I choose Question  3 because the financial manager or consultant places primary emphasis on decision making. It uses the financial statements pre pared by the accountants to make decisions about the firms financial condition. Ratios are guidelines to evaluate a companys financial position and the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. It also enables firms to make comparisons with its competitors or the industry as a whole, or even with itself, i.e. with its own performances in the past. Ratios also act as an alarm or a siren indicating areas of concern for firms, i.e. areas requiring further investigation. Ratios are not only used by the managers that are internal members of the organisation, but creditors, investors, auditors, are common examples of outsiders or people external to the organisation who might be interested in closely examining a firms performance by monitoring its ratios.

INTRODUCTION
Whole Foods Market, Inc is a big name in the natural and organic food industry. Company currently operates in 11 different geographical locations along with 275 stores. Whole Foods Market offers different product lines to its valuable customers like meat, poultry, cereal, seafood, cheese, beers wines, household products, etc. In addition, company also provides catering services to the end users. In the current year, company expands its business operation in different segments and looking to explore more target market (Annual Report, 2009-2008). The financial performance from (2009-08) of Whole Foods Market Inc is stated below

WHOLE FOODS MARKET INC
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE FROM (2009-2008)
RATIO20092008Liquidity RatiosCurrent Ratio1.540.93Quick Ratio1.090.34Working Capital371,356(43,571)Profitability RatiosReturn on Asset0.040.03Return on Equity0.090.08Gross Profit Margin3434Profit Margin21Asset Management RatiosAsset Turn Over2.122.35Inventory Turn over22 Days21DaysReceivable Turn over9 Days12DaysFixed Asset Turn over4.234.19Debt Management RatiosDebt to Equity1.071.24Debt to Asset0.460.55Interest Coverage Ratio7.816.67
LIQUIDITY RATIOS

CURRENT RATIO
Whole Foods Market, Inc current ratio is slightly lower in the year 2008 than the year 2009 and indicates a lower margin of safety with respect to meeting current obligations .Whole Foods Market, Inc current ratio will allow them to take more debt as compared to previous years. Although, Whole Foods Market, Inc has made short-term investments but still there is no significant impact on the current ratio. The overall condition of current ratio reveals the fact that the current ratio which is not pretty stable and healthy as compared to the previous years (Brigham, 2001).

QUICK RATIO
Whole Foods Market, Inc quick ratio is higher in the year 2009 as compare with the year 2008. The reason behind this is the proper working capital management which makes the quick ratio more attractive in the last two years. The overall signal of Whole Foods Market, Inc liquidity is fair and it sends a positive signal towards the debt holders and also on the debt market. Moreover, the slight liquidity crunch problem makes the performance of Whole Foods Market, Inc slightly vulnerable.

WORKING CAPITAL RATIO
The condition of Whole Foods Market, Inc working capital is awesome in the year 2009. The reason behind this the less dependency on the debt which makes the companys financial condition more stable. The pivotal reason behind the positive impact of the working capital is the proper cash, inventory and receivable management (Brigham, 2001). In the last few years, the company cant generate more current assets in comparison with its business operations the primary evidence of this improper working capital management is the year 2008.

PROFITABILITY RATIOS
RETURN ON ASSET (ROA)
The modest decrease in the ROA suggest that the firm uses its asset at its command and management uses its assets and resources in an appropriate manner in order to generate more profits in comparison with their asset acquisition. This is also gives the signal that proper asset management strategy is adopted in order to generate the maximum out put.

RETURN ON EQUITY (ROE)
The ROE of 9 in the year 2009 indicates that the Whole Foods Market, Inc is not dependent on equity financing, although it is better as compared to the year 2008. It also gives the impression that efficiency under which management has utilized the assets under its control, regardless of whether their assets were financed with debt or equity capital. Because of less dependency on equity financing ROE make a reflection on the stock holder equity and this will highlighted the image of the company and also uplift their stock prices (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001).

GROSS PROFIT MARGIN
Efficient management strategy reflects in the gross profit sales with 34 both in the year 2009 and 2008 (Annual Report, 2009-2008). Whole Foods Market, Inc has focuses on reduces the cost of goods sold which gives a strong reflection on the gross profit. Gross profit margin is almost stagnant in both the years because of economic recession in the economy, High ratio of COGS in the shape of FOH, Purchases etc and also due to internal restructuring. On the whole the gross profit margin is fair enough and one should hope that the percentage of gross profit margin will decline in years to come.

