Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Handwriting a Letter Essays

Handwriting a Letter Essays Handwriting a Letter Essay Handwriting a Letter Essay Lou Bennett Everest on line English Composition I Handwriting a Letter Versus Sending an E-Mail Abstract This essay will compare the different effects between writing a regular letter compare to todays new way of sending an e-mail. Since E-mail is, deliver almost as immediately, it is often preferred over traditional mail today. The traditional mail is now call â€Å"snail mail†, which means it is slower than e-mail. Some people still enjoy the old fashioned hand-written letter from a friend or loved one delivered through the post office . The personal level and the finality of the product are a few difference between handwritten letter from a friend or loved one delivered through the post office. By handwriting a letter and sending it by post certainly has its benefits, but the advantage of e-mail outshines tradition with its convenience, low cost and fast delivery so make sure you have the digital addresses of the people you wish to correspond. There is not any question about sending and receiving a hand written letter via traditional mail. It can be quite fun and enjoyable. Some things about this form of mail are personal and can be very heart warming. Although hand written correspondence is very endearing, it is not always the best form of communication, especially when e-mail is ready available and convenient option that you can chose. (Floyd Stephens wrote Advantages of Emailing Versus Hand Writing a Letter. ) References (Floyd Stephens wrote Advantages of Emailing Versus Hand Writing a Letter. )   History of Email were written by Yash Gode Published. The difference between an ordinary letter and an e-mail by Gillian Taber helium. com/items/1490527-the-difference-between-email-and-hand-written-letters The difference between an ordinary letter and an e-mail by Emily Hunter helium. com/items/359714-the-difference-between-an-ordinary-letter-and-an-e-mail :

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Reading Motivation - Activities for Elementary Students

Reading Motivation - Activities for Elementary Students Teachers are always looking for ways to boost their students reading motivation. Research confirms that a childs motivation is the key factor in successful reading. You may have noticed students in your classroom who are struggling readers, tend to have a lack of motivation and do not like to partake in book-related activities. These students may have trouble selecting appropriate texts, and therefore do not like to read for pleasure. To help motivate these struggling readers, focus on strategies that will help spark their interest and boost their self-esteem. Here are five ideas and activities to increase your students reading motivation and encourage them to get into books. Book Bingo Motivate students to read a variety of books by playing Book Bingo. Give each student a blank bingo board and have them fill in the squares with some of the suggested phrases: I read a mystery bookI read a funny bookI read a biographyI read an animal storyI read a book about friendship Students can also fill in the blanks with I read a book by..., or I read a book about... Once they have their bingo board labeled, explain to them that in order to cross off a square, they must have met the reading challenge that was written(Have students write the title and author of each book they read on the back of the board). Once the student gets bingo, reward them with a classroom privilege or a new book. Read and Review A great way to make a reluctant reader feel special, and motivate them to want to read, is by asking them to review a new book for the class library. Have the student write a brief description of the plot, main characters, and what he/she thought of the book. Then have the student share his/her review with their classmates. Thematic Book Bags A fun way for younger students to boost their reading motivation is to create a thematic book bag. Each week, select five students to be chosen to take home a book bag and complete the assignment thats in the bag. Inside each bag, place a book with theme-related contents in it. For example, place a Curious George book, a stuffed monkey, a follow-up activity about monkeys, and a journal for the student to review the book in the bag. Once the student returns the book bag have them share their review and activity that they completed at home. Lunch Bunch A great way to pique your students interest in reading is to create a reading lunch bunch group. Each week select up to five students to participate in a special reading group. This entire group must read the same book, and on a determined day, the group will meet for lunch to discuss the book and share what they thought about it. Character Questions Encourage the most reluctant readers to read by having them answer character questions. In the reading center, post a variety of character pictures from the stories your students are currently reading. Under each photo, write Who am I? and leave space for children to fill in their answers. Once the student identifies the character, they must share more information about them. Another way to do this activity is to replace the photograph of the character with subtle hints. For example His best friend is a man in a yellow hat. (Curious George). Additional Ideas Enlist parents to come in and be a mystery reader.Participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It program.Have a Read-a-Thon.Pair students together with a book buddy.Play Name That Book where students have to guess the title of the book you just read to them.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Management Accounting - Assignment Example At this moment, the strategies that are to be applied in this case are related to the performance of the company are no longer connected to the profitability of the company (Shaffer, 23). Thus, as the strategy to compare overhead costs and overall productivity of the company, it is clear that the company is operating at net loss and strategies should aim at reducing the burden on operating losses. Thus, a strategy to increase performance would consider cutting back on losses an improvement plan. Following the calculations below, the performance of the company depends on the use of available resources in the production of pipes. Based on the cost of raw material and the units produced it is clear that non-overhead costs remained the same at $0.15 considering 10,000,000 feet of pipe costing $1,500,000 and/or 6,000,000 feet costing $900,000. If the company is to trade the new batch of pipes at $0.35, then the company would be gaining $0.1 as profit for every foot of pipe sold. Based on the table below, decreasing the price of the pipes would be the best decision for the company to cut back on losses and acquire an economies of scale strategy. There are various levels of costs involved in the case of Riverside Hotel. These involve fixed, variable, and sunk costs. In terms of the fixed costs, all overhead costs are fixed and include the cost of acquiring the equipment for preparing meals, the premises, power, and heat. Specifically, one of the fixed overhead costs include the price of the oven which is priced at $20,000. On the other hand, non-overhead costs include the price of the salad which is $1 and the prime rib which costs $7. The fixed price of the prime rib and the salad make up the cost of materials. However, for every meal made, the used ingredients add up to the final price. In this case, the price of making dinner using the prime rib and salad is fixed at $8 assuming that there is no labor, equipment, and power

