...Aretha Jackson, president of a private investment firm received a call from a client asking for her advice whether to invest in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO). Jackson emailed Kate Prescott, director of Research, and asked her to prepared reports for her which will help Jackson assess the risks of investing in MSLO. Prescott delivered three reports to Jackson: one on the MSLO business model, one concerning the company’s core competitors, and one detailing consumer attitudes and behaviors (Herman, 2002). These three reports provided Jackson a complete overview on MSLO and it’s up to her to decide whether it’s favorable to invest in MSLO or not. The MSLO business model report mentioned that on October 19, 1999, MSLO went public. At the close of business day, MSLO reached a market value of $1.73 billion and a stake for Stewart worth $1.21 billion. MSLO described itself as a branded and highly integrated content company dedicated to helping people improve the quality of living in and around the home. MSLO produced original how to information and related product in seven core content areas such as home, cooking and entertaining, gardening, craft, holidays, keeping, and weddings. According to 60 Minutes, Stewart sold “that most indefinable and ambiguous of all products.” MSLO keys areas of strengths were in publishing, television, merchandising, internet and ecommerce (Neal, 2007). The company’s core competitor report defined MSLO’s competition based upon major and...
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...Introduction Edmunds Corrugates Parts & Services is a company that provides machine parts and services to the domestic corrugated box industry. The once lucrative company has begun to see a decrease in profits. While Edmunds doesn’t worry about competition, the company recognizes the need to maintain a competitive advantage to increase profits. Edmunds has identified the need to alter some of the current business practices in effort to increase profit margins. Companies often increase profits, and market share in various ways. Through strategic planning, advances in technology and diversification most companies have successfully rebounded from decreased profits. Essentially, technology and diversity will play a critical role in the company’s growth and sustainability. Analysis Larry Edmunds of Edmunds Corrugated Parts & Services has transformed his small business into a leading company in parts and services for the corrugated box industry. Although the company has seen enormous profits in the past, profits have since declined and become stagnant. (Daft 2010, p.207) This is partly due to the lack of business strategy. Without the necessary strategic planning the company has suffered. Larry has not adequately prepared the company to maintain a competitive advantage. The company has lost business due to industry changes in the consolidation of the paper industry which resulted in a loss of hundreds of businesses that Edmunds once served. Edmunds has seemingly overlooked this...
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...online poking around the eco-friendly sites and I came across Green is Universal. A green initiative run by the Universal Entertainment Company. As I read their Facebook wall, I saw that they were having a contest called The Art of ReUse in partnership with Etsy! The deadline for entries was midnight on the 8th, so I spent the next two days fine-tuning my project, getting good photos of it and constructing it. I entered the 20-Minute Dog Sweater under the pets category on Friday night just in time for the cut off! Basically...
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...business. Strategic planning is critical to business success. Different from classic business planning, the strategic variety involves vision, mission and outside-of-the-box thinking. Strategic planning describes where you want your company to go, not necessarily how you're going to get there. However, like all other "travel plans," without knowing where you want to go, creating details on how to arrive are meaningless. Strategic planning defines the "where" that your company is heading. Strategic planning is the core of any business. Thompson, A.A., Strickland, A.J., & Gamble, J.E. (2010) Crafting and Executing Strategy: The quest for competitive advantage: Concepts and cases: 2009 custom edition (17th ed). Unlike business plans, there is no one right way to create effective strategic planning. It is, by definition, brainstorming at its best. Strategic planning involves "feel" just as much as it depends on management science. Since it depends on creativity and outside-the-box thinking, there is no perfect way to design a winning strategic plan. The more you understand your company, your industry, and your corporate "wish list," the better a winning strategic plan you'll create. Pearce, John, & Robinson, Richard Strategic Management 12th edition As critical as business planning is to the success of your company, all plans are useless unless followed by action. An additional side benefit of strategic planning is the natural action plan that stems from identifying your preferred...
