Dr. Burn and His Profession Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dr. Burn and His Profession - Case Study Example According to the paper, his vision for his practice was to have highest market share and offer a comprehensive dental care that included periodontal services, orthodontics, endodontics and oral surgeries. Dr. Burn presently had 40% of the market share and to achieve his vision and goals, he needed to gain competitive advantage vis-Ã  -vis quality service, technology driven dental treatment and providing comprehensive dental care. The strategic plans encompass developing new skills and improving the service delivery. He had three full time and three part time staff that worked for 46 hours per week. Dr. Burn believed in constantly keeping updated with the latest advancements in the dentistry and offered the best treatments to his patients who would otherwise had to travel long distance to see specialists. Waterlase was new laser based treatment that did not require anesthesia, was relatively painless and facilitated bloodless surgery and other treatment. This was main attraction, esp ecially for patients who were afraid of blood and pain. As very few dental care clinics had this treatment facility, it could be a major element of competitive advantage which could help gain larger market share. His move to upmarket place would provide him opportunities to expand the services and have space for new dental technology. Customer satisfaction was key ingredient that provides the dental office with huge credibility and therefore all new purchase and new services were designed towards enhancing customer satisfaction in terms of treatment, service and cost affordability. The increasing number of patients indicates the popularity of Dr. Burn and growth. The case has issues and not problems that need to be addressed. The major issue was whether investment in new laser technology, called Waterlase would be economically profitable. It was a new dental laser that allowed dental treatment without anesthesia.

Investment in the Fashion Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Investment in the Fashion Industry - Essay Example The paper "Investment in the Fashion Industry" explores the fashion and investment in this industry. The opportunities are great although level of competition is tough. The area of Southampton has population of less than 2millions, but the potential buyers are more than 80percent of the population. The female population of the area is 52percent, whereas the teenagers comprise of more than 34percent of the entire population, and population of kids below 10yrs consists of 28percent. Significant percentage of the population can be regarded as the potential buyer within this region of Southampton. The fashion industry of Southampton has potential based upon financial standing of its population. More than 70percent of the population are working class, whereas 20percent of the population is involved in business related activities, however the remaining population is retired class and their earning is based upon pensions and public funds. The per capita income of this region is relatively b etter than other parts of United Kingdom, and the local population is attuned to contemporary customs and fashion. The region is therefore considered to be ideal for the investment in fashion industry, however risk does prevail. The risks associated with the investment are mainly related with the ongoing economic recession, the purchasing power of the local population has reduced, and people are reluctant to invest towards non-returnable and non-profitable items. The negative aspect of this investment is the profession itself., the fashion is considered to be commodity which can be sold but never re-sold. The fashion is consumer product, it is not business or commercial commodity which has re-sale in the market, the customer can never expect to make profit by investing in fashion consumables. The ongoing economic turmoil has therefore cautioned the public about their spending and savings. The unemployment in United Kingdom is expected to reach record high level, and it will take yea rs to create more earning opportunities for the public because the government savings and profit returns are restricted (Harald, 2000). PEST Analysis on Industry Political Analysis 1. The deregulation in the European market launched by the European Union created hindrances for the fashion industry. The industry has been accused of excessive profit margins, and labour law violations. 2. The stand of European Union has caused implication for the fashion industry within United Kingdom; the fashion industry therefore found it difficult to continue with the implementation of high tax cuts. 3. The restrictions imposed by the European Union offered opportunities to the remaining companies of the fashion industry, therefore the market shares of the rival fashion units increased significantly. Economic Analysis: 1. Fashion industry worldwide in general has played a central role in stirring the growth of the world economy. 2. In the current scenario the major concern for the industry comes from the rising tax cuts and ongoing economic turmoil. 3. In the midst of such economic crisis, the imposition from the European Union has reduced the profit making figures for the fashion units. 4. The financial penalties have halted the commercial activities of the company; unfortunately the company seldom enjoy enough revenue which can be utilized for such purpose. 5. The banking and financial institutes shall be referred for financial borrowing, and the credit facility shall be thoroughly evaluated with special emphasis upon the interest rate. 6. It is important for the company to evaluate the purchasing power of the customers inside Southampton. The economic power of the

