Discuss the difficulties most often encountered in business writing Essay

Discuss the difficulties most often encountered in business writing and how to avoid them - Essay Example Lot of entrepreneurs who undergo the process of business writing usually fails to achieve the target due to the following problems. Many business writers fail to come up with effective business writing due to their failure to identify the reader of their business report (Siljander, 2008). This makes it hard for them to gather the necessary information needed to address the key areas of interest to the readers. During the writing, many students concentrate on giving a lot of explanation in areas that are of less importance to the reader. All this is due to their inability to identify the key potential areas which needs much more explanation. To overcome this, the writers need to know the audience they are addressing in their writing. The writer must be aware whether his writing targets up, down or lateral communication. The writer must know the reader of his or her writing as much as possible. The moment the writer realizes the reader of his writing, and he or she will be in a positio n to address the core problems the reader wants to see solved (Spedding, 2010). For example, if the writer is communicating up the chain of command, then knowing the reader of his writings will be beneficial as it will determine whether her or his writing will be acted upon by the targeted audience. Before engaging in any business writing, the writer should take his or her time to consider the reader preferred communication style. The writer needs to think about how the intended reader communicates with others in the business. Identify whether the intended reader wants the writing to get direct to the point or not. This knowledge of the writer about the intended reader of his message will enable him to know where to put his message, at the beginning or the end. Secondly, during business writing, writers face a monumental problem of deciding on the channel of communication he or she will adopt. This problem appears the moment the writer starts preparing business writing without knowi ng the intended reader (Moore, 2008). To overcome this, once the writer has identified the end reader of his or her business writing, he or she needs to make an informed decision on the channel to be used. Channels of communicating the writing may be divided into two forms, i.e. formal or informal. During the writing, the writer should consider the reader who will pass through his or her information (Butler, 2006). This will help the writer to choose appropriate channel of communication to use. He or she will be in a position to decide whether to use a brochure, letter, e-mail or other form of business writing. During seminars and business writing workshops, writers often understands the objectives required by different readers. They also find it easier to identify communication channels to be used at various instances. The main problem they face in their attempt to develop and come up with appropriate business writing is a task to realize their overall objective (Moore, 2008). Many writers think that the overall goal of their writing is to ensure the intended reader reads it. By this, they end up falling short of the purpose of business writing. To overcome this problem, writers need to verbalize what they want from the reader (Butler, 2006). This will help them adopt specific actions during their writing. Before the writer gets engaged in any business writing, he should clearly know what he or she wants from the reader. They

Strategic marketing management for Boots in the UK

Strategic marketing management for Boots in the UK Boots is a leading UK retailer, selling health and beauty products through its chain of Boots the Chemists stores. Around half the Boots brand products are developed and manufactured by the company. In this case the company is in control of the entire supply chain. From its foundation in 1849 Boots has always believed in and practiced what is today known as Corporate Social Responsibility. The company is proud of this heritage and its strong sense of social responsibility. Today it is reflected in values and behaviours and made explicit in the company statement of business purpose. We seek to respond to the legitimate concerns of our stakeholders whether they be in the marketplace, the workplace, the communities in which we operate or the environment that affects us all. Marketing Strategy Options. Boots is a member of Alliance Boots, an international pharmacy-led health and beauty group. Our purpose is to help our customers look and feel better than they ever thought possible. Our customers are at the heart of our business. Were committed to providing exceptional customer and patient care, be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare, offer innovative products only at Boots, with great value our customers love. Our people are our strength and they tell us that Boots is a great place to work. We are always be the employer of choice, attracting and retaining the most talented and passionate people.The strategy is to focus on its two core business activities of pharmacy led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution, while increasingly developing and internationalising our product brands to create a third dimension. growing the core businesses in existing markets,continuing to deliver productivity improvements and other cost savings,pursuing growth opportunities in selective new high growth markets and launching our product brands in new markets. This strategy is underpinned by our continue focus on patient or customer needs and services selective partnerships and our strong financial diciplines.we are commited to providing exceptional customer and patient care be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare offer innovative products only at Boots,with great va lue our customer love. Pharmacy-led health and beauty strategy : Boots is the largest pharmacy chain in Europe with an excellent reputation for differentiated health and beauty products and customer care.Our strategy is to develop Boots into the worlds leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retail brand,focused on helping people look and feel their best. The key steps we are taking in the uk to execute our strategy are:- -Making Boots more convenient and accessible for our customers. -Developing our people to be at their very best for our customer -Improving our customer in store shopping experience -creating a compelling multi-channel health and wellbeing consumer offering -Increasingly differentiating our product offering -Continuing to provide customers with excellent value -Opening new stores in markets where Boots is already well established -Developing new store in markets where Boots is already well established -Developing country specific Boots branded trading formats to meet local needs. Marketing strategies options: Every marketing strategy is unique, but if we abstract from the individualizing details, each can be reduced into a generic marketing strategy. A brief description of the most common categorizing schemes is presented below, Strategies based on market dominance In this scheme, firms are classified based on their market share or dominance of an industry. There are a number of ways of categorizing these generic strategies. Typically there are four types of market dominance strategies: Leader Niche Follower Challenger Porter generic strategies: Michael Porter assessed strategy on the dimensions of strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope refers to the breadth of market penetration while strategic strength refers to the firms sustainable competitive advantage. He felt three types were important: Market segmentation Product differentiation Cost leadership Innovation strategies:- This deal with the firms rate of new product development and business model innovation. It asks whether the company is on the cutting edge of technology and business innovation. There are three types: Close followers Late followers Pioneers Growth strategies:- In this scheme we ask the question, how should the firm grow? There are a number of different ways of answering that question, but