Packaging for Saffola Rice

Contents * Introduction and Background * Research Objectives * Variables * Type of Study * Sampling * Hypotheses * Research Design * Assumptions * Delimitations Background Packaging is a very important marketing strategy to glamorize your product in order to attract the consumer’s attention. Sometimes packaging is so important that it cost more than the product itself in order to lure the consumers to buy it. Most consumers judge a product by its packaging before buying. So it is logical to say attractive packaging is crucial in order to get the first time buyers to buy your products. There are many elements involved in the success of a product and packaging is one of the key drivers of purchase. This report is to understand the role of packaging in the success of the product, it is important to know the key elements in packaging which are working or not working for the consumer. The various forms of packaging types that are available to us are Tetra pack, Plastic bags, Tins , Paper bags, Plastic bottles, Tubes, Soft pouches, Nozzle bottles, Gunny bags, Paper boxes. In the case of Rice purchase it is observed that packaging is seen important however not critical. Most consumers were buying branded rice in 20 kg jute bags and were driven more by price vs. packaging. ) Research Objectives To evaluate the new packaging for Saffola rice. Basic studies have reflected on the need for a new packaging. Once the packaging is confirmed at the outset, it is imperative to notify the credibility the packaging lends to the rice inside and to understand the drivers of these impr essions. Also it gives an opportunity to capture cues for improvement. Variables Dependent :Purchase Preference, * Independent : Overall packaging * Intervening: Introduction of a new packaging concept by competitor, change in requirement/ need. * Control : Income group, Gender, Occupation Type of Study * Process – Exploratory * Type of data – Qualitative * Content – Empirical * Period – One time study * Setting – Field Sample The Sample should be people who have bought a product or who are thinking of buying a product. They should be buyers and not specifiers. They may be multiple purchasers. During the course of our research when the probable sample was listed there was a temptation to say – â€Å"yes, all of these† but considering that the greater the scope of the project the more it will cost and the longer it will take we decided to stick to a sample size of 50. Our Target profile a. Females -SEC A, B b. Must be a primary cook in the house i. Must cook at least one meal on weekdays and weekends c. Decision maker in purchase of household items d. Regular buyers, decision makers and consumers of rice. The segmentation was based on Working Women and Housewives who were aged between 24 to 45 years.

AP Environmental Science Q

1 . The environment is the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates; the natural world affected by human activity. 2. Environmental science Is the study of the Interaction between living and nonliving, physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment including their effects on all types of organisms but most often the Impact humans have on the environment. Ecology, conservation biology, forestry, sol science, forest technology and physics are related to environmental science. . Environmentalism is a theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the placement and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group; advocacy of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment; especially the movement to control pollution. 4. Natural capital is the air, land, water, living organisms and all the formations of the Earth's biosphere that provides us wit h ecosystems goods and services imperative for survival and well- being. . A natural resource occurs naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by humanity; in a natural form; anything that people can use which comes from nature; we gather them from nature. EX: air, water, wood, 011, Iron, wind energy, coal, hydroelectric energy. A natural/ecosystem service are regularly Involved In the provisions of clean drinking water and the decomposition of waste.Natural ecosystem services is split into four categories: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; supporting, such as nutrient cycles and crop pollination; and cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits. 6. An environmentally sustainable society is a community that is in balance with nature; people in the society do actions that are DOD for the environment. 7. A developing country is a nation with lower living standards, underdevelop ed industrial base, and low human development index relative to other countries.A developed country Is a nation that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological Infrastructure in comparison to other less developed countries. 8. A developing country has lower life expectancy, less education, lower population, lower resource level usage and less money(lonesome). A developed country has a higher life expectancy, more education, higher population, higher resource level usage and more money(income). . A resource is a source of supply, support or aid that can be readily drawn upon when needed.Conservation is the prevention of injury, decay, waste, or loss; the careful preservation of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion. 10. A renewable resource is a natural resource which can replenish with the passage of time, either through biological reproduction or other naturally reoccurring processes. EX: geothermal energy, hydrophone, corn starch, manure. A nonrenewable r esource is a resource that does not renew Itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful unman time-frames. EX: coal, petroleum, natural gas, and nuclear energy. 1. The difference between the concept of reuse and recycle Is that reusing Is when a product that Is newly purchased Is put to another use after the first use Is completed. Recycling is processing of used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste resource which does not exceed the growth; the amount of renewable resources taken should not exceed the amount at which it can be replaced. 13. An ecological footprint is an accounting system that tracks how much land and water area a human being uses to provide all it takes from nature. . Pollution is the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. Point source pollution is a single identifiable source of air, water, thermal, noise or light pollution coming from a single location. EX: A certain factory is producing chemicals. As part of the manufacturing process, certain poisonous chemicals and toxic gases result, such as benzene. The chemical company permits these toxins to be released from the stack at the factory without treating them.The untreated, toxic chemicals are released directly into the air. Nonprofit pollution is when contaminants are introduced into the environment over a large, widespread area. EX: Acid rain from the air can enter the water cycle. The result is that it enters the environment. The acid is harmful to fish and other creatures in freshwater lakes and streams. Whenever there is snow or ice on the roads in winter, the salt trucks come out and spread salt. The salt dissolves the snow and ice and makes the roads safe. But it also washes off the roads into lakes and streams and makes them salty.The salt is also carried down into the groundwater where it enters the groundwater apply. 15. Biodegradable: capable of decaying throu gh the action of living organisms. Orange peels: 6 months, paper 2-5 months; Non-biodegradable: cannot be changed to a harmless natural state by the action of bacteria and may damage the environment. Ceramics(fleer glass, carbon fiber), plastics(legal, irony), metals(iron, tin). 16. Five environmental problems the world faces today are population growth, poverty, wasting resources, poor environmental accounting, and ecological ignorance.Population growth is one of the biggest problems because humans consume so much energy, space and resources. With the rising population the Earth is unable to keep reproducing enough to accommodate the world. Poverty is another big problem because people/nations begin to take land resources to â€Å"pay off their debts† or survive. Wasting resources is the practice of wasting valuable resources by human beings for unnecessary motives. Poor environmental accounting is when business do not take the environmental impact into account when using th e resources to make their products.Ecological ignorance is the failure to understand the effects of human behavior on the relationship between the environment and living things. 7. When someone says that the price of goods does not include the value of natural capital they mean that they do not take into account the loss of biodiversity and puts economic concern in a way that the government and institutions can deal with. People often think of conservation in terms of its cost rather than its value, and think of manufactured goods in terms of value rather than their environmental costs. 18.A government subsidy is a benefit given by the government to the groups or individuals usually in the form of cash payment or tax reduction; usually given to remove some type of burden. A harmful effect they cause is environmental degradation like exploitation of resources, pollution, loss of landscape, misuse and overuse of supplies. A benefit example is that the U. S. Government makes goods more easily attainable for citizens such as gasoline prices are subsidized so that they are what they think their role in the world should be, and what they believe is right and wrong environmental behavior.Environmental ethics is the discipline is philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and the value and moral status of the environment and its nonhuman contents. 0. Planetary management worldview beliefs that as the planets most important species, we are in charge of the Earth; we will not run out of resources because of our ability to develop and find new ones; the potential for economic growth is especially unlimited; and our success depends on how well we manage the Earth's life support systems mostly for our own benefit.Stewardship worldview beliefs that we are the planets most important species but we have an ethical responsibility to care for the rest of nature; we will probably run out of resources but they should not be wasted; we should encourage envi ronmentally harmful forms of economic growth; and our success depends on how well we can manage the earth's life-support systems for our benefit and the rest of nature.Environmental wisdom worldview beliefs that nature exists for all the earths species and we are not in charge of the earth; resources are limited, should not be wasted, and are not all for us, we should encourage earth sustaining life forms of economic growth and discourage earth-degrading forms of economic growth; and our success depends on learning how the earth sustains itself and integrating such lessons from nature into the ways we think and act. 21 . The four scientific principles of sustainability are reliance of solar energy, biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and population control.The reliance of solar energy is how and how much of the sun energy we reuse. Biodiversity is the amount of variation and variety there is in the population. Nutrient cycling is how one population can benefit from another population. P opulation control is when one type of species population is too large and what we do to control and handle that. 22. A. Nutrient Cycling b. Nutrient Cycling c. Population Control, Biodiversity d. Nutrient Cycling e. Nutrient Cycling f. Nutrient Cycling g. Reliance on Solar Energy

Observation #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Observation #3 - Essay Example After observing them for a few minutes, I figured out that they were neighbors living in a close neighborhood. One of them had a little baby in a pram, and the other one was telling her about her children who had gone to school. She was giving the other one tip upon handling a cranky baby. So, I figured out that the main topic of discussion was child care. They had not yet started doing grocery. After that, the same night, I again went out on a venture to observe a male-female interaction. I entered an ice cream parlor. I witnessed a couple. I took the table next to theirs so that I could hear their conversation. I could sense some romanticism, and it took me no time in concluding that they were dating. They were in their mid-twenties. They were looking very happy and excited over something. When I heard closely, the man was talking about how he had got the job, and what his plans about marriage were. The woman looked

Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Cancer - Essay Example helping a patient understand the diagnosis, treatment, and its side-effects are also very useful because they help a patient in reaching a better decision. According to statistics published by the ACS, there will be an estimated 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year over the next decade. What factors contribute to the yearly incidence and mortality rates of various cancers in Americans? What changes in policy and practice are most likely to affect these figures over time? One out of every 8 women is at risk of developing breast cancer in the US. There are many factors like age, genetic history, smoking, obesity, and alcohol use, which increase the incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer in American women. Yearly screening tests starting after age 40 should be made compulsory for every woman on a national level to affect the rising figures over time. Prostate cancer is a very common cancer found in American men. One out of every 6 men is at risk of this cancer. Like in case of breast cancer, PSA (Prostate specific antigen) screenings and DRE (Digital rectal exams) can help to detect cancer at a stage when it is most treatable. These tests should be made compulsory also. Prevention based on physical activity and tobacco control is an important area of research which is funded by the ACS. This can help in the prevention and treatment of cancer because research is focused on how tobacco control and good physical activity interfere with the incidence of cancer. Tobacco control research particularly emphasizes on analysing the economics of tobacco control in low and middle income communities. The results then serve to introduce important policy

