The Value of $100 Today Is Worth the Same Tomorrow Essay Sample free essay sample

( 5 points ) $ 100 today is worth the SAME as $ 100 tomorrow. True False Question 2 ( 5 points ) At an involvement rate of 10 % it is better to hold $ 100 today than $ 120 in 2 old ages. True False Question 3 ( 5 points ) Megan wants to purchase a interior decorator pocketbook and programs to gain the money baby sitting. Suppose the involvement rate is 6 % and she is willing to wait one twelvemonth to buy the bag. How much baby sitting money ( to the nearest whole dollar ) will she necessitate to gain today to purchase the bag for $ 400 one twelvemonth from now? ( Enter merely the figure without the $ mark or a comma ) Answer for Question 3 25. 44 Question 4 ( 10 points ) Johnny and Darren both earn $ 100 working on their several neighbors’ large farms. Johnny puts his $ 100 in the hoggish bank that his parents gave him to promote him to salvage. Darren puts his money in a nest eggs account his parents put up for him. The nest eggs account pays 3 % involvement. We will write a custom essay sample on The Value of 0 Today Is Worth the Same Tomorrow Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They both take their money out after 5 old ages. How much more money does Darren hold than Johnny? 16 19 10 3 Question 5 ( 10 points ) Don has merely received a hard currency gift of $ 50. 000 from his rich bizarre uncle. He wants to put it aside to pay for his girl Cynthia’s college instruction. Cynthia will get down college in 10 old ages and Don’s fiscal adviser says that she can gain 7 % involvement on an investing in a particular college fund. How much will Don hold in the fund when Cynthia begins college? ( Enter merely the figure without the $ mark or a comma ; unit of ammunition to the nearest whole dollar. ) Answer for Question 5 98357. 2 Question 6 ( 10 points ) Bridgette’s grandparents opened a nest eggs history for her and placed $ 500 in the history. The history pays 3. 5 % involvement. Bridgette wants to be a vocalist and she has her bosom set on a new karaoke machine. The machine costs $ 150. How much less will the history be deserving in 8 old ages if she buys the karaoke machine now versus go forthing the history untouched? ( Enter merely the figure without the $ mark or a comma ; unit of ammunition to the nearest whole dollar. ) Answer for Question 6 5516. 20-3861. 34=1655 Question 7 ( 10 points ) The Johnson household is worried about their ability to pay college tuition for their girl Chloe. Tuition rates are presently $ 9. 500 per twelvemonth at the province college and have been increasing at a rate of 7 % yearly. Chloe will get down college in 7 old ages. The Johnson’s have $ 9. 500 set aside now in a college program that will gain 6 % per twelvemonth. They late heard about a program to pre-pay tuition at current rates. that is pay $ 9. 500 per twelvemonth of college. Should they pre-pay Chloe’s first twelvemonth now or maintain the money invested and pay the tuition 7 old ages from now? How much are they salvaging in FV footings with this determination? Pre-pay ; 685 Pre-pay ; 781 Pre-pay ; 970 Don’t Pre-pay ; 781 Don’t Pre-pay ; 685 Don’t Pre-pay ; 970 Question 8 ( 15 points ) Ralph knows that he is traveling to hold to replace his roof shortly. If he has the roof replaced now. it will be $ 10. 000. He could wait 5 old ages. but it will so be him $ 20. 000. At what rate will these options cost the same. ( Hint: This is besides known as the break-even point. Exact computation up to two decimals is non hard. If stuck. test and mistake will assist. ( No more than two decimals in the per centum involvement rate but do non come in the % sign. ) Answer for Question 8 Question 9 ( 15 points ) Rondo is in the market for a new auto. He has narrowed his hunt down to 2 theoretical accounts. Model A costs $ 32. 000 and Model B costs $ 28. 000. With both autos he plans to pay hard currency and have them for 4 old ages before trading in for a new auto. His research indicates that the trade in value for Model A after 4 old ages is 60 % of the initial purchase monetary value. while the trade in value for Model B is 45 % . The involvement rate is 5 % . For simpleness assume that operating and care costs for the theoretical accounts are indistinguishable. Which theoretical account is the better determination and how much â€Å"cheaper† is it than the option? Model A ; 1430 Model B ; 1430 Model A ; 4000 Model A ; 1257 Model B ; 1207 Model B ; 4000 Question 10 ( 15 points ) Christine is a new homebuyer. She wants to do certain that she incorporates the cost of care into her determination. She estimates that everyday fixs and care on the place she is sing will be $ 1. 590 in the first twelvemonth ( one twelvemonth from now ) . Due to the increasing age of the place. she expects that care costs will increase 6 % yearly. The involvement rate is 5 % . If she plans to be in the place for 10 old ages. what is the present value of all future care? ( Note that care costs will alter yearly. and starts one twelvemonth from now and she plans to make the last one before selling her house. )

