Atkinsons Case

Case requirements Atkinson Atkinson have been trading as a department store on the Moor In Sheffield for over 50 years. Two of the directors are friends of your parents. They have asked you and a small group of your colleagues to cast an eye over the business and offer some Impartial advice as to its future direction. You were provided with the publicly available statements of the group, data from FAME Is also available on the Internet through literates.. Whilst passing through the Meadowland Centre you notice that there are some new units being developed.A number of businesses such as Deadbeats and Thornton have outlets In both Sheffield and Meadowland whilst others such as House of Fraser have moved out of the city centre altogether. You have contacted Meadowland Properties PL and have received a letter in return which sets out the availability and costs of leasing a new unit in the Meadowland Centre. You have also acquired information from Sheffield City Council containing demogra phic and other information http:†www. Creditworthiness. Co. UK/ http:†www. Sheffield. Gob. UK/your-city-council/Sheffield-facts-figuresYou are required to attend a meeting with the two directors to make a presentation (power point facilities are available) on your findings. Assessment weighting Learning outcomes Weighting % 1 . Identify subject skills and knowledge appropriate to problem this is reflected In outcome 2 2. Assess difficulties in clearly defining problem areas (Including analysis of position) 30 3. Apply and integrate previously acquired subject skills outcomes 2/4 4. Acquire, classify organist and evaluate Information In a suitable format for the application of decision making techniques 30 5.Communicate proposed course of action and answer questions 40 Meadowland Properties PL Sheffield Dear Sir Thank you for your recent enquiry concerning the leasing costs for the units to be completed at the Meadowland Centre in late 2008. To give you some idea of the s ize of the units, Deadbeats occupies a site of 125,000 square feet. Leases will run to the December 2032 and will be renewable at that date subject to negotiation. All rents will be increased annually in line with the change in the retail price index excluding mortgage payments. Size Annual rent Unit 1 125,000 square feet unit 2 60,000 square feetIEEE,OHO unit 3 40,000 square feet IEEE,OHO In addition to these rental costs, there is a service charge payable to ourselves. At the moment this is EH. 30 per square foot per annum for the first 25,000 square feet, half this rate for the next 25,000 square feet and a quarter of this rate for anything over 50,000 square feet. This charge covers all communal areas, supervision of car parking etc. Tenants are, of course, responsible for the payment of business rates. We thank you for your interest and look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours faithfully Alexander Goodyear (Customer Services Director)

