Training Needs Analysis free essay sample

Co. Pte Ltd has been established since 1970s and is one of the top five trading companies in the Asia Pacific (covering North and South Asia) region. The organization consists of eight major departments namely, Iron Steel, Foodstuff, General Merchandise, Chemical (Organic Inorganic), Machinery Electronics, Information Technology, Finance Accounting and Human Resource/Administration. Each individual department is headed by a Department General Manager, who in turn reports to the President of the organization. The company staff strength is around 120 employees. The organization basically diversifies its portfolio of business in terms of trading in various products. 2. 1VISION To be a Leading Global Integrated Solutions Trading Company 2. 2MISSION Partnering Globally to Generate Progress and Prosperity 2. 3BUSINESS STRATEGY We aim to enhance and strengthen our business strategy by actively seeking new and innovative ways to create value in every business venture. †¢ Develop Winning Proposition by Interfacing Partners Globally †¢ Diligence in Executing Inventions as Growth Drivers †¢ Deliver Integrated Solutions to Propel Progress 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Training Needs Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 0WHAT IS TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS? Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is the formal process of identifying needs as gaps between current and desired results, placing those needs in priority order based on the cost to meet each need versus the cost of ignoring it, and selecting the most important needs (problems or opportunities) for reduction or elimination. It incorporates two critical dimensions, namely priority of importance of needs and costs of fulfilling or ignoring those needs.

Free Essays on Housing

Native Americans ! Housing and Construction Some Native American houses that appear simple, such as the Inuit igloo or the Florida Seminole chikee, are quite sophisticated: The igloo (Inuit for â€Å"house†), usually made of hide or sod over a wood or whalebone frame, is a dome with a sunken entrance that traps heat indoors but allows ventilation; the chikee, naturally air-conditioned, consists of a thatch roof over an open platform. The tepee of the Plains peoples constitutes efficient housing for people who must move camp to hunt; tepees are easily portable and quickly erected or taken down, and an inner liner hung from midway up the tepee allows ventilation without drafts, so that the enclosed space is comfortable even in winter. Some peoples in cold climates that were well supplied with wood, such as the peoples of Tierra del Fuego and the Subarctic Athabascan-language peoples, relied on windbreaks with good fires in front, rather than on tents. Many other peoples spent cold weather in dome-shaped houses that were sunk well into the ground for insulation. Mesoamerican and Andean peoples constructed buildings of stone and cement as well as of wood and adobe. Public buildings and the houses of the upper class were usually built on raised-earth platforms, with a large number of rooms arranged around atria and courtyards. Eskimos Igloos (Inuit iglu, â€Å"house†) are of two kinds: walrus or sealskin tents for summer, and huts or houses for winter. Winter houses are usually made of stone, with a driftwood or whalebone frame, chinked and covered with moss or turf. The entrance is a long, narrow passage, just high enough to admit a person crawling on hands and knees. During long journeys some Canadian Inuit build winter houses of snow blocks piled up into a dome shape. Such snow houses, rare in Greenland and unknown in Alaska, were once permanent winter houses of the Inuit of central and eastern Canada. In the 20th century, however, ... Free Essays on Housing Free Essays on Housing Native Americans ! Housing and Construction Some Native American houses that appear simple, such as the Inuit igloo or the Florida Seminole chikee, are quite sophisticated: The igloo (Inuit for â€Å"house†), usually made of hide or sod over a wood or whalebone frame, is a dome with a sunken entrance that traps heat indoors but allows ventilation; the chikee, naturally air-conditioned, consists of a thatch roof over an open platform. The tepee of the Plains peoples constitutes efficient housing for people who must move camp to hunt; tepees are easily portable and quickly erected or taken down, and an inner liner hung from midway up the tepee allows ventilation without drafts, so that the enclosed space is comfortable even in winter. Some peoples in cold climates that were well supplied with wood, such as the peoples of Tierra del Fuego and the Subarctic Athabascan-language peoples, relied on windbreaks with good fires in front, rather than on tents. Many other peoples spent cold weather in dome-shaped houses that were sunk well into the ground for insulation. Mesoamerican and Andean peoples constructed buildings of stone and cement as well as of wood and adobe. Public buildings and the houses of the upper class were usually built on raised-earth platforms, with a large number of rooms arranged around atria and courtyards. Eskimos Igloos (Inuit iglu, â€Å"house†) are of two kinds: walrus or sealskin tents for summer, and huts or houses for winter. Winter houses are usually made of stone, with a driftwood or whalebone frame, chinked and covered with moss or turf. The entrance is a long, narrow passage, just high enough to admit a person crawling on hands and knees. During long journeys some Canadian Inuit build winter houses of snow blocks piled up into a dome shape. Such snow houses, rare in Greenland and unknown in Alaska, were once permanent winter houses of the Inuit of central and eastern Canada. In the 20th century, however, ...

An informative report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An informative report - Essay Example The stress that he experiences otherwise gets added to the stress that waits for him at the workplace. In today’s world where leaders have to cope with difficult economic situations, they essentially have to go through stress both emotionally and physically. During financial crisis, stress adds up. For the management, layoffs, delayed salaries, low budgets, and pressure from senior staff produces put strain over the managers’ minds which then results in decreased productivity and poor output. They undergo fear, become irritable, suffer through nuisance, and all this reflects in their relationship with the co-workers. Workplace stress includes: fatigue due to overworking without lunch or rest breaks or working for longer hours without naps dissatisfaction caused by lack of motivation when the employees are not given their due rewards lack of interest in the job due to constant pressure coming from seniors and poor communication among the leaders, management and the emplo yees. It becomes important for the leaders and the management to learn how to deal with stressful situations to escape fear, tension and uncertainty. This stress management ability decides whether a leader is going to prove himself as success or failure. Stress is, mostly, very much related to how a person deals with the situation. According to the research carried out by Professor Cox (qtd.

Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marijuana - Essay Example Now, with better research and newly developed technology, scientists have found that all natural supplements are healthier for treatment of certain illnesses. Medicinal application marijuana, for instance, has many benefits and some doctors prescribe marijuana to patients with diseases ranging from Alzheimer to HIV, to help with treatments. The common people could also use it to control their stress or become less depressed, which makes life a lot simpler and easier to handle when time gets rough. Even though marijuana portrays many medicinal benefits, it should not only be used for medical purposes but should also be regulated like alcohol (which is toxic) and tobacco, whose consumption is in some cases worse than using marijuana. There are currently big debates going on in Congress and all over the world, on whether to legalize marijuana or not. This occurs at a time when most of the Americans have at least tried marijuana, or are using it to help them overcome stress. The drug is also an ‘all-natural’ plant that can be grown anywhere in the world; it has a high demand, and its supply is high. Drug lords and its growers however started adding chemicals that cause users to become addicted to their product and after a while of use, the consumers start using stronger drugs. That is why marijuana is called a gateway drug. If the bill in Congress passes for marijuana, the Food and Drug Administration will supervise the product. It will be offered, for everyone to buy, at the pharmacy. Gangs and drug dealers will not sell it on the streets, due to the vast drop in prices from the legalization of marijuana, and its consequential easy access to the public. Right now, if there were no marijuana in the streets, people would have no other choice but to use worse drugs, like cocaine, or crystal meth; those types of drugs that can affect a person’s health physically, mentally, and they become desperate to obtain these drugs at any necessary means. In S audi Arabia for instance, the people do not accept drugs socially or religiously. However, I feel that if the government looked into the positive effects of marijuana, there would be a change in the view of marijuana among the citizens of Saudi Arabia. If everyone smoked a little of it every day, the euphoria feeling would overcome all other emotions and there would be fewer problems, and less crimes. People will become more relaxed, and better able to communicate with each other respectfully. It would also develop an environment where people love each other; everyone would have less stress, and become mellower and the world would become a more peaceful place. More research should however be done to test the pros and cons of marijuana, then the government should weigh out the results. As a democracy, the United States of America should allow its people to vote on whether to legalize it or not. In my opinion, I believe that whether Congress will legalize it or not, it will take the n ext five years for them to reach a final decision. I however do not think it is necessary to prolong the debate on whether to legalize it or not. This issue should be resolved soon because it could change people’s lives in the United States, even people who have never tried this drug. In conclusion, marijuana is a useful and helpful drug that Americans need in their lives. It has both medicinal and social value that promises benefits to the society. Its

Parable of the soils Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parable of the soils - Research Paper Example The apostles questioned Jesus why He talks in parables, upon which, Jesus explained that there is deeper meaning in parables, and that it is the apostles’ duty to look for its meaning and understand. Jesus gave them the privilege to understand what he says while the people gathered around him do not. At this point, it would seem Jesus put a line between his apostles and unbelievers because it is not yet their time to know the mystery of God. The parables add up to the knowledge of believers but will not do any good to those who do not believe in God. The unbelievers although they see and hear still do not appreciate and do not accept Jesus so they do not receive any blessing from God. In the parable, Jesus explained to his disciples that the seeds are the Words of God. The seeds that fell on the streets are the Words of God sown on the hearts of people who quickly forgot about them when they were tempted by the devil, and thereupon cannot be saved. The other seeds are sown to the hearts of people who gladly received the words of God, but it stayed on their hearts only for a short time. Soon enough, the seedlings withered and died when they faced trials in life and eventually lost their faith in God. The other seeds that fell on the grass are the people who listened to the Words of God, but later on forgot about it because they fell on the traps of riches and pleasures of life and because of these they forgot their covenant with God. Taken in the context today, the four soils mentioned in the parable refer to the kind of soil of our heart. The first soil is the wayside heart hardened by meaningless day to day problems that even the Word of God cannot penetrate. In this scenario, we see hatred, war, drugs, recklessness and social problems that have no time for religion. The second soil is those hearts deadened by perverse and indifferent attitude. Third, we have a soil that has been hardened by constant

Causes and Effects of Mental Illness

Causes and Effects of Mental Illness Depression (major depression) is a common mental disorder characterized by a period of intense and negative emotions, lack of interest, anhedonia (lack of pleasure), guilt and low self-esteem feelings, sleep disorders and normal appetite, loss of energy and difficulty in concentration. People who suffer from depression usually they have not presented the same symptoms and even if they have the same symptoms, their intensity varies. Depression can transform from a transient to a chronic condition, preventing the steady mental functioning of people and -in extreme cases even lead to suicide. The social and economic impact of depression usually is difficulty in maintaining close relationships, alcoholism, accidents, misuse of health services, reverberations the whole family and more on children, early retirement, and substance abuse. The depressed person suffering from the disease thus transformed and expressed in many ways such as hypochondriacal symptoms, impotence, insomnia or hypersomnia, poor appetite or overeating, and offending behavior. Moreover, depression can occur in various forms such as with most physical illnesses. However, in these types, there are several variations in the number and severity of symptoms. The following three types of depression frequently arise in people who suffer from this disease. The major depressive episode is manifested by a combination of symptoms and affected significantly the functionality of the individual. An incident such as this episode may occur once, or more frequently, several times during the life of the individual and ordinarily lasts around 6-8 months. A less severe form of depression, dysthymia, is a milder side of symptoms, but more chronic disorder. In this form, individual generally retains much of the functionality but however, there is a danger to drop back into a major depressive episode. Bipolar disorder or manic depression is otherwise a severe mental disorder characterized by cyclical swings of emotion, where in that period of intense elation (mania) alternate with periods of depressive episodes. The person in the manic episode shows hyperactivity, socially inappropriate, shows cheerful, with large energy reserves, but has impaired judgment and impaired social behavior which can be fatal for the person himself but also for those around him. Various theories have been developed by several scientists are unable to determine the exact etiology of depression. There are some factors that contribute to either the start or the most intense manifestation of the disease. Many scientists have studied the depression generating mechanism based on an individuals behavior. Ferster (1973) indicates that the depressed person may have the disease at intervals, during which accepts negative stimuli and isolation from the social environment without corresponding positive stimuli which could maintain his mental balance. Additionally, starting from childhood where negative stimuli are unable to meet the individual needs (such as the mothers indifference towards the child) cultivate the belief that the environment has grown not to offer anything on the person who is pessimistic. Also, Ferster, comments on the role of anger in depression, as psychoanalysts recognizing that anger is a component of the emotional disorder but explains that the angering event often avoided by the sufferer due to the negative reaction of the environment to anger. Therefore held that feeling and the result is the further isolation of the patient from the community and lack thereof supporters. The Rado (1964), Bibring (1953) and Jacobson (1964), completing the classic analytic interpretation pointed out that it is not necessary to have an objective loss to occur depression. They outline that, something negative relative to narcissism, the love and appreciation that nourishes everyone about him, a frustration or failure would seriously undermine the feeling of self-esteem, can paralyze a persons ability to act, resulting in a recall depression. Mendelson (1967) believed that depression is due to the collapse of ego and self-confidence because of a loss or disappointment. O Schneider (1958) described the people suffering from depressive psychopathy as follows: quietly, constantly gloomy, serious, without the ability to have fun. The peace and calm seen as something meaningless and pain and suffering as a virtue. They give great importance to the operation and are oppressive but also sensitive individuals. Schneider made a distinction between depressive personality and endogenous depression which more correlated with phases of mania and depression thus rejecting the idea that a depressive personality is an extreme form of depression expression. This personality is due in early irritation predisposing the individual to become negative and pessimistic On the other side, the forms and effects of depression differ by gender. Women are 2 to 3 times more susceptible to this disease than men. Some researchers such as Hauenstein (1991) have suggested that this is due to the fact that women express more easily and more intensely their feelings, from the opposite gender, is more large percentage of the female population that will seek medical care in relation to the male gender, women affected, think and imagine different scenarios and versions if concern for a problem, leading to cause the beginning of an emotional disease while men distract their attention from the problem and focus on their goals. However, the difference is quite large, so it is believed that a combination of biological and psychosocial factors contribute to a higher frequency. The causes that can lead an individual to depression vary depending on the evolution of his life. More specifically, it is clear that there is no single reason to explain this disorder (as usually happens with many other illnesses in general). Surveys have identified several factors that appear to contribute in varying degrees to the illness of depression. We can consider the depressive disorder as the final common result of a variety of factors which act on the constitution of each individual and the specific social context. If we look at depression in this way then the various interpretations of the ground, either purely biological or purely psychosocial cease to seem to contradict each other, but rather that they complement each other.

