Nokia Aims Way Beyond Handsets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nokia Aims Way Beyond Handsets - Essay Example is more applicable in case of the multinational corporations as; such companies have to take into account wide range of factors to operate successfully. The mobile hand - set manufacturing giant, Nokia is a Finland based company. The company has undisputed market penetration in the arena of mobile hand – set with wide range of products. The company ratifies itself as the consumer led company and focuses upon consumer involvement with technology and communications all across the globe. In order to remain flexible and achieve sustainable all round development, Nokia has primarily focused upon major shifts in the undertaken strategies of the company. It has expanded its product categories beyond mobile hand – set and ventured into wide range of products as well as services. The company has also increasingly focused on tie – ups with major cellular service providers all across the globe. The company longs to build valued relationships with the customers through beautiful devices and excellent services. Nokia, the leader of the market in the arena of the mobile hand set manufacturing is actively involved in to strategical shifts in to other diversified arenas. The company is of the view that it is the diversification and the expansion that holds key to the success in the modern business scenario. Some of the prominent alternatives that Nokia has been focusing upon include the following: Acquisition of Loudeye, gate5 and Twango – Basically the mobile hand set manufacturer, Nokia has been on the acquisition spree to share music among its users. For the purpose, the company acquired the most valued rival of Apple iTunes, Loudeye. Also, Nokia purchased the software manufacturing giant, gate5 and Twango, the media sharing website. Nokia Maps – Nokia Maps have been the other hugely successful concept brought forward by Nokia. The users of the Nokia Maps enabled hand - sets can choose nearby interesting locations on their screens. Many of the service providers of

The Internet And The Democratic Process Essay Example for Free

The Internet And The Democratic Process Essay The Internet has literally revolutionized the way we live, radically changing the way we receive and disseminate information. It has had dramatic effects on business, education, and society in general, but the focus of this paper will be on how the Internet has affected the democratic process of election. In recent years, the way campaigns have been run by candidates has changed dramatically, as they have had to shift a large percentage of their resources and attention to the Internet and its many venues for reaching potential voters. Beyond campaigning, however, the Internet has also affected the way people vote. Just as how the Internet helps consumers decide on product choice, it has also aided political aspirants to market their credentials, and at the same time, help the voters know more about the candidates. During the 1994 mid-term elections, thousands of voters preferred the electronic mail as the vehicle for asking questions from candidates than television appearances which were often dependent on sound bites, and did not comprehensively present the positions of the candidates on important issues. Special interest groups have also joined the campaign by providing online information about candidates such as the League of Women Voters and the California Online Voter Guide (Tapscott, 1999). In 2000, the role of the Internet in politics was elevated to a higher and more serious level when it was used in the democratic presidential primary in Arizona. During this primary, almost half of the voters cast their votes through the Internet (Weare, 2002). They were the first state in our country (and this was 8 years ago now) to implement what is called â€Å"e-voting,† which was intended to simplify the voting process, making it easier for votes to be cast from anywhere where there is an Internet connection. The implications are staggering, as e-voting would result in many votes being cast that previously would not have been, simply because so many people did not take the time to actually make their way to the polls. Apart from increasing participation in the most important democratic process, which is the elections, the Internet may also decrease the cost of political transaction not only on the part of the voters but also on the part of the politicians. Specifically, election campaign through the Internet can prove to be less costly in a state-wide or nation-wide campaign, and even more effective in terms of getting the politician’s message across to the voting public since discussions are open and there are no constraints in providing campaign information through e-mails. True enough, the Internet also allows for more simplified communication between the people and their representatives. According to the Center for Governmental Studies, an organization that researches ways to improve government, â€Å"the Internet can revitalize American democracy by encouraging two-way communications: from candidate to candidate, from voter to candidate, and from voter to voter† (Shane, 2004).   It is also interesting to note that Internet can also be used in generating campaign funds. For instance, Howard Dean became a frontrunner during the 2004 Democratic primaries due to the millions he was able to raise through an e-mail campaign (Wheeler, 2004). Equally important in a meaningful democracy is the freedom of the people to articulate their interests and opinions, that is made possible by the social forums on the Internet that provide places for political discussions and debates. There are literally millions of sites, discussion boards, and forums that are mediated by the people themselves for the purpose of disseminating information and contributing to the discussion of political issues (Saco, 2002). Because there is no guidance or control, like there is with the media, we see a wider range of opinions being expressed. Yes, there is more ignorance, but there is also more opportunity to be heard, and there is less fear that an underlying bias is behind the source of every message. Essentially, the Internet has become a place of extremely open communication where millions of people are now going to get their information about politics and the election process. This â€Å"openness† has become the new driving force behind our democracy, and today’s presidential hopefuls have certainly taken notice of this, using the Internet to their advantage as often as they can. In a YouGov America Survey of 3,500 internet users a week before the 2004 presidential elections, it was noted that â€Å"about 12% of Americans who had internet access sent an e-mail on the elections, voters under the age of 24 trusted online media than the television, and even senior voters actively visited political websites† or weblogs by politicians (Wheeler, 2004). Interestingly, there are many who are more conservative and skeptical about the impact of the Internet on democratic processess. For example, there is supposedly a cultural divide between the people who use the Internet and those who do not, as some can afford it and some cannot. Essentially, it is argued that there is an Internet class, and a non-Internet class of U.S. citizens – so what happens