Business Research Paper

The purpose of business research is to allow a business to set itself apart from its competitors by gathering as much information on the industry that it can and utilizing that data to create unique methodologies and business practices. Researching a business will provide information on things such as what products consumers like or do not like to buy, what the start-up costs will be, and whether any new business opportunity is viable to undertake. Researching also reveals the profitability potential of products and services and how they size up competitively with similar products available in the market. The most successful business in each industry are perfect examples of how to successfully market, advertise, and sell your products so they should always be considered. According to chapter 1 of the textbook, it does not matter whether you are a small mom & pop bakery or a large corporation like Nabisco, business research is equally important to your company. In my personal experience I have found that the company policies and procedures set forth by the upper management will directly reflect how the employees will react to their clients and impact the business. Personal Experience I have worked for fortune 500 companies such as Verizon, AT&T, and Time Warner in the telecommunications industry and I have learned how each of these companies markets their products to both businesses and consumers. The breakthrough in technology of fiber optic internet and television that became available to consumers in the last ten years was a huge push for all of these companies. There are many different ways the companies got the word out to their customers. The top methods included direct mail, television commercials, email and internet marketing, billboards, radio advertisement, and direct sales at retail locations or residential campaigns. I was part of the residential campaign selling products to consumers at their homes. The money that companies would spend on advertising (usually in the millions) is relatively hard to track and is becoming less effective today. For example, direct mail campaigns have a less than 1% chance of reaching the customer. Whereas visiting a customer at their home has a better chance of influencing the customer to buy the product by learning exactly how it will benefit them and tailoring a package to fit their needs and save them money. I learned that many customers had switched to a competitor due to poor customer service, high prices in the area, or a lack of services offered. In some cases, just telling someone that new technology was now available in their area instantly piqued their interest. Every consumer is different, but everyone wants to feel like they are getting the most value for their money. That is why I would always try to offer the highest level of customer service, the best products, and the best value for the money. Many times people are willing to spend more money for the same products with a higher level of customer service. That is why fancy restaurants are popular, because the atmosphere and the customer service make it a much better experience than cooking a steak at home. So understanding your customer, your competition, and the market are all important factors in researching any business.