PROFIT MARGIN
This ratio is also called the net profit margin. Net profit margin ratio shows the level of profits that the company is able to earn from every amount of sales. Net profit is the amount of profit left after all the expenses including taxes and interest have been deducted (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001). Net percentage profit ratio acts in the same way as gross profit ratio i.e. it shows the efficiency in production by the company, whether the cost structure and price policy in place is able to generate enough profits (Brigham, 2001). Increment in the Whole Foods Market, Inc profit margin ratio year by year from (2009 to 2008) is a healthy sign from the companys prospective, as it makes a reflection on the stock price, its dividend policy etc. Net Income of Whole Foods Market, Inc shows that implementation of effective financial policies and a strong mechanism of internal control are factors that lead the net profit at its peak in the year 2009 as compare with the previous years.   
ASSET MANAGEMENT RATIOS

TOTAL ASSET TURNOVER
Managing asset in an efficient manner is an art and the management of Whole Foods Market, Inc is an architect. They have utilized their asset in to its full capacity and managing assets in a fashion that every component of total asset utilizes its full capacity (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001). Whole Foods Market, Inc has a slight edge in the year 2009 with respect to previous year practices and it is the prime evident that the component of asset has a made significant impact on the sales due to this the Whole Foods Market, Inc is doing a fine job and this practice also make an impression in the future.

INVENTORY TURNOVER
Whole Foods Market, Inc inventory management strategies make a strong reflection on this ratio and it is evident that in the year 2009 companys operating cycle is slightly high in comparison with the year 2008, which is very good going for the companys perspective .This ratio shows that Whole Foods Market, Inc is better at managing its inventory (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001).

RECEIVABLE TURNOVER
Whole Foods Market, Inc management is working on managing working capital effectively and employed an effective credit policy for its customers .Whole Foods Market, Inc management has working on aggressive credit policies to collect their receivables and rotating its operating cycle effectively and smoothly. On the other hand, the year 2008 is very sluggish primarily due to recession in the economy.

FIXED ASSET TURNOVER
The Whole Foods Market, Inc fixed asset turn over is around 4.23 in the year 2009. The fixed asset turnover shows the consistency is reviewed from (2009-2008). This turn over shows that the company is working on sound practice with respect to managing the fixed assets. It gives a positive signal to investors, as it indicates that Whole Foods Market, Inc does utilize its assets efficiently, they either remain idle or arent utilized to their maximum capacity, in order to generate more sales (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001). Although Whole Foods Market, Inc has made a large amount of capital expenditure and due to efficient management maintains the fixed asset turn over through out the from 2009-2008.
DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS

DEBT TO EQUITY
Dependency on debt financing is not a bad habit but it has consequences if you rely on more. Whole Foods Market, Inc debt to equity ratio is on the lower side in the year 2009 in comparison with the year 2008 due to the factors of business volume, increment in sales, fulfillment to pay the suppliers and acquisitions of fixed asset. Due to the expansion in business, Whole Foods Market, Inc has plenty of financial obligations, most of which has been acquired through debt. In 2008, Whole Foods Market, Inc reliance more on debt financing as compare to the year 2009.

DEBT TO ASSET
Whole Foods Market, Inc DA ratio, is around 46 in the year 2009 .In the year 2008 the debt to total assets is 55  which is not good as far as the performance  is concerned. The year 2008 is worst for Whole Foods Market, Inc, the main reason behind is the improper utilization of debt in order to capitalize assets. Moreover, it also reveals the fact that the management of the company cant generate more assets in response with the debt. A higher DA ratio would place the company under increased amount of risk, especially if the interest rates are rising. Hence, a lower DA ratio would be more desirable (Brigham, 2001).

This ratio suggests the fact that TIE ratio is higher in comparison with the industry because of company entertain its business with high proportion of debt financing. Although the companys management runs business successfully and this is shown in the EBIT which suggest that the Company is keep improving in the EBIT year by year. In comparison with the ability of paying interest expense is fine in comparison with he industry practices. The year 2009 is the good year for the company as far as TIE ratio is concerned. On overall basis the densely populated debt financing and creates a doubt in the debt holders mind that the company is in tentative mode to pay its obligations (Myers, Brealey and Marcus, 2001).

