Letter to Congress Essay Example for Free

Letter to Congress Essay My name is †¦ and I am writing as your constituent in the 53rd Congressional district of California. I am writing to ask you to cosponsor Rep. John Conyers Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act (H.R. 676). United States House of Representatives Bill Number 676 is the proposed U.S. legislation to establish single-payer health care, improved Medicare for All, in the United States. It will establish lifelong, comprehensive coverage for health care. A single-payer system would take the charge of insurance premiums off of employers and put it on the people as a nation, where it belongs. I cant think of a more pro-business step that Congress could take at this time. Its also the right thing to do, the humane thing to do. Obamacare doesnt address the lack of sustainability of our healthcare system. It won’t keep insurance prices down, more than 30 million people will remain uninsured, and insurance companies will manipulate their way out of any imposed regulations. We will no longer be paying for a system that wastes $400 billion in excessive administrative costs, more of our health care dollars will be spent on health care, and more of the doctors and nurses time will be spent on caring for people. The result will be more time spent on prevention and wellness and the U.S. dramatically raising its life expectancy. As a Registered Nurse who has been employed at various managed care payers, I know firsthand the corruption and abuse that is typical of health insurance companies. It is political corruption that has allowed this situation to continue. Right now Congress and the President are fighting over how much to slash Medicare and Medi-Cal/Medicaid benefits. The American people dont want to see this happen. National, single-payer healthcare (H.R. 676) is pro-business, and pro-people. Please co-sponsor today. Thank you for your time and attention.

Tim hortons Essay Example for Free

Tim hortons Essay Mr. Jake Zablocki, Miss Harjinder Sandhu , Mr Roysten Fernandes and Miss Maria Klepikova will together comprise the board of directors and will be involved in day to day activity . Board Of directors * ( we can exclude this )* Mr. Jake Zablocki as the Chairman Miss Harjinder Sandhu as the Chief Operating officer Mr Roysten Fernandes as the President Miss Maria Klepikova as the Vice-president The key advisors are: Miss Harjinder Sandhu Legal Consultant Miss Sandhu is an in house legal advisor and voluntarily offers her services as part of the management team. Mr Jake Zablocki  ± Account Manager Mr Zablocki will assume all the accounting responsibilities and will manage the business joint account separately Royal Bank of Canada. Infrastructure Who are key outside advisors, such as accountants, lawyers, or co nsultants, and what is their compensation package? Enter text here. NA Contracts and Franchise Agreements What are the company ¶s management contracts, non -compete agreements, franchise, or other contractual agreements? Enter text here. We( Name to be decided ) have entered into an Franchise Agreement with Tim Horton ¶s for a period of 10 years with an option to renew for further 10 years at the discretion of the management team Business Plan Non Compete agreement exists between the four entrepreneurs for a period of 5 years of restricting to enter into food beverages in Ontario for the smooth function of the business. Insurance If you have a buy-sell agreement, who will be insured in terms of life insurance policies on key personnel for which the company is the beneficiary? Enter text here. We have a buy and sell agreement in place , a type of insurance where all the four partners are assure for life. The Insurance policy will be placed under a trust. All the four member will be the trustee. Buy and Sell: means the legal representa  tives of the deceased are obliged to sell the share to the remaining partners who are in turn obliged to buy it. The remaining partners are able to buy the share from the proceeds of a life insurance policy taken out by the deceased on their own life and placed in trust for the remaining partners. Employee Stock Option Plan and Other Incentives What employee stock option or other incentive plans will be in effect? Enter text here. We do not have any employee stock option plan or incentive plan other than the one run by Tim Horton ¶s time to time. Organization Charts How is the company organized? Enter text here. The management team contributes equally to the success of the business. 8 ? Business an Mr Jake Za ck Miss ar inder Sandhu Bussiness Mr ysten Fernandes Miss Maria Kle ik va 9 Business Plan PRODUCT/SERVICE Purpose of the Product/Service What is the purpose of the product/service? How does the product/service benefit the customer? Does it solve a problem or address an opportunity; is it a luxury item or a needed item? Enter text here. Unique Features What are the unique features of the product/service, such as cost, design, quality, capabilities? Enter text here. Stage of Development What is the history of product/service life cycle, and which stage of development is the product/service currently in? Enter text here. Future Research and Development What, if any, future research and development efforts will be required? Enter text here. Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, Licenses, Royalties What patents, trademarks, service marks, or copyrights have been obtained? W hat license or royalty agreements are associated with the product/service, and what plans are there for future agreements? Enter text here. Government Approvals What governmental approvals are necessary, and what is the status of such approvals? Enter text here. Product/Service Limitations What are the limitations of the product/service, if any? Enter text here. Product/Service Liability What are the liabilities this product/service may pose? What are the insurance requirements and costs? Enter text here. Related Products/Services and Spin-Offs What are the related services that will be provided, and how will they increase or enhance the profitability of the venture? What new product or service spin -offs could be developed to meet changing market needs in this industry or others? Enter text here. 10 Business Plan Production How much will be produced internally, and how much of the production will be subcontracted out? What are the costs and services involved with subcontracting? Who are the backup subcontractors; what are their costs, and who supplies the services? Enter text here. Facilities