Category: Business Planning

Marketing Objectives

The marketing objectives that our company aims to attain are as follows: First, in terms of customer growth, we have a target of one customer, i.e. eBay in the first year and then extend it to Victorias Secrets in the second year. But we intend to spread our awareness through the e-retailers like traditional companies such as Nike, Adidas, marks and Spencer, Wal-Mart, who are new entrants in the business. We intend to capture their accounts by the third year. Second, our target is to provide absolutely impeccable service quality to our customers. Though our product is in the B2B arena, we intend to provide customer service to our clients by providing online visual merchandising experience through our software which will enhance the feel of the virtual fitting room and its attractiveness. We will help the clients to store the preferences of their end-customers and their details so that it can be retrieved by the client company to do their product enhancement or do a study on their consumers. But this feature will involve an incremental R&D cost, which we will be able to fulfill only after second year. We want to spread the awareness of our brand internationally.

Description of the Target Market

Our primary target market for the year 2008 is eBay and the Victorias Secrets. EBay has an international presence through the internet and has become the top 10 clothing sites in 2006 with net increase in visits being 20%. Further eBay earns 10% of the entire worlds ecommerce sales. (www.fashionunited.co.uk/news/eBay.htm)

Figure 1 shows that the number of customers available with eBay who are active and the number are increasing over the years. Increase in customer base over the years will definitely increase our revenue and make our association with the company profitable.

Further figure 3 shows the revenue status eBay had till 2003 which actually gives us a glimpse of the increasing financial stronghold of the company and the expected sales that where are expected to get from being associated with this company.

Victorias Secrets has seen a sales increase of 20% over 2007 and is expected to grow further with its increasing online sales went from practically zero in 1998 to over $200 million in 2001.

Table 1. Annual Income Statements. Source: Hoovers.

All amounts in millions of US Dollars.

As table 1 shows that there exists an increasing trend of revenue state for Victorias Secrets. In 1998, management launched www.VictoriasSecret.com with little fanfare. This high-impact web presence translated into strong growth for the online division, whose sales grew from practically zero in 1998 to over $200 million in 2001. Performance metrics for the web included sales growth, the number of new to file customers (i.e., newly acquired customers), average order size, and purchase rates.

Our presence with both traditional retailers like Victorias Secrets and online retailers like eBay will help us establish our presence among both the type of companies. Moreover, the pricing strategies and promotion will be advantageous for our presence to be felt among the target group of clients.

Description of Target Business Partners and Sponsors

As our product gets more sophisticated, we may consider collaborating with Macromedia to run our modeling results on their popular Macromedia Flash player. However, this will be subject to the condition of us integrating the player into our Virtual Fitting Room. This way, the end users will not be required to go through the additional step of downloading Macromedia Flash Player to view the 3D models, a practice many websites are currently engaged in. This will protect our interests, the copyrights of the product as well as retain our bargaining power. In return, Macromedia shall increase the network externalities of their flash player with satisfied users of their fine imaging results and resolution of our models.

This tool will enhance our product and an association with them will help in our R&D pursuits. For instance, with this we will provide added convenience to the end-customers of our clients which will create customer delight for them. So, they will have convenience and will visit the site more often due to ease of use. This in turn will increase our revenue and will induce them more to purchase apparels which will help our clients increase their revenue. Further, this will enhance our customized avatar to be seen and experienced by the end customers of our clients. Increased ease of use will increase the number of visitors to the sites of clients as well as our sites. Further, with heightened end-customer satisfaction that our product will provide, more e-retailers will find our product interesting buy fro their sites. They will want to buy the product as it will give them a competitive advantage against their competitors and hence will increase our brand awareness. Further it will provide our product a competitive edge over our competitors who still have to use a downloaded flash player.

Marketing-Mix Strategy

Price: Our Companys revenue model will be based on three sources:

• We would charge our clients US$200 for digitization of their garments.
• A 20% charge for every visit by the end-user to the clients site.
• To integrate the virtual model into the client Web site we would charge US$1000.

Clearly, we adopt a penetration pricing strategy which is equivalent to our competitor. We propose to offer the prices in bundle to provide the allied services such as integration of the model with client web site. The goal of such a pricing strategy is to derive the maximum revenue and profit from the market. Further a 20% surcharge on visits by end-customers will ensure that our recurring income comes from the client. Hence the price will cover our cost of making the software as well as the cost of helping our clients to set up the software in their website.

Place: As ours is a web-based business so we would target any customer from any geographic location. The distribution of the software will off course depend on the demand pull from the new clients. Since the product requires to be installed once and then it can be continually used, we do not have to consider a supply chain of delivering the product.

Promotion: we will indulge in direct selling model to customers. So, we would need to adopt direct promotional strategies. Further, we would participate in trade shows initially to increase brand awareness among the e-retailers. Further we would print our advertisement in retailers magazines. We adopt the above-mentioned promotion mediums because they will B2B marketing are about increasing one-to-one awareness among customers. Thus, direct promotion is an inevitable option. So, we need to have representatives who would visit the clients. Moreover, emailing becomes imperative for an online business.

So, we will adopt an online promotional strategy for absolutely virtual organizations like eBay. Trade shows will again be a big part of our promotional plan as we can reach out to the maximum number of clients through such shows. But we will take part in virtual online trade shows. The estimated cost of direct emailing will be minimal. The PR people who would do direct promotion will cost their salary plus other minor expenses. The cost of taking part in the trade shows will be around $300 to $500 per event to $1000 per event as per the scale of the show. The cost of advertising the product in magazines will be around $45 to $55 depending on the content of the advertisement. In the first year we will rely only on direct mailing and direct PR promotions. Then in the second year we will participate in trade shows where in we can enhance our presence. From third year onwards we will promote our products through advertisements in magazines as well as online advertisements.

Product: Our product as discussed earlier is a unique software which would help to recreate a virtual fitting room for the purchasers of apparels online. The software will help our clients to attract more customers and reduce the number of discontent that online purchase has with apparel sales. Our product differentiates from the competitors on personalization element. We aim to offer a product which will customize the end user preference along with the proper graphical depictions of the garments of our clients and their textures. Further no other software provides virtual assistance in making a choice of the costume to be chosen. This is an additional feature that our clients will have through our product. So, we position our product son this customization model. That is, we aim to position our product on the basis of customized solution to our clients. The product offering that we will have is first the software which is our core product, assistance in setting up the software in the clients site if requested by the customer, third, providing online visual merchandising for the customers if so desired by the client and various other services to the customers.

Sales Strategy and Forecast

We assume that fro the first year our customers are eBay and Victorias Secrets Direct. From table 1 we see in 2006 the number of people visited the websites to purchase apparels in these two sites. So, if we multiply the 20% i.e. $40 charges for every customer who visits the site for this purpose, we see that the revenue in 2006 standard would be $11280 in 2006 standard.

Table 2.

Now if we have to forecast that an expected increase of 20% customers is expected in 2008 from 2006 then we see that the rise on customers amount to an increase in revenue only from surcharges to be around $132336. Hence, we see that the major factors that we need to consider for forecasting sales are the number of visits to the sites to purchase apparels and the number of new customers we make. Further once we increase our customer base to other companies like Gap or Levi or Old navy will definitely see a further increase in sales revenue in the third to fifth year. So, by the end of fifth year we will expect a sale of $409577.5 with the same assumptions on 20% increase in visits to he sites every year and inclusion of Gap and Old navy the other two popular online shopping destinations in our clientele. Our analysis is based on the assumption that the prices for our product are kept same over the years and other environmental conditions remain constant.

Monitoring and measuring performance

The expected revenue to be earned in 2008 and the expected costs associated in the first year are shown in table 2.

Table 3.

The table clearly shows that we expect to break even in the first year itself and the ROI calculated over the first year in 1.1%. We expect it to increase over the years as the cost of our fixed investments will decrease with increasing sales and so will the average variable cost, and revenue will increase thus increasing the profit. Thus, this monitoring of the sales figures will help us to understand the companys sales situations.

Now if we forecast the increase in sales over a five-year period, we get the following figure.

The above figure shows the sales growth that we expect over a period of five years.

Further we expect the ROI to increase over this five-year period.

From figure 4 we see the ROI forecast for the next five years of operation are given. We assume that the other variables remaining same, we calculated the increase in revenue in a nominal 20% rate annually and the basis of which we calculated the ROI. The calculation is shown in the following table.

Table 4.

Clearly table 4 gives the financial forecast over the next five years which helps us to make an approximate estimation of the financial performance of our company ion and ideal situation. Bu t we need to bear in mind that these results will definitely be affected by the market conditions and competitions strategy which will force us to change our strategy. But overall these will b e the broad marketing strategy that we propose to employ.

Executive Summary

The idea of starting a road side cab services business was driven through our minds due to the fact that it is a highly profitable business based on the fact that many people are becoming very rich in Saudi Arabia due to the existence of oil and growth that is experienced by the country at this point in the economy and most so the region where we have identified as our market stronghold that is on the road sides.

Our target market is also majorly composed of the youth who are still very active and whose population is ever increasing day by day, they love fun hence constant movement and high demand for leisure joints provided by our business.

Our target market is also composed of the older people who are also rich and target leisure joints to enjoy themselves and sped the excess cash at their disposal. The road side cab and cab services business therefore based on the above strong pillars has a very high viability of rapidly growing and widening its market coverage. This in turn has the effect of increasing sales and in future we project that we would control the leisure and fuel services industry by being the market leader.

The most of the advantages that our business have is going to posses is first of all, the proximity of our services to our esteemed customers. Then out restaurants and fuel stations are also located closer to the industries from where we obtain our goods and products hence we are saved from the cost of transportation, this ensures that the costs would incur are narrowly reduced hence high chances that profits would be high signifying prospects of future success in our business operations.

The other competitive advantage that our business is likely to have is that it offers a range of products that are innovatively developed, this ensures that all our customers needs are always met and satisfied hence good customer rapport which is extremely good for business.

Therefore, our team of business with all the facts have a belief and in fact acknowledge that the roadside business identified by us if properly and effectively exploited will be a success in the market place and to a further extent become the market leader given the wide gap that is left unfilled by the other market operators.

Business Description & Vision

The main statement of the business is to provide excellent services to its customers and in variety. Also the business is geared towards selling the best and most popular leisure and roadside services at affordable and generally accepted rates.

Road side services will be of most comfort and topmost services that target a rich and top class in the society.

The company vision is to achieve constant and tremendous growth and by far become the market leader within a period of three years with most growth in the first year of operation.

Goals and objectives

The stakeholders main objective is to always keep up to date with the most current products and services to their customers. The RSS will also have a company website where the most current products developed in the fun and leisure industry will always be updated by the service providers. Information about the most current models of motor vehicles will also be sought and accessed by the customers.

Goals and objectives to the customers include:

1. Provide the highest motor vehicle and leisure joints selection and which are the most popular, exclusive designs and models. Lead free fuel will also be available always to ensure the safety of the customers.
   • The RSS will work closely with AAA emergency services of the USA and Touring Club Suisse who are the most established service providers of the same services. The vast experience by the two companies will propel Road Side Services to greater heights in terms of growth targets set to be achieved. Their proximity to industries will also allow them to borrow from the rest in the same business in the local market.
   • This will also enable them obtain most of their products from retailers at fair prices.
2. Focuses around the lifestyle, culture and tradition of leisure and the perception that the Saudi citizens have on leisure.
   • The business also aims to create a comfortable environment offering luxury and comfortable leather chairs and couches, light music mixes of Arabian music reflecting relaxation at the cool shores and road sides.
   • The business will employ knowledgeable staff in the entertainment and hospitality industry. This will encourage innovation which is healthy for the business as well as ensuring quality provision of services and products.

Road side services company will only employ staff with previous experience and knowledge in the transport and hospitality industry such as the design of luxury resting points or joints and design of luxurious fuel stations. Also they should be willing to answer the customers questions and concern on any particular services provided.

The business in this field has always been very sluggish and has a tradition of poor service provision. This has been found out to be because of the rigidity and lack of innovation that has always existed in the industry.

The operators in the industry have always been discovered to only venture in nthe provision of common and obvious products such as only fuel, this had chased away customers from the market and made them resort to other fuel and fuel products market. The market gap created due to this made our team consider getting into the business and fill the gap by taking care of the customer needs.

The list of the key company principles is a wide range and they run from product and service provision to the products themselves. They include:

• There must be Quality provision of the products and services always.
• Its also ensured that the right quantity is always ensured.
• Meeting Customer needs is what we do.
• Innovation is what guides us in our path

Definition of the Market

Overall Market

The percentage of Saudi population with vehicles is expected to be on the rise next year, but the recent surge in the industries momentum will increase revenue by 2% to total to more than $50 billion since 2010.

The Market for fuel and hospitality in the Saudi Arabia has also grown significantly in the past decade. They are expected to account for approximately 4% of industry revenue in 2011. Their share of revenue has also increased in recent years, as they accounted for around 2% of industry revenue in 2007.

Production and consumption of automobiles and their accessories has increased drastically in the Saudi. Production increased from 2.8 billion in 2003 to 3.4 billion in 2007, and consumption of fuel and fuel products has exceeded Saudi production, causing a spike in segment importation from the neighboring countries that are rich in oil. Likewise, light fuel prices have increased at a stronger rate than that of heavy fuels over the five year period to 2010, at around 6% per annum on average (Kleckner & Phelps, 2004).

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is one of the countries in the Middle East who are known to be the herb of oil in the whole world and also a home of very rich and wealthy individuals in the society.

Market Segmentation

Road side services is focusing on the high end market of premium car owners which is comprised of both males and youth between the ages of 25-65years and are mainly professionals with a medium to high income.

This segment of the population is the most profitable one to deal with due to a large disposable income that they command from the economy. Our market segment comprises of value-conscious clients and customers. They are therefore very sensitive and demands that they are treated with the utmost care and skill (McGrath, 2001).

Apart from the customer segmentation our market is also segmented geographically given the size and population of Saudi as well as customer groups available. Regions with those with lesser income are grouped and priced separately and differently as opposed to high income areas.

Target Market

Road side services company business will target mostly males between 25-35 active young adults, 36-65 professionals and executives and 65-on retired residents that live in the posh estates and areas and have very large income to dispose off.

The low income fun lovers who occupy the large customer base of Saudi Arabia is also widely targeted to always ensure some income for the business. This group of customers is a sure customer base (McGrath, 2001).

Market Share

The business is not already established and has a market share of below 5%. Market is expected to increase steadily by 6% yearly for the next three Years from which the share would even increase further.

Description of Products and Services

The Road Side Services is not like the ones that provided the services before. It is geared towards provision of a variety of services apart from just the fuel and fuel products as the others are doing. In areas with demand for automobile, RSS will provide a slot of motor vehicle in different shapes and designs according to the customers specifications and needs. Road Side Services also provides luxury by providing resting joints and restaurants where they give quality meals and drinks to their esteemed customers.

At the petrol stations they offer stands where the clients can afford themselves drinks as their vehicles are being refueled. They also offer tourism services which in handy with accommodation services at considerate fee. Our products are very much competitive and thats why at the start our business already has a market share of above 6% and a projected rapid growth in market share for the next three years. What makes our products that competitive?

Competitions Advantages of our products include:

• Serving food incentives to our customers.
• Having a variety of products, foods and drinks.
• Having a variety of recreational activities for our clients to enjoy.
• Having a live as opposed to acted music such as pianos player, live bands and many other exemplary services.
• Our products are also priced in a manner that they are affordable to all our customer categories.

