How to Write a Topic Essay That is Unique

How to Write a Topic Essay That is UniqueWhen you are beginning to write an American culture essay, you might be tempted to choose one subject and stick with it. Most people would probably do this.The truth is that you will more than likely not be able to stay on topic for very long. So, if you are starting to write an essay on American culture and you choose one topic you will most likely not be able to keep it up. In this case, it is best to choose some different topics and have each of them include different facets of American culture.For example, if you chose sports, you could write an essay on American soccer, American baseball, or American football. Or, if you chose a topic like music, you could talk about jazz, blues, or country music. These would all be different facets of American culture.You will want to also consider whether to include a conclusion at the end of your essay or not. If you wrote an essay on American history, it might be a good idea to include a few paragraph s in which you briefly explain the reasons for the ideas you are presenting. This gives the reader a better idea of the focus of your essay. It is also a good idea to include a brief closing paragraph where you list the information you are presenting so that the reader can see where they fit into the overall theme of your essay.This idea works well when you are writing a topic for American culture and history. It also works well when you are writing an essay on music, as you will need to make a connection between the topic and the various facets of American culture. You do not want to leave anything out.Therefore, when you are starting to write an American culture essay, you should always look for different aspects of American culture that you can write about. Once you find a few topics that you are interested in, you can narrow down your selection from there.By using different topics for your essay you will be able to bring about a number of different ideas and opinions into the es say. This is a good way to express your thoughts in a manner that is truly unique.

Brokerage Example

Essays on Brokerage Research Paper Mortgage Brokers al Affiliation Introduction A mortgage brokerage performs a range of different and vital functions in theeconomy of any given country. First we look into the term mortgage broker. A mortgage broker plays the role of intermediary between the buyer and the seller (Bodie Marcus, 2014).  The buyer is the customer who is looking for a mortgage which is of the best quality and attractive deal. The bank on the other hand is the willing seller who is willing to sell the mortgage to the willing clients (Reed, 2010).  These clients may not have information on the current trend of obtaining a mortgage loan from a financial institution such as a bank. Mortgage rates have significantly changed in the past several years as shown in the charts shown in the appendix. Such buyers will one way or the other consult individuals who are conversant with the existing market terms and conditions. To assist such individuals, the assisting party comes into play (The Mortgage marketplace, 1900). They are called the mortgage brokers. These brokers have connections with financial institutions which lend money to willing home buyers. Mortgage brokers know and understand the industry in depth. They guide the buyer on the best deal to engage themselves with. Contacting a mortgage broker will help the buyer avoid the flaws which flock the market nowadays (Bodie Marcus, 2014). Mortgage brokers are of two types. Those who really represent the clients who are borrowing and those does not represent the client. In the first type, the broker has an agency relationship with the borrower. The category is also a two sided one. The broker who receives fees from the lender himself and the broker who receives fees from the consumer. The second type of broker makes the loans available to the consumer through the use of business relationship with the lending institutions (Reed, 2010).  They usually play the role of lending institutions by presenting themselves as the providers of loans to the borrower. Functions The first function of brokerage such as in mortgage is that it makes the process of obtaining the loan easy. If acquiring a loan from the buyer’s bank proofs difficult because of his/her credit worth nature, seeking assistance from a mortgage broker will make it easy. This is so because they usually have a vast connection with the money lending institutions. Their dealing with different financial lending institutions gives them upper hands in standing a chance of assisting a client acquire a loan (Reed, 2010).  The requirement is a good financial record on the part of the client. It is amazing how the brokers wade around the mortgage deals to hit on the best. The second function is that of handling the details. In a given deal, they serve to safeguard their clients; offering safety and security. They ensure peace of mind to their clients. They handle all the details to facilitate the deal of qualifying to acquire a mortgage loan (Reed, 2010).  All the transactions affecting the transaction are handled by the broker. Failure to handle the details well on the part of a broker may lead to a loss of either ransom amount on the part of the lending institution or property on the part of the borrower. When engage broker’s in securing a mortgage loan, it is advisable that the borrower verify his/her credibility. This is so because many cases have emerged where innocent borrowers have been conned money after they are misled by pseudo brokers. It would be of great advantage that he/she looks for a professional broker with assistance from friends and family members (Bodie Marcus, 2014). The third function of mortgage brokers is matching the lenders and the borrowers. With their clear cut knowledge in financing and real estate, they are able to find compatible borrowers for the right lenders (Bodie Marcus, 2014).He/she acts as a link between the two. He collects all the necessary information and paperwork from the client. He then takes the necessaries to the lender for verification and approval. The fourth function is that mortgage brokers play a crucial part in marketing and selling mortgage loans (Reed, 2007).  They tirelessly work to attract consumers into taking loans with the institutions of their affiliations. This is due to the fact that they earn their living from the deals they make. They may either get fess from the client directly as a payment of assisting them or may get paid by the lending firm itself. The lending firms pay brokers in commission. Therefore, the more you bring in many borrowers, the higher the commission earned. The fifth function is the estimation of the risk involved in a mortgage loan deal. They update themselves with the prevailing market trends in the field of real estate’s (Reed, 2007).  This is because it takes a lot of intelligence and knowledge to lead a client into getting a loan from a lending institution. Similarly, the lending institution faces the risk of the failure on the part of the borrower to pay back the loan. It is the role of the broker to ensure that the risk involved on either party is of minimum nature. It is his role to screen the potential lenders on his/her credibility and eligibility in accordance with lending rules of the lending institution. With the knowledge of the information pertaining to the borrower, the broker is able to advise the bank on the way forward. He is in position to give information on the save amount that a borrower can access from the lending institution on the grounds of financial capability and ability. This ability is assessed on the basis of how much property the borrower has. The history can be accessed from the bank where he has been depositing, lending or withdrawing his finances. The better the financial history is, the more the amount the borrower is likely to access for his mortgage loan. On the other hand, clients with a poor financial history which is questionable are likely to either be unable to access mortgage loans or are able to secure just a little amount. It is advisable that if an individual is intending to borrow a mortgage loan, he should keep a remarkable financial report on how he deals with his finances. The sixth function of the mortgage broker is that of making the borrower understand the legal perspectives of the lending activity (Madura, 2012)).  