What are the plans for facilities (manufacturing, office, retail)? What are the manufacturing plans, that is, the manufacturing facility, production capacity, and future capita l-equipment needs? Enter text here. Suppliers Who are the major raw material suppliers, and what are the significant purchasing contracts with them? Are there backup suppliers? Enter text here. Environmental Factors What is the potential environmental impact of the product or service? What steps will the company take to protect the environment? What environmental agencies regulate the product or service? Enter text here. 11 Business Plan MARKETING PLAN Industry Profile Current Size What is the current size of your industry? Enter text here. Growth Potential Is this a growth, stable, or declining industry? Enter text here. Geographic Locations Is your industry located in a specific area of the country? Enter text here. Industry Trends What are the trends in the industry? What effect does technology have on the business? Enter text here. Seasonality Factors What are the special seasons in your industry? Enter text here. Profit Characteristics What are the profit characteristics for your industry? Enter text here. Distribution Channels What distribution channels currently exist to support the sale of your product or service? Enter text here. Basis of Competition What is the basis of competition for your industry? Enter text here. Competition Profile What is the profile of the competition? What is your competitive advantage? Enter text here. Customer Profile What is the profile of the intended customer? What are the reactions to the product/service from prospective customers? Enter text here. Target Market Profile What is the target market, size, and cost of market penetration? 12 Business Plan Enter text here. Pricing Profile What is the pricing structure? What are your policies on negotiating a price for large orders or on special price deals for penetrating the market? How is the pricing structure sensitive to the customer ¶s buying points? Enter text here. Gross Margin on Products/Services What is the gross margin potential? What are the industry ¶s pricing policies? Do you differ? Enter text here. Break-Even Analysis What is the break-even point for your product/service? Enter text here. Market Penetration Distribution Channels What distribution channels will be used for selling the product or service to the end user? Enter text here. Sales Representatives How will sales representatives be used as an approach for selling the product or service to the end user? Enter text here. Direct-Sales Force How will a direct-sales force be used for selling the product or service to the end user? Enter text here. Direct Mail/Telemarketing How will direct mail or telemarketing be used as an approach for selling the product/service to the end user? Enter text here. Advertising and Promotion What advertising and promotion media will be used for the distribution system and end users? Enter text here. Packaging and Labeling What kind of packaging and labeling will be used? Enter text here. Service and Warranties What warranties and guarantees will be offered? Enter text here. 13 Business Plan Trade Shows What trade shows do you plan to use to exhibit your product/service? Enter text here. Future Markets What opportunities could occur in future markets? Enter text here. 14 Business Plan OPERATING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS Administrative Policies, Procedures and Controls Receiving Orders What administrative policies, procedures, and controls will be used for receiving orders? Enter text here. Billing the Customers What administrative policies, procedures, and controls will be used for billing the customers? Enter text here. Paying the Suppliers What administrative policies, procedures, and controls will be used for paying the suppliers? Enter text here. Collecting the Accounts Receivable What administrative policies, procedures, and controls will be used for collecting the accounts receivable? Will you have a separate collection department? Use a collection agency? Use factoring?

Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited

Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited 1.1 Problem Background Bangladesh paint market is experiencing a good growth of 8-10% per annum consistently in the late 90s and early years of this century mainly because of a boom in real estate development[1]. Besides, this trend in growth of demand is likely to persist or may even witness an upswing in the future as the country moves from rural base to urban base project (Real estate). There is a huge possibility that paint industry will further thrive because only 39% of the target market are currently using paint and others are progressing to get into the trend of using paint instead of the traditional way of whitening their dear houses. According to the cement manufacturers of Bangladesh, the cement market is also growing at around 4% p.a., which correlates quite well with our paint market growth data. The limited growth up to now in industrialization and per capita income in Bangladesh has restricted the size of the paint market, which is currently at around Tk.755-800 crores (1.5-1.6 crores gallon s)[2]. However a good number of local paint manufacturing companies (40 organized and at least 50 more in the informal sector) have been operating in this small market. Quite a few of these companies are producing paints of internationally acceptable quality and very importantly, the installed single shift production capacity of the local paint companies is double the present local market demand. Berger, the market leader in the Bangladesh paint market, is one of the oldest names in the global paint industry. It has its origin in the year of 1706 and from then on the company is operating with strong adherence to quality and social responsibility. Initially, Lewis Berger, a German national, founded dye pigment making business in England. Lewis Berger Sons Limited grew rapidly  with a strong reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship culminating in perfecting the process of making Prussian Blue, a deep blue dye, a color widely used for many European armies uniform. Production of dyes pigments evolved into production of paints coatings, which till today, remains the core business of Berger. Today, Berger offers all kinds of painting solutions in decorative, industrial or marine segment for both decorative and protective purpose. Based on the secondary literature survey, experts opinions and consumers requirements, the broad and the specific Objectives of the research have been set-â€Å"Market Study of Paint Industry in Bangladesh†. This objective can be met by following the study methodology described in the forthcoming chapter. 