buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay

buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay Brand equity determines the performance, sustainability, and comparative advantage that a brand may enjoy or lack on the market (Kapferer 304). The two terms denote the relative strength of the brand over others. In the competitive corporate world, companies and firms have prioritized brand building as an integral aspect of business strategy. Brand equity is contextualized within the overall structures and framework of total quality management (Kapferer 328). Companies direct significant percentages of their budgetary allocations towards enhancing of their brand equity. Normally, the overall objective is to target the perceptions, sensibilities, opinions, and preferences of the clientele towards the brand. Competition by firms to enhance the image of their brand equity is considered as the virtual terrain for the battle for the psychological attraction of the clientele (Simovic 56). The process of brand building often works through covert and overt ways. The subliminal psychological impact on the minds of the consumer and appeal across different segments of the market are the fundamental objectives of enhancing brand equity. Various studies have explored the different factors that contribute to brand equity in the corporate world. However, few studies have focused on the actual nature of associations between these factors within the understanding of brand equity. Some of the factors that have been explored include marketing communication, pricing and price promotion, product category, distribution intensity, and the perceived quality of a product. This study will attempt to explore the various levels of impact that these five variables have in brand equity. The understanding of these associations and levels of impact will assist in contributing or annulling some of the theories and propositions that have been developed with regard to brand equity. These variables will be explored in terms of their efficacy in controlling the minds of customers towards designated business goals and objectives. The forces of globalization and liberalization of the market economy have made it important for corporate strategists to develop unique systems of brand equity in order to stay ahead in the competition (Simovic 89). The successful completion of the various aspects of brand equity will mostly involve the development of an integrated system that fits within the framework of total quality management. There is a need for studies to explore the fundamental building blocks and the shifting nature of associations that affect the relationships between the variables and brand equity. Such studies would be resourceful for corporate planners and strategists to revise their methods of doing business in line with the shifting market trends. This position draws from the fact that markets are not static. The corporate space is fluid and responds to different kinds of global and local stimuli, macro-economic factors, and micro-economic influences. Aims and Objectives To determine whether there exists any association between marketing communication and the enhancing of brand equity. To explore the nature of association that exists between pricing and price promotion and the nature of brand equity on the market. To investigate the impact of product category on the nature of brand equity on the corporate market. To examine the effect of distribution intensity on the brand equity of a given product. To relate the kind and nature of perceived quality of product and brand equity of a given product. Methodology Target Population This study will target 150 regular consumers of fast foods in New York. The target group will be limited between the ages of 18 to 70. The respondents will be divided into halves across either gender. The selections will observe variations across the demographic categories of race, religion, sexual orientation, educational level, age, income levels, and political concerns. The choice of the sample size, age bracket of the respondents, and the mix in demographic variables will allow the study to capture a representative sample of the American urban population. Only the central parts of New York will be considered in the study. Outlying regions and annexes will be excluded from the study. The population of New York is among the largest in the United States comprising of nearly 18.9 million within an area of 17,400 square kilometers. Further, the study will particularly target respondents who will have lived within the city of New York for the last five years. The assumption made would be that this period is sufficient for an individual to integrate into the culture of a place and adopt certain aspects of lifestyles that rhyme with the dominant patterns of life. Immigrants, tourists, and businesspeople in the fast-food sector will be excluded from the study systematically. The exclusion of immigrants would be because they have not acclimatized sufficiently in the American urban society to warrant their involvement in the study. Tourists will also be excluded for the same reason. Businesspersons in the fast-food line of service will be excluded due to the high likelihood for bias in the information that they keep. Participants will be recruited through a personal contact with the city population at their different times of visit into recreational facilities. The researcher will establish contacts with more than 200 clients at the fast food stores in order to provide room for non-compliance. One of the assumptions that will be made regarding this study is that the clients to be found at the restaurants are more likely to be frequent consumers of the fast food than those who may be found in other areas of the city. Two or three graduate assistants will be enlisted in the task of establishing and retaining contacts with the target group. Studies have observed that a target population of 150 respondents and above is the most appropriate in capturing representative information on any given subject of the study (Kumar 78). Such a sample should reflect heterogeneous qualities in terms of demographic factors. Study Area This study will take place in New York City. New York is the most populated city in the United States of America. New York is an international destination for business, entertainment, technology, and other areas of modern interest (Lankevich 77). Current statistics puts the population of New York at 8,175,133 (Lankevich 151). New York reflects the worlds cultural diversity being home to about 800 different languages. There are about 4000 mobile vendors in New York. Many of these vendors deal in the fast food industry (Lankevich 45). The city is distinguishable from other cities in the United States because of the peculiar culture and manner of speaking. New York City is culturally diverse, which makes it convenient for the study of customer prefernces and opinions on the matter of brand equity. The concentration of major businesses at the different parts of the city shows that the city has a significant business potential and a research clientele. The corporate culture of the city and the relatively high levels of education in the city would influence the participation of the population. The choice of New York City as the study area would benefit from the mix of associations and the high volume of international business that affects the way in which consumers respond to forces that determine brand equity. New York has been regarded as a global nexus of business, which responds to the global forces that determine the conventional trends of business and consumer preferences. Some opinions hold it that New York acts as a global pace setter in the world due to the influence it wields across the different segments of the society. This will give the study an increased opportunity for generalization. This study will, therefore, explore the opportunities in order to expose the internal factors and forces that determine brand equity. Data Collection Methods Primary data will be collected through written questionnaires and interviews. This is because the study is primarily a quantitative approach. The questionnaires will be issued to the respondents and given sufficient amount of time to enable their cooperation. The information collected from the questionnaires will then be synthesized, organized and analyzed in order to a unified body of knowledge. Linkert scales will be used to explore the degree of opinion or perspectives adopted by the respondents on the various variables that regard brand equity. A mixture of closed-ended question and open-ended question will be used in the questionnaires. Interviews will be structured in a manner that would in the extraction of relevant information from resource people on the matter of brand equity. Businesspersons, business experts, and researchers will be responding to specific elements of the questions. Each question in the interview will be scheduled to take between 5 to 10 minutes. The information from the interviews will be collected by way of tape recorders and notebooks. The information will then be synthesized in order to align them with the objectives of the study. The responses will be coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Secondary information will be obtained from archival records, peer-reviewed journals, business databases, and other sources of published works that explore the matter of brand equity and its influence on consumer trends and preferences. Priority will be given to the most recent publications. Publications that fall within the past ten years will be considered. These publications will be organized according to particular themes that are consistent with the objectives of the study. Information from the secondary sources will be clustered into tables and matched with existing bodies of information as represented in the literature review. According to the studies on approaches in methodology, pairing and matching of information helps in harmonizing of disparate forms of information into a meaningful whole (Goddard and Stuart 91). Test for Reliability of Research Instruments Validity Since this is a quantitative research, it will be important for the study to determine the reliability of the instruments. It is usually important to determine whether the selected instruments have the capability to measure, the kind of relationships that they are designed to determine. This enables the researcher to make an early decision on whether to procede with the research instruments of whether to adopt other kinds of instruments. Another important aspect of this test is that it helps the study to determine the possible degree of error that might result from the measurements. In this study construct validity will be determined the suitability of a given test to a particular construct. The constructs to be measured will include the responses from the respondents regarding their preferences for particular products within the context of brand equity. The test of construct validity in this quantitative research will be used in the task of determining the possible variations in the nature of responses across one particular variable. Usually one group among the subjects will show a higher degree of the construct than the other. Reliability Reliability tests in research are used in the determination of the internal consistency of the test throughout a specified period of time (Kumar 56). It is the test of the stability in the results even if conducted in a different environment if it happens under the same conditions. Reliability and validity tests are understood within the need to provide works of research with the element of space-less and timeless universality. Reliability is usually measured in terms of coefficients such that it can be considered as low reliability or perfect reliability (Kumar 118). The test for reliability is usually considered as one of the internal elements that prove the authentic qualities of any work of research. It is usually considered that reliability tests will confirm whether a given finding can be relied upon in order to offer a generalized assessment regarding the topic under study. In this study, reliability tests were conducted through the coefficient of stability. The coefficient of stability is usually determined through the test-retest reliability. This study will conduct a pilot study based on a smaller sample of respondents in order to test the reliability of the instruments. Two studies will be conducted under the same conditions across different periods. The correlations between the two studies will be used to determine whether the instruments used in the study are reliable or not. Ethical Considerations Some of the information to be extracted from the respondents during the interviews and questionnaires may be of high confidential nature. It is for this reason that the study will choose to represent the information in terms of codes in order to conceal the identities of the respondents. Although the respondents will be within the age of consent, it would be appropriate to handle the information obtained in a manner that does not jeopardize some of their private interests. Another ethical consideration to be factored into this study is the search for official permission before the research takes effect. Seeking official permission before the study is one of the preliminary aspects of carrying out a research process. It is often considered as a fundamental factor because it helps to anchor the study within the standard parameters that are acceptable for the research process. Challenges Likely To Affect the Research Process Some of the challenges that are likelyy to affect the research process include non-cooperation by some respondents and time constraints. This research will involve dealing with members of the public whose daily schedules are difficult to follow. The researcher is likely to encounter problems of maintaining correspondence with these respondents because of this factor. The costs of maintaining contact with the respondents may pose significant budgetary constraints on the part of the researcher. However, one of the safeguards taken in anticipation of this challenge was exceeding the supply of questionnaires to the respondents. This move will shield the entire process against the possibility of errors that may arise because of poor compliance on the part of some of the sampled respondents. Another possible challenge that could be encountered in the course of the study is time constraints. Unforeseeable obstacles to the process may pose practical challenges towards the completion of the process. Some of these challenges may eat into the time schedule allocated for another part of the study. This would imply constant revision of the time schedules and adjust of the periods in order to compensate for the lost time. This would probably imply some element of mismatch between the time of the researcher and the supervisor. The methodologies developed for this study have been designed in such a manner that allows the ease of adjustments of the time factor. However, this threat has been taken care of through the allocation of slightly more time on every stage of the research in order to provide room for adjustment. Studies have pointed out the need to balance between quality and quantity in the execution of a research study. The study is also likely to experience budgetary challenges because some of the items and tools could exceed the estimated price by the time the study is on course. Acquisition of special software management date is one of the likely challenges that would impact negatively on the financial aspects of the research. Data Analysis Studies have pointed out that the process of data analysis must involve the matching of the objectives and the hypothesis of the study in order to promote cohesiveness and harmony in the research body. The analysis of data will be conducted through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The information obtained from the respondents will first be translated into codes. The codes will then be entered into the software for the purposes of analysis. The process of analysis will involve regression tests, cross tabulations, frequency evaluations, and percentages in order to establish the nature and degree of associations that exist between the variables. Some of the methods that will be used during the process of data analysis are the chi-square, which will provide the degree of correlation between the various variables. The suitability of the chi-square as an analytical tool is derived from its potential to pair one or more variables in order to determine the degree of association that exists between them. Usually the magnitude of the correlation degree is used to tell whether there exists a significant association between the two variables. Various independent variables will be correlated with the dependent variable and other independent variables with the view of analyzing the way they affect or are affected within these associations. In this study, brand equity will be the dependent variable while the independent variables will include marketing communication, pricing and price promotion, product category, distribution intensity, and the perceived quality of a product. The information will be presented in terms of tables, charts, and histograms. The cross tabulation between the variables will be done in order to ascertain whether there exists a significant association between the different variables. The representation of the information obtained will be done in a manner that is consistent with the objectives of the study. The inferences that would be drawn from the study will be matched with the hypotheses in order to validate or invalidate the hypothetical basis of the study. In this manner, the study will contribute towards supporting to existing theories of providing critical evidence that offers competing perspectives regarding the dynamics and aspects of brand equity. Time Table Generally, this study is designed to be conducted within four months. The first month will involve the gathering of information from the respondents. This will involve the preparation and administration of questionnaires to the respondents. The second month will involve harmonizing, transcribing, coding of the information obtained from the primary sources. The third month will involve the analyzing the information and writing first draft of the report. The fourth month will involve editing and presenting the report. Month I Month II Month III Month IV Gathering of information Harmonizing, transcribing and coding. Analyzing and writing first draft Editing, reviewing draft and presentation Structure of Final Work Introduction to the concept of brand equity Factors affecting brand equity The impact of marketing communication on brand equity The effect of pricing and price promotion on brand equity The role of product category on brand equity The effect of distribution intensity and brand equity The impact of perceived quality of a product on brand equity Conclusion Buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay

Western Carolina University GPA, SAT ACT Requirements

Western Carolina University GPA, SAT ACT Requirements Western Carolina University GPA, SAT and ACT Graph Western Carolina University GPA, SAT Scores and ACT Scores for Admission. Data courtesy of Cappex. How Do You Measure Up at Western Carolina University? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex. Discussion of WCUs  Admissions Standards Western Carolina University has moderately selective admissions. The admission bar is not overly high, but the acceptance rate was just 40% in 2015.   Successful applicants will need solid grades and standardized test scores as you can see in the graph above. The blue and green dots represent students who were admitted. Most had SAT scores of 950 or higher, an ACT composite of 18 or higher, and a high school average in the B range or better. Note that there are a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the middle of the graph. Some students with grades and test scores that were on target for Western Carolina University did not get get in. Note also that a few students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. This is because Western Carolina University has an admissions process that is at least partly holistic for many students, the university will look at more than grades and test scores. The rigor of your high school courses matters, and success in honors, AP, and IB classes is factored into the admissions decision. Also, although not required, WCU will consider  a personal essay and letters of recommendation. Finally, realize that some programs at WCU have additional admission requirements such as a portfolio, audition, or minimum GPA. To learn more about Western Carolina University, high school GPAs, SAT scores and ACT scores, these articles can help: Western Carolina University Admissions ProfileWhats a Good SAT Score?Whats a Good ACT Score?Whats Considered a Good Academic Record?What is a Weighted GPA? Articles Featuring Western Carolina University Southern ConferenceSouthern Conference SAT Score ComparisonSouthern Conference ACT Score Comparison If You Like Western Carolina University, You May Also Like These Schools Appalachian State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWingate University:  Profile  North Carolina State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphGardner-Webb University:  Profile  Campbell University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphElon University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUNC - Wilmington:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCoastal Carolina University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphMars Hill University:  Profile  Clemson University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWake Forest University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Compare and contrast Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Compare and contrast - Assignment Example powerful customer base, great expertise in recommendation software, and opportunities to market through cross-selling† (Furtado, Grosman, & de Souza, n.d., p. 2). Despite its failure to dominate the net, Microsoft still has much strength to sustain competition. Aside from being the most globally recognizable brand, it has a diverse and talented workforce, a good reputation as an employer, and its own online network division (Hafner & Hibert, 2001). Although they have different strengths and products, Amazon and Microsoft share the same market which makes competition inevitable. However, both companies can fare better if they cooperate. First, it would increase the exposure and scope of Amazon products. Secondly, it would provide Microsoft with more assets (e.g. in music retail) and prevent companies like Apple from dominating their respective markets. More importantly, Amazon and Microsoft are more like complimentary companies than competitors. For example, Microsoft could provide the software to Amazon’s Kindle (Perlow, 2010).On the part of the consumers, however, such partnership may not be beneficial. As in traditional trade, online commerce can be monopolized. Monopolies can dictate the online market to their advantage, just as in the case of Google whose â€Å"new formats†¦increase expenses for advertisers† (Edwards, 2010). Scenarios like that would trigger a domino effect that would eventually burden

