Market Power

Market power allows firms to increase economic profit through strategic tactics such as erecting barriers to entry, reducing rivalry, limiting substitutes, and reducing the power of buyers and suppliers (Brickley, Smith, & Zimmerman, 2009). Furthermore, market power is defined as â€Å"a company's ability to manipulate price by influencing an item's supply, demand or both. A company with market power would be able to affect price to its benefit. Firms with market power are said to be â€Å"price makers† as they are able to set the price for an item while maintaining market share† (Investopedia, 2013).Essentially, companies must control all of the aspects of market power in order to be able to raise prices without losing customers. If a market is easy to enter (lack of entry barriers), then a price increase will allow another firm to erode profits by introducing a lower-cost product. Similarly, if rivalry is not reduced, each price increase will allow for a rival to keep prices the same and gain market share. In addition, substitutes at lower prices will hinder efforts to raise prices. Finally, if a company has few buyers, the buyers have the power. Therefore, price increases will be met with a potential loss of major profit centers.In the NBC Video News Report: How to Raise Prices Without Losing Customers, Bob Prosen alludes to several practices that allow companies to raise customers without losing demand. Essentially, Prosen provides consultation on how to create inelastic demand, where a change in price does not result in a significant change of demand. For example, increasing the value proposition reduces the likelihood of substitute products (substitutes must copy increased value) and decreases rivalry (steps above rivals), resulting in the greater market power needed to raise prices.Prosen states that increasing value makes the customer appreciate the company more, resulting in the ability to raise price (Ramberg, 2012). As another example, Prosen stresses the importance of developing relationships, â€Å"people like to do business with people they like† (Ramberg, 2012). Essentially, Prosen is suggesting erecting barriers to entry by creating friendships and alliances, again resulting in increased market power needed to raise prices. As a capstone example of the need for market power, Research byMark McCabe of the Georgia Institute of Technology demonstrates the market power of academic journal vendors. Essentially, McCabe found that the consolidation of academic journal vendors (libraries) has led to an oligopoly, and therefore the price structure of academic journals is highly inelastic (McCabe, 2000). Because recent mergers had resulted in few suppliers, vendors of academic journals were able to control the market and raise prices through the use of supplier power. The demand for quality research for use in education cannot change; it is required.Therefore, a change in price will not result in a drop in deman d. References Brickley, J. A. , Smith, C. W. , & Zimmerman, J. L. (2009). Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Investopedia. (2013, March 20). Market Power. Retrieved from Investopedia: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/m/market-power. asp McCabe, M. J. (2000). Academic Journal Pricing and Market Power:. THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, 259-269. JJ Ramberg (Author). MSNBC (Publisher). (07/20/2008). How to Raise Prices Without Losing

Economic Factors in the Decline of the Byzantine Empire

â€Å"Economic Factors in the Decline of the Byzantine Empire† In this article taken from The Journal of Economic History, Peter Charanis discusses the factors that economically affected the decline of the Byzantine Empire. His discussion is based on the fact that past scholars, such as English historian Edward Gibbon who wrote The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, thought the Byzantine Empire was in a constant state of decline throughout its existence, but he disagrees. He says that more recent scholars have found that it was, in fact, one of the great empires in history.He references to historians such as Fridtjof Nansen, author of L’Armenie et le proche Orient, who said that the Byzantine culture â€Å"is and will remain one of the most remarkable works of architecture, and if the Byzantine culture had created nothing but that, it would be sufficient to classify it among the greatest. † Charanis is convinced that most scholars today reject G ibbon’s theory, and this article discusses why he believes so. Because the Byzantine Empire endured for over a thousand years and was the center of civilization until the middle of the eleventh century, it could not be looked at as a constantly declining empire.According to Charanis, it preserved antiquity, developed new forms of art, and held back barbarians. Byzantium produced great soldiers, statesmen, diplomats, reformers, and scholars. It was also successful at spreading the gospel among pagan tribes. Charanis quotes Czech historian F. Dvornik who wrote Les Slaves byzance et Rome au IX saying Byzantium â€Å"molded the undisciplined tribes and made nations out of them; it gave to them its religion and institutions, taught their princes how to govern, transmitted to them he very principles of civilation – writing and literature. â€Å"Byzantium was a great power and a great civilizing force,† Charanis said. He believed that war and religion were the two pri ncipal factors that molded the society of the empire and determined its external position. Because war was a normal state during Byzantium’s thousand year existence, war was not a reason to believe that it was constantly declining. For example, in the seventh century, the Sarcens, Slavs, and Bulgars reduced the empire greatly, but the seventh century emperors reorganized the administration of the empire to cope with the situation at hand.In the eleventh century however, the empire was not as fortunate to recover from certain military reverses that occurred. There were disastrous defeats that they never fully recovered from, and this is what finally led to the beginning of their decline. One very important factor, according to Charinis’ sources such as Russian historians’ books and works, were the conditions the Manzikerts left the empire in. It had such a huge impact on the social and economic life of the empire, and this was the basis of its virtual disappearan ce.Byzantium relied so fully on the social and economic aspect of their culture, that an attack to this was fatal. The Manzikert military aristocracy was far from what the Byzantines were accustomed to, and caused the soldiery-peasantry to decline which was a large part of their state. Up until this point, emperors were able to rework the empire and reorganize things so that Byzantium could thrive, but after their â€Å"large estate†, which had been a huge party of their society, was attacked, it was almost impossible.Charanis believes that the aristocracy that was put in place in the eleventh century was also another large factor of decline. Instead of being a social and economic based empire, it was a military aristocracy. The soldiers were the holders of the military estates, and the aristocracy absorbed the estates of the peasants. The focus of the emperors was the happiness of the soldiers and not of the peasants, or all the other people in the empire, and this was also a large source of decline in Byzantium.Once the emperors of the eleventh century realized that this system was not working quite as well, they tried to create an anti-military policy, which consummated a depression in soldiers. This entire struggle that occurred after the seventh century caused the empire to participate in a series of civil wars affected its sources and manpower, according the Charanis. Other serious factors that caused the decline were the weakening of the central administration, the failure to enforce measures of protection for the soldiery-peasantry, and the grants of privileges made to the aristocracy.It has been said that another reason for their decline was the strict controls they placed on commerce and industry, but Charanis disagrees and says it is extremely doubtful that this was their weakness. He backs up this argument by saying that when those controls were most strictly enforced, was when their empire was at its greatest. He goes on to say that the per iod of the greatest decline is marked by the breakdown of these controls.Tenth century Byzantine emperor Romanus Lecapenus wrote in one of his novels that the extension of power to the strong and the depression of power to the many would â€Å"bring about the irreparable loss of the public good. † Charanis agrees with him saying that â€Å"His prediction had come true. The disappearance of the free peasantry, the increase in the wealth, privileges, and power of the aristocracy, and the consequent depression of the agrarian population constitute, I think, some of the principal factors in the decline of the Byzantine Empire. †Charanis’ evidence is clearly all there and cited, but it is somewhat difficult to understand his references. They’re numbered at the bottom and his numbers are meant to further explain certain points throughout the article. Another problem I have with his evidence is that they are mostly books written by foreign authors, and I canâ₠¬â„¢t read the titles. I believe that Charanis has clearly proven his point and thoroughly discussed his thesis; however, his argument was not extremely bold, because he is arguing one historian’s theory (Edward Gibbon), and agreeing with every other historian who believes the Byzantine Empire was great.His argument was more fact-based, and proven through certain points of notoriety throughout the existence of the empire, and his presentation of these points seemed unorganized. In fact I found the organization of this article to be somewhat confusing. He seemed to jump around from century to century and fact to fact. I believe it would have been much more efficiently written if he had discussed the certain centuries of the empire in chronological order. This also would have more effectively shown the factors that led up to the decline of the Byzantine Empire.Instead he jumped around discussing things that related to the factors, but not thoroughly discussing what order the th ings happened and why one led to the next. Charanis did not raise new questions in his argument. He simply argued Gibbon’s theory, and used other historians to back his argument up. In fact, most of the historians that Charanis used as references were quite old, for example, Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian author from 1928. No recent authors or suggestions were raised from Charanis’ article.I think that overall this article offered some very thorough and credible information about the decline of the Byzantine Empire, but since his original argument was that Gibbon was wrong, he should have used more examples of historians that supported Gibbons theory and argued their points as well. Though he had many historians to back up his argument, his thesis mentioned Gibbon. He definitely proved his point and listed many factors that caused the decline of the Byzantine Empire, but I would have liked to see less confusing organization and newer information that supported his argume nt.

Literacy and the Politics of Education Summary Essay

In the article, â€Å"Literacy and the Politics of Education,† author C. H. Knoblauch touches on a deeper understanding about the concept of literacy. His perspective conveys that literacy is much more than what society usually perceives it as; just reading and writing. Clearly laid out in his essay are four notable types of literacy which are: functional literacy, cultural literacy, critical literacy, and personal growth literacy. Knoblauch chose this subject in order to express his frustration on societies and their lack of motivation to excel being literate. He feels that America is becoming more illiterate since the development of new technology. Not that more Americans are forgetting how to read and write, but that more are failing to use literacy as a means of enriching themselves and furthering themselves through life. The most prevalent form of literacy, especially in the United States, is functional literacy. It exists not as an art, not to paint a picture, or to express emotions. Functional literacy is, in all scenarios, a technical basis of reading and writing; just enough to get by in life. Functionalists will read what concerns them. And they certainly only write what they must, whether it is a legal document or sending a simple email. It is the literacy that exists in the very basic everyday functions for people. Cultural Literacy is just as the title suggests. It is literacy that is dependent on the individual or groups of individuals. It is passed down from generation to generation. The idea is that people rate literacy with judgment values free of influence from any government. This could most purely be portrayed as an American farming family, living far from the nearest town or city. The children are home-schooled so now the parents’ literacy is passed to the children. But more than that, the literacy passed also â€Å"includes the awareness of the cultural heritage. † (Knoblauch) The third type of literacy noted is called critical literacy. This type stems from the Marxist theory, and is also deemed as a negative in our American society. It is the type of literacy that motivates people to urge for change in their current society. It refutes dominant organizations, and urges that all people have equal opportunities. The final form of literacy, the personal growth belief, states that language is a tool to communicate the greater inner power of the human mind. This type of literacy is connected to the way humans develop cognitive thinking. It thrives on achievement and power. This type of literacy argues for the sake of literacy itself. It wants individuals to embrace literacy and let their minds wander into their own imaginations. In conclusion, literacy indeed takes many forms. â€Å"Literacy is one of those mischievous subjects. †(Knoblauch).

