Prerequisites of a good business plan Essay

               A business plan is essential for a new business; it gives an insight to opportunities, weaknesses, threats and possibilities. This thesis developed a business plan for an ethnic brand restaurant â€Å"The Indian village†. The first part of this thesis developed a method of analyzing important elements of launching a new business. The empirical part of thesis focused on how to turn a project idea into a project plan. The research part included the examination of activity in the area of Pakistani/Indian restaurant businesses mainly based in Helsinki and Stockholm. Interviews were conducted to investigate the existing successful business strategies; this study also introduced some personal ideas of innovations.                Finnish market has a great demand for exotic food. People are always eager to try something different. The food business is firstly considered a relatively smaller investment as compared to big businesses but it is also commonly viewed as being able to become successful and move forward depending on good strategy and market research. So in some ways the food business seems like a good investment. As generally viewed, before starting a new business, one must understand and be aware of conditions and the society he wants to operate within.                   Being in Finland has allowed me to understand the conditions, demands and existence of different businesses. In order to explore the area of interest, which is the food business, required me to dine in different places. This has surely helped to observe various techniques of running such businesses.               Planning of a restaurant specializing in Indian/Pakistani cuisine urged me to develop a new business strategy of such an establishment. I tried to find the relevance of this business idea with the scientific business theory of how to start a new business. The start-up situation and the basic elements for any new business at the beginning are somewhat the same, but finding a relevant business theory for starting a new business especially in Indian/Pakistani restaurant was a challenge. Developing a business plan for a restaurant in a highly competitive environment can be difficult, but a solid plan of action can help figure it out. Working hard for a new business is good but hard work alone is not enough to attract customers. This is why a solid business plan is needed. 1.1 Background                  The selection of this specific concept was inspired by a friend’s success in new business ventures. He developed a business strategy and then started working on it empirically. It boosted my motivation and personal interest in developing a small business. One driving force is my creativity which has always enticed for satisfaction by owning a business. The background behind this selection is driven by the rapid growth of ethnic food brands, and a broad interest in exotic tastes. Another fact is a widespread belief that many ethnic cuisines are somehow healthier. Successful business can be attributed with giving oneself a high self esteem 1.2 Aims and Objectives                A new business is a big job and it is necessary to have something that can help to manage the business. A business plan can act as a management tool that can help to focus on where we are and where we want to be in the future. Chances to go without a business plan, may not be so pleasant in the end. A business plan helps to guide all stages of business towards success. A widespread belief is that many ethnic cuisines are somehow healthier. This thesis has two objectives: 1) An effort to create a powerful brand attribute to today’s health-conscious customer market. 2) The second purpose behind this plan is an ambition, to be successful and to create a secure financial resource. The current situation with job opportunities does not seem so promising to me. In that case owning a successful business can be a good alternative. This strategy appeals to the development of an exotic restaurant across culture. The food business particularly sparked the interest because these days there are a variety of restaurants with numerous offers.                   Many of them show no concern with providing food according to health standards. Being overweight is an illness which millions face each day. Some natural facts about our body cannot be changed but one way to change being overweight is starting to eat healthy food. I want to place customer convenience and comfort as the top priority. This plan is different and purely genuine, because I want to help people understand how to select healthy diets, and help changing their behavior towards nutritionally-positive food. A sensible food choice can make a huge difference to the quantity, the quality of calories, and sodium and fat consumed in a diet. So this business plan is a noble effort towards the well being of the human race and the creation of a healthy food culture, whereby people are aware of what they eat and how food can be consumed to affect their lives in a positive manner. Conceptual research †¢Analysis of existing Business Strategies through benchmarking method Empirical research †¢Critical Investigation of assumptions against facts. †¢Interviews and Surveys †¢Using the knowledge in own business plan Related experiences and views 1.3 Development process                   The research process of this thesis consists of mainly three stages. The three stages are: first, second and third. All three stages are different yet combined with each other; the first stage emphasized the importance of having a business plan; with the help of conceptual research method of scientific theory. The conceptual part of this thesis is based on McDonald (2007), and Mellor (2009). The review of these business theories helped to take thorough, careful and comprehensive look at the most important facets of starting a new business, including the contexts in which they operate. It also enhanced the understanding to spot future trouble areas, and to identify opportunities. The synthesis of these strategies is depicted in figure 2 below. Capitalization on a bright idea the knowledge of existing business network Looking at your strategy Your abilities and skills. The conceptual part of research process. In the second stage of research process, qualit ative research method was used for data collection. A good business plan depends on understanding the customer needs. Therefore a business unit should be able to define the strategies which make restaurant, a place where people want to come and eat. The market research helped to narrow down elements like personal behaviours, stories, and organizational functioning of business. This research method also contributed to understanding the nature of different businesses. Benchmarking strategy of some selected restaurants emphasized on some important elements like location, arrangements, staff, food quality, related experiences with food business, skills, knowledge of facts, and experience of customers. It enhanced the understanding about some existing business units, and the way people perceive a particular food business. In the last phase quantitative research method was used with a questionnaire analysis. This research produced numerical data collected from fifty people including some customers from different restaurants. Research methods helped to get precise measurements which were helpful to compare different trends.                   The empirical part of research process Definition of the last stage which includes, the information gathered through questionnaires and personal analysis. This information helped to measure the customer expectations and the stereotypes attached to some existing business units. Market analysis      Market planningBusiness goals and mission statementSWOT analysisRisk factorsProfilingCost strategiesLeadership strategies   The model of business plan                This chapter contains conceptual theory and strategic planning of the business plan. The business plan has mainly three purposes. First, it serves to develop a strategy and communicate it to the level of management. Second it serves as the justification of resources and budget. Third, it provides and instrument for monitoring ongoing progress and making corrections during the plans implementation. Figure 4 below depicts the key elements for a new business.                The essential elements of the approach to market plans as presented by McDonald (2007) 2.1 Market analysis            Market analysis helps to understand the competition in the market and prepares a strategy to position a new business in relation to its competitors. Without a proper analysis too often market strategies are set at too high level which leads to poor outcome. Market analysis helps selecting market segments, which helps providing products and service according to the customer expectation and demand. It provides an analysis of existing organizations, primary competitors, and key strategies to do it better and at a lower cost that customers prefer. Competitor product analysis helps to price the products, and defines the need if modern equipments are needed. Customer loyalty can be won by offering them consistent and reliable services. An entrepreneur measures his potential to introduce a broad range of product/services to keep existing customer groups attracted. New customers groups can be targeted by the additional categories provided. 2.1.1 Market Planning                Market planning is establishing an operational strategy to position a new business in the market. Market research determines the strategies that help to attract customers for new products. It helps to discover the attractions a new business can offer that others cannot. An entrepreneur can use its competitor’s business knowledge in own terms by conducting a market research. It is good to know the difference between own performance and others. All new businesses should develop some survival strategies for its operational ability during a start-up process where margins are narrow. In other words finding ways to do it better than others are doing. The observation of social behaviour, competitor’s strengths, weaknesses, and leadership and business skills helps to identify opportunities of growth. The questions below provide an insight to the market planning process especially at a start-up level. Customers: Who are my customers? How can I understand their needs and ensure their satisfaction? Competitors: How can I have an advantage over my competitor, or how I am going to do things differently? Company: At the start how can the company’s operate for its own survival and ensure its future strength? Before starting any new business, customer’s needs and business goals should be clearly determined. Customer knowledge is based on learning about their cultural norms, emotions, needs, feelings, wants, values and attitudes. It is worthwhile to know the customer’s point of view by looking at one’s own business strategy. 2.2 Business goals and mission statement               It is important to develop an understanding of products according to their profitability. A clear understanding of the profit generated by different products/services will help the both future services and products. Making a strategy is deciding how to best position the organization within its competitive environment in order to achieve profitability. The business unit should strive to arrange its objectives hieratically, from the most to the least important. A business unit should set realistic goals. The level should arise from opportunities and strengths, not from wishful thinking. A business unit must have strategic analysis of important elements. Strategic analysis is focusing down layer by layer to develop a clear understanding of market. It is referred to onion skin. Each layer must be peeled off and analyzed to examine its health before the core strategic business (SBU) is approached. EProfitability Market share Growth True business goals Business goals can be seen in these three categories. Profitability in a new business ensures growth and market share. Profitability refers to the potential of a venture to be financially successful. This may be assessed before entering into a new business or it may be used to analyze a venture. Although it may be found that one set of factors is not likely to be successful or has not been successful, it may not be necessary to abandon the venture. It may be feasible to change operational factors such as pricing or costs. 2.3 Swot analysis                   Starting a new business is a complex process and that is why it is necessary to view the overall strategies in SBUs. Unless these SBUs are identified any planning will be generic and bland. Strategic planning must focus on each SBU to identify the actions and goals. A swot analysis is the process that enables a company to assess the present state of a business. Swot Analysis †¢Strengths †¢Weaknesses †¢Opportunities †¢Threats               Through market analysis, a clear segmentation of market, seeks to avoid a bland and unfocused approach to the market. A clear definition of the specific competitors and an understanding is needed to develop a customer group. SWOT is basically abbreviated from four words: strength, weaknesses opportunities and threats. The SWOT analysis should be conducted for each of the key product or market segments should be presented briefly and in an interesting way.                Customers cannot know about a new business unless they hear about it. Creating a brand image through advertising and promotional activities is very helpful. Figure 6 below describes the elements of Swot analysis. 2.4 Risk factors             A balanced evaluation of risk is very important. A leader has to be aware of these risks, threats and harmful elements which may affect the business. The knowledge of these risk factors helps a leader to prepare a prevention strategy. Mainly there are two types of risk factors. An entrepreneur is challenged by these factors which are Internal and external. They both are equally important and depend on each other. Internal factors are to be dealt with initially, but external factors can be learned with time by gaining market experience. 