Impact of External Environment on Apple Operations Essay

Impact of External Environment on Apple Operations - Essay Example On the other hand, the company internal factors that arise from external effects include strong brand name, diversified product portfolio, strong management team and mergers. To remain competitive and address the weaknesses of the poor relationship with the major competitor, it is imperative for the company to form more mergers with a large company such as Dell. In the same way, the company should utilize the available market opportunities by advertising its products through social sites such as facebook and twitter. This is in addition to establishing more sales outlets in the developing countries. One of the vital strategies that firms adapt to face off stiff competition in the contemporary business arena is the use of well-designed marketing plan that takes into consideration the effects of external environment on the operations of a firm. One of the companies that have attained a competitive advantage due to its effective marketing strategies is Apple Incorporation. Apple Inc. is an international company that deals with marketing and designing of computers hardware and software as well as household electronics products. Earlier on, the company was referred to as Apple computer incorporation (Adam, 2012). Apple Inc. which is headquartered in the US is well known for the quality and high-tech brands that have revolutionized communication. This marketing audit analyzes the impact of external environment on Apple operations by reflecting the current market situation of the company.The company is focused on becoming the market leader in the electronic and technology industry glob ally. According to the former chief executive officer, Mr. Steve Jobs, computers provided by Apple should be on every desk in the next 8 years. Apple Company will persist in offering innovative and revolutionized brands to its customer to meet their short term and long term demands.  

Zara stays in Europe while other brands outsource to offshore Essay

Zara stays in Europe while other brands outsource to offshore manufacturers - Essay Example Supply change management (SCM) in simple words can be defined as the process of transformation of goods from the raw materials state to the final product and finally handing it over to the end customer. Different companies have different SCM strategies which vary depending upon the short and long term objectives and goals the company wants to achieve.Also factors effecting SCM strategy depends upon the structure of the company i.e. either it’s a manufacturing company , a distribution company, a retailing company or a mixture of these companies. Zara is one of the five apparel retailing chains owned by Inditex group. Although Inditex manages designing, manufacturing and retailing of its goods but it enjoys major presence globally in the market through its chain of retail stores. The key to Zara’s success was the implementation of a unique SCM strategy. While other retailers in the business were focusing on completely outsourcing there manufacturing to offshore; mostly co untries like China, India, Bangladesh etc. saving costs by utilizing cheap labor, Inditex decided to digress from this convention being followed and managed to succeed in its approach. MAKE-BUY DECISIONÂ  : With all the firms entangled between the decision of manufacturing the products in-house or outsource it to off-shore suppliers majorly because of cost saving which involves availability of labor at much cheaper cost i.e. margins 18 to 20 times less for hiring of what you get locally in Europe or America or more expertise available across borders and other reasons. Similarly these factors have influenced the decisions in the Apparel industry aswell with the entire thought process working behind the reason that cost saving in the manufacturing will yield much more profit in comparison to opting to an in-house or nearer manufacturing options. The giants of the fashion apparel industry like GAP, H&M and many other smaller brands choose to outsource their manufacturing completely of fshore. Although one benefit they yielded through this that their manufacturing process saved heavily by employing cheap labor but on the other hand they became open to many risk factors including Global trade policies. International treaties. The social responsibility of providing employment to local labor. The harmful manufacturing process to the environments as a result of mass production which recently gained awareness of population and started to effect the sales and the image of companies and brands. Longer lead times i.e. the replenishment time for the inventory were quite high and could affect sales quite heavily in case the company and stores fell victim to inventory stock-outs. Unexpected weather risking the timely delivery of product. While on the other hand Inditex choose to be different from the trend of outsourcing manufacturing offshore and made the most of this opportunity. Zara being an emergence of Spain opted to the unique strategy of opening manufacturing plants near to where the retail stores were located. Apart from that Zara dost not entirely own the manufacturing process but in Spain and Portugal it own a series of workshops which are bonded in contract with the firm. In doing so Zara was affording labor cost 18 to 20 times higher than its major competitors but still managed to yield profits on the same scale and competitive advantage on the competitors by Quicker replenishments. Continuous and innovative designs. The Entire process of SCM was interlinked. Environmental friendly projects. Proving itself more socially responsible by hiring local employees. While all the major competitors of Inditex specifically to ZARA like The American GAP and the Swedish H&M SOURCING STRATEGIES AND SUPPLY CHAIN CONFIGURATIONS The sourcing strategies in the apparel industry were majorly divided between two major chunks. One was relying on cheaper product sourcing by outsourcing offshore which lead to few designs being in limelight for longer periods thr oughout the seasons. The other chunk selected to keep

Wings Of Fire Book Review and Summary

Wings Of Fire Book Review and Summary Written by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, honorable President of India. Wings of Fire is an autobiography capable of inspiring even a common man into becoming a technologist. A well composed novel which revolves around the life of Mr. Kalam a renowned scientist as he shares his experiences and the minutest of details of his life. I like the way the book has been put together along with the delicate facts of his personal life. His family background, the pain and suffering he went through and recollected himself is commendable. The day I finished reading this book, such an influential personality impacted me very deeply and it gave me a glimpse of how the power of positive thinking can help achieve all odds. This autobiography comprises of a balance of details of the technological and political challenges faced to prosper in its aeronautical and space program. It is also a success story of Dr.Kalams participative management practices. Also, it gives an insight into the lives of Hindus and Muslims of India and their relationships among each other and among multi religious communities in India. Wings of Fire is an account of a young boy who tries to achieve his dreams beating all odds. The story emphasizes the importance of family, relatives and friends in helping achieve each others goals and turning dreams to reality. It teaches us to become a patriotic citizen of our country shown in the book as a determinant India and countless effort of its scientists in achieving superiority in aeronautical, space and rocket technology. This book offers an important lesson of finding success from failures of Indian space and rocket infrastructural programs. A good presentation of the role of other renowned scientists moulding our countrys future. This book is full of information and is a recommended choice for every student, because this book has the influence and power to motivate a person to stand out in life. Wings of Fire is a unique model of accomplishing ones goals, while fulfilling the promise to its country. As I read through this book I felt the same humility that Mr.Kalam felt when he was engaged into the program. A friend recommended me this book and I am glad that he did. This book is an biography of Indias president Abdul Kalam which has been co-authored with famous Arun Tiwari, who once had worked with Kalam in the field of military defense research. As from the book itself, this is the story of Kalam who flourished from darkness into the bright sunlight, his personal and professional effort. . . . . . . This is also the narrative of independent Indias struggle for technological self adequacy sovereignty in defense systems a story as much regarding politics, as it is regarding science. The story tells us about Kalams rise from a humble lower-middle class family his narrative