Culture and Organizational Change

Culture and Organizational Change Free Online Research Papers The concept of culture is particularly important when attempting to manage organization-wide change. Practitioners are coming to realize that, despite the best-laid plans, organizational change must include not only changing structures and processes, but also changing the corporate culture as well. (www.carla.umn.edu/culture.html) accessed 10th March 2008. An effective organizational culture aligns with the business strategy to ensure that the company meets its long-term goals, writes Vinita Gupta. Corporate culture has a major impact on employee morale and productivity. It is not about just being a good employer, but about having employees committed to the vision and the strategy of the organization, and possessing the will and the means to make these a reality. Creating and sustaining a healthy, vibrant culture requires reinforcement of the culture through daily and proactive conversations and communications. The failure to discuss the values, purpose, and rules within a group often leads to a culture that is at cross purposes with the stated intention of the group. Poor communication creates a lot of confusion and often a crisis of meaninglessness. Retrieved from evc.msh.org on 15/3/2008 Culture change is difficult and time consuming because culture is rooted in the collective history of an organization, and because so much of it is below the surface of awareness. In general, the process of culture change must include the following steps, Herbert (1976): Uncover core values and beliefs. These may include stated values and goals, but they are also embedded in organizational metaphors, myths, and stories, and in the behaviors of members. Acknowledge, respect, and discuss differences between core values and beliefs of different subcultures within the organization. Look for similarity between conscious and unconscious beliefs and values and resolve by choosing those to which the organization wishes to commit. Establish new behavioral norms (and even new metaphor language) that clearly demonstrate desired values. Repeat these steps over a long period of time. As new members enter the organization, assure that they are surrounded with clear messages about the culture they are entering. Reinforce desirable behavior. The culture of a group can now be defined as: A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. (Schein 373-374) According to Edgar Schein, cultural analysis is especially valuable for dealing with aspects of organizations that seem irrational, frustrating, and intractable. He writes, The bottom line for leaders is that if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded, those cultures will manage them. (Schein 375) Forces that act as a stimulant for change, Robbins, (2001): 1. Changing nature of the workforce almost every organization has to adjust to a multi cultural environment. Human resource policies and practices have to change in order to attract and keep this more diverse work force. 2. Technology the substitution of computer control for direct supervision is resulting in wider span of control for managers and flatter organizations. Many jobs are being reshaped because of this. 3. Economic shocks economic problems within the country the organization is operating in or other countries it has links to may lead to a need for change of strategy. 4. Competition Global economy means that competitors are likely to come across different borders. An organization needs to change to be able to survive with the new competition knocking at its door. Development of new product or improvement on existing ones may aid in this aspect. 5. Social trends attitudes towards something e.g. attitude towards smoking, popularity of products for example sports utility vehicles. 6. World politics for example, opening of markets in china lead to new potential customers to global organizations, Black rule in South Africa caused a restructuring of organizations to be able to accommodate all races in equitable proportions. Change, Its Culture Bound, Robbins (2001) Culture and its environment Culture varies in terms of belief about their ability to control their environment. In cultures where people believe that they can dominate their environment, individuals will take a proactive view of change. In cultures where people see themselves as subjugated to their environment, they would naturally take a passive approach towards change. Culture and time A culture’s time orientation can help with change. Cultures that focus on the long term will generally tend to show patience while waiting for positive outcomes from change efforts. In cultures with short term focus, people expect to see quick improvements and will seek change programs that promise fast results. Culture and change resistance Resistance to change is influenced to a society’s reliance on tradition. Societies that dwell on the past will generally resist change while those that focus on the future aspects of life will be more open and will readily accept change faster. Culture and its influence on change efforts Power distances can explain this further. In high power distance cultures, change efforts will tend to be autocratically implemented by top management. In contrast, low power distance will value democratic methods. Participation from low power distance cultures will be greater due to the democracy of the organization. Culture; Teamwork and Innovation The importance of corporate culture is growing as the result of several recent developments. Companies are encouraging employees to be more responsible and act and think like owners. They are also encouraging teamwork and the formation of teams as a strong culture is one in which they work together effectively, share the same values, and make decisions to meet the organization’s primary goals and objectives. A company must cultivate a creative corporate culture that transcends the ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities, and begins to create and exploit opportunities in the global marketplace Culture and Human Resource While corporate culture is not necessarily the responsibility of HR, the people who are hired and the training and cultural imperatives placed on the business are done through HR, hence it can have a big impact on whether or not the firm is culturally attuned to innovation. Over time, one can argue that innovation is a sustainable competitive advantage, and that businesses that attract and retain creative, innovative people and implement a culture that sustains innovation, will possess a strong competitive advantage. If so, HR will have a huge impact on that company and its culture To answer the question of whether organizational change is good or bad, we will look at the advantages of change and the disadvantages. Whichever outweighs the other is the answer to our question. ADVANTAGES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE 1. Sharing of ideas; In case of mergers there will be an increase in talent and new ideas will emerge from the different bits that individuals bring to the table. With this, you are able to come up with more products that may be enticing to your consumers. 2. Acquisition of new clientele In some cases when an organization changes it is able to serve a much wider client base with more resources or even with redirection of the resources it is currently operating with. Change can simply enhance your appeal to more potential customers and may even sway customers loyal to your competitors. 3. Competitiveness Organizations have to constantly change in order to keep up with the changing market and to be able to keep up with its competitors. This also provides a competitive edge against your competitors who will always be left guessing what you are up to. 4. Retention of employees When an organization seems not to be willing to change the employees get bored with the monotony and will look elsewhere for new opportunities that seem more challenging. With a fresh venture, employees may feel that they are entering into a new chapter in their lives and will be more willing to work for the company due to the enthusiasm of a new venture. 5. Gender equality Being a relatively new concept all organizations must work hard to give their employees equal opportunity according to their capabilities and not because or their sexuality. 6. New challenges Employees get an opportunity to tackle new challenges that arise from organizational change. The organization will also tackle new challenges with the new or expanded market they are in. DISADVANTAGES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE 1. Cultural differences In the case of mergers there will be a conflict in organizational cultures thus it is important for the organizations to agree on the modes that will be used to carry out decisions. This may hamper growth of the organization. 2. Loss of jobs Some people become redundant when new technology is introduced or even mergers take place as they see it as a potential threat to their future. Many companies will tend to lay off these workers because training them will be expensive. 3. Communication breakdown If there is consistent change in an organizations hierarchy there will be a communication breakdown because employees can not keep up with the demands of different individuals. With communication breakdown comes misunderstanding and conflicts may arise. 4. Loss of clientele When some organizations merge or change their names, some clients are left out due to lack of information in the midst of all the confusion. Other clients may not be willing to be part of the change and may opt to go take their business elsewhere. With the above advantages and disadvantages, we see that change is more profitable for an organization and an individual. In management, there is a strong rule of, â€Å"Change or Die!† References 1. Stephen P.R. Organizational Behaviour. 9th Edition Prentice Hall, USA, New Jersey 2001 2. Theodore T. H. Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc, New York 1976 3. Edgar H. S. Organizational Culture and Leadership. 4. http://carla.umn.edu/culture.html 5. http://books.google.co.ke 6. http://evc.msh.org Research Papers on Culture and Organizational ChangeAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and CanadaResearch Process Part OneThe Project Managment Office SystemEffects of Television Violence on Children

Accelerating Growth Between Marketing and Sales With Steli Efti

Accelerating Growth Between Marketing and Sales With Steli Efti Do you enjoy your morning commute? Do you use that time to figure out what you want to accomplish? Goals you want to crush? It can be a peaceful time to think about various projects and who to work with to make things happen. Today, we’re talking to Steli Efti, co-founder and CEO of Close.io, about the intersection of inbound marketing and outbound sales. We discuss where to start, how to work collaboratively, how to grow and scale practices, and HUCA. Some of the highlights of the show include: Starts with customers if you’ve had success with inbound marketing and data to identify ideal/non-ideal customers, that’s the foundation of outbound sales Outbound Strategy: Ask customers for advice on how to sell to them Be vulnerable when doing sales, ask for help, and create an MVP for insights Decision-maker milestones to reach through outbound efforts that can be improved, replicated, and scaled Not all sales reps are created equal; requires consistency and persistence Would I want to buy from this person? Would I want to buy something from this person that I don’t really want to buy? Salesperson Characteristics: Knowledgeable, influencing, trustful, confident, authentic, honest, competitive, and adaptive Depending on your buyers, send emails or make calls to reach them Hang Up and Call Again (HUCA): Philosophy that applies to trying again to get everything you want in life Get outbound sales and inside marketing to work together to understand what they’re trying to accomplish and what insights they’re gathering Links: Close.io Steli Efti’s Blog Steli Efti Keynote Steli Efti’s Email (subject: bundle, and refer to AMP) Send suggested AMP topics If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Steli Efti: â€Å"My entrepreneurial superpower has always been sales and marketing. I’ve always been communicating to drive things forward and to make my businesses succeed.† â€Å"Most of the advice that I give is super obvious stuff, but it’s stuff that people don’t want to do.† â€Å"Just ask a bunch of your customers to give you advice on how to sell to them from an outbound perspective.† â€Å"What separates a great from the good is real consistency and persistency.† If you sound confident and comfortable, it’s going to make me feel like I should stay on the phone and keep listening.

Globalization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization - Research Paper Example DJ Khaled is one of the Arabic rappers who raps in English. He has songs with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Akon. Other people are like Super Saian Crew, Satam and Abady who are Arabs and rap well. Rap music is a popular music in the Arab world because of globalization and it has affected the Arab culture and changed young Arab people. Specially the blend of the Arabian and the English music has gave rise to a new genre of music that is quite unlike the conventional music in Arabia. This kind of music affects our culture, especially the young generation who grow up with it and not with Arab culture. The young generation is induced by this kind of music and they like it very much. This kind of music might let the person to speak out. People can say what they feel through this kind of music about surroundings. They will write their own words. As a result this kind of music focuses on the freedom of  speech. It is new way to express  oneself musically. The increased freedom of expression is both good and bad for the society in many ways. Sometimes, people speak out too much in the name of freedom that hurts the feelings of others.

