A Study On Financial Performance Using Ratio Analysis Essay

A Study on Financial Performance Using Ratio Analysis of Hindalco Aluminium Company Ltd Pritesh C.Panchal Assist. Professor Smt. Jayaben B. Patel College of Commerce Studies and Research, Anand. Email: Priteshpanchal6017@gmail.com Mukesh B.Tagariya Assist. Professor Smt. Jayaben B. Patel College of Commerce Studies and Research, Anand. Email: mbtagariya@gmail.com ABSTRACT The present study of the research entitled â€Å"A STUDY ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE USING RATIO ANALYSIS OF HINDALCO ALUMINIUM COMPANY LTD†. The study was based on secondary data from records, reports and profile of the organization. The ratio analysis is the process of identifying the financial soundness and cost effectiveness of the firm establishing relationship between the items of balance sheet and profit and loss a/c. The present study has thrown major concentration in ratio analysis from the 5 years balance sheet and profit and loss a/c. An objective of the study includes the profitability, cost of goods sold and overall financial performance of the company. Based on the five years balance sheet and profit and loss a/c suitable suggestion were given by the researcher for a better soundness and cost effectiveness of company. Keywords: Current ratio, Profitability Ratio, Aluminium companies. INTRODUCTION The Hindalco story dates back to the young Indian democracy of the 1950s. Ready to take a giant leap, India was geared to make it big, especially in terms of innovation and industrialization.Show MoreRelatedA Study on Financial Performance Using Ratio Analysis at Emami Ltd15589 Words   |  63 PagesA STUDY ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE USING RATIO ANALYSIS AT EMAMI LTD SUMMER PROJECT REPORT Submitted by A.GAYATHRIDEVI REGISTER NO: 27348311 Under the guidance of Mrs. R. HEMALATHA, M.B.A., Faculty of management studies In partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES SRI MANAKULA VINAYAGAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY PUDUCHERRY, INDIA SEPTEMBER 2007 SRIRead MoreFinancial Performance Review and Objective1405 Words   |  6 Pages A STUDY ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MATHRUBHUMI PRINTIONG amp; PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED, CALICUT COMPANY PROFILE Mathrubhumi  is one of the front-runners among the Malayalam newspapers. The first copy of Mathrubhumi  was published on 18th of March 1923K. P. Kesava Menon, the prominent freedom fighter, as Editor and K. Madhavan Nair as Managing Director of it.In the beginning, the paper was published a week and had just one edition from Kozhikode (Calicut).Now with fourteen editions, includingRead MoreFinancial Performance Review and Objective1419 Words   |  6 Pages A STUDY ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MATHRUBHUMI PRINTIONG amp; PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED, CALICUT COMPANY PROFILE Mathrubhumi  is one of the front-runners among the Malayalam newspapers. The first copy of Mathrubhumi  was published on 18th of March 1923K. P. Kesava Menon, the prominent freedom fighter, as Editor and K. Madhavan Nair as Managing Director of it.In the beginning, the paper was published a week and had just one edition from Kozhikode (Calicut).Now with fourteen editions, includingRead MoreWhat Is Source Of Analysis943 Words   |  4 PagesPeriod of the Study Secondary data is used for the study. 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Ratio analysis is a technique of analysis and interpretation of financial statements. It helps in evaluating the financial position and performance of the firm, ratio analysis also allows firms to compare their operational or fi nancial performance to another firm or the industry standardRead MoreEvaluation Of Financial Position And Performance Of Uk Banking Sector1163 Words   |  5 PagesEvaluation of Financial Position and Performance of UK Banking Sector with Respect to Liquidity and Profitability Research Background: Several research studies have done not only about the importance of performance evaluation (financial and non financial) of banks but also for the impact of analysis to the economy and various stakeholder groups. 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It helps in evaluating the financial position and performance of the firm, ratio analysis also allows firmsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Textile Industry And Company Analysis1175 Words   |  5 Pages ECONOMY, INDUSTRY AND COMPANY ANALYSIS MUZZAMAL IRFAN MC130202491 VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY OF PAKISTAN 20 November 2014 â€Æ' SCANNED COPY OF JCLâ€Æ' SECTION Iâ€Æ' CHAPTER 1: 1.1. Introduction of the project Mark Andrew Skousen an American Economist states that, â€Å"The reality is that business and investment spending are the true leading indicators of the economy and the stock market. If you want to know where the stock market is headed, forget about consumer spending and retail

Surfing- Counter Culture - 1501 Words

In order to successfully understand the inexplicable surfer’s lifestyle as a counter-culture to main society, we must first have a greater knowledge of the ingredients that make this culture so different in the views of the social norm. A counter-culture as described by Professor Chad Smith in the second week of class is, â€Å"When subcultures specially stand in direct opposition to the dominant culture of the society in which they are located, rejecting it’s most important values and norms and endorsing their opposites.† As surfers began to express themselves more and more freely throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, the surfing sub-culture that was portrayed by the media, with retrospect to Gidget and Beach Part, began to diminish in the eyes of†¦show more content†¦They would create little gimmicks that would further classify themselves as authentic and a bizarre breed. The â€Å"Brown-eye† became a common sight to be seen around bea ch cities and surf spots, as surfers would intentionally pull down their trunks and show their backsides to fellow surfers and the onshore crowd. This however spread to the inter cites and by â€Å"1959 1960 in beach towns and the L.A basin, cars passing by with a youth’s bare posterior framed in the side window were a common sight† (Irwin 22). Although their attitude was indeed a huge aspect in labeling the surf community as a counter-culture, it did not stop there. Their personal image changed as they began to dress in a way unconventional to society thus creating a distinction from others. Now at this point of the paper, we need to look at another view of the surf counter-culture in order to examine both sides of its complexity. Kristin Lawler believes that the thriving capitalism that came post WWII had a huge effect on the growth and direction in which the surfing counter-culture took place. â€Å"The counter-culture of the 1960s was welcomed by capitalist, who had already been getting pretty hip and countercultural themselves† (Lawler 6). With the surfing community identified as rebels to surrounding society, capitalism saw a need to supply these groups of radical individualists with products that were suitable to their lifestyle. She statesShow MoreRelated history of surfing Essay3388 Words   |  14 Pagesplanet’s counter-rotational currents, creating jetstream flows. The winds flow over the ocean’s surface creating friction that spawns chops, pushing up the seas forming perfect bands of open ocean swell. Pushed on by gravitational forces, the swells speed away from the winds that they came from, moving across the deeps until they feel the drag of the shallows near the coast. As the swells rise up out of themselves, they peak, curling into the liquid dreams that we surfers ride (Kampton 4). Surfing isRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Surf Shop1781 Words   |  8 Pages and the college that dominates this place, but one major part of the culture here that is often overlooked is surfing. No matter where one is on campus, they will see people headed off to the beach with their board in hand, or headed to Poly Escapes to rent one. I have only been surfing a handful of times in my life, which is why I chose to analyze a surf shop; I have always been fascinated by the huge obsession with surfing that is present. When meeting people for the first time here, it is almostRead MoreInterview At My Mother, Cindy Brown Essay1122 Words   |  5 Pagesthat. I expect her to have a lot of culture shocks and differences from the United States. When I grew up and where she grew up, it is such a small town and not very much diversity at all. I just know how I would be going to Japan and not knowing much about it or anyone there. Okinawa is located at the southwest tip of Japan. â€Å"Okinawa means â€Å"rope in the open sea† (Wikitravel). Okinawa’s culture is of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a very diverse culture because of its blend through commerceRead MoreRelationship Between Customers And Employees At Caje And Behavioral Patterns Customers Conduct When Reacting With One Another1403 Words   |  6 Pagestend reflect the community they are a part of. People tend to act openly and like themselves. It is a space filled with a variety of people, doing a variety of things. (McCunn). At CAJÉ there is both outdoor seating for its customers as well as a counter and tables inside where students are often found studying or enjoying their beverages and food. The tables are only big enough to fit two people and CAJÉ is often full of student, making it difficult to find a seat. Students sometimes come with friendsRead More Cyberspace Hate Propaganda and Internet Censorship Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesvulnerable. Attempts at censorship fail because of the international nature of the Internet, and to a lesser extent, free speech contentions. Instead, the freedom of speech exercised by cyberhate groups can be applied by online anti-hate advocates to counter cyberhate. Educating youth is the most important tool against cyberhate, however. Teaching children to be critical of content on the Internet implies that children think critically about cultural tolerance and intolerance: hate in reality shouldRead MoreA Student Taking a Gap Year is Conceivable Essay1670 Words   |  7 Pages(Torpey 28). Helping others who are often less privileged contributes to a greater appreciation of how fortunate one is. All through this service many new friendships ensue; students will take away a unique and personal insight into themselves and the cultures they live in. 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Hence, SWA live by the 3Cs and incorporates it into their day to day operations, from the corporate level down to the men and women working at the ticket counter. One can see the 3Cs in action, whether surfing SWA website, speaking to one of team members over the phone, at the ticket counter or being is a passenger on an aircraft; you feel the commitment regardless of the touch point. SWA strives on partnering with its employees, stakeholders, stockholders, and shareholdersRead Moresales promotion of kurkure1625 Words   |  7 Pagespromise. Volumes shot by 20% in just one month. Sales have increased by 19% over last year. KURKURE TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS In 2004 it  launched the Kahani mein Kurkure (Crispiness in the  Story) campaign, which was atake on Indian popular culture. The advertising campaign spoofed popular Indian TV shows likeJassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and Kyu ki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi, to appeal to Indian housewives, thelargest  target  audience  to  watch  these  programs.In addition to targeting housewives, who playRead MoreConsumer Behaviour and the Surf Wear Industry2278 Words   |  10 Pageswhich the surf wear companies are not providing. †¢ â€Å"Primarily a member of the garment industry, surf wear has found itself extending and competing to non-surfing members of the consumer population fighting to maintain an image that is both associated with the ‘genuine surfers’ but capitalising on the fashion consciousness of the non-surfing consumer base.† (Bergin et al. 2003, P 13). This expansion of consumers has led to disgruntled and alienated core consumers, which has resulted in the company’s