the most common gives four answers: Diversification Intensification Vertical integration Horizontal integration Aggressiveness strategies: This asks whether a firm should grow or not, and if so, how fast. One scheme divides strategies into: Holding Building Harvesting Warfare based strategies: This scheme draws parallels between marketing strategies and military strategies. There are many types of marketing warfare strategies, but they can be grouped into: Flanking marketing warfare Defensive marketing warfare strategies Offensive marketing warfare strategies Keys to Success: An analysis of successful partnerships has identified common features. These include: Project delivery focused on addressing local requirements over a sustained period of time. Likely to include issues as varied as access, car parking, addition to their local Business Rate, to pay for additional services. Where there is a majority vote in favour, all businesses are required to pay. The genuine commitment of the Local Authority (both at senior officer and political level) Adequate funding identified from a broad base of supporters/ sponsors and other sources A Business Plan and a programme of projects endorsed and funded by the partners A robust, inclusive partnership that represents a genuine cross-section of all the elements of town centre activity. A management structure with clear accountabilities to deliver the Business Plan and to monitor and evaluate progress A realistic, achievable vision for the centre that identifies the necessary steps required for its delivery The precept is gathered by the Local Authority but passed to a business-led local partnership to manage and deliver the BID Business Plan. Support available from Alliance Boots, Corporate Affairs: 1. Links and contacts to a broad range of external organisations that can assist with sourcing information and practical support. 2. An additional programme is facilitated by Boots UK for those sites currently without an effective local partnership, but wishing to establish one 3. The Company continues to support the core funding of 100 Town Centre Management initiatives. A twice-yearly Induction Programme is provided by Boots UK (at no charge to ATCM members), for newly appointed Partnership Managers. The programme focuses on the key issues that challenge partnerships and offers help to successfully resolve them 4. A series of short briefing papers have been prepared that store managers and town centre managers can receive upon request. These include; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing a Retail Crime Partnership à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participating in Working Groups and Steering Groups à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Business Improvement Districts what are they à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Influencing Car Park Provision à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing Christmas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Business Improvement Districts lessons learnt à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Preparing a Business Plan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Broadening the Base of Business Engagement membership services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Funding à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marketing and Promotion. Launching an effective campaign to promote your centre à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Business Improvement Districts key criteria necessary for Alliance Boots support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sunday/extended Trading hours 5. Advice and guidance to store managers and Town Centre Managers, via contact details on page one of this brief Development of Boots Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy: The launch in 2004 of a new CSR strategy has enabled Boots to develop a framework to integrate sustainable development holistically into all areas of operations covering the sectors of: Workplace Marketplace Community Environment This strategy ensures that sustainable development is integrated effectively across the organisation and underlines Boots commitment to social responsibility as a business value. Progress is reviewed quarterly and reported to the Corporate Social Responsibility Action Group chaired by the Group Operations Director. In addition the Board Social Responsibilities Committee chaired by a non-executive Board Director reviews consistency against operational planning on a quarterly basis. Within these sectors are a total of 21 focus areas. For each one a review was undertaken to benchmark against similar organisations, analyse strengths, weaknesses and identify opportunities for improvements. From this our ambition and annual targets have been developed Targets and progress made in meeting them is reported annually and made publicly available. Porters 5 forces analysis: Competitive rivalry All the other retailers have different competitive advantages. The other factors which compete with the Boots bank is different banks and building societies The retail market is filled up with high competitors as more and more companies are trying to step into the Health Beauty industry Boots reach in different stores allows it to reach large number of customers. Barriers for entry Local knowledge is required for a new business in order to establish, which is highly difficult for new firms to replicate. Barriers to entry is high due to a number of factors: Secondly, company in retail sectors are increasing, which itself means there is very less chance for any new entrances. Firstly, company looking to set up its business in UK requires lots of investment, brand development, which takes years to establish. Threats of Substitutes The only major threat of substitute is an internal industry threat, wherein one supermarket can lap up the business of other supermarkets. The threats for newcomers or substitutes is less, as the consumers views that as a necessity, especially in the developed world. The retail market is always trying to look around for new innovations with respect to Health Beauty products, alternative businesses. As a result of which it is difficult for substitution. Buyers power During the time of recession consumers wants are taken into more demand, thereby increasing their power. Because of the presence of too many competitors in the retail Health Beauty sector selling the same product, buyer power is high in the industry. Supplier power Suppliers in itself is huge company providing products to the supermarkets. If the products are not sold, consumer will shift loyalties, making suppliers more powerful. And also when the products do not reach the supermarket, sales do get affected hugely. Developing Tools and Processes: The company has formal processes for all new product development and introduction. To integrate sustainable development criteria consistently across our product range new and revised tools and processes were introduced. Mckinsey growth pyramid It is similar to that of market matrix. This model argues that business should develop their growth strategies based on: Growth skills Privileged assets Operational skills Privileged assets The model outlines seven ways of achieving growth, which are: New product and services A combination of market matrix and diversification strategy-by developing and marketing new products. Some of these can be sold to the existing customers who trust the business but new customers would require more persuasion. Existing products to new customers Taking the current customers as a base, the objective is to find entirely new products that these customers may buy, or else start to provide the products the existing customer is buying from the competitors. Existing products to existing customers The lowest-risk option; try to increase sales to the existing customers; which can be done by increasing the frequency of purchase and maintaining customer loyalty. New competitive arenas This option requires a business to think about opportunities to integrate vertically or consider whether the skills could be used in other industries. New geographies In this businesses are encouraged to consider new geographical areas into which