Cost Per Output and Cost Per Outcome Essay

Cost per output and cost per outcome calculations valuable to human service agencies, because resources are limited, human service agencies need to make the best cost per output and cost per outcome. Human service agencies are usually not-for-profit and perform social service for the benefit of society. Hence value for money is important so that public funds/donations get their real worth -or the Human Service agencies would be wasting money and then the public will stop donating. Cost per outcome and cost per output tells their overhead for services. Human service agencies are going to need donations to cover these costs. Cost per output and outcome calculations can provide insight into a human service organization’s financial management plan in order to evaluate whether or not the goals and objectives are being met to provide the services which support the mission. Outputs and outcomes provide the information about the services, how they are implemented, and whether or not they are financially sound to the organization. Divisions of labor, services, and programming can be determined in order to ensure funds are allocated properly. Determinations can be made taking into account fixed and variable costs and how those affect the revenues. Quality of services can also be addressed using outputs and outcomes which determine the level of services and how the quality is affected through an increase in funding or a cutback. Not keeping track of the cost per output and cost per outcome could really cause a Human service agency a lot of problems. They will not have an enough funds to cover programs they may need or salaries of the employees.

Unfair Trade Practices

Unfair Trade Practices – Hoarding, destruction or refusal to sell. The Unfair Trade practices include cases of hoarding, destruction of or refusal to sell, goods or services. Clause (5) says that a practice will be unfair if it permits the hoarding or destruction of goods, or refusal to sell the goods or to provide any services if such conduct is intended to raise or has the effect of raising the cost of those or other similar goods or services. Loss or damage: It is not necessary for restraining an unfair trade practices that the complainant should have suffered some loss, damage or prejudice.Such consequences can be compensated in addition to the cease and desist order. 1>Hoarding: Hoarding is a moral term meaning taking more than one's fair share of goods. Hoarding of goods with an intention to raise cost is considered as unfair trade practice as the consumer has to pay extra to buy the goods or services. Hoarding was a prevalent practice where traders and middlemen used to hoard essential goods and wait for their prices to peak. Once that is done they used to make huge profits by selling it at high prices.As soon as the traders get a heads up that the production of a particular good has been short they used to hoard it. Recently when there was a shortage of Sugar and Onion production a lot of traders hoarded the goods and made things worse for the common man by further increasing the prices. Other examples of Hoarding are seen in speculative buying of property and goods. This tends to drive up the price of property and goods costing the public more money for the basic necessities of life and lowering slightly the quality of their lives by denying them the satisfaction of finding affordable deals they can buy.Hoarding is also prevalent in the IT industry, for e. g. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) created the Internet domain name system. So domain names were once freely available to buy on the internet from domain name r egistrars. But savvy business investors saw this opportunity to buy these inexpensive domain names in bulk. So, it is not uncommon to find investors holding ten thousand domain names. More commonly people own a hundred to five hundred names. Because of this the cost of domain names has increased. ; Destruction of goods and services. Destroy or cause destruction of goods in order to reduce supply to be less than demand is also an unfair trade practice according to the MRTP Act 1969. Business operators are also prohibited from performing any unfair act which results in â€Å"the destruction, damage, obstruction, hindrance or restriction of the operation of other business operator in order to prevent other business operator from operating business or to cause him to dissolve his business†.For e. g. there was a case where one famous soft drink manufacturer used to indulge in collecting its competitor’s empty bottle from shops and retail stores and destroy them in order to cause loss and disruption in the supply of the competitor’s product to the consumers. 3; Refusal to sell goods and services. Refusal to supply goods to a genuine customer with the right consideration with an intention to raise cost also falls under the MRTP Act.It is well-known that many of the traders having advance information, or on speculation regarding the rise in the price of different goods, in order to avail the increase in the price, withhold the supply of different goods or articles to the consumers. In this process they cause loss or damage to consumers by making them to pay the excess price which they would not have been compelled to pay, if the goods or articles had been supplied in time. General Case studies on Unfair Trade Practices Case 1: Misleading Advertisements M/s. Cox & Kings (I) Pvt. Ltd. v. Joseph A.Fernandes, I (2006) CPJ 129 (NC), (RP No. 366/2005, decided on 20-12-2005). In a case where Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes had booked a tour from Bangalore to Sing apore-Malaysia and back with the Company, Cox & Kings. Tour from Singapore to Malaysia and back by cruise handled by Star Cruise Services for which the couple had been charged as â€Å"For Two nights/three days cruise†. The Star cruises confirmation voucher given to the couple, however, mentioned the embarkation and disembarkation timings as â€Å"Leave Singapore at 23. 59 hours on 17. 04. 2002 and arrive at Singapore on 19. 4. 2002. † The complainants submitted that according to the timings given by Cox & Kings, the cruise was only for two nights and one and a half days whereas it was advertised as 2 nights/3 days cruise. Cox & Kings knew very well that the cruise actually lasts only for one and a half days but they had falsely advertised that it was for 3 days. Cox and Kings Pvt. Ltd. deliberately timed the departure of the cruise at 11. 59 pm i. e. one minute short of midnight and counted that one minute as one full day. This was nothing short of outright cheating b y the Company.The claim of the Cox & Kings that issuance of such advertisement is a universal practice compelled the Commission to condemn the practice even in stronger terms. It was held that, this practice by them was not only a case of misrepresentation through misleading advertisement but also an unfair trade practice in the eyes of Consumer Protection Act and the Commission directed Cox & Kings to pay Rs. 25,000/- as compensation and ordered not to publish such misleading advertisement. Observations: This is a case of misrepresentation through misleading advertisement.The company advertised that it was a 3 days and 2 nights tour but it turned out to be a 2 nights and 1 and half day tour. The company had to pay compensation as it had given wrong information to its customers. Case 2: Delay in delivering the product. Tata Engineering Locomotive Co. Ltd. v. John Jacob, II (2006) CPJ 105 (NC), (RP No. 1079 of 1998, decided on 4-4-2006). The Complainant booked a TATA Sumo by paying a n advance and paid the entire consideration after being informed that the vehicle was ready for delivery within a particular time. The delivery of the vehicle was delayed for another three months and the company collected Rs. 8,344/- on the ground that there was hike in the excise duty. The Complainant Jacob collected the vehicle under protest and gave a notice to the Company which was not replied to. It was seen that without any justifiable reason the Company had recovered excise duty and litigated for years together regarding the same. The Company could not disclose when the vehicle was released from the factory. TELCO could not bring in the evidence as to whether they actually paid Rs. 38,344/- on this vehicle or whether it was really released from the factory before Tariff Amendment Act came into force.National Commission issued a direction to TELCO to discontinue such unfair trade practice and not repeat the same in future and directed the dealer also to be warned of the same. The amount was refunded with 12% rate of interest from 30. 09. 1996 till the date of payment and also an amount of Rs. 25,000/- was awarded as costs. Observations: Telco not only delivered the product 3 months after the promised date they also increased the price of the product on the grounds of hike in the exercise duty. The customer had to pay extra for no fault of his. This would also come under unfair trade practices.

Self-efficacy in reading and language arts Research Paper

Self-efficacy in reading and language arts - Research Paper Example First an introduction has been given as to what contribution has technology made in education and especially the teaching of language. Then, teachers’ competencies and barriers to the integration of technology have been discussed. After that, various technological strategies are discussed which the teachers can make use of in classrooms to motivate students and facilitate their language teaching process. Introduction Since the advent of sophisticated technological means, educators have been trying to modify the instructional process with the help of technology. Early 1960’s brought with it new curricula and instructional models of instruction, but the drawback with these instructional schemes was their poor management. Last decades have seen much advancement in this regard. An ideal classroom environment is so dynamic in which each student is motivated to present his own understanding, and where he is comfortable with his own set of instructional materials. Thus, the te acher needs to organize instructional and motivational schemes in such a way that all students with their unique calibers are equally attended to. Today, the educational institutes are aware of the necessity of incorporating information and communication technology in teaching language to enhance student motivation and learning. Literature Review Ismail, Ghaleb and Almekhlafi (2010, p.37) studied teacher perception regarding teaching Arabic and English languages in schools in UAE. They found that teachers’ support and willingness to incorporate technology in their teaching languages is very important to motivate students to learn effectively. The researchers discussed the benefits of the usage of IT both for the teachers and the students, and found from their qualitative and quantitative research that teacher perception should be considered seriously for better implementation of technological tools in classrooms. Woodrow (as cited. in Ismail, Ghaleb & Almakhlefi, 2010, p.37) asserts, â€Å"teachers are seen to be active agents in the process of changes and implementation of new ideas as their beliefs and attitudes may support or impede the success of any educational reform such as the utilization of an innovative technology program.† So, it can be stated that technological advances have greatly facilitated student motivation to learn through enhanced teaching processes. The teachers today can use many technological tools to equip themselves while teaching languages to their students. Mansor (2007) asserts that the technological advances have greatly benefitted the learning of English language for students. However, it still has to go a long way as, according to what Ismail, Ghaleb and Almakhlefi (2010) found in their research, teachers were still reluctant to use technological facilities in teaching languages like Arabic. Yaratan and Kural (2010, p.161) studied the implementation of instructional technology in teaching English language in North C yprus schools. They conducted the survey among 80 teachers, and concluded that although teachers were willing to use technology in teaching language, still the rate was low because there were not enough technological means to employ nor there was enough time. However, they found that the teachers who were

