Team Player Essay -- Short Story Track Running Essays

Team Player It is a cold, wet October morning in Slippery Rock, PA. The school bus carrying 50 sleeping high schoolers pulls into a gravel parking lot, joining a crowd of buses and vans already lining the edge of a vast grassy field. A never-ending white line is painted on the short-clipped grass marking a trail. It follows the outside of the expanse, along the parking lot, beside the road, up and down the hills and valleys, and through small patches of trees and brush at the far end of the field. Football goalposts crown the crest of a hill in the distance and white wooden posts guard the insides of the curves of the white line. As the bus driver turns off the motor, the girls begin to stir and sit upright in their seats. They wipe the beads of condensation from the inside of the windows and look outside, absorbing this beautiful scenery. A few begin to talk to the person sitting next to them. Others stretch and let out loud groans. This is the morning they have been preparin g for since the summer months: this morning, this very group of girls will try to prove themselves as the highest-ranking, fastest-running cross country team in western Pennsylvania. Soon, this calm field will be overtaken by swarms of coaches, runners, parents, and officials. As the morning moves on, more and more people gather around the tents that have popped up between areas of the course. After about two hours of preparation, the teams start gathering near the starting line for the first race. First to run are the boys’ junior varsity teams, followed forty minutes later by boys’ varsity. And then it’s my turn. Coach LeDonne gathers all of the girls on the JV team around him in front of our duck-y... ... that I gave as much to the team today as any other girl walking in those doors with me. And at that moment I realize that I contributed an equal amount to the victory as the first runner or the fourth runner, or the last runner on my team. Perhaps running is my secondary duty for the team. Maybe it is equally important that I helped Amy push up that hill in her race as it is important that I finished my own race with an average personal time in mine. Even though the team as a whole may value speed over every other quality, I realize that it isn’t necessarily the most important for every runner. The team could never run well without a steady support, a push from behind to run up the steepest hill. I was never meant to be the fastest runner on the team. But I could still have that same importance by being a proud, supportive member of the team.

Analyzing Race and Its Influence in your Community

Racial influences rely on a number of factors depending on a place’s history and location. It may include racism according to color, racism according to social status, and racism based on religion and ethnicity. But regardless of its foundation, racism indeed has interesting effects on people and the society at large.Racial differences in our community are not in terms of color, but of religion and ethnicity. Actually, it is between Muslims and Christians. Anywhere in the world today, the root cause of conflicts can be attributed to religious and ethnic diversities.The unsolved barrier amongst Muslims and Christians has always resulted to misunderstandings, discrimination and worse, wars which end up to loss of lives and more prejudice and hatred. Personally, I believe racism only puts the clashing parties at losing ends.Culture and traditions between Muslims and Christians are different. It can be said that Muslims are more conservative and secluded compared to Christians who are more or less Westernized. From clothing to behavior and practices, both beliefs have little similarities.In the community where I lived in, Christians often criticized the Muslim way of life. Basic is their manner of clothing. Muslim women are sanctioned to wear veils and not a single strand of hair should be exposed in public. The head should be totally covered. No skin should be seen so women always wear long-sleeves and long pants and skirts to cover their arms and legs respectively.Talking or hanging out with men is prohibited as well. Islamic laws require that women should remain traditional and well-kept in order to be respected and clean in the eyes of Allah, the Muslim term for God. Some Christians often make rude and impolite remarks in front of Muslim women and stared at them head to foot which is a sign of disrespect and indifference.Apathetically, some Christians cannot really hide their emotions in that they want their strong message to be really imparted in a crue l manner. They utter comments such as â€Å"Muslims are born traitors† which is for me, a nasty thing to say. It is making the gap farther and harder to patch up.Drinking alcohol is a taboo for Islamic submitters. They should abide by the five pillars of Islam including pronouncement of faith in Allah (shahadah), praying five times a day (salat), fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadhan (saum), giving alms to the poor (zakat), and pilgrimage to Mecca if possible (hajj). Some Christians also laughed at the manner Muslims pray. During Ramadhan, some non-Muslims express negative interpretations by questioning the significance of not eating and not drinking anything the whole day.On the contrary, Christians are more carefree and liberated though there are some conservative families as well. But more often than not, they can do anything under the sun. Discipline and control are still instilled upon them but their behavior is often unlimited.Muslims also criticized Christians for being too modern especially in the way they dress. Some women wear very suggestive clothing, showing a lot of skin. These women are often disrespected and insulted by Muslim men and even Christian men for being too showy and vulgar. But Christians do not mind these comments thinking that they are up-to-date relative to the popular trends as seen on television and in the Internet.Most young Christian women nowadays are free to hang out anywhere; some even drink and smoke in public. If public display of affection to a boyfriend or girlfriend is illegal for Muslims, Christians often welcome it. Muslims usually practice arranged marriage and exclusiveness in marriage between Muslims alone while most Christians can choose whoever they want to be their lifetime partner regardless of religion and culture.As long as the couple loves each other, they can marry without obstacles from the woman’s family. This is very prevalent in the community where I live in.Muslim women who occasional ly end up with Christian men are often disowned and as a result, the family of the Muslim woman takes revenge not only to the Christian guy but to his entire clan as well. Some cases unfortunately end up in killings or total disowning of the Muslim woman by her kin and family including relatives and other blood relations.

