Decision Making at the Executive Level Essay -- Business Management Pa

Decision Making at the Executive Level The focus of my term paper is the decision making process used by today's top-level managers. Top-level managers, such as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Operations Officers (COOs), and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), must make critical decisions on a daily basis. Their choices and the resulting outcomes affect the company, the employees, and the stakeholders. Due to the high importance of their decisions, the process they use to reach them merits a close examination. A study published in the winter 1997 volume of Business Strategy Review suggests the major factor in a decisions success is the decision process itself. The study, by Paul Nutt, suggests that poor decision making processes cost North American businesses billions of dollars each year. The study also proposes that most managers don't realize the importance of the process, and it's effect on the success of the decision. Before analyzing the decision process in depth, the measurement of success must be established. Nutt used two broad measures to determine the success of decisions made. First, was the decision implemented fully. Second, was the decision still effective two years after implementation. Based on these measures, only half of the decisions in the study were considered successful. Nutt concluded that much time and money was therefore wasted on these unsuccessful decisions. So during what part of the decision making process did these top-level managers go wrong? In general, many managers often rush to a decision and stick by it, even when it continues to fail. Another cause of unsuccessful decisions is that the managers did not include those most affected by the outcome in the decision mak... ...n decisions, often increasing the chance of success. Unfortunately, most executives don't use this strategy in their decision process. Executives often rush to decisions in order to remove the feeling of uncertainty by not coming to a decision. This impulsive strategy fails because the decision maker does not include enough key people in the decision process itself. If managers would be more confident and take the time to properly assess the decisions they face, the success rate would increase and therefore save much time and money. Bibliography: Works Cited 1. Kroll, Karen M., "Costly omission", Industry Week, July 8, 1998, p 20. 2. Information Access Company, "Avoiding stupid management moves", American Printer, March 1997, v218 n6, p 94. 3. Nutt, Paul, "Better decision-making: a field study", Business Strategy Review, Winter 1997, v8, pp 45-53.

MBA

The 20th century revolutionised the idea of leadership and management. As little as ten years ago, leadership and management were clearly separated by rank, position and chain of command. Leadership was seen as something natural, which could maybe not be skilled. It was the stuff of Bill Gates and Richard Branson, the giants of technology and commerce who belonged to a very exclusive club of like-minded individuals. These people manifested the kind of leadership that was connected to charisma, power and the ability to inspire others to buy into their vision. In the past, you needed the right connections or at least an MBA to become a leader of anywhere near that caliber. The ethos was driven by political visionaries such as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan who promoted the ideas of free enterprise and a move away from socialist economies. It is not simple to understand what are the differences in the role of team leadership and organization leadership? As for me the roles for leaders do change, as will be explained in more detail which include: adjusting organisational structures and supports for collaborative work processes   and monitoring and mediating environmental factors that effect internal operations. Team leadership concerns the level and focus of way a team communicate. Team members may share leadership amongst them or rely on a chosen leader. Wherever it resides, leadership is important in channeling team energy and efforts, and in helping to work through conflicts and problems. Clearly absent from the High-Performance Team Wheel is â€Å"the leader,† as most important aspects of leadership are contained in the nine dimensions and can effectively least in theory—exist without a formal authority or designated leader. After long comparison I concluded that team leaders coordinate while leaders of organization control work and work processes. As general organization leaders are its managers. The team leader's job is to develop the business and the business strategy – e.g. formally or informally researching and identifying new business opportunities. Organization leader are more involved in setting objectives, drafting plans and implementing the work. Moving people is very much part of its role while, at the same time, organization leader   must know how to motivate staff on a daily basis. Team leaders coach and develop e.g. by setting up mentorship relationships between new entrant graduates and experienced, successful senior managers. Organization leader s on the other hand is engaged in training and managing/monitoring staff performance. The leader's role is to renew, reinvent and replenish, while organization leader measure, evaluate and monitor. 21st century leadership is also about growing and developing self-managing teams. Organization leader are more concerned with building and managing conventional teams. The role of leadership is required to communicate a vision of how products need to be developed and to define the desired development process objectives under this new paradigm. Is the focus on time-to market, on product performance and technology, or on product or life cycle costs? Each of these objectives will result in a different orientation for the development process. Specific goals should be established and communicated – â€Å"we will cut our development cycle by 40% over the next three years†. Priorities need to be established – â€Å"we will focus on establishing an effective team-based approach to development before we invest in upgrading our CAD systems†. Resources and funding mechanisms for this effort need to be committed including time for personnel working on the IPD initiative, training, process improvement, and tools implementation. Will these efforts be funded by a separate budget, by departmental budgets or by development program budgets? Explicit guidance is required on objectives, goals, priorities, resources