Police corruption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Police corruption - Research Paper Example However, meat eaters are those corrupt police officers that intentionally and knowingly participate in activities of corruption and spend a considerable deal of time looking for such activities and situation from where they could extract personal gains. Furthermore, these police officers satisfy their conscience through reaffirming themselves that the people that target such as pimps, drug dealers and gamblers deserve such treatment and exploitation because they are destroying the society. Although, on a global level, police corruption levels within the United States may not be alarming enough, in absolute terms, police corruption is becoming a concern for the criminal justice system. For example, a recent study conducted in 13 different stats found out that only 56 percent of the people viewed police officers as having high and respectable ethical standard as compared to the 89 percent people that feel the same about nurses (Prenzler, p. 202). Furthermore, unlike other crimes and societal issues, it is difficult to uncover police corruption or obtain statistics about the same. Police officers are trained individuals to deal with crime and therefore, even if they are corrupt or involved in crimes, they know how to cover their tracks. Furthermore, whistle blowing can be extremely dangerous, life threatening and rare steps in the police department as evident from the case of Franck Serpico in the early 1970s. Nevertheless, over the past few decades, many scandals have appeared on the surface, which indicate that substantial police corruption is prevalent in several police department all across the United States (Office of International Criminal Justice, p. 16). Consider the example of Los Angeles Police Department Rampant Division in the late 1990s, which was rocked to its sheer core when the Rampant Scandal broke which implicated more than 6 dozen police officers in several misconducts. From unlawful shooting to

Complete work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Complete work - Essay Example For the few women who owned businesses, and were married â€Å"in manu† (meaning their husbands were in control of them), the groom together with his family was in charge of all the woman’s possessions. This law prevented women from owning anything they earned with the inclusion of her inheritance and dowry (Kidner, 2014). Women almost had no say in the ‘manus’ marriage and what the husband said was the last word on all the matters. I believe that if the women were given the opportunity to own property in the manus marriage, their families would have benefited more, as there would be two providers. In politics, women could not support their husbands in privacy and not in the public. Their public role was to attend to the traditional activities of household chores. At home they could weave, spin yarn in order to make clothes for their families (Kidner, 2014). If women had a say in politics and even participated in things like voting, most of the empire probl ems would be unheard of and the empire governed in a much better way. Women were also made to think that their role was to sit pretty at home, nurture their children and heed to their husband's decisions. Unlike today's society, fathers chose husbands for their daughters and girls got married at the legal age of 12 years (Kidner, 2014). Fathers allowing their daughters to become of age and then get married to the men of their choice would have resulted in decreasing the number of divorces as well as sexual promiscuity. The male dominance in the Roman Empire was a great influence on how women led their lives. The men were the determinants of what was good or bad for the women. They suppressed the voice of the women who only had an option of doing that which their husbands or fathers demanded from them. Their opinions did not matter and therefore were in no way an influence to the social norms nor the political attributes in the empire. This did not stop the women but they raised high above the norms and laws and managed to change their world. This persuasive paper shows how women changed some of the social factors of the Roman Empire. Women in the Roman Empire may not have had any political office or any voting rights but made great contributions in religion. They did this amidst the fact that they could not stand for their rights. Women always had to serve under a male figure, be it a husband or a father. Men dominated in the social field and politics but the amazing thing is that they were not a great influence on religion. As it was customary, the women took care of the homestead’s shrines, altars, and offering daily prayers. They would perform the necessary rituals to keep the household gods appeased. The Romans believed that these gods, when women appeased them, would live in harmony with the family. The appeased spirits would protect the home and family from any harm and so the women had to pay attention to how well they kept the gods. However, thi s changed over time as women became goddesses and there are coins present in the empire that have images of these goddesses. Helena was the woman who saw it that Christianity was the foundation of the Roman Empire (Winter, 2003). The chauvinistic male society made it clear that only males would assess education. Women, as per

The Way to Improve Social Inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Way to Improve Social Inequality - Essay Example The common racial problem exists between the ‘white’ and the ‘black’ people. This emanated from the fact that long time ago African people were slaves in the United States. In the old times, African people could not go to the same schools with the white people and everything had to be separated between the two races. Although slavery was abolished, the issues that developed from it still exist in today’s society. Bearing in mind that the skin color is still different, the problem persists. This is because there are some white people who still hold the belief that they are better as compared to the black people. There are good examples from the video that we watched in class; one of them is about the demonstration of racism. The purpose of this demonstration was to let people understand the feeling of being racially profiled and being treated unequally. We all live in the same planet. People should therefore respect each other regardless of place of or igin or skin color. The problem of racism also leads to violence in various societal settings such as schools and homes. In recent years, cases related to violence at home or in school have increased significantly. Why is violence increasing each year? The main reason is that people have different cultures and backgrounds. Some examples include that conservative traditionalists may think they have the right to control women and that women are not equal to men. Children may be influenced by their parents. Here, children who witness or are victims of violence may learn to believe that violence is the only way to resolve conflicts between people. The video that we watched in class was about Cape Town; in this town, there are many gangsters mostly comprised of teenagers. One of the people interviewed in the video was a victim of violence. Due to family issues, the victim ran away from home and joined the clan to

Is there a difference between my perception of reality and reality Case Study

Is there a difference between my perception of reality and reality itself - Case Study Example Perception is the individual mind set of people who influences the manner in which they view life and make a decision when responding to life situations. For instance some people perceive war to be the only sure way to bring peace to people to warring groups while others view it as an evil act which is conducted by people who are against peace and with evil intentions. The way those two groups perceive war is totally different and thus it influences the manner in which they are going to make a judgement concerning that particular subject (Xlibris Corp, 2012). Despite perception varying from one individual to the next, one’s perception can be influenced or manipulated by situations that occur in the environment or by reality itself. Whenever someone has been exposed to reality he/she will tend to be influenced into changing his/her mind set thus, changing the perception. Perception is not always correct since it can be distorted from the general expectation of life (Xlibris Corp, 2012). Thus, reality plays an important role in influencing the cognition of a person and in influencing ones perception in the right way. However, it is not always right for one’s perception to be influenced since the manner in which one perceives things is the same way life unfolds. Thus, it is right to take life in your way as it will unfold, in the same way; hence one can lead an interesting life. If someone is so concerned in being influenced by the perception of others he/she will always fell inferior to the cognition of others thus leading to a miserable life as one cannot be content with his/her own self (Xlibris Corp, 2012). Some critics argue that there is nothing like reality as it all depends on how individuals perceive things and situations that determine on what can be regarded as real or not. Strong believers of individual perception do not find much sense in reality as they act in the manner in which their perception

Volkswagen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Volkswagen - Essay Example Furthermore, Porter’s Five Forces analysis and SWOT analysis is also conducted with regards to the internal environment of the company. In conclusion, the report proposes two specific recommendations to the Board of Directors after critically and comprehensively analyzing the strategic position of the business. It is suggested that Volkswagen take immediate measures to further enhance its position in the US which has delivered optimistic performance so far but indicates that further efforts are needed. It is also recommended that Volkswagen continue to explore emerging markets across the globe such as India while maintaining its position in China and Brazil. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1.Introduction 3 2.Analysis of Strategic Position 4 2.1Internal Audit 4 2.1.1Strategic Capabilities 5 2.1.2VRIN ANALYSIS 6 2.1.3Value Chain 8 2.2External Audit 9 2.2.1PESTEL Analysis 10 2.2.2The Five Forces Analysis 12 2.3SWOT Analysis 15 2.3.1TOWS Matrix 16 3.Conclusion and Recommenda tion 17 1. Introduction Volkswagen is a manufacturer of automobiles originating from Germany; its global presence as an automaker extends to various parts of the world henceforth, contributing towards its ranking as the 14th largest company in the world (Forbes 2013). Volkswagen Group’s mission is to act as a responsible business and maximize the benefits that it wishes to offer to its customers. By promoting the concepts of sustainability and social responsibility the company aims to be the leader in the automotive industry by the year 2018. In order to achieve its objective the company has designed a group strategy to enhance its positioning within the market. This strategy extends to all realms of Volkswagen Group’s operations, such as sales and human resources. The company aims to augment its sales per unit to an impressive 10 million automobiles per annum and also boost its pre-tax profit margin to 8% (Volkswagen 2011). An analysis of the company’s external and internal environment and factors is imperative to assisting goal achievement. Therefore, for the purposes of this report these factors are discussed at length in the context of Volkswagen Group. 2. Analysis of Strategic Position 2.1 Internal Audit Volkswagen believes in implementing a responsible and accountable risk management framework, in order to ensure that its future activities and business operations are not adversely impacted by unforeseeable changes in the company’s external environment (Volkswagen 2007). For the purposes of tackling with the unpredictable situation of the industry, the Group Internal Audit holds the responsibility of reviewing and evaluating the risk management measures of the organization. This process of revision is governed by auditors who conduct comprehensive interviews with the management to assess the satisfactoriness of the conclusions with regards to risk management (Volkswagen 2007). The overall internal audit of the company conforms to the KonTraG, while, specific audits are conducted by German financial regulatory agency, BaFin to evaluate the financial department of Volkswagen (Volkswagen 2007). According to the Volkswagen Annual Report (2007), with regards to the governance of procedures related to the controlling function of management all rules, regulations and procedures presiding over the activities within the company are updated online; the Group Interna