ABC, Inc. Case Study Analysis Essay

Carl Robins, a junior recruiter for ABC, Inc, with only a limited amount of experience, commendably retained 15 new employees in April. The newer employees were hired to work for Monica Carrolls, the Operations Supervisor. Carl Robins set up new recruit’s orientation to begin 06- 15 with the objective of having the new employees working by July. On 15 of May. Monica Carrolls called Carl about fixing several issues for the new employees, such as policies, drug tests, and manuals. He stated to Monica that everything would be in place and it would all be completed by the deadline. When Carl started reviewing June, the new employee file, He found numerous of issues. Some applications were unfinished, drug screenings were not done, and orientation manuals were not completed and missing pages, while the room for training had been held in reserve for technology services. Issues When Carl’s had his first recruitment training, he encountered many difficulties that need to be brought to the senior recruiters to resolve these issues. Incomplete employee applications Mandatory drug screening was not arranged Employee transcripts were not on file Inadequate orientation manuals Shortage of orientation manuals, Resource scheduling conflicts. Carl has to address the issues at hand in order to have the new recruit’s working by July, so he must move expeditiously. He must move swiftly in order to inform the new employees and make it stat that they finish their employment applications and confirm his or her transcripts on file. Subsequently, Carl has to arrange appointments through the clinic for all  the new recruits for the obligatory drug screen and have the results sent over right away. At this point, Carl must evaluate the orientation manuals to its entirety and make sure there are a substantial amount of copies for all the recent recruits. Carl has to harmonize with technology services to come up with a solution to share the training room. If that is not feasible, Carl must find another fitting location for the new hire training class. These issues seem like simple problems with quick and easy solutions, but clearly show problems with the current hiring process that need to be addressed to keep similar issues from arising in the future. An entry level recruiter should work directly with more experienced recruiters during the first recruitment process. Skill, putting forth the effort, and practicing will go a long way in overcoming these types of issues. ABC, Inc must develop a helpful to do list or procedure to follow for hiring new employees. It must be explained to the employee and the recruiter exactly what must be completed before and after the hiring process. The checklist should cover not only hiring procedures, but also in-processing and merging into the company. ABC, Inc also needs to develop a training center; with company policies, orientation manuals, and other training materials should be complete and readily available at all times. In the intent of saving money and breathing space, it is suggested that at least one physical copy of each reference should be available, while digital copies are kept on file and can be easily apprehended when necessary. Company management solution should be established to p revent spare reservations for the same resources. This can be a simple database or reservation system that is easily accessible by all employees who will be responsible for scheduling resources. Findings/ Considerations ABC, Inc’s efforts to hire new employees, handling and attempting to solve these problems could raise more problems. Foremost, easy solutions could entail a significant financial investment to get the new employees hired on time. For instance, the clinic may charge extra for last minute drug screens or for expediting the results. If the orientation manuals cannot be reproduced internally or the training cannot be conducted on company  property, the cost of out-sourcing would be much higher than normal. Proper implementation of the long-term solutions may also incur some initial expense; however the increased efficiency will be a great benefit to ABC, Inc in the long run. It is also important to note that an inefficient and complicated hiring process may eventually detract from the company’s image and ability to attract worthy employees Conclusion As stated previously, this was a relatively easy problem to fix, however it exposed deeper issues and could present a significant expense to ABC, Inc to resolve all the problems in time to meet the July goal. It is recommended that Carl Robins and ABC, Inc take the initiative to implement all of the short and long-term goals. In doing so ABC, Inc will insure that this problem will be eliminated in the future. References Case study www.Studymode.com Case study analysis Comm215 www.writework.com Writing a Case study Analysis http://college.cengage.com/business/resources/casestudies/students/writing.ht

PMU Salon Spa (Business Plan)

PMU Salon Spa (Business Plan) Executive Summary PMU Salon and Spa will be aimed at providing the female students within the university a wide range of salon and spa services. The firms’ spa will be devoted towards providing the customers with holistic services with regard to body work, massage, and energy work. These services will be offered in a relaxing setting. With regard to the salon, the firm will offer a wide range of treatments such as hair and nail treatments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on PMU Salon Spa (Business Plan) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its location within the university will provide convenience to the female students in an effort to improve their physical appearance and well being. The firm will offer a wide range of salon and spa products so as to satisfy the customers. This is inline with its customer focus strategy. In addition, the firm will ensure that it offers personalized services to the customers in ord er to ensure that the customers receive a unique customer experience. This arises from realization of the fact that attainment of customer satisfaction plays a vital role in enhancing repeat purchase behavior amongst the consumers. Additionally, the firm will create an atmosphere that is conducive for promoting unique customer experience. This will be achieved by inclining all its strategies towards the customer which means that the firm is customer oriented. To achieve its customer focus objective, the enterprise will effectively formulate its marketing strategies. One of the main marketing strategies that the firm will be concerned with is pricing. The pricing strategy will be formulated