Marketing Plan-Rehab Center for the Elderly

The Center, located in an area with many elderly people, has to have the correct type of marketing for it to be successful. Getting to know the local population and all of the environmental, technological, and social, as well as many others, is a critical element in knowing how to prepare a marketing plan. Utilizing resources properly and evaluating the current and past situation will allow for a better future of The Center as well. This marketing plan lays out all of these factors to show how the next step in how The Center will be moving forward. Situation Analysis Having a rehabilitation center for the elderly in a minimally populated area can present problems for the business, but it also has its perks. Population in this general location is not the only factor that effects business; economical, and technological issues may arise also. These elements can do many things for business such as: help predict future trends of consumers, keep in touch with competition and their strategies, discover your own company’s marketing needs, know the social, political, and demographic aspects, and internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. Organizational Analysis of Objectives and Resources This rehabilitation center’s objectives allow for persistence in outcomes and ability to reach goals. Maintaining customer satisfaction, reducing the overall cost of rehabilitative services, and reducing the cost of maintaining these services are currently important objectives (Masters, 2011). Another objective The Center is focusing on is providing housing facilities for those whom need long-term rehabilitation care. Many resources are used to sustain these objectives. Management teams and committees have been formed and put into place, as well as working with the ommunity, and using financial, technological, and educational resources. Utilizing these resources properly allow for The Center to run smoothly and efficiently. Getting to know the customer, and figuring out what they seek in a rehabilitation center are ways to maintain customer satisfaction. Research efforts have made it possible to determine that customers, as w ell as their families, enjoy the wide range of services provided along with the highest quality of care. To maintain this satisfaction, the results from research are taken into consideration and put into action as realistically as possible. Some of this research has shown that by allowing customers to be as independent as possible cause satisfaction ratings to stay up. Educational resources are used to train current and future employees on subjects pertaining to care for the elderly. For example, depending on the type of work the employee does, workshops and training sessions are given on a regular basis. All employees are required to attend at least two annually. These classes cover various topics such as how to use new technology, new management strategies, how to make life comfortable before, during, and after rehabilitation, i. . the new living facility, and how to make working conditions more enjoyable for all employees. The local and even regional communities are resources utilized by The Center as often as possible. Many individuals and social groups host fundraisers, social benefit gatherings, and some visit the patients at The Center regularly. In addition to financial support, the community also does volunteer work to keep up the landscaping, fix any minor damage to buildings, and work one-on-one with patients for moral support. Consumer Market Analysis It is an ever increasing trend for elderly consumers to want a more relaxing and convenient way to get through rehabilitation. While we offer outpatient services to our customers, it has been noted that many would benefit from a residential type setting. Furthermore, demographic research has shown an increasing number of elderly people in the local area. In a survey given to residents within a 20 mile radius and age 50 or above, the majority has shown that they are comforted by the option of staying in a housing facility during their rehabilitation. Competitive Market Analysis While other nearby healthcare centers provides rehabilitation services, none provide residential options in addition to their outpatient options. Additionally, the technology used in The Center is the latest available on the market. There have also been additions to the machinery and tools. Upgrades in technology are not the only improvements that have been made; customers wanted to have a more private visit to The Center, so stations have been separated with adjustable walls and curtains. External Market Environment Being a part of an industrial economy with few natural resources to provide for it, The Center depends on the consistency of patients and its resources to survive. The Center focuses on customer satisfaction by listening to the customer and changing the way we operate to better suit them. Another way The Center achieves a high rate of satisfaction is by understanding who the customer is on an individual level. Demographically, the location of The Center is convenient to most people within a 20-mile radius. Also, as stated earlier, the population within this area is aging fairly rapidly. The elderly population has almost doubled over the past 7 years. Machinery is not the only part of the technology upgrades that bring customers to The Center, medicine and surgery options that have been adopted by The Center have shown improvement in rehabilitation outcomes. SWOT Analysis â€Å"The SWOT structure is layered with reporting and communication channels designed to provide a system of communication and accountability† within The Center (Judy N. Muthuri, 2009). With this system, internal Strengths and Weaknesses, and external Opportunities and Treats are examined and categorized. This will allow for the company to better understand what is going on internally and externally. Internal Strengths The Center has many internal strengths, including up-to-date technology, the additional housing facility, some of the top physical therapists are located at this center, and management teams are highly trained and qualified before they are hired. Historically, The Center has been financially stable, ithout many discrepancies in regard to values and beliefs held by The Center and its employees. Recently, The Center has been awarded for its high level of customer service and was recognized as one of the top grossing rehabilitative centers in the South East. Internal Weakness The main internal weakness The Center faces is cost. With the newest technology highly qualified staff and the new housing facility, the cost of running The Center has increased sig nificantly over the past couple of years. Because The Center is fairly large in size, it takes a lot of financial and human resources to operate. Another weakness is being understaffed. Many employees are working extra hours and days so that all positions are covered at all times. Opportunity The Center has been attempting to keep up with changing trends in healthcare, and more specifically rehabilitative care. It is essential for The Center to realize and understand how the population is changing in respect to social trends, lifestyle changes, population size and age, economic factors, legal, political, and financial changes, what the competition is doing, and technological changes (Charles Lamb, 2010). Threat The main threats The Center faces are competition, and the economy. The local competition poses a threat mainly because of the location and the lower costs for some of the same services. It is very easy to find the location of the competition. They are situated in an area that has lower traffic flow and from the interstate the customer will travel less time. Because the competition does not offer as many services, the amount of resources used to operate are much less than The Center. The economy is a threat because healthcare costs are still high. Many of the residents within a 20-mile radius are retirees and income is not very substantial, especially if they are in need of high quality rehabilitation. Marketing Plan Objectives Increasing the number of residents in the new housing facility is the main marketing goal for the next year. Over the next couple of months, The Center plans to increase awareness of The Center and the housing center by placing advertisements in several types of media outlets. Television and newspapers are the main types of media that will be used by The Center. Research has shown that people of all ages still watch TV and many ages 30 and above still read newspapers. The advertisements will appear everyday, two times per day, for the next five months. If a certain percentage of the local population sees the advertisements, the advertisements will be shown less often. Newspaper advertisements will be shown in every Sunday’s edition for five months also. Differentiation and Positioning The new housing facility is a service no other rehabilitation center has. In addition to the new facility, the services provided are of the highest quality. All staff is knowledgeable of daily operations, which allows for efficiency. Customer satisfaction is the basis of values The Center runs on. With the elderly population growing rapidly, it is important that as many services be available to them as possible. The Center has more services to offer than any local rehabilitation center. Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy is to involve the elderly population and their families by promoting the highest quality of rehabilitative care. Advertisements and other types of promotional outlets are used to market The Center and its new housing facility. Target Market Because the focus of The Center is elderly rehabilitation, the target market is those the age 50 or above and within a 20-mile radius. It is also important to target the families of these people. If the families are learning about The Center, they are more likely to propose that their elderly family member choose The Center rather than the competition. The marketing strategy also requires that doctors’ offices and hospitals refer their patients to The Center. With that type of relationship, it is more likely that more customers will go to The Center. The Marketing Mix Product/Service, price, place, and promotion are the â€Å"four P’s† of marketing. The proper combination of these four elements will increase customer ratings and revenues (WebFinance, 2013). The customer satisfaction that The Center strives for is possible because of the four P’s. It is also the reason for it being so successful over the many years it has been a part of the community. Service/Product The product being marketed is the new housing facility. Its many additional services set it apart from, not only the competition, but also any other rehabilitation center in the region. Patients are able to spend time at the rehabilitation center rather than load up the car and drive to a center and leave the same day. If this travelling becomes a burden on the patient, they will have the option of actually spending a night or several nights. Price As mentioned earlier, the price for this type of care can get expensive. But it is also important remember that this is the only place to receive certain types of services. On the positive side, the only part that can get pricy is the housing facility. After all, it is an additional service that is optional. Most of the other services offered by The Center are actually less expensive than those of the competition. There are plans to reduce the price over time after revenue increases. Place The location of The Center is very easy to access. It is relatively close to downtown and is in an area with fairly low traffic. Another factor that makes the location of The Center is navigation. It is easy to navigate the area, even from the interstate or other parts of the city; the customer can easily find The Center. Promotion Advertisement is the biggest form of promotion The Center utilizes currently. In addition to paid advertisements, the social events and fundraisers held by the community also promote The Center. It is very important to The Center to keep these close ties with the community because it is a type of informal communication that keeps the community informed. The Promotional Mix As mentioned previously, the main promotions are advertisements and an additional promotion is word-of-mouth. Advertisements are paid forms of promotion for a good or service, usually in newspapers, television, or on the radio (Dictionary. com, 2013). Promotions are ways to promote a good or service to the public through means of personal appearance, brochures, and posters (Dictionary. com, Promotion, Define Promotion at Dictionary. com, 2013). Advertising Newspapers and television are the main sources of advertisement for The Center. Many other forms are used but are typically considered informal. Word-of-mouth advertising is another useful form that lets people know the services provided by The Center. Personal Selling Personal selling is not a form of promotion that The Center uses regularly. It is much too costly, and from past experiences, it is not very successful. Publicity The fundraisers and social events hosted by the community are the two main ways The Center gets publicity. Such events are open to anyone who wishes to join. They are held every couple of months and bring in a lot of new and prospective customers. They are also beneficial because many of the customers, past and present, join in and tell of their experiences while at The Center. Sales Promotion It is very rare for a rehabilitation company to offer sales promotions in return for healthcare services. It is difficult to allow for customers to not pay for the service they have received because of the cost of rehabilitation; therefore, sales promotions are not offered at The Center. Implementation and Control The marketing plan will be implemented at the beginning of the next quarter. Management teams and all members of the staff have been informed of this and are being trained to properly implement the new strategy. The ideal outcome is that The Center will gain customers and therefore increase revenue. Advertisements and promotions are being used to encourage customers choose The Center.

