E-commerce Market Essays - Marketing, Pricing Strategies

E-commerce Market The firm's objectives can be met and a go?ahead is suggested subject to addressing the recommendations. Macrosegmentation of the market identified machinery, wood, base metals and plastics as target markets for the firm. Revenue expectation based on a 0.4% market share is $329,000. Break even is $259,000 and requires contributions from 17 customer projects at an average billing of $15,000. The budget set for implementing the promotional mix is $100,000. Target ROI = 15%. The following recommendations must be considered before start-up: 1. Protect service names and marks. 2. Conduct a microsegmentation analysis to refine market segment intelligence. 3. Develop multisegment targeting strategies for the chosen markets. 4. Ensure that funds are in place for first year's operation. 5. Develop a decision support system including customer details, candidates for networking and reciprocity. 6. Complete 3 ? 4 assignments at cost to establish a credible portfolio. Use as a source of referrals. 7. Obtain ISO 9000 certification ? "walk the talk". Apply benchmarking standards. 8. Develop assessment and promotional tools using the firm's service. If the service is to work for the client it should work for the firm. 9. Finalize details of the promotional plan. 10. Develop influence as a trade mission co-ordinator. Organizational Mission The firm's mission is to provide innovative and effective global marketing services to British Columbia industries. They focus on E-business as a primary means of achieving client objectives and measure their effectiveness in terms of customer satisfaction and referral business. Market Opportunity Analysis Analysis of the size and sustainability of various market segments. The segmentation basis used is demographic. Primary descriptors are geography, customer type, growth rate and size. Demographics ? (BC Statistics) There are 13,700 small and medium exporters in BC ? 4.6% of all businesses in British Columbia. They account for $3.7 billion or 13% of British Columbia's total export value. The average small and medium exporter typically exports $269,500 annually. Rising trend ? small and medium exporters 1000 per annum and export $200+ million per annum. British Columbia's small and medium exporters typically ship "value added" products ? less susceptible to economic slowdowns. During a recent slowdown they actually increased their exports by $12 million. 79% of small and medium exporters are dependent on the United States as their primary export market. Environmental Scan (Purchasing On-line) Social Forces Increasing competition is forcing higher standards in the global marketplace ? TQM, ISO 9000. Globalization of trade increasing competitive pressure on domestic producers due to foreign competition ? simultaneously offering new opportunities for export. Small and mid-sized businesses often lack vision and resources to develop world class enterprises ? need help. Political/Legal Forces Various Governments are attempting to stimulate business on the Internet ? taxation moratorium, privacy protection, copyright protection and fewer regulations. Technology Dramatic increase in Internet use for business ? 73% of corporate buyers use the Internet. Opinion leaders such as IBM are shifting their entire purchasing systems onto the Internet. Vendor analysis is more efficient ? faster and more comprehensive comparison of supplier alternatives. Distribution improvement ? intermediaries become redundant as suppliers and buyers connect directly. Purchasing cycle time reduced ? RFQ's that used to take 20 days to process now take 20 minutes. Shipping/Logistics ? tracking, price brokering, inventory/shipping integration are streamlined. Real-time Supplier/Purchaser dialogue and co-operative design over the Internet eliminates waste, reduces costs and speeds up new product development. Internet not expected to be significantly affected by Y2K problems in either North America or Europe. Perceptions of transaction security remain a concern. (This perception is rapidly diminishing) Suppliers are ill equipped to provide E-commerce ? (Actually a plus for Global Reach Inc.) Heterogeneity of service is a concern as buyers are confronted with numerous unfamiliar suppliers and engage in extensive, high-involvement decision-making. ? (Actually a plus for Global Reach Inc.) Competitive Analysis (Business in Vancouver, The AD Pages, telephone survey) There are 51 Marketing Consultants operating in the Lower Mainland. Average market share of 1.9% is inferred ? no data available. Web page development and media promotion are standard. Larger firms have the capacity to develop E-commerce solutions but are focusing on expensive EDP and Intranet strategies ? suitable for only the larger exporting firms. Some are involved in E-commerce on the Internet ? no significant impact on the market. Methods of charging for services are fixed price quotations, cost plus arrangements, often with performance bonuses. Assume average annual billing per client is $15,000. Fee range = $25 ? $200+ per hour. Target Market Profile

