Strategic Management for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center Essay Example

Strategic Management for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center Paper Bunkers Indoor Golf Center is a great place for people of all golf abilities to enjoy the game of golf all year. Bunkers brings 42 different golf courses from around the world to the people of Spokane. Anyone can play the most popular courses in as little as one hour, if they are playing by themselves or about three hours if playing a foursome. In addition to the great courses Bunkers will offer professional golf lessons, professional club fitting, a nine hole putting green, and four soft white sand bunkers for chipping practice. Bunkers is a great place to learn and enjoy the game. To ensure the business gets off on the right foot management has conducted a SWOTT analysis and a balanced scorecard. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Strategic Management and Planning Strategic management is the process of creating and implementing decisions that will enable a company to achieve its long-term objectives. It is the process of specifying the companys mission, vision and objectives, developing policies and plans, often in terms of projects and programs that are designed to achieve these objectives, and then allocating resources to implement the policies, plans, projects and programs. Strategic management seeks to coordinate and integrate the activities of the various functional areas of a business in order to achieve long-term organizational objectives. (Wikipedia.org, 2009) To ensure Bunkers Indoor Golf Center is organized properly form the very beginning the company will utilize the four functions of management. These four functions are as follows, planning, organizing, directing and controlling. Strategic Planning is a process for determining what a business could become and how it can achieve that goal. It takes a look at the full potential of the business and tries to link the businesss objectives to the actions and the best way to achieve them. Strategic Planning offers a systematic process to ask and answer questions confronting a management team. The first step to great management is planning. This is the most important step as it will set the stage for everything to follow. Because Bunkers Indoor Golf Center (Bunkers) is a new company it is still working out the bugs; planning is always an ongoing process. The company plans everything from the type of advertising to the way it handles employee performance evaluations and everything in between. During the strategic planning stage management is busy identifying goals, objectives, methods, and the resources needed to carry out those methods, including employee responsibilities and dates for completion of tasks. During this planning stage the owners have employed several types of strategies; the first being a business plan, followed by program planning and strategic planning. In the business plan the owners will identify the growth of the business and set a plan for the first five years. This plan is the most important in the beginning because it is the one the banks look at to determine if the business has direction. It includes financial goals, hiring of additional employees, objectives, a mission and the keys to success. It is a large plan and is used as the blueprint for the other plans. As leaders create the business plan, the company will concentrate on the programs and strategies it will use to gain and retain customers. The programs consist of a discount program, complementary items for customers, and many other considerations. During this planning stage Bunkers tried to find programs that would be beneficial to the company and its customers and help it to retain existing customers and gain new ones. At this point, its owners are making the decisions regarding employee dress codes, code of conduct, the employee hand book, and deciding on the way it should evaluate employee performance. The owners will also decide what steps they would use during employee discipline, and what they could offer employees. Each part of the program planning stage opens the door to another. The strategy phase of planning is essential to the success of Bunkers. It includes the types of advertising, how to gain new customers, how to retain existing customers, how and where to market the business, as well as who to market to. The strategy phase is the most exciting because it offers a chance to be very creative and make new connections. This area of business is very competitive and requires a great amount of time and effort to acquire customers. This phase will be the most enjoyable and is one that can never be stopped, it is essential to continue growing. Knowing how to create and manage a strategic plan is essential to the success of the company both in the beginning and during its continued success. The business owner cannot afford to ignore the planning stages of the business and it is something that cannot ever be stopped. The overall success of any business can be contributed to the effort and dedication put into the strategic plan as well as the management of the plan. It is an essential part of the business and must be maintained and revised as the company grows. Mission Vision Statement An important function of the strategic plan is to create a mission for the company. In some cases this can be difficult, but rewarding to the company if done correctly and honestly. The mission statement should be a clear representation of the companys purpose. It should incorporate meaningful information that addresses concepts such as the moral/ethical position of the company, public image, the target market, products/services, the geographic area and expectations of growth and profitability. (Center for Business Planning, 2009) The vision statement is a different concept altogether, although sometimes confused with a mission statement. A vision statement is a description of a desired outcome that inspires, energizes and helps the company create a picture of the target. The best vision statements for result areas describe outcomes that are five to ten years away, although some look even further out. (Time Thoughts, 2008) To get the business off to a good solid start a mission statement was created. It was done so to give the owner, management, employees and the customers an idea of who the company is and what it wants to do. The following is the mission statement for Bunkers Indoor Golf Center. Bunkers Indoor Golf Center (Bunkers) is an oasis for all golf junkies of all abilities, from low handicappers and weekend golf warriors alike. Bunkers is dedicated to providing