2.4.1 External                They are outside the influence of management, for example performance of the national economy, stability of the industry, competitor pricing, and Interest rates. The manager should know the parts of the environment to monitor, if the business is to achieve its goals. A business has to monitor key environment forces like demographic/economic, technological, political/legal and social/cultural, and environment factors like customers, competitors, and distribution channels. The manager should set up a market intelligent system to track trends and important developments. For each trend and development, management needs to identify the implied opportunities and threats. A major purpose of environment scanning is to discern new opportunities. Opportunities can be listed and classified according to their attractiveness and the success probability. Figure 7 below depicts some external risks. Political EU legislation, inspection priorities, changing patterns of employment, flexible workforce Economic 1. Interest rates changes 2. Cost of waste disposal 3. Need to cut waste 4. Insurance premiums 5. Tax incentives Social 1. Customer demands 2. Customer expectations 3. Growth in consumer awareness 4. Greater use of media 5. Competitors Technological 1. Improved equipment 2. Better guardian 3. Substitution of materials 4. Improved data collection 5. Licensing authorities                   The risk factors and external risks, Risk management 10 principles by Jayne (2002) Internal some major internal risk factors are pricing, level of variables costs, and level of fixed costs, which are directly influenced by management. A wrong market analysis and, wrong cost strategy may lead business to jeopardy. It is important to know the demand of products, and how flexible one’s costs are (variable costs and fixed costs). Customers will definitely consider the relative cost of one’s competitors and prefer the best priced products and services available. Clear understanding of business objectives, through a proper planning, and a commitment will lead a business to success. Each business needs to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses periodically. Each factor should be rated as whether it is a major strength, a minor strength, a neutral factor, a minor weakness, or a major weakness. Figure 8 below depicts the internal risk factors a compa ny might face. Ethics and beliefs Culture of industry Presure of finances Change in processesBetter utilization of resourcesSickness and absence cost             Figure 8: The risk factors and the internal risks, Risk management 10 principles by Jayne (2002) Internal risk factors may develop a significant business risk for an investor. Some internal risks are mentioned in the figure 8 above, which can be noticed and corrected to improve the internal performance. 2.5 Profiling                  Customers face a growing range of choices in the products and service these days. They are making their choice on the basis of their perception of quality, service, and value. Companies need to understand the determinants of customer value, and satisfaction.             Customers are satisfied when their expectations are met and delighted when their expectations are exceeded. Satisfied customers remain loyal longer, buy more, are less price sensitive, and talk favorably about the company. Profiling is a useful tool to create customer satisfaction. 2.5.1 Financial profiling                A manager should be well informed about the financial position and expenditures. The leader has to know if the finances and the financial information are relevant and accurate according to the market standards. The budget has to be well prepared and accurate, for future operational strategies. Before progressing any further, all necessary financing has to be assured. Initial goal is to establish a list of expenditures on a paper, for all the required financing and then to measure one’s own capacity and strength in accordance. 2.5.2 Product profiling                  The most basic marketing tool is product, which stands for the company’s tangible offer to the market, including the product quality, design, features, and branding. Market penetration requires a good product presentation. The observation of competitor product is very important. The manager has to review the unique strengths of their own product against competitor’s, and has to know the market segment in which products serve the best. It is good to develop a product profile paper for each product. The product profile analyzes your products in terms of the concepts such as, the list of features a product offers to its customers and the benefits for a company in terms of profit. 2.5.3 Customer profiling                   The main goal of customer profiling is to categorize the traits and characteristics of customers. This process helps to identify the reasons customers purchase products from one’s company and not from the competitors. Customer profiling does not mean to know each customer individually, but just to know the primary characteristics of good and bad customers. Strategic thinking about customer profiling can help business and lead it to a profitable territory. A company has to observe its customers who are sales and profit contributors, and customers who have profitable growth potential for the future. 1. Care and concern: the customer wants to feel that the organization, its employees and its operational system are devoted to solving his problems. 2. Spontaneity: contact employees demonstrate a willingness and readiness to actively approach customers and take care of their problems. 3. Problem solving: contact employees are skilled in taking care of their duties and perform according to standards. Moreover the rest of the organization including operational support employees and operational support systems are also trained and designed to give good service. 4. Recovery: if anything goes wrong, or something unexpected happens, there is someone who is prepared to make a special effort to handle the situation, Grà ¶nroos (2000) 2.5.4 Competitor profiling                  This analysis relies on a sound understanding of customer perspectives and competitor performance. The competitor’s profile should be seen from a customer perspective by using the SBUs. In market analysis, we can define different market segments and customer groups that can be targeted. Measuring competitor’s performance and gaining clarity of own performance against competitors is useful. The aim to gain a competitor profile relies in knowing their strengths and weaknesses. This produces a source of competitive advantage. This strategy can help to create differentiation. 2.6 Cost strategy                   †Pricing is an area with a tremendous potential for increasing profitability, but unfortunately, if managed badly, it can quickly bring a business to its knees. Pricing is both art and science† (Meldrum 2007). A new business may require delivering a relevant quality product or a service possibly at the lowest cost, and to develop a cost difference over the primary competitors for making it more attractive for new customers. Standardization of products is also an important part. Cost strategy also considers the cultural facts for product pricing. A question between either providing a differentiation approach to match the customer needs with good quality, and gain competitive advantage, or having low cost to gain profit margin and increase product volume that often leads to practice a mixed approach. The company has to decide what it wants to accomplish with a particular product. If the company has selected its target market and marketing posit ion, then pricing will be straight forward. Figure 9 below depicts the nature of competitive advantage, McDonald (2007). 2.6.1 Low cost products                     Several circumstances might lead a firm to cut its price. One circumstance is if a company needs additional business and cannot generate it through increased sales efforts, product improvement or other measures. A company might face a price war, as competitors try to hold on to their market share. New business wants to ensure its customer group which it is the lowest cost producer with the best quality. This way one can win a greater volume of business through lower prices than competitors, and continue to be profitable. Prices also influence customer perceptions. In some markets high prices are seen as overcharging or taking advantage of customer. In other markets competitor with lower prices may have advantage, but a lower price can also damage the competitive position or the brand image. Brand image is associated with prices. 2.6.2 High costs products                     Some products whose prices tend to remain constantly high or fixed, it is necessary to know the real demand of those products to set a fixed cost. Increasing number of companies’ base their price on the product’s perceived value. They see the buyer’s perception of value not the seller’s cost, as the key to pricing. A company develops a product concept for a particular target market with a planned quality and price. Then management estimates the volume, which hopes to sell at this price. The estimates set the demand capacity, investment and the unit cost. Management then figures out whether the product will yield a satisfactory profit at the planned price. If it does the company goes ahead with product development otherwise, the company drops the idea. A business without the lack of a real understanding of the profit generated by different activities and products without data and strategy becomes less logical and relies jus t on intuition and luck. 2.7 Leadership strategies                     A new business at an early stage is generally considered fragile; where a leader and staff members are both new to each other, further it is not necessary that a good entrepreneur is also a good leader. In the beginning phase of management a leader might find it hard to understand his employees, so setting some guidelines might help the staff and the leader. The true leadership is like a big wise head which can direct an organization towards success. A strategic leadership can define the direction of an organization. A true leadership recognizes long-term and short-term goals and its objectives. It is also necessary for a leader to determine priorities, to direct team activities by using his inspirational leadership. According to Cameron (2008) a new leadership should have following strategies. (1) A focus on positively deviant performance, or successful performance that dramatically exceeds the norm in a positive direction; (2) An affirmative bias or an orientation toward, for example, strengths rather than weaknesses, optimism rather than pessimism, supportive rather than critical communication. (3) A focus on virtuousness and eudemonism, or on the best of the human condition and that which beings consider to be inherently good.                  A leadership is responsible for other people and their performance. Responsibility and authority are defined as operating environment. The core concept of leadership is responsibility of other people and for the results they achieve in their work. A leadership should take actions based on ethicality, shared beliefs and value connected to the basic mission of an organization. The most important characteristic of excellent leadership is the creation and strengthening of a positive development attitude. Without a positive attitude there will be no permanent learning results. Figure 10 below describes the main characteristics of excellent leadership behaviour. Professional skills Inspirational motivation . See the big picture . Clear and challenging goals . Is fully dedicated and enthusiastic . Knows how to encourage and reward . Uses humor . Tries to see the positive side Own example Individualized Consideration . Is genuinely interested in people . Knows how to listen . Is easily approachable . Takes care of the followers . Is present and enjoys being with people . Knows the followers . Accepts that people are different Building trust and confidence . OBjectivity and fairness . Honestly . Is true to his word and promises . Can make decisions . Acts in consistent fashion . Bears his responsibility in all situations Intellectual stimulation . Delegates responsibility . Gives room and freedom of action . Does not leave anyone alone, acts as a sparring partner . Two-way feed back . Does not always have to agree . Encourages others to generate ideas . Admits his own mistakes 3.1 Starting a new business in Finland                   The world economy has undergone a radical transformation in the last two decades. Geographical and cultural distances have shrunk significantly with the advent of jet airplanes, fax machines, and internet linkups. This shrinkage of distance has permitted companies to widen substantially their geographical markets as well as their supplier sources. Over the past few decades, Finland has become an entrepreneur-friendly country. It is apparent that this change will continue into the future since the opportunity for entrepreneurship has improved tremendously. Society, in Finland, gives successful entrepreneurs a high status. Finnish market has a great potential for new businesses, but still there are few who will take the risk. According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry Finland (2007) the task force set up has investigated the opportunities and methods to promote immigrant entrepreneurship. It is funded by the entrepreneurship policy programme. The task force’s mandate is linked to the Government’s new immigration policy programme and the endorsement of work-based immigration. The main purpose of the task force was to come up with measures to promote growth and opportunities for immigrant entrepreneurship. According to Boston Consulting Group, (4-2009) Scandinavia is considered amongst the most innovative regions of the world, while Denmark and Norway ranked impressive. This survey also ranked Japan as the most innovative country in the world. Nevertheless, according to this report, Finland and Sweden ranked in the top ten innovative countries. When it comes to the general perception of how difficult it is to start a small business, attitudes of Europeans and Americans are approximately similar. Most of them think that it is somewhat too difficult to start a business. 