Methods To Calculate Wave Propagation †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Different Methods To Calculate Wave Propagation Analysis. Answer: Introduction According to (Braja, 2016)there is a need for Civil Engineers to properly understand different theories and analysis that are used to evaluate soils and foundation designs. The extensive Geotechnical Engineering is a wide study that helps mechanics in their day to day study of soil and rocks, learning their features and soil composition. In this report, we are looking at a study of wave propagation analysis of two-phase saturated porous media using coupled finiteinfinite element method. An extensive study of soil and its behaviors, the decay function of sub-surface materials is shown based on the analytical solution. A properly managed study of the phenomenon of wave propagation in water bearing media must have effective and results. There are many methods used to deal with unbounded domains. However both methods are good and give estimated results. The finite and infinite domain. Computationally, Differential Equations governs wave propagation, saturated slightly in porous media. Computational Framework/ Numerical Method. Computational framework is the basis of observing chemical processes reactions. In the research method of wave propagation analysis of two phase saturated porous media using finite-infinite element method, computational framework/numerical model is the finite method proposed for analyzing the remote domains. This method is usually used in engineering and mathematical physics to come up with solutions of numeric. The finite method is used to truncate boundaries that are at a large distance remotely from one zone then fixed or free boundary conditions are imposed. This approach have its own limitations whereby, if the waves reflect back near the field, wrong results may be incurred. This approach has its own limitations in case the systems used are taken legal action. The finite method may lead to high costs resolving from computational, large storage needed and time frame penalties. These are the major limitations of the numerical method. Main features of Computational Framework. One of the features of the truncating approach is imposing a special boundary condition whereby the infinite domain is truncated at an arbitrary location, for example absorption of energy. This method however is not satisfactory because they are mostly artificial. Another feature of the Framework is using a finite element that are coupled together and boundary element method. This is whereby there is a division of the whole system to the closest field, that in cooperates symmetrical boundaries and non- homogeneous and those fields that extent to limitlessness. The third feature in the finite method, is using the cloning method that was proposed by known Dasguta. Which was later made better by wolf and Song. The advantage of this method is that it is the only finite approach that is standalone. However its main weakness is whereby, some conditions of similarity of geometry and property of material can be satisfied. Another great feature for computational framework is the use of finite element and the infinite approach. This is used to measure the infinity in different ways whereby the finite elements measure near area and in-finite one used to measure areas that are far. Other methods used Governing Equations Governing equations is whereby, mass is conserved and energy too is conserved in fluid. In wave propagation analysis, the porous media can be compressed with viscid fluids. Infinite Element Formulation This is where shape decays with distance and zero is reaches infinity. The shape functionality does not matter a lot here. This methods consists of two main steps whereby, there is need of analytical identification solution of the problem and derivation of the shape from it. This method in cooperates several solutions. I.D analytical approach is one of the solutions of the infinite element foundation whereby element functions shapes are derived from it. Shape functions is another type of infinite element solution whereby the shape functions are the key elements. Property functions is another approach whereby all directions are shown. Finite Element Formulation. This is where, the research is done using Galerkin approach. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a numerical technique that is used to get estimated solutions of partial differential equations. FEM, was originated from the need of solving complex elasticity and structural analysis problems in Civil Engineering. It aids in giving strength and stiffness to structures that are being simulated. Moreover assists in cost elimination and weight minimization to structures that are being built. This method subdivides large tasks into smaller parts that are simple to tackle which are called finite elements.(Joonsang, 2012) Infinite Element Formulation Infinite element Formulation (IFEM), is usually calculated using integer m, known as the infinite element order. For one to get the smallest error possible between estimated and exact solution, then the order of integer m, should be highest. These elements, the infinite elements are used in acoustic models to represent the radiation of field on finite elements that are unbounded. They have many advantages over some of the boundary treatment of such tasks. While carrying out this example, providing stability to such structures some of the factors to be taken into consideration entails avoidance of very big, dominant massing, large elongated or slab-like plates, being very innovative and creative with appropriate choice of materials especially key in the, inaccurate methods of computation of stresses and strains from the effects of shrinkage, this is to mean only shapeless materials are used.rimming the infinite domain at an arbitrary location then imposing great boundary locations. Th is is where shape decays with distance to zero as reaches it infinity. The shape functionality does not matter a lot here. This methods consists of two main steps whereby, there is need of analytical identification solution of the problem and derivation of the shape from it. This method in cooperates several solutions. (Joonsang, 2012) Verification method Verification method commonly have four parts, which are intense inspection, demonstration of the results, testing and analyzing the findings. In inspection, the common methods used are usually the five senses which are tasting, touching, seeing, smelling or olfactory. This is used to identify the accuracy and efficiency of the infinite method during wave propagation analysis. Two experiment are carried out and then they are compared to verify the similarities. Example, a problem with 1D problem that consists saturated porous media subjected to a uniform harmonic loading with circular frequency. A schematic representation of the problem and the finiteinfinite element the near field is discretized using eight-node isoperimetric finite elements and the far field is modelled using a single infinite element. Comparison of Finite Element method and other Methods Theoretically finite element method has more advantages compared to other methods on porous media. The most known advantage is stability. Finite element method is more stable compared to the other methods and easy to establish. It is good to know prior so that one will not use it unknowingly. Convergence is another advantage of finite method because variation forms usually are consistent with governing equations. The approximation of finite method usually follows from best approximate results. The finite method is easily adaptable thus making adaptivity the third advantage of finite method over the others. This is where you have to rely on indication and not estimation. The other method show where error might be and not the exact place. Computationally, finite method also has some advantages as listed below, Hybridization this is where the mixed formulation method is used, where you use second order term as systems of two first order terms. Inhomogeneity this is when one used higher order quadrature rule in finite method naturally. Complex geometrics, this is where infinite method is used to solve problems theoretically given that one has a good mesh generator, without changing a code. Boundary conditions, this is whereby finite element method is used to resort conditions that are considered weak.With the above comparisons, of finite elements over the other methods, the advantages make the method seem to be the most efficient method to use in the testings. Conclusion In conclusion, wave propagation problems have been fully analyzed and it is seen that that have saturated the soils in great way. This includes domains that are unbounded. Geotechnical Engineering should be incorporated more and many approaches used to come up with an accurate answer or method. Application of the infinite element is discussed into length to show efficiency of the proposed element. The Finite method may seem to be the best, but keeping in mind the other methods too are all well perceived. The main aim is to come up with a better method that will give accurate results irrespective of the shape of the soils or surfaces. To conclude, when the two methods are in cooperated or used together, they tend to bring out accurate results, until when infinite elements are introduced and then the numerical results seems to disappear. For Civil Engineers to come up with the best method, they need to test and proof test the method and finally use the one that does not strain, or limi t them in any way possible. References Athanasios, P., Thomas, B. (2010). Soil Engineering. Berlin: Heidelberg. Braja, M. (2016). Principles of Foundation Engineering. Australia: Cengage Learning. Celebi, E., Goktepe, F., Karahan, N. (2012). Non-linear finite element analysis for ptrediction of seismic response of buildings considering soil-structure interaction. Copemicus GmbH. Delwyn, G., Murray, D. (2012). Unsaturated soils mechanics in engineering. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Hao, L. (2008). Diffraction of SH-waves by surface or sub-surface topographies with application to soil-structure interaction on shallow foundations. Los Angeles: California. Jien, H., Andrew, J. (2011). Geo-Frontiers 2011: advances in geotechnical Engineering. Reston: VA Joonsang, P. (2012). Wave motion in finite and infinite media using the thin layer method. Karl, T., Ralph, B. (2013). Soil Mechanics in Engineering practice. England: Read Books Ltd. Lutz, L. (2007). Wave propagation in infinite Domains: with applications to structure interaction. Dordrecht: Springer. Reddy, R. (2010). Soil Engineering. New Delhi: GeneTech Books. Rodney, L. (2013). Soil and Water conservation engineering. St. Joseph: Mich. Sunjay, K. (2017). Fundamentals of Fibre-Reinforced Soil Engineering. Singapore: Springer Singapore.

Hospital Treatment and Premature Mortality †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Hospital Treatment and Premature Mortality. Answer: Introduction: Manunaku District Health Board in New Zealand is the largest health organization which provides health and disability services to almost a million people every year.A proposal was provided to the health service regardingfunding from Ronald McDonald House Charities, for accommodation and other services at Middlemore Hospital for review and acceptance. Currently the organization has been facing stiff economic crisis followed by reshuffling of the top grade, finance management employees(Thornley Marshall, 2016). The charity is being supported by McDonaldsa fast food joint, along with the fact that New Zealand has been facing health issues related to obesity, raises questions regarding the ethical values of the proposal. Currently, The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation has already provided an estimate of more than a third of its population suffering from obesity or overweight along with more than 60% children from Pacific Island and 40% of the Maori children (Coppell et al., 2013). On an ethical perspective, utilitarianism entails the output of maximum good for the greater number of people, which justifies the ethical decisions. This philosophy emphasizes on the need of estimated consequences of an action than the original intent behind it. Considering this case, it is evident that the proposal stands in support of the greater good of the people. The direct consequences of the mentioned proposal could be of great significance as the charity in concern has been actively participating in donation services and has helped over 3700 families in New Zealand alone. The charity has been providing valuable health services to the neighbouring Auckland District Health Board for more than 25 years and evidently serves for the general good health and well-being of the people. The consequences of accepting funds for accommodation and other health services from Ronald McDonald House of Charities have consequentiallyadavntage by though aiding thousands of patients and their fa milies throughout New Zealand. Taking this case into consideration, the acceptance or rejection of the proposal does cause a huge difference in the resulting areas, especially because of the poor economic health of the Counties Manunaku District Health Board. The proposal also initiates a vital question regarding the nature of consequences and more importantly challenges the nature of intent behind the course of action (Jones Felps, 2013). Keeping in mind the short-term consequences of the proposal, it does maximise good health and better health services for a large section of the society; yet, the fact that McDonalds Charity House is linked with the fast food chain company raises concern regarding the long-term consequences. New Zealand has been facing a wide array of health issues that sprout from fast food consumptionobesity, diabetes and more. Conclusion From a utilitarian ethical viewpoint raises doubts regarding the totality and relevance of short-term benefits as compared to the long-term demerits. The overall ethical argument of the case proposal, seem to incline towards a utilitarian ethical value. Considering the poor economic conditions of the District Health Board along with the rising health issues, especially amongst children and elderly people, the proposal paves way for reduction in health risks by making health services easily accessible for all. It earns maximum consumer satisfaction by reaching out to a large number of people and consequentially reduces the total amount of pain experienced by the people. Thus from this perspective, the hospital should have accepted the proposal for the greater good of the people and focus on health promotion on good health habits among the population. References Coppell, K. J., Mann, J. I., Williams, S. M., Jo, E., Drury, P. L., Miller, J. C., Parnell, W. R. (2013). Prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes in New Zealand: findings from the 2008/09 Adult Nutrition Survey. The New Zealand Medical Journal (Online), 126(1370). Jones, T. M., Felps, W. (2013). Shareholder wealth maximization and social welfare: A utilitarian critique. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(2), 207-238. Thornley, S., Marshall, R. (2016). Lack of housing, hospital treatment and premature mortality: a cohort study of people in Counties Manukau district. Age (years), 607(51.4), 0-026.