According to my analysis and estimations, I summarize the following points regarding the financial condition of Whole Foods Market, Inc. The points are stated below
Whole Foods Market, Inc should opt for a strong strategy between the accounts payable and accounts receivable because in the end it makes an impression on the operating cycle.
Whole Foods Market, Inc. management also looks after the short term liquidity which is pointed out in the current ratio and makes necessary adjustments to finance the business with short and intermediate financing modes according to the business requirements.

Formulate strategies in order to reduce costs of production which resulted in capturing more market segments at competitive prices.
Sound working capital management policies in the year 2009 and I assume that this policy will continue in the future.

Cash reserve is increased primarily because of expansion in business volume and also the equity financing which really helps the companys perspective to hold the cash at the optimum level.

Whole Foods Market, Inc. portrays a very strong and positive position in the markets place and without doubt this company has an ability to challenge its rivals to have a girds to become the market leader. There are certain areas where Whole Foods Market, Inc should pay attention to like in the area of working capital, net profit margin, reduction in revenue expenditures on consistent basis and assist in increase its investors confidence towards the organization.

Technology Solutions Proposal

ClubIT is a downtown music venue that serves as an enjoyment place for people to visit and relax. ClubIT was started in 2005 by Lisa and Ruben, two business graduates, and has since grown to have a significant presence. The club covers the area of 6000 square feet with a 600 square feet dance floor and the capacity for 220 people. The ClubIT has recently been remodeled and it is expected by the owners that ClubIT will become a top place in the local entertainment industry in the near future.

ClubIT and Its Customers
Nowadays ClubIT has a considerable number of staff, apart from its owners, which includes the assistant manager, a bartender, waiters, stewards, short order cooks as well as the security staff. The customers of ClubIT mostly include people in their twenties, thirties and forties, who come to ClubIT to have a good time after a tiring day of work. Many of the customers are students, who used ClubIT as a place to go to, because ClubIT also offers an energetic atmosphere to people in their professional life, so that they can feel motivated again for the next day. Sold out- event nights during live band plays as well as DJ nights show that the customers are big music fans.

Long Term and Short Term Goals
In order to improve business, a number of short term and long term goals need to be achieved by ClubIT. The short-term goals of ClubIT include the implementation of information management solutions concerning sales, the inventory and employee management. Furthermore, ClubITs owners also want to improve the decision making capabilities as well as to make the customer service more efficient and quick, along with the aim to restrict selling of alcoholic drinks to people under age. The company also needs its online service to be improved, which is currently only restricted to selling of ClubITs merchandise. The capabilities of the websites can be extended so that they can not only be used to sell tickets to the events, but would also make it possible for the customers to book tables and place pre-orders for bookings. The long term goals of ClubIT are the following to become one of the top venues for music, night life and entertainment in its area, to expand the business by means of opening another club at a different place offering the same level of energy and entertainment to people.

Furthermore, ClubIT would also like to expand its relationship with its business partners and suppliers through expanding the range of products it currently offers to its customers, as well as improve the sales.   The role of information systems in achieving this goal will be very important. Information systems will provide ClubIT with a way to align the use information technologies in accordance with their organizational goals. Many of the problems at ClubIT are related to the management, storage and processing of information from various sources in an efficient and quick manner. The use of information systems, such as Inventory Management and Customer Relationship Management software, not only allow the use of computers to automate various processes within ClubIT, thus, making them more efficient and effective while also allowing for information from these processes to be used in analysis and adjustment in the process in accordance with both short term and long term goals (Rainer  Turban, 2008).

Professional Development
In order to ensure that the Information systems are used efficiently, the staff at ClubIT will have to be given training in both theoretical and technical aspects. For this purpose workshops and training classes along with hands-on training with the information systems will be used. The workshop and training classes will be used to increase the awareness of ClubIT staff about the information systems that will be implemented along with the advantages that they would bring in at various organizational levels. It would also serve as a platform to inform the employees of any changes of the rules and regulations that would be made due to the introduction of information systems, as well as any new policies. Hands-on training, on the other hand, will be used to familiarize the staff with the implemented technology, as well as making them proficient in its use. The workshops and training classes will start as soon as the implementation of information systems is authorized, while the hands-on training will start once the implementation of information systems is completed. The training will initially be conducted by either the information system provider or by any other third party trainer. The first batch of trainees will consist of executives along with management level employees as well an experienced person from each of the department at ClubIT. This batch of trainees will later train other employees (Noe, 2004).