to sell their products. Geographical expansions is one of the most powerful option for growth-but also one of the difficult ones. New delivery approaches This focuses on the use of distribution channels as a possible means of growth. Are there any ways in which the products can be sold using the current or new emerging channels which may boost sales? New industry structure It considers the possibility of acquiring troubled competitors which can be done through a general acquisition program. TASK2 MARKETING ENVIRONMENT Using of PESTEL analysis, marketing mix elements can be produced to contribute the goals and values of Boots, after analyzing the current marketing environment. PESTEL analysis: PESTEL ANALYSIS (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal)The PESTEL analysis is a useful tool for understanding market growth or decline, and as such the position, potential and direction for a business.. The PESTEL analysis headings are a framework for reviewing a situation, and can also, like SWOT analysis, and Porters Five Forces model, be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition, or idea. Its an external factor. PESTEL is used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit. A PESTEL analysis is a business measurement tool. A PESTEL analysis measures a market; a SWOT analysis measures a business unit, a proposition or idea. Considering each factor individually :- Political European/international legislation international regulations government term and change regulatory bodies and processes current legislation home market government trading policies funding, grants and initiatives Economic The UK has been in recession since August 2009 with two successive quarters of decline , affecting the economical factors nationally and globally. general/ product specific taxation issues customer/end-user drivers overseas economies and trends home economy situation/ trends specific industry factors market routes and distribution trends Social Factors including the demographic changes, the way people live, work and think and cultural aspect of the place, affecting customer needs and the potential markets demographics consumer attitudes and opinions lifestyle trends advertising and publicit .media views consumer buying patterns brand, company, technology image ethnic/religious factors Technological It includes RD, computerization, technology incentives and rate at which technology changes. These changes affect the cost and quality of the product motivating for improvement. competing technology development research funding intellectual property issues consumer buying mechanisms/technology maturity of technology associated/dependent technologies manufacturing maturity and capacity technology access, licensing, patents replacement technology/solutions information and communications innovation potential technology access, licensing, patents technology legislation Environmental Boots uses the carbon foot printing tool in their farms which says about the total amount of greenhouse gases caused directly and indirectly in the making and transportation of that product climate Weather climate change .. Legal The cost of production and operation and effect on employees working in Boots was affected when government increased the labour wages by 15%. It also follows legal factors like no child labour, special consideration for disables ,etc. health and safety law employment law antitrust law discrimination law consumer law Globalisation:- After considering all the above factors Boots should put plan and put down proper strategies before entering the global market and also reviewing the progress on regular basis , so as to make the necessary changes. Following are the areas which should be consider by the organisation: Well planned Strategies to develop the profit and to attain long term goal Know clearly the goals , objectives and targets with a regular follow up. Organisation should identify and assess their product in the market need to plan strategically as well as operationally market growth using the PESTEL analysis. logic, self-discipline and to operate systematically SWOT analysis STRENGTHS Strengths Weaknesses Strong Brand Equity Low profitability Store Network Lack of International Presence Opportunities Threats Store expansions in UK Intense price competition Expanding product offerings High regulatory oversight WEAKNESSES Declining Reputation Boots is only presented in UK. Therefore there can be an issue if the company wants to have growth in the retailing Health Beauty Division sector. OPPORTUNITY Online sales are a great opportunity for future growth. Staff which works at Boots are essential buyers, administrators, systems designers, finance workers and so on all are part of the whole team that must work together to make things operate smoothly and efficiently Boots alternative business, investing in properties can have major growth in the future. THREATS As a result there needs to be investment related to environmental and green issues. Boots operations have become a topic on various issues like environmental, planning and other factors. Conclusion It is important to recognize that sustainable development is a journey of continual improvement. The processes and tools we have developed are under continual review and refinement. Some of our priorities for the immediate future include: Extending and adapting the risk assessment model for use in other business functions. Developing product sustainability benchmarking Building sustainable development criteria into brand and departmental key performance indicators. Understanding the climate change impacts of products. Developing strategies for consumer information on sustainable development issues. In short Boots UKs views sustainable development as a Holy Grail given the scale of the challenge, the complexity of our business and the pace of change. But we know that it is a key differential for Boots UK, that we are leading the way on many of the issues, and it is no less than what is expected of us by our customers and wider society. Journals/Magazines European Journal of Marketing (Emerald Group Publishing) Campaign ( Haymarket Publishing) Admap ( World Advertising Research Centre) Revolution ( Haynet) Journal of Consumer Behaviour ( Academy of Marketing Science) Marketing Intelligence and Planning (Emerald Group Publishing) Marketing Business (The Chartered Institute of Marketing Magazine) Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science ( Academy of Marketing Science) Marketing Week (Centure Communications Ltd) Websites http://www.boots-UK/Media/PDFs/CSR/2BCE_AWARDS_Paper_v3_general_release.pdf http://www.boots.com/en/Help/About-Boots.com/ http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt.PDF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEST_analysis http://www.businesspme.com/uk/articles/marketing/6/Types-of-marketing-strategies.html http://www.chicagoexec.net/chicago.nsf http://www.boots-uk.com/Our_Group/Alliance_Boots_Board.aspx http://strategy-guide.blogspot.com/2006/03/mckinsey-growth-pyramid The Strategic Marketing Process

Comparing Buddhism and Christianity Essay -- Religion Buddhism Christi

