Life Expectancy and Resources Free Essays

| | |To Drill or Not to Drill | |HUM/114 | | | | | The topic of drill or not to drill is a big topic. Some believe that we have plenty of resources now and that we should save them for later generations that may need them more than we do. Instead they think we should invest in alternative sources of energy, such as solar power and wind. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Expectancy and Resources or any similar topic only for you Order Now Others believe that we should go ahead and use the resources that we have available to use, starting with the untapped oil fields in Alaska and in the Gulf Coast, and even all the other areas in the country that have not been explored. Others say trying to obtain new power sources will be very expensive and a long process. I can honestly say that I agree with both sides but I am in favor of the United States using all the resources they have and not trying to come up with new way to power America. A new way to power America is not a bad idea just not the one we need to fix our problem. Solar panels and windmills still should be worked on for the future of America, but as for the present we should use all our oil resources. The reason I say that we need to use our resources is that we are not going to live forever, the average human life expectancy is 67. 2 years. So in 200 years that would be my third generation of children and I am sure in 200 years they will have the same issues that we have today if not worse. Our country had an energy shortage in the 1970s and I am sure that they were saying the same things that scientist are saying today. On the other hand I do believe that we should look into securing other sources of energy just as a backup. There is nothing wrong with developing a plan b, in a just in case situation. Even though the majority of scientists think that we will never run out of resources, there are still some scientist that think that we do not have much time left. More research and studies can help us come up with a better solution to the questions that we all have. All the data that the scientists are coming up with should be compiled and have a scientist with an unbiased opinion examine the data from both scientist and see exactly where we stand as a country. If we were not to take our focus off finding more resources and still try and find other ways to power our nation we would still be accomplishing both goals. If at any time we needed to switch over to non-fossil fuel energy we could. We need energy, so why not find as much as we can now and not worry about if we will run out of the resources that we are using. The children are the future and as long as we keep producing them than there will always be someone who can figure out how to find the United States more energy. Reference Validation for gas guzzlers and comfort for those who fear oil shortage. (2005, Mar 19). National Post, pp. FW. 9-FW9. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/330334817? accountid=35812 Foss, B. (2006, May 22). How much oil is there, and when will we run out? Buffalo News, pp. C. 4-C4. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/381749245? accountid=35812 How to cite Life Expectancy and Resources, Essay examples

The School of Business and Law

Question: A research proposal submitted to the School of Business and Law, in fulfillment of the requirements of BUSN20016 (Research in Business) for the degree of Master of Business Administration? Answer: Over the recent years, the population of internet users in Australia has gone up. The advancement in technologies and the marginal reduction of costs associated with telecom companies has occasioned this rise. The theories of marketing and consumer behavior hold that both the internal and external factors influence the purchasing behavior of consumers; this is the basis in which this study is drawn. Previous studies have confirmed that purchasing behaviors have indeed been influenced by social media, which consequently has translated into increased sales. Online social networking has changed the way of communication among different groups, and it has enhanced the ability for interaction. Social networking includes mobile based and web based technologies used to commence communication dialogues between individuals, organizations and even communities. Spreading of information through word-of-mouth was used in the ancient periods even before the internet was introduced. According to Cro ss and Parker (2004), social networking assumes that the means through which people get to know each other is under determinable construction, whether indirect or direct. The use of social media is evolving and rapidly changing the way businesses are conducted. This study will establish the most superior method between social networking and the traditional word-of-mouth. Cheung and Thadani (2010) noted that the electronic word of mouth is a new form of the traditional word of mouth. There are many challenges posed from the implementation of each method, and these challenges will be covered in the research as the problems faced in their applications. Some of the challenges faced with social networking will include controlling the level of social media participation in the workplace while may involve improper usage of work hours. The challenge of traditional word-of-mouth will include factors such as cost and time taken before the information is delivered. The advantages of each method will be noted and the reason why social networking is commonly used as compared to the traditional word-of-mouth. The research will show how important is the information from previous users of a product to the new users. Positive compliment will attract more consumers to purchasing a product while negative comments may discourage the purchasing behavior causing losses to a company. The study will also identify the reason as to why people seek online reviews. At the end of the study, many parties will have benefited from the knowledge of the importance of information spread through social networking. Problem Statement In the workplace, the use of social networks is rising in demand by more and more employees. The crave for this is observed to have grown so much in the current period. In an organizational restructuring world, growing contingent workforce and