IMC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

IMC - Essay Example Investment in large inventories believed to have an adverse effect on a firm’s cash flow as well as working capital. It basically represents a considerable portion of entire capital investment in any entity. It is in as a result essential to create a balance between the advantages of having a resources inventory of resources and the costs associated with maintenance in order to establish the optimum inventory level associated with each and every resources and keep the inventory costs minimal. Holding of stock can be quite expensive and hence controls are necessary to make sure that stock levels are kept at as low as possible. Stocks need to be controlled based on rational policies to create a balance between the cost of holding and the demand for the same. One of the approaches often adopted is the economic order quantity for stock replenishment which results into lowered holding cost reduces as well as a low total yearly inventory cost. Although maintaining exact EOQ is somet ime impossible, working within vicinity of it outcomes in lower total yearly inventory cost is possible and commendable. Holding cost is considered a straight line that directly varies with ordering quantity. This is according to the classic EOQ model and is substantially true for non-perishable products. This research will check through linear regression the relation of holding cost with time and quantity that it is a curve. Introduction In the period of recession of each and every firm is keen on to cutting their costs and inventory cost management plays a vital role in this endeavor. Managing inventory effectively is an important way of regulating costs and, as a result, improving the profitability of organization. Given that a higher quantity is not the best †¦ and a lower quantity is not similarly the best †¦ there has to be some â€Å"Economic order quantity (EOQ)† which ensures minimal total variable costs associated with the inventory (Cardenas 950). Total v ariable costs are often computed based on a yearly terms and incorporates two components, which are the costs of ordering and holding inventory. Yearly ordering cost is defined as the number of orders that one places multiplied by the marginal or incremental cost one incurs for every order. This incremental cost incorporates various components such as the costs of preparing purchase orders, making pay for vendor's invoice, as well costs associated with inspection and handling of the material upon arrival. It is not easy to estimate these components precisely but a ball?park figure is good a good option for doing this. The holding costs are used within the EOQ model needs to also be marginal in nature. Such may include although not limited to insurance, taxes, as well as storage charges (Liberatore 394). Some of the entities also include the interest cost associated with the money tied up within the inventory. In classical EOQ model, as the quantity rises holding cost as well rise pr oportionally i.e. it remains lineal to the time function although in real life, the cumulative holding cost is indeed a convex time function due to the fact that the handling and holding costs work side by side to rise alongside cumulative rise in daily cost due to wastage, pilferage as well as obsolescence (Liberatore 395). This is however not common with non-perishable goods such as

When I was a Kid.The most important piece of advice in my life Essay

When I was a Kid.The most important piece of advice in my life - Essay Example As a child I acted as if I was in my own little world and did not seem to care about anyone else. However, there is one memory that is so vivid in my mind because I remember it was the day when I received the most important piece of advice in all my life. My father said to me that it did not matter how many times I fell to the ground, but what was really important were the number of times I picked myself back up and continued on with the same determination that I once had as a young child. The first time I remember these words of advice coming in handy was when I joined my first soccer team. I was the smallest kid on the team and it showed through my lack of enthusiasm to tackle some of the other players. It did not matter to me that I was the smallest player because what I lacked in size I sure made up with grit and determination. Because of my stature within the team, both figuratively and literally, I had to work hard to even get noticed, whereas other players seemed to have a muc h easier job getting the attention of the coach. There was one time that I remember just like it was yesterday. I was sent onto the field to play a game during a thunderstorm. My team was trailing and I was expected to change the course of the game for my team. At one stage the ball fell to me right in front of the opposing goal but I slipped during the moment I had a chance to become a hero. I felt so disappointed that I had let the team down, but ultimately I was dismayed with myself. Even though the field was very slippery that day, I could not blame the poor weather conditions for falling to score the goal. I picked myself up and wiped all the dirt and mud off my face. As I was doing that, I could hear my father whisper those words of advice in my ear. I knew then that I had to make a choice, and I chose to forget about what happened and continue like the incident had never occurred. I threw myself at every ball that came near me and I was determined to turn the game around for my team. At the end of the game, we had turned things around. The game was won and I felt vindicated for choosing to forget about what happened and focus on the task at hand. As I was walking off the field, I glanced toward my father and saw him nod in approval. Another time where my father's words of advice proved invaluable was when I was failing some of my courses at school. I admit that I did not put in the effort required in order to do well, but this does not mean that I did not care about my schoolwork. I could have chosen the path of continuing to be toward the lower end of my class academically, but I decided to put in place some steps that would help me to improve my grades. First of all, I asked questions of the teachers whenever I was unsure about something or did not understand it fully. I began to take notes during class and I would go over them in my spare time. There were occasions when I even stayed back after school to study some of the subjects that I was doing po orly in. It took me about a semester to pull up my grades, but I think it was worth it in the end. There was a lot of hard work involved, and I had to change my attitude toward learning. Admitting weakness and seeking out improvement is not an easy thing to accomplish, but the words of my father helped me to see that I had the option of turning things around and that is what I did. Since I was a child, I would say that I am still similar in many ways; however, one thing that has changed has been that I am much more focuser now than I ever was. I have done this by setting achievable goals and then putting plans in motion that will help me to accomplish them. As my father once said, the times you fall are not important, it is only the times you get back up that

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increase in Higher Education Research Paper

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increase in Higher Education - Research Paper Example According to the US statistics shown by Institutional Characteristics Survey tuition fee charges remained relatively stagnant in the 1970s. But there was a considerable increase in fee charges between 1980 and 1990. This increase not only had a great effect on the student and parents but also on education policymakers. In the same survey, it was noted that rate of increase was greater at public institutions as compared to private institutions. Despite increase in tuition charges, number of students continuing on to higher education after finishing their high school has raised from 49% in 1980 to nearly 62% in 1993. During 1992-93 full-time students attending a public school received financial aid on an average of 29%. The aid was greater for families with poor income about 80% and less for high-income families about 10%. (Livingston 1995).Some enthusiast believes that higher education should be free. Many would agree that this statement is misconstructed. Even though sometimes consum er may not have to pay for a product but someone else in the background is bearing the cost. Going through a lot of literature I realized that it has been debated extensively but the question is still the same: who should pay?. Before we can answer this question we need to understand different policies which provide the revenue that fuel the education system. The most common and classical model is General Tax system. In this policy, the funds are collected via general taxes imposed on every individual of the country.

Questions and answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Questions and answers - Essay Example Paul’s teachings differ from those of Jesus’ in his definition of heaven. Paul describes heaven in his teachings as where the body of Jesus Christ dwells, while Jesus described the Kingdom of heaven as prophetic Kingdom of the Israelites here on earth. Paul’s also differed with Jesus when it comes to teachings on authority. Jesus directed that people should obey authority and pay taxes while Paul’s teachings mostly condemned authority. Paul also differed from Jesus in his teachings where he emphasizes that one’s faith alone is required in salvation. This is different from what Jesus taught since he stipulated that in order for a person to have salvation; faith, repentance, and Baptism are necessary. Another difference that characterizes Paul’s teaching from those of Jesus was how the teachings were delivered. Paul’s teachings were mostly in form of letters to different congregations while those of Jesus were mostly delivered in form of parables. 2. Explain the schism between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. There are various issues that contributed to the schism between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern orthodox churches. ... d to the schism between the two factions of Christianity were issues that surrounded priesthood, the major one being the celibacy of priests which the orthodox churches were greatly opposed to. The papal authority was one of the major issues that led to the schism between the west and the east. Eastern orthodox churches were greatly opposed to the religious and political power that revolved bishops and moreover the pope. These eastern orthodox churches argued that the pope was meant to be the servant of God thus to the people and not a form of authority on earth. In fact, before the separation of the two factions scholars have argued that the pope was the most powerful authority in the known world at the time. Disagreement over the Holy Spirit also contributed greatly o the two factions ex communicating each other (Fisher 328). For instance the western faction stipulated that the Holy Spirit came from the Son and the Father while the eastern faction stipulated that â€Å"the Holy Sp irit proceeds only from the Father† (Fisher 328). 3. What issues did each of the Protestant Reformers (Luther, Calvin, the English Reformers) have with the Roman Catholic Church? Luther One of the major issues that that Martin Luther had against the Roman Catholic was the understanding of salvation. According to the Roman Catholic, in order for a person to be forgiven of their sins after being baptized they must seek repentance and then confess to a priest their sins. Martin Luther differed with this since after studying the bible intensely, he understood that salvation was available to anyone as long as they repented since God offered salvation to all people through the death of his son Jesus. Calvin John Calvin also had issues with the Roman Catholic on the application and understanding of

