SMALL BUSINESS MARKET RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SMALL BUSINESS MARKET RESEARCH - Essay Example This report seeks to carry out a market research for a sole trader in the UK market. The product in contention is ‘Nomido Pizza’. This is a fast food product that will target university students and therefore will be located close to The University of Liverpool so that it serves the students both in and out of campus. With the growing concern about the health of young people, this product will be a pizza, just like the others but clearly made from natural and locally available food items. No additives and chemical combinations in the ingredients. The unique selling proposition (USP) will be â€Å"Delivery within, quality maintained to the natural taste†. This is a product that seeks to take consideration of the health status of young people and therefore there is bound to be a very high profile sales to the students given that they already have this knowledge of health and have dynamic minds subject to change on what they consume. 3.0 Considerable Market Factors 3 .1 Suitability and Risks This is a very suitable enterprise for a sole trader as the factors considered in establishing it constitute a positive trend. The location, raw materials, human resource, market demand, competition, laws, the technology and the expected returns are bound to be good. This venture is suitable for a single business owner because it is economical on all economic and human factors as listed before (Ashton, 2007, p. 21). Having considered the suitability of these factors, it is a viable cause of action as the likeliness that the students will capture health as opposed to quantity and junk is probable. Moreover, as a sole trader, there is always the chance one could get family members to help in the operation as well as employ a few workers to take care of the workload (OECD, 2000, p. 11). This food industry choice can be punctuated by the fact that there is knowledge of catering and hospitality which puts up an advantageous position in the operations of the busin ess. There is however several risks involved in sole trading. McDonald and Hawkins (2012) clearly indicated the sacrifice that should be put into becoming a sole trader. The major risk is the liability risk. Sometimes the operations may be led by over-ambition; this may create liabilities and if there will be inability to service these, personal assets may be taken to cover for this. The heavy burden of decision making is a risk that can never be overlooked. One wrong decision may lead to closure of the business given that the decision will be binding in all situations. Other risks involved could take the form of lacking time off and lack of prestige in the business (Cruz-Cunha & Varajao, 2010, p. 97). 3.2 Target Market Segment A combination of segmentation bases will be at work in this case. The choice of a university environment reflects their prevailing knowledge of the need to change from the current consumption methods to new better methods. The geographic lineation of this seg ment is because it is very populated and therefore the market is concentrated at a place as found out by Emmanuel (2006). Shah (2010) also noted that an urban place where population density is high increases demand for a product. The demography is consistent with the young people whose is that of

The Tyranny of Choice Essay Example for Free

The Tyranny of Choice Essay Happiness is a long standing abstract concept. It starts from choosing the best options there is, induced by properly allocating and utilizing resources, and maintained when one can truly enjoy the gains from it while accepting the imperfection of his or her choices. And as such, every individual is always in search for happiness and well-being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Utility and happiness are two intertwined notions (Verme, 2007, p. 2). The quest for attaining true happiness starts with choosing which options are best and what things should be utilized. The result of which comprises a persons well-being. The choices that an individual makes greatly affect the level of satisfaction one attains.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the relationship between well-being and choice is ultimately complicated and not at all predictable. In making a choice, a person is usually thwarted by the abundance or lack of choices. Sometimes, the wideness of choice varieties creates a great amount of confusion for the person and as such it also increases the probability that the choices he or she might make will become regretful. The same way that the lack of choices gives a person a limited space of discovering better options. As such, opportunity costs engraved in every option open for an individual contribute to confusion, thus making it harder to choose and at the same time increasing the chances of regretting whatever choice that was made (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 2-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Making choices is immensely complex. Thus it causes people to become weary and conscious on selecting their options in order to avoid making choices that they will soon feel sorry about in the end. Individuals develop a false sense of looking for the