Issues Regarding Ranking of People Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issues Regarding Ranking of People - Term Paper Example hoot-out, Zimmerman was arrested by the police; the police arrived at the scene about two minutes after the shooting, in response to a distress call made by Zimmerman (Bell et al. 89). After his arrest, Zimmerman was put under police custody, treated for the head injuries that he claimed were inflicted on him by Trayvon, and was later questioned for five hours, regarding the events leading to the shooting. However, after a few hours, Zimmerman was released, and the police chief in charge of the case gave a variety of reasons for the release, including that he had acted in self-defense (Bell et al. 88-89). The police chief also maintained that the â€Å"stand your ground statute† did not allow the police to arrest Zimmerman for the controversial murder of the teenager, irrespective of the victim’s civil rights as well as the human rights of all Americans (Hancock 1). This paper will explore the event of Trayvon’s killing, with the aim of showing how the event led to an inequitable society, the resolution of the event and its effects. Despite the fact that Zimmerman, a Hispanic had shot Trayvon, an African-American dead, and despite the fact that the case was evidently an extreme one, Zimmerman was relelased after a few hours. The social stratification between the African-Americans and Americans of American descent demonstrated the social construction of social stratification for the different classes, and the case ended with an inadequacy of the attention warranted by the murder of Trayvon (Day-Vines et al. 401). The lack of equitability in society was evidenced by the responses offered to the murder, including that little attention paid to the fact that the police had ordered Zimmerman to stop pursuing Trayvon, yet he went ahead to shoot him dead. Secondly, there was the issue that, despite the fact that Zimmerman did not have any credible reasons to suspect that Trayvon was planning or in the process of committing a crime, the investigating officers paid

The Purpose of Initial Assessment and What Kind of Methods Could Be Used Essay Example for Free

The Purpose of Initial Assessment and What Kind of Methods Could Be Used Essay The purpose of an initial assessment is to firstly, make sure that a learner can enter the programme of study at a level that is appropriate to them. Secondly, these assessments also allow the learner to be able to plan their individual achievable learning goals. These initial assessments will become the framework of learners ILP’s (individual Learning Plans). They will also ensure that the learner provider and tutor can identify the gaps in learning sooner rather than later. It should go without saying that providers want the best for learners, it’s just as important that learners should know right from the start that they are entitled to the best for themselves†. (readingroom ,online) This demonstrates the importance of the initial assessment and its results have on an individual learner’s development. Initial Assessment are what they are, they are just the beginning and become a tailor made plan which then becomes a vital part of the teaching and learning for the learner and provider alike. â€Å"Assessment helps to set clear expectations for standards and achievement. CFBT, 2011,p10 . ) Initial assessment therefore ensures that there can be progression as it also allows learners themselves to see and develop on strengths and weaknesses from the outset. One can also suggest that these initial assessments are a motivational tool too, so that not only can the provider plan for the end goal but also that a learner can readily see that the results from initial assessments are used to determine achievable goals thus seeing that the overall course outcomes are achievable. There are several methods in which initial assessments can be ascertained. An initial interview gives a basic knowledge and is seen as a good indicator about the suitability of the learner, for example, what they have achieved in the past, what they want to achieve but as these are sometimes done prior to qualification results, this would not always produce a true reflection of a learner’s ability. Therefore a programme of induction following the interview and acceptance would ensure the learner can be fully assessed and ascertain not only the level they are working to but also any help that is required is in place from the beginning. Skills based testing is a common initial assessment tool. Learners take online or written assessments and the results ascertain their levels they are currently working on, furthermore specific diagnostic test homes in on the gaps in their skills. This method is effective and can give providers and tutors a general scale of ability, however one can argue that the results can also be misleading , for example if a learner has rushed or guessed part the assessment then the results would not be true reflection of the learners ability. BKSB is one of these online skills providers, used by many colleges. BKSB cover learner’s initial skills testing in literacy, numeracy and ICT, as well as diagnostic. However it can be argued that whilst convenient, for example, instant results and no marking by tutors and also identifies the specific subject knowledge and gaps , it can miss special needs problems such as dyslexia. Another initial assessment undertaken may include looking at a learner preferred learning style – commonly known as VAK , visual,( seeing and reading), auditory ( listening and speaking and kinaesthetic ( Touching and doing) . These