Portfolio Models Essay Example for Free

Portfolio Models Essay The use of portfolio models in marketing has been gaining increasing use since 1960s. The portfolio models were developed with the aim of helping in the development of market share and growth. These models have been used as strategic thinking model in the making of business decision. These models include BCG, General electric/shell, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. Each model has been criticized on the capabilities and according to its scope on market share. These models have been found to lead to the wrong decision in investment and other business processes. The portfolio models assume a causal relationship between the market share and the profitability of a product in the market. The common scope of portfolio models is the way it tries to ignores some of the most relevant strategic issues in business. Therefore, all models cannot be taken as an effective strategic decision making model. It should however be discarded or it should be used with caution. This paper does not recommend the use of portfolio models and an alternative way should be sought to replace this. Introduction Portfolio models can be defined as a method or strategy in which a new product will be introduced in the market and perform as it was expected. In the 1960s, there was growing assertion of the use of portfolio models in marketing. There was growing interest on the development of market share and growth strategy which later came to be known as marketing portfolio. The BCG matrix, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models and GE/S were meant to achieve the marketing needs especially when introducing new products in the market. They were meant to stimulate strategic thinking especially among the senior marketing executives in the turbulent business environment. However, there has been dysfunction of these models in the way they are taught and the way they are applied in the market. This study will look into the applicability of portfolio models in strategic decision making in marketing. The study will evaluate the view from a number of literature to understand whether the model can really be applied to the decision making process or not. This paper therefore evaluates the available literature which has given an insight into this model to understand how it can be applied in strategic marketing decision. There are other methods that were introduced to give a product a distinctive market share especially when it’s introduced. There are four commonly used methods to approach this matter, the Boston consulting group (BCG), the General electric/shell (GE/S), Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. Therefore to give the clear meaning of the portfolio model, there is a need to understand how the portfolio models work. The first step to be taken when using the above models is to understand the different business/ marketing strategies of the company. Portfolio models in marketing decisions Portfolio models management generally defines the way business comes up with strategic decision to venture into the market. In this definition, the strategic marketing decision is a method by which marketing ideas are made and implemented in order for a product to have stronger grounds in the market. At any one time, company will be coming up with new product which will need to be introduced to the market in the most successful way. Portfolio models therefore provide the business with important tools for analyzing of the strategic decision to determine their effectiveness in the market (Abell and Hammond, 1979, p. 42). Purpose of portfolio models in strategic decision making in marketing There are mainly four main purpose of using the portfolio models in the strategic marketing decisions which are pursued in portfolio management and must be achieved through any model that is used. These goals include the maximization of portfolio, seeking of the right balance of the available projects, aligning of the portfolio strategically, and aligning the projects to the available resource (Ansoff, 1984, p. 12). Smith and Swinyard (1999, p. 2) also show that portfolio marketing models are important for an organization to assess the overall success of a new product in the market before a lot of money is used in the development of the product. They both call for the use of multiple marketing models in order to achieve the overall success of introducing new products in the market. This will reduce the failure rate of the products and extend their life cycle in the market. (Thomas, 2002, p. 61) The models can also be used as important tools to forecast the level of competition and therefore draw upon effective way of beating this competition. They help to forecast the performance of a product in the market so as to draw up strategies to effectively introduce it in the market. Edgett, Cooper, and Kleinschmidt (2002, p. 2) showed that in order to achieve full development of a new product in the market, there has to be effective portfolio management. There are different types of portfolio models that include the BCG, GE/S, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. In his review of the portfolio models, Day (1977, p. 32) showed that the use of bubble diagrams had been gaining increasing use in business. Day shows that these models resemble the portfolio models with stars, cash cows, dogs, and others. He showed that these models could be used successfully to forecast the market in the future. Day therefore asserted the role of matrix like Boston matrix in marketing. The Boston matrix could be used to show four quadrants as has been shown by Day and corresponding strategies which could be used in each quadrant. However Day criticizes the matrix on the sense that it is too narrow on its scope. He asserts that the BCG matrix has a narrow focus on the market share of the product. On the other hand Morrison and Wensley (1991, p. 106) provided an insight into the portfolio planning models as used in making business decision. They asserted that the use of BCG matrix in portfolio management is inhibited by difficulties in measurement of the rate of market growth and the relative market share of the product. This is due to a number of reasons. They gave the most prominent reason being the fact that market boundaries are often very difficult to fix which meant the different matrix methods will give different recommendations for a given situation. Therefore they argue that the common scope of BCG matrix in a way ignores some of the most relevant strategic issues in business. Though these other models are not as famous as BCG, Day still argues that use of them could also lead to success in the market. Day advocated and recommended the use of Porters competitiveness that he viewed to have higher possibilities of success than other models if its well implemented. It is commonly used in an already operating business with other products in the market. The experience curve can only be help to the company that has been in the market for sometime with a different product. The experience that the company has gained in the given period will determine the strength of the company in the market. This has been used by several companies like coca-cola in the introduction their mineral water. It would be hard for a company that has not been doing well in the market to succeed with the new product. They showed that Boston matrix was a technique for one season and not for all the season. This is because its popularity and use increased in the 1960s and 1970s and then plummeted due to the challenges faced in the market. They showed that the single chart could be successfully used to determine the growth potential and the competitive strength of a product in the market but this has rapidly changed with time. Armstrong and Brodie (1994, p. 38) evaluation on the applicability of the Boston matrix concluded that the use of the matrix to guide investors often would result to wrong decision through the use of BCG. General Electric and Shell, Porters competitive models are designed for long term use in the market, once the product has been introduced in the market, the models techniques still continues to support the product through the entire life in the market. Whichever model is used, it has to be used for entire life of the company because no other model will fit without altering the companies business especially when the company is introducing new product in the market. Although they based their study on a small number of graduates in a class, they gave a further warning against the use of the matrix in a simple mind. Armstrong and Brodie (1994, p. 3) carried out a study on the effect of the portfolio planning methods on the overall decision making process. Their study pointed out the weakness in the use of BCG matrix in making strategic decision in an organization. Their study revealed that the use of BCG matrix in making investment decisions was highly likely to lead to unprofitable investment while Robert and Merton (1989, p. 210) advocates that the implementation of other models instead of matrix were intended for lifetime decision making. If not well implemented, there is a probability of causing life time losses and would be hard to recover unless the product is withdrawn from the market. Each model has some weaknesses bas they are exposed out in the way models assume a casual relationship between the market share and the profitability of a product in the market. Morison and Wesley (1991, p. 26) also pointed out lack of consistency in the use of the portfolio models in determining market growth and profits. These studies give varied views on the use of Boston matrix, GE/S, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models in making marketing decision. They all seem to point out on the weaknesses of these models in light of their theory and application. There are other ways a business can prosper other than using portfolio models. The strategies used in introducing the product in the market is all that matters, portfolios are just to give the business a rough idea on how to approach the marketing matter but not to give a conclusive tread which the business should follow. Conclusion Portfolio models are applied in portfolio management. They are applied in management to make strategic marketing decision. Though they had gained increasing use in different times, they have some weaknesses that are fatal to the welfare of the business in future. On the other hand they may give a rough idea on how to approach the market issues and on how to introduce the new product in the market. In all portfolios, not is able to predict the growth and the profit margins or losses on the other hand for the product, thus making them less important tool for the marketing. However the use of models should be discarded and there be implemented new strategies that would be able to address the issues of the business on long term and in both growth and revenues that are likely to be gained by the introduced product. Recommendations: The use of portfolio models is not recommended and if they have to be used, they must be implemented with great caution. None of all models has proofed an effective strategic decision making in regard to the marketing issues. It should however be discarded or it should be used with caution. This paper does not recommend the use of portfolio models and an alternative way should be sought to replace this.

