The Old Man and the Sea Essay Summary Example For Students

The Old Man and the Sea Essay Summary Relationship, External Nature and Dignity in The Old Man and The SeaMan has always suffered his most to achieve his goal. However if one doesnt experience the danger; will not be prepared to handle his problems. Experience is a part of life which gives man his true identity. Does this identity comes from ones luck or struggle? Relationships on the other hand interpret strength and dignity. Ernest Hemingway has shown this through Manolins behavior. He is a young boy who follows Santiago and listen to his wisdom. If this dignity is eliminated will it effect there relationship? Santiagos fight with nature symbolizes the troubles of existence. Does this mean that the outer existence is nothing but a perilous world? Relationship, External nature and Dignity are the major themes in The Old Man and the SeaA very important relationship in the novella The Old Man and the Sea is that between Manolin and Santiago. Manolin supports Santiago and helped him to confront his greatest challenge. Mano lin proves this when he says, I would like go fishing with you. I would like to serve you in some way (p. 15). Manolin is the first person who appreciates Santiagos experience and skills. He wants to be like Santiago and be a skillful fisherman (p.24). Manolins concern for Santiago is very significant to their relationship. It keeps the united even after a huge difference in their age. When Santiago returns after loosing his spectacular catch, its Manolin who cries at the sight of the wounds he saw the old mans hand and started to cry (p. 122), and vows that he will never allow the old man to fish alone again. Therefore Manolin has proven his relationship to Santiago through his moral respect. The danger confronting Santiago in the external nature represents the troubles of existence. Heminways, The Old Man and the Sea represents many meanings to the out side existence. The marlin for example represents struggle, trouble and the last challenge Santiago went through. Santiagos strugg le as a fisherman with marlin also symbolizes durability by putting up such a struggle. Accomplishing or obtaining something doesnt always end ones journey. Once Santiago hooked the fish (marlin) he still has further complications (p.57). First, the fish might dive to the bottom and break the line; second, it might die, and sink (p.72). The sharks bring him more trouble afterwards. The cost him to loose his stuff, He took my harpoon and my rope (p.103). The sharks represent those who tear apart ones success. Therefore, the external nature is nothing but affliction to the mankind. We will write a custom essay on The Old Man and the Sea Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Santiagos dignity as a human being is established by the code of values he loves because he is a fisherman. His last experience as a fisherman gains him his ultimate victory when he goes out and fights nature in the form of terrible creatures, among them, a marlin and sharks. He starts the story in a small skiff and moves out in a journey to capture a fish after a long losing streak of eighty- four days (p. 25). Santiago comes upon a force bigger than his skiff, the marlin that misleads him out past his intended reach (p. 62). Santiago has struggled for three days, which is significant because for three days he continues to fight on though his goal may not acquire anything. But at last his great will power and pride provides him with his greatest victory. Santiago is a man with a great pride and courage. He proves this point through his statement But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated (p. 103). This old wrinkled man finally over comes the great force of nature, the marlin by following the code of the fisherman. .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .postImageUrl , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:hover , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:visited , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:active { border:0!important; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:active , .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40 .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5490b0b6155d4cdedcec0278a2c30f40:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Tempest: Caliban EssayFinally this novella proves Santiagos profession as a fisherman which leads him to his final perilous experience and his relationship with Manolin .This story has good points, for when it comes to the better parts of the story, it emphasizes by placing in mind step by step of the way Santiago does certain actions. Hemingway has merged three themes already mentioned above successfully unto this book. Among them are Relationship, External Nature, and the code of dignity. The obvious ones are nature; its cruelty and compassion. Nature caused pain yet gained him victory, caused him emptiness yet satisfied him, and gave the fish yet reclaimed it. Natur e is actually more luck than a set of rules, for it can shift back and forth with the greatest of ease. The code of honor is not actually the hardest to interpret. It can only be pulled from context, which is the hardest to do. It has mainly to do with the rise, battle and fall of the prey and respect following.