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Consumer Frugality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Frugality - Essay Example According to a survey study conducted by Booz & Company on 2,000 consumers in the U.S., there is an emergence of frugal consumers. This is mainly because of the recent recession that has shaped their consumption behavior. It is expected that such consumption behavior will persist in the future even as there are reports that the U.S. is recovering from the recession (Zavestoski, 2002). Therefore, marketers have identified a market segment consisting of frugal consumers and are making efforts to attract such customers. The frugal consumer has unique characteristics including a strong consciousness on a value which determines the level of trade -off in price and convenience. Research studies on consumption patterns among U.S. consumers indicate that almost 67 percent of customers are purchasing low priced products in order to reduce spending while improving on saving (Craig-Lees & Hill, 2002). This is evident from the decrease in the Per capita consumption expenditure across almost all demographic groups. Additionally, customers have maintained a weak sentiment which has influenced their low expenditure on consumption. The target market segment of frugal consumers can be described using a number of demographic factors that define their unique features. The demographic factors include household income and age. First, the target market segment consisting of frugal consumers is made up of middle-income households. They have an annual income between $20,000 and $50,000 and are very mindful when it comes to spending their income. They are very selective and often plan in advance before going for shopping at discount stores rather than high-end stores. Second, the target market consists of individuals aged between 35 and 40 years. This is the age gap within which people have families, are in employment, and are working hard to save for their retirement. They are very keen with their spending habits and they always ensure that they are buying goods at low prices so that they can save a significant part of their income (Zavestoski, 2002). Third, the target market consists of home owners who have a high demand for household products to use in their homes. However, they are also very frugal and have a habit of shopping from discount stores. The multiple demographics of frugal consumers make it very difficult to market products. Discount retail shops including target, Costco, and Sam's Club have developed a number of marketing mixes in attracting frugal consumers. Let us recall that frugal consumers buy less and price conscious. Therefore it is evident that any marketing mix targeting frugal consumers should heavily rely on price. However, the other 3 P’s are equally important because they complement price. It is an obvious fact that consumers are becoming very frugal these days and that businesses need to differentiate their products in order to remain competitive (Craig-Lees & Hill, 2002). The frugal consumer is looking for products that will deliver the best value for their dollar. This implies that businesses need to provide the best value to its client in order to attract a significant number of frugal consumers. The most common marketing mix among companies targeting frugal customers is that there is always a price discount. This is mainly because such consumers a re very sensitive to changes in prices. A significant decrease in