Sleep is a facilitator of information processing

Sleep is a facilitator of information processing The human body and mind are constantly subjected to stressors and new stimuli during the course of a day. Sleeping is crucial for coping with such as it nourishes the bodies need for physiological rest and repair after such stress, and also simultaneously facilitates crucial information processing in the mind. In fact, sleep is one of the most essential functions of the human body. The unconscious information processing that takes place during sleep plays a significant role in cognitive information processes such as memory and learning. Essentially, during sleep the mind integrates new information acquired during the previous day into memory and processes it by making necessary connections. The culmination point of these unconscious information processes seems to be in rapid eye movement sleep (REM-sleep) as brain activity is at its height during this phase of sleep. The activation during REM-sleep resembles that of a conscious state. Also, sleep research has shown that the majority of complex dreaming occurs during REM-sleep (Revonsuo, 1996, 277). However, the exact function of dreams is unknown. Even so, dreams are often a repetition of influential experiences and feelings from the previous day and therefore seem to be linked to information processing that takes place (Partinen, 2007, 18). Consequently, it would seem safe to conclude that REM-sleep has some role in unconscious information processing. Yet, there is a great amount of controversy within the scientific and psychological community regarding the role of REM-sleep in cognitive information processing. One view suggests that REM-sleep is merely a mechanism used by the brain to assist in recovery from sleep by retaining necessary activation levels in the central nervous system (Vertes, 2000, 876), whereas others find that REM-sleep is clearly connected to information processes such as learning, threat-response and problem solving. Hence, the focus of this essay is to investigate the relationship between REM-sleep and cognitive information processes. The research question of this essay is: To what extent does REM-sleep entail cognitive information processing? 1.1 Phases of sleep Sleep can be divided into REM-sleep and four phases of non-REM sleep (NREM). The first and second phases of NREM are the closest to a fully awake state, and the third and the fourth phases are the least conscious phases of deep sleep. It is hypothesised that NREM-sleep is in fact the restoring phase of sleep as metabolism is comparatively low in NREM-sleep in comparison to a conscious state (Revonsuo, 1996, 277). Interestingly, there is relatively little brain activation in NREM-sleep, actually sleep research has shown that there are often only simple dreamlike experiences in NREM-sleep and sometimes more complicated dream experiences. In fact, over half of the participants in dream researches, awoken in the deepest phases of NREM-sleep do not recall any dreams. Moreover, in between these phases of NREM-sleep there are several phases of REM-sleep. Brain activation in these phases resembles that of a conscious state i.e. high frequency beta and gamma waves similar to those found in a conscious state of mind are visible in EEG scans of sleep research participants during REM-phase sleep. Furthermore, participants woken from REM-sleep almost always recall event rich dreams (Revonsuo, 1996, 277). However, sleep research can only reach so far in terms of understanding the processing that takes place in sleep. Data is usually obtained through either physiological measurements or dream journals (Hobs on, 2002, 7). This significantly affects the depth of the scientific understanding that can be gained. As physiological measurements tend to be quite superficial, whereas journals are often either incomplete or lacking in objectivity. In any case, there seems to be a large amount of information processing that takes place unconsciously. The difference between NREM-sleep and REM-sleep can be attributed to the type of information processing that takes place. It is thought that NREM-sleep involves relatively passive encoding of memories from the hippocampus to long-term memory. On the contrary, REM-sleep is thought to involve processing of procedural and emotional memory, which shows in dream content and vibrancy (Partinen, 2007, 40). It might be the case that dreams are not present at all in deeper NREM-sleep as the brain activity is relatively low. Information processing Cognitive psychology focuses on understanding the how the mind processes information. Behaviourism Cognitive psychology is concerned with information processes in the mind such as memory, learning, problem solving, and perception (Bourne, 1986, 30). Even so, cognitive psychologists have only recently have come to accept the importance of unconscious processes, namely the importance of sleep time unconscious processes for cognitive information processing (Shevrin, 1996, 2). In reality, cognitive information processing takes a relatively long time. Essentially, for any new information to have an effect on the human mind the information needs to first be perceived by the sensory system; eyes, ears, or the skin. Some type of change has to be first registered and only then can any further information processing take place. This further processing can happen immediately, but it is more often than not the case that the stimulus is gone before any conclusions can be drawn (Bourne, 1986, 12). Therefore, memory plays a key role in information processing as we often have to rely on it to draw any conclusions. The multi-store memory model suggested by Atkinson and Shiffrin in 1968 gives a relatively accurate model of cognitive information processing. It suggests that memory can be split into three phases sensory, short-term memory, and long-term-memory. Information moves between the different types of memory through rehearsal and retrieval. However, the model has been subjected to critique over being too simplistic in terms of transfer between the different types of memory. In fact, the model relies solely on rehearsal as a means of transfer ignoring the importance of effort and strategies used by an individual (Hill, 2001, 106). In particular, the multi-store memory model works on the principal that information is processed as it is given attention to. Naturally, as new stimulus are constantly entering the mind and the sensory organs, while in a conscious state of mind, the mind can only give attention to so many things and is often preoccupied in the processing and storing of new more prominent information. Therefore, it would seem logical that as there is little time during the conscious period to process all the information entering the brain during the day, that is most information processing actually