111History of Psychology... 1st one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

111History of Psychology... 1st one - Essay Example Therefore, the strict position of empiricism states that we have no instincts and rational thinking does not, alone, allow us to reach any conclusion unless we have suitable experience to profit from. This experience can be either in one particular instance or through many different instances that have all been combined together to give that person suitable knowledge. Even small common facts such as the color of an object or the sequence of numbers are attained with experience and only with the first hand experience of these facts can these facts be justified by the individual. Notable history of empiricism includes a Renaissance philosopher Francis Bacon who emphasized that gaining knowledge of the natural world was easier and more efficient through observation than through deductive reasoning [1]. While he did not oppose the thought of prior or instinctive knowledge, he firmly believed that any knowledge that was not experienced was far less useful or important than that which was gained through experience. Experienced knowledge was so important, in fact, that without it the human species would not be able to evolve or advance. This belief helped pave the way for William Ockham, a Franciscan philosopher, to note that all knowledge of the natural world is experienced through the senses [4]. He implied that any rationalization of abstract knowledge was merely hypothetical thinking. A thought that later lead to the belief that causation is merely an observation of regularity instead of an actual conclusive connection [4]. This line of thought was taken even further by Thomas Hobbes who believed that, while all genuine knowledge was held through prior knowledge, it required deduction from definitions of experience in order to derive any conclusion [1, 4]. Perhaps the most influential philosopher on empiricism was John Locke who believed that

Importance of effective crosscultural communication in international Essay

Importance of effective crosscultural communication in international business - Essay Example We discuss the various issues relating to the diverse workforce and how these influence international business and its effectiveness. As it is observed that the communication barrier is the most influencing in the cross-cultural businesses, its importance and the possible ways to address this aspect to improve the effectiveness of international business is identified and discussed prominently. Finally, the results of the study are discussed and the discussion is concluded with recommendations. There is a growing trend among multi-national companies to employ diverse workforce, diverse not only in the functional and technological skills they possess, but also from various ethnic, cultural and demographic backgrounds. It is observed that "successful businesses are depending more on effective globalization, which in turn depend on the diversity in workforce" (Toomey, 1999: 4). This is due to the fact that they recognize that a cross-cultural team with its unique abilities can be an asset to the business and that it can contribute to the process of problem-solving owing to its diverse nature (Gupta, 2008 and Barrett, Davidson, 2006: 1). Gupta notes the comments of the SPHR, Delicia Del-gardo, "diversity can result in better business solutions" (2008). There is much evidence as to how these teams thrive on the diversity of skills, knowledge and culture to effectively approach problem-solving in various situations at work. As it enables them to leverage different approaches to solve a particular professional issue, there is a conscious effort by many teams to employ a diverse workforce. It can also be observed that this practice brings multi-dimensional advantages to the company. Along with the advantage of effective problem-solving, which is of importance in cross-cultural environments as they are prone to conflict, this practice of a employing a diverse workforce also brings an advantage to the business in terms of market share. With cross-cultural teams being employed, there is more exposure to the different cultures and also different markets, as with virtual teams, hence, these businesses can penetrate foreign markets with ease due to the inherent knowledge and skills available within (Guindi, Kamel, 2003). These teams are usually trained to communicate the importance of awareness that diversity exists and the need to identify and find ways to work towards a shared goal of the business, in spite of the differences. Hence, the responsibility lies on the management to train the workforce to be aware of the existence of differences and avoid any conflict rising due to these differences. The managements are responsible to communicate and ensure proper strategies to convey the shared goals and values that the employees need to inculcate to avoid any conflict and work on common grounds (Guindi, Kamel, 2003). However, there are still hoards of conflicts inherent in the cross-cultural businesses that they need to effectively address to ensure its smooth and

Issue of Gender and Racial Discrimination in the US Essay

Issue of Gender and Racial Discrimination in the US - Essay Example Overly, despite these drastic demographic changes, the  connotation  of citizenship and the ability to treat or cure various germ and contagion related chronic infections were consistently blamed on the foreigners. This article’s key structure, therefore, revolves around three periods of immigration historical events, which include the 19th Century at around 1924, an era of retrenchment period of 1924-1965, and 1965 that was marked by an outrageous immigrant’s domination into American society (Markel & Stern, 2002). An outstanding quote in this article towards the understanding of feminist studies is, â€Å"If the relevant authorities and anti-immigration advocates found that one immigration classification is the most objectionable, they will soon mitigate every drawback in the United States associated with immigration† (Markel & Stern, 2002). This article presents racial discrimination, diseases and significantly the meaning of public change in feminist studies. This article beyond any reasonable doubt draws on archival registers in California’s Imperial Valley in the years 1940. These events resulted in the arrest and deportation of various groups of Mexican workers, some of whom presented themselves passionately as human rights union activists. These workers had entered the country legally and had inhabited the United States for many years. According to the immigrants’ officials, they rendered these activists â€Å"likely to become a public change† LPC, which was unlawful in America as a deportable offense (Natalia, 2010). According to me, I am in agreement with this author’s main points of argument. Firstly, immigration is one of the factors that have affected the American economic growth for quite a long period. In the 1940s, United States border patrol agents experienced intriguing migrato ry records into America. This experience, in turn, spearheaded the deportation proceedings for Mike Gutierrez, who acted as the president of a Congress of Industrial Organisations (CIO) local.

Strategic Plan for a Non-Profit Organization Coursework

Strategic Plan for a Non-Profit Organization - Coursework Example Our organization would be a forum for people, facing mental illnesses and disturbance in their lives. On this regard the title set for the organization is â€Å"Foundation of Behavioral Health & Services†, a facilitation center for behavioral health and mental stability. Vision and the Cause of Origin Our mental health organization is going to be a behavioral health treatment institution, an institution which facilitates people with mental sickness, instability, or disturbance becoming barriers to face life deepest challenges or dejections. It would be a complete non-profit based organization that provides training and guidance to the people to meet societal challenges like ignorance, mistreatment or discouragement. This stands out as a vision for the organization, a vision to flourish peoples’ lives and their living situations. Plan for Investment and Fund Raising There are many people who would like to see a behavioral health institution to grow and thrive in the stat es of Indiana, like people in the medical health profession or in the behavioral health services. There are many psychologists, school professors or rehabilitation facilitators who would like to be part of a non-profit mental health institution like ours. These are the ones who can support and raise some funds to develop the organization within the states region. Several counseling schools could also invest on, and for the institution which is just for the people and community, Government would also become part of it to support its special noble cause. Apart from all there are many bureaucrats who can be part of the investment, bringing basal investment which is required to open the doors of the institution and laying the initial foundation. Indiana is one of the largest States in the US having a population of around 6 to 7 million people. Among such huge population there are definitely lots of chances to generate the initial funds and investment required to give a birth to the newe r organization. City of Columbus is a mega city of the states of Indiana, where the plan is to set the headquarters of the organization. The city itself can generate a lot of investment in the start, which would be sufficient enough to lay the foundation of the organization. Hierarchy and New Positions To open a non-profit organization which is devoted to a special cause, there is a must need to bring specialists to serve the cause and vision of the organization. For a non-profit behavioral health institution, we would acquire specialists from psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry or further detailed subjects like co-counseling, cognition or cognitive psychology. All of such departments would be opened for newer positions, for those who are experienced and those holding the fresh diplomas or degrees. Initially there would be three major departments including psychology, psychiatry, and behavioral counseling where each department would be aligned with 6 major working positions. It wo uld be a decentralized structure, where decisions will flow from top to middle level management and then to the executive staff to complete the task. Apart from operational departments, Accounts and Administration would be further functioning department in the setup, which would be responsible for managing the day to day records of the patients. Board of Directors Top leadership plays a crucial role in the functioning of a non-profit organization or institution. Their decisions are effectual for the entire hierarchy structure of the organization. We as foundation of behavioral health and services rely on bright leadership, visionary and thinkers. The team of board of directors include Mr. Robert De Sousa (a specialist in Expressive Psychiatry), James

EMAAR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EMAAR - Essay Example EMAAR has its headquarters in Dubai (United Arabs Emirates). Despite the above growth, EMAAR has still been in the verge of discussing new prospects of growth which entails geographical expansion to new and virgin lands most so the far east and North Africa (Group, 2008). The other strategy is that of product segmentation. It deals in variety of products ranging from the housing industry, hospitality and tourism industry. The company has also invested much in the Education Sector and the Health sector where it has built schools and hospitals as well as investing in the best facilities for the buildings (Group, 2008). The company as well deals in the financial instruments in the financial markets of Dubai, where last year (2010/2011) alone it traded in a turnover of over 29 billion AED in stocks (Group, 2008). The company’s total sale of apartments in the year 2010/2011 has been estimated to be Dh 583; this has been stated as a decline of about 86% of the previous year’s sales (Group, 2008). This may be because of the economic hard time, which even caused a crush in the western economies. The revenue from such sales was estimated to be about $ 1.52 billion last year, which is still a drop of about 10%, the previous year’s revenues. The drop in revenue is attributed to and depicts a slash in prices due to stiff competition in the industry. Two major products that the company deals in are the apartments and the villas. The apartments are the largest income-generating unit with a revenue of Dh 183 in the last quarter of last year. Villas on the other hand made good sales, the sales was about Dh126.4, this was a drop though of some few percentages (Group, 2008). EMAAR does not operate as a monopoly in its business. Just as I have mention previously it operates in a highly competitive environment where there are several