He ensures that the borrower is aware of the applicable terms and conditions. It is vital that the borrower understands all the necessary legal actions involved before applying for the loan. Failure to do this, the client may wake up to a new day surprise that he/she has violated terms and conditions of the mortgage loan agreement. The legal knowledge is also vital for future deals that the client engage himself with. If he decides to enter into a similar mortgage loan deal in future, he will already have the necessary knowhow and what he will need to do is to jog himself to the current market trend. By so doing, he will be good to go into the deal and navigate through it successfully. In conclusion, brokers play pivotal roles in the process of lending mortgage loans. Their role is of much significant. Without them, many borrowers would not be able to secure mortgage loans (Reed, 2007).  Of great caution is the danger involved in engaging into a deal without a smart understanding of the legal proceedings which are involved. This can be disastrous because of engaging in a transaction which will later get the borrower with surprise upon violation of terms and conditions involved. Similarly, the brokers are of great importance to the lending firms in establishing credible borrowers. References Bodie, Z., Kane, A., Marcus, A. J. (2014).  Investments. Madura, J. (2012).  Financial institutions and markets. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Pizor, A. G., Carter, C. L., Twomey, T., Cohen, A. I., National Consumer Law Center. (2012).  Mortgage lending. Boston, MA: National Consumer Law Center. Reed, D. (2007).  Your successful career as a mortgage broker. New York: AMACOM. Reed, D. (2010).  Decoding the new mortgage market: Insider secrets for getting the best loan without getting ripped off. New York: AMACOM. The Mortgage marketplace. (1900). Bethesda, Md: Publicity Consultants. Appendix Figure 1: Showing historical mortgage rates over time Figure 2: Showing the different mortgage lenders

The Picture Of Dorian Gray

Question: Write an essay on the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde? Answer: Thesis: It is evident that Dorian Gray destroyed the lives of three people before rest in peace namely Sybil, Alan and Basil. How was the relationship that Dorian shared with each one of them and how it lead to their destruction and demise? The Oscar Wilde novel, The picture of Dorian Gray is based on the theme of aestheticism meaning moral duplicity and complete self indulgence. The story revolves around the main character Dorian Gray who was famous for his innocence and impossible beauty that did capture the artistic imagination of his best friend Basil. Dorian Gray destroyed the lives of his best friend Basil, his beloved wife Sybil and his another friend Alan. Dorian was a person of charming grace and pure gold heart who was poisoned by the negative aspects of Lord Henry who taught him that the world is based over seduction and utter beauty. He made him follow succession of pleasures regardless of the good or the evil. "Never marry at all, Dorian. Men marry because they are tired; women, because they are curious: both are disappointed." (Chapter 4). He once saw Sybil, a beautiful, sweet, talented but poor actress and was charmed by her beauty. It could have been the turning point of his life. He once said to Lord Henry after falling in love with Sybil that, When I am with her, I regret all that you have taught me. I become different from what you have known me to be. I am a changed, and the mere touch of Sybil Vanes hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous and delightful theories. (Chapter 6). It was evident that Dorian was aware of the motives of Lord Henry but was unable to give those habits up. Sybil loved him utterly that all the other things had almost no value in front of his love for her. Her talent started subsiding away because she was more engrossed in loving Dorian. Her passionate love for Dorian overpowered her talent and her stage shows seemed quite unimportant to her now. "Dorian, Dorian," she cried, "before I knew you, acting was the one reality of my life. You had brought me something higher, something of which all art is but a reflection. You had made me understand what love really is. My love! My love! Prince Charming! Prince of life! I have grown sick of shadows. You are more to me than all art can ever be. What have I to do with the puppets of a play? When I came on to-night, I could not understand how it was that everything had gone from me. I thought that I was going to be wonderful. I found that I could do nothing. Suddenly it dawned on my soul what it all meant. The knowledge was exquisite to me. I heard them hissing, and I smiled. What could they know of love such as ours? Take me away, Doriantake me away with you, where we can be quite alone. But Dorian, who loved Sybil only because of her beauty and ability to act, got frustrated with loss of her talent and never understood the reason behind it. He cruelly broke the engagement and brutally dumped her. He destroyed the life of Sybil who madly loved Dorian and after that she committed a suicide. Basil was a darling friend of Dorian, who was enthralled by his beauty and decided to paint him on canvas. He was afraid that the innocence of Dorian should not be poisoned by Lord Henry but fate executes its own plans. With the crimes he commits, the beautiful portrait of Dorian seemed to loose its charm and become more and more withered. On 28th birthday of Dorian he confessed this to Basil about the changing form of his portrait turning wicked day by day. He forced him to see the portrait and Baisl was equally horrified seeing to it. An exclamation of horror broke from the painter's lips as he saw in the dim light the hideous face on the canvas grinning at him. There was something in its expression that filled him with disgust and loathing. Good heavens! it was Dorian Gray's own face that he was looking at! (Chapter 13). Basil recoils and asks Dorian, It is never too late, Dorian. Let us kneel down and try if we cannot remember a prayer. Isnt there a verse somewhere, Though your s ins be as scarlet, yet I will make them white as snow? (Chapter 13). Suddenly, a feeling of hatred overpowered Dorian and he started hating Basil with a feeling of wild animal creeping inside him. He crushed his head brutally by impinging the knife at the skin back of his ear. He stabbed the poor friend again and again just because he wanted to make him realize of the world he was trapped in and wanted him to pray for his sins and become an innocent man yet again leaving the world of dreadful pleasures. Alan was a long old friend of Dorian whom he left five years back. He lost all of his friends because of his evil behavior which was the result of Lord Henry and his horrendous teachings. After murdering Basil, he called for Alan Campbell to help him resolve this murder. Learning about the murder he completely refused to help the murdered Dorian, Of course I refuse. I will have absolutely nothing to do with it. I don't care what shame comes on you. You deserve it all. I should not be sorry to see you disgraced, publicly disgraced. How dare you ask me, of all men in the world, to mix myself up in this horror? I should have thought you knew more about people's characters. Your friend Lord Henry Wotton can't have taught you much about psychology, whatever else he has taught you. Nothing will induce me to stir a step to help you. You have come to the wrong man. Go to some of your friends. Don't come to me." (Chapter 14). But Dorian blackmailed him to help him. After completing the experi ment and making Basil disappear, he committed suicide one day in his lab being guilt about his sin which was completely his choice though was overpowered by forceful actions of Dorian, the man behind all the crimes. At the end, He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it (Chapter 20). This was a personification of his own death by his own hands and that too brutally. Conclusion It is evident from the story that wrong deeds come up in the life of a person and makes him feel horrendous about them. Dorian Gray was responsible to destroy the lives of various people by just coming under the influence of an imperious aristocrat Lord Henry. His evil and cruel deeds made him fall day by day and making him look ugly and heinous. The end of the story is the justification done to him because of his crimes. This moralistic novel showcases poisoning of relationships between very close people by mere hedonism leading to Dorians eventual downfall and demise.

