Category: Business Planning

Executive Summary

The paper is the business plan summary for the offered innovative business model. The business model concept is based on the emerging need in the broad customer segments to lead a healthy life despite the existing pressures and the ever-increasing pace and need for mobility. This need is also explained by the increasing costs of health care at the global level making it unavailable for the growing numbers of people worldwide.

To cover the existing gap and satisfy the demand, this project will offer a business plan of an enterprise producing devices for analysis of solid and liquid food and drinks quality. The proposed working title for the device is portable lab tester. The gadget is intended with the dimensions of a standard mobile phone of 5*12 centimeters and it will come in different colors. Its major parts will be the screen demonstrating the testing results, the liquids testing area with dimensions of 1*1 centimeters and round shape for placing the research sample, and the testing stylet for evaluating the solid substances using placing it inside them. The mediums of the device are plastic, glass, metal, and rare chemical substances. The estimated price per device is $29.

As the product intended value is the provision of data helping people to make healthier choices in their lives, it is reasonable to assume this innovative solution will be of interest to customers from broad consumer segments. Market research has indicated a gap in solutions production for testing of food and drink quality. The existing devices are quite uncomfortable, heavy, use outdated technologies, and provide means to test only solid products or liquids in separate.

Business Canvas

Channels

Direct and indirect channels. Direct channels will include the sales force, marketing in the Internet, TV advertising, and thematic publications for the people interested in a healthy lifestyle and striving to find the opportune time for themselves despite the pressures they face. Indirect channels will include partner stores and partner web resources.

Customer relationships

Customer relations are a crucial component for the business stability since the business model implicates selling and serving the gadgets for food and drink quality checking. It is crucial to build high customer trust and brand awareness in the targeted segment of buyers (Goetsch & Davis 2014).

Customer segments

Urban and rural men and women aged between 18 to 75 with income beyond the poverty line. The product is intended for the broad customer segment since its primary goal is to help broad layers of customers stay healthy despite the pressures they may have in life such as lasting business trips and staying away from home for a long time.

Key activities

Key activities include manufacturing, service provision, marketing, and selling the invented device. Production cycle will include the manufacturing of the devices, employee training, and employee motivation. Service provision will include providing maintenance service to repair the sold devices if needed and sell the parts for device maintenance. Marketing will include promoting the product value among the wide masses of people. Sales will incorporate establishing partner relationships with the retail networks to sell the product in a variety of shopping areas, especially the thematic ones dedicated to the solutions for healthy living.

Key resources

Human resources and physical resources. Human resources assume the top-performing professionals in their areas of health and highly technological gadgets manufacturing and marketing. Physical resources include materials, equipment, manufacturing premises, and company offices.

Value proposition

A solution for the problem of food and drink testing for the presence of harmful chemical and biological agents to prevent the hazards of nutrition intoxication and/or being infected. Potential customer personality is a person who is concerned about ones health and strives to eat healthy but has to stay in constant motion due to a variety of reasons. This person is subjected to the increased hazards of consuming bad quality food and drinks (Aung & Chang 2014). To prevent this risk, the proposed gadget will be implemented to check the food safety.

Cost structure

Fixed costs formed from the manufacturing costs, employee payment, innovation development costs, and company image promotion and branding.

Revenue streams

The revenue stream is formed from two sources which are the gadget sales and revenues gained through gadget maintenance and support services providers.

Business Description

• Venture Name: GO HEALTHY.
• Slogan: Take care of your health even when you are far away from home!
• Vision: people deserve good health even when life requires staying in motion.
• Mission: help people make better choices in life to support good health.
• Location: international business.
• Geographic reach: internationally.
• Business concept: the company will produce and market its unique product the innovative gadget entitled GO HEALTHY portable lab tester.
• Business model: direct sales.
• Brief organizational structure: the main headquarters and branches in the countries around the globe market the company product through different channels of sales.

Management Team

• Management Team & Key Personnel: the head of the manufacturing department, the head of innovation and technical support department, the head of the marketing department, financial director, HR director, and middle-level business administration.
• Professional Advisors & Independent Contractors: invited business auditor and body of scholars evaluating the effectiveness of the gadget performance.
• Stakeholders: the inventory team, the suppliers, the marketers, and the sales partners.

Industry and Market Analysis

Introduction of Industry and Market Analysis

The healthcare industry, disease prevention, and health promotion are the growing segments today. People express the growing concern about their health condition and the ever-increasing costs of healthcare services (Aung & Chang 2014). For this reason, they are looking for alternative solutions for preventing additional problems with health. Recent research studies have indicated that the problem of low-quality food and drinks is getting the global problem (Aung & Chang 2014).

Because it is impossible to detect whether food or drinks have harmful agents or infection in them, a growing number of people find it difficult to purchase quality food. This is especially the case for the people who travel to unfamiliar areas, where it is even more complex to determine whether the nutrition products are of sufficient quality because of the local differences (Aung & Chang 2014). The intended innovative device aims at addressing this issue.

Industry analysis via secondary research

The industry analysis via secondary research has demonstrated that other participants of the market have indicated increasing customer demand for the solutions helping to prevent the existing problem of nutrition intoxication (Aung & Chang 2014; Goetsch & Davis 2014). These companies have introduced certain solutions for the problem, but those devices lack portability, are costly, and are oriented only on the evaluation of the quality of liquid or solid products.

Size, growth rate, and sales projections

The market size can be estimated as billions of U.S. dollars and can be compared to the market of blood pressure measuring devices because the innovative tool is intended for the broad layers of the global population.

Distribution Channels

Distribution channels will include the thematic shops selling goods for the health, pharmaceutical networks, and online sales platforms oriented on health promotion products sales.

Entry Strategy

The company will begin at the local market and will then expand to the western market because it is the biggest market with the demand for healthcare solutions, and then, it will enter the remaining markets in the global arena.

Product and Service Development Plan

Overview of products and services

The company will offer its innovative device for control of food quality. Also, the enterprise will provide maintenance service.

Resources, capabilities, and competencies

The company resources include human resources, production facilities, and materials along with the technological solutions and innovative proficiency.

Plan and timeline for prototyping and testing

After the first pilot device is manufactured and tested, three months will pass before the model release into the mass production.

Challenges and risks

The main challenge is product promotion since the device is innovative and the wide public is not informed about its value and potential. Therefore, at least six months will be needed to achieve remarkable marketing results.

Intellectual property

The company will sign intellectual property agreement with the engineers and software programmers participating in the product development to purchase the intellectual property rights.

Reference List

Aung, M & Chang, Y 2014, Traceability in a food supply chain: Safety and quality perspectives, Food Control, vol. 39, pp. 172-184. Web.

Goetsch, D & Davis, S 2014, Quality management for organizational excellence, Pearson, London. Web.

Executive Summary

The UAE had never valued education until recently when its government began several initiatives and educational reform programs to promote educational growth in several areas of its boundaries. Since 2006, demand for education across the UAE seems to increase each successive year, as the labor market continues to search for more powerful and competent talent to meet the increasing industrial and corporate challenges that seem to demand more professional competency among the fresh graduates. The UAE economy is suffering from the lack of professionally trained experts to meet the labor market demands that seem to require career-focused trained experts. The Learners Hope University School will help learners develop through providing career-focused and student-centered education among the Emirati learners and to provide the most professional form of education.

The inspiration behind the development of the university idea for the establishment of the Learners Hope University came following the increasing market for engineers, scientists, and technologists in the UAE labor market given the demand for such experts in several private and government corporations. Most of the UAE universities have tried to bring up students with career abilities but have continually failed due to a lack of adequate training skills necessary for the development of career-focused learners. The Learners Hope University seeks to ignite a new wave of learning through its strategic objectives and aims that will always drive the achievement of the overall goals of the institution. In its goals, the Learners Hope University strives to promote talent development, support the development of a highly skilled and highly talented workforce.

Additionally, the Learners Hope University seeks to improve research and development through technology and offer carrier-focused, student-centered and quality-driven education. In its mission, the University seeks to contributive innovatively towards nurturing the homegrown UAE talents, through providing the most appropriate university education that inspires effective learning, effective professional development, and effective socio-economic development of the Dubai inhabitants.

In its marketing plan, the institution seeks to differentiate itself using advanced teaching and learning techniques in the engineering, science, and technology areas. From an external assessment, the institution may face some challenges coming from the retrogressive government policies on private education, growing competition from the state-sponsored institutions, the free-of-charge government education, and curriculum conflict. Internally, insufficient funding, the lack of enough human resources and knowledge of the UAE investment procedures may impede the investment.

The Learners Hope University School will target learners who are fresh from their secondary graduation, learners on transfer, and learners from the working class. Regarding segmenting its market target, the institution will conduct a broad campaign program through facilitative education, career guidance programs, workshop programs in workplaces to sensitize learners about proper career selection and career development. With this in place, the institution will entice its customers through subsidized fees, free sponsorships, voluntary workshop programs, and free funding programs. The Learners Hope University School will use a market-oriented pricing strategy that will rely on the assessed market prices to set its tuition and program fees. Regarding business ethics, the institution will promote fairness, honesty, non-maleficence, mutual beneficence, and law compliance. In promoting social responsibility, the institution will engage in community research and community development programs.

Business Strategy

The UAE had not been valuing education until recently when the government began several initiatives to promote educational growth in several areas of its boundaries. Education is increasingly becoming the source of social development and professional growth in the UAE given the considerable rates of growth in business technology and entrepreneurship (Judd 45). New ways of delivering education and helping people to achieve various professional skills have emerged to support educational growth and development in the United Arab Emirates. Nowadays, the UAE and especially the City of Dubai is slowly becoming the topmost destination for professional development, business investment, and modern entrepreneurship in the entire Middle East region (Morrison 305). The government policies on Foreign Direct Investment and the internal investment for the investors are favorable, and new investments have opened opportunities for other educational opportunities.

The idea of starting the Learners Hope University originates from the fact that most natives of the UAE are yearning for better higher education to replace the foreign expatriates who have currently dominated several professional opportunities in their country. Moreover, other international students who are seeking overseas learning opportunities prefer the UAE as their educational destination, as it provides various opportunities to explore educational research. The pace of educational growth for professional and technological expertise is unrelenting, and learners from all lifestyles nowadays prefer the UAE as their educational destination to explore both adventure and education (Judd 37). To expand chances for professional development and capacity building, the Learners Hope University is bringing new learning opportunities to explore technology, science and engineering areas of education to meet the growing demands for technological advancement.

The Learners Hope University School will offer the Emirati learners with a transformed form of education where the knowledge achieved would influence their professional demands in all possible ways. To fulfill the dreams of the Emirati knowledge seeker, the Learners Hope University School is going to establish a state-of-the-art learning institution that will come up with new learning solutions to fit the demands of the learners in the technology, science, and engineering fields. The highest objectivity of the intended business is to tap the investment opportunities that exist in the Emirati government and transform the learning experiences of the Emirati learners by providing sustainable learning solutions to the long-term problems that have been marring the UAE tertiary institutions. In real sense, most of the tertiary learning institutions are still producing incompetent graduates.

Business Goals

To strive towards promoting talent development in the innovation world

Even though technology seems to influence several learning and professional growth opportunities, many students in the UAE are yet to reap the benefit of their talents in the new world of technology (Judd 25). According to Judd, the people of UAE are slowly learning the need to boost their talents through innovation, and technological education is now crucial (51).

To support the development of highly innovative manpower

The UAE government and most of its corporate organizations, both public and private corporations, are still relying on the knowledge and skills of the expatriates in their daily corporate activities (Judd 103). Time has come for the UAE to nurture its homegrown talent for higher productivity and better business future in the UAE.