happens during some other time, namely during sleep. Theories of dream function Dream research is essential to the study of sleep time unconscious information processes as it provides a view into any processing that takes place during sleep. However, the exact function of dreams is difficult to determine. Some psychologists and the general public alike would like to think that dreams are meaningful in themselves. Conversely, the activation synthesis dream hypothesis suggests that dreams might just be derivatives of the neuron activation during sleep (Hobson, 2002, 71). Either way dreams appear to be of significance in terms of study of REM-sleep information processing, since dream-experiences are most common in REM-sleep (Revonsuo, 1996, 277). The psychoanalytic level of analysis is largely based around Freuds theory of personality and dream theory. The primary theory on dream function presented by Freud was that of wish fulfilment i.e. dreams are disguised expressions of unconscious desires and impulses (Tulonen, 2008, 56). However, Freuds theory is largely without empirical evidence as it is based on case studies that he conducted himself, in spite of this, his theory seems to suggest that dreams have a meaningful content and therefore there is some type of information processing that occurs during sleep. However, perhaps the most widely accepted theory is the reprogramming dream theory. The proposal made is that dreams are necessary for the brain to process new information and make necessary connections. The brain also works to remove any excess unnecessary information from memory during dreams (Tulonen, 2008, 55). This theory also supports the idea that there is information processing during sleep and more specifically during the REM-phase of sleep. Information processing during REM-sleep Learning processes in REM-sleep Learning is undoubtedly one of the most important cognitive information processes as it entails a number of other information processes e.g. perception, problem solving, and memory. Learning can take place through a number of pathways and constitute anything from a simple learned motor function to understanding of abstract scientific concepts. Therefore, a distinction should be made between repetitive learned motor function and information that is consciously and deliberately learned, understood, and stored in memory i.e. factual or semantic information. That is, procedural and declarative memory respectively. More in depth, learning is a compilation of different cognitive processes i.e. perception, memory, and problem solving. There are a number of models that conceptualise the learning process. For instance, David Kolbs experiential learning model identifies four stages of the learning cycle: concrete experimentation, reflection, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation. Concrete- and active experimentation involve learning from experience, whereas reflection and abstract conceptualisation involve inferring based on memory of past experience (Kolb in Sternberg, 2000, 227). The reprogramming theory of sleep suggests that different phases of sleep are of central importance for processing and interconnecting of memories i.e. reflection and abstract conceptualisation, and therefore achieving learning (Tulonen, 2008, 55). 2.1.1 Early brain development REM-sleep information processing is central to learning and development from the very onset of brain activity in a foetus. The human foetus spends around 16 hours a day in rapid-eye movement sleep. This is necessary for brain growth as REM-sleep involves high brain activity and continuous neuron stimulation creating new links in the cortex (Hobson, 2002, 76). Furthermore, a similar phenomenon is also present after birth, that is, the amount of REM sleep for an infant is unusually large; around 8 hours whereas by adulthood this declines to at most 2 hours per night (Partinen, 2007, 43). Majid Mirmiran conducted an experiment on the functional significance of REM-sleep in relation to infant rat development, which showed how essential REM-sleep is for early development. In the study infant rats were deprived of REM-sleep by interfering with monoamines in the brain from 1 week of age to 3 weeks of age. The rats were then tested as adults and compared with normal rats. Unsurprisingly the rats were severely affected and the findings showed that the deprived rats had hyperactivity, hyperanxiety, attentional distractability, reduced sexual performance, and reduced cerebral cortical size in comparison to control rats (Mirmiran, 1986, 283). Without a doubt the findings are limited in how much they can be generalized to human infants and foetuses. However, the same research could not have been carried out on human infants without raising serious ethical issues. In any case, the research clearly exemplifies the importance of REM-sleep for brain development in early life of a m ammal. 2.1.2 Memory consolidation Not only is REM-sleep necessary for infant development and learning, but its also essential in learning new skills regardless of age. For instance, visual recognition of different objects is a process that is learned from very early on in life. The importance of REM-sleep for forming procedural memories necessary for learning a visual recognition task is illustrated by a study conducted by Karni et al. on sleep deprivation. The study showed that performance in a given visual discrimination task improved significantly over a single night of sleep, whereas when participants were selectively deprived REM-sleep there was no significant performance gain. Moreover, when participants were deprived of NREM-sleep the performance gain remained unaffected (Karni, 1994, 679). The reliability of Karnis study is relatively high as it demonstrates that the given task is unaffected by NREM deprivation and will improve over a single nights sleep, whereas other studies are not as clear and may have been affected by the stressfulness of the sleep deprivation procedure. Furthermore, Stickgold et al. attained similar results in a more recent study on visual discrimination and REM-deprivation (Stickgold, 2000, 1237). In any case, sleep deprivation is a very stressful procedure and has a great impact on the validity of any research. However, REM-sleep seems to be clearly important for developing of procedural memory. The significance of REM-sleep for developing procedural memory and visual recognition skills may be one reason for unusually large amounts of REM-sleep in infancy. It may even be the case that without REM-sleep an infant may be unable to develop a consciousness and perceptual and motor skills. However, currently there is little evidence available for su ch. Conversely, there are several researches that refute the role of REM-sleep in procedural memory consolidation. For instance, a recent research conducted by Genzel