Controlling Cyber Deviance in the Workplace Assignment

Controlling Cyber Deviance in the Workplace - Assignment Example Cyber deviance is on the rise in many workplaces as most employees engage in Internet abuse unrelated to work. Employees use the Internet for other purposes including sending personal emails and chatting with friends and family members. According to Kimberly (2014), several studies have confirmed that the majority of employees in many companies abuse the Internet (P. 194). Among the most common cyber deviance recorded include, surfing the Internet during work hours, accessing pornography, online chatting, gaming and shopping at work. New studies show that cyber deviance among employees during working hours, costs corporations many cash in lost revenues, reduced productivity, draining network resources, adverse publicity and possible legal liability (Kimberly, 2014). As such, it is paramount for employers and companies to develop strategies to deal with cyber deviance among employees to reduce the loss. This paper will focus on the possible reduction of workplace cyber deviance among employees in a travel agency. In such a company, employees are equipped with the Internet access for various work purposes. Travel orders and payments for such a firm are done online. Some employees are mandated with the role of ensuring travellers buy their tickets on time and are put on the right vehicles. Due to widespread Internet usage for such a company, chances of possible cyber deviance among the employees are very high. As discussed earlier, cyber deviance and consequent Internet abuse can result in enormous losses for this travel company. The company needs a comprehensive action plan to ensure that cyber deviance among its employees is minimal. This paper proposes a holistic action plan to deal with cyber deviance for the company. The action plan to reduce cyber deviance for the enterprise is the Internet Acceptable Usage Policy (IAUP).  Ã‚  

Career Development Plan Essay Example for Free

Career Development Plan Essay The recent merger of InterClean and EnviroTech (ICET) has opened many opportunities for employee promotions. In an effort to stimulate our employees, focus on their strength and talents, and teach them new skills that will assist in our overall success, management has decided to revamp the way training’s been done in the past by implementing a new training performance format. Our new training module will focus on sanitation standards, communication, customer service and satisfaction and networking. The program will consist of 9 steps that will key in on industry knowledge. The training format will consist of new training evaluation and mentoring needs, focus on objectives of training and mentoring, reviewing performance standards, analyze delivery methods, examine contents for training and mentoring, address time frames and evaluation methods, feedback, and lastly explore alternative avenues for further development. Once this program is implemented, we believe our employees will develop an expertise in their respective areas that will have a positive impact in ICET’s organizational competitiveness, performance and productivity. The new training and mentoring needs The new training format will impact the way ICET does business. The focus of the new three week training will be to teach our sales associates about sanitation standards, communication, customer service and satisfaction and networking. Each step in the new training format will help us attain overall success that will benefit the employee and our company as well. However, training alone will not offer one on one simulation. Therefore, we are implementing a mentoring program that will give employees accessibility to learn and work with mentors that have specific knowledge about interested areas for a period of six month to ensure well rounded working knowledge from key experts. Objectives of the training and mentoring program The objective of training will be vital to attain future success. Therefore, the first objective will be to learn about the sanitation standards and regulations so that we will be well informed as we cross over into health care service solutions. The second objective we will focus on is communication. The key concentrations will be listening, and planning to attain effective decision making. The third objective will be customer service and satisfaction as related to personal attention and quality service and lastly the fourth objective will be on the importance of networking to build relationships with key industry contacts. With regards to the mentoring program our focus will be to combine all the aforementioned above that will blend with our new mentoring program. This will allow employees to focus on their specific career development goals they would like to accomplish within the organization by working aside once a week for six month period with a mentor that is an expert in the chosen area. Performance standards The performance standards will be rated based on job role expectations. The indicators for example in sales will be based on revenue generated. This will be measured by how many sales deals were closed and the type of products. Market integration or expansion also be measured. Here the ability to find new perspective customer or even cross over into other types of health care businesses such as nursing homes or medical rehabs will be taken into evaluated and lastly customer retention based on quality customer service and feedback will also be considered. We feel all expectations will be reasonable and attainable once training is completed. Delivery methods Delivery methods are vital when training is being implemented. The focus is to keep the trainee interested and integrated during training. Therefore, we will focus on three training methods; experimental, integrative and reinforcement. For sanitation standards we will train with fact sheets, videos and or pamphlet and booklets. This will fall under the reinforcement methods. For the communication objectives, we will use skits because it will teach the trainee real life simulations which can be critiqued to help improve and fine tweak any area that need improvement. This delivery method will fall under the experimental method. As for the customer service objective, we will use dialogue. This will allow the trainee to participate and improve their delivery when meeting a customer and or closing the deal. This style will fall under the integrative methods and lastly we will use networking via conventions and or conferences so the trainee can interact with other business professionals. As for the mentoring program we will offer face to face interaction once weekly with expert mentors by area. Content for training and mentoring To achieve the best outcomes for ICET, we believe the content of the training program should be closely correlated tot to our business strategy and organizational goals. Therefore we will evaluate the skill and ability of employees that best match the open positions. This will be done by evaluating experience, worker, and occupational requirements. For example, experience will evaluated based on former training, experience, certifications or licenses. Worker requirements will be based on basic skills, cross functional skills, knowledge and education and lastly occupational requirement will be measure by general work activities, work and organizational content (Cascio 2005). Time frame Setting realistic time frames for employees to be trained properly is an important part of a successful training and mentoring program. Forming new habits or learning new methodologies take times which is why we have decided that employees will receive three week training so they feel fully acclimated and comfortable when they are out on the field. As for the mentoring program, we have decided to make it a three month program because we feel in order to appreciate and truly learn hands on the employee should be exposed to the daily routines of the mentor. Once the employee gets a good grasp of each section during the allotted training time, we believe they will be motivated and continue to develop their skills via applied experience they attain while working. Evaluation methods A good evaluation will most often use multiple methods because a well rounded objective decision can be archived. Therefore, we have decided that we will evaluate employees by these three standards; group interviews so we may see how the candidate behaves and reacts to intimidating settings, person to person simulations to see how the employee performs when selling a product and lastly via personality questionnaire to see if the employee characteristic match up with the extroverted personality we are looking for. Feedback Constructive feedback can make all the difference if you want to keep employees motivated. Therefore, it is our commitment to make sure that all feedback is constructive and address all the good quality the employee posses as well as the areas of improvement that will develop them further. Hence, we will sit with employees and perform verbal feedback that is clear and precise so that there is no room for misunderstanding. We want the make sure the employee is encouraged and understands that we are committed and interested in their career development and well being. We would also like to get feedback regarding the training program and any areas of weakness that can be improved. We will build an anonymous questionnaire so that the employee can be candid and honest without feeling as if there are attached strings. Alternate avenues for those who need further development Lastly, we would like to provide alternate avenues for employees who would like press further. Therefore, we will provide access to continuing education course twice a year. We will also have updated listing of conferences and training that will go beyond on internal training so that employees will be aware of the latest trends, approaches, and opportunities in their specific field. We believe this will help the employee morale as they will have access to any continuing education as needed. In conclusion, we believe our new training module will teach and provide the employees with all the necessary tools to become and maintain success.. Our focus on sanitation standards, communication, customer service and satisfaction and networking will set our employees apart from the rest because they will be well rounded and well informed. Once this program is completed, the employees will develop an expertise in their respective areas that will have a positive impact in ICET’s organizational competitiveness, performance and productivity. Reference http://www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/training/performance_management/define.htm

Media and Society Essay -- Papers

Media and Society Does society influence media or does media influence society? In a modern world, dependent on continuous communication this is a very important question. If the world were not dependent on communication over large distances, schooling on a mass basis would not be possible or necessary. Most knowledge in traditional cultures was local knowledge, (Geertz 1983) traditions that were passed on through a local community, a very slow and long drawn out process. Today we live in the "Whole World" in a way that would have been inconceivable to anyone who lived before the 19th century. [IMAGE] "We are now aware of news and situations thousands of miles away, all due to e-communications making such awareness almost instantaneous in the 21st Century. Rapid transfers and e-communications have greatly intensified global diffusion of information." (Anthony Giddens Sociology 1995) [IMAGE] Society today loves stories produced by mass media; sudden death, scandal, and happy endings enter our ...

