...The HF76 wants to revamp its sales incentive plan. The advantage of the old incentive plan is maintaining its original market share and volume of sales to assure certain amount of revenue. However, the plan does not meet the company’s strategy, which is opening the new market, gaining more shares in the lucrative markets, and increasing the accuracy of forecasts. In this essay, through addressing the pros and cons of the new incentive plan, I offer some recommendations to the new incentive plan to increase accuracy of forecast and slow the increase of commission and ultimately to make the salesperson care about the selling expense. The new incentive plan is introduced in order to tackles these three problems by providing commissions on product gross margins, promising an extra bonus on accuracy of the sales forecasts, and offering a bonus on the achievement of MBO targets. However, the new incentive plan brings some new problems. There are four downsides of this plan. Firstly, no commission will be paid until gross margins exceed 70% of the forecast. It is totally unfair to sales representatives taking care of the low gross margin products. Secondly, in order to receive the extra bonus, sales persons of low gross margin products will be inclined to move this year’s sales to next year or vice versa. Others associated with products whose gross margin exceed 70% tend to ignore the accuracy of the forecast due to the little amount of bonus based on 5% of their salary other than...
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...Case Details Houston Fearless 76, Inc (HF) was formed in 1976 and initially sold film based products to a variety of industries. Throughout the years the business expanded, and by 2000 had four divisions: Extek Microsystems; an innovator of film duplicating technology, Houston International; which manufactured large volume specialized film processors, Mekel Engineering; a producer of specialized scanners, cameras and other film equipment, and HR North that supported the US Air Force with a variety of specialized products. HF uses a variety of dealers, independent sales representatives, and inside sales representatives, with different territories located around the country. For inside sales people, remuneration is made up of a base salary as well as a fixed commission of sales. The company has been facing a decline in sales due to its position in a mature market, as well as its ineffective sales system. CEO M.S. Lee appointed his son James to evaluate and revamp the sales incentive plan. James Lee proposes a new incentive that is broken down into three main parts: (1) a commission based on gross margin, (2) a 5% bonus for those who fall within 10% of their sales forecast, and (3) a 5% bonus for achievement of a management by objectives (MBO) target. Problems & Issues * Lack of strategic focus in sales people * Widespread and varied forms of sales agents, which can make it difficult to plan and forecast * Lack of knowledge of customer base through dealers and...
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...* 1. The Managers are unhappy with the existing incentive plan due to the following reason: * Commissions are based on sales rather than product * Different compensation structures for different products * Inconsistent sales forecasts * The incentive wasn’t introduced properly (Assitant forgot about bonus and was suprised when she got it. * The current plan is picking the commission on total area sales and not by sales rep. The telephone orders also becomes part of sales people commission The performance of the business can be partially impacted due to the above factor. The other areas that will impact the business could be: * The current economic condition * Branding * Competition * Parallel importing 2. Evaluate the New Incentive Plan: The Objective is that Commission based on product gross margins encourage salespeople to focus their where company profit potential was greatest. The new incentive plan will factor in three perspective /key drivers of the business and these are the products gross margin, sales forecast and management by objective. 1. Commission based on product gross margin, but with no commissions paid until gross exceeded 70% of forecast; 2. A bonus paid on forecast accurancy; 3. A bonus paid on achievement of individual management by objetives MBO targets. a/ Adding a significant number of new costumers b/Co-ordinating well with production c/ Keeping annual travel expenses below forecats. 3...
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...Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to work with your company. As requested, we have examined HF76’s sales functions and critically evaluated the current sales incentive as well as the newly proposed plan as you requested. While I understand that the newly proposed system is to gear up profitability towards HF76’s targets, I believe that there are still some issues that are yet to be resolved. The unresolved issues are; • Has the new system actually resolved the problem of sales forecast? • How can this new incentive system motivate salespersons in the negative and low margin products? • What about the sales assistants, how does the new system motivate them in line with the company’s goal? This memo aside examining the current and newly proposed system, will also analyze these unresolved issues in the newly proposed system and attempt to offer recommendations where possible. An Overview of Current Incentive Plan The current system as rightly pointed out by M.S Lee, there is a “mismatch between our company objectives and our sales force incentives because our commission is based on sales, not product profitability.” This as well as inaccurate sales forecast to bank on are the major problems in the current system. Besides, other issues include: salespersons attitude towards getting new customers. Salespersons hardly reach out to new customers; lack of communication between departments especial the sales and operations departments; commission paid out to salespersons...
