...GIFTS SHOPS AND HOME DÉCOR SHOPS – A COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS (September 4, 2010) In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course "Retail Marketing" of MBA (Full Time) CARD AND GIFT: For the past decade or so the gift and card industry has been growing at a rapid rate and gaining market share. At the whim of discretionary spending, gift shops and card stores rely on low-margin, high-volume sales and are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with supermarkets and online retailers. The key to survival is consolidation and vertical integration which is seeing the number of companies decline while store numbers edge up. The cards and gift shops fall into the impulse purchase category. The product mix includes: cards, collectible gifts, gift wrap, holiday and seasonal decoration, novelties, party supplies, souveniers, etc. Gift shops come as both standalone stores as well as part of supermarkets. In India these stores are franchisees, chain retailers, as well as independent retailers. The customer base is spread over a wide demography, but the main consumers are young. Some of the main players in this category are: Archies: [pic] Archies was founded in 1979 as a mail order poster shop, and introduced its first line of greeting cards in 1980. The company procured its first ever foreign license from Walt Disney, USA in 1984 and offered its customers some of the best loved Disney characters on its greeting cards. As the Archies brand grew into a household...
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...Abstract This paper provides an interim assessment of my company by using certain tools as applicable. The analysis will seek to address the following: what tools are available to provide analysis, identify the tools and how they are used, the benefits of each tool, concluding with an organization change agenda demonstrated by a Balance Score Card of the company. The following tools will be used in the analysis: Organizational Culture – “This is defined as a pattern of basic assumptions that a given group has invented, discovered, or developed in learning to cope with its problem of external adaptation and internal integration”. This assumes the initial stage of identifying Organizational Capital We will examine the Nirvana group using the “ice berg” principle to demonstrate how the culture is made up. The “7-s Frame work”---A system used to garner a better understanding of an organization. This tool will be used simultaneously to: To conduct a SWOT analysis and identify the seven key elements existing in the company and to what benefit they serve. “Balanced Score Card”--- This will address the organization change agenda by identifying and measuring three criteria, namely; Customer Perspective, Alignment, and teamwork. Resort Demographics The Nirvana hotel group is Jamaican owned and operated, it comprises four resorts totalling 920 rooms “Nirvana Resorts’ primary target market is defined as the active, romance-expectant couple. The typical clientele are adults...
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...Character Analysis: Ryan Bingham Imagine waking up tomorrow with nothing… kind of exhilarating isn’t it? This is the mantra and philosophy of the protagonist in the Oscar nominated film, “Up In The Air.” Effectively, he has constructed a life for himself where ever morning, he does wake up with nothing. He has deluded himself into thinking that this is the life he wants, so much so that he even gives motivational speeches about the merits of his way of life. He is free of the weight of family, friends, a home, or any possessions other than the elite status cards he has earned at hotels and airlines across the country. However, his confidence in his work and the lifestyle he has chosen is only a veil to cover intrinsic emotional insecurities. Does waking up tomorrow with nothing still sound exhilarating? Superficially, Ryan appears to be a picture of confidence. His entire existence is based around flying and firing people. When your career is traveling the country, putting people through the worst day of their lives, and assuring them that everything is going to be fine, confidence is a very important thing to exude. That is what makes him the best at what he does. When people leave the office having been let go, he instills at least a little hope that a new beginning is coming, and that this could be an opportunity for a new, better life. His work is his whole life. Where the goals of most people in their lives have at least something to do with family and human...
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...Lesson 4 Assessment Tool: Marketing Plan Framework This Assessment Tool contains real world examples, guiding principles, practical worksheets, and information that can help you complete a 4E-based marketing plan for your business. This Tool can serve as companion activities for Lesson 4. 4.1. Executive summary: This is a summary of the marketing plan, so it is usually prepared after the plan has been completed. It should summarize: Situation analysis results Marketing goals and objectives Proposed marketing actions (strategies and tactics) to meet goals and objectives Proposed marketing budget and key resources that are necessary to implement the marketing actions Expected outcomes of the proposed marketing actions 4.2. Mission Statement: This statement summarizes the guiding principles for your business. Some example mission statements are shown below with the type of information to be included. The three examples are presented in the way that you can see one from a well-established government organization and two from small businesses like yours. Try one on your own after examining the examples. A. Federal Food and Drug Administration (http://www.fda.gov/opacom/morechoices/mission.html): “The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the...