Organizational Role Description Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Role Description Paper - Essay Example The director also has a role of maintaining creativity in developing new performance programs. In collaboration with the nurses’ executives and managers, the director ensures establishment of nursing care standards and evaluation of staff compliance. Another role is to ensure protocols of research affecting the population of patients and ensuring that the nursing staff is informed about them. Another role is ensuring accountability in provision of support services for the benefit of patient care. The director also ensures that there is a caring and safe environment maintained for the benefit of patients and ensures that the programs that are implemented within the service line are in support of cultural diversity. The director also develops service objectives and goals that are in support of values and goals of the institution. In addition, the director has a role of analyzing findings from satisfaction survey conducted by patients to ensure that agendas that are customer based are developed with input of staff and nursing management. The director also ensures that there is an effective plan for the delivery of nursing care and that these are developed and implemented within the service plan of nursing. The director also conducts an analysis from the satisfaction survey of staff to ensure that recruitment and retention of employees is service based and ensure that unit b ased agendas are developed with inputs from nursing management and the staff. The director also conducts meetings with the management of nursing to address any issue related to equipments and any other concern held by the staff. The director in collaboration with the human resource manager ensures that recruitments are made in the right way and ensures that counseling, disciplining and termination of staff is carried out when need arise. The director also has a role of making recommendations and providing growth opportunities,

Tsunami Maldives Essay Example for Free

Tsunami Maldives Essay Natural disasters act as strong bonds to join the hearts of people even if they live poles apart. Irrespective of caste, religion and creed, everyone sympathise with the victims and comes forward to help them. Helps pour in from every corner of the world. Even persons who have little idea about the locations where such disasters occur, offer their wholehearted support, be it monetary or simple condolence messages. I have chosen this topic because of its sensitivity. It is very necessary to highlight the issues which are very crucial from humanitarian point of view. Tsunami in South Asia created havoc and caused widespread devastation. As an educated and responsible person, I volunteered to work for the needy people. I actively took part in the rescue and relief operations in Maldives. I performed my duty to my home country as well as to the mankind. It is always seen that volunteers always take the initiatives to participate in the rescue operations much before the official machinery reach there. It is a unique example how the tragedies unite people emotionally. Such tragedies make the national boundaries irrelevant. In such terrible times, we only remember one thing that we are human beings and offer physical and moral support to our fellow brethren who are suffering at the moment. I could not have chosen a better topic than this one. Rather than writing on my works, I have focused on how people from all sections of society join hands to help the people in distress. Humanity plays a great role in such incidents. Importance of volunteers and workers in such disasters cannot be undermined. It is necessary to make people aware of their responsibilities as human beings. Everyone should know about the impact of such disasters on the affected people who go through traumatic experience. The difficulties experienced by the official machinery in helping the affected people clearly emphasise on the need of volunteers in such incidents who are always in a better position to reach the victims immediately. Tsunami in South Asia A devastating earthquake occurred off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra (Indonesia) on 26 December 2004. It magnitude was measured at 9.0 on the Richter scale. Another earthquake of magnitude 7.3 occurred in the Great Nicobar Islands, India. These two earthquakes triggered Tsunami in South Asia. A series of aftershock were reported in this region. The worst-affected countries by Tsunami were India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. The 30 feet high tidal waves or Tsunami that travelled at the speed of up to 500 miles per hour, caused massive destructions all over (Behreandt, 2005, p. 4). Maldives was one of the countries in South Asia, which was affected heavily by the killer Tsunami waves. Maldives comprises of 199 islands in the Indian Ocean. It has a population of around 300,000. The geographic position of Maldives makes the transportation system a little bit complex. Boats and Ferries are the prime mode of transportation between the islands in Maldives (Behreandt, 2005, p. 16). When Tsunami struck, it damaged most of the boats, ferries and jetties. Falling trees and damaged houses blocked the public transport system. It became tough to rescue the victims who were stuck under the debris. The government machinery was completely paralysed as it was never prepared to deal with such a situation. It did not have the resources and immediate manpower to help the victims. Isolation of places and problems in transportation aggravated the situation further. Bad weather hindered the rescue and relief operations. Agencies such as Red Cross, Red Crescent and others found it difficult to provide immediate relief to people who lived in distant places. Several areas in Maldives were without power and water due to the damage caused by Tsunami. There were several tourist resorts in Maldives which were completed damaged. Heavy Destruction Rescue Operations in Maldives At the time of Tsunami, I was in Maldives due to vacation. My mother was in one of the most affected island (TH VILUFUSHI) during tsunami. But it was not possible for me to go there as all the communication links were cut off. Although I was disturbed and panicked for the well-being of my mother, I knew I could only pray for her safety. Situation around me was tense and horrible. Death toll was mounting and people are not getting the help they desperately needed at that time. Official machinery was not effective and other agencies were finding it difficult to reach the affected areas. In such a situation, there was need of volunteers who could understand the geographical conditions very well and offer helping hands. I joined the group of volunteers in the rescue and relief operations. Maldives was experiencing the worst disaster in its history. There was panic and grief all over. Our main focus was to save as many lives as possible. We dig out the debris to look out for the survivors. We had witnessed people crying under the debris for help. It was not easy to rescue the survivors safely as they were already injured and we had to pull them out with proper care and caution. I remember one incident when one of my co-workers got himself injured during the rescue operation. He was hit by a large stone on head and bled heavily. We immediately rushed to his help with first-aid. But he urged us to ignore his condition and help the victims who had been affected badly by the killer Tsunami and needed immediate attention. That incident filled new spirit in us and made us more determined. Role of Volunteers in the Tsunami Relief Operations Although the death toll in Maldives was 82, there were many people who would have died without the rescue operation undertaken by volunteers. Volunteers played a major role in locating the survivors and providing them food and medical aid. It was really heartening to see the youth volunteering in the operation without any self interest. Our group was comprised of 20 people and we carefully carried out our operations. Our first priority was to recover, identify and bury the dead. We provided emergency food, water and shelter to displaced people with the help of NGOs and other foreign agencies. We experienced a series of problems in burying the dead as many of the bodies were beyond recognition and could not be identified. There were several people who were crying and looking for their family members and relatives. We tried our best to help them in identifying their deceased relatives and then burying the bodies. Sometimes, we got distracted by the emotional experience around us. But we knew we had to keep patience and help the survivors who were completed stranded without any basic amenities. I remember a 12-year old boy who lost all his family members and was crying bitterly. He had lost everything in the disaster and was clueless about his future. There were several such incidents which occurred before us and other volunteers. While the rescue operation was going on, I got the news of safety of my mother. It boosted my confidence and filled new spirit in me. I was determined of doing my best to help people of my country at the time of disaster. My country was going through the worst-phase of its history and it desperately needed volunteers like me. Once the debris was cleared and all the survivors were rushed to safe places, we had another challenging task in hand. It was very necessary to clear the mess created by the Tsunami. Broken houses, debris, falling trees and contaminated water would have resulted in deadly epidemic like situation. With the help of government officials, NGOs and other foreign agencies such as Red Cross and UN volunteer groups, we worked on a war-footing to restore the water and power supplies. We had launched a cleanliness drive to purify the water and improve the sanitation facility. It was really surprising to see a large number of volunteers participating in such operations. Role of Foreign Groups and Agencies in the Tsunami Relief Operation The overwhelming response received from governments, charities and NGOs of foreign countries had provided a great support to the rescue and relief operations in Maldives. There were several such groups and agencies that played an important role in helping Tsunami-affected people. The death toll in Maldives would have been much higher without the help of volunteers who came to rescue of the victims and survivors. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, in coordination with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR), had deployed teams of UN Volunteers in Tsunami-affected countries. Their aim was to help governments and other UN agencies provide relief to thousands of people who lost their homes and family members. The UNV sent its team of volunteers who worked along with the local people in the rescue and relief operations. They mainly work for the rehabilitation and restoration of the fishing villages devastated by the Tsunami in the islands of Maldives (Behreandt, 2005, p. 24). RedR is one of the agencies which played an active role in the Tsunami relief operations. It deployed logisticians, engineers and camp managers in Maldives. It provided selected relief personnel to clear the areas and rebuild them. Australian Volunteers International (AVI) worked in areas affected by the tsunami. Many of the volunteers had expertise and experience in handling such type of operations. During the rehabilitation process, AVI launched a project to tackle the shortage of teachers in Maldives (Behreandt, 2005, p. 25). Another volunteer organisation, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) launched a number of projects such as the educational sector grant initiated by the Development Cooperation of Ireland. It provided library books and facilities to 27 tsunami-affected schools. It also trained 230 teachers in 20 schools across the Maldives. Another key voluntary organisation was Friends of Maldives (FOM) that sent over 100 tons of medical supplies, food, clothing and tools to Maldives. FOM is the major NGO bringing aid to the Maldives aftermath Tsunami (Behreandt, 2005, p. 25). Rehabilitation Process According to the government estimates, more than two-thirds of the population in Maldives were affected by Tsunami. Fifty per cent of houses in Maldives were affected. Communication links, jetties, power supply, hospitals and sewerage system had been heavily hit. Transportation to the islands had become more difficult. The government had little resources to cope with the situation arisen after Tsunami. The President of Maldives declared a State of National Disaster and called for international help. Several countries and foreign agencies responded with the financial aid. Donations of food, clothing, medicine, tents, blankets and other necessary goods poured in. However, it was necessary to distribute these relief materials among people. It would not have been possible without the help of volunteers. We coordinated with the local officials and a team of Red Cross workers who developed an effective psychosocial program in the Maldives. The main focus of the psychosocial program was to address the physical, mental and social well-being of the Tsunami-affected people in Maldives. We took the initiative of providing community support to families. After the disaster, children were too scared to go to school. Once the school buildings were repaired, we met their parents and convinced them to send the children to school. With the help of other agencies, we provided them food, clothing and books. There was shortage of teachers in the schools. Most of us volunteered to assist the teachers in our spare time. I also took part in the teaching programmes and taught in two schools on a part-time basis for a few weeks. Red Cross played an important role in the rehabilitation work. Besides launching psychosocial programs and providing educational support to the children, it reached the local women groups that were active in the society. Red Cross believed that providing support to women would benefit their families and children. It launched mass awareness programmes to persuade people come out of their home and work to earn money for their families. Due to the joint efforts of Red Cross and local volunteers, more than 13,000 people were assisted by the psychosocial programme. The Commonwealth provided medical assistance to the Tsunami-affected Maldives. Doctors from the Commonwealth countries were brought to Maldives to provide adequate treatment to the injured people. Doctors with expertise in orthopaedics, paediatrics, general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology and medicine joined the team of volunteers under the Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme (CSAP). They coordinated with the local staff for the development of rehabilitation health programmes (Behreandt, 2005, p. 26). Teaching the children was a great experience for me. It was a tough task to motivate the students who were already going through the traumatic experience of Tsunami. They could hardly concentrate in study. Our first priority was to help them regain their confidence. We were trained with child-centred teaching techniques. The new techniques involved bringing the children into groups and wiping out the fear from their mind. Rather than going for the traditional way of teaching methods, we tried to create a child-friendly environment. That worked perfectly and they soon started forgetting the bitter memories of Tsunami. They felt more comfortable in groups and became more open. We introduced games, competitions with rewards and other entertainment programmes to add fun to their life. It was a great achievement for us as we succeeded in bringing smile to the faces of the horror-stricken children. Conclusion From my experience as a volunteer in Maldives, I realised the importance of working for the well-being of the needy people during disasters. The poor and helpless people desperately needed help in those hours of crisis. The role of volunteers becomes very crucial in such rescue and relief operations as the official machinery always find it difficult to cope with the situation. Its time for the youth to realise its full potential in life. They need to rise to the occasion to fulfil their obligation towards the nation and the mankind. Every responsible youth must understand the importance of volunteering during disasters. We understood our responsibility and did whatever we could for the benefit of the community. Our sincerity and dedication have been appreciated by everyone. Our work was purely based on humanitarian ground and we never expected anything in return. We had a one point agenda – to bring smiles on the face of people who lost almost everything in the disaster. Â   Bibliography Behreandt, Dennis. 2005. Swept Away: The Epic Disaster in Southeast Asia Has Taken Many Thousands of Lives. As Failures by the Involved Governments Attest, the Relief Efforts Are Best Left to the Private Sector, The New American, Vol. 21. Walls, Michael, 2005, Report: Review of Tsunami Recovery, 30 October 2005, http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2005/trn-tsunami-24Jun.pdf. Winston, Stacy, 2005, The beginning of a Red Crescent National Society in the Maldives, 30 October 2005, http://www.ifrc.org/docs/News/05/05100501/index.asp. Mark, Amanda, 2005, Red Cross Programs Help Rebuild After Tsunami, 30 October 2005, http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_440_4091,00.html. Rice, Alison, 2005, Post-tsunami reconstruction and tourism: a second disaster?, 29 October 2005, http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/pdfs/Final%20report.pdf. Dhivehi Observer, 2004, Tsunami waves flood Maldives, 30 October 2005, http://www.dhivehiobserver.com/tsunami_december_2004/day3.html. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2004, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and, Somalia Earthquake and Tsunami: OCHA Situation Report No. 4, 29 October 2005, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/12/mil-041227-un1.htm. Thomas, Dan, 2005, Tsunami offers schools opportunities for change, 30 October 2005, http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/maldives_27300.html.