1. 2 Origin of the Study As a partial requirement for the completion of the MBA program, internship program is a vital part which opens the door to gather the practical knowledge in relation with the theoretical knowledge. MBA program at University of Dhaka requires a 3 months long internship program. As an intern, I was placed in Unitrend Limited- Affiliated with McCann Worldwide. I worked for 3 months in the Unitrend Limited (Brand Division), under the supervision of Jahidul Islam, Senior Brand Executive of Unitrend Limited. As an intern of the department I was asked to assist the Brand section (Berger pints Bangladesh Limited). After consultation with my supervisor, my faculty advisor at University of Dhaka, Dr. Serajul Hoque (Professor, Department of Marketing), I decided to explore â€Å"Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh limited (BPBL)†. 1. 3 Objectives Based on the secondary literature survey, experts opinions and consumers requirements, the broad and the specific Objectives of the research have been set. 1.3.1 Broad Objective Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited (BPBL). 1.3.2 Specific Objectives i. To analyze market trends market shares of BPBL ii. To Analyze competitor behavior and performance iii. To determine current satisfaction level of BPBL iv. To find out whether current products of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited meet consumer expectations or not. v. To identify the reference group (Painters, Architectures,) influence of the customers in choosing specific brand. vi. To find out the market potential for existing products (e.g. market size, growth, changing sales trends) vii. To Assess the potential for new products that are not provided by the current paint manufacturers ( in term of New product Development) viii. To forecast new user for existing products 1.4 Approaches to the Problem 1.4.1 Theoretical Framework A pull demand is created when demand is created in the market and is the most beneficial. To implement such a strategy we have to first assess the needs of the market, judging the perception of customers and contractors and finding out new locations and convert them into new dealers so that there is more availability of the product in the market.Assessing competitor market and developing a strategy to kill or overcome competition is the second part of the report. Opening new dealers in the market will take care of this. Expanding the dealer network helps in market penetration.All the effort will be a waste if there is no demand from the end consumer of goods. Painters, contractors, advertisements, friends and family influence the end customer. So the end customer generates the main demand and Berger Paints must analyze customer satisfaction over time. A Job Satisfaction Data Form How did you know regarding the services being rendered by Home Decor? TV†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Press†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Friends †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Word of Mouth †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ We would like to have your comments on the following job details 1. Shade: Very Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Not Satisfied†¦..†¦ 2. Design: Very Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Not Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3. Workmanship of Painters: Excellent †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4. Service by Color Consultants: Excellent †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5.Overall Service by Home Decor: Excellent†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6. Will you refer Home Decor to anybody in near future? Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7. Completion done according to the time schedule: Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1.4.2 Analytical Model: 1.4.3 Research Questions Hypotheses: A structured questionnaire has been used to collect data. Multiple choice questions and dichotomous questions have been used to develop structured questionnaire. H0: There is no association between customer satisfaction (DV) and factors influencing customer satisfaction (IV). H1: There is an association between customer satisfaction (DV) and factors influencing customer satisfaction (IV). 1.5 Problem Definition Management Decision Problem 1. Is the Current satisfaction level of Berger Pints Bangladesh Limited satisfactory? Marketing Research Problem 1. To determine the factors those affect the customer satisfaction level of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited. 1.6 Problem Variables 1. Dependent Variable To determine customer satisfaction level of Berger Paints Bangladesh limited. 2. Independent Variables Price Availability Variation in paint Variation in Shade Attractive Packet Packet Size Longibility Discoloration Swelling Powdering Thinner Requirement 1.7 Research Timeline: Activities Time (Week) 1-2 3-4 5 6 7-8 9 10 11-12 Preliminary Preparation Selection Training of Fieldwork Data Collection Data Analysis Draft Report Preparation Rerport Presentation Final Report Preparation 1.8 Limitations The study aims to explore analyze market study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited and find out if there is any scope for its improvement. In doing so, I have encountered the following problems: The Large sample size could detect the problems more accurately. I was unable to dedicate sufficient time to make an in-depth on such an important issue. It is quite difficult to write about an organization within 3(three) months. Heavy workload at office was one of the main barriers of this study and additional time for doing the survey could hardly be extracted. Another limitation of this report is Enterprises policy of not disclosing some data and information for obvious reason. 2.0: Literature Review The annual report of some of the leading paint companies of Bangladesh including Berger Bangladesh Ltd., Asian Paints Ltd., Elite Paints, Sagor Chemicals Company Bangladesh Ltd., etc. were studied along with whatever reports that were available. However, a good number of them were back dated and were of little use in view of the fast changing market position. Apart from the literature so far consulted, the initial phase of the methodology began with the review of relevant literature on the issues indicated under the â€Å"Top-down† and â€Å"Bottom-up† approaches as well as aspects under â€Å"Projection†, assimilation of relevant data available in the secondary sources, and then conducting a desk research. 