Spanish Armada Essay Example for Free

Spanish Armada Essay The Spanish Armada showcased the Spaniards boldness and determination to expand their territory and their religion of Catholicism. However, there are several underlying reasons on why Spain waged a war against England. The decision of King Philip II to launch a fleet of naval ships towards the North have been influenced by many consecutive incidents that demonstrated the looming conflict between Spain and England. During the 16th century, Spain and England used to be allies in advancing a common cause which was to expand their respective colonies. But it was their similar objectives that instigated the manifestation of a strained relationship between the two countries. More so, the relationship between England and Spain became more tensed when Philip II married Mary I, a sibling of Queen Elizabeth I, making him a â€Å"titular King of England. † This union highlighted the difference in religious beliefs of a Catholic and a Protestant that raised eyebrows in the English Monarchy who doubted the real intentions of Spain with England. In retaliation, England gave support to the Dutch uprising against Spain. Several black propaganda were launched that criticized King Philip II and the Catholics in general as wicked human beings. Then, the situation worsened when â€Å"Catholic Queen Mary of Scots†, the only remaining link of Spain with England in 1587, was executed for allegedly plotting against Queen Elizabeth I. Because of these events, the plan of King Philip II to conquer Europe was blocked in which motivated him to start a confrontation with England through an Armada (Mitchell, 2005). Unfortunately, Spain was defeated in this battle because of the unfavorable weather conditions and the fact that the English were more advanced with their warfare resources and strategy. As a result, Englands victory entitled the English with the position of being the strongest and most influential in Europe. Meanwhile, for Spain, their loss became a learning experience that motivated them to enhance more their naval capabilities as well as their military tactics. References Mitchell, C. V. (2005 August). The weathering of the armada. Inventory of Conflict Environment. Retrieved May 20, 2008 from http://www. american. edu/ted/ice/armada. htm

The Transaction Processing Systems

The Transaction Processing Systems It has been widely established lately that how important information system has become for business processes. According to authors, information system is a field that merges business management with computer applications to smoothen the process for business in more efficient a way. In simpler terms, information system bridges in data, people, procedures and computer software and hardware to analyse and gather information digitally. This typically helps in assimilating information in an organised way for better functionality and operations of organisations. Traditionally information system was considered as design meant to be carried out principally from a technical viewpoint. But with growing awareness and acceptance towards the system has made people realise that it represents various other and broadened viewpoints that culminates stakeholders in order to attend to their economical, institutional, political and other interests. Hence, it would not be wrong to say that a systematic and practical framework or information system is most likely to tend to the aim of reaching an integrated information model for an organisation. Information System Silver et al. (1995) defines Information Systems as one which is implemented within an organization for the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of that organization. Capabilities of the information system and characteristics of the organization, its work systems, its people, and its development and implementation methodologies together determine the extent to which that purpose is achieved. Where a group of scholars believe that information connects with hardware, software, data, procedures and people; another school of thought advocates Information system to include people, business processes and Information Systems. Four conventional Classes of Information System Classification of Information system differs as per the business needs and the structure and level of organisations. The needs of information system vary as per the levels and decision structure needed at every level. Primarily, information need ranges in following management capacity- Strategic control, managerial aspects and operational functions. The following pyramids describe the functions of organisation and the levels of decision authority along with the associated classes of Information System. TRANSACTION PROCESSING SYSTEMS The pyramid from bottom starts with lower management which deals with day to day operations of the organisation. This class of information system is handled by lower management who represents an organisation in daily routine and business such as attendance of employees, posting of entries in bank, processing of orders, evaluating overdue purchaser orders airline booking function etc. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS The second category of information required by the middle management is known as managerial information. The information required at this level is used for making short term decisions and plans for the organization. Information like sales analysis for the past quarter or yearly production details etc. fall under this category. Management information system (MIS) caters to such information needs of the organization. Due to its capabilities to fulfil the managerial information needs of the organization, Management Information Systems have become a necessity for all big organizations. And due to its vastness, most of the big organizations have separate MIS departments to look into the related issues and proper functioning of the system. DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS In simpler words, it is an interactive channel that integrates and collets information from varied source to enhance the non-routine decisions. The information generated here is not made available to lower level staff nor do they need it. For example, trends and figures of revenue generation which helps in deciding policies etc. These types of decisive data supported by information system are required by senior management only and are called as Decision Support Systems. EXECUTIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS The top level of this hierarchical classification of information system concerns only topmost management and the data integrated by information system is here is handy for executives only. Executive Information Systems involves at strategic management level which is coordinated and handled by top management in an organisation. This category facilitates the management with relevant data and information in convenient format required for strategic planning that aims at developing plans and construct major decisions towards the organisational goals Banking Structure Implementation of Information System Banking is a vibrant sector which deals in with enormous data on daily basis. Technically speaking a bank caters to the money related transaction with customers. Generally it involves following services- Customers saving and Current account management Cheque services- collections and payments Credit and debit cards Handling of Loans, insurance, fixed deposits and other policies In competitive environment, any bank strives to provide best of services facilitating convenience factor and ease of use to customer to gain on competitive advantage. Banking structure has evolved tremendously since its inception. Where banking was started with manual maintenance of records on papers; now the sector has been computerised and IT have been playing quite a revolutionary role to bring transformation in banking. The different platforms that a bank extends nowadays are conventional retail bank