Vermont Teddy Bear Case Essay Example

Vermont Teddy Bear Case Essay Although Vermont Teddy Bear is a company with a rich track record in the business of last-minute gifts, its mission statement lacked its basic goals and philosophies that aim to shape its strategic posture. Vermonts mission statement clearly speaks to someone who is well acquainted with what the company does and what it sells, which is in my opinion a crucial point that the company missed when they addressed its customers. The following points provide an insight on what went wrong when Vermont decided to formulate its mission statement: * The Basic Product the company sells: Vermonts mission statement clearly failed to mention the type of product they sell. By defining the product the company simply distinguishes its offered products from competitive products of similar nature provided by other competitors in the market. * The companys targeted customers In this element, the company mentions who are its customers or potential customers. What will it do to serve them and how will its customers find this company different from the other companies or competitors who provide similar products in the market. Although Vermonts mission statement might have implied that it is currently targeting American customers through :The Vermont Teddy Bear brand represents the rich heritage of the Great American Teddy Bear begun in 1902. , yet this contradicts with the companys current plan in which it intends to exploit international markets, in other words, the company should revise its statement to include potential customers too. * The Technology applied: By defining technology, the company tells its current technology that it uses in making its products i. . whether state of the art technology or hand-made technology. It also tells about the unique ways in which its products are technologically more advanced or distinguished then their alternates. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the word craftsmanship found in the companys mission statement might tell that the companys products are hand-made, which distinguishes it from other players in the industry, given the fact that most stuffed toys to day are manufactured. The Companys concern for survival, growth and profitability: Vermont failed to fine the means it seeks to survive in the longer run given the fallback they are currently going through. It not merely lists them out but also defines the logic behind them and how will the company strive to achieve them; these goals serve as economic indicators for the companys performance, and hence indicates how far the company is from satisfying the principal claims and desires of its employees and stockholders. The Companys Philosophy: By defining philosophy, the company defines its way of working, its culture, its beliefs and how it sees work to be carried out. it is also an analytical way of defining the norms of which it runs. In my opinion, the companys mission statement had covered the companys creed through the following: We will strive to wholesomely entertain our guests while consistently exceeding our external and internal customer service expectations. * Concern for public image We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Concern for public image is a wide term that includes not only the corporate social responsibility but the overall impact of the actions taken by the company on its image, which in my opinion was totally dropped when formulating Vermonts mission statement. * Companys self concept By defining the self concept, the company shows the outside world its core strengths and the place it sees itself in the future. When reviewing Vermonts mission statement, it is clearly evident that the statement failed to express the companys core strengths in terms of the entrepreneurship capabilities and a robust distribution channels. In light of what was mentioned above, I suggest that Vermont should revisit its mission statement, the following statement will help the BOD in their plans for the company: Become number one instant gift solution in the USA in the next 20 years. We design and manufacture the best teddy bears in America. We satisfy customer needs through product differentiation, we offer exclusive hand-made teddy bears to premium customers as well as providing convenient products to the other customers. Speed and easiness of delivery of our products will be respected along with premium quality. Monthly Measuring customer satisfaction will be our main tool for maintaining our market positioning and for our continuous development for our brand and products. While achieving our mission in owning a profitable business, we will strive to being ethically, legally, and environmentally responsible while remaining fiscally sound. Vermonts external environment consists of three components: its operating, industry and remote environment. In these three environments, there is a chance that one of its external environments may change. All of these environmental sectors affect the companys operations both on the local and international level, and its very possible for change to occur (as witnessed throughout the case study). Operating Environment: Competitors of Vermont Teddy Bear could be subdivided into three categories: * Major plush doll manufacturers such as Mattel and Hasbro were considered competition in this sub segment of the toy industry. * Other bear manufacturers including Steiff of Germany, Dakin, Applause, Fiesta, North American Bear, and Gund, the leading market of toy bears. Variety of other special occasions greetings such as flowers, candy, balloons, cakes and other gift items that could be ordered by phone for special occasions and delivered next day. As for Labor, and given the massive production the company is required to undertake to meet its customers needs especially in special occasions such as Christmas, Valentines Day amp; Mothers Day , the company heavily relied on outsourced home worker s who performed production functions at their homes and hence were treated as independent contractors. Although these home workers/independent contractors allowed the company flexibility in meeting heavy demand as mentioned earlier which allowed them in scheduling their hours of work, home workers were free to reject or accept any work offered by the company which might make the company vulnerable to failure in meeting its customers heavy demand especially in high season sales. The company maintains a solid HR system through a strong built bear culture among employees. The companys manpower do not belong to any unions which eliminates any Labor issues. n the credit side I believe that the company does not face any problem with external financing; the company has two sources of financing, equity through issuance of shares since it is a traded company in the New York stock exchange market, in addition to debt and leasing which can be provided through commercial banks and leasing companies, which in my opinion is not a viable point for Vermont as it already consumed most of its credit li mits lately, comparing with its competitors who had greater financial resources. Historically, the companys focus had been to design and manufacture the best teddy bear made in America, using American materials. This philosophy was modified significantly in 1998 with the companys decision to explore the offshore sourcing of materials and manufacturing alternatives in an effort to lower the companys cost of goods sold and to broaden its available sources of supply, in my opinion such change would diverse the companys dependence on American supplies or raw material, now that it has a wide pool of international suppliers which will give the company a significant bargaining power in terms of cost and quality. Although many teddy bear producers define their product as toy and marketed solely to children. The company marketed its bears as an attractive gift or collectible for both children and adults which enabled the company to penetrate a wide-ranged customer pool, including children, young and old people whether males or females. If the company considers going globally, the company might face problems when addressing global customers, such Anti-Americans who might avoid buying the companys products knowing that it is an American product, especially that the companys competitive advantage stems from their origin, being one of the earliest producers of teddy bears in America. Industry Environment: Barriers to entry into this industry is there, evidenced by the challenges that Vermont along with the other current players face in the market, such as economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements and access to distribution channels. Given that both the stuffed toys and last-minute gifts markets are already saturated, I believe that the possibility of entry of a new player to the said markets is quite difficult, unless this new player intends to acquire an existing company to capitalize on its position in the market. For Vermont and as discussed earlier, the company had recently shifted to rely on various suppliers from local markets and different countries in its raw material in an attempt to reduce its costs, yet it was