enthusiastic customer service and support to golfers who demand the best golf experience possible in an indoor environment. Bunkers is also dedicated to providing the largest and broadest selection of virtual golf courses in Spokane. Bunkers brings together a team of dedicated people who love golf and believe it is their job to help its customers to enjoy this great game even more. Every employee shares the same commitment to excellence, a commitment that will assure that each and every customer has a rewarding and enjoyable golf experience. This simple one paragraph mission statement sums up the company and its goals to help them better enjoy the game of golf. The mission statement gives the customers and employees a general guideline and can help them understand the motivation behind Bunkers. It is important that everyone involved with the company understand this and is ready to help meet and exceed the customers expectations. The vision statement is a completely different process all together. This statement drives the company forward to achieve its long term goals. Bunkers vision statement is relatively simple and direct. Bunkers is committed to making people happy by providing a consistently high quality experience that emphasizes the complete golf experience in an indoor setting. This vision statement is short to the point and shows the commitment that Bunkers has to strive to exceed the golfers expectations. Spokane is a small city and is home to several excellent golf courses. However, due to the logistics of the city, some of the more famous and exciting golf courses are difficult play. The owner has had the opportunity to play some of the countrys best courses and when talking to other golfers found that most weekend golfers would love to play these, but given their ability or finances they would not or could not play them. Bunkers has teamed up with the leading golf simulator company in the world (Full Swing Golf) to offer these famous courses to the golfers in Spokane. Without the cost or fear the golfers of Spokane can play 42 courses from around the world year around without leaving the city. In addition to the low handicappers and weekend warriors, Bunkers would like to work with the local school golf teams to offer a year around practice facility to help develop their skills. The schools can reserve tee times in the same manner as the general public but at a discounted rate. The passion for golf runs deep at Bunkers and as such would like the opportunity to expose as many first time golfers to the excitement the game offers. To aid in this Bunkers wants to work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts and Big Brother and Big Sister Clubs. There are so many children that would never have to opportunity to experience golf; Bunkers feels it is necessary to reach out to as many as we can in an effort to promote the game of golf and to broaden the experiences of their life. Golf teaches many life lessons such as patience, determination and perseverance as well as teaching etiquette and promoting health (when walking a course). Todays youth can learn form golf and i t is a sport they can play their entire life. In an effort to meet the desires of all golfers, Bunkers will host virtual golf tournaments, complete with prizes, offer golf lessons, a putting green and soft white bunkers for chipping practice. The tournaments will consist of three rounds and golfers can play their rounds anytime during the week. This will give them the best opportunity to compete and enjoy the experience. Golf is a game that can be fun frustrating, to say the least it is the only game the owner loves to hate. It teaches so much and can be so enjoyable, fresh air, clean environment, polite people, and exercise. This is why Bunkers want to promote the sport year around. Spokane has long winters and as such the opportunity to play is limited to only a few months. Bunkers will be open seven days a week, 12 months a year. With this schedule golfers can keep their golf groove all year and get better and shoot lower scores. Understanding the wants and needs of the customers is essential to the long term success of any business. If a company stops valuing its customers or neglects to listen to their questions or concerns, the company will become stagnant and possibly end up shutting down. Having a road map to the follow in the form of a vision statement is essential to the long term grow and success of the company. The vision statement helps customers and employees see where the company wants to go and the tools it will use to get there and when it plans to do so. Just as important is the mission statement. It is the foundation on which the company is built. Without it the company would most likely not exist. SWOTT Analysis In an effort to create a successful business Bunkers management has conducted a SWOTT analysis. Management conducted the SWOTT and included economic, legal/ regulatory, technological, strategy, structures, resources and culture analysis. Economic SWOTT Economic factors play a large part in building of any business. As a strength to keep business loans to a minimum Bunkers will lease the simulators from Full Swing Golf (FSG). The company offers lease with the option to purchase after 24 months. The simulators are the largest upfront expense; however, the lease gives Bunkers the opportunity to allocate funds to other important categories. Bunkers has found a location that will be convenient to customers, the lease a full service lease that includes garbage, water, electricity and snow removal, it is also a graduated pay format, beginning at the , lowest monthly payment and increasing yearly until the payment meets the full cost. This will be important as the cost will remain low while in the early stages of growth. The need to hire employees that have a passion for golf is necessary, as such Bunkers would like to offer a competitive wage to keep employees excited about work and excited about the game. Washington has a minimum wage of $8.55 per hour. Bunkers intends to pay a starting wage of $10.00 per hour and increasing after a performance review at the six month mark. The business loan will be needed to build the enclosures for the simulators, the platform for the chipping green, the platform for the putting green, and the sand for the greens. Office supplies will also come out of the business loan, computer for the office, cash register/computer, and general office supplies. The weakness for the new business is the need for a business loan. The need to rely on outside funding is necessary; however, it can be a weakness as we will have to pay back a loan for several years. In