The Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Business Environment - Assignment Example The company’s mission statement is to bring the best computing knowledge and experience to students, professionals, and consumers around the world, through being innovative in the way it builds its hardware, software, and internet ads. Apple Inc. is subjected to corporate taxes. Apple Inc. shareholders and officers are not liable for any corporate debts. Therefore, in case the business is facing economic times and want to dissolve and leave a specific market due to debts, the shareholders personal assets or finances cannot be used to pay the debts of the company (Lancaster & Reynolds 2002). Virgin Atlantic was formed in 1984 by Richard Branson. The airline is based at London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports. Furthermore, it is also based in Manchester Airport. It is a limited business which has developed over the years to become the second largest carrier serving major cities across the world. Unlike in Apple Inc., the salaries of the employees are only subjected to self-employment taxes (Balmforth 2009). Employees of Apple Inc. have a major role in decision making of the company. In this company, employees have a major stake because they are liable for the success of the business. In addition, they are expected to ensure that all operations of the business are running smoothly. Due to the fact that they interact with the customers daily, employees are used by the business as an important source of information (Lüsted 2012). They are also expected to be innovative in order to maintain the competitiveness of the business in the market. The community has a major effect on the operations of the business. Unlike Virgin Atlantic which is only focused on the profits, Apple Inc. has a mandate of ensuring that it incorporates the interests of the communities associated with the business in its crucial decisions. In addition, such a company has an obligation to participate

Stefko, Salem Witchcraft Trials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stefko, Salem Witchcraft Trials - Essay Example The first to be tried were Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. The girls attended the trials and experienced fits and convulsions as each of the accused was questioned. Tituba had been beaten by Parris for practicing the craft and confessed to being a witch. She implicated the other two women. Tituba also said that the three of them were not the only practitioners and there was a coven in Massachusetts that was lead by a tall man with white hair. This led to witch hunts and further trials. Ministers and district justices asked the girls to name more witches and they obliged. More people were falsely accused and arrested. Ann Putman Jr. and her mother accused Martha Corey of being a witch. They did not like this woman and this was what they did to vent their dislike. Later, Martha's husband, eighty- year old husband, Giles, was accused of being a wizard and a sorcerer. At the time the hysteria began, no trials could be held in the commonwealth until a new charter was in place. In May 1692, Sir William Phips, the newly appointed royal governor, arrived with a new charter. He did not want to be involved with the witchcraft problem, so he created a Court of Oyer and Terminer to try the accused witches. Lt. Governor William Stoughton served as chief justice and eight other judges presided at the trials. The men were highly respected in the colony. Some were biased because they had sent those accused witches to prison and believed that those who were in jail were, in reality, witches.The trials began in June. The girls had accused the "witches" of attacking them in the form of specters. There were tests to determine if the accused were witches. One was when the girls would collapse when the accused was told to look at Them. Another was when the girls were "cured" of their afflictions by touching the accused.The trials were swift and some of those who w ere found guilty were sentenced to death by hanging. The sentences were carried out within days after the sentence was pronounced.Giles Corey refused to acknowledge that the court had the power to try him. He was sentenced to the punishment of having a board placed on top of his body, then rocks placed on top of it. He was killed by the weight of the rocks.Eventually, Tituba was released from jail, and then sold as a slave to pay for the expenses of being imprisoned. The Salem witchcraft trials were the last major trials in the world. There had been other outbreaks of such hysteria in Europe prior to these trials. The Salem trials were "mild affairs compared to the hideous persecutions of Europe." (Cohen, 19)The largest witchcraft trials in the New World and one of the last events of the hysteria of witchcraft were in Salem, Massachusetts. Those who were the most afflicted by the alleged witches were young girls whose "'child's play'

The current extended interpretation of the Commerce Clause Research Paper

The current extended interpretation of the Commerce Clause - Research Paper Example There is little doubt that the conventional and accepted common meaning of commerce both in common discourse as well as in legal language, was mercantile trade and the additionally associated activities (Natelson & Kopel, 2011). There are at least four possible interpretations which have been proposed in interpretation of the Commercial Clause (Scheb & Stephens, 2007, pg. 100). First it has been advocated that the clause bestows upon the Congress the absolute power to control commerce. Under this construal, states are deprived off power to check interstate commerce. Secondly, it has been interprated that theclause gives Congress and the states contemporaneous powers to regulate commerce. Under this interpretation, state regulation of commerce is unenforceable only in cases where it is pre-empted by federal laws (Exploring Constitutional Conflicts, 2011). Third, the Commerce Clause has been interpreted to imply that both the congress and the states each have their own mutually exclusive zones of regulatory power. Under this construal, it becomes the responsibility of the judicial system to determine whether one sovereign has invaded the exclusive regulatory zone of the other. The last interpretation that has been advanced is that the clause by its own force dissociates states the power to regulate commerce in certain ways, but both the Congress and States retain coexisting power to control commerce in many other respects. This forth interpretation, is a complicated and convoluted hybrid of two others, and it is the approach employed by the courts in their decision while interpreting the commerce clause. According to Marshall (Kommers, Finn, & Jacobsohn, 2004, pg. 301), as long as any aspect of commerce implicated or involved more than one state, such as transportation or the exchange of commodities across state lines, congress may regulate it. The power to regulate, however, is equally broad. He added, this power, like all others