Comparing Three Specific Works of Art Research Paper

Comparing Three Specific Works of Art - Research Paper Example During the tenure, the animal symbolism was created and this made him be viewed as one of the foundation artists for that genre. During the transformation period, Matisse has entangled it and this leads to the birth of the great artist (Walther, 2003). In the initial early stages, artists were involved in the painting of still images, as well as tutorial landscapes that lacked the influence of the wild beast. Moreover, Henri Matisse was accredited for the paintings, as well as the cutouts often seen as real pictures independent of any constructed activities. As such, he was the first artist to be accredited for the works involving ornately- decorated portraits. For instance, the dance stood as an example of the splendid masterpieces that were created by Henri Matisse in his lifetime (Walther, 2003). Furthermore, Henri Matisse produced close to 50 bronze sculptures, which made him stand out as one of the great sculpture of that time (Kobbi, 1990). Indeed he was overheard admitting tha t his desire for bronze originated from David’s work. As widely noted traveling formed a large factor for the young and impressionable artist (Kobbi, 1990). It cannot be negated that Henri Matisse wanted to be a lawyer during the early stage of his career. As such his role was directed by the constant dreams emerging out as a great lawyer. However, with the discovery of an artistic stroke, the schooling life came to an end (Kobbi, 1990). It is important to note that, he became more influential in 1905. During this period, Henri Matisse worked with an artistic friend in color France. Following that, his color stroke emerged out which eventually formed the basis for open window works. Later on, the view through the common window stood out as the most recurring theme within the work of Henri Matisse. This eventually opened the doors for great works such as the flowerpot’s’ and an open window. Lastly, at the age of 25 Matisse embraced patterns and incorporated them in some of his works such as the Red studio.

Short Critical Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Critical Reflection Paper - Essay Example Those factors, which make information age different from other ages, include ease of communication, easy and fast transfer of knowledge from one person to another, ease of information storage, quick processing of data, instant access to information, business expansion, increase in awareness about different issues, easy banking processes, e-commerce, and increase in entertainment in the form of computer games. All these factors make information age much more reliable, efficient, and progressive as compared to other ages. Ease of communication is one of the major advantages of information age. People can now easily communicate with each other through internet and other telecommunication facilities. Internet is one of the major developments of information age. People can upload, download, and view desired information on the internet, which is one of the key advantages of information age. Globalization is another major achievement of information age, which refers to the economic and soci al integration of different countries. Therefore, we can say that information age is truly one of the most influential movements of the last century due to its widespread advantages over all other ages. The founder of Wikipedia had the noble mission of sharing all available information with everyone. Wikipedia provides information regarding every subject to the people. It provides the users with the historical background of every subject that they want to explore. The content is full of such links that help the people get a deeper understanding of related issues and topics (Heron, 2006). Wikipedia has been a great source of information since its development. It includes information on films, education, technology, history, aviation, politics, sports, automobiles, cultures and traditions, and on many other subjects. Wikipedia provides in-depth information on all subjects. For example, if a person opens a webpage containing information on any specific movie, Wikipedia will

Disabled by Winifred Owen (Not Very Good) Essay Example for Free

Disabled by Winifred Owen (Not Very Good) Essay The poem â€Å"Disabled† by Winifred Owen uses many physical and mental contrasts/changes within the poem to help the reader understand the theme that lies beneath about how war is ironic, brutal and destructive. One of these changes is how the protagonist soldier goes from being a young sports hero to an old, disabled man in a wheelchair. Throughout the poem Winifred Owen uses quotes such as â€Å"smiling they wrote his lie aged nineteen† to imply that the soldier was under aged at his time of joining the army. Winifred also writes â€Å"After matches carried shoulder-high† which demonstrates the irony of how the soldier is â€Å"legless, sewn short at elbow† but talks about how he used to think so gloriously about his days when he used to be a sports hero and â€Å"liked a blood-smear down his leg† after his football matches. This helped me understand the theme that war is ironic and destructive by showing the dire contrast from a healthy boy to a crippled war veteran. The alliteration â€Å"half his lifetime lapsed in a hot race† is used to demonstrate again the irony and brutality of war by how half his life has passed by but it is described so quickly as a â€Å"hot race.† Alliteration was used to draw the readers’ attention to the line by exaggerating the first letter of nearly every word. This helped me understand the theme by demonstrating the consequences of war, how it feels like half his lifetime has gone by when wars really only last a few years. The important change of a young, fit man becoming a paraplegic is a perfect example of the destructive nature of war as it is such a major difference in a person’s life. This made me think about the wars going on all around the world and how good New Zealand men and women soldiers are being seriously injured.