To develop a new way of delivering higher education through technology

Most of the UAE universities and higher learning institutions are using the traditional means of delivering education (Morrison 455). These traditional strategies seem to affect the effectiveness of graduates in the UAE universities, and their practice at work seems comprised. As Morrison postulates, bolstering new learning styles will improve the learning experience in the UAE (323).

To upgrade the engineering and technology studies to higher standards

The UAE is relying on imported labor in the engineering and technology fields because its homegrown engineers and technologists are increasingly proving unreliable in the major fields (Morrison 508). Revamping higher education to promote standardized education in engineering and technology will highly improve the professional standards of engineers.

To offer thorough student training by combining theory and practice

The Learners Hope University seeks to provide thorough training through a combination of study and practical work experience to help learners understand and differentiate between theory and practice. Most homegrown UAE workers tend to perform well in schools and underperform in their workplaces.

To improve research and development through technology

Research shows that most of the modern UAE ventures have neglected the practice of research and development as a problem assessment tool (Morrison 241). To empower the importance of research and development, the Learners Hope University will set up standards for research and development to help the learning and working institutions.

To offer carrier-focused, student-centered and quality-driven education

Most of what is happening in the UAE learning institutions is a mere theory that cripples students from understanding the main value of practice in their desired careers (Nasr 178). The Learners Hope University will be a learning institution that will inspire students to achieve a quality-driven and a career-focused education that will bolster their careers.

Mission Statement

To contributive innovatively towards nurturing the homegrown UAE talents, through providing the most appropriate university education that inspires effective learning, effective professional development, and effective socio-economic development of the Dubai inhabitants.

External/Internal Environment

External Environment

Retrogressive government policies on private education- While setting up a university in the UAE may be a suitable idea that will boost the learning outcomes of the higher learning education; the UAE has policies that may directly affect the development of our idea (Vardhan 3). Since the government noticed that some malicious internationally acclaimed higher-education institutions were extorting money from the parents in the name of offering professional education, several unfavorable policies have emerged to control the influence of the private institutions in the UAE education sector. Despite the fact that the policies have a positive impact on reforming the UAE higher education sector, most of the policies have oppressed private learning institutions. Most of the internationally acclaimed higher-education institutions are now serving under the oppressive regulations for the benefit of promoting higher education.

Growing Competition from the State-sponsored institutions-The Emiratis is increasingly enjoying state-sponsored educational opportunities at both the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels as part of the national wide educational reform program (Vardhan 7). In the year 2013, over 605,000 students joined the 489 private institutions for various educational purposes (Vardhan 2). This number exceeded the students who joined the 685 government-sponsored higher learning institutions by almost half given the fact that only 305,000 male and female fresh undergraduates attended the public universities and colleges.

Such statistical data reveals that there are several established higher learning private institutions in the UAE. The external environment of the Learners Hope University is, therefore, full of competition that comes from various fully-established private learning institutions (Vardhan 5). The available 489 private institutions may pose significant competition to the aspiring ventures such as the Learners Hope University School.

The Free-of-Charge Government Education According to Purnendu, the government policy and initiatives that support the Emirati students to acquire free of charge higher-level education is another challenge for the idea of establishing the private Learners Hope University School (100). Although the nation is full of financially stable families that are capable of self-sponsoring their children to attain private education, the governments urge to support parents to cater for higher learning education has gained remarkable support from the many parents (Judd 33).

The tertiary-level institutions of the UAE government enjoy enough legislative support from the government, financial support from various accredited government sponsors, have better accreditation, and have enough equipment and funding to cater to various learning needs. In contrast, regardless of the efforts made by various private institutions towards providing better educations, the government exerts enough power and pressure on many learners.

Curriculum Conflict Even though the demand for higher learning is growing in the UAE and several private and public higher learning institutions are mushrooming for the purpose of fulfilling the urge for higher education, curriculum conflict is another problem. The business idea of setting up the Learners Hope University may face significant challenges when trying to establish its learning programs that are likely going to use more advanced curriculum strategies. The university investment may face significant skepticisms and criticisms from the public due to its curriculum nature that is going to bring new revolutions in the higher learning sector. Curriculum conflict between the intended institution and the government institutions may somewhat discourage the learners and parents from engaging with the established institution for the fear of receiving the wrong credentials that may affect their future career dreams.

Internal Environment

An unstable financial foundation the greatest limitation that may hinder the development of the idea of the Learners Hope University School is the lack of enough financial support to boost the development of a fully-fledged higher learning institution in the highly competitive UAE market. University investments are currently ranking as the most expensive business ventures given their large space requirements, their huge infrastructural demands, and their costly equipment that are on rare access. A young university investment is likely incapable of having the required financial stability to meet all the necessary requirements that meet the professional learning standards. When viewed from a competitive perspective, most of the UAE higher learning institutions have a well-established learning infrastructure that most probably cost millions of investment funds (Purnendu 28). Financial instabilities will, therefore, hamper the effective development and implementation of the intended university business.

Insufficient Human Resource The intended Learners Hope University business venture may face a stiff investment challenge that may come from the scarcely available human capital that is essential in executing several developmental and educational activities as articulated in the business charter. The people of Emirati still lack the required professionalism to work in various fields, as education seems to have begun its influence late in the twenty-first century (Judd 42). The majority of the people working in the learning institutions of Emirati, whether the secondary or tertiary public or private learning institutions are expatriates who are reaping the benefits of offering their professional knowledge to the unlearned individuals (Judd 70). The Learners Hope University School business may submit to the pressure of importing professional labor for developing the infrastructure and training the students after the institution establishes its foundation.

Lack of knowledge about the UAE investment procedures Investment calls for an understanding of various investment procedures and policies in the United Arab Emirates. Most of the companies that initially failed to understand the necessary investment procedures in the United Arab Emirates have historically ended up facing numerous settling challenges (Judd 39). The main challenge that bewilders the idea of setting up the Learners Hope University is the lack of appropriate information concerning all the procedures and requirements of investing in college and university businesses. The UAE universities require several investment requirements, several procedural requirements, and several legal requirements to make an establishment successful. When initiating the Learners Hope University School business, these procedures may delay or permanently disfigure the predetermined plans for the expected investment. To tackle the dilemma requires an assessment of the UAEs investment procedures.

Market Needs & Opportunities

Market Needs

Demand for Education- after the UAE government realized that its FDI investment policies are encouraging an upsurge of the foreign investors and foreign expatriates, its investment focus suddenly shifted on developing its homegrown talent to secure the future of the UAE government and the labor market (Purnendu 19). Since the beginning of 2008, the demand for a higher education that will offer expert knowledge to the learners has increased threefold, and the number of universities has also improved significantly. Thousands of students completing their secondary education are meeting exceptional offers to join universities to further their education in various professional programs for the benefit of meeting the expected educational reforms in the UAE (Purnendu 32). Over 80 percent of the girls who graduate in secondary schools get opportunities to join various public and private universities.

Demand for better education-As learners increasingly understands the need to pursue higher education for various professional benefits, knowledge about better education is nowadays increasing among the learners and parents of Emirati. Regardless of the fact that university knowledge is on high demand, people are demanding not just for education, but a better education that conforms to the demands of modern professionalism. A research on the Emirati universities shows that some higher learning institutions are not providing education that meets the professional standards of higher learning, and since they ventured into the university business predominantly for monetary gains, they regularly fail to train and produce experts (Sahlberg 265). Learners Hope University business is aware of the demand for better, career-focused and student-centered education among the Emirati learners and is willing to provide the most professional education.

Technologically reinforced Education Whereas the demand for education is relentless among most of the Emirati learners, most of the universities currently providing higher learning opportunities are failing to provide technologically supported learning for effective professional growth. Emirati graduates tend to come out to the labor market with little or no knowledge about the use of technology in boosting production, professional growth, communication, and skills in the science and engineering areas (Sahlberg 269). Most of the UAE investments are finding it difficult to hire homegrown workers and professionals in the fields of engineering, science, and technology because what the graduates possess is not in tandem with what the companies are looking for from the labor market. As demonstrated in the industrial studies that investigate the power of human capital, there is a lack of educational programs that foster and propagate the achievement of 21st-century skills.

Market Opportunities

Governmental support for Education what inspires the business of the Learners Hope University School is the uninterrupted government support from the Emirati government that seems to employ several strategies to reform the higher learning sector for better professional growth. To attain most of its 21^st-Century goals, the government of Emirati sees education as a prospective opportunity for social development and economic growth (Sahlberg 262). In its millennium development goals, the UAE government is keen on the forty million young Middle East people who might enter the labor market in the next ten years. To fulfill this ambition that seems to arouse some ambitious strategies and plans for the entire UAE government, education is the only solution that will inspire further entrepreneurial development, innovation, and professional growth for more globalization and corporate development.

Large numbers of clients (students)  Another significant inspiration that makes the idea of the Learners Hope University School noteworthy is the increasing numbers of students, who are the primary customers of the business. Students from within the Arab economies and others from other foreign countries have begun developing interests in studying within Dubai. Approximately 600, 000 students graduate from the high schools levels each year, with a majority of them, almost half of the high school graduates opting for private higher learning institutions than the publicly-sponsored universities (Sahlberg 260). The presence of such a trend reveals that the prospective future of the Learners Hope University is bright in Dubai as what matters most for many new businesses is getting the starting customer numbers. The above population is adequate to help the Learners Hope University begin its business.

Marketing Strategy

Segmentation/Target Market

Segmentation of the fresh undergraduates most of the fresh undergraduates who are from the secondary schools lack the ideas of which careers are marketable in the UAE and across the world. Fresh undergraduates from the secondary schools need effective guidance, effective knowledge about career selection, and an explanation of the career opportunities that can easily make them acquire their first jobs (Sahlberg 265). With this in mind, Leaners Hope University School will have a strategically-organized marketing team of experts and tutors who will visit private and public primary schools before the onset of the national exams to encourage and enlighten learners about the best career opportunities in the UAE and across the world. The headteachers of the high schools will have all the details of our university as the experts try to sensitize their learners with free sponsorships for the top performers.

Segmentation of the working-class students the Learners Hope University School understands that some companies often sponsor their workers to achieve various diplomas and degrees through their professional development programs. Moreover, several working-class individuals want to expand their professional capabilities by achieving certain degrees and diplomas. To tap the clients from the working-class group, the learners Hope University will have a strategic plan for meeting the interests and priorities of these learners. The learners Hope University will send its high-skilled professors and tutors to initiate workshop programs and vocational training schemes within the workplaces to persuade the interested clients. The Learners Hope University will have part-time, weekend, partial, and holiday student classes for the working class students. The university will offer some programs at subsidized fees, some through sponsorships, and some through voluntary study workshops.

Students on Transfer-The Learners Hope University expects to receive several new learners from other higher learning institutions in the UAE. The majority of these learners will probably have done some courses or covered some semesters, and trimesters. To assure these learners of their comfortable continuity with their initially covered programs, the university will have a systematic selection processes and a flexible learning program that will allow an inclusion of the continuing students. These students will have subsidized fee payments that will include the deductions for the costs of the initially covered programs, semesters, and courses. During enrollment, the tutor and the professors will scrutinize their learning progress and facilitate supportive programs for an easy transition into the institutional learning system. They will access free books, free online learning assistance, and free library access for encouragement.

