Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 17

Marketing - Essay Example This paper presents an insightful investigation of the effectiveness and contribution of advertising towards the success of a company’s sales. It manifests if at all the advertisement expenditures, exclusively lead to the sales elevation; or these efforts need to be blended with other suitable marketing activities so as to derive much better outcomes. It indicates the impact of advertising on company’s sales margin, while establishing facts from the theoretical material and draws out the potency of marketing activities in combination with proper advertisement towards the achievement of sales and profit targets. The effectiveness of advertising in precipitating a company’s sales success in relation to the other elements of marketing strategies happen to be matter of serious concern in today’s business domain. Corporations tend to squander millions on advertising along with other marketing activities in an anticipation to enhance their sales and profitability. If advertising alone can lead to the company to improved sales, new customer attainment and existing customer retention successfully, then it could subsequently save a lot of company’s funds and efforts exerted in conducting other marketing activities. Aaker (1991) states that the purpose of advertising is to distinguish a company’s product from others in the market hence establishing the product’s brand equity. The author signifies the concept of advertising with product differentiation and establishment of brand equity. Merino Srinivasan and Srivastava, (2006, p12) confirm this point as, â€Å"high brand equity firm may be able to differentiate themselves effectively in competitive environments, achieving both high prices and high customer loyalty increasing and stabilizing its sales revenues and profits†. Here also, high brand equity and product differentiation has

Company Background - Microsoft Corporation Essay

Company Background - Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example The essay "Company Background - Microsoft Corporation" discusses company background of Microsoft Corporation. In the 21st century the company has diversified into other business sectors such as the video game industry. The firm in 2001 released the X-Box and subsequently in 2005 created the X-Box 360 which has sold millions of units worldwide. Microsoft has grown a lot during the last 28 years. The firm has a global workforce of 94,000 employees and a market capitalization value of $266.2 billion. The firm’s common stocks are sold in the NASDAQ under the symbol MSFT. As of April 25, 2013 the price of Microsoft common stocks was $31.94. During fiscal year 2012 Microsoft generated total revenues of $73.72 billion. The net income of Microsoft during 2012 was $16.98 billion. I selected Microsoft because I have been a customer of the firm for over a decade. My preferred game console is the X-box 360 and I have Windows 8 installed in both my computers at home. This analysis will hel p me determine whether Microsoft would be a good investment option for my personal investment portfolio. The common stocks of Microsoft are considered blue chip stocks. A blue chip stock can be defined as a stock issued by a well-known company with an established record of making money and paying dividends. A ratio analysis of Microsoft is illustrated below Ratio Analysis. Accountants and business analysts can utilize ratio analysis to evaluate the financial performance of an enterprise. Ratio analysis uses the input from the common size. financial statements of a company in order to insert that data into financial formulas. The five major categories of ratio analysis are profitability, market value, liquidity, leverage, and efficiency. One of the benefits of using ratio analysis is that any person with basic math knowledge can use the formulas to calculate the ratios of a company. The financial statements that must be used to calculate ratios can be retrieved from the annual report of public firms. One of the limitations of ratio analysis is that its results are not forward looking since they focus on the historical performance of a company. This report will focus on three financial ratios: net margin, asset utilization, and return on assets (ROA). The results of Microsoft are going to be compared against one of its main competitors and against the industry. The competitor chosen for comparison purposes was Oracle. The liquidity position of the company will also be analyzed by calculating the free cash flow ratio and through analysis of the cash flow statement of the company. The net margin measures the profitability of a company. The formula to calculate net margin is net income divided by the total sales. Microsoft had a net income in 2012 of $16.98 billion and total sales of $73.72 billion. The net margin of Microsoft in 2012 was 23.03%. Microsoft’s net margin in 2011 was 33.10% which implies that the company’s profitability decreased by 10.0 7%. When compared to Oracle the net margin of Microsoft was 3.85% lower than Oracle’s 26.89% result. The industry standard net margin in the software industry is 4.50% (Dun & Bradstreet, 2012). The software industry is classified under SIC code 7372 (Prepackaged software). Microsoft’s profitability was superior to the industry by 18.53%. The asset utilization is a ratio that measures how effective the company has been at using its assets to generate sales. During 2012 Microsoft had an asset utilization of 1.65. The asset utilization of the company has declined by 0.09 since the previous fiscal year. Oracle had an