addition the need for a loan to start, the economy will play a large part in the interest rates the business can get. The recent dip in the economy may force those that would be regular players to cut back or maybe not to play at all. This is the most frightening aspect of the business. To keep people playing we will offer specials and packages that will enable golfers to play regularly. The opportunity portion of the economic SWOTT is the most exciting. This is where Bunkers can be creative and make plans for growth. The opportunity for growth is great. Spokane is a golf friendly community and has long cold winters. The need for a place to keep the golf groove is necessary and offers the potential for growth. Bunkers will also increase customer visits by hosting tournaments and prizes for the winners. IN addition to tournaments, Bunkers will offer golf lessons, swing analysis, club fitting, and a small amount of Bunker logo items, most likely hats and shirts. The threat portion is the most frightening. To be realistic management had to think about the current economic situation and decide if now is the best time to open a business is. Management feels it is a good time. Other factors management took into consideration were will other similar businesses open and offer the same entertainment, will golf shops offer more simulators and simulator activities (swing analysis, club fitting), will employees offer free golf to friends and family, taking away from profits (we will set up family discounts to combat this), great summer weather will be large threat to the business. Legal/Regulatory SWOTT Bunkers would like to develop relationships with the children clubs of Spokane as well as the local school golf teams. The legal aspects of this will be in the creating of a contract that benefits both parties. To avoid having a city business license that is very expensive, Bunkers ahs decided to open the first location in the North Spokane area, it is a growing area ( residents and business are all moving north) where business licenses are less expensive. Starting the business with only a few employees will reduce the amount of payroll tax, unemployment tax and work comp cost. The cost of the permits as well as the time it take to obtain an alcohol permit is a weakness. This is time consuming, it include an in depth look into the past of the person applying for the permit. It takes months to obtain the permit and it is subject to random visits by the state. Bunkers will offer only beer and wine, however the permit is still the same for all businesses selling alcoholic beverages. In addition to the alcohol permit the state also requires the company to obtain a food handler permit. Costly and always requiring training for employees this is also time consuming as well as costly to the company as it has to pay the employees for the time they spend taking the tests. The opportunity to build relationships with the children clubs and schools is a a great opportunity. The contracts will help the children expand their horizons and also give them the opportunity to learn a new game or improve at it. The contracts will include stipulations that state Bunkers is not responsible for the care of the children and a parent or guardian must be present to allow play. The biggest threat to the Bunkers is injury to customers. All customers playing in the chipping area will be required to sign a release of liability. There is always the chance of sand in the eye or getting hit by a club or ball. Under aged drinking is another threat and will be dealt with according the state law. Strict rules will help elevate this problem. Parental guidance is also necessary to avoid injury and to keep the business from the liability of children. Technologic SWOTT Having a business that depends on technology can be exciting and frightening. Full Swing Golf offers the best golf simulator on the market. They are constantly improving the graphics as well as introducing new golf courses. To help increase revenue Bunkers will try to incorporate the newest courses, most recent graphic cards and the best projectors and screens available. As hardware is used it wears out and can slow game play. To combat this issue we will constantly maintain the equipment and run diagnostic test of the machines to ensure fast reliable use. Technology is finicky. Depending on it can be a weakness in its own. Slow computers, projector bulbs, damage to sensors can all create havoc in the business and reduce profits. Full Swing Golf offers maintenance plans to protect against los in revenue. In addition to the maintenance plans Bunkers will contract with Networks Rx a computer networking company to ensure our cash register/computer, office computers and simulators all work and are connected using quality servers and materials. Technology is always changing; this can be an opportunity and a threat. As technology changes we must change with it. New faster servers can create the best game play possible. New courses, new graphics and better graphic can help the company grow and will create lasting customers. Incorporating additional elements such as swing analysis, club fitting, and lessons can also be attributed to changing technology. The largest threat is a down computer system. Bunkers is dependant on technology to function. Having down system will prove a debilitating factor, without it the company cant function and will see a loss in revenue. This will prove fatal if it is a lasting issue. Having Networks Rx at our disposal will help alleviate these potential issues. The biggest trend in technology is always changing computer systems. Faster processors, better graphic cards, more memory in servers and new golf courses will be a great trend. The need to keep up with this is essential and can also be seen as a threat, weakness, trend and strength if utilized. Bunkers will be the place to go in the long cold Spokane winters. Strategy SWOTT Strategy is necessary to compete in a competitive market. Spokane does not have a indoor golf center, and word of mouth advertising, strategic fliers and a radio spots will be necessary to Bunkers growth. Using the school golf teams and the children clubs will be necessary to the word of mouth advertising and the growth of the business. In addition marketing the business, utilizing golf tournaments to increase the customer base will be a great strategy. Bunkers would also like to incorporate professional lessons, club fitting to entice customers. Bunkers is a place a golfer of any age can enjoy a full round of golf, a positive aspect of the courses elderly golfer and young golfers can play a round with out the strenuous effort. Bunkers