Personal Barriers to Online Learning Essay

Online learning or e-Learning refers to application of electronic technology for the delivery of instructional content or knowledge domains. Beamish et al. (2002), defines e-Learning as: â€Å". . . a wide set of applications and processes allied to training and learning that includes computer-based learning, online learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. These services can be delivered by a variety of electronic media, including the intranet, internet, interactive TV and satellite. † In spite of the great flexibility and varied range of tools that e-Learning can provide to imparting education, implementing any e-Learning system can be a complicated and complex endeavour and online learning can be a very frustrating experience for the student as well as the teacher. A number of personal barriers affect students and teachers alike in any online learning system. Personal Barriers of Students The technology available with students determines the nature of the course content to a large extent. Students may simply not have the required bandwidth to access high-end multimedia content. The course designer has to tailor the contents to suit the technology availability of the students. This is especially true of e-Learning courses catering to international community scattered all over the world. In such cases severe constraints may have to be imposed on the utilization of technology resources available at the end of the imparting institution. The design would then have to optimized for dial-up users with at the most 800Ãâ€"600 pixel monitor screen resolutions. In fact, many universities take special care to ensure prior to registration that their respective e-Learning course content is accessible to the students. â€Å"Technical infrastructure deficiencies on the student side can impede course activities, especially in an online distance-learning environment. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 42) The proficiency level of the student in using ICT tools would enhance or undermine his e-Learning experience to a great extent. In the international context it would be unwise to expect uniform familiarity with ICT usage. A student, previously not exposed to ICT, will therefore not only have to handle the course requirements, but will also have to acquire the requisite skills in ICT to pursue the course effectively. From the learner perspective, literacy and IT skills and aptitude for self-direction, being confident and motivated to participate in online learning have also been identified as potential barriers to effective online learning (Australian Institute for Social Research, 2006, pp. 15). The factor that students have to study in isolation in an e-Learning system has triggered off many debates. Many perceive this isolation as a crippling obstacle to the development of e-Learning systems for higher education. Brouner and Flowers (1997) even suggested that the lack of human interactions in the incorporation of technology into higher education would have to be effectively made up by increased human contact. The e-Learning environment lacks the discipline and time regulations imposed on students in conventional education. This requires students to be more motivated, better time managers and more attentive during e-Learning sessions. The lack of the proximity and personal touch of the instructor as in a traditional classroom can create a communication chasm that both the instructor and the student may find difficult to surmount. In a situation where eye contact and proximity are limited, students cannot be disciplined nor affirmed by eye contact and body language (McKnight, 2000). Time is another constraint that affects online learning negatively. Whilst education has now extended geographically it has limited students with time restrictions (Jones et. al. , 2004, pp. 14). Trials and Tribulations for the Faculty Time is perhaps the biggest investment that the instructor has to make. The amount of time required to develop and maintain an e-Learning course is usually not anticipated by the people involved. The instructor has to spend a lot of time on restructuring and reengineering the course for e-Learning delivery. A complete over hauling is required. Instructors also need to give time for technical and pedagogical training as instructions in e-Learning differ radically from conventional approaches. Last but not the least, the instructor has to spend considerable time corresponding or communicating with students. A very important aspect of e-Learning is the views or approach of the instructor. The instructor could be trying to make the e-Learning experience as good and fruitful as the conventional classroom’s. It is a case of trying to replicate the conventional classroom in e-Learning. The second approach could be the instructor’s effort to improve the instructions through the medium of e-Learning. The instructor will have to decide on which approach to adopt, a decision that could profoundly influence the very character and quality of the e-Learning content. Technical issues can hamper an instructor’s efficiency or performance. The instructor is often not familiar with the technologies that are utilized. Development in multimedia would require knowledge of Flash, Shockwave and similar tools. It is difficult to find persons skilled in both the application technology and the field of education. The problem of technology extends to the teacher who may not be proficient in the software. The dependency on technology also tends to undermine the faculty’s confidence at times. â€Å"Are things going to work when I’m in the classroom? Will the Internet be up? Do I need to bring back-up materials on a disk? Will the last instructor have left things in good shape? These [issues] may be more basic than you’d expect, but dependability is still a major issue. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 41) Online Learning therefore requires very careful planning and implementation in order to achieve success.

Nature and Thrust of Public Policy Essay

Public policy addresses a host of issues like housing, transportation, education, health, social services, among others. It creates orderly structures and standards, and a sense of direction. It may likewise be used to denote what is actually done even though it is unplanned, and yet sometimes it attends to political questions and even the personal issue or controversy of a political. In making public policy, there are three components: the problem, the players, and the policy itself. A problem is a particular apprehension that often requires specific resolution. The players refer to the actors or group of actors that design specific formula to tackle the issue at hand, while policy is the finished course of action ready for implementation. Building Public Policy Public policy starts with the discovery of the problem in which private sectors may bring to government which will then come to the attention of the legislative department. The Congress or the legislative department will be the one to process appropriate policy for the identified problem. The policymaking process revolves within several factors, which trigger agenda initiation, government formulation and implementation. Defining Public Policy Public policy was defined by Dye as â€Å"whatever governments choose to do or not to do.†However, another political analyst, Roskins modified this definition in this wise: public policy is â€Å"whatever the government does to do or not to do.† Policy, in general, is a course of action or a series of program adopted by a group or a person or a government in view to address or respond to existing issues or concerns. The term public is associated to a government I power. Public policy then is an action taken by the government to meet a particular demand growing out of the society. Public Policy Analysis Public policy is the study of how governmental policies are made and implemented, and the application of available knowledge to governmental policies for improving their formulation and implementation. Policymaking Process Policymaking is a process in two aspects. First, it involves a linked series of actions or events. This commences with the germination of ideas and the initiations of proposals, continues with some form of debates, analysis, and evaluation; and concludes with the making of formal decisions and their implementation through designated actions. Second, it is a process in the sense that distinguishes the ‘how’ of the government from the ‘what’ of government. Policymaking process has four stages namely: Policy initiation process, policy formulation process, policy implementation process and policy evaluation process. Policy Initiation/Agenda Setting The first question to ask here is: â€Å"Where does policy come from? How do policy agenda emerge?† Initiation is the primary stage of policy agenda that resulted from an issue regarded to come out as a problem if not attended to appropriately. Agenda setting is the process by which ideas or issues bubble up through the various political channels to wind up for consideration by a political institution such a legislator or court. Anthony Downs attempts to explain the way in which many policy problems evolve on the political agenda. Downs in Shafritz (2009) said that the cycle consists of five steps: 1. The pre-problem stage; 2. Alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm; 3. Recognition of the costs of change; 4. Decline of public interest: and 5. The post-problem stage