et al. on REM-sleep and slow-wave NREM-sleep deprivation showed that neither procedural memory nor declarative memory seems to be affected by REM-sleep or deep NREM-sleep awakenings. However, the task used to test procedural memory was a motor task requiring finger tapping, whereas declarative memory was tested by recall of word lists. It may be possible that different types of memory are processed in different phases of sleeps. In fact, the conclusion reached by the researchers is that declarative memory consolidation takes place in stage two NREM-sleep and that simple motor tasks are processed in stage two NREM-sleep or require very little REM-sleep (Genzel, 2009, 302-304). However, the sample size was relatively small in this research (n=12) so further research is necessary to establish any firm conclusions on declarativ e memory consolidation. The role of sleep in declarative memory consolidation was first demonstrated by Jenkins and Dallenbach (1924). The participants of the experiment were asked to learn non-sense syllable lists after which they either went to sleep or continued awake. Recall was then tested at one hour intervals. When the results for the sleeping condition were compared with the waking condition it was found that after eight hours; 6 times more non-sense syllables were remembered in the sleeping condition (Jenkins in Bourne, 1986, 104). However, the sample consisted of only two participants so the findings are very limited in how much they can be generalised. Nevertheless, further research into the area has shown that at least some consolidation of declarative memories takes place in sleep, namely in phase slow wave NREM-sleep (Stickgold, 2005, 1275). However, REM-sleep seems to be of little importance to declarative memory consolidation. Cohen even (1979) went as far as to claim that the dreaming that takes place in REM-sleep interferes with memory consolidation (Cohen in Bourne, 1986, 105). However, the sleep phase in which memories are consolidated does not only depend on the type of memory i.e. declarative or procedural, but also it seems to be dependent on emotional content. As mentioned earlier, REM-sleep seems to be related to processing of emotional memories (Partinen, 2007, 40). That is, if a memory has emotional context then it is likely that it is processed in REM-sleep. For example, a study conducted by Wagner et al. gave clear empirical support for processing of emotional declarative memories in REM-sleep. The study showed that retention of emotional texts was significantly improved in comparison neutral texts over a period of late-night sleep. Similar effects were not found in early-night sleep, which consists mainly of NREM-sleep, whereas, in late night-sleep REM is predominant. In fact, earlier studies have shown that REM-sleep shows increased activation of the amygdala, which is associated with processing of emotional memories (Wagner, 2001, 112-113). Wha ts more, is that the study avoids adverse effects of deprivation and is therefore more reliable than studies conducted using sleep deprivation. In other words, REM-sleep is of some importance in terms of processing of emotional content even though other studies have shown that REM-sleep is not significantly involved in consolidation of non-emotional declarative memories. Creative problem solving in REM-sleep Problem solving in relation to REM-sleep, anagram problem solving Walker MP, Liston C, Hobson JA, Stickgold R. (2002). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608182421.htm creative problem solving enhanced by REM Dreams as information processing vessels Dreams are often considered to be deficient of cognitive activity; however, several studies have shown that this is not necessarily true. The threat simulation dream theory presented by Antti Revonsuo suggests that evolutionary success depends on successful threat response, which is rehearsed in the relative safety of dreams. Revonsuo suggests that the mind actively generates dreams, which are comprised of threatening events in different combinations. These dreams are often repeated over several nights in order to develop and maintain threat response capabilities (Revonsuo, 2000, 482). Empirical support for the threat simulation dream theory comes from dream content analysis studies. For instance, a study conducted by Valli et al. found that threatening events are overrepresented in dreams in comparison to actual number of threatening events experienced when awake. Also, the events experienced in dreams were often very realistic and focused on to the dream self i.e. the self is often actively engaged in combating these threatening events in the dreams (Valli, 2000, 491). Clearly, if dreams are merely a repercussion of neuron activation during REM-sleep, as suggested by the activation-synthesis hypothesis, then its quite likely that dream content would be disorganized and incoherent. Conversely, Vallis content analysis suggests that the mind actively engages in coherent rehearsal of threat response. However, the study was conducted by a dream journal method, where the participants record their own dreams after a night of sleep. This raises questions of validity and objectivity. Even so, the study not only indicates that there is clear support for Revonsuos threat simulation theory, but it also indicates that the mind processes information through dreams in REM-sleep. Furthermore, there is evidence that during dreams the mind engages actively engages in self-reflection i.e. becomes aware of ones own thoughts and actions. Research has shown this to be beneficial to mental health. For example, recently Kontkanen showed that dreaming is helpful in trauma coping for children. Kontkanen conducted a dream content analysis on traumatised Palestinian children aged 5-17 and children, of the same age, living in normal conditions. High levels of self-reflection and self-awareness were found to be beneficial to the mental health of the traumatised Palestinian children. In the control group high levels of self-reflection in dreams were found to be dysfunctional. However, several individual with high levels of self-reflection in the control group, conversely, showed symptoms of poor mental health. Consequently, Kontkanen suggests that self-reflection processing in dreams should increase and diminish according to need in order to maintain good mental health (Kon tkanen, 2000, 523-524). Surely, the dream journal method used in the study has its limitations and there is also doubt whether results gathered from children can be generalised to adults as such processing might also be attributed to development. Nevertheless, the study points at the necessity of dreams in cognitive information processing and mental health. Conclusions Draw conclusions based on presented evidence, on how necessary is REM-sleep for cognitive information processing.