Data Mining Essay

What is meant by the term â€Å"lift†? The term â€Å"lift† describes the improved performance of an exact or specific amount of effort on a modeled sampling, as opposed to a random sampling (Spang, 2010). In other words, if you are able to market via a model to say, a given number of random customers (e.g. 1000), and we expect that 50 of them would be successful, then a model that can generate 75 successes would have a 50 percent lift. â€Å"Lift† is possibly the most commonly metric used to measure targeting model performance in marketing applications – the purpose of which, is to identify a subgroup or target from a larger population (Coppock, 2002 and Spang, 2010). The subgroup targeted or target members selected are those who are most likely to respond positively to a marketing offer. As such, the model is doing well if as predicted – the response within the targeted section is much better than average when compared to the population as a whole. Lift then, is simply the ratio of these values: target response divided by average response (Coppock, 2002). â€Å"Lift Charts† and â€Å"Lift Curves† are terms often seen in direct marketing. To quickly define them here – a lift curve is a popular technique which assigns a â€Å"probability of responding† score when used in an attempt to determine who the likely responders from a population are. â€Å"The lift curve helps us determine how effectively we can â€Å"skim the cream† by selecting a relatively small number of cases and getting a relatively large portion of the responders† (Keating, 2013). A lift chart or a â€Å"Gains Chart† is a convenient summary of all the cumulative lift curves whereby all the information in these multiple classification matrices are turned into a graph (Keating, 2013 and Coppock, 2002). What is Customer Relationship Management (CRM)? â€Å"There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.† – Sam Walton (Founder of Wal-Mart) Customer Relationship Management or CRM is a â€Å"company-wide business strategy† which is generally designed with the intent to â€Å"reduce costs and increase profitability by solidifying customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy† (CRM Magazine, 2010). While once, it was regarded of as a type of software, today, CRM has evolved into a â€Å"customer-centric philosophy that must permeate an entire organization† (CRM Magazine, 2010).   In other words, it is not a new concept but as the quote above by Sam Walton suggests – an extremely important one that can and should be instinctively employed to all businesses to ensure returning and new clientele. We may perhaps think of CRM in its most basic, common and best known form as â€Å"customer services† or simply, methodology employed to create happy customers. A true and effective CRM program revolves around three key elements – people, processes and technology (CRM Magazine, 2010). Targets within these elements that should be especially considered are individual applications, a data infrastructure to support them, and organizational changes to take full advantage of the technical upgrades (Goodhue et. al., 2002). Moreover, the CRM program should be bringing in information from all relevant data sources both within, and outside the organization when applicable. In doing so, a company is able to gain a â€Å"holistic view of each customer in real time† (CRM Magazine, 2010), thus allowing staff dealing directly with customers, for example, in the realms of customer support, sales and marketing – the ability to make informed yet quick decisions on everything from cross-selling and upselling to target marketing strategies and competitive positioning tactics (Info Entrepreneurs, 2013 and CRM Magazine, 2010). A working example of how CRM could be achieved may be through: discovering the purchasing habits, opinions, needs and preferences of one’s customers; then profiling the individuals and groups researched so marketing can be executed more effectively, thus increasing sales. Finally, by combining this information found with good customer services and satisfaction – customer relationships which are the heart of business success, can be appropriately and effectively fostered, then maintained and ultimately managed for efficiency and profitability. While there are many technical and technological components to CRM, thinking about CRM as primarily a strategy to learn about the needs and behaviors of customers in an effort to create, develop and strengthen relationships with them may prove to be more helpful overall and in the long term. Additionally, it should be thought of as a process bringing together information concerning customers, sales, marketing effectiveness, responsiveness and marketing trends (Goodhue et. al., 2002 and Writing, 2013). Finally, for CRM to be truly effective, everyone in the organization from the CEO to the frontline staff and those behind the scenes need to get on board, involved and invested in the company`s program (Info Entrepreneurs, 2013; CRM Magazine, 2010; Writing, 2013 and Goodhue et. al., 2002). What are its benefits? Provide examples of potential benefits. To reiterate the above – benefiting from CRM is â€Å"not just a question of buying the right software. You must also adapt your business to the needs of your customers† (Info Entrepreneurs, 2013).   Having said that, after investing the time and expense in implementing a good CRM solution, there are many potential benefits, some being extremely significant and having a major impact on the establishment in question: −Development of better relationship with existing customers due to understanding and therefore addressing their specific requirements. −Increased sales and revenue through better timing gained via anticipating the customers’ needs based on historic trends. −Cross-selling of other products by leveraging the customer relationship. −Ability to identify the most profitable clientele. −Improved profitability through focusing on most profitable clients while dealing with less profitable clients in a more cost effective manner. −Better overall marketing of products or services. −More effective target marketing communications aimed specifically at customer needs. −An improved, more personal approach which can help win additional business in the future. −The development of new and / or improved products and services through better client feedback, complaints, comments and suggestions. −Reducing cost of sales and cost of new customer acquisition and generation by concentrating on customer retention, thus improving organization reputation and word-of-mouth recommendations. (Writing, 2013; Info Entrepreneurs, 2013 and Goodhue et. al., 2002). With respect to CRM systems, what does it mean if the system is â€Å"scalable†? A â€Å"scalable† system according to the Business Dictionary, is one whose â€Å"size, performance or number of users can be increased on demand without a penalty in cost or functionality†.   A secondary definition details that such a system is well designed enough to handle â€Å"proportionally very small to very large usage and service levels almost instantly, and with no significant drop in cost effectiveness, functionality, performance or reliability.† It goes on to add that scalable systems may generally utilize technologies such as automatic load balancing, clustering and parallel processing as a means to achieve the points listed above (Business Dictionary, 2013). With respect to CRM systems (and even data mining systems), both definitions apply with equal precision and aptness to scalability because scalability deals with not only the increasing size of data sets, but also how to process them within a useful timeframe. We can go so far as to concur that the issue of scalability in systems such as CRM are similar for performance scaling issues for Data Management in general (Piatetsky-Shapiro and Parker via Massa-Lochridge et. al., 2013). Ultimately, the scalable system is in the business of efficiency of analysis – and being able to do so with very large data sets (Olson and Shi, 2005). A system which is scalable is one which can aid in overall performance in the organization. In fact, scaling and performance are often considered together in both data mining and CRM systems (Massa-Lochridge et. al., 2013). To further emphasize and prove these points, we can look towards real life examples such as the Onyx checklist for scalability which sets the criteria as a customer management system deployed across the company that is able to support staff without any degradation in performance. Furthermore, the system must also be able to support thousands of users with sub-second response times. For it to be truly scalable, it needs to be a flexible CRM solution – preferably one which adheres to an industry standard architecture which can leverage existing infrastructure. This, coupled with efficiency and easiness of upgrading, will help to keep the total cost of ownership low now, and into the future (Onyx, 2013). Compare and contrast affinity positioning and cross-selling (minimum 500 words). Provide real life examples and personal experiences to substantiate this analysis. Affinity positioning is a marketing tactic that is defined exactly as its component words suggest – the practice of positioning or placing products that have a natural or inherent attraction or connection with each other, together. For example, a retail store may arrange their shop layout in such a way that there is a deliberate, close placement of complementary products on the shelves (Olson and Shi, 2005). Consider also, this potential real life situation where a retailer may have identified through perhaps, a Market Basket Analysis that customers who tend to buy cold medicine also have been observed to purchase tissues. Similarly, the buying of coffee makers may be strongly correlated with the purchase of ground coffee. It therefore makes sense from a marketing and profitability perspective to place both these items in each set, in close proximity to each other. Cross-selling is a related and resulting concept. Where there is knowledge of products that go together, one is able to use this information to create cross-selling opportunities through marketing the complementary product (Olson and Shi, 2005; Microstrategy, 2013; and Tsai, 2010). Apart from positioning products on shelves like a grocery store might do, retail stores for example, can be seen to rely upon advertising to create this connection within the purchaser`s mind.   A buyer of suits for instance, may notice the sale of shirts and ties from posters and advertising stands on shop windows and outside the door, respectively. In terms of technology, we may observe computer stores selling laptops while encouraging customers to purchase accessories or peripherals like casings, screen protectors and external hard drives concurrently. While both strategies have always been applied by the clever retailer, today data collection (e.g. generated from cash register data) and automated data mining tools provide them with a yet unmatched ability to even identify the less expected and less obvious product affinities and cross-selling possibilities. Sellers are now able to use current technology to look at customers’ purchase history and target marketing operations specifically to their individual and group needs and wants (Olson and Shi, 2005). A Customer Cross-Cell Analysis can be employed to identify customers who might be interested in purchasing complementary products and services to those which have already been bought previously (MicroStrategy, 2013). Indeed, sales and marketing managers have long relied on the cross-sell analysis to create more efficient marketing projects, thereby producing increased revenue with less resources through focused efforts. A customer cross-sell analysis typically begins with using data mining techniques and tools to determine which product pairs (product affinity) are frequently purchased by a significant number of customers. From here, an organization can then identify which customers bought one but not both products or services. By executing this second stage, we can now know who these customers are and hence target them specifically – thereby reducing total advertising campaign costs, increasing response rates and finally and most importantly, create increased sales (MicroStrategy, 2013; Olson and Shi, 2005; and Tsai, 2010). One point worth mentioning, is a separate but related concept to both affinity positioning and cross-selling, which is upselling (also often referred to as up-selling or up selling). This involves searching for opportunities to sell an improved, higher grade or generally more expensive â€Å"latest† product to the consumer. Going back to the example of the computer store, a staff member who tries to upsell to a new or returning customer may sing the praises of another, higher-end model of laptop which may have more features the client may find useful, thus hoping to create a more profitable sale. In my own, personal experience in a hospital setting – affinity positioning is seen for example, in the maternity ward where â€Å"New Mother† and â€Å"Baby Care Training† hospital sponsored classes or their adverts are held or displayed in an area close by, thus encouraging expecting women to come back to the hospital after delivery to take advantage of this value added service. In doing so, the hospital then creates a cross-selling opportunity by ensuring additional services such as pediatrician care for babies or postpartum care for mothers are clearly advertised via a targeted campaign. Finally, upselling is also seen in this ward via examples such as when staff offer mothers increased comfort and privacy with the option of upgrading shared rooms to private ones. Identify and discuss some potential ethical mishandling when it comes to cross-selling. Some of the more commonly known ethical issues to watch for in cross-selling, as well as in general marketing include but are not limited to: −Intentionally trying to sell sub-par goods or services to the client in a bid to create a sale, when aware of the quality deficiency. −Related to the above, is the deliberate misrepresentation of goods or services, in both cross-selling and otherwise. −Incessantly contacting existing or potential clients without consent in order to cross-sell products or services. −The refusal to respond to, acknowledge or correct customer complaints after a sale has taken place – be it cross-selling or initial sales. −An unclear privacy policy which may involve personal details being distributed or sold. −An unclear after sales policy which may involve the placement of deliberate loopholes for the sellers to have an advantage. Again, this point can be attributed to both regular sales and cross-selling issues. With regards to issues more specific to cross-selling, research has revealed that certain service sectors may be affected by ethical mishandlings and / or concerns more than others. In particular, it is revealed that situations regarding cross selling in hospitals; situations to do with plastic surgery; and cross-selling targeted towards the elderly, have all been widely discussed in recent years and may be cause for action. With respect to cross-selling in hospitals, an example which can be seen is that ethical issues often arise when medicine, equipment or medical product reps all too easily ignore or forget that they are supposed to have the hospital’s, doctor’s, medical staff’s and patient’s needs at heart – attempting to create sales based on the pharmaceutical companies’ incentives and profit margins instead. When this happens: It ignores the necessity of consultative selling, which involves proper questioning techniques. It fails to connect the customer on a value level. In essence, it’s not selling at all; it’s simply peddling! (Francis, 2008). The literature available also suggests that there have been events with respect to aesthetic plastic surgery which again raise the question of ethics mishandling and cross-selling. Concerns here include examples such as cross-selling and â€Å"bundling† cosmetic surgery and procedures as attractive package deals – whether they be necessary or not (Fatah, 2011), or the rise of incidences such as patients having undergone breast implant removals or replacements being â€Å"bullied† or pressured into buying additional surgery such as nipple lifts (mastopexy). In addition, these cross-selling strategies may be coupled with other marketing tactics such as time-limited offers from their clinics, resulting in anxiety and customers feeling the need to respond instead of taking time out to heal after surgery (BAAPS, 2012). Finally, in terms of targeting the elderly for cross-selling certain products and services which may be deemed unethical – one may wish to consider the â€Å"unethical and dishonest conduct† of promoting and selling expensive annuities to elderly customers, the market targeting done here because the elderly may be seen as â€Å"easy targets† (Litterick, 2005). There have been cases of banks which have been accused employing cross-selling practices such as referring existing, elderly customers who come in for separate bank services, to stockbrokers who in turn sold them variable annuities that are often considered unsuitable for older people because they can be â€Å"expensive and do not pay out quickly† (Litterick, 2005). This was often found to be due to the fact that service staff were receiving incentives for doing so. In response to such cases, Banner (2011), maintains that: â€Å"Improper cross-selling – cross-selling of products to earn a fee or a commission that does not truly benefit the client’s quality of life on a long-term basis – is wrong, unethical and immoral† (Banner, 2011). He does go on to ascertain however, that the cross-selling of a product or service which truly is suitable to them – meaning to say it can benefit and / or protect the client appropriately, is well worth considering (Banner, 2011). As a final note on the ethics of cross-selling, to avoid ethical dilemmas and mishandling, it is prudent to keep in mind often that the key to effective cross-selling can be boiled down to mutual benefit on the parts of both the selling and buying parties, and suitability, suitability, suitability! (Banner, 2011; Francis, 2008 and NRMLA, 2008). References BAAPS – The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (2012, February 10). Cross-selling to breast implant scandal victims ‘immoral’. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www.baaps.org.uk/about-us/press-releases/1136-cross-selling-to-breast-implant-scandal-victimes-immoral Banner, M. (2011, May). Originating: Living at Home Brings Peace of Mind. The Reverse Review. Retrieved from http://www.reversereview.com/magazine/3862-living-at-home-brings-peace-of-mind.html Business Dictionary (2013). What is scalable? Definition and meaning. In BusinessDictionary.com – Online Business Dictionary. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/scalable.html Coppock, D. S. (2002, June 21). Why Lift? Information Management. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.information-management.com/news/5329-1.html CRM Magazine (2010, February 19). What Is CRM? – CRM Mag azine. destinationCRM.com – The leading resource for Customer Relationship Management – from the editors of CRM magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/CRM-News/Daily-News/What-Is-CRM-46033.aspx Fatah, F. (2011, May 5). BBC News – ‘A little lipo with your facial, madam?’. BBC – Homepage. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13228094 Francis, P. T. (2008). Cross-Selling Your Hospital’s Capabilities. Clinical Laboratory Sales Training with Peter Francis. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www.clinlabsales.com/pdf/Cross-Selling-092508.pdf Goodhue, D. L., Wixom, B. H., & Watson, H. J. (2002). Realizing Business Benefits through CRM: Hitting the Target in the Right Way. MIS Quarterly Executive, 1(2), 79

