Apollo 13 Video Clip Essay Example for Free

Apollo 13 Video Clip Essay In chapters seven through ten several OB topics were examined. As you review the video, look for incidences that relate to OB concepts that you observe. Identify two concepts, explain where you observed them in the video and to which chapter they apply. Provide either work or personal examples to support each of the observations Post: Tiffany Demko Week 4 Discussion – MGMT 362 Apollo 13 Video clip First off this is a great movie, and I’m not much of a movie buff. I found way more than just 2 ob concepts in this clip. I think that managing a team is a difficult task because it requires a hardy personality to be a calming rational thinker while taking others in consideration, and blocking the negativity or tension that maybe building. Bill Paxton Tom Hank’s characters points out that the smartest people on the planet have been brought together to make sure every setting is correct, and all the resources needed are available. Tom Hanks points out that they have a large amount of variables to consider when overcoming the challenges before them, and they are just starting that â€Å"task† list so to speak. Making decisions fairly to limit the inequity amongst the group is vital to the members working together to achieve their common goal, getting home. Remembering that a team is brought together because of their diverse roles, and knowledge that they bring to the table, each person working in a group or on a team has been given that opportunity because of their expertise. In any crisis situation it is always a good idea to apply forward thinking, and I think that is what Kevin Bacon’s character was trying to point out. Handling a potential challenge before it becomes a real issue is value added indeed, all to often we can fix something at that moment that could help avoid other pitfalls, but if we wait until we get to that item on the â€Å"task list† one may not have the same options available to them. Respect must always be given among a team in my opinion, it’s how you grow, and it’s what you personally should be able to expect, and rely on from those your working with.

The Ever Changing Market Place Of Oman Marketing Essay

The Ever Changing Market Place Of Oman Marketing Essay Oman Retail Industry is characterized by a strong consumer demand, robust economic growth, distinct demographic factors and high end technology system that ensure the better customer service and efficient customer checks. The sultanate is one of the developing countries that has succeeded in achieving, within a short span of time, a high level of economic growth. Out of the total GDP 57.1% is from the service industry. As in any other country Retail Sector in Oman is having both the sectors organized and unorganized retail sector. The paper is focused on the organized retail sector of Oman. Even in the organized sector, there is a stiff competition amongst large number of hypermarkets, convenience stores, warehouses and gas-station chain stores. Everyday new entrants are coming in the business with their new competitive strategies and niches. Oman has good organized retail markets in GCC. Omans Per Capita retailing space is highest in GCC. Major development happenings in the area of retail space in Oman are hypermarkets and malls. Oman is witnessing an exponential growth in the space occupied by organized retailers. The paper presents a comprehensive view of the organized retail industry across Muscat. Keywords : Retail Industry, Hypermarkets, Competition, Developing Countries Introduction Oman is the second largest country in GCC after Saudi Arabia with total land area of 212,960 square kilometers and over 80% of its current population of 3 million is Omani nationals. Oman is a middle income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus and low inflation. Oman Economic development has seen three phases. A phase of rapid expansion then economic retrenchment and rationalization because of oil prices collapse and the last phase a period of standardized growth since 1990. Economic growth and structural change have proceeded rapidly in Oman during the rule of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said. When HM Sultan Qabus Ibn Said assumed power in 1970s, he immediately implemented an economic development and modernization programs .Priority was given to expanding the countries nonexistent infrastructure. Economic Growth was accompanied by increase in contribution of the service sector from 18% in 1970 to 57% today. The GDP Average annual Growth exceeded the world as well as middle east growth rate by 3%( 6% in 1991- 2000 in Oman 3% in the middle east and Africa and world) Retailing consists of the sale of goods/ merchandise for personal or household consumption either from a fixed location such as a department store or away from a fixed location and related subordinated services. In commerce, a retailer buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells individual items or small quantities to the general public or end user customers, usually in a shop, also called store. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Marketers see retailing as part of their overall distribution strategy. Retailing is not just buying and selling necessities, it is now more of a lifestyle staement, one whose foundation is based on choice, convenience and brand value. Shopping is buying things, sometimes as a recreational activity.Retailing is worlds largest private industry. It is estimated to have US $ 6.6 Trillion sales annually. Retail outlets can be divided into categories according to the amount of square feet of floor space, the level of services offered and width and depth of product offering. In practice stores may have different names in different countries and definitions based on selling area may also vary. Clarence Saunders, invented Keydoozle in 1930s in which shoppers stuck keys in glass display case to choose specific products which were taken via conveyer to check out line. This perhaps was the basis for todays Supermarkets and Hypermarkets. A variety of terms are used to large stores Hypermarkets, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, superstores, shopping malls and shopping centres etc. France, Belgium, Spain Colombia are the countries in which supermarket industry is very well developed. Retailing is a two way street. There exist potential advantages and disadvantages to this retailing venture. A retailer has following things to offer consumers: 1. One price Policy : No Place for Negotiations 2. Selection of goods at a lower price 3. One Stop shopping 4. Large Assortments 5. Centalization of the nonselling functions 6. Amenities (Beauty Parlour, Free Decorations, Nursery) 7. Overall manner in which the goods are offered in store setting, including store site, parking facilitiies, instore setting and customer services. 8. More Personal Services than discounts Retailing and Oman Till late 70s and 80s the country was having unorganized retail market. Traditionally the retail business was run by small souks. The traditional Arabic market place is called the souk and these are still found in many of the towns throughout Oman. More than 90% of retailers function in less than 500 Sq ft of area. Most of the items were bought by the liking of the souk owner and pricing was done on adhoc basis or on seeing the face of the customer. Selling prices were largely controlled by manufacturer.Weekly Juma Bazaars were very popular and almost all commodities were sold there including livestock. Juma bazaars are still an important weekly bazaar in Oman but now the main attraction now is second hand goods. Bargaining was common. Retailer to customer ratio was low. Most of the buying by mass population was need oriented. Impulsive buying or consumption was restricted to food or vegetables etc. Household items as well as traditional handcrafts are on sale in the souks. In some s ouks like Nizwa and Sinaw livestock are auctioned and bartered. Beside its obvious economic purpose, the souk has long been the fulcrum of social interaction. Some of the Important Traditional Souks of Oman are Muttrah Souq Muttrah Souq is the oldest market place in the Capital Area and is located behind the Corniche of Muttrah, rumbling over a large area. Entering the Souq. A cornucopia of exotic sounds, smells and flavours assail in the senses in bewildering yet exciting chaos. The Souq of Muttrah is a maze of pathways leading in and out of each other. The important thing while shopping in a souq is bargaining. Nizwa Souq This traditional souq hosts a lively cattle market early each Friday morning where cows, goats and sheep are auctioned. The obstinate behaviour of the animals often provides great amusement for the spectators. There is an abundance of local handicrafts and produce in the new covered souq. Silversmiths can be seen hammering patterns into the hilts of Khanjars and women sell the burqa à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬a glittering, embroidered facemask worn by local ladies. Sinaw Souq It has similar ware to Nizwa souq, including a cattle market. Some of the silver shops sell the old silver Bedouin jewellery, Ibra Souq This one is unique: it is open to all, as long as you are female! It is a fairly recent innovation, opened in 1990 and is held on Wednesday mornings. It is the only souq in Oman which lends itself totally to the needs of women. Lotions, cosmetics, powders, textiles, perfumes and henna are amongst some of the items on sale. Retailing in Oman: The New Dimension Omani capitals mallspace is changing. Some of the indicators that the retailing has come out of age are fashionable store facades, daring displays an everchanging numbers of international brands, loyalty cards, cineplexes, foodcourts kids zone in malls etc. The mall and shopping centres in Oman not match Dubai in size and style but have their own character and ambience . Dubai depends upon a floating population of visitors, but Oman caters mainly citizens, residents and a small number of visitors. The Omani Capital Muscat has come a long way from the simple old souk to the ultramodern hypermarkets. The concept of the friendly neighborhood store, by all indications, appears to be on its way to becoming history. It is the malls with their better ambience, wider choice, better facilities and the convenience of having all that you need under one roof that are attracting more and more customers . Retailers, realizing the potential have been quick to set both expansion and re-branding plans in motion. For retailers in Oman, the accent has been on acceleration. We can observe it if only we take a look at the number of malls and hypermarkets in the sultanate to see how quickly growth has taken place. The capital has number of shopping malls and hypermarkets. Customers are driven toward the hypermarket due to several alliance shops and international brands. Customers nowadays want a total shopping experience under one roof. The shift to hypermarkets as a natural progression along the retail evolution path. Customer perceives that as compared to small souks, hypermarkets, offer better variety at lower prices and the quality of