Sunday, November 17, 2019

United States Ambassador’s Speech to the United Nations Essay Example for Free

United States Ambassador’s Speech to the United Nations Essay Ladies and gentlemen and citizens of the world, my name is Susan Rice and I am honored to speak to you today. Our countries, which all embrace the United Nations’ quest for worldwide peace and stability, face many challenges that we can and must solve together. My nation, the United States of America, is prepared and determined to act constructively, responsibly and morally to contribute toward the realization of our shared goals. The United States of America has recently chosen a new and hopeful president who has bold, optimistic, and pragmatic ideas for his country and for our world. I am fortunate and privileged to have known and worked closely with Mr. Obama for the last several years, and I am honored that he nominated me for this post within this eminent organization. Working closely with all of you, I will strive to reflect and embody our country’s renewed principles of fairness, justice, respect for human rights, and love of freedom. Our individual homelands and our world as a whole face daunting challenges as we gather here today. Economic turmoil, security threats, political instability and human rights violations weigh on all our minds and on the minds of our respective countrymen. Let me assure each of you, and the people of your country by extension, that we are intent on charting a hopeful new path that will benefit us all. The United States is proud of our history of doing what’s right for our country and for the world of peace-loving nations as a whole. We believe that the vast majority of our actions over our more than 200 years have been just and beneficial for the free world. However, we know that our record is not perfect. Our new administration is committed to righting recent wrongs and working with our United Nations counterparts to face and conquer the issues and challenges that confront us today. I want to lay out some broad concerns and objectives that we believe must be addressed and confronted for the benefit of all our nations. Let me quote our United Nations charter. It â€Å"gives the Security Council primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security† (United Nations, 2009). As we all know, that objective is never easy to attain. As a permanent member of the Security Council, the United States holds a precious and weighty leadership role in helping to keep our world safe from those elements and regimes that plot every day against freedom and its enduring principles. We steadfastly and clearly say to those rogue elements that our nation and our allies cannot afford and will not allow your efforts to succeed. This body has the obligation and the ability to impose sanctions on those countries and factions that are intent on assailing peace and freedom. Within that framework for peace and worldwide security, the cessation of nuclear proliferation will continue to be an unyielding quest. We will strive to lower the number of nuclear weapons that exist across the world and we will tirelessly seek to thwart the development and deployment of nuclear warhead delivery systems. More specifically, let me address another security issue that threatens all our countries, directly or indirectly. Political instability is a major problem within many countries, particularly those who are engaged with us today, on their soil, in the fight against terrorism. Let me quote Mr. Obama directly as he engages our enemies of freedom. Our president stated yesterday â€Å"Let me be clear: Al-Qaida and its allies†¦are in Pakistan and Afghanistan and we have a clear and focused goal to disrupt, dismantle and defeat (them)† (C-Span, 2009). In that vein, let me also assure each of your nations that our country will not engage in cruel or tortuous practices on any of the combatants that we capture and detain. Let me close by stating that United States foreign policy goals are consistent and congruent with the stated goals of the United Nations. We are honored, one nation in a sea of many, to contribute to the well-being and security of our world. References C-SPAN. (2009, March 27). C-span. org. United Nations. (2009, March). un. org.

Friday, November 15, 2019

BMW Essay -- essays research papers

BMW Strengths   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  BMW is a well-known company with a high status branding that has a very high recognition factor. The company has been strengths in both research and development and design as well as in marketing. For example when it comes to marketing it was a BMW advertisement that was the first e-advertisement that made it to Campaigns 'Pick of the Week' (Doman). However, in a long-term purchase such as these, there is a need for more substance than just marketing, otherwise the life of the company would be relatively short due to the nature of the purchase. It is in these longer-term systems and strategies that we can see many of the strengths of BMW, we can consider these by starting with the market position of the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  BMW as well as Mercedes' and a few other companies have managed too successfully attain a market position where they have a focus on a narrow range of exclusive cars. These can be seen as aimed at the market place that is not also sensitive to price, and as such we must argue that the market positioning may be seen as a strength as there will not be such a reaction if the economic conditions change. The customers that are in the target group are happy to pay a premium price for what they perceive as a premium product (Thompson).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This may not be so true of the subsidiary companies that have had different problems, such as the ill-fated Rover group. However, the core product has remained strong (Thompson). This may be seen as diversification, and some of the diversification may also be seen as a strength, for example the purchase of Rolls Royce where there is a similar strategy, however the range and target market are even more focussed and exclusive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The strategy of BMW is designed to be defensive against other car manufactures, and as we will see when it comes to the section on threats this is a defensive strategy that BMW have adopted after learning the need for defensive as well as aggressive marketing and strategies. These strategies can be seen as follows;  Customers may choose any color that the wish from the entire range, this is only matched by Rolls Royce and Aston Martin, other companies offer a choice of color but only wi... ....   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The position of BMW is relatively strong; they have made mistakes, but appear to be learning form them. Their relatively small size can be seen as justified in such a competitive market by their own market position. Therefore as long as the company retains it focus and is not tempted into too great a level of diversification then it should have a bright future. Work Cited European Car, (no author cited), (2001, May), Hydrogen-powered BMW 750hL, European Car, v32 i5 p14 The Economist (UK), (no author cited), (2000, April 1), Milberg's mission. (Strategy of BMW, The Economist (UK), p70 (2) Lorenz Andrew, (2000, Dec 20), Rover and out. (BMW's sale of Rover, automobiles) Autocar, v226 i12 p62 (4) Mintzberg H Quinn J B, Ghoshal S (1998), The Strategy Process, London. Prentice Hall. Thompson J (1998) Strategic Management; Awareness and Change, London, Thomson Business Press Wells Melanie, (2001, April 16), Giving an Old Brand New Mystique. Forbes, p198s02 Foundry Management & Technology, (no author cited), (2000, July), BMW, Ford Motor Sign Definitive Agreement for Land Rover, Foundry Management & Technology, v128 i7 p8

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Material Requirements Planning (Mrp)