Comparing Buddhism and Christianity In the early sixth century Christianity was evolving at a rapid pace. The spread of Christianity was not only moving westward through Europe, but it was also moving eastward down the Silk Road. The eastward spread of Christianity was primarily a form of Christianity known as Nestorianism, after the teachings of Nestorius, a fifth century patriarch. By 635 Nestorian Christianity had reached the heart of China spreading through all of Persia and India. During the middle of the seventh century Nestorian churches were found in cities all along the Silk Road, though there were unquestionably many fewer Christians than Buddhists in Asia Up until the turn of the sixteenth century Christianity endured great persecution in China and Japan. Christianity became extinct in China and Japan until sixteenth century when European Christian missionaries first came to Asia. Upon meeting Buddhist monks the Christian missionaries realized there seem to be many similarities between Christianity and Buddhism. They noticed many other similarities in doctrine and books as well. The early missionaries to China and Japan were both shocked and disturbed by their findings that another religion had similar beliefs. The missionaries determined that this was the devil at work, inventing a counterfeit faith. In recent years scholars discovered the evidence of Nestorian Churches in Asia. Many people now believe that the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity are due to the influence of the Nestorianism in Asia. It is evident when reading many Buddhist teachings that there are many similarities between Christianity and Buddhism. Similarities between Christianity and Buddhism are evident in every sect of Buddhism, but are strongest seen in the Pure Land sect of Buddhism. In this essay I will compare the similarities and differences between Pure Land Buddhism and Christianity. In the largest Pure Land scripture or sutra, composed in India, a story of Amitabha is told. It is said that many eons ago, Amitabha a monk, learned from the eighty-first Buddha about the wonders of immeasurable Buddha Lands. According to the sutra in the second century AD Amitabah vowed to create his own Buddha Lands. He said that he would make them eighty-one times more outstanding than all the other lands. Amitabah who’s name means endless life an... ... salvation. Pure Land followers are glad that a Christians hold his beliefs. They rejoice that Muslim is a Muslim. They are glad for the agnostic. Pure Land missionaries goal is not to convert those who are happy with their own religion, their goal is to convert those who are unhappy with their beliefs. A Pure Land Buddhist is happy for those who are content with their beliefs. Although we can see that the two beliefs of Christianity and Pure Land Buddhism have similar beliefs, we also can see that they do differ in some major areas. I think that it is obvious to see that the Nestorians who brought Christianity to China and Japan had an influence on the Buddhist people during the sixth and seventh century. The religions have their major differences but we can see that throughout the scriptures that the main Idea of unseen faith is the central idea to the religion. Some may say that they are two very different religions but I would differ saying they have very much in common. Works Cited Snelling, John. The Buddhist Handbook. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International, 1991 Reat, Nobel Ross. Buddhism A History. Fremont, California: Jain Publishing Company, 1994

Organizational Change Essay

Organizational change is common when companies go through a transformation and need to either change business strategies or restructure the operation. Organizations are open systems that survive by maintaining good standing with the economic environment around them. By fundamentally changing the environment of a company, it means altering ways and means of production, downsizing, or even dropping dead weight as Ford did eliminating whole brands such as Mercury. In some cases the whole culture may need to change in order to rebrand a struggling company. According to McShane, effective change occurs by unfreezing the current situation, moving to a desired condition, and the refreezing the system so that it remains in the desired state. (McSane, 2014) Easier said than done because some of the main challenges when it comes to organizational change involve the employees who are restraining the driving forces of upper management. Resistance can prove toxic if untreated or left unnoticed creating silos or just counterproductive thoughts, words, and actions. Productive persuasion is tricky when you have to explain how to do things one way after explaining to do them another before. Credibility can be tarnished if reasoning and logic do not follow the definitive command. When Upper management has to restructure it can mean losing the respect of subordinates in some cases because they may be challenged more often in the future. Organizations can improve the likelihood of success in their change efforts by putting all the cards on the table. Explanations should be given that include positive results for them in the future justifying why change is needed. Communication and employee involvement reduce the restraining forces and promote an open learning environment. In Ford’s case, the fear of unemployment for many workers due to the economy was motivation enough to embrace change with open arms hoping to float by in the financial hurricane. This open-mindedness kept them ahead of the competition and rallied them behind the creation of the Fusion and Escape. Focusing more attention on smaller fuel-efficient cars has paid off mainly because of rising gas prices and environmental considerations. According to Rosevear, while the V8-powered GT version of Ford’s Mustang  sells well, higher-performance models are typically niche products. That niche is growing — Ford says that sales of high-performance models have risen 70 percent in the U.S. since 2009, and 16 percent in Europe over the same period — but it’s still small. High-performance versions of mainstream models generally make up less than 10 percent of the model’s total sales. But those sales can be very profitable. Ford’s compact Focus starts at under $17,000, but the sticker price on a loaded high-performance ST model is close to $29,000. There’s a lot of profit for Ford in that $12,000 difference. (Rosevear, 2015) The profit margin seems to be growing as production methods become faster and more efficient, creating an environment worth changing towards. When companies look back for examples to give about successful organizational changes, Ford should be on the forefront of their minds as a good example. McShane, S., & Glinow, M. (2014). Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behavior. Organizational Behavior (2nd ed., pg. 273). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Rosevear, J. (2015, January 10). How Ford Will Chase Younger Buyers in 2015. Retrieved from http://www.dailyfinance.com/2015/01/10/how-ford-will-chase-younger-buyers-2015/

Conflict between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay

â€Å"Choose a play in which there is a conflict between key characters. Explain how the conflict arises and, by referring to appropriate techniques, go on to say how the conflict adds tension to the play, and whether is it resolved.† William Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy ‘Macbeth,’ charts the rise and fall of the titular character and his wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is one of the kings most trusted thanes, a â€Å"worthy cousin,† but he betrays that trust and murders the king after being manipulated into agreeing to commit the crime by his ambitious wife. This conflict drives a wedge between the characters and creates tension at a number of points in the play. Eventually all of their treachery is discovered, and Macbeth and his wife both face terrible consequences for their earlier actions. The conflict first arises between the key characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, when Macbeth arrives home from battle. After the battle Macbeth came across the â€Å"weird sisters,† who hailed him as â€Å"king hereafter†. His ambition is immediately made known to the audience in his soliloquy where he admits his â€Å"black and deep desires†, although he reasons with himself and comes to the conclusion that: â€Å"If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir.† However, Macbeth’s â€Å"dearest partner of greatness† is extremely ambitious and is already set on murdering the king so that herself and her husband can claim the crown and is angry when she discovers that he has had a change of heart. Lady Macbeth soon overcomes this, as she is as cunning as she is ambitious, manipulating her husband by questioning his manhood and calling him a â€Å"coward.