products is guaranteed as well. Customers in Oman become more educated aw are and demand choice . Choice, it would seem, translates into convenience. Customers are the main beneficiaries in this shift from small shops to large hypermarkets. The move from micro to macro also owes itself to the strength of the economy. With the Omani economy growing at a very rapid pace, there is tremendous interest among retail sector investors in the region. One of the reasons for the growing interest of Omani nationals is the increased income and spending power .The sultanate has seen in the past, a rapid increase in the income due to omanisation. Omanisation has created many job opportunities for the nationals who in turn have increased the spending power of the nationals which is driving them more and more towards the shopping malls. Oman is witnessing a retail sector boom in the past six years with a number of big-format hypermarkets slated to open and expand their retail chains in the country including the big names such as Carrefour, Sultan Center and Spinneys. Moreover, Muscat has total area of 190,000 sq. meters in major malls in the capital area most of which was built in the 90s. This means that the Omani per capita area for these shopping malls. Retail sector is making headway with number of hypermarkets opening up in Muscat the foreign direct investment is maximum in the commerce, wholesale and retail trade represented 20.75% services. The expansion in retail sector as such has increased the levels of self awareness in the retail sector It is forcing the hypermarkets to constantly monitor the market in which they operate. The market includes a major price sensitive customer segment also. Backward integration, to further streamline operations, is another route that certain retailers in Oman are favoring. They are launching its own private label across its outlets as a measure to counter escalating prices. The other major strategy used by these hypermarkets is of collaboration. For Example the car small within a shopping mall it is this basis, in novelty as well as practicality that promises to improve existing levels of customer convenience. Another strategy of Just Ask programme, where worldwide products are directly makes their way to the homes of consumers in Oman. The retailers understand that survival is not just about being fit. Hard work has to be combined with smart ideas that foresee the future. Considering the competition, everyone is improving their operations if they dont, they will lose their market position and share. Efficiency is not really a relative parameter. It is important that first time customers should become permanent customers and stay that way. Considering the competition, it is no surprise that all the players in the retail market are raising the stakes. Competition is healthy, and it is needed to improve the services and operations of the hypermarkets. With more competitions the hypermarkets will come out with innovative ideas to improve upon their quality and services. With this the customer is gaining and slowly the market is moving towards customers market. The markets are trying to differentiate themselves on the basis of factors like customer orientation, Number of retail outlets, low price, wide range, competent management, more space etc. The customer wants premium on good price, convenience and good customer service. Some of the major hypermarkets in Oman are as follows: Sabco Commercial Centre, Qurum Sabco Commercial Centre, Qurum, is one of the first shopping malls to open in Oman in 1985. The two-level centre has multiple retail outlets and a traditional souk. The souk has 27 walk-in shops that sell silver jewellery, handicrafts and clothes. The store targeted the wealthy market segment. As more and more oil fields were discovered in Oman, the store prospered. The store brought Godiva-a specialist gourmet and Belgian chocolate to Oman. Sultan Centre Sultan centre made several contributions to the development of the retail trade. It served not wealthy but upper income segment. A popular meeting place and great find for the latest in European and International fashion and accessories. Lulu Hypermarket The concept of hypermarket shopping has clearly caught on with shopper communities across the region. Emke Group recognized changing market trends and responded to them promptly, offering its customers bigger and better designed shopping environments by way of LULU shopping malls and hypermarkets. The group, has major interests in wholesale and retail distribution of food and non-foodstuff, manufacturing, export-import, frozen and processed food industry and IT has operation bases in all major cities of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. As part of their groups policy they have laid special emphasis on recruiting Omani nationals . They acknowledged the significance of training the local youth and have been conducting on-the job training for these national recruits. Noted authorities in retail training were hired to develop and implement employee training. The group felt the pulse and strategically designed store facilities and imported the latest state-of-the-art equipment and technology The extensive network of branch offices and sourcing centers was a big advantage in providing quality products at the most affordable prices. (Times of Oman). Khimjis Mart Supermarkets KR Groups Retailing Division manages the popular Khimjis Mart supermarkets and a chain of Welfare Markets for the Royal Oman Police. With 4 strategically located retail outlets in the Capital area and two large supermarkets