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...fifteen to release an album with her own materials but the company wanted to wait until she was eighteen but she knew she was ready to launch her career with her own material, so she left that record company. At a café in Nashville, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a DreamWorks records executive who was preparing to form his own independent record label, Big Machine records. Taylor was one of his new labels first signings. Since then she has written over 200 songs which all written about her true experience and feelings. In 2006 she released her first album called “Taylor Swift.” She received positive reviews from the music critics. And by the time 2008 came around she released her second album “fearless, and in 2010 “Speak now.” The lead single from the fearless album “Love Story” was the second best-selling country single of all time. In 2009 swift became the first country music artist to win an award on MTV Video Music when you belong with...
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...Amanda Medina AMST101 QUIZ #1 : Popular Music “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift I choose this song because firstly, this song is one of the most popular song lately in America since the day it was released it was the #1 hit song on Billboard. For me personally, this song has a very catchy melody, where at first the band started of with an up-beat drum which could create a feelings of excitement. There are also a couple of repetition on the hook, 'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off Heart-breakers gonna break, break, break, break, break And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off So I think these repetition makes it easier for listeners to remember the song words, also the melody. Additionally, this song talks about a girl who’s brave, confident, happy and she doesn’t care about what people thinks on her. If we see from the lyrics, Taylor uses a different kinds of words in every new chorus which makes the song interesting and not boring. In some part of the song, she sings the melody into a slower and softer sound to show the feelings where she’s chill and just go with the flow of music she listens to, But I keep cruising.. Can't stop, won't stop moving.. It's like I got this music… In my mind, saying, "It's gonna be alright...
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...In 1965, Otis Redding wrote and released the song “Respect” which two years later became a smash hit for Aretha Franklin. The stories told by Franklin’s version are significantly different from Otis Redding’s original. Otis Redding’s version describes a man who will give anything to his woman as long as he gets respect. However, Aretha Franklin’s cover demands respect not only from her man as well as the man. “Respect” is not only a catchy song about relationships, but has an underlying meaning that focused on the social movements at the time. The song was able to have multiple meanings due to Aretha Franklin making noteworthy changes from the original. Aretha Franklin reinvented the song, “Respect” with notable revisions to the music, lyrics and delivery. Aretha changes to the music focused on the melody and the use of different instruments in the recording. Franklin used blue notes more distinctly than Redding, causing the melodic structure to change in regards to pitch and rhythm. Additionally, she used background vocalists and guitar to feature syncopation throughout the song, while Otis Redding used vocals and horns. Revisions to the lyrics include the addition of phrases for background vocalists as well as rewording several of the lead vocalists’ lines. In Victoria Malawey’s journal article, she suggests that Aretha is responding to the original lyrics with her revisions. Furthermore, Franklin’s delivery of “Respect” uses more power and soul that created a bigger emphasis...
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...Purpose: To Inform Specific Purpose: To Inform about Taylor Swift’s Albums Attention Getter: clip Thesis Statement: The success Taylor Swift has gained and accomplished through out each album she has released Main Points: I. Taylor Swift • First album released on October 24th, 2006 • 39,000 copies sold its first week • Contains 11 songs • 5 singles released: Tim McGraw, Teardrops On My Guitar, Our Song, Picture To Burn, Should’ve Said No • Later released a deluxe edition that included 3 new songs II. Fearless • Second album released on November 8th, 2008 • Sold 592,000 copies its first week • According to a listening session held by the Nashville Chapters and The Producers & Engineers Wing, Taylor mentioned Fearless was her breakthrough album • 5 singles released: Love Story, White Horse, You Belong With Me, Fifteen, and Fearless • Love Story was her first number one single to go International • Contains 13 songs • Later re-released as Fearless Platinum Edition which included 6 new songs and a DVD with her recent music videos • 7 total Grammy nominations, won 4 III. Speak Now • Released on October 25th, 2010 • Her first album to sell one million copies its first week • Contains 14 songs, deluxe edition includes 3 new songs • 6 singles released: Mine, Back To December, Mean, The Story Of Us, Sparks Fly, and Ours • 3 Grammy Nominations – won 2 • Taylor stated in an interview that she wrote this entire album solo to prove people wrong IV. Red ...