Ccld level 5 unit 5 Essay

1. Understand the values, principals and statutory frameworks that underpin service provisions in children’s care, learning and development. 1. 1 ‘National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe best practice by bringing together skills, knowledge and values. National Occupational Standards are valuable tools to be used as benchmarks for qualifications as well as for defining roles at work, staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal. ’ (www. skillsforcare. org. uk 18/04/15). see more:explain how to access additional support and information relating to health and safety The standards are for people who work with children aged 0-16 years and their families within settings where the main service is children’s care learning  and development. NOS as stated above set a ‘benchmark’ for good practice and are key for training and gaining qualifications. They underpin the whole set of standards and impact on families when they are used within everyday routines. For example a nursery assistant who is carrying out training will undergo regular visits from their assessor who will evaluate their ability to work within the context of the set principles and values in order to sign off written work and observations, which will enable them to achieve their qualification and become a qualified nursery nurse. Other values and principles in the NOS are reflected within the nurseries policies and procedures and mission statement for example: ’The welfare of the child is paramount’. All staff and students are made aware of these within their induction and training and must sign that they have read and understand them before their employment can commence. ‘the paramountcy principle’ stems from the Family Law Act 1975, detailed in the Children Act 1989, in which it is stated that the best interest of the child must be regarded as the paramount consideration when making specified decisions regarding the child’s health and welfare. Children’s work and photographs are displayed around the nursery in order for them to look at them and talk about them, this encourages the children’s self- esteem, resilience and a positive self image which is essential to every child’s development. Children are also given the freedom of choice as they learn through play as per the guidelines set out by the foundation phase. Regular room and staff meetings are held which provides the staff with opportunities to share professional knowledge, skills and values and ensures that all staff are able to gain all up to date information. â€Å"Children and young people should be seen as young citizens, with rights and opinions to be taken into account now. † (Rights to action) (www. childrenrights. org. uk 18/04/15) ‘In 2002 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child welcomed the fact that the Welsh government had used the Convention as the frame work in it’s strategy for children and young people. ’ (www. childrenrights. org. uk 18/04/15) This was then followed in 2004 when the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) adopted the convention as the basis of all of its policy making for children and young people. The WAG issued ‘Rights to Action’ a policy  document that adopts ‘Seven Core Aims for Children’ as a direct translation of the UNCRC’s articles. Every Child and Young Person in Wales (0-25 years) has a basic entitlement to: 1. Have a flying start in life. 1. Have a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities. 1. Enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation. 1. Have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities. 1. Are listened to, treated with respect, and have their race and cultural identity recognised. 1. Have a safe home and a community which supports physical and emotional wellbeing. 1. Are not disadvantaged by poverty. Sunnybank aims to meet all of these seven core aims by providing all children with a variety of learning opportunities that are both fun and able to enhance the children’s learning and development. The preschool room of which I am room leader follows the foundation phase which allows children the opportunity to gain first-hand experiences through play and active involvement. Children are given free choice and are able to develop communication, literacy and listening, personal and social wellbeing, welsh and cultural diversity, Welsh language, knowledge and understanding,  physical development and creative skills as they embark on experiential learning both indoors and outdoors. All staff within the nursery are DBS checked which ensures that all children are cared for in a secure and relaxed environment. The nurseries equal opportunities policy states that ‘This nursery aims to demonstrate through it’s work that it positively values and respects children of all ethnic origins/racial groups religions, cultures, linguistic backgrounds and abilities. Children of both sexes are positively encouraged by staff to participate in all activities. This helps to ensure that all staff are aware that it is of paramount importance to ensure that all children are treated fairly and are respected and valued. As with all childcare settings Sunnybank must ensure that it meets and is able to comply with all standards set in the National Minimum Standards in order to achieve a satisfactory inspection report. Sunnybank is inspected annually by the CSSIW. A copy of the inspection report is then available for viewing online. 2. Be able to implement values, principles and statutory frameworks that underpin service provision in children’s care, learning and development. 2. 1 Sunnybank’s policies procedures, core aims and mission statement provide information relating to safeguarding, equal opportunities, health and safety etc. all of this information is of paramount importance when working within the nursery and aid in supporting staff to provide a high level of care to all children. All new staff, students and volunteers must sign to say that they have read and understand these documents before the commencement of their employment. Staff are provided with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and gain up to date information by attending training courses and completing courses  online. Monmouthshire county council are my nursery settings local safeguarding board. The nursery works in partnership with our local safeguarding board in order to ensure that the nursery is aware of who to talk to and what procedure they need to follow in order to deal with suspicions should they arise. The nursery safeguarding policy states who the Senior Designated Person (SDP) is (our manager) and who the deputy SDP is (myself). The SDP is responsible for the safeguarding children policy and child protection procedures. The policy informs staff of what procedure to follow should they have any concerns. The local authority host safeguarding training courses for childcare workers and all staff are level one trained in safe guarding within my setting. Myself and the manager are level two trained in safe guarding as we are the settings SDP’s . working with other professionals ensures that my setting can provide the best possible care and outcomes for the children. Staff meetings provide opportunity for all staff to be informed of changes to legislation and how it may affect the nursery policies etc. and individual appraisals help to inform the manager of any further training or supervision that may be required for certain staff. This additional training can sometimes be provided in house by the managers or room leaders e. g. help with understanding and undertaking planning where as some may involve out of house training such as first aid training. All staff have a job role and list of their responsibilities which they must implement into everyday practice as they help the nursery to comply with standards in order to maintain high standards of care and achieve an annual ‘no recommendations’ inspection report. Staff are asked to regularly re-read and sign the nursery policies on a regular basis to ensure that their knowledge  of them is up to date. 3. Be able to implement policies and procedures for sharing information. 3. 1 Sunnybank’s policies and procedures are developed from legislation such as NMS and CSSIW regulations. They are put into practice to maintain ratios, registration and care and education. Additional agencies such as WPPA and NDNA are also considered to help provide quality assurance. The basic policies and procedures are created at managers meetings with the owner of all three Sunnybank nurseries. The managers will then develop their own additions to the policies for the setting based on individual reports, feedback  and experiences. Some individual policies may also be unique and include information about their local authorities/ agencies whom the nurseries share information with on a need to know basis or as required when relating to child protection. The policies and procedures are adapted to suit each learning environment and can be adapted to ensure that they are being adhered to at all times. Some examples of policies that relate to information sharing are: Safeguarding children policy and child protection procedures, policy on complaints, procedure for staff training and improvements of standards and  outcomes policy. 3. 2/3. 3 Policies and procedures provide a means of informing all staff of current expected practices within the nursery. Staff that have been working in the nursery for a long time may easily forget certain areas of the policies. I would recommend that staff are set time out of the room to re-read and refresh their knowledge of the policies and procedures on an annual basis. I would also recommend that managers are on hand to help explain policies and the importance of them on a one to one basis as some new staff may not understand certain policies especially in their initial induction. The nursery has quite recently had a lot of changes made to the safeguarding policy due to new legislation. I feel that when changes are made to policies and procedures all staff would benefit from explanations and demonstrations as to why these changes have occurred and the new procedures that are now in place being discussed during a staff meetings. One to one appraisals would also provide a good opportunity to discuss any changes as it will provide staff the opportunity to ask any questions that they may be too shy to ask in front of the other staff if they do not understand and will provide the opportunity to  share information that needs to be discussed on a need to know basis. New staff and students may not be fully aware of current legislation which underpins how the nursery is run and the activities we provide, for this reason there may be a conflict of ideas. To help to avoid this it is important that staff are given opportunities to communicate and share ideas. Room meetings would be a good way of ensuring that all staff within the room fully understand the process and routine of each room and the importance of certain activities and what they provide for the children. It will also allow staff to have their say  and put forward ideas they may have but feel too reluctant to discuss with the manager, the room leader would then be able to inform the managers on their behalf. This will also help to ensure that the participation policy which states that ‘all our children, parents and staff will be given the opportunity to express their views and for their views to be listened to and taken into account’ is being adhered to. I feel that better communication between all staff is key to promoting a more positive team relationship ultimately ensuring that all policies and procedures are adhered to and a high level of care is maintained. A personal development plan would be a good addition to the appraisal system. A personal development plan should be devised for each member of staff to ensure that they are receiving training opportunities and support to help them to understand and implement policies. 4. Be able to engage others in reflective practice. Unit 9: Promote professional development-4. Be able to improve performance through reflective practice. 4. 1/ 4. 