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...A resurgent Kmart, home of the blue light special, is buying the once-dominant Sears department store chain in a surprising $11 billion gamble it is counting on to help both better compete with Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers. Led by Kmart Holding Corp. chairman Edward Lampert, the new Sears Holdings Corp. would be the nation’s third largest retailer. Both chains would survive, but several hundred stand-alone Kmarts throughout the country are expected to be transformed into Sears stores. The goal: A quick kick-start to sales away from Sears traditional base of shopping malls. Lampert and Sears chairman and CEO Alan Lacy, in announcing the deal on Wednesday, promised up to $500 million a year in savings within three years from store conversions, back-office job cuts, more efficient buying of goods and possible store closings. Shares of both Kmart and Sears, Roebuck and Co. surged on the news, but some analysts are skeptical that it amounts to a home run. “Both have been broken in some sense,” said Dan Hess, president and chief executive of Merchant Forecast, a New York-based independent research company. “Kmart has to learn to survive in a Wal-Mart world and Sears needs to learn to survive in a world of Home Depot and Lowe’s.” Lampert, 42, was as an assistant to Robert Rubin at Goldman Sachs & Co. before leaving to form a hedge fund at the age of 25. He orchestrated the deal and will lead a new board that will be dominated by Kmart directors. “We need to have a very...
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...111-03 Spring 2013 Business Resources: Out of Class Exercise Due Monday, May 6th 10 PM 30 Points 1. Compare the companies Coca-Cola (Stock Symbol: KO) and Pepsico (Stock Symbol: PEP). Place them into the search box in this order. For Coca-Cola, the long term debt is $ 13,656,600 For pepsico, the long term debt is $20,568,000 (5 Points) What is the Long Term Debt for each one? -24.8% What is Pepsico’s net income as a percentage of Coca-Cola’s? 2. In Credo Reference, find a dictionary or encyclopedia entry at least 500 words long which defines and discusses the term forensic accounting. (5 Points) Name of Encyclopedia Collins Dictionary of Law What is forensic accounting? , forensic medicine is the application of medicine 3. Use the Create a Company List function in LexisNexis to find companies in Columbus Ohio that are devoted to schools and educational services (under the broad area of services). (7 Points) How many total results ? (You are only shown the first 10 results on the screen) 80311 List the name and address of one company. METTLER- TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC(MTD) 1900 polaris pkwy., Columbus,Ohio Untied states 4. Locate a full text Wall Street Journal column by James B. Stewart from 2006 on the acquisition of Pixar Studios by the Walt Disney Company. (5 Points) Title of Article: common sense – investors,beware: Disney is paying to much to pixar Date:01...
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...Reliance Baking Soda Summary of the background and facts In August 2007, Stewart Corporation was enjoying success with its household division of products that included baking soda, laundry detergents, and other household cleaners. Stewart Corporation had built the company on the trusted brand associated with Reliance Baking Soda (RBS). (Quelch & Beckham, 2009). RBS was the market leader in its category, but the Reliance brand had experienced increased competition in recent years due to private label brands gaining more market share. Stewart promoted Anna Regnante as the Domestic Brand Director for (RBS) on August 8, 2007. Regnante was immediately tasked with the job of developing a budget for the coming year (2008) that would “result in a 10% increase in profit (before SGA, overhead and taxes) over 2007 estimates.” (Quelch & Beckham, 2009). The Stewart Corporation was founded by James Stewart Augusta in 1915. Augusta had discovered what was called the “miracle compound” (baking soda), which led to the introduction of a product that would be used in many capacities that included cooking, cleaning and deodorizing. Baking soda was initially marketed as a key leavening ingredient that caused baked items to rise in the cooking process. Following the introduction of self-rising flour and instant cake mixes, the product’s importance to bakers declined. (Quelch & Beckham, 2009) Stewart found new life for its product to be used as a cleaning agent due to compound’s gritty...
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...pool of virtual resources that are easily usable and accessible.i Rhoton mentions these resources are made up of hardware devices, information system platforms, and networking services.ii The cloud is built to be virtually unacknowledged by the user and perform in the simplest way. They are built using complex methods that are hidden from the user. Companies base their projects around simplicity because that is what the user wants. A user will buy a product or service that is easy to learn, compared to an abstract service that will take a lot of time and effort to use. A cloud network is very complex and misleading in terms of the infrastructure; however, the user can access the cloud by simply logging into the host from a webpage or a phone application. Generally, cloud services are built around consumers, but they are also used by businesses as well. Many companies are based around cloud services to provide users and businesses storage capabilities. The cloud is forming businesses and people alike to take part in this new piece of technology. Businesses are changing their products and services to establish their company in the cloud. After seeing positive remarks...