World War I: The Failure of The Schlieffen Plan Essays -- von Schlieff

In 1914, the war to end all wars began; it would later become known as World War 1. Every major power in Europe became involved in it at some point. What all these powers had were individual war plans which stated how they would rise above their enemies and claim victory. Unfortunately for some, not all of these plans were created equally. Unlike the other powers of Europe, Germany had created only one plan known as the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan had been created to be used as the perfect tool to winning a war, unfortunately the plan had been born from the arrogance of Alfred von Schlieffen and later altered by Helmuth von Moltke. Due to how the Schlieffen Plan was both created and altered, both von Schlieffen and von Moltke were doomed to bring Germany only failure in a multi-front war. In 1888, Kaiser Wilhelm II ascended to the throne of the German Empire and began a new era of foreign affair policies for Germany. Two years later, in 1890, Wilhelm dismissed the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck had united the various nineteenth century German Kingdoms and created the German Empire of the late nineteenth century. Bismarck had also helped to forge various alliances throughout Europe in order to maintain the German political and military position favorable with numbers. In less than two decades time, Wilhelm had essentially destroyed most of the alliance systems Bismarck had created and put Germany in a position where it was both allied with the weaker major powers of Europe and at a disadvantage when it came to numbers. Wilhelm went from having France, the enemy of Germany in the nineteenth century, isolated to having Germany nearly isolated politically and surrounded by enemies. In 1904, the altered d... ... attrition, 1870-1916. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kennedy, Paul M. 1979. The War plans of the great powers, 1880-1914. London: Allen & Unwin. Ritter, Gerhard. 1979. The Schlieffen plan: critique of a myth. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. Bodleian Libray. â€Å"Entente Cordiale.† Last Accessed October 6. 2011. http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/projects/entente/entente.html Fawcett, Bill. 2006. How to lose a battle: foolish plans and great military blunders. New York: Harper. Mombauer, Annika. 2001. Helmuth von Moltke and the origins of the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ousby, Ian. 2002. The road to Verdun: World War I's most momentous battle and the folly of nationalism. New York: Doubleday. Shapiro, Seymour, and Gerhard Ritter. 1959. "The Schlieffen Plan". Military Affairs. 23 (2): 107-108.

Personal Reflection Essay

Personal Reflection I will begin observing the environment through nurture and nature in developing our self concept. Self concepts are the realization of experiences gathered from history and the future in how people were, and who he or she aspires to be. Studies demonstrate that people look to society for suspicions, trust, and an accepting of what to expect from situations in society. For example, the way we intermingle and what society believes he or she is supposed to adhere to. In the social world it is our mind-set about the world, and the part we play effects our dealings. The social influences of an individual are viewed acceptable in guiding the self’s behavior. The concept of self is broken into three components; self efficacy, concept, and our self-esteem. After reviewing these concepts it becomes clearer in appreciating who I am, and my place in society. I can share my own experiences that have contributed to my social development. It gives me more knowledge and confidence of myself. Self The way we recognize ourselves defines who we are. Self concept relates to how we categorize our features and roles we see when viewing our self. A better definition of oneself is how we interrelate; the interactions influence and lead our behavior. The self concept correlates to three theories: self perception, self presentation, and dissonance theory (Myers, 2011). Self perception is how one determines their actions of other situations environmentally, persona, and approach. Our self perception allows us to witness an individual’s poor attitude; the individual can see how his or her behavior and situation relates to the manner. He or she can inspect his or herself from the outside world, deciding on values of how the individual retorts to circumstances. Self presentation presents consistency. One does not want to be or prove foolishness and inconsistent. The scrutiny of inconsistencies is a person showing artificiality and behaving as a hypocrite. However, the actions assist in giving good wisdom, which reveals the reality of us. In cognitive dissonance this shows how an individual is motivated to retain consistencies with his or her self’s cognition. The theory illustrates an individual who can sense anxiety and a need of synchronization when two ideas are incompatible (Myers, 2011). When an individual tries to validate their actions by defending it, he or she will not be amenable to correcting his or her self; demonstrating that the self is becoming consistent with actions without remembering past values. The theory is similar to the notion of self persuasion, although self perception illustrates why individuals compare his or herself to other individuals (Myers, 2011). Self Concept, Self-Esteem, and Self Efficacy I am viewed in three different aspects of life. The three perspectives explain my behavior on how I see my persona, physical self, self beliefs, and objectives, and exchanges within society. One of the first concepts is self concept. This is how the self sees his or herself in the social world. In present studies of the exact self and opposites of hopelessness are the relationships of self concept. When we are true to ourselves it provides the meaning of life. The way we see ourselves establishes our experiences of social life. I observe myself as a mother, an individual, and a friend. I hold a set of standards by setting goals, and following through with good examples that my children will follow. I rely on my friends and family for advice on adequate behavior as well as dealing with events in my life. I learn from others experiences but also link them to my own version of how situations should be dealt with. We are products of our own environment, and as I become older I expect that I will always love, know, and appreciate myself. The second concept is self-esteem that pertains to our confidence. This concept is more than thinking of one’s self, but a normalcy of our own aptitude. Self-esteem is something we all have; however, some can become the victims to grovel (Buhrmester, Blanton, & Swann, 2011). As I think of my self-esteem and reflections of holding my head up, not listening to others hypocritical words, and I am capable of meeting requirements; shows that I am far from perfect. However, I am comfortable with the person I am. Self-esteem is one who’s able to know and recognize who he or she is when the world is cruel and mean. The last concept is self efficacy. Self efficacy is being able to complete task that someone else can do, but he or she can do it better and more quickly. In addition there is acknowledgment of appraisal for a job well done. Self efficacy is also how a person thinks, believes, proceeds and is goaded to complete the task. It is important to the individual how well we execute in comparison to others; if we are competent and can accomplish objectives. Self efficacy is also the ability to take on new task and be successful at that. For example, my ability in obtaining a degree from UOPX to get to my ultimate goal and it contributes to myself concept and self-esteem (Myers, 2011). Social Experiences or Events of Personal Development As I reflect back on my life there were many incidents and many people who influenced me. I have been on my own as of the age of 18 and began my life as a mother at the age of 21. Once I had my first daughter I realized I could define myself and my part in society. I was no longer an individual, just a friend, or daughter. Becoming a mother was to me this life fulfilling prophecy and fueled me to want more out of life. In this stage of my life as a single woman raising a child motivated me to become a better person. My other three girls have led me to the second stage of personal development. I was married, but have separated from my husband. I walk away from that marriage with a total of four daughters, and it has given me the ambition to finish college with a degree in Psychology. This finally will put me in a place where I can do what I enjoy and be successful at the same time. I know who I am and where I want to be. This is the role I was meant to play; I am secure and gifted in meeting new people and going new places. I have conquered the element of motherhood, which others look to me for guidance. Each day I put my best foot forward to be better than the day before. Conclusion The environment has a profound impact on what we do and who we are, but the self is how we see ourselves socially and personally. The individual is a combination of his or her self concept, self-esteem, and self efficacy. We rely solely on these aspects of our lives to develop into the individual we will become or aspire to be, knowing who we are aids us in the world. It helps to make our lives easier and maneuver through every day task with ease. My past has given me an inner strength to strive and to change as the world changes. I have matured and become the person I am because I am unique; possessing qualities that make it possible for self actualization.