Domino Marketing Plan Essays

Domino Marketing Plan Essays Domino Marketing Plan Essay Domino Marketing Plan Essay Domino’s Pizza Marketing Plan I. Executive Summary Domino’s Pizza’s strong financial performance during 2006 and into 2007 has given the company a significant amount of flexibility and freedom given the increased revenues and earnings in defining its strategies for the future. For continued growth however Dominos has to reduce customer churn, drive up same-store sales, continually reinforce and strengthen their brand, capitalize on the sociocultural shifts occurring in the United States and elsewhere, and finally continually redefine its in-store dining strategies relative to the growing rise of online sales. What is remarkable about Domino’s approach to marketing is the 14. 6% same-store growth the company has achieved from 2001 – 2005 according to JP Morgan (2006). This is nothing short of phenomenonal. Lesser competitors have higher in-store and same-store sales than Domino’s, and also have a broader mix of lunch and dinner alternatives. In addition, according to Roper (2005) 58% of American households are willing to try a new dinner alternative relative to cooking or ordering out. Compounding this is the fact that 73% or 3 out of every four households by 4:30pm have not decided what will be served for dinner according to JP Morgan (2006). These two insightful figures provide a glimpse into how volatile the quick-service restaurants (QSR) marketplace is. Clearly the use of up-sell, cross-sell and incentives to drive up same-store sales is critical in this market, as is the continual growth and focus on the brand globally, finally with a focus on innovation. These are the three most critical marketing strategies for Domino’s today. II. Situation Analysis Today Domino’s is the leader in the delivery segment of pizza sales in the U. S. , second only to Pizza Hut in total pizza sales, as this competitor has 4,000 Red Roof restaurants with over 100-person seating capacity. Domino’s strength in delivery is evidenced by the fact that the company delivers an average of one million pizzas a day and has the greatest market share of the delivery business at 19. 4% at the close of 2005 according to JP Morgan (2006). As of the close of 2006, the company is selling nearly 1 million pizzas a day between domestic and international operations according to JP Morgan (2006). This delivery-only approach allows Domino’s to focus its marketing and operations strategies on delivery only, without the distractions and potential struggles of a dine-in business, as is the case for Pizza Hut. According to many industry analysts and experts and also by reviewing Domino’s financials and low asset investments and exposure to long-term debt through ration analysis (see Appendix I for ratio analysis) the delivery-only business is the best area in which to operate within the $33 billion pizza market. Approximately $12 billion of the pizza category’s sales are through delivery, and according to Roper (2005) delivery will continue to gain share in the category as lifestyle trends continually place more and more of an emphasis on time and convenience, and using pizza delivery to overcome the highly hectic times from 4:30pm to 6pm on weeknights. This has also been validated through research completed by Domino’s Market Research (2005). Figure 2 illustrates how the change in families and lifestyles in general provide a favorable backdrop for the pizza delivery business. Figure 2: The shifting mix of pizza sales favor delivery With the growing amount of last-minute dinner decisions, pizza delivery is a timely and convenient option that gives families a viable meal replacement option for an affordable price. As daily lives become more hectic and people are less inclined to cook, shop, and clean, we would expect this occasion to increase and provide continued demand for pizza delivery III. Product Market Structure The quick-service restaurant (QSR) pizza category is the second-largest category within the $187 billion QSR sector, with an estimated $33 billion in 2005. The QSR pizza category consists of four components: delivery, dine-in, carryout, and a diminutive drive-thru business. Domino’s operates primarily within the delivery segment of the QSR pizza category. Delivery accounts for 36% of the total U. S. QSR pizza category, with $11. 8 billion in sales for the 12 months ended November 2005. Pizza delivery sales growth in the U. S. was close to flat during that same time frame, although over the ast several years, delivery has grown steadily as a percentage of the pizza category, to 36% of the pizza category sales in 2005 from 29% in 1997 according to NPD (2005) shown in Figure 3. Figure 3: Industry-wide pizza delivery choices by consumers IV. The External Environment The following sections of this marketing plan review industry analysis, competitive pressures, factors leading to ec onomic growth and stability, sociocultural trends, the customers’ environment, and the internal organizational climate. Industry Analysis Throughout the last five years, Domino’s has outperformed both Pizza Hut and Papa John’s in same-store sales growth. In the most recent surveys from Roper (2006) and JP Morgan (2006) there is clear evidence that Domino’s same store-sales will rebound significantly against by Papa John’s highly effective uses of promotion and new products. 2007’s competitive challenge is to re-invigorate same-store sales and become the industry leader once again. Papa John’s sales out performance has been driven by an improved and consistent delivery-focused marketing message, as well as strong new and limited-time-only products. Domino’s stressing Cheesy Bread, the Philly Cheese Steak pizza, and last year’s 5-5-5 promotion have all contributed to greater in-store sales yet the company is still struggling relative to competitors. Despite a strong presence in a very competitive category, Domino’s most pressing marketing challenge is to retain same-store sales leadership. The company has been extremely consistent in achieving at least some degree of same-store sales growth each year, an achievement that its peers cannot claim. Domino’s has had 12 consecutive years of flat or positive same-store sales growth. The most recent 7-7-7 promotion is anticipated to be just as success as 5-5-5 based on the feedback of franchise advisory council members. Porters’ Five Forces Model of Competition applied to Domino’s The five forces that comprise Dr. Porter’s model are industry competitors, pressure for substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, and the influence of potential entrants. Diagram 1 shows the Porter Five Forces Model graphically. Each of these areas is now discussed in bullet form in the following series of sections. Assessing Domino’s Industry Competitors Highly fragmented series of competitors throughout all nations Dominos competes in makes branding consistency and product quality critical. Strongest global competitor is Pizza Hut. Significant churn in the smaller mom-and-pop independent shops. Pressure from Substitute Products Significant competition from QSR concepts that include both lunch and dinner, and also have a steady stream of new products and services. Focus on QSR entrees that are easily delivered by drivers is the major substitute competitive threat. Instant dinner products in many food stores is also forcing a significant emphasis on innovation over simply relying on price as the competitive strength. Bargaining Power of Buyers Dominos’ buyers demand innovation in the form of both new menu and food items but also in the definition of new pizza concepts. Pizza Hut has been slow to innovate on certain product areas and as a result has faced pressure from buyers as they seek out competitor’s newer pizza and dinner offerings. Domino’s customers demand regional variation and quality. Their most loyal customers are less concerned with price and more concerned with consistent quality and taste. Domino’s customers are less price-sensitive than the majority of pizza purchasers As a result the customer base has significant influence on future product direction. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Highly dependent on the very volatile commodity of cheese and its price. The price of cheese has a direct impact on the company’s broader profitability. Domino’s has yet to fully vertically integrate into cheese production, yet has moved aggressively into dough and distribution facilities to gain greater control over their supply chain Highly dependent on the price of other dairy and cheese products as well, as innova tion in this industry centers on how to re-define entirely new product concepts based on cheeses. Potential Entrants Apart from Pizza Hut and Papa Johns at a national level, Domino’s has no chain-based competitors today of any size in the United States today. Secondary competitors include the smaller chains of ten stores or more stores that comprise 40% of the total U. S. pizza market. Competitive Pressures Most Prevalent in Advertising Advertising as a Competitive Weapon Domino’s has the second-largest advertising budget in the pizza category behind Pizza Hut. Although Domino’s advertising budget is lower than Pizza Hut’s in the aggregate, the company can narrow its focus on promoting its delivery business. Almost every Domino’s Pizza commercial features a delivery driver, and its slogan, â€Å"Get the Door, Its Domino’s,† has helped create a top-of-mind awareness that has made the Domino’s brand synonymous with pizza delivery. Recently, the company has been at the forefront of alternative media strategies that use various Internet promotions as well as product placements in movies such as In Good Company and television shows like The Apprentice. The pizza QSR category is very advertising driven in general, and any additional media weight can be pivotal given that approximately 85% of transactions include an advertised deal, promotion, or coupon according to Roper (2005 and JP Morgan (2006). Franchisees from Domino’s agree with an advertising shift toward national media once again because of the impressive 4. 6% same-store sales growth that it helped generate at franchised stores from 2001 2005. Although franchisees are given the option to spend less on local advertising to offset the national increase, the company expects many franchisees to continue prior local marketing levels. Domino’s sees much higher advertising effectiveness from national media buys versus local media, as the former are 40% more efficient than local media buys, and that national television reaches 20% more of its target customers than local television. Pizza Hut, Domino’s most dominant global competitor, was clearly way behind all three national pizza chains in 2006, with a very weak innovation story on new products to sell, and more re-shuffling of menu items with aggressive pricing and programs to bring in the lucrative in-store buyer. The net result from this lack of innovation was Pizza Hut losing significant market share. It’s expected that Pizza Hut will be more competitive to be more promotional throughout 2006, and would expect aggressive advertising that accentuates a â€Å"value† message. Economic Growth and Stability Critical to the economic growth and stability of Domino’s is the predictable revenue stream from franchisees, which continues to have above average rates of return for franchisees. The ROI for any given franchisee hovers in the 40% range based on an annual sales volume of $650,000. Figure 4 shows the distribution of franchisees across the United States. Figure 4: Distribution of Domino’s franchisees throughout the US A true competitive strength, franchisees for Domino’s are one of the most potent competitive advantages the company has. The majority of franchise owners come up through the franchise system, have an average length of relationship with Domino’s for 9 years or more. A sure sign of franchisee loyalty is the 99% contract renewal Domino’s is able to generate year over year, and the fact that 98% of the stores purchase all their ingredients and food products from Domino’s Corporate. There is also a 99% royalty and distribution receivables rate across all franchisees and less than an 8% attrition rate of franchisees globally. Figure 5 provides for an analysis of the dynamics of franchise store ownership. Figure 5: Dynamics of store ownership The Customer Environment Pizza sales are by far most common during the dinner day-part, consisting of more than 53% of Domino’s sales. Late night is a pretty significant piece of the business at 13. 8%, and could continue to be an opportunity in the category. Figure 6 from the Domino’s Annual Report shows the distribution of pizza sales by day part. Figure 6: Analyzing Pizza Sales by Hour of Day To counter this trend of dinner being by far the most critical time for any pizza delivery business, Domino’s competitors are experimenting with food products to move into other meals. Breakfast is not sold at most pizza operators; however, Papa John’s is in the process of testing breakfast pizzas such as â€Å"pizza omelets. † Interestingly, pizza sales also tend to be skewed toward weekends, when customers order pizzas not only as a meal replacement but also for special occasions. Weekday sales may also present an opportunity for pizza operators as the demands on people’s time increase and a greater premium is placed on the convenience of ordering pizza on a weeknight. During the week, sales should increasingly benefit from busy households that, when returning home from a long day of work would rather order a pizza than cook and clean. Figure 7 provides an analysis of how Domino’s management sees the opportunity for delivering pizza and other entrees adaptable to home delivery. Figure 7: Domino’s Value Pyramid Demographically, consumers within the 15- to 34-year-old range are the most pizza-friendly. Based on the 2000 Census, trends in population demographics imply a steady increase in the percentage of people within this age range in the United States. V. SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong and well-diversified franchise system Domino’s has developed a large, profitable, and committed franchise organization that is a critical component of its system-wide success and leading position in pizza delivery. In addition, Domino’s shares 50% of the pre-tax profits generated by its regional dough manufacturing and distribution centers with those domestic franchisees who agree to purchase all of their food from the company’s distribution system. These arrangements strengthen Domino’s ties with its franchisees by enhancing their profitability while providing the company with a continuing source of revenues and earnings. This arrangement also provides incentives for franchisees to work closely to reduce costs. The strong, mutually beneficial franchisee relationships are evidenced by the over 98% voluntary participation in Domino’s domestic distribution system, over 99% domestic franchise contract renewal rate and over 99% collection rate on domestic franchise royalty and domestic distribution receivables. Top pizza delivery-company in the US with a leading international presence Domino’s is the number one pizza delivery company in the US with a 19. 5% market share based on reported consumer spending as of the close of 2006. With 62% of the global 7156 stores located in the all the states in the US, the domestic store delivery areas cover a majority of US households. The company’s share position and scale allow it to leverage its purchasing power, distribution strength and advertising investment across its franchisees. Outside the US, the company has significant share positions in the key markets in which it competes, including, among other countries, Mexico (where it is the largest quick service restaurant (QSR) company in terms of store count in any QSR category), the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Dominos’ has a leading presence in most of these international markets as well. Global brand awareness The Domino’s Pizza brand is one of the most widely-recognized consumer brands in the world and its unique value propositions are instantly recognizable through the series of one-line positioning statements the company relies on for quick name recognition. Consumers associate this brand with the timely delivery of quality, affordable pizza and complementary side items. The Domino’s Pizza brand has been routinely named a MegaBrand by Advertising Age. Domino’s continues to reinforce this brand with extensive advertising through television, radio and print over the past five years, the company’s domestic franchise and company-owned stores have invested an estimated $1. 