2.1 Literature in the official website of Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd With a view to bolstering consumer satisfaction, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited has introduced â€Å"Berger Home Dà ©cor† on June 15, 2002 through which one can get an array of services pertaining to painting. Berger Home Decor offers two-stage services: 1. Free Service 2. Paid Service Berger Home Dà ©cor is currently offering wide range of services to its prospects and existing consumers embracing: Technical advice on surface preparation and application guideline.  · Paint selection.  · Dealer selection.  · Painter/ Contractor selection and  · Color scheme. 2.1.1 Literature on the Fundamentals of Berger India Illusions which formed a basis for BPBL Illusions †¦.†¦Report on BPIL Attachment on Illusions Syed Tanzim Rezwan, Assistant Product Manager, BPBL  · What is Illusions? An illusion is basically mentioned as ‘Designers solution/finish. It is more related to the application procedure than product. Regular products are applied with some specialized tools and in some cases with some specialized chemicals to get the desired design. As it is more related to the application procedure, Illusions is offered as a full painting solution rather than a product and that is why it is more like offering a service than a product.  · Objectives of launching Illusions The objectives are: Enhancing the brand image of Berger Value addition to the existing painting service  · Area of usage Illusions is basically a design finish. So it is more appropriate for the interior walls. Plastered walls or wooden surfaces are the preferred surfaces for Illusions use. One has to remember however, that Illusions is more like a designer finish than a protective one. So areas with exposure to high heat or water are not prescribed for Illusions use.  · Distribution Strategy The way Illusions is offered: Berger India is using their Home Dà ©cor facilities to offer Illusions in different cities. Their basic idea is to offer the painting solution through the existing panel of painters they have for different cities. 2.1.2 Literature on the Illusions Procedure as a service flow, developed in Berger India and which formed a basis for the service flow of Illusions in BPBL with some modifications; literature on client generation for Illusions through promotions by Berger India Modus Operandi Satellite Operations: BPHD/Illusions Berger India Illusions procedure as according to Berger India:  § On receipt of enquiry the Customer Support Manager will visit the site and complete finalization of the design/area of application/shades and fill into the job estimate page of the customer fact file  § The final estimate from the customer fact file is to be filled in and given to the customer.  § On customer agreeing to the job, 100% collection by means of a single current dated cheque is to be taken from the customer and a painting schedule has to be developed for the job. The cheque details and the painting schedule have to be filled into the customer fact file in relevant pages.  § On realization of the cheque, the materials for the job may be purchased from the dealer as deposited by the depot manager. Material will be issued by the dealer only against the order. Dealer on delivery of the material to the site has then to raise a bill on Berger Paints Home Dà ©cor for the material supplied and submit it along with a copy of the Material Requisitions form.  § Tools required for the job are to be signed out to the painter who has been allocated the job.  § A ‘Before photograph is to be taken of the site and on completion of the job. An ‘After photograph is also to be taken for each of the areas where Illusions designs has been applied.  § On completion of the job, the completion certificate has to be signed by the customer and following this, the warranty certificate has to be handed over to the customer along with a ‘Friendship ka faida reference booklet. Lead Generation: All of the below mentioned modes of promoting Illusions will be followed in varying mixes depenmding on the efficiency of the individual methods.  § Referrals: 10% of the job value will be paid to the referring party as referral commission Dealer Contractor Architect Interior Decorator 2.2 Literature on Asian Paints entering Bangladesh paint market -Asian Paints starts operations in Bangladesh 04 September 2002 Asian Paints, Indias largest paint company, has begun its operations in Bangladesh. The entry into Bangladesh marks Asian Paints 11th joint venture in international markets and its largest green-field venture in overseas markets. The inauguration of the operations of Asian Paints (Bangladesh) Ltd was done by Bangladesh Minister of Industries M K Anwar and Asian Paints (India) Ltd vice-chairman and managing director Ashwin Dani. M Rahman, executive chairman, Board of Investment, Bangladesh, and M L Tripathi, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, were the other distinguished dignitaries at the inauguration. Said Dani: The opportunities that the Bangladesh market provides for Asian Paints are immense. The experience that we have gained from operating in three out of six countries in the SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] region has armed us with excellent expertise to operate in this region. We would like to provide value for money and the complete range of products for the Bangladeshi consumer. He further said that low per-capita consumption of paints, vast potential to upgrade the market, limited product range, increased urbanisation and consistent GDP growth of around 5-6 per cent have been some of the reasons for Asian Paints entering into this market. Moreover, this venture will help the company consolidate its position in the SAARC region. Asian Paints (Bangladesh) Ltd is a joint venture between Asian Paints (India) Ltd, Indias largest paint company, and Confidence Cement Ltd, one of the largest cement producers in Bangladesh. Asian Paints will hold 51 per cent stake in the company, while 49 per cent will be held by Confidence Cement. A fully-integrated paint manufacturing unit has been set up and is situated in the Ghazipur district, north of Dhaka, which will service the entire Bangladesh paint market. Asian Paints will introduce the Apcolite range