Market research assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Market research - Assignment Example This study analyzes three different scenarios for the formulation of the best research strategy to be used din the data collection and analysis phases of the study. The target respondents for this scenario are residents of the Lochiel Park as they are the ones affected because they live there and benefit from the sustainable technologies offered at the Park. Sampling will be done through systematic Sampling that relies on arranging the study population according to some ordering scheme and then selecting at regular intervals through that ordered list, starting with the first project then proceeded with the selection of every 4th projects in the project list (Association for Qualitative Research, 2002). Qualitative research approach is the most appropriate research type for this scenario with the use of phenomenological research that aims at identifying the experience of the residents in the area (Hennink, 2011). The main reason or the choice of qualitative research in the study is that the research deals with the opinions, views, and feelings of the residents on living at the park. The choice is also pegged on the fact that the aim of the resea rch is to explore a given phenomena, which is the experience of the residents living at the Lochiel Park and not testing a hypothesis (Gehlbach, 2012). The appropriate data collection method for the use in the study is in-depth interviews and questionnaires for the study the research to get the views of the researchers on the research topic. The sample size has to be a small sample, preferably 40 to allow for the in-depth interviews and questionnaires to be filled by a sample of the residents at Lochiel Park due to high time requirements for the data collection method and to allow the researcher to get all the information for the formation or a required valid conclusion. This will also allow the

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Final - Essay Example the operational command of the Allied forces, which included the US forces under the directive of the Supreme Commanders for the South East Asia (Charles, 42) The Truman doctrine stated that the US would provide aid to people anywhere in the globe who fall victims of attempted subjugation by armed minorities of external pressures, however, the Berlin Blockade that saw the Soviet Union cut off the rails and highways delayed the implementation process. The US started airlifting aid up to 1949, when the USSR lifted the blockade. This followed that, the western powers pulled out of Germany and allowed the creation of the West Germany and the USSR reciprocated by allowing the creation of the East Germany. This trend hampered the Truman doctrine (Charles, 51). The Bay of Pigs, Laos, Berlin, the Cuban missile crisis and war at Vietnam formed the flexible response. The test of flexible response on Vietnam was applied by force. There was not strategic planning and implementation and this led to the defeat and humiliation of the US forces (Charles,

U.S. Homeland Security and the Business, Government and Society Essay

U.S. Homeland Security and the Business, Government and Society - Essay Example Thus the phrase- â€Å"Homeland security†; this phrase may appear relatively new but was actually coined after a series of attacks against US and its nationals around the world during 1980s and 1990s. The U.S. military now defines homeland security as "the preparation for, prevention of, deterrence of preemption of, defense against, and response to threats and aggressions directed toward U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population and infrastructure; as well as crisis management, consequence management, and other domestic civil support." (1) The definition has two important constituents namely homeland defense and civil support. Homeland defense is seen as the "protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression," whereas while civil support is described as "support to U.S. civil authorities for domestic emergencies, and for designated law enforcement and other activities." (2) During the Clinton administration, homeland security was an important but passively discussed issue. By the time Clinton’s term ended, the notion of homeland security revolves around "national missile defense, counterterrorism, WMD preparedness, consequence management of WMD events and protection against cyber attacks." (3) The three main components of any counterterrorism strategy would thus form the basis for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. These components were later clearly identified by President Bushs National Strategy for Homeland Security as "1) prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; 2) reduce Americas vulnerability to terrorism; and 3) minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur." (4) If Clinton administration had basically been passive about national security, then Bush administration did nothing concrete either in the first few months of entering

Financial Analysis of Ted Baker & Burberry Essay Example for Free