3.2 The analysis of current food culture                  Kouvola despite being a small city and relatively less populated than the bigger cities, has a variety of food providers. Mainly, there are two types of restaurants, fast food and full meal. Fast food, in general appears to be more popular among the younger generation; unfortunately, most fast foods contain too many calories, salt, and cholesterol to be ingested daily or even once a week. Eating at fast food restaurants has increased and is linked to today’s obesity. According to health specialists, children between the ages of 7-12 should consume approximately 2200 calories per day, while adults should consume approximately 2000 calories per day, although exercise levels and current weight can affect these numbers.                     The total of a single meal at a fast food restaurant could comprise almost a full day’s caloric intake. To observe the current food culture, it was necessary to record the number of calories and fat in different types of food, to make a list and to show the difference. Figure 11 below depicts the amount of calories and grams of fat packed in fast food: 3.2.1 Pakistani/Indian food culture                   Djanhal and Halliday (2007), describe the history of Subcontinent as one of the oldest civilizations of the world, which has always had lots of diversity mainly because it has been occupied by so many different nations and religions. These nations ruled India for decades, mainly the Mughals and the Great Britain. India embraced all the different and cultural influences, and religious practices. Ceremonies of local traditions have made a contribution towards the evolution of cuisine and kept adding a rich taste to the food.                  Another major influence in this development of Pak/Indian cookery was the establishment of the Mughal Empire starting in 1526. Arabic background of Mughals added lamb, beef, chicken and fish to the cuisine. The opulent tastes exhibited by such emperors as Hymayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb in art, architecture, music, dance, and jeweler was also extended to food. A style of cookery called Mughali’ evolved in Mughal court and even today it is very popular in Lahore/Pakistan as well as worldwide. Some widely known survivor recipes of court cookery are, for example, chicken tandoor a dish in which chicken is cooked at low temperatures in special ovens called â€Å" tandoor†, and murg musalam’ in which the whole chickens are roasted with special spices and ingredients. Shahi tukra, a dessert of sliced bread, milk, cream, sugar and saffron, is another left-over from the days of the Mughals. 3.2.2 A brief look at cookery in Pakistan                  Djanhal and Halliday describe Pakistani cookery, as full of regional character, with each of the four provinces offering special dishes. â€Å"It is difficult to decide which of the almost endless catalogue of dishes from the subcontinent can be identified as specifically†Pakistani† (Djanhal and Halliday 2007) In Punjab, Mughlai cuisine uses tandoor (ovens). In Baluchistan, cooks use the Saji method of barbecuing whole lambs and stick bread in a deep pit. From the older times, use of spices, herbs, seeds, flavorings and seasonings have helped cooks transform rather ordinary foods into an exotic cuisine.                   Some of the most commonly used spices in Pakistan today are chili powder, turmeric, garlic, paprika, black pepper, red pepper, cumin seed, bay leaf, coriander, cardamom, cloves, ginger, cinnamon saffron mace, nutmeg, poppy seeds, aniseed, almonds, pistachios, and yogurt. They are used in a wide range of pickles, chutneys, preserves, and sauces, together with curries of all descriptions and special recipes of meat, seafood, and vegetables, which gives Pakistani cooking much of its distinctive character. 3.3 Survey of two existing ethnic restaurants                Market research in this part included some interviews and surveys. It is good to know what is going on around helped the idea of establishing own business and to review the relative and essential elements. The empirical research part of this research contains surveys of two restaurants Namaskar, Helsinki, Finland Äkta Indisk & Pakistan mat in Stockholm (old city), Sweden Both of these restaurants are owned by immigrants. The main purpose of the survey was to know â€Å"how the owners got into this business† and observing their business strategies and study what they encountered while establishing their businesses. 3.3.1 Äkta Indisk & Pakistan Mat, Stockholm Sweden               Indian and Pakistani restaurant in the old city, Stockholm According to the owner of Äkta Indisk & Pakistan (2010) they have a satisfactory number of customers. Their regular customer list contains a large number of immigrants living in Sweden, including tourists and Swedish people. The owner as an immigrant, preferred to have his own business, it gave him self-esteem and less use of a foreign language. He is happy to help his compatriots in a foreign culture by giving them a job, and to participate in creating a good food culture. For a new business, being an immigrant and especially the start-up process was difficult at first but gradually it progressed. An ethnic-based brand is strength, according to the owner. He also has some regular Swedish customers that mean he has succeeded to develop a good taste across culture. The Standardization of food and menu. The restaurant menu is suitable for both vegetarian/non-vegetarian customers.                   Chili is used reasonably in the most dishes but they also have hot chili dishes depending on customer requirements. The menu in figure 13 below depicts the standardization of food. Menu at Ätka Indisk & Pakistansk Mat, Stockholm Sweden Restaurant’s arrangements and atmosphere                The owner is fond of eastern culture so he made the arrangements in accordance.                Figure 14 below shows the statue at the entrance of the restaurant, holding an Indian flag. Welcoming statue at the entrance of Ätka Indisk & Pakistan Mat Secondly the name of the restaurant consists of both Pakistan and India. Karachi is a coastal city in Pakistan, Because India and Pakistan used to be one big country before the partition, there are similarities regarding food and culture. A cultural arrangement of musical instruments. These instruments made the restaurant look more atmospheric and gave a glimpse to the golden history of music, art and food. 3.3.2 Namaskaar Indian Express, Helsinki                  Ã¢â‚¬Å"NAMASKAAR† Indian Express, Helsinki Namaskaar restaurant is located in Helsinki. The owner is a Pakistani. He has been living in Finland for more than ten years and owns two restaurants in Helsinki. On my visit I ordered different dishes to observe the menu and taste the difference. The menu contained vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, some different sort of jams, spicy pickles and cultural drinks. It was lunch time and the restaurant was full of customers so there was no room. I had to stand in a queue and wait for the turn. After the meal, I requested an interview and when the owner got to know about my links from Pakistan and Lahore, he became excited and it sparked his interest to know the opinion about his restaurant, food and the arrangements. About starting a new business across culture he told, that when he came to Finland the biggest challenge was the language, he could not communicate with people properly and he felt so helpless. H e had an inspiration from one of his family members for food business. He wanted to try it across culture, and he wanted to be successful within his limited language skills and education. He had to hire some staff from Pakistan, (mostly his family members) and some other employees that he found in Finland. He said Helsinki has become more multicultural and people are keen on having exotic food. He has many regular Finnish customers and tourists and also some Asian customers. He has never advertised his restaurant in any newspaper or magazines but according to him the best advertisement for food business is a good taste and a good quality which brings his customers back. Location is also very important to him; he would not like to move his restaurant to a new place. He said with time he has gained a reputation and has developed a taste of food, and even the tourists in Helsinki come again to his restaurants whenever they get an opportunity to come back. He is very pleased with the pr ogress of his business that three years ago he launched another branch also in Helsinki.                Figure 17 below shows the menu of Namaskaar restaurant. According to me the food was a bit too spicy, but the owner lets his customers choose a slightly spicy food. He has an idea about the standardization of food. He has reduced spices in the food but he would not like to turn a spicy dish into a sweet dish that it loses the original traditional taste, However, I was expecting it to be less spicy or perhaps bland so I was surprised that customers still liked it. The owner is very happy to promote his culture through traditional food across culture and has gained self esteem through a successful business. He has built a reality on his dreams, which was all based on a vision which he has made true as the result of his strenuous efforts. About the future challenges he thinks, there is a rich food culture in Helsinki and a tough competition, for there are many Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Spanish, Italian, and all kinds of international restaurants, so the quality has to be maintained perpetually to meet the customer’s expectations. 3.4 The questionnaire analysis                     The last part of this paper is based on a quantitative-research method. The method of research was conducted by using a questionnaire to determine people’s behavior towards Pakistani/Indian food. The research was based on measurable data gathered through benchmarking strategy. Different customers were interviewed at Pakistani/Indian restaurants to ascertain their opinions. This research proved to be a source of much useful information, that I could use it for my own restaurant project. The aim of research was an evaluation of people’s attitude towards the opening of this new restaurant. These questions were selected to evaluate the new venture, and to know people’s inclination towards the food.                  I developed a questionnaire and interviewed 50 people altogether. 1) Have you ever been to any Pakistani/Indian restaurant? The first question included respondents from Kymenlaakson area mainly Kouvola and Kotka, 64% of the respondents which is 33 people said that they have never visited any Pakistani or Indian restaurant. 17 respondents said that they have visited some Indian restaurants while visiting bigger cities like Helsinki, Lahti or Oulu. 46 respondents said they would love to try and they are interested in tasting it at least once, only 4 respondents are not very interested. Figure 18 below depicts the customer’s tendency towards Pak/Indian restaurants. Have you ever been to a Pakistani/Indian restaurant 2) What did you observe while you were there? The second question includes respondents who have experienced these restaurants and some customers were on the spot having a meal. Getting different opinions was worthwhile in improving own concept. According to 15% respondents, Indian and Pakistani restaurants are not very formal. They should serve in a formal way. 45% respondents consider it a non-vegetarian food. If they go to an Indian restaurant, they are not so sure about having the meat on the menu because Hindus are vegetarians and worship cows as one of their gods, and some Hindus do not even like to eat eggs, so people are not sure about the menu. About Pakistani restaurants 20% respondents think Muslims do not eat pork so it is maybe not wise to order a pork dish, because it may annoy them. Some respondents had an opinion that every restaurant has a different menu, so it is up to customers to choose. Y values in figure 19 below depict the customer tendency towards Pak/Indian food. The analysis of customer tendency towards Pakistani and Indian food. 3) What attracts you to select particularly an Indian Restaurant?                  40% of the respondents consider Indian/Pakistani food healthy and they like the use of herbs and spices, 15% of the interviewees said that every restaurant has a different menu so they are interested in trying it at least once. 25% of the respondents like cultural decorations and the history. It is interesting for them to observe a different taste in a different cultural surrounding. 8% of the respondents are just concerned about food quality and arrangements and not brands. Figure 20 below depicts some customer attractions towards Pak/Indian restaurants. 4) Would you like to have an Indian restaurant in your area?                   There is no Indian restaurant in Kymenlaakson area so 75% of the respondents are excited about having an Indian restaurant because they get a chance to visit some Indian restaurants only when they are in Helsinki or Lahti. 15% of respondents are satisfied with the existing number of ethnic restaurants in Kymenlaakson. 10% of the interviewees were not so keen on eastern food since they consider it fatty. Figure 21 below shows the customer attitude towards a new restaurant in Kymenlaakson area. Would you like to have an Indian restaurant in your area? 5) What are your customer expectations regarding a new Indian restaurant?                   As can be seen in figure 22 below 38% of the respondents look forward to spicy food with a good vegetarian and a non-vegetarian menu. They also appreciate a good cultural environment. 15% of the Interviewees are concerned about courtesy and friendliness of staff and expect a good customer service. Nearly 26% of the interviewees are concerned about the price difference and would prefer a low price with a good food quality. 