European Type Jaw Crusher for Sale in India

European Type Jaw Crusher Brief Introduction: By adopting the world’s most advanced crushing and manufacturing technology, European type jaw crusher is mainly used for secondary and tertiary crushing of various medium-hard ores and rocks. European type jaw crusher has already become the most popular equipment in the world without controversy. It is the first choice for hard and strong abrasion material. [pic] Highlights: 1. Adopt world-level manufacturing techniques and raw materials. 2. Movable jaw assembly is made of high-quality cast steel piece.Forging blank is adopted for heavy eccentric shaft for processing, which makes the machine more reliable and endurable. 3. Integral cast steel structure is adopted for bearing saddle to guarantee full cooperation with crushing stander, which greatly enhances radial strength of bearing saddle. 4. Adoption of finite element analysis technology ensures much higher strength of the machine. 5. Crusher chamber adopts â€Å"V† struc ture which could make the actual feed width complies with the nominal one. 6. Adjustment device with discharge hole with wedge installed is simpler, safer and rapider than the old spacing piece. . Compared with crusher of other specifications, all machines of the series adopt more endurable and bigger eccentric shaft bearing; its higher bearing capacity and effective labyrinth seal make service life of bearing greatly prolonged. 8. The latest tooth-shaped guard plate is adopted to increase effective length of jaw plate and improve output. [pic] Working Principle: The motor transmits power through belt, drives the moving jaw to do periodic motion towards the fixed jaw by the eccentric shaft.The angle between toggle plate and moving jaw plate increases when moving jaw moves. So the moving jaw moves towards the fixed jaw. The stuff will be crushed in this process. The angle between toggle plate and moving jaw decreases when moving jaw moves down, the moving jaw moves leaves fixed jaw b y pulling rod and spring, the final crushed stuff will be discharged from the outlet. [pic] For more detailed information, please click here:http://www. crusherindustry. com/index. php/european-type-jaw-crusher/

Business management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business management - Essay Example Without doubt, scholars have focused on understanding the structure of the electricity industry because it contributes significantly to the United Kingdom economy. This paper will describe the current structure of the electricity industry in the United Kingdom and highlight its contribution to the economy. In addition, the paper will discuss how sustainability affects the business plan of Centrica, one of the companies in this industry. The United Kingdom Electricity Industry has undergone a rigorous transformation process after the privatization efforts of 1989. Privatization of the industry brought forth two types of changes. It led to the privatization of most of the companies in the industry, a factor that introduced a high level of competition. Prior to the privatization, many companies had operated in the public sector. After privatization, it was only logical for the industry to undergo complete restructuring. Some of the objectives that triggered the restructuring of the industry included the creation of a highly competitive electricity market in the United Kingdom. In addition, restructuring would serve to present the industry with financial independence, terminating the reliance on the government. Other supporters of the restructuring process highlighted that it would allow a wider share of ownership. Restructuring of the industry also enabled employees to be actively involved in the success of the differ ent companies. Most importantly, the restructuring of the industry brought forth new realms of possibilities. For example, customer choice became a possibility, and the process separated the monopolies that had existed in the electricity business (Electricity Industry Profile: United Kingdom 2014, p. 29). The privatization reforms in 1989 focused on changing ownership from state to private companies and transferring employees

Self-Reflective Paper on Negotiations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Self-Reflective Paper on Negotiations - Essay Example These are just a few examples of different types of negotiation. However, negotiating skills are not unique to lawyers and limited to the legal fraternity only. At one particular moment, all of us regularly need to negotiate with colleagues, friends and in a wide range of business transactions (Stone, 26). As such, this reflective essay seeks to critically evaluate my strengths as a negotiator as well as weaknesses. These evaluative points are going to be supported by concrete evidence from various negotiations and exercises that have been covered during my learning experience. The paper starts by explaining the meaning of negotiation in order to grasp the meaning of the whole concept. This is followed by a detailed analysis of different subjects involved in the negotiation process. The negotiation process Negotiation characterises the relations between individuals and is closely connected with speech as well as nonverbal communication (Kennedy, 47). Essentially, negotiation is mainl y concerned with reaching an agreement based on mutual understanding between the parties involved in the process. It can bring different parties with completely different views together and these can reach an agreement. Therefore, negotiation is described as a process in which two or more parties exchange goods or services and attempt to agree upon the exchange rate for them (Robbins, 459). The monitory value in this case is seen as very important when people engage in negotiation since it is binding. In most cases, people involved in a negotiation seek to bargain from the process since they often prefer a win-win situation towards reaching an acceptable agreement. For the sake of clarity, this paper will discuss in detail the different processes and stages involved in a negotiation and it will also outline my weaknesses and strengths in each section based on the experience gained from different negotiations encountered during my academic career. In this case, I will limit my discus sion to the experience gained in a role played negotiation involving a case of sexual harassment between Ms Jane Doe and Professor Palsgraf. I represented Ms. Doe where she is negotiating for an out of court settlement involving a case of sexual harassment by the professor. The professor made sexually suggestive statements to Jane outside class but she revoked them and this contributed to her failing the subject taught by the professor. As such, this has necessitated a negotiation in a bid to find an amicable settlement to this particular issue. Non verbal negotiation It can be observed that the advent of the internet has revolutionised the communication landscape during the contemporary period. As such, online negotiation is quickly becoming more common during these days where it can be seen that efforts are being made to create new solutions to the problems that already exist using this technique (Kennedy, 132). People can still negotiate without using verbal communication in a fa ce to face situation. Such kind of communication is very effective in that it removes barriers to communication such as male dominance in a face to face situation. Through the use of online communication, a mutual agreement can be easily reached given that there is no party which is under pressure from the other. From the experience I have gained as a negotiator, I find this method quite manageable given that non verbal communication strategy is hassle free since it can be carried out from any position. It can also be noted that agreements reached are binding and they are usually based on mutual understanding. Factors taken into consideration when preparing a negotiation Craver (209) posits to the effect that there are different

Human Right in Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Right in Development - Essay Example This paper shall now discuss the thesis: To what extent might water as a priced commodity be consistent with the human right to water? The political economic foundations of this thesis will also be discussed. This study is being undertaken in order to come up with a clear understanding of the subject matter, including its essential points of discussion. Body The world’s natural supply of underground water which is relied on by about two billion people is being depleted, according to a report by the United Nations (BBC, 2003). This report further revealed that the water tables are falling by about three metres with each year throughout many developing nations. The increase in populations, the rapid rate of industrialization, and intensive farming are just some of the reasons for this dramatic decrease in water supplies. In the US in Arizona, the report further revealed that the amount of water being extracted from the ground is twice what is actually being naturally replaced (B BC, 2003). In the Arabian gulf, their underground water is being contaminated by the salty water which is gathered from the coast to supplement the city’s water supply (BBC, 2003). Developing nations are the countries mainly utilizing underground water sources and their rates of use are increasing significantly. Dhaka in Bangladesh has also been using underground water sources to an extent where in many regions, the water table has fallen to about 40 metres. The issue of limited water supply is one which does not appear to have a clear resolution in the immediate future. And many more issues shall be borne from it before a satisfactory solution can be established. Millions of people in the world do not have regular access to clean water. In some regions of the world, getting water for daily use calls for a significant expenditure of time and effort. The issue is also not singularly based on access to water, but access to clean drinking water (Okonski, 2009). Dirty water is a source of bacteria and viruses. The UN also expressed that the world shortage of water supply has caused the deaths of more people through disease, than deaths through wars. In effect, shortage of water supply is one of the major problems of the world. Various researches have been carried out on water and on the issue of water scarcity. These studies have focused on establishing a better understanding of the causes of this shortage and the impact of this issue (Okonski, 2009). In the same manner however, the issue has also been the target of varying opinions and points of contention on water being a human right. Theorists advocating the contention that ‘water is a right’ argue that since water is a natural resource which is essential to our survival as humans, the access to clean water must also be considered a basic human right (Okonski, 2009). The government must therefore do whatever it can to provide clean water, and its access must not be secured with profit consid erations. These theorists raise crucial points in this discussion. If credence is to be given to the argument that water is a human right, does every person then have the right to imbibe as much water as he wants, without making any considerations as to time and place? If the answer is no, what quantity then of water is each individual entitled to? And how are arguments among users of water to be resolved? How then would the efficient use of water be

House Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

House Music - Essay Example An underground scene at this point had already been forming. The underground music scene was developing music that was designed to make people dance. DJ's were already being targeted as disco records had used extended mixes with long percussion breaks. In the underground dance music scene: "The DJ bears the sole responsibility for the music, including his choice records, his style of mixing, how long a particular record will play, or when to change volume, timbre, tempo, or style" (Fikentscher, 82). House music became of fusion of American styles and elements of European music. This new style was breaking through in places like Chicago and New York. There were bands using electronic pop and earlier disco methods that were very popular in many urban areas. The music was being produced from underground clubs, and not for any commercial success. Jazzy M is attributed to bringing the Chicago house sound to the UK. Jazzy M, born Michael Schiniou, began DJing at the age of 17. It is said of Jazzy M that "through his influential stint at Nottingham's garage, it was Jazzy M who first brought the music to the nation's capital via his regular House show on pirate radio" (Bidder, 173-174). The reasons for their popularity within the underground: two club... They incorporated strong messages for pro-diversity in the music. Both clubs had a strong emphasis on music, and birthed music that was known from each club - garage and house.There were many phases and rebirths of house music from the beginning in 1985, where different genres such as techno, deep house, and acid house made their way from and through different nations such as the UK, Canada, America, and even Italy. Cities like Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Toronto were undergoing a quick paced dance with the genre as the styles continued to rapidly change and again bore the underground crowd. Different songs by various labels and artists impacted cities in unexpected ways. 1989 was the year when house music was brought to the masses.The qualities that shape house music are simple. Kick drum beats on every beat, made most of the time by drum machines, strategic high hat cymbal beat placement, snare drum, and eighth notes played off beat. This style of play has been termed within th e business as "four to the floor" drumbeats, which were popularized by drummers in the 1960's and 70's. Most of the songs derive samples from jazz, synth, blues, and pop styles of music.There are many subgenres of house music, such as techno and trance, but there are three in particular that will be addressed. Those three are Tech house, Minimal house, and Deep house. Each style shares features in common with the other, making them often difficult to differentiate from one another to the untrained listener.Tech house, is a combination of house and techno. It often leans more towards techno and its jazzy feel. It still maintains the same feel of house, but the snare, bass drum lines, and high hat are noisier,

Software Development Life Cycle Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Software Development Life Cycle - Assignment Example Software Development Life Cycle The protocol is able to support a variety of web pages and web applications ranging from basic to complex programming of computer games. To be supported in the web-server and data server hosting system, these web pages can be developed through various tools, as per its abilities, such as Dreamweaver and Front Page applications for developing simple web pages and similarly, Java, ICEFaces or .Net for developing complex applications. As per the referred use case, the information sharing process starts with the collection of raw sources from the internet which is then stored in the database servers prior to its transmission to the web servers. From the web servers, the information passes on to the routers and subsequently, the encrypted information is transferred to the end users through LAN, WAN and other internet servers. Before the information passes on to the web servers, as planned in the use case, it needs to pass through a web barrier, i.e. the firewall that restricts sharing of personal and unauthenticated information. System analysis and design principally refers to the systematic approach towards the designing and analysis of information transition systems or communication software. This particular approach is often regarded as Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method. In the referred use case, it can be observed that the designed SSADM intends to be operated by connecting external end users and internal end users on the basis of a complex web-server and database server system which will further be protected with a firewall application. Notably, a router has been considered to support the interface operations, in the SSADM. Theoretically, there are various stages which need to be followed when developing a SSADM. Fundamentally, six stages can be identified in the SSADM process, as listed below, Stage 1: Investigating the current problems associated with the systems operations to identify the need of SSADM Stage 2: Specifying the requisite features in the SSADM to evaluate and finalize option al methods in developing the system Stage 3: Selecting the most applicable technical options which can be appropriate to support the services required to be hosted by the information system Stage 4: Data designing to determine the range of data or information that can be served through the protocol Stage 5: Elaboration and feasibility check of the data transmission process planned on the basis of the developed SSADM through process design Stage 6: Designing the physical structure of the entire SSADM process (Shere2000, 2001) Database In the referred use case, appropriate procurement of relevant information is very much required in order to encrypt the information and its appropriate transition through the complex designing of the entire information system. Under such circumstances, new database server will be required to support the wide variety of schemas or tables. It is in this context that the different schemas will be required to support the vast range of information hosted by the web servers. However, the client will have another option of sharing databases over internet, using the systems of Microsoft SQL server and/or Oracle. Even though such mechanisms may be considered as useful in expanding the versatility of the server, it might also raise threats to data leakage being shared through cloud. Also, if the server application tends to use and XML methodology, it

Foundation of Occupational Therapy practice Essay

Foundation of Occupational Therapy practice - Essay Example There are standards, roles, and meaning that an individual derives from the occupations that they engage in. These activities and processes that an individual performs through his or her life, in some context, can collectively be referred to as occupation. The individuals’ occupation will be defined within the societal culture and norms and thus are geared towards the collective development and wellbeing of the society. An individual’s occupation will determine his or her contribution towards the objectives of the society. In this context, occupation can be put into three categories depending on their purpose namely self-care, productivity, or leisure activities. There is need to ensure a good balance in these activities. Different activities will involve sequential interrelated tasks that collectively constitute an occupation. These tasks will need different skills- an individual’s abilities to carry out the activities that will reflect on his performance of the given occupation. These skills can be enhanced through constant practice by the individual. Other than the mental abilities and skills, an occupation will also involve other physical actions. It is important that an individual engage in activity that is not stressful and that provides little or no threats to his or her life. The occupation should be meaningful and of some value to an individual. However, there are factors that can prevent an individual from engaging in an occupation that is of some value to the individual and the society. Occupational therapy is a practice that involves promoting health and well-being of an individual by engaging the individuals in some occupations. The occupational therapists will identify the social, political, cultural, environmental, mental, and psychological and even the political factors that can impede an individual’s engagement in an occupation. Having identified these factors, an occupational therapist will take the appropriate init iative to enable the individual to participate in an activity. This practice has no boundary limit and borrows from other disciplines like psychology (Creek, 2003, p.7). The therapist may encourage the individual to engage in activities and processes that will eventually provide them with an opportunity to be engaged in some occupation. The therapist may also attempt to alter the environmental condition to promote the individual’s participation in some occupation. As a profession, occupational therapy has a number of core values and beliefs that become the guiding philosophy of the practice and that are behind its principles and procedures. Firstly, the practice of occupational therapy is humanistic and self-centered. The practice shows human concern and respects the human values. Secondly, the practice does not consider the individual aspects of human function but provides a holistic perspective to depict individuals as being unique and independent. The physical, spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of human function are incorporated in occupational therapy practice. It is believed that every individual has his own ability. The difference that exists in the individual human values is also recognized in the practice. Besides, much value is attached to involvement in some occupational activity. Engagement in some occupation is regarded as a basic requirement that is essential for good health of the individual. The OT is supposed to provide the client with information, provide the necessary support, and

The different between prophet Moses in the Quran and in the Bible Essay

The different between prophet Moses in the Quran and in the Bible - Essay Example In spite of the similarity in terms of citing Moses in the two texts, the Qur’an and the Bible have still varied narrations concerning the prophet-messenger’s life and miracles. This paper discusses the differences in picturing out Moses between the Qur’an text and the Bible text. It examines their variations with respect to the prophet’s (1) birth, (2) encountering the burning bush, (3) facing the Pharaoh, (4) dividing the Red Sea, (5) striking the rock, and (6) reaction to Israelite’s idolatry. First, the Qur’an and the Bible have different detailed narratives concerning the birth of Moses. In the Qur’an, for instance, the text informs its readers that it was Allah who instructed the mother of Musa (Islam’s name for Moses) to cast him onto the river water. In the Bible, however, the text suggests that it was the mother of the said prophet who decided to hide Moses for three months since she â€Å"saw him that he was a goodly child† (Ben-Chanan 103). Here, the main difference between the two texts under discussion is the decision-maker who opted on what to do with the prophet-child. It must be remembered that the historical circumstance in which the baby Moses was born was that every Hebrew male child must be put to death by the order of the Egyptian pharaoh himself. Both the Qur’an and the Bible appear to support, although implied, this historical account. In the former (i.e., in Sura), the words of Firon’s wife -- Islam’s Firon is equivalent to Christian’s Pharaoh -- are strongly indicative: â€Å"[D]o not slay him [i.e., Musa]† (qtd. in Ben-Chanan 100). And in the latter (i.e., in Exodus), the words of Moses’ mother is clearly suggestive: â€Å"hid him three months† (qtd. in Ben-Chanan 101). The term â€Å"hid† implies danger for someone’s life, otherwise, there is no need for hiding that person from the sight of the enemy. Further, the Qur’an and the Bible significantly differ from the account pertaining to the woman who adopted baby Moses. In the Qur’an text, the woman who took Moses as her own child was the wife of Firon. In the Bible, on the other hand, the woman who adopted the prophet-child was the daughter of the Pharaoh. Moreover, the Qur’an narrates Firon’s wife as uttering the line â€Å"do not slay him† while the Bible speaks of the Pharaoh’s daughter saying â€Å"she had compassion on him.† That is to say, the two texts also vary on the impression made by the woman who adopted the prophet-child. Second, the two texts in question have varied narratives concerning Moses’ experienced with the burning bush. In the Qur’an, for example, the text speaks of Musa being with his family at the time when he saw the fire. According to the Bible, however, Moses was alone by himself when he sighted the burning bush (Ben-Chanan 114). Thence, the differe nce between the two texts is the company or solitude that the said prophet was with or without. Also, the Qur’an names the place in which Musa was standing on the sacred ground with the burning bush as Tuva Valley while the Bible names the location as Horeb (Ben-Chanan 114). It appears that the two place-names are far from similar, thus, the two texts vary from their accounts of the terrain wherein the prophet was standing on the holy ground: one is in the valley while the other is on the mountain. Moreover, the Qur’an and the Bible have different stories pertaining to the role of Aaron in Moses’

