Sales Management Project Report

We were tasked with interviewing the sales manager of a firm, in order to analyze the working of their sales department. We chose Atlas Honda as our company for this project and secured an interview with their sales manager, and questioned him in detail about the operational procedures of the sales department of Atlas Honda. This report contains his responses that shed light on the workings of Atlas Honda’s sales force, as well as our evaluation of their sales operations.Selected CompanyAtlas Honda is a joint venture between Atlas Group of Pakistan and Honda Motor Company of Japan. We chose Atlas Honda as it is the market leader of motorcycles in Pakistan, and thus conducts hefty sales of motorcycles every month, employing a number of effective sales techniques in order to make new customers and to retain old customers.When asked why he chose to pursue a career in sales, he expressed his gratification in working to achieve a target of sales against his competitors, the incenti ves offered for achieving more than the target, and the freedom and travel opportunities that only a sales job could provide. His philosophy regarding his sales career resides in giving a proper product to the customer for the money spent by him, and to create customer lifetime value and build long-term relationships with customers.InterviewQ1. How do you see the marketplace today-changes and trends? Ans. â€Å"In terms of motorbikes, there has not been much of a change in the market in reference to commuter bikes, hence little changes have been made to the existing CD70 model as it is still used as a simple commuter motorcycle. The CD125 model has received a deluxe edition, giving it a sporty look to appeal to more image conscious segment.The Pridor was introduced as a 100cc sporty bike, targeted at customers who wanted something in between the existing 70cc and 125cc motorcycles. The most significant change in the market has been the developing interest in sports bikes. To meet t his new growing  segment in the market, we have launched the Honda CBR150 and Honda CBR500 sports bikes. Atlas Honda closely observes market changes and trends and adjusts its product line accordingly.†Q2. How do you view the importance of cultural diversity in the marketplace? Ans. â€Å"Here in Pakistan when we talk about cultural diversity, it is not particularly significant in terms of commuter motorcycles, as customers looking for commuting motorcycles generally have the same needs such as low price and economical fuel consumption, making the difference in culture largely irrelevant. However, diversity in culture has led to a new market of customers who want high-performance sports and are willing to pay more, a market that we have tapped with the launch of the CBR150 and CBR500.†Q3. How do you define the role of sales support? How important are ethics? Ans. â€Å"Sales support forms an important part of the sales department here at Atlas Honda. They assist the salespersons by various means, such as market research, lead generation, making travel arrangements, scheduling meetings, sending out sales materials and review and reporting of sales. As for ethics, we have always believed in serving the customer in the best possible way so as to cultivate long-term relationships.†Q4. How do you expect sales force to follow a sales process? Ans. â€Å"The sales process followed consists of an initial contact, an approach where needs of the customer is evaluated, followed by a presentation or proposition, finalizing the sale, and lastly follow up. Salespersons are encouraged to close sales using minimum amount of resources and with minimum sales calls.†Q5. How do you organize the sales force-is it local or centralized? Ans. â€Å"Organization of sales force is localized, that is to say that it is decided upon by the regional sales managers, who assign the number of salespersons to specific areas based in the amount of current and poten tial customers.†Q6. How do you select salespersons when positions become vacant? Ans. â€Å"Our Human Resource department is responsible for hiring of new salespersons. They prepare a list of candidates and determine which candidates are most  suitable for the position through interviews. Salespersons with prior experience are naturally given preference, however we also take fresh graduates, in which case they undergo a short period of training before starting work.† Q7. How do you train new personnel? Train experienced salespersons?Ans. â€Å"Our training here is very strong because Atlas Group believes very strongly in development of human resources. The more effort is put into developing our human resources the more the company will grow. We generally avoid hiring people from the top universities. Instead, we take mediocre students who are willing to learn and work hard. In this company there is much to learn and we provide training for new employees. As for train ing experienced personnel, every year we send our employees to study at IBA and LUMS.Additionally, every year one person is selected to study at Harvard University. So training and development is constantly observed here. Here we have SAP system in our computers and for human resource we have HAY system. So every person is evaluated quarterly and then half yearly and then yearly. Then the company goes over their weaknesses and provides relevant training and coaching to overcome their limitations.†Q8. How do you select and interact with partners? Determine sales force size? Ans. â€Å"We have a system in which we divide Pakistan 7 regions. Every region has a head called Regional Manager. Then above him there is a National Manager. Then there is General Manager Marketing. Then Vice President Marketing. And then there is CEO. Every region has a geographical distribution in which there may be four or five territories according to that area. We make territories under the regions. In every territory under the Regional Managers there is a Head of Sales, a Head of Services and a Head of Parts.† Q9. How do you motivate the sales force? Use monetary and non-monetary incentives?Perceived success of these actions? Ans. â€Å"There is a monthly target which the salesperson has to achieve and upon achieving that target he gets an annual raise. We use a scale to classify how good a salesperson is at closing sales. If he is close to the target that means its fair. If he achieves his targets that means his is good. If he goes 10% above his target that means he is very good. If he goes beyond that then it means that he is outstanding.So basically there are four categories on which a salesperson is evaluated for the raise in his salary; fair, good,  very good, excellent. Additionally, the advantage for salespeople is that after a year or two there are foreign vacations awarded to them. They may win by achieving the most sales. They are sent to places like Europe, Brazil etc. They get extra money for it in addition to the vacation to enjoy and relax.