The Developing Person Through the Life Span Essay

The Developing Person Through the Life Span - Essay Example Joey was all the time thinking about the kindness, love and care of the husband and selfishness of the druggist. To him, morality was more than everything and he expected people to be good to each other. He was more concerned about the persons’ character and emotions toward each other which made me decide to put him in stage 3. Part 2 The adolescent was in stage 2 of identity foreclosure. What made me decide this was his reply: â€Å"My mother has always wanted me to become a doctor so I guess I am going to pursue this career. She says doctors make a lot of money and she so much wants me to get into medicine.† When a child prefers others’ choices for himself, he is in identity stage 2 (Berger). Joey did not seem to have explored all the career options nor was he very much acquainted with other career fields because he had always in his mind that he had to grow up to be a doctor as per his mother’s wishes. Joey was excited and satisfied about his career cho ice. Part 3 Joey’s parents exhibit an authoritative style of parenting. Joey replied, â€Å"Dad would say†¦look, staying out at late hours is not good†¦because Sammy (younger brother) would also do the same then. And mommy would say she was going to miss me.†

A comparative study of extreme Islamic terrorist groups Essay - 1

A comparative study of extreme Islamic terrorist groups - Essay Example People who carry out terrorist activities never formally do not identify themselves as opponents nor are they controlled by any political entity (Roy Long, 2004, pp. 1-4). Terrorism is categorized between ideological, national and religion. The reasons behind the terrorist attacks are political domination, religious fanaticism and divine revelation (Durmaz, 2007, p.209). The trauma of terror created by the terrorist has a huge impact on the United States. United States of America is known as a very powerful country in the world especially with respect to its military base. U.S.A has reacted very strongly against the act of terrorism and has taken all measures to prevent them. The United States faces homeland insecurity, owing to terrorism and its impact on American society. Terrorism was prevalent in the world from many decades but in a very small form. But the perception towards terrorism largely changed after the September 11 incident that occurred in United States in the year 2001. It shocked the entire world especially the people of America started suffering from homeland insecurity. United States took a drastic step in reforming laws and policies. Several government agencies were combined to build the Department of Homeland Security. Millions of dollars were spent for the formation of the U.S Patriot Act which helps in ferreting out prospective criminals and terrorist acts. Current anti terrorism laws which initiated around the world started after the September 11 incident. United States was attacked by the terrorist group called al-Qaeda. This group is mostly famous for its fanaticism and violent approach of terrorism. This group mostly acts on the basis of religious inspiration rather than political philosophy. The countries that have already ex perienced terrorism, mostly accuses individuals for criminal offence than politicized crime. Before 9/11, U.S.A had

Marketing Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Marketing Planning - Essay Example At this point, it is essential to note that customer satisfaction and sustained marketing of a product could still alter the life of a product in the market by extending its relevance. When marketing planning is considered in terms of the product life cycle aspect, there are two things that come into play and these are theories as well as practices regarding the marketing phenomenon and the characteristics of how viable the product may be regarded to be (Drummond & Ensor, 2001, pp.112-118). The whole argument is based on the fact that products generically do show a number of elements that are both abstract and concrete which do define the claims that a user has over the product, expectations on use, and the degree at which he or she is satisfied. This paper takes a look at marketing planning through the model of product life cycle. The organization in practice is Samsung. Analysis In marketing planning, product life cycle consist of five major phases. ... roducing a new product into the market because the product life cycle directly affects the sales volumes or performance (Hata, et al., 2000, pp.34-39). Samsung does take its product marketing planning through the above phases and when a product reaches the decline phase, it is re-engineered through R&D to extend its life cycle (Westkamper, 2000, pp.501–522). Figure 1: Product Life Cycle Product development phase This starts with the company finding and developing a new idea about a product. At this stage different aspects of information regarding a product are translated and incorporated into a single or unified product that is considered new. The product is taken through various changes that demand more time and money at this development phase and this must be done before exposing the product to ultimate consumers through pilot projects (Rose & Ishii, 1999, pp.41-51). When a product does successfully go through the test market, it is introduced into the actual marketplace and this does initiate the introduction stage for the product where marketing activities pick up intensively. This product development phase exhibits zero sales as well as negative revenues are experienced, marking a period of absolute spending without any form of monetary returns. In the case of Samsung, the product development process is very intense with a lot of consumer consultation in order to incorporate all or most of the specifications needed by the customer where possible (Olhager, 2003, pp.319-329). Introduction phase Introduction of the product into the market is done after the development phase. At this point, Samsung’s electronic products normally will exhibit low sales volumes because the customers are not well aware of the product’s existence in the market while some are not