are basically different ways of learning and be achieved through completion of questionnaires. This assessment is vital and is an integral part in the learner and tutors planning. Ensuring that your learners preferred style is embedded in the lesson plan (differentiation) can ensure that the learner’s motivation is continued. There are no right and wrong answers but in some cases there is not always a clear result, many learners may have a mix. However this could be seen as a positive when teaching a larger group as you can embed all three learning styles ensuring that a larger number will participate therefore keeping learners motivated and achieving goals and also progressing. Arguably you could suggest that the most important part of initial assessment is giving feed back to the learner of the results. This as we have said previously allows the learner to set themselves achievable goals. They have possibly already learnt things about themselves that they didn’t know. For example what their preferred style is. The advantage of this feedback session is that both learner and tutor have set clear manageable targets and goals. This is turn can be seen as a motivational tool for the learner as they have been part of the process and know what is expected from them. This also instils the motivation for the teacher to make sure that the learner can achieve their goals Regular reviews, target setting and referring to the initial assessments target setting is vital in ensuring a learner remains motivated, Learners will achieve if they can see themselves progressing. Smart targets therefore are an achievable and motivational tool as it will ensure that targets are met in an expected time frame. According to Reid (2007 pg. 14) motivation should be intrinsic, which means that a learner should be self-motivated. If the initial assessments have been managed effectively then they become the perfect platform for the Reid’s ideas, as the assessments are set up to insure that a learner as contributed to the target setting. Reid also states that ‘a car will not run without fuel, therefore a child won’t learn without motivation. (Reid 2007 pg. 4). Although aimed at younger children the ethos is the same in that even older learners need to be fed relevant facts in order to progress and reach goals. One could also suggest though that the older the learner is the harder it is to motivate as in some circumstances a lower self-esteem is more evident than in younger children, for example those leaners within foundation learning projects for example. If one uses foundation learning as an example, then motivating them becomes a juggling act as you have to employ strategies that would work over a mixed ability group. Characteristics of a group also play an important part of motivation. One main point is setting out a clear aim and objective of a day’s lessons. Learners then have an expectation of what is expected from them. Tutors must ensure there is a mix of learning skills. For example, the shyer, less confident learners might not want to join in with the speaking and listening task but then if you link it up with a task the quieter ones can excel at then you can continue to keep motivation going whilst also covering more challenging areas. This also is ensuring that you are achieving their goals but also their learning style patterns as stated in the leaners initial assessments. Feedback is vital and is especially important when reaching the end of a session or a unit of work and must include the completion of any smart targets reached, and then new ones to be set with the leaner thus detailing progress and keep motivation going. To ensure learners are kept motivated and achieving their goals, then there are of course many other strategies and theories. However the vital point remains that with the initial assessments and subsequent ILR’s, regular reviews with providers or tutors learners will hopefully continue to motivate themselves by seeing that they have achieved goals set, furthermore with every new set of new goals learners can see the on-going progression and therefore motivation to succeed continues.

Adolescent Observation Report Essay -- Adolescence Development Observat

Confidential Material The names used in this Adolescent Observation Report are fictitious. This is absolutely necessary to protect the privacy of the adolescent being observed. Person observed: Mary Age: 18 Gender: Female General description: about 5’2†, black hair, brown eyes, about 100 lbs. Place of observation: at my work, World of Tile Company Others present: Other co-workers Cultural group: Chinese Physical Development Mary has reached her body height at 5’2†. Although, when she was younger she had to take growth hormones because she was not growing when the rest of her peers were. She was a very late developer and did not start puberty until she was 17. Mary is very active in school activities such as clubs and softball and tennis. She is very coordinated in her sports and also very fast. Mary was just offered a full scholarship to play tennis at State University. Nutrition and health habits consist of eating a healthy, well balanced diet. She rarely eats fast food, and never eats sweets. She generally tries to maintain a nutritious diet because she wants to succeed in tennis. Cognitive Development In school, Mary is a B average student. She is a Senior in High School and is going to State University in the fall, 2015. Her family moved to the United States when she was very young, so she has been in American schools since pre-school. Her reading and writing skills are pretty average, but she exceeds in math. Mary is very attentive...