in such a way that it addresses the customers’ price sensitivity considering that most of them are students and they do not have a source of income. The firm will also maintain a fair and friendly environment. The firm will ensure that its employees are highly qualified so as to offer quali ty services. Company Description PMU Salon and Spa will operate as a private limited company within Prince Mohammed bin Fahad University. The Salon and Spa will be strategically located within the University’s sports center. In order to attract a large number of customers, the management team will ensure that it has qualified personnel. This will contribute towards provision of expert services. Considering that different individuals have different tastes and preferences, the firm will ensure that it offers diverse salon and spa services. All the firms operations will be customer centric which means that the firm will primarily focus at the customer. To achieve this, the entrepreneurs will conduct a comprehensive research in the University to determine the most preferred products and services. According to Green (2001, p.7), every firm should have a mission statement which illustrates its purpose of existence. The firm’s mission will be to offer services with the object ive of enhancing their customer’s physical beauty and mental relaxation. The firm will be committed at ensuring that its clientele is satisfied.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is inline with the firm’s value proposition which will be guided by the need to offer unique relaxation and a sense of fulfillment. The resultant effect is that the firm will be able to motivate the customers to develop a sense of physical, mental and emotional balance. Some of the core aspects which will guide the firm include improving the customers’ beauty, appearance, health and well being. In order to establish a strong customer relationship, the firm will offer personalized services. This will play a vital role in creating a strong bond with the customers. It is the objective of the management team that effective provision of services will contribute towards t he firm attaining a substantial clientele base. Additionally, the salon and spa will be well designed so as to appeal to the customers. By the end of the first financial year, the firm intends to be established as a beauty and well being destination within the University. Industry analysis On a global scale, the salon and spa industries have witnessed a rampant growth over the past few decades. This arises from the large number of firms in the industry. The industry is composed of a wide range of enterprises ranging from small, medium to large enterprises. As a result, the global salon and spa industry is concentrated. The concentration in the industry has arisen from the high rate at which investors are venturing into the industry. For example, in the Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia, the high rate of concentration arises from the fact that salons and spas are also being incorporated by firms in the hospitality industry such as hotels within their business structures. Des pite the high level of industry concentration, the industry is very lucrative. This is evidenced by the high rate at which the industry is growing. Salons and Spas in Saudi Arabia have become very innovative in their operation. Currently, the Saudi salon and spa industry is worth a number of billions of Riyals. This growth was experienced since the beginning of the millennium. The Saudi Arabian salon and spa industry is undergoing a double digit growth rate every year. The high growth rate is associated with the high rate of economic growth experienced in Saudi Arabia. Currently Saudi Arabia ranks as the largest economy within Middle East.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on PMU Salon Spa (Business Plan) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the 2008-2009 economic crises, the industry’s performance was not adversely affected in most countries as indicated by the salon/spa performance index. The index has a st eady-state level of 100 points. If the performance index is above 100, it indicates that the industry is expanding. On the other hand, if the index is below 100, it is an indicator that the industry is contracting. In 2010, the industry witnessed a significant expansion as a result of increased in customer traffic. During the 4th quarter of 2010, the salon/spa performance index increased with a margin of 0.5% to reach its all time high of 103. Salon/spa owners expect that the industry will experience a significant growth in the future as a result of increment in retail sales (Professional Beauty Association, 2010, p.1). Market analysis Prior to venturing the market the entrepreneur has appreciated the importance of undertaking a market research in the success of the firm. The research will be focused at a number of market variables which include the consumer, market size, market trends and competition. The consumer market research will be aimed at understanding the consumers’ needs so as to determine the market potential. The firms core target customers are the individual consumers. Identifying the customers will make it possible for the firm to offer products and services which meet their requirements. The research will also enable the management team understand the consumers decision making process. As a result, it will be possible to formulate marketing strategies that influence their buying process. Findings of a market research conducted in Saudi Arabia revealed a change amongst Saudi Arabian consumer behavior with regard to beauty, personal health and wellness. Over the past years, Saudi Arabia’s culture has been very strict with regard to dress code especially amongst women. However, this is changing in the 21st century whereby individuals are increasingly developing a desire to look and feel being at their best despite the restrictions. A large number of consumers especially women are spending a significant amount of their money on improv ing their appearance. This has played a vital role in the transformation of the salon industry in Saudi Arabia. The industry is providing the ladies an opportunity to transform their appearance in a number of ways such as through modern styles and hair color. The desire to change appearance amongst women in Saudi Arabia is seasonal. Changing appearance is usually a mark of a life changing event for example when one is entering college.