Customer Service at Richer Sounds Essay Example for Free

Customer Service at Richer Sounds Essay Richer Sounds believe that the most important measure of the success would be to give all their customers a great service and satisfaction. This is even important than making the profit margins high and gaining a lot of profit this is because Any organisation can increase their profits by increasing prices of goods, buying cheaper and low quality goods, cutting down on employees and many more but doing this Richer Sounds believe that there wont be good customer service due to less employees, customers wont purchase any expensive products which is not of good quality and through this they will keep losing customers The company believes once a customer purchases a product and thinks it was at low price and also sees it is off good quality with an excellent customer service given to him the he/she will always tend to come back to purchase more goods, in-fact the customer may also tell some of its friends and families about the prices that Richer Sounds have and like this the company will benefit in getting new and new customers all the time. How Richer Sounds strive to achieve superb customer service They think the following are important: Management commitment this means every director and every manager states the customer service as most essential in the business. This also means spending money to give excellent services Recruiting and training right people Colleagues are looked at their personalities and attitude while there are been giving an interview. All colleagues that have been given the job have a 3 day induction course which even concentrates in training the new colleagues how to give an excellent customer service Motivated colleagues if all colleagues are treated well and valued they will give good service to customers. For this reason the colleague support function is so critical. Measuring the results The best way to find the right results are to ask customer themselves therefore Richer Sounds does this through it sales questionnaires. Richer Sounds also have a mystery shopper who looks how well the colleagues manage their customers and how greatly they give customer service. The company also has telephone call system, which is been recorded, and through this they check how well store colleagues answer to customer problems. A customer friendly environment this include the ease of walking around the store, the layout of the store and how well are the products displayed and also how well each customer will be able to search for his/her product The company insist their colleagues to wear smart clear clothes with clear name badges and to greet all their customers. Responding to customer needs Training in customer service All new colleagues have to attend the three day induction course before they are allowed to serve customers. While doing this course they are also taught on the aspects of customer service, which includes: How to approach a customer within the stores Richer Sounds has several policies on approaching a customer such as: Not to approach a customer as soon as they have entered the store for any help, Once a customer enters they should greet them by saying hello and most strict rule is to not approach anyone from behind because it may scare them and only approach from the side or from the front The appearance of the colleagues all colleagues working in the sores have to were the Richer Sounds uniform with a name badge on it How to cope on busy days All tills must be used to serve customers and try to serve quite faster. When the queues are very long colleagues should offer customers standing and not standing in the queues a cup of tea or coffee. Usually no customers like to wait in queues especially when the store I very crowded. How to ask questions to customers colleagues should ask questions relating on the type of product they are looking for and not to encourage customers to buy items they dont wont because richer sounds believe this is the worse thing to do. How to handle payments the company uses all types of credit cards or any type of purchase whether the item is 99p or even if the item is i 99. 99. This is because there are times when people wont to pay later for the item they need because you get a time period to pay the amount and there are times when customers may have forgot their money at home but want to purchase the item so they can use the credit card. Due to this reason no one may leave the store without anything just because they forgot their money. How to cope with technical questions Health and safety each colleague should know how to take actions in emergency to do this they may need this training How to deal customers who have disabilities All colleagues should have respect for customers who have disabilities and should help them in all ways for which product they are looking for. All colleagues should be truthful in what they sell and how much they take because if there is a blind person needing a tape player the colleagues shouldnt charge more money to what it should be. How Richer Sounds Identify Customer needs and Expectation There are three main ways how richer sounds identify customer needs and expectation, which are: The till receipt questionnaires these are most important questionnaires because everyone who purchases a product will receive and if they taught they did get treated well at the store then he/she may fill the questionnaires. These questionnaires are also seen everytime the customers will see the receipt and so next time when they may come back to the store to purchase another item then they could also bring the filled questionnaires with them.

Analysis of the Chocolate Industry in India

