Letsgofordinner Company Marketing Goals

Marketing Goals The main marketing goal of the Letsgofordinner Company is to provide customers with the discounts for food in a number of restaurants in Vancouver. The organization works with more than 40 restaurants in the region and constantly increases its capability. The restaurants Letsgofordinner works with are absolutely different and they are not connected with one another by means of chain or other characteristics.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Letsgofordinner Company Marketing Goals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main purpose of the organization is to provide the customers with dinner certificates which give discounts for those who follow the specific rules and conditions. The company market segmentation is provided on the following conditions: a customer may join the organization either as a full member and get a dinner certificate with 50% discount, or on terms of pay-as-you-go member and get 40% discount on the next dinner certificate. The marketing goal of these actions is to create patrons for the specific restaurants in the region. One of the main purposes of the Letsgofordinner is to control the restaurant industry. Considering the information from the website, the organization Letsgofordinner tries to widen its influence and invite more and more restaurants to participate in the program. Thus, more and more customers are interested in saving money on every day dinners. Therefore, new clients join the company every day. The promotional techniques play vital role. Using Facebook as the facility to attract more and more new clients, the organization increases its profit. To measure the success and to track it, the organization uses Sugar CRM. This software helps the company create the list of customers. The main idea of the discount system used in the restaurants with full membership is to redeem the card every week. It is possible to do either on the Letsgofordinner ’s website or in the restaurant. If the procedure takes place in the restaurant, the program helps identify the client and check whether he/she deserves a discount or not. Thus, Sugar CRM software helps the company to be aware of the clients and their activities. Recommended target market segments and strategy for each market segment Having considered the marketing segmentation of the company, it should be mentioned that the system is not really effective. It works rather well and the company receives profit, still, it is possible to increase the company income by means of improving marketing segmentation system. The company should consider the following groups for market segmentation, business people, young couples, students, singles, and patrons.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main idea we offer for market segmentation for Letsgofordinner Company is to identif y the groups of customers which have similar needs. The main purpose of such segmentation is to make the discount possibilities and prices flexible. The customers will be offered the opportunity to choose the discount program they prefer. Considering the life style of business people, it should be stated that they prefer impress the partners with sophisticated substantial dinners. Thus, the list of obligatory items from the menu should include drinks and two courses. Young couples prefer sitting in the romantic atmosphere, eat some snacks and enjoy each other with the glass of wine or champagne. This group should have a bottle of some drink and hot, cold and light snacks. Students are people who need energy, so the food they can be offered for discount should be substantial but not delicate. Singles are people who come to eat, so they should be offered three course menus. Patrons are people who got used to the system and may be offered an opportunity to choose the obligatory courses themselves. Depending on the market segment, the prices on discounts should be different. Key messages targeted to chosen segments The key messages targeted to the considered segments are that dining in the restaurants may be available for different people with different preferences and income. Furthermore, clients should understand that the food they eat may be chosen to match their lifestyle. Expected benefits and challenges of your campaign The main idea of the campaign described in the paper is to make the discount system more flexible and more accessible for some layers of population. Thus, to be the member of Letsgofordinner and redeem a discount now, people should order a bottle of wine and three normal course meals for two. This set of products is inconvenient for some categories of people. Thus, the market segmentation offered above may help increase the rate of customers and attract more people of different interests and income. This report on Letsgofordinner Company Marketing Goals was written and submitted by user Rumiko Fujikawa to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on The Guilt Of Oedipus

