Business Strategy Essay Example for Free

Business Strategy Essay In 2006, Starbucks’, the ubiquitous coffee retailer, closed a decade of astounding financial performance. Sales had increased from $697 million to $7.8 billion and net profits from $36 million to $540 million. In 2006, Starbucks’ was earning a return on invested capital of 25.5%, which was impressive by any measure, and the company was forecasted to continue growing earnings and maintain high profits through to the end of the decade. How did this come about? Thirty years ago Starbucks was a single store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market selling premium roasted coffee. Today it is a global roaster and retailer of coffee with more than 12,000 retail stores, some 3,000 of which are to be found in 40 countries outside the United States. Starbucks Corporation set out on its current course in the 1980s when the company’s director of marketing, Howard Schultz, came back from a trip to Italy enchanted with the Italian coffeehouse experience. Schultz, who later became CEO, persuaded the company’s owners to experiment with the coffeehouse format—and the Starbucks experience was born. Schultz’s basic insight was that people lacked a â€Å"third place† between home and work where they could have their own personal time out, meet with friends, relax, and have a sense of gathering. The business model that evolved out of this was to sell the company’s own premium roasted coffee, along with freshly brewed espresso-style coffee beverages, a variety of pastries, coffee accessories, teas, and other products, in a coffeehouse setting. The company devoted, and continues to devote, considerable attention to the design of its stores, so as to create a relaxed, informal and comfortable atmosphere. Underlying this approach was a belief that Starbucks was selling far more than coffee – it was selling an experience. The premium price that Starbucks charged for its coffee reflected this fact. From the outset, Schultz also focused on providing superior customer service in stores. Reasoning that motivated employees provide the best customer service, Starbucks executives developed employee hiring and training programs that were the best in the restaurant industry. Today, all Starbucks employees are required to attend training classes that teach them not only how to make a good cup of coffee, but also the service oriented values of the company. Beyond this, Starbucks provided progressive compensation policies that gave even part-time employees stock option grants and medical benefits – a very innovative approach in an industry where most employees are part time, earn minimum wage and have no benefits. Unlike many restaurant chains, which expanded very rapidly through franchising arrangement once they have established a basic formula that appears to work, Schultz believed that Starbucks needed to own its stores. Although it has experimented with franchising arrangements in some countries, and some situations in the United States such as at airports, the company still prefers to own its own stores whenever possible. This formula met with spectacular success in the United States, where Starbucks went from obscurity to one of the best known brands in the country in a decade. As it grew, Starbucks found that it was generating an enormous volume of repeat business. Today the average customer comes into a Starbucks’ store around 20 times a month. The customers themselves are a fairly well healed group – their average income is about $80,000. As the company grew, it started to develop a very sophisticated location strategy. Detailed demographic analysis was used to identify the best locations for Starbuck’s stores. The company expanded rapidly to capture as many premium locations as possible before imitators. Astounding many observers, Starbucks would even sometimes locate stores on opposite corners of the same busy street – so that it could capture traffic going different directions down the street. By 1995 with almost 700 stores across the United States, Starbucks began exploring foreign opportunities. First stop was Japan, where Starbucks proved that the basic value proposition could be applied to a different cultural setting (there are now 600 stores in Japan). Next, Starbucks embarked upon a rapid development strategy in Asia and Europe. By 2001, the magazine Brandchannel named Starbucks’ one the ten most impactful global brands, a position it has held ever since. But this is only the beginning. In late 2006, with 12,000 stores in operation, the company announced that its long term goal was to have 40,000 stores worldwide. Looking forward, it expects 50% of all new store openings to be outside of the United.i Case Discussion Questions 1. What functional strategies at Starbucks’ help the company to achieve superior financial performance? 2. Identify the resources, capabilities and distinctive competencies of Starbucks? 3. How do Starbucks’ resources, capabilities and distinctive competencies translate into superior financial performance? 4. Why do you think Starbucks’ prefers to own its own stores whenever possible? 5. How secure is Starbucks’ competitive advantage?What are the barriers to imitation here? !Sources: Starbucks 10K, various years; C. McLean, â€Å"Starbucks Set to Invade Coffee-Loving Continent,† Seattle Times, October 4, 2000, p. E1; J. Ordonez, â€Å"Starbucks to Start Major Expansion in Overseas Market,† Wall Street Journal, October 27, 2000, p. B10; S. Homes and D. Bennett, â€Å"Planet Starbucks,† Business Week, September 9, 2002, pp 99–110; J. Batsell, â€Å"A Bean Counters Dream,† Seattle Times, March 28th, 2004, page E1; Staff Reporter, â€Å"Boss Talk: it’s a Grande Latte World†, Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2003, page B1. States. C. Harris, â€Å"Starbucks beats estimates, outlines expansion plans†, Seattle Post Intelligencer, October 5th, 2006, page C1

The 1960s :: American America History

The 1960s It may have been a decade of a myriad of effulgent paintings and intrepid space excursions, but for most people, resplendent canvases don't come near the cranium when someone mentions the 1960s. So just what do we associate the decade with? The most intriguing part of our prior erudition: hippies, flower power, peace, love, drugs, and Woodstock! All of the preceding are the very essence of the '60s in America; all of them had a distinct impact on the world. Presumably the most prominent aspect of the '60s was the evolution of the youthful generation into a powerful strong-minded group of people known as the hippies. Around the late '60s, there was a copious amount of young men and women who were just reaching their late teen years, re-evaluating their sentiment on important issues. But just what was a hippie? Hippies were mostly young people who were often characterized by long hair and flowing skirts. They had very confident convictions, particularly in regard to the Vietnam War. Because this new generation possessed a blatant loathing for the affect of Vietnam on the country, they rebelled against everything the war was about. This resulted in a shared conception of love, peace, and happiness. They held protests and anti-war love-ins promoting their ant-violence views, unity, and, also, drugs. Previously unmentioned, hippies were also druggies. Dr., Timothy Leary was a drug guru who was much loved for his preaching. He said things suc h as "Turn on, tune in, and drop out" and used new pronouns like "She" and "hir" to promote gender equality. He brought about a new philosophy that conceived that your state of consciousness is reflected in your environment. Leary had four exercises to a life of expanded intelligence: 1) Look at yourself in the mirror, change your manner of dress and your behavior so that you float like a god, not shuffle like a robot 2) Look around your home and throw out everything that is not "tuned in" to your highest vision 3) Make your body a temple and your home a shrine 4) You are a god, live like one! As prevalent as hippies were, it astounds many people to hear that there was a subdivision of the group. Yippies, as they were called, were much like other hippies, only more extreme. The yippies were New Left radicals with a no-holds barred approach contesting every custom of society.

