Zara Grows as Retail Rivals Struggle an Example of the Topic Business Essays by

Zara Grows as Retail Rivals Struggle There are four types of international business strategies, namely; International Strategy, Multi-domestic Strategy, Global Strategy and Transnational Strategy. According to the article, the strategy that Zara Fashion follows is the Global Strategy. Need essay sample on "Zara Grows as Retail Rivals Struggle" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed College Students Usually Tell EssayLab specialists: How much do I have to pay someone to make my assignment in time? Professional writers suggest: Winning Academic Essay Writing Delivered On Time When following the Global Business Strategy, the firm lets go of customization of products and follows a standard policy everywhere it is operating at. Its production, marketing and research & development are concentrated in a few key areas (most usually the centralized headquarters and centrally administered locations). The focus is on cost reduction as a tool for increasing profitability following the low-cost strategy and standardized products and production processes, in order to achieve economies of scale. There is, hence, a very strong pressure for cost reductions and sustainability. Also, there needs to be a lot of focus on the fluctuating demand patterns of the erratic world economy. Such is the case at Zara Fashions where there is remarkable responsiveness to the fluctuating demand patterns. Their excellent logistics systems narrow down the process of materialization of their products from the core idea from a long period of about nine months to around just two weeks. They concentrate their core operations like productions and research & development to their central location, Spain, and maintain standardization in their products and production processes and strategies, hence following a Global business strategy. There are three different market entry strategies that organizations may implement in order to enter any market, especially when entering an international market. These strategies are, Wave Strategy, Waterfall Strategy and Sprinkler Strategy. Using wave strategy, a firm enters groups of similar markets, one group at a time. First the firm enters the group of markets which are similar to the home market. Once steady revenue starts being generated, it heads for the group of markets which are somewhat different from the home market. After sable revenue generation is reported from the second group, the third group of markets very different from the home market is entered. In a waterfall strategy, one market is entered at a time and all target markets are entered consecutively one by one. The sprinkler strategy is the one when all the targeted markets are entered at the same time with standardized processes and products. Zara Fashion, according to the article, follows the sprinkler strategy as it plans to open around 350 to 450 new outlets during the year 2009 keeping its production and management centralized in Spain and operating at a standardized level everywhere it goes. The average time taken for a normal clothing retail chain to materialize its products from the idea to the drawing board to the actual product ready to be sold in the stores is about nine months. For Zara Fashion, however, this time frame is exceptionally low, being less than just two weeks. This super-efficient logistics system has immense positive effects on the business of Inditex as compared to its competitors like Gap etc and is very evident from its progress and growth as compared to others. It provides it with a great competitive advantage to the firm and helps it respond very quickly to the ever-fluctuating market demands and fashion requirements. Despite the critiques' and analysts' comments and concerns about Inditex's Logistics system not being able enough to handle such a rapid growth and expansion, the management is very positive that the logistics are fully capable of handling the company's growth and expansion at least till the year 2012. Centralization is when the all processes, decisions and authority of a business is concentrated to a central business location and is only in the hands of the top authority. The decision making is limited to the higher management only and the lower management and staff is under a central control. Whereas, decentralization is when the authority and decision making is delegated to lower levels of management and every person in the organization is authorized at a certain level of management and operations according to the hierarchical level it belongs to. According to the article, Zara fashion follows a centralized business strategy managing its processes, production, R&D, and all other procedures in Spain maintain a standardized policy in all areas and markets of operation with very low or no customization at all. References Ellis J., Williams D. (1995). International Business Strategy. Pitman.