Britannia Industries Limited Is One Leading Bakers Marketing Essay

Britannia Industries Limited Is One Leading Bakers Marketing Essay Britannia Industries Limited is one of the leading players in the bakery segment in India. Its product portfolio includes various types of biscuits, breads and cakes. The company primarily operates in India. It is headquartered in Kolkata, India and employed about 2,358 people as on March 2008. The company recorded revenues of INR 26,177 million during the fiscal year ended March 2008, an increase of 13% over 2007. Top line of Britannia was driven by price increases by way of reduction in pack sizes and extension of excise exemption to biscuits with maximum retail price (MRP) below INR 100 per kilogram from INR 50 per kilogram earlier. The operating profit of the company was INR 2,723 million during fiscal year 2008, an increase of 80% compared with 2007. The PAT was INR 1,910 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 77.5% compared with 2007. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia) is engaged in producing and distributing bakery products including a variety of biscuits, breads, rusks, and cakes. The Wadia group of India along with Groupe Danone of France, are equal shareholders in ABIL, the UK which is a major shareholder in Britannia. The company operates through three broad product categories: biscuit and high protein food, bread and rusk, and cake. The biscuit products are marketed under the following brands: Tiger, Good Day, 50 50, Marie Gold, Treat, Milk Bikis, Nutri Choice, Time Pass, Pure Magic, Little Hearts, Nice Time, Vita Marie Gold and Greetings. Bread products are sold under the Premium Bakes, white sandwich bread brand. Cake products are sold under the Premium Bakes, Cakes and Rusks brands. The company also offers Cup Cakes in its cakes category. Britannias dairy operations are conducted through its subsidiary, Britannia New Zealand Foods Company Private Limited (BNZF). BNZF is a joint venture between Britannia and Fonterra Co-operative Group of New Zealand. The company exports its products to the US, Ghana, Seychelles, Singapore, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. HISTORY Britannia was established with an initial investment of INR295 in Kolkata in 1892. The operations of the company were mechanized with the advent of electricity in 1910. The company started using gas ovens in 1921. Britannia Biscuit Company took over biscuit distribution from Parrys in 1975. In 1978 the company became a publicly listed company. In the following year, the company was renamed as Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia). The companys executive office was relocated to Bangalore in 1989. In 1993 Wadia group acquired stake in ABIL, UK and became an equal partner with Groupe Danone in Britannia. Britannia introduced its new corporate identity Eat Healthy, Think Better; and launched Tiger Cashew Badam and Cheeker brands of biscuits in 1997. In 1998, the company introduced Milk Bikis and Nutri Choice brands; and Etnic Snacking. In 1999, the company issued bonus shares in the ratio of 1:2. During the same year, the company also introduced cheeselets. The company introduced biscuit brands GD Choco, Time Pass and Vita Marie Gold in 2000; Rourbon Pocket Packs, Maska Chaska and Vita Marie Gold in 2001. Britannia introduced many brands of biscuits in 2002 which include Time Pass Classic Salted, Jim Jam Pocket Packs, Chai Biskoot, Tiger Cream, GD Ginger Nut and Pure Magic. The company launched a joint venture with Fonterra, a dairy company; and started Britannia New Zealand Foods in 2002. The company launched, Treat Duet, a biscuit brand in 2003. In the following year, Britannias Good Day biscuit added Choconut, a new variety to its range of biscuits. The rebirth of Tiger biscuit was seen in 2005, with the tag line Swasth Khao, Tiger Ban Jao. In the same year Britannia launched Greetings range of premium assorted gift packs; and Britannia 50-50 Pepper Chakkar. In the same year, the company started its new plant in Uttaranchal. In July 2006, Britannia acquired Cafe Coffee Days 50% stake in Daily Bread, a Bangalore-based high-end food re tailer. In March 2007, Britannia formed a joint venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in the Middle East. Britannia and its associates acquired 70% beneficial stake in Dubai-based Strategic Foods International and Oman-based Al Sallan Food Industries Co SAOG. In January 2008, Britannia was asked by the Calcutta High Court to pay back the INR12 crore, which it withdrew from the companys pension fund. MAJOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia) is a producer and distributor of bakery and dairy products. It manufactures, distributes and sells a range of branded products including: List of products: Biscuits Bread Rusk Cakes Cheese Butter Milk List of selected brands: 50:50 Deluca Good Day Little Hearts Milk Bikis MarieGold Maska Chaska NutriChoice Pure Magic Treat Tiger REVENUE ANALYSIS Britannia recorded revenues of INR 26,177 million during the fiscal year ended March 2008, an increase of 13% over 2007. The company generates revenues through three business divisions: biscuits and high protein foods (89% of the total revenues during fiscal year 2008), bread and rusk (7.4%), and cake (2.9%). Revenue by division During the fiscal year 2007, the biscuits and high protein food division recorded revenues of INR 23,299 million, an increase of 11.4% over 2007. The bread and rusk division recorded revenues of INR 1,956 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 36.3% over 2007. The cake division recorded revenues of INR 769 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 23.2% over 2007. The others (including scrap sales) division recorded revenues of INR 144 million in fiscal year 2008, a decrease of 28% over 2007. SWOT ANALYSIS Britannia is a producer and distributor of bread, snacks and dairy products. The company has a portfolio of top selling food brands. Britannia produces and distributes premium brands such as 50:50, Good Day, Little Hearts, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Maska Chaska, NutriChoice, Pure Magic, Treat, and Tiger. An extensive portfolio of global brands facilitates customer recall and enhances Britannias market penetration capabilities. However, an impending litigation disputing the trademark of Britannias biscuit brand Tiger, with Danone, could adversely impact the companys brand image and its international expansion plans. Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand name Launch of innovative products and brand extensions Growth in operating segments High dependence on Indian market Fluctuating cash from operations Opportunities Threats Inorganic growth Strategic alliances Growing demand for health and convenience products Litigations Inflationary dairy product prices Outbreak of animal diseases Strengths Strong brand name The company has a strong portfolio of top selling food brands. Britannia produces and distributes premium brands such as 50:50, Good Day, Little Hearts, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Maska Chaska, NutriChoice, Pure Magic, Treat, and Tiger. Each of the companys six pillar brands (Good Day, Tiger, 50:50, Treat, Milk Bikis, and Marie Gold) generate sales in excess of INR1 billion. Further, the company is entering new product lines like snacking and health products and thus capturing a larger market share. In 2007, most of the companys brands secured double digit growth rate. Additionally, Britannia was ranked second among FMCG companies in the Business Worlds Most Respected Company Survey 2006. With a wide portfolio of brands and choice of product category, the company is able to differentiate itself in the market, nurture customer loyalty, and reduce its business risk. As a dairy product company, Britannia enjoys strong brand equity, and its extensive portfolio of global brands has helped it to expand its market presence and visibility. A strong brand portfolio not only facilitates customer recall but also enhances Britannias market penetration opportunities. Launch of innovative products and brand extensions The company has a strong orientation towards product innovation. In 2007, the company demonstrated its ability to innovate and extend its brands and products. Britannia launched many innovative products in 2007. Through an innovative product lineup, the company plans to strengthen and sharpen