Religion: is it a Force For Good in the Modern World? Essay

What is religion, and can it ever be a force for good? Religion is a notional series of beliefs that make sense of the world. For some people, it can help to answer questions about creation, life and death, and provides comfort and a system of belief in and worship of a supernatural power or god. Religion in the West (mainly Christianity) is now not what it once was, and in the East (for example Islam) has become rather distorted due to fundamentalism. Nevertheless, most of us would like to think that religion is a force for good. The basic nature of most religions should make them so, but when people abuse religions and use them as an excuse to make money, exert power, or even to wage war, they turn into a force for bad. The Christianity of the past has sometimes seemed horrific to our eyes, but within the context of the times for many a Christian it was a force for good. We can see now that Christianity was good in the sense that it helped to inspire many good things in education, the rule of law, and culture generally – many paintings and musical compositions were enthused by the Christian religion, because people wanted to have illustrations of their belief in the transcendent. The Ten Commandments were and still are a good way for people and groups to control their behaviour and have a clear moral framework. (It is interesting to note that the Christian idea of turning the other cheek is not what the Christian Americans will be doing if they decide to attack Afghanistan.) There were several things about Christianity in the past that nowadays we consider to be morally wrong, but the Christians at the time thought that what they were doing was right: the crusades, for example, where the European crusaders wandered around the middle east attacking Muslims, sometimes even mistaking Christian villagers for Muslims and slaughtering their families. This would be considered as anything but morally right nowadays. The crusaders, though, thought that it was God’s will that they should slaughter those people, just as was the case was with dogmatic disputes within Christianity, with Christians fighting each other – the Christians thought that they were doing these terrible things for a just cause, just as bigoted and ignorant people in Northern Ireland still do. The good thing about Christianity these days is that the majority of Christian churches are benign give hope and something to rely on (for instance, the disaster in New York attracted many people to come to church to pray, even some non-religious people). Churches provide a focus in the community, and sometimes religious groups can act as a force to counteract bad elements in governments and societies. In the western world nowadays, Christianity is being overtaken by materialism; learning and compassion associated with the Christian religion are being undermined, and in the Middle East and in Africa, fundamentalism, (which takes the words of sacred texts literally), is coming into play. There is the danger for examples of clashes between Protestantism and Catholicism, and between other groups, in particular, evangelical churches, which are fundamentalist in tone, and display for example narrow-mindedness over abortion. There is also a danger from semi-religious cults, which like sects in religion emphasize a few aspects, which are often of benefit financially to themselves, or at least to their leaders. It cannot be very religious that in these money-based cults, there is a wish to dominate financially as well as ideologically. The Islamic religion was like the Christian religion in many respects – it was charitable, respected the individual and also helped to provide the foundations for things like education, law and the arts. However, the Islamic religion expanded too quickly over a wide geographical area, and could not keep up with the development of society, and there began conflicts within itself, and with Christianity. Jihads, (or Holy Wars, similar to crusades), were probably fundamentally more concerned with political and economical aims than with religious ones. Today, when it is part of more open and tolerant Muslim societies, such as Turkey or Pakistan, the Islamic religion does not present a major threat, and it is clear in these countries that there are a lot of similarities between Islamic and Christian principles. But because it has failed overall to adapt and find a place in the modern world, and there has tended to be a large gap between the rich and poor in Muslim societies, then fundamentalism has taken hold among the more ignorant or manipulative elements, and often has strong nationalist connections, as in the Taliban. This is a reaction by the clerics and their associates against a pluralistic society, away from individual rights and especially those of women to the supposedly core beliefs of the religion. In most cases the more tolerant and benevolent aspects of the religion are ignored, and even the strictest are seen to be corrupt: the Taliban’s religious police can be bribed, and often loot the televisions etc that they confiscate. An example of the difficulty that some modern day religions face is the idea of a holy or a just war. Most religions say that you should not commit murder, and should respect the individual, and it is often not easy to see why or how this can be overruled so that churches can justify a war, but the fact is that war is justified by different religions whether we like it or not. Generally a just or holy war should involve clear identification of an enemy, clear reasons for attacking the enemy, and some idea of what the outcome will achieve, even if it is only to the attacker’s benefit. The CIA supported and trained Bin Laden and his followers in Afghanistan when it suited the USA to use him against the Soviet invaders. Now they have to face him as a dangerous enemy. An ex-Soviet general said recently that four soldiers in a tank were no match for an Al-Qaeda follower on a donkey. Bin Laden is now the arch-enemy of the USA. Because he is sheltered in Afghanistan, that country, which has suffered 20 years of terrible war, is likely to be attacked again. The Taliban, however, feels that they have reason to view the USA as the enemy. Is this to do with religion, a real jihad, or is it that because everybody in poor Muslim countries that have suffered a lot of war feel envious of the power and wealth of the world’s only remaining superpower? If President Bush can talk carelessly (or was it carelessly?) about a crusade, is it not understandable that many Muslims feel that this is anti-Islamic in general and not just anti-Bin Laden? There is really no such thing as a justifiable holy war because no one should attack anyone else simply because they have different religious beliefs: the background to any war is always far more complicated than matters of doctrine – it is usually a power game and/or an economics game. Whether we are believers or not, we all have to hope that if used properly and in the right hands, religion can still be a force for good. In bad hands such as those of religious fundamentalists of an extreme kind it can be very dangerous. It is difficult for us to enter the minds of extremists partly because their motives often seem mixed: for example, it is said that the night before the attack on the World Trade Centre a lot of shares were bought and sold by people with connections to Bin Laden, and he seems to be a rich man already. The West has not yet come to terms with what these types of religion can mean and that is why it was taken by surprise on September 11. Until we understand what lies behind the sectarianism of religious extremists we will not be able to deal with these forces which bring what can only be called evil in their wake.

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

International Marketing - Essay Example Spain is the principal olive oil manufacturer in the world. Therefore, the companies producing olive oil in Spain will diversify their markets by exploiting market opportunities. Over the past 20 years, there has been an augment in olive oil consumption in United Kingdom where in 2010; half of the households were consuming olive oil. United Kingdom is the main importer of olive oil in the world (Food & Drink Innovation Network 2010, p. 1). The company will, therefore, expand its market by selling olive oil surplus in United Kingdom. The other objective of the company will be to increase the awareness of its olive oil brands among customers in United Kingdom. United Kingdom is the largest consumer of olive oil in Europe. There are various uses of olive oil as a salads condiment or a cooking ingredient (Harwood & Aparicio 2000, p. 15). The company will seek to inform olive oil consumers concerning the various dietary benefits and outstanding culinary traits of consuming olive oil. The company has to inform consumers about their product, first whether it is extra virgin olive oil, which is utilized principally for dressing salads, for preparing sauces and as a dip for bread. Mixed oil and olive oil are utilized for cooking and preparing tender sauces. Assessment of the Market Over the last twenty years, the consumption of olive oil in the United Kingdom has been increasing constantly. From 1990 to 2009, the United Kingdom share of the global consumption of olive oil increased from 1.9% to 2.9%. All the quantity of olive oil consumed in the United Kingdom is imported. Spain is the leading exporter of olive oil in the United Kingdom. In 2009, half of the United Kingdom households were... This paper stresses that the company has to assess the size of the potential market, the type and level of competition, promotional variations, price, product variations and barriers to trade. The company has also to analyze the cost effectiveness of various modes of transport. The company has to identify marketing objectives, marketing strategies and marketing budget of this market. The company has also to identify the potential customers of olive oil in United Kingdom, identify the critical issues and develop a system of monitoring and evaluating the marketing activities. This essay makes a conclusion that while preparing an initial market plan, the company first identifies the target market. The company will then conduct a market analysis to evaluate the viability of the market. Secondly, the company set objectives it seeks to achieve in the new market. The analysis of the company comprises of the assessment of the market environment. The assessment will identify the prevailing economic conditions, challenges and the level of competition. The company decides the best marketing mix for its products. The company will offer a broad variety of products with different brand names, which will attract new customers. The company will adopt advertising activities, which will persuade consumers to buy its products. The pricing strategy of the company will influence the amount of sales in the target market. The company has to develop distribution channels, which will deliver products to the target customers.