The Drunk Bus Should Be Kept Around Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive

The â€Å"Drunk Bus† Should Be Kept Around I remember hearing stories of such a thing called the â€Å"drunk bus† before I came to college, but I was not exactly sure what it was. I just figured the bus took a bunch of drunken college students to the bars when they wanted to go. Now that I am a first-year student at State U, I understand I was not that far from the truth. Some say the bus should be taken away, but the fact of the matter is the bus is a necessity at college since there will always be drinking. This way, when all of the students are done drinking at school and want to go to the bars, they are not putting themselves or any other members of the community in danger by drinking and driving. Safety is always a factor Of course, the community is concerned about safety, since most of the students at State U take advantage of the nickel pitcher nights at the popular local bar Malarky’s, they always know they have a safe ride back home without putting anyone else in the community at risk. I am certain the townspeople feel much safer knowing all the intoxicated students are on a bus...

Reliance Fresh Essay

Reliance Retail a convenient store format, is governed by the Mukesh ambani and is the most important part of Reliance Industries retail Business. It also comprises more than 2000 reliance stores(October 2014) all over the country. The outlet sells foods, groceries, apparel s and footwear. A distinctive Reliance Fresh outlet is around 3000 to 4000 sq. feet and accommodates catchment area of one to three Kilometers. Reliance retail is spread over 155 cities. History of Reliance Retail The Reliance Retail had to face various difficulties before the launch of Reliance fresh, because of the various circumstances prevailing in Orissa, West Bengal and UP, along with the news focusing on the dearth of vegetables and fruits stocks. The retail business of Reliance then minimized its exposure in vegetable and fruit business, as a result established Reliance fresh positioning a pure super market play focusing on various categories like IT, consumer durables, home, FMCG and food. The retail company of Reliance may not supply the vegetables and fruits in a few states, the Reliance Fresh decided to not to race with local wholesalers partly because of the incapability to maintain a healthy supply chain. The first ever a Reliance Fresh store was established in Hyderabad, wherein the company, mainly focused on the fresh produced vegetables and fruits at comparatively low price. Subsidiaries and Divisions: 1.Reliance Fresh: Retail outlets of fruits, vegetables &groceries. 2.Reliance Digital: Consumer electronics retail stores. 3.Reliance jewels: Jewellery 4.Reliance Timeout: Stores of books, music, movies 5.Reliance Market: Wholesale cash n carry Objectives:- To provide high quality products for the customers. To reduce spoilage through its supply chain & logistic networks. To enrich  customer’s shopping experience through customized offer & ‘value for money’ merchandise. To foster relationship with partners. To increase agribusiness in india and timely payments to farmers. To reduce gap between customer and manufacturer.