Financial Analysis of Ted Baker Burberry Essay INTRODUCTION Burberry is a global luxury brand offering menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, coats, dresses, shoes, accessories, bags, scarves, beauty and fragrance. The quintessentially British brand was first founded as an outerwear brand, well known for its iconic Burberry trench coat and distinct tartan print. The brand has over 497 directly operated stores and concessions operating in 32 countries; and via a third-party distribution network- 70 franchise stores in an additional 28 countries and approximately 1,400 wholesale department and specialty store doors in over 80 countries (as at 31 March 2014). The brand continues to develop its presence in existing and  under-penetrated markets. THE BASICS Burberry was founded by Thomas Burberry in 1855 in Hamphire England and remained an independent company until 1955, when it was taken over by Great Universal Studios (GUS). In 2005, GUS divested its remaining interest in Burberry. Burberry Group PLC was initially floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2002. In 2013/2014, Burberry had a turnover of  £2,330 million (up 16.5% from the previous year), recording a profit before tax of  £461 million (up 7.7% from the previous year). The company employs 9698 employees across 34 countries and is headquartered in London. The accounts are presented in GBP, which is Burberrys functional currency. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker BRBY with a market capitalization of GBP6822.43 Million. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU. The accounts have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with no reservations. MANAGEMENT CHANGES On the management side, the most significant change is the departure CEO Angela Ahrendt in April 2014 who left Burberry (to join Apple). Ahrendt the CEO since 2006 has lead the successful transformation of the company, tripling revenue three-fold during her tenure. Ahrendt was succeeded by Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) who has been with Burberry since 2001. Bailey holds the roles of CEO and CCO and his appointment as CEO is considered a natural progression. Other important changes include, the changes of the CFO and COO, and the appointment of three new non-executive directors. The new board appointments focus on evolving the Boards relevant skills and competencies for the future under its succession plan. THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT After three years of double digit growth, analyst estimated that the luxury sector growth slowed to 2% in 2013. This was in part due to a slowdown in China (the worlds 4th largest luxury market), in light of government policy changes on gift giving and the Chinese consumer increasingly shifting luxury consumption abroad (which has in turn help drive luxury sales in the rest of Asia and Europe). Whilst Burberry is a luxury brand, note that its growing beauty and fragrance lines are attainable luxury and has the capacity for resilience in unfavourable economic conditions. Burberrys five strategic themes which have sustained its growth during the period include:[1: Claudia DArpizio, Bain Report: Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study Spring 2014 ]

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay Social stratification is a sociological phenomenon in which people in the society are placed in different ranks with reference to same economic conditions. Normally, there are those of high standard and others of a low standard. Social stratification borrows classification from earth sciences and thus it refers to its classes as strata. The difference in economic characteristics of persons leads to domination of power by one group to another. Social Stratification is characterized by four core principles namely; Social stratification has been said to be transferable from generation to another. Every generation adopts the classifications that had been set by a generation that preceded. Social stratification is a societal characteristic and not an individual view. The society forms a uniform way of grading persons which is not a sole persons objective. Social stratification is said to be universal and also variable. Though this statement seems contradictory, it means that classification is uniform in a certain society but will vary when compared with other societies. Lastly, social stratification is not all about equality of persons, but also the beliefs that they hold. This means that social classes in the society are also based on common beliefs. The classification of the society into various ranks brings about inequality. In the western communities, social stratification adopts three key stratas; the upper, middle and lower class. It is due to these classes that inequality is developed. Those of upper class view themselves as superior and having more prestige compared to their counterparts in lower ranks. Therefore, sharing of common resources in the society is based on the stratification ranks. Inequality is a social evil that emanates from social stratification. Origins of the Social Stratification theory The above theory is said to have emanated from the Judaeo-Christian Bible which presents the social idea of the Greeks. Though the idea was not extremely straightforward at the beginning, it has gone through various transformations to the present day where it presents itself clearly. The sociological view of Social stratification and inequality Various sociologists have had different views and interpretations on social stratification. For instance, Talcott Parsons who was an American sociologist emphasized that stability of social stratas is partly influenced by universal values. On a different note, Marxism identifies unequal distribution of resources and limited mobility to be factors of stratified societies. However, numerous sociologists have had a uniform view with reference to the fact that the wealthy in the society control the political power. In such a case, the poor ought to submit to orders from the rich. Several sociologists had diverse views on the origin and form of the