Whatever has advantages must also experience technicalities and therefore our competitive disadvantages, points of weaknesses that if exploited by our worthy competitors then we are likely to be destabilized in business include (McGrath, 2001):-

Competitions Disadvantages are as follows:

• We are not specialized in a niche market i.e. our unique market.
• We are also not customer specific, we dont target a specific market segment; we target our clients in a mass.
• Another disadvantage is that we are not alone in the market, there are other providers of the same services.

But all in all our maximization in our advantages is our strength and also our information system controls are so efficient so much our competitors have no access to our information.

Organization & Management

Ours is an organized and efficiently operating venture with a team of qualified personnel headed by an efficiently running management team as well. The business has a well defined structure that is headed by a managing director followed by the heads of various departments who also have personnel working under them. Therefore, information flow doesnt conflict due to the hierarchy in place.

Operations

Our business is a limited company that exhibits its independent state form the owners who are the share holders. All the employees through the director are answerable to the owners in terms of trying to maximize their wealth as well as helping them meet their profit objectives. It has a certificate or registration from the registrar of companies and therefore is legally allowed to do business.

Fifteen employees including the owner who will take care of the Cigars Heaven business and short/long term of operations. The employees positions will be assigned as below:

• One Managing director, who will be the direct contact with the suppliers of the goods and services required for the success of the business. He is the one responsible for all the daily activities and operations of the venture, in case of any shortcoming he will be asked of what went wrong.
• One health professional to ensure the safety in the general environmental health of all the services offered raging through from the food and drinks as well as the hazardous surrounding. He also has two officers to support him or her in the implementation. All questions about the products or services offered are directed to this department.
• Customer relations department is also developed, this department is responsible for creating the awareness of the goods and services so that the consumers and clients are made aware of the services and goods. He or she is also responsible for advertising and sales promotion. He may hire on contract his service men.
• Ten waitresses in each branch of operation, they will be responsible of costumer services and attending to customers needs. They do this by offering customers the best service, relationship building and proving a brief about the products offered.

The employee right from the managers is of the rightful skills and qualification and is selected through the normal recruitment process having met the education requirements put in specified.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

Marketing segmentation has already been covered above and therefore our aim now is just to see how pricing is done as a strategy to attract customers and retain them as well as help in sales maximization (Engelson, 1995). Also to be looked at in this case are the sales promotional tools employed or to be employed to bust sales of the products and services.

Pricing Strategy

Pricing is just one of the four components of the marketing mix elements. The others are product, place and people. Pricing dictates the direction that is likely to be taken by the mix of the four i.e. the prices of products will dictate the kind s and quality of products to be produced by the manufacturers to fit in the needs and affordability of the consumers.

Its the prices that are dictated by the costs that will determine the extent to which distribution will take place and then again its because of price that we will identify and categorize our customers (Engelson, 1995).

Pricing is a complex and sensitive decision making procedure that should be handled with greater care and skill since it is the component that if handled with care result into success and if mishandled can cause the business to fail. A good and workable plan therefore has to be put in place using the required and well placed down strategies (Engelson, 1995).

In strategy development several steps are always taken care of and that is the marketing mix elements apart from pricing itself, the behavior of demand and supply of the product to be priced, also the costs associated with the business to be undertaken must be keenly looked into and most importantly the pricing objectives must also be mentioned in scrutiny.

The pricing strategies

The strategies to be employed now include;- cost plus pricing where the costs are categorized in total and then a percentage margin is added on top of it to determine the profits. Profitability in this case can be predetermined or focused and achieved under normal market conditions.

The second type of pricing is the psychological pricing and this depends so much on the intelligence and the knowledge that the person pricing is able to employ in determining the prices. Its the best for this kind of business since it augers well with fluctuations. Absorption pricing strategy may also be applied and here fixed costs are normally used to absorb the other costs so that a fair price can be arrived at for the consumer (Engelson, 1995).

Other strategies that could be employed include; penetration pricing, product line pricing and most of all economy pricing which is used mostly to fix prices at the times when the economy is not stable, that is at hard economic times when costs need to be extremely minimized so that prices are just low enough to accommodate the buyers.

Pricing Plan

Given that all the strategies cannot all be employed at the same time, there comes the need for a plan on when and where and to which groups of people to employ which form of pricing. A plan again is just to ensure that there is no conflict in price determination and that prices arrived at are the right ones most so to the targeted stakeholders. For example its in order that a plan is made so that a strategy like the economy pricing is made and used at times when the economy is turbulent and not any other strategy.

Pricing Objectives

The reasons as to why pricing is done are many and diverse if not just accommodative. Pricing may first of all be done so that the goods and services offered are just acceptable to the customers and also affordable to them depending on the class to which each and every customer belongs, the acceptability will only ensure that enough sales are always made (Kleckner & Phelps, 2004).

RSS major objectives in pricing are to ensure maximization in return on investments. It also has the objective of maximizing the shareholders wealth through the issuance of bigger amounts of dividend. The biggest objective is to ensure profitability through maximized sales. The noble objective is to also facilitate the achievement of both social and ethical objectives. Since cigar heavens aspiration is to be a price leader the other objective therefore is to apply the best strategy to obtain the best and competitive prices.

Product and sales Promotional Program

Advertising

1. Print media
   • Include advertisement ads in trade publications targeting hospitality fans and vehicle owners, nightlife entertainment, lounges, etc like; Monthly entertainment magazine are also used as well as the dailies.
2. Social media
   • Website is created featuring venue, location, directions of the business venture.
   • Create Face book, Skype and Twitter pages and invite people for friendship with your business.
   • Create promotion video of the venue and upload them in YouTube for viewers to watch, they can also be watched in face book.
3. Online advertisements can also be used through the purchase of banner ads in local electronic newsletter linked to linked to RSS website.

Sales Promotions tools include

1. Participation in community events and activities.
2. Offer loyalty programs and incentives to frequent consumers
3. Create referral program for members for directional and informative needs.

Public Relations

This can be done through:

1. Distribution of press release to the media houses featuring the the newly designed products to be unleashed in the markets.
2. Distribution of monthly press releases to maintain the highest achieved profits and sales and also maintain the top brands and designs in the market.

Direct Marketing

This method always proves to be the most effective measure because it involves dealing with the consumer or client on one on one basis, hence able to judge their reactions and whatever they need. This can be done through the purchase databases direct mailing postcards to targeted possible customers in the given geographical area.

Channels of distribution

Our products and services are mainly distributed to the consumer on a personal basis through our personnel. This is due to the sole reason that our products cannot afford moving through (Kleckner & Phelps, 2004) long chains for the sole reasons that they may as a result be very expensive to the consumers of the products hence discourage business. Transportation to our premises is majorly done by the manufacturers due to the sole fact that we purchase in bulk hence transportation is an incentive.

Financial Management plan (Nugus, 2008)

Appendices

The business of road side services appear to be doing well and then there is a very high possibility that with stable economic conditions the projected growth objectives for the next three years are likely to be achieved. This is as per the books of account prepared and presented above of which the balance sheet shows a negative net worth at the start which is absorbed in the second and third year subsequently (McKeever, 2010).

There are high prospects of profitability as per the income statements; there is increase in income each year with almost a constant margin.

Reference list

Engelson, M. (1995). Pricing strategy: an interdisciplinary approach. New York : New York book publishers.

Kleckner, M., & Phelps, J. M. (2004). Wham! Bam! Publishing: The Strategic Marketing Plan For Authors. Oxford: Oxford publishers.

McGrath, M. E. (2001). Product strategy for high technology companies: accelerating your. McGraw-Hill: Library of Cogress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

McKeever, M. (2010). How to Write a Business Plan. Sydney: Princeton Press.

Nugus, S. (2008). Financial planning using Excel: forecasting planning and budgeting. Canada: CIMA.

Executive Summary

This is a business plan for a 300-bed community hospital with a hundred physicians and twenty surgeons. There is a new space in the hospital that will be turned into an outpatient surgery center. This business plan explores how this outpatient surgery center can be designed and the number of patients it will take and its strengths, weaknesses, threats, and operations.

Market Analysis

The main marketing mix for this center includes people who need surgery. This can include people who have traumas such as broken bones or lacerations from emergencies (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US&, 2016). It can also include orthopedic and cataract surgery and other surgical procedures such as tumor removal (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US&, 2016). The center will be able to handle the surgical needs of many patients with its twenty surgeons and other employees in place for nursing, sterilization, and rehabilitation. Many of these patients will be referred by the hospital, allowing for the patient flow to include patients that the hospital does not have the time to care for.

Trends

The outpatient surgery center is a perspective direction of modern medicine. Plenty of operations that previously required a long hospital treatment are now done in outpatient conditions for one or several days. The popularity of ambulatory surgery centers is huge (Boodman, 2014).

They have been rising in popularity since the 1970s (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US&, 2016). But there are many concerns about the legitimacy and safety of such centers following the death of Joan Rivers, who was undergoing treatment at such a center in Manhattan (Boodman, 2014). These safety concerns can be assuaged by proper certification for the center as well as highly qualified staff overseen by the hospitals large surgery staff of twenty surgeons. The supervising staff can prevent violations of accreditation that led to Joan Riverss death (Boodman, 2014).

The paramount mission of the center for outpatient surgery is the extension of health care opportunities for patients providing surgical treatment quickly, efficiently, and in a comfortable environment. The reduction of the time and cost of the treatment occurs due to the use of high-tech equipment and minimally invasive techniques (Al-Amin & Housman, 2012). Therefore, the center for outpatient surgery is an effective clinical and organizational direction of development for modern medicine and public health. The patient flow should be optimized by minimizing the waits and delays.

Licensing

Any medical activity is subject to compulsory licensing. To obtain a license, the potential outpatient surgery center should have an appropriate space, a list of necessary medical equipment, and staff with valid certificates (Mercier & Philip, 2009). The consideration of the application takes place within two months. The license applies only to a specific address. The difficulty lies in the fact that each health care service requires a separate license. A specially created registry can maintain the necessary documentation, registration, in particular, temporary disability materials, regulate the flow of the primary flow of patients, receive calls as well as manage the implementation of hospitalization and the solution of transportation issues.

Employees

Employees needed per operating room include one RN, one scrub tech, four pre-op RNs, four post-op RNs, two registration clerks, one custodian, two sterilization clerks, and a receptionist with knowledge of medical billing and coding. All employees must have proper training and licenses in their fields (Accreditation Organizations, 2016). The center itself must maintain standards set by the American Association of Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, HFAP, and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (Accreditation Organizations, 2016).

The American Association of Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities measures and monitors medical competence, Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care uses peer-based measurements to accredit facilities, and HFAP surveys hospitals for quality of care and medical competence (Accreditation Organizations, 2016). The outpatient center must provide care and have certified and licensed employees able to provide the quality of care needed for these organizations to approve the center for accreditation so that it can be a trusted and safe source of healthcare.

Aspects of meeting physician needs on both the surgery centers performance and that of the main operating room in the hospital should also be thoroughly considered. To avoid any misunderstanding, it is essential to provide investigations and elaborate on a uniform standard of health care provision.

Training and Certification

Advances in technology, globalization, and constant organizational transformation are forcing medical centers and their employees to learn and acquire new skills in developing new business models to work with new technologies. In order not to lose their competitive edge, medical centers have to constantly increase the pace of acquisition of necessary knowledge and skills. Such a need pushes the centers management with a dilemma: on the one hand, employees need more training hours, but in the framework of constant change, the number of hours devoted to training is strictly limited. In this connection, the surgical learning is the best solution to the problem.

Using this approach, the maximum efficiency will be achieved through the training of specialists empowering the development and implementation of short and narrowly focused lessons that are required for surgeons and employees.

The basic idea of surgical training in this business plan is based on the fact that employees do not need comprehensive training concerning the new technology or program (Maruthappu, Duclos, Lipsitz, Orgill, & Carty, 2015). However, they need to learn more specific aspects related to the current operation. The reduced content should be transformed into short courses that are fast to develop and easy to use. Short training programs are more easily integrated into the working schedule of the staff. The attendance of training courses will be increased by the fact that the programs are short and more interesting. As a result, one will receive the progressive ambulatory surgical center with trained and certified staff.

Construction

Construction factors are another large consideration. Constructing a new space will include the cost of construction. But it will also include zoning and bringing the building up to code according to city requirements. The design of the building must make it very handicap accessible since many patients may be in wheelchairs or will be after surgery. Parking should be ample and easy to access for patients (Boodman, 2014). The design of the outpatient surgery center should follow the overall design of the hospital as a part of it. All the rooms should be equipped with special chairs and other utilities necessary for the pre- and post-operation periods.

The number of operating rooms should be approximately seven to provide timely surgeries. At the same time, the center should include physician space, in other words, changing rooms, workspace for paperwork and staff space such as changing rooms. It is also important to point out that the creation of a break room for relaxation will reduce the stress level of employees. Its design should be performed in green as such color contributes to the pacification and comfort.

The billing system should be organized appropriately to guarantee the calculating costs of medical services queries to the insurance companies and their processing. The center should be attached to the hospital to ensure timely health care services and control of the post-operational period.

Equipment

The equipment of the center for outpatient surgery will allow providing virtually the entire spectrum of surgical operations from the day surgery category. In particular, the following equipment is necessary to provide the appropriate treatment:

• endoscopic equipment for endosurgery;
• holmium laser that was previously inaccessible under the conditions of ambulatory operations to treat diseases of the bladder wall using it as a laser scalpel;
• ultrasound devices in both the operating and observation rooms;
• medical facilities including apparatus for RFA and EVLT, heart monitor and/or a pulse ox meter, blood pressure monitors, ventilation apparatus, defibrillator, operating table, medical couch;
• consumables: disposable kits for the operating field, intravenous catheters, gloves, etc.;
• sterilization equipment;
• medicines according to the profile of the medical center;
• anesthetic equipment, equipment tracking, monitors, and others will ensure the high-quality of operations using all the possible kinds of general and local anesthesia. For example, equipment installed for the anesthesiologist and expert classes will include the anesthesia-breathing apparatus of Draeger.

Daycare chambers will be equipped with functional beds, Ventilator Puritan Bennett 560, and oxygen concentrators. The installed equipment will allow monitoring the condition of the patient transmitted from the operating room and to react promptly to any deviation from the norm.

Expenses

The main costs for the implementation of the business plan will relate to equipment and facilities as well as the medicine purchase. When planning costs, the fact that the center will be inactive during the licensing period should also be taken into account. Staff costs related to wages include the monthly labor costs of personnel and tax rates. Capital expenditures include the following expenses:

• The building of premises for the outpatient surgery center, design, and repair facilities;
• Licensing;
• Equipment, furniture, air-conditioning, and ventilation system.

Fixed costs related to the work of the center will comprise:

• Production costs include the cost of materials for the surgery complex, repair costs, clothing for staff;
• Administrative and office expenses such as utilities, current expenses for office supplies and materials for office equipment, security alarm);
• The total labor costs;
• Constant marketing costs.

Also, electricity, thermal energy, and other resources should be considered while planning costs.

SWOT

Strengths

A significant strength would be its attachment to the hospital. Many patients express misgivings about going to ambulatory surgery centers because they are not real hospitals, like the fears expressed by Wendy Salo (Boodman, 2014). Being attached to a hospital with such a reputable staff of surgeons can help ease the concern of some patients. It can also provide more outpatient services with a hospital affiliation (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US, 2016).