Kitsch Internet Cafe Business Plan

KITSCH INTERNET CAFE Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary5 1. 1 Objectives6 1. 2 Keys to Success6 1. 3 Mission6 1. 4 Risks7 2. Company Description7 2. 1 Company Ownership7 2. 2 Start-up Summary8 2. 3 Company Locations and Facilities10 3. Description of Services11 3. 1 Competitive Comparison11 3. 2 Service Description11 3. 3 Fulfillment12 3. 4 Technology12 3. 5 Future Services12 4. Market Analysis13 4. 1 Target Market Segment Strategy13 4. 1. 1 Market Trends13 4. 1. 2 Market Needs13 4. 2 Market Segmentation14 4. Service Business Analysis15 4. 3. 1 Competition and Buying Patterns16 4. 3. 2 Business Participants16 4. 3. 3 Distributing a Service17 5. Marketing Strategy18 5. 1 Strategy Pyramid18 5. 1. 1 Attract Power Internet Users18 5. 1. 2 Social Hub18 5. 1. 3 Attract Novice Internet Users19 5. 2 SWOT Analysis19 5. 2. 1 Weaknesses20 5. 2. 2 Opportunities20 5. 2. 3 Threats20 5. 2. 4 Strengths21 5. 3 Competitive Edge21 5. 4 Marketing Strategy21 5. 4. 1 Pricing Strategy22 5. 4. 2 Promoti on Strategy22 5. 5 Sales Strategy23 5. 5. 1 Sales Forecast23 . 6 Milestones26 6. Operating Plan27 6. 1 Personnel Plan27 7. Financial Plan29 7. 1 Start-up Funding29 7. 2 Important Assumptions31 7. 3 Key Financial Indicators32 7. 4 Break-even Analysis32 7. 5 Projected Profit and Loss33 7. 6 Projected Cash Flow37 7. 7 Projected Balance Sheet40 7. 8 Business Ratios42 8. Appendix46 Kitsch Internet Cafe Executive Summary Kitsch, unlike a typical cafe, will provide a unique forum for communication and entertainment through the medium of the Internet. Kitsch is the answer to an increasing demand. The public wants: (1) access to the methods of communication and volumes of information now available on the Internet, and (2) access at a cost they can afford and in such a way that they aren't socially, economically, or politically isolated. Kitsch’s goal is to provide the community with a social, educational, entertaining, atmosphere for worldwide communication. Highlights [pic] 1. 1 Objectives Kitsch’s objectives for the first three years of operation include: †¢ The creation of a unique, upscale, innovative environment that will differentiate Kitsch from local coffee houses. Educating the community on what the Internet has to offer. †¢ The formation of an environment that will bring people with diverse interests and backgrounds together in a common forum. †¢ Good coffee and bakery items at a reasonable price. †¢ Affordable access to the resources of the Internet and other online services. 1. 2 Keys to Success The keys to the success for Kitsch a re: †¢ The creation of a unique, innovative, upscale atmosphere that will differentiate Kitsch from other local coffee shops and future Internet cafes. †¢ The establishment of Kitsch as a community hub for socialization and entertainment. The creation of an environment that won't intimidate the novice user. Kitsch will position itself as an educational resource for individuals wishing to learn about the benefits the Internet has to offer. †¢ Great coffee and bakery items. 1. 3 Mission As the popularity of the Internet continues to grow at an exponential rate, easy and affordable access  is quickly becoming a necessity of life. Kitsch provides communities with the ability to access the Internet, enjoy a cup of coffee, and share Internet experiences in a comfortable environment. People of all ages and backgrounds will come to enjoy the unique, upscale, educational, and innovative environment that Kitsch provides. 1. 4 Risks The risks involved with starting Kitsch were: †¢ Will there be a demand for the services offered by Kitsch in Nicosia? †¢ Will the popularity of the Internet continue to grow, or is the Internet a fad? †¢ Will individuals be willing to pay for the service Kitsch offers? †¢ Will the cost of accessing the Internet from home drop so significantly that there will not be a market for Internet Cafes such as Kitsch? Company Description Kitsch, is located at the area of Agioi Omologites at 15 Chiou Street, offering the community easy and affordable access to the Internet. Kitsch is providing full access to email, WWW, FTP, Usenet and other Internet applications such as Telnet and Gopher. Kitsch will also provide customers with a unique and innovative environment for enjoying great coffee, specialty beverages, and bakery items. Kitsch is appealing to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The instructional Internet classes, and the helpful staff that Kitsch provides, will appeal to the audience that does not associate themselves with the computer age. This educational aspect attracts younger and elderly members of the community who are rapidly gaining interest in the unique resources that online communications have to offer. The downtown location will provide business people with convenient access to their morning coffee and online needs. 2. 1 Company Ownership Kitsch is owned by M & T Corporation with the manager Loizos Loizou to possess the main share (80%). 2. 2 Start-up Summary Kitsch’s start-up costs covered coffee making equipment, site renovation and modification, capital to cover losses in the first year, and the communications equipment necessary to get its customers online. The communications equipment necessary to provide Kitsch’s customers with a high-speed connection to the Internet and the services it has to offer make up a large portion of the start-up costs. These costs included the computer terminals and all costs associated with their set-up. Costs were also designated for the purchase of two laser printers and a scanner. Additional to those, one espresso machine, an automatic coffee grinder, and minor additional equipment will be purchased from Petersons ltd. The building at 15 Chiou Street required funds for renovation and modification. A single estimated figure was allocated for this purpose. The renovation/modification cost estimated included the costs associated with preparing the building for opening business. Start-up Expense Details: †¢ 11 computers = â‚ ¬22,000 †¢ two printers = â‚ ¬1,000 †¢ one scanner = â‚ ¬500 †¢ software = â‚ ¬810 †¢ one espresso machine = â‚ ¬10,700 †¢ one automatic espresso grinder = â‚ ¬795 †¢ other fixtures and remodeling: o two coffee/food preparation counters = â‚ ¬1,000 o one information display counter = â‚ ¬1,000 o one drinking/eating counter = â‚ ¬500 o sixteen stools = â‚ ¬1,600 o six computer desks w/chairs = â‚ ¬2,400 o stationery goods = â‚ ¬500 o two telephones = â‚ ¬200 o decoration expense = â‚ ¬13,000 Start-up | | | | |Requirements | | | | | |Start-up Expenses | | |Legal |â‚ ¬500 | |Stationery etc. â‚ ¬500 | |Brochures |â‚ ¬500 | |Consultants |â‚ ¬2,000 | |Insurance |â‚ ¬700 | |Rent |â‚ ¬1,445 | |4-group Automatic Coffee Machine |â‚ ¬10,700 |Bean Grinder |â‚ ¬795 | |Computer Systems (x11), Software, Printer, Scanner |â‚ ¬24,310 | |Communication Lines |â‚ ¬840 | |Fixtures/Remodel |â‚ ¬20,000 | |Total Start-up Expenses |â‚ ¬62,290 | | | | |Start-up Assets | | |Cash Required |â‚ ¬24,000 | |Start-up Inventory |â‚ ¬2,000 | |Other Current Assets |â‚ ¬0 | |Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Assets |â‚ ¬26,000 | | | | |Total Requirements |â‚ ¬88,290 | 2. 3 Company Locations and Facilities A site has been chosen at 15 Chiou Street in Agioi Omologites. This site was chosen for various reasons, including: †¢ Proximity to the downtown business community. †¢ Proximity to trendy, upscale restaurants such as Bagatelle, Steak & Co, Paragadi fish restaurant, Aperitivo Jet Set and others †¢ Parking availability. †¢ Low cost rent – â‚ ¬. 85 per square foot for 1700 square feet. †¢ High visibility. All of these qualities are consistent with Kitsch's goal of providing a central hub of communication and socialization for the Eugene community. Description of Services Kitsch is providing full access to email, WWW, FTP, Usenet and other Internet applications such as Telnet and Gopher. Printing, scanning, and introductory courses to the Internet are also available to the customer. Kitsch also provides customers with a unique and innovative environment for enjoying great coffee, specialty beverages, and bakery items. 3. 1 Competitive Comparison Kitsch is the first Internet cafe in Agioi Omologites. Kitsch differentiates itself from the strictly-coffee cafes in Agioi Omologites by providing its customers with Internet and computing services. 3. 2 Service Description Kitsch provides its customers with full access to the Internet and common computer software and hardware. Some of the Internet and computing services available to Kitsch’s customers are listed below: †¢ Access to external POP3 and IMAP email accounts. †¢ Customers can sign up for a Kitsch email account. This account will be managed by Kitsch servers and accessible from computer systems outside the Kitsch network. †¢ FTP, Telnet, Gopher, and other popular Internet utilities will be available. †¢ Access to Netscape, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer browser. †¢ Access to laser and color printing. †¢ Access to popular software applications like Adobe PhotoShop and Microsoft Office. Kitsch also provides its customers with access to introductory Internet and email classes. These classes will be held in the afternoon and late in the evening. By providing these classes, Kitsch builds a client base familiar with its services. The computers, Internet access, and classes wouldn't mean half as much if taken out of the environment Kitsch provides. Good coffee, specialty drinks, bakery goods, and a comfortable environment provide Kitsch customers with a home away from home. Kitsch is a place to enjoy the benefits of computing in a comfortable and well-kept environment. 3. 3 Fulfillment Kitsch obtains computer support and Internet access from Logitech Computers located in Agioi Omologites. CYTA and CYTACOM Solutions provide the Internet connections and network consulting. Petersons ltd will provide Kitsch with coffee equipment, bulk coffee, and paper supplies. A contract for the bakery items has not been yet completed. 3. 4 Technology Kitsch invests in high-speed computers to provide its customers with a fast and efficient connection to the Internet. The computers are reliable and fun to work with. Kitsch will continue to upgrade and modify the systems to stay current with communications technology. One of the main attractions associated with Internet cafes, is the state of the art equipment available for use. Not everyone has a Pentium PC in their home or office. 3. 5 Future Services As Kitsch grows, more communications systems will be added. The possibility of additional units has been accounted for in the current floor plan. As the demand for Internet connectivity increases, along with the increase in competition, Kitsch will continue to add new services to keep its customer base coming back for more. Market Analysis Kitsch is faced with the exciting opportunity of being the first-mover in Nicosia’s cyber-cafe market. The consistent popularity of coffee, combined with the growing interest in the Internet, has been proven to be a winning concept in other markets and will produce the same results in Nicosia. 4. 1 Target Market Segment Strategy Kitsch intends to cater to people who want a guided tour on their first spin around the Internet and to experienced users eager to indulge their passion for computers in a social setting. Furthermore, Kitsch is a magnet for local and professionals who desire to work or check their email messages in a friendly atmosphere. These professionals will either use Kitsch's PCs, or plug their notebooks into Internet connections. Kitsch's target market covers a wide range of ages: from members of Generation X who grew up surrounded by computers, to Baby Boomers who have come to the realization that people today cannot afford to ignore computers. 