â€Å"best option†, or settling down for a â€Å"good enough† choice. These kinds of individuals are labelled as either maximizers or satisficers (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 4-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maximizers are individuals who are most keen on looking for the best option. They tend to strive hard in achieving this goal at the expense that in the process of their quest for looking for the best possible choice present, they are being daunted by the appearances of more choices. In the end, they become less satisfied of the choices they have made and they are more prone to experiencing regrets and depression (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 2-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, satisficers are individuals who aim on ending up with a choice that is â€Å"good enough† for them. They seek not the best there is, but on finding something that can adequately meet their standards and is equally useful and worthy of their choice. These people experience less depression on the event that the option they chose did not work out as satisfying   as possible. They are more probable to be happy with their choice because they do not expect too   much from it, and hence are quite surprised when they gain positive effects from it (Schwartz, 2004, pp. 4-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given the complexity of making choices, the people are still and always keen on the gift of freedom of choice. Even though the process of choosing makes people vulnerable to regret and depression, the right to choose what people think is best for them adds to the happiness and well-being that a person can attain. The freedom of choice and how it is always linked to peoples fulfillment is always an integral factor in measuring happiness (Verme, 2007, p. 3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As such, it is a false notion for maximizers that the absence of choices will make them less prone to regrets. The same goes for satisficers that more choices will make them more happy. Being happy and satisfied rests on the individuals choice. To become truly happy, a person should know how to appreciate what he or she has; being contented with the choice he or she has made and stop thinking of what might have been if he or she decided to chose another option; and most importantly, do not expect too much out of something. Choosing something that is good enough can become the best choice if a person knows how to handle his or her priorities well. References Schwartz, B. (2004). The Tyranny of Choice. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bschwar1/Sci.Amer.pdf Verme, P. (2007). Happiness and Freedom.   Retrieved June 27, 2008, from www.ppdoconference.org/session_papers/session15/session15_paolo.pdf

MBA Admissions Essays - International Business :: MBA College Admissions Essays

MBA Admissions Essays - International Business    Ever since I was young I have always been interested in businesses and how they operate, as well as being fascinated by other languages and cultural differences. My passion for the subject expanded when I chose business studies and french, as part of my A-level education. Although these subjects are somewhat demanding, I find them extremely interesting. I believe that a degree combining both these aspects is the correct choice for me. I am confident that a course in international business studies and modern languages satisfies both these interests. I will be looking forward to learning about the international business world and I am relishing the thought of learning to integrate with other European countries. The idea of learning to communicate with other people across the world is something that has always appealed greatly to me.    I am currently attending Sprowston High School which is a school located on the outskirts of Norwich. I am currently studying three A2 courses after completing four AS-level courses. The subjects that I am currently studying include physics, french and business studies, whilst information technology was taken at AS-level. I am confident with my grades at the end of the first year of studies. I am confident that with extra effort I could improve my grades and push them past my expected target minimum grades.    In my spare time I enjoy a wide range of sporting activities. These include: cricket, skiing, badminton, tennis, long distance running, football and table tennis to name but a few. I have many trophies in my room for cricket. I am hoping to carry on these activities whilst conducting my studies at university. I also have a part-time job working in the local supermarket. I believe that I have gained invaluable experience in dealing with customers and trying to deliver customer satisfaction, whilst learning to work effectively and efficiently in a well structured team. Hopefully I will be able to carry on within the organisation whilst at university as a transfer to a local store is possible. I have also completed two work experience programs. The first at Viking Computers Norwich, the second at the school involving administrative work. These were both valuable experiences and gave me an insight to how a business operates. I enjoy my spare time and try to use it to the best of my use.

