Acetone - Background of the Study Essay Example for Free

Acetone Background of the Study Essay Familiar household uses of acetone are as the active ingredient in nail polish removers and as paint thinner. Acetone can also be used for medical and cosmetic uses, such as applying acetone with alcohol for acne treatments to peel dry skin. It can also remove residues from glass and porcelain and it can also remove super glue from the skin. Perhaps, acetone is very useful in our everyday lives. Acetone is also known to remove ball pen marks on fabrics and clothings. It has ethyl acetate that is said to remove ball pen stains. Most people accidentally rubs ball pen marks on their clothing on a daily basis. The study was done to find out if acetone is more effective and easier to remove ball pen marks on clothings or fabrics than normal laundry detergent. Statement of the Problem The study aims to answer the following questions: 1. What is a more effective and easier way in removing ball pen stains on fabrics? 2. Is acetone effective in removing ball pen marks? Hypothesis If the ball pen mark is removed and the clothing is cleaner and whiter using acetone then acetone is more effective and easier way to remove ball pen marks on the clothing. Significance of the Study The study was done to find out if acetone is effective in removing ball pen marks. The study will help mostly students and working adults and everyone who uses ball pen. They will benefit because most of the users have their ball pens blotting on a daily basis. Scope and Limitations The amount of bleach and acetone used is 20 ml. The ball pen mark is of the same size. Even the cloths are of the same type. This means that the study is limited to these amounts only. This study is limited to testing which among bleach or acetone can remove a simple ball pen mark effectively. Review of Related Literature According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_acetate#Uses, Ethyl Acetate is the solvent present in acetone that can remove the ball pen marks. It is also stated that ethyl acetate is also present in some hairsprays, alcohol, etc. Recommendation The researchers recommend repeating the testing using different cloths and different amounts of bleach and acetone to test other possibilities. It is also suggested that the researchers use warm water for washing the cloths. References Removing ball pen marks- http://housekeeping.about.com/od/stainremoval/a/inkstains.htm

The role of Marketing Strategy and Planning

The role of Marketing Strategy and Planning What is the role of marketing strategy and planning in a business? As a number of literature and empirical research underline the importance of marketing strategy and planning (Cannon 1978; Drechsler et al. 2013; Bearden 2001), this paper aims to demonstrate the importance of strategic marketing planning and to discuss their roles in the business. It will be divided into three parts. First, related literature will be reviewed to define marketing strategy and planning. Then, the paper discusses marketing strategy and planning’s functions. And in the final part of the paper, example from venture project will be illustrated to display how these functions apply. Marketing strategy and planning’s definition Strategy provides direction and exhibits long-term objective, in which all organizational approaches and resource allocation need to relate to (Jain et al. 2012; Porter 2002). The strategy refers to three levels, corporate, business and marketing (Bearden, 2011), which need to be coherent and consistent to one other (Jain et al. 2012). Corporate strategy provides overall organizational guideline, such as corporate vision and establishment of key business objectives, whereas, strategy in business level relates to overall market, for instance, a market scope (Bearden, 2001). In marketing level, strategy will specifically deal with the marketing mix, target market and marketing execution (Bearden, 2001), for example, unique selling point (USP) proposition, pricing strategy, finance and operations (Lavinsky 2013; Githens 2011). While strategy frames direction, planning deals with detailed implementation and determines a mean in terms of timing and sequence (Jain et al. 2012). It displays what and how to execute strategies in detail (Bearden, 2001), and includes contingency plans to cope with unexpected situations (Schilit, 1987). There is a slightly difference between marketing strategy and planning terms, nevertheless, they are, somehow, relevant. Strategic marketing planning’s roles While marketing strategy functions as a guideline or ‘what-to-do’, marketing planning associates with ‘how-to’ implement those strategies (Jain et al. 2012; Lake n.d.). As these two concepts show a mutual supported process (Lake, n.d.), a combination between two areas, strategic marketing planning (SMP) is emerged. SMP is a term to describe a strategic guideline that all organizational staff undertakes to yield expected outcomes (Baker 2007; Lorette n.d.). So, the following section will focus on SMP by describing factors that shape marketing strategy and SMP’s functions in a business. Supported by Cannon (1978), Jain et al. (2012) proposed that marketing strategy concerns with external assessment, which are customer’s needs and competitor analysis, and internal evaluation, which is company’s capability. The interplay among these three pillars, or 3Cs’ analysis, shapes marketing strategy (Hernandez, 2013). Consequently, strategic marketing