Tjs Product Mix Free Essays

Outline of the Problem: TJ’s, Inc. , makes three nut blends available to be purchased to basic food item chains situated in the Southeast. The three blends, alluded as the Regular Mix, Deluxe Mix, Holiday Mix. We will compose a custom paper test on Tjs Product Mix or on the other hand any comparative subject just for you Request Now Presently TJ’s is focused on utilizing the accessible nuts to boost benefit of the fall seasons, and they should fulfill the got orders. Critical thinking Approach: This issue was tackled utilizing Excel Solver LP Programming. The choice factors are pounds of each sort of Mix. The target work was an equation of benefit commitment for each Mix. The imperatives are the nuts bought the accompanying shipment and the requests that should be fulfilled. The accompanying sums up the factors and coefficients of the numerical model: Variable or CoefficientUnit of MeasureDescription RPoundsPounds of Regular Mix DPoundsPounds of Deluxe Mix HPoundsPounds of Holiday Mix DescriptionRegularDeluxe HolidayShipment amountCost per shipment Orders (Pounds)1000030005000 Almond Consist percentage0. 15 0. 20 0. 25 60007500 Brazil Consist percentage0. 5 0. 20 0. 15 75007125 Filbert Consist percentage0. 25 0. 20 0. 15 75006750 Pecan Consist percentage0. 10 0. 20 0. 25 60007200 Walnut Consist percentage0. 25 0. 20 0. 20 75007875 Profit (Dollars) ( exclude cost of nuts) 1. 6522. 25 coming up next is the scientific plan of the issue: Maximize1. 65R+2D+2. 25HObjective capacity Subject to: 0. 15R+0. 2D+0. 25H= 10000 Deluxe 10625= 3000 Holiday5000= 5000 Constrains2Nuts Used Available Almond6000 Step by step instructions to refer to Tjs Product Mix, Essay models

A Damn Good Dawg - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

A Damn Good Dawg - UGA Undergraduate Admissions A Damn Good Dawg Yesterday, a beloved member of the UGA community and the schools mascot, Uga VII, passed away. While it may seem a little odd for a university community to mourn the passing of a dog, the Uga mascot has been a well-loved and honored dog. The Uga mascot has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was named the nations top mascot in 1997, had a small role in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and attended the Heisman trophy presentation with Herschel Walker. A few years ago, my family and I were able to go onto the field before the UGA-Marshall game, and while the football game, the food and the whole event were great, my kids favorite part was getting to see Uga and his dog house on the sidelines. Our hearts go out to the UGA community and the Seiler family. Uga VII, you will be missed. As the Bulldog nation says, you were a damn good dog!

Challenges Faced With Supply Chain Management Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Strong Bridge provides solution for all consulting and advisory related requirements. We have developed complete integrated business solution, which can handle sales, purchase, inventory, customer loyalty programs, front store management and central store with warehousing for clients in industries like Retail and Distribution, Finance and Insurance, Service and Healthcare. With Strong Bridges Supply Chain Management (SCM) services, businesses are able to plan, implement, optimize and control their supply chains better than ever before. Strong Bridges SCM approach is beneficial to client in Reduction of Inventory Carrying Cost, Improving Purchasing Power, Retaining the client, Reducing pilferage and improving overall efficiency of the business operations. Strong Bridge supply chain management (SCM) systems are used to manage the movement of products and services from dealers to consumers. These systems are used to manage demand, warehouses, trade logistics, transportation, and other issues concerning facilities, and movement and transformation of materials on their way to customers. Strong Bridge Supply Chain Management solutions also include functionality for international trade and logistics, demand management, supplier relationship management and service parts planning. Strongbridges Supply chain management system is most efficient and when it comes to international transportation facilities. Challenges in Supply Chain Management SCM has become a necessity especially for manufacturing industry when it comes to deliver products at a competitive cost and at a higher quality than their competitors. Todays business climate has rapidly changed and has become more competitive as ever in nature. Businesses now not only need to operate at a lower cost to compete, it must also develop its own core competencies to distinguish itself from competitors and stand out in the market. In creating the competitive edge, companies need to divert its resources to focus on what they do best and outsource the process and task that is not important to the overall objective of the company. SCM has allowed company to reconsideration their entire process and reorganize it so that they can focus on its core competencies and outsource practices that are not within the core competencies of the firm. Due to the current expensive market, it is the only way for a business to continue. The stratagem of applying SCM will not only impac t their market positioning but also strategic decision on choosing the right partners, resources and manpower. By focusing on core competencies also will allow the company to create niches and specialization of core areas. In order for your company to sustain relevant in todays marketplace, it is essential to continually look to evolve your