Strategy Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategy Experience - Essay Example Although these â€Å"snap decisions† created a situation in which the firm was able to react to the sudden changes and unique dynamics of the business environment, they necessarily left me a bit disquieted with regards to the overall quality of the inputs and the data that were being levered as a means of making these decisions. Further, the perennial concern that developed within my mind was whether or not these choices could ultimately have a very strong level of impact upon the longevity and success of the firm; due to the fact that some of the changes and pursuits that were engaged negated ones that had been made previously. Yet, as the process wore on, it became clear and apparent that even though the snap changes that were engaged took place at a dizzying speed, this rate of change was absolutely integral if the firm was indeed to survive in the climate of global business competition. By utilizing up to date information and tracking core levels of data, the meetings were able to present relevant needs that could encourage new levels of efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, a clear and unique distinction was able to be drawn between a long term strategy and short term goals. Further, in the beginning of the process, most stakeholders were unaware of how to incorporate the many different inputs that they received on each and every issue at hand. However, as the process wore on, individuals, myself included, felt more confident and comfortable engaging with the complexities that each decision necessarily portended. This should not be understood to mean that the decisions came to be easier over time; instead, the stakeholders became more familiar with the ways in which individual choices had complex outcomes that would affect other aspects of the company and lead to previously unforeseen consequences for the future. 2. Consider a specific

Lighting and Consumer Perception in Retail Design Thesis

Lighting and Consumer Perception in Retail Design - Thesis Example A specific example of this is how digital interaction with shoppers could be implemented in retail without constraining the use of space and movement (Manuelli 2006, p. 37). Take the case of the ‘magic mirror’ and the ‘Privalite wall’ in Prada’s Beverly Hills Epicenter Store – these examples are based on interactions driven by technology involving body movements that result in a playful, spontaneous interaction with the consumers. Another key retail technology development is the use of the RFID technology wherein tags and labels are developed as â€Å"active,† embedded with computer chips and responding to different environmental conditions. Some of the other inventions in retail system designs are reliable and secure systems based on efficient automated product replenishment and environmentally friendly and cost effective solutions (Salvador, et al., 2006). Most of these technologies help retain current customers and attract new custome rs by keeping the store well stocked. In addition, the profile of the modern shopper has also evolved and diversified. Today’s modern shopper demands more from their purchases and more from the establishments providing their merchandise. Because of this, retailers are forced to offer consumer-specific features and functions in order to gain competitive advantage. For instance, convenience stores classify areas in their store according to age groups. Generally, the two major design components a retailers store must focus on are the physical design of the interior (walls, structures, etc.) and the design of a favorable environment for effective visual communications (Retail Systems, n.d.). Thus, a good retail space must be able to create the synergy between technologies and design to achieve optimal delivery of consumer service and increased margins in the business. As previously stated, good customer service means value for the customer, a variable pivotal in attracting

KIngdoms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

KIngdoms - Essay Example Plants kingdom consists of over 25,000 different species and is the second largest kingdom ever known (Caroll 177). It consists of all the plant ranging from the tiny green mosses to giant trees and almost every creature on earth which does not have the ability to make their own food depend on them either directly or indirectly. They depend on them directly through eating them or indirectly through eating other animals which depend on the plants (Mader 399). Despite the differences between the plant and animals kingdom, they posses also certain similarities which include the fact that both of them are alive hence plants can make their own food and animals move around to look for food. Both plants and animals also have the ability to reproduce to boost their population (Martin and Hine 376). In this case, animals give birth to babies or lay eggs from which the babies hatch while on the other hand plants reproduce by shedding seeds which they disperse to various places through wind or animals excrement, a term usually referred to as pollination (Wilhelm 201). Both the plants and animals also eliminate waste products from their bodies. For instance, deciduous trees eliminate their wastes through the leaves which usually fall down during autumn season. On the other hand, animal eliminate their wastes materials after respiration process through a process known as excretion. Both plants and animals also respire, and in this case, plants take in Carbon dioxide gas and give out oxygen, while animals take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide. Vallin and Heath argues that God’s work was miraculous since He created the differences between the plant and animals kingdom perhaps with the reason of to enable them to depend on each other, in a way of controlling the population of the kingdoms (67). For instance, animals would control the plants

Configuring, Communicating and Delivering Value Essay

Configuring, Communicating and Delivering Value - Essay Example In other words we are going to deal with the whole marketing mix of the sporting goods footwear products. Thus now onwards we may be using the marketing concepts related to the product itself while as earlier the customer was under focus. The value of a product or a service can be created by defining it. That is, what our product is and how it is going to satisfy the needs of customers. The value configuration phase includes three parts ─ product, brand and price of the product. Defining our product is very essential in order to position it in the minds of customers. According to Know This.com, marketing starts with the product since it is what an organization has to offer its target market. Product in other words is the solution to the problems of the customer. These solutions include tangible or intangible (or both) product offerings marketed by an organization. Another importance of the product in marketing is that it generates revenue for the company. It is the â€Å"thing† that companies sell in order to realize profits and satisfy stakeholders. There should be a well developed product strategy which is compatible with the target market to succeed in the long run. Because of these two reasons, we must define our product. But our aim here is to create a value for our product offering. We have to take into consideration various factors which can help us create a value which will be later communicated and delivered to the customers. In other words before communicating the offering, it should be made worth communicating. First of all the product is to be categorized. According to Pride, William M. and Ferrell, O.C., 2005, there are two general categories of product ─ Consumer products and Business products. As far as sporting goods market is considered it can be targeted with both consumer as well as business products. Pricing, distribution and promotion of a product depends

Designing Continuous Auditing for a Highly Automated Procure-to-Pay Article

Designing Continuous Auditing for a Highly Automated Procure-to-Pay Process - Article Example f a continuous monitoring system also helps auditors to carry out an independent monitoring and enables them to carry out audit tasks on a continuous basis. There have been changes in business and auditing, which prompts auditors to make use of continuous monitoring system and continuous auditing. The changes in auditing environment have made auditors make use of graphic modeling in auditing financial statements, and this calls for the implementation of continuous auditing and monitoring system (Borthick, 2012). The procure to pay process is a very complex automated process which requires a continuous automated monitoring in order to effectively audit the process, the internal and external control, as well as all other financial records of any company that uses this process. However, it is not certain that the implementation of continuous monitoring system will help the auditors to effectively and efficiently carry out their auditing tasks. This is because implementing a continuous monitoring system on the procure-to pay process presents some impediments to the auditors (Borthick, 2012). Divergence by business practices where they divert from the original system as employees devise workarounds in order to meet exigencies may become an obstruction to the auditors. When employees diverge from the original system, companies end up changing the entire system in order to enable the system to support the employees work. This means that the auditing process will always be subject to continuing system enhancement and this can be a huge challenge for the auditors (Borthick, 2012). It is also true that the reliance on the system development life cycle that is warranted for the operation of system controls can create huge problems to the auditors. In some companies, the continuous monitoring is always based on the assumption that price looks up for pallets by each day are correct in all aspects (Borthick, 2012). This assumption is tenuous given the interaction of changes

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Discussion - Assignment Example Therefore in conducting nursing research socioeconomic factors affecting individuals in a particular environment The health of an individual is the utmost priority undertaken by professions in the nursing sector. Cleanliness is the significant risk that can lead to diseases. Poor families often live in areas where the levels of pollution are usually high. Contamination of drinking water is likely to cause waterborne diseases. Therefore, provision of clean drinking would increase chances of good health. Vaccination of the children ensures that the immunity of their health is strengthened. The nurse family partnership an approach established in the nursing sector would assist poor through provision of counseling facilities and free medical camps for the poor families. Nurses can help the poor families by providing in which individuals can sustain themselves. Based on the safe at home checklist various observations were made concerning the environmental safety of the home. The home has fire extinguisher strategically placed to counter sudden fires. In addition, the sprinkler system within was well maintained and functioning. The smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors were present within the home and were working based on the numerous detections within the home.  In the case of the care of frail, dependent member rumps, need to be established  in homes  to ensure mobility. Supportive poles can also assist such individual support themselves during mobility. Toilets for the disabled should be part of the nursing homes to cater for those unable to walk. Success in recruiting and maintaining the right staff is vital in improving the quality of healthcare. Therefore, proper care should be taken that qualified staff are hired. Nurses are critical in disbursement of health care services. There are significant factors to note in