Intended Business Positioning

As we strive towards achieving our goals, we understand that our positioning strategy remains affected by the customers motivations and requirements, as well as the actions of our competitors. The Learners Hope University School will have a unique business model that will make it exceptional from other college and university investments across the UAE. The idea behind the establishment of the Learners Hope University School lies on the notion that the UAE still lacks enough engineering, science, and technology experts to meet the labor market demands. One of the primary causes of such variations is the lack of universities and colleges that are willing to offer competent engineering, science, and technology education. The focus of the Learners Hope University School is to offer engineering, science, and technology education that will meet the demands of the labor market.

The Learners Hope University School will achieve this market positioning by facilitating a high skill technologically-supported education where students will convert their creativities into tangible and intangible developmental products. For instance, while dealing with computer engineering in the Information Technology education, all learners will have the opportunity to transform their creative ideas into sellable software, hardware material, computer applications and other important marketable products. When dealing with engineering, learners will come out understanding all the facets of engineering including the engineering principles, practical engineering, and solution-centered engineering. Most of the learning institutions have tried to bring up practical engineers, scientists, and technologists but have failed miserably to meet this hard demand. Through a modern learning framework, the Learners Hope University School will offer students with an opportunity to achieve a career-centered education.

Product Analysis

Competitive Advantages

Strategic options for the learning programs The Learners Hope University School will inspire and revolutionize learning experiences in Dubai following its strategic learning and teaching options. The fields of Information Technology, Science, and Engineering have become the most important areas of study in the UAE as many organizations and business ventures are investing in these three areas (Nasr 187). Due to the market demands leveled against the institutions to produce more scientists, engineers, and technological experts, diplomas and degrees in technology-based, science-based, and engineer-based studies have become very marketable. The most sought after courses in many universities across the world are courses dealing with technology, science, engineering, and other alternatives that revolutionize education experience through innovative learning programs. In the UAE, the government is increasingly finding options to boost the homegrown talent in the three respective areas.

Long-lasting interactive learning solutions The Learners Hope University School expects to integrate state-of-the-art learning programs and initiatives that bolster the learning experiences of the learners. Across the world, undergraduates have come to understand the need to embrace skill-based interactive learning that helps students to gain competent professional knowledge about their intended carriers (Nasr 156). Interactive learning that helps to promote quick development and expansion of cognitive skills and creative thinking has become the most yearned form of education. Learners are looking for learning options that can make them active participants and not dormant learners and therefore, the Learners Hope University School may reap several benefits from this strategic curriculum program. The Learners Hope University School will have efficient and skillfully trained experts to deliver education with the most anticipated learning standards.

Threats against the Product

Curriculum compatibility-Even though the idea of setting up the Learners Hope University stands out as an exceptional project due to its unique nature in delivering education and promoting career growth, a challenge that is imminent against this investment is the conformity with the national curriculum. Although most of the elements in the curriculum strategically fit the curriculum requirements designed for the universities and colleges, the few programs that should boost innovative and interactive learning may be debatable whenever the authorities fail to understand their essence (Nasr 148). The curriculum of the Learners Hope University school comes with some distinct variations although the main content is exactly the one expected by the ministry of education. Due to the strict regulations set against the old learning programs, the ministry of education may find our extensive curriculum ambiguous.

Competition from established Universities Competition for the acquisition of higher learning education is equally same as the competition for investing in the higher learning education business. In the UAE, firms began realizing the growing impetus for education that links theoretical learning and career-focused education in the early 2007s, when the government of Emirati noted the increasing importance of education. The government of UAE recently released statistics about the higher learning sector and concluded that there are about 75, well-established technology, science and engineering universities that have earned remarkable reputations (Nasr 193). Over 30 of these universities are currently receiving extensive government supports in the establishment of the learning programs, infrastructural development, student development, skill nurturing, and talent search. These reputable universities are likely going to affect the progress and talent search of the intended university establishment.

Place Analysis

Competitive Advantages

UAE as an Arab Economic Hub-The UAE is the economic hub in the Eastern part of the world and laws on investment are increasingly assisting investors to have the willingness to invest and capture the available business opportunities. Minimal investment restrictions and minimal regulations against investments are some of the empowering factors. The government of Emirati has been attracting investors through its investment friendly policies that have welcomes numerous investors who are keen to build the population (Nasr 156). Due to the rapid expansion of the national economy, the middle-income population has increased, and the number of learners and working class people willing to invest in their higher learning education has increased. The level of economic stability among the native and foreign residents working in the UAE has improved, and their abilities to cater for personal education are as well stable.

Low Tariffs and Free Trade Zones the UAE government has provided investors with favorable investment policies that enable an easy establishment of the small, medium, and large-scale enterprises (Nasr 235). The government of Emirati has placed low trade tariffs and little non-tariff barriers for business investors, consequently making the UAE an investment destination that sparks hope and little uncertainties among the investors (Nasr 132). Through the leveraged trade tariffs, setting up the infrastructure for the university and purchasing the equipment for the learners and the offices will be relatively cheap and undemanding. To its advantage, the quick clearance processes for the imported goods would help the Learners Hope University to acquire its investment facilities and equipment at considerably low price rates (Nasr 189). Moreover, construction engineers and equipment suppliers are easily available within the UAE market for quick infrastructural setup.

Threats in the Intended Location

Certain levels of illiteracies- The government of the UAE has been trying to stabilize education from the elementary and secondary levels, but has ended up getting mixed results of success and failures. Educational performance in the high school levels popularly known as the secondary schools is still deficient as the students tend to have low educational outcomes, but finally get access to the universities (Nasr 301). Given the government support for education and its encouragement towards the large university enrollments in the UAE, without considering the levels of literacies and performances, the Learners Hope University may receive students who are incompetent in learning higher education. According to the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), most of the secondary public and private schools have been underperforming and failing the students to meet the grades expected to join the tertiary learning institutions.

Integrated Communications Analysis

Competitive Advantage of our system-The Learners Hope University School intends to use both traditional and modern communication platforms to communicate its business idea to the UAE community. The institution will use television advertisements and magazines as the traditional broadcasting means to communicate its business idea. Additionally, the modern communication platforms such as the social media marketing platforms will have an imperative role in marketing the Learners Hope University to the UAE population. To a competitive advantage, the above communication systems offer the cheapest, easiest, most transformed, and most efficient means of advertising.

A threat to our system- what threatens the use of these communication platforms is that televisions are increasingly become program-oriented, and viewers may receive information only during certain hours, thus affecting information efficiency. The magazines are becoming obsolete as the young generation turns to the Internet means of communication and the digital platforms, which are increasingly becoming popular. Additionally, information in social media may not be effective as predicted due to the lack of enough seriousness towards making social media more professional and official.

Pricing Analysis

Competitive Advantage of our system-The intended Learners Hope University School is going to use the market-oriented pricing strategy and the penetration pricing strategy to entice its consumers to join the University. With the market-oriented pricing, the university administration will carry out a systematic market review of the UAE universities to determine the market pricing trends before designing its prices. After a market analysis, the institution may consider using a penetration pricing strategy to encourage its consumers before setting its reasonable fee charges. These two strategies will allow an easy market penetration and a moderate business gain. The two pricing strategies will also act as motivators for the economically unstable learners.

Threats to our system- The first fee rates may seem unrealistic due to the onset of promotional strategies that will aim at attracting learners to join our institution. When the future of the institution relies on such strategies, the universities may face some serious economic downturns due to the increased costs of operations and low income. An imbalance in the two pricing strategies may lead to serious administrative and management problems as the institution requires enough money to run the administrative responsibilities, compensate its workers, and meet its developmental goals. To counter this dilemma, the university will set up a separate finance sector.

Ethical Issues and Social Responsibilities

Our Ethical Principles

Promoting Fairness and Honest Courses of Actions the Learners Hope University will remain committed to engaging in transparent decisions while respecting its learners, its workers, and the entire university community members. The university community shall in turn act with fairness and honesty, and observe work ethics while considering the plight of every community member.

Compliance with federal, state, and university laws, regulations and policies The Learners Hope University will be keen to promote a law-abiding community starting from the school administration, teaching fraternity, and the learners community. The university will not isolate its laws from those of the federal government, the local authorities, and the ministry of education.

Promoting non-maleficence and encouraging beneficence-The Learners University School intends to avoid all the activities that result to harm and promote all the activities that encourage mutual beneficence. By paying for their education, learners will have access to the most affordable, effective, and transformative education for individual prosperity and beneficence to the larger community.

Our Social Responsibilities

Community Development- the Learners Hope University School will not only promote effective learning in schools, but also join the government in supporting the national education reform agenda. The institution will have a sensitization program aimed towards promoting educational development from the community levels. These programs will promote women education and gender balance.

Community Research- Apart from providing learners with sustainable education, the Learners Hope University intends to promote community research through a serious of research and development programs within its institution. These programs will promote the need to use technology and science for green solutions intended towards environmental protection and sustainable living.

Concluding Comments

Demand for education across the word seems to increase each successive year, as the labor market continues to search for more powerful and competent talent to meet the increasing industrial and corporate challenges that seem to demand more professional competency among the graduates. The UAE is among the developing nations where the need for education calls for more investments in the education sector to promote sustainable educational growth and increased professional growth. The Learners Hope University School seeks to provide the Emiratis with sustainable educational opportunities for present and prospective development to meet the national and global millennium agendas. The areas of Science, Engineering, and Technology seem to be the most anticipated study areas as the corporate world in the UAE continues to reshape towards technological and scientific advancements. The favorable investment policies in the UAE will allow the Learners Hope University School to provide learners with long-term learning solutions.

Works Cited

Judd, Daniel. The Dubai International Conference in Higher Education 2013, Dubai: Universal Learning, 2013. Print.

Morrison, Janet. International Business: Challenges in a Changing World, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print.

Nasr, Seyyed. Forces of Fortune: The Rise of the New Muslim Middle Class and What It Will Mean for Our World, New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009. Print.

Purnendu, Tripathi. Marketing Strategies for Higher Education Institutions: Technological Considerations and Practices: Technological Considerations and Practices, New Delhi: IGI Global, 2013. Print.

Sahlberg, Paul. Education reform for raising economic competitiveness. Journal of Educational Change 7.4 (2006): 259-287.Print.

Vardhan, Julie. Internationalization and the Changing Paradigm of Higher Education in the GCC Countries. Sage Open 1.3(2015): 1-10. Print.

Executive Summary

Freelancer House is a business idea that needs to be implemented in the city of Dubai. The United Arab Emirates business community is embracing the concept of outsourcing human capital instead of having numerous employees hired on a permanent basis. Under this context, it becomes necessary for these companies to have reliable platforms where they can get qualified individuals to fill various vacancies or to help in undertaking given projects. Freelancer House will be an online-based firm that will bring together job seekers and companies. The firm will charge both job seekers and companies some fee. It will also boost its income by allowing companies to advertise in its website.

Industry, Target Customer, and Competitor Analysis

The freelance industry in the United Arab Emirates has experienced massive growth over the years due to emergence of freelance companies such as Elance o-Desk. The number of companies offering freelance services is still relatively few because the concept of freelancing is yet to become popular in the country. However, many firms are now finding it easy and relatively cheap to hire employees who work as freelancers instead of having permanent employees. According to Shelton, freelancing has become very popular in the Western countries, and it is spreading very fast to the other parts of the world (78). This industry has three primary groups of target customers.

The first group of target customers has the companies looking for people to work for them. Companies are willing to pay the freelance company some fee for enabling them to get highly qualified workforce who can undertake various complex tasks. The second group of target customers has the employees themselves. They are always expected to pay some commission every time they are successfully linked to a company that needs their services. The third group of target customers has the advertisers. In 2007 alone, companies in the United Arab Emirates spent over $ 1.3 billion on advertisement (Covello and Hazelgren 56). Companies in this industry have a share of this advertisement money because firms will be using their websites to advertise their products.