outsourcing, the traditional communication approaches have become obsolete. This is grounded on the perception of hierarchal development and lifelong employment. In the current era, there is an increased replacement of face to face communication by online social networking. Institutions need to recognize the importance of social media in running a business and disregard the idea of it being a luxury; this is irrespective of whether an institution is employing a policy on social media or not. The use of word-of-mouth whether traditional or electronic involves some employees in its management. The primary perception of marketing is that it involves the selling of goods and services. Its principal goal is creating a high financial gain through obtaining a greater market share. To achieve the objective of raising the demand for these goods and services, it uses the strategy of making people aware of their existence (Kotler et al., 2000). The adoption of marketing principles to solving societal social problems has changed the dimension of marketing. This adoption has been done by the government and other non-profit making organizations. Professional and practitioners have changed from conveyance of information from top-down to listening and learning of the desires and need of the target group, and then using this information to formulate marketing programs. Most employees cannot live without the social media, it's, therefore, becoming a common necessity. Every day, researchers and innovators come with new developments on social media which is rapidly raising its usefulness in marketing and other trading platforms. The modifications of Facebook, Wi-Fi, iPhone and iPad just to name a few, have their use rapidly increased in demand. If a company makes a decision to ban the access to all types of social media, it could run a risk of losing a chance to hiring the best potential employees on their firm. Most employees would never feel comfortable working in such a business environment. These sites have become part of employees life, and therefore such a policy ban would not be effective in limiting their access to the sites as they have to come up with other ways of accessing them. Based on the fact that the traditional word of mouth strategy may create a negative perception on the potential purchasers since the consumers only give information about themselves, organizations have decided to use a guided strategy which is the electronic word of mouth (Koslow, 2000). In order to guide the consumers purchase decisions, consumers are shifting from traditional to the electronic word of mouth (Trusov, Bucklin, Pauwels, 2009). Since the traditional marketing has declined in credibility, the ability of a company to generate electronic words of mouth is becoming the basis in which evaluation of a companys product and service is carried out (Sher Lee, 2009; Shankar Malthouse, 2007). In order to capitalize on the effects of electronic word of mouth, companies are incorporating it into their strategies of business. Keller (2007) noted that electronic word of mouth requires less cost in overcoming consumers resistance as compared to the traditional marketing efforts. It is, therefore, useful for both the consumers and the company. Traditional marketing strategies are more costly and time-consuming as an employee will have to be sent to different places to either collect or deliver information on a service or a product. Towards this end, business employees in Australia and specifically in the state of Melbourne have embraced the need for using social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and others for their communication (Coulter Roggeveen, 2012). This is either on matters inside or outside the business or rather line of business. The sites offer the employees some potential benefits. Social sites can be used in enhancing the availability of new great ideas and therefore creating the potential for innovative behavior. A collaborative way of involving customers with business can be facilitated by the use of social networking technology (Whitler, 2014). Social networks despite rendering many benefits to the organizations well-being, they pose threats and challenges to the performance of employees. One of the challenges is that the social life of the employees loses its privacy. Second, the browsing of these pages consumes much time and may lead to employees spending more work time on the same. Finally, its the service terms and conditions which don't allow for comparison and sharing. As highlighted, academics have raised a considerable debate on the value of employees using social networking sites. While some claim that the performance of employees gets reduced, other believe that it has contributed to their improved job performance. In Australia and particularly in the state of Melbourne, social networking use is becoming widespread, and there is a challenge of determining whether the performance of employees gets improved or is affected. This is the major gap that this study is trying to fill. The social networkings direct and mediating effects on the performance of employees will be put under examination. The traditional word of mouth strategy is losing its value in the modern era. In order for both the consumers to benefit from the electronic word of mouth, they must be able to overcome the challenges associated with it. Research Objectives General Objective This studys general objective was to determine the most persuasive method of social marketing. The specific methods under comparison were the traditional word-of-mouth and social networking. Specific Objectives To establish the most persuasive method of social marketing between social networks and the traditional word of mouth in raising a competitive advantage of a marketing firm. To find out what makes social networking more effective and highly demanded as compared to the traditional word of mouth. To establish the various challenges underlying the use of any of the methods. To identify the differences existing between social media and traditional word-of-mouth. Research Questions Between social networking and the traditional word of mouth, which is an efficient strategy for marketing? What makes social networking a better strategy than the traditional word of mouth? What are the challenges the management faces from the implementation of