Emerging influences in the United States healthcare system Essay

Emerging influences in the United States healthcare system - Essay Example re organizations influence trends in service delivery since every other organization combines business strategies that help in the best performance of the institution (Bowden & Smits, 2012). This paper attempts to analyse to what extent workforce tsunami, Hospital Acquired Conditions policies and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award system influences current trends in the United States healthcare system. It is evident that there are a lot of skills that the old workers in America have accumulated over time; but in the next ten years or so, this story may hit the economical headlines and human interest. People talk about age as just being a number, but at the same time I think this saying should only work best during birthdays because aging as far as the American workforce is generally concerned is becoming an economic threat. This factor, generally referred to as the workforce tsunami, cuts across all businesses and workplaces, including the human healthcare facilities. These facilities invest so much in the old, trusting them for their long term experience without considering the fact that a time will come when most of these old employees will pass on. This occurrence will have the risk of greatly affecting the American workplaces and facilities in the healthcare system may lack workers for an unknown period before the right experts are obtained to replace the aging and perishing g eneration. This basically will have a potential detrimental impact on the lives of Americans, especially those in their sick beds during such an unfortunate occurrence (Laing eta al., 2009). Realistically and evidenced by statistical data, it is expected that about 10,000 baby boomers will continue turning to that age of sixty five years every year until we get to 2030. A more realist observation is that about a quarter of a million of all Americans find themselves celebrating sixty five years of age on monthly basis. Looking at these figures may not indicate a great impact, but the

Coffee Industry Essay Example for Free

Coffee Industry Essay People usually drink coffee to stay up while awake at night, besides that many people rely on coffee to get their day started. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, â€Å"Drinking coffee can lead to a longer life†; however, many consumers have no idea of the impact of habits on their coffee and coffee farmers around the globe, ethical issues of consumers with the industry is not fair; but to coffee farmers, the issues are human rights violations and use of child labor issues need to be addressed. To remedy this situation, the fair trade will hopefully improve the living conditions of some of the poorest people in the world through certified value and the change in the consumers choice. Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities in the world, most of the farmers in the form of small retail and come from developing countries, although the majority of coffee sales are in the America and Europe many people around the world rely on coffee to work and have a better life; however, to producing quality coffee, farmers have to work very hard though farmers receive very little money and the inequity of the coffee producing companies when they sell coffee. Working conditions of farmers in the plantations are very different, although they work hard , but it paid for exploitation, for example , in Guatemala , coffee pickers to harvest 100 pounds to get the minimum wage $ 3 per day (The Problem with Fair Trade Coffee 2010),farmers have to work overtime and do not earn extra money, so farmers use child labor for the production of coffee to save money and use these chemicals effect of the human body in order for a fast development of coffee sale on the market. Moreover, using the chemicals and the development of the coffee industry adversely affect habitat and species decline. In addition, forests are cut down to coffee production affects the environment and soil erosion. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), â€Å"converting forest to tea and coffee agriculture can also create erosion and soil loss† (WWF 2010) ; Yet the farmers have no choice and/or the opportunity to change. According to the International Coffee Organization or ICO â€Å"Coffee production in 2012 was 144 611 000 bags, mostly from less developed countries such as, Brazil 50 826 000 bags ,Vietnam 22 000 000 bags and Indonesia 12 730 000 bags â€Å" (ICO 2013), though coffee production is highly ranked in the world, but farmers still do not get enough money to pay for life, for example. Vietnam in 2012, producing nearly 30 % of world coffee production but the turnover is only 10 % of the total trade value obtained from the global industry, the main reason is due to their ability to improve processing of value and coffee products are limited, coffee roasting plants in countries with rates lower than 10%, when farmers sells 1kg of coffee beans, farmers gets about 2 dollars or an average price of one cup of coffee oversea, yet 1 kg of coffee can make 50 cups. In addition, the links between farmers and enterprises are not strong, the lack of information on farmers markets, so farmers often extorted. Moreover, the risk of crop failure is the fear of the coffee growers. Most of the profits from coffee for export processing enterprises, coffee farmers only enjoy a small percentage. That has caused insecurity for farmers. Solution to this problem is the fair trade. According to Wikimedia, Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced and marketed to a stated set of standards. Many Customers pay a higher price when buying coffee with the certification logo or brand in the Belief Furniture , by doing so, they are helping farmers in the Third World . In particular, the fair trade coffee movement gives a reasonable price to the Farmers who were being a low wage labor exploitation. However, achieve certification of fair trade, farmers must meet several conditions of production as farmers have to meet a large variety of production standards : there are limits on the use of child labor , pesticides , herbicides , genetically modified products , etc. With these standards met, both consumers and farmers can benefit, with farmers getting the sufficient amount of money for their products, and the consumers getting their product knowing it’s safe to consume and has no effect on the producers financially or ethnically. These farmers must cooperate with businesses to produce the certified products, such amounts received will be higher and the lives of the farmers would be better. In addition, consumers should choose certified products in the supermarket or the market as this will support and will be helpful for farmers. In conclusion, fair trading is the way for farmers and coffee producers to get a higher amount, and will change lives for the better. Therefore farmers should choose fair trade to ensure benefits and consumers should choose products that have been certified to support the farmers. Reference * The problem with Fair Trade Coffee. * Retrieved August 30, 2013, from http://www. ssireview. org/articles/entry/the_problem_with_fair_trade_coffee * Coffee Production and Labor. * Retrieved August 30, 2013, from http://www. organicconsumers. org/starbucks/coffeelabor. htm * Fair Trade Coffee * Retrieved August 30, 2013, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fair_trade_coffee * International Coffee Organization- EXPORTING COUNTRIES: TOTAL PRODUCTION * Retrieved August 30, 2013, from http://www. ico. org/prices/po. htm. * Health and effect of Coffee * Retrieved August 30, 2013, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_effects_of_coffee * Environmental Impacts of Coffee and Tea Production * Retrieved September 2, 2013 from http://www. hellogreentomorrow. com/blog/2010/11/environmental-impacts-of-coffee-and-tea-production.

