Mgt 4478 - 981 Words

1) Yes the alleged payments of bribes to Nigerian government officials by Jeffrey Tesler would be considered facilitating payments under the terms of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or also known as FCPA is against the bribery of foreign officials, essentially government officials in an attempt to reduce corruption and money laundering through the global financial system. Corrupt political officials and those in high army office were targeted with a view to preventing government officials from exploiting their positions to gain unfair commercial advantage. Tesler had long-standing relations with some 20 to 30 senior Nigeria government and military officials. Also Tesler promised to funnel big sums†¦show more content†¦It took the company until 2004 for Halliburton to stop their long standing relationship with Jeffrey Tesler and asked three partners in Nigeria to do the same. This should have taken place in 1999 when they rehired him to help with other contracts they won. 6) I believe that Halliburton should be called into account if it is shown that is KBR united used bribery to gain business in Nigeria. As an employee of a company you represent that company on and off the job. Therefore, its corporation and its officers should be held accountable for ethically or unethically suspects activities by the managers in one of its subsidiaries. Even though many of these activities have taken place before Halliburton owned the subsidiary they should have done a background check of the subsidiaries to make sure they knew what they were getting. For example Wojciech Chodan had hand written notes on the encore him and Tesler had, these notes showed signs of embezzlement. Halliburton should have done their research before buying KBR out. On a personal level I feel they are just as responsible for the mistakes that happened before they owned KBR as they are responsible for the mistakes made while owning KBR. Hill, C. (2011). International business, competing in the global marketplace. (8 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. N, A. (n.d.).

Logical and Physical Network Design Free Essays

Introduction This paper presents a brief overview of what goes into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) contract. It also presents an example of one. Contents This publication contains the following topics: Topic Why Have Service Level Agreements? Contract Areas to Consider Contract Components Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract See Page 2 3 6 8 -1- Why Have Service Level Agreements? Rationale SLAs are critical towards formalizing expectations around services with end users and customers. We will write a custom essay sample on Logical and Physical Network Design or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without these, customer expectations will assume that everything will be delivered and available at a 100% level all the time. Very little can be done about poor service when there is no definition what good service is. Objectives should be set that describe items such as response times, availability, turnaround and accuracy. Customers and IT should commit to a mutually acceptable means of verifying compliance with service objectives and agree on actions that must take place when exceptions occur. Key Goals Key goals of undertaking formalized service arrangements are as follows: †¢ Allow for IT to understand customer service requirements. †¢ Control customer expectations for levels of service to be delivered. Allow for clear understanding of priorities when handling service problems. -2- Contract Areas to Consider Overview The following section presents a number of key areas to consider when building SLA Contract documents. Level of Formalization Service levels may range from a formalized contract that is signed off by representative customer departments to informal â€Å"known† levels internal to IT functions. IT should be aware which level of formalization is appropriate. Ability to Meet Service Targets IT should ensure that documented levels of service can indeed be met. Targets should allow for a latitude contingency to cover occasional problems or slowdowns to occur without jeopardizing targets. Within ITIL, Availability Management should review planned targets and provide guidance as to what levels may be appropriate given current IT capabilities. Requirements for new capabilities should be highlighted to management to determine whether to invest in them or not. Control of Customer Expectations Targets should be communicated to customers in terms that make them clearly understood from their perspective. This promotes a good level of understanding and cooperation when service problems do occur. Handling SLA Contract Changes Processes should be in place to handle changes in service requirements. Customers may wish to negotiate better service levels, add new functions that require new levels of service or periodically renew current levels. These should be negotiated through a Service Level Manager and processed via Change Management. Number of SLA Contracts Less is better, more greatly increases management overhead to report and manage. It may be determined to have a single contract for all departments versus multiple service contracts for different departments. Another structure may be to have a base agreement that covers everyone as a default with a limited set of overriding contracts for unique needs. Continued on next page -3- Contract Areas to Consider, Continued Types of Service Targets to Be Included The types of service targets to be provided should be identified in the service level contract. Examples of types of service targets include items such as: †¢ Response Times †¢ Availability Windows †¢ Equipment Service And Repair Times †¢ Technical Support Response and Level †¢ Report Or Other Media Delivery †¢ Security Access †¢ Data Retention and Backup Requirements Determining Customer Services It will be necessary to identify what critical customer workloads are. From this a specific service level can be derived. Workloads can be defined as one or more customer functions that require service from IT. Examples of these might include items such as: †¢ Processing patient accounts in a hospital. †¢ Entering orders from customers on a phone. †¢ Accessing E-Mail. †¢ Retrieving and creating memos. Each of the above have an associated level of service that allows that function to be accomplished successfully. This level might include availability of service to that function. (i. ; E-Mail will be available from 8AM to 9PM on weekdays). It might also include a level of response. (i. e; Order Entry transactions on a terminal must provide a response time less than 5 seconds 85% of the time). Most organizations have found it helpful to implement an ITIL Service Catalog to better define what these services are. With this, the SLA contract would only need to reference those service descriptions. The Catalog can also serve to centralize all of these definitions in one place. Multiple Targets For Services It may desired to provide or negotiate multiple service levels for a single customer service. An example of this might be negotiating a lower response time for peak hours of the day and a higher response time at other hours. Another example might be provision of high availability all the time but specific functions or files may be unavailable at certain times of the day. Continued on next page -4- Contract Areas to Consider, Continued Resolution of Service Disputes It may be desired to put a process in place that fairly identifies resolutions to problems or misunderstandings in service expectations. This may be a committee of representative Customer and IT personnel without a direct interest in the problems under discussion. Operational Level Agreements and Underpinning Contracts In an environment where the service to be delivered is provided by multiple departments, organizations or outside vendors, service boundaries must be clearly