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...Number 3 behind discounters Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Kmart Corporation. Sears had been slow to remodel stores, trim costs, and keep pace with current trends in selling and merchandising. Sears could not keep up with the discounters and with specialty retailers such as Toys R Us, Home Depot, Inc., and Circuit City Stores, Inc. that focus on a wide selection of low-price merchandise in a single category. Nor could Sears compete with trend-setting department stores. Yet Sears has been heavily computerized. At one time it spent more on information technology and networking than other noncomputer firms in the United States except the Boeing Corporation. It was noted its extensive customer databases of 60 million past and present Sears credit card holders, which it used to target groups such as appliance buyers, tool buyers, gardening enthusiasts, and mothers-to-be with special promotions. For example, Sears would mail customers who purchased a washer and dryer a maintenance contract and follow up with annual contract renewal forms. Why hasn't this translated into competitive advantage? One big problem is...
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...Business Plan Business Plan Group Members: Amna Ghias i12-0781 Atruba Zafar i12-0796 Kisa Talib i12-0768 Moiz Khalid i120- Noor Kazi i12-0767 Sareer Khan i120- BBA-D Group Members: Amna Ghias i12-0781 Atruba Zafar i12-0796 Kisa Talib i12-0768 Moiz Khalid i120- Noor Kazi i12-0767 Sareer Khan i120- BBA-D Minors’ Kingdom Name and address of business: We are launching a new business venture that will focus on decorating children bed rooms, classrooms, daycares and study rooms named as the MINORS’ KINGDOM. The name is chosen in order to position ourselves in the minds of our customers as aiming to decorate their children dreams and make their learning and development more fun, colorful and enjoyable. Our office is located in DHA phase, Sector C, Commercial area as a double story building. Names and address of Principals: Director: Ms. Amna Ghias Marketing Director: Ms. Noor Kazi CFO: Ms. Kisa Talib Design Assistant: Ms. Atruba Zafar Marketing Assistant: Mr. Moiz Khaid Consultant: Mr. Sareer Khan Nature of Business: Minors’ Kingdom is an interior decorating business focusing on children. We plan to invite our target market to decorate their children rooms with the best and the most appealing Disney themed furniture and all accessories. This also includes all the cartoons that are on air and are preferred by our clients. We not only offer pre-set packages to make rooms more fun but also facilitate our clients to customize on our website whatever...
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...Bank of America SWOT Analysis In 1906, known at that time as The Bank of Italy, a face and a name was the only requirement to get a loan with Bank of America. A few days after the 1906 earthquake hit San Francisco, its founder Amadeo Peter Giannini, “quickly set up shop on the docks near San Francisco's North Beach. With a wooden plank straddling two barrels for a desk, he began to extend credit "on a face and a signature" to small businesses and individuals in need of money to rebuild their lives. His actions spurred the city's redevelopment” (Kadlec 2008). He based his business on openness and trust, driven to help the immigrants that other banks would not serve. Fast forward to present day, Bank of America is the largest bank in the United States with over 2 trillion total assets (Grocer 2011) and is the 15th largest bank worldwide ("Top Banks of the World", 2011). These rankings are impressive and one may take for granted that investing in Bank of America’s mutual funds is a safe investment. However, Bank of America has also been plagued with bad publicity surrounding foreclosures during the financial crisis in 2008 and bailouts and employee layoffs extending into 2011. These performance issues, positive and negative, need to be considered when making the decision to invest in this corporation. Not only is past performance an important factor to consider but also future standing. To help guide this decision-making process a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats...
