My Writing Experience and Thoughts about Different Cultures Essay

First of all, I would like to talk about my writing experience. In China, primary students originally talk about the pictures in primary school. There is no particularly difficult impression in my memory, But when I was in high school, I found a primary school second grade examination paper and I found articles particularly well written. I am surprised, I get so good at writing, but also particularly well written. After, grade level increases, When I was in 5 Grade, the teacher asked me to keep a diary every day, but my mind is empty and I do not know what to write. So I just wrote the diary about what happened each day. I was afraid of my teacher said that I can’t write very well. Later, when I was in junior high school, I still don’t know how to write and what should I write. I remember an unforgettable experience, it is a composition lessons. At that time, my Chinese language teacher ask me to write about the composition of spring as homework, I remembered that I have a book seems to be an article which was written about the spring in my drawer. That’s my cousin’s textbook when he was in high school, I usually read it if I have a spare time. Thus I opened the catalog and found this article, then I excerpt some well written sentences to complete the composition. When I watch the article I accomplished, I wondered how beautiful sentences which I copied form the first paragraph, and it is also especially good at the last. I was so frightened, because I know that if I hand it to my teacher. Not only the teacher didn’t believe I wrote, even I don’t believe it. I should say I was lucky. She was not aware of this problem, but I fe lt so guilty. Later, I found that the author which I copied the original article from is a very famous writer in early China. I think my behavior is disrespectful to him. Since then, I had no interest in plagiarism and I began to write article all by myself. I no longer have a copy of the composition, instead of learning their thoughts. Since that time, I concluded a truth, although the plagiarism is a bad behavior, it is also in the process of looking for good ideas. After that I read a lot of books and learned to analysis and appreciation. It laid the foundation for my future writing, this is a big harvest to me. In the United States, plagiarism is a very serious behavior of cheating, but this is very different to China, In China, language teachers always promote students to learn from those who write a good article, even require students to recite those articles and then students can modify this article into their own article. This is a necessary process in China, a lot of good articles learned in class, the teacher will ask students to recite these articles . For me, writing in English is very different from writing in Chinese, although as a Chinese student I started to learn English when I was very young, and did a lot of English writing since primary school, but English is not my original language. Besides, the English wring practice in China is very limited. Specifically in the model of thinking, Chinese and English are in widely vary. Many times, the sequence of grammar between Chinese and English is the on the opposite, so when we write in English, many sentences are called ‘Chin glish’. It is probably that maybe many Chinese people can understand the meaning but the Americans do not necessarily know the meaning of it. So, English Writing is such a challenge for me, here is the U.S., I wrote the article is not for the Chinese people, it is written for people here to read, I must think the ways in Americanï ¼Å'to let people here know what I say. So the most important thing I have to do is that I must adapt to American life , and learn the way of thinking in American so quickly, then use the thinking of U.S. to writing. Only in this way, I can adapt to life better and complete my studies here . I chose the major of Business Management, so there may be a lot of writing about Business Management in my further study. So I must learn the writing skills and method well in this writing lesson, and then do a better writing in further courses of study. The differences of cultural may cause differences in student’s ability, which is reflected in the students between United States and China very clearly. In China all of the knowledge are imparted to students by teachers, Chinese students only need to remember the knowledge that their teacher told them. If you remember it exhaustiveï ¼Å'you can get a good grades in this course. In the United States , the teachers always train students to focus on the ability which they interested in, regardless of the students’ ideas are correct or not, as long as he has his personal reasons, it will be a good answer. In my opinion, Chinese students have a strong ability to remember so many things though, but they serious lack the ability to think things independently and they lack the imagination. In the classï ¼Å'they are not good at expressing their ideas, because they always looking for the right answer, which could be widely recognized . There are also some differences in writing. In China, junior high school students have a same writing style, The teacher teach them to write with same skills and the contents of the article are almost same at all. Although I do not know the style of American students’ writing, but in my guess, their writing must have their own ideas. In my opinion, whether writing in Chinese or English , we must have our own ideas, Only in this way, articles will be more valuable.

Busy Bee Essay

In this crazy world, everyone is busy with their work, going to school, or doing something for the survival of their lives. A busy bee defines a person who is busy in his/her life and barely has time for their personal and social life. This kind of lifestyle is really complicated and hard to live. A busy bee is a behavior in which a person has little time for friends, is focused on their career and also has a lifestyle of either being a single or can barely provide time for family. First of all myuncle who owns 12 dunking donuts barely has time for his family. He sees his kids or communicates with them once or twice in a week. For him, his business life is more important than his social life with his family. He ought to give first prefrence to his business to make more ‘n’ more money on his bank account. In addition, Olivia Pope from Scandal, to me reflects the behavior of a busy bee. In the show, ‘Scandal’, she appears to be very busy, handling five cases a day, and there is always something going on that she needs to take care of it. As the definition says, she is shown as having no personal life, and mostly she is in the office solving cases since she does as a job as a fixer. Busy bee behavior can also exhibit influential behavior. The bad feeling between what is, and what could be, talks to our frustrations and stirs us into wide awake Influence.I chose this behavior to write about because I can connect to this behavior in such manner that since morning to night, I am running around the whole day to take summer classes or running errands or working. I also uncover some of the valuable realities of how my mind can either work for me or against this influencial being busy behavior. It’s only the weekends I can go back to my normal lifestyle, talk to my family and relax myself. Though Stephen R. Covey famous American educator and author has define busy bee in above mention phrase, â€Å"We may be very busy, we may be very efficient, but we will also be truly effective only when we begin with the end in mind.† To conclude, the behavior of the busy bee is my favorite from all the other behaviors listed because being busy makes me feel like I am accomplishing something from life, it doesn’t give me a chance to get bored and watch shows like sorrow or happiness and it gives me the encouragement to be busy in life. The behavior of a busy bee is an exceptional and unique way to keep going in life. That’s why William Blake said, â€Å"Get busy living, or get busy dying.†