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 39

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example Formative evaluation can be used to provide feedback for learning and consequently serve as the basis for improvements (Duers and Brown, 2009) and should therefore be conducted as the project progresses. I concur that summative evaluation is conducted at the end of an instructional unit (Duers and Brown, 2009) and can thus be conducted at the end of your practicum project. McKimm and Swanwick (2009) posits that objectives outlines what the student seeks to achieve at the end of a project. In this regard, I agree with your objectives in achieving your goal. Your objectives clearly shows what you will achieve at the end of the practicum project. For instance, you assert that you will be able to present findings to the executive system board for approval at the end of your project. I also concur with the other aspects of your discussion such as your methodology and evaluation plan. Your choice to utilize PFCC as your methodology will help achieve the projected outcomes based on findings from other methodical investigations, thus I agree with your methodology. It is only through formative and summative approaches to evaluation that you will be able to get feedback from your colleagues and also at the end of your project (Duers and Brown, 2009). In this respect, I agree with your evaluation

Hamlet - Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Shakespeare Essay Hamlet is a moral avenger in a corrupt and unjust world. He is the only person who questions the moral atmosphere of Denmark but is driven to act irritationally because of the distress placed on him by the world. Hamlet struggles with his duty to his father, his disillusionment with himself, his revenge on Claudius, his mother’s sudden remarriage, the purpose of the ghost and the corrupt nature of Denmark. By not informing the audience of the intentions of the ghost, Shakespeare keeps them engaged by creating disillusionment through Hamlet’s struggle for the truth. Furthermore, Shakespeare continues to engage audiences by presenting ideas of duty and corruption which are shown largely through the characterization of Hamlet. Hamlet struggles with his thoughts and feelings. The degree to which his alienation and melancholy signalled in his behaviour varies from production to production due to his father’s death. ‘O that this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew, or that the everlasting had not fixed his canon ’gainst self-slaughter. O God, God, how weary, stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! (Act 1 Scene 2). This quotation is Hamlet’s first soliloquy which signifies his first thoughts about suicide and how the world seems â€Å"weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable†. It conveys that he sees the world as a neglected garden grown foul. It also uses extended metaphor to articulate his strong desire to rest in peace. In other words, Hamlet finds suicide a desirable alternative to life in a painful world but this option is closed to him because it is forbidden by religion. Hamlet exposes the range of his depression: weariness, despair, grief, anger, nausea, loathing and disgust, resignation. The importance of this soliloquy lies in its establishing of Hamlet’s personality and revealing his mental condition. It presents Hamlet’s struggle for life and the disillusionment he feels towards the world. Through this, the audience therefore gain a closer relationship with Hamlet, and are absorbed by him because they are able to resonate with his circumstances, as he is faced with enduring truths of the human condition. Hamlet’s disillusionment with himself is largely driven by the disgust towards his mother’s sudden remarriage. In Act 1 Scene 2, Hamlet is dressed in black, signifying grief for his dead father. His appearance contrasts strikingly with the costumes and attitudes of the courtiers celebrating the wedding of Claudius and Gertrude. In this soliloquy, Hamlet describes his intense disgust at his mother’s second marriage to his despised uncle so soon after his father’s death. ‘Hyperion to a Satyr†¦those shoes were old with which she following my poor father’s body’ (Act 1 Scene 2). He describes the haste of their marriage through irony, noting that the shoes his mother wore to his father’s funeral were not worn out before her marriage to Claudius. The technique metaphor and juxtaposition are used to recall his dead father as infinitely superior to Claudius (his father was â€Å"so excellent a king†, a â€Å"Hyperion† which is the sun god; while Claudius is a bestial â€Å"satyr†, a lecherous creature, half-man, half-goat). He recalls how tenderly and protectively his father loved his mother, and how passionately she loved him. Hamlet condemns the marriage and struggle to accept that his mother betrayed his father but sorrowfully vows silence. Here, the audience is engaged through a deep understanding of Hamlet’s emotional feelings and the circumstances of betrayal in a relationship. Hamlet’s struggle for the truth of the Ghost’s intentions engages audiences with many possible interpretations that follow. In Act 1 Scene 4, Hamlet’s meditation on human nature is interrupted by the appearance of the Ghost. He sees it as ‘a questionable shape’, and the question it poses for him will haunt him for much of the play: is it good or evil? Hamlet’s uncertainty whether the Ghost is an agent of God or the Devil is expressed in three vivid antitheses and three rhetorical questions: â€Å"Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned, bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, by thy intents wicked or charitable†¦say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we do? † (Act 1 Scene 4). The Ghost claims he is the spirit of Hamlet’s father and orders him to revenge his murder. In Shakespeare’s time, revenge was forbidden by state and Church alike. The Church considered revenge as a sin for which the revenger’s soul was damned, condemning him to suffer everlasting torments after death. Therefore, the Ghost is seen by audiences as a devilish spirit sent to tempt Hamlet into an action that will result in his suffering for eternity. Here, audiences are engaged through Shakespeare’s dramatic treatment of Hamlet’s struggle for the truth and his disillusionment with the Ghost. Hamlet is hungry for revenge, but unsure if he knows the truth. His thoughts, emotions, and desire for action struggle with each other. In the soliloquy of Act 4 Scene 4, triggered by Fortinbra’s ruthlessness, Hamlet begins to realise his excessive over-thinking. It dawns upon him that he had been thinking too much and acting too little. ‘Now, whether it be bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on th’event†¦I do not know why yet I live to say this thing’s to do, sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means to do’t’. Due to his delays in action, Hamlet criticizes himself as a coward, with insults in the soliloquy ‘O what rogue and peasant slave am I! why, what am I! ’ (Act 2 Scene 2). Hamlet is self-abusive in his expressions and shows deep depression through the comparison of himself to the lowest and most worthless thing he can think of. Hamlet himself is more prone to â€Å"apprehension† than to â€Å"action†, which is why he delays so long before seeking his revenge on Claudius. Hamlet’s struggle to take action builds the climax throughout the play and keeps audiences engaged with the many questions and interpretations that follow from his indecisive and uncertainties to bring action upon his duty to his father. Hamlet is polarised due to his disillusionment with the corrupt state of Denmark. Denmark is frequently described as a physical body made ill by the moral corruption of Claudius and Gertrude, and many observers interpret the presence of the ghost as a supernatural omen indicating that ‘something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ (Act 1 Scene 4). This personification indicates that King Claudius is what is â€Å"rotten† in Denmark. The line spoken by Marcellus help create the sense of corruption that will grow increasingly throughout the play. He expresses disgust at the physical corruption that follows death in the metaphor ‘Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay,/ might stop a hole, to keep the wind away’ (Act 4 Scene 1). As Hamlet surveys the rather pathetic remains of Yorik, he realizes that even a praised man like Caesar has by now become a bit of clay that may be used to patch a lowly farmhouse wall. Like the body of a king going through the guts of a beggar, as part of the naturalness of the cycle of death, he presents the idea that the body of man is part of the earth and goes back to earth. Hamlet becomes especially concerned with the meaning of existence in addition to that of those around him, and he finds it difficult to reason what may become of him after his worldly life. He questions whether man’s spirit is important and after all, does the legacy people leave behind really matter when they’re dead? Consequently, Hamlet hesitates to take action upon his revenge on Claudius and struggles to find an answer to the questions he consistently asks himself. Here, audiences are presented a rather detached view of events that continues to engage them through the dramatic treatment of struggle and disillusionment of Hamlet. In conclusion, it is clear that Hamlet’s life contains many minor problems that make up the big problem. The Ghost of his father appearing to him is what began Hamlet’s morality and excessive thought. Thus, melancholia causes Hamlet a lot of grief and struggle to remain alive in this ambiguous world. Hamlet questions his own nobility, and deciding that he must die to be noble is a contributing factor in Hamlet’s lack of haste in murdering Claudius. Further, the internal struggle between contemplation and action, as well as the struggle to accept human mortality itself represents the audiences’ own struggle to comprehend the nature of tragedy. His struggle with uncertainty and the conflict that emerges between fate and freewill have a universal relevance as they continue to be key existential concerns, which strike a chord with contemporary audiences.

