The Disney Difference Essay Example

The Disney Difference Essay Guyette Luster MGT 301 17 March, 2013 Module 2: Case Application â€Å"Managing the Magic† Assignment Page 121 (1-4) 1. What is the Disney Difference and how will it affect the company’s corporate, competitive, and functional strategies? Answer: The â€Å"Disney Difference† is Disney’s marketing strategy that has basically kept the brand afloat throughout the recession years. Disney has been able to market well by staying with a large amount of products and services to add value to the brand. The Disney Difference will affect the corporate strategy (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011) since they are expanding into Hong Kong and have already organized an amount of funding they will need to finish the project. The Disney Difference will affect the competitive strategy (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011) by staying with the times. Disney was once viewed as just a child-loved place. With the future ventures that Disney has decided to invest in, the company should do very well in its category and stay very competitive in nature. The Disney Difference will affect the functional strategy (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011) by the amount of marketing and research they have invested in as well. Customer service will also be researched. Surveys and customer reviews could play a role in the functional strategy. 2. What challenges do you think Disney might face in doing business in Russia? How could Iger and his top management team use planning to best prepare for those challenges? Answer: Expanding into Russia is a very uncertain challenge. We will write a custom essay sample on The Disney Difference specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Disney Difference specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Disney Difference specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The brand has done very little with Russia but the management team has already used planning to delve right in. They have planned to start with televised Disney programming (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011), a planning strategy that is very specific, but flexible. Television programming can be pulled if they do not do as well as planned so they really are not starting out huge. Another way Disney can plan with their management team is to start planning phase two in Russia with a time frame of televising and marketing. Maybe put Disney products in local malls if not already doing so. Marketing and research are two very important roles in a successful brand. 3. With the announced expansion of Disney’s Hong Kong Disneyland, what goals might the company set? What type of planning will be necessary? Answer: Time frame will be an important goal for this specific project. The money has been evaluated and the length of time has possibly already been calculated. All organization departments need to be putting together individual goals that should be approved by top management. Open communication is also very important for a project this size to be successful. Specific directional planning should be in use for this project. Every department must be given a specific goal and plan to develop in such a large investment. 4. How might Iger and his top management team use the strategic management process to â€Å"keep the magic coming† in the current economic climate? Answer: Planning and analysis are the first two ways to â€Å"keep the magic coming† (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011). After, the management needs to formulate a plan and adhere to their short-term/long-term goals (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011). Implementing those strategies and goals are the next step (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011). Evaluating the results and researching the customer reviews or the marketing strategies (Coulter, DeCenzo, Robbins, 2011). This is to ensure that the company is making the profit necessary to stay on top. References Coulter, M. , DeCenzo, D. , Robbins, S. (2011). Pearson Custom Business Resources. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.