Designing a training programme for supervisor skills at Primark Essay

Type of training and how long will the training take? (on the job or off the job) Shadowing/demonstration/coaching/external or internal course 1 hour/1/2 day/ 5 days? Provider of training and Location Sales floor/store training room/Primark head office/College/Distance course. Internal training. Who will carry out? HR manager/training manager Description of training content What will the you do /learn during the training Cost of the training Physical cost of external course/cost of paying salary to trainee whilst not doing their job role/providing cover whilst trainee is on course/travel expenses – train tickets to London if going on a head office course What will the training allow me to achieve? What skills will you have learnt? How will it assist you in being successful in your new role? Why is this skill important? Consequences Shadowing for 1 hour Sales floor watching experienced supervisor complete rota Organisation of staff rota, including breaks and lunches. Watch the supervisor complete her daily rota and then complete own rota and discuss with mentor to get feedback on how to improve it No direct costs however, Primark will still need to pay us both our  £8.50 an hour salary despite the fact that both the experienced Supervisor and I will be less productive during the training. This may impact on customer service as we won’t be available to help customers during the hours training . The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department I will be able to complete the daily staff rota ensuring all staff get the breaks and lunches they are entitled to with minimal disruption to customer service Key feature in the job description of a supervisor. Failure to complete this correctly may mean that staff do not get the correct breaks and may become demotivated and lower their productivity as a result which will trigger a fall in customer satisfaction and potentially sales and profit Demonstration for 20 minutes Shown on the sales floor by an experienced supervisor . Whilst walking around look at the trends , most common sizes and the popular items . The ability to see when a specific product is in high demand and inform head office that more stock needs to be ordered. Listening to retail sales assistants when they tell you a product is in high demand . There are no direct costs. Although the experienced supervisor and I will need to be paid  £2.52 for the 20 minutes . I will be less productive during the training, this may impact customer service as I will be too busy to help out customers. The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department The ability to spot trends , and items that are selling out. The ability to order in new stock . Failure in ordering a high demand products would mean Primark would miss out on an opportunity to make a profit . Failure is ordering any stock means that that Primark wouldn’t have any stock to sell and the customers would go else where. 1 day off job training completing the Impact Factory Customer service course Training by Impact Factory in London. I will be taught on how to give the best customer service and be more confident with employees. Dealing with customer complaints in the most appropriate way . Talking to unsatisfied customers and seeing what they can do to help and make sure this doesn’t happen next time.  £21.10 for the ticket to London. A whole day’s pay at  £7.57 an hour for 9 hours which is  £68.13. Although it’s more expensive than getting another supervisor to do the training , the training will be a lot more formal and I will take it more seriously . The course costs  £450. I will be trained by an expert in customer service . Although resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. The overall cost will be  £539.23 . I will learn how to give good customer service , deal with rude/difficult customers , advance my listening/ responding skills, make the customers point of view work for me, gain confidence in giving customer service and handling complaints with empathy/ efficiency. A good retail supervisor needs to deal with customer complaints appropriately . This is because the supervisor will be the face of the branch and if they give a bad impression , there could be a drop in customers. The customers could go to competitors with better customer service. On the job training doing 20 minutes coaching and a 10 minutes session a week later. On the sales floor at a off-peak time with HR manager Learning how to use the supervisor function on the till to be able to give customers returns / change / cancel orders. No direct costs but both the HR manager and I will need to get paid . Although because this session is short, there will be a lot of time to do more productive things. The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department. Customers may receive poor customer service such as long wait times at tills even though it is at off-peak time which would Lower sales. HR manager will need to be paid  £10 for the 30 minutes. I will need to be paid  £3.79 for the 30 minutes. The HR manager’s journey from London will cost  £21.10. The overall cost is  £34.89. I will learn how to use the supervisor function on the till , be able to give customer returns / change and cancel orders. As I have practiced at different times, I am now very clear on how to use the supervisor function on the till . This means in peak time if a customer needs a return I can quickly use the function on the till without holding up a long queue . This means the customers will be happier as they don’t have to wait a long time and I can go do more productive things. If I was unable to do this Primark would get a reputation for poor customer service and customers would go to competitors , which would lower sales. Off the job training for 30 minutes doing Job shadowing . 30 minutes observation On the sales floor with an experienced supervisor Ensuring that the sales floor is always kept clean, the shelves are fully stocked with products and there’s no clothes on the floor. In prime time the retail sales assistant are aware how to work in the peak times including the holidays and Saturdays . There are no direct costs but I will be paid  £7.57 for the hour and so will the experienced supervisor. I will not being my job during this training session meaning a loss of productivity . I may disrupt other employees and reduce the overall productivity of the department. Customers may have to wait longer on the tills / fitting rooms as I will be unable to help them, which would lower sales. The overall cost would be  £15.14 . I will be able to deal with the sales floor at its prime time. Through observation I can be told what my weaknesses are and how I can improve on them. If I wasn’t able to manage the store at prime the customers would be left waiting unreasonable times for the tills/ fitting rooms . They would eventually get annoyed and leave to go to a competitor, meaning a loss in sales. The employees would become demotivated as they are constantly having to work in a hectic unorganised environment and may leave. If an employee leaves Primark would have to pay for the recruitment costs for the next employee. Off the job training in London doing a leadership course – 1 day course In London being taught about leadership by CIPD Making sure all the retail sales assistants are working efficiently . Motivating all the retail sales assistants to do their work to the best of their ability . This means carrying out appraisals and dealing with any performance issues appropriately . The course costs  £545 . I will have to be paid for the full day at  £7.57 which is  £68.13 . I will have to pay for a peak return ticket to London for  £21.10 . The overall cost will be  £634.23. I will be unable to any of my tasks , therefore there will be a loss in productivity. There will be Resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. I will learn which leadership characteristics I need to develop , be able to select motivational ideas with the most potential to motivate and engage the retail assistants . I will be able to motivate the retail sales assistants . Therefore they will be able to give good customer service which means happy customers , they will come more frequently . This will build a better image for Primark. If I was not able to motivate employees, they would eventually find a different job. Demotivated employees give bad customer service so the customers would get annoyed and go to competitors. Once the employee leaves , more will leave increasing the staff turnover which would make it less appealing to work for Primark . Recruitment costs are also very high and this would need to be paid for. Off the job training interview skills course In London with an interviewing expert . Working alongside Human resources manager to co interview potential candidates for the role of retail sales assistant. A ticket to London is  £21.10 . I would have to be paid for the full day at  £7.57 an hour , which is  £68.13 overall . The course costs  £30 . The overall cost is  £119.23. The setting will be more formal and I will take it more seriously . There will be a loss of productivity as I will not be there for the whole day to do my job. There may be resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. I will learn: the equality act 2010 , the cost of recruitment and staff turnover, the causes of poor recruitment, strategies for effective recruitment practice, the stages of recruitment, how to design a job description and person profile, how to analyse application forms and cvs , and interview techniques . I will be able to make sure when I interview a candidate for the role of retail sales assistant I will do it in the best way possible . I will be able to choose the most suitable candidate . I will be able to make sure the candidate is not discriminated against and therefore save costs and the reputation of Primark. If I was unable to interview a candidate appropriately I could ask a question that breaks the equality 2010. This would give Primark a bad reputation and they would be fined. In house training for the 3 Hours The HR manager in a meeting room Providing induction training for new retail sales assistants and making them feel welcome and at ease. No direct costs but I and the HR manager will need to be paid for the 3 hours. The HR manager will get paid  £60 and I will get paid  £22.71. The train journey from London to this Primark branch will need to be paid for which is  £21.10. The overall cost would be  £108.31. Me and the HR manager will not be productive for those 3 hours . The training may disrupt other members of staff and decrease productivity over the whole department. Customers may receive poor customer service as I will be unable to help them. I will be able to provide suitable training for the new retail sales assistants . I will educate employees about the effective use of technology ,ensure that Primark has the competitive edge, promote health and safety, create opportunities for career development and personal growth, helps employees comply with laws and regulations and improve productivity. This is important because this means the employees will give good customer service . If I trained the employees incorrectly they could decide to leave or they could injure themselves because I didn’t mention a health and safety rule. This would mean an employee would be harmed and Primark would have broken the health and safety act and could face fines. If the employees are trained badly they could give poor customer service which would drive the customers away to the competitors , which would lower sales.

Transporation Services Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transporation Services - Assignment Example Shipping lettuce from California to New York is fast using air transport and it is also very reliable to deliver the produce to the destination airport, this method of transport is available in both California through the various airline companies found in California and the numerous airstrips and airports. A big advantage of transporting lettuce, which is perishable, through is that there is minimal damages and loss since they are delivered in a very short time, this method is however very expensive to use as compared to other methods. Using rail transport is another way that lettuce can be transported to New York from California, this method is relatively fast as compared to the truck transport as it does not experience traffic jams in the cities or checks by police. Rail transport is found in both states and it is a reliable means of transport, the chances of losses of lettuce are not as many since it is not prone to hijackings, however delays on the way may cause the produce to p erish; the cost of transport using rail service is very cheap as compared to air and trucks. Using trucks to transport lettuce between the two states is very slow due to traffic jams and breakdowns, which are common with trucks, therefore not a very reliable method to use to transport lettuce. Trucks are the most available forms of transport and they are relatively cheap as compared to air but more expensive than rail, the chances of damage for the lettuce is high using trucks due to their slowness since lettuce is a perishable product. Shipping of personal computers from South Korea is faster when using air as compared to water, both of these methods of transportation are available in both countries although London you will use river Thames. Both of these methods can be used reliably to transport the goods and to be delivered at the London with minimal loss or damage, however, air transport will be more expensive than using water to transport the

Barriers to growth for potential high growth organizations Essay

Barriers to growth for potential high growth organizations - Essay Example Recklies (2001) enlists several indicators of growth in an organization that include a substantial increase in revenue, subsidiaries, employees, and the organization’s assets. He further adds that growth should be gauged in terms of sustainability, improved value of shares held in the organization, and profitability. There are several barriers and drivers to growth of organizations alike. The following discussion focuses on some of the major growth drivers and the main barriers to growth in relation to high growth enterprises. Drivers to Growth To begin with, drivers to growth are those factors that enhance rapid growth in organizations. They may include the following: Proper Financing A high growth organization is boosted a lot by good finances. This can be in terms of availability, sufficiency, and the rate of interest; otherwise referred to as the costs of financing. When there are cheaper sources of financing that are available to the organization, the organization is able to invest in ventures easily and with speed to be able to take advantage of any opportunity that brings more return to the organization. ... For instance, the government may decide to restrict importation of commodities related to a particular industry to help growth in that industry. The result is that a first growing organization in that industry will have a favorable environment of expansion in terms of capacity because of the ready market for its product and reduced completion from substitute products. This will in turn add onto its revenue, which can then also be ploughed back to certain agreed proportions despite increasing the value of shares held by its owners. A Larger Unexploited Market Segment or Market Share A larger market indicates a larger proportion of potential customers to the organization. In cases where the organization still has some sort of a large catchment area of customers that have the potential of being the company’s buyers, growth is favored than in a closed market where every consumer has already identified with a brand. The motivation of reaching to the untapped market is massive and, therefore, leads to growth because as the organization reaches out to more and more consumers, and there is an additional turnover or growth in sales that ensures that revenue is boosted. Arrival of new customers in a totally new segment adds onto the profits eventually; hence, it provokes a rapid growth to the organization. Good Information Management Structure Information flow is very essential to any organization. An organization with an effective and efficient management system for information flow; therefore, it is likely to grow at a faster rate (Stalk et al 1992). This is because organizations are likely to have complex structures at every level that also involves