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buy custom Cup Cake Business essay Mission statement Our mission at Blue Cream Cakes Investments is to make social functions tasty, creamy and sweet experiences to both confectionery and passive consumers of the same. We pride in delighting cup cake enthusiasts with high quality products taking into consideration a variety and customized brands to satisfy a wide range of customer preferences. With our detailed survey report concerning the rising number of both active and passive confectionery fans; who would not mind having tasty but cheaper confectionery to match those moments of celebration, we intend to reach out to them at all convenient venues to satisfy their needs. Vision Statement Four years from now, Blue Cream Cakes Investments will be one of the best suppliers of cheap but quality confectionery especially cup cakes within the country with a fully satisfied customer base. This should translate to annual revenues of over one million by being consistent in timely delivery, reasonably priced products and organizing thrilling events for both active and passive confectionery enthusiasts. This should boost the societys interest in Bakery through encouraging more of the population to shift from passive to active confectionery enthusiasm. Executive Summary; management strategy The Blue Cream Cakes Investments is a small business venture that operates in the university. The venture is in its pilot state and run by Shneda Edgar an all round Confectionery enthusiast. He is an experienced Baker of quality cup cakes and other confectionery both as a hobby and occasionally provides upon request services to match specific occasions within the institution and interested external clientele. He is familiar with the citys community festivals and seasonal needs and has an advantage of an intensive network of all events within and around the institution. The current target market has no serious competition basing on a study that clearly indicates that no individual or institution had seriously considered institutional celebrations within the city except for the beverages and brewery industry (Cohen, 2006). This is with respect to their short notices and our need to market our Bakerys quality product with minimal advertisement costs. The niche is cut by the fact that consumers only consider a variety in confectionery long after confirming the price levels with regards to the quantity, size and quality on confectionery. Provision of cheaper but excellent quality cup cakes should encourage more active consumption thus an enlarged consumer market. This can also be seen as a forum of offering excellence personal training for confectionery enthusiasts the opportunity for good cake sampling techniques. Therefore they will be able to differentiate our quality products from other available products from possible competitors thus build on bran d loyalty (Kennedy, 2000). Through provision of high standards of staff training within the city, Blue Cream Cakes Investments intends to command personalized customer attention at an affordable price hence a great business opportunity (Kennedy, 2000). The director has secured a central location in the city for easier correspondence with external customers. This should provide a collection point easily accessible from any part of the city through all available means of transport. Proper shop layout combined with Students knowledge and interest should make Blue Cream Cakes Investments a worthwhile and profitable venture. Situation Analysis (SWOT) Blue Cream Cakes Investments is a start-up business currently operating at a low level thus marketing is an integral aspect in its prosperity and subsequent financial gains in high revenues (Cohen, 2006). The venture provides a wide variety of confectionery with specialization being in cup cakes, randomly for new customers and on order placement by existing customers. The basic demand of the market is top quality and reasonably priced cup cakes for all round celebrations. Blue Cream Cakes Investments through extensive market research has information about common desires of the market base which consists of busy customers either studying or working that have serious time constraints to purchase desired confectionery. This is reiterated through our existing loyal customers hence Blue Cream Cakes Investments intends to take advantage of this knowledge to fully exploit the untapped customer bases through expansion plans which includes door to door marketing and delivery networks. The acronym SWOT stands for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats within any existing competitive market (Debelak, 2000). Our analysis highlights key strengths and weaknesses and further indicates threats and opportunities Blue Cream Cakes Investments is likely to face. Strengths A strong working bond with suppliers and producers of ingredients which enables us to meet our orders in good time. Exceptional location which is mre accessible through all mode of transport in the city (Kennedy, 2000). Properly trained staff members in customer service that are trustworthy and highly efficient in meeting deadlines, thus ensuring a huge chunk of our income comes from repeat business. Weaknesses Blue Cream Cakes Investments has a limited financial outlay to meet branding requirements which is important in our expansion program. It is costly to acquire quality cooking equipment used in mass baking and also train more employees with regards to our current target market. Opportunities An expanding market that is significant in terms of our financial projection that has limited knowledge about Blue Cream Cakes Investments existence. An increasing number of the citys population that are constantly hosting celebrations and social occasions with restricted and low budgets. There is a high profit margin with considerably static costs which makes it easy for budgeting and operational planning. Stiff competition that originates from web based companies who offer constant discounts. Struggle in always having fresh products for the expanding market. Threats Market Needs The venture intends to provide a wide variety of confectionery products which should be able to address most if not all the customer needs. We intend to also have communication options through our website whereby our customers can input their order specifications in good time for maximum satisfaction of their needs to be achieved. The store will be open for reasonable and fluctuating extended hours suitable for any prevailing social events. Further accessibility will be enhanced through our website for special delivery considerations. We