is a ground up business and is in need of constant marketing and upgrading to keep people interested. That will be the most challenging portion of the business. The management team will need to be proactive when the weather changes and use promotions to keep player coming back during the summer months. Spokane summers are gorgeous and people will want to play outside. Management will need to promote the tournaments, climate controlled area, professional lessons to keep people playing indoors all year. Opportunities will be numerous in the strategy area. Holding tournaments that golfers can participate in any time during the week, professional lessons and club fitting will also be an area that will keep people coming back. Bunkers will use the positive image of working with the boys and girls clubs and schools to its advantage and as a strategic opportunity to gain a hold on the community. To keep customer happy and excited to play Bunkers will offer discounted rates depending on the number of golfers in the group. As always the threat of a new business opening and taking customers is always a threat. The perfect summer weather in Spokane can also be seen as a threat to the strategy Bunkers uses. As noted in prior sections the threat of golf stores using simulations in their shops may reduce the lessons and club fitting. The game play will always be a strong point of Bunkers as it is the main focus of Bunkers. The use of technology to create customer email lists will be a beneficial tool. Management will create the list and email specials, promotions and tournament results. In addition to the above listed uses of email Bunkers will also use this portal for suggestions comments and reservations. The use of email will also fit into the technology strengths and opportunity portion of the SWOTT. Structure SWOTT Bunkers management will seek the best most qualified employees possible. The strengths of this company is based on the golf experience of its management team. The owner and his family are avid golfer and have played some of the best courses in the country. To keep the business moving in the right direction nit is necessary to hire individuals that have a love for the game and like using technology. The application process will include phone calls to previous employers; letters of recommendation from school coaches (for students) and student must maintain at least a 3.0 gpa while employed. To maintain the best possible work force Bunkers will utilize regular performance reviews. Weakness will include hiring students. This is not a weakness in the traditional sense; this will be in the sense that management will have to plan for students to take time off for extracurricular activities like golf tournaments and other school and family activities. Technology is a large part of the business and as such it is imperative to hire those that have a love for technology and passion to keep customers happy. Opportunities to hiring students are to expand their knowledge of technology and to give them real world job experience. By requiring students to maintain a certain gpa will help them achieve long term goals and will help management create a positive atmosphere. Using student part time workers will help the company save money in benefits and unemployment taxes. In addition to broadening the horizons of the students we can help them learn technology skills and problem solving skills that will be beneficial to them as they mature. Threats of having employees are normal to all businesses. Management can reduce these by educating employees, utilizing safety rules, hiring positive, motivated trust worthy people will reduce threats as well. Hiring students may cause an increase in employee turnover. To reduce this we will educate, train them and offer positive enforcement to maintain eh best employees possible. Resources SWOTT Bunkers is owned by an avid golfer, and has access to country club professional golfers and high school golf coaches. In addition to the golf pros Bunkers has built in technology company in Network Rx, that can help maintain and trouble shoot office servers, and networks. Some of the funding will come in the form of bank business loan and personal holdings. The need for a business loans is a weakness for Bunkers. The need to tech support professionals to keep the company moving and to keep customers playing is a weakness to Bunker as well. Every golf simulator has proprietary software that only their technicians can repair. Depending on vendor technical support is costly, time consuming, can reduce the profits, and keep a system closed until the technician can fix it. Opportunities are great for Bunkers. Leasing the simulators on a lease to own helps the company save resource and still own the equipment at the end of the lease agreement. There are currently no indoor golf facilities in the Spokane area. An opportunity to grow and prosper is great in addition to give the people a great winter activity. Spokane is located in the Inland Northwest, one hour east of the Idaho Washington border and two hours south of the U.S. Canada border. Depending on outside tech support it costly and can take a great amount of time to receive new parts or for the technician to arrive to install or repair new parts. A positive trend for golf and Bunkers is the fact that there is always a new golfer. Everyday people try golf and Bunkers offers them a place to try it in a safe controlled environment. We will let children ages five and older participate with the participation or guidance of a parent or guardian. Culture SWOTT Golf has a culture of its own and Bunkers will try and maintain it to the best of their ability. Bunkers will offer a clean safe, environment for people to learn or advance their game. Management will build relationships with the children clubs in Spokane as well as the local golf teams and schools. Teaching children the game of golf can teach them things the can use their whole life, patients, perseverance and dedication. Golf is a game that one can play their whole life and Bunker looks forward to helping them start the right way. There are not too many weaknesses of this business from a culture standpoint. From a business standpoint, this business caters to only one demographic. By opening a business that offers entertainment to golfer only can be seen as shortsighted. However, golfers have the desire to play and in some cases it is a great place for good clean fun. The opportunity to expose someone to golf is something that Bunkers is excited about. Golf is a great game that anyone can play not matter age, color, or athletic ability. There is the chance that someone would never