Kota Fibres, Ltd Essays

Kota Fibres, Ltd Essays Kota Fibres, Ltd Essay Kota Fibres, Ltd Essay Case Report for Kota Fibres, Ltd. Group 7 BA 141 (WFY) 8/11/2010 Table of Contents Point of View . 1 Case Context .. 1 Problem Definition .. Framework of Analysis . 1 Analysis . 2 Decision 6 Justification of Decision .. Implementation of Decision.. 7 Appendix .. 8 Bibliography 33 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The group took the point of view of management for the case of Kota Fibres, Ltd. The goal of maximizing shareholder wealth was the backdrop against evaluations of the company’s health and proposals to improve the same were made. Kota Fibres’ main problem was fairly straightforward: the management of the company’s cash holdings was inefficient. This was reflected in the smaller problems that the company faced in 2001. An evaluation of the company’s profitability showed increasing price competition; liquidity, a dispiriting debt position; efficiency; a long cash conversion cycle; and leverage, increasing dependence on borrowed capital. Coupled with unfavorable market conditions, the events responsible for Kota Fibres’ financial health confirmed the company’s weak cash position. Cash flows were not only weak, but they were also drained by large dividend distributions. Management paid high dividends to shareholders for many years under the misapprehension that reinvesting in it in the business was necessarily riskier. Ironically, it was keeping cash out of the business that increased credit risk, devalued Kota Fibres as a manufacturing firm and reduced shareholder wealth. In addition to cutting back on dividend distributions (at least until the company stabilized), the group also recommended implementing the Transportation manager’s proposal of reducing the rawmaterial-inventory requirement to 30 days to improve the company’s cash position and meet the demands of the heavy production and selling season ahead. I. Point of View: Management II. Case Context Kota Fibres, Ltd. was founded in 1962 to produce nylon fiber at its only plant in Kota, India. The company supplies synthetic fiber yarns to a steady ranchise of small local textile weavers that produce colorful cloths for making saris. The synthetic-textile market in India within the time frame of the case was driven by competitions in price, service and credit. For Kota Fibres, a large end-customer base of nearly 500 million Indian women and a relatively inelastic demand for its synthetic fiber yarns made the company a profitable enterprise. In fact, unit growth in the industry was exp ected to be 15 percent per year. However, Kota Fibres’ profit margins began to thin due to increasing price competition in the market. Management, in turn, adopted a seasonal production cycle that regrettably generated seasonal training and set-up costs and labor unrest. Moreover, operating expenses were estimated to be 6 percent of sales in 2001, a figure higher compared to last year’s. Interestingly, this was due to the addition of a quality-control department, for which there had been no indications of a need for one, and the three young nephews of Mrs. Pundir, in whom she hoped to build an allegiance to the family business. She also proposed to pay dividends of Rs500,000 per quarter to only 11 individuals who held the entire equity of Kota Fibres, Ltd. Incidentally, these 11 individuals were members of her extended family. III. Problem Definition: Mrs. Pundir’s management of Kota Fibres’ cash is inefficient. Because the company is already anticipating the heavy selling season, the problem thus requires a solution that will generate cash inflows in the immediate future. IV. Framework for Analysis A. Gaining Familiarity B. Identifying the Problem C. Recognizing Sub-problems D. Identifying Goal/s E. Analyzing the Case F. Recommendation V. Analysis A. Gaining Familiarity Please refer to the Case Context above. B. Identifying the Problem Please refer to the Problem Definition in the previous page. C. Recognizing Sub-problems In 2001, Kota Fibres faced several sub-problems that reflected, if not confirmed, the inefficient management of the company’s cash holdings. Frequently overdrawn bank account Unpaid excise tax Delayed customer deliveries suspended collections of sales Impaired credit profile Large dividend distributions D. Identifying Goal/s 1. To determine how the proposals of Mrs. Pundir’s middle-managers may improve Kota Fibres’ cash position 2. To provide Kota Fibres with an improved financial plan to present to the bank that will qualify the company for an extension of credit, in order to meet the demands of the heavy selling season ahead E. Analyzing the Case Part 1: An evaluation of Kota Fibres’ profitability, efficiency, liquidity and leverage The following were attributed to the company’s position in the market and additions to operations: CGS and OPEX increased by nearly 50 percent in 2001 from the base year. Net profit was reduced by 60 percent in 2001. (Refer to Table 2, Figures 5, 7 to 10). Net and operating profit margins decreased from 1999 to 2000 by 3 percent and from 2000 to 2001 by 2 percent. (Refer to Table 1, Figure 6). Decreases in EBIT and net profit ? decrease of 10 percent in ROA and ROE in 2001 (Refer to Figures 4 to 6, 13) Notably, interest expenses grew about a 100 percent in the same year, which implied that the company planned to borrow more money in 2001. (Refer to Figures 11 and 12). The company’s liquidity position fell about 200 percent in 2001 because of a 400 percent increase in notes payable to the bank in the same year. (Refer to Figure 14). Kota Fibres’ cash holdings were only 5. 