A Marketing Plan for Prius Electronics

A Marketing Plan for Prius Electronics Executive Summary The need for a geographical business growth informs the adoption of a market dominance strategy by Prius Electronics. The transition in the management of this family owned enterprise has necessitated the deepening of its hold on the high end market.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on A Marketing Plan for Prius Electronics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The strategy relies on the spending power of the said market segment. On its part, the potential for growth relies on the huge profits expected from the application of the market dominance policy. The company’s focus on the high end niche guarantees significant return on investment since the profit margins of such products are usually high. The selected market plan also has the potential to increase the returns of each of the shareholders. Such increments are possible since growth in profits is likely to trigger expansion into other geo graphical areas in the country. A Marketing Plan for Prius Electronics Background Information Prius Electronics is a family-owned business founded in 1990. The company was started by the family members as an outlet for second hand electronic items like television sets and radios. However, the need for diversification made the organization shift from second hand material to electronic products that were brand new (Thorpe Morgan, 2007). Today, the company has five branches in several parts of the Illinois State in the United States of America. Prius Electronics markets itself as a supplier of authentic and high-tech electronic items. The products are aimed at enabling the clients cope with the dynamics associated with the technological world. According to Morgan and Hunt (2002), a company seeking to gain competitive advantage over its peers should strive for uniqueness. The company has its headquarters in Chicago. However, its presence is felt in 15 other towns within Illinois. Among others, it has operations in Addison, Barrington, Auburn, Bloomingdale, and Aurora. Shaw (2012) argues that proximity to customers is an effective marketing strategy. Most of the outlets are located within a 3 mile radius of residential areas.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company is both a wholesaler and a retailer of electronic material. The products range from television sets, computers, cameras, phones, and other home appliances. The company has a 3 year warranty policy for all the products sold. It is the only outlet in Illinois that offers clients such a policy. Such a plan is expected to increase sales and other earnings in the organization (Paswan, Blanckson Guzman, 2011). In this paper, the marketing plan adopted by the company is analyzed. Among others, an environmental analysis of the company is conducted. In the analysis, competitive, e conomic, political, legal, technological, and sociocultural forces are reviewed. In addition, the primary and secondary target markets are identified. An Environmental Analysis of Prius Electronics Overview As aforementioned, the entity was founded as a distributor of electronic appliances for home and office use. Over the years, it has grown to become a marketer of the latest brands of electronic equipment. Presently, the company is undergoing a leadership transition. The current chief executive officer is about to hand over the company to his son, given that it is a family-run organization. The transition creates the need for a marketing plan meant to take the company into the future (Paswan et al., 2011). As such, it is important to understand the business environment in terms of the competitive, economic, and political forces. Competitive Forces Intense competition in the electronics business requires companies to make their presence known to the consumers. Companies are expecte d to engage in advertising as part of their marketing strategy (Morgan Hunt, 2002).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on A Marketing Plan for Prius Electronics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, the American market is characterized by a myriad of different types of advertisements from prominent electronics companies. The scenario is what leads to the stiff competition in the electronic industry in Illinois and the greater American market. Competition is usually skewed to favor some parties depending on the category of the commodities sold (Shaw, 2012). In the case of Prius, competition in the low-end products segment is extremely high. Such products are those whose price is less than $100. However, the same products might cost more than $100 due to added features. Such a scenario leads to what is referred to as a high-end product. An example is in the iPhone series of products, where there is a 5s and a 5c . The latter is low end, while the former is high end. Competition in this case arises due to the affordability aspect. Economic Forces According to Paswan et al. (2011), the economic situation in a country has a ripple effect on the operation of businesses. Similarly, the prevailing harsh economic situation in the American economy has forced many companies to cut costs on such issues as promotions. The most significant budget cuts in this perspective are in the mainstream advertising platforms like newspapers and television. Nonetheless, companies are still relying on promotional activities in a bid to advertise their services. A survey conducted in the American market indicates that many companies are taking to specialty advertising. The same is aimed at ensuring brand visibility despite the promotional budget cuts. The new form of marketing is mostly done by large companies that can afford to allocate funds to such ventures. Slow economic recovery witnessed in America implies tha t many companies will rely on specialty advertising. The objective is to receive value for the funds spent creating awareness for products and services (Shaw, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Political Forces According to Shaw (2012), the political situation in a country has an effect on the performance of businesses operating there. Today, the high handedness witnessed in the House of Representatives has the possibility to ruin businesses in the country. For instance, the recent government shutdown resulted in decreased sales in small businesses operating in various industries. The effects of such policies and political realities are not restricted to the small businesses. For example, they have the potential to negatively affect the operations of large businesses like Samsung Electronics. Legal Forces The specialty advertising referred to earlier is characterized by the distribution of goods to potential customers through mails (Morgan Hunt, 2002). Many clients have lodged complaints regarding the mail sent to them, regarding it as junk. Companies like Prius Electrical are less affected by the problems associated by these types of mails. Promotional correspondence aff ects the clients who had not placed orders for the products more than it affects those who have already expressed their interest to acquire the item. There needs to be a legal framework aimed at regulating such forms of advertisement. However, since this appears to be the most preferred form of marketing plan in such economic situations, many companies are likely to ignore any legal implications associated with it. For example, large companies will most likely opt to continue sending the mail since they can afford to absorb the consequences. Technological Forces The technology world is changing at a very high pace. New products are launched almost on a daily basis. Morgan and Hunt (2002) suggest that emerging trends are forcing manufacturers to change the specialization of appliances. An example is in the television market segment. Consumers and producers are shifting to flat screen television sets. The new television sets are accompanied by new modifications to enhance the quality of their signal. Manufacturers are constantly developing televisions with higher definitions to improve the quality of pictures received. It is important for companies to increase their sales before a new version of an appliance is launched. Socio-Cultural Factors The need to increase household incomes implies that customers will spend most of their time working and less on leisure. They will most likely spend money on appliances that are capable of making their work easier (Morgan Hunt, 2002). An example of such a scenario is evident in the sale of mobile phones. Clients will definitely prefer a mobile phone that has many applications. Such applications include those used in taking photos and organizing one’s diary. As a result, electronic outlets will be forced to stock such commodities to meet the customer’s demands. Markets Market Tiers There are two tiers of markets in which products are sold (Shaw, 2012). The choice of a particular tier depends on the type of co mmodities sold by a company. The two are the primary and secondary markets. The marketing plan of a company is expected to respond to its markets. Prius Electronics is operating in the two types of markets. Primary Market According to Paswan et al. (2011), the primary market is the bedrock from which a company gets most of its revenues. Earlier, this paper established that there is high competition in the less costly commodities’ market. The management at Prius Electronics wants to avoid stiff competition by targeting the high end market. Persons or organizations that can comfortably purchase electronics worth $5000 per week are the company’s primary market. Identification of this segment is inspired by the need for niche differentiation to increase profits. Given the dynamic nature of electronic appliances, it follows that a company dealing in the same will be required to offload its products before a new version is introduced in the market. Over the past decade, Priu s Electronics has relied on the high end market to ensure high sales volumes. Moving forward, the company needs to expand its space within this primary market. Secondary Market It is the second tier in a market. It is used to supplement the revenues generated by the company from the main market (Morgan Hunt, 2002). Prius Electronics uses the low-end buyers as its secondary market. The niche comprises of commodities whose shelf life is rarely affected by the entry of a new product. In such cases, home appliances like iron boxes and blenders are reasonably priced to attract the low end buyers. Branding Strategy Logo and Name Slogan â€Å"Making life easier† Brand Extension Introducing the very latest Super High Definition curved television Performance Analysis Benchmark Metric 50%-55% 55%-65% 65%-70% 70%-75% Rate of growth compared to the competition in the market X Web site visitors X Increase in market share X Customer value X The performance analy sis is based on the need to increase each of the metrics per year. The objectives are as follows: Quantitative To increase market share by 75% To increase website visitors by 60% To increase the customer value by 65% To increase the rate of growth by 70% Qualitative Developing the company brand Improving the company’s image Enhancing awareness of the company making relevant considerations SWOT and Needs Analysis Strengths The company has adopted the market differentiation strategy evident in the primary and secondary markets. Such a strategy is one of its strengths. In addition, Prius Electronics have adopted the specialty advertising strategy, which makes it possible to maintain a small number of employees. Such a manageable number means that the company can afford to allocate resources to support the marketing strategy despite slow economic growth (Shaw, 2012). Further, the organization has created a working relationship with manufactures and distributors of the pro ducts. The same helps to maintain the high quality of the goods sold. Consumers in the primary market places second orders at a very high rate. Such a rate affirms that the quality of services delivered is satisfactory. Clients inform their friends and other people of the high quality of products, increasing the number of new clients by 6% per month. Weaknesses By virtue of being a family business, Prius Electronics have adopted a centralized management hierarchy. The structure lacks a managerial backup. In such circumstances, Shaw (2012) suggests that there is a limited knowledge base in the company. The operations of such a company are threatened in the event that the leadership is incapacitated. The dynamic nature of electronic appliances adds to these weaknesses. Opportunities According to Morgan and Hunt (2002), annual expenditure on advertisements in America stood at $130 billion in 2012. The figure is expected to grow in subsequent years. Analysts estimate that a quarter of t he budget is spent on specialty advertising. Prius is a company keen on the said advertising platform. The figures indicate an opportunity that the company can exploit to increase growth. Threats The major threat to electronics is the constant change in their specialization. Morgan Hunt (2002) indicates that with the dawn of the internet age customers are keen on smart technology. The high end market, in particular, is keen o the said appliances. However, owing to the limited numbers of their high end market coupled with the aforementioned dynamism, a threat of low sales volumes looms. The Market Dominance Strategy As aforementioned, the transition in the company informs the need to increase profit margins. Consequently, the company requires a marketing strategy that will increase profitability and share holder returns (Shaw, 2012). Going forward, the said strategy will boost growth. More specifically the company will take a niche approach into this strategy. Over the next five yea rs, the company intends to develop a niche in the high end market segmentation. Morgan Hunt (2002) posits that electronics are luxury products and the said market has the best purchasing power. The five year time frame is sufficient as the company seeks to go national. According to their forecast, their marketing activities will primarily target the said niche and the proposed timeframe is sufficient. Positioning Statement Prius Electronics is h leading electronics distributor in Illinois. We pride ourselves in the sale of authentic appliances for the home and office respectively. The state of the art quality of our products enables their fast application. We offer competitive prices and to those who make electronic purchases, a considerable discount is made. Consumer Behavior Shaw (2012) argues that a marketing plan ought to respond to their clients’ behavior in the market. As aforementioned the high end products usually have a short shelf life before a new product is intro duced with advanced specifications. Such clients are therefore keen on having the latest electronics. Consequently, the company is forced to ensure they are fully stocked with the latest models. References Morgan, E., Hunt, S. (2002). Determining marketing strategy: A cybernetic systems approach to scenario planning. European Journal of Marketing, 36(4), 450-478. Paswan, K., Blanckson, C., Guzman, F. (2011). Relationalism in marketing channels and marketing strategy. European Journal of Marketing, 45(3), 311-333. Shaw, E. (2012). Marketing strategy: From the origin of the concept to the development of a conceptual framework. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, 4(1), 30-55. Thorpe, R., Morgan, R. (2007). In pursuit of the ideal approach to successful marketing strategy implementation. European Journal of Marketing, 41(5/6), 659-677.