implied that it still relies on an American supplier-who happened to be the only eye maker left in America-in attempt to produce the ears with domestic materials, this might give this supplier some bargaining power to exert on Vermont. Last minute gift customers normally lack the power to force down prices or play competitors off against each other, this is mainly attributable to that Vermonts industry is a fragmented one, and last minute shoppers are ready to pay anything to acquire a gift due to time constraints which disable them to consider or make comparison with other competitors products; they will simply buy the first thing their eyes lie on to buy that gift especially in special occasions and events. Capitalizing on what was said earlier, Vermonts Teddy Bear as a product had several substitutes including toy bears, stuffed dolls or animals, flowers, candy, balloons, cakes and other gift items which in my opinion deserve the most attention strategically. To my opinion, and given that the Industrys competitors are numerous and that the industry growth is slow, Vermont is facing an intense rivalry from its competitors which the company should focus on strategically in the future. Remote Environment: The remote environment is what originates beyond the daily operations of Vermont. The remote environment is made up of five factors that are not influenced by a single company. These factors are economic, social, political, technological and ecological. Although these factors cannot be affected by Vermont, they can definitely effect the operations of the company. These must be all considered by the company when working with the market. Over the next twenty years, there are several changes that might take place in the remote environment. Since technology is not an important factor in this industry the company might disregard it when formulating its strategy. Political factors are quite stable on the local side yet if the company considers going global it must take these factors into consideration, for example if changes occurred in laws and regulations with respect to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), they must make changes to meet Political standards. Ecological factors also might cause several issues; although the companys manufacturing practices are environmentally sound, other factors might be an issue (for example global warming) given the fact that the company owns and operate a factory at which it produces its products, then the energy used by the company to produce its products must e modified in order to meet ecological standards. To be sustaining in the market, Vermont should encourage the knowledge of the internal environment that affects its business. There are many internal factors that impact Vermonts performance; these factors constitutes of the companys competitively important resources and capabilities. Unfortunately reso urces whether tangible or intangible are scarce by nature and it will be a great challenge for the company to manage their resources in order to gain the competitive advantage. Tangible Assets: The company operates and owns a fully integrated facilities including retail stores, manufacturing and distribution facilities in a 62,000 square-foot building on 57 acres that the company owns; * The manufacturing/production facilities included a state of the art packing and shipping equipment; * The companys call centers had state-of-the art technologies including PC terminals and very high tech telephone switching equipment that allowed the company to handle significant call volume; * The company installed a new telephone system, which improved its telemarketing operations and was designed to accommodate future growth in telephone call volume; * The company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * In 1998 the company succeeded to secure a source of finance amounting $600,000 (in the form of equity investment that was injected by Shepherd Group) which will provide working capital for the company to pursue growth in the Bear-Gram channel and to maximize the benefits of importing raw material; * The company had launched an extensive website including pictures of the product in 1997 where its customers are eligible to place their orders online, which was part of the companys computer network of approximately 250 workstations that linked order entry with sales and accounting systems. Intangible Assets: * The companys name in combinatio n with its original logo was a registered trademark in the United States including The Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Bear Gram, Teddy Bear Gram and Make-A-Friend-For Life; * It owned the registered trademark Vermont Teddy Bear in Japan; * The company claimed copyright, service mark, or trademark protection for its teddy bear designs, its marketing slogans, and its advertising copy and promotional literature; Organizational Capabilities: * The companys manufacturing practices were environmentally sound. The company sought to use the best available materials for its bears; * The companys products were sold with a Guarantee for Life under which the company undertakes to repair or replace any damaged or defective bear at any time; * The companys products were designed in such way to a certain event or occasions, the company even provided outfits to individualize the customers bears or to emphasize certain relevant characteristics of the receiver; * The company was primarily know for its Bear-Gram delivery service, where customers could send the gift of a Vermont Teddy Bear by placing an order through the companys 800 number or online, providing its customers with an instant and spontaneous solution for the perfect gift especial in events and special occasions; * Since its inception in the 80s, the companys main focus was to design and manufacture the best teddy bears made in America, using American materials and labor, which helped the company to build up a strong and extensive custome r base; * The companys decision to explore the offshore sourcing of materials was a brilliant and a dynamic solution for lowering the companys cost of goods sold and reducing the suppliers power over the company; * The company has a wide range of products that suits both premium and regular customers; it has its handcrafted 15-inch classic teddy bears as well as its manufactured bears, in addition to other items related to teddy bears such as clothing, jewelry and accessory ornaments; * The company strove to provide rapid response to its customer orders and complaints. It believed that as a result of the quality of its products and service, it had established a loyal customer base; The value chain analysis (demonstrated below) aim at increasing customer satisfaction and managing cost effectively; it is a systematic approach to examining the development of competitive advantage, it comprises both primary and support activities: Source: pcwin. com Primary activities of Value Chain Analysis are directly concerned with the production or delivery of a product and consist of: * Inbound Logistics: Vermonts manufacturing premises included a state-of-the-art packing and shipping equipment, in addition the company also had a three-year lease on 10,000 square foot of inventory space at a separate location in Shelburne. Exploiting offshore markets for the sourcing of its materials provided the company with a wider base of suppliers which prevented the company from dependence risks; * Operations: despite the companys 1998 move to the offshore sourcing of raw materials and which implied a significant departure from the companys historical position as an American manufacturer who uses almost exclusively American materials, the companys products were still environmentally sound; the company sought to use the best available materials for its bears. The company produced two type of products; its handcrafted 15-inch classic teddy bear for those customers who are interested in an American made product and its manufactured event or special occasion-customized teddy bears for the rest of its customers, in addition to selling items related to its teddy bears; * Outbound Logistics: The company was known for its Bear-Gram delivery services, which enabled the company to provide instant delivery services (either by air or ground delivery services) to its customers throughout the different states of America as well as outside customers such as Canada through a carrier such as UPS. In addition, the company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the-art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * Marketing and Sales: The companys extensive computer network in addition to its new telephone system enabled the company to expand its customer base not only in Ver mont but throughout the rest of the states and the world and provide rapid response to its customer orders which in turn; * Service: The company sought to respond promptly to customer complaints. Each bear was sold with a Guarantee for Life under which the company ndertakes to repair or replace any damaged or defective bear at any time; These primary activities are supported by secondary activities which help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the primary activities of the company and consist of: * Firms Infrastructure: it can be subdivided into three main categories: * Organizational Structure: The companys Board members and Executive Officers had solid experience in different fields including marketing, finance amp; investment; * System of Planning Finance: The company managed to secure a $3. 