Business Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business Planning - Assignment Example Business Plan is consist of three portion planning. They are marketing plan, Operation plan, and financial plan. Considering the mentioned areas planning has developed the Business Plan for Charm Company. The hard and soft system factors need to be addressed by the manager carefully to make a successful business plan. Carefully evaluation is very important companies. Fully costed business plans are prepared and defended in some specific ways. "Best practice" is sometimes controversial. So company authority needs to carefully think and take best practice. And it is needed to implement precisely. A business plan is a formal arrangement of a set of business goals, the causes why they are believed attainable, and the plan for achieving the desired goals. A business plan also contains background information of the organisation or team who are attempting to reach those goals. Profit-oriented Business Plans usually focus on financial goals whereas non-profit and government agency Business Plans tend to focus on service goals. A business plan that has changes in view and branding as its primary goals is known as a marketing plan. Business plans may have focus on both internally or externally. Externally focused plans are important for external and financial stakeholders, sometimes investors, customers, and donors. Internally focused Business Plans consider intermediate goals needed to reach the external one. Internally focused plans include the development of a new product, a new service, a new IT system, a redistribution of finance, the refurbishing of a factory or a redesigning of the organisation. Here we will see how a business plan not only considering either internal or external, but focusing the both have been developed. And for this, we have chosen Italian Charm Company. Overview of Italian Charm Company: Charm Company is an Italian Company, which is located in Branson, Missouri at "The Marketplace" Shopping Centre. Their normal business hours are Monday to Saturday 10am - 6pm. They emphasize on the importance of customer service. Their knowledgeable staff members are not only friendly, but also charm enthusiasts tic. If the customers feel a charm is lacking in quality or design, Charm Company doesn't sell that showing respect to the customers. Their only goal is to bring their consumers with the finest quality charms, beads, and watches at reasonable prices. They accept VISA, MasterCard, and money order etc. All of their charms, watches and beads are handcrafted (fully made by hand, not by machine) in Italy from materials including 18-karat gold, real silver, cubic zircons, semi-precious stones, premium enamel, and stainless steel. Role,