and funding mechanisms. Once the key people in the organization develop a plan of action, it must be reviewed, approved and actively supported by executive management. Leaders must have a wide range of skills, techniques and strategies, which are the same to both organization and team leaders. These include: Planning Communication skills Organization Awareness of the wider environment in which the team operates Jack Welch, respected business leader and writer is quoted as proposing these fundamental leadership principles: There is only one way – the straight way. It sets the tone of the organisation. Be open to the best of what everyone, everywhere, has to offer. transfer learning across your organisation. Get the right people in the right jobs – it is more important than developing a strategy. An informal atmosphere is a competitive advantage. Make sure everybody counts and everybody knows they count. Legitimate self-confidence is a winner – the true test of self-confidence is the courage to be open. Business has to be fun – celebrations energies and organisation. Never underestimate the other guy. Understand where real value is added and put your best people there. Know when to meddle and when to let go – this is pure instinct. Worked Cite: 1. Daniel. F. Predpall, ‘Developing Quality Improvement Processes In Consulting Engineering Firms’, Journal of Management in Engineering, pp 30-31, May-June 1994 2. Richard Pascale, ‘ Managing on the Edge’, Penguin Book, pp 65, 1990 3. John Fenton, ‘ 101 Ways to Boost Your Business Performance’, Mandarin Business, pp 113, 1990 4. Welch, J. (2001). Jack: Straight from the gut. New York: Warner Business Books. Samsung in bloom. (2002, July 15). Newsweek, 35. 5. Patrick M Lencioni, Jossey-Bass The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, , San Francisco, CA, 2002                      MBA I would like to share the considerations which I have made in my choice to enroll in an Executive MBA program. I believe that the program would help me grow in both personal and professional realms, through an acquisition of both technical and soft skills. Through the rigor and discipline required, I will be equipped with academic content that will help me function more effectively in my job. In securing a Masters’ degree, I also to develop the necessary soft skills that will hone managerial effectiveness. In particular, I want to be enlisted into a program that will help me further develop my skills of problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration. From a â€Å"working knowledge† level, I want the program to help me advance to a â€Å"can do† level. For my problem solving skill, I want to learn more on how to analyze and synthesize the emergence of problems, patterns and causes and to generate solutions or options in solving critical or complex issues through various means. I also want to be capable of identifying new, innovative and creative ideas/options to overcome problems. For communication skills, I want to learn how to foster an atmosphere of open communication and to see things from another's perspective. In addition, I want to learn how to assess the need of the audience in order to deliver the appropriate message and content. For information management, I want to broaden my perspective by ensuring that information is free of distortions or personal bias. Finally, on collaboration, I expect the program to teach me how to develop and maintain a strong network of contacts in the industry and outside the company and use this to promote my company's reputation. I also want to learn how to actively building lasting business relationships with other department or companies, private and government institutions. Pursuing this degree is one of my educational goals in the near future. I want to secur the degree within the next 5 years as I simultaneously strive to continue developing my accounting and management skills. I will carry this out by conscientiously attending training and workshop sessions for accounting and administrative professionals. I would also be actively engaged in planning for my own development in my current workplace, suggesting means and venues for skills acquisition to my superior. If time permits, I also intend to join a professional organization within my field of expertise striving to work my way up to a role with greater responsibility and to pursue a Doctorate degree simultaneously to further increase my management competencies. I am fortunate to have been given proper and comprehensive exposure to management roles. I have held positions which allowed me to exercise a substantial degree of autonomy. The positions which I have thus far held helped me to think critically and to make rational decisions amidst ambiguity. While I do not have an exceptionally high GPA, my experience in the organizational setting, I believe, may compensate for this short coming. Upon graduation in 1989, I have worked for a decade in manufacturing companies, holding accounting positions. These include the positions of Cost Accountant, General Accountant, Plant Accountant, and Finance Manager. Gradually, my circle of influence has grown with increasing responsibility. There have been no significant changes in terms of the technical requirements of these roles. The increasing responsibility came with the need to manage people, which is more of a challenge than the technical aspect of these jobs. I take pride in saying that while I have not been academically exceptional, I have been effective at performing these roles, being both results driven and yet to have enough focus on people management. Thus far, the position of Finance Manager have been the most challenging role I have performed so far. Whereas before I was only expected to deliver daily management plans or short-term objectives, this role has necessitated strategic and â€Å"big picture† thinking. In this role, I have also been required to manage people, and have realized that it it important for them to realize how their objectives are meaningfully linked to overall organizational goals. Recognizing the importance of one’s contribution has been an effective motivator. The intangible factors of autonomy, relationship with superior, and engagement cause people to be results-driven and constantly motivated. The people management component of the role has helped me keep a more balanced perspective or focus on work vis-à  -vis people, and initiatives may be cleverly drafted so that one component complements the other. In resolving to apply in the program, I have been convinced that it is critical to my personal