The Importance of Art Education Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Art Education Essay Manifold, M., Zimmerman, E. (2011). Everyone Needs an Art Education: Developing Leadership Through Positive Attitudes Toward Art Methods Courses. Art Education, 64(6), 33-39. This article reports on a study that was conducted to see if positive leadership, when it comes to art education in the K-6 classroom, would lead to positive responses from students who previously held a negative view to art-related classes. The article also addresses the importance of art education being integrated into the general curriculum, thereby developing students who will be future advocates and role models, with positive attitudes toward the arts. This article is considered scholarly because it is peer-reviewed. The source of academic authority is the peer-review process. Bohannon, R., McDowell, C. (2010). Art, Music, and Movement Connections for Elementary Education Teacher Candidates. General Music Today, 24(1), 27-31. The article discusses a lesson plan using the connection between the visual arts, movement, and music, and introducing the concept of line and contour. Through the use of art, the teacher was able to incorporate the concept of line and contours in match, science, reading, and social studies. The article details how teachers expose their students to art, and then help them make the connection to other subjects. The article is considered scholarly because it is peer reviewed. The source of academic authority is the peer-review process. Diket, R. M. (2003). The Arts Contribution to Adolescent Learning. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 39(4), 173-177. The Arts provide a â€Å"unique core of understanding, and enhancements for learning through other school subjects† (Diket, 174). The article details the importance of art, and it’s incorporation into other subject matters. The article discusses the impact of the â€Å"No Child† Legislature, and the importance of teachers recogni zing the value of art in their lesson plans. The article is peer review and considered scholarly. The source of academic authority is the peer-review process.

Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay

Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to study and prepare the business plan for a handicraft business in UK. This business plan deals with the feasibility analysis, idea generation, and industry analysis at both the local and global level to understand the market and business factors. The market analysis is also done, primarily through the secondary sources to capture the potential demand of handicrafts in the UK market and the trends which the customer are looking for in this industry. After analyzing the demand, the technical analysis was done for the business. For the success of any business, it is necessary that the idea or the basis of the plan should be strong. But it is also imperative that the plan should take into account a true picture of financials to have a strong foundation on which the business can be built upon. Therefore in the report, a detailed preparation of cash flow analysis, profitability analysis and the expected expenditure in the business has been taken care of. The report has taken into consideration the risk factor also which the business needs to consider before commencing on the work. Handicraft is a business which needs not only financial capital but also human capital and it is necessary that skilled labour is available in plenty. The attrition rate is low in this industry provided they are provided with adequate support and wages. In the report I have tried to touch upon that issue as well. Also the manner in which the products would be sold and promoted in the market would be taken care of. We would not be opening our own stores for now and would be selling on to other retailers. However the idea of opening the stores is not discarded as whole for now and would be seen as an option at a later stage in the life of the business. Heavy spending is planned to promote the products in the initial phase of the business and various media vehicles would be tried upon to promote the products well in the market. The business as of now focusing primarily on the UK market and later on in the later stage, the business can be expanded further. Contents Introduction Handicraft Industry The handicraft industry is one of the most productive sectors in the economy. The reason being that this sector not only uses the raw materials but also give employment opportunities to a number of people. Thus not only financial capital and raw material is employed but also a lot of human capital is also used in this business (Garrison, 2008). According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Symposium on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Crafts and the International Market: Trade and customs codificationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Manila, Philippines, October 1997. Handicrafts can be defined as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from the raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, cultural, artistic and may have a social, religious and symbolic significance (Robertson, 2002). Industry Analysis UK has been a country with a rich and diverse culture. Lot of migrant population also resides in various parts of the country. It is because of this that handicraft industry has played an important role in this country. The industry provides economic advantage much because of the demand from various strata of the population (Mathias, 2001). Handicrafts have always attracted people much because of their cultural importance and it crosses barriers too. The customers in any market look for handicrafts from not only the local market but also from the other countries (Barlow, 1991). Therefore both the cultural and financial values are attached to this industry. This industry by its mass and production scale lies in the middle class as not much finance and manufacturing facilities are needed in this business. The industry is decentralized and is labour intensive. Not many players fight in this market and only small players operate in this area. The sector employs a lot of people and thus acts as a medium of employment for lot of people. The sector has seen an increase in growth much due to the fact that people have been more open to the culture of other countries and are accepting it more often. The era of globalization has helped in the revival of this industry not only in the UK market but also in other markets too (Andrews , 2009). Classification of Handicrafts Industry Handicraft products can be distinguished into the following: Metal ware Wood ware Hand printed textiles Embroidered and crocheted goods Shawls Carpets Embroidered goods Bamboo products Zari goods Earthenware and jute products Miscellaneous handicrafts SWOT Analysis of Handicraft Industry Strengths Market is diversified and has huge potential Presence of large product variety because of various cultures Low capital investment Flexibility in production of goods as per market demand Low barriers to the entry of new players Products sold are high value ones and have diversified usage Weakness Lack of coordination between government bodies and companies Inadequate information on the current market trends Lack of skilled labour Opportunities Development of domestic tourism sector which helps in boosting sales. Usage of internet and other technologies in boosting the market potential Rising demand because of people becoming more open to cultures Threats Lack of branding opportunities in this sector Threats from the developing countries like India and China in terms of resources Business Proposition We would be dealing in the limited set of handicraft industry as many products come under its purview. Our company would serve the needs of the customers in only the wooden handicrafts market. The reason for choosing this is that in UK market these products are used almost in every home. Products like decorative chairs, desks, beds, sofas which are made by hand are seen as high value products in the market as customers look for something different. Particularly for the UK customer, they need products which not only serve their functional purpose but also add something extra. It is with this that we plan to enter in this industry with this specific set of products. Wooden handicrafts refer to a wide range of wooden items carrying utilitarian and artistic value that are made by hand o with the use of simple tools. They are made by unmatched workmanship, have fine designs and have subtle elegance. The products require low capital investment to manufacture. The wooden handicraft sector provides a high ratio of value addition and has emerged as one of the major sources of foreign exchange in the country too. (Sumption, 2010) Market Analysis Majority of the current players in the market deal in almost all the product categories in the wooden handicraft industry. (Macleod, 2006) Retailing is not done by them and they deal in mostly the production part. They have retailing contracts with other partners which help them sell the products Monthly production units are majorly in the range of thousands of units for all the products combined Wooden and glass handicrafts are majorly in demand in the UK market. (John, 2006) Inventories are usually kept low as these products are sold and produced in lower units in the market. Almost all the players in the market hire the labor at a contractual basis rather than on a permanent basis. Many of the players take the route of exhibition to promote their products to the customers. (Mathias, 2001) These products are high margin products as they are mainly value based ones. Hence high margin and medium volume is generally the trend in the industry Competition The following players currently operate in the market and sell wooden handicrafts in the market. World Art and Crafts Ltd. Java Art Elements Ltd. Demand Analysis and Forecasting During our study we also analysed the demand pattern for the various products in the wooden handicraft market and it came to around 50000 units per month on approximation. There is a demand supply gap in the market as according to our supply the current players in the market are able to provide close to 30000 units only. Hence we consider a huge potential to be catch up in the market.