Monday, December 30, 2019

Piaget s Eight Stages Of Development And Vygotsky s...

Throughout my life thus far, I thought that I had experienced a lot in, but as I’ve learned, everyone goes though the same awkward little things as me. Learning about the ways we develop through life has helped me to understand that everything that happens is just apart of life. Two theories that I would like to focus on that I believe have had the biggest impact in my life are, Erikson’s eight stages of development and Vygotsky’s theory on cognitive development. Erikson’s theory is based off of 8 stages ranging from ages â€Å"zero† (birth); where we learn to either trust our caregiver(s) or we develop mistrust where we may become suspicious or anxious. Up until death, where we end with integrity vs. despair; where we either we either fully accept what you have done with your life, or regret and look down upon oneself. Vygotsy’s theory is one that is based more on socialization and interactions that greatly impact a child, into adulthood. Th e overall difference between Vygotsky and Piaget is that a person’s social environment holds a major impact on ones cognitive development. Personally I feel that I had a connection to Vygotsky’s theory of development because I feel that today’s limited culture does have an affect on how a child is being sharpened throughout his or her life. I feel that I have connected with Vygotsky’s theory because I feel that my social life have taught me more then academics in a sense. ZPD also known as Zone of Proximal Development is when skills areShow MoreRelatedPiaget Of The Child : Theories Of Development Essay960 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Child: Theories of Development I† (Learning Seed, 1997), according to Vygotsky, the cognitive development in children is in direct relationship, and dependent on interaction with others. (Feldman 2010, pg. 20). Vygotsky believed to truly understand cognitive development; a child’s social and cultural experiences mu st be considered. Piaget believes theorists that focus on the mind are called cognitive theorists. Piaget was most interested in how children think. Piaget describes stages of cognitiveRead MoreDiscuss Piagets theory of cognitive development1235 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Discuss Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development Cognitive Development can be defined as the development of thought processes. This includes thinking, concept understanding, problem solving, and decision making and remembering from childhood on to adulthood. There are two theories of Cognitive development that offer us two different ways of understanding it. The first is called Domain general. This theory states that one line of development determines all of the changes in a child’sRead More Cognitive Theories of Human Development Essay1183 Words   |  5 PagesCognitive Theories of Human Development Jean Piaget, known as the most important theorist; started the most comprehensive theory of intellectual development. Piaget was born in 1896, in Neuchatel Switzerland, and lived a full and significant life, he passed away at age 84. His father was a medieval historian, and his mother was a homemaker; she was highly emotional and her behavior disrupted the normalcy of their home. Piaget married Valentine Chatenay, and they soon welcomed three girls;Read More The Nature of Child Development Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesHuman development has been a subject of interest since ancient Greece and Rome. Different approaches derive from two basic directions: the nativists` and empiricists` ones. The latter method is to regard human development as a gradual change which has been influenced by the individual`s experience .On the other hand, the former approach has found its roots in the biological structure of the human organism which considers our development as a series of stages. How ever, referring to human developmentRead MoreAnalysis Of Eriksons Theory On Early Childhood Education1212 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Jean Piaget once asked, â€Å"Are we forming children who are only capable of learning what is already known?† With there being so many theoriest whose research and ideas have made an impact on early childhood education. Knowing the teoriests and the ideas that they had is vital in the education profession. Erik Erikson Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidenceRead MoreJean Piaget And Lev Vygotsky1800 Words   |  8 PagesTheorists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are two of the most recognized cognitive psychologists. They developed theories that addressed cognitive development and learning among children. Jean Piaget Jean Piaget was born on August 9th, 1896, in Switzerland. Piaget’s father demonstrated the importance of being dedicated to his studies and work from a very young age. As a child, this was very influential to him. Piaget’s friends and family were aware of his intelligence from a very young age. Piaget publishedRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychology2134 Words   |  9 Pagesother than the normal functioning. According to Sigmund freud children’s development is portrayed as a array of psychosexual stages. In the three essays of sexuality Sigmund Freud zoned these stages as oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. All of the stages which are involved in the fulfillment the pleasure of a libidinal wish and can then later on play a part in adult behavior. If a child doesn’t effectively complete a stage, Freud suggested that he or she would develop a fascination that wouldRead MoreCognitive Theory and Developmentally Appropriate Experiences639 Words   |  3 PagesCognitive Theory and Developmentally Appropriate Experiences Piaget and Vygotsky both believed that young children actively learn from their hands-on, day-to-day experiences. Jean Piaget portrayed children as little scientists who go about actively constructing their understanding of the world. His theories hold the essence of developmentally appropriate curriculum since Piaget believed that children undergo cognitive development in a stage-based manner, such that a very young child would notRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1111 Words   |  5 PagesPiaget’s theory of cognitive development Piaget’s theory of cognitive development was based around his belief that children will develop their intelligence through a series of stages: Sensorimotor (birth – 2yrs), Preoperational (2-7yrs), Concrete Operational (7-11yrs) and Formal Operational (11+). He believed these stages to be invariant, the same stages taking place in a fixed order, and universal, the same for every child regardless of their background or culture. (McLeod, 2015) Piaget believedRead MoreThe Role Of Heredity And Environment On Learning Theory1009 Words   |  5 PagesEnvironment in Learning Theory With regards to human development, is it determined by heredity or the environment? What is the importance of the answer to this question? Several developmental psychologists have researched this question and provided possible theories to answer it. This paper will take a look at three leading theorists on the subject-Bronfenbrenner, Piaget and Vygotsky. By means of personal reflection into my own learning experience, I will analyze which theory best describes my understanding

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Overpopulation can be described as the failure of the...

Overpopulation can be described as the failure of the world’s resources to sustain the population. The limited natural resources have increased challenges for countries facing this. This paper covers the effects of overpopulation in the world today. The current worlds population is approximately six billion people, and the amount of time that it takes for the population to increase by another billion is decreasing with each billion. It is estimated that they will be about eight billion people by the year 2020, and this is due to its continuation of growth† (Southwick 159). An understanding of the causes and what might possibly happen is the first step to dealing with the population crisis. The worlds human population has been growing†¦show more content†¦This results in a high level of crime because the people will do anything to survive. (Dolan 55) Overpopulation does not just affect the standard of living, but also the environment. Every person on the planet takes up space, but space is needed for farmland and forests. People excrete wastes and pollution that flow into water systems and animal habitats. Resulting in polluted water and killing of the wildlife. Many people cannot do personal hygiene every day because of the status of the water in their country. The major negative effect is the limited and scarce natural resources. Main resources such as: water, land and energy among others scarce or diminished. Populations have become so large that they’re draining the resources where there is no sufficient supply for the needs for all. As a result, this has led to depletion of resources, and extinction of species and forestry. (Simonetta 2009). â€Å"Most ecologists consider human population growth to be one of the most serious problems contributing to environmental scarceness. Human population growth works in combination with excessive consumption to threaten global environmentally.† (Southwick 160). It has been disputed that having a larger world population leads to an increase in human capital, will lead to an increase in the worlds standard of living. Dr. Julian Simon believes that the world is making progress because people are living longer and more fulfillingShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Overpopulation And Overpopulation872 Words   |  4 PagesHuman overpopulation. Human population can be defined as the condition whereby, the total count of the human inhabiting a certain area exceeds the carrying capacity of the area Bongaarts, (2011). This brings out an issue of the carrying capacity of the region which alludes to the number of individuals who can inhabit a certain area for a given period. It may also be looked at as the situation whereby the available renewable resources in a certain area can satisfactorily support the current populationRead MoreOverpopulation : The Problem Of Overpopulation1251 Words   |  6 PagesOverpopulation: The Top Worry Yet to be Proven by the Worried The definition of hysteria is an exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion, usually found within groups of people. An example of hysteria includes overpopulation, the futuristic â€Å"problem† that is not and will not be a dilemma in the foreseeable future. Back in 15,000 B.C., the world population was five million. Today, it is a staggering seven billion plus. This has caused unease that overpopulation will be a problem for our future generationsRead MoreOverpopulation Is A Problem Of Overpopulation1529 Words   |  7 Pagesthe whole humankind. Overpopulation is a problem that every nation is facing but sometimes over looked by due to lack of understanding and awareness. This is a serious issue that should be taken care of immediately. Overpopulation is an undesirable situation where the number of existing human populace surpasses the carrying capability of Earth. There are main factors that are contributing overpopulation such as the rising birth rate and declining of mortality rate. Overpopulation occurs when the birthRead MoreOverpopulation1587 Words   |  7 Pageshuman race, while others think it is beneficial to continue on this path. The ongoing debate on world overpopulation allows many different people to offer their unique opinions, such as Erle C. Ellis, Joel Kotkin, Robert Walker, and Alon Tal. These writers offer perspectives that support and conflict the different aspects of the overpopulation issue. Both Ellis and Kotkin believe that overpopulation is not an issue, while Walker and Tal strongly believe that it is. Ellis believes that humans can relyRead MoreOverpopulation : The Convoluted Problems Of Overpopulation896 Words   |  4 PagesOverpopulation The convoluted problems concerning overpopulation remain to be a highly discussed issue in various countries throughout the world. Some issues that are in support of overpopulation include the opportunity to place innovative ideas into action, aids in stimulating the economy, creates job openings in new growing industries, increased human resources, encourages competition, advancement in urbanization and development, creates a demand for industries like farming, and allows for cheaperRead MoreOverpopulation And The Problem Of Overpopulation1747 Words   |  7 PagesOverpopulation Programs There are many organizations that deal with the problem of overpopulation or problems related to the effects of overpopulation such as environmental effects. Some of the organizations that I found related to this topic are the United Nations Population Fund, a group called Population Matters, another group called the World Population Balance and the Center for Biological Diversity. All of these groups deal with the issue of overpopulation and the effects that overpopulationRead MoreOverpopulation And The Problem Of Overpopulation1388 Words   |  6 PagesTo begin with, in demography, the term overpopulation refers to a condition wherein the total population of a particular region far exceeds the carrying capacity of the region. Although the term by and large refers to the ratio between population and the available area, the ratio between the population and available resources cannot be ignored. First, the rate at which the population is growing; the data compiled by the United Nations shows that the world population grew by 30 percent betweenRead MoreOverpopulation Is An Issue Of Overpopulation930 Words   |  4 PagesOverpopulation is an issue that many in the world may never face, however, the ones that do experience this issue know the struggles that it can pose to the overall quality of life. There are multiple reasons on why overpopulation is an issue and why it can affect quality of life, but ones that have a major impact on the world is the shortage of food, overconsumption of fossil fuels, and decline in health care. These specific issues were selected because of the widespread availability of informationRead MoreOverpopulation And Its Effects On Human Overpopulation1103 Words   |  5 PagesPopulation growth is another negative factor linked to the disruption of natural selection from medical advancements that causes problems both socially and environmentally. Overpopulation happens when there are too many people and not enough resources. The key to solving overpopulation is to find and retain the perfect size for the population before it is too late and all the natural resources are consumed or ruined. The world population is rapidly increasing†¦ â€Å"[w]ith over 7 billion people livingRead MoreOverpopulation1123 Words   |  5 Pages Formative essay 1 – Overpopulation World population and why has it become such a growing issue during the last 10 years Student name: John Williams Module: Tutorial DXX – 1007 Tutor: Ms Sian Pierce 3rd November 2017 Introduction: As the World keeps developing, so does the population. Today the Earth is home to just over 7 billion people and is continuously growing at a rapid rate. It has become clear however as