One of the most important advantages is the unloading of hospital beds by transferring part of routine surgical interventions in terms of health centers, which operates in the hospital structure. At the same time, the organization of early discharge of patients from the hospital with subsequent follow-up care in the clinic would benefit both the center and patients (Merrill & Laur, 2010). All patients will be placed in the superior chambers equipped with modern facilities and are under round the clock supervision of qualified medical staff so that they will feel comfortable and calm. Moreover, the postoperative complications in the surgical day hospitals are on average less than 1 percent (Carey, Burgess, & Young, 2011).

The quality of operations in the outpatient surgery center is defined by experienced surgeons and nurses. Comparing volumes of the main operation room with those of the outpatient environment, one might note the increased capacity of the latter.

What is more, one might note such advantages as follows:

• reduction of wait times of patients. Outpatient surgery centers have shorter wait times and fewer budgetary constraints (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US, 2016);
• the release of specialized surgical hospital beds for the treatment of clinically complex patients;
• the same surgeon holds the complete continuity of the examination and treatment of patients  preoperative preparation, surgery, postoperative treatment until the patients hospital discharge;
• patients stay at home in a habitual environment (Grisel & Arjmand, 2009);
• active lifestyle contributes to the rapid recovery;
• reducing the probability of in-hospital infections and thromboembolic complications in patients;
• significant financial savings (ASCs: A Positive Trend in Health Care, n.d.).

Weaknesses

The primary weakness is its affiliation with a hospital. While this is a strength, it doubles as a weakness. Another weakness is the need for the center to be constructed. Construction costs, zoning, and time are all involved in the construction process, which can be a weakness for the center.

Operations

The content of operations of the ambulatory surgery center is determined by the variety of forms of its activity:

• The outpatient center is part of the overall hospital, but it will be its separate entity (Pickles, 2015). This means that the center will have its financial statements. It also requires a deep understanding of the regional health care delivery system to provide legally and ethically sound care (Pickles, 2015).
• Selection of patients with surgical diseases among the population including the workers and employees of industrial enterprises, institutions, and other organizations;
• Implementation of permanent relationships with the clinics and dispensaries;
• Clinical diagnostic study of supervised patients using modern methods and equipment;
• Consultative reception of patients of surgical clinics and dispensaries for the selection of patients requiring surgical treatment; definition of the indications for surgery, preoperative examination, the scope of the operation, and capabilities;
• Diagnostic use of invasive techniques, the performance of operations according to the approved list, the observation of patients operated on in the next few hours after surgery in the recovery room of the hospital, day surgery follow-up treatment at home;
• Comprehensive treatment of patients with surgical diseases including drug and infusion treatment, the use of extended wear bandages, physiotherapy, plasmapheresis, medication blockade, and the necessary range of rehabilitation measures (Starr, 2012);
• Organization of follow-up care for operated patients for timely implementation of the necessary therapeutic and preventive measures to prevent disability and reduce its period. Research and comprehensive assessment of the short- and long-term results of the surgical treatment and the development of evidence-based recommendations.
• Further training of surgeons and nursing, training of graduates of medical institutions.

Threats

The main threats include competition with other hospitals and other centers. This can especially be an issue with a large amount of distrust people feel for outpatient surgery centers (Boodman, 2014). Competing with other organizations can entail providing the best care possible. It can also involve providing a more comfortable and compassionate environment that will be memorable to patients in their difficult and often scary times of receiving surgery.

Initial capital requirements are one of the biggest threats facing ASCs (Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US: Market Research Report, 2016). Being part of a hospital can help this center establish the capital needed to get started. Still, it will be a major financial endeavor.

One of the other project risks is associated with possible changes in the financial situation in the country due to the influence of internal or external factors. One more threat category may include a possible increase in costs and timing on the establishment of the centers services or a possible reduction or increase in prices for services.

The probable management risks are related primarily to the inability of managers or a team to implement the project objectives and to achieve goals set in the business plan. The reduction of this type of risk is largely determined by the effective selection of personnel. To reduce this type of risk, it is possible to use the potential of an employment agency as well as the use of the resource business consultants, who have extensive experience in implementing projects.

Other risks include all kinds of risks of natural disasters, other force majeure related to property damage, and clients lawsuits in connection with human error. The above risks are easily minimized through insurance mechanisms. Based on the foregoing, all of the project risks can be regarded as moderate which is quite acceptable for the successful implementation of this business plan. Finally, taking into account all the above issues, it seems possible to implement the business plan within half a year.

References

Accreditation Organizations. (2016). Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. Web.

Al-Amin, M., & Housman, M. (2012). Ambulatory surgery center and general hospital competition. Health Care Management Review, 37(3), 223-234.

Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the US: Market Research Report. (2016). IBIS World. Web.

ASCs: A Positive Trend in Health Care. (n.d.). Advancing Surgical Care. Web.

Boodman, S. (2014). Popularity of Ambulatory Surgery Centers Leads to Questions about Safety. Kaiser Health News. Web.

Carey, K., Burgess, J. F., & Young, G. J. (2011). Hospital competition and financial performance: The effects of ambulatory surgery centers. Health Economics, 20(5), 571-581.

Grisel, J., & Arjmand, E. (2009). Comparing quality at an ambulatory surgery center and a hospital-based facility: Preliminary findings. Otolaryngology  Head and Neck Surgery, 141(6), 701-709.

Maruthappu, M., Duclos, A., Lipsitz, S. R., Orgill, D., & Carty, M. J. (2015). Surgical learning curves and operative efficiency: A cross-specialty observational study. BMJ Open, 5(1), 1-7.

Mercier, D., & Philip, M. (2009). Is Your Ambulatory Surgery Center Licensed, Accredited or Certified? ASA Monitor, 72(8), 10-14.

Merrill, D. G., & Laur, J. J. (2010). Management by Outcomes: Efficiency and Operational Success in the Ambulatory Surgery Center. Anesthesiology Clinics, 28(2), 329-351.

Pickles, V. (2015). Strategic Planning for Your Surgery Center. Ophthalmology Management.

Starr, C. (2012). Ambulatory Surgical Centers: Good for You and Your Patients. Medscape. Web.

Executive Summary

The GCC society experiences an increase in the number of children with special needs. It is following such pressure that HKCSN feels the need to provide these individuals with the opportunity to exploit their talents. The initiative provides a partnership chance where brands can contribute to society through cultural learning and artistic programs. HKCSN is a Dubai based initiative, which targets children and families from different nationalities.

HKCSN is the first-of-its-kind entertainment and learning center in the GCC, and it offers a wide variety of services to children with special needs using modern technologies. Today, in less than a year since its inception, HKCSN has registered more than 500 members and delivered care to over more than a thousand clients, generating millions in revenues. With rapid demands, HKCSN intends to hire more specialists and improve the quality of services. This strategy is intended to position HKCSN as the number one brand in the GCC region for all nationalities and in support of Dubai as the therapeutic city by 2012.

Problem/Opportunity

For most families, entertainment, learning, and recreational facilities are the stuff of delightful childhood reminiscences, for instance, the first rollercoaster plunge. However, these facilities can also come with disappointment to many families, for instance, due to height or age requirements.

For children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a disability or special needs, a visit to an entertainment or learning center or an amusement park may present more disappointments. Facilities for children in the UAE, including Childrens City and other public facilities, are not fully accessible to children with special needs, others with rare conditions, or others with mental or physical disabilities.

Nearly no facilities for children, for instance, rides are equipped with a special wheelchair for disabled children. Additionally, some kids with special illnesses may have more challenges with long queues or crowded areas, which are common instances in these recreational centers and learning facilities.

The idea for Happy Knowledge Centre for Special Needs (HKCSN) came about after looking across the UAE for facilities and places in which other special needs children could learn, interact, have fun, exploit their talents, and get the treatment they needed in childhood. HKCSN established that there was not much in the country. Although Dubai Park strives to be friendly for populations with disabilities, the facilities are not customized to meet diverse specific needs of users (Al Serkal 2014).

Some workplaces, parking lots, offices, buildings, or school areas in Dubai are at least somewhat friendly to adults with disabilities, but not for children with disabilities or special needs. Further, the same extent of consideration for offices and other areas has not been adopted into entertainment, recreational, and learning facilities for children with disabilities. For example, an inclusion program may be in place in some schools, but there are no teachers, and schools are not equipped to cater for such disabled children (El Sawy 2016).

HKCSN decided to offer solutions by providing a center where children with disabilities could learn, get entertained, and use their talent. They are accommodated and acknowledged by everyone. HKCSN is fully accessible to children with or without disabilities or special needs.

HKCSN opened in 2017 in Dubai, and it is the first and only facility in the Gulf region, which is 100 percent accessible to children with special needs and disabilities. HKCSN is equipped with facilities to meet the diverse needs of its target customers. Staff members possess their right skills to accommodate and be patient with users. The thinking was that a child in a wheelchair should have a similar experience as a walking child would have.

HKCSN recognized that a huge market exists in the Gulf region for this kind of experience. While it remains unclear how many children with special needs are in the UAE due to lack of statistics, numerous anecdotal accounts have shown that children with special needs are many in the UAE and their parents and guardians are gradually seeking for help from specialized facilities.

HKCSN understands that having a special needs child can take a toll on parents and guardians, and costs associated with raising such children is relatively higher than raising normal kids.

While the constitution protects all persons, many children with disabilities have been rejected across many facilities in Dubai with the claims of inadequate space or no specialists.

HKCSN strives to provide the best facilities to facilitate physical accessibility and usability. The facility is equipped with the best technologies, equipment, and qualified staff. Rules are generally favorable to enhance usability while offering maximum safety. The intention is to allow special needs children to interact freely, play freely, and with ease in a user-friendly environment. That is, HKCSN is a place where parents can take their special needs children because everyone comprehends what takes place with regard to learning, play, and interaction.

Dubais Vision 2021 is to be a therapeutic tourist city for all visitors and residents, and HKCSN wants to be a part of this vision by acknowledging several issues.

• HKSCN recognizes children with special needs as part of the community. It prioritizes investing in them.
• It sees entertainment and learning services as the rights of these children with special needs.
• The initiative provides the opportunity to maximize the potential of the children with special needs.
• Many people and organizations, including the Special Olympics, have engaged in providing various opportunities for the child with special needs.

Unfair Advantage

HKCSN derives it competitive advantage from its resources. That is, facility equipment, technology, and qualified staff.

At HKCSN, we believe any childs unique abilities should be identified, developed, and celebrated. The facility is equipped with a wide range of equipment to support unique needs of children with disabilities and other chronic conditions. Every program has activities that are developed and tailored to meet the needs of every child served by altering strategies to accountant for all children, irrespective of their physical, cognitive, emotional, or developmental drawbacks. HKCSN designs these programs with the thinking that every child will take part, learn new skills, get entertained, and take on many more new challenges by concentrating on what every child can accomplish, rather than their weaknesses.

HKCSN relies on evidence-based practices to observe and aid certain targeted goals and objectives acknowledged by parents, caregivers, physicians, and/or teachers that are classified within the four domains. These areas include social activities and interaction, health, and hygiene skills, activities involving daily living and self-care and/or behavior strategies.

Some of the equipment currently installed at the facility include adaptive classroom seating; strollers; therapy systems; swings, special needs; bolsters/rolls; universal accessories; seating; balance bikes; bicycles and tricycles, special needs; gait trainers; standers; toileting / commodes; gross motor; and fine motor among others. Additionally, HKCSN has developed various activities, such as team building; arts and crafts; horseback riding; talent shows; parties; sports and games; guest presenters and entertainers; and nature programs. Further, all other outdoor equipment are also disabled friendly.

In creative programs, kids are encouraged to engage their natural instinct for invention. As such, HKCSN fosters adventuring in artistic world with a range of dynamic media, from clay, to paints, to crayons to paper, pencil, and glue among others.

For better outcomes, HKCSN offers a special needs child therapy derived from recreational therapy and sensory integration theory. The therapy uses recreation and other activity-based approaches to enhance cognitive, physical, social and emotional developments in children with special needs, such as autism, down syndrome, sensory processing disorders (SPD), pervasive development disorder (PDD), ADD/ADHD, and children with hypotonic (low muscle tone), and emotional and mental behavioral issues. HKCSN has also developed an intervention for kids who require individualized attention.

This unique intervention ensures one on one child to therapist ratio, while utilizing the user-friendly indoor playgrounds with other kids and families, resulting in a unique inclusive environment. The gym is particularly customized for therapeutic intervention for core strengthening, enhancing coordination, and development of gross and fine motor skills, as well as improving movement and gravitational challenges and sensory issues.

Some of the assistive technologies used at HKCSN include audio players and recorders; timers; reading guides; inflatable seat cushions; frequency modulation (FM) systems; writing support systems; and graphic organizers among others.

HKCSN staff members receive intensive training to offer a supportive environment where children with special needs feel both physically and mentally safe to take part in any activity. By ensuring a low child to specialist of 5:1 or better, HKCSN concentrates on every childs strengths and abilities.

The specialists ensure that kids achieve important developmental, behavioral, functional gains, which they can acquire and apply across many settings. Children truly acquire a sense of belonging and identify that HKCSN is a special place for them. HKCSN specialists include special needs children teachers, recreational therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, and psychological therapists.

Parents can play too! HKCSN encourages parent involve and interaction with their kids during open happy hour. While HKCSN provides different programs and experts to offer guidance and assistance, it appreciates that there is nothing more rewarding for a parent as observing first-hand and engaging in their kids experience, discovery, and development.

In addition to an amazing play center, HKCSN strives for excellence.

• HKSCN is the first specialized entertainment Centre in Dubai for children with special needs.
• It offers therapies for kids with special needs and developmental delays.
• HKCSN provides learning opportunities to children with special needs.

The companys core values help to drive the unfair advantage.

Core values: Aspiration, belonging, courage, creativity, joy, authenticity, care, excellence, and openness.

Sales and Marketing

Main marketing messages are directed to the entire target customers, all parents with children with special needs in the GCC. They are simple, straightforward statements, which all customers comprehend.

• HKCSN is an innovation center dedicated to entertaining and developing skills of children with special needs using modern equipment and technologies. The first-of-its-kind center in the GCC allows hundreds of children with different disabilities across the region to realize their potential and prove their abilities in society.

Positioning

This marketing strategy positions HKCSN and ensures it is promoted, marketed, and sold more than other competing brands. In addition, this marketing plan will reposition the product as modern, versatile, easy to use, and highly effective through creating an advertisement campaign for the intended consumers.

• The main objective of this sales and marketing plan is to create and increase HKCSN brand awareness among consumers by 50% and realize 70% in sales within one year.

Target population and demographics

HKCSN targets all parents and guardians of all ages with special needs children across Dubai.

The 4Ps

In a market where consumer attention is increasingly becoming hard to get due to various messages from diverse media, the most effective strategy lies in the 4Ps of marketing (price, product, place, and promotion), which have been tested and proven.

Pricing Strategy

HKCSN recognizes the financial strains associated with raising children with disabilities. For instance, it now costs AED200 per hour to enroll an autistic child and another AED500 per hour for therapy charges (Nazzal 2013). Hence, HKCSN wants to remove this burden from parents through low pricing strategy. HKCSN charges AED100 per hour for services and AED300 per visit for all therapies.