20% of the respondents look forward to a good buffet meal for a reasonable price. Figure 22 below shows the customers’ expectations.The customer expectations the above analysis draws a conclusion that there is certainly a room for Indian village restaurant. People would like to try different food, they seem curious about new taste and cultural atmosphere of a restaurant. There are some stereotypes associated with previous experiences, but there is always a way to do things better. I also learned that today; few customers are sati sfied with just getting something to eat. Rather, they have come to expect higher levels of dining experience. Finding ways to create the right kind of dining experience to match the customer expectations is a growing challenge for every operator. Good food is not the only thing customers are looking for today. When they go for lunch they want a break from their work environment. They want to purchase and consume their meals in a place that offers a sense of life and excitement. To have satisfied customers, an entrepreneur must meet customer expectations. This requires being aware of customer expectations, without this knowledge, it will be difficult or impossible to meet and exceed the expectations. If expectations are not met, the customer will perceive the performance as inadequate and actions as insufficient. The questionnaire analysis was based on five important questions to know customer’s basic expectations but later additional questions can be added to the list to dea l with particular issues depending on the product, service, company and situation. Summary and conclusions                   This paper consists of three stages of starting a new business. All three stages are different but combined with each other; the first stage emphasized the importance of having a business plan; with the help of scientific theory. I, the author got to know that before we embark upon a new venture of starting a new business, it is wise to measure the health of the vision. The right vision will make the business plan alive and a reality. The first stage of this paper is about giving this vision a right direction, the form and the clarity according to the scientific theory. In the first part I learned that the right business strategy and tactics are important to make the vision come true. Different department develop the additional strategies, tactics, and systems to achieve their results and, ultimately the strategic objective of the company. I figured that vision alone is not enough for starting a business; there are basic factors which need to be observed before launching a new product.                     The second stage was implemented by benchmarking method. I did some surveys and interviews to observe the basic departments of successful businesses like pricing, location, products and promotion. I analyzed the related additional strategies which boost businesses and the importance of basic strategies. The questionnaire analysis helped to understand the opportunities and the possibilities. I got to know the customer expectations and the social behavior towards this project. It was good to measure these possibilities, keeping in mind the customer expectations.                  The third stage was implemented by scientific theory for Indian village restaurant, and described the basic elements of the concept. I analyzed the possibilities of market penetration, through the mission statement and goals, and discussed how the plan is so unique and genuine which so far no one is practicing. I also analyzed different elements like the standardization of food, the opportunities, strengths and weaknesses and defined the toolkit. I researched the ideas to create a good image, and how a good environment can participate in giving customers a sense of fulfillment and joy. This process needed a parallel study plan. First of all I had to analyze the scientific theory for starting a new business, and then to observe different ethnic restaurants and their environment food and location.                   Paper supervisor provided his guidance, and instructions towards making it more progressive and professional. Writing this paper has also enhanced my personal and professional skills; I learned to examine the health of issues more scientifically and more professionally, I further would like to implement my business plan in practice and will try to put the best foot forward with the restaurant business. During research I dined in many good ethnic restaurants and figured that entrepreneurs base their food business on satisfying products which return a profit. I gained new knowledge and learned that many people may take food business as an easy task, and would not go through conventional scientific theories of starting up a new business, yet many of these entrepreneurs are fruitful and learn by experience but in that case chances of success are surely at risk. The scientific theory for entrepreneurship was really helpful to widen the understanding that even when entrepreneurs start a new business regardless of a proper scientific theory, it still applies for them.                  I reach the following conclusions; firstly it is very important to have a business plan in order to understand the target market and the future of a business. A traditional business plan simply does not provide the results one deires . Every business strategy is different. A business plan based on a vision, enthusiasm and a purpose, requires a proper market research and planning. The success in the end relies on a good market research and a planning theory. Secondly by the analysis of current business trends in Finland I am positive about the progress of food business. I have seen different ethnic brand restaurants doing a successful job. This definitely sparks the interest and gives all the hopes and chances for survival to a new business. Thirdly many food providers show no concern with providing food according to the health standards, so this business plan is noble share towards the well being of human race. References Boston Consulting Group 2009. Annual report. Cameron Kim 2008. Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance. City: Berrett-Koehler Publishing Limited. Dhanjal Beryl, Halliday Tony 2007. Insight Guides Pakistan, 3rd edition. City: Apa Publication GmbH & Co Publishing Limited. Fisher Alan, Chick Anne, Bifulco Antonia, Mellor Noah, & Mellor Robert 2009. Entrepreneurship for everyone, a student text book. London: Sage Publishing Limited. Grà ¶nroos Christian 2000. Service Management and Marketing: Customer Management in Service Competition, 3rd edition. John Wiley &Sons Publishing Limited. Immonen Jorman, Olander Ilkka 2007. The Ministry of Trade and Industry: Task Force for Promoting Immigrant Entrepreneurship. City: Edita Publishing Limited. Jeynes Jacqueline, 2002. Risk Management 10 Principles. City: Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing Limited. McDonald Malcolm 2007. Market plans: How to prepare them, how to use them, 6th edition. City: Elsevier Publishing Limited. Meldrum Mike, McDonald Malcolm 2007. Marketing in a Nutshell: Key concepts for non specialists. City: Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing Limited. Nissinen Vesa 2006: Deep Leadership. Talentu Publishing Limited. Source document

Starbucks 7ms

Internal According to Reza and Saudah, organization used 7Ms which are management, manpower, marketing, method, machine, material and money as company input and fully utilize these resources will improve firm’s performance. The fundamental truth that called ‘The Right’ which is the right quality, the right quantity, availability at the right time, the right place, the right costs and the right information, would eventually lead to the costs increase or decrease of the company’s profit. (Silviu Crisan, 2011) One of the 7Ms is materials, it is already known that they are indispensable for the industry activity.The material from a firm can consist a major importance, meaning they are irreplaceable. The quality of the coffee bean is the most important to have a good coffee. Once the coffee that have been freshly roasted and ground, good water and brewing equipment free of oil residues from the last brew and the quality of the coffee beans makes a huge different . Starbucks coffee beans Starbucks’ commitment is to become the highest quality coffee in the world. Starbucks take a holistic approach to ethically sourcing coffee through responsible purchasing practices, farmer loans and forest conservation programs.When Starbucks buy coffee by this way, it helps create a long term supply of the high quality beans they have been carefully blending, roasting and packing fresh for more than forty years. Starbucks ensures the quality of the beverage in taste, temperature and appearance. All coffee must meet Starbucks high quality standard. The finest coffees are always handpicked because the machines only can do a decent job of shaking ripe fruit off coffee trees, but they are not discriminating as humans. After harvesting, the coffee cherries must be processed to remove the pulpy fruit outside and retrieve the two sought after seeds inside.Coffee cherries approaching the peak of maturity Different producers use different processing protocols which can affect flavor greatly. There are three types which are dry, washed and semi washed method to process. First, in dry processing, after the outer pulp is removed mechanically, the whole cherries are sun dried for 10 days to three weeks. The coffee will tend to be fruitier, rounder, fuller bodied and more complex because the bean is in contact with the pulp longer. This type of coffee is known as unwashed or natural, such as Brazil Santos, Ethiopian Harrar or Yemen beans.An alternative method, the just harvested cherries are transported to a processor, who skins the fruit mechanically to expose the sweet, sticky pulp. The beans are left to ferment in tanks for 12 to 18 hours, a step that helps to soften the pulp, and then washed and dried. The coffee will retain the most acidity. This method is called washed coffee, also is the most common fine coffee in the world. For semi washed beans, a variation of the washed technique, the pulp is removed mechanically, omitting the ferm entation step.This technique saves water but do not allow the processor to enhance flavor through fermentation. The coffees are relatively richer and earthier flavor. Finally, the coffee beans will be sorted by size, density and color and then graded, then go to roaster. Starbucks is sticking with its rule which is hard to remember and will break down under the weight of their own complexity, they focus on just two drinks at a time to reduce possibility for errors, customers will have to wait longer for their drinks. Consequently, customers can get the high quality coffee every time but just need to wait longer.Besides, over the years Starbucks has launched several initiatives to decrease the environmental impact of its disposable cups. Since 2009, Starbucks hosted a Cup Summit to bring together all facets of its paper and plastic cup value chain to find agreement on criteria for a comprehensive recyclable cup solution. Recyclable cup Reducing the environmental impacts of cups depen ds on the success of two interrelated efforts. First is developing recyclable cup solutions and secondly dramatically increasing customers’ use of reusable cups such as umbler or mug. With environmental and marketing issues, Starbucks offer a 10 percent discount when customer use their own reusable mugs or tumblers for their beverage in stores in the US and Canada, RM2 discount in Malaysia. Starbucks tumbler and mug Furthermore, Starbucks offer Starbucks Card to earn free drinks and gifts such as Starbucks year planner. Starbucks grab its market share by customer loyalty through promotions such as discount and limited edition gifts. Starbucks Card Starbucks year dairy plannerAccording to Forbes 2012, Starbucks introduce single serve coffee machine which using Swiss engineered high pressure technology called Verismo to allow customers make their own lattes at home with real milk. Verismo features three different pod types which are espresso pod, coffee pods and milk pods that can be combined in a number of ways to make own custom drinks. The chief executive of Starbuck, Howard Schultz mentioned do not have any competitor can make a latte with fresh milk just similar quality with a single cup machine. Verismo one cup coffee machineStarbucks is trying to capitalize on the popularity of single cup coffee machines, Verismo that use K cups, sealed plastic cups that contain ground coffee in a single filter. The president for channel development and emerging brands at Starbucks, Jeff Hansberry stated in 2011, more than $8 billion of machines and cups were sold worldwide and every three coffee machines, more than one is single cup machine. The key element of an organization is not building or a set of policies and procedures but is made up of people and their relationship with one another.A firm exists when people interact with one another to perform indispensable functions that helps achieve goals. Management recognizes the significance of manpower with most ne w approaches plan to empower employees with better opportunities to learn and contribute as they work together toward universal goals. (Richard L. Daft, 2009) Starbuck treat its employees as partner. Starbucks have built a solid foundation on the direct and open relationship that they share with partners and their legacy of providing employees with a positive workplace. In addition, working at Starbucks is a lot like working with friends.Starbucks believes that keeping each other informed is understanding and respect each others, so the senior leader hold the open forum to answer the juniors questions regularly. The Starbucks total pay package is called ‘Your Special Blend’ because it is just for you as employee. This package include competitive pay, insurance, bonuses, paid time off, retirement savings plan, stock options and discounted stock purchase plan, adoption assistance, domestic partner benefits, emergency financial aid, referral and support resources for child and elder care, also a free pound of coffee each week and discounted merchandise at Starbucks.Moreover, there are various partner clubs and networks that help employees share interest and find life balance which include recreational athletic leagues, foreign language clubs and parenting resources. Due to the health care is important to the employees, Starbucks offers comprehensive benefits packages to eligible partners working at least 20 hours per week. Starbucks was named to FORTUNE’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list for 14th time in 2012, from previous rank 98 move up to rank 73.The reason Starbucks was recognized as a great place to work for is they made treating their partners with respect and dignity one of its guiding principles. There are more than five hundred professionals working in the finance group at Starbucks, in fields such as accounting, business unit finance, corporate development, finance services, internal audit, investor relations, tax and customs, treasury and risk management and safety and security. Full year financial results in 2012Starbucks total net revenue increased 14% attaining a record $13. 