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Foreign Players in English Football Free Essays

On 30 December 2009, the Barclays Premier League football match between Arsenal and Portsmouth made English football history as the first match not to include any British players. Arsenal’s team of multi-million pound foreign stars won the game comfortably, 4-1; some would argue this is all that matters, but those who are passionate about football – the real connoisseurs of the English game – will recognize a deep underlying issue. Modern day football is unrecognizable compared to what has preceded it. We will write a custom essay sample on Foreign Players in English Football or any similar topic only for you Order Now In times past, teams were fashioned by nurturing young home-grown talent and bolstering the squad with a few lads from Scotland and Ireland. Now the common consensus is that to achieve any success it is necessary to catch the attention of an exceedingly wealthy oil tycoon who will buy the club and proceed to spend ? 200 million a year on overpriced talent from the four corners of the world. This ethos is destroying British football. For example in the Premier League there are 337 registered foreign players representing a total of 66 different countries. That equates to an average of 17 foreign players per squad; the averages in Italy, France and Spain are all around 10. On the first day of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992 just 22 non-British players started; on the first day of this season 124 started. It isn’t right that success should be based on finance, is it? In 2004 Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea F. C. , a team which hadn’t won the league since 1954. He splashed an extravagant amount of money on the creme de la creme of foreign talent from around the globe. Three seasons later they experienced unprecedented success which, would never have happened without the cash injection. However, it was all achieved with just three regularly playing British players, who only made the squad because they were exceptional talents which money could not replace. This set a new benchmark for all the top teams in the land, making a clear statement that if they wanted to match Chelsea’s success they would have to match Chelsea’s spending and sacrifice their home-grown players or risk being left behind. In 1995 the British transfer record was ? 7,000,000; by 2006 the record had sharply risen to ? 30,800,000, and player wages were spiralling out of control. It is true that this has lead to stronger squads, and the Premier League being viewed as the strongest league in the World, with consistent success in Europe, but can it be right to sacrifice our own players for this success? I think not. Journalists, pundits and just about every football fan in England have formed their own theories concerning England’s miserable failure at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Many causes have been suggested, yet to me the reason is obvious. If one analyses the teams which were most successful in South Africa, a definite trend appears. Spain won the World Cup this year. Many argue that they reached the final against Holland mainly because 77. 1% of footballers in their domestic league are qualified to play for the national team, a direct result of home-grown players being given the opportunity in their clubs’ first teams. In the Premier League fewer than 40% of players are English. Jose Luis Astiazaran, president of the Spanish Football League, said. Our strategy is to work very hard with young home-grown players and to try to have a mix between them and experienced players†¦ we invest more  and more in young Spanish players than in young foreign players. England has  many times taken young players from outside†¦ these kinds of players are not English. This is one of the most important differences between Spain and England. We invest i n  young Spanish players†¦ maybe this is why at the moment you are not creating young English players. † One view is that foreign players benefit the English players, who apparently perform better alongside the World’s best. I think – don’t you? that if more money, time, and attention were put into cultivating the abundance of young English talent, the English players themselves would be the world’s best. The Premier League have recognised this, and this year the F. A. implemented new squad rules controlling the number of foreign players in each squad. This is a start towards reducing the amount of foreign players in the league, but the rules are too loose and easy to circumvent. Foreign players can be bought in from a young age and developed in the academies; this means the young Englishmen still don’t get the attention they crave in order to advance their careers. In my opinion the influx of foreign players in England is the single most detrimental factor in the game, leading to over-inflated transfer fees, increase in ticket prices, under development of home-grown players and ultimately the destruction of the national team. The Premier League must review its policies, and clubs must invest in their academies or English national football will continue to deteriorate well into the future, and so many young aspiring footballers will be cast aside, and I for one cannot see that happen to the sport I and so many other Brits love. How to cite Foreign Players in English Football, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Impact and Relevance of Social Networking to Starbucks free essay sample