Supply and Demand in substitute products (cell phones) in our current Research Paper

Supply and Demand in substitute products (cell phones) in our current time - Research Paper Example To illustrate, as Luo (2006) points out, if government imposes higher tax rates on cell phones, consumer demand for cell phones would decline whereas demand and supply would increase when the government sets favorable tax rates. Government policies regarding imports can also significantly affect the demand and supply in the cell phone industry. Similarly, as Pierskalla and Hollenbach (2013) point out, technology also plays an inevitable role determining the demand and supply of cell phone products. The industry analysts say that technological innovations can reduce the production costs of products like cell phones and this situation in turn would increase their demand and supply. In addition, advancements in technology would assist cell phone manufacturers to offer technologically improved products to customers and consequently the demand and supply would be improved. Evidently, cost of production is inversely related to demand and supply (Hortman, n.d.). When the cost of production increases, manufactures will be compelled to charge higher prices for their products and this in turn would lead to a decline in demand and supply. In emerging countries like China and India, labor costs are relatively low and therefore production costs can be notably reduced. According to Sugden (2022, P. 42), nature of the industry can influence the demand and supply to some extent. Today cell phones have become increasingly popular and therefore people consider it as a necessity product. As a result, the supply and demand of cell phones would remain to be stable regardless of small variations in price. Degree of Competitiveness Degree of competitiveness is very high in the cell phone industry because there are numerous potential players like Nokia, Samsung, LG, and Sony operating in this sector (see Figure 1). Price competition is very common in the cell phone indus try because every marketer tries to improve the demand and supply of his products in order to obtain an edge over competitors by taking advantages of price sensitivity of modern customers. Therefore, a cell phone marketer cannot sustain in the industry if he fixes prices above the par industry prices. In addition, cell phone companies compete based on technology also. To illustrate, today cell phone marketers integrate technological features like video facility, high MP cameras, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, dual sim, external memory into their products with intent to retain customer interests. In order to address the intense market competition, the firm’s managers should particularly try to keep their labor costs and material costs low and thereby minimize costs of production. For this, managers need to establish their production plants in countries where cost of raw materials and labor is relatively low. Effects of Macroeconomic Events A decline in the relative value of the US do llar can have a significant impact on the demand and supply of cell phones. Evidently a declining value of the US dollar would directly lead to an increase in US import prices (Effects of a Falling Dollar). It is clear that the US cell phone market is dominated by foreign companies and hence a fall in the relative v

Ecological Debt Repaid through Awareness and Commitment Essay Example for Free

Ecological Debt Repaid through Awareness and Commitment Essay At this age of technological advancements, where people are more likely inclined with the latest technical and industrial innovations, the most modern gadgets, the cyber world itself, the group believes that a public service message posted to social-networking sites, like Facebook, would reach out with its millions of users; teen-agers, civilians, and people from all walks of life, who are still unaware of the impacts and dangers that humanity would face because of our ecological debt and neglect. Now that man is getting more engaged with a computerized and scientific world, the preservation of the earth’s innate form is often situated at stake. For instance, land developers aim to civilize mountain and forested areas in view of larger residential communities, neglecting the extinction of species and the degradation of their habitats in that area. In the same way, roads and tunnels are logged to provide efficient trips in woody regions, unaware of the affected species due to construction. It should be realized that in the context of global progress, biodiversity should not be sacrificed. Biodiversity is about making sense of the variation of life on earth, and its fundamental unit is the species. Why is there a must to conserve biodiversity? It is mainly because it affects mankind by all means. Outstandingly, biodiversity has an incontestable subsistence value. Remember that the species we use for our herbal medicinal needs, the plant and animal species that we eat, and the other species we use for our consumption, all contributes to biodiversity’s value for human survival. Biodiversity also has an economic value; the productive use it imposes into our market. In addition, it provides service value, like tourism benefits for a region where a certain specie is  endemic. But most importantly, biodiversity has to be conserved because of its intrinsic value. By the principle of Biocentrism: All species are worth of moral consideration. Humans have an obligation to protect them (Do or Die, 1999). We should be grateful for nature because it provides us our basic needs, water, food, air, even which the greatest engineering cannot tantamount. All of us have an ecological debt we can never repay fully, but we could somehow pay its interest, that is by preserving biodiversity. There are two modes of payments: In Situ and Ex Situ. In Situ is the maintenance of biodiversity in the wild, by allowing the species to continue their aboriginal evolutionary interactions (Reid, 1989, para.1). The species are left to be free and to continue their way of survival without any human intervention. This is a general and efficient solution that is left to the hands of government officials or organizations for strict implementations. But as part of the human race, we should be aware of the creation of such law and support it whole-heartedly. Many of our local or indigenous fellowmen would still continue the hunting or harvesting of the endangered species due to lack of knowledge or opportunities; thus, there should be thorough promotion of In Situ throughout the nation. On the other hand, Ex Situ is the maintenance of wild or domesticated species in home gardens, orchards, aquaria, zoos, or laboratories. These sites provide home for viable populations of threatened species, also providing areas for research, educational and public awareness (Reid, 1989, para.1). Indeed, there are several solutions man could engage to if we really want to hinder more biodiversity losses. We could grow endemic plants in our region in our own backyards. Every time we go to a beach, we must remember not to take souvenir seashells or corals with us. We should refute groups that do  activities leading to biodiversity losses. Or join movements which promote awareness and commitment in saving the earth’s biodiversity. Spread the information of biodiversity’s importance. All of us can make a difference. The move should start today before we reap the wrath of nature’s revenge. Change does not happen overnight, neither does it occur one-time big-time. The restoration of our ecosystems does not depend only on politicians or environmentalists, simple steps should be made by simple citizens, like you.

Balanced Score Card (BSC) Advantages and Disadvantages

Balanced Score Card (BSC) Advantages and Disadvantages Abstract The study reports an evidence of the efficiency and usefulness of the Balanced Score Card (BSC) as a management control and communication strategy. This paper firstly examines the available literature on management control and communication which has identified elements of strategic control and effective communication. Secondly, this study presents a model of control and communication significant to the Balanced Score Card. Thirdly, the study further investigates archival and practical interviews data to represent the utilization and also evaluates the effectiveness of control and communication of the Balanced Score Card. The study incorporates data collected from the various departments of a large, international manufacturing company. Data is collected from Indian administrators, managers and the Balanced Score Card designers whose divisions are the purpose of Balanced Score Card. The study congregates evidences in respect to the challenges encountered by many and as in this case even by a large, well financed multinational corporation associated with the implementation and designing the Balanced Score Card. These results may be broadly suitable to other companies planning to adopt or adopting the Balanced Score Card as a management and strategic control tool. The data points out that this particular Balanced Score Card, as applied and designed, is definitely an effective tool for managing corporate strategy. Obtained results also illustrate stress and divergence amongst the top and the middle level management concerning the suitability of certain aspects of the Balanced Score Card as an evaluation, communication and control mechanism. Certain aspects include conformation of laid-back relations amongst successful management control, positive effects, motivation and strategic alignment of the Balanced Score Card. These positive effects include the changes in development and implementation of both the customer focused services and the Balanced Score Card. In contrary, unsuccessful management control and communication originate conflicts and acts as a source of poor motivation in respect of the use of Balanced Score Card as an assessment device. Data Availability: All the data gathered for this research is regulated and supplied under a strict non-disclosure agreement, which necessitates the researcher to safeguard the company’s proprietary information and identity. Introduction The available academic and professional strategy literature asserts that numerous multi-nationals have discovered time-honoured performance measures (e.g., profits, return on investment, and ex post costs) to be inadequate strategies for judgmental action in today’s speedily changing, super-competitive environment. Solitary dependence on present, financial performance measures does not perhaps mirror the significance of present resource verdicts for upcoming financial performance (e.g., Dearden, 1969). However, several years ago, some organisations identified the significance of non-financial performance measures (e.g., General Electric during 1950’s), budding global competition and the mounting up of the TQM movement has broadened the appeal for non-financial measures of performance. Authors have piled up, both the academic and professional literature with suggestions to believe more on non-financial performance measures for both evaluating and managing organisations since the 1980’s (Berliner and Brimson 1988; Dixon et al. 1990; Johnson and Kaplan 1987; Nanni et al. 1988; Rappaport 1999). Along with the normative arguments, empirical research studies can also help in establishing the effectiveness and roles of non-financial measures of performance. Numerous studies have attempted to relate some specific non-financial performance measures to the financial performance (Ittner and Larcker 1998a; Behn and Riley 1999; Foster and Gupta 1999; Banker et al. 2000).1 Results of numerous human resources literature illustrates that, it’s the systems of non-financial performance measures that seems to be comparatively more reliable determinant of firm’s performance than the individual measures themselves. (Huselid 1995; Huselid et al. 1997; Becker and Huselid 1998). The purpose of this research is to study the impact and process of administering an organisation using the non-financial measures of 1 The ever rising body of research study which has examined empirical associations amongst the financial and the non-financial performance measures in a variety of industries and firms also includes Foster and Gupta (1990, 1999), Banker et al. (1993), Barth and McNichols (1994), Banker et al. (1995), Amir and Lev (1996), Banker et al.(1996), Ittner and Larcker (1997, 1998a), Perera et al. (1997), Behn and Riley (1999), Banker et al. (2000), Ghosh and Lusch (2000), Hughes (2000). These research studies repeatedly found significant associations the financial and non-financial measures of performance, although research studies of the effects of performance of including the non-financial measures in the compensation plans are comparatively less steady and consistent. Given the growing empirical and extensive theoretical support, it is not at-all astonishing that several companies report that they are switching to non-financial, forward-looking information for both evaluating present performance as well as for guiding decisions (Ittner and Larcker, 1998b). Performance, particularly in the context of Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a comprehensive structure of performance measurement system. The Balanced Score Card, popularized by Kaplan and Norton (1992, 1993, 1996a, 1996b, 1996c) and also accepted extensively across the globe, has been presented as a better and superior blend of financial and the non-financial measures of performance. 2 Balanced Score Card is projected to direct strategy growth, execution and communication because it clearly focuses on the financial as well as the non-financial measures of performance. Moreover, a well designed Balanced Score Card could also provide some unfailing feedback for performance evaluation and management control. Atkinson et al. (1997) regarded Balanced Score Card as one of the most momentous developments in the field of management accounting, justifiably attaining a strong research attention. Silk (1998) assessed that approximately 60 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies are experimenting or have by now implemented a Balanced Score Card. Despite its elevated profile, astonishingly very little academic research has actually focused on either the outcomes or the claims of the Balanced Score Card (Ittner and Larcker 1998b). An expected question that arise is: does the Balanced Score Card’s use, content, implementation or format have recognizable effects on either the outcomes or the business decisions that could not be achieved with existing ways, in combination or alone? In the very first study of its category, Lipe and Salterio(2000) identified effects in decision making connected with the format of the Balanced Score Card. The layout of the performance measures in four associated groups appears to communicate decision-related information to subjects presenting a laboratory assessment task. Most of the other previous and current studies, however, are comparatively uncritical explanations of Balanced Score Card adoptions. Kaplan and Norton (1996b) debates that the Balanced Score Card is not principally an evaluation process, but it is a communication and strategic planning device to (1) explain links amongst leading and lagging measures of non-financial and financial performance and (2) offer some strategic assistance to the divisional managers. The Balanced Score Card asserts to describe the necessary steps for reaching financial success; for example, investment in some particular types of knowledge to improve the processes. If these links are valid replications of a company’s economic opportunities and productive and administrative 2 An identical approach for merging the numerous performance measures, the tableau de bord, has been implemented by certain French organisations for numerous years (Epstein and Manzoni 1997). processes, then the Balanced Score Card symbolizes and can also communicate the company’s working strategy. Moreover, communicating these links effectively throughout the company can be decisive to implementing that strategy fruitfully (Tucker et al. 1996; West and Meyer 1997). Some organisations may possibly also use non-financial measures as a basis of performance measurement. On the other hand, they might judicially use the financial performance measures for the purpose of evaluation or they can also enhance the performance by using the Balanced Score Card as a vade mecum to financial success (e.g., Rappaport 1999). The present research is aimed at investigating the management-control and communication attributes and the efficacy of a successful, large, multi-national company’s Balanced Score Card model. The research comprises of qualitative and archival data gathered through interviews with the managers, Balanced Score Card designers, and users to (1) measure the observed attributes of the Balanced Score Card as both a control and strategic communication device and (2) find confirmation of the Balanced Score Card’s evaluation impacts. The present research does not test as to if the company’s Balanced Score Card is a statistically suitable model of the company’s performance and activities. This attribute of the Balanced Score Card shall be tested in succeeding research (Malina 2001). The company commenced using the Balanced Score Card to enhance its strategy. The Balanced Score Card has largely affected the view point and the action of users, both adversely and beneficially. When all segments of the Balanced Score Card are effectively communicated and well designed (as per the criteria mentioned in the study), the Balanced Score Card appears to persuade and inspire the lower-level managers to correspond their activities to the company’s strategy. Additionally, as per managers beliefs these changes result in enhanced sub-unit performance. In spite of this, there is also a consistent confirmation that the weaknesses in strategic communication and the flaws and imperfections of the Balanced Score Card design have affected the relationships amongst some middle and top level managers adversely. The stress survives because the Balanced Score Card design aggravated strong differences amongst their views of upcoming future opportunities. Gaps and weaknesses in communication generate unwillingness and mistrust to change. While certain specific shortcomings and flaws could be exceptionally unique to the company studied, these results appear to reflect largely on the issues of the Balanced Score Card uses and its design. The second section of this research study builds up a research question on the basis of reviewing the literature on communication standing by the features of effectual communication of strategy. The third section then builds up another research question with a synopsis of the attributes of management control tools that successfully control strategy. The fourth section later illustrates the company’s Balanced Score Card and the research site. Then the fifth section discusses about the practices used to analyze and obtain the qualitative and archival interview data. This part also displays a theoretical model for describing the effectiveness of the Balanced Score Card. The following sixth section then derives an empirical model for the effectiveness of the Balanced Score Card and also addresses the raised research questions. Lastly, the final section of this study encapsulates the conclusions and also offers certain suggestion for future research. Literature Review The Balanced Score Card and Communication of the Strategy Kaplan and Norton (1996 c) states that, â€Å"by articulating the outcomes the organization desires as well as the drivers of those outcomes (by using the Balanced Score Card), senior executive can channel the energies, the abilities, and the specific knowledge held by people throughout the organisation towards achieving the business’s long-term goals.† Therefore, Kaplan and Norton (1996 c) claims that not merely just the Balanced Score Card exemplifies or helps to create organizational knowledge and strategy, however even the Balanced Score Card itself effectively communicates knowledge and strategy. Merchant (1989) contends that failure in communication is one of the main reasons for poor organizational performance. Because neither the organization’s strategy nor its knowledge succeeds or exists apart from its chief human actors, the capability to communicate effectively may itself be a basis of competitive benefit (Amit and Shoemaker 1990; Grant 1991; Schulze 1992; Daft and Lewin 1993; Tucker et al. 1996). If the Balanced Score Card does articulate the organizations strategy and knowledge in a better manner, then it could act as a foundation of competitive advantage, at-least until all other competitors implement it equally well. However, the organisational communiquà © literature recognizes an intricate set of features that influence the effectiveness or quality of communication in the organisations. Based upon a review of the present literature, an organisations communication system or device could be characterized with the elements of its (1) exchange and creation of knowledge, (2) support of the organisational culture, and (3) messages and processes. These communication characteristics have been briefly reviewed below: Exchange and Creation of Knowledge Knowledge, which could be a tactic or an objective, is the foundation of strategy implementation and formulation.3 Thus, an effectual system of communication holds up an organisations strategy by fostering both tactic and objective knowledge. An effective system 3 Objective knowledge is expressible and observable in the normal language – outcomes and production processes, for instance. However, unspoken language is understood and known but it is not easy to convey in language – an individual’s insights or experiences, for instance. This subsection draws greatly from Tucker et al. (1996). of communication exchanges the objectives (observable) of knowledge amongst the most important individuals so that everyone is aware of the organisations present status. Organisations construct objective knowledge from the integration and development of the new knowledge by individual experts. Objective knowledge generally derives itself from the sharing and refining of the individuals tactic knowledge, which is recognized but not yet usable or articulated by the organisation. Thus, a system of effective communication enables and encourages the individuals to share their experiences and also gathers those shared experiences. This may best possibly be accomplished by frequent and intense sharing, and might also be by dialogue rather than a one-dimensional reporting. Perhaps significantly for the effectiveness of the Balanced Score Card, de Haas and Kleingeld (1999) further debates that participating in the design of the performance measurement system is an essential element of an effective communication of strategy. Support of Values, Beliefs and Culture As per the traditional sight of an effective organisational communication, it supports individual interests and the organisational culture by focusing on certain desired patterns of beliefs, shared values, and behaviour. Effectual communication exhibits that the organisation accomplishes its promises and that group or individual rewards are predicted based upon their actions (Goodman 1998; Tucker et al. 1996). Communiquà © by leaders which steadily articulates shared