†Q10. How do you reimburse the sales force for expenses?Ans. â€Å"Laws are defined here for the reimbursement of expenses. No one is allowed to interfere whether it may be Vice President or General Manager. The laws defined here are working on two systems. The first is called Management Executive Committee (MEC). Then there is Group Executive Committee (GEC). Only GEC has the right to change laws because only high profile members are allowed in it. So everything is defined.Every person has a grade wise allowance. Kilometers are standardized. Whether a General Manager uses it or may it be an ordinary sales representative. It is already defined that a particular amount per kilometer would be paid when travelled. If he has to stay overnight then there is hotel allowance. If there is no hotel then there is an independent allowance given to that person. So a healthy amount of incentives are gi ven and they are clearly defined and no one can misuse them.†Q11. How do you evaluate the sales force? Frequency and methods? Ans. â€Å"As I have mentioned we have got HAY system in which objectives are defined. They are evaluated on quarterly, half yearly and yearly basis. After three months an analysis is done on the objective to check whether that salesperson is achieving his target or not. We work on a PDCA format which is Plan Do Check Action. We see whether the targets are being achieved or not. If they are, then good.If not, then we examine targets are not being achieved. What were the problems faced and how can we counter them? This is PDCA. Every person’s job is defined. What he has to do, what he doesn’t, and his responsibilities. He knows the result that he has to produce after a year. Hence, salespersons are evaluated on their achievement of target sales.†Q12. How do you play a role in forecasting? What methods are utilized? Ans. â€Å"For fo recasting basically two methods are used. One of them is by using  historical growth data. We take the data of last three years, sum it up and forecast the market growth. Then there are assumptions and usage of alpha. Factors like history, assumption and the economy are always studied closely when forecasting.†Q13. How do you contribute to the firm’s strategies and annual planning? Ans. â€Å"As a sales manager, the forecasts that are generated by my department affect the company’s strategies and operations. For example, new strategies may need to be formulated when attempting to penetrate new markets, or when introducing new products into existing markets. Forecasts of sales also affect the company, for example if forecasts show an increase in sales, then more salespersons may need to be hired.†Q14. How do you utilize CRM and practice relationship marketing? Ans. â€Å"It has been almost 50 years since people are related to this company. By this you ca n imagine the worth of the company. Atlas Honda has worked hard to develop brand loyalty with its customers. We are providing our customers with services throughout Pakistan. There is hardly a single town where you cannot find a Honda service facility. Almost every city has got Honda’s sales dealerships. At this very moment there are 650 dealers across Pakistan. Then we have developed the 5S concept as opposed to the 3S concept.Normally companies provide only 3S that is Sales, Service and Spare parts. But in addition to that we also provide additional Second exchange which means you can trade in your old motorcycle for a new one. Then there is Safety. Then to satisfy the customers we have customer care department. There’s a telephonic department which takes care of the customers. We are going to introduce new CRM software next month. If you buy a motorcycle today all your information will be entered. Previous issues will also be displayed in it. You would be greeted by your name upon calling the department and your picture will also be shown.†Q15. How have you successfully managed portfolio of products? Ans. â€Å"We currently have 7 models in production. Everything is controlled by the General Manager. We have a very big setup. A very vast one. There are many things under the General Manager which are being monitored by different  people. We have a department of product planning. All the pros and cons of all models are discussed there. Then the marketing department is also related to them.They decide the best way to sell the product. There are no bookish systems here in this company as you study in the university. Many of the books and theories that you have studied, you won’t find them here. We have got a very straight system here. There’s only one channel of distribution. The company makes the product and then gives it to the dealer. There is no such thing as sales dealer or this and that dealer. More than 90% of the pla nning done here is successful.†EvaluationQ1. How effective is this sales manager? Ans. He is a very effective sales manager. He has effectively organized the sales force in such a way so that no territory is left out. He is vigilant about providing training to employees so that their skills may be developed and they are able to work to their full potential. He is a good leader and actively motivates his sales force to achieve their targets and instructs his sales force to foster long term relationships with their customers.Q2. Which of his/her activities are reflective of what you learned in class and what activities differ? Ans. He organized his sales force and divided the market into territories in order to use his sales force efficiently. He instructs his sales force to use CRM to better manage and service customers and to retain their information about previous purchases and problems for easy access. He gives great importance to training and developing his salespeople so t hat they may overcome any weaknesses. And he gives great importance to generating customer relationship value rather than just making a one-time sale to a customer.Q3. How do they differ and why do they differ? Ans. There is hardly anything among his activities as sales manager that differs from what we studied in class, as he has organized and developed his sales force very effectively, hardly leaving any room for improvement.