Environmental Resources Worksheet Essay

Using the assigned readings from Week Four, write a 50- to 75-word response to each of the following questions. Your responses will be assessed according to the accuracy of the content. Minerals 1. How do minerals affect society? Minerals have aided in the continuous growth of developing nations and also, â€Å"had abundant mineral deposits that enabled them to industrialize† (Berg, 2013). However, as a consequence of industrialization, â€Å"these countries largely depleted their domestic reserves of minerals so that they must increasingly turn to developing countries† (Berg, 2013). Also, minerals affect the global economy. For example, China â€Å"controls more than 90 percent of the global supply of rare earth metals, has also reduced its exports to other countries, in a move that could affect market prices† (Berg, 2013). 2. What is the difference between metallic and nonmetallic minerals? Provide two examples from each category and discuss their uses. Minerals are divided into two categories: metals and nonmetallic minerals. Metals are â€Å"malleable, lustrous, and good conductors of heat and electricity†, while nonmetallic metals â€Å"lack these characteristics† (Berg, 2013) . Gold is a metal used for currency and iron is a metal used for steel buildings. Gypsum is a nonmetal that is used for drywall. Silicon is another nonmetal that is used for electronic devices. Mining 1. How are minerals extracted from the Earth and processed? There are two ways to extract minerals from the Earth, either surface mining or subsurface mining. Surface mining is done when minerals are closer to the surface. Subsurface mining is used when the minerals are too deep to be removed by surface mining. Smelting is the â€Å"process in which ore is melted at high temperatures to separate impurities from the molten metal† (Berg, 2013). 2. What are the different ways minerals can be mined? Provide a brief  description of at least three types of mining. What effect does extracting minerals have on the environment? Other than land damage, extracting minerals causes air pollution of the air, soil, and water. Also, it destroys vegetation and causes soil erosion. Possibly most importantly it affects the water supply. Mineral extraction â€Å"exposes large areas of dissolved toxic substances to precipitation, greatly accelerating polluted runoff† (Berg, 2013). Soil 3. What is your definition of soil? What is soil composed of? Why is soil important to the environment? Soil is the uppermost layer of the Earth and supports life on earth. Soil is composed of four parts: mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. Soil is very important to the environment because various organisms depend on soil for life and â€Å"supports virtually all terrestrial food webs† (Berg, 2013). 4. What types of organisms are found in soil? Determine the relationship between soil and organisms. Ants, moles, snakes, and earthworms are just a small number of the many organisms that are found in soil. Essentially, organisms and soil depend on each other to remain balanced. Organisms that live in soil provide â€Å"ecosystem services, such as maintaining soil fertility, preventing soil erosion, breaking down toxic materials, and cleansing water† (Berg, 2013). 5. What is soil erosion? How can soil become polluted? What effect does soil erosion and pollution have on the environment? Soil erosion is the â€Å"wearing away or removal of soil from the land† (Berg, 2013). Being that soil erosion reduces the amount of soil in an area, vegetation growth can become very limited. As a result, it disrupts the balance of the ecosystem by eliminating food sources. 6. What is the purpose of soil reclamation? Soil reclamation can be executed by â€Å"(1) stabilizing the land to prevent further erosion and (2) restoring the soil to its former fertility. To stabilize the land, the bare ground is seeded with plants that eventually grow to cover the soil, holding it in place† (Berg, 2013). Once the soil is returned back to its original state, the land can be used again. Forestry and Rangeland Resources and Management Strategies 7. Differentiate between government-owned and public lands. Which government agencies are involved with government-owned lands? What is the purpose of government-owned lands? Government owned lands â€Å"provide vital ecosystem services that benefit humans living far from public forests, grasslands, deserts, and wetlands† (Berg, 2013). These places include national parks and provide protection for endangered species and flood and erosion control. Public land is available for recreational purposes such as hiking, swimming and boating. 8. Why is the forest an important ecosystem? What is your definition of forest management? What is its purpose? Describe the concept of sustainable forestry. The forest is an important ecosystem because it â€Å"provides many goods and services to support human society† (Berg, 2013). They also provide employment for millions of people worldwide. Forest management is the managing of timber production. The purpose of forest management is to produce as much timber as possible. 9. What effect does the harvesting of trees and deforestation have on forests and the environment? Is there a preferred method for harvesting trees? Explain. Both the harvesting of trees and deforestation result in â€Å"decreased soil fertility† (Berg, 2013). The vital minerals that are needed by soil are washed away because there are no trees to absorb them. Also, this takes away food sources and shelter for various organisms. This disrupts the delicate balance of ecosystems. Selective cutting, is when a small group of mature tress are individually cut or in small clusters. This means that the rest of the forest is left undisturbed. However, this method is expensive and does not generate timber needed quickly enough. 10. What is a rangeland? Describe rangeland degradation and desertification. What effect does degradation and desertification have on the environment? Is there a preferred method for harvesting trees? Explain. Rangelands are â€Å"grasslands, in both temperate and tropical climates, that serve as important areas of food production for humans by providing fodder for livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats† (Berg, 2013). Degradation is â€Å"both a natural and a human-induced process that decreases the future ability of the land to support crops or livestock† (Berg, 2013). Desertification is progressive degradation that produces desert-like conditions on land that was used previously and was plentiful. 