3 billion. The company opened 1063 net new stores globally. Starbucks returned approximately $1. 1 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payments. Starbucks 2013 goals are open 1300 net new stores globally, representing 22% growth over fiscal 2012 and around 10-13% revenue growth. Starbucks Coffee Company has agreed to acquire Teavana Holdings in $620 million all cash acquisition.Starbucks and Teavana will jumpstart the next wave of growth in this dynamic category, leveraging Starbucks core competencies of real estate, design and store operations and intergrading these with Teavana’s world class tea authority, global sourcing capabilities, merchandising and best in class retail store unit economics. Furthermore, Startbucks plan to continue to grow and extend Teavana’s successful 200 mall based stores as well as add high profile neighborhood store concept that accelerate Teavana’s domestic and global footprint based on Starbucks existing infrastructure.Teavana Holding According to Gibbons, since 2008, Starbucks simplifying the complex structure it so that every job fell into one of the four basic supply chain functions which are plan, source, make and deliver. In planning sections involved its production planning, replenishment or new product launches. However, sourcing events were gathered by two areas which are coffee and non coffee procurement. For instances, Starbuck spends US$600 million on coffee every year and purchase non coffee procurement such as diary, furniture and paper goods US$2. billion annually. Furthermore, all manufacturing whether done in house or by contract manufacturers which are dispatched to be make functional unit. Finally, personnel working in distribution, transportation and customer service were appointed to the deliver gr oup. The chair, president and chief executive of Starbucks, Howard Schultz mention the management changes come less than a year after Starbucks reworked its leadership structure into three operating model that focuses on North and Latin America, Asia and Europe or Africa or the Middle East. Lisa Jennings, 2012) This rearrangement will let the company to better deliver on local relevancy and velocity of decision making. The leadership moves Starbucks announced that they more swiftly position themselves for the exciting opportunities ahead while never losing sight of the fact that they are a global brand with a rich heritage in coffee, long standing values and the responsibility to use their scale for good. Starbucks use 3-M framework which are Megaphone, Magnet and Monitor.Megaphone represents firm to customer communication, Magnet refers to customer to firm communication and the Monitor defined customer to customer interaction. (John G. and Sam R. , 2012) Starbucks had enhanced on t he business measures by excelling in operations management. The quality and taste of coffee, the people serving the coffee and the experience in the retail stores are the reasons customers loyal to Starbucks. Starbucks improve productivity and profitability, then regain its market share. Paryani, 2011) According to Xing Zheng, Starbucks attracts consumers and increases their loyalty through offering Starbucks experience satisfied in psychology and emotion and creates extraordinary coffee brand. Starbucks’ supply chain transformation had support from the very top. For Starbucks far flung supply chain, the creation of a single global logistic system is very vital. Generally Starbucks brings coffee beans from Latin America, Africa and Asia to United States and Europe in ocean containers. References Chris Barth, 2012.Starbucks’ New Verismo Machine Sinks Green Mountain. Will You Buy It? Forbes. http://www. forbes. com/sites/chrisbarth/2012/09/20/starbucks-new-verismo-machin e-sinks-green-mountain-will-you-buy-it/ [Accessed 1 November 2012] James A. Cooke. 2010. From bean to cup: How Starbucks transformed its supply chain. Supply Chain Procurement. Accessed through http://www. supplychainquarterly. com/topics/Procurement/scq201004starbucks [Accessed at 27th October 2012] John Gallaugher and Sam Ransbotham, 2012. Social Media and customer dialog management at Starbucks. Open Journal Systems. e-journal] MIS Quarterly Executive. [Accessed 3 November 2012] Li Ying Ming. Adjustment of Enterprise’s Marketing Strategy in the times of experience economics. Journal of Human Institute of Engineering. Accessed Through: http://en. cnki. com. cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-GCHS200504004. htm [Accessed 3 November 2012] Lisa Jennings, 2012. Starbucks makes major management changes. Restaurant News. Accessed Through: http://nrn. com/article/starbucks-makes-major-management-changes [Accessed 1 November 2012] Megan McArdle, 2012. Starbucks put quality over quantity. The

Case Study 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Metereology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Metereology - Essay Example When a body of air rises, it moves from higher pressure to lower pressure. In so doing it must expand, and as it does so, its temperature is reduced. One can calculate the amount of cooling to be expected when the air is lifted by a fixed amount. If the air is dry and no heat is added or taken away as the air ascends, it cools at the rate of 1.0C per 100 meters. This is known as the dry adiabatic lapse rate. Once a cloud has begun to form, the cooling effects caused by the expansion of the rising air are partially offset by the heat released during the condensation process. Evaporation causes cooling. When condensation occurs, the reverse is true; heat is added. If the rate of ascent of air, which may be called the updraft speed (Sloane and Tesche 1991), is quite high, the air may cool so fast that condensation cannot proceed fast enough to keep the air at saturation. In this case the air may become supersaturated. The equations show that once this happens the smaller droplets grow m ore rapidly than the large ones. The final condition is one with clouds having a narrow range of droplet sizes. The main processes which influences cloud formation are condensation or deposition (Brasseur et al 1999). The difference in temperature always causes a difference in atmospheric pressure, which in turn causes the wind. When the resulting winds are confined to small areas, not more than a few miles in extent, they blow directly from high pressure to low pressure, as one would expect. Weather front can be identified as a boundary between air masses of hot and cold air (Brasseur et al 1991). The main types of fronts are cold front and warm front, stationary front and occluded front. The typical wind circulation about a well-developed low or a well-developed stationary high is often useful in predicting lower-level winds. Several hundred feet above the ground, these circulatory winds blow nearly parallel to the isobars. Fronts are always described as zones of transition, the types of the front depends upon the direction and air masses (Sloane and Tesche 1991). The cold front, extending southward and southwestward from the low center, is also a wedge of cold air underlying warm air -but an a ctive, undercutting wedge, a steeper wedge than the warm front, a wedge that is steadily advancing eastward and southeastward in such a way as to crowd out the warm air more or less violently and to thrust it aloft. The warm front extends east and southeast from the low center, with the warm sector advancing behind it from the southwest and the colder air retreating slowly ahead of it towards the north (Sloane and Tesche 1991). Occlusion is the combination of warm and cold fronts where the latter has overtaken the former. The occlusion itself usually extends gradually southward as more and more of the warm sector is forced above the surface by the closing wedges of colder air. Stationary front is defined as a front which does not move (Sloane and Tesche 1991). Weather Systems: hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms The term hurricane is usually used to describe tropical storms and cyclones. Also, hurricane can be defined as the strongest level of wind according to the Beaufort scale. Unstable air above these steaming areas of warm and azure sea is continually building up

Ch. 5 Writing Today p. 63-83 + other excerpts from the Textbook Essay

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Environmental scan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Influences on Providers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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International Marketing (Emaad) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Marketing (Emaad) - Essay Example McDonald’s has realigned its worldwide operations around its global strategy ‘Plan to Win.’ The retailer strives to continuously improve its business operations and thereby improve customer experience. McDonald’s realises that it exists because of its customers. It if for this reason that the foodservice chain’s aim is to provide quality, service, cleanliness and value (QSC&V) to every customer, every time. McDonald’s also ensures that it caters to the needs of all the stakeholders including the shareholders. McDonald’s, a publicly traded company, is a profitable business and provides superior returns to its owners. Its â€Å"three-legged stool†Ã‚  business model ensures that McDonald’s balances the interests of its operators, suppliers and employees. McDonald’s conducts its business in an ethical and responsible manner. The QSR also discharges its corporate social responsibility to make the world a better place to live in. The restaurant is well known for its hamburgers,  cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries,  milkshakes, and  desserts. In response to the changing times, McDonald’s has also included various salads, wraps, smoothies and fruit items in its menu. The Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Chicken McNuggets are some of its immensely popular products. The company attempts to create a standardised set of items that taste the same across all its business locations. In some cases, the taste and ingredients are deliberately altered to suit local tastes. McDonald’s has adopted a multi-domestic strategy while pursuing its strategy of Internationalisation. 2.0 Rationale behind Internationalisation McDonald’s grew by leaps and bounds in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States. The company had thus made inroads in its home market and was looking at greener pastures oversees. The rationale behind internationalisation was to become a dominant worldwide player and increase its revenue. In 1967, McDonald’s opened its first oversees restaurants in Canada and Puerto Rico. As things stand today, McDoanld’s has business operations in 119 countries around the world (McDonald’s, 2013). The food chain has set three growth priorities; optimization of menu, modernisation of customer experience and increased accessibility to the brand. The last of these three growth priorities acts as a propeller for International expansion (DeTar, 2012). In 2012, the company added 1439 restaurants in its established markets like United States, France and Germany as well as its emerging markets like India, China and Russia. The ensuing discussion is on McDonald’s foray and expansion in India which is one of the most promising markets for McDonald’s. 3.0 Mode of Entry McDonald’s has been able to grow rapidly throughout the world due to its astute use of franchising. The importance of franchising in McDonald’s growth can b e gauged from the fact that more than 80 percent of its restaurants are franchisees. McDonald’s has extremely standardised procedures which makes it easier to train franchisees. Standardisation in business operations enables McDoanld’s to provide the same product, the same taste all over the world. McDonald's set foot on Indian soil by forging a 50-50 joint venture partnership between McDonald's Corporation (United States) and two Indian companies; Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., and Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. It is noteworthy to mention that McDonald’

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Warming - Research Paper Example Global warming can be referred to as indisputable and continuous increase in the earth’s temperature. Oxlade defines global warming as â€Å"increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere† (4). Global warming has been linked with natural and human (anthropogenic) causes. However, little attention has been given to natural causes and scientists and environmentalists have mainly focused on human causes. Scientists have established that increasing accumulation of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, in the earth’s atmosphere is the main cause of global warming. Industrialization era has seen much increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. Humans are the main emitters of carbon dioxide through activities that involve combustion of fossil fuels (Haldar 10). There have been massive carbon dioxide emissions from industry, agriculture and transport sectors. Even lighting systems in homes that use fossil fuel have contributed towards global climate change. Moreover, increasing human population has led to deforestation for to create settlement areas and expand agricultural lands. Trees are known to be important for carbon dioxide sequestration. When trees are cut, forests, which store huge amounts of carbon dioxide, cease to be there. This means an increased amount of carbon dioxide that escape into the atmosphere. The impacts of global warming are already evident across the world. Global warming is having serious implication on human health, global economy, and environment. The temperature of sea and oceans are constantly rising and coastal flooding is becoming more common than ever (Haldar 24). Heat waves are becoming a common phenomenon and many places around the world that were once agriculturally productive are turning into deserts (Gupta 24).