The Guilt of Oedipus The play Oedipus: â€Å"The King† presents the reader with a look into the horror of Oedipus’ destiny. Freud writes, â€Å"Oedipus was exposed as an infant because an oracle warned his father his son would be his murderer†(69). Oedipus was rescued and began another life with another royal family. After Oedipus found out about the oracle he tries to free himself from the oracle. Oedipus fulfilled the oracle and was driven away from the land. Was Oedipus guilty of murder and incest or not? Many facts have been found to prove that he is guilty, while many opinions are raised in favor of his innocence. Oedipus was indeed guilty of murdering his father and having incest with his mother. The play itself is all the evidence needed to convict Oedipus of these charges. The play states everything that Oedipus did until he is driven away from the land. The evidence from the play would definitely make Oedipus guilty. In addition to the play there are other facts that would make Oedipus guilty. Freud states â€Å"Oedipus himself is the murderer of Laius, but further he is the son of a murdered man and of Jocasta†(70). Freud’s fact about Oedipus being his father murderer is true, and that makes him guilty. Another author Wheelwright writes â€Å"The fact that Oedipus performed slaying his father and bedding his mother without suspecting true relationship†(252). This comment backs the favor of Oedipus being guilty because it proves that he did the crimes. Oedipus knew what the oracle said he would do and having any knowledge of that should have made him more cau tious of who he killed or had sex with. Since Oedipus wanted to know who his parents were Vellacott states â€Å"Oedipus investigated the murder of Laius and discovered his own double guilt†(207). Vellacott uses guilt in his commentary and proves that even Oedipus knows that he is guilty. Oedipus wanted to know who his parents were because a drunk to... Free Essays on The Guilt Of Oedipus Free Essays on The Guilt Of Oedipus The Guilt of Oedipus The play Oedipus: â€Å"The King† presents the reader with a look into the horror of Oedipus’ destiny. Freud writes, â€Å"Oedipus was exposed as an infant because an oracle warned his father his son would be his murderer†(69). Oedipus was rescued and began another life with another royal family. After Oedipus found out about the oracle he tries to free himself from the oracle. Oedipus fulfilled the oracle and was driven away from the land. Was Oedipus guilty of murder and incest or not? Many facts have been found to prove that he is guilty, while many opinions are raised in favor of his innocence. Oedipus was indeed guilty of murdering his father and having incest with his mother. The play itself is all the evidence needed to convict Oedipus of these charges. The play states everything that Oedipus did until he is driven away from the land. The evidence from the play would definitely make Oedipus guilty. In addition to the play there are other facts that would make Oedipus guilty. Freud states â€Å"Oedipus himself is the murderer of Laius, but further he is the son of a murdered man and of Jocasta†(70). Freud’s fact about Oedipus being his father murderer is true, and that makes him guilty. Another author Wheelwright writes â€Å"The fact that Oedipus performed slaying his father and bedding his mother without suspecting true relationship†(252). This comment backs the favor of Oedipus being guilty because it proves that he did the crimes. Oedipus knew what the oracle said he would do and having any knowledge of that should have made him more cau tious of who he killed or had sex with. Since Oedipus wanted to know who his parents were Vellacott states â€Å"Oedipus investigated the murder of Laius and discovered his own double guilt†(207). Vellacott uses guilt in his commentary and proves that even Oedipus knows that he is guilty. Oedipus wanted to know who his parents were because a drunk to...