11. What is  overgrazing? What effect does this have on rangelands? What strategies can be employed for managing and conserving forests and rangelands? Overgrazing is a â€Å"situation that occurs when too many grazing animals consume the plants in a particular area, leaving the vegetation destroyed and unable to recover† (Berg, 2013). When rangelands are overgrazed, â€Å"plants die, the ground is left barren, and the exposed soil is susceptible to erosion† (Berg, 2013). The rangelands have to be taken care of by practicing techniques that are environmentally friendly. Agriculture 12. What is the difference between industrialized and subsistence agriculture? What effect do these methods have on the environment? Industrialized agriculture are modern â€Å"agricultural methods that require large capital inputs and less land and labor than traditional methods† (Berg, 2013). Subsistence agriculture supports on the farmer and their family with little reserves. Industrialized agriculture causes pollution and lowers an ecosystem’s biodiversity. Subsistence agriculture relies on more human and animal labor and has a much smaller impact on the environment. 13. What is one agricultural challenge, other than soil erosion, that society faces? Explain your answer. One agricultural challenge that society faces is the lost of agricultural land. Countries are starting to expand and grow rapidly. With so much space being needed for expansion, this takes land that could have been used for agricultural purposes. The loss of rural land means that food will have to travel longer and use more resources to do so. 14. How would you describe sustainable agriculture? How does it affect the environment? In regards to agriculture, what are the advantages and disadvantages involved with genetic engineering? I would describe sustainable agriculture as agriculture that is better for the environment and leaves less of a footprint on the Earth. It also promotes high diversity. It has minimal long term impacts on the environment by using less pesticides and using biological diversity instead (predator-prey relationship). The advantage of genetic engineering is that any organism can be used and it takes less time to engineer another breed. The disadvantage is that there is yet to be seen what long term effects  genetic engineering has on the environment or on humans. Works Cited Berg, L. (2013). Visualizing Environmental Science (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

How Hilton Hotels Builds a Relationship with Its Customers

Introduction This study aims to apply the application of value chain to a selected organisation in a service industry. This study aims to use Hilton Hotels as the focus of this paper. The main purpose of this study is to examine how Hilton Hotels builds a relationship with its customers, how it improves the added value to retain customers and what should be improved under the context of value chain to improve the better services in order to effectively deliver customer satisfaction and exceed their expectation. The paper will start from providing brief information about Hilton Hotels and then move on to analyse and discuss the key issues. About Hilton Hotel Hilton Hotels is one of the leading international premium hotels in the world. The company was founded by Conrad Hilton (Hilton Hotels, n. d. ). It offers full-services hotels and resorts to customers in many major cities around the world. Through different kinds of customer service programmes, it attempts to develop a good relationship with the targeted market. It also attempts to use the ‘Hilton Honors’ which is customer loyalty programme to retain existing customers (Hilton Hotels, n. . ). The programme does not only enable Hilton Hotels to assess quality premium services from the hotel and its affiliated firms, but also helps them to experience the feeling of privilege. How effective are the organisation’s resources in delivering its service offering? Based on the concept of value chain, it can be assumed that Hil ton Hotels attempts to add value to its offerings with the use of effective support value chain activities. Hilton Hotels uses different support value chain activities to sustain the effectiveness of primary activities to exceed customer satisfaction and expectation. These can be explained below. Primary Value Chain Activities of Hilton Hotel Inbound Logistics Hilton Hotels have several suppliers in each country in order to have sufficient supplies as part of a good quality service for customers. There are three most important areas that Hilton Hotels pays a lot of attention on because they influence people to pay more for premium services. These include food and drink, pick-up and other motor service and interior design. For example, Hilton Hotels decides to use different suppliers for fresh meat and vegetables to get the best products from suppliers with specialised offers. Once the goods are delivered, food and catering department of Hilton Hotels will store them in the right temperature until they are required. Before they are put in the stockroom, catering staff will put different colour stickers on the package. For example, fresh meat will have the maximum lifetime of five days. If it arrives on Monday, the blue sticker with the word ‘FRI’ should be put on the package to inform the chef and other kitchen staff that it should be used by Friday or otherwise, it should be binned to avoid food poisoning. The same practice is also true for car courtesy service and interior design. For example, Hilton Hotels has a contract with Mercedes Benz and other luxurious car brands to support its car courtesy services, while its interior design is done by a professional firm which will be in charge for all events held at the hotel. Operations As previously explained, this stage involved with transforming the goods into the finished offerings for end users. At Hilton Hotels, there are many goods that need to get through the operations process before being delivered to the end users. For example, all rooms will be cleaned once the customers check-out to ensure that that they are ready to serve the next guest. Outbound Logistics This is about delivering the finished goods to final users. For Hilton Hotels, this is about the presentation of both tangible and intangible products to customers. For example, the room must be spotless and equipped with facilities as promised and advertised. Also, the food should be cooked in the right manner, such as if the customer asks for a medium rare steak, they should get what they have requested. Once the food is cooked, it should be served to the customer within five minutes and the table must be cleared within ten minutes. Marketing & Sale This is about developing the marketing communication and promotion strategies that meet the needs and demands of customers. The marketing communication message used by in the poster is ‘Never feel away from home †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ When living any of our over 514 hotels worldwide!!! ’ This slogan informs the target market that wherever they go, they can always be comfortable like staying at home at the Hilton Hotels which has more than 514 outlets worldwide. Hilton Hotels does give some discounts to customers during the low season. It does not do this on a regular basis like many budget accommodations. This is because it targets customers who are less price-sensitive and they are willing to pay