3 billion on national, local and co-operative advertising in the US. The company also enhances the strength of its brand through marketing affiliations with brands such as Coca-Cola and NASCAR. For 2006, advertising was increased 25%, from 4% to 5% of Sales dedicated to this strategy. Approximately 94% of pizza consumers in the US are estimated to be aware of the Domino’s Pizza brand. The brand is particularly strong among pizza consumers for whom dinner is a fairly spontaneous event, which industry research indicates to be the case in nearly 50% of pizza dining occasions. In these situations, service and product quality are the consumers’ priorities, the epitome of Domino’s existence. Weaknesses Dropping Revenue per employee For full financial ratio analysis of Domino’s please see Appendix I. Domino’s revenue per employee is considerably lower than the industry average in the US. Comparing the revenue per employee of its competitors such as Wendy’s ($3. 7 million) and Yum Brands ($1. 6 million), the closest competitors of Domino’s, the company derives much lower revenues per employees. Lower revenues per employee signify lower productivity for the company as compared to its competitors and the need for more effective use of operations and service programs to get higher levels of productivity from each employee. Over-reliance on US Domino’s is striving to be a global company yet has strong ties in both company culture and operational performance to the US. In 2005 the company generated less than 10% of total sales from international markets, with US markets comprising the bulk of sales and profits. The US consumer spending is also expected to face a downturn in the light of rising interest rates and fluctuating inflation. Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of all economic activities in US, implying its influential role in shaping up US economy. Any material impact on consumer spending can affect the economy and thus businesses directly. For a company like Domino’s, consumer spending is a very important factor that may affect the business of the company. This reliance on a single market, which faces the threat of declining consumer spending, has increased the company’s risk profile. Opportunities Domino’s plans to continue to promote its successful advertising campaign Get the Door. It’s Domino’s, through national, local and co-operative media. Beginning in 2005 and continuing to today, each of the domestic stores increased its contributions to the advertising fund for national advertising from 3% to 4% of retail sales. The company intends to leverage its strong brand by continuing to introduce innovative, consumer-tested and profitable new pizza varieties (such as Domino’s Philly Cheese Steak Pizza and Domino’s Doublemelt Pizza) and complementary side items (such as buffalo wings, cheesy bread, Domino’s Buffalo Chicken Kickers and Cinna Stix) as well as through marketing affiliations with brands such as Coca-Cola and NASCAR. The focus throughout all these activities is to drive up same-store revenues and increasingly put pressure on Papa John’s Pizza recent increase in performance on this key metric. Expansion and optimization of domestic store base The company plans to continue expanding its base of domestic stores to take advantage of the attractive growth opportunities in US pizza delivery. The scale of operation allows Domino’s to expand its franchisee base without adding significantly to infrastructure costs. Additionally, the franchise-oriented business model allows expanding the store base with little if any capital investment, as franchisees pays for their own fixed assets. International business expansion Pizza’s global appeal has on the one hand been a central focus for Domino’s yet on the other has continually frustrated their attempts to move into the global markets more aggressively and with stronger results. Domino’s continues to built a broad international platform, almost through its master franchise model, as evidenced by the nearly 2,900 international stores in more than 50 countries. These international stores have produced positive quarterly same store sales growth for 44 consecutive quarters. Threats Challenged by rapid cheese cost fluctuations Back in 2004, cheese prices skyrocketed to an all-time high, with Domino’s paying an average of $1. 64 per pound for cheese that year. The company’s gross margins fell by 70 percent, in part due to the higher cost for cheese. The forecasting of cheese prices is capricious and difficult, and yet it is the one single commodity that is critical to the success of Domino’s long-term. The swings in the popularity of low-carb diets also have impacted the company’s ability to sell given the high cheese content of their pizzas and food items. Increasing retail rental rates Domino’s ability to expand also is dependent on retail locations and their prices as well. In areas where real estate is at a premium, the costs of starting up a new Domino’s are astronomical. The investment required for a new retail location in a large metro area is typically at rents 4% to 6% above what a comparable suburban or rural location can be created from. Focus towards health consciousness Over the past few years the focus on low carb diets and healthy eating has continually impacted the sales of fast food products, Books and now movies extolling the evils of fast food are also having a direct effect on the sales of food by QSR outlets. Consumers are showing increased preference for fat-free and healthy food products. Food items containing trans-fat are losing market share as they are linked to cardiovascular diseases. This could impact the revenues of the company. Market saturation By most analysts’ and experts’ forecasts, the US fast food market is close to saturation. This translates into the need for highly unique value propositions, new product introductions every year that grab the attention of the consumer who is open to trying new foods for dinner, and a focus on quality to ensure customer satisfaction with the new products. Between 2004 and 2008, the US fast food market is expected to increase in value by only 1. 7% to reach approximately US$153. billion. Thus, the potential growth for fast-food chains like Domino’s’ does not seem too high. Marketing Plan VI. Marketing Goals and Objectives The following marketing goals and objectives that Domino’s needs to accomplish in 2007 to continue its market leadership: 1. Aggressively drive up same-store sales by 30% through the aggressive use of national advertising and the bundling of pizza and dessert offerings including drinks. 2. Minimize customer churn by 15% through loyalty programs. . Grow web-based ordering by 15% through the use of coupons and specials available only on the web. VII. Marketing Strategies a. Primary Target Market The primary target market for Domino’s Pizza is the hectic household, with a per capita income of $46,000 a year in major metro areas with populations of 1 million or more. This market is further differentiated in that it contains or more children under 18, and the majority of evenings there is confusion and little thought to what is for dinner. This fits with the statistic of 73% of households do not know what they will have for dinner at 4:30pm every evening. b. Marketing Mix i. Product Definition: A pizza large enough to feed a family of four with several alterative toppings included and a series of vegetarian, beef, chicken or seafood combinations as well. [pic] The following is a perceptual map that shows the relationship of Domino’s relative to other brands in the competitive arena. i. Pricing: Competitively priced with high enough margins for the franchisees to make some margin as well. iii. Promotion: The Family Meal Replacement Strategy starts with the 7-7-7 strategy as defined in earlier parts of this plan, including a focus on the areas of core programming around bundling to reduce customer churn. iv. Place: Primarily a delivery product, this will be a meal served in thirty minutes or less. VIII. Marketing Implementation |Drive up same-store sales by 30%|Minimize customer churn by 15% |Grow web-based order ing by 15% | |Product | | | | |Easy-to-deliver highly nutritious meal | | | | | |X | | | |â€Å"finger food† for watching a DVD at home| | | | |(orderable over the Web) |X | |X | | | | | | |Deep fried cinnamon buns for dessert | | | | | | | | | |Sandwiches for lunch by ordering out | | | | | |X |X (as a essert ad-on) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |X | | | |X (office catering) | |X orderable over the web | |Price | | | | |Stay with price positioning that | | | | |connotes value over cheapness |X |X |X | | | | | | |Define price off couponing to drive up | | | | |web ordering | | | | | | | |X | |Loyalty Program | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |X | | |Distribution | | | | |Reward franchisees for selling more | | | | |through the web with greater margin | | |X | | | | | |Focus on repeat purchasers and customer | | | | |lifetime value with price breaks for | | | | |loyalty programs |X |X | | | | | | | |Build franchisee locations to focus on | | | | |reducing customer churn through pe rsonal| | | | |service | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |X |X | | |Promotion or IMC | | | | | | | | | |Extensive use of bundling and focus on |X |X | | |promotions for most loyal customers | | | | | | | | | |Define national ads to reward best | | | | |customers | | | | |X |X | | |National ad to launch web-only | | | | |sandwiches and light catering for | | | | |offices with a give-away of a Mini |X | |X | |Cooper | | | | | | | | | IX. Budgets In order to accomplish the three marketing objectives mentioned, two major investments need to be made, and they are a customer lifetime value tracking system, and also an accentuated web ordering system for capturing light catering orders that will be the center of the future go-to-market strategies for moving up-market into businesses. Cost Components |Customer Lifetime value tracking |Web ordering system for light catering | |Application Development |$120,000 |$320,000 | |Professional Services |$260,000 |$640,000 | |Total Co sts |$380,000 |$960,000 | |Applications (%) |31. 5% |33% | Net Present Value and Sensitivity Analysis For the customer tracking system, assuming a 5% discount rate, a 7 year life of the project, and a cash flow of $1M in the first year, followed by $2M in the second year, $2. 5M in the 3rd year, and $3M in the 4th and 5th year, and $4M in the 6th through 10th years yields a NPV of $1,951,375. The present value of expected cash flows is $2,331,375. For the Web ordering system for light catering, assuming a 5% discount rate and a 7 year life of the project, and the a cash flow of $1M in the first year, followed by $2M in the second year, $2. 5M in the 3rd year, and $3M in the 4th year, and $4M in the 5th through 10th years yields a NPV of $1,449,727 and a present value of expected cash flows of $2,409,727. Assumptions The following are the significant assumptions behind the revenue figures: 1. Professional services will be highest on order capture due to the extensive integration required to complete this application development. 2. The highest dollar figure for professional services however comes from order management, which includes the most complex integration tasks. 3. Definition of the internal development costs include outsourcing the development of internal tools and the acquisition of specific tools for the managing of source code and documentation. X. Evaluation, Control, and Contingency Plans In terms of these systems, the following measures of performance will be used. These metrics capture the extent and level of performance possible when integrations are in place, and reflect the stronger levels of ROI possible: 1. The Perfect Order Defines the number of catering orders correctly filled every day from a franchisee. 2. Lead escalation ratio – Defines the number of leads that are escalated to the top-performing franchisees. The focus is on moving leads for light catering to the top-performing members of the channel. 3. Gross Margin per Order – This is a critical link to measure the level of profitability per order. 4. Usage rate by franchisee – This is essential to find out if the designed systems and applications are meeting the needs of the external stakeholders they were specifically developed for. In addition, the following metrics will be used to measure the performance of these strategies over time: 1. Monthly same-store sales analysis by region 2. Gross margin by franchisee region and nation 3. Aided and unaided awareness of the new national advertising programs imed at launching sandwich service through catering to lunch working sessions in companies 4. Focus on lifetime value analysis and assessment through new automated systems that track and highlight those customers who show the greatest potential to turn into lifetime customers. This investment in IT is going to make it possib le to find the most loyal customers and target them with special promotions. 5. Number of web orders placed, and margin per web order placed – this is going to be critical for measuring the impact of the new system for placing online orders and getting automated fulfillment. XI. Appendices Appendix I: Domino’s Pizza Ratio Analysis 2001 – 2006 |Dominos Pizza Inc. | | | | | |Profitability Ratios |1/1/2006 |1/2/2005 |12/28/2003 |12/29/2002 |12/30/2001 | | | | | | | | |Return on Equity (%) |-21. 19 |-11. 33 |-5. 44 |-16. 11 |- | |Return on Assets (%) |23. 48 |13. 92 |8. 7 |14. 31 |- | |Return on Investment |31. 58 |21. 31 |14. 56 |22. 3 |- | |Gross Margin |0. 025 |0. 024 |0. 026 |0. 026 |0. 025 | |EBITDA of Revenue (%) |15. 52 |14. 58 |15. 75 |15. 38 |13. 21 | |Operating Margin (%) |13. 17 |11. 85 |11. 96 |12. 38 |10. 1 | |Pre-Tax Margin |11. 46 |6. 92 |4. 68 |7. 54 |15. 69 | |Net Profit Margin (%) |7. 16 |4. 31 |2. 93 |4. 4 |13. 83 | |Effective Tax Rate (%) |37. 5 |37. 75 |37. 48 |37. 11 |11. 9 | | | | | | | | |Liquidity Indicators | | | | | | |Quick Ratio |0. 68 |0. 64 |0. 63 |0. 57 |- | |Current Ratio |1. 02 |1 |0. 99 |0. 4 |- | |Working Capital/Total Assets |0. 01 |0 |0 |-0. 02 |- | | | | | | | | |Debt Management | | | | | | |Current Liabilities/Equity |-0. 43 |-0. 34 |-0. 26 |-0. 42 |- | |Total Debt to Equity |-1. 44 |-1. 42 |-1. 34 |-1. 7 |- | |Long Term Debt to Assets |1. 52 |1. 69 |2. 1 |1. 42 |- | | | | | | | | |Asset Management | | | | | | |Revenues/Total Assets |3. 28 |3. 23 |2. 97 |3. 02 |- | |Revenues/Working Capital |381. 62 |-8,218. 3 |-1,057. 35 |-125. 08 |- | |Interest Coverage |4. 55 |2. 64 |1. 84 |2. 59 |-1. 89 | Appendix I I: Domino’s Pizza Business Segment Analysis 2001 – 2006 |Dominos Pizza Business Segment Analysis | | | | | | | | | | | | |Total Revenues | | | | |Report Date 1/1/2006 |1/2/2005 |12/28/2003 |12/29/2002 |12/30/2001 | | | | | | | | | Domestic Stores |562,865 |537,488 |519,879 |517,200 |496,384 | | Domestic Distribution |935,461 |902,413 |821,695 |779,684 |796,808 | | International |129,635 |116,983 |96,386 |81,762 |69,995 | | Total |1,627,961 |1,556,884 |1,437,960 |1,378,646 |1,363,187 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Operating Income | | | | | | | | | | | | Domestic Stores |148,920 |131,518 |127,082 |126,714 |114,253 | | Domestic Distribution |52,959 |46,110 |45,946 |43,155 |38,068 | | International |36,947 |34,079 |28,117 |25,141 |15,162 | | Total |238,826 |211,707 |201,145 |195,010 |167,483 | XII. References Domino’s Market Research (2005) – From the 2005 Analyst Day Presentation Accessed from the Internet on February 22, 2007 from location: http://media. corporate-ir. net/media_files/irol/13/135383/presentations/DPZ_InvDayAll. pdf JP Morgan (2006) – Domino’s Pizza Inc. JP Morgan Consumer Retail Holiday Conference Presentation. From the Investor’s Section of the Domino’s website. Accessed from the Internet on February 22, 2007 from location: http://library. corporate-ir. net/library/13/135/135383/items/225605/InvestorPresJPMorgan. pdf [pic] March, 2005 investor presentation given by Domino’s CEO – Downloaded from the Investor’s Section of the website on February 22, 2007 from location:: http://media. corporate-ir. net/media_files/irol/13/135383/presentations/DPz_052506. pdf Roper (2005) – Roper Starch Worldwide Market Research. Bakery and Pizza Goods Market Analysis, 2005. From a press release at Pizza Marketing Quarterly: pmq. com/industrynews. shtml accessed from the Internet on February 22, 2007. Roper (2006) – Roper Starch Worldwide Market Research. Bakery and Pizza Goods Market Analysis, 2006. From a press release at Pizza Marketing Quarterly: pmq. com/industrynews. shtml Accessed from the Internet on February 22, 2007. Diagram 1: Porters’ Five Forces Model