5 Million commercial loan to partially finance its new facility, later the company completed a sale-leaseback transaction involving its factory, this financing replace the company s mortgage and line of credit. The company had also signed a letter of intent with a potential investor for a proposed $600,000 equity investment; the company intends to direct the proceeds of the said transaction to financing its working capital needs to pursue growth in the Bear-Gram channel and to maximize the benefits of importing raw materials; * Quality Control: The company strives to maintain its products environmental friendly and was safe for children. * Human Resource Management: * The company employed 181 individuals, none of them belonged to a union which provided the company with some sort of protection against strikes; * In order for the company to meet heavy demand at holiday periods such as Christmas, Valentines Day and Mothers Day, the company depended on independent contractors/home workers. * Technology Development: The manufacturing/production facilities included a state of the art packing and shipping equipment; * The companys call centers had state-of-the art technologies including PC termina ls and very high tech telephone switching equipment that allowed the company to handle significant call volume; * The company installed a new telephone system, which improved its telemarketing operations and was designed to accommodate future growth in telephone call volume; * The company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * The company had launched an extensive website including pictures of the product in 1997 where its customers are eligible to place their orders online, which was part of the companys computer network of approximately 250 workstations that linked order entry with sales and accounting systems. * Procurement: * The most relevant long-term objectives for the company are as follows: * Competitive Position: the company always strives on keeping its position as a market leader backed by designing and manufacturing the best teddy bears made in America and represent an attractive gift or collectible for both children and adults; * Profitability: sustain and increase profitability by improving the Bear-gram services that is provided through either the internet or the phone which are designed to accommodate future growth in request volume; * Public Responsibility: the companys manufacturing practices respect the environmental aspects by using the best available materials for its bears. The company uses Differentiation-focus as a generic strategy illustrated in: * Using American-made materials in its products; * The company offers a life-time guarantee; * Easy order placement and prompt delivery; * Rapid response to its customer complaints. Grand strategies are applied through: * Product Development : The company diversified the spectrum of its products to include the following: * More than 100 different bear outfits to individualize the companys bears, to emphasize certain relevant characteristics, or to personalize bears for different occasions and events; * Using recycled Ben and Jerrys ice cream containers to make the bear joints movable, a feature associated with traditional, high quality teddy bears; * Selling items related to Teddy Bears; * Selling stuffed toys manufactured by other companies; * Changing the packaging structure to ensure damage-free products and lower courier services; * Turnaround Strategy: The company exercised the turnaround strategies to survive the following incidents: Incidents| Actions reflecting Turnaround Strategy| The companys expenses increased while sales growth did not offset this growth;| * Eliminate several unprofitable marketable ventures (such as its sponsorship to NASCAR circuit race car and driver); * Reduce General and Administrative exp enses; * Change of key management position;| * The company applied a new trademark name to broaden brand appeal and take advantage of national and international distribution opportunities; * Explore new opportunities for growth through opening new retail stores and expanding the catalog;| * Focus on Bear-Gram business to expand the companys distribution channels; * Shut down retail stores to reduce costs; * Change of key management position;| Vermont Teddy Bear Case Essay Example Vermont Teddy Bear Case Essay Although Vermont Teddy Bear is a company with a rich track record in the business of last-minute gifts, its mission statement lacked its basic goals and philosophies that aim to shape its strategic posture. Vermonts mission statement clearly speaks to someone who is well acquainted with what the company does and what it sells, which is in my opinion a crucial point that the company missed when they addressed its customers. The following points provide an insight on what went wrong when Vermont decided to formulate its mission statement: * The Basic Product the company sells: Vermonts mission statement clearly failed to mention the type of product they sell. By defining the product the company simply distinguishes its offered products from competitive products of similar nature provided by other competitors in the market. * The companys targeted customers In this element, the company mentions who are its customers or potential customers. What will it do to serve them and how will its customers find this company different from the other companies or competitors who provide similar products in the market. Although Vermonts mission statement might have implied that it is currently targeting American customers through :The Vermont Teddy Bear brand represents the rich heritage of the Great American Teddy Bear begun in 1902. , yet this contradicts with the companys current plan in which it intends to exploit international markets, in other words, the company should revise its statement to include potential customers too. * The Technology applied: By defining technology, the company tells its current technology that it uses in making its products i. . whether state of the art technology or hand-made technology. It also tells about the unique ways in which its products are technologically more advanced or distinguished then their alternates. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the word craftsmanship found in the companys mission statement might tell that the companys products are hand-made, which distinguishes it from other players in the industry, given the fact that most stuffed toys to day are manufactured. The Companys concern for survival, growth and profitability: Vermont failed to fine the means it seeks to survive in the longer run given the fallback they are currently going through. It not merely lists them out but also defines the logic behind them and how will the company strive to achieve them; these goals serve as economic indicators for the companys performance, and hence indicates how far the company is from satisfying the principal claims and desires of its employees and stockholders. The Companys Philosophy: By defining philosophy, the company defines its way of working, its culture, its beliefs and how it sees work to be carried out. it is also an analytical way of defining the norms of which it runs. In my opinion, the companys mission statement had covered the companys creed through the following: We will strive to wholesomely entertain our guests while consistently exceeding our external and internal customer service expectations. * Concern for public image We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Vermont Teddy Bear Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Concern for public image is a wide term that includes not only the corporate social responsibility but the overall impact of the actions taken by the company on its image, which in my opinion was totally dropped when formulating Vermonts mission statement. * Companys self concept By defining the self concept, the company shows the outside world its core strengths and the place it sees itself in the future. When reviewing Vermonts mission statement, it is clearly evident that the statement failed to express the companys core strengths in terms of the entrepreneurship capabilities and a robust distribution channels. In light of what was mentioned above, I suggest that Vermont should revisit its mission statement, the following statement will help the BOD in their plans for the company: Become number one instant gift solution in the USA in the next 20 years. We design and manufacture the best teddy bears in America. We satisfy customer needs through product differentiation, we offer exclusive hand-made teddy bears to premium customers as well as providing convenient products to the other customers. Speed and easiness of delivery of our products will be respected along with premium quality. Monthly Measuring customer satisfaction will be our main tool for maintaining our