of Indias efforts in rocketry space technology. Segregated into four sections, the book gradually reaches for the stars Orientation, Creation, Propitiation Contemplation. As a tribute to his mother and father, the book is dedicated to his parents. The first segment relates to the early life of Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Kalam. His recollections of the early days are very suggestive of good old Magudi set up. He remembers his parents, relatives and teachers his most influential characters in the book. Adding color to the section are pictures of that time. This segment covers all his early learning and travels. The next segment is related to Kalams further education and work experience and his involvement with projects of military defense and space, primarily the SLV3. This part has many scientific details and is an introduction to defense and space research organizations. Kalam is an aam aadmi at heart, this is shown in the book in many of his narratives through his interaction with even the insignificant people in the hierarchy like Dr Brahm prakash, Prof Satish Dhawan and Prof Vikram Sarabhai. The third segment covers the years from 80-91 when Kalam is posted from ISRO to military defense labs. Filled with many pictures, this section too keeps us entertained. And to imagine he worked mostly in government institutions where bureaucracy and red tapes are the order of the day. We have all heard of SLV3, PSLV, Akaash, Naga, Agni, Trishul in the news and these technological achievements marks the success of what is now, one of the strongest and determined aeronautical and space organization of India. The last segment is connected with the later years where Kalam is bestowed upon with series of awards, his thought and his visions for a proud India. It is almost impossible not to be inspired by the life of Mr.Kalam. This segment along with the conclusion also mentions of Kalams dream for the year 2020. The book itself is written in simple English and it seems as if the author is speaking out to the reader directly. One must read this for the following reasons Indias greatest scientist Abdul Kalams story, military and defense research, missile technology, Indias vital space programs and general knowledge. Throughout the book there are morals that are for the grooming purposes for everyone, even for the administrators. Abdul Kalam tells us how the finest of people can be brought out. Abdul Kalam is referred to as spiritual scientist, his visions and contributions to his country. As a young man, Abdul Kalam was inquisitive and keen to learn more and more about science. Kalams mentors persuaded him to ponder onto the great opportunity into space science and by achieving this India will become self-sufficient in aeronautical and rocket science. He was the first one with a vision that India has great potential in its space and satellite development of launch vehicles. SLVs provide as the foundation for a range of state-of-the-art missile technology in Indias military. From an American viewpoint, when everyone is shouting bloody murder and weapon proliferation, Abdul Kalams memories of Frances taking away of support and fake accusations of German help serve as a alarming reminder that embargoing a country simply cannot work if the countrys public is strong enough to control their own destiny. Its worrying that there is little debate on the ethics of an impoverished country developing nuclear weapons and deploying delivery systems. . . .But thats almost totally lost in the argument of self-reliance, a determination to never again surrender to foreign rule. Abdul Kalam, an optimist, made helped India become self sufficient in its space and rocket technology. The book also inspires the youth of India living nationally and internationally that they appreciate the one marvel achieved by their nations hero, Abdul Kalam and strive themselves to become strong in every area of their profession and make India prosper for eternity. Abdul Kalam, the man with many names. He is most trusted man in India according to survey, He is also known as the missile man of India. Abdul Kalam will be cherished long after he is gone, the man whom India loves. The book is a journey into Abdul Kalams life; the book however does not cover his presidency days that were published before he became the president of India. Abdul Kalam stayed in Ramesh Varam which is famous for its Shiv temple. The famous temple was few kilometers journey from Abdul Kalams home, a Muslim dominated area. Abdul Kalam use to sell newspapers to help his brother, was good friend of the priest of the temple and his father was respectable man whom people used to turn for advice. Abdul Kalam writes about his school days, his brother in laws influence on him and his teachers in the initial chapters. He also writes about his financial challenges he faced during the time he was into education. The later chapters are some of Vikram Sarabhais immense contribution in establishment of space research center and opening up new feets for coming scientists. Abdul kalams efforts in association with other scientist would make ordinary Indian understand the zeal , the effort of human soul in making India , a well respected country in space science. As a mentor of Abdul Kalam, Vikram Sarabhai had expert management skills and team building skills with which he groomed Abdul Kalam into becoming a scientist to remember for years to come. In one of his meeting with Vikram Sarabhai at 3 a.m, Abdul Kalam worked hours at stretch with his colleague for presentation to defense minister and he forgets an important personal event to attend to, this shows Kalams determination for his work and his country to succeed. ISRO, prithvi, agni, nag, trishul are some of the achievements which every Indian is proud of. It was a moment to cherish when India made its first journey to the moon and along with this journey to success was Abdul Kalams belief that nothing can stop India from reaching the stars and he certainly proved himself as one of the stars. Considering that this book comes from a scientist, this book does have little scientific narration. SLV, Geo satellite, composite material, mechanical engineering and such things. The journey itself always has technical errors especially when its scientific in nature. Abdul Kalam, like the man himself forced his will to victory over failures, fears and disappointments. At the core, the book is about the great Indian dream. A wish that all the founding fathers of a country have, a wish fulfilled by Abdul Kalam. A country which is divided by religion and caste. A country which has a corrupt political system and where money rules, Abdul Kalam still made millions of citizens of India a proud nation. Aftermath

Beowulf: Changes In People :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

The tale of Beowulf is one of constant tranformation. Great warriors and leaders turn into cowering peons. Faithful Christians convert to devil worship. Devout followers flee at the sight of trouble. Many people's morals change quickly and drastically at the sight of change. Personal turmoil abounds with changing values brought by changing times. People remain content as long as nothing challenges them, but at the first sight of change chaos occurs. One case of how change causes people to forsake their values happens when Grendel makes his first appearance at Herot. In Herot lives Hrothgar who "...led/ The Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen/ Swore by his sword, and young men swelled ( Beowulf lines 64-67). Hrothgar is a mighty leader of the Danes, but at the sight of a different foe, a change, Hrothgar turns tail and runs. He does not once try to face Grendel. He instead lets his people live in terror. The Hrothgar that is described before the arrival of Grendal is a completely different person, mentally, than the Hrothgar that is terrorized by the monster. He knows only one type of enemy, humans, and once that changes he loses all his leadership power. A true man of value will keep his values no matter what change takes place. Fate does not play a role in Hrothgar's actions. He is caught up in pride about all his achievements. This makes him weak to being caught by change. He beomes so comfortable in his station that he narrows his comfort zone to such a level that any amount of change will throw him off. Everything that happens is by his own accord. Hrothgar is a perfect example of how people cannot mentally fight evil. Without the constant attack of evil, one will not be able to deal with it when it arises. Hrothgar is not exposed to evil, so when it rears its ugly head his only reaction is to flee. If someone lives in a utopia and leaves, they will not be able to deal with the evil they find because they have never dealt with it before. Good cannot combat evil if it has never known evil. The only way to resolve Hrothgar's situation is to bring in someone who knows evil and faces it well, is not prideful, and can adapt to change well. In the tale, that is exactly how the problem is solved.