of products, which is its premium quality range in international markets, and the Decora range, which is its international brand for economy products. Under the Apcolite and Decora brands, many product segments will be covered in the initial phase. Asian Paints will enter into segments like interior wall finishes, the exterior segment, enamels and the wood finish segment through the above-mentioned brand names. The company will immediately introduce the concept of multiple shade choice to the Bangladeshi consumer in most of its emulsion paints. The launch of multiple shades in its Apcolite range of emulsions will provide to the Bangladesh consumer, for the first time, a wide choice of colors that was not previously offered by any paint company. The total Bangladesh paint market is estimated to be over 30,000 MT, valued at around INR 2200 million (US $45 million). The market is growing by around 5-7 per cent. The GDP growth for the country has been consistently around 5 per cent and the per-capita paint consumption is around 250 gms. The market, thus, provides high potential for growth as well as an opportunity for paint manufacturers to upgrade and expand the market. 2.3 Literature on Aqua Paints Architects Awards -Four to receive Ice Today Aqua Paints Award Shawkat Marcel Khan Four interior designers will be awarded the Ice Today-Aqua Paints Award 2007 for their works on interior design. The names of the winners will be announced during the award-giving ceremony which will be held at the Radisson Water Garden Hotel in the city on July 14. The award will be given for innovation, creativity and outstanding achievements in interior design in Bangladesh, said the organizers at a briefing, held at a city hotel on Thursday. ‘The grand prize will not be given as the jury comprising Mustafa Ameen, Nahas Ahmed Khalil and Kazi Golam Nasir did not find any design suitable for the award, said the executive editor of the monthly magazine Ice Today, Ziaul Karim.‘Each winner will receive the Commendation Award valued at Tk 25,000, a crest and a Nokia set, he added. A total of 27 designs were submitted in ‘Residential and Non Residential categories. The jury short-listed the entries to eleven designs in the first phase. Then, they visited each sites and narrowed down to four designs taking three from Non Residential category. 2.4 Literature on Home Dà ©cor Coverage and Painters In total there are Home Dà ©cor outlets in Bangladesh in total. However, apart from the specific regions where these outlets are situated, consultants and painters also travel to nearby areas and thus affectively cover a wider area as shown in Fig 2.2. The following tables and s are information gathered and organized by BPBL: Table 2.1: Painters and Contractors of Home Dà ©cor in Bangladesh Depot Contractor Painter Dhaka 15 38 Chittagong 5 14 Sylhet 3 7 Comilla 2 5 Khulna 3 8 Bogra 1 2 Rajshahi 1 2 National Total 30 76 The following tables and s are information gathered and organized by BPBL: 3.0: Methodology The methodology upon which the team undertook the assignment comprises of top-down and bottom-up approaches effected by literature review, secondary data analysis and desk research, and by conducting surveys, which after consultation with the experts yielded a pragmatic Market Analysis preceded by an overall industry situation, competitor analysis and customer analysis. 3.1 Nature of Research and Sources of Information The conclusive research design adopted is descriptive in nature. The sources of data were both primary and secondary. It involved collection of data about the characteristics of the paint market, competitors and different supply chain members. Secondary information was gathered from websites, newspaper articles, journals and annual reports of different paint companies. The design of collecting primary data from customers (end users) follows the following section. 3.2 Sample Design The sample design consists of defining the target population, determination of sample size and sampling method. 3.2.1 Target Population To collect data from customers (users) the target population is defined to be the households of Bangladesh. The country was considered to be composed of three economic zones (High, Medium and Low) on the basis of economic activities as follows: Zone 1: (High) : Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet Divisions Zone 2: (Medium) : Barisal and Khulna Divisions Zone 3: (Low) : Rajshahi Division. [Source: Statistical year book of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2007] As the use of paint is very much related with rate of urbanization, the divisional cities of Zone 1 were selected. However, another divisional city was selected randomly from the Zone 2 to make the sample more representative to the entire population and it turned to be Khulna city. The sole division of Zone 3 could be taken into consideration too, but after consultation with the experts, it was omitted from the sampling plan for better utilization of the resources available to the Research Team. 3.2.2 Sample Size For determination of sample size, the Research Team tried to adopt various sampling techniques. But as the ratio of house owners (who are the end users of paint) is too small to the entire population of Bangladesh, the sample size becomes very small. So, after discussion with experts and the appointing authority, the sample size per city is determined to be 100. So the total sample size of this study is 400 (100X4). The distribution of the samples are furnished in table 3.1. Table 3.1: Sample distribution Dhaka Chittagong Khulna Sylhet Total End users 80 80 85 85 320 Dealers/Retailers 10 10 5 5 30 Painters 5 5 5 5 20 Architect/Developer 5 5 5 5 30 Total 100 100 100 100 400 3.2.3 Sampling Method Systematic sampling method was adopted for selecting samples. Households were considered sampling units and owner of the household was considered sampling elements. The holding list of City Corporation was used as the sampling frame. The frame was divided by the number of samples required to determine the sampling intervals. Then the first sample was selected from the first sampling interval following simple random sampling and then the rest of the samples were selected from subsequent sampling intervals as usual. If a household was found ineligible then the next adjacent household was considered the sampling unit. For conducting the surveys on the channel members, samples were selected based on judgment. The fieldwork was carried out during the period of May 28 to June 10, 2009. 