The use and Value of a Data Research an Example of the Topic Psychology Essays by

The use and Value of a Data Research Introduction. Many areas in business nowadays need a lot of research to be carried out by both the parties involved and the well wishers. In the modern world, there is a lot of competition in the business industry and the only way to keep abreast with the competition is by investing in the research sector. There are many research centers but they do not focus mainly on business. They deal with other aspects of life rather than business. Need essay sample on "The use and Value of a Data Research" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The paper shall focus on the need to establish a data research center and also the value that it will add to the market. The research center will deal with writing up of business proposals for the existing and upcoming business people, it will focus on research designing, data collection, data analysis and also report writing among other customized requests from the customers. Many businesses have continually performed terribly and below standards due to lack of innovations and research driven ideas. Those that have deployed this mode of approach can attest to it that it is really working and it has helped the businesses achieve their short and long term objectives and goals. This research paper shall address the values and the uses that accompany a good data research center. It shall go ahead to define the problem in question and give relevant implications and conclusions as appertains to the research. Aims and Objectives of the Research In this section of the research proposal, the paper discusses the problem and the question at hand. Data centers have been viewed as vital revolutionary tools in the business industry. It is therefore the aim of this proposal to expound and shade light on the same. The values and uses of the data research centers shall be discussed at length with the objective of improving the business environment both locally and internationally. In addition, the role of data centers shall be outlined keeping in mind that businesses need to go in this direction of doing business. Today, many businesses are being encouraged to adopt this type of approach and effect it if they have to realise any substantial gains in terms of business competition and growth. The other objective of the research proposal is to enlighten the public and all stakeholders on the importance of data research centers and encourage them to respond positively to the idea (Thompsen, 2003). There has been a lot of speculations in the media and among the public that research centers are just focused on money making and that they have forgotten the main reason as to why they are in business. The aim of the research data centers is to carry out various researches and brief the business community on the findings and also advice them accordingly. By demystifying these speculations and allegations, there is likely to be positive response from the public. Scope and Limitation. This research proposal shall be limited to the business industry. It will also be limited to the use and the value of the data research centers as this is where the real problem lies. It is important though to note that many types of businesses shall be put into consideration and not just a specific type of business. The research shall extend its recommendations to the health and also the eduction sector. It shall not go beyond the set aims and objectives and will stick to the introduction title in order to address the issues contained therein. Literature Review. This section shall focus on the type of literature used in the research proposal keeping an eye on the works that have been done by different people relating to the topic of research. It is important to relate to the works that have been done by different researchers so that the ideas can be used to expound on this research. The context of the research, the background information on the research as well as the benchwork studies on the research shall be looked at critically. Recent studies on the same research including limitations of the research, gaps in the research and criticisms shall also be incorporated in this section of the research. Value Line Researching center (VLRS), is an independent international company that deals with research world wide (Thompson, 2003). It does data collection and analysis especially of the stock exchange of New York (NY) and that of the American stock exchange (ASE) and also that of various securities in the world. The idea was borne from the fact that there had been a problem initially relating to the way data analysis was being done in some of the big stock exchange traders in the world. The company collects and analyses the data after which the various traders are informed of how the companies are doing. The information is always presented in form of supplementary reports, the opinion of the company, reports that show the ratings of the stock exchange companies, various indexes and ratings plus the companies' updated news not excluding charts that give an overview of how the companies are performing. A research was done by an American researcher by the name Sigmond Johnson on the us e and value of the data research centers in the U.S. He focused on the importance of the data research centers in the business community and other organisations at large. Various businesses ended up adopting the model and the recommendations that he suggested concerning the importance of research in business. Those businesses that adopted his recommendations benefited in the following ways; they increased their sales, created more awareness of their products and commodities, acquired more customers for their products and also increased their competitiveness in the market. After the research was a success, it was implemented by many businesses within and without the region with the aim of increasing their sales too. Other institutions and sectors such as health and education were also advised to take up the recommendations made by the researcher. The importance of a Data Research centers. A data research center as a tool for prosperity in businesses has various benefits both to the businesses and to the recipients of the services offered by these businesses (Parlker 2004). A research center formulates and develops research proposals for the businesses. If a businessman wants to ask for some money from well wishers for the purposes of expanding or putting up a business from scratch, he/she will have to write up a business proposal in order for their sentiments to be heard and taken seriously by the necessary bodies concerned. Serious business proposal have always gotten approval from the donors and banks (Parlker 2004). Such proposals can be found at the research centers which have the necessary experts trained to specifically write up the proposals. Research has shown that those businessmen that have approached the issues blindly have ended up losing the deals because of poorly written up business proposals. The other importance is that research centers have easened the businesses' responsibility of performing duties. Such duties as report writing and balancing the books of accounts have been delegated to the data centers with the aim of being helped out with the tasks. Many companies and business units have outsourced most of their jobs to these data centers with the aim of cost cutting and ease of managing their businesses (Milner 1998). Many such centers have come up in the country and they are increasingly becoming popular day after day. Today, both students and lecturers are taking advantage of the data research centers with the aim of making maximum use out of them. Data analysis and collection is also one of the reasons as to why data centers are becoming very important in the modern era (Blackwell 2001). Many organisations lack the time and resources to carry out analysis of their data. The research centers have the latest tools and equipment that they use in their day to day data analysis and compilation. Programs such as SPSS and STA are some of the vital tools that are used in the research centers to do data analysis (Blackwell 2001). The type of analysis that is done in these data research centers is of quality and can always be relied on by many organisations. The personnel in the data centers go to the field to collect data on behalf of the businesses, analyse the data and give recommendations on the same. Such time wasting and too demanding tasks are not a cup of tea to the businesses and therefore the need to direct them to the data research centers. Some data research centers also act as education centers. They are equipped with various learning materials which are aimed at imparting knowledge to the students. They offer cheaper courses compared to the chartered institutions and other accredited institutions of higher learning (Blackwell 2001). The courses offered by these centers are short courses which are aimed at the students acquiring some information and skills so that they can fit in the society. Skills such as analytical skills, problem solving skills, learning of foreign languages, report writing skills, research skills and other necessary skills are offered by these data research centers. Another but vital reason as to