Analysis and Summary of If by Rudyard Kipling

While living in England, Kipling was inspired by the imperialistic views of the British demonstrated around the world. During his school years, Kipling had a very difficult at boarding school. He was physically abused throughout his time in college. After finishing college in 1882, he returned back to India to work as a journalist and editor. Also in 1882, Kipling married an American woman Caroline Balestier and immediately moved to America to live with her. He stayed in Vermont until 1899, and went back alone to England to write literature. The majority of his poems dealt with his opinion of inspiration and imperialism. An analysis of â€Å"If† and â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† makes it clear that Rudyard Kipling uses literary devices effectively to fortify his message of inspiration and imperialism. If† is one of Kipling’s best known poems and it contains one of his most powerful messages of inspiration. In the beginning of the second stanza in â€Å"If†, Kipling uses personification â€Å"If you can dream- and not make dreams your master. † The beginning of the stanza focuses on reality; dreaming is good, but do not let it take control of yourself. Meaning, there are other impor tant goals in life that are needed to be achieved. The second personification used by Kipling is on line 10 and 11 â€Å"If you can meet with triumph and disaster/ and treat those two imposters the same. This explains that failure is a benefit; mistakes are guaranteed to happen. No one is perfect and people learn from their missteps. The final personification on line 21 and 22 Kipling uses is â€Å"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew/ To serve your turn long after they are gone. † This means to put your heart and nerve into your actions in the future and learn from the past. Also, having to accept the past and move on from it with your heart and gut. Alliteration is expressed twice in â€Å"If† to fortify Kipling’s thoughts and expressions throughout his poem. In line 12, the alliteration â€Å"treat those two imposters just the same. † emphasizes Kipling’s point of treating people with equity and respect. This quote implies how Kipling sees society’s disapproval towards other people and he interprets that everyone including (imposters) should be fairly treated without criticism or judging based on societal influences. Another example of Alliteration is â€Å"With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,† on line 30, expressing Kipling’s opinion of time. Meaning to try and put an effort in constantly; even when feeling exhausted. Repetition and diction is used in â€Å"If† to strengthen Kipling’s message of inspiration. First off, â€Å"you† is used repeatedly in the poem to enrich Kipling’s message directly to the reader â€Å"The white man’s burden†, is one of Kipling’s best views of imperialism throughout the poem. In lines 19 and 20, Kipling uses the personification â€Å"Fill full the mouth of famine/ and bid the sickness cease. † Thus Kipling proclaims that the imperialist nation is going to aid and feed the conquered land. Kipling uses another personification in the sixth stanza â€Å"Nor call too loud on freedom/ To clock your weariness†. Thus, Kipling explores the meaning of individual freedom and that the use of individual freedom should not be an excuse to cover up ones weariness. Also, not aiding others by refusing to â€Å"Take up the White Man`s burden†. Anaphora is used in â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† to give emphasis to Kipling’s points. The first example is found in the fourth stanza, â€Å"The ports ye shall not enter, /The roads ye shall not thread,† have the same â€Å"The _ ye shall not _†. This represents Kipling’s repetitive thoughts of the imperial nation being denied to enter and live in the captured nation. Another example of anaphora is used in the sixth stanza â€Å"By all ye cry or whisper, / By all ye leave or do†. Kipling is poetically conveying the ruling of the conquered nation founded by the bequest of the imperial territory. Kipling also expresses the poems theme of Imperialism with the significant use of repetition and allusion. The line â€Å"Take up the White Man’s Burden-† is used at the start of each stanza establishing the basis of the poem. Analysis and Summary of If by Rudyard Kipling While living in England, Kipling was inspired by the imperialistic views of the British demonstrated around the world. During his school years, Kipling had a very difficult at boarding school. He was physically abused throughout his time in college. After finishing college in 1882, he returned back to India to work as a journalist and editor. Also in 1882, Kipling married an American woman Caroline Balestier and immediately moved to America to live with her. He stayed in Vermont until 1899, and went back alone to England to write literature. The majority of his poems dealt with his opinion of inspiration and imperialism. An analysis of â€Å"If† and â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† makes it clear that Rudyard Kipling uses literary devices effectively to fortify his message of inspiration and imperialism. If† is one of Kipling’s best known poems and it contains one of his most powerful messages of inspiration. In the beginning of the second stanza in â€Å"If†, Kipling uses personification â€Å"If you can dream- and not make dreams your master. † The beginning of the stanza focuses on reality; dreaming is good, but do not let it take control of yourself. Meaning, there are other impor tant goals in life that are needed to be achieved. The second personification used by Kipling is on line 10 and 11 â€Å"If you can meet with triumph and disaster/ and treat those two imposters the same. This explains that failure is a benefit; mistakes are guaranteed to happen. No one is perfect and people learn from their missteps. The final personification on line 21 and 22 Kipling uses is â€Å"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew/ To serve your turn long after they are gone. † This means to put your heart and nerve into your actions in the future and learn from the past. Also, having to accept the past and move on from it with your heart and gut. Alliteration is expressed twice in â€Å"If† to fortify Kipling’s thoughts and expressions throughout his poem. In line 12, the alliteration â€Å"treat those two imposters just the same. † emphasizes Kipling’s point of treating people with equity and respect. This quote implies how Kipling sees society’s disapproval towards other people and he interprets that everyone including (imposters) should be fairly treated without criticism or judging based on societal influences. Another example of Alliteration is â€Å"With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,† on line 30, expressing Kipling’s opinion of time. Meaning to try and put an effort in constantly; even when feeling exhausted. Repetition and diction is used in â€Å"If† to strengthen Kipling’s message of inspiration. First off, â€Å"you† is used repeatedly in the poem to enrich Kipling’s message directly to the reader â€Å"The white man’s burden†, is one of Kipling’s best views of imperialism throughout the poem. In lines 19 and 20, Kipling uses the personification â€Å"Fill full the mouth of famine/ and bid the sickness cease. † Thus Kipling proclaims that the imperialist nation is going to aid and feed the conquered land. Kipling uses another personification in the sixth stanza â€Å"Nor call too loud on freedom/ To clock your weariness†. Thus, Kipling explores the meaning of individual freedom and that the use of individual freedom should not be an excuse to cover up ones weariness. Also, not aiding others by refusing to â€Å"Take up the White Man`s burden†. Anaphora is used in â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† to give emphasis to Kipling’s points. The first example is found in the fourth stanza, â€Å"The ports ye shall not enter, /The roads ye shall not thread,† have the same â€Å"The _ ye shall not _†. This represents Kipling’s repetitive thoughts of the imperial nation being denied to enter and live in the captured nation. Another example of anaphora is used in the sixth stanza â€Å"By all ye cry or whisper, / By all ye leave or do†. Kipling is poetically conveying the ruling of the conquered nation founded by the bequest of the imperial territory. Kipling also expresses the poems theme of Imperialism with the significant use of repetition and allusion. The line â€Å"Take up the White Man’s Burden-† is used at the start of each stanza establishing the basis of the poem.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 21

Assignment Example Presently, theoretical, normative, and political challenges movements have enhanced human rights. People from different walks of life usually view human rights activism as individualistic ideologies and sometimes as simply liberal commitments of the movement itself. However, the existence and application of law seems to have sunk among societal values as they widely accept the provisions within the law. Sections of the people who do not accept the provisions of the law have no choice but to subscribe to what it dictates as it is the only way put of coexistence between the government and its citizens. Interestingly, all kinds of religions see value in the provisions of the rule of law, unlike rights which they view as being driven by individual pursuits. Perhaps it may be argued that the challenges facing the prosperity of human rights and the acknowledgment of rights itself are as a result of the laxity of the rule of law towards protection of human rights. In fact, by virtue of individuals accepting and upholding the law alone creates a platform for which human rights activism can flourish. Generally, laws need to be reasonable and acceptable to a greater part of the populace; not necessarily meaning that they are good laws but that they are normatively justifiable. Most legal systems including the Canadian system center on physical integrity rights or those that are easy to examine yet the relationship between the rule of law and human rights present a more difficult phenomenon to understand and explain, for instance, rights of smaller groups in the society. This strong link between law and rights id depicted in Canada’s Constitution Act of 1982 part 1 which guarantees the rights and freedoms of the people of Canada. The c hapter â€Å"Canadian Chapter of Rights and Freedoms† provides for certain rights and freedoms as long as they are subject to the provisions and limits of