This report elaborates about the impact and relevance of social networking to Starbucks and how to cope with the issues. The types of social networking that will be discussed in this report including social media, labor union, Fairtrade Foundation and Global Campaign for Climate Action (GCCA). Social media could be an opportunity to Starbucks to do some viral marketing, community marketing, and consumer-generated marketing. This kind of social networking helps Starbucks to enlarge its customer basis and retain them. Labor union is a social networking that concern about social justice to workers. Starbucks need to aware of the worker’s petition that had been made about fairly paid, working hours, health care, and independent voice at workplace. Fairtrade Foundation is a non-profit organization that supporting commodity farmers to get a better life by maintain the fair price of commodity and help farmers with technical support. Global Campaign for Climate Action pay attention to the environment issues such as global warming. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact and Relevance of Social Networking to Starbucks or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This non-profit organization created to invite people to their campaign about climate change and how to reduce the risk of global warming for better human life on earth. 1. Introduction Starbucks first opened in 1971, It served the world finest coffee to people in Seattle. In 1990, Starbucks expanded its market to United Stated and after that became worldwide. In 2000, Starbucks has more than 16,000 stores in 48 countries. Starbucks has principles: coffee, partners, customers, stores, neighborhoods, and shareholder. These principles attached in daily life of Starbucks. This report tries to analyze and elaborate the impact of social networking to Starbucks. Social networking is a group of people who are connected through community such as schools, colleagues, or workplace. People who involved in social networking are shares the same interest about something they mutually like. The main part of this report will be discussing about social networking (social media, labor union, Fairtrade Foundation community, and Global Campaign Climate for Action community) and their impact to Starbucks. 2. Discussion A. Social Media Social media is a part of social networking, the examples of social media are Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and Linkedin. Social media used by people around the world to stay connected and share the same interest through online social networking. According to Boyd and Elliot (2007), the first social network site launched in 1997, SixDegrees. com. It helps people to create profile, connect and send message to others. Friendster existed in 2002 following by Linkedin and Myspace in 2003. On the other hand, Facebook and Twitter dominated the social media world for the last 6 years. This figure below shows about the development of social media based on the launch date. Social media leads to some activities which a lot of information is shared by people and they exchange information rapidly. This exchange will enhanced the perceived value by consumers. Beside value from consumers, information exchange can build customer loyalty as well. As Anandya (2010) stated that the raising of internet gives space that called cyberspace for people to interact with each others. The information exchange may affect significantly to customer loyalty. Starbucks can use the social media to interact with its customers. Social media now record for 23 percent of advertising (Tucker, 2010). Advertising through social media can be use to deliver some message from the company to customers. Social media commonly employ several types of word-of-mouth marketing include: viral marketing, referral program, and community marketing. Company can try to build customer experience by implementing viral marketing. The rapid growth of online users makes information spread quickly among customers. Besides viral marketing, Starbucks can use community marketing to form and support niche communities that are likely to share their interest about a brand. Company can start to develop a space for customers to gain greater social distribution on social media. The pages can be placed in some social networking site such as Facebook and Twitter. Customers who have value to Starbucks brand can meet the other customer and sharing stories or they can invite their friends to the fan page in Facebook. Hunter (2009) stated that â€Å"Unlike Facebook, where social structure is among people who have agreed to become online friends, members of Twitter are nominally part of two networks; those who follow their updates and those whose updates they follow†. Twitter use as a media to communicate and inform customers about new products, events, and recent campaign. A research shows that middle status member in a group who moderately connected to others member are often influenced by their friend’s purchase decision. â€Å"They tried to maintain their status by primarily making purchases as they fear that not doing so might undo their status† (Iyengar, Han, Gupta, 2009). Another activity that beneficial to Starbucks is using social media as consumer-generated marketing strategy. It is a growing part of the new customer dialogue by which customers themselves playing a bigger role in shaping their own brand experiences and those of others. This may happen through blog or video that had been made by customer itself (Kotler Armstrong, 2012). Starbucks should pay attention and catch the opportunity. While the company sells the best espresso, they have to build good customer relationship with customers and grab the market share through social media activities. People who involved in an organization can use social networking to improve their performances through knowledge sharing. Social networking provides a set of methods and measures to identify, visualize, and analyze the informal personal networks within and between organizations Thus, social network analysis provides a systematic method to identify, examine and support processes of knowledge sharing in social networks (Muller-Prothmann, 2006). Social networking can help an organization to identify personal expertise and knowledge. When a company tries to build a community within the employees, it can help improve communication process to enhance the performance of the company. B. Labor Union Labor union is one of the social networking that exists to ensure the right of workers. They concern about work hours, wages, and benefits that given by the company. The different in culture, demographic, social-economic background have a strong impact on the development of labor union as a social networking. In Western Europe countries and US, labor union been institutionalized since long time ago while in countries like South Africa and Indonesia recently legalized and have growing members (Heins, 2004). Starbucks has some issues regarding the employees. Starbucks workers made some petitions to company’s board which are: fairly paid, health care coverage, sufficient staff, safe working environment, and independent voice on the job. Starbucks workers stated that compare to $23 billion market value and growing business of Starbucks, most of them got low wage and fluctuating hours which affect their financial condition. Workers also complained about health care which they have to works 240 hours per quarter to qualified health care purchases through company while they do not have assurance in work hours. In addition, workers have to pay premium to participate in health care plan. Starbucks as a global company has to pay attention of certain situation related to social networking between workers. Research in journal: The Role of Labor Unions in the Process towards Sustainable Consumption and Production, has evidence that the union movement has started to embrace the concept of sustainability of the company. As management started to hold the traditional approach between business interest and social interest is no longer clear, but blend (Heins, 2004). Ethical framework in business consists of sustainable business, ethics, and stakeholder theory (Wells, 2011). The term ‘sustainability propitiates value creation for firms, as well as for their stakeholders, in economic, social and environmental terms† (Kumar Sen, 2006). Workers as stakeholder of a company have important roles to Starbucks. The social networking of workers should be engage in company decision making. Most of the employees of Starbucks are part timer. As management of Starbucks always r eceived complains about work hours, workers should be given fixed hours of work so that they have assurance according to hours and wages they get. Research found that wages grow faster in economies that do integrate with the rest of the world, globalization may have negative impact on wages in the short run. That is a signal when Starbucks has to pay attention to wages paid to the employees. Company should adjust the payment to the growth of economics. The main threats to workers come from international capital movement and financial crisis (Rama, 2003). Figure below shows about growth wages percentage in non-globalized countries, rich countries, and globalized countries. Beside wages and guaranteed hours, company needs to be aware of bullying in the workplace. Labor union of Starbucks has complained and sign petition about independency among workers. In journal Workplace Bullying and Ethical Leadership (Yamada, 2008) stated about the impact of bullying to workers. Workplace bullying is a profound violation of one’s personal dignity and the residual effect on organizational performance can be significant. Starbucks should commit to upholding a culture where diversity is valued and respected. Workers need health care and insurance as well, preventing the injury from hot beverage they could get when they work on shop floor as a barista. A responsible company has to be aware of the livelihood of the employees itself. C. Fairtrade Foundation While a company gets benefit of social networking that existed in the company itself, they have opportunities to build a customer value through community around them. Some of fair trade issue had been emerge recently. For example, a non-profit organization called Fairtrade Foundation which has a vision to maintain justice and sustainable development of trade structures and practices. Fairtrade exist as a social networking of people that concern about welfare of people especially in developing country. They also use social media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Blog) to interact online. This community establish in 1992 with missions to deliver the proper life to farmer and worker. In developing country, there are some risks for agricultural export: technological advance, growing complexity of finished product, evolution of manufactured raw material, and the rising of agriculture productivity in industrial countries. The event of 11st September 2001 made the commodity price plummeted especially in the price of coffee, tea and other commodities from developing country (Mazumder 2008). Figure below shows the decline of coffee price in September 2001. Importing Countries Retail Prices of Roasted Coffee (US cents per lb) The activities of Fairtrade Foundation supported by consumer who buy the groceries product with Fairtrade mark on it. This kind of social networking will affect Starbucks as a coffee purchaser. The company can grow social responsibility to be involved in this community and support the farmer by purchase Fairtrade commodity. Starbucks can do some effort to sync by offering some help in technique, equipment, and capital funding for farmers. This will ensure the quality of the coffee and increase the value of the product. D. Global Campaign for Climate Action (GCCA) Nowadays, more people concern about global climate change. They have done some campaign to save the environment. Global warming cause glass house effect that made the temperature rising. Social networking between people who care about this planet leads to some organizations to fight this environment issue. Global Campaign for Climate Action (GCCA) was form in 2008 and started the campaign at 2009. The history begins from discussion between internationally-respected campaigners and advocates who concern about environmental. These climate activists concluded in 2006 that the fight against climate change needed a boost. By uniting together across organizations to create public campaigns particularly in countries where additional mobilizing capacity was needed, they felt they had a better chance of becoming more than the sum of the parts. GCCA consists of 270 non-profit organizations around the world. The mission of GCCA is to encourage people to maintain a safe global climate for next generation, to reduce the carbon emission and to influenced the community that already affected by climate change. The issue of global warming is a societal and environmental driver for Starbucks. The social networking of people who concern about this planet has an impact to Starbucks as a coffee retailer. Starbucks need to contribute to support the environment and gives some effort that can help the planet from climate change. Using paper glass or ceramic glass is better than plastic glass. Plastic glass need to be recycled and can harm the environment. Good waste management and protection of water quality is necessary for company. The other way Starbucks can help to save the earth is using degradable brown paper bag as reducing the use of plastic bag. Starbucks need to delivers some message to the customer about the necessary of being eco-friendly and company can do some go-green campaign to encourage customer. 3. Conclusion Social networking is a broad term that can develop through relationship between people in workplace, schools, and online. In summary, this report elaborates the types of social networking: social media, labor union, Fairtrade Foundation community, and Global Campaign for Climate Action community and its impact to Starbucks. Starbucks can use social media to deliver the value of the brand through word-of-mouth marketing and consumer-generated marketing. Viral marketing is a good way to send a signal from a company related to new product, events, or campaign. Community marketing give customers a place to others customer to share about their experience to Starbucks. Labor union is a driver to Starbucks to enhance the livelihood of the workers. To ensure the welfare of the workers is one of the ethical frameworks of a company because workers as stakeholder have important rules in company sustainability. Fairtrade Foundation is a non-profit organization to support farmer especially in developing countries. Coffee farmers are supplier for Starbucks, company need show the corporate social responsibility by supporting farmers to help them providing a better living condition. Global climate change is a recent issue that more people concern about. An organization named Global Campaign for Climate Action is a social networking between people where they try to communicating the importance for being care about earth. 4. Recommendation and Implementation Social networking has some impacts and relevance to Starbucks. Research from a journal: Societal, Environmental and Stakeholder Drivers of Competitive Advantage in International Firms found that the good characteristic from a company align their activities with the principles of sustainable development and social expectations. The societal, environmental, and stakeholders could be managed to create value for the company. Kumar Sen (2006), in his research figured a diagram about societal, environmental, and stakeholder as external drivers for the company. In a competitive environment, the ability of companies to meaningfully engage with critical stakeholders propels a company to innovate and respond to changing external demands more effectively (Kumar Sen, 2006). It means that Starbucks has to pay attention to some issues regarding the social networks around the company. Some issues that come from social networking such as social media, labor union, non-profit organization as Fairtrade Foundation and Global Campaign for Climate Action are belong to external driver. Starbucks has to cope with this issue by getting involved in their activities. Company should pay attention to the worker and give them guaranteed work hours, pay their wages fairly, give them health care plan and protect them from bullying at the workplace. Fairtrade Foundation can be a media to connect Starbucks with coffee farmer, buy coffee from them and help them technically to produce high quality coffee. Go-green campaign can help to save the planet and give customer information and value about the product of Starbucks. For example discount given if customer choose to bring their own tumbler or using ceramic glass instead of paper or plastic glass. These activities can be organized by Starbucks through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs) to gather customers and share the value of the company, give experience and to customer and build a good customer relationship.