on the Internet is not a true representation of the country’s collective opinions and people (Shane, 2004). However in an advanced economy wherein the Internet becomes a public good, this argument may no longer be tenable. There is also a question about the authenticity of the communication process because we can never be sure if we are dealing with genuine people or with those who are only taking advantage of the anonymity in the Internet. Users should also be cautious about the authenticity of the information that is also found in the Internet, because, being too â€Å"open†, it had also been used to propagate lies, unhealthy propaganda and misinformation. Poll surveys have also become an instant and daily occurrence in the internet which was supposed to â€Å"represent† opinions on certain issues, even though there are not enough checks on the authenticity of the voter. Still, these polls are being used to shape public opinion. Though it is true that the Internet can be easily be subjected to abuse, what is important is that through this media, more political preferences are being articulated by the people and the people have access to the political information that they need it is only up to their political wisdom how to make this technology more beneficial to them. References Saco, D. (2002). Cybering Democracy: Public Space and the Internet. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Shane, P. M. (Ed.). (2004). Democracy Online: The Prospects for Political Renewal through the Internet. New York: Routledge. Tapscott, Don. (1999). The Digital Economy: Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence. The Industrial Age Democracy by the Alliance for Converging Technologies. Accessed at http://www.virtualitaet.de/stadt/internet/indage_bureaucracy on 03/03/2008. Weare, C. (2002). The Internet and Democracy: The Causal Links between Technology and Politics. International Journal of Public Administration, 25(5), 659+. Wheeler, Bryan. (2004, August 12). The Internet and Elections. BBC News Online. Accessed at http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk on 03/03/2008.

SWOT Analysis :: Business, Administration, Analysis

SWOT Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This type of analysis is designed to help identify several areas of a business that may need improvement and other areas where the company may be able to improve upon. SWOT is an acronym for; Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats. A company should consider this analysis to be one of the most important steps to becoming one of the leading stores and schools of this nature in the area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A business idea gets started by acquiring knowledge of a product, market or skill. In this case, the company’s idea got started from the skills gained from years of diving and love of water and marine life. These things inspired the owner to start his business. One of the most difficult things to identify as a business owner and as an entrepreneur is that area where the company or owner is lacking strength. When considering a business venture, normally one is not looking at the negative factors of the business itself. In most cases, the entrepreneur looks at the positive factors that can help his business get started. SWOT Analysis:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strengths †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Highly Qualified Staff †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reasonable Prices †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over 20 years experience in the business †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Offers scuba gear, training, certifications & eco trips †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good rapport with customers Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of mission statement on the website †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of competition †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Limited funds (Typical in small businesses) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over $200k in inventory (Too much capital invested in inventory) Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Virtual store (Offering used equipment and possible equipment trade-in) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New retail store †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proper advertisement (Direct mail, sponsorships, place mats, radio, television advertisement, travel and sports magazines, Verizon yellow book etc.

Effects of Advertising Essay

Advertising may have some good points, as we know, but advertising is really just a necessary evil. Advertising has its own fair share of negative effects. While some are obvious to those with a more scrutinizing eye, most of advertising’s potentially harmful facets go undetected. How do you think advertisements have affected consumers or What are the negative effect of advertising? Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade its viewers, readers or listeners to take some action. Why should an ad be negative The main functionality of an ad is to convey the reason for existence of a brand / product and entice customers to buy. The visuals are a form of expressing the communication and making it is human as possible. How its shown or televised, printed is a subjective matter. Ideally we should be asking whether the communication is correct or not. Is it misleading the consumer Is it showcasing something and you are landed with something else Negative effects of ad would be when the communication is wrong, which seldom happens. Its really only in cases of Insurance ads, funds or generally speaking finance vertical ads. Keeping these hazards in mind even these corporates have started issuing a disclaimer immediately after the ads. Cold drink companies are using aero stunts for their ads and also staking claim that the stunts are performed by qualified experts and hence not to be done by normal unqualified people!! Ads will not really be negative, unless there may in some cases like the Red Bull ad where the content is quite derogatory where the man drinks Red Bull flies and opens his fly on top of the bird because the bird shat on him†¦ thats going too far with the tag for Red Bull. So I do not really find any negative effect of advertising per se!! Today advertising plays a dominant role for each and every product. Sometimes it becomes nuisance for the viewers, especially when watching the favourite programes in TVs and during this time the ad will not be of much effective as they will be nelected by the viewers by switching over to another channel for watching some other show. The basic objective of all ad campaign in TV channels is to reach the public immediately. Here the question is up to what extent the ads are effective and are sucessful.. we can’t say 100%. o the advertisers should plan their capaign to get the milage to the greater extent. But it is true that the ad related to the children is very well watched by them and are enjoyed by the children. For every action, there is an opposite and an equievalent reaction. Hence the advertisers have to make a strategic planning on their timing and the money spent for the ad should not go waste. In other words thei ad capaign should regulated. The ad should not turn to irritate the