market positioning and for our continuous development for our brand and products. While achieving our mission in owning a profitable business, we will strive to being ethically, legally, and environmentally responsible while remaining fiscally sound. Vermonts external environment consists of three components: its operating, industry and remote environment. In these three environments, there is a chance that one of its external environments may change. All of these environmental sectors affect the companys operations both on the local and international level, and its very possible for change to occur (as witnessed throughout the case study). Operating Environment: Competitors of Vermont Teddy Bear could be subdivided into three categories: * Major plush doll manufacturers such as Mattel and Hasbro were considered competition in this sub segment of the toy industry. * Other bear manufacturers including Steiff of Germany, Dakin, Applause, Fiesta, North American Bear, and Gund, the leading market of toy bears. Variety of other special occasions greetings such as flowers, candy, balloons, cakes and other gift items that could be ordered by phone for special occasions and delivered next day. As for Labor, and given the massive production the company is required to undertake to meet its customers needs especially in special occasions such as Christmas, Valentines Day amp; Mothers Day , the company heavily relied on outsourced home worker s who performed production functions at their homes and hence were treated as independent contractors. Although these home workers/independent contractors allowed the company flexibility in meeting heavy demand as mentioned earlier which allowed them in scheduling their hours of work, home workers were free to reject or accept any work offered by the company which might make the company vulnerable to failure in meeting its customers heavy demand especially in high season sales. The company maintains a solid HR system through a strong built bear culture among employees. The companys manpower do not belong to any unions which eliminates any Labor issues. n the credit side I believe that the company does not face any problem with external financing; the company has two sources of financing, equity through issuance of shares since it is a traded company in the New York stock exchange market, in addition to debt and leasing which can be provided through commercial banks and leasing companies, which in my opinion is not a viable point for Vermont as it already consumed most of its credit li mits lately, comparing with its competitors who had greater financial resources. Historically, the companys focus had been to design and manufacture the best teddy bear made in America, using American materials. This philosophy was modified significantly in 1998 with the companys decision to explore the offshore sourcing of materials and manufacturing alternatives in an effort to lower the companys cost of goods sold and to broaden its available sources of supply, in my opinion such change would diverse the companys dependence on American supplies or raw material, now that it has a wide pool of international suppliers which will give the company a significant bargaining power in terms of cost and quality. Although many teddy bear producers define their product as toy and marketed solely to children. The company marketed its bears as an attractive gift or collectible for both children and adults which enabled the company to penetrate a wide-ranged customer pool, including children, young and old people whether males or females. If the company considers going globally, the company might face problems when addressing global customers, such Anti-Americans who might avoid buying the companys products knowing that it is an American product, especially that the companys competitive advantage stems from their origin, being one of the earliest producers of teddy bears in America. Industry Environment: Barriers to entry into this industry is there, evidenced by the challenges that Vermont along with the other current players face in the market, such as economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements and access to distribution channels. Given that both the stuffed toys and last-minute gifts markets are already saturated, I believe that the possibility of entry of a new player to the said markets is quite difficult, unless this new player intends to acquire an existing company to capitalize on its position in the market. For Vermont and as discussed earlier, the company had recently shifted to rely on various suppliers from local markets and different countries in its raw material in an attempt to reduce its costs, yet it was implied that it still relies on an American supplier-who happened to be the only eye maker left in America-in attempt to produce the ears with domestic materials, this might give this supplier some bargaining power to exert on Vermont. Last minute gift customers normally lack the power to force down prices or play competitors off against each other, this is mainly attributable to that Vermonts industry is a fragmented one, and last minute shoppers are ready to pay anything to acquire a gift due to time constraints which disable them to consider or make comparison with other competitors products; they will simply buy the first thing their eyes lie on to buy that gift especially in special occasions and events. Capitalizing on what was said earlier, Vermonts Teddy Bear as a product had several substitutes including toy bears, stuffed dolls or animals, flowers, candy, balloons, cakes and other gift items which in my opinion deserve the most attention strategically. To my opinion, and given that the Industrys competitors are numerous and that the industry growth is slow, Vermont is facing an intense rivalry from its competitors which the company should focus on strategically in the future. Remote Environment: The remote environment is what originates beyond the daily operations of Vermont. The remote environment is made up of five factors that are not influenced by a single company. These factors are economic, social, political, technological and ecological. Although these factors cannot be affected by Vermont, they can definitely effect the operations of the company. These must be all considered by the company when working with the market. Over the next twenty years, there are several changes that might take place in the remote environment. Since technology is not an important factor in this industry the company might disregard it when formulating its strategy. Political factors are quite stable on the local side yet if the company considers going global it must take these factors into consideration, for example if changes occurred in laws and regulations with respect to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), they must make changes to meet Political standards. Ecological factors also might cause several issues; although the companys manufacturing practices are environmentally sound, other factors might be an issue (for example global warming) given the fact that the company owns and operate a factory at which it produces its products, then the energy used by the company to produce its products must e modified in order to meet ecological standards. To be sustaining in the market, Vermont should encourage the knowledge of the internal environment that affects its business. There are many internal factors that impact Vermonts performance; these factors constitutes of the companys competitively important resources and capabilities. Unfortunately reso urces whether tangible or intangible are scarce by nature and it will be a great challenge for the company to manage their resources in order to gain the competitive advantage. Tangible Assets: The company operates and owns a fully integrated facilities including retail stores, manufacturing and distribution facilities in a 62,000 square-foot building on 57 acres that the company owns; * The manufacturing/production facilities included a state of the art packing and shipping equipment; * The companys call centers had state-of-the art technologies including PC terminals and very high tech telephone switching equipment that allowed the company to handle significant call volume; * The company installed a new telephone system, which improved its telemarketing operations and was designed to accommodate future growth in telephone call volume; * The company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * In 1998 the company succeeded to secure a source of finance amounting $600,000 (in the form of equity investment that was injected by Shepherd Group) which will provide working capital for the company to pursue growth in the Bear-Gram channel and to maximize the benefits of importing raw material; * The company had launched an extensive website including pictures of the product in 1997 where its customers are eligible to place their orders online, which was part of the companys computer network of approximately 250 workstations that linked order entry with sales and accounting systems. Intangible Assets: * The companys name in combinatio n with its original logo was a registered trademark in the United States including The Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Bear Gram, Teddy Bear Gram and Make-A-Friend-For Life; * It owned the registered trademark Vermont Teddy Bear in Japan; * The company claimed copyright, service mark, or trademark protection for its teddy bear designs, its marketing slogans, and its advertising copy and promotional literature; Organizational Capabilities: * The companys manufacturing practices were environmentally sound. The company sought to use the best available materials for its bears; * The companys products were sold with a Guarantee for Life under which the company undertakes to repair or replace any damaged or defective bear at any time; * The companys products were designed in such way to a certain event or occasions, the company even provided outfits to individualize the customers bears or to emphasize certain relevant characteristics of the receiver; * The company was primarily know for its Bear-Gram delivery service, where customers could send the gift of a Vermont Teddy Bear by placing an order through the companys 800 number or online, providing its customers with an instant and spontaneous solution for the perfect gift especial in events and special occasions; * Since its inception in the 80s, the companys main focus was to design and manufacture the best teddy bears made in America, using American materials and labor, which helped the company to build up a strong and extensive custome r base; * The companys decision to explore the offshore sourcing of materials was a brilliant and a dynamic solution for lowering the companys cost of goods sold and reducing the suppliers power over the company; * The company has a wide range of products that suits both premium and regular customers; it has its handcrafted 15-inch classic teddy bears as well as its manufactured bears, in addition to other items related to teddy bears such as clothing, jewelry and accessory ornaments; * The company strove to provide rapid response to its customer orders and complaints. It believed that as a result of the quality of its products and service, it had established a loyal customer base; The value chain analysis (demonstrated below) aim at increasing customer satisfaction and managing cost effectively; it is a systematic approach to examining the development of competitive advantage, it comprises both primary and support activities: Source: pcwin. com Primary activities of Value Chain Analysis are directly concerned with the production or delivery of a product and consist of: * Inbound Logistics: Vermonts manufacturing premises included a state-of-the-art packing and shipping equipment, in addition the company also had a three-year lease on 10,000 square foot of inventory space at a separate location in Shelburne. Exploiting offshore markets for the sourcing of its materials provided the company with a wider base of suppliers which prevented the company from dependence risks; * Operations: despite the companys 1998 move to the offshore sourcing of raw materials and which implied a significant departure from the companys historical position as an American manufacturer who uses almost exclusively American materials, the companys products were still environmentally sound; the company sought to use the best available materials for its bears. The company produced two type of products; its handcrafted 15-inch classic teddy bear for those customers who are interested in an American made product and its manufactured event or special occasion-customized teddy bears for the rest of its customers, in addition to selling items related to its teddy bears; * Outbound Logistics: The company was known for its Bear-Gram delivery services, which enabled the company to provide instant delivery services (either by air or ground delivery services) to its customers throughout the different states of America as well as outside customers such as Canada through a carrier such as UPS. In addition, the company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the-art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * Marketing and Sales: The companys extensive computer network in addition to its new telephone system enabled the company to expand its customer base not only in Ver mont but throughout the rest of the states and the world and provide rapid response to its customer orders which in turn; * Service: The company sought to respond promptly to customer complaints. Each bear was sold with a Guarantee for Life under which the company ndertakes to repair or replace any damaged or defective bear at any time; These primary activities are supported by secondary activities which help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the primary activities of the company and consist of: * Firms Infrastructure: it can be subdivided into three main categories: * Organizational Structure: The companys Board members and Executive Officers had solid experience in different fields including marketing, finance amp; investment; * System of Planning Finance: The company managed to secure a $3. 5 Million commercial loan to partially finance its new facility, later the company completed a sale-leaseback transaction involving its factory, this financing replace the company s mortgage and line of credit. The company had also signed a letter of intent with a potential investor for a proposed $600,000 equity investment; the company intends to direct the proceeds of the said transaction to financing its working capital needs to pursue growth in the Bear-Gram channel and to maximize the benefits of importing raw materials; * Quality Control: The company strives to maintain its products environmental friendly and was safe for children. * Human Resource Management: * The company employed 181 individuals, none of them belonged to a union which provided the company with some sort of protection against strikes; * In order for the company to meet heavy demand at holiday periods such as Christmas, Valentines Day and Mothers Day, the company depended on independent contractors/home workers. * Technology Development: The manufacturing/production facilities included a state of the art packing and shipping equipment; * The companys call centers had state-of-the art technologies including PC termina ls and very high tech telephone switching equipment that allowed the company to handle significant call volume; * The company installed a new telephone system, which improved its telemarketing operations and was designed to accommodate future growth in telephone call volume; * The company had a high-tech shipping system, including state-of-the art multicarrier software so that if a major carrier like UPS went on strike, it could immediately make adjustments; * The company had launched an extensive website including pictures of the product in 1997 where its customers are eligible to place their orders online, which was part of the companys computer network of approximately 250 workstations that linked order entry with sales and accounting systems. * Procurement: * The most relevant long-term objectives for the company are as follows: * Competitive Position: the company always strives on keeping its position as a market leader backed by designing and manufacturing the best teddy bears made in America and represent an attractive gift or collectible for both children and adults; * Profitability: sustain and increase profitability by improving the Bear-gram services that is provided through either the internet or the phone which are designed to accommodate future growth in request volume; * Public Responsibility: the companys manufacturing practices respect the environmental aspects by using the best available materials for its bears. The company uses Differentiation-focus as a generic strategy illustrated in: * Using American-made materials in its products; * The company offers a life-time guarantee; * Easy order placement and prompt delivery; * Rapid response to its customer complaints. Grand strategies are applied through: * Product Development : The company diversified the spectrum of its products to include the following: * More than 100 different bear outfits to individualize the companys bears, to emphasize certain relevant characteristics, or to personalize bears for different occasions and events; * Using recycled Ben and Jerrys ice cream containers to make the bear joints movable, a feature associated with traditional, high quality teddy bears; * Selling items related to Teddy Bears; * Selling stuffed toys manufactured by other companies; * Changing the packaging structure to ensure damage-free products and lower courier services; * Turnaround Strategy: The company exercised the turnaround strategies to survive the following incidents: Incidents| Actions reflecting Turnaround Strategy| The companys expenses increased while sales growth did not offset this growth;| * Eliminate several unprofitable marketable ventures (such as its sponsorship to NASCAR circuit race car and driver); * Reduce General and Administrative exp enses; * Change of key management position;| * The company applied a new trademark name to broaden brand appeal and take advantage of national and international distribution opportunities; * Explore new opportunities for growth through opening new retail stores and expanding the catalog;| * Focus on Bear-Gram business to expand the companys distribution channels; * Shut down retail stores to reduce costs; * Change of key management position;|

