Sir Isaac Newton Essay Example for Free

Sir Isaac Newton Essay Sir Isaac Newton-one of the greatest minds in history. He was an all-around genius. He was a mathematician, a natural philosopher, an inventor, and an English physicist. Some of the phenomenal things he did include studying how light reacts to reflection, formulating laws of universal gravitation and motion, and built the first ever reflecting telescope. In 1642 Isaac Newton was born into a very poor farming family in Woolsthorpe, England. When he was very young, his grandma took over and raised him. During this time, he and his grandma lived with a man who took Newton under his wing. Newton then discovered his love for chemical operations. Even though Newton was terrible at grammar and school in general, (at his school in a nearby town) he excelled when it came to using his hands. He made sundials, model windmills, a water clock, a mechanical carriage, and flew kites with lanterns attached to their tails. At only 14, Newton’s mother had taken him out of school to continue the family farming. Since his father died before he was even born, Newton didn’t have much of a father figure to help teach him how to farm properly. Even though he was great with his hands, he was horrible at farming. The family was then persuaded to let him go to the University of Cambridge to study to become a preacher. He was accepted into Cambridge in the year of 1161. His studies included arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, astronomy, and optics. One of Newton’s professors was Isaac Barrow. The two of them clicked. Barrow could see Newton’s desire for learning. He challenged him with great passion. When Newton was 23 he had already received his bachelor’s degree. Just that year, 1665, the very deadly Bubonic Plague (Black Death) had hit. Newton was forced to leave Cambridge. He had returned back to his home town of Woolsthorpe. He stayed there for two years to do independent studies. This is what started Newton to study the things he is known for by today. In some way, the Black Death could be considered a good thing. In the sense that if it had never happened, we wouldn’t have laws of gravity. While at home he made great progress in what we call â€Å"method of fluxions† (calculus) and this was also the time when Newton observed the apple falling from the tree. Newton continued to stay in contact with Isaac Barrow. He sent some of this  work to Barrow, Barrow then made sure Newton’s work was known to several of the leading mathematicians of Britain and Europe. Once he hit age 30, year 1675, Newton suffered a mental breakdown which continued well until 1684. During this time, he was trying to prove to a man named Hooke that particles would spiral into the center of the Earth, rather than form an ellipse. Halley, a man who was also interested in orbits; finally convinced Newton to publish his work. Newton devoted 2 years to work on the project. The result became one of the most important and influential works on physics of all times, ‘Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica’ (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) often shortened to Principia Mathematica .The Principia didn’t show up until late summer 1687. When writing the book Newton tried especially hard to make it very difficult to read, so people wouldn’t attack his ideas. In the early 1690’s, possibly in response to the intellectual exertion of writing the Principia, Newton suffered a period of depression. He started his work on the moon’s motions. A few years later Newton published another great book called Optics which explained the theory of light and color as well as some of his mathematic ways. In 1725, Newton moved from London to Kensington for health reasons. Two years later Newton died from health issues. Newton really changed the ways of math. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have such a high math level as we do today.

The Impact Of Social Media Media Essay

The Impact Of Social Media Media Essay In the era of everything instant, the perception of living life has dramatically changed. From the perspective that life is to too hard to live, it has now become an adage that life is easy and living it is should be much easier. Thanks to the comfort of modern technology and globalization, people are becoming more interconnected and interdependent. One of the great features of the unprecedented rise of the global cultures is attributed to the revolution of the Internet and social media. Almost everything has become so easy and so instant. Currently, the worlds by which define our reality have been changed by social media. We can do anything and everything through a globally wired network that enables instant communication. Socialnomics is the value created and shared via social media and its efficient influence on outcomes (Qualman 2010, p. xxi). Moreover, socialnomics is a revolution driven by people and enabled by the social media. A case in point is the most popular social networking site called Facebook. According to a blog in Birds Eye Media (2010), Facebook recently celebrated its six-year online presence. Its growing presence has enabled people to communicate more freely and have access to news and important updates. Information exchange occurs within and among the people we interact with in this new media platform. It provides the opportunity to reconnect with friends and loved ones. Social media works like a digital word-of-mouth where information dissemination is just a click away. In this age of globalization, social media networking has significantly altered the way we view realities and handle our relationships with other people. The Impact of Social Media Social media affects the way we write and speak the written word (Sherman 2010). Sherman noted that writing is more concise because the presence of a limited character spaces in Facebook and Twitter. People are challenged to convey their message to friends and the world within a 140 character limit. The task of writing something in a shorter and concise manner in Facebook as well as in SMS has changed how we communicate using different spellings and abbreviations (Sherman 2010). In another website article, Laurie (2010) cited six aspects in which social media has arguably made permanent effects on the lives of the people and the manner in which it is lived. The first aspect is child literacy. Children of today are more literate than in previous years, according to a survey made by The National Literacy Trust where over 3000 children were included. It was observed that a correlation existed between childrens engagement in social media and literacy. Today, even school-age children have active Facebook profiles. This has become a major turning point as users of social networking media vary from the very old to the very young. Social networking has enabled easy access for children in searching for answers on educational or social questions and in sharing what they know by posting links and videos gathered from the Web. Secondly, social networking has led to ambient intimacy since it allows people to be in touch with loved ones with a different level of regularit y which people would not normally have access to. Communication has become so ambient that we can use it wherever we want it. Facebook culture paved the way for the development of new levels of behaviors in relationship in general. Moreover, relationship statuses can be instantly changed and somehow be regarded that relationships can be had easily. It also becomes a venue for groups and various advocacies to form a niche and have their own chatroom and discussion board. In this manner, information is spread like a viral infection. Another aspect of change impacted by social media is the evident accessibility of knowledge (Laurie, 2010). The quote knowledge is power applies greatly in this Information age. The way information is produced and shared has changed with the advent of the Internet. Instant information can be viewed from popular search engines and knowledge in this manner has become a collaborative effort. The same thing with the advancement in the literacy level of children, anyone can be as knowledgeable as the person speaking in front of a lecture. Our own desire for knowledge is there and we can only ask ourselves if we want it (Laurie 2010). Social media has also reinvented politics (Laurie 2010). Accordingly, younger people are encouraged to be actively participating in matters of politics. Obamas successful election was helped by the proliferation of advocate groups created in support of his candidacy. Different countries used the networking culture to share their political ideologies via Facebook. Fan pages where created where the number of likes is akin to the number of hits in YouTube. This also enables the exchange of dialogues between politicians and the common citizen. Someone can just post a comment and share his sentiment over a wall in a Facebook page and this could be read by all. All these are just signs of the influence of social media in politics and it is not surprisingly increasing from users all over the world. Marketing in the age of Facebook has greatly contributed to the immense popularity of products advertised on it. Businesses now are compelled to engage in social media for marketing and advertisement because the economic potential of social media increases marketability in an easier and cheaper manner (Qualman 2010). Subscriptions to costly newspapers are not relevant when consumers are pushed to a timelier and free service in the net done at the comfort of your home or in the exact point where you are. Marketing and advertising is transforming itself from an industry reliant on mass market channels to one which must embrace the power of the consumer and attempt to engage in conversations (Has Social Media Changed Us 2010). While advertising is not a dying industry, is has changed dramatically in its platform and in that consumers now have the power. The last areas in which Laurie (2010) addressed on the effect of social media is the usage of the news as a cultural currency. Consumers are viewed as active participants of the network created. News can be gathered and can be passed around people within the network. Facebook is a perfect example of this tool as it is our tendency to connect first with our loved one and the people we encounter on a daily basis. Faster than the speed of light, gossip can be spread easily, status updates can be a source of a heated online argument where everyone on the network can track and read the long thread of dialogue. With all these, we have become more sociable, and somehow it is making us an epitome of social (Laurie 2010). Greene (2010) stated that social media has changed the lives of people in three ways. The idea of traditional media being replaced by social media makes it a biased look on how this revolution changed lives. Older people need not be scared of these new social media as the assimilation of both can be done without hints of failure because this is the direction our world is heading (Greene 2010). Moreover, the possibility of making friends around the world other than your workplace opens up your horizons to a better understanding of how to live in the 21st century. That is what Facebook does. Making friends and socializing becomes much easier compared to outside of the networking world. Some may be apprehensive but others are learning the ways and means on becoming more socially active and visible. Engaging social media encourages conversations and exchanges of ideas. A timid person who is afraid to say his opinions can now share his side without the fear of talking to someone in person al way. The efficiency of work and the level of productivity has also increased with the use of social media (Greene 2010). Cohen and Feld (2011) stated that social media has made business world more collaborative, fun and dynamic for everyone. But a level of inclusivity is on the rise in the exclusive world of networking (Greene 2010). The last important area which Greene (2010) tackled was the death of privacy. Today, 92 percent of two-year olds have an online record in the United States. Everything in life can be archived as the years pass. The issue of privacy is a matter that was taken seriously by Facebook administration as well as other popular networking sites. It is an advantage to take a look at the disclaimers popping out when creating an online account as this could cost someones private life. Privacy settings can be changed and the level of privacy in Facebook can be customized according to your restrictions. Even reporting abuse and fraud is incorporated in the interface of the networking sites so that people can block and delete hasty, violent and abusive language. As quoted from Brian Solis, we are entering an era of publicness or publicy, where are solely responsible for creating and defining our online persona (Greene 2010). Casciato (2010) believes that social media has changed the way social discourse is made between and among individuals. Conversations on the Internet are mediated and are available in real time. Social media allows one to make status updates, tweets, and blogs and text messages, without worrying about traditional social conventions such as dress. Conversations initiated over Facebook allows one to interact with another person from another part of the globe even in ones underwear. Social labels have also been change because of social media. In the past, people who are glued to computers for more than the 8 hour a day requirement for jobs are either labeled as geeks or nerds. Nowadays, being cool is being equated to how much time you spend on Facebook and how updated you are in posting status, pictures, or links. Moreover, the dynamics in Facebook can be considered narcissistic because speaking in the third person while updating what you are doing, feeling, or thinking is like staging o nes own reality show (Casciato 2010). Social media networking has also changed the way personal relationships are handled. Casciato (2010) stated that breaking up in the digital age has become unbelievably messy. The dilemma of removing someone from the network friends list, untagging someone from a post in order to separate ones identity from a past love would create a heavy burden of distinguishing reality from the virtual world. Social media has also made an impact on workers productivity. Procrastination in the workplace has become efficient ever since social media networking sites became popular (Casciato, 2010). The first thing that occupies the mind at work is to check and update ones status in Facebook. Meanwhile, features have a tendency to distract, whether it is a chatbox that pops up and engages you in a conversation or a red notification flag which appears to tell you that somebody posted on your wall. The cycle eventually goes on with hours of productivity lost in the process (Casciato 2010). Conclusion Social media or the so-called Facebook effect has changed how we socialize, gather information, and work in many ways. Communication, literacy, business and marketing, relationships, politics and culture are the key areas noted to have been greatly affected by this vast and growing social media hype. It has become a company that has changed social life in the United States and around the world (Kirkpatrick 2010). It has been visible and powerful in shaping how we look at the world. While it has its numerous benefits, social media should be used responsibly without disregarding the basic principles of ethical conduct.

