Marginal cost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marginal cost - Essay Example The contribution value for the business proposal is computed by the difference between the marginal costs and the sales from the energy drinks.The above, cost data indicates that the variable cost per unit remains constant whether the business will produce 100 units, 125 or 150 units of energy drinks. It is however, very clear that the cost per unit of production goes down per every increase in the production as illustrated by the chart table above. What as well also stands out is that the cost per unit is also decreasing with the increase of production for the energy drinks. This is due, to the existence of the fixed cost that is spread over an increasing volume of the output for the energy drink by the business.This is the technique, employed in the production departments and management accountants and are used to determine the feasibility of production cost between those that are variable and that change with the production output and with those that are fixed and they do not have any association with the volume of production. Both the fixed and the variable costs are compared with the sales revenue so as to determine the sales volume, value or the production at which the business makes neither a loss nor a profit. This is the breakeven point for a business. This can as well be represented on the break even chart to indicate the costs at the various levels for the business.The company requires a cash budget of about of about  £11,750. Borrowing that should be done should be done in a way as to cover deficiencies.

Book review for No No Boy by John Okada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Book review for No No Boy by John Okada - Essay Example The novel is a fiction, not memoir. The divided loyalties and the mental blocks are the issues with Ichiro Yamada who is interned during World War II. The author has written a book that clubs personal ideology with national ideologies and aspirations and how the combustible youth is caught in a dilemma of the emotional world between his country of origin and the country of which he is the citizen. Ichiro fails to answer appropriately two critical questions in the questionnaire related to allegiance to America. His improper answers and denial to serve in the American armed forces and his repudiation to abjure allegiance to Japan send him to prison. On his release from the prison, Ichiro moves back to Seattle and the ground realities of the social life there bother him intensely. His parents are proud of being Japanese and he accepts United States as his own. With this dilemma he meets and has discussions on the subject with many people, but is unable to sort out the conflicts within h is inner world. Kenji, one of his intimate friends joins the military and during the war operations loses a leg with just two years to live. Ichiro sees parity in his mental anguish and the physical pain of Kenji. His friends and his own brother take potshots at him for not joining the army, which they term as betrayal of the country. The two friends discuss whether or not it is feasible to trade places. Ichiro admits candidly "I wasn't in the army, Ken, I was in jail. I'm a no-no boy." (p. 62)Though this is a joke between the two friends, it throws light on the type of social environment prevailing at that time which Ichiro finds it tough to challenge. The war has sharpened the conflicts of generations and anti-emotions have turned out to be hard. Adjusting with the new identity, even though one wants to go with, is hard due to the societal and familial pressures. Ichiro is compelled to bow before the hard identity scenario created by his mother. She wants him to identify with her Japanese identity and sets her own terms and conditions for loving him. Their views points about national identity are poles apart. He finally makes the decision that he is an American and looks forward to the future with cautious positivity. He is unable to think in tandem with his mother who has been in United States for thirty-five years and yet she identifies with the Japanese, viewed from all angels. John Okada was born and raised in Seattle and he attended University of Washington. The friend and foe of literary creations is time. Time intervened for more than a decade, before this book is able to hit the stands of popularity. This first literary creation by the author was published in 1957 and it remained unnoticed for years until it shot into fame when the literature of the Asian American minority groups becomes popular in the American literary scene by 1970s. This novel is the reflection of the inner crisis of the young Japanese who is confronted with the dual challenge of identity. Race is the crying question around which all other subsidiary confusion hangs around. Every segment in the town is labeled with the racial tag and its separate identity stands pronounced. â€Å"Oriental† is a big umbrella under which the categories of Japanese, Chinese and Asians are accommodated. Races victimized by the whites are also not at peace with each other and they are at loggerheads with their own problems. The younger generation has to break through such communal