Analysis of the Chocolate Industry in India Project Objective This project aims at understanding the overall Chocolate Industry in India, the product portfolios of different players in the market, various factors affecting the growth and success of chocolate industry in India, the challenges and opportunities which the market offers and the changing trends in the Indian Chocolate Industry. The project also covers a brief study of Cadburys India with reference to above points. An Overview of Chocolate Industry in India The chocolate industry in India as it stands today is dominated by two companies, both multinationals. The market leader is Cadbury with a lions share of 70 percent. The companys brands (Five Star, Gems, Eclairs, Perk, Dairy Milk) are leaders their segments. Till the early 90s, Cadbury had a market share of over 80 percent, but its party was spoiled when Nestle appeared on the scene. The latter has introduced its international brands in the country (Kit Kat, Lions), and now commands approximately 15 percent market share. The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and Central Arecanut and Cocoa Manufactures and Processors Co-operative (CAMPCO) are the other companies operating in this segment. Competition in the segment will get keener as overseas chocolate giants Hersheys and Mars consolidate to grab a bite of the Indian chocolate pie. Per Capita Chocolate Consumption (in lb) of first 15 countries of the world Rank Countries Per Capita Consumption (in lb) Switzerland 22.36 Austria 20.13 Ireland 19.47 Germany 18.04 Norway 17.93 Denmark 17.66 United Kingdom 17.49 Belgium 13.16 Australia 12.99 Sweden 12.90 United States 11.64 France 11.38 Netherlands 10.56 Finland 10.45 Italy 6.13 INDIA, stands nowhere even near to these countries when compared in terms of Per Capita Chocolate Consumption. The Indian chocolate industry is extremely fragmented with a range of products catering to a variety of consumers. We have the bars/slabs, jellies, lollipops, toffees and sugar candies. Given Indias mammoth population, it comes as a surprise that per capita chocolate consumption in the country is dismally low a mere 20 gms per Indian. Compare this to over 7 kgs in most developed nations. However, Indians swallowed 22,000 tonnes of chocolate last year and consumption is growing at 10-12 percent annually. The market size of chocolates was estimated to be around 16,000 tonnes, valued around Rs. 4.16 billion in 1998. Volume growth which was over 20% pa in the 3 years preceding 1998, slowed down thereafter. Both chocolate and sugar confectioneries have abysmally low penetration levels, in fact, even lower than biscuits, which reach 56 per cent of the households. Market growth in the chocolate segment has hovered between 10 to 20%. In the last five years, the category has grown by 14-15% on an average and will expect it to continue growing at a similar rate in the next five years. The market presently has close to 60mn consumers and they are mainly located in the urban areas. Growth will mainly come through an increase in penetration as income levels improve. However, almost all of this consumption is in the cities, and rural India is nearly chocolate-free. But the fact is that three quarters of Indians live in Rural Areas. Average summertime temperatures reach 43 degrees Celsius in India. Chocolate melts at body temperature of 36 degrees. Per capita consumption of chocolates in India is minuscule at 20gms in India as compared to around 5-8 kgs and 8-10 kgs respectively in most European countries. Awareness about chocolates is very high in urban areas at over 95%. Growth of other lifestyle foods such as malted beverages and milk food have actually declined by 3.7 per cent and 11.7 per cent, however the CHOCOLATES continue to grow at the rate of 12.6%. Low priced unit packs, increased distribution reach and new product launches can be said to have fuelled this growth. The launch of lower-priced, smaller bars of chocolate in the last two years and positioning of chocolate as a substitute to traditional sweets during festivals, have boosted consumption. This is also because chocolate, which was considered to be an elitist food, has caught the fancy of buyers looking for a lifestyle item at affordable cost. Till recently, chocolate consumption had been restricted by low purchasing power in the market. Chocolates and other cocoa-based snack foods were looked upon as food suitable only for the well-off. After economic liberalization in 1991, major changes have occurred in food habits, partly on account of rise in gross domestic product (GDP) growth and higher purchasing power in the hands of the middle-class representing a third of the total population. Availability of chocolate products has also exploded. A study had projected that sales of the Indian chocolate industry would rise from $125/$130 million in 1998 to $175/$180 million by the year 2000 and to $450 million by the year 2005 which ACTUALLY happened irrespective of various negative factors. Per capita chocolate consumption continues to be low at about 200g per person, being mainly consumed in urban areas. In the middle and higher income groups, 70 per cent of children, 43 per cent of young adults and 16 per cent of adults consume chocolate. AC Nielsen ORG Marg report estimates the Indian Chocolate Industry worth at Rs 2,000-crore (Rs 20 billion) Types of Chocolates Depending on what is added to (or removed from) the chocolate liquor, different flavors and varieties of chocolate are produced. Each has a different chemical make-up, the differences are not solely in the taste. 1. Unsweetened or Baking chocolate is simply cooled, hardened chocolate liquor. It is used primarily as an ingredient in recipes, or as a garnish. 2. Semi-sweet chocolate is also used primarily in recipes. It has extra cocoa butter and sugar added. Sweet cooking chocolate is basically the same, with more sugar for taste. 3. Milk chocolate is chocolate liquor with extra cocoa butter, sugar, milk and vanilla added. This is the most popular form for chocolate. It is primarily an eating chocolate. Cocoa is chocolate liquor with much of the cocoa butter removed, creating a fine powder. It can pick up moisture and odors from other products, so you should keep cocoa in a cool, dry place, tightly covered. There are several kinds of cocoa Low-fat cocoa has the most fat removed. It typically has less than ten percent cocoa butter remaining. Medium-fat cocoa has anywhere from ten to twenty-two percent cocoa butter in it. Drinking or Breakfast cocoa has over twenty-two percent left in it. This is the cocoa used in chocolate milk powders like Nestles Quik. Dutch process cocoa is cocoa which has been specially processed to neutralize the natural acids in the chocolate. It is slightly darker and has a much different taste than regular cocoa. Decorators chocolate or confectioners chocolate isnt really chocolate at all, but