either the social networking strategy or the traditional word of mouth? What differences exist between traditional word-of-mouth and the social media? Justification of the Project The evolving use of social networks has facilitated the elimination of geographical barriers which in turn has increased the availability of new business opportunities. Through social networking, the target group becomes large and easily accessible. Through the traditional word of mouth, it may proof difficult to reach clientele from different cultures, ages, and financial stability; this has been eased by social networking. Social media networks growth has enabled people to access their profiles in work network. It has indeed enabled businesses to be in the midst of the potential customers. The social media networks rely on millions of users every day, therefore creating a profitable and efficient trading platform. The study will, therefore, demonstrate the best method to be used in reaching the potential customers. It will enlighten the management team on why it should incorporate such a method. Since it has been observed that there is an increased participation of employees and consumers on social media; posing greater challenges especially for the management to control their employees for it, this study will give insights for the management team to generate a useful idea out of this instead of trying to ban its use. The management will, therefore, benefit much from this study. Consumers will also benefit in that if the management incorporates the use of electronic word-of-mouth, information about services and products will be readily and easily accessible. Expected Research Outcome Many stakeholders will find out the significance of this study. In the department of human resource, the professionals in charge through the understanding of the association that will be portrayed in this study will gain many benefits. Understanding the relationship existing between the employees job performance and the use of social networking site will help the business managers in unraveling the challenge of whether to allow or disallow social networking sites utilization in the workplace. There is an increased number of young employees whose desire to use social networking sites is very high. Since it will prove difficult for businesses to mobilize them to avoid their use (as noted earlier they will devise other means to access them), it is crucial for businesses to exploit this fact and formulate policies aimed at achieving the organizational goals while allowing their use in the firms. If only some businesses will find it useful in accelerating the performance of employees, it will eventually be embraced by many other businesses. The major challenge, therefore, lies on the part of the management team. Employers should be enlightened on the usefulness of incorporating the use of these sites in business operations. This study will be of much benefit to scholars interested in researching on social networks. The management team will have their challenges of whether to incorporate or not being resolved. Conceptual Framework and Research Hypothesis Social networking and traditional word-of-mouth are some of the channels used in receiving and spreading of information. Word-of-mouth traditionally was perceived as the interpersonal communication between people who initially used some products or services and those that are potential users. When people need to make a decision to purchase either a product or service, they consider so many factors so as to choose that which maximizes their utility. Most of the times they rely on ads available on the internet and other times, they rely on the confession of utility derived by others (Charlton, 2015 and Wang, Uesugi, Ting, Okuhara, Wang, 2015). The annual local consumer survey by Anderson (2014), DeMers (2015) and Rudolph (2015) confirmed that the highest proportion of the consumers interviewed had looked for online reviews (specifically, it was noted that the proportion was 88 %). When someone is new to a product, it is difficult to decide which the best quality is (Eaton, n.d.). Cheung and Thadani (2010) noted that the electronic word of mouth is a new form of the traditional word of mouth. This somehow confirms the allegation of its superiority to the traditional word-of-mouth. Advancements in technology have led to a creating of a trading platform where people can buy and sell goods online. These online shoppers are the most interested party in the products reviews and evaluations posted in social Medias. The creation of products and communication of service information is being taken charge by the consumers in the media landscape of today. The sharing of experience and opinions on certain products and services among a multitude of consumers is facilitated by social media such as consumer forums, blogs, review sites and communities (Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh, Gremler, 2004). Consumers all over the world are seizing this opportunity. Many studies done on consumers from different countries has confirmed that more than a third of them post information on social media concerning products and services (Insites Consulting, 2011). The information provided by consumers regarding a product or a service is dependent on the level of satisfaction derived. This information could, therefore, take either a positive or a negative form. Bickart Schindler (2001); Nielsen (2012) Ha (2002) noted that the information provided by the previous consumers of products and services on the social Medias influences the purchasing decisions better than the messages provided in traditional marketing. Anderson also noted that higher purchases resulted from positive reviews. Word-of-mouth plays an important role in influencing the consumers purchasing behavior (Cheung and Thadani, 2012). Consumers have the awareness that at times ads are deceptive; they always describe a product to be of high standard and that consumers will derive more utility (Berger, 2016). Due to this fact, consumers always doubt the usefulness of a product or how satisfactory a service is. Their doubts are only cleared when they get information that another consumer enjoyed the use of the product aimed to be purchased or service that was rendered before (Tagrin, 2014). This information could be obtained through the traditional word-of-mouth. This is however not always the case that the people surrounding a potential consumer have used the product or service before. This therefore makes the traditional word-of-mouth less effective. This posed the rationale for the social networking. Every product introduced in the market, may not be new in some other parts of the world, so the inform ation on this product can only be obtained from people where the product was initially introduced. Social networking has facilitated the ability to meet these initial users at lower costs. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and many other are frequented by millions of users every day. The users are situated in different geographical locations in all countries in the whole world. Most citizens from all over the world rely on social media for socializing. Therefore, social networking increases the coverage of information spread (Dellarocas, 2003; Schindler Bickart, 2005; Hennig-Thurau et al., 2004). The hypothesis for this study will be carried out from the stated problems and the objectives of the research. The research hypothesis to be tested will be as follows. H1: Social networking is not as more persuasive as traditional word of mouth is. HA: Social networking is more persuasive than the traditional word of mouth. Decision Criterion If H1 rejected, meaning that HA is true, we shall conclude that social networking is more persuasive than the traditional word-of-mouth. If it is not rejected, we shall conclude that social networking may be less persuasive than the traditional word-of-mouth. Methodology The collection of data will involve picking off a number of customers and then pick a common business, product or a service. Then, an interview will be carried out to find out how many have searched for a review on the chosen item, and where they obtained the review from if they had already searched for one. The interview will also include the number of reviews that consumers read before they get convinced. The consumers will also be interviewed on whether they trust personal recommendations. A random sample of customers will be picked in Melbourne. This is the state in which am situated and therefore will be time and cost saving. Secondary data will be obtained so as to provide the basis for the literature review. The effects of provision of such information on the purchasing behavior will be carried out. Regression analysis will be done on the collected data to find out the level in which this information influences the purchasing decisions. Organization of the Study This project will be divided into four chapters. This project proposal is the first chapter of the project. It contains information on; the statement of the problem, research objectives/questions, justification of the project, expected research output/outcome, conceptual framework and research hypothesis, and the methodology. The next chapter will be on literature review where both the theoretical and empirical literature on social and traditional word-of-mouth will be considered. The third chapter will be on the research methodology where information provided will be on the research design, study location, population and sample size, sampling strategies, data collection procedure, and the analysis of the collected data. The last chapter will cover the actual data collection, analysis, and interpretation of findings. Conclusions will be drawn and recommendations will be made. The whole process is expected to take six weeks. Bibliography Anderson, M. (2014). 88% of Consumers Trust Online Reviews as much as Personal Recommendations. [Online] Search Engine Land. Available at: https://searchengineland.com/88-consumers-trust-online-reviews-much-personal-recommendations-195803 [Accessed 24 May 2016]. Berger, J. (2016). Is Word of Mouth Better Than Advertising? | Jonah Berger. Jonah Berger. Retrieved 24 May 2016, from https://jonahberger.com/is-word-of-mouth-better-than-advertising/ Bickart, B., Schindler, R. (2001). Internet forums as influential sources of consumer information. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 15(3), 31 - 40. Charlton, G. (2015). Ecommerce consumer reviews: why you need them and how to use them. [Online] Econsultancy. Available at: https://econsultancy.com/blog/9366-ecommerce-consumer-reviews-why-you-need-them-and-how-to-use-them/ [Accessed 23 May 2016]. Cheung, C. and Thadani, D. (2010). The Effectiveness of Electronic Word-of-Mouth Communication: A Literature Analysis. [Online] Available at: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.453.4915rep=rep1type=pdf [Accessed 24 May 2016]. Coulter, K. Roggeveen, A. (2012). Like it or not. Management Research Review, 35(9), 878-899. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01409171211256587 Cross, R. and Parker, A. (2004). The hidden power of social networks. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Dellarocas, C. (2003). The digitization of word of mouth: Promise and challenges of online feedback mechanisms. Management Science, 49, 1407 - 1424. DeMers, J. (2015). How Important Are Customer Reviews For Online Marketing?. [Online] Forbes.com. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/12/28/how-important-are-customer-reviews-for-online-marketing/#59f3d962788c [Accessed 23 May 2016]. Eaton, J. (n.d.). e-Word-of-Mouth Marketing. [Online] Available at: https://college.cengage.com/business/modules/eWOM_secure.pdf [Accessed 24 May 2016]. Ha, -Y. (2002). The effects of consumer risk perception on pre-purchase information in online auctions: Brand, word-of-mouth, and customized information. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 8(1). Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-101.2006.00318.x/abstract Hennig-Thurau, T., Gwinner, P., Walsh, G., Gremler, D. (2004). Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18(1), 38 - 52. Insites Consulting (2011). Social media around the world 2011. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/stevenvanbelleghem/social-media-around-theworld-2011. Keller, E. (2007). Unleashing the power of word of mouth: Creating brand advocacy to drive growth. Journal of Advertising Research, 47, 448 - 452. Kotler, P. Armstrong, G. (2000). Principles of Marketing; Seventh edition, India: Prentice Hall. Koslow, S. (2000). Can the truth hurt? How honest and persuasive advertising can unintentionally lead to increased consumer skepticism. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 34, 245 267. Nielsen (2012). A Nielsen report: Global trust in advertising and brand messages. Retrieved from https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports-downloads/2012/global-trust-in-advertising-and-brand-messages.html. Park, H., Lee, J. Han, I. (2007). The Effect of On-Line Consumer Reviews on Consumer Purchasing Intention: The Moderating Role of Involvement. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 11(4), 125-148. Rudolph, S. (2015). The Impact of Online Reviews on Customers Buying Decisions [Infographic]. Business 2 Community. Retrieved 24 May 2016, from https://www.business2community.com/infographics/impact-online-reviews-customers-buying-decisions-infographic-01280945#FTw6LGGDlK3tYju0.97 Schindler, M., Bickart, B. (2005). Published word of mouth: Referable, consumer-generated information on the Internet. In C. P. Haugtvedt, K. A. Machleit R. F. Yalch (Eds.), Online consumer psychology: Understanding and influencing behavior in the virtual world (pp. 35 - 61). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Shankar, V., Malthouse, E. C. (2007). The growth of interactions and dialogs in interactive marketing. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(2), 2 - 4. Sher, J., Lee, H. (2009). Consumer skepticism and online reviews: An elaboration likelihood model perspective. Social Behavior and Personality, 37, 137 - 143. Tagrin,. (2014). 5 Predictions about the Growing Power of Online Customer Reviews. Entrepreneur. Retrieved 23 May 2016, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236891 Tang, C. (2010). Understanding the Electronic Word-of-Mouth Communication Process: Communication Effectiveness and Analytic Tools. Tucson, Ariz.: University of Arizona. Trusov, M., Bucklin, R., Pauwels, K. (2009). Effects of word-of-mouth versus traditional marketing: Findings from an internet social networking site. Journal of Marketing, 73(5), 90 - 102. Wang, L., Uesugi, S., Ting, I., Okuhara, K., Wang, K. (2015). Multidisciplinary social networks research. Heidelberg: Springer. Whitler, K. (2014). Why Word Of Mouth Marketing Is The Most Important Social Media. Forbes.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2014/07/17/why-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-the-most-important-social-media/#7f7fd28d7a77

Strategic Management and External Business Environment free essay sample

This essay is a case study of analyzing the UK biggest chocolate company Thorntons’ existing strategy in current economic situation using different aspects from both external and internal business environments. In this report I will engage with the business frameworks that we learned in the first five weeks such as S. W. O. T analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, PESTEL analysis as well as Industry life cycle. Moreover the S. W. O.T analysis will be divided to tow parts, which are strength and weakness for internal business environment and opportunities and threads for external business environment. After the full analysis for the existing strategy, we can see whether the strategy is able to face many changes from macro environment or microenvironment in this ever-changing world. 2. Introduction When a new player wants to have business in a new industry, it would better to make a strategy to direct the right way to success. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management and External Business Environment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Strategic planning is upward focused, looking at ensuring how tactics link up to corporate goals and strategies, strategic thinking is downward focused, looking to ensure that meaning and purpose are diffused throughout the organization so that appropriate goals and tactics can be developed to meet the real needs of the organization. (Shelton amp; Darling, 2001; Whitlock, 2003) 3. External Business Environment 3. 1 PESTEL analysis of chocolate industry As a matter of fact, a full PESTEL analysis can help organizations to protect or handle the unpredictable changes from external environment efficiently in this ever-changing world. Political factors Basically, there is just a few political factors will effect the companies which are having business in chocolate industry, because governments do not have to many limitations to the food industry. However, as the largest UK chocolate company, which has been exploring the foreign market outside EU, several uncertainties, has to be faced, su ch as the taxations in Asia are constantly changing. * Economic factors In this difficult economic situation, every organization suffers a heavy blow from financial crisis and Torntons is no exception. Normally, food industry can reflect the inflation most at the first time. Generally speaking, price of food is the first sign to be noticed when the financial crisis happened. Source: Based on information from http://www. thorntons. co. uk/content 2011 We can easily see that the sales performances of Torntons own stores and franchise decreased during 2010 to 2011. Conversely, the total retail sales had an increase by 8. 2% from 2010 to 2011, which means customers did not spend too much money on the regular price goods. However people bought more chocolate when goods were on sale. In other words, the inflation has a serious impact on people’s life and food industry. * Social Factors Social factors have an impact on the chocolate industry. First of all, in general, people do not think chocolate is a kind of healthy food at all. However, more and more people are seeking a healthy life style right now. So for these people, they would not take the chocolates into considered. On the other hand, due to increasing competition, Torntons has to face lots of challenges with them. * Technological Factors Technology always plays an important role in strategy, because lots of parts of process in organization base on the technology. For a chocolate company how to continuously improve the produce process have to be taken into account. Environment Factors For any food company, they are more dependent on raw materials. However, environment can decided whether companies are able to get good quality raw materials with reasonable price. So environment factor is one of unpredictable factors in PESTEL analysis and organizations have to prepare a back up plan to protect them. * Legal Factors There are two mains factors of legal problems related to Torntons, which are human resource legislation and food hygiene. First of all, the human resource legislation always changes including the working hours and insurance and taxation for the employees. It will affect the human cost directly. On the other hand, because the continually improvement of the food hygiene, the quality of the chocolate will be higher. Food safety is of paramount importance to our manufacturing processes and out single site production facilities at Thornton Park are regularly independently audited against the exacting requirements of the British Retail Consortium’s Global Standard for Food Safety and were reaccredited in June 2011 with its highest Grade A status. (Thorntons PLC 2011:13) 3. 