defined. This identifies where responsibilities lie and what kinds of services have to be delivered by each service delivery entity. An example of this might include a client/server architected application where end user response time service consists of both mainframe processing and server/front-end processing. If these two components are managed by ifferent organizations, then each organization should set up an operational level agreement. As an example of the above, mainframe response time targets will be under 5 seconds 85% of the time, server processing will be under 3 seconds 80% of the time. This would result in the actual service level to the customer of a response time less than 8 seconds 80% of the time. Service Targets Must Be Reportable Any service level that is set must be able to be adequately reported on. It would be useless to establish a service level for which monitoring data cannot be collected. The operational efforts and costs involved with monitoring and reporting on any given service level should be taken into account when that level is set. -5- Contract Components Overview A Service Level Contract is a key component of a formalized service level agreement process. Key components of this document are described in this section. Contract Dates Starting and ending dates that the contract is to be in force. If ending dates are specified, new service level agreements may have to be created for projects or departments that function beyond the end dates. Contract Numbers These may be necessary if negotiating multiple contracts. They simply identify specific contracts. Customer Identification Identifying information that describes the group of users who are included within the scope of the contract. Demand Periods It is helpful to identify periods of time in which types of use are likely to make the greatest service demands on processing resources. Some targets may differ depending on demand periods. For example, an E-Mail service may have a lesser target for response time during the start of work when most employees retrieve their messages. There may be a higher target for slower periods later in the day. Project or Departmental Description A brief description of the department or project to be serviced. This may include its main purpose or business function and how processing supports the goals of that entity. Expected Service Requirements A description in clear concise terms of the service level targets to be delivered by IT to support the department(s) or project(s) covered by the service contract. These should be in business terms and from the customer perspective as much as possible. Continued on next page -6- Contract Components, Continued Service Assumptions If needed, this section can be included to describe any service assumptions used to support the service levels being delivered. Examples might include: †¢ A set number of customer users not to be exceeded †¢ Specific IT capacities that might incur additional costs if exceeded †¢ Allowances for special times of the day, week, month or year Target Calculations Methodologies or calculations used to determine service expectations should be documented. The purpose is to clearly state how service levels may be calculated, measured and reported on. IT Charging Costs Any assumptions or expected costs of delivering the service should also be documented. Determination of costs is aided by the Capacity Planning and Financial Management processes. In some cases, it may be necessary to include a sample charging bill. Contract Maintenance This section should describe the conditions under which the contract should be changed. It should identify who is responsible for reporting on the quality of service delivered and how service disputes may be resolved. Contract Responsibilities This section should identify organizations or personnel responsible for support activities related to Contract Maintenance, Service Level Reporting, Service Level Dispute Resolution and Renegotiation of Service Levels. Signature Block This section provides space for Customer and IT sign-off to the terms in the contract. -7- Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract Introduction The following pages present one example of a comprehensive Service Level Agreement contract. This example is probably much more formalized than necessary but illustrates some of the concepts discussed in this paper. Continued on next page 8- Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT Contract Date: Agreement Number: Division: Location: Project: Peak Times: Expiration Date: This document with attachments specifies the agreement between the above named business unit and the Data Processing Center (DPC) for shared computing services. This agreement consists of the following sections: Section I: Section II: Section III: Section IV: Section V: Section VI: Services To Be Provided Expected Service Requirements Service Assumptions Costs Contract Maintenance DPC Responsibilities Section VI: Section VII: Customer Responsibilities Service Change Control Procedure Section VIII: Signatures -9- Continued on next page – 10 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION I: SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED Business Unit Description, Business Unit Scope And Desired Services to be provided. May provide references to ITIL Service Catalog here†¦. SECTION II: EXPECTED SERVICE REQUIREMENTS Examples (May list for each service to be provided or reference ITIL Service Catalog): Response Time Requirements: Availability Requirements: Report/Media Delivery Requirements Data Retention and Back-Up Requirements: Technical Support Requirements: Job/Report Turnaround Requirements: Security Requirements: Continued on next page – 11 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION III: SERVICE ASSUMPTIONS The services and costs within this agreement are based on the assumptions below. Any assumption found invalid could have an effect on ability to meet service targets and/or costs charged for services. Changes to assumptions will be handled in accordance with the Service Change Control Procedure described in this agreement. The service assumptions included with this agreement are: SECTION IV: COSTS COST FACTOR RULE AND CHARGES APPLIED ——————————- Anticipated Costs Per Period —————————-Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Continued on next page – 12 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION V: CONTRACT MAINTENANCE Terms for Renegotiation Penalties/Rewards Service Level Reporting Responsibilities Service Problem Resolution Responsibilities Continued on next page – 13 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION VI: DPC RESPONSIBILITIES DPC will provide IT Service Management to control the services described in this agreement. DPC will appoint a Service Manager who will have responsibility for: Coordinating DPC activities and responsibilities to address any service issues that may arise. Interfacing with the customer Service Contact for service issues and requests for service changes. With the customer Service Contact, administer the Service Change Control Procedure described in this agreement. Delivering service reports to the customer Service Contact. Maintain service communications and reviewing any service improvement actions and progress with the customer Service Contact during execution of this agreement on a regular basis. Continued on next page – 14 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION VI: CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES This section identifies the customer responsibilities associated with this agreement. DPC’s performance is predicated upon the responsibilities identified below. Prior to the start of this agreement, customer will designate a person, called the Service Contact to whom all DPC communications will be addressed and who has the authority to act for customer in all aspects of this agreement. The responsibilities of the Customer Contact include: Serve as the