Friday, November 29, 2019

An Explanation Of The Swot Analysis Tourism Essay Example

An Explanation Of The Swot Analysis Tourism Essay Under these conditions a important function in fixing and implementing the advanced undertaking is the development of marketing scheme of the endeavor to analyse the invention sphere by the method of SWOT-analysis that takes into history all the constituents and altering internal and external environment. Analysis of the invention domain of the endeavor carried out in order to: Designation of its possible strength ( S ) ; To place its possible failings ( W ) ; We will write a custom essay sample on An Explanation Of The Swot Analysis Tourism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on An Explanation Of The Swot Analysis Tourism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on An Explanation Of The Swot Analysis Tourism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Establish chances ( O ) provided the company its external environment ; Identifying menaces ( T ) for the endeavor on the portion of the external state of affairs. The really thought of the SWOT-analysis is non merely the list of strengths and failings of the endeavor potency and to set up a nexus between them, but besides in understanding the possible state of affairss in the readying and execution of advanced undertakings for managerial decision-making to develop a selling scheme. Matrix of the SWOT-analysis is based on two vectors: the province of the environment ( horizontal axis ) and the province of the internal environment ( perpendicular axis ) , chances and menaces from the province of the environment, the strength and failing of the edifice. At the intersection of 22 have four Fieldss ( square ) . Table 1. The internal environment of the company Strength ( S ) External environment of the company Opportunities ( O ) Menaces ( T ) 1 the field of SO 2 the ST field Rated capacity Failings ( W ) 4 the field of WO 3 the field WT Field of ( SO ) are fixed by the strengths of those concerns which Provide his usage of this chance. 2 ) Field ( ST ) are fixed by those failings in edifice concerns that do non give opportunity to utilize the chance. 3 ) Field ( WT ) ( the ability of the menace ) is the worst province for concern. 4 ) Field ( WO ) ( failing if possible ) is necessary to find the feasibleness of chances for capacity development scheme of the endeavor. See the mechanism of the diagnostic analysis of the advanced environment on the method of SWOT-analysis for the design and execution of advanced undertaking  « Amusement Park » . SWOT-Analysis Table compiled by writer Table 2 SWOT-analysis of the advanced environment  «Amusement Park » the basic parametric quantities for the diagnosing, they are united on the footing of submitted concern program and analysis of cardinal countries of rating of investing attraction in footings of its development. Table 2. Basic parametric quantities for diagnostic analysis. Second An attractive location of the endeavor ; The possibility of making the stuff base and substructure of the endeavor ; Stability of dealingss with investors ; Experience the leader in the field of diversion ; The inclusion of an advanced undertaking in a strategic plan of urban development. Tungsten Danger of an uncomplete accounting of hazards in the readying of the undertaking ; No experience of possible staff in the amusement rides ; Danger of misdemeanor of proficient criterions during the munition works and operation of the installation ; No public act for the right to the land ownership. Oxygen Recognition of Estonia in the Baltic part ; Favorable climatic conditions ; No concurrent in this type of market ; The usage of events for 4 seasons ; The usage of the agreements for the advertisement company. Thymine Competition from other companies resort parts ; Ill developed construction of the part ; No analysis of inauspicious natural factors ; High barriers to entry in the touristry industry. 3. Analysis Fieldss 3.1. Analyze the 1 field ( SO ) Fix the strengths of the invention undertaking, which provided him represented installations. An advanced undertaking is portion of the socio-economic development plan in the metropolis of Aegvidu. Execution of the undertaking provides a strategic model for the formation of the unity of the tourer industry. In societal footings, it addresses issues of unemployment in the metropolis, doing a important part to make fulling the local budget. Contentss of the chief cultural sites of the undertaking are aimed at advancing a healthy life style, this contributes to the organic combination of an attractive natural landscape with new architecture and the system of care. The undertaking creates existent conditions of local authorities development in the part. In this respect, an advanced undertaking receives the full support of the local authorization becomes of import political significance in the public head non merely the occupants of Estonia and the Baltic States. The execution of an advanced undertaking in the country of precedence development, based on the proviso of certain benefits for investors in revenue enhancement creates good conditions for the profitableness of the undertaking throughout the period. In general, this index with a little one-year lessening suggests the stable operation of the endeavor. Scope of services provided under an advanced undertaking as a whole is new to the local touristry market. It can be divided into those services that are included in the ticket: the swimming pool, H2O slides and other H2O athleticss attractive forces mini menagerie, exhibitions of animate beings and workss, and to boot provides for a fee Jacuzzi, sweat room, showers, supplying parking infinites for vehicles for sale assorted keepsakes, etc. Given the newness of services and their attraction in footings of environmental pureness acceptable conditional belongingss, planned selling activities can supply a stable fiscal status of the endeavor. 3.2. Analyze the 2nd field ST Fix those failings of possible concerns that do non give a opportunity to utilize the chance. The petroleum certain facets of internal invention environment in the readying and execution of advanced undertaking threatens to cut down the effectivity of public presentation indexs. First of wholly, it concerns the pricing of services for the undertaking. When the alleged targeting of services to consumers from the close abroad. The 2nd job, which should pay serious attending it s accounting capacity indexs of accomplished demand for tourer services in the part, with increasing possible and systemic capacity of a lessening in comprehensiveness. By cut downing the specific fiscal and economic indexs this can significantly impact the formation of tourer flows and to obtain the possible net income from an advanced undertaking. No less serious job that affects the efficiency and profitableness of the advanced undertaking is the rate-limiting function of natural factors. Seasonal nature of work is basically reflected in the monetary value system. Pronounced seasonal nature of work significantly reduces the public presentation of the possible market size and natural volume of existent downloads. 3.3 Analyze the 3rd field of the WT Record the most important jobs which may impact the feasibleness of an advanced undertaking. The chief job in an advanced undertaking are inauspicious natural factors which are non taken into history when developing a concern program. Travel company is located in a zone prone to natural facts and carry on geological research in the location of it there is non water-repellent dirts, which involves the accretion of groundwater in the cavity. Furthermore, it is an endeavor is located in the flood plain of the river, exposed to debris and ramp flows. When ciphering the costs of the same company for the continuance of the undertaking, the costs associated with the behavior of serious munition works on the development shower lights-outs to extinguish natural catastrophes are non planned. A 2nd every bit serious job is that the computation of tourer flows in the invention undertaking, the accent is on tourists populating in the constitution of a tourer composite of Aegvidu. Contractual footings on which will organize a uninterrupted burden of the endeavor, suggest a joint involvement in advanced concerns and spouses, watering place and hotel composites. In this instance, a big per centum of recreational services will be provided to consumers in neighbouring states. In the selling scheme of the company wholly considered that the system of tourer and diversion composites, which target bing concerns supplying a scope of services for consumers, is similar to those for H2O Parkss and can significantly impact the formation of its tourer flows enterprise as a whole. The 3rd status, which is non taken into history when preparing and implementing the advanced undertaking is the competition from companies that are focused on supplying similar services to the mark section of the local market. The state already have similar undertakings but individually supplying the same scope of services, but modernized in the visible radiation of experience. Such a state of affairs may significantly impact the translational capacity and the existent burden of the composite, which significantly can impact the feasibleness of an advanced undertaking. 3.4. Analyze the field of WO Determine the utility of chances to happen a scheme for capacity development of advanced endeavors. An earlier analysis of the market and the market state of affairs shows the followers: Analyzed touristry market is characterized by comparatively high capacity. In the market there are a big figure of topics, offering tourer and recreational services, which can move as a base for client H2O Parkss, supplying diversion athleticss diversion leisure. On the other manus the cost of amusement, as an extra service, takes a value resort, merely 30 % when averaged in a foreign market 70 % . This creates requirements for the creative activity of new types of services water-entertainment. To guarantee the proper operation and proviso of a broad scope of competitory services should be multi-level cleavage of the market that focuses non merely on tourist s tourer composite of the state, every bit good as local occupants. Drumhead by SWOT tabular array In general, it should be noted that the advanced undertaking involves the orientation of future developments, so confidently predict the result of their execution is debatable and merely possible taking into history all factors, emerging under the influence of internal and external conditions, state of affairss and standards for the development concerns. To guarantee a focussed direction of advanced undertakings for endeavor development is really of import to right cipher the debut of external costs, which tend to hold a important impact on the rating of profitableness and efficiency of the invention undertaking. Calculation of its efficiency lies in the quantification of the ensuing fiscal public presentation by comparing the gross with the costs related to the design and execution of fiscal theoretical accounts anticipated events, performance-based hard currency flows of the undertaking. Calculation of the efficiency of the undertaking should be undertaken with respect to its execution based on the effects of rising prices and the hazards associated with possible decrease in present value derived from future income. Effective mechanism for bettering the efficiency realized in pattern invention undertaking is its multi-stage public scrutiny of the upper degrees of authorities to ordinary citizens. This applies chiefly for assorted sociological monitoring, pointing occupants to the purposes and aims of the undertaking is implemented, its societal significance for the metropolis, unit of ammunition tabular arraies, forming the public response to account for and determine public sentiment. The precedence activities for the topics of entrepreneurial activity were identified undertakings bing non less than: †¢ 50 thousand EUR in conserving the natural heritage of historical, street cleansing and waste intervention. †¢ 700 thousand EUR hotels and other topographic points for short-run adjustment, the activities of healthful and resort organisations, waste intervention, building, and urban route conveyance, Cargo handling and storage, the operation of conveyance substructure ; †¢ 1,5 million EUR the production of electric power workss of other types of energy distribution, aggregation, purification and distribution of H2O. Ongoing undertakings in this act non merely as a resource for development of the district, but besides a alone tool for pull offing invention on the footing of reciprocally interconnected and collaborative activities of its topics. Furthermore, the rule of joint activities of local authorities, concern and community Acts of the Apostless as a cardinal rule of direction patterns, forming invention activities in a certain country. General decisions on the subject. Number of strengths of the undertaking exceeds the figure of weak, besides has the advantage of chances over menaces, so you can pull a general decision about the chances of the undertaking. The undertaking s strengths and market chances are associated chiefly with the vision of the undertakings and market preparedness to follow the bill of exchange. Future scheme for advancing the undertaking involves carry oning a wide advertisement run. This sector of the market develops in a uninterrupted addition in the figure of objects suburban existent estate and high competition between them, but chiefly for the consumer is critical location and the comfort degree proposals. Execution of this undertaking is designed to run into the market demands for quality and accessible countryside diversion. The visual aspect of the object of such a degree and graduated table will put new quality criterions for the development of the industry and the whole of Europe, which will convey the market town remainder on the quality of the proposals of the taking European markets Sweden and Finland. Execution of this undertaking will show a qualitative addition in consumer demand and the ability of market participants to run into their suited. Development of recreational resources within the state will function as a redistribution of tourers from abroad to domestic proposals, which indicates a high fight of this section of the economic system. The undertaking is economically sound and executable, provided stable support. Prerequisites for the execution at this clip are on the market as the handiness of equal edifice engineerings and substructure in the part. A requirement for the decision of this undertaking to the market besides has, harmonizing to a survey. Attracting a spouse that can supply stable support for the undertaking, will in due clip to establish this undertaking.