† After the murder, Macbeth instantly regrets it and further conflict is created between the characters as Lady Macbeth has to interfere and plants the bloody daggers on the drugged guards, as her husband is too shaken to do it. Macbeth rambles that he has â€Å"murdered sleep†. She scolds him for being so weak, telling him, â€Å"My hands are of your colour but I would shame to wear a heart so white,† and that â€Å"a little water† will clear them of the deed. The two characters will experience a role reversal later on in the play. Although they have achieved their goal, Macbeth is still unhappy as he views himself as having a â€Å"fruitless crown†, as he and his wife have no heir. There is also tension created between Macbeth and Banquo, as Macbeth fears Banquo suspects him of the murder, as well as the witches prophecy that Banquo â€Å"shalt get kings†, which is heavy on Macbeth’s mind. To solve his problem, Macbeth hires assassins to murder his friends, as tells the assassins that Banquo’s young, innocent son should also â€Å"embrace the fate of that dark hour†. Macbeth does not consort with his wife about their murder, which is on of the early signs that their relationship is beginning to deteriorate due to the tension caused by the original murder. There is tension in the famous ‘Banquet Scene’, which is a turning point for Macbeth and the point in the play where he fully commits to evil. Macbeth’s psychotic break during which he see’s Banquo’s â€Å"bloodied† ghost causes tension as it is viewed by his royal lords and kinsmen and gives them reason to believe there is something amiss. Lady Macbeth tried to pull her husband together, asking him â€Å"Are you a man?†, again trying to manipulate him by challenging his manhood. Although this worked before, it doesn’t now. This could be due to the murder of the king changing Macbeth as a man, but murder is not new to Macbeth so it is much more likely that the conflict earlier on in the play has caused a loss of respect and closeness between himself and his wife. As the play goes on, Macbeth and his wife grow further apart. Macbeth becomes the one â€Å"full of direst cruelty,† who seems ruthless and remorseless and Lady Macbeth is the one who cannot have a peaceful sleep. This role reversal is a common theme in many of Shakespeare’s dramas. Tension is created as while Lady Macbeth is asleep, she imagines blood on her hands, saying â€Å"Out damned spot†, and reveals her and Macbeth’s guilt to her hand maiden and the doctor. Lady Macbeth eventually commits suicide, so the conflict is unresolved. Upon hearing the nears Macbeth simply says, â€Å"She should have died hereafter.† It is not long until he also dies, which is a direct result of the original murder of the king. In conclusion, the conflict first arises between the key characters, Macbeth  and Lady Macbeth, when they decide to murder the king but then Macbeth has a change of heart and has to be bullied into it by his wife. Further tension is created between the key characters after the murder due to guilt and the psychological consequences take a toll on Macbeth, as well as his wife, in different ways. Macbeth and his wife experience a role reversal and grow further apart until eventually Lady Macbeth commits suicide, unable to deal with her guilt and Macbeth dies soon after in an equally gruesome manner. The conflict is not resolved as there is no reconciliation between the key characters.

Market research tablets

Market research tablets Introduction Definition of terms MarketingAdvertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Market research: tablets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is the process of making known the values of a service or product to its potential customers through the different platforms available. Marketing is supposed to meet the wants and needs of customers through coming up with long term business interaction and exchange processes. This practice may be viewed as an organizational obligation and a set of procedures of creating and communicating the specific values of a product or service to its designated consumer. It also incorporates the maintenance of a standing consumer-producer relationship in a manner that profits both the organization and its respective shareholders. This process involves the use of quite a number of channels including the media, (news papers, electronic magazines, electronic media like televisions and rad ios and articles), internet, brochures, mailings and phone calls amongst many others. The management of a company has the obligation to communicate the existence of the product or service produced therein to prospective clients. Effective marketing of goods and services involves the use of channels that has the capacity to reach the most number of targeted clients. In addition to that, the cost-effectiveness of the channels is also a factor to consider while choosing the mode of communication. The internet is thought to be the most cost effective mode of marketing. This is because it requires limited resources to reach a considerable number of prospective clients as compared to the rest of the channels. The social media come in handy here. Marketing may also be defined as a science that involves selecting target markets by use of critical analysis of the markets, understanding consumer trends as well as using market segmentation.Advertising Looking for research paper on busi ness economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Demand and supply These are terms use in microeconomics to refer to an economic model of the determination of products’ and services’ prices in a particular market. They are based on the principle that the price of a good or service in a competitive market will not be constant until it reaches a point where the amount of the goods or services demanded by customers is equal to the amount of the goods or services provided by producers or suppliers (at current price). This always results to some sort of economic equilibrium where the prices of goods tally with their quantity in a specific market. There are four laws that govern supply and demand. They include:- When demand is increased and supply left at a constant, a shortage comes about hence a relatively high equilibrium price. When demand is decreased and supply left at a constant, a surplus comes about hence a relatively low equilibrium price. When demand is left at a constant and supply increased, a surplus comes about hence a relatively low equilibrium price. When demand is left at a constant and supply decreased, a shortage comes about hence a relatively high equilibrium price. Tablet computer A tablet computer, also referred to as a tablet, is a device in the form of a mobile computer that has a touch-screen and is primarily controlled by use of the fingers, although sometimes supplemented by other physical buttons located on its peripherals. This device is found in the current markets in different sizes, shapes, color, functionality and prices. Its functionality is always similar to personal digital assistants or the so called smart phones. Despite the fact that tablets are self-contained with their touch screens, they can be connected to other physical keyboards or input devices.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Market research: tablets specifical ly for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, these devices can also offer foldable booklet formats capable of giving their users double touch-screens. This complexity makes them ideal for use as notebooks since they display a virtual keyboard on the display. Even though the tablets were conceptualized in 20th century and first manufactured in its last two decades, they have only been affordable and practical during the 21st century. Background information This research project will be based on the tablet market in Switzerland and Austria. The three tablet products selected for the purposes of this study are Apple’s iPad tablet, Microsoft’s Surface tablet and Samsung’s Galaxy tablet. The Galaxy Tab and iPad have always dominated the tablet markets while Microsoft’s Surface tablet is only a few months old in the market though promising too. The three products have comparatively fitted in the markets with all of them registe ring high volumes of sales in the two markets mentioned above. This is an indication that the products have had a warm reception in the markets by their consumers. However, the convenience they offer individually to their users and other varying factors in the markets makes the sales of the products slightly different. This paper is meant to give a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the three suppliers in both the Swiss and Austrian markets. Factors like total sales and market sizes in terms of currency and volume of sales will play an integral part in coming up with the facts and figures for this study. The characteristics of supply and demand for the three products in these markets are also part of the important factors that will be accorded special attention during the study.