interface between DPC and all customer departments participating included in the scope of this contract. With the DPC Service Manager, administer the Service Change Control Procedure as described in Section VII of this agreement. Attend service status meetings. Obtain and provide information, data, decisions and approvals, within 3 working days of DPC’s request unless DPC and the customer agree to an extended response time. Resolve deviations from service assumptions which may be caused by customer. Help resolve service issues and escalate issues within customer’s organization, as necessary. The following responsibilities by appropriate customer personnel involved in this project are as follows: Continued on next page – 15 – Example Of A Service Level Agreement Contract, Continued SECTION VII: SERVICE CHANGE CONTROL PROCEDURE The following provides a detailed process to follow if a change to this agreement is required: A Request For Change (RFC) will be the vehicle for communicating change. The RFC must describe the change, the rationale for the change and the effect the change will have on the services. The designated contact of the requesting party will review the proposed change and determine whether to submit the request to the other party. The receiving contact will review the proposed change and approve it for further investigation or reject it within three (3) working days. The investigation will determine the effect that the implementation of the RFC will have on service targets, service charges and service assumptions related to this agreement. 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A New Small Scale Boutique for women Apparels

Question: Develop your business idea into a viable business model, review your market / industry, competitors and your competitive advantage (who are your competitors and why are you different?). You need to demonstrate that you understand your market and who will buy your product or service and why. Answer: Company and Product Overview My business idea is to open a new small scale boutique for women apparels. The purpose of this boutique is to concentrate on the clothing of the young ladies. The products which are going to highlight in this boutique are the trendy and fashionable outfits which grab the mind of the young ladies. Other accessories like handbags, wallets, ladies watches, rings etc are also planning to be displayed. The boutique is going to open in a prime location in London. Since the location selected is in the city center there will be more attraction for the shop which can enhance the inflow of the customers. A supervisor and three staff members are planning to allot in the boutique so as to help and assist the customers and make their purchasing experience satisfactory. Ladies Apparels: coupon cabin, 2015 The apparels selected would be from the leading fashion designers so that quality and the design of the clothing can be ensured. The clothing which is displayed in the showroom would be trendy and handpicked by the expert fashion designers which can gather good fame and reputation for the organization. For making this business idea successful, it is essential to conduct a market research on UK market primarily in London as it is a small scale company. Other risk factors, opportunities, competitors analysis are also to be conducted so as to formulate appropriate business strategies (Navarro, 2015). Market Analysis As far a new business plan is taken into consideration, market analysis is relevant for its success. For opening a new shop and to implement the business activities successfully it is very essential to identify the influence of the internal and the external business environment over the new business idea. The feasibility and reliability of the business idea women apparel boutique in the UK market can be determined by performing market analysis. Some of the scientific management tools which can be adopted for this purpose are the PESTLE analysis, SWOT analysis and Porters five force analysis (Basiri et al, 2016). PESTLE Analysis Political: As far as the UK market is taken into consideration, the political situation is highly stable. The organization can smoothly launch their new business without any political hindrance. Getting license and approval for the boutique will be easier under this political situation. Economical: Since the UK is an economically stable market, finding the financial source for the investment for the boutique will be easier. Through providing the tax rates and other tariffs as per the regulation of the UK government the business operations of the boutique can be carried out smoothly (Carthy and Hay, 2015). Social: The UK is a market with a good buying potential. The customers over there prefer new and standardized products. Almost all families have dual income which makes them potential enough to buy trendy apparels. Technological: The UK population prefers technological up gradations and are quick adapters to the new products. Through providing online services, it will be easier to positively influence the sales and promotion of the new product line. Legal: The legal issues can arise here as there are many competitors in this industry. Some complications can happen while entering into the contract with the fashion designers other suppliers etc. As the government of UK wants the small scale organizations also to follow the rules and regulations of the health and safety of employees, employee rights etc, it also becomes essential to stick on to those policies so as to avoid legal complications (Huizer et al, 2015). Environmental: The nonseasonal periods can affect the sales and the promotion apparels. Porters Five Force Analysis This is an effective tool which can be utilized for the analysis of the external environment of the organization. Through this tool the risks associated with the external factors of the new business idea boutique for women apparels. Bargaining Power of Customers: The bargaining power of the customers for this product will be very high. The customers are having lots of other options for buying the apparels they prefer. If the customer is not satisfied with the product quality or price, then they can opt for other brands easily (Mathooko and Ogutu, 2015). Porters five force analysis Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The demand for the suppliers will also be high as there is many small scale and large scale clothing showrooms in London. Getting the appointment and entering into an agreement with leading fashion designers are much difficult. For continuing the contract with the fashion designers and other suppliers, it is necessary to maintain a good relationship with them (Fitzpatrick, Nguyen and Cayan, 2015). The Threat of new entrants: The probability that the new organization can rise in this industry offering the same product is very high. This can affect the sales and the profit generation of the organization. The Threat of Substitute products: This threat is lower for this product as there is no substitute for the clothing and the women prefer to wear the trendy dress all times (Doyle and Windheim, 2015). Competitive Rivalry: The competition is very high in this industry. There are many national and international companies who are offering quality and standardized clothing to the customers of UK. SWOT Analysis The strength, weakness, threat and opportunities of the new business idea boutique for women apparels are determined and highlighted here (Jaber et al, 2015). Strength weakness Good demand for the trendy apparels The product selected is nonperishable provision of online services Lack of experience to deal with the new business. Threat Opportunities High degree of competition. Customers buying decision can change frequently The UK is a potential market for the clothing industry and the chances of growth are very high. Target Market Segments For placing the products appropriately and to make the promotional activities more effective, it is essential to segment