Nelson Mandela’s Leadership Essay

In a racially divided South Africa, Nelson Mandela emerged as a great leader. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) to lead a movement whose main goal is to eradicate apartheid. (Racial separation). He promoted peaceful protests to meet that goal; however, when the ruling party banned the ANC, he set a military wing within the ANC to take the resistance against the Apartheid to a new level where he had no choice other than using violence. His actions landed him in prison for nearly three decades. He led secret negotiations with the ruling party while he was in prison aimed at dismantling the apartheid policies. Such negotiations, which resulted in his release in 1990, went on years later to bring an end to Apartheid. In 1994, he became the first black president of South Africa, forming a multiethnic government to oversee the country’s transition to a new era of democracy (1). In 1999, he decided to retire from politics, but has not retired yet from promoting peace and social justice in South Africa as well as around the world. So, Nelson Mandela stood out as a great leader due to his leadership styles, his charismatic leadership, ethical leadership and his leadership power. Leadership attitudes and styles of Nelson Mandela: Nelson Mandela developed â€Å"a strong relationship-oriented behavior, which contributed to his participative leadership style† (2). He learned from his guardian, when he was observing him presiding over tribal meetings, to listen to all sides of argument before venturing his opinion. It was his firsthand experience of how to lead from behind (9). He always remembers the regent’s axiom. He said:† A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.†(Long walk to freedom3). Mandela’s leadership success is attributed to his use of consensus. He inspired his followers and gained their commitment to fight in the sake of abolishing apartheid when he was the leader of the ANC. He used the same participative leadership as president by forming a multiethnic government that includes the people who tortured him for 27 years. Throughout his battle against apartheid and helping to bring democracy to South Africa, Mandela adopted a democratic leadership style. According to  Johnson and Johnson (2006), â€Å"Democratic leaders set policies through group discussion and decision, encouraging and helping group members to interact, requesting the cooperation of others† (4). Mandela believed in the value of the democratic process, even though he did not always initially agree with the results. Some of his unsuccessful pursuits included when he tried during his imprisonment to have prisoners addressed more respectfully by guards, and later when he attempted to have the national voting age lowered to 14 (4). Charismatic leadership: Nelson Mandela influential power stems largely from his charismatic leadership characterized by a compelling vision for the future, his willingness to take a risk for the sake of the well-being of his country, and the sense of forgiveness he demonstrated towards his enemy. Nelson Mandela was a visionary leader who articulated an idealized vision of a future that is significantly better than the present. He envisioned a South Africa where apartheid would finally abolished and everyone should live without worrying to be discriminated against based on race or color. It was this vision of a free and democratic South Africa that sustained him through the darkest days in prison. The same vision has changed the governance in South Africa and made him the first black president of South Africa. Due to the same vision South Africa became the first African country to host the world soccer cup in 2010. He inspired people by his courage and passion. Mandela knew that the risk he was taking was enormous, and the consequences could be devastating to him as well to the well-being of his family. He took the risk of setting a military wing within the ANC to combat the oppressive regime knowing that he will be the first one that the ruling party would target After becoming a president in 1994, he decided to forgive the people who tortured him for nearly three decades. Through this act, he demonstrated the the kind of charismatic qualities he possessed. . Mandela acquired the respect and love of many citizens upon his release from prison, as it was inspiring to the nation that someone could â€Å"emerge from such hardship and humiliation and talk of forgiveness and reconciliation with the enemies who caused†¦suffering† (5). He used his servant leadership style to promote peace outside South Africa; he promoted reconciliation over retaliation to pave the way for progress and prosperity in the neighboring African countries. (6) Ethical leadership Mandela had strong ethical values through having a heart and soul of leadership by consistently promoting peaceful protests rather resorting to violence. From an early age, he was inspired to study law with the intention of defending black South Africans against the ruling party’s unfair treatment. Nelson Mandela as a lawyer voluntarily represented many detainees under the ANC. (Denenberg, 1995). (7) Leadership power Specialized skills and knowledge gave Mandela expert power to be an influential figure. He graduated with law degree and huge political experiences gained when he was the leader of ANC. He utilized his knowledge to communicate with others prisoners who viewed him as a reference for any course of action within the prison such as hunger strike to get better living conditions.