Personal Opinion Of Human Psychology And Dr. Busca Essays - Emotions

Personal Opinion Of Human Psychology And Dr. Busca Essays - Emotions Personal Opinion Of Human Psychology And Dr. Buscaglia The questions posed to me are what I think of Human Psychology and the views of Dr. Buscaglia. My answers are no where near as easy as the questions. I don't know very much about Human Psychology, but from what I do know I think it is a great way to learn about people. I feel this way because I believe the self is a very important part of life. Dealing with a persons troubles in a conscious way will help them learn to deal with it on their own. On the later subject I am very well informed. I saw this video once in High School and it still gives me goose bumps. I do agree with Dr. Buscaglia on his views. His ideas sound wonderful, but we must be realistic. Our world doesn't work that way. Some people are really nice and do care, but others love pity. They play on others to build themselves up. Love is a gift and should be cherished, but I do believe that it would take ages to create the kind of love he is talking about. It is a very slim chance that it will ever happen. If you look, throughout history, as long as there have been people there has been hate. Those rotten few have and will always ruin it for the rest. It is not their fault, not their parent, grandparent and so on. Its human nature to hate crave greed lust and other such sins. We dont mean to be like that its just the way we are. There is no good without evil, no light without dark, and no love without . If our species accepts that, we might be able to get a foo thold on true love.

Slavery in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Slavery in the United States - Research Paper Example In 1612 English planter John Rolfe who settled in Jamestown, Virginia was credited with successfully cultivating tobacco as an export crop in Virginia. Earlier English settlers did not like the taste of the tobacco grown there. In order to improve the taste Rolfe crossed the breed from Trinidad which had a sweeter taste with the Virginia tobacco to produce a plant that took well to the local soil. Rolfe was the first to cultivate these plants in North America and its export resulted in a boost of the Virginia colony’s economy. The popularity of tobacco in England and the available land in the Virginia colony led to plantations all over Virginia. Tobacco crops could best grow on extensive farmland. Growers constantly needed additional labor. Colonial leaders wanted indentured servants. That included â€Å"20 and some odd Negroes† brought to Virginia by a Dutch ship in 1619.† Blacks had been captured in Africa and were sold at auction in Jamestown. There have been c onflicting accounts indicating how the first blacks in America were treated. â€Å"The status of the first blacks in the New World remains somewhat mysterious, and any thesis about the change in black status generates sharp controversy.† ... e were many black indentured servants in Virginia and Maryland during the much of the 1600’s there was also enough white indentured servants that were able to work the plantations in those and other colonies. However during the 1660’s the supply of white servants declined due to the declining birth rate in England. This decline resulted in increased wages for the English so many chose to remain there. In order to make up for this loss planters in the Chesapeake region would get enslaved Africans to work their plantations.4 (Slavery Takes Root in Colonial Virginia). The number of slaves would increase in these colonies as years passed. In the 1660’s slavery spread quickly throughout the colonies. There were more slaves in the South where large plantations grew cotton and other crops. Initially there were no clear laws regarding slaves and some black and white slaves were given freedom after several years. During this time the American colonies passed laws that sti pulated relationships between slaves. One of these laws forbade intermarriage between white colonists and black slaves. Another law indicated that black slaves and the offspring of female slaves would be enslaved for the rest of their lives. These laws were known as slave codes. Under the slave codes slaves were also not allowed to own weapons, get an education, they needed permission from their masters if they wanted to move, and were prevented from testifying against whites in court. (Becker) Slaves on small farms had more freedom than plantation slaves. â€Å"This premise, combined with the natural population growth among the slaves, meant that slavery could survive and grow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Becker 1660 section) Some reasons why Africans were chosen as slaves was because that more miners were needed, the