the markets according to the product. Here the UK market can be segmented and the target market segments can be identified for the new retail shop. The target market segments are considered as the right audience of the product who can buy the product or who is in need of the product (Grg, 2016). For this small scale organization, the target market can be segmented broadly into women segment. The product is primarily intended for women who belong to all age groups. The target audience women are also classified based on the income of the family. The target segments are specified below. Target segment 1: Business class women: This segment of customers requires executive collections which suit for their business activities. This category of women will have enough potential to afford costly apparels for their business purpose and also for other occasions. Hence, this segment is a potential segment and can be approached appropriately. These segment wont be bothered about the money rather they provide importance to the quality of the product; hence, they are more potential customers (Milln, Fanjul and Moital, 2016). Target segment 2: High-class women: This segment of customers provides value only to quality not to the price of the product. As far as UK market is taken into consideration, the percentage of high-class women is huge, especially in London. These segments prefer costly and trendy apparels. Target segment 3: Young ladies: These segments prefer low cost and trendy clothing. They act as the frequent visitors to the shop as their mind changes as the trend changes. (Du et al, 2016). The size of each target market segment in the UK market is statistically represented below Market Entry Strategy While launching a new retail shop, it is essential to adopt appropriate market entry strategy so that the customers can be attracted easily. For launching the new business in the market UK, the organization can adopt the following market entry strategy (Burton and Cross, 2015. A). Strategic alliance: Entering into a partnership with the other leading retailers or wholesalers in the UK can be an efficient and a risk-free strategy. Under this strategy business risk associated with an investment, marketing, promotion, formulation of business strategies etc will be less. The main issue associated with it is the sharing of the business information and sometime this market entry strategy can delay the decision making process. It would be a better strategy if a credible partner is identified for implementing the strategic alliance (Ensign and Lunney, 2015). Opening show-room in the UK: This is a good option for maintaining the quality policies, standards etc of the small scale organization. Through this the risks associated with the information sharing, damage in the reputation etc can be avoided. This strategy requires huge investments and political risks are required. The organization will have to undergo with many formalities to get sanction from the government (Li, Qian and Yao, 2015). Business Model The business models of an organization can be considered as a strategic management tool or as an entrepreneurial tool which can be used to highlight and specify various methods which a firm adopts so as to make the revenue as per the plans and estimates. It involves various methods through which can be adopted for making a business successful or to run a business as per the plan (Sols, Masanell and Tatj, 2015). Business models, source: creative realities, PDMA, 2011 A business model can be developed for the new small scale organization for the launching of its new retail business. Key Partners Investors, vendor or retailers in the UK market, regulatory agencies. Key Activities Branch operations, getting the license, making online facilities for apparels, providing training and development to staff members. Key Resources Financial resources for performing the international business, sufficient human resources. Value propositions Deposit products at lower interest rates and loan products at higher interest rates. Relationships maintaining public relations and providing high quality customer service Channels Product distribution channels like the retailers in the UK market, intermediate agencies. Customer Segments Target market segment involves the business class women, high class and the youth. Cost structure internal expense, construction costs, marketing costs, tax rates and tariff rates, labor costs etc. Revenue Streams Revenue from online sales, direct sales in the market, strategic alliance etc. Business model for new retail shop Estimated Budget for opening the apparel retail show room: Legal $1,000Logo, Stationery $1,500 Utilities Telephone $2,000 Packaging $2,500 Business Supplies $600 Real Estate Attorney $2,000CPA $500 Grand Opening Event $3,000 Signage $1,500 POS System $3,500 Bank Card Machine Supplies $400 Build-out $15,000 Business Inventory Insurance $2,500 Travel-Market Buying Trips $2,250 Total Start-up Expenses $38,250 Start-up Assets $18,200 Start-up Inventory $80,000 Other Current Assets $0 Long-term Assets $15,000 Total Assets $113,200Total Requirements $151,450 Competitors identification, Analysis and competitive advantage Identification of the competitors is very essential for an organization so as to remain competitive in the market. Through monitoring the activities of the competitors the organization can formulate efficient strategies through which they can gain competitive advantage. The competitors are involved in the external environment of the organization which can influence the smooth functioning of the organization. Here some of the competitors of the new small scale organization are identified and certain analysis is performed (Yu, Wang and Brouthers, 2015). The competitors for this new small scale retail shop in the UK are to be identified so as to formulate strategies to achieve competitive advantage. Some of them include the Pretty Eccentric a British clothing retailer (Pretty Eccentric, 2011), Hobbs, ASOS etc. These three organizations are the leading retail shops in UK market which holds a good customer base. These organizations remained successful in achieving good sales and revenue from the UK market. Now competitor analysis is performed on these organizations to identify its strength and weakness which will contribute to the gaining of opportunities and identifying threats for the new retail shop (Kim, 2015). Competitors Strengths Weakness Pretty Eccentric Good customer loyalty and reputation. Have traditional and heritage value Lacks online facilities Hobbs Trendy product lines highly savvy less product differentiation ASOS Branded product High quality and standards. High cost Less product differentiation. The identified strength and weakness can be considered for building up competitive advantage for the organization. So as to achieve competitive advantage, the new boutique should focus on the promotion of the online service and purchase effectively as the UK customers prefers online purchase. New trendy and innovative apparels and other accessories can be introduced which enhances the convenience of the customers to compete with the market giants. Providing better customer service and satisfaction can also help the organization in achieving competitive advantage (Bharadwaj, Varadarajan and Fahy, 2015). Value Proposition Value proposition can be considered as a promise from the firm concerning the delivery of the value of the product or service and the belief of the customers regarding the value expectation from the firm. When these promise and the expectations are balanced, customer loyalty, satisfaction, sales, revenue etc can be generated (Osterwalder et al, 2015). Value selling proposition, source: peterjthomson, 2013 So as to maintain effective value proposition for the new organization I will have to identify the wants, fears, and needs of the target customers. The target segment business category women expect high quality, executive model apparels and other accessories which suit their occupation. Hence to maintain a value proposition the products matching their expectations should be displayed. Similarly the expectations of the high class as well the young ladies should also be met so as to gain more customer loyalty and revenue. The success of the new business remains in maintaining a balance between the customer expectations and the service provision. Providing high quality dress material, high quality customer service etc can add value to the success as well as the reputation of the organization. References Basiri, A., Moore, T., Hill, C. and Bhatia, P., 2015. Challenges of Location-Based Services Market Analysis: Current Market Description. In Progress in Location-Based Services 2014 (pp. 273-282), Springer International Publishing Bharadwaj, S.G., Varadarajan, P.R. and Fahy, J., 2015. Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Service Industries: A Conceptual Model and Research Propositions. In Proceedings of the 1992 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 441-443). Springer International Publishing. Breaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Sols, H., Casadesusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Masanell, R. and Grifellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Tatj, E., 2015. Business model evaluation: quantifying Walmart's sources of advantage. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 9(1), pp.12-33. Burton, F. and Cross, A.R., 2015. A Reappraisal of Franchising Across National Boundaries in Foreign Market Entry Mode Analysis, In Proceedings of the 1993 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 638-642). Springer International Publishing Du, F., Yang, F., Liang, L. and Yang, M., 2016. Do service providers adopting market segmentation need cooperation with third parties? An application to hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(1) Doyle, M.W. and Von Windheim, J., 2015. Environmental Management Strategy: Four Forces Analysis. Environmental management, 55(1), pp.6-18 Ensign, P.C. and Lunney, A.R., 2015, Struggling With Market Entry and Expansion: Parlance Communications in Mexico. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 39(3), pp.701-721 Fitzpatrick, B.D., Nguyen, Q.Q.A. and Cayan, Z., 2015. An Upgrade To Competitive Corporate Analysis: Creation Of A Personal Finance Platform To Strengthen Porters Five Competitive Forces Model In Utilizing. Journal of Business Economics Research (JBER), 13(1), pp.54-78 Grg, M., 2016, Market positions as perceived by project-based organisations in the typical project business segment. International Journal of Project Management, 34(2), pp.187-201 Huizer, Y.L., Kraaij-Dirkzwager, M.M., Timen, A., Schuitmaker, T.J. and van Steenbergen, J.E., 2015. Context analysis for epidemic control in the Netherlands, Health Policy, 119(1), pp.66-73 Jaber, J.O., Elkarmi, F., Alasis, E. and Kostas, A., 2015, Employment of renewable energy in Jordan: Current status, SWOT and problem analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 49, pp.490-499 Kim, K.H., 2015. Competitor Identià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cation Through Vicarious Learning. Research Journal of Business Management, 9(2), pp.308-318 Li, J., Qian, C. and Yao, F.K., 2015. Confidence in learning: Interà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ and intraorganizational learning in foreign market entry decisions. Strategic Management Journal, 36(6), pp.918-929 Milln, A., Fanjul, M.L. and Moital, M., 2016, Segmenting the Business Traveler Based on Emotions, Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intention, Psychology Marketing, 33(2), pp.82-93 Mathooko, F.M. and Ogutu, M., 2015, Porters five competitive forces framework and other factors that influence the choice of response strategies adopted by public universities in Kenya, International Journal of Educational Management, 29(3), pp.334-354 McCarthy, A. and Hay, S., 2015, Negotiation Planning in Practice, In Advanced Negotiation Techniques (pp. 57-60), Apress Navarro, F., 2015, Business plan: A preliminary approach to an unknown genre. Ibrica, 30, pp.129-154 Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G. and Smith, A., 2015. Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want. John Wiley Sons Pretty Eccentric, 2011,"Sussex Life, https://www.prettyeccentric.co.uk/ Yu, C.L., Wang, F. and Brouthers, K.D., 2015, Domestic and foreign competitor identification and firm performance, European Journal of International Management, 9(4), pp.463-483 Appendix Literature Review The modern business environment is highly competitive and it becomes essential for each and every organization to expand its business to remain competitive and to enhance its profit margin. Product differentiation is an effective strategy for achieving the competitive advantage in the market. This paper speaks about the launching of a new business plan, a retail apparel show room exclusively for women. The plan is to launch this shop in the UK market. Various analysis are performed so as to ensure a successful launch for this small scale organization. Market analysis is the primary procedure before implementing product differentiation or for launching any new product or services. Various tools like PESTLE analysis, porters five force analysis, SWOT analysis etc can be performed for analyzing the market. Through these scientific management tools, the external and internal environment of the organization as well as the market can be analyzed. This will enable the organization to identify risks associated with the new launch, political, economical, social, technological, environment and legal factors which can influence the new business. The outcome of this analysis will enable the management to find solutions for various problems associated with the business plan. They can formulate effective strategies for making the new business successful. Here the target market is taken as UK for launching the new apparel shop, hence market analysis is performed based on UK. From the analysis it has been identified that UK is a potential market for new retail shop which is exclusively for women. The market condition is also identified as perfect where they can run the business smoothly. Identification of the target market segment and promoting the products appropriately can enhance the sales and the profit generation. Hence understanding the needs and requirement of the customers are necessary. Here based on the product market segmentation is performed for focusing the sales specifically based on customer requirement. The target market is segmented the target market into three different categories. They include the business class, high class and youth. This classification is performed based on the clothing requirement, income, life style etc of the target customers. This makes the promotional activities easier and customer specific. Adoption of the appropriate market entry strategy is relevant. This should be selected based on the current situation of the organization and the risk associated with the business. The market entry mode selected for the organization is strategic alliance and opening new show room. For the maintenance the reputation and standardization of the organization these two strategies are identified as appropriate. Developing of business model is practiced in almost all organizations for ensuring a systematic and hindrance free implementation of business paln. The business model has been developed for the retail shop highlighting the key resources, key activities, cost, revenue etc. The competitors of the organization are identified and an analysis is performed so as to identify its strength and weakness. This has enabled the management to formulate appropriate strategies to gain the competitive advantage. The value proposition of the new product and that of the expectation of the customers are analyzed which enabled in the identification of the unique selling point of the new business.