PC Specification Instructions and Requirements Essay Example for Free

PC Specification Instructions and Requirements Essay For the specified case study, create a summary of user requirements and a PC Specifications Table in Microsoft Word 2010. A copy of that case study appears at the bottom of this document. This Word 2010 document will include a two-paragraph summary that classifies the user type and identifies the PC category(ies) that will be recommended and Word tables that identify and contain the hardware and software requirements to meet the selected case study requirements. Students are expected to conduct external research to adequately address all aspects of the assignment requirements. Any outside sources should be correctly cited in APA style at the end of the table. Students will need to include specific requirements from the case study to show why each item is being recommended. Each element listed below must be incorporated into the assignment – omissions will result in loss of points. This project is valued at 14 possible points and the final total of points will be adjusted in the rubric after it is graded to reflect 14 possible points for this project. Writing Quality for the Two Page Narrative * Grammar, Verb Tenses, Pronoun Use, Spelling, Punctuation, and Writing Competency. *Remember: spell-check, then proofread. Better yet, have a friend or colleague read it before submitting it. Read it out loud to yourself. * Remember: there is not their, your is not youre, its is not its, too is not to or two, site is not cite, and who should be used after an individual, not that. For example, the person WHO made the speech not the person THAT made the speech. * In a professional paper one does not use contractions (doesnt, dont, etc.) and one does not use the personal you or your. Use the impersonal as I have in the previous sentence. It is more business-like than saying, Also in a professional paper you dont use contractions. * Use the impersonal as in the sentence immediately above. It is more business-like than saying, Also in a professional paper you dont use contractions. Requirement| Points Allocated| Comments| Set normal text to Arial, 12 point.| 0.25| This is the font in normal paragraphs. Heading and title fonts may be a larger size.| Title Page which shows title and authors (students) name.| 0.25| The title must be, â€Å"PC Specification for_[insert user name]†| Write a brief 2-paragraph narrative that categorizes the user type, identifies the category of PC (s) required, and summarizes your recommendations. | 0.5| Two well-written, concise and organized paragraphs not to exceed one-half a page.| Create a table that shows the various required hardware components. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Input Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Output Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Communication Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Storage Devices – Externa l (including portable) storage devices and show which specific user requirements are met * Other Peripheral Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Hardware Table.†| Create a table that shows the various required system unit features. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Processor – Include type and clock speed and state how processor type and clock speed meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case * RAM – Include type and amount and state how RAM type and amount meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case * Adapter Cards – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Ports – Include types, how many of each type, and show which specific user requirements are met * Storage Devices – Identify internal system unit storage devices, size of hard drive, and state how each storage device and the hard drive size recommended meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"System Unit Features Table.†| Create a table that shows the various required Application Software. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Identify types, recommend specific product names, and show which specific user requirements are met| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Application Software Table.†| Create a table shows that the various required System Software. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Operating System – Identify a specific operating system and version * Utility Programs – Include a comprehensive list and state how each utility program meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"System Software Table.†| Create a table that shows the required Internet connectivity and Web-hosted applications and services. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Identify the specific type of ISP that should be used for Internet connectivity * Identify the specific Web services that should be used * State how the ISP type and Web services that were identified meets specific user’s requirements in the case study| 1.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Internet Connectivity Web Services Table.†| TOTAL:| 10| | The final total will be scaled to reflect 14 possible points. PC Specification Mini Case Your office has outgrown its old desktop machines and is in the market for new PCs, but would like some guidance on what to purchase. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) wants to ensure that the office obtains PC machines that meet the requirements stated below. You, as the IT Procurement Officer for your small educational company, have been tasked by the CIO to procure 5 PCs. The CIO has defined some capabilities that the PCs will need to have to ensure optimal performance. These tasks and system needs are collectively the office’s requirements. The requirements are as follows: 1. Create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and send and receive email 2. Participate in online chat rooms to include video conferences, web courses and forums (the CIO is a part-time professor at a local university) 3. Create and edit audio and video files and share video and audio files via emails, bulletin boards and in chat rooms 4. Create small databases to manage all audio, video and photo data 5. Take high quality digital photos and videos and download them to the PC as well as scan and edit the photos. 6. Print documents to include photo quality color printing 7. Save documents to pdf and other image formats 8. Transfer information (audio, video and photos) between PC machines 9. Manage the CIO’s schedule by using an online calendar and day planner 10. Utilize the internet to make online purchases, conduct banking services and research new audio, video and photo editing methods using a broadband service. 11. Connect all required peripheral devices you deem necessary to the system unit 12. Protect the PC and all components from dirty electrical power including under voltage (brownout or blackout) and overvoltage (power surge or spike) 13. Manage and protect the system, data, and information while working on the Internet including scanning all incoming emails, email attachments, and files downloaded from Web-based sources; firewall, virus and spyware (security) protection; and checking websites for phishing and fraudulent activities

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry in India Essay Example for Free

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry in India Essay Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry Industry overview: The bathroom fittings industry which was not given much importance till a few years back in India has suddenly picked up. This has mainly happened due to the rising income of the people, rapid urbanization, and growth in the class conscious middle class. The Bathroom fittings industry in India is among the most booming industries in the country. Every year companies are coming up with new products or refurbishing old products with new designs and features. Due to the rapid growth of the countrys population the need for houses is continuously increasing. Both the Government and private sector real estate companies are investing huge amounts of money in this sector. The rise in the demand for good housing facilities is giving rise to the demand of quality bathroom accessories market in India. Countries like India and China are ranked among the major bathroom fittings market currently mostly because of their sizable populations. Industry Structure: India is home to numerous top bathroom fittings brands. The Industry is both organized and unorganized. The Bathroom fitting industry in India consists of a number of small, medium and large manufacturers. The small companies are mostly the local players that cater to a small section of the society. Whereas the popular bathroom fitting companies are mostly the top foreign and domestic players that have managed to establish a reputation in the Bathroom accessories market. Key Drivers of the Industry Industry works on the principle of demand and supply. Every industry is drive by the market forces and the market forces are affected by various forces. Key driver’s infact generated demand for the industry. Bathroom fitting industry is no exception to this rule. This industry is too like other industries are driven by various market forces which are as follows: Rising Income of the people and hence their purchasing power parity (PPP) The rapid urbanization due to which the demand for bathroom fittings is growing More and more investment in the construction sector both by domestic players and the foreign MNCs. Growing awareness among the people regarding bathroom architecture and fittings. Advertisement especially in developing nations is key factor in creating product awareness and hence the demand. Market Overview: Indian Sanitary Ware Industry bullish India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. The bathroom fittings market in the country is growing at a rate of 13. 3% per annum; India’s current sanitary ware market size is almost 500 crores and is growing at an annual growth rate of 3-4 percent in the industry. Going forward, India will have a huge market for sanitary ware products and of course the export market will also grow simultaneously. Further, government’s support to improve sanitation and hygiene and increasing urbanization has given a big push to the Indian sanitary ware industry. The companies are applying accurate standards and using top machinery and stringent quality measures with latest designs to manufacture finest quality machines India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. For the starters, Indian sanitary wares are comparatively cheaper as opposed to our western counterparts, courtesy availability of ample raw materials and low cost labor in comparison to other countries. This in fact has given Indian sanitary ware products an edge over the competitors from the nearby countries and naturally the exports of sanitary wares from India is scaling up. Certainly, Industry’s growth is directly related to the development in real estate. Today, housing’s demands are on rise. And interestingly people have started taking interest in top sanitary wares. The increased demand for sanitary ware is not just emanating from the new projects but there is a huge market for replacement products also. The remarkable growth by the industry has inspired industry majors to enhance their manufacturing system and even apply latest technology to give customers value for their money. Moreover, Indian companies are taking a step further to enlighten people about the advantages of premium sanitary wares. With 15 to 17 percent growth per year, Indian manufacturers have strengthened their dealer network all across the country. Demand for Made-in-India Sanitary Wares in the International Markets Market Share: Key Players: 1. Hindware: In 1960 Mr. Rajendra K. Somany established Hindustan Twyfords, in collaboration with Twyfords Ltd. of UK. With a bent towards innovation coupled with the intention to introduce vitreous china ceramics in India, he identified the sanitaryware market as the segment of interest.