4. 1. 1 Market Trends A market survey was conducted in the Fall of 2007. Key questions were asked of fifty potential customers. Some key findings include: †¢ 35 subjects said they would be willing to pay for access to the Internet. †¢ One euro per hour was the most popular hourly Internet fee at that time. †¢ 24 subjects use the Internet to communicate with others on a regular basis. 4. 1. 2 Market Needs Factors such as current trends, addiction, and historical sales data ensure that the high demand for coffee will remain constant over the next five years. The rapid growth of the Internet and online services, that has been witnessed worldwide, is only the tip of the iceberg. The potential growth of the Internet is enormous, to the point where one day, a computer terminal with an online connection will be as common and necessary as a telephone. This may be 10 or 20 years down the road, but for the next five years, the online service provider market is sure to experience tremendous growth. Being one of the first’s cyber-cafe in Nicosia, Kitsch will enjoy the first-mover advantages of name recognition and customer loyalty. Initially, Kitsch will hold a 100 percent share of the cyber-cafe market in Nicosia. In the next five years, competitors will enter the market. Kitsch has set a goal to maintain greater than a 50 percent market share. 4. 2 Market Segmentation Kitsch's customers can be divided into two groups. The first group is familiar with the Internet and desires a progressive and inviting atmosphere where they can get out of their offices or bedrooms and enjoy a great cup of coffee. The second group is not familiar with the Internet, yet, and is just waiting for the right opportunity to enter the online community. Kitsch’s target market falls anywhere between the ages of 15 and 50. This extremely wide range of ages is due to the fact that both coffee and the Internet appeal to a variety of people. In addition to these two broad categories, Kitsch's target market can be divided into more specific market segments. The majority of these individuals are students and business people. See the Market Analysis chart and table below for more specifics. [pic] Market Analysis | | | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Unit Sales | | | | |Coffee- average |12,016 |14,068 |15,475 | |Specialty Drinks- average |6,654 |7,913 |8,705 | |Email Memberships |8,703 |10,505 |11,556 | |Hourly Internet Fees | 38,269 |46,365 |51,002 | |Baked Goods- average |32,673 |42,150 |46,365 | |Total Unit Sales |98,315 |121,001 |133,103 | | | | | |Unit Prices |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Coffee- average |â‚ ¬1. 00 |â‚ ¬1. 00 |â‚ ¬1. 00 | |Specialty Drinks- average |â‚ ¬2. 00 |â‚ ¬2. 00 |â‚ ¬1. 00 | |Email Memberships |â‚ ¬10. 00 |â‚ ¬10. 00 |â‚ ¬10. 00 | |Hourly Internet Fees |â‚ ¬2. 50 |â‚ ¬2. 50 |â‚ ¬2. 50 | |Baked Goods- average |â‚ ¬1. 25 |â‚ ¬1. 25 |â‚ ¬1. 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Sales | | | | |Coffee- average |â‚ ¬12,016 |â‚ ¬14,068 |â‚ ¬15,475 | |Specialty Drinks- average |â‚ ¬13,308 |â‚ ¬15,826 |â‚ ¬8,705 | |Email Memberships |â‚ ¬87,030 |â‚ ¬105,050 |â‚ ¬115,560 | |Hourly Internet Fees |â‚ ¬95,673 |â‚ ¬115,913 |â‚ ¬127,505 | |Baked Goods- average |â‚ ¬40,841 |â‚ ¬52,688 |â‚ ¬46,365 | |Total Sales |â‚ ¬248,868 |â‚ ¬303,544 |â‚ ¬313,610 | | | | | | |Direct Unit Costs |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Coffee- average |â‚ ¬0. 5 |â‚ ¬0. 25 |â‚ ¬0. 25 | |Specialty Drinks- average |â‚ ¬0. 50 |â‚ ¬0. 50 |â‚ ¬0. 25 | |Email Memberships |â‚ ¬2. 50 |â‚ ¬2. 50 |â‚ ¬2. 50 | |Hourly Internet Fees |â‚ ¬0. 63 |â‚ ¬0. 63 |â‚ ¬0. 63 | |Baked Goods- average |â‚ ¬0. 31 |â‚ ¬0. 31 |â‚ ¬0. 25 | | | | | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales | | | | |Coffee- average |â‚ ¬3,004 |â‚ ¬3,517 |â‚ ¬3,869 | |Specialty Drinks- average |â‚ ¬3,327 |â‚ ¬3,957 |â‚ ¬2,176 | |Email Memberships |â‚ ¬21,758 |â‚ ¬26,263 |â‚ ¬28,890 | |Hourly Internet Fees |â‚ ¬23,918 |â‚ ¬28,978 |â‚ ¬31,876 | |Baked Goods- average |â‚ ¬10,210 |â‚ ¬13,172 |â‚ ¬11,591 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |â‚ ¬62,217 |â‚ ¬75,886 |â‚ ¬78,403 | 5. 6 Milestones The Kitsch management team has established some basic milestones to keep the business plan priorities in place. Responsibility for implementation falls on the shoulders of Loizos Loizou. This Milestones Table below will be updated as the year progresses using the actual tables. New milestones added as the first year of operations commences. [pic] 6. Operating Plan Kitsch is owned and operated by Mr. Loizos Loizou. The company, being small in nature, requires a simple organizational structure. Implementation of this organizational form calls for the owner, Mr. Loizou, to make all of the major management decisions in addition to monitoring all other business activities. 6. 1 Personnel Plan The staff will consist of six part-time employees working thirty hours a week at â‚ ¬5. 50 per hour. In addition, one full-time technician (who is more technologically oriented to handle minor terminal repairs/inquiries) will be employed to work forty hours a week at â‚ ¬10. 00 per hour. The two private investors, Andreas Augoustinos and Panagiotis Metaxas will not be included in management decisions. This simple structure provides a great deal of flexibility and allows communication to disperse quickly and directly. Because of these characteristics, there are few coordination problems seen at Kitsch that are common within larger organizational chains. This strategy will enable Kitsch to react quickly to changes in the market. Personnel Plan | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Owner |â‚ ¬24,000 |â‚ ¬26,400 |â‚ ¬29,040 | |Part Time 1 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 | |Part Time 2 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,92 |â‚ ¬7,920 | |Part Time 3 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 |à ¢â€š ¬7,920 | |Part Time 4 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 | |Part Time 5 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 | |Part Time 6 |â‚ ¬3,960 |â‚ ¬7,920 |â‚ ¬7,920 | |Technician |â‚ ¬21,731 |â‚ ¬23,904 |â‚ ¬26,294 | |Manager |â‚ ¬4,000 |â‚ ¬24,000 |â‚ ¬26,400 | |Total People |9 |9 |9 | | | | | | |Total Payroll |â‚ ¬93 |â‚ ¬121,824 |â‚ ¬129,254 | | |291 | | | 7. Financial Plan The following sections lay out the details of our financial plan for the next three years. 7. 1 Start-up Funding This business plan is prepared to obtain financing in the amount of â‚ ¬24,000. The supplemental financing is required to begin work on site preparation and modifications, equipment purchases, and to cover expenses in the first year of operations. Additional financing has already been secured as follows: †¢ â‚ ¬19,000 of personal savings from owner Loizos Loizou †¢ â‚ ¬36,000 from two investors †¢ and â‚ ¬9,290 in the form of sh ort-term loans Start-up Funding | | | | |Start-up Expenses to Fund |â‚ ¬62,290 | |Start-up Assets to Fund |â‚ ¬26,000 | |Total Funding Required |â‚ ¬88,290 | | | | |Assets | | |Non-cash Assets from Start-up |â‚ ¬2,000 | |Cash Requirements from Start-up |â‚ ¬24,000 | |Additional Cash Raised |â‚ ¬0 | |Cash Balance on Starting Date |â‚ ¬24,000 | |Total Assets |â‚ ¬26,000 | |Liabilities and Capital | | | | | |Liabilities | | |Current Borrowing |â‚ ¬9,290 | |Long-term Liabilities |â‚ ¬24,000 | |Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) |â‚ ¬0 | |Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Liabilities |â‚ ¬33,290 | | | | |Capital | | |Planned Investment | | |Loizos Loizou |â‚ ¬43,000 | |Private Investor |â‚ ¬12,000 | |Additional Investment Requirement |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Planned Investment |â‚ ¬55,000 | |Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) |(â‚ ¬62,290) | |Total Capital |(â‚ ¬7,290) | |Total Capital and Liabilities |â‚ ¬26,000 | |Total Funding |â‚ ¬88,290 | 7. 2 Important Assumptions Basic assumptions  are presented in the table below. General Assumptions | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Plan Month |1 |2 |3 | |Current Interest Rate |8. 00% |8. 00% |8. 00% | |Long-term Interest Rate |10. 00% |10. 00% |10. 00% | |Tax Rate |30. 00% |30. 00% |30. 00% | |Other |0 |0 |0 | 7. 3 Key Financial Indicators Important benchmark data is presented in the chart below. Benchmarks [pic] 7. 4 Break-even Analysis Break-even data is presented in the chart and table below. [pic] Break-even Analysis | | | | |Monthly Units Break-even |7,294 | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |â‚ ¬18,462 | | | | |Assumptions: | | |Average Per-Unit Revenue |â‚ ¬2. 53 | |Average Per-Unit Variable Cost |â‚ ¬0. 63 | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |â‚ ¬13,847 | 7. 5 Projected Profit and Loss Payroll Expense: The founder of Kitsch, Loizos Loizou, will receive a salary of â‚ ¬24,000 in year one, â‚ ¬26,400 in year two, and â‚ ¬29,040 in year three. Kitsch intends to hired six part-time employees by the end of year one at â‚ ¬5. 75/hour and a full-time technician at â‚ ¬10. 00/hour. Rent Expense: Kitsch is leasing a 1700 square foot facility at â‚ ¬. 85/sq. oot. The lease agreement Kitsch signed specifies that we pay â‚ ¬2,000/month for a total of 36 months. At the end of the third year, the lease is open for negotiations and Kitsch may or may not re-sign the lease depending on the demands of the lessor. Utilities Expense: As stated i n the contract, the lessor is responsible for the payment of utilities including gas, garbage disposal, and real estate taxes. The only utilities expense that Kitsch must pay is the phone bill generated by fifteen phone lines; thirteen will be dedicated to modems and two for business purposes. The basic monthly service charge for each line provided by CYTA is â‚ ¬17. 29. The 13 lines used to connect the modems will make local calls to the network provided by CYTACOM Solutions resulting in a monthly charge of â‚ ¬224. 77. The two additional lines used for business communication will cost â‚ ¬34. 58/month plus long distance fees. Kitsch assumes that it will not make more than â‚ ¬40. 00/month in long distance calls. Therefore, the total cost associated with the two business lines is estimated at â‚ ¬74. 58/month and the total phone expense at â‚ ¬299. 35/month. In addition, there will be an additional utility expense of â‚ ¬800 for estimated EWEB bills. Marketing Expense: Kitsch allocated â‚ ¬33,750 for promotional expenses over the first year. These were used for advertising in local newspapers in order to build consumer awareness. For additional information, please refer to section 5. 0 of the business plan. Insurance Expense: Kitsch has allocated â‚ ¬1,440 for insurance for the first year. As revenue increases in the second and third year of business, Kitsch intends to invest more money for additional insurance coverage. Depreciation: In depreciating our capital equipment, Kitsch used the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery Method. We depreciated our computers over a five-year time period and our fixtures over seven years. Taxes: Kitsch is not taxed. However, there is a 15% payroll burden. Detailed Profit and Loss data is presented in the table below. [pic] [pic] [pic] Pro Forma Profit and Loss | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Sales |â‚ ¬248,868 |â‚ ¬303,544 |â‚ ¬313,610 | |Direct Cost of Sales |â‚ ¬62,217 |â‚ ¬75,886 |â‚ ¬78,403 | |Other Costs of Sales |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Cost of Sa les |â‚ ¬62,217 |â‚ ¬75,886 |â‚ ¬78,403 | | | | | | |Gross Margin |â‚ ¬186,651 |â‚ ¬227,658 |â‚ ¬235,208 | |Gross Margin % |75. 