose rights are observed, as well as to those whose sense of morality is satisfied in having acted according to this rule (by observing these rights). In fact, it is arguable that all other rules and principles that are cited by Thiroux hinge upon this particular rule, which (if observed) seems to be one that has the ability to improve the quality of life of all humans on the earth. Perhaps the most shameful of all human conflict ends in war, and such conflicts are usually based on rivalries that involve land, retribution, or perceived threats to national security. These problems stem from such vices as greed or hubris, which are in direct conflict with the principles taught by the golden rule. In living one’s life according to a rule that prevents one from performing actions that are likely to make another feel uncomfortable, several of these vices can be avoided. Greed, for example, involves the perpetual desire for and gathering of a particular commodity regardless of the resulting availability and accessibility to others. A person who abides by the golden rule would consider tempering such desires once it appears that such a desire might impinge upon the resource’s availability to others. Not only is this kind, but it is also fair. The principle of justice offers a similar view, which seeks to give to all persons what they are due. If individuals consider themselves as being worthy of such rights as â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,† then those who live by the golden rule also consider this right to belong to others. Fairness and justice would therefore grant these persons are right to their fair share of the resources available here on the earth. The justice inherent in the Golden Rule therefore demonstrates how it acts as parent to the principle of justice. This Golden Rule can be applied to the greed that is evinced when wars break out because of one country’s desire for more land space. This has been evident in many historical events. Thousands of years ago, the Trojan War demonstrated the Greeks’ desire to take over the territory controlled by Troy; Assyrians raided Middle Eastern tribes and countries in order to gain more territory; the European settlers drove Native American’s from their lands in order to expand their own claims. The wars that resulted from these conflicts led to the death of many, and the displacement of many more. However, the application of the Golden Rule would have led to the raiders’ placing themselves in the shoes of their victims, and they would have come to understand the unpleasant nature of the victims’ suffering. The wars and deaths could on that ground have been avoided. Here it becomes obvious that the Golden Rule also contains the essence of the Principle of Goodness. This rule states that the promotion of goodness goes hand in hand with refraining from doing harm to others. When one places oneself in the shoes of others (according to the Golden Rule) it becomes abundantly clear whenever actions tend to do harm to others because of the discomfort one feels when considering the same action being performed upon oneself. When the reasons for which wars are fought are scrutinized, it is evident that the Principle of Goodness is being ignored, and this happens because people refrain from placing themselves in the shoes of others. The Golden Rule’s built-in principle of justice would help alleviate the problem of war. The Value of Life principle advocated by Thiroux can also be seen as an inherent concept existing within the Golden rule, and the application of this principle to war would also help alleviate this burden. The self-centeredness often perceived in humans might be considered a natural trait, when one reflects that the life of every individual revolves inevitably around him-/herself. People consider their lives very important and worth doing almost anything to save. In other words, people generally value their own lives. If the Golden Rule is observed, then not only would people value their own lives, but they would also value the lives of others. This Value of Life principle, shown now to be inherent in the Gold Rule is in complete opposition to the numerous wars that have been (and continue to be) fought on this planet. When people begin to observe the right of others to have life, they are in effect granting to those others a right that they deem extended to themselves. Such a right disallows fighting, malice, and killing for any reason. The Golden Rule also demonstrates its opposition to war in its observation of the Principle of Individual Freedom. In the most literal sense, it opposes the regular practice of war that involves taking prisoners or even enslaving others. Capturing persons against their will directly impinges upon their freedom, as it restricts their movement and their performance of everyday actions such as bathing, eating, sleeping and conversing. If a person inclined to wage war operates by the Golden Rule, he or she will be inclined to refrain from capture, as he/she would not like to be captured in return. In addition to this literal aspect, war also impinges upon individual freedoms to live in the way they prefer. Living in a war zone restricts both movement and thought. Such persons are constantly worried about whether or not they might be caught in the violence that surrounds them. This constant war imposed upon them forces them to constantly think of troubling things rather than on the pleasant or interesting thoughts that they would most prefer to have in mind, such as family, friends, aesthetics or love. These restrictions imposed by war encroach upon Individual Freedom, and are created by persons who do not consider these privileges (granted to them) as rights that should also be extended to other. Of course, war is a complex matter, and it is often the case that the persons who end up performing many of the unsavoury acts are those who are fighting against a previous (or current) threat/invasion. In this case, however, it can still be seen that the initial conflict is caused by those who neglect the principles of the Golden Rule. While at times people are actually forced into murderous or warlike actions that appear to conflict the Golden Rule, careful analysis will usually demonstrate that some disregard of the well-being of others lies at the root of these age-old conflicts.