a sort of chocolate flavored candy used for things such as covering strawberries. It was created to melt easily and harden quickly, but it isnt chocolate. Categories of Chocolates Commercial Chocolates are available in the following forms: Bars or Moulded Chocolates Counts Panned Chocolates (Gems) Éclairs Assorted Chocolates Bars or moulded chocolates (like Dairy Milk, Truffle, Amul Milk Chocolate, Nestle Premium, and Nestle Milky Bar) comprise the largest segment, accounting for 37% of the total chocolate market in volume terms. Wafer chocolates such as Kit-Kat and Perk also belong to this segment. Panned chocolates accounts for 10% of the total chocolate market. Wafer chocolates such as Kit-Kat and Perk also belong to this segment. .. Form of Consumption Pure Chocolates Toffees Cakes Pastries Malted Beverages Wafer Biscuits Baked Biscuits Chocolate Desserts Chocolate Manufacturing Process Workers cut the fruit of the cacao tree, or pods open and scoop out the beans. These beans are allowed to ferment and then dry. Then they are cleaned, roasted and hulled. Once the shells have been removed they are called nibs. Nibs are blended much like coffee beans, to produce different colors and flavors. Then they are ground up and the cocoa butter is released. The heat from the grinding process causes this mixture of cocoa butter and finely ground nibs to melt and form a freeflowing substance known as chocolate liquor. From there, different varieties of chocolate are produced. What is conching? Raw unprocessed chocolate is gritty, grainy and really not suitable for eating. Swiss chocolate manufacturer Rudolph Lindt discovered a process of rolling and kneading chocolate that gives it the smoother and richer quality that eating chocolate is known for today. The name conching comes from the shell-like shape of the rollers used. The longer chocolate is conched, the more luxurious it will feel on your tongue. Market Size (by value by volume) The Indian chocolate market is valued at Rs. 650 crores (i.e. Rs. 6.50 billion) a year. The Indian chocolate bazaar is estimated to be in the region of 22,000-24,000 tonnes per annum, and is valued in excess of US$ 80 million. Chocolate penetration in the country is a little over 4 percent, with Indias metros proving to be the big draw clocking penetration in excess of 15 percent. Next, comes the relatively smaller cities/towns where consumption lags at about 8 percent. Chocolates are a luxury in the rural segment, which explains the mere 2 percent penetration in villages. The market presently has close to 60mn consumers and they are mainly located in the urban areas. Major Players their Market Share The major players in the Indian Chocolate Industry are: Cadburys India Limited Nestle India The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) AMUL Cocoa Manufactures and Processors Co-operative (CAMPCO) Cadburys India Limited A Study CADBURYS INTERNATIONAL Cadbury is a very old trusted name. It all started in Birmingham in England when John Cadbury started his family grocery shop with side business of cocoa and chocolate products in around 1824. His two sons, Richard and George, expanded their family business of cocoa and chocolate. Bournville, a town near Birmingham, was build by them as a part of expansion of their business. Cadbury family is also known for their contribution in social reforms and considered as liberals. This family was in the forefront of adult education movement in England. CADBURYS INDIA LIMITED Cadbury was originally incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Cadbury Schweppes Overseas Ltd (CSOL) in 1948. The companys original name was Cadbury Fry (India) Ltd. In 1978, CSOL diluted its equity stake to 40% to comply with FERA guidelines. In 1982, the name was changed to Hindustan Cocoa Products. CSOLs shareholding was increased to 51% in Jan 83 through a preferential rights issue of Rs700mm. The current name was restored in Dec 89. In 2001, Cadbury Schweppes made an open offer to acquire the 49% public holding in the company. The parent holds over 90% of the equity capital after the first open offer. A second open offer has been made to buyback the balance shareholding, after which the company would operate as a 100% subsidiary of Cadbury Schweppes Plc Ever since the Cadbury is in India in 1947, Cadbury chocolates have ruled the hearts of Indians with their fabulous taste. The company today employs nearly 2000 people across India. Its one of the oldest and strongest players in the Indian confectionary industry with an estimated 68 per cent value share and 62 per cent volume share of the total chocolate market. It has exhibited continuously strong revenue growth of 34 per cent and net profit growth of 24 per cent throughout the 1990s. Cadbury is known for its exceptional capabilities in product innovation, distribution and marketing. With brands like Dairy Milk, Gems, 5 Star, Bournvita, Perk, Celebrations, Bytes, Chocki, Delite and Temptations, there is a Cadbury offering to suit all occasions and moods. Today, the company reaches millions of loyal customers through a distribution network of 5.5 lakhs outlets across the country and this number is increasing everyday. OBJECTIVES AND VALUES Our objective is to Grow shareholder valueover the long term Cadbury in every pocket Our marketing strategy is aimed at achieving this vision by growing the market, by appropriate pricing strategy that will create a mass market and to have offerings in every category to widen the market Our Managing For Value Process incorporates Setting stretched financial objectives. Adopting Value Based Management for major strategic and operational decisions and business systems. Creating an outstanding leadership capability within our management. Sharpening our company culture to reflect accountability, aggressiveness and adaptability. Aligning our management rewards structure with the interests of our shareowners. VISION Life Full Of Cadbury Cadbury is an organisation which impacts and interacts with the consumers. Cadbury is present in most happy occasions in the life of our consumer. Our brands excite our consumer. Cadbury is an expression of a consumers life. Cadbury Full Of Life Cadbury as a company is vibrant. Cadbury ia a fun and energising workplace. Cadbury is robust and alive. Business Cadbury dominates the Indian chocolate market with above 65 70 % market share. Besides, it has a 4% market share in the organized sugar confectionery market and a 15% market share in milk/ malted foods segment. Cadburys Indian operations are not just the largest in