Abercrombie and Fitch Analysis

Abercrombie and Fitch Analysis 1. Introduction The following report explores the company Abercrombie Fitch within its US and UK market. Key external factors have been explored such as PEST, SWOT, TOWS and the companies competitors, as well as Porters Generic strategies and Ansoff Matrix. SMART Objectives have then been formulated considering all of the above factors and then a Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of each SMART Objective has been created. 1.2 Company Background Abercrombie and Fitch were founded in 1892 by David T Abercrombie and offered prestigious sporting and outdoor clothing for males and females. Today the company is an upmarket US fashion retailer striving to offer their consumers casual luxury to the 18-22 year old market segment. The company has over 300 stores in the US and is also situated in the UK, Japan, Canada and Italy. They also have ongoing plans to expand into other foreign markets such as Asia in the near future. Abercrombie Fitch have three subsidiary sister companies consisting of: Abercrombie: very similar to the main brand but for children aged 7-14 Hollister Co: for teenagers 14-18 offering lower priced products to Abercrombie Fitch but very similar in style Gilly Hicks: offering lounge wear, underwear and a body care range for people aged 18+. Abercrombie Fitch also had a subsidiary company called Ruehl No.925 which offered clothing products to the 25+ age segment, however the store closed at the beginning of 2010 as it did not take off. 2. External Analysis- PEST Factors Table 1: PEST 2.1 Political/Legal Import Duty: As Abercrombie Fitch manufacture their products within the USA and Asia, products that are imported into the UK accrue an import duty. Import duty is calculated on the type of goods, their value and the country of origin. (Business Link 2010) If the product is made up of 20% or more of parts from other countries then this has to be stated to the countries customs as this may affect the price of the import duty. Labelling: As Abercrombie Fitchs products are imported from the US to the UK the company needs to ensure that all their clothing products meet the UK labelling requirements stated in the Textile Products (Indication of Fibre Content) Regulations 1986, to ensure that they are in accordance with the law. Employment law: The UK has very strict employment laws against discrimination. Abercrombie Fitch were recently faced with a law suit in June 2009 when an employee was allegedly told that her prosthetic limb was not in accordance with the companies look policy. The employee aimed to sue the company for  £20,000 for discrimination against her disability. It is important for Abercrombie Fitch and their employees to be aware of UK legislations as high profile law suits could affect their image leading to bad publicity. 2.2 Economic The Recession: Although some reports may state that the recent recession may be drawing to an end, Abercrombie Fitchs latest Fiscal-fourth quarter earnings (Talley 2010) paint a different picture as they fell 31% (Talley 2010) due to the continuing decline in their sales. This is due to the company not being prepared to reduce their prices during the recession, forcing their customers to look for cheaper competitors (see Competitor Audit for detailed list of competitors). UK Pricing: Abercrombie Fitch are constantly striving to maintain and promote the prestige image they have successfully created in the US in the UK. However when the UK flagship store in London opened in 2007 the company was criticised for over pricing, as the products cost double those offered in the US stores. This could have had a major impact on the companys success in the UK. However, so far they have found that their consumers have had strong brand loyalty to them and have been willing to pay the price for the products. Although as mentioned above, the companys earnings have been affected by the recession. 2.3 Socio-Cultural Sexual Imagery: Over the years Abercrombie Fitch have been attacked about their sexually explicit advertising within their advertising campaigns and quarterly catalogue. It is against many different religions values and beliefs for example the Muslim religion to show sexual or naked imagery within advertisements. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch need to be aware of the different values and beliefs different communities and religions have in order not to offend anyone. Market research should be undertaken as to what the best form of advertising is for any new campaigns and to determine what type of imagery should be used. However in many westernised countries, shock advertising works well and this is what they use. The company strives to be different and stand out in any which way they can. Ageing Population: With increasing life expectancy and an aging population prominent across the world, it is unwise for Abercrombie Fitch to continue into their future just focusing on consumers aged 18-22. With the recent failure of their high end brand Ruehl No.925 which focused on consumers aged 25-35 a strategy to re-brand and reinvent Ruehl may be a wise decision for the company. 2.4 Technological Internet online purchasing: With the ever increasing popularity of the internet and consumer online purchasing, it has meant that Abercrombie Fitch have been able to advertise their products to consumers via their website and also allowing the consumer to purchase products, if they wish to, around the world. Online advertisement is an excellent way to catch a younger target audiences attention. Improvement of Transport: Transport has changed dramatically over the past 50years. Roads have improved and with many more flights take off each day from large airports, companies are seeing quicker delivery times for products that are sent by sea, road and air. This is good news for Abercrombie Fitch as their products are reaching consumers quicker. As the companys products spend a lot of time in transport, some of the manufactured goods are imported from Asia then dispatched around the world to their many stores. 3. External Analysis- Competitor Audit As Abercrombie Fitch are situated in many different global markets the following competitor audit will focus on Abercrombie Fitchs main competitors in the UK and the US. 3.1 US Competitors: 3.1.1 American Eagle Outfitters American Eagle Outfitters is Abercrombie Fitchs main competitor in the US. Like Abercrombie Fitch they target 18-22 year olds, offering young fashionable products to their consumers. They have a larger range of products than Abercrombie Fitch but are not seen to be as prestigious. Unlike Abercrombie Fitch, some consumers find the American Eagles shopping experience much more pleasant, as the music is quieter and there is more lighting. The company recently opened a store in the UK in London. 3.1.2 Aeropostele Aeropostele is cheaper than Abercrombie Fitch, however it is still seen as one of their main competitors as they target the same market segment. Like American Eagle they have a large range of clothing products and accessories for the male and female markey which Abercrombie Fitch do not offer. 3.2 UK Competitors: 3.2.1 Jack Wills Like Abercrombie Fitch Jack Wills target segment is 18-22 year olds. The company call themselves the University Outfitters and often situate their stores in University towns. Although Jack Wills call themselves this name under 18s are also found to be keen Jack Wills wearers. However the company do not have a strong market share in the UK as they are seen to offer, like Abercrombie Fitch specialised clothing. 3.2.2 Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters offer branded clothing to a unique market. Unlike Abercrombie Fitch they offer edgy, different styled fashion products to their competitor, targeting the same age segment. Urban Outfitters is a very popular US company and is very up and coming in the UK in London. 3.2.3 Hollister Although Hollister is a sister company to Abercrombie Fitch, there seems to have been some inter-company competitiveness in the UK. Abercrombie Fitch have only one store in the UK situated in London whereas Hollister have ten stores situated around the country. Although in the US Hollister targets 14-18 year olds, many older people in the UK have been wearing the brand due to accessibility of the store, as travelling to London to purchase Abercrombie Fitch clothing is not an option for some people they choose to wear the next best thing which is clothing from Abercrombie Fitchs sister company Hollister. 4. SWOT Analysis 4.1 Strengths Strong portfolio of brands other than the main Abercrombie Fitch brand appealing to consumers aged 9- 24 Annual Abercrombie Fitch Challenge which raises money for charities and organisations, raising their profile Sponsor of the Elite Racing Team In 2007 offered $75,000 scholarships to the National Society of High School Scholars Expansion plans in Canada, Europe and Asia The ability to capture 18-22 year olds attention and condition them into wanting the brands products In 2007 the company had a 2.3% market share of the US clothing retail market which put them at 3rd largest market share. In 2008 Abercrombie Fitch started modifying and upgrading their information systems 4.2 Weaknesses Money being lost to counterfeit products Company portrays a sexual image, this is not acceptable in some countries and societies Look Policy often seen to be too strict by employees With the recent closure of Ruehl No.925 there is no longer an Abercrombie store that appeals to consumers aged 25+ Expensive prices in the UK compared to US Many law suits have been seen due to Discrimination Many of the loyal customers feel that too many people are now wearing the brand and it is starting to lose its prestigious image The recent upgrading and modification on information systems within the business is a long process and could affect day to day running of the business 4.3 Opportunities Celebrity endorsements Increase brand awareness New range of products for pre 9 year olds Reinvent Ruehl No.925 and recapture the 25+ market segment Increase market share Increase sales outside of the two main selling seasons of August and November/December Completely new product launch Female jewellery Recapture prestigious image with new range Larger sizes Male and female watches Introduce real looking models (models sized UK 12+) as it is not how the clothes look on the individual, it is how they make the individual feel In store music album available to purchase Change shopping experience to include, more lighting, quieter music, clothes more readily available Completely rebrand company image from casual to smart wear e.g. suits Expansion into Eastern Europe 4.4 Threats Threat of substitution due to high prices Import taxes may rise Piracy in foreign waters, potential threat of loss of stock Economical/political change in countries in which Abercrombie Fitch operate Law suits against company for example acts of discrimination Exchange rates could affect companies profitability Change in fashion trends The availability and price of raw materials could affect the cost of manufacturing Due to global warming unforeseeable weather changes could affect consumer preference on products 5. SWOT to TOWS Table 3: SWOT to TOWS Internal elements External elements Organisational Strengths Organisational Weaknesses Strategic Options Environmental Opportunities (and risks) Strengths into opportunities: Strong portfolio of brands other than the main Abercrombie Fitch brand appealing to consumers aged 9-24. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch have the brand power to be able to introduce other product ranges into the existing markets Annual Abercrombie Fitch Challenge which raises money for charities and organisations. The Annual challenge could be made bigger, therefore raising more money for charities. The Annual event could even be brought into other countries in which the company are present to raise money for their charities Sponsor of the Elite Racing Team, this is not widely known that they sponsor the team. Therefore awareness could be increased thus enhancing brand awareness of the company In 2007 offered $75,000 scholarships to the National Society of High School Scholars. Scholarships could also be offered in other countries in which the company are present in to similar schools Expansion plans in Canada, Europe and Asia means that profits are to increase as well as brand awareness The ability to capture 18-22 year olds attention and condition them into wanting the brands products. Abercrombie Fitch have the ability to condition their customers into needing their products, therefore if a limited edition range of products were to be realised, consumer would respond to this well In 2007 the company had a 2.3% market share of the US clothing retail market, thus making them the 3rd largest market share in the US. Having the 3rd largest market share in the US gives the company the opportunity to strive to have the second largest or even beat the Gap and have the largest market share. Abercrombie Fitch should also look to increase their UK market share as currently they are not seen to be strong competition to UK brands In 2008 Abercrombie Fitch started modifying and upgrading their information systems. This therefore means that the company will soon have stronger information systems thus meaning smoother and easier running of the company Weakness into opportunities: Money being lost to counterfeit products. Abercrombie need to ensure that all products have copyright and anyone who counterfeits their products have a law suit brought upon them Company portrays a sexual image, this is not acceptable in some countries and societies, therefore Abercrombie could look towards toning down the sexual imagery within countries and societies that find this offensive Look Policy often seen to be too strict by employees. The company should therefore hold in store meetings to gather information as to what the employees find strict about the policy, then this should be raised in the Annual conference With the recent closure of Ruehl No.925 there is no longer an Abercrombie store that appeals to consumers aged 25+. Therefore information by the means of market research should be gathered from consumers as why they felt the brand failed. As well as information from store staff and stakeholders. The company could then formulate strategies to rebrand Ruehl No.925 thus penetrating the 25+ age market once again Expensive prices in the UK compared to US. Consumers are currently prepared to pay the higher prices that are at present in the UK, if the situation changes then the company should investigate the price of importing the clothes into the UK against the price they are charging and the profit that is being made. If profit is high then the company could look towards lowering their UK prices Many law suits have been seen due to discrimination. Increased awareness should be made about discrimination within the work place and more minority groups should also be introduced into the company. Many of the loyal customers feel that too many people are now wearing the brand and it is starting to lose its prestigious image. Therefore a new prestigious range could be introduced to encourage said consumers back to the brand Environmental Threats Strengths used to minimise threats: Threat of substitution due to high prices. However one of Abercrombie Fitchs strengths is that they have the ability to catch their target audiences attention and make the consumers feel they need the products Import taxes may rise. However the company are constantly expanding therefore profits should rise thus meaning if import taxes should rise it should not affect the company substantially Change in fashion trends. As Abercrombie Fitch have a strong market share within the US, it would be wise to assume that they have an excellent team of fashion forecasters that would be able to foresee this potential threat. This strength can also be used for the threat of, due to global warming unforeseeable weather changes could affect consumer preference of products Strategies to deal with weaknesses and threats: Competitive pricing should be brought in to reduce the threat of substitution due to high prices Import taxes may rise. As mentioned in the previous box, if import taxes do rise then the company should be okay as they are continuing to expand thus increasing profits, which overall should even out the rise of import tax if it should occur Law suits against company. Abercrombie Fitch need to ensure that the company is always running professionally to ensure that further law suits do not arise Exchange rates could affect companys profitability. The company need to be constantly aware of exchange rates and understand that stock being sold in an unstable political and economical market could lose value The availability and price of raw materials could affect the cost of manufacturing. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch need to ensure they are obtaining their raw materials at the best price available 6. Porters Generic Strategies Diagram 1: Abercrombie Fitch and Porters Generic Strategies Abercrombie Fitch now Focus Abercrombie Fitch for the future Middle of the Road Differentiation Cost Leadership Porter (1980) identified four types of generic strategies for a company to be competitively successful. The four strategies consisted of Cost Leadership, Focus, Differentiation and Middle of the Road. Abercrombie Fitch are currently using the generic strategy of Focus as they have a small range of clothing products focused on a specific market segment of 18-22 year olds. For the future the company should aim to move not entirely away from focus but slightly towards Differentiation, thus enhancing their products durability and perception 7. Ansoff Matrix Table 4: Abercrombie Fitch Ansoff Matrix Current Products New Products Current Market Male and Female : clothing swimwear belts rubber flip flops leather flip flops Female: classic scarves handbags signature totes signature scents, 8, Classic, 41 (perfume) and Wakely Male: boxer shorts underwear necklaces bracelets signature scents, Fierce, 41 (cologne) and Colden Womens jewellery Male and Female watches Music C.D of in store music A range of male and female winter shoes Bags for males Pyjamas New Market Expansion into foreign market for example Eastern Europe Abercrombie Fitch catalogue in which products can be ordered similar to Next Directory or Littlewoods catalogue Products available in large department stores within the UK for example John Lewis, House of Frasier, Selfridges and Harrods. A range of smart male and female clothing products Hair care products Abercrombie Fitch bottled water Surf boards Male and female clothing for age group 25+ Larger sizes 8. SMART Objectives Abercrombie Fitchs SMART objectives run over the limited period from 2010-2013. In the world of Beauty and Fashion 3-6months would be considered a shot term objective. 12-25 months a medium objective and 36+ months a long term objective. This is a very different time frame to other types of businesses, as fashion and beauty trends move very quickly, usually with the seasons. Therefore companies such as Abercrombie Fitch need to be thinking quickly about fashion changes. The following SMART objectives are listed in hierarchy, with the first objective being the objective that Abercrombie Fitch should definitely consider proceeding with if they had to choose one. Given the present economic climate, it may be in Abercrombie Fitchs best interest to wait until the end of the recession is completely in sight before producing any new products as bringing out a new product is a high risk. SMART Objective Target Segment Risk 1) Introduce a range of womens jewellery complementary to the companies style of casual luxury, consisting of 15 pieces by 1st November 2010 Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income Medium Risk 2) Launch a new prestigious clothing range to re-capture higher end income consumers by 1st may 2011 Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with high income Low Risk 3) Trail introduction of larger UK womens sizes 12-16 for clothing products in London flagship store by 1st March 2013 Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income, that could not shop at the store before due to the size Large actually being the equivalent to a UK 10 High Risk If objective 3 is successful then 4) Trial introduction of integration of 2 real models within advertisements and in store staff within London flagship store by 12th June 2013 Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. The advertisements and new models will aim to attract real size women in the UK sizes 12-16 High Risk 9. Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of SMART Objectives 9.1 SMART Objective 1 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 1) Introduce a range of womens jewellery complimentary to the companys style of casual luxury, consisting of 15 pieces by 1st November 2010 Between Focus and Differentiation Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. New Product/Current Market Product The jewellery will be in the companies style of casual luxury, items such as beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings will be designed in accordance with market research results and offered to consumers in store and online Price Market Skimming Strategy high price offered and only gradually lowered Place Products will be available in all Abercrombie Fitch Flag ship stores around the world and on website. If successful will be brought into all other stores Promotion Direct Marketing- television adverts, magazine advertisements, in store advertisement. Celebrity endorsement Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be sent from the manufactures to Head office then distributed to the Flag Ship stores around the world People Abercrombie Fitch already make male jewellery, therefore a female specialist will be employed and work alongside the male specialist in order to create male and female jewellery products that work in harmony Measurement Small targets should be set in order to ensure the successful completion of the Objective. As the objective is short term, monthly meetings should also take place to ensure targets are being met. 9.2 SMART Objective 2 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 2) Launch a new prestigious male and female clothing range to re-capture higher end income consumers by 1st may 2011 Focus Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with high income New Product/ New Market Product A range of male and female clothes aimed at recapturing the wealthier consumers offering them a prestigious brand once again. Once market research has be undertaken then this will determine the types of clothing products needed. Price Pricing to reflect product differentiation- price will be higher than the standard brands products Place Products will first be launched in the flag ship stores around the world and then brought into all other stores if found to be successful Promotion Direct Marketing- television advertisements, magazine advertisements, in store advertisement. Celebrity endorsement Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be sent from the manufactures to Head office then distributed to the Flag Ship stores around the world People Ruehl No.925 employees will be interviewed and asked why they feel the brand failed. Constructive criticism will be taken away and applied to making the new prestigious range successful. A person with strong knowledge of prestige brands and turn around strategies would be useful Measurement Once market research has been undertaken a target should be set as to when the first designs will be available for viewing. Then more targets set as to when the collection will be finished. Monthly meetings should be undertaken to ensure that targets are being met and to run through any problems that may arise that could affect the objective being met on time. 9.3 SMART Objective 3 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 3) Trail introduction of larger UK womens sizes 12-16 for clothing products in London flagship store by 1st March 2013 Between Focus and Differentiation Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income, that could not shop at the store before due to the size Large actually being the equivalent to a UK 10 New Product/ New Market Product As well as the usual 0-10 UK womens clothing sizes being produced the company will also introduce sizes 12-16. These sizes are the most common female sizes in the UK and should be greatly accepted Price Market Skimming- high price offered and only gradually lowered Place The new sizes will be introduced into the UKs London flagship store. If found to be successful then new objectives will be set for the introduction of the sizes across the world Promotion Small in store advertisements within UK London flag ship store Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be manufactured then distributed straight to UK flag ship store in order to cut out the middle man (The US head office) Products will have to be checked in order to ensure that they are 100% before retailing People Someone with strong knowledge on female sizing in the UK Measurement Targets set and meeting undertaken to ensure that procedures are running smoothly to meeting the objective. In the first year 4 meetings will take place and then one every month in the years to follow until the object end date 9.4 SMART Objective 4 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 4) Trial introduction of integration of 2 real models within advertisements and in store staff within London flagship store by 12th June 2013 Between Focus and Differentiation Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. The advertisements and new models will aim to attract real size women in the UK sizes 12-16 New Product/ New Market Product Introduction of real size models sizes 12+ within companies Marketing/Advertising campaigns and in store staff Price Price will be based on price of advertising campaign and cost of new in store staff Place Advertisements with real size models will be trialled in the UKs London flagship store. Real size models will also be hired alongside the skinny in store staff Promotion Large advertisements including real size models within direct marketing such as, magazines, television advertisements, internet and in store. As well as London buses Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process real size models casted for advertisement and for in store staff People Someone who can sympathise with the fact that clothes should not be about what you look like in them, but how you feel in them. And understand that not everyone is a size 0 model. Bring realism to the company Measurement Small targets should be set in order to ensure the successful completion of the Objective. As the objective is long term, 4 meetings will take place in the 1st year and then monthly meetings will take place in the second and thrid year to ensure targets are being met. 10. Conclusion In conclusion after considering Abercrombie Fitchs external environment as well as Porters Generic strategies and Ansoff Matrix, four SMART Objectives have been formulated and a Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of each SMART Objective has also been created. If Abercrombie Fitch should decide to implement any of the SMART Objectives suggested in the near future, then the current external environment should be examined as different situations may have arisen.

The Final Act of The Crucible :: The Crucible Arthur Miller Essays

The Final Act of The Crucible The final act in the play, act four, fits into the plot three months later, after the court case and all the hangings of the condemned have taken place. It is a scene full of tragedy, defeat, misjudgement and misery. The audience should be left finding themselves asking questions, as 'The Crucible' is a reminder of how evil can be committed by everyday people. This final act shows all the journeys the characters have travelled, in some cases from beginning to end. The way in which some of the characters act reflects the society they live in where in some cases the characters will be of principles and in others they will not. This is evident in the play with two of the main characters, hale and parries who both prefer life to personal integrity. Hale sees this moral error and speaks to Elizabeth of it , 'Life women, life is god's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it' parris does not see this error and mistakes principle for self protection of his life his authority and of those whom he suspects of despising him. Looking at the complete opposite, showing the different priorities within this society and community are the people that lose their lives as they realise the importance of their own principles and integrity. This is evident with the proctors when the play reaches its climax in act four with two of the main characters, john and Elizabeth proctor. John is deciding whether to confess to an accusation he didn't commit, or to deny it and die. John realises the importance of his own integrity and becomes a different man who would rather not lie but tell the truth and be executed. This shows strength and how he is a man of great principle. 'is it fraud.am I not that man.my honesty is broke,Elizabeth ;I am no good man.nothings spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before' with some strong advice from his wife he chooses honestly and goes to his death with a few others who also refused to confess. The audience will see that this shows commitment and dedication when a man would die rather than confess to a false accusation. In modern day life most societies would not behave like this because people would not be put in this life/death situation. In general I belive most people would rather tell the truth rather than lie and get a bad name for themselves. Elizabeth ends the play with a scene of tragedy. The stage directions have a ray of light fall upon her.

Use of Humor in Erdrichs Tracks Essay -- Erdrich Tracks

Use of Humor in Erdrich's Tracks  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   An old adage claims that laughter is the best medicine to cure human ailments.   Although this treatment might sound somewhat unorthodox, its value as a remedy can be traced back to ancient times when Hypocrites, in his medical treatise, stressed the importance of   â€Å"a gay and cheerful mood on the part of the physician and patient fighting disease† (Bakhtin 67).   Aristotle viewed laughter as man’s quintessential privilege:   â€Å"Of all living creatures only man is endowed with laughter† (Bakhtin 68).   In the Middle Ages, laughter was an integral part of folk culture.   â€Å"Carnival festivities and the comic spectacles and ritual connected with them had an important place in the life of medieval man† (Bakhtin 5).   During the trauma and devastation of German bombing raids on London during World War II, the stubborn resilience of British humor emerged to sustain the spirit of the people and the courage of the nation.   To laugh, even in the face of death, is a compelling force in the human condition.   Humor, then, has a profound impact on the way human beings experience life.   In Louise Erdrich’s novel Tracks, humor provides powerful medicine as the Chippewa tribe struggles for their physical, spiritual, and cultural survival at the beginning of the twentieth century.   While the ability to approach life with a sense of humor is not unique to any one society, it is an intrinsic quality of Native American life.   â€Å"There is, and always has been, humor among Indians . . . † (Lincoln 22).  Ã‚   In deference to their history, this can best be described as survival humor, one which â€Å"transcends the void, questions fatalism, and outlasts suffering† (Lincoln 45).   Through their capacity to draw common... ...emain the contrary powers of Indian humor† (Lincoln 5).   For the Chippewa, this humor provides powerful medicine for the physical, cultural, and spiritual preservation of their tribe.  Ã‚        Works Cited   Bakhtin, Mikhail.   Rabelais and His World.   Bloomington:   Indiana UP, 1984.   Erdrich Louise.   Tracks.   New York:   Harper Collins, 1988.   Ghezzi, Ridie Wilson.   â€Å"Nanabush Stories from the Ojibwe.†Ã‚   Coming to Light.   Ed. Brian Swann.   1st ed.   New York:   Random House, 1994.   Lincoln, Kenneth.   Indi’n Humor.   New York:   Oxford UP, 1993.   Sergi, Jennifer.   â€Å"Storytelling:   Tradition and Preservation in Louise Erdrich’s Tracks.†Ã‚   World Literature Today   66   (Spring 1992):   279-282.   Towers, Margie.   â€Å"Continuity and Connection:   Characters in Louise Erdrich’s Fiction.†Ã‚   American Indian Culture and Research Journal   16   (1992):   99-115.     