the existence of the data research centers is the fact that they create employment. Most people have been absorbed in these research centers either directly or indirectly. According to a research carried out by Blackwell (2001), the number of people employed by this sector constituted to three percent of the total population of employees in the United States. This, according to him was a significant percentage that meant that the research centers have a vital role to play in the employment sector. From then, one can say that the percentage of the employees in this sector has gone up and really giving other employers competition in terms of numbers. Criticisms that have befallen the Data centers. There is an attitude by the general public and the media that has engulfed the data research centers. They have been viewed as strictly business platforms where people are only concerned with money making instead of giving quality services. This has made people to shun away from them with the notion that they are just spending their money with no fruits at the end of the day. Such allegations to some extend are true because that is what has been happening especially with the rate at which the centers are coming up. Some of the people take advantage of the situation to exploit the innocent businessmen instead of helping them meet their objectives. The public outcry and complain has raised eyebrows and even forced the government to step in and quell the situation. As a result of the criticisms concerning the centers, there has been much improvement thus resulting to the positive response by the public. Limitations and gaps in the data research centers industry. The research centers have also experienced a lot of problems since their emergence. Problems range from social to economic to tactical and finally to financial. Research has shown that many of the research centers start very actively but somewhere along the way they lose focus and disintegrate. The collapse of such businesses has led to a lot of concern to both the owners of the research centers and the businesses at large. Some of the reasons are as a result of misappropriation of the funds that are allocated to the centers and poor management. Centers that have come up with the aim of making money regardless of the quality of service provided are the ones that have been hit seriously by the trend. This has made many people to shun away from the business and as a result opted for other avenues of making money. Lack of sufficient money to run the research center is also a menace that is really hitting the sector very hard. Most of the upcoming centers require money for set up while those that are already running equally require funding for their expansion. This has made some of the centers to collapse or perform smaller tasks compared to those that are doing well. Donors have moved in to try and help the centers raise money for their expansions in order for services to be dispensed to the community at large. More and more funds are needed for the centers to provide quality services and continue winning the hearts of many businesses globally. The other limitation is the lack of enough awareness to the business community and the general public (Parlker 2004). This is a problem that has been addressed time and again by all the concerned parties in this field. Many people find it very difficult to trust the data research centers with their jobs and assignments because of the negative picture th at has been portrayed of them. The customers end up doubting the quality of services provided and also puts the intention of the data centers to question. The amount of money charged by the data centers also raises eyebrows. One expects to pay more for a specific service offered to him/her but when it turns out that they are paying less for the same services, they tend to wonder. This is simply because the data centers are supposed to offer affordable services so help those that are not well off but at the same time offer quality services to them. Research Methodology. In this research proposal, interviews and questionnaires shall be used in data collection. Questionnaires shall be mailed to different businessmen within the country with the aim of finding out their views on the data research centers. Interviews will be used in situations where the respondents are thought to have some time for the interviewers. The number of face to face interviews will depend with the physical availability of the respondents. Other interviews shall be carried out through the phone. These interviews will be applied in situations where the respondents are willing to give information but they are not physically available. One hundred questionnaires shall be mailed as this is thought to be a representative sample of the number of data center research businesses in the country. These methods of data collection shall be used mainly because they tend to give first hand information compared to other data collection methods (Kirky and Miller, 1998). They also have an advantage in that they always come in handy whenever there is need for clarifications, corrections or explanations. The questionnaires will contain questions on the use and value of the data research centers in the modern business driven world. Other sources of data collection other than the primary ones will include secondary data collection methods. Sources such as books, journal, newspapers and magazines shall be used as information for data collection. They will be used to give relevant additional information that would otherwise not be found in the primary sources of data collection. Data Analysis methods. Most of the data collected shall be analysed using qualitative methods of data analysis. This means that secondary data will be used to ascertain whether the findings are viable. These methods will also be used to test the hypothesis of the research proposal. In the event that the research proposal is rejected, another research will be done, otherwise, it shall be adopted as a successful research. On the other hand, quantitative techniques will also come into play. The ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) method will be used in this case (Sigmond 2003). Ninety five percent confidence level and a freedom of one degree will be used to test the hypothesis. For this research, the two way ANOVA shall be used. It will be able to tell whether the hypothesis will be accepted or rejected. This type of data analysis will be the best as it compares two sets of populations that are sampled and distributed normally. It is also best suited in that it allows for the comparison between more than two sets of data unlike other data analysis methods that can only compare between two sets of data. Proposed Timetable for the Research. The timetable stipulated below will be used to show the period and time frame within which the activities will be carried out. Face to face interviews with the businessmen will take place within the first one and a half months of the research. This means that it will start in September and end in mid October. The questionnaires that will be used for the research shall be drafted within the first fifteen days of September and sent to the respondents to be filled and returned by mid October. Thereafter, data compilation and analysis will take place between October fifteenth and thirtieth. The dissertation will actually be written starting from November first to November thirtieth. Implications of the Study. This research is aimed at making businesses and other organisations appreciate the value and use of the data research centers. The research will show that the value of these research centers cannot be ignored by any means despite the many limitations and drawbacks that are associated with them. After the research, necessary recommendations shall be made with the aim of seeing to it that they are adopted and implemented by the various affected businesses, organisations and institutions. Conclusion. The value and use of the data research center has been seriously considered by many businesses and other organisations. Many centers have come all over the world with the aim of making work easier for businesses and the public as well. These research centers have helped in the solving of many problems that businessmen and businesswomen face in their day to day running of the businesses. In addition, such centers have also played a major role in areas such as health and education. The values and uses of the data research centers have to be taken seriously by all stakeholders in order for the objectives of both the businesses and the research center owners to be met. It is therefore worth noting that without data research centers it would be very difficult for businesses to cope with the ever increasing market urgency and demand. References Blackwell, D. 2001. Research on data centers: A complete analysis of the data research centers. NY: Routlege. Parlker, P. 2004. The importance of data research centers: The value and uses of data research centers. London: Intellect Books. Sigmond, J. 2003. The use of Research Data centers: A break down on the use and value of data research centers. London: Univ of Chicago press. Thompsen, R. 2003. Understanding the use and value of research centers. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.