Product Strategy

HKCSN is the first-of-its-kind entertainment and learning center in the GCC, and it offers a wide variety of services to children with special needs using modern technologies. These services include therapies, learning, parties, building; arts and crafts; horseback riding; talent shows; sports and games; guest presenters and entertainers; and nature programs. This product strategy strives to attract all children with various developmental challenges. Learning takes place through robots, smart boards, smart books and screens, a 3-D printer, and other interactive equipment to ensure creative and change in kids with disabilities.

Place or Distribution Strategy

HKCSN is located in AlKhawaneej, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which has a huge population in the UAE, and it accounts for a significant number of expatriates. HKCSN works with the related organizations, such as the Autism Trust Foundation (ATF) in Dubai, the Government, several mainstream schools that have made a sustained effort to integrate special needs children, but lack capacities, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and Abu Dhabi Education Council of enhance inclusion. HKCSN intends to open other centers in Abu Dhabi within the second year of operation.

Promotional Strategy

HKCSN uses both modern and traditional media to promote its brand. Notably, HKCSN has significant exposure following the reality TV talk shows and working with parents of children with special needs. HKCSN has also placed its services on the Internet. Additionally, direct visits to various centers and care facilities by key leaders of the company have also promoted the brand. Further, personal promotion adopted puts HKCSN as a caring, welcoming center where every child is cared for and understood through individualized attention. Personal contacts have been heavily used to get in touch with parents to come, tour the facility, and then make their decisions. As such, the strategy delivers the HKCSNs message, shows the uniqueness, and builds stronger relationships with current and potential clients.

Sales promotions and public relations have been significantly integrated as promotional strategies. For example, HKCSN dedicates the Month of Giving every year to encourage special needs children from various backgrounds to experience the facility.

Channels

Omni-channel approach is recommended for the company (Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson 5; Fabio 23).

Out-of-home promotions

Billboard campaigns along the major roads and city spaces in Dubai with clear messages about HKCSN

Radio

Radio promotions highlight facilities at HKCSN. The following radio channels are popular:

• Dubai FM;
• Emarat FM;
• Abu Dhabi FM;
• Pravasi Bharathi 810 AM;
• Al Oula.

Television

• Dubai TV;
• MBC Drama;
• Dubai News Channel;
• Emirates Channel;
• MBC;
• Al Aan TV;
• Al Jazirah TV.

Additionally, TV ads should also appear at the periods when majorities watch at home, perhaps, in the morning and late night.

Social Media

• HKCSN uses YouTube to stream online videos about HKCSN and available services.
• Facebook offers a platform for majorities in the UAE and beyond in a cost-effective manner.
• Instagram photos are used to convey possible messages about HKCSN.

Internet

HKCSN usually launches a more persuasive Internet promotions and interviews for the target audience. The companys main page is clean, carefully classified, and easy to navigate. Here, visitors to the site can explore various services, facilities, and technical expertise of the staff. Additionally, YouTube promotions, newsletters, interviews, evidence-based studies, and other useful materials are available for presentation for users.

Competition

HKCSN is certainly not alone in this market. There were at least 70 special needs centers, mainly schools, across the UAE in 2015. Additionally, some parents also insist that nannies must accompany their children with special needs because they are relatively affordable compared to trained teachers or care providers (Pennington 2017). Thus, competition is both formal and informal.

Some of the major competitors include Al Noor Centre for Children with Special Needs, Autism Trust Foundation School Dubai, British Institute for Learning Development, Child Early Intervention Medical Center, Greenfield Community School, Yellow Brick Road Nursery, and SNF Children Development Center among others (DubaiFAQs 2015).

HKCSN applies SWOT (strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats) analysis to understand its position relative to the competition. The management team often makes strategic decisions and takes actions to support organizational growth (Oreski 2012). SWOT is a commonly used analytical tool to account for both internal and external factors influence the environment in which a firm operates.

For competitors, HKCSN has noted that some publicly available facilities are unwilling to accept children with special needs, and they suffer a shortage in qualified staff and charge high costs for services. Further, some competitors, such as Safe Center, have limited capacity for less than 100 children. Hence, majorities are on the waiting list.

HKCSN continuously utilizes its strengths to improve on the weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and counter threats to establish the mainstream center for children with special needs.

Business Model

To generate revenues, HKCSN has adopted membership and enrolment charges and fees for services ordered (Goldman 2012).

Initiation and enrolment fees are charged. HKCSN charges an enrolment fee of AED50 per child enrolled at the facility. This fee allows them access to the facility, in addition to the membership fee, which is AED1,200 per annum for families. Membership fees allow members to gain access to the facility throughout the year for entertainment services, get discounts on service charges and free resource materials published by HKCSN.

Fees are the largest sources of revenues for HKCSN. HKCSN charges extremely lower costs for services offered. For instance, all services offered except therapies cost AED100 per hour per child while therapies cost AED300 per visit per child.

For families with economic hardship, HKCSN has developed special fees for them to ensure that the Center does not exclude children with special needs who lack better facilities.

HKCSN recognizes the need to generate more revenues from sources other than membership. User expectation is met based on the services they pay for and expectations for their children. HKCSN is a year-round business focused on inclusion and excellent services for customers.

Forecast

HKCSN recognizes that the forecast section is an important aspect of the business plan. It directly reflects the market analysis conditions, competitive edge, marketing plan and pricing strategies. HKCSN uses a low pricing strategy to generate more revenues. The companys revenue is projected to grow at the rate ranging between 5% and 15% across the five projected fiscal years. HKCSN strives to maintain the growth in expenses below 10% each year in order to grow the profits year-over-year. The increase in expenses will result from additional workforce, while more revenue is expected from therapy services. Only a small fraction of the revenue is generated from initiation and membership fees.

These figures are most likely to increase further over the years because HKCSN has a capacity to handle more than 2,000 service requests to customers. Moreover, it will increase the capacity to meet the rising market demands.

Team

A team of professionals led by the CEO runs HKCSN. It strives to acquire the best talents in the region where such professionals are usually difficult to hire and retain.

The CEO, Shaikha: Shaikha is an investor, educator, and behavior analyst, with over 15 years of experience working with children with special needs of different ages and abilities, focusing on kids with autism spectrum disorders. As a therapist and behavior analyst, Shaikha recognizes the daily struggle of children with disabilities and strain on their families. The CEO intends to build the best learning and entertainment facilities in the region for special needs kids.

Marketing and operations specialist, Al Fayah: Al Fayah graduated from the State College with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 20005. After graduating, Al Fayah has worked in special needs center for kids for eight years. Additionally, Al Fayah worked in the marketing department for more than three years as a market analyst and researcher. At HKCSN, Al Fayah is responsible for much of the operational management, as well as meeting visitors and organizing classes and therapies.

Occupational Therapist, Amina: Amina has worked with diverse clients including adolescents with mental health disorders, accident victims of spinal cord injuries, and other patients with orthopedic injuries. Aminas favorite client is the pediatrics. She uses a client-centered approach and emphasizes the role of the family in developing and implementing the intervention plan that accounts for social interactions, cognitive and physical development, and enhancing independent daily living.

Recreational Therapist, Samina: Samina is a certified recreational therapist with over 12 years of experience. Saminas work is seen as innovative, resourceful, and highly effective. Samina observes that kids learn most when they consider learning as a part of playing. Thus, all therapeutic interventions tend to be fun, involving, and slightly challenging enough to assist children to realize their developmental goals and potentials.

Speech therapist, Alima: Alima has over 15 years of work experience with children who have communication disorders, including expressive disorders, such as apraxia, grammar, and phonologic, as well as receptive e.g., auditory processing. In addition, she is a language development, feeding and swallowing disorders, and attention, behavioral and sensory specialist.

Financial analyst, Godana: Godana has worked with a multinational firm in Dubai for seven years as a financial analyst. At HKCSN, he is responsible for analyzing financial data to show HKCSNs financial status, performing cost and benchmarking analyzes, preparing budget reports, advising senior management team on financial planning, and forecast possible financial performance.

Status and Milestones

• HKSCN is in its first year of operation and, thus, not much has been realized. Nonetheless, some fundamental contributions have been noted.
• HKSCN successfully negotiated with the government for a tax waiver for a period of ten years to encourage growth and investment in the company to enhance inclusion and capacity.
• HKSCN is currently engaged in brand awareness campaigns. It intends to expect over 50% increment in brand awareness.

The company has observed that much of its revenue emanates from therapy service fees and only a small fraction comes from membership fees. As such, HKSCN wants to enhance service quality and hire more professionals to meet the rising demands. HKSCN has decided to improve value as a more relevant strategy than short-term revenues. Thus, the current investment targets increased value for special needs kids and their families (Kaiser & Lee 2015).

There are no any plans for expansion or acquisition in the current fiscal year.

Reference List

Al Serkal, MM 2014, Disability-friendly parks in Dubai by 2016, Gulf News. Web.

DubaiFAQs 2015, List of special needs centers in Dubai. Web.

El Sawy, N 2016, Parents of special needs children say UAE schools lack funds and infrastructure. Web.

Fabio, M 2010, Innovation in marketing channels, Emerging Issues in Management, no. 1, pp. 23-42. Web.

Goldman, S 2012, Health clubs count on ancillary revenue more than you think. Web.

Kaiser, LS & Lee, TH 2015, Turning value-based health care into a real business model, Harvard Business Review. Web.

Nazzal, N 2013, Special needs integrated school to open in Dubai, Gulf News. Web.

Oreski, D 2012, Strategy development by using SWOT  AHP, TEM Journal, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 283-291.

Pennington, R 2017, UAE parents shun special needs assistants in favour of cheaper nannies, The National. Web.

Piotrowicz, W & Cuthbertson, R 2014, Introduction to the special issue: information technology in retail: toward omnichannel retailing, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 5-16.

The Solutions of Headhunting firm will be located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The company will conduct recruitment activities on behalf of other firms seeking to fill vacant positions. The firm will select suitable, highly qualified candidates capable of performing work duties assigned to them effectively.

The firm will hire a web design and IT company to help it maintain its website and develop an effective database. The firm will ensure that its database is aligned to reputable human resource websites such as Monster.com and other professional websites like LinkedIn.

The key activities which the firm will be doing on behalf of its clients will be: hiring executive staff needed in corporate firms, marketing open job vacancies and interviewing suitable candidates for specific vacant positions. The firm will introduce high quality systems to ensure its internal operations satisfy its clients expectations.

The firm intends to partner with human resource websites and job boarders to profile suitable candidates for various vacant positions. This approach will help the firm to reduce the costs it incurs in its operations to achieve greater efficiency. The company will utilise persuasive marketing approaches to make potential employees and employers aware of its services. The company will make its customer services more open to the public through social networking websites.

This will enable it interact directly with potential clients to make them aware of its service offerings. The firm will also rely on word of mouth marketing and existing client referrals to market its services to potential clients. This approach will only be possible if the quality of services offered satisfy clients expectations. The firm will only hire candidates with high professional skills and a good reputation.

The firms marketing strategy will target to increase the number of job applicants that apply through its website portal. This will help the firm to have a large database of job seekers who are skilled in different disciplines. Therefore, the firm will be in a position to conduct fast recruitment drives to select suitable candidates. The firm will add value to its services by offering low commission rates to clients. There will be a specific team hired to assist customers who seek to understand how the firms services work.

This will improve the companys reputation in the market. The firm will hire sales representatives who will be trained on how to offer personalized services to clients. This will make the company incur more costs because more funds will be needed to cater for salaries and wages. However, the firm will ensure that operational costs incurred add value to its business objectives.

The main costs which the company will incur will be divided as follows:

• Employees salaries for sales representatives, recruitment employees and employees who interview selected candidates.
• Marketing strategies intended to make more clients in the market aware of services which the firm offers. These costs will mainly comprise of adverts and other promotional tools.
• The outsourcing of crucial website functions to an external IT company.
• Administrative costs such as travelling and other expenses which employees will incur while performing their duties.

The firm will generate its income from commissions earned from recruiting and hiring suitable candidates on behalf of other organizations. The firm will charge 8-10% commission on annual salaries of candidates who get recruited through it. The firm will also earn income from consultations.

Mission statement: To be a market leader in bringing customers and buyers into the online e-market place, provide consultancy services targeting the needs of travelling customers, and provide concierge services on an e-commerce platform, provide efficient and cost effective services, increase company productivity, reduce wastes, and provide a platform for quick access to information by the customer.

Vision statement: This will be the most and highly known service provider in the United Arab Emirates in the hospitality industry which will endeavor to own the problems faced by customers in this industry while ensuring customer satisfaction and quality service provision while ensuring persistence of service, prosperity of customers, staff productivity, employee satisfaction and community involvement.

Goals: To ensure the company will generate sufficient profits to sustain its functionality and provide quality service for its customers.

Ensure the company provides service in the hospitality industry that is tailored to meet customer needs while improving on service quality as a continuous process.

To ensure services address customer needs with quality and quality improvements and be a regional and global leader in the hospitality industry.

To be successful leader in the fields of interest including Pet-walking, baby sitting, housekeeping, event planning, running errands (pickup/dropoff of laundry, groceries, gifts, shopping), travel arrangements, food delivery, reservations (dinner, hotels, movies, concerts), sourcing buyers and sellers, transportation services, consulting, fast DIY solutions.

Value propositions of the company will cause it to gain an upper hand on competitors due to a number of key issues. Among them is the cutting edge content. The content incorporated into the website will inspire customers to log into the website for more views. Content will lead customers to discover new and exciting opportunities, service that are provided by the company, specific content tailored to meet customer needs, and products tailored to meet customer needs.

This will also be advantaged by the number of service providers and users that will be hosted on the website. Besides that, the company will benefit from the fee that is paid by companies that will be hosted on the website and those that use the site to conduct financial transactions (Hall & Hall, 1990).

This will be in line with business objectives of the organization spelt in the organizational objective: To be the market leader and employer of choice in the hospitality sector; we plan to provide a sustainable, efficient, effective and profitable personal concierge service for the United Arab Emirates and its residents.

The website will be designed to reflect unique viewer experience. This experience will span all users be they individual customers, or organizations wanting to be hosted on it.

The technology incorporated in the system design will incorporate cutting edge technologies, such as 3D technologies, that will improve and add value to use experiences, provide the texture and color that is lacking in online shopping or market places. Users may personalize the website which will provide such functionalities that will enable interactive experiences.

Specifically, users will experience a textual image dimension where a user typically types textual information describing a product or service and out pops the product image or service benefits as a service cannot be presented in a three dimensions. The site will provide abilities for users to enjoy graphical views of products in three dimensions. Service provision will not be left behind. Service provision will be presented in such a way to reflect customer needs and a closes experience with the system and the customer needs.

The site will be customized to user needs and experience. Each system sage will come with enriched experience to afford enriched user and customer experience and satisfaction. The system will incorporate a technology framework that will enable the systems to respond to likely customer needs and present available options based on customer history and continued usage of the site.

In addition to that, a log management systems will be incorporated into the system to ward off could be intruders and security measures will be incorporated to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Security will incorporate an integration of proven security software incorporated into the design of the website.

The systems will incorporate such a user interface that will direct a user into its usage. Appropriate principles of human computer interface will be factored into the design of the website. The site will be characterized by graphical representation of ideas, pictures, and unique service provision links.

Each object will be represented in a way that when a user clicks on it, all details specific to that product will appear at an instant. Information about objects will be encapsulated in the graphical interface of the object (Keyes, n.d).

The website will build a strong and reliable community of users. These customers will span users, service providers, and product sellers.

A host of benefits are bound to be experienced by sponsors of this project, collaborative partners, and the proprietor. Benefits realized on this website will be the driving force to its sustainability and continued existence.