in the interior, Khimjis Mart LLC is a key player in its category in Oman. Fully owned and operated by the Khimji Ramdas Group, Khimjis Mart caters to a mix of customers of diverse nationalities and varied shopping preference s by giving them unlimited options to buy the best international and regional brands in the food commodities, lifestyle and consumer non-durables segments. Khimjis Mart outlets have taken the lead in training young Omani nationals and integrating them into key positions. They are located at Ruwi High Street, Darsait, Wadi Kabir, Al Khuwair, Nizwa Sur. Markaz Al Bahja Markaz Al Bahja Shopping Mall was developed to give Oman a mall of truly International standards, so as to offer the people an alternative to Dubai as a shopping destination. The 350,000 sqft Markaz Al Bahja mall, located not very far from MCC, was opened in mid 2002. The three-level mall, easily accessible from the Capital as well as its growing suburbs, is another popular shopping destination .The mall also has a big parking facility, which can accommodate 1200 cars. Three floors of shopping and is a dream come true for most Omanis. Markaz Al Bahja has established itself as the premier shopping Mall in the Sultanate of Oman. Al Harthy complex Location : Qurm Easily recognizable by its unique design which features a star filled dome, the Al Harthy Complex has spacious floors of shopping with over 100 retail shops. From textiles, antiques, perfumes, childrens toys and games, fashion and beauty products, computer accessories, and watches to books, greeting cards and flowers, everything is available at the complex. With a video and amusement arcade, the laser game Q-zar and Sindbads play city, the complex is a hot favourite with children. For lunch or a snack one can step into Kargeen Coffee Shop, or stop by for a bite at Burger King. Muscat City Centre (MCC) Carrefour opened its first supermarket in Annecy, Haute- Savoie, France, in 1960. The opening of Majid Al Futtaim Investments (MAFI) Muscat City Centre (MCC) in 2001, ushered a new era for Omans retail sector. The MCC, covering a total GLA of 540,000 sq. ft. and 1,500 parking spaces, claims a weekly footfall of 155,000. Its main anchors include Carrefour and Magic Planet. This year, the MCC is poised for a further expansion, which is expected to add another 300,000sqft of retail space to its existing strength. MAFI is planning to open a Carrefour outlet in the Qurum area of Muscat later this year. Major Shopping Malls of Oman, Sponsors, Number of outlets and year of start With so much of competition and options available to the customers, all the hypermarkets are thinking in terms of the loyalty programs to keep customers with them. Some of the loyalty programs like privilege cards, vouchers, special discounts. But what loyalty program is to be used at a specific place is the matter of great creativity. The key ingredients for any successful retailer: brand experience, convenience, customer service, social responsibility, todays true differentiators. l Earning points toward rewards or free or discounted merchandise. Using third-party partner currencies, such as airline miles for retail purchases. Offering rebates or discounts for using a store-branded credit card. Providing information that is relevant, valuable and exclusive. Allowing members access to products, services and experience otherwise unavailable to the public. Recognizing best customers with elite status. Inviting customer involvement in opportunities such as beta testing, first access to new products, participating in an advisory board, creating and submitting advertising ideas, even inviting best customers to parties and special events. Challenges faced by the Retailers in Oman Price war: Competition can lead to the price wars l Discount is expected by the gulf customer in case of bulk purchase. l Sale is one of the important factor which pulls the customers towards the malls and only two promotions a year are allowed which are too less to sustain the customer for 12 months l More and more companies with international brands and structure are coming in the competition l Once upon a time, retailers knew all their customers personally. They knew their preferences and what was happening in their lives. With this knowledge, retailers were able to react quickly and market to each customer individually. Along the way of growing chains and building malls and promoting self-service, many retailers lost touch with their customers. l E-commerce is again coming as a new challenge to the hypermarkets. l Less size of the population is another challenge in front of the retail sector as with more competition and less number of customers the market is moving more and more towards becoming the buyers market. l Dubai again is a threat to the retail sector with its competitive prices and easy approachability. l Tourism is growing but the growth is not fast enough to catch with the tourism in UAE. Suggestions More initiative from the government in the form of more commercial activities. Connecting tourism with shopping: need to improve tourism to trap the enormous potential present in this sector, which will enhance the retail sector further. Duties on certain items should be reduced to encourage the retailers Discouraging customers to buy from Dubai by creating an awareness program those items are much cheaper here than in Duabi International Service standards should be provided by the hypermarkets Since the beginning of the 1970s, with Kilters pioneering work, the topic of atmospherics effects on consumer behavior has gained popularity Managers of