its brands and transform them from existing formats and conventional archetypes. In this context, the company launched cream and coconut varieties in its Tiger brand range. Further, the Chota Tiger, which is an extension of Tiger brand, draws on the kids snacking habit presenting biscuits as small, pop-able, snacks in a pouch pack. Similarly, the company also launched added Fruit Rollz under its Treat brand. Further, the company launched 50:50 Chutkule and NutriChoice Digestive and SugarOut. NutriChoice SugarOut is the first biscuit without added sugar, in the Indian market. Strong product innovation skills enable the company to stay ahead of the competition and create an edge in the market. Growth in operating segments Britannias operating segments has shown strong financial performance since 2005, which is evident from its revenue growth. Biscuit and high protein food segment revenue increased from INR14,926.9 million (approximately $330.8 million) in 2005 to INR20,910.8 million (approximately $463.4 million) in 2007, this representing compounded annual growth rate CAGR (2005-2007) of 18%. The bread and rusk segment also recorded increase in revenue from INR788.2 million (approximately $17.5 million) in 2005 to INR1,435.7 million (approximately $31.8 million) in 2007, this representing CAGR(2005-2007) growth of 35%. Further, the cake segment also recorded increase in revenue from INR355.7 million (approximately $7.9 million) in 2005 to INR624 million (approximately $13.8 million) in 2007, this representing CAGR(2005-2007) growth of 35%. Strong performance by the companys operating segment enhances its financial standing and strengthens its position against its competitors. Weaknesses High dependence on Indian market Though Britannia has made forays into other international markets, it is still dependent on the Indian market for a majority of its revenues. Though the company exports its products to many countries, the revenue contribution of regions other than India is too low to confer any significant geographical diversification benefit on the company. High dependence on India makes Britannia vulnerable to the market conditions in this region. Fluctuating cash from operations The company has not been able to generate consistent cash from its operations in recent times. The company has registered fluctuations in its cash from operations, registering a decline in every alternate year since 2004. Cash from operations decreased from INR1,961 million (approximately $43 million) in 2005 to INR649 million (approximately $14 million) in 2006. Again in 2007, it increased to INR871 million (approximately $19 million). Fluctuating cash from operation could upset the companys expansion plans. Opportunities Inorganic growth Britannia is aggressively pursuing inorganic growth model. In March 2007, Britannia concluded two acquisitions, including its first ever overseas partnership. In March 2007, Britannia formed a joint venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in the Middle East. Britannia and its associates acquired 70% beneficial stake in Dubai-based Strategic Foods International LLC and Oman-based Al Sallan Food Industries Co SAOG. The two companies are major regional players in the biscuits and cookies segments in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) markets. Both the companies export to more than 40 countries across the globe including Africa, Australia and Japan, thereby giving Britannia access to many new markets. These two acquisitions are expected to allow Britannias portfolio to extend to those countries in which they have a presence. The joint venture could provide Britannia an opportunity to grow its international footprint by leveraging on the complementa ry strengths of the two partners. Strategic alliances Britannia entered into strategic alliance with Daily Bread Pvt. Ltd. (Daily Bread) to participate in premium bread and allied products market in India. In July 2006, Britannia acquired a strategic 50% stake in Daily Bread, a Bangalore-based company engaged in the manufacturing and retailing of premium breads, cakes, and ready-to-eat snacks. Daily Bread operates in both institutional and retail segments, and offers a wide range of international quality bakery products, including 50 varieties of specialty breads. Post-acquisition, Britannia holds the brand Deluca in India. Daily Breads business model includes a chain of own and franchised retail outlets, and catering to institutional customers. Daily Bread operates seven outlets in Bangalore and since its acquisition by Britannia; two large outlets have been added. Britannia is keen to scale up the outlet chain to 30-40 cities beginning Fiscal 2008. This acquisition marks Britannias entry in the high-end, freshly baked gourmet food. Th is alliance will help Britannia to scale up the bakery business in select markets with a range of gourmet products sold under its brand names. Growing demand for health and convenience products Consumers worldwide have become more health conscious in recent years. Increasing number of consumers are opting for natural, fat-free and healthy food products. Food items containing trans-fat are losing market share as they are linked to cardiovascular diseases. The primary drivers for this trend are changing lifestyles, late marriages, increase in single-parent households, increase in number of homes with two working parents, and increased working hours. Consumer expenditure on away-from-home dining is rising. According to the US Economic Research Service, spending on food-away-from-home is expected to increase by almost 10% per capita until 2025. The trend towards low fat, low sugar and low carbohydrate foods and drinks continues to drive the market. Britannia offers a range of low-fat and sugar free products. With a strong emphasis on healthy foods, the company is likely to benefit from the increasing health food market. The global nutritional market exhibited strong growth in 2 006, estimated at E127 billion ($159 billion), with half of this represented by the US market. The company is well positioned to exploit its focus on health and convenience platform to drive its future growth. Threats Litigations Britannia and Groupe Danone (Danone), a French dairy and beverages giant, are engaged in intellectual property rights battle, since many years. Wadia group and Danone have an equal stake in Associated Biscuits International Holdings (ABIH), which is a major shareholder in Britannia. Both the companies are disputing over the trademark of Britannias biscuit brand, Tiger. Britannia has accused Danone of registering the Tiger Trademark globally without its consent. Danone has already registered Tiger brand in nearly 35 countries and has applied for registration of the Tiger trademark in over 70 countries. In 2006, Britannia sued Danone in a Singapore court, seeking a speedy redressal of the Tiger brand issue. Danone has already registered Tiger trademark in Singapore, which will expire in November 2009. Britannia submitted its trademark application for Tiger in Singapore only in April 2007, which is still pending. An arbitration case between the two parties is also pending at the Bombay High Court. This long impending litigation (with Danone) could adversely impact Britannias brand equity and its international expansion plans. Inflationary dairy product prices Britannia, being a diary company, is exposed to general business risks faced by the global dairy market. Britannia is vulnerable to price fluctuations in the world market for raw materials such as flour, soya, maize and grain. In 2007, the industry witnessed an inordinate and simultaneous increase of approximately 20% 25% in the market prices of all key commodities like flour, refined palm oil, skimmed milk powder, etc. The companys top line growth of 28.4% was eroded by inflation in input costs, resulting in a gross margin decline of 6.7%.The global dairy market is marked by sharp fluctuations in the price of dairy products. Furthermore, sales prices are fixed with customers for relatively long periods in a number of markets, whereas the purchase prices of milk are subject to short-term fluctuations. In order to limit these risks, Britannia should try to minimize its operating costs by efficiently utilizing existing resources. Further increase in input cost could dampen the company s gross margin, which could result in declining top-line growth. Outbreak of animal diseases Britannia, as a diary product company, is dependent on constant supply and quality of the raw materials like milk. Any outbreak of animal diseases (especially Foot and Mouth Disease caused by a virus which is one of the most contagious and feared diseases), can cause heavy loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals world over. Britannia, which markets all dairy-based products like butter, cheese, and biscuits to different countries, may get affected by milk supplies and the production and sale of dairy products in case of diseases outbreak thus affecting its revenues. TOP COMPETITORS The following companies are the major competitors of Britannia Industries Ltd. Nestle India Ltd ITC Corporation Ltd. Parle Products Pvt. Ltd.