Chinese Business Essay Example for Free

Chinese Business Essay Introduction It is often argued that when business persons of different cultures negotiate commercial deals, there is bound to be a culture clash. I disagree with this view. It is true that cultural differences influence business negotiations but with the appropriate approach to deal with the differences, culture clash is to be least expected in any business negotiations, especially with the Chinese. As Sun Tzu would advised in his book The Art of War â€Å"Know your enemy and know yourself and you will win all battles† (Sun Tzu 1913). According to Newstrom and Davis (2002) there are many striking differences across countries, just as there are some surprising similarities. Clearly, residents of each country have their own preferences for clothes, food, recreation, and housing. In his research about national cultures of sixty countries, Hofstede (1993) revealed that cultures differ in five key factors namely, individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, and time orientation. Among these factors, the Chinese have the culture that value clarity and have the kind of orientation that accent values such as necessity of preparing for the future, the value of thrift and savings, and the merits of persistence. Literatures on different cultures also classify China as high-context culture which tends to emphasize personal relations, place value on trust, focus on non-verbal cues, and accent the need to attend to social needs before business matters (Newstrom and Davis 2002). Culture is very important in certain country such as China. Huntinghon (2000) as cited by Fellner (2008) defined culture as the values, attitudes, beliefs, and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in a society. He stressed that culture is dynamic, interactive, and synergistic, and intermixes with all the elements of the society such as business and economic development (Huntinghon 2000; Fellner 2008). Huiping (2009) stated in her article entitled Understanding Chinese culture leads to business success with China’s growing significance as an economic superpower  understanding the Chinese psyche becomes very helpful and useful in business negotiations management of supplier relations and many other business situations. As emphasized by Uthaisangchai (n. d. ), Chinese history and culture has impact on the way they do business and each of the many elements of the Chinese culture has a role to play in today Chinese business world. In Hofstede’s (1980) theory of individualism-collectivism as cited by Jones (2009), the individualism and collectivism dimensions differs on the degree a culture is committed to an in-group such as extended family, company or village. In the individualistic society, people are less attached to an in-group (that is, people are more self-centered and in pursuit of their own self-interests). Meanwhile in the collectivist society, people are more attached to an in-group, that is the interests of the in-group come first. Jones (2009) also noted from Hofstede and Bond (1988) that such value of collectivism likely stems from a deep rooted, ingrained culture based on the traditional philosophy of Confucianism. Uthaisangchai (n.d,) gave emphasis of the teachings of Confucius in the development of the culture of Chinese. In the article entitled Connecting Confucianism, Communism and the Chinese Culture of Commerce, Keller and Kronstedt (2005) explained that Confucianism is a very important component of the Chinese culture. â€Å"In a Confucian society, everyone has a role to play, and the key relationship is built around the family†¦ Chinese cultures value family connections and protecting relationships (saving face). Developing ‘family-like’ relationships takes time and patience, not merely a contractual deal based solely on money. If one has to do business in a Chinese culture, it is critical to understand and respect Confucian values† (Keller and Kronstedt 2005). Keller and Kronstedt (2005) further emphasized the significance of connections-Guanxi. In Confusian-based society like China, guanxi or proper connections are more crucial than price, product, place, etc. According to Jones (2009), China is known for being loyal to their in-group’ and favoring them in business related decision. As given emphasis by Li (2008) as cited by Jones (2009), understanding the guanxi is critical for conducting business in China and it involves cultivating trust, credibility and reciprocity. One way to understand cultural differences is through the concepts of high-context culture and low-context culture. The notion of ‘context’ can be understood as the social environment in which a business transaction takes place. Edward T. Hall’s theory of high- and low-context culture explains the powerful effect culture has on communication. The countries classified as high-context cultures include China, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Africa, Italy and South America in which people are characterized as collectivists, relational, contemplative and intuitive. This implies that the people in these societies put emphasis on good relationship between members of the society. In relation to business transactions, the development of trust is a very important step. Hall (1976) argued that the people in high-context cultures prefer harmony in group and agreement for the achievement of individual members; also individuals make decisions based on their feelings or intuition. The theory further emphasized that individuals focus on non-verbal cues, that is, words are not so significant in communication as compared to context; rather, more is given emphasis on context which include facial expression, tone of voice of the speaker, posture, gestures, and family history and status of the individual. The communication in the high-context culture is depicted as formal and indirect, which suggests that flowery humility, flowery language, and apologies that are often too elaborated are common. Also, communicators in this type of culture do not depend on language precision and legal documents. Meanwhile, the countries classified as having low-context culture include Germany, North America, Finland, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden are linear, logical, action-oriented, and individualistic. Individuals in the low-context countries value facts, logic and they prefer directness. Finding solutions to problems involves identifying and enumerating all the facts and evaluating each of the options. Also, each decision is based on facts; more often each discussion ends with an action. Communicators in this type of culture are anticipated to be concise, straightforward, and efficient in conveying the action that is expected. According to Hall (1976), communicators have to be precise in the words used in communicating to be absolutely understood. All negotiations are always concluded with definite contracts. Summing up the differences, on the