play a round of golf at an outdoor course, Bunkers offers them a place to try the game in a reduced amount of time. A person that has never played may not be excited about playing a game for three to four hours and not enjoying the game. Playing a full 18 holes in one to two hours is more enticing to beginners and people that are short on time. The threat of customers becoming bored with Bunkers is a threat management cannot take lightly. With technology constantly changing Bunkers can try to avoid this by updating courses as often as possible. Offering additional resources like lessons, club fitting, tournaments, snacks and beverages will help keep people interested and coming back. Balanced Scorecard The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals. (Balanced Scorecard Institute, 2009) The importance of the balanced scorecard is to improve performance by focusing on what matters, increase focus on strategy and results and to improve the communication of a companys vision and strategy. This company has thought about for several years. He has jotted down plans, ideas, drawn floor plans and talked with bankers and even scouted out locations. Over the years, he has had time to think about the business and how he wants it to operate. The owner has spent a great deal of time trying to get ideas together to make this a place people will want to visit. The owner has planned for the simulators (the main focus of the business), the bunkers, putting green and even how to run a fun, convenient tournament. Before the SWOTT and the Balanced Scorecard, he never put a great deal of thought into the actual numbers and financial goals. Until five weeks ago this was just a dream. Now it is becoming a reality. Over the years the owner worked for several companies and found some of them had great corporate values and it trickled down to the employees and made them feel like they were more than just an employee. That is a feeling the author wants to create for the employees of Bunkers. He found that by giving the employees some basic instructions and letting them make decisions makes them feel they are valued and they are not taken for granted. By doing these little things and not micromanaging a company can reduce employee turnover and reduce expense in training and retraining and utilize those fund in other manners. The long term goals are relatively simple, Bunkers wants to grow and open stores in cities nearby, thereby offering more people the chance to play in a convenient location. In addition to this he wants to link the locations for tournament play. The values of Bunkers are derived from various sources; some personal experiences and others are derived from other successful business models. The author is a business owner and feels he has created a strong employee culture, high employee retention, sound business practices and he feels these same qualities can carry over to Bunkers. The basic values the firm will use in this business are the same that many use in their daily lives: respect, patients, honesty, and integrity. These values have served the owner well personally and will do the same in any business setting. He has created a successful carpet cleaning business with these values and feels he can build Bunker with the same. The mission of any business is to grow and prosper. Bunkers wants to do the same. The firms mission is to create a place where people can come to meet friends, play, learn and enjoy the game of golf. The company want to create a fun comfortable atmosphere where people of any ability can come to play or learn the game that they love. All too often the owner hears people say they do not want to play golf because it takes too long, they cannot walk that far, they are nervous to spend the money on a round and not like it. Bunkers can change that, There are no long walks, no galleries watching and making them nervous, It is a great place to see if golf is for them, and for those that play and enjoy it it is a great place to play courses once thought to be playable once in a lifetime. There is something for everyone young, old, high handicapper or low handicapper; there is a course for anyone. The SWOTT analysis forced the owner to take a good honest look at the business. He was a little intimidated in the beginning, but soon found it to be a valuable part of the strategic plan. After completing the analysis he was even more excited to continue the process and change the weakness to strengths in an effort to build the best most efficient business possible. Bunkers is dedicated to providing quality, safety and fun in a controlled atmospheres. By following the SWOTT and the Balanced Scorecard Bunkers can avoid some of the pitfalls of opening and operating a ground up business. The SWOTT is a necessary tool and should be utilized by the management team of Bunkers Indoor Golf Center. Golf is a great game enjoyed by millions of people and Bunkers want to bring the fun to everyone year around.

Strategies Used by Rite Aid Pharmacy Essays

Strategies Used by Rite Aid Pharmacy Essays Strategies Used by Rite Aid Pharmacy Paper Strategies Used by Rite Aid Pharmacy Paper On the second day of the conference, Samson valued her dream of a new store model that was aligned with health wellness and makes the pharmacy the star of the store. Rite Aid had a new marketing theme, With us. Its Personal, This consisted of a more welcoming corner entrance In the store as well as change to the exterior of the store to look warmer and Included a covered drive through pharmacy. The Interior of the pharmacy was to Include wider aisles and nicer waiting areas for customers. At the end of the conference, Samson reiterated Rite Aids six goals: Marketing, merchandising and ammunitions programs supporting Its Neal ; wellness positioning; Hilling, training and retaining quality store associates; Optimizing the chains infrastructure; Unveiling a new store prototype; Rationalizing the store base; and, Pursuing growth opportunities (Long 2004). Rite Aid continues to value the importance of customer service and puts programs in place to stress the importance of greeting customers and assisting them with their purchases. Rite Aid recently implemented new technology to help employees perform tasks faster and easier which will give them ore time to focus on the customer. In 2012, Rite Aid increased the amount of money they spend on training their employees on their customer service skills. (Rite Aid 2012) Another strategic action that Rite Aid has taken to execute its strategy is the consistency of their training to their employees. Rite Aid created the Rite Aid University to bring their entire employee training in