Assessment of Needs
Though the owners are very keen on using the information technology to enhance their business, currently, ClubIT uses it its website to promote its menus as well as sell merchandise. All orders and selling of tickets takes place in reality or over the telephone. All the information handling with regards to sales, purchases and ordering is managed by the club owners without much support of IT. Customers of ClubIT also include people, who are tech savvy and own PDAs and Laptops. There are a number of technologies, which can be employed in the number of information system, which can be implemented in ClubIT.  For example, to make orders efficient, a wireless order taking system as well as ordering kiosks will be established inside ClubIT. Furthermore, as a part of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation, several sub-systems can be purchased and installed in order to automate various processes inside ClubIT. For example, in order to manage records of sales and purchases as well as ordering in ClubIT, an Inventory Management System will be used. Furthermore, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system will also be used to enhance the experience of customers through personalized serving. CRM would not only help hosts in serving the customers according to their needs and requirements, but would also allow a better targeting of offers and future services.

The Internet Service, available inside the club would be an additional service that would help ClubIT in attracting new customers. Furthermore, the Human Resource system would also allow for efficient management of employees attendance as well their pays. In addition, the ClubIT will also use a full fledge B2B and B2C e-Commerce website to expand its services online. This website will be used to sell ClubIT merchandise, Pre-Ordering, Pre-Booking of Table as well as Discounted Sales of Tickets of the events happening in ClubIT. Furthermore, in order to give Lisa and Rubens an executive level the view of the current and past activities as well as to assist them in future predictions of their business, Executive Dashboards will be used.  The implementation of information systems will start by the implementation of Inventory Management System, followed by a Customer Relationship Management system. Once completed, the ClubIT website will be revamped and re-launched, integrated into the Inventory Management System, as well as Customer Relationship Management System. The Executive Dashboard will then be looked at. Once these are implemented the Human Resource Management System will then be implementing automating the process of attendance, shifts as well as pays (Obrien, 2008).

The Budget
The annual income of ClubIT is around 28,000. For the purpose of implementation of information system at ClubIT, a medium size budget is available ranging between 10,000 and 15,000. Best use of the budget can be made by using it to automate the business critical systems of ClubIT. These systems are the order taking system and the inventory management system, which can greatly improve the business if made automatic. An information system can either be purchased off the shelf, can be leased for a time or built in-house. It is recommended that ClubITs management carries out a cost-benefit analysis on these options and invites information system vendors to conduct a trial of their information system, so that it can be evaluated properly. Furthermore, a significant share of the budget should also be spent on quick training of employees, who should be taught to use these information systems in an effective manner. For this purpose, training contracts can be agreed amount by the information system vendor to train one group of employees, which would then train their respective departments. The hardware bought for the information system will meet the minimum requirement of the information system software, while room for upgrading will be present in the system. Furthermore, the implementation of other information system can be delayed, until the information system handling business critical processes are implemented, debugged and maintained for sufficient time (Rainer  Turban, 2008).

Evaluation
In order to verify, if the information systems are contributing effectively to the goals of the organization, evaluations will need to be carried out. The evaluation of the information system can be carried out by its users, and will be compiled as a review on weekly basis. Short term goals of ClubIT can be divided into departmental objectives and key performance indicator sets, which would be monitored and evaluated by department heads on monthly basis. Long term goals, on the other hand, can be evaluated by Lisa and Rubens on either half yearly or yearly basis, in which the performance of each department and process would be analyzed to ensure the direction of organization in right and how improvements, if any, can be made. In this regard an Executive Dashboard can be used. The executive dashboard allows for the display the current status of key performance indicators, set by executives, as well as their trend. Another important feature is that the user can drill down to the minute details behind the information that is viewed. It also allows executives to set exceptions which can be use to point out area and products in the business which are not doing well (Rainer  Turban, 2008).