viewers and it should not also exaggerate. It should be simple to showcase their products qualities and applications. I believe currently that advertising has become so powerful and so subtle that we accept most of it without thinking. It is our environment. We buy shirts and bags with large logos and ‘show off’ most of us own a TV, the programs that exist are there only to get us to see ads. Our newspapers are covered in ads and we still call it news. My point is that advertising is in no way positive. It creates ‘want’ in a society that doesn’t understand the true meaning of ‘Need’. Fr. Kavanaugh was on the mark when describing the effects of advertising on society. Our moral values are being degraded by the bombardment of impropriety by the media. Adler would be quick in pointing out the reason why these messages have such a negative effect on people. There are two main tactics advertisers use to sell their product: either imply that their product will bring about the achievement of a particular (usually real) good, or make their product the object of desire, therefore making it an apparent good to people. The problem with associating products with the achievement of a good lies more in the realm of truth than in good, because it lies in whether or not the product can truly live up to its claims. The relation between a product and statements, therefore, they are directly misleading the public. The other subjective thing, it would seem to be acceptable for advertisers to qualify represent — in other words, Calvin Klein products are now in and of themselves associating more importance to the product than to the good involved, like a society to advocate proper moral values in their advertising, or at least not The effects of 2 People see advertisements all around the globe that attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards everywhere. According to marketing consultants Stan Rapp and Tom Collins, on a typical day, an average American sees over 5,000 advertisements a day (Gay, 1992). Many questions arise about these advertisements, such as â€Å"Is advertising deceptive? Does it create or perpetuate stereotypes? Does it create conformity? Does it create insecurity in order to sell goods? Does it cause people to buy things that they really don’t need? †(Alexander & Hanson, 1993, p. 240). Advertisers use specific methods to target teen consumers, but these methods are not always successful or ethical. Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales, which increases the efficiency of the nation’s economy. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. Advertising alone, however, does not get customers. It simply catches consumers’ attention, gets them to walk up to a shelf, and make an impulsive purchase. However, getting the customer back requires a more creative marketing approach. There are several ways to research consumers’ behaviors, likes, and dislikes. The most popular method is tests and surveys, both before and after a product is introduced. Telephone surveys are very common, but they take several thousand calls to get a substantial number of responses to work with. Along with those, written questionnaires and samples, either handed out in stores or sent by mail, are effective tests to see if consumers like a product or not. The reactions to the samples, results of questionnaires, and number of participants are all recorded as The effects of 3 a part of the researching process to come up with effective ads. All of this data collected also has other purposes, such as information on warranties and which groups to target for certain products. Companies also check whether the ads are being productive by means of comparing the money made and number of sales during periods of advertising to those during a time of no advertising. Some companies even allow average consumers to preview a commercial to get a response. As a result, companies learn what consumers want before wasting money on useless ads. A well-known advertising strategy is making consumers feel insecure and creating fears that can be overcome by buying. Advertising reveals the latest fashions and the new popular novelties on the market. It exhibits perfect individuals wearing the new styles and looking good. Consumers observe this perfection and envy it. Therefore, they go out and buy in hopes of reaching perfection. Furthermore, being an accepted member of society has become very important to most individuals. For instance, the presence of body odor on individuals makes them an outcast in society. Advertisers use this knowledge to their advantage by developing ads that show a person using deodorant and being recognized as popular. Fear also works into the whole advertising process. Due to the fear by consumers that they will not fit in, they pay close attention to the new ads for the new looks, which gives advertisers more drive to make their ads portray the ideal person. Advertisers also insure that ads are simply informational, but many disagree and believe that they are definitely persuasive. According to Douglas Kellner, a professor of philosophy, as early as the 1920s, advertising critics argue that ads began to persuade Americans, due to the new invention of the assembly lines and the concept of corporations, that buying material The effects of 4 goods was the thing to do. They tried convincing people that spending hard-earned dollars on items that could be hand-made was the new accepted behavior that would enhance their lives (Alexander & Hanson, 1993). Likewise, critics of the advertising industry argue that it connects products with preferred emotions, such as happiness and popularity. For example, beer commercials often show a man after a hard day’s work enjoying an ice-cold beer to relax him. They also argue that ads give people the impression that products can give them talent. Take athletics, for example. Nike ads are accused of implying that their shoes will give a consumer athletic ability. Michael Jordan is shown in a television commercial dunking a basketball, wearing a new style of Nike shoes. Consequently, kids are going to want the same pair to be â€Å"like Mike† (Wolf, 1998, n. p. ). On the other hand, advertising agencies say that they just give the consumers up-to-date information. They show change in their ads because they know that is what consumers want and to fulfill the needs of the general public, change. Thus, persuasive strategies are considered techniques used by advertisers to get consumers to buy. Teenagers have become top consumers in today’s society, so advertisers have focused on getting their business. According to Simmons Market Research Bureau of New York City, teens bought 25% of all movie tickets and 27% of all videos, totaling $6. 6 billion. In 1998, teens spent $1. 