more for premium services. Service Through the customer loyalty programme ‘Hilton Honors’ to monitor behaviour of customers. This loyalty program enables card holders to access other premium quality services from the partnership companies of Hilton Hotels, such as car rental firms and airlines. The loyalty scheme allows the hotel to improve the products and services to meet new demand in the market more effectively. Support Value Chain Activities of Hilton Hotel Firm infrastructure Hilton Hotels is an international hotel chain with many resorts and leisure accommodations in many cities around the world. Customers should expect to get the same quality standard of leisure hotel services. This is because Hilton Hotels has an effective system to control the performance of the company. There are five main factors that Hilton Hotels uses to maintain its performance in all cities. These include cleanliness, quality, service, maintenance and atmosphere (Roubi & Litteljohn, 2004). All hotel rooms and common areas of the hotel should be spotless, the service should be delivered in a professional manner, cars, tools and equipments should be maintained and checked to ensure that they work effectively when required and the interior design should provide comfort. All of these elements are part of the organisational culture of Hilton Hotels. Human resource management Both frontline and management workers of Hilton Hotels are well-trained to deliver a perfect customer serving. Hilton Hotels tends to select employees with the right skills and knowledge. It is revealed that Hilton Hotels welcomes and prefers employees who have degrees from hospitality institutes in Switzerland. However, those with appropriate experiences are also welcomed. All workers of Hilton Hotels are required to attend both on-the-job and off-the-job training programmes to ensure that they are equipped with the right tools to carry out a good customer service. At the same time, to motivate all workers to work towards the assigned tasks with their best effort, Hilton Hotels provides its workers with financial and non-financial rewards. Some employees who have been working for the hotel for more than two years are eligible for organisational rewards, which are in the form of shares that are sold to workers at a discounted price (Watson et al. , 2007). Technology department Like other companies in the hospitality segment, the technology development and web-technology is used by Hilton Hotels to improve customer satisfaction in terms of fast and instant customer service. Hilton Hotel develops an official website which enables customers to book a hotel room, make a request for the airport pick up and other additional services. The website of Hilton Hotels does not only make it easy for customers to access the services of the hotel, but it also enables the hotel to promote its brand and offers worldwide at the lowest cost (Lo et al. , 2010). Procurement Hilton Hotels is very selective about its suppliers. This is because it positions itself as the international premium hotel chain. Thus, apart from good quality products and services that these suppliers have to provide, they must also follow the rules set by Hilton Hotels. Hilton Hotels requires all of its suppliers to be environmental-friendly and should not be involved in any kind of unethical issues, such as sweatshop and using underage workers (Hilton Hotels, n. d. ). How is Hilton Hotel attempting to build a relationship with the customer? Under the concept of value chain, it can be assumed that the targeted customers of Hilton Hotels are those who are quality conscious and they are willing to pay extra for the best service. Hilton Hotels uses differentiation strategy to develop a good relationship with customers and this enables it to retain customers more effectively. Differentiation & Value Chain – Customer Service Based on the analysis in the previous section, it can be assumed that Hilton Hotels develops a strong bond with targeted customers through value chain differentiation strategy. This is done by making its customer service different from others in the same segment. Hilton Hotels aims to offer the best leisure products and services in the industry. This strategy does not only enable it to charge customers premium price, but it also allows Hilton Hotels to retain and influence the repeated purchase behaviour (Vukmir, 2006). The loyalty scheme ‘Hilton Honor’ does not just makes customers feel that they are more privilege than others, but also enables them to access many premium services. Hilton Hotels must work hard to ensure that the promised offerings are delivered to customers. Differentiation & Value Chain – Technology To keep customers updated with new offers, Hilton Hotels sends electronic mails to customers who sign up for the service. The technology makes it easy for Hilton Hotels to develop a customer database and this can help them to monitor the behaviour of targeted customers more effectively. Hilton Hotels also utilises other new forms of media to keep a good relationship with customers through social networks like Facebook and YouTube. This enables customers to share experiences about their stay at Hilton Hotels. At the same time, this also allows Hilton Hotels to keep customers informed about recent events and activities. Conclusion According to the analysis in the previous sections, it can be assumed that there is little evidence about customer satisfaction towards the services of Hilton Hotels. However, based on the review of Hilton Hotels on TripAdvisor website (2009), it can be seen that it receives four out of five stars and 87 percent of customers who stay at the Hilton recommend it to others. The only problem that many customers appear to complain about is the pricing tactic of Hilton Hotels. Thus, under the current difficult economic conditions, it seems that customers will become more price-sensitive as they have less disposal income or start being cautious about their spending habits. They may look for substitute leisure accommodations which offer quality lodging services at affordable and reasonable prices. This means that even customers with a high spending power may still want to stay in a hotel room without breaking a bank. Therefore, there are two possible tactics that Hilton Hotels can consider in order to add value to its offerings. These include (1) promotional offer or competitive deals; and (2) complimentary or free gifts. The first strategy does not only add value to the offerings and exceed customer expectation, but it is also attractive to those who look for value for money. By contrast, the second strategy will satisfy customers who pay a full price on services. Complimentary offers would be perceived by them as a thank you gift from Hilton Hotels. This tactic will also make high spending-power customers feel privileged. Thus, it can be concluded that both strategies should effectively add value to the offerings of Hilton Hotels and satisfy customers with different spending powers.