Analysis of Mise-En-Scene in the Film ‘American Beauty’

How does mise-en-scene create meaning and provoke response in the opening of American Beauty? The opening scene of American Beauty shows a teenage girl lying in a bed, venting her feelings towards her father. In this, the audience sees her in dull clothing and colours, minimal make-up and has greasy-looking hair. As she sits up, her hair falls around her face and she stares directly into the camera, giving a sense of unease to the audience. The next shot is an establishing shot, showing the street where the main character, Leister, lives.Its fall/autumn time and the trees are bare or dying, possibly indicating and foreshadowing a death later on in the movie. Also the streets are very linear, all vertical and in uniform, as it were. The opening very much portrays emptiness and dysfunctional family relationships. A perfect example of this would be the bedroom shot; the room is very empty and bland. The colour scheme looks very neutral as the walls, carpets, sheets and even lamps are cr eams and white- a clean look.The bedroom is also divided and symmetrical; the audience gets the feel that the relationship between Leister and his wife is not very close and intimacy is lacking. Also, the lamps and bedside tables placed either side of the bed suggests separation and how their relationship seems very â€Å"Mr&Mrs†. Leister is also a disruption to the room- his checked pyjamas are in linear and in uniform with the rest of the room- as he looks out of place, sprawled in the bed, sheets ruffled and contrasting with the colour scheme of the room.When Leister then moves into the shower, the audience sees him ease his face into the pouring water, suggesting how he might ease his way into life situations slowly and cautiously. The next shot pans across the room as Leister masturbates in the shower, indicating the lack of intimacy in his relationship and that he feels the need and obligation to satisfy his own sexual needs. The shot shows the shower doors and the vert ical lines around the door frame, looking like bars almost, suggesting he is enclosed. This sense of enclosure and being trapped is repeated and a recurring theme throughout the sequence.This opening introduces the family’s lifestyle and sets the scene for the audience, from the shot following Leister’s shower, the audience gets the sense that the wife is the head of the house as she gardens in a bright, contemporary looking garden. The camera goes to a close up on the rose as the woman clips it from the bush. This rose is called American Beauty which is also the name of the film. She is dressed in a plain grey suit and a clean white apron, again fitting in with the colour scheme of the interior decor.She also wears pearl earrings and a pearl necklace with her hair perfectly framing this and has impeccable make up, indicating what the perfect American housewife should resemble. She also converses with the homosexual neighbours about the secret to her roses flourishing so well; she seems happy and overly enthusiastic. The audience then see a shot of Leister, again, enclosed in an environment- this time the window. The audience sees him behind the window panes, in between two bright blue shutters, indicating his isolation and loneliness within his own home. The colour blue is also an interesting choice by the director.Blue suggests calm and tranquillity within the home, and also reflects on the colour of the perfect blue sky. Leister seems to fit in as he reflects on his own life and his past happiness, and also seems unsettled within himself, contrasting to the natural connotations of the colour blue. Following this shot, the daughter, Janey, is introduced as she types on her computer in her bedroom. Janey wears a jumper with roses embellished across the top half, with stripes down the arms, it is a very ‘busy’ jumper and again her sleeves represents a similar linear lifestyle to that of the rest of the house.The camera then moves to a point of view shot so the audience can see what she is looking at- as she shuts down a list of some sort, a web page on ‘Breast Augmentation’ is shown for a few seconds, giving the audience enough time to read the title of the page and respond. This is deemed to be something a teenaged girl uncomfortable in her own body would typically look at. Janey then walks over to her mirror and turns to the side and stares at her breast and visually inspects them in disgust.She seems disheartened and is dressed in a pair of beige/khaki trousers which completely contrast to her jumper, making her look ‘frumpy’ and out of place. The outside of the house is then shown in a long shot as Janey and Leister exit the house to the family car. The house looks bright and contemporary with bright blue shutters, a red door to compliment the roses in the bushes, perfect green lawn and a white picket fence, again representing enclosure, the feeling that Leister is trapped in a cag e. The house looks like a family home that wishes to portray friendliness and welcome guests.Also, the family car is much too large for the family; there is too much space inside. This shows how empty the family life is and suggests the proximity of relationships within the family. The family positioning in the car is also odd, the wife in the front seat driving, Janey in the passenger seat and Leister taking a nap, hugging his suitcase to his chest in the back seat; Leister has almost taken the child’s role in the family. The camera then shows the audience the view from the back window, and focuses on one small, lonesome cloud that has broken away from the others.This could show Leister’s isolation and how he feels like he is ‘sedated’, cast away from the other people and disconnected and alone. Overall, this opening sequence really uses mise-en scene to provoke empathy for Leister and to an extent, Janey, and show a deeper meaning into the family’ s lifestyle. The director has used mise-en-scene throughout the opening sequence to show how dysfunctional a seemingly ‘perfect’ family is and unravels family problems and struggles within the first four minutes just by using props, patterns and structuring settings.