intend to maintain and improve quality standards and from time to time provide extra magical moments to our customers through bonus gifts and surprise prizes (Cohen, 2006). Apart from the normal profit pricing factors, our products will be priced according to the celebration atmosphere in the specific times of the annual calendar. This is a unique way of considering emotions in pricing thus a sure point of attracting and retaining clientele. Market Trends The prevailing trend in the confectionery industry is to acquire quality products at a good discount. Blue Cream Cakes Investments has the ability to exploit this because whether new or existing clients, we will provide for extra and free supplies basing on economies of scale that can generally yield high profits at any reasonable discounting rate. Competition At the moment there exists no known serious competition within the city. The bulk of competition arises from scattered general traders who do not specifically bake their own products but retail for other bakers existing outside the city. The competition further deals in bulk consignments that are majorly composed of products suitable for large scale consumption by institutions and large scale dealers like super stores. These products are mostly of uniform nature and luck much in diversity to suit the highly varied customer base in terms of taste. Marketing Mix Elements: Pricing Blue Cream Cakes Investments intends to minimize expansion costs by selling through the consignment contracts whereby we will partially collect ingredients and only pay suppliers after sale of final products. This will fluctuate with the market demand. With proper savings and business establishment, we intend to also deal in a few beverage products to further address any new needs of our existing and most prized customers. Basing on our existing citys consumer base, our positioning in the market will highly rely on excellent customer care that will deliver quality cup cakes that are not common in the city. This is strengthened by the fact that our niche is not explored extensively and our pricing is negotiable between us and the suppliers and might change due to prevailing circumstances in the market. The consignment contract of ingredients gives us room to cover from any financial setbacks in the market hence only pay for storage before considering our suppliers. Pricing As discussed, our startup business has two major pricing objectives which include: To increase our customer base from the university by taking care of other city dwellers too thus increasing our market share. To increase the quantity in sales volume as we target a larger market share. Pricing constraints are those factors which hinder or control our process of setting prices (Debelak, 2000). These factors introduce boundaries and other limits which we have little or no power to decide against them. Some of the possible pricing constraints are: Customers demand will be a major determinant of the set prices because if it goes up we will raise our prices and if it goes down, cup cakes being perishable, we will have no choice but to lower prices in order to move sales volumes and avoid loses. Our Break-even point will determine our least price even in the wake of lower price demands by customers. The customers sometimes determine the price ceilings basing on prevailing market prices in the same industry. This will also affect any additional costs absorption incurred for quality thus controlling our pricing. Our 3 possible sales prices per unit will be; 1, 2 and 3 dollars. The variable cost per unit is 0.5 dollars. The total fixed expenses are 100 dollars. Break-even point can be computed by finding that place where the total sales are equal to the total costs of sale and therefore neither profit nor loss is incurred (Cohen, 2006). Therefore: Sales= Cost of sales. Sales= Variable expenses + Fixed expenses+ profit Sales @ 1 dollar/unit Sales @ 2 dollars/unit Sales @ 3 dollars/unit 1Q= 0.5Q+ 100+ 0 1Q- 0.5Q= 100 0.5Q= 100 Q= 100/0.5= 200 units 2Q= 0.5Q+ 100+ 0 2Q-0.5Q= 100 1.5Q=100 Q= 100/1.5= 66.7 which is 67 units. 3Q=0.5Q+ 100+ 0 3Q-0.5Q= 100 2.5Q= 100 Q= 40 units. 200 units 67 units 40 units Graphical Representation of the 3 break-even points Basing on my diagram, the fixed cost (F. C) is at $100 at all production units. The variable cost (V. C) is worth half a dollar for each unit. Therefore Total cost (T. C) curve is a combination of the F.C curve and V.C curve. It should be noted that the V. C is constant thus at the breakeven level for the: $1 sales price per unit, the value of total cost will be; $100+ 0.5Q. Q = 200 thus T.C= ($100+ 0.5*200). T. C= $ 100+$ 100= $200. Therefore for $1 price per unit, the BEP will be at the 200 units of sales and $200 sales value. The BEP is at P1. $2 sales price per unit will yield a BEP at 67 units of sales and a sales value of ($100+ 0.5*67) which is $ 133.50. The BEP is at P2. $3 sales price per unit will yield a BEP at 40 units of sales and a sales value of ($100+ 0.5*40) which is $ 120. The BEP is at P3. In case the prices adjust reasons being demand, cost, profit or competition oriented, the only way to stay ahead is to ensure we either minimize our expenses/costs or increase our profit margin thus our break even points will shift to the right side but upwards meaning an increase in sales volume but a decrease in prices. Discounts, allowances and geographical adjustments call for an increase in sales volume too, so as to carter for any dip in our current profits thus the BEP will shift to the right but upwards. Therefore my new prices will be: Sales @ 0.6 dollar/unit Sales @ 1.8 dollars/unit Sales @ 2.6 dollars/unit 0.6Q= 0.5Q+ 100+ 0 0.6Q- 0.5Q= 100 0.1Q= 100 Q= 100/0.1= 1000 units 1.8Q= 0.5Q+ 100+ 0 1.8Q-0.5Q= 100 1.3Q=100 Q= 100/1.3= 76.9 which is 77 units. 2.6Q=0.5Q+ 100+ 0 2.6Q-0.5Q= 100 2.1Q= 100 Q= 47.6 which is 48 units. 1000 units 77 units 48 units Basing on the change in environment considerations, our final price will be at $1.8 per unit. Controls The purpose ofBlue Cream Cakes Investmentsmarketing plan is to guide the venture into profit maximization and customer satisfaction hence proper monitoring of Revenues and expenditures on a monthly and annual basis. Conclusion Blue Cream Cakes Investments new market segment and small scale start up does not enable it to have constant financial projections but with the expansion vision we intend to establish a permanent finance and budgeting department. We have consequently established an office space in the City centre fully equipped with the resources to seriously embark on all our departments this year. Buy custom Cup Cake Business essay