Asian Ebay Essay Example

Asian Ebay Essay Example Asian Ebay Paper Asian Ebay Paper 1. Why has eBay struggled in Japan, China and other Asia markets? eBay is an online auction service whose business model is ideally suited to the Web. EBay stores no inventory and ships no products. Instead, it derives its revenue from the movement of information, an ideal task for the Internet. EBay has taken its model to numerous foreign markets and been successful, particularly in England, France, and Germany, however, eBay has failed to achieve the same success in the Asian markets. There are several reasons behind eBay failure in Japan, China and its slow growth in other Asian markets, such as: Global Brand Image vs. Localization: failure to localize the brand to appeal to Asian costumers. Understanding how to localize a brand can do wonders for a company. Use success in the US as proof-of-concept. This leads to over-confidence. The fact eBay dominates in the US or Europe means little to Asian costumers Failure to understand and adapt to local market and culture Failure to react quickly to local competition Poor decision making between headquarters and local management Low-key approach to marketing In Japan. eBays failure in Japan was a series of missteps. Firstly, eBay joined the market five months after Yahoo auctions, giving its competitor a massive head start to establish itself. In auctions, there is a significant first-mover advantage. A site with more sellers attracts buyers and more buyers bring sellers. This was a lesson both companies had learned through a very different experience in the U. S, where eBay led the way and Yahoo! tried with limited success to build an auction business in its shadow. Jack Ma believes EBays failure in Japan was due to an inability to build what he calls the community effect in the country. For Ma, the community effect begins with customer satisfaction. And, eBay failed to understand the Japanese buying psyche. They tried to target the younger market, and forced them to pay by credit card, but didnt realize that most young Japanese prefer to pay cash on delivery or by bank deposit. The final nail in the coffin was imposing a commission charge of up to 5% where its competitor Yahoo charges nothing at all. Clearly fatal and basic flaws in their business plan. Another possible misstep was Whitmans choice of Okawara, a second-generation Japanese-American from Hawaii, as president and CEO. Okawara was well-known in Japan for turning a faltering frozen-pizza business into a $100 million company. But at 60, she was twice the age of most of her eBay Japan employees and new to the Internet. Okawara herself attributes the problems to the late launch: When we arrived last year, the 800-pound gorilla was already positioned. Even when eBay did get in gear, it took too long, critics say, to embellish its Japanese site with the local touches needed to attract users. Over time, categories had to be changed and more free features, such as horoscopes, product reviews, and newsletters, had to be added so it makes more sense from a Japanese point of view, says Okawara. These alterations took months. At the same time, eBay Japan also took a low-key approach to marketing, relying on its usual formula: rather than spend big bucks on advertising, just let auction fans spread the word. That passivity backfired in Japan because eBay had too few users. In contrast, Yahoo Japan spends some 8% of revenue on promotions that include renting billboards in trendy Tokyo districts, opening an Internet cafe with Starbucks, and covering the planes of a domestic airline with Yahoos purple-and-yellow logo. By 2002, the San Francisco-area company admitted defeat, laying off all 17 of its Japan employees and shutting down the site with about 25,000 listings. All its Japanese customers would be directed to its US based auction operations/site. At the time, eBay was the number one auction site in all of the other 18 countries in which it operated and one of the few successful internet companies, having seen its profits soar even amid the dot-com implosion. eBays strategy in Japan had failed. Japan was a rare failure for the company. In China. When eBay started in China in 2003 through its acquisition of Eachnet, many analysts thought that eBays China operation would be a slam-dunk. They thought that have learned from its mistakes in applying its American model to an Asian country. The Eachnet management team had staked out a commanding lead in the online auction sector, controlling nearly 80% of the market. They had strong international and domestic experience and were close to their customers. By the end of 2006, however, eBay had invested $300 million into its China operations and had little to show for the effort. Its market share had declined steadily each year until it reached an anemic 20% in 2006 as it lost ground to competitors Alibabas Taobao and Tencents Paipai. Many of the largest mistakes were not the ypical problems that businessmen often point to as the reasons why MNCs fail in China such as corruption, lack of transparency or currency problems. Again, it was the failure to understand the local market conditions, failure to build the community effect,to â€Å"localize† the brand and adapt. Chinese consumers like to buy from brands and people that they trust and where customer service was over the top. Many consumers dislike eBay because of bad service and because it did not focus on building up trust. And, to be successful in China, companies need to provide security every step of the way during a sales transaction to ensure that When eBay entered China, their Paypal payment method did not seamlessly integrate escrow into the sales process. Taobaos popular Alipay made escrow an important component of the online buying experience, because consumers felt confident paying money to Alipay and then only releasing the money after they had their purchase in-hand. In contrast, using Paypal made the whole process more complicated and nerve-wracking. Moreover, Taobao allowed the buyers and sellers to contact each other directly via mobile phone or instant messaging. Respondents liked the real-time haggling and bargaining on Taobao, while all communication via the Ebay platform has to go through Ebay so that Ebay could get its cut, slowing down the negotiation process. Later attempts by eBay to incorporate escrow into the transaction process were too late to help it regain lost market share. Chinese consumers also like to make transactions personal because it helps to build trust between the buyer and seller. Before Ebay acquired Eachnet, sellers and buyers could call a number for service questions. After the acquisition, Ebay brought in the same practices it had in the US and did not offer buyers or sellers a phone number to call, expecting consumers to email questions or join online discussion groups. Consumers in China viewed this as a major lack of customer service rather than as an efficient way to get answers and as a way to make friends with others in the Ebay sphere. They said that if they were going to pay to sell their products, they should at least have a number to call if they ran into problems. Unlike competitor Taobao, which offers free basic