Robi Intern Report

[pic] American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) INTERNSHIP REPORT ON â€Å"A Research on the Classification of Sales Channel: Robi Axiata Limited† Supervised By: Kazi Ahmed Farhan Lecturer School of Business American International University-Bangladesh AIUB Submitted by: Gazi Fahd Hussain ID NO: 07. 01. 02. 085 Major in Marketing School of Business â€Å"A Research on the Classification of Sales Channel: Robi Axiata Limited† LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 31 March 2011 Kazi Ahmed Farhan Lecturer School of Business AHSANULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Subject: Submission of Research on the Classification of Sales Channel: Robi Axiata Limited.Dear Sir, According to your advice to prepare a research on the classification of sales channel I have prepared my report on â€Å"Robi Axiata Limited†, on of the telecommunication company of Bangladesh. In this research i have explained point of sales activities of Robi Axiata Limited in detail. I gathered the infor mation as much as possible. Much of our information is collected from primary sources (visiting retailers of Robi Axiata Limited & talking with the management of Robi Axiata Limited) & some other information was collected from the internet. I enjoyed working on this report and hope you will find it innovative.Sincerely yours, Gazi Fahd Hussain ID No: 07. 01. 02. 085 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT All praises for the Almighty Allah, the most merciful and beneficent, for giving me sufficient opportunity to study in B. B. A. program (American International University-Bangladesh). I am indebted to many people for providing us encouragement and support during my learning and working while making this research and we want to show our gratefulness to these people. I am very much grateful to KAZI AHMED FARHAN, my respected course instructor, who provided me the opportunity to do this report.It was not possible for me to prepare this research without his sincere permission, constant support and inspiration . I express my gratefulness to him. Thanks to the authority of Robi Axiata Limited for helping me in every possible way. My cordial thanks to ANM KHALED (Specialist, Consumer Sales & Services, Market Operation Division) & SABBIR SHOAIB (Specialist, Consumer Sales & Services, Market Operation Division) in particular for their enormous help and assistance, for providing me the required information about point of sales classification of Robi Axiata Limited.I would also like to thank my friends and peers for their encouragement, support, and suggestions which helped us to make this report a successful one. Letter of Endorsement The Internship Report entitled â€Å"Classification of Sales Channel: Robi Axiata Limited† has been submitted to the Office of Placement & Alumni, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration, Major in Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration on 31 March , 2011 by Gazi Fahd Hussain, Id No: 07-08740-2 The report has been accepted and may be presented to the Internship Defense Committee for evaluation. Any opinions, suggestions made in this report are entirely that of the author of the report. The University does not condone nor reject any of these opinions or suggestions). ______________________ â€Å"KAZI AHMED FARHAN† Internship Supervisor EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In this research paper, I have provided a quantitative and descriptive research on Classification of Sales Channel: Robi Axiata Limited, in Bangladesh. In this research paper, I have discussed & worked out with theoretical reviews of Point of sales (POS) classifications and alternation of decisions can make by the organization.More to say , that I have completed this research paper on long term broad objective and specific objectives to fulfill the information I have collected through primary & secondary data . Earlier, we have tried to review the company overviews and literature review on the purpose of the POS clas sification. At last, we have discussed & delivered some suggestions & recommendations to improve the conditions workout throughout the research for the respective organizations. The overall research is for the purpose of identifying point of sales classification and afterwards activities for the retailers in Mirpur areas, Dhaka city. ______TABLE OF CONTENTS_______ Title Page—————————————————————————i Letter of Transmittal————————————————————ii Acknowledgement————————————————————– iii Letter of Endorsement———à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ iv Executive Summary———————————————————– v Table of Content —————————————————————-vi 1. Introduction—————————————————————— 1 1. Background of the report—————————————————————–1 2. Objective of the study—————————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€2 3. Scope of the report————————————————————————3 4. Limitations———————————————————————————-3 5. Statement of the problems—————————————————————-3 6.Literature Review————————————————————————–4 2. 0 Methodolog y———————————————————————–6 2. 1 Sources of Information———————————————————————6 2. 2 Methods of Data Collection —————————————————————6 2. 3 Data Analysis——————————————————————————–7 2. 4 Timeline of Activities———————————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-7 3. Company Overview———————————————————— 8 3. 1About Robi———————————————————————————–8 3. 2 Background of the company ————————————————————- 9 3. 3 Journey of the Country ——————————————————————–9 3. 4 Strategic Overview of Robi ———————— Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-10 3. 5 Mission & Vision of Robi ————————————————————– 11 3. Division & Department of Robi———————————————————11 3. 7 Products & Services ———————————————————————-11 3. 8 Coverage ———————————————————————————- 13 3. 9 Organizational Structure ————†”————————————————–14 3. 10 Features of Robi ————————————————————————-14 4. 0 Finding & Analysis ———————————————————– 15 4. Key Findings of the Study ————————————————————– 31 5. 0 Recommendations ———————————————————————— 33 6. 0 Conclusion— Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-34 7. 0 Appendix————————————————————————————— 35 1. 0 Introduction Telecommunication is the transmission of information, over significant distances, for the purpose of communication. Today the globe is a village and telecommunication has become a necessity to people’s life.Moreover, telecommunication has started introducing some diversified areas with the help of its mobile network. Nowadays, people can not think without mobile phone. Many people depend on it for their ultimate connectivity. It has become a part of people’s day to day life. Mobile technology is pr esently providing various cheap solutions in people’s daily life. Information technology enables telecom companies to provide economic solutions with a very cheap and easily available access, which was costly earlier and not accessible to some extent.Using a mobile phone has become a common measure of communication in our country. From a rickshaw puller to a higher official, everyone owns a mobile phone. The number of mobile phone users is increasing day by day. So our country has become an attractive market for mobile operators. Robi Axiata Ltd. is one of the leading mobile operators in our country who have seen this great potential. 1. 1 Background of the Report For BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) students of University of AIUB, internship program is mandatory for every student to complete the degree.Internships provide an opportunity for students to link theory with practice and further serve as a temporary labor pool for those organizations that have committed t o participate in the internship program. The internship program has following purposes: †¢ It provides a student with a practical real world experience in the public or nonprofit sector before entering into a job market. Such experience not only increases students’ job prospects, but also teaches what is expected in terms of professional behavior. †¢ It enables a student to develop important skills which cannot be taught in the classroom. It enables a student to compare theoretical ideas learned in the classroom within the world of work. †¢ It permits a student to apply the technical skills learned in the classroom to real world problems. I have prepared this report while working as an intern in Robi Axiata Ltd. This report is based on â€Å"Marketing of Robi Axiata Ltd†. I have also covered information regarding the organizational overview and what I did and learned everyday in Robi Axiata Ltd. 1. 2 Objectives of the Study There are two kinds of objecti ves of the report. They are: ? Broad Objective ? Specific ObjectiveBroad Objective: The main objective of the study is to know how Robi classify its business channels. From the study, I also want to acquire a sound knowledge of roles, activities and responsibilities of the Consumer Channel Development unit of an organization which I can apply in my future professional life. Specific Objectives: The specific objectives of this internship report are: ? To have a clear understanding of market dynamism. ? Categories as well as find out business opportunities and potential POS for sales penetration. ? To capitalize on market by increase trade loyalty. To find out POS wise sales and find out ways to penetrate sales in future which include KYC (Know Your Customer) as well. ? To capture the snapshot of market so that in future Robi can introduce POS wise campaign, channel loyalty program etc. ? Enhance the visibility of Robi at market level. ? Service at customer door steps through identify and expanding service point. 1. 3 Scope of the Study The organization chosen was a telecommunication; therefore, the focus of the report was mainly on the Point of Sales (POS) undertaken by the organization.I tried to focus on gathering knowledge about the POS classification activities & policies of Robi Axiata Limited in depth. As, the research was a combination of both field work & theoretical knowledge, I am able to understand from my research preparation in a much detailed & clear way. 1. 4 Limitations of the Study Three months of time for a research is really very low. It is really very difficult to find out every single issue within this limited period of time. Overall the limitations those I have faced are: ? Time Frame. It was difficult to access to more internal information. ? It was really difficult for me to accumulate confidential data. ? Some retailers didn’t give attention providing information. 1. 5 Statement of the Problem After completion of this study I can able to find out the perceptions of the company practicing POS classification about the retailers and the decisions which can be effective for that. 1. 6 Literature Review There are some strategies which a business organization always applies for achieving its objectives. Business classification is one of these strategies.In Bangladesh it is always seen that business organizations classified their products for generating some value in these. In telecommunication companies, it has seen the most. For example, grameenphone Ltd. classified their SIM cards in many classes: djuice, bondhu, apon, corporate etc. Robi Axiata Limited is also one of the leading telecommunication companies in Bangladesh. SIM card with a unique customer’s identity is its basic product. It also classified its products into many categories. But recently it has a plan to classify its business channels as well.Previously, in many times Robi used to classify its products in many ways. But it was the lack of m otivation of sales people; as a result Robi did not get the expected level of sales which it expected. So it is clear that, to get the expected sales level it is also important to motivate the sales people properly. Recently Robi takes the initiative to classify its Point of Sales (POS), from which basically the products spread to the customers. Robi basically plan to rearrange their POSs into three possible parts: Premium, Gold and Silver.As the part of this project Robi has done a detail questionnaire survey. By analyzing the survey report Robi has the plan to treat its POSs accordingly. Turning Of Aktel Into Robi And Their Market Challenge. Aktel, one of the country’s top mobile phone brands, took its new name—Robi—meaning the sun, with effect from the dawn of Sunday when it also unveiled a new logo for the company at a colourful ceremony at the capital’s Suhrawardi Uddyan. Aktel will henceforth be known as Robi, underlining the rich, vibrant culture a nd heritage of Bangladesh, executives of the popular cellphone company said. Robi brings the first gleam of light that shows us the day†¦ a symbol of harvest that brings smile on the faces of farmers,’ said Michael Kuehner, the Managing Director and CEO of Axiata (Bangladesh) Ltd. , the Malaysia-based mobile operator. He went on to point out that the word Robi is also very familiar to Bangla speaking people as it is the name of their pride poet, Rabindranath Tagore. ‘We aim to develop an emotional link with the culture and roots of this nation†¦ Therefore, we chose the Bangla word Robi to be our identity,’ he said.The mobile phone operator has also taken the logo of the Axiata Group Berhad, the parent company. Axiata (Bangladesh) Limited, formerly known as TM International (BD) Limited, is a joint venture between Axiata Group Berhad (70 per cent) and Japanese NTT DoCoMo (30 percent). One of the six mobile companies in Bangladesh, Robi is the third large st mobile phone operator in terms of revenue, having some 10. 31 million subscribers across the country. Earlier, the largest mobile phone operator in the country, Grameen Phone Ltd. , had also changed its logo assuming that of Telenor Group, the major shareholders of the GP. By changing the name to a Bengali word, the company aims at aligning its services to local culture and tradition. The word has been chosen as it carries a range of dominant meanings of emotional and cultural bondage of the people of this land,’ Kuehner told a press briefing at Suhrawardi Uddyan. Robi’s head of corporate affairs Segufta Yesmin Samad and chief commercial†¦ 2. 0 Methodology of the Report 2. 1Sources of Information Robi is one the major telecom service provider in Bangladesh. Its Head Office is situated in Nafi Tower, Gulshan-1, and Dhaka.The study will primarily focus on the Consumer Channel Development unit of Consumer Sales and Service (CSS) Department of Robi where I am doing my internship. However, relevant and necessary analysis of other events and circumstances pertaining to the study will be made. The following sources have been used for the purpose of gathering and collecting data as required. A. Primary sources: ? Observation ? Personal interview ? Through personal acquaintance with the people at Marketing Division B. Secondary sources: ? Information from web. ? Brochures. ? Newspapers Clips. ? Journals, and ? HR BooksBoth primary and secondary data sources will be used to generate this report. Primary data sources are scheduled survey, informal discussion with professionals and observation while working in different desks. The secondary data sources are different published reports, manuals, price updates and different publications of â€Å"ROBI†. 2. 2 Methods of Data Collection Relevant documents and data will be obtained from CSS Department, Robi. Further material will come from previous reports, studies, articles, news published on Natio nal Dailies etc. Literature concerning explanation and theories will be collected from Internet.A questionnaire will be prepared including both open-ended and close-ended questions to get feedback from the POSs that will be used in measuring the effectiveness of the classification. Observation on the activities of the colleagues, in-depth discussion with organizational supervisor and my practical knowledge on job will be helpful to know activities, duties and responsibilities of the Consumer Channel Development Unit. 2. 3 Data Analysis After surveying, questionnaire will be reviewed and edited to ensure the completeness, consistency and reliability of data as well as to facilitate the coding process.Then, the open-ended responses will be coded and finally data will be computerized. If required, recoding will be done to facilitate analysis. Analysis of data and the preparation of the report will be done by the Microsoft Office Program (MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint) in compute r. 2. 4 Timeline of Activities: The plan for this project is provided on the basis that it is a general guide to direction. Due to the nature of the research some information may be difficult to obtain on schedule and allowance for this needs to be made. This plan is also subject to change on re-evaluation.In every stage, strong communication with my supervisor will be maintained to get the best outcome of the report. Stage 1: Topic selection and proposal submission: 7th March, 2011. Stage 2: Gather information from secondary sources as well as obtain data from primary sources. Conduct and complete reviews of relevant literature within 24th March 2011. Stage 3: Make needed correction & Prepare draft report within 31st March 2011 and show my Internship Adviser. Stage 4: Make needed correction suggested my supervisor and prepare final report for final submission within 10th April 2011. 3. 0 Company Overview 3. 1 About Robi Axiata LimitedRobi Axiata Limited is a dynamic and leading cou ntrywide GSM communication solutions provider for Bangladesh, and is joint venture Company between Axiata Group Berhad, Malaysia and NTT DOCOMO INC, Japan. It was formerly known as Telekom Malaysia International (Bangladesh) which commenced operations in Bangladesh in 1997 with the brand name AKTEL. On 28th March 2010, the service name was rebranded as ‘Robi’ and the company came to be known as Robi Axiata Limited. Robi is truly a people-oriented brand of Bangladesh. Robi, the people's champion, is there for the people of Bangladesh, where they want and the way they want.Having the local tradition at its core, Robi marches ahead with innovation and creativity. To ensure leading-edge technology, Robi draws from the international expertise of Axiata and NTT DOCOMO INC. It supports 2G voice, CAMEL Phase II & III and GPRS/EDGE service with high speed internet connectivity. Its GSM service is based on a robust network architecture and cutting edge technology such as Intellig ent Network (IN), which provides peace-of-mind solutions in terms of voice clarity, extensive nationwide network coverage and multiple global partners for international roaming.It has the widest International Roaming coverage in Bangladesh connecting 600 operators across more than 200 countries. Its customer centric solution includes value added services (VAS), quality customer care, easy access call centers, digital network security and flexible tariff rates. By leveraging on Axiata's extensive expertise in the international communications implementation, Robi became the first mobile operator to connect Tetulia and Teknaf, which is the northern and southern most points of Bangladesh, and first to provide seamless coverage along the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.With a network covering all 64 districts of Bangladesh, coupled with the first Intelligent Network (IN) Prepaid Platform in the country, Robi is geared to provide a wide range of products and services to customers all over Bangla desh. 3. 2 Background of the Company Axiata Bangladesh Ltd. (Robi) was found as a joint company of the Axiata Group Berhad from Malaysia and the NTT DoCoMo Inc. from Japan. It operates as a Limited Liability Company, where a founder and a majority shareholder, the AXB- member of the Axiata Group Berhad owns 70% shares, while the minority shares of 30 % are being controlled by the NTT DoCoMo. . 3 Journey of the Country Robi is the dynamic and leading end-to-end countrywide GSM mobile communication solutions of TM International (Bangladesh) Limited. With a vision to be the leading service provider in the ICT sector in Bangladesh, it has contributed considerably to the improvement of tele-density of the country. This fact is apparent through Robi's presence throughout the reaches of Teknaf to Tetulia and the seamless network established along the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.Robi's investment in Bangladesh to date stands at a significant amount, which has contributed significantly towards the growth of the economy of the country while creating multifarious employment opportunities in many active areas. Among many products, Robi has launched its dynamic new service called Robi International Roaming Service, which allows Robi users to access over 550 global operators across more than 205 countries. With this robust service, Robi boasts to be the widest roaming operator in the country, far outweighing the current roaming service provider's coverage. New service and features area to be added) Robi also prides itself as a technology driven company. It has invested heavily into upgrading the systems with state of the art equipment with cutting edge technologies available today in the telecom sector such as its Short Message Service (SMS) and Voice Message Service (VMS) systems, and migration of the Pre-Paid network platform to Intelligent Network (IN), which was successfully implemented for the first time in Bangladesh.A reflection of these processes are the highly competi tive product packages and first ever services that had been offered to all Robi Customers throughout the year. It is strongly believed that Robi will be the pioneer service provider to be able to realize the long-felt needs of the customers from all walks of life by offering innumerable innovative products and value-for-money services throughout the years to come. In concert with the theme of undeniable customer appreciation, Robi celebrates the end of a remarkable year. 3. 4 Strategic Overview of RobiPrinciples of Robi: Employees of this company hold themselves accountable to the following guiding Principles for the organization- Emotional: Passionate, Creative, Respectful, and Open. Functional: Simple, Ethical, Transparent, Ownership. Passionate: We're passionate – it's in all of us. Whether visible or hidden within for whatever reason. Creative: Everything we do we should do in a creative innovative manner. Respectful: We are truly respectful to each other. Our subordinate s, peers, partners and customers. Open: We have no hidden agendas. We share information freely.Simple: Everything we do and say should be simple and easy to understand Ethical: We are moral, upright, honest, righteous, virtuous, honorable, keeping our promises in all we say and do. Transparent: A few key words and phrases sums this up: Honesty. Openness. Frankness. No lies. No deceit. No games. Easily understood. Ownership: Whilst working individually or collectively, we clearly demonstrate individual and collective ownership. 