Media Violence Essay

Introduction   Ã‚   A number of psychological problems are surfacing these days, especially concerning the younger generation. The open viewer ship of television, movies & playing video games instill young children with the aggression & violent energy of the show. It has been deduced through extensive research that children who view more media violence are more verbally & physically aggressive becoming more anti social as the years pass. â€Å"Media violence exposure is described as a risk factor for aggressive beliefs and behaviors, and it is argued that media violence exposure in combination with other risk factors for aggression (e.g., hostile attribution bias, sex, prior aggression) can produce an effect greater than any single risk factor alone.† (For further review Gentile et al 2004)   Ã‚   Psychologists have been conducting researches to learn more about the physical & mental effects of violence through media. The intense & antagonistic music, lyrics & videos affect the viewers most negatively regardless of their age. Even the cartoons which are meant purely for children’s viewing have turned aggressive & boisterous. In classrooms students are getting into fights with co- students & forming cliques comprising of most popular & un- popular students all derived from the latest TV series. This impact is seen in girls more than in boys; however the boys are more into the aggressive attitudes physically. The matters to be discussed are: How the media affects the minds of young children? What steps are being taken by the parents to control these consequences? What measures are the media related people taking so as to broadcast less violence in TV shows? The government & officials dealings to solve this problem? The problems occurring due to this social learning; a process where an individual learns by watching & imitating others instead of ones own experiences, by exposure to TV violence in the early years are numerous. Some main points to be highlighted are: Diminishing of the involuntary concern for another’s suffering. Losing the sensitivity towards violence & aggression by becoming habitual. Imitating the violent acts as seen in the movie. Exhibiting a hostile attitude towards others. Prevalence of risk factor:   Ã‚   Due to the availability of many media options like cable television, DVDs, & the ever progressing video games. Unlimited time is being spent in watching cartoon & animated movies, which are becoming more sadistic as the technology advances; generating a number of behavioral, social & emotional problems. At times the media simply provide a boom to an already disturbed child under stress due to family or school troubles. Often it causes severe psychotic disorders & pervasive developmental disorders with a very low frequency which makes it difficult to identify the main causes. (Merrell K. 1999) Description of risk factor at different ages:   Ã‚   The risk factors in media violence are many & observed differently at each age level & also gender wise.   A research   concluded at 99% of American families have televisions at home, 87% a VCR,   54% children have televisions & video games in their own bedrooms. Average time an American child spends per day, in viewing different types of media is 6 hours & 43 minutes; of which 90 minutes each day is spent in playing video games. This deduces that they consume double the amount of time in watching TV & playing video games then they spend at school annually. Children are mostly fascinated by the fantasies & stories hence fantasy based games are the most popular among kids. The total estimation of the profit earned by the video games industry is a whopping $ 10 billion dollars a year, even crossing the gross of the ever popular motion pictures.    It has not yet been deduced how the media violence effects infants but it may cause them to imitate behaviors in a minimal manner, from what they grasp. Usually the viewer ship becomes stronger when they reach the age of two & a half or above. That’s the time when they develop the ability to grasp the right meaning of what they view on television & then incorporate it in their actions.    The children of age group 6 – 8 are most likely to be fascinated by what they view on media. They do not have the experience & maturity to characterize between the real life & fantasy hence; they feel infatuated by the fictional characters & try to imitate their actions verbally & physically. Many children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, answer mostly the names of superheroes they watch & admire on TV like superman or batman.   Ã‚  When the movie superman was released many children tried to copy the flying act by tying a cape around their neck & jumping from a higher place. This ended up in a number of casualties & therefore frustration on not being able to carry out the task, which the superman so flawlessly renders. This is not an only example; the horror movies children view also create negative effects in the young minds. When the movie Childs play was released, a huge number of children threw away their dolls & had countless nightmares by imagining the face of chucky the evil doll & feeling scared.    The young age is open to magical ideas & fantasies. They consider the on-screen violence as reality, this though process gradually develops as the child ages & the difference between reality & fantasy diminishes. The TV is taking over the family moments. This development is progressing with great pace which is an extremely serious issue & needs to be tackled & controlled by the parents & with the collaboration of the media related people.   Ã‚   The media viewing habits that the children develop at an early stage influence their life throughout the ages. The inspiration they take from the fast paced & colorful cartoons & movies will embark a feeling of aggression at a premature level. The exploring property of young minds fosters them to learn the violent actions of the characters & emulate them themselves. This characteristic is further highlighted by the intense sounds & music supporting the movie. Theory    The reality & enjoyment level of the violence creates de-sensitization. It is a feeling when the individual, loses the feeling of compassion or sensitivity & becomes oblivious to the violence being broadcasted in front of him. This process is cemented by the high levels of graphics being used in video games & movies these days. The points or rewards on killing, blood showing & body mutilation in video games are considered as normal undertakings.    