reflects customer’s needs, creates product differentiations and corresponds to company’s capabilities properly (Nystrà ¶m 1986; Hernandez 2013; Drechsler et al. 2013). Based on aforementioned planning characteristics and three strategy’s factors, strategic marketing planning yields four main beneficial functions (Blythe and Megicks 2010; Lorette n.d.). First of all, (1) SMP minimises potential risks related to inconsistency between marketing plan and customers’ needs (Cannon, 1978). As a well-conducted research reflects true customers’ needs, marketers could launch desirable product that match to the market. Secondly, (2) a well-organized SMP generates sustainable competitive advantages, such as distinct unique selling point. Thirdly, (3) SMP is a guideline for marketers to pursue business goals regards to certain aspects, for example, it shows financial forecast and clear-cut role allocation, leading to effective financial management and operational efficiency. Lastly, (4) as SMP includes 3C’s model analysis, potential opportunities in the future are identified (Schilit, 1987). Overall, SMP plays important roles, which relates to customer (a desirable product that serves market’s needs), competitors (the marketing mix differentiation), and company (an effective resource allocation). It also allows marketers to recognize future opportunity if SMP has been developed properly (Schilit, 1987). Example: Foodmates, a student cooking community application To demonstrating SMP functions, this following example, a venture project, will be illustrated. Foodmates is a cooking community application for Manchester-based students. To initiate this idea, marketing strategy was established according to three pillars, which are customer, competitor and company. With respect to customer, we reviewed secondary data and conduct primary research to identify opportunities that we could tap into. Students in Manchester represent potential market with specific needs and problems. Three vital student-related implications were raised, which are the lack of cooking skills, high mobile application penetration rate, and active social network interaction. We also included questions to test Foodmates’ conceptual idea. This will ensure that Foodmates will not be rejected from the market. Consequently, our business will bear less of potential risks that might be posed. As cooking application is in a highly competitive market, we analyse competitors’ strategies and their marketing mix, to create differentiation. According to these analyses, we hold on to our 3S’s USP, which are student-focused, simple recipes and sharing community, as our distinct attributes. Foodmates is the online cooking space, where Manchester-based students can contribute their simple recipes to others by posting food pictures with described recipes. This mechanic encourages sharing simple menus, which makes us different from other cooking applications. In company’s assessment aspect, we did financial forecast to estimate start-up budget and considered who should take responsible for particular jobs. Even though they were hypothetically estimated, it allows us to get a picture of what aspects marketing plan should include, and how marketing plan plays a role as a roadmap to achieve business goals. Conclusion In conclusion, marketing strategy determines direction, while planning relates to mean and implementation. The integration between these two aspects triggers strategic marketing planning (SMP) process. The roles of SMP are primarily based on three essential dimensions, which are customer, competitor and company. An effective SMP will reflect customers’ needs so it lowers product’s failure rate in particular market. Moreover, it creates not only product differentiation, but also effective resource allocation within the company. By consider customer, competitor and company aspects, the ultimate goal of SMP is a company’s sustainable success over other competitors in the market. References BAKER, M.J. (2007), â€Å"Marketing and corporate strategy†, in BAKER, M.J. (ed.), Marketing strategy and management, 4th ed., Palgrave Macmillan, New York, p. 50-76. BEARDEN, W.O. (2001), â€Å"Marketing’s strategic role in the organization†, in BEARDEN, W.O. et al. (eds.), Marketing: Principles Perspectives, 3rd ed., McGraw Hill Irwin, Boston, p. 51-73. BLYTHE, J. and MEGICKS, P. (2010), â€Å"Introduction to marketing planning†, in BLYTHE, J. and MEGICKS, P., Marketing Planning: Strategy, Environment and Context, Pearson, Edinburgh, p. 1-22. CANNON, T. (1978), â€Å"New product development†, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 12 No.3, p. 217-248. DRECHSLER, W. et al. (2013), â€Å"Improving Marketings Contribution to New Product Development†, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 30 No.2, p. 298-315. GITHENS, G. (2011), A guide to the three types of strategy and business model scope, [Online] Available from: http://leadingstrategicinitiatives.com/2011/07/10/a-guide-to-the-three-types-of-strategy-and-business-model-scope/ [Accessed 11/01/2014]. HERNANDEZ, H. (2013), Simple Approach to a high level 3C’s Analysis, [Online] Available from: http://ochodigital.com/blog/simple-approach-high-level-3cs-analysis/ [Accessed 23/12/2013]. JAIN, S.C. et al. (2012), â€Å"Marketing and the concept of planning and strategy†, in JAIN, S.C. et al. (eds.), Marketing planning and strategy, Cengage, Australia, p. 3-27. LAKE, L. (n.d.), Marketing Strategy vs. Marketing Plan, [Online] Available from: http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingplanandstrategy/a/Marketing-Strategy-Vs-Marketing-Plan.htm [Accessed 23/12/2013]. LAVINSKY, D. (2013), Marketing plan template: Exactly what to include, [Online] Available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/davelavinsky/2013/09/30/marketing-plan-template-exactly-what-to-include/ [Accessed 11/01/2014]. LORETTE, K. (n.d.), The role of marketing planning in business, [Online] Available from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/role-marketing-planning-business-3234.html [Accessed 23/12/2013]. NYSTRÃâ€"M, H. (1986), â€Å"Balancing competition and cooperation, the key to successful marketing strategy†. In: 3rd International I.M.P. Research seminar on international marketing, France, September 1986. France: IMP, p. 1-19. PORTER, M.E. (2002), â€Å"What is strategy†, in MAZZUCATO, M. (ed.), Strategy for business, SAGE, London, p. 10-31. SCHILIT, W.K. (1987), â€Å"How to write a winning business plan†, Business Horizons, Vol.30 No.5, p. 13-22.

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay Free and fair elections and functioning electoral systems are the quintessence of democracy. Elections are used to ensure popular support and legitimacy for those who make governmental decisions.  [i]  An electoral system is the set of processes that determine how political candidates are elected to office. These procedures include the ballot structure, how citizens cast their votes, how those votes are tallied, and how the winners are determined.  [ii]  Electoral systems are important in many ways. First, they have significant political consequences. Electoral systems shape the nature of parties and party systems, and they affect the behavior of politicians and the strategies of voters.  [iii]   Additionally, electoral systems have a strong effect on the number of parties and consequently on the nature of competition in the party system. Electoral systems also affect the ways parties are organized and how they function internally. In addition, electoral systems also reveal the preferences of politicians and shape politicians behavior.  [iv]  Brazil pdf Accordingly, there are a small number of states in the world that have very similar electoral or voting systems but continue to have dissimilar amounts of political parties. These similarities and differences are best illustrated when comparing the United States and France. Despite similar electoral systems, France has numerous political parties while the United States has only two major parties. It would be anticipated that France and the United States would contain a resemblance in its electoral system based upon the information that the original French charter was inspired by the U.S. constitution.  [v]  Essentially, both states use a first past the post, winner takes all style of electing their Presidents. The United States also uses a unique system called the Electoral College to select a President from available nominees.  [vi]   This paper will seek to analyze the similarities and differences between France and the United States electoral systems. Firstly, the party system will be compared; secondly the electoral process itself, afterwards the heads of state, the question of reforms and finally the information provided will be summarized. Party System The structure of the party system in France is quite unique compared to other democracies. France has a multi-party system as opposed to the two-party system in the United States, and within those multiple parties, there is a great variety of internal organization.  [vii]  It was in France that the distinction between left and right first appeared and it is there that this distinction is of particular importance. However, the country has developed a multiple party system, so that the differences between left and right are far from clear. The parties have arranged themselves traditionally in the structure of the National Assembly, from the extreme left to the extreme right. The reason for the numerous amounts of political parties is for the most part historical. Successive regimes have passed, leaving their defenders as political parties or factions.  [viii]   Therefore, each party then can be identified with a preferred constitutional form and they each have their own particular ideology. France has gone through a succession of revolutions and regimes in which the new order never succeeded in entirely eradicating the advocates of the old. The older doctrines and their defenders have found that the Cartesian tradition, which is a tendency to pursue theoretical distinctions to the end, has encouraged their survival.  [ix]   The Third and Fourth Republics knew two electoral systems, both of which encouraged proliferation: proportional representation which assures each tiny party of its share of representation and therefore does not discourage the voter from exercising a marginal differentiation in casting his vote, and the single-member constituency system combined with the second ballot which encouraged a multiplication of candidates, and therefore of parties, especially on the first round. This system of many parties inevitably produced political weakness and cabinet instability.  [x]   Now, in the Fifth republic, (enacted in 1958), the electoral system in France depends on the size of the municipality. In municipalities with more than 3,500 inhabitants, the first half of the seats is allocated on the basis of absolute majority and the dHondt method of proportional representation is used to distribute the second half of the seats between lists that received at least five per cent of the votes. Municipalities with up to 3,500 inhabitants elect councils on the basis of absolute majority.  [xi]   In contrast, the American system as previously stated, is based on a two-party system, even though third parties exist. This results in clearly defined political lines in the United States, without the formal need for coalition-building often required to create a ruling majority in a parliamentary system.  [xii]  One factor contributing to the two-party system in the United States is the single-member district system of electing Representatives. Single-member meaning means that whoever receives a plurality of the vote (that is, the greatest number of votes in any given voting district) is elected.  [xiii]   Moreover, the Republican and Democratic parties are the two main political parties in the U.S. The Republicans and Democrats have dominated American politics since the 1860s, and every president since 1852 has been either a Republican or Democrat.  [xiv]  Despite that fact, so-called third parties and independent candidates remain a part of American politics. Most third parties have tended to flourish for a single election and then die, fade, or be absorbed into one of the major parties.  [xv]   Presidential Electoral Process The national election for the president of the United States is held every four years. These elections are far from straightforward in terms of its organization. The procedure for a national election goes on for a year.  [xvi]  A party must present nominated people to stand for election. Of  those nominated, only one is selected by the party delegates at the national convention. This person then goes on to represent that party in the national presidential elections. The running mate for the presidential candidate is also announced. Moreover, the structure of primary elections can differ from state to state. Some delegates are elected in a straight first-past-the-post system while other states use a form of proportional representation to give a greater spread of representation among the delegates sent to a national convention.  [xvii]  The delegates, when at a convention, vote for a candidate to run in the presidential election. After the national conventions, the two partie s presidential hopefuls can focus on campaigning for winning the presidential elections.  [xviii]   A unique feature of the American system is the Electoral College. When Americans vote for a President and Vice President, they actually vote for presidential electors, together as the Electoral College. The Constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives delegations; at present, the number of electors per state ranges from three to 55, for a total of 538. It is these elector-candidates, rather than the presidential and vice presidential nominees, which the citizens vote for in the election. In most states, voters cast a single vote for the slate of electors pledged to the party presidential and vice presidential candidates of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is elected; this is known as the winner-take-all, or general ticket, system. Separate ballots are cast for President and Vice President. The electoral vote results are counted and declared at a session of Congress. A majority of elec toral votes (currently 270 of 538) is required to win.  [xix]  In the recent American elections in 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the election with 53% of the popular vote along with 365 electoral votes over Republican candidate John McCain.  [xx]   In comparison, in the French system, candidates for the Presidency must obtain 500 sponsoring signatures of elected officials from at least 30 departments or overseas territories. The post is directly elected in a two-stage voting system. A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round is elected. However, if no candidate receives 50%, there is a second round which is a run-off between the two candidates who secured the most votes in the first round. Nicolas Sarkozy, from the ruling UMP, won the second round of the Presidential election in May 2007. He gained 53% of the vote, finishing six points ahead of his Socialist rival, Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal.  [xxi]   Duties of the Head of State The constitution of the French Fifth Republic was approved by public referendum on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the powers of the executive in relation to those of Parliament. Under this constitution, presidents were elected directly for a seven-year term since 1958. However, beginning in 2002, the presidential term of office was reduced to five years and a constitutional reform passed on July 21, 2008 which limits presidents to two consecutive terms in office. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties. Traditionally, presidents under the Fifth Republic have tended to leave day-to-day policy-making to the prime minister and government; the five-year term of office is expected to make presidents more accountable for the results of domestic policies.  [xxii]   On the contrary, the American presidents chief duty is to make sure that the laws are implemented. Presidents appoint all cabinet heads and most other high-ranking officials of the executive branch of the federal government. They also nominate all judges of the federal judiciary, including the members of the Supreme Court. Their appointments to executive and judicial posts must be approved by a majority of the Senate. The president is also the commander in chief of the US military and has unconstrained authority to direct the movements of the navy, land and air forces. The president has the power to make treaties with foreign governments, though the Senate must also approve such treaties by a two-thirds majority. Finally, the president has the power to approve or veto bills passed by Congress, though Congress can override the presidents veto by summoning a two-thirds majority in favour of the measure.  [xxiii]   Electoral System Reform? With respect to proposals by some American scholars and policy makers to get rid of the U. S. Electoral College system, most reformers advocate for a direct popular vote in the French manner and most also advocate a runoff (also like the French system) in the event that no candidate receives majority support (or or a lower figure such as 40%) in a first round election. But there are many Americans who believe that two presidential elections within a period of a few weeks would be too much.  [xxiv]  Moreover, The French are starting to embrace the concept of having primaries like the Americans. Even though these are not yet systematically organized, they are helpful in sorting out the candidates of each political party. In 2006, for example, the Socialist Party fielded three candidates, and party activists chose one of them, Segolà ¨ne Royal, to represent them. It is not that unlikely to see that same process expanded in future presidential elections.  [xxv]   Conclusion While comparing United States government to French government there are many similarities and differences discovered. To reiterate, France and the United States citizens elect the president of the republic, and both democracies do it by universal suffrage.   The French, on the other hand, prefer a direct election. In other words, a two-round electoral process in which any French citizen can become a candidate given that they collect 500 signatures endorsing their candidacy. The Americans however have a different method. Every state chooses by popular vote a list of electors, each of whom represents one candidate. The list pledged to a candidate who wins a simple or absolute majority of votes takes all of the states Electoral College seats (essentially winner takes all).  [xxvi]  This two-step election process takes into consideration both American demographics and political equality among the states of the Union, which is quite different from the French system.  [xxvii]  Fr ance is a representative democratic republic like the United States. France differs from the United States in political organization. The difference is that the political power in France is split between the president and a prime minister, who leads the political party that holds majority in Parliament.  [xxviii]   In addition, France is characterized by its multi-party system, whilst the United States is seen as a two-party system, even though third parties do exist. Also, Relations between France and the United States have become friendlier after Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of France. In 2007, Sarkozy delivered a speech before the U.S. Congress which was a strong affirmation of French-American friendship. During his visit he met with President George W. Bush as well as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. This visit took place before the two senators were chosen as party nominees.  [xxix]  Both also met with Sarkozy in Paris after securing their respective nominations in 2008; after meeting Obama in July, he was quoted saying Obama? Cest mon copain which means Obama? Hes my buddy. Because of Obamas and Sarkozys relationship, relations between the two countries are expected to improve further.  [xxx]  

Starbuck’s, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco and Wal-Mart have all been Essay

Starbuck’s, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco and Wal-Mart have all been chosenas Fortune Magazine â€Å"USA 100 Best Companies to Work For† Starbuck’s, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco and Wal-Mart are leaders in their industry and have been doing business successfully. During the research on their Human Resource Management (HRM), I can see their successes are firmly related to their effective and efficient HRM strategies. There are many factors in common among these five companies’ HRM strategies: devotion to employees’ benefits, employee training, a diversified work environment, promotions and rewards system, friendly and healthy workplace and outsourcing opportunities, Starbuck’s business has been boosting year by year. For many people that have had Starbuck’s coffee, they may notice that Starbuck’s customer service is outstanding. Every customer is treated like a VIP and with high quality service. This has a lot to do with Starbuck’s HRM. Starbuck’s provides its management team and employees training to help them better understand its business process. Also, Starbuck’s offers a wide range of job opportunities for people to develop their potential. Nordstrom has reputation of quality products and customer service. From its website introduction, it is not hard to find that Nordstrom gives employees an excellent rewards system to encourage higher standard service, and it values employees at different levels. Every employee that works at Nordstrom will feel he or sh...