Monday, November 25, 2019

What academic research tell us about service Essay Example

What academic research tell us about service Essay Example What academic research tell us about service Essay What academic research tell us about service Essay IT not only lowers the cost of service, it creates avenues o enhance revenue through service. Gone are the days of standardization, mass production, and mass marketing. Academic research has revealed that the service sector is now dominant in every developed economy. The goods sector is shrinking as a proportion of the overall economy; and as goods increasingly become commodities, service is becoming the key differentiator even in the goods sector. Thus, to compete effectively, all companies must become service companies. For over a century, technological development has driven an economic shift from a focus on goods to a focus on service. The rise of service in the economy has been reflected by an explosion of academic research on service. This research has tended to emphasize different themes over time (see Table 1 for a summary). In the sass the emphasis was on the differences between goods and services, recognizing that services had characteristics that made for new aspects to consider. Research then the sass resulted in service research of a different flavor?emphasizing service quality measurement, customer satisfaction measurement, and complaint management systems. This evolved in the sass into models for making service financially accountable. At the same time, the advances in IT in the sass resulted in academic research paying increased attention to direct contact with individual customers, storing and analyzing individual customer data, and then using that information to serve individual customers better. Since 2000, academic research has moved to using customer relationships as a foundation for a new approach to strategy, based on customer equity (the discounted cash flows expected from the current and future customer base). This requires managing the customer lifetime values of individual customers, a topic that has received considerable research attention in cent years. The explosion of service research has been facilitated by the introduction of several influential academic centers for service research. Notable centers currently include the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland, the Center for Services Leadership at Arizona State University (see the article by Bitter and Brown in this section), the Service Research Center at the University of Carlsbad (Sweden), the Masochist Academic Center for Research in Services (Netherlands), and the Center for Relationship Marketing and Service Management at the Swedish School of Economics (Finland). The progress of the service research field has been accelerated by international con- preferences?most notably the annual AMA Frontiers in Service Conference (which this year features speakers from 29 different countries) and the biennial Quality in Service (QUIZ) conference. The most prominent academic Journal in the service research field is the Journal of Service Research. More than many academic fields in business, service research is often influential in leading business thought and changing business practice. The breakthroughs in service research have typically resulted from considering the advances in technology, ND carefully studying their implications. Technological development has created many new services?especially information services?and has also made it possible to make physical goods more service intensive. Aside from individual products, technology has also made it much easier to track customer relationships over time, and to therefore link goods and services to serve the customer effectively over an extended period of time. With these trends, service research clearly implies that every business must become a service business, or it will fail to be competitive against competition that does. Successful businesses like MM, GE, and Struck all embrace The economic shift toward service has been ongoing as new products and technologies become available and others become cheaper to produce and transport. However, the information revolution has provided a particularly strong force. IT has advanced service, as previous technological contributions have aided mass production. Assembly line mass production lowered the cost of producing goods. IT likewise decreases the cost of providing and improving service. Thus, we witness the rise of mass service, driven by improved coordination and a greater availability of information. Whereas mass production focused on the product, the new philosophy is customer-centric. Since interacting with customers is now less expensive, it is easier to tailor communications to provide distinct information and service to distinct customers. Using IT, businesses have expensive to satisfy an existing customer than to invest improved communications both internally and with in advertising to attract new customers. Therefore, the customers. Different departments within the same road to profitability is to work hard to keep current accompany can easily share information electronically, tamers. Employee policies have an important impact on Susann businesses and customers can now contact each other via email. Firms now have the ability to collect tome satisfaction [70]. Businesses need to give the corona analyze information on customers entire purr- erect incentives to their service personnel to place emphasis on long-term profitability as well as immediacies and contact histories. Ate sales. By designing compensation schemes decreased the cost of culls sass Service is different from goods that reward employees atomization, marketing to Measuring customer service and service quality SASS not only for immediate smaller segments has become Complaint management sales, but also for service economically feasible. As Making service improvements financially accountable SASS laity, companies can technology continues to Direct marketing and CRM improve customer staircases the cost of consummating customer lifetime value and customer equity sass Profitable long-term relationships with customers faction and long-term atomization, the logical end is Basing corporate strategy on service profitability. One-to-one marketing, with Customer delight has businesses targeting each succubus suggested as an tome separately and providing individually customized Table 1 . Academic research in alternative focus to smartening. Over time, firms can build relationships service over time. Emmer satisfaction. Switch customers by inferring their needs and providing tome delight, a more extreme form of satisfaction, service to meet those needs. Information also gives the consumer power. Rust table 1 (7/06)level of surprise, and may not be possible Con- requires some summer can receive information about a broader range in contexts where there is little room for the customers of businesses, as well as perform their own searches to expectations to be exceeded [72]. Even when customer find the product that best suits their needs. Cones- delight is possible, however, it may not always be innocently, businesses are faced with greater competition sequential for future patronage, if customers suspect the and greater need to differentiate. Firms must provide level of service will not be duplicated in the future. The best value for better- informed consumers or fail to When feasible, however, the strategy of customer delight can lead to exceptional results. Attract them. Wrought improved service a more attractive strategy for success in the marketplace. SERVING THE CUSTOMER As technology has given consumers access to more information and choices, service has become increasingly important. Customer satisfaction is paramount, because customer perception is reality when it comes to buying decisions. In this viewpoint there is no such thing as actual quality except as perceived by the customer, and thus serving the customer better depends upon understandi ng how to increase quality perceptions and customer satisfaction. Expectations play a significant role in customer satisfaction. Customer behavior is affected by satisfaction relative to expectations [71 , 114]. Research indicates that when a customer perceives service quality to be below the desired level, increasing customer satisfaction Wrought improved service has a large positive effect on DESIGNING AND IMPROVING SERVICE The delivery of service is fundamentally different from the concept and design of the service. Delivery is an aspect of implementation, not of design. The service product is planning your work, while service delivery is working your plan. Whereas engineering focuses primarily on the product, service concerns itself primarily with delivery, largely because of the inherent variability of service delivery. Because product development deals only with the quality of the product, firms must measure and manage service livery to ensure the quality of the entire experience. To measure service, metrics on customer perceptions, attitudes, and behavior are essential. Businesses should understand what customers do and why they do it. Customer behavior may simply be observed, such as 51 when a customer repurchases the product or files a research had found that companies attempting to complaint, but customer perceptions and attitudes are achieve a dual emphasis of cost reduction and revenue enhancement simultaneously did not perform as well not as readily revealed. For a complete understanding of customers, firms as companies that focused solely n a revenue emphasis combine computer databases of customer behave- sis strategy, Metal [56] reached the conclusion that a ROR with survey data of customer perceptions and ATT- dual emphasis can be profitable in the long-run for the à ©tudes. Achieved it. However, but are still useful for a number of purposes. For exam- attempting to achieve such a dual emphasis usually plea, they have been useful in studying the profit-Max- doesnt work. Mining balance between customer acquisition and customer rotten- THEN NOW Zion efforts [82]. Although such Standardization Customization findings have significant manager- Transactions Relationships al implications, they do not Focus on goods Focus on service Revenue expansion through service explain the motivation behind Cost reduction through manufacturing efficiency Marketing to individual customers customer behavior. The complex- Mass marketing Improved ability to communicate, store, and momentary use of databases and sure- Limited ability to communicate, process information eves is necessary to get a complete store, and process information understanding. Table 2. Moving to a The manufacturing mind-set is also problematic in service paradigm. Pricing perishable services. It is useful to separate burglarproofing THE MANUFACTURING chase from consumption [96]. For example, rather MIND-SET Rust table 2 (7/06) To succeed in todays marketplace, firms must ban- than selling travel or event tickets at a single price, firms don the manufacturing mind-set and attach highest can take advantage of buyers uncertainty about the priority to customers rather than products. The man- future by offering different advance and spot prices. Factoring mind-set leads businesses toward standard- Advance sales can often more than offset a lower price action. Goods are easier to produce in higher quality and give firms the ability to price discriminate. IT has facilitated the automation and mechanized quantity when production is standardized. Thus, manufacturing is built around assembly lines and Zion of service. Traditional e-commerce focused on mass productio n, and success is defined as producing reducing service costs and increasing efficiency by take same good at a lower cost. As manufacturing Effie- inning advantage of the opportunities to automate service science nears its maximum, there is little room for offered by the Internet. However, this approach suffers businesses to differentiate themselves, making it dif- some of the same pitfalls as the manufacturing mindful to profit or find niches in the market. In contrast, set. Selling commodities online at low prices results in better service demands customization, rather than low profit margins due to competition because there is standardization. Each customer should be treated little room for differentiation from competitors. Expectations by many, this e-comply line. Customers varying needs and desires are not mercer strategy has largely failed (recall such losing all satisfied by precisely the same service product or efforts as pets. Com). Instead, a paradigm of e-service is becoming prevalent. Companies such as Dell and service delivery. Productivity and satisfaction are not always mute- Amazon that have succeeded in e- commerce have done ally compatible goals, especially in service firms [5]. O because they have taken advantage of IT to increase Businesses must often choose between the two, at least revenue through improved service rather than simply in terms of primary emphasis. Academic research to reduce costs. Clearly suggests that more attention must be focused on revenue expansion through service, rather than Just on USING SERVICE TO MAKE MONEY productivity and cost reduction. Cutting costs may Service was once thou ght of as an add-on to physical improve short-run profitability at the expense of service goods, an extra that could be used to enhance the and long-run profitability. For example, downsizing value of the product. Today, most of the economy may reduce costs but have a detrimental effect on cuss- consists of services, rather than physical goods. To a tome service, as remaining employees are spread too large extent, physical goods are now seen as part of the thin. Thus, while costs may be reduced, decreased cuss- overall service. Table 2 shows some of the elements of tome distraction may impose long-run losses in cuss- the paradigm shift from transactional to relationship tome loyalty and future patronage. Whereas previous marketing. The emphasis is now on the value off 52 continuing customer relationship, rather than the value of any individual sale. The inherently high variability in service presents an opportunity even in the goods sector. Although the goods themselves are increasingly commoditized, service levels can vary greatly. Instead of struggling to achieve profit through cost savings in the production process, goods companies can use service to set themselves apart from competition hat is virtually indistinguishable from a manufacturing standpoint. IT decreases the cost of service. This naturally presents an opportunity to profit from cost savings, but it also offers the chance to expand revenues by providing better service to customers at the individual level. Although service improvements bear short-run costs, they allow firms to attract and retain customers and build long-term relationships. Customer loyalty lit- completed because a dissatisfied customer represents a potential loss of future business. Firms can also use IT to identify valuable but potentially threatened customer TRANSFORMING COMPANIES The service revolution is changing the way companies do business. As physical goods increasingly become commodities, goods companies find it increasingly difficult to stay profitable. Service allows companies to escape the commodity trap by providing a means for businesses to differentiate themselves from the competition. Instead of relying on profits from individual transactions, service allows companies to build relationships with customers, using these relationships to enhance long-term revenue. Stead of relying on profits from individual transactions, service allows companies to lid relationships with customers, using these relationships to enhance long-term revenue. Mutely leads to a lifetime of sales from which a company can profit. Service also opens the door to improvements in customer satisfaction. Companies should focus on meeting the varied needs and expectations of individual customers, keeping in mind the caveat that some customers may not be profi table to serve. Higher levels of customer satisfaction can be achieved with customization, increasing customer lifetime value through greater willingness to pay, frequency of purchase, and probability of repurchase. Customer equity, the discounted future cash flow that will be obtained from the firms customers [89], is a very good proxy for the total market capitalization of the firm. Viewing the health of the business in terms of customer equity makes it possible for the firms strategic decisions to have greater financial accountability [88]. Research has taught us that companies should care more about their lifetime relationship with customers rather than standalone transactions. Thus, companies are concerned not only with the loss of a single transaction with a given customer, but with the loss of al potential future transactions with that customer. Service improvements can be justified by increased customer equity, driven by an increased ability to attract and retain customers. Companies have a compelling reason to fix problems even after a transaction has been To survive and thrive, every business must become a service business. Research shows the focus on goods, tangible resources, and transactions has been replaced by an emphasis on service, intangible resources, and relationships [108]. In this new dominant logic, service, not goods, has become the fundamental economic exchange. Consequently, focus has also shifted from the reducer to the consumer, who is now endowed with more power than ever before. Despite the need, it can be difficult to convert locked into the manufacturing mind-set, still focusing on cost reduction through efficiency improvement rather than revenue expansion through improved service and customer relationships. However, businesses embracing the service revolution are finding success and profitability where others are failing. Companies that fail to invest in service run the risk of falling prey to competition. THE FUTURE OF SERVICE Computing and IT provide a particularly strong support for a shift toward service by applying information and tools to facilitate communication and build customer relationships [90]. As the capacity to gather and process information grows, companies can use their new knowledge to offer customized service. 3 Thus, with more information available to improve service, information-driven service becomes necessary for customer satisfaction and profitability. Many businesses have focused on cost reductions made possible by technology, but concentrating only on cost savings is an outmoded vestige of the production mind-set, from which companies must escape to succeed. Academic research indicates that tunnel vision n productivity and efficiency can drive unintended servic e quality erosion, which may hurt revenues and profits despite cost savings. Instead, companies should utilize IT to expand revenues through better service as well as to cut costs via automation. Real-time communication with customers is becoming easier and more affordable. Companies can quickly identify customers desires, guide them to products that meet their needs, and provide the necessary level of service. Additionally, firms can promptly detect and fix customer problems, again increasing customer satisfaction and building long-term relationships. Companies are learning from relationships with their customers. Using computer databases in conjunction with information collected through surveys, businesses can better understand customer attitudes, perceptions, and behavior. Armed with this new knowledge, businesses can design and improve service to ensure long-term profitability. Finally, service gives firms a new tool for financial accountability. Customer equity is a measure of future return on investment for service improvements or any other business improvement. In addition, customer equity enables companies to compare prospective returns on investment from competing service strategies. A complete bibliography of the literature used in the course of preparing the articles for this special section on services science is available on page 33. Roland T. Rust ([emailprotected] Mud. Du) holds the David Bruce Smith Chair in Marketing and is executive director of the Center for Excellence in Service and Chair of the Department of Marketing, at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Carol MIM ([emailprotected] Mud. Du) is a doctoral student at Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Organization Growth Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organization Growth Strategies - Assignment Example In 1805, Henri-Louis Pernod founded the Maison Pernod Fils company in the town of Pontarlier, near France's border with Switzerland. This company produced an absinthe-based beverage, which was very popular during its time. However, in 1915, absinthe was banned. A few years after that, Pernod merged with two other companies to form Les 'tablissements Pernod (The Pernod Establishments) which manufactured liquors that used anis as a base. In 1938, the company launched the brand Pernod 45; in 1951, it started selling its first pastis, Pastis 51. In the very first year of its production, Pastis 51 sold almost two million bottles to caf's. On the other hand, in 1932, Paul Ricard produced the first pastis, named after him, in 1932 in a place near Marseilles. Soon, Ricard's company rose to take its place beside Pernod as one of the leaders in the French spirits industry. After four decades of intense competition, Pernod and Ricard decided to come together. Between 1971 and 1974, the management of the two companies had prepared meticulously for the merger. Pernod Ricard was born in 1975, with a consolidated turnover of 2.5 billion francs. Pernod-Ricard today is the world's second biggest company in the wine and spirits sector. It has occupied key positions in every continent. It is the number one wine and spirits company in Europe and in the Asia Pacific, and number two in the Americas. The group has fifteen key brands of international renown: >Ricard >Ballantine's >Chivas Regal >Malibu >Stolichnaya >Havana Club >Beefeater >Kahlua >Jameson >The Glenlivet >Martell >Mumm >Perrier-Jouet >Jacob's Creek >Montana These premium brands play a central role in Pernod Ricard's development, but "the Group's success over the years owes as much to the talents of its employees, to its core values and to a decentralized structure unique to Pernod Ricard", according to the company's website. The map below shows the reach Pernod Ricard had in 2006. Source: History of Pernod Ricard, www.pernod-ricard.com At present, Pernod Ricard employs 19,000 people in more than 70 countries all over the world. Pernod Ricard has 113 production plants distributed worldwide. The journey from 1975 to 2009 From the very beginning, Pernod Ricard's main aim was internationalization of its products. For achieving this, Pernod Ricard followed a clearly chalked-out, almost aggressive policy of acquisitions right from 1975 itself. The first acquisition made by Pernod Ricard was that of the Scottish Campbell Distilleries, which made Scotch whiskies, in 1975-76. Next, in 1976, Pernod Ricard purchased Cusenier (Argentina), which made liquors from extracts of grains, fruits, and other parts of plants. In 1979, Pernod Ricard made its first step outside France, in an effort to maintain its sales growth. In 1980, while Austin Nichols, the England-based maker of bourbons, was acquired, Pernod Ricard launched a massive marketing campaign amounting to nearly $50 million in England, Spain and Germany. The campaign included gimmicks like giving away products at discos. The same year, Pernod