How to Say and Write Fractions in Spanish

How to Say and Write Fractions in Spanish Fractions in Spanish can be stated in several ways depending on the formality of the speech and the size of the number. As always, where there is a choice of which form to use, listening to or reading the fractions in everyday use will help you develop a feel for which form is appropriate. Halves and Thirds The special forms la/una mitad and el/un tercio can be used for half and third, respectively. Some examples of usage: Apple redujo a la mitad el precio de su iPhone ms barato. (Apple reduced to half the cost of its cheapest iPhone.)El estudio revela que la mitad del software utilizado en la nacià ³n es pirateado. (The study shows that half the software used in the nation is pirated.)Una mitad y otra mitad hacen uno. (One half plus another half make one.)Eres mucho ms que una mitad de un par. (You are much more than half of a couple.)Predicen la desaparicià ³n de dos tercios de los osos polares antes de 2050. (They predict the disappearance of two-thirds of polar bears before 2050.)Perdià ³ un tercio de su valor en menos de dos aà ±os. (It lost a third of its value in less than two years.)Los internautas espaà ±oles pasan un tercio de su tiempo libre conectados a la red. (Spanish Internet users spend a third of their free time connected to the web.) Fourths Through Tenths For fourths through tenths, you can use the masculine form of the ordinal numbers. These forms are cuarto (fourth, quarter), quinto (fifth), sexto (sixth), sà ©ptimo, sà ©timo (seventh), octavo (eighth), noveno (ninth) and dà ©cimo (tenth). Some examples: Un cuarto de los anfibios y reptiles europeos est en peligro de extincià ³n. (A quarter of European amphibians and reptiles are in danger of extinction.)La aprobacià ³n de la reforma constitucional requerir la obtencià ³n de una mayorà ­a favorable de tres quintos de senadores en una votacià ³n final. (The approval of constitutional reform requires the obtaining of a favorable majority of three-fifths of the senators in a final vote.)Dos sextos es igual a un tercio. (Two-sixths is the same as one-third.)Tres sà ©ptimos ms un sà ©ptimo es igual a cuatro sà ©ptimos. (Three-sevenths plus one-seventh equals four-sevenths.)El kilà ³metro es casi igual a cinco octavos de una milla. (A kilometer is about equal to five-eighths of a mile.)El ingreso total serà ­a de ocho novenos del salario mà ­nimo legal. (The total income would be eight-ninths of the minimum legal wage.)Perdià ³ tres dà ©cimos de su peso. (He lost three-tenths of his weight.) Use of Parte In everyday speech, it is common to express fractions by using the feminine form of the ordinal numbers followed by parte (which means part or portion). La tercera parte de internautas admite usar la misma contraseà ±a para todos sus accesos web. (A third of Internet users admit using the same password for all their accesses to websites.)Ms de la cuarta parte de las fuerzas armadas buscan terroristas. (More than a fourth of the armed forces are looking for terrorists.)Se dice que una sexta parte de la humanidad es analfabeta. (It is said that a sixth of humanity is illiterate.)Ella posee siete octavas partes de la casa. (She owns seven-eighths of the house.)_El litro es la centà ©sima parte de un hectolitro. (A liter is a hundredth of a hectoliter.)La pulgada es la duodà ©cima parte del pie y equivale a 2,54 cm. (The inch is 1/12th of a foot and is equivalent to 2.54 centimeters.) Sometimes the parte is omitted if the context makes it unnecessary Also, with larger numbers (i.e., smaller fractions), it is not uncommon for the ordinal number to be substituted. So, for example, you may hear doscientas cinco parte for 1/205th. The -avo Suffix The suffix of s: Una garrapatea equivale a un ciento veintiochoavos de redonda. (A semihemidemisemiquaver is equivalent to a 1/128th of a whole note.)El interà ©s mensual es equivalente a un doceavo de la tasa de interà ©s anual. (The monthly interest is equivalent to a twelfth of the annual interest rate.)En ningà ºn caso el crà ©dito diario exceder a un treintavo de los cargos. (In no case will the daily interest exceed a thirtieth of the charges.)El grueso de un vidrio corriente es de dos milà ©simos de metro. (The thickness of ordinary glass is two-thousandths of a meter.) Decimals and Percentages As in English, fractions in Spanish are commonly expressed in percentages and decimals. The phrase for percent is por ciento and phrases using percentages are treated as masculine nouns: El 85 por ciento de los nià ±os espaà ±oles se considera feliz. Eighty-five percent of Spanish children are considered happy. In most of the Spanish-speaking world, commas are used where decimal points are used in English. Thus 2.54 in English becomes 2,54 in Spanish. In Mexico, Puerto Rico and much of Central America, however, the convention used in U.S. English is followed: 2.54. In speech, numbers with decimals can be expressed digit by digit as in English. Thus you could say dos coma cinco cuatro or dos punto cinco cuatro depending on where you are. (A punto is a period, a coma a comma.) Key Takeaways Halves and thirds are frequently stated in Spanish using mitad and tercio, respectively.Special words are used for the fourths (cuartos) through the tenths (dà ©cimos).For elevenths, twelfths, and beyond, Spanish uses either the suffix -avo or the word parte following the ordinal numbers.