3.3 Instrument and Scale for Data Collection Structured Questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection. Five sets of questionnaire were used for customers, dealers, retailers, painters and developers respectively (Provided in the Appendix Section). Questions set in the questionnaire were worded with simplest form possible. Rank order scale and 5 point Likert scale were used in these questionnaires. In each questionnaire, at least one question was set as an open ended question to reveal the thoughts of the respondents regarding paint industry of Bangladesh. After preparation of the questionnaires, they were pretested using a small size of sample taken from Dhaka city. The reliability of the questionnaires was judged from the result of pretest. Coefficient alpha was used as a measure of internal consistency check for the questionnaires. 3.4 Field Survey Field Survey procedure was used to collect data from the primary source. The bases covered include customers (end users), dealers, retailers, painters and architect/developers. Furthermore, a panel of experts was consulted including experts in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Marketing, Economics and Supply Chain Management. A brief list of the expert pool is provided in the appendix A. The purpose, information coverage and other requirements of the study were further reviewed and finalized after consultation by the Research Team with the Unitrend management. Obviously the study was national in nature and the sample size was large enough to be representative of different segments. The steps involved in conducting survey were including sampling design process, questionnaire preparation, fieldwork, and data preparation and analysis. 3.5 Fieldwork and Supervision The fieldworkers were trained thoroughly for carrying out the surveys effectively. The training included as to how to select respondents, introduce themselves to the respondents, ask questions, provide reinforcements to the respondents, record the responses etc. Fieldworkers were students of Department of Marketing from the Faculty of Business Studies of University of Dhaka. A member of the Research Team supervised the fieldwork. He monitored the activities of the investigators very closely, provided them support and motivation, and in some cases, took part in the field investigation. 4.1 Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited: An Overview Berger, the market leader in the Bangladesh paint market, is one of the oldest names in the global paint industry. It has its origin in the year of 1706 and from then on the company is operating with strong adherence to quality and social responsibility. Initially, Lewis Berger, a German national, founded dye pigment making business in England. Lewis Berger Sons Limited grew rapidly with a strong reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship culminating in perfecting the process of making Prussian Blue, a deep blue dye, a color widely used for many European armies uniform. Production of dyes pigments evolved into production of paints coatings, which till today, remains the core business of Berger. Berger Paints started its sailing into the sea of Bangladesh from pre-liberation era, to be precise in 1950. In Bangladesh the major milestones of Berger Paints are given below: 1950 Started operation in Bangladesh by importing Paint from Berger UK 1970 Establishment of Chittagong Factory 1980 Named as Berger Paints (BD) Ltd. from Jenson Nicholson (JN) 1991 BMRE in Chittagong Factory 1995 Establishment of Double Tight Can Manufacturing Plant 1999 Establishment of Most Modern Sate-of-the-Art Paint Production Plant 2002 Construction of own building for the Corporate Office in Dhaka 2004 Establishment of Powder Coating Plant * Owns Corporate Office located in Dhaka * 2 Factories at Dhaka and Chittagong * 7 strategically located Sales Offices throughout the whole country. * A wide distribution channel reaches the whole country with a network of more than 1500 dealers 4.2 Vision and Mission of BPBL Berger emphasize highly on the ethical commitment to produce benchmark quality product. 4.2.1 Vision â€Å"We shall remain as the benchmark in the Paint industry by being an innovative and technology driven Company consistently delivering world-class products ensuring best consumer satisfaction through continuous value added services provided by highly professional and committed team.† 4.2.2 Mission â€Å"We shall increase our turnover by 100% in the next five years. We shall remain socially committed ethical Company.† 4.3 Area of Operation Berger Paints operates in three broad segments of the paint industry. 4.3.1 Decorative Paint * The objective is to beautify the surfaces with protection from corrosion and erosion * This business category mainly targets household segment offered to the consumers through a dealer network constituting major revenue earning business area of BPBL. * Products fulfill the aesthetic value of the consumers. 4.3.2 Industrial * Tailor made products to cater to the specific needs of customers. * Products give protection to the surfaces in extreme situations like severe hazardous environment, high temperature, movement of heavy materials and machinery etc. * Direct marketing approach is being used to promote the Industrial Coatings * Main customer groups: Garments Factories, Chemical Plants, Fertilizer Manufacturing Plants, Consumer Durable Manufacturing Plants etc. 4.3.3 Marine * Products are being offered mainly through direct marketing approach. * Dock Yards, Bangladesh Navy, Passenger Ships are the main user groups. * Market is mostly concentrated in Dhaka and Chittagong. 