Depression is considered to be the major psychiatric disease of the 20th century. (M. Abdel et al, 2006) This problem is becoming common in young children as well, mostly appearing during the teenage years, it intervenes with a child’s psychological, social & academic functioning evoking a suicidal behavior. The signs are often showcased by a child exhibit frustration & low tolerance. Various factors are materializing due to the media violence exposure in children: Epidemiologists who have been studying the factors of violence & other common social issues discovered that exposure to violent media played a vital part in 10,000 homicides committed in the United States of America last year (E. Cook, 2000) Individuals preferring heavy metal music are more subjective to psychological disarray, substance exploitation, & suicidal risk in the extreme stage during adolescence. The effects of interactive media like internet & video games are more enduring & persuasive on violent behavior than passive media like television as they have increased levels of aggression & hostility having a tendency to make the individual insensitive to violence. An inclination towards using drugs & indulging in unsafe sex, contributing to the widely spreading diseases like HIV aids, cancer of different types. Specific effects on children/adolescents     Ã‚  Ã‚  The students of middle school or high school, around the age of 12 to 17 are very much capable of theoretical thinking & elucidation. However, when exposed to the world of media they do not utilize these mental abilities, making them as prone to media violence effects as younger children. By this age they get much independence by the parents, thus making them highly vulnerable to in appropriate media. This is more compelling for boys than in girls; however, girls too are being captivated into the same habits nowadays. They indulge in viewing media dealing issues in negative ways including loud music videos, horror & often pornographic content.    A research conducted by the of Washington epidemiologist Brandon Centerwall, evaluated that among one- quarter & one- third convicted young male criminals had consciously imitated the violent techniques they had seen on television.(Tepperman)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Some percentage of youngsters both male & females who associate the media content with real life are more prone to becoming aggressive later in life, however they are less prone to identify with television characters & doubt the reality of media at this age as compared to younger children. Whereas younger children, are much enthralled & captivated by the aggressive heroes depicted in the media. Excessive exposure to strong media generates some particular effects on children like: The violent behavior might perceive them into becoming attackers. It may induce fear in the individual hence creating a victimized effect. The excessive viewing of violent content may make them insensitive & ruthless to the belligerence happening around them in media or in real life. It can make them ambitious for yet more aggression & violence by creating an effect of negative desire.    The children studying at elementary school level are very keen in recognizing patterns of the actions depicted in media especially cartoons which appeal to them the most. Their cognitive abilities make it a grave period to make conjectures about the vociferous content & recognize motivations of the characters.    The society should show some concern to the risks encompassed & being spread through media. The fact that a young mind learns & develops aggressive behavior & later becomes desensitized to it; has been proven by a number of scientific researches. The violence itself is not the attraction for younger children, the graphic content & dramatic production features set up the hype. As young as preschool students view cartoons like Pokemon which has been banned earlier in many countries due to its violent theme.   Ã‚   The children not just enjoy the cartoons; they buy the merchandise & games of their favorite show as well. Another factor that appears here is when the families who cannot afford such extravagance fail to comply with the Childs demands; it creates a sense of severance in him or her. This might induce him to steal or get into fights so as to hide this feeling. It has been noted by parents & teachers alike, that when preschooler watch any stimulating action oriented content, they become more aggressive in their play. The teenagers have a predisposition to confront conventional authority making them vulnerable to interpret some television violence & especially exposà © of suicide & murders. Research findings   Ã‚   If we observe the viewer ship of programs like MTV & WWE containing explicit matter, it is clear that children most exposed to these programs are verbally & physically more aggressive & anti social. Children viewing WWE are physically more violent & get into more fights at school. Both the viewers showed decline in school grades. Girls surprisingly have a higher tendency than boys to get into fights. The steps that appear in children exposed to violence on media making them most likely to imitate it are: Identification with the hero & the program itself. Fantasizing about the program & creating one’s own stories on its bases. The aptitude to commit the act. Vulnerability and protective factor    The expansion of children’s media started in the early 1940s & up till now comprises of television, video tapes, DVDs, electronic games, interactive soft wares. The visual media has flourished more as compared to the print media like comic & story books. The 1990s saw a transformation of media into a more violent & physically aggressive medium. The rating system that they used to label the content has not been implemented properly thus provoke the risk of violence in young children, often traumatizing them & affecting their judgmental qualities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  The media portrays unrealistic concepts regarding beauty & physical appearances as sales tactics. This is perceived by the young minds in a negative way propelling them to opt for unhealthy diets & suffer body disorders & psychological effects when they are unable to attain that look. Minimum 20 hours per week are spent in television viewing by an average American child not counting the time spent on movies, music, video games & Internet. This association with media is promoting inactivity the children. Less time is spent on studies & social life. The parents use the TV as a way to get the children out of the way. Especially mothers so they can complete housework with ease.    The use of tobacco, alcohol & illicit drugs is represented as high glamour in the media. The characters of the movies or TV shows often shown indulging in them. (Clark, 2007) $6 billion & $2 billion dollars are spent annually by the tobacco & alcohol manufactures respectively in advertising their product. Educational messages are also broadcasted but on a much smaller scale.   Ã‚   Repeated viewing of the harmful content has been noted to lower emotional response to violence & increase hostility in individuals. Studies have documented that desensitization results in reduced arousal and emotional disturbance while witnessing violence.   Ã‚   A survey conducted in Ohio, in 1998 of more than 2000 3-8 grade students showed that as the viewer ship increased the psychological effects like anxiety, depression & posttraumatic stress increased as well. (Cantor, 2002) A normal American child witness more than 8000 murders on media by the time he’s 11, 75% of these show the murderer performing the act without any regret making the children either insensitive or fearful of the society’s negative acts. (Gentile et all, 2004)   A national survey in 1999 revealed that 62% parents of children ages ranging from 2-17 confessed their child being frightened by something they saw on TV. Strengths and limitations Surveys were conducted, strength is that research will have positive implications if steps taken to avoid exposure of media on young children. Our research limitation is that we have to rely on questionnaires for this study. Though every person who takes the survey we take consent to be truthful and honest, but still some people might not be serious in answering the questions.   