Market research in another country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market research in another country - Essay Example Inside Edge feels Russia is an ideal market for its new product offering. The average temperature throughout the year in Russia is 39 degrees Fahrenheit (Climatetemps.com,  2012). The warmest it gets on average is 75 degrees Fahrenheit, proving to be one of the colder countries on the planet (Climatetemps.com,  2012). These temperatures alone justify Inside Edge’s entry into the Russian Flooring market similar to Can-A-Floor’s home market of Canada (hence the name). According to  "Global Research & Data Services"  (2013),  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Russian demand for flooring has been growing strongly with an average growth of 10.6% per year between 2002 and 2008. The situation in the market seems to be rather attractive for foreign flooring companies as the growth is predicted to continue in the following years (Global Research & Data Services, 2013). Because Russians see flooring as a way of establishing a comfortable living, the demand for these products is expected to contin ue to increase through 2015 (Marketresearch.com, 2013). This encouraging trend and high demand justifies the entry into the flooring market for any flooring manufacturer. Can-A-Floor is an engineered floating floor, similar in concept and design to a laminate, but with a heating element built in. Currently the most popular types of flooring in Russia are laminate and hardwood (Marketresearch.com, 2013). With Laminate being one of the top two popular flooring materials in the Russian market, Inside Edge can easily justify entering the market with its Can-A-Floor. Russia also is experiencing a declining unemployment rate along with a rising demand for new housing with its expanding middle-class (Marketresearch.com, 2013). The flooring market in Russia is on the rise with a trending increase in demand for all flooring products, home ownership on the rise, and unemployment slowing. These facts show the sustainability of the market while justifying Inside Edge’s entry into the market. Our

Ecotope Final Project Draft 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ecotope Final Project Draft 1 - Essay Example in the area between 1947 and 2011.The objective of this project was to develop a high resolution ECOTOPE MAP for the UMBC Campus for comparing current and historical mapping of ecological sites. To achieve this, I hypothesised that as time goes by, ecological changes of the landscape are prominent and the heterogeneous ecological density increases. To test this hypothesis required use of research and search of historical data. First, I conducted intensive fieldwork to determine and obtain current data. I then sampled the data I had obtained in the field into required sizes and interpreting the data procedurally. In addition, I did scale classification and digitalization to a scale of 1: 0000. I then used Ms Mary’s primary information to draw insights and do relative comparisons. Finally, I classified the ecotopes as verified by field evaluations and first hand- accounts Even more important to my study was an invaluable account of a 94 year old lady, Ms Mary. She was a resident of Catonsville around late 1940’s through early 50’s. She exponentially enriched our study by giving us a surprisingly vivid account of events as well as greatly helping in identifying the features in the map. This primary data was particularly crucial in identifying the hayfield, row crop, planted, woodlot in the 1947 map. The map in 1947 depicted a hayfield, row crops, planted crops and woodlot. There were very few visible small houses and most of the land was fenced into large portions of almost predominantly used agriculturally. Moreover, there were foot paths across the fields. The interpretation therefore is that there were very limited household due to sparse population. Most land was used agriculturally, evidence for agricultural dependency and the fact most of the land lies unused indicates small scale land use. The footpaths pointed to very limited technology. There were state of the art urban buildings,roads, a man made garden, a university among other advanced

Construct and analyze a Financial plan based on management's strategic Term Paper

Construct and analyze a Financial plan based on management's strategic intent - Term Paper Example Thus, one purpose of strategic intent is to forecast a firm's financial statements under some specific conditions.   Since total assets must equal the sum of total liabilities and owner's equity, any imbalance will require management action. Having forecasted the amount and timing of the imbalance, a financial manager can arrange for financing (such as bank loans or stock offerings) or investment (such as marketable securities) long before the need becomes critical. Strategic intent statements help general managers in overall planning (employment and inventory levels, for example) and problem solving. As forecasts are developed, a manager can analyze the results to identify potential trouble spots and plan accordingly. Finding problems and trying out solutions on paper, months in advance, is much preferred to learning about the problem first hand in real time. Similarly, by â€Å"seeing† into the future with strategic intent statements, a manager can anticipate opportunities and prepare to exploit them long before the window of opportunity begins to close. In addition to being a planning tool, strategic intent statements, in tandem with actual results, can be used to evaluate performance and make midstream corrections. Variance analysis, a comparison of the plan with actual performance, helps a manager analyze firm performance during the budget period, gauge strengths and weaknesses, and make interim adjustments to the plan. The accuracy of strategic intent statements is limited by the validity of the assumptions used in creating them. Often a series of statements is developed by making different assumptions about sales and about the relationship between sales and the balance sheet accounts. This is called a sensitivity analysis. The resulting set of statements suggests the most likely outcomes for the firm and a range of financing needs. After building a balance sheet statement based on expected sales, a manager can then use sensitivity analyses to an swer questions such as how the company's financial needs will change if sales are 10 percent below their expected level, etc. Since the hotel industry is a fairly competitive one, the hotel managers need to be excellent. With the income and financial statements at their disposal, the managers will make strategic decisions that will be founded on fact since Proforma balance sheets are created by forecasting the individual account balances at a future date and then aggregating them into a financial statement format. Account balances are forecasted by identifying the forces that influence them and projecting how the accounts will be influenced in the future by such forces. Sales, company policy, and restrictive debt covenants are often significant forces. An annual data has been provided which has to be focused for 36 months and monthly income statements and balance sheets and a strategic intent provided as well. With such information at their disposal, the managers will make a firm st rategic decision on their new acquisition. 2.0 ANNUAL BUDGETED INCOME STATEMENT INCOME STATEMENT Total revenues $ Annual room revenues 209,523 Annual food and beverages 113668 Other revenue 328433 Total 14792023 Variable cost annual 8,531,040 Fixed cost annual 8,728,500 Total 9,582,604 Operating