Currently ClubIT has only a website, which is hosted a PC Server system. It consists of a number of components including motherboard, Random Access Non Volatile memory for temporary storage of data and a hard drive for storage of data on permanent basis. Software inventory of ClubIT include a licensed version of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system, Microsoft Internet Information Web Server along with a Cable Modem Broadband Internet Connection.

Through the Implementation of the Information System and related technology, ClubIT will not only benefit through enhanced business processing but would also become innovative as not many nightclubs make extensive use of information technology. However, it is important that the cost as well as benefits of these systems should be kept in mind and steps should be taken to ensure that the implemented systems are exploited to their full extent.

Modern Book Distribution, Inc. Case Study Evaluation

MBD needs to realize that in order to survive amid increasing competition where their competitors are implementing cutting edge supply chain strategies the organization will need to change instead of relying on their old model. The new model will need to be a combination of both pull as well as push strategies to counter both bigger retailers as well as online shops as well.  Thus the best fit in such a situation would be to use a push pull strategy. Since MBD is already using forecasting techniques they can use the same to judge the books that will be an easy sell and thus apply a push strategy to this by predicting in advance and building up stock to meet demand. At the same time, there will be orders for books that are relatively unpredictable and in order to remain flexible yet responsive to customer needs, MBD will need to employ pull strategies and go towards the order based distribution which will involve more postponement methods and more time lags, yet will deliver to customers as per their requirements. If this new push pull strategy is used effectively, it can counter the current competition that they are currently feeling.

At the end of the day, for any business, the customer matters, and the bottom lines are adjusted to maximize revenues by keeping the customer satisfaction levels at a premium. These are the central questions that the management needs to ask themselves. How can we maximise output and customer satisfaction and increase our responsiveness at the same time Also, what are the best mix of strategies that will balance the pay offs between efficiency and responsiveness to ensure that a sustainable competitive advantage is built that the customer will learn to trust and thus help in retaining them  One must also look at the effects of demand variability, transportation costs, and inventory costs. Keeping this in mind, there is no one best distribution strategy but rather multiple options that can be utilized to serve the different market segments that  MBD is operating in, and thus a hybrid of push and pull strategies should be used. As part of the pull strategy, the direct shipment strategy may be used where books with high demand variability and low turnover. However, push strategies will include intermediate inventory storage point strategies so that books with low demand variability and high turnover may be stocked at distribution centres to increase responsiveness and reduce lead time.

Through the pull strategy, MDB will be able to maintain lower inventory and this also applies to direct shipment as well. This will lead to lower inventory costs, facility and handling costs and lower lead times due to the direct shipment strategy. Also, since MBD will be keeping a lower inventory of value added products and a higher inventory of generic products, thus order customization will be catered to properly. The advantage of the push strategy will lower lead times, increases responsiveness and lower transportation costs due to economies of scale.

If MBD is to use less warehouses and more centralized operations, transportation costs will decrease, information sharing will be more accurate with an added reduction in the bullwhip effect, leading to more accurate forecasting and better planning. This will in turn lower response times as well. If MBD is to use more warehouses and a more decentralized approach, transportation costs will be higher, information sharing will decrease, there will be the added threat of bullwhip effect at multiple levels and longer time to market for new products under development. Inventory storage and handling costs will also be higher. However, the flip side would be since the warehouses are more distributed, response times and lead times will decrease.

Situations for a distribution strategy
If a firm already has the internal infrastructure to support its operations and it is also its core strategic strength, than the obvious choice is to use an internal logistics expertise. This is because it will not only reduce cost, but also decrease dependency on other parties as well. Since an organization already knows its own strengths and weaknesses, thus it will also increase efficiency of the process and control on the value chain.
Sometimes another companys location in the supply chain is more congruent with logistical demands. It is at such times that an organization will need to overlook its infrastructural sufficiency and look to acquiring a company with this expertise. The best determinant is a combination of the position in the supply chain, resources and expertise.

This will happen if a company does not have the valid resources to implement what it has planned. This is often the case with smaller companies who may be specialists within their own supply chain segment but still due to a paucity of resources are unable to implement a variety of plans. A strategic alliance of this nature can add value, improve market access, strengthen the operations, aid technological muscle, enhance growth and organizational skills and build financial muscle as well.