SWOT analysis for TUI Travel PLC

SWOT analysis for TUI Travel PLC TUI Travel PLC is organized through the merger between TUI Tourism First Choice Holidays PLC on 3 September 2007 and listed as TT on the London stock exchange in FTSE100. TUI Travels headquarter is in UK. The company itself operates in mainstream sector, and specialist sectors that includes accommodation destinations, specialist activities. Today, TUI Travel PLC, the success leisure travel company, have around 27 key source markets, 500 000 people that they employed, and operate their business in more than 180 countries with 30 million customers. TUI Travel PLC (2010) SWOT analysis Strengths -Well recognized brand -Superior management team effective operations -Market leader well responsible corporate governance -Good marketing skills economies of scale -Good financial stability. Weaknesses -Heavy reliance on technology -Capacity-led volume reductions backfire -Diverse portfolio and potential risk to cost of financing. Opportunities -Expand Low-Cost Airlines/ form Alliances -Doing Investments -Market Specific Targeting (Ecotourism, Medical Tourism) Threats -Climate change -Hedging and exchange rate -Geopolitical/ natural catastrophes/ pandemic, supply chain / product failure -Supply Chain / Product failure -Aviation cost flow fund of capital cost -Economy decline and impact of consumer demand capacity commitment -Decline in market share Strengths There are five strengths of TUI. First, TUI Travel PLC has more over than 200 brands. Most of the brands are well recognized such as TUI, Thomson, Fritidsresor, Jetair, etc. And most of these brands are the trusted brand that leading in the market place. Second, they have many experienced leaders and also they have around 50,000 colleagues that commit to TUI Travel PLC where the company builds a better working condition for employee such as reward, employees survey, etc. Through their superior management team, the company has an effective operation which are flexible business model where they can adapt and meet to the changes happen, strong performance, synergy, and merger integration processing well. TUI Travel PLC (2009) Third, they are the number one travel websites in UK Germany by visitor numbers, number one in water based holidays, snow sports, adventure, etc. TUI Travel PLC (2010) shows that TUI Travel PLC was a market leader. Since they are the market leader, they are well responsible in governing their corporate business which is being ethical such as controls the usage of carbon emissions. Fourth, TUI segmented their market into niche market that provides product differentiation. Their distribution strategies are through internet, call centre, and retail shop. Since, they are the largest distributor in the large market, it is certainly benefits them such as supplier advantage, innovation/ RD, and cost reduction. Therefore, company has effective marketing skills with an efficient distribution channel which helps them to reach customer satisfaction. And Fifth, TUI Travel PLC maintains their finance stability through hedging by a group of expertise and cash balances from the strong relationship with banking financing partner. TUI Travel PLC (2009) Weaknesses There are some weaknesses that we have identified. First, TUI is highly relying on technology to operate their business in servicing and trading around 27 key source markets. So if there is any faulty, it may interrupt the business activities. Second, their results in planning on increase volume of sale which offers low price bid are not to their expectation, they get wrong speculation on the market situation. Third, risks such as liquidity and cash management may happen when companys expansion grow so fast and diversify. TUI Travel PLC (2009) Opportunities Some opportunities may happen such as profit margins will be increased if take chance of low-cost airlines such as Air Asia, Etc. or forming alliances since people likes to travel in budget airline with their limited budget. Second, doing some investment and expansion since there is growing markets around such as in South East Asia, Africa, Middle East, Etc. that have a good infrastructure and destinations. Third, target new market segment since ecotourism and medical tourism are emerging because people wants to travel for their own purpose such as want various adventure and have treatment. Threats Company need to look forward the threats which are climate change due to the global wastes such as carbon emission that will affect the travelling activities. Next, fluctuation of foreign exchange and fuel prices that may interrupt hedging process and unstable economy that may cause cost base increase. Third, political instability such as riot, natural disaster such as tsunami/volcano eruption, and diseases such as H1N1 will affect the operation to the desire destination and safety of customer. Fourth, even though TUI is a big distributor, building relationship with supplier is still important so that they able to maintain their supply chain and provide the qualified product to customer. Fifth, if not able to secure the fund and capital cost of aircraft it may cause a lot of expenses. Sixth, company need to be prepared that there might be economy decline that bring impact of consumer demand capacity commitment. Seventh, TUI is not the only one that keeps progress in the tourism indu stry; there are many competitors that TUI needs to be aware. TUI Travel PLC (2009) Recommendation Since there is booming in the tourism industry, competition is arise. And TUI Travel has their main competitors which were Thomas Cook, MyTravel Group, ReweTouristik, and First Choice Holidays. To be able to maintain their position, my recommendation to TUI travel are international strategy and differentiation from their competitors in attract customers, gain market share, and growth where there are opportunities that actually can be apply from my SWOT analysis such as alliance, target to new market segment, expansion in other country, Etc. TUI Travel is a big company and operates in many sectors. They have big responsibilities and challenges in running a big company. My recommendation to TUI travel is monitor well their business performance such as add value product and service in achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty, innovation, social responsibility, build better working conditions, and upgrade technology changes in achieving better information. Reflection From this report, it is compulsory for TUI Travel PLC to analyze and make sure to have a good research before take any strategy action. Through analyzing and understanding the PESTEL and SWOT analysis, I believe the company can still continue to emerge with the opportunities that they can get, handle their challenges, and develop their business. Because through analyzing, company is aware of whats happening and will able to find solution in different challenges that they may face. I have recommended some solutions through the capability that the company did not aware and it can be works on it. It will be successful solved the situation if the company implement and monitor it well. And through this report, I learn and experience a lot in how to analyzing and conduct TUI Travel PLCs SWOT, PESTEL analysis, and recommend solutions after a better understanding in the lesson of SWOT, PESTEL analysis, and discussion of group presentation.

St. Catherine of Siena Essay -- Essays Papers

St. Catherine of Siena Catherine of Siena was born in Italy in 1347 at a time when political and religious changes were affecting the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Dedicating her life to the Holy Spirit from a very young age, Catherine pursued a life of purity and simplicity that served as a background to her great literary work, The Dialogue of the Divine Providence . Her work focuses on the importance of prayer and its transcendent power in human life. In the early stages of Catherine's life the surfacing modern age was bringing with it social turmoil which spread throughout Europe (Giordani 3). During Catherine's lifetime, according to Mary Ann Sullivan in her essay â€Å"St. Catherine of Siena,† the center of Catholic rule fluctuated between Rome and Avignon and contributed to a schism between popes in Italy and France (1). Catherine was born 23rd in a line of 25 children and, according to Sullivan â€Å"even at a young age, [she] sensed the troubled society around her and wanted to help† (1). While her parents were not exceptionally religious, St. Catherine's biographer Blessed Raymond of Capua discusses Catherine's early zeal for Catholic practices: â€Å"When she was about five she learned the Hail Mary, and repeated it over and over again as often as she could†¦she was inspired by heaven to address the Blessed Virgin in this way whenever she went up and down stairs, stopping to kneel on each step as she di d so† (24). Her devotion to the Virgin Mary would become especially important in a vision she had around this time while walking with her brother to visit one of her sisters. When Catherine was six she saw a bridal chamber up in the heavens with Jesus Christ who bestowed upon her the sign of the cross and his eternal bene... ...e University of Georgia Press, 1984. 252-255. Blessed Raymond of Capua. The Life of Saint Catherine of Siena . Trans. George Lamb. New York: P.J. Kennedy and Sons, 1960. Catherine of Siena. The Dialogue of the Divine Providence . Trans. Algar Thorold. 1907. 25 Feb. 2004 . www.ccel.org/c/catherine/dialog/dialog.html Gardner, Edmund G. Saint Catherine of Siena . London: J.M. Dent & Co., 1907. Giordani, Igino. Catherine of Siena: Fire and Blood . Trans. Thomas J. Tobin. Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company, 1959. Meiss, Millard. Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death . New York: Princeton University Press, 1979. Petroff, Elizabeth Alvilda. Medieval Women's Visionary Literature . New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Sullivan, Mary Ann. St. Catherine of Siena . 1996. 29 Feb. 2004 . www.op.org/domcentral/trad/stcather.htm

Food Inc Notes

Animals and workers are being abused. * Why many things are deliberately kept from us. * We are only allowed to know what the companies want us to know. * Farmers are not allowed to talk about many things. * We eat things every day without thinking about where they come from * Why is McDonalds is the largest purchaser of ground beef in the united states * This changes how ground beef is produced * Companies basically control our food system * In the 1970’s the top 5 beef packers controlled only 25% of beef. * Today the top 4 control more than 80%. Birds are now raised and slaughtered in half the time they were fifty years ago but now they are twice the size with large breasts. * All birds that come from farms must be almost exactly the same size. * â€Å"If you can grow a chicken in 49 days why grow one in three months? More money in your pocket! † * Chickens never see sunlight! Is this fair?* Tyson makes farmers change their minds about letting people tour their chicke n houses. * What are they hiding? * Tyson declined being interviewed. * Bones and internal organs of chickens can’t keep up with all the weight they gain. * Antibiotics are no longer working. They catch the chickens at night time so they give less resistance. * The farmer states that the catchers were mostly African-Americans but she is now seeing more Latinos which are undocumented workers. * They have no rights or choices. †¢Fast food is cheap and feels you up compared to cheap food in the market. †¢Cheaper calories are heavily subsidized †¢industry blames obesity on crisis of personal responsibility †¢We are hard wired to go for three tastes: Salt Fat and Sugar †¢These things are very rare in nature †¢We wear down how our body metabolizes sugar Type 2 diabetes used to only affect adults and is now affecting children.

The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship DB

My view of entrepreneurship is that you don’t need to have exceptional skills to be successful when you decide to start a business. All one needs to have is the desire to work in order to achieve his goals. According to my understanding of the word entrepreneur, it is a French word which means to undertake, so in business it is to start a business. To say that you must have superior qualities that a few have in order to be an entrepreneur is not only far fetched but also erroneous, I simply don’t agree with that kind of thought. Strategic planning is a direction or strategy that a business is going to follow in certain period of time. It is so important to a small business in because it keeps it on the edge of competition with big companies. A business with no strategy has no direction. Strategy outlines the direction of the business. Without a strategy it is difficult to achieve goals in a business and small businesses therefore ought to formulate viable strategies that can cope with competition and at the same time make the business focused in scope. To me strategic planning is a process that does not only requires good management skills but also it requires the will and commitment by all persons involved in order to attain the set goals. (McDonald, 2001) There are several factors that an entrepreneur should consider before choosing any form of ownership. There are: The risks involved which are normally high in entrepreneurship, purpose of the business, its goals, strategies for achieving each goal, a plan to implement each goal and the way of monitoring the implementation plan. Other   factors includes the influence one have in the running of the   business and one must also know the responsibility for debts, the amount of   tax payable to the government and the county or the local government, one must also know the   government policies of that particular business. A person must also consider the amount of profit to expect and the time he or she spends on that business. I disagree with educators who thinks that student in colleges should not engage in business, this is simply because the students engage in this for they have been taught its fundamentals and they cannot wait to put them in practice. Once students get the desired knowledge they become innovative and hence they cannot wait to test their skills as entrepreneurs. Research indicates that entrepreneurship should include innovations such as; new products, new production methods, new markets and new types of business among other innovations. In my own perspective wealth is created when such innovations are utilized since it results in new demand of commodities. The purpose of an entrepreneur is to build a lucrative, moral, and a sustainable business organization. I am of the opinion that one must adhere to factors such as: 1. Profitable business practices that satisfies and attract new customers, pay employees fairly and rewards innovation and diligence.2.Ethical business practices that include the protection the privacy of the clients and employee financial and personal information, to respect ethnic, political and religious backgrounds of the customers.3.Sustainable business practices that can withstand the dynamics of the world, these involves establishing markets not exploiting them, doing away with abusive working conditions and keeping   basic labor rights, replacing non-renewable energy sources with renewable energy sources, encouraging developing countries to improve labor and environmental standards amongst suppliers. (Cullen and Boteeah, 2005) Reference Cullen, J. and Boteeah, K. (2005) Multinational Management: A strategic Approach: 3rd Edition: Thomson South-Western; Mason McDonald, M. (2001): Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them. 4th Edition: London, Butterworth Heinenamm