values, beliefs and goals (Goodman 1998; Tucker et al. 1996) is also efficient in directing behaviour and reinforcing culture. Moreover, effectual communication ought to encourage behaviour coherent with organisational values, beliefs and goals (Goodman 1998). Kaplan and Norton (2000), the proponents of the Balanced Score Card, debates that it can also be a tool of strategic and cultural change. Coherent with Kotter’s (1995) study of change processes, the Balanced Score Card could facilitate change by effectively communicating and creating a convincing realistic vision of and also a method for attaining change. Communication Messages and Processes Individuals make use of and rely on communication only if its messages and processes are observed as trustworthy and understandable. Other features of effectual organisational communication procedures are reliability, predictability, completeness, and routineness (Tucker et al. 1996; Goodman 1998; Barker and Camarata 1998). Besides this, communication is also more successful if it applies well defined terms and concise messages (Goodman 1998). Moreover, effectual communications system prevents misrepresentation of performance or repression of truth. There should be no equivocation concerning the differences between â€Å"looking good† and truthfulness or coherence with winning. An effective system of communication and its operators will be indignant of â€Å"spin, deniability, and truth by assertion† (Goodman 1998). As a result, organisational communication shall be effectual if the messages and processes are a valid and convincing representation of the performance. In a nutshell, effectual organisational communication strategies should hold the recognizable attributes of: Knowledge sharing – including participation and dialogue Support and assistance of organisational culture – changing or existing Valid messages trustworthy, understandable and reliable The organisational communication literature foresees that a Balanced Score Card, which comprises of these above mentioned attributes, shall create positive organisational outcomes, positive motivation, and strategic alignment. The foremost research area shall be: Question 1: Is the Balanced Score Card an (in) effective device for communication, creating (negative) positive organisational outcomes, (in) effective motivation, and (non) alignment? The Balanced Score Card and The Management Control of The Strategy general condemnation of managing the organisations on the basis of financial performance measures is that these measures persuade the managers to make short-run, myopic decisions. The financial measures incline to emphasise on the present impacts of the decisions, lacking an obvious link between long run strategy and the short run actions (current criticisms include Luft and Shields [1999], McKenizie and Schilling [1998]). Moreover, the traditional financial performance measures could work in opposition to the knowledge based strategies by considering the enrichment of resources like human capital, which might be crucial to implementing a strategy, such as current expenses (e.g., Johnson 1992). Dixon et al (1990) debates that the time-honoured financial measures, by dispensing costs of many developments, as well work opposing to the strategies based on reduction of manufacturing time, flexibility and quality. For numerous lower level employees, most of the financial measures of performance are excessively comprehensive and also very far isolated from their actions to offer helpful feedback or guidance on their decisions. They may need certain measures that relate more accurately and directly to the outcomes that they can persuade. (McKenize and Schilling 1998). A numerous studies have found proof that the financial, traditional performance measures are utmost helpful in conditions of low complexity and relative uncertainty; and not in the conditions faced by many trans-national organisations today (e.g., Abernethy and Brownwell 1997; Govindarajan and Gupta 1985; Govindarajan 1984; Gordon and Naranyan 1984). Lynch and Cross (1995) debates that all set performance measures should motivate the behaviour contributing to constant improvement and development in certain vital areas of competition, such as productivity, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. Therefore, they should replicate a cause and effect amongst strategic outcomes and operational behaviour (Keegan et al. 1989; Ittner and Larcker 1998a).4 Moreover, as and how an organisation recognizes new strategic goals, it shall also comprehend a requirement for new measures of performance to persuade and supervise its new actions (Dixon et al. 1990). 4 Contemplation of the time lags might be really important for illustrating these cause and effect relationships (e.g., Norreklit 2000, Banker et al. 2000). Hence, organisations optimally and perhaps sensibly might implement a varied set of measures of performance to demonstrate the diversity of management efforts and decisions (e.g., Ittner and Larcker 1998b; Feltham and Xie 1994; Banker and Datar 1989; Homstrom 1979). The empirical evidences in support of these propositions is narrow and limited but growing.5 The Case of Management Control For The Balanced Score Card Kaplan and Norton (1996 b) had organized various measures of performance into the Balanced Score Card, which is itself a admissible expression in most of the Western business management models.6 Indeed, the Balanced Score Card might have diffused extensively throughout the globe on the power of its internal logic and intuition. Kaplan and Norton (1996b) asserts that the Balanced Score Card offers two noteworthy improvements over the traditional non financial or even the financial performance measures. Firstly, the Balanced Score Card discovers four associated fields of activity that might be crucial to almost all organisations and also to all levels inside the organisation: Increasing financial success Providing Customer value Improving the effectiveness of internal processes Investing in growth and learning capabilities Following the rationale of the Balanced Score Card and disregarding the cost benefit considerations, almost every organisation can implement measures in all the four areas to persuade and supervise actions suitable to organisational strategy. An appropriately constructed Balanced Score Card in its utmost basic use, can offer a complete picture of the status of an organisation, similar to a vehicle’s dashboard showing temperature, oil pressure, fuel levels, speed, engine RPM and coolant. 5 For instance, Banker et al. Offers empirical support with the help of widespread time series data in a service firm for the relations amongst lagging financial performance and principal non-financial measures. Moreover, they employ an event-learning method to locate beneficial performance results from incorporating these non-financial measures in the management performance assessments. 6 The advocates of EVA ® or economic value added, also assert improvements over the traditional financial performance measures, but that is also a synopsis of the financial measure, even though the one that rectifies for the claimed financial reporting faults and errors. EVA ® do not integrate the non-financial, complementary performance measures. Therefore, the Balanced Score Card could encourage positive and constructive organisational outcomes like improvements and developments in all the four areas of organisational activity, which comprises of administrative activities and the Balanced Score Card itself. Evaluating this first level of usefulness and effectiveness is the major objective of this study. Moreover, the Balanced Score Card also seeks to connect these measures into one model so as to accurately replicate the cause and effect relationship amongst the individual measures and the categories. Employing the automobile correspondence, the Balanced Score Card encourages a change in the car’s performance (e.g., speed) specified a designed increase in the engine RPM and fuel consumption (and maybe other factors). A model like this may back-up operational decisions, provide trustworthy feedback for performance evaluation and learning, and make forecasts of results given environmental conditions and the decisions.7 The Role of The Balanced Score Card for Performance Measurement and Strategy Implementation The proponents of the Balanced Score Card emphasise its alliance of the critical measures with the links and the strategy of the measures to the valued outcomes. Additionally, the literature on management control recognizes other features of the control systems that might be crucial for the successful operation and implementation of the strategy and shall apply to the Balanced Score Card.8 To be efficient and effective, Balanced Score Card measures ought to be verifiable, objective, and accurate. 7 Whereas the primary claim for value of the various performance measures would create few debates beyond the considerations of benefit and costs, the secondary claim is a rigorous and bold hypothesis. A potentially testable and literal explanation of the balanced score card is that, it explains lagging, leading, or contemporaneous relations amongst the performance measures. For instance, improvements in growth and learning like reduced time of cycle (e.g., Luft and Shields 1999). Similarly, progress in the in-house processes will predictably result in an enhanced customer value (e.g., market share and satisfaction). Lastly, progress in the customer value shall lead to some predictable increment in the financial success (e.g., profits). Generating such a coherent and comprehensive model is an inspirational objective which is similar to imitating the business model of the company itself. Achieving such an experiential result shall not establish any causality amongst the balanced score card elements because (1) factors absent from this model might be correlated alongwith both effects and causes, (2) the causes of earnings might not be generalizable further beyond the context of a particular firm (Norreklit 2000), and (3) few of the proposed measures might not be self-governing and independent. 8 Unless otherwise mentioned, this particular section draws from the summaries in Merchant (1989, Chapter 2) and Simon (2000, Chapter 11). If not, the measures shall be manipulated and will not be able to replicate the performance, or even the managers could in good belief attain good quality measured performance but in-turn cause harm to the organisation. Even if the managers can attain high measured performance by fraud, cheating or any other method, then the system shall lose its required motivational effect and credibility rapidly. Moreover, the combination of Balanced Score Card measures should entirely illustrate the organisations crucial performance variables; instead it should be restricted in number so as to maintain the measurement system administratively and cognitively simple. A comprehensive set of measures of performance shall accurately replicate the difficulty of the organisations tasks and responsibilities, but a lot of measures might be costly, confusing, and distracting to administer. Nevertheless, Lipe and Salterio (2000) failed to find confirmation of any information overload from the various measures used in their experimental study of the Balanced Score Card. Optimistic motivational impact persuades managers to put forth effort for achieving the organisational goals. While enlightening but not manageable the performance measures might be essential, optimistic motivation demands that in some way or the other few of the Balanced Score Card measures should replicate manager’s conduct and actions. For instance, relative performance assessment (e.g., across alike business units), which is capable of identifying â€Å"influenceable† however, not absolutely controllable results, can be an essential constituent of the Balanced Score Card (e.g., Antle and Demski 1988), but it shall not be adequate by itself. Widespread goal setting researchers validate that the performance should be correlated to demanding but achievable targets (e.g., Locke and Laltham 1990). Without such unequivocal Balanced Score Card targets, the performance would likely be comparatively lower than what could be realistically achieved. Finally to fabricate the goal commitments, the Balanced Score Card shall be linked to well understood and prompt penalties and rewards. Rewards which are ambiguous, uncertain, or delayed shall be unsuccessful motivational devices. Consequently, even if an organisation’s Balanced Score Card replicates its crucial performance variables and the links to valued and appreciated outcomes, it might be unproductive and disastrous as a successful management control tool if it lacks the other attributes. For instance, Ittner et al (2000) asserts that bias in a bank’s Balanced Score Card escorted it to both the bank’s deterioration to its interim financial measures of performance and little advantageous impact. To recapitulate, an effective and successful management control device, which is competent to promote required organisational results, shall have the subsequent, apparent management control elements to, firstly, achieve strategic alignment: A complete but economical combination of the measures of crucial performance variables, correlated with strategy; Crucial performance measures just casually correlated to valued organisational results; and Successful and effective – accurate, purpose, and confirmable – measures of performance, which seems to be associated to effectual communication. Secondly, to further encourage positive motivation, an efficient management control tool should have the attributes of: Measures of performance reflecting the managers influenceable actions or/and controllable actions, e.g., measured by relative or/and absolute performance; Appropriate standards or performance targets that are demanding but attainable; and Performance measures which are associated to meaningful and significant rewards. The Management control theory forecasts that, if the Balanced Score Card contains these attributes, then it becomes probable that the Balanced Score Card shall encourage positive outcomes and motivation and strategic alignment as well. Consequently, the secondary research area/question which complements the first is: Question 2: Is the Balanced Score Card an (in) effective device for management control, creating (negative) positive organisational outcomes, (in) effective motivation, and (non) alignment? Subsequent explanation unfolds the information of a model which replicates the two stated research questions. This model, supported and based on the review of all literature, demonstrates that the Balanced Score Card’s communication characteristics and management control generate results by creating motivation (or not) and strategic alignment. This research also explains about the labour and efforts put in for collecting the data on an applied Balanced Score Card’s organisational communication attributes and management control, along with the facts confirming the Balanced Score Card’s effects on organisational outcomes, motivation, and  strategic alignment. It is audacious to judge the efficiency and the efficacy of the Balanced Score Card against the facts from a non experimental, single Balanced Score Card implementation. Though, a careful and detailed assessment of a crucial case could be generalizable to the theory and instructive (i.e., analytical generalisation, Yin [1994, 10-32]), which in this particular case is that the Balanced Score Card could be an effective management control and strategy communication device. The Characteristics of Balanced Score Card and The Research Site Synopsis of The Research Site The research site is an Indian Economic Times 500 company having over 15000

SWOT Analysis Of Halal Restaurant

SWOT Analysis Of Halal Restaurant In this business plan report summarise the nature of our business, the advertising and sales strategy, the monetary background, projected cash flow and income statement. Nevertheless it shows our current position and where we want to be in the future and how we have planned to get there through excellent management. It lays out the route for the future our business and set up standards of success. Hence the business plan will help us in acquiring capital from investors / lenders such financial institutions as they will have clear understanding of the business and willing to invest if the business proposal is persuasive. Our business proposal is setting up a halal restaurant in Treforest whereby the restaurant will cater healthy meals prepared in Islamic rites. The restaurant will provide a combination of wide varieties of food with excellence in value pricing, fun packaging and atmosphere. In Treforest there are numerous halal takeaways thus this will give us competitive advantage as there is no halal restaurants within the area. Our main target customers are Muslims who are minority from all over the world, who will be easily attracted to a place where they will be enjoying their meals prepared according to their Islamic rites in comfortable environment. Nevertheless despite the fact the food being prepared in Islamic rites, we intend to target majority of the students and the local people as the food offered will be healthy diet and it will cater their needs such as their busy lifestyles. Our mission is to provide high quality food which adheres to Islamic rites and to provide products which are better, safe and hygienic. Morever we aim to promote customer satisfaction through feedbacks, review of menu and creating friendly relationship with customers. Halal restaurant will be a privately held company and registered as a Limited private company, with three shareholders with equal number of shares. The restaurant will be a rented property. Six staffs shall be employed who will include two chefs, two waiters and two kitchen porters. As we the shareholders will also be accountable for managerial tasks of the halal restaurant. Halal industry is growing and expanding at a high rate because of migration of more people into UK specifically in Wales, and we want to have our own shares in Halal food industry. The reason of setting up a halal restaurant in Trefforest is, first there is low degree of halal restaurants within the area as majority are fast foods and takeaways. Thus this will give us a competitive advantage as competition within restaurants will be low. Moreover the restaurant will cater healthy meals and it since the location of the restaurant will be in treforest majority of customers will prefer dining out in our restaurant rather than travelling to Cardiff as they will save their time and money used on transport. The key to be successful in our restaurant, we will create a unique and innovative atmosphere of dining which will be different from competitors and offer a great fastest service and high quality of food. The employees would be motivated so they can work in comfortable environment and different programs would be enhanced so as to assemble devoted workforce. Furthermore we will focus on cost control so as to meet profit margin by managing bank deposit, accounts payable, issuing inventory, cash receipts, purchasing, order taking, and service preparation. This will help us to track actual expenditure aligned with our forecasts in managing the halal restaurant. Moreover customer satisfaction would be our prominent factor for the success of halal restaurant. This will be done thorough frequent and friendly interaction with customers so as to know their particular needs. Our restaurant would encourage the two most important values in restaurant business which is brand and image, as these two ingredients are a couple of main drivers in marketing communications CHAPTER 2 2.0 BUSINESS OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY Our halal restaurant objectives for the first year of inception are to make the companys name as household name, build a solid reputation so as to establish successful halal restaurant and gain a market share in Halal food industry in Wales. We also want to make halal restaurant as the favourite choice for the Muslim people and the rest of the community. We also intend to expand into a number of outlets depending on how the business will operate, through franchising to other cities, such as Liverpool, Manchester and London so as to increase customer base. Nevertheless our main business financial plan is to have sufficient monetary funds to run our restaurant for a maximum of two and a half years without deeping to our profit. This will help us as in the 3rd year in repaying the loan as the profit accumulated will have an interest margin. Prior to our earlier research we have noted that for us to attain an excellent profit margin for the two and half years that we have earlier mentioned some of the restaurant items such as kitchen refrigerators cookers and any item that maybe of extravagant purchase would be leased. This will enable us to reduce potential costs. Nevertheless we will have a useful administrating system and basic accounting information that will keep update records of each month sales so as to track the profit and loss through out the year. In order for us to increase our customer base we plan to advertise our business through posters, fliers, mosque, internet in order to uphold customer satisfaction and later through media. With initial launching and advertisement of job opportunities within the halal restaurant, this will help us to advertise more our business as the spread of the new halal restaurant will make people eager to know what kind of services and product that will be offered. Our main goal is to be one of the most successful Halal restaurants in UK, we will strive to be a premier Halal Restaurant brand in the local marketplace. We want our customers to be satisfied when visiting restaurant and website as well as to work on their feedback seriously. MARKET SIZE Halal restaurant belongs to the Halal industry which is growing and expanding at a high rate. Many multinational companies are now investing in this industry and there are many others planning to enter the industry. It is widely reported that demand for Halal products is on the increase amongst Britains estimated 3 millions Muslims, 95% of which claim to be Halal consumers. The Halal Food Authority estimates that the UK market for Halal food grew 30% in 2006, even though the Muslim population grew just 3% according to Mintel report. Across Europe, where the Muslim population has grown by more than 140% in the last decade, there is a similar picture with 2nd and 3rd generation European Muslims are seeking out convenience and looking for products such as Halal pizzas, lasagne and hot dogs. Estimates can be different, but the organisers of Londons World Food Market exhibition estimate the UK Halal market to be worth  £2.8 billion. . CHAPTER 3 MARKETING ANALYSIS 3. 0 PRODUCT AND CUSTOMER ANALYSIS. As earlier mentioned the menu products served in the restaurant will be halal prepared according to Islamic rites. The halal food range from frozen food, ready made meals, canned food, beverages, packed meat, baked goods, dry goods (food ingredients), condiments and snacks (Halal Products, 2010). These products will be used in a halal way to prepare meals. Example of such menus include Chicken Tikka Masala with Rice served with Broccoli and sweet corn and the dessert of Fruit salad yoghurt. However a detailed research would be conducted so as to know the favourite healthy dishes for Muslims. With awareness of reducing obesity and increased healthy eating, such menu people will be attracted to buy a meal as it is healthy and balanced diet as it has all the nutrients need for the body and it has less fat. In as much as the Muslim community will benefit from the healthy meal as it will be prepared and based in their Islamic approach. Furthermore most Muslims will increase their social i nteraction when having a meal in our restaurant as they will have a more comfortable environment to interact. Our major target segments customers in Treforest are Muslims who are minority in the area. In the University of Glamorgan the ethnic groups of Asians which include Indian, Pakistan, Bangladeshi, Malaysia and other Asian background account to 5.6% while whites are the majority who account to 82.03%. The blacks and other black background account to 2.8% and other ethnic back ground is 4.2%. Despite of our first priority customers being muslims students, our second target customers are other students from different backgrounds. Halal food is well eaten not only by Muslims but by other nationalities, thus most of the other students will be attracted to buy meals from our restaurant as majority of them do not have sufficient time to prepare a meal due to studying all day long and most of them have passion of trying different kinds of food. Moreover in occasions such as birthdays and graduation ceremonies we will have numerous customers as many of the students and their families will come to our restaurant to celebrate their achievement by purchasing meals. Thereby in such occasions, deals will be promoted so as attract as many customers during such occasions. Our third target customers are the local people within the area such as professionals, families; singles and couples. Due to the busier lifestyles most of them do not have enough time to prepare a meal at home. Most families partners do work full time thus dining out is alternative to home cooking meals. Our estimate population within treforest is around 30,000 and the percentage of Muslims is around 2.3% including students. This estimate was based on 2006 statistics which showed the total population in treforest was 25,000 and the of which the Muslims accounts to 1.87%. (Rhondda Cynon Report, 2006). Thus the population has grown by 20% to date. Hence our restaurant will cater their needs by providing good quality food and ensure good customer service has been provided throughout. We will have potential customers from these groups as most of them do prefer to dine out as a luxury treat to their families and themselves. Nevertheless a market plan of survey would be carried out so as to know if our business idea is being welcomed within the area. 3.1 COMPETITORS PROFILE However our halal restaurant will face competition within the area as the latter is occupied with halal take aways, pubs, Chinese takeaways and sandwich shops. In those halal takeaways most of the food is halal and they do have affordable deals whereby most of the students are attracted to purchase them. Nevertheless in pubs they do serve most of halal dishes such curries, hence there is high probability most of customers to switch to pub menus. 3.2 UNIQUE SELLING POINT In order to compete with our competitors we have set a unique selling proposition which will set us unique from the market. One of the USP that will entice our customer is, the halal restaurant will offer innovative and fastest service to the customer by putting a time limit guarantee for their meal. This will be done by reducing the steps of getting meals to customers. Moreover customers will have opportunity to evaluate food choices so as to keep the favourites on the menus and frequent interacting with the customers will be enhanced so they feel their feedbacks are being valued. 3.3 PRICING STRATEGIES 3.4 MARKET SHARE Majority of the time due to the busier lifestyle of the students and the local people most of them prefer to eat out rather than cook because they dont have time. Based from UK statistics our market share noting we will capture the majority of the Muslims because we will be providing Halal food which is being prepared in accordance to Islamic belief. Nevertheless we have a market share of majority of local people as most of the halal food is healthy and balanced Wales GDP per capita purchasing power parity $22,800 per annum per week $438.46 Incomplete more elaboration on purchasing capability of a single person. Initial maximum market share Total purchasing power(expenditure) of the targeted market Number of competitor +1 (own business) 438.46 = 73.08 6 Remember to include the initial market share 9%. 3.5 MARKET TRENDS. In treforest the population is mostly populated with students so the market trend will be very much be affected by the term time of the university. This means that when the university is opened the sales are high and when the university closes the sales are expected to be low this is because local students tend to travel and some foreigners. However most foreigners students they tend to remain in the university closes as most of them prefer working full time; hence this will have an impact in ourrestaurant as sales will tend to be stable. Nevertheless due to awareness of eating healthy diet and busier lifestyles, majority of people will prefer to eat out rather than cooking at home as it save time. This will have an impact in our restaurant as there will be frequent constant flow of customers who their needs will cater for. Thus as our initial market share estimated to 9% we expect growth of market share within the period of 6 to 12 months to be 16.7%. 3.6 SWOT ANALYSIS OF HALAL RESTAURANT STRENGHTS Availability of Muslim students who prefer halal food due to their Islamic belief. Busier lifestyles of local people and students who do not have sufficient time to prepare a meal at home. British people who are majority in the area are very experimental to different type of food thus our restaurant will cater their needs. WEAKNESSES A lot of monetary funds required to set up the halal restaurant. Fluctuation of sales when majority of students are on holidays. OPPORTUNITIES The long term objective of franchising thorough Wales so as to reach broader market. Our restaurant does offer healthy meals thus majority of people will be attracted to buy our meals. THREATS Within the area there is high competition as there are many competitors such as pubs, Chinese takeaways, halal takeaways, Indian restaurants who offer some of halal meals with affordable deals. Implementation of legislations such National Minimum Wage and Tipping legislation which require employers to comply with NMW of  £5.90 and paying more in National contributions so as to back up Tipping Legislation. This will increase costs in the restaurant business. CHAPTER 4 4.0 INTRODUCTION: The operational plan of our establishment will take care of matters such as Human resources, location, restaurant hours, suppliers, advertising strategy, registration and certification of the business along with other requirements The operational plan will also be shedding some light on ways of creating a strategic work plan that will formulate ways to achieve targets in the most reasonable amount of time 4.1 HUMAN RESOURCES We will be hiring two chefs one sous chef and a commis chef a kitchen porter and last but not the least two plate waiting staff. While recruiting these staff we will be looking for somebody with a reasonable catering industry experience except for the sous chef who has to have a good experience of working at the same designation. We will be managing the place ourselves with our previous catering, restaurant and hospitality industry experience and our HACCP and food safety qualifications we will be supervising the restaurant and the staff making sure that the customers are satisfied and content by handling all feedbacks and queries promptly and efficiently making sure that the daily book balancing runs smoothly and accurately costing of all the meals, creating promotional deals and strategies for the restaurant dealing with the suppliers and last but not the least running the restaurant according to the hygienic standards of the local authorities. We will be hiring a sous chef who must have at least 3 years of sous chef experience and be able to prepare dishes under pressure and should be able to work on his own initiative. We would be paying him  £19k- £21k depending on his experience his main jobs would be Creating menus Preparing and supervising all our main dishes Taking care of the stock and stock taking Make sure that all the heavy equipment is used in a safe way Cleaning all the heavy cooking machinery grinders etc. Making sure that the temperature records are up-to-date and hence the food served is hygienically safe. We will be hiring an enthusiastic commis chef who would be a fresh graduate and should have some experience in cooking, should have a can do attitude and willing to learn. we would be paying him  £11k- £13k depending on the experience. His duties would be Pastries and vegetable sauces preparation Salad preparation Assisting the sous chef in preparing the main meals Assisting the chef in stock taking Receiving and making sure that the deliveries are the same as invoiced and that their temperature at the delivery time was safe Cleaning the kitchen equipment after use Making sure that the kitchen is slip and trip free. We will be hiring a kitchen porter with some experience and we will be paying him  £5.80 and his duties will be as follows Washing dishes Cleaning the kitchen Receiving the deliveries and making sure they are fine and at a safe temperature Helping the chef in all other ad hoc duties We will be hiring two plate waiting staff with at least 1 year of experience, they should be customer friendly, polite and outgoing since they are going to be the first point of contact for all our customers. We will be paying them  £6 an hour their main duties would be Meeting and greeting customers showing them to the tables Take orders Take food to and from the table Making sure that the customers are satisfied with their meal by asking them Be proactive and offer them with extra desserts and drinks 4. REGISTERING THE BUSINESS In the Rhonda-Cynon-Taff council where we are intending to open our restaurant we have to register our business with the local authority 28 days before starting the business. We may also be required to get approval from the council due to our use of products of animal origin which in our case would be meat, fish, milk, eggs and any of their by-products and products made from them. In order to obtain the approval we need to submit an application form to the food team at the council along with a site plan that should reflect the layout of the premises accurately and an evidence of the food safety management systems on HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) principles (Food Business, 2010) On receipt of this application the local authority will arrange a site visit which is equivalent to a food premises inspection. During the inspection if all the requirements for the approval have been met, our premises will be issued with a unique three digit approval number which is part of a standard identification mark and will be used for all documentation. To register the business for VAT payments the law requires that the turnover of the VAT taxable goods and services supplied for the previous 12 months should be over  £68,000 and if it is below that amount then the business could still be registered for VAT voluntarily, and in our case this is what we will be doing we will be registering for VAT voluntarily because in future when the value of the taxable goods and supplies goes above  £68,000 and somehow we get busy and forget to register for VAT, we might get charged a penalty. And not just that there are benefits as well for voluntary registration. We will be registering for VAT online which would be the most convenient way for us in order to do that we will need to register with the HMRC online services first and then we will need to fill in two forms called VAT1 VAT2 with all our business details (HM Revenue and Custom, 2010). OPERATION TIMES In our restaurant we will be serving at different times to cater for people from different walks of life in the morning we will be serving a buffet style breakfast to cater for the students and for the people on the way to work, lunch and dinner for the students and general public and for the people who want to have a great time. Our serving hours are going to be BREAKFAST..08:00am till 11:00am LUNCH..12:00pm till 03:00pm DINNER.07:00pm till 10:00pm SUPPLIERS We have been in contact with different suppliers for our raw materials, crockery silverware, heavy equipment and all the other items that are required for opening a new restaurant. While reviewing these suppliers we need to make sure that the suppliers are of good reputation and hence provide good quality products while not making a huge dent on the business account We will be ordering our raw halal meat, spices, confectionary and all cooking items from a company called 3663. We will be ordering our fresh dairy products from a company called fresh fayre. Our disposable take away containers and the cleaning equipment that includes dishwashing liquid, bleaches sanitizersn degreasers and all kind of other cleaning equipment will be ordered from a company called BUNZL. Our used oil will be collected by a company called ARROW OIL COLLECTIONS but we have to put the request through our supplier which would be 3663 because they have this condition that they only collect oil if its bought through a certified oil seller. All our heavy equipment which is our fridges, freezers, fryers, furniture and any other heavy equipment for the restaurant and kitchen will be ordered through a company called LOCK HART on lease as long as we make an order above a  £1000 worth. All these suppliers have been carefully chosen considering their quality, reliability and prices. ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION Effective advertising and promotion is a vital supplement for any business and specially if the business is a newborn baby like ours We will be doing our advertisement through print media avoiding broadcasting it on TV since it does not fulfil our requirement for promoting our restaurant and its really dear as well instead we will be using brochures, posters, flyers and leaflets and specially handing out leaflets outside the university and in the surrounding area and specially outside the mosque. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT The halal certification required for the restaurant is going to be provided by the supplier the slaughter house from where the supplier acquires meat is inspected by the halal council and if all the necessary requirements are fulfilled and if the animal is slaughtered in a sharia way then the supplier is given a certificate which proves that the meat is halal and gives the authority to pass on that certificate to its customers and in this case the customer would be us and we will have the right to display that certificate. All the staff handling the open high risk food are required to have training certificates of handling high risk food and at least one member of staff is required to have adequate knowledge of the HACCP(hazard analysis and critical control point)/ food safety management systems.