Third party logistical support is usually used when another party can perform a range of functions better then the company that needs the job to be done. This will improve the focus on core strengths, as well as increase all sorts of flexibility. However, the loss of control is what one must watch out for.

IBMs private exchange vs. consortia of e-markets
The relatively simple answer to this question would be that IBM being one of the worlds leading distributors in this segment is using both pull and push strategies and information sharing paradigms that will help in both cases. Through the private exchange, IBM uses a pull strategy that presumes postponement of value addition information sharing is stronger and more accurate which helps in better forecasting and hedging against demand variability. On the other hand, the consortia of e-markets have been used to upgrade to answer to a new market segment and new information sharing paradigm.

Decisions based on the size of an electronic company
A smaller company should use a hedging strategy. Being in an electronic industry, the average time to market for products is extremely low thus there is a higher risk of demand variability.
To lessen the impact of demand variability. The essential issue with small scale operations is that they have lesser sources and cannot afford customer losses which may come as big hit. They do not have the luxury of being too flexible or speculative.

Yes it would definitely change
A larger firm will have more resources at its disposal which will allow it to be more flexible and speculative as well. Economies of scale will play a very important part in flexibility, where as stronger planning resources and better information sharing will lead to more accurate speculation as well. These will help prevent demand variability.

Dimensional impacts on supply chain design
A supply chain needs to conform to requirements so that it can deliver what it is designed to do, otherwise it would be without a core purpose and useless. A supply chain manager needs to be clear in the purpose as well as objective so that the designated systems such as inventory storage, transportation modes, and lead times are all designed to a specific requirement to deliver maximum value.

Each product varies on a variety of attributes which may include both physical as well as competitive. Physically, if a product is larger and bulky, the lot size, transportation costs, storage space etc will all change with it. Furthermore, it may depend on the competitive industry that it operates within.
Brand and price will play an important part since each will have a different need. When prices drop, the supply chain will need to be flexible enough to support a spike in demand. Also brands come up with promotions that may increase or decrease variability according to a series of media, and the supply chain must support this every step of the way.

Value added services must also be kept in mind while designing the supply chain. This is because value addition may change to nature of the product or the associated process at any step of the chain.
Relationships remain of paramount importance since any supply chain is like a strong bond of interconnected agreements that need to be kept. Also, stronger relationships may help in controlling bullwhip with better information sharing as well as decreasing demand variability or flexibility to deliver from other locations within the supply chain.

The Power of Brand Value

The power of brand value may be said to be associated with both the psychological and experiential aspects and some people are able to discern accurately between the two.  The experiential aspect, also known as the brand experience, is the sum total of the points of contact with the brand.  The brand image is a symbolic model created in the minds of people and makes up the psychological aspect.  The psychological aspect is made up of all the expectations and information related to the product or service in question (Lepla, Parker, 21).  The two, psychological and experiential aspects form the basis of band value which has substantial effects on the consumers and the company selling the products or rendering the service. 
The branding exercise is always done by seeking to align or develop the anticipations behind the experiences of the brand.  This creates an impression that a certain brand that is associated with a product or a service has specific qualities that gives it the uniqueness.  Therefore, brands have been imperative elements in the themes of advertisement (Varley, 20).  The brand demonstrates exactly what the brand owner would have been able to offer in the marketplace.   The creation and the maintenance of a brand is called brand management and integrated marketing consist of the orientation of the entire organization towards the brand.  

The power of the brand value will be reflected by the careful management of the brand which is propped up by superbly devised means of advertising.  This can significantly attract customers to pay dearly for the even cheaper products to make.  The brand value can be modified through the active advertisement and when this happens, value is created.  The concept of creating value involves the careful manipulation of the preconceived image of the products such that the consumer gains a different picture about the product or service as being worth the high cost charged by the advertiser (Goodchild, Callow, 14).  This concept, creating value, does not follow the traditional method of calculating cost.  Usually, the valuation of a product considers the aggregate of the raw materials cost plus the manufacturing cost plus the distribution cost.  In the modern days, this valuation does not stand to be considered an advertisement can make a consumer to pay 50 U.S Dollars for a product worth 5 U.S Dollars. For instance, a breakfast containing cheap cereals can be given great advertisement and a consumer can end up buying it at a very dear price. 