Minor Assignment Marketing Mix Essay

Introduction This report has been compiled in order to describe the four most common elements of the marketing mix which are described by Elliot, Rundle-Thiele and Waller (2010 p.18-21) in the following few sentences. * Product – â€Å"A good, service or idea offered to the market for exchange.† (p.18) * Price – â€Å"The amount of money a business demands in exchange for its offerings.† (p.20) * Promotion – â€Å"The marketing activities that make potential customers, partners and society aware of and attracted to the business’s offerings.† (p.20) * Place (Distribution) – â€Å"The means of making the offering available to the customer at the right time and place† (p.21) In conjunction with these descriptions, all four marketing mix elements will be analysed and shown how they can be applied to retail petrol outlets and the products which are made available to customers. The Marketing Mix Elliot et. al describe the marketing mix as â€Å"the different elements that marketers need to consider.† (2010 p. 18) When using the marketing mix to market retail petrol outlets such as Caltex Woolworths or Coles Express, marketers need to consider the Product, Price, Promotion and Distribution (Place) of not only petrol, but many other consumer and specialty products which retail petrol outlets offer. Product It can be seen in retail petrol stations that other than the expected fuels like unleaded and diesel which are generally relatively low in terms of their profit margin, â€Å"some oil firms claim that supermarkets sell petrol at a loss in order to attract customers.† (The Economist, 1996 p.58) Other products are required in order to boost profits for the retail petrol chains’ owner. These other products are mostly the convenience type and can range from the daily newspaper and chewing gum, to a bottle of orange juice or a loaf of bread. There are three categories of convenience products outlined by Elliot et al. which are all found in retail petrol outlets and include staple products, impulse products and emergency products. (2010 p. 207) * Staple products – These are considered to be everyday grocery products like bread and milk, purchased regularly by consumers and therefore aren’t heavily promoted * Impulse products – These are considered to be only purchased when seen, like confectionary or magazines which are eye catching and are usually found around the cash register. * Emergency products – These are considered to be those products which are only purchased when really needed, like a raincoat or an umbrella. Although there are a lot of products sold by retail petrol outlets like Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express, the obvious product centred on all retail petrol outlets is the fuel supplied to consumers. The varieties of fuels which can be purchased can include: * E10 – 10% Ethanol. * E85 – 85% Ethanol. * E95 – 95% Ethanol. * Unleaded – Standard fuel. * Hi Octane – Offered for high performance vehicles. * LPG – Alternative to liquid fuel, a Gas product. * Diesel – More efficient lower sulphur producing by product. There is a vast selection of fuels for consumers to choose from and although the blends of fuels stay similar, the names and descriptions of these fuels tend to change from outlet to outlet. For example, when you drive into a Caltex Woolworths you are confronted with the choice of â€Å"Caltex Vortex 95 or 98,† both are hi octane blends offered to a prospective purchaser. (Woolworths fuels, Website.) Price When dealing with topic of pricing in retail petrol stores, the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer, otherwise no trades will take place. As stated previously, petrol itself tends to have a lower margin for profit which means the strategic pricing of other products in-store needs to be addressed as well as ensuring that the price of petrol is not seen as out of balance with other suppliers. There is an obvious demand for petrol, as almost everyone who is able, drives or rides a vehicle which requires fuel to run. So it could be argued that retail petrol stations don’t necessarily set their own prices, but go off supplier guidelines which base their fuel pricing strategy on demand, â€Å"Demand based pricing sets prices according to the level of aggregate or individual customer demand in the market.† (Elliott et al. 2010 p. 250) Elliott et al. also continue to write that both Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express hold more than 60% of the Australian fuel market share (2010 p.268) so high demand from their suppliers will enable them to lower their fuel prices and therefore gain more customers, earning higher profits. Pricing of other products offered by retail petrol outlets such as bread or milk tend to have the opportunity to be competitive and more fairly priced than a standard petrol station, the major grocery companies behind retail petrol outlets like Woolworths and Coles focus on gaining more ground off one and other, price drops are reflected in store and this also proves more profitable, because consumers are drawn into purchasing something they wouldn’t normally associate with their petrol. Promotion An important aspect in the success of retail petrol