buy custom Julia Butterfly Hill essay

buy custom Julia Butterfly Hill essay Today people are living in a jet-age, in a world of high tech and industry where most of their deeds are dictated by financial profit and material needs of a comfortable life. Being obsessed by the desire of self-enrichment, people do not take into account the place they live in, and often forget that their actions can cause harm to the world around them. That is why the work that nature protection organizations and their volunteers do play a significant role in preserving the nature from hasty steps of mankind. Speaking about the environment protection, there are many people, unfortunately mostly anonymous, who did a lot to attract the attention of the authorities to this problem, but there is one person who remains well known till today. Her name is Julia Butterfly Hill and she is famous for her two-year sit in a huge Redwood tree which she called Luna. Back then in the late 90s, it was a sensational case. It was her way of protest against cutting this tree down by the local lumber company, and Julia succeeded. By her in-tree sitting, she made everyone pay attention to the problem bigger than just cutting down one particular tree. Being started with a small work, she grew into wide activities focused not only on saving and preserving the woods all around the United States or organizing the actions of protest, bu also on founding various non-profit nature-conservation organizations as Circle of Life Foundation. In my opinion, Julia Hills tree sit is a remarkable feat of a person not indifferent to what happens in the world around her. It was an example of how one ordinary person, being inspired by the lofty idea, could do something extraordinary. Someone may say that such actions of people who care is just a spectacular move, designed to attract attention to them. However, in the case of Julia, it was probably the only way to attract public attention to the issue raised by her. Julias decision to climb a tree is a manifestation of the strong will and determination to reach the goal. During her sit, Julia weathered cold rains as well as El Nino hurricane winds and attacks of both angry loggers and security guards. Few people are ready to make something like this in order to achieve their goal of voluntary help to a single tree, while undergoing much inconvenience and sacrificing their own comfort and safety. In her speech at the Mount Mercy University Chapel, Julia Hill mentioned that everyone has his or her symbolic tree to sit in. If take her words literally, I think it means that each person can find a tree that is related to him or her, or symbolizes some significant features of a persons character. If so, I think that my tree is a maple. For me, it is a symbol of strength and persistence as maples can grow in a rather cold climate and the tree itself looks steady and strong. Also it symbolizes friendliness and joy by its vast branches and the way sun rays flicker between the leaves. On the other hand, Julias words can have the other side, meaning that the symbolic tree is the goal of a persons life. When she says that each of us has to find his or her own tree to sit in, it means that we have to figure out what the main goal of our life is and stick to it. People have to devote their lives to something that is truly important to them instead of being important to somebody else. When such goal is found and one feels exhilarated by reaching it, the way to the top is like a tree with lots of branches. On the way one steps from one opportunity to another as if climbing on branches, from one challenge to another, changing himself and the world around for good. This tree is what I am still looking for because it is not easy sometimes to figure out what is really significant in life. I am sure that there is no need to hurry. Life will show the way to my tree when time comes, and what I am doing now is just exploring the magnificent forest of chances and challenges of life. Buy custom Julia "Butterfly" Hill essay

Target-Market Selection Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Target-Market Selection - Research Proposal Example If the company does not pay enough attention in order to discern its exact target market, it could land up in trouble at the time of devising its marketing strategy since it would address a completely unknown marketing segment, one which was not asked for by the product’s target domains. Thus it is essential that the target market is selected in a proper manner as falling short on the same count could lead to wastage which no organization is willing to afford. Wastage can also happen if the secondary audience, one that is not exactly the audience for the said product is catered to the product and its message and thus there is a complete mix-up within the related ranks. (2) Beyond evaluating current businesses, designing the business portfolio involves finding businesses and products the company should consider in the future. Using the product-market expansion grid, illustrate the process that a company can use to evaluate a portfolio. Pick an example for your demonstration that is different from the one used in the text. Be sure your example covers all cells. The product-market expansion grid of Ansoff is basically a model that is useful in demonstrating a clear link between the different processes of the business unit strategy so that there is a clear cut identification of the growth opportunities for the business. Since this grid looks at product and market in different alignments, a company can analyze a portfolio by touching the method for market penetration where it could sell the product in an excessive manner by making it available in a wholesome quantity.

Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Creativity - Essay Example However, Csikszentmihalyi suggested that young students "cannot be creative, but all creative adults were once young students' (Csikszentmihalyi, 1966:156). The entire idea of this statement by Csikszentmihalyi is dependent on the fact that young students "can show tremendous talent, but they cannot be creative because creativity involves changing a way of doing things, a way of thinking, and that in turn requires having mastered the old ways of doing/ thinking. No matter how precocious a student is this he cannot do' (1996:155). In other words Csikszentmihalyi stated that it is education that makes an individual creative. In this context it would be relevant to mention that Amabile suggested that "...creativity by individuals and teams is a starting point for innovation; the first is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the second" (Amabile et al 1996). As it is Csikszentmihalyi viewed creativity as the highest achievement of human mind as he states that "Creativity is the central source of life for several reasons. Most of the things that are interesting, important and human are the result of creativity." (1997: 1) Csikszentmihalyi's views in this context suggested that there is an attempt of invoking creativity within young students but there can be no conviction that the method proved the usher of creativity within young students of 12-16 years. It s... knowledge that they wish to acquire but they stressed on the particulars of methods and neglected creativity by keeping it aside as they implied that it is a inheriting part of the young student's mechanism. In this regard we can enumerate the ideas put forward by Emerson who suggested that "by our tempering and thwarting and too much governing he may be hindered from his end and kept out on his own" (Emerson 251) In other words Emerson believed that the students should be given enough liberty to formulate their own approach towards education or they are creative enough to formulate one. This again is an alternative view of Csikszentmihalyi's views that suggested that even if there are no direct evidence of creativity there always remains an element of attempt to be creative all along. Literature review View of Csikszentmihalyi states that "creativity results from the interaction of a system composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognize and validate the innovation." (1997: 6) but in the same context Freire suggests that it " emerges through invention and reinvention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful enquiry men peruse in the world, with the world, and with each other." (Freire 319) Thus it can be enumerated that this element according to Freire is more of a reflex action rather than a formulated procedure and it can be further mentioned that this process of learning is an instrument of survival that was incorporated within us from the prehistoric era and he expects every young student to be creative. Freire stressed that the education of young students must involve their senses. He presents guidelines for creating an educational

A streetcar name desire and death of a salesman Essay

A streetcar name desire and death of a salesman - Essay Example In the real sense Willy was a failure as a father as well as a salesman (Miller 62). In his funereal, his wife wondered aloud on the whereabouts of his friends as he seemed to a famous person. His past reshaped his present to be a famous person and an achiever, as these are the things that he hoped for the future. His past was a mere channel of protecting his failures that are vivid in his future life. As seen in the work of Miller, William has been described as a romantic person in an unromantic world, as Christopher Bigsby describes him (33). This relates to the fact that his lifestyle does not represent the real lifestyle he hoped to achieve. Willy’s life is indeed tragic in his own aspect, but one could actually define his life as a tragedy. His life can be compared to that of an ugly an unromantic person. Willy’s uncertainties actually affect his lifestyle. He represents some forms of uncertainty that led to his misery in the time of his death. Blanche is an ingenious re-creator of the self who was bewildered with the destructive ability of Stanley who did not need to strain much to conceal the aspects that shaped his past life. The force symbolized by Stanley is one that Blanche explains to be a destructive one (Miller 80-164). It is evident that the fantasy world that shapes an individual’s past indeed protects the reality of life as seen in Blanche