Chinas economic rise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Chinas economic rise - Essay Example The rise of the economy of a country means a stable increase in the economic growth of the country for a considerable period of time. By economic growth, we mean the increase in the gross domestic product of the country that in turn means increase in the production of overall sectors of the economy with some sectors contributing more to the growth than the others. Economic growth of a country can even occur with the increase in the key inputs of production mainly labor and capital, which helps in boosting up the productivity that result in the increase in the total production of the country. Increase in the income level of country can also boost up sector wise economic growth. A continuous increase in the real per capita income or output of a country can also be termed as economic growth as it increases the standard of living of the individuals of the country. When a country experiences significant economic growth, the international credit rating of that particular nation increases a nd it is generally said that there occurs an economic rise in the country. Thus in ultimate words it can be concluded that rise in the economy of a country imply a positive breakthrough in the flow of the economy. (Economic growth, 2008: Rise, 2011: Adelman, 1961, p1) The economy of China is experiencing an accelerating growth over the decade and soon from a mere underdeveloped country, it will reach the economic growth rate similar to the developed economies of the world if not more. The economy of the country since its liberalization and open up of the market economy is experiencing a growth rate of 10% per year approximately which increases with the advent of the twenty first century and expected to double itself in the next few years. According to Albert Keidel (2007) by the year 2040, the rapid economic growth of the country will soon overcome that of the United States in terms of the overall gross domestic product of the country. The rise of the economy of the country to a maj or economic power within a period of about twenty-eight years from a stagnant and poor economy can be termed as one of the greatest economic success of the modern time. The economic rise of the country has made it the second largest economy of the world and it could reach the highest position within a decade. According to many economists, the economic growths of the country have been mainly due to the significant increase in the productivity of the country that again resulted from the market reforms undertaken by the government of the country. The market reform of the eighties emphasizes on reduction in the role of the state control or the public sector of the economy and the increase in the ownership and the control by the private enterprises of the economy. Moreover, the country’s policy of opening up the market to international trade also significantly contributed to the gain or increase in the productivity of the country that further resulted in the growth of the economy. Thus, liberalization and privatization are the main cause behind the economic rise of the country in the recent decade. (Elwell, Labonte, Morrison, 2007: Keidel 2007) Three historical rise of the country The economy of the country had also experience modest growth before the year 1937 and according to some economist the country before the modern period thrice in the future have the experience of being the most powerful and prosperous country among the neighboring regions. The country gains prosperity during the first bureaucratic rule of Qin-Han unification. The country had the experience of the second period of prosperity at the time of reunification of Sui-tang. Before the modern period the third and the perhaps the most powerful rise of the country was at the period of reconstruction and the reinforcement of the Confucian tradition as the new orthodoxy in the country. It was the time of the Ming and the Qing dynasties. The rise of the country in these historical periods differs significantly from the rise of the cou

Live Like YouRe Dying Essay Example for Free

Live Like YouRe Dying Essay Clean, Cull, and Connect. In his short essay â€Å"Live like you’re dying,† Chuck Palahniuk refers them as the â€Å"Three C’s. † After confirming that suicide is the only escape route, they are the three final chores you must finish on your last â€Å"lively† week. Clean everything. Your bathroom, car, refrigerator, everything. Cull down your resources, donate and destroy needless possessions, and get a good haircut. Connect to everyone you’ve ever known and say something nice, no matter how bad you hate them. Don’t feel humiliated, you’ve got nothing to lose except a few days of your life. Also, know that no one will remember you, know that the world will not change after you die. Know that you will not be missed. And after all of this, Palahniuk says you probably won’t bother to kill yourself, since by then you’ll be surrounded by friends who recognize you as a decent and valuable friend. But there is more to the essay than explaining what the three C’s are. Both the title and content clearly spotlights death as a major concept of the essay, as most of Palahniuk’s writings are. Actually, Palahniuk touches on death so often that it seems he cannot go through a single essay without discussing about it. Also, from start to beginning, his sentences are written in such a clean-cut way that the reader almost feels suicidal. â€Å"Do everything. † â€Å"Destroy it. † â€Å"Treat yourself. † â€Å"Your oven will be clean, your car vacuumed. † Even in the merriest mind, one cannot help but be persuaded that the world will crumble when the essay ends. Why does Palahniuk do so? It seems odd – and arduous – for any writer to be so â€Å"deathly† when he writes. Palahniuk was beleaguered by death all his life. In his mind, his happy family had already died when his parents divorced, leaving him and his three siblings to live with their grandparents. Later on, Palahniuk volunteered at a hospice as an escort, where he had to witness the death of a patient he had grown attached to (which lead him to stop volunteer working). And around 1999, Palahniuk’s father – Fred Palahniuk – was shot and dragged into a house which was put on fire. Palahniuk later on helped the decision of the killer’s death sentence, the ex-boyfriend of Fred Palahniuk’s girlfriend. Although death is a frequently visited topic for Palahniuk, he probably doesn’t always write in such a â€Å"deathly† manner on purpose. But it is also not surprising that Palahniuk ends up writing about death every time. Palahniuk’s word choice during the essay is also different from the ordinary writer. Not only that most of them are short, but all of them are so-called â€Å"easy† words (perhaps â€Å"procrastinate† at the last paragraph is an exception). Of course, it comes from Palahniuk’s minimalistic writing philosophy, but anyone with internet connection to Wikipedia can figure that out. The question is, where does his writing philosophy come from? Palahniuk claims himself to be a romantic who expresses ideas that others do not believe in. It is only natural that he holds different ideas from the ordinary man, regarding the unordinary world he grew up in. Therefore, readers of Palahniuk need to think twice about what he wrote to understand it. But complex words tend to have an accurate meaning to it, which doesn’t leave any space to think again about what he was actually trying to say. This leaves Palahniuk no choice but to use more flexible, simpler and original words. Although it doesn’t show in the essay â€Å"Live like you’re dying,† an exception is when it comes to mechanics. For example, in his novel â€Å"Fight Club,† most of the processes in making plastic bombs or soap is described in an accurate manner. This is probably because Palahniuk used to work for Freightliner as a mechanic, but his tendency to describe mechanical processes accurately has less to do with his flow of words than we have interest to. As it has been clearly shown, â€Å"Live like you’re dying† has a deep relation to Palahniuk’s background, almost as if the essay is a shadow of Palahniuk. Everything that Palahniuk has been through, and is going through, is spilled out and spread, conscious or unconscious, on the computer screen when he writes. He can’t help it. And it would be nonsense to say that this only counts for Chuck Palahniuk – every essay is a shadow of the author in some way or the other, a footprint of what he has been through. There’s a sort of syllogism going on here: what you’ve one is what you are, what you are is what you write, so what you’ve done is what you write. If you disagreed, you’d be challenging Socrates.