Ã‚   The research we conducted brought out many views & issues concerning the media’s violent nature by parents & psychological experts. Many a times the results deduced by a survey are not 100% accurate due to the answers not being stated with honesty. Often parents hide their children’s problems so as to cast a positive & likeable image in front of others. Thus, giving false information & diluting the research. Further investigation should be planned & executed to fully extract the true happenings. This can help in contriving the broadcast of media to promote positive points among its viewers. The studies should be devised with a broad view so as to cover all the aspects whether good or bad. Often the experts do not co-operate with the evaluators therefore the end results lack professional guidelines. Expert opinion is always required to cement the result of surveys & strengthen the evaluation.    The researches conducted in schools proved to be quite remarkable & helped in collecting physical & psychological health of the children. The information given was backed by the annual report cards & examination results of each student. More studies should be conducted in different level schools. It provides a beneficial lead in devising theories regarding the children. Future directions for research Further research is needed in this field and especially research must be conducted to study the effect of media on developmental psychology of children. Future research will reveal how violence in media is affecting children and the related frequency of occurrence of abnormal psychological disorders. This will help taking further steps to stop such media violence and avoid psychological problems.    The research conducted proves that moderate television viewing with parents check is rather favorable for the young children. The media can be used as an effective tool in teaching & developing sound habits in children through parental guidance & proper planning of the medium’s people. Parents can use the specific shows as guidelines to satisfy the child’s inquisition. Watching programs with good values & ethics on TV can help the children understand the right way to behave.    However the media is being used in a limited way, the variety of messages that can be incorporated through the medium is being ignored. Changes must be designed to use the medium in a finest way. The gaps left by this research & evaluation should be fulfilled by further researches that are extensively conducted.    Advertising &entertainment industries represent the culture & spirit of the respective country to the rest of the world & must not be used casually. Parents & teachers should come up with strategies to create a sense of understanding in the children from an early age.   The parents should realize what effects the movies & content on TV are having on their children & try to minimize TV viewing at home level. Some ways that may be incorporated by parents to limit children’s revelation to violence are: Restricting & keeping a check on what their children view on TV Discussing the programs with older children or young adults to clear their minds of any confusion & help them in expressing their opinions. Start a family oriented time by going for picnics, organizing a special lunch or dinner. Allow the children to watch TV for a selected time period & only programs that are desirable for their viewing. Offer criticism on TV channels & sponsors for showing in appropriate programs or content so as to force them to use proper censorship. Conclusion    The effects whether positive or negative concerning today’s media are out in the open. It is the duty of every individual to counter such issues & raise their voices to control them. Many researches & experiments are being conducted to realize the short-term & long-term effects of violent media. Feelings of hostility, revenge, anger sprout in a young mind & provoke him or her to retaliate. Many reasons that promote violence on media are present. Often the viewer & the broadcaster thinks the effect is too minute to make a difference in anyone’s mind, nevertheless children are affected by the smallest of acts without worrying about its positive or negative aspect. The media declaring that that there is no understanding of the definition of violence among the people & continue to showcase the explicit content. They further comprehend by saying they show what the people want to watch. Believing that violence shown on media is simply showcasing real life. This is mostly observed in news channels & movies, where gruesome details of murder & accidents are shown openly. Parents allow children to view violent content in the name of comedy, many well-liked shows illustrate this example such as the ever popular tom & jerry cartoon which shows both the characters beating or pummeling each other References Anon., (May 28, 2003) Preventing violence by teaching non-violent problem-solving American Psychological Association, [accessed 1st December 2007] Anon, (February 19, 2004) Violence in the media – psychologists helps protect children from harmful effects American Psychological Association [accessed 1st December 2007] Donald E. Cook, (September 13, 2000) Testimony of the American academy of pediatrics on media violence presented to the U.S. senate commerce committee http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/mediaviolencetestimony.pdf Douglas A. Gentile, David A. Walsh, Paul R. Ellison, Michelle Fox & Jennifer Cameron (May, 2004) Media violence as a risk factor for children: a longitudinal study– presented to the American Psychological Society 16th Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois- pgs 2-5 Jean Tepperman, [January-February 1997]. What do children learn from media violence? Children’s Advocate newsmagazine, Action Alliance for Children Action Alliance for Children [accessed 1st December 2007] Joanne Cantor, (April 19, 2002). The psychological effects of media violence on children and adolescents Presented at the Colloquium on Television and Violence in Society Kenneth W. Merrell, (1999) Assessment of other behavioral, social, and emotional problems: Behavioral, Social and Emotional Assessment of Children and Adolescents Lawrence Erlbaum Associates- Mahwah, NJ. Publication chapter 11, pg 275 Laura B. Clark (2007) Influence on children media – history of media for children, general considerations, studies of media influence, domains of influence, recommendations– Education Encyclopedia Moataz M. Abdel- Fattah & Abdel-Rahman A. Asal, (August 13, 2006) Prevalence, symptomatology, and risk factors for depression among high school students in Saudi Arabia copyright  © 2005 Europe’s Journal of Psychology [Accessed 1st December 2007] http://www.ejop.org/archives/2006/08/prevalence_symp.htm Wendy L. Josephson, (February 1995) Television violence: a  review of the effects on children of different ages for the Department of Canadian Heritage Reprinted with permission, by the Media Awareness Network. September 1997 [accessed on 1st December 2007]

References in This Document to Finale Sports Bar & Grill