2 Porter’s Five Forces Before a company start to have business in one area, it would better to analysis that this area whether easy to enter in and make profits among the competitors from different aspects including force of entrants, suppliers, buyers, substitutes and rivalry which called Porter’s Five Forces. Porter’s Five Forces framework identifies the attractiveness of an industry or sector in terms of competitive forces. (Johnson et al 2010) * Power of buyers Because of Thorntons’ pattern of distribution, they are only own stores and franchisees. Meanwhile, they do not have store in any large retail chains that can reduce the power of buyers. Thus, power of buyers for Thorntons is small and steady. * Power of suppliers Thorntons is not only has in-house supply, but also has several aspects need outside suppliers such as some raw materials (cocoa beans, sugar and milk) and service. But in terms of the big brand name, Thorntons still got strong supports from the outside suppliers with reasonable price. * Threats of substitutes For chocolate, only taste, form and packaging can be imitated, which means the there are a lot of threats of substitutes, because these three points are very easy to follow and copy. Moreover, not only traditional chocolate companies could produce substitutes products, but also some other snack food item could imitate the chocolate taste. * Threats of entrants Normally, entry into the chocolate industry or market would need a lot of requirements, such as investment for the manufacturing facilities and human resource. However the most important requirement is having a unique formula to produce chocolate, which is the value for a new brand just entered into this industry. Thus, for chocolate industry is quite difficult for the new players to entry into. * Intensity of rivalry The intensity of rivalry can be many types such as price competition as well as advertisement between the competitors. Fortunately, competitions in the Thorntons’ level just have a few competitors. However this will be a big threat to Thorntons because fewer competitors that mean new plays will locate their positioning in this level. 3. 3 Industry life cycle analysis Source: Johnson et al, Exploring Strategy, 2010 According to the sales performance of the UK chocolate industry, we can easily see that from 2005 to 2012 the performance of sales increases steadily at the shake-out stage in the industry life cycle. . 4 S. W. O. T analysis (Opportunities and Threats) Opportunities More and more people like to buy box chocolate as a gift. Easy trade outside EU. UK government has a strong support to import and export food. Increasingly mature E-market. Threats Many traditional chocolate companies start to transform their product to Thorntons’ level. Because of epidemic s pread in EU, it seriously affects the export trade. Inflation makes the price of store rent, raw materials and human resource increase. 4. Internal Business Environment After analyzing the external business environment of the Thorntons, we can take a look of the internal business environment. It is also quite an important part for an organization. 4. 1 Internal capabilities: resources and competences As the biggest chocolate company in UK, the main resource of Thorntons is its intangible resource especially the brand image actually. When people want to buy a box of chocolate as a gift, Thorntons will be the first brand come to mind immediately. This is the core of success of the Thorntons. As a matter of fact, Thorntons realized this intangible and intelligent using it. They put more and more emphasis on making the products unique with the strong brand image. That is why they still have a large group of target audience until now. On the other hand, competence for an organization has to be divided to two parts, one is threshold competence, and another one is core competence. Obviously, the requirements of threshold competence of chocolate company are not too much. Except the manufacturing of producing chocolate, the rest requirements are similar to the other industries. However, in order to gain more market share in the chocolate industry, the core competence has to be very unique. For Thorntons, they put much emphasis on different type of chocolate whether the form or topic of chocolates or unique packaging. 4. 2 S. W. O. T analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses) Strengths * High quality chocolate * Unique packaging design * Mature supply chain * Strong brand image among British Weakness * High cost for international buyers * Too much operating cost for the own stores * Don’t have enough breakthrough in future 5. Conclusion After a deep analysis of the Thorntons’ existing strategy, we can draw a conclusion that there are still having several elements from external business environment will affect the organization. However a perfect strategy plan could protect the organization to survival from the unpredictable changings of the world. Through the PESTEL analysis, for the food industry, the economic and social factors will affect it more than others. Moreover, the marketing positioning of Thorntons is between traditional chocolate and premier chocolate. So there are just a few competitors in this part of market. According to the Porter’s Five Forces analysis, we can also see that the intensity of rivalry is low which means Thorntons does not have too much competition. It is difficult for new players to entry into this industry.