McKinsey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

McKinsey - Essay Example One of its values includes delivering the best in the most cost effective manner to their clients, which necessitates high performance at all levels in order to achieve their mission. Such high performance and high motivation are achieved at McKinsey by following a comprehensive performance management system that is also congruent with the nature of their work and is apt for their employee skill set. Performance assessment is based on objectives that are set in advance to every employee. 1. Type of Feedback: At McKinsey, all analysts, engagement managers and principals receive periodic feedback from their reporting managers. For instance, all analysts/consultants’ performance is reviewed at the end of each engagement and they receive a detailed feedback for every activity performed on the job (Farshad). They receive feedback from their engagement managers at the end of each engagement. Here, engagement managers are evaluated on how well they train their consultants and not jus t the profitability of their particular practice; they are encouraged to provide a balanced feedback to their team members (Ethan 150-155). McKinsey also follows an annual performance appraisal process after a number of mini evaluations for every consultant so that they are on track and focused towards goals. 2. Organizational & Procedural Justice McKinsey’s unique policies and practices such as the alumni program, the mini MBA program, training and skill enhancement practices etc. are highly appreciated and valued by its employees throughout the world (WetFeet Insider Guide 30). Many employees acknowledge that they receive full support and encouragement from their leaders and the company to pursue their interests, initiatives and careers inside and outside McKinsey. McKinsey boasts of spending millions on training programs that help in developing consultants and leaders of the McKinsey type. Furthermore, in order to deliver the best results and performance, McKinsey focuses on continuous learning rather than short-term training sessions. These continuous learning practices actually help the employees develop skills and expertise that can not only be used at McKinsey & Co but also after their tenure with the company. McKinsey adopts unique problem-solving techniques to resolve issues brought forward by its employees, based on logic, root cause analysis and fair judgment. However, employees are expected to adopt high integrity, honesty and commitment once associated with the company at all costs; in case of any exceptions, they are free to move on or are forced to move out. VII. Reward & Pay 1. Reward Management: Being employed by McKinsey is a reward in itself considering its high working standards and lifestyle besides other rewards that come in the form of salary and incentives including various types of employee benefits that are hard to match by competitors. McKinsey’s reward and remuneration packages vary distinctly for employees at all leve ls and in different geographic locations; however, these packages are certainly most competitive in their field and location. Standard remuneration appraisals are based on accurate and systematic evaluation processes across all locations. According to WetFeet reports, McKinsey rewards its undergraduate analysts by giving them frequent salary raises as a