development and learning, and may also be key to progress in my career. In entering the program, I expect my technical and management skills to be developed further. For problem solving, I want to be able to break down problems and see patterns or basic relationships or connections among them. Moreover, I want to be able to utilize several analytic or creative ways to break apart complex issues into component problems and to evaluate the identified alternative solutions to problem. I would also want to be taught how to use logical, systematic reasoning to understand and resolve, analyze and resolve issues. In terms of communication skills, I want to express ideas more effectively in both written and oral communication and to pick up non-verbal clues and use non-verbal information. I want to practice effective use direct, open, two-way communication and read beyond what is said and to alter my own behavior to respond appropriately. Information management is also one of the areas which I want to develop. I want to be able to compare, recognize and correct discrepancies with multiples sets of data to balance records and to utilize monitoring systems to ensure achievement of goals of individuals in the organization I work for. I also want to be taught the rigor of verifying or uncovering additional information for accuracy. I also want to be more effective at collaborating with others. I want to build good relationships with people within and outside of the organization to identify or resolve differences, issues and obstacles. All these soft skills, together with the technical content that shall be imparted in the program will help me become a more effective professional. I am thoroughly convinced that to progress in one’s profession, there must be continuous passion for learning – both academically and through practical applications. The learning not only comes with solid academic content but also equips one with the soft skills needed to advance in one’s career. This realization of the value of learning upon application to the program in itself is valuable. I have changed my perspective of learning as a tedious process, to one in which I could be actively engaged, and to even have fun. I really appreciate what the program has to offer, and its promise of helping me advance both my personal and professional career. I also expect the program to espouse an atmosphere of learning where students can be inquisitive. That is, where questions and further inquiry are encouraged. Moreover, I hope that the teachers of the program may be prudent in knowing when to handhold a student and when to let him work independently. There may be some subjects which I will find difficult and in which I expect more help from my Executive MBA mentors.    MBA My decision to pursue my MBA rests on my commitment to improve myself. Being a firm believer that learning is a life-long process which should an individual’s top priority, I am applying for an MBA program with the hope of furthering my strengths and competencies while contributing my acquired knowledge and skills to this institution. After my college graduation, I remember being very much excited on applying the theoretical concepts which I have learned inside the four walls of the classroom into the outside world. Surprisingly, working in the corporate arena equipped me with the new skills which are beyond what are taught by professors. My job experiences furnished me with the capacity to lead, become creative as well as self motivated. Having been assigned to lead my team in the creation of communication tool for managing promotions, I have experienced how it is to manage a workforce with members of different values, expertise, and ideas. I can say that the most challenging part in being a leader is coordination especially because I’ve dealt with a team from different functional areas. However, this experience taught me the essential qualities to be an efficient leader—being goal-oriented, credible, approachable, firm, and the ability to deal with a diverse workforce. I am the type of person who doesn’t settle for the conventional but as much as possible, I look for ways to improve things. In the business sense, I apply this through a continuous search for ways which can help my business organization to be more efficient like the communication tool I have described above. I believe that my acceptance for the MBA program should not only be credited for my skills that I currently posses but even more for my passion in gaining more knowledge and enhancing my skills in order for me to reach my full potential. I am very much motivated to excel in my career but more importantly is my motivation to improve myself. I know that there is no simple formula which can make a person succeed in everything that he does. My measure of accomplishment is usually gauged in the amount of things that I have learned from the experience and not victory itself. So far, I am very proud of the three accomplishments which have instilled me with a sense of fulfillment namely being able to land my first full time job at VCS, being a core team member of business projects, and leading a team which worked for the creation of a communication tool for promotions management. I am one of those fortunate fellows who have experienced the thrill and challenge of landing a first full time job after searching for months. I can still remember how overjoyed I was when I am informed that I am hired for the position of _________ at ______________. This job opportunity has tested my patience and perseverance. The company also became the first venue for me to apply my knowledge and skills and instilled me with the values of being a good employee. Secondly, I am proud to be a core team member of the Business Objects project where members representing various departments worked hard together to reach a common goal. While we spent countless hours to test and implement the project, in the end, it is very much self-fulfilling. I value the ideas that I have learned from my colleagues as well as the good working relationship which we have established. Lastly, I consider launching a communication tool for managing promotions, which is now utilized by sales, operations, finance and senior management the most challenging task that I have ever handled. I am specifically proud of my recognizing some of the shortfalls which I committed during the project because this is where most of the learning comes from. I am proud to have led the project which is now generating numerous benefits for the company not just in its bottom line but on overall efficiency.