5 billion on jeans, almost twice as much as in 1990, and $3 billion on sneakers, almost four times more than the amount spent in 1997 (Tulley, 1994). Another reason teens are being targeted is the fact that there are many more teens in America today than the past Generation X. The current number is even expected to grow in the next decade, giving advertisers more reason to target them. Winning teens over as customers, today, means possible long-term customers, The effects of 5 which equal big profits. The majority of teens also have part-time jobs or some type of income. With the possibility of the minimum wage raising once again, teens have come to possess a lot of buying power. According to the Teenage Research Unlimited, teenagers spent $140 billion in 1998, which is 14 percent more than in 1997 (Berkowitz & Evangelista, 1999). Teens are able to spend their money more freely because they do not have the responsibilities of adults. They even have a greater influence on household spending, as their role in the spending of their parents’ money continues to grow. For instance, it is not unusual for a parent to send their teenager to the grocery store for them, giving them complete control of brand choice. Thus, teenagers are becoming big targets for advertisers due to their growing consumerism. Why are teenagers such big targets in the advertising industry? The answer is simple: They are different. Advertisers view them as a constant changing generation with optimistic outlooks. They want to show individuality by their clothes and possessions, yet fit in with their peers. Their optimism comes from the good rate of job placement after college, the good position of the nation’s economy, and the very low unemployment rates. Teenagers can basically strive for any career with a good chance of being successful. They like to feel good about themselves, so they buy new materials to produce that feeling. Teens are continuously purchasing new items to keeps up with the changing trends. Therefore, advertisers use their view of teens to create ads. With this in mind, advertisers devise specific ads, using a variety of tactics, to appeal to these changing teens. Although marketers each have their own unique techniques, they all use original, flashy, and funny ads to reach the teenage audience. They make posters with college age students that create a fun and happy image. Television commercials include music with The effects of 6 good beats and bizarre images because that is what gets the attention of teens. For example, the Gap’s swing dancing commercials were a big success among teens. They bought their clothes and accessories from the Gap because they could relate to it. That is one reason Gap is ranked as the number one casual clothes store among teens. Advertisers use celebrities to endorse products because teens admire and look up to them. Since teens are still trying to find themselves, advertisers try to create ads and brands that will survive past the finding years of teenagers, so they will have them as future customers. Due to the change in today’s teens, advertisers target them much more. Another controversial subject with advertising is that fact that teenage smoking is on the rise. According to TIPS (Tobacco Information and Prevention Source), at least 6,000 people try a cigarette for the first time each day, all of which are under eighteen years old. There are at least 4. 5 million smoking adolescents in the United States. From 1988 to 1996, the number of adolescents, ages twelve to seventeen, who are daily smokers, has increased by 73 percent (http://www. cdc. gov/tobacco/initfact. htm). Teenage smoking has obviously increased in the United States. As a result, tobacco advertisements are being blamed for the increase use of tobacco by teenagers. Many advertising critics argue that tobacco ads do indeed influence and contribute to the number of teenage smokers. Most teens, however, disagree and believe that their peers are the number one factor in their decision to smoke. Since image is very important to teens, they evaluate what image their smoking friends portray. If they want that image too, they may also take up the habit of smoking. A teen’s attitude towards cigarettes is a considering factor, ranking above advertising that leads to teen smoking. It is obvious that if one has a negative attitude The effects of 7 towards cigarettes, he or she will be less smoke. However, if individuals openly accept cigarettes, they may end up as a smoker. Also, those around cigarettes on a daily basis are more likely to be persuaded to smoke than individuals who are not around cigarettes. In the opinions of teens, tobacco ads do not play a big role in their decision to smoke. Advertisers use a variety of tactics to target particular groups, such as teens, to market their product. There are many views on advertising. Despite the many opinions that advertising is manipulative, a waste of money that could go towards other issues, and a bad influence on human beings, there is no true way of proving it has a bad effect on people. It is simply intended to reveal the benefits of products that consumers want. It is vital to many businesses, as some would be unable to survive without a way of making their products known. Although advertising is accused of influencing consumers to buy things they do not need, they have the choice to buy. It is up to the consumer to make wise choices and develop shopping skills that are intelligent.

Financial Management Essay

Introduction In this assignment I will be researching and discussing how to manage my own personal finances. For this I will have to research sources of income and write about different types of employment and unemployment. The affect these have on salaries and wages will also be investigated. I have also been asked to research and summarise allowances and benefits. As part of the management of my personal finances I must produce a personal budget over a specific period of time, on completion of this I will pair with a partner and discuss my findings. Task 3 Why is it important for me to manage my personal finance? * To help not to run out of money * Help me with budgeting * Scarce resource * Savings * Paying bills * Living alone * Managing money is skill Task 4 Jobseekers allowance Jobseekers allowance would be paid to me if I am eligible for it and looking for (seeking) work. I also would have to be age 16 or over to be able to receive jobseekers allowance. This source of income is relevant for me because I am over the age of 16, living on my own and I am currently looking for work. Income support Income support provides financial help for people ages 16 and over, who have low income or no money coming in at all. This money is for people who are not currently seeking work. This money is to help people with day to day living. Income support is relevant to me because this is the situation I am currently living in and I also receive income support myself. Child benefit Child benefit is parents that have children under the age of 16 or children under 19 in full time education. Child benefit is no longer relevant to me because I do not live will my mother any more. Housing benefit Housing benefit helps towards paying my rent which would be my local authority, but they don’t cover all my housing costs. Housing benefit is eligible to people who are renting a room or living in a hostel of sum sort. I can apply for this by just going down to my local authority office and filling in a housing benefit form. Working families’ Tax Credit Working Tax Credit is for people who are employed or self-employed, over the aged of 16 and are working at least 16 hours a week. They also have to have at least one child. In couples, one person has to choose who receives the tax credits. The amount of tax credits they receive will depend on their annual income. Tax credits are not relevant for me because I am not responsible for any children and I am not currently