outlet, ATM, online banking, Mobile Banking etc. In this versatile scenario of functions and services, information takes a centric position and a strategic handling and available of information gets very pertinent. Lately information system has been hotly debated for being a contributory tool to amalgamate all these functions by integrating all the information and data for required authority in right time and place. Information system and banking As has been explained above information system involves people, data and procedure. For any given bank or financial institution accuracy and timely availability of information is quite challenging. Inculcation of information system and technology tend to solve the maximum of related issues and bring in efficiency in the system and added benefits to ease the line of operations. For bank, an information system execute three basic functions- It receive data from different sources as input It generates information by processing the collected data It transfers the output to the concerned authority viz. Managers, sales executive, accountant, cashier etc. Functions of Information System in Bank A few typical business processes in bank that information system coordinates are- Bank account transactions Bank loans and insurance management Business forecasts Customer credits approval and credit terms Property tax evaluation Stock transactions Financial cash flow reports The following section will elaborate application of different information system in bank operations. TRANSACTION PROCESSING SYSTEMS Every bank tends to rely on a system that can manage and integrate its routine operations in organised manner with accuracy. Bank in its operation involves encountering with numerous customers to deal in with their payment or deposit demands. As per Ralph (2008) in absence of such systems, recording and processing of such business transaction would consume plenty of time and absorb huge amounts of organisational resources. Data thus collected through these systems also end up making valuable repositories which can later also be used in decision making. However, primary use is to satisfy customers and provide a competitive advantage by improving services and reducing costs. For the same line of functions, banks deploy many type of transaction process system in order to capture and process the data necessary to update records regarding basic functions of the bank. For instance, bank TPS systems standardise the routine work linked with general banking transactions for the handling of deposits and withdraws, cashing of cheques, ATM online banking functions and other processes. TPS can be divided in two categories based on its way to process data- Batch Processing- It suggests processing of data within the preset limits for certain period of time such as daily, weekly or monthly. A conceptual figure of Batch Processing System The above conceptual figure illustrates how the batch processes system work for a bank in processing of cheques which are collected and then processed usually over specific period of time. It incorporates following 4 steps- Gathering information of business transactions in batches which in this case is cheques Recording the information on specific files and discs in input medium Processing of transactions (cheques for this case) as per defined process i.e. after verification, checking accounts etc and updating master file, reports and a variety of documents, for example customer paycheques or invoices. Capturing and storing batches of transactions data at remote sites, and then transmitting it periodically to central computers for processing. Real-time Processing- This involves instant transaction needs such as money withdrawal from ATM or cash counter or online banking transactions. It provides a direct interface between user and TPS allowing one transaction at time with immediate results. Following figure explains how transaction process works on real-time basis. A Typical Example of Banking Transaction Process System Customer Activity System Activity Enter A/c number Verify a/c no.- acceptable or not Enter password (****) Verify the password Enter withdrawal amount Verify if the amount is within the withdrawal limits Ledger Updates the transaction in bank records Remove Receipt Money Dispense Money Issue transaction Receipt Ready for next transaction To sum up, TPS in bank incorporates 5 activities- Data entry- accounts and customers entry Transactions- bank transactions- cheques, accounts and ATM transactions etc Report and Documents processing Database and Files processing Inquiry processing- Checking balance MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS MIS helps middle level managers with reports and information that further assists them in taking unstructured decisions. TPS takes into account data entry and usual transactions but MIS generates report on how transactions are done over a period of time such as monthly or quarterly reports. This data helps business assess the performance of bank and how much business they have done. Based on the data generated, sales policy can be framed to target for next quarter. For example, a quarterly report can reflect how many new accounts have been opened and how many have been closed. If any major discrepancy is observed in these figures as compared to previous quarters reports than a manager needs to pay attention. He will have to see if this is happening due to service offered by bank or if customers are dissatisfied and displeased with bank or due to competitors or its just like that. Based on the analysis and the resulting reason, a line of action can be planned by manager to improve the performance of bank in order to attract and retain new customers. DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS Roping in around the definition given by authors like Alter (1980), Bonczek et al.( 1981), Keen and Scott-Morton (1978), DSS can be defined to be a system which- Enhances decision with data for decision makers rather than replacing them Utilises information, documents, and reports Solves problem with varying structure degrees- semi structure, unstructured Facilitates effectiveness and not efficiency in decision making process Velmurugan (2008) defines DSS as, an interactive information system that enables decisions making in unstructured or semi structured situations by facilitating information, models and data manipulation. Authors further argues that DSS method generally influences upper level management decision making with a reasonably low frequency and high potential consequences in which the time taken for thinking through and modelling the problem pays off generously in the long run. It can be differentiated with MIS on accounts that it requires a macro approach and not a target based decisions that are usually taken through MIS. As explained above that through MIS, manager can draft a sales plan to cover up falling customers for next quarter. However, with Decision Support system case is not so. It takes a broader view. If this decline in customers is observed for long term than senior management takes a note and based on reports takes a decision. It can be anything based upon the situation. For i nstance- hiring new staff or training the existing one if management thinks its due to employees inefficiency. Installation of new ATM machines if customers are withdrawing for not able to find out bank outlets. New software installation for online banking channel in case of painstaking effort that customer is facing while doing online transactions and so on. There can be number of other decisions that can be reached but everything depends on managers ability to think and to infer a decision based on the data drawn from DSS. In bank typically DSS can help in decision related to following areas- Cash management and debt planning Planning in mergers and acquisitions Capital budgeting Selecting RD project Evaluating financial risks Structuring optimal lease Financial analysis and diagnosis Real estate