CONTINUES PAPER FOR WRITER ID 70138- LOGISTIC AND SUPPLY CHAIN Essay

CONTINUES PAPER FOR WRITER ID 70138- LOGISTIC AND SUPPLY CHAIN - Essay Example With the advent of time and increased trend of globalisation across the world, the trade barriers are fading out and favourable trade policies are promoting fast and quick exchange of goods and services (European Commission, 2010). Due to globalisation, all communication procedures have also increased their pace and this world is now considered a global village which has no boundaries or barriers of communication present. Globalisation has also increased the level of competition amongst firms, and all businesses strive in one way or the other to gain a strong competitive edge. The latest trend in the market is creation of an integrated logistics and supply chain infrastructure that is supported by the technologically advanced systems such as SAP, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), E-Retailing, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and many more (European Logistics Report, 2012). All leading corporations that are operating on an international level have ensured that they have a well-coordinated Supply Chain Management and Logistics system that will employ the best systems for procurement, warehousing, inventory management, storage and inbound and outbound logistics (Johnson & Turner, 2006). A systematic logistics and supply chain management system ensures that products are manufactured according to the requirements and in a systematic mode as well. In high demand seasons, if the supply chain is running in a systematic mode, the organisation can successfully meet its demands without any loop holes or any compromises in quality. This reflects upon the fact that a proper and systematic supply chain management system can prove to be highly advantageous for the organisation. In order to gain competitive edge in the market especially in the European market, the logistics and supply chain system has to be developed after exploiting all available options so that the

Article review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Review - Article Example He emphasizes on the allowing the staff the freedom to execute their duties with innate wisdom rather than following a set of rules laid out by the company. The training staff should be able to impact knowledge on the team of employees with the resolve to end lack of information and hesitation in performing the task at hand. It is clear that the staff should practice critical thinking in various situations so as to come up with the best solution to a problem in question. Such thinking will enable the employees to analyze the problem, evaluate it as well as review the ways of approaching the issue. They use own logic to devise the resolution of conflict after taking in the pros and cons of the problem. No wonder the writer is keen to illustrate that staff have to be capable of using their own initiative to handle problems in the organization. This piece of writing has gone out of its way to outline how the issue is to be handled. Instead of just stating facts, the writer has taken the pain to elaborate on how one should go about upgrading the customer care service of the entire organization. He has given tips for both start-ups and large companies. His pointers are easy to follow and applicable to all types of business ventures irrespective of their size and numbers. This is a simple and well defined article with no hidden meaning or jargons that could confuse or manipulate the point laid across. In addition, the example given is practical and drawn from a well to do organization that has proven track success in their business. One will be more inclined to believe what the writer is talking about rather than read the article for leisure. However, the article is biased as it talks more about airline administration and no other. It as if the ideas were targeted for companies in the airline industry leaving out other business ventures. This approach could cause one to doubt the credibility of the whole idea outlined in the article causing hesitation in the incorpor ation of the mindset put forth. It is also a very short writing that tends to leave us hanging on the subject matter as one is left with many questions in mind. This is shown after the writer lists what he learnt on the training he attended without broadening or adding light on the issues touched. He doesn’t touch on success they have gained from the experience especially on the part of customers. His theory is directed on the employees without shedding light on how their actions have resulted in the realization of the end goal. The missing link in this writing is that success stories that have arisen out of proper customer service have not been recorded. We should have been given examples on reports of the success of the practice that has been instigated rather than just laying out the ideas. Also, a more global approach should have been taken as it is a local borrowing on the subject matter. Other companies in other sectors of the industry have been shut off as the practica bility of the subject has not been proven for their case. We are not convinced on taking up the issue as it has not been fully exhausted as we expected it to be. The starting was very catchy as it was very clear and precise but at the end we are left wondering if there was more to it than was laid out. The title does not suit the writing as one is tempted to think that we will be talking about the customers who are the people of value in the

Branding Kony2012 case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Branding Kony2012 case study - Essay Example The main objective of this study is to answer the question how does self branding influence consumer behavior in relation to how they respond to advertisements. Successful branding occurs when a particular product, company name or symbol is easily identifiable and common among the target group to the extent that they relate to it. Successful brands influence consumer decisions in terms of what they wear, what they eat and what they associate themselves with (Fan, 2002). This is because of the role brand advertising plays in encouraging individuals to identify with a particular company and its brands. Different approaches are often employed by companies and organizations to bring out their messages to the masses through various media and try as much as possible to appeal to their emotions and impact on their actions and decisions regarding the brand. Each person has their own natural desire to express their own feelings and identify with the things they like. With this proposition in mind, companies have learned to position themselves and their brands in a manner that they can be relied upon by the people to express their character and identity (Fan, 2002). This research study aims at examining the reasons behind self branding and the impact it has had on consumer behavior across the globe. This study makes use of the ‘KONY 2012’ campaign as the main case study from which reliable observations can be drawn and analyzed. KONY 2012 is a short film produced by Invisible Children Inc to create awareness about Joseph Kony, an African militia and cult leader who is an international criminal and a fugitive of the International Criminal Court. By creating this awareness, the Invisible Children Inc would bring to light the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony in Central Africa in relation to kidnapping children and using them as child soldiers and sexual objects. The organization would then sensitize people to come together and stop Kony’s operations i n Central Africa and bring him to justice. The video achieved unprecedented success having had over 97 million views on the video sharing website, YouTube and over 21.9 thousand likes on Vimeo. The KONY 2012 short video has been dubbed as the most viral video clip of all time. The video was released to the internet on March 5th 2012. It is one of the most successful advertising campaigns ever and largely helped invisible Children to further its mission. At the end of the campaign, about 3.7 million people across the globe had identified with KONY 2012 and the company behind the campaign and about 3.7 million people pledged their support for the campaign by purchasing action kits sold by the company. From this case study, this research observes and identifies a powerful strategy deployed by advertisers to position their brand in a way that it can be used by people who want to express certain aspects of their identity through the brand. When KONY 2012 set out to establish their brand they began by grabbing the viewers attention with an emotionally gripping story directed by Jason Russell who introduced a boy name Jacob from Uganda, Africa. He describes what he went through when the rebel group L.R.A (Lord’s Resistance Army), lead by Joseph Kony, kidnapped him and like many other children, boys and girls are captured and forced into the rebel army to

Early childhood education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Early childhood education - Essay Example Rationale Young children can learn mathematics from anywhere. Number is all around them such as their age, their address and their telephone number and children need to find meaning and connections between numbers, as if trying to understand another language In a sense, math’s is another language in another form that children need to decipher. At a very early age, children can already learn the concepts of numerical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but of course, presented in a developmentally-appropriate manner This research proposal aims to find out how teachers in Key stage 1 approach the teaching of mathematics to their children At this age, it is important that children use a lot of concrete materials to learn math concepts since they still think in more concrete ways. That is why the use of manipulative materials is essential to their learning (Ruthven, 1987). Maths is viewed by some people as being complicated and a number of adults admit that they are not successful in math-related tasks. It is therefore important to study how young children can be helped to make maths more fun and easier to understand so that they will develop a positive disposition towards it. That way, it is assumed that they will be more successful in learning maths. Aim To explore how numeracy skills may be better learned using manipulative materials in key stage 1. Objectives 1. To research related literature on how numeracy skills are developed in KS1 including what strategies teachers use to involve manipulative materials.... The researcher is in a position to compare existing literature and decide which information will best answer the research aim. A literature search strategy was devised, involving identification of certain keywords. Online libraries were searched for full-text articles with the key topics: Key stage 1 maths, use of manipulatives, maths strategies, numeracy skills, perception of math teachers and the like. Matches that came up were analyzed according to the relevance to the study based on the following inclusion criteria: information was from 2005 or more recent, studies conducted in the UK only, author’s credentials were compared and only sources which referenced their information were included. This inclusion criterion enabled papers relevant to math education, numeracy skills and math teaching to be accessed. Forward and backward citations were also used. The qualitative information was based on the literature search which was specifically relevant to developing numeracy skil ls with manipulative materials. In addition, research on quantative methods, specifically on survey questionnaires and interviews were also sought. All the references were charted in a literature matrix as shown in the Appendix 1. Literature review Piaget (1969) theorised that intellectual development is influenced by both maturation and experience. â€Å"Cognitive development is indicated by a growing ability to plan, to employ strategies for remembering and to seek solutions to problems† (Brewer, 2001, p.26). Piaget describes the cognitive development of children progress in stages. Key stage 1 children belong to the Pre-Operational period (two to seven years) of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development. This period marks the time when a child