retail and service outlets have understood the importance of the built environment in enhancing product evaluations, consumer satisfaction with the shopping experience and sales. There is a need for the ongoing training programs in Retail Management for the all managerial and non managerial staff members. There is a need to give more boost up the Tourism Industry in the country. Conclusions The challenge in retail sector in Oman is perpetual. It was the same in the past and it will remain the same in the future: understanding the retail consumer. In Oman consumers have higher expectations for lower prices. They are not prepared to compromise their desires and ethical values for simply more expensive products or basic low cost items. Shopping is becoming increasingly individualistic, driven by the growing diversity of the consumer marketplace, technology enablers and consumers desire for greater influence and control. The retail power structure has permanently shifted from sellers to buyers with more and more shopping malls in Oman .Retailers have to use the problem solving approach. It means understanding what the consumer is trying to accomplish by looking at his ultimate goal. The hypermarkets in Oman are constantly monitoring the feedbacks given by the customers and are very quick to respond to the problematic areas and suggestions. The hypermarkets as long as will keep their fingers on the pulse of the gulf customers will have a long way to go. The retailers need to understand that Retailers dont own customers, they own retailers. There is an increasing population switching from loyalists to non preference. Consumers need to be connected. It means getting away from a transaction mentality and focusing on customer relationships, bonds of trust that create innovative opportunities to extend the relationship further. Live rich but act poor. Wealth levels and purchasing power are increasing, people overspend and retail has never been so good but there is a great consideration to shop where prices seems to be more justified. Shopping should be not only convenient but easy, done in the consumers way and speed. Innovative process, service and design solutions that are simple, intuitive and in tune with shoppers needs. Consumers value what is scarcer and time is at the top of the first for many. They want it fast, thy want it now (immediate gratification), they want it first (latest and greatest). Innovative retailers are networking with companies in other business sectors to offer new products or services outside their skills. The global trends are set in more mature and yet still very dynamic markets, Similar trend with Oman Rapidly they spread across the globe carried by the increasing presence of worldwide known brands. The task is to understand the trends to anticipate the mood of the customers and as before and more then ever, there is a need to think global and act local.

Progression of Photography Essay -- History of Photography

Photography is an affection, a craving and an addiction. It is impossible to explain why people love taking photos, but once people are engaged in photography professionally, nothing will stop them. It has always been a great magic and momentous secret which opens the world to the people, which makes us look at the things used to be taken for granted with special attitude, which makes us ponder over the existing problems. Photography can truly be considered a magical act – here is a little black box that can capture the images of people and wild animals, strange places, and loved ones on a rectangular piece of paper that can be viewed days and years later. This is a visual trick that never ceases to delight the members of the audience, the magician most of all (Watson 78). Photography not only depicts life but also reveals things which are usually hidden behind our indifference, business, and pursuit for money. The word photography comes from two ancient Greek words: photo, for "light," and graph, for "drawing"(The History of Photography). "Drawing with light" is an apt way of describing the artistic field of photography. According to a world-renowned photographer, Ansel Adams, â€Å"You don’t take a photograph, you create it.† Each time a photograph is made, light or some other form of radiant energy, such as x-rays, is used to record an image of an object or scene on a light-sensitive surface at a specific time point (Watson 79). In the infancy of photography these recorded images were called sun pictures or heliograph. This was because sunlight was used to create the image. Mankind has been recording images at since the cave paintings of some 20,000 years ago. With the invention of photography, a realistic image that would have ta... ...ain — thereby giving you the ability to experiment with your photos in a way which was never possible with the film camera. So now most of the processing is electronic in the form of 0s and 1s as opposed to the mechanical and chemical operation in the traditional cameras. The cameras that operate based on this principle are known as digital cameras and the art of making digital images is called digital photography. Works Cited "Digital Photography." Digital - Photography - Tips. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. http://www.digital-photography-tips.net/history-of-digital-phtography-early-days.html. "History of Photography." About Inventors. About.com, Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventionsa/stillphotography.html. "What is Digital Photography." Make Use Of. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-digital-photography/.