working. Task 5 When preparing for employment the documents I would need: * CV * Covering letter * Application form * National insurance number * Bank details * Qualification certificates * P45 (maybe not for me yet) CV I would need a CV so that the employers get a brief summary of my qualifications and experience to-date. It would include the school and college I have attended. It will also include my past work experience. My CV will now include that I have recently worked at Superdrug. My CV will also have my references. References are very important as the employers may want to contact the referees to confirm I have the qualifications for the job, and if I am reliable and trustworthy enough for the job. Covering letter A covering letter is needed because it is a part of the formal requirement. It will show the employer where I heard about the advert and why I feel I would be right for the job. Application form Application forms are used to help the employer to separate the good candidates from the not so good candidates. They are also used to find out about information and candidates background. National Insurance No. Every one that has the right to work in the UK has the right to a national insurance number once they reach the age of 16. The national insurance number will show what national insurance contributions the worker pays over the course of his/her working life and also the contribution employers have made. Bank details Bank details are required in order for the employer to give you your wages. Wages are now paid by direct transfer from the employer to the bank account of the employee. Qualification certificates Proof of GCSE’s and past qualifications are important because the employer will expect me to have certain right qualification in order to have the job. Superdrug have specific qualifications that are required, these are called essential qualifications. Task 6 Types of employment Self employment Being self employed is when you do not work for anyone else you have your own business. For example owning your own sweets shop is self employment. The income of the sweets shop will come from the customers who purchase the sweets. The income may also come from the bank if you borrow money. Freelance Freelancers are a different type of self employment. Instead of owning their own business they sell their services by working for different businesses. For example a freelance hair dresser would not have their own hairdressing business they would get to all kinds of other businesses and do hairdressing. Employee Employees are people who work for someone who controls what work they do. The employer is in charge of the employee’s income and deducts national insurance from the employee’s wages or salary. As long as they is someone handling your wages before you get them you are an employee. Task 8 Key points of each job Job title Retail manager Tasks to be carried out Retail managers are responsible for day to day running of department stores, chain stores, supermarkets and independent shops. They look after staff management, including taking on and training new staff, maintaining a good standard of customer care and increasing sales and profitability. Their duties usually include: * Making sure premises and displays are well maintained * Organising stock checking and re-ordering as necessary, through computerised or manual systems * Making sure targets are reached and all opportunities are taken to increase sales and profitability * Organising sales promotions * Recruiting, interviewing and training staff * Dealing with queries or complaints from customers Skills required A retail manager should: * Know the company’s products and procedures well * Be committed to providing a high standard of customer service * Be able to lead and motivate a team * Have good knowledge of legal an d security issues * Have relevant commercial skills for business Qualifications required There are no set academic requirements to work in retail, although employers may prefer employees to have at list five GCSE’s grades A-C and have some working experience in retail. Useful qualifications would include: * BTEC national reward in retail * OCR certificate in retail * BTEC Higher National Diploma in retail management * Degree in retail management Individual qualities required * Be confident, energetic and quick thinking * Have excellent spoken English and written communication skills * Be able to take responsibility and make decisions * Have a smart appearance * Be organised * Be able to deal effectively with problems and complaints Wage/salary Starting salaries are usually from around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,000 Experienced managers may earn from around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15,000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½26,000 Managers of large stores may earn up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½65,000 or more. Job title Retail assistant Tasks to be carried out A retail assistant is responsible for making customers feel at ease when shopping and browsing around the store, directing them towards products and accepting payments. This job generally includes: * Restocking shelves and making sure merchandise is presented neatly * Greeting customers and answering enquiries about products * Operating computerised tills and barcode readers to scan items * Accepting payments for goods and wrapping them * Checking for stock items and ordering goods Skills required * To be accurate and thorough, even under pressure * To be trustworthy- they may be dealing with expensive products and large amounts of cash * To understand and follow company’s policies for health and safety and hygiene * Stamina, in order to serve on the shop floor for long periods Qualification required Employers set their own qualification requirements. But usually look for good communication skills, a pleasant personality and look for at least to two to four GCSE grades. Individual qualities required * Have an approachable, polite manner * Have good communication skills * Have a smart personal appearance * Enjoy providing a good level of customer service Wage/salary Starting salaries for a retail assistant is around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9,000 a year An experienced retail assistant may earn around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11,500 a year. Task 9 Why I think I am suitable for each job Retail assistant I think that I am suitable to work as a retail assistant because I have relevant experience within the retail industry. I have recently completed a 2 week work placement at Superdrug which is in the retail sector. During this period I was privileged to be responsible for replenishing stock, providing customer advice and keeping the shop floor tidy. This placement enabled me to develop vital skills such as team working, numeracy and customer service skills which are all needed in order to become a successful retail assistant. This work placement was a part of my BTEC introductory business coarse this qualification will also enable me to qualify to work as retail assistant. Retail manager I am qualified to work in the retail sector as a retail assistant but in order to qualify as a retail manager I would have to finish my BTEC introductory coarse and then go on to study for three more years to receive a BTEC national