Homeless Families in America :: Research Papers

Thesis Statement This paper will examine a subgroup of the homeless population, homeless families. It will explore the multiple causes of family homelessness and the consequences homelessness has on family life. The three main reasons for the abundance of dispossessed families within America are the following: 1) the lack of affordable housing, 2) low wages in the job-market, and 3) insufficient federal aid. In today’s society, these causes are the main contributors towards the heartbreaking condition of family homelessness, which often leads to family breakups, health issues, and educational obstacles. This paper will also give possible solutions to family homelessness and improvement plans for the future. Defining Homelessness â€Å"Home is where we start from.†(T.S. Eliot) â€Å"Home †¦is †¦the human point of ultimate return.† (John Hollander) Although most people know what homelessness is and it occurs in most societies, it is important to define because the forces of displacement vary greatly, along with the arrangement and meaning of the resulting transient state. The Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defined a homeless person as â€Å"an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings, etc.† Resent surveys conducted in the U.S. have confirmed that the homeless population in America is extremely diverse and includes representatives from all segments of society, including: the old and young, men and women, single people and families, city dwellers and rural residents, whites and people of color, employed and unemployed, able workers and people with serious health problems. The diversity among people that are homeless reflects how difficult it is to generalize the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people. Robert Rosenheck M.D., the author of Special Populations of Homeless Americans, explains the importance of studying homelessness based on subgroups, â€Å"each subgroup [of homeless people] has unique service needs and identifying these needs is critical for program planning and design.† Despite these diversities, homelessness is a devastating situation for all that experience it. Not only have homeless people lost their dwelling, but they have also lost their safety, privacy, control, and domestic comfort. Homeless Families Family homelessness is a fairly new social problem in America. Beginning in the early 1980’s, families with children have become the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.