2 Reflective practice is the capacity to reflect on action that allows us to engage in a process of continuous learning. Reflective practice can be an  important tool in practice-based professional learning settings where people learn from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal learning. It may be the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. It is also an important way to bring together theory and practice; through reflection a person is able to see and label forms of thought and theory within the context of their work. A person who reflects throughout their practice is not just looking back on past actions and events, but is taking a conscious look at emotions, experiences, actions, and  responses, and using that information to add to their existing knowledge base and reach a higher level of understanding. It is important to reflect on your own professional practice to see where you may need to make adjustments and improvements but also to see what you are doing well. It is not always easy to be critical of yourself but it is better in the long run to realise and correct errors before anything serious happens. Being able to evaluate your own practice can help others to do the same and can support your further learning. Staff appraisals are a good tool in terms of monitoring our progress, goals and  achievements. They challenge you to reflect on your work over the last few months and allow you to set realistic goals for the next few months. As these appraisals are carried out by the manager, there is also opportunity for feedback from other colleagues as to how you are performing in the workplace. As a nursery nurse I will reflect in activities without realising it, as I have to consider the children’s safety as I plan and provide enjoyable activities for them. ‘Reflection in practice’ is when the activity is being carried out and the practitioner makes changes during the process to enhance the  situation/activities outcomes e. g. when doing a cutting and sticking activity with preschool I may need to incorporate an extra measure on the spot to help some children hold the scissors properly in order to guarantee the safety of the activity, this may include putting a star sticker on the child’s thumb and encouraging them to point the star at the ceiling. This may not have been an original planned feature of the activity but it may have been a vital intervention in order to aid the children’s fine motor skills. ‘Reflection on practice’ this is when the activity is over and the practitioner  reflects back on the situation to consider what worked and what didn’t. as a nursery nurse I will perform this process on a regular basis throughout my practice, it may be recorded when evaluating planning as this will help me to map out aspects that were successful in achieving all of the necessary key skills and developmental outcomes as well as deciding if the activity was interesting enough for the intended age group. Not every activity/situation will however allow time to make a record of reflection, in this instance it may be necessary to make a mental note of anything significant that you may want to  reflect on during an appraisal. I have looked a few models of reflective practise that are relevant within my setting. ?Gibbs reflective cycle (1988)- the model includes six stages of reflective practice: 1. Description 1. Feelings 1. Evaluate 1. Analyse 1. Conclude 1. Action plan This reflective cycle looks at different stages during the reflective process from describing the process and considering your feelings at the time to evaluating, analysing and making a conclusion and action plan should the same situation occur again. Taking action is the key to this model of reflection. Gibbs  proposed that ‘To reflect is not enough, you then have to put into practice the learning and new understanding you have gained therefore allowing the reflective process to inform your practice. Taking action is the key’ (www. afpp. org. uk 19/04/15) Pos -You can use it to help team members think about how they deal with situations, so that they can understand what they did well, and so that they know where they need to improve. – The cycle can be used by a person on themselves or to help another team member. – It provides an opportunity to allow others to see things from a different perspective. – Allows team members the opportunity to express their feelings and opinions. Cons -It might be difficult for some people to talk honestly about their feelings. -The outcome may be affected by the relationship between the team member and the manager that carries out the cycle. -The cycle is very long and there may not always be enough time to allow for the a thorough review. ?John’s Model of reflection (1994)-Johns model is based on five cue questions which enable you to break down your experience and reflect on the process and outcomes. 1. Description 1. Reflection 1. Influencing factors. 1. Alternative strategies 1. Learning Cues are offered to help practitioners to make sense of and learn through practice. The five cues allow the practitioner to describe the situation, reflect on it and consider any influencing factors then find alternative strategies and learn from the experience while considering how the experience has changed their knowing. Pros -Can be used as a self evaluation or by a manager to help coach another team member. -Allows team members to reflect on influential factors that affected their practice at the time that they may not have previously considered. -May pin point strengths and weaknesses. -Allows practitioners to consider and develop more effective future strategies. Cons -The practitioner may be biased of their actions. -A long process that time may not always allow for them to complete. -A future reflection will need to be completed for a similar situation in order to review progress in practice. ?Borton’s Developmental Framework (1970) This is a simple model that is suitable for novice practitioners, at its simplest it’s three steps can be summarised as: ?WHAT? ?SO WHAT? ?NOW WHAT? i. e. the What questions such as: What happened? What was I doing? Serve to identify the experience and describe it in detail. The So what? Questions include questions like: So what do I need to know in order to understand this situation? So what does this tell me about me? About my relationship with the subject? With the other members of the team? i. e. the practitioner breaks down the situation and tries to make sense of it by analysing and evaluating in order to draw conclusions. The Now what? Questions e. g. Now what do I need to do to make things better? Now what might be the consequences of this action? At this stage the  practitioner plans intervention and action according to personal theory devised. Pros -A quick evaluation process that can be easily completed and used as a reflection in practice as well as a reflection on practice. -Can be a great way of evaluating planned activities. -A good self evaluation process. Cons -The practitioner may find it difficult to see ways in which they could improve future situations. -A future plan will need to be devised in order to track advancements. ?Atkins and Murphy’s Model of reflection (1994) There are five sections of this model: 1. Description 1. Analyse feelings and knowledge relevant to the situation. 1. Evaluate the relevance of knowledge. 1. Identify any learning which has occurred. 1. Action/new experiences. The five sections allow practitioners to describe the situation and their feelings, challenge assumptions and explore alternatives, identify new learning and make a plan of action or consider new experiences. Pros -The model can be used by the individual or to help another team member. -It allows practitioners to question and challenge elements of practice and provides a deep analysis. -Allows practitioners the opportunity to express and discuss their feelings. Cons -A long process of reflection that adequate time may not always be available for. -It might be difficult for some people to talk honestly about their feelings -Outcomes may be affected by relationships as the practitioner may not feel comfortable discussing their feelings. 4. 3/ 4. 4 As room leader of preschool, I am responsible for planning stimulating activities that will aid the children’s development in line with the foundation phase. I evaluate every focused activity that I plan on a weekly basis to ensure that I am continuing to provide fun, educational and relevant activities  which meet all the given aims. When planning for all areas of development I must remember to ensure the following when I reflect on my practice during my planning evaluations. ?Do I have a consistent approach? ?Do I ensure progression, through what I plan, between each ‘Stage of Development (not year group)? ?Do I observe children and their needs and interests, then cater for them? (younger more applicable) ?Do I talk to children about their needs and interests, then cater for them? (older more applicable) The reflective evaluations help me to plan future activities by setting out clear  aims and objectives and then allow me to reflect on the activity to determine whether the aims were achieved and what could be changed or done differently should I decide to repeat the activity again. I always differentiate the planning in order to cater for the wide range of age and abilities within the room and each child’s key worker will then be able to add the differentiation should they feel it’s necessary. From completing these reflective evaluations in the past I have recognised the need to explain certain aspects of the activity in more detail with the staff and  students in my room I have started to include sketches, diagrams and step by step instructions alongside the initial planning sheets to ensure that the task is fully understood and all staff are working towards the same outcomes. I have also found the need to repeat these focused activities in order for it to be more beneficial for the children as they may not always be in the mood for adult lead activities. As with all team members, I have a one to one appraisal with my manager. During this appraisal my manager will give me feedback on my performance in the last few weeks. I will also have time to reflect on my own practice and  work with the manager to consider options to improve my own performance. The appraisal also allows me to look at any achievements I have accomplished and gives my manager the chance to see how these may have contributed to the business. In my recent appraisal and from reflecting on my own personal practice, I have become aware that I need to gain more confidence in my ability to carry out nursery visits as I have not had very much experience in doing these. Myself and my manager discussed different options that may build my confidence in order to complete more visits such as accompanying my  manager on her visits and taking notes and doing a visit with my manager to allow her to fill in any information that I may miss. Together we discussed that I need to have a tougher approach when enforcing policies and ensuring that all staff adhere to them. She also commented that I have become more confident since starting my level 5 course as I am gaining better knowledge of legislation etc. to aid me in my job role. Reflecting on my successful practice enables me to feel confidents and able in my own abilities. It has encouraged me to take on more challenging tasks  and has enabled be to be a better role model to other team member. I have felt more confident when speaking about issues that may occur and I feel I am more able to offer advice and guidance to other staff as a result. Reflecting on mistakes and failures can sometimes be hard to do as it means I need to admit to being wrong and try to change my perspective. But doing this gives me time to look at where the situation went wrong and learn from those errors. I can look back at an activity and turn a mistake into a positive by learning how it can be corrected and taking advice and guidance from others. I can improve my future performance In similar circumstances as a result of this and aid others by using my negative experience as guidance to prevent them from making similar mistakes. 5. Be able to evaluate own professional practice in children’s care, learning and development. 5. 1 From Obtaining my level 3 qualification in Childcare during in house training, I have been able to gain knowledge and experience of childcare through practical learning and have been able to experience situations that may not always be taught in a classroom. I am able to reflect on my own training and qualifications as well as my  personal performance through the use of appraisals and development plans. I have attended foundation phase training courses which have greatly influenced and aided my performance as a nursery nurse and as preschool room leader as it has enabled me to gain a better understanding of the curriculum thus enabling me to provide the children in my care with the best learning experiences. First aid courses have enabled me to feel confident to deal with any circumstance should they arise and has given me knowledge of possible signs and symptoms of illnesses. The safeguarding courses I have attended have given me the knowledge and confidence to spot any concerns or signs of abuse and what to do in order to act on and report the concerns, as well as the confidence to inform other staff of how to spot or deal with any concerns. From my experience working as a nursery nurse I feel confident in my ability to provide children with a high standard of care by developing a respectful and understanding relationship which allows children to feel safe and relaxed. As room leader of preschool I plan activities in accordance to the foundation phase that are suitable for each child’s needs and abilities I ensure that each  child’s abilities are catered for by doing weekly evaluations and reflections of the activities based on individual observations. I also ensure that other staff are confident in completing and leading set tasks and activities. It is my role to complete individual observations, baseline assessments and child skill booklets that will help to inform me of any areas in which the children may need extra help and encouragement. I also work in partnership with the parents to ensure that the child is receiving a consistent routine of care that is suitable to them. I am able to share any concerns I may have or achievements  that the child has made during parent meetings and in informal daily chats. As deputy manager and from carrying out my level 5 , I have gained a greater knowledge and understanding of how daily practice is influenced by policies and procedures, legislation and benchmarks such as the CSSIW regulations and NMS in providing high quality care for children. I have gained the ability to enforce policies within the nursery and support staff to provide high levels of care. Bibliography ?www. afpp. org. uk ?www. childrenrights. org. uk ?www. skillsforcare. org. uk ?Sunnybank day nursery- policies and procedures.