Strategic Management Evaluation

Strategic Management Evaluation Strategic Management Evaluation Draper IT Strategic Evaluation ModuleBusiness Innovation Management 1.Introduction In today’s marketplace, businesses are constantly under to maintain profitability and competitiveness and their success or failure can depend on the quality of the strategic thinking and strategic management undertaken by the business (Campbell et al 2002). Thus in order to participate any level of strategic thinking or strategic management and undertake a strategic evaluation it is essential to understand exactly what a strategy is. Mintzburg (1987 cited by Campbell et al 2002) suggests the ‘five Ps of strategy; A plan; A ploy; A pattern of behaviour; A position in respect to others A perspective. Adding that it is not possible to see any of these P’s in isolation. However, this is a very simplified view of strategy and perhaps a much better definition from a business perspective is given by Johnson and Scholes (1999); â€Å"the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term: which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a changing environment to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations.† Thus in essence a strategy is deciding what way is best and what tactics will be employed to achieve the business goals. Naoum (2001) suggests that developing a business strategy can take seven stages; Stage 1. Strategic Analysis Stage 2. Strategy Formulation Stage 3. Evaluation Of Alternative Strategies Stage 4. Strategic Choice Stage 5. Action Plan Stage 6. Strategy Implementation Stage 7. Strategic Control And Feedback The aim of this assignment is to undertake the processes required for some of the stages for the Draper Engineering case study, notably stages 1 to 4. This will be undertaken through the completion of the tasks shown in Figure 1. A copy of the complete case study can be found in Appendix One. Figure 1 Assignment Tasks 2.Task One – Strategic Analysis Strategic analysis is define by Morris (2001, p25) as â€Å"the collection and analysis of information relevant to the long term prospects of an organisation, comprising of both external and internal analysis† which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 Implementation Analysis Choice External Internal Figure 2 External Internal Strategic Analysis. Morris(2001) External analysis looks outside the organisation at the competitive environment to determine future implications, whilst internal analysis looks inside the business to identify strengths and weaknesses that will affect its ability to compete in the long-term (Morris, 2001). One tool used in strategic analysis is SWOT or TOWS analysis, an acronym for Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats. It is a very powerful tool for understanding and decision-making for all sorts of business situation in order to focus on the things you do well, whilst reducing weaknesses to make the best possible advantage of opportunities available (De La Salle University, 2002). Further summary information on SWOT analysis can be found in Appendix Two A SWOT analysis was undertaken for Draper Engineering and the results are presented in Figure 3. Figure 3 SWOT Analysis For Draper Engineering Ltd 2.1Five Issues For Improvement By Draper Engineering Ltd. A Warehouse Management System (WMS) fully integrates warehouse management operations with the rest of the business, such as sales, purchase and accounts and subject to the installation the warehouse operations can be world class. However, this technology is not cheap and suitability can be dependant upon the type of solution sought, such as to build or buy (Frazelle, 2002) Draper should not consider implementing a WMS with no guarantees of the final contract as this would mean that although they would experience the benefits of the system, they would also have to shoulder the full burden of the costs with possibly no contract from either of these companies. In order to improve this situation and produce the best business solution for Draper Engineering they need to have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with each of the companies. An SLA is â€Å"an explicit statement of the expectations and obligations that exist in a business relationship between two organisations: the service provider and the customer† Verman (1999, p1). Were Draper to agree an SLA with the other parties this could ensure that not only would they be guaranteed the contract, but that they would also have a written document of the expectations of each of the parties involved in advance of implementing the WMS. Should these expectations be unrealistic, Draper could withdraw from the negotiations and reconsider their position with respect to the WMS without having incurred any expenses. The key issue identified here, is the ageing workforce of Draper, which can be explained by the work by Warr (2000 cited by Furnham, 2005) where he poses and answers five questions on the ageing workforce and job performance. Figure 4 illustrates his findings; Figure 4 Warrs Five Questions on Job Performance and the Ageing Workforce. Warr (2000 cited by Furnham, 2005, p764-765) The implications of Warr’s (2000 cited by Furnham, 2005) findings on Draper are profound, as many of the personnel issues experienced by Draper are explained in his work. The fact that the workforce is loyal is only to be expected and other benefits careful, reliable, knowledgeable and socially skilled, but unfortunately they are less willing to change, which may be why many of the new initiatives have failed. Also, the high turnover rate in e-commerce could be linked to younger staff (though the case study does not specify this. However, to improve the personnel structure at Draper, they have a number of options available to them; Change management. It is not enough to simple understand how change is going to be administered but it is imperative that staff understand why change is happening so that they can engage with the solution and the change. As part of the change management employers need to provide support and training to encourage staff buy-in and deal with any resistance upfront (Hiatt and Creasey, 2003. Prosci, 2006) Andragogical Training directed at older learners. Warr (2000 cited by Furnham, 2005, p764-765) states that â€Å"older people are slower and have more difficulty remembering, however, training can be adapted to an older person’s limitations and expertise†. One such method is referred to as andragogy, how adults learn. If Draper developed a training scheme that implemented an andragogical approach to training that targeted the older members of staff, they could experience very positive results from their staff, in the form of learning and motivation. Incentives for younger staff to reduce absenteeism and retain staff. Although Drapers need to look after their loyal team of workers it is essential that they can actively encourage younger members to the team and reduce the turnover in this area. One such method is to introduce incentives into new contracts which actively encourages longevity of service, such incentives could include; Annual incrementing pay scales Flexi-time Annual leave rewards for zero absenteeism Team building exercises Gift vouchers Purchase schemes for personal IT equipment at corporate reductions The fact that Draper Engineering have a large product development team is a strength of the business, however, spending the majority of their time improving existing products and solving customer complaints is a fundamental weakness; Draper’s need to be looking to the future and their long term goals, which should involve new product development. To overcome this problem and move the business forward, a small working group should be set up within the department, consisting of the most motivated and technically up-to-date members of staff to brainstorm and generate project ideas that can be developed into new products. This has an added benefit of staff participation and ownership which encourages the desire to succeed as the products are their own ideas. Generally speaking the term outsourcing means to transfer previously internal products or services to an outsider provider (Roeben, 2004), which is as it suggests is where a third party carries out functions which was previous undertaken within the business. However, in the case of Draper Engineering, a medium sized IT business, it appears that they have outsourced their core competency, which is the means by which they should be able to separate themselves from their competition. The decision to outsource the IT division is