Defining and Evaluating the Concept of Strategic Intent

Defining and Evaluating the Concept of Strategic Intent Strategic Intent is one of the revolutionary concepts in the field of Strategic Management, which has brought major changes in the functioning style of every organization and is responsible for many breakthroughs. It refers to the obsession that organizations usually term as win it all even though the aspirations out-proportion the resources and capabilities. This concept has in past made many organizations way more successful than the one in past with same amount of resources and capacity. Now as competition gets global and tougher it is of utmost importance that companies not only understand this revolutionary concept but also instil practices within the organization that makes the Goal look always in reach. This article tells in detail what Strategic Intent is and how it can be implemented in an organization. Keywords: Strategic Intent; Obsession; Planning, Imitation INTRODUCTION Strategic Intent refers to a high level statement of the means by which an organisation achieves its VISION. Today Managers in different organisations are working hard to match the competitive advantage of their global rivals but in order to do the same most of them end up only imitating what their competitors have already implemented. Imitation doesnt really create the Strategic Intent as competitors have already mastered those techniques and have exploited the first mover advantage. Hence mere imitation doesnt lead to competitive revitalization. Strategic Intent drives organisations, individuals and groups to meet the challenge of change in business today. Companies that have become global leaders in past 20 years had ambitions that were out of proportion to their resources and capabilities but they had created and obsession to win it all and this obsession is what may be termed as Strategic Intent. Strategic intent captures the essence of winning, is stable over time, and sets goals that deserve personal effort and commitment. At the same time Strategic Intent has a lot more in it than just an obsession to win it all because there have been companies in past which had an ambitious Strategic Intent but failed to achieve the desired goals. Success finds its beginning in purpose, so its important to clarify ones purpose or intention and then to find out the action in accordance with the intentions. This helps creating the results one wants. Strategic Intent draws on a number of disciplines to personalise the way forward that works for the organisation. Background Strategic Intent as a concept was born in Post-World war II Japan when it dramatically emerged as world leader in economy. Japanese Organizations had set goals for themselves that might have been considered by most of the Western Organizations of that time as highly unrealistic. But with very few resources and highly committed workforce Japan was then able to lay the foundation for 10-15 years of leadership in terms of economy. From Japan only world learnt how to outperform everyone else even when resources are few and challenges aspirations huge. Strategic Intent is not Strategic Planning Mostly people confuse Strategic Intent with Strategic Planning which are in fact poles apart. Strategic Planning may cause competitive decline if not backed with Strategic Intent. Strategic Planning is limited by the availability of resources and capacity and looks for feasibility and viability but on the other hand Strategic Intent focuses on the end and means are left to be flexible. If one does a deep study it becomes clearly evident that Strategic Intent is a long term concept driven by Corporate Challenges as a middle term concept, which in turn is carried forward by Competitive Innovation in short term. Hence at the most basic ground level Strategic Intent is based on the Competitive Innovation to be carried out necessarily. Classification of Strategic Intent If we have to broadly divide Strategic Intent into subdivisions then we may classify it into three parts, namely, Stretch, Leverage and Fit. Stretch stresses on the basic definition of Strategic Intent as to stretch the resources and capabilities to the extent that achievement of end is ensured. Here the basic stands the same as we have discussed since the start that there is always a misfit between the resources and aspirations but equating this out-proportioned equation is what refers to the Stretch. Second is Leverage, which refers to the scenario where resources are leveraged by accelerating the pace of organization learning so as to attain impossible goals. Here key success factors are may, namely, Concentration, Accumulation, Complementing and Conservation and Recovering. And Third is Fit which refers to the case where ideally resources have been made available in such a manner so that high level of Aspirations may still be easily achieved with help of resources available. Attributes of Strategic Intent There are three major attributes of Strategic Intent, namely Sense of Direction, Sense of Discovery and Sense of Destiny. Here the first attribute, Sense of Direction, refers to the Long-Term Market or Competitive Position. For instance, we may consider the case of Canon and Xerox, which are rival organization in the photocopier field for decades now. If we talk of Canon, its long term competitive position, put in simple terms, should be Beat Xerox . Second attribute which is the Sense of Discovery refers to the competitively unique point of view about future. It says that Strategic Intent is differentiated because here in this case the employees are affiliated and they are convinced about the concept of Strategic Intent. For instance, employees of a company are taught about the concept and they are in a position to promise higher personal and professional goals to themselves. Last but not the least attribute is the Sense of Destiny refers to the emotional edge that is involved with the Strategic Intent. This takes Strategic Intent to an all-together new level by including the employees emotions with the organization aspirations. This leads to an all over harmonic progress for everyone. Theories of Strategic Intent Strategic Intent may also be defined as a compelling statement about what you are doing and where you are going. As discussed earlier its really more than a statement; it becomes a core element in the motivational DNA of the organization or individual. Strategic Intent answers the question: What exactly are we trying to accomplish? Yet Strategic Intent is not enough by itself and here is the twist in the entire story. There must be commitment and cooperation. Excellent leaders recognize there are different Styles in their organization. Think of these styles: Forceful, Cooperative, High Structure, Command and Control, High Energy body contact right out of the mosh pit. How can these significantly different styles work together? This is the question that has to be answered by most of the organizations for effective implementation of Strategic Intent. It is important to create an understanding of both, self and others. What does Strategic Intent do Strategic intent encompasses the essence of winning, is highly stable over time, and sets targets that deserve personal effort commitment. It is a vision that explains the desired leadership position of a firm and grounds the goals by which success can be assessed. Moreover, it takes an active management to focus organizational attention at every level in the firm on the essence of achieving the goal. Employees in a firm which are grounded in strategic intent have the same mission of beating the competition, being the best, being the market leader, etc. Strategic intent accomplishes this by setting objectives that require personal efforts throughout the organization and produce a team-commitment to targeted objectives. Strategic intent should be constant over time, should provide short term stability to focus on actions, while allowing longer range of flexibility to take advantage of newer opportunities without sacrificing the strategic intent itself. Managing the Corporate Challenges As discussed earlier, implementing strategic intent needs a firm to stretch capabilities and resources to meet and win corporate challenges. A firm sets its strategic intent to be a market leader soon finds it does not have the resources or capabilities or the capacity to meet its objective. Hence the organization is required to increase learning, to build new advantages, and to become more innovative in the utilization of resources so as to compete against current market leaders and become one in due course. Corporate challenges then stretch the organization to realise and analyse competition and understand their industrys evolution. Such analysis leads to competitive openings and identifies the competitive advantages that are needed for ultimate success. How to Implement Strategic Intent It is a three step process where the first step starts with setting the strategic intent which aims at setting all the three attributes discussed earlier, namely, direction, discovery and destiny, right. This refers to having clarity of what actually the organization intends to be in all respects. Second step is to set the challenges which should be appropriate and communicated to everyone in the organization effectively. For instance, Canon, in order to beat Xerox, had set a challenge as to come up with a Home Copier which is priced at $ 1000. Third and final step is the empowerment of Strategic Intent and here the key is to involve everyone. Downward and upward communication of ideas should be free-flow and everyones opinion should be given considerable importance. Here the term empowerment is used in a vary holistic manner so as to encompass both individuals and organization. Conclusion The crux of entire report is that top management must involve all levels of the organization in acquiring global competitiveness. Managers must have a belief in their capability to succeed in gaining the strategic intent by ensuring consistency in vision up and down the organization. Managers should motivate the organization, should focus attention long enough to vitalize new capabilities, and should have confidence in their own abilities to involve the entire organization in the revitalization versus an incremental change strategy. It is only when the entire organization is involved committed to success can the organization become a global leader. Quatations: Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad defined Strategic Intent as an ambitious and compelling dream that energises and that provides the emotional and intellectual energy for the journey to the fuuture

School Uniforms Essay -- Education

Schools should have uniforms for students so they can be distinguished between grade levels and to have all students dress the same way and offer some protection. Students might be against it because they want to wear regular clothes to impress other students. School uniform should be allowed in private as well in public schools because it will help faculty distinguish students, people and prevent inappropriate dressing. â€Å"Having a uniform helps students and parents resist peer pressure. In schools with no uniform, children may feel the need to dress in certain ways in order to fit in. This can often mean buying a lot of expensive and fashionable clothes that families cannot really afford. It can also mean girls being pressured into wearing skimpy clothes to try and look sexy at a very young age. It could even include Muslim girls feeling that they must wear a headscarf even though they don’t want to† (Debate, 2011). Parents of the student won’t have to purchase expensive cloth wear for their kids. Uniform will help them save money by purchasing the same uniform for all kids. â€Å"School Uniform will save parents money. The Upfront cost of uniform would be much less than a new wardrobe of the new â€Å"coolest† styles† (Kelly, 2012). This will let parents spend less money on expensive cloth that students are not even going to take care of them. They dress just to feel richer than other students, but in reality they try present themselves as if they had a lot of money. Uniforms will be the same shirt, color and same tie if their permitted by the school. It will also help them if they are going to buy the same shoes for all the kid because they might find them on clearance or on half price. School clothing can be purchased even in the same... ...understand their parents when it comes to spending money to buy their own cloth. Students might be against it but it’s not they’re call anymore and they have to wear what the board members had strictly gave them in order to succeed in their school days. References Brooks, M. (n.d.). Pros and cons. Retrieved from http://www.proconlists.com/list/education/school-uniforms/35 Debate, J. (2011, May 29). Debate pedia. Retrieved from http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:School_Uniform_(JUNIOR) Kelly , M. (2012, n.d.). School uniforms. Retrieved from http://712educators.about.com/cs/schoolviolence/a/uniforms.htm Wilde , M. (2012, n.d. n.d.). Do uniforms make school better?. Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/defining-your-ideal/121-school-uniforms.gs?page=3 (Brooks, n.d.) (Debate, 2011) (Kelly , 2012) (Wilde , 2012)