Investigation And Evaluation Of Two Organizations Management Essay

Investigation And Evaluation Of Two Organizations Management Essay Marks and Spencers is one of the major British retailer companies. It has over 895 stores all over the world in more than 40 countries. marks and spencers have over 600 domestic stores and 295 international stores. marks and spencers is the UKs largest clothing retailer and a high end food retailer. marks and spencers is the worlds 43rd largest retailer. It sells clothes, food and wine, furniture, flowers and gifts and electronic products. It has made a pretax profit of over 1 billion  £ in 1998. They were the first British retailer to achieve such target. This clearly indicates that marks and spencers is a retail giant and has been an undisputed leader in the retail sector as far as the United Kingdom market is concerned. It has also proved itself in the international retail market and plans to expand its business in more directions and covering newer international market. Marks and Spencer was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in 1894 as their first store in partnership at Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. They made their reputation on a policy of only selling British made goods in 20th century. This was something extremely new in the market and hoped to capitalize on the buyers sense of belongingness to UK They sold food and clothes under the â€Å"St. Michael† brand which they introduced in 1928. They are also repudiated for having the most generous 35 days return policy on the British High Street. By 1950 almost all the goods were sold under â€Å"St. Michael†, women clothes and uniforms of girls were under â€Å"St. Margaret† label until the whole thing became â€Å"St. Michael†. The Asian food was introduced as the beginning of the cautious international expansion. Marks and Spencer opened stores in Europe in 1975 and in Ireland in 1979. This was a calculated step as Asian food was gaining popularity in the wes t and also the inflow of Asians in the western countries was on an upswing. This idea clicked and the company made huge returns. The company is known for emphasizing quality and offering fair value for money. marks and spencers has been a historic iconic retailer of British Quality goods. marks and spencers is aware of the fact that a solid and consistent growth is only guaranteed if it maintains its standards and delivers the best quality at the most reasonable rates. Being retail oriented company; customer satisfaction is of utmost importance and marks and spencers ensured it by healthy customer relations and most importantly provided post sales services to its customers In 1973 the company expanded in Canada. At a point they had 47 stores there. But they had never been able to improve their as a dull retailer. In late 90s efforts were made to improve and unprofitable locations were closed, but it wasnt successful. So they had to close the remaining stores in 1999.In 1975 they expanded in France by opening the stores in Paris. Paris being the worlds fashion capital, there was already stiff competition and it made it tough for Marks and Spencer to survive in such highly competitive environment. Except for Paris the European operation did not fare and the stores were sold in 2001.The Company acquired Brooks Brothers and Kings Super Markets in US but they were sold off. Several factors like these combined to threw Marks and Spencer into a heavy fall in 1997/98, which took everybody by surprise. These were the results of some bad decisions taken by Marks and Spencer which resulted in downfall of the company. The companys share fell by 70% approx. and its profits degraded from 1 billion to 145 million  £ at the end of 2001.In 2001 there were changes in their business focus. They started accepting credit cards and a new range of clothes was introduced. They also redesigned their business model. This resulted in some recovery but the problem still remained. In 2004 there was an attempt to take over marks and spencers by Bhs boss, Philip Green and Arcadia group. In Feb. 2007, marks and spenc ers announced to open worlds largest Marks and Spencer store at Dubai festival city. This surely turned out to be an intelligent move as Dubai is slowly becoming the trade capital of the world. Dubai, which is the most popular emirate of UAE, is now one of the hottest destinations for shopping, trading and travel and tourism industry. The high end Zendra Rhodes Collection was introduced in late 2009. PERFORMANCE: Marks and Spencer is listed on LSE (London stock Exchange) as a constituent of FTSE 100. Here is Year/Net Profit plot for Marks and Spencer. From the above data we can conclude that There was a heavy fall in 1998. In year 2001 the profits were very low only  £ M 2.8. There was some recovery in 2003-04 but they were still facing problem. From 2006 to 2008 there is some improvement. There is a significant decline in 2009. BRITISH HOME STORES (Bhs): â€Å"British home stores† is a departmental store chain in Britain which have branches in high street locations. They are primarily selling clothing and household items such as bed linen, cutlery, crockery and lighting. Now they have also started selling furniture etc. Bhs competes on value and quality. They are targeting at lesser part of the population as compared to John Lewis and Marks and Spencer. They have over 186 stores all over UK. The company is listed on LSE (London stock Exchange) as a constituent of FTSE 100 and is currently owned by Sir. Philip Green. HISTORY: In 1928 the first shop of Bhs opened in Brixton. They copied the business model of United Kingdom arm of US based FW Woolworth in that the price of goods was at max 1 shilling. In 1929 the maximum price was increased to 5 to enable the company for expanding the range of products. This includes furnishing and drapery. Bhs became Public company in 1931. After World War II selling based on price was stopped and goods with value and quality to money have been started to be offered. Bhs started expanding in 1970-80. They also opened the stores in indoor shopping malls. In 1977 they launched a joint venture with the firm â€Å"Sainsburys† to create hyper markets using SavaCentre brand. Sainsburys took control of the whole brand in 1989 and converted all the stores. There was a downturn in business in 1980s which was tried to be fought with the reconstruction of the stores and high profit margins selling. Bhs had to close its overseas stores during these times. In 1985 they opened fi rst franchise store. Such stores now operate in Europe and Middle east. There was a merger between Bhs, Habitat and Motherhouse. In mid 90s the brand went under reinvention under the guidance of retail design house 20:20.In May 2000 Philip Green took over Bhs (for  £ 200 million) and changed the company from public to private (ltd). In May 2005 Philip Green bought Etam UK (which included good girls fashion retailers). To improve Bhs girls perception as a whole the stand alone brands were integrated into Bhs.On Feb 27 2009, the company announced its merger with sister company Arcadia. Performance: The current condition of Bhs is not good. It is owned by Philip Green. Marks and Spencers performance is at present much better than Bhs. The growth is slow in retail market. To have a major growth you have to steal your rivals sales. Hence the gain of marks and spencers is resulting in Bhs loss. Philip Green is implementing cost cutting programs to increase the margin. There is a scope of improvement for others here. Cost pricing in this sector is continuously increasing because of the increase in energy and utility prices which accounts for  £ 12 million fall for Bhs. For revitalizing of the brand Green is investing at least  £ 100m and if he pulls this one out next time we will be discussing about marks and spencers slow recovery. Task 2: QUESTIONAIRE: The questionnaire has the questions on the following fields for evaluating the performance of both companies: Product design Shelf price Brand image Advertising Product range Shelf space Logistics Information and Customer relationships The answering of the questions has to be done on interval level. Questions specifically meant for staff members are marked as (SM). Rest can be answered by all. QUESTIONS: A) Product design: 1) How is the efficiency of the product designing process? (SM) bad excellent 2) Which product generation method is preferred? (SM) Based on idea Based on need 3) How good are solution designing and production methods? (SM) Poor Excellent B) Shelf price: 1) How is spending at each level of production handling and distribution? (SM) Very less just right Very high C) Brand image: 1) Which brand is more preferable? marks and spencers Bhs D) Advertising 1) How much does the firm spent on the marketing? (SM) very less just right Very high 2) Which brands advertisement is more enlightening about the product? marks and spencers Bhs E) Product range 1) Which brand has wider variety of products to choose from? marks and spencers Bhs 2) Which brand fulfills the better product requirement? marks and spencers Bhs F) Shelf space 1) Which brand has better stores? marks and spencers Bhs 2) Which brand store is easily reachable? marks and spencers Bhs G) Logistics 1) How good is the flow of goods, resources and information in the company? (SM) Poor Excellent H) Information and Customer relationships 1) Which brands store provide better information about the product? marks and spencers Bhs 2) Which brands customer service is more satisfactory? marks and spencers Bhs Statistical output: Output stats after a survey of 150 persons. Result interpretations of the survey: Product design process of Bhs is more efficient than that of marks and spencers . Idea based product generation is preferred more in Bhs, whereas it is almost balanced in marks and spencers . Shelf pricing efficiency of Bhs is much better than that of marks and spencers . marks and spencers brand is more preferable as compared to Bhs. Advertising marks and spencers spent more on Advertising. Product range marks and spencers have wider variety of products. Shelf space of marks and spencers is slightly better than Bhs. Logistics of Bhs are better than marks and spencers (there is not much difference). Information and Customer relationships: Customers are more satisfied with marks and spencers as compared to Bhs. CONCLUSION: From the result of the above survey and from the information collected from the various other resources we can conclude that: marks and spencers s (Marks and Spencer) is a much bigger company as compared to Bhs. marks and spencers have over 695 stores whereas Bhs only have over 185 stores. marks and spencers s net profits and turnovers are much higher than those of Bhs. Marks and Spencer can invest into more number of ventures and more capital which is generated by its huge network round the globe. marks and spencers is more famous and older brand as compared to Bhs. marks and spencers operations are more widespread as compared to Bhs. marks and spencers s targeted customers are much larger than those of Bhs. marks and spencers usually targets high end customers whereas Bhs do not. Product range of marks and spencers is much higher than that of Bhs. Customers prefers marks and spencers over Bhs. However, the internal operations, functions and working of Bhs are more coordinated better and efficient than that of the marks and spencers . This can prove beneficial to the company in the long run and this can result in Bhs having more output to input ratio as the system is more efficient. ROCOMMENDATIONS: From our current analysis I can say that Bhs has improved its internal structure to its maximum. There is a need to revitalize the plans, if that is successful then there is a good chance that Bhs might improve to the required level. However, marks and spencers have scope of improvement in its internal structure which will bring significant change in its profit margin. Currently marks and spencers have better hold of market but if they can side by side update their structure then they can avoid majority of the downfalls they face. References: Marks Spencer (n.d.). Retrieved on May 6, 2010, from http://www.marksandspencer.com/ (Marks Spencer) Modern living made easy (n.d.). Retrieved on May 6, 2010, from http://www.bhs.co.uk/ (Modern living made easy) How to begin your survey design project. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 6, 2010, from http://www.surveysystem.com/sdesign.htm (How to design your survey design project.) Bhs results in investment and retail sector. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 6, 2010, from http://www.moneyweek.com/articles/money-morning/why-bhs-could-be-just-the-start-of-retail-sector-woes.aspx (Bhs results in investment and retail sector.)