services to sellers, eBay initially charged listing fees. Another problem comes from the way eBay how it handled decision-making between its headquarters in San Jose and its China operations. Executives in China felt that headquarters did not listen to them at critical junctures, and they did not understood that in China, things take longer because of the need to work with the government, settle copyright issues and find local managerial talent. Puld due to several layers, the decisions just took too long. 2. EBay is making a strategic shift by giving control of its main operation to Tom Online. What does this shift signify? Commenting on the JV, Meg Whitman, President and CEO, eBay Inc EBay said the company is committed to China and she rejected suggestions that Tom Online deal represented a failure of its earlier approach, which included the 2003 acquisition of Eachnet, a Shanghai-based auction site. eBay has helped pioneer e-commerce in China, and by combining our expertise with that of a strong local partner like TOM Online, we are even better positioned to participate in this growing market. This agreement is a sign of our continued commitment to delivering the best online buying and selling experiences in China. I think you have to be willing to evolve your strategy on a local market basis to make sure you are doing the right thing for your buyers and sellers and the right thing for your company. China, like most Asian markets, sometimes requires foreign companies seeking to do business locally to simply take on a local firm as a partner. EBay took a similar approach in Taiwan, where it merged its auction site into a joint venture with local partner PC Home. We have determined that every country in Asia is quite unique, and we have to make a decision about every country in Asia, how we want to do business, Whitman said. Wang Lei Lei, CEO of TOM Online said, eBay is one of the worlds most recognized e-commerce brands and TOM Online has a proven track record of delivering outstanding services to Chinese consumers. He added, The new online marketplace to be built by the joint venture will provide an enhanced user experience, tailored for the China market, and will capitalize on our companies strengths in the emerging m-commerce sector. Although it entered into a joint venture with Tom Online, into which it injected its local subsidiary EachNet along with $40 million in cash, eBay did what its users have been doing for years: selling off old junk that doesnt make money for them anymore. Analysts considered this joint venture as a change in eBays strategy in the Chinese market as its Chinese venture had failed to materialize. Once again, eBay has failed in the Asian markets. One of the reasons cited by analysts for eBays failure in China was that it failed to understand the local market. Taobaos auction site was perceived as more in sync with the Chinese consumers buying behavior Jenny Wu, an analyst at Morgan Stanley said, Its good for eBay, because during the past two years at least it has been losing ground to Alibabas Taobao, mainly because eBay lacks local expertise†. However, some analysts noted that the deal did not create any synergy between eBay and TOM Online. TOM Onlines major revenues were generated from providing value-added cellphone services like sending news and weather conditions to users in the form of text messages. TOM Onlines dependence on such services prompted analysts to raise doubts as to whether it would fare well in the e-commerce market. Liu Bin, an analyst at BDA China said, TOM Onlines line of business is not compatible with eBays. †A few thought that the deal would result in eBay reducing its operating losses and gaining local knowledge about the Chinese market. Scott W. Devitt, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus investment banking and brokerage firm said, Cutting losses and taking a minority stake in a locally owned business is a decent alternative for EBay. How is eBay doing today in Asian markets? According to consulting and research firm, BDA, China has surpassed the United States as the world’s largest internet population with over 216 million users. Based upon current growth trends, there will be over 280 million internet users in China by the end of 2008. According to the China Internet Research Centre in Beijing, 55 million of these internet users shopped online in 2007 spending US$8. 25 billion dollars, up from 43 million shoppers in 2006 and US$4. billion dollars spent. Despite giving up control of its China operation to Tom Online, and implementing new strategies such as: no fees for customers, platform specially designed for China market, or escrow accounts, eBay has been unable to fight off an onslaught from Yahoos joint venture partner in China, Alibaba. Instead, the move appears to have accelerated the collapse of eBays Chinese operation. EBAY Chinas market share fell from 16% to 7% in 2007 according to China-based consultancy Analysys International. As expected, Chinas Taobao picked up that gain and increased its share from 74% to 83%. But eBay has also had some success in China. Skype, the Internet phone business that eBay bought two years ago, recently said it had more customers there than in the United States, and its growth rate in China is faster than anywhere else, Whitman said. Japan was critical to eBays success because it was the worlds second-largest Internet market. The gap had to be closed soon otherwise Yahoo Inc. could easily beat it in the rest of Asia. Yahoo Japan was the No. 1 or No. portal everywhere except China. In December 2007, Yahoo Japan and eBay made a deal to link their auction sites and make it easier for their respective users to bid on and buy goods available on each others sites. A new website by name Sekaimon (gateway to the world or ‘global shopping’ in Japanese) – www. sekaimon. com was launched in December. The site allowed Yahoo Japan users to bid on items listed on eBays US site using their Yahoo Japan ID. The deal made cross-border bidding easier and gave eBay another chance to woo Japanese consumers. The move is the latest tie-up with a local firm for eBay, whose fast-growing international operations make up 51 percent of its auction and online shopping business. EBay has been seeking local partners to boost its Asian operations in the face of mounting competition. Consumer markets in Southeast Asia are growing rapidly, and the firm is considering further partnerships in areas such as Vietnam, Jay Lee, Senior Vice President of eBay Asia Pacific, told Reuters. These are places where the local customs and markets are very distinct, so theyre perfect for partnerships, he said. usinessweek. com/magazine/content/01_23/b3735139. htm, June 2001 http://knowledge. wharton. upenn. edu/papers/download/Japan_SpecialReport. pdf online-auction-advisor. com/ebay-japan. html, 2006 http://seekingalpha. com/article/27041-ebay-s-tom-online-deal-timely-lessons-for-global-online-company-managers, February 2007 http://seekingalpha. com/article/19322-ebay-faces-a-tough-road-in-china, October 2006 icmrindia. org/business%20Updates/micro%20casestudies/Business%20Strategy/MCBS0010. htm, 2007 networkworld. com/news/2006/122106-worldbeat-bo-knew-chinese-auctio