Disadvantages Of Having A Global Language

Disadvantages Of Having A Global Language Plans and ideas that are organised by the business leaders for their organisations future period is strategic plan. Business leaders should accept that yesterdays success does not ensure organisations future success. In a humorous vein, V. in the book The Mafia Manager puts it this way: If you dont know where you are going, you wont get there or anyplace else. (Ref-1) DEFFINITION. Systematic process of envisioning a desired future, and translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them. (Ref-2) IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING. In order to make your organisation successful, you need a Roadmap for Success. It gives a direction to the organisation, where to go and how to go. It gives direction to the employees, how to achieve the targets. Goal Congruence, when the objectives of all employees are coincides with the objectives of the organisation. Strategic planning also creates Motivation in employees. While making strategic plan we do keep in mind some things like our customers approach, their mind, what they think about our organisation and their feedback. In this way we can understand our customers and keep in mind them while making our business strategies. We also take feedback of our employees. It makes the communication stronger between the strategic level and operational level. It also motivates the employees and let them feel they are the part of organisation. After all these are the employees who will complete the organisations plans and goals and achievements. Basically making a strategic plan is not that difficult. It only needs some feedback from customers and employees and some thoughts, but organisation needs their employees for long run and they want their motivation and some customers needs also. Strategic planning Creates Vision and Direction that is simple and clear. DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN: STRATEGIC PLANING. The process of determining a companys long-term goals and then identifying the best approach for achieving those goals. (Ref-3) STAGES OF A STRATEGIC PLAN. There are four main stages of strategic plan! Mission statement Objectives Goals and Action plan MISSION STATEMENT. A statement which shows the purpose of a company or organisation. It is a formal, concise and written statement. It explains the reasons of the existence of the company. The Mission statement should point out its overall goals, guide about the actions of the company, shows the direction of the company, and provide the decision making process. It provides a framework by which the company formulate its strategies. Mission statement of a company often contains the following! Aim of the company. The companys primary stakeholders. Responsibilities of the company. Companys services and products. A mission statement can be use as a tool to resolve the matters between companys stakeholders. Companys stakeholders include employees (managers and executives), board of directors, stockholders, customers, distributers, suppliers, governments, NGOs, unions, creditors, competitors and general public as well. OBJECTIVES. Here we develop a long term measureable and specific objectives to deal with our companys most critical issues, thats what we call it strategic objectives. Strategic objectives are normally of timeframe of 3 to 5 years or more. They could be 8 to 12 months but it does not mean they are non strategic objectives. Typically, but not always, strategic plans have multiyear timeframes accordance of achievements and multi functional in its nature. DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. While making strategic planning, we align the critical issues with reference which we identified. Start from the most critical issues and discuss ways to address it. Make the ideas positive in concept and wording. Focus on the long term goals, not on the short term objectives and problems. After you have completed the prioritization then start on the issues and try to make them easy and workable for the staff and employees. EXAMPLES OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. In making some sense that how strategic objectives look like in real companys here are some examples! GROWTH. Here we see the growth of the company. Are our long term plans improving the growth of our company? SAFETY. We have made our work place injury free. MANAGEMENT. We have a complete management team and we can meet our strategic objectives. EMPLOYEES. We have reduced our employee turnover ratio. And our employees are well motivated. QUALITY. Our product quality is error free and excellent. GOALS. Strategic goals can be define as, what the company wants and expecting and trying for as a whole after some planning and making some objectives. Goals could be a successful company in any field or general. Goals could be long term and short term. Goals could be a length of six months, one year, 3 years and ten years. Some companys set long term goals before the short term goals, as achieving step by step short term goals leading to achieve long term goals more easily. There are 2 types of goals! Result oriented. Profit oriented. Result oriented goals are, we will increase our market price, return on capital investment, share price etc. Profit oriented goals are how many new products we will introduce in the market this year, how many new plants we have installed, reduce employment turnover ratio. Well in both cases goals are measurable. ACTION PLAN. When we set our goals and objectives in order to attain out missions then we make an action plan by which we can achieve our objectives and goals. Without the action plan its impossible to implement a plan and measure its ratio of success. First we see what our action plans are and how we can put them together in getting desired results. To do this all we need a team got manager and team members. They should assign their work and manager supervises them. Participation which leads to commitment is the big advantage of team work. (Ref-4) SWOT ANALYSIS. SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method which is used to evaluate the organisations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT ANALYSIS OF next plc. INTRODUCTION. Next is a UK based retailer offering exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality fashion and accessories for men, women and children together with a full range of home wares. Next distributes through three main channels. Next retail, its a chain, got more than 500 stores in UK and Eire; Next Directory, a home shopping catalogue and a website with more than 2 M active customers; Next International, have more than 180 stores throughout continental Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, India, the middle east and Russia and an international website serving the USA and over 30 other countries worldwide. The parent company, next plc, registered with London stock exchange and its head office is located in ender by on the outskirts of Leicester, England. Its a member of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue of the year ended January 2010 were  £3.4 billion with before-tax profits of  £505 million. Basically its founded by J Hepworth Sons with the name of Gentlemans Tailors in Leeds, England. Hepworth buys a chain of Kendalls rainwear shops to develop a women ware group of stores called next in 1981. The first women ware store opens in 12th February 1982 and it reaches to 70 around the UK at the end of July. In 1984 next launches its menswear in august and by December it had 52 menswear stores in UK. In 1987 next launches children ware. In 2010 Next confirmed as Official Clothing and Home ware Supplier to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics Games. SWOT ANALYSIS. Next uses SWOT analysis to find out its strengths, major weaknesses, potential opportunities and unaware threats to company. By using SWOT analysis Next Plc can overcome its weaknesses and threats and can get benefit from its strengths and opportunities. Lets have a look on nexts SWOT analysis below! STRENGTHS. Strengths could be the companys location or its unique marketing expertise. The main strength of next plc is its holding age group from 20 to 40. Next sells a great variety and quality of adult wears under its named tag. But some of its competitors are not that successful in satisfying its customers in this segment. Next use to sell its quality and stylish products in reasonable prices with its own tag. As next uses its own name on tags so it reacts quickly in any complain or update and keep on trying to improve its standard and quality and keen to satisfy its customers needs. And it got total control on its quality management Customers concern only with nexts tag on cloths because they understood that cloths selling under nexts tag are of good quality in any aspect. It got 500 stores in UK and Eire. Next has a pretty old history and experience in the field of retail and garments. Next deals with luxury brand named Signature. Next used to do next day delivery for the orders placed before 5pm from next directory. WEAKNESSES. Next has to acknowledge its weaknesses in order to improve and manage them. The weaknesses of Next include: If we see the customers trend towards shopping, they are focussing more on internet than to visit stores. By looking at this trend net should focus on e-commerce but if we see the spending of next on this field is just  £125000. While its competitors spending more generously like Debenhams invest  £5 million on internet technology while M S has spent  £50 million on e-commerce and digital TV. Next should spend reasonable amount to stay in this market. Next used to do a concentration of similar type of clothing in the retail business. If its competitors hold the market or if the customers changed their minds or if the fashion trend is changed then Next should face very difficulties to stay in market. Next works in UK so any policy about British pound will affect the Nexts position in market. OPPORTUNITIES. Next got 500 stores around UK and Eire. If we see the retail market, we can see that Next can find a suitable space to grow in the market by increasing its number of stores all over the world. It can introduce Next in other countries where they have not approach yet but still there is scope in the market. Next can gain a wide range of market by reducing its prices to a small extent as its competitors are selling their products at high prices. Next should invest on e-commerce and digital TV to improve its competitive position in the retail market. Next should open new stores on new and stylish locations because this is the era of glamour. Next is the official supplier of 2012 Olympic events. This is great opportunity for next to explore itself as a unique and stylish brand in retail market and make its competitive position more strong. THREATS. The biggest threat to Next is the low market growth and strong competition. Some companies in the retail market use very aggressive ways to capture market or maintain their competitive position. Some companies get their products ready from some third world countries with cheaper labour and used to sell their products in the market at less price compared with their competitors. Next need to work hard to retain its competitive position in market, as there are more competitors in the market. It needs to adjust its prices which are more competitive. Next needs to satisfy its customers in order to retain them. (ref5) IMPORTANCE OF PORTERS INDUSTRY STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MODEL: Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979 presented a framework for the industry analysis and strategies for business development. He shows that there are five forces which determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market, and here attractiveness means the overall profitability of the industry. Three of his five forces refer to competition from external sources and the rest are from internal threats. Porters five forces rule is very powerful rule to understand where the potential and power lies in a business market. It can also help to see the companys strengths and weaknesses in the moving market and how can we overcome our threats to attain and achieve our companys opportunities. We can use this analysis to identify, whether the market got the potential to be profitable for new product, services or business. This analysis suggests that managers should focus and understood about the business internet forces and the market competitive situations in order to make affective strategies for business. PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL. POTENTIAL ENTRANTS Threats of new entrants INDUSTRY COMPETITORS RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING FIRMS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers SUPPLIERS BUYERS SUBSTITUTESThreats of substitute products or services PORTERS INDUTRY STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF Next Plc. By using Porters five forces analysis model we can assess the capabilities and potential of Next Plc in the market. Analysis is as follows! BARGAINING POWER OF CUSTOMERS (BUYERS). Under some conditions buyers role in the market varies, depends on the market condition. If there is one buyer in the market and more than two suppliers then buyer fix the price but if there are a lot of buys and one supplier, the situation would be different. If we see the situation of Next in the market, there are some powerful competitors in the market, so Next should be very careful about its policies about prices and quality. Most of the buyers want some bargain on the ticket price and management have to cut prices to avoid losing sales. Sometimes customers assume the price cuts that they are doing lower down their quality. Well if the management cut the price for a customer to retain them but still there is no surety that he will be loyal with Next or who knows what buyers choice is? Next also needs to know that its customers have that knowledge that they know what it is selling in the market and why its products are different and of high quality in what aspects. BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS. Suppliers are the inputs in any industry and if the suppliers of raw material, skilled labour of or in any field or services or components, refuse to work with any industry they can easily get their terms like charge high prices for expertise. Well it depends on the market situation as well. If we see the situation of Next Plc in the market then no supplier can refuse to supply its products or raw materials to Next for some terms or to charge some extra prices, because this market got a lot of suppliers and Next can easily replace its any supplier. NEW ENTRANTS TO THE INDUSTRY. The new entrants in the market are a big threat to any industry. Basically Next has no threat from the new companies if they are introducing themselves in the market because its very difficult and need a lot of finance and struggle to be competitors of Next. But Next has a threat from existing big brands in the market like Marks and Spencer. If they introduce themselves in the market to capture it then Next would be in a trouble and Next is aware of that. Next also threat of the big brands like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein. If they open their stores in the busy high streets like Ralph Lauren or New Bond Street, it would create trouble for Next to stay in the market, as these companies got a lot of money, powerful market knowledge and power to enter in the clothing industry. SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. The threats of substitutes do not affect Next and this is not a big issue in the clothing industry. Like a pullover could be a substitute for a jacket or a trouser for skirts but next is providing all these items anyway so the threat of substitute to Next is nothing to worry about. But if Next fails to note the customers trends then it would be a problem. As customers see the Next as trendier company in the market and if its products are not that stylish and of not quality of the latest trend then it really disappoint its customers and it would lose them. INTENSITY OF RIVALRY. In this part of porters analysis, we see the competitive situations of the companies in the market. If we see the situation of Next in context of competition in this market then its very hard to survive because the situation is very tough. There are a huge number of retailers in the clothing market in the UK. And Next got threat from its rivals like Marks and Spencer, Zara, Gap etc. Every company needs to attract and hold maximum customers in the market to survive. Customers see the best offers in the market that attracts them so to gain the customers, companies need to cut their prices and focus on their customer care department. If Next wants to gain market share then it needs to take sale from its competitors and it will leads to rivalry. (Ref-6)

Frida Kahlo Essay -- Spanish Essays

Frida Kahlo nacià ³ el 6 de Julio 1907 en la ciudad de Mà ©xico. Ella les dijo a muchas personas que nacià ³ el 7 de Julio 1910 porque quiso parecer mà ¡s joven a los otros. Aunque sus padres fueron judà ­os, Frida nacià ³ en Mà ©xico. Frida fue una artista surrealista y sus obras vià ³ de sus emociones de la tristexa y la cà ³lera de su vida. Ella le encantà ³ decir los chistes, reà ­r, y sonreà ­r. Frida Kahlo llevà ³ las ropas de la cultura tradicional de Mà ©xico porque pensà ³ que las ropas fueran una forma del arte. Todo el mundo admirà ³ mucho a Frida, a causa de sus obras y su actitud. Cuando Frida tenà ­a seis aà ±os, ella estuvo muy enferma con la polio. Aunque se recuperà ³, su pierna derecha era mà ¡s larga que su pierna izquierda. Muchos nià ±os se reyeron a ella, y entonces Frida estudià ³ mucho para evitar los chistes de ella. Ella fue muy intelegente porque ella estudià ³. Frida fue la nià ±a favorita de su padre porque ella era intelegenta, y entonces ella le gustà ³ su padre y no le gustà ³ su madre. Eventualmente, aceptà ³ en El Prepo, una escuela privada para los nià ±os mejores. Sà ³lo treinta y cinc...