Currently, the main competitor in this market is o-Desk and Nabbesh which have been able to attract a considerable market share in this region. These two firms have also developed trust with job seekers, companies looking for employees, and advertisers. Other top freelance companies which have just made an entry into this industry include Toptal, Freelancer, Craiglist, Guru, and Freelance Writing Gigs (McKeever 85). Currently, the industry rivalry rate is relatively low. However, this may change in a near future due to entrance of many other freelance companies into the local market.

Company Description

Freelancer House is a new company that is yet to start its operations. The firm will be based in United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. The primary objective of the firm will be to successfully link professionals in various fields with companies that need their services. The project is still at the idea stage, so it has no history other than the development of the idea. Once the first starts operation, ownership may change as the entrepreneur will be looking for investors to partner with as a way of expanding operations.

So far the biggest achievement has been the development of the idea to make it practical and implementable. The competence of this firm is networking. The entrepreneur intends to use the networking skills to link job seekers and companies in a business context. Freelancer House will primarily be offering services. To the companies, they are offered highly skilled and dedicated personnel. To the job seekers, this firm will be offering them projects that will earn them attractive income. To the advertisers, this firm will be offering them an opportunity to reach out to a wide range of people across the world.

The economic state of the industry is projected to grow considerably in the near future. More companies in Dubai and the country at large are finding it more convenient to use freelancers instead of having permanent employees. This means that money flowing into this industry is poised to increase. Currently, the plan is to run the firm as a sole proprietorship. In case the entrepreneur finds investors willing to be part of this project, then the entrepreneur will sell to them a percentage of the shares of this firm, creating co-ownership.

Service Plan

According to a research by Pinson, the United Arab Emirates has some of the best and well equipped colleges in the region that have been producing highly competent graduates for the last few years (41). However, these highly skilled graduates have faced a major problem of getting the job of their dreams. The country has also experienced influx of talented individuals coming from other countries to look for jobs in cities such as Dubai. Many companies are redesigning their human resource systems. Outsourcing is increasingly becoming popular among the local firms.

The services of this firm are designed to meet these needs. Freelancer House will offer job seekers and companies a platform where they can interact and develop business relationship. The marketing manager will look for available job opportunities from various companies in Dubai and post them in its website. Potential employees interested in the advertised positions will contact the HR director at Freelancer House so that they can be linked with the employer. This firm will also be offering advertisement services to companies within Dubai.

Marketing Plan

The services that will be offered by Freelancer House will be of great benefit to the users. To the job seekers, they will no longer have to make numerous job applications as they used to do before. All they need to do is to visit the website and view available job opportunities whose requirements match their qualifications. To the employers, it may no longer be necessary for them to spend a lot of resources advertising vacancies in the newspapers or other media platforms. All they need to do is to contact this firm and state the qualifications they need. The market that exists is both organizational and consumer based. The companies are organizational clients, while job seekers fall under consumer market.

Freelancer House will be getting into an industry that has well established players. Firms such as o-Desk have been in this business for a very long time hence they understand what it takes to achieve success. This new company will, therefore, have to employ effective marketing strategies to enable it gain competitive edge over its market rivals. This firm will offer superior benefits to its clients compared with what other competitors offer in the market. It will also use advertisements on mass and social media to promote its brand awareness in the market. The entrepreneur also intends to promote relationship marketing as a way of gaining popularity in the market.

Operations and Development Plan

According to Abrams, operating in the service industry is relatively different from operating in the commodities market (63). Freelancer House is getting into an industry that is relatively new in the United Arab Emirates. A firm that links employers and employees is a business concept that needs to be clearly defined in order to determine how the products will be delivered and how profits will be made. Unlike in other industries where the supply chain from the supplier to the firm and finally to the consumers is clear, in this case some of the suppliers double up as the consumers. The marketing manager will be primarily involved with looking for job opportunities in the city of Dubai.

Human resource manager on the other hand, will be responsible for vetting the applicants to select the most qualified candidates for various positions available in various firms (Lee 78). In this case, the companies hiring the new employees presented to them by Freelancer House will the suppliers and consumers at the same time. They will be supplying job opportunities needed by the job seekers enrolled by this firm. They will also be consuming the services provided for by the firm. Once the company has been provided with the right workforce, it will be required to pay Freelancer House 2% of the cost of the project the employee will undertake within the first one month. The employee will also be expected to pay Freelancer House 10 AED for registration on a yearly basis. Advertisers will be charged a certain fee for using this firms website to reach out to the intended audience. The fee will vary based on the space covered and the frequency of the advert on this firms website.

Management Team

In order to achieve success, this firm will need an effective management team that will be capable of overcoming challenges expected in the market when this firm will start its operations. The management team will be responsible for various tasks, including sourcing for job opportunities, scrutinizing the employees to determine their suitability for various positions, managing the finances of the firm, and planning for the expansion programs. The figure below shows the firms planned form of organization.

At the top of the management structure will be the chief executive officer. He will have a team of three directors in charge of marketing, human resource, and finance. These top managers will work closely with the legal advisor of the firm who will be a part time employee of the firm.

Critical Risks

For every investment venture, Stutely says that it is always imperative to identify critical risks that an investor may encounter (45). This helps in planning how such risks can either be eliminated or their impact minimized. Failure to be paid by the clients is one of the main risks that this firm may face once it starts its operations. The operations of the firm will heavily rely on the payments made by the clients. However, some may decide not to pay. If the numbers of those who fail to pay are high, then operations of the firm may be unsustainable.

There is also another risk of hiring unqualified individuals who lack the skills needed by the employer. Some unscrupulous individuals have learnt how to forge documents to get jobs. In case they fail to deliver the expected quality of work, then the employer may lose trust with this firm. There is also the risk of failing to get the needed employee at the right time. Some of the employers may need to fill a given vacancy urgently and may rely on this firm to help it get employees within the shortest time possible. However, it may not be very easy to reach out to some of these potential employees within the required time.

Offering

This project will be initiated with a small investment, given that most of the operations will be done online. The investor will need to contribute AED 950,000 into this project. The investment will be spent very wisely. The chief executive officer and his three executives will need 4 laptops that will cost AED 11,996. Another AED 4,500 will be needed to develop an interactive website that will enable this firm to communicate with all its clients. Given that this is a new firm, the executives will earn an average of AED 12,000 per month per individual. The cost of salaries for all the employees is estimated to be AED 960,000. The rent for the office and other related costs will be AED 25,000. Other miscellaneous expenses are estimated to be AED 20,000.

Exit Strategy

It is important to be realistic when developing a business plan. It is important to appreciate that sometimes it may be necessary to make an exit as a strategy that will protect the firm from continued loss. In this business, the intention is to continue operations for the first six months irrespective of the rates of profitability. In the seventh month, this business should be self sustaining even if it does not provide the expected profits. It should be able to support all its operations without needing any support from the investor. If this is not achieved, then the firm will exit from the market.

Financial Plan

Freelancer House is yet to make an entry into the market, so its financials will be primarily based on assumptions. The main financial assumption is that this firm will achieve financial freedom within its first six months of operation. It will also be assumed that the sales of the firm will increase consistently while the cost of production will be manageable. Another major assumption is that tax rates will not change significantly during the five year period.

Table 1: Five Year Pro-Forma Income Statement

Based on the financial assumptions, it is expected that the pro forma statement for Freelancer House will be as shown in the table above for the next five years starting from 2016.

Works Cited

Abrams, Rhonda. The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies. Palo Alto: The Planning Shop, 2003. Print.

Covello, Joseph, and Brian Hazelgren. The Complete Book of Business Plans: Simple Steps to Writing Powerful Business Plans. Naperville: Sourcebooks, 2012. Print.

Lee, Jennifer. The Right-Brain Business Plan: A Creative, Visual Map for Success. Novato: New World Library, 2011. Print.

McKeever, Mike. How to Write a Business Plan. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons , 2015. Print.

Pinson, Linda. Anatomy of a Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Business and Securing Your Companys Future. Tustin: Out of Your Mind & into the Marketplace, 2008. Print.

Shelton, Hal. The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan: A Pro Shares a Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Plan That Gets Results. , 2013. Print.

Stutely, Richard. The Definitive Business Plan: The Fast-Track to Intelligent Business Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2001. Print.

Description of business

The company is in the fashion industry and it allows one to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the market. The company provides access to fashion magazines or fashion shows in order to stay updated and fashionable.

Fashion means attractive and appealing clothes, and all the right accessories and the right kind of make-up that enhances ones outlook. This helps in giving a boost to ones self-esteem and flatters them. If you look good, knowing youve followed the fashion, you ultimately feel good too.

The fashion industry does show versatility, no doubt! This is a plus point for those who want to and who can stay trendy by acquiring the awareness fashion industry exposes. This is good for those teenagers who want to pursue fashion industry as their profession can learn a lot of sense through whatever fashion that is shown on the television or in magazines

The company also uses modeling as part of fashion to create fashion. Most of the fashion awareness that teenagers, especially girls, get is through watching modeling shows on TV. This lets them know whats being worn around. Fashion-conscious teens can get latest clothing and accessorizing ideas from models. Highly inspired teenagers may of course want to take up modeling as their future profession. So viewing modeling may have a positive impact in a way

SWOT analysis

Strengths

• Competitive pricing of the fashion
• Convenient store locations in China
• High-quality fashion cloths
• Right product, quality and reliability
• Product innovation ongoing
• Management is committed and confident
• Superior product performance Vs the competitor

Weakness

• No company brand awareness in China
• More training of the staff to familiarize with the fashion industry

Opportunity

• Could develop and improve the new fashions
• Open of new stores in viable locations for distribution
• Sources new suppliers in china
• Can surprise competitors
• Profit margins will be good

Threats

• Threats of the key staff is critical
• Mimic of the idea of the fashion by the competitors
• Vulnerable to reactive attack by major competitors e.g. sabotage
• Cheaper substitutes and imitation in the country

Entry and growth strategy

Entry:-To make the business to be known in China at the start, posters will be printed and placed at strategic places to inform its customers of its existence, its area of specification, its location, the services it offers and the products are sold.

L.K Bennetts strategic approach for the penetration of the Chinese market should be closely related to the distribution of luxury clothes. From UK company to a company committed to pursuing globally integrated operations, fashion International has come a long way. The first concrete step was to clearly define and streamline the strategic business divisions that will best showcase and leverage the inherent strengths of L.K Bennett products and services. Along with the restructuring of business, rightsizing should also be done by opening a branch with the right number of employees.

As a major global company L.K Bennett doesnt have many options but to seek out the most established and solid partners, especially having in mind that the many companies share economic interests and strategic goals in the fashion industry in China. Ten years ago, nobody would have believed this was possible. China fashions , like many other Chinese products, were so low quality that they could barely satisfy local consumers, let alone buyers abroad. The deal illuminates an arresting change in the worlds most populous country.

Having this in mind L.K Bennett has two possible approaches for the entrance in the Chinese market and cooperation with existing company. The first approach is a direct co-operation. Since the local company may be trying to improve and develop ventures, L.K Bennett could invest money into research or give already accomplished improvements for development of fashion distribution. L.K Bennett could also expand company distribution by introducing new fashions that could be both used locally. The other possibility for L.K Bennett to enter the Chinese market would be the creation of outlets using the resources available.