Marketing Strategy Group Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Strategy Group Project - Assignment Example At this juncture, appropriate hypothesis statements have been structured and the specifications of the most suitable research methodology identified. This section deals with tools and techniques of collecting information. In addition, data organization will be carried out in this section. The questionnaires used in this part aims at measuring the probability that the subject market will respond positively to the business move intended by the company. To measure this construct, it would be appropriate to apply questionnaires that solicit varied opinions from the respondents. Single item scales force respondents into making subjective responses due to lack of choices (Nigel, 2007). Therefore, multi item scales like Likert and constant sum scale will serve the purpose of providing varied responses from the interviewees. Questionnaires of varied types used below all aims at providing information on the level of preference held by the students at Nova campuses. Questionnaire 1 Have you ev er consumed Dunkin Donuts in your life? {yes}{no} (Forced) 2 Would you like Dunkin Donuts Company to establish a food kiosk at your campus? {yes}{no} (Forced) 3 How many times go you buy Dunkin Donuts in a week? {1-2 times}{3-4 times}{4-6 times}{Daily} (Non Forced) 4 At what time of the day would you like to consume the company’s donuts? {Morning}{Afternoon}{Evening} (Closed Ended) 5 Give your opinion concerning the hygienic quality of Dunkin’s donuts? (Open Ended) 6 Dunkin Donuts are delicious and sweet {Strongly Agree}{Agree}{Neutral}{Disagree}{Strongly Disagree} (Likert) 7 Most students would appreciate presence of Dunkin Donuts in the campus {Strongly Agree} {Agree}{Neutral}{Disagree}{Strongly Disagree} (Likert) 8 How would you rate the company’s food provision services? {Very Good}{Good}{Fair}{Poor}{Very Poor} (Likert) 9 Give your opinion concerning the company’s donut prices. Expensive †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â₠¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Inexpensive (Semantic Differential) 10 Describe the company’s point of sale services. Fast †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Slow (Semantic Differential) 11 Describe the company’s product specifications and characteristics Donut Taste, 30 Donut Quality, 20 Donut shape, 25 Donut colour, 25. Total Points= 100. (Constant Sum Scale) b) Administering Questionnaires In every research process, the success of a research exercises depends on the method used to administer data collection exercise. In a survey exercise, a researcher should choose an appropriate venue and context for administering questionnaires. In this context of Dunkin Donuts, the most appropriate method of administering questionnaires to the students would be in a social gathering, especially during means (Bruce & David, 2011). The researcher would present the students with there questions before or during meal breaks. Administra tion of questionnaires in a leisure and meal breaks allow a researcher to collect objective responses from the respondents. In addition, a researcher should present questionnaires in a relevant environment as this will increase the chances of obtaining honest opinions from the respondents. On the contrary, administration of questionnaires in an informal setting like during meal breaks may present some disadvantages that might affect reliability of the obtained results. Questionnaires require a substantial amount of time to fill and

Marketing Communication Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Communication Strategy - Assignment Example The hockey team, thus, will dawn the unique old jersey designs to become more appealing to the followers. A perfect of way marketing a product is through strategic promotional messages where strategy aims at using unique messages to leave a long-lasting impression on the consumers. Finally, proper target marketing will be crucial in achieving the objectives of this marketing communication strategy plan by identifying the right market that can add value to the team. Formulation of this marketing communication strategy appreciates the role that brand positioning plays in influencing perception of the consumers towards a product relative to perception of the competing brands. The marketing positioning strategies or activities will aim at occupying advantageous and unique position in the minds of the consumers. The first initiative in improving the Bulldogs perception is making the team more active in the community as opposed to just engaging in a league game, and all ends there. In this case, the primary aim is to influence the customers by providing endless entertaining hockey game with a thrilling experience where winning games is more important for the continued support of the Bulldogs. The strategy also integrates social media in positioning by targeting an enormous influence through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and also mainstream media including the Television sports programs. Promotional social media activities like free jerseys for the followers will be a perfect way to improve the brand’s perception among the fans. Targeting niche market of a development league implies that the team will be entering a competition that is more community focused. In this case, the team targets a league that embraces community support through support on various services. On the other hand, the old hockey jersey designs

The Third of May 1808 Essay Example for Free

The Third of May 1808 Essay The museum I chose to look at was the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. I did not physically go to this museum because it was across the world. I went on a virtual online tour of the museums website. This museum was very interesting to me because it had a lot of old paintings from the 16th, 17th, 18th centuries. The paintings and sculptures in this museum were mostly of human beings and their culture life-styles. I have never been to that museum or any art museum before in my life, so it was also very interesting to see the different types of art there was at the Museo del Prado. If I physically went to the museum, I would have been blown out of my mind with all of the unique styles of art on display. The online pictures of the paintings do not look the same if you went to see it in person. The artwork I analyzed was created by Francisco De Goya in 1814. The Third of May 1808, was the name of his masterpiece and he painted it on an oil canvas. I chose this painting because it is a painting that explains an event that happened during a war between two countries. On my analysis of this painting, I discovered that this painting shows a variety of cultural representations of that time period. Museums have numerous items on display that represent many cultures and countries. Many art pieces have a story behind it that explains the past history of one’s culture. I would not risk my life to save the artwork that was created from my culture, unless the piece had a very valuable meaning to me personally. Our culture and society today is changing and there are millions of paintings being created. I also do not feel the need to risk my life for art. Goya created The Third of May 1808, because the painting shows the battle Spain had to go through to gain its freedom from Napoleon and his French Army (Totally History 1). Goya, being a Spanish man during this war, had witnessed and heard about the brutality of Napoleon decided to paint the harsh images of what was happening in his country. In the artwork, there are a handful of French soldiers poi nting their weapons at unarmed citizens. Three men are dead and bleeding on the ground. The people behind the dead  men seem to be very afraid and appear to be of a different ethnicity then the armed men, based on their clothing, hair, and skin. Goya also showed how these Spanish men stood up for their country. In The painting, there seems to be a woman hold a child behind a group of men being shot at. The man standing up with his hands above his head, showing signs of surrender, appears to be trying to protect the woman and the other people by saying taking him instead of them. Goya describes the basic human characteristics one would do in this kind of situation. People are crying and sobbing because people are dying, men are surrendering to the army men because they do not want to die. He also painted the men that are dead because he wanted to show what the men with weapons were doing to the helpless men on the hill. This piece makes me feel sad and hurt for the people that are being executed. These people are unarmed and cannot defend for themselves against the arm y men. These rebels were only trying to protect their country from being overthrown by a foreign power and had every right to protect it. Woman and children were even being killed during this horrific battle for Spanish freedom. Goya sends a very strong message to the world in this piece because it shows what the Spanish people went through to overcome Napoleon. They lost many lives and were treated inhumanly. When something, like art, is consider to be real, then that means it is the original piece of work created by the artist themselves. A copy of something, like art, means that the original piece was taken and re-created by another person besides the original creator. I would rather see the original piece of something because that piece itself shows what is really there or not. For example, when an art is copied, the two pieces will never be identical. I would not know if the copied piece was altered with and extra designed or material was added. In this painting I feel like Goya wanted to show the world that a person or political power should not treat another person inhumanly based on personal wants. I feel like he sent this message out because the people were all bunched together and traumatized by the French army soldiers pointing their guns at them. This painting shows the integrity and community core values of Saint Leo. The Spanish rebels showed their honesty and loyalty to their county and people around them. As a community they stood together, protected each other and fought for freedom in their country. When the men in the painting were about to be shot they stood up proudly for their country and  accepted what was about to happen. They did not back down to Napoleon or the soldiers and instead died for their country. I personally feel like I will not judge a person based on their ethnicity because of this painting. I think of the wars happening around the world and all the people being stereotyped in our country because of incidents happening. This makes me think deeper into my respect, personal development and integrity core values as well. This artwork was selected to be displayed in the Prado Museum because it symbolizes a big part of the freedom Spain established in its earlier years as a country. When people see this piece they will think of the people who sacrificed their lives for the people to live in Spain today. Goya used oil canvas to paint and this created a great source of the difference between light and dark. He used the light colors to grab the viewer’s eyes on faces of people in his painting, this is called a Rembrantian style of painting design that contrast light and shadow (Janaro and Altshuler 124). In The Third of May 1808, the army men seem to be using a light to better their view of their victims in the dark. Goya puts a spot light on the Spanish rebels to tell what this piece is mainly about. He uses white on the male surrendering his life’s shirt to symbolize his acceptance to Christ and he is ready to go to heaven. Goya wanted his pieces to be realistic and to show how he felt about his pieces(Janaro and Altshuler 125). His piece is of value to Spain because it resembles their cultural past events that took place in their country. The message he portrays in his artwork is very relevant in our generation. Our country has and is still overcoming liberation. Our country is attempting to help other countries overcome it as well and this painting symbolizes liberation. If the Spanish can stand up for their freedom then other countries and cultures can do the same. Somebody should have to feel trapped because somebody else wants to control them. Humans are meant to be free.