Human Resource Information System In Pharmaceutical Industry Information Technology Essay

Human Resource Information System In Pharmaceutical Industry Information Technology Essay This paper generates propositions analyzing the association between Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and the reliance, pharmaceutical industry places in the technology and models the effect of those associations on HRIS implementation success. It gives information about the human resource management at different levels and how the information technology is used in human resource department to fulfill all its functions with ease. It also gives information about the aspects that help in effective and optimal use of Human Resource Management system and effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT. It gives the idea of the uses of different modules of HRMS and other software related to Human resource management. It says about the margins of error and the performance level of current HRMS. It provides with the clues about the challenges faced by most of the pharmaceutical companies in which HRMS assists them to successfully deal with it. It enlightens the pros cons and the outcomes of usage of human resource information system used in pharmaceutical industries. This system adds value to the Human Resource functions but also changes the competencies that define the winning of human resource professionals. This paper also generates the importance of HRIS in Novartis International AG. It also explains its various challenges while implementing the system in the company. Introduction The main use of technology advancement in the corporate has driven the change of means, needs and styles of working. When advanced work effectiveness and output, falling in line with time management agendas and devotion to punctuality guidelines, there are more profits to employees effectively, and best utilization of available resources and a successful deal with corporate. The term, Human Resource Management System (HRMS) or Human Resource Information System (HRIS), matches to all the features in the business system. HRMS is the procedure engaged by the combination of better ways of technological development with conventional ways of the human resource mode of functioning. A Human Resource Management System or Human Resource Information System (HRIS) or HR system is the systems and processes between human resource management (HRM) and information technology (IT). HRM is a discipline which blends its basic HR functions and processes with the information technology. HRMS software was provided by the PeopleSoft.Inc. Earlier, most of the administrative jobs constituted tiresome practice of manual paperwork like determining payroll, tracing data, conserving the collection of database, maintaining and evaluating productivity records, keeping employee personal information, addressing issues and resolving conflicts and scrutinizing employee welfare schemes have now become a simple, time-saving and cost-saving process. There are other functions such as monitoring and retrieving periodic employee performance, planning, controlling and coordinating activities, organizing tables, figures and statistics and evaluating them. This technology is used as a device to make the work environment simple, standardized and user-friendly. Importance of Information System to HR Better safety Better service Competitive Advantage Fewer Errors Greater Accuracy Improved Communication Increased Efficiency Increased Productivity More efficient administration More opportunities Reduced labor requirements Reduced costs Superior managerial decision making Superior control The Human Resources Department needed more management-level information and support to encounter all the expectations. These practices have now begun to branch into the different trends that makeup many organizations today. The huge part of human resources is now E-business. Many companies have implemented a web-based system known as the Oracle Human Resources Management System which helps data access through centralized core HRMS system, enabling companies to control and measure their workforce potentials and allows them to manage risk by recording and monitoring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and industry requirements relating to their employees. The stronger use of technology has allowed HRM professionals to invest more time in counselling, selecting, and coaching managers and front-line supervisors. History of HRIS 1950s virtually non-existent 1960s only a select few 1970s greater need 1980s HRIS a reality in many organizations 1990s Numerous vendors, specialties Aspects helping in effective and optimum use of HRIS HRIS is useful for the employees according to their needs. It can be accessible by adding or modifying the modules and also by offering different facilities to them. Also, HRMS is The best means by which the employees of different departments within the company can communicate. It gives information to support and analyze the companys continuous development. It establishes the level of knowledge which is helpful for upgrading the process and research-based practices. It creates the companys planning agenda and defines its decision making process. It Verifies validates the companys mission statement. Effectiveness in integrating the HR activities with IT To prevent from moderating data and viewing information, a role based security is designed. To make the functionalities easy, various functional roles are available which provides ways of data recording, forwarding, reporting and authorizing. It helps to record and view information for different plant, locations, department and employee. HRIS have different segments categorized as modules like payroll module, HR management module, training module, employee self-service module, etc. The maintenance work consumes less effort due to its different way of designing. Uses of different modules There are different types of HR modules in Human Resource Information System, and they are as follows: Payroll module: This module mechanizes the pay process and calculates different deductions and taxes, by gathering information on employee presence and their work timings. It helps to generate periodic pay checks and employee tax reports. For calculating automatic deposit and manual checks, data is generally available from the human resource department. It contains all employee-related dealings as well as all the information is combined with financial management systems. Benefits administration module: Employee benefits programs such as encompass insurance, compensation, profit sharing and retirement of the employees are being tracked and managed by this system for the organizations. HR management module: This module covers different aspects from application to retirement. All the basic information of the employees such as their demographics, address data, selection, training and development, capabilities, skills, compensation records and other functions are recorded with the help of this module. This module helps the system to offer the facility to read applications and enter appropriate data to specific database fields, informs employers and helps to provide position management and control which are not in use. Human resource management systems work is mainly the job placement, recruitment, training, compensation, evaluation and developments of the people working in the company. Mainly, industries use computer based information systems to create pay checks and payroll results; to maintain personnel records and information of the employees; and training and developing the employees. ATS module: Nowadays, online recruiting has become very popular as the key method of employment by the human resource department. This helps in gathering potential and eligible candidates for the available positions in a company. ATS module generally helps in the following ways: It investigates personnel usage in a company ; recognizes potential applicants for the available positions; It helps in recruiting through company-facing entries; It provides help in hiring through online recruiting sites or publications which is marketed to both recruiters and applicants. Training module: It offers the system for the companies to help in managing and tracking employee training and growth efforts. This system is generally known as a Learning Management System and it is a stand-alone, that permits the HR to track all the information of the employees regarding their education, qualifications and skills, as well as recording their training courses ,books, CDs, etc. whichever are available to improve their skills in different areas. Thereafter the employees are registered for the appropriate courses which are offered at a particular dates with specific sessions, with delegates and training resources by which they are being recorded and managed within the same system. The learning management system helps the managers in approving training, budgeting and arranging together with performance management and appraisal metrics. Employee Self-Service module: This module is useful for the employees of the companies to ask question to the human resource about HR related information. They can also perform HR transactions through the system such as querying about their attendance records from the system without asking the HR personnel. This module also provides service to let the upper managers approve overtime requests from their subordinates without disturbing the functions of HR department. Benefits to the Employees The ways in which employees can be benefited by the HRMS are as follows: Identification of employees key skills for retention excellence. Automated and precise performance appraisals promote healthy relations. Expedite employees recruiting process. Multitude data pulling from single entry can cut in various reports. Helps building a successful environment where employees strive to perform well and exceeding their goals. A collegial flexible work place, Employee input in to how the work gets done, trust in senior management and lack of hierarchy flexible work arrangement. Web-based management system can streamline improvement plans by collaborating creation, implementation and monitoring phases. Help manage workforce and resources. Focuses and aligns staff development and resources. The margins of error The margin of error for the HRIS system is very minimal. The HRIS system maintains and updates its form of modifications or additions of HR modules on a regular basis. The performance level of this system is ideal. Unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses HRMS effectively The HRMS system, implemented in various pharmaceutical companies, is highly sophisticated and provided with latest versions. Consultants who are expertise in making the software, seeks suggestions and advice on the implementation of the HRIS software in their own company. All the pharmaceutical companies customize its HRIS as per the needs and requirements of the personnel and staff. The unique areas where the pharmaceutical company uses the HRMS effectively are: It contains all the personal information of the employees such as their training, experience, education, leave, job description, pay description at a single point of access. All the information about the leave allocation and movement can be easily drawn with the help of it. It helps in searching appropriate applicants for the available vacancies and in the interviewing process. It is also helpful in managing the insurance of the employees easily. It is important for the growth of the employees which are under their respective training given for their skill development. It is helpful in development of the employees performance appraisal system. It is also helpful in managing all the policy documents at a single source depository. It is also used to do online survey about the companys environment by the employees. By the help of this software, an employee gets the benefit of suggesting any useful advice for the companys well-being. It facilitates with an extra benefit to the employee by notifying about the urgent and critical notices or important messages from a single point. It gives an access to collect opinions easily, fast and with security and confidentiality companywide. It can be used as a budget allocation and consumption tool. The long term benefits The HRMS software is a customized tool and due to this reason, it had very high level of flexibility and the company gets the advantage of adding more features and HR modules according to their specific needs of the management and employees. This provides the company to communicate the employees with their respective departments even better day-by-day. Recently online HRMS newsletter is introduced which enables the employees to share news and information. Through this, it is involving the employees to participate in sharing and gaining knowledge and capabilities with the other departments of the company. Reasons why HRIS fails sometimes Unclear goals/objectives System solves the wrong problem Improper vendor/product selection Low user involvement Planning overlooks impact on clerical procedures Lack of HR/functional expertise in designing Underestimate conversion effort Management- unrealistic expectations Lack of overall plan for record management Lack of flexibility and adaptability Misinterpret HR specifications Poor communication between HR/IS Inadequate testing The HRIS software is sold by different vendors. Some of the contacts of the vendors are PeopleSoft, Oracle HR Applications, Ascentis Software, Eric Systems Inc., Infinium, and Spectrum. Novartis international AG case Now, lets take the case analysis of Novartis International AG. It is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland with 140 branches worldwide. Around 100,000 associates work in this company. This company manufactures drugs such as diclofenac, carbamazepine, letrozole, methylphenidate, etc. There were various issues that Novartis faced regarding its Human Resource System. Some of the issues are as follows: Significant priority of the company was to implement a firm wide HRIS that would convert many of transaction-based HR core processes to an internet-based system. HRIS project was an integral part of Novartis long term strategy for improving overall HR service delivery to the organization that would result in a full HR transformation. A gap in the infrastructure priority was the lack of a global HR information system. Managers in the company were unable to figure out quickly how many HR associates were working at Novartis. Lack of number of associates within the company to fill the leadership position. The existing IT systems within Novartis were not up to mark. Centralization or standardization of HR data. No consistent standards. No consolidated database. Difficult in supporting in the businesses in identifying, moving, and tracking talent. Multiple fragmented systems. Exposure for many small vendors with non-integrated niche application. Exposure to legal/regulatory non-compliance. Employees are feeling stretched because of initial post-merger integration. The top internal issue is little centralization or standardization of HR data. The company operated in 140 different countries. Due to lack of HRIS in the company, the company has many loop holes such as no consistent standards, no consolidated database, and no ability to provide data in form to reflect their matrix structure whereas has difficulty in supporting the business in identifying, moving and tracking talent etc. So, with the implementation of new HRIS, the company will be able to solve the problem easily and allow the managers and HR professionals to respond to the business challenges. The top external issue is the Shifting of HR role from functional expert and transaction processor to strategic partner and change agent. The implementation of HRIS system will enable the HR transformation. It will cut down most of the administrative activities of the HR managers leading to be an evolution of the basic role of HR in the company. There will be requirement of more skilled and professional HR associates who can act as a strategic business partner and change agent. Major challenges faced by Novartis in implementation of the HRIS: 1. The HRIS effort represented a major transformation in the fundamental role and responsibilities of the HR function within Novartis. 2. The new system changed the relationships of HR professionals with their business partners. 3. HR associates expected to play a more strategic, consultative role to the business. 4. Technical challenges for system implementation such as web enabling, SAP R/3 -a core transaction processing system, SAP business warehouse (BW), an enterprise HR portal solution etc. Competencies needed by the HR professionals at Novartis for using HRIS The HR professionals at Novartis should have more human resource knowledge; understand their business and its language. They must have expertise in staffing, development, compensation, etc. They must be able to deliver innovative HR practices that add value to the company. HR professionals need to be effective, able to detect trends and early signals and initiate flexibility in fast changing environment. With implementation of HRIS, the HR professionals have to be a technology expert to deliver services to employees and help them to understand the new system. They must be proficient in using technology to collect data and producing it more strategically valuable information. Hence, HRIS is very essential in the companies all over the world providing better safety, competitive advantage, fewer errors, greater accuracy, improved communication, increased efficiency and productivity and reduced labor requirements.