Hamlet is Not the Protagonist Essay -- Essays on Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet is Not the Protagonist      Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon reading Hamlet or watching a rendition of the great Shakespearean tragedy, the casual audience member might be tempted to view the character Hamlet as the virtuous individual who encounters grief because of a tragic flaw.   This is after all, the formula for any modern tragedy.   In fact, the presumption is accurate with one exception.   Hamlet is not a virtuous individual.      While the play revolves around Hamlet, Hamlet is not the protagonist.   Rather, he is like the main characters in The Day of the Jackal or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in that he is really the antagonist or contra vida with which the audience finds itself sympathizing.   This is most clearly evidenced in the ease with which Hamlet is able to kill innocent characters and subsequently disregard his actions.   Examples of this are the time he kills Polonius and then lightheartedly criticizes himself for killing the wrong person and the time he sends his innocent childhood friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths because their disloyalty displeased him.   In addition, Hamlet also dismisses the death of his love, Ophelia, when she drowns in the river.    The reason Hamlet is this way is that he has lost faith in humanity; as G. Wilson Knight puts it, "He has seen through humanity."   He sees the reality of the world to be that evil rules.   Because of this, Hamlet becomes a cynic, in that he is critical of the motives of others.   One example of this is the time when Hamlet scoffs at Laertes' show of grief for the death of Ophelia as he dives in the grave after him.   He does not believe that the sentiments expressed by Laertes are sincere.      For these reasons, Hamlet's "inhuman cynic... ...audius is guilty.    Although Hamlet is obviously the main character of the play, he is not the protagonist that one would expect.   He shifts to the dark side when he vows to avenge the death of his father.   Hamlet had a tragic flaw, his inability to act when it was most important for him.   However, it was not because of this tragic flaw that he encountered grief.   His flaw only brought him death.   Without it, he would still be a miserable, slightly insane cynic unable to find happiness.   While Hamlet is obviously a tragedy, Shakespeare did not follow the tragic formula exactly.   Perhaps this is why the play is so popular and is considered his greatest work.    Works Cited Knight, G. Wilson.   "The Embassy of Death."   The Wheel of Fire.   London:   Methuen & Co., 1954. Shakespeare, William.   Hamlet.   New York:   The Folger Shakespeare Library,   1992. Hamlet is Not the Protagonist Essay -- Essays on Shakespeare Hamlet Hamlet is Not the Protagonist      Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon reading Hamlet or watching a rendition of the great Shakespearean tragedy, the casual audience member might be tempted to view the character Hamlet as the virtuous individual who encounters grief because of a tragic flaw.   This is after all, the formula for any modern tragedy.   In fact, the presumption is accurate with one exception.   Hamlet is not a virtuous individual.      While the play revolves around Hamlet, Hamlet is not the protagonist.   Rather, he is like the main characters in The Day of the Jackal or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in that he is really the antagonist or contra vida with which the audience finds itself sympathizing.   This is most clearly evidenced in the ease with which Hamlet is able to kill innocent characters and subsequently disregard his actions.   Examples of this are the time he kills Polonius and then lightheartedly criticizes himself for killing the wrong person and the time he sends his innocent childhood friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths because their disloyalty displeased him.   In addition, Hamlet also dismisses the death of his love, Ophelia, when she drowns in the river.    The reason Hamlet is this way is that he has lost faith in humanity; as G. Wilson Knight puts it, "He has seen through humanity."   He sees the reality of the world to be that evil rules.   Because of this, Hamlet becomes a cynic, in that he is critical of the motives of others.   One example of this is the time when Hamlet scoffs at Laertes' show of grief for the death of Ophelia as he dives in the grave after him.   He does not believe that the sentiments expressed by Laertes are sincere.      For these reasons, Hamlet's "inhuman cynic... ...audius is guilty.    Although Hamlet is obviously the main character of the play, he is not the protagonist that one would expect.   He shifts to the dark side when he vows to avenge the death of his father.   Hamlet had a tragic flaw, his inability to act when it was most important for him.   However, it was not because of this tragic flaw that he encountered grief.   His flaw only brought him death.   Without it, he would still be a miserable, slightly insane cynic unable to find happiness.   While Hamlet is obviously a tragedy, Shakespeare did not follow the tragic formula exactly.   Perhaps this is why the play is so popular and is considered his greatest work.    Works Cited Knight, G. Wilson.   "The Embassy of Death."   The Wheel of Fire.   London:   Methuen & Co., 1954. Shakespeare, William.   Hamlet.   New York:   The Folger Shakespeare Library,   1992.

Im Not an Original :: Writing Education

I'm Not an Original I sat back in the Lazyboy, Raydog shotgunned the couch, Scott rummaged the refrigerator, and Mike laid in bed. He'd been out cold since 2 AM, Super Bowl Eve. We were slothing our way through the seven hour pregame: Super Bowl XXXII, the Houston Oilers vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; the results of free-agency and team salary caps. "Seeger, you know anyone with a white mini van that has a picture of a house on the side?" Scott was leaning over the sink trying get a glimpse of the vehicle pulling into our yard. I figured it out right away. The van that he was referring to just happened to be the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes vehicle. "Oh my god! Ed McMahon is at my house," were the only words I could utter. And I uttered them repeatedly as I broke out of the gates and down the track towards the door. Scott beat me there. He had the door open before the men in the black suits could give the infamous suprize knock. "Wha'd I win! Wha'd I win!" Scott was jumping around like a little kid before Christmas. "Is there a Mr. Beau Jay Seeger here?" "That's me!" I was sliding across the linoleum on my wool socks, my eyes ready to fall out of there sockets. "You've just won TEN MILLION DOLLARS..." is all I heard. My brain was thumping the rhythm of my heart, my toes were tingling in my eyes, my muscles were frigid under my skin, and I could not remember who or where I was. When I came around to reality I could hear Scott say, "If what?" I must have not been away from reality for more than a few seconds. The man in the black suit, who wasn't Ed McMahon, replied, "If you can show us that you are worthy of receiving this award." I was confused. I thought that they just gave you the balloons, flowers, and the million dollars. He saw the pitiful look on my face. It was as if he'd just pulled a sucker out of a baby's mouth. "Mr. Seeger, as the members of the Publisher's Clearing House, we are obligated to find someone who can communicate on a basis of individuality. We are distributors of a wide variety of various print manuscripts that circulate around our United States of America on a daily basis.

Certainty and Doubt Essay Essay

William Lyon Phelps and Bertrant Russel have conflicting views regarding the importance of certainty and doubt. Phelps position is that having certainty in oneself allows you to accomplish impossible tasks. While Russel believes it is healthy to have a certain amount of doubt in oneself and that people should not only believe in any one philosophy. Both Russel and Phelps make good points on the relationship between doubt and certainty but a combination of the two would be the most helpful. You should always have certainty when it comes to your own capabilities, but doubt is useful when forming your own beliefs and when it comes to others beliefs. Having certainty in yourself is the only way to have the confidence and drive to reach your goals. You cannot be confident if you are not certain in what you believe in or what you are capable of achieving. This is true for most athletes or dancers. My dance coach always says that you have to go out on the floor with confidence, when you are confident you seem certain in what you are doing even if you do it wrong. This certainty and confidence can lead to personal success or a team’s success. It shows that the most powerful way to have confidence is to trust your capabilities and that you know what you are doing. Russell’s views on doubt will create a well-rounded view when added to this. Especially in science when doubt must be included at all times. Scientist and doctors have a hard time proving there theories or ideas true, they have to rewrite and improve these theories many times over even if they are right or leaning in the right direction. Doubt also allows someone to view issues or ideas through the eyes of others. When you think differently than someone it opens up a discussion that could lead to doubt on one side of the argument. Doubt allows you to think critically about situations and see all perspectives of a discussion or theory. When it comes to the relationship between certainty and doubt they are both equally important.