3. 5 Mission & Vision of Robi Vision To be a leader as a Telecommunication Service Provider in Bangladesh MissionROBI aims to achieve its vision through being number ‘one’ not only in terms of market share, but also by being an employer of choice with up-to-date knowledge and products geared to address the ever changing needs of our budding nation 3. 6 Division & Department of Robi ROBI is operating with following Divisions / Departments having it s establishment in different locations at Dhaka, Chittagong and other regions of Bangladesh. ROBI has following divisions and departments: ? Finance Division ? Commercial Division ? Information Technology Division ? Technical Division Human Resources Division ? Revenue Assurance Department ? Regulatory Affairs Department ? Internal Audit Department ? Corporate Affairs Department ? Corporate Strategy Department ? Supply Chain Management Department ? Credit Control Department ? Legal & Compliance Department ? Security & Safety Department ? MD’s/CEO’s Office 3. 7 Products & Services Robi's GSM service is based on a robust network architecture and cutting edge technology such as intelligent network (IN). The intelligent network (IN) provides peace-of-mind solutions in terms of voice clarity, wider nationwide etwork coverage, numerous international roaming global partners, and popular value added services (VASs), quality easy-access customer care, round the clock call cente r operations, ironclad digital network security, competitive tariff rates and precise billing. Robi provides standard mobile connections with NWD and ISO facilities. They also provide mobile-to-mobile, Mobile with T&T incoming and outgoing facilities. TMIB has an integrated and fully computerized Customer Care Billing System (CCBS), which supports virtually all subscriber-related functions with its 24-hour customer care service. . 7. 1 Product Portfolio The product line of Robi is divided into two types based on the subscription category for general subscribers – Prepaid and Post paid. 3. 7. 2 Pre-paid Packages Robi Prepaid offers a single package that delivers simplicity and flexibility at the same time. Robi Prepaid is continuously adding new features and plans to provide absolute freedom to the customers. Tariff plans are as follows- †¢ Ek second Tariff †¢ Simple tariff †¢ Normal tariff †¢ Super simple †¢ Extra simple 3. 7. 3 Post-paid Packages Dat a Packages:Robi offers flexible internet usage packages currently. There are 5 internet options available in Robi's product portfolio. ? Volume Based Pack ? Daily Browsing Pack ? 20/20 Internet Pack ? Monthly Unlimited Internet ? Pay-per-use Services ? Basic Services: Telephony & Data ? Supplementary Services: ? Calling Line Identification Presentation (CLIP) ? Call Waiting and Call Holding ? Call Forwarding ? Call Conferencing ? National Roaming – Both way ? International Roaming ? Itemized Billing ? Dedicated Customer Services 3. 7. 4 Value Added Services: †¢ SMS: Local & |†¢ Voice Chat |†¢ Kid Zone | |international |†¢ Easy Menu |†¢ Cricket Zone | |†¢ Robi GoonGoon |†¢ Instant News |†¢ Robi Internet | |†¢ Voice Mail |†¢ Robi Directory |†¢ MMS | |†¢ Balance Transfer |†¢ Stock Information |†¢ Robi SMS Chat | |†¢ Friends & Family (FnF) |†¢ Call Block |†¢ Job Portal | |†¢ Robi Radio |â₠¬ ¢ Missed Call Alert |†¢ mPay | |†¢ Song Dedication |†¢ Push Mail |†¢ Robi Bazar | |†¢ Robi Zone |†¢ Phone Backup |†¢ Islamic Info | |†¢ Voice Portal |†¢ BBC Janala | | Robi has the widest roaming facility among Bangladeshi mobile phone operators, with 550 operators across more than 205 countries in the world. Many more products are in line to be added to the existing array of Robi products and service the days to come. 8. Coverage Robi now Bangladesh covering all 64 districts with a robust network. With the permission from Bangladesh Govt. o cover the 3 districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts, the company is aiming to invest heavily on network development in this region. The quality of voice and invulnerable and secured service are the key strengths of Robi to expand its business and subscriber base. 3. 9 Organizational Structure The organization is headed by its Chief Executive designated as the Managing Director entrusted with overall re sponsibilities of business direction of the organization and leading dynamically towards the attainment of its Vision, Mission and Goal. In attaining the above mission, Chief strategic officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Marketing officer, Chief Technical Officer, Chief Human Resource Officer assists the Md. The organization organogram is in appendix page. 3. 0 Features of Robi †¢ Cellular Phone Service: †¢ Country-wide Coverage with Supreme Quality Network: †¢ Better Customer Service: †¢ Better Billing: †¢ Better Switching: 3. 10. 1 SIM-Card Identity Number: †¢ Consistent and High Quality Voice: †¢ Security: 3. 10. 2 Exciting Robi Value Added Services: †¢ Robi Itemized Billing: †¢ International Roaming: †¢ Choice of Handset: †¢ Competent Human Resource: 3. 10. 3 Customer Service †¢ SIM Change †¢ Scheme Migration (Postpaid) †¢ Re-initialization (Prepaid) †¢ Itemized Bill (Postpaid) †¢ Reconnection (P ostpaid) †¢ Activation of Value Added Services †¢ Ownership Change (Postpaid) †¢ Easy Load †¢ Address Change (Postpaid)As of June, 2010 there are 20 full-fledged customer care centers across different areas of Bangladesh – 6 in Dhaka, 3 in Chittagong, 1 in Narayangonj, 1 in Comilla, 1 in Feni, 1 in Cox's Bazar, 1 in Mymensingh, 1 in Jessore, 1 in Barisal, 1 in Rajshahi, 1 in Sylhet, 1 in Kushtia and 1 in Khulna. 4. 0 Findings & Analysis From the research, I have made in Mirpur Street, I was successfully tried to locate the light box. From the above depicted pie chart, we can easily understand that, most of the Light Boxes are displayed with Robi; about 42% of the respondents are using Light boxes attached with the Robi Axiata Company. They are highly promoted as the focused on Light Box because it is attracted to the customer/ subscribers at first sight. On the other hand, 30% of the shops are Airtel, another mobile operator that has recently acquired by B harti Airtel. And the other operators use limited in Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.Shutter Branding is a common style in placing the small shops in the rural and urban From the above pie chart, we can see that, Most of the Shutter Branding is covered with the Banglalink Promotional Activities (71%). On the other hand, other operators do not focus much on the Shutter Branding as their activities. Painting in the shop reflects both outdoor and indoor outlook that brings out the lucrative presentation to be attracted by the subscriber. From the research in the location of Mirpur, we can see that, Banglalink, the 2nd Operator, leads the promotional activities by painting their retailer shops. In case of Robi, they are behind on this.From the pie diagram, we can understand that, maximum shops are in between 0-99 sqft space to operate their business as retailers. Because of lack of space, they are not able to keep more things in the shop. About 85% of the respondents make their shop within 10 0 sqft. As, it is a very narrow space, few of the retailers (about 15%) use their shop space about to 100-150 sqft. The Space of a shop is important in which the relevant variable is about the size of the customers / subscribers are coming for service at a time. Most of the shops are covered with the space for 1-3 persons at a time for receiving the services. It is relevant to the retailers, lack of capability of investing money for the comfortable shop space for the customers/ subscribers.The above depicted pie chart shows that, about 75% of the respondents are build a shop or rent a shop for 1-3 person service system at a time . On the other hands, few of the respondents have the capability to emerge the space of the space to 4-6 persons. From my survey, most of the retailers are involving in the mobile business (65%) because, it is the highest growth of business sectors now a day in our country. So, people are highly attracted to do business on this sector. Few of the respondent replied that they are doing business with Electronic shops (17%), few are computer shops (8%), and few are CDs shops (9%). They are considered as a second earning source in the business. [pic]From the research, I have found that, most of the people are investing about 5000-15000 taka / per day, as the business is the daily income process like Point of Sales of SIMs and other things that provided by the company. In which as the subject of the matter is about small medium enterprise, like mobile shop or other mobile accessories units, people are investing at their capability, about 58% respondents are doing business daily with the range of amount. About 39% are investing 15000 -30000 taka daily, for Point of Sales of different operators. From the graph, we can see that, Most of the Robi Retailers has the capability to invest 500-1000 Tk (75%) that placed in the inner city; others have the capability investing 1000- 3000 Tk placing their shops on the main road.Compare to Grameenphone c ustomers, retailers said that, they are not getting many customers of Robi in those areas, so they are providing low investment on Robi Easy Loads and SIMs. From the survey, I have found that, most of the retailers are able to sell all of the operators SIMs in an average amount of 25 SIMs in a week. On the other hand, and few retailers can sell more than 25 that range into 50 (32%). The amount of selling is very low because, the strictness of Government rules and regulation may be a constraint like – high price SIMs, SIM Tax, BTRC registration form to all operators. In this reason, customers are rarely encouraged to purchase a new SIM with connection.From the pie chart, we can see that, most of the weekly SIMs sales are Airtel Operators (78%) that represents the 1st position in the market in the current period. They are providing more facilities like ( Instant Bonus, Load Returns, New Sim Offers etc) that the other operators in the market. On the other hand, other operator li ke Robi (13%) is in 2nd position, because they are offering new packages in which those are attracted by the customers like the newly package â€Å"Robi Club†. From my Survey, I tried to identify, the market leader in Point of Sales as Daily Load Sales. From the chart, we can see that, Grameenphone is in 1st position in the market all over the country.Consequently, Banglalink is in 2nd Position. In some areas, Airtel & Robi are ahead in between of them. From the pie chart, most of the retailers are satisfied about the facilities of Robi provided to them (79%). Few of the respondent replied that they are getting more facilities as being a good seller (11%). Also their expectation can increase if they get proper services about retailers’ relationship. From the graph, most of the respondents are satisfied about Robi Distribution Commission System (83%). They have more expectation from Robi getting more amount of Commission as per sales of Easy Loads/SIMs. Few of them comp lained about the distribution system.From the pie chart, most of the retailers are not satisfied about the distribution of Robi SIMs that provided to them (89%) because they are not getting actual demand of SIMs in the market at the time. Sometimes they are delayed in reach to distribute there. They are getting very small amount of distribution of SIMs about to 5 -7 pieces. Few of the respondent replied that they are moderate about the facilities (8%). From my survey, most of the retailers are satisfied about the network status of Robi Axiata Limited. They are happy to see the network tower of Robi near to them . But some of them have complained about the network traffic in which the Easy Loads / SMS are not provided timely. It is really appreciated to the respondents, as they are highly satisfied about the sales representatives of Robi Axiata Limited.Because representatives are communicating with the retailer daily, as they are also happy to get anything what they want about the lo ads. 4. 