Heart :: essays research papers

PRACTICAL EXERCISE 4 HEART STRUCTURE AND CIRCULATION Q.1 Describe the heart sounds you hear. Explain the origin of two sounds. Two heart sounds are normally heard through a stethoscope on the chest wall, "lab" "dap". The first sound can be described as soft, but resonant, and longer then the second one. This sound is associated with the closure of AV valves (atrioventricular valves) at the beginning of systole. The second sound is louder and sharp. It is associated with closure of the pulmonary and aortic valves (semilunar valves) at the beginning of diastole. There is a pause between the each set of sounds. It is a period of total heat relaxation called quiescent period. Q.2 Which structures are responsible for these sounds? If these structures were damaged or functionally incorrectly, what do you think would happen to the heart sound? The structures responsible for these sounds are: pulmonary, aortic and atrioventricular valves. These sounds are results of vibration caused by closure of these valves. Other sounds known as "heart murmurs" are sometimes a sign of heart disease. "Murmurs can be produced by blood flowing rapidly in the usual directions through an abnormally narrowed valve" (Vander, Sherman and Luciano, 1985, p.326) and in some cases, as mitral valve prolapse, the individual does not show any symptoms. Q.5 If a glass probe is poked into the pulmonary trunk which chamber will it enter? The glass probe poked into the pulmonary trunk will follow the cycle of blood from the pulmonary artery to the lungs and then through pulmonary veins will enter the left atrium. Q.6 From which chamber does the aorta arise? Aorta arises from the left ventricle. It is the largest artery in the body and it transports the oxygenated blood away from the heart. Q.7 (a) Where do the coronary arteries start? (b) Use this knowledge to explain how the coronary arteries only fill with blood during diastole. The heart, like other organs, receives its blood supply through the smaller vessels of arterial branches. In this case, coronary arteries, which starts from the base of ascending aorta. The blood circulates through coronary arteries and then to smaller vessels into cardiac muscle (myocardium). The blood flow is influenced by aortic pressure, which increases in systole, and the pumping activity of the ventricles. When the ventricle contracts, in systole, the coronary vessels are compressed by the contracted myocardium and partly blocked by the open aortic valve therefore the blood flow through the myocardium stops.