Is Hamlet Mad

Is Hamlet Mad (His Indecisive Soliloquies)? A controversy occurs over whether Hamlet’s behaviour displays craziness or planned insightfulness when deciding on his revenge on King Claudius. Prince Hamlet’s life unfortunately spirals out of hand when his father mysteriously dies. Suspicion of the possible murder of the king rises when his mother immediately marries King Claudius. Hamlet becomes extremely skeptical believing that his father did not die of murder and concludes that King Claudius could be held as a suspect. He contemplates his plans on revenge on many occasions alone, in literature, known as soliloquies. major purpose f Shakespeare’s use of Soliloquies in Hamlet is to provide views of the prince at crucial moments in the course of his experience†(Newell 134) His pursuit to find out officially causes Hamlet’s change of behaviour, a crazy behaviour in which he claims he acts on purpose. Yet many in the story claim Hamlet’s rash decis ions, sudden hatred towards Ophelia, and the killing of Polonius, emerge out of a mental disease he developed naturally after his father’s death. The reader makes their own opinions when observing how he acts by himself reflecting on his journey towards revenge.Hamlet progresses from indecisiveness and confusion when handling the matters of revenge towards King Claudius observed in Act 2, Scene 2; Act 3, Scene 1 and Act 4 Scene 2. This is due to his religious morals sometimes, and other times he’s so blinded by revenge that he wants to i the king when he’s in a position of unholiness. Firstly, in act 2, scene 2, Hamlet shows vengeful confusion demonstrating himself as an avenger. The scene begins with Gertrude inviting Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to Elsinore in hopes to help Hamlet recover from his sudden change of behaviour.Since they have grown up with him, they know his personality the best, thus Hamlet, Gertrude’s â€Å"too much changed son† ( 2. 2. 36) contains fondness solely for his comrades, opening the gates for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to investigate secretly. Hamlet seems pleased about the arrival of his best friends, yet becomes skeptical over their reason for the sudden appearance. When they claim they came merely to revisit Hamlet, he strictly declares that he knows the king and the queen sent for them. After the players perform, giving an enlightening speech regarding the fall of Troy, Hamlet leaves his comrades, standing alone.Here, he formulates a plan to find out whether Claudius indeed killed his father. Forcing Claudius to watch The Murder of Gonzaga, a play which may r may not resemble Claudius’s own very life, Hamlet will scout his reaction of potential guilt written on his face- proof that Claudius did indeed murder the king. â€Å"Hamlet’s fourth soliloquy may be seen as a link between the emotional turmoil f his previous soliloquy, after his encounter with the ghost and the level of intellectuality of the â€Å"to be or not to be soliloquy† shortly after it. (Newell 56) In other words, this soliloquy could be considered as a bond connecting with chaos, his previous soliloquy, and intuitiveness, his subsequent soliloquy.Unfortunately, Hamlet displays illogicalness throughout his soliloquy. He uses contradicting analogies showing lack of commitment and certainty to act n revenge. line reads that he prevails â€Å"with eyes like carbuncles, the Hellish Pyrrhus old grandsire Priam seeks. So proceed you. †(2. 2. 466-468) Hamlet relates himself to Pyrrhus. Therefore, if â€Å"Hamlet is like Pyrrhus, then Priam is in avoidably an analogue for Claudius against whom Hamlet seeks revenge. (Newell 59) If Hamlet committed to his quest for revenge, he would further his commitment by similar analogies supporting his classification as the avenger. Instead, he then propels himself in the opposite direction, by using words â€Å"peasant slave† for himself and â€Å"kindles villain† in the rhetoric way† (Newell k). This also creates a controversy f prospective. First he calls himself a revenger like Pyrrhus. â€Å"But it comes from Aeneas pint f view creating sympathy f Hamlet† (Newell 58) In addition, Hamlets scheme he reveals in his soliloquy subsists as a flawed plan.Firstly, Hamlet claims â€Å"The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast† (2. 2. 453). â€Å"He compares Pyrrhus as a â€Å"Hyrcanian beast† a mistake because it reveals Hamlets subconscious views of Pyrrhus as an avenger acting mindlessly with bestial ferocity† (Newman 57) Secondly, Hamlet’s plan to â€Å"catch the conscience of the king† (2. 2. 610) is t trap the king by bringing out an emotional response. he plans to catch Claudius connecting emotionally with an actor who plays killer, therefore revealing Claudius as the killer.However, this idea starts to become unsound because Claudius’ feeling about the play could never have become a reliable source f truth t killing Hamlet’s father. Many connect with movies because of the engaging actors and actresses, the angle of lights, and the overall atmosphere the director creates without actually going through the same situation the character did in the movie. Emotional responses should not be one’s ticket to killing. Obviously, Hamlet’s declaration â€Å"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw† (2. 2. 81-382) could prove itself at such a crucial moment, questioning the truthfulness or reliability in this quote. If Hamlet chose to act â€Å"mad† at nerve-wrecking times in his life, then he would have turned off his â€Å"performance† and demonstrated sanity and intrusiveness when alone, developing a significant plan that may alter his life. Consequently, Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals carelessness and illogicalness, pushing his reflections n a ne gative note upon his act towards revenge. Secondly, Act 3 of Hamlet opens with Guildenstern and Rosencrantz meeting with Gertrude and Claudius, discussing Hamlet’s behavior.The trio has come to the conclusion that no one can explain his bizarre change, so Claudius dismisses the other three, saying that he and Polonius intend to spy on Hamlet’s confrontation with Ophelia. While Polonius and the king walk a1round the lobby, they hear Hamlet coming and decide to hide behind the tapestry. Not detecting their presence, Hamlet wrestles with the decision to commit suicide. â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the ques2tion† (3. 1. 56) He believes suicide will end the pain of his existence for good. â€Å"Between the sick soul and the knowledge and of love here are interstellar spaces that divide Hell from Heaven. (Bloom 56) This means to the ordinary eye, Heaven and Hell stand tremendously far away from each other. However, when considering into account a question like t his, one can make the gap seem much smaller. Although the consideration of suicide from any character is daunting at the very least, Hamlet still approaches the question with eloquence and logical thinking. Initially, Hamlet attempts to pose one such a question in a rational, logical way. He ponders why or how the â€Å"slings and arrows of outrageous fortune† (3. 1. 58) can be borne out since life after death is so uncertain.Ha1mlet considers that suicide would not seem as big of a deal if one knows his death or her afterlife. because Ha1mlet believes one does not know what happens after death, he or she would rather â€Å"bear those ill we have, then fly to others that we know not of† (3. 1. 81-82) Many struggle with this issue of what happens after people die, and even base many decisions upon it. For Hamlet to recognize this uncertainty as a significant fact in the idea of suicide rather than ending some sort of â€Å"everlasting† pain, shows complete logica l reasoning.In fact, by the time most conclude that their life must end, they too senile have become already mentally unstable and crazy to even formulate why suicide remains a controversial issue. Hamlet explains that if everyone knew about his or her afterlife, most suicides will indeed occur and the issue would not seem contentious. Furthermore, Hamlet shows his intelligence in depicting his decision about suicide in his â€Å"to be or not to be† soliloquy. Although at this moment, Hamlet realizes that many choose life over death because of the inability to know one’s afterlife, the speech remains a deep contemplation about the nature and reason for death.After posing this complex question and wondering about the nature of the great sleep, Hamlet goes on to list many sufferings which men are prone to in the midst of life’s rough course of life, which makes it seem as though he is moving toward death yet, again. By the end of this soliloquy, however, he finall y realizes â€Å"But the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country form whose bourn to no traveler returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have†. (3. 1. 78-81) Additionally, the way Hamlet even poses the question of suicide as a matter of Philosophical debate shows intuition.He does not express himself at all during the soliloquy, never uses the words â€Å"I† or â€Å"me† in the entire speech, setting it up as a controversial question upon which people can voice their opinions. â€Å"When we shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause† (3. 1. 67) †¦ â€Å"when he himself might his quietus make† (3. 1. 75)†¦Soft you now! † (3. 1. 88) Instead, Hamlet purposely uses words such as we, us, you, he, and his to disguise what he is really thinking about, acting cautiously but very smartly. His words at the end of the scene are indeed ‘wild and whirling’† (Bloom 87) towards Op helia. As a result, Hamlet shows confusion to end his life or not, yet in a very intellectual manner, presenting his saneness to the audience. Lastly, act 4 scenes 4, focuses back to Hamlet’s pursuit to revenge Claudius officially. Hamlet encounters with the Norwegian captain who shows forcefulness and courage in taking action. This discourages Hamlet and his commitment to revenge. Hamlet stands awestruck by the willingness ofFortinbras’ devotion and energy towards his entire army. When left alone, Hamlet the moral doubt of Fortinbras’ deed, but his dynamism impress him to a point of a firm decision on one last attempt. Here he analyzes his patience yet forcefulness like Fortinbras’ and his patch of land, toward King Claudius. Actually, â€Å"His previous two soliloquies provide clarifying context for the defective working of his mind in the present one, for his reason is in fact, no less subjected by passion here than in the other two. (Newell 134) Here , Hamlet utters great emotion towards his stagnant plans on revenge and expresses them in this soliloquy. To begin with, Hamlet’s logical reasoning becomes apparent in his last soliloquy because he develops dramatically indeed in the play-â€Å"The subjugation of Hamlet’s reason by his passion for revenge† (Newell 133) For one, Shakespeare reestablishes Hamlet’s preoccupation with revenge as tragic.It subsists as a â€Å"Necessary soliloquy after accidentally killing Polonius by mistake in pursuit of revenge; unlike the last two, people sympathize with him and view him tragically. (Newell 134) Sympathizing with Hamlet’s confusion and distress compels the reader to classify him as a logical person, not as a mad man, who needs support when going through a very upsetting time in his life. In relation to this, it helps that Hamlet uses â€Å"the language of Elizabethan spirituality of the mind, the engaging of thought and unlike before, finding him r epulsive by the close scene with Gertrude, hide and seek with school fellows and the interview with Claudius. (Newell 135) Next, the audience believes he displays logical reasoning because his thinking and reasoning correspond. He reveals jealous rage while simultaneously, finally planning his overdue act of revenge on Claudius. â€Å"My thoughts be blood, or be nothing worth! † (4. 4. 66). In other words, Hamlet exclaims my thoughts be bloody, my deeds be bloody also, giving some consistency with his preparation. His logical thinking steer him onto the right path of revenge.Moreover, Hamlet exposes his brilliance through his soliloquy of â€Å"discursive reasoning, in a way that heightens one’s tragic view of the character before he leaves† (Newell 133) Firstly, his â€Å"soliloquy makes him less vengeful and more patient for an opportunity for revenge† (Newell 135) showing personal growth in the matter. He knows revenge lies as his only option, yet inst ead of rushing it with a quick spontaneous plan like before; he takes a different approach and develops patience revolving around the issue. â€Å"Of thinking too precisely on the event- A thought which, quartered hath but one part wisdom and even three parts coward. (4. 4. 41-43) This means, if he thinks too long and critically, he will become anxious and a coward, but if he waits patiently and stop the rash aggressiveness clouding his mind, revenge will fall into place. Secondly, â€Å"the reoccurrence of â€Å"beast† and â€Å"discourse† and â€Å"reason† in a cluster brings to mind the forceful phrase â€Å"a beast that wants discourse of reason† from the first soliloquy† (Newell 133) This presents Hamlet intelligence, relating his last soliloquy with his first because a confused madman could not possibly remember what he reflected upon by himself, many times ago, this gives Hamlet some credit of existing as normal.Therefore, Hamlet shows logi cal thinking and intuitiveness in his last soliloquy, ending his reflections on a positive note on his pursuit towards revenge, also presenting himself as not a completely crazy man. Hamlet progresses from indecisiveness and confusion to logic when handling the matters of revenge towards King Claudius observes in Act 2, Scene 2; Act 3, scene 1; and Act 4, Scene 2 soliloquies. The opinions on where he really developed a mental disorder if he played it off towards only his friends, remains debatable; for in three main soliloquies he acts either wise or cultivated.An act or not, nobody should judge someone after going through a loss like Hamlets’. Even if one’s behaviour changed for the worse after a parent’s death, many should sympathize and support him or her through his or her loss. A loss of a close family member is one of the most difficult situations one goes through. One must remember that everyone is a unique individual. Therefore, many cope with the traged y of death differently.Works Cited Bloom, Harold. The Embassy of Death: An Essay on Hamlet. Hamlet. 1990 ed. Print. Lamb, Sidney ed. Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2000. Print. Levin, Harry. Interrogation, Doubt, Irony: Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis. Modern Critical View William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. 1959 ed. Print. Newell, Alex. Passion and Reason. The Soliloquies in Hamlet 1935 ed. Print. Newell, Alex. The mind O’erthrown: Reason Pandering Will. The Soliloquies in Hamlet. 1927 ed. Print.

