Marketing plan development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing plan development - Essay Example Also there is still perception among some of the customers that fast-food are rich in fat and are not healthy. As far as specific is concerned, sandwiches are treated as the most favorite as it holds over 30 % of the market share. Research has shown that, people mainly love sandwiches due to the trend of short lunch breaks triggering the demand for light snacks and lunches. At this point of time Hotdog doesn’t top the menu list of the people of UK when it comes to Fast Foods (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1996, p. 67). After analyzing the market scenario, business and product life cycle it is believed that out of the four probable strategies market development strategy could be best suited. Market development strategy is used when an existing product is launched in a new market. The risk factor in this case is medium. It is suggested that American Hot Dog Cart should focus on designing an efficient distribution network and repositioning strategy. One of the most famous ways to expand market reach is to setup franchisee network. Most of the major food chains follow this strategy. As mentioned in before, fast foods especially non vegetarian fast foods are still perceived as high-fat unhealthy products. This something the American Hot Dog has to change. Certain degree of augmentation can help the company in creating product differentiation. For example providing salads along with hot-dog can help the company successfully reposition the product. Also social media channels can be used to directly engag e with the customers. Social media can be used to show the target customers the way the food is being made. The main USP of the marketing campaign is the healthy ingredients and low fat content to change the perception (Palepu and Bernad, 2007, p. 65). Out of the four strategies Cost Leadership seems best suited for American Hot Dog Cart. The UK fast food market is a broad one. Hence the company may use the industry

Collective Bargaining and Unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Collective Bargaining and Unions - Essay Example Traditionally, trade unions were very powerful in championing employee rights hence were viewed as adversaries by the management but nowadays the management has realised the need to partner with them. Though collective bargaining is an effective way of ensuring favourable working conditions, the employment context has changed and new ways of handling employee issues have emerged such as the human resource management approach which views workers as assets hence partnering with them in realisation of the organization aims (Wilton, 2011). The question that begs an answer is; which is the most appropriate approach to employment relations in a dynamic and turbulent environment? This requires us to delve into the benefits of having strong unions and the disadvantages as well as the HRM approach to employment relations. Collective bargaining and a strong role for unions have various implications on the various actors in employment relations such as the employees, employers, trade unions and the state. In Britain, trade unions had a lot of power before the conservative government took over power. The players in British employment relations include the Trade Union Congress, European Union, staff associations, state, employee representatives, and employers among others (Armstrong, 2009). ... They also help to settle disputes by participating in disciplinary and grievance hearings, legal representation for members, ensuring health and safety standards are maintained and ensuring job security by protecting them against unlawful dismissal. Trade unions can effectively bargain for improved wages and benefits for workers but what does this imply for the employer? If it results in higher wages than equilibrium wages in the market, the employer is unable to compete effectively in the highly competitive global market hence may be forced out of business or reduce production (Hyman, 2001). Moreover, increased wages lead to high production costs thus reduced output which may force the employer to cut labour costs by reducing the number of employees. This is a disadvantage to the employees as they lose income. For unions, increased wages means increased returns for them although a reduction in membership means loss of returns. Sometimes collective bargaining does not end up in an ag reement hence conflicts arise. A strong union may influence members to go on strike until their demands are met or stay on the job but slow their production (Singh, 2010).This leads to great losses for the employer due to reduced productivity or lost production. For example, British Airways strike in 2010 led to disruption of flights from Heathrow airport hence massive losses due to cancellation of flights and loss of consumer confidence. Trade disputes are therefore inevitable where unions are strong. Collective bargaining determines the relationship between employee and employer through an agreed employment contract (Torrington et al. 2011). This may limit workplace flexibility which is much needed in today’s

Dressy Clothes Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dressy Clothes - Personal Statement Example You too, also feel pleased with yourself because of all the positive reinforcement gained by the approval of others. Often, what we wear is a reflection of what we feel. At the very least, people think that our clothes reflect what we feel. For example, many folks who are mourning a death wear black for a period of time. When we see a person in mourning wear we are automatically sympathetic and treat them with more sensitivity. When we see someone who is nattily dressed in public, we tend to avoid any acquaintance. Sometimes our reactions are subconscious but nevertheless, the reactions do happen. For this assignment, I went out shopping and treated myself to some new items. I confidently wore my new outfits for four days in a row and must admit that I frankly, was rather pleased with myself. I found that people were more outgoing towards me and I found myself with more confidence. I found that I was more apt to initiate conversations rather than respond to them. I had a desire to expose myself more and be more social then before. I found that I smiled readily and there was a certain new confidence in my walk. It was almost a stride. Most notably, my friends and family were highly appreciative my new fashions and encouraged me to keep exploring my new look. All of this really made me good about myself. In some places I went, people commented on my outfit in a positive way and that made me feel even better and my ego increased. It made a difference not with me, but my husband joined me in this assignment. He too went out and bought a few new items for himself and wore them the same time that I was wearing mine. He too was also complimented by friends and family. Perhaps the most rewarding part was that my husband and myself also found ourselves looking at each other differently. We have always respected one another and admired each other but I found myself looking at him the way I did when we first met. I also found that I was so proud to be standing next to this impeccably dressed may and he felt the same way. Needless to say we have resolved to maintain our new looks! Since then I perceive him differently and I feel the same from him. I feel closer to him and my friends are complimenting me often. From now on I intend to be more