MBA Admissions Essays :: MBA College Admissions Essays

MBA Admissions Essays    Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following: PAST: What choices have you made that led you to your current position? PRESENT: Why is a Wharton MBA necessary at this point in your life? FUTURE: What is your desired position upon graduation from the Wharton School?    I like options, I like security, and I like power. With these wants, I knew at a very early age that I would enter business and thus I attended a college that specializes in the subject. In my first position out of school, I was hired by Dunhill Equities as a cold-caller. After several weeks of being hung up on by angry prospects, I decided that this career path would not lead me to success. I then moved within the firm to a position as sales assistant. While this was by no means my dream job, I learned a tremendous amount about business, and I gained useful exposure to the world of finance. Unfortunately, the company hit a period of instability, and after ten months I transferred with my boss to Coleman & Company. Thirteen months later, that company also began to fail, and I began to search for another path to advancement. With two strikes against me, I hit a home run and was hired by Sanford Bernstein into a challenging job with limitless opportunity for growth.    After almost three years at Bernstein, I am once again seeking career advancement. My education and work experience have provided me with an excellent introduction to business, and they have sparked my interest in finance. Taking into consideration my foundation and my interests, graduate business school is the next logical step. At this point in my life, I consider a Wharton MBA to be necessary since I need to gain a broader understanding of finance and to sharpen my analytical skills in order to be successful in corporate finance. Wharton's MBA program will allow me to concentrate in finance, strengthen my global business perspective, and provide me with the opportunity to study with and learn from people with varied backgrounds. The school's location in the financial capital of the world and in one of the most diverse cities in the world also suits me perfectly.    Aside from advancing my career, I would also like to develop personally. In college I did not join many clubs or organizations, and I did not participate in sports.

Trader Joe’s No average Joe Essay

Trader Joe’s is an American privately held chain of grocery stores founded by Joe Coulombe. Trader Joe’s have been successful business for long time with their unique innovative strategy of selling natural and organic food products with only one brand of an item for low price. Their unique culture of relaxed beach environment and helpful knowledgeable employees makes their customer to stay loyal to the brand. Eighty percent of Trader Joe’s has in-house products that differentiate them from competitors and hard to imitate. Trader Joe’s target young educated people who want to eat healthy for low prices. They can really expand their business by investing in marketing, social media, loyalty- card program and building parking garages and gain bigger broader market segment in food industry. This also will help them competitive advantage over their competitors as they will have solid brand image and be successful over the long term. SWOT Analysis The strengths of Trader Joe’s are selling organic & fresh grocery at low prices, introducing new products to their stores frequently and offering friendly customer service. Trader Joe’s sell natural and organic food at cheaper price than its competitors. They buy in bulk one item rather than buying lot of similar items, which gives them competitive advantage over other supermarkets. Trader Joe’s introduce 10-15 new products every week and had special season items and; thus customers liked trying new items and were getting best product for as much time as stores had the products for. Trader Joe’s employees were knowledgeable, helpful and happy, which made them communicate much better with customers and build a long lasting relationship. This aided in Trader Joe’s customers becoming loyal to the company. The weaknesses of Trader Joe’s are lack in social media, low advertisement, and targeting small market segment. Firstly, Trader Joe’s didn’t have any interaction with media about the company. In addition, they were not utilizing the free social media tool and were not communicating  with their fans on Facebook or Twitter. They didn’t much advertise about the company which is a weakness because this would hurt the sales they can get by advertising since they were selling natural and organic products for low prices. Lastly they targeted only smaller crowd which would also affect that revenue instead of targeting broader segment of people. Since more people are graduating and becoming educated, Trader Joe’s can target them to get higher market share and by marketing they can convey their goal to these educated people. Moreover, they have opportunity to offer baby related products as lot of people buy baby products when they are at grocery shops. Threat to Trader Joe’s are that their secretive private label goods can be identified by competitors and can imitate. Other treat is that the company can loose it’s charm when they grow because they are no more special to customers. Porter’s Five Forces The threat of new entrance is medium because Trader Joe’s is not a supermarket company, so capital requirement is manageable. Getting good quality food for cheaper price is hard to deliver but it is not impossible. However, brand name is difficult to built that Trader Joe’s has done after so many years. The bargaining power of suppliers is low as Trader Joe’s purchase very large quantities of each item in their store, which make the suppliers to give them lowest price. Moreover, suppliers wanted secrecy from Trader Joe’s not disclosing the low price as the to other competitor store suppliers were selling for high prices. If the price of an item increases for suppliers, they can pass that on retailers in food industry. The bargaining power of Buyers is high as customers have lot of other grocery stores option to goto if they thought prices at Trader Joe’s were high. However, in Trader Joe’s case they were offering natural, healthy and organic food items far cheaper than their competitors. So customers were  loyal to Trader Joe’s. The threat of