supply chain process. Enterprises that prosper and minimize their costs while maximizing their revenues and keeping clients happy recognize that this practice of constant supply chain growth depends on on well thought out and well applied redesign efforts to perform more efficient supply chain planning. Strong Bridge Supply chain system helps client to fill customer orders, to track the physical location or status of goods and materials, and manage their flows effectively and subsequently supports in managing both the aspects of planning and execution. Strong Bridge provides effective SCP with the support of the system has a dependable proc ess for collecting up-to-date information about customer orders, production status, and sales and delivery fulfilments. Strong Bridge Expertise We take very wide spectrum engagements in the supply chain practice. We can help clients take very operational action to straightaway improve supply chain performance indicators, such as delivery accuracy or flexibility. We can also help with more long-term changes such as defining a new supply chain strategy or determining optimal locations for plants and distribution centres. Our client sees an opportunity for increased sales and/or lower cost through better supply chain performance. Across the Operations Practice, generalist consultants and practice specialists work side-by-side. Generalist consultants join Strong Bridge directly after business school, or have a few years experience, and can take on projects across different functional themes. When we staff an engagement team we take into account what is required for the specific situation. The practice has an immense global reach and ability to pull in people and knowledge from across the world. We come from all imaginabl e sectors: retail, high tech, automotive, pharmaceutical and chemicals, even aerospace and defence organizations. We are distinctive in what we do. We work with Clients and Collaborate to develop New Knowledge. We always start by understanding the root causes for missed performance targets. Strong Bridge puts a significant amount of resource into knowledge development, often in cooperation with our clients. Supply chain is a fast moving area, and working so closely with the leading global companies, in combination with heavy investment in our internal knowledge initiatives, allows us to keep pace with development. Strong Bridge strategy We offer Supply Chain Management services to the operations department of clients organization in various functionalities like research and development, engineering, production, materials, plant management, delivery, purchase, and shipping, to name a few. It helps people in operations to attain results by ensuring the delivery of quality products on time to the right place. Strong Bridge strategy supports the creditable services meeting the needs of businesses throughout the world. Our experience working with both small and large organizations has developed our services in assessing and presenting service options to suit your needs. We recognize the dynamic requirements of our clients and develop business models to accommodate their needs. Strong Bridge SCM Services delivers value added services which strengthen the supply chain process ultimately providing clients with greater efficiencies. Our supply chain strategy offers solutions for companies in a range of industries and helps our clients gain a unique perspective, which comes from working together with service providers and clients alike. Strongbridge offers its clients. Demand Chain Management Strongbridge demand chain management benefits in management of upstream and downstream contacts between  suppliers  and  customers  to deliver the best value to the customer at the least  cost  to the demand chain  as a whole. Our demand chain system is a tool to bridge the gap between the  customer relationship management  and the supply chain management. Our supply chain processes are managed to deliver best value according to the demand of the customers. Demand planning service offered by strong Bridge helps you determine which products and how much of these must be produced at which particular point in time so that all customer orders will be fulfilled or served promptly. Our Performance practice can develop and manage your entire demand chain the strategies, people, and systems. By identifying the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that drive your demand chain, we can help you constantly determine whats working or not. Strong Bridge can help your com pany become a Demand Chain Leader. Companies large or small in size can become Demand Chain Leaders and move their company beyond Supply Chain Management. Demand Chain Leadership results in increased customer satisfaction, increased revenue, and increased profit levels on the bottom line. Demand Chain Leadership sets your company apart from the competition and gives you the competitive edge for growth. Integrated Business Planning  (IBP) It refers to the technologies, applications and processes of connecting the planning function across the enterprise to improve organizational alignment and financial performance. IBP accurately represents a holistic model of the company  in order to link  strategic planning  and  operational planning  with  financial planning. We deploy IBP and help clients to leverage the organizations information assets to evaluate plans and activities based on the true economic impact of each consideration. Our IBP service transforms planning into a decisive competitive advantage by: Providing an integrated