one hand, high-context cultures tend to emphasize personal relations, place high value on trust, focus on nonverbal cues, and accent the need to attend to social needs before business matters. On the other hand, low-context cultures tend to interpret cues more literally. Individuals tend to rely on written rules and legal documents, conduct business first, and value expertise and performance. With these classifications of cultures, it is apparent that when Americans negotiate with Chinese, a failure in negotiation if not a culture is more likely if the former group is not familiar with the latter. As noted by Minor and Lamberton (2010) from an interview with intercultural communication expert ray Ruiz: â€Å"Countries in Latin American and Asia value the building of relationships, but each in their own unique way. Before traveling to another country, I would recommend reading appropriate materials and speaking with foreign nationals residing in the U. S. in regards to the customs and business practices in their country of origin. I would also suggest that, once in a foreign country, it is important to observe your host’s mannerisms and responses and respectfully respond in a like manner. Be well versed on acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. For example, when in Asia, do compliment and share your impressions of their country. Do not decline any food or drink because this is viewed as an insult. In Latin America, do begin all meetings with friendly conversation regarding family or other social topics. Do not begin a meeting delving directly into the business objective. The lesson many American business people fail to learn is that â€Å"it is all in the relationships† (Minor Lamberton 2010). In his article Doing Business In and With China: The risks are great, but so are the rewards, Atkinson (2004) noted from Stephen Nelson, the partner and co-head of the China practice group for the Hong Kong-based law firm Baker McKenzie, that when acquiring businesses in China, it is important to realize that there are perceived cultural differences. One of the important lessons in making business in China is that foreigners simply cannot enter a venture in China with only a cursory understanding of its terms and conditions. Atkinson (2004) cited an example of a US company that recently decided to make an investment in China by setting up a joint company through its Hong Kong manufacturing agent. The US company sent over $3 million worth of equipment, then came to us with documentation written in Chinese and asked ‘Can you look at this and tell us whether we really own 50 percent of this company? ’ Akgunes et al (2012) identified several points to consider for successful negotiations. According to Zhao (2000) as cited by Akgunes et al (2012), negotiations become successful when the participating parties are cooperative with one another; this can be done by applying the cooperative Confucian tactics. Also, for a western company like a US company, such company has to show that they have government support which is an indication that they are reliable, stable and credible to do business with. According to Fang (2006) as noted by Akgunes (2012), trust will lead to much better performance and being patient will be more beneficial to you than any other attribute you might possess. Bredin (1998) as cited by Akgunes (2012) also suggested that a foreign business negotiator should not give in to pressure from superiors to hurry up and complete the deal because can cause problems because the Chinese are not greatly concerned with the time dimension. There are companies that also failed to successfully negotiate business deals with the Chinese. According to Fang (2006) as cited by Akgunes (2012), the most common reason for failure is that the Chinese firm lacks the funds to go through with a deal. Also, sending a low-ranking employee to make the negotiation will be viewed as very impolite and the Chinese may find it insulting and insincere, in this case failure is also almost certain. Moreover, it is important to note from Sebenius (2002) as cited by Akgunes (2012) that Chinese law says that one cannot leave a contract unless both sides approve dissolution. Fang (2006) as cited by Akgunes et al (2012) also emphasized that Failure to say no to a Chinese negotiator who is using a Sun Tzu-like strategy could be detrimental to the deal, but on the other hand, saying â€Å"no† to a Confucian gentleman could cause a loss of face. This also will be very harmful, if not fatal, to a successful deal. The Chinese have regional areas just like the United States and there are very different cultures, traditions and sometimes languages in these regions. Not acknowledging these regions can cause you to have limited success in one area and a complete failure in another (Fang 2006; Akgunes 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, like what Sun Tzu have said in his book The Art of War â€Å"Know your enemy and know yourself and you will win all battles† (Sun Tzu 1913). This means that for companies to be successful in making business deals, having the capital is not enough to close a business deal. Knowledge and understanding of the culture of the prospect business partner is very important. Other than this, Sebenius (2002) emphasized that culturl allegiances are often not as simple as they appear. Designing the right strategy and tactics in reaching the right people, with the right arguments, will result to a sustainable deal. References Fellner, Amira 2008, ‘Role of Culture in Economic Development: Case Study of China and Latin America’, Graduate School Theses, University of South Florisa Schoalr Commons, viewed from http://scholarcommons. usf. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1235context=etd Hall, Edward 1976, Beyond Culture. Hofstede, Geert 1993, ‘Cultural Constraints in Management Theories’, Academy of Management Executive, pp. 81-94. Jones, Gwen 2009, ‘Differences in the Perceptions of Unethical Workplace Behaviors among Chinese and American Business Professionals, Competition Forum, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 473-480. Keller, G. Kronstedt C. 2005, ‘Connecting Confucianism, Communicsm, and the Chinese Culture of Commerce’. Journal of Language for International Business, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 60-75. Minor, Leslie Lamberton, Lowell 2010, ‘High-Context Low-Context Cultures’, viewed from http://www.cascadebusnews. com/business-tips/networking/154-high-context-a-low-context-cultures. Newstrom, JW. Davis, K. 2002, Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work, McGraw-Hill Sun Tzu 1913, The Art of War. Uthaisangchai, Prasong (n. d. ), ‘The Importance of Understanding Chinese Culture’, viewed form http://www. bangkokbank. com/download/Week%2012%20Culture%20intro. pdf Huiping, Iler 2009, ‘Understanding Chinese Culture Leads to Business Success, Canadian HR Report, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 18.