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Discrimination across Europe then compare with Britain (Inequalities Essay

Discrimination across Europe then compare with Britain (Inequalities in Health and social life) - Essay Example We will also be taking into consideration the work of Madeleine Leininger, who has long recognized the importance of understanding both cultural differences and similarities when caring for an intercultural community, and will be considering whether her theory can be applied within other sectors of the European Community. As the European Union has grown, so has its need for effective governance and accountability as government bodies and organizations seek to implement Europe's social and political charter. The question of accountability through networking has been criticized by some academics. In this paper we will be considering the critical analyse of Yannis Papadopoulos concerning governance and accountability through networking, taking into account its weaknesses and strengths, and what needs to be put into effect to ensure a European Union that is efficient and fair to all its citizens. Social justice for the people of Europe should be the objective of social polices; therefore 'respect and the promotion of fundamental rights should be both the starting point and the ambition of such policies'. (Brussels, 2005). Beginning its first anti-discrimination bills in 1957 with the Treaty of Rome, which provided men and women with the principle of equal The Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Framework Directive (2000) were formed to give all citizens of the EU a general minimum level of legal protection against discrimination. These directives, adding to the numerous laws that have been put into place during the past thirty years, were established to prevent people from being discriminated against on the grounds of ethnic origin, race, religion, age or sex. Initially formed to protect people within the workplace, the changing face of Europe has meant placing social and health rights at the top of Europe's agenda during recent years, as the Union faces the challenge of an emergent, cosmopolitan community. From starting as an economic agreement between two countries, the European Union has now grown into a 25 Member State, with the acceptance of Bulgaria and Romania on the 1st January 2007, and it seems likely that it will continue to grow. Its Member States still enjoy the mutual benefits of the economic agreement that formed the Union in the first place, but as Europe's boarders have widened so has its identity, bringing into being a multinational society that has needed, and still needs, to create new laws to protect its members from social injustice. The Eurobarometer - Injustice Within Modern Europe: Growth means change; it means accepting that things are no longer going to be the same; it means welcoming new methods, new world views and new

Monday, November 18, 2019

Not Your Dream Team Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Not Your Dream Team - Assignment Example The first stage is formation where the team members will come together with the aim of fulfilling a goal. The second is the storming stage where each member is struggling for his or her ideas to be heard and therefore marked by chaos and conflicts. The third stage is the norming stage where now the members come to know each other and start accepting each other’s ideas. The next is the performing stage where the group now focuses on achieving the goal and hence no conflict at this stage. Finally, having achieved its purpose, the group adjourns. 2. Mallory joined Think Link as assistant marketing manager for new products; two software programs were being designed to help high school students learn algebra and geometry. Murray’s manager is Lin Chen (marketing manager). Other members on the cross-functional development team with her are Todd Schlotsky (senior programmer); Sean Traynor (vice-president for marketing); Joyce Rothman (a former high school teacher who co-founded Think Link; she works only part-time in the company); and Harlow Gray (educational consultant). In this paragraph, the bases of power are mentioned and this will determine the decisions made in the organization. Sean for example is the Vice president and he has therefore the most authority in the company based on the positional power he is holding. The decisions Sean will make will therefore not be contested or argued with as a result of his prestigious position in the organization. Sean holds legitimate power due to his position as the vice-president, Lin and Todd and Mallory hold expert power as a result of their knowledge in their different fields. Mallory, Joyce and Harlow also hold referent power due to their ability to be consulted by others in different places. Sean also holds coercive power which is portrayed later when he fires Lin. The above team also hold reward power which they use to give bonus on software. 3. After her first week on the job, Mallory was considering qu itting. â€Å"These people are so opinionated and competitive,† she complained. Sean, Joyce and Harlow, in Mallory’s opinion, don’t listen to anyone’s ideas at team meetings; they only talk about their concerns. â€Å"Sean thinks his rank entitles him to make all the decisions in the team. Joyce thinks her opinions should carry more weight because she was instrumental in creating the company. And Harlow views everyone as less knowledgeable than he is and discounts their information as â€Å"out-of-date†, because he consults with the â€Å"outside† – other software firms and school districts. Lin, who is supposed to have the leadership role in this team, is passive and quiet. While he sends out agendas, and organizes meetings, people ignore him at the meeting; when he is speaking, people interrupt him or talk over him. He appears to avoid all the conflict and lack of progress by rushing off to another meeting. The team didn’t a ccomplish any agenda items at the first meeting I was at.† When a group is forming, it undergoes several stages and the hardest and most challenging one is the storming stage where every member wants his or her opinion to be taken into consideration. This is exactly the stage this group is in where the members are not willing to listen to each other’

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Evaluation of Individual Stock and Sector Level