social stratification theory. Below are some of these sociologists and various discussions regarding each one of them. Karl Marx In his theory of Marxism, Karl asserted that social stratification in the society is based on the way people are related to the factors of production. In such, there exist two different categories of persons; those that own the factors of production and those who labor for the owner of the factors of production. The classification by Karl Marx seems to be inadequate especially in the current view of economics. This is because there exist various aspects of the present economy that have been left untackled by the Marxism theory. For instance; it does not provide accurate categorization as to productive, occupational and economic aspects of the society. Modern scholars of economics have said that the issue of social stratifications requires in depth classifications other than the generalized one provided for by the Marxism theory. In fact, theories behind social stratification need to draw a clear cut between the economic aspects of skilled and unskilled labor, owning and managing a bu siness and also between business and professional occupational roles. Secondly, the Marxism theory appears to be so generalized to an extent that it overlooks various vital social-structural phenomena that are o great influence in the society. These include ethnic affiliations, kinship and lineage affiliations. Modern sociologists have however not ignored these crucial aspects the way Marx did. Thirdly, the theory of Marx on social stratification seems to be so limited in defining the role of cultural factors in social classification. Cultural factors include legal practices, religious norms and scientific ideas among others. It is crucial to note that science has played a key role in maintaining social classes. In summary, Mar defined the relationship between people and property as the key aspect behind social stratification. Max Weber Weber was thrilled by the propositions of his predecessor, Marx, and hence he thought of making corrections to Marxs theory. Weber designed a model based on status, class and a more explicit and systematic differentiation with reference to social stratification. Unlike Marx who identified property to be the sole determining factor in social stratification, Weber identified status and class as additional factors. Weber build an interconnected model that would define the relationship between these three factors. Any of the factors can affect the other two, and in any case any of these factors can be replaced with another. In his model, Weber also did not cover several key influencing factors like education, ethnic and kinship factors. Below are the definitions that Weber gave to his three factors of influence; He defined class as an individuals economic position in the society with reference to birth and their personal achievement. Secondly, he defined status as the position occupied by an individual in the society as a result of their social honor, popularity and prestige. Weber also defined power as the ability of an individual to progress despite various factors offering resistance in the society. Wright Mills Wright sought to advance Webers thoughts on social stratification with no discrimination whatsoever. Similar to Weber, he identified power to be economic oriented but in addition to be influenced by political and military domains. Through his famous book titled The Power Elite, Mills brings out a clear connection between political power and social statas in the society. He asserted that the very power embodied persons occupy a certain class in the society. In order to keep themselves relevant in the society, the power elite tend to develop close ties in ideas, work and marital issues. To him, the power elite is clearly defined in education institutions whereby the persons of the high status group attend prominent schools thus preparing them for high class tertiary schools. Conceptual model to Social Stratification A conceptual model for the current nature of social stratification ought to be multidimensional. It should have considerable measurement techniques and be flexible to accommodate various ideological biases. There appears to be two factors that have led to the resistance of such a conceptual model. These are ideological and methodological oriented. Looking at ideological issues, we find sociologists who still hold on to the traditional ways of classifying people. They want to maintain definitions that are simple clear and self explanatory. However, simple definitions have proved to be incompetent in the current nature of society that presents changing and complex situations. With reference to methodology aspects, scientists have had fear of exploring a multidimensional concept because they fear the complex resources and methods that could be involved. The more differentiated a model is, the more involving it will be in terms of equipments needed to analyze and the processes that will be involved. New ideas have not been explored by sociologist researchers who have committed themselves in exploring simple models hence there is still a lot to be explored. Studies by the Hindu caste society show that there is a necessity for a multidimensional model. Various dimensions of stratification are closely related to one another but this does not mean that they are not exclusively autonomous. For instance, such dimensions as power, prestige, income and education are in a way related to one another. However, in some cases, it can be noted that power is independent of the other factors. In fact, in certain circumstances, power may be attained irrespective of occupational prestige. Again, a certain