Two pantings from the getty museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two pantings from the getty museum - Essay Example Both paintings are approximately from the same time period, with about 20 years difference between each other, both are allegorical, and both make an open and manifest reference to fields of knowledge through the humanization of concepts, personifying mentations. But there the similarities end. Van Mieris' diminutive Pictura is an oil-on-copper that displays a frequent simplicity in tandem with a minute attention to detail (see Getty Museum), typical of the Dutch art from the period, as well as the pearlescent finish in general achieved by using copper as a medium. It is a tiny portrait (5" x 3 ") of a young girl (Pictura, the art of painting in human form) who has an unobtrusive aura about her, whether worked in by Van Mieris or inherent to her nature, we will never know. In the crook of her left arm she holds a small figure, a white sculpture of a nude man that looks very Greco-Roman in its workmanship, possibly alluding to the rediscovery of classical antiquity -that is, an idealized vision of Greek and Roman culture- as a major factor for explaining the origin of the Renaissance (see "Classical"). Also in her left hand she holds a palette and some brushes. Her right hand is poised on a necklace from which a large mask pendant hangs.

Child Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Child Observation - Essay Example After about five minutes of solitaire play with his toy car which was interjected with loving remarks from his mother and aunt, Jack was joined by his brother. The brother apparently envied the attention and attempted to grab some. He proceeded to snatch the toy from Jack who decided that he was not about to let anyone steal his thunder or his toy. Jack literally flew on his older brother. The impact of Jack’s body connecting with his brother’s brought the brother to the ground. They rolled on the ground for about a second when the aunt barked at them to stop. Jack released his hold crying and complaining in an incomprehensible language. His brother was then disciplined and Jack quickly stopped the crying and began to console his brother. Biologically, Jack has developed on an average scale with other 23 month toddlers. Prenatally his mother notes his similar development to his brother, that is, a normal development. There were no complications during prenatal or actual delivery of Jack. At birth and for the first year of his life, he was below the border line in terms of physical growth both with the size of his head and his general weight. However, by the middle of his second year he had developed just barely above the border line in the average weight of children his age. Although his mother insists that he has an above average appetite he still remains at the border line. Jack’s mother maintains that Jack is able to assist in brushing his teeth. He dresses himself, that is, he puts on his pants albeit it reaches around his waist like a belt because both of his legs are in the same pants leg but he is proud when he does it. Endless mess is the order of the day when he insists on feeding himself. He has yet showed no signs of readiness for toilet training except that he is able to remove his pants for himself. Thus, his mother confirms that he is on par with the other 23 month old toddler development. Cognitively, Jack