Alpha Corporation Essay

1) Sources of Cash – Accounts receivable (payment from customers) , Proceeds from Sale of assets(PP&E), proceeds from sale of discontinued operations, Issue of Stock and long term debt Use of Cash – Buying of inventories, Account payables (payments to suppliers) , Purchase of Assets(PP&E), Investment in capitalized software, principal payment of short term debt, Repurchase of Stock, Dividends paid 2) Cash flow from operations (125.2, 89.3, and 46.8) was greater than that from net income (- 377.9, -623.5 , and -320.6). The reason for difference is lot of non- cash expenditure such as depreciation, amortization, and restructuring was deducted from the revenues to come to Net Income. Also, the gain from investment was deducted from the Net income as it is also a non-cash item. 3) No, the cash generated from operations (125.2, 89.3, and 46.8) was less than the investment in capital expenditure (129.7, 174.4, and 303.8) 4) No, the cash generated from operations (125.2, 89.3, and 46.8) was less than the total of investment in capital expenditure (129.7, 174.4, and 303.8) and dividends paid(0, 7.2, and 26.0 ). 5) Not applicable 6) Alpha corp used the following sources to fund capital expenditure and dividends – Proceeds from Sale of assets (PP&E), proceeds from sale of discontinued operations, Issue of Stock and long term debt. 7) Yes, Currents assets such as account receivables, inventory, and other current assets and current liabilities such as Accounts payable were uses and source of cash from the working capital respectively. 8) The other major items that impacted cash are – payments of long term debt , and proceeds from Disposal from PP&E Part 2 1) Net Income- in the last three years NI has decreased from -320.6 to -377.9. That is the company has been incurring increasing losses. 2) Cash flow from operations – in the last three years CFO has tripled(approx.) from 46.8 to 125.2. 3) Capital expenditure – Company has been investing the capitals but the amount has steadily decreased from 303.6 to 129.7. 4) Dividends – Alpha corp stopped paying dividends in 1991 though it paid in the previous years. 5) Net Borrowing – Net borrowings were positive in 1989 but since then Alpha has been paying off lot of long term debts resulting in negative net borrowin in 1990 and 1991. 6) Working capital accounts – In 1989, Alpha was buying more assets and paying off current liabilities such as account payables. However, in 1990 & 91, the trend was reversed. Part 3 Alpha – seems to be going through troubled times in the last two years. It has been running into losses for all the 3 years. Though it’s operations are generating cash but its NI is taking a hit because of lot of depreciation/amortization and restructuring. Also, the CFO is not enough to cover the capital expenditure because of which it has been selling assets, borrowing debts from market and issuing class B stocks. Beta – has been doing pretty well financially. Its NI has been growing at a good pace from 400K to 6,323K. It is in growing phase which is evident from the increasing investment in capital expenditure and growing inventory. It also invested excess cash in marketable securities and issued common stock as well. However, it needs to be vigilant of growing accounts receivable from 613 to 10,837 from 1990 to 91. Gamma – From 1989 -91, Gamma has gone from a net income of 1Bn to a loss of 617Mn. Even though the operation is still generating cash but the amount has been gradually decreasing. The decrease in Accounts payable and inventory indicates that the operation has taken a hit apparently because of decrease in demand. The decrease in Account receivables suggests that it has been selling less. Though it has been investing in capital the amount invested has been decreasing suggesting low confidence of management in future outlook. An equivalent amount of sales and repurchase of treasury stocks is also not good sign.

Boundaryless Organizations

In deciding issues such a distribution of authority, reporting relationships, span of control and centralization/decentralization, the structure of the organization will result. It is worth noting that the current tendency is to move to flatter organization having fewer hierarchical levels and more flexible reporting arrangements. This is what a boundaryless organization is about. As a different view of organizational structure, it is not defined by, or limited to, the boundaries imposed by a predefined structure. Boundaries in this context can be external and internal in nature.Internal boundaries are horizontal boundaries imposed by work specialization and departmentalization and vertical boundaries that separate employees into organizational levels and hierarchies. The external boundaries are those that separate the organization from its customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. The boundaryless organization breaks down the artificial boundaries created by a design such as dep artmentalization and hierarchies, and the external boundaries separating the organization from its suppliers, customers and other stakeholders.General Electric’s former chairman, Jack Welch, coined the term boundaryless organization to describe is idea of what he wanted GE to become (Ashkenas, Ulrich, Jick and Kerr (1995). It has been called by different names since: the 21st century network organization, modular corporation, the new corporate model, the new corporate architecture or virtual corporation, to name a few. And because it relies heavily on information technology, some have turned to calling this structure the T-form (or technology-based) organization.Industries and Organizations Suitable for a Boundaryless Organizational Structure From its foundation, more than one hundred years ago, the learning of organizations has rested on a single conjecture: that there is and/or should be a sole ‘right’ structure of organization. This ‘one-size-fits-allâ⠂¬â„¢ thought still keeps on until today. What is offered as the ‘one right’ business structure has altered on more than one occasion, but the exploration for the one-size-fitting-all organizations continues these days.Probably the most suitable organization for a boundaryless organizational structure is manufacturing companies which operate on a global scale. However, it may be noted that no one structure meets all the business requirements under all conditions. It is always important to periodically evaluate the organization structure to determine whether it is still appropriate to the changing needs. The decision maker should list the strengths and weaknesses of each structural alternative and also develop business priorities for attributes such as cycle-time reduction or scale/scope of manufacturing, etc.Then the choice of structure can be made to meet the top priorities. Advantages In recent years, many organizations have attempted to become more boundaryless by ma intaining flatter structures and allowing a more free flow of communication and influence with customers and suppliers. As an example, a boundaryless organization might encourage the contracting of services across functional or product-line boundaries. With such contracting comes closer contact and natural development of customer-supplier relationships between previously separated groups.One specific example increasingly common in recent years involves the contracting of human resource services between an HR department and other units of an organization. The boundaryless organization aims to do away with pecking order, have unlimited span of control, and substitute units with empowered teams. The breaking down of boundaries between an organization and its external customers has also caused those customers to take a more active role toward the organization and its management.For example, in service settings that have adopted boundaryless orientations, external customers increasingly become more involved in the design and delivery of the company’s HRM practices. By taking away vertical boundaries, the management evens out the chain of command. Status and rank are minimized and becomes flexible and responsive. Another advantage is that it dissolves temporal, geographical, hierarchical, legal and economic boundaries.The extent to which an organization has attempted to reshape its boundaries structurally toward boundarylessness coincides with the appropriateness of 360 ° degree feedback. For example, a flatter structure would increase the need for upward appraisals and feedback, as managers attempt to gauge the effectiveness of their leadership behaviors. Disadvantages Any discussion of the benefits or transcendence of the boundaryless organization should, however, consider the limitations and disadvantages of this new structure.These may include lack of control due to the increase in its span, communication difficulties due to personality and cultural dif ferences, stifling of innovation, ambiguities in the nature of relationships, asymmetric commitment, conflict in control, loss of autonomy and security, time lags, managing complexity, structural constraints, narrow managerial perspectives, manipulation and ulterior motives, mismatched or incomplete knowledge and competence, increased dependencies and so on. Also, the fact that people are motivated by different things and in different ways is something that managers are constantly conscious of.Thus, there are times when delayering and the flattening of hierarchies can create insecurity and lower staff morale (Peters, 1992). During the process, employees usually feel that they are being stripped off their responsibilities, interpreting it as lack of trust on the part of the management. Creating a Boundaryless Organization Picot, Reichwald and Wigand (2008) observed that there have been copious cases of businesses delayering their organizational structures in recent years. According t o advocates of the structure, one of the most effective ways of building responsiveness into organizations is to eliminate layers of management.The benefits gained from delayering could be fully realized only through a number of significant accompanying organizational changes. Looking more into internal training to meet the firms’ needs, citing cost pressures to cut back on spending for occupational training and outsourcing, which pushes the costs of training lower down the supply chain, often onto small and medium size enterprises which are in no position to finance such training are a number of ways to overcoming any problems that the delayering process creates.The managers’ and leaders’ role into this process, since they are the management people coming in closest contact with the employees, is to communicate, consult and plan on the measures that need to be taken in order for the delayering process to become beneficial to the organization as a whole.Cross-hi erarchical teams (which includes top executives, middle managers, supervisors and operative employees), participative decision-making practices, and the use of 360-degrees performance appraisals (in which peers and others above and below the employee evaluate his or her performance) are examples of what a boundaryless organization should be doing to break down vertical boundaries. Conclusion Many factors have contributed to the rise of the boundaryless organization. One is the need to respond to rapidly changing, highly competitive global markets.Another factor is new technology, such as computers and telecommunications that permits organizations to work more effectively. Employees then have a vast amount of information at their fingertips through an intranet. This idea may sound odd, yet many of today’s most successful organizations are finding that they can operate more effectively in today’s environment by remaining flexible and unstructured: that the ideal structur e for them is not having a rigid, predefined structure.WORKS CITED Ashkenas, R. , Ulrich, D. , Jick, T. & Kerr, S. (1995). The Boundaryless Organization: Breaking the Chains of Organizational Structure. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Peters, T. (1992). Liberation Management: Necessary Disorganization for the Nanosecond Nineties. London: Macmillan Picot, A. , Reichwald, R. & Wigand, R. (2008). Information, Organization and Management. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