3 percent of total assets in 2000 and even fell in 2001. This percentage barely covered half of the company’s current liabilities and alerted the group to the possibility of bankruptcy. (Refer to Table 6, Figure 22). Kota Fibres’ working capital was only 24 percent and 14 percent of total assets in 2000 and 2001, respectively. (Refer to Figu re 17). The group expected a higher figure, especially for a manufacturing company, but learned that the company’s cash position might have been responsible for the drop in the figure. There was also a sharp fall in Kota Fibres’ equity-debt ratio due to a 200 percent increase in total debt in 2001. Refer to Figure 15). The company’s forecasted debt position was dismal thus far. Kota Fibres’ inventory, accounts receivable and accounts payable turnover ratios decreased in 2001 because inventory, A/R and A/P increased in the same year. Figures for days inventory and average collection and payment periods increased consequently, resulting in an operating cycle of 18 days in 2000 and 21 days in 2001. (Refer to Figure 19). However, when the averages of inventory, A/R and A/P for the year ending 2001 were used in determining the turnover ratios, new figures showed that the company was actually terribly inefficient. Seasonal fluctuations in inventory, A/R and A/P accounted for averages higher than the ending balances of the same in 2001. These, in turn, produced a figure of 72 days for cash conversion cycle. (Refer to Figure 20). In other words, the company doesn’t expect to realize cash from its acquisition of inventory within intervals of nearly three months in 2001. The following were the reasons why the bank didn’t extend any more credit to Kota Fibres: Poor cash holdings Increases in interest obligations and decreases in EBIT decreases in nterest coverage ability from 1999 to 2001 (Refer to Figure 21) Declining cash-debt coverage figures (Refer to Figure 22) Despite having an equity-based financial structure, ratios for leverage revealed that the extent of non-owner claims to Kota Fibres’ assets in 2001 nearly tripled from 2000. Likewise, assets were thrice more funded by creditors in 2001. (Refer to Figures 23 and 24). Unfortunately, the increases in Kota Fibresâ€⠄¢ borrowing activities in 2000 were neither supported by increases in cash inflows nor supportive of possible cash inflows. In fact, the company may need to borrow some money from the bank in order to maintain a cash balance of Rs750,000 in 2001. (Refer to Figures 25 and 26). Part 2: An evaluation of the proposals of Mrs. Pundir’s middle-managers. Assumptions made for each proposal are as follows. Extend current credit terms of 45 days to 80 days for Pondicherry Textiles. Rs6,000,000 Sales: 1. Because Pondicherry Textiles was expected to purchase from Kota Fibres across the year, the group allocated Rs6M throughout 2001 according to the purchase pattern of the latter’s customers. 2. Collections from the sale to Pondicherry Textiles were reflected after 80 days of forecasted sales made for every month in 2001. (Refer to Tables 8 and 9) Reduce raw-material inventory requirement from 60 days to 30 1. Raw materials per month of 2001 = 55 percent of sales expected to be made two months later. 2. Raw materials turnover ratio = CGS/Raw materials 3. Days raw materials = 360/RM turnover 4. Because the same amount of material will be purchased by Kota days. Purchases: (same) Fibres, only the requirement for days raw materials was changed- 60 to 30 days (Refer to Tables 10 and 11) Accept Japanese firm’s proposal to supply expected to be made two months later on a just-in-time basis, which may reduce pellets inventory to 2 (or 3) days outstanding. 1. Pellet-RM per month of 2001 = 35 percent of 55 percent of sales 2. Pellet-RM turnover ratio = CGS/Pellet-RM polyester pellets , 3. Days pellet-RM = 360/Pellet-RM turnover 4. Because the same amount of pellets will be purchased by Kota Fibres, only the requirement for days pellet-RM was changed- 60 to 2 days. (Refer to Tables 12 and 13) Implement a scheme of level production. annual 1. In economics, the cost of producing a good is the cost of its factor input. The group decided to simplify the implementation of this particular proposal by equating the cost of production with the cost of labor. 2. Figures for net sales were used in the computation of GPM, which was adjusted to reflect labor savings in OPEX. (Refer to Tables 14 and 15) The effects of each proposal were made to reflect in the Schedule of Cash Receipts and Disbursements, supported by adjustments made to the Forecast T-Accounts. Each proposal was implemented, that is, â€Å"plugged into† the existing schedule and t-accounts, independently. Tables 8 to 15 show that the second proposal produced the least amount of debt outstanding, Rs2,704,866, at the end of 2001. By reducing the length of time that inventory was held in the warehouses, decreases in storage and holding costs significantly reduced operating expenses. Mrs. Pundir’s original forecast for Debt Outstanding was Rs3,463,701. [Note: Though the third proposal reduced the original forecast for debt outstanding to Rs3,017,128, the effects of implementing the same show a slightly higher figure for Purchases because such raw materials were purchased more often. Refer to Tables 5 and 12). ] The same proposal also produced the greatest percentage for cash as a percentage of total assets- nearly 5 percent. Though the first proposal increased A/R the most, cash collections were far in between due to the extension of credit terms. Consequently, this proposal produced the largest amount of debt outstanding at the end of 2001. (Refer to Table 5). Net cash inflows of Rs46,814 under the first proposal and Rs287,850 under the second proposal were used to pay the bank in December. Refer to Tables 8 and 10). The last two proposals produced not only the second and third largest amounts of debt outstanding, respectively, but also the only net cash outflows, the amounts of which were subsequently borrowed from the bank. (Refer to Tables 5, 12 and 14). Table 1 shows a ratio analysis of the effects of the implementation of each proposal. F. Recommendation The group recommends the implementation of the Transportation manager’s proposal to reduce the raw-material-inventory requirement from 60 days to 30 days. VI. Decision Tables 10 and 11 show the effects of the implementation of the second proposal on the Schedule of Cash Receipts and Disbursements and on the Forecast T-Accounts. The same figures show that Kota Fibres is still indebted to the bank in the amount of Rs2,704,866. In addition to the implementation of the second proposal, the group recommends the proposed yearly dividend distributions (Rs2,000,000) to be reinvested in the company and be used to pay the bank. The group also recommends the issuance of equity securities to raise funds to pay the balance. Furthermore, the group advises management to consider equity financing in raising funds for heavy selling seasons in the future. For now though the group believes that the recommendations given thus far will be sufficient to satisfy the immediate production and selling needs of Kota Fibres. VII. Basic Justifications of Decision The large dividend distributions that Mrs. Pundir made to the company’s 11 shareholders (also members of her extended family) were primarily accountable for the company’s poor cash position. The Pundir family believed that excess funds retained in the business were at greater risk than the