Financial Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Manager - Essay Example All the operations of the business are initiated and supported by the financial manager's evaluations and judgments. The cost/benefit analysis, the timings of the cash flows, the sources of finance and provision for liquidity are pivotal to the decision-making process of financial management. In the context of the above, a financial manager's role is three fold. He has to perform the functions of capital budgeting, capital structuring and working capital management simultaneously, providing effective risk management. Thus a financial manager best serves the owners of the business (shareholders) by identifying goods and services that add value to the firm because they are desired and valued in the free marketplace. Every business enters into long-term investments in anticipation of promising returns and higher growth. Such investments call for efficient assessments and effective decisions by the financial manager. This process of planning and managing a firm's long-term investments is better known as capital budgeting. In capital budgeting, the financial manager tries to identify investment opportunities that are worth more to the firm than they cost to acquire. This means that the value of the cash flow from generated by an asset exceeds the cost of that asset. Evaluating the size, timing, and risk of future cash flows is the essence of capital budgeting. ... In this area two main issues face the financial manager. One is that how much should the firm borrow and two is that what are least expensive sources of funds for the firm. The capital structure (or financial structure) refers to the specific mixture of long-term debt and equity the firm must use to finance its operations. In addition to deciding on the financing mix, the financial manager has to decide exactly how and where to raise the money. The expenses associated with raising long-term financing is a considerable factor. Therefore different possibilities have to be carefully evaluated. Businesses borrow money from a variety of lenders in a number of different ways. Choosing among lenders and among loan types is another job handled by the financial manager. A financial manager is also responsible for everyday financial activities and for the working capital management. Managing the firm's working capital is a day-to-day activity that ensures the firm has sufficient resources to continue its operations and avoid costly interruptions. The term working capital refers to a firm's short-term assets, such as inventory, and its short-term liabilities, such as money owed to suppliers. The working capital management involves a number of activities related to a firm's receipt and disbursement of cash. The financial manager must plan for and respond to matters as to the amount of cash and quantity of inventory to be kept on hand, should credit be allowed on sales to customers and which sources should be used for short-term financing as and when the need arises. The above three functions of financial management are very broad and only a brief overview of each category is given. By

Reflection Module Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflection Module - Assignment Example In the current project, a research reflection has been done for a 12 days programme which covered many topics of management. The purpose of this current project is to reflect the learning of the 12 days programme and analyse the benefits it will provide to the business. I have analysed four different topics from the programme. These topics were: 1. Managing change 2. Competitive Brand Management Plan 3. Sustainability 4. Food Health Innovation The essential question which framed my reflection project was to be able to properly criticise the objective of the learning and gain meaningful experience from it. We always come across the process of critical reasoning in our daily lives. We have also used this theory and application to solve problems of our daily lives and these reasoning are imbedded in our thoughts. But most of the time, we fail to apply the same theories while pursuing academic work. This will be the major objective of my reflection paper. This reflection paper will study the theories and practical tools which have been discussed and applied in the above mentioned papers and meaningful learning will be interpreted In this paper, I begin with an overview of the theory, articulate my thesis and then preview the learning of my paper. Essentially, I did a mini-review of each research essay to explain how the relevant theory is useful and practical and how they can contribute to solve a business problem. The main audience for this paper was my communication professor but the paper would be reasonably understood by professors and majors in the respective field. Sustainability This topic of my programmes, deals with the sustainability issues in a consumer cooperative in Britain, named as CP Ltd. according to sources, it was found out that CP Ltd was the largest consumer cooperative worldwide having more than 6 million members globally. This research paper helped me to understand a proper sustainability plan which can be applied for resolving issues related to society and economy. During the conduction of this topic, I learned many new things and discovered many new theories which have useful and meaningful interpretations in solving a business problem. During the programme, I leaned that majority of developing countries are over-consuming the natural resources. It was also found out that more than 30 percent of the resources used by people cannot be replenished in future (Adams, 2006). Thus, numerous marketing programmes have been organised and implemented to make people aware of the current situation and warn them, so that they can use these resources in a meaningful manner. The classes helped me understand the numerous problems faced by the government worldwide. These included biodiversity loss, climate change, changing demographics, increasing inequalities and unavailability of basic commodities. Few of the important things discussed during this programme were that consumers are many times motivated to perform things because of so cietal pressure. Lack of proper knowledge, information results in overuse of resources. Also, we cannot expect these consumers and individuals to learn and understand these critical issues by themselves. Apart from this, sustainable consumption is still a niche area of study and companies are still negligent about this critical issue. Thus it is the responsibility of big brands and corporate organisations will be a motivating factor and launch campaigns and other media