one area and under one rooftop make sure that what they are teaching their employees is staying consistent over time. The Rite Aid University has over 75 different training programs from employee management and time management to being taught to use the pharmacy automated dispensing system. (DEER 1998) By keeping their employees training consistent and investing in the newest technology, Rite Aid is taking steps to maintain a cost leadership strategy. Another strategic step Rite Aid has taken is implementing the wellness + loyalty program in 2010. This is a free program for customers that provide incentives to members who enroll based on how many points they accumulate for prescription purchases. You are able to achieve a Fold, Silver and Bronze level in this program. Rite Aid stated that those involved in the wellness + have higher purchases than their non-member customers and they also achieve larger prescription retentions. Wellness + members can also able to receive more rewards and additional savings for future shopping trips. Rite Aid continues to add more enhancements to this program making it more appealing to their customers. They recently added Loader which is a coupon management program and Rite Aid is the first drug retailer to implement this program. This allows customers to save, manage and redeem Rite Aid and manufacturer coupons available throughout he internet via their wellness + card (Rite Aid 2012). Rite Aid has also formed a strategic alliance with NC under which they have opened over 2,100 NC stores- within-Rite Aid-stores NC is a leading nationwide retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements, personal care, fitness and other health-related products. (Rite Aid 2012) Customer Service is the main target for Rite Aid along with technology. Rite Aid stores have implemented a common information system. This new system allows customers to fill and refill their prescriptions in any Rite Aid store throughout the country. Also, customers are now able to order prescription refills over the Internet through www. Irritated. Com or over the phone and they have also added a mobile phone app that gives them the same options as their online website. Rite Aid continues to enhance their technology to better serve their customers. (Rite Aid 2012) All of these steps that Rite Aid has taken are critical to the companys success and helps to keep them on the path of a cost leadership company. Rite Aids strategic alliance with NC, their wellness+ loyalty program and their common information system and new technology could possibly be sources of temporary or sustainable nominative advantage. To evaluate whether they have a sustainable competitive advantage we must use the BRIO framework. First we will we evaluate Rite Aids strategic alliance with NC. We ask ourselves if the alliance is valuable. Meaning, Do resources and capabilities enable a firm to exploit an external opportunity or neutralize an external threat? I believe the answer to this question is yes. Next, we ask ourselves if this alliance is rare, is It currently controlled by only a small number of competing firms? The answer to this question would also be yes. Regarding the question of immutability, do firms without a resource face a cost disadvantage in obtaining or developing it? Yes. Lastly we ask ourselves if a firm is organized enough to exploit the full competitive potential of its resources and capabil ities. I believe that Rite Aid is able to exploit the potential of this strategic alliance. Therefore, Rite Aids strategic alliance with NC is a source of sustainable competitive advantage. (Barney Westerly, 2012). Next, we will evaluate Rite Aids wellness+ loyalty program. I believe this program to be very valuable but due to the brand loyalty. I also believe that this program is rare. Although, Walgreen has a similar program not many other drug retailers currently have a program this beneficial to their customers. Although this program is valuable and rare, I do not believe it would be costly to imitate. Therefore, Rite Aid only has a temporary competitive advantage over its competitors. Rite Aid also incorporates new technology in their stores. They currently have a common information system as well as smart phone applications and online filling and refilling of prescriptions. I believe their use of technology is ere valuable. Most people now prefer to use the internet and their phones for tasks such as these. It is a convenience to customers who do not want to have to go into the store to deal with their prescriptions. Although this is very valuable in the society we live in now, it is not very rare. Many drug retailers are pursuing and currently have the same technology that Rite Aid does. Because of this, Rite Aid only has competitive parity. Rite Aid and Environment Based on my research of Rite Aid, I do believe that the companys strategies and abilities fit within the drug retailer industry environment. Although many strategies they are pursuing are also being pursued by their top competitors, Walgreen and C.V., they are maintaining competitive parity within the industry. These strategies include their development of technology through managing prescriptions online and smart phone applications. Rite Aids main focus is their customer service and they are able to build brand loyalty through their wellness + program. Although Walgreen NAS a salary program, IT Relate AI Is addle to craw In customers to use their program instead then they will build that loyalty with their customers and have the ability to keep them returning for future purchases. In the industry analysis, my group concluded that the drug retailer industry average level of anticipated performance is high due to the Porter five forces model showing that the risk of entry by possible new customers is moderate because the four barriers to entry are somewhat established. The intensity of rivalry within the industry is moderate. Although product differentiation being low increases the threat of rivalry here are millions of people who need drugs so this reduces the threat. The bargaining power of buyers is moderate, as is the bargaining power of suppliers and the threat of substitutes is very high because of general merchandise stores, supermarkets and superstores. Although Rite Aid is not the industry leader in this industry, I believe that they are positioned to keep growing within this industry. I feel that their strategic alliance with NC, who is a well-known nation-wide retailer, will help them continue to grow as well as their continuing use of technology, their ointment to customer satisfaction and their consistency in employee training.