Existentialism - Essay Topics

Existentialism - Essay Topics If you are studying existentialism and have an exam coming up, the best way to prepare for it is to write lots of practice essays.   Doing this helps you to recall the texts and the ideas you have studied; it helps you to organize your knowledge of these; and it often triggers original or critical insights of your own.   Here are a set of essay questions you can use.   They relate to the following classic existentialist texts:    Tolstoy, My Confession Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor Nietzsche, The Gay Science Beckett, Waiting for Godot Sartre, The Wall Sartre, Nausea Sartre, Existentialism as a Humanism Sartre, â€Å"Portrait of an Anti-Semite† Kafka, A Message from the Emperor, A Little Fable, Couriers, Before the Law Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus Camus The Stranger    Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky Both Tolstoys Confession and Dostoyevskys Notes from Underground seem to reject science and rationalistic philosophy.   Why?   Explain and evaluate the reasons for the critical attitudes toward science in these two texts.    Both Tolstoy’s Ivan Ilyich (at least once he falls sick) and Dostoyevsky’s   Underground Man feel estranged from the people around them.   Why?   In what ways is the kind of isolation they experience similar, and in what ways is it different?    The underground man says that ‘to be too conscious is an illness.’   What does he mean?   What are his reasons?   In what ways does the underground man suffer from excessive consciousness?   Do you see this as the root cause of his sufferings or are there deeper problems that give rise to it?   Does Ivan Ilyich also suffer from excessive consciousness, or is his problem something different?    Both The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Notes From Underground portray individuals who feel separated from their society.   Is the isolation they experience avoidable, or is it primarily caused by the sort of society they belong to.    In the Authors Note at the beginning of Notes from Underground, the author describes the underground man as representative of a new type of person that must inevitably appear in modern society.   What aspects of the character are representative of this new type of modern individual?   Does he remain representative today in 21st century America, or has his type more or less disappeared?    Contrast what Dostoyevsky’s Grand Inquisitor says about freedom with what the Underground Man says about it.   Whose views do you most agree with?    Nietzsche, The Gay Science Tolstoy (in Confession), Dostoyevsky’s Underground Man, and Nietzsche in The Gay Science, are all critical of those who think the main goal in life should be the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.   Why?      When Nietzsche read Notes from Underground he immediately hailed Dostoyevsky as a ’kindred spirit’.   Why?    In The Gay Science, Nietzsche says: â€Å"Life- that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything about us that is growing old and weak†¦.being without reverence for those who are dying, who are wretched, who are ancient.   Ã‚  Explain, giving illustrative examples, what you think he means and why he says this.   Do you agree with him?    At the beginning of Book IV of The Gay Science, Nietzsche says all in all and on the whole: some day I wish only to be a Yes-sayer.   Explain what he means- and what he is opposing himself toby reference to issues he discusses elsewhere in the work.   How successful is he in maintaining this life-affirming stance?    Morality is herd instinct in the individual.   What does Nietzsche mean by this?   How does this statement fit in with the way he views conventional morality and his own   alternative values?    Explain in detail Nietzsche’s view of Christianity.   What aspects of Western civilization, both positive and negative, does he see as largely due to its influence?    In The Gay Science Nietzsche says: â€Å"The strongest and most evil spirits have so far done the most to advance humanity.†Ã‚   Explain, giving examples, what you think he means and why he says this.   Do you agree with him?    In The Gay Science Nietzsche seems to both criticize moralists who distrust the passions and instincts and also himself be a great advocate of self-control.   Can these two aspects of his thinking be reconciled?   If so, how?    What is Nietzsche’s attitude in The Gay Science towards the quest for truth and knowledge? Is it something heroic and admirable, or should it be viewed with suspicion as a hangover from traditional morality and religion?    Sartre Sartre famously observed that man is condemned to be free.  Ã‚   He also wrote that man is a futile passion.   Explain what these statements mean and the reasoning that lies behind them.   Would you describe the conception of humanity that emerges as optimistic or pessimistic?    Sartre’s existentialism was labeled by one critic â€Å"the philosophy of the graveyard,† and existentialism strikes many as dominated by depressing ideas and outlooks.   Why would someone think this?   And why might others disagree?   In Sartre’s thinking which tendencies do you see as depressing and which uplifting or inspiring?    In his Portrait of the anti-Semite, Sartre says the anti-Semite feels the nostalgia of impermeability.   What does this mean?   How does it help us understand anti-Semitism?   Where else in Sartres writings is this tendency examined?    The climax of Sartres novel Nausea is Roquentins revelation in the park when he contemplates.  Ã‚   What is the nature of this revelation?   Should it be described as a form of enlightenment?    Explain and discuss either Anny’s ideas about ‘perfect moments’ or Roquentin’s ideas about ‘adventures (or both).   How do these notions relate to the major themes explored in Nausea?    It has been said that Nausea presents the world as it appears to one who experiences at a deep level what Nietzsche described as the death of God.   What supports this interpretation?   Do you agree with it?    Explain what Sartre means when he says that we make our decisions and perform our actions in anguish, abandonment and despair.   Do you find his reasons for viewing human action in this way convincing?   [In answering this question, make sure you consider Sartrean texts beyond just his lecture Existentialism and Humanism]    At one point in Nausea, Roquentin says, â€Å"Beware of literature!†Ã‚   What does he mean? Why does he say this?    Kafka, Camus, Beckett Kafkas stories and parables have often praised for capturing certain aspects of the human condition in the modern age.   With reference to the parables we discussed in class, explain which features of modernity Kafka illuminates and what insights, if any, he has to offer.    At the end of ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ Camus says that ‘one must imagine Sisyphus happy’?   Why does he say this?   Wherein lies Sisyphus’ happiness?   Does Camus’ conclusion follow logically from the rest of the essay?   How plausible do you find this conclusion?    Is Meursault. the protagonist of The Stranger,  an example of what Camus calls in ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ an ‘absurd hero’?   Justify your answer with close reference to both the novel and the essay.    Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot, is- obviously- about waiting.   But Vladimir and Estragon wait in different way and with different attitudes.   How do their ways of waiting express different possible responses to their situation and, by implication, to what Beckett sees as the human condition?    Existentialism in general ‘The important thing is not to be cured but to live with one’s ailments’ (Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus).   Discuss this statement with reference to at least three of the following works:     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Myth of Sisyphus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Gay Science   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Notes from Underground   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Nausea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Waiting for Godot Do the works in question illustrate, support, or criticize the outlook expressed in Camus statement?      From Tolstoys account of his suicidal despair in his Confession to Becketts  Waiting for Godot, there is much in existentialist writing that seems to offer a bleak view of the human condition.   On the basis of the texts you have studied, would you say that existentialism is indeed, a bleak philosophy, excessively concerned with mortality and meaninglessness?   Or does it have a positive aspect also?    According to William Barrett existentialism belongs to a longstanding tradition of intense, passionate reflection on life and the human condition, yet it is also in some ways an essentially modern phenomenon.   What is it about the modern world that has given rise to existentialism?   And what aspects of existentialism are particularly modern?    Related links Life of Jean Paul Sartre Sartre - Quotations Sartres terminology Sartres concept of bad faith

Writing for journalists(feature story- Valentines Day) Article

Writing for journalists(feature story- Valentines Day) - Article Example People in the fashion industry have the tendency of maximizing their profits by raising the prices of the products needed by their regular customers. In relation to the more awaited day, a study by the industrys trade group has approximated that about 150 million love and valentines cards are sold in the USA during this period. The coming season is characterized by lots of people going for outs in open parks where they express their affections to one another and some even go an extent of proposing to their loved ones. The activities of the day will have an impact on the environment in several ways, the small pleasures that the people will engage themselves into will have some environmental impacts. The day should, therefore, have no reason for the match of emotions; therefore, it will not be a new thing for the dead tree greeting card to boost in its operations during this day. The pains that lover have had in the past vanish quickly and the circulation of the valentines cards usually goes on as nothing much has ever happened with lots of negligence of what happens to the environment through the celebration. It becomes very difficult for an environmentalist to understand the reason lots of people and especially in the Americas risk paying a lot in terms of carbon tax by using the shiny cardboards in sending love notes to their lovers. The most annoying thing is that, lots of customers know the impacts of their activities and trying to tell them to stop the practices is as good as not telling them. In most of the advanced countries, the card manufacturing companies have made advances in designing carbon friendly valentine cards, the companies have insisted that they have come up with carbon- neutral cards because they have paid for enough carbon credits. Having known the effects brought about by the events of the day to the environment, there are several things that I will advise those curious for the day to avoid doing, one of the

The squaters' world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The squaters' world - Essay Example The issue is not about who is right or wrong or whether squatting is good or not, but to understand the situation of squatting as a whole.   Throughout this analysis, we will see that squatting is an alternative movement which fights for its own rights and asserts a different lifestyle that is anti-capitalist. Millions of people squat in the world. It is the oldest way of living. According to the Oxford Dictionary, squatting means â€Å"unlawfully occupy an uninhabited building or area of land.†(Oxford Dictionary 2008). Squatters exist all around the world, from Bombay to New York the action is the same but the purposes differ. In Nairobi shantytown, peoples have no other choice but to do squatting to survive. They sometimes live with several families in the same built â€Å"house†. In a certain way, the squatters are the capitalism’s indirect victims. In western countries, squats represent a warm place to spend the night but also an alternative way of living. It is a strong philosophy which stands up against capitalism. The conditions of living can be poor or good, depending on the country and the geographical situation. Inhabitants can find a free place where many activities occur and where many different people live.   According to Luca Pattaroni from the Laboratory of Urban Sociology of the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, â€Å"research shows that most squatters are people of low income, from a wide range of social background† (Swissinfo 2008). Indeed squatters are not only homeless. They can be young rebels,  artists, or travelers. In many cases, we find students and citizens who cannot afford the extremely high Geneva rental accommodations. There are also many refugees and immigrants from Africa, Latin America and from Central Europe.   Squats are socially centered, where people from uncommon horizon cohabit. Junkie, militant or tramp with any limited age are welcomed to

Marketing Essay Example for Free

Marketing Essay Crispy Crunch’s main problem is that they haven’t advertised their product in many years. Since then the target market has changed a lot and has a very high multi-tasking behaviour. It is hard to pin point the exact needs and wants of this culture anymore except for one thing, they are all very technologically routed. With the internet at our finger tips, TV whenever we want, and smartphones in everyone’s pocket. That is the only thing you can really count on this day in age. The chocolate bar market is mature and experiences only modest growth annually. There are 4 major players all with similar marketing strategies; find something unique in the product and promote it. Chocolate bars can be found in the same locations and are sold at very similar prices so they must use marketing communications to distinguish themselves. Crispy Crunch has had little to none in the last five years. Crispy Crunch’s goal is to break into the top ten again and increase market share from 3.5% to 4% within 12 months. The current awareness of Crispy Crunch is 35% among the target market, which must increase significantly in order to increase market share and profits. My main recommendation is to reach out to the target market using the only real linking factor among them; the internet. I think rich media is the best way to reach this audience because it makes use of technology and is available to audiences of many different tastes and lifestyles at all hours of the day. Search advertising is when an advertiser is listed within or alongside search results in exchange for paying a fee each time someone clicks on the listing in those search results. If Crispy Crunch were to apply that type of advertising they could buy such words as â€Å"chocolate†, â€Å"crispy†, or â€Å"delicious†. When someone searched a phrase with these words they would see Crispy Crunch’s ad. Pros This is a great way to advertise since you only play for the clicks you get. It is available 24/7 to a large audience and 80% of all internet traffic begins at a search engine. Cons This form of advertising can be an annoyance to consumers, therefore they become put off the product. Rich Media Rich media Incorporates animation, sound, video and interactivity into the advertising messages, like a short commercial. Marketers have found that a 10-second ad is the maximum acceptable length for an online video ad, and if it is to be viewed entirely it must be entertaining. Pros The similarity to television makes it attractive to traditional advertisers. Many TV shows are now being viewed online; these ads are often placed at the beginning, between scenes and at the end. They are available 24/7 to a large audience. Cons Sometimes it can be hard to make an ad interesting in that short of a time frame. Some viewers find these ads to be an annoyance. Mobile Advertising Advertisers are trying to capitalize on the popularity of cell phones by sending ads via text message. Marketers interested in reaching younger targets are getting involved with text messaging. They are asking consumers to get involved with their brands by running promotions that include short codes with their marketing material, often found on posters, packaging, bottle caps, etc. Consumers can enter or scan codes to participate in contests, download free music, and get ring tones and prizes. Pros This is a great way to advertise because of the speed, directness, portability, and low cost. It is very common with younger target markets. Cons These messages are often seen as an annoyance and intrusive and are too closely related to telemarketing. Some of these ads may even cost the consumer for the data they use. Recommendations I recommend that Crispy Crunch begins advertising with the use of rich media. I think this is best suited to reach their target group which has a high multi-tasking behaviour. Many people in the age group of 18-29 year olds have hectic schedules and are now watching episodes of their favorite shows online because they are not always able to watch it and this form of television has allowed them a more flexible lifestyle around their shows schedule. Rich media also provides 24/7 access, it can reach many people at once and it is not as invasive or annoying at other methods of advertisement such as direct response, text message or email while still being very cost effective. I would also urge Crispy Crunch to stick with their previous slogan â€Å"The only thing as good as your Crispy Crunch is someone else’s.† as well as the general message of the campaign. The ads were short, funny, and to the point. I think that the people in their target market have most likely never seen the previous ads or have forgotten about them. Sometimes bringing back the old is very well received. AW did very well bringing back the vintage vibe of their restaurants. The ads from the 1989 campaign were very well received and upped market share then and I’m sure they could do it again with the same overall message, they just need the attention.