appraisal and investment Funding strategic product development Setting interest rates for money market deposit accounts Locating banks Managing portfolio Small business financial planning EXECUTIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS Executive Information System was first introduced in 1982 (Rockart and Treacy, 1982) to illustrate the kind of systems a few senior corporate officers were using on a regular basis to access information they needed. Watson et al (1991) characterises that EIS is an information system that equips topmost management with internal and external data that contributes towards the success factors of organisation without the need of intermediaries. This data is considered as very confidential and is made available to the topmost managers only who are capable to take major decisions for business process and structure of an organisation. In a bank EIS can assist executives with financial ratios and cash flow analysis that further enhance them to plan out capital investment decision based on trends drawn from EIS reports. It involves both internal and external data that gives a large picture of scenario before executive really think to bring in a major decision in the bank. Executive information system is a responsibility-oriented medium that blends budgeting and planning with control of performance reporting, and it can be considerably helpful to finance executives. EIS aids topmost management to focus on the long term goals by curbing in current year and beyond. This allows executives to monetize and plan with a visionary approach for years to come to expand business based on current operations and future projections generated from EIS reports. It would hence not be wrong to say that EIS is a significant tool for executives to analyse financial trends, ratios and review banks performance, its competitors and market trends. . Conclusion It has been widely accepted that information system is increasingly being adopted by more and more companies to streamline their business process in systematic way. Factors such as efficiency and cost cut and time saving are being mentioned as top advantages of information system. Broadly information system is accrued with following advantages- It enables company to keep a track of strength and weaknesses with the 360 degrees assessment of reports generated for revenue, employees performance etc Trackback of customers data and their feedback is useful for organisations to reach decisions for business Streamlining of information and availability to it whenever needed helps organisation to work efficiently The above discussion clearly reflected that how information system can be implemented in an organisation (particularly bank) and how that organisation can reap in benefits out of it. The four different classes of the system were defined and their implementation in banking operations has been illustrated in detail. A bank is a place with certain predefined standards and hence accuracy to them is very pertinent. Any failure in those on behalf of employees or any other reason can cost bank heaps not only on monetary terms but on brand image also. A customer deals with bank out of trust factor only. Henceforth, a flawless technology and apt use of these different information systems at different level is very promising for bank. This paper didnt discuss the limitations which might arise but an organisation should keep a vouch upon them as ongoing process. Cultural and technological concerns are cited as most typical limitations to the information system. Despite of this bottleneck that may arise in the process of acceptance of information system, it holds tremendous potential to automate the process in business and improve the overall functionality of organisations. References Bonczek, R.H., Holsapple, C. Whinston, A.B., 1981. Foundations of Decision Support Systems, Academic Press, New York. Keen, P. G. Scott Morton, M.S., 1978. Decision support Systems: An organisational Perspective. Addison- Welson Inc. MA. Mentzas, G. (nd). Towards Intelligent Organisational Information Systems. International Journal of Information Management. 14 (6), pp. 397-410. Narayanasamy, K. Velmurugan, M.S., 2008. Application of Decision Support System in E-commerce. Communications of the IBIMA Volume 5. Ralph, M.S. Reynolds, G., 2008. Fundamentals of Information Systems. Cengage Learning. Rockart J. F. Treacy M.,1982. The CEO Goes On-line. Harvard Business Review, 60 (1) Watson, H.J. and M.M. Hill (1983) Decision Support Systems or what didnt happen with MIS, Interfaces, 13(5), pp. 81-88.

Urban Legends Essay -- essays research papers

Joel Beckwith Febuary 13, 2001 Urban Legends In this paper I will explain exactly what an urban legend is,and give some examples of very popular ones that have been passed by word of mouth for decades across the United States. 1 " An urban legend is a story that is so bizarre,horrifying,or unexplainable, that it makes something inside of us want to believe it." Urban Legends can have traced origins from other countries, universities, states, or people,that just decided to made up as incredible story and pass it on to their friends and family members. Many of these legends were started in the sixties and seventies, and still continue to be passed on to this day. A good example, is the horrifying Pop Rocks death. 2"In the seventies ,school kids passed on the rumor that if Pop Rocks candy was eaten with any kind of soda,the person's insides would explode". A legend that eventually forced the candy company company to prove as untrue. Most urban legends are began with "friend of a friend", which is a key in realizing that what you are going to hear is probably untrue. When I was in second grade, a famous legend was passed to me, the story of the ''well to Hell''. Reportedly, down in Mexico, a group of men were drilling holes in the ground looking for oil. These holes were thousands of feet deep, and the men heard horrifying screams coming from the depths below. Supposedly these these terrible sounds were coming from Hell. This story caused much debate among the Christian community, and was repeating in news letters, and radio talk shows around the country. Eventually, an urban legend investigator traced the story to a school teacher who admitted that she made the whole thing up. As legends are passed from person to person the stories are modified and changed until several versions of the story actually exist. A good example of a mixed story is the classic urban legend of the vanishing hitch hiker. Most versions of the story are told of a tall thin hitch hiker walking down the road until he gets picked up.As the stranger is in the car he stays quiet and doesn't speak until he says ''The end is near'' and disappears right before the drivers eyes. Other versions are told of a young girl who does the same thing sometimes the hitch hiker claims ''Jesus is coming again ''right befor... ...hich is which and who is who", we see the Wicked Witch of the West looking at the dead feet of the Wicked Witch of the East. For "up..up..up", the Witch is on top of a ramp; on "down..down.. down..", she is walking down. "And in the end", the dead Witch disappears. "Out..out..out", Good Witch Glynda exits in a bubble. The song "Brain Damage" is played as the scarecrow sings "If I Only Had a Brain." The heartbeat heard at the end of the album coincides with Dorothy listening to the Tin Man's heart. (These similarities are found at http://turnerclassicmovies.com) Urban legends and their history can be a very interesting thing to devote your time to. The library has many good books on urban legends, one of the best is "Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends" by Jan Harold Brunvand. Jan Harold Brunvard has written other good books as urban legend references, including "The Baby Train" and "The Mexican Pet". Overall I enjoyed writing this report and I have found urban legends to be very interesting and I hope to explore them more as a personal hobby.