(8) Also, Mandela inspired his followers by utilizing referent power, which was closely linked to his traits of trustworthiness and integrity. With his own lofty personality of charismatic leader, skills and knowledge, Mandela become a famous figure, which brought him a â€Å"prestige power† that he uses to promote social justice all over the world such as raising charities to overcome the poverty. Conclusion: Nelson Mandela lived up to his quotation when he said: â€Å"it is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is a danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership†. It’s clear that Mandela stood in favor of involving his followers in the decision making process. He was always endeavored to listen to what each person has to say before he gives his opinion, which is often a consensus of what he heard in the conversation. That’s how he led from behind. He took the front and put his life as well as the life of his family at risk to free the black South African from the oppression of a white minority regime. Because he understood that unless that risk is taken, the unfair treatment against the native South African will continue forever. Works Cited 5- Bill Clinton & Archbishop Desmond TuTu, 2006, Mandela: The authorized portrait, Andrews Mcmeel Publishing, Kansas City 1-Denenberg, Barry. Nelson Mandela: No easy walk to freedom. New York: Scholastic Inc, 2005. Print. 6- Denenberg, Barry. Nelson Mandela: No easy walk to freedom. New York: Scholastic Inc, 2005. Print 3-Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, F.P. (2006). Joining together group theory and group skills (9th Ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. 8-le, thai. â€Å"leadership style: Nelson Mandela Vs. Adolf Hitler†. Articlecell. Articlecell,n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. 7-Mandela, N (1965) No Easy Walk to Freedom. Penguin Books Ltd, London, England. 2-â€Å"Nelson Mandela – Biography†. Nobelprize.org. 27 Mar 2013 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html 4-Stengel, Richard. â€Å"Mandela: His 8 Lessons of leadership†.Time.com. â€Å"N.p.† 09 July.2008.Web. 25 Mar. 2013.

Asian American and Jeremy Lin Essay Example for Free

Asian American and Jeremy Lin Essay â€Å"Linsanity† Jeremy Lin. Some say he is a god-send, literally. Others say he’s just a one hit wonder who’s had his fifteen minutes in the spotlight. However, many argue especially from the Asian American community, that he’s not just a fad or trend but a full blown star athlete, pushing the envelope not just for Asian Americans, but athletes across all social classes, races, and creeds. So really, with all the media hype and hysteria, who is Jeremy Lin? Why is he the chosen one? More importantly, what has he been labeled and how has he faced this discrimination? What is the cause of this â€Å"Linsanity†? Before the question, â€Å"Why Jeremy Lin? † can be answered, we have to start at his roots. Jeremy Lin was born August 23, 1988, to a Taiwanese emigrant couple. He grew up playing basketball in Palo Alto, Northern California. He excelled not only as an athlete in his young school years, but was also an exceptional student. He went onto Harvard, a fallback school, and continued his academics, majoring in economics. While at Harvard, Lin played for the Ivy Basketball League and quickly made a name for himself. This is where he first encounters racism and discrimination. In short interviews throughout his college days, Lin spoke of his opportunities and how his race had been a factor in his recruitment. â€Å"I’m not saying top-5 state automatically gets you offers, but I do think (my ethnicity) did affect the way coaches recruited me. I think if I were a different race, I would’ve been treated differently. † He was never drafted after graduating college and continued to play basically for free as a D-League athlete with the Golden State Warriors. He never sees much action on the court in California and is quickly shuffled across the country during draft season. Rex Walters, an NBA veteran and Asian American says, â€Å"†People who don’t think stereotypes exist are crazy. If he’s white, he’s either a good shooter or heady. If he’s Asian, he’s good at math. We’re not taking him. † Lin had a brief stint at the Houston Rockets before being traded once again to the New York Knicks. Here, his time came to shine, and he lit a fire under everyone’s collective rear ends that had ever doubted him. It was as if the stars and the heavens lined up for a once in a million year eclipse; so too did Lin’s fortune. He took all his frustration, all his doubts, and all the racism he’s ever faced