00% |75. 00% |75. 0% | | | | | | | | | | | |Expenses | | | | |Payroll |â‚ ¬93,291 |â‚ ¬121,824 |â‚ ¬129,254 | |Marketing/Promotion |â‚ ¬33,750 |â‚ ¬40,000 |â‚ ¬43,000 | |Depreciation |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Rent |â‚ ¬24,000 |â‚ ¬24,000 |â‚ ¬24,000 | |Utilities |â‚ ¬9,120 |â‚ ¬9,120 |â‚ ¬9,120 | |Insurance |â‚ ¬6,000 |â‚ ¬6,000 |â‚ ¬6,000 | |Payroll Taxes |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Other â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Operating Expenses |â‚ ¬166,161 |â‚ ¬200,944 |â‚ ¬211,374 | | | | | | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |â‚ ¬20,490 |â‚ ¬26,714 |â‚ ¬23,834 | |EBITDA |â‚ ¬20,490 |â‚ ¬26,714 |â‚ ¬23,834 | |Interest Expense |â‚ ¬2,325 |â‚ ¬1,470 |â‚ ¬1,100 | |Taxes Incurred |â‚ ¬5,450 |â‚ ¬7,573 |â‚ ¬6,820 | | | | | | |Net Profit |â⠀š ¬12,716 |â‚ ¬17,671 |â‚ ¬15,913 | |Net Profit/Sales |5. 11% |5. 82% |5. 07% | 7. 6 Cash Flow Cash flow data is presented in the chart and table below. Accounts Payable: Kitsch acquired a â‚ ¬24,000 loan from a bank at a 10% interest rate. The loan paid back at â‚ ¬800/month over the next three years. The â‚ ¬9,290 short term loan paid back at a rate of 8%. Cash (000 â‚ ¬) [pic] |Pro Forma Cash Flow | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Cash Received | | | | | | | | | |Cash from Operations | | | | |Cash Sales |â‚ ¬248,868 |â‚ ¬303,544 |â‚ ¬313,610 |Subtotal Cash from Operations |â‚ ¬248,868 |â‚ ¬303,544 |â‚ ¬313,610 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Received | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, Received |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |New Current Borrowing |â‚ ¬2,000 |â‚ ¬5,000 |â‚ ¬0 | |New Other Liabilities (interest-free) |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |New Long-term Liabilities |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Sales of Other Current Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Sales of Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |New Investment Received |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Subtotal Cash Received |â‚ ¬250,868 |â‚ ¬308,544 |â‚ ¬313,610 | | | | | | |Expenditures |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | | | | | | |Expenditures from Operations | | | | |Cash Spendi ng |â‚ ¬93,291 |â‚ ¬121,824 |â‚ ¬129,254 | |Bill Payments |â‚ ¬133,870 |â‚ ¬165,945 |â‚ ¬168,467 | |Subtotal Spent on Operations |â‚ ¬227,161 |â‚ ¬287,769 |â‚ ¬297,721 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Spent | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, Paid Out |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing |â‚ ¬9,290 |â‚ ¬2,000 |â‚ ¬0 | |Other Liabilities Principal Repayment |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment |â‚ ¬9,600 |â‚ ¬5,000 |â‚ ¬4,800 | |Purchase Other Current Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Purchase Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Dividends |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Subtotal Cash Spent |â‚ ¬246,051 |â‚ ¬294,769 |â‚ ¬302,521 | | | | | | |Net Cash Flow |â‚ ¬4,817 |â‚ ¬13,775 |â‚ ¬11,089 | |Cash Balance |â‚ ¬28,817 |â‚ ¬42,592 |â‚ ¬53,681 | 7. 7 Projected Balance Sheet Our projected balance sheet is presented in the table below. Pro Forma Balance Sheet | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | |Assets | | | | | | | | | |Current Assets | | | | |Cash |â‚ ¬28,817 |â‚ ¬42,592 |â‚ ¬53,681 | |Inventory |â‚ ¬6,980 |â‚ ¬8,514 |â‚ ¬8,796 | |Other Current Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Current Assets |â‚ ¬35,797 |â‚ ¬51,106 |â‚ ¬62,478 | | | | | | |Long-term Assets | | | | |Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Accumulated Depreciation |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Assets |â‚ ¬35,797 |â‚ ¬51,106 |â‚ ¬62,478 | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital |Year 1 Year 2 |Year 3 | | | | | | |Current Liabilities | | | | |Accounts Payable |â‚ ¬13,972 |â‚ ¬13,610 |â‚ ¬13,868 | |Current Borrowing |â‚ ¬2,000 |â‚ ¬5,000 |â‚ ¬5,000 | |Other Current Liabilities |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Subtotal Current Liabilities |â‚ ¬15,972 |â‚ ¬18,610 |â‚ ¬18,868 | | | | | | |Long-term Liabilities |â‚ ¬14,400 |â‚ ¬9,400 |â‚ ¬4,600 | |Total Liabilities |â‚ ¬30,372 |â‚ ¬28,010 |â‚ ¬23,468 | | | | | | |Paid-in Capital |â‚ ¬55,000 |â‚ ¬55,000 |â‚ ¬55,000 | |Retained Earnings |(â‚ ¬62,290) |(â‚ ¬49,574) |(â‚ ¬31,904) | |Earnings |â‚ ¬12,716 |â‚ ¬17,671 |â‚ ¬15,913 | |Total Capital |â‚ ¬5,426 |â‚ ¬23,096 |â‚ ¬39,010 | |Total Liabilities and Capital |â‚ ¬35,797 |â‚ ¬51,106 |â‚ ¬62,478 | | | | | | |Net Worth |â‚ ¬5,426 |â‚ ¬23,096 |â‚ ¬39,010 | 7. 8 Business Ratios The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code for the Internet Service Provider industry is â€Å"Remote data base information retrieval† 7375. 9903. We used the report for â€Å"Information retrieval services† 7375 to generate  the industry profile. As we are also a food cafe we could have used the ratios based on SIC classification 5812, â€Å"Eating places†. The combined nature of Kitsch Cafe makes our ratios a blend of the two i ndustries. Ratio Analysis | | |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 |Industry Profile| |Sales Growth |0. 00% |21. 97% |3. 32% |0. 90% | | | | | | | |Percent of Total Assets | | | | | |Inventory |19. 50% |16. 66% |14. 08% |2. 17% | |Other Current Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |84. 8% | |Total Current Assets |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |86. 95% | |Long-term Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |13. 05% | |Total Assets |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% | | | | | | | |Current Liabilities |44. 62% |36. 41% |30. 20% |28. 33% | |Long-term Liabilities |40. 23% |18. 39% |7. 36% |16. 21% | |Total Liabilities |84. 84% |54. 1% |37. 56% |44. 54% | |Net Worth |15. 16% |45. 19% |62. 44% |55. 46% | | | | | | | |Percent of Sales | | | | | |Sales |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% | |Gross Margin |75. 00% |75. 00% |75. 00% |100. 00% | |Selling, General & Administrative |69. 89% |69. 18% |69. 93% |79. 0% | |Expenses | | | | | |Advertising Expenses |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |1. 01% | |Profit Before Interest an d Taxes |8. 23% |8. 80% |7. 60% |1. 62% | | | | | | | |Main Ratios | | | | | |Current |2. 24 |2. 75 |3. 31 |0. 00 | |Quick |1. 80 |2. 29 |2. 85 |0. 0 | |Total Debt to Total Assets |84. 84% |54. 81% |37. 56% |0. 00% | |Pre-tax Return on Net Worth |334. 80% |109. 30% |58. 28% |0. 00% | |Pre-tax Return on Assets |50. 74% |49. 40% |36. 39% |0. 00% | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 | | |Net Profit Margin |5. 11% |5. 82% |5. 07% |n. a | |Return on Equity |234. 36% |76. 1% |40. 79% |n. a | | | | | | | |Activity Ratios | | | | | |Inventory Turnover |12. 00 |9. 80 |9. 06 |n. a | |Accounts Payable Turnover |10. 58 |12. 17 |12. 17 |n. a | |Payment Days |27 |30 |30 |n. a | |Total Asset Turnover |6. 95 |5. 94 |5. 02 |n. | | | | | | | |Debt Ratios | | | | | |Debt to Net Worth |5. 60 |1. 21 |0. 60 |n. a | |Current Liab. to Liab. |0. 53 |0. 66 |0. 80 |n. a | | | | | | | |Liquidity Ratios | | | | | |Net Working Capital |â‚ ¬19,826 |â‚ ¬32,496 |â‚ ¬43,610 |n. | |Intere st Coverage |8. 81 |18. 17 |21. 67 |n. a | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios | | | | | |Assets to Sales |0. 14 |0. 17 |0. 20 |n. a | |Current Debt/Total Assets |45% |36% |30% |n. a | |Acid Test |1. 80 |2. 29 |2. 85 |n. a | |Sales/Net Worth |45. 87 |13. 14 |8. 4 |n. a | |Dividend Payout |0. 00 |0. 00 |0. 00 |n. a | 8. Appendix |Sales | | | | | | | | | | | |Month 1 |Month 2 |Month 3 |Month 4 |Month 5 |Month 6 |Month 7 |Month 8 |Month 9 |Month 10 |Month 11 |Month 12 | |Assets |Starting Balances | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Current Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Cash |â‚ ¬24,00 |â‚ ¬23,026 |â‚ ¬18,600 |â‚ ¬13,589 |â‚ ¬16,879 |â‚ ¬16,066 |â‚ ¬19,557 |â‚ ¬20,657 |â‚ ¬22,308 |â‚ ¬24,307 |â‚ ¬26,675 |â‚ ¬27,415 |â‚ ¬28,817 | |Inventory |â‚ ¬2,000 |â‚ ¬1,900 |â‚ ¬2,683 |â‚ ¬3,106 |â‚ ¬5,203 |â‚ ¬5,403 |â‚ ¬5,614 |â‚ ¬5,819 |â‚ ¬6,034 |â‚ ¬6,256 |â‚ ¬6,490 |â‚ ¬6,730 |â‚ ¬6,980 | |O ther Current Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Current Assets |â‚ ¬26,00 |â‚ ¬24,926 |â‚ ¬21,282 |â‚ ¬16,696 |â‚ ¬22,082 |â‚ ¬21,469 |â‚ ¬25,170 |â‚ ¬26,476 |â‚ ¬28,342 |â‚ ¬30,562 |â‚ ¬33,165 |â‚ ¬34,145 |â‚ ¬35,797 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Long-term Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Accumulated Depreciation |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Long-term Assets |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Total Assets |â‚ ¬26,00 |â‚ ¬24,926 |â‚ ¬21,282 |â‚ ¬16,696 |â‚ ¬22,082 |â‚ ¬21,469 |â‚ ¬25,170 |â‚ ¬26,476 |â‚ ¬28,342 |â‚ ¬30,562 |â‚ ¬33,165 |â‚ ¬34,145 |â‚ ¬35,797 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital | |Month 1 |Month 2 |Month 3 |Month 4 |Month 5 |Month 6 |Month 7 |Month 8 |Month 9 |Month 10 |Month 11 |Month 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Current Liabilities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Accounts Payable |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬6,503 |â‚ ¬8,785 |â‚ ¬8,701 |â‚ ¬13,654 |â‚ ¬12,180 |â‚ ¬12,578 |â‚ ¬12,709 |â‚ ¬13,055 â‚ ¬13,410 |â‚ ¬13,786 |â‚ ¬13,581 |â‚ ¬13,972 | |Current Borrowing |â‚ ¬9,290 |â‚ ¬8,540 |â‚ ¬7,790 |â‚ ¬7,040 |â‚ ¬6,290 |â‚ ¬5,540 |â‚ ¬6,790 |â‚ ¬6,040 |â‚ ¬5,290 |â‚ ¬4,540 |â‚ ¬3,790 |â‚ ¬3,040 |â‚ ¬2,000 | |Other Current Liabilities |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬0 | |Subtotal Current Liabilities |â‚ ¬9,290 |â‚ ¬15,04 3 |â‚ ¬16,575 |â‚ ¬15,741 |â‚ ¬19,944 |â‚ ¬17,720 |â‚ ¬19,368 |â‚ ¬18,749 |â‚ ¬18,345 |â‚ ¬17,950 |â‚ ¬17,576 |â‚ ¬16,621 |â‚ ¬15,972 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Long-term Liabilities |â‚ ¬24,00 |â‚ ¬23,200 |â‚ ¬22,400 |â‚ ¬21,600 |â‚ ¬20,800 |â‚ ¬20,000 |â‚ ¬19,200 |â‚ ¬18,400 |â‚ ¬17,600 |â‚ ¬16,800 |â‚ ¬16,000 |â‚ ¬15,200 |â‚ ¬14,400 | |Total Liabilities |â‚ ¬33,29 |â‚ ¬38,243 |â‚ ¬38,975 |â‚ ¬37,341 |â‚ ¬40,744 |â‚ ¬37,720 |â‚ ¬38,568 |â‚ ¬37,149 |â‚ ¬35,945 |â‚ ¬34,750 |â‚ ¬33,576 |â‚ ¬31,821 |â‚ ¬30,372 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Paid-in Capital |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 |â‚ ¬55 | |Retained Earnings |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 |â‚ ¬62,29 | |Earnings |â‚ ¬0 |â‚ ¬6,027 |â‚ ¬10,403 |â‚ ¬13,356 |â‚ ¬11,372 |â‚ ¬8,961 |â‚ ¬6,108 |â‚ ¬3,382 |â‚ ¬313 |â‚ ¬3,103 |â‚ ¬6,879 |â‚ ¬9,614 |â‚ ¬12,716 | |Total Capital |â‚ ¬7,290 |â‚ ¬13,317 |â‚ ¬17,693 |â‚ ¬20,646 |â‚ ¬18,66 |â‚ ¬16,251 |â‚ ¬13,398 |â‚ ¬10,672 |â‚ ¬7,603 |â‚ ¬4,187 |â‚ ¬411 |â‚ ¬2,324 |â‚ ¬5,426 | |Total Liabilities and Capital |â‚ ¬26,00 |â‚ ¬24,926 |â‚ ¬21,282 |â‚ ¬16,696 |â‚ ¬22,082 |â‚ ¬21,469 |â‚ ¬25,170 |â‚ ¬26,476 |â‚ ¬28,342 |â‚ ¬30,562 |â‚ ¬33,165 |â‚ ¬34,145 |â‚ ¬35,797 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Net Worth |â‚ ¬7,290 |â‚ ¬13,317 |â‚ ¬17,693 |â‚ ¬20,646 |â‚ ¬18,662 |â‚ ¬16,251 |â‚ ¬13,398 |â‚ ¬10,672 |â‚ ¬7,603 |â‚ ¬4,187 |â‚ ¬411 |â‚ ¬2,324 |â‚ ¬5,426 | |