Culture Barriers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture Barriers - Research Paper Example They have a unique attachment with the animals. These peasants do not allow the unused houses to be taken down because they think that their ancestors are connected to these houses and the abolishment of these houses would mean abolishing the memories of their ancestors. Others view them as signs of fertility. All these cultural beliefs combine to contribute towards the spread of the Chagas disease. (Bastien, The Kiss of Death) A common factor observed in the Guaranis is the lack of awareness. One way to prevent this barrier towards improving their health conditions is by making them aware. This can be done by sending awareness teams from house to house to educate the people of the harmful effects of this disease and ask for their corporation in the prevention of this disease. The most important obstacle that can be faced by a public health professional is the lack of awareness amongst the Guaranis. Lack of awareness can come with several other obstacles like conflicts and resistance from the population of that region. Due to incorporation from the people the public health professional would be unable to carry on his/her projects which can be a downside to the prevention of Chagas. TCM is completely different from Western Medicine. The Traditional Chinese Medicine has five main components for treatment: herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, exercise, and nutrition. However, the Western Medicine is based on components like drug intake, surgery, supplements, radiation, and other quick remedifying treatments. (2007, October 17).   The approach used to measure the efficacy of TCM tends to use multiple interactive measures, and the result of which depends on the criteria that whether the internal harmony is restored in the body or not which makes the evaluation of TCM difficult. TCM has much to offer but it cannot completely replace the modern scientific based medicine either. According to the traditional Chinese’s view the human body is the smaller version

Doesn't matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Doesn't matter - Essay Example These characters show that they are born with special powers and abilities. Talking about The Secret Ibis, it comes to understanding that Doodle (the lead character who is physically unstable) was a disappointment to his family. Among all, his brother was more disappointed because he could not play with him the way he expected to run. In the second setting, Simon Birch, one can note that Simon was not able to be one of those kids who were normal. It should also be noted that he was a short heighted person who was not accepted by anyone not even the society he lived in (Hurst). It will not be incorrect to state that if Doodle or Simon were treated well by his brother and Joe then it could have been expected that there were betterment in their lives. The support from family or friends would have helped them to be accepted by the society in general. As a contradiction to this statement, it was marked in the short story that Doodle was not at all accepted by his brother as he was tortured by showing coffin that was bought Doodle (Johnson). Ultimately, Doodle’s brother left him alone when the storm occurred. Doodle lost his life in the storm as he was dependent upon his brother for reaching school. In a similar way, Simon was put to test by his friend who was rather supposed to provide a support to him. Just because of the misunderstanding, he wronged Simon (Hurst). The community has seemingly failed to understand the need of dealing with people who are abnormal but can be gifted in many ways. For instance, Doodle was a mighty heart because he was able to survive when everyone thought he will not. In the same way, Simon was considered as a person who was short and misfit in the society. However, in real terms, he was extremely talented and wise. Nevertheless, despite their gifted personalities, they were not provided with the support and acceptance that they deserved to have (Johnson). Through the above analysis, it comes to understanding that the two

Mecitefendi in China Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mecitefendi in China - Literature review Example Mecitefendi wants to expand the business in China (Zahra, 2005). The reliability, standardised quality and price of the products can help the company to get an easy access to the markets of China. The internationalisation process can enable the company to be accepted globally. The company with the quality products, technological up-gradation, sound working conditions and effective fulfilment of the corporate social activities (CSR) can become a global leader. There are a number of opportunities for the company in terms of ethics, but language barrier can act as an obstacle in starting the business in China. The literature review in a detailed manner explains the opportunities and hazards that the company might face on extending business in China. International Entrepreneurship can enable the company to take advantage of the growing market of China. As the scope for herbal cosmetic products has declined significantly in the domestic market, it would be fruitful for the company to sell the products in China, where the demand is high (Zahra, 2005). The company can experience vast opportunities in China (Dumitrescu and Vinerean, 2010). The Turkish company might face certain setbacks in terms of entry barriers while expanding business in China (Yiu, Lau and Bruton, 2007). China follows very stringent trade rules and regulations. Hence, being a foreign based company, Mecitefendi might fail to easily enter in the Chinese herbal cosmetic products industry. The low cost of the products, reliability and the already high rate of import in China might facilitate easy entrance therein and in the industry (Zahra and Garvis, 2000). Then again, the Chinese industry of herbal drugs is rapidly progressing, unlike that of the cosmetic. Therefo re, in order to boost this industry, Mecitefendi might have a suitable opportunity (Zahra, Korri and Yu, 2005). The products offered by Mecitefendi are priced reasonably and boast of a standardised quality. These are the unique

The Time and Fate of Ragnarok Essay -- Literary Analysis

The Norse tale of Ragnarok presents an interesting example of apocalyptic literature as it presents both an end and a notable new beginning. The world which rises from the cosmic rubble is essentially equivalent to that which was destroyed, possessing the same creatures, features and Gods of times past. Thus through the themes of time and fate Snorri challenges the concepts of what was, is and will be by providing a framework which allows for the potential reiteration of history. By reviewing the Prose Edda’s telling of the the events before, during and after Ragnarok, the relationship between fate, time and history becomes clear. The Prose Edda begins by introducing several key concepts to the later work, beginning with Snorri’s connection of the Christian Genesis to Norse mythology. He cites the northern migration of man away from his origins as the cause of the slow loss of the name of the Abrahamic God. Snorri uses this loss as the primary reason for the need for alternate explanations of natural phenomena and thus the evolution of Nordic mythology (Snorri, 3). Typical exampl...