certificate in business. After this I would then need to go and study a degree in retail management in order to qualify for this job. I have good interpersonal and communication skills and while on my work experience I enjoyed providing good customer service these skills would help me with working toward becoming a retail manager. Retail managers are responsible for day to day running of department stores, chain stores, supermarkets and independent shops this may include Organising sales promotions and recruiting, interviewing and training staff. Task 10 Wage/salary deductions Gross pay Gross pay the amount of money an employee earns before any deductions are made such as tax or national insurance. Net pay Net pay is the money employees actually get for them to spend. National insurance contributions National insurance contributions is an amount of money that the employee has to pay towards there employers this is deducted by the employer from the employees wages. If you are self employed you also have to pay national insurance contribution, this is a small monthly payment and then a lump sum at the end of the year. National insurance code National insurance codes indicate an employee’s marital status and how long an employee has been working. Income tax There is a certain amount of money that every body is allowed to earn before they have to pay income tax, this is called personal tax allowances currently for people under the age of 65 this is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5,225 a year. If you earn any more than this you will have to pay income tax, how much you pay will depend on how much money you earn. Pensions/superannuation Pensions are long time investments that are designed to provide you with money in your old age when you are not able to work any more. The earlier you start your pension the more you get when you retire. Employees are usually offered a pension scheme when the start there job. The employer pays a contribution to your pension fund and so does the employee this is deducted out of the employee’s wages before it get to them. Union subscriptions A union is a large group of workers in a particular industry or profession. Unions provide benefits such as legal advice and can also provide support in cases of unfair treatment or dismissal. To subscribe employees would have to pay fees this is sometimes deducted from the employees wages before it is received or the employee can pay the fees themselves but it is not compulsory. Task 11 Allowances and Benefits Housing benefit Housing benefit helps towards paying my rent which would be my local authority, but they don’t cover all my housing costs. Housing benefit is eligible to people who are renting a room or living in a hostel of sum sort. I can apply for this by just going down to my local authority office and filling in a housing benefit form. This benefits me because its helps me to save money gives me more money to spend on more important things. Council tax Council tax is an amount of money you pay if you are renting out a council property or of you have you own property with a certain amount of people living in there. Council tax paid to pay the council for giving you their service of letting you live in their property and council tax also pay for things like people cleaning the streets. Interest from savings Interest from savings is when you put money into the bank or a financial institution and earn extra money on top. This is called interest. When you get interest you have to pay income tax on that interest, the bank usually deducts the tax before pay the interest. This benefits me because I regularly put savings into my bank account. Inherited money Most people decide to leave money to their relatives when they die, this is called inheritance. Inheritance could be a small or large amount of money and it may be necessary to pay inheritance tax on it. Borrowed money Borrowed money is anything from a loan to a bank overdraft. Money can also be borrowed from a relative or close friend in this case the money you have borrowed is the money you pay back. If you take out a loan or overdraft which is quit a large amount of money this usually involves paying back the money monthly and each month interest is added on top of the money that you are paying. This result in you paying more that you actually took in the first place, it is much wiser that you save your money for whatever you want to get therefore you will earn interest on your money rather that earning it. Working Families Tax Credit Working families’ tax credits is for people who have at least one child under the age of 16 or 19 in full time education and earn an income which is below a certain level. The person has to be working at least 16 hours a week and must have savings below à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8000. this does not apply to me as I am not eligible for this because I have no children. Task 14 Explanation of how I planned my personal finances Spend or save As soon as I receive my money I spend it on things that I need such as food shopping and rent. Any money left over would get spent on the gym and my mobile phone then the rest would get put aside as my savings. Gambling Gambling is when you pay money hoping for a chance of winning more money. Doing this is dangerous because you are not guaranteed your money. Gambling is very addictive and if done regularly this could put you into debt that why I choose not to go down this road. Spending habits When I receive my money on a weekly basis I try and spend as little as possible on food shopping so that I have money left over for myself to spend on small luxuries for example a meal out with my friends. I sometimes tend to spend too much on luxuries and this sometimes gets me into problems but I always have someone at hand to help me. Money and lifestyle At the moment the amount of money I receive doesn’t allow me to have the best of lifestyles but it is enough to put clothes on my back and to buy me shopping every week. To achieve the lifestyle I want I would need to find at least a part time job so I can earn more money than I’m getting now. My expectations of work and money As long as I have enough money to buy me some food and to pay the rent I am ok for the moment. But I would like a bit more than that for example going on holidays and buying the latest clothing. To do this I would need to find a job and also make sure that I handle my personal finances correctly and do some budgeting for these luxuries. Short term accounts Every week I receive my income support into my bank account. I am currently using a current account all my bills are paid out of this account and all my Ema payment come into this account. I also have a short term savings account which I put money into every week. I use this account when I run out of money or need to pay for something important e.g. phone bill. Long term accounts A long term savings account is an account that allows you to build up interest on money that you are saving over a number of years. An example could be an ISA, this is an individual savings account because it is tax free provided the amount saved each year doesn’t exceed à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,000. The interest is cumulative which means the amount of interest plus capital will increase year on year. Another example of a long term