Quality and Operations Management System

Question: What is the quality policy of Lumiere hotel? Describe the objectives and as well as goals. Answer: Lee, K.J., 2014. Attitudinal dimensions of professionalism and service quality efficacy of frontline employees in hotels.International Journal of Hospitality Management,41, pp.140-148. Quality policy The quality policy of Lumiere hotel described the objectives and as well as goals. The underlying policy is very essential in continuous improvement. It helps in evaluating the performance and measuring the quality provided by the underlying hotel. It is very essential for the top management to develop the appropriate quality policy for this company. In the quality policy of the company, there is a commitment involved that the underlying company must improve their services continuously. The quality policy must be communicated between the employees of the underlying company. The underlying hotel provides the quality management and improves their services continuously. The quality policy of the underlying hotel includes different behaviors and principles which include: The underlying hotel develops the profitable relationships with their customers. The hotel focuses on evaluating the needs of their customers in order to become successful in long term. The underlying hotel achieves their commitments related to cost and quality. The hotel under discussion enhances its research in order to improve the quality of their products and services. It follows the higher level of practices. The hotel takes survey in order to evaluate the needs and demands of customers and to provide best practices to the customers. The hotel innovate their business processes. The underlying hotel provides training to their staff members in order to provide best quality services to the customers. The underlying hotel provides all of these quality services and functions to their customers by adopting the quality policy. This quality policy helps the underlying hotel to become competitive in the market. The quality policy of the hotel provides help and guidance in improving its services. The customers want improved services. The underlying hotel followed the quality policy that fulfills all the standards of good services ISO 9001 (Moliner et.al, 2015 p.307). Stakeholders The five stake holders of the underlying hotel are: Individuals/customers Businesses Tourist Competitors Suppliers Stakeholder needs Individuals want the best quality services and food from hotel. Due to a change in the taste, individuals want differentiated products in order to satisfy their needs and demands. The underlying hotel must provide the improved services and best quality food to the individuals in order to enhance its profitability and retain their customers (Burgess 2012 p.151). Businesses acquire hotels for meeting and for providing lunch or dinner to their employees. Business holders want a peaceful and calm environment for meeting. It is the duty of the hotel to provide peaceful environment to the businesses in order to conduct meeting. Also the businesses hire restaurants for providing lunch or dinner to their employees and expect that the underlying hotel will provide the best quality food to their employees. Several tourists acquire hotel for stay. The tourist expect best accommodation place from the hotel. Also, they want good quality and reliable food. It is very crucial for the hotel to provide the food according to the demand of the tourist. The hotel must provide the best accommodation place to the tourists that satisfy their needs. Competitors are also called the rivals. The competitors of the hotel continuously improve their services and food in order to provide a tough competition. The main purpose of the competitors is to provide the best quality services to the individuals which their competitors cannot provide. Also they provide the services at lower cost in order to attract customers. The competitors of the hotel expect lower quality food and services from other hotels. The suppliers are also the external stake holders of the hotel. The supplier expects the higher amount of their supplies and tries to provide the high quality material to the hotels (Noordzy et.al, 2015 p.140). Processes that fulfill the needs of stakeholders The company must adopt several processes in order to fulfill the needs of stake holders. Some of these processes include: Check in process It is essential for the company to maintain the current level of communication in order to fulfill the needs of the stakeholders. When the company will engage in the process, it will help it to check in and further refined the process of communication. Modifying communication Communication is very essential in order to fulfill the needs of the stakeholders. By adopting communication, the company can report the areas that need to be changed. Transparency Enhance the level of trust and confidence of the stakeholders by providing them assurance. Modifying performance Evaluate and identify new ideas in order to satisfy the needs of the stakeholders. Change the process of the company after taking feedback from the stakeholders. Transformative engagement Change the strategies of the company and maintain the level that stakeholders want (Asif 2013 p.7). Modifying performance Inputs Identify current level of performance The management of the company evaluates and identifies the current level of performance and try to improve it in order to provide better results. Change the organizational behavior The company generates and develops different ideas in order to change the behavior of an organization. In order to improve the performance of the company, it is very crucial to change the behavior of the underlying company. Change the organizational infrastructure It is very crucial to change the infrastructure of the company in order to improve the performance of that company. Change in the infrastructure helps the company to achieve the higher output. Set goals The company must set their targets and goals in order to improve its performance. Resources requirements It is essential for the company to identify that the capital and material available is sufficient in order to improve the performance of the company. Time Time is a most important input in the performance improvement. Available budget It is essential for the company to have a budget for the improvement in its performance. Training The company must provide trainings and develop skills in their employees. Utilization of best material The company can improve its performance by the utilization of the best material. Motivate employees When the employees of the company become motivated, it will help the company in improving its performance. Outputs Increase efficiency When the performance of the company will enhance, it provides help in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of that company. Improved services Improved in the performance of the company helps in providing the improved services to their customers. Better quality food After enhancing the performance, the company will provide the best quality food to their customers in order to satisfy their demands. Customer satisfaction After improving the performance, the company will be able to provide the services according to the expectations of customers and this will help to satisfy the customers. Increase profitability A company can enhance its profitability by taking improvements in its performance (Chen 2014 p.260). Parameters of modifying performance Employee satisfaction The main focus of the company is to satisfy their employees in order to make the workplace happier and better. Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction is an essential parameter of modifying performance of the company. Cash flow Cash is actually the life blood of the company and it is the most important parameter of the modifying performance. Productivity Improved performance impacts on the productivity of the company. Gross margin It is the most important parameter that identifies and evaluates the financial performance and improved performance of the company (Malamis and Katsou 2013 p.428). Methods to measure the performance parameter Attendance It is the most important method to analyze that the employee is involved in his work or not. Helpfulness The employees and the company must be helpful to the customers of the company. Efficiency It is most important that the employees of the company must be efficient and must complete their work on the given time. Initiative It involves taking the steps in order to achieve the target. It is very important for the employees of the company to take initiatives. Quality The employees must provide the best quality work (Dormann et.al, 2013 p.27). Components of continuous improvement program Continuous improvement program helps the hotel to improve their services and quality of food. The underlying program helps the hotel to continuously improve and satisfy the demand of their customers. This program helps in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the hotels. Improvement is not only limited to the food and services provided by the hotel. Also the strategies of the company, hotel and supplier relationship needs continuous improvement. The main purpose of the continuous improvement program is to become better at any time. There are several components of continuous improvement program. Some of them are as follows: Management commitment This is the most important component of the continuous improvement program. The underlying program requires a clear and unambiguous commitment from the management of the company. It also needs effort in order to provide high quality process and services. It is the duty of the management to elaborate the importance of quality to all of the employees of the company. The executives of the company must approve all the resources that exhibit the commitment (Safi et.al, 2016 p.172). Training and qualification of employee Training of employees is very crucial in order to provide best quality services. It is the duty of the company to evaluate the qualification of its employee and provide training to them. This is very crucial factor of continuous improvement program. In order to continuously improve the quality, improve qualification and skills are required. If the company has a record of the qualification of employees, the underlying company can easily predict that which employee needs further training. The company has to develop the training program in order to provide efficient trainings and achieve best feedback from the employees (Lee 2014 p.140). Evaluation of supplier In order to improve the quality of the output, it is very essential that the suppliers deliver the best quality material to the company. The company has to evaluate the quality of the material provided by the supplier. High quality material from the side of the supplier also exhibits that the supplier follows the quality program. The company has to check that the supplier provide the material as demanded by the company. After providing inspection on the material provided by the supplier, the company can easily evaluate that the level of quality provided by the supplier and identify that the quality program followed by the supplier are effective or not (Hsu et.al, 2014 p.2658). Documentation control It is one of the most important components of continuous improvement program. It is essential for every owner of the business to know about the person who approves and receives the documents and which versions of the documents are valid. In the continuous improvement program, it is very difficult task for the owners. After the evaluation of the problems, the process of the company has changed and the company provides better processes in order to become more efficient (Kim et.al, 2013 p.369). Verification and testing By using the test procedures, the company improves the quality of their services and verify it that how the services of the company can improve. Taking customer survey helps in improving the quality of the services. There are several test parameters used by the company in the continuous improvement program. These parameters include finish the durability, robustness and the time of failure (Jain and Manolios 2015 p.443). Evaluation of Non-Conformities The main purpose of this component is to identify that which part of the continuous improvement program is insufficient and ineffective. It helps to identify the area in which the problem exists and helps in improving the quality of the services. Non conformities help to identify the root cause of the problem (Forti, et.al, 2012). Corrective action After analyzing the problem, the company takes corrective action and provides training to its employees in order to reduce the mistakes in future (Sparks et.al, 2016 p.74). References Moliner, J.P. and Tar, J.J., 2015. Quality certification, performance and size in hotel chains.Tourism Economics,21(2), pp.307-324. Burgess, C., 2012. Multiple stakeholders and middle managers: the role of the hotel financial controller.The Service Industries Journal,32(1), pp.151-169. Noordzy, G. and Whitfield, R., 2015. Project Management of New Hotel Openings.Educational Strategies for the Next Generation Leaders in Hotel Management, p.140. Asif, M., Searcy, C., Zutshi, A. and Fisscher, O.A., 2013. An integrated management systems approach to corporate social responsibility.Journal of cleaner production,56, pp.7-17. Chen, K.Y., 2014. Improving importance-performance analysis: The role of the zone of tolerance and competitor performance. The case of Taiwan's hot spring hotels.Tourism Management,40, pp.260-272. Malamis, S. and Katsou, E., 2013. A review on zinc and nickel adsorption on natural and modified zeolite, bentonite and vermiculite: Examination of process parameters, kinetics and isotherms.Journal of Hazardous Materials,252, pp.428-461. Dormann, C.F., Elith, J., Bacher, S., Buchmann, C., Carl, G., Carr, G., Marquz, J.R.G., Gruber, B., Lafourcade, B., Leito, P.J. and Mnkemller, T., 2013. Collinearity: a review of methods to deal with it and a simulation study evaluating their performance.Ecography,36(1), pp.27-46. Safi, M.H. and Arshi, S., 2016. The Relationship between Perceived Organizational Justice and Organizational Commitment with Job Satisfaction in Employees of Northern Tehran Health Care Center.Community Health,2(3), pp.172-181.

Review Essay Samples - How To Find Great Service Online

Review Essay Samples - How To Find Great Service OnlineThere are a number of different companies which are offering good online service for freelance writer, some provide review essay samples for both full and part-time writers. Many of these online sites will allow you to provide your samples and then they will go through them and select the one that matches your requirements.These are usually the same companies that work with smaller self publishers and are used by many independent writers as well as large publishing houses. There are several reasons why these companies find them so valuable; there will be quite often an edge in sales for your new book as the samples that they will be provided will be on the subject that is most important to you.A number of these online service will offer you several ways to submit your samples, such as email, and will provide you with guidelines on how to do it. As with any online submission system, make sure that you read all the rules before sub mitting your samples, as you may find that you are not allowed to do this or that there are some conditions attached.The first step in submitting samples is to get them out of your head, because there are a number of writers who use the draft sample as a crutch, then come to this step at the last minute to put in the first 5 paragraphs and then the first two chapters. This will not provide you with any credibility when the essays are presented to a reviewer. So you will need to sit down, review your samples, and then get some ideas as to what direction you want to take the essay in.Once you have some ideas you need to sit down and write out what kind of material you will need to cover, what part of the country you live in, what kind of country you want your review essay to be written in. Keep in mind that you are not selling anything, so make sure that you go into this very thoughtfully.If you follow this outline and do all of this before you even begin submitting your samples you w ill be in a much better position to find a quality site that can give you some good advice on how to present your pieces to potential readers. Now that you know exactly what to write about, the writer's market should follow.There are some very good places online to find these places, but one of the best ones is to visit a number of the local college book stores. Many college bookstores will have freelance programs where you can apply for a work from home; this is a great way to find some good work at the comfort of your own home.