planning platform across marketing, operations and finance Generating a holistic understanding of performance drivers Quantifying the financial impact and interdependencies across planning alternatives Optimizing strategic planning and resource allocation Balancing sales and operations planning for profitability Quantifying financial risk Increasing busi ness flexibility Supply Chain Optimization Strong Bridge also helps in optimizing your supply chain by combining resources in a supply chain with the intent of eliminating bottlenecks and other problems that interfere with the process and helping the supply chain function in a more smooth, timely and cost-effective manner. We use various methods to analyse supply chain data and create simulations that help supply chain planners make decisions that help them reach their goals more effectively. We can alert our clients beforehand who want to pursue a course of action that wouldnt be feasible based on available resources saving them precious time and money and helps them to decide on an alternate course of action that would allow them to achieve the objective they wish to achieve through other means. Our client preference and demand become one of the key importance factors for optimizing the supply chain system. The globalization of applications such as marketing and distribution has led to the creation of the global sup ply chain and added additional layers of complexity to the process. Strong Bridge can support in minimizing these complexities. How Does Supply Chain Optimization Solve Problems Our Supply chain optimization not only helps in improving customer satisfaction, but also keeping their supply chain costs to a minimum. Specifically, optimizing your supply chain is done with the purpose of eliminating or at least minimizing the supply chain issues that would normally arise when either time or resources are limited. Because it takes time to acquire materials, manufacture products, and deliver these products to customers, and even the largest and most established companies have limited resources for performing these activities, a considerable effort must be made in order to keep customers happy. This effort begins with advanced and detailed planning, and continues with effective execution of that plan. However, even under the best of circumstances, problems arise. Supply chain optimization attempts to systematically prevent those problems from arising or to provide solutions to them if they do occur. Supply chain optimization efforts make use of strong Bri dge models that helps to represent how these internal and external factors (constraints) relate to the companys desired objectives. Benefits of Supply Chain Optimization Supply chain optimization encompasses the entire process of combining resources in a supply chain with the intent of streamlining the process and leading to faster, more efficient and more profitable results. Supply chain optimization uses models and planning to formulate solutions to internal problems and external problems. Internal supply chain problems can take the form of complex decisions that the supply chain planner has to make, while external problems stem from the supply chain itself. SB SCM optimization helps in synchronizing concurrent planning, planning levels, and real-time planning and execution. Taking advantage of these services is a crucial part of ensuring that your business remains profitable and your customers remain happy. Enterprise Resource Planning The goal of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems is the successful integration of a companys data and processes in to a single unified system. Vendors can observe highest benefit by consolidating both SCM  and ERP systems. Suppliers observe more value added by opting for both supply chain and Enterprise resource planning. Supply chain management (SCM) along with enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, means more than getting the right resources to the right place at the right time. It also means optimally tuning the sequence of events involved in producing goods and distributing them to customers. Our supply chain management system (SCM) has the potential to become a critical success factor for implementing lean manufacturing and helps to define product structure, costing information, financial information and reports and is a useful tool in the decision-making process. The  SCM  features of Strong Bridge assists you in streamlining your operations to make t hem more efficient and cost-effective. We provide our supply chain offerings to both manufacturing and service organizations. It has emerged as the new key to productivity and competitiveness of manufacturing and service enterprises. Strong Bridge Advantage We assist you in solving the complex problems of just-in-time manufacturing, inventory reduction, and efficient manufacture and delivery of goods to outdo your competitors. Increase top-line profit growth through supplier collaboration. Increase customer service and decrease stock-outs. Reduce inventory carrying costs. Optimize your value chain for cost reduction and profit improvement. Reduce operating costs, corporate-wide. Increase competitiveness. Create supply chain visibility, including among trading partners. Adapt quickly to changing market conditions and adjust accordingly without detrimental customer impact. Determining product price and availability, determining alternate product logistics, and ensuring that manufacturing materials are available when needed. Maximizing the effectiveness Reducing the number of products returned.