Ceremony By Leslie Silko :: essays research papers

Ceremony by Leslie Silko The novel Ceremony, written by Leslie Silko deals with the actions of a Native American youth after fighting, and being held captive during World War II. The young mans name is Tayo and upon returning to the U.S., and eventually reservation life he has many feelings of estrangement and apathy towards society. The novel discusses many topics pertaining to Native Americans, through the eyes of Tayo and a few female characters. The novel is one that you must decide for yourself what you believe, and why certain ideas or characters points of view are important. When reading the novel Ceremony, you must decide what you actually believe, and what situations were only figments of Tayo's stressed mind. Many of these situations occur throughout the book, some are very clear and others have hidden meanings. On a whole I believed what Tayo had to say about the world from his shoes. There are certain instinces that I know what Tayo is seeing is completely impossible. In Ceremony one must decide why and how the women's perspective is of importance. I believe the reason the women's view is to put a different perspective upon everything that goes on in the book, as compared with the perspective of Tayo. There are two women in the book who put their perspective into the story, one of them is the elderly mistress of Josiah and the other one is Helen Jean who went on one of the many joyrides that Harley and the others went on. These women are actually just a way for the author to explain how the rest of society viewed Tayo. An example of this is when Helen Jean describes Tayo "Too quiet, and not very friendly(161)". Another thing this allows the author to do is to show how the War affected the young women from the reservations. She is able to show you how Helen Jeans life was in just a few pages. Silko was able to show how the Native American war veterans looked to anyone who happened to look upon them, but that wasn't one of them. The perspective of the women also helped to debunk a lot of the stories the men told about the war and their various conquests etc. Another item for discussion that comes up in Ceremony is what did you as a reader actually learn? Well I learned many things that I found to be interesting,

Flowchart for a Process Essay

The Pre-Admissions Testing (PAT) department at Good Samaritan Medical Center conducts pre-operative testing on almost every patient scheduled for surgery. The pre-surgical process from start to finish is more time-consuming than it has to be. This paper will identify a specific process, and design a flowchart that gives a visual of the pre-surgical process. The flowchart will show the various factors that affect the design process, and highlight the specific process. By designing a flowchart for the process, the intent is to identify the amount of time, redundancy of calls made to the patient, and initiate ideas to make the process more efficient. Factors Affecting Process Design Factors that affect the process design are 1. Is the patient scheduled as soon as the reservation is received? 2. Is the pre-admissions department notified in a timely manner for next day add- ons? 3. Is the patients contact information correct? Each factor mentioned has a huge impact on the outcome of the pre-admission process. Additional factors that affect the process design are 1. Incorrect spelling of names 2. Incorrect booking status 3. Surgery cancellations and updating surgical schedule in a timely manner Indentified Metric The metrics identified to measure the process is time, efficiency, and productivity. The following data gives a brief description of the daily activities, and the flowchart gives a description of the PAT process. Week# 1 Tuesday – 01/28/13- Scheduled several appointments; two patients showed up for appointments that were not on the schedule and had to be rescheduled due to the schedule being full. Several patients were called two or three times due to lack of communication. Called doctor offices to get correct patient phone numbers. Wednesday- 01/29/13- Had to made several doctor offices to get correct patient phone numbers. Patient was added to the schedule and PAT was not notified. Patients were rushed to come in because he was asked to come in at the last minute. Thursday-01/30/13- Had to call doctors’ offices to get correct phone numbers. Patients arrived that were not on the scheduled and the wait time was over one hour. Patients contacted after their surgery was cancelled because PAT was not notified that the surgery was cancelled. Friday- 01/31/13- Several doctors’ offices had to be contacted to get correct phone numbers. Contacted patients that were added on the schedule. Conversed with scheduling, regarding errors and incorrect information on surgery schedule also mentioned incorrect phone numbers. I work a ten-hour workday and as shown, a large amount of time goes into getting correct phone numbers, rescheduling patients, and re-calling patients that have already been contacted. Due to the inefficiency in the PAT department, the number of patients that are seen on a daily basis are limited. With several minor changes the PAT department could run more efficiently and the employees will have less stress. Pre-Admissions Testing Process Flowchart Missing References – .2 Point When writing academic papers a minimum of one reference should be provided which would be your course text. This demonstrates that you read the course text and can apply it to the topic of the paper. No references indicate a paper that reflects personal opinion only and does not demonstrate application of course concepts covered in the reading material for the week. Week 1 Grading Design a Flowchart for a Process Assignment Content and Development 6 Points| Points Earned6/6| Select a process you perform daily but would like to spend less time doing, such as driving to work. Design a flowchart using an appropriate tool.Comment on the factors that affect the process design. Identify at least one metric to measure the process.Submit your flowchart for the process.| Inez,You have provided: 1. An explanation about the process chosen to improve 2. A flowchart of the process which uses the flow chart symbols appropriately as described in Week 1 readings 3. A discussion about the factors that affect the process design 4. An identification of at least one metric to measure the process that data will be collected against for completion of students Week 5 Statistical Process Control Improvement Plan| Readability and Style 1 Point| Points Earned1/1| The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise.| * Central theme/purpose is immediately clear * Structure is clear, logical, and easy to follow| Mechanics 1 Points| Points Earned.8/1| The paper is laid out with effective use of headings, font styles, and white space.Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed.Spelling is correct.| * Rules of grammar, usage, punctuation are followed * Spelling is correct * APA issue as noted in your assignment – .2 Point| Total 8 Points| Points Earned7.8/8| Chapter 5 Page 154 What Is A Process? A process is any part of an organization that takes inputs and transforms them into outputs that are of greater value to the organization than the original inputs. Page 157 How Is A Process Represented? Often the activities associated with a process affect one another so that it is important to consider the simultaneous performance of a number of activities, all operating at the same time. A good way to start analyzing a process is with a diagram showing the basic elements of a process, typically tasks, flows, and storage areas. Tasks are shown as rectangles, flows as arrows, and the storage of goods or other items as inverted triangles. Sometimes flows through a process can be diverted in multiple directions depending on some condition. Decision points are depicted as a diamond with the different flows running from the points on the diamond. Process Flowchart Example Page 162 How Is The Performance Of A Process Measured?