Among the benefits include a large customer base that will be engaged by the e-market place due to the enabling technologies factored in the design and development of the site. These technologies have been discussed elsewhere and their integration will give this site a cost and business advantage over other business rivals.

In addition to that, other benefits will include a large market place for a variety of service and products where customers can select products and services beds on their prevalence and prior experience. This will act as a tool to woo customers back for the services they enjoyed from this site.

Services offered on this website will be on a global scale. That means political, economic, and financial environments cannot constrain the provision of services at any point on the globe except on special circumstances. The market place will be home to people from different political and cultural environments.

The site will be characterized by unique content that will target different customers and customer needs and product advertising that will target different companies that will be hosted on the site. That will be in addition to the benefits that will be enjoyed by the proprietor of the website. Brand enhancements will be one of the services that will uniquely characterize the site.

Christensen and Donovan (n.d) argue that a number of services should be hosted on such website. These services will span different customer tastes and needs and will be offered interactively.

Among te service to be offered will include Pet-walking, baby sitting, housekeeping, event planning, running errands (pickup/drop-off of laundry, groceries, gifts, shopping), travel arrangements, food delivery, reservations (dinner, hotels, movies, concerts), sourcing buyers and sellers, transportation services, consulting, fast DIY solutions, among others.

The objective will be to Our objective is to be the market leader and employer of choice in the hospitality sector; we plan to provide a sustainable, efficient, effective and profitable personal concierge service for the United Arab Emirates and its residents.

Organizational philosophy will demand that customers be able to track their product movements, service provisions and destination service provision points, online and offline price comparisons, and real time customer interactions. The website will be characterized by interactive browsing capabilities, priced user experience targeted at user loyalty, and security measures that may demand authentication and system authorizations to system resources access.

The business model will be characterized by a website that shall provide e-commerce services and act as a platform upon which e-business transactions will be conducted. It will provide business-to-business services, business-to customer services, and customer-to-business services. It will act as an intermediary between the buyer and the seller, between the service provider and the consumer of the service.

In essence, the business model will be based on computing technologies and will act as a platform, through which products and services will be delivered to the target customer and target market, provide secure and flexible payment methods through the internet (Turban & King, 2002).

The website will be modeled to ease work and information flow to and from the target customer and service or product provider. In addition to that, based on the internet technologies it will focus on collaborative working by facilitating collaboration with different organizations with the perspective of intra and inter-organizational working.

Some aspects of the business model may include pure and partial elements. Therefore, the business model may incorporate aspects of brick and motor but will be digital to a large extent.

Typically, the business model framework will be defined by people, the legal environment or public policy. Public or legal policies may be defined by the privacy, confidentiality, and the security features incorporated into the design of the website. In addition to that, the system will be characterized by e-tailing product and services sales.

Customers will be charged on services and products accessed through the website and on demand services like product delivery will be made after arrangements have been made with the necessary teams involved in the process.

The business model will be characterized by other process architecture components. These will include a transaction model, which will be a tool for generating income based on the value of transactions carried out on the site, the service offered, and the volume of products delivered.

An advertising support model will also be incorporated into the design to generate revenue by charging hosting fee on companies that use the website for advertising proposes. That will drastically reduce charges for hosting the website by shifting the cost to companies which use the website as a platform for conducting their adverts. The architecture will further incorporate a sponsorship model where companies interested in offering sponsorship services for non financial reasons for additional income.

The model will further be characterized by marketing models that may span direct marketing, click and motor e-tailers, and pure play e-tailers.

To ensure a successful business based on the e-commerce platform, the organization will be characterized by offering high quality products coupled with a pricing mechanism that shall place the organization a competitive edge with rival companies or business organizations.

Therefore, the business model will be designed to gain as strong brand recognition by the customer and in the market place, provide a guarantee on products and services to customers to gain customer confidence, ensure timely response to customer concerns and queries, and incorporate an online chart to help address customer related issues and problems.

Most of these products will be in digital form and the physical product will, be accessed upon completion of a payment plan initiated between the consumer and the product or service provider (Harris, & Moran, 1987).

Other features incorporated in this site will include excellent navigational features and prompt webpage loading capabilities. In addition to that, the site will provide desired information and other directions to assist the customer in searching for a product with a lot of ease. Besides that, the design will incorporate other useful site navigation capabilities and content. All products and service offered on this site will be sufficiently detailed to afford easy decision making by the customer and other users of the site.

Purchasing of products and payment of services will be based on an integration of the architecture already discussed above, namely, business-to-business, business-to-customer, and customer-to-business models. This approach will provide a competitive edge to the organization due to its flexibility and focus on both the needs of the customer and business organization.

One of the elements that make a successful business is listening to customer feedback. To effectively capture customer feedback, the business plan incorporates customer feedback on every product and service line. Thus the site will act as a platform for generating customer feedback.

The e-commerce platform also referred to as the e-business platform will be developed on a budgetary allocation detailed hereafter. E-commerce and e-business model will be used to sustain a brand image that dynamically targets changing customer behavior and the business environment. The projected image will reflect a fresh and resourceful environment for the customer.

This model will incorporate elements to enable business acquisitions in the future. Business acquisition will be investigated to enable the management to make appropriate decisions that target organizational efficiency and a strong brand image.

This business acquisition element will be achieved by getting expertise support and consultations from accountants well skilled on accounting matters, the attorney who is well versed with legal matters, bankers who are well versed on financial transactions matters, and broker who play an important role in brokerage activities.

The following information will be vital in decision making. That will include verification revenues and a record of sellers, current and subsequent financial statements, records detailing cash deposits, financial statements that compare the financial positions and health of similar business organizations.

A valuation analysis will be based on appraisal techniques, methods of purchasing products and providing services to the customer, stocks and asset valuations, interview with coercing service providers, and status of the service providers and product sellers. In addition to that, the status quality improvement strategies, litigations, status payables, tax, and motivational approaches targeting sellers and service providers.

The target market will include Pet-walking, baby sitting, housekeeping, event planning, running errands (pickup/dropoff of laundry, groceries, gifts, shopping), travel arrangements, food delivery, reservations (dinner, hotels, movies, concerts), sourcing buyers and sellers, transportation services, consulting, fast DIY solutions, and the like.

These will include persons who have an interest in services provided at concierges levels. These customers may be characterized by lack of time commitment for other activities that place demands on an individual as being basic to smooth running of the normal life, life, persons who may find the internet as a source for personal entertainment, persons who identify with transportation services, and a host of other customers as explained above.

In addition to that, the website will span people of different income levels and classes in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to that, the hospitality industry is not well developed in the United Arab Emirates. The site will take advantage of that opportunity to curve a wide swath of the share of the market to reap early benefits before it starts experiencing rivalry from other interested firms.

That will lead the company to achieve its business objective of targeting to be the market leader and employer of choice in the hospitality sector; we plan to provide a sustainable, efficient, effective and profitable personal concierge service for the United Arab Emirates and its residents.

While all these benefits and capabilities will be realized through the new website, its worth noting that new market trends are bound to manipulate the benefits and functionality of the system. This is site will be characterized by successful online hospitality industry business operations. These business operations will be offered online. The hospitality industry business success will also be characterized by incorporating of new technologies in the process of service provision through different operations methods.

It will integrate a new advertising model based on performance improvements and systems capabilities and functionalities. The business model will integrate various service provision content s that covers demographics and psychographics. Graphics are an excellent tool for communicating information to a target audience. This strategy achieves a great deal of business success.

competitor information will also be factored in the process to identify who they are, how they offer their services, where they are located in the United Arab Emirates, how they could react to the new look company that endeavors to enter the hospitality industry through the internet, the length of time they have been in the hospitality industry, and their operating capital and market share.

Besides that, the organization will perform a market analysis to determine potential returns likely to be earned from this investment. Projections based on a market analysis indicate potential return that will sustain the profitability and operations of the company. Companies survive on profits generated from their business ventures. Each of the items mentioned in the objectives of the company and other not mentioned are likely to cause positive impact on the revenue of the company.

Prewalking is a need that is identifiably in demand and it has been realized through a market research that potential customers are quieted over the issue because they lack a service provider in that field. Once a service provider in the hospitality industry is identified and brings the services near to the customers, there is the possibility of arousing need and inevitable demand for the services.

On the other hand, baby sitting is a service that is in demand due to the ever challenging issues related to the demands placed on people for more and more time. other issues such as event planning, running errands are avenues of thought that play role in creating a bigger market share and demand for these services. No doubt, the company will see an upsurge of activities on the website.

Marketing of the service offered on this website will be achieved through enabling technologies and will be strategically achieved through a number of mechanisms. While internet marketing in the e-market will form the fundamental backbone in advertising its services, yet grass root marketing will also pour in a host of benefits.

This will be achieved by targeting online chat groups with the possibility of bringing in a large number of web users. These chart groups can enhance customer access and link the company to other sites, who may eventually log in to the hospitality website (Harris & Moran, 1987).

Establishing links with other online companies that have similar content and offer similar or related services is another strategic tool that will be used in the marketing domain. This will be achieved by approaching similar companies with similar contents to offer to heighten the possibility of more users accessing the sigh and requesting fro services from the parent hospitality company.

Operations of the company will span issues highlighted in the mission statement and identified in the objectives of the company. These will be achieved through a number of techniques and tools. Among the salient features of conducting hospitality management tasks is conducting data mining. Data mining is a currently available tool that is technology driven. Among the elements to be data mined to enable the hospitality industry move to greater heights include profiles based on hospitality service providers, among other elements.

Among these elements include invariants such as hotel information that spans hotel size and number of rooms available, room prices and types of meals. This is very important in the hospitality industry as it enables service providers to book their customers at hotels of their choices to enable them cost effective service when they travel from other regions to the destination region for the services to be offered.

Operations will also be executed through various methods. In addition to that, any business organization has a management hierarchy through which business functions can be coordinated. Each managerial position comes with relevant roles and responsibilities. In addition to that, these organizations are partitioned into departments that have definite reporting relationships.

The requisite staff will ensure orders and requests are attended to while customer concerns are addressed in real time. Addressing customer needs and continuously evaluating an organization against established operational standards is a key component to successful business organizations.

These operations will also be characterized by competitive advantage. The flexibility and speed, with which the market can be accessed, enabling technologies, the e-business infrastructure, total quality management in service provision, enabling technologies are some of the competing elements incorporated in the design. The website will be characteristically savvy, and the hospitality service providers will be a critical component in seeing the company roll to success.

In addition to that, there will be a strong team relationship that will create a culture of good relationship with the company and the customer. Good relationship fosters oneness of purpose and motivates both staff and the customer to own a business organization. These two are essential components for the success of a company. The relationship will be cultures into all the hierarchies of management to ensure best benefits are reaped in this industry.

In addition to that, the service provider will benefit from early mover advantage. Based on a survey of business organizations that have endeavored to enter into the hospitality industry, it is clear that the early move advantage will be enjoyed by this company as the field is still uncluttered by competitors or service providers in the same industry.

The company will experience positive and exponential growth based on the technology adopted and integrated into the business. Newer software products come with various advantages spanning user interaction experience among other benefits.

Therefore operations will depend on the target audience, an issue already discussed elsewhere and spelt in the mission statement and objectives of the company, target products which have also been highlighted elsewhere, company values and culture, growth projections, technology platform and balanced goals.

The companys financial statements will be evaluated on a period not exceeding six months, company executives will convene and evaluate the cost incurred in the investment infrastructure, projected revenue returns, projected costs, and profits generated in that span of time. That will enable the company to audit its financial health and evaluate its the impact of its marketing strategies, both in the long terms and in the short term.

In addition to that, accounting software will be integrated into the system and the accrual method will be used in evaluating the financial position of the organization. This method is largely accepted as being compatible with different software technologies and is cross platform. In addition to that, widget accounts will play a critical role in the accounting section of the company.

Tax issues will be appropriately addressed with the relevant authorities and legal requirements on taxation will be stringently adhered to. Besides, bank reconciliations will be conducted on a monthly basis to ensure figures tally and detect any discrepancies with the accounts. On the other hand, a balance sheet will be served on request and will be made available on a quarterly basis. In addition to that, a projected income statement will be served upon request that covers the first six months of the business.

The company will employ well experienced accountants particularly the ones that have had experience in the hospitality industry. This could ensure the business organizations income is not diverted or fraudulently siphoned through dishonest means. To ensure that is done, an inventory policy will be incorporated in the running of this organization to ensure service delivery and payments are made to designate authorities.

Project financing will be partly from a project sponsored and the proprietor of the new organization, and other stakeholders that are interested in the project.

The company is a legal entity that shall be dully registered following the legal requirements of the United Arab Emirates regulatory provisions. The legal document will include details of collaborations and organizations structure based on various concepts. These concepts include limited partnerships, limited liability partnership incorporated in the business structure of the company (Christensen & Donovan, n.d).

The business organizations exit strategy will include recouping of invested capital from generated profits from the hospitality services offered on the website. If earned revenue profits exceed projected profits, then ownership will be negotiated on a value that will be agreed upon by stakeholders.

References

Christensen C. M. and Donovan T. (n.d). The process of strategy development and Implementation. Web.

Hall, E. T. & Hall, M. R. (1990). Hidden Differences: Doing Business with the Japanese, New York: Doubleday Anchor Books.

Harris, P. R. & Moran, R. T. (1987). Managing Cultural Differences, Houston: Gulf Publishing Company.

Keyes, J. (n.d). Creating an e-Business plan. Web.

Turban, E & King, D. (2002). Introduction to E-Commerce. New York. Prentice Hall.

Business overview

After carrying out a survey in the state of Florida, I realized that the state has many physical fitness clubs where people go for exercising. I bet this is because of the increasing concern for the increasing rate of diseases that are related to obesity.

Obesity is a disease that is caused by unhealthy eating and lack of exercises; people with this condition have a high risk of developing heart diseases, high blood pressure, and even diabetes (Zimmerman 136). Doing exercises and eating healthy foods are among the recommended activities to keep the disease at bay.

Having exercise is a healthy thing to do; however, they should be accompanied by health services such as personal advices on healthy eating, recommended exercises as well as healthy practices.

This realization led me to a plan to join with John Lewis to start Stay Fit and Healthy Club. This club was started in June 2011 with an aim of providing fitness as well as health services to the people of Coral Gambles region; these services will be of high quality and at a low cost.

Mission

Mission of Stay Fit and Healthy Club is to provide training programs that relate to health care services and come up with strategies that will promote healthy living among the people of Florida, as well as creating awareness on the diseases caused by obesity and overweight

Strengths of Stay Fit and Healthy

• The club is committed to providing health care services to its customers.
• The club has qualified trainers with high reputation.
• The club provides services at a cost that is lower than its competitors.

Challenges

Stay Fit and Healthy has a challenges of attracting more customers to experience the new services; this is because this region has a lot of Gyms and training clubs which are more established and have permanent customers. The competitors include Coral Gables and Golds Gym.

Industry assessment

This is a health service facility and it intends to give health care services as well as services using specialized equipment. This facility will serve customers of all genders; however, customers of female gender will have special attention of being treated with training with female trainers.

This does not mean that men customers will not be treated to quality services, because the environment in the facility gives the customer a comfortable experience during the exercising session.

In 2006, there was a survey carried out, according to the survey, there were 29,069 health clubs and this clubs has approximately 41.3 million members. Approximately 49.9% of the health clubs were recorded in Alabama, Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, New York and California, with California having a highest percentage of 11%, while Florida has only 6%.