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...Giant Pool of Money Analysis The awful subprime lending crisis is truly one of the most convoluted, wreaking messes conjured by the financial industries in the 20th century. There are so many layers of bad choices and megalomaniacal errors intertwined into this ugly event that picking out just two biases/heuristics to analyze and discuss will surely fail from being a complete analysis. Nonetheless, this is a the task at hand and, though we will not but scratch the surface of this behemoth, teasing out a couple biases will make for a viable illustration and application of the concepts and issues we have discussed thus far in class. The bias that caused the most havoc in this lending crisis scenario was articulated beautifully by Bazarman and Moore as The Confirmation Trap. The Confirmation Trap boils down to whether or not a person merely searches for data that supports the decision they wish to make rather than looking for proper, empirical data to prove the assumption correct. In other words, does a person looking to make a decision actually look to prove their assumption incorrect. Sadly, at nearly every stage and at every level of the subprime lending fiasco there is evidence that all the players fell victim to The Confirmation Trap. Wason writes, “ . . . that obtaining the correct solution necessitates a willingness to attempt to falsify hypotheses, and thus to test those intuitive ideas which so often carry the feeling of certitude.” None of the characters in our...
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...Marketing Plan For “The Royal Bed & Breakfast” Introduction to the Company Executive Summary: At the heart of our company is a commitment to providing a quality bed and breakfast experience to all visitors in the NijhumDwip- St. Martin’s Island. With the availability of color tours in the fall and a spectacular season of fun and sun in the summer, Nijhumdwip is a year-round tourist destination for thousands of travelers. The Royal Bed & Breakfastis to capitalize on that tourist traffic and focus on providing a popular stop for those exploring the region. This plan serves to illustrate the profit potential that can be obtained through the renovation of an existing structure that serves a specialty clientele. If done with flair and a sense of style, it is our belief that we can turn Fantasy into a reality. COMPANY DESCRIPTION The Royal Bed & Breakfastis aiming to be one of the most exclusive and upscale establishment of its kind in the St. Martin’s Island area. The Royal Bed & Breakfastwill take a solid hospitality approach to the bed and breakfast industry and carve out a specialty niche in the marketplace. The charm of The Royal Bed & Breakfast will come from its unique perspective in selling romance and escapism to a popular demographic pool of urban professionals in the St. Martin’s area. The specifics of this plan are illustrated below. Building Description The structure selected for The Royal Bed & Breakfast is both prominent and...
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...(SIMSREE) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Mayur Awasthi for giving me the opportunity to work on this project. He provided me with the right direction and guidance during the course of my project which helped me deliver the required output. His feedback and views on the topic were very insightful. The freedom and independence with which he allowed me to work and the confidence he entrusted upon me helped a great deal in motivating me. Table of Contents SYNOPSIS 4 OBJECTIVE 5 INDUSTRY PROFILE 6 COMPANY PROFILE 10 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 11 Title Of The Project 12 Problem Statement 12 Scope Of The Study 12 Sources Of Data 12 Population 13 Places Of Study 13 Analysis Techniques 13 DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION 14 Sample Size for the survey 15 Types of outlets surveyed 15 Category of retail outlets as per sales of ice cream 16 Penetration of Vadilal Products in retail outlets in Navi Mumbai 17 Brands which sell the most in Navi Mumbai 18 Brands which people demand most 19 Popular categories of ice creams 20 Importance of packaging of ice creams 21 Replacement of expired products or faulty products 22 Influencing factors for stocking decision for ice creams 23 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY 24 RECOMMENDATIONS 25 QUESTIONNAIRE 26 SYNOPSIS Indian Dairy Industry is the largest in the world having around 40% milk processed to produce dairy products. Ice cream is an essential...
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...Assignment 1: Retrospective Analysis of Personality Patricia Wall Strayer University Introduction to Psychology Dr. Jacquot March 6, 2016 Retrospective Analysis of Personality Personality makes us who we are. Each individual’s personality is unique, no one is the same because our personality is shaped by many varying influences. Some personality traits stay the same over the years, while others change and evolve as we gain wisdom and understanding in life. Both nature and nurture shape our personalities. Like our personalities, our memory is unique, too. Our memories can be inaccurate due to biases that influence our ability to recall the past. Our memories are so inaccurate that the science of psychology places more emphasis on scientific studies than relying on a person’s memories and personal experience. There are aspects of my personality that have changed as I have gotten older. I no longer see a situation as having happened only one way. I have learned to look at the various perspectives of a situation. I have learned that things are not always what they seem and not to make judgements. When I was younger I had a need to be around my friends to be happy. Now, I no longer feel that need as I have settled down in life and started focusing on raising children and bettering myself. I have noticed that I have more compassion for other people and the situations they find themselves in...