level of education grounds may not be strong enough if not accompanied by money. The key role of a multidimensional model is to address issues of interdependence and independence of social stratification factors. Key dimensions of Social Stratification Power As defined earlier in this paper and with reference to Karl Marx, power refers to the ability to pursue goals despite resisting factors. Power will be addressed with reference to size and various natures of societies. The degree of division of labor in the society is related to the way typical social classes will be formed. Power exists in two diverse forms; legitimate and illegitimate and hence there cannot be established a direct relation between power and social stratification. Occupational prestige The various productive roles in the society are accorded different level of prestige. It has been evident that though societies may be different, there will always exist a similarity in the way they accord prestige to various occupations. For instance; some professions like law, medicine and pilot are given a high level of prestige because they are associated with good amounts of money. The vaiability of the way occupations are valued is dependent on the way the society values those occupations. Therefore, it is vital to note that prestige accorded to various occupations will differ with reference to the values of the societal setting. Income/Wealth Wealth plays a extremely significant role in social stratification. Whether earned or inherited, wealth will impact the type of class that a person will occupy in the society. Various profession and business roles in the society offer diverse opportunities in accumulating wealth. Sometimes, the so high ranked roles have proven to accumulate low wealth when compared to low prestige roles. Looking at the example of a professional doctor who uses intellect and professionalism to accumulate his wealth yet he may not gather a lot like a bandit. The latter can accumulate in one night, money equal to that a professional doctor earns in an entire month. When money is used as the determining factor in social stratification, business and professional roles lack relevance. Social stratification on basis of income influences to a significant extent other dimensions of societal classification. For instance; the level of education gained by a person may be determined by the relative amount of income they have. Disposable income has also not been left out in studying how it influences social stratification. Family and ethnicity The status of kinship groups and family lineage plays a vital role in determining the social classes in the society. Not once and not twice have persons been seen as wealthy and hence prestigious because their fore fathers were wealthy. The role played by a family in the society in terms of monetary contribution and influence holds a significant support as to why it holds a certain class in the society. The class occupied by a certain family in the society determines the social class it occupies and hence the kind of treatment they will be accorded by the entire society. Family and ethnic position do not however hold a one to one relationship in far as social stratification is concerned. Local community status Individuals and families do not live in isolations or in islands in the society. Their day to day activities are influenced by norms set by the nature of the community. Families and individuals by extension are given placed under certain social classes due to the way the society operates. The position of local community in the society is determined by the nature of influence it has on the entire community. Modern Stratification Systems In the contemporary world, there exists three key systems of stratification whish are; slavery, the caste system and the class system. Despite various laws disregarding slavery, many people in the world today live in conditions that can be classified as slavery. Slavery is still eminent in nations such as Ghana, Benin and Mauritania among others. Also, Asia has been mentioned numerously for prevalent cases in sex slavery. Caste System The above is a social system that is based on characteristics and traits those persons posses as virtue of their birth. These traits include body type, race, gender and age among others. The caste system is said to be a rigid one. This means that it assigns various unchangeable castes to persons which cannot be varied. However, persons have in various situations tried to change their ascribed statuses by lying about their age, changing nationality or performing plastic surgery but not at all times do these attempts yield positive results. Class system Class system classifies persons with reference to statuses that they have earned and not those that they were born with. Persons born in a certain social class can choose their careers, education level and spouses. The class system is characterized by social mobility nature. Social mobility refers to the act of moving either up or down the various social strata. Conclusion Every society has various classes that are generally assumed by members of the society based on various factors. Common held belief in the society model the way a society sets up these classes. Most common factors that determine classification are education and knowledge, power, prestige, and religion among other factors. Sociologists have formed various theories to address the determining factors of social stratification though no one theory seems to have provided comprehensive coverage. Every society exhibits unique factors and believes, but there exists a close relationship between the way these diverse factors influence social stratification.