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other important factors noted are the evolution of prices and recent trends. All these are included in the paper in a bid to come up with an all-inclusive research paper that leaves no loopholes unattended to. In order to visualize the market trends of these products, the paper will evaluate the characteristics of all the products and their specific advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the paper will give a comprehensive evaluation of the distributions channels of these products like the wholesalers, retailers, online sites and other relevant channels. The market demographics will also not be left behind in this study. All these are done in a bid to com e up with a clear outline of the possible future marketing opportunities. Besides, the findings of this research may also be very useful in the determination of possible future changes in the brands of the products and perhaps their modes of advertisements. Approach methods Some of the approach methods that will be taken into close consideration while conducting this research are the geographical disparities between the two markets, technical disparities between the three major suppliers of the tablets and the importance of having an economically manageable research solution. It is important to note that the study will be based on secondary research materials like the internet, data from published internet reports, newspapers, business magazines, books and government statistics amongst others. Another important source of information on the tablet market will be the user-generated content. This will be considered for the purposes of this study due to the fact that the table market highly depends on user opinions and recommendations. Research findings Characteristics of the products Characteristics of Apple’s iPad tablet All the three products have more or less the same characteristics but the paper will focus more on the distinct features. The Apple’s iPad tablet, for instance, has the Smart Note application that allows its users to quickly key in and arranger their daily data according to their own preferences. This tablet also has a free Twitterrific application that enables its users to track, directly respond to and most importantly implement Twitter feature in their tablet. It is also important to mention the WifiTrak application of the device. This application is important in helping users find and open public or private Wi-Fi hotspots in the vicinity. All these are just but a few characteristics. Advantages and disadvantages of the iPad tablet The most outstanding advantage of buying the iPad is the presence of its 1GHz Dual score. This allows its users to download applications more efficiently and fast without the need to change batteries which, as a matter of fact, continue to maintain their charge for over ten hours. The light weight of the device compared to other similar devices in the markets is also a comparable advantage. It is also important to mention t he advanced graphics of the device as well as its wide screen that brings about a good feeling while surfing the internet of watching a movie (Jacoby, 3). On the other hand, the iPad has disadvantages as well. For instance, the device does not support the Adobe Flash Player which is very necessary for watching video clips from You Tube and other sites. This is perhaps because of the unpleasant organizational relationship between the Apple Company and Adobe. In addition to that, Apple’s iPad is relatively expensive as compared to other tablets. For this reason, it is affordable to only a few people hence its unpopularity. Characteristics of Microsoft’s Surface tablet The Microsoft’s Surface is famous for its built-in kickstand. The kickstand gives a totally different experience while watching movies on the tablet or perusing through the photos. This is because the user can simply prop up the tablet by use of the kickstand. In addition to the kickstand application , Surface tablet has enough space to cater for the varied needs of its users. It gives a variety of storage options from 32GB to an overwhelming 128GB. Advantages and disadvantages of the Surface tablet The Microsoft’s Surface tablet is famous for its premium feel and stylish look. It impressed quite a number of people and this alone makes it sell. The incorporation of the kickstand application into the system of this device gives it an upper hand in the markets. Additionally, the fact that it is the most convenient tablet for Windows 8 operating system makes it more acceptable in the current markets. This is perhaps because of the fact that Windows 8 is the most recent and user-friendly operating system today. Just like every other tablet, the Surface tablet had disadvantages too. For instance, the device is thought to have a poor selection of applications. Its display has also been viewed as very standard and offers no complexity or sophistication. This gives it a rather sl uggish graphical presentation; something that has never been appealing to teenage customers. The fact that the cameras of this device lack flashes is also limiting the number of sales of the product to the elderly and not teenagers. Its relatively heavier weight as compared to the iPad is also a setback. Characteristics of Samsung’s Galaxy tablet One of the most outstanding features for the Samsung’s Galaxy tablet is its ability to support an external storage of up to 64GB. This fits in the range of needs of most users. Besides, the Samsung Galaxy S2 has 1GB RAM, dual core of 1.2GHz and 8MP camera. Another amazing application incorporated in this tablet is the new Skype application on Google android that enables users to link their gadgets through video clip calls. Advantages and disadvantages of the Galaxy tablet Unlike the iPad, the Samsung Galaxy tablet does not feel flimsy despite the use of plastic on its body casing. This tablet has a screen that includes a 800 x 1280 resolution hence giving the user an amazing experience when surfing the internet or even when watching movies. The device is also incorporated with rear and front facing cameras with rear flash to take photos even in the dark. That notwithstanding, the device has an ambient light sensor, compass, gyroscope and an accelerometer. Despite the numerous advantages of the Galaxy tablet, it has its disadvantages too. It has been proven that the Wi-Fi specifications of this product had improved but recent sources say that it has worsened lately. It now has poor detections of Wi-Fi hotspots and sometimes limited access to networks in its range. Additionally, the device is thought to support the famous Adobe Flash player but this is not the case as expected. As many thought, the software should have come preinstalled in the system of the device. Nonetheless, users have to install the software for themselves and surprisingly the device does not even have a desktop shortcut that links Ado be Flash player to the Android Marketplace. Facts and figures This is the section that will provide a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the three products (Galaxy, iPad and Surface tablets) in the two different markets (Swiss and Austrian). It is worth noting that the research conducted and facts tabled were purely based on relative approximations at that particular moment (Jacoby, 3). This confirmation gives room for flexibility and consequently changes in the facts and figures as per this moment. Demographics for sales of Apple’s iPad in the Swiss market IPad tablet sales 187,367 iPad tablets sold in the last 90 days The distribution of iPad owners in terms of gender in the Swiss market Male 61% Female 39% The distribution of iPad owners in terms of age in the Swiss market 55+ : 13% 45-54 : 17% 35-44 : 28% 30-34 : 15% 21-29 : 19% Under 20 : 8% The distribution of iPad owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Swiss