Kellogg’s Marketing Essay

Introduction: U.S based Kellogg’s is a world leader and the most successful cereal manufacturer in the world. Kellogg’s entered India in 1994 and it took them a good 15 years for stability in the Indian markets facing initial problems and trying to change the Indian consumer’s mentality about the morning breakfast http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx About the assignment: (Refer Appendix 1) Growth strategy by Kellogg’s in India: Kellogg’s were successful to create a need for the product which was never a necessity for an Indian household. We will now discuss how the company managed to establish themselves with a dominant market share in the Indian market. 1.) Ansoff Matrix Ansoff Matrix was introduced to address the corporate strategy of the future. It delivers the perspective of growth options on the horizontal level and introduces the possibility of diversification. (Kotler, Berger & Bickhoff, 2010) http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/ Market Development: Market Development is capturing new markets with your existing products or services. (Lester, 2009) In a new market or to a new consumer, it will be a quiet a task to have them to believe in your product on launching (Meldrum, M & McDonald, M., 2007) especially, when a country is so fond of their traditional recipes. With the help of extensive market research Kellogg’s found out that there was no breakfast cereal trend in the Indian market. Hence they launched their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’. This was always going to be tricky as Indians love their hot breakfast. Kellogg’s had a challenge to turn the mindsets of the Indian consumers who traditionally were used to having hot breakfast in the morning. Ready-to-eat breakfast or food was nonexistent. Kellogg’s via their advertising campaign did also educate the Indian consumers about the calorie and nutritional contents, etc. Company also struggled with their introductory pricings as their competitor ‘Mohan Meakin’ sold at a reasonable price. Although, Kellogg’s had a safe and attractive packaging but was considered as high. We assume that the market for Kellogg’s in the U.S and U.K was saturated and hence they decided to enter India. (Haig, 2003) Product Development: Companies develop new products or upgraded products for an existing market. It also includes thinking on how the new products can satisfy customer needs and outperform the rivals. http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html Following the corn flakes the company launched chocolate covered flakes, named as Chocos and to go with it flavours such as coconut and mango. The product which saw the company sales rise up by 17% was the ‘Iron Shakti’ which contained iron and was designed to address the iron deficiency in the Indian kids as most of the population ass had no proper breakfast apart from milk, tea & biscuits, etc. Iron Shakti was their first major success which helped them capitalise eventually. Kellogg’s tried its hand in producing biscuits which apparently didn’t work due to a very tough competition it faced from Parle-G and Britannia biscuits. Kellogg’s other product ‘Cheez-It’, launched in 2002 and was withdrawn in 2003 didn’t garner any attention either. (Refer to Appendix 2) (Excerpts from the case study, page 5) http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm Market Penetration: It’s well known growth strategy where the company concentrates on selling existing products into existing markets. (O’Shaughnessy, 1995) Kellogg’s with their intelligent research team did find out that the cereals were actually consumed by the entire family and also for health/diet conscious women so they launched a different variant of the cornflake known as ‘Special K’ under weight management. With this product (Special K), Kellogg’s challenged the consumers to lose 2.5 kgs in just two weeks. To encourage the household adults to consume, they produced adverts with adults featuring in it. (Excerpts from the case study 6 & 7) Market penetration increases or helps maintain the market share of the current products with advertising, sales promotions and personal selling. The Special K and the Iron Shakti just did that for Kellogg’s; they kept educating their consumers via adverts, campaigns and attractive and informative packaging which later paid off with good market share on these products. http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm Product/Market Diversification: A process which defines the activities of firms to enter new product market combinations. It is of primary interest to the researchers. (Klier, 2008) To improve the market capitalisation of the company, Kellogg’s introduced ‘Cheese-It’ a baked cheese snack crackers in the snacks category. It was launched in 3 flavours to suit the Indian tastes. And along with the snacks, the company introduced biscuits, as Kellogg’s Choco Biscuits. The move to launch snacks and biscuits backfired and resulted in withdrawal of the products in a very short time. The Indian biscuits industry has been dominated by Parle-G and Britannia for a very long time now. It was an up heel task for the Kellogg’s but they were confident as people started to recognise Kellogg’s as a good quality brand. With the launching of the snacks and the biscuits Kellogg’s wanted to reach out to the masses and redefine them as a convenience food market. Kellogg’s made a major announcement that they