a fundamental error to the business and weakens their internal and external strength, that they are particularly vulnerable from competition from Hardy’s to whom they originally outsourced. To overcome this problem and improve the company position radical action is required such as; Diversify into new areas. Insourcing Collaboration with Hardy’s for key contracts. If Drapers’ is to survive in the long term they need to resolve this fundamental issue and redefine their core competencies in order to compete effectively in the market place. In addition to outsourcing a core competency, the IT division, being a fundamental error, it is also had a negative effect on Draper’s reputation. Simply by virtue of the fact that Draper’s originally undertook this work, previous customers are making their complaints to Drapers, which indicates that customers or potential customers still make the association and are dissatisfied with the service. It is essential that Drapers rectify this problem otherwise they are likely to experience a backlash in other areas of their business. To improve the situation Drapers have two options; Act as consultants for Hardys on Draper products Instead of letting the reputation of Draper’s be damaged by Hardy’s lacklustre performance, Drapers could offer to act as consultants on the major products and services they previously provided. The benefit of this action to Drapers could be twofold, the reputation of their business would be saved and would also generate revenue for the value of the consultation work. Re-Establish IT Division If Hardy’s were unwilling to agree to a consultant agreement, it would be possible for Drapers to re-establish the IT division once again and encourage previous customers (existing Hardy’s customers) back to them through promises of commitment to service and new product development. 2.2Other Tools For Strategic Analysis. In recent years business practices have evolved in terms of thought, practice and analysis tools. Consequently there are a large set of analytical tools which provide insight, identifying capabilities and strategic options (Khosrowpour, 1998). A SWOT analysis of Draper Engineering Ltd has already been undertaken; however this does not scratch the surface of the analysis tools available. Other suitable tools for analysing Draper Engineering would be; PEST or PESTEL Analysis PEST is an acronym for Political, Environmental, Social and Technological factors whilst PESTEL is extended to include Economic and Legal factors. PEST analysis is a commonly used tool for analysing the external environmental influences on a business, Figure 5 illustrates the PEST grid and the areas that should be considered (Gregory, 2000) Figure 5 PEST Analysis Matrix. Gregory, 2000 The benefit of undertaking a PEST analysis for Draper Engineering is that it would be undertaken in addition to the SWOT analysis and give a good understanding of the global and external environment; however it is essential that Draper follow the PEST analysis with how to respond to these issues and not simply see these points in isolation. Together PEST and SWOT analysis are able to look at the global picture and then the specific detail of the business Porter’s Five Forces Another tool for analysing the external environment of a business is Porter’s Five-Force Model, it is however one of the most influential models for assessing the nature of competition. As the name suggests opportunities and threats are assessed by analysing five forces; Figure 6 illustrates the model. Porter (1980, cited by Campbell et al, 2002) suggests that the five competitive forces shown in Figure 6 determine the nature of competition within an industry. Thorough understanding of each force enables the production of a competitive strategy that embraces the forces, rather than working against them and enable the business to position themselves to take advantage of opportunities whilst minimising threats (Campbell et al, 2002) Draper Engineering would need to undertake this form of analysis in addition to SWOT and PEST to gain the most detailed picture for an effective strategy. The benefit of Porters Five Force Model is they would be able to identify who they are competing against in the marketplace, it currently appears that they are suffering threats from their customers who are refusing price increases and wanting price reductions; and Hardy’s whom Draper outsourced their IT division to are a threat either from the provision of substitute products or directly competing as a new entrant in the same field. Whilst some of these issues were covered in the SWOT analysis, Porter’s five forces views the business solely from the competition perspective that it offers a very focussed approach. Intensity of rivalry in the industry Threat of substitute products Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat from new entrants Figure 6 Porters Five-Forces Model. Porter (1980, cited by Campbell et al, 2002) 3.Task Two – Strategic Choice Macmillan and Tampoe (2001 p132) state â€Å"choice is at the centre of strategy formulation, if there are no choices to be made there can be little value in thinking about strategy at all.† Adding that there are limitations to the range of choices such as small businesses are limited by their resources and large companies are unable to change quickly or are restricted by decisions made in their past. However, in good management the â€Å"strategic choices have to be challenging enough to keep ahead of competition but also have to be achievable† Macmillan and Tampoe (2001 p133) Akin to strategic analysis, strategic choice has a large number of tools available to help focus thinking and produce solid strategic decisions. Two such tools available to Draper Engineering Ltd are; Ansoff Matrix Porter’s Generic Strategy 3.1Ansoff Matrix Igor Ansoff was the first to suggest the diagram shown in Figure 7, for structuring choices of which products or services to offer in which markets. Present Market Need New Market Development Diversification (related or unrelated) ‘Do Nothing’ Withdraw Consolidate Market penetration Product Development PresentProduct New New Market Geography Present Figure 7 Ansoff Matrix. Ansoff (1987 cited by Macmillan and Tampoe, 2001 p137) The axes of the diagram are; Macmillan and Tampoe (2001, p135-137) Product – including services and any form of offering Market Need – any group of potential customers whether defined by their needs, inclinations or income bracket Market Geography – geographical location For the present market geography the model defines four cells, with the top left representing the present status of the business. Movement within or away from this cell represents the possible future choices about products and markets. Macmillan and Tampoe (2001, p135-137). Figure 8 summarises the strategy for each quadrant. Market Penetration Product Development Market penetration is the name given to a growth strategy where the business focuses on selling existing products into existing markets. Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: Maintain or increase the market share of current products. Secure dominance of growth markets Restructure a mature market by driving out competitors. Increase usage by existing customers A market penetration marketing strategy is very much about â€Å"business as usual†. The business is focusing on markets and products it knows well. It is likely to have good information on competitors and on customer needs. It is unlikely, therefore, that this strategy will require much investment in new market research. Product development is the name given to a growth strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. This strategy may require the development of new competencies and requires the business to develop modified products which can appeal to existing markets. Market Development Diversification Market development is the name given to a growth strategy where the business seeks to sell its existing products into new markets. There are many possible ways of approaching this strategy, including: New geographical markets; for example exporting the product to a new country New product dimensions or packaging: for example New distribution channels Different pricing policies to attract different customers or create new market segments Diversification is the name given to the growth strategy where a business markets new products in new markets. This is an inherently more risk strategy because the business is moving into markets in which it has little or no experience. For a business to adopt a diversification strategy, therefore, it must have a