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the rate at which women are entering into the job market is relatively high. Young women are advancing their education to 2nd and 3rd level. Most of the salons and spas in Saudi Arabia especially those located in Riyadh and Jeddah are reporting that most of their clients are university students and graduates. The high rate at which young women are entering universities located in different provinces indicate that there is a high market potential. Additionally, women are also being employed which means that their disposable income will increase in the future. Another trend which is evident in the market arises from increased utilization of the internet. Most individuals especially college and university students are searching for information regarding beauty from the internet and other media. This has made them to be sophisticated with regard to beauty in their consumption patterns. They are increasingly demanding more salon and spa services other than the local fashions . This has significantly strengthened the markets for salon specialists such as that of hair stylists. This has been raised to a different level as a result of change in attitude towards beauty and health. A study by International Spa Association conducted in 2010 on the global salon and spa market revealed that spa and salon owners experienced a 46% increment in the volume of short term treatments. The most common form of short term treatment sought included manicure touchups. Currently, salons and spas are not a preserve of the super-rich. Even individuals with lower income have become conscious towards self-care. However, they are currently seeking less expensive services which fit their budgets. One of the sectors which have gained prominence over the past few years is the medical spa salons. These enterprises offer both spa and salon services. Baby boomers and the young women have increased their demand for these services. Product Design and Development In an effort to deliver unique customer experience, the firm will help the customers be relieved of their stress. The company shall stress on originality, quality and constancy of service. The firm will differentiate its products and services offering from those of its competitors located within the University by ensuring that it employs qualified personnel. Additionally, the firm will also train its employees on how to relate with its customers. The resultant effect is that the firm will be able to offer quality services. The salon and spa will be designed in such a way that it can accommodate 14 workers at full capacity. This will enhance the firm’s opportunity to serve its customers efficiently. The firm will diversify its product and services offering by integrating different spa and salon products which will be aimed at meeting the customers’ beauty and appearance needs. Marketing plan Marketing has undergone a significant transformation over the past decades. However, one of the most cr itical factors which firms should consider in their marketing practices is marketing value (D’Angelo, 2010, p.216). To be effective, firms should identify the consumers’ needs and wants. Upon identifying the customers’ needs, a comprehensive plan should be devised so as to determine the most effective ways of opportunities presented in the market. Market targeting As the entrepreneur, it will be ensured that the consumers’ needs and wants are satisfied. To achieve this, the firm will integrate the concept of market targeting. The firm’s core target market will include the female students aged between 19 to 26 years within Prince Mohammed bin Fahad University. The University has a substantial number of female students whose age range between 19 to 26 years. In addition, these students are more concerned with their beauty and physical appearance. Considering the fact that the university is composed of female students from different background, the fi rm will ensure that the needs of the specific customer category are met. Marketing mix In an effort to effectively penetrate the market, the firm will incorporate the concept of marketing mix. This will ensure effective formulation of marketing strategies to be used in the marketing plan. The four components of the marketing mix which include price, promotion, distribution and product will be taken into account. This arises from the fact that they affect the effectiveness with which a firm penetrates the market. Products To be successful a firm should offer products or services which effectively meet the prevailing market demand. In an effort to increase its customer base, the firm will offer a wide range of unique spa and salon services. This will be achieved by ensuring that the firm has all the necessary equipments for the operation of a spa and salon. This will increase the probability of a large number of customers being attracted to the firm. The equipments to be fitted includ e barber chairs, bowls, shampoo bowls, dryers, dryer chairs, hair processors, hair steamers, heat lamps, facial beds, facial bed machines, facial accessories, light therapy, waxing and paraffin, stone massage, manicure tables, mats, massage beds and tables, pedicure spas and tubs, salon irons, blow dryers, salon stools, shampoo chair, backwashes, spa/Vichy/hydrotherapy, styling hydraulics, styling stations and tanning booths. Some of the equipments range from basic managerial equipments like computers, office supplies, phones, cash registers, and appropriate furniture. The products which the firm will offer are listed in the table below. Swiss reflex massage A therapeutic massage performed on the feet Indian head massage -Working along certain points of the head to ensure that there is frees flow of prana (body’s energetic life force) Thailand massage A stretching and deep massage which does not require use of massage oil. It is performed while the client is on the flo or. Pedicure and manicure -Pedicure- Treating the toenails and the feet superficially using cosmetics treatment of the -Manicure- Cosmetic treatment of finger nails to improve their beauty. Hair treatment Oil hair mask -A form of treatment on hair using oil to correct any damages that have occurred as a result of other forms of treatment. Vitamins hair mask Treating the hair using a complex of vitamins such as vitamin A, E, B3,H, B8 so as to nourish the hair and protect the scalp skin. Herbs mask Treating the body using herbs which aid in body detoxification, tone the skin, remove muscle and joint pain Hair curling Creating curly hair styles Hair coloring -Changing the color of the hair depending on the customers’ preference. Nail sculpting Constructing a new nail over an already existing nail- for example if the nails are damaged. Waving Nail polishing Applying a nail varnish on fingernails and toe nails