are ready to acquire salty snack maker ‘Pringles’ from Proctor & Gamble. This deal marks the entry of Kellogg’s into salty snacks, an important add-on to their portfolio with convenience foods and the successful breakfast cereals. (Excerpts from case study, page 7) http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx 2.) Kellogg’s India in regards with the 4P’s of Marketing: According to Borden, 1964, the marketing mix included product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging display, servicing, physical handling, fact finding & analysis. All the above factors were later grouped into 4 categories now known as 4P’s of Marketing. http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=4+p%27s+of+marketing&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=643&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=MyJEUI-Mui5D0M:&imgrefurl=http://candidkatie.com/2009/10/13/the-4-ps-of-marketing-part-1/&docid=W7aCYZrJmVXbSM&imgurl=http://candidkatie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/4-ps-300Ãâ€"218.jpg&w=300&h=218&ei=Rf-9T4X_EsXk8QP4lfUp&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=571&vpy=178&dur=224&hovh=152&hovw=209&tx=73&ty=46&sig=116673603394737623265&page=2&tbnh=139&tbnw=191&start=20&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:20,i:162 Product: As a tangible product, it was important for the product to be appealing for its content and its price too. Kellogg’s launched their flagship product to start with, Cornflakes which was a success in the western market. Cornflakes which initially failed, were later back in the market with some modifications then called as ‘indianization’. The flakes were a bit thick and were sweetened to suit the Indian palette. The increase in the awareness of the products via advertising resulted into the expansion in the market and health benefit of the products was the main reason for the fast driving sales. The ‘Iron Shakti’ gave the Kellogg’s taste of success with 17% rise in the sales, was designed to cater the iron deficiency in the growing kids. In order to redefine themselves as a convenience company and to pace their growth Kellogg’s introduced Cheez-It and Kellogg’s biscuits; unfortunately it did not share a liking amongst the Indian con sumers and was later scrapped from production. Kellogg’s then only decided to concentrate on cereals and its development. (Excerpts from the case study, page 5 & 6) Price: Pricing is an important marketing mix tool for both creating and capturing customer value. (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). Initially, Kellogg’s only focused on the quality of the product, features and benefit to the Indian consumers. India is a country with majority of population as middle class; the Indian public has been always price sensitive. Kellogg’s launched ‘KPak’, a very reasonably priced product at only INR 10 in 2007, a variant of the Chocos, an ideal option to chips and other junk foods. In 2010, Kellogg’s rolled our retail packs of different sizes & prices to cater the need of variety of consumers. After the launch with effective advertising, the company saw rise in the sales but that was just the curiosity of the Indian consumer to buy a new product. Baring in mind that the competitor Mohan Meakin reasonably priced their cereals and the situation (initial failure of Cornflakes), Kellogg’s priced their future products reasonably Place: The products were only available in the metro cities when it was initially launched in 1994. Then as a premium product it was only placed in the supermarkets and due its pricing clientele expected was the higher middle class or elite. Eventually, when the product became popular and after the launch of KPak which was priced at INR 10, Kellogg’s tried to reach out to the Tier 1 & Tier 2 towns in the country. (Excerpts from case study, page 8) Promotion: Kellogg’s were quiet effective on the promotional front. They always had attractive adverts on the telly usually featuring kids and the adverts featuring at the prime time soaps. As mentioned earlier, Kellogg’s had a Bollywood celebrity to endorse their products for adults. A celebrity is like an eye-kandy who attains the attention of the consumers which helps in creating awareness about the brand. In regards with personal selling, newspapers adverts were given and special weekend adverts were posted in weekend newspapers or in the kids section of the newspapers to attract the attention of the kids. Kellogg’s did a special promotion whilst sponsoring Spiderman 2 movie; they rolled out specially packed limited edition ‘spider web’ cereals and gave away relevant toys. The promotion was only available for 2 weeks and extensive advertising was done. Along with the pack, the buyer can also avail 20% discounts on the upcoming Spiderman 2 DVD. http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2004/07/14/stories/2004071401260900.htm http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos Porters Generic Strategies: Michael Porter has identified the four strategies to achieve a competitive advantage: 1.) Cost leadership 2.) Differentiation 3.) Focus Strategy – i) Differentiation ii) Cost. The Differentiation strategy is more relevant for the Kellogg’s, in accordance with case study. A Differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or services that are both unique and are valued by the customers. A Differentiation strategy is also the one in which a product offering is