buy custom Breast Cancer Detection with Mammography essay

buy custom Breast Cancer Detection with Mammography essay This article illustrates its objective as to evaluate or to assess the strategies used to screen breast cancer in the U.S. This article is reliable because the design used involves six models which use common data elements. The date collected depends on; competing mortality, mammography characteristics, age- specific incidence and the treatment effects. The study involves twenty screening strategies which have initiation and cessation ages which are varying and have been annually or biennially applied. The results are measured according to the reduction in mortality rate which has occurred due to breast cancer cases, false positive results, and unnecessary biopsies and over diagnosis and the number of mammograms. This makes this article more valid since it follows and gives the details according to its title. The results given by this journal are reliable since it gives the percentages of the results of both annual and biennial screening strategies of the 6 models. According to this journal, biennial screening at the age of 40 years has reduced the death or mortality rate while the same biennial screening after 69 years results to an additional death rate reduction in the six models. Over diagnosis increased the mortality rate at older ages. This journal also gives its limitation that the results do not include the death rate results from the false positive, women with unnecessary treatment or results of women who had earlier diagnosis which are indicated as parts of the result measures. The conclusion made in this journal is that biennial screening has a lot of impact over the annual screening and that it has less harm. The journal has suggested that the best strategy depends on the program, objectives and also considerations of the strategies resource, harm and its benefits. This journal is useful to researchers who are working on the effects of breast cancer screening using schedules that differ from one another. It is also reliable to those working on the benefits and harms of using different schedules of screening breast cancer. This is an important journal in that it gives the objective of whether examining women who have a history of breast cancer annually which is known as the annual mammography screening other than the usual biennial screening which is normally carried out would be of any use to these women. The method used in this journal is valid because it has grouped women with a family breast cancer history into years. Women aged between 50-69 years are diagnosed in the years 1998-2004. They are also grouped according to whether these women are screened in an annual screening area or in a biennial screening area. The journal has also compared and has given the differences between the results got after screening women from different areas of screening. This journal has also outlined the results of both diagnoses. This journal is useful because it has analyzed both results in terms of the size of the tumors, node-negative tumors and tumors with higher odds. It has also stated the significant difference between women with a family history and those without a family histor. It has drawn a conclusion that annual screening to 50-69 years women with a family history of breast cancer is significant. It increases the odds of diagnosis with small and node-negative tumors. The journal recommends for further investigation on whether improved prognostic indicators can make better mortality results for women with a family history of breast cancer, and have had screened annually. This journal is reliable because it tries to give solutions on how to reduce the mortality rate of women with a family history of breast cancer. This journal article is important because it has given the objective of the study as to compare the results of breast cancer in women who have been subjected to different mammography screening frequency policies. The data was collected from women who participated in Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia (SMPBC). This article indicates that in 1997, SMPBC changed the policy from the annual to biennial types of screening mammography for women aged 50-79 years and retained the annual recommendation in women aged 40-49 years. The method used in this journal is reliable because it gives breast cancer results for women in both groups who participated in the program before and after 1997 and they are also compared. The results presented in this journal are reliable because it has given the total data of women who participated in the program. Comparisons are made between the results of women aged 50-79 years and those aged 40-49 years. Comparisons are also made between the results of women who attended the program before and after 1997. The journal states that cancer survival had improved for women aged 40-49 who were diagnosed after 1997 but had not changed for women aged 50-79. It also states that breast cancer mortality rate did not change between both periods in either group. The conclusion made in this journal is valid and it states that the cancer results improved in women who were 40-49 years of age however, for those aged 50-79 years was different. This is because of the changes in the screening frequency which did not result into any changes of the mortality rate of breast cancer in both groups. This journal is reliable to the researchers who are working on the impacts of changing of annual to biennial screening of breast cancer in women at a particular age and in this case 50 to 79 years. This article indicates its objective as to estimate the effectiveness of the cost of mammography by breast density, age, family with a history of breast cancer, screening intervals and a history of breast biopsy. The design used in this journal is the markov microsimulation model. The data used was collected from different sources which include medical literature, epidemiology, surveillance and the end results program. This journal has given the targeted population as the women in the U.S who are classified into different age groups. These women must have had mammography at the age of 40 years. The journal also gives the interventions of the study as mammography done annually, biennially, 3-4 years or no mammography. The measures that are used to deetermine the results include the costs per the quality adjusted in a life year gained and the number of women who have been screened for over 10 years in order to prevent death from breast cancer. The journal has given the analysis of the results. It has outlined a conclusion that biennial screening costs less than the cost of quality which has been adjusted in a life year gain. It has also given the cost of the biennial screening in dollars depending on the age. This article recommends that mammography should be done for every one or two years at the age of 40 to 50 years without considering that one is at risk of cancer or not. This journal is useful to researchers who are working on breast cancer cause without considering women status of cancer risks or their ages. This journal states that the regular adherence of screening mammography which is also referred to as the maintenance of mammography normally reduces the mortality and the morbidity rate due to breast cancer. It also states that regular screening of breast cancer is rarely done and that it is not yet known why women do not maintain the regular checkups. The journal outlines the investigations of the longitudinal interpretations why women with breast cancer do not maintain regular screening. The methods used and have been illustrated well in this journal are reliable. This is because participating women had to be insured and had to have enrolled in an intervention trial and also had to have undergone mammography at least 8 months prior to enrollment. The data used was collected in the years between 2003 and 2008. This journal is valid because it has given the percentages of the results women who did not have regular screening of breast cancer. It has given the primary results of the actual results. It has indicated that most of the organizations have recommended different intervals of screening. The recommended interval in this journal is screening of women after every one year in women who are 40 years and over. It has also given some of the reasons why most women who have ever undergone screening or they are aged do not maintain a regular mammography screening. It also states that the odds of lack of maintenance of regular screening decreased over by the time. Most women who participated in this study were aged 50 years and over. This journal has presented the discussion of the findings that would provide the insights in to the targets that would show the interventions of maintaining regular screening of breast cancer in women. The journal states that if women are well taken care of in terms of intervention, they can maintain the regular cancer screening. This journal is useful and also reliable especially to researchers who are working on the reasons why women at risks of cancer do not maintain a regular screening. Buy custom Breast Cancer Detection with Mammography essay

Physical Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Physical Education - Essay Example However, this teaching and learning approach minimizes teachers overall participation in the students learning process. Marching students and teachers experience together ensures a successful learning outcome (Vickerman 2006). Therefore, the minimization of teacher’s participation is a negative impact that this teaching and learning approach can bring to the implementation of national curriculum for PE. It is believed that it can hinder skills development in physical activities and thus hinder achievement of successful learning outcomes. That is why it is always advisable to use this teaching and learning approach in combination with other approaches. The other most widely used learning style is the command style. In this learning style, the teacher makes all the decisions in the learning process (Mohnsen 2008). Command style can combine well with all our three learning styles, which are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. When combined with these learning styles it assists in the delivering of the PE curriculum in several ways. According to Stidder (2010), this type of teaching style could promote safety during the implementation of the curriculum. This is because the teacher is always under control of all the activities undertaken during a learning process. This actually makes this teaching and learning approach to be very popular in PE education due to the risky activities involved. When this approach is adapted in implementing a PE Curriculum, both positive and negative impacts are experienced. This kind of approach allows delivering of information to a large group of people in a short period (Galligan 2000). The national curriculum for PE is large in terms of content and thus in most cases... The other most widely used learning style is the command style. In this learning style, the teacher makes all the decisions in the learning process. Command style can combine well with all our three learning styles, which are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. When combined with these learning styles it assists in the delivering of the PE curriculum in several ways. According to Stidder (2010), this type of teaching style could promote safety during the implementation of the curriculum. This is because the teacher is always under control of all the activities undertaken during a learning process. This actually makes this teaching and learning approach to be very popular in PE education due to the risky activities involved.When this approach is adopted in implementing a PE Curriculum, both positive and negative impacts are experienced. This kind of approach allows delivering of information to a large group of people in a short period. The national curriculum for PE is large in terms o f content and thus in most cases, the time allocated is not sufficient. Furthermore, there is always a need to administer it to a large group of students within the little time allocated. This makes this approach very fundamental when it comes to implementation of the curriculum for physical education. However, it also has some negative impacts, especially when used alone to implement a curriculum. The major negative impact of this approach is that it does not give students freedom of choice to reason out a solution to a particular problem.

The Constructive Role of Ambiguity in the Policy Process Essay

The Constructive Role of Ambiguity in the Policy Process - Essay Example Furthermore, contradictions between long-term and short-term goals are likely to bring in ambiguities in policy formation and implementation, as well as compromises between irreconcilable intentions, like protected natural reservoir and dam projects. This essay discusses the positive contributions of ambiguities to policy formation and implementation, particularly in the sectors of health and environment. More importantly, the discussion tries to demonstrate how these ambiguities provide an opportunity to successfully and productively integrate diverse perspectives, worldviews, and values of different stakeholders, as well as how such ambiguities create and strengthen a system of participation. Strain brought about by ambiguities in policy formation and implementation may have serious ramifications on the opportunity to develop a rational policy-making process and employ practical systematic instruments for priority setting (Birkland 2010). There is a need for ambiguities to be recognised and organised, normally in a course of increased stakeholder involvement with an emphasis on social concerns instead of procedural concerns only. An Overview of the Pros and Cons of Ambiguity in the Policy Process Ambiguity may be not as much of a tactical tool used by policy-makers as they wish than an unavoidable outcome of the political mechanism. It is thought that implementation becomes unsuccessful because system of government is either not adequately capable or unduly independent (Hill & Hupe 2002). Nevertheless, the complexity innate in realising effective implementation, that is, the alleged ‘implementation deficit’ (Lane 2000, 106), may reveal a much more severe risk to the notion of policy implementation. According to Birkland (2010), the policy system could function to make ambiguity general in each and every policy. Hence, policy implementation becomes unsuccessful not due to a discrepancy between sound policy formation and inadequate policy implementation but because of the policy’s inaccuracy. More importantly, it is claimed that policy is inseparable from implementation, that, in contrast, policy is only recognisable in the implementation process. Thus, the entire notion of a policy framework could be relegated to the mere study of public governance or organisational research (Lipsky 1971). However, if ambiguity in the policy-making process were as common as argued, if policy were the consequence of implementation, then is it possible that policy ambiguity assists policy formation and implementation? Ambiguity, far from being an impediment or an abnormality, is a necessary component of policy process. It has disadvantages because it causes disorder, chaos, and uncertainty in policymaking. Ambiguity obliges experts to have plenty of information (Sabatier 2007). However, a great deal of information will not automatically eliminate ambiguity; it will only increase the clarity of the process. According to Colebatch (2009), perspective rather than intention becomes crucial. Resolutions seldom mitigate difficulties; they only apply or work them out. Nevertheless, ambiguity also confers advantages. Improvement thrives because it grants new i nsights an opportunity to be implemented to work out old issues. It allows disagreement or inconsistency to be scattered