Asia but also the cheapest. In India, Cadbury has the largest market share anywhere in the world and has been the fastest growing FMCG Company in the last three years with a compound annual growth rate of 12.5 per cent. Plant locations Cadburys manufacturing operations started in Mumbai in 1946, which was subsequently transferred to Thane. In 1964, Induri Farm at Talegaon, near Pune was set up with a view to promote modern methods as well as improve milk yield. In 1981-82, a new chocolate manufacturing unit was set up at the same location in Talegaon. The company, way back in 1964, pioneered cocoa farming in India to reduce dependence on imported cocoa beans. The parent company provided cocoa seeds and clonal materials free of cost for the first 8 years of operations. Cocoa farming is done in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In 1977, the company also took steps to promote higher production of milk by setting up a subsidiary Induri Farms Ltd near Pune. In 1989, the company set up a new plant at Malanpur, MP, to derive benefits available to the backward area. In 1995, Cadbury expanded Malanpur plant in a major way. The Malanpur plant has modernized facilities for Gems, Eclairs, Perk etc. Cadbury also operates third party operations at Phalton, Warana and Nashik in Maharashtra. These factories churn out close to 8,000 tonnes of chocolate annually. Cadburys Dairy Milk (CDM): Cadburys Dairy Milk is the flagship brand of Cadburys not only in India but world wide. CDM is the single largest selling unit in India. It has annual sales to the tune of Rs 200 crore. CDM not only accounts for 30 per cent of the total chocolate market in value, but commands nearly 26 per cent in volume terms and close to 30 per cent of Cadburys annual turnover. Moving from a predominantly adult positioning in the days of the legendary dancing girl ad, to the teens and the tweens, when the Cyrus Broacha ads hit the airwaves, CDM has made a long sweet journey. In spite of the new categories being explored by Cadbury, its star brand remains Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) which continues to corner almost 30 per cent of the chocolate market. Cadburys Temptation: Cadburys Temptation is premium chocolate brand aimed for high value consumption. Various variants available are Almond, Rum, Cashew Orange. Cadburys temptation is priced at Rs. 40 Cadburys Celebration Cadbury India launched its premium Celebrations range, which contains traditional Indian dry fruits wrapped in Dairy Milk chocolate. This gifting option combines the pleasure of giving away dry fruits which Indians traditionally consider a premium, healthy gift with chocolate. Cadbury now has 90 per cent market share in this profitable segment. PRODUCT REVAMPING INNOVATIONS Cadburys chocolate brands registered double-digit growth in 2002, touching an astounding 19 per cent in the second half of that calendar year. Getting the power brands right was the first priority, so genuine re-launches of the products were made. However, the growth rate was declining after that. The growth went down from 19 per cent in 1999 to 12 per cent in 2000 to single-digits, with seven per cent in 2001. If it staged a smart recovery to nearly 10 per cent in 2002, it was largely on the back of Chocki and the revamped power brands. PRODUCT INNOVATIONS: 5 STAR: Consumer feedback suggested that the old 5 Star was too chewy, and people complained of it sticking to their teeth. It was made softer and melted easily in the mouth introduced as 5 Star Crunchy PERK: Perk was made much lighter and the size of the bar increased to match Nestles Munch. Perk had been under fire from Nestles deadly duo of KitKat and Munch, but after the relaunch, its marketshare is two per cent more than KitKats. And, the five-year-old brand is now almost as big as the decades-old 5 Star in size, both in the region of Rs 50-55 crore. HEROES: Packaging innovation has played a vital role in revamping of various Cadburys brands. Heroes brand is simply a multi-pack with miniatures of all its most popular brands in a single outer case. NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES Rich Dry Fruit Collection For Gifting Festive Season Cadbury Celebrations Rich Dry Fruit Collection a range of premium chocolate gift boxes. Available in attractive packs, the Collection caters to a premium gifting consumer and is an ideal festive gift. It is a unique combination of the best Cadbury chocolate and premium dry fruits and comes in four different formats each of which is a mix of select premium dry fruits enrobed in rich Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. Cadburys Creative Launch A new after dinner segment Cadbury Desserts for sweet moments after dinner Khaane Ke baad Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye. Rs. 20/- per packet of 44 gms Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) Desserts with rich indulgent crà ¨me center, in exotic traditional flavors of Tiramisu and Kalakand. CDM Desserts offer the perfect rounding off taste, after meal that adds special Meetha moments to the family. The rich tastes of CDM combined with the unique crà ¨me center in exotic flavors provide a special chocolate experience. CDM Desserts add delight to the after-meal moments, especially with the consumers whose current choice of sweets range from home made delicacies to fruits to meethai. PRICING After the roaring success of Nestles Munch and Chocostick, Cadburys empire struck back hard. The Rs 5 price point accounts for more than half of all chocolate sales. Nestle had seized the initiative at this price point, with its launch of Munch, now a roaring success (and the largest selling product at that price point). Today, Cadbury has four products at this price point: CDM, Perk, 5 star and Gems and the five-rupee CDM bar is its single largest-selling SKU. This is a potent price point in India, because the average purchasing power is abysmally low, is what industry analyst have to say. Nestle kicked off one of the biggest success the liquid chocolate category with its brand Chocostick priced at Rs.2 three months ahead of competition. Cadbury did react with Chocki, priced at Rs 2, expanding the concept of sachetisation to new frontiers. Chocki has been the single biggest growth driver for Cadbury as well as the entire chocolate category. The novelty of the format endeared itself to the existing customer. In less than one year, it constituted nearly 10 per cent of the total chocolate market, split equally between Cadbury and Nestle. Volume led growth strategy Cadbury has followed a well-planned strategy of fuelling volume growth by introducing smaller unit packs at lower price points. Simultaneously, the company seems to have astutely juggled with the larger pack sizes and raised prices to a degree higher than what appears at face. The strategy has driven volumes in the last two years and we expect the volume growth to continue in the next two years. PRICE WOES Chocki, selling at a potent price point of Rs 2, was ideal for smaller towns, especially since it did not need refrigeration. But Chocki started to cannibalise other higher-priced chocolates in larger markets. The students of Bombay Scottish (an upmarket school in Mumbai) are not supposed to eat Chocki, they should not have even heard of the product. Distribution Chocolate needs to be distributed directly, unlike other FMCG products like soaps and detergents, which can be sold through a wholesale network. 