K D Logistics

K D Supply Chain Solutions Pvt Ltd www. kdlogistics. co. in Campus Pre Placement Talk KD Supply Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd. To be most efficient and effective Third party logistics Provider in India†¦.. Our Vision Efficient: ? Productivity. Effective: ? Quality, Flexibility, Service level. efficient and effective ? Cost Minimization. ? Profit maximization. ? Supply Driven ? Demand (Customer) ? Doing Things Right. driven To be most efficient and effective Third party logistics Provider in India†¦.. Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CUSTOMISATION CENTER OPERATIONS ORDER MANAGMENT SERVCICES WAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS > > > > > > > > > > > Inventory management Pick and pack operation Dispatch planning Invoicing Collection Quality control and audit Material handling Document management Stock audits Cycle counting Reverse Logistics Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ WAREHOUSE MANAG EMENT SERVICES Every client has a different requirement from its supply chain and we strive to meet that need as closely as we can.Customization is possible for: > Automated operation with racking > Temperature controlled > Raw material handling > Finished good handling > Energy saving and environment friendly Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ? Primary Transportation. ? Secondary Transportation. ? Home delivery system. Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ CUSTOMISATION CENTER OPERATIONS ?We have dedicated and specialized team operating product customization and intermediate packaging system. ? This team focuses on managing client’s inventory by eliminating transporting time to the packaging facility ?These centers assembles products to suit local market down stream supply chain channel requirements. Services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ WAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION ?We have established ourselves in the construction of warehouses to suit clients' needs and specific requirements. ? We have developed our own Logistics Park spanning 1. 5 million sq. ft. We are the first 3PL to be to create own infrastructure at Bhiwandi (near Mumbai), Mandideep (Madhya Pradesh) and Gurgaon (NCR). WAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION DIVISIONSpecial feature: Bhiwandi Logistics Park ? Strategically located and very close Mumbai city touching NH3 ? Racked PEB structure ? State of the art logistics park with a floor strength of 4mt per sq mtrs ? Column less span of 150 feet which facilitate seamless movement of goods with in the facility. ? Exclusive parking facility for more than 100 vehicles. ? Separate entry and exit point for all warehouses. ? Seamless IT connectivity ? Uninterrupted power supply Important Statistics Revenue Logistics- INR 80 Cr †¢ Owned Warehouse Space- 15 lac sq feet †¢ Warehouse space maintained by KDL – FMCG – About 35 lac sq. feet – Retail – About 15 lac sq feet Summer internship -2013 What are we looking for LEADERSHIP OWNERSHIP TEAM PLAY ER DESCISION MAKER Summer internship -2013 What is there for you †¦ †¢ An opportunity which give you ownership. †¢ An opportunity which give direct interaction to our clients. †¢ Exposure to supply chain sector. †¢ An opportunity to explore your entrepreneurial instincts. We†¦. Just started

Importance of Learning English

TASK 1A Letter to my teacher I would like to read something that increases my interest of the world society. A literary work that will have an effect on how I see things and what I decide to do later in life. I would like to read a text that contains of a world conflict, politics, human rights or enslavement. I have read â€Å"A Thousand Splendid Suns† by Khaled Hosseini and I would like to read a factual text that has the same effect on me. I got as involved as a 15 year old from Norway could, learned more about it and took part of discussions online.The book changed my life in many ways as got a newfound respect and understanding towards developing countries. I also learned a lot about myself as a person. I learned that I want to make a difference and work as a lawyer in the UN. If I were to pick up a book today, it would have been a book about conflicts in Africa. I would like to learn more about it and try to figure out what that could have been done, and what must be done to prevent future conflicts.I believe discussing in a group session about casualty and our own opinions is going to make students, and myself, more comfortable with expressing our own ideas and how we see things later in a professional life. Having debates and discussions in class leaves the students no other options than to actually study the text and get involved. I expect that the reading project enriches my inner world, improves my grammar and my spelling. Reading gives us access to knowledge and power and can provide a lifetime of enjoyment.I also want to get a better understanding of why our world society has come to what it is today and why there are so many differences crosswise of our cultures. Especially when we are so connected in other areas like import and export, technology, the entertainment industry and communication via Internet. I want to learn how to envision our society decades ahead so that I can do my duty as a citizen and take part of the community. I underst and I may not get all of my expectations fulfilled in just one literary work, but it certainly is a start. TASK 2A The great power that comes with the English languageEnglish surrounds us every single day, whether it is through a novel, texting, chatting online, articles, slang or music. It is a widespread language that most of the non- English speaking countries use as a communication tool with other non- English and English speaking populations. Not only is it because of the United Kingdom’s colonies that English is so widespread, but also because of the great power that came with it. To this date the United Kingdom and the United States of America have had a huge impact on the world because of their literature, business opportunities, ideas for a functional society and their entertainment industry.But why is it so important for us to learn English? Communication is a keyword when discussing the importance of reading English. On the World Wide Web English is the main langua ge and on most Internet pages it is crucial that