to protect them and to improve their appearance. Body waxing Removing the body hair from their roots Skin cleansing Removing backlog of body waste from the skin. Pricing strategy The entrepreneur appreciates the fact that determining the price of a product or service is a vital component that will ensure that its products and services are priced moderately in an effort to meet the needs of the consumers (Greene, 2011, p.45). The firm’s core target customers include the female students. Most of these students do not have a source of income. However, they depend on their guardians for their necessities. In order to be effective in its pricing strategy, the firm will utilize penetration pricing strategy. Baker (2011, p.66) defines penetration pricing strategy as a strategy which entails setting the price of the firm’s product and services at a low point compared to the competitors. To be effective in its pricing strategy, the firm will conduct a competitor market research to determine how other salons and spas lo cated around the university price their products and services. However, the pricing strategy will ensure take into account the cost of providing the products and services. In determining the price points, the firm will also incorporate the concept of psychological pricing strategy. This strategy entails setting the price at a point which influences the emotions of the customers. The table below illustrates the price of the products offered by the firm in Saudi Riyal. Product Price in Saudi Riyal (SAR) Swiss reflex massage 105 Indian head massage 105 Thailand massage 105 Pedicure manicure 25 25 Oil hair mask 55 Vitamins hair mask 55 Herbs mask 60 Hair curling 85 Hair coloring 150 Nail sculpting 75 Nail polishing 75 Body waxing 105 Skin cleansing 90 Promotion strategy Product and service awareness is the initial level which promotes a consumer to purchase a product. The firm will put effort to ensure effective creation of market awareness. A comprehens ive market communication program will be integrated. The program will entail both traditional and emerging market communication strategies. The traditional promotion mix which the firm will use includes public relations, advertising, personal advertising, and sales promotion. In launching the firm, the management team will organize a concert within the university. The concert will be aimed at creating awareness on the products and services offered within the spa and salon amongst the students. During the first day, the firm will also conduct sales promotion by offering some of its services such as manicure and pedicure free to individuals who will participate in the salon and spa opening event. In order to reach a large number of students within the university, various mediums will be used in the firm’s advertising campaign. These include print media such as magazines and posters. The firm will post adverts in the university’s newsletter. The posters will be elected at strategic positions within the university such as the universities pavements leading to the lecture . This will enable a large number of customers to access the information. The firm will also ensure that it has employees who have effective interaction and interpersonal skills in addition to their qualification. This will play a vital role in creating an effective customer relationship. The firm will also incorporate public relations campaigns. This will be achieved by sponsoring the university beauty contests. For example, the firm will offer the beauty pageants free services such as hair styling. This will play a vital role in strengthening its relationship with its customers. Considering the growth in technology, the firm will make use of emerging market communication technologies. One of the technologies which the firm will incorporate is the internet. To achieve this, the firm will develop a website through which it will post information regarding the products and services it offered at the salon and spa. Through the internet, the firm will be able to undertake direct advertising effectively considering the fact that university students visit the internet more often in their effort to search information. Web 2.0 will also be integrated to enhance sharing of information and to build and online community. Additionally, the firm will also enter into a contract with search engines such as MSN and Yahoo. The contract will ensure that information regarding its products and services is posted on the homepage. The firm will also incorporate emerging social communication networks such as Blogs, Wikis, Facebook, and You Tube. The social networking tools such as Wikis, Facebook and Blogs will give customers an opportunity to interact with the firm’s management team. In addition, consumers will be able to air their complaints and complement. The interaction will culminate into creation of a strong customer relationship. Place Place refers the ability of custo mers to access the product more easily. This is achieved through a number of ways such as opening outlets to distribute the product. In their distribution strategy, firms use different distribution strategies which include both direct and indirect methods. However, distribution of a service is different. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to separate the place from the service provider. With regard to salon/spa business, an entrepreneur should ensure that there is a high degree of convenience. To ensure that the salon is easily accessible, the salon will be located next to the University’s sports center. This will enable the customers to easily access the salon and spa. Decision to locate the salon and spa at this location was considered after consideration of the traffic around the area. Additionally, convenience will also be attained by ensuring that the salon/spa is customer oriented. One of the ways through which this will be ensured is by emphasizing on the con cept of affordability. Financial projections In its financial plan, it is the objective of the firm to initiate and maintain the various factors that lead to creation, increasing and stabilizing a firm’s cash flow. In developing the financial plan, it is assumed that the firm will access the required equity capital. Additionally, it is assumed that there will be no economic crash which has the effect of reducing the firm’s target market consumption patterns. A comprehensive research was conducted to determine how the salon will be started. A number of financial projections regarding the firm’s operations have been made. Upon its establishment, it is expected that the firm’s sales will be relatively low. However, the firm projects its sales