90% of chocolate products are sold directly to retailers. Distribution, in the case of chocolates, is a major deterrent to new entrants as the product has to be kept cool in summer and also has to be adapted to suit local tropical conditions. Cadburys distribution network used to encompasses 2100 distributors and 450,000 retailers. The company has a total consumer base of over 65 million. Besides use of IT to improve distribution logistics, Cadbury is also attempting to improve distribution quality. To address the issues of product stability, it has installed VISI coolers at several outlets. This helps in maintaining consumption in summer, when sales usually dip due to the fact that the heat affects product quality and thereby offtake. To avoid cannibalization of its higher priced products from lower priced ones, Cadbury is setting up two separate distribution channels one for CORE business other for MASS markets, with different stockists, wholesalers and retailers. One set will be dedicated to Cadburys high-end products and traditional chocolates. The other will cater to the mass market brands namely Chocki, Halls, Eclairs et al all products priced below Rs 3. But today, Cadburys distribution network reaches out to six lakh outlets each for its chocolate confectionery brands (i.e. total reaching12 lakh outlets). Promotion Typically it is said that chocolates are being eaten when everyone is happy. And this is something advertising has always portrayed. But it is found chocolates are eaten under diverse conditions and moods when people are anxious, when they are sad, when happy a whole range of emotions. Condensing these views thoughts, it can be said chocolate is a true soul mate. Someone who is with you through the ups and downs of life, helping you bounce back. And thats what Cadburys Dairy Milk (CDM) positioned itself as a special friend. % Share of various Brands Ad spending of Cadbury Here, the 6 Cadbury brands shown in the graph comprise 85% of the advertising pie, whereas, rest of the 9 brands advertised by Cadbury comprise 15% of the advertising. Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate is the most advertised brand (with 22%). RE-INVENTING CABDURY Kya Swad Hai Zindagi Mein redefined the way Indians looked at Cadbury Chocolates. (The commercial showed a beautiful young lady overcoming all obstacles on the cricket ground, crossing boundary, watchman, securities and embracing her lover who won the game by hitting a six). This theme introduced in around mid 90s bought instant growth to Cadburys Dairy Milk. The Ad campaign ran successful for about four years and immersed deeper inside hearts of Indians. In March 2002, Cadbury launched its next advertisement campaign for its flagship chocolate brand, Cadburys Dairy Milk (CDM). The campaign featured a television (TV) commercial that was significantly different from the companys earlier commercials for the brand. It featured Cyrus Broacha interviewing college students and asking why they liked to eat CDM. This was followed by college students singing their excuses for eating CDM. Just as the commercial seems all set to end with the students and Cyrus singing the famous CDM theme, Khane Walon Ko Khane Ka Bahaana Chaahiye (those who want to eat, will find excuses), a student comes up and questions Cyrus, The advertisement aimed at conveying the idea that no specific occasion is required for consuming CDM. This was a significant departure from CILs strategy of appealing to adults in India, who sought a rational justification for indulging in chocolate consumption. Cadbury roped in Preity Zinta for its PERK brand. Preity Zintas angelic dim ples laid the foundation for what would become the Indian teenagers favorite snack. After this campaign, PERKS sale surged Cadburys advertising has, over the past few years, aptly reflected Indias passion for chocolates. Cadbury And The Worm Controversy The discovery of worms in some samples of Cadburys Chocolate in early October 2003 created one of the biggest controversies in India against a Multi National reputed for being a benchmark of QUALITY. The controversy created an deep adverse impact on the company with their sales not only drastically dipping down, but at the same time allowing the competitors to establish their foothold and taking maximum advantage of Cadburys misfortune. The controversy, and the adverse publicity received in several countries, set back its plan of outsourcing model which would have resulted in significant revenue generation, several months back. The worms controversy came at the worst time.the next few months were the peak season of Diwali, Eid Christmas. Cadbury sells almost 1,000 tonnes of chocolates during Diwali. In that year, the sales during festival season dropped by 30 per cent. The company saw its value share melt from 73 per cent in October 2003 to 69.4 per cent in January 2004. In May, however, it inched up to 71 per cent. CDM sales volumes declined from 68 per cent in October 03 to 64 per cent in January 2004 Clearly, the worm controversy took a toll on Cadburys bottom-line. For the year ended December 2003, its net profit fell 37 per cent to Rs 45.6 crore (Rs 456 million) as compared with a 21 per cent increase in the previous year. However, Cadburys reiterated that all through the 55 years of leadership in India, that it has remained synonymous with chocolates and have remained committed to high quality and consumer satisfaction. CABDBURYS FIGHT-BACK Project Vishwas Steps to ensure quality regain the confidence Following the controversy over infestation in its chocolates, Cadbury India Ltd unveiled Project Vishwas, a plan involving distribution and retail