Essay on Language in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness -- Heart Darkne

Use of Language in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad is a story that connects the audience to the narrator’s senses.   We come to understand the environment, the setting, the other charters, and Kurtz strictly from the narrator’s point-of-view, as he experiences things. We are locked out of Conrad’s (the narrator in this case) world, allowed to feel only what he let’s us, see the savages as he does, through his eyes, feel with his body.   We are not able to see how the world views him.   Is he seen as superior, a drone, a sailor?   His dreamlike consciousness navigates us, the readers, down the river as if we are a part of the flow of things, ripples in the water, patches of the darkness. Conrad uses language to paint images in our minds.   He poignantly uses metaphors like, â€Å"In exterior he resembled a butcher in a poor neighborhood† (57) to animate those images, allow them to breath a bit. His choice of words and word combinations, his poetic tone,   and suave style and smooth transitions craft a sensual experience.   He is on the surface talking about the exploration of man in Africa with all of its physical and moral dilemma, and yet the underbelly is the interior of man, an endeavor to touch the reader at his core.   â€Å"Each station should be like a beacon on the road towards better things, a center for trade of course, but also for humanizing, improving, instructing.† (104)   When Conrad says that the â€Å"germs of empires† floated into man’s head , ebbing down the river into the mystery of an unknown earth, his metaphors appeal emotionally to something serious, a commentary on the heart of man. (67) Our senses are serenely assaulted with tastes and surfaces, sounds and images.   The â€Å"tremo... ...their hands, like alot of   faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence.   The   word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was   whispered, was sighed.   You would think they were praying to it.   A taint of imbecile   rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse.  Ã‚   By Jove!   I’ve never seen   anything so unreal in my life.   And outside the silent wilderness surrounding this clear   speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting   patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion. Works Cited and Consulted Conrad, Joseph.   Heart of Darkness.   New York:   Bantam Books, 1981. Ross, Mark.   â€Å"The Roots of Darkness.†Ã‚   1997.  http://members.aol.com/mark13/html>   (9 February 1998) Ross, Mark.   â€Å"The Roots of   Racism.†Ã‚   1997.    (9 February 1998)

Husband Battering Essay -- essays research papers

Husband Battering: A Serious Problem Billboards, radio, and TVads across the country proclaim that â€Å"every fifteen seconds a women is beatenby a man.† Violence against women is clearly a problem of national importance,but has anyone ever asked how often men are beaten by women? The unfortunatefact is that men are the victims of domestic violence at least as often aswomen are. While the very idea of men being beaten by their wives runs contraryto many of our deeply ingrained beliefs about men and women, female violenceagainst men is a well-documented phenomenon almost completely ignored by boththe media and society. The first reaction uponhearing about the topic of battered men, for many people, is that of incredulity.Battered husbands are almost a topic for jokes - such as the cartoon image of awoman chasing her husband with a rolling pin. One researcher noted that wiveswere the perpetrators in 73% of the depiction of domestic violence in newspapercomics (Gelles 1974). Battered husbands have historically been eitherignored or subjected to ridicule and abuse. In 18th-century France, a batteredhusband "was made to wear an outlandish outfit and ride backwards aroundthe village on a donkey" (Langley & Levy 1977). Even those of us wholike to consider ourselves liberated and open-minded often have a difficulttime even imagining that husband battering could take place. Although feminismhas opened many of our eyes about the existence of domestic violence, and newspaperreports often include incidents of abuse of wives, the abuse of husbands is ararely discussed phenomenon. One reason researchers andothers had not chosen to investigate husband battering is because it wasthought to be a fairly rare occurrence. Police reports seemed to bear this out,with in some cases a ratio of 12 to 14.5 female victims to every one malevictim. But another reason is that because women were seen as weaker and morehelpless than men due to sex roles, and men on the other hand were seen as moresturdy and self-reliant, the study of abused husbands seemed relativelyunimportant (Steinmetz 1978). In 1974, a study was done which compared male andfemale domestic violence. In that study, it was found that 47% of husbands hadused physical violence on their wives, and 33% of wives had used violence ontheir husbands (Gelles 1974). Half of the respondents in... ...involves denying thatwomen are victims. Women’s groups that help battered women could also helpbattered men, while men’s groups that counsel abusive men could make theirexpertise available to violent women as well. Continuing to portrayspousal violence solely as a women’s issue is not only wrong – it’s alsocounterproductive. And encouraging such unnecessary fragmentation anddivisiveness will ultimately do more harm than good. No one has, or shouldhave, a control on pain and suffering. But until society as a whole confrontsit’s deeply embedded stereotypes and recognizes all the victims of domesticviolence, we will never be able to solve the problem. Domestic violence is aneither a male or a female issue – it’s simply a human issue. References Farrell, W. (1986). Why men are the way they are.New York: McGraw-Hill. Gelles, R. (1974). The violent home: a study ofphysical aggression between husbands and wives. Beverly Hills: Sage. Langley, R., Levy, R. (1977). Wife beating: thesilent crisis. New York: Pocket Books. Mercy, J., Saltzman, L. (1989, May) â€Å"Fatal violenceamong spouses in the United States, 1976-85† American Journal of Public Health,79, 595-599.

Aphasia :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Aphasia In this world, humans and animals alike have come to communicate by using various mechanisms. Humans have advanced themselves beyond other organisms by using language, or a set of codes and symbols, in order to express themselves to others. Language has brought about a means to create new thoughts, to explore, and to analyze our everyday surroundings. It has also enabled us to retain past memories and to look deep into the advances for the future. However, for some individuals, this tool for communication has been plagued by a language and speech disorders, such as aphasia. Aphasia is the loss of the ability to speak or understand speech or written language. It is often detected at an early age, and contributes to the general class of speech and language disorders affecting "5% of school aged children" (1) . Aphasia is classified into three categories. The main two are receptive or sensory aphasia and expressive or motor aphasia. Receptive aphasia affects the input side and "the abil ity to understand spoken or written language may be partially or totally lost" (1) . Those with expressive aphasia "can speak but not find certain words or names, or may be totally unable to communicate verbally or by writing" (1) . For a majority of affected individuals, there is a combination of the two. The third type is conduction aphasia. This "involves disruption of transmission between the sensory and motor ends of the circuit" (1) . Here, individuals are able to produce speech despite the lack of connections to the input side. It seems that the ability to speak has a lot to do with your surroundings and how much emphasis was placed on developing this skill during the first few years after birth. Afterall, it's known that the first few years are critical because this is the time when the brain is "plastic" and is rapidly changing and being molded. By the time that adolescence is reached, the brain has become "less plastic". In this paper, I would like to explore theories prop osed to try to understand the origins of this impairment. Ongoing research has tried to pinpoint exact reasons as to why there is speech impairment for those with aphasia and other language disorders. Most theories suggest genetic and environmental implications. Is the speech disability some sort of defect from within the brain, or does the disability develop as a result of influence from your surroundings and lack of nurture from others?