American Government Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American Government - Research Paper Example The last part undertakes the critical evaluation of the policies undertaken and suggests optimal policy ramifications. The launch pad for the flight of the worst recession in the past six decades around the globe was unleashed in the mid of 2007 and continued over almost two years. The entire global economy remained shivering owing to its evil affects. Moreover this recession jeopardized the roots of the formidable US economy. The dark sides began to erupt with global job crisis and crisis-induced credit crunch that lead to trade collapse. Again high rate of unemployment in the OECD countries devastated millions of the civilians of the poorer countries sweeping them deep down into acute poverty (Verick & Islam, 2010, p.v ). The absolute damage to the financial sector was prolific. The entire globe moved into a shock as the stock markets crashed and the giant financial institutions collapsed or went bankrupted. Even the governments in the wealthiest nations came up with rescue packages to save their financial systems from further worsening. It was soon felt that this global financial meltdown would affect the livelihoods of almost everyone around the world in an increasingly inter-connected world (Shah, 2010). The paper will highlight on various factors of global economic crisis of 2008-2009 with major focus on the US economy and how far the key actors of the American government are successful in curbing the evil effects of the crisis on the US economy. The world economic crisis of 2008- 2009 can be attributed mainly to the combination of world macroeconomic imbalances and serious weaknesses in the U.S. and the western financial structure. The US exports in 1975, exceeded the foreign imports by an amount of $12, 400 million. But that was the last trade surplus the United States saw in the 20th century. By 1987, the American trade deficit   swelled to $153,300 million. The deficit diminished a

Classical View On Corporate Social Responsibilities Business Essay

Classical View On Corporate Social Responsibilities Business Essay The perceptivity of sustainability is both in the sense of achieving long-term success and as survivability of a corporation (Zink, Steimle Fischer 2008,). Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2003) conceive corporations as channels of social purpose, constructed within society to attain useful social objectives. Henceforth, corporate social responsibility commits a significant role towards the sustainability of corporations. Both corporate social responsibilities and sustainability, and its related concepts influence all aspects of business. Chandler and Werther (2010) acknowledge the understanding of corporate social responsibilities as an aim to define the future of our society. However, the apprehension of corporate social responsibility determines the corporate governances. As the question arises, does practicing stakeholder management aid corporations to be more sustainable? In this essay, classical and contemporary view of corporate social responsibilities will be put into discussion before coming to a conclusion. In addition, theoretical frameworks and real world corporate cases will be reason about in the respective governances. Classical View on Corporate Social Responsibilities The only social responsibility of business is to maximise profits Friedmans frequent saying. In reference to Friedmans classical view, the purposes for business to exist are for distributing products and services to society, and thereafter, for creating economic value which subsequently generate profits for shareholders. Keinert (2008) trusts that the mangers are in control to maximise these revenue for shareholders, obligate by the employment contract as an agents for the shareholders of the firm, the principals. It is also emphasised by Zu (2008) that for classical management corporation has no interest in looking beyond profit maximization, with the exception of profit benefit activity. In another words, the primary goal of business is profit, while corporate social responsibilities and ethical custom deem secondary. Nestle, Walmart, FordMotor, and Microsoft, sadly, are one of those big companies who practice this. Walmart Walmart, one of the biggest and well-known companies worldwide, has a record of relentless violated the right of its US workers and exploited the weak US labour laws thwarts union formation, child slave labour and even broken the environmental laws. Funds were invested to prevent employees from protesting their right due to the reduction of insignificant take-home pay and working overtime for zero pay. Employees and managers were brainwashed to oppose union from the moment they were employed. Surveillance, rapid response team and undercover spy were funded to monitor any union formation. [Appendix 1] Suppliers of Walmart were pushed to neck up on their wholesale prices. Child slave labour was happening in its manufacturing facilities abroad. [Appendix 2] The environment friendly campaigns involved were all a fraud. [Appendix 3] In 2008, Walwart admitted as much but provided limited responses however continued its public relation effort. Agency Theory With the underlying of agency theory, principal-agent framework is popularly used in many corporations including Walmart. The principal usually offers incentives to the agent to stimulate them to act upon principals best interest. The practice of agency theory is constructive as many big companies have successfully climbed up the rank worldwide. The problem with principal-agent framework is that agent sometimes practice discretion to maximize their own advantage rather than of the principal. However, usually, agency cost motivates the agent upon acting on behalf for the principal such as monitoring costs, bonding cost and residual loss. With Walmarts bonding contracts, most employees were in dilemma. In Friedman argument, he claims that owners may establish objectives apart from profit maximization; one example would be taking away money from its stockholders, employees or even customers. (Crane et al 2008) Despite over three hundreds billion in revenue and over ten billion in profits in 2007, Walmart with the conception to provide the best for consumers, dismissed the ethical customs towards its employees and stockholders. On top of that, in order to build its reputation, environmental concerns claimed were put aside. Though, Walmart is now sustainable and has picked up itself since then, consumers are still very concern and protesting against Walmarts corporate social responsibility. Contemporary View on Corporate Social Responsibilities The success of the corporation in corporate social responsibilities demonstrates how well it has been able to influence stakeholder concerns while executing its business model. Carroll relates corporate social responsibility into a four level pyramid economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibility, where his viewpoint is a hybrid between the classical and stakeholder view on corporate social responsibilities. (Chandler Werther 2010) Abreast the economic basis of activity, corporations are enacting similarly in Friedmans theory. Moving up the pyramid, the legal responsibility is its duty to respond within the legal framework. Stakeholders would further anticipate corporations into fulfilling its ethical responsibilities. Lastly, under the philanthropic responsibility, corporations have become more proactive and enforcing strategic means that can benefit both the corporation and stakeholders. (Keinert 2008) However, with the ever outdated laws, will legal responsibility be accounted for when this happens? Or with ethical debates not written in black and white legible? Are strategic means that benefit stakeholders are done with obligation? And with knowing ethic and doing ethic does not comes together. Questions like these arise; there is no one who can answer it. Corporations, like Hitachi, who practises under Carrolls pyramid, might sometimes, deem to have hidden agenda behind the good intention. Hitachi The corporation was awarded by the non-profit Social Innovation Japan and supported by the Ministry of the Environment, also honoured with a Social Business Award. Concurrently, while in developing a tractor that could neutralises landmines and cultivates land, Cambodia was affected by the post-war. This further benefits the product. The machines were placed in affected population by mine camps to curtail critical injuries and deaths, while prepares land for their own sustainable futures. [Appendix 8] Despite being awarded, Hitachi was found below social responsibility examination standard. [Appendix 9] Stakeholder View on Corporate Social Responsibilities An effective stakeholder management present a clear synopsis of societal expectations and a concrete foundation for a distinct and legitimate corporate social responsibility approach (Louche Baeten 2006). Freeman relates stakeholders with business and stakeholders with ethics as they come together as the same thing. He emphasises on the fundamental human connection with the stakeholders, and it is a duty to take the effects of the business on stakeholders into consideration. (Stakeholders Are People 2009) Corporations are usually described as interconnected interest group, also known as ecosystem concept. UPS, Starbucks, Disney and Marks Spencer are the few sincere corporations that have strong believe and practice in corporate social responsibilities. United Parcel Service (UPS) According to CNN Money, UPS has been on Fortunes Most Admired list of top ten socially responsible firms for three consecutive years. (Gunther 2006) Beside heavily involve in global economy, with great corporate social responsibilities, UPS has been awarded with plenty of commitments towards its people and the environment as well. [Appendix 4] Many employees settle in UPS for more than 30 years regardless of their position as a driver or in the office. Many of them are immigrants and the poor, and some join after high school or college. Employees are provided with good pay, health-care benefits, tuition assistance, stock purchase plan, a chance to advance and a share sense of purpose. Above all, the most recent, UPS supported numerals organizations towards humanitarian relief and road safety initiatives by awarding grants from The UPS Foundation. [Appendix 5] Beside, in UPS, employees are encouraged to volunteer and make a difference in their communities. [Appendix 6] At the same time, UPS was awarded being the first in its industry with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designs Gold Status and Energy Star Certification. [Appendix 7] UPS has shown a consistent stakeholder practice towards corporate social responsibilities. Stakeholder Theory With underlying of stakeholder theory, it can accumulate future development of corporate social responsibility by determining and integrating financial and social concerns. In Freemans view, the intention will be better served and satisfied if corporations were to think about stakeholders. Given the interrelationship with its stakeholders, UPS has shown great ability in responding effectively toward the stakeholders. (Freeman et al 2010) With UPS case, we can see that UPS has successfully sustained itself with the management of stakeholders. Utilitarian believes stakeholder management leads to the best consequences as it acknowledges stakeholders interests. However, Banerjee (2007) doubts the capability of stakeholder management due to its one-dimension and emphasising on utilitarian power withal ignoring the mechanisms that form and transform economic and social domains. In Kantianism argument, considering of stakeholder and using of the individuals within the stakeholder are two different things. In another words, to use stakeholders to increase shareholder revenue would be ethically wrong. (Cooper 2004) In Kantianism term, questions arise, such as are the employees volunteering their hours willing or are they obligated to do so? In the debates about corporate social responsibility, Justice Ethic believes ethical responsibilities are not defined by the efforts of the righteousness in economic and legal terms, but in the pursuit of voluntary measurements of individual character. (Rendtorff 2009) In other words, the business virtues of UPS, are they formed to create stakeholder values? Strategic Sustainability While there is increasing agreement that businesses need to embrace sustainability, research in the theories above, stakeholder management has proven to be more sustainable in the global economic landscape. Freeman believes each of the stakeholders has a right not to be accounted for compromising end, and hence stakeholder participation is essential in order to determine the future direction of corporation. As each category group places a major part in each other in term of harms and benefits as well as rights and duties. In return for labour, employees are given job security, wages, medical benefits, and meaningful work. By addressing toward consumers needs and satisfactions, corporate governance immediately satisfies the need of suppliers and shareholders. Usually the ethical of excellent consumer services and products carry over to the community resulting in good reputation. Stakeholder theory above proves to be a useful tool to assist a broad range of corporations to develop their sustainability portfolio and consistently create sustainability value in a long run. Conclusion Corporations exist in a sustainable model that enable people to effectively practice their expertise and create jobs, economic value and wealth for the society and the corporation. With globalisation, corporate governance can have a huge impact on the society. Examples of Walmart and Hitachi showing their irresponsible ways of governance, with agency theory and stewardship theory lead to a bad reputation. Corporations are urging to reposition themselves towards a sustainable value portfolio and making stakeholder theory seems to be the most effective instrument to ensure strategic sustainability. Pursuing the expanding frontier of corporate governance as social responsibility, with the effectiveness of stakeholder management within corporate governance, it may generate a more equitable global business environment.