one can understand English. For instance, most of the industrial world uses the internet to stay connected, therefore being able to understand English is more crucial than ever. From a social standpoint, people who do not know how to read or write English could have big difficulties on a daily basis. For example, they often have trouble travelling.Consequently, those who are English illiterate may not be able to explore new cultures and this could keep him or her from experiential learning. The media gives people the opportunity to learn new information about the world, people, events and places. In a working life, it is important to know what is going on in the world in order to be successful, and the medias main language is of course English. With good English skills, one can also expand their companies’ horizon with international partners, which is followed by even more success.The companies can take part of a bigger interna tional community and speak to a greater public. On a global perspective, the English language in working life can also help prevent some of the poverty problems the world is facing. In addition to helping poor populations out of troubled areas, the poor society can through English communicate with other industrial countries and get collaborations in order to help not only individuals, but a society as a whole. This also helps future generations. Another thing is that some of the African countries only have 13 % gender equality because the women are unqualified.With good English skills, they could have left the country to study abroad, then return to their homeland and work for the government. The president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson is the first female president in any African country, and she studied abroad. It is important to understand that most of the responsibility lies with the government of the developing countries, but that in order for them to get there; they need not only i nformation but also knowledge on how to introduce the English language to their population.To improve my English skills, I believe I should read for enjoyment. Reading more will speed up the development of general knowledge, vocabulary and verbal fluency. Clark and Rumbold (2006, p. 6) states that reading for our own enjoyment is ‘reading that we do of our own free will, anticipating the satisfaction that we will get from the act of reading. It also refers to reading that having begun at someone else’s request we continue because we are interested in it. ’ Reading for enjoyment gives a positive attitude to reading, and the more you read the better you get.Another important factor when improving my English skills is that I have to use the language orally. This will help expand my vocabulary and improve pronunciation. There are many reasons why people should learn English. Great writing skills are sure to earn respect. On the contrary, poor writing will be difficul t to understand, and will leave a bad impression about the character. On a global perspective, it is fascinating to see how English skills can affect not only an individual, but a whole population.In addition to this, learning English will enrich your character and make you more wanted in a business context. References http://alla-kondrat. suite101. com/importance-of-good-writing-and-reading-skills-a97681 Updated: Feb 21, 2009 http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-2122007/Illiterate-Britain-One-adults-struggling-read-write-t-use-chequebook. html Updated: 10:13 GMT, 29 March 2012 http://www. decd. sa. gov. au/literacy/files/links/Reading_for_Enjoyment_9_1_1. pdf Updated: Resource Paper: Consultative Draft November 2010 http://www. globalis. no/Land/Liberia/(show)/mdg Updated: unkown

Marketing Plan Essay

Introduction Marketing plan plays a key role in business management. The essay would explain and cover what is a marketing plan, its role and nature, structure of marketing plan, the relationship between a marketing plan and a business plan, the uses of marketing plan, elements of marketing plan, the purpose of each element, the links between marketing plan elements and their independence, the misconception between marketing plans and the conclusion. The role and Nature of Marketing Plan The role of marketing plan is to clarify the key marketing element in a business and it plans the objectives, directions and activities of the business and employees. Marketing plan broadens the perspective which is outlined in a business plan. The role of marketing plan is to focus on four issues, i.e. promotion, price, product and the place. A marketing plan has its nature. It is a written document that states the key actions to achieve the marketing objectives. The marketing plan covers a period of one to five years. It can be part of the entire business plan. A Marketing plan which has no strategic foundation is not that effective. The importance of this is to specify the plan from the general objectives to single action plan of one marketing program (Fifield, 2007). The formal marketing plan is very critical as it provides an unambiguous reference point for the activities to be performed in the planning period. The benefit of these plans is in the planning activity itself. This process gives a unique opportunity and focused discussions between the persons involved. The marketing plan and the associated discussions then provides an agreed plan for the subsequent management activities including those not described in the plan itself. A classic marketing plan appears in the form of budgets. Since they are quantified, they are very essential (Ferrell, 2008). Therefore, they  represent the projection of actions and the expected results. The main role of marketing budgets is to put together all costs and revenues which were involved in marketing into a single comprehensive document. Marketing plan is used to monitor the performance in practice. A marketing plan should start with a brief summary of the recommendations and the main goals. This summary helps the senior management to get the major thrust. The table of contents then follows and it outlines the plan and the supporting rationale and operational detail follows the executive summary (Luther, 2011). Discussion of what is a marketing plan? What is the relationship between a marketing plan and a business plan? What are marketing plans used for? A marketing plan can be