Twisted Hot Yogas target market Market Opportunity

Twisted Hot Yogas target market Market Opportunity Twisted Hot Yoga does not have any direct competition in the location of Aspen Estates and therefore there is the opportunity to target the higher income level consumers surrounding that area. Due to only having one recreation centre near aspen estates in a continuously growing community, Twisted Hot Yoga can give access to their healthy conscious consumers a new hot yoga studio fulfilling many of the new fitness conscious trends. This particular area of the city, the South West quadrant, is currently in the process of expansion. There are many communities surrounding Aspen Woods that are being developed. Up to this date, there are no hot yoga studios in the surrounding area of Aspen Woods. Target Market Twisted Hot Yogas target market can be defined as higher income health conscious consumers. More specifically, women between the ages of 20 and 34 that live in the South West part of Calgary within and surrounding the new communities of Aspen Woods. This specific target market takes pride in healthy busy lifestyles and belongs in an active community (Environics analytics, 2010). Market Size Based on a 2008 Yoga in America study, it was found that Americans spend 5.7 billion dollars a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations and media (DVDs, videos, books and magazines), showing an 87% increase since the previous study in 2004 (Yogajournal.com, 2010). The study also found that 6.9% of US adults or 15.8 million people practice yoga and out of those who do not, the study found that 8% or 18.3 million Americans said they were very or extremely interested in yoga (Yogajournal, 2010). The data that was collected on age, gender and other demographic factors showed that out of all the yoga practitioners, 72.2% are women, 27.8% are men, 40.6% are 18 to 34 years old; 41% are 35 to 54; and 18.4% are over 55 (Yogajournal.com, 2010). The study concluded that almost half of these current practitioners started doing yoga to improve their overall health. Market Trends and Opportunities that are Emerging Bikram Yoga: According to CTV news in 2002, hot yoga which is also known as Bikram, was a raging trend across Canada as well as the hottest trend in exercise (2010). Holistic Fitness: Fitness trends in the near future are said to be taking a customized approach to the particular needs and lifestyles of individuals (Euromonitor, 2010). Holistic fitness, group sweat sesh, and get fit quick are the leading future fitness trends around the globe (Euromonitor, 2010). Todays research shows a shift from hitting the gym to attain the ideal body to now a more holistic approach to healthy living. The holistic approach is discussed as reaping the benefits of exercise (Yogajournal.com, 2010). People nowadays are more concerned with getting back into shape physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. According to Euromonitor international, the market for healthy lifestyles is much greater due to the increase in obesity rates (Euromonitor, 2010). This trend is adapting to the 21st century consumers that have busy lifestyles regarding work, family, and social life demands. A German company that specializes in holistic therapy stated that it supports indiv iduals to find personal balance, to relax our mind, and to experience something that is beyond thoughts, analysis, stress and separation (Euromonitor, 2010). A US trends forecaster has predicted in a trends journal that Whole Health Healing will become very popular and part of the public awareness by 2011. Services, products and practitioners furthering a holistic approach will be the cutting edge of a trend that will grow for decades (Euromonintor, 2010). Group Sweat Sesh: The group sweat sesh trend is moving away from personal trainers, exclusive spas, and home fitness training as the craze is said to soon lose some of its appeal. Keeping up with healthy trends and staying fit is nowadays said to be a group effort (Euromonitor, 2010). Having groups of people being trained by an instructor is said to be a perfect fit with the demand for a more budget friendly, more social and fun exercise culture (Euromonitor, 2010). Get Fit Quick: Consumers these days want to get fit quick and see results faster. The continuing trend of body-conscious consumers and what is called the busy-busy society will still be looking for quick fixes, meaning quicker ways to get fit faster (Euromonitor, 2010). Going green: Twisted Hot Yoga will be opening up a Bikram yoga studio that will use all economically friendly products such as bamboo floors and clay walls. The trend of going green is an important factor when opening up a hot yoga studio and therefore, Twisted Hot Yoga will be able to offer its consumers a natural environment as well as greater awareness to keep the community a better place. Use of Yoga as Medical Therapy: Doctors and therapists now often recommend yoga as medical therapy. Yoga as medicine represents the next great yoga wave (yogajournal.com, 2010). A 2008 study found that in the next few years, we will be seeing a lot more yoga in health care settings and more yoga recommended by the medical community as new research shows that yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many health conditions (yogajournal.com, 2010). Demographic Analysis The above chart represents the percentage of women between the ages of 20-34 living in the surrounding neighborhoods of Aspen Woods. Using data collected from the GIS mapping (see appendix), West Springs has the greatest percentage in comparison to the other areas in the South West. West Springs is currently in the process of developping 96 residential homes, six buildings consisting of a total of 300 apartments and 55,000 square feet of commercial space which gives Twisted Hot Yoga the opportunity to expand their business and their target market in the future (Jomaa, personal communication, 2010). Twisted Hot Yoga will focus on two customer groups: Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite and Middle Income Suburban Gentry. Demographic and Psychographic Analysis Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite Age: 20-34 Sex: 80% female, 30% male Health/Lifestyle: Canadas wealthiest lifestyle, fitness-minded Canadians who belong to health clubs, workout at home, enjoy pilates, yoga and cross-country skiing. This group is very active in the community, volunteering on community projects and making various donations. (Environics analytics, 2010) Twisted Hot Yogas Selling Point: Convenient location, close to the new developing areas, can be attended at any hours during the day, flexible hours Middle Income Suburban Gentry Age: 20-34 Sex: 80% female, 30% male Health/Lifestyle: Canadas up and coming business class, spenders, fitness conscious, much more likely than average Canadians to jog, take aerobics classes, play racquet sports and basketball. Many of these individuals take pride in their healthy lifestyles. (Environics analytics, 2010) Twisted Hot Yogas Selling Point: Can be attended before or after work, close to new developing areas, relieve stress after work and relaxing the mind and body Twisted Hot Yogas target markets enjoy living healthy lifestyles and have higher disposable income. According to Statistics Canada, individuals in higher income groups are more likely to engage in physical activity during their leisure time (2010). Geographic Analysis Distance from surrounding communities to Aspen Landing (Twisted Hot Yoga) Aspen Woods 1.2 km 2 mins Strathcona Park 2.9 kn 4 mins Signal Hill 3.6 km 6 mins Christie Park 3.1 km 5 mins Patterson 5.0 km 8 mins Coach Hill 4.5 km 6 mins Springbank Hill 2.2 km 4 mins Discovery Ridge 5.9 km 12 mins West Springs 2.6 km 5 mins Twisted Hot Yoga targets the surrounding communities of Aspen Woods. The distance from the surrounding communities to the studio is an important factor as Twisted Hot Yoga promotes going green and saving the community. Health conscious consumers can actively participate in going green by not having to drive to the studio. Location Based on Twisted Hot Yogas target market, the selected location for Twisted Hot Yogas studio will be in the new developed area of Aspen Woods. This area is called Aspen Landing shopping center and is located on the corner of 17th avenue and 85th street SW. Aspen Landing consists of 175,000 square feet of retail space and 40,000 square feet of premium second floor office space and serves the dominant community shopping centre in West Calgary (Aspenlanding, 2010). Aspen Woods community social statistics shows that in 2009, total population in that area was 2,830, indicating a 454.9% change since 2005 (City of Calgary, 2010). Based on the following statistics, Twisted Hot Yoga is targeting a continuously growing community. Aspen Woods is said to be one of Calgarys most desirable Estate communities to live in (Calgary Real Estate, 2010). Competition There are currently no other Bikram yoga studios in the neighborhood of Aspen Woods. Twisted Hot Yoga has the opportunity to provide the new and surrounding communities within that specific South West area, a studio that is of short distance from each area. Trends Aspen Woods has been described to be a unique community that offers prestigious shopping within walking distance. There is a variety of stores that offer a wide range of services and products (Calgary Real Estate, 2010). Calgary Real Estate describes Aspen Woods as living in the inner city but surrounded by a prestigious community of estate homes and condos (2010). David Parker wrote an article in the Calgary Herald July 1, 2010 in relation to the Strong community at Aspen Landing (2010). A man by the name of Scarcello was hired by the Vancouver -based land owner, Springbank Land Company to design an upscale urban village style retail centre to bring trendy 17th avenue, Kensington and 4th street to the suburbs (Parker, 2010). The article states that the centre was designed to provide the surrounding estate style communities a place to congregate as well as to dine and shop (Parker, 2010). It was also said that this center provides a enjoyable pedestrian area without the usual big pa rking lots as well as the boardwalk which is designed for visitors to be able to enjoy what they call a bandstand-public space overlooking the water (Parker, 2010). The trendy eating places in Aspen Landing have become very popular. Some of these include Broken Plate, Wok Wok, Thai Tai, and the very tempting Crave Cupcakes (Parker, 2010). ). Aspen Landings unique village concept centre is designed to create an intimate atmosphere with an emphasis on charm (Aspenlading, 2010). Rent Price and Size Through personal communication with a West Springs Landing commercial developer, rent price for Twisted Hot Yoga will be based on square footage. The average rent price for the South West Area is going for approximately 30 to 35 dollars a square foot (Jomaa, personal communication, 2010). Through further research on available commercial space, each available section is between 2,500-5,000 sq ft. Twisted Hot Yoga would need around 2,500 square feet in order to provide customers with a large enough yoga room. (Calgary Real Estate, 2010) Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Strong+community+Aspen+Landing/3223205/story.html#ixzz136PUSBWB http://aspenlanding.ca/?page_id=2 http://www.hotyogastudiodesign.com/where_to_start.php Many studios begin with an initial phone consutation. To get the most out of your copnversation with Chad, have as much information available about your site as possible. For instance, have you signed your lease? Is the power gas or electric? What is the square footage? What kind of plumbing already exists in the space (bathrooms, etc)? This initial conversation will familiarize Chad with the extent of your studios needs and direct to you the next step. In certain situations, a site visit is set up at this time for Chad to see the space first hand. SUPPLIES http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_104_0_0_35/http;/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City%20Hall/Business%20Units/Community%20and%20Neighbourhood%20Services/Social%20Research%20Policy%20and%20Resources/Community%20Profiles/Community%20Profiles.htm http://www.calgarycommunities.com/communities/strathcona_christie.php Aspen Hills Map http://www.carma.ca/us/OurCommunities/Calgary/~/media/Communities%20Maps/aspenhills%20map.ashx Aspen Landing http://aspenwoodscalgaryrealestate.com/about/aspen-landing/ TRENDY HERALD http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Strong+community+Aspen+Landing/3223205/story.html Aspen Woods $ 376,445 Strathcona Park $ 175,108 Signal Hill $ 132,380 Coach Hill $ 151,475 Patterson $ 155,330 Christie Park $ 198,427 Springbank Hill $ 177,248 Discovery Ridge $ 194,226 West Springs $ 144,067 Aspen Woods 0.1584 Strathcona Park 0.1184 Signal Hill 0.1399 Coach Hill 0.1989 Patterson 0.1756 Christie Park 0.0826 Springbank Hill 0.2031 Discovery Ridge 0.1804 West Springs 0.2566 Yoga is not only about teaching yoga its about going above and beyond and making a difference in the community. Market Segmentation Twisted Yoga will focus on four types of customer groups: Upper Income Cosmopolitan Elite: This group is the core segment of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Their demographic and psychographic characteristics are the following: Ages: Sex: Family Income: Health/Lifestyle: Canadas wealthiest lifestyle, fitness-minded Canadians who belong to health clubs, workout at home, enjoy pilates, yoga and cross-country skiing. This group is very active in the community, volunteering on community projects and making various donations. Social Pattern: Twisted Yogas selling point: Middle Income Suburban Gentry: Health/Lifestyle: Canadas up and coming business class, fitness conscious, much more likely than average Canadians to jog, take aerobics classes, play racquet sports and basketball. Many of these individuals take pride in their healthy lifestyles. Urban Downscale: Canadian spenders, stay fit doing pilates and yoga. According to CTV news in 2002, hot yoga also known as Bikram was a raging trend across Canada as well as the hottest trend in exercise (2010). The study, which analyzed data from the 2005  Canadian Community Health Survey, found that age, sex and level of income were among the factors that influenced an individuals level of physical activity. According to Statistics Canada, individuals in higher income groups were more likely to engage in physical activity during their leisure time. With new government initiatives of going green, Twisted Yoga provides not only classes to consumers, but also goes above and beyond to help make a difference in the community. Geographic Demographic Psychographic Middle Income Urban Professionals: This group is the core segment of potential students of GWYC.   Their demographic characteristics are the following: Ages: 26-40. Sex: 30% male, 70% female. Family Income: $30,000-$50,000. Health/Lifestyle Issues: Active individuals that are focused on healthy food and dieting.   Over 70% of this group are members of gyms. Approximately, 40% of potential customers have taken yoga classes before. Social Pattern:   Will more likely attend as part of group.   Centers selling point:  Close to work.   The session lowers stress.   Can be attended with workmates as group activity.   Upper Income: The upper income customer is a secondary target group.   Their demographic characteristics are the following: Ages: 40-60. Sex: 30% male, 70% female. Family Income: $60,000+. Health/Lifestyle Issues: Active individuals that are focused on healthy food and dieting.   Over 90% of this group are members of gyms. Social Pattern:   Will more likely attend alone. Centers selling point:  Close to work.   The session lowers stress Read more: http://www.bplans.com/yoga_center_business_plan/market_analysis_summary_fc.cfm#ixzz12jE7sIS6 http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/983?page=3 http://www.yogaintheworkplace.ca/2005/01/statistics-canada-released-canadian.html The percentage of adults, age 20 to 39, at risk for health problems because of expanding waistlines has quadrupled in the last 30 years, from 5% to 21% for men, and from 6% to 31% in women. Between  1981  and  2009, fitness levels of Canadian children and youth, as well as those of adults, declined significantly, according to the first findings from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). This is the most comprehensive national survey ever conducted in Canada to determine fitness levels. The CHMS captured key information relevant to the health of Canadians by means of direct physical measurements, such as body measurements, cardio-respiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitne Target Market How old are they? What gender are they? Where do they live? What is their family structure (number of children, extended family, etc.)? What is their income? What do they do for a living? What is their lifestyle like? How do they like to spend their spare time? What motivates them? What is the size of your target market? But dont stop here when youre writing a business plan. To define your target market, you need to ask the specific questions that are directly related to your products or services. For instance, if you plan to sell computer-related services, you need to know things such as how many computers your prospective customer owns. If you plan on selling garden furniture and accessories, you need to know what kinds of garden furniture or accessories your potential customers have bought in the past, and how often. Projections About The Target Market What proportion of your target market has used a product similar to yours before? How much of your product or service might your target market buy? (Estimate this in gross sales and/or in units of product/service sold.) What proportion of your target market might be repeat customers? How might your target market be affected by demographic shifts? How might your target market be affected by economic events (e.g. a local mill closing or a big-box retailer opening locally)? How might your target market be affected by larger socioeconomic trends? How might your target market be affected by government policies (e.g. new bylaws or changes in taxes)? Writing the Market Analysis Section of the Business Plan Once you have all this information, youll write the Market Analysis in the form of several short paragraphs. Use appropriate headings for each paragraph. If you have several target markets, you may want to number each. (See the sidebar for a sample of this section of the business plan, from the Royal Bank.) Remember to properly cite your sources of information within the body of your Market Analysis as you write it. You and other readers of your business plan will need to know the sources of the statistics or opinions that youve gathered from others. The How to Write a Business Plan instructions continue on the next page are tips for researching the market analysis section of the business plan, including sources for Canadian information. Online Market Research Sources When youre researching the Market Analysis section of the business plan, Statistics Canada is an excellent place to start your market research. Their Community Profiles offer free information about all Canadian communities. Here youll find information such as Earnings and Work statistics, conveniently presented for easy comparison between the community and the province its located in. You may also want to take a look at Statistic Canadas Studies section; you might find one thats relevant to your market research. In Doing Industry Research When Writing a Business Plan, I wrote about several other excellent online sources of information for researching the business plan, such as provincial and territorial statistics offices and Canadian Economy Online, which may also be useful when youre researching the Market Analysis. GDSourcing Research Retrievals Canadian Market Resources is a must-visit page when youre researching online; it lists free and low-cost sources of demographic and psychographic data geared to small businesses. Offline Market Research Sources But there are also a great many local resources for information about your target market that youll want to explore. Besides the local library, the local Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, City Hall, Economic Development Centre, local government agents office, provincial business ministry, local phone book and yellow pages will all have information that will help you define your target market and provide insights into trends. Doing Your Own Market Research These are all secondary sources of information (Others have conducted the research and compiled the information.) You may also want to conduct your own market research (use primary data). For instance, you might want to design a questionnaire and survey your target market to learn more about their habits and preferences relating to your product or service. My article, Do-It-Yourself Market Research, explains the basics of market research and gives tips for sampling and accessing your target market. Does all this sound time-consuming? It is. But it needs to be done if your business plan is going to have any validity. You can have the most fantastic product or service in the world, but if no ones interested in buying it, it will just gather dust. If you dont have the time or the research skills to thoroughly define your target market yourself, hiring a person or firm to do the market research for you can be a wise investment. Statistics Canada http://sbinfocanada.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJzTi=1sdn=sbinfocanadacdn=moneytm=38gps=347_226_1259_621f=00su=p284.9.336.ip_p649.3.336.ip_tt=2bt=1bts=1zu=http%3A//cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.exe%3FLang%3DE%26AS_Action%3DFind%26ResultTemplate%3DStudies/StudiesHome1%26AS_Univ%3D1 Statistics Canada, Higher income individuals http://sbinfocanada.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJzTi=1sdn=sbinfocanadacdn=moneytm=38gps=347_226_1259_621f=00su=p284.9.336.ip_p649.3.336.ip_tt=2bt=1bts=1zu=http%3A//cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.exe%3FLang%3DE%26AS_Action%3DFind%26ResultTemplate%3DStudies/StudiesHome1%26AS_Univ%3D1