A Fourteenth Century Castle :: Free Essay Writer

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Towering high above the landscape, European castles still look commanding. Imagine how powerful a castle looked 600 years ago when it was brand new. A castle was built to impress. It was the home of a powerful warlord. From its safety he ruled the surrounding land. Castles building began in the 10th Century. The first castles that were built replaced wooden forts. Castles evolved and became stronger as methods of warfare changed. In the next few paragraphs I will be talking about how warriors surrounded and attacked a castle, how the people in the castle prepared for war, how they defended themselves, and how they lived in peace. A castle was usually built on top of a cliff so it would be harder for the opposition to reach it. It was also surrounded by a moat which was a water filled ditch. This ditch surrounded two sides of the castle that were not protected by a cliff. The moat also provided food for the people living inside the castle. The castle was built out of brick and had a very thick wall. The thick walls were more than 8(ft) thick and the walls of castle towers were even thicker. There were also towers built on top of the castles. The towers enabled the defenders to see anyone approaching the castle, and to fire at them with bows or siege engines. The first point of attack was usually the main entrance. A gate house protected the way into the castle. Anybody who tried to get into the building was either caught by the guards or was killed by the traps that were set up in the castle. In the castle there were several walls that enclosed the courtyards. Each courtyard was called a bailey. During the war men women and children sheltered here. When there was no war these court yards were used for work shops. During the war The water supply was vital, especially when the castle was surrounded. Wells were dug into the rock below the castle, the water was used for bathing and drinking. The Lord lived at the heart of the castle which was called a keep. If the defenders broke into the castle all the remaining soldiers would go into the keep and fight to the death. Women and children took shelter in the castle while the fighting was going on. If food ran out in the castle, the defenders would throw out anybody who couldn’t fight.