Marketing Professional Practice Essay Example for Free

Marketing Professional Practice Essay Executive Summary This report aims to develop some feasible strategies for a non-profit making organization – Care For Your Heart to achieve objectives in certain areas: 1. Enhancing the public awareness of the organization’s profile and service; 2. Reaching the youngsters and working group segments; 3. Gaining more donations for future development; and 4. Strengthening the network with medical doctors or nurses as part of voluntary work. These objectives can be carried out by the three main recommended strategies, include rebranding, sponsorship campaigns, and volunteer programs. Before launching other programs, rebranding is recommended to refine the image of Care For Your Heart by designing a new logo and name, which is more professional and appealing to the target market. The rebranding is also related to the strategies for achieving the organization’s new direction. The sponsorship campaigns aim at attracting companies for sponsorship, enhancing public awareness, and attract donations. The prospective sponsors include Nestle, Hung Fuk Tong, Watson, and HKHC. The respective strategies are Nestle milk powder lid design, Turn in Your Can; Hung Fuk Tong Care For Your Heart soup series; Watson Heart Caring Bottle Label Competition and launch of water bottle, carboy bottle design and poster distribution at offices; Cardiac Health Care Bus, Health Care Charity Fund, professional health talks, and Charity Health Check Day. Furthermore, volunteers for current and future events and campaigns are sourced from IVE, medical colleges, doctors, and HKHC. These strategies provide substantial benefits to Care For Your Heart. By successfully striving sponsorship and donations, Care For Your Heart can enhance its visibility, awareness and credibility via appearance of logo on sponsor’s products and websites. Donation is easier to attract when the organization is more credible, and more funds can be used to offer more activities for its members and the public. The campaigns and volunteer programs allow the organization to reach its young and business target markets when products and events are exposed at heavy traffic spots and offices. The sponsorship programs will last for two years, and the volunteer program is on a continuous basis, which the details are shown in the timeline in the later part of this report. And the estimated budget is set. Background of Organization Care For Your Heart is a registered non-profit charitable organization formed by a group of cardiac patients together with their families since 1995. Its services mainly target cardiac patients and their families. In 1998, Care For Your Heart set up the first cardiac mutual help and resource center, and is committed to patients and the public health (Organization Introduction 2010). Up until 2011, Care For Your Heart has more than 2600 members, and over 180 volunteers (Number of Members 2010). Members mostly age around 51 to 80 (Age of Members 2010), and geographically concentrated in Hong Kong Island (Residence of Members 2010). The sources of funds is attracted from multiple channels; include donations, Community Chest, Social Welfare Department and other activities (Sources of Funds 2010). Logo of the Organization The flower-liked logo represents that the organization is concerned about heart related issues. Vision and mission of Organization Care For Your Heart aims to encourage mutual support spirit among cardiac patients and family support, so that the patients can positively face their illness (Organization Introduction 2010). It strives to enhance cardiac patients knowledge towards cardiac diseases, boost recovery, and prevent the opportunity of relapse; to act as a bridge between patients and medical institutions in order to provide all-round services; gather patients, protect and strive for rights and welfares; promoting social knowledge about cardiac disease, prevention, caring and accepting cardiac patients and enhance public awareness towards heart healthiness (Organization Introduction 2010). Care For Your Heart aims to increase the number of members; encourage members nd others to volunteer in charitable events and supporting activities; to attract more stable funding, such as monthly donation; to enhance awareness and educate public about the increasing trend of youngsters suffering from coronary heart disease; to motivate general public changing their lifestyle to improve health; to attract business groups’ awareness about cardiac disease; to establish a stronger network with doctors for f acilitating volunteer work, and other events and activities. (Future Prospect 2010). . Introduction The chairman of Care For Your Heart has illustrated the current issues faced by the organization and proposed several questions. This report is to develop feasible strategies for the organization to overcome its situation and further development in certain area. 1. Develop relevant strategies in order to enhance the public awareness of the organisation’s profile and service; 2. Attract more younger and working groups to join the organization; 3. Gain more donations for further development and 4. Strengthen a network of medical doctors or nurses as part of voluntary work. 2. Target Market 3. 1. Target Group The target market is defined by Care For Your Heart, basing on its current situation and problem. Based on research, heart disease has a rejuvenating trend and threatening working group aged 20 years old or above. These groups are targeted as they are constantly under high pressure and heavy workload. Business class with quick life rhythm typically lack of resting time. In addition, they always overlook the importance of keeping their heart healthy. 3. 2. Medical Doctor Another target group is the medical doctors. Medical doctors play an important role for these kinds of organization because of their professional medical knowledge. Other than that, Care For Your Heart inviting medical doctors for volunteering can expand their network in medical field and increase its credibility to the public . 3. 3. Partnership The following are some suggested partners for Care For Your Heart to cooperate with: * Nestle Hung Fook Tong * Watson * Hong Kong Health Check Medical Diagnostic Group Limited Details will be illustrated in the following part of the report. 3. 4. Other Stakeholder Stakeholders| Details| Donors| * Existing donors (Social Welfare Department, The Community Chest, Food and Health Bureau) * Potential donors at all ages in global * It is important for a non-profit organization to have positive and enough reputation, which will influence donation. Policy from donation also affect the operation of the organization| University| * Helps to disseminate cardiac information * Helps to enhance the awareness of the organisation * Eg: Hong Kong College of Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong etc| Hospital| * Reach more cardiac patients * Helps to enhance the reputation of the organisation| General Public| * Opinions leaders who can influence the peers * cardiac patients and families| Media| * Global newspapers and magazines * TV stations, radio stations, newspapers and magazines publishers, leaflets, seminar| Potential Investors| * Corporations or individuals that are interested to invest in â€Å"Care For Your Heart† (Children’s Heart Foundation and The Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association: can enhance the awareness of â€Å"Care For Your Heart† and donation| 3. Campaign Strategy 3. 1. Rebranding As brand is a valuable asset, it allows organization to communicate a clear set of v alues toward its stakeholders. Non-profit organization is a kind of concept-brand which is associated with an abstract concept, such as cancer awareness, environmentalism or cardiac disease (Daly and Moloney 2004, 30). The current logo of Care For Your Heart is too old-fashion and poorly deliver the meaning about cardiac care issues. To best meet the target group, suggestion is given for the organization to redesign its logo and name. Rebranding  is the creation of a new name, term, symbol, design, or a combination of them for an established brand with the intention of developing a new position in the mind of stakeholders (Daly and Moloney 2004, 30). The change in the name and logo of the organization may enhance public awareness and reputation. Furthermore, the newly established brand elements can also better related to the current situation that the organization is facing (Muzellec and Lambkin 2008, 284). The new logo and name designed for the organization aims to better suit the target group, and will be illustrate in the following: 3. 1. 1 New logo: The new logo echoes with the name â€Å"Care For Your Heart†, containing a hand showing a gesture of holding a heart. Hand represents human; gesture represents caring; heart represent cardiac and compassion. The new logo is simple, more eye-catching, and the meaning is more obvious at a glance than the old version, thus the target market can easily understand the role of Care For Your Heart. Furthermore, the logo shows the commitment of Care For Your Heart to embark on a new direction and coordinate with our proposed strategies. 3. 1. 2 New name: Care For Your Heart can rename its Chinese name from to. The new name provides formality, thus projecting a more professional image. Moreover, it can better represent the mission of Care For Your Heart, which is to gather cardiac patients for mutual help and enhance public’s concern of cardiac disease. 3. 2. Seek For Partnership To achieve the goals proposed by the client, it is necessary for the organization to engage some partnership in order to support its daily operation and further activities. There are four potential companies for partnering with Care For Your Heart to enhance awareness, funding supply and voluntary work, including: Nestle, Hung Fong Tong, Watson and Hong Kong Health Check Medical Diagnostic Group Limited. These potential partners have similar vision and mission within Care For Your Heart in terms of concerning the health of people. The cooperation between â€Å"for profit† business and non-profit organization is called cause-related marketing (CRM), which both parties are involved to create mutual benefits. â€Å"For profit† business implemented CRM to build brands, revitalize corporate, carrying out corporate social responsibilities, and make community involvement visible (Papasolomou, and Kitchen 2011, 63). Non-profit organization can be benefited due to the contributions from the â€Å"for profit† business in order to meet its needs and objectives. CRM is proved to be an important marketing tool which demonstrates a firm’s commitment in addressing a social issue (Papasolomou, and Kitchen 2011, 63). The following are the strategies proposed to cooperate with the partners. 3. 3. 1. Nestle Carnation Omega High Calcium Milk Powder Reason for partnership with Nestle Nestle is a well-known nutrition, health and wellness company which founded in Switzerland in 1866. The company’s mission is â€Å"Good Food, Good Life†, which is to provide great tasting, nutritionally superior food and beverage, and great services to consumers around the world (Nestle 2011). Creating shared value is a fundamental part of Nestles way of doing business to create long-term value for shareholders and society, which is beyond compliance and sustainability (Creating Shared Value 2011). One of its products, the Carnation Omega High Calcium Milk Powder is chosen as a health product for the World Heart Day in 2010 and 2011. This low-fat milk power can strengthen the heart and reduces cardiac related diseases. The ingredients and functions of this mike powder are the followings (Milk Powder 2008). i. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acid: Regulate body’s cholesterol level and benefit to the cardiovascular system. ii. Low-fat: Reduce fat absorption which benefit to the heart. iii. High in calcium: Benefit to the bones and prevent osteoporosis. iv. Vitamin A, B and E: Assist in metabolism and health function. This milk powder was sold in different channels as well as supermarket and drugstore in Hong Kong, such as PARKnSHOP, Welcome and Watson. Each of them operates more than 200 stores and has different customer segments. It is believed that Care For Your Heart can gain benefits through enhanced awareness, and obtaining stable and long-term based donation. Proposed Strategy I. Cardiac information inside the lid, and logo on the package. Cardiac information as well as â€Å"7 ways to protect your heart†, â€Å"Make your heart healthier†, etc. is suggested to print on the internal side of the lid. Every time when consumer opens the lid, they can read the information provided by Care For Your Heart. A colorful background can be used in order to attract their attention and increase the visibility of such information. Moreover, the logo of the organization is also printed on the package of the milk powder to gain awareness (Refer to Appendix 1 and 2). The followings are the suggested cardiac information. 7 ways to protect your heart: * Maintain appropriate cholesterol level by having low-fat diet * Maintain appropriate weight and balanced diets. * Eat 2 fruits every day * At least 30 minutes aerobic exercise per day * No smoking and alcohol * Remain a cheerful mood * Regular Body check II. â€Å"Turn in Your cans† Yoplait Yogurt, a France originated brand founded in 1964, had launched a campaign called â€Å"Save Lids to Save Lives† for 10 years. The main concept of this campaign was to raise money for charity organization and activities, such as Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation,  Race for the Cure, etc. Every lid that the customer reserved, Yoplait will donate US$0. 1 after they registered the code number on the lid online (Save Lids to Save Lives 2011). A loyalty program called â€Å"Turn in Your Cans† is proposed to achieve long-term relationship among three parties: the customer, Care For Your Heart, and Nestle. When customer finished one can of milk powder, they could turn in the can to a supermarket or drugstore, then Nestle could collect those cans for recycling. A stamp would be awarded per one returned can. When customer collected 3, 5 and 10 stamps, they can enjoy discount of 10%, 30% and 50% respectively for the next purchase. This campaign could increase customers’ loyalty towards this milk powder, and attract purchases from new customers. As a result, Nestle can gain an increase in sales, and Care For Your Heart can receive donations. III. 5% donation from the total sales of the milk powder To obtain long-term donation, Care For Your Heart could receive 5% of total sales from this milk powder. The milk powder is selling at the price around HKD$104. 6, which means Care For Your Heart can receive approximately HKD$5 from each can of milk powder sold. 3. 3. 2. Hung Fook Tong Reason for partnership with Hung Fook Tong Hung Fook Tong is the biggest herbal tea group in Hong Kong founded in 1980s. With more than 700 staff members, and over 100 stores among Hong Kong (Milestone 2011), it is persistent in using genuine ingredients with no added preservatives in the product. Producing and developing quality products are the philosophy of â€Å"making naturally† (Mission 2011). In 2011, Hung Fook Tong acquired the prime awards for corporate social responsibility 2011 from Prime magazine (Company news 2011), which shows that Hung Fook Tong continuously strive to fulfill corporate social responsibility. Hung Fook Tong has introduced a series of Chinese soup and individually packed soup into the market under its brand name. Those series of soup is nourishing, which helps to maintain good body condition and is good for health. As individually packed soup could reduce the time of making soup at home, it is typically popular among working class. Thus Hung Fook Tong is another suggested source to cooperate with for gaining long-term donation and enhancing public awareness. Proposed Strategy I. â€Å"Care For Your Heart† soup series There are several soup recipes shared by some Chinese medical doctors on Care For Your Heart website. Those soups are beneficial to the heart and can prevent heart attack. Care For Your Heart could cooperate with Hung Fook Tong to introduce these series of soup or invest in new soups for the target market. Such as: * Mushroom  soup with bamboo fungus and  lotus root. * Black hen soup with lily and cloud ear fungus. * Black hen soup with chestnut. These series of soup can sold at a cheaper price HKD$40 for increasing sales volume, which others series are sold at HKD$48 and HKD$63. II. Logo on the package front and cardiac information at the package back The logo of Care For Your Heart is suggested to put on the front side of the individually packaged soup, and some cardiac information at the back. This increases the visibility of the organization, as well as disseminating cardiac information when customer turns the package to look at the ingredient list of the soup. During the selection process, consumers make decisions base on the soup’s functions, thus the â€Å"Care For Your Heart series† can impress those that concern about heart health, and attract those customers that are previously not aware of the heart health series. The logo of Care For your Heart can also be placed on the menu to increase visibility (Refer to Appendix 3 and 4). III. 5 % donation from the total sales of â€Å"Care For Your Heart† series Care For Your Heart could receive 5% total sales of individually packed soup in order to obtain long-term donation. Each individually packed soup is sold at the price around HKD$40, which means Care For Your Heart can received approximate HKD$2 from each sold of the soup. IV. Coupon Hung Fook Tong can also sponsor 500 packs of coupons, which contains 10 pieces within one pack with a total value of HKD$398, to Care For Your Heart for voluntary reward purpose. 3. 3. 3. Watson Reason for partnership with Watson Firstly, Watsons Water under A. S. Watson Group is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hutchison Whampoa Limited, and is a world-renowned brand for supplying purest quality water. Moreover, the A. S. Watson Group has obtained a number of awards, such as â€Å"Asia’s Best Brand Award – for excellence in Branding and Marketing† in 2010 and 2011, â€Å"Caring Company† by the Hong Kong Council of Social Services from 2002 to 2011, and â€Å"Top Ten Brand names Award† by Chinese Manufacturer’ Association of Hong Kong in 2003 (Our Achievements 2011). Furthermore, A. S. Watson Group is positive related to healthiness, as it owns the Watsons Athletic Club which is committed in sponsoring and supporting local athletic events. This healthy association links with Care For Your Heart’s mission to improve public’s health issues. Secondly, the A. S. Watson Group is committed in performing corporate social responsibilities, and view CSR as opportunities. From A. S. Watson official website: â€Å"We encourage our business unites to develop programmes with organizations that are relevant to local community needs, and we support our employees’ effort in getting involved and contributing to society (Lai 2011). † This provides a favorable circumstance for Care For Your Heart to persuade Watson’s participation. Thirdly, Watsons Water has wide distribution channels, from street stores to big chained supermarkets. With the various availability of channels, it allows Care For Your Heart to increase exposure to the public and enhance the recognition of the company name. Proposed Strategy There are 3 main activities in this campaign: including Watsons bottled water label design competition, donation from the designed bottle, and cardiac slogan labels on Watsons Water carboy series and posters distributed to offices I. Watsons bottled water label design competition The first stage of this campaign starts with organizing a Watsons bottled water (both distilled and mineral water) label competition hosts by Watson and cooperates by Care For Your Heart. The theme of this competition is called â€Å" † â€Å"Watsons Heart Caring Bottle Design Competition†, which encourage a submission of bottle label design aiming at enhancing public’s awareness towards cardiac disease. The competition will open for one to two months and targets youngsters age 15 to 25, whom are interested in drawing or design, and would seek for self-esteem through competition. The opening of this competition will be announced via newspapers (both paid and free), Watsons Water’s official website, and Facebook page. For motivation, awards will be given to the top three winners. The tentative prizes include: Champion: HK$5000 with certificate First runner up: HK$3000 with certificate Second runner up: HK$1500 with certificate All participants will also obtain a certificate as encouragement. After collecting all designs, both Watson and Care For Your Heart will have representatives appraising the designs and select the winners. A press conference will be held for the announcement and award ceremony of the top three winners. And their work will be launched on the bottle, which will be further discussed below. II. Launch of the specially designed bottle for donation to Care For Your Heart After the end of competition, the second stage of the campaign is the launch of this specially designed Watsons Water. The top three winners’ designs will be launched for 280ML to 800ML bottled water, both distilled and mineral. The distribution channels include all major types of supermarkets (Welcome, Parkn’ Shop, City’super etc. ), convenient stores (7-11, Circle K etc. ). The preparation for the label design will be around one month, and the tentative distribution period is set to be 2 to 4 months. Care For Your Heart can negotiate the percentage of total sales for donation with Watson. The recommended percentage is 5 to 15%. Furthermore, the label will contain information about the donation. For example: â€Å"Every bottle of water you purchase, Watson will donate $1 for Care For Your Heart on cardiac disease funding. † III. Cardiac info/ slogan on the Watson’s water carboy series in offices and posters distribution The third stage of the campaign is the launch of promotional label on Watsons Water carboy together with the distribution of posters to offices. The objectives of this event are to create opportunity for Care For Your Heart to reach the business sectors and to increase their awareness towards cardiac disease and provide some tips on prevention. This campaign will last for one to one and a half year. i. Poster Posters will be distributed together with the water bottles, and encourages offices to post it in the pantry or places near the water dispenser. The poster will contain some brief tips on preventing the formation of cardiac disease due to stress and imbalanced lifestyle. The information on the poster is the same as the information on the lids of the Nestle milk powder (Refer to Appendix 5). ii. Label A label is designed for 4. 5L, 12L and 18L bottles which fit most types of water dispenser, containing Care For Your Heart’s logo, slogans about heart protection. Appendix 6 shows an example of the label design. IV. 5% donation from the sales of designed Watsons Water bottle Watsons bottle water sold at the price HKD$6. 5, which Care For Your Heart can receive an approximate donation of HKD$0. 3 per bottle of the water sold. 3. 3. 4. Hong Kong Health Check ; Medical Diagnostic Group Limited (HKHC) Reason for partnership with HKHC Hong Kong Health Check ; Medical Diagnostic Group Limited (HKHC) is a company providing a variety of body check service to the community and has developed 15 health checking center in Hong Kong. The mission of the company is to provide  excellent  and  high standards of  imaging and  diagnostic services in order to improve  community  health under the concept of  preventive medicine. (About Us, 2011) It is chosen to work with Care For Your Heart as the two organizations are sharing similar missions of improving community health and health care awareness. Proposed Strategy I. Cardiac Health Care Bus The main functions of the Cardiac Health Care Bus are to provide free basic heart disease related health checks, for example, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol; and educate public about heart disease preventions. If patients are diagnosed to have a possibility of getting cardiac disease, they will be refered to HKHC for a comprehensive health check. A medical professional and two volunteers from Care For Your Heart will be on duty in the bus. There will be 6 buses available, 3 for New Territories, 2 for Kowloon and 1 for Hong Kong Island. The buses will serve everyday in two spots with two time periods, from 11a. m. to 3p. m, and 4p. m. to 8p. m. , which can serve around 50 to 70 people every day. This idea is feasible as it has been successfully adopted by other organizations, such as the Pok Oi Hospital. II. Health Care Charity Fund (HCCF) HCCF is a working partner of HKHC, who aims to implant the concept of Health we care you care to the community through educational and medical healthcare service (Vision and Mission. 