An Examination of Minimum Wage and Its Economical Impact

An Examination of Minimum Wage and Its Economical Impact The concept of minimum wage is a complex economic program pitting an employee's benefit of a living wage against an employer's hardship of forced policy. In this critical analysis of the minimum wage, each side presents an argument for or against the program. This examination provides an insight into whether minimum wage serves as a social and economic safety net or a welfare crutch with crippling effects for those affected. The presentation of facts and figures explores wage requirements for employment of adults versus minors, as well as, displacement of workers based on rising wages. An increasing deficit between the minimum wage and the national poverty level will also be covered with a final conclusion of the team's stance on the subject of minimum wage.ContentsAbstract2Contents3An Examination of Minimum Wage and Its Economical Impact4Introduction4History of Minimum Wage4The Pro Minimum Wage Argument6The Anti Minimum Wage Argument9Summary11Conclusion12Reference page14An Examinati on of Minimum Wage and Its Economical Impact TitleIntroductionThe United States economy and workforce faces a tough and challenging dilemma dealing with the minimum wage issue.Map of U.S. Minimum Wage lawsMinimum wage has been, and will continue to be, a topic of discussion amongst America's workforce. Should Congress be held responsible to pass an act raising minimum wage throughout the United States? Should a minimum wage be a state-led initiative? Should minimum wage be abolished and never raised? This paper will answer the questions stated above and critically analyze the pros and cons of the minimum wage structure in the United States. This paper will allow the reader to establish a clear and precise picture of the "pro minimum wage stance", by providing facts and opinions concerning the economic and social benefits of maintaining and raising minimum wage. This paper will also identify facts and opinions concerning the "con minimum wage stance", focusing on the negative impact on...