different from that of one or more competitors. (Aaker, 2001) http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html Kellogg’s started in India with their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’ with 3 variants. Unlike their competitor, Kellogg’s cornflakes were premium priced with an attractive packaging. With cornflakes initially failing due to sogginess after adding milk and less sweet flakes, Kellogg’s was quick to do amendments to suit to the local taste buds. Kellogg’s with their effective advertising campaign and communication via packaging spread awareness about the product and its benefits. Kellogg’s always believed in advertising and promotions, as it’s the most important medium to reach the target market and spreading brand awareness in India and endorsing the product with a celebrity is adding value to its which the Kellogg’s rival never did. http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 Major Challenges faced by Kellogg’s Even if Kellogg’s was a world leader in breakfast cereals with reports of profits in the western countries they did struggle for a while on their arrival in India. Kellogg’s were smart enough to apply proper strategies to tackle the issues they had. I have analysed their issues with some theories below: 1.) SWOT Analysis The use of SWOT Analysis allows organizations to maximize their strengths, minimize their weakness, take advantage of their opportunities and overcome their weaknesses. (Fine, 2009) Strength: Kellogg’s main strength was the product. Although they misread the market at first in regards with the product and price, they were quick to make changes and jump back. They had the advantage of first foreign cereal company to serve in the raw market India. Over the years, the best thing that Kellogg’s did was they carried extensive market research. They read the market accurately and offered quality products on a regular basis at a reasonable price. The other major factor was they were selling variety of healthy products whilst creating awareness about the products amongst the consumers. (Refer to Appendix 3) P.E.S.T.L.E (Refer to Appendix 4) With the help of the Porters 5 forces we can evaluate the 5 major challenges faced by Kellogg’s in India. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=porter%27s+5+forces+definition&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=WmX3SuQUrNjk4M:&imgrefurl=http://www.businessmate.org/Article.php%3FArtikelId%3D9&docid=w0bo10yR_EOaQM&imgurl=http://www.businessmate.org/userupload/Michael_Porter_Five_Forces.png&w=450&h=400&ei=xE6_T9W2E82W0QWy-_nRCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=275&vpy=269&dur=44&hovh=212&hovw=238&tx=126&ty=173&sig=116673603394737623265&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:86 With evaluation of the opportunities and threats through the SWOT analysis, The porters five forces model will give us an overview of the challenges Kellogg would face. The five major forces lead to assessment of the overall competitive dynamics of an Industry. ( Colley 2007 ) 1. Threat of new entrants: There are a lot of Domestic Companies from India like Hindustan Liver Ltd, Dabur India Ltd which may diversify and enter the Cornflakes Market which will threaten Kellogg’s position as they have an expertise in the food processing business . Also, with the Supermarket trend starting in India, there is a prospective entry of their own brands which are more reasonably priced on the market .This will make it necessary for Kellogg to come up with products with traditional Indian flavours to be able to gain competitive advantage over the domestic competitors like adding saffron or cinnamon flavour to their products. 2. Threat of substitute products or services Kellogg is a product in which many variations are not possible. The Indian breakfast items list from a wide range of foods with different tastes and flavours. The introduction of ready to eat breakfast items from Manufacturers like Haldirams and Gits pose a huge threat to Kellogg . The Company is recommended to diversify their product portfolio. 3. Bargaining power of Buyers The bargaining of power of an Indian consumer is very high due to a wide range of available products in the market. In case of slight fluctuations on the price, the customers may opt for other products in the market which are more reasonably priced as the buyer is price sensitive .This makes it ideal for Kellogg to price their product in accordance to the competition. 4. Bargaining power of Suppliers The company imports most of the raw materials required for manufacturing. If it purchases these materials via domestic suppliers, it would prove to be cost efficient, save time and also save the exercise duty taxes. 