to increase every month with a significant proportion for the first four months upon its establishment. After some time the sales will stabilize and then increase again. The chart below illustrates the firm’s sal es forecast for the first 12 months of its operation. Figure 1: Table showing the Elegant PMU Salon/Spa sales forecast Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Sales in SAR (000) 600 680 780 780 780 770 770 770 770 800 850 900 Figure 2:  Firm’s pro forma income statement amount in SAR Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Sales revenue 900,000 1, 800,000 2,200,000 Total cost of sale 500,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 Gross profit 360,000 700,000 800,000 Expenses Payroll 160,000 180,000 190,000 Sales and marketing expenses 40,000 45,000 50,000 Rent 120,000 120,000 120,000 Insurance 12,000 12,000 12,000 Utilities 9,000 9,000 9,000 Payroll taxes 23,000 24,000 24,000 Total operating expense 364,000 390,000 405,000 Profit before interest and tax 36,000 41,000 595,000 Tax incurred (3,000) 0 10,000 Net profit 39,000 41,000 585,000 Pro forma balance sheet The firm has a well formulated balance sheet which makes it possible to meet its debt obligation. Year 1 Amoun t in SAR Year 2 Amount in SAR Yea Amount in SAR r 3 Assets Current assets Cash Inventory Total current assets 85,000 55,000 140,000 400, 300 107,000 507,300 800,000 120,000 920,000 Total long term assets 0 0 0 Total assets 140,000 507,300 920,000 Liabilities and capital Accounts payable Current borrowing Subtotal current liabilities Total liabilities 62,000 0 0 62,000 106,450 0 0 106,450 115,800 0 0 115,800 Paid-in capital Retained earnings Earnings Total capital 160,000 (94,000) 9,800 75,800 160,000 (84,000) 325,000 401,000 160,000 240,000 415,000 815,000 Total capital and liabilities 137,800 507,450 930,800 Net worth 75,800 401,000 815,000 Firms projected cash flow analysis Considering the fact that the firm operates as a luxury business, the firm will required to have an initial amount of money to cover its operations. After its inception, it is expected that the firm will have a continual cash flow to meet its milestones. The firm has incorporated the concept of electronic commerce. As a result, it will be possible for consumers to pay using credit cards. Use of electronic commerce will enable the firm address diversity in consumers’ payment methods. The resultant effect is that the firm will be able to maximize on its profits. Item Year 1 Amount in SAR Year 2 Amount in SAR Year 3 Amount in SAR Cash received Cash from operation Cash sales 900,000 1,800,000 2,000,000 Total from cash operations 900,000 1,800,000 2,000,000 Other cash received Sales tax VAT received 0 0 0 Current borrowings 0 0 0 Other liabilities 0 0 0 New long-term liabilities 0 0 0 Sale of other current asset 0 0 0 Sales of long term assets 0 0 0 Investment received 0 0 0 Total cash received 900,000 1,800,000 2,000,000 Expenditures Operation expense Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Cash spending 160,000 170,000 175,000 Payment on bill 630,500 1,200,000 1,400,000 Total on operation 790,000 1,370,000 1,575,000 Other c ash spending Sales tax VAT paid 0 0 0 Principal paid on current borrowing 0 0 0 Additional liabilities on principal payment 0 0 0 Principal payment –long term liabilities 0 0 0 Purchases on other current assets 0 0 0 Purchase of other long term assets 0 0 0 Dividends 0 0 0 Total on operation 790,000 1,370,000 1,575,000 Net cash flow 110,000 430,000 425,000 Problem solved by the firm’s products and services Findings of a research conducted revealed that female students are within Prince Mohammed bin Fahad University are increasingly being concerned with their beauty and wellbeing. In their quest to achieve this, they are increasing their consumption of salon and spa products. The salon and spa will ensure that the female students and their female relatives achieve their requirements by supplying them with different salon and spa products. According to Jordan, it has become a routine amongst female consumers to patronize spas and salons for prof essional treatments such as hair treatment, manicure, facials and pedicure (2008, p.354). To alleviate their aches and pain, female consumers are patronizing spas for various body treatments such as massage. PMU salon and spa will ensure that the female consumers within the university receive these products more effectively. Solution In order to ensure that the customers are satisfied, PMU salon and spa will be well equipped to with salon and spa facilities. Some of these facilities include steam baths, therapies such as crystal healing, and saunas. As a result, it will be possible for the firm to provide the customers with the required beauty and well being needs. In addition, the firm will also ensure that quality services are offered by hiring professionals with regard to beauty and wellbeing. Opportunity and Target market The salon and spa will target the female students aged between 19 to 26 years within the university. This arises from the fact that the demand for salon and sp a services amongst these customers is relatively high. As a result, there is a high probability of the salon succeeding in this market. By offering quality services to these customers, there is a high probability that they will refer their female relatives to this facility. This presents an opportunity for the salon and spa to increase its customer base. Therefore, setting up a salon and spa within Prince Mohammed bin Fahad University is very feasible since there is an opportunity for future growth. Competition Prior to entering the market, entrepreneurs are required to conduct a competitor analysis. According to Sandlin (2010, p.50), the analysis is aimed at determining the number of competitors operating in the target market. The firm’s management team will conduct a competitor analysis. The analysis will be aimed at determining the competitor’s strengths and weaknesses. This will enable the firm to relate to its weaknesses and strengths. The resultant effect is that the firm will identify gaps which it can capitalize on. The firm will face intense competition from other salons located around Prince Mohammed bin Fahad University. Findings of a market research conducted revealed that there are a number of salons and spas located within the university’s vicinity. These firms have been in the industry for a number of years. In addition, the salons and spas have diversified their product and services offering. For example, they offer salon and spa products females. This means that the salon and spa will be faced by direct competition. Considering that they