acupuncture :: essays research papers

Acupuncture The Chinese healing art of acupuncture is one that can be dated back at least two thousand years. Some authorities maintain that acupuncture has been practiced in China for even four thousand years. Though its exact age is vague, what is certain is that up until the recent twentieth century, much of the population of the world was uninformed about acupuncture, its origins, and its capacity to promote and maintain good health. Even today in relatively "advanced" nations such as the United States there are many who hold acupuncture under the stereotype of a new or radical medicine, one which would almost always be a second choice after more familiar Western approaches to handling illness. Acupuncture (and its related Moxibustion) are practiced medical treatments that are over 5,000 years old. Very basically, Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles, (sometimes in conjunction with electrical stimulus), on the body's surface, in order to influence physiological functioning of the body. The first record of Acupuncture is found in the 4,700 year old Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine). This is said to be the oldest medical textbook in the world. It is said to have been written down from even earlier theories by Shen Nung, the father of Chinese Medicine. Shen Nung documented theories about circulation, pulse, and the heart over 4,000 years before European medicine had any concept about them. As the basis of Acupuncture, Shen Nung theorized that the body had an energy force running throughout it. This energy force is known as Qi (roughly pronounced Chee). The Qi consists of all essential life activities which include the spiritual, emotional, mental and the physical aspects of life. A person's health is influenced by the flow of Qi in the body, in combination with the universal forces of Yin and Yang Energy constantly flows up and down these pathways. When pathways become obstructed, deficient, excessive, or just unbalanced, Yin and Yang are said to be thrown out of balance. This causes illness. Acupuncture is said to restore the balance. Acupuncturists can use as many as nine types of Acupuncture needles, though only six are commonly used today. These needles vary in length, width of shaft, and shape of head. Today, most needles are disposible. They are used once and disgarded in accordance with medical biohazard regulations and guidlines. There are a few different precise methods by which Acupuncturists insert needles.

Organizational Behavior Essay

The presented situation deserves particular attention as in a Project Manager’s situation I am faced with a large number of problems. The team members are not getting along, there are numerous disagreements, costs are going up and component quality is not up to the mark. All these problems need to be addressed. Since the team members all belong to different backgrounds, they are bound to have communication issues. First it is important to resolve the conflicts arising due to communication barriers (Lloyd 2005). The team members need to sit together and decide on a common language that all of them can communicate in. Conflicts may arise due to differences in cultural and generational backgrounds and therefore it is essential to address these issues in meetings with all employees allowed to face each other (Lemay & Schwamberger 2007). Also, they may be restricted to use their own language during work as this may give other members the feeling that they are being talked about. The next step is to set goals and objectives and prioritize work accordingly. It is my duty as the project manager to delegate tasks. Although employee autonomy is given emphasis in Theory Y which assumes that an employee will work if he is committed, in this case Theory X needs to be applied. Theory X which assumes that an individual dislikes responsibility and needs to be controlled and directed to work comes into play in this situation (ACCEL Team). In the goal setting process, I have to set milestones that need to be completed within a given period of time. The tasks are prioritized with the team’s consent so that there are not further arguments over the prioritization and completion of each milestone. Instead of allowing all team members to individually set their priorities, priorities have to be set with the consent of the entire team. The Total Quality Manager and Operation Manager need to sit together and set quality standards that need to be met. As a Project Manager, I need to oversee that the Total Quality Manager clearly explains to the Operation Manager the quality standards that need to be followed to avoid further increase in time delays and cost. The Operation Manager needs to be specific about the quality of the required components and therefore quality standards need to be documented to avoid any confusion. Only if these steps are taken, will the quality issue be successfully resolved. In order to inculcate a punctual attitude in the team members and discipline them, positive reinforcement can be used (Williams 2002). Disciplining employees is essential in order to keep performance at high levels (Imundo 1985). Instead of punishing employees for coming in late or missing meetings, incentives can be designed to reward employees for their positive work attitude. Rewards can be monetary or non-monetary. Non-monetary awards such as the ‘Most Organized Employee’, ‘Most Punctual’, and ‘Employee of the Month ’or‘Best Performance can be introduced. This will help in heightening the morale of the team members (Bruce 2007). These awards can be given after the completion of the project. Although these may just be titles given to high achievers, the purpose is to make them feel rewarded for their work (Nelson, 2005). Monetary rewards can also be given on the same basis. According to the Extrinsic Motivation Theory, individuals do things for which there are tangible rewards. Therefore, with their personal interests involved, employees will strive to work harder and improve their performance (Podmoroff 2005). Another solution to punctuality issues is flexible working hours (Tynan). This will allow employees to work according to their convenience while enjoying their work and achieving their set targets. Moreover to ensure all team members are effectively participating in meetings and giving in their ideas and opinions, a friendly environment needs to be created (eHow Legal Editor). It becomes my responsibility to ensure that my team members are comfortable with the working environment and can pool in their view. I need to clarify that their views will not be used against them and will be respected and considered by the team. This sense of confidence needs to be inculcated to allow free flow of information within the team and between the team and the management. The main reason behind escalating costs and time delay is the internal issues of the team. These issues need to be dealt with strictly (Draffen 2007). Once these issues are resolved the project will automatically fall into place. The escalating costs are mainly due to disagreements over the right design of the components. Once a standardized design is agreed upon by the Operations Manager, Total Quality Manager and the team there will be no further costs of redesigning. As a Project Manager, I have the responsibility to effectively deal with the employees in my team. Understanding human behavior and building team confidence are the fundamentals of a strong working team (Heller 1999). I need to learn what motivates each individual to work. Accordingly each individual should be rewarded for his hard work. It is a good practice to frequently appreciate the work being done and thank the team members for their contribution (About. om). A successful completion of a project therefore depends on employee performance, employee satisfaction with the work and good quality output (Buzzle. com). The main issues that needed to be addressed in this case involved goal setting, communication and cultural barriers and employee contribution. Therefore once I have addressed these issues and communicated with my team members to clarify all differences and misconceptions that they may have about the management or other team members, the project will be delivered successfully.