channels to ensure the quality of its products. The companys team of quality control managers, along with around 300 sales staff, checked over 50,000 retail outlets in Maharashtra and replaced all questionable stocks with immediate effect. The Vishwas programme was intended to build awareness among retailers on storage requirements for chocolates, provide assistance in improving storage conditions and strengthen packaging of the companys range of products. Cadbury reduced the number of chocolates in its bulk packets to 22 bars from the present 60 bars. These helped stockists display and sell the products safely and hygienically 190,000 retailers in key states were covered under this awareness programme. The Big B FACTOR The big factor that has pushed up CDM sales is the Amitabh Bachchan campaign. It helped restore consumers faith in the quality of the product. In early January, Cadbury appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador for a period of two years. The company believed that the reputation he has built up over the last three decades complements their own, which was built over a period of 50 years. Yet, the entire credit of recovery could not be attributed to the brand mascot. Incisive action taken by the company also helped. Some of which were: Responded to consumers concern over the issue rapidly. Also, the communication campaign worked effectively in giving out the central message. The packaging was changed to include a sealed plastic wrapper inside the outside foil. Cadburys launched a new purity-sealed packaging for its flagship product, Cadbury Dairy Milk. The packaging is in response to foreign bodies, notably worms, being found in its products. Over the next few weeks Cadbury will work towards introducing either a heatsealed or a flow-pack packaging that offers a high level of resistance to infestation from improper storage. New advertising promotion campaigns were in place which accounted for an Ad spend of nearly Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million) Cadbury invested nearly Rs 25 crore (Rs 250 million) this year on new machinery for the improved packaging. CADBURYS SINGING SWEETLY AGAIN All is well that ends well. And for Cadburys India, nothing can be sweeter than Regaining Back the Consumer Confidence. Thanks to quick action taken to recover the damage done by the worm controversy like Operaion Vishwas, adopting new packaging massive advertising with Mr. Amitabh Bachchan as their brand ambassador, Cadburys regained its market share. The survey conducted by the company says that consumers have long forgotten the controversy and are back to their merry chocolate-chomping ways. Sales were back to the precontroversy levels. Consumer confidence in the product was back and there was a steady progression in sales .The company posted a high double digit sales growth in that year end. The recovery began in May 2004 when Cadburys value share went up to 71 per cent. Hires AT Kearney to curb costs Cadbury India appointed management consultancy firm AT Kearney to draw up a strategy to control costs in several areas, including sourcing of raw materials and packaging. This was partly an outcome of the worms controversy more than a year ago. Among other things, it changed the wrappers for its Cadbury Dairy Milk brand and introduced better coolers. The consultancy firm will also look at the sourcing of direct and indirect materials like renegotiating with suppliers for longer term contracts and vendor management. Other costs (indirect expenses) like travel costs and hotels were also being studied. In other words, Cadbury is trying to reduce the cost per stock keeping unit (SKUs, or packs). The aim is to improve efficiencies. Earnings sensitivity factors Cocoa bean prices: Domestic as well as international prices of key raw material cocoa have significant impact on margins. Excise duties : Changes in excise levied on malt and chocolate influences end product prices and thereby volume growth as well as margins. Changes in

Artificial Intelligence Programming Assignment :: Essays Papers

Artificial Intelligence Programming Assignment Problem Statements Eight-Queens Puzzle Is it possible to place eight Queens on a chessboard, so that none of the Queens occupy the same row, column, or diagonal? Binary Search Depth-First & Breadth-First Search Newton’s Method Take a number whose square root is to be calculated, any positive number. Take a guess at the number’s square root. Calculate the square root by improving on the current guess as indicated: Next guess = (number/ current guess + current guess)/ 2 Repeat this process until the difference between the next guess and the current is within the accepted level of accuracy. The better your guess, the fewer the number of iterations needed to get the square root. A good first guess is typically half the number whose square root is to be calculated. The process is ten repeated until the desired accuracy is achieved. Newton-Raphson Method Determine a root of the equation f(x) = x^3-x^2-9x+9 = 0 using the Newton-Raphson method if the initial guess is x1 = 1.5. Gauss-Siedel Method Solve the following set of linear simultaneous equations using the Gauss-Seidel method: 10x1 + 2x2 + 3x3 = 11 X1 + 5x2 + 2x3 = 20 3x1 + 2x2 + 6x3 = -12 Theoretical Solutions Eight-Queens Puzzle 1. Pick a position for the Queen 2. If legal, go to next row. 3. If illegal, pick the next position. 4. If no legal position is found, back up to one row. If legal positions are found for all eight rows, the problem is solved. Binary Search †¢ Search the current node value to see if it equals the search value. †¢ If the search value is smaller than the current value, make the current node the left child node. †¢ Make the current node the right child node. Depth-First & Breadth-First Search Depth-First Search: †¢ Searches as far down the left side of the binary tree. †¢ When it encounters, NULL, the search switches to the bottom-most right child and resumes. Breadth-First Search: †¢ Remove a node from the queue. This becomes the current node. †¢ Place all child nodes of the current node onto the queue. Newton’s Method †¢ Get a positive number whose square root is to be calculated from the user. †¢ Get the desired precision. †¢ While more numbers remain, calculate firs guess, x0. †¢ Repeat Xn = 0.5 * (X (n-1) + Number/ X (n-1)) Until abs (Xn - X (n – 1)) *= Desired precision Get a positive number whose square root is to be calculated from the user. Get the desired precision. End while Newton-Raphson Method 1. Set number of iterations num_iter to zero.