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Depression - Essay Example The humiliation they suffered and the agonies they had to endure in order to feed themselves were highlighted in news stories, pictures and reports which were seen and experienced worldwide. The first two photographs depict the agony and forlorn state of affairs of those times in an effective manner, which leaves nothing to the imagination of the beholder. Nature is a great teacher and the human race, despite its superiority to the lower animals, can succumb to its vagaries, which can have a stark similarity to an animal in distress. Floods, droughts, earthquakes, famines, war, other man made as well as natural disasters have thrown up eras of great tragedy and human suffering, which can be heart rending when looked at retrospectively. The 1936 photographs by Dorothea Lange showing a mother with her children tell a story which is not at all difficult to interpret for a person with basic intelligence. The despondency is clear in expression in the mother as well as the elder child whose face though hidden from view in the second photograph, show emotions of despair, desperation and the sense of resignation. The empty bowl in front of the woman indicates the state of affairs and depicts the shortage of food which was prevalent in that era. When such basic necessities are not met, it inflicts great damage to the psyche of the sufferer, which is clearly reflected in the facial expression of the mother. She seems intelligent enough to be aware of the gravity of the situation she seems to be in. The bowed heads of both mother and child indicate depression as the dominant emotion as depicted in their expression as well as demeanor. Obviously they are suffering from lack of food, shelter and seem to be resigned to their fa te. The little baby held fondly by the mother seems to have been lulled to sleep after suffering pangs of hunger. The little boy is shown clinging to the pole in order to support himself. His eyes are closed, either in

Great War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Great War - Essay Example leadership of Winston Churchill did not want to participate in the War because, he felt the country had immigrants from all the fighting groups and it would be difficult to join either group. According to Winston, if America had stayed away from the War, peace agreement would have been reached between Germany and the other allies and Russia could not have suffered from Communism, while Germany could not have enthroned Nazism. Other people felt that the war hard no economic, political and social gains. In this case, many people did not get any reasons for joining the war. At that time, American had many inhabitants drawn from all over the world. Most of the immigrants had already acquired American citizenship and hence, by America joining the war, it would have appeared as if American is at war with itself. It is understandable that most of the immigrants had close ties with their ancestral homeland. Some of these immigrants were already recruited in the American army. This further ag gravated Americans not to be involved in either side as information would have leaked to immigrants’ ancestral army. Another reason that prevented countries such as America and Canada failed to join the fighting countries as there was no apparent economic gain in the war. It is important to note that the war was basically concerned with massive destruction of property and killings all over for no economic gains. In this case, these countries made a decision to stay out of the war. Furthermore, it should be noted that the countries that fought during the World War I invested huge sums of money in the fighting. A lot of resources were needed to buy tankers, fighting jets, ammunition, guns and other dangerous chemicals that were used in the war. All this money was invested for no material gains and hence Americans and other countries failed to join in the war. Another reason that contributed to Americans staying out of the war was the pressure from the socialists, labor unions,

On the Natural Order of Opulence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

On the Natural Order of Opulence - Assignment Example the occurrence exploitation in that system along with mentioning the oust and superseding of that system with bartering system that commeasures the whole society along with establishment of robust enforced system (Smith). The article further asserted upon the accent of megalopolis for being a platform for accession of surplus as well as economy. By keeping emphasize on metropolis and metropolitans alms for the city. Ultimately, the writer makes a contrast between those citizenry in which dearth of equity is observed along with the termination of provision of privileges to their skilful and laborers with those societies where egalitarianism is followed along with justified privileges to the artificers. He further laid stress on the comparison of development of affluence along with thriving of both countries which reveals a healthy difference along with superimposing of egalitarianism based country (Smith). Although a little partiality is observed as well the accent of the found to be was city dwellers and artificers with a little tint of sarcasm in the tone but the deliverance of the argument was well written. Regarding the feudalism I have gone through one article before titled â€Å"Feudalism in Europe during the Middle Ages† by Michael Totten that supports the argument followed in this article. However, I have never been through any article opposing this argument. Conclusively, this article is a scaffold to comprehend the facts and figures regarding the natural order of opulence that will flourish a country towards