Influence Of Sales Promotion Impulse Purchase Buying Behaviour Marketing Essay

Influence Of Sales Promotion Impulse Purchase Buying Behaviour Marketing Essay Purpose The purpose of this dissertation is to find out the influence of sales promotion on impulse purchase buying behaviour. This research is focused on the grocery retailer Tesco. Findings- From this study, it has been understood that sales promotions have a major influence on the impulse purchasing behaviour of consumers. It has also been verified that price promotion is the most influencing factor of sales promotion, which drives consumers towards impulse purchase. Conclusions and recommendations at the end of this research will be useful for students who study consumer buying behaviour and for retailers to implement a strategy for sales promotion. Originality/Value: Previous researches that has been carried out about impulse purchase has been influence of culture, mood etc. The function of this research is to find the influence of sales promotion on impulse purchase, which is important especially during the current economic recession. Introduction: This section of the dissertation outlines the research topic the researcher chose to study as part of his Masters in Business Administration (International) in Dublin Business School. This section is divided into the following parts. Background of the research Suitability of the researcher and interest in subject Research Objectives and Hypotheses Approach to the dissertation Recipients of the research Organisation of the research Scope and limitations of the study Background of the research: Ones own personal shopping experiences verify that occasionally we go into a store with no planned purchases in mind. Usually, however we go into a store planning to buy one or more specific items. Sometimes we know that those planned items are offered at a sale price, sometimes they are at regular price, and sometimes a mixture of both. We usually have an idea how much it will cost and how many of them we plan to buy. However, once we are in the store, we sometimes buy all we planned to buy; sometimes we buy more than we planned to buy. This would have happened because of something that stimulated us inside the store. It could be because of various reasons like sales promotions or store atmospherics or uniqueness of the product. This study is based on the influence of sales promotions on unplanned purchases like this called impulse purchase. Consumers buying behaviour is based on the needs of the consumer. This goes down to the basic level of consumer needs developed by Maslow(1971). He suggested a hierarchy of needs from the most basic to the most civilised one. Physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs and self-actualisation needs. To satisfy the needs, consumer buys things and this study is on the consumer buying behaviour. The consumer buying behaviour goes through a five sequential steps that is explained in the literature review of this article. Practically, when a consumer feels the need for buying things, he/she goes for shopping. There are many types of shops available, but the retail shop is where consumers can buy the things that they need for daily life. The concept of retail shops are now changing with the evolution of large supermarkets. Retail shops are now becoming one-stop-shops called super markets, offering vast number of product categories and services ranging from fruits and vegetables, off-licence, bakery, butcher facilities and even pharmaceuticals. It is a common fact that the large grocery stores and super markets have an unfair advantage over small players, by using a low cost selling, which the small convenience stores struggle to match. The Irish grocery retail market has evolved with many changes over the last few years. Tesco is one of the main players that exist in Irish grocery retail market. Organisations have started changing the methods of their grocery business over the last decade. There are innovations coming in the market everyday to attract new consumers and to retain them for a long period. Sales promotion is a quick way to strengthen the sales of an organisation. According to Kotler(2003), sales promotion is a key ingredient in marketing campaign which consists of diverse collection of incentive tools, mostly short term, designed to stimulate quicker or greater purchase of a particular products or services by consumers or trade. It is one of the effective methods in creating savings to the regular grocery shoppers. For retailers, the sales promotion is an excellent opportunity to promote their products in bulk thereby increase profit margins and consumer loyalty. There are various sales promotion tools used by the retailers, price promotion being one of them. Price promotions help the consumers to buy their goods for a reduced price. There are various types of p romotions which are described in the literature. A phenomenon called impulse purchase is considered as different form of consumer buying action. Impulse purchasing is a phenomenon by which a consumer experiences a sudden and often persistent urge to buy something immediately (Rook, 1987). It is an enigma in the marketing world, which accounts for substantial volume of goods sold every year. It is said that 80 percent of all purchases in some particular goods categories is made through impulse purchase. Virvialite(2009) based on Kacen and Lee(2002).This is a widely used by the retailers as they attract the consumers to buy things impulsively. At the present market conditions, when market competition is high and all types of companies apply promotion in their activities, stimulation of impulse purchasing in the market of consumer goods may become a strong competitive advantage. We go through this phenomenon in our daily life, knowingly or unknowingly. It is the feeling that one cannot resist at that moment, which are affected many fa ctors. An example of this would be when we see an advertisement in the store where it says Half Price sale, Was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.99, Now à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.99. The aim of this study is to study the influence of sales promotion on impulse purchase. This research determines if the consumers go for an impulse purchase, if there are sales promotions. There is also a second part to this research which determines if the price promotion is the most important factor in sales promotion that leads the consumer to impulse purchase. This study is an important one considering the current economic climate. In this recessionary period, consumers who are doing grocery shopping actually care for the price factor and look for goods that are value for money. This study establishes the relation between sales promotion and impulse purchase. 2. Suitability of the researcher and the interest in the subject: The researcher is an engineering graduate in Information Technology. The researcher has four years of work experience in I.T and business fields. Researcher has a family business back India, which deals with retail and wholesale trading of steel products. The researcher was taking care of business for one year before coming to Ireland and has an idea of what is happening in the real business world. The ultimate career goal is to take over the family business and expand it with more concentration on retail sector. This study on consumer buying behaviour will certainly help the researcher in achieving this goal. The researcher is currently working in the retail sector and has observed many consumers going for impulse purchase because of the sales promotions. The researcher himself has fallen into the trap of impulse purchase when doing the grocery shopping on many occasions. This has specifically happened after the researcher came to Ireland where there are more sales promotions than seen elsewhere. This curiosity of the researcher encouraged to do a research on the influence of sales promotion on impulse purchase. Organisation chosen for the research: This research is conducted in Tesco, one of the biggest grocery retailers in Ireland. Tesco was founded by Jack Cohenand in 1919 and developed its first super market in 1956. They have come a long way through and now is the fourth largest retailer in the world, measured by revenues and second largest measured by profits. Tesco has its base at The United Kingdom and is spread across 14 countries all over the world. The company started its operations in Ireland as Tesco Ireland in 1997. The theme Every Little Helps is very popular in Ireland. Tesco has almost all the services that is needed in our daily life, including groceries, bakery, clothing, and mobile network. The researcher chose Tesco for the research because of he considers it as the best place where the study of sales promotion and impulse purchasing can be done in the context of a grocery-shopping environment. The research takes place in Tesco, Parnell Street in Dublin, Ireland. 3. Research Topic: Influence of sales promotion on impulse purchasing behaviour in the context of a grocery store. The aim of this research is to find out the influence of sales promotional activities on impulse buying behaviour in the context of a grocery retail store. With this purpose, the research will be conducted in Tesco, Parnell Street, Dublin, Ireland. This research focuses on answering the following questions: 1. Do sales promotional activities in store have a major influence on consumers impulse buying behaviour? 2. Is price promotion the major factor in sales promotion, which drives the consumers towards impulse purchase? Objectives: In order to answer each of these questions, the researcher came out with the following objectives. To identify the sales promotional activities in the store To find out if consumers actually go for an impulse purchase and the most influencing factor that affects it To determine if price promotion is the most influencing factor of sales promotion and if consumer purchase low priced items during impulse buying To justify this research, and to obtain the answer for the research questions, certain assumptions were made initially. Two hypotheses were developed which needs to be proved or disapproved. Hypothesis: H1: Sales promotional activities in the store have a major influence on customers impulse buying behaviour H2: Price promotion is the most influencing factor of sales promotion, which drives consumers towards impulse purchase. Approach to the Dissertation: The objectives derived will be obtained systematically in the research. Firstly, the secondary research is conducted using relevant sources to understand the research problem area in depth. Various sources like journals, textbooks, magazines and websites will be used in accordance with academic regulations. Primary research is carried out next with the help of self-administered questionnaires and focus group interviews. The quantitative data obtained through questionnaires are then analysed with the help of appropriate statistical tool and the result will be drawn. The hypotheses will then be tested with the results obtained and will proved or disapproved. Conclusions will be made and recommendations will be proposed based on the results. Recipients of the research: There are five recipients of the research that is conducted as part of Masters in Business Administration (International) in Dublin Business School. They are as follows: Dublin Business School where this researcher is a full time student studying for his qualification Liverpool John Moores university, who provides the qualification which the student is studying for Mrs. Linda Moran, who is dissertation supervisor, who guided the author through research process to date Staff and management of Tesco Ireland Ltd, who gave the permission for the research to be conducted on them Anybody who has interest in marketing specifically consumer buying behaviour, sales promotion and impulse purchase Organisation of the Research: Chapter 1: Introduction This section of the dissertation introduces the background of the research, the suitability of the researcher and the interest in the topic.   This section also states the research objectives and hypotheses. Further, it gives a brief description about how the research is carried out. This section also mentions the recipients of the research and also about the scope and limitations of the research.   Chapter 2: Literature Review This section the researcher critically reviews the literature which provides the theoretical background to the study. In the first section, the consumer buying behaviour is described in general. Further, the researcher introduces the concept of impulse purchase. The next section explains the sales promotions and its different types. The final section describes the relation between sales promotion and impulse purchase. Chapter 3: Research Methodology This section describes the research methodology adopted for undertaking the research. This chapter begins with the research onion proposed by Saunders et al.(2007) and proceeds layer by layer beginning from research philosophy towards data analysis. The justification of population and sampling method used are also discussed later. Chapter 4: Data analysis and Findings. This section describes the findings from the data analysis with the help of focus groups and questionnaire. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations. The section integrates the concepts of theories discussed in the literature review earlier and incorporates them with the data analysis and findings. The section concludes the research by providing justifications for proving or disapproving hypotheses. Recommendations are made and can be utilised by retailers and consumers for further studies. Chapter 6: Self Reflection on Own Learning and Performance. The section describes the researchers learning process and performance over the course of the International MBA programme. This section also describes the researchers development of various skills during the course. Chapter 7: Bibliography The section provides the list of various books, academic journals and websites that have been used in the dissertation. Harvard referencing system is used to reference the sources used. Chapter 8: Appendices Appendix includes the final questionnaire and project management Gantt chart. Major contributions of the study: Scope and Limitations of the research: The main limitation of this study is faced during the primary research. The sample size taken for this study is a small population and of consumers of Tesco, Parnell Street. The results and conclusions are based on a single store and cannot be used for generalisation. Another issue that the researcher faced while conducting the primary research is the biasing problem. The researcher has remained neutral to his best of the ability while conducting the focus group interviews and questionnaires. The study being cross sectional is only relevant for a particular period of the present research. Any future changes in consumers attitudes can alter the results of present research.