This means that there is still untapped potential both in the State of Florida and other states. The industry has no strict regulations, however, a license is required for its operation, and as usual, payment of tax on the profit earned is mandatory.

Scope of services

Stay Fit and Healthy clubs customers will experience a wide variety of services related to health, this services will include obesity control, diabetes control, training of muscles, pilates, yoga, boxing, cycling and aerobics. These services will be provided using the latest equipment that are installed in the facility and are bought from quality manufacturers.

The costs will be on monthly, quarterly and annual basis, and customers are guaranteed to have low costs on each of these subscription plan.

The qualified personnel of this facility will help members achieve their set goals within a short time. for those who prefer exercising at home, we will also sell to them training equipments at an affordable price. The sales will be accompanied by training manual as well as the use of the purchased equipment.

The necessity of the facility to the people

Many people visiting health care and physical fitness clubs in Florida consists of high income earners; this means that most of the middle income earners as well as low income earners are left out of this vital service (Sherrill 396).

Also according to research, most people affected by obesity and overweight are the low income earners, this is because of their poor eating habits, lack of exercising, and most of them do not take health care as a priority (Zimmerman 140).

Those who are diagnosed with obesity do not seek medical attention because, they cannot afford the treatment, therefore, they live with the condition, which eventually resulted to chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

This club looks forward to alleviate the situation; Stay Fit and Healthy Club will make sure that the needs of the population that has been left out will be met by providing health care and physical services at a lower cost, making it affordable to the majority.

Market of Health and Physical fitness industry

America has 29,636 health clubs and approximately 41.5 million people visit these clubs, among the clubs in the United States of America, there are 20.4 million members visiting commercial health clubs, and 17.2 million visit non-profit health clubs (American Bureau of Statistics 176).

Florida approximately 6% of the 29,069 clubs in the United States, in 1995, the state had 863 clubs which grew by approximately 9.59% as recorded in 2007. This shows that the health and fitness industry is still in the stage of growth; currently customers in this industry have grown to 41.3 millions, and the market penetration is only 14% in the whole America American Bureau of Statistics.

This is an indication that there is still a huge potential in this industry now and in the future. In addition, this is a business that runs smoothly, therefore, there should be no worries on the business low and high season; this means that any established club should have a constant number of customers throughout the year.

Health and physical fitness industry in America has recorded a high growth rate for the last 10 years, and according to survey in 2007, the number of people visiting health and physical fitness rose to 2007 and the number is said to be increasing each year. Among the 41.3 million, 52% are female and 48% are male, and the average income per year, per member is 76,000.

Each member attends health club sessions for approximately 92 days per year, and for those who visit the club, they mostly use personal training program. The health and physical industry in the United States has d in the use of cardiovascular equipment; this means that almost every health club has the equipment (Wilson 312).

Market scope

The City of Miami has approximately 1.28 million members, and when Miami-Dante County is included the population becomes 2.82 million; Stay Fit and Healthy Club is expected to reach this population, although at the moment, only 45.3% are recorded as health club attendants.

The health and physical fitness club has grown rapidly during the last decade, in the year 2007, the market recorded $17.6 billion; this was more than double the market in 1995, which was at %7.8 billion (American Bureau of Statistics 196), and in the year 2010, the market was at $19.6 billion.

This trend only shows that the market is growing at a fair rate and investment in this industry is promising an increase in the number of people visiting health clubs.

The growth is triggered by the health care expenditure among the people of America; in 1997, the nation spent approximately 1.1 trillion, in 2007, the expenditure grew at 9.92%, this translated to 2.24 trillion. This shows that the health care expenditure for United States increases to more than double after a decade, and therefore, in the year 2017, the nations expenditure will increase to more than 4.4 trillion.

Looking at the expenditure in details, records shows that obesity takes up, 10% of the expenditure, this means that the number of people with obesity in the United States also increases each year, and therefore, more people are seeking help in health clubs.

Demand for health and fitness services

The demand for health club is really increasing more and more as time goes by. Many people are already members of health clubs and other are willing to join the clubs, while others are also interested in subscribing at least to one of the programs offered in health clubs.

This is because most of these people have been recommended by medical professionals to join health clubs and others feel that they require some time in a health club to improve or maintain their health status. Also, most people do not like vigorous exercises; therefore, they are seeking to have exercises in health clubs because they are adoptable and the exercise sessions are aided by professional trainers.

As people join health clubs they are committed to improving the whatever situation that compelled them to join the club, therefore, they are so demanding, and they expect results within a short time.

Such cases are sorted out quickly by professional trainers who set up a plan for each member according to the requirements and demand, and this helps them achieve results as expected. Many people, therefore, choose to be members of health clubs so as to meet their health and physical fitness requirements.

The demand for health clubs has been increasing since the last decade; this is attributed to the increasing income per capita in the United States. The increase in income per capital has made many American focus more on issues affecting their health, therefore, lack of exercise being one of the issues, and more people are subscribing to gyms and health clubs to eliminate the menace of obesity and diseases related to obesity.

The only thing that is making other people shy away from seeking help in gyms and health clubs is the issue of cost of services offered. Many are willing to visit these facilities but, the extra money they have for such services is not enough to secure then a one-quarter a year or even a one-month subscription; this is affecting the growth of health and physical fitness industry.

Looking at the market trend on health clubs in the United States, it is evident that the trend is changing rapidly; many people have resolved to using equipment to do their training and exercises, and most of the consider exercising as a daily routine.

This has led to the increasing memberships in health clubs, also, in companies have decided to make health membership as a package in the employee remuneration, thus making the market trend take an increasing trend.

Market potential

Those people in the health care club industry still have a bright future for their business, this is because of the untapped potential in this industry, and the same applies to those who still want to join the industry as new investors.

The market in this industry has reached close to 60 million registered members, which translates to $31.8 billion revenue per year; the increase is overwhelming considering that in the year 2005, the market had revenue of $17.6 billion (Piers 275). This growth is attributed to the increasing health care expenditure, this year; the expenditure is expected to increase to $2.93 trillion.

Market opportunities

The industry has a lot of opportunities; these opportunities are enough for those who have established in health care club business, as well as those who want to join the industry.

According to the survey carried out in 2007, 300 million people around the globe have been affected by obesity, and considering those affected by overweight in United States, the number is approximately 130 million, and among these people 61 million are obese.

The issue does not only affect adults, but also young children, according to the 2007 survey, 15% of children living in America are overweight (Powell, 136). Obesity is a condition that leads to other chronic health conditions such as diabetes, and according to research, 18 million of the United States people living with diabetes suffer from heart diseases and are affected by high blood pressure.

Future plans in service provision

Stay Fit and Healthy Club wants to provide health care as well as fitness services, however, the club is not limited to these two major services.

In the future, this facility plans to expand on its services to public awareness creation on chronic diseases, particularly those influenced by obesity and overweight; these services will be like an after sell service, whereby, members who have subscribed at the facility will receive the service free of charge. In the future, this business will not only offer health and physical services in Coral and Gamble, but also in other parts of America.

Target group

The club operates in Miami; however, it serves 21.7 of the population, which has 1,691 clubs of the same kind. According to the census report carried out in 2007, Miami had a population of 2,828,649, this was an increase when it is compared to the census carried out in 1990; the 1990 population was 2,295,937, the increase was equal to 1.36%.

The population of this town is estimated to 3 million by the end of this year. The average income of the household in this town is estimated as $53,408, this is according to the government of Miami.

This club targets the market in Coral Gable town, which has 42,794 people, however, only 2,636 are potential customers, and their earnings are below $25,000 per year. Potential customer takes about 15.51% of 16,994 households in the city of Coral Gambles.

This section of the population in this city is untouched by the great health clubs, therefore, Stay Fit and Healthy club will work hard to first capture the untouched population before embarking on attracting customers from its competitors.

Competitors

Stay Fit and Healthy Club is not the only club offering health and fitness services, there are other clubs offering the services, therefore we understand that there is competition.

The club includes Coral Gamble and Golds Gym among others, Coral Gambles offers services such as pilates, fitness kick boxing, short distance running, core conditioning, sport yoga, hiking, circuit training, jumping rope, muscular strength.

The Golds Gym offers services such as youth fitness, senior, fitness, sports training, medical information related to fitness, pilates, yoga, group spinning, diet and training, strength training, pre and post natal.

Focusing on Coral Gambles, Stay Fit and Healthy Club will aim at providing to low income population, which are not provided by the competitors. The low income earners, as we have seen they are about 6.1% of the population in Coral Gambles (Kelly 212). Stay Fit and Healthy Club, plans to attract masses more members by providing low prices at the beginning, and then later set a price that is more competitors.

Marketing strategy

First, we all know that people places that have value and low cost on services they offer, therefore, we shall use this strategy to more customers. We will make sure to have the latest equipment in the club; to ensure quality of the equipment; we shall make our purchases from quality manufacturers.

Members will be required to subscribe on annual, quarterly, and monthly basis, and this subscription will be at a lower cost. For the start, we plan to charge $95 for the body workout exercises. We plan not to waste no ones time; therefore, we plan on concentrating on efficiency by use of qualified trainers to meet our customers needs in time.

Technology is of the essence in marketing, and because most people communicate more using the internet, we plan to utilize a website as a marketing media; we will create a website to create an image as well as brand for the company, this will help the club to have an identity (Active marketing group 406).

In addition, using the website, the club will give the new members and old members to make their subscription; this will save them all the procedure that might come with subscribing at the clubs offices.

Stay Fit and Healthy Club will first target the population with the low income in the Coral Gamble area. This people will be taught the benefits of health and fitness programs.

This will be a bit tasking because we have to arrange for small public gatherings and send letters and emails to those we cannot reach personally or in gatherings. Marketing of Stay Fit and Healthy Club will use approximately $5,000; these funds will be used for posting advertisement on radio, television and newspaper.

SWOT Analysis

Strength of Stay Fit and Healthy Club

Stay Fit and Healthy Club is committed to providing services that are result oriented strategy to attract new members and maintain the old ones. The clubs programs are designed to meet the needs of a layman, and services are affordable and of a high quality. The club will also hire well trained and qualified trainers, who will guide customers during their training or exercising sessions.

Weaknesses

We plan to provide high quality services at a low cost, these might cost us a lot because high quality equipments are costly, and hiring of highly qualified trainers is expensive and costly to maintain them; they demand high salaries, and any failure to satisfy them make them seek greener pastures.

Stay Fit and Healthy Club, also has a weakness in the number of members it has; the staff cannot provide services to the expected large number of people in the club. This might lead to the provision of services that are not of good quality, and the members might feel neglected and later quit using our services.

This club also needs to be advertised widely; the club is expected to serve a wide area, therefore, the club should be advertised well within the area and beyond.

This club is challenged in terms of marketing budget, especially marketing to clients who have large businesses; it is a challenge because most of them are used to going to already established health clubs, while those who do not go to these clubs claimed to lack enough time to go for practice attend our public awareness campaign meetings.

This is an untapped market and to capture this market we need more funds to arrange for even personal meetings with the large business clients.

Opportunities

The health and fitness industry is growing at a high rate, and opportunities are increasing as well. America has an increase in the cases of obesity and diseases that are related to it; it is the increase in this cases that are compelling people to pay more attention to health care activities and exercising.

Therefore, we are going to take advantage of their increasing concern on health to give them with a club that will meet their health care and exercise needs. We are also glad that American People take visiting health clubs and gym as part of their daily routine, and this a behavior that is favoring our business idea; I think we should work extra hard to make more and more people to make a visit to our club a daily routine.

We still lucky that the market of health care and physical fitness in Miami and most parts in the United States is still untapped, the target in this case will be low income earners, who seem to be left out in health care activities and physical exercises because of high costs.

Threats

When starting a business there are some things, which are beyond ones control; this things include recession and economic downfall. These are things slow down the growth of Stay Fit and Healthy Club, as well as other clubs; recession and economic downfall, changes the spending of people and this will be the same to the people visiting health care clubs, and this will slow down the growth.

Another thing is that we promise to offer low costs for our services, however, our competitor might choose to lower their prices as well, and this might not work well on our side because we are still new in this industry.

If this happens, then it means that we might not even be noticed, however, we do not consider it as a big threat because we have other strategies. Additionally, most health care equipments are cheap, and most people have them at home for their exercise; this is a threat to the growth of Stay Fit and Healthy Club and other health clubs because those who have exercise equipments would not go to health care clubs.

Marketing mix

Stay Fit and Healthy Club need to have a good market mix, which will include cost, product, advertising and publicity. In the case of services, Stay Fit and Healthy Club will offer health care services such as obesity and diabetes control, muscle training, pilates, yoga, kick boxing, cycling and aerobics.

Pricing of services offered by Stay Fit and Healthy Club is a challenge because of the high competition for health care and physical activities market in the Coral Gambles region.

Therefore, for Stay Fit and Healthy Club to survive the competition, it has to offer quality services at a lower cost than its competitors. We have chosen $95 for basic exercises and body workout, and the cost for other services will be lower than the cost offered by competitors.

Stay Fit and Healthy Club, is strategically placed near the citys main street, this is to make the club visible by anyone using the road network. Stay Fit and Healthy Club will also be promoted well to make sure that it is known by people living in the Coral Gable region; this will be done using radio, television, magazines and newspapers, as well as use of the internet.

We will also use brochures to create awareness on the health care services provided by Stay Fit and Healthy Club.; the brochures will be distributed in public gatherings and seminars organized by officials from Stay Fit and Healthy Club.

Management of the Club

John Lewis

John will be the overall operational manager of Stay Fit and Healthy Club; he has an MBA in health Care management from Texas University. This is an individual who is inspired by health care as well as physical fitness activities, and has a passion of helping other people to live a healthy life. John was a general manager in a hospital in California.

This hospital was for people who needed therapy as well as nutritional advices; the people who visited the Hospital were those with diabetes, obesity and overweight, and also those who were recommended to do particular exercises for their limbs to function normally. During his contract at this hospital, he did an excellent work, which earned him a contract extension.

He has also been a financial analyst of 5 years, in Coca Cola Company, and during his five year term, he managed to help the company make good investment decisions that led to huge profits and growth. Apart from Coca Cola Company, he has also worked with companies in line of Health care services; these companies include Health Care IT Transition and Dentimax.

Jimmy Johnson

This is a co-owner of the club and is also a sales manager. Jimmy has an MBA in sales and marketing; this is a qualification he acquired from the University of California. John has an eight-year experience as a sales and marketing manager in the following companies; Gentiva Health Services and Apria Healthcare Group.

We also plan to include bankers in the club, however, this will depend on the feasibility of the business; all in all we expect the club to be a success.

The club will not be complete with advisors, this is because we expect to create health awareness to the people before and after their fitness exercise, therefore, we will need two advisors, a female, who will be advising members who are ladies and a male advisor who will advise male members.

A nutritionist is also an important in this club, the members of the club need to be advised on healthy eating and living to avoid developing obesity and obesity related diseases. Therefore, the club has hired Whitney White, a professional nutritionist and a doctor who has been working at Jefferson Health System as a nutritionist advisor.

Financial plan

Initial Capital

Stay Fit and Healthy Club has an investment of $1,000,000; the owners raised this through savings.

Initial Expenses

Expenses for starting the club included

Expected revenue

During the first year, Stay Fit and Healthy club, expects to have 25,000 members, this will translate to $1,225,000. The revenues might be low because people are not yet used to the club and others are still visiting the health club they are used to.