on and off the court, and brought it to the best, which included the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the NBA Champions Dallas Mavericks. With every successive and progressively impossible win, his infamy grew and so did the media hype. â€Å"Linsanity† had come to full term. â€Å"Linsanity† and many other coined adjectives became headline news. His fame crossed oceans and racial lines making him an overnight media sensation. Shockingly but not surprisingly, during a victory celebration on February 10th of 2012 against the Lakers, Fox News columnist Jason Whitlock posted on his Twitter account, â€Å"Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain tonight†, a sexual reference to an Asian male stereotype. A few days later after a loss to the Orlando Hornets, ESPN’s Max Bretos reported during a taping of SportsCenter, â€Å"We have found a Chink in the Armor†. Floyd Mayweather Jr., a professional boxer and fellow athlete tweets, â€Å"Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he’s Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don’t get the same praise. † â€Å"Linsanity† was bringing in a negative backlash that Lin was all too familiar with. He looked past it, and went even as far as to forgive. â€Å"I expect it, I’m used to it, it is what it is,† says Lin. On the â€Å"Chink in the Armor† slur, Lin responds, â€Å"I don’t think it was on purpose or whatever. At the same time, they’ve apologized, and so from my end I don’t care anymore. [You] have to learn to forgive. And I don’t even think that was intentional, or hopefully not. † He was willing to brush it off and be the bigger man and not let it affect his game. But aside from the blatantly racial comments from the media, is â€Å"Linsanity† a breeding ground for unintentional stereotyping? As many members of the Asian American communities can attest, stereotypes of Asian Americans are seen everywhere. A case in point, the corporate world of advertisement tried to cash in on â€Å"Linsanity†. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory tried capitalizing on Jeremy Lin by coming up with a new flavor called â€Å"Taste the Linsanity†. The ingredients were basically vanilla ice-cream with a hint of caramel and the addition of fortune cookies. Many members of the Chinese/Taiwanese American community cried foul in this instance, as it did play to some degree more or less on Lin’s Chinese/Taiwanese heritage. In response, an Asian American protestor went as far as to picket the Ben & Jerry’s store on Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco. He held a sign that read, â€Å"Taste of Lebron – Watermelon and Fried Chicken in every scoop†. Now piggy-backing on another racial stereotype isn’t exactly politically correct, but it did bring awareness. â€Å"Taste of Linsanity† quickly made its way off of shelves and into trash cans. However, it wasn’t only corporate America playing on stereotypes for publicity. It was the Asian American community itself looking to address positive stereotypes. In the Youtube video â€Å"Superior Lintellect† by studio64comedy, creators Lawrence Kau and Kunal Dudheker (both Americans born of Asian descent) portray Lin solving complex math equations in his mind in order to best his competition during tough situations on the basketball court. Each playback of Lin’s on-court moves are narrated by a forced Chinese accent, and are accompanied with on-screen quadratic formulas and physics theory. It’s no doubt that Asian Americans are poking fun at the â€Å"Asians are good at math† stereotype. But yet in some ways, it just feeds fuel to the fire that stereotypes are okay. The question ultimately comes down to, â€Å"How far is too far? † and â€Å"Who can and who can’t stereotype against Asians? † In conclusion, Jeremy Lin is a unique individual. Yes, he is a Harvard graduate. Yes, he is an incredible athlete. Yes, he is a fiercely loyal Christian. And finally; Yes, He’s Asian. But despite all his unique attributes, why is his race the only thing that seems to overshadow his qualities? After all this time, when the name Lin appears on TV based on performance and skill, the media is still focused on what school he went to and what GPA he had or whether he was Chinese or Taiwanese. Is it the scarcity of Asian Americans in the media that makes it so socially acceptable to shift focus? Is it the Asian American fans all across the country coming to support him, regardless of team pride that focuses the media’s attention to his ethnicity? Is it the blatant ignorance of the general populace? Maybe it’s all of that and then some. But regardless of where all of this attention originates, it is safe to say that Jeremy Lin is on to something very special. He’s allowed Asian Americans into mainstream sports and has brought a positive light to an arena once absent of it. All racial jokes and stereotypes aside, no one can deny his ability and talent, doubt his fierce sense of faith, or question his moral fiber. Jeremy Lin is definitely an Asian American all Asian American’s can be proud of. Asian American and Jeremy Lin. (2017, Jan 24).