Communication Within Unilever Plc

Communication Within Unilever Plc 1.1 Introduction and background of research This research is based on the topic How the channels of communication with employees might be improved in a multinational organization. Unilever PLC is a leading multinational in Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector and it operates over hundred of countries worldwide. Unilever maintains its leading edge by establishing superior standards, latest managerial systems and state of art technology. Most importantly the main focus of Unilever business is to run in profitable manner while complying with statutory and legal requirements in to the maximum extent, in each and every place it operates. Unilever is therefore highly concerns about implementation of latest and successful managerial systems in its production plants in very first time it is possible. Moreover Unilever contributes for developing these systems to match with company requirements and hence most of managerial systems that Unilever implemented are quite superior to others and can easily be differentiated from managerial systems of its competitors. Product Range of Unilever PLC is Home and personnel care, Margarines, fat spreads, Tea and supplementary food products. There are 400 brands and 14 categories of home, personal care and foods products, no other company touches so many peoples lives in so many different ways. Unilevers brand portfolio has made them leaders in every field in which they work. Knorr, Lipton, Dove Omo are some examples for trusted brands. In the Sri Lankan context Unilever could pass by all its competitors and to make its all brands to be the flag ships. At the moment Unilever Sri Lanka Limited owns twenty two global brands which are very much familiar to Sri Lankans as things touching their hearts. Lux, Sunsilk, Signal, Astra and Lifebuoy are some of those popular brands. Brand communication can be a powerful force for behavior change. They have the opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles among our millions of consumers. At the same time they have a duty to market their products responsibly and provide their consumers with clear and simple information about the products they make and how they can fit into a healthy and balanced diet. This depends on effective communication. As a multinational company that has been created a very good brand loyalty in consumers mind they will have to satisfy their customer requirements to the maximum level. In order to do this Unilever will have to adopt according to the changes in customer requirements. As the market grows rapidly new products from competitors are coming to the market frequently. For their survival they will have to produce new ranges of products and to do modifications for their existing products as customer requirements are changing rapidly. To do these kinds of Modifications Companys communication process and communication channels should be of high quality. Quick decisions will have to be made; for that employees will have to send their messages and information faster and get feedback very quickly. For this purpose the company uses many methods (channels). Since this is a global company their companies are scattered all over the world. Therefore there should be a strong communication network within each and every company. Unilever PLC uses strategies and guidelines to give directions for employees. As a result the employees would have a clear idea of what the company is expected from them; they would know what their duties and responsibilities are. Then they will be motivated as their duties are being simplified and specified. This will create efficient employees and would be resulted in productivity increase. Through strategies and guidelines more detailed information can be provided to employees. More and specific information gives subordinates a feeling of confidence and security; lack of information promotes insecurity and a feeling of not being trusted. By doing this they are able to get maximum out of employees. This organization gets ideas and views of employees about the policies and procedures being applied by the company. It would help the top management to identify their weaknesses and take necessary actions to revise their policies and procedures. Unilever has put a great effort to engage wit employees to find out whether they understand the companys vision and role that is being expected from them. The company gets ideas from employees to know what their perception on the changes the company has to do to achieve their ambitions. In 2009 Unilever began an employee engagement programme that will ensure employees are involved in Unilevers vision and plans for the future. Uniliver gather feedback from employees through regular employee engagement surveys. A Global People Survey (GPS) of all Unilever employees is conducted every two to three years. Unilevers management population is also invited to participate in a refined version of the survey GPS-Pulse, which is conducted at six-monthly intervals in the years when GPS is not taking place. The GPS-Pulse conducted in September 200 highlighted that people are proud to work for Unilever and feel good about the culture and business. Results also showed increased confidence in leader ship and the direction that the company is taking. Feedback also has pointed to areas where the company needed to do better and these were actioned by the Unilever Executive and their senior leaders. Through these kinds of strategies employees will feel that theyre being valued and recognized by the company and they will be motivated to work hard to achieve objectives of the company. Being a multinational organization Unilever PLC uses telephones to communicate with their peers. They have the ability to exchange their ideas over the phone and to get the feedback of the other party. Exchanging messages over the phone would fasten the decision making process and it will affect their smooth operation positively. Letters, memos and e-mails are anther methods of communication used by Unilever PLC. Since these are written communication channels they will help employees to get clear idea by reading them. If there is a long list of directions to be given to employees these channels would be more effective as they are in writing. Since everything is in writing it will be easy for them to comply with these requirements. Research Objectives and Hypothesis The completion of this research intends to achieve the following objectives in relation to Unilever PLC. To identify the channels of communication used by the Organization To study how to improve the channels of communication with employees of the organization. To find possible strengths and weaknesses in communication channels currently being used by the company. To suggest methods to avoid current weaknesses in communication channels. Hypothesis Finding how the channels of communication with employees might be improved in a multinational organization is the objective of this research. Accordingly, hypothesis of the research is defined as below, H0: The channels of communication with employees in existence within the organization are adequate. H1: The channels of communication with employees in existence within the organization are not adequate. Research Scope For this research qualitative research techniques have to be used. Since this is a qualitative one it is difficult to set standard guidelines to identify whether the organizations current communication channels are suitable or not. This should be done compared to another organization. It would be difficult to select a suitable benchmark. When carrying out a research feedback should be taken from employees at different levels such as managers and lower level employees in a way that covers the entire organization. Since their ideas are different the results cannot be generalized. LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction to Literature Review The research literature review is based the theories and researches previously done by scholars. These should be applied in the research. Clearly defined research problem and research methods have to be included. Review of Relevant Theories and Literature A typical day for a manager includes doing desk work attending scheduled meetings , placing and receiving telephone calls, reading and answering correspondence , attending unscheduled meetings and tours. Most of these activities involves communication. In fact, managers usually spend more than half of their time communicating in some way. Communication always involves two or more persons , so other behavioral process such as motivation, leadership and group and team processes all come into play. Top executives must handle communication effectively if they are to be true leader. Communication is concerned with the making of meaning and the exchange of understanding. One model of communication considers it from the perspective of transmitting information from one person to another. Communication is very important for all kinds of business organization. According to researches carried out by many authors, communication and communication channels play a very important role in any business organization. Different people have carried out researches relating to communication and efficiency of communication channels. Few examples are as follows; A web article defines a communication channel as, Medium through which a message is transmitted to its intended audience, such as print media or broadcast (electronic) media. As per Quincy Wright, Communication channels can be understood simply as the modes or pathways through which two parties might communicate. As population grows and technology evolves accordingly, these channels of communication change as well. (A Study of War, 1967) According to a web article, In the basic communication process, a sender puts a message in words and transmits it to a receiver who interprets the message. The medium the sender chooses to transmit the message is called the communication channel. There are many communication channels being used by different organizations. Some of these are universally familiar methods where as some of them are specific to certain organizations. Listed below are few methods among them. Letters/ memos/ reports Although there is an increase in the usage of electronic communication, most people seem to receive their messages on paper. This may be because there is no e-mail link between the parties, because a hard copy is required to meet audit or legal requirements or because the recipient feels more comfortable to read from paper than from a screen. Manuals This is also a paper document and the main purpose of this is reference. Fax This method uses public telephones to deliver documents from one place to another. In this method original hard copy is not sent to the receiver. E-mail This is a very efficient method of communicating where whole documents can be sent through internet. This provides many cost advantages when compared to telephones and other paper based communication methods. Intranet This method is also same as the internet method, but this used to deliver documents, images and so on within an organization. In this method also information is much less expensive to distribute and maintain when compared to paper based communication methods. Meetings Two or more people get together and carryout discussions related to different areas to take decisions or to solve problems. This is a verbal communication method where the feedback will be received at the same time. Telephone This is a two way communication method. It is now possible to reach people practically anytime, anywhere over the phone. Video conferencing Under video conferencing system phone lines are used to transmit video and sound between two or more parties. Real time video conferences can be conducted when parties participated to the meeting are in remote locations. Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person to another. Effective communication is the process of sending a message in such a way that the message received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended. Effective communication is based on the ideas of meaning and consistency of meaning. Meaning is the idea that the individual who initiates the communication exchange wishes to convey. Communication also relates directly to the basic management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Environmental scanning, integrating planning-time horizons, and decision making for example, all necessitate communication. Delegation, coordination, and organization change and development also entail communication. Communication is essential to establishing standards, monitoring performance and taking corrective actions as a part of control. Clearly, then, communication is a pervasive part of virtually all managerial activities. The Communication Process As figure shows, noise can disrupt the communication process at any step. Managers must therefore understand that a conversation in the next office, a fax machine out of paper and the receivers worries may all thwart the managers best attempts to communicate. Sender Firm that sends the message. Message What is being transmitted from sender to receiver. Encoding Message translated into appropriate meaning. This is the process through which the message is symbolized. Channel The medium through which the message is being sent. Decoding Process that translate the message and generating the meaning out of it. Receiver Firm that receives the message. Feedback Process by which the receiver sends his responds to the sender. Interpersonal communication focuses on communication among people at work. Two important forms of interpersonal communication, oral and written, both offer unique advantages and disadvantages. Thus the manager should weigh the pros and cons of each when choosing a medium for communication. Communication channels play a vital role in communication. Messages are conveyed through channels. Telephone, videoconferencing, face-to-face meetings are some examples for verbal communication, where as letters, memos, e-mails, reports are some examples for written communication. Channel should be selected based on the nature of the message or the information that is being transmitted or exchanged. Different channels have their respective strengths and weaknesses. For example, it would be ineffective to give a long list of directions verbally. There are a variety of forms of organizational communication. Vertical communication between superiors and subordinates may flow upwards or downwards. Horizontal communication involves peers and colleagues at the same level in the organization. Organizations also use information systems to manage communication. Electronic communication is likely to have a profound effect on managerial and organizational communicational in the years to come. A great deal of informal communication also occurs in organizations. Communication networks are recurring patterns of communication among members of a group. The grapevine is the informal communication network among people in an organization. Management by wandering around is also a popular informal method of communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, body movements, physical contact, gestures and inflection and tone. Managing the communication process necessitates recognizing the barriers to effective communication and understanding how to overcome them. Barriers can be identified at both the individual and organizational levels. Likewise, both individual and organizational skills can be developed to overcome these barriers. Barriers to effective Communication, Individual barriers Conflicting or inconsistent cues Credibility about the subject Reluctance to communicate Poor listening skills Predispositions about the subject Organizational Barriers Semantics Status or power differences Different perceptions Noise Overload Overcoming barriers to communication Individual skills Develop good listening skill Encourage two way communication Be aware of language and meaning Maintain creditability Be sensitive to receivers perspective Be sensitive to senders perspective Organizational skills Follow up Regulate information flows Understand the richness of media (R.W.Griffin, 1997) CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY Research Methods Servey reserch methods to collectting data as investigate the employees and organization need. Research Approach There are few steps to be followed. They are as follows; Problem Identification /Hypothesis Identify the existing channels and channels to be introduced. Research Design and planning This is a Prepare Queries, Prepare the project plan, Prepare the research team work plan, Prepare the Physical resource and conduct with the service providers in communication channel providers wise. Data collection and Data Review and analysis theory After having identified the variables to be studied and operationally defined them a researcher is expected to adopt a suitable method of data collection to measure the variables and their relationships. Following are the methodologies that are used to this research, Questionnaire survey Interviews Observation Case study In the case of a questionnaire based survey or interviews, the unit of analysis is the individual as the individuals included in a sample are expected to provide information by responding to the survey questionnaire or the questions posed to them at the interview. In the observation method there is no single unit of analysis as the researcher is expected to observe real life situations , a process , an event or a series of event over a period of time. The unit of analysis in the case study method could cover a community, an organization, a group or a selected individuals . For instance, one can study the performance of one or more organizations and arrive at meaningful conclusions about the practice of the management. Similarly can study in depth the leadership style of several CEOs and arrive at meaningful conclusions about organizational leaderships. The Questionnaire Survey In this research questionnaire based survey ahs become one of the most widely used techniques of data collection for reasons such as economy , ability to reach a larger sample of the population, saving of time , feasibility to collect data within a predetermined framework and feasibility to process the data using a coding system that could be easily used on computers. Although the questionnaire method has its inherent limitations this method has been adopted to study qualitative aspects such as attitudes and values as well as quantitative aspects of behaviour. The forms of questions included in a questionnaire depends on the kind of information required . Although the forms of the questions may differ in a variety of ways,questions are presented in two basic types; Open ended Structured Open ended questions There are several advantages of open ended questions if the researcher is interested in probing deep into a particular issue such as motivation, job satisfaction, etc. There are some limitations inherent in open ended questions. These include, Difficulty in recording lengthy answers, particularly when the respondents interest is aroused by the researcher through probing, difficulty in asking more than two questions as the answer may take both time as well as space in the questionnaire , and relatively high degree of reliance on the researchers own judgment as to what he thinks is the meaning of the answers given to open ended questions. Despite these limitations open ended questions are used by researcher when the questionnaire based interview method is adopted because an experienced researcher can always exploit the advantages associated with open ended questions. Structured questions This presents the respondent with fixed response alternatives. That is question is worded in such a manner as to induce the respondent to answer by making a choice between two or more alternatives. Advantage-easy to administer in the field because they are pre-coded. Interviews Is a method of collecting data by speaking to someone who is often not known to the researcher previously. Thus it would involve a considerable amount of interpersonal skills on the part of the researcher to establish a relationship with the person being interviewed and elicit the required information within a limited period of time. There are two basic types of interviews, Structured and unstructured. Observation Method Is a technique adopted highly in qualitative research to study natural behaviour. Thus observation involves making judgments about the occurrence of behaviour , its frequency, its duration or its latency. These measures are the basic data used to describe the naturally occurring behaviour or to assess the effects of such behaviour. Therefore the collection of the data through observation has to be done carefully in order to ensure accuracy ,reliability and objectively. There are two broad methods of observing behaviour: participant and non participant. Case study Method This involves studding individual cases in their natural environment over a period of time. One who uses a case study method may adopt different methods of data collection and analysis. These methods may be either qualitative or quantitative or a combination of both. Research Strategy Selecting the most suitable channels to the company. For this purpose number of channels should be investigated. Sampling Techniques Select a sample size based on the company size that covers all areas and all levels of employees. Data Collection Tools High quality data should be collected.. Data Analysis Methods Methods such as pie charts, tables, decision trees, scatter diagrams and so on can be used to analyze data. Presentation of Data Data should be presented using a report and a multimedia presentation. Research Limitations This research is focusing only on the communication channels. Communication process and their reliability is being ignored. Ethical implications of this research If the employees provide wrong information the whole research is misleading. Research Schedule Depending on the nature and activities of the research a time schedule should to be prepared. Conclusions This research is based on the topic How the channels of communication with employees might be improved in a multinational organization. Existing channels and new channels to be introduced should be addressed. For this purpose research topic should be defined and background to the research has to be explained. Theories relevant to the research should be applied under literature review. Finally ethical issues that can be raised during the research should be addressed and the decision is taken based on employees perceptions. The study covers a wide area on the communication channels and based on the evaluation of how to improve the communication of the employees, new communication channels to be introduced must be taken into consideration, the necessary channels that should be improved according to improve the methods of communication in the organization. Under this research based on the multi national company we can learn and can get more knowledge as managers, how to manage effective communication in a multi national company, can feel the employees communication and how to control the whole communication process in a successful and effective manner in the organization.