Goal And Objectives Of A Spar Business Tourism Essay

Goal And Objectives Of A Spar Business Tourism Essay Through its vast network of research on the consumer and industry, some researchers were pinpointed the following spa industry trends: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spa is a Lifestyle: Research shows that more than 2 million spa-goers took part in lifestyle classes in 2005. Examples of lifestyle offerings include healthy cooking classes, seminars on achieving balance and managing stress and treatments which allow guests to customize their own at-home spa experience. more people are embracing the spa experience as it is linked to lifestyle decisions based on health and wellness. Issues such as stress, obesity, and environmental toxins being serious concerns, many spas are incorporating lifestyle elements, which include fitness, diet and overall health into the traditional treatment-based spa concept. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spa Visits are Necessary and an Entitlement: This trend is catching particularly among baby boomers. The most common reasons for visiting spas include soothing sore joints/muscles, relieving/reducing stress to feel better about oneself and for mental/emotional health. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Looking for Results: People expect more than just pampering from their spa visits simply. More than one in ten spa-goers treat spa-going as part of their larger health and wellness lifestyle. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Medical Components: The annual growth of 69 percent from 2003 to 2005 shows that medical spas are one of the fastest growing segments of the industry. The most popular medical treatments are microdermabrasion, chemical peels and natural weight loss measures such as body wraps. Increasingly, the medical industry in general, and the plastic surgery sector in particular, are incorporating spa treatments such as acupuncture and naturotherapy into their service structure. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Living at the Spa: Spas are adding residential components and real estate developers are building spas in gated communities and condominiums. For example it is particularly visible in cities like New York City and Las Vegas. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Socialization: Todays spas are offering enhanced opportunities for socialization. Many spas are merging the traditional spa concept with entertainment and networking. Eight percent of U.S. spa-goers say they use their time at the spa as an opportunity to socialize. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Customization: In todays times Spa-goers desire experiences that are customized to their personal needs and desires. Right from booking time, to selecting the background music, room temperature lighting, and massage oils; being a spa-goer is no longer a spectator sport. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gender-specific experiences: consumers are looking for experiences tailored specifically to their gender. As 45 percent of spa-goers are men, the demand for products and services designed specifically with men in mind is at an all-time high. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spa Vacations: About 63% of U.S. spa-goers have visited spa while traveling from home. Apart from budgetary considerations, trips to spas are shaped by desires to visit particular places and have specific types of vacations. Women are more likely than men to be spa-goers, though spa traveling reduces the gender gap considerably as 36 percent of spa travelers are male. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Experiential Journeys: Spa-goers are drawn to indigenous treatments and products, especially when traveling. New textures, aromas and sounds with meaningful story-telling help forge connections to people, places and traditions. Additionally, another trend to watch for is skin care evolving from a product-based service to an experience-based service. Industry Background The spa industry has grown significantly from 2005 to 2007. According to the latest Global Spa Research of ISPA (International SPA Association) there are nearly 100 million active spa-goers globally. The need to relax transcends borders. Regardless of where they live, the primary reasons spa-goers visit spas are to relax and relieve/reduce stress. Most spa businesses market a Web site to advertise products or services. It may not be an attractive or professional looking page on the Internet, but businesses are still using these uninviting Web pages. Owners are staying away from potentially helpful management software, because they are caught up in the paperwork. If all businesses used an Internet strategy, sales and new clients would increase significantly. Its a matter of developing an Internet strategy, sticking to a plan, and remembering the big picture. The purpose of this research is to determine whether having an Internet strategy is beneficial in the spa industry. Internet art icles, e-books, personal interviews, and books were used for research purposes. Overall, research suggests that having an Internet strategy proves beneficial for clients, spa technicians, and management. With a willingness to learn about new software and ways of doing business online, revenue will increase as fast as over night. Goal and Objectives of the Business and Milestone Our mission is to run a profitable business by providing high-end therapeutic massage and aesthetician services in a caring, upscale, professional environment. We offer massage in a variety of styles traditional Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, Deep Tissue work, Sports Massage,  Hot Stone Massage, Reflexology, and others.  Our licensed aestheticians offer the latest in skin treatments, body treatments and anti-aging therapies.   Our goal is to tailor the clients experience based on initial interview information, as well as feedback during the treatments, to ensure the clients comfort and satisfaction, and to increase repeat business.  We are mindful of the overall experience using only the finest oils and lotions, beauty treatments and aromatherapies. Special lighting, music, decor, and textiles  are used throughout the spa to  complete the comfortable, plush environment  and enhance the clients overall spa experience. Objectives of the Business Achieve $33,900in sales the third month after opening by performing 16services per day. Achieve $81,600 in sales the 6 month after opening by performing 27 services per day. Have a local client return rate of 90% by the end of the first 6 months. Become an established community Spa destination by the end of the first 12 months. Perform 23 services per day by the end of the first year. Uniqueness of Product or Service Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Owner is a proven, 15-year sales executive.   Marketing will be the first strength to our success and a huge competitive edge. Professionalism: Which are includes everything from maintaining confidentiality, to hiring the very best LMT and Aestheticians. Individual Attention: Each clients experience will be tailored to his or her preference. Repeat business/Recommendations: giving the kind of service that brings people back for regular treatments, and encourages clients to recommend us to friends, and other health professionals to recommend their clients. Unique Treatments: We have the latest in techniques with the best products from around the world. Fantastic Location:  Orchard road A Few More Notable Itemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Treatments that use two or more therapists are also seen as being on the rise.   Spa-going moms desire products and experiences designed for them. The most reason that customer want go to spa is to reduce and relieve their stress, painfuls and the attractiveness of our spa is stone and fruit massage. Marketing Plan Research and Analysis Knowledge of the target market provides a basis for determining the appropriate marketing action strategy that will effectively meet its needs (Hisrich, Peters Shepherd, 2008, p245). Market Segmentation A basic foundation of relationship marketing is market segmentation (Zeithaml Bitner, 2003, p.164). Through market segmentation, our company can reach target market easily. Market segmentation is variable. For our company, the main segmentations are as follows. Demographic Segmentation Age:The chart above is the result from our survey. That indicates the main customers of our company are aged from 25 to 40. Occupation Our market segment will include officials and housewives. Officials in Singapore are always stressful because of work. Therefore, doing spa will make them be relaxed and comfortable. Housewives always have a lot of leisure time. In that case, spa would be one of their favorite activities. Income group Our market segment would include people with high income. Because of our company not only provides traditional massage, also provides special Day spa, like hot stone treatment and fruit spa, our clients should has high income. Behavior Segmentation This segmentation is based on peoples lifestyle. Our companys market segment would include people who prefer to take massage to relax. In addition, people who like to take massage as a healthcare method also can be seen as our target segment. Geographic Segmentation Our main target segment is tourists who are from other countries. Target Market Firstly, tourists would be our companys major target market. Meanwhile, based on the demographic segmentation, our company would target local people aged from 25 to 40. According to the left graph below, the population of Singapore had a dramatically increase from year 1970 (2,013,600) to year 2009 (3,733,900), which means the number of people we can serve also increased. In addition, the chart on right depicts people at age group from 25 to 40 is a large segment therefore that is a huge market for us. It is also has a growth trends from 1999 to 2009. These are good signals for running Spa Company. Source: Statistics Singapore, 2010 Market Analysis The spa industry in Singapore is prosperous. This country has been positioned as the urban spa hub of Southeast Asia by the tourism board. (Melinda Taschetta-Millane, 2007). Source: Singapore Tourism Board, 2010. The graph above depicts the number of visitor arrivals in Singapore. It is clear that, the number of tourists increased from 2003 to 2007. After that, the number decreased slightly, probably because the economic crisis. However, visitor arrivals to Singapore registered 26.7% growth to reach 950,000 in June 2010, the highest ever recorded visitor arrivals in the month of June (Statistics Singapore, 2010). Thereby the number of tourists is still large. In that case, the market size of spa industry is very big in Singapore. On the other hand, our survey also asks peoples opinion on whether spa is popular. The chart below indicates that the percentage of people who state spa becomes more popular is 94. Figure: Survey result of whether Spa become more popular However, there are many key players in spa industry, such as Spa Esprit, Estheva Spa and Raffles Amrita Spa. Based on many years operation, these spas already have good brand image and many loyalty customers. Therefore, they already got a large number of market share. In that case, our company should use business strategy to gain at least one percent market share at the first year, such as use the latest in techniques with the best products from around the world. Competitor Analysis As the spa business is growing day by day, competition is becoming more challenging than before. The graph above indicates which spa is the most favorite. This is done by survey from our own. It is clear that most people prefer to Spa Esprit. It is one of the key players in spa industry. However, our companys competitors would be a Fond and Esprit Spa which are located in Holland Village. The main competitive advantage for them is their experience from long term operation. In addition, they might have some loyalty customers which would affect us. Our company not only has direct competitors but also has indirect competitors. For instance, OSIM Corporate which has variety kinds of massage tools. People can take massage at home by using their massage chair. That would also impact our company as our potential customers would loss. Marketing Plan Our strategy is to implement the most aggressive marketing and networking in the community, followed by the best services in the business.  Our prices are competitive for the area, and our personnel plan, which includes using a pool of skilled, commissioned therapists and aestheticians, will give us a financial advantage. Competitive Edge Our competitive edge is our ability to market effectively and creatively to bring in the clients and then back that up with the best service and products in the business.   In addition, our  combination of unique services, outstanding location and our interaction with the customers are setting us up for huge success. Market Strategy: Sale Distribution Local Advertising Seasonal Promotions: Local newspaper advertising, local fliers, grand opening party kick-off and promotion for first 30 days.   Continue regular advertising and plan for seasonal events like Christmas, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Chinese New Years. Local Networking: Charities, womens groups, country clubs, wedding planners, and membership with the  Spa Association Singapore (http://www.spaassociation.org.sg/). Health Care Referrals Prior to opening: Work current contacts and create new contacts with health care providers, especially chiropractors.   Also, become a Provider with health insurance companies that offer Alternative Care to their members.   Most people dont know that massage therapy is usually paid by insurance when billed correctly and when prescribed by a physician.   aFond and Esprit Spa already has practice management software to handle medically billable massage.   When the insurance does not cover the entire amount of a service the client will pay the difference.   For that reason, we will not want to participate with any PPOs that require write-off for amounts over the usual and customary fee (which tends to be too low).   A list of acceptable insurance company plans will be maintained and those clients will be able to handle massage therapy through their insurance.   Any opportunity to convince allopathic physicians MDs to see massage as having long-term healing benefits for their patients will also be  taken, since they  hold to key to having  massage paid for as medically necessary.  Ã‚   The client will also help drive that with the physicians if they are properly educated.   Hotel Referrals: Hotels that do not offer their own spa services will send their guests to our spa or use our out-call spa  services.  Prior to opening, I will make contacts with managers and concierges at local hotels to ensure they are aware of the services available.  Promotions will be offered to professionals in these industries to create buzz and build relationships. Online Website: Our spa will show up on  every  major  search engine  and in the phone directory.  The website will have a full menu of services and eventually have the ability to schedule appointments on-line.  The spa software we are using will allow a user to see the schedule and make an appointment without making a phone call. Location traffic: It is imperative that we  be located in a high-traffic strip road, Tanglin road, which is high-end, modern, and clean.  