Islam, Women and Overcoming Adversity Essays

Islam, Women and Overcoming Adversity Essays Islam, Women and Overcoming Adversity Paper Islam, Women and Overcoming Adversity Paper Rida is a veil/covering from head to toe of Muslim women belonging to the dawoodi bohra, Shia sect of Islam. At adolescence, men and women have the opportunity to enter faith by giving an oath- also known as misaq- to the community’s spiritual head. Misaq is formally considered as religious birth. In simpler terms, it is a passage from childhood to adulthood. Agreeing to the covenants of misaq means that one will sincerely uphold the tenets of Islam, follow the community’s guidelines, as well as understand the duties as a Muslim. During the ceremony of misaq, both men and women vow to endorse the expectations of cover. Men must keep an untrimmed beard, and women must wear rida. At the age of thirteen, I was caught puffing on tobacco. My actions were considered impure, and since I hadn’t reached puberty all the sins were to be burdened by my parents. Being the youngest, yet most spoiled of four children, my parents and close relatives had lost all expectations of my decency. In the year of my fourteenth birthday, I decided to participate in oath taking ceremony. Although I didn’t give much affirmation to the ritual, I part-took only to fulfil the formality. My parents were already distressed bearing my unorthodox way of life, and now the move to America came closer. The idea of move brought a lot of responsibilities to my parents. They had to wrap-up decades-old business, and leave two older children. Relatives that I didn’t even know the relationship of, came in to urge caution to my parents on the exotic young adults’ culture of America. It seemed as though clouds of gloom had descended upon them. Stepping on the soil of United States, I literally felt a cool breeze through my face. Thinking now, it was probably the effect of breeze that made me question my actions and a way of life. I had left behind the past. It was now time to re-write the story from the beginning, a crisp page for a new life. After two years of resid

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example He further proposed that leaders who have a higher level of orientation towards relationships are more effective when the situations they experience are moderately or completely under the control of a leader and such tasks are less difficult. Later Fiedler and fellow researchers provided an extension of the contingency theory of leadership; this theory was labeled as cognitive resource theory. Under this theory, Fiedler pays emphasis to the role played by stress in determining the favorableness of a particular scenario and how leaders can react to such situations. He argues that leaders have to make rational choices, but they fail to make rational choices while dealing with overly stressful situations. Fiedler proposes that in order to counter this issue organizations need to hire those leaders who have the required knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) related to the business at hand as those who have the required KSAs will be able to deal with situations where the stress level is quite high. According to the theory of cognitive resource theory, leaders can be divided into two categories. First are those who are highly experienced and others are those who are high in intellect. ... g a problem in a creative manner and in low stress situations there is abundant amount of time for such leaders to think creatively and solve the issue at hand. In case of policing leadership, swat team leaders are those who are highly experienced and are more useful in situations that are highly stressful such as a hostage situation. These leaders use their negotiation ability to talk down the criminal and their experience is of utmost importance as under a hostage situation there are chances that the hostage taker might kill hostages. On the other hand, crime scene investigators are leaders who are high in intellect and are required in situations where a particular crime scene needs to be looked at in a creative manner. These leaders tend to look at a crime scene from different angles and they analyze a lot of evidence before coming to a conclusion of who committed the crime and how the crime was committed. Those leaders who follow the transactional leadership style are of the perc eption that employees are motivated due to rewards and in order to motivate them to work hard, leaders need to appraise their work through rewards (Allen, 2010, p.215). For example: a police officer may not risk his/her life in trying to erase crime from the society if he/she believes that the wages he/she is being paid is equal to risking their life. Thus a transactional leadership will have to reward him with enough wages that is perceived by him/her as equal to risking life in order to motivate them. A transformational leader is one who believes in motivating others through various techniques such as leading by setting an example or encouraging followers to participate in decision making and providing ideas for issues faced by the organization. For example: the chief investigation

A Critical Examination of Business Set Up Opportunities in USA from A Essay

A Critical Examination of Business Set Up Opportunities in USA from A Company Perspective - Essay Example A number of forces drive organizations into expanding their operations to the foreign markets. Increased competition in the local and foreign markets as well as reduced trade barriers are some of the factors. The international business environment is quite dynamic and a business organization that has to survive in its international operations has to respond to the changes. The strategic business planning to manage this dynamics involves an examination of the bargaining power of the buyers, the bargaining power of the suppliers, the magnitude of rivalry, the other product or service substitutes, or the threats of other new entries into the market. The vending business is not a new practice in the United States, the first machine of this kind being developed as early as the late nineteenth century. The changing patterns are observed in the quality and types of products offered as well as improvement in the vending machines to ensure security and efficiency. Most recently, there have be en shifts towards high capacity vending machines that can vend healthy juices, yoghurt, fresh fruits, or vegetables. Investment in the healthy vending machine can be incredible in the contemporary society if proper strategic planning and management is carried out. The vending machine business is quite appealing to many individuals in the contemporary markets. The business has several associated benefits to the investor. It is characterized by immediate cash flows, all-cash business (no debts or accounts receivable), can operate 24 hours a day everyday, and it needs little expertise in business management or sales and marketing . The clients in this industry require quick service and ‘demand immediate result making fast food too slow. [The] vending machines provide an affordable quick snack’ (Vending Man, 2011b). The clients give more value to healthy vending that produces healthy foods and with no negative long-term effects on the health of the clients. The business is a fun industry that can generate high returns with little investment since it requires few employees (Vending Man, 201 1a). An individual can supply and manage millions of these machines at different locations with the little task of putting in food occasionally, after every few weeks. This report focuses on these opportunities and the establishment strategy for vending machine business in the US market. The socio-political and economic factors in the US market as well as the business strategy to be employed in this business are illustrated. The US market- Environmental analysis The factors external to our organization like laws and regulations in another country, the country’s economic profile, national culture, and market competition affect the decision to establish business in the country (Mead, 2005). Economic analysis The United States is among the countries that suffered the financial crisis and the resulting economic problems that have been experienced globally (Jickling, 2010). Nonetheless, the Federal Reserve and other government agencies like the US Treasury have shown relentless ef forts to restore the situation through improving the financial systems (Marshall, 2009). It is then likely that the buying ability of the US citizens will be improved giving hope for a new business opportunity. Socio-cultural influence The socio-cultural factors in the country also favor the investment in food industry with focus on healthy eating habits. The consumption of soft drinks has been high in the United States in the past and yet these foods have negative impacts on the consumer heath (Jacobson, 1999). The soft drinks add unnecessary calories to the diet and