Abortion - Pro-choice Philosophy and Abstinence :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Pro-choice Philosophy and Abstinence We recognize no single, universal, objective moral truth that determines our moral decisions. On the contrary, we must consider a broad range of values whenever we seek to make wise, ethical, and compassionate choices. We respect a woman's moral capacity to make decisions regarding her health and welfare, including reproductive decisions. A woman's choices reflect how she weighs her various life circumstances: her important relationships, her economic, social, and emotional resources and obligations, her health, her religious or philosophical beliefs, and the well-being of others for whom she has responsibility. We live out our destinies in a world of vast and profound complexity, where claims upon our compassion and our judgment compete and often conflict. A woman respects the preciousness of human life by acknowledging and honoring the intricate tapestry of her relationships and commitments; indeed, we believe that the complexity of human life can be a source of moral wisdom and courage. The woman's ability to choose is rooted in her individual conscience, not in her adherence to ancient religious superstitious beliefs. In preparation for hearings on the renewal of the federal abstinence-only education provision, the National Coalition Against Censorship and 35 endorsing organizations, including the National Education Association, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, launched the "Campaign Against Abstinence-Only Education." In a joint statement released yesterday, the groups said that they are deeply concerned about publicly funded sexuality education programs that restrict students' access to information and limit learning to one approved message about human sexuality. Students should be allowed to make up their own minds about whether to remain virgin, whether to engage in sexual promiscuity, whether to follow parental advice or not, and countless other issues related to human sexuality. The statement also said that a provision in federal law mandating abstinence-only education in schools is censorship of sexual information because it does not give students access to condoms, to contraceptive pills and devices,and it "silences speech about sexual orientation," as well as limiting the students' free expression of their sexual rights in other ways. Abortion - Pro-choice Philosophy and Abstinence :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics Pro-choice Philosophy and Abstinence We recognize no single, universal, objective moral truth that determines our moral decisions. On the contrary, we must consider a broad range of values whenever we seek to make wise, ethical, and compassionate choices. We respect a woman's moral capacity to make decisions regarding her health and welfare, including reproductive decisions. A woman's choices reflect how she weighs her various life circumstances: her important relationships, her economic, social, and emotional resources and obligations, her health, her religious or philosophical beliefs, and the well-being of others for whom she has responsibility. We live out our destinies in a world of vast and profound complexity, where claims upon our compassion and our judgment compete and often conflict. A woman respects the preciousness of human life by acknowledging and honoring the intricate tapestry of her relationships and commitments; indeed, we believe that the complexity of human life can be a source of moral wisdom and courage. The woman's ability to choose is rooted in her individual conscience, not in her adherence to ancient religious superstitious beliefs. In preparation for hearings on the renewal of the federal abstinence-only education provision, the National Coalition Against Censorship and 35 endorsing organizations, including the National Education Association, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, launched the "Campaign Against Abstinence-Only Education." In a joint statement released yesterday, the groups said that they are deeply concerned about publicly funded sexuality education programs that restrict students' access to information and limit learning to one approved message about human sexuality. Students should be allowed to make up their own minds about whether to remain virgin, whether to engage in sexual promiscuity, whether to follow parental advice or not, and countless other issues related to human sexuality. The statement also said that a provision in federal law mandating abstinence-only education in schools is censorship of sexual information because it does not give students access to condoms, to contraceptive pills and devices,and it "silences speech about sexual orientation," as well as limiting the students' free expression of their sexual rights in other ways.

needs :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Southerland 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CPR  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There may come a time in your life when a person you know and love will have some type of medical emergency during which they will need help to survive. Whether something gets stuck in the airway or the heart stops beating, lost minutes can be fatal. The best way to be prepared for something like this is to know how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If you have a baby under a year old that seems to be struggling for air and might even have started to turn blue, what would you do? If you knew CPR, you could very possibly save a life. First, you will need to assess the situation. Look, listen, and feel for breathing. If the baby is not breathing but is moving its arms and legs, lay the baby face down in your lap toward your feet. Be sure to support the baby’s head, and make sure the head is lower than its body. Perform five back blows between the baby’s shoulder blades. This should dislodge anything that is stuck in its airway. Now, turn the baby over and preform five chest thrusts, by placing your third and fourth fingers a half inch below the nipples in the center of the chest and making compressions a half-inch deep. Next, look into the baby’s mouth for any foreign object. If you see anything in the baby’s mouth, stick your finger into the baby’s mouth to remove the foreign object. If you don’t see an object, then repeat the process. If the baby becomes unconscious, then call 911. Try to stay calm because if you lose control, you won’t be able to help. Now, if the baby is not breathing or moving, you will need to gently tap him/her on the shoulder and shout. If there is no response, you will need to begin infant CPR. To do this, you will need to place the baby on its back. Tilt the head back slightly to open the airway. Make sure you don’t tilt the head too far, or you could hurt the neck. If the baby is still not breathing, cover his/her mouth and nose with   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Southerland 2 your mouth and give two small puffs of breath. Each breath should be one and a half to two seconds long. You should see the baby’s chest rise with each breath. Next, position your third and fourth fingers in the center of the baby’s chest half an inch below the nipples, and give five gentle chest compressions at the rate of 100 compressions per minute.

Ghandi Case Essay

Ghandi was cool and liked cats one time he was chilling with his cat foo foo ba mo mo and it totally attacked his foot and he was like ow that hurt bad kitty and he smacked his cat but then he felt really bad so he ran fast to the gas station that also sold cat toys and other various pet items and bought him a lovley cat toy made of the finest lace and cat nip. Well after that the cat was very happy and danced around to thriller by micheal jackson becuase he was a little stoned after all that cat nip so he chilled for a while but then he really had the muchies and was graving taco bell, NOT TIME, taco time is over priced and not even that good, anyways he got his reallly cool motor scooter and hauled ass to america becuase india is so cheap to have anything as awesome as taco bell and he got a job doing tricks to earn the money he needed and after that he made it to america and ate a nachoes supreme and was super stoked but totally had the worst cotten mouth so he was in a mad dash to find the nearest seven eleven becuase they had this new flavor of slushie that sounded really dank at the time it was like watermelon or somehting i dont even know but after a while of catting around he located one and went in and had like two dollars so he had to buy a small

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Just as backup is important for computer systems at large organizations and businesses, home computers need backup as well. Although they may not hold important business data, support integrated real-time computing, failure of which would cause huge financial losses, but the personal computer holds data that is most of the time extremely personal and valuable at a personal level. In case of a system failure, theft or software corruption, extremely important data can be lost and recovery can cost a fortune.Valuable data on PC’s include bank records and other financial information, memorable photographs, software purchased and downloaded off the Internet, music purchased and downloaded from the Internet, personal work projects, your e-contact book, organizers and schedules, internet browser bookmarks and any other important irreplaceable information. Why make backup? Statistics show that at least one in every hard disk drive gets corrupted every year and the cost of recovering d ata from such a disk can be as high as $7,000.(How To Keep Your Home Office Files And Data Safe and Secure , 2009) Annually, around 2 million laptops are stolen. Most of them end up in the wrong hands; people who misuse personal information. What can be done with this information can be fretful thought for owners. Even minor careless activities like children playing on the computer, liquid spills and power outages can cause a lot of damage to the system and can result in significant data loss. Recovering data has its threats as well.This brings up privacy issues and the threat of data duplication during the recovery process. All these factors contribute towards the importance of PC data back up. Frequency of Backup This concept is relative. Some people are more active PC users than others. They may work from home and/or perform important daily activities on the computer. Some use it for daily communication or use the PC as an entertainment center. The more frequent the PC use, the m ore frequent the data backup should be.All important files that are used most frequently, or are more frequently changed or altered, like journals, photo albums, browsing bookmarks, documents and cat-logs, should be backed up and updated as frequent as the change. Since my use of the PC consists of daily high frequency assignment and communication use, I decide to backup my important files daily at a specific time or after every time changes are made to a significant file. Automatic schedules are effective but they need special dedicated software aimed towards backup and data protection.I currently do not have any such software; therefore I plan on backing up my data manually. This allows me total flexibility. Although I have programmed backup reminders on my computer to make sure I do no forget my daily backup update. The update will consist of the simple copy pasting of the concerned files and folders and overwriting so that the most updated version is backed up and saved. Medium The device I use for back up is a simple flash memory drive. It has several advantages; firstly it is safe and non-volatile.It does not get corrupted easily and the silicon medium is quite durable. Flash drives can even survive being submerged in water and can be used after dried out for a certain period of time. Secondly, it is a cheap medium. With higher capacity models coming in every month, the previous ones get cheaper drastically; I currently have one with a capacity of 16 Gigabytes. One can also own several flash drives. They also allow quick and seamless data transfer. Lastly, they are portable and easy to carry around, easy to use and totally hassle free. CritiqueThe outlined plan is quite fool-proof and has no advantages except one threat; the portability and scale of the USB flash drive can also cause it to be stolen, misplaced or lost. This can cause the important data to be fallen in to the wrong hands or get destroyed. If the drive is protected and taken care of, then the back up plan can be very effective and convenient. References How To Keep Your Home Office Files And Data Safe and Secure . (2009). Retrieved July 19, 2009, from homeofficebuddy: http://www. homeofficebuddy. com/databackup/index. shtml