Labor Relations Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labor Relations Paper - Essay Example The labor unions have benefited the organizations as well, even though they are perceived in a very wrong manner at times. There are issues that need to be resolved as far as the organizational understanding is concerned. What remains to be seen is the fact whether or not the labor unions were able to garner support from the different quarters, i.e. for the ones that already exist in the first place. The need of the hour is such that these labor unions bring together positive relations which will eventually mean success for the organizational discourse and tie in the employees with the nuances of the organizational philosophy. If there is an attitude of being indifferent towards the labor unions and the labor relations that come up as a result of the same, then this means that there is a storm which is waiting to dawn upon the organizational tenets and, thus, it would be a good idea to resolve such ambiguities beforehand, so that the organizational understandings are not compromised upon under any situation whatsoever (Robinson, 1990). Therefore, the labor relations need to be properly comprehended before one can remark them as being fruitful for the organization or completely dismal in their own right. Since the labor relations are directly related to the organizational performance tenets, there is a good enough basis of finding out how these two are linked in essence. What this implies is the fact that organizational performance depends a great deal on how well the employees tie in with each other and discuss issues which plague their lives in one way or the other. Some of the workers believe in labor unions while a number of them are totally against this very idea. They are of the opinion that these labor relations would not bring any harmony within their ranks and, hence, it would be a good idea to keep away from such quarters. What this essentially suggests is the eventual goodwill that can come about or simply evade from the relevant settings, and which r emain significant within the due course of things as far as labor relations and the existence of the labor unions are concerned (Dworkin, 1988). The differing strategies, policies and practices more or less indicate where eventually the issues will arise and how those issues will be resolved in the future. If workers hold the opinion that it is for their own good to get involved with unions and have labor relations, then this suggests the mindset which has either developed whilst remaining within the organization or has come about with the passage of time. Then again, it is imperative to know where the eventual misgivings are and how these could be removed within the relevant scheme of things. Some employees would not quite appreciate the labor relations and unions, which will ultimately mean that they distance themselves from the ones who are more actively engaged within such labor unions. This means that there would be differences amongst the organizational domains, which is not s uch a good thing to have. Labor unions are still rampant within the United States and they bring to the fore the understanding that the American workplace employees require such a swift change within their professional domains. They believe it is their right to have these labor unions and labor

Sustainability of functional foods Dissertation

Sustainability of functional foods - Dissertation Example As livestock industry being the single largest user of land is affecting the eco system directly or indirectly (directly by cultivation of crops for the animals on large areas and indirectly from feedstock productions). Moreover predictions were given earlier by Grigg (1995) regarding increase in environmental impacts because of more agriculture trading and global trends in the market with reference to food. Furthermore environmental impacts with reference to agriculture are analysed, fortified food or functional foods productions, then these are the findings: Almost one third of the world’s cultivated land over the time of forty years has resulted in soil erosions and degradation of land. One way or other almost 80% shedding of forest is because of agriculture (Pimentel, 1994) High consumption of water in the agriculture sector and in livestock production is another main environmental impact. For instance in some cases crops consume 500 to 2000 liters of water and in case of beef almost 150,000 to 200,000 water is consumed to produce it (Macdiarmid, et al., 2011) However in general live stock is mainly responsible for providing proteins to masses of today. According to a report in order to gain one kg of high quality meat 6 kg of high quality plant is required. ... Moreover the consumption of grain in US live stock industry is 7% more than what its population directly eats. This over production has caused lands to erode. So this is another important environmental factor with reference to function food productions (Frey, and Barrett, 2007). Moreover different researches have been carried out with reference to environmental impacts in which different input and output and extended research methods have been used. However meat along with dairy products is considered to be the main contributor in terms of impacting the environment which even includes production change and distributors (Macdiarmid, et al., 2011). According to the Swedish study, food consumption is one of the most important players in creating pollution. Beside pollution, another important concept which by Macdiarmid, et al., 2011 as â€Å"virtual water†. Or in other words it is the amount of water that is used in the production of food is known as virtual water or embedded wat er (Hoekstra, & Chapagain, 2008). Since water is a diminishing source of energy and it has no replacements unlike oil if that runs out then it can be replaced with other sources of energies. However the term virtual water or embedded water means that the water consumed by products during the time of creating product and that water is not present physically but it has consumed water is known as embedded water or virtual water for instance it takes 140 liters of water for making one cup of coffee and 15000 liters for 1kg of beef (Macdiarmid, et al., 2011) Likewise according to the statistic report shows that almost 12,000 billion liters of water is taken out from rivers and other sources in UK which is about 9% of the total actual renewable water available in the UK. Keeping in view

STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN - Coursework Example The strategy is to become the ‘preferred destination by providing food that is up to one week fresher than the supermarkets’. The operations of Sunripe are affected by the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors. These factors influence the operations and decisions of Sunripe in varying degrees. The influence of economic, social and environmental factors on Sunripe appears to be more pronounced than the other factors of macro environment. 2.1.1 (c) The set up of the Ontario Food Terminal (OFT), where food items received from more than 100 countries are sold under one roof indicates that the government enjoys good diplomatic relations with other countries and has adopted a liberalised trade policy. 2.1.2 (b) The target market of Sunripe consists of people with ‘above-average’ incomes. Thus most of the economic factors, predominantly the income levels of the consumers, will affect Sunripe’s revenue. 2.1.6 (b) The case study only refers to the minimum hourly wage of $7.45 to be paid to part-time employees. Sunripe is not really affected by this aspect since it employs mostly full-time employees. 2.2.3 (b) Customers wait for retailers to roll out discounts and promotional offers. 2.2.3 (c) Sunripe makes price redundant since it competes on the plank of differentiation; fresh, high quality food at reasonable prices. Will Willemsen, the founder of Sunripe, is the single most important force behind Sunripe’s success. He painstakingly sourced the merchandise for his stores. Willemsen did not mind paying a premium to procure high quality, fresh food. Sunripe employed 90, mostly full-time employees, to manage the operations of its two stores. Sunripe is an entrepreneurial set up and therefore has limited capital. The retailer has managed to obtain steady cash inflows due to its operational efficacy. Sunripe had a sound financial position with the

Family Law - Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Family Law - Marriage - Essay Example Therefore now begs the question why would one marry. Physiologists believe that marriage is a link to mental balancing and physical health. Family fact organization site believe that marriage couples tend to have lower mortality rate, financial stability and general physiological well being. That means marriage can make one better wealth accumulator. All this benefits of marriage must have culminated from some factors found in a healthy marriage only. Marriage couples enjoy sex to the fullest than their counter parts who cohabit, because of the legality of their union. They are not worried when making love as their counterparts who are very conscious lest they cross boundaries of the â€Å"illicit sex†, example impregnating. According to studies marriage women are healthier physiologically and physically, feel more secure, increases influence, and couples tend to report lower level of depression and are less addicted to substances. The biggest disadvantages of marriage, both parties are core owners of their wealth. This means if one chooses to go, the wealth will be shared between the two parties . In conclusion, weighing cons and pros of marriage, it is moral to support its institution because of its advantages which outweigh the cons of marriage, and who doesn’t want to be wealthy? ... ea, gloves for the hand and goggles for the eyes, nature has shaped them and if by any chance they are used for any other purpose, they do not fit and the user may be termed as persons with mental depravity. Same sex marriage is not the issue; the issue is the sex itself. This is not about religion, or politics. This is the argument of reasoning. It goes beyond the Hawaiian constitution, for democracy is a say of the majority but that cannot overrule the truth and the fact of nature3. From researchers gay couples are obviously unfaithful to their spouse compared to the straight ones. They are poor parents, and their sexual pleasure and fantasy is far much brutal and uncontrollable. In other words gay marriage is legalizing some sort of future sexual offenders. HIV is also rampant to the gay community because of these very same facts they emphasizes on sex not family. If it has no benefit to society, it therefore of no reason whatsoever to be legalized in the institution of marriage b ecause it fail the test marriage4. I don’t know what the drive for same sex union is, but no matter the justification of it, there is nothing like same sex marriage. In my opinion legalizing a social sickness is legalizing a global confusion and judging them is not healing them. The main point is, same sex marriage does not exist, but the homosexuals and gays need counseling, accommodation and tolerance but not marriage. 3rd Task: 300 words abstract for the following essay: "To what extent does the law governing the allocation of parenthood successfully accommodate the diverse ways in which people become parents today?" In this context, presumably parenthood allocation means child custody and control giving the parent the power of right and responsibility. According to many state laws, a