Marketing Analysis of Vinegar in Hengshun Company

The No. 3 of Arts building Zhejiang University City College 51 Huzhou Road 1 December 2011 Professor Min He Teacher of Consumer Behavior 51 Huzhou Road Dear Professor He Attached is the report you requested on 1 December analyzing the marketing situation of XIANGFEI vinegar in HENGSHUN Company. The report mainly includes market analysis, market strategy, SWOT analysis and recommendations of XIANGFEI Vinegar in HENGSHUN Company. Recommendations are made that, if implemented as soon as possible, should make it better. Preparing the report has been challenging and most worthwhile.I will be available if you have any queries or wish to discuss any part of the report in more detail. Yours sincerely Student in CB Class A REPORT OF THE MARKETING ANALYSIS OF VINEGAR IN HENGSHUN COMPANY AS AT DECEMBER 2011 Prepared for: Professor Min He Teacher of CB Zhejiang University City College Prepared by: Student in CB Class Date of submission: 12 December 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Item Summary iv 1. INTRO DUCTION 1. 1 Authorization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 1. 2 Aim of Report†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 1. Scope†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 2. 0 BACKGROUND 2. 1 Company Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 2. 2 Consumer Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 2. 3 Competitor Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 2. 4 Condition Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 3. 0 ANALYSIS 3. 1 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 3. 2 4Ps Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 4. 0 PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4. 1 Marketing Plan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 4. Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 5. 0 CONCLUSIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 List of References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Summary This report was commissioned by Professor Min He to analyze the marketing situation of XIANGFEI vinegar in HENGSHUN Company. The report focuses on these aspects: market analysis, market strategy, SWOT analysis. By analyzing these, a market plan should be made. As financial crisis is going on, the companies in all aspects suffered a decrease in their busin ess. After analyzing the background of HENGSHUN, it is clearly to know the conditions of company.HENGSHUN Company registered capital is 127. 15 million Yuan. Stock price is $7. 1 per share. New total share capital is 127. 15 million shares. Annual sales are more than 1. 1 billion. By August 2011, the company's total assets are 3. 28 billion. What’s more, HENGSHUN become the first listed company in 2001, and this company developed much faster than before. From the selected information, its product sales grew over 20% between July and August in 2011, and the estimated growth rate of this year will more than 25%. In 2009, the operating income of HENGSHUN Company is 1. 74 billion Yuan, and the growth is over 68. 09%; the company earned 40,440,000 in the same period, and doubled compared to prior to listing performance. The company is committed to extending modern new spices and vinegar products research. At the same time, relying on the century brand, the company has implemented Trans – regional development at Chongqing, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and other places, where established the condiment production base. At present, HENGSHUN Vinegar has been developed from a traditional sauce vinegar manufacturer into the largest and most modern vinegar production enterprises.The company mainly produces vinegar, soy sauce, pickles, rice wine and other traditional and modern brewing condiment, deferred compound condiments, vinegar manufacture and sale of health products . And the company's new product development in line is based on the dominant market, orienting to consumer demand and the purpose is to improve the level of consumer health. The company also did the market segmentation and established development direction . It adheres to the † customer first â€Å"and implementing tracking services to speed up the popularization and application.What’s more, by the use of 4Ps analysis, it is easy to explain the present circumstance of HENGSHUN Compan y. So did the SWOT analysis. Then, making an advertisement video is for the aim to propagate the brand awareness of HENGSHUN Company. Recommendations have been made that, if implemented, should give HENGSHUN Company a better market plan and strategies. These include: build its own famous brand with the authority of government; using the statues of stars and experts, ask them to endorse the products of HENGSHUN Company; setting a goal as green brand. . 0 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Authorisation Professor Min He, teacher of class CB, requested this report on 1 December 2011 1. 2 Aim of Report The purpose of this report is to provide an report of the marketing analysis of XIANGFEI Vinegar in HENGSHUN Company. It aims to suggest recommendations to promote the XIANGFEI Vinegar in a better way. 1. 3 Scope The report will introduce the background of HENGSHUN Company and the XIANGFEI Vinegar. And the next is analyzing the competitors to HENGSHUN Company, such as DONGHU vinegar Company and SHUITA Com pany.Also the following is to describe the market segment. Next, the positioning strategy and promotional mix and how they will be applied in the marketing will be mentioned. Finally, the advertisement plan and some recommendations for this vinegar will be demonstrated. 2. 0 BACKGROUND 2. 1 Company Background First comes the financial condition:The registered capital of HENGSHUN Company is 127. 15 million Yuan. Its stock price is $7. 1 per share. Annual sales are more than 1. 1 billion. By August 2011, the company's total assets are 3. 28 billion.Then following are the general managerial skills. The company is committed to extending modern new spices and vinegar products research. At the same time, relying on the century brand, the company has implemented Trans – regional development at Chongqing, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and other places, where established the condiment production base. Based on the inheritance of ancient brewing techniques, the company boldly introduced moder n high- tech and advanced management experience and invested in the new city of Dantu in â€Å"HENGSHUN industrial park â€Å".Following is the production capabilities. At present, HENGSHUN Vinegar has been developed from a traditional sauce vinegar manufacturer into the largest and most modern vinegar production enterprises. The company mainly product vinegar, soy sauce, pickles, rice wine and other traditional and modern brewing condiment ,deferred compound condiments, vinegar manufacture and sale of health products . Its investment involves biological health, real estate, packaging industry and commerce retail. At last follows something about its reputation.Jiangsu HENGSHUN Vinegar Industry Company was founded in 1840, the DAOGUANG of the Qing Dynasty as â€Å"old China† business. HENGSHUN product has won international gold medal for 5 times, also 3 times for national quality award, the national geographical indication products and the brand – name product in Chin a. 2. 2 Consumer Background According to our investigation, its current consumer is mainly housewives, and the potential consumers maybe are the husbands and the aged. As a condiment, housewives are the main consumers who usually do the cooking in the family.Since it is a kind of fruit vinegar, it has a lot of functions to prevent diseases and keep healthy. It can restrain and reduce the formation of the aging oxide in human body, so as to achieve anti-aging and make skin smooth. Another function: Promote the body's metabolism, remove fatigue, relieving alcoholism, lose weight clear bowel. Another function: Softening vessels, reducing blood fat and cholesterol. This is suitable for the aged. A specific questionnaire has been designed to understand the needs of the customers. Then depending on the research, it is lear to decide marketing contents. 2. 3 Competitor Background According to lan Gordon (2002): ‘a company should look two ways—at the individual customers it has chosen and the specific competitors it intends to beat. As to HENGSHUN, Vinegar business in Shanxi province is the biggest competitor. The old vinegar in Shanxi already has a more than 1000 years history. And among the four famous vinegar companies, it still is in the top. As the news reported, Shanxi old vinegar has occupied 10% of the marketing. DONGHU Vinegar Company is a major sale company of the Shanxi old vinegar group co. td. Because of the high brand awareness, DONGHU has become the main and strong competitor of HENGSHUN. But also because of being as the place of origin, DONGHU was treated as a going-down company, so it give more chances for HENGSHUN to reaching its goal. According to the news on the economics of Shanxi Daily, due to the depressiveness in the vinegar marketing, the shares of sale will not increase rapidly, but with the promotion of consumption, HENGSHUN has a high possibility to raise their sale occupation relying on its high brand awareness. (Shanxi vinega r: fighting for honor. http://www. aynews. com. cn/sxjjrb/122745. html) 4. Condition Background Firstly, the economic condition will be analyzed. In recent years, Chinese economic strength becomes stronger and people's living level improves, so people began to pursue the high-quality life. Of course, the average price of HENGSHUN’s vinegar is higher than competitors’, but the taste and quality is better than others. Because Chinese persons’ financial burden released, people prefer to use better vinegar which is more health and tasty. HENGSHUN became the first listed company in 2001, and this company developed very fast.Product sales grew over 20% between July and August in 2011, and the estimated growth rate of this year will more than 25%. HENGSHUN Company invested in real estate development, which brought their profit and challenge. Then is the political condition Zhenjiang HENGSHUN’s vinegar brewing techniques has been protected and appreciated by Chin ese government. According to China’s State Council announced in 2006, Zhenjiang HENGSHUN’s vinegar brewing techniques has been included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage, which s the food industry in Jiangsu Province, and it is also the only selected traditional craftsmanship. As for the culture condition, HENGSHUN’s vinegar is a famous and outstanding brand of Zhenjiang vinegar. HENGSHUN Company carries forward Chinese traditional food culture and revives national industry. In the same time, HENGSHUN absorbs the advanced science and technology to promote industrial updating. 3. 0 ANALYSIS 3. 1 SWOT Analysis ‘SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in business venture.In involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. ‘ ( Xing 2009,p. 50) 1. Strength: HENGSHUN Company is a listed company. It has a higher awareness of its brand, and because of its stocks, more and more people will pay attention to its trend of development. 2. Weakness: Because of its creation date, it is much later than the vinegar business in Shanxi Province. So many the aged prefer the long-history brand, such as DONGHU Company, SHUITA Company.And the price is higher than others, so some working class people would not choose this kind of vinegar. 3. Opportunity: As the development of IT and media, HENGSHUN will be known by more and more people. And, due to its use of high-technology, high and new quality of vinegar will be produced, like fruit vinegar, seafood vinegar. As Roininen, K (2001) points out, attitude scale that purely concentrate on its taste, and health in the food choices, 4. Threats: DONGHU Company has reproduced a new kind of vinegar.And lots of new vinegar company has founded recently. HENG SHUN will face more powerful company in the near future. And also because the instability of the stock markets, HENGSHUN’ stocks are in a embarrassed circumstance. 3. 2 4Ps Analysis As Kotler, P (2009, p. 48) points out, the marketing mix consists of everything the firms can do to influence the demand for its product. The many possibilities can be collected into four groups of variable known as the ‘ 4 Ps': product, price, place and promotion. And the 4Ps analysis is often used in the firm promotion period.As Glowa, T (2001) points out, understanding how consumers make complex choices is a critical component of market strategy. 1. Product: XIANGFEI vinegar is something like apple vinegar. Both of them are all used for the health or beauty reasons. As Garber, L & Starr, RG (2003, pp3-15) points out, the most important apple vinegar attributes for consumers are its taste and odour. So XIANGFEI vinegar in HENGSHUN Company just focuses on these two aspects. HENGSHUN Company is committed to extending modern new spices and vinegar products research.Based on the inheritance of ancient brewing techniques, the company boldly introduced modern high – tech and advanced management experience. The company mainly product vinegar, soy sauce, pickles, rice wine and other traditional and modern brewing condiment ,deferred compound condiments, vinegar manufacture and sale of health products. Its investment involves biological health, real estate, packaging industry and commerce retail. 2. Price: As far as we know, the vinegar prices of HENGSHUN Company are commonly acceptable. But in contrast to the other small brands, its price is a little higher.Especially, the XIANGFEI vinegar is much more expensive than others, due to its function in health protection and beauty. 3. Place: HENGSHUN Company was founded in Jiangsu Province, so its loyal consumers concentrate on the southern areas. Another reason is the northern people much more delighted with the old vineg ar in Shanxi Province. According to Don Hutson (2008): ‘As a salesperson, understand that the concept of place is complex. ’ So as for the sale area, it is an obvious significant problem waiting HENGSHUN to solve it. 4.Promotion: In terms of promotion, using a brief video is to do the advertisement for HENGSHUN Company. This video was separated into three parts. First is focusing on the function of health care. It can restrain and reduce the formation of the aging oxide in human body, so as to achieve anti-aging and make skin smooth. Second is to stress another function: Promote the body's metabolism, remove fatigue, relieving alcoholism, lose weight clear bowel. Lastly, the function of softening vessels, reducing blood fat and cholesterol have been mentioned. 4. 0 PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4. Marketing Plan Firstly, HENGSHUN Company should pay more attention on the product strategies. Develop the new technologies, as to the aspects of treatment, beauty, health, in order to change the vinegar image which is in consumers’ minds. As to the HENGSHUN’ image, it is also waiting to be changed. Second is the value pricing method, at the low level market with a low price but high quality products and services which is under the condition of reducing costs without sacrificing the quality. HENGSHUN should control its price at a acceptable range, so as to keep the loyal consumers.And this also can improve its brand loyalty. Thirdly, the company can do the promotion by carrying out all kinds of lectures to make consumers know the functions much better. And next is the sales strategies, nowadays, HENGSHUN must make full use of supermarkets. It must be sure that the products of HENGSHUN should be put at the conspicuous place. So it can attract more people and propagate its brand. 4. 2 Recommendations 1. Build its own famous brand with the authority of government. In the powerful government-decided society, the honor delivered by the government will give the sense of reliable.Relying on this, HENGSHUN Company can achieve much more than present. 2. Using the statues of stars and experts, ask them to endorse the products of HENGSHUN Company. It usually can work in a short time. 3. Setting a goal as green brand. Focus on the function of health and environment protection. Produce the new kind of vinegar so as to follow the trend of the modern society. 5. 0 CONCLUSIONS After analyzing all these aspects, the background of HENGSHUN Company has been know, included the financial condition, general managerial skills, production capabilities, reputation, and marketing skills. Similar essay: Reed Supermarkets: a New Wave of CompetitorsThen by using the 4Ps, its marketing circumstance in this environment has been investigated. Also relying on the SWOT analysis, it is helpful to discover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunity, and the threats which HENGSHUN Company will be faced in the near future. And at last, relying on a video, it is a useful skill to attract consumers. What’s more, some market plans and recommendations have been given to HENGSHUN Company for their better development. List of References Hawkins, Mothersbaugh, and Best , 2009, Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing strategy, 10th edition, china machine press, pp. 57 Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong , 2009, Principles of Marketing, 11th edition, Qinghua press, pp. 48 YQ Xing, 2009, Management ,2nd edition, High Education press, pp 48 Shanxi vinegar fighting for honor. ,viewed in 1 December, 2011, http://www. daynews. com. cn/sxjjrb/122745. html Hutson,D 2008 Sell value, not price, Acant hus Publishing, Boston Garber, Lawrence & Starr, RG (2003), Measuring consumer response to food products, Food Quality and Preference, vol. 14, pp3-15 Lan, G 2002, Competitor targeting, J.Wiley& Sons, Etobicoke Glowa, T (2001), Understanding how consumers make complex choices, http://www. glowa. ca/Understanding_consumer_behaviour. pdf Finance and economics, viewed in 3 December, 2011, http://finance. sina. com. cn/realstock/company/sh600305/nc. shtml Roininen, K (2001), Evaluation of food choice behavior: development and validation of health and taste attitude scales, Academic Dissertation, University of Helsinki, Department of Food Technology, http://ethesis. helsinki. fi/julkaisut/maa/elint/vk/roininen/evaluati. pdf