ARISTOTLE Essays (4696 words) - Aristotle, , Term Papers

ARISTOTLE Aristotle is considered one of the greatest minds of classical Greece. Dante even proclaimed him the master of those who know.? He made tremendous contributions in the areas of science and mathematics, not to mention philosophy. In fact, he contributed extensively to chemistry, physics, biology, created formal logic, thoroughly studied systems of government, and developed a biological classification system.? However, the majority of those alive at the time took greater stock in his political philosophies.? It is important to know that Aristotle was one of the first men to explore science, anatomy, and the animal kingdom in depth and to recognize his considerable contribution to philosophy. LIFE Aristotle was born in Stageira, a Greek colony in Macedonia, in 384 BC. Generations of Aristotle's family including his father, Nichomachus, had served as physicians to the Kings of Macedonia. His parents died when he was about ten years old and he was taken in by foster parents: Proxenos and his wife. He moved to Athens at the age of seventeen, and he remained there for some twenty years. This is where he got his first taste of the sciences and actively became a teacher. He studied under Plato, whose influences are most apparent in Aristotle's theoretical and practical philosophies. He greatly admired Plato all the way to his death, despite the fact that he later opposed some of his most important points. Aristotle was married twice, first to the foster daughter of his noble friend Hermeias, named Pythias. After her death he married Herpyllis, who came from his birthplace, Stageira. There was some controversy surrounding this marriage because Herpyllis did not have as high a social position as his first wife, Pythias. Herpyllis gave birth to his son Nichomachus and was entrusted with the care of his daughter from his first marriage. After the death of Alexander the Great, Athens was taken over by people who didn't like Alexander. They suspected Aristotle of sympathizing with Alexander, and he was exiled from Athens. Aristotle died in 322 BC at the age of sixty-two in Chalkis on the island of Euboea, which had granted him refuge when he was exiled from Athens. ARISTOTLE'S SCHOOL Aristotle began his own education at the Academy in Athens when he first arrived from Macedonia. When he first arrived the Academy had already been open for twenty years. Aristotle would spend twenty more years as a pupil and also as a teacher. The Academy was founded by Plato, but during a great deal of Aristotle's stay Plato was away in Sicily. Math and science were taught as well as philosophical dialect. The school functioned primarily to examine thought itself and explore its power. It was thought at this time that philosophers were capable of solving the problems of mankind. They were the great thinkers who would guide their fellow men. In 347 BC Aristotle left Athens, partly because he was growing dissatisfied with the Academy but mainly because of the anti-Macedonian atmosphere emerging there as a result of the political unrest in that country. Aristotle set out for the court of Hermias, ruler of Assos in Asia Minor. In the years that Aristotle spent away from Athens there were many political changes in Macedonia. Shortly after his arrival Hermias would be killed (as a part of his court Aristotle was forced to flee to Lesbos) and Philip would make peace with Athens and unite all of Macedonia. Aristotle returned to a very different Macedonia, where he would give lectures to Alexander the Great. In 335 BC Aristotle returned to Athens where he founded the Peripatetic school. This new school was highly successful and came to outshine the Academy, despite the fact that the philosophy taught there was based on Plato's work. Only later and gradually would Aristotle's school develop its new philosophy. For now, it had a sort of improved Platonic philosophy, one that would appeal to the younger men in the Greek world. One large difference is the library Aristotle installed at the school. It was to be the largest collection of books in history, and was the model for the famous State libraries of Alexandria and Pergamum. Differences in the fundamental attitudes of the schools were that while early philosophers such as Plato had directed their thinking to

Eotyrannus - Facts and Figures

Eotyrannus - Facts and Figures Name: Eotyrannus (Greek for dawn tyrant); pronounced EE-oh-tih-RAN-us Habitat: Woodlands of Western Europe Historical Period: Early Cretaceous (125-120 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 15 feet long and 300-500 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; relatively long arms with grasping hands About Eotyrannus The tiny tyrannosaur Eotyrannus lived during the early Cretaceous period, about 50 million years before more famous relatives like Tyrannosaurus Rexand, following a common theme in evolution, this dinosaur was much smaller than its giant descendant (the same way the first, mouse-sized mammals of the Mesozoic Era were much smaller than the whales and elephants that evolved from them). In fact, the 300- to 500-pound Eotyrannus was so slender and wiry, with relatively long arms and legs and grasping hands, that to the untrained eye it might look more like a raptor; the giveaway is the lack of single, giant claws on each of its hind feet, as sported by the likes of Velociraptor and Deinonychus. (One paleontologist speculates that Eoraptor was actually a non-tyrannosaur theropod closely related to Megaraptor, but this idea is still being digested by the scientific community.) One of the most remarkable things about Eotyrannus is that its remains were discovered on Englands Isle of Wightwestern Europe isnt exactly famous for its tyrannosaurs! From an evolutionary point of view, however, this makes sense: we know that the earliest tyrannosaurs (like the 25-pound, feathered Dilong) lived a few million years before Eotyrannus in eastern Asia, while the largest tyrannosaurs (like the multi-ton T. Rex and Albertosaurus) were indigenous to late Cretaceous North America. One possible scenario is that the very first tyrannosaurs migrated west from Asia, quickly evolving to Eotyrannus-like sizes, and then reached the culmination of their development in North America. (A similar pattern held with horned, frilled dinosaurs, the tiny progenitors of which originated in Asia and then made their way westwards to North America, spawning multi-ton genera like Triceratops.)