Conjugating Chasser in French

Conjugating Chasser in French When you want to say to hunt or to chase in French, use the verb  chasser. This is pretty straightforward because it looks and sounds a lot like the English chase. You will find that conjugating  chasser  is relatively easy as well. Conjugating the French Verb  Chasser Chasser  is a  regular -ER verb  and that means we can use the most common verb conjugation pattern. If you learn how to transform this word to the appropriate tense, it makes similar words like  cesser  (to stop) and  brà »ler  (to burn)  a little easier to learn. Conjugating is as simple as recognizing the stem in this case,  chass   and adding the appropriate ending. For the  je  (I) present tense, its as simple as an -e  and for the future  je, it will be -erai. Unlike English, French requires you to match the subject pronoun with the tense. In English, hunting applies no matter if youre talking about I, you, or we, but in French, each subject requires a different ending. The chart will help you learn these forms: I hunt is je chasse and we will hunt is nous chasserons. Subject Present Future Imperfect je chasse chasserai chassais tu chasses chasseras chassais il chasse chassera chassait nous chassons chasserons chassions vous chassez chasserez chassiez ils chassent chasseront chassaient The Present Participle of  Chasser Using the stem of  chasser, add the ending -ant  and you have the  present participle  chassant. This is a verb  but can be used as an adjective, gerund, or noun as well. The Passà © Composà © and Past Participle A  common way to express the past tense in French is the  passà © composà ©. To use this, conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir  to match the subject, then add the  past participle  chassà ©. For example, I chased is jai chassà © and we hunted is nous avons chassà ©. More  Chasser  Conjugations to Know In less frequent instances, you may find a use for the following conjugations. The subjunctive and conditional are used when there is uncertainty to the verb and these are used quite often. In contrast, the passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are rare and found primarily in literature. In the least, you should be able to recognize each of these. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je chasse chasserais chassai chassasse tu chasses chasserais chassas chassasses il chasse chasserait chassa chassà ¢t nous chassions chasserions chassà ¢mes chassassions vous chassiez chasseriez chassà ¢tes chassassiez ils chassent chasseraient chassà ¨rent chassassent To use  chasser  in an exclamation and quickly request or demand something be hunted, use the imperative. When doing so, its perfectly acceptable to skip the subject pronoun and say only the verb: chasse rather than  tu chasse. Imperative (tu) chasse (nous) chassons (vous) chassez

Convergent Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Convergent Journalism - Essay Example The word convergence is used to provide meaning to the user but these individual definitions may not be according to the minds of readers. Convergence journalism is concerned with merging the print media, photojournalism, podcasting, video and broadcast. It also is concerned with the links between the internet and other media such as DVDs. All these media are converted to a dynamic media entity in which all team members understand and participate in the entire process during which they prepare information to distribute to the readers and viewers (Anderson, 2005). Technology has helped to facilitate the creation of faster and more capable computers, digital camcorders and cameras. Devices like CDs and DVDs have all become involved in the process of spreading information. News travels very fast as it can be received by many devices like television, radio, newspapers, websites, cell phones and iPods. Another important achievement is that social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook have become popular among all age groups. This allows members to access their own pages to find out all kinds of information. Convergence journalism is also concerned with online journaling or blogging which allows people to express their views. There are blogs of every type which can cover diverse fields like education, politics, news, opinions, recreation and sports. Blogs can be accessed by devices like computers, cell phones, and iPods. People are spending more time online as major shopping sites, networking sites, blogging sites and message boards offer a variety of diverse information to the people. Television news teams are now creating news packages to be shown on the web and on networks and stations. The web packages include articles and other items found in newspapers. The web has also facilitated the use of interactive features which can provide a user friendly environment to the users. There are forums and blogs which can provide valuable information about the public's rating of major programs and news. Television news teams have also began to create new content on the web to attract young read ers by providing interactive features like polls, blogs and forums (McNair, 2006). Streaming video and audio broadcasts are also offered for web viewers. Local areas have been collaborating with these news channels as they provide up to date information on the web. Newspaper and television news teams now collaborate with each other as they try to present the news according to the environment. Some newspapers have moved their operations to the internet while others are partly keeping their home delivery. Some newspapers are offering home deliveries only on weekends because of the rising prices as they cannot meet their costs (Allan, 2006). Another form of convergence journalism is citizen journalism in which freelance citizens are allowed to become part of newspaper publications. They provide information and access to content which online publications would have difficulty finding. The advent of digital photography has helped to discard the use of darkroom equipment