market (Douez n. pag.) The iPad owners in the Swiss market may be correctly described as assertive and extroverts. They may also be referred to as a sophisticated group considering the sales as reflected in the demographics. A key characteristic of iPad owners in this market was the income. From the statistical data of iPad owners by age, it was right to say that the age bracket that most likely registered the highest rate of employment owned the most number of iPad tablets in the market. This was the age between 35 and 44 which owned 28% of the total iPad tablets sold in the market during the time of the study. Demographics for sales of Microsoft’s Surface in the Swiss market Microsoft’s Surface tablet sales 199,473 Microsoft’s Surface tablets sold in the last 90 days The distribution of Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of gender in the Swiss market Male 63% Female 37% The distribution of Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of age in the Swiss market 55+ : 15% 45-54 : 16% 35-44 :25 % 30-34 : 14% 21-29 : 20% Under 20 : 10% The distribution of Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Swiss market The same applied to the Surface owners in the Swiss market. The age bracket that owned the most number of Surface tablets in the market was 35-44. This implied that the group of people that most likely had more money purchased more Surface tablets as compared to the others. Surface tablet owners in this market may also be described as extroverts (Wichert, and Birgid, 183). Demographics for sales of Samsung’s Galaxy in the Swiss market Samsung’s Galaxy tablet sales 210,374 Samsung’s Galaxy tablets sold in the last 90 days The distribution of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in terms of gender in the Swiss market Male 60% Female 40% The distribution of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in terms of age in the Swiss market 55+ : 14% 45-54 : 18% 35-44 : 27% 30-34 : 12% 21-29 : 20% Under 20 : 9% The distribution of Samsung ’s Galaxy owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Swiss market The Samsung’s Galaxy owners in the Swiss market may be correctly described as assertive and extroverts too. They may also be referred to as a sophisticated group (just like iPad and Surface owners) considering the sales as reflected in the demographics. A key characteristic of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in this market was the income. Form the statistical data of Samsung’s Galaxy owners by age, it was right to say that the age bracket where most likely registered the highest rate of employment owned the most number of Samsung’s Galaxy tablets in the market. This was the age between 35 and 44 which owned 27% of the total Samsung’s Galaxy tablets sold in the market during the time of the study. Demographics for sales of Apple’s iPad in the Austrian market IPad tablet sales 192,574 iPad tablets sold in the last 90 days The distribution of iPad owners in terms of gende r in the Austrian market Male 66% Female 34% The distribution of iPad owners in terms of age in the Austrian market 55+ : 16% 45-54 : 17% 35-44 : 29% 30-34 : 16% 21-29 : 17% Under 20 : 5% The distribution of iPad owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Austrian market The trend is almost the same as already explained in the previous statistics. The population or age bracket that earned the most made the highest number of purchases of the Apple’s iPad tablets in this market. This was so because they seemed to have more money as compared to those under the age of twenty whose purchase for this item was as low as 5% of the total sales during that period. Demographics for sales of Microsoft’s Surface in the Austrian market Microsoft’s Surface tablet sales 209,374 Microsoft’s Surface tablets sold in the last 90 days The distribution of Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of gender in the Austrian market Male 57% Female 43% The distribution o f Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of age in the Austrian market (Werner, Werner Oberzaucher 177). 55+ : 12% 45-54 : 15% 35-44 : 30% 30-34 : 16% 21-29 : 19% Under 20 : 8% The distribution of Microsoft’s Surface owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Austrian market Even though Microsoft’s Surface tablet was new to the market as compared to the other products, it registered overwhelming sales during that period. In terms of income, it is important to note that the age bracket between 35 and 44 years still made the most number of purchases. This was attributed to the fact that this age bracket contained the most number of people with employment and who earn considerably well as compared to the others (â€Å"Semantic Analysis of Multimedia and Contextual Data† 9). Demographics for sales of Samsung’s Galaxy in the Austrian market Samsung’s Galaxy tablet sales 237,955 Samsung’s Galaxy tablets sold in the last 90 days The d istribution of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in terms of gender in the Austrian market Male 65% Female 35% The distribution of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in terms of age in the Austrian market 55+ : 10% 45-54 : 19% 35-44 : 31% 30-34 : 14% 21-29 : 18% Under 20 : 8% The distribution of Samsung’s Galaxy owners in terms of income and psychographics in the Austrian market Just like in the statistics of purchases of the Surface tablets in the Austrian market, individuals with the highest income bought more tablets as compared to their counterparts who earned relatively less money. In conclusion, therefore, we noted that the tablets, inconsiderate of their brands, were mostly purchased by people in the age bracket of 35-44. Explanations of the market trends of both Switzerland and Austria The two Swiss and Austrian markets most definitely had varied market sizes hence the disparity in the sales registered during the 90-day period. In addition to the size of the markets, there m ust have been variations in supply and demand characteristics of the three suppliers and the consumers respectively. For this reason, there had to be differences in the sales of all the three products just like evidenced in the statistics tabled above (â€Å"Semantic Analysis of Multimedia and Contextual Data† 9). However, it is important to note that the purchases of all the three products were comparatively high. This was an implication that the supply of the products was at equilibrium with their demand in all the two markets. It, therefore, meant that consumers were at liberty to go for the products they desire and they would get them without occurrence of shortage (Jacoby, 3). Market trends of the three products in Switzerland The facts obtained from the tablet market in Switzerland indicated that more men than women purchased all the three products. Generally, men are more likely to buy tablets than women so this trend just conforms to the international trend. It was al so noted that Apple’s iPad tablet did not do as well as Microsoft’s Surface and Samsung’s Galaxy tablets in terms of sales (Jeannette, 7). This might have been attributed to the fact that iPad tablets are relatively expensive as compared to the other two tablets. Microsofts Surface tablet did not do as good as Samsung’s Galaxy tablet either. This, on the other hand, could have been attributed to the fact that Surface tablets do not look as classy as the Galaxy tablets even though their prices are nearly same. The trend of purchase displayed by people of different ages in this market was an indication that more tablets were owned by people of the ages between 35 and 44 who are thought to have more employment as compared to the others. This further indicated that tablets were relatively expensive since the population below twenty years registered the least percentage of purchases. Additionally, the old people in the age bracket of 55 and above exhibited a s imilar trend to those under the age of twenty. Market trends of the three products in Austria The trends of purchase of all the three products in Austria were relatively same to the trends exhibited in Switzerland. This might have been championed by the fact that the income levels of the populations of the two countries were almost the same and that their