Changing Feelings Towards Peter and Andrea in Once in a House on Fire E

Changing Feelings Towards Peter and Andrea in Once in a House on Fire 'Once in a house on fire' by Andrea Ashworth At the beginning of the Novel, A freak accident robbed Andrea of a loving father at the age of five. Her mother Lorraine, widowed at just twenty-five years old, was distraught, not least because she was left alone to raise Andrea and her younger sister Lauren ( also known as Laurie). By the time Andrea was six, she had a new 'father'... When the reader first meets Peter, it is difficult to contrive a clear opinion of him. He seems to show that he wants to be the children's "new daddy" by "lugging home bulging sacks of misshapen Mojos for my sister and I" He also appears to have a good relationship with his wife but we soon realise this is not so. A Jekyll and Hyde character, he swings between loving husband and father and violent, terrifying bully. Andrea would watch as her "mother smiled through his kissing compliments" but these soon turned into "vicious shouting matches which half the street could hear." The reader immediately feels anger towards Peter for his unjustifiable behaviour towards his family. But if you look at the quote, it is clear that it is a "match" which generally consists of two people or groups competing for supremacy. This shows that although Peter started the shouting, Andreas mother also played a part. This makes the reader feel annoyed. This is because although we feel that she should defend herself, she is contributing to the argument and therefore making it worse. Another incident showing how Lorraine contributed to an argument is when Peter comes home she has "got the kids cooking behind his back." and he is angry because he feels "she is lazing on her arse... ...What Peter has done is completely unexpected and brings out the Jekyll and Hyde element of his character. But for once, what he has done is neither loving nor hating. This reaction completely perplexes the reader. What this shows is that even though Peter is everything the reader thought in the first place, he is not as predictable and does not fit the stereotype. However this does not make the reader begin to like him but pity him even more. What is eventually clear is that although we do not think he intended it, Peter subconsciously started to, if not completely break the cycle he himself started. This is where the feelings of the reader can be divided. On one hand It could said this was just chance and it was Andrea who eventually broke the cycle or, it could also be said that they both played equal parts and eventually even Peter had, had enough.

Influenza Viruses Essay -- Diseases, Birds

Influenza viruses existing in birds continue to be a source for a diverse combination of antigenic subtypes including 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) and represent a large reservoir of novel antigens to which the human population is naà ¯ve [1,2](1)) (Seasonal influenza epidemics are a major public health concern, accounting for five million severe cases worldwide [1](4))(Annually, influenza types A cause human outbreaks responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity, particularly in high risk groups, such as infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.(5)).(3)) (The influenza virus is one of the most devastating viral diseases due to being highly contagious which easily spreads as an aerosol and causes acute viral respiratory disease and mortality to susceptible groups. In order to prevent the spread of seasonal or pandemic outbreaks of influenza, vaccination is a powerful and cost-effective means [1](15)) (Protection against influenza virus is primarily mediated by antibodies to the viral hemagglutinin (HA) [2,3]) ,HA is the major surface glycoprotein of the virion and responsible for the attachment and penetration of viral particles into cells during the initial stages of infection.((5)((8)) (Successful prophylactic influenza vaccines elicit efficient HA-specific systemic antibody, which can bind the virus and inhibit early events in the influenza virus infection.(6)) Different types of influenza vaccines such as subunit [7-10], attenuated [11,12], and inactivated influenza vaccines[14] are available although the inactivated ones are the most widely used in the commercial scale [6]. ((12) (the major substrate for the preparation of inactivated influenza vaccines is embryonated chicken’s egg .((1) (In c... ... the P1 baculovirus stock In Sf-900 III Medium was Prepared, as appropriate. To do this, sequentially 0.25 ml of the baculovirus stock was diluted in 2.25 ml of Sf-900 medium. The dilutions 10–4 to10–8 were used in our assay. The medium from each well removed, immediately replace with 1 ml of the appropriate virus dilution and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Plaquing medium containing 12.5 ml 4% Low Melting Agarose and 37.5 ml Sf-900III was prepared and incubated at 40ËšC water bath until use. Following the 1 hour incubation, the medium containing virus from the wells removed and replaced with 2 ml of plaquing medium. Allowed agarose overlay at room temperature until to harden. The plates incubated at a 27ËšC humidied incubator for 7–10 days. To improve the visualization of plaques, the plates were stained by 0.5 ml Neutral Red solution (1 mg/ml). (21) Influenza Viruses Essay -- Diseases, Birds Influenza viruses existing in birds continue to be a source for a diverse combination of antigenic subtypes including 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) and represent a large reservoir of novel antigens to which the human population is naà ¯ve [1,2](1)) (Seasonal influenza epidemics are a major public health concern, accounting for five million severe cases worldwide [1](4))(Annually, influenza types A cause human outbreaks responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity, particularly in high risk groups, such as infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.(5)).(3)) (The influenza virus is one of the most devastating viral diseases due to being highly contagious which easily spreads as an aerosol and causes acute viral respiratory disease and mortality to susceptible groups. In order to prevent the spread of seasonal or pandemic outbreaks of influenza, vaccination is a powerful and cost-effective means [1](15)) (Protection against influenza virus is primarily mediated by antibodies to the viral hemagglutinin (HA) [2,3]) ,HA is the major surface glycoprotein of the virion and responsible for the attachment and penetration of viral particles into cells during the initial stages of infection.((5)((8)) (Successful prophylactic influenza vaccines elicit efficient HA-specific systemic antibody, which can bind the virus and inhibit early events in the influenza virus infection.(6)) Different types of influenza vaccines such as subunit [7-10], attenuated [11,12], and inactivated influenza vaccines[14] are available although the inactivated ones are the most widely used in the commercial scale [6]. ((12) (the major substrate for the preparation of inactivated influenza vaccines is embryonated chicken’s egg .((1) (In c... ... the P1 baculovirus stock In Sf-900 III Medium was Prepared, as appropriate. To do this, sequentially 0.25 ml of the baculovirus stock was diluted in 2.25 ml of Sf-900 medium. The dilutions 10–4 to10–8 were used in our assay. The medium from each well removed, immediately replace with 1 ml of the appropriate virus dilution and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Plaquing medium containing 12.5 ml 4% Low Melting Agarose and 37.5 ml Sf-900III was prepared and incubated at 40ËšC water bath until use. Following the 1 hour incubation, the medium containing virus from the wells removed and replaced with 2 ml of plaquing medium. Allowed agarose overlay at room temperature until to harden. The plates incubated at a 27ËšC humidied incubator for 7–10 days. To improve the visualization of plaques, the plates were stained by 0.5 ml Neutral Red solution (1 mg/ml). (21)