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...1 Assignment 3 Employment Laws and HRM Strategy Shonnette P. Ferebee Dr. David Fountaine February 17, 2013 Describe the scenario that you have selected and its corresponding employment laws. The employment laws for seasonal employees that are from other countries are very different. First of all, in order for the organization to have productive and ------------------------------------------------- satisfying work from the seasonal employees, there need to be a work design in affect along with a job analysis. The work design is the process of assigning and coordinating work tasks among employees. The employment laws for seasonal employees that are from different countries are in the North Carolina General Statues 95-222.229. The migrant Housing Act of NC (S.B. 631; North Carolina General Statutes 95-222:229 were made into law in the U.S. state of North Carolina in 1989. It oversees migrant workers housing through regulations of housing inspections, standards to be met, and recognition of housing that meets all standards and requirements after the pre-occupancy inspection is done by the North Carolina Department of Labor and the local county health department. Its goals are to ensure safe and healthy seasonal housing conditions. Migrant workers can be described as people who come from their home country to the United States legally with limited advantages, to work in a selection of trades such as furniture, agriculture, and construction. In June 2003, I was working...
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...1800 Flowers.com http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=234954&ticker=FLWS Mr. James F. McCann, also known as Jim, founded 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., in 1976 and has been its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since 1987. Mr. McCann focuses on customer relationships. He serves as an Advisor at Metamorphic Ventures. He has been the Chairman of Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company since July 8, 2013 and its Director since April 21, 2004. He has been a Director of Willis Group Limited since April 21, 2004. He serves as a Director of Boyds Collection Ltd. since May 2001. He has been an Independent Director of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company since January 2014. He serves as a Director of PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. and Children's Progress, Inc. Mr. McCann serves as a Director of National Retail Federation, GTECH Corporation, Boyd's Bears, Very Special Arts, Gateway 2000, Hoftstra University, and Winthrop-University Hospital, Inc. He served as a Presiding Independent Director of Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company from November 1, 2012 to July 8, 2013. He served as a Director of Gateway Inc., since 1996; OfficeMax,Inc., and GTECH S.p.A. He served as a Director of GTECH Holdings Corporation. He served as an Independent Director of Lottomatica Group S.p.A. He supports programs for the developmentally disabled. He was involved in social services at St. John's Home for Boys. He is a published author and award winning public speaker as well...
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...competitive edge weighs heavily on the innovation and strategic planning of an organization. What makes these organizations supersede their competitors? Gaining competitive advantage results in greater performance, increased production, larger sale volume and retention of satisfied customers. So the product or service, which enables organizations to generate competitive advantage, has to be uniquely different from its competitors; it has to be original, totally innovative, and “outside the box”. Outback Steakhouse competitive advantage is the result of the customer service offered through the employees that it employs. As the saying goes, “Good food gets them there, but customer service brings them back.” Investing in its people gives Outback this differential advantage. Outback Steakhouse realizes employing the right people is vitally important to the success of its operation. These individuals employed, must share in the culture, values and drive for quality service that the company promotes. Customers expect quality service, dished up with a smile! Hiring and training employees is very expensive and time consuming. By not ensuring a sound method of identifying the perfect fit, company’s profit are lost. Retention is key! Emphasizing consistent high-quality food and service is the strategy Outback uses to differentiate itself from competitors (Outback.com). They seek quality candidates who are sociable, gregarious, friendly, meticulous, pays attention to detail. ...