Technology plan

Despite the slack in investor interest in Internet companies in china market, L.K Bennett should go public because its business model is different from others. Having captured the China market, the company should not wait for their enthusiasm to cool down. Whetting their appetites and then abandoning the IPO will probably discourage them from any future offering from the company. Moreover, the company is not just selling promises. It is selling clothing in a manner that is by far more convenient than traditional fashion stores. Its catalog listing is extensive that even hard-to-find cloths are available with the company. Analysts may say that the IPO will fail but analysts have been known to fail in their forecasts.

Market segmentation

Market needs

Guangzhou malls offered mostly high-end brands and some high street brands such as Mango and Tommy Hilfiger. Guangzhou upper-middle-class consumers prefer designer brands or the cheaper but stylish offerings from Mango, Max & Co, Kookai and Zara, but Guangzhou consumers can only buy Zara from Hong Kong.

Guangzhou suffers from its proximity to Hong Kong, where luxury products are at least 20% cheaper. According to research, a majority of Guangzhou luxury consumers prefer to do their shopping in Hong Kong explains why there are fewer international fashion brands to be found in Guangzhou than in other two 1^st-tier cities Beijing and Shanghai.

The choices of Western high street fashion brands are limited in Guangzhou, and there is a gap needs to be filling in between high-end and high street. Therefore, according to the market demand, it is the opportunity for L.K Bennett to exploit the high-end high street fashion market in Guangzhou.

Target Market Segment Strategy

The Primary Customer

The upper class and upper-middle-class females are the major targets for L.K Bennett.

Demographics Criteria

• Age
  • 25-55
• Gender
  • Female
• City
  • Guangzhou

Social-economic Criteria

• Annual Income
  • RMB 100,000- RMB 1million
• Occupational Status
  • Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Mangers etc

Education

Bachelors degree as a minimum.

Psychographics

• Looks for bargains (seasonal fashion) but willing to spend money on quality, core item
• Would like more time or help in understanding what clothing is right for her
• She wants to look her best because she wants to feel good about herself as well as make a good impression at her job

Clothes Shopping Behaviors

Spends over RMB30, 000 for clothes each year

1. Shops at Bally, Louis Vuitton, Aquascutum and Mango
2. Wear a UK size 6, 8, or 10 Shoes from UK size 3- size5
3. Buys mostly handbags, tops, pants, suits, dresses, and shoes
4. Looks for trendy items each season, with 1-2 classic basic items
5. They care about how they present themselves, enjoys fashion, and looks for quality over quantity

Consumer needs, expectations, and behavior

It were found that the Guangzhou citizens have high environmental awareness. At the same time, the younger generation, especially those between the age of 25- 30, were found to be more environmentally concern than their older counterparts.

The research indicates that Guangzhou consumers are still uneducated when it comes to luxury fashion brands. They are eager to buy luxury fashion products, and have the purchasing power to buy them, but they are unfamiliar with many Western luxury fashion brands.

Respondents were asked to name their favorite or familiar Western luxury fashion brands. Ninety-nine percent responded that Louis Vuitton was their most favourite or familiar luxury fashion brand followed by Gucci, CHANEL, Hermes, Prada, Christian Dior, Fendi, and Giorgio Armani. All of these brands are typical big name brands and they have very strong advertising in China. The respondents were not aware of other designer brands which do not advertise in China.

PESTLE

Political factors:- The China market has been increasingly attractive to international franchise businesses. The whole market is growing amazingly at a year-on-year rate of 40-50%. Franchising business has aroused the interest of more and more powerful local businesses with solid governmental backgrounds, which ensures enough qualified prospective franchisees for foreign franchisors to seek when entering the China Market. At present, Chinas franchise has covered most of the sectors of the global franchise system. With improvement in its legal, regulation and supervision systems, the China Market is becoming another hot spot for developing franchising business (China franchise background, 2008).

In 2008, among 678 cases of trademark infringement dealt with by Guangzhou Customs, 206 cases involved the world-famous luxury brands. Grasping this new trend promptly, Guangzhou Customs together with Louis Vuitton and other international well-known trademarks held the special training class of identification for infringing goods of luxury brands to improve the officers skill at telling truth from falsehood to crack down on the infringing acts of import and export severelyand good results have been achieved. In the first quarter of 2008, Guangzhou Customs solved 147 cases relating to intellectual property rights infringement (Xu, 2009).

In China, there are two basic areas of taxation: business taxation and individual Income Tax (IIT). Although taxes in China can appear high, many sectors offer tax incentives designed to encourage foreign investment and technology transfer.

Economic  China is now the worlds fastest-growing luxury market. According to World luxury Association, China has overtaken the United States to become the second-biggest luxury goods market. Luxury consumption totaled US$8.6 billion in 2008, accounting for 25 percent of the global luxury market (Shanghai Daily, 2009).

The Chinese luxury retail market is still enjoying a steady growth, while the rest of the world is deeply affected by the second global economic crisis.

GDP growth of Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the provincial capital of Guangdong province. Guangdong province has played a leading role in Chinas rise over the past 25 years. The province, currently the biggest GDP contributor on the Chinese mainland, is expecting its GDP to grow by nine percent a year over the next five years (Xinhua, 2007).

Guangdong surpassed the GDP of Hong Kong and Singapore in 2005 when its GDP hit two trillion yuan. In 2008, Guangdongs GDP per capita has reached 4000 US dollars, which has surpassed that of Taiwan (Yan, 2008).

The provincial capital Guangzhou has a population of slightly more than 10m, with 8.2m in the urban area. The per capita income of Guangzhous urban residents is now the highest in the country (The China business handbook, p168-p174).

Interest and Exchange have impact on consumer spending and could affect the profitability of the venture. Interest rates and exchange rates have an impact on consumer spending and can affect the profitability of the firm. There are many economic indicators that determine the environment of the business. This includes;- effects of affluence, depression, inflation, shortages of product in the market, effects of research expenditure, research costs, buying power index, consumer ability and willingness, price elasticity, and cost of distribution affects the business. Other economical factors that affect business environment include;- the long-term focus of the government, macroeconomic projections of the government and the financial stability of the state.

SOCIAL factors:- A consumer is influenced by the society he lives in, if a person is of a particular religion, nation, tribe or population grouping he will adopt the culture of that grouping, and the culture of a grouping is as a result of the influence of the language of the people, beliefs, knowledge, values, habits, and laws of those people. This means this affects the consumer in question in terms of his lifestyle to the extend of what he consumes. At times it is difficult for a person to consume some products even if he has a large disposable income because of his culture. It is important for managers of various companies to look into the influence of culture before introducing a product into the market

Technological factors:  Technological environment is one of the best environments which have influence on the lives of a product. It is common in the world today where there are technological changes for managers to know technological innovations taking place in market in product development. The technological environment is responsible for drastic changes in product development. The introduction of computers and other machines has made marketing and production of a product to be easier

Environmental Factors

More and more Chinese people start to pay attention to how to save the earth. In recent years, litter from plastic bags has been a growing concern among the general public. Early in 2008, Chinas State Council announced a new regulation on all traders, including supermarkets, stores, and markets. On June 1 2008, plastic bags have no longer be given out free of charge (Peoples Daily Online, 2008)

In recent years, Guangzhou has financed a number of projects aimed at reducing pollution. The provincial government has invested Rmb11bn for the projects in 2006, and plans to invest a further Rmb2bn each year from 2007 until the end of the decade. The city has also relocated 147 highly polluting factories away from the area.

Legal Factors

In the legal and policy aspect, Regulations on Management of Commercial Franchise Operation was released in February 2007 and came into effect on May 1st, 2007. The Regulation, based on the previous Franchising Measures, has re-defined the 2 stores and 1 year (two direct stores run at least one year) requirement, relaxing the qualification for foreign franchisors to do business in China, and has detailed the specific franchise operation processes including the license application, information disclosure, etc. This new regulation is regarded as a manifesto of the Chinese Governments determination to develop franchising business in China (China franchise background, 2008).

THE EXISTING LABOUR LAW of the PRC has been effective for over a decade, and the Chinas new Employment Contract Law became effective on 1January 2008. The laws are a vital part of doing business in China and must be understood.

Marketing mix

Product Service/Features

The Companys products & services is the selling of mens clothes that have already been manufactured. The main products which are being sold by this company in the world market include mens clothing, womens wears and kidswear. Mens wears include belts briefcases clothing cufflinks and tie clips shirt dresses, jewelry, shoes, swimming kit, underwears wallet sunglasses, watch and many others. Womens clothes include belts, clothing, handbags, purses, accessories, jewelry shoes, underwear sunglasses, swimming kids, wallets, watches, and many others. The kids wear includes, toys, clothes, accessories, belts, shoes, swimwears, watches and many others.

These products, are designed to cover all market segments of almost all income levels and the form of packaging that the product enjoys gives the customer a motivation to come back to the company to buy the product. Therefore, through product mix of this company they are able to create attention of customers get new customers who patronize business buy and consume the product. The product takes all the needs of the family from the age of one month to the age of 100 years. This is because of product mix decision that they have employed. They have more than 1000 items in-store to sell to the customers and these products are in different lines. Mens clothing, womens sloth, shoes to mention a few of the product lines employed by this company.

They have stocked high-quality products with well-known brands that have given the company good image not only in the US but in the world market. The products are displayed for purchase by customers. the store has built a packaging and labeling of their product in a such a manner that the customer has the confidence of choosing the product they want this is done through self-service and making the customer have a consumer affluence that is willing to pay more for the convenience of the service appearance of the service dependence of the company goods and the prestige of packing. Self-service can be seen clearly from their online shop and the physical store. This has given the company a good image thus creating a good brand name.

In developing the brand policy, they have grouped individual items or precuts into different products lines based on the quality feature and design this has given rise to a different pricing strategy.

Price

Pricing is one of the best decisions that a firm can make in order to remain competitive in the market. The company has priced its products based on quality and market segments. A high-quality product will have high price the same way a medium quality product will have a medium price while a low-quality product will have a low price attached to it. the company has segmented the markets while setting its prices this is aimed at making profits at the same time capture the market. The main aim of setting the selling price is able that stimulates market growth. At the same time be able to remain competitive and make profits. They have considered the factors that affect market segment while coming up with the pricing strategy. Some of the factors they have considered in setting various pricing strategies include the value attached to the products as viewed by specific market segment. Availability of a substitute in certain segments the amount spends in production of the product, the quality of the product fixed cost and inventory being held in store. All in all the pricing strategy is above the fixed cost that is after considering the contribution of a certain product.

What it means is they have different prices for different customers from different segment. The UK market is charged a cost-plus margin with no sales tax. In China goods are sold to them at price plus profit plus Value Added Tax plus a shipping cost. These prices are charged by this company varies with the consumers in various segment.

Being a market leader they maintain their prices and profit margin. This when (a) it would lose too much profit if reduced its produce; (b) it would not lose much market share; and (c) it could regain market share when necessary. This price maintenance is dangerous because competitors may take the market and gets more confident as its sales increase.

Promotion

Promotional mix is important in this case because good advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity skills should be employed to enhance the sales for clams and expand the market. This will ensure that the bundle of benefits a customer gets from a product serve the purpose for which he bought it. This will also assist the company to alert customers to be aware of the product i.e. in advertising. There are many ways of advertising. Communication that can be used on clams is visual adverts- newspapers, magazines, e.t.c. other ways are audio-visual- T.V, videos and cinemas and audio where advertisers use the radio. Another very good form of promotion to use is via the internet where clams products can be placed online for customers to be aware of and purchase. This company exploits all these avenues in marketing its products.