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

Marketing - Essay Example First and foremost, SWOT analysis helps to evaluate the internal and external environment of the program where it will implement. This will help the health care institution or program to determine the amount of material needed for the installation of the program (Wijngaarden, Scholten, & Wijk, 2007). It will help evaluate possible strength, weakness, opportunities and threats to the new service or new health care program. Considering the case of Coventry Health Care Company that implemented SWOT analysis for its planning and initiation of service, it was clearly noted that the company had to change its implementation plan because they evaluated that their infrastructure can undergo a lot of threats. The only way that helped Coventry health care company understand the threats was the usage of SWOT analysis before their entry in the market (Wijngaarden, Scholten, & Wijk, 2007). Thus, it can be said that SWOT analysis is a very effective marketing took that can be applied carefully to determine possible threats or strengths for the new service in the market. Usage of SWOT analysis is highly recommended in health care industry. Wijngaarden, J., Scholten, G., & Wijk, K. (2007). Strategic analysis for health care organizations: the suitability of the SWOT-analysis. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 27(1),

Nursing Expertise Self-Report Scale Essay Example for Free

Nursing Expertise Self-Report Scale Essay I think that it is important to understand where you are in your nursing practice. After completing the Nursing Expertise Self-Report Scale, I realize that I still have a lot more experience to gain as a nurse. I believe that nurses must be life-long learners to stay current in the ever-changing field of healthcare. I have only been a nurse for two years. Before beginning the test, I thought that with my few years of experience, I would be a novice nurse. However, I am a competent nurse. According to Arnold and Boggs (2011) the competent nurse â€Å"views the clinical picture from a broader perspective and is more confident about his or her role in health care† (p. 127). I have been organized and able to manage my time successfully. I feel that I can consciously make decisions without direct supervision. I can assess the patient and look at all the variables before proceeding with care. I can think more long term now than I did in the beginning. I feel that in order to improve my communication skills in the healthcare setting, I have to continue to think more long-term. I need to stop being so task-oriented and start looking at the patient as a whole. Instead of doing something just because it’s ordered, I need to be diligent and make sure it is appropriate for my patient’s specific condition. I realize how important it is to be able to communicate with the physicians. We are with the patients much more than they are, and we are their eyes and ears. I feel that it is also vital to have good communication with the patients and their families. They depend on us to be honest in all that we do. When the patient trusts us, they will be more open with us. My facility does bedside shift report. I think this is important because it gives the oncoming nurse the chance to understand what the patient is going to need for the next 12 hours. It also gives the patient the opportunity to become involved in their care. As nurses, we are always communicating so it is  important to make sure that we do it correctly and efficiently. References Arnold, E., Boggs, K. U. (2011). Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Investiture Controversy Essay -- Church, Pope Gregory VII

The ruler Otto controlled the church during his reign by making bishops and abbots royal princes and agents to him (425). The revival of the church however, began as the German empire weakened in the eleventh century (425). During this time, the Church declared its independence from the governments’ control by embracing a reform movement, The Cluny Reform Movement (425). The reform established at the Cluny monastary in France, aimed at â€Å"freeing the church from secular political influence and control† (425). The reformers were supported in their efforts by popular respect for the church as people admired clerics and monks (425). During this time, any man had the opportunity to become Pope; the Pope was supposed to be elected by the people and clergy of Rome (425). The church also promised a better life to peoples whose current was relatively harsh (425). The reformers condemned the state’s contemporary mixing of religions and secular institutions as well as t he clergy’s subservience to royal authority (425). They taught that the Pope alone commanded the clergy and they demanded separa...

Spices

Spices can be defined as aromatic or acrid plant substances used to provide flavor, color and aroma to food (Mohamed, 2014). These spices are characterized by being rich in antioxidants and have some medicinal properties (Jeswal and Kumar, 2015; Kong et al., 2014). Spices are widely used throughout the world for many purposes, of which their used in food preparation and processing (Hashem and Alamri, 2010). Many of them are used as traditional medicines in many cases such as infections, wounds, sprains and nausea and some spices help to improve glucose of plasma by improving insulin sensitivity (Mohamed, 2014). Because of its medicinal properties, spices are used for pharmaceutical industries as raw materials (Toma and Abdullah, 2013).In addition, essential oils of spices or spices themselves have preservative action (Nielsen and Rios, 2000). Antimicrobial properties of some spices inhibit the fungal growth as reported for turmeric and sumac (Jeswal and Kumar, 2015; Toma and Abdullah, 2013), while essential oils and oleoresins of some spices shown to be high effectively against microbial growth. Essential oil of mustard is one of these oils, which includes the active component allyl isothiocyanate (AITC). Other spices such as cinnamon, garlic and clove considered as potential inhibitors (Nielsen and Rios, 2000). while other spices such as red chili and dry ginger considered as liable substance for growth of many fungi (Jeswal and Kumar, 2013). Although red chili is in the second rank as the largest used spice worldwide after black pepper, contamination of red chili samples by AFs and OTA were repeatedly reported by many studies and Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and A. fumigates are the fungi contaminants that are repeatedly detected in the flake or powder samples of red chili. In ginger derivatives and samples, the mycotoxins that have been detected are AFs and OTA. Contamination of spices can be occurred in the field, when the spices undergo drying process or during storage (Kabak and Dobson, 2017).