finale sportsbar and grill that will deffenitely swit your needs. its deffenetely your plan – helpful and genious. pleasem enter more descriptive title Business Plan For Finale Sports Bar & Grille Executive Summary References in this document to â€Å"Finale Sports Bar & Grill,† â€Å"company,† â€Å"we,† â€Å"us† and â€Å"our† refer to the business of Finale Sports Bar & Grill. Finale Sports Bar is a growing restaurant featuring a variety of boldly flavored, made-to-order menu items. Our restaurants create an inviting neighborhood atmosphere that includes an extensive multi-media system, a full bar and an open layout, which appeals to sports fans and families alike.Our concept offers elements of the quick casual and casual dining restaurant concepts featuring a flexible service model that allows our guests to choose among convenient dining options such as quick casual counter service, casual dining table service or take-out. Our award-winn ing food and inviting atmosphere, combined with our guests’ ability to customize their dining experience, drives guest visits and loyalty. We want to establish our brand through coordinated marketing and operational execution that ensures brand recognition and the quality and consistency of our concept.These efforts include marketing programs, award-winning advertising to support our restaurant. Our concept is further strengthened by our emphasis on operational excellence supported by stringent operating guidelines and comprehensive employee training. Our business goal is to continue to grow and develop the Finale Sports Bar & Grill. To do so, we plan to execute the following †¢ Offer a boldly flavored menu with broad appeal. †¢ Create an inviting, neighborhood atmosphere. †¢ Enable our guests to customize their dining experience. Continue to strengthen the Finale Sports Bar & Grill name. †¢ Focus on operational excellence. †¢ Increase same-store sale s and average unit volumes. Introduction Finale Sports Bar and Grill will strive to be the premier sports theme restaurant in the Sunny County region. This will be the first sports bar in this region. At this sports bar we want our customers to have more fun during their leisure and dining time. The sports bar will provide more televisions with more sporting events than anywhere else in the region.The sports bar will provide state-of-the-art table-top audio control at each table so the customer can listen to the selected program of his or her choice without interference from background noise. The sports bar will combine menu selection, atmosphere, lighting, and service to create a sense of excitement in order to reach our goal of over-all value in a dining and entertainment experience. Finale Sports Bar and Grill will be held privately by a LLC company which will be owned by Jack Johnson to financially back the new business venture.I will still be the principal owner of the bar. In order to start the company I will have to get a loan of an undisclosed amount (not known at this time). This loan will provide start up capital, financing for a building and supplies, pay for permits and licensing, employee training, and anything else that should arise. The expected open date for this bar and grill will be December 10th, 2006. This will give us the opportunity to serve customers for New Year’s and the Super Bowl. Industry Analysis This restaurant industry is very large and sometimes hard to get exact numbers.There are many categories of restaurants so I outlined Services sector and the restaurant industry according to Yahoo finance. â€Å"The nation's 900,000 restaurants should hit $476 billion in sales in 2005, according to the National Restaurant Association's 2005 Restaurant Industry Forecast†. Restaurants employ12. 2 million, this is 9% of the workforce in the United States, and the industry is the largest employer besides government. These numbers include single owner restaurants to the largest franchises in the world. The growth trends for the restaurant industry are forecast to advance 4. 9% in 2005.Analyst predict that the U. S. Restaurant Industry which created, on average, about 270,000 new jobs per year during the last 10 years is on track to add 1. 8 million new jobs during the next 10 years. On a typical day, the industry will post average sales of $1. 3 billion. The industry trends to watch: †¢ Greater use of technology and worker training as a means to boost productivity and efficiency. †¢ Continued increased focus on healthy lifestyles and restaurants providing customers with choices and customization. †¢ Increased upgrades and improvements in decor and becoming environmentally friendly.The sports bar & grill will have to serve several market sectors. We will have a family atmosphere as well as cater to the sports enthusiast. The restaurant will have to serve multiple uses; for example workday lunch , dinner with the family, watching the big game, late-night cravings, and take-out. There will be eating and drink and sports being watched but I plan to have different sections for different dining experiences. There is a wall that divides the bar area from the family (I say family area but this is just a little quieter) area. No matter where you sit there will still be TV’s so you can watch sporting events.The regulatory issues I’ll have to look more closely into are the liqueur licenses, wages for employees, building permits, and any local ordinances that may affect my business. Organization Finale Sports Bar and Grill will be held privately by a LLC company owned by Jack Johnson. The restaurant will be located in the town of Car. Car is great for tourism so a local restaurant should prove to be a good business venture. The restaurant will need to serve several market sectors. It will have a family atmosphere as well as to cater to the sports enthusiast. The restaur ant will have a lunch menu, dinner menu, and the bar menu.The restaurant will also have weekly happy hour drink specials along with lunch and dinner specials. To help save on insurance cost and claims top management will stress safety, stress safety, and stress more safety. Safety starts with the hiring process. The company will be thorough in efforts to screen employees and will consider pre-employment drug tests. This should reduce on the job accidents that lead to insurance claims. The insurances for the restaurant will need to acquire will be workman’s compensation, property & liability, liquor liability, and health insurance.Workman’s compensation covers employees in case of harm attributed to the workplace. The property and liability insurance protects the building from theft, fire, natural disasters, and being sued by a third party. Liquor liability insurance provides coverage for bodily injury or property damage for which the insured may be held liable for cont ributing intoxication to any person. The company will need liquor liability insurance before liquor licenses is granted. Employee health insurance will be provided for the full time employee and will probably be the most expensive.I could not find any actual prices for insurance cost so I went through an online insurance company. So I’m waiting on the price quote for complete insurance cost; I should have it by the end of the day. The restaurant will need to get numerous licenses to operate. They include: †¢ A food service license is required with your  local health department. †¢ A sales tax license is required through the Michigan Department of Treasury. †¢ A liquor licenses filed through the Liquor Control Commission. Restaurants and bars pay $600 a year for a liquor license. An entertainment permit is required with the Liquor Control Commission in addition to the liquor license. †¢ If cigarettes are sold by a vending machine, the restaurant will have to contact the Department of Treasury After sales top $100,000 the restaurant will higher an outside accounting firm to handle the books. We will forecast a sales growth of 10% per year. The company will gain market share because the quality of the meals and the friendly experience. Management/Human Resources At the present time Jack Johnson will run all operations for Finale Sports Bar & Grill.Other key personnel are the assistant management positions, bartenders/hostesses, waiters/waitresses and cooks. There is not expected to be any shortage of qualified and available staff and management from local labor pools in each market area. Benefit plan for full time employees †¢ Health insurance will be provided for all full-time personal. †¢ One paid vacation week after a year of employment. †¢ Three sick days will be provided †¢ 401k option if employee desires †¢ Dental will be on a 60/40 pay program †¢ Education reimbursement will be provided on books on ly Jack Johnson will be the owner and manger of Finale Sports Bar & Grill.His general duties will be to oversee the daily operations of restaurants, inventory and ordering of food, equipment, and supplies and arrange for the routine maintenance and upkeep of the restaurant, its equipment, and facilities. The manager will take a monthly drawl of $2,500 per month. There will be two assistant managers for the restaurant and their duties will be to oversee the personal when the manager is not available. One of the managers will deal mainly with the cooks and the other with the wait staff and bartenders. Each assistant manager will be paid $12. 50 per hour and get the benefit plan.There will be four cooks and each scheduled to work at least forty hours a week. They will have eight hour shifts and get paid $10 per hour. The benefit plan is also provided. The will be three hostess/bartenders, they will be able to do both duties. They will be able to get forty plus hours a week if they desi re. They will get paid $6. 00 per hour and also receive the benefit plan. There will be seven to ten waiters/waitresses on staff. The will also have to clean the table as well as wait on customers. There will be some part time positions and full time positions. They will get paid $2. 5 per hour and whatever there gratuity is. Manage Team Structure Top Manager | | Assistant managers | | | || Cooks Hostess/Bartender Waiters/Waitresses As soon as the restaurant gets past $300,000 in sales an outside accountant will be brought in and will be in charge of the books. Employees will be trained not only in their specific operational duties but in the philosophy and applications of our concept. They will receive extensive information from the managers and be kept informed of the latest information on healthy eating.For process and benchmarking a big emphasis is being placed on extensive research into the quality and integrity of our products. They will constantly be tested for our own high s tandards of freshness and purity. Food costs and inventory control will be handled by our computer system and checked daily by management. Operations The key food suppliers for the business will be Sysco Foods or Gordon Food Service. These two suppliers supply the same goods so the restaurant manager will choose which vendor to do business with. The restaurant will select with the supplier that provides us a store credit, has exceptional elivery times, and has the best overall prices. We will get the office supplies from Office Max or Staples. The rest of the restaurant supplies (pots, pans, silverware, cooking utensils) will come from Atlas Restaurant Supply. The inventory management and order taking and processing will all be done on touch screen monitors placed throughout the restaurant and bar area. We will have to buy the touch monitors and maybe even a couple hand held order entry units. The software the business will use is from Digital Dining, which is the premiere restauran t software. This software can be altered to the businesses needs.The software will include a point of sale menu, inventory control analysis, credit card sales, bar and quick serve menu, office management, and much more. With this software there are so many applications it could do I could write the paper on this alone. We will provide ongoing training programs to assist with customer service and quality control. The training will include preparation of menu items, quality and food portion control, beverage and inventory management, using the software, cleanliness, organization and sanitation standards, marketing and public relations.The facility size the business is looking for is building with a seating capacity of around 100 to 150 people or 25,000 sq. feet. This may sound big but if there is a big sports event we want to pack them in, or people just don’t want to sit next to other people this would give them space to spread out. The business will need to get all the kitche n hardware needed to run a restaurant of this size; this includes stoves, refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, deep fryers, and many other items. We will also have to buy the big screens televisions, audio equipment, arcade games, and the table top monitors with there own audio control.When benchmarking we will compare our business to a larger business in a larger geographic area, mainly Buffalo Wild Wing’s or Applebee’s. The business will measure and compare the number of guest per day, number of meals and drinks served, cost of supplies, and the waste percentage. With all these we should be able to be the premiere bar and grill in Sunny County. Competitive Analysis Finale Sports Bar and Grill is a casual dining restaurant. The geographic area that Finale Bar and Grill will cover is mostly Car and surrounding smaller towns.According to Dun & Bradstreet analysis of businesses located in Sunny County they are classified under SIC code 58, eating and drinking places. Wit h this bar and grill, I hope to move in on the customers traveling to bigger cities for their eating and entertainment needs and in return increasing my market share. There are many small restaurants in the area but none with the sports bar and grill theme (shown in the appendix). The sales for the restaurants in this area range from under $200,000 up to $2. 