Free Essays on Biotechnology

S. After listening to my speech, the audience will know 3 ways that biotechnology will help/hurt the future of society. Introduction: Have you every received a vaccination from a doctor to prevent the flu? If so, it probably came in the form of a shot that the doctor inserted into your arm and injected you with. This situation may be your worst fear if you are afraid of needles. Have you ever imagined the possibility of receiving the same flu vaccination by eating a carrot or a piece of chicken? Don’t be alarmed, this possibility is closer than you think with the advancement of biotechnology in food products today. Body: I. Biotechnology has the reputation of being very new and high tech. A. In fact, it is possibly the oldest-technology known to man B. One example would be penicillin, produced by growing mold and extracting the Penicillium C. It is the same with genetic engineering; domestic pets or farm animals. Selective breeding over many centuries (different animals) II. So, if biotechnology has been around so long, why all the fuss now? The reason is that we can now do so much more. A. Now we have gene therapy, enables doctors to change the genes in our own cells (no more disease or mutations) B. But most people don’t want to be the first person to receive this gene therapy so transgenic mice have been made to carry the diseases so doctors can study them C. Now we have a way, thanks to biotechnology, that we can study these diseases and mutations and can make new discoveries and treatments for millions of people. III. Commercial production of genetically modified crops A. Some of the genetically modified crops being grown in the U.S. include: corn, soybeans, canola, squash and papaya B. One of the benefits of these crops is that it can substantially increase productivity in the developing world by making it possible to grow crops in areas that cannot currently sustain them. (grown in a d... Free Essays on Biotechnology Free Essays on Biotechnology S. After listening to my speech, the audience will know 3 ways that biotechnology will help/hurt the future of society. Introduction: Have you every received a vaccination from a doctor to prevent the flu? If so, it probably came in the form of a shot that the doctor inserted into your arm and injected you with. This situation may be your worst fear if you are afraid of needles. Have you ever imagined the possibility of receiving the same flu vaccination by eating a carrot or a piece of chicken? Don’t be alarmed, this possibility is closer than you think with the advancement of biotechnology in food products today. Body: I. Biotechnology has the reputation of being very new and high tech. A. In fact, it is possibly the oldest-technology known to man B. One example would be penicillin, produced by growing mold and extracting the Penicillium C. It is the same with genetic engineering; domestic pets or farm animals. Selective breeding over many centuries (different animals) II. So, if biotechnology has been around so long, why all the fuss now? The reason is that we can now do so much more. A. Now we have gene therapy, enables doctors to change the genes in our own cells (no more disease or mutations) B. But most people don’t want to be the first person to receive this gene therapy so transgenic mice have been made to carry the diseases so doctors can study them C. Now we have a way, thanks to biotechnology, that we can study these diseases and mutations and can make new discoveries and treatments for millions of people. III. Commercial production of genetically modified crops A. Some of the genetically modified crops being grown in the U.S. include: corn, soybeans, canola, squash and papaya B. One of the benefits of these crops is that it can substantially increase productivity in the developing world by making it possible to grow crops in areas that cannot currently sustain them. (grown in a d... Free Essays on Biotechnology Biotechnology Continuing through the twenty-first century, technology is expanding and to all aspects of life for the purpose of fixing worldwide problems to making our life’s much easier. In the past few years, a new branch of technology has opened up, called Biotechnology. Biotechnology combines agriculture and science to improve crops. Methods such as Genetics are used to modify crops and animals. Those in the Biotechnology work field say that this new devolvement in science may in the future change agriculture. So what is the purpose of Biotechnology? It’s to solve nationwide as well as worldwide agriculture problems to make farming more efficient and profitable. Farmers each year lose millions to crop damage from droughts, pest, and poor soil conditions. Biotechnology is not just to make farmers money, but to also put an end to hunger and slow down the growth of disease spread through affected crops. Agriculture plays a major role in our lifestyle. It is the key for our survival. Without food, we simply can not live. Today crops have been successfully genetically engineered and grown today. Crops such as corn are now grown to be immune to deaseses. The bacteria that once could destroy an entire field of corn, does absolutely nothing to the new crops. With the use of this new technology, pesticides are no longer needed. For instance, soybeans can be genetically altered to grow containing its own pesticide. Also the threat of pesticides entering drinking water is reduced, as the need of the chemicals are no longer needed. Areas with harsh soil conditions that couldn’t support the growth of crops are now able to grow crops. A crop can be changed to live with less water, and survive in warmer temperatures. Countries such as India, where a major medical condition such as blindness is fixed, by changing the genes of rice crops so that it can prevent blindness. Although I did not mention all the benefits of biotechnology, more...