Individual Assignment Essay

Financial Concepts Guillermo Navallez is challenged with a market changes that have occurred over the past couple of years. With the economic environment created by the new competition and increase in labor costs, he will need to apply principles of finance to determine the best course of action to allow his furniture store to survive. After review and thoughtful consideration Guillermo decided to use the following to determine the best course of action: The Principle of Self-Interest Behavior, the Signaling Principle, and The Principle of Comparative Advantage. Using the behavioral based principles, economics and psychology can be integrated to help in the decision making process. Likewise, expertise can be the basis for choices made. The Principle of Self-Interested Behavior People generally, act in their own financial self-interest. The Principle of Self-Interested Behavior states that when all things are equal, parties involved will gravitate to the action that is most financially advantageous. A key concept with this principle is the idea of opportunity costs, or the difference between the value of one action and the value of best alternative (Emery, Finnerty, & Stowe, 2007). To maximize potential profits, Guillermo will want to review carefully the different options available. The development and review of anticipate financial results will help identify from a purely financial perspective. The Principle of Self-Interested Behavior would help Guillermo with his end decision, if his financial interest was the most important component. When considering his concern the effect that the decision will have on his family life, this principle will likely not be the guiding force in the decision he makes. The Signaling Principle The Signaling Principle is an extension of the Principle of Self-Interested Behavior (Emery, Finnerty, & Stowe, 2007). Decisions of one party in a financial market will provide signals to others. The old adage â€Å"actions speak louder than words† is a clear explanation of this principle (Garger, 2011). The actions of the competitors can play an important role in the decision making process. Guillermo understands that how others are handling the changes in the market can help him with his decision. He learns that many of his competitors are consolidating in to large organizations. The path taken by the others in the industry were not attractive to him. Guillermo saw that additional management reasonability and the forced retirements were not fitting to his lifestyle or personal financial expectations. The Signaling Principle would be a good practice for the foreign competition as they would benefit by understanding how others capitalized on the situation of the individual furniture makers left in the market. The Principle of Comparative Advantage Much like the very idea that the United States’ economic system is based, the Principle of Comparative Advantage stated that if people do what they do best, the most qualified people will be completing that type of work. One can pay another to do what they do best and vice versa. Foreign trade is based on this same idea. Some countries can produce goods more economically than others. By producing these goods and trading them with countries that can efficiently produce another needed good, everybody benefits (Emery, Finnerty, & Stowe, 2007). Through his research, Guillermo found a company that was still operating in exclusively in Norway, but was looking to distribute in the North America. Guillermo had connections with distributors and expert knowledge as to the furniture being sought after. By becoming a representative for the Norwegian company, he would work with the network he had developed to distribute their products. His company focus would change from primarily manufacturing to distribution. The Norwegian company would pay him for work he was extremely qualified to do, and they would make a majority of the furniture that would be sold. Both Guillermo and the furniture maker would win under of the Principle of Comparative Advantage. Conclusion Principles of finance can be very beneficial in making business decisions. They can deal with the competition in the economic environment, creating value and economic efficiency, and financial transactions.