The number of people visiting Stay Fit and Healthy club is expected to rise to 100,000 which will translate to the revenues of $4,900,000. The third year anticipated an increase that was more than that of the previous year; within three years, we expect to capture the market of the low income earners and the subsequent years will be focused on maintaining them and attracting those visiting the well established health clubs.

The club also plans to sale training equipment, we have realized that we might not attract all people to come to clubs for exercise, there are people who only like exercising at home, and to benefit from them as we help them out, we have decided to sell training equipment.

This will boost our revenue, because this will not only target those training from home, but also the other training and health clubs. This plan will take effect during the second financial year, and the revenue from the sales will bring to the business revenue of $35,000. The revenue from these sales is expected to increase to $42,000 in the third year of operation.

Operating expenses for the three years

Promotion

Expenditures for promotion for the first year will be $5,000, in the second year and the third year, the club will increase the cost of promotion to $6000. This is a crucial time and the club increases its expenditure to sensitize more people on the benefits of attending health clubs.

Consulting services

The club will have to consult a lot from the other clubs or those who have been in the health and fitness business; this will help the club to understand the dynamics experienced by businesses in this industry.

During the first year consulting expenses will be $90,000, and during the second year and the first year, consultation expenses will increase as the number of customers increase; more consultation will be to know much about the customers cases and needs. The consultation services will be $480,000 for the second and third year.

Expenditure on personnel is expected to increase as the business activities of the club progresses, and this would be $290,000, $840,000 and $940,000 for the first, second and third year respectively. Other expenses amount to $1,227,290, $2,474,580 and $4,073,500, for the first, second and third respectively. The club is expected to make a profit and during the first year the pre-tax profit will be at $322,900, the following year is anticipated to have a profit of $3,385,800, and the third year will have a pre-tax profit of $13,025,000.

Conclusion

According to the cash-flows I have given above, Stay Fit and Healthy club business is viable. If the business goes as planned and becomes successful, the expansion to other areas in the United States is a dream I would like to pursue.

The issue of obesity and obesity related diseases is not only experienced by individuals in the State of Florida, but also other parts of the United States, therefore, Stay Fit and Healthy is not a service meant for only people living in Florida, but Florida has been chosen as a starting point.

Works Cited

Active marketing group. Health club industry review, New York, USA: Active marketing group, 2007. Print.

American Bureau of Statistics. Population census 1995, Washington, USA: American Bureau of Statistics, 1995. Print.

American Bureau of Statistics. Population census 2007, Washington, USA: American Bureau of Statistics, 2007. Print.

Kelly, Peterson. Health and fitness industry. Business Journal, 2.3 (2006): 210-217. Print.

Piers, Elias. Business opportunities in America. Western business, 6.4 (2003): 267- 278. Print.

Powell, Gerry. Heath and Business, California,USA: SAGE Publications, 2010. Print.

Sherrill, Ally. Physical health industry analysis, New York, USA: United States Government Accountability Office, 2011. Print.

Wilson, Felix. Health alleviation in America, London, UK: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003. Print.

Zimmerman, Maurice. Obesity in America. Medical journal, 26.2 (2003): 117-141. Print.

Introduction

Finlays group is a global grower, wholesaler and exporter of flowers and plants. Global operations permit Finlays group access to various marketing channels and financial information, storage and logistics facilities.

Grower is the primary suppliers in the floricultural value chain while exporters, importers, wholesalers, cash-and-carry stores and retailers provide the demand for the products (Finlay, 2011). One role of Finlays group is to group suppliers and buyers, and so they fix prices. Another role of Finlays group is to increase productivity by breaking large deliveries from growers into smaller amounts for buyers.

Business Requirements

Emergence of electronically driven flower markets has influenced the necessity of a computer analyst manager. Computer analyst manager will be responsible for devising a system, which can simplify Finlays business success, and development of the company, to involve more with the suppliers, retailers and other stakeholders (Finlay, 2011).

The electronic system to be developed and maintained by the computer analyst manager should have the input, output and process which incorporate real-time process to expedite efficient of the organization.

Job Analysis of Computer Analyst Manager

There are different specializations in IT, in line with information technology needs in organizations. In this age, most organizations need the services of a computer analyst Manager. Computer analysts are individuals who have the technical know- how in a computer program creation (Info Tech Employment, 2007).

This field is highly specialized and needs proper understanding of logical sequencing. Therefore, the first assignment a computer analyst can have is a software development. However, given software development means one can also troubleshoot and correct say instructions on software, computer analysts also offer support and maintain systems (Info Tech Employment, 2007).

Qualifications for a Computer Analyst Manager

Computer analyst needs to have a sound knowledge and relevant professional training in computer programming. Despite what the computer analyst does, he or she must have the capacity to design and implement software solutions. Computer analysts are involved in the testing of computer programs, operating systems and other advanced softwares.

To implement an IT solution, many times organizations source ready- made software from the market, but they can also develop software in-house. When the software has been bought or when the system has been developed entirely, a computer analyst has to test it (Info Tech Employment, 2007). Once the system or software has been installed and is running, the computer analyst focus is on offering support in maintaining the system.

The second technical skill requirement is designing. The computer analyst is responsible for creating and designing the system by selecting major components. He or she investigates the possible ways of designing the system from the requirements gathered. Thirdly, the he or she ensures that the new system being designed will meet the users requirements; he or she analyzes and predicts input, output, memory, software and hardware aspect of design to ensure they meet the required development standards.

Fourthly, the computer analyst has to understand software validation and verification of data. Computer analysts formulate and subsequently implement verification for the systems to ensure that they meet the requirements. He or she develops test plan and test data, which is used to validate the system to ensure it works to its specification.

A computer analyst has to entail apt communication to communicate well with the team that he or she is working with or involved. Efficient and accurate verbal and written communication is necessary for giving information. Secondly, the person should have needs to have strong analytical and judgmental skills. These skills are essential as they help in analyzing the processes involved during the development of the system to ensure every step is considered basing on the requirements.

Good communication, analytical, problem-solving skills and good judgment should be complimented by strong leadership or management skills. The system analyst should display assertiveness; confidence and hard work to enable him or her produce the best of what he or she is doing. Good leadership goes hand in hand with being a good team player.

Sourcing Plan for Computer Analyst Manager

developing a good sourcing strategy enables an organization to ensure that it only hires excellent and qualified candidates at a reduced cost and within the shortest time possible. Hence, this should be a plan for Finlay Group. Finlays group has to embrace internal recruitment and agencies.

Internal sourcing or recruitment refers to the practice of selecting among the existing workers in an organization to take up vacant position. Finlay Group can advertise the vacant post internally, which will then be filled by existing workers in the company. Tapping of internal human capital is essential especially because the employees to be hired already have been in the organization, and thus are familiar with company values and best practices (Pulakos, 2005).

Moreover, sourcing using a recruitment agency will also be useful for Finlay. The recruiting agencies provide an efficient means of recruiting ideal candidates from the others because they have knowledge and skills in sieving various applications to ensure only qualified, and candidates who meet the organizations criterion are selected. Besides, recruitment via agencies reduces costs and the quantity of time used in the selection and hiring progression.

Assessment Criteria for Potential Candidate

in attracting a potential candidate, appropriate assessment system has to be implemented. One of the plans is conducting a job interviews. A job interview is recruitment strategy whereby a prospective candidate is evaluated for a potential job opportunity in the organization. During a job interview, an employer aims in determining whether the job applicant merits the position or not. It succeeds hiring decision and preceded by assessing the credentials submitted by interested job applicants.

Job interview aims at achieving different characteristics about the job applicant, which ultimately can be assessed to either grant or deny the post. Finlay Group will benefit by conducting job interviews on potential applicants. One of the roles will be identifying the general traits of an applicant.

This is in terms of cognitive ability, personality, goals, values and interests. These traits are evaluated to determine if the candidate can fit in the organization. Secondly, experiential factors are also considered. Aspects such as; experience, professional training, education in relation to the job specification. Besides, key job elements such as; motivation, procedural skills and declarative knowledge are also factored during interview.

Another important criterion, which will be useful for Finlay Group, is the virtual job tryout and simulation. This is a hiring processing which entails hiring through a recruiting agency. The tool asses if the applicant will perform. According to Pulakos (2005), this process encompasses hi-tech approaches will tend to be cost-effective for the organization.

The process engages a candidate in a computer structured exercise that mirrors tasks, problem-solving environment or operational context they may encounter on a real job environment. Since the simulation is performed by computer systems, it is accurate and reliable thus they can predict actual performance by a person once selected.

Selection Process

Selecting a candidate among a pool of others is a complex task. Hence, suitable strategy has to be encompassed. Employee selection is designated as a process of picking a fitting person for the right job. In other words, it is a process or technique of matching the organizational requirements with the abilities and professionalism of a person.

Philips and Gully (2011) argues that a systematic selection is only achieved when effective matching is accomplished. By embracing impressive selection for the vacant position, the Finlay is inclined for better quality and improved performance.

The employee selection, just like a job application process entails various stages, and each stage has requirements, which should be fulfilled by the candidate. The first stage is the preliminary interview. This interview is done in order to exclude applicants who do not meet the least benchmark, or eligibility as stipulated by the organization.

The candidate competencies and interests, family and academic background and skills are assessed. The preliminary interviews are less formal and planned. In addition, during this process, a candidate is briefed about the organization and job profile.

Application of blanks is the other stage in the selection process. This stage involves a candidate filling application blanks. Application blanks contain data records such as; qualifications, details about age, details for leaving the previous jobs, job history among other reasons about the candidate.

After application blanks, written test follows. This is the third stage. Written tests of varying number are given to the candidate. The tests are extremely; aptitude, reasoning intelligent and personality, just to mention a few. The aims of the tests are to evaluate the prospective candidate.

The fourth stage is the employment interview. Employment interview involves formal interaction between the interviewer and the candidate. It is used to assess whether the candidate qualifies for the job on offer or not. The stage involves a series of questions which the candidate as to respond to ascertain his or her abilities about the job in context and the organization at large. Honest and integrity is important between the interviewer and the candidate to increase accuracy of information given.

Medical evaluation is also conducted to determine the candidate is physically fit and does not cost the organization expenses in-case of any ill-health. Besides, medical examination will reduce the chances of decreased performance due to absenteeism.

Lastly, basing on the performance of the aforementioned stages, an organization may perform cross-referencing about the candidate selected. If the candidate performed well, an organization gives formal appointment letter. However, when a candidate performed dismally, or did not meet the organization job requirement, a regret letter is given to the candidate.

On- boarding and Socialization Strategy

Onboarding and Socialization plays an important role in aligning new employee in the organization. Hence, by understanding an organization diversity and culture, a new employee can fit well in the organization. For the computer analyst manager, to fit in the organization, the initial step will be scheduling orientation program.

Orientation program will aim at familiarizing with the organization, culture, history and values of Finlays group. This will facilitate smooth start (Pulakos, 2005). Secondly, the organization needs to provide the new employee with support tools and processes. This tools need to include written on-boarding plan.

Written on board plan includes support in terms of responsibilities and support available for new employees. Additionally, coaching and support is also important. The stakeholders in the organization need to support a new employee to adjust to the working environment.

Similarly, training is necessary in boosting new employee confidence, skills and transparency in the organization. An important area which training accomplishes includes; developing new employee soft, hard and on boarding skills. These skills are essential for a new employee in surging productivity in the organization.

Success of Recruiting and Staffing Plan

According to Philips and Gully (2011) recruitment and staffing presents a comprehensive structure for the whole process of employee recruitment, selection and subsequent hiring of an employee. Hence, the primary purpose of recruitment and staffing is to establish the perfect and most versatile employee an organization can obtain.

To ensure the Finlays group accepts the ideal candidate for the position of the computer analyst manager, it is important to determine the need for hiring, craft a detailed job specification derived from job analysis and job description, plan for recruitment meeting with HR department or hiring agency (Philips and Gully, 2011).

Besides, by embracing job specification, Finlays may revise history of equivalent employees who have successfully occupied a similar position, rate the indispensable qualities, education and traits for the anticipated successful candidate.

Additionally, Finlay group has to plan for interview panel and track the process. Hence, the panel will decide on the screening questions. They may also determine if a test can be given to get the best candidate. Through these processes, an analysis can be implemented.

Conclusion

Employee recruitment and staffing is an important aspect of most organization. Hence, Finlay, by planning and implementing the mentioned guideline in the report, they will ultimately find the ideal candidate for the position of a computer analyst manager.

Reference List

Finlays. (2011). Welcome to the World of Finlay. Web.

Info Tech Employment. (2007). Computer Jobs with the Growing Information Technology Professional Services Sector: Mid-Atlantic States. New York: Partnerships for Community, Inc.

Phillips, J., and Gully, S., (2011). Strategic Staffing. New York: Pearson Education, Limited.

Pulakos, E. (2005). Selection Assessment Methods: A Guide to Implementing Formal Assessments to Build a High Quality Workforce. Alexandria, VA: The SHRM Foundation.

Introduction

A marketing plan refers to a blue print that is developed and implemented by organizations for execution of their marketing strategies. It is a well-coordinated plan for orchestrating organizations marketing functions (Applegate, & Johnson, 2007).

The organization aims at developing a marketing plan that is well-aligned with the organization goals and objectives. The retail chain of stores operates in Indianapolis with outlets, such as the Carmel, the Greenwood Park and the Circle Centre Malls.

The company has been in business for the last 5 years. Due to the significant growth of its sales in the past two years, it has managed to become one of the leading retail stores in Indianapolis. Indianapolis has a high level of population, and it is located in North America. The company under the study stocks specialty toys, gifts, and clothing among other products for customers in the region.

Currently, the price of the products ranges from $ 20 to $500. In line with the organizations goal of achieving growth, the company aims at extending its market coverage to five other cities by establishing 2 or 3 stores in all those places during the period of the next 2 years.

After that, the organization plans to focus on its further expansion to cover a larger market in Indianapolis. This paper aims at presenting a marketing plan for the companys development.

Market Analyses

Overall Marketing Strategy

The overall marketing strategy will be based on the organizations goals and vision which will also be aligned with the organizations corporate strategies. In this case, the organization presents varying types of goods with different price levels ranging from $20 to $ 500.

This implies that organizations marketing strategy will be aimed at enhancing sales as well as market share of the company due to a wide price spread. The organizations strategy will thus be tailored in such a way so as to offer the needed services to the mass market.

Discount pricing strategy will guide the generic strategy adopted by the organization in its overall marketing strategy. This will enhance the ability of the organization to extend its operations to diverse markets in Indianapolis.

Situational/Environmental Analyses

There are a number of factors that determine the cities in which organization should initiate its operations. One of these factors includes the level of population in the city. Higher level of the population in such cities means a wider market for the company to sell its services and goods as well as higher level of revenue.

The organization will equally prefer to operate in cities that are politically stable. It is worth noting that different cities or countries have a different level of social and political stability. Thirdly, the organization will run its business in the cities where the level of income among residents is high.

This will increase the customers ability to purchase the organizations products. It will also expand to the regions where the local authorities regulations are in line with the organizations operation goals and objectives.

The company will equally identify areas to enter where the level of competition is low. Finally, the organization will assess and enter into a market where the level of demand for its goods, specialty stores, as well as other products is high (Young et al, 2008).

Product Category

Although the organization presents a wide variety of product lines in the market, these products have different levels of profit margin as well as demand. The organization will engage in margin analyses for different product lines.