account is a bank loan. A bank loan is usually drawn over a long period. This is a lump sum of money that I borrowed from the bank and paid off over a long period of time. For example a mortgage is paid over a period of 25 years. Cheque book A cheque is a promise to pay someone in place of cash. When you are writing a cheque you write down exactly how much you are going to pay the person. The person then takes the cheque to the bank and waits for it to clear this takes between 3-5 days. It is important to make sure that you have the right amount of money in your bank so you don’t go into debt. It is also important to keep a record of any cheques that have been written, this can be done by using stubs which are left in the cheque book after you tear it out to pay someone. The stubs are there so that you can note down the details of the cheque and will help keep track of your money. Credit cards A credit card is a card that you can use to pay for items of clothing or products. This card however gives you money on it but you have to pay it back you are also given a credit limit. To avoid spending more money than you actually have you should usually pay back the money within a month if the money is paid after this you will be charged interest. If you go over the limit that the company has given you interest will also be added. Also you can check how much money you are spending by checking a mini statement that you can get from a cash point. Debit cards Debit cards are cards that have your own money that you put on to the card. You can use this card to purchase virtually anything but instead of having a credit limit of borrowed money you are actually using your own money to purchase goods. A debit card allows you to take cash out of ATMs if you have enough money in your account. To see how much funds you have in your account through an ATM you are given a pin number by your bank to memorise this then allows you to draw cash from the machines and purchase items in shops. To check that no-one is stealing from you or to make sure you are not spending more money than your supposed to it is good to check your bank statement each month these are sent to you by your bank. The bank statement show how much money you had in your account originally, then show all payments that were taken out of that money. You can then check if there are any payments that you are unsure of or if any mistakes were made in you transactions. Paying bills Bills can be paid using direct debit or standing orders. This is when you money is taken out of you account and paid to a business for example, BT telephone company at the same time every month. This can help with budgeting, as you will know how much money is going out every month. To check that you are not paying out more than you’re supposed to you can check the phone bill you receive every month. Remaining in credit It is important to manage your account carefully to ensure you stay in credit. You must make sure that when you making payments such as cheques and debit cards you have enough money to make those payments. If not you account will go in to debt and you will be charged fines for doing this, it will also build up a bad credit rating which will make it hard for you to get a mortgage or a credit card in the future. Task 16 Summary of holiday budget activity Why do you think it is important to manage your personal finances? I think it is important for me to manage my finances because it helps me to pay all my bills on time without getting into to debt. It also allows me to put money aside for unexpected emergencies. Managing my personal finances is a very important skill. This skill is extremely important if I would like to start my own business or borrow money from a bank. Managing my money correctly will enable me to live quiet a prosperous life in the long run. Did you find it easy or difficult to manage the finances given in exercises? – give reasons I found managing finances quiet hard because you have to keep track of the money coming out of my income every week and there were a lot of different bills to pay and they were all different amounts. I also had to keep track of my spending at the same time to make sure that I didn’t get into debt this was really difficult because you can get carried away when your sending your money on luxuries. After all that I have to calculate the total regular expenditure and then work out if I had any money left over to put aside as savings, overall this task was very challenging but it taught me a lot about how to manage my own finances. What did you learn from the exercise on budgeting over a period of time? From doing the budgeting exercise I learnt that saving the little scraps of money here and there builds up into to something big. Also cutting down on luxuries also helps in the long run because the money you have saved enables you to get those luxuries if you just give time. This budgeting exercise also taught me how to calculate my net cash flow which I previously did not know how to do. I also learnt that budgeting is important for everyone because it stop many people from getting into to debt and also helps them to save considerable amount of money. Bibliography BTEC introduction business-published by Heinemann in 2005 Heinemann Educational Publishers Halley Court, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8EJ ISBN 978 0 435401 21 4 John Ruskin college intranet site Unit 6 Financial Management

Civl Rights essays

Civl Rights essays During the time of 1963, Black people had been suffering in the hands of injustice for about two hundred years. Even after the Emancipation Proclamation many of them were frustrated and discouraged because of their social status. On August 28, 1963 one of the greatest and most prominent civil rights speakers took the stage to address many supporters of the cause. On that day Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke the words "I Have a Dream" speech at the March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom. By way of these words, he hoped to make his fellow advocates of civil rights to rise up and to take actions. He tried to inspire people to fight for the "unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." He had inspired growing national civil rights movement. His goal was to completely end the system of segregation in every aspect of public life (stores, no separate bathrooms and drinking fountains, etc.) King tried to influence to lift up his brothers and sisters, Blacks and otherw ise and to make them step up with their whole hearts to the challenge and to fight for their equal rights. He was a strong and determined man. That is why many people believed in him. He was a very confident man and he deeply believed in equal rights. That is why he believed in himself and believed in his cause and that is why he started out his speech like this "I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. He knew that a huge crowd would be their supporting him. People from all over came to D.C. to hear his speech. Most were blacks, but there were also whites that were supporting the Civil Rights Movement. In delivering his speech, Martin Luther King included certain rhetorical components in order to raise action to his audience. Repetition is always a very important rhetorical device of a rise-to-action speech. Audiences are more likely to be mov...