Material Requirements Planning (MRP) An overview of MRP Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is a software based production planning and inventory control system used to manage manufacturing processes. Although it is not common nowadays, it is possible to conduct MRP by hand as well. Is a computer based information system that translates the finished product requirements of the master schedule into time- phased requirements for subassemblies, component parts and raw materials, working backward from the due date using lead times and other information to determine when and how much to order.Material requirements planning is as much a philosophy as it is a technique, and as much approach to scheduling as it to inventory control. MRP begin with a schedule for finished goods that is converted into a schedule of requirements for the subassemblies, components parts, and raw materials is needed to produce the finished items in the specified time frame. Thus, MRP is designed to answer three q uestions: what is needed? How much is needed? and When is needed?Manufacturing industries must follow planning processes for every product, from its developmental stage to initial production and to final product. To outline each part of production planning, businesses use computer-based information tools such as material requirements planning, or MRP, and manufacturing resource planning, or MRP I. They function as integrated manufacturing control and activity systems MRP inputs An MRP system has three major sources of information: a master schedule, a bill of materials file, and an inventory records file.A master schedule is also referred to as master production schedule, states which ends items are to be produced when they are needed, and in what quantities. Then, a bills of materials(BOM) contains a listing of all the assemblies, parts, and raw materials that are needed to produce one unit of a finished product. Thus each finished product has its own bill of materials. And lastly, inventory records refers to stored information on the status of each items by time period, called time buckets. This include gross requirements, scheduled receipts, and expected amount on hand.It also include other details for each items, such as supplier, lead time, and lot size policy. MRP Systems MRP systems use production stage charts, materials requirement planning and master production schedules to outline the process of creating final products. It outlines the time needed during each production stage, status of outstanding orders and inventory needs for the initial process. It determines the time required for each production stage and demand for the final product. MRP1 Systems MRPII adds data resources to the original MRP manufacturing information systems.MRPII incorporates plan activities–such as a detailed production schedule and financial needs, inventory management, demand planning, shop-floor control and performance measurements–into manufacturing groups, such as the car industry and Marine Corps logistics. MRP and MRPI Integration MRP and MRPI systems are normally integrated into other production systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), but are still found separately today due to computer prices. The system a company uses depends on requirements.Just In Time (JIT) inventory strategy will sometimes supersede MRP during repetitive manufacturing processes, since receiving the raw materials during production cuts down on warehouse space and costs. For pharmaceutical and defense manufacturing industries, which use non repetitive production processes, the MRP system is still preferred. Project Benefits MRP allows for organization of the process as a project instead of continuous operation. The project engineer can produce a project master document with such information as division into units, date of the plan and name of the project. A project team is formed.The name of the team, role of the team and role of any team member or employee using MRP will be defined. Activities in the project can be linked through the use of planning, control of activities and co-ordination. MRP can be used to compute the earliest and latest possible start date for each activity of the project. MRP utilizes reject codes to assure consistent product quality by identifying units out of compliance. MRP further assures quality by using quality assurance methods to monitor line production. Rejected lots of product are tracked by operation work centers. Rejection of materials is tracked by vendor.Guidelines are developed for inspection of finished products as well as at pre-determined points in the manufacturing process. Outgoing goods' quality control and quality certifications are utilized. The benefits of the implementation of MRP versus of the cost of the system are considerations for companies examining this method. Lower end estimates for the cost of such a system are approximately $93,000 for a small company to $1,633,000 fo r the largest companies. However, the implementation approach, management support and degree of computerization have been found to be more important in achieving benefits than the cost of the system.The size of the company and the nature of the process or product appear to have little effect upon success. MRP will plan production so that the right materials are at the right place at the right time. MRP determines the latest possible time to product goods, buy materials and add manufacturing value. Proper Material Requirements Planning can keep cash in the firm and still fulfill all production demands. It is the single most powerful tool in guiding inventory planning, purchase management and production control. MRP is easy to operate and adds dramatically to profits.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