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) Total Quality Management (TQM) is a strategy that embodies the belief that the management process must focus on integrating the customer – driven quality throughout an organisation (Stah, 2002). It stresses continuous improvement of product quality and service delivery while taking into cognisance the reality that in order to achieve this goal, employee relations needs to be equally addressed, as the customer cannot get the satisfactory service delivery from ill- motivated employees (Lewis, 2004) The philosophy underlying the implementation of a TQM strategy is to see organisational customers and clients as the vital key to organisational success. Organisations with TQM strategy see their business through the eyes of their customers and clients and then measure their organisations performance against customer/client expectations (Fran, 2002). It therefore follows that organisations that want to be successful with the implementation of TQM strategy must evaluate its operations through the eyes of its customers b y strengthening and exploring all avenues including the people (employees)that make up the organisational structure(Stah,2002). According to Balogun and Hope-Hailey (2008), strategy should be seen as a system/process, that should be able to engender in the employees a culture of total commitment to the vision and mission of the organisation, and thus, a functional strategy that embodies the collective contribution of various components that make up the organisational hierarchy should be such that compliment each other in the implementation of a strategy. For a strategy to accomplish the desired goals and objectives of an organisation, effective strategy implementation mechanisms should be put in place and one of the most potent ways for achieving this is by exploiting the internal capabilities of the organisation in the form of its employees as a veritable asset while encompassing various HRM initiatives, such as recruitment and selection, training and development, reward systems, performance appraisal , the need for enhanced employee voice systems , employee engagement and greater line manager involvement wi th management ,because they should be seen as a bridge between the employees and management for enhanced psychological contract, which will in turn facilitate greater employee commitment (Murphy et al, 2001). Quality products or services need not only to conform to consumers requirements; the product/service must be acceptable. Effective TQM strategy entails that the product/service must go beyond acceptability for a given price range. For example, rather leaving customers/clients satisfied that nothing went wrong with the product or service, a product/service should give the customers/clients some delightful surprises, or provide unexpected benefits (Collard, 2001). This means, therefore, that product/service quality assurance requires more than just meeting customers/clients minimum standards. The level of product quality is the degree, to which a product/service is equal to or greater than customers/clients expectations, That is LPQ > CE Where LPQ = Level of Product Quality, and CE = customer/client expectation. Thus, for organisations who desire to have TQM strategy in place and make it work effectively, should as a matter of principle endeavour to be positively disposed to the idea of quality management philosophy in their organisation. According to Haigh and Morris (2002), quality management is an ingredient towards adequate quality delivery to customers .Quality management involves: management systems, delivery, quality, cost, technology and of course the employees, because according to Donaldson, (2001), no matter how perfect a strategy might be, it depends on people for implementation. All these various components of quality management when effectively harnessed will result in customer satisfaction; where the intention is not to stop at a point in the process of implementation, but rather a continuous improvement of the mechanism for a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA), through the use of employees as organisations effective internal assets for a successful implementation (Haigh and Morris, 2002).This can be further understood with the diagram below   FIGURE 1: COMPONENTS OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (HAIGH AND MORRIS,2002) People Dedication and commitment from the employees, by means of well established voice systems and employee engagement. Adequate tools to do the work effectively and efficiently, an enabling environment, and training. Team approach to management policies and procedures for strategic implementation. Quality No compromise alternative when aiming at quality because the outcome will definitely tell , ‘the customer knows it when he sees it’ Delivery Customers should be able to receive products/service, when they want it. Management systems Understanding variation and effective development of human resource capacity utilisation. Constancy of purpose and direction Preventing error margin rather than detecting errors in quality delivery Pride of workmanship Problem solving Technology This involves research and continuous development in terms of product/service design. Up to date with contemporary manufacturing and service capabilities. Cost Efficient and competitive production system for good products/services Continuous cost improvement for the benefit of the customers (customer loyalty) as well as other associated costs like overhead costs associated with running the organisation. Thus, from the foregoing, a number of issues can be associated with the implementation of an effective TQM strategy, but as stated by Stanford, (2005) succour lies in the ability of managers to adhere to these under mentioned twelve elements: Quality awareness Effective management leadership style Organising for quality improvement Creating a participative environment by means of employee involvement and participation and employee engagement. Problem prevention and solving. Training for quality improvement Involvement of every function(e.g. front line leaders) at levels Customer (employees as internal customers) and supplier involvement within and around the organisation. Measurement of Quality performance Continuous appraisal of measurement system for sustainability. Recognition for achievement/excellence. Continuous improvement. Although all these twelve elements may seem too tasking at the beginning, a committed manager will appreciate how mutually important and inter-related all these elements and their recognition is vital for a successful implementation of TQM strategy. Various proponents of TQM strategy see it from different angles, right from the early works of Crosby(1979,1984,1989), Deming(1986,1994), Feigenbaum(1991), Juran(1988), Juran and Gryna(1993)and Ishikawa(1985), but central to their beliefs and working methods, is providing quality delivery through people .TQM begins with education and ends with education, and so crucial is the role of the employee in seeing to its successful implementation, because, when employees are aware of what is required of them in the process through effective voice system and engagement, they become highly motivated and committed to its actualization, (Dale, 1994). TQM should go farther than production operations/activities and involve every employee in the organisation. More often than not, companies that have failed in the implementation of TQM strategy fail not because they desire to fail in strategy implementation but rather, because of the emphasis laid at the door step of the ‘hard’ aspect o f the organisation such as costs and production performance, thus living little or no significant room for the ‘soft’ people centred values of an organisation which encompasses employee involvement, participation, commitment and engagement (Slerming, 2007). For TQM to be effective, managers have to take into proper perspective the relevance of the workforce that make up the organisational structure, as no organisation exists to carry out business operations/activities without employees (Carol et al.2006). People are the effective tools management can readily use in transforming /implementing strategic choices(Edwards, 2005) and as Guest (1987) puts it â€Å"because they are the most variable, and the least easy to understand and control of all management resources, effective utilisation of human resources is likely to give organisations a significant competitive advantage. The human resources dimension must therefore be fully integrated into the strategic planning process†. The above quote by Guest (1987) is aptly correct and relevant, if organisations are to attain the goals and objectives required of them, so as to justify the huge financial commitment by owners of business like the investors (shareholders) and even joint stakeholders in the operations of the business, for example the suppliers, regulators, customers, employees and communities they operate, because apart from justifying what is expected of them, TQM as a strategy allows and build in the employees the following: A decentralisation of decision-making responsibility to well trained problem solving labour force, that is , it provides an avenue for the employees of an organisation to participate in decision- making about how the business operates, and this can further improve relationships, develop trust and confidence as well as facilitate co-operative activity (Druker, 2008). Methodologically improving the quality of all organisational processes and strategies from an internal and external customer perspective, because with TQM, it helps with building collective responsibility, aid personal development and build confidence, develop problem solving skills and also facilitate employees awareness of quality improvement potential, leading to behavioural and attitudinal changes(Farnham, 2000). A combined emphasis on both incremental continuous total quality improvement and break through strategies, because TQM as a strategy encourages the employees to improve operating effectiveness as employees work in a common direction and thus, foster a change in management style and culture(Fullan,2003). A reasonable focus on the customer, both in setting strategic objectives and in building organisational routines that link as many units and levels in the firms as possible to identifying and meeting customer needs, wants, desires and expectations, and this can only be achievable with the enhancement of employees morale within and around the organisation ,(Simons, 2000). A linkage of reward and measurement systems, both formal and informal, to support these new directions, because TQM builds in the employee the ability to solve problems to be able to align his/her personal needs, wants and desires with that of the organisation (Green et al, 2003). TQM AND EMPLOYEES: THE USE OF HRM PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES Every employee in an organisation should contribute reasonably to quality improvement and satisfaction of customers’/clients’ needs and wants (Collard, 2001). For organisations that practice TQM strategy, the manufacturing department orientation, for example, towards lowest-cost productivity should synchronise with the marketing commitment to market quality products at acceptable prices. The idea that quality improvement is every employees responsibility should permeate throughout the organisation, so that advertising, human resource, order-processing, production, delivery, and other organic functional areas of the organisations’ business will be in harmony. This will eliminate or reduce the problem of sub-optimisation associated with departmental excellence at the detriment of organisational excellence (Aluko et al, 2000). The idea should be top-down and bottom-up approach policy by management so as to allow for open line of communication within employees and between management. One way of achieving this, is by means of HRM practices and initiatives in the implementation of the strategy through training, learning and continuous development of the employee, recruitment and selection, reward system, succession planning and engendering employee voice culture, where they will be allowed to air their opinion on ways of moving the organisation forward for better growth and development (Lewis, 2004),because according to Murphy et al,( 2001), an engaged employee is the satisfied employee ,and a satisfied employee, is happy and able to deliver and meet set targets. Professional development is particularly crucial for employees of any modern organisation that aims to be competitive in business, by satisfying the customers through quality delivery of products and services (Kremetik, 2004). Practices and initiativ es of HRM is by no means, an invaluable instrument in achieving a successful implementation of TQM strategy. In order to be abreast with the current trends in the ever dynamic business environment, it is pertinent that organisations invest in their workforce who will see to the implementation of TQM as a strategy that allow employees the opportunity to be aware of new trends and development in their fields (Collinson et al, 2003). Purcell et al. (2003) research, established the link between people and organizational performance. According to Purcell et al. (2003), by providing employees with the necessary training, their skill and motivation levels will increase, thus leading to enhanced performance within the organization. There is the need for line managers to be actively involved and committed to the development of employees, to enhance a strategic development, say in the area of training, learning and development (TLD) Garavan (2007). This is because, line managers are better placed to understand the needs of both organizations and employees, so, it is ideal for line managers to have greater involvement, by aligning individual needs to organizational needs, so as to ensure that TLD is more strategic, helping to encourage vertical integration (Kremetik, 2004). For organizations to fulfill their vision and mission, front line leaders have to ensure that employees are clear about their roles and how it fits w ith the overall organizational objective. This can be done by reinforcing the concept of the golden thread, Martin and Jackson, (2005) ensuring the strategic link is maintained. According to Morgan, (2000), organizations have to take into cognisance, the employee aspect of the enterprise, because, they enable it to thrive financially, through the services that they render. Hence, there is the need for open line of communication, at all levels within the organisation. For TQM to take firm root in an organization as a strategy that can contribute to improving performance of an organization through quality delivery of products and services, it has to be backed up with Ability, Motivation and Opportunity(AMO) as postulated by Purcell et al,2003; because when employees are equipped with the skills and knowledge to do their jobs, the result is commitment and discretionary behaviour which are necessary ingredients to achieve high performance and turn skills into effective action. TQM strategy can be enhanced when using the AMO model (Purcell et al. 2003) and here, employees must have the ability, opportunity and motivation required to enable them do their work effectively and efficiently. However it relies heavily on the role of line managers, and in this case, since line managers are responsible for people management, they have to get more involved with their employees’ development and provide them with the three important aspects of the AMO model. Trust and confidence, resulting from psychological contract are ingredients that are needed for a greater involvement of employees in the implementation of TQM processes. FIGURE 2 People and Performance Model (Purcell et al., 2003) From the diagram above, it highlights some of the main domains of HRM practice which are in the areas of training and development, performance appraisal, recruitment and selection amongst others. The link between these domains, when harmonized, will ultimately result in better optimization of human resources (employees) in an organisation. When the employees are given the necessary motivation and skills which they will acquire through the training and management development programmes by management of organisations, the staff will in turn be motivated and committed to give in their utmost best while seizing every opportunity to demonstrate to the management as well as customers of the organisation that a strategy that is people oriented and participative to employees will promote growth and development in an organization, Purcell et al.,(2003),this of course will only be possible with effective collaboration with a functional line management. What this model tend to demonstrate, is t hat teamwork, opportunity to participate, pay satisfaction, open communication between management and employees, enhanced career development will give the employees a sense of organisational commitment, well motivated staff strength and job satisfaction which ultimately will lead to greater performance outcomes and effective human resources capacity utilization(Grant, 2008)..Organizations that allow their employees to practice their profession to the point of attaining the highest position available in the organization, will certainly get the best out of their employees, knowing fully well that climbing up to the highest position in terms of hierarchy will not be compromised as this practice is also embedded in TQM strategy (Donaldson, 2001).The psychological contract is the bond existing between the employer and the employees; it says much about the trust and cordiality that exist between both parties i.e. the employer on one hand and the employee at the other side (Druker, 2008).T he psychological contract â€Å"both fill the perceptual gaps in the employment relationship and shapes day-to-day employee behaviour in ways that cannot necessarily be discerned from a written contract†, (Rousseau and Ho 2000 pp 476). According to Gyelan and Waldman, (2005), embedded in psychological contract is the inevitable reward of use of discretionary behaviour by the employees. Confidence building and trust in the management by the employees will bring about this development, in order for the workforce of an organization to be whole heartedly involved in the day to day operations of an organization. It is only in an atmosphere of camaraderie that trust and confidence can be established, Geary,( 2003); thus, for organizations to succeed with the implementation of TQM strategy, HRM practices and initiatives, that allow for an atmosphere of psychological contract to be entrenched in its body of policies, should be allowed to flourish, so as to facilitate the linkage between psychological contract and the use of discretionary behaviour.An employee that is allowed freedom of choice in using his/her discretionary behaviour as encouraged by the implementation of TQM by seeing the employee as the internal customer, and not necessarily adhering to all rules as directed by management hook-line and sinker, will definitely give his/her best to an organization, because the phobia of high handedness which inevitably leads to human resource capacity under utilization of employees and poor performance from above management when eliminated, will allow for greater performance from employees, Gran t,( 2008) and thus, the idea behind AMO(Ability, Motivation and Opportunity) as postulated by Purcell et al.,(2003) would have been achieved, because, within the AMO model lies the desire to see employees not being bossed into a tight corner of having to implement all that management of organisations have to say to their employees but having the freedom to exercise their innate knowledge, which of course can only be demonstrated and made manifest, when given the necessarily opportunity and motivation to do so. THE ROLE OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TEAMS IN TQM STRATEGY One of the major obstacles that have bedeviled the successful implementation of TQM is the non – recognition of quality teams in organizations in the quest for a successful strategy that will lift the organization above its competitors (Stanford, 2005). Team effectiveness is crucial to the implementation of TQM because the development of people and their involvement in the operations of an organization through teamwork is very essential ,and for it not to be seen as such ,will only ruin the collective effort of inputs towards the actualization of a functional quality delivery strategy like the TQM(Lewis,2004) Quality improvement teams cuts across employees of organizations, representatives of customers and suppliers with a major objective of meeting the set target of achieving quality. In doing this, it is pertinent to note that certain criteria have to be fulfilled in order to get the desired result from a quality improvement team, since it embraces almost all the stakeholders that lay claim to a business, and these criteria, according to Geirhybein (2004) include choosing the leader and members of the team. In doing this, the team leader must: ââ€"  Possess effective Leadership Behaviour ââ€"  Possess the attributes of effective conflict management ââ€"  Should have the ability of encouraging innovation ââ€"  Have adequate knowledge of effective meeting management ââ€"  Manage and send out schedule of events and activities. ââ€"  Make certain that the team members are conversant with the modus operandi of team meetings/activities. ââ€"  Endeavour to make certain that meeting venues are secured well ahead of time. ââ€"  Engage in meeting with front line managers on favourable times for team meetings. ââ€"  Should be prompt and alert to time. ââ€"  Ability to record activities of team meetings in minutes as well as collation of data. ââ€"  Sets an agreed time for the next meeting as well as communicates minutes and ensure that action is taken for matters raised. ââ€"  Ability to identify training needs of the quality team in addition to be a good contributor and listener, and this can be achieved by being dedicated to the intended purpose of the team through effective commitment. Similarly, Geirhybein (2004) suggested what members need to have in order to be effective in quality delivery teams: ââ€"  Members must be willing, not forced or coerced to join a quality team for the fun of it. ââ€"  Members need to be passionate about what the quality team sets out to achieve at all times as the direct result of such commitment is the outright benefit of quality service. ââ€"  Members should be prepared to share their experiences with the team leader as well as among themselves, for the overall benefit of the team. ââ€"  Members should be able to buy into shared team vision ââ€" Present in the members should be the spirit of natural collaboration ââ€" Need to respect the views of other members when they speak, listen to them when they have issues to raise as well as, be able to communicate effectively with both the team leader and members. ââ€"  Members should equally be ready to take down minutes at the request of the team leader, be prepared to follow up actions when directed and never be afraid to say ‘I don’t understand’ when situations arise . ââ€"  Members need also to be able to contribute meaningfully to discussions on the floor during meetings as well as being effective listeners. Quality improvement initiatives AMO(Ability, Motivation and Opportunity) as exemplified in the work of Purcell et al.( 2003) can serve as a leverage for the implementation of a TQM system. can be strengthened by the basic application of principles of motivation, especially the the recognition of team achievements as against those of individual employees, for team efforts, are crucial in driving the process of TQM. The HRM department is in a vantage (Fran, (2002). INSTITUTING TQM CULTURE IN ORGANISATIONS: EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT People can be better managed to embrace TQM by institutionalizing TQM organizational culture in the employees, so as to be able to deliver quality products and services to customers, Collinson et al, (2003). Human resource management can play a crucial role in the implementation of TQM strategy. HR managers or practitioners are responsible for recruiting and selecting high-quality employees, the continuous training and development of these employees, and the creation and sustenance of reward systems. Therefore, TQM sees to the control of processes that are pivotal to the accomplishment of cultural changes often required for TQM to be successfully implemented, Haigh and Morris, (2002). Directing the TQM cultural development initiatives to the organisations’ conditions is important in subduing opposition According to De Wit and Mayers, (2005),. Engendering trust and confidence through an open interchange of purposeful ideas can help eliminate. This can provide the building block for all employees to be trained to see their colleagues in other divisions as equal internal customers to the organisation. This is another avenue for HRM to highlight this new outlook by example. Through this means, that is, focusing on satisfying the needs and wants of the customer first and foremost, HRM can institute A major function of HRM’s expertise is its capability to scrutinize and provide assessment for employee attitudes. This expertise can be significantly essential in driving the process for a proper implementation of TQM, since getting it right from the onset (conceptualization stage) entails having adequate data/information about current performance level. Therefore, a preliminary action is to implement an employee assessment, targeting two prime areas. One requires the identification o f the difficult parts of organizations’ current operations, where innovations in quality can have the most significant impact on an organizations’ performance level. The other part, targets the perceptions and attitudes of employees towards quality as a fundamental issue, so as to ensure that, the implementation of TQM can be revitalized, for better effectiveness and efficiency, Collinson et al.,( 2003). Achieving assistance from other divisions in an organization in the use of surveys to a great extent depends largely on their perception of HRMs position ensure that HRM is not having an over bearing influence on other departmental functions, but rather, to be seen as an important ally in making their own quality improvements. Achieving this status, can be accomplished in the participative nature of the TQM philosophy by involving other divisions in the organization, towards the development of the survey instrument to be used. This involvement begins the process of carrying each division in the organization along, so as to see TQM as a strategy to be embraced by all employees of an organization (Haigh and Morris, 2002). REFERENCES Aluko, O.,Gbadamosi, I., Osuagwu, L., (2000) Business Policy and Strategy, Lagos, Remof Themes Publishers Antonioni, T., (2004) The Bounaryless Organisation: Breaking the Chain of Organisational Structure, London, Pitman Publishing. Balogun, J. and Hope-Hailey,V., (2008) Exploring Strategic Change, 3rd edition, Harlow, Pearson Education Limited. Campbell, H., N., (2006) Management Theory and Total Quality: Improving Research and Practice Through Theory Development, New York, Free Press. Cardy ,G., (2006) Employee involvement as a Pre-requisite to Reduce Worker’s Compensation Costs, Review of Business, Vol.23, No.2, pp12 – 16 Cardy,G. and Dobbins, L., S., (2004) Corporate Management, Governance, and Ethics Best Practices, Human Resource Management, Vol.32, pp 283 – 297 Carol. L. McWilliam,M Catherine, W., (2006) Implementing organizational change in health and social services , Journal of Organizational Change ManagementVol.19, Issue 2 pp119 – 135,available online atwww.sciencedirect.com, accessed 8, June, 2009 Collard, R., C.,(2001) Total Quality: Success Through People, London, 1PM Collinson, H., Work Motivation, London, Sage. Collinson,M., Edwards, P. and Rees, C.,(2003) Involving Employees in Total Quality Management, London, Department of Trade and Industry, available online at www.sciencedirect.com, accessed 10, June, 2009 Dale, B.,G., (1994) Managing Quality, 2nd edition, London, Prentice Hall Davies, M., B., (2007) Key Concepts in Social Research Methods, New York, Palgrave, Macmillan LTD De wit, K. and Mayers, J., S., (2005) Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 4th edition, London, Routledge Donaldson, (2001) The Contingency Theory of Organisations, London, Sage Druker, J., (2008) ‘Wages System’, in White, G. and Druker, J. (eds) Reward Management: A Critical text, 2nd edition, London, Routledge. Edwards, M.R., (2005) ‘Employer and Employee branding: HR or PR?’ in S .Bach (ed.) Managing Human Resources: Personnel Management in Transition, Malden, Blackwell. Farnham, D., (20