Marginal Costing

What is Marginal Costing? What are its features? What are the basic assumptions made by Marginal Costing? Marginal Costing is ascertainment of the marginal cost which varies directly with the volume of production by differentiating between fixed costs and variable costs and finally ascertaining its effect on profit. The basic assumptions made by marginal costing are following: – Total variable cost is directly proportion to the level of activity. However, variable cost per unit remains constant at all the levels of activities. – Per unit selling price remains constant at all levels of activities. All the items produced by the organisation are sold off. Features of Marginal costing: – It is a method of recoding costs and reporting profits. – It involves ascertaining marginal costs which is the difference of fixed cost and variable cost. – The operating costs are differentiated into fixed costs and variable costs. Semi variable costs are also divided in the individual components of fixed cost and variable cost. – Fixed costs which remain constant regardless of the volume of production do not find place in the product cost determination and inventory valuation. Fixed costs are treated as period charge and are written off to the profit and loss account in the period incurred. – Only variable costs are taken into consideration while computing the product cost. – Prices of products are based on variable cost only. – Marginal contribution decides the profitability of the products. What are the limitations of Marginal Costing? The limitations of Marginal Costing: – The classification of total costs into fixed and variable cost is difficult. – In this technique fixed costs are totally eliminated for the valuation of inventory of finished and semi-finished goods.Such elimination affects the profitability adversely. – In marginal costing historical data is used while management decisions a re related to future events. – It does not provide any standard for the evaluation of performance. – Selling price fixed on the basis of marginal cost will be useful only for short period of time. – Assessment of profitability on the marginal cost base can be used only in the short period of time. What is Cost Volume-Profit relationship? Cost Volume-Profit (CVP) relationship is an analysis which studies the relationships between the following factors and its impact on the amount of profits. Selling price per unit and total sales amount †¢ Total cost which may be in any form i. e. fixed cost or Variable cost. -Volume of sales In simple words, CVP is a management accounting tool that expresses relationship among total sales, total cost and profit. Cost Volume-Profit relationship is one of the important techniques of cost and management accounting. It is a powerful tool which furnishes the complete picture of the profit structure and helps in planning of profi ts. It can also answer what if type of questions by telling the volume required to produce.This concept is relevant in all decision making areas, particularly in the short run. Explain P/V ratio and Contribution. P/V Ratio: P/V Ratio (Profit Volume Ratio) is the ratio of contribution to sales which indicates the contribution earned with respect to one rupee of sales. It also measures the rate of change of profit due to change in volume of sales. Its fundamental property is that if per unit sales price and variable cost are constant then P/V Ratio will be constant at all the levels of activities. A change in fixed cost does not affect P/V Ratio. It is calculated as under: Contribution * 100) / Sales (Change in profits * 100) / (Change in sales) A high P/V Ratio indicates that a slight increase in sales without increase in fixed costs will result in higher profits. A low P/V ratio which indicates low profitability can be improved by increasing selling price, reducing marginal costs or selling products having high P/V ratio. Contribution: It is the difference between sales revenue and variable cost (also known as variable cost). Variable cost is the important cost in deciding profitability as fixed costs are ignored by marginal costing. It can be expressed in two ways: Sales Revenue – Variable Cost †¢ Fixed Cost + Profit The situation generating higher contribution is treated as a profitable situation. Explain Break Even Point. How does BEP help in making business decision? Break Even Point (BEP) is a volume of sales where there is neither loss nor profit. That means contribution is enough to cover the fixed costs. Thus, we can say that Contribution = Fixed Cost Any contribution generated after BEP will directly result into profits as the fixed costs are fully covered now. BEP can be computed in two ways: In terms of Quantity- Fixed Costs / Contribution per unitIn terms of Amount- (Fixed Costs) / (P/V Ratio) BEP (Break Even Point) is the situation whe re there is neither loss nor profit. At this stage, the contribution is enough to cover the fixed costs i. e contribution is equal to fixed cost. Contribution generated after the break even point will result in profits for the organisation. Profit maximization is the motive of every organisation. Thus, every organisation use BEP as a base to take various decisions in regard to its sales volume and tries to increase it so that total fixed costs can be covered as early as possible and more profits can be earned.Explain Margin of Safety. Margin of Safety is the amount of sales which generates profit. In other words, sales beyond Break Even Point are known as Margin of Safety. It is calculated as the difference between total sales and the break even sales. It can be expressed in monetary terms or number of units. It can be expressed as below: Margin of Safety = Sales – Break Even Sales = Sales – {(Fixed Cost) / (P/V Ratio)} = ((Sales * (P/V) Ratio) – Fixed Cost) / ( P/V) Ratio = (Contribution – Fixed Cost) / (P/V) Ratio = Profit / (P/V) RatioThe size of margin of safety is an extremely important guide to the financial strength of a business. If margin of safety is large, which indicates that BEP is much below the actual sales, that means business is in a sound condition and reduction in sales will not affect the profit of the business. On the other hand, if margin of safety is low, any loss of sales may be a serious matter. Thus, efforts need to be made to reduce fixed costs, variable costs or increasing the selling price or sales volume to improve contribution and overall P/V Ratio.