4.4 Manpower Structure It is consisted of more than 300 employees of whom about 160 are general workers and the rest are White Collar employees. These employees are working in different factories and depots of the company. The positional hierarchy of the company is as follows: 1. Managing Director 2. Director 3. General Manager (Executive -1) 4. Executive -2 5. Senior Manager 6. Manager 7. Assistant Manager 8. Officer (i, ii, iii, iv) / Management Trainee 4.5 SWOT Analysis The SWOT Analysis of Berger Paints is presented below: Strengths * Corporate image as pioneer in paint industry and one of the leading paint companies of the world * Wide distribution network * Rich experience on Bangladesh Paint Market * Presence in all major segments of the market * Strong financial base Weaknesses * Insignificant presence in the international satellite channels * Perceived as premium priced company at semi-urban and rural market * Higher dependence on large dealers * Consumers knowledge gap about paints painting system Opportunities * Growing market * Utilization of positive corporate * image for corporate diversification * To popularize economy products at remote market Threats * Fierce competition in the Bangladesh market * Credit-driven market * Strong command of few dealers in the market through sub-dealer * Unethical and corrupt practices by the local companies * Low priced imported products are entering due to trade liberalization 5.1 Existing Situation The paint market of Bangladesh comprises primarily with urban consumers as the rate of construction and decoration in urban areas is very high compared to that of the semi urban and rural areas. The mix of consumers in paint market encompasses with 80% urban consumers along with 12% semi urban as well as 8% rural consumers ( 5.1). The demand in the market can be categorized into 4 broader segments based on use Decorative, Industrial, Marine and Automotive paints. Decorative products are the used in households for beautification of buildings and interiors. This is the biggest among all segments. Industrial products have mainly two types of uses industrial raw materials and protective or maintenance. But in spite of the dual use, the segment is only 8% of the total demand. Demand for marine products are only 5% and for automotive paints, it is even lesser, only 3%. A detail of the product demand is endowed in 5.2. Decorative produ

Essay --

â€Å"The great tragedies of history occur when men or women with extreme or deviant personality traits rise to a position of great power from whence they can do great damage† (Edward and Renato). To the public eye, Lenin was a very normal child within the common populace of Russia; but, later with the death of his brother and the breeding of Marxist ideas, Lenin transformed into a powerful leader ready to commit crimes against humanity. Seizing the throne was not easy for Lenin, he had to manipulate the common people, abolish opposition, and maintain his rule throughout Europe. All attempts to delay his rule would prove insufficient in weakening Lenin’s grip on radical favoring Russia. In order to establish authority and build a legacy, Lenin began manipulating the common people. Initially he sought the passion of the people to reinforce his personal agenda. Being without a following, Lenin decided he had to force his views onto the Russian people, he â€Å"entered the debate on the correct path for Russia to enter socialist society by writing hand-printed pamphlets and leaflets, circulated among workers, and reviews of other Marxists' writings† (Frame). By circulating pamphlets he manipulated the minds of others that had no choice but to believe the thoughts he’s injecting. Rather than using propaganda, as many other leaders had done themselves, Lenin decided he was going to directly influence the factory workers. While Marxist ideas consisted of the proletariat rising up against capitalist oppressors, Lenin changed his views to fit Russia while persuading the factory workers into siding with him, "With all my might I urge comrades to realize that ev erything now hangs by a thread; that we are confronted by problems which are not... ...out seeing the effects of his changes, he molded Russia into a powerful pedestal for his own liking. Some might say that Lenin was simply learning from previous leaders; for example Hitler and his storm troopers or Robespierre and his Reign of Terror, but his intentions were not to comb out â€Å"bandits† as he once said but rather to mandate, manipulate, and eliminate all opposing forces. As seen above Lenin can easily be related to many powerful yet cruel tyrants throughout history. Hitler and Robespierre both encouraged terrors of their own as Lenin did himself. Lenin manipulated and controlled Russia every step the way leading up to his final grasp of control. He morphed Russia into his own vision of what he believe it should be, and lost more than fifty thousand lives on the way. Lenin, killed, controlled and forced Russia into becoming what it never should have.

It Should NOT be a Crime to Smoke :: essays research papers

It Should NOT be a Crime to Smoke Out in the cold, a lone member of society stands alienated from the rest of the world. A plume of smoke rises from her mouth; this is what sets her apart from the rest of the population, the fact that she smokes. In the last decade, this has been happening as people become staunchly more politically correct. It has almost become a crime to smoke in this country as the year’s progress. Is this right? Should smokers be treated this way, are they worse than the rest of society just because of their habit?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Smokers have been banned from almost ever facility in this nation, save some fast food restaurants and bars. Almost all the nice restaurants have eliminated smoking sections, and for what reason: to quell the cry of all the nonsmokers in this world? If these people had their way all the smokers would be crammed into a rocket and shot off to farthest reaches of the universe. Why have smokers been driven out of public places when there are efficient ways of eliminating secondhand smoke? There are machines called smoke eaters that have been scientifically proven to eliminate 98% of the toxins found in secondhand smoke. Why are these overlooked when legislation is passed making it illegal to have smoking sections in public buildings? I do not have the answers to these questions, only the politicians do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ithaca College is not above these ridiculous laws. Ithaca College is trying to pass legislation that bans smoking from certain out door areas of the campus. How ridiculous is this. Smokers are not only banned from all indoor areas but now we are confined to certain outdoor areas. President Peggy Williams wants this to go through and says it is time to make a stand. I say that all the smokers of this nation should ban together and put an end to this tyranny that makes our lives more difficult every year. We must stop them from discriminating against us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that smokers should have the right to smoke anywhere outdoors and in certain areas indoors where efficient second hand smoke elimination procedures are in place. I need no backing for the outdoors claim because if smokers are not permitted to smoke outdoors than where are they allowed to smoke, only in their houses with the windows closed and the blinds drawn?

Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel

Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel (1782-1852) was a German educator born in Oberweisbach. He is known as the founder of â€Å"Kindergarten† and was one of the most influential educational reformers of the 19th century. Froebel had a difficult childhood. His mother died when he was still young, and his father, a pastor, and stepmother neglected to care for him. Finally, an uncle took over his care and ensured that he receive a high school education. It was there that young Froebel grew up with a love for nature and strong Christian faith, which led him to seek happiness and unity in all things. Froebel’s faith also led him to think as an educationalist. Froebel studied at the University of Jena for a short time. In 1805, while studying architecture in Frankfurt, he was persuaded to become a teacher by the model school at Frankfurt. He then studied with Pestalozzi at Yverdon, before returning to the University of Gottigen and Berlin in Germany. Froebel believed that there was something missing in Pestalozzi’s theory- the ‘spiritual mechanism’. According to Froebel, this was the basis of early childhood education. â€Å"Pestalozzi takes man existing only in appearance on earth,† he said, â€Å"but I take man in his eternal being, in his eternal existence.† (Shapiro, 1983, p.20.) Froebel took a break from studying to join the army for a year from 1813-1814. Afterwards, he received a position at the mineralogical museum in the University of Berlin. Two years later, he founded a school at Greisheim (which later mover to Keilau) which he called the Universal German Educational Institute. It was there that he taught his methods to other teachers. Froebel opened the first Kindergarten in the year of 1837 in Bad Blankenburg. Later, he also founded a Kindergarten training school at Liebenstein. Froebel felt that children, like plants in a garden, need to be cared for and shielded from outside influences. Froeble believed that children need to imitate a teacher’s values and morals. Therefore, teachers need to be respected, receptive, and easily approachable. Among Froebel’s subordinates, however, there were constant disputes, which he was unable to control. He encountered more problems when the Prussian government did not approve of his ideas. In 1851, an edict was issued, which forbade the establishment of Kindergartens. This decree was repealed almost 10 years later- in 1860. Froebel was not alive at that time and had no idea of the impact he left on the school system worldwide, and especially in the United States. The philosophers of his times, Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814) and Friedrich Wilhelm Schelling (1775-1854), also influenced Froebel’s educational ideas. He placed an emphasis on self-activity, physical training, and pleasant surroundings in the development of children. His most important work was the book he wrote in 1826 called Menschenerziehung (tr. The Education of Man, 1877).

Tom’s Of Maine Case Study

How should management accommodate a variety of conflicting spiritual perspectives in the workplace? An employer is required by law to reasonably accommodate a religious request unless the request presents undue hardship on the business. The trick is to make sure that the organization allows for each religious request on an equal basis. A good example of working to avoid the tensions and conflicts that might arise by mixing religion and work is the Ford Interfaith Network (FIN) which operates within Ford Motor Company.The Interfaith Network has a representative from each religion on the network’s executive committee. Questions about another member’s faith is asked and answered through formal channels developed by the Interfaith Network. The questions might be answered by a committee representative or by a guest religious scholar. Another company, Wells Fargo, one of the top 50 companies to make the Diversity list of 2005 has strict guidelines on the creation of employee- resource groups. Religious groups do not meet the criteria. According to the assistant vice president of corporate communications there are just too many religious groups to accommodate them all.However, Wells Fargo does permit informal religious gatherings on site. Os Hillman, an evangelical Christian, who advised companies such as Coca Cola and Toyota regarding faith-at-work issues, believes that companies â€Å"should promote fairness for each group and leave it at that.† Companies recognize that â€Å"faith and religion are an important part of an employee’s identity† and that religious diversity has a future in corporate America. Now companies must find a way to provide accommodations to conflicting spiritual perspectives in a way that is equal to everyone.These accommodations will make better employees and a better place to work. There are many companies who support and promote faith at work: American Express, AOL, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Texas Instruments and Ford Motor Company. Each of these organizations has developed a system which successfully accommodates a variety of conflicting spiritual perspectives in the workplace.Tom Chappell created a spiritual framework for Tom’s of Maine, a family-owned business. Can such a framework be created for a publicly traded company? What differences might there be in its effects? The spiritual framework for Tom’s of Maine can definitely be created for publically traded  companies. Spiritual, religious, ethical and moral issues are now being given great weight and consideration in the business world. Society seems to want to focus more on family values and what is truly important in life.Diversity, equality, medical and business ethics, human rights, fair trade, and environmental issues are elemental considerations today. Promoting these values can make organizations more productive, and leaders who adhere to these standards are more sensitive to ethical issues. What is needed is more than ever is ethical leadership. Proof of the absence of good ethical leaders can be seen in the events of Enron, Bank of America, and Madoff’s ponzi scheme, to name a few.Tom and Kate Chappell believe it is crucial not to compromise your beliefs in order to turn a profit. The Chappell’s expressed strong personal values of respect for both people and nature. Through conflicts between the companies’ new talent and the Chappell’s, Tom enrolled at Harvard Divinity School where he immersed himself in writings of great moral and religious philosophers. Having new knowledge and a deeper understanding of the direction he wanted his company to go in he â€Å"devoted much time to formulating the company’s mission and beliefs and to molding a corporate culture that embodies these tenets.† (p. 177)What risks might an organizational encounter when encouraging the expression of spiritual values in the workplace? What are its advan tages? Tom’s of Maine might have risks involving the lack of understanding between employees and the company’s vision. However to avoid the Chappell’s believe that â€Å"there is a difference between requiring a workforce to embrace one’s religious beliefs and empowering all employees through a spiritual framework.† (p. 179) One advantage would be the Chappell’s setting the example.They are committed to donating 10% of the company’s pre-tax profits to nonprofit organizations. By giving back to their community (county, state, nation and world) they are a shining example of what they would like their employees to do. They also encourage their employees to do this by providing a â€Å"generous benefit package, including four weeks of parental leave for both mothers and fathers, as well as offers flexible work schedules, job sharing, and work-at-home programs. Child-care and elder-care  referral service is provided, and child care is p artially reimbursed for employees earning less than $32,500 annually.† (p. 178)