Porter five forces of AirAsia Essay

Rivalry among existing competitor Air Asia offers flights with lower price that other companies, but there are some companies that also offer service by the same price such as Malindo Air and Firefly and also these companies provide service with the same level of Air Asia so, in this case rivalry among existing competitor is high. Threat of substitutes We can define substitutes as a product or service that can be replaced with original product and give more satisfaction to customers. In airline industry these substitutes exist, For example if someone wants to go to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur can choose bus or train. As we know the bus is the cheapest transportation so customer prefers bus. But if we assume that customer wants to go to Australia airline is a good choice and by access internet customers will compare prices and choose the more reasonable for themselves in such a case threat of substitutes is moderate to Air Asia Power of buyer Success of industry can influenced by buyer. So, which companies offer better service to their customers , they are winner of the competition. Air Asia has lower price with better services than others, so it can be a good choice for customer. Power of buyer is a quite high to Air Asia. Power of supplier Every industry has some suppliers these suppliers have their own effect on the industry for airlines. There are only two options Boeing and Airbus. All airline company have the same situation. Both of them provide almost same standards aircraft and hence switching to Air Asia is low. Moreover Air Asia place order form Airbus to expend its routs to international routes so power of supplier may be reduced as Airbus’s profit may be influenced by Air Asia . Generally power of supplier is a quit moderate to Air Asia Threat of entrants Setting up airline industry needs a high capital so it has high barriers, for  example purchase aircraft, set up services, hire staff and†¦. It’s not enough most of time customer choose the product or industry which they are really trust. New entrants have to create brand loyalty by making huge investment to establish reputation. government legislation is one of the barriers for entering to this industry because it is too difficult getting a new flight route from government. Profit of Asia Air is related to extend their network for example MAS has been protected by Malaysia government on the route to Sydney and Seoul Incheon hence situation for AirAsia getting difficult to find a new route and it influence Air Asia’s profit. In another way AirAsia is closed to government in south Asia this helps Ari Asia to open up and capture a sizable market in south Asian countries. Government policy has limited new entrant so AirAsia is already settled on the market.