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...Product, Pricing, and Channels Paper Charles Butler, April Molley, Jon Walter, and William Stewart MKT/421 Marketing April 6, 2015 Anil Agarwal Features of the Apple Watch and the Needs of Target Market This product is one of the best ideas invented since the tablets hit the market. You now have a cell phone, tablet, and your wallet all in one on your wrist. The benefits from this product will help many Americans keep better track of their health, personal information, and communication. The reminders and schedules are going to be more visible to the eyes. No need to look at your cell phone to see who is calling or sending a text both devices will be sync together. The Apple watch is created with the function that you will be able to use Apple pay to pay for purchases everywhere. One of the best features that are going to be very helpful is the fitness activity app. The Apple watch is designed to learn your daily activity and then turn that into ways to improve your physical health. It will suggest personalized all-day activity goals also provide reminders when to do them and when there has been no activity in a while. Apple Watch tracks movement, estimates calories burn, and monitors heart rate and will sync your information through the application to your Apple IPhone (Apple, 2015). So it is like having a personal trainer by your side all day to help with keeping you on the track of your goals. Some people in foreign countries or even in America...
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...I. Problem For Sears Holding Company (SHC) to come up with a business strategy that will address competition, culture, and synergy and create a distinct brand image and identity for the company, which will help them succeed in the long run. II. Subproblem For the two companies, Kmart Holding Corporation (“Kmart”) and Sears, Roebuck & Co. (“Sears”) to be able to act as one company and create value. III. Objectives 1. To create a brand image identity 2. To create a culture of success 3. To generate consumer loyalty 4. To appropriately position the company in the retailing business industry 5. To be able to address competition 6. To make SHC a profitable company in the long term 7. To build a broader customer base IV. Case Facts and Analysis The merger of Kmart and Sears in late 2004 occurred to gain competitive advantage over its competitors by combining strengths of Sears and Kmart for the long-term value for SHC. This merger will benefit both companies in an ever changing and competitive retail industry. SHC will be able to enter into new markets with its combined expertise of Kmart in discounter stores and Sears in department stores. This merger benefits both companies in different ways separately and to the new merged entity – SHC. Kmart will benefit from the planned cost sharing of several of Sears leading proprietary brands as well as present opportunities to capture significant revenue and cost synergies including merchandise and non-merchandise...
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...committees and up-to-date policies and procedures. Companies such as Enron have had a difficult time making these ethical decisions and some within the company have had to pay a hefty price. Adopting a code of ethics and communicating these ethics are a key resource for any company. An internal audit system is another way to help combat fraudulent behavior. Elements of Financial Management There are four main parts or elements of basic financial management. Planning, controlling, organization and directing, and decision making (Baker & Baker. 2011). Planning consists of identifying goals of the organization and detailing the necessary steps to achieve these goals. When planning, an organization might consider historical statistics, patient demographics and must set specific financial goals. Controlling is a way to ensure the performance matches the planning. To see the results of this a financial manager might use comparison of results and flow of information. Organization and directing entails deciding the proper path to utilizing the company’s resources and managing or guiding employees in achieving this goal. Decision making is the ability to make a decision within his or her managerial parameters and knowing when to defer to a higher authority when needed. A manager must utilize data analysis reports, personal knowledge, and a personal understanding of the organizations ideology, and he or she must think outside the box when problems or roadblocks arise. Accounting...
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...perfect sense. With the merger, the two companies could collaborate freely and easily.Did the merger work? Well, take a look at the successful movies that Disney and Pixar have put out since: “WALL-E,” “Up,” and “Bolt.” Pixar has plans for twice-yearly films, unthinkable before the merger, and has certainly gained the expert advice from Disney when it comes to advertising, marketing plugs, and merchandising. When it comes to marketing to children, no one does it better than Disney. Even pre-merger cartoon “Cars” got the Disney treatment and remains a top seller in merchandising amongst 4 year old boys (just ask my nephew). irius/XM radio merger On July 29, 2008, satellite radio officially had one provider when Sirius Satellite Radio joined forces with rival XM Satellite Radio. The merger was officially announced over a year before, in February 2007, but the actual merger was delayed due to one tiny problem – when satellite radio first began in 1997, the FCC granted only two licenses under one condition: that either of the holders would not acquire control of the other.Oops. So Sirius and XM filed the proper paperwork with the FCC, allowed the FCC to investigate the merger, and waited patiently for the approval they needed. And although time will tell if the new Sirius XM company will succeed in the long-run, I consider this merger a success due to the number of big names recently added to their roster (Oprah, Howard Stern, Martha Stewart), as well having the foresight to combine...
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