Analysis of the Demand for a M&S Simply Food Convenience Store

INTRODUCTION In this report we assess whether an M&S Simply Food convenience store would be profitable when located in Complex Desjardins, Montreal. In the U. K. Simply Food possess a strong brand image and wide-variety of products that emphasize quality. Although considered more expensive than competing stores To see if the chain will have the same level of success in Montreal, we first analyzed the fundamentals and competitive landscape of the industry. Once a gap in the market was identified, we used quantitative research practices to examine each of the marketing mix factors involved in establishing the store.Our findings will indicate whether the location and consumer pool under consideration will RESEARCH OBJECTIVES * Identify the M&S Simply Food products and services, and the factors that drive the chain’s success in the U. K. * Analyze the market fundamentals of the convenience store sector in Montreal, and identify whether a market gap for quality, high-end stores suc h as M&S Simply food exists * Assess whether M&S Simply Food will be profitable in Complex Desjardins based on the following factor: (i) Location (ii) Consumer Demographic (iii) Consumer Preferences (iv) Competition & Pricing Propose key operating and marketing strategies to ensure the success of M&S Simply food in Complex Desjardins. METHODOLOGY Industry Knowledge Exploratory research was employed to gain understanding of the U. K. convenience market and lean how the M&S Simply Food chain is positioned. This involved a review of studies and data made available by leading international research institutions, as well as informal discussions with consumers who previously lived in London and are familiar with the brand. We applied the same methodologies when conducting a similar analysis of the Montreal convenience market.In this stage of our research we were able to apply more formal approaches, such as conducting in-depth interviews with store managers. After all the necessary inform ation was acquired, a qualitative comparison of the industries was made to determine whether opportunities existed for M&S Simply Food in Montreal and whether a repositioning of products would be needed. Target Market From our previous analysis we establish a target market: consumers at the Complex Desjardins. This location is one of the main attractions in Montreal, at a vast 4 million square feet.Roughly 30,000 people come to the complex and its surroundings daily to work, shop, eat and/or enjoy the activities surrounding the Central Square. The Central Square inside the building has a surface of 15,000 square feet and is surrounded by a commercial gallery of 100 stores and restaurants. Thus, this location was chosen because of its notoriety and large exposure to residents and tourists. Survey and Sample Size To determine whether consumers at Complex Desjardins would be willing to purchase M&S Simple Food products we conducted an anonymous survey on food services within the comple x.The survey was a questionnaire made up variety of formats designed to draw out information about the location, demographic, consumer preferences, surrounding competition, pricing comparisons and consumers’ willingness to pay. Interviews were conducted at the Complex Desjardins, as well as within a 500m radius of its surroundings which comprised of Complexe Guy-Favreau, Bleury Street, Place Des Arts and Boulevard Saint-Laurent. We classified qualified respondents as consumers that came through the complex at least 3 times a week.In total, we interviewed 96 people, considering a variability of 50% and a 10% acceptable sampling error at 95% level of confidence. Assuming the total population under observation here is 30,000, it is evident that a 5% confidence interval is well above 96. Thus, no more readjustments are needed due to small sampling size. FINDINGS Convenience Market (1) U. K. Industry The U. K. convenience store market was valued at ? 30. 9 billion in the 12 months to April 2010, representing a 6. 3% increase on the previous year. The value of the market continued to grow despite a 0. 5% in store numbers. With he total U. K. Food and Grocery market expanding at a slower rate of 4. 1% in the same period, it is evident that the convenience sector is accelerating at a faster pace than the overall market. Thus, its market share has risen to 20. 5%. The factors driving the sector are the rising number of single person households, a growing population, increasing number of women in the work place and longer working weeks. The sector is also propelled forward by improved operational standards, greater awareness of shopper trends and more modern, tailored convenience solutions. (2) M&S Simply Food PositioningThe convenience sector is highly fragmented, with store operators divided into the following segments: co-operative, forecourts, multiples, symbols & franchise, and non-affiliated independents. M&S Simply Food is part of the franchise segment, wh ich recorded the fastest growth in the previous year. This expansion was driven by additional stores, increased promotional activity and improved value for money. M&S Simply Food specializes in selling ready-made meals: salads, sandwiches, desserts, snacks, and microwavable dishes. The self-service store also sells fresh produce, possessing wide selection of fruit and vegetables.Being high-end oriented, the franchise targets working professionals not only looking for a fast, healthy meal, but also willing and able to pay an additional expense for high quality food. For the added premium, customers have access to more adventurous recipes, better packaging and fresher ingredients. These value –added services, alongside the modern layout of the stores, give the brand a competitive edge in the market and allow it to capture a significant share of consumers. A negative sentiment expressed by consumers was attributed to the experience of purchasing at M&S Simply Food stores.Due to brand’s high popularity, long queues often form inhibiting browsing by other potential customers and causing feeling of frustrations by professionals that are time-sensitive. (3) Montreal Industry The convenience sector in Montreal is made of Canadian chains and independents. Family-run depanneurs cater to local neighborhoods and immigrant populations, offering specialty foods and discount long-distance calling cards alongside the usual convenience-store fare. Others offer a wider variety of services such as Canada Post, Western Union transfers, Internet access, and home-delivery of groceries.However, the market is dominated by a large Canadian chain known as Couch-Tard Inc. The chain offers a quality assortment of freshly brewed coffee, frozen/iced beverages, fresh sandwiches and other fresh food items that are marked under proprietary brands. Arguing that most convenience stores are too cluttered, the Couche-Tard company introduced a new concept called â€Å"Store 2000â₠¬ . These stores have wider layouts, brighter lighting, modern decor and often have Quick-Service Restaurants (QSR) located within them. The new concept was a success and the results were integrated into upgrades for all stores. 