Marketing and Guinness Essays

Marketing and Guinness Essays Marketing and Guinness Essay Marketing and Guinness Essay Marketing Strategy for Guinness Introduction Guinness is a renowned stout (beer) company in Ireland, and throughout the world. It is particularly famous for its unique taste and its quality. The beer is an icon for Ireland, with is epic advertisements and classic colour of black and white. Arthur Guinness established the stout in 1759, at St. James’ Gate in Dublin. The company has survived years of competition through its creative advertising and high quality product. Mission Statement The Guinness brand is part of the large Diageo group, its mission statement quotes that they wish ‘To become one of the world’s most trusted and respected companies’. We feel that this is been achieved with the Guinness brand as it is much respected worldwide. They are always striving to grow, and be known for their outstanding stout. Guinness has succeeded in growing into the world’s number one stout brewer. In 2000 its overseas sales overtook Irish and British sales, for the first time and these numbers have continued to grow ever since. Situational Analysis Company Analysis Goals Diageo as a company are constantly striving to reach new goals, to improve the Guinness brand and quality of the product. In recent times the global economic environment has taken a downturn, which has meant that the company has had to do their best to stay competitive and hold their place in the global market. In recent years the sales of the iconic Irish drink have been falling on a domestic level so Diageo decided that it would have to look further a field to developing markets for new sales. Diageo got in touch with the famous advertisers Saatchi Saatchi and started about entering the African market and creating what the advertising company call a â€Å"love mark†, described as a brand that enjoys loyalty beyond reason from consumers. One of the company’s aims is to gain a foothold in this market to increase sales, and profits, and develop their worldwide recognition of the brand. Focus Diageos main focus for Guinness has and will be to maintain a product of up most quality, with a loyal customer following. They focus on advertising to promote the stout. Culture Even though the stout is synonymous with Ireland, the drink is accepted worldwide. Guinness sells the stout to 150 countries across the world, with its top markets in Ireland, Great Britain, United States, Nigeria and Cameroon. Guinness is famous for its Irish provenance and epic colour; it is the most famous black stout and is brewed in over 50 countries. Guinness sell a numerous range of stouts, with Guinness Draught and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout been the most popular worldwide. Guinness takes into account the culture of different countries, and understands that different tastes appeal to different regions of the world. Guinness Draught is predominantly sold in Europe, Japan, Australia and North America. This Guinness is available as Guinness Original, Extra cold, Extra smooth, and their most recent – Guinness Red. Guinness Foreign Extra stout is most popular in Caribbean, Africa and Asia, due to its slightly stronger taste. Guinness are ingenious with their advertising strategies, this is evident through the celebration of Arthur Guinness day, it was the 250th global celebration last year, however due to the massive success of the day, it is now a yearly occasion. The day was celebrated in over 150 countries throughout the world. S. W. O. T. Analysis Strengths Guinness is a worldwide renowned brand, under the Diageo PLC. Guinness’ strengths lie in the uniqueness of the brand and its cleverly created advertising campaigns, such as the â€Å"good things come to those who wait† campaign or â€Å"its alive inside†. Diageo understand their markets and the wants of the their target consumers. One of Guinness’ key strengths lies their near monopoly in the stout market, they are the only brand to sell a stout globally. Guinness is a remarkably strong brand that is recognized globally. This means that consumer recognition of the product is instant, when a consumer sees the epic white and black, they automatically think of Guinness. The â€Å"Harp of Brian Boru† is synonymous with Ireland and Guinness itself. Weaknesses One of the main weaknesses for Guinness is the fact that stout has such a unique taste which younger consumers find too strong, this means that they are unable to reach a vast number of consumers. Another problem which Guinness face is the â€Å"old man† image. If Guinness wants to reach a younger spectrum of the market they must shift this portrayal of the drink. The majority of Guinness consumers fall under the plus 35 age bracket, with the most loyal drinkers been 40 plus. Opportunities There are numerous opportunities, which Guinness can act upon, from expanding the global brand to reaching new markets. Guinness have altered the stout for different markets around the globe, to suit the respective markets needs, however, we feel that there is huge scope to try target consumers under 35. By doing so they would have a broader range of consumers in the market. Guinness would need to make a slightly lighter tasting stout to appeal to the younger drinkers, whose taste buds are less developed. The option to ad a new product â€Å"Guinness Light†, to reach this younger end of the market would boost sales in an economically difficult time. Guinness light would not only have a lighter taste but also would have fewer calories, to appeal to the health conscious generation of today. Threats The main threats that the Guinness brand has to face today are economic. During the global recession the brand must strive to be stronger and uphold its quality. Consumers are spending less on goods, which they want, as apposed to what they need. People are less likely to go out to pubs with friends, to save money most consumers would choose to stay at home, however this is where Guinness sold in cans is a success. There is also the threat of competitors, seen as Guinness has endured years of success with the unique stout, other companies may see this as an opportunity to try gain some of this success. Consumer Analysis Statistics show that 80% of Guinness drinkers fall within the 30-60 age group. Guinness has always performed well among the older market segment. Generally stout drinkers have more mature taste buds and are accustomed to the strong taste of the beverage. Guinness is the quintessential Irish beer, and an acquired taste. The consumer value of the beverage is to enjoy it after a day of work, in the pub, with friends, or at least this is the typical consumer profile of a Guinness drinker. Competitor Analysis Currently Guinness is the key brand in the stout market, which means that competitors find it hard to position their brand. In Ireland Murphy’s would be Guinness’ biggest competitor, they are a less popular stout as it does not have the same quality taste as Guinness, however the drink is cheaper than Guinness which may be an advantage to them during the recession. A pint of Murphy’s costs between â‚ ¬4 and â‚ ¬5, where as a pint of Guinness ranges from â‚ ¬4 to â‚ ¬6. Murphy’s is a cheap stout, it appeals to the younger sector of the market as they are budget conscious, and they would not be looking for quality. It is not as well known or recognized as Guinness as its brand isn’t as well established. Besides stouts, companies selling beer would be huge competitors to Guinness, especially world-renowned brands such as Heineken. As they sell their drink roughly around the same price as Guinness, and target similar if not the same market, not only this but Heineken are also famous for there unique and epic advertisements. Cider represents a growing threat in the alcoholic market, it is a lighter drink compared to a stout. The younger end of the market prefers cider; these consumers’ tastes are less acquired compared to the older end. Bulmers has grown its share in the market over the last 10 years, from 2. % to 10% ( bulmers. ie/marketing-case-study/default. asp). It is one of the most popular ciders in the Irish market. In today’s highly competitive market Guinness must strive to increase brand awareness, loyalty to the brand and reach a younger market if it wants to stay as widely recognized, popular and an iconic brand and stout in the Irish market and around the wo rld. Guinness’ competitive advantage over the other stouts, ciders and beers in the market is its unique taste, the fact that it is synonymous with Ireland. Climate Macro-Environmental Analysis Economic Environment Currently we are experiencing a global economic downturn, which makes it difficult for companies to survive. Guinness has a strong and well-established brand which will stand to them during these tough times. Consumers are less willing to spend money in restaurants and pubs, they are more likely to stay in or have friends over. Guinness needs to re-strategise in order to stay competitive, and keep their large foothold in the stout market. A larger emphasis on the stout been sold in cans may be needed in order to keep their sales up. Social and Cultural Environment Guinness as a brand tries to advertise to people of all different cultures, by doing this they can target a large consumer base, as it is a product that is consumed in the three groupings of global economic expansion. Seeing as two of the top five consumers of Guinness in the world are part of the peripheral zone, they have achieved in infiltrating these zones. Their aim is to reach out and capture a person’s attention and imagination with their advertising. By using advertising which identifies with particular cultures in which they are trying to infiltrate, they capture a wider consumer base. Guinness is a universal brand which is enjoyed by some 1. 