defined as a business document which is written with the aim of describing the market position of the business and its marketing strategy for a given time in the marketing plan. The marketing plan describes the advertising efforts for the coming years, and it includes a statement of the situation of marketing, the discussions of markets targeted, the position of the company and the description of plans which intend to be used to reach marketing goals (McDonald, 2007). The relationship between marketing plan and business plans Business plan are written so as to prove the value and feasibility of new ideas of the business. A business plan is drafted when opening a new business and the plan should be reviewed and adjusted especially when the operations have expanded or diversified. The business objectives and the strategy of value creation are included in the business plan (Jain, 2009). The business plan also provides a wide overview of the business like, operations, information of staff, marketing, location and financial aspects. Sometimes, business plan is used as a financial tool where it provides the lenders with the necessary information if the business is viable, financially stable and able to repay. Business plan does not only help in developing competitive strategies, but also it determines if the business activity matches the forecasted plans (Burrow, 2012). In marketing plans, it analyzes the potential customers of the products and explains what motivates them to buying. This enables the organization to fine tune their products or services to attract and keep customers. Then marketing plan also includes the nature of the competition, market size, potential price and the  potential strategies for reaching the customers. Market plan identifies price points, competition and target markets. It tries to explain how the organization attracts customers through trade show participation, advertisements and new referrals. It also explains how the business will overcome the competitive problems from other businesses (Pride, 2012). Uses of marketing plans The market plan can be very important when introducing a new product or service or even a line of new products. These plans should have details that will ensure the product would be successful in the market and to the intended customers. The company should write a market plan for each new services or products since each product needs a different approach to sell it (Jain, 2009). The market plans can also be drafted when a certain company has a plan to seek gestures from new market. For instance, a company in a particular state and planning to move into another state and compete with another market may need ways on how to market their services and products in the new location. Therefore, the market plan is written before the company is migrated (McDonald, 2007). Market plan is set to help the business set and achieve their goals. This plan includes information of the products offered in the company and how they will help the company achieve its goals. A market plan is also set to direct, establish, and coordinate a company’s sales. First the market plan defines the purpose of the specific plan, which is then followed by specific and clear directions of putting the plans in place (Ferrell, 2008). The other plan tries to explain and coordinate the methods for marketing task. Structure of Marketing Plan The structure of business plan can be designed in different ways. The plan can be a few thought scrawled on a bar napkin or it can be a high PowerPoint show. The most commonly used structure is the AOSTC format. This format stands for analysis, objective, tactics, and control. All these sections act differently in an organization (Fifield, 2007). Analysis- this section deals with the situation of the company at the time the plan is drafted. It is made of two subsections which are external audit and internal audit. The internal audit handles and talks more about the situation and what goes on in the company that affects marketing, like sales history, budgets and  structure. On the other hand, external audit focuses on the outside environment in response to its effect on the plan. The outside considerations include competition, opportunities industry news and events (Luther, 2001). The other is the strategies and Tactics- it is used to outline the ways of achieving the objectives one by one. The strategies deal with the big picture and tactics handles the details. For instance, increase internet presence is usually a strategy. Establishing a face book page or a web page presence would be tactics in that strategy (McDonald, 2007). For good strategies and tactic, they take in account both analysis and objectives sections of the plan. Control- this is how you measure progress in the achievement of the objective. This section is controlled by the timed and measurable nature of the set objectives. The control process is made up of key benchmarks, which set sub goals to rate the progress towards the objective. For instance, 12 percent sale increase in six months objective should be analyzed on monthly bases. If the progress states that the sales have increased by 2 percent in a month, which means the company is on the right track for goals accomplishment. Fall in sales means that the strategies and tactics should be reviewed (Ferrell, 2008). Elements of Marketing Plan The elements of a marketing plan are a rough guide of documents of plans to be done and why it should be done. For a market plan to be good it should contain the following: Defining what to achieve- goals should be set to provide an overarching statement on what to achieve. Some of the goals are: raising awareness of the school, increasing the products in the business and introducing new products or services in the business. One should also know there objectives. The objectives should be SMART i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed (Luther, 2011). Situation analysis- this is a very good idea to analyze the current situation and the outlook in terms ways which will influence the strategies and plan. Then one should know the strategies to use. The strategies usually describe how the objectives are achieved. This plan should contain ways which tries to address elements addressed by the SWOT analysis (McDonald, 2007). Segmentation- at this section, one should underst and the segments and love what is