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Essays

Philosophy of Education Educating children profoundly affects their lives and influences the life of anyone who comes into contact with those children. Education provides a foundation for a child to base the rest of his or her life on. Without a solid education, it becomes impossible for an individual to provide for themselves and their family. Also, well-educated people can make decisions that benefit both their own interests and the interests of society as a whole. In this paper, I will address my personal opinions and philosophy about education. First, I will address the nature of the student. Next, I will examine the nature of knowledge, followed by the purpose of public education, and method. Finally, my paper will conclude with a discussion of the curriculum areas that are most important in elementary school. Additionally, I will relate my views to pragmatism and progressivism, and to Plato?s teaching, three valuable theories regarding education. No two students are exactly alike. Nevertheless, they do share one fundamental characteristic -- every student has the ability to learn. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato believed that a student?s learning ability is determined entirely by genetics. According to Plato, people are either golds, silvers, or bronzes. The golds are the smartest and the bronzes are the slower learners. I don?t really agree with this philosophy. Yes, some children are naturally intelligent and others are not. But natural ability is not the only factor to consider. Students differ on their level of motivation regarding learning. Some students will settle for a ?C? while others push themselves to get an ?A.? Others are perfectly happy with failing grades. Motivation, or lack of it, can be blamed on one of two causes: environment and genetics. Some feel that a child?s desire to learn is most influenced by their home environment. Genes have also been blamed for a child?s longing to l earn. I feel that both factors play a role in how a child approaches education. In a home where education is strongly emphasized, a child is probably going to want to learn. However, this is not always true.

Finance Chapter 3

PROBLEM:01 The formula which breaks down the return on equity into three component parts is referred to as DuPont formula. PROBLEM:02 The Purple Martin has annual sales of $687,400, total debt of $210,000, total equity of $365,000, and a profit margin of 4. 80 percent. What is the return on assets? ROA = net income / total assets ROA = (687400 * 4. 80) / (210000 + 365000) ROA = 5. 74 PROBLEM:03 The Meat Market has $747,000 in sales. The profit margin is 4. 1 percent and the firm has 7,500 shares of stock outstanding. The market price per share is $22. What is the price-earnings ratio?P/E = market value per share / earnings per share P/E = 22 / (747000 * 4. 1 / 7500) P/E = . 0539 PROBLEM:04 Beach Wear has current liabilities of $350,000, a quick ratio of 1. 65, inventory turnover of 3. 2, and a current ratio of 2. 9. What is the cost of goods sold? CA = current ratio * current liablities CA = 2. 9 * 350000 CA = 1015000 QR = (CA – Inventory) / CL 1. 65 = (1015000 – Invent ory) / 350000 Inventory = 437500 Cost of goods sold = IT * T Cost of goods sold = 3. 2 * 4375000 Cost of goods sold = 1400000 PROBLEM:05 Study the comparative balance sheets for Kyprianides Inc. nd Pecchia Company in the year 2011. Notice that both companies have the same amount of assets. However, there are some differences in the way the two companies finance those assets. Fill in the spaces on the balance sheets and then answer the following questions. Kyprianides Inc. Pecchia Co. Current Assets Cash and equivalents200300 Accounts Receivable1,1002,400 Inventory 4,6002,000 Total Current Assets 4,9004,700 Property, Plant and Equipment10,00011,200 Total Assets 15,90015,900 Current Liabilities Accounts Payable 3,0003,200 Current portion of LT debt200400Total Current Liabilities 3,2003,600 Notes payable 2,0007,000 Total Liabilities 5,20010,600 Common Stock6,0002,000 Additional Paid-in Capital 1,0001,000 Retained Earnings 3,7002,300 Total Stockholders’ Equity10,7005,900 Total Li ab & SE15,90015,900 Using the financial data from the balance sheets above, fill in the following chart for both Kyprianides Inc. and Pecchia Co. RatioKyprianides Inc. Pecchia Co. Current Ratio4,900 / 3,200= 1. 534,700 / 3,600= 1. 31 Quick Ratio(4,900 – 4,600) / 3,200= . 094(4,700 – 2,000) / 3,600= . 750 Debt Ratio5,200 / 15,900= . 32710,600 / 15,900= . 667