8 billion consumers yearly. To achieve such staggering numbers, it is a reflection of how successful the brand is. By using different types of promotions and techniques to advertise, Guinness reach out to many types of people and different cultures throughout the world. For example in New Zealand and Australia Guinness hold competitions called Pint Master, in which you rate your pint and your bartender as to how well the pint was poured you then scratch a card and then reveal in you have won a Nintendo Wii. This type of promotion is popular as it encourages people to buy a pint of Guinness as they could possibly win a prize. It also generates word of mouth and gets people interested in the stout, reinforcing the idea of Guinness. In the United States, Guinness has created an App for I-phones and I-pads. This app shows consumers which pubs throughout America sell Guinness, it can find over 20,000 in the U. S. alone. Throughout Guinness’ different advertising campaigns they attempt to incorporate cultural values without isolating other cultures. Sport is both a social activity and part of culture, Guinness associate themselves with sports that are popular to respective countries around the world. In America they targeted the super bowel audience with the ingenious American football advertisement, they have also used this method of advertising for Hurling in Ireland and America targeting both Irish and the Irish Diaspora in America. In Africa Guinness sponsors several leagues and promote the stout through memorable advertisements, which romanticize the sport. Guinness is a multinational company, which positively uses globalisation to connect with cultures without imposing upon them. This has made Guinness a reputable company with a good ethical reputation. Collaborations Guinness is one of the biggest sponsors in Ireland. The company sponsors a wide range of events. The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is famous all over the world. Guinness also sponsors the Rugby World Cup, Irish Rugby and the Galway Races. Guinness was the creator of the original music festival; a two-day music festival called Witness which features the biggest music acts in the world. It subsequently has changed sponsorship to Heineken. Sponsoring huge events like these is all part of the intricate advertising strategy; consumers will also associate the beverage with enjoying good times with friends. Guinness began sponsoring the All Ireland Hurling championship in 1995. It was the first ever sponsor of the event and the first five years of the sponsorship alone brought hurling to the attention of new audiences and greatly enhanced the image of the sport. Guinness is also the official beer of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), and sponsor of the Guinness series in rugby. The Guinness book of World Records is a book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. It all began in Wexford, Ireland, in 1951 with Sir Hugh Beaver the managing director of the Guinness Brewery. The first edition of the book was published in 1955. It is now renowned throughout the world and although Guinness and indirectly Diageo owned the rights to the book, in 2001 Gullane Entertainment purchased it. The book, however still holds the Guinness name. The most recent venture of Guinness is its collaboration with Google Earth and iTunes for the new iPhone application. Using the GPS on the phone, the Guinness Pub Finder app allows you to find a nearby pub serving Guinness. The database is selective to the USA with a database of more than 20,000 bars across the country. This shows us how Guinness is evolving with new and improved methods to accessing it’s a younger and more technologically advanced generation. Positioning Positioning is part of any companies marketing strategy; their objective is to influence consumer’s perception of a brand or product. Guinness’ aim is to occupy a distinct and clear part of consumers’ minds. Guinness successfully positions their brand as one of â€Å"top quality† with a â€Å"unique taste† and one that is synonymous with Ireland. When a consumer thinks of Guinness they automatically, think black and white, and think of Ireland. Its through the brands innovative advertising that the stout has been positioned clearly in the minds of consumers today, which is a hard task to achieve in such a competitive and ever expanding market. Their campaign â€Å"good things come to those who wait†, creates the idea that the 119. seconds it takes to pour the stout, is worth the wait for a drink that is uniquely brewed, with quality taste every time. Marketing Mix Product Guinness is a dark stout made of roasted, malted barley, hops, yeast and water. Its distinct ‘black’ appearance beer is not actually black but rather dark ruby red because of the way the ingredients are prepared. The white head is creamy due to bubbles of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas as the beer is poured. This is what makes the product so unique, it is important that it is poured and served in a particular way. The two-part pour method means the perfect pint can be prepared in 119. 5 seconds precisely. The complete Guinness product line includes: Guinness Draught; creamy pint, available in keg, bottle and can (typically sold in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia) Guinness Draught Extra Cold available in keg. Other than being served a few degrees cooler, it is the same as Guinness Draught. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout stronger in taste and more bitter than Guinness Draught (it is especially popular in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean They are all brewed with the classic and unique Guinness techniques. However, it uses local ingredients so, in Nigeria for example, Guinness is made using sorghum, which grows better than barley. A stronger Guinness called Foreign Extra Stout is also brewed in Africa and other places. Price Guinness prices are competitive relative to other stouts and beers within the market. Government measures in Ireland control the cost of alcohol in the country, with retailers passing the savings on to consumers. Since 1976, there hasnt been a very big variation in the number of pints that the manufacturing worker could buy with a gross wage. Place Guinness is primarily a product that can only be drunk in bars. Many Irish drinkers associate ‘the black stuff’ with the common pint. Now readily available in cans and bottles, it is more widespread towards off licenses and supermarkets. Over the past years, Guinness has been performing relatively well in foreign markets. In the United States, sales are picking up. Australia and Africa are also giving the brand a good reception. Promotion Guinness’ advertisements and promotional strategy relies on rich Irish heritage. The Irish perception of Guinness however, finds that most people think of Guinness as the most advertised brand and not a rich, Irish brand. The adverts are famous throughout the world; they are universal and appeal to all, far and wide. Guinness has produced amazingly creative and imaginative television adverts and slogans. It is the reason the brand is so famous and well known today. New Strategy and Repositioning of the product Selected Marketing Strategy (Guinness Lite) In order to reach a greater market, Guinness needs to re-position itself as the beer of choice for younger potential consumers. The idea is to tweak the current product to make it more appealing to younger drinkers with a less accustomed pallet. Guinness Lite could be a part of the new product line, this would mean a lighter stout and a lower alcoholic strength. In order to capture a younger generation, one that is attracted primarily to lagers and beers the company should look for ways of engineering their product to suit that market preference. In order to maintain the older market, the company should still retain its older Guinness brand. In other words, there will be two offerings; the classic Guinness brand and the new one. Since the company will be introducing a different brand, they need to change their packaging. Diageo should re-package the new Guinness Lite in a can. The can should have different colours from the old Guinness so that young people can see that they are buying a different product from their parents, while still maintaining the harp and classic Guinness logo, to keep the overall look and feel of the iconic brand. The third and last aspect about Guinness’ positioning will be its Irish heritage. The beer will be tailored for the Young Irish population. In order to attract the younger consumer, Guinness Lite’s pricing should be tailored to suit that category. Since most youth are not yet as financially stable as their older counterparts, it will be necessary to place the product’s price at a consumer-friendly level. They should maintain their prices at that level in order to stay competitive. The most important element of the new marketing strategy, which will also form part of the promotional strategy, is appealing to the younger audience. We know that over 80% of Guinness drinkers fall within the 30-60 age group. A mere 15% of Guinness consumers lie between the 20-29 age bracket. This may be because many youngsters are looking for something that will differentiate them from their parents. Guinness in the eye of younger drinkers is generally considered as a drink that is predominantly popular with older generations. Advertising on a personal level, towards a younger customer base its important. New ad campaigns with young actors and a fresh image will bode well for the new product. Guinness Lite should be a common product in supermarkets and other retail outlets. Taking a shift from the pub going market segment, as we need to make the product easily available to the home drinker. As it has been stated earlier, drinking habits in Ireland have changed and it would therefore be necessary for the company to consider retail chains and supermarkets as their primary distribution channels. In the past Guinness focused on pubs and bars, as their major retail distribution channel but this need not be the case for Guinness Lite. In order to revitalise the Guinness brand, the company should re-position themselves as the brand of choice for young consumers. This needs to capture their needs and preferences. They need to change the product content and its packaging. Pricing, distribution and promotion need to capture this element. However, since the focus is in Ireland, then the company’s promotional strategy should reflect its rich Irish heritage. These two issues are the core concepts that can get Guinness back on track. Conclusion As a whole Guinness is an iconic reputable company, with global recognition. It has endured massive profits over the last decade. It is constantly striving to reach new markets and new potential consumers; Diageo has achieved this through innovative advertising and creative promotional campaigns. We believe the brand will continue to expand and grow. Guinness as a brand and product shows no sing of slowing down in the future. It will continue to be a pioneering brand for years to come.