Marketing and Product

1. On the Basics: a. We have asserted that marketing is really the strategic idea of ‘connectedness’ with customers. From the perspective of your final project company, identify and discuss how your company connects with its customers – select from either the marketing concept or the selling concept. Be sure to define each concept and be detailed in your response. A: Marketing concept holds that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions better than competitors do. customer focus and value are the path to sales and profits) The marketing concept is a customer-centered sense and responds philosophy. (The job is to find the right products for your customers. ) My project company Samsung took the marketing concept and connect with its customers. Samsung chooses to concern more about customers’ need and invent products that solve customers’ problems rather than make it and sell it. Before inventing cellphone products it will do a lot of surveys and experiment to find out what problems exist and concerned seriously in modern world.Activities like free gift and sample-with-purchase, free experiencing and considerate after-selling service are good ways of finding what customer want and asking for feedbacks. Not only can these marketing strategies collect data and examples for its study, but also can build a strong relationship with current and potential customers. Besides that Samsung also develop a system of contacting with customers, which uses cell phones and email. By emailing and texting customer what new products are and asking their ideas about them helps improve products and make products more customer-orientated. . Referring to your project company provide a well-developed characterization of your market segment and your target market. i. Identify the most urgent issue necessary for you to penetrate or protect your desired market space. Mark et Segmentation: Target Customers: Urgent issue: The most urgent issue is to differentiate this smartphone from other smartphone of other brands by marketing. There are many smartphones in the market and the most competitive one is the iphone5 from Apple.These two smartphone have similar function and both have good reputation in repairing skins. To market the serum from Lauder we have to stress its function of giving you the most attractive function such as Pop up play and Face Zoom which Apple doesn’t have. c. Lastly, concisely address each of the following central positioning questions pertaining to your project company/brand: i. What position, if any, do you already have in the prospect’s mind? Here I list some of the competitive offerings Full range of service after selling Apple 9. 0 Nokia 7. Motorola7. 5 HTC 7. 0 Sharp6. 5 ZTE6. 0 Quality of product The branches of product ii. What position do you want to own? With a strong brand advantage and the luxuriant Apple store, Apple now is still the brightness star in people’s mind. But what I am going to do is to give customers more space to experience our product when they come to Samsung store . I aim to own the first place. iii. What companies must be outgunned if you are to establish or maintain that position? From my point of view, Motorola would be the first one to be outgunned.The reason is that: 2. On the Marketing Mix: Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your company’s marketing mix and offer strategic recommendations on how the company should handle the most burning marketing problem/opportunity impacting the strategic performance of the ‘mix’. Consider shaping your answer with the 5Cs in mind Strengths: Lauder has diversified marketing strategies from retailing stores to TV commercials to spas. It present the product in many dimensions and gives consumer a full and impressive understand of the product.Weakness: Most of Estee Lauder’s retail stores are owned by the company. Lauder doesn’t want to cooperate with other retailers in order to keep their image of high-end. However, marketing the serum means you have to highly exposed your product to the public and remind them there’s always this choice for them and they have easy access to the product. Solutions: The burning marketing problem is galaxy does not have a strong differentiated position from other brands and not impressive to cosumers. Firstly, we should think of customer solution.By launching ad campaign in which stress the function of the product and list features that other cellphones don’t have, we are actually telling consumers that the extra benefits they can get from choosing this cellphone. Besides that we can set up experience lounge in some shopping malls for people to try the product out as well as teaching them how to use it to achieve the best effect. Secondly, we focus on customer cost. To some people who have never used it before they might not want to spend that much money in trying a new product.So when we are launching this product we can offer discount or selling as a package to lower the price so that more potential customer will be willing to have a try. Fourthly, we can promote the communication. By establishing two-way communication can really strengthen the tight with consumers. Why many brands are forgettable is because they don’t have a strong connection with consumers. By contacting consumers with email and message we can always expose them in the information of the products which increase the chance of them choosing the product. 3. On Consumer Buying Behavior: a.Referring to your company, describe a scenario of your typical customer using the buyer decision process when considering purchasing your company’s product/service. Use the language from our readings. i. Consider pulling from your database research offered in our library workshop to authenticate how your customers behave in you r market environment. b. Additionally, from the criteria that influence the rate of adoption, in what area does your company/product excel and what area does your company/product require attention to strengthen the adoption process? Be detailed in your response. . First we have Need Recognition. The buyer recognizes a problem or need of the cellphone by talking to a friend of watching an ad. Second, he will do Information Search. Ads are from commercial sources-controlled by marketers. He may also find information from personal sources, public sources and experiential sources. By watching ads or listening to the advice of a close friend or trying the samples she will get the information about the cellphones. Third, we have Evaluation of Alternatives. He will evaluate alternatives with calculations and logical thinking.By taking each attribute into consideration and compare different cellphones he finds out that cellphones from Samsung will satisfied his need with the functions galax y has. Fourth, he will make the Purchase Decision. After ranking brands and forming purchase intention, he is about to buy the cellphone. Now if attitudes of others also points to buying it and there’s no unexpected situational factors like worsening economy or dropping price of competitors, he will by the rather expensive cellphone form Samsung. Last but not least there’s Postpurchase Behavior.He will feel either satisfied or unsatisfied with the galaxy,which is the gap between the expectations and the product’s perceived performance. b. EXCEL Relative advantage: 4. 8† Super Amoled HD display Pebble blue or marble white Battery: 2,100mAh (wireless charging optional extra) Camera: 8MP rear; 1. 9 MP front S-Beam High speed file transfer via NFC and WiFi Direct, between two phones touched together, operating at up to 300Mbps. Smart Stay The phone tracks your eyes, so as long as you’re looking at it, the display won’t dim or turn off.What Needs to be STRENGTHEN? the purpose of the current market situation, the major brands of mobile phone chain (such as Suning, Gome, etc. ) occupies a large market, so we are faced with considerable pressure. According to the market potential, the Guangdong market level of consumption analysis, consumer groups, after all, is limited, so we have a unique service to impress potential customers. d out the differences. 4. On Branding and the Product Lifecycle: a. Referring to your company, identify the one major strength and weakness of the brand. i.What are your recommendations to strengthen the competitiveness and equity of the brand? ii. Identify at what stage your brand falls within the product lifecycle model. What is required for you to ensure that the customer remains eternally ‘connected’ to your brand? a. Strength: Samsung has sufficient fund for inventing so it’s able to apply high-tech into their products, which makes it a sell point to the customers because nowad ays everyone likes new technology. What’s more, when inventing the product Samsung will have so many test before they finally launch the product so the product is definitely safe.Weakness:The four-nuclei graphics card needs large amount of electricity The outer skin is easily getting old because of its material i. To increase competitiveness and equity of the brand first we need to think about the brand positioning Marketers need to position the brand clearly in the target customers’ mind. I will position the brand at the highest level which is on strong beliefs and values. By launching ad campaigns we deliver the concept that the serum form Estee Lauder is more than a serum, it’s a lifestyle you choose. â€Å"To be fabulous and healthy everyday gives you the confident to face every challenge. I would also establish a mission for the brand and a vision of what the brand must be and do. Through the promise the serum deliver to buyers we can strongly impress the buyers with the features, benefits and experience. Second, I will introduce line extensions. Redesigning the form, color and size of the screen we can easily change the image of this old product in consumers mind. The Samsung cellphone old outfit is no longer suitable for modern consumers because it was designed long time ago and the main concept is to express its luxurious.Nowadays people want products which can present youth and energy. So changing the outer packing is necessary in delivering new message to the consumers. ii. The product falls on the maturity stage in which product’s sales growth slows and profits stabilized. In order to ensure the customers remain eternally ‘connected’ to the brand marketers should evolve to meet changing consumer needs. Modifying the Market- The company should try to increase consumption by finding new users and new market segment for its brands.The Vita-mineral Radiance Serum from Lauder is often adopted by women over 30 yea rs old for the special benefit in fighting wrinkles. But actually it is suitable for women over 20 years old because it can give them the healthy grow of skin and prevent early wrinkles. Modifying the product- Changing the characteristics such as features, style or funtion to attract new users and inspire more usage. The old funtions of the Samsung were designed in the 2000s’ and it’s too garish for young people. Some details are unnecessary and will mislead consumers that this is a product for mid-age people.By changing the cellphone to a more simple and portable style can really modify the image in people’s mind and attract younger consumers to buy it. Modifying the marketing mix- Improving sales by changing one or more marketing mix elements. The company can offer new or improved services to buyers. Distributing free, new samples and offering free tour to â€Å"Korea Tour† after purchasing the serum can really attract consumers to buy this old product. The company can offer a lower price after discount the product to increase the scale of sale.The company can also launch a better advertising campaign or use aggressive sales promotions. By redefining the product’s use and target customer, the company can launch ad campaign that highly stress the benefits this cellphone offer and help consumers notice their potential need. Company The analysis of the company allows for the evaluation of the company's objectives, strategy and capabilities. These areas indicate to an organization about the strength of the business model or whether there are areas for improvement, as well as how well an organization will fit with the external environment. 6] †¢ Goals & Objectives: An analysis on the mission of the business, the industry of the business and the stated goals required to achieve the mission. †¢ Position: An analysis on the Marketing strategy and the Marketing mix. †¢ Performance: An analysis on how effectively the b usiness is achieving their stated mission and goals. †¢ Product line: An analysis on the products manufactured by the business and how successful it will be in the market. [5] [edit] Competitors The competitor analysis takes into consideration the competitors position within the industry and the potential threat it may pose to other businesses.The main purpose of the competitor analysis is for businesses to analyze both the current and potential nature and capabilities of a competitor in order to be prepared against competition. The competitor analysis looks at the following criteria's: †¢ Identity competitors: Businesses must be able to identify competitors within their industry. Identification of whether competitors provide the same service/products to the same customer base will be useful is gaining knowledge on direct competitors.Both direct and indirect competitors must be identified, as well as potential competitors that may enter the market. †¢ Assessment of co mpetitors: The competitor analysis looks at competitor goals, mission, strategies and resources. This will allow for a thorough comparison on the goals and strategies of both competitors and organization. †¢ Predict future initiatives of competitors: An early insight into the potential activity of a competitor will help a company be prepared against competition. [6] [edit] Customers Customer analysis can be vast and complicated.Some of the important areas that a company analyzes includes:[5] †¢ Demographics †¢ Advertising most suitable for the demographic †¢ Market size and potential growth †¢ Customer wants and needs †¢ Motivation to buy the product †¢ Distribution channels (online, retail, wholesale, etc. ) †¢ Quantity and frequency of purchase †¢ Income level of customer [edit] Collaborators Collaborators are useful for businesses as they allow for an increase in the creation of ideas, as well as an increase in the likelihood of gainin g more business opportunities. 7] The following type of collaborators are: †¢ Agencies: Agencies are the middlemen of the business world. When businesses need a specific worker who specializes in the trade, they go to a recruitment agency. [8] †¢ Suppliers: Suppliers provide raw materials that are required to build products. There are 7 different types of Suppliers: Manufacturers, wholesalers, merchants, franchisors, importers and exporters, independent crafts people and drop shippers. Each category of suppliers can bring a different skill and experience to the company. 9] †¢ Distributors: Distributors are important as they are the ‘holding areas for inventory'. Distributors can help manage manufacturer relationships as well as handle vendor relationships. [10] †¢ Partnerships: Business partners would share assets and liabilities, allowing for a new source of capital and skills. [11] Businesses must be able to identify whether the collaborator has the capab ilities needed to help run the business as well as an analysis on the level of commitment needed for a collaborator-business relationship. [6] [edit] ClimateIn order to fully understand the business climate/environment there are usually many different factors that can affect a business, and if researched well it will contribute to a company that can respond well to change. An analysis on the climate is also known as the PEST analysis. The types of climate/environment firms have to analyse are: †¢ Political and regulatory environment: An Analysis of how active the government regulates the market with their policies and how it would affect the production, distribution and sale of the goods and services. Economic Environment: An Analysis of trends regarding macroeconomics, such as exchange rates and inflation rate, can prove to influence businesses. [5] †¢ Social/cultural environment: Interpreting the trends of society;[5] which includes the study of demographics, education, culture etc. †¢ Technological analysis: An analysis of technology will help improve on old routines and suggest for new methods in being more cost efficient. In order to stay competitive and gain an advantage over others, businesses must have sufficient knowledge on the technological advances