Macbeth 11 :: essays research papers

Macbeth Show how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have to go against their own natures in order to kill Duncan. Each character in Macbeth has to either fight or give in to the evil. Because evil is contrary to human nature, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have to go against their own conscience in order to murder Duncan. When the witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and later, King of Scotland, he is stunned to silence by their prophecies. When murder enters Macbeths mind he is frightened by his thoughts. He tries to reject his impulse, declaring that he will leave everything to chance: ?If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me Without my stir.? Very soon he begins to confess a ‘suggestion?of ‘horrible imaginings? Soon after, he admits to possessing ‘black and deep desires?but he is afraid to speak about them openly, even to himself. Later on he indites a letter to Lady Macbeth containing conjecture about the prophecies of the three witches. She im mediately wants to take fate into her own hands. She begs the evil spirits to tear all human feelings from her, for she knows that she will have to urge her husband, Macbeth, to become King by murdering Duncan. She will have to give up all the gentle, tender qualities of a woman, so that she can become a sexless, pitiless demon. She has to make her husband ignore his own conscience. She declares: ?Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it.? By ‘illness?she means ‘evil? Macbeth seizes evil, as one might catch a disease. When Macbeth has the opportunity to think about his wife’s suggestions and about his desires to become King, he becomes aware of the duty that he owes to Duncan, his loyal King. Following a great battle with himself, Macbeth decides not to go through with the murder. He states to Lady Macbeth: ?We will proceed no further in this business.? Macbeth is not prepared for all her wrath and abuse. She calls h im a coward. When in reality it is not cowardice that restrains Macbeth, it is his conscience. She also insults his masculinity, and declares that she would have murdered her child while it was feeding at her breast, rather than break such a promise as Macbeth had done. Persuaded by her conviction, he yields to her, and in order to prove himself a man in her eyes, goes against his own nature and agrees to the murder of King Duncan.

Memories of childhood in “Looking For Dad” Essay

Memories from our childhoods are often remembered for the rest of our lives. They can range from small things like playing in the park or a birthday party to important milestones such as a first kiss or the first day of school. Now matter how small or insignificant these events seemed at the time, they will be treasured for ever and looked back on as some of the best times of your life. The memories are normally reminders of good times and the joys of childhood. But for some people, their childhoods are looked back on in sadness and remorse. In the poems â€Å"Looking For Dad†, â€Å"My Grandmother† and â€Å"The Sick Equation†, the narrators explore the darker sides of childhood. Each poem tells a different story, but are all about tragic memories from shattered childhoods that will scar forever. â€Å"Looking For Dad† is about a boy who’s father leaves home. I think the author chose the title because not only does it explain the main theme of the poem, but the phrase â€Å"looking for† maybe refers to the soul searching the boy has to do while â€Å"looking for† what is missing in his life. When reading the poem, you notice that it is written in quite an upbeat tone even though it is obviously a sad poem. I think the narrator has done this because the poem is from a child’s perspective. The main themes of this poem are dis-functionality and grief. Lines such as â€Å"I had not tidied up my room, because I was too full of gloom† and â€Å"hope he will come back soon† clearly show the despair that is put across by the narrator. Another theme of the poem is self-denial. The narrator doesn’t want to face up to the fact that his dad has gone. â€Å"Dad was hidden beneath the things I’d been given† and â€Å"flying about my underwear but could not find him anywhere† are two quotes that show that the character still believes his dad is still apart of his life even thought it is obvious he is not. The fact that he dreamt about his dad not being with him anymore shows that sub-consciously he knows his dad has gone forever and isn’t going to return. The character believes that his dad â€Å"simply vanished† because he didn’t tidy his room. At the end of the poem it says â€Å"hope he will come back soon and admire my very tidy room†. This shows the self-blame the character has put upon his conscience and how he now regrets taking his father for granted. The structure of the poem is strange. It has a nursery rhyme feel to it and this feel good rhythm doesn’t really fit in with the other wise sombre mood of the poem. This could however represent the fact that the poem is seen through a child’s eyes and he maybe does not fully understand what is going on around him. The quick feel to the poem is mainly down to the fact that it has a loose rhyming scheme and short lines. â€Å"The Sick Equation† is also written by Brian Patten. It is about a â€Å"broken home† and tells us how the narrator has been scarred for life due to his home situation. The title of the poem can be looked at in many different ways. I feel the author chose this title because people often think an â€Å"equation† will be confusing and complex. This is exactly what the narrator’s life is like. He may also have chosen to use the word â€Å"equation† because it can represent that when all these different factors are added together there can only be one outcome. Unlike â€Å"Looking For Dad†, the rhythm of this poem is slow and the lines are a lot longer with no real flow. One of the themes represented in this poem is isolation. With his parents fighting all the time, the narrator was convinced that it is better to â€Å"stay one†. The narrator decided to grow up alone and if anyone tried to get close to him he would make sure they quic kly disappeared. The phrase â€Å"I came to believe how it was best, that one remained one† not only backs up my point, but also shows that he is maybe scared of love. Another theme which is shows quite a lot in this poem is regret. As the poem goes along, you can slowly notice how the narrator changes his attitude towards love. In the first paragraph, lines such as â€Å"For by becoming two, one at least would suffer so† shows that he is strongly against being loved or loving anyone at all. In the final stanza the line â€Å"I am better off for knowing now, that given love, by taking love all can in time refute† proves that the narrator’s mood towards love has changed dramatically as he has now learnt that not all love is painful. The second stanza really shows regret and anger. â€Å"Believing this I threw away so many gifts- I never let love stay long enough to take roots but by thinking myself of too little worth, I crushed all its messengers†. It shows that the narrator feels he has missed out on so much and is angry that he didn’t learn his lesson sooner. â€Å"I was wrong of course, just as  those who br ought me up were wrong† is another quote that shows anger and resentment towards his childhood, in particularly the way his parents brought him up. â€Å"I grew – or did not grow† is a phrase that shows that the narrator feels that while he was un-loved, he could not grow as a person. It could also mean he thinks he has missed out on his childhood and started off with the harsh feelings only and adult could understand and no child should have to feel. And as you cannot grow past being an adult, in that sense he has not grown. The narrator also tells of how even a new couple cannot possibly, in his mind, escape the â€Å"shadow of divorce†. When conveying this view, he makes reference to an albatross. This could also have different meanings. The most obvious meaning that springs to mind is because the albatross has the biggest wing span, it would create a huge shadow over any marriage. But a more in depth analysis could link the albatross back to the poem â€Å"Rhyme of the ancient mariner†. The tone of the poem is a lot more depressing than the first poem. The structure is also cleverly devised by the author. The first stanza has a disorganised and erratic rhyme scheme which represents the confusion and disorder in the narrator’s life. But as the poem progresses, a more organised rhyme pattern starts to appear and the emergence of rhyming couplets maybe shows the narrators life is calming down and becoming more organised. The narrator also uses irony when he says â€Å"home, sweet home†. The final poem I studied was â€Å"My Grandmother†. This poem is about the narrator’s grandmother. The title was chosen mainly because it explains what the poem is about. The word â€Å"my† may seem small and unimportant, but when people are proud of something they often emphasise and make it known they are linked with the person or object by using this technique. For example, when people use the phrase â€Å"That’s my boy† it is a way of saying, he’s with me and I want everyone to know. The title could therefore mean the narrator is proud of his Grandmother and wants everyone to know this. Once again the main theme of this poem is regret. â€Å"I remember how I once refused, to go out with her, since I was afraid† and â€Å"Though she never said, that she was hurt, I could still feel the guilt† are phrases that back up this point. Another theme of the poem is isolation and loneliness. â€Å"She kept an antique shop –  or it kept her† and â€Å"She watched her own reflection is the brass† are quotes that show the Grandmother was lonely and obviously didn’t have any close friends or family. I think the use of an â€Å"antique shop† is meant to represent old age. When reading the poem, you notice it is quite fast and up beat. This is because of the rhyme scheme – A, B, A, B, C, C, which is used in each stanza. The poem also uses iambic pentameter. This gives it a quick tempo and makes it free flowing. The speed of the poem is again in contrast with the themes of the poem. This is maybe due to the fact that the narrator admits â€Å"when she died, I felt no grief at all†. This means that the narrator has nothing to be sad about and therefore keeps the poem quite up beat. Each stanza tells a different part of the story and the first and third stanzas are explaining events, where as the second and fourth and primarily about the feelings of the narrator. Each of these poems outlines different experiences of childhood. â€Å"Looking For Dad† talks about divorce and separation, â€Å"The Sick Equation† discusses the affects of domestic arguments and â€Å"My Grandmother† is about the death of a loved one. But the themes that are constantly mentioned in all the poems are regret and isolation. This shows that maybe bad memories are more memorable than the good ones and the scars left by these experiences will always remain fresh in the minds of the characters