Future of Signals Analysis :: essays research papers

FUTURE OF SIGNALS ANALYSIS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Protocols for transferring data, information, or any other signals communication have dramatically changed. Breakthrough technology has changed the way signals are transmitted, collected, analyzed and distributed. Technology has exceeded well beyond first generation robust computers to third and forth generation supercomputers that are small enough to fit in a person’s shirt pocket. Signals analysts are expected to engage and explore the realms of the unknown and conquer it with decisive and accurate analysis. The future holds an extremely challenging problem for signals analysis. The conglomerate of highly skilled analysts is extremely small which poses a problem because as the global market gets larger, skilled signal analysts have a difficult time keeping pace. The Internet has long surpassed its expectations and survivability by at least three folds since the time of its creation. The Internet has provided the ability to process large quantities of data from anywhere in the world with corresponding communication bandwidth with a few simple mouse clicks. The Internet appears to be a conduit for up to 95% of the world’s communication transmissions. A state of the art desktop computer with Internet access is universally available to millions of anonymous individuals at affordable rates. Ingenious individuals constantly cover their footprints while pinging specific websites and e-mail addresses to avoid detection from the United States Intelligence Community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cryptology applications are becoming extremely advanced and more difficult to distinguish. Scientists and mathematicians are spending years developing indestructible encrypted codes, while also trying to decipher codes. Data is sometimes transmitted in such an unpredictable manner that analysts have difficulty understanding the chaotic system. Cryptology has proved its effectiveness through two World Wars. Combining legacy with state of the art technology has the potential to create an awesome defense. Less than  ½% of people will send crucial data or information through unsecured communications. Knowing the severity of decoding encrypted messages, signal analysts must remain aware of new trends and occurring patterns to make successful calls about intelligence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AT&T and MCI telecommunication companies have laid enough fiber optic cables to reach the sun and back to the earth at least three times. There are many more smaller private and commercial companies that have also laid cable throughout the world. The advantage of fiber optic cables is that they do not emit external signals while transmitting. There are over 200 fibers within the cable, which can transmit data or information.

Uses and Consequences of the Self Fulfilling Prophecy Essay -- Educati

Uses and Consequences of the Self Fulfilling Prophecy Abstract The Self Fulfilling Prophecy is a concept that should be quite familiar in the classroom, yet is still a mystery to many teachers today. Learning to properly use this idea will ultimately result in higher student scores directly, and on a higher level, will cause students to model the expectations of the teacher and expect much of themselves. This will set students up for highly successful autonomous learning. However, ignorance or improper use of the SFP does not stimulate learning, but may inhibit accomplishment. Teachers must strive to achieve a better understanding of this â€Å"Pygmalion Effect† to create a powerful learning environment. Uses and Consequences of the Self Fulfilling Prophecy The concept of the self-fulfilling-prophecy, renowned as the Pygmalion Effect, is known throughout the education world, but its principles can often be confused, misused, or ignored altogether (Tauber, 1998). If handled wisely, the self-fulfilling-prophecy (SFP) can be a teacher’s most potent tool in constructing success in his/her students. To the same ends, though, it can be an overwhelming suppressor to potentially great talent. Therefore, teachers must strive to find a better understanding of the SFP, shed their inhibiting methods of stereotyping, and begin to use SFP to produce positive effects for all their students, setting them on the road to autonomous learning. Before teachers can do anything to utilize the idea of SFP, they must truly understand it. Study of the topic combined with reflection on personal experience will hone their understanding. Standard research will give teachers a powerful theoretical base from which they can move. Backgro... ...t is due. When it is properly used, it presides over all other areas of education, because the students will find within themselves the motivation to strive to achieve anything set before them. Works Cited: Tauber, Robert T. (1998). Good or Bad, What Teachers Expect from Students They Generally Get! Washington, D.C.: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 426 985) The Pygmalion Effect. Retrieved April 4, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.caritas-corkeryhouse.com/art18.htm Rhem, James (1999). Pygmalion in the Classroom. Retrieved April 4, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9902/pygm_1.htm Churchward, Budd (1986). 11 Techniques for Better Classroom Discipline. Retrieved April 2, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.honorlevel.com/techniques.html

Representations of Women in Ike Oguine A Squatters Tale :: Squatters Tale Essays

Representations of Women in A Squatter’s Tale Women can be perceived or looked at in many ways. They are depicted not only as mothers, but also as friends, companions, and even prostitutes. Today’s society has a variety of images of what they feel women should be and what they actually are. Likewise in Ike Oguine’s A Squatter’s Tale, women are portrayed through various roles such as mothers, girl friends or companions, and prostitutes to reflect the society. First, mothers are backbones of the family. When hard times are experienced, they are the ones who keep the family together. Women provide more than financial support to the family. They are the sense of hope and encouragement to keep the household running smoothly. In A Squatter’s Tale, Obi’s mother is the one who, even in hard times, keeps holding on trying to get through the difficulties. The love she has for her family is what gives her the strength to give all she can to her family. When Obi’s family move from their Yaba house to a three-bedroom flat in the outer reaches of Isolo, as a result of the sudden retirement of Obi’s father, their struggles for survival increase. Obi’s mother would drive everyday from Isolo to her shop in Yaba. The drive she endures everyday is very long and tiring. Obi knows his mother is enduring a lot for the family as Oguine establishes this sense of hardship by stating in Obi’s words, From our new home my mother had to do a hellish drive to her shop in Yaba every morning (leaving behind two disabled men – my father and me – brooding in the living room all day in front of the shiny black Sony Trinitron 21† TV I bought when I was treasury manager in BTF) and another hellish drive back every evening through the most chaotic traffic in the whole of Lagos. (113-114) The struggle of the drive alone is hard for Obi’s mother. When her car breaks down after ten years, the battle against hardships is about to be lost, because, in addition to working extremely hard, she is being put through hell. Obi realizes what the struggle is doing to his mother the day she comes home after her car has broken down.