David Walker Appeal Paper Essay

Before David Walker’s Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World during the 1800’s, there had not been any other type of anti-slavery documents published. Although the Appeal is directed to black slaves, its powerful moral message and indictment of white America’s hypocritical society and oppressive, brutal system of slavery is a moral message that resonates to all audiences, including whites. Walker’s Appeal calls for slaves to rebel against their masters as the means of reacquiring their humanity. Walker relies heavily upon religious values of Christianity, communicating strongly with free and enslaved blacks: The man who would not fight under the Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in the glorious and heavenly cause of freedom and of God, to be delivered from the most wretched, abject and servile slavery, that ever a people was afflicted with since the foundation of the world, to the present day, ought to be kept with all his children or family, in slavery, or chains, to be butchered by his cruel enemies. (Walker Article 1) The Appeal sent out fear and terror throughout the white community as some states even passed laws that would sentence blacks, or even whites, to severe punishment if caught with the pamphlet. Finzsch cites to Eaton who points out that â€Å"in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Louisiana and South Carolina anyone be it slave, free black or white who was caught with the pamphlet was tried and usually found guilty of inciting insurrection† and it also inspired enslaved blacks to fight for their freedom regardless of the consequences (Finzsch, 5). Walker’s purpose is a call for unity amongst slaves and to educate them as to their immediate need to fight back against their masters. In order to communicate his ideas, Walker attacks the values and the veracity of the United States history by pointing out the hypocrisy of the institution of slavery in a self-proclaimed nation that pretended to stand for constitutional equality, democracy and freedom. Walker powerfully challenges these notions by raising views that were being brought up mostly as a result of scientific racism and the idea that religion justifies slavery. Any discussion of abolition was always a radi cal, dangerous, and illegal conversation during the times of slavery. Slavery was the horrific social, political and economic system that allowed the United States to rapidly accumulate wealth, thus unjustly elevating whites to positions of immense power and privilege. When Walker  published his Appeal his document traveled throughout a political terrain that was controlled by whites, and these whites relied upon anti-black racist documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia. All of these documents systematically deemed blacks as un-human, excluding blacks from political protection, and condoned chattel slavery. Walker’s message in his Appeal resonates in the white community of that time because it directly challenges the myths relied upon by those whites in their â€Å"mythical† documents. The historical opening lines of the Declaration of Independence read â€Å"we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† This opening statement did not include black people, but rather it excluded them under the term that all â€Å"men† were not human. As the rest of the United States Constitution eventually clarified enslaved black people were not recognized as human beings and therefore were not entitled to the rights, privileges, and protection of the law. Furthermore, slavery was a legal institution under these sets of beliefs. Another one of the most influential documents of the time was Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia of 1781. Although Jefferson owned slaves, he considered himself to be an opponent of slavery. Within the document Jefferson compared blacks to whites and concluded by holding that black people were inferior to whites on multiple levels. Have they not, after having reduced us to the deplorable condition of slaves under their feet, held us up as descending originally from the tribes of Monkeys or Orang- Outings? (Walker Article 1) Jefferson believed that emancipation for blacks should mean the removal of them from the United States based on the hostility that blacks would harbor to whites, Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia further entrenched the practice of the dehumanization of black people, something that Walker’s Appeal deeply emphasizes and a message that whites and bla ck could easily understand. In order to support his call for slaves to unify and revolt against their masters Walker challenges the ideas of political documents relied upon whites. Walker effectively uses religion to pursued whites and blacks that the institution of slavery was massively unjust. Walker states that God and religion actually discouraged all forms  of slavery. For example he states, Are we MEN!! I ask you, my brethren are we MEN? Did our creator make us to be slaves to dust and ashes like ourselves? Are they not dying worms as well as we? Have they not to make their appearance before the tribunal of Heaven, to answer for the deeds done in the body, as well as we? Have we any other Master but Jesus Christ alone? Is he not their Master as well as ours? What right then, have we to obey and call any other Master, but Himself? (Walker, Article 1) Walker states that God is the lone master to which all humankind must obey. On these grounds Walker shuns the idea that black people must obey a white human master. Walker stands by the fact that the only master black people have are God himself and not the white man. Furthermore, he brings light to the fact that the white community will also have to answer to God for their acts of violence. Both blacks and whites can und erstand this religious and moral message. Not only did Walker challenge racism and the idea of religion to justify slavery, he also confronted Thomas Jefferson. Walker states:Mr. Jefferson said, when a master was murdered, all his slaves in the same house, or within hearing, were condemned to death, Here let me ask Mr. Jefferson, but he is gone to answer at the bar of God, for the deeds done in his body while living, I therefore ask the whole American people, had I not rather die, or be put to death, than to be a slave to any tyrant, who takes not only my own, but my wife and children’s lives by the inches? Yea, would I meet death with avidity far! Far!! (Walker, Article 1) Walker uses vial language to get others to understand the grotesque acts of violence that the white society inflicted on the black body and states that he would rather die fighting for freedom than be a subject to slavery. He was speaking for others who were afraid and did not have a voice, and for others who just needed a backbone and needed to be supported. Douglass’s rebellion narrative, The Heroic Slave, clearly important in its own right, is vastly diff erent from Walker in many ways. Douglass bases his work on the mutiny led by rebel slave Madison Washington on the Creole in 1841. The narrative is powerful, but the organizational intent and style is vastly different from the approach taken by Walker. Douglass uses a â€Å"storytelling† method to make his points. For example, the international sea and Britain are used by Douglass in The Heroic Slave to symbolize freedom (see Sweeny generally) And, unlike the aggressive and direct language used by Walker,  Douglass uses softer language to make his points in a more sublime manner. For example, in describing Washington as a self-emancipating figure, Douglass states, Washington is â€Å"standing erect, a smile of satisfaction . . . upon his expressive countenance, like . . . one who has just . . . .vanquished a malignant foe, for at that moment he was free . . . The future gleamed . . . .before him . . . his fetters lay broke at his feet. His air was triumphant (Douglass, Part 1). Works Cited Finzsch, Norbet. â€Å" David Walker and The Fight against Slavery † 2012. Douglas, Frederick. The Heroic Slave. Sweeney, Fionnghula. â€Å"Visual Culture and Fictive Technique in Frederick Douglass’s The Heroic Slave,† Slavery and Abolition, June 2012: 305-320. Walker, David. â€Å"Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World †1830.