HOW THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIST ALTERED THE ENVIORNMENT essays

HOW THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIST ALTERED THE ENVIORNMENT essays How the New England Colonists` Altered the New England Environment In Changes in the Land, William Cronon points out the European colonists` pursuits of a capitalistic market and the impact it had on the New England ecosystem. Native Americans and colonists had different views on the use of land resources. The Natives viewed the land as something not owned, but as a resource to sustain life. They believe in a hunting-gathering system, hunting only when necessary. In the long run Native Americans lost their old traditions and were forced to adapt to the colonists` traditions in order to survive. This change contributed even more to the alteration of the ecosystem during the colonization period. In contrast, colonists viewed the land as capitalistic market in which they used more of the land resources without taking into consideration that one day they would run out of resources. Before the colonists arrived in New England land resources were in abundance. The only ones to use these resources were the Natives, but the type of resources they used where divided in regions. Northern Indians lived entirely as hunter-gatherers, while the Indians south of the Kennebec River raised crops. (p.38) Even though the Indians used a large amount of the land resources it had very little affect on the land because of techniques in which they regained some of the land resources each season. The Southern Indians changed their farming spot each season; this actually allowed the land to recuperate and become fertile once more. Rather than raising crops all year the Indians only planted in March and June. They also used their fields to plant more than one crop; such crops included corn, beans, squash, pumpkin, and tobacco. Grain made up half of their diet; this gave the natives an advantage because grain could be easily stored for the winter. They also planted crops that fertilized the land with resources that were lost with the p...

ACT vs SAT Which Students Should Take Which

ACT vs SAT Which Students Should Take Which SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As a high school student, you’re probably wondering whether you should take the SAT or the ACT. Which one will give you a better score? Is one easier than the other? The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. Everyone has different test-taking strengths and learning styles. Based on these factors, it might be to your advantage to take one test over the other. In this article I’ll go through a list of different strengths and weaknesses you could have as a test-taker and as a student in general and which test you should take based on these qualities. Test-Taking Abilities and Style These are a few common pitfalls unrelated to content that students encounter on standardized tests. It might be better for you to take one test over the other based on your experience with these issues. You’re an anxious tester If you tend to get really nervous on test day, you are probably better off with the ACT.The ACT has much more predictable structure and content than the SAT, so you can prepare more confidently. On the reading section of the ACT, for example, there are always four passages in the same sequence of genres: Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science.On the SAT, the structure is not as reliable. We know the topics that appear and the types of passages and questions, but not their order on the test. On the ACT, once the section for a subject is over, that’s it - you’re done with it for the whole test.This is in contrast to the SAT, which has ten sections, six of which are ordered randomly.The SAT also has an experimental section on every test that won’t count towards your scores and sometimes contains unfamiliar material, which can throw you off. You won’t have to worry about this on the ACT. You get tripped up by confusing wording It’s a better idea to take the ACT if this is a problem for you. The SAT has weird question wording that could trick you if you often get confused by that type of thing.The ACT is very straightforward in its question wording, so you usually have a clear sense of what the questions are asking right away rather than having to think about it too much first. For example, a reading question on the ACT might ask â€Å"What was Sam trying to accomplish by talking to her sister?†A reading question on the SAT might ask something more like â€Å"If the author of passage 1 reads lines 16-24 of passage 2, which of the following is she least likely to offer as a response?†You have to jump through a couple more hoops of â€Å"this, not that† logic before you can answer the question. You tend to run out of time If you have time problems, it’s a better idea to take the SAT.Why? You get more time per question, and it’s broken up into ten short sections rather than four long ones.This means that if you have a time problem on one section, it will not necessarily tank your scores. You will have a couple other sections to make up for it (3 math, 3 critical reading, 2 writing). On the ACT, each subject is just one long section, so if you get stuck on a difficult question and end up messing up your timing for a whole section, it’s going to have a much bigger impact on your scores. Anecdotal evidence from students also points to more problems with time pressure on the ACT than the SAT. But what if I’m an anxious tester AND I tend to run out of time, which test should I take? If you have both of these problems, you should plan on doing a lot more prep before your next test.The decision is probably going to rest on where your strengths lie as far as content, which I’ll get to in the next section. Time: The one true enemy of us all. Subject Strengths Let's move on to actual test content. I'll go through the different subject areas tested on the SAT and ACT and which test is the better one to take based on whether you excel or struggle in these subjects. Math Case 1: I consider numbers to be my only real friends If you have great math skills, the test where you stand to gain the biggest advantage is the ACT.The ACT tests more advanced math concepts than the SAT, and no formulas are provided for you (except on some individual questions).It also requires math problem-solving speed and stamina - you will need to solve 60 questions in a row with only a minute for each question. The ACT asks math questions in a more straightforward way than the SAT, so if your math skills are good but your reading comprehension skills are less so, the ACT is the test you want to take. Case 2: Math fills me with wrath You might be better off with the SAT if math is not your strong suit.The