Conformity in Fahrenheit 451 - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 692 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/10 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Fahrenheit 451 Essay Ray Bradbury Essay Did you like this example? Come on, Christina. Everybodys doing it. Its fine! Christina knew that it was not right, but everyone was doing it. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Conformity in Fahrenheit 451" essay for you Create order Whats the problem with it? This is a common issue that most everybody will be faced with. Do I give in or do I stand up for what I believe in? This is the same problem that Guy Montag faces. Does he read the books that he thinks will give him truth and knowledge, which is against the law, or does he not in fear that he would be caught? This common issue is conformity, or a type of social influence involving change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms/expectations) group pressure (McLeod). Ray Bradbury develops the theme of In a battle between doing what is right and conforming to society, both options cause actions that can have a negative result, by having Montag go through a big decision about whether to commit to books. In the beginning of the novel, the theme is introduced through Clarisse, who sparks the conflict in Montag in which he can choose books or society. We can immediately sense the pressure of conformity mounting upon Montag, as shown on page 21, where it says, He felt his body divide itself into a hotness and a coldness, a softness and a hardness, a trembling and a not trembling, the two halves grinding one upon the other (Bradbury 21). He is wrestling with the pressures of being a member of society and being active in it, but at the same time, his gut instinct is telling him that something is messed up in the world that they live in (Fahrenheit 451 Clarisse McClellan Quotes). He must decide whether to lead a life with books, which is illegal and could get him arrested and his house burnt, or to just live as society tells him to (to conform). The theme is refined by him wrestling with his options as the novel progresses. If he chooses to go along with society, he knows he will live an unhappy and unsatisfied life. In Part II, Montag tells Faber, We have everything we need to be happy, but we arent happy. Somethings missing (Bradbury 78). This shows how if he went back to society, then he, like everyone around him, wouldnt be happy. He knows that his society is missing something, and he would later learn from Faber that it is the information contained in books. Also, if he went back, he would probably continue to have a stressed relationship with his wife. The theme is fully developed by the end by Montag choosing the books over everything else and him feeling the effects of his decision. If Montag followed his heart and his books, then his house could be burned (it in fact is) and he could be arrested. He ultimately decides to follow this path, with the guidance of Faber. However, it still ends poorly for him as Mildred, his wife, calls an alarm on him. He is forced to burn his house, and he is arrested. He resists the arrest, and in a rage of fury he murders Beatty. Montag now must go on the run as a fugitive, all because he wanted to save his books and deviate from the normal standard. Bradbury writes, But he was still crying and that had to be finished. He hadnt wanted to kill anyone, not even Beatty. Im sorry, Im sorry, oh God, sorry (116). It is hard to argue that being a fugitive and losing everything is a positive thing, and Montag has lost everything because he fought for what he believed in. So, Christina, dont feel like there is one perfect option. There are negatives to going with the flow and standing out, but there are also positives to both. While the effects of both might not be on the same scale as Montags, it is important to always weigh your options. There is nothing that is not all white or all black. Rather, it is a shade of grey.

Police and alcohol abuse Free Essay Example, 1250 words

These include work related stress, poor leadership in the policing departments and police culture. Occupational stress is the main cause of high rate of alcohol abuse in the police (Amaranto, et al 2003). According to Walker et al (1993), occupational stress is a condition that arises from negative perception of a particular phenomenon in the environment, and is aggravated by poor coping mechanisms resulting to adverse psychological and physical impacts on a person. Walker et al (1993) argued that police occupation is high stress job and the pressure originates from diverse sources directly and indirectly associated with policing. The major causes of stress include poor relations between the police and the community, legal procedures such as numerous court appearances, understaffing and prolonged working hours in the job which deny the officers sufficient time for relaxation. In addition, the profession is high risk, which exposes the officers to elevated incidents of physical harm. These adverse working conditions are often aggravated by poor or lack of support from the senior officers to their juniors (Amaranto, et al 2003). We will write a custom essay sample on Police and alcohol abuse or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Lindsay (2008) argues that the increased physical danger for the officers on duty is one of the most common causes of stress, a situation that is not helped by indifference and pressure to perform from the seniors. In policing, Walker et al (1993) indentified family-work conflict and organizational shortcomings in police structure as the major contributors of occupational stress. A study conducted by Lindsay (2008) established that most police organizations lack adequate leadership and support, which cause high level of stress amidst fast organizational transformation. In addition, the internal investigations within the organization and leniency from the civil legal bodies towards criminals were indentified as major causes of occupational stress among the police officers (Lindsay, 2008). For effective law enforcement in society, it is important for the police officers to feel valued for their contribution and receive constant and timely support from the seniors. However, Amaranto et al (2003) established that police officers generally lack acknowledgement and reinforcement from the larger policing structure, causing resentment and resentment in the work place. The poor working conditions demor alize the officers and alcoholism becomes the most appropriate mechanism of coping with their frustrations. In another research study examining the factors that contributes to high levels of alcoholism in the police, Walker, et al (1993) established heavy work load, difficulties in carrying out particular duties and lack of independence in undertaking investigations and other law enforcement duties contributed significantly to high incidences of alcoholism in the police force.