We prefer locating near a complementary business like a nail or hair salon, shopping centre that does not offer any massage or facial treatments.  Ã‚   Pricing Strategy If, as it has been said, the top three items which determine success in business are location, location, location, then a busy location at Culway Pla in a thriving residential community represents our top marketing strategy.  With the owner focusing on the sales, marketing and management and delegating the massage and aesthetician therapies to employeesbusiness profitability potential is exponentially maximized over a one or  two person operation by a  direct care-giver without any marketing, management or sales background. As the owner, Madame Pamperzhou has done extensive market research and visited some of the best spas in the world Beverly Hills, Paris, Amsterdam, Vegas and Arizona and has taken ideas from the best to offer an upscale, ultra-amenity, spa experience.  Once a client experiences the luxurious, high-end level of personalized care that we offer, we are confident that we will have a return client.   Advertisement and Promotions The business is still in its introductory stages. Therefore, it is necessary for the business to advertise heavily through mass media. There are various ways of doing so: Newspapers and magazines: The Company may choose to advertise with color in the standard newspapers. Leaflets, brochures and pamphlets: These will be prepared for the purpose of informing the customers about the prices, the activities and the general background information concerning the nature of the business. Banners and posters: For the sake of large-scale advertising, the most eye-catching form would be the banners and the posters. These will be used to illustrate the name of the business, its nature, location and the products we offer. They will be located in areas concentrated with the target market. 5. Business cards: They will be distributed in the market since our business comprises of offering services, it is a good form of increasing clientele. 6. Travel agencies: They will be used to market our spa packages. A certain fixed amount will be paid to them annually to issue our brochures and leaflets as they will be the first ones to come in contact with potential customers. 7. Face book: Perhaps, the easiest and most effective form of advertising in the modern days. It will deliver our message to our target market directly. 8. Discount vouchers: Since our business is heavily outsourcing with various companies, to promote our business in return, they may issue discount vouchers for certain activities or packages for our business, in order to promote it and attract more clients. 9. Hotel referrals: we can make contacts with managers and concierge at local hotels that do not offer their own spa services; this will help to create more awareness about our services. Operations Plan 3.1. Company Location and Facilities Location 1 Development Name: 41 Holland Drive Property Type: Shop / Shophouse Price: S$ 8,000/ month Negotiable Size: 731 sqft / 68 sqm PSF (built-in): S$ 10.94 psf Developer: Housing Development Board Tenure: 99-year Leasehold Lease Term: 2 years The convenience location in the bustling Holland Village vincity, walking distance to 2 Mrt: Bouna Vista Mrt upcoming Holland Village Mrt. Ample carpark space just behind the shop and another multi-storey car park across the street. Upmarket neighbourhood with sophiscated consumers, highly suitable for specialised clinics/education centres/niche retail concept shop/etc. Operation Hours Our business is day spa so the operating hours will be from 9 am to 7 pm. We will run the business all 7 days and during holidays the business will increase because many people have plans to spent time in holidays. In public holidays also our spa will be opened, the staffs will be paid incentives during public holidays. Transportation The transportation facilities in Singapore are easy and economical. Holland Village is usually reached from other parts of Singapore either by bus or taxi, and is linked to Orchard Road via Holland Road. Holland village is nearby to Queensway. 3.2. Products and Services The products we use in our Day Spa are body treatments like body scrub and body scrub, facials and fruit massage. Services Body Scrub Body scrub will remove your dead skin and unveil a smoother more rejuvenated skin with these divinely aromatic scrubs. Your skin will feel refreshed and reborn. Body wrap Our body wrap recipe is made up of a fresh daily blend of ingredients that includes special herbs and oils. The more times you perform a body wrap the faster and better the results. You will be amazed at how soft and healthy your skin will feel and look after. Facials This is a fresh and radiant treatment nourishing you skin. In twenty steps including whether it is: cleansing, deep cleansing, Peeling, Massaging and improving your skin by using mask and specific serum depending on skin type. Nourishing Treatment for Normal Combination Skin. Moisturizing Treatment for Dry Skin. Purifying Treatment for Oily Skin Fruit Massage This Moisturizer provides that lock in the skins own moisture to prevent dryness and cracking, this new formula nourishes dry skin and helps retain moisture giving your skin a softer and smoother feeling like never before. Suppliers The products for our spa are mainly brought from Amber Products. The Amber products are one of the favourite brands for the customers. Amber has been a dedicated partner with spas and salons around the world for 30 years. Their goal is to build awareness of the importance of maintaining health and well-being through spa services. Packages In our Spa the package is very open and allowed guest to choose any product they like not more than 2 things. 3.3. Licenses and Permits to Start a Business in Singapore Compulsory Licenses A compulsory copyright license is an exception to copyright law that is usually philosophically justified as an attempt by the government to correct a market failure. As an exception to copyright, another party can exercise one or more of the copyrights exclusive rights without having to obtain the copyright holders permission (hence compulsory) but will have to pay a licensing fee. Some compulsory licenses protect those who wish to use a work for educational or non-commercial purposes. In cases when it is judged too burdensome for scattered or small-scale buyers and sellers to find one another and negotiate a price, governments sometimes issue a compulsory license for the use so that the relative difficulty of obtaining permission for it does not extinguish it. Intellectual Property legislation in Singapore is pepped with regimes for compulsory licensing. Business Activity License And Permits A business license is a permit or registration required by the federal, state, county, or local government to conduct business. Besides the basic operating permits, business owners should investigate other possible licensing requirements based on their location and industry. Conducting business without the proper licenses and permits may result in penalties, notices, and the inability to operate. 3.4. Legislation and Regulation Due to spa business, company also needs certificates or licenses for each employee to show the credibility. In the pre-opening of our spa, if employees do not have licenses, we would like to pay for them to training section and get the certificate or license. This method gives benefit to both employees and employers. In order to work smoothly, our spa needs to get prove from union that our work place is safe, employees have the proper social security, holiday, salary, wages, and other benefits are enough for their living standard. Operating as the company is a must to pay TAX to the government; however, we cannot be sure how much tax will increase or decrease in the specific period. Management 4.1. Management Team Key Personnel Benny: Managing Director and one of the investors holding 40 % of the share in the investment for the business. He comes from a business family having an amazing business skill and is a PR in Singapore, also has a good knowledge about SPA and Massage as he owns some of the popular Massage shop in other parts of the city. He will only be present for the monthly meetings with the management team and would not be looking after the day to day operations. Raja: Finance Manager and holds 30 % of the investment share in the business. He has a good knowledge of finance as he has done his masters in finance from University of Wales. He will be looking after the cash inflow and outflow, would be preparing the balance sheet and profit and loss statements and would help the management team in taking the financial decisions of the business. Becky: Operational Manager having a sound academic background and holding 20 % of the investment share in the business. She has a good work experience as he is in this industry from the last 10 years. She has worked in some of the best restaurants lounge in the city. He will be having the sole authority of the operations in the workplace. Varun: Marketing Manager having a good work experience. His responsibility is to update the management from time to time with the Spa and lounge industry, watching out the competitors, negotiating and finding reliable suppliers. He will also serve the business as a Receptionist during the day time. Nathan: Floor manager and will look after the inventory supplies and will provide assistance to the operational manager. 4.2. Legal Structure Employment Agreement Employment agreement is also known as employment contract. It is an agreement between an employee and employer that specifies the terms and conditions of employment (Janus Corporate Solutions Pte , n.d.). A violation of one or more of the terms in an employment contract by either an employee or employer is considered breach of contract. Employment agreement will include several important clauses such as: Code of Conduct This Code is a concise outline of the Companys standards of business ethics and conduct (A. T. CROSS COMPANY, n.d.). It deals with various laws and Employee should act honestly and always in the best interests of the employer. Employee should follow all the rules lawfully and proper direction of the employer (ipccc, 2004). The employee must not use any item belong to the employer for their personal use. The employee must not smoke and take any drugs on the workplace. Salary/Wages The Salary will be paid according to the appointment position. The salary must be paid at least once a month within 7 days after the end of the salary period. Overtime pay, if applicable, must be paid within 14 days of the stipulated salary period. This will be paid to the employee by electronic fund transfer. The employer is required to make contributions to the CPF fund. Both employee and employer make monthly contributions to the fund. Hours of Work Employees are entitled to work not more than 44 hours per week (focus singapore, n.d.). The employee may be required to work for additional hours depending on requirements. Employee ordinary daily hours of full time work are not more than eight hours per day. Employees are entitled to take a break for 30 min after working not more than 6 hrs. Public Holidays Employee is entitled to paid day off on public holidays. These are the following public holidays in Singapore. New Years Day, Chinese New Year, Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day, National Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali, Hari Raya Haji, and Christmas Day (8Links, n.d.). Annual Leave Employee must have served at least 3 months with the employer for qualifying the leave for 7 days. An  employee is entitled to 14 days of sick leave per year, and 60 days of hospitalization leave provided the employee has worked for at least 6 months for the company (The Law Society of Singapore, n.d.). Employee Benefits Employer offer medical insurance plans that extend to dependants and typically cover personal accident and hospitalization. Company will provide a per-day allowance, transportation allowance or reimbursement of actual expenses while travelling.  The company will sponsor employee training programs and educational courses (The Law Society of Singapore, n.d.). Stock Agreement This agreement is between the supplier and the customer. This agreement is mandatory for all the business. For the spa there must be an agreement between the spa and the supplier of the materials. Stock agreement will include several important clauses such as: The Engagement The spa has appointed the Supplier to supply the goods and the supplier have agreed to supply the Contract Goods for the Customer. And the supplier will be the sole and exclusive provider of the Contract Goods to the Customer. Prices and Payment The spa has agreed to pay the Supplier the prices for the Contract Goods as negotiated. The Supplier must issue a Tax Invoice for the Contract Goods supplied. If for whatever reason the spa does not pay for any Contract Goods when payment becomes due the Supplier may stop the supply until all the dues will be cleared. Suspend supply of the Contract Goods until all outstanding payments have been made. Retention of Title Until the spa has paid the Supplier for the Contract Goods, title in the Contract Goods will not pass to the spa. The spa must keep the Contract Goods insured noting the Suppliers interest therein. The title remains in the Supplier, the Contract Goods will be at the spas risk until they are paid for. Quality of Contract Goods The Contract Goods must comply with all safety standards, codes and applicable legislation. Ordering, Delivery and Packaging All Contract Goods must be ordered by the spa on the Suppliers standard order form or standard method which order form or method the Supplier may from time to time change. Any damage during the transportation will be the suppliers liability. Financial Plan (Detail Balance Sheet) Critical Risks The risk refers to the probability, and magnitude, of downside loss, which could result in bankruptcy. The risk of downside loss is partly derived from the entrepreneurs uncertainties over market demand, technological development, and the actions of competitors (Hisrich, Peters Shepherd, 2008, p477). There are several potential problems for our company in the tourism industry. Firstly, the natural disasters would be our potential risk. For instance, the erupted of Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland lead to many flights canceled, as a result of Singapore lost a large number of tourists. Our companys potential customers also would decrease. Other natural disasters effects are the same. During that period, our company should focus on local customers to reduce the losses. Secondly, the economical factors also would be our potential risk. During the economic crisis period, people would not prefer to spend money on spa. It would affect our company directly. In that case, our company should do many promotions to attract people, such as distribute gift certificate and lower prices. Thirdly, the increasing number of competitors would be our companys risk. Singapores population is not large therefore if there are many competitors, the number of our companys potential customers will decrease. On the other hand, our company provides the special spa-fruit spa, which is the first company use this kind of treatment. It means that it would be our competitive advantage. However, other company also can imitate tha