Managing Communication Knowledge and Information â€

Managing communication knowledge and information – Unit 16 By MD YUSUF HND business level 5, Year 2012-13, Student No- cc00111 Introduction: – Market research is very essential whether you want to enter the market with a new product, increase the market base of an existing product or give  a unique offering to your customers. Every target group becoming smarter day by day, and word of mouth becoming stronger through social networks, Market research now very important which helps you make the right decisions. Why Market ResearchMarket Research provides the right direction such that your customer base is satisfied with you and you get to know which plans and features need to be adopted to retain or expand on the customer base. . â€Å"Market research is the systematic collection of information on existing and exponential markets for analysis and subsequent action† (William G. Zikmund, 2009). Now to actually understand Market research, you need to understand this statement accurately. Market research consists of two separate types of research that can be categorized as secondary and primary research.Secondary research consists of collecting already published data to create a â€Å"company database† that may serve to perform situation analysis. It helps to identify the company's competitors, perform a strategy for benchmarking and also determine the segments the company should target in view of factors such as demographics, population, usage rate, life style and behavioural patterns. The purpose of marketing research is to improve marketing and business decision making (Kolb, 2008).Recognize and define how primary and secondary information relating to products and service levels improve marketing decisions related to price, physical and virtual communications, distribution, and segmentation strategy and tactics. There are many categories of research design, such as exploratory versus quantitative, primary versus secondary, and experime ntal versus non-experimental. This module compares and contrasts alternative approaches, and discusses when each is appropriate.Primary research serves to provide information through monitoring sales levels and measuring effectiveness of existing business practices like service quality and tools for communication being used by the company. It carefully follows competitor plans to gather information on market competition. Both primary and secondary researches are essential to fulfil the company's objectives. Data Collection Methods:- Data collection methods for marketing research are divided into quantitative and qualitative methods.Quantitative studies use mathematical analysis, which can disclose differences that are statistically significant. The sample size used is quite large. Qualitative methods are used to provide a base for quantitative research and help in quantitative research design development. They target problem defining, generating hypotheses and identifying determinan ts. They consist of one to one interviews to probe for personal opinions, beliefs and values and serve to uncover hidden issues. The sample size in this method is small.The fact is that you can't have a successful company without having the right data about customers, products and the market in general. Market research is an essential management tool for a viable business plan enabling any company to survive and thrive in today's fiercely competitive market conditions. Examination of the information and knowledge of the market Many organizations are now more customer-focused and use knowledge-based  strategies to reach out to their customers. This is particularly so in knowledge-intensive industries such as the biotechnology and the engineering industries.Marketing Guru Peter Drucker , views marketing as a philosophy or way of doing business and in its importance in focusing on the customer (Drucker, 2007) Knowledge exploration focuses on the detection and acquisition of new wisdo m, while knowledge exploitation emphasizes the utilization of existing wisdom Developing the ability to understand different types of knowledge, maintain knowledge according to its different nature, and select an effective way to leverage each type of knowledge is paramount to the exploitation process.According to Kleiner (Kleiner, 2003) People must have a positive disposition to new knowledge if knowledge is to become effectively integrated in the firm’s operations. This positive attitude involves employees being intellectually curious, willing to explore new ideas, considering possible adoption of such new ideas, and, most importantly, managers encouraging employees to contribute their new ideas without fear of repercussions. Employees  are likely to have skills and experience to use market. Internal and external source of information and their usefulness Business data and information comes from multiple sources.The challenge for a business is to capture and use informati on that is relevant and reliable (Cook, 1997). The main sources are: Internal Information Accounting records are a prime source of internal information. They detail the transactions of the business in the past – which may be used as the basis for planning for the future (e. g. preparing a financial budget or forecast). The accounting records are primarily used to record what happens to the financial resources of a business. For example, how cash is obtained and spent; what assets are acquired; what profits or losses are made on the activities of the business.However, accounting records can provide much more than financial information. For example, details of the products manufactured and delivered from a factory can provide useful information about whether quality standards are being met. Data analysed from customer sales invoices provides a profile of what and to whom products are being sold. A lot of internal information