The Ultimate Job Search Guide for Millennials

The Ultimate Job Search Guide for Millennials If you’re a millennial, then you’re probably used to reading all sorts of articles, tweets, etc. telling you all about how millennials roll, especially when it comes to jobs. Millennials are job hoppers. Millennials are casual in the workplace. Millennials are obsessed with social networking. These broad-brush statements try to provide a broader cultural context for the generation, but they aren’t necessarily helpful if you happen to be a millennial, and are looking for career guidance. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide, walking you through the job hunt from start to finish. Step 1: Figure Out What You WantMaybe you’re just finishing up with school. Maybe you’ve been coasting in an entry-level job for a while, or bouncing around in short-term jobs that don’t really scream â€Å"long term career options.† Whatever the case may be, it’s never too late to figure out what you really want to do with your li fe, and start building toward that goal.â€Å"Do what you love† is an ever-popular piece of advice. It’s also not a hard-and-fast rule. Sure, the concept of getting paid to do something you’d do for free is the ideal for most working people. It’s also not very realistic in a lot of cases. What you love to do may not pay well, or may not be feasible long-term. What’s most important to consider in setting your career goals is what you can do well, and how you can turn that into a career, not just a job. For example, being an accountant may not be the most glamorous career path, but if you’re a math whiz and can see yourself conquering various levels in the field, then it’s a solid choice. (You can still pursue your passion for interpretive dance in your free time, or turn your dog stylist business into a side hustle.) Thinking now about what your short- medium-, and long-range goals is a great first step because it helps you really focu s your time and energy during your job hunt.Step 2: Build Your ResumeOnce you’ve got your next steps figure out (or have at least identified where you want to target your job search), it’s time to start building your applicant package. The foundation of this will always be your resume. Resume trends and fads will always come and go (I’m pretty sure we all thought we’d have video resumes by now), but you can never go wrong with the classic: an organized, efficiently worded one-sheeter that gives a snapshot of what you’ve achieved, and what you’re seeking to do next.You’ve probably created a resume before and have a Word doc kicking around already, so what comes next might be a little painful. Scrap it. Create a brand-spanking-new one- one that doesn’t just reheat an older version of yourself and your career, with cut-and-paste updates. Take the opportunity to really think about every word you’re putting in your resume.Tip s for creating your resume masterpiece:Pick a format.Write a headline or an objective statement.Use strong action words to describe your experience.Outsmart the robots.Don’t forget: You can create a general, foundational resume that has the most up-to-date information about yourself, but it’s also important to customize your resume for each individual job for which you’re applying. You don’t have to create a new resume from scratch for each job opening, but you can customize fields like the headline, some bullet points, and skills to match the job description or the target company.Step 3: Build Your BrandNow more than ever, your brand is a factor in your job search. Your career brand (or your professional story, condensed into an easily pitch-able sentence or two) goes beyond your resume, and now extends to your online presence as well. To build your brand, it’s important to consider what information about you is out there in the public sphere, and how that might be perceived by potential employers. That means taking a close look at all of your social media profiles, making personal accounts private, creating new ones that have a professional shine, and showcasing your work.A personal website is a great way to accomplish this, as is building a robust LinkedIn profile. These avenues are great for giving a recruiter or potential employer more information than you can cram into your resume- showing rather than telling. As with anything in your job hunt, it’s crucial to keep your brand (and any public-facing websites, social media, etc.) friendly, professional, and updated as often as possible.Step 4: Build Your NetworkThis can go hand in hand with the brand-building, because it’s all about forging connections in your professional community. Your network (whether it’s people you know in person or digitally) can be one of your biggest assets in the job search. This doesn’t mean simply collecting names o n LinkedIn like those fishbowls full of business cards you see at restaurants. Meaningful connections are the ones that will benefit you the most, either by what you can learn, or what opportunities may come your way. Interaction is key- whether that’s responding to a blog post, retweeting, or emailing to say â€Å"Hey, I thought you had a really interesting point on X.† And for the professional contacts that you know IRL, keep those bonds alive by having a coffee once in a while to catch up. Even a holiday card once a year can go a long way.Keeping your network fresh is a way to bolster your job search. You never know when someone who knows someone might have the right job opening, or can put in a good word for you. And even if you don’t get a perfect job opportunity handed to you via LinkedIn, you can still learn more about how your industry works, and what it takes to move onward and upward in it.Step 5: Upgrade Your Interview SkillsMillennials sometimes get a bad rap (fair or not) for always having noses buried in devices, texting over calling, and generally being digital-savvy over communication-savvy. This means that strong interview skills are essential. Like the resume, the interview is a part of the job hunt that doesn’t change much over time. The same sets of skills will likely determine your success (or failure) as they did for your parents before you.Interviews can be a minefield for everyone, so it’s important to be prepared.Tips for your interview prep:Have a go-to interview outfit that’s spotless and professional.Work on your handshake, eye contact, and posture.Have your talking points ready to go.Be prepared for all sorts of questions.Ask good questions.The more prep and practicing you do before an interview, the more at ease you’ll feel on the day itself.Step 6: Become a Follow-Up NinjaAfter you’ve had an interview (or two) you just sit back and wait for the email to roll in, right? Nope. Don’t forget the crucial step of following up an interview (of any kind) with a thank you note to everyone who met with you. Prompt, same-day follow-up shows that you have great manners, and are engaged and enthusiastic about the process. Even if you had a terrible interview or didn’t get the job, these thank yous can help you stay on the radar for future opportunities.Tips for writing an ace thank you note:Get contact info at your interview. If you didn’t get business cards or catch someone’s email address, it’s okay to ask the main point person (recruiter, HR manager, hiring manager) for Barbara’s email address so you can thank her for her time.Make it short, but sweet. Include the highlights of your interview (skills you want to emphasize, any interesting discussion you had), but only briefly. They already have your resume.Proofread the heck out of it. This could be your last chance to make an impression before the hiring decision is mad e, so you want to make sure there aren’t any glaring typos or name mistakes in your note.Send it the same day. If the idea of sending your note from the lobby right after your interview sounds like a bit much, do it after you get home. But timeliness is the key, and that way it’s off your mind.Step 7: Be PatientIn everyday life we get so much instant feedback that we often get frustrated when some things lag- like job offers or news about next steps. When looking for your next job, don’t get frustrated too quickly. You’re playing the long game here. And if you’ve done the best you can in setting yourself up for the job opportunity, things will come together for you.