Essay Othello Versus O

Othello vs. O (The main differences between the play and Movie) Although the movie â€Å"O† is a production based on Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†, several differences exist between the two such as women’s social status, Iago’s personality change, and the type of language employed by the characters. Desi plays a strong woman who won't let any man put her down.She stands up to Odin several times during the movie, showing that twentieth century women have higher status in society than they did in Shakespeare's time. In the movie, Desi assertively says, â€Å"If you want to be with me don’t ever talk like that to me again, ever! † Desdemona seems much more compliant to her husband's demands, even when she knows that she is going to die. Rather than run, she goes to her bedchamber and gets ready for bed, perhaps suspecting that it will be her last night alive.At the beginning of the play she declares just how loyal she is to Othello by sayi ng â€Å"to you [father], I am bound for life and education; I am hitherto your daughter: but here's my husband, and so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my Lord†(Hall,). Desdemona knows her place in society and that is that she should be loyal to her husband or else she has been an unworthy wife. Iago’s character changes drastically in the movie compared to Shakespeare’s play.He would be considered the perfect villain in the play. He never seems to get fazed when he destroys Othello and Desdemona's relationship, when he makes Othello go crazy or when he kills Rodrigo: â€Å" My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught†(Hall, 124). There are two major motives that drive Iago to destroy Othello’s life. The first being his hatred for Othello for not promoting him. His second motive is his desire for importance in society and Othello is a human being th at is blocking his pathway to glory. His character in â€Å"O†, Hugo, is a little bit different. He is trying to†¦

Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW Introduction Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW IntroductionPolitical factorsEconomical factorsSocial factorsTechnological factorsEnvironmental factors Legal factorsPORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSISThreats of new entrants:Threats of substitutes:Bargaining power of buyers:Bargaining power of suppliers:Competitive rivalryKEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE  CYCLE OF COMPETITIONSTRATEGIC DRIFT  RESOURCES  Supply costEconomic scaleProduct/process designExperienceSWOT ANALYSIS OF BMWStrength:WeaknessOpportunityThreats KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF BMWFACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE ULTIMATE DAMAGE DEMISE OF FIRMProbable strategies BMW can restore to redirect profits and to retain endurance for the future are:  REFERENCESRelated Introduction When there prevails high level if dubiety due to intricacy or brisk changes, it becomes difficult to predict the external environmental that might affective the firm’s strategies. Thus scenario analysis is done to evaluate the likely views to predict the organizations future business environment (Heijiden, 2006). In order to reach this conclusion PESTEL analysis is done to identity the key drivers of change that can be used to predict the scenarios for the future. PESTEL stands for political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal and forms of analysis of the macro-environment of the organization (Thomas, 2007). Political factors Political factors highlight the probable government   laws and regulations, security measures and restrictions that can apply to the industry as a whole. The probable factors that affect the automobile industry are: Laws and regulations had affected the automobile industry since its outburst. These laws generally revolved around the environmental norms that were to be fulfilled by any car industry. Thus the car manufacturers had to take care of the environmental issues during manufacturing of cars. Taxes and government foreign policies are critical for the automobile industry. The foreign policies help to us decide the probability of success in the global market. Introduction of new schemes in the US and Europe automobile industry wherein regulations led to produce high mileage cars along with increase in automobile sales and production (Hill, 2008). Economical factors Economical factors related to the exchange rates, economic growth globally and the business setting prevailing in the industry. Economic factors for the industry are: a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was excess capacity of cars produced thus giving rise to high amount of revenue in marketing and new product designs. Thus there was lot of revenue withheld even though demand was less than supply. For example the UK auto market had excess 80% capacity in 2003 which freeze 1.3 billion euro of the automobile industry (autofacts, 2004). b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total increase in the GDP globally from 2.0% to 3.1% in the year 2008 (statistics, 2008). c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Decrease in the exchange rate if euro has hampered the European car makers in a big way (Allen, 2006). d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic downturn in the US market (Copper, 2008) e)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surplus capital and buying power in the developing economies like India and China and their personal emergence in the global market place. Social factors Social factors include the changes in cultures and demo graphics globally apart from change in buying pattern and capacity of the consumer. Social factors having an impact on the auto industry are: Changes in the customer predilection from car being a status symbol to fuel efficiency and low emission cars. Changes in buying pattern of the consumers due to recession in mature markets. Environmental issues and awareness of the harmful emissions through automobiles Technological factors Increase in use of technology to gain a clear competitive ad vantage Use of new and sophisticated design to overcome the decreased margins in the industry. Modifications or restriction on technology causing environmental pollution Environmental factors Increasing effect if awareness of global warning, greenhouse effect and burnout among patrons (organization, 2008) Shift in consumer’s tastes and preferences towards use of more eco-friendly cars, hybrid cars, fuel cell cars etc. Stern application of the EURO norms set up to curb pollution in developing countries. Legal factors Restrictions and strict pollution norms set up in European and US markets Strict implications of the EURO norms in developing countries e,g, formation of BHARAT norms on the lines of EURO norms in India(CEN, 2006)   PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Threats of new entrants: Threat of new entrant is dependent on   the challenges faces during entry into the industry or entry barriers. The threat of new entrants in case of automobile industry is less as large capital cost is required to set up a manufacturing plant and assembly liner. Also it takes time for new entrants to get a place and the reputation in the minds of the consumers. Threats of substitutes: BMW has a brand image of being powerful and luxurious. It is positioned in the exclusive car range where there exist many substitutes for BMW like mercedes, GM and Toyoto. Thus the threat of substitutes for BMW is high. Bargaining power of buyers: BMW and its competitors are positioned as in exclusive product range. Here the bargaining power of buyers is high because the consumers can decide the product according to the price range and buy the products accordingly. Also with environmental issues hovering over the industry the buyers have the last say with sample substitutes available. Bargaining power of suppliers: BMW has good supply chain management system and had long relationship with suppliers. The bargaining power of suppliers is high in this industry as the suppliers can dedicate the price tag for the raw materials. Though long time associations with suppliers can prove fruitful, the final word lies more or less with the suppliers. Competitive rivalry Industry has cut thoat comptetion for its products, with its products targeting the segment and postioned in a similar way. Competitive rivalry was high in the industry with the dominant US and European markets facing stiff competition   from the Asian market. KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE   From the PESTEL analysis and the five forces analysis, the key drivers of change are: Huge deployment of infrastructure and manpower concentrated on automobile industry after the dusk of the second world war Consumer preferences for product excellence and cost of ownership Use of design as a chief asset Technological advancements Environmental issues Increase in the implication an brand management rather than product excellence PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE The implications of the five forces analysis varies with the industry life cycle. The elements that underline the industry life cycle are development stage, growth stage, shake-out stage, maturity stage and decline stage. During start up the company is the development stage with high differentiation and innovation as its assets followed by growth stage where the firm experiences high growth with low bargaining power of buyers and less threat of new entrants. In the shakeout stage the growth is slower and the key assets for the firm are its managerial and financial activities. In the maturity stage the growth is almost stagnant with high entry barriers, high competition but less unit costs and higher market share. Finally in the decline stage the firm is likely to face extreme rivalry with the rational and emotional approach key for the firm. BMW was in the maturity stage of the industry life cycle. The growth of BMW was stagnant but its products like the 1, 3, 5, 7 series having huge market share   and brand identity in mature as well as developing markets. There were high entry barriers in comparison with BMW. But BMW had considerable market share and reputation for being an engineering excellence, an asset of BMW in the maturity stage. CYCLE OF COMPETITION Cycle of competition underlines the various drifts between competitors with time. BMW, the German carmaker had a consistent increase in its annual sales and had the technology at its behest to counter its competitors in the market. BMW’s competitive advantage lies in its integral processes and its designs. The use of scientific technology that BMW restores to, can be implemented to gaining higher economies of scale. In terms of competition BMW has Lexus, Mercedes, Toyoto, GM, Volvo group etc. as its rivals in the automobile industry. BMW has its product range from a MINI to a Rolls Royce. Thus its product range varies from a luxury segment to a premium segment in the auto industry. In the cycle of competition any core competencies or competitive advantage is temporary and in this scenario the closest competitor or BMW is the Toyota group. Toyota group has technology, production capacity; profit margins and product range that can give BMW run for their money. It is also a proved product in immature market territory. Thus BMW can strive in the cycle of competition through its core competencies and competitive advantage. STRATEGIC DRIFT   Drift is trying to go towards a direction however fail to do that. This could be good or bad. Strategic drift is when a company fails to work in line with environmental changes however incremental development is evidenced but there is a strong influence of the cultural and historical factors. BMW and its emphasis on brand development incrementally with the changes in the environment when it outsmarted competition. However the path way dependency paved way for the acquisition of Rover an English brand. This could be due to the companies need for huge production and the consideration happened during that time. This would be the strategic drift. The company beaded with the English brand when it was in the flux phase of the strategic drift. But when the new CEO was appointed BMW went for transformation and Rover was sold to Ford. After this BMW started to working in tandem with the changes in the environment and developed incrementally. RESOURCES   Every organization or a firm need and possess certain resources and competences required to endure and thrive globally. In other words every firm has its own strategic capability to survive against all odds (Gerry Jonhson, Kewan Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). The resources consist of- Tangible resources   underlining the physical chattels like plant, people and finance of the organization Intangible resources underlining non-physical chattels like information, reputation and knowledge (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008) Resources based analysis of BMW: SOURCES OF COST EFFICIENCY Supply cost Supply cost play in important role and can influence the firm in the bigger way. Supply costs revolves around the raw material supply, production units efficiency etc. supply costs can prove to be an important asset where input cost prove to be critically important for success (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). BMW managed its supply costs by setting up manufacturing units at various locations round the globe namely Germany, USA, South Africa, UK and China wherein they employed 104000 workers (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). This ensured that the supply costs are reduced with assembly units operating more flexibly and reducing the transportation costs of raw materials. Economic scale Economies of scale play a big part in manufacturing organizations or firms since the need is to recover the high capital costs through high volume of output. BMW achieves economies of scale by increasing its production capacity. BMW had the capability to swing its operations for 60 hours a week during limp demand and whooping 140 hours a week when the demand is at its peak. BMW also had produced an impressive 1.1 million cars in fiscal year 2003 (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008), thus demoing economies to scale to gel with its manufacturing units worldwide. Product/process design Product/process design is also a key costs driver. Product design meliorations can help in labour productivity, better yield and maximum utilization of working capital. Product design can also be used to gain competitive advantage over its rivals with simple use of marketing intelligence. BMW was considered to be the best when it came to product/process design and was tipped as an engineering excellence. It was highly dependable, influential and lavish. BMW also restored new and modern technology for its products thus marketing maximum utilization of the working capital available. Experience Experience must prove to the key asset of control costs and attaining cost efficiency. Through experience the firm should generate competitive advantage through the collective understanding attained by the firm and its unit costs. The experience curve for BMW is as shown: The unit costs of BMW are supposed to decline due to the gain of cumulative experience (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). BMW has been in the automobile sector since the dusk of the Second World War. With the number if units produced increasing per year with the setup of new assembly units, there needs to happen continental reduction of costs in the competitive market situation. This may not provide the necessary competitive advantage, but is proves to be a threshold capability for survival.    Value of network It is difficult for a single organization to manage all the value based activities right from the design of the product to delivering the final product or service to customer. This process is generally carried out with the help of a value network. A value network can be termed as a combination of inter-organizational process that proves beneficial to create a product or a service (Timmers, 2008). The value of network of is as shown. BMW has various assembly locations as well as manufacturing units with each assembly unit having its own supplier of raw materials needed to create a product. Also there exist an internal value chain of the assembly liners themselves. The finished product is again reciprocated to the suppliers and collectively it gives rise to the organizations or the firm’s own value chain. The organization has its own channel value chain. The channel value chain for BMW offers its potential customers products ranging from a â€Å"MINI† to the higher end â€Å"Rolls Royce†. These products are priced differently and segmented effectively in response to the target market. BMW also has price variations according to the locations it is striving in. For example BMW is priced in a slight lower side in the Asian markets as compared to the UK or US market. The consumer value chain is based on the channel value chain BMW offers namely price, design an d location. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BMW Strength: BMW is a renowned company with a high position in terms of branding and gratitude factor. BMW is able to sustain its market position lucratively with its hub of exclusive cars. BMW had exceedingly qualified labour force(Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008) that could qualify as a source for gaining competitive advantage BMW used advanced technology for its products that embarked its products design, quality and price BMW had strong relationship with its suppliers which propagated BMW in maintaining a brawny supply chain management. Weakness BMW’s overall image was too serious and conventional in comparison with its competitors Low cost products of its competitors Overdependence on US and Europe market Opportunity The increase in number of products sold in spite of the economic downturn Use of advanced technology for the products Popularity in developing countries like India and china Flexibility in development and manufacturing Low interest rates Threats Strong competition in the luxury segment of cars Economic downturn New entrants in the automobile industry Increase in fuel costs Rising supply costs e.g. steel    Critical success factor of BMW: The above graph is used to identify the critical success factors of BMW. The y-axis represents the value and the x-axis represents the elements of critical success factor. According to the graph, the critical success factors for BMW are: Product quality Cost of product that justifies product quality Experience Product quality is an inevitable and distinguishing factor for customer satisfaction. The brand is identified by its product excellence and cost of ownership. BMW has a status of being number when it comes to qualify, and thus it is one of the critical success factors for BMW. Though the cost of the product i.e. BMW automobile is high it evidently justifies this through its product quality. The experience of BMW in the industry also is a critical success factor for BMW. With its years of experience it has developed a brand identity for its products and very integrated and sophisticated supply chain that ensures its products are delivered at the right time and right place. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF BMW    The key success factors thus of BMW can be summarized as Business model of BMW Technology Brand image Sustainability Helmut Panke, CEO of BMW FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE ULTIMATE DAMAGE DEMISE OF FIRM Rising raw material prices and high fuel prices Change in customer tastes and preferences Decrease in economies of scale Extreme rivalry and price wars in the maturity stage Stagnation of technology Unfavourable currency effects Stricter regulatory norms paving way for alternatives like hybrid cars, fuel-cell cars. Electric cars etc. Mobility precincts emergent urban areas Probable strategies BMW can restore to redirect profits and to retain endurance for the future are:   1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market development 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market penetration 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Product development 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Restructuring 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrenchment 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Liquidation 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vertical integration This may help BMW achieve a safer tomorrow and help to sustain its BMW’ness for years to come. REFERENCES Allen, T. (2006, October 17).Retrieved june 7, 2009, from Euro area annual inflation down to 1.7%: http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:1fhKosuEvHsJ:europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do% 3Freference%3DSTAT/06/137%26format%3DPDF%26aged%3D1%26language%3DEN%26gui Language%3Den+average+rate+of+inflation+of+EU+in+2006cd=2hl=enct=clnkgl=in