Essay on “Marketing Strategy and Plan for Virgin Mobile”

Essay on â€Å"Marketing Strategy and Plan for Virgin Mobile† Table of Content 1.0 Executive Summary 3 2.0 Introduction 4 3.0 Environmental Analysis and Audit 4 3.1 PESTEL Analysis 4 3.2 SWOT Analysis 5 3.3 Competition Analysis – Porter’s Five Forces 6 3.4 Product Offering 8 3.5 Product Life Cycle 9 5.0 Marketing Strategy 9 5.1 Mission 10 5.2 Marketing Objectives 10 5.3 Target Markets 10 5.4 Positioning 10 5.5 Segmentation 11 5.6 Ansoff Matrix 11 5.7 BCG Matrix 11 5.8 Distribution Strategy 13 5.9 Marketing Mix 13 6.0 Financial Analysis 15 7.0 Implementation Controls 16 8.0 Corporate Social Responsibility 16 9.0 Contingency Plan 17 10.0 Recommendations 17 References 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is a comprehensive product marketing plan which is aimed at launching virgin laptops and getting it to the end user. The brand name is virgin mobile under the bigger umbrella of virgin group of companies within which virgin laptop will be officially launched and marketed in the United Kingdom (UK). This country has been selected as the target market because Virgin Group is a very successful company within the UK with huge popularity of the brand. The virgin brand is one that is viewed with lots of excitement and many of its products are often most acceptable and successful within the UK (Johnson 2011). Also, this marketing plan further makes an environmental audit of the selected market with much emphasis on the level of competition within the market. This will then be followed up with an analysis of the marketing strategy for virgin laptops as well include in the structu sensu, that is the relevant monitoring and control measures that will help facilitate and achieve the objectives outlined (Kotler 2009). This marketing plan also includes a concise discourse of financial requirements that will be needed for an effective marketing of Virgin Laptops. The conclusion will include valuable recommendations which will involve the need for a 10% contingency fund of the total budget that is meant to be invested into the implementation of the marketing plan in order to facilitate and enhance the future penetration of this product into new markets (Johnson, Whittington Scholes 2011). 2.0 INTRODUCTION Marketing as defined by the Charter Institutes if Marketing (Charted Institutes of Marketing 2011) is â€Å"†¦the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumers’ requirements profitably†. Kotler (Kotler et al 2009: 109) defined a marketing plan as ‘’a written document that summarizes what the marketer has learned about the marketing place and indicates how firm plans to reach its marketing objectives’’. This plan consists of an environmental audit of the personal computer industry in order to ascertain current position with regards to the retail and banking industry and promotion via different resources such as Internet website directories (i.e. SearchWIZ). The plan employed theoretical frameworks like PESTEL and Porter’s FIVE FORCE. The plan analyzed the product offering and life cycle, marketing strategy, target market, positioning, marketing mix as well as implementation and control. It also made use of strategic clock, BCG matrix and Ansoff Matrix to help evaluate the strategic direction of the company and proposed recommendations. 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS AND AUDIT 3.1 PESTEL The PESTEL analysis of markets aims to evaluate six key features of a new market, namely: a) Political, b) Economical, c) Social, d) Technological, e) Environmental, and f) Legal. According Johnson, Whittington Scholes (2009:56), this is particularly important as these factors will influence either the success or failure of the new product ‘Virgin range of laptops with windows eight (8)’ in the UK. The following is the PESTEL analysis of Virgin laptops for the UK market: a) Political and legal factors: The ever increasing focus of both governmental and non-governmental organisations on the environmental impact of high-tech has led to more stringent environmental regulations on the electronic industry such as RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive (Dalal 2009). Additionally, testing and certification directly affect the supply chains of PC manufacturers which will increase manufacturing cost and lowering profits (Dalal 2009). Other than these key issues, the UK provides a fairly stable political and legal market environment. b) Economic factors: An increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% in order to tackle budget deficits will increase corporate spending and an increase in the minimum wage to 15.5% will have a positive effect on the demand (HM Revenue and Customs 2011). However this decline will be followed by a gradual increase in terms of market share from an expected 5.4% in 2009 to 4.4% in 2012 (Gartner 2008). c) Social: Factors such as education, preference and income levels affect the purchase of laptops within the UK. The UK is a highly literate society and for that matter the usage of laptops is a part of the norm. For instance, within the UK, consumers spending rises during festive periods and demand for laptops will as well rise (Gartner 2009). d) Technological: Consumer demand for sophisticated gadgets ranging from laptops to phones makes it appropriate the virgin brand to go into laptop production because it offers the sophistication consumers yearn to have. 3.2 SWOT ANALYSIS The Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats or SWOT analysis is one of the most commonly used tools to evaluate the suitability of markets for the launch of a new product. This framework is used to assess the products’ feasibility in meeting market needs as well as available future courses of action that can be exercised to lead to successful introduction of those products(Johnson, Whittington Scholes 2009:119). The following is the SWOT analysis of Virgin laptops for the UK market: a) Strengths: Virgin laptops will meet the expectations of consumers as more emphasis will be placed on the chip that will make processors much smaller and light-weight which is ideal for tablet PCs and Ultrabooks. Thickness – Less than 0.71 inches or 18 millimetres, Weight – Less than 3.1 pounds or 1.41 kg, Battery Life – More than 5 hours, will have Intel’s Rapid start technology and also have flashed based drive for storage (Pinegar 2002). b) Weaknesses: Virgin mobile, although a part of the prominent Virgin group, is not a major player in the market for laptops and personal computers. It has low brand visibility and low brand loyalty which implies that it will take time for this product to be to penetrate into the market. c) Opportunities: The virgin brand is one that is most revered within the UK market and for that matter, what customers feel about the virgin brand will be transferred to virgin laptops and it will therefore help in the marketing of this new product. The internet market has matured since the technology sector continuous to grow even in the wake of the financial downturn (Gartner 2009). d) Threats: The personal computers industry is controlled by five major manufacturers. These are: a) Dell Inc, b) Hewlett-Packard, c) Gateway, d) Lenovo/IBM, and e) Apple Computers with more than 64.2% of market share which will be a threat to this product (Davis 2009). 3.3 COMPETITION ANALYSIS Michael E. Porter’s five forces model for analysing competition is one of the most widely used market analysis tools. As the name suggests, the model focuses on five key forces that influence the competitive environment of a product. The forces are: a) Entry barriers, b) Threats of substitutes, c) Bargaining power of suppliers, d) Buyers bargaining power, and e) Rivalry from established companies offering the same product. The following is the analysis of market competition for Virgin laptops in the UK based on Porter’s Five Forces model: a) Threats of new entrants: The cost of production and distribution are the factors that make entrance high (Johnson, Whittington Scholes 2010). The five main manufacturers are dictating the pace with more than 64.2% of market share (Davis 2009). It implies that new entrants will need to invest so much with low prices in order to compete with market leads (Kotler 2009). b) Threat of substitute products: The threat of substitute is high because there are several alternatives as phones, tablets and this has resulted in low degree of product differentiation (Davis 2009). With continuous technological innovations, products are developed with similar attributes to laptops with each firm manufacturing product that directly competes with competitors which in the end acts as a substitute (Dalal 2009). c) The Bargaining power of buyers: Bargaining power of buyer’s is low due to the fact that companies have what is referred to as brand equity and therefore buyers have in-depth know-how about the products available in the market (Dalal 2009). d) The Bargaining power of suppliers: The microprocessor industry is dominated by Intel technology which holds a market share of over 50 % for the distribution of microprocessors in the market. Consumers usually demand laptops with consistent software and hence as a result of the high degree of product differentiation, changing suppliers becomes difficult which therefore leads to a high supplier power (Anderson 2007) implying moderate bargaining power of suppliers. e) Intensity of rivalry: There is evidence of strong rivalry among dominant companies within the UK because of the fact that they control more than 64.2% of the UK market share and therefore competition levels are very high within this industry (Anderson 2007). Figure 1 illustrated the five forces analysis for Virgin laptops in the UK. Figure 1 With the above, is conclusive that the UK PC industry is a hyper competitive one and new firms will be successful in such an industry if they have the technical expertise and adequate capital and with brand equity being a matter of need, virgin mobile and virgin group as a whole has what it takes to penetrate into the UK market despite some of these challenges. 3.4 PRODUCT OFFERING The company will brand and package products to add to a perceived value of customers (Kotler et al 2009:506).By purchasing the product consumers will get the following benefits: Core Product: Durability, fashionable Actual Product: Customer satisfaction Augmented benefit: Ethical standards linked to fair trade products Source: Style communications Virgin mobile will introduce the following range of laptops: Processor: 2nd generation Intel ® Coreâ„ ¢ i5 (windows 8) i7 processor (2.20 GHz, with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.10 GHz)- (windows 8) 6.0 PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE The life of most products is segregated into five key phases, namely: a) Product development, b) Product introduction, c) Product growth, d) Product maturity, and e) Product decline. The typical product life cycle is depicted in Figure 2: Figure 2 The above diagram shows that virgin ultra laptops is at the introduction stage but can increase sales revenue by focusing on the brand image of the parent company virgin mobile under virgin group. The product will be at the maturity stage in 3years through rigorous advertisement. 