Louise Vuitton

Louis Vuitton — one of the oldest fashionable houses of Europe. Its history began in the middle of the XIX century, in 1854. Today, as well as 150 years ago, goods from Louis Vuitton are still made manually. With unmistakably recognizable monogram of â€Å"LV† on the logo, Louis Vuitton it is recognized as one of the most prestigious brands in the world. â€Å"Louis Vuitton is one of the world's leading international fashion houses; it sells its products through standalone boutiques, lease departments in high-end department stores, and through the e-commerce section of its website.Louis Vuitton commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton or shortened to LV, is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. † (louisvuitton, 2011). Environment can be defined as, the amalgamation of external physical circumstances that impinge and influence the augmentation, development and survival of creation. Therefore, the business environment would define as same, all the f actors internal and external that affects its profitability and growth. It is very important for the business leader to carry out business environmental analysis to understand their business topography at present time.To evaluate suitable context of the organisations operations in terms of the internal environment it is best to use SWOT analysis of Louis Vuitton. First of all let is start from strengths. Louise Vuitton is not only one of the oldest, but one of the most legendary houses of fashion in the world. The most valuable argument for the strength of this company is exclusivity. Since the 19th century, manufacture of Louis Vuitton goods has not changed. â€Å"Luggage is still made by hand, utilize the signature brown Damier and Monogan Canvas materials, both of which were first used in late 19th century.† (lvmh, 2012).Also, the company markets it is product though it is own stores located throughout the world, which allows it to control product quality and pricing. â₠¬Å"Louis Vuitton commands a strong brand identity and image in the world’s leading financial hubs such as China, Japan and Hong Kong, which incidentally also has the highest concentrations of high net worth individuals, with loyal customers in Europe and the United States. † (louisvuittonbrand, 2013). Secondly let is identify weaknesses of Louise Vuitton.Limited costumer base is the one of the weaknesses of this company. Only the elite and rich who want to make a statement and want to be distinctive from others can afford Louise Vuitton. Also, it does not have any discount sale on it is products, which means that the company reducing the chances of attracting customers who can afford more economical products. â€Å"LV has not had a sale in 154 years. Louis Vuitton prohibits bargain sales. A core of Louis Vuitton’s pricing strategy is to sell the products to all of its customers at the same price no matter the location.â€Å" (Kraemer, 2012).Thirdly, let is thin k about opportunities. To meet contemporary tastes and styles of it is elite consumers, Louise Vuitton revamping its image from time to time. â€Å"The fashion industry is a pretty dynamic one which changes rapidly over the seasons. Louis Vuitton has the ability to revamp its image from time to time to meet contemporary tastes, styles and preferences of its customers. † (louisvuittonbrand, 2013). Moreover, Louise Vuitton leverages its strong brand equity to product – fashion, accessories, shoes, timepieces, and architecture.And with its continuous innovation and support to different managerial, environmental, and more crucially societal and humanitarian issues and concerns (e. g. corporate sponsorship to support culture, youth and humanitarian action), Louis Vuitton can gain more customer loyalty, which will help give them a greater competitive advantage against rival brands. â€Å"While the brand is one of the leading names in the luxury industry, Louis Vuitton maint ains a strong desire to continue its innovation with high quality raw materials, tamper-proof locks, optimised production processes, and soon a dedicated leather goods hub in Angers, France.