Causes of the black death

There are several reasons as to why the Romans chose London as a settlement these include land, the Romans were excellent constructors therefore they needed a large amount of land to build their Empire. Another reason was that they noticed a river (now known as the River Thames). The Romans realised that this river could be extremely useful in many ways such as water for growth and survival, transport to get from one location to another and for trade, with the river ships from all over the world would be able to access this point to trade a variety of things for instance silver to make jewellery and coins, wool to make clothes, they also imported silk from China to decorate clothing and many more. By importing merchandise from other countries the Romans were able to raise their standards of living and have many luxuries. In approximately 50AD the Romans named London ‘Londinium'. Londinium was crowned capital of England there were two main reasons for this since the River Thames was in London for trades still coming in, and because they had a strong defence in Londinium as they settled in the north bank of the River Thames where two hills protected them which gave them better possibilities in war. It was essential for the Romans to have a brilliant defence because there were still Celtics roaming around who were always trying to win back land with brutal force such as the attack of Queen Boudicca in 61 AD who burnt Londinium to the ground she was described as: â€Å"Very tall, the glance of her eye most fierce; her voice harsh. A great mass of the reddest hair fell down to her hips. Her appearance was terrifying.† By the 1300s London's population had grown to 80,000 many things had changed London was a progressing city. In the 1300s there were a variety reasons people decided to settle in London. London was an improving city with many attractive buildings, there were lots of occupation available for all such as farming, tannery working, fishing and more, for entertainment there were hundreds of theatres to visit, there were countless number of Cathedrals to visit and London had easy transport because of the River Thames along with the London Bridge. Medieval London was made up of narrow and twisted streets, and the majority of buildings were made from very flammable materials such as wood and straw, which made fire a constant threat. Hygiene in London was awfully poor people weren't conscious about their health they got rid of rubbish anyhow they threw out their waste without caring where it fell. The houses would have had none of the things we accept as normal today – no running water, no toilets, no baths and washing basins. Soap was unheard of and as was shampoo. People would have been covered with dirt, fleas and lice. Beds were simply straw stuffed mattresses and these would have attracted lice, fleas and all types of bugs. Bathing would be rare even for the rich, rich people might have had a bath a few times a year! Your toilet would have been a wooden bucket which would have been emptied into the nearest river at the start of the day your water supply would also come from the same river. Families would have cooked and slept in the same room. Children would have slept in a loft if the cruck house was big enough. At night, any animal you owned would be brought inside for safety. There were a number of reasons for this. First, wild animals roamed the countryside. England still had wolves and bears in the forests and these could easily have taken a pig, cow or chickens. The loss of any animal could be a disaster but the loss of valuable animals such as an ox would be a catastrophe. If left outside at night they could also have been stolen or simply have wandered off. If they were inside your house, none of these would happen and they were safe. However, they must have made the house even more dirty than it usually would have been as none of these animals would have been house-trained. They would have also brought in fleas and flies etc. increasing the unhygienic nature of the house. Some of the settlement factors people would look for in the fourteenth century were high-quality occupation offered for all such as such as bakery, leatherworking, blacksmithing, carpenters, armourers, bowyers/fletchers and swordsmithing. People chose places which looked eye-catching and there was an enjoyable place to visit and People would want better and improved transport as well as brilliant security and fair laws. The Black Death started in Europe when the Genoese decided to escape the plague by fleeing from Caffa (where the Black Death originated from). The Genoese boarded their ships and set sail for Italy carrying rats, flees and the Black Death with them. The Black Death transmitted when a flea drank a rat's blood that carried the yersina pestis (plague germs). The yersina pestis would multiply until the flea's gut was clogged with it. The flea would then bite a human ejecting the rat's blood into the open wound the human would then be infected. This cycle carried on until the lives of 50 million people were taken from them in Europe wiping out half of London's population. It is said that the that the It was simple for the Black Death to spread in London since Hygiene in London was awfully poor as shown in the fourth paragraph there was a lot of congestion because London was dreadfully overpopulated and houses were still being developed people would cook, eat, sleep and go to the toilet in the same room which meant a lot of germs. In conclusion I think that the settlement of London did help the plague to spread in the 1300s because of various reasons including many of the reasons shown above mainly since the type of people that who settled there, and the fact that they had no sewage for their waste to go to. But I think that if the people not just in London but all around the world were more alert and aware of germs and hygiene then the Black Death would never have started.

Leadership Approach Paper Ldr 531

Abstract Leadership is an approach taken to guide a significant large group to follow the desired objective of the leader. This paper will explain a leadership approach that has an effect within the organizations today. In addition, explain the strengths and weaknesses of the trait leadership approach. Leadership Approach Dealing with a competitive and diverse global market in today’s society requires a robust Leader. An organization’s success depends on the strength of its leader. The writer will explain trait approach, one of the major approaches to studying leadership. Trait Leadership Approach Leadership comes natural to some people, as if they were born to be leaders. According to Yukl (2010), early leadership theories attributed managerial success to extraordinary abilities such as tiredness energy, penetrating intuition, uncanny foresight, and persuasive powers. This research failed due to futile research. Since then leadership values effectively been identified and trait approach examines leader values that are relevant for explaining ethical leadership. Strengths and Weakness The main strength of the trait approach is that it relies only on attributes that can be identified and with proper research dictate a leader’s effectiveness. This trait approach examines values of a leader relevant for explaining ethical leadership. The main weakness of the trait approach is to assume that one’s attributes simply determine their strength in leadership. One may have the identifiers of a true leader and fail to have the intelligence or character to implement success. The trait approach requires extensive research measuring the correlation between individual leadership attributes and the criteria of a successful leader. Example of Trait Approach An example of trait approach would be an organization hiring for a specific job position and during the interview choosing attributes that identify this particular person as a leader. Conclusion To conclude, a successful leader has great astuteness and knowledge in what approach needed to guide a populace in achievement of the leaders objective. Effective leadership requires understanding of influence process and power. A successful leader ethically influences others to achieve the common goals of an organization. Throughout the times of history leadership has been defines in many ways with several approached. However, the common denominator of an effective leader is success. References Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in organizations. (7th Ed. ) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education

Pilipinong Pamilya Pantawid Program Essay

These are the main findings of the recently completed assessment of the CCT – the first in a series of evaluations being done on the program – presented today by the World Bank in a public forum held in Quezon City led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with support from AusAID and the ADB Titled â€Å"Philippines Conditional Cash Transfer Program, Impact Evaluation 2012† the report confirms that children of Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries are enrolling and attending schools, with improved health due to regular visits to health stations, and pregnant mothers getting proper care. I am pleased to know that the children of poor families are indeed enjoying better and improving access to education and better health services through Pantawid Pamilya,†Ã‚  said DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman. Along with other government programs aimed to reduce poverty, Pantawid Pamilya ensures that no one gets left behind in terms achieving holistic and inclusive growth†Among the Pantawid barangays (villages) surveyed, the report lists the following findings comparing enrolment and school attendance between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries: * In Pantawid barangays, 76 percent of preschoolers are enrolled in daycare, compared to 65 percent in non-Pantawid barangays; * Among school children at age 6-11, 98 percent of children in Pantawid barangays are enrolled in school, as against 93 percent in non-Pantawid barangays; and * Children in Pantawid barangays from age 6-14 also have higher school attendance (95-96 percent) as compared to children in non-Pantawid barangays (91 percent). The assessment is based on a the analysis of poor 1,418 households eligible for the Pantawid program from a survey covering 3,742 households in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, and Occidental Mindoro. (Currently, there are more than 3 million poor families with more than 6 million children benefitting from the program). Pantawid Pamilya provides cash grants to poor households to encourage them to keep their children of age 0-14 in school and have regular health checks. Also, pregnant mothers are required to avail of proper medical care and their deliveries attended to by health professionals. Mothers are also required to attend family development sessions where they discuss topics on parenting and accessing social services in the community. In health, the study found that: * 64 percent of pregnant mothers in Pantawid barangays had antenatal care as against 54 percent in non-Pantawid barangays; * 85 percent of children in Pantawid barangays age 6-14 have undergone deworming as against 80 percent in non-Pantawid barangays; * 81 percent of children in Pantawid barangays at age 0-5 have taken Vitamin A supplements as against 75 percent in non-Pantawid barangays. According to Ms. Junko Onishi, World Bank’s social protection specialist, Pantawid Pamilya has contributed to reduction in the severe stunting among poor children 6-36 months of age in Pantawid barangays. Stunting in the first two years of life is known to cause irreversible damage later in life including lower educational attainment, reduced adult income, and decreased offspring birth weight. Therefore, reduction in severe stunting among poor children at this age will have long-term benefits, Ms. Onishi said. â€Å"This reduction in severe stunting indicates that CCT is enabling families to better care for their children,† said Ms. Onishi, who presented the highlights of the impact evaluation during the forum. â€Å"More parents in Pantawid barangays (villages) are feeding their children with high-protein food including eggs and fish, leading to improved nutritional status.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Poor households under the program spend 38 percent more in education per capita   and 34 percent more on medical expenses per capita than their non-Pantawid counterparts. This trend indicates a shift in the spending pattern among CCT beneficiaries towards greater investments in health and educ ation of their children,†Ã‚  said Mr. Nazmul Chaudhury, World Bank’s country sector coordinator for human development, and one of the authors of the report. The study recommends that coordination among health service providers needs to be strengthened to ensure that beneficiary mothers and children get the services they require and to ensure continuity of care. Also, the study suggests exploring the possibility of extending coverage from the current five years, increasing the grant amount for older children, and improving school facilities and services. The impact evaluation study was funded by the World Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). The study was led by the World Bank and   the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),   in coordination with AusAID and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The study aims to present empirical evidence on the key outcomes of Pantawid Pamilya. source:   Joint Press Release by World Bank and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (2013/03/1)| DSWD says No to Epal and Yes to Empowering Pantawid Pamilya Beneficiaries| | | Written by Pantawid Pamilya Social Marketing Unit   Ã‚  | Thursday, 31 January 2013 08:44| ShareThisNo more threats. No more epal. These are the main thrusts of Bawal Ang Epal Dito Campaign of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to be launched from January to May 2013 to protect the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, from undue politicking and interventions that may affect the program’s integrity. Bawal Ang Epal Dito confronts the issues of external pressures and eliminates the misconception of the beneficiaries about the control of politicians or parties over Pantawid Pamilya.