Dionysus :: essays research papers

Dionysus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dionysus was the most widely worshipped and popular god in ancient Greece. It's not difficult to see why; he was their god of wine, merriment, ritual dance, warm moisture, and later, civilization. He was often depicted as a handsome young man, dressed in fawnskin, and carrying a goblet and an ivy- covered staff.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some myths hold that Dionysus was the son of Zeus--the king of the god-- and Persephone--queen of the underworld--but most myths state that he is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Semel. This woman Semele was not any mortal, though. She was a princess, and a beautiful one at that. Zeus was notorious for being rather prolific, and when his wife, the goddess Hera heard that he had gone off and mated with a mortal, she became quite upset. Hera, in an attempt to exact her revenge, appeared to Semele and told her to ask Zeus to appear to her in his divine form. When Zeus obliged, Semele was immediately consumed in flames, for no mortal can look upon a god in his natural state. However, Zeus saved the unborn Dionysus by sewing him up in his thigh, thus incubating him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What happened next is different in every story. Some myths say he lived with a king and queen loyal to Zeus until Hera discovered him, and, in a jealous rage, warped their brains. In this version of the story, Dionysus was turned into a goat by his father in an attempt to hide him from Hera; from then on he had small horns on his head.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After he was safe, he went to live with the nymphs, who taught him to make wine. Hera eventually found him again, and this time she also warped his brain. The nymphs rejected him, and he went to live with the satyrs, who were men with goat legs and horns, and their leader Silenus. Dionysus traveled with the satyrs, who disgusted everyone they encountered with their rude, drunken behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Silenus is usually portrayed as a fat drunken man who rides on an ass. He was once captured by King Midas. When Dionysus intervened, Midas freed Silenus in exchange for the power to turn all he touched into gold. Dionysus and his band eventually encountered the maenads. The maenads were a group of wild, warlike creatures. They were horribly vicious, and unfortunately, they were also incredibly stupid. They started quite a few unsuccessful wars against kingdoms in Africa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Zeus finally found Dionysus again, he returned his mind to normal. However, Dionysus refused to give up his unruly traveling companions.

Integrating Technology Into the Classroom Essay -- Educational Technol

Part 1: Identifying a Technology for Classroom Use This week's task is to identify a technology for classroom use that will improve students learning, make curriculum more meaningful and provide opportunities for my students to actively engage with technology in a meaningful way. My classroom has a Smart Board that was installed in the spring of 2011. It is wonderful for displaying information, taking notes, showing videos and photos that relate to the curriculum. However, students have a more limited interaction with it as a direct learning tool. I would have to admit that it is more a teacher centered tool than it is a student centered use of technology. After researching the Smart Board's available resources and tools, I found the technology that I would like to incorporate in my classroom. SMART Responseâ„ ¢ interactive response system PE. The SMART Responseâ„ ¢ interactive response system PE allows students to actively participate in activities as individuals and as a part of a group. Students have the ability to answer questions, challenges or play games that allow them to see the info displayed on the Smart Board. Students then answer using their individual controller. Answers can vary from multiple choice style (press the correct letter) to a short response in which students "text" their answer. Their choice is recorded by the Smart Board and can be used by both teacher and instructor for a variety of purposes. The information on the system can be found on the company website through the following link: http://www.smartboard.ie/product-smart-response-PE.php?PHPSESSID=e24b6ef32bf1a39fe6b5b102762128dc The use of the SMART Responseâ„ ¢ interactive response system PE will serve to increase student interaction with ... ...uote of $1765 for each set of the 32 Pack SMART Response with text and wireless receiver. This amounts to just over $55 per student wireless remote. For perspective These clickers cost almost half of the TI graphing calculators that we use for many of our math courses. COTG also provides free unlimited training and professional development for teachers in the district to learn how to use this technology and create activities to align the technology with the curriculum. Works Cited Caine, T. (1998), Getting the most out of technology in the classroom. The Exceptional Parent, 28(11), 44-46. De Lay, A.,M. (2010). Technology as a differentiated instruction tool. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 83(3), 15-17. Knobloch, N. A. (2005). Reap the benefits of games and simulations in the classroom. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 78(2), 21-23.

The Campbell Company

The Campbell Company is evaluating a proposal to buy a new milling machine. The base price is $108,000, and shipping and installation costs would add another $12,500. The machine falls into the MACRS 3-year class, and it would be sold after 3 years for $65,000. The machine would require a $5,500 increase in working capital (increased inventory less increased accounts payable). There would be no effect on revenues, but pre-tax labor costs would decline by $44,000 per year. The marginal tax rate is 35 percent. 1. What is the net cost of the machine for capital budgeting purposes, that is, the Year 0 project cash flow? Net Cost of the machine = $108,000 + $12,500 + $5,500 = $126,000 2. What are the net operating cash flows during Years 1, 2 and 3? Â   | Year | |Â   |0 |1 |2 |3 | |After-Tax Savings |Â   |$28,600 |$28,600 |$28,600 | |Depreciation Tax Savings |Â   |$13,918 |$18,979 |$6,326 | |Net Cash Flow |Â   |$42,518 |$47,579 |$34,926 | . What is the terminal year cash flow? |Salvage Value |$65,000 | |Tax on Salvage Value |$19,798 | |NWC Recovery |$5,500 | |Terminal Cash Flow |$50,702 | 4. If the project’s cost of capital (WACC) is 12 percent, should the machine be purchased? Yes, the machine should be purchased as the investment has a positive NPV of $10,840 as per the following table. |NPV Analysis | |Year |Cash Flow |PV Factor @ 12% |PV | |0 |($126,000) |1 |($126,000) | |1 |$42,518 |0. 929 |$37,962 | |2 |$47,579 |0. 7972 |$37,929 | |3 |$85,629 |0. 7118 |$60,949 | |NPV |Â   |Â   |$10,840 |