A Message from the Pig-Man Essay

Eric is a six year old boy, he is an only child who is going through a though time, because his parents have gotten a divorce. Eric thinks it‘s a bit odd that his Dad can’t live with him, his mother and Donald, his stepfather, because the spare room is empty and no one has used it in a long time. Eric feels like people can’t explain things to him that he does not understand. For example the Pig-Man. For him the Pig-Man sounds like a monster because no one of the grownups wants to tell him about the Pig-Man. One evening Eric’s mother asks him to go out with a paper carrier full of potato-peelings and scraps. Eric Does not want to go, but his mother says he can scrape out the basin, which she had made some cake mixture in. When he gets outside the trashcan is gone. But his mother sends him to run after the Pig-Man. When Eric sees who the real Pig-Man is, a big relief runs through his body, because the big man is ordinary man and not how he had imagined him to look like. Author: Poet, critic and novelist. John Barrington Wain was born in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of a dentist, and educated at Newcastle-under-Lyme Grammar School, Staffordshire, before going on to St. John’s College, Oxford. From 1949 until 1955 he lectured in English at Reading University before turning to freelance writing full-time. From 1973 to 1978 he was Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford. For most of his life, John Wain worked as a freelance journalist and author, writing and reviewing for newspapers and the radio. He died in May 1994 at Oxford. From 1974 his literary manuscripts have been deposited at Edinburgh University Library. Setting: The story is taking place at Eric’s home, in the dining-room and in the Kitchen. Also outside where the bucket is standing, and then where Eric meets the Pig-Man. The time of the story is about 2 days. * Day 1. Where you hear everything about Eric’s life. When Eric is dreaming about the Pig-Man and his dad going on a train together. * Day 2. When Eric is going to bring the paper carrier to the Pig-Man. Characters: Eric: He is nearly 6 years of age and has difficulties adapting to the new circumstances. The complicated grown-up world is taking over. He is very proud that the grown-ups also see him as a responsible young man. There are many questions he would like to ask the grown-ups but is afraid to do so. Eric does not understand why his father had to leave just because Donald moved in. He is worried about being left alone and he does not have anyone he can trust and open his feelings to. Eric’s mother: Is a caring mother. She told Eric that nothing was going to change when she and his father got a divorce and Donald would move in with them. When she wants Eric to go out with the paper carrier, she tells Eric that he can scrape the basin of cake-mixture. That is a way for her to get Eric to do things and that tells us much about how the mother is.