Course Outline – General Principles of Management

WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA Addressing gender disparity and fostering equity in University Education FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES & I. T. BSc MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (BM114) Course Outline for General Management Principles (BM114) Preamble A study of the General Management principles that seeks to equip students with the general management and managerial skills that will prepare them to be effective managers and entrepreneurs who can quickly adopt to new management situations. Aims To equip students with modern general management principles.Objectives of the Course 1. To enable students to understand and appreciate the nature and scope of management. Course Content †¢ Management and Managers What is management? †¢ Team Building †¢ Managerial functions †¢ Types of managers †¢ Manager’s roles and skills †¢ Challenges for management in a Global Environment 2. 0 The Evolution of Management Theory †¢ Scientific Management Theory †¢ Administrative Management Theory †¢ Behavioural Management Theory †¢ Management Science Theory †¢ Organisational Environment Theory †¢ Total Quality Management †¢ Business Process Reengineering 3. 0 The Environment of Management Theory . 1 The Organisational Environment †¢ Task environment †¢ General environment †¢ Managing the organisational environment 3. 2 The Global Environment †¢ The changing global environment †¢ The global task environment †¢ The global general environment †¢ The collapse of time and distance †¢ You and International Management †¢ Importance of understanding Cultural Differences 4. 0 Strategic Planning †¢ The manager as a planner strategist †¢ The planning process †¢ Determining the organisation’s mission and goals †¢ Formulation of strategy †¢ Planning and implementing strategy †¢ M. Porter’s Five for ces model . 0 Organising †¢ Designing organisational structure †¢ Grouping tasks into jobs; job design, grouping jobs into functions †¢ Strategic alliances and network structure. †¢ Organisational control and culture (output, behavioural and organisational culture and clan control system) †¢ Strategic Human Resources Management †¢ Groups and group dynamics 6. 0 Leading †¢ Nature of leadership †¢ Trait and behaviour models of leadership †¢ Gender in Leadership †¢ Motivation and motivational theories †¢ Managers as a person (personality, attitude, behaviour, perception, career development and stress management) . 0 Conflict Management †¢ Organisational conflict †¢ Organisational politics †¢ Change Management 8. 0 Managing Information Systems and Technologies †¢ MIS and Decision Making 9. 0 Managing Innovation, Product Development and Entrepreneurship †¢ Innovation, Technological change and competition â₠¬ ¢ Product Development †¢ Entrepreneurship Assessment †¢ Examination : Course work (30%) Assignments (10%) Class Tests (20%) End of year Examination 70% Recommended Textbooks 1. Business Management: A contemporary Compilation, Johannesburg: FVBC by Nieuwenhuizen C and Oosthuizen TFJ. 2012. 2.Introduction to Business Management 6th Edition Editors Cronje, Du Toit, Marcus, Motlatla. Oxford University Press 3. Management A Practical Introduction 3rd Edition by Angelo Kinicki and Brian K. Williams. McGraw Hill International 4. A Handbook to Human Resources Management Practice 10th Edition by Michael Armstrong. International Student Edition 5. Management Concepts and Practices 5th Edition by Tim Hannagan 6. Fundamentals of Management Essential Concepts and Application 6th Edition Pearson Productions by Stephen P Robbins, Sanghamitra Bhattacharyya, David A DeCenzo, Madhushree Nanda Agarwal. ———————– [pic]