5.0 MARKETING STRATEGY The marketing strategy offers a direction on the ways of getting a product/service to the consumer which is guided by a routine set of duties and responsibilities. For the effective marketing of Virgin laptops, a pre-emptive strategy will be used whereby a general claim is made but with some assertion that one’s brand is superior (Pickton Broderick 2005:427). 5.1 MISSION To offer consumers with intrinsic value of quality durable laptops with greener technology this will come at affordable prices. 5.2 MARKETING OBJECTIVES By introducing a new product line of virgin laptops, virgin mobile aims to achieve the following objectives: Short term: To increase brand awareness by 10% which intended to achieve a market share of 5% from 2012 2013. Medium term: Ensure customer satisfaction by 20% through surveys and product development by 2014. Long term: Launch product in Europe and achieve 6.5% increase in sales between 2014-2015 5.3 TARGET MARKET As a result of increased computer literacy, the demand for laptops with extra features is rising but will be done on a pilot basis; this product will have its target group as university under-graduate students between the ages of 15-24. There will however be a shift to encompass all university students and professionals in the medium and long-terms respectively. 5.4 POSITIONING Strategic positioning involves decisions about setting initial prices of a product(s) in response to competitive challenges in the market (Kotler, Keller, Brady, Goodman Hansen 2009:853). The image is intended to be created as a pre-emptive strategy to help position virgin ultra laptops as is to position the ‘Virgin Laptops with windows eight (8)’ with emphasis placed on its type not being in the market yet with the features it has and yet prices are comparable to current market leads. 5.5 SEGMENTATION IT is important to segregate a product’s target market into segments as this allows better focus of marketing and sales effort on those audiences that are most likely to make a purchase of the product. Virgin range of laptops will target university students and professionals since among these groups, laptops have become necessities rather than wants. Research in the light of the economic recession, demand for laptops is on the rise after a fall in 2008 (Garoia 2010). 5.6 ANSOFF MATRIX Considering Ansoff matrix, Virgin laptops is a new product being introduced in an existing market and therefore categorized under the product development quadrant. The product has a chance of penetrating into the market because of consumers are not only interested in intrinsic value but ethical factors as well (Emerald 2003). With regards to market penetration sales would also be improved by advertisement on brand awareness as well as promotions, discounts, contract laptops, etc. There will be no immediate diversification since the product will need to reach its maturity stage of the product life cycle before diversifying into either related or unrelated products will be considered. Figure 3 highlights the Ansoff Matrix for Virgin laptops for the UK market: BCG MATRIX The BCG Matrix was developed by Boston Consulting Group aimed at assessing business potential and evaluating the market environment. Analysing the BCG matrix above shows virgin laptops with windows eight (8) is among the question mark category because it is at the introduction stage of the product life cycle where market share is normally low. This product has a potential of becoming a star at the growth stage. Figure 4 shows the BCG Matrix for Virgin laptops in the UK market: Figure 4 Source: Sooper Tutorials 5.8 DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY Distribution strategy includes selection and management of channel relationships to deliver value to consumers (Kotler et al 2009:853). Our direct distribution channels consist of our website and Virgin Mobile at your Service, our toll-free customer care centre and the use of a third-party retail distribution channels such as Nextel Stores, Target Stores. A four party retail distribution channel also include Amazon.com will place product within their stores to promote sales (Lynch 2008). 5.9 MARKETING MIX PRODUCT: Virgin ultra – laptops will be made-up of Chip that will make processors much smaller and light-weight which is ideal for tablet PCs and Ultrabooks. Thickness – Less than 0.71 inches or 18 millimetres, Weight – Less than 3.1 pounds or 1.41 kg, Battery Life – More than 5 hours, will have Intel’s Rapid start technology and also have flashed based drive for storage with windows eight (8) which is not available in the market presently. This product is also manufactured to be environmentally friendly. This will be very appropriate for the current laptop consumer market. PRICING: Prices will be earmarked to meet middle income earners purchasing levels since most of UK population consider themselves middle or working class people (BBC 2009). This marketing plan will use customer based pricing approach since we aim to penetrate into the market by persuading consumers from switching to virgin range of laptops; Prices: 1 Virgin ultra-laptop 14† (windows