Analysis of Charles Dickens’ †Sketches by Boz Essay

‘The Streets-Morning’ by Charles Dickens is an extract taken from ‘Sketches by Boz.’ It is a descriptive piece and follows prominent features of the literary sketch technique, as it contains no prominent plot. The speaker narrates the â€Å"appearance presented by the streets of London an hour before sunrise on a summer’s morning.† The extract is in the first person narrative. This feature adds intensity and supports the use of details. First person narrative is generally considered unreliable due to lack of witnesses and external verification; however, the detached and objective narration by the speaker prompts readers to think otherwise – â€Å"now and then a rakish looking cat runs stealthily†¦bounding first on the water-butt then on the dust hole†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The sentence structures used support the use of detail and imagery. The speaker uses complex-compound sentences that are long with two or more sub-clauses. The use of these help create the atmosphere and heavy early morning slumber – â€Å"There is an air of cold, solitary desolation about the noiseless streets which we are accustomed to see thronged at other times by a busy, eager crowd, and over the quiet, closely shut buildings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Through this narrative, readers are made aware of the close attention to detail the speaker employs. The mood of the extract is established through the sentence structure and setting. A relaxed and comfortably detached perspective is evident. In many ways it is similar to the morning itself, gently unfolding as the darkness fades. The narrative time and context is established through the subjects described in the setting. â€Å"Coach-stands† lying deserted in the larger thoroughfares remind readers of the 19th century. This is supported by the fact that they are described as ‘coach stands’ and not bus stands. Imagery plays an essential role in a literary sketch and is seen widely in this extract. The speaker uses concrete and abstract imagery. The use of metaphors lends a sense of what the speaker is feeling or trying to describe to the reader. Such metaphors are: â€Å"The days are swarming with life and bustle† the reference to honeybees shows a restlessness which was similarly used by John Keats in ‘Ode to Autumn† – And still more, later flowers for the bees, †¨Until they think warm days will never cease.† The bee metaphor is used to show activity that contrasts with the early morning street. The second metaphor is – â€Å"stillness of death is over the streets,† perhaps the most foreboding of lines in the extract, this metaphor could serve as a possible foreshadowing for impending events. The street itself becomes an important motif. It represents a path that leads somewhere, however, readers could question whether this could be leading to activity or stagnation. This theory is supported with the images of the â€Å"drunken, the dissipated, and the wretched.† The policeman similarly, is also preoccupied with his â€Å"deserted prospect.† The description of the street is similarly presented in Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ â€Å"The houses mostly white frame, weathered grey with rickety outside stairs and galleries and quaintly ornamented gables to the entrances of both. It is the first dark of an evening in early May.† The houses become symbols of who their inhabitants are in the extract. They give readers insights to where they live, how they live and who they are. The â€Å"quiet, closely-shut buildings† are perhaps the only privacy the residents have. The speaker brings in social context through this description and the tone shifts to one of fragmentation and futility with the description of – â€Å"The last houseless vagrant whom penury and police have left in the streets, has coiled up his chilly limbs in some paved corner, to dream of food and warmth.† The social context and strata becomes ironic when the last drunken man is home before sunlight, while the â€Å"orderly† part of the population are still asleep.† The opening lines of T.S. Eliot’s ‘Preludes’ also refers to an early morning scene similar to the one in the extract, using personification – â€Å"The morning comes to consciousness Of faint stale smells of beer From the sawdust-trampled street With all its muddy feet that press To early coffee-stands.† Human qualities are given to the cat who is – â€Å"rakish looking.† The character of whose develops as the speaker gives him gender and infers that â€Å"his character depended on his gallantry.† The use of personification adds further detail to the narrative with – â€Å"A partially opened bedroom-window here and there, bespeaks the heat of the weather, and the uneasy slumbers of its occupant.† The extract uses language in distinct and deliberate ways to shape meaning. The vocabulary used helps infer that the speaker is mature; this is seen with use of words such as â€Å"penury,† â€Å"profligate† and â€Å"dissipated.† A sentence of importance in shaping such meaning is – â€Å"The drunken, the dissipated and the wretched have disappeared.† The trochaic features at the end of each word, helps to reveal the distant and condescending manner in which the speaker is viewing these people. The order in which these words are presented form a climatic effect. Also seen is the use of the adverb â€Å"then† in describing the cat’s actions, which gives dramatic effect – â€Å"Bounding first on the water-butt, then on the dust-hole, and then alighting on the flag-stones.† The use of inversion by the speaker helps readers to concentrate on certain parts of the narrative. This is done in deliberation to gain readers’ attention, particularly in – â€Å"An occasional policeman may alone be seen at the street corners,† as opposed to the conventional ‘may be seen alone.’ Such emphasis is also used in – â€Å"cold, solitary desolation.† The speaker employs onomatopoeia to describe a drunken man’s inebriation with – â€Å"roaring out the burden of the drinking song of the previous night.† The speaker has a noted tone of detached indifference. This mood could be due to the futility of the modern age and monotony of these peoples lives in the eyes of a keen observer. The historical, social context comes back to the forefront and the void between the country and the urban life is seen. This effect of the 19th century and industrial revolution is addressed in – â€Å"The few whose unfortunate pursuits of pleasure, or scarcely less unfortunate pursuits of business cause them to be less acquainted with the scene.† Grammar and punctuation support meaning. The use of dashes shows a flow of thought or in the case of describing the cat, shows action and continuity. The use of the color grey in the â€Å"somber light of daybreak† supports the mood and futile atmosphere, seen also in O’ Henry’s ‘Gift of the Magi’ – â€Å"Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard.† The extract concludes with a reference to the figures in the early morning streets as â€Å"exceptions† other than which the â€Å"streets presents no signs of life, nor the houses of habitation.†