Possible Causes of Sales Decline Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Possible Causes of Sales Decline - Case Study Example Many people start businesses without proper planning. They just open their doors for business hoping to succeed. Research has indicated that business plans form an imperative tool for any business enterprise; thus, before one starts a business. This identifies what one wants to go and how he or she will reach there. During our discussion, I will ask the manager, Carol Todd whether she made a plan before the business started. If she did not, this might have contributed to the sale decline problem. I will, therefore, advised her to come up with a business plan. This will assist her to run the business well and hence improving the number of sales. (Blank, 2010) Â  In most cases, businesses plan to get a loan. Once they obtain the loan, they completely forget about the plan. Apart from having a business plan, it is also vital to have specific objectives especially for the first one year of the business operation. In the planning process, one should develop goals and objectives for the business, break them into stages and identify anything which must be done in each of the stages. In my discussion with Caro Todd, I will ask her whether there are goals for the business. If there were no goals, this might have contributed to the problem. I will then advised her to start setting goals and objectives for the business. Â  After establishing the operational goals and objectives, it is also important to ensure that one measures how the business is performing against the established goals and objectives. This will help the owner know whether modifications and other strategies are needed. The manager may have failed to measure the objectives as well as the goals of the business, this might have contributed to the problem. During our discussion, I will, therefore, advised her to start measuring goals and objectives which will help the number of sales to increase. Â  

What Is Moral Conversion All about Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

What Is Moral Conversion All about - Essay Example Bernard explains that moral conversion has six stages and is based on advancing to higher and higher levels of moral thinking.   The first level is preconvention, where one is a child, and the last is post-conventional involving the adult level. At the Post-conventional level, the adult has the knowledge of the ethical principles that lead and influence the world’s moral behaviour. Religious conversion according to Bernard is the ultimate of conversion. It is the conversion that influences genuine love in a person and shows total surrender to the demands of the human spirit. Copeland teaches that during conversion, the believer goes through a complete and immediate change of nature. He explains that at the time of birth, the spirit of God comes over a person, and a holy being related to Jesus is conceived in the body. He says that it is therefore natural that a man should think as Jesus thought.  

Sports and Energy Drink Market Essay Example for Free

Sports and Energy Drink Market Essay Sports and Energy drink market is amazingly growing hence consumers and businessmen have started showing interests in this market. Energy drink market has increased because people are working almost 24 hours in a day just to make a livelihood, so it’s difficult to work hard without sleep, rest or energy source. This is one of the reason people made energy drinks as part of their life relying on energy from energy drinks, ultimately contributing to rising energy drinks market. Market players are concerned in improving their ingredients and contents for extra stamina to work without experiencing fatigue. Sports and Energy drinks entered the market with Striking names, attractive slogans, and expensive marketing campaigns and currently holding a significant portion of beverage industry. They are available everywhere, offered alongside soft drinks in vending machines, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Sports and Energy drinks are meant to supply mental and physical stimulation for a short period of time. Energy drinks are used by end users for a different of reasons such as to boost energy, reduce thirst, mix cocktails, flavoring smoothies. Energy drinks are located on adjacent shelves in stores to traditional sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade reinforces such an assumption of optimistic relationship between their uses. Both sports and Energy drinks have managed to maintain their popularity during economic recession, in spite of their high and negative publicity due to caffeine content. Many end users are still prepared to pay the higher price due to their purposeful reimbursements. Sports and Energy drinks are forecasted to continue smash in the soft drink market Sports drinks provide carbohydrates and electrolytes. The carbohydrates supply the muscles with fuel during exercise. The main electrolyte is sodium, which improves the drive to drink and can assist with fluid replacement. Flavored drinks increase palatability and can assist with fluid consumption. The addition of protein may be beneficial to prevent muscle damage and may improve or maintain subsequent performance over consecutive days.