clear idea about what it expects to gain from the strategy and an honest assessment of the risks Figure 8 Summary of The Ansoff Matrix. Tutor2u Limited (2006) Thomas and Egan (1998) identify that the Ansoff matrix is suitable for both situation analysis, ‘Where are we now?’ and directional policy modelling, ‘where do we want to be?’, adding that it excels at profiling product/market alternatives whilst identifying the risks of different strategic options. Curtis (2006) however suggests that to use the model effectively needs the ‘X’ factor, imagination, without which it is difficult to identify what new products your existing customers may want. This tool would be particularly useful at Draper Engineering as it would identify exactly what their current market position is in terms of products and customers. It appears from the case study that whilst they currently have four major European car manufacturers and two American truck manufacturers as customers, there is no clear description of the products and services that they provide. Ansoff’s matrix would focus their attentions to what it is they produce and where they would like to go in the future, as it seems to date that although they are willing to try new strategies there is little coherence in their intensions or achievements. Additionally, whilst Draper have started developing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems and their associated software there is little suggestion of imagination in their approach, SAP and Oracle were marketing their ERP systems in the late 90’s early 00’s and are now the principle vendors, that if Draper are to enter the market now almost 6 years later they are entering as underdogs. Such analysis using Ansoff would identify a need for greater imagination in identifying the next big trend, one in which Draper could be involved in from the outset rather than midway through the product lifecycle. 3.2Porter’s Generic Strategy. Porter (1979 cited by Gilligan and Wilson, 2003, p2) states that â€Å"a firm’s relative position within its industry determines whether a firms profitability is above or below the industry average, the fundamental basis of above average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage†. Competitive advantage can be of two basic types: low cost or differentiation, which combines with the scope of activities to produce three generic strategies for achieving above average performance (University of Cambridge, 2006), illustrated in Figure 9; Cost leadership Differentiation Focus Cost focus Differentiation focus Competitive Advantage Lower Cost Differentiation Competitive Scope Broad Target 1. Cost Leadership 2 Differentiation Narrow Target 3a. Cost Focus 3b.Differential Focus Figure 9 Porters Generic Strategy. University of Cambridge (2006) 1. Cost Leadership 2 Differentiation In cost leadership, a firm sets out to become the low cost producer in its industry. The sources of cost advantage are varied and depend on the structure of the industry. They may include the pursuit of economies of scale, proprietary technology, preferential access to raw materials and other factors. A low cost producer must find and exploit all sources of cost advantage. if a firm can achieve and sustain overall cost leadership, then it will be an above average performer in its industry, provided it can command prices at or near the industry average In a differentiation strategy a firm seeks to be unique in its industry along some dimensions that are widely valued by buyers. It selects one or more attributes that many buyers in an industry perceive as important, and uniquely positions itself to meet those needs. It is rewarded for its uniqueness with a premium price. 3a. Cost Focus 3b.Differential Focus The generic strategy of focus rests on the choice of a narrow competitive scope within an industry. The focuser selects a segment or group of segments in the industry and tailors its strategy to serving them to the exclusion of others. In cost focus a firm seeks a cost advantage in its target segment Differentiation focus a firm seeks differentiation in its target segment Figure 10 Summary of Porters Generic Strategy. University of Cambridge (2006) Following a cost leadership, differentiation or focus approach has advantages to the business; however it is the strategic choice to decide which option to follow. The University of Salford (2006) identify some anticipated benefits of each of the strategic options (Figure 11); Cost Leadership Earn high profits because its costs are lower than competitors charging a similar price Charge a lower price than competitors so increasing sales and market share Enter new markets charging a lower price than competitors Differentiation Sell their products at a premium price Create a barrier to the entry of new competitors Earn above average profits by reducing elasticity of demand for the product. Focus Does not require so many resources as a broad strategy Allows specialisation Lowers the cost of entering new markets for small firms. Figure 11 Benefits Of The Strategic Options Identified In Porter’s Generic Strategy. University of Salford (2006) However, when Porter developed the strategy he argued that an organisation that did not choose between a cost leadership or differentiation would be ‘stuck in the middle’ and consequently he believed they would not achieve competitive advantage. Subsequently one of the criticisms of the model is that it is possible to have a hybrid strategy that combines low cost with differentiation. A further criticism is that low cost itself does not sell products, customers have other reasoning such as quality that affects their decision. That said in the case of Draper and many other businesses Porter’s generic strategy is a very useful tool for understanding how to achieve competitive advantage. 4.Task Three – Strategy Selection As Macmillan and Tampoe (2001, p132) state â€Å"choice is at the centre of strategy formulation†, but selecting an appropriate strategy and direction from all the available strategic choice tools can be a difficult decision. To overcome this problem and ensure that each option is fairly and equally assessed a further evaluation tool or framework may be used, examples include RACES (Haberberg and Rieple, 2001 cited by Evans et al, 2003), SCARE and CARES standing for Resources, Acceptable, Consistent, Effective and Sustainable. However a more popular framework is the SFA framework (Evans et al, 2003; Little, 2006) Suitability – does the proposal fit with the organisations strategic plan or organisational values? It is essential to identify if a particular option would make full use of an organisations strengths, whilst avoiding its weaknesses or any external factors such as changes in legislation or government policy (Butler, 2001) Feasibility – can it be carried out and will the desired results be available in the timescale? In many cases the feasibility of any option is limted by the firm’s capacity and resources (Butler, 2001) Acceptability – whilst being more subjective, relating to organisational values, this is key to whether the strategy will cause any major crises with stakeholders. Some stakeholders may find one option appealing whilst it is decried by another, this is particularly the case in partnerships and small firms where one wants to grow the business whilst the other wants to consolidate the business (Butler, 2001). To which a fourth criterion has been added; Achieving competitive advantage – this can be low cost or differentiation, as explained in Section 3.2. In order to implement this framework, it is essential to set an initial basis for comparison; for Draper like any business this could be a baseline scenario of do nothing, absolute or relative positioning or finally comparison with industry norms. Once this initial phase of preliminary analysis is complete, it is necessary to develop scenario’s within which to analyse various strategies, which are compared with the initial baseline scenario. The final stage of preliminary analysis is to narrow the range of options to a limited number of strategies in order to undertake a more detailed analysis, this can be achieved through ranking and decision trees. It only on completion of the preliminary analysis, that it is possible to undertake an in-depth assessment using the SFA framework. Based on the choice of strategies in Section 3, Ansoff Matrix and Porter’s Generic Strategy; Draper would need to collate data on their position within the industry, though they would need to decide on the basis for comparison for scenario examination. Finally, whilst there appears to