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...Mu, Todd Hughson, James Wall PROBLEM SOLVING THEORY ONSITE COURSE GS1140 INSTUCTOR LJILJANA MORRIS Today we are doing a project report on Costco. For Sol and Robert Price in 1976 they asked friends and family to help out with an opening price of two point five millon to open Price Club on July twelfth, they open their shop in an air hanger on Boulevard in San Diego, California. They were originally going to serve only small business. Mr. Price found out that it will be more beneficial to serve select customers. Costco was founded by James Sinegal and Jeffery H. Brotman. Costco opened its doors in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Price Club and Costco later merged and renamed the business PriceCostco. And in 1997 due to its success the name was changed again to Costco Wholesale. (About History, 2014) Costco Wholesale stores headquarters are located in Issaquah, WA. The mission statement for Costco is to continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. (Farfan, 2014) There are three types of membership cards at Costco; Executive membership, Business membership and Gold membership. The one I have is executive membership this cost about one hundred and twenty dollars sounds like a lot but I’ll be able to get two percent back in my shopping. If I do not get back more than fifty five dollars back for the entire year they will give me that amount or the two percent of my entire purchase of the year. This card includes identity protection...
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...Vark analysis Grand Canyon University Family centered health promotion 429v April 15, 2012 Vark analysis paper Prior to taking the Vark analysis test the thought of knowing ones learning style was never thought about. Students may not discover what their learning styles are and may have fallen into habits that they learned along the road. With the VARK analysis tool it helps determine which type of learner the student is. It has proven to be very informative. This in return can help the student know where they are lacking in studying and learning techniques. According to the questionnaire there are five ways in which a person learns. After taking The VARK analysis the results showed that the student belongs in the multimodal learning group which incorporates all five learning styles. This incorporates all aspects of learning from visual to tactile, including aural and reading and writing styles. Does this analysis work? Can it benefit the learner? David kelp’s model states that there are different approaches and ways of learning and educative methods particular to person, stimulus and information. What a person develops for herself are strengths, challenges, affinitive, and tactile methods. These methods in return help the person overcome learning barriers. It breaks down the walls to developing one’s own learning style and helps one improve on their approach to learning. On the other hand many say that the different learning...
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...strives to foster mutually beneficial ties in Alamance County. Since we opened our doors in October 1947, Burlington Sporting Goods has provided the towns of Graham and Burlington with a wealth of services for all their athletic and sport needs. We're the oldest sporting goods store in Alamance County, and we take pride in providing Alamance County with our team-oriented and friendly staff (BSG, 2013). The following plan is designed to boost the financial success and brand equity of Burlington Sporting Goods in order to help the organization achieve and maintain its stated mission. It features an analysis of BSG’s current position within its market, an analysis of the organization’s target market, a statement of marketing goals and objectives, and a marketing mix with specific recommendations. 1 SWOT Analysis For years, the sporting goods market primarily consisted of small, family owned businesses, specializing in local communities and small market needs (Schmidt, 2013). Recently, the market has shifted in favor of national retailers with sizable market shares and buying...
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...1.0 Business Description 1.1. General Description of the Service Kids’ Planet will provide the service of only two types – kids may read books of their choices there; on the other hand, they can play several computer games to pass their leisure. The company relies on its trained employees who work to arrange and take care of books, maintain the computers, look after the kids who are their temporary guests and on. The shop will be given a smart and lovely outlook all along with a lavish interior. Walls are pre-planned to be covered with multi-colored wall-papers and other pictures, decorative stuffs along with an outstanding lighting arrangement so that it gets a real kiddy look. This shop will open at 10:00am and close at 8:00pm. The time has been selected concerning the school hours and time for studies for the kids. The second shift (3:00pm – 8:00pm) turns out to be the pick hour. There will be a day off on Tuesday at Kids’ Planet. The services provided by Kids’ Planet: A Well-furnished Library: In the more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books. It can mean the building or room that houses such a collection, literally a collection of useful material for common use. Libraries most often provide a place of silence for studying. Same thing goes for Kids’ Planet. The library will be well furnished with pretty and colorful furniture like book-shelves, small chairs for kids, big square tables, round tables, low tables for keeping books in different manners...
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