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...Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed with the independent label Big Machine Records and became the youngest songwriter ever hired by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house. The release of Swift's self-titled debut album in 2006 established her as a country music star. Her third single, "Our Song," made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Hot Country Songs chart. She received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Swift's second album, Fearless, was released in 2008. Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me," Fearless became the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States. The album won four Grammy Awards, making Swift the youngest ever Album of the Year winner. Swift's third and fourth albums, 2010's Speak Now and 2012's Red, both sold more than one million copies within the first week of their U.S release. Speak Now's "Mean" won two Grammy Awards, while Red's singles "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble" were worldwide hits. Swift's fifth album, the pop-focused 1989, was released in 2014 and sold more copies in its opening week than any album in the previous 12 years, making Swift the first and only act to have three albums sell more than one million...
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...Top 5 Taylor Swift songs A Perfectly Good Heart Love Story I'm Only Me When I'm With You Enchanted Sparks Fly All Taylor Swift lyrics 22 A A Perfectly Good Heart A Place in This World All Night Diner All Night Diner All Night Diner All Too Well lyrics Am I Ready For Love Americain Boy American Girl Angelina B Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow Beautiful Eyes. Begin Again Being With My Baby Better Than Revenge Breathe Brought Up That Way C Can I Go With You Change check out this view Cold As You Come Back.... Be Here Come In With The Rain Crazier D Dear John Diary Of Me Didn't They Drops of Jupiter E Enchanted everything has changed Eyes Open F Fearless Fifteen Forever And Always Girl At Home Gracie H Haunted Hey Stephen Holy Groud I I Almost Do Lyrics I Heart ? I Knew You Were Trouble I'd Lie I'm Alright I'm Only Me When I'm With You If This Was A Movie Innocent Invisible Jump Then Fall Knew you were trouble L Last Kiss Long Live Love Story Lucky You M Mary's Song (Oh My, My, My) Mean Mine N Never Grow Up Nevermind lyrics No One Our Song Ours P Permanent Marker Picture To Burn Place In This World R R-E-V-E-N-G-E Red red Ronan Run S Sad Beautiful Tragic Safe and Sound Same Girl Should've Said No Smokey Black Nights Songs About You mostly know as Writing songs about you South Of Knowing Why (Drive All Night) Sparks Fly speak now Starlight State of Grace Stay Beautiful Lyrics ...
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...In Focus: No Zoning in Houston? To begin to evaluate the effect of zoning codes, it is important to keep some of the characteristics of Houston in the back of your mind: the city has a growing economy, booming population, and urban sprawl, but it also filled with air pollution, traffic congestion, and a somewhat ineffective method of public transportation. It is unlike many other cities for a variety of reasons, but in regards to urban politics, its biggest difference is a lack of a zoning code. Zoning codes are typically used to keep developments at a low-density, but even without them, Houston has a sprawling, low-density urban structure. Zoning is also used to protect property values, but some of the most expensive homes in downtown Houston are very near to commercial developments. If there are no zoning codes, what promotes such success similarity to other large, zoned cities? After reading the research on this topic, most views on which come through local media sources, it is apparent that the effects of zoning are a very contested issue. Many individuals argue that the lack of zoning gives Houstonians a necessary right to private property usage, while others would like more regulation in city development. Additionally, voting against zoning laws allows the opportunity to test alternatives to zoning laws. The city has tried to pass zoning laws in 1948, 1962, and 1993, but each time, they have failed to get close to a majority of the citizens’ votes, even in small straw...