Influence of TV And Radio :: essays papers

Influence of TV And Radio One of the most important means of communication by pictures and sounds is the television. Most of what we learn comes from television. Just think of all that we see in just one hour of television-commercials, educational programs, sitcoms, etc. The TV is another source that we can learn from about lands far away, people, and places. You can sit in your living room while visiting Europe, Asia, or even Australia. Television is a huge influence on our daily lives, as shown by how much time is spent staring at its screen. Unfortunately, the heaviest viewers of television are children. Of course, there are worthwhile programs on TV suitable for kids, such as Sesame Street and the Magic School Bus, but just imagine what a child would think if he saw just one episode of Melrose Place. Do we tell the children that this is acceptable? Radio is important, but is not used as frequently anymore due to the birth of television. We hear the news and can listen to different opinions of controversial subjects. Millions of families used to gather around the radio to listen to dramas, light comedies, variety shows, live music, and other programs. However, people can communicate a lot more quickly between any two points either on land, at sea, in the sky, or also in space, with the use of the radio. Politically, the radio made it possible for the people to be informed about government policies directly. Radio was "born" in the twenties, and "died" in the forties. Because the depression made listening the only amusement people could afford, the thirties were radio's finest years. Later, in the fifties television was making a breakthrough. By 1961, 88% of the United States' households had two sets which were in use for an average of 5 hours a day. Television killed off small-club boxing, minor league baseball, and practically any other activity that meant leaving the living room. Television is the perfect baby-sitter. We just plop our kids down in front of the set, while we go among our business. Television has spent more time raising our kids than we have. Children no longer play baseball or swing on the swings in the park or play tag in the back yard as much anymore. Television and radio have, obviously, been a huge influence on our lives. But the main question is: have they been a good influence or a bad

The main problem of the high amount

Alcoholism has always taken its toll on people, when they can stop controlling their habit, which would ultimately lead them to destruction in the form of alcohol abuse.   The people of Alaska are going through the same phase, and their rate of acceleration of the abuse is getting pretty much alarming.The main problem of the high amount of alcohol abuse in the state, can not only just be blamed at the people, but also should be blamed at the authority over them. Somehow the government’s function machinery seems too weak to handle the problem, and no proper steps have been taken till date that would help curb the problem.The relaxed laws, are the icing on the cake when it comes to the abuse in alcohol, as people have taken it for granted and know about the maximum punishment the state has to offer, when it comes to over drinking or to Alaska’s biggest problem, ‘underage drinking’; which is why the pathetic condition of the state in regards to alcoholism ca n be seen.Curbing the problem is not very easy, and steps have to be taken which have to be imaginative and out of the way category to put an end to the state’s meaningless alcoholism. More care can be given in counseling in schools, so that children from the age of 12 understand the bad effects of alcoholic abuse, and can learn to compete and to tackle the pressure of alcoholic parents and the pressures of the peer group to remain sober.Laws should be more vindictive when it’s coming to alcoholism in the state, and harsher punishments should be given than just monetary fines. People committing crime under the influence of alcohol, should be punished more strictly than compared to other states, as there is a serious rise in alcohol related crimes and felonies. More forces should be used to curtail smugglers providing illegal liquor in dry areas, as they have almost ruined the small rural areas of the state.A proposed solution to the problem would be that every person i n the state, should be given liquor permits, on the basis of compulsory psychological and physical tests, where his limit to alcohol would be based on the severity of his alcoholic problem, giving the government insights of severity of citizens along with getting sound demographic knowledge of alcohol abused areas.Since the beginning of civilization, man has always had tried to acquire a habit, that would keep him occupied and would make him content, at the cost of others. Strange as it may seem, man had developed the production of alcohol not too far after he understood the concept of still agriculture, and end of nomadic life also bought in an era of a time, where the concept of being in an inebriated state was realized.Alcohol has been introduced and has been cherished by all the civilizations that have come and that have been responsible for the development of mankind. Alcohol in those times, were used as medicine, God offerings, for nutrition purposes and was used for different sets of rituals and traditions that the natives followed apart from gratification.In today’s times, alcohol has become an integral part of our culture, and apart from beer and wine, which were the olden times favorite beverages, we have now options for the choicest of choicest drinks and cocktails available to us with great ease.Any pleasure activity that is done in control is well appreciated, but the problem occurs with an uncontrollable desire to continue doing pleasure activities, without understanding the consequences, and falling into the trap of addiction. This addiction trap, initial gains access to individuals, then groups, then large sections of the society, and finally it consumes an entire state, like the current condition of Alaska.  Alaska, is probably the best example of effects of alcohol abuse on a very large scale, and the whole state’s function is collapsing and the state output is being wastedon it residents, as the inhabitants of the state have reached a stage known as â€Å"disease of dependency†, because of high alcohol consumption.The problem with the state is it’s firstly very sparsely populated, and it suffers from a high percentage from the phenomenon of brain drain right after high school. Moreover in the winter the climate goes down berserk, and temperature can go down below -50 degree Celsius.This extreme cold also prompts the natives to drink more than the quota of an average American, and the natives love for alcohol has given the state an average of alcohol consumption more than double when compared to the national average for alcohol consumption.The report of the Alaska native federation stated the alcohol abuse has badly gripped the state of Alaska, and the entire state was heading for doom, as the effects of the alcohol were quiet drastic.