substitute in food industry is medium because people can eat outside more often rather than cooking at home. Moreover, other brand of an item might be more likable by the customers over Trader Joe’s brand. The intensity of competition is high as Whole Food and Kroger are trying imitate what Trader Joe’s are doing, and since they already have brand name achieved, it is not hard to get their prices down by negotiating with suppliers and making their own brand name organic food. In conclusion, the food and grocery industry is attractive since more companies are going towards natural and organic food. With right marketing techniques , good customer service and quality products, it would be good investment in this industry. Environmental Scan Trader Joe’s demographics are college students, health conscious, out-of-work professors, and most important educated customers. Socio-Cultural environment shows that society is gearing towards more natural and organic food and becoming health conscious. More people are having homemade food from savings perspective. Political environment show that FTC has tighten regulation to keep competitive environment. Also, due to Obama Care there is some savings for people that makes grocery products more affordable. Technological environment shows that there is more Point of Sales systems available with electronic shelf labels and scanner. In addition, self-checkout registers and advertising through mobile apps are getting more common. Economic environment factor shows that during economic downturn, in which i people tend to shop more at grocery stores. The gas prices has been low which gives disposable income to try new items at grocery stores. In conclusion, environment analysis suggest that people in the current  economy are getting extra income that they can spend on food that are natural, organic and healthy for them. With competitive market, the trend is moving towards healthy and low price options. From the SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and Environment Analysis, I recommend Trader Joe’s to increase marketing and advertising their brand much more, create more parking space or redesigning outside of current stores, and giving customers incentives to keep them returning to Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s should start using social media tools and use mobile applications to reach out to their fans and show they care about them. This requires less capital investment and offer great way to reach fans and building new customers. Trader Joe’s should make great shopping experience by making their parking lot bigger. They can built parking garages or decks to accommodate lot of customers increasing revenue of the company. Trader Joe’s should give customers incentives through loyalty-card program, and offer coupons on their website and mobile apps that can be added to customers loyalty cards to be easily redeemed. This will motivate customers to come back to their stores and buy more products, thus increasing the company sales and profit.

Communication Ethics

Vasquez, Maria Josefina Clara I. Purposive Communication 1BES2 Prof. Gloria Ward Communication Ethics The videos posted were about how people now a days are being unsocial, communication ethics, ethical issues and generation Z. Allison Graham's â€Å"How social media makes us unsocial† talks about the differences back then when it was simpler and how it has affected us now. According to (Transcriber, 2014) she said in her video, â€Å"I remember we had pagers time seemed a little simpler back then you get to be you may return the call you may not return the call.† And now she said (Transcriber, 2014) â€Å"I see families like this out to dinner all the time and it drives me nuts and I see couples on dates clearly together but on their cell phones.† You can see how back then there was no such thing as social media and now we are so dependent on this platform that we forget to socialize. Communication ethics is a term the most of us know because we need this in our daily lives may it be at school, home, or work. According to (Lipari, 2017) â€Å"Communication ethics concerns the creation and evaluation of goodness in all aspects and manifestations of communicative interaction.† For us to be able to have a healthy relationship with the people around us we need communication ethics because not everything that we say is acceptable to them vice versa. Even though we have communication ethics there are still ethical issues mainly in social media. In a YouTube video of Tyler Adams and Jenna Payne (2014) they shared 10 ethical issues in social media, but I will just input 5 Once you put something out there, it's there forever, Copyright, what you say can reach a lot of people, be aware of current events and trends, and Never lie or use misguiding information. These ethical issues are very important because one mistake can lead to another just like a domino effect. Generation Z are the ones who were born 1995 onwards while Millennials were born from 1980-1994 (Ahmad, 2018). According to (Beall, 2017), â€Å"Generation Z (also known as Post-Millennials, the iGeneration, Founders, Plurals, or the Homeland Generation) is the demographic cohort following the Millennials.† The Generation Z and Millennials have their own differences, in George Beall's article he wrote about 8 key differences between Gen Z and Millennials. Generation Z tends to be less focused than Millennials because this is due to the fact that by using social media the process for information is faster and this leads to low attention span (Beall, 2017). The videos posted was able to help me grasp the importance of communication ethics. It also made me realize how reliant I am to my phone and especially social media. The topics discussed was important because we use this daily from the moment we wake up until we fall back to sleep. It is important to know what we are supposed to do and not supposed to do. Social media is a way for us to connect with our family, friends, or even strangers (accan, n.d.). The social media platforms that most of us know is Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (accan, n.d.). These are platforms where you can share anything from posts to pictures or it can be used as a way to talk to your family, friends, or strangers. But even though social media helped us connect with people there is still a need to know how to be responsible in social media. Not