American Changes between 1825-1850 :: essays research papers

In early America between the years of 1825-1850, America was rapidly changing and reforming the way people lived. Societal problems and major discrepancies that had previously been overlooked began to rapidly gain awareness. The main idea of the reforms in the United States at this time was the relatively new sense of Democracy. Reform sought to maximize these benefits in light of Democracy and for this reason came up with many changes in which greater good can be found through freedom, justice, and equality of all people. In addition to extending social and political equality for women and the means to economic affluence for the poor (through education), a number of reforms also extended to various oppressed groups of freedom and justice. Abolitionists in the North sought to emancipate slaves in the cotton-cultivating South through the use of moral suasion as revealed by Patrick Reason’s engraving showing the deprivation of the Negro race in regards to their rights as humans, and later, political freedoms. The penitentiary movement began by Dorothea Dix reformed the nation’s prisons and insane asylums to improve the living conditions and treatment of criminals, paupers, and emotionally disturbed persons. Separate penitentiaries were later instituted for the reformation of juvenile delinquents. Instead of â€Å"confining without distinction the more and less vicious†, where the latter can learn â€Å"little but the ways of the wicked†, their separation will salvage the less vicious through â€Å"religious and moral instruction† and â€Å"render them valuable members of society†. Democratic ideals inspired many reforms from 1825-1850. One such ideal was equality for all people in the United States. Many reformers were especially concerned with those in prison and how they would be treated upon release. Many people, such as those for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents, in 1829, hoped that upon release ex-prisoners would become "valuable members of society," but knew that this would only be possible if they were treated like others.

financial aid drug law :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The millions of college students heading to campus next year will not include an estimated 28,000 who will be denied federal financial aid because they have admitted to a recent drug conviction. Along with those, another 12,000 more may also be denied federal assistance because they have failed to answer a question that has been placed on the new financial aid forms among the income and background inquiries. The roughly ten million students who fill out financial aid forms will face a crucial question from the government; have you ever been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs. As a part of the 1998 amendment to the Higher Education Act any person applying for college aid is required to answer a question about previous drug convictions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Clinton administration basically ignored the law due to the delay in processing that it created when nearly one million applicants skipped the question, but the Bush administration has decided to fully enforce the law. This will be the second school year that the federal student aid has been contingent on a clean drug record, but it is the first time that aid is being denied to applicants who leave the question blank. It has been said that the reason for the vast amount of students leaving the question blank is because of the confusing fashion in which the question was asked. Last year applicants had to respond by checking off numbers about convictions and when they took place. In an attempt to avoid this from happening again, department officials brought together groups of aid administrators last summer to help them make the question more comprehensible. The new form also indicates to the applicant that they are not allowed to leave the question blank.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The law will suspend and maybe even revoke grants, loans or work assistance from people convicted of possession or sale of controlled substances.

The Impact of Gender on Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Literary Analy

The Impact of Gender on Shakespeare’s Othello In the book â€Å"Gender Trouble† (1990), feminist theorist Judith Butler explains â€Å"gender is not only a social construct, but also a kind of performance such as a show we put on, a costume or disguise we wear† (Butler). In other words, gender is a performance, an act, and costumes, not the main aspect of essential identity. By understanding this theory of gender as an act, performance, we can see how gender has greatly impacted the outcome of the play in William Shakespeare’s Othello. From a careful analysis of the story, tragedy in Othello is result of violating expected gender roles, gender performance by Desdemona and Othello, and the result of Iago’s inability to tolerate these violations. The tragedy â€Å"Othello† is written by William Shakespeare in 1604. The story is based on revenge of two characters, Othello and Iago. Othello, the play’s protagonist and hero, who has great reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. However, his jealousy causes the major tragedy in his life. This tragedy is brought by a simple manipulation of Iago, the villain of the play. The jealousy led Othello to a path of constant questioning to his wife, and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play, he sinks deeper and deeper into his doubt and eventually that causes him to kill not only the love of his life, but also himself. In her work, â€Å"This that you call Love†: Sexual and Social Tragedy in Othello, Gayle Greene (2004) argues that the tragedy occurs from adherence to patriarchal rules and stereotypes (Greene 655-659). According to Gary Greene, the tragedy is caused by â€Å"men’s misunderstandings of women and women’s inability to protect themselves from society’s conception of them† (666). In the ... ...major tragic downfall of the play. In the end, we can conclude that Shakespeare used a very conservative world view in his play, â€Å"Othello†. Using the characters of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, Shakespeare reinforced the stereotypes of his time. In conclusion, gender expectations have greatly impacted the outcome of Shakespeare’s play, â€Å"Othello†, because the script of the play has reinforced the stereotypes such as girls who resist their fathers die, women who marry different race, class, and cultures die, and women who decide their own destiny die at the end. Through â€Å"Othello†, Shakespeare portrays women in a patriarchal system, and the result of the play is the consequences of gender disruptions. Therefore, there is no doubt that the gender expectations placed on both male and female characters have greatly impacted the outcome of Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello†.