Merits and Demerits of Police Identification

?Discuss any four types of police identification parade emphasizing on their respective merits and short comings. Police identification parade can be referred to as a situation whereby suspects believed to have committed a crime are presented or lined-up for witnesses to identify if indeed the one or group of persons who committed the crime is amongst the line-up. This method is used inorder to help the police confirm if indeed suspect did commit the crime. There are several ways in which police identification parades can be conducted.Depending on the type of situation and resources available for use; be it human or technological will most preferably assist the police on what methods to put in (type of identification parade). When police forces are carrying out their functions, they also have a duty to have regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and to take steps to foster good relations. The main focus of my study is to address only fou r of these identification parades and analyze into detail their main objectives and discuss their merits and where they fall short.Some of the identification parades we know of may weigh in different levels with regards to effectiveness. Others are judged to be more effective whiles some others are least effective. In this code, identification by an eye-witness arises when a witness who has seen the offender committing the crime and is given an opportunity to identify a person suspected of involvement in the offence in a video identification or similar procedure. From a legal point of view the question that an identification parade attempts to answer is whether the suspect is in fact the culprit.First of all, I would like to discuss about the ‘video identification’. With this method, suspects are kept in a confined area or room under a surveillance camera. A ‘video identification’ is when the witness is shown moving images of a known suspect, together with similar images of others who resemble the suspect. Sometimes in absence of the videos photographs of assumed suspects are shown to the witness to help identify the culprit. Even though it is sometimes useful, it is not the best since it shows still-life images which shows only one sided angle on the view of things and thereby makes it difficult for identification.The video is more advantageous in suspect identification because since there are moving images and gives different angles on the view of things. Examples are; the different kinds of expressions and mood swings exhibited by, the witness can easily identify the suspect if indeed he o she is part. These eye-witness identification procedures are designed to test an eye witness’ ability to identify suspects and to provide safeguards against mistaken identity. Secondly, the identification parade that will be considered here is the ‘line-up’.With this procedure, suspects are arranged or lined up for witnesses t o view and see which of them are or is the culprit. Here, the police officer in charge instructs the suspects to turn to whichever direction the witness asks. The witness is therefore asked to point out to the real culprit(s) who indeed committed the crime. Since this is an open parade, things could get complicated and physical in the sense that, if the witness pin points the suspect, and tempers are not calm, the suspect might step forward and harass the witness physically.In some cases, witnesses might be forced to give false data when they stare directly into faces of the suspects. Some suspects make facial expressions which are very threatening to witnesses and therefore conclude that the witness is not part of the parade for fear for their life. In other cases too, the witness might point to the wrong person who also has an appearance like that of a criminal (shabbily dressed, muscular, bony face, black lips) . Also depending on the type of question the witness is asked, he or she might give false information.Example: if the police asks; â€Å"which of them attacked you or committed the offence? † the witness is implied to just chose a suspect even if, the real culprit is not among the parade. Such questions are imperatives which do not really ask a direct question but instead expects you to comply or conform. Apart from this method shortcoming, there is no doubt that it’s sometimes reliable. Thirdly, identifications can be carried out by using a one-way mirror which is a better procedure as compared to that of the open line-ups.With this method, suspects are lined up in a room which is much secured with glass windows from which the witness can have a clear view of all the suspects present. The windows here are made of glass which are tinted, so suspects do not see whatever that goes on outside but the witness who is outside the room sees all that goes on inside. Identification of culprit(s) becomes difficult for the witness if suspects are dressed in almost the same way and there is the chance that, there exist some similarities between any of the suspects, especially when the culprit is involved.Also not all eye witness’ have very good memeory when it comes to facial recognition. Furthermore, there is the sort of identification which has to do with verbal recognition. Here, different set of audio recordings of different suspects are selected and then played for the witness to identify the culprit. This method is only used in critical situations where the witness did not see the suspect but heard the person speak. This could be difficult for the witness to identify especially when the tapes been played are similar.Sometimes too, the suspect is kept in a confined room with a recording device and is asked by the police to mention specific words suggested by the witness. These words are sometimes the ones the witness heard the suspect say at the time of the incident. In conclusion to the above procedures, the poli ce force can put in severe measures that could enhance or yield positive and effective results to make their work much easier and simpler. There are also instances whereby two or more procedures of identification are incorporated into one to help solve cases which are very delicate and special.