Small Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Small Business - Assignment Example Because of the failure South African economy has lost more than R68 million over the period of 1997 to 2000. A study also in Canada shows that 68 % of small and medium enterprises with fewer than five employees, failed within five years. The reason for failure of businesses includes the following areas of concern: The above reason will be our focus in making the business plan for a period picture framing and small craft workshop for furniture. Creating a business plan is essential for small business to be able to develop a path for a strong business. Our business plan for picture and framing woodcraft furniture includes the capital, market selection and business and management skills. Our marketing report shows that since we are producing a furniture and picture frame at not so low price, therefore we are offering our furniture to those whose accept the fact that it is hard to produce a very low price furniture with quality. We are marketing our product to high and medium class people of Kent as well as throughout London. As described in our marketing report and analysis a proper strategy will be implemented to market the furniture. Working capital is important in starting a small business. From here you will be able to start your business by selecting materials which are cheaper but of quality. The company wants to develop a quality furniture for our customer but it has an inadequate working capital. This may cause a failure of the business if we were not able to manage the cash well. Small business failure can inevitably be related to poor or careless financial management (Berryman, 1983; Peacock, 1985). Businesses can increase their capital by looking for a material which would not cost them a lot, or by looking for a lending company with a low interest to be able to have enough capital for the business. The advantage of these actions is that it is beneficial to the company since they have an additional capital but it could be a disaster if they were not able to manage their capital well. Other encourages small businesses owner-managers to install and use accounting information systems (McMahon and Holmes, 1 991). Breen and Sciulli (2002) report that, in order to reduce the cost burden on small business, a number of mechanisms were put in place.. All of this was to encourage small business to utilize computerized technology. However to be able to use the computerized technology proper training and seminars should be conducted for employees. Chittenden and Bragg (1997) report that when a small business is suffering from late payment there is an increase in short-term bank borrowing, or delay in payments to creditors. When this occurs small business then has to over commit themselves which leads to the next two comments that "There is a definite down turn since GST. Money is very much tighter. In an arts and craft business experiencing very much reduced turnover" and "I spend a lot more time monitoring cash flow, with more work and less cash" sums up what the small business owner-manager is experiencing. Petzke and Murphy (2001) reported that the introduction of the GST and consequent rep orting requirements had put stress on marriages and 'ruined some small businesses with red

Strategic Marketing (StarHub Internet) Research Paper

Strategic Marketing (StarHub Internet) - Research Paper Example But, in the era of the 21st century focusing on one method of marketing is considered as equivalent to committing organizational suicide and therefore, modern businesses are forced to use a bunch of marketing techniques in order to stay in the business (Fahy and Smithee 1999). Moreover, marketing and advertisement is away from the noble concept of ethics and righteousness (Robin and Reidenbach 1987). The marketing is considered marketing whether or not it is dirty. So the staff in the advertisement department is supposed to keep the products and services of the company selling in order to keep their jobs (Botan 1997) The distribution strategy is a means of devising a system and mechanism for delivering the products to the customers. The business in the 21st century cannot survive without placement of the products as soon as possible. The internet service provider is recommended to develop the internal state of the art system and then, move on to the next stage of promoting itself and its services. The main idea is to boost the organizational ability to provide services when customers need or demand them. The external environment of the business has a profound impact on internal matters and practices of the business (Bourgeois 1980). The concerned Strategic Business Unit is operating in an industry that is characterized as well developed and established and therefore, the company is in need to follow the industrial norms strictly. The management is recommended to blend in the market before thinking of innovating. In opening few years, the SBU will not be able to do much more than surviving through the challenges of the industry (Sethi 1979). The SBU’s first and paramount objective is to find balance and sustainability in a challenging environment and these objectives and goals can be obtained by following industrial standards and norms at in initial one or two years (Hult, Hurley and Knight 2004). But, the quality of services should be maintained in a lon g term perspective. The external environment of the internet industry is well established and therefore, management of the company is suggested to introduce standardizations and development of standard operating procedures. The structure of SBU will also be divided clearly and there should be departmentalization. The task of providing internet services is a simple one and because of this reason, management does not have much room for innovation and newness while performing business activities. Product Augmentation Strategy The product augmentation strategy is used to mix two or more offerings in one package so that the customer can receive more value in less amount of money. This strategy is rate as the most effective one, when an organization is working to develop it market presence and share. The internet service provider is recommended to provide high quality cloud printing and scanning services along with traditional ones and therefore, the customers may receive more value than their expectations and anticipations. The receipt of more customer value will induce the consumers to become repeated benefiters. These strategies will be designed for one to two initial years and then the business unit must expand its geographical reach. The core source of creating customer value in internet industry is the quality of internet downloading and uploading speed. In the modern society people have internet connections