Broken Windows theory essays

Broken Windows theory essays Recent estimates indicate that are millions of American adults, and juveniles who are experiencing compulsive gambling problems. Those numbers are compounded by the loved ones who suffer along with them. If the Broken Window Theory is applied, the effect of gamblings negative side effects start to spill over into the mainstream of society, or the community in which a gambling problem is present. The broken windows theory describes a slippery slope effect in relation to the social thread of norms a group shares. One neighbor lets weeds grow up, and then another neighbor does also. A neighbor moves away and drug dealers buy the weed-infested house. People buy the drugs, jobs are lost, houses fall apart, crime rises in response to drug usage. One window is broken, and then many more follow. The City of Terre Haute took a sample of 61 businesses and found 82 gambling video machines. City officials were questioned and three answered respectively. Bob Wright, Terre Hautes Prosecutor answers when questioned about the machines replied I dont see much difference between these machines and people driving 100 miles to....Casino Aztar and that he probably wouldnt prosecute such a case. In the legal sense of gambling, according to this statement, the city does not does enforce legal deterrence. Therefore, it is not formally discouraged. If the citizens are not deterred from such an activity, the activity will occur along with the moral and ethical views decaying with the current gamblers. Penny Davis with the Excise Police states The Excise police are too busy with underage drinkers, liquor law violations and minors buying cigarettes to take action. Liquor law violations in relation to underage drinking has a limited decay. The individual breaks a law, has a possible addiction. The person is punished or put into rehabilitatio ...

Mental Illness Essays (448 words) - Psychiatric Diagnosis

Mental Illness Essays (448 words) - Psychiatric Diagnosis Mental Illness Mental Illness Mental illness is a disorder that is characterized by disturbances in a persons thought, emotions, or behavior. Mental illness refers to a wide variety of disorders, ranging from those that cause mild distress to those that impair a persons ability to function in daily life. Many have tried to figure out the reasons for mental illnesses. All of these reasons have been looked at and thought of for thousands of years. The biological perspective views mental illness as a bodily process. Where as the psychological perspectives think the role of a persons upbringing and environment are causes for mental illnesses. Researchers estimate that about 24 percent of people over eighteen in the United States suffer from some sort of common mental illness, such as depression and phobias. Studies have also shown that 2.6 percent of adults in the United States suffer from some sort of severe form of mental illness, such as schizophrenia, panic disorders, or bipolar disorders. Younger people also suffer from mental illnesses the same way that adults do. 14 to 20 percent of individuals under the age of eighteen suffer from a case of mental illness. Studies show that 9 to 13 percent of children between the ages of nine and seventeen suffer from a serious emotional disturbances, that disrupts the childs daily life. Major depression is a severe disorder. Symptoms include withdraw from family and/or friends, weight loss, sleeping problems, frequent crying, fleeing helpless, delusions, and hallucinations. This disease is usually diagnosed during adolescence; parents may notice grades dropping, poor self-image, troubled social relations, and suicidal acts. This disease may be fatal if the person becomes suicidal. Phobia is a disease where a person has an irrational fear of an object or situation. Some examples of phobias are fear of flight, cats, heights, enclosed spaces, reptiles, and the most severe is agoraphobia the fear to leave a safe place such as home. Phobias are diagnosed personhows sings of a certain fear many times. This can only affect a persons life if the phobia is severe. For example, if a person has agoraphobia, fear of leaving a safe place then that persons life would be very isolated. If a person has the fear ailurophobia, fear of heights then that person can still live a normal life. This disease is not fatal unless the person becomes depressed because of being isolated. Schizophrenia is a disturbance that causes you to have misperceptions of reality; this may also cause hallucinations and delusions. Person may also show inadequate speech patterns, impaired social and occupational functioning, and bad personal hygiene. This disease is usually diagnosed at a young age. Family and/or friends may notice symptoms.

Strategic Financial Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Strategic Financial Management - Coursework Example However, among all these objectives, the main one for business organisations is supposed to be an increase of the value to its shareholders. In this case, the bid to maximize the wealth of its shareholders becomes a fundamental goal of management. It is important to note that investors often anticipate earning satisfactory returns from the investments they establish in the firm. Shareholders are the actual owners of the business, which means that senior managers are have a responsibility to ensure maximisation of investor’s wealth, not just for the success of the business, but also for continued investments, thus gaining the ability to increase its market share and financial position. Maximizing this wealth can be determined by the payout of dividends as well as capital gains through an increasing market value for a particular share price of the business. In the process of achieving this objective, conflicts can sometimes arise in the business. In this case, business managers may end up making decisions based on their interests and not achieving the investors’ wealth. Therefore, traditional view is that profit maximization needs to be made the ultimate goal and objective for the business. Financial managers are often involved in managing cash flows on behalf of the companies they work for as well as their respective owners. In any firm, financial management is often concerned with the process of making decisions in three main areas, which include; investing, financing as well as dividend policy. In all these, wealth maximization always remains to be the fundamental goal for the firm. Business managers are expected to ensure that they effectively manage the stock prices for the benefit of their respective shareholders since they are needed towards increasing the financial muscles for the company so that it can achieve its other objectives (Kaen 2003, 87). In this case, the criticisms raised against this

Provide a concise account of the fundamental legal, ethical and Essay

Provide a concise account of the fundamental legal, ethical and professional practice aspects of nursing drug administration - Essay Example The safe and efficient administration of medication is one of the key responsibilities of the professional nurse. The practice of drug administration involves providing the patient with a substance prescribed and intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a medical illness or condition (Hopkins, 1999). Although, effective drug administration involves the actual and complete conveyance of a prescribed medication to the patient, however, there is wider set of practices required to achieve safe, effective patient outcomes and to prepare for and evaluate the outcome of medication administration (Potter and Anne, 1997; Taylor et al, 1997). Because nurses administer prescribed drugs directly to patients, they happen to be the last link in the safe and effective drug prescription and administration sequence. Increased acuity of the patient nurses have to serve and the apparent reduction in the volume of resources available to nurses to ensure safe and effective practice, have greatly complicated the role of the nurse in drug administration (Cook, 2002). The purpose of this paper is therefore, to examine the legal, ethical and professional requirements of safe nursing drug administration. According to the NMC Guidelines for the Administration of Medicines, administration of medicines is a vital part of the professional duty of the nurse. It is not, however, a function that can be carried out ‘mechanically’ or following orders, but should be seen as a task that must be carried out in strict compliance with the written prescription of a medical practitioner. More importantly, it is task that requires thought and the exercise of professional judgement (NMC, 2002:3). Drug administration play a crucial role in achieving positive patient outcomes and despite the complexities involved with safely administering medications to patients, the professional nurse is duty-bound to do everything within her professional capacity to ensure this. The NMC code of