† (Quark, 2013).Now let is talk about threats of the company. Louise Vuitton is one of the most counterfeited brands in fashion world due to its image as a status symbol – imitation of quality, expertise and innovation – sued Britney Spears, Darfur Charity infringing LV’s intellectual property rights. Also it is has luxury and strong competitors such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Prada etc. And one more thing is animal right group. Campaigners staged a noisy protest outside a Louise Vuitton store on Paris famed Champs Elysees avenue in 2006 for using real fur in decoration and  accessories.â€Å"With the advent of environmental protection and considerations in business, the number of groups protesting against the use of animal skins on fashion and leather goodsâ €  (louisvuittonbrand, 2011). External business environment represent the uncontrollable factors, the external factors can be analysed using PEST analysis. It will cover political, economical, social and technological factors. Political Louis Vuitton has slashed the rate of new store openings to two a year on average, down from 10-15.Its extensive network of 460 shops stretches to Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Higher sales going through fewer stores should boost the profitability of each store. Economical Economical situation, inflation, interest rate and strengths of consumer spending. It will directly affect the Louise Vuitton and its profit, if economical situation is bad consumer will spend less â€Å"Fewer new store openings will also free up cash, which could potentially be returned to shareholders† (Daneshkhu, 2013) SocialLouise Vuitton is wealthiest and renowned member of society Technological The new opportunities to expand on the Internet though online sales and now e ven sales by smartphones â€Å"Today, the Louis Vuitton app includes three document types: PDFs, interactive publications (with video, slideshows, Web sites, specific read modes) and videos. It consists of a kiosk, which is used to navi- gate through the Quark Publishing Platform tree structure to select and download the desired publications before viewing them on the iPad.The app also includes a library for previously downloaded documents (which can be read in off-line mode). † (Quark, 2013) Now this essay will give brief recommendations for Louise Vuitton for the next years. Let is start from short-term recommendations. First of all, to make Louise Vuitton more appealing to the consumer, some products of the brand can be made available only in small quantities, by limiting its production of certain products from time to time, or producing special  edition of the some handbag in different markets, Louise Vuitton could become even more premium.Hence, this can satisfy the co nsumer, who wants to differentiate themselves from other Louise Vuitton users. Louise Vuitton could even create a trend for collection of limited edition Louise Vuitton products. Also, Louise Vuitton can open to franchising with high end malls around the world. Long term recommendations are about to be more distinctive from the competition, Louise Vuitton may consider concentrating its business model to production of leather goods only.If Louise Vuitton could concentrate on leather goods production alone, it could become not just the leader, but also the specialist of producing different leather goods. Also, by offering more economic lines to the consumer, Sub brands will help to fight counterfeiting and broaden their consumer base In conculion, as Louis Vuitton continues to build on its strong history, add to its portfolio, and show continued growth, now is a strategic time to invest as stock and value continue to rise.â€Å"The company’s maturity and proven stability make it attractive and investors can rest assured that there would be a low level of volatility in their investment. †(Nebia, 2012) Investors can also be comfortable with the fact that this is not exactly a â€Å"widows and orphans† stock, Louise Vuitton has had continuous expansions by acquiring other well know luxury goods companies and continues to make substantial investments. This has helped to further differentiate sources of revenue and gain more consumers. The company’s innovation in the sector and well-established culture make it standout investment.