questions are more broken up (three sections, two 25 minute and one 20 minute), so if you mess up or run out of time on one math section you won’t necessarily ruin your score. You will have more time per question (67 seconds rather than 60), and the math concepts tested are not as advanced.The SAT also gives you formulasto work with at the start of the math sections. Reading Case 1: I’m a word nerd If you enjoy reading, it’s likely that you already have a strong base of vocabulary and can read passages fairly quickly.If you know a lot of advanced vocabulary words, you’re better off taking the SAT.Sentence completion and vocabulary in context questions make up a significant portion of the critical reading section, and a prodigious vocabulary will give you a leg up.There are also a lot of confusingly worded questions on the SAT in general. You’ll have a much easier time surmounting that obstacle compared to students who aren’t as good at reading. On the ACT, knowing advanced vocabulary won’t help your score much if at all.You might consider taking the ACT if you’re a fast reader and are very good at reading comprehension, not just vocabulary.These skills will help you on the Reading AND Science sections. Case 2: I’m a Spark Notes type of guy/gal This is tough, because reading skills are very important on both tests.I’d say if you are not as fond of reading you should take the ACT.Though there is a lot of reading involved and a lot of time pressure, the questions tend to be more straightforward and less confusing than those on the SAT.You also don’t need to know advanced vocabulary to do well.Practice reading quickly and understanding passages before the test - this will be extremely important on Reading and Science. My brain will just absorb the words. That's how reading works, right? Grammar Case 1: I'm the grammar police, and you're ALL UNDER ARREST If you're good at grammar, you could really take either test, but you'll probably have the biggest advantage on the SAT. The multiple choice on the SAT Writing section is similar to the ACT English section, but it is less passage-based. Most of it is identifying errors in sentences and improving sentences out of context.On the ACT English section, questions are always asked alongside a corresponding passage, so you have more context to work with for your answers. Case 2: I don't care 'bout no stupid grammar The SAT Writing section and the ACT English section will both be tough for you if you’re not so great at grammar, so study the grammar rules beforehand! The ACT English section might be slightly easier because, as mentioned above, it asks its questions in the context of long passages. But it also has a lot more questions (75 vs. 49 on the SAT), so it's a trade-off. Essay Writing Case 1: I’m the next Hemingway If you're a great writer, you should take the SAT.On the SAT you will be writing an essay no matter what, and you only get 25 minutes to do it.The essay also accounts for about a third of your Writing subscore.Essay prompts on the SAT are varied and require you to formulate opinions and examples to support them very quickly, which is difficult if you don't already have strong writing skills. Case 2: I don’t have the write stuff If you’re not as into writing, the ACT is a better choice.You don’t even have to write an essay, and if you do take it with Writing the essay won’t impact your composite score.You also get 40 minutes for the essay rather than 25, and prompts tend to be more straightforward. Prompts on the ACT ask students to consider how changes in the world today will affect humanity in a broad sense, and you can use abstract reasoning and even made up examples to support your points. Science Case 1: I am the lovechild of Bill Nye and his very attractive microscope (don’t ask me about logistics) Take the ACT!Although the science section doesn’t actually require much scientific knowledge beyond basic concepts you learned in elementary school, knowing a lot of science can help you get a better grasp on the experiments and data presented on the test.You’ll have a much easier (and faster) time understanding what’s going on and answering the questions if you are familiar with the science involved. Case 2: I break out in hives when I see a test tube. If you don’t like science, take the SAT.You should know that you CAN still do well on the science section of the ACT without knowing much science at all.However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the data presented and unfamiliar background information even if the questions themselves are not that hard.If you think seeing chemical equations or physics on one of these standardized tests will give you a heart attack, go with the SAT so you won’t have to worry about it. Aughhhh I said no science! You KNOW I'm allergic! Summary and Follow Up In deciding which test to take, you should consider both your testing style and your subject strengths. Here's a summary of the situations listed above and my corresponding test recommendations: Test anxiety? ACTEasily confused by questions? ACTTime problems? SATGreat at math? ACTGreat at reading? SATGreat at grammar? SATGreat at writing? SATGreat at science? ACT Additionally, If you have a strong imbalance in your abilities in different subjects, you might be better off with the ACT.This is because your individual scores on each section are not nearly as important to colleges are they are on the SAT. On the ACT, your composite score is pretty much the only thing that matters. You also won’t have to deal with switching unpredictably between subjects you know well and subjects you struggle with during the test. If you're still not entirely sure which test is best for you or which strengths and weaknesses you have, you should take an ACT practice test and an SAT practice test(each with the official time constraints so you'll know if running out of time is a problem!). Look up average standardized test scores for colleges you would like to attend to figure out your target score for both the ACT and the SAT. Then, score your practice tests and see where you end up. Is one test score significantly closer to your target score than the other? If so, that's the test you want to take. If the scores are similar, you may need to decide based on which test format makes you feel more comfortable. On test day, you'll be under a lot more pressure! What's Next? If you're still looking for more details on how the SAT and the ACT compare to each other, check out this article. Trying to decide when to take the SAT or ACT? Read this guide to find the best test date for you! For more advice on how to combat your weaknesses on either test, take a look at our advice on how to review your mistakeson the SAT or ACT and how to improve your overall scores on both tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: ACT vs SAT Which Students Should Take Which SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As a high school student, you’re probably wondering whether you should take the SAT or the ACT. Which one will give you a better score? Is one easier than the other? The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. Everyone has different test-taking strengths and learning styles. Based on these factors, it might be to your advantage to take one test over the other. In this article I’ll go through a list of different strengths and weaknesses you could have as a test-taker and as a student in general and which test you should take based on these qualities. Test-Taking Abilities and Style These are a few common pitfalls unrelated to content that students encounter on standardized tests. It might be better for you to take one test over the other based on your experience with these issues. You’re an anxious tester If you tend to get really nervous on test day, you are probably better off with the ACT.The ACT has much more predictable structure and content than the SAT, so you can prepare more confidently. On the reading section of the ACT, for example, there are always four passages in the same sequence of genres: Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science.On the SAT, the structure is not as reliable. We know the topics that appear and the types of passages and questions, but not their order on the test. On the ACT, once the section for a subject is over, that’s it - you’re done with it for the whole test.This is in contrast to the SAT, which has ten sections, six of which are ordered randomly.The SAT also has an experimental section on every test that won’t count towards your scores and sometimes contains unfamiliar material, which can throw you off. You won’t have to worry about this on the ACT. You get tripped up by confusing wording It’s a better idea to take the ACT if this is a problem for you. The SAT has weird question wording that could trick you if you often get confused by that type of thing.The ACT is very straightforward in its question wording, so you usually have a clear sense of what the questions are asking right away rather than having to think about it too much first. For example, a reading question on the ACT might ask â€Å"What was Sam trying to accomplish by talking to her sister?†A reading question on the SAT might ask something more like â€Å"If the author of passage 1 reads lines 16-24 of passage 2, which of the following is she least likely to offer as a response?†You have to jump through a couple more hoops of â€Å"this, not that† logic before you can answer the question. You tend to run out of time If you have time problems, it’s a better idea to take the SAT.Why? You get more time per question, and it’s broken up into ten short sections rather than four long ones.This means that if you have a time problem on one section, it will not necessarily tank your scores. You will have a couple other sections to make up for it (3 math, 3 critical reading, 2 writing). On the ACT, each subject is just one long section, so if you get stuck on a difficult question and end up messing up your timing for a whole section, it’s going to have a much bigger impact on your scores. Anecdotal evidence from students also points to more problems with time pressure on the ACT than the SAT. But what if I’m an anxious tester AND I tend to run out of time, which test should I take? If you have both of these problems, you should plan on doing a lot more prep before your next test.The decision is probably going to rest on where your strengths lie as far as content, which I’ll get to in the next section. Time: The one true enemy of us all. Subject Strengths Let's move on to actual test content. I'll go through the different subject areas tested on the SAT and ACT and which test is the better one to take based on whether you excel or struggle in these subjects. Math Case 1: I consider numbers to be my only real friends If you have great math skills, the test where you stand to gain the biggest advantage is the ACT.The ACT tests more advanced math concepts than the SAT, and no formulas are provided for you (except on some individual questions).It also requires math problem-solving speed and stamina - you will need to solve 60 questions in a row with only a minute for each question.The ACT asks math questions in a more straightforward way than the SAT, so if your math skills are good but your reading comprehension skills are less so, the ACT is the test you want to take. Case 2: Math fills me with wrath You might be better off with the SAT if math is not your strong suit.The questions are more broken up (three sections, two 25 minute and one 20 minute), so if you mess up or run out of time on one math section you won’t necessarily ruin your score. You will have more time per question (67 seconds rather than 60), and the math concepts tested are not as advanced.The SAT also gives you formulasto work with at the start of the math sections. Reading Case 1: I’m a word nerd If you enjoy reading, it’s likely that you already have a strong base of vocabulary and can read passages fairly quickly.If you know a lot of advanced vocabulary words, you’re better off taking the SAT.Sentence completion and vocabulary in context questions make up a significant portion of the critical reading section, and a prodigious vocabulary will give you a leg up.There are also a lot of confusingly worded questions on the SAT in general. You’ll have a much easier time surmounting that obstacle compared to students who aren’t as good at reading.On the ACT, knowing advanced vocabulary won’t help your score much if at all.You might consider taking the ACT if you’re a fast reader and are very good at reading comprehension, not just vocabulary.These skills will help you on the Reading AND Science sections. Case 2: I’m a Spark Notes type of guy/gal This is tough, because reading skills are very important on both tests.I’d say if you are not as fond of reading you should take the ACT.Though there is a lot of reading involved and a lot of time pressure, the questions tend to be more straightforward and less confusing than those on the SAT.You also don’t need to know advanced vocabulary to do well.Practice reading quickly and understanding passages before the test - this will be extremely important on Reading and Science. My brain will just absorb the words. That's how reading works, right? Grammar Case 1: I'm the grammar police, and you're ALL UNDER ARREST If you're good at grammar, you could really take either test, but you'll probably have the biggest advantage on the SAT. The multiple choice on the SAT Writing section is similar to the ACT English section, but it is less passage-based. Most of it is identifying errors