Good promotions aimed directly at the customers can also enhance sales just like direct mails, flyers or posters that can keep the customer updated about the product. For this case of clams where the product is sold in stores and distributors selling is essential but there is need to employ effective salespeople to sell the product and explain the important product feature.

Advertising:-The company advertises in the local press (newspapers, mail, magazines) commercial television, billboards, Use of Travel agencies, brochures, Word of mouth (personal selling), Outdoor hoarding, transport advertising by the taxi (cabs) and Celebrity endorsements. Otherwise to give a selected celebrity who frequents Las Vegas and Canada free product, for them to endorse the companys product to the public.

There will also be a sales promotion which will involve; Temporary price reduction to attract new consumers and also retain the old consumers that the company would have captured.

Publicity: The Company entails, getting involved with the community developments by offering.With this social responsibility, the company is able to be boosted in terms of publicity of the company, hence created more awareness.

Place of distribution/positioning

The position of the company is located in great cities as well in the online shop where there is always influx of human flow and hence ensuring there is a ready target group. The company is located in the busiest streets in major and while other stores are situated in a mall which is a bonus point to the introduction and success of the company products.

Organization plan

The manager who shall take the responsibility of managing the business shall be a Chinese hired to carry out operations in the new venture. For the success of the business the manager will bring some local ideas into the branch. First and foremost the latest technology shall be employed in the offering of services and products to promote efficiency and accuracy. Further employees will be assigned duties in their areas of specialization in order to promote productivity. The manager will ensure that the objectives of the business are achieved. The assistant manager will assist in the day-to-day running of the business.

He will also ensure that employees perform their duties as required. Under the key management personnel, the business shall have electrician, financial controller and salesman. The salesman shall be in charge of the selling of spares to customers. The panel beater will be in charge of bodywork.

The marketing manager shall be in charge of marketing the clothing that the business will offer. The security man will be in charge of ensuring that the properties of the business are safe.

Before recruiting employees the business shall carry out interviews and test other factors like employees qualifications, experience and personality. The business will offer job training to competent employees. Employees going for short courses taking duration of less than one year shall be sponsored by the business. The business will further offer attachment opportunities to college students. Promotions shall be given to competent working employees.

To retain employees the business shall reward employees for good performance, organize social occasions for them, give them honors and introduce a profit-sharing plan. Some incentives like overtime, bonuses, good working conditions, insurance covers, staff parties and transport allowances hall are given to employees. The business shall get its license from registrar and will adhere to all laws enacted by the local government and the federal government.

Operational plan

The business needs a lot of money to start its operation in China. At the start the business will buy essential tools and equipment that will be required on daily basis while others will be hired. Under the product and service design the manager will ensure that clothes are quickly fashions with high quality, employees are dedicated to the success and growth of the business. He will lay plans that will allow for flexibility to change through his organizational plan.

The cost of production of the business was accessed on a supply basis. This was arrived at after realizing that some duties cannot be completed within one day. The business will earn 8000 per week and a total of 600,000 for a year at beginning. The regulations affecting operations include safety standards regulations and insurance act. The business shall acquire a license from the ministry of commerce. The business shall also acquire a certificate before starting its operations from local authority. All laws and regulations shall be followed in day to day operations of the business as well as strict implementations of regulations regarding the registration process.

Management plan

The organization chart for the proposed business will be-

Conclusion

L.K Bennett is a good company with main focus on customers and marketing. This company is good in consideration with the different aspects that include the views as well as the target market and clients. L.K Bennett is also aware of the increased awareness of plans and the efficiency of cost in relation to sales in China. The company will open the branch in order to gain more profit and be able to be competitive in all aspects of business. The use of different marketing strategies is of great help because of the contribution to profit and the style in the field of business. Though there are lots of pressures experienced by L.K Bennett, the company remains to stand on its own. Research and studies are also applied in this field of business in order to test the different styles of marketing with strategic points of view that may be implemented. There is also an ability in order to make money which can be further used in investing activity. Given the fact that there are many competitors, L.K Bennett remained to stand and continually searching for discoveries with many important views that can be used in the future.

Another marketing strategy used by the company is the connection of the rewards systems using the card-based in order to help the marketer for getting the information required. The beginning of good relationship between company and clients can have a nice value essential with the making of loyalty work in terms of marketing. The big division between the marketers and clients has something to do with the transactional level while fostering the need for long-term relationships. The good aspect that may be considered is the global brand used by most companies and business expansion in order to grow and also evolved with the target audience for the diversification of needs.

Marketing research enables the company to decide what marketing strategies like plotting an invasion sequence, using celebrities in advertisement, lowering prices and specializing in some services will be applied in addressing the market needs. Similarly perfect market strategies will be applied to address the market needs like use of media to advertise, by discovering new market segments, being customer-oriented and by outsourcing abroad. These are admirable marketing strategies that have been applied in international markets by multinational and they should be applied globally to promote sales (Winer, R.S., 2007).

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Winer, R.S. (2007). Marketing Management; Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Executive Summary

Dri-Diamonds solution Inc is a Broad Band Internet Provider (BBIP) based in Dearborn, Delaware. The company offers the following range of services to its clients;

• Web design, hosting and maintenance
• High speed broad band internet services
• Asymmetrical digital subscriber Line (ADSL)
• Network design
• Server setup and maintenance

Dry diamond is purpose driven company targeting SOHO (Small Office-Home Office) in provision of reliable internet and network services. The company has formed alliances with major players in related industries to ensure that clients get the best services at a competitive price. The company is continuously strategizing so as to remain relevant in the ever changing market.

Other internet services provider based in Dearborn and the larger Delaware are a source of competitive threats. These companies include Atlantic.Net, Crawl.Net and Mogtel. To remain competitive, Dri-Diamond have designed products to targeting Linux Operating system user who have for long time been ignored by our competitors whose products target Windows Operating System users.

Dri-Diamond Inc boost of world class management team who have exceptional knowledge of the Internets service industry, have a vast reserve of experience and exceptional skills in administration. The team includes the three main principals at the helm of the company; Mr. Ezekiel McPeak, Mr. Stephen Williams and Mrs. Martina Joseph.

Dri-Diamond projected revenue for fiscal year 2007 through to 2008 is $ 14 million. Currently, the company is seeking an investment of $3.5 million to enable it do the following:

• Hire more personnel in sales and technical departments.
• Undertake research in new products developments
• Expand our operation to two additional cities with Delaware, thats Flint and Troy city.

Services

Dri-Diamond provides high speed broad band internet service to 77 small business and 43 homes within Dearborn city, Delaware. The company currently manages 12 servers serving 2 local universities, 3 colleges and 2 companies.Dri-Diamond hosts 44 websites in its remote servers located in Long Island, New York.

All the listed services are very competitive to small office/home office. the biggest segment of our clients are Linux user who have been neglected for a long time by other ISP companies mainly because they dont have up to date knowledge of the Linux Operating system.

Dri-Diamond marketing team take time to understand the specific need of individual client before any services is provided or before the contract is drawn. Most of our services are tailor-made to meet our clients diverse needs. The company take time to train the customer on the products features and operation to make sure that the customer will not get stuck when he or she need to access the internet, log on to the Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Net network (WAN). By so doing, the customer feels that he or she is part of the company and this change the way customer perceive Dri-Diamond in relation to other ISP companies.

Once Dri-diamond connects clients to the internet, they are able to access their emails, browse the World Wide Web (www), access documents over the internet, chat with their family and friends, download music and movies, shop online and attend online classes from the comfort of their home.

The company provides LAN and WAN Networking services. The network design team works hand in hand with the clients to make sure they provide networking services according to the specifics need of the clients. The company also takes time to advice clients on new products in the market and the current market trends.

Dri-Diamonds follow the criteria below in provision of products to the clients:

• Benefits-the products that we offer must be beneficial to the clients and the company.
• Cost /Benefit Ration: The benefits realized must be more than the production, implementation and maintenance cost.
• Mainatainability: All the products must meet Dri-Diamond maintenance standards unless indicated otherwise.

Dri-Diamond offer 24 hrs on-line and telephone support free of charge. The call center staffs co-ordinate all incoming calls and liaise with the relevant departments for action to be taken. This is one segment of the business that has promoted the company image due to its efficiency. Dri-Diamond has 24 hrs stand-by technical support staffs, ready to get to customer site and sort any technical issue.

Location

Dri-Diamond companies head office is located at Tampa towers, 17^th St, 20086 Jersey Drive, Dearborn City, Delaware. The head office covers the whole of 2nd floor, housing all departments, this helps in easier coordination of the companys services. The city of Dearborn is one of the fastest growing parts of Delaware States with large and small scale enterprises. The number of people calling Dearborn city home is increasing everyday.

Dri-Diamond has entered into a 10 year renewable lease agreement for the company office space with Hawkins Property who manages Tampa towers. The lease will expire in 2015. The monthly rate for the office block is US $9800.

Dearborn is a 24 hr city, complete with two local universities, Delaware State University and River Groove University, both of which get internet and serves services from Dri-Diamond companies. There are many colleges, 4 of them already subscribing to the companys internet and network services, the sales team is working out a plan to bring on board at least 5 more colleges in the next few months.

Dri-Diamond has plans to open up regional offices in Flint and Troy city within the next months. This is in line with the company expansion plans aimed at increasing customer base by providing services to clients in Troy and Flint cities.

Management

Mr. Ezekiel McPeak is the company president and CEO of Dri-Diamond Inc. Mr. Ezekiel operated Dri-Diamond Inc as Diamond Inc as a sole business 7 years ago, dealing with provision of Information Technology service before welcoming on board Mr. Stephen Williams and Mrs. Martina Joseph through share allocations. The Business by then was worth approximately $38,000. Mr. Stephen and Mrs. Martina gave Mr. Ezekiel $30,000 for a 2/3 of the business. It was agreed that Mr. Ezekiel remain the President and the CEO of the newly formed Dri-Diamond company as a show of loyalty and his knowledge of the industry and the Dearborn market. He has a vast knowledge in Information Technology having worked in this field for the past 10 years since he graduated with master degree in Information Technology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mr. Stephen Williams is the companys vice president. He brings into the company unmatched wealth of business administration knowledge having graduated with honors from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Diamond Inc, Mr. Stephen was working as the Administrator at Intel Company limited, California. His current major responsibility is expanding Dri-Diamonds to serve clients in Troy and Flint city, within the next six months.

Mrs. Martina Joseph owes a 22% of the company and she is currently the manager of Dri-Diamonds. She has 6 years managerial skills having worked in the same capacity at Cisco Company, from the time she graduated at Wharton Business School. Her skill has been valuable at Dri-Diamond and she spends most of her time at the company head office. Currently she is charged with coordination of hiring and recruiting new sales and technical team with close co-operation with the Human Resources department.

Management Plan

Personnel

Dri-Diamond has four key personnel who have been hired to take charge of different sections within the management, technical and sales department. All These personnel reports directly to the above three company principals and are in charge teams working under their command.

Army Park is the Human Resource Manager, she work under close supervision from the companys manager. She is charged with recruitment and hiring of all kind of labor force, both skilled and casual labors. She also works with close co-operation with the sales and technical department heads on matter related to hiring of staffs for these departments. She is a graduate from Chicago State University.

Onesmus Berg is the Chief Accountant. He is charged with all matter related to finance working under close supervision from the companies president and CEO Mr. Ezekiel. He is charged with all payment and company expenses and incomes. He furnishes the company auditor with relevant documents when the company is being audited. He is a graduate from New York State University.

Martha Hart is the head of sales department, she reports directly to the companys vice president on matter relating to sales. Currently she is working in close co-operation with the vice president as they explore new market in Flint and Troy City. Martha brings in to the company vast wealth in sales and marketing having worked in the same capacity at Apple Computers for 4 years. She is a graduate of Fontborne University.