eight)  £650 2 Virgin ultra-laptop 15.6† (windows eight)  £700 PLACE: This product will be introduced in UK as a test market which will be followed with a survey to ascertain customer satisfaction and the feedback will influence the launch of the product in the European economies in the long term. PROMOTION: Virgin mobile under the virgin group is a strong brand in the industry but to further increase consumer awareness of its new product line ’virgin laptops’, raise awareness about the new brand under the bigger umbrella of the well-recognised virgin brand, advertisement campaigns will be staged via online and offline marketing communication channels. It also includes advertising on websites as direct communication through blogging Google, yahoo, and gum tree etc. (Kotler, Keller, Brady, Goodman Hansen 2009:711). PEOPLE PROCESS: Virgin mobile has a well-developed marketing department. However, an introduction of a new product requires training on departmental basis to equip workers with the necessary information on the new product. The product will be marketed through existing marketing channels as well as online. A simplified IT approach will be used where a low-touch uniform infrastructure spanning the desktop to the data centre will be employed to the measurement of operational efficiency (Dell 2012). PHYSICAL EVIDENCE: Through billboards, magazines and live TV commercials showcasing the new range of laptops, consumers will get to know the quality and durability of the virgin laptops before the launch of the product in the UK. 6.0 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Price penetration strategy as mentioned in the marketing mix will be employed with an estimated average price pegged at  £550 and  £6500 prices respectively. An average variable cost is estimated at  £400 and  £450 respectively. The initial fixed cost for the production of the virgin range of laptops is estimated at  £5,000,000 and  £6,000,000 respectively which will total  £11,000,000. Virgin laptops intend to start making profit from the 2nd year when the product break even with an increased sale volume of  £3,000,000. 7.0 IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROLS

The Glass Castle By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 845 Words

The repercussions of attaining or lacking money changes based on the situation of the person possessing it . One could use money as an instrument to create happiness in spite of its vile nature. On the other hand one could be corrupted by it based on what it s used for or the impact it has on that person s character. Based on my personal experiences money has always been the one factor that restrains my family from experiencing constant happiness. But that s not necessarily the same situation for every family. In â€Å"The Glass Castle† the Walls family drifted further apart in result of coming across money. The glass castle was an exciting book with a very unique and adventure seeking family. Rex Walls sand Rose Mary Walls were the parents of Jeanette, Lori, and Brian Walls. Initially the family was poor but over time their wealth would increase and decrease creating a series of complications that the family had to face. While encountering wealth, due to the passing away of Rose Mary’s mother who left her a large house in Phoenix and some money, the family felt out of place because they ve become so accustomed to their lifestyle of struggling. â€Å"City life was getting to dad. â€Å"I’m starting to feel like a rat in a maze,† he told me. He hated the way everything in Phoenix was so organized, with time cards, bank accounts, telephone bills, parking meters, tax forms, alarm clocks, PTA meetings, and pollsters knocking on the door and prying into your affairs.† (106) Their fatherShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1689 Words   |  7 Pagesinteract or how society judges them can make them incredibly self-conscious of themselves. The social position of a human can critically affect how someone interacts in society and how they perceive themselves. In The Great Gatsby,by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Night by Elie Wiesel all depict how society affects an individual s self - identity by how one perceives someone. Society’s perceptions make people feel obligated to compare themselves in one’s upbringingsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pages Management—-Study and teaching. 2. Management—Problems, exercises, etc. Kim S. II. Title. HD30.4.W46 2011 658.40071 173—dc22 I. Cameron, 2009040522 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ISBN 10: 0-13-612100-4 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-612100-8 B R I E F TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Preface xvii Introduction 1 PART I 1 2 3 PERSONAL SKILLS 44 Developing Self-Awareness 45 Managing Personal Stress 105 Solving Problems Analytically and Creatively 167 PART II 4 5 6 7 INTERPERSONAL SKILLSRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 Pagesindividuals have also collaborated with us on case study research or coauthored the case studies that appear in this book: Ron Anderson-Lehman, S. Balaji, Greg Clancy, Tony Easterlin, Jane Fedorowicz, Janis L. Gogan, Dale Goodhue, Vijay Khatri, Scott A. Kincaid, Nicholas Lockwood, Stephen R. Nelson, Kevin Ryan, John Sacco, Rebecca Scholer, Mohan Tatikonda, Iris Vessey, Hugh Watson, Taylor Wells, Bradley Wheeler, Michael Williams, and Barbara Wixom. We have also benefited from several sources