economies were at par. The age brackets and income of the populations of the two markets displayed an almost similar trend. However, there were slight differences in the total number of sales of the three products in the two markets (Jacoby, 3). It was noted that general purchase of the products was high in Switzerland than in Austria. This may have come about as a result of quite a number of factors. For instance, the difference in market sizes would have caused the difference in the number of purchases made for all the products. Other factors that would have resulted to this variation are currency and the evolution of prices. Thi s happens particularly when prices are rather constant in one market while the other market experiences fluctuations in the prices. In some occasions, the inconsistency of demand and supply characteristics may play a part in causing variations in purchase trends like in the example above (Wichert, and Birgid, 183). Distribution channels for the three products in both Swiss and Austrian markets A distribution channel may be defined as conduit through which services or goods move from the producer to the consumer. It may also refer to the path through which payments for goods and services follow from consumers to their respective producers (Dent, 12). There are quite a number of distribution channels that were used by the three suppliers (Samsung, Microsoft and Apple) to market and supply their products in the two markets (Austrian and Swiss). These include wholesalers, distributors, retailers and online sites amongst others. Suppliers may either decide to sell their products and serv ices to their consumers through wholesalers and retailers or sell directly without an intermediary. This too might have resulted to the difference in sales in the two markets for the three products. This is because when a supplier decides to do business directly with the consumer, charges for the service or good becomes relatively low hence customers are more likely to purchase the good or service. For this reason, if any of the suppliers in either market applied this principle, they would have made more sales (Dent, 12). Some factors must be taken into account while choosing the right distribution channel for a product or service. For instance, the complexity of the product or service will determine whether its distributors are supposed to be specialists or not. The market itself may be a determinant in identifying a distribution channel. For instance, if the market involves selling products abroad then a more convenient distribution channel is mandatory. Other factors include the type of business and legal issues that may be associated with the distribution channel used (Dent, 12). Recommendations After critically analyzing the facts and figures for the purchase trends of iPad, Galaxy and Surface tablets in the Swiss ad Austrian markets, we came up with a few recommendations that might play a significant role in increasing the sales of individual suppliers in both markets. The suppliers, just like any other profit-making business, have the obligation of meeting organizational objectives while satisfying both the management and shareholders. From the trends in the two markets for all the products, it can be noted that Apple’s iPad registered the lowest sales. This was attributed to the fact that iPad tablets were more expensive as compared to Galaxy and Surface tablets with almost the same quality. We recommend, therefore, that Apple Company should consider reviewing its prices in order to offer customers more affordable tablets. This should not only b e done in Austria where sales are lowest but also in Switzerland. This will help a great deal in making Apple’s iPad to compete favorably with other products in the market. Apple should also consider revising its marketing strategies because they might have contributed to the low sales made during the 90-day period. This is because only a few people could have been made aware of the availability of Apple’s iPad tablets in the market. The number of sales is bound to rise considerably if more people were to be made aware of the existence of this product in the markets of both Switzerland and Austria. The use of social media can have enormous effect in the quest to make the product from Apple known to the public. The social media are known to attract a lot of traffic from all over the world. This implies that in the event that Apple Company opts to exert its efforts to market its iPad in the social media like facebook and twitter, it will not only make sales locally but a lso internationally. Conclusion A market is defined by healthy competition of suppliers of same products. It is only through this that suppliers may be able to evaluate their loopholes and maximize on their strengths in order to make the most number of sales they could ever achieve. Additionally, a healthy business competition enables individual businesses to make comprehensive SWOT analysis so as to improve or maintain profit margins. It is only through this that suppliers may be able to compete favorably with one another to meet their organizational objectives in an economy. In conclusion, therefore, businesses should be in a position of conducting a critical analysis of their strengths and weaknesses in order to come up with the most viable business concept within a particular market. Dent, Julian. Distribution Channels: Understanding and Managing Channels to Market. London: Kogan Page, 2011. Print. Douez, Sophie. Harnessing the potential of tablet technology swissinfo.ch Mar 25 , 2011. swissinfo.ch. Web. swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/harnessing-the-potential-of-tablet-technology/29833808 Jacoby, William G. Public Attitudes towards the sales of Apple’s iPad tablet. Austrian Journal of the Liberal Markets 38.2 (2013): 3. Print. Sit, Gee Fung, Chenbin Shen, Holger Storf and Cristian Hofmann. â€Å"Application-Oriented Fusion and Aggregation of Sensor Data. Advanced Technologies and Societal Change (2012): 3-13. Print. Werner, Franz, Katharina Werner and Johannes Oberzaucher. Tablets for Seniors: An evaluation of a current model (iPad), Ambient Assisted Living: 5. AAL-Kongress 2012 Berlin, Germany, January 24-25, 2012 (Advanced Technologies and Societal Change). New York: Springer, 2012. 177-185. Print.

The Experience of War essays

The Experience of War essays The nature of the Great War was one of horrible conditions the soldiers on the front line had to endure and the suffering of the civilian population at home. In the passage The Experience of War, we are given a first hand look into the conditions that both the soldier and the civilian had to go through during this difficult time. The letter from the soldier expresses his concern over the losses his regiment incurs as well as how the newspapers glorify what is happening on the battlefield. The excerpt from the diary of the Viennese women explains in detail the dilemma that the civilian population had to go through just to get a small serving of horsemeat and the civil unrest associated with it. World War I was an experience that educated all people on the home front as to the gruesome conditions that the soldiers had to go through during times of conflict. The media of the time presented the war as a romantic endeavour, an adventure that all men should not want to miss. This could not have been farther from the truth. Life in the trenches, on the front lines of the war was intolerable. Men sleeping in the wet mud, with little or no shelter, artillery smashing the earth all around you with their massive concussions and the whistle of bullets passing by your head. Death was an ever present thought which lingered in every soldiers mind. They were reminded of this constantly from the dead bodies that lay out of the trenches. The soldier in the passage has obviously accepted the fact that he is probably going to die when in the very first paragraph of the letter he bids farewell to all those that knew him as well as when he states that everybody must be prepared for death. Many soldiers tried to calm themselves about the prospect of death by saying that their life was in Gods hands and if they died, then it was not such a big deal since their soul belonged to God, suc...