1 Key Findings of the Study After evaluating the available data I got some findings. The data’s were totally related with each other . Every output I got has relation with the previous one or the next one. So the findings should be related with the created problem concern. ? As a promotional tools, Robi Axiata Limited more on Light Box in many retailers shop in Mirpur. Because , This is the first impression that attracted by the customers when they come for services in the retailers shop like – Easy Loads, Purchasing Sims, or come for knowing new packages and services.Light box is complied with LED Box which is transparent and bright. ? Robi is not concerned much as spotlighting Shutter Branding. Because, Robi doesn’t use this concept because of the peak hours time. Shutter is always open and the branding is not visible in the meantime. ? Most of the people are involved in the mobile business as their primary earning. Because it is the most high growth e conomic sectors in our country. So, people are eagerly interested involving in this business and gain profit. ? In this area, it has been a place of employment. Anyone can invest with a low capital and low risk. It doesn’t need to have very special skills to run the business. When a business is going to start for a retailer, the official processing is not much effective. Retailers often face hazardless. ? Low investment ability for Robi Axiata Limited by the retailer’s capability that severely depends on Sales results. Now –a –days, competitively, Robi is in 3rd place in customer subscriber in the market, so the retailers are investing more on others operators like Grameenphone & Banglalink. ? There is a huge demand of Robi SIMs, but there is much enough distribution system. There is a lack of distribution channel activities in Robi, it manages less SIMs distributions to the retailers, but in case of distribution, Robi is trying to increase the SIMs distr ibution, which is on process. Overall facilities are satisfactory to the retailer. The facilities are providing in case of Sales outcomes, which is given in Commission base to the retailers. In case Robi retailers, they are getting commission quickly than other operators. ? In this time, Robi network is satisfactory all over the areas. In this time, Robi spends a huge amount of money to set up more frequent network coverage all over the country. Comparing to the past situation, Robi hasn’t been faced problems in case of network facility. ? SIM distribution is very bad to the retailers for selling to the customers. This is a major problem in SIMs distribution for the retailers nd also the incompatible series of SIMs number which are chosen by the customers while purchasing. ? Retailers are not received satisfactory amount of SIMs distribution according to the demand in the market. ? Sales representatives are ought to be very active and is satisfactory to the retailers. Communi cation is utmost important increasing relationship level among retailers and customers. Robi has been managed it very successfully to them. ? Robi has no service desks compare to the other operators, which is hampering the effective service delivery to the customers. When customers are faced in any problem, they are not capable to come to share their problems to Robi Sheba because these are not nearly situated.Service desks in any retailers shop can solve this problem instantly. 5. 0 Recommendation Some of the recommendations we can deliver for the Robi Axiata Limited on Point –of – sales (POS) classification from preparing this research. Those are briefly written below in key points: ? Promotional Advertising in Branding Robi needs to be innovative and creative. ? Robi should focus on other advertising tools that have not been taken by the management. ? Robi should open a training center on POS to increase the knowledge and skills of the retailers. ? Robi should have a service desk in every retailer shops to increase the level of satisfaction of both retailers and customers. Robi should increase the SIMs sale availability to the respected high demand areas so that the retailers can sell the product of Robi to the customers easily. ? They should think about the highest sales retailers, and provide extra commission on their sales. ? To sustain in the market, Robi should focus on retailers needs and wants that need to identify. ? They must pay commission and provide facilities as much as quickly so that their expectations are fulfilled. ? They should think more in improvement of the relationship between the company and retailers. 6. 0 Conclusion Point of sales is a marketing tool to which has been in use to develop the business operation efficiency of companies. Robi from the year 2010 onwards is practicing Point of sales to increase the sales and revenue to gain profit.For Robi Axiata Limited to be profitable telecommunication company, there has t o an effective Point of Sales plan to be demonstrated clearly to the retailers A system of accountability and flow of information throughout the organization and also retailers need to be established so that the retailers have the trust to the company. All the decisions can be managed from the perspective of point of sales so that the company can classify the better retailers shop and provide good facilities to them. From this research the company can easily make decisions to them. 7. 0 Appendix Fig 01: Work plan of Robi Axiata Limited [pic] †¢ RSP= Robi Sheba Partner Figure 02 : Distribution Channel of Robi Axiata Limited Pos classification questionnaire survey Pos Name: ______________ Pos code: ________Pos address: ________________________________________________ Pos owner name: _______________________ Phone Number: _______ Visibility: 1. Light box: 2. Shutter branding: 3. Shop painting: 4. Space of the shop: a. 0-99 sqft b. 100-150 sqft c. 150-200 sqft d. 200-above 5. Custom er accommodation: a. 1-3 person b. 4-6 person c. 7-10 person d. 10 to above 6. Business type: a. Mobile phone b. Electronic c. Computer d. Cd e. Others 7. Investment ability in a day: (taka) a. 5000-15000 b. 15000-30000 c. 30000-50000 d. 50000 to above 8: Investment ability of Robi: (taka) a. 500-1000 b. 1000-3000 c. 000-5000 d. 5000 to above 9: weekly SIM sale all operators: a. 0-25 b. 25-50 c. 50-100 d. 1500 to above 10. Weekly SIM sale individual: GP BL ROBI AIR CT TELE 11. Daily load sale: GP Bl ROBI AIR CT TELE 12. The facilities of Robi a. Very good b. good c. moderate d. Bad. e. very bad 13. Distribution system of Robi: a. very good b. good c. moderate d. Bad. e. very bad 14. SIM distribution system of Robi: a.Very good b. good c. moderate d. Bad. e. very bad 15. Robi network status: a. very good b. good c. moderate d. Bad. e. very bad 16. Weekly SR visit: a. One tome b. two time c. three time d. four time e. daily 8. 0 Reference & Bibliograph ? Marketing RESEARCH: An Applied Orientation – Naresh K. Malhotra, 5 th EDITIONS, 2008, Prentice-HALL, USA. ? Anm Khaled (Specialist, Consumer Sales & Services, Market Operation Division ? Sabbir Shoaib (Specialist, Consumer Sales & Services, Market Operation Division) ? www. robi. com. bd ? www. google. com [pic] ———————– BL GP

Cardon Carpet Mills Case

Cardon Carpet Mills Issues and constraints The issue, which Cardon Carpet is facing, stems from the lack of expansion throughout the United States, specifically limiting their contract sales portion of its business only to the southeastern portion of the United States. Cardon Carpet Mills has several action options: 1. Expand its market share in contract sales segment throughout the US. Employ ten sales representatives to seek potential institutions and businesses throughout all of the US. Compensate these personnel based on commission, that is, the amount of clients they contract to the business. . Sell its products of Contract sale to institutions and businesses especially ones located in the metropolitan areas their wholesalers reside in. 3. Present a contract that specifies a referral of at least five institutions by each of their wholesalers and in turn Cardon would compromise in regards to the â€Å"Margin Sharing† proposal. Organization Assessment Cardon Carpet Mills, I nc. is a privately held manufacturer of a full line of medium-to-high-priced carpet primarily for the residential segment.The company markets its products under the Masterton and Chesterton brand names. Robert Meadows is the president and Suzanne Goldman is his special assistant. Refer to Exhibit 3. Market and Industry Assessment Wholesale and retail distribution in the U. S. carpet and rug industry has gone through a lot of instabilities since the 1980’s. Shaw Industries, a manufacturer, the carpet and rug industry leader opened its own retail stores but suffered losing many of their buying groups. Shaw eventually sold its retail stores and returned to their prior channel.The Market has experienced an increase in dollar sales, however this is offset by limited profitability for manufacturers. Refer to Exhibit 2. Customer Assessment Cardon Carpet’s direct customers include: institutions and businesses and wholesalers. Cardon’s indirect customers include: Retaile rs and consumers. Action Assessment The industry shows a lot of instability in this industry, but more importantly highlights the sensitiveness of retailers and wholesalers to a manufacturer’s decisions. Refer to Exhibit 4.Shaw industries’ experience proves that Cardon should maintain their wholesalers and capitalize on their long-term relationships by seeking their expertise in targeting business and institutions. Refer to Exhibit 1. Recommendation/Action Selection and Plan Cardon must Compromise with the wholesalers in order to expand its Contract sales segment and increase market share. The agreement would guarantee at least five new clients in each of the seven wholesaler locations. In return, the wholesalers would receive a price reduction and have incentive to help Cardon Mills become sustainable.This presents a mutually acceptable solution that looks to fill a huge part of the market, which Cardon has yet to capitalize on. Implementation Plan Set up a meeting wi th a leading official at each wholesaler site and Send a Cardon executive to each of the seven locations. Specify in the contract/agreement that the referrals have to actually become contracted customers of Cardon. Indicate that these institutions can be the wholesaler’s accounting firm, corporate locations etc.