Values and Ethics in Professional Business Term Paper

Values and Ethics in Professional Business - Term Paper Example This makes the smooth functioning and sustained endurance of the business organizations quite certain. Fresh inclinations and concerns which occur on a regular basis are capable enough of giving rise to a significant trouble for the organizations and even for the end-customers. The environment of business has been undergoing a constant alteration which is giving birth to various complexities with regard to the business organizations (International Trade Administration, 2004). In the recent times, owing to the intricacies involved with businesses it has become necessary and vital for the organizations to indulge in appropriate ethical behavior and to maintain certain values for the reason of staying away from probable lawsuits. The public disgraces of the corporate unethical and malpractices have created an adverse influence on the viewpoint of the general people towards numerous organizations like Arthur Andersen, Enron, Union Carbide and WorldCom (Mahdavi, 2005). The Need for Values & Ethics in Professional Business Compromising with the values and indulging in unethical behavior have led to the collapse of quite a few organizations. In the present day’s context, the business organizations are anticipated to comply with the standards regarding carrying out of the business in a responsible way. The expected standards surpass the ones that were followed traditionally. Although, the concept of business is frequently referred to on the basis of profits, productions and jobs but at the same time, it is comprehended and acknowledged worldwide that a particular business enterprise continues to be an associate of the community it is operating in. The hunt for profit followed by economic development is not being considered to be a permit for disregarding the standards of the community norms, respect, quality, integrity along with the values with regard to the business organizations (Weiss, 2008). Profit is measured to be the most important factor for the busines s enterprises. Enhanced business performance, economic development and profits have been found to be attained by those who efficiently and competently promote and meet up to the rational beliefs of their respective primary stakeholders. The stakeholders entail employees, investors, customers, environment and suppliers along with managers as well as owners. The factor of success with regard to any kind of a business is in due course gauged and ascertained in terms of profits as well as losses. The socially dependable businesses have been learnt to create the proceeds and the capitals that is supposed to be necessary to continue the business functions and to ensure existence in the long-term with the help of taking into concern the beliefs of the stakeholders. The businesses that are conducted in a socially responsible manner have been identified to be successful in creating and making sufficient income for meeting up to the actual ‘cost of capital’, the doubts as well as risks related to the economic procedures that are predicted to arise in the coming days along with the necessity of the employees and the pensioners. However, the businesses that are considered to be socially irresponsible remain unsuccessful in meeting up to the mentioned expenses as the reasonable requirements of the stakeholders are not met by such businesses. For instance, a proficient, effectual and dependable business organization would earn income or profit by fulfilling the necessities of its customers. It would lure capital with the help of meeting up to the prospects of the different investors. It further augments its effectiveness with the help of luring employees with superior competencies. It trims down the expenses by bringing