Internal and external environmental analysis for Apple Inc Essays

Internal and external environmental analysis for Apple Inc Essays Internal and external environmental analysis for Apple Inc Paper Internal and external environmental analysis for Apple Inc Paper Apple has been very successful in the utilization of innovation to manufacture differentiated products which have created a competitive advantage to other companies in the market. The company has acquired more benefits from the sale of its products, for example, iPod Music player has been favored by many customers in the market. In June 2005 the company reported profits of $320 in the second quarter of that year. The brands of the company have been very competitive in the market. The Macintosh computers increased the sales of the company due to the acceptance by a large number of people. The notebooks have captured a great portion of the global markets. The income of the company has increased after the adoption of product differentiation strategies. The company has a strong team of researchers who conduct continuous research about the products and market behavior. The company has been identified to promote high customer loyalty in the global market and this has created a lot of threat to the existing companies in the market. The management of the company has encouraged the use of leadership within the workplace. This strategy has influenced the employees to contribute willingly to the goals and objectives of the company (Marketing Teacher Ltd 2010). Steve Jobs has been very good in developing strategies which relate to the current market issues. The company has well developed structures which provide the employees with all resources to manufacture excellent products. The resources of the company are adequate enough to produce competitive products. However, apple has encountered stiff competition from the competitors such as Microsoft which has a wealth of resources compared to Apple. There is increasing threat for the break of copyrights laws and Apple may suffer a lot from the criminal activities which promote the misuse of other people’s products for their own benefits. The culture of the company has been very strong in the maintenance of a strong market position in the global markets. A culture of risk taking, leadership, team work and others has been inculcated by the top management. The company has experienced very low employee turnover due to the proper human resource management strategies which have been developed. The goals of the company are very clear and all the stakeholders are aware of the direction in which the company is headed for (Adam 2009). External analysis The leadership of Steve Jobs has been very good; however, he has failed when establishing some strategies. For example, the creation of retail stores was done abruptly without consultation of all the stakeholders in the company. This resulted in failure of some retail stores after some employees felt that the strategies were not owned by the junior employees but the top management. Steve Jobs has been very ill and the management of the company has been delegated to Tim Cook. Steve has a long history of the company and understands the management of all the resources since he has been working with the company since it was founded. The election of Tim Cook has created a great threat to the efficient management of the company and the good performance that was being experienced there before might not be registered after a short time (Marketing Teacher Ltd 2010). The globalization of the markets has created more opportunities for Apple Inc. The company can market its products in many countries. The management has maintained a good relationship with the governments in the countries where it operates. The economic turbulence in the global markets has affected the activities of the company. The global meltdown experienced by economies in the recent past affected the performance of the company. The company experienced a decline in the sales made by all its subsidiaries worldwide. The changing lifestyles have encouraged the use of computers. Many people have adopted the use of computers in their homes or at work. This provides more opportunities to the company. Social cultural factors have always favored the company since people are shifting their demand towards the use of the electronic products; both in developed and developing countries (Adam 2009). The forces and trends that must be taken into consideration while developing a strategic plan Strategic plans are the policies that a company develops to achieve specific objectives. The management must consider the influence of politics, social cultural factors, and legal, economic and other external environment factors. The policies must align with the prevailing conditions in the market. Internal factors to the organization must be assessed to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied and they agree with the strategies. All the stakeholders must be involved in the decision making process to ensure the decisions are accepted by all people. Strategic plans are developed for the welfare of all stakeholders and they should be used to add value. The management of the company should collect ideas from all the internal and external partners when making decisions of the company. Analysis of the company’s plans should be done by a team of experts who have a good understanding of all the processes of the company.

Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short Story - Essay Example The journey represents a necessary testing of his faith, but the fear expressed by his wife Faith indicates there is a hidden peril in undertaking such a journey. Her warning, â€Å"may you find all well when you come back† (293), seems to indicate the peril does not apply strictly to Goodman Brown as he sets off on his journey, but for Faith as well as she is left behind in the darkness. In this solitary journey, Hawthorne indicates that the doctrine of purposefully seeking challenges to a faith already weakened by church dictates is a highly dangerous proposition with the capability of leading many men and women to their dooms rather than their salvation. This concept that the experience is leading to doom rather than salvation is defined more as the story progresses and Goodman Brown goes deeper into the darkness of the forest. The people that Young Goodman Brown sees and hears as he makes his way to the heart of the forest proves to him that the human soul is beyond redemption, regardless of their good works performed in the light of day, such as â€Å"a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin† (295). It is witnessing of the meeting between the woman and his companion who is presented as the devil, that first opens Young Goodman Brown’s eyes to the idea that the people he has considered so good in his lifetime are as full of sin and corruption as anyone. Throughout his journey, he loses some heart, but determines to hold fast to his Faith and return home. However, when he hears the voices of the villagers in a passing cloud, along with the sound of his own Faith being carried along with them, he gives in altogether and determines to find out what lies at the end of the path. Crying â€Å"my Faith is gone!†,

Front-line Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Front-line Management - Essay Example In relation to the whole army, the front-line commanders are in fact several rungs removed from the generals and occupy the lowest post in the chain of command but in the eyes of the ground troops, the front-line officers are the army and the high command. Thus, FLM in its organizational sense is sometimes good-naturedly described as a position caught between a rock and a hard place. For this reason, the roles and responsibilities of FLM are so unlike those of the higher management layers, and that these differ in scope and importance according to the configuration of the organization. This paper gathers evidence to support the view that the smaller and younger the organization, the heavier and more difficult the tasks it imposes on front-line management although the rewards are sparse. Conversely, the FLM job is easier but more rewarding in larger and older organizations. The paper will also attempt to explain why such a curiosity happens. All managers are required to demonstrate a higher level of skills in planning, organizing, coordinating, communicating and reporting activities; in directing and delegating work; in training, directing, motivating, supporting and disciplining people; and in team building. The need for such skills follows the description of management as getting the work of many done through the guidance of one. More or less the same talents are needed in front-line managers, with some basic differences. ... Second, the front-line managers are placed right next to the "coal face" being the first layer of management in an organization. In most cases, the FLM position may be the holder's first exposure to management. For these reasons, the front-line managers bear the burden of developing a good working relationship not only with their superiors but also with their subordinates. This particular responsibility spares managers in the upper hierarchy. Front-line managers go by various designations, among them supervisor, foreman, team leader, office manager and senior administrator. In an organizational context, holders of FLM position are defined as managers with first-line responsibility for a work group of about 10-25 people. They are accountable to top-floor management for the following tasks: People management. Managing operational costs. Providing technical expertise. Organizing, such as planning work allocation and shifts. Monitoring work processes. Checking on quality. Dealing with customers or clients. Measuring operational performance. (Hutchinson & Purcell online) The basic elements of the modern FLM role include building and maintenance of an efficient organizational structure, creating and maintaining a productive workforce, and controlling the workflow. A front-line manager is responsible for managing the individual employee as to his performance and professional development as well a to his health and safety at work. The front-line manager must exert an effort to know his team, improve the social relationships among members, and ensure that jobs and people match. Towards these ends, he must monitor the employees' progress and keep an eye out for possible changes by keeping his communication lines open (Mullins,