have been in operation for a number of years, they have gained substantial recognition. Despite the intensity of competition, the firm intends to attain a high competitive edge by offering unique services. Coupled with its strategic location, there is a high probability of the firm attracting most of the female students from within the university who had been customers to these salons and spas. This arises from the fact that customers store loyalty is determined by its proximity to the customers’ place of residence, work or school. Through provision of a holistic and integrative salon and spa, the firm will enhance creation of a strong customer satisfaction and trust. Marketing and sales The firm will ensure that it is effectively positioned as the top spa-salon within the university. According to Porter, effective market positioning can contribute towards a firm improving its competitive edge. This is due to the fact that it’s positioning acts as a defense against its competitors. Prior to its establishment, the entrepreneur took into consideration a number of key success factors. The core factors considered include location, environment, reputation, and convenience. The firm is effectively located in an area with a substantial population of females. The firm will also provide an environment that is relaxing. A high degree of convenience will be ensure d through provision of a wide range of salon and spa products and services. In collaboration with the employees, the management team will ensure that the marketing activities are undertaken effectively by offering personalized services. Management team The firm will be effectively managed in an effort to enhance customer satisfaction. Effective organization will also be aimed at creating an environment conducive for working and employee development. This is inline with the firm’s management philosophy which entails respecting the employees and the customers. In its operation, the firm will have a management team composed of two key personnel’s who include the founder of the firm and the vice president. The founder of the firm will act as the Chief Executive Officer. He will be charged with the responsibility of overseeing the overall operations of the firm. This means that it is his responsibility to ensure that all activities are undertaken effectively and efficiently . On the other hand, the vice president will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all the administrative functions are smooth. For example, he will ensure that the employees are in good relation. Additionally, he will be charged with the responsibility of overseeing other activities such as marketing, and public relations. Initially, the firm will operate with a human resource base of 17 employees. The employees will be organized into two departments which include the salon and the spa. The spa will have a 1 nail specialist, 1 energy therapist and 3 massage therapists while the salon will have a total of 10 stylists and a receptionist. Each department will have its own receptionist. Current status Currently, the firm is in the process of formulating it operational strategies. The firm is also seeking for investors who can assist in lending financial capital to the firm. In addition, the firm has also posted an advert in the local dailies as the initial recruitment dri ve. Financial sought The entrepreneur has estimated the set up capital to be SAR 700,000. The firm’s core source of startup capital is from investors. The firm will seek financial capital from investors who intend to venture into the industry by lending their money to the entrepreneur. In return, the investors will receive a return on the amount advanced. The interest rate will be relatively higher than the rate offered by banks. In summary, it is expected that the firm’s plan will attract investors to invest in the business. This is due to the fact that there is a high probability of the business having high returns. Reference List Baker, R. (2011). Implementing value pricing: a radical business model for professional  firms. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. D’Angelo, J. (2010).Spa business strategies: a plan for success. Clifton Park, N.Y: Milady Cengage Learning. Green, M. (2001). Salon management. London: Thompson Learning. Greene, C. (2011). Entrepreneurship. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Jordan, T. (2008). Vancouver: the complete residents’ guide. Dubai: Explorer Publishing. Professional Beauty Association. (2010). Salon/Spa performance index gained 0.5% in  the first quarter amid rising sales and and customer traffic level. PDF File. Web. Sandlin, E. (2010). Start your own hair salon and day spa: your step by step guide to  success. New York: Entrepreneur Press.

Rome essays

Rome essays There were two great times of social disturbence in the Roman era. The first upheaval occurred in circa 445 BC. The second upheaval took place during Julius Caesars term of dictatorship. This took place about 45 BC. In both these cases the classes changed and were allowed rights that they havent had before. During the Struggle of Orders, the pleabeains wanted representation in the senate. During the late republic, many aristocrats were buying the farms from the small farmers. Due to this the farmers had no where but the army to turn for money. So in the late republic a leader by the name of Scipio Aemilianus gave there soldiers land to cultivate after their term in the army was over. Before the Struggle of Orders, the pleabeins did not have any representation in the senate. Representation is exactly what they had wanted. They wanted a voice because they didnt think that they were being heard. The patricians at that time the only men allowed in the senate. They were protected by anybody in the senate. The plebeians were right; the men of the senate only made laws that benefited themselves. They would not make laws that changed their lives in the least. I believe that the plebeians benefited from the Struggle of Orders. Before hand they were given no voice in the senate of Rome. Afterwards the plebeians were allowed representation. They were given the position of the Tribune. The Tribunes were the protectors of the plebeians. All they wanted was equality within the law. In result of this, the Roman law became more rounded and fairer. This helped the city out socially because the Plebeians were the majority in those times. During the late republic there were many wars that plagued Rome. They depended on an army that was always on standby. Who were their armies made up of? The Roman armies were made of plebeians. Most of the soldiers were small plebeian farmer ...