Clay William head the crucial technical department, his work bring him in close contact with clients and he has exceptional technical skills in Information Communication Technology (ICT). He heads a team of 4 technicians and he is charged with all co-ordinations and customer support. He has worked for 3 years at Motorola Communication Company, United Kingdom before joining the company.

Personnel Plan

Market Analysis

Currently, Dri-Diamond primary target market is small business and home office in Delaware States. The company has over 120 clients who have been hooked up the companys network. The company is in the process of extending its network to cover two additional cities within the next 6 months. 70% of our home based client is composed of young people below the age of 35. This is the same marketing that the company is targeting in Flint and Troy city.

Competition is very tight in the internet service market, but the company has given itself a competitive edge by specializing with Linux user, the free source Operating software that is increasing in popularity each day as other competitor with concentrates and competes on Windows Operating System user. Some of the companies that Dri-Diamonds is competing with includes: Atlantic.Net, Crawl.Net and Mogtel.

Internet Service market is a tricky market as new technology are revolutionizing the market at a very fast rate, a few years ago, Dial up internet connection was the most common method of accessing internet, as of today, the method have been faced out. Introduction of fiber optics have affected the industry leading to drastic price reduction. Dri-diamond has to continue improving and investing in new technology so as to remain relevant in the market.

Marketing Strategy

Dri-Diamond strategy aims at achieving name recognition and attracts more customers by aggressive service pricing. The company will then seek to offer after sale services and skills that will make them stay with the company. The company will maintain a low cost of operation through partnership so that the benefits can be passed on to clients in form of reduced prices and discounts for the entire range of services.

Advertising has always given the company competitive advantages, in this case, the company intend to fund the marketing division to enable it carry out an aggressive marketing campaign within the existing market and the potential market through print and electronic media. The company main target is young people below the age of 40 and those who are using Linux Operating System in their computers.

The company marketing team led by the vice president is in talk with major retail store within Delaware State to hold joint marketing campaign that will see the retail chain advertise their products through the Dri-Diamond Network at a fee and Dri-diamond Inc advertise it services directly within the retail store.

Customer Service

Dri-Diamond operate s 24 hr customer support call center where clients call or chat with the support staffs toll free. The call center support staff then coordinates with the relevant department for appropriate action to be taken. If its a break down, the matter is referred to the technical department who usually has a 24 hrs stand by team to sort the clients.

The customer support has given the company leverage over other company as the clients know that they can never get stuck when using Dri-Diamonds products. This aspect of customer service is going to be improved further once the Human Resource department completes the ongoing hiring and recruitment exercise.

Funding Uses and Assumption

Business overview

Oloibon Eaterie is a cafeteria located in the Serengeti Game Reserve located in East Africa Tanzania named after a Maasai Chief as the tribe that dominates the area. The plain is a famous world-renowned tourist destination that receives a lot of visitors from the outside world who come to experience the safari climb the nearby Mt, Kilimanjaro or view the eighth wonder of the world in the name of the wildebeest migration between Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti itself. Those are just a few of the features that keep tourists both local and international trooping year in year out of these expansive grasslands that have so many diverse things to offer to its visitors. With our thoughts on the spending capacities of tourists, we have decided to start a catering business inside the game reserve.

Company direction

Oloibon Eateries will access tourist breakfast, lunches, and snacks market by utilizing the cordial relationship- that exists between the local community and the visitors in that area. our venture is uniquely positioned to succeed within these markets as the local communitys presence is an a will develop a profitable, catering purpose business that will allow the organization to enhance its capacity to serve as an attraction itself other than what we have to offer. In a market survey conducted with patrons of a local

Hotel & Lodging entity, 59% of respondents indicated that knowing the hotel employed the local community and preferably the famous Maasai would very favorably impact their decision to seek or buy their services. Oloibon Eateries will develop into a profitable, social purpose business that will allow the organization to enhance its capacity to serve our target market in the most competitive manner possible.

Objectives Mission statement

To achieve our Vision, our first responsibility and commitment are to our clients and customers who use our products and services. Our strong financial position and correct planning that will inject professionalism in the whole affair will enable us to carry out our day-to-day business as guided by our principles:

Offer our clients the best possible service, meals, and products that are to correspond with the cafeterias ambiance and the environment.

Follow and always uphold the philosophy that customer is King. Integrate fully with the environment and the community to qualify to be considered as part of the whole setting.

Introduction

As the global economy improves, economists have projected an increase in luxury and leisure spending that will help in pushing other sectors forward. As such, travel and catering industries among many are posed to reap the benefits in large amounts. It was with this insight in mind we ought to utilize the opportunity in the form of starting this business. The whole business idea was reached after we had visited the area on a company-sponsored team bonding exercise in the area late last year. We noted the absence of low-cost eating places in the area as the common assumption with the investors in the catering field in this area is that everyone has millions to dispose of in ambiguous and exorbitantly priced meals. The business plan here thus looks at the various strategies that we have put in place in enacting the plans as subdivided into various sectors.

Business description

As a cafeteria in the jungle, our main concern is providing catering services that will ease the inconveniences of the jungle. At the same time, our business is not to be hinged on providing the wants only but rather the luxuries that an ordinary tourist would expect to get. In the latter consideration, the inclusion of a curio shop came as an afterthought after we realized that with relaxation after partaking a meal in our cafeteria a tourist would think of collecting a souvenir as this might be worth remembering. In doing so we are to have local curio products engraved with our emblem and name. In doing so we expect our clients to always recall us and or services, this is a marketing strategy that was projected to have maximum returns on the cafeteria.

Marketing plan

Our Marketing plan was structured to enhance, promote and support the fact that Oloibon Inn will help you enjoy all aspects of our services and products and make your whole safari experience complete.

Our products and meals offer you a chance to get the most out of the safari by offering services that can at times be rare in the jungle.

In short, the marketing plans entails how the cafeteria is going to earn a customer base in the target market not just by coincidence but through attributes that can be justifiably associated with the Oloibon Inn in our quest to seek a reliable way to obtain a market following and how to relate to the existing market dynamics that will strategically position us as a reliable entity in the market that offers high-quality service, meals, and curio products.

To carry out this process successfully a market analysis was necessary.

Market analysis

Analyzing the market we carried out some self and market analysis assessments as follows. As recommended by our business consultants we performed three tests.

Fiver forces analysis

This is just one among many market analysis tools. It helps in giving a business the expected scenario by reviewing the business itself in our case the Oloibon Eateries about the competitors and the business environment existing at that time. As for Oloibon inn, here follows the findings in the five key areas of power of buyers, power of suppliers, the threat of entry into the new market, the threat of substitutes, and the threat or rather the rivalry of competitors.

Threat of entry

As the first into a tourist spot, we face the threat of lack of experience in this industry.

The high cost of starting a new business in an area with very high environmental considerations.

The high cost of recruiting local staff who might not have had prior experience in the catering business.

The area boasts of many high-class eating joints other than our new establishment.

Triggered by our entry and our market entry strategies, our competitors might retaliate by replicating our market entry strategy that might cost us or competitive advantage.

Infrastructural facilities in the region remain low and the already operating entities have already devised their coping means that we are yet to establish.

The power of buyers

Pricing as our main market entry strategy may mean operating at break-even or even at losses that may pose a threat to the mere existence of our operations.

The diversity in the number of local dishes available may prove to be a problem in that we plan to market our hotel as an outlet that serves various dishes as they are offered by the different ethnic communities surrounding the area.

The traveling of our client in large groups may stress our services and eventual effectiveness.

Power of suppliers

The supply of local dishes may not be that forthcoming as anticipated.

Serving the local dishes might be more expensive than conventional ones.

The existence of a monopolistic market on the side of suppliers may increase our operating costs thus lead to an increase in our prices.

Threat of substitutes

Local tourists may find no fascination with local dishes preferring something more exotic than our competitors offer.

Global economic dip as exemplified by the devaluing of the US dollar may mean a fall in consumption power of our target market.

Some tourists prefer to have their meals where they board.

Tourists may prefer to carry packed meals in their safaris.

Competitive Rivalry

Upon entrance, Oloibon is pitted against other large experienced operators in the industry.

The availability of the customer base is limited thus Oloibon is fighting for survival space among big players.

PEST Analysis

This is not a parasite but rather an acronym for political, economic, social-cultural, and technological factors that play part in deterring the direction taken by any given business venture.

Political factors

Tanzania is a relatively stable country that was not affected by the recent upheavals in neighboring Kenya early this year.

The new regime under President Kikwete is determined in creating a conducive investment atmosphere that will be necessary for driving the economy forward.

The government upholds the cultural value of its people as indicated by the upholding of the Swahili language as the official and national language.

The government of Tanzania is a member of COMESA and EAC which makes it easier to importation of local products of the Maasai from Kenya in case of shortages in Tanzania.

Economic factors

The economic situation of the local community as the target market is nothing to write home about though the bulk of our customer base is expected to be the foreign tourists visiting the area.

The growth of the East African Economy will impact positively our business in that the local populations financial position will improve and consequently increasing their spending power.

Socio-cultural Factors

The region is conversant with foreign investments in the area so the issue of hostile reception is expected to be minimal or nonexistent.

Illiteracy of the Maasais as one of our major marketing factors puts our operation at a disadvantage due to limited communication methods and the general inefficiency characteristic of illiteracy.

The spending patterns of the locals though limited by their financial disposition are nevertheless encouraging.

The regions population composition has a high number of young adults who consist of the main working and earning majority who have high disposable incomes.

Technological Factors

Invention and technology influence the mode of operation of businesses and the spending patterns of individuals. Technology is employed in areas such as transport and communication and business management. In our case, n Tanzania communication networks in the area are very poor prompting us to make additional investments to establish a small-scale communications network for our operation. This issue increases our operating costs and the initial capital outlay required to start the business.

SWOT Analysis

This is the final test that we carried out to evaluate the suitability of our business in the targeted market. The word stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. a business firm is supposed to critically analyze itself noting down its opportunities and strengths and capitalizing on them for the maximum returns. On the other hand, the firm ought to identify and note its threats and weaknesses and working upon them to turn them to work on their side. Strengths and weaknesses are usually within the control of the firm itself while opportunities and threats are external thus the firm has no control over them but is supposed to take action and reduce the negative impact they have on the operations of the firm.

Strengths

Our dedication to offering only local foods to our clients creates a sense of curiosity on would-be clients who would not only like to experience the safari itself but also the local culture as represented by the foods.

Oloibon Eateries presents the first real ideal eating place for the medium and low-income earning tourists who are sensitive to their spending habits.

The inclusion of the local community at almost 100% of our staff gives us the much-needed local touch that compliments our policy of serving only African dishes from the East African region.

Weaknesses

Include a more professional high-level staff to compliment the shortfall that accompanies the employment of seemingly semi-illiterate local staff.

The targeting of low-income earners in a place that is synonymous with the influential and the high-income earners in the society.

Opportuities

The appreciation of the local communities on the need and importance of local tourism

The governments in the region have also realized the importance of promoting local tourism and as such are offering discounts on entry charges of locals to the game parks and reserves during the low season thereby guaranteeing the industry players of a continuous flow of customers.

Inclusion of the Maasai among our staff guarantees foreign tourists a hyped and sought for interaction with the Maasai known for their bravery and courage which ideally complete the safari experience.

Threats

High initial capital outlay that does not guarantee any returns as is common with all investments to underline the issue of taking a risk.