is connected to accounting systems – but is no t directly part of them. External Information As the term implies, this is information that is obtained from outside the business.There are several categories of external information: – Information relating to way a business should undertake its activities businesses need to keep records so that they can collect taxes on behalf of the government. So a business needs to obtain regular information about the taxation system (e. g. PAYE, V AT, corporation Tax) and what actions it needs to take. Increasingly this kind of information (and the return forms a business needs to send) is provided in digital format. Similarly, a business needs to be aware of key legal areas (e. g. environmental legislation; health & safety regulation; employmentlaw).There is a whole publishing industry devoted to selling this kind of information to businesses. – Information about the markets in which a business operates This kind of external information is critically important to a business. It i s often referred to as â€Å"market† or â€Å"competitive intelligence†. Most of the external information that a business needs can be obtained from marketing research. Marketing research can help a business do one or more of the following:Firstly, Gain a more detailed understanding of consumers’ needs – marketing research can help firms to discover consumers’ opinions on a huge range of issues, e. . , views on products’ prices, packaging, recent advertising campaignsSecondly, Reduce the risk of product/business failure – there is no guarantee that any new idea will be a commercial success, but accurate and up-to-date information on the market can help a business make informed decisions, hopefully leading to products that consumers want insufficient numbers to achieve commercial success. Thirdly, Forecast future trends – marketing research can not only provide information regarding the current state of the market but it can als o be used to anticipate customer needs future customer needs.Firms can then make the necessary adjustments to their product portfolios and levels of output in order to remain successful. The information for marketing research tends to come from three main sources: Internal Company Information – e. g. sales, orders, customer profiles, stocks, customer service reports marketing intelligence – this is a catch-all term to include all the everyday information about developments in the market that helps a business prepare and adjust its marketing plans. It can be obtained from many sources, including suppliers, customers and distributors.It is also possible to buy intelligence information from outside suppliers who will produce commercial intelligence reports that can be sold profitably to any interested organisation. Some guidance to improve the process of information collectingData quality is essential to businesses in prospecting and retention efforts. Without accurate da ta, companies struggle to execute successful marketing campaigns or fulfil customer expectations. Despite the importance of accurate data, a recent Experian QAS study (Experian QAS, 2013) revealed that 51 present of businesses do not have a data quality strategy.Five recommendation   can improve contact data quality along with suggestions for measuring and tracking ROI. Recommendation 1:- Track mail deliverability. Personalized communications, through email or direct mail, drive a significant percentage of marketing efforts. These channels have evolved to facilitate truly relevant and customized messaging. Recommendation 2: Verify information before database entry. Correcting contact information is always easier when the client is engaged. This engagement can occur through a Web form, a telephone call or even a live online chat.Ideally, data verification software tools will prompt either the staff representative or the audience member to complete missing contact details and will t hen format the address to comply with USPS or email standards. Recommendation 3: Understand organizational data and how it got there. It is important for businesses to fully understand the information contained in their database in order to improve operations and communications. This will provide insight into data quality challenges and allow managers to better select solutions that get to the root of their troubles.Recommendation 4: Appoint multiple data quality managers. Data management is a multifaceted strategy that should be shared by all employees who capture access, manipulate and update records. Whether better data translates into more effective prospect on-site meetings, lead nurturing campaigns, customer implementations, product deliveries or other mail communications, the business benefits of promoting data quality are shared throughout all departments. Recommendation 5: Schedule regular database check-ups. Individuals and businesses have become mobile in today’s e conomic and social environment.Consider how quickly data expires within a given audience. A complete data quality strategy calls for regular database checkups on top of data capture best practices. To ensure contact data integrity, supplement real-time verificationefforts with regular bulk processing. stakeholder : who are related with us. Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives and policies. Some examples of key stakeholders are creditors, directors, employees, government (and its agencies), owners (shareholders), suppliers, unions, and the community from which the business draws its resources.All stakeholders are not equal. A company's customers are entitled to fair trading practices but they are not entitled to the same consideration as the company's employees. An example of a negative impact on stakeholders is when a company needs to cut costs and plans a round of layoffs. This negatively affects the community of workers in the area and t herefore the localeconomy. Someone owning shares in a business such as Microsoft is positively affected, for example, when the company releases a new device and sees their profit and therefore stock price rise.Stake holder strategy: – some important conceptAt first, Identify the most important stakeholders: your customers, investors, suppliers, employees and members of your community. Secondly, create an open door policy to discover information and facilitate sharing. Invite comments and questions, send out surveys or hold focus groups to determine their needs and define the issues that matter most to them. Gather and update contact information on your stakeholders, too. Thirdly, Interact with stakeholders using appropriate communication channels.If they have a reference for email, use email to contact them. Train key spokespeople on how to deal with the media when answering questions on sensitive issues. Fourthly, Address stakeholder needs and issues in your communications t o them. Respond thoughtfully and honestly. Acknowledge significant problems, clarify and interpret any issues that may arise to reduce potential conflict. Fifthly, Provide a consistent message that â€Å"constantly refers to corporate ethics and values,† according to PR-inside. Reinforce your reputation and your brand in the minds of stakeholders through this messaging.Enhancing knowledge about the market Frank Drake is using informal way of business communication. Effective communication occurs when a message is completely understood by its recipient. Communication encompasses most areas of life. It is used in both official and personal relationships. Communication is intended to inform, persuade or inspire the listener. Some advantages of effective communication are it provides direction, clarity and purpose. Effective communication does have its drawbacks, however, as when it's used to persuade someone in a manipulative way and when it limits feedback.The advantages of ora l channels of communication :- They are fast – useful for obtaining very recent unpublished information, they are based on two-way communication and therefore promote an understanding of the real information need(s)  and the communication of  relevant  information, they are flexible, they are simplify and facilitate the transmission of information between people working in different subject areas (useful in interdisciplinary studies) and finally they are easy and pleasant to use The disadvantages of oral channels of communication:-They are not open to everyone – established researchers have access to good networks of contacts, but these usually take time to cultivate, they can lead to misconceptions because the information is sometimes incomplete (lack of detail etc. ), They are difficult to maintain and therefore unstable, it can also lead to misunderstanding ,as oral promises do not lend anywhere. On the other hand, as a human nature one can make mistake in spe lling something different which can sometimes leads to major mistake Communication system Official formal business communication is a strategic exchange of information that supports a clear agenda.This information is traditionally considered as in-house method of communication, but can include structured interactions with people and entities outside the organisation (Mary Ellen Guffey, 2010). Formal communication can also trigger informal interactions. For example, a chief officer may schedule a tour or town hall meeting where a free flow of comments on topics of discussion are encouraged. However, these can lead to personal interactions, stories and ideas that were not on the original agenda. System steps Step one, Frank need to find a mentor who exhibits the ability to communicate well at his company .Soon after he hired, ask him to share what he did to communicate well. Finally, ask that he keep track of your progress and give you pointers on how you can improve. As he becomes a â€Å"seasoned employee† who is on the rise, volunteer to become a mentor to someone who has just been hired. Step two:- Improve your ability to listen, and you are halfway to being a good business communicator. You may think that you listen well, but the chances are you are actually figuring out what you should say next. Ask good questions, and then listen well to the answers.You are likely to break through someone's â€Å"hidden agenda† and learn what is really important to her. Above all, remember there is often a difference between what someone may say and the opinions she might actually have. Step three:- Practice  your business  communications skills as frequently as you can. Start by writing memos and emails. Always write your findings, recommendations and other requirements of your job, even though you normally offer them face-to-face. Step four :-When you attend a meeting, be sure your presence is felt by the questions or answers you give. If necessary, fo rce yourself to do this until it becomes second nature.When you are asked to present your views to a group, prepare a formalized presentation then practice it beforehand. Increased familiarity will ease presenting to a group. Step five :-Take communications courses that your company may offer, or request permission to attend sessions by Dale Carnegie Corporation or something similar. Also, learn how to address an audience by becoming a member of Toastmasters International, an organization with chapters across the country. Improving your personal communication skill There are hundreds of footsteps that you can take to improve on your interpersonal communication skills.These skills are otherwise known as people skills and they make a huge difference in the number and quality of the friends that you have. Improving your interpersonal communication can mean the difference between making lifelong friendships or just having an over abundance of acquaintances. Have to be Honest:  People do not like someone who is a