It is Time to Legalize Marijuana Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

  Ã‚   The long-standing prohibition against recreational use of cannabis in the United States should be repealed. In addition, the penalties for possession and trafficking of cannabis should be abolished, and cannabis should be taxed and regulated by the federal agency that controls the other recreational, legal, yet addictive and potentially injurious substances tobacco and alcohol (the ATF). Cannabis has been illegal since the Marijuana Tax act of 1934. Yet of a population of 284 million (2000 U.S. Census), 70 million Americans claim to have smoked cannabis at some point in their lives [NORML]. Prohibition of cannabis is therefore apparently ineffective at changing the habits of a population, just as prohibition of alcohol was ineffective in 1919-1933. Making otherwise law-abiding citizens fugitives does nothing more than fill the prisons and alienate the populace from their government. In fact the total cost to taxpayers of solely marijuana-related incarceration (in local, state, and federal prisons and jails) of 15,400 people exceeds $1.2 billion per year. That one billion does not include what it costs to investigate, arrest, and prosecute the "hundreds of thousands of marijuana users arrested every year" [Hall]. Three and a half million people were arrested for marijuana offenses during the 8 years under President Clinton! [NORML] More than double the same period bef ore his presidency. Hall goes on to quote a report by the National Academy of Sciences: "there is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use." So while it is argued that the corruption, guerrilla violence, and terrorism carried out by the black market drug traders would infiltrate ma... ...ause compared to alcohol and cigarettes, there really isn't any reason for it not to be.    WORKS CITED 1. Illegal Drugs and Alcohol-America's Anguish. 1997. Information Plus, Wylie, TX. 2. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/drg17.htm The State Of The Art In Horticulture. A Crime Punishable By Life Behind Bars, By Michael Pollan, From New York Times Magazine, 19 February, 1995. 3. http://www.fas.org/drugs/issue7.htm The FAS Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin, Issue 7, June 1999. "Appraisals of the Adverse Health Effects of Cannabis Use: Ideology and Evidence" by Wayne Hall 4. http://www.usemb.gov.do/IRC/drugs/threats.htm ONDCP Chief Releases Report on Drug Threats Across United States, 2 December 2000. 5. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1521.a05.html Thornton, Jacqui "Cannabis Can Kill You" U.S. Census data can be found at www.census.gov.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 7

Gillian felt triumph, wild excitement-and something deeper. An emotion she couldn't describe because there weren't any ordinary words for it. David was looking at her, and it was almost as if she could see through his dark eyes. As if she could see inside him†¦ see the way things looked to him†¦ What she felt was a little like discovery and a little like deja vu and a little like waking up and suddenly realizing it's Christmas. Or like being a kid lost in a strange place, cold and bewildered, and then suddenly hearing your mother's voice. But it really wasn't like any of those things; it was more. Unexpected welcome†¦ strange recognition†¦ the shock of belonging†¦ She couldn't quite put it all together, because there was nothing like it in her experience. She'd never heard of anything like this. But she had the feeling that when David kissed her, she'd figure it all out and it would be the revelation of her life. It was going to happen-now. He was moving clser to her, not fast, but as if slowly compelled by something he couldn't control. Gillian had to look down, but she didn't move back or turn her face away. He was close enough now that she could hear his breath and feel him. Her eyes shut of their own accord. She waited to feel the touch of warmth on her lips†¦ And then something in her mind stirred. A tiny whisper, so far back that she could barely hear it, and she couldn't tell where it came from. Tanya. The shock went through Gillian like ice on bare skin. Part of her tried to ignore it, but she was already pulling away, putting a hand up, turning to stare at the window. Not out the window. It was too steamed up now to see anything outside. They were in their own cocoon of whiteness. Gillian said, â€Å"I can't. I mean, not like this. I mean-it isn't fair, because you already-and you haven't †¦ I mean†¦ Tanya.† â€Å"I know.† David sounded as if he'd been hit with ice on bare skin, or as if he'd come up from deep water and was looking around dazedly. â€Å"I mean, you're right. I don't know what I was†¦ It just-it was like I forgot†¦ Look, I'm sure that sounds stupid. You don't believe me.† â€Å"I do believe you.† At least he sounded as incoherent as she did. He wouldn't think she was a total fool; her facade wasn't broken. â€Å"I'm not that kind of guy. I mean, it looks like I am, right here, it looks exactly like I am. But I'm not. I mean I never-I'm not like Bruce Faber. I don't do that. I made a promise to Tanya and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh, God, Gillian thought. And then a sort of inward scream: (Help!) (I was wondering when you'd remember me.) (He made her a promise!) (I'm sure he did. They've been going together a while.) (But that's terrible!) (No, it's admirable. What a guy. Now say you've got to get to school.) (I can't. I can't think. How are we going to-) (School first.) Dully, Gillian said, â€Å"I guess we'd better get moving.† â€Å"Yeah.† There was a pause, and then David put the car in gear. They drove in silence, and Gillian sank deeper and deeper into depression. She'd thought it would be so easy-just show David her new self and everything would fall into place. But it wasn't like that. He couldn't just dump Tanya. (Don't worry about it, kid. I have a cunning plan.) (But what?) (I'll tell you when it's time.) (Angel-are you mad at me? Because I forgot about you?) (Of course not. I'm here to arrange things so you can forget me.) (Then-because I forgot about Tanya for a while? I don't want to do anything that's wrong†¦) (I'm not mad! Heads up. You're there.) Gillian couldn't push away the feeling that he was mad, though. Or at least surprised. As if something unexpected had happened. But she didn't have time to dwell on it. She had to get out of David's car and gather herself and face the high school. â€Å"I guess-I'll see you later,† David said as she reached for the door handle. His voice made it a question. â€Å"Yeah. Later,† Gillian said. She didn't have the energy for anything more. She glanced back- once-to see him staring at the steering wheel. She could see people staring at her as she walked to the school building. It was a new sensation and it gave her a spasm of anxiety. Were they laughing at her? Did she look silly, was she walking wrong somehow? (Just breathe and walk.) Angel's voice sounded amused. (Breathe-walk-head up-breathe†¦) Gillian somehow got through halls and up stairs to her U.S. history class without meeting another student's eyes once. There, arriving just as the bell rang, she realized she had a problem. Her history textbook, along with all her notes, was floating somewhere down toward West Virginia. With relief, she caught Amy's eye and headed toward the back of the classroom. â€Å"Can I share your book? My whole backpack went in the creek.† She was a little afraid Amy might be miffed or jealous at the way she'd run off with David, but Amy didn't seem to be either. She seemed more-awed-as if Gillian were some force like a tornado that you might fear, but that you couldn't get mad at. â€Å"Sure.† Amy waited until Gillian had scooted her desk closer, then whispered, â€Å"How come it took you so long to get to school? What were you and David doing?† Gillian rummaged for a pen. â€Å"How do you know we weren't picking up Tanya?† â€Å"Because Tanya was here at school looking for David.† Gillian's heart flip-flopped. She pretended to be very interested in history. But she gradually noticed that some of the other students were looking at her. Especially the boys. It was the sort of look she'd never imagined getting from a boy. But these were all juniors, and none of them was in the really popular clique. All that would change in Gillian's next class, biology. Half a dozen of the most popular kids would be there. David would be there-and Tanya. Gillian felt, with a sudden chill, that she might not really care anymore. What did it matter what other people thought of her if she couldn't have David? But she had a fundamental faith in Angel. Somehow things had to work out-if she just stayed calm and played her part. When the bell rang, she hurried away from Amy's questioning eyes and into the bathroom. She needed a moment to herself. (Do something to your lipstick. It seems to have gone away somehow.) Angel sounded as puzzled as any human boy. Gillian fixed the lipstick. She ran a comb through her hair. She was somewhat reassured by the sight of herself in the mirror. The girl there wasn't Gillian at all, but a slender, insubstantial femme fatale sheathed like a dagger in black. The girl's hair was silky, the palest of all possible golds. Her violet eyes were subtly shadowed so they looked mysterious, haunting. Her mouth was soft, red, and full: perfect, like the mouth of a model in a lipstick commercial. Against the stark black of her clothing, her skin had the slightly translucent look of apple blossoms. She's beautiful, Gillian thought. And then to Angel: (I mean, I am. But I need †¦ a Look, don't you think? An expression for when people are staring at me. Like, am I Bored or Slightly Amused or Aloof or Completely Oblivious or what?) (How about Thoughtful? As if you've got your own inner world to pay attention to. It's true, you know. You do.) Gillian was pleased. Thoughtful, absorbed in herself, listening to the music of the spheres-or the music of Angel's voice. She could do that. She settled the canvas bag on her shoulder and started toward her locker. (Uh, where are you going?) (To get my biology book. I still have that.) (No, you don't.) Gillian maintained her Thoughtful expression, while noting that heads turned as she walked down the hall. (Yes, I do.) (No, you don't. Due to circumstances entirely beyond your control, you lost your biology book and all your notes. You need to sit with somebody else and share his.) Gillian blinked. (I-oh. Oh, yeah, you're right. I lost my biology book.) The door of the biology lab loomed like the gate to hell, and Gillian had trouble keeping Thoughtful pinned to her face. But she managed to walk through it and into the quiet buzz that was a class before a bell was about to ring. (Okay, kid. Go up front and tell Mr. Wizard you need a new book. He'll take care of the rest.) Gillian did as Angel said. As she stood beside Mr. Leveret and told her story she sensed a new quietness in the classroom behind her. She didn't look back and she didn't raise her voice. By the time she was done, Mr. Leveret's pouchy, pleasantly ugly face had gone from a startled â€Å"Who are you?