Evaluation of Individual Stock and Sector Level Is there any method of asset allocation within a stock portfolio that can repeatedly and over time outperform a passive index (buy and hold strategy)? The objective of this study is to compare strategies that have been used over the last decades by academics and professionals alike, and to expand on that study to create a real-time portfolio at the end of year t, to observe the portfolios behaviour during the next year (t + 1). This portfolio, unlike those created in previous studies, is not limited to the study of individual stocks, but instead gives importance to sector allocation. In addition, this study also focuses on implementing a long-short strategy in those assets: with the same overall exposure to the market, will a long-short strategy that depends on financial metrics exhibit a better risk-adjusted return than a 100% long strategy? In other words, are financial metrics capable of not only detecting undervalued stocks, but also of detecting those overpriced? Sector allocation is an especially important factor, with previous studies failing to consider sector allocations before moving to find the best classified assets within each sector; rather, they have jumped directly to stock selection. One of the most common strategies for stock picking in the asset management industry today relies on initially choosing sectors that, from a macro perspective, are expected to outperform the market. From this stance, analysts proceed to evaluate specific stocks to choose potential winners. Despite this being the industry standard, only a scarce number of studies exist that use common ratios between sectors to analyse and devise allocation strategies that are first sector-based and then based on individual stock. The objective of this project, therefore, is to focus on a set of financial metrics, both at individual stock level and at sector level, to examine if there is a positive relationship between these ratios and alpha creation. In order to achieve this, a portfolio will be constructed and rebalanced yearly, according to previous end-of-year data. Several traditionally-appraised financial measures, such as P/E ratio, free cash flow to enterprise value ratio and book-to-market value ratio will be employed, as will certain profitability ratios that include data from the income statement, such as gross profit, operating profit and EBITDA. The reasoning behind using measures higher up within the income statement is due to solely to accounting choices in comparison to net income these are less affected by an individual companys accounting process. In fact, revenue and other described measures of profit, are more consistent year to year than net income. Subsequently, this provides the rationa le that these measures are better able to predict future cash flows and, consequently, next years performance. Forward-looking measures such as analysts consensus recommendations and forward EPS will also be utilised and tested. Departing from the hypothesis that these individuals conduct an exhaustive analysis of the financial data at year end t to predict the performance during year t+1, the accuracy of the forecasts will be tested against those same financial measures and valuation metrics existing at year end t. Data will be extracted from a set of databases comprised of Compustat, CRSP and I/B/E/S. Fundamental data will be extracted from end-of-fiscal-year filing, to allow a time lag for the data release of a quarter period (3 months), before a portfolio is rebalanced. Hence, with a fiscal year ending in December of year t, a lag in the release of data will always exist and portfolios will be rebalanced at the end of the first quarter of year t+1. Monthly returns for every stock will be compounded throughout that year over 12 months. Each years universe of stocks will then be ranked by the different valuation metrics to construct a portfolio at year end t in order to assess the portfolios performance during t + 1. Three different sets of portfolios will be constructed for each financial metric each year and, within each set, two strategies will be implemented. For a stocks-only portfolio, only those stocks ranking in the upper quintile (top 20%) will be used each year. For the sector-only portfolio, a market capitalisation average of each sector will be calculated, and the portfolio will be formed by the top 20% sectors ranked in any given year. For the sector and stocks portfolio, an implementation of both criteria will be evaluated. That being said, the portfolio is formed from the top quintile stocks within the top quintile sectors each year. As a whole, this assumes a long strategy, buying in on those stocks on a value-weighted basis each year to constitute a portfolio. In the long-short strategy, the bottom quintile of each respective category will be shorted, and the proceeds used to buy an extra 30% of the top quintile of stocks. Using a long-short strategy will help the researcher examine the feasibility of using these ratios in recognising overvalued stocks as well as undervalued companies, and use this information to construct a more profitable portfolio. A 130/30 long short strategy is used, where a 150/50 long short strategy or other proportions could have also been tested. However, the 130/30 strategy is chosen following the creation and later popularisation of 130/30 mutual funds and investment vehicles. This choice stems from an initial study suggesting that 130/30 was the optimal proportion of long-short positions in a portfolio, even though no empirical data has been found that a 130/30 strategy later maximises alpha. Despite this, given its popularisation and position as an industry standard, our analysis proceeds with this strategy. Ultimately, performance attribution and portfolio statistics will be calculated, such as average return, total payoff, standard deviation, Sharpe ratio and alpha according to the Fama French 3 factor model, correcting for small minus big and high minus low book market value (Fama and French, 1992). This will help in our analysis of the results, to provide a clear and concise indication of which ratios perform best under each strategy and under each level (sector and stock). Literature Review Re-emphasising the importance of sector level asset allocation strategies, particularly at a time in the financial industry when performance attribution analysis stresses return on the relative weighting of sectors in portfolios, it is surprising that existing studies underscore the importance of certain ratios or fundamental data for stocks while lacking the ability to employ a method to identify undervalued sectors. Previous studies from Shiller and Bunn (2014) construct a 140-year regression series based on the relationship between the earnings of different sectors and their yields, creating a CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted Price Earnings) index that identifies sectors with upside potential. Their research indicates that market sectors show price mismatches that can be exploited. According to them, the CAPE index is capable of outperforming the market by an average of 4%. Therefore, the objective of this project is to expand on their results by examining a number of other ratios and fi nancial fundamentals, particularly those related to profitability measures, and to investigate whether these, both at individual and sector level, are capable of forming a portfolio that outperforms the broader index and a buy and hold investment strategy. Gray and Vogel (2012) try to depict not only the ratio that is able to predict higher performing stocks, but also those in the lower ranges; this implies being able to detect not only what are known in the financial investment world as value stocks, but also overvalued growth stocks. According to their research, some measures are more efficient than others in providing insight into which stocks are overpriced. Gray and Vogel (2012) therefore conclude that EBITDA/EV and GP/EV are the metrics that are best able to identify the overvalued stocks. The results in this dissertation agree that the GP/EV ratio is useful to identify overvalued stocks and is hence a good metric to build long/short strategies, but the results also consider free cash flow/EV as a favourite on a risk-adjusted basis for implementing a long-short strategy at stock level. The results of the following study show that stocks exhibiting a low FCF/EV experience low returns, demonstrating an ability to identify overvalue d stocks. Such a contradiction might be explained by the difference in the universe of stocks used or, more specifically, by the use of lag for data release, which corrects the assumption that results are available to the public at the end of fiscal year t. This lag is introduced by Hughen and Strauss (2015) in their comparable study of profitability ratios in portfolio allocation. The analysis in this project goes beyond what the Gray and Vogel (2012) study implies and develops a portfolio strategy to buy stocks that exhibit higher ratios, but also a complementing 130/30 strategy, which short sells stocks exhibiting poor ratios, and proportionally buys in excess those that exhibit a healthy ratio. As Miller (2001) shows in his work, overvaluation of stocks is far more common and of greater absolute value than undervaluation. This supports a rationale for this work. However, care should be taken when dealing with long-short strategies. As suggested by Michaud (1993), costs stemming from short sales in a portfolio could prove quite significant. However, Jacobs and Levy (1995) argue that these costs are not much higher than a long-only portfolio, and are well under those charged by active management. Professionals and practitioners alike have historically depended on several fundamental and financial measures to assist them in the portfolio selection process. Perhaps the most famous is the price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) along with the ratio between earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and total enterprise value. Fama and French (1992) argue that book to market ratio perhaps most accurately explains the cross section return of stock, which they later include in their three-factor model. In our approach, we include these traditional metrics, while also relying on profitability measures, such as gross profit/EV, introduced by Novy-Marx (2010), and operating profit divided by market value, as presented in Fama and Frenchs (2015) 5-factor model. Ball et al. (2015) proves that the suggestions shown in Novy-Marxs (2010) paper, in which he proposes the existence of a very strong cross relation between gross profit and future returns, regardless of the financial leverage or structure of the firm, are true by constructing portfolios based on highly profitable firms as represented by gross profit/enterprise value. Novy-Marx (2010) concluded that because gross profit is the measure of profit less affected by accounting choices in the income statement, it results in a clear and normalised comparison between different companies. However, Ball et al. (2015) argue that gross profit is not significantly superior to net income (earnings) when analysing an extended time period. After analysing other measures of financial data, they conclude that operating profit, as a percentage of market value, does offer a significantly higher alpha. Therefore, this project continues with the aforementioned financial metrics, and focuses on sector and stock selection to create an annually-rebalanced real-time portfolio. Hughen and Strauss (2015) attempt to use different financial measures to construct portfolios at sector, stock and combined stock and sector levels. The following study complements and verifies the conclusions of Hughen and Strauss (2015) regarding the superior indicators of profitability measures versus traditional measures of valuation such as P/E and book to market in all three levels, and extends their research by looking at forward looking measures and a value weighted approach to the sector allocation, rather than the equal weight approach used in their research. The limitations of assuming sectors to be equally weighted across the portfolio, and not a function of the market value of the components of those sectors, contradict the notion of constructing a value-weighted portfolio. Their construction of portfolios at stock level is value-weighted, whilst at sector levels they equally weight each sector within their top quintile. This is a counterintuitive approach and this paper tackles that limitation by weighting the sectors accordingly respective to their components market capitalization, making periodical rebalances within the year unnecessary and increasing operational efficiencies in a real-life practical situation. It should be mentioned that the universe of stocks used in this study pertains to the SP500, which by definition is a market-weighted index. The project finds some discrepancies with respect to Hughen and Strauss paper, in particular surrounding the performance of the free cash flow ratio. A possible explanation for this is that this study states free cash flow as a percentage of total enterprise value, whilst Hughen and Strauss (2015) compute it as a percentage of market value. The approach taken within the subsequent study results in a much higher risk-adjusted return for the ratio, as measured by the Sharpe ratio, both for long strategies and to identify overvalued stocks. In their research of different financial ratios, Loughran and Wellman (2011) found that EBITDA over enterprise value offers superior performance to a predefined buy and hold benchmark. Their analysis, which comprehends data starting from 1963 to 2009, holds that EBITDA/EV possess a very significant regressive coefficient with future performance. Gray and Vogel (2012) confirm this hypothesis, analysing a time period of 30 years starting in 1980, in their research of different financial metrics. This paper confirms that, at a stocks-only level, EBITDA along with gross profit, both measured as a percentage of enterprise value, offer the highest risk-adjusted returns. For the analysis at both sector and stock level, EBITDA fails to show the same accuracy as the stock-only analysis. Therefore, the following study builds on the findings of previous studies by providing a more thorough examination at sector level. Gray and Vogel (2012) extended their research further by considering periods of economic crisis, in order to identify which financial ratio is most appropriate during high volatility economic downturns. However, they were unable to conclude which ratio is able to identify winners or losers during periods of financial distress, because none behaves in the same systematic manner during selected periods of extreme economic contraction. In their study of different economic coefficients and measures, Welch