ACT Exact Start Time and End Time

ACT Exact Start Time and End Time SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In addition to all your ACT studying, you need to prepare for test day. When exactly does the ACT start? What time will you hand in your scantron sheet, gather your arsenal of No. 2 pencils, and leave the test center? Is timing the same for all students, or does it vary by location? This guide will go over the exact start and end time of the ACT so you can plan your Saturday morning. Assuming you haven't arranged an alternative testing date or other accommodations, what time do you need to arrive? ACT Test Day: When Do You Need to Arrive? You must be in the test center by 8:00 am at the very latest. Test administrators are strict about denying entrance to latecomers. Since students are usually admitted at 7:45 am, you should really aim to arrive between 7:30 and 7:45 am. There's often a line of students waiting outside, so it's definitely a good idea to get there earlier than 7:45. You'll check in with your admission ticket and ID and find your room. Seats are assigned, but first you might have to store your bag and snacks somewhere outside of the testing room. Once everyone is checked in and seated, the proctor will pass out the test booklets and scantrons. She'll give you instructions about how to fill out your personal details and take the ACT. All of this takes about 30 minutes to an hour,depending on how many students there are and how long it takes everyone to get settled in. Although you'll arrive to the test center by 7:45, you'll actually start taking the ACT between 8:30 and 9:00.From the point you start in on your first English question, how long does the exam take? How Long Is the ACT? Added together, the four multiple-choice sections of the ACT (English,Math,Reading, andScience) take a total of two hours and 55 minutes. With the 40-minute optional Writing section, this time increases to threehours and 35 minutes. Here is an overview of the time you'll get on each ACT section (including breaks). I've also included exact start and end times (with the assumption that the test starts at 8:30 am). ACT Section Total Time Start Time End Time English 45 mins 8:30 am 9:15am Math 60 mins 9:15am 10:15am Break 10 mins 10:15am 10:25am Reading 35 mins 10:25am :00am Science 35 mins :00am :35am Break (some students leave) 5 mins :35am :40am Writing (optional) 40 mins :40am 12:20 pm TOTAL 3 hrs 5 mins (w/out Writing) 3 hrs 50 mins (w/ Writing) - - Besides the four sections, you'll get a 10-minute break. This break is always after Math and before Reading. If you're taking the ACT with Writing, you'll also get a five-minute break first. If not, this is when you'll hand in your test and leave the testing center. On rare occasions, some students might be asked to take an extra fifth section (lucky them). This section will come at the end of the test. Don't worry- it won't be scored. It's just used to test out material for future ACTs. The questions could be multiple choice or student-produced responses. In the past, this section has been just 16 minutes long. Typically, without this rare extra section, the ACT is threehours and five minutes or three hours and 50 minutes(with the Writing section and breaks). Apart from a slight variation in start time to get everyone checked in, though, are there any other differences in how long the test takes at different test centers? Are There Any Variations in the ACT Schedule? The ACT should be three hours and five minutes or three hours and 50 minutes across the board. Since it's a globally administered admissions test, test-taking conditions should be standard for all students. The only exception involves accommodations for extended time or Special Testing. Other slight variations in the ACT schedule might occur if a proctor isn't strict with break time, or if students take extra time to return to the test room. There could also be a delay if a proctor has to dismiss a student from the testing room, although she might wait until the test is over to deal with an issue so as not to interrupt everyone else. Generally speaking, everyone taking the ACT will get the same amount of time. Because of this, you can know what to expect for your Saturday morning schedule and when to arrange to be dropped off and picked up. When Will You Leave the ACT Testing Center? Students taking the ACT are generally dismissed around 12:15 pm, and those taking the ACT with Writing are dismissed around 1:15 pm. Beyond the test, it takes a few minutes for the proctors to collect everyone's tests and for the students to gather their belongings and leave. The proctor will dismiss everyone, and you'll be all done and free to go. The ACT is a time-intensive, pressure-packed test for most students. Besides arranging your pick-up and drop-off times and knowing what to expect, though, is there anything else you can do to prepare for ACT test day? How to Plan Your ACT Test Day Schedule The ACT is already stressful as it is- you don't want to add to your stress by running late or feeling clueless on test day. Instead, you should familiarize yourself with exactly what's coming and have a plan for those things that are in your control,such as your schedule. You don't want to be rushing and diving through doors just before they close. That would just distract you, create anxiety, and be no fun for anyone. Therefore, leave early and give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the test center by 7:30 am- 7:45 at the latest. Pack your bag the night before with everything you need, such as No. 2 pencils and an approved calculator. Go to bed early, and eat a nutritious breakfast that will fuel your test-taking for the next few hours. Bringing a snack and water for the break is a good idea, too. Don't underestimate the effects your physical state can have on your mental clarity! After all, who can focus on trigonometry problems when their stomach is rumbling for everyone to hear? Staying energized and hydrated, as well as taking advantage of your break time to move around out of your desk,will be refreshing and help you reset before diving into the challenging Reading section. Put simply, prepare yourself so the morning of your test goes as smoothly as possible. Bring everything you need and know your exact testing schedule. Then by 12:15 or 1:15 pm, you'll be all finished and ready to celebrate completing the ACT! What's Next? Do you feel pressed for time on the ACT? Are you worried about getting to all the questions? Learn our expert strategies for how to stop running out of time on ACT Reading andACT Math. Did you know that more recent ACT practice tests are better representations of what you'll get on test day, while the older ones are a little too easy? At least, that's what test experts say. Read here about whether or not the ACT has been getting harder in the past few years. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: