Net Present Value and Cash Essay Example for Free

Net Present Value and Cash Essay Need to consider what types and which cash flows should be included in capital budgeting analysis. Damp;D was producing and marketing two major product lines: 1. Lift-Off: Low –suds, concentrated powder. 2. Wave: Traditional powder detergent. Questions amp; Answers: . If you were in Steve Gasper’s place, would you argue to include the cost from market testing as a cash outflow? If I’m Steven Gasper’s I would not include the cost from market testing as a cash outflow. The reason is because the cost from market testing was considered as sunk costs. A sunk cost is an outlay that has already occurred, hence by decision under consideration would not been affected by the costs. Since sunk costs are not incremental cost they should not be included in the analysis. In this case initial cost for Blast, $500,000 for test marketing, which was conducted in the Detroit area and completed in the previous June was consider as a sunk cost and it will not affect Danforth amp; Donnalley Laundry future cash flows regardless of whether or not the new branch is built. 2. What would your opinion be as to how to deal with the question of working capital? Working capital management deals with the management of current assets which are inventories, payroll, and other cash needs and receivables from customers, account receivable, and also procedures financing these assets. In our opinion, have two basic questions involves in working capital policy: (i) What is the appropriate amount of current assets for the firm to carry both in total and for each specific account and (ii) How should current asset be financed. Therefore, the most important element in best buys working capital policy is its inventory management. Refer to the Danforth amp; Donnalley laundry, McDonald suggest to add another $200,000 in working capital, because they estimate this money would never leave the firm and would always be in liquid form, for the first time; it consider outflow but hence inflow. In our opinion, some additional cash is required to conduct operations in Damp;D laundry because additional some cash is needed in order to reserve for some contingency, or as a â€Å"parking place† for funds prior to an acquisition, a major capital investment program, or the like. That concept has been applied to more complex businesses, where it is used to analyze the effectiveness of a firm’s working capital management. Under relaxed current assets policy, Damp;D laundry would hold relatively large amounts of each type of current asset and under a restricted current assets policy; company would hold minimal amounts of these items. Current assets are necessary, but there are costs associated with holding them. Therefore, if Damp;D can manage its current assets more efficiently and thereby operate with smaller investment in working capital; this will increase Damp;D laundry profitability. 3. Would you suggest that the product be charged for the use of excess production facilities and building? Would this opinion change under the hypothetical assumption that needed production facilities for the current line of powdered detergents were at 55 percent of capacity and expected to grow at a rate 20 percent a year and maximum production capacity was 100 percent? What would be the present value of this cash flow given the fact that the currently proposed new plant would involve cash outflows of $5 million in three years (assuming that acceptance of the Blast project would not affect the size of the proposed outlay, only the timing, and that the new plant and facilities would be operable indefinitely). (Hint: Assume that the introduction of Blast would only move the need for a new plant ahead by one year, that the cash outflow would remain at $5 million regardless of when incurred, and that the plant would operate indefinitely. In our opinion, the excess usage of production facilities and building would not be charge into Blast. The reasons of this are:- a) When the machine was bought for Lift-Off productions the cost has been calculated; and b) In obtaining the machine and building for Blast productions no cash payment has been made. Since the production of Blast will occupy current excess capacity, no incremental cash flows are incurred; hence, none should be charged against Blast. Would you suggest that the cash flows resulting from erosion of sales from current laundry detergent products be included as a cash inflow? If there was a chance that competition would introduce a similar product were Damp;D to fail to introduce Blast, would this affect your answer? Yes, it should be treat as an incremental cash flow for the reduction in the sales of the Lift-Off and Wave, referred to as erosion. These lost sales are included because it a cost (a revenue reduction) that the company must bear if it choose to produce the new product (Blast). It will not affect our answer if there was a chance that competition would introduce a similar product at time Damp;D fail to introduce Blast. This happen due to the fact that for constructs cash flow we ignore the competitor effect. 5. If debt is used to finance this project, should the interest payments associated with this new debt be considered cash flows? No. We discount project cash flows with a cost of capital that is the rate of return required by all investors (not just debt holders or stockholders), and so we should discount the total amount of cash flow available to all investors.

Machiavelli’s The Prince Essay Example for Free

Machiavelli’s The Prince Essay In Machiavelli’s The Prince, he plunged into how a prince could bulwark his position once he reaches the top. One of the many ways of how to secure a prince’s position is conquest by criminal virtue. In conquest by criminal virtue, Michiavelli said that a prince secures his position when he reaches the top because it takes a long time and a lot of hard work to prosper. So to make sure no one takes away their position, the prince crushes his opponents and earns obeisance from the people as much as possible. The prince also makes fewer compromises with their allies, trying to stand alone because he believes he is more sufficient and stronger than the others. A prince must also know how to reform orders. This may cause havoc because people who benefited the old order might oppose the prince but he must have the power to force the people to continue supporting him even though they are already having second thoughts. So why does this persist even though every politician and every citizen who thinks rationally knows that this is immoral. We humans are naturally driven by our hunger for power, fame and fortune. We set aside moral values and ethical values just to quench our self-interests. Politicians act on it because they know this is the easiest way to eliminate a threat. This is a permanent thing so when an enemy ceases to exist, he’s permanently gone from the competition and this gives the other politician a peace of mind because he knows that he will win for sure if he has no opponent. Citizens do not act upon this because first, citizens that belong to the lower class are afraid. How could they go against someone so powerful that this person could end their life with just a snap of their fingers? The span and extent of power of this kind of politician is vague that it might extend to having the upper hand and control over criminals and we never know what he will do just to preserve his power, fame and fortune. Second, most citizens who know about the wrong doings of this politician is paid and given a lot of consolations for their support and silence. As I said, we humans are naturally driven by our hunger by fortune. For people who do not work and believe in gaining money from a real job, this is the most convenient way of earning money because they don’t have to do anything but tay silent, run a few errands for the politician and write the politician’s name on their ballot every time he runs for a seat. There is also the fact that when local citizens support this politician, they are more secured and well protected. People who try to clash with these local citizens would already feel threaten beforehand because the politician will back them up in part of their deal for the secrecy of the politician’s dirty work. This is one of the most immoral acts performed in politics, but one that somehow we can never get rid of.

The Distribution Channel And Market Analysis Marketing Essay

The Distribution Channel And Market Analysis Marketing Essay The project Study of the distribution channel and market analysis of the of the products distributed and marketed by Keventer Agro under the license of Parle Agro involves the study of the strategies undertaken by Keventer Agro to distribute and market products of Parle Agro which includes HIPPO and BAILEY PACKAGED DRINKING WATER and BAILEY SODA. Keventer Agro: The Company Keventer Agro Limited is a subsidiary of Keventer Group which has been operating years in the Food Processing Industry in India for more than 125 years. Keventer exports Alphonso Mango Pulp, Totapuri Mango Pulp, Guava Pulp, Sweetened Alphonso Mango Pulp, Mango Pickle, Sesame Seed, Cashew Nuts, Peanuts, Cumin Seed, Fennel Seed, Fenugreek, Coriander Seed, Bakery Ingredients, Fruit Jams, Tutti Fruiti, Red Chilies Button Mushrooms etc. to various countries. Keventer Agro Ltd. (KAL) was established in the year 1986. The division exports food products such as Mango Pulp, Guava Pulp, Sesame Seeds, and Bakery Ingredients to various customers across the globe. In no time, it earned the coronet of being the first to introduce aseptic packaging in the beverage category (a high-end packaging procedure that preserved the natural goodness of drinks in hygienic packs). The Group entered into a franchisee agreement with the food and beverage giant PARLE to manufacture, package, distribute and mark et its well-known brands namely FROOTI a popular mango drink, APPY and APPY FIZZ- the in-style apple drinks and BAILEY PACKAGED DRINKING WATER mostly in the eastern parts of India. In late 2010, Parle Agro inked another agreement with Keventer Agro to set up a plant at Barasat. This new unit manufactures Parle Agros snack brand Hippo. Besides manufacturing, Keventer is also responsible for marketing, sales and distribution of Hippo. Parle Agro chose to partner Keventer for their range of food brands which wÑ-ll hà Ã‚ µlÑâ‚ ¬ them to expand Hippos market share in the eastern part of India. Parle Agro: The Company Parle Agro is a household name in the beverages industry and has leading brands like Frooti, Appy, Appy Fizz and packaged drinking water, Bailley. A pioneer in the Indian industry, Parle Agro were the first to introduce fruit drinks in tetra packaging, first to introduce apple nectar and the first to introduce fruit drinks in PET bottles. In 2007, Parle Agro forayed into foods with the launch of two confectionery brands, Mintrox mints and Buttercup candies. This was soon followed by two more brands Buttercup Softease and Softease Mithai. Recent beverage products from Parle Agro include Saint Juice, LMN and Grappo Fizz. In 2009, Parle Agro forayed into snacks with the launch of Hippo, in line with the companys vision of becoming a major player in the foods and beverages industry. The snack brand Hippo, was launched in the western region starting with Maharashtra and then it was soon rolled out nationally. Parle Agro commenced operations in 1984. Starting with only beverages and diver sifying to include bottled water in 1993 and confectionery in 2007. Frooti was the first product that was rolled out of Parle Agro in 1985. It went on to become Indias favourite mango drink. It still has a leading market share. Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd operates under three business vertical Beverages fruit drinks, nectars, 100% Juice, sparkling drinks, Water Packaged Drinking Water and Foods confectionery, snacks Product Industry Overview HIPPO: Parle Agro forayed into snacks with the launch of Hippo, in line with the companys vision of becoming a major player in the foods and beverages industry. Hippo is a toasted bread snack. Its ingredients include wheat flour, edible vegetable oils, seasoning mix, corn starch, sugar, raising agent, milk solids, salt, emulsifier, yeast extract powder, instant yeast. It contains added natural color and added natural identical flavoring substances; but no added MSG, no GMO and no Trans Fat. It comes in two variant; Hippo Munchies and Hippo Round-Round. The Hippo Munchies comes in 7 flavors (Chinese Manchurian, Hot-n-Sweet Tomato, Thai Chilli, Yoghurt Mint Chutney, Italian Pizza, Indian Chatpata and Arabian Salted) and Hippo Round-Round comes in 5 flavors (Punjab Da Pickle, Gujrati Mango Chatni, Shillong Noodle Masala, Goan Butter and Garlic, Firangi Cheese n Spice). It is available in three sizes which are priced at Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20. Industry to which Hippo belongs: Hippo is a player of the snack food industry of India. The Indian snack industry is one of the largest when considered in the global level. With rising standard of living, people are more resorting to snacks items during breakfast, supper or any time; snacks most often take the place of meals. Right from production, using up, export and growth prospects owing to emerging markets, increasing demand, and incorporation of latest technologies, the snack industry in India has witnessed a dramatic change. Ready-to-eat foods, samosas, kachoris, namkeen, chips, are few of the snacks that are most preferred by Indians. Given the rising demand, the snack industry is going to witness further growth in the future. The snacks food industry in India can broadly be categorised into three segments staple (biscuits category), traditional (namkeens) and ready-to-eat packaged snacks (chips / crisps). The snack food market in India is $3 billion; with the organized segment accounting for almost half of the market share and growing at rate of 15 to 20 percent per year. A growing economy, changing lifestyles, rise in disposable incomes and preference for quality products of U.S. origin will continue to fuel growth of imported U.S. snack food items in India. As per an industry estimate, the branded and organized snack food segment dominated by major players such as Frito Lay, Con Agra, Kelloggs, Marico, Dabur, HLL, ITC, Parle, Haldirams, Nestle, Britannia, Cadbury, Bikano and Balaji is estimated to grow by 15 to 20 percent per year; whereas the growth of un-branded snack food is likely to grow modestly at 8 percent per year in the near future. Frito-Lay India led sweet and savory snacks with a retail value share of 46% in 2009. The companys Kurkure, Lehar and Lays Stax offerings have helped it to consolidate its leadership during the year. Haldiram Foods International Ltd and ITC Ltd remained the second and third ranked players respectively. Products like Hippo claim to be made from healthier ingredients than chips/crisps. With Indian consumers becoming more health conscious and more inquisitive about the ingredients in their food, sweet and savory snacks will witness an increase in products which are positioned as better for you and healthier snacks. BAILEY PACKAGED DRINKING WATER: Another product of Parle Agro that is managed by Keventer Agro. It is the first water brand to be issued an ISI certification and the first to launch special four-sided 200ml bottles catering to premium airlines like Jet Airways and British Airways. Bailey is available in 200ml, 300ml, 500ml, 1 ltr. 2 ltr. PET and 5 ltr., 20 ltr., 25 ltr. Jars. The target market is thirsty, hygiene conscious people and Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe (HORECA). Bailey the brand that is owned by Ramesh Chauhans brother Prakash Chauhan is very popular in the southern part of India Industry to which Bailley belongs: Indias bottled water industry is bubbling with a 25-30% growth each year. As the competition heats up, branding will become imperative in the commoditised Rs 1,100 crore market. There are more than 200 bottled water brands in India and among them nearly 80 per cent are local brands. In fact, making bottled water is today a cottage industry in the country. Leaving alone the metros, where a bottled-water manufacturer can be found even in a one-room shop, in every medium and small city and even some prosperous rural areas there are bottled water manufacturers. While India ranks in the top 10 largest bottled water consumers in the world, its per capita per annum consumption of bottled water is estimated to be five litres which is comparatively lower than the global average of 24 litres. Today it is one of Indias fastest growing industrial sectors. Between 1999 and 2004, the Indian bottled water market grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25 per cent the highest in the world. The total annual bottled water consumption in India had tripled to 5 billion liters in 2004 from 1.5 billion liters in 1999. Global consumption of bottled water was nearing 200 billion liters in 2006. The market leader is Bisleri International, which boasts a 40 per cent share. It is followed by Coca- Cocas Kinley (around 25 per cent) and PepsiCos Aquafina (around 10 per cent). The top players in bottled water industry in India are the major international giants like Coca cola, Pepsi, Nestle and noticeable presence of national players like Mount Everest, Manikchand, Kingfisher, Mohan Meakins, SKN Breweries , Indian Railways so on. Almost all major national and international brands have taken a plunge. Parles Bisleri that virtually monopolised the bottled water market is now vying with Nestle, Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Manikchand, UB and Britannia. According to a national-level study, there are close to 200 bottled water brands in India. Nearly 80 per cent of these are local brands. Bottled water is sold in a variety of packages right from 200 ml pouches and glasses, to 330 ml bottles, 500 ml bottles, to one-liter bottles and even 20- to 50-litre bulk water packs. In terms of cost the bottled water business in India can be divided broadly into three segments, premium natural mineral water, natural mineral water and packaged drinking water. BAILLEY SODA: It was first introduced way back in the year of 1998 but due to fierce competition from the local brands it could not sustain in the market. Parle has relaunched its soda. Parle Agro within renewed zeal has again introduced Soda with much better packaging and product. The product has a gas volume of 5.4% V/V of carbon dioxide compared to 4.5% V/V of carbon dioxide which makes it stronger followed by Grenade like label on the bottle. Objectives of the Project For HIPPO To execute a qualitative study on the trend of packaged snack industry To gauge the acceptance of baked and healthy-snacks To understand competitors strategy in the market To study the sales and distribution structure, pricing (both to the retailer and to the consumer) of Hippo and problems in those respected area. To develop marketing strategies for Hippo To analyze the markets and determine the factors responsible for sale of products and provide recommendations about the scope for improvement. To provide a statement of collective responses of the retailersand determine the scope for improvement in the distribution channel for the products and the problems faced by the retailers. To study the pattern of consumer behavior and their awareness towards HIPPO To find out the problems faced by HIPPO if any and suggest solution to address those problems For BAILLEY PACKAGED DRINKING WATER and SODA To find out the potential of bailey packaged drinking water and soda in the market To understand the bargaining power of the company in respect to the product To understand the retailers view about the products To find put the main competitors operating in the market To provide a statement of collective responses of the retailers and determine the scope for improvement in the distribution channel for the products and the problems faced by the retailers. To find out the problems faced by bailey packaged water and soda if any and suggest solution to address those problems To understand the market and suggest ways that would lead to increase in sales for bailey packaged drinking water and soda Project Methodology Primary Research is done through market survey. The research is mainly based on: Questionnaire Method Interview Method Observation Method Secondary Research has also been used as a supporting tool like: Some of the data related to holistic picture of the industry has been gathered from the data available on the internet M A I N T E X T Since the project revolves around two types of products distributed and marketed by Keventer Agro under the license of Parle Agro, work done so far involves both the products Hippo and Bailley packaged drinking water and soda. The initial phase constituted of mainly studying and analyzing the distribution channel of Hippo and doing a market analysis of the product with respect to pricing, competition, brand awareness and consumer behavior of Hippo. As per the objective of the project, two sets of questionnaire were prepared; For the retailer which aimed to assess the availability of Hippo, pricing of Hippo, sales, defect handling and some financial aspect of Hippo viz. its competitors and the other for the consumers. For the consumer which aimed to gauge awareness of the product and the brand, product acceptance, their choice of product and buying pattern. PHASE ONE Refer Annexure I for further details. This phase involved daily visits from the stock point to the designated markets. The markets covered were Salt Lake, Lake Town, S.K. Deb Road Market, Nagerbazar, Mrinalini Cinema Hall Market, New Market, Ultadanga, Kankurgachi, Bagmari, Beadon Street , Aurobindo Road and Vivekananda Road area, Shyambazar, Rajballavpara and Baghbazar. Every shop that kept branded snacks in the respective area was approached. The initial plan was to conduct the survey through questionnaire method but while performing the survey the method had to be changed to schedule, observation and interview method as it was not convenient for the retailers to fill up the questionnaire. Observations through observation method The visibility of Hippo and of competitors product Mode of storing Hippo and competitors i.e. whether it is on shelve or in the basket or inside almirah The location of the store i.e. whether it is beside main road or inside a lane or on a square Type of store Approximate demography Observations through schedule method was based on three perspectives About Hippo: Whether he keeps Hippo or not, if not the reason, its availability, reorder period, quality of defective product handling, margin offered, supply of banners and danglers. About Competitor: The competition brand kept, approximate margin they offer. About the market as a whole: The most selling brand. The interview methodology aimed to gain the intrinsic details of the market functions such as; if the retailers does not keep Hippo would he like to keep it afterward, the credit policy, frequency of visit of sales representative, retailers view on Hippos marketing strategy and scope of improvement. Findings by Area Area: Salt-Lake [KC block, Law College, Opposite of Hyatt Regency and some other places in Salt Lake] Sample size = 12 The distribution in the Salt Lake area is managed by Sonata Distribution. Survey was conducted on those shops where products were supplied by the company. Accompanying sales representative was Mr. Maiti who works for Sonata Distribution. Observations by observation method: The area Opposite of Hyatt is a kind of Slum. It is beside the main road. The area is not so developed. Most of the shops are very small but product visibility is relatively good as they suspend the chain of Hippo on rope supported by a bamboo structure. The area near by The NUJS Law College is quite polished but the shops are mostly of shack kind and are sparsely distributed. The visibility is good since they also suspend the chains of Hippo on the rope supported by a bamboo structure. KC block is quite dormant. Most of the shops are neither small nor large. Some of the shops were inside a residential complex. Observations by Schedule method: Every shop keeps Hippo. The reorder level is about a week. Most of the retailers are extremely satisfied with the supply and availability of Hippo. The product supplied are almost defect free otherwise it is replaced without much hassle. No banner or dangler is supplied to most of the retailers. They are not very satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo is neither too high nor too low. Small pack of Goan Butter and Garlic flavor sells the most. Few retailers are aware of the fact that Hippo is baked and not fried but none of the retailers pitch it while selling. Competitive brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Zengo, Kids Fun, Bingo. Bingo provides highest margin while Lays is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method: Some of the retailers demanded for hanger as they were finding it difficult to store the product. Other information: Retailer Scheme: With 12 pieces (a chain) of small pack Hippo, a small pack of Hippo is free With 18 pieces of medium pack Hippo, a 200ml Tetra pack Frooti is free With 34 pieces of medium pack of Hippo, two 200ml Tetra pack Frooti is free The sales representative (Mr. Maiti) shares a very good relationship with the retailers. The retailers respect him and trust him which is a prime requisite for the last mile distribution. Mode of transport: Light Commercial Vehicle (Auto). Area: From Nager Bazar towards Airport Gate no 1 Sample size = 12 The distribution in the Nager Bazar area is managed by Dazzle Infotech. It is a new distribution house. Earlier the distribution was done by some other house. The reason behind the change is that, the earlier distributor could not perform. Survey was conducted on those shops where products were supplied by the company. Accompanying sales representative was Mr. Sukalpa who works for Dazzle Infotech Observations by observation method: Proper Nagerbazar is quite busy but while moving towards Airport Gate no 1, the area became quieter and less developed. Factories like Jessop Coach Works, Ordnance factory, His Masters Voice(HMV) lies on the area of research. Most of the shops in the proper Nagerbazar area are neither large nor small but the shops towards airport gate no 1 were smaller and some were of the kind of shack. Product visibility is not so as very few hangers have been supplied by the Keventer. However some shops manage to display Hippo by using competitors hanger. Observations by Schedule method: Most of the shops keep Hippo. The reorder level is about a week. All the retailers are extremely satisfied with the supply and availability of Hippo. The products supplied are mostly defect free otherwise it is replaced without much hassle. No banner or dangler is supplied to most of the retailers. They are not very satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo is on the upper crest. Small pack of Punjab Da Pickle flavor sells the most. Few retailers are aware of the fact that Hippo is baked and not fried but none of the retailers pitch it while selling. Competition brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Bingo, Mukhorochok Potato Chips, Lehar, Haldirams, Parle (Products). Lays provides highest margin and is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method Most of the retailers demanded for hanger as they were finding it difficult to display the product. A product lot, that was supplied about six months before was defective. It has had a negative impact on the brand image and perception of Hippo among the retailers. Some retailers complained about defective products that were supplied by the earlier distributor were not replaced. Retailers are quite confused of multiple distributor, multiple division policy. Most of the retailers were seeking for credit policy and some of them even said that if credit policy is not made available then it would be difficult for them to sell Hippo anymore. Other information: Retailer Scheme: With 12 pieces (a chain) of small pack Hippo, a small pack of Hippo is free With 18 pieces of medium pack Hippo, a 200ml Tetra pack Frooti is free With 34 pieces of medium pack of Hippo, two 200ml Tetra pack Frooti is free The sales representative (Mr. Sukalpa) is very hard-working but straight. He is not allowed to go beyond the schemes as per the order of his firms proprietor, Mr.Saikat Das. The proprietor believes that if retailers are supplied beyond the schemes provided, then it would work initially but in the long run it would dilute the brand bargaining power. Mode of transport: Van rickshaw Area: Lake Town Sample size = 11 The distribution in the Lake Town area is managed by JDP Enterprise. Survey was conducted on all the shops that kept branded snacks. No accompanying sales representative was present with us. Observations by observation method: Lake town is quite busy and is a considerably a large market. The area has school, movie theater, departmental stores, large branded showroom etc. Most of the shops in the Lake Town area are on larger side but shops towards S K Deb lane were smaller. S K Deb lane also had a fish market sort of market. Product visibility is very good for competitors brand. Parle Chips can be found outside every shop with very good product arrangement and orientation. Observations by Schedule method: Only 27% of the sample keeps Hippo and 36% of the sample used to keep Hippo. The reorder level is about a week. All the retailers are more or less satisfied with the supply and availability of Hippo. The products supplied are mostly defect free otherwise it is replaced without much hassle. No banner or dangler is supplied to any of the retailers. They are not satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo was initially high but currently it is low. Small pack of Punjab Da Pickle and Gujrati Mango Chutney flavor sells the most. Only 27% retailers are aware of the fact that Hippo is baked and not fried and none of the retailers pitch it while selling. Competition brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Bingo, Haldirams, Parle (Products), Apna, Pogo. Lays provides highest margin and is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method Most of the retailers demanded for hanger as they were finding it difficult to display the product. A product lot, that was supplied about six months before was defective. It has had a negative impact on the brand image and perception of Hippo among the retailers. Some retailers complained about defective products that were supplied by the earlier distributor were not replaced. Credit facility is provided to some of the select retailers. One of the shop doesnt keep Hippo because the opposite shop gets credit facility but he does not. It hampers the morale of the retailer. Most of the retailer said that nobody demands for Hippo. They would only keep Hippo when its market become stable. Many of the retailers said that nobody approached from the Company( Keventer). Out of 36% of retailers who use to keep Hippo, many of the retailers said that they does not keep Hippo because of its low sales. Area: New Market Sample size = 17 The distribution in the Lake Town area is managed by Haji Enterprise. Survey was conducted on all the shops that kept branded snacks. No accompanying sales representative was present with us. Observations by observation method: New market is one of the most popular markets of Kolkata. It is mostly dominated by hawkers but one can find any segment of shops starting from branded franchise, mall, large retail and even grey/black market peddler. As it is not a residential area, snacks are usually bought by impulse. As most of the shops are small, their shelve space is limited. So they keep the most selling brands on the shelve. Moreover competitor brands flood their product in to their shelve leaving no space for Hippo. Observations by Schedule method: None of the shops keep Hippo currently. However 35% of the shops use to keep Hippo previously. 47% of the shops were not approached by Keventer. Some of the shops that use to keep Hippo earlier had reorder period of about a week and some a month. Retailers are not at all satisfied with the supply of Hippo. Some of the products that were supplied earlier had defect and were not replaced properly. No banner or dangler is supplied to any of the retailers. They are not satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo was always low. The most selling flavor could not be gauged. Only one of the retailers was aware of the fact that Hippo is baked and not fried but he did not pitch it while selling. Competition brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Bingo, Haldirams, Peppy. Lays provides highest margin and is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method Few retailers are ready to keep Hippo if approached by the company. Supply has been halted for six months during the transition period of distributor re-appointment. Some retailers complained of poor quality product. Credit facility was not provided to any of the retailers. Most of the retailers would keep Hippo after the product is demanded by consumers. Out of 35% of retailers who use to keep Hippo, some of the retailers said that they does not keep Hippo because of its low sales and some said nobody came from the company after one or two consignments i.e. no follow up. Area: Ultadanga, Bagmari, Kankurgachi and Murari Pukur Sample size = 25 The distribution in the Lake Town area is managed by Sree Laxmi Distributor. Survey was conducted on all the shops that kept branded snacks. No accompanying sales representative was present with us. Observations by observation method: Proper Ultadanga and Kankurgachi is very busy with lines of shops of different sizes. Most of the shops are on the larger side. The market is very developed. Many offices and residential complexes are present in Ultadanga, Kankurgachi area. They are prime location and connects to different parts of Kolkata. However Bagmari has a slum and Murari Pukur is not so developed. Visibility of the product in the shops are good in all the areas. However Observations by Schedule method: Only 16% of the shops keep Hippo currently. However 32% of the shops use to keep Hippo previously. Some of the shops that use to keep Hippo earlier had reorder period of about a week and some a month. Most of the retailers are not at all satisfied with the supply of Hippo. Some of the products had defect and were not replaced properly. No banner or dangler is supplied to any of the retailers. They are not satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo was on the upper side. Most selling flavor is Punjab Da Pickle. Very few retailers were aware of the nutrition fact of Hippo but none of the pitch it while selling it. Competition brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Bingo, Haldirams, Peppy, Pik-Nik, Timbakto, Ringa-Ring, Simba and local pouched snacks. Lays provides highest margin and is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method Few retailers are ready to keep Hippo if approached by the company. Supply has been halted for some couple of months. The reason is not known. Many of the retailers does not keep Hippo because of the competition brand that floods their product into the shelve, leaving no shelve space for Hippo. One of the retailer said that he does not keep Hippo because the sales representative was rude to him. Some of the retailer said that they might keep Hippo if they are being supplied by rack and basket because of both; lack of space and trouble created by mice. Credit facility was not provided to any of the retailers. Many of the shops were never approached by the company. In those shops when asked if they interested to keep Hippo, most of them had a positive gesture. Area: Shyambazar and its neighboring areas Sample size = 53 The distribution in the Lake Town area is managed by Baba Taraknath Agency. Survey was conducted on all the shops that kept branded snacks. No accompanying sales representative was present with us. Observations by observation method: The area is very clean and organized with wide roads and greenery. The area has a touch of tradition and is one of the oldest modest areas of Kolkata. The kiosks of the shops are small but has a greater depth. The area is not that busy but lively. The shopkeepers are very well-behaved and some of them even offered some valuable suggestions. The area has got everything starting from school, movie theater, pilgrimage etc. Shops with local pouched snacks as sole product can be found. Pogo Chips has good penetration and is visible in many shops. Observations by Schedule method: 47% of the shops keep Hippo currently. However 20% of the shops use to keep Hippo previously. There is nothing definite about the reorder period the shops. For some shop the reorder peroid is a week, some fortnight and some even a month Most of the retailers are quite satisfied with the supply of Hippo. Some of the products had defect and were not replaced properly. No banner or dangler is supplied to most of the retailers. Only 1 shop had a rack. They are not satisfied with the margin offered by Hippo. The demand for Hippo was on the lower side. Most selling flavor is Punjab Da Pickle. Considerably more retailers are aware of the nutrition fact of Hippo but none of the pitch it while selling it. Competition brands are Lays, Kur-kure, Cheetos, Bingo, Haldirams, Pogo, Nabadeep, Apna, Max-G, Tofo, Keka, Mukhorochok, Pringle, Tofo, Sony, Timbakto, Zeng and local pouched snacks. Local pouched snack and Pogo provides highest margin but Lays is the most selling brand. Observations by interview method They said the schemes provided by Lays is better. Lays has scheme that if they can sell Frito-Lay product of Rs 10000/month then they would get cash rebate on further purchase and gifts. Some said that the Hippo as a product is poor. Its just a toasted bread sprinkled with spices. Its wont suffice upto the expectation and taste of the consumer The sell goes up when the schools are open. Most of them complained about the cash policy of Hippo. One of the retailer said that his shelve space is limited and he would only the best selling products and more-over Hippo doesnt provide either great margin or credit facility and moreover nobody demands for it. So he doesnt find it feasible to keep Hippo.

Rhetorical Analysis of Artifact: The Ballot or the Bullet Essay

Rhetorical Analysis of Artifact: The Ballot or the Bullet Speech Given by Malcolm X I. Introduction: Though almost half a century has passed, the Civil Rights Movement remains one freshly imprinted in not only the history books of US schools but also in the minds of countless Americans. Albeit, American society has come quite a ways in the acceptance of the individual - regardless of sex, age, creed or ethnicity - prejudices of different sorts are still to be found throughout every one of the united states of America. The Civil Rights Movement fought to overcome the racial inequalities inherent and ingrained in the minds of America's citizens and the government which they oversaw; it was one of the most important eras in the history of the United States of America and for that reason, its leaders and their words are widely studied, remembered and, frequently, revered. One such case of this remembrance is that of Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot or the Bullet." Generally viewed as one of the top ten most significant speeches in American history, one must wonder at what factors have contributed to the speech's longevity and implied importance. For one, the speech was given during the height of this movement and by a greatly influential leader of the time. Yet the speech contains merits all its own that allow it to remain powerful long after its orator has ceased to be. For one, the artifact is filled with forcible and compelling language that would provoke some sort of feeling in anyone who reads it. Furthermore, it utilizes a broad spectrum of rhetorical devices which keep the audience captivated and interested. Howev... ...ing at a table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate." Thus, Malcolm X uses his speech to unify the Negroes on two fronts: in the sense that they must stand together against the suppression of the whites and that they must endure their "non-Americanism" amongst the company of one another. Yet, as soon as he has done this, Malcolm X turns to make, what might seem, a paradoxical and fairly non-artistic case as for why the black populace is indeed American. He begins by introducing the non-artistic proof that black Americans were originally slaves, working for the profit of the white man. In this sense, he then uses an enthymeme to equate the United State's current state of wealth to the work of those long-dead slaves; the blacks are therefore responsible for the US being a rich nation.

Steroids in Sports Essay -- Athletics Steroid Performance Enhancing Dr

Professional sports are very special in the United States. One reason for this is the spirit of competition. However, steroid use taints this competition. If steroids were to be completely eliminated from sports, the competition would be much more special because athletes would compete with their hearts and will, without an extra boost. Also, since not everybody can be a professional athlete, the elimination of steroid use, in my opinion, would make the fans appreciate the game more and make them feel more relatable. Hopefully someday, fans will be able to watch their favorite sports in such a fashion. Steroid use by professional athletes is bad because doing so can damage an image of an athlete (if the offense is made public), create hazardous health issues for an athlete, and hurt the crediblity of sports. Why Take Steroids? â€Å"Athletes and others abuse anabolic steroids to enhance performance and also to improve physical appearance† (NIDA). The level of speed and intensity of sports at the professional level is extremely high. Therefore, many athletes choose to take steroids in order to improve their body and skills, and to try and match that intensity. Baseball players may choose to take steroids in order to hit the ball harder, which would attribute to more homeruns. Football players may take steroids in order to increase their muscle mass which would in turn improve their blocking and tackling skills, and to also improve their speed. Steroid use by professional athletes constitutes cheating. I believe that athletes should be athletes for one reason, their God-given talent, and not with the help of steroids. The population of professional athletes in the United States is very small, and I find it a shame that many ... ...et back to working hard using the energy and will that they naturally possess, and the credibility of the athletes and their sports would be revived. An issue with this idea is that some athletes have been known to unknowingly take steroids that were banned from their respective sport (i.e. Rafael Palmiero). However, if an athlete were to be put in that position, it would need to be proven that he/she in fact unknowingly took illegal steroids. Otherwise, that athlete should follow the same penalty as those who knowingly and blatantly take steroids. Works Cited ESPN.com news services. "'96 MVP admitted steroid use, fought drug problem." ESPN . 4 May 2006 from . National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Steroids (Anabolic)" NIDA. 15 Apr. 2006 from

Racial and Multicultural Tolerance vs. Economic and Societal Benefits E

Racial and Multicultural Tolerance vs. Economic and Societal Benefits We exist in a society where intolerance for the racial and cultural differences of others is commonplace, and solidly rooted. Whether you live in the US, Middle East, Europe, or Asia, situations can be found where matters of money, domestic dispute, war, torture, and rape, have been incited or settled based on the ethnicity of parties involved (amnesty.org). Though it has for over a hundred years been the outspoken goal of certain societies to change this environment of unfairness, and in many cases injustice, – with the United States being the forerunner in this endeavor – the change, especially in the past several decades, can be considered modest at best (Lewis Mumford Report). For years we’ve listened to politicians support visionary ideas of bringing together people of varied ethnic backgrounds. â€Å"Until justice is blind to color,† stated Lyndon Johnson during his presidency, â€Å"until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skin, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.† Government programs like affirmative action were designed with the hope in mind of them being the keys to closing the gap between the economically and socially superior, and the historically underprivileged (Ravitch). Futurists and creative thinkers have come and gone preaching the idea, the dream, of a time when racial injustices would be a thing of the past, and yet it ironically seems we have a great distance to travel before this becomes reality. Perhaps it is not the assumed impossibility of closing this gap that keeps people from supporting these dreams. When one considers the motivators of society today, it’s difficul... ...0303_stauffer.asp>. Province, Jonathan. â€Å"World’s Richest Countries.† cylist.com. 2003. . Con Ravitch, Dianne. â€Å"How Affirmative Action Harms Minorities.† Forbes Nov. 1997: 112. Normand, Roger. â€Å"The Palestine Question: Israel’s Economic War in Context.† Brecht Forum. 25 Jan. 2001 . Anonymous. Free Palestine. 1999. 30 Sep. 2002 . Bollyn, Christopher. â€Å"The Real Cost of US Support for Israel.† Axis of Logic. 20 Sep. 2003. . Anonymous. â€Å"The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Basic Facts: Arab Countries versus Israel.† Israel Science and Technology. 15 Nov. 2003 .

Policing Culture Paper Essay

Throughout history the role of women and racial and ethnic minorities has been restrained. This causes the inability to move up in ranking and limiting the ability to perform in certain jobs. Being a woman or having a different racial background can also cause stereotypes. For example, a Hispanic officer may be given a Hispanic area to patrol, due to his background. The need for minorities and women in law enforcement is undoubtedly true. The culture, and gender diversity in police departments is not only helpful in today’s police departments, but it is a necessity. The larger police departments such as Detroit City police could not be a successful department without ethnic minorities, and women. One example of the need for women in the department would be that on a routine stop if there were a female that is suspected of a crime, or suspected to be in the possession of drugs she needs to be searched. A long time ago a male officer would simply search the woman, and arrest her if need be, or send her on her way. With all of the sexual harassment accusations against male police officers during the frisking it is easier on the department, as well as the women being frisked just to have a female officer do the task to avoid accusations, or even the loss of a case. Cities in the United states especially the large cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami, or Detroit is extremely ethnically diverse. This is where ethnic police officers are needed. If there was a call that police officers responded to there is a possibility that the person who is being interviewed at the scene would only want to talk with an ethnic police officer this will not only calm down the person being interviewed, but it will be a more effective interview. These are just a few examples of why women and ethnic minorities are a necessity to today’s police forces. That is also why men and women of today’s police forces are equal. Inside every police force is a manual that dictates guidelines for the officers to follow in times of question. This manual is usually known as the Policy and Procedures manual or P&P. These  mechanisms give officers clear guidelines on how to proceed with certain situations. These policies can only go so far in any department though. As each officer is out in his beat working his area, situations will dictate what he has to do in order to maintain his officer safety as well as the safety of the public and citizens of the area he is working. These manuals are given to instill base line knowledge of how an officer should handle himself and what his/her department feels is acceptable on how to handle calls and incidents. Policy is updated monthly if not weekly in order to stay current with case laws in order to keep the officer as sharp as possible to deal with the everyday citizens, jail house lawyers, or crim inally sophisticated individual who is well versed in dealing with law enforcement. Many experts have entertained the idea of the existence of a police subculture. Some would say that there are challenges and stress factors unique only to the job of policing. A study conducted on a police department by William Westly in Gary, Indiana discovered that two of the key factors leading to the creation of a police subculture were due to nature of the job and the individuals that the officers were most likely to come in contact with on a daily basis. He concluded that the majority of the people that officers came into contact with were those who already held resentment toward law enforcement officers. These interactions helped foster a police subculture, which emphasized violence, secrecy, and solidarity. Being a police officer can be very stressful. The demands of the job and the lack of control over workload can have a negative impact both physically and mentally. Personal relationships also suffer and the divorce rate is as high as 30 percent in some police departments. Police officers also have one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. It is apparent that police work is stressful. So what is the source of officer stress? Although many of the duties and responsibilities related to police work can create high levels of stress, there is not one single stressor that cannot be found in other occupations. The reality is that working in law enforcement can take a toll on an individual’s personal life. The challenge is trying to find a balance in order to alleviate these problems so that it does not affect the officer in the performance of their duties.