Basic Marketing Plan- Cell Phones Essay

We are the #1 maker of cell phones in the world and we are also aiming for the top of the nascent mobile Internet market. Our products are divided primarily between three divisions: devices (handheld device manufacturing); services and software (consumer Internet services and products); and markets (supply chains, sales channels, and marketing). Our wireless network products business is operated in partnership with Siemens as Nokia Siemens Networks; the joint venture is the #3 player in the wireless networking equipment market behind Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES MARKET STRATEGY Our goal is to re-emerge into the US Market by re-inventing our marketing mix and strategy. The first step will be to revamp our image in the US by altering the current perception of our phones. We need to reposition ourselves in the marketplace as the leader in high quality, contemporary phone devices. When deciding how we would re-invent ourselves we looked at several options. The first option we explored were licensing agreements with other phone manufacturers. We decided not to choose this option because of the strong manufacturing channels we already have in place all across the globe. We also did not want to risk having our name associated with phones that were not of an extremely high quality for fear that this could lower our reputation in the US even more. Another option we evaluated was to enter into a partnership with a DSL phone service provider such as Vonage. We were exploring the option of developing a new break through Voice of IP service but after discussion we deciding this would not allow us to focus on our core products, which are handheld devices. POSITIONING STATEMENT In the US we are currently perceived as a cheap, outdated phone that is only suitable for the very young or the very old. To the Savvy and Technologically inclined consumer we are seem as an overly simplified phone that doesn’t have all of the latest features. Most often the US consumer is not willing to pay top dollar for a Nokia phone so they only get one if it’s given away free with a contract. This perception of us needs to change. We need to reposition ourselves as the world’s leader in handheld cellular devices. We need to expose consumers to our new phones with break through features. We need to bring back consumer confidence so that they believe our phones are stylish, durable, reliable and top quality. We also want consumers to feel as if Nokia is a strong brand name with longevity in the market. We don’t want our phones to be seen as outdated and obsolete so we need to show the US how strong and advanced we are in the R&D department. TARGET AUDIENCE In order to reposition our brand in the US Marketplace we will focus on three specific target audiences. The first being Young Adults aged 17 to 24 and the next being business professionals aged 25 to 40.We will attract men and women alike with various elements that should appeal to both sexes. Our goal will be to launch 2 different campaigns that will gain attention from people in these age groups but from a diverse range of racial backgrounds. The campaigns will be launched nationwide and will focus on showing Nokia in more of an American light with and American attitude. We will go after high school and college students who are interested in having the newest and coolest phone on the market. They will be from an upper class background and influenced by the hot new trends in the fashion, music and technology industries. They will be very image conscious and they want to show that their phone has the newest features. They will be fun loving and exciting individuals with eager and fast paced attitudes. Next we will focus on attracting young and mature professionals aged 25 to 40. This group will be more conservative and business oriented. They will be driven by work and are hoping to move up the corporate ladder. They will typically be from the middle to upper class and highly status conscious. They will not be sensitive to prices, as they will view the phone more as a business tool rather then an accessory. PROMOTION Given the Business objective of re-emerging in the US market and of boosting Nokia’s overall awareness and image as an inspirational brand we will drive the overall brand image through several mediums. Our primary media will be television commercials and our secondary media will consist of magazine ads and sponsorships. We hope to attract the new target audience of 17 to 24 years though the arena of music and television. We will sponsor music concerts and run commercials on cable networks such as MTV and VH1. We will promote sweepstakes were concert tickets and CD’s are given away free To attract our second target audience we will advertise in magazines such as Newsweek and Business Weekly in order to introduce our new phone to in a mature light. We want to appeal to business professionals who are looking to establish themselves and we want them to believe that our phone can help them achieve their goals. PRODUCT STRATEGY Our new product strategy will be to introduce the new Wimax technology to the US through our new phones. In order to take advantage of the Wimax techonology we will need to team up with Sprint who has developed the new faster wireless network. Our new phones will be the only ones available that can access the network at speeds 3 times as fast as 3G. Nokia will receive subscription fees from Sprint while selling the phones to them as a profit. The new technology will allow people to receive internet connection speeds on their phones that are as fast as their cable modems at home. NEW SLOGAN, NEW LOGO With our new phones and our new technology there will also be a new slogan. For the new campaigns we will emphasize that our two new phones are both $200 so the phrase we’ll use will be Two for Two. We will also use the slogan â€Å" Replace your laptop with your Nokia†

How to Use Adjectives in English

How to Use Adjectives in English An adjective describes how something is. For this reason, we often use the verb to be when using adjectives. Adjectives are used to describe nouns. There are two types of sentences we use with adjectives, which are detailed below. Subject To Be Adjective Example: Tom is shy.Alice is happy. Subject Verb Adjective Noun Example: That is a big building!Peter has a fast car. The adjective is always invariable. Example: beautiful trees, they are happy Take note of these important rules to follow when using this sentence pattern. Adjectives dont have a singular and plural form OR a masculine, feminine and neutral form.Adjectives are always the same! Never add a final –s to an adjective.Adjectives can also be placed at the end of a sentence if they describe the subject of a sentence. ​​Example: My doctor is excellent,  as opposed to  difficults  books, which is incorrect Adjectives Are Placed Before Noun Example: a wonderful book; very interesting people Note: Dont place an adjective after the noun Example: an apple red

Free Essays on Delighting the Customer

DELIGHTING THE CUSTOMER: THE ROLE OF INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Delight results from exceeding the expectations of satisfied customers. Meeting only current needs â€Å"locks us into the present† (â€Å"Customer Satisfaction and Beyond†, The Drucker Magazine, Spring 1995) but to move beyond the threshold of satisfaction, we must tap into the unmet and, perhaps even, unimagined needs of the customer. The only key that can unlock this door to delight is a new way of thinking and working. For some of us keeping up or meeting the constantly changing paradigms may be difficult enough but, if we wish to surprise and, therefore, delight, we must exceed the following currently accepted standards of good service: Providing proactive services Knowing our own business Better marketing Over-delivering Following best practices Beating the competition Managing change We have been warned of the perils of reactive service but few realize the pitfalls in the proactive approach. Reaching beyond expectations means providing value rich information not merely delivering more than the customer requested. Demands on customers are constantly changing and to anticipate their needs based on yesterday’s assumptions means wasting valuable time finding new information for those who no longer need it. Thus if we aim to exceed expectations, we must be prepared to run alongside. One-way contacts, whether reactive and proactive, must be supplemented by ongoing interactive or networked communication. Rather than regarding ourselves as â€Å"servants†, to remain abreast or one step ahead, we need to form partnerships of equals. To discover customers’ unanticipated needs we must not be content to know only our own business or profession. As Davenport and Prusak advise in their article â€Å"Blow Up the Corporate Library† (International Journal of Information Management, December 1993), we need to â€Å"get out of the library and... Free Essays on Delighting the Customer Free Essays on Delighting the Customer DELIGHTING THE CUSTOMER: THE ROLE OF INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Delight results from exceeding the expectations of satisfied customers. Meeting only current needs â€Å"locks us into the present† (â€Å"Customer Satisfaction and Beyond†, The Drucker Magazine, Spring 1995) but to move beyond the threshold of satisfaction, we must tap into the unmet and, perhaps even, unimagined needs of the customer. The only key that can unlock this door to delight is a new way of thinking and working. For some of us keeping up or meeting the constantly changing paradigms may be difficult enough but, if we wish to surprise and, therefore, delight, we must exceed the following currently accepted standards of good service: Providing proactive services Knowing our own business Better marketing Over-delivering Following best practices Beating the competition Managing change We have been warned of the perils of reactive service but few realize the pitfalls in the proactive approach. Reaching beyond expectations means providing value rich information not merely delivering more than the customer requested. Demands on customers are constantly changing and to anticipate their needs based on yesterday’s assumptions means wasting valuable time finding new information for those who no longer need it. Thus if we aim to exceed expectations, we must be prepared to run alongside. One-way contacts, whether reactive and proactive, must be supplemented by ongoing interactive or networked communication. Rather than regarding ourselves as â€Å"servants†, to remain abreast or one step ahead, we need to form partnerships of equals. To discover customers’ unanticipated needs we must not be content to know only our own business or profession. As Davenport and Prusak advise in their article â€Å"Blow Up the Corporate Library† (International Journal of Information Management, December 1993), we need to â€Å"get out of the library and...