The Freelance Writing X Factor

The Freelance Writing X Factor The Freelance Writing X Factor The Freelance Writing X Factor By Daniel Scocco All right, lets go straight to the point: there is no writing tip in this post, and yes it contains a plug for a paid product. However, I am not writing this for money, but rather because I think the product could be useful and worth it for many of you guys. The link you will find below is not an affiliate one, so we wont gain commissions if you buy or dont buy it. With that out of the way, let me briefly describe what the deal is. Brian Clark is one of the online marketers and copywriters I most respect. He managed to build a business that generates six figures in monthly revenues, and he did that with a 100% ethical and transparent approach. Today he is launching a course titled Freelance X Factor, which is aimed at people who want to make a living out of freelance writing and copywriting. If you read this blog, there are some good chances you are interested in earning money with your writing skills right? Here are some of the topics covered: How to mix and match your way to a unique market position How you’ll easily charge more than the average freelance writer The right (and wrong) way to get the attention of â€Å"big dog† bloggers Your main content marketing and subscriber acquisition strategy The difference between content marketing and direct response copy How to replicate your marketing model for your clients Notice: Due to popular request we have finally released our Freelance Writing Course. Come check it out if you want to get started freelance writing online. 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 Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcDriver License vs. Driver’s LicenseMay Have vs. Might Have

A Proposal For An Anti Stigma Awareness Program Social Work Essay Essay Example

A Proposal For An Anti Stigma Awareness Program Social Work Essay Essay Example A Proposal For An Anti Stigma Awareness Program Social Work Essay Essay A Proposal For An Anti Stigma Awareness Program Social Work Essay Essay The nucleus of stigma is a judgmental attitude aimed at person fighting mental unwellness. Even today these attitudes persist and produce damaging effects go forthing person who struggles with mental unwellness feeling rejected and less valued. Consequently, these attitudes can impede recovery, which in bend, underscore feelings of weakness and marginalisation. This writer presents an educational consciousness plan directed at the pupils of Spring Woods High School in Houston, Texas ; with the purpose of turn toing the stigma of mental unwellness on a community degree. This proposal outlines the plan, its leading and support, and the function of psychologists and allied professionals in the community. It presents a helpful review of the plan, and takes into history all possible results. A plan rating is offered as a manner of mensurating its effectivity. Literature identifies societal stigma as a turning cosmopolitan concern in the bringing of wellness attention and human services ( Link, Struening, Neese-Todd, Asmussen, A ; Phelan, 2001 ) . A recent diagnosing of mental unwellness, for case, may endanger one s sense of individuality. The state of affairs is farther aggravated when 1 s household and immediate community, are perceived to respond negatively to the forecast. When this happens, people tend to hide their unwellness to avoid feelings of shame and being marginalized. The ensuing stigma is frequently carried over to the work force and health care scenes where a individual fighting with mental unwellness relates with detached and apathetic equals and health care givers. In due class, the societal banishment can take to avoidance of intervention for the unwellness ( Link A ; Phelan, 2006 ) . Goffman s ( 1963 ) seminal work defines stigma as a detrimental property or a smudge against one s individuality, as such, person to be shunned or ignored in a civil society. Literature in stigma is well extended, to include of import issues refering to policy, economic sciences, civilization and mental wellness ( Keusch, Wilentz, A ; Kleinman, 2006 ) . Mental unwellness is still a negative characteristic that continues to act upon societal dealingss ( Corrigan A ; Watson, 2006 ) . By and large, stigma embodies the populace s countenance of a aggregation of prejudiced attitudes, hurtful emotional responses, prejudiced behaviours, and biased societal hierarchy directed at members of a subgroup. It includes stereotyping, labeling, exclusion, and marginalisation of the stigmatized persons in a societal state of affairs ( Corrigan A ; Wassel, 2008 ) . Most late, public wellness issues related to stigma faced by people with mental unwellness have become recognized planetary wellness concerns. Thornicroft and Maingay ( 2002 ) estimates that about 450 million people world-wide battle with mental wellness issues at one clip or another, which accounts for 31 % of all old ages lived with the unwellness albeit sing important planetary differences. That said, the stigma and marginalisation linked with terrible mental unwellness tend to do it more hard for people fighting with mental wellness jobs to take advantage of the current available interventions, therefore farther impeding their recovery and assimilation ( Overton A ; Medina, 2008 ) . This resonates with the Surgeon General s study ( 1999 ) , where stigma was recognized as the most of import hindrance in the intervention of mental upsets. Emerging literature uncovering the negative effects of stigma on mental unwellness has prompted wellness bureaus to get down developing plans designed to cut down, if non wholly prevent stigma. The World Health Organization ( WHO, 2001 ) , in their study explored ways to face and cut down stigma, including developing and advancing anti-stigma runs and plans through coaction with non-government organisations. A figure of on-line plans against stigma of mental unwellness were besides developed to tackle the potency of the cyberspace and other related media in get the better ofing stigma beyond the local degree. As apparent from these enterprises, stigma is now by and large recognized as a cosmopolitan issue that will necessitate to be addressed on many degrees, affecting the coaction and partnership between authorities, health care establishments, and non-government organisations. Analysis of the Problem Stigma associated with mental unwellness deeply resides in the complex societal phenomenon between persons and their battle with others, and accordingly, can be understood from the symbolic interaction model ( Blumer, 1969 ) ; every bit good as Kleinman s ( 1988 ) theory of societal constructivism as it relates to illness. Chandra and Minkovitz ( 2006 ) highlight the close impossibleness for an person to non be influenced by social norms ; they are learned early on and are nurtured within the household and immediate community. This can be observed in how society even countenances this moral force of self-identification with mental unwellness in its usage of mundane linguistic communication ( Rusch, Angermeyer, A ; Corrigan, 2005 ) . This is clearly apparent when persons are referred to or identified by their mental unwellness. She s bi-polar, would look more convenient than saying She struggles with bi-polar upset. Sadly, one time an person has been labeled, the labeling does non discontinue even when the person s status improves ( Hinshaw, 2005 ) . In add-on, incrimination is invariably acknowledged as a chief factor that leads to stigma ( Sandelowski, Lambe, A ; Barroso, 2004 ) . Research demonstrates how the procedure of stigmatisation is strongly linked to the grade of control an person is perceived to hold over his or her unwellness, including the grade of duty the single accepts as a consequence. Case in point: mental unwellness ensuing from encephalon tumour is perceived as less stigmatizing by striplings, as compared to unexplained mental unwellness ( Corrigan, et al. , 2005 ) . To contrast leukaemia with bi-polar upset with regard to comprehend control, bi-polar is perceived to caused since it is frequently characterized as something to make with compulsive behaviours and substance maltreatment, while leukaemia is understood more as something that happens randomly ( Sandelowski, Lambe, A ; Barroso ) . Traveling beyond the doctor s diagnosing, Kleinman s theory explored the narrations that each individual, their household, and immediate community bring to the apprehension of unwellness. Kleinman underscored the significance of the narratives environing the unwellness and how it is shaped by the patient. Kleinman is chiefly concerned in the narratives of individuals who are fighting from chronic unwellness. He makes it a point to distinguish disease from unwellness. Disease pertains to the job from the doctor s point of view ; while unwellness refer to the patient and his or her household s apprehension and grasp of the job and how they put forth the attempt to turn to the state of affairs ( Kleinman ) . Harmonizing to Kleinman, socialisation ensues when narratives related to unwellness are shared and explored among the patient and their households. It is of import to observe that while Kleinman does non indicate specifically to societal constructivism in the articulation of his theory, the impression of shared significance is embedded throughout his work. Pulling from his observations of the societal constructions of assorted civilizations, Kleinman asserts the significance that the patient s immediate community ascribes to the unwellness is more of import than the existent physical symptoms and forecast of the disease. For illustration, a individual who presents with symptoms of depression may non mind the physician s referral for therapy if his immediate societal context does non back such class of action. This can take to farther complications and can be a beginning of defeat for both the patient and doctor. Furthermore, the difference of sentiment can ensue in unfavourable inter vention results. From the societal alteration perspective Kleinman s theory provides the juncture to look beyond the immediate jobs of mental unwellness and appreciate the potency for alteration. This stance becomes more of import given that society is going more culturally diverse, and where psychologists are deemed built-in to advance thoughts that initiate societal alteration to modern health care quandary.