and Goyal (2007) conclude that the relationship between sector level performance and macroeconomic industrial data is unstable and at most, follows a random relationship. With that in mind, the focus of this paper is instead on building sector data as a market weighted average of the individual microeconomic company ratios and forecasts. Each individual constituent fundamental metric at year end will be used to position the allocation of each asset for the next year based on a ranked system. This construes that this analysis will be based on each stocks financial information at year end t to later construct sector level ratios and metrics, and is not based on macroeconomic or sector level data that, according to Welch and Goyal (2007), do not provide any significant cross-relation with future performance. Theory Development Although the focus of previous literature is in the attribution of portfolio performance to the different ratios and metrics used, the objective of this paper is to examine whether these same metrics, mainly traditional measures, forward looking estimates and profitability ratios, are able to exploit sector and stock level mispricing and generate real-time winner portfolios. Given the availability of forward estimates in the I/B/E/S database, a period from 1990 to 2016 will be examined in this paper. The choice of time period is not a random one; rather, to have consistency in data across the analysis and throughout all the variables used, this period is chosen from the start. To see the limitations of an extended data period, Gray and Vogels (2012) work show an exemplary illustration of such restrictions. They use a period of 30 years, starting in 1980, evaluating which financial metric can predict future performance. They complement their analysis on fundamental metrics by looking at analysts estimates and consensus forecasts, succeeding to recognise the lack of certain information in the beginning years of their timeframe, therefore failing to Nos interesa saber, al igual que el trabajo de Graham y Dodd (1934), cà ³mo el uso de normalizacià ³n de los diferentes ratios y fundamentos es capaz de cambiar nuestros resultados. Segà ºn sus estudios, la normalizacià ³n o media sobre cierto tiempo de estas mà ©tricas financieras, es capaz de mejorar la prediccià ³n de los resultados comparado con una estimacià ³n anual. Segà ºn su anà ¡lisis, la normalizacià ³n deberà ­a ser entre 7 y 10 aà ±os. Anderson y Brooks (2006) recientemente confirmaron esto, llevando a cabo un estudio de la mà ©trica P/E, la cual tambià ©n utilizamos en nuestro anà ¡lisis, pero a la inversa (Earnings/ Market Value). Segà ºn su estudio, basado sobre el mercado en U.K., usando el promedio de este ratio de 8 aà ±os en lugar de usar las mà ©tricas del aà ±o anterior, resulta en un crecimiento de las ganancias de un 6%, ya que es capaz de filtrar el ruido de earnings. Siguiendo estos anà ¡lisis, nuestro estudio abarcarà ¡ tambià ©n ratio s normalizados durante una serie de aà ±os, concentrà ¡ndonos en el universo de acciones del SP500, para confirmar que esta hipà ³tesis es apta en nuestro anà ¡lisis. Sin embargo, Data V.I Evaluation Metrics This paper will focus on three different categories of data inputs. There is an abundant choice of methods and variables in the accounting and financial research world, there is a large set of variables and measures to assess a firms valuation. In order to establish the model, an initial differentiation between these variables should be made. Traditional Metrics To start with, we look at the long standing traditional metrics that long have been appraised by the professionals in the financial industry. This involves the inverse of the P/E ratio, given as Earnings over Market Value of the firm, Book to Market value and Free Cash Flow to Enterprise Value. These ratios, introduced decades back in the origins of value investing by Graham and Dodd (1934), show mixed results according to existing literature. Including this long favourite measures in this research will prove useful when comparing to the other measures. Earnings/Market Value Earnings will be computed following Fama and Frenchs (2001) approach: Earnings = Earnings Before Extraordinary Items Preferred Dividends + Income Statement Deferred Taxes Book value/Market Value Book Value will again be calculated as Fama and French (2001) propose. Following on its definition, Book Value = Stockholders Equity Preferred Stock Free Cash Flow/Enterprise Value Analogous to Novy-Marxs (2010) work, we compute free cash flow as FCF = Net Income + Depreciation Amortisation Working Capital Change Capital Expenditures Enterprise Value will also need to be calculated. Following Loughran and Wellman (2011), we compute it as EV = Market Value + Short-term Debt + Long-term Debt + Preferred Stock Value Cash and Short-term Investments The enterprise value variable will be used again in multiple valuation measures. Profitability Metrics Profitability measures as reported in the income statement will also be used as valuation methods. The focus will be Gross Profit, EBITDA and Operating Profit. EBITDA and Gross Profit will be computed as a percentage of Total Enterprise value, as suggested by the work of Gray and Vogel (2012), whilst Operating Profit will be looked at as a percentage of Market Value. From here on, well expand on this and compute an average of this three profitability measures, in order to analyse if a composite metric is able to detect the cross relation between fundamentals and future returns. The reasoning behind using an average of these three different measures stems from the work of Hughen and Strauss (2015), as they find that the composite measure are less sensitive to changes in the firms structure across different sectors and within sectors, as well as providing more information than just a single variable. This implies that the average measure is less affected by differences in financial leverage across sectors, which results in a more standardised comparison between firms in different sectors. Gross Profit/Enterprise Value Once again following Novy-Marx (2010), we compute every years gross profit as Gross Profit = Revenue Cost of Goods Sold Operating Profit/Market Value Operating Profit, as define in the income statement will be used for this metric. EBITDA/Enterprise Value EBITDA, defined as Earnings Before Interest, Tax and Depreciation Amortisation is calculated by the simple sum of operating and non-operating income; EBITDA = Operating Income before Depreciation + Non-Operating Income Profitability Average Equally weighted average of the three profitability ratios. The reason for selecting profitability measures higher up the income statement, and not focusing solely on the inverse P/E ratio, Earnings/MV or expectations of forward earnings, is because the higher up the income statement we go, the more consistent data proves to be year on year: that is, figures are more normalized and suffer fewer variations, which could explain why they result in being better predictive models, filtering out excessive noise. According to Dichev et al. (2013), profitability metrics are more persistent than earnings and forecast future performance more accurately than net income. Earnings data is affected by accounting choices, whereas gross profit and operating income suffer fewer distortions from this. Forward Estimates Analysing a set of fundamental past data wont be the only proxy used to rebalance our portfolio: analysts stock recommendations will also be evaluated. Two different sets of forward data will be used. In the first place, an average of the consensus forecast of next fiscal years EPS divided by the current market value of each firm will be used. This forecast will be an average of the estimates of each analyst throughout the fourth quarter of year t for year t+1. The consensus mean recommendations from analysts from the fourth quarter of the year t for year t+1 will also be employed. These recommendations are a ranking from 1 to 5, with 1 signalling a strong buy and 5 a strong sell. This is the mean of the different analysts recommendation existing at that time for each individual stock. V.II Data Criteria and Universe To ensure a minimum amount of liquidity in our analysis, we pick the historical constituents of the SP500 Index as our universe of stocks. This results in our analysis not being driven by the performance of smaller capitalisation firms, for which data might not be readily available. As our analysis involves implementing a long/short strategy, the ability to do so with large capitalisation stocks in practice results much easier. Therefore, every year, the appropriate constituents in our portfolio are updated, reflecting the changes in the overall index. This implies that our universe of stocks closely replicate the SP 500 Index on a yearly basis. The constituents as of 1990 will first be extracted, and updated every year thereafter. The analysis is then limited to those companies with a positive market capitalization as of December of year t, as well as to those companies with at least 2 years of data, in order to perform all the analysis in a consistent universe of stocks. In order to conduct the analysis across sectors in a more uniform manner, certain companies were removed from the universe of stocks. This includes REITs, utility and financial firms, as denominated by CRSP. From this, a benchmark is constructed with our new universe of stocks; that is, all those fulfilling the above criteria. This benchmark is a value weighted portfolio of all the stocks for a given year, rebalanced yearly at the end of each previous year (December 31st). Therefore, being a market value weighted portfolio comprising most SP500 stocks, it should closely resemble the SP500 Index. Comparing the quarterly performance of both our benchmark and the index for the period to analyse between 1990 and 2015, and running a corresponding regression, it is found that they correlate with a coefficient of 99.17%. As seen by this observation, our universe of stocks bears similarities with the index, although the payoff at the end of the period differs. The benchmark provides a payoff of $11.13 for a $1 investment (or a 1113%) at the start of the period, in 1990. The SP500 index returns a payoff of $8.86 (886%) at the end of the period. This figures assume complete reinvestment of capital and a compounded growth rate. V.V Model We represent year t+1 to be the year for which the portfolios performance will be monitored, and year t to be the year in which the fundamental data which will estimate performance will be extracted. As most US companies have a fiscal year corresponding to the calendar year, our model will retrieve end of year fundamental data for these companies, corresponding to December year t, allow for a data release lag, and compute the portfolio. The lag in data release is introduced as companies dont disclose their annual financial statements until the quarter after their fiscal year end. This usually happens within two months, as observed from historical data. Taking this factor into account, the model will allow for a lag of one quarter, therefore allowing for information to be readily available to the public at each point in time. Denoting t.(x) as the xth quarter of year t, and t+1.(x) as the xth quarter of year t+1, the above implies extracting fundamental data as of t.(4), allowing for a lag in data release during t+1.(1) in order to construct the portfolio at t+1.(2). The performance will then be measured during one year from then. This model so far deals only with the companies which disclose their end of year information by the end of the calendar year, so a provision must be made for the proportionally low, but still significant, number of companies whose annual results are released at a different date. Hughen and Strauss (2015) tackled this issue by rebalancing quarterly their portfolio, but they recognized the limitations of using quarterly results rather than normalizing their ratios and profitability measures by using annual ones. Gray and Vogels (2012) work consists of an annually rebalanced portfolio as of June 30 every year. Their approach is to use, for firms with fiscal year ending within the last quarter of the previous year, or the first quarter of the year, those fundamentals. For companies with fiscal years ending after March 30, previous years fundamentals will be used. This implies that, no matter when the end of fiscal year is, the latest annual filling will always be employed to construct th eir portfolio, even when this filling is from the second quarter of the previous year. In the following model, the approach will be somewhat different, Therefore, first, a differentiation between the two strategies implemented should be made. Value weighted These buy-and-hold portfolios are attractive not only because they minimize trading costs, but because they are simple to implement from an operational perspective. Mention sector allocation using SICS merge Compustat and CRSP databases. Delisting returns. References Ball, R., Gerakos, J., Linnainmaa, J. and Nikolaev, V. (2015). Deflating profitability. Journal of Financial Economics, 117(2), pp.225-248. Bunn, O. and Shiller, R. (2014). Changing times, changing values. 1st ed. Cambridge, Mass. Dichev, I., Graham, J., Harvey, C. and Rajgopal, S. (n.d.). Earnings Quality: Evidence from the Field. SSRN Electronic Journal. Fama, E. and French, K. (1992). The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns. The Journal of Finance, 47(2), p.427. Fama, E. and French, K. (2006). Disappearing dividends: changing firm characteristics or lower propensity to pay?. 1st ed. Fama, E. and French, K. (2015). A five-factor asset pricing model. Journal of Financial Economics, 116(1), pp.1-22. Gray, W. and Vogel, J. (2012). Analyzing Valuation Measures: A Performance Horse-Race Over the Past 40 Years. SSRN Electronic Journal. Hughen, J. and Strauss, J. (2015). Portfolio Allocations Using Fundamental Ratios: Are Profitability Measures Effective in Selecting Firms and Sectors?. SSRN Electronic Journal. Jacobs, B. and Levy, K. (1993). Long/Short Equity Investing. The Journal of Portfolio Management, 20(1), pp.52-63. Loughran, T. and Wellman, J. (2011). New Evidence on the Relation between the Enterprise Multiple and Average Stock Returns. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 46(06), pp.1629-1650. Michaud, R. (1993). Are Long-Short Equity Strategies Superior?. Financial Analysts Journal, 49(6), pp.44-49. Miller, E. (2001). Why the Low Returns to Beta and Other Forms of Risk. The Journal of Portfolio Management, 27(2), pp.40-55. Novy-Marx, R. (2010). The other side of value. 1st ed. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Welch, I. and Goyal, A. (2007). A Comprehensive Look at The Empirical Performance of Equity Premium Prediction. Review of Financial Studies, 21(4), pp.1455-1508.