Our competitors operate on a large scale and are thus more capable of handling large entourages of tourists unlike us.

There is no guarantee that our market entry strategies will work out.

The above tests have helped us to critically analyze our position in regards to our competitors and the environment thus a crucial consideration in making our decisions.

Market Entry Strategies

Pricing

As earlier said this is the main marketing strategy that is expected to earn us a faithful customer base. Introducing our services and meals at a lower price plus offering executive restroom facilities that include shower rooms at no extra costs gives us the right footing in the industry.

Product differentiation

All our competitors in the region offer the catering services we do. However, there exists a major difference between us and them in that in our firm we exclusively offer African dishes common in the East African region.

New target market

The consideration of the low and middle-income earners as our target market introduces a new dimension on how the world views the tourism industry removing the unfounded misguiding belief that the practice is only for the high-income earning individuals in the society. The Oloibon is posed to be more appealing to foreign student tourists operating on tight budgets and who usually make one-day visits only thus there is a need for accommodation.

Operationalization

The cafeteria is going to be located inside the game reserve. This calls for tight security measures to keep wild animals at bay. Care is to be taken in carrying out this process as s me of these animals are very unfriendly to human disturbances as facilitated by our premises.

The cafeteria is to be built to resemble the Maasai villages known as Manyatta. In our Manyatta the buildings also resemble the Maasai huts. Though ours will make use of concrete and timber the Maasai huts also called Manyatta but made of cow dung and twigs. The whole ambiance is to be jungle-oriented in an African way to complete the feeling of the Safari. However, the management is not involved directly in the construction but rather gives the contract to an experienced contractor who has already been identified.

The management is in the process of seeking suppliers of the African foodstuffs that will keep us in business. Identified local staff are helping in the identification of the necessary supporting equipment that will facilitate the making of the African dishes. Some of the cooking utensils for making the African dishes are specified with no substitutes for them. Our Restaurant Manager Mr. Letoya, a Maasai himself, is acting as our main contact in this business and facilitating some of the issues that call for on-location and hands-on participation.

Organization

The cafeteria will solely source its foodstuffs from Tanzania and neighboring Kenya when necessary. Operation is to begin early in the morning around 7.00 AM East Africa Time. As we are to serve breakfast and lunch only the verification of consideration to offer snacks will be immediately activated upon the commencement of operations.

The Managing Director is the senior-most Authority in the firm responsible for harmonizing all the reports provided by the managers heading different sections of the cafeteria. The direction of the cafeteria is basically in his hands given that he is responsible for making decisions with the advice of his managers.

The Head of Marketing is responsible for the development of a working marketing process that will introduce the cafeteria to our target market through though advertisement and promotional activities. The manager is to liaise with the restaurant manager in marketing the cafeteria through the level of service and products offered in our main establishment, cafeteria. The workings of the cafeteria will rely highly on the type of meals we are to offer under the guidance of our Food & Beverages Manager. The three heads have the ultimate responsibility of fronting our image in the market and the other managers are primarily concerned with an administration that has a little face-to-face interaction with our clients. The roles of the junior staff are self-explanatory though any new developments in the scope of their responsibilities will be handled as time passes by and we experience the situation on the ground.

Organizational Structure

References

Mike P. McKeever (2007).How to Write a Business Plan, New York, Prentice Hall.

Why planning is important for businesses?

Such a project as introducing a new product will benefit from the existence of a thorough plan. While planning, the project manager outlines the major aims of the project, i.e., to make the product known. When there is a specific aim, it is easy to understand what exactly is necessary to achieve the goal. It is easy to identify certain steps to reach the goal, e.g., identify advantages of the product, identify the target audience, develop an advertising campaign, etc. Having specific steps to undertake will help remain consistent and nothing will be missed. It is also easy to understand when and what went wrong, which can help diminish possible negative effects. Finally, it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the project as well as the effectiveness of the plan and to make some changes if necessary to be able to use the plan in other projects.

Implementation of the plan on how to improve sales in the coming quarter

Firstly, I will make sure all the stakeholders are aware of the plan and the major goals. Secondly, I will also make sure all people involved know exactly what to do. Thirdly, I will develop a form of a brief report, which will be completed at certain stages. Furthermore, there will be several checkups to understand whether all deadlines can be met. Finally, I will evaluate each stage, and I will make some changes in further stages if necessary.

Five tools important in planning

First, communication is essential in planning. All stakeholders should take part in this process as each employee or department is aware of the peculiarities of certain tasks. Besides, motivation is very important. Each employee should understand the benefits of the project implementation. Understanding goals may not be enough, and such stimuli as promotion, bonuses, etc., may be helpful. Availability of information is crucial as employees should have all the necessary data to develop a plan. While planning, it is important to take risks into account. Thus, risk management is an important part of planning in any business. Finally, it is also important to remember that any plan may need changes, so it is necessary to be able to make the changes at any stage of planning or implementation of the plan.

• The business plan: The proposed new business is in the field of furniture industry. In the furniture industry, the demand for wooden furniture is always strong in the market. Thus my new business is targeted to the marketing of superior quality wooden furniture with attractive stylish designs.
• Company details: The Company is named as Timberlane Furnitures Pvt. Ltd. and the location selected for the business is San Francisco.
• The logo of the Company:
• The stationery of the company:
  • Timberlane Furnitures Private Limited
  • San Francisco, USA_______________________
  • Telephone No &&&&& Email id &&&&&&.. Fax &..&&&&&&&

Business Card of Timberlane Furnitures

The company name should be capable of attracting the wooden furniture market as the name Timberlane indicates the wooden content of the furniture product.

The logo of the business is framed by using the first letters of the words Timberlane and Furnitures. The specific presentation design of the name should act as a powerful brand logo of the business.

Written Summary of the product idea

• Product idea: The Company is targeting to supply domestic interior wooden furniture with high quality craft works attractive to the customers. The product must be made from high quality wooden materials having long lasting durability. The pricing policy for the product should be affordable as it is necessary to enter and attain customer base in the competing wooden furniture market.
• Company description: The location selected for the business is in San Francisco. There would be higher demand for wooden furniture products in the local market. The economical pricing of the product should be capable of getting profitable entry in the market.
• Demand for the product: The demand for the product in the market is adequate for growth and development of the industry. In the wooden furniture market, the price of the product is an important matter that influences the purchase decision. Thus the economical pricing strategy for the new product should be capable of creating higher demand for our branded products among the customers.
• Target customers: The targeted customers for the business are of middle and upper middle class house holds. Price is an important consideration for this target group while taking the purchase decision. Along with price consideration the targeted customers also tend to be more design sensitive. Thus, in case of attractive design and more interesting stylish products, they will be ready to pay premium price.
• Image and branding: Brand development is important for creating loyalty customers in the market. When you start a new business, you need to create the quickest possible route to business success. A logo helps to create this by contributing to your businesses visibility, credibility, and memorability- three factors that will help your business to grow and achieve success. (Ferree).

In the wooden furniture marketing, the company is intended to build a brand image of interior designed products with quality materials and economy pricing. In order to sustain the customers, along with product quality and economy pricing, better customer service also should be ensured. Therefore, the company is focusing on home delivery services to the customers to impress them.

Works Cited

Ferree, Erin. No Logo? Launching a Business without a Logo can Sabotage You. Allfreelogovectorlogo. 2009. Web.

Problem Statement

Children are often picky with choosing food, clothing, toys, activities, entertainment, and a myriad of other things, which is why it is so hard to make them do what they do not want to do. Brushing their teeth is one of such struggles, and parents are desperate to find a solution that would make their children brush their teeth without being forced or reprimanded for not behaving properly (English, 2018). Importantly, kids should love brushing their teeth so they can remember such a positive behavior for which they can be rewarded or praised. For children, operant conditioning is one of the tools for learning good behaviors, which means that teeth brushing should be a pleasant and comfortable experience (Cherry, 2020). It is crucial to find a safe and reliable product that parents can use in order to solve the problem of teeth brushing, and the proposed toothpaste can be of great value.

Solution to the Problem

The solution to the ongoing problem of teeth brushing is developing a fluoride toothpaste that tastes like chocolate, which is safe to swallow. Parents will find value in the product because choco-flavored toothpaste is something that can make the toothbrushing experience better for children who refuse to brush their teeth because of bad taste. In addition, there is an opportunity to study the demands of the market further and produce a complete range of kinds of toothpaste for children with different flavors, such as candy or marshmallows (Opeodu & Gbadebo, 2017). It is notable that the new product stands out from its competitors in the market because it will contain fluoride, which is absent in all chocolate-flavored toothpaste.

Value Proposition

The proposed product is unique because all choco-flavored toothpaste on the market does not contain fluoride. The proposed product will have fluoride, which is an important component. For childrens teeth, fluoride is important to fight decay and prevent build-up by making them more resistant to the influence of plaque bacteria and sugars in the month. In addition, in children aged six and younger, fluoride plays an essential role in the development of permanent teeth in the future, making it difficult to demineralize the teeth by disrupting the production of acids that are harmful (Abou Neel et al., 2016). Therefore, the toothpaste will have both good taste and valuable properties that are absent in chocolate-flavored oral hygiene available in the market. Customers should buy the product because it will solve the problem of parents forcing their children to brush their teeth and make the experience more pleasant. Besides, in case of success of choco-flavored toothpaste, the company can develop other products in the range, such as mouthwash and toothpaste of other flavors that children like.

References

Abou Neel, E. A., Aljabo, A., Strange, A., Ibrahim, S., Coathup, M., Young, A. M., Bozec, L., & Mudera, V. (2016). Demineralization-remineralization dynamics in teeth and bone.International Journal of Nanomedicine, 11, 4743-4763. Web.

Cherry, K. (2020). What is operant conditioning and does it work?Very Well Mind. Web.

English, R. (2018). How to (gently) get your child to brush their teeth.The Conversation. Web.

Opeodu, O. I., & Gbadebo, S. O. (2017). Factors influencing choice of oral hygiene products by dental patients in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine, 15(1), 51-56. PMID: 28970772.

At my place of work, aggregated planning is viewed as an approach to business planning that takes a long-term perspective and considers the company as a whole rather than as a selection of separate parts. An aggregated planning leader thinks about the future in 12-18 months and analyzes all departments in the company, rather than focusing on specific models or divisions. It is believed that this approach can reduce costs and make the company work more efficiently.

Aggregated planning strategists begin by developing forecasts of future supply and demand. They are coordinated to manage the companys products. A company can control the demand by adjusting prices and using other tactics to increase or decrease demand during a given period. To ensure that the supply meets the needs of the demand, deliveries are ordered on time, and the company is tasked with ordering staff to get the best prices when choosing products. Negotiating ahead of time can provide opportunities such as access to discounts and other special benefits.

Operating expenses are another factor that is factored into the overall planning strategy. These include staff costs, handling overheads, and other costs associated with maintaining the facility. Keeping these costs low through strategic planning can generate more revenue. Simple actions such as changing work shifts can reduce energy consumption during peak hours, allowing an organization to operate at a lower cost.

I find this type of planning to be effective. For aggregated planning purposes, it is often convenient to view production in terms of work or machine time over a given period or productivity (number of elements per period) rather than focusing on each component. This approach makes it possible to make general decisions on using production resources without touching on specific production requirements for each product or service (Jamalnia et al., 2019). Combining different products and services into common groups makes it easier to get a common unit of aggregated planning.

Reference

Jamalnia, A., Yang, J. B., Feili, A., Xu, D. L., & Jamali, G. (2019). Aggregate production planning under uncertainty: a comprehensive literature survey and future research directions. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 102(1), 159-181.