A School Principals Recommendation Letter for a Teacher

A School Principal's Recommendation Letter for a Teacher SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips According to the State Department of Education, there were 24 applicants for every one teaching position in Connecticut last year! Teaching's a competitive field, so a stand-out letter of recommendation can go a long way. In the sample letter below, a principal recommends an art teacher applying to another school due to budget cuts. Check out what the principal has to say about this teacher, and then read on for an analysis of what this letter does well. Sample Letter #2: Written by a Principal for a Teacher Mr. Henry NicholsSchool PrincipalCityville Middle School1 School RoadCityville, NJ 08008 Dear Principal Nichols, It’s my honor and pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for Julia as she pursues an art teaching position with Cityville Middle School. As the principal of Townston Middle School, I’ve enjoyed having Julia on the teaching team for grades 6 through 8. We’ll all miss her and her contributions to our school community. Unfortunately, budgetary restrictions have forced us to reduce the art teaching faculty, and as the most recent hire, Julia will no longer have a position with us next year. This decision in no way reflects on her skills, and I wholeheartedly endorse her candidacy as she seeks a position elsewhere. It’s my wish that she finds a school with the resources to support her talent for teaching art. Julia started her teaching career with us fresh out of graduate school two years ago. She brought with her a solid training in pedagogical methods and art history, along with great energy and enthusiasm. She introduced several new projects that are now a part of the curriculum, including a self-portrait assignment that asks students to reflect on their identities, a stop-motion animation project using clay and iPads, and a papier-mache â€Å"sled challenge† that resulted in fun races down the hill beside the school. Julia also contributed to the â€Å"3D Printer Build-a-Thon,† a weekend-long event during which students, educators, and community members came together to assemble over 20 3D printers. Julia brings exciting new ideas to life; I’m confident that she will continue her momentum with her next school. Julia also impressed me with her commitment to lifelong learning. She successfully collaborated with her mentor, took advantage of several professional development opportunities offered in the district, and took classes on digital technology and special education over the last two summers. She also went out of her way to elicit feedback from her students, inviting them to share their experiences at the end of each semester. It’s this commitment to growth and her students’ well-being that makes Julia an outstanding educator who empowers her pupils. Julia is charismatic and creative, and she thinks outside the box. She has shown excellent classroom management skills and developed a rapport with students, colleagues, and parents that is characterized by mutual respect. At the end of last year, I had a parent come to me specifically to praise Julia's teaching and the impact she's had on her son. Beyond her strengths as an art teacher, Julia’s also a talented artist and has some of her oil and acrylic paintings displayed in a nearby gallery. Julia has my highest recommendation for the position of art instructor, and I look forward to learning more about the accomplishments that lie in her professional future. If the circumstances were different, I would strive to retain Julia on our art department teaching team. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any further information. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Elsa SkoolsSchool PrincipalTownston Middle Schooleskools@townston.k12.edu(866) 8-5546 Will this letter convince Principal Nichols to make room for Julia and her paintbrushes? Recommendation Letter #2: The Breakdown Like the first sample, this recommendation letter represents a common relationship between letter writer and candidate. It starts out with a strong statement of support with, â€Å"It’s my honor and pleasure to provide this letter.† This statement is then quickly followed by an explanation of who the letter writer is, thereby showing why she’s qualified to recommend Julia. Principal Skools explains why Julia’s applying elsewhere and makes sure to state that she would retain her on the teaching team if the budget allowed. She goes on to describe Julia’s contributions with specific examples of projects she introduced and community events to which she contributed. The writer uses highly positive language to describe Julia, calling her creative, energetic, and committed to continuous improvement. She also touches on her personal talents as an artist. The letter’s structured to describe three main points: Julia’s accomplishments at the school, her commitment to learning and improvement, and her relationships with teachers, parents, and colleagues. In her glowing endorsement, Principal Skools gives specific examples of the achievements Julia'smade and will continue to make in her next art teaching position. What's Next? What experience do you need to become a teacher in the first place? Find out what degree you do (or don't) need to teach in this article. On to the next! Click here to read our third recommendation letter sample written by a restaurant manager for a part-time employee. Are you looking for a different type of sample letter? Head back to our original recommendation letter guide to find more samples and learn about the key features of outstanding reference letters. Want to provide a strong recommendation for your employee, but don't have the time to craft the perfect letter? PrepScholar's new recommendation tool, SimpleRec, takes you from good intentions and a blank page to a fully written and formatted letter of recommendation in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is give us some simple pieces of information about your employee and your experience working with them, and we'll do the rest. Try out SimpleRec risk-free today:

Budgeting For a Family Vacation to Disney World

Disney World is a magical and interesting place for the family of four people. A passionate voice infiltrated the air, the children flew and waited for Disney to start the day. But as we know, going to Disney is not that simple. You need to travel to Disneyland on a budget. Savings and planning is your top priority. How do you get there, when you go to Florida, where do you go. Most importantly, it is good for children, Disneyland and anyone. Over the years, when we went to Disney World, our family learned and we stayed at Disney World. Disney World Hotel has more than 25 unique resorts, each with a vacation destination from place of budget to facility. The question remains Why is our family not staying outside the hotel, but staying at the Disney World Resort? When you go to Disney, you want to be a Disney ... forever and ever! This means staying at the Disney World Resort. Just because you left the park at the end of the day does not mean that the magic ended when you stayed in a r esort owned by Disney. I do not know you, but I never went to Disney as I thought, so I wanted 24/7 Disney when I was there. From unique theme to hidden Mickey, Disney Resort does its best to keep the magic of traveling. As of last week, my husband and son have never been to Disneyland. On the other hand, I repeat - a combination of family vacation and school trip. Whenever I asked my husband to plan a trip to Disney, his answer ranged from Meh to No, thanks, Absolutely No. But, if you've ever been to Disneyland before, you will know that it is worth it (and I really dislike excitement). According to the story of animation, it is not attractive for my husband to roam around the imitative country and sit on a musical or intensive version of the movie. Perhaps one day ... when we have children, he always told me before his son was born. As you can see, Disney World Resort Villas can save your family's Disney World holidays. You will never feel connected to the 'hotel container'. In ad dition to this container, please imagine. And at Disney World, please reserve a cheap villa to save time and money. When you go to Disney F1, they are a wonderful way to save lots of money.

Henry Percy Bulmers Background Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Henry Percy Bulmers Background - Case Study Example As the discussion outlines, Percy and Edward Frederick (his elder brother), had engaged in making small amounts of Perry and cider through the use of their neighbor’s stone mill. Percy used this as the foundation for spurring his trade and therefore he started manufacturing larger quantities. In 1887, Percy manufactured 40 casks and as a result, he established a minor commercial premises at Maylord Street. Due to this, his brother decided to abandon his intended teaching career in King’s College situated in Cambridge so as to pool with Percy in running the cider making business. Percy then borrowed a loan of up to  £1,760 from their father thereby using it to relocate the premises to a one acre land spot at Ryelands Street, where they built a small hut with an underground room. During this period, Thomas Kennett was the only external staff and they used the mill wheel to produce cider since the business could not ye afford any steam powered machinery. This therefore m ade work quite hard and tiresome since they were using their hands to rotate the mill wheel. During the year 1889, Percy sent Fred to attend the Royal Agricultural Show which was hosted at the Windsor Great Park. However, during the show, their cider won the second award in every single class that it entered. As a result Percy then sought to travel all-round the country in order to try to sell much of their cider thereby anticipating to gain more customers. However, he realized that the salesmen were only willing to buy products that were being ordered or requested for by the consumers.