Idioms and Expressions for the Verb Talk

Idioms and Expressions for the Verb Talk Talk is a common verb in English which can also be used as a noun. Talk is also used in a wide variety of idiomatic expressions. Listed below you will find an idiom or expression with talk with a definition and two example sentences to help to understand through context. Big Talk Definition: (noun) exaggerated claims Hes full of big talk, but he rarely does what he claims. Is that just big talk, or do you think its actually true? Give Someone a Talking to Definition: (verbal phrase) speak strongly to someone, berate someone She gave her daughter a talking to after she got home after midnight. Come in this room! You need a talking to! Heart-to-heart Talk Definition: (noun) serious discussion Jane and I had a great heart-to-heart talk last weekend. Now I understand her. Have you had a heart-to-heart talk with your wife yet? Jive Talk Definition: (noun) something stated that is obviously not true Come on Tim! Thats just jive talk. Stop the jive talk and tell me something interesting. Money Talks Definition: (idiomatic phrase) the most important thing is money Dont forget that money talks, so everything else doesnt matter. In the end money talks so your business needs to be profitable as soon as possible. Pep Talk Definition: (noun) a short discussion intended to motivate someone The coach gave the players a pep talk during halftime. My wife gave me a pep talk to help me with my job interview. Straight Talk Definition: (noun) a discussion that is completely honest, often discussing difficult issues Tom gave me straight talk at the meeting which I appreciated greatly. Id like to hear some straight talk on the investment opportunities. Talk a Blue Streak Definition: (verbal phrase) speak quickly and at length Maria talked a blue streak at the party. It was hard to say anything. Be careful when speaking with Tom, he talks a blue streak. Talk Big Definition: (verb) make large claims and boasts Take everything he says with a grain of salt. He talks big. Youre talking big today. Could you please be a bit more realistic? Talking Head Definition: (noun) expert on television The talking heads feel the economy is going to improve. They hired a talking head to represent them on TV talk shows. Talk Like Nut Definition: (verbal phrase) say things that make little sense Dont talk like a nut! Thats crazy. Shes talking like a nut. Dont believe a word she says. Talk On the Big White Phone Definition: (verbal phrase) to vomit into the toilet Doug drank too much so hes talking on the big white phone. Shes in the bathroom talking on the big white phone. Talk Through Ones Hat Definition: (verbal phrase) speak carelessly and tell lies Hes talking through his hat. Dont believe a word he says. Unfortunately, Jane often talks through her hat, so you cant believe anything. Talk to Hear Ones Own Voice Definition: (verb phrase) speak in order to hear oneself, find joy in speaking too much Henry talks to hear his own voice. It gets boring after a while. He lost a few of his friends because he talks to hear his own voice. Talk Turkey Definition: (verbal phrase) talk serious business, talk frankly Its time to talk turkey about the business. Peter, we need to talk turkey. Talk Until You Are Blue In the Face Definition: (verbal phrase) speak at length without influencing others Theres no need to try to convince her. Youll just talk until you are blue in the face. I talked until I was blue in the face, but it didnt help.

GEMOLOGY AND MATERIALS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GEMOLOGY AND MATERIALS - Essay Example The crystals were of high quality and displayed dramatic color changes and vivid hues. The mineral also caught people’s attention as it reflected the imperial Russian flag. It became a national stone and was thought to have mystical powers. The Ural mountain deposits, however, did not last long and was later sourced from countries such as Brazil, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. Russia, however, remains as the primary source of the Gemstone (Schreiber, 2003). As stated above, Alexandrite is sourced from several regions apart from Russia. The Ural deposits were thought to be no more in 1980 and interests in the Gemstone decreased gradually. The situation, however, changed in 1987 when its deposits were found in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Brazilian Alexandrite also showed distinctive color changes. The Gemstone is also sourced from Sri Lanka, but its hues are not of high quality. Since 1990, Tunduru area in Tanzania has also been a source of outstanding Alexandrite Gemstones. Other sources include areas in Zimbabwe, Burma, India, and Madagascar (Schreiber, 2003). Although all Alexandrite Gemstone is elegant, its value lies on its ability to change color. Just like other colored stones, its value is also tied to it color’s degree of saturation and clarity. A stone with modest color changes having attractive and saturated colors is valuable than one who’s colors are browned or grayed and less dramatic. Alexandrite’s low availability, supply, and rarity are all indications of its high value. There are no established price tags for the gemstones because their availability is limited and are hardly found in stores. Starting with India, about 160 locations have been identified and mapped as Alexandrite Gem producing areas. Areas near the Araku Valley, for example, are very rich reserves of Alexandrite. Lack of funding, control by tribesmen and sanctions from the government have hindered mining activities and