Organisations Learning and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisations Learning and Development - Essay Example To help employees acquire these capabilities and to hone their existing skills, many organisations are investing heavily on learning and developmental activities, which will help in achieving changing organisational objectives. Learning and developmental activities are also employed to motivate and retain skilled and experienced employees, which will not only enhance organisational capabilities but also save costs. The present discussion is based on organisational learning and development at UK-based B&Q, a leader in do-it-yourself retail home improvement sector. B&Q is the biggest home improvement retailer in the United Kingdom and have maximum customers than any other retailer in this sector. B&Q offers more than 40,000 do-it-yourself (DIY) products, which certainly requires highly talented and skilled staff that prepares such diverse products. B&Q employs more than 25000 full time employees in their retail stores in the UK. Started in 1969 by Richard Block and David Quayle, this s tore has about 321 stores in the UK and more than 50 stores in Ireland and other countries. Apart from numerous other awards and recognitions, B&Q has been winning the Gallup Great Workplace award in 2010 for four consecutive years for highest employee engagement and productivity in the world. This exemplary performance of B&Q is credited to its employees’ contribution, which is supported and promoted by workplace policies and practices followed at B&Q. B&Q’s main office is located at Southampton, and is referred to as Store Support Office, from where their HR function provides specific learning and developmental opportunities and support to its employees in different locations. Their HR team works closely with organisation development team to improve performance through identifying, shaping and supporting initiatives meant for employee learning and development (About B&Q, n.d). Argyris (1999) emphasizes that contemporary management views effective organisational strat egy as that which promotes continual development of new understandings, models, and practices; this management aspect is referred to as organisational learning. From this perspective, organisational learning is one of the crucial tasks in strategic management. Organisations that encourage creativity, employee empowerment and involvement require employees to be continually learning and developing new skills and competencies that can help in their performance and contribution; this is more crucial for organisations that produce innovative products and services. Moreover, for employee empowerment to be effective, employees must have the knowledge and skills to make logical and correct business decisions. Although employees come with some learning through education and prior experience, learning at organisation should continue for many reasons. Workplace learning helps in maintaining high motivation and enthusiasm of the employees. This is demonstrated in statement made by Glendinning, the Business Services Manager in Finance department of B&Q: ‘It is a big part of my job to always be thinking ahead, to be able to analyse my current performance, to be a good team manager and of course to hit my sales targets. B&Q are a great support in getting

COMPANY LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

COMPANY LAW - Essay Example And when this problem occurs, Black Books may find itself enmeshed in huge debts owing to corporate inactivity; (iii) loss of control on the company—this means that in the event of incurring huge debts due to poor performance, the lenders may request that the current management at Black Books be replaced by receivership or administration that are external and has little knowledge of how Black Books has been run (Mead and Sagar, 2006). The major problem associated with incurring huge debts or going insolvent is that it may destroy a company’s brand image that had been developed for years. And if this condition occurs or left to persist, it would be difficult for Black Books to regain the loyalty of its long- 2 time customers who may have begun to boycott the company’s books for another one (Omar, 2004). However, the main advantage of sourcing operating capital through loan or borrowing from lenders is that Black Books could claim tax relief on the interests payabl e to service the loan (Mead and Sagar, 2006). ... But using share capital appears safe for Black Books (if the company has chosen this method earlier on) because there would be no fear of going bankrupt owing to the restrictions on the utilization of Black Books’ assets placed under the lenders as collateral securities. Hence, Black Books can continue to operate and protect its brand image from being sullied due to insolvency and the take-over of the company’s administration by a new set of managers, who may lack adequate information about the true state of the company (Omar, 2004). 3 (ii) Black Books is expected to create debentures, which are the documents detailing the terms of borrowing capital loan from the lenders. Black Books has also indicated in the debentures some floating charges on some or all of its assets so as to fulfill the requirements stipulated by the lenders. However, some formalities must be strictly followed in order to draw up the appropriate debentures necessary for Black Books to get the loan. And each of the formalities has legal consequences as explained in the series of processes below: (a) Black Books approaches Lender to borrow ?500,000; the formality here is offering a legal mortgage of the company’s land as a security for the loan in favour of the Lender. This entails that the Lender has powers on the property—it could either restrict Black Books’ access to the land or sell it off when the company failed to pay the loan interests (Dakin et al., 2002). (b) Black Books wants to issue a first floating charge over the company's assets to the extent of ?100,000 in favour of the company's major trade creditor, Supplier, and include a "negative pledge" clause—the essence of a negative clause is to give the