History of WD-40

History of WD-40 If youve ever used WD-40 to oil up something squeaky in your home, you may have wondered, just what does WD-40 stand for? Well, according to the company that makes WD-40, WD-40 literally stands forWater Displacement 40th   attempt. Thats the name straight out of the lab book used by the chemist who helped develop WD-40 back in 1953. Norman  Larsen  was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion, a task which is done by displacing water. Norms persistence paid off when he perfected the formula for WD-40 on his 40th try. Rocket Chemical Company WD-40 was invented by the three founders of the Rocket Chemical Company of San Diego, California. The team of inventors was working on a line of industrial rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry. Today, it  is manufactured by the San Diego, California-based WD-40 Company. WD-40 was first used to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. When it was discovered to have many household uses, Larsen repackaged WD-40 into aerosol cans for consumer use and the product was sold to the general public in 1958. In 1969, the Rocket Chemical Company was renamed after its only product WD-40. Interesting Uses for WD-40 Two of the craziest purposes for WD-40 include a bus driver in Asia who used WD-40 to remove a python snake which had coiled itself around the undercarriage of his bus and police officers who used WD-40 to remove a naked burglar trapped in an air conditioning vent. Ingredients WD-40s main ingredients as supplied in aerosol cans, according to the U.S.  Material Safety Data Sheet  information, are: 50% aliphatic hydrocarbons. The manufacturers website claims this ratio in the current formulation cannot accurately be described as  Stoddard solvent, a similar mixture of hydrocarbons.25%  petroleum  base oil. Presumably, mineral oil  or light lubricating oil.12–18% low  vapor pressure  aliphatic hydrocarbon. Reduces the liquids viscosity so that it can be used in aerosols. The hydrocarbon evaporates during application.2–3% carbon dioxide. A propellant which is now used instead of the original  liquefied petroleum gas  to reduce WD-40s flammability.10% inert ingredients.​ The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile viscous oil which remains on the surface to which it is applied, giving lubrication and protection from moisture.​ The oil is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to make a low viscosity fluid which can be aerosolized to penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving behind the oil. A propellant (originally a low-molecular-weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) creates pressure in the can to force the liquid through the cans nozzle before evaporating. Its properties make it useful in both domestic and commercial settings. Typical uses for WD-40 include removing dirt and removing stubborn screws and bolts. It can also be used to loosen stuck zippers and displace moisture. Due to its lightness (i.e. low viscosity), WD-40 is not always the preferred oil for certain tasks. Applications that require higher viscosity oils may use  motor oils. Those requiring a mid-range oil could use  honing oil.

Literature Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literature Response - Essay Example The author introduces numerous characters in a strategic plot thereby developing a series of events and occurrences through the clever plot. Additionally, the author understands the essence of conflicts in sustaining stories. She introduces an antagonist and protagonist in the short story thus developing a story that provides a reflection of my life and the relationship between the members of my family among many other families in the society (Toth 33). Mrs. Louise Mallard, the key character in the short story who is also the protagonist in the story has a heart disease. This compels his family to care for her appropriately in order to cushion from any shocking news that would possibly kill her. The traits of the character coupled with her terminal illness are a resemblance to my mother’s situation. My mother suffers from high blood pressure, a condition the requires a dedicated care and effective handling in order to curb the occurrences of any undesirable uncertainties (Xudi ng 121). The author of the short story introduces and discusses numerous topical issues in the form of themes. Among the themes in the short story are family conflicts and death. Death is a natural phenomenon that refers to the end of human life. The occurrence of death causes pain to people who suffer from the loss of a beloved one. The reaction of people to the death of a beloved one depends on the nature of the relationship that existed between them. Death is a fundamental social occurrence in every society. The theme of death is evident in the society and in millions of families globally. I remember the death of grandmother, a woman that adored and raised me. The feeling was traumatic and I took several months to recover from her death.