(Boseley,2009) The market is growing closely at an annual rate of 15%. Hence it is decided that the capacity would be initially 60% for the first year and then it will grow accordingly. Marketing Channel As mentioned before, our business involves only manufacturing the products. Therefore we would use a network of retailers called partners to sell our products in the market. These would be mainly big retailers like WalMart, Tesco etc. Strategic Marketing Plan Wooden handicraft particularly the furniture part is an unbranded commodity and hence manufacturers generally do not have to spend too much on the promotional part. It is better for them to increase the margin given to the retailers so that they push the company product more in front of the customers. However in order to differentiate our offering and to capture the customer base, it is necessary to have a basic strategic marketing plan. The following would be the strategies used by us: Steady supply with timely delivery to fulfill the demand in the market thereby providing products with high quality Products would be given emphasis on the design front. Designs would be based on several themes Orders would also be taken online from the customers apart from being available in the retail The company plans to both manufactures the products locally in the UK market as well as import some of it from the Indian market. Indians play a vital role in UK both in terms of trade and demographics and thus there is a market to serve the Indian community. The other reasons to source the products from India are: The demand for Indian wooden handicrafts is evergreen. It is both difficult for the labour in UK to produce these handicrafts as the design in Indian art work is quite intricate. Hence it is decided that some portion of our products would be sourced directly from the Indian producers, mainly based in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indian being a developing country, both the labour and raw materials are quite cheap as compared to other developed countries. Hence it makes sense to outsource some of the production work. Indian artisans are well known around the world. British make a major portion of the people visiting India every year and hence they come in contact with Indian art and culture too. Thus getting products from market like India helps in understanding the customer taste and keep the product portfolio up to date. Some of the Indian players which have been shortlisted and considered for sourcing of the products are as follows: Khan Arts India Madnik International Goyal India Indus Trade Handmade Crafts Antiquity Handicrafts All the products in the portfolio would be sourced from these six major exporters in India. These players have been selected after thorough search of their business and their financials. They enjoy good reputation in the Indian market and also export to other players in different countries. It is decided to have business with six players as it will help us diversify our risk and help us maintain a steady flow of products from India. These players are from different parts of the country and thus the products served by them would have different designs as India being a vast country has many sub cultures which attract many people worldwide. Technical Analysis Wood carving is a time consuming process as craftsmen take time to make every piece. The process may take a week to months depending upon the level of intricacy in the design. The process use a lot of different tools also like saw, lathes, drills, chain saws etc. Machinery Involved The following machinery would be used by the workers in the business: Chemical treatment plant Seasoning plant Surface planner Grinder Driller Gaze machine Sanding machine Structure and Civil Work Sr.No. Particulars Area (Sq. feet) Amount (British Pounds) 1 Factory shed 1800 6000 2 2 stock room 360 1050 3 Guard room 80 250 4 Power room 80 250 5 Boundary wall 3200 6 Washroom 48 150 5 labour quarters 7 Rooms 120 18000 8 Wash rooms 48 700 9 Office rooms 180 550 10 Fire fittings 600 Total 30750 Labour Requirements Handicraft is a labour intensive product and thus a lot depends on the kind of labour employed. Employees Number Annual Salary (British pounds) Production supervisor 1 25000 Accountant 1 25000 Skilled workers 5 20000 Semi skilled workers 8 16000 Unskilled workers 3 13000 Peon 1 10000 Guard 1 10000 Total 20 119000 Financial Analysis Particulars Land and site development Building Plant and Machinery Other fixed assets Preoperative expenses Preliminary expenses Provision for contigency WC Margin Total Means of Finance Particulars Promoterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital Long/Medium term loan from banks Total Basic Assumptions underlying the financial projections The construction period will last one year The company would work 365 days a year The expected capacity utilization will be 60% in first year, 65% in second year and the increment based on past performance. The term loan would be re-paid in 14 equal half-yearly installments. The interest rate on the outstanding term loan would be 12% The bank finance for working capital will cost interest rate 12% The depreciation rates for company law purpose would be Building 3.34% Plant and Machinery 8% Misc fixed assets 5% The suppliers for raw material would provide credit for 15 days The salvage value is assumed to be 5% of fixed assets. Sales Forecast Sales Forecast (units) Year 2010 2011 Units 9500 12000 Conclusion The business plan has been prepared keeping in mind all the factors and taking financials to the best of the present picture. It is therefore expected that the actual outcome would represent the true picture of this outlined plan. Finally, my personal interest in this field will lead to establish my own business. These will result in successful and sustainable business. References Andrews, J.(2009).Handel allinglese, Playbill,. Accessed from: http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4236.html (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Barlow, I.( (1991) Metropolitan Government. Accessed from: http:// www.new.wales.co.uk (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Boseley, S (2009). The question: Whats behind the baby boom? The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/14/familyandrelationships.women (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Garrison, Webb B. (2008).Why You Say It. Accessed from: http://www.readbooksonline.net (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) MacLeod, Donald (2006). Britain second in world research rankings. The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/mar/21/highereducation.uk4 (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001). The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Accessed from: http://www.johnbirchall-economist.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001).The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Published by: Routledge, ed.2, pp. 56-58 Mensah. J (2006). British culture on a high rise. Robertson, Kirsty (2006), How to Knit an Academic Paper. Queens University, 30 March 2006 Sumption, M.(2010). The UKs new Europeans: Progress and challenges five years after accession. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Accessed from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010)