4) M&S Simply Food Expanding to Montreal It is evident from our research that the U. K. has a more diverse group of convenience stores with different positioning catering to all consumer income brackets. However, in Montreal we see that Couche-Tard owns the majority of the market and is designed to target the average consumer, thereby not competing with deppaneurs immigrant pool. This also illustrates a gap in the Montreal convenience market: value-added stores aimed at consumers from a higher income bracket. M&S Simply Food’s positioning in U. K. onvenience markets makes it an ideal candidate. Survey Results (1) Location The statistical analysis of the questionnaire revealed that over 85% of the respondents visited the Complex Desjardins and its sur rounding area at least 3 times a week. In Table below it is evident that the number of times a week respondents enjoy meals at the complex is greater in frequency towards higher values, with the overall average at 2. 7 times. This illustrates that the location receives a great deal of foot traffic, and is a popular food services venue. Table 1: How Often Consumers Eat at Complex Desjardins   | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Never| 2| 2. 1| 2. 7| 2. 7| | Once a month| 2| 2. 1| 2. 7| 5. 4| | Biweekly| 4| 4. 3| 5. 4| 10. 8| | Once a week| 7| 7. 4| 9. 5| 20. 3| | Twice a week| 13| 13. 8| 17. 6| 37. 8| | Three times a week| 20| 21. 3| 27| 64. 9| | Four times a week| 16| 17| 21. 6| 86. 5| | Five times a week| 10| 10. 6| 13. 5| 100| | Total| 74| 78. 7| 100|   | Missing| System| 20| 21. 3|   |   | Total| 94| 100|   |   | Furthermore, findings indicate that respondents favor particular designated areas within the complex and its surroundings when ea ting.With response rates of 38% and 34% respectively, the most popular areas are the food court and restaurants/cafes on the adjacent Saint-Catherine Streets. Diagram 1: Preferred Food Locations (2) Consumer Demographic In Table 2 we see the sample size under consideration reflects the social demographic profile of the area: professionals, local residents or students studying nearby. There is a fairly even distribution between male and female respondents, with males slightly ahead at 51%, conveying that the area equally attracts both sexes. Table 2:Social Demographic Profile of Complex Desjardins Based on Sample Statistics| |   | I work at or close to Complexe Desjardins| I live at or close to Complexe Deskardins| I study at or close to Complexe Desjardins| None of the above| N| Valid| 36| 28| 21| 3| | Missing| 58| 66| 73| 91| | Mean| 1| 1| 1| 1| | Median| 1| 1| 1| 1| | Mode| 1| 1| 1| 1| |   |   |   |   |   | I work at or close to Complex Desjardins| |   | Frequency| P ercent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Yes| 36| 38. 3| 100| 100| Missing| System| 58| 61. 7|   |   | Total| 94| 100|   |   |I live at or close to Complex Desjardins| |   | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Yes| 28| 29. 8| 100| 100| Missing| System| 66| 70. 2|   |   | Total| 94| 100|   |   | I study at or close to Complex Desjardins| |   | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Yes| 21| 22. 3| 100| 100| Missing| System| 73| 77. 7|   |   | Total| 94| 100|   |   | None of the above| |   | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Yes| 3| 3. 2| 100| 100| Missing| System| 91| 96. 8|   |   | Total| 94| 100|   |   | |   |   |   |   |   |Consumers in the area tend to be well educated, with 63% of respondents having completed a college degree. This, alongside results that show 41% of respondents are between the ages18-24, indicates that complex attracts a great de al of young professionals. However, Diagram 2 below also illustrates that another 48% of respondents are between the ages of 25-40. Furthermore, the average household is occupied by 2. 8 residents and generates roughly CAN37,600 a year. These findings highlight another consumer profile, that of local residents; classifying them as small family units in the middle-to-high income bracket.Thus, our findings conclude that the consumer pool at Complex Diagram 2: Income levels (3) Consumer Preferences Our statistical analysis of the questionnaire revealed that the consumer preferences of the sample pool are aligned with M&S Simply Food’s products and services. Roughly 61% of respondents stated that they would purchase food from a convenience store specializing in quality. Their main justifications for purchase included the reliability of quality food, the convenience of ready-made meals, the ability to enjoy restaurant quality food at lower prices, and the chance to maintain a heal thy diet.Furthermore, the study revealed that when faced between the choices of picking up their own food or having it served to them, respondents were equally divided. These factors encompass the overall message, products and services of M&S Simply Food value-added services. Table 3 analyzes the relationship between price and healthiness of food in terms of their importance to the end consumer. The cross tabulation clearly reflects the two variables are integral in the decision making process of the consumer: the more emphasis placed on the healthiness of food, the more significant pricing becomes.We can also conclude from the chi squared test that the relationship between the two variables is statistically significant. Unfortunately, our findings proved inconclusive when determining whether consumers would be willing to pay more for healthier, higher quality food. This limitation was due to the lack of responses to the particular question in the survey. Table 3: Relationship Betwe en Price and Health in Consumer’s Decision-Making Process Healthy food on the menu * Price Cross Tabulation| Count|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Price|   | Least| 2| 3| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9| Most important| Total| Healthy food on the menu| Least important| 1| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1| | 3| 0| 1| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1| 1| 0| 3| | 4| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1| 0| 0| 1| 2| | 5| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1| 2| 0| 0| 0| 3| | 6| 0| 0| 0| 0| 2| 1| 3| 2| 0| 8| | 7| 0| 0| 0| 1| 1| 3| 3| 4| 3| 15| | 8| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1| 3| 8| 2| 4| 18| | 8| 0| 0| 1| 2| 1| 2| 0| 2| 0| 8| | Most important| 0| 0| 0| 0| 4| 0| 2| 2| 7| 15| | Total| 1| 1| 1| 3| 10| 12| 17| 13| 15| 73| |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Chi-Square Tests|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |   | Value| df| Asymp. Sig. 2-sided)|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Pearson Chi-Square| 1. 