liar or someone who seems fake. Many people can tell if a person is acting in a way that is not real to them and this makes others feel the need to hide from you the same way. Do not act like someone that you are not just to gain the friendship of that person.Being honest is a people skill that true friends recognize as a trait that should be cherished. It does no good to tell lies as this type of interpersonal communication is insincere and is respectful to the other person. Honesty is the key to relationship and without it the relationship is nothing more than a sham. Don’t Criticize:  To criticize someone is to act as though you are inherently better than that person. You should go into any relationship with the thought that you are no better than the next person-because you aren't! You may do some things better than the other person, but they likely do some things better than you.A great people skill to have is the ability to recognize your strengths and weaknesses and those of the people around you without criticizing the other person. If you can do this then you can win more friends just for being compassionate enough to realize that you may do something better but you do not blurt that something out just for attention. Must listen to People:   This skill is very important for interpersonal communication success. To listen to someone means not just to hear what they are saying but to actually consider what they are saying and find something hat you can agree with. Do not just instantly decide that you disagree and then stop listening. Pay attention to the other person and think about what they are saying. Find a way that you can relate to their thoughts even if you don't fully agree with them. Know the matter:  Asking questions is a nonverbal communication technique that everyone should consider. This technique is useful to you and it makes the other person feel like you actually care. You should care enough to a sk questions that relate to a conversation so that you can continue a conversation.Admission:  Admit when you are wrong! If you are wrong and you know it or it has been proven, then admit to it gracefully. Do not make a big deal about it, we are all wrong at some point in our lives. It is how we admit our mistakes that make us more friendship oriented. Nobody likes someone who is arrogant and cannot admit a simple wrongdoing. If the other person is right, let them know that you realize that. Do not just bask in the fact that you do not want them to know. They deserve to know the same way that you deserve to know when you are right.This admission or right and wrong become a balance of respect and understanding between two friends and is a very important part of interpersonal communication. Information StrategiesKnowledge may be accessed at three stages: before, during, or after KM-related activities. Different organizations have tried various knowledge capture incentives, including making content submissionmandatory and incorporating rewards into performance measurement plans. Considerable controversy exists over whether incentives work or not in this field and no consensus has emerged. One strategy to KM involves actively managing knowledge (push strategy).In such an instance, individuals strive to explicitly encode their knowledge into a shared knowledge repository, such as adatabase, as well as retrieving knowledge they need that other individuals have provided to the repository knowledge management strategies and instruments for companies include:rewards (as a means of motivating for knowledge sharing),storytelling (as a means of transferring tacit knowledge),cross-project learning, after action reviews, knowledge mapping (a map of knowledge repositories within a company, accessible by all),communities of practice expert directories (to enable knowledge seeker to reach to the experts),best practice transfer, knowledge fairs, competence management (systema tic evaluation and planning of competences of individual rganization members),proximity ; architecture (the physical situation of employees can beeither conducive or obstructive to knowledge sharing). Not only those but also master-apprentice relationship, collaborative technologies (groupware, etc. ), social software (wikis, social bookmarking, blogs, etc. ), Inter-project knowledge transfer is also important factor for information strategythese knowledge management have the advantage of using the organization existing informationtechnology infrastructure. Organizations and business decision makers spend a great deal of resources and make significant investments in the latest technology, systems and infrastructure to support knowledge management.It is imperative that these investments are validated properly, made wisely and that the most appropriate technologies and software tools are selected or combined to facilitate knowledge management. Conclusion: Research management has also become a cornerstone in emerging business strategies such as Service Lifecycle Management with companies increasingly turning to software vendors to enhance their efficiency in industries including, but not limited to, the aviation industry. So it is important to Frank Drake to do research and use the data to make the best action for their business References Experian QAS. (2013, 01 10). Retrieved 02 15, 2013, from product data services: http://www. qas. co. k/products/index. htm? tid=1;tdet=qas;gclid=CPu3zMbR0bUCFfLLtAodakcAag Cook, H. E. (1997). Product Management: Value, quality, cost, price, profit and organization. Cambridge: Springer, . Drucker, P. F. (2007). The Effective Executive. Mumbai: Elsevierworldwide. Kleiner, E. (2003). The Successful Business Plan: Secrets ; Strategies. oxford: The Planning Shop. Kolb, B. (2008). Marketing Research: A Practical Approach. london: SAGE publisher. Mary Ellen Guffey, D. L. (2010). 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