5. Intensity of rivalry among competitors With introduction of wheat flakes, extra muesli as its high fibre breakfast cereals, Kellogg is also in process of creating alternatives with different flavours in order to compete with its Rivals such as ITC , PepsiCo and Nestle . In 2006 the largest snack company in the country , Frito Lay , a division of PepsiCo India Holdings , had also , had also entered the breakfast cereal market . Conclusion The assignment has given me an opportunity to understand the marketing implications of a product launched in a foreign nation with a diverse culture and also the challenges faced in order to have an established competitive advantage on foreign soil. It gives an insight of how marketing can help reach out new markets and also create new markets for products which were never a necessity .Also the use of various marketing concepts like Porters five forces and Ansoff matrix have helped in a critical evaluation of current marketing situation and various forces that affect the performance of Kellogg . Bibliography: Books: Philip Kotler, Roland Berger & Nils Bickhoff, The Quintessence of strategic marketing, 2010, page 210 David Aaker, Strategic Market Management, 6th edition, page 159 Andrew Lester, Growth Management: Two hats are better than one, 2009, page 52 John O’Shaughnessy, Competitive Marketing: A Strategic Approach, 4th edition, 2008, page 175 Daniel O. Klier, Managing Diversified Portfolios, 2008, page 76 Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, 2011 Lawrence G Fine, The SWOT Analysis, 2009 Websites: http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may2006/id20060508_952455.htm http://www.ibef.org/download/Kellogg_India.pdf http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://www.kelloggcompany.com/corporateresponsibility.aspx

Managerial Economics and Globalization Essay

Abstract This paper will describe the details of a fictitious business and will assess the current environmental scan factors while determining the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. Thirdly, this paper will evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario; consider all key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Also, a recommendation as to how the company can improve its profitability and develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Lastly, this paper will assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations while providing a set of reasonable rationales. 1. Briefly describe the details of the fictitious business that you created for this assignment. The fictitious business in this assignment is named TopShop, which is an American multinational retailer with its main headquarters in New York. It is a high end fashion brand that specializes in fashion clothing, shoes, make-up and accessories. Currently, TopShop has 150 workers for its factory in New Jersey, and has hired a consultant to offer some advice that could help it make a decision as to whether it should shut down completely or continue operations. In addition, TopShop has 100 workers that produce 6,000 units of output per month (working 20 days / month). The daily wage (per worker) is $70, and the price of the firm’s output is $32. The cost of other variable inputs is $2,000 per day. The firm’s fixed cost is â€Å"high enough† so that the firm’s total costs exceed its total revenue. The marginal cost of the last unit is $30. 2. Assess the current environmental scan factors. Determine the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. The environmental scan factor refers to the macro environment and is the activity of acquiring information about events and relationships in a company’s outside environment, the knowledge of which would assist top management in its task charting the company’s future course of action. (Aguilar,1967). Comparably, finance, marketing, and operations will have the greater impact on plant operations and management’s decisions in determining if the operation continues its business. First, finance is responsible for acquiring financial resources at favorable prices and allocating those resources throughout the business, as well as budgeting, analyzing, investment proposals, and providing funds for operations. Secondly, marketing aims to analyze and determine consumer demands in the future, then selling and promoting its products and services. Thirdly, operations are responsible for production of goods and customer services in business. In addition, the production of goods or services supply could transform inputs into outputs (Michaels, 2011). Inputs such as capital, labor, and information are used to create goods or a service. That is why companies take measurements at various points in the transformation process and then compares them with previously established standards to determine whether corrective action is needed. In other words, the three factors; finance, marketing and operation can work in the study and interpretation of the political, economic, social and technological (PEST analysis) events and trends which influence a business, an industry or even a total market. In summary, they have the greatest impact on plant operation and management’s decision. 3. Evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Be sure to show the calculations that helped you reach your conclusions. Topshop’s financial performance is in trouble. A decision was made to hire Mr. Blake Lively as a managing consultant to offer suggestions to improve Topshop’s financial performance. Based on the data given, Blake considered the following key drivers of performance and the financial analysis. The details are following: 100 employees produce 6,000 units in a month. The price is $32 The total revenue per day = 6,000*$32 = $192,000 Daily wage per employee = $70 Total wage in one month = 20days * 100 employees * $70 = $140,000 Total variable cost = variable inputs + total wage in one month = $2,000*20days+ $140,000 = $180,000 per month. AVC=TVC/Q=$180,000/6,000=$30 per unit Net income=Total Revenue-TVC=192,000-180,000=$12,000 Based on the analysis of data, Topshop could continue its operations in short term because the $32 price is more than AVC $30, and the revenue received per month is $12,000. However, in the long term, Topshop should seriously consider the option of shutting down completely. The main reason being that the firm’s fixed cost is high enough so that its total costs exceed its total revenue, and the price must be less than AVC. Under this situation, the firm has no other recourse but to close its operation. 