4 million. The closest sports bar is in Ridges, which is a forty minute drive away.The current restaurants located in Car offer a casual dining experience but with no sports watching entertainment. The top competitor is BW3’s which is in Ridges. BW3’s is a sports bar that offers an extensive menu with chicken products, full bar service, and sporting events on many TV’s. BW3’s has the same target market that I’m trying to furnish to. They have a casual family dining experience and sports bar theme one in one restaurant. I will differentiate myself from BW3’s by offering a full menu select ion, close to home atmosphere, and a dining experience free from stress.BW3’s SWOT analysis will help me to better understand my business, determine my target market, and develop a marketing plan. Strengths †¢ Has name recognition †¢ Offers a chicken filled menu and full bar selection. †¢ Target market is anyone that would like to watch sports in a bar or restaurant atmosphere. †¢ Uses TV and radio commercials to communicate to their markets. †¢ Offer high quality audio and video equipment for their customer viewing and listening pleasures. †¢ Location †¢ Staff Weaknesses †¢ Location is a long driving distance from Car †¢ Offer mainly chicken products, some shrimp, and maybe a couple burgers.Opportunities (for Finale Sports Bar) †¢ Finale Sports Bar could offer a full restaurant menu. †¢ Could take market share away from nightclubs. †¢ Entertainment for children †¢ Family friendly atmosphere †¢ Close locati on Threats (for Finale Sports Bar) †¢ Another sports bar could move into this area. †¢ Fast food chains, people could get their food and watch sports at home. †¢ Increase food prices †¢ Inflation affecting operations for food, labor, and restaurant operating costs. †¢ Keeping trained efficient staff. †¢ Economy- people getting laid off and spending less money eating out.Other competitors of Finale Sports Bar and Grill are fast food chains such as McDonalds, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC and Wendy’s. While these are not direct competitors of Finale Sports Bar and Grill because of the different market niche that they operate in, these companies still compete for the same market share of individuals dinning out. And all the fast food companies are within the same geographic area. Marketing Finale Sports Bar & Grill target market is based on serving the sports enthusiast, the business entertainer/owner, tourism, and the local night crowd, as we ll as families dining out.We want a variety of customers and will make sure everybody can enjoy Finale Sports Bar & Grill experience. Finale Sports Bar & Grill is planning on opening on December 10th and having a grand opening on January 10th. The opening date will be a couple weeks before the grand opening and this will allow the employees to become familiar with the operations and customer interaction. The grand opening will be advertised in the local papers and on the radio. Once the newness of the restaurant has subsided, Finale Sports Bar & Grill will pursue an ongoing marketing campaign targeted at the local market. PricingAll menu items are moderately priced. An average customer bill is between $5 and $15 including food and drink. Bills will be considerably larger for game day visitors. Our goal is to keep the customer happy and in the end they will spend more. At Finale Sports Bar & Grill we tend to believe that this is due to us creating an atmosphere that encourages longer stays and more spending but still allows adequate table vacancies due to extended hours of business. Promotional Tools †¢ Advertising o Wall posters advertising specials and menu items o V. I. P. parties available o In-store tour given to every new customer Outdoor message board changed weekly or daily o Grand Opening celebration o Yearly store birthday parties to celebrate the success of each year o Telephone book the business will a large advertisement in the local phone book †¢ Local Store Marketing / Public Relations o School programs – perfect attendance, honor roll, management internships o Local charity carwash site or clothes donation site o Customer raffle for sports jersey’s or gift certificates o Sponsor local softball teams, these will be jersey’s with Finale Sports Bar & Grills name on it. Local Media o Direct mail – containing interior pictures of our restaurant, our prices, â€Å"Theme Nights,† and an explanation of our co ncept o Radio campaign – complete with live remotes in our parking lot. We will pick the three top local stations with which to place our short and catchy ads. We will also sponsor radio call-in contests with free meal coupons to Finale Sports Bar and Grill as the prize. We will also make â€Å"live on the air† presentations of our food products to the disk jockeys, hoping to get the promotions broadcasted to the listening audience. Newspaper campaign – placing several large ads throughout the month to explain our concept to the local area o Cable TV – will be a possibility if we can secure favorable rates with enough frequency. o Restaurant web page – this will give the internet users access to menus, daily specials, weekly promotions, and even placing pick up orders Finale Sports Bar & Grill marketing budget will be a flexible five thousand per quarter. Being flexible in the marketing budget will let the advertisers adjust for different sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, NBA finals, NASCAR events and the World Series.The marketing budget can be allocated in any way that best suits the time of year as long as there is always a flyer being distributed to the local papers. To monitor how well Finale Sports Bar & Grill is doing we will measure how well the advertising campaign is working. We will take random survey’s of the customer that or in the restaurant. What we would like to know is how the heard of the restaurant and how they like it. In order to get responses to the surveys their will be discounts given to their order.Sample marketing budget (per quarter) Newspaper flyer – $1250 Radio advertisement – $1000 Web Page – $500 Customer raffle – $250 Direct mail – $750 Cable TV – $1250 $5000 The Sales plan for Finale Sports Bar & Grill is train the wait staff to have extra’s added onto the order. The wait staff will be trained on when to ask the custome r if they would like appetizers, deserts or additional menu items. Few things are more important in any business then positive training of staff that leads to productive and profitable results.Simply put – the better the training, the better the service. And in the end the better the service the employees have, the greater the returns on every aspect of your business. Finale Sports Bar and Grill will be committed to maximizing our purchasing power by building lasting relationships with local vendors and companies that will benefit all areas of our business. We will work directly and closely with all related industry contacts to ensure our restaurant the highest quality products and merchandise at best available prices.This will cover all aspects of our business from food & bar purchases to retail and merchandise items, fixtures and equipment. Assumption Page †¢ Organization The cost for insurance FICA = 6. 2%, MCARE = 1. 45%, MESA = 2. 7%, FUTA = 0. 8%. This will equal a payroll tax about 11%. †¢ Management / Human Resources Finale Sports Bar & Grill plans to employee 10 to 20 employees. The hours are 11:00 AM till Midnight, seven days per week. 4 Cooks @ $10/hr, 7 Waitress @ $2. 65/hr, 3 Hostess/Bartender (they can also do other job duties) @ $6. 00/hr, 2 assistant managers @ $12. 0/hr. Open 360 days / year. †¢ Operations The operating expense for each month will include bank payment, supplier payment, utilities and insurance. The bank payment will include cost of the new facility, all equipment, and other operating expenses. The business owner will contribute $25,000. †¢ Marketing There will be a marketing budget of $5000 per quarter. There will be extra marketing money for the grand opening celebration. The amount of the financing needed from the bank will be approximately $300,000. This will be repaid over the next 10 years at $3,350 per month.