been offered and why. If one doesn’t love it, then they are not ready to build and manage  a marketing plan and they should go back and find what to offer and a set of markets. In this section, one documents with much details from segments one is targeting. Who are the groups, their characteristics and on how to identify them (Luther, 2011). Competitive Alternatives- this is a drafted list of the alternative of the products the customers would consider from the ones been offered. This section helps one to articulate what differentiates the products one is offering from the others in the same field. They are usually micro and not detailed features (Jain, 2009). Differentiated points of value- for this section, you should ask yourself the top 3 or 4 differentiators which you are offering and it differs from the other. This should not be about the features or technology. It includes services like delivery options, pricing, ease of use, and time to value among others. Messaging and positioning is another which involves working on the previous segments. It creates a lot of messages for the sections. In this segment, you should create not more than 3 or 4 messages that cross your main points (Pride, 2012). Marketing goals and measures- this is about the goals one has for the marketing plan. This section is set for marketing goals in a period covered in the marketing plan. The objectives states were one need to be. For an objective to be effective, it must be specific and detailed. Many of the companies use the term SMART to define a well defined objective. This term in objectivity means smart, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. One should also ask about the metrics they would use which are related with the drafted goals. For, instance one can decide that the increase of the customer by a certain percentage is the main goal. This acquisition can be tied by visiting product signups, blog signups emails, abandon rates and many others (Fifield , 2007). Tactical plan, owners, budget- this are the plans which are used to implement the strategies. The plans should be detailed sufficiently to allocate, budget, resource, and to monitor progress. They should have timeframes and also allocate responsibilities. In regard to the above goals and measures, this is where you set the marketing plans so that they can drive those results and the cost which are related to those tactics. This tactics are divided into discreet items of work and assigned to an owner. And lastly is the timeline which needs to be broken down into plotted on timeline and work items hence they can be tracked on a regular basis (McDonald, 2007). Links between  Marketing Plan Elements Clearly discussion of links and/or independence between marketing plan elements The marketing plans elements can be linked through its objectives and goals. The objective and goals of the marketing plan should be SWOT (Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats). Strengths- when listing the marketing plan, you should list the main strengths of that company and products/services. This section should not only include the strong holds of your business or products but also its profit margins, similar strengths and the successful current marketing campaign. These strengths are only related to your business only because they are internal factors (Jain, 2009). Weaknesses- for this section, the weakness of the business and products/services should be listed. The plan includes the areas that you feel need improvement in the business or the challenges which are limiting the expansions of the business. Weakness is also internal factors and addresses your business only (Burrow, 2012). Opportunities- when drafting the business plan, you should list the best opportunities which you believe would change your business or a new business which you believe your business can succeed. One should always know that a weakness can be an opportunity. If the weakness in a business is fixed, quality is maintained and faster delivery to customers is achieved. The section of opportunities is always external but they rely on the internal strengths (Burrow, 2012). Threats- what is believed to be the threat to business should be listed. Some of them include the government regulations, competitors, and changes in customer attitude towards the products or services and others. Threats are from external but also they rely on internal weakness or external factors which limit your resource or strengths (Luther, 2011). Assumptions Discussion of common misconceptions relating to a marketing plan Most of the companies have misconceptions about marketing which hinder them from promoting their products and services incase of competitive market. Some of the misconceptions are as follows. â€Å"The company is too small and does not need a marking plan†- marketing plan is always the blueprint on how to market your business. Its main purpose is to outline your messages, target audience, tactics, channels, budgets and offers. Without this plan, one can confuse prospects with wasting money. Every business even the small ones need a plan so as to run effectively (Ferrell, 2008). â€Å"We know what the customers want†-your currents customers are the  best prospects and it’s very important to understand customers. What they think, why they like buying from you etc. Many marketers usually think that they know what the customer think but they might go wrong (McDonald, 2007). â€Å"We need to market only so that we can prospects, but not the customers†- as a marketer you should not assume a customer. Every customer needs to be reinforced regularly so as to continue buying from you and not the competitor. As you promote to prospects, remember to promote to customers (Pride, 2012). â€Å"Though we can’t afford, we would like to market†- many marketers make wrong assumptions about the cost of marketing especially advertising in the media. One should never rule out a certain channel because they think it’s expensive. You may find that channel you ignored you could have accessed affordably (Burrow, 2012). â€Å"We don’t have to be on the social medial†- whatever you sell, you can attract your customers. If you can’t market your products, your competitors are actively been engaged in the media (Jain, 2009). Conclusion Marketing plan plays a key role in business management. It is the core blueprint which states the company’s overall marketing efforts. Marketing plans usually draw inputs from the functions are team initiated. Marketing planning is usually a continuous process which responds to changing market conditions. Marketing plans analyzes the potential customers and products and explains what motivates them for buying. Then marketing plan also includes the nature of the competition, market size, potential price and the potential strategies for reaching the customers. This enables the organization to fine tune their products or services to attract and keep customers. Market plan identifies price points, competition and target markets. It tries to explain how the organization attracts customers through trade show participation, advertisements and new referrals. It also explains how the business will overcome the competitive problems from other businesses. References Ferrell, O. (2008). Marketing strategy. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western. Fifield, P. (2007). Marketing strategy the difference between marketing and markets. Amsterdam McDonald, M. (2007). Marketing plans : how to prepare them, how to use them. Amsterdam Boston London: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann. Luther, W. (2011). The marketing plan : how to prepare and implement it. New York: AMACOM. Jain, S. (2009). Marketing planning and strategy. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning. Pride, W. (2012). Marketing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Burrow, J. (2012). Marketing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Passage to Modernity Dupre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Passage to Modernity Dupre - Essay Example At the early stages of modernity, artists still viewed themselves as creating in unison with nature; â€Å"mind and nature relate harmoniously to one another† (p. 49). Moreover, nature’s perception began to change. Galileo expressed the idea of natural form in mathematical terms, â€Å"loosening the union between physical essence and artistic ideal† (p.51). He found a systematic study of nature, rather than depending on direct observation. This notion of rational knowledge of the world become central to the transformation from medieval age to modernity. In the emergence of modernity, chemistry played an important role towards the scientific revolution. Alchemy is frequently forgotten when we talk about the breakthroughs of science that changed our perception of the world. Alchemists believed in the harmony between the individual and the cosmos. â€Å"at the basis of the alchemical enterprise is the concept of a microcosmos perfectly tuned to the macrocosmos of nature†. The notion that we are should interfere with natural processes in order to achieve harmony transforms the perception of nature. â€Å"rather than serving as nature’s assistant, the person now becomes its controller.† (p.54). There was a thorough rejection to the idea that the stars controlled man, that we were passively submitting to matter. Nevertheless, the interest in astrology was not completely eliminated; but as it happened with alchemy, they became less appealing at the face of new physical theories that rationally explained the universe.

American Military English Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Military English - Assignment Example 1. Students will view the animated graphics. 2. He will ask the participants to identify the different symbols. 2. Participants will give the name of the different symbols. 3. Participants will give the meaning of each alphabet which was presented in the computer monitor. 3. Students will boot the computer and open the HyperStudio presentations. 4. He will ask the participants to give the meaning based on military operations settings 4. Let them give the meaning. 5. The teacher will ask the participants to give the proper sound of each alphabet with assigned meaning. 5. Participants will pronounce the words presented on the monitor. 6. He will allow the participants to view the movie for familiarizations of sounds (Pronunciation). 6. The participants will view and listen to the movie. 7. The teacher will ask the participants to view the new animation and read the alphabet symbols with the assigned word. 7. The participants view the animations and read the alphabet symbols with the assigned word. 8. The teacher will ask the participants to spell out the symbols of the English alphabet with word meaning. 8. Participants will enumerate the symbols of the English alphabet with word meaning. 9. The teacher will ask the participants if they usually encountered the word meaning in every operation. 9. Participants will explain their previous experience with alphabet symbols with the assigned word. 10. The teacher will ask the participants to try out different animation and graphics 10. Let them do another designed animations. VII. Evaluation: A. Give at least five different symbols of the English alphabet with word meaning you encountered in the discussions. 1. _______________________ 4. _______________________ 2....This can further be enhanced with the use of HyperStudio which is a multimedia software program system using McIntosh computers. The delivery of the lesson requires having a copy of HyperStudio and tutorial running simultaneously on a preferable McIntosh computer system. This will allow receipt of help from McIntosh when assistance is necessary.1 The "Table of Contents," located at the left of this page, allow you to skip those parts of the program that you already feel comfortable with. If you already understand how to insert text into a Word document you do not need to waste your time reading how to do it again here. For those of you that would like to take this tutorial step by step, there is a "Next" button at the end of every page that will take you to the next page in the tutorial. Good luck, have fun, and most of all, do not be afraid to explore HyperStudio. We have covered most of the basics for creating effective hyperlinked presentations, but we do not have space to cover all of the wonderful tools thatHyperStudio comes with. Try new buttons and shortcuts to see what happens. A new stack in HyperStudio is akin to a stack of index cards. Your presentation will be a "stack" of these index cards placed one on top of the next. A stack is the entire presentation, made up of those cards. The first step in getting HyperStudio rea