It will assess the level of demand for each of its products in potential markets it is to enter in two years, as well as in those in which it is to operate in five years. Once the levels of demands in each potential city are determined, the cost of producing and marketing such products will be defined.

The price for such products will thus be set considering the unit cost, desired margin levels, as well as the average market price for such products in these cities.

Selling price that is less than unit cost of different products demanded in different cities will give the company contribution margin. Such margin will be multiplied by the respective product demand in these cities. Products generating the highest level of profit will be launched in such markets (Young et al, 2008).

Target Customers

A marketing plan should have an objective that it is aimed at achieving its goal. Such a goal will include financial targets, such as growth in profit and sales revenue, among others.

On the other hand, a marketing plan may be aimed at growing the organizations market share as well as its effectiveness in terms of communication. It can be tailored to achieve a certain price level, enhance quality of products and ensure customer satisfaction, among others.

Before the organization engages in its new outlet promotions and marketing campaigns, customer targeting will be carried out. There will be a need for the company to split the market into different sectors that share homogeneous characteristics.

The organization will segment the market and adopt the following targeting strategies, either differentiated marketing or undifferentiated marketing strategy. In this case, since the organization aims at presenting its product as a mass product, it will engage in undifferentiated marketing. Undifferentiated marketing is indicated in the diagram below:

Source: Learn Marketing.net (2012).

Under the above category, the organization will not focus on a certain segment of demographics in the city. It will target all the customers who demand its products presented in the different cities, regardless whether such customers are in the high or low end market.

The organizations focal point will be on the low end market. Nevertheless, in its market communication strategy, the organization will ensure that such communication reaches the target customer.

This implies that when advertising its goods (toys in this case), the organization will develop advertisements that will easily get noticed by young children. It is worth noting that children are one of the main influencers in decision making in the toys market.

Branding Stores

Branding is one of the key drivers of success in organizations. It aims at increasing customer loyalty to organizations products; enhancing the positive image of the firm as well as its products, besides generating positive brand image. In its marketing plan, an organization carries out competitors analyses.

The strengths of its competitors as well as their weaknesses are studied, and the companny then develops a mechanism on how to increase its competitiveness in the market. The availability of substitutable products is carried out.

This helps the organization in developing mechanisms on how to thrive amidst competition and promote its products in a market taking into account competing produces.

The baseline to the problem of substitutes is for the organization to develop innovative products for the next three years that would satisfy the needs of customers better than those of the competitors do (Young et al, 2008).

In this case, the organization will present quality products as well as quality services to its customers. This will significantly enhance their satisfaction. Responding to their queries in a timely manner will equally promote their brand loyalty.

On the other hand, to boost customer appreciation, a loyalty scheme will be established where customers earn redeemable points once they buy an item from the organization. This will discourage them from buying such products from other sellers.

Finally, to enhance customer retention, the organization will engage itself in reminder advertising as well as purchase software that manages customer relationships. This will increase the chances of repeat purchases in the organization by maintaining positive awareness and brand image after purchase.

Marketing Strategy

In the development of a marketing plan, the organization has an option of employing various marketing strategies in its operations. Such strategies include mass marketing as well as target marketing. Mass marketing refers to market delivery of homogenous solutions based on the premise that consumer needs are similar.

The organization can develop toys which are affordable not only by the high end markets but also the lower market segments. This implies that organizations products promotions as well as its distribution channels will target the entire market.

This has the potential of increasing the market share in which the organization sells its products. On the other hand, it presents challenges where the consumer needs are rarely homogeneous. This implies that a company cannot fully meet the needs of its customers in the market by offering them a homogeneous product.

An organization has an opportunity of engaging in target marketing, which can involve niche marketing. Identifying a viable niche (a group of potential clients sharing similar characteristics), the organization can achieve this through segmentation.

Pricing

The bottom line to the marketing planning process is making sales. The organization needs to ensure that a price is set in order to maximize its returns, while remaining competitive in the market.

Nevertheless, the price for the organization products may vary later on due to changes in macro economic variables that affect inflation, demand for toys, gifts, clothing and other materials as well as supply for raw materials to produce those goods as well as other products.

Nevertheless, since the strategy for the organization in the next three years is to serve both the low and the upper market segments, its price needs to be differentiated accordingly (Young, et al, 2008).

Promotion

Promotion refers to one of Ps used in marketing of products that demand for effective communication regarding a product to customers in the market. This does not only help in creating awareness about a product in the market, but also serves as a reminder to existing customers to encourage them to purchase the product.

The company has used its website our organization.com in the past, to promote its products worldwide, but due to the wide coverage usually presented by websites, the organization needs to move a step further and effectively enhance its customers awareness of the website in the market.

The organization will also need to ensure that the medium of communication used reaches the target market. This includes reaching the target market that is currently comprised of young people that are technologically savvy, willing to take the repositioned organization products which now will be computer based.

The organization can use TV, newspapers, billboards or even magazines to communicate to the market. The baseline to this is that whichever product is selected, it must be capable of reaching the target market.

Promotion of the organization products needs to target two groups of people in the market, which are influencers and decision makers (Applegate, & Johnson, 2007).

Social Responsibility and Its Communication

The organization will operate in a socially sustainable manner. To attain this goal, the organization will ensure that all of its products meet the health and safety requirements. The company will also engage in recycling of worn-out products collected from customers as well as other waste.

This will enhance its ability to protect environment. Finally, the organization will adopt carbon reduction strategies in its operations. This will reduce its carbon emissions by 30% in the coming year and 10% annually in the subsequent years.

This will significantly boost environmental sustainability in Brunt Land regarding the sustainable operations and development, where firms exploit current opportunities and resources without jeopardizing the ability of future generations and firms to exploit the same.

Implementation

Implementation of a marketing plan is the starting point to the achievement of organizations objectives. Irrespective of how good a marketing plan may be, if the plan is left unimplemented, it will remain a mere dream. The organization needs to classify its marketing objectives into corporate, functional and tactical ones.

Once the organization leadership provides the corporate level with resources needed to execute the marketing strategy, the marketing team needs to implement the functional level strategies including indentifying distribution channels, running promotion campaigns, working together with the production department to assign products the intended price as well as ensuring that products in the market are of the right quality.

Once these objectives are achieved, then the next step involves the development of action plans. Individuals are assigned tasks that they are supposed to carry out within a set time frame. Its strategies are converted to actions.

For instance, if the suggested promotion strategy is to set up of billboards, its actual implementation should be carried out. Sites are secured, and the billboard is erected or hired with the rest message on it. Implementation of a plan leads to the achievement of outcomes, which may or may not tally with what is projected (Armstrong & Kotler, 2010).

This calls for comparison of the plans with the laid out goals and projections. It is the marketing teams role to ensure that significant deviations from the expected outcomes are quickly rectified in the light of the new information in the industry. Budgets will be based on the unit and fixed cost of production. Advertising costs will be maintained at 5% of sales.

Conclusion

The above presentation indicates the immense need of a marketing plan. It calls for the marketing units in an accounting entity to align with the marketing campaigns and the organizations goals and objectives. It equally shows the need for marketing managers to understand market conditions, as well as countrys factors, which may have influence on the success of their products in the market.

An effective marketing mix is critical to the success of an organizations marketing strategy. Nevertheless, in pursuit of increased sales or market share, there is increasing need for the organization to operate in a socially responsible manner. This significantly boosts its sustainability in the long run.

References

Applegate, A., & Johnson, A. (2007). Cases in advertising and marketing management. Toronto: Rowman & Littlefield.

Armstrong, G., & Kotler, P. (2010). Marketing: An Introduction: Global Edition. New York: Pearson.

Learn Marketing.net (2012). Market targeting options. Retrieved from http://www.learnmarketing.net/targeting.htm

Young, et al. (2008). Principles of marketing. UK: Rex Bookstores.

Executive Summary

The general business plan is prepared for Best Choice Companys management, as it was requested by the owner, Mr. Mohammed AL Shaikh (Abu Omar). The purpose of preparing the plan is to assess the Managers abilities and strategies to handle the new and current investment of Best Choice in Malaysia. The Malaysian market is promising for the investment in the Middle East region because the countrys export and import relations develop, and GDP grows annually. In this context, much attention should be paid to investing into the countrys palm oil industry because it contributes to the Malaysian economic progress significantly.

The key approaches to handling the investment that can be discussed as advantageous for Best Choice Company include the development of promising relationships with suppliers, customers, and partners; the integration of diversification approaches to distributing investments; the implementation of the differentiation strategy for improving the potential of the industry; the expansion of operations; and the minimization of risks. The core financial elements, such as the potential financial profits and risks, are addressed. Funding requirements, such as banks, business owners, and other options, are also identified.

The management team includes me as a Manager and potential candidates who will be employed for the promotion and completion of sale strategies. The ability to track the business is also supported by references to my personal and professional skills and leadership. I have comprehensive knowledge regarding the development of small and medium enterprises and associated investment options. I am focused on promoting sustainable strategies in business. I have developed managerial skills, and I am also able to train the personnel.

Company Description

Promoters and Shareholders

At the current stage of the business development, the focus is on the managerial potential of the firm and activities of Area Manager (Abu Maha). The selection of the secretary candidate is possible. As a Manager, I am responsible for directing all business activities and dealing with experts in the areas of interest. My activities are associated with the financial and legal areas, as well as the sphere of engineering.

In the company, shareholders are Mr. Sami Alsubieh and Mr. Mohammed ALshaikh, whose number of shares is about 1,000,000. It is possible to speak about the 50% shareholding and associated cash investment.

Long-Term Aim of the Business

To contribute to the growth of Best Choice Company in East Asia, and particularly in Malaysia, with the focus on expanding operations in the region; increasing the number of customers; establishing high-profit margins related to investments; diversifying opportunities for investing in industries; as well as on minimizing risks.

Objectives

1. To develop the working strategic plan on increasing profits or revenues within the next 3-5 years.
2. To develop and integrate the plan on expanding operations in the region for the next 3-5 years.
3. To develop and implement an effective investment plan.
4. To minimize investment risks by 50%.
5. By the end of the third year, to increase the profits by 65%.
6. To develop and integrate the differentiation strategy.

SWOT Analysis

Market Analysis

Target Market

The market of Malaysia develops actively. The GDP for 2016 is potentially composed of 1.2% for agriculture, 4% for industry, and 5% for services (Malaysia Profile par. 2). In this context, the palm oil industry is emphasized, having more than 40% share of the palm oil production worldwide (Palm Oil Research par. 3). In 2014, more than 19 billion tons of palm oil was produced in Malaysia (Figure 1; Just How Big is Malaysias Palm Oil Industry? par. 3).

Total Market Valuation

The palm oil industry is divided into such segments as the seed nursery, planting, and collecting, followed by the production of oil. This industry accounts for more than 5% of the countrys GDP (Just How Big is Malaysias Palm Oil Industry? par. 3). More than 90% of the oil was exported in 2012 (Palm Oil Research par. 3). More than 550,000 people are employed in this industry (Palm Oil Research par. 4). The industry develops because the global consumer demand for palm oil products increases annually.

Market Trends

Currently, the sector accounts for more than RM50 billion. Although there were fluctuations in the volume of production and exports during 2014the early part of 2015 caused by the flooding, the current growth of the industry is stable (Malaysia: 2014/15 Palm Oil Production Affected by Flooding par. 3). The Malaysian industry is targeted to reach RM178 billion by 2020, and 98% of funding will be from the private sector, reinforcing their leading role in steering the palm oil industry (Malaysias Palm Oil Industry Needs to Enhance Upstream Productivity par. 2). To address the future demands, it is necessary to increase the productivity of the industry with the focus on the expanded investment opportunities.

Profile of Competitors

The domestic competition in the Malaysian palm oil industry is represented by BLD Plantation Bhd, Genting Plantations, and Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd among other smaller companies. Still, the main global competitor in Indonesia that shares more than 46% of palm oil production worldwide (Figure 2; Rusmana and Listiyorini par. 4).

Marketing/Sales Strategy

Marketing Strategy

The proposed marketing strategy is based on using the principles of social responsibility and implementing low-budget and high-impact marketing techniques.

The company should focus on promoting sustainability in operations to address the needs of stakeholders, the problem of environmental protection and the lack of lands for palm oil production in Malaysia.

The focus is on:

1. Developing relationships with suppliers, customers, and partners.
2. The integration of diversification approaches.
3. The implementation of the differentiation strategy.
4. The expansion of operations.
5. Minimization of risks.
6. Addressing the needs of the community and consumers.

The benefits of this approach are in attracting the interests of the community not only in Malaysia but also worldwide because of respecting the principles of social responsibility and applying low-cost techniques. The expected results are the expansion of the companys operations and the increased impact on the industry.

Sales Strategy

In the context of the sales strategy, it is appropriate to use the services of domestic and international agents and sales representatives who spread the information regarding the products and services worldwide to increase the potential sales. Revenue sharing partners are also involved in enhancing the productivity of the supported facilities. The website should include information regarding changes in the companys profitability to attract potential partners and consumers.

Pricing

The price should be set depending on the competitors prices, production costs, as well as on the assessment of the overall competition in the global market.

Marketing and Communications Strategy

The promotion is based on direct marketing, the reference to developed public relations, the usage of the website and social media to report on the sales and update the information important to stakeholders and shareholders. The companys representatives should participate in conferences and exhibitions to inform the public about their achievements.

Research and Development

It is important to conduct more researches to investigate how consumer demands and the land abilities to produce the raw resources change over the determined period. To meet market demands in the future, it is necessary to invest more in increasing the land capacity and development of facilities to produce palm oil among other competitive products.

Staffing and Operations

Staffing

With the focus on more investment projects and diversification and differentiation strategies, it is important to increase the number of employees and pay more attention to facilitating their productivity. The staff having different managerial skills to support the operations related to the particular type of investments will be employed.

Training Plans

Focusing on worldwide sales and expanded operations, managers and employees need to participate in training sessions to improve their specific knowledge or skills.

Operations

More production facilities should be built to address changes in the increased production. The innovative equipment is expected to be used to protect the environment.

Financial Projections

Key Assumptions

The projected income sources include the promoters funds, the investments of business owners, and the lending from Malaysian banks. The current number of employees will be increased by 10%. The highest part of investments will be spent on improving the productivity and expanding operations. The small part will be spent on equipment, research, and development, as well as training.

Profit & Loss Accounts

Projected profit and loss accounts for the first three years of the companys operations.

Balance Sheets

Projected balance sheets for the first three years of the companys operations.

Cashflow

Monthly cash flow prediction for the first two years of the companys operations.

Sales Pipeline

The sales pipeline will depend on the number of customers that we will be dealing with, the size of the deal (that can be small or big), the profits of getting the sales, and the expected PO. The focus on the sales pipeline will allow choosing partners and customers with whom it is possible to develop beneficial relationships.

Funding Requirements

The promoters funds, the investments of business owners, and the lending from Malaysian banks are identified sources that are important to support the implementation of the determined strategies to expand palm oil production in the Malaysian and global markets.

Works Cited

Just How Big is Malaysias Palm Oil Industry? 2015. Web.

Malaysia Profile. 2016. Web.

Malaysia: 2014/15 Palm Oil Production Affected by Flooding. 2015. Web.

Malaysias Palm Oil Industry Needs to Enhance Upstream Productivity. 2015. Web.

Palm Oil Research. 2016. Web.

Rusmana, Yoga, and Eko Listiyorini. Palm Oil Sales from Top Grower Dropping First Time Since . 2015. Web.