What The Socratic Method Is

What The Socratic Method Is First, we must understand what the Socratic Method is, and how it applies to the notion that the unexamined life is not worth living. The Socratic Method is a process of questioning in which Socrates would have an opponent state a thesis and would then deconstruct their argument through the use of questioning and critical thinking. Better ideas are found by identifying and eliminating those that lead to contradictions. The Euthyphro offers a wonderful example of the application of this methodology. Socrates questions each of Euthyphros definitions as to what piety is, and constantly shows how these definitions fail when examined critically. Socrates contention is that Euthyphro is only giving descriptions and examples of pious things, rather than actually offering an objective answer to the essence of which makes a thing pious. Socrates complains that Euthyphro is stringing him along as he is not teaching him what piety actually is. It is important to note the way in which Socrates u ses his method with Euthyphro. Socrates acts as the student, and elevates Euthyphro to that of a mentor, which allows Socrates to lead Euthyphro though the process of critical analysis, as opposed to simply dictating information directly to him. In this way, Socrates allows Euthyphro to examine his own argument, and realize the mistakes that plague it. This begins to give an understanding of what Socrates meant by his notion of the unexamined life. What Socrates was trying to convey with his notions of the unexamined life was not that one must examine their own life for it to have worth, but rather that if one would claim that their life is worthy, they would need to examine it themselves to understand its worth. Socrates argues that living a life where one does not realize their ignorance is a life not worth living because he views knowledge to be directly tied to virtue. In order to live a worthy life, one must seek knowledge, which is a necessary component of his ethics. Using this parallel we can infer that because knowledge can be learned, it must also be possible to learn virtue. From this it follows that virtue can be taught, and we begin to understand that the Socratic Method is Socrates attempt to act as a catalyst for others self-examination. This is exactly what Socrates does with his dialogue in the Euthyphro. He feigns ignorance to elevate Euthyphro to a higher level, and guides him along the path of self-examinati on with his Socratic Method. Virtue then, becomes the pursuit of knowledge through self-examination. To put this in other words; one finds their life to be virtuous or ethical through the answers to the questions that are brought forth through internal examination. Without asking the questions, one will never receive the answers. The Apology and Crito offer strong examples of Socrates ethical philosophy. The Apology deals with the defense offered by Socrates to his accusers for allegations of impiety and corruption of the youth of. Socrates usages of the Socratic Method for the purpose of promoting others into self-examination lead him to question those who claimed to have wisdom, and ultimately he exposed them as ignorant. Questioning the beliefs of the wise men led to his charge of impiety, and the admiration he gained by the youth of Athens as a result of his actions led to his charge of corrupting the youth. Part of Socrates defense in the trial was that through his actions he was simply trying to act as a catalyst for the people of Athens to ultimately find knowledge and gain an understanding of virtue. Socrates is found guilty of the charges against him, and is sentenced to death by ingestion of hemlock. In the face of death, Socrates had the option to flee the city of Athens, but refused as it would h ave been in direct violation of his moral principles. In the Crito, Socrates discusses why he has a duty to stay and face his charge, as well as why the action of fleeing would be unethical. To Socrates, breaking one law would be an injustice to all laws and would cause great harm to the city of Athens. To escape would have been an injustice to Athens itself. As a citizen of Athens, Socrates was endorsing, and willing to abide by the law, and to break the law now after 70 years of life would in effect negate everything that he had advocated throughout his life. The Phaedo discusses notions of life, death, and the soul. With his sentence looming overhead, Socrates contemplates the idea of death and suicide with Cebes and Simmias. He says that a true philosopher should look forward to death, but at the same time however, Socrates also says that though philosophers should be willing to die, it is wrong for them to commit suicide, as he views the gods as the guardians of people and views suicide as a destruction of the gods possession void of any permission to do so. Because death is the separation of the body and the soul, the philosopher is then able to shed all of the distractions of the body wants, desires, and fears which gives them the ability to acquire the knowledge and wisdom that theyve been seeking in their lives. The practice of philosophy then, according to Socrates, is likened to a sort of training for dying in which the philosopher is called to remove himself from his bodily attachment. This offers a stark contrast between the philosopher and the layman. The layman has an illusion of virtue, while the philosopher truly becomes virtuous. The philosopher approaches death with courage, gained from the pursuit of knowledge, while the layman can only have an illusion of virtue as they do not participate in the practice of philosophy, and therefore cannot receive the knowledge and wisdom, and cannot separate themselves from the hindrance of bodily attachments. The Republic establishes that justice is in the class of things that ought to be practiced for their own good, as well as for the good of their consequences. In order to understand exactly what justice is and what it means to live ethically, Socrates gives an example of a city as a large scale concept, and then examines it on a smaller more specific level. He discusses how the people of a city will have their own basic needs, but that the city as a whole will be shared and will have a structured system of education. Socrates also explains that there are four excellences in the city: wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice. Socrates compares the city to a person and says that these four excellences must also exist in a person within the soul. Since they all exist in the soul and can often contradict, it is established that the soul is made up of parts and is not a whole. The soul consists of the rational, which judges truth, and makes wise and knowledgeable decisions in accordance wi th an examined life. The spirited part of the soul is the source of desires within a person such as love, and honor, while the appetitive aspect of the soul is the source of basic cravings that act as an anchor to the material and menial word. Within the city exists different classes of individuals; the guardians, the auxiliaries and the working class, all of which represent a different aspect or nature of the soul. The guardians are considered to be the rational, and ought to be the rulers of the city as they will be the best suited to attain knowledge and live and act ethically because the guardians act on their own knowledge and wisdom through their inherent rationality, just as the rational part should rule of the soul should rule over the other three aspects. From this, Socrates says that justice is establishing the parts of the soul so that they dominate and are dominated by each other according to nature and allow for the person and for the soul to pursue wisdom. In conclusion, it is shown that the ethics of Socrates can be understood by examining the works of the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, and Republic. Socrates uses the Socratic method as a tool to catalyze self-examination of others so that may seek out knowledge. From this quest for knowledge, virtue is obtained, and this is the main goal of philosophy in Socrates mind. Laws must be made in accordance with wisdom by those who practice philosophy, and must seek to benefit the city as a whole. Breaking one law is an injustice to all laws, and is an act of ignorance. Ethics, virtue, justice and morality all stem from what Socrates calls the examined life, in which philosophy is used as a means to gain wisdom and knowledge which act as the basis for these values. Philosophy then, is not just an occupation, but rather an integral part of life, and a necessary component of what it means to be ethical.