everything that we delete in social media is deleted permanently it is still there. Social media is a platform to share ideas and insights it is not supposed to be used for bullying or sending hate messages. A research done by Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D. and Justin W. Patchin, Ph.D. (2009) on Safe and Responsible Social Networking was able to give ways on how to be safe in social media, they stated that the profile in social media should be private even though you know your friends well, secondly make sure that the pictures that you post is decent and not party pictures because this may be not good in your workplace, lastly don't put information on your social media that you want other people to know about because this could be used against you. Even though the videos posted on blackboard is helpful having readings about the topics is a need because it will add to the knowledge that we already know. The topic needs research because there are a lot of ways to be responsible in social media and there are also different ways to be ethical. All in all, the videos were helpful because there was enough information for someone to have a general background of the topics. These topics should be taught to students because our generation is reliant on our gadgets and social media and this topic helps everyone know thee do's and don'ts in social media. Communication ethics is a need in a daily basis because every day we socialize, and it is good to know how we are supposed to socialize with other people. BibliographyT. (2014, November 10). Transcriber.wiki. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://transcriber.wiki/?transcription=0f39ad0d7919c21e1074c253c43ae3d5Lipari, L. A. (2018, April 18). Communication Ethics. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from http://communication.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-58Adams, T., & Payne,J. (2014, September 12). 10 Ethical Issues in Social Media #CajigasSMLL. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_fulKc5wh0&t=4sAhmad, I. (2018, February 27). Comparing The Differences BetweenGeneration Z and Millennials [Infographic]. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/comparing-the-differences-between-generation-z-and-millennials-infographic/517903/Beall, G. (2017, November 06). 8 Key Differences betweenGen Z and Millennials. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-beall/8-key-differences-between_b_12814200.htmlAccan. (n.d.). Introduction to social media. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://accan.org.au/files/TipSheets/Introduction to Social Media.pdfHinduja, S., Ph.D., & Patchin, J. W., Ph.D. (2009). Safe and Responsible Social Networking. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://cyberbullying.org/safe-responsible-social-networking.pdf

Stragtegic Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stragtegic Management - Case Study Example The enormous size of the band had also drained its financial resources besides forcing members to rely on supplies from nearby villages. Travelers were now avoiding the forest altogether in order to prevent their goods from being confiscated. Robin Hood has the unique opportunity of encouraging people to travel through the forest by not robbing them and instead levy a transit tax. He also has the chance to contain the size of his band and remove any weak members who had become a liability for the group. These measures are necessary since the Sheriff’s power and determination are growing constantly. Besides enjoying a mighty political clout, the Sheriff has been probing the group for any weaknesses through a dense network of spies. CORE Competencies of the Company The band enjoys the benefit of dedication amongst all members towards the common cause of fighting against the rich and corrupt. Robin Hood has also knit the group into a disciplined unit where each task or responsibi lity is handled efficiently by an experienced member of the group. The group has also established policies to distribute any proceeds from raids equitably among members and has arrangements in place to store and safeguard the surplus. The group has also devised an efficient spying network that collects information on the movements of the Sheriff and other high-profile individuals in the region. Company Basic Objectives The primary objective of the band is to overthrow the corrupt and oppressive administration of the Sheriff. The band also aims at improving the living standards of the lesser privileged people in the region by targeting rich individuals and distributing their loot among the former. The group also works towards establishing alliances with people who have similar grievances against the government and are interested in fighting against this injustice. Company Basic Business Strategy The band’s leader, Robin Hood, believes in an inclusive approach in his fight agai nst the Sheriff. His primary strategy is to increase the strength and size of his band to match the might of the Sheriff and his men. All members of the band are also trained rigorously in skills like Archery and their strength and vigil is always put to test. There is also evidence that the group believes in covert tactics as it operates out of the forest and plans all its moves in advance based on gathered intelligence. Current Strategic Management Issues As mentioned previously, the group has grown vastly in size and it has become to maintain discipline and respect within the group. There is also a growing sense of uncertainty among members as experienced by Robin Hood, who could not recognize many of his band members. The band’s encampment is now thinly guarded as members have become more relaxed and discipline has become hard to monitor and implement. Robin Hood has given considerable thought to assassinating the Sheriff to take his revenge, but realizes that such a poss ibility is distantly remote. Moreover, the Sheriff enjoys enormous political and royal support and has friends in the judiciary. These factors render any planned move against the Sheriff even more dangerous, raising the chances of retribution if things were to go wrong. Actions which should be taken to address these Issues Firstly, Robin Hood should restrict the size of his band and refrain from including any new members. He should also reduce the size of his current group by retaining the strongest and skilled individuals while assigning