4. Recommend how the company can improve its profitability. Then, develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Every business can improve its profitability by aiming to increase profitability, reduce costs, consider the price, and expand the market. Buy more effectively One of the most obvious routes to increasing the profitability is to buy more effectively. It makes sense to review a supplier base regularly and to determine if a firm can buy the same raw materials more cheaply or efficiently. However, it must be ensured that the cheaper raw materials will not reduce quality of product and service (He, et al., 2007). Manage your costs Close management of the costs can drive firm’s profitability. Most businesses are capable of fining some forms of waste to reduce, however it is important to be mindful and not cut costs at the expense of the quality of products and services. Pricing considerations It is a good idea to regularly examine the pricing. Changes in the marketplace may help increase the price without risking sales. However, it is essential to test any price increases before they are made permanent. Expand your market Moving into new market areas can transform a business and if handled correctly, can significantly increase the profitability. However, bear in mind that developing new products and services and selling in new markets can be risky – and mistakes can prove very costly. 5. Assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations. Provide a rationale with your response. To qualify for presentation as a discontinued operation, all of the following conditions must be met: 1. The operations and cash flows of the component have been or will be eliminated from the ongoing operations of the entity as a result of the disposal transaction and 2. The entity will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component after the disposal transaction 3. A description of the facts and circumstances leading to the expected disposal, the expected manner and timing of the disposal and the carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the disposal group (if not reflected separately on the face of the statement). 4. The gain or loss recognized and, if not separately presented on the income statement, the caption in that statement in which the gain is included. 5. If applicable, the amount of revenue and pretax profit or loss reported in discontinued operations. 6. If applicable, the segment in which the long-lived asset or disposal group is reported. References Aguilar, F. J. (1967). Scanning the Business Environment. New York, NY: McMillan. Michaels, R. J. (2011). Transactions and Strategies. 1st Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. He, Y. Q., Chan, L. K. & Wu, M. L. (2007). Balancing productivity and consumer satisfaction for profitability: Statistical and fuzzy regression analysis Original Research Article. European Journal of Operational Research, 176(1), 252-263 Drake, M., Gerde, V., & Wasieleski, D. (2011). Socially responsible modeling: a stakeholder approach to the implementation of ethical modeling in operations research. OR Spectrum, 33(1), 1-26. doi:10.1007/s00291-009-0172-9

Shark Conservation essays

Shark Conservation essays The people's battle against the terrors of the sea And the sharks' fight to survive Shark populations have been hit hard lately. It remains to be seen whether tough new conservation measures will help them recover. - Conniff - In October 1992, a surfer named Rick Gruzinsky was attacked while surfing in Oahu. Only suffered minor scratches. Two weeks later, a shark killed an 18 year old body border off the beaches of Oahu. He bled to death on the beach. Earlier in 1992, also off Oahu, a surfer disappeared leaving behind only a surf board with a huge bite mark. A few months before that, a tiger shark killed a woman by tearing off her limbs while snorkeling, off Maui. An Angry Posse Goes After The Killers - The Fight Against Or For Sharks The public's reaction to these attacks was in part predictable. Parents kept their children out of the water, and the legislature debated "tiger shark eradication," and the tourist industry was scared out of their minds. The state of Hawaii sent out a posse to dispatch any large sharks it could find in areas where the attacks were recorded. The outcry on behalf of the sharks was at least as loud as the clamor against them. The rate of attack was determined not by how many sharks you took out of the ocean, but how many people you put in it. Around 8 million people use the beaches of Hawaii each year, and only a minuscule 2.4 attacks are averaged. The annual toll of 30 or 40 deaths are by drowning. Public also took a stand on behalf of the sharks Under pressure , the state ultimately diverted much of its control money to conduct research. Mixed feelings began surfacing everywhere people live with sharks. Widespread concern that shark populations have plummeted worldwide. South Africa, for example, declared the great white shark a protected species and imposed a ban on fishing for the creatures Australia has ban...