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...Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. As of 2006, the city had a population of 2.14 million and anchors a metropolitan area of 5.5 1 million people. Houston is the economic and cultural center of the western Gulf Coast Region and southeastern Texas. Over the past several decades the city has rapidly added population and developed in a low density autocentric form. Houston is well known for being the largest city in the nation with no zoning. This laissez-faire government structure allowing for the market to dictate urban form is one of the reasons why Houston has remained an affordable and viable place for people and businesses to relocate. However, the loosely regulated growth throughout Metropolitan Houston is having many negative impacts on the quality of life and poses serious implications to the future viability and livability of Houston in the future. In most cities, zoning is one the most effective instruments used by planners to shape the built environment. However, since Houston and Harris County have no zoning powers, deed restrictions and ordinances are used as land use planning tools. Many planning decisions in Houston are made at the neighborhood level and are spear headed by non-profits such as the Gulf Coast Institute 2 . The Gulf Coast Institute (GCI) is an organization that seeks to create a livable community with a dynamic economy that revitalizes and protects neighborhoods, improves access, increases mobility...
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...Newsweek, 2006 Chakia Boutte, 12, surveys what she has lost in the year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. The playground where she once spent afternoons is closed. Her block is full of stormwrecked homes, many abandoned. A pile of charred debris sits in front of what used to be Chakia’s house. The home was looted and burned after her family evacuated in a rescue boat. “I cried when I saw my house,” she says, remembering the first time she returned home after the storm. “[Looters] took everything, even my jar of pennies.” Chakia and her cousin Mikia Kirton, 8, have lived in Houston since the storm forced their families to move. The girls dreaded returning to school this fall. They say other kids sometimes make fun of them. “They say, ‘You used to have a home, now you live in the Astrodome,’” says Mikia. After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of evacuees had to take shelter at the Houston Astrodome. After spending time in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, Toye Domino is happy to be starting fifth grade in New Orleans. “We had to travel halfway around the country to get back here,” says Toye, 10. “I want to stay here because it’s my hometown.” For kids in New Orleans, the start of school is a welcome sign of normalcy. One year ago, their lives were forever altered by Hurricane Katrina. More than 1,300 people died because of the Aug. 29, 2005, storm. About 770,000 people were displaced and evacuees scattered across the country. “New Orleans has changed a lot,” says Myeisha McDaniels...
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...students are involved in different activities which are mainly focused on local needs and at the same time developing their academic skills and commitment to the society. I went to Salvation Army which is located on 8145 Highway 6 S, Houston Tx 77083 and interviewed an Office Manager by the name of Quinta Johnson. At first I was nervous but she was very receptive and was willing to have me interview her after telling her the purpose of my visit. Based on the questions I asked her, I received a lot of information about this nonprofit organization. Salvation Army is a nonprofit organization and partly a church. It was established to help the less fortunate, the poor and homeless people, drugs and alcohol addicts by providing financial assistance, housing, rehabilitation and counseling. It does this so that those people in need do not waste away or indulge in any criminal activities. While it provides the assistance, the members spread the Word of God. It also organizes youth and adult programs where they teach on moral issues. Salvation Army goes international as well, they are in Canada, countries in Europe, Africa and South America. The Salvation Army has 10 full time employees, 6 part time and hundreds of volunteers from the whole of Houston who come to donate food, clothes, build shelters and preach the gospel. It receives funding from the fundraising which the members of staff do every two weeks. It also receives funds from generous people who donate money online, or they...
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...Pro Side Debate Summary Marlon D. Ector BCOM/275 2/23/2015 Michael Frank Introduction The Keystone XL Pipeline is a massive 875 mile pipe that goes across the United States from the lands of Alberta, Canada to the lands of Nebraska to connect to and exsisting pipeline and go on to the Texas Gulf Coast. It further is a costly project where numbers have totaled the values of trillions of dollars and years of work to complete this project. Pro’s When looking at this project of building a pipeline we have to look at all the things this project would do for the economy within the United States. A con to this project allows us to produce more energy and gives us the opportunity to compete in the world by moving oil at its lowest cost. Now, with all that we have been going through in these last few years of high gas prices, that bring good news to have a hope of lower prices. Then when looking at the massive size of this project through the length of time it will take to build through 1 country, and 3 states, allows you to see the vast ability to create jobs. According to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in a 2014 article they were in agreement because it would produce 2,500 jobs for workers closer to the project and support 42,100 jobs. This would really aid the gross domestic product in a large way and help the United States in becoming major player within the market. The pipeline is one that will allow us as a Nation to...
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