About Margaret Bourke-White, Photographer

About Margaret Bourke-White, Photographer Margaret Bourke-White Facts Known for:  first woman war photographer, first woman photographer allowed to accompany a combat mission; iconic images of the Depression, World War II, Buchenwald concentration camp survivors, Gandhi at his spinning wheel Dates: June 14, 1904 - August 27, 1971Occupation: photographer, photojournalistAlso known as: Margaret Bourke White, Margaret White About Margaret Bourke-White: Margaret Bourke-White was born in New York as Margaret White.   She was raised in New Jersey. Her parents were members of the Ethical Culture Society in New York, and had been married by its founding leader, Felix Adler. This religious affiliation suited the couple, with their mixed religious background and somewhat unconventional ideas, including full support for the education of women.    College and First Marriage Margaret Bourke-White began her university education at Columbia University in 1921, as a biology major, but became fascinated with photography while taking a course at Columbia from Clarence H. White. She transferred to the University of Michigan, still studying biology, after her father died, using her photography to support her education. There she met an electrical engineering student, Everett Chapman, and they were married. The next year she accompanied him to Purdue University, where she studied biology and technology. The marriage broke up after two years, and Margaret Bourke-White moved to Cleveland where her mother was living, and attended Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in 1925. The following year, she went to Cornell, where she graduated in 1927 with an A.B. in biology. Early Career Though majoring in biology, Margaret Bourke-White continued to pursue photography through her college years. Photographs helped to pay for her college costs and, at Cornell, a series of her photographs of the campus was published in the alumni newspaper. After college, Margaret Bourke-White moved back to Cleveland to live with her mother, and, while working at the Museum of Natural History, pursued a freelance and commercial photography career. She finalized her divorce, and changed her name. She added her mothers maiden name, Bourke, and a hyphen to her birth name, Margaret White, adopting Margaret Bourke-White as her professional name. Her photographs of mostly industrial and architectural subjects, including a series of photographs of Ohios steel mills at night, drew attention to Margaret Bourke-Whites work. In 1929, Margaret Bourke-White was hired by Henry Luce as the first photographer for his new magazine, Fortune. Margaret Bourke-White traveled to Germany in 1930 and photographed the Krupp Iron Works for Fortune. She then traveled on her own to Russia. Over five weeks, she took thousands of photos of projects and workers, documenting the Soviet Unions first Five Year Plan for industrialization. Bourke-White returned to Russia in 1931, at the invitation of the Soviet government, and took more photographs, concentrating this time on the Russian people. This resulted in her 1931 book of photographs, Eyes on Russia. She continued to publish photographs of American architecture, as well, including a famous image of the Chrysler Building in New York City. In 1934, she produced a photo essay on Dust Bowl farmers, marking a transition to more focus on human interest photographs. She published not only in Fortune, but in Vanity Fair and The New York Times Magazine. Life Photographer Henry Luce hired Margaret Bourke-White in 1936 for another new magazine, Life, which was to be photograph-rich. Margaret Bourke-White was one of four staff photographers for Life, and her photograph of Fort Deck Dam in Montana graced the first cover on November 23, 1936. That year, she was named one of Americas ten most outstanding women.   She was to remain on staff of Life  until 1957, then semiretired but remained with Life until 1969. Erskine Caldwell In 1937, she collaborated with the writer Erskine Caldwell on a book of photographs and essays about southern sharecroppers in the midst of the Depression, You Have Seen Their Faces. The book, though popular, drew criticism for reproducing stereotypes and for misleading captions which quoted the subjects of photos with what were actually words of Caldwell and Bourke-White, not the people depicted. Her 1937 photograph of African Americans after the Louisville flood standing in line under a billboard touting the American way and the worlds highest standard of living helped draw attention to racial and class differences. In 1939, Caldwell and Bourke-White produced another book, North of the Danube, about Czechoslovakia before the Nazi invasion. That same year, the two were married, and moved to a home in Darien, Connecticut. In 1941, they produced a third book, Say! Is This the U.S.A.. They also traveled to Russia, where they were when Hitlers army invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, violating the Hitler-Stalin Non-aggression pact. They took refuge in the American embassy. As the only Western photographer present, Bourke-White photographed the siege of Moscow, including German bombardment. Caldwell and Bourke-White divorced in 1942. Margaret Bourke-White and World War II After Russia, Bourke-White traveled to North Africa to cover the war there. Her ship to North Africa was torpedoed and sunk. She also covered the Italian campaign. Margaret Bourke-White was the first woman photographer attached to the United States military. In 1945, Margaret Bourke-White was attached to General George Pattons Third Army when it crossed the Rhine into Germany, and she was present when Pattons troops entered Buchenwald, where she took photographs documenting the horrors there. Life published many of these, bringing those horrors of the concentration camp to the attention of the American and worldwide public. After World War II After the end of World War II, Margaret Bourke-White spent 1946 through 1948 in India, covering the creation of the new states of India and Pakistan, including the fighting that accompanied this transition. Her  photograph of Gandhi at his spinning wheel  is one of the best-known images of that Indian leader. She photographed Gandhi just hours before he was assassinated. In 1949-1950 Margaret Bourke-White traveled to South Africa for five months to photograph apartheid and mine workers. During the Korean War, in 1952, Margaret Bourke-White traveled with the South Korean Army, again photographing war for  Life  magazine. During the 1940s and 1950s, Margaret Bourke-White was among many who were targeted as suspected communist sympathizers by the FBI. Fighting Parkinsons It was in 1952 that Margaret Bourke-White was first diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. She continued photography until that became too difficult by the end of that decade, and then turned to writing. The last story she wrote for  Life  was published in 1957. In June of 1959,  Life  published a story on the experimental brain surgery intended to fight off the symptoms of her disease; this story was photographed by her long-time fellow  Life  staff photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt. She published her autobiographical  Portrait of Myself  in 1963. She formally and fully retired from  Life  magazine in 1969 to her home in Darien, and died in a hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1971. Margaret Bourke-Whites papers are at Syracuse University in New York. Background, Family: Mother: Minne Elizabeth  Bourke White, of English and Irish Protestant heritageFather: Joseph White, industrial engineer and inventor, of Polish Jewish heritage, raised as an Orthodox JewSiblings: two Education: public school in New JerseyPlainfield High School, Union County, New Jersey, graduated1921-22: Columbia University, majored in biology, took first class in photography1922-23: University of Michigan1924: Purdue University1925: (Case) Western Reserve University,  Clevelend1926-27: Cornell University, A.B. biology1948: Rutgers, Litt. D.1951: DFA, University of Michigan Marriage, Children: husband: Everett Chapman (married June 13, 1924, divorced 1926; electrical engineering student)husband: Erskine Caldwell (married February 27, 1939, divorced 1942; writer)children: none Books by Margaret Bourke-White: Eyes on Russia. 1931.You Have Seen Their Faces, with Erskine Caldwell. 1937.North of the Danube, with Erskine Caldwell. 1939.Say! Is This the U.S.A., with Erskine Caldwell. 1941.Shooting the Russian War.  1942.They Called It Purple Heart Valley: A Combat Chronicle of the War in Italy. 1944.Dear Fatherland, Rest Quietly: A Report on the Collapse of Hitlers Thousand Years.  1946.Halfway to Freedom: A Study of the New India in the Words and Photographs of Margaret Bourke-White.  1949.A Report on the American Jesuits.  1956.Portrait of Myself. 1963. Books About Margaret Bourke-White: Sean Callahan, editor.  The Photographs of Margaret Bourke-White.  1972.Vicki Goldberg.  Margaret Bourke-White.  1986.Emily Keller.  Margaret Bourke-White: A Photographers Life. 1996.Jonathan Silverman.  For the World to See: The Life of Margaret Bourke-White.  1983.Catherine A. Welch.  Margaret Bourke-White: Racing with a Dream. 1998. Film About Margaret Bourke-White Double Exposure: The Story of Margaret Bourke-White.  1989.

Motivation and its influence on employees satisfaction Dissertation

Motivation and its influence on employees satisfaction - Dissertation Example Human resource capital is the primordial asset of the organization. This shift in the valuation of the central role of employees in attaining the goals of the organisation is a result of dynamic changes that are happening in the current period. Globalisations, recognition of the notion that organisation have an obligation not only for the satisfaction of the shareholders’ interests but also of the satisfaction of the demands of identified stakeholders, shift in the consciousness of the people and rapid developments in computer and information technology have contributed to paradigm shift that has happened in terms of the importance of employees in organisations. As a result, the current condition and situation of employees today can be claimed to be the result of the long history of the conflict between employees and employers and the current factors that are influencing human interactions in the contemporary period. As the integral role of the employees in the organisation is recognised, the inherent importance of motivating employees to enhance their effectivity, job performance and productivity has been continually articulated by the scholars. Recently, an important development in the service sector has taken the industry by storm – the establishment of call centres. Call centres are more popularly known as the called contact centre or profit centre. It is the section of the organisation that handles and manages customer contacts through voice, e-mail or chat. Contact centres use a special type of software, which enables to route contact information to appropriate people, to track contacts and gather information or data (Baziotoupolus, 2006). The services provided by call centres include inbound sales, directory assistance, technical support and billing inquiries. In this context, the research will be dealing with notion of employee motivation of workers who are involved in call centres. The concept of employee motivation holds the same regardless of the nature of work. This means that motivation is a primordial factor that affects employee satisfaction, which influences not only the personal development and growth of the individual employee but also that of the organisation as the whole. Back Ground of the Study The development of call centres is driven by the rapid developments in computer and information technology and telecommunications. Through these developments, consumers as well as organisations have been given the option to transact via the Internet or over the phone. In this regard, call centres have created alternative means with which customers can be contacted, thus render services. as such, call centres offer the approach wherein the market of the company can be expanded while at the same time having the chance to offer the products to possible new clients with having to go through the rudiments of actual, physical contact. In this way, services are provided when needed, products are offered when requested and customer care is managed at anytime, anywhere. As call/contact centres create an advantage for the organisation due to expanded market coverage and effective customer care 24/7, the employees or call centre agents, on the other hand, are exposed to gruelling work conditions such as several hours of talking over the phone with faceless clients often irritated, discriminatory or inpatient. Another concern is the rendering extra hours of service if the client demands or requires it, and the monotony of the job, which increases job dissatisfaction. This situation is further compounded by other issues such as lack of time for leisure and managerial concerns. In the face of this rising concern, Mobily company, one of the leading telecommunications and internet service provider in

Motivation letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Motivation letter - Essay Example I believe that a masters’ degree places me in a better position to explore different fields of research and collect data that will be helpful to the future generations. Another reason that influences me to pursue a masters’ degree is my lifelong desire to be a senior member in the corporate sector. I like giving directions and being the boss. In order to be a corporate leader, a masters’ degree is a requirement. Currently, promotion in the workplace is based on professional and academic merit (Telò 10). At the same time, most of the employees have pursued a bachelors’ degree. This gives an added advantage to those with a Masters’ degree since their field of competition is narrower. Holders of a Masters’ degree are also preferred in many organizations because they have acquired experience interacting with people while doing academic research. I have studied international relations in my bachelors’ degree. However, since this was my first time learning the subject, I believe this was just an introduction. I wish to enroll in the Masters’ program in order to increase my knowledge of the subject and make me more competent in the professional sector. I do not find the need of going to school and later end up without a distinguished title. In one of my long-term goals, I hope to gain a distinguished title of a doctor and a professor. I understand that one must have completed a Ph.D. to acquire the doctorate title. Successful completion of the Masters’ degree will qualify me to enroll in the Doctorate program. This will also give me a valuable opportunity to apply for teaching in a university. I hope to join the Masters’ program in order to enhance my practical aspect of international relations. There is not a single time in my life that I got a chance to interact with people of diverse cultural backgrounds than during my stay at the University. Studying a Masters’ degree will give