in sentences and improving sentences out of context.On the ACT English section, questions are always asked alongside a corresponding passage, so you have more context to work with for your answers. Case 2: I don't care 'bout no stupid grammar The SAT Writing section and the ACT English section will both be tough for you if you’re not so great at grammar, so study the grammar rules beforehand! The ACT English section might be slightly easier because, as mentioned above, it asks its questions in the context of long passages. But it also has a lot more questions (75 vs. 49 on the SAT), so it's a trade-off. Essay Writing Case 1: I’m the next Hemingway If you're a great writer, you should take the SAT.On the SAT you will be writing an essay no matter what, and you only get 25 minutes to do it.The essay also accounts for about a third of your Writing subscore.Essay prompts on the SAT are varied and require you to formulate opinions and examples to support them very quickly, which is difficult if you don't already have strong writing skills. Case 2: I don’t have the write stuff If you’re not as into writing, the ACT is a better choice.You don’t even have to write an essay, and if you do take it with Writing the essay won’t impact your composite score.You also get 30 minutes for the essay rather than 25, and prompts tend to be more straightforward.ACT essay prompts usually ask about issues related to high school, so they make it easier for you to figure out your opinion on the question from personal experience. Science Case 1: I am the lovechild of Bill Nye and his very attractive microscope (don’t ask me about logistics) Take the ACT!Although the science section doesn’t actually require much scientific knowledge beyond basic concepts you learned in elementary school, knowing a lot of science can help you get a better grasp on the experiments and data presented on the test.You’ll have a much easier (and faster) time understanding what’s going on and answering the questions if you are familiar with the science involved. Case 2: I break out in hives when I see a test tube. If you don’t like science, take the SAT.You should know that you CAN still do well on the science section of the ACT without knowing much science at all.However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the data presented and unfamiliar background information even if the questions themselves are not that hard.If you think seeing chemical equations or physics on one of these standardized tests will give you a heart attack, go with the SAT so you won’t have to worry about it. Aughhhh I said no science! You KNOW I'm allergic! Summary and Follow Up In deciding which test to take, you should consider both your testing style and your subject strengths. Here's a summary of the situations listed above and my corresponding test recommendations: Test anxiety? ACTEasily confused by questions? ACTTime problems? SATGreat at math? ACTGreat at reading? SATGreat at grammar? SATGreat at writing? SATGreat at science? ACT Additionally, If you have a strong imbalance in your abilities in different subjects, you might be better off with the ACT.This is because your individual scores on each section are not nearly as important to colleges are they are on the SAT. On the ACT, your composite score is pretty much the only thing that matters. You also won’t have to deal with switching unpredictably between subjects you know well and subjects you struggle with during the test. If you're still not entirely sure which test is best for you or which strengths and weaknesses you have, you should take an ACT practice test and an SAT practice test(each with the official time constraints so you'll know if running out of time is a problem!). Look up average standardized test scores for colleges you would like to attend to figure out your target score for both the ACT and the SAT. Then, score your practice tests and see where you end up. Is one test score significantly closer to your target score than the other? If so, that's the test you want to take. If the scores are similar, you may need to decide based on which test format makes you feel more comfortable. On test day, you'll be under a lot more pressure! What's Next? If you're still looking for more details on how the SAT and the ACT compare to each other, check out this article. Trying to decide when to take the SAT or ACT? Read this guide to find the best test date for you! For more advice on how to combat your weaknesses on either test, take a look at our advice on how to review your mistakeson the SAT or ACT and how to improve your overall scores on both tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Integration is not easy to achieve but when it is achieved, the 4 Es Essay

Integration is not easy to achieve but when it is achieved, the 4 Es and 4 Cs of IMC create the synergistic benefits of integration - Essay Example However, with lots of choices including the media’s bombardment of potential customers with the right messages, this is having no effect to the potential (Figen, 2006). An effective Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) which will unify multi-channels, synchronize communication and group together the three aspects of communications; advertisement, public relations and marketing towards relating intimately with the customers, is the only solution viable for firms to reap the benefits of marketing. This is made possible by the use of both online and offline marketing channel with complementary media to ensure consistency in the delivery of message. Sometimes even with an effective Integrated Marketing Communications program, firms need have a competitive advantage over other similar firms in the industry and should therefore include the 4E’s and the 4C’s on Integrated Marketing communications to create the synergistic benefits of integration. Broderick and Pickton (2005 28) rightfully state that â€Å"Integration is not easy to achieve but when it is achieved, the 4 E’s and 4 C’s of IMC create the synergistic benefits of integration† in this respect. The following suggestions will discuss the integration of the 4C’s and the 4E’s within IMC. The 4C’s of communication propose that integrated marketing communications should have consistency, coherence, continuity and be complementary while the 4E’s propose integrated marketing communications should be economical, efficient, enhancing and effective (Figen 34). Being economical involves using minimum resources, time and strategies necessary for effective consideration and most importantly, being cautious with money to avoid overspending. To ensure profitability for any firm, Integrated Marketing Communication should be economical. Costs incurred in running integrated marketing communication should not exceed or level with the expected returns. To