† expression (he had to look in the class register to make sure of her name) to one of pained sympathy. â€Å"I've got an extra textbook,† he said. â€Å"And some outlines of my lectures on transparencies. But as for notes-â€Å" He turned to the class at large. â€Å"Okay, people. Jill-uh, Gillian-needs a little help. She needs somebody who's willing to share their notes, maybe xerox them-â€Å" Before he could finish his sentence, hands went up all over the room. Somehow that brought everything into focus for Gillian. She was standing in front of a classroom with everyone staring at her-that in itself would have been enough to terrify her in the old days. And sitting there in front was David, wearing an unreadable expression, and Tanya, looking rigidly shocked. And other people who'd never looked directly at her before, and who were now waving their hands enthusiastically. All boys. She recognized Bruce Faber, who she'd always thought of as Bruce the Athlete, with his tawny hair and his blue-gray eyes and his tall football build. Normally he looked as if he were acknowledging the applause of a crowd. Just now he looked as if he were graciously extending an invitation to Gillian. And Macon Kingsley, who she called Macon the Wallet because he was so rich. His hair was brown and styled, his eyes hooded, and there was something cruel to the sensual droop of his mouth. But he wore a Rolex and had a new sports car and right now he was looking at Gillian as if he'd pay a lot of money for her. And Cory Zablinski-who was Cory the Party Guy because he constantly seemed to be arranging, going to, or just recovering from parties. Cory was wiry and hyper, with foxy brown hair and darting fox-colored eyes. He had more personality than looks, but he was always in the middle of things, and at this moment he was waving madly at Gillian. Even Amy's new boyfriend Eugene, who didn't have looks or personality in Gillian's opinion, was wiggling his fingers eagerly. David had his hand up, too, despite Tanya's cold expression. He looked polite and stubborn. Gillian wondered if he'd told Tanya he was just trying to help a poor junior out. (Pick†¦ Macon.) The ghostly voice in Gillian's ear was thoughtful. (Macon? I thought maybe Cory.) She couldn't pick David, of course, not with Tanya looking daggers at her. And she felt uncomfortable about picking Bruce for the same reason-his girlfriend Amanda Spengler was sitting right beside him. Cory was friendly and, well, accessible. Macon, on the other hand, was vaguely creepy. This time the voice in her head was patient. (Have I ever steered you wrong? Macon.) (Cory's the one who always knows about parties†¦) But Gillian was already moving toward Macon. The most important thing in life, she was discovering quickly, was to trust Angel absolutely. â€Å"Thanks,† she said softly to Macon as she perched on an empty stool behind him. She repeated after Angel: â€Å"I'll bet you take good notes. You seem like a good observer.† Macon the Wallet barely inclined his head. She noticed that his hooded eyes were moss green, an unusual, almost disturbing color. But he was nice to her all period. He promised to have his father's secretary photocopy the thick sheaf of biology notes in his spiral-bound notebook. He lent her a highlighter. And he kept looking at her as if she were some interesting piece of art. That wasn't all. Cory the Party Guy dropped a ball of paper on the lab table as he walked past to get rid of his gum in the trash can. When Gillian unfolded it she found a Hershey's kiss and a questionnaire: R U new? Do U like music? What's yr phone #? And Bruce the Athlete tried to catch her eye whenever she glanced in his direction. A warm and heady glow was starting somewhere inside Gillian. But the most amazing part was yet to come. Mr. Leveret, pacing in the front, asked for somebody to review the five kingdoms used to categorize living things. (Raise your hand, kid.) (But I don't remember-) (Trust me.) Gillian's hand went up. The warm feeling had changed to a sense of dread. She never answered questions in class. She almost hoped Mr. Leveret wouldn't see her, but he spotted her right away and nodded. â€Å"Gillian?† (Now just say after me†¦) The soft voice in her head went on. â€Å"Okay, the five classes would be, from most advanced to most primitive, Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista†¦ and Eugene.† Gillian ticked them off on her fingers and glanced sideways at Eugene as she finished. (But that's not nice. I mean-) She never got to what she meant. The entire class was roaring with laughter. Even Mr. Leveret rolled his eyes at the ceiling and shook his head tolerantly. They thought she was hysterical. Witty. One of those types who could break up a whole classroom. (But Eugene-) (Look at him.) Eugene was blushing pink, ducking his head. Grinning. He didn't look embarrassed or hurt; he actually looked pleased at the attention. It's still wrong, a tiny voice that wasn't Angel's seemed to whisper. But it was drowned out by the laughter and the rising warmth inside Gillian. She'd never felt so accepted, so included. She had the feeling that now people would laugh whenever she said something even marginally funny. Because they wanted to laugh; they wanted to be pleased by her-and to please her. (Rule One, dragonfly. A beautiful girl can tease any guy and make him like it. No matter what the joke is. Am I right or am I right?) (Angel, you're always right.) She meant it with all her heart. She had never imagined that guardian angels could be like this, but she was glad beyond words that they were and that she had one on her side. At break the miracles continued. Instead of hurrying out the door as she normally did, she found herself walking slowly and lingering in the hall. She couldn't help it, both Macon and Cory were in front of her, talking to her. â€Å"I can have the notes ready for you this weekend,† Macon the Wallet was saying. â€Å"Maybe I should drop them by your house.† His heavy-lidded eyes seemed to bore into her and the sensual droop to his mouth became more pronounced. â€Å"No, I've got a better idea,† Cory was saying, almost dancing around the two of them. â€Å"Mac, m'man, don't you think it's about time you had another party? I mean, it's been weeks, and you've got that big house†¦ How about Saturday, and I'll round up a keg and we can all get to know Jill better.† He gestured expansively. â€Å"Good idea,† Bruce the Athlete said cheerfully from behind Gillian. â€Å"I'm free Saturday. What about you-Jill?† He draped a casual arm around her shoulder. â€Å"Ask me Friday,† Gillian said with a smile, repeating the whispered words in her mind. She shrugged off the arm on her own volition. Bruce belonged to Amanda. A party for me, Gillian thought dazedly. All she'd wanted was to get invited to a party given by these kids-she'd never imagined being the focus of one. She felt a stinging in her nose and eyes and a sort of desperation in her stomach. Things were happening almost too fast. Other people were gathering around curiously. Incredibly, she was at the center of a crowd and everyone seemed to be either talking to her or about her. â€Å"Hey, are you new?† â€Å"That's Gillian Lennox. She's been here for years.† â€Å"I never saw her before.† â€Å"You just never noticed her before,† â€Å"Hey, Jill, how come you lost your biology book?† â€Å"Didn't you hear? She fell in a creek trying to save some kid. Almost drowned.† â€Å"I heard David Blackburn pulled her out and had to give her artificial respiration.† â€Å"1 heard they were parked on Hillcrest Road this morning.† It was intoxicating, exhilarating. And it wasn't just guys who were gathered around her. She would have thought that the girls would be jealous, spiteful, that they'd glare at her or even all walk away from her in one mass snub. But there was Kimberlee Cherry, Kim the Gymnast, the bubbly, sparkly little dynamo with her sun-blond curls and her baby-blue eyes. She was laughing and chattering. And there was Steffi Lockhart the Singer, with her cafe au lait skin and her soulful amber eyes, waving an expressive hand and beaming. Even Amanda the Cheerleader, Bruce Faber's girlfriend, was in the group. She was flashing her healthy, wide smile and tossing her shiny brown hair, her fresh face glowing. Gillian understood suddenly. The girls couldn't hate her, or couldn't show it if they did. Because Gillian had status, the instant and unassailable status that came from being beautiful and having guys fall all over themselves for her. She was a rising star, a force, a power to be reckoned with. And any girl who snubbed her was risking a nick in her own popularity if Gillian should decide to retaliate. They were afraid not to be nice to her. It was dizzying, all right. Gillian felt as beautiful as an angel and as dangerous as a serpent. She was riding on waves of energy and adulation. But then she saw something that made her feel as if she had suddenly stepped off a cliff. Tanya had David by the arm and they were walking away down the hall.

Google Business Analysis Research Paper

Google Business Analysis Research Paper Free Online Research Papers The ability to create quality strategy forms the basis of every organizational success. Strategic creation and implementation shapes management and corporate successes with effectively formulated strategies being the essence of organizational profitability. Although scholars agree that the right strategy is not all that is needed for success (implementation is also important), it is nonetheless imperative and forms the foundation of the effective management process. The strategy must, therefore, be well understood by every stakeholder in an organization since in most cases; an organization operates and is aligned around its strategies. With the complexity of the global search industry, an in-depth study of Google.com Company’s formulation process offers a conclusive understanding of the organizational strategy creation process due to its multifaceted approach of wide-ranging theoretical prescriptions. Proper analysis of Google’s strategy creation offers by extension imp ortant insights on the denominators and underlying dynamics behind the contemporary global IT industry. Starting with a company summary, this paper critically assesses the strategic creation process for Google.com. Classified as one of the five most popular sites on the internet, Google.com was visited by a unique user base of over 380 million visitors in May 2008. The company was started simply as a research project by two Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page in 1996. The two sought to develop a search engine that produced a better display for search results. The domain name, Google.com, was registered in 1997 and Google Inc. incorporated on September 1998. As the world’s leading search engine and one of the fastest and largest growing technology companies in the world, furthermore, it faces massive competition from companies such as Yahoo and MSN hence an analysis of how it formulates its strategies would offer further insights on what market is successful. Google earned an estimated $3.64 billion from the United States online ad revenue, an estimated 69% of all paid search-related advertising. Its market cap has overtaken that of IBM and even Chevron with an estimated value of $132 billion. It has a surplus of over $7.6 billion all of which are lacking any defined usage, has its stock is predicted to reach $600 billion by the end of this year (2008) and is one of the top 10 web brands in the United States. The above summary is an indication of a model company, its success of which is attributed to its management, wide line of product, market domination, favorable financial position, favorable business strategy, strong competitive advantage, excellent organizational control, and innovative research and development strategies. How such a company formulates its strategies, in relation to the existing theoretical framework is a matter of natural interpretation. How Strategy is created in Google Google.com implements strategic planning as a deliberate process in which with the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, top executives periodically formulate the firm’s strategy. Its strategic planning process is guided by its mission that in turn prescribes its objectives. Based on the objectives, the existing situation is analyzed leading to the strategy formulation, Battelle, (2005, p. 162). Based on a field review of its strategic creation process using Mintzberg’s Ten Schools of Thought, the configuration school, the only one classified under the integrative category, best describes its strategic creation process for Google.com. This is because the company’s strategy formation process over the years has been a transformative one. A transformative one as it has integrated the claims of other schools but at different processes in the organization, hence with a closer analysis of Google’s strategy creation process, elements of different schools o f thought can be identified at different stages. The situational analysis also forms a critical foundation of Google.com’s organizational strategy. The Environmental school is observable in this situation as Google has over the years implemented a cross-section of its strategies in reaction to prevailing environmental conditions. Google analyzes its external and internal environments thereby describing its strengths, weaknesses in addition to existing opportunities and threats. It is through the situational analysis that large amounts of information on the company are gathered and which forms the basis of strategy formulation. It is based on the formulated strategies that the implementation process occurs. Strategic Ideas, tools and Techniques Research by Kostrzewa, (2003, pp. 62) indicates that a closer analysis of the Google strategy creation process was in line with Mintzberg’s second category or the process-oriented schools. The school with the most evident correlation with Google’s strategy was the cognitive school. Google’s strategy is formulated around the basic strategic concept of quality, customer satisfaction, and growth and has over the years served to organize the framework for the management system of the company. It has further integrated performance management system which is considered important in the alignment of its operation around its strategy. These systems have been designed during strategy design processes in an attempt to promote Google’s products as unique. Google, therefore, tries to create cognitive maps in which individuals have a global perspective of a Google world, a world exceptionally different from that created by other related companies similar products. As listed on the company’s website, Google’s operations have been guided by the philosophy of not settling for the best, Google, (2008. p. 1). Google’s mission is to be a world leader in information provision. This is to make information accessible and useful. It has displayed continued innovativeness with the introduction of multiple products into the markets. Certain products, such as Google Ad Sense, were without a doubt, a success for the company, advertisers and web owners in general, Lohr, (2007). All this is based on a strategy aimed at creating in potential client’s minds, an aspect of real or virtual reality. The company has managed to remain competitive through multiple acquisitions of popular competitors. To the present, the company has acquired more than 30 companies since its inceptions, a strategic step interpreted as creating a competitive bias towards the cultural school since most of the acquisitions have been largely popular websites on the cultural domain thereby. This is advantageous to the company as it gives it a more culturally inclusive appearance. Some of the acquisitions that have been instrumental to the growth of the company include the 2003 acquisition of Applied Semantics Inc. which enabled them to develop an advertising campaign that has earned them billions of dollars in advertising revenue to the present. The 2006 acquisition of Writely, an online processing firm led to the development of Google docs which since its inception in 2006, has seen a rise in its revenue. Google further acquired YouTube, in 2006 for a record $1.6 billion which has seen it dominate the online video industry. All the listed acquisitions in addition to its renowned status as a world leading free provider of search engine have provided Google with a platform for creating an impression of a collective and cooperative organization, hence the support of the cultural school in its strategy formulation. Although individual approaches can be identified in Google’s strategy creation processes, a rather integrative approach, combining several approaches have been Googles key success secrets as it has managed to constantly transform it by subscribing to ideal strategic and timely changes. The Company has made efforts to acquire competitors in a bid to remain competitive in the global IT market. An example is the 2007 acquisition of DoubleClick, an advertising competitor for a record $3.1 billion. It also acquired Tonic Systems which enabled it to acquire the capacity to convert Microsoft PowerPoint files into HTML and PDF documents. This boosted its competition with Microsoft which had gained a considerable market base based on its Microsoft Office product. Furthermore, this integrative and constantly changing approach can be viewed in Google ability to offer a wide range of products a reflection of its technologically sound and alert team of innovators. Continuous intensive rese arch is undertaken in the Google laboratories, online text locations or in the Google.com website itself. Products are generally of high quality and utility. Google strategic priority is the integration of desktop and internet search yet its biggest competitor is Yahoo followed by Microsoft, Ask.com and American Online respectively though on the variety of Google’s products and services, it is difficult to exactly determine its competitors. Yahoo provides similar products such as e-mail services, maps, financial analysis, advertising, search and yahoo toolbar but still, its products are not similar in many ways to those of Google. Google’s strategy to provide unique services thereby attracting specific clique of individuals has largely paid off. For example, comparing Microsoft to Google, Microsoft offers to search and other few online services similar to those offered by Google through its main line of business is the design and sale of software and operating systems. Competition comes into focus due to the recent launch of Google Docs Spreadsheets and Google Gears, presentation software that challenges the dominance of Microsoft Windows. In terms of Sales, Products and Geographical distribution, Google accounts for over 50% (Estimated 58.4%) to be exact of market share in nearly all its products. By market share, Google beats its competitors by far. With the stated estimated market share of 50%, Yahoo, Microsoft, Ask.com and AOL each have an estimated market share of 28.5%, 10%, 5%, and 4% respectively, Khaki-Sedigh, Roudaki, (2003). Elements of the entrepreneurial school are also observable on Google’s organizational strategy. A considerable proportion of the company’s control has also been governed by the solid executive control with the focus being given to chief managers led by the company’s top executives. There has been the rewarding of the well-performing management team since 2002 with the managers who are underperforming being demoted or reshuffled hence a general focus on management. The organization has also adopted the clan control mechanism. Although Google’s employees have many things in common the company has continuously emphasized visionary leadership. They share many values, expectations and goals hence tend to work in harmony with one another; a harmony created by the aspect of strong visionary leadership. This has been displayed in the less formal approach in which the Google team approaches issues. The intergraded approach used by Google has ensured greater cost savings, increased efficiency, better product quality, enhanced customer service and a happier cohesive workforce who work in harmony to produce positive results; hence although its strategy is based on the cognitive school, the entrepreneurial school is certainly considerably evident on its strategy formulation process. The company has had a rather integrated approach to achieving in its strategy formulation process; applying both bureaucratic, market and clan control mechanisms. Google has a board of governors and a core management team together with specialized well-documented rules and regulations implemented through a formal authority that serve to guide employee performances. This bureaucratic type of approach has been applied mildly and has served to regulate Google employee’s behavior thereby leading to better results, limited budgets, better performances as displayed in statistical reports and employee performance records. Google was ranked as the best company to work for in the 2006 survey by the Fortune magazine in 2007, Fortune, (2007, p. 1). The assertion of power school is therefore evident in Google’s strategic formulation as the company has managed to properly manage its employees. It has succeeded in creating a generally good working environment for all its employees through some critics see this as making them lose a considerable proportion of daily tasks. It has been characterized by offering its employees a large degree of freedom thereby tapping their creativity towards the improvement of both its products and services. Hence the assertions of the power school are evident in its strategy formulation. According to Battelle, (2006, p. 99), Google’s strategies have been guided by its desire to increase profitability through the increment of sales while maintaining or reducing the cost of goods sold. Estimates show that Google’s net income grew from $100 million in 2002 to $ 3.077 billion in 2005. Its cost of goods sold was generally constant being maintained at approximately 40% of sales. On common base analysis, Google had a 2,412% increase in sales in the five year period between 2002 and 2006 with a net income increment of over 3,088% within the same period, Battelle, (2006, p. 99). This effective strategy formulation process has resulted in considerable cash surplus resulting from balances in short and long-term investments. Google has neither short nor long-term debt through the IPO offered an increase in capital surplus in 2004. With the continued rise in its share prices, Google’s capital surplus has continued to rise over the years furthermore being a service-oriented company, Google has no looming inventory. On the basis of ratio analysis, Google’s sales increased from 1.2 in 2002 to 29.05 in 2006. Over the past five years, Google has had more money at hand than they know what to do with, an attribute that has been seen on its rather many strategic acquisitions furthermore Google’s profit margin fluctuated between 2002 and 2003 but increased steadily to an estimated 60.2% in 2006, an aspect attributable to its effective strategy formulation process, (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, (2008, p. 4). Driven by large revenues from advertisement, Google.com has invested massively in its Research and Development Budget. Its research findings are a critical component of its strategic formulation process. Varied sections of Google have had different approaches to attaining solutions to various world problems such as new technological advancement, pharmaceutical research, and online advertisements, Pringle, Allison Dowe, (1998, p. 379). Google has invested massively in research and development though it was not classified under the top ten RD spenders until 2007. This followed from massive increments in the company’s spending on Research and Development when spending increased by over 73% to a record-breaking $2.1 billion in the year 2007 compared to the budget in 2006. Since 2007, it is estimated that Google’s RD spending has stayed above 13% of its total revenue which is a representation of more than double the amount spent prior to the year 2002. Massive research is b eing undertaken on how Google can enter into other business projects such as Android, TV Ads, and other projects to further boost its growth. Summary and Conclusion As a result of its advanced strategy formulation process, its better display of search results, the simple approach that was incorporated in the searching process, Google has grown in popularity and acceptance the world over. Presently, the company employees are in excess of 10,000 people from all the continents of the world. It is the largest company offering Search-related advertising yet Search Related advertisement is the fastest growing of all the online ad businesses with an estimated annual growth rate at 41%, Pringle, Allison Dowe, (1998, p. 378) Although Google’s strategy creation results from consultation of wide-ranging stakeholders in the organization, stringent rules aimed at protecting some of its products and services are still prescribed by its top management. For example, in 2005 the top management introduced a trend that required all Ad Sense members to sign a gagging clause. The clause has restricted web owners from unfairly benefiting from the proceeds gained from advertising. Google has been continuously innovative, being innovative and the first to implement its strategies. For example, it was the first company to implement the Ad Relevancy strategy, a strategy that ensured it provided broad matching on all search terms. It further went ahead to set a system in which a single price was set on all ads, Moran, Hunt, (2006, p 22). Conclusively, although the execution is more important, good vision evident in the creation of effective strategies are the primary essentials to management success. The strategy should be understood and interpreted in terms that are understandable and that can be acted upon. With a strong reputation and familiarity, good speed in its search procedures, user-friendliness in its product output, relevance in ranking of its search results together with technologically advanced additional services which are multidisciplinary in nature, available multiple opportunities seen in the ever-increasing online advertisement, higher usage volubility as it gains more customer base across the global domain, and the introduction of new products, Google will surely continue to dominate the market for certain undefined periods of time. Definitely, Google Inc. has been a role model to technological businesses and still has great potential as a company. Work Cited Battelle, J. 2005. ‘The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture.’ Portfolio Hardcover. Brin, S. Page, L. 1996. ‘The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hyper textual Web Search Engine.’ Paper presented to the Computer Science Department, Stanford University. 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A Strategy Perspective.’ Available at: http://allyallez.co.uk/MscThesisKostrewaBig3.pdf Lohr, S. 2007. ‘Google Deal Said to bring U.S. Scrutiny’ New York Times, May 29, 2007, Available at: nytimes.com/2007/05/29/technology/29antitrust.html?ex=1181880000en=c3dae549fa6381adei=5070 Moran, M., Hunt, B. (2006), Search Engine Marketing, Inc. – Driving Search Traffic to your Companys Web Site, IBM Press, Armonk, NY, Mintzberg, H, Ahlstarnd, B, Lampel, J. 1998. ‘The Strategy Safari’ Prentice Hall, Harlow, U.K. Pringle, G., Allison, L., and Dowe, D.L. 1998, ‘What is a tall poppy among web Pages?’ Proceedings of the 7th International World Wide Web Conference, Brisbane, April, pp. 369-377 Tregoe, B. and Zimmerman, J. 1980, ‘Top Management Strategy,’ Simon and Schuster. 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