outlets is in their promotion, or the way in which their fuels and other products are portrayed to potential customers. There are many numbers of ways in which retail petrol outlets use promotional tools to make the public more aware of what their outlet has to offer. Using the Coles Express website for example, it can be seen that promotion plays a major role in the marketing of retail petrol outlets, on the homepage can be found five key promotional campaigns designed to catch the eye of potential customers. The opportunity to win â€Å"the ultimate weekend Ferrari drive experience† or â€Å"two Cadbury chocolate bars for four dollars† (Coles Express, website) are two examples of how Coles Express use promotion as a tool to gain the interest of potential customers. The use of shopper dockets and rewards cards are also a major way in which retail petrol outlets have promoted themselves, using incentives of cheaper fuel by spending amounts of money in store or purchasing earlier in their supermarkets and bringing the docket to the petrol station in order to gain the fuel discount. In the recent past, retail petrol outlets have encouraged shoppers to buy big in store in order to earn big discounts off fuel â€Å"motorists who spend more than $300 during one supermarket visit during the next three days receive a 40 cent per litre petrol discount. Shoppers who spend more than $200 or more receive a 25 cent a litre discount, while those who spend $100 or more get a 10 cent a litre discount.† (Cranston 2009) Woolworths have the â€Å"Everyday Rewards† program, and Coles have the â€Å"Fly buys† rewards program. Both these programs offer rewards point in exchange for purchases made in their outlets. Another way in which retail petrol outlets can promote their product is through sponsorship, Coles Express for example are sponsoring Daffodil day, a program not normally associated with fuel but this can help to grow an organisations image, by supporting such a worthy cause, Coles express may gain respect from the community and in turn boost their profits. Place (Distribution) The transportation and distribution of products including fuel to retail petrol outlets operates under the marketing mix category of â€Å"Place.† â€Å"The science (or art) of ensuring products are in the right place at the right time in the right quantity is known as logistics and the various partners that contribute to the process make up is called the supply chain.† (Elliot et al. 2010 p.21) Retail petrol outlets operate somewhat differently to conventional service stations, the retail petrol outlets are often situated near to a parent supermarket company (in the same complex) which makes supply of products other than fuel relatively easy as the distance for stock to travel is minimal. When looking at the fuel aspect, it can be seen that the logistics tend to become a lot more involved and a more defined supply chain emerges. * First fuel is sourced from their respective supplier (Caltex or Shell) on a relatively routine basis, as fuel is a required product for most of the community. * The fuel is then transported by truck from oil refineries which are based in more coastal areas (Caltex oil refinery in Kurnell NSW) which makes it easier to transfer oil from overseas oil barges when new shipments arrive. * When the trucks reach the retail petrol outlet the fuel is then pumped into underground holding tanks, where the fuel can now be distributed to the customer via the petrol pump and now exchange of fuels can be made for a profit. Conclusion This report was compiled in order to describe the four elements of the marketing mix: * Product * Price * Promotion * Place (distribution) The descriptions of these marketing mix elements were also shown in application; how they are applied when breaking down the four aspects in relation to retail petrol outlets. Focusing on the Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express partnerships it was able to be shown how the marketing mix elements are applied. Products have been broken down into specific fuels and other items which are available to potential customers, these products have also been categorised as either: Staple, Impulse or Emergency. Price has been shown to be of vital importance, and the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer. Promotion has also proven to be of high importance to the overall marketing of retail petrol outlets, the use of shopper dockets for discounts, and sponsorship for awareness and image are important promotional tools outlined above. Place (Distribution) outlines the logistics and supply chain which is in place for retail petrol outlets to gain their product in order to forward it onto the paying public to gain an overall profit. All four of these marketing mix elements play their own equally pivotal role in ensuring the successful operation of retail petrol outlets. References Coles Express website www.colesexpress.com.au Cranston, B. (2009) NSW: ACCC investigating supermarket petrol promotion. AAP Australian National News wire Elliott, G. Rundle-Thiele, S. & Waller, D. (2010) Marketing. Pump Action, The Economist. (1996) Vol. 338 Issue 7950, page 58 Woolworths petrol website www.woolworthspetrol.com.au