Friday, November 8, 2019

IKEA Foundations of Marketing Essays

IKEA Foundations of Marketing Essays IKEA Foundations of Marketing Paper IKEA Foundations of Marketing Paper Essay Topic: IKEA A companys marketing strategy and competitive strategy is important to make sure that your products are marketed correctly, not only for profit maximisation but also to create awareness of your brand name. An effective marketing or competitive strategy makes sure that you are always one step ahead of your competitors. You may be achieving maximum sales at the current moment but an effective strategy would look in to the long-term and plan for the future so that the success is not short lived. IKEA the Swedish furniture retailer has global brand recognition and enjoys great success all over the world as the low cost producer of stylish and functional furniture products. This report highlights IKEAs marketing strategy and how they place themselves against its competitors in order to gain market share and achieve overall success. IKEAs main aim is to be the low cost producer in the market it operates in and therefore has introduced innovative and cost efficient methods of manufacturing products. Components for products are bought from around the world and wastage of raw materials is seen as another invention to make another product. These cost conscious methods are employed at every stage in the production, manufacturing and distribution process so that the products that reach the customer are affordable for as many people as possible. Your partner in better living. We do are part, you do yours. Together we save money (IKEA 2005) is IKEAs market positioning statement. This means that in order to save money the customers are implemented in the IKEA process and thus they have to pick up the furniture and assemble it themselves. This differentiation strategy gives IKEA a competitive advantage and is a marketing tool that sets it apart from its competitors like Argos. IKEA growth strategy is to expand with opening more stores all around the world. However its main competitor Argos is also implementing a similar strategy within the UK market and has taken over IKEA.IKEA must therefore re-establish themselves through short term strategies like promotional offers. However they must try to focus on long term strategies like the IKEA store card which develops a long term relationship with its loyal customers. By focusing on the long term they reduce the risk of losing anymore market share. Overall IKEA is achieving great success with some short-term down falls but there strategies will try to overcome these short coming. However IKEA must focus on trying to provide low cost items of high quality while marketing IKEA as a shopping experience rather than just a furniture store as this differentiate itself from its competitors like Ilva a Danish furniture firm trying to expand in to the UK market. With profits totalling to 14.8 billion euros(IKEA 2005) IKEA can be classed as a global and local success in many countries. However they must become confident as they are target to local and international competition. To overcome this they can use the environmental friendly processes as a marketing tool to attract new customers. They can also try and find new innovative practices of producing and distributing goods in the most cost effective ways to ensure that they remain the producers of high quality and cheap products. Introduction IKEA, a Swedish furniture retailer is known for its cheap prices and high quality products. IKEA is a global success with over 200 stores in countries around the world with profits increasing rapidly (IKEA 2005) . IKEA has effectively implemented a marketing strategy and placed themselves in a position to overcome its competitors. Its marketing and competitive strategy of high quality products at cheaper prices which is embedded in the culture starts at the design process and continues through all manufacturing, production and distribution stages until it is received by the customers so that they can achieve their promise to produce products which are affordable for as many people as possible. The Company IKEA began in the early 1940s, when Ingvar Kamprad the founder of IKEA sold general household products which people demanded. Due to his success he opened up a showroom and began designing his own furniture range which led to innovation and low costs. The real success came when they realised they could flat pack the furniture so transporting goods to IKEA and for the customer would be easier. This differentiation was their marketing tool which made them a household name on global scale. IKEA a Swedish retailer offers a large range of stylishly designed, functional home furnishing products at low prices. This is the single idea at the heart of everything IKEA does, including the way they produce, buy products and the way they sell them in IKEA stores around the world. They produce high quality products at low prices and this is done by cost-efficient and innovative methods. Sales and Profit Trends This graph shows that between 1995 and 2001, IKEA had major success because there is an increase of 6.4 billion in profits. This might due to all the heavy promotion but also because of new stores opening around the world. The profits have increases from 2001 onwards it has not been a very substantial increases compared to 1995 and 2001 but it just shows that between a space of ten years IKEA has achieved great success. The Market Environment IKEA operates on a global level with 231 stores in 33 countries. The top five countries with the most sales are Germany 19%, USA 11%, UK 11%, France 9%, and Sweden 8 %. (IKEA 2005). This shows that IKEA products have an international appeal and are targeted at many markets. The main objective of IKEA is to produce low priced products of high quality. Its products are produced from resources from all around the world which gives them a competitive cost advantage. The large, yet simple retail stores on the outskirts towns makes them easily accessible for customers and distribution. Trying to achieve the lowest costs in production and distribution means that they have incorporated a cost-leadership strategy this has been embedded into the IKEAs culture through efficient processes. IKEA works on the idea pile them high, sell them cheap idea (Marcousà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ et al 1999 pp164). The profits may initially be low but with high turnover it makes a healthy profit. The reduction in price does not mean that the quality must be compromised. The Five Forces Model This model helps to contrast a competitive environment. As the diagram shows IKEA is working in a competitive environment with large and small furniture retailers trying to gain market share as barriers to entry are very weak. Customers are in a strong position as they have more bargaining power and negotiate for goods which meet customer needs. A wrong move could have a detrimental affect with your competitors moving ahead of you. Competitive Environment IKEAs strategic positioning is unique. Few furniture retailers have engaged in long-term planning or achieved economies of scale as European furniture retailers are smaller than IKEA. Even when companies have joined forces as buying groups, their operations have made it difficult for them to achieve the same degree of co-ordination as IKEA. IKEA offers limited customer assistance but creates opportunities for customers to choose transport and assemble units of furniture which differentiates them from its competitors. Porters Generic Strategies Model Porter identifies three competitive positioning strategies on which the firm can follow (Kotler et al, 2005 pp 504 213). Achieve overall low-cost leadership in the industry The emphasis on efficiency at all levels within the organisation is the central idea to a cost leadership strategy .Costs need to be monitored at all levels to ensure that they gain benefit form economies if scale. A low cost leadership strategy will only work if the products produced are cheaper compared to its competitors. Concentrate on products that are differentiated. A differentiation strategy requires the organisation to offer something which is unique and valued by the customers .The value added by differentiation results in the ability to charge a higher price. This is to cope with added costs of differentiation, leading to higher profit margins. The risk involved with this strategy is that the consumers may perceive the product as a value added the product IKEA supports a cost leadership strategy while adopting a differentiation strategy by adding the customers in the value chain. The customers are source of labour, knowledge and transportation. The customers are told what is required of them, for example customers have the responsibility of picking up the items from the warehouse. The suppliers are seen as customers gaining knowledge form IKEA specialists. This value added process makes sure that IKEA selects suppliers who provide high quality materials at low costs. IKEA effectively employs a cost leadership strategy while focusing on the needs of its target market segment. The Competition IKEA has faced competition from small local furniture retailers, large DIY chains and supermarkets. IKEA has been placed as the fourth on the most popular furniture list in the UK, behind MFI, Argos and DFS. Argos, has come broadened its appeal to a variety of customers through high quality furniture and enjoys a 5.1% market share compared to IKEAs 4.6 %( Business Scotsman 2004). IKEA is also faced with indirect competition with home make-over shows and magazines which indicates unsatisfied customers. Their new Kitchens campaign is another attempt to diversify and satisfy customer needs. Target Market The typical IKEA customer is young, low to middle income family and generally for first time home buyers. They also focus on the mature and childrens market through some of its products. The company targets the customer who is looking for value and are willing to do a little bit of work themselves by transporting the items home and assembling the furniture. PEST-G Analysis PEST-G is used to analyse the business and economic conditions an organisation faces and how it effects businesses decision making. The table shows how each factor affects Ikeas decisions and the way strategies are implemented. Each factor affects IKEA at varying levels Political factors * Legislation affects IKEA on issues such as product liability and product standard * The political scene is stable at the moment so short-term decisions are not affected as much as long term decisions as the political scene may change * New laws are likely to increases especially with more EU countries trading in the free market means regulations are put in place so that there is no unfair trade. * IKEA is also influenced by different political factors in the different countries it trades with. Economical factors * The interest rates are low but the rise in inflation may means that interest rates may increase and this will affect IKEA as they are planning to invest through opening up new stores this therefore means borrowing is going to much more expensive * IKEA locates on out skirts of towns and thus employment rates around the area must be taken in to account. Employment levels for different countries they are wishing to trade with must also be taken in to account. It is an unwise decision to build IKEA stores where unemployment levels are low as you will to need to offer higher wages to poach workers. * The exchange rate will also affect IKEA as they are importing or exporting goods with the international market. * The GDP level is an important factor as it will show prosperous and poor areas and therefore products will have to marketed according to peoples abilities Socio- Cultural factors * These factors will vary from country to country depending on the dominant religion, attitudes on foreign products, the population demographics and the roles of men and women * For example in the UK we have a multi-cultured society this will affect IKEA in the way the products are promoted, the people they recruit and products being offered must meet the needs of the different user. * The increase in lone parent families means that the IKEA shopping experience has to incorporate procedures which are child friendly, for example playrooms for childrens and products directly aimed at young children * The increase in the older generation has affected IKEA and this can be seen in the products they offer as new ranges of products are aimed directly at that target market. Technological factors * Technology is an important factor as more research and development is taking place. They need to find new and innovative ways of producing goods quickly and cheaply. IKEA is constantly faced with not in stock items, an effective just in time approach could resolve this problem * New technologies offer consumers and businesses more innovative products and services such as ordering, booking and buying products through the internet which IKEA could introduce to gain more consumers. * Distribution, transportation and communication, is easier and more effective with the introduction of new technologies like EDI (Electronic data interchange). Communication is more efficient within the departments in IKEA but also with the customers through for example emails, newsletters and multimedia messaging

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

College Farewell Party Themes

College Farewell Party Themes If you or someone you know is heading off to college, a college farewell party can be a fun way to celebrate the start of an exciting new chapter. The following themes can all help to make sure a farewell party is the perfect balance of celebration, acknowledgment, and fun. Book Theme   Dont think nerdy; think scholarly. A book-themed party can provide all kinds of creative ideas, whether its a write-the-next-chapter-of-your-life idea or one that focuses on the academic nature of college. Additionally, decorating with books can be easy on the budget, as you (and your friends and neighbors) likely already have a ton of books you can use for centerpieces and the like. State Theme If youre going to college in a new state, consider making that states history and reputation the theme. Places like Hawaii, New York, California, and even Idaho all have strong identities that you can use. Additionally, look into a state (or even specific colleges) history for more ideas. Sports-Team Theme If your school is known, for example, for a great football team, that can easily become your farewell party theme. Similarly, if youre going to college in a town with famous professional teams like Boston those can also be adapted to a party theme as well. Course-of-Study Theme If you want to be a doctor, consider a party that revolves around those working in the medical field; childrens playsets of doctors coats and stethoscopes can easily become quick centerpieces and decorations. If you want to be a teacher, consider decorating with apples, books, chalkboards, and the like. Using what you want to study, or a job youd like to have after you graduate  can be a smart starting place for party themes. Off-to-See-the-World Theme This can be especially good if youre interested in studying abroad or majoring in something like international relations. The theme can easily carry over, too, with global maps, globes, and other world-theme decor. For an extra fun touch, see if someone can make an ice cream bombe that looks like the earth! What-Will-You-Become? Theme Conversely, however, some students go off to college as undeclared majors and have no idea what they want to study. If this is the case, use the party as a chance to explore the possibilities of what someone can do while theyre away at school. Ask guests to write down their predictions for the future. Put out a crystal ball that sets the theme of what the future might hold. Sometimes the unknown itself can be a perfect farewell party theme. Role Model Theme If you, for example, a woman who is going off to study science, use the opportunity to acknowledge those who helped pave your path. Similarly, if you want to go to college so you can help your community or become politically active, find and display information about role models who helped you set your goals. It can be a great way for you to remind yourself of your internal motivations while also helping party guests learn about people they might not have heard about before. College/University Theme This one is so easy and yet so many folks dont even think about it. Plan your theme around the college youll be attending. Use school colors for things like plates and decorations; have key people wear shirts advertising the name of your future college or university; ask to have a cake decorated with the logo of your school. Its easy and fun and can help everyone celebrate your excitement. Ready-to-Bloom Theme If you love flowers, gardening, nature, or environmental issues, having an off-to-bloom! theme can be original and creative. You can use small plants or even seed packets for decorations and party gifts. You can use the analogy of heading off to college as the start of someone really opening up and becoming him- or herself. This theme offers a lot of funky ideas for the right creative mind. But given how much growth and change happens during ones time in college, it can also be the perfect farewell party theme at the perfect time.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Capstone Project- Project Structure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capstone Project- Project Structure - Assignment Example Clear description of type of information dissemination, including details about the types of visual aids and verbal presentation or demonstration strategies to be used to interact with audience members ANY LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A MAXIMUM GRADE REDUCED TO 50% AS LATE PENALTIES. THE LATE PENALTIES MAY BE AVOIDED BY COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR COACHES VIA EMAIL. LATE PENALTIES ARE NOT APPLICABLE IF THE STUDENT HAS MADE PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR LATE SUBMISSION WITH THE COACHES. You will use the chart to describe the structure of your Capstone Project. This is similar to the information that Continuing Education providers must submit to medical or licensing agencies to offer sanctioned, for-credit sessions for nurses and other medical personnel. You have already submitted your draft Outcomes and Content topics, so you will need to copy those to this assignment, making improvements or changes as necessary. For this assignment, you must also include at least three peer-reviewed article citations for each outcome (minimum total of nine references). You may include references that are not from peer-reviewed journals, but be judicious in their use, and do not include those in your count of required articles. Moore, N., Traluch, K., & Cooper, B. (2008). Comparison of obesity rates in the United States. Oklahoma Nurse, 51(6), 11. Retrieved from http://libproxy.uta.edu:2066/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2019581048&site=ehost-live Describe each visual aid, handout, and/or verbal presentation/demonstration strategy that your information dissemination would include. You may use the same strategies for each outcome, or you may â€Å"mix and match,† but provide some outline-level details for each outcome. Here are some of the types of visual aids you might use: Record the amount of time needed for each activity or part of your presentation. Include time for Q&A at the end of the presentation. Time refers to the time to