Accrual And Cash Accounting Essay

These are two methods of keeping track of income and expenses in a business, (accrual and cash accounting). Accrual and cash accounting difference is in when a sale and purchase are credited and debited to the account. The cash method is when cash is received, and the expense is when it is paid. An example is when I am contracted to paint a room, which will be completed within a couple of hours, the client pays me. After completing the job my client pays me with cash or check. Therefore, it is considered cash accounting and recorded as so. Cash accounting tracks the cash flow but does not track revenue. With accrual accounting, all transactions are recorded if cash is received or not. Most companies use accrual accounting on a weekly basis to monitor cash flow to ensure they have enough cash on hand for the business to operate. Accrual accounting transactions are, the day they of service. For an example, with my business there are some jobs that I and will be completed, but not paid until later. When it’s a company, their contracts are paid on a monthly basis. For a company these are considered the companies account payable, that arpaid monthly. As for me these are accrual accounts, but arerecorded. â€Å"The cash and accrual methods can produce the same,† www.inc.com/articles/2000/04/19194 Cash and accrual accounts can have no difference if all transactions are paid in cash when completed no matter what methods are . Accrual accounting shows the income and debts in partial of a business and cash accounting only shows the cash flow. Each method used together will give a more accurate picture of the company business. References: www.inc.com/articles/2000/04/19194.html, Cash vs. Accrual Accounting/Bookkeeping Articles www.dummies.com, Deciding between Cash-Basis and Accrual Accounting-For Dummies

McDonald s Rebirth Through a Low Growth Strategy Essay

For several decades McDonald’s experienced uninterrupted growth in sales, profits, and number of stores opened. When the company seemed to reach maturity in life cycle, one CEO’s decision for a low-growth strategy started the rebirth of McDonald’s. In its early years, McDonald’s success was founded on principles of high quality standards and service. However, as time passed, their standards and controls slipped and same store sales began a downward trend. Some insisted that the dip in same store sales was evidence of market saturation. However, McDonald’s executives disagreed. With strong support, one McDonald’s CEO went on a new-store binge. As McDonalds continued its unprecedented expansion, relations with franchisees deteriorated because corporate owned outlets were cannibalizing franchisee’s profits. Another CEO began to acquire other fast-food restaurants, but that model failed as it proved a drain on profits. McDonald’s was struggling to keep its growth mode. Then James Cantalupo took the reigns and began a low-growth strategy that turned the company’s fortunes around as he slashed capital expenditures by 40% by closing poorer performing restaurants and adding fewer new restaurants. Eighteen months into Cantalupo’s stint as CEO, McDonald’s stock price rose from eighteen dollars per share to just over twenty-four dollars per share. Just as McDonald’s fortunes seemed to turn, James Cantalupo died suddenly of a heart attack. SWOT Analysis Internal Strengths & Weaknesses: Among McDonald’s greatest strengths are its brand recognition, strong advertising, and market share. It was the most valuable fast food brand worldwide in 2013 with an estimated brand value of eighty-five billion dollars, three times its closest competitor, Starbucks [see appendix 1.1]. McDonald’s strength of brand recognition can primarily be attributed to its strong advertising and market share. This is evidenced by a 1970’s survey which revealed that ninety-six percent of children identified with Ronald McDonald, ranking him second only to Santa Clause. Furthermore, McDonald’s uses high-profile sponsorships and major advertising campaigns to maintain awareness and promote new launches (e.g. 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2014 Winter  Olympics). In 2013, its advertising expenditure in the United States alone was 1.43 billion dollars [for details see appendix 1.2]. McDonald’s has won its market share via strong marketing/advertising efforts and providing convenience for its customers. When McDonald’s accelerated growth period ended, it had approximately 13,000 domestic restaurants. The belief was practical; the more stores in a city, the more per-capita transactions would result. As of 2013, McDonald’s had 35,429 restaurants worldwide- 14,276 of which are domestic (Statista, 2015). McDonald’s other internal strengths include: partnerships with big brands (e.g. Disney), international presence, localized food menus, and revenue. Now that we have examined McDonald’s internal strengths, lets examine the company’s internal weaknesses. Among McDonald’s greatest internal weaknesses are its negative publicity, low presence of corporate social responsibility, high employee turnover, and low strategy differentiation. McDonald’s is heavily criticized for offering unhealthy foods to its customers, further exacerbating the obesity problem in America. The documentary film â€Å"Super Size Me†, which explores the health consequences of a diet based solely of McDonald’s, is one example of the negative publicity surrounding McDonald’s. Environmental groups often criticize McDonald’s for a lack of sustainable sourcing of beef products (USA Today, 2014). This reflects poorly on McDonald’s for having a weak presence of corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, McDonald’s has a high employee turnover as it offers low paying and low skilled jobs. These jobs are often seen negatively by employees and usually result in high employee turnover. This is an internal weakness because it increases training costs and adds to McDonald’s overall costs. Lastly, McDonald’s has low strategy differentiation. It has become incredibly difficult for McDonald’s to differentiate itself from other fast food restaurants; thus, forcing McDonald’s to compete on price rather than features. This is an internal weakness because price wars reduce a company’s gross margin, which results in deteriorating profits. McDonald’s other internal weaknesses include: Declining market share, disgruntled franchisees, quality and taste of products, slowed revenue and income growth. External Opportunities & Threats: McDonald’s is in the unique position to rebrand itself by offering healthier menu options and increasing its corporate social responsibility. In 2006, McDonald’s newly redesigned logo and restaurant layout are being credited for 8-9% sales growth. Furthermore, McDonald’s has the unique opportunity to be the first fast food restaurant to source 100% of its ingredients from sustainable production. Younger generations are very conscientious of the impact their purchasing habits have on the environment. The aforementioned opportunities can be done still pursuing a low growth strategy. But, McDonald’s still has opportunities for growth. Economic research suggest that China’s middle class is on pace to grow from six percent of its population to fifty percent of its population by 2020 (Business Insider, 2014). McDonald’s has historically targeted middle class families, so there is plenty of opportunity for growth in China. If McDonald’s is able to make a more localized menu and provide an atmosphere that can strike the right accord with the Chinese culture then McDonald’s has the opportunity to flourish in China. Among McDonald’s greatest threats are the growing segment of health conscience consumers and the strength of competition. The health conscience consumer, a growing segment of society, poses both a threat and opportunity for McDonalds. The change in customer’s habits represents new needs that must be met by McDonald’s. In an attempt to cater to this market, McDonald’s has added salads, fruit, and oatmeal to their menu. Additionally, they have eliminated trans-fat oil- a product blamed for the nations obesity. Other areas of concern are the threat posed by Starbucks, which plans to offer a breakfast and lunch menu. McDonald’s strongest competitor remains Yum! Brands- owner of popular fast food chains: Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Wing Street [see appendix: 1.1. Other external threats include: saturated market, macroeconomic factors. Recommendations The central strategic decision that needs to be addressed is whether McDonald’s will commit to rebranding itself so that it is seen not only as an economical food destination, but as an appealing high quality one as  well. The societal shift to a more health conscience consumer provides McDonald’s such an opportunity. Alternatives to Strategic Decision Making McDonald’s has three viable options for continued success. The first two, allow McDonald’s to continue it’s low growth strategy. First, McDonald’s can create and promote an attractive menu that that will grab the attention of health conscience consumers. Second, it can focus on the stronghold it’s gained in the coffee space, as this could be an interesting new endeavor to follow (i.e. a new SBU). The third option would be to pursue a growth strategy for Asia, especially China. However, it must be noted that the growth strategy may burden the company with debt to pay for capital-intensive expenditures, but should it be successful McDonald’s revenues and profits could reach new ceilings. It would behoove McDonald’s to fill the need of the health conscience consumer by adopting and promoting a healthier menu. This can be done without abandoning their staples (e.g. Fries, Big Mac, Happy Meal, and Egg McMuffin). If McDonald’s is able to meet the changes in customer’s needs and habits, there is no reason why they shouldn’t continue to experience growth in sales. I believe that this is the best option because it is not capital intensive, yet it could allow McDonald’s access to a new segment of the market. Furthermore, McDonald’s number of locations provides the health conscience consumer with convenience. Implementation Evaluation and Control The following steps are keys to a successful implementation of a strategic marketing plan: 1. Who are we? Who are our customers? What do our customers want? 2. Set strategic marketing goals: Assess internal strengths and weaknesses then compare your vision/mission to the reality of your external environment. Once you have identified the areas of need, choose specific goals to address those areas. 3. Establish strategic marketing activities/plan of actions: Once specific goals have been set, identify various activities to utilize resources and choose the best course of action to implement. 4. Establish timeline to execute goals and plan of actions: By having a clear understanding of your strategic marketing goals then you  can establish common understanding of when such action plans can be reasonably accomplished. 5. Review and re-evaluate progress: By consistently reviewing and re-evaluating progress in implementing or instituting plan of actions, you can take a proactive approach in making adjustments due to changing business climate, environment, external threats and opportunities that may arise in everyday business decisions. References Brumley, James. (April 23, 2014). McDonald’s Is About To Tap Into A Huge Growth Opportunity. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-expanding-international-2014-4 Horovitz, Bruce. (April 30, 2014). McDonald’s sets 2020 sustainable goals. Retrieved from: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/04/30/mcdonalds-sustainability-fast-food-social-responsibility-restaurants/8513245/ Statista. (February, 2015). Retrieved from: http://0-www.statista.com.leopac.ulv.edu/topics/1444/mcdonalds/