Management and Leadership of Walmart

Management and Leadership of Walmart Management can be defined as the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman, 2009). Leadership is the setting up of a new vision for a particular group to follow. When there is leadership without management there will always be a need for a direction to be set. There will also always have to be someone to correct the mistakes that are made within the organization. When there is management without leadership, there will always be a need to have a referee because there is no new leadership or change. The job of a leader is not to just sit behind a desk all day, but to get out and motivate employees to do their best. Therefore, the importance of management and leadership knows that when the two are combined, they set a direction that allows for success within an organization and lifts morale. In an organization such as Wal-Mart, the roles of management and leadership have always gone hand-in-hand. Managers and leaders work close daily to ensure that the store operations and the warehouse operations run smoothly. Although there are named positions within the company, all are known as associates, from senior management to the door greeter. Management versus Leadership According to (McCrimmon, 2007), management is the organization function that gets things done efficiently to gain the best return on all resources. Management is not always about managing a group of people. Management is all about getting the best results on a project for a successful outcome. Wal-Marts management teams strive to ensure that the needs of the customers and associates are met. A strong value that has always held within the company is the Sundown Rule. This rule is the observance that the company will do their best to answer a question or concern before the close of business the day of reception. This is where the teamwork of the entire company comes into play, and efforts are combined to resolve any issues. It has long been debated that there is no difference between management and leadership. However, it is obvious that the two are very different. Even though they work together at times, they still serve different purposes. The job management cannot be seen as the same task every day. Managers jobs change from day to day. Although daily operations must be monitored, at times it takes delegating these jobs to others so that management can dwell on other tasks of greater importance. Leaders, on the other hand, do the majority of the persuasion within the company. They can be seen as the ones to get others to change their direction. According to (McCrimmon, 2007, p. 7), the best way to stimulate innovation is to encourage all employees to show leadership by promoting new products or services. Roles of Managers and Leaders It is the belief of Wal-Marts management that in order to meet the needs of customers and associates, open communication is critical (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). This is done through the Open Door policy, which allows associates to voice suggestions and concerns with management without feeling threatened or that they will be retaliated against. This policy has solved many problems, and made way for great ideas within the company. Wal-Marts founder, Sam Walton, believed that effective leaders do not lead from behind their desks (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). He believed in the importance of leaders taking the initiative to stand out and motivate and listen to the associates to help create morale. This is why in many stores managers are seen out on the sales floor interacting with customers. Another role that managers and leaders take within the organization is that of the power of teamwork. The ability to work together in such a diverse setting with so many different voices and opinions can sometimes cause conflict. However, Wal-Mart associates, managers, and leaders always seem to pull together as a team to serve the customer and each other. Four Functions of Management Management is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman, 2009). In order for managers to be effective, they must achieve organizational goals. These goals are traditionally known as the four functions of management. The four functions of management include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Wal-Mart uses the four functions of management as well as its own three basic beliefs: (1) strive for excellence, (2) respect for the individual, and (3) service to the customer (Mars, 2004). Planning is defined as the act of making decisions about goals and activities for an organization. Organizations need a plan to set the stage for actions and other achievements. According to (Lewis, Goodman, Fandht, 1998), plans provide a foundation for coordinating and directing the activities of the organization so that goals can be achieved. At Wal-Mart, managers and leaders work on a daily basis to plan for the organizational functions of the business. Organizing means to assemble and coordinate the people, money, physical attributes, and information needed for companies to achieve goals. When companies do not organize properly, plans fall through and success fails. Wal-Mart has attracted associates to its organization and customers to its stores because of its desire to succeed. When referring to the function of leading, it is mainly the act of stimulation. A good leader has to have the ability to motivate and communicate with employees. This ability can be seen within Wal-Marts human resources associates, who are also classified as leaders in the organization. The last function of management is controlling. The purpose of controlling is to monitor the performance and make changes necessary for organizational success. Management of Wal-Mart can be thought of as the controlling function, because their job is to plan, organize, lead, and control the activities of the organization so that goal can be achieved (Lewis, Goodman, Fandht, 1998). Recommended Management and Leadership Strategies It is important for management and leadership to participate in planning at all levels within the company. The levels of planning that Wal-Mart continues to participate in are strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency. Two strategies that organizational managers and leaders can use to create and maintain a healthy organizational culture within the company are to continue with the same three basic beliefs and values that Sam Walton started the company with in 1962 and also to continue to believe in open communication. The three basic beliefs and values- respect for the individual, service to our customers and striving for excellence is what the Wal-Mart culture is based upon. These beliefs and values are what make the company the worlds most admired. This is evident in the tremendous worldwide growth over the past 49 years. The belief in open communication can fall under a few different areas. The first area that will be analyzed is the Open Door Policy. This policy states associates are free to share suggestion, ideas and voice concerns, whether its help with a problem, guidance or a direction, or simply getting an answer to a question (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). At no time will managers treat associates with bias during open door and confidentiality will be maintained. Another area that management and leadership can possibly build upon is that of the recent legal issues that have affected the company. By continuing to listen to all associates concerns and voicing those concerns to higher leadership, this can alleviate a lot of the discriminatory issues that many employees experience. It is important for leadership to step up and be the voice in each establishment of the company. By letting the associates know that sexual discrimination will not be tolerated and that all associates will have a fair chance at qualified jobs. Wal-Mart is a dominating factor in the retail industry, which makes determining strategies that will create and maintain a healthy organizational culture difficult. However, it does appear that the company shows room for improvement. Even though the company is at the top place in sustainability, and they have over 7800 Sams club and store locations with over 2 million associates, it is still important to ensure that the organizational culture of the company is maintained. It takes management, leadership, and associates working together in a retail giant such as Wal-Mart for the company to be successful, that is the teamwork and servant leadership that Sam Walton believed in.