Development of Orchestra Concert Music in the Classical Period Essay

Development of Orchestra Concert Music in the Classical Period - Essay Example This "Development of Orchestra Concert Music in the Classical Period" essay outlines the changes in orchestra concert music and its origin. Music in the classical period derives its name from imitation of Greece and Roman art classical artistic and literary heritage. In periods preceding the classic period, music was played entirely for church functions and for those in power (Van, 2012). Composers would only present their music under the employ of a person in power because it was an expensive undertaking that was not very common. The classical period bore the name of enlightenment period, which made people understand the human reasoning power in overcoming problems. During the enlightenment period, people composers understood that they could use their music to entertain themselves as they gain instead of only performing to those in power. The enlightenment brought conflict between old and new ideas of governance in the society. Consequently, these changes in the society affected the writing of music in those societies. This period contributed much to the development of orchestral music in Northern and Central Europe, since it is during this period that music got performed in public concerts. Several factors led to the development of music in this period. First, economic changes during the period affected the music development, composition, and its dissemination (Van, 2012). Secondly, there were changes in the lives and occupations of the composers, which affected the social structures that provided employment in previous times. Thirdly, there is the traditional or novelty taste of the music that drives the music to its development and expansion .

Methods Employed in Business Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Methods Employed in Business Research - Essay Example Quantitative research emphasizes quantification in the data collection and analysis. It entails a deductive approach on the correlation between research and theory, wherein emphasis is put on testing theories (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). Quantitative research combined norms and practices of positivism and scientific model. It supports the view that social reality represents the objective reality. In contrast, qualitative research emphasizes the importance of words instead of quantification in data collection and analysis (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). It entails an inductive approach on the correlation between research and theory, wherein the emphasis is put on generation of theories. Qualitative approach rejected the norms and practices of positivism and natural scientific model. It focuses on the interpretation of individuals with their social world. It supports the premise that social reality is constantly shifting (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). Quantitative methods reflect the â€Å"positivist† approach in conducting researches. Positivism is based on the premise that the world is explainable, controllable, and measurable. Experts argue that the world exists and functions externally; thus, its properties should be studied and measured through objective means. Positivism asserts that knowledge which can be observed and quantified is considered as valid (cited in Brown & Remenyi, 2004, p.243). Positivism stresses the need to objectively and accurately perform observations. Researchers who adhere to this perspective concentrate on eliminating biases and values. They identify factors that lead to a particular event (Marlow, 2010, p.9). Qualitative methods are associated with interpretivism as its general philosophy. Positivism is driven to explain the phenomena to predict and manipulate them while interpretivism concentrates on the interpretation and understanding. Interpretivism supports the premise that reality is not single, obj ective, and divisible, but it is multiple, contextual, and socially constructed. It concentrates on individuals and their manner of making sense and interpreting the reality (Holloway, 1997, p.93). Holloway (1997, p.93) noted that researchers should not consider individuals as existing in a vacuum but as inseparable to the context of their lives. Researchers who adhere to this perspective believe that understanding the individual experiences is as indispensable as the positivist belief in the importance of explanation, prediction, and control (Holloway, 1997, p.93). This ontological premise suggests the use of multiple methodologies. It emphasizes on the richness instead of the amount of data collected (Phillimore & Goodson, 2004, p.157). Qualitative research focuses upon the relations with employees, managerial work, organizational control systems, and identity and gender at work. However, researches which utilized qualitative methods were infrequently presented in practitioner and academic outlets of the business field (Cassell, Buehring, Symon, & Johnson, 2006, p.17). Researchers stress the need for researches that employ diverse sources of data. These researchers further reiterated that conventional research studies led to studies that support repetitive topics and narrow paradigms. They