52E+02| 64| 0|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Likelihood Ratio| 72. 529| 64| 0. 217|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Linear-by-Linear Association| 6. 593| 1| 0. 01|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | N of Valid Cases| 73|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | a. 81 cells (100. 0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is . 01. |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Correlations|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |   |   | Healthy food on the menu| Price|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Healthy food on the menu| Pearson Correlation| 1| . 303**|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | Sig. (2-tailed)|   | 0. 09|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | N| 74| 73|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Price| Pearson Correlation| . 303**| 1|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | Sig. (2-tailed)| 0. 009|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | N| 73| 73|   |   |   |   |   |   | à ‚  | **. Correlation is significant at the 0. 01 level (2-tailed). |   |   |   | How appealing varying food items are to the sample pool is illustrated in the table below through the mean value of each product; with the number 1 representing very little appeal and the number 10 great appeal. The relatively stronger desire for salads and sandwiches over desserts reflects the health conscious nature of the consumer.Furthermore, the high frequency of fruit’s appeal suggests consumers’ eagerness for diversity in menu options. Thus, it is evident that the taste preferences of the consumers are in line with some of the Simply Food products. However, the absence of responses concerning vegetables and microwavable meals suggest a lack of demand for such items. Table 4: Appeal of Food Products |   | Salads| Sandwiches| Desserts| Juices| Fruits| N| Valid| 74| 73| 74| 73| 74| | Missing| 20| 21| 20| 21| 20| | Mean| 7. 35| 7. 95| 6. 41| 7. 37| 6. 95| | Median| 8| 8| 7| 8| 7 | | Mode| 7a| 9| 9| 8| 7| a. Multiple modes exist.The smallest value is shown|   | (4) Competition and Pricing Several questions in the survey were designed to size the level of competition M&S Simply Food would face in Complex Desjardins. Our findings concluded that respondents favored a combination of restaurants and food court stations, with the top two in each respective category being: (1) Eggspectation and Baton Rouge; and (2) A&W and Subway. This gives M&S Simply Food a competitive advantage as its high quality food gives consumers the restaurant feel, while its ready-made, self-service concept mimics the convenience of the food court.Despite the popularity of some competitors, 63% of respondents stated that they do not have a preferred food chain. The results indicated that bad service and poor quality of food were the main deterrents of brand loyalty. However, nearly half of respondents expressed boredom with current food chain alternatives and eagerness to try new venues . When asked about sentiments regarding a new chain called â€Å"Simply Food†, 42% of respondents said that the name appealed to them. Also, Diagram 3 illustrates the styles of cuisines respondents believe are missing in the complex. Diagram 3: Styles of Cuisine Missing in Complex DesjardinsThe frequency below illustrates that 47% of respondents spend between CAN10. 00 to CAN14. 99 on a meal in Complex Desjardins, with the overall average meal costing CAN11. 80. In comparison, M&S Simply Food individual products range on average from CA2. 00 to CAN4. 50. However, in Table 5 below we see that the brand’s luxury meals cost significantly more, averaging CAN22. 00. Taking into consideration the average expenditure of respondents, the findings suggest that consumers in Complex Desjardins are more likely to purchase individual food items, rather than an entire luxury meal.Table 5: M&S Simply Food Prices | Cost in Pounds (GBP)| Cost in Canadian Dollars (CAN)| Average Cost of Salads| 2. 77| 4. 34| Average Cost of Ready-Made Meals| 2. 64| 4. 13| Average Cost of Fruit| 2. 81| 4. 40| Average Cost of Dessert| 1. 31| 2. 05| Average Cost of Luxury Meals| 14. 11| 22. 08| Correlations By running a series of correlation tests, we discover whether the demand for food within the complex is influenced by the income level of the respondents, the price of food, types of food chains available and consumers’ taste preferences.Table 6 below shows that the only 2 variables that are correlated are the number of times respondents eat at Complex Desjardins and the annual income levels. Although the value is not statistically significant to 0. 05, it is significant enough to display a relationship: that the frequency of visits, or rather demand, is determined by and proportional to the income levels of respondents. Table 6: Variables Correlated with the Demand for Food |   | How often eaten at Complex Desjardins| Which area do you prefer to eat in| Educational Level| Income Level| How often eaten at Complex Desjardins| Pearson Correlation| 1| . | . 343**| 0. 116|   | Sig. (2-tailed)|   | . | 0. 003| 0. 332| | N| 74| 0| 72| 72| Where? | Pearson Correlation| . a| . a| . a| . a| | Sig. (2-tailed)| . |   | . | . | | N| 0| 0| 0| 0| Education| Pearson Correlation| . 343**| . a| 1| . 324**|   | Sig. (2-tailed)| 0. 003| . |   | 0. 006| | N| 72| 0| 72| 70| Income| Pearson Correlation| 0. 116| . a| . 324**| 1| | Sig. (2-tailed)| 0. 332| . | 0. 006|   | | N| 72| 0| 70| 72| a. Cannot be computed because at least one of the variables is constant. | **. Correlation is significant at the 0. 01 level (2-tailed). LIMITATIONS As in any research report, a number of limitations in the execution and analysis of our report occurred. The main issue we encountered was that of missing data, in which a number of questions in the questionnaire were left unanswered. As a result, many of our estimates were found statistically inefficient due to loss of informat ion, while other estimates may be considered biased if the data from questions left vacant are systematically different. In the future, we suggest increasing the sample size to ensure a more reliable and valid data set.Another common limitation is the subjectivity of surveys in that respondents often fail to answer questions truthfully and therefore skew the results. Efforts to ensure data is accurate would have required more expenditure; however budget restrained us from implementing such solutions. Budget constraints limited the sample size, and care should be exercised in the future to general these findings further. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS After much assessment, we believe that M&S Simply Food will prove to successful if established in Complex Desjardins.Our findings conclude that the complex and its surrounding are the ideal location to for Simply Food to attract its target market. Consumers that purchase food at the complex are young professionals and local residents who fall into the middle-to-high income bracket, and therefore are able to afford brand’s higher priced products. Furthermore, consumers’ product preferences reflected strong desires for higher quality food and a wider variety of cuisine options. Simply Food prides itself on offering its consumers premium quality meals made from adventurous recipes and fresh ingredients, and therefore will be able to capture this unmet demand.Although there is a great deal of competition in the Complex Desjardins, its consumers are open to change and are ever evolving their taste pallet. The unique style of M&S Simply Food enables it to provide consumers with quality restaurant food at the speed and convenience of food court service, thereby capturing a wider share of the market and competing with both food chain categories. The following is a list of recommendations we believe will ensure the profitability of M&S Simply Food in Complex Desjardins: * Locate the convenience store in the foo d court, as it attracts the greatest number of consumers.The food court also compliments the self-service nature of the store, providing consumers with an adjacent seating area. * Ensure all advertisements of the brand strongly highlight the â€Å"Simply Food† name, as well as key phrases that reflect the stores value-added services: for example â€Å"High Quality Food†, â€Å"Adventurous Recipes†, â€Å"Variety of Cuisine Options†, and â€Å"A Healthy Meal Option†. This well help the brand appeal to consumers’ preferences. * Limit products to ready-made meals, sandwiches, salads, fruits and beverages.Exclude the sale of vegetable produce and microwavable meals, as there does not seem to be a demand for such items. * To encourage the sale of more expensive luxury platter meals, we suggest holding discount promotions during the soft opening of the store. Reduce the price of platters to slightly below the average cost of meals in the complex, in order to entice consumers and build brand loyalty. * To compete with competitors, M&S Simply Food must build up its reputation as a quality food provider at a quick and convenient pace.To ensure this is done successfully, stores must be designed to provide adequate space for browsing, which is to be separated from the pay register. By doing so M&S Simply Food will not have the same queuing problem it encounters in the U. K. , which often deters potential customers. REFERENCES IGD The Food and Grocery Experts. â€Å"Convenience Retailing Market Overview,† [On-line]. Available: http://www. igd. com/index. asp? id=1&fid=1&sid=7&tid=26&cid=91 [20/1/11] Marketing Week (2007, April). â€Å"Assessing the M&S Simply Food Brand,† [On-line]. Available:

Academic Strategies

This is a five-part assignment. You should have already accessed the assignment in Canvas and completed the previous four steps: 1 . Watch the Academic Strategies video. 2. Practice annotating Plat's Allegory of the Cave using the concepts taught In the video. 3. Watch the video lecture on the Allegory of the Cave and practice taking notes during the lecture. 4. Take the practice quiz In Canvas to see how well you were able to anticipate the questions. The fifth and final part of the assignment Is to save and submit this file, along with a copy of your annotated allegory and lecture notes.Note: there are scanner is each of the 1 1 open-access computer labs on campus. Assignment Assess how effective your notes and annotations were. Before scanning your notes and annotation, clearly identify by quiz number where relevant information is present. For example, if question one was answered in your annotation marks, put a number one next to that part in your annotation. Complete the two gri ds and questions below before saving and submitting in Canvas along with your two other scanned files. Quiz Question Did you miss the question? Is the answer to the question In your text annotation or lecture notes?Text Annotation Lecture Notes Match each part of the allegory with the best possible interpretation. Partly This information I found in my notes. I think I Just got confused about how I had written it and how I interpreted it. Based on the lecture, which of the following Is NOT true of Socrates? No Both Which of the following fictional works was given In lecture as an example of an allegory. No The prisoners chained at the base of the cave are like . Yes Again, I think I Just misinterpreted my notes and what I thought was the idea. What does the sun outside the cave represent?No Which of the following is not true in the Banking Model of Education? Yes I didn't read the â€Å"not true† part of the question and instead answered what I thought was true. What is the si gnificance of the activity of â€Å"naming? † Liberal Arts Education is the process of becoming a free person liberated from intellectual vices such as apathy, lack of curiosity, and ignorance. Using the metaphors and symbols of the cave, why does the university require students to engage in the process of Liberal Arts Education? No Both. Could have connected it better to the story.Even the best students often encounter challenges with their study skills throughout their college career. In fact, it is not uncommon for students who earned As in high school to seek out additional study strategies once they experience the variety of coursework in college. Identify a couple of challenges that you may expect to encounter with regard to your own study skills, and then discuss the resources available and your action plan to overcome those challenges. Challenges Resources Action Plan Example: Inability to fully concentrate and take notes during a long lecture. US Academic Resource Ce nter online information and workshops, I. . Information about active listening during lectures. Read the information on the ARC website about listening during lectures. Practice habits of an effective listener listed on the website. Take a quick nap before class, put phone and laptop away, and practice concentrating during history class. Visit ARC workshop if that doesn't work. 1. I am worried I will be a procrastinator, and not work as hard as I should on my studying. I can go use the US Academic Resource Center and watch helpful videos. I can also offer to some of the videos that have been used on the US 1010 Canvas course.Start making study schedules. I need to start doing my homework when it is handed out and fresh in my mind. I need to do homework when it is first available for me to do it. I can also make calendars and plan out my weeks. 2. I will also struggle to keep up with the rest of the class. I am a slow learner, and I am worried I will fall behind. I can use the resour ces my professor gives me, like Supplemental groups and use the opportunity to study with my peers. I need to start going to Supplemental Instruction Courses and make time to learn more when I am not aught up.I need to make sure I put in extra time to study and stay caught up. Did you use your annotation and notes while taking the quiz? If so, would you have done as well if this was a closed-note quiz? I did use my notes and annotation, but I think I would have probably done Just as well as I did without them. What did you learn while doing this assignment? It is important to do well on note-taking and annotating. Even if you are not able to use those on a test or quiz, you retain more information by writing it down and going through the material repeatedly afterwards.