Friday, November 1, 2019

Pathophysiology of subtrochanteric hip fracture Essay

Pathophysiology of subtrochanteric hip fracture - Essay Example For instance, Mr. Smith tripped and fel on the pavement outside his home meaning that his cause of the fracture was falling. In young individuals who still have stronger bones; things like car accidents (Handoll and Parker 81) mainly cause hip fractures. The ORIF, on the other hand is the surgery done by a surgeon to put up the fractured parts of femur bone back together using particular metal hardware. It also encompasses putting the hip back together. Hip fracture is mostly detected through the nervous system. For example, Mr. Smith grumbled of agonizing pain in his right leg and hip. He employed IV infusion where Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) for pain management using Morphine 1mg bolus dose with a 5-minute lockout. Therefore, he had to undergo postoperative care following an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with compression plate and bone screws of the right femur. This means that as a caregiver, it is important to understand him and take his condition seriously. This is because, in elderly people like him who are above 80 years, complications can turn out to be life threatening (Handoll, Cameron, Mak and Finnegan 42). This means that there is the need to ensure hospitalization and intensive post surgery care in order for him to recover well and to be able to walk again. However, before that, it is important to understand his medication history and his response to treatment. After assessing him well, I noticed that his vital signs were stable, BSL was within normal restrains, IVTD/saline was running 8 hourly and had been ordered to use low molecular weight heparin. I also learned that he was on supplement oxygen to maintain his oxygen saturations above 95 percent, he had a Bellovac drain in situ that was to be removed in 24 hours time as well as TED stockings in situ on both legs (Chi-Chuan et al. 340). I also learned that Mr. Smith had a history of type 2 diabetes and has a 60 pack-year smoking history. This means he used one full packet of cigarettes every day for 60 years. With this information, it is easy to take good care of him since as a nurse, have sufficient information concerning hip fractures and with the addition information concerning his health history, it is now easy to take care of him. What I need to ensure is that he takes all his medications well and in time in order to recover quickly (Keene, Parker and Pryor 307). QUESTION 2 Discuss the immediate prioritized post operative care for Mr. Smith using current evidence and literature to support/justify your reasoning: A. Identify Nursing Problem/Diagnosis - Priority 1 The problematic nature of curing hip fracture sterns in part since fracture is anatomically different from other proximal femoral peritrochanteric breakages as well as tricky characteristics of femoral shaft breakages (Doherty and Lyden 141). This means that it must be cured with particularly modeled implants that can endure massive muscular forces for lengthened periods of curative. It is not strange to note that this breakage has considerably higher rates of malunion and nonunion than other femoral fractures. Successful outcomes can be attained incase there is an advanced comprehension of the breakage and the precise treatment alternatives. o Identify four (4) key pieces of assessment data to support this problem The process of nursing assessment is very critical in nursing process to both the patient and the nurse because it helps the nurse know and understand the patient well and helps the patient to feel free and share important information with the nurse (World Health Organization pp19). Therefore, the four key pieces of assessments in nursing diagnosis include assessing the history of