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Chaunticleer :: Chaucer Canterbury Tales

Canterbury Tales - Chaunticleer In the book Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, gives us a stunning tale about a rooster named Chaunticleer. Chaunticleer, who is the King of his domain in his farmland kingdom. Like a King, he quotes passages from intellectuals, dreams vivid dreams, has a libido that runs like a bat out of hell, and is described as a very elegant looking Rooster. He has every characteristic of a person belonging to the upper class. Chaucer's hidden meanings and ideas make us think that the story is about roosters and farm animals, but in reality he is making the Aristocracy of his time period the subject of his mockery by making the reader realize how clueless the Aristocracy can be to the way things are in the real World. Chaucer describes Chaunticleer in many different ways. One of them is his language. Chaunticleer's language is that of a scholar. He quotes many different scriptures in a conversation with Pertelote, such as, Saint Kenelm, Daniel and Joseph (from the bible), and Croesus. From eac h author he tells a story about an individual who had a vision in a dream and the dream came true. He may have been making all the stories up in order to win the argument with Pertelote, but, this seems unlikely because he does not take heed to his own advice and stay away from the fox that encounters him later. He is educated enough to know these supposed quotations but not intelligent enough to understand the real meaning of them. It is if he simply brings because they help him win the argument with his spouse and not because he actually believes what they say. Chaucer is using the idea that the Aristocracy has schooling throughout their childhood, but it is only done to have seemingly important but empty conversations. His physical appearance is also described with such beautiful passion that it makes us think Chaunticleer is heaven on earth. "His comb was redder than fine coral, and crenellated like a castle wall; his bill was black and shone like jet; his legs and toes were lik e azure; his nails whiter than lily; and his color like the burnished gold." Chaucer describes Chaunticleer as the quintessential Cock, so perfect that his description is no longer believable when we realize he is describing a Rooster. Chaucer is setting up Chaunticleer to be as regal and grandiose as a King.