Solutions To Homelessness Essay -- Poverty Poor Homeless Essays

Solutions for Homelessness This great nation of awesome power and abundant resources is losing the battle against homelessness. The casualties can be seen on the street corners of every city in American holding an ?I will work for food? sign. Homeless shelters and rescue missions are at full capacity. There is no room at the inn for the nation?s indigent. Anyone who has studied this issue understands that homelessness is a complex problem. Communities continue to struggle with this socio-economic problem while attempting to understand its causes and implement solutions. The public and private sectors of this country are making a difference in the lives of the homeless by addressing the issues of housing, poverty and education. Many believe that a common thread among the homeless is a lack of permanent and stable housing. But beyond that, the factors leading to homelessness and the services that are needed are unique according to the individual. To put them into one general category ? the homeless- suggests that people are homeless for similar reasons and therefore a single solution is the answer. Every homeless person shares the basic needs of affordable housing, adequate incomes and attainable healthcare. But a wide range of other unmet needs cause some people to become or remain homeless which include drug treatment, employment training, transportation, childcare and mental health services (Center 8.) Presently, one of the main causes of homelessness in American is the lack of affordable housing. New York researchers claim that affordable housing is the answer to homelessness. Researcher, Mary Beth Shinn, states, ?homelessness is first and foremost a housing problem not a psychological one? (qtd. in Franklin 15.) Nearly all the families in their study became stably housed regardless of substance abuse, mental illness, physical illness or incarceration. This study indicates that homelessness is not a permanent condition. People do get themselves out of the problem when an intervention occurs to provide them with access to the housing market (NYU 2.) Without permanent housing, people are unable to keep jobs and are more likely to become ill. Permanent housing provides stability that enables them to find and retain employment with health benefits. Housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing, unstable housing or no housing... ...ue to be one of the greatest unsolved social problems of this era as long as there are limited resources to drug and alcohol treatment for this population. Works Cited Aiken, Kimberly. ?Hope for the Homeless.? Essence Oct 94: 152 Alcoholics Anonymous. New York: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 1976. Burger, Steve. ?The Truth About Homelessness.? 27 Nov 1999. http://www.iugm.org/families.html Baum, Alice and Donald Burnes. A Nation in Denial: The Truth About Homelessness. Boulder: Westview, l993. Christiansen, Elaine. ?The SRI Gallup Study of Recovery from Homelessness.? 27 Nov 1999 http://www.iugm.org/gallup.html/ Franklin, D. ?Homelessness is a Housing Problem.? Health Feb 92: 15. ?Helping People Off the Streets: Real Solutions to Urban Homelessness.? Center for Poverty Solutions. 25 June 00 http://www.ctrfor povertysolutions.org/public/campus.htm. Hess, Robert. ?Helping People Off the Streets.? USA Today Magazine Jan 2000: 18. Karinshak, Carole. ?Teaching Homeless Adults.? Adult Learning Sep 96: 28. Shinn, Marybeth. ?Housing is Best Cure for Homelessness.? New York Amsterdam News 12 Nov 1998: 6.