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India Essay

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India – Beyond Hair Removal Executive Summary The solution attempts to address the transition of Veet from a hair removal brand to a true beauty brand. Starting with a study of the depilatories market in India and Veet’s growth over the years to create a platform, the results of the primary research have been presented. The primary research was a combination of questionnaire based research and PAPIs (paper aided personal interviews). The brand awareness of Veet was measured through both recognition and recall of the brand. The salience for the competitor brands like Anne French and Fem were also analyzed. Responses were gathered to identify the preferred usage locations of hair removal products. The product attribute associations, both positive and negative, were measured. An assessment of the brand personality was also undertaken by means of projective market research techniques. A combination of the strong functional values along with the emotional benefits was used to identify the key categories that were suited for brand extension. Elimination of product categories were based on reasoning related to inappropriate associations as well as data on market dynamics achieved from secondary research. Finally, three extensions in two phases have been proposed with a market potential study for each. Highlights of the communication strategies have also been proposed. The recommended strategy aims to initialize the transition of Veet as a true beauty brand in the coming years. Contents Executive Summary2 Introduction3 Hair Removal Market in India3 Veet in India6 Veet – Brand Image6 Primary Research & Data Analysis7 Research Overview7 Data Analysis8 Brand Equity, Brand Personality & Possible Extensions12 Brand Equity12 Brand Personality Model12 PossibLe Extensions13 RoadmaP & Positioning16 Brand Extension plan16 Positioning In New Segments17 Conclusion19 Introduction Personal care sector covers segments like hair care, body care, baby care etc. In India this sector is currently valued at around INR 320 billion and is posting robust growth year-on-year. Veet is player in the niche depilatories segment within this market. Hair Removal Market in India Hair Removal or depilatories segment in India is relatively niche segment. It is valued at around INR 4 billion which means its contribution to the personal care market is a modest 1. 27%. While the market size is small the segment has tremendous potential and has been seeing robust growth year on year. As seen above, the segment was a ‘late bloomer’ showing exponential growth in 2004-05 and in 2006-07. Over the past few years year on year growth has stabilized around 19%. To better understand the nuances of this segment one must look at target consumer segments as well as the competing brands in this space. Brands in Depilatory Segment The brands dominating this segment are: Anne French dominated this category as the first mover and the only player for almost 4 decades. Anne French’s product positioning was primarily functional showing usage and highlighting product attributes. The entry of Veet in 2004 changed the face of the market with player moving from product centric, functional adverts to emotional benefits. Veet’s entry and new positioning strategy also explains the 60% y-o-y growth spurt in 2004-05. Currently Veet is the market leader in hair removal creams with a market share of around 34. 1%. Fem is the market challenger with its presence in hair removal creams and bleaching products. Target ConSumer Segments The penetration of hair removal products is relatively low with the young, single, educated and urban women being the prime users. * With a 68% category penetration there is enormous untapped potential in the segment. However this potential can only be realized with category expansion. * Increasing urbanization and more women entering the main stream white collar work force Growth in consumer base is on the cards

How to Get Good Grades Essay

Don’t just copy what your teachers write on the board, either: take extensive notes on everything. Notes should be short, and if possible get pens with colored ink because it aids the memory. These notes can help you to remember when you are studying. Review your notes every night, so when the big test comes, remembering what you learned is a snap. Priority You have to prioritize what is the most important.. if go out with your friends or stay at home to study. Stay organized Organizing your things help you remember to bring your supplies and your homework to class and to your house to do your homework or studying. Ask your teacher if you don’t understand something You have to evacuate doubts, after class or immediately Asking questions will improve your grades and help your understanding. Plan ahead Always plan the assignment beforehand. Always get the assignment, homework or project finished at least 1 whole day before to deliver it your teacher. It is not a good idea finish the work in class it is not going to be as good as your work in your house. Study Study! Don’t waste time, do your work and take notes. When taking tests, relax If you’re, or worried that you’ll fail the test, you’re sure to get a low score. If you studied for it long enough that you know the information, then you shouldn’t be worried about getting a low grade. You may have to cut down on happiness and fun in order to succeed. The best students know how to say, â€Å"No, I can’t hang out because I have to study. But remember that it is important to balance out your studies and social life. Consequences If you don’t worry about your grades and don’t push yourself to do the right things,,, it is probably that you drop out†¦ drugs, pregnancy, quarrels with your parents those are only examples that how you can be affected by your grades†¦ and also an important thing it is that in the future you won’t be able to find a good job As we saw through this presentation, we can do a lot of things for improving our grades†¦ it is only a matter of effort†¦ later you are going to see your achievements and you are going to be able to do whatever you want, work in a good company or have your own business. So I hope that you value this information and do the right thing.

Starbucks Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Starbucks Analysis - Assignment Example In addition, the products of Starbucks are of high quality (Company spotlight: Starbucks 2010, p. 30). This is because Starbucks has been focusing to give its customers the best coffee and is not willing to compromise the quality. Notably, Starbucks also enjoys strategic locations and has an aesthetic appeal of its stores. This enables Starbucks to be accessible to customers from premium locations, high traffic regions, office buildings, and other countries with potential customers (Michelli 2007, p. 58). This enables Starbucks to take advantage of prime markets easily because of the design of the stores and the strategic location, presenting the customers with a level of convenience. The company has an effective human resource management team and strategies. This explains why its employees are highly knowledgeable and retained or long periods. The fact that Starbucks has social responsibility initiatives has led to goodwill among its customers, promoting the company’s sales. Lately, Starbucks has launched a diverse product mix, which will serve to satisfy the needs of different customers and is an outstanding strength. Worth noting is the fact that many customers of the Starbucks Company exhibit loyalty to the brand and have been regular customers for over 20 years. Moreover, Starbucks has also embraced technology and introduced mobile through its partnership with the Apple Company. The â€Å"App† makes use of either android or Apple software and contributes to the company’s growth (Senatore, Yang, & Wing 2011, p. 41). One of the notable weaknesses of the Starbucks Company is that its products are expensive. In the effort to give a unique Starbucks’s experience, Starbucks products are premium and may lack customers in the developing world. Worth noting is the fact that Starbucks has established numerous stores in certain regions leading to overcrowding. This eventually leads to self-cannibalization (Starbucks Corporation 2014, p. 15).

What strategies do cyber security use in order to avoid the hackers Essay

What strategies do cyber security use in order to avoid the hackers prevailing users of e-commerce websites - Essay Example About 52% of the UK consumers use online shopping as an opportunity to save cash. In 2009, an estimated 608 million card payments were made online, with  £47.2 billion being spent in 2011 around 74% of UK homes have internet access (Government of the United Kingdom, 2011). The cyber security departments need to have strategies that balances resiliency with focused, protection, risk-informed prevention and preparedness activities in order to manage and reduce the most deleterious risks in e-commerce. E-commerce is regarded as the wave of the future. However, as organizations come up with new web-based strategies so as align themselves with the future commerce, problems are expected on the way inform of cyber attacks. Cyber security is at a sensitive stage in the evolution of e-commerce. A major attack at this particular time, if successful, could significantly affect the future development of the e-commerce business model. This could result to harsh ramifications for the victimized organization(s) in particular. The paper will highlight the strategies used by cyber security in order to avoid the hackers prevailing users of e-commerce websites. The ever increasing roles of information technology as well as the growth of the e-commerce sector have made cyber security be very important essential to the economy. The cyber security standards are prevailing security standards that enable various organizations to practice safe security techniques so as reduce the number of successful cyber security attacks (Amoroso, 2012). The misuse of the online environment through hacking, fake websites and other means have threatened to undermine the social and economic benefits of the online environment by eroding confidence and trust in the security and safety of the online environment (Shoemaker & Conklin, 2011). This is what has necessitated the e-commerce industry to come up with strategies that will boost customer confidence in engaging in online transactions. These