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe Red supergiants are among the largest stars in the sky. They dont start out that way, but as different kinds of stars age, they undergo changes that make them big...and red. Its all part of star life and star death.   Defining Red Supergiants   When astronomers look at the largest stars  (by volume) in the universe, they see a great many red supergiants. However, these behemoths are not necessarily- and almost never are- the largest stars by mass. It turns out theyre a late stage of a stars existence and they dont always fade away quietly.   Creating a Red Supergiant How do red supergiants form? To understand what they are, its important to know how stars change over time. Stars go through specific steps throughout their lives. The changes they experience are called stellar evolution. It starts with star formation and youthful star-hood. After they are born in a cloud of gas and dust, and then ignite hydrogen fusion in their cores, stars usually live on something astronomers call the main sequence.  During this period, they are in hydrostatic equilibrium. That means the nuclear fusion  in their cores (where they fuse hydrogen to create helium) provides enough energy and pressure to keep the weight of their outer layers from collapsing inwards. When Massive Stars Become Red Supergiants A high-mass star (many times more massive than the Sun) goes through a similar, but a slightly different process. It changes more drastically than its sun-like siblings and becomes a red supergiant.  Because of its higher mass, when the core collapses after the hydrogen burning phase the rapidly increased temperature leads to the fusion of helium very quickly. The rate of helium fusion goes into overdrive, and that destabilizes the star. A huge amount of energy pushes the outer layers of the star outwards and it turns into a red supergiant. At this stage, the gravitational force of the star is once again balanced by the immense outward radiation pressure caused by the intense helium fusion taking place in the core. The star that transforms into a red supergiant does so at a cost. It loses a large percentage of its mass out to space. As a result, while red supergiants are counted as the largest stars in the universe, they are not the most massive because they lose mass as they age, even as they expand outward. Properties of Red Supergiants Red supergiants look red because of their low surface temperatures. They range from about 3,500 - 4,500 Kelvin. According to Wiens law, the color at which a star radiates most strongly is directly related to its surface temperature. So,  while their cores are extremely hot, the energy spreads out over the interior and surface of the star and the more surface area there is, the faster it can cool. A good example of a red supergiant is the star Betelgeuse, in the constellation Orion. Most stars of this type are between 200 and 800 times the radius of our Sun. The very largest stars in our galaxy, all red supergiants, are about 1,500 times the size of our home star.  Because of their immense size and mass, these stars require an incredible amount of energy to sustain them and prevent gravitational collapse. As a result, they burn through their nuclear fuel very quickly and most live only a few tens of millions of years (their age depends on their actual mass). Other Types of Supergiants While red supergiants are the largest types of stars, there are other types of supergiant stars. In fact, it is common for high mass stars, once their fusion process passes beyond hydrogen, that they oscillate back and forth between different forms of supergiants. Specifically becoming yellow supergiants on their way to becoming blue supergiants and back again. Hypergiants The most massive of supergiant stars are known as hypergiants. However, these stars have a very loose definition, they are usually just red (or sometimes blue) supergiant stars that are the highest order: the most massive and the largest. The Death of a Red Supergiant Star A very high-mass star will oscillate between different supergiant stages as it fuses heavier and heavier elements in its core. Eventually, it will exhaust all its nuclear fuel that runs the star. When that happens, gravity wins.  At that point, the core is primarily iron (which takes more energy to fuse than the star has) and the core can no longer sustain outward radiation pressure, and it begins to collapse. The subsequent cascade of events leads, eventually to a Type II supernova event. Left behind will be the core of the star, having been compressed due to the immense gravitational pressure into a neutron star; or in the cases of the most massive of stars, a black hole  is created. How Solar-type Stars Evolve People always want to know if the Sun will become a red supergiant. For stars about the size of the Sun (or smaller), the answer is no. They do go through a red giant phase, though, and it looks pretty familiar. When they begin to run out of  hydrogen fuel their cores begin to collapse. That raises the core temperature quite a bit, which means theres more energy generated to escape the core. That process pushes the outer part of the star outward, forming a  red giant. At that point, a star is said to have moved off the main sequence.   The star chugs along with the core getting hotter and hotter, and eventually, it begins to fuse helium into carbon and oxygen. During all this time, the star loses mass. It puffs off layers of its outer atmosphere into clouds that surround the star. Eventually, whats left of the star shrinks to become a slowly cooling white dwarf. The cloud of material around it is a called a planetary nebula, and it gradually dissipates. This is a far more gentle death than massive stars discussed above experience when they explode as supernovae.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.