Simple Laver (to Wash) Verb Conjugations in French

Simple Laver (to Wash) Verb Conjugations in French When you want to say to wash in French, use the verb  laver. Alternatively, if youre going to wash someone or something else,  baigner  is used.  Laver  is relatively easy to remember because it sounds like lather, which is what soap does.   Conjugating the French Verb  Laver In order to change  laver  to mean washed, washing, or will wash, a conjugation is required. While there are more forms to learn in French than in English,  laver  is a  regular -ER verb  and it follows a standard pattern. Before you can conjugate  laver, identify the verb stem, which is simply  lav-  This is what we will attach the infinitive endings too. In French, we have multiple endings to remember for each tense. Thats because each subject pronoun requires a new ending. For instance, I am washing is je lave  and you are washing is  tu laves. Likewise, nous laverons means we will wash while I will wash is je laverai.   Subject Present Future Imperfect je lave laverai lavais tu laves laveras lavais il lave lavera lavait nous lavons laverons lavions vous lavez laverez laviez ils lavent laveront lavaient The Present Participle of  Laver Adding -ant  to the verb stem of  laver  results in the  present participle  lavant. Not only is this a verb, it can also become a noun, adjective, or gerund in certain contexts. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © Beyond the imperfect, you can use the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  to express the past tense washed in French. To construct this, begin with the subject pronoun and a conjugate of the  auxiliary verb  avoir. Then, attach the  past participle  lavà ©. For example, I washed is jai lavà © and we washed is nous avons lavà ©. More Simple  Laver  Conjugations to Learn Its best to concentrate on the above forms of  laver  and commit them to memory first. When youre comfortable with those, add the following forms to your vocabulary. You may not use them often, but they are useful. The subjunctive verb mood implies uncertainty while the conditional form says the action is dependent on something else. In literature, you will find the passà © simple or the imperfect subjunctive in use. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je lave laverais lavai lavasse tu laves laverais lavas lavasses il lave laverait lava lavt nous lavions laverions lavmes lavassions vous laviez laveriez lavtes lavassiez ils lavent laveraient lavrent lavassent The imperative verb form is useful for short demands and requests. This is the one time when its acceptable to skip the subject pronoun: use lave rather than tu lave. Imperative (tu) lave (nous) lavons (vous) lavez

Divergent Setting Essays

Divergent Setting Essays Divergent Setting Paper Divergent Setting Paper Divergent Setting The building that was once called the Sears Tower -we call it the Hub- emerges from the fog, a black pillar in the skyline. This quote suggests that the fictional novel, Divergent, takes place in a futuristic society of what was previously known as the city of Chicago, Illinois. This city is fenced off from the outside world. The Hub, known previously as the Sears or Willis Tower, is the citys tallest and most important building. It is where the Choosing Ceremony, the ceremony in which sixteen year-olds hose what faction they want to belong to for the rest of their lives, takes place. A faction is a large clique of people who value the things and have the same goals. There are five factions that make up the disappoint society: Abnegation, Dauntless, Candor, Amity, and Erudite. The main character, Beatrice Prior, also known as Tries, transfers from the Abnegation Faction to the Dauntless Faction. By transferring to Dauntless, Tries becomes an initiate, a young person training to become a member of that faction, and moves to the Dauntless Headquarters, an area far from town where al the members and initiates of Dauntless live. Tries entered the headquarters by jumping off a skyscraper through a hole with a net at the bottom. When lying on the net, you can see the walls of the seven story building which are made of stone. The Pit, the heart of the Dauntless Headquarters, Is a huge underground cavern which consists of a deep pit and a glass roof. Narrow pathways and steps are carved Into the stone walls with no railings to prevent people from falling over the edge. Inside the Pit, there are places such as the dining hall, the training room, the tattoo parlor, ND the dormitory. On the right side of the Pit lies the Chasm, a deadly river with an iron railing that surrounds It. A glass building Is located above the Chasm and the Pit. Located on its eighth floor, the Dauntless Control Room Is where the Dauntless monitor Its members and what Is going on In the Dauntless Headquarters. Just beyond the glass building lays the Fear Landscape which where the final stage of initiation takes place and where the Dauntless discover their fears. Divergent leads us on an adventure In a futuristic disappoint version of the world we currently live in.