Advertising Campaign Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Advertising Campaign - Case Study Example This advertising campaign cost the network about $20 million and was supposed to be one of the best advertising campaigns of the year 2006. The aim of this campaign was to use emotions as the means of attracting new clients and visitors; the campaign implied the use of emotion of experience and not physical experience as the basis for the development of the new global instrument of expanding the range of clients. The use of the core human values as the values which are peculiar of the personnel and the creators of the Sheraton hotels network, and thus provide their visitors with homelike warmth and comfort, has become the central theme of the 15: and 30: second TV spots. The development of the campaign was ruled by the Duo Rene Villar-Rios and Jan Vogel, who had become well-known for the development of successful ad campaigns for Coca-Cola and Nike. The central slogan of the advertising campaign 'we belong' was meant to make people understand they 'belong' to any hotel they decide to visit within the Sheraton network, and as people need to belong, hotels become the means of making people feel at home while in reality they are far away from it. (http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_2nd/Apr06_SheratonCampaign.html) The aim of providing people with all homelike options possible has also been achieved through provision of the clients with 10-minutes free telephone card to call those 'who matter'; Sheraton has also created new Internet site for the promotion of its services online. Now let's analyze this advertising campaign from the viewpoint of how it should look and be conducted with the account of the principal theoretical notions which have been given through lectures. The first interesting aspect to analyze in the advertising campaign is the two way communicative models. It is interesting to note, that this model has been used as the basic one for the creation of the Sheraton's ad campaign. I have come to the conclusion that this model has made this campaign very successful. What is seen here in more detail is that the coded message which appears as a slogan in each TV spot, namely 'we belong', is the coded message which each of those who see it interpret in his (her) own way. However, it is also important to note that interpretation should also be directed, because the consumers of the advertising products should decode the message the way the seller (advertiser wants it), thus it is not a simple process here. (Mittal, 2004) While the message is 'interpreted in different ways', the advertiser should care for these ways to be limited within the desired range. Thus, the message 'we belong' should first of all carry meaning of belonging to the hote l network, becoming its permanent clients and show the way the visitors will be treated during their stay there. This is why the core message here 'you don't just stay there - you belong'. Probably it would sound better is this message were made fuller and used in a wider form, but as the campaign has mostly been aimed at TV channels, thus capturing both visual and hearing attention of people (potential consumers) it is possible to say, that the decoded message has reached the targeted audience, but the message 'we belong' should be very brightly depicted, so that the audience interprets it in the necessary way through additional visual effects. (James & Kover, 1992) In this advertisement the source was the Advertiser, carrying the coded message 'we belon

Avivas Leadership Power and Motivation Lab Report

Avivas Leadership Power and Motivation - Lab Report Example Aviva is the largest general insurer in the UK and has close to 31.5 million customers spread across the 16 countries. According to the company website, the company attained 2.2 billion UK pounds in profits after tax in 2013 compared to 2.9 billion pounds reported in 2012 (Aviva 2014). The cash remittances grew by 40 percent to reach 1.3 billion UK pounds while the new business increased by 13 percent to 835 million during the year 2013. In the current 2014 financial year, Aviva is focused on improving the cash remittances while improving the life insurance business segment through differentiated pricing and building strategic partnerships in emerging markets (Aviva 2014). Aviva’s strategic framework is focused on investment, customer, distribution, and people Aviva has attained excellent performance in five metrics that include cash flow management, operating profits, a value of new business, expenses and combined operating ratio due to excellent leadership and people management. Aviva has a diverse product portfolio and highly talented employees that cater to the changing financial planning and insurance needs of both rural and urban customers (Aviva 2014). Leadership is a critical aspect of Aviva’s success since the management is committed to the organizational goals and has outlined a clear vision that is focused on increasing returns to the fund investors and satisfying the insurance customers. Another key aspect that has fostered Aviva’s growth and profitability is motivation since the employees are committed to higher performance in their jobs. The report will discuss the success of Aviva using organizational theories and c oncepts of leadership and power. The second element of organizational design and management of people that will be the motivational strategies that have been used by the company to ensure high employee performance.