Environmental issue in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Environmental issue in Business - Essay Example Resources may be available in abundance but they are not limitless. To cope up with the growing demand of energy consumption, alternate ways of energy are used and these nuclear plants are costly but give more energy than common fossil fuels. Also, generally they are less hazardous than fossil fuels which emit higher levels of C02. Here are a few benefits in comparison with fossil fuels. The paper discusses in detail the various elements of fossil fuels along with the benefits that can be derived from nuclear forms of energy. Fossil fuel plants emit higher amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. It leaves trails of soot and arsenic which are poisonous to humans as well as to other forms of living beings. If compared the process of mining to the exhaust material generated by a nuclear plant, the mining process emerges as a filthy process with higher emissions of CO2 due to the burning of coal. The cost of a nuclear plant is high than a coal mine but the raw mat erial used to produce electricity is barely minimum. The uranium needed to get a nuclear reaction is less than the amount of coal or gas needed to heat up turbines to produce friction and generate electricity. Also, nuclear plant can run aircraft in minimum resources. The nuclear energy is generated internally in the raw material and thus can be used successfully to generate large amount of electricity as needed. The nuclear power consumes fewer resources. As a result, it is assumed as the safest form of power generating technology as compared to uranium that has limited usage in generation of electricity. Another big question that is looming large is the possibility to benefit from the renewable technology to achieve efficiency in energy consumption. However, the technology to generate renewable energy is still in its nascent stages of development. Until it is developed and made fully functional, the levels of CO2 needs to be kept at low and at the same time, cater to the needs of the society. Thus, ensuring that the CO2 gas emissions are restricted from further damage to the Ozone layer that gives rise to global warming (Storm van Leeuwen, 2007). Nuclear power can be used as a mode of transport, to generate electricity, to run ships, to generate and distribute electricity with minimum resources involved. This is going to help in the long run as fewer resources will be exhausted and the fossil fuels that are not much in quantity can be saved. The area of using nuclear energy has been explored to the very minimum and is an area that can help the world in conserving the already limited resources that we have. The Nuclear Power Plants have countless benefits. At the same time, it poses serious challenges to the economies. For instance, the primary by-product of the nuclear energy is the production of radioactive material which is in large quantity. When the atom is split, it creates isotopes as well as plutonium that is a heavier form of atom. Importantly, the p rocess of formation of nuclear energy does not require these atoms which makes them nuclear waste (Greenpeace International, 2009). Furthermore, the nuclear waste is highly radioactive even though its quantity is less than the quantity of the waste of a Fossil Fuel Plant. This radioactivity can be dangerous to human kind much more than the waste material being left over and being emitted by fossil fuels therefore, it becomes a question as to how this radioactive mater

Eugenie Grandet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eugenie Grandet - Essay Example Both women are stubborn, Eugenie in catering to Charles, and Eugnie in her marketing. The two also share a simple modesty: Eugenie expects no reward when she pays all of Charles's creditors, even as she grieves at her loss of his love; when Eugnie saves the children from the bull, she "n'en tira aucun orgueil, ne se dourant meme pas qu'elle eut rien fait d'heroique" (17). While both show a certain strength of character, they also have a vulnerable side which allows others to exploit them. Eugenie and Eugnie both persist in seeing only the good in others: Eugenie first defies her father, then softens toward him, even as his avarice becomes more and more extreme. Eugnie's respect for Mme Aubain, "qui cependant n'etait pas une personne agreable", never flags. Upon embracing her mistress for the first time, Eugnie "la cherit avec un devouement bestial et une veneration religieuse" (49); it is the narrator's more realistic appraisal of the gesture that deflates Eugnie's optimism in the re ader's eyes. In short, both heroines are fundamentally and profoundly good and this goodness, perhaps the most important aspect of their "coeurs simples," only increases as their stories unfold. When Eugnie reads Charles's letter to Annette, she finds in it what she herself has put in: "For young women who get a religious upbringing and who are innocent and pure, everything is love as soon as they step in the enchanted regions of love. They walk surrounded by the celestial light that their soul projects and that fall like rays on their lover; they color him with the fires of their own feeling and lend him their most beautiful thoughts". The association between Eugenie and Eugnie that emerges in the mind of the reader is confirmed by the conclusions of the two works, particularly by the emphasis in Eugenie Grandet on the contrasting fate of her character towards Charles. Not only does her character towards Charles become Eugenie's soul mate, but more important, she literally changes functions, escaping the destiny of a servant. While her character towards Charles ultimately appears to have overcome all obstacles and found happiness, Eugenie, like Eugnie, continues to suffer. The initial bond that seemed to link her character towards Charles and Eugnie is thus weakened in the reader's eyes, and that between Eugenie and Eugnie strengthened. It is important to recognize, however, that Eugenie's suffering is itself proof that she feels and understands much more than her character towards Charles; indeed, her character towards Charles's prosperity is superficial. The fact that the narrator focuses on her character towards Charles at this critical point in the novel only underlines the irony of the swift change in fortune that the servant experiences, and deepens our appreciation of Eugenie's psychological transformation. Although both Eugenie and Eugnie face a future that seems bleak in comparison to that of her character towards Charles, it is perhaps not entirely pessimistic. We are reminded at the end of Eugenie Grandet of the heroine's lack of formal education, but also that her inherent goodness, the most important aspect of her simplicity, assures her of a place in heaven. The fact that she has