JanMar Case Study Case Analysis

The US paint industry is divided into three broad segments: architectural coatings, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) coatings, and special-purpose lacquers. The paint industry is a maturing industry. In 2004, sales were estimated to be slightly over $16billion and an average growth of 1-2% per year. Architectural Paint Coatings Industry The industry estimates that architectural coatings and sundries (brushes, paint removers, thinners, etc. ) created sales of $12 billion in 2004. The architectural paint coatings segment is also considered to be projected between the 1-2% increase per year. The demand level for this segment is reflected by the level of home improvements and redecorating, the sales of new and existing homes, commercial and industrial construction. Competition Competition within this segment has been a result of slow sales growth and new governemtn regulations. The number of competitors has decreased by 40%; however, major competitors with low prices have come into place such as Sherwin-Williams and others who account for 60% of sales within the segment. They market paint under their own names as well as for private retailers. Architectural Sales Breakdown and Consumer Purchase Behavior About 50% of architectural sales are sold under private controlled brands such as Sears and Wal-Mart, 36% of sales are sold in specialty paint stores, and 14% are sold in hardware and lumberyards. There are three types of buyers of architectural paint which account for percent of total sales: â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† who account for 50%, professional painters who account for 25% and contractor/government sales who account for 25%. Home Improvement Research indicated that the â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† have increased the product line carried by retail outlets and spend on average $74. 0 per purchase on architectural paints and $12 on sundries. JanMar Coatings, Inc. Company JanMar, Inc. is a privately held corporation that produces and markets architectural paint under the JanMar brand name. They also sell sundries and operate OEM coatings. The company’s architectural coatings and product sales totaled to b e $12 million and $1. 14 million in net profit before taxes in 2004. Dollar sales have increased at 4% on average for year for the past decade. The company distributes in 200 independent paint sores, lumberyards, and hardware outlets. They service 50 counties in the Dallas Fort Worth Area and Non-Dallas Fort Worth Area. Of their outlet sales, 40% is based in the 11 counties within the Dallas-Fort Worth area while the remaining outlets are in the surrounded non-Dallas Forth Worth area. Of the industry findings, 70% of sales in the Dallas Fort Worth area are to professional painters who account for 25% total sales while 70% of sales in the Non Dallas Fort Worth area are to â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† who account for the 50% of total sales. (See exhibit 1. 1). JanMar Coatings, Inc. Company Current Situation. Competition has accelerated in recent years at the retail level and JanMar Coatings, Inc. is the highest priced paint in their service area. Therefore, JanMar, Inc. is in need of how and where to deploy corporate marketing efforts among the various architectural paint coatings markets in the southwest United States area in a cost effective way to increase market share, revenue, and awareness. Four Proposed Tactical Strategies Given by the Vice Presidents Among the four proposed tactical pans from the different vice presidents at JanMar Coatings, Inc. the solution to the problem is the Vice President of Sales strategy of increasing the sales force and here’s why: 1) Increasing the advertising budget through television could have a positive effect because of the current 25% awareness to consumers who purchase paint. However, research shows that consumers choose a store location before choosing the brand and 70% of the consumers reached through advertis ing are not buying paint. The advertising budget is already 3% of sales, so in 2004, the advertising budget was $360,000 which is reasonable for selling paint. To efficiently create awareness, JanMar would need to produce a cooperate ad with a retail outlet to get the buyer in the store. They would also need to increase sales by 8. 3% or $1 million to cover the cost of increase in advertising. (See appendix 1. 2). 2) To make a price cut of 20% would be unreasonable considering the costs of JanMar are unlikely to go down. Cutting price by 20% with the same variable costs would bring their contribution margin down to 19%. To get the same net contribution of $4. million using their current new contribution margin, they will have to generate $22,105,264. 16 in sales which is far above their past sales of $12 million and creating more volume to increase sales at this lower cost is not feasible which just one manufacturer in the Dallas Fort Worth area. (exhibit 1. 3) JanMar needs to focus not on cutting prices but positioning themselves differently from competitors as a superior quality and service company since they are a privately owned, focuse d just in the market of southwest United States. ) Increasing the sales force could have a positive effect if the sales representative is assigned to the non Dallas Fort Worth area since account penetration there is only 16% and focusing on the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† because of the amount of sales they accumulate in that area. The amount of sales revenue needed to cover the cost of the one added sales representative of $60,000 base salary is $171,428. (See Appendix 1. 4) This amount of sales needed to incur this cost will be easy to achieve since the sales representative will be focusing on sales in the new area. ) JanMar has continuously controlled their 35% margin and costs even with added research and development. However, there are more competitors on the rise at big retail outlets such as Sears and Wal-Mart that the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† will fall for if not guided properly. Therefore even though JanMar will be profitable if they keep everything the same as how it is with controlling costs and guarding the mar gin, they still cannot predict the future and there is growth within the marketing of 1-2%. Recommendation The problem that lies at hand is that there have only been five added accounts in the past five years. The account penetration in the Non-Dallas Forth Worth area is only 16%. With an added sales representative reaching out to the Non-Dallas Forth Worth area where half the sales and most the dealers already exist, they can focus solely on the retail account and â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† who contribute $6 billion to the total market sales per year of architectural products. (Appendix 1. 1) The sales representative will focus on the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† in the non-Dallas Forth Worth area since they accumulate 70% of sales in that area as it is. We do not want to focus on the professional painters since 70% of our sales already comes from them in the Dallas Forth Worth area, and professional painters will chose our brand as it is because of the quality and knowledge and service of our representatives. We have to focus on reaching out to the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† through retail accounts which is what the new sales representative will do. â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† 1) pick their project and product, 2) they gather information, 3) decide on the store, and 4) decide on the product they buy. So through a four step decision process of a â€Å"Do It Yourselfer† is where the sales representative will come into the picture to push them along to make the decision of choosing JanMar’s brand. Even if the sales representative made no new sales (which would not be the case if hired properly) and only was paid his salary, JanMar, Inc. still would still make $1,080,000 net profit before taxes which is smarter than implementing an added advertisement budget strategy, or cutting the price by 20%, or staying the same. It is better to have more people working in order to reach out to consumers and sell the product and brand. Sales representatives can truly connect to the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† through their knowledge and passion; rather than just focusing solely on a mass advertising plan that wastes money reaching out to people not even needing paints or cutting the costs so low that it takes away from the superior quality aspect. Therefore, I suggest that you hire a new sales representative because this option will be the most cost effective way to increase market share, revenue, and awareness in the architectural paint coatings marketing in the Southwest United States.