Republicans stand on Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Republicans stand on Stem Cell Research - Essay Example In general, political scenarios change instantaneously, i.e. democrats and republicans, whoever comes to power starts with new ideologies to develop. But their ideology may counter to the thoughts of people. Earlier the leaders could easily maintain a fake impression with the people. But with today’s media and online facilities, thee public is more than aware and are able to know the in depth truth and hence there is less chance of making false pretences. Nowadays, Democrats have to prove – â€Å"Government by the People† and republicans â€Å"Government based on laws†. As a Democrat, Adlai E. Stevenson says,†If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them†. Peoples choice of democrats or the republicans changes instantly with various issues. A human mind is fast changing and a real leader needs to maintain a homeostasis of the things he does to maintain his stance in the minds of people. That is why politics is a tough job. No democrat can be convinced of republican thoughts or vice versa as Laurence J.Peter says - â€Å"A Man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still† – Also people cannot be compromised that easily. Still they pretend to be convinced according to the wordings - â€Å"Popular Opinion is the Greatest lie in the World† – Thomas Carlyle. ... A democrat may bend rules in his country for his people's sake, but a republican has human ethics as a background of his ideals. So republican is more global in his thought and leads the country to a more civilized environment. As John F. Kerry says, "Real Democrats don't abandon the middle class" Definitely not, a better and good democrat can bring up a better environment with his ideals too. This marks the success of a leader, may be a democrat or a republican. People's life is all the busier with their pretty hasty job and pizza life style and still they drop out to cast votes and decide their leader. Mark Russell says "If you've got the brain-washed, that's the Democrats, and the brain-dead, that's the Republicans! " So, this is only a global perspective, let us hook our vision towards the current stance, one of the two main political parties of the United States. Its origins could be traced back to the coalition formed behind Thomas Jefferson in the 1790s to resist the policies of George Washington's administration. This coalition, originally called the Republican, and later the Democratic-Republican Party, split into two factions during the presidential campaign of 1828. One, the National Republican Party, was absorbed into the Whig Party in 1834; the other became the Democratic Party. It's all capitalism over here and a blend of democrats and republicans ruling USA. The US's man should essentially maintain its standard to prove its leadership past this many years, and uphold the virtues in the presidents before. Certainly, as John Adams says, "The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries." and "Fear is the foundation of most

Debating Gloalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Debating Gloalization - Essay Example Joseph Stiglitz is considered as one of the major voices in the world speaking against the potential detrimental nature of the overall process of globalization. His main arguments therefore suggest that globalization can be good if it is executed properly by taking into the consideration of the individual characteristics of each country. (Friedman, 2002). He is of the opinion that the countries should be allowed to embrace globalization on their own terms rather been enforced on them. He also argues that if the pro globalization policies are not being carried out properly, it is quite possible that the countries can become more vulnerable to the external shocks and this can create economic instability as well as resulting into a decline in growth and increase in poverty. (Stiglitz, 2002). This paper will discuss and explore the ideas of Joseph Stieglitz on globalization and will present a critical intellectual biography of Joseph Stiglitz. Intellectual Biography Ideas Stiglitz has wo rked on different issues and presented his ideas on diverse range of ideas ranging from economics to political economy. He is often considered as a New Keynesian for his views on the better role of government in running the overall affairs of the economy. He is therefore also considered as neo-liberal thinker because of his strong opposition of the corporate led globalization. He is often considered as critical of IMF and World Bank- two of the most important institutions advocating the globalization and help fulfilling the overall agenda of globalization. (Stiglitz, 2003). His major ideas on globalization are based on his theory of information asymmetry and how the lack of correct information can result into the development of incomplete markets at the global level. He is therefore particularly of the view that advocating globalization in such economies where markets are not fully developed and information is not available can result into more poverty and economic inequality rather than creating prosperity. He is also considered as quite critical of IMF because of its ignorance that the overall process of globalization may not work in the presence of inadequate institutions as well as the incomplete markets. (Stiglitz, 2003). His ideas on globalization therefore are based on the presence of more transparent institutions and greater role of Western countries in helping the less developed countries to better integrate themselves into the global economy. His economic ideas are also mostly considered as New Keynesian. Trade In order to understand the Stiglitz ideas on the free trade and its role in the globalized world, t is important to consider the overall arguments in favor of free trade. The advocates of the globalized and free trade believe that free markets and trade can actually increase the overall opportunity set for the countries and they can readily benefit from this. What is however, important to consider that as per Stiglitz this is not the case? Tho ugh he believes that this may be a text book approach however, in reality free trade and markets do not necessarily result into the growth. The overall arguments are based upon the notion that the free trade and investment can only result into the growth when they are competitive. Since the markets of the developing countries are still