2011). Its missions are to help the needy of the community by offering free health check services and organizing professional health talks; to increase the healthcare awareness of the community by promoting the concept of preventive healthcare through comprehensive periodic health check at the highest standard; and to serve the community through supporting volunteering services which organized by non-profit making organizations or collaborated with local communities (Vision and Mission. 2011). The nature of this organization fits with Care For Your Heart’s vision as both organizations achieve their missions by organizing talks, fund raising and voluntary work. Two programs are designed for corporation of CFYH and HCCF. i. Professional Health Talks Health talks will operate once each year at each community center in 18 districts by Care For Your Heart. The talks emphasize on heart care related topics, such as prevention, types of heart disease etc. Professional speakers are the volunteers from HKHC and talks are sponsored by HCCF. Each talk is opened for 100 to 200 audiences (depends on the population of the district) and is free of charge. The target of this campaign is to reach citizens in 18 districts within one year and four months for 6 districts. For the first four months, talks will operate in North, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun and Yeun Long; the next four months will operate in Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin and Yau Tsim Mong; and the last four months will operate in Island, Sai Kung, Central and Western, Eastern, Southern and Wan Chai. ii. Charity Health Check Day The date of Charity Health Check Day is set on the World Heart Day in every year. 5 to 10% of body checks income from HKHC will donate to Care For Your Heart through HCCF. HCCF used this format previously with HKHC and the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) on mother’s and father’s day in 2011. Part of the body check income on that day was donated to HCCF, and the donations are used to provide personal emergency link for the elderly people (Tuesday Charity Health Check Day, 2011. ). 3. 3. Potential benefits receive by Care For Your Heart By the partnership with the above sponsors, Care For Your Heart can be benefited in various ways. I. Enhance awareness Firstly, as concerned by Care For Your Heart, it is currently facing low recognition by the public. To reverse this situation, its visibility, awareness and credibility can be increased by having Care For Your Heart’s name and logo appearing on sponsor’s events, and product packaging, which the product is well-recognized, easily found and consumed. Care For Your Heart can also leverage Nestle, Hung Fook Tong, Watson and HKHC’s goodwill on being healthy. Moreover, those sponsors enhance Care For Your Heart’s publicity by placing the organization name as the beneficiary organization at the end of the TV commercial. II. Reach the target segments Those proposed strategies allow Care For Your Hear to reach its desired target segments – the youngsters and businesses. Different channels were used for the distribution of the product by Nestle and Hung Fook Tong, such as supermarket, drugstore and MTR shop as well, which helps in increase exposure and visibility of its name and logo to different segment. Moreover, the Watson bottle water competition provides an opportunity for youngsters to demonstrate their stills in art, and act as a channel to educate them about cardiac diseases through participation. On the other hand, labels on carboy bottles and posters in office pantry can be an attention getting tool. By placing these at prominent spot, it can firstly get their attention. When they are continuously exposed to the information, they will be able to remember and recall the message. Furthermore, if the Cardiac Health Care Bus is successfully introduced, the mobility of those buses can further help Care For Your Heart in reaching more people in Hong Kong. III. Donation Donations can be gained through the sales of each product and the money can be used for funding daily operations or future activities. Furthermore, if the sponsors are willing to renew the contracts with Care For Your Heart, it will be able to obtain donations in a long-term basis. 3. 4. Potential benefits receive by sponsors I. Perform Corporate Social Responsibility The main benefit that Nestle, Hung Fook Tong, Watson and HKHC could gain is to accomplish its role in performing corporate social responsibility. Each company is committed to invest on creating shared value for society, as well as social welfare, environmental protection and other aspects regarding to the global compact. Companies could achieve its goals when cooperating with Care For Your Heart. II. Improved brand image Furthermore, the ultimate objective of performing CSR is to improve consumers’ perception towards the brand, which is being a contributor to the society thus enhancing goodwill. III. Boost Sales Each sponsor can boost its sales or expands market share due to its contribution to the society. Customers are more likely to choose a product when they realize that they can engaging in the contribution process (Stanalan, Lwin, and Murphy 2011, 51). IV. Benefits distributed by Care For Your Heart Care For Your Heart will provide the following benefits to all sponsors: * Have a one page free advertisement in the organisation magazine and annual report. Brief profile of the sponsors and the detail of ongoing campaigns on Care For You Heart website * Acknowledge the name and logo at the bottom of Care For Your Heart official website with hyperlinks to sponsors’ homepages * Acknowledge the name and logo on all promotion materials including newsletters, organisation magazines, broch ure covers or free gift bags etc. * Acknowledge the name and logo of sponsors on volunteers’ shirts * Provide at least one banner during any events * Announcement of sponsorships in all events or public speech * Guaranteed to be the only sponsor in the same category of industry * Allow to display company’s materials or products on the table for any events 3. 5. Volunteers’ recruitment The recruitment of volunteers for Care For Your Heart targets three groups: students from IVE, trainees of medical colleges, retired doctors, and the Hong Kong Health Check ; Medical Diagnostic Group. The details of the recruitment program are the followings. IVE On recruiting volunteers for Care For Your Heart, firstly, a non-academic volunteer program can be opened for the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education students majoring in Applied Nutritional Science, Pharmaceutical, Medical and Health Care, or Social services. Students are encouraged to apply the campaign throughout their study. This volunteer campaign requires students to participate in volunteer work for Care For Your Heart once in two weeks for four to six hours. The working time will be recorded and accumulated until they graduate or withdraw from the program. A quota on working time is set for students as a goal, for example, participating volunteer work for 72 hours in half a year. Students who have achieved the goal of this program will be rewarded with a non-academic award by Care For Your Heart, which is beneficial to their future career. Medical colleges’ trainees Secondly, trainees in medical colleges of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are a considerable group for voluntary works. They obtain the required health care knowledge and elementary first aid skills. Moreover, this voluntary program can be included as part of the intern training. Similar with the program for IVE, a certificate will be given to participants as a reward, which helps their future career. Moreover, participants can enrich their practical experience before they enter the society. Medical professional Thirdly, doctors are another great source to attract as volunteers. They obtain the expertise in the cardiac field thus able to provide professional consultation for patients. Care For Your Heart can target this group by inviting those doctors that are seeking self-actualization, and appeal to them through mental motivation. For example, suggesting them to offer one or two days of voluntary consultation. By acquiring a sufficient number of voluntary doctors, members of Care For Your Heart can be benefited as it has more human resources to organize thorough functions and events for its members and the public, thus achieving the goals of increasing public awareness towards cardiac disease. Moreover, doctors can enhance their reputation and image by showing their sincerity in contributing to the society. Hong Kong Health Check ; Medical Diagnostic Group Lastly, referring to the event of the Cardiac Health Care Bus campaign, doctors from the Hong Kong Health Check ; Medical Diagnostic Group will volunteer for conducting simple tests and explain the health report to patients. Moreover, regarding this event, additional helpers are needed for showing information and assisting the doctor. These helpers can be chosen from IVE and medical college volunteers mentioned above. 3. 6. 5. Motivations to volunteers Besides, by analyzing their profile, Care For Your Heart can obtain data on the number of medical professionals and young volunteers the organization has attracted . ii. Amount of Donation Two sources of donations are needed to be evaluated: the public and partnership programs. By measuring the amount of donation from public and sponsoring partners, it can reflect Care For Your Heart’s reputation and credibility in public’s mindset. It can also show the benefits gain by both parties when the campaigns are launched (increased sales, product awareness and reputation). iii. Awareness Public opinion research will be conducted 3 times after 4, 12 and 24 months. The survey aims to collect data including: awareness and image of the organization; frequency and amount of donation; and awareness of activities and partnership program. The result will demonstrate whether the new strategies and rebranding are successful in enhancing the public awareness, especially within the working class. Regulate evaluation acts as a monitory function and can state the weaknesses of each program. Therefore, the organization can reinforce certain areas in order to achieve the ultimate goals. 6. Conclusion To conclude, Care For Your Heart could reach its target groups and deliver cardiac related information to the public by adopting the strategies mentioned above. Rebranding and those cooperative strategies can meet its goals effectively and efficiently. By performing cause-related marketing, all participating parties will receive benefits from the campaigns, as well as enhancing public awareness and improving brand image. The sales volume of the newly introduced products and the current product will also be increased, due to the change of customers’ perception towards the brand. The corporate partners will provide funding supply from the donations gained from product sales, and hence increase the cash flow of Care For Your Heart. Moreover, the reputation of Care For Your Heart will also be enhanced by the well-known partners. http://www. pokoi. org. hk/tc/services_cmedical. aspx http://www. hungfooktong. com/news/n017/index. html http://www.nestle.com/ http://www.aswatson.com/our-customers/ http://www.hungfooktong.com/tc/ http://www.yoplait.com http://www.hkhealthcheck.com/corp/tc/ http://www.hungfooktong.com/overseas_about.php http://www.aswatson.com/innovation/ http://www.hccf.org.hk/en/about_us.htm ;