IT Systems Strategy Of A Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

IT Systems Strategy Of A Company - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the IT systems strategy of Microsoft – a major competitor in the global application software industry; reference is made not to the parent firm, based in USA, but to its UK subsidiary; the current position of the firm towards its rivals is important (see also Table 1, Appendix); it seems that the IT strategy of the firm has helped towards the achievement of a stable growth; the key aspects of this strategy are presented and evaluated using appropriate theoretical framework – the PESTEL analysis. Microsoft Corporation is a global leader in the Software Application Industry; the firm entered the British market in 1982; currently the employees of the firm in UK are 1500. Since its establishment in Britain the firm has focused on the promotion of innovation in technology and the improvement of the technology available in education and in communities. In fact, as in other countries worldwide, Microsoft Corporation UK has helped the British government to improve the technology used in various social and economic activities – enhancing ‘the social and economic well-being of local population’ (Microsoft Corporation, Economic Empowerment). One of the key characteristics of the global market is the continuous increase of competition; firms that try to stabilize their performance and achieve a stable rate of growth need to continuously review their strategies; emphasis should be based on the IT systems involved in the various organizational operations. In firms that are heavily based on knowledge management specific measures should be taken; the firms that would be involved in such effort should meet the following requirements: ‘ a) to be proficient at skills and support infrastructure, to foster innovation and collaboration and to allow self-organization to emerge’ (Rud, 2009, p.38). When the organizational activities are expanded in different industrial sectors, the strategic planning

International Business Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Business Finance - Essay Example If you have an existing business that creates a tangible product, exporting is the most common method. Start-up costs and risks are limited, and profits maybe realized early on. For some this may be the beginning a new venture, the other choices are options that may reduce some of the start-up risks. There are two basic ways to export: directly or indirectly. Direct Exporting In direct exporting, your company finds a foreign buyer and then makes all arrangements for shipping your products overseas. This method requires a lot of footwork and infrastructure, and entails more risk, but the potential profit rewards are often higher. If you choose to export directly, you have several options: Sales Representatives or Agents are essentially, the employees that are hired as foreign-based representatives or "agents" who work on a commission basis to locate buyers for your product, the same that is done domestically. Distributors will strike a deal with a foreign distributor, who purchases me rchandise from the organisation and resells it with a mark-up. The distributor maintains inventory and provides after-sales service to the buyer. Indirect Exporting An organisation uses an export intermediary to perform most of the details of the export arrangement. Many small businesses choose this option, at least at the outset. There are several types of export intermediaries: Commissioned agents are brokers who link your product or service with specific foreign buyers, allowing the primary company to fulfil the order, handle packing, shipping, and export documentation. Export Management Companies (EMCs) and Export Trading Companies (ETCs) are companies that operate in the country where the goods export. EMCs generally represent your product to promote it to other prospective overseas purchasers, while ETCs usually work according to demand, finding a need and sourcing your product for foreign buyers. Both types of companies usually take care of all aspects of the export transacti on (including conducting market research, promoting your product overseas, accessing proper distribution channels, and locating foreign distributors), making them a viable option for smaller companies that lack the time and expertise to break into international markets on their own. EMCs and ETCs usually operate on a commission basis, although some work on a retainer basis and some take title to the goods they sell, making a profit on the mark-up. Importing and exporting, on any scale, from a tiny home office or from the World Trade Centre. It is not required to have a license from the United States government in order to do international trade, but the country with which company does business may require a license. There are several issues needed in an international business plan (Rajan, 1998). Discuss the different types of risk that impact on an organisation trading on an international basis. Political risk arises from the possibility that a host government will take actions harm ful to foreign investors or that political turmoil will endanger investments. Political risk are particularly acute in developing countries, where unstable or ideologically motivated governments may attempt to block return of profits by foreign investors or even seize their assets from the host country. An example is Venezuela. President Chavez at the time at a desire to broaden the country's socialist revolution in Venezuela and issued a

Reading Response #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reading Response #3 - Essay Example the article describes, about how the class room atmosphere or its appearance imposes an impact on the teachers, children and education system of the school and the process through which it develops the structure of the education and intellectual capabilities of the children in the later stages of their life. Secondly, it further discusses about the critical aspects of school environment by analyzing different kinds of methods such as Macro Analysis, school appearances and classroom analysis among others. Thirdly, the article portrays the expectations and influence of the kindergarten teachers about the chances of the success and failure of the children within the available education environment. The final and the fourth stage reflect on the fact that the article expresses the thought of equal distribution and educational opportunity among the children. The author plans to observe the poor children in formal and informal ways as well as record their activity and development within the school and clarify the benefits that have been derived from the analysis. The article provides the information regarding the process of that the school environment follows in terms of the teacher’s involvement and expectation, which influenced and benefited for increasing a diverse view towards the future development of the children. In the provided article, the author discussed about the distribution of Socio-Economic Status of the children in the kindergarten school. He divided the family based on the number of the children who were associated with the school. Following the segregations the author classified those selected in 3 tables that are designed based on the sitting arrangement specified for the children. The children who are the only child of the parents have been depicted under Table-1. The depiction under Table 1 is reflects on the fact that the lifestyle followed by the people is more sophisticated and quite different from the other people who are listed under Table-2