There should be a perception brands are not always equivalent to the actual cost of a product and the final selling price.  Brands represent the total value of the qualities contained in the product to the consumer.  Usually, business involves a lot of intangibles which are often excluded when preparing the balance sheet and the financial statements.  These intangibles dictate how a business is perceived and one of the intangibles is the brand. The spectacular abilities of a highly specialized doctor will make a difference in the cost of healthcare provided to a patient (Mathieson, 45). This is the similar case when seeking high quality tailoring or salon services.  Although the products and service may be the same, these aspects always bear a hidden cost only known by the customers seeking the services and products.  The people who already know the hidden quality of a companys products should always be maintained as regular customers.  The company should be able to recognize the qualities of the business as one of the assets and sometimes after the business is up for sale, the quality can be valued as good will.

A widely known brand in the marketplace achieves greater brand recognition and the subsequent build up of the recognition makes the brand to enjoy a significant mass of positive outlooks in the marketplace (Nachum, Wymbs, 25). At this point, a brand is said to have attained a brand franchise.  Brand recognition aims at the identification of a brand even if the companys name is not appearing anywhere in the product.  An example is the brands of soft drinks produced by the Coca Cola Company which are already highly marketable even if the name Coca Cola does not appear to be prominent in the product advertisement.  Other brand names like Disney which was initially created for Walt Disney signature logo has been used recently by go.com as their logo.

The customers often perceive the branding to be an essential value added element of a good or service. Brands always serve to show a specific attractive quality in a product which makes the product to look different from others of the same type in the market. Brand owners have constantly regarded the branded products and services to have a higher price as compared to those without although the basic satisfaction may be the same.  This example is best observed in most pharmaceutical products where some are branded while others are generic.  Generic drugs seem to be sold at a considerably lower price (Timothy, 29).  The lower price of store branded or generic products does not make many consumers to opt for them but rather seek the expensive option of branded. The branded options are believed to have ultimate quality hence gaining more consumers.  Other people may select a branded product or service because of the reputation of the brand owner.  For example, commuters may choose services of Virgin Airways because of the repute or IBM computers because of the companys reputation. This is the power of brand value to the companies of the products and services and to the consumers. 

There is significant power in the name of a product which is known as a brand name.  Brand name, though at times interchangeably used with the word brand, means specifically the spoken or a written element of a product.  Having in mind that a brand name is a written or verbal linguistic element, brand name can be termed as an example of trademark in a situation where the name absolutely identifies the commercial source of the product or service to be from the owner of the brand (Meyers, Gerstman, 61). The brand is such a powerful element that the owners can always seek proprietary rights to protect the name by registering it in the trademarks.  Tangible elements like spokesmen have recently been treated as part of brands where a specific spokesman advertises specific products or services.

There are several types of brand names and all have a command of some power over the consumers to make decisions on what to buy.  Some brand names are in the forms of acronyms which are made of initials.  For example, IBM stands for International Business Machines.  Other names are descriptive in nature.  These names may describe the function or the benefits of a product for example Herbal Toothpaste (Peterson, 569). Other names may have a rhyming or alliteration nature like Luck Lick.  Some names can be neologism, evocative, foreign or some still may contain in them the founders of the products like Disney and Hewlett-Packard.  Brand names like Fuji film and Cisco have been derived from the geographical origin of the products while Nike products got the name from mythical personification.  

Brand owners always want to communicate specific identity of the product or services to the consumers.  Brand identities are typically brand images or product identities. These are attributes which consumers may associate to the brand.  The identity of the brand gives a clear picture on how the owner of the brand would like the consumer to regard the brand.  Brand owners usually strive to make a clear-cut difference between the brand identity and the brand image.  A connection between the brand personality and the product itself is only brought about by effective brand names. For brand names to command the power they often pose on consumer decisions, they should have the same target in line with the products of the company.  This means that the brand names should depict what the company stands for in terms of products and services (Jerrald, Newport, 32).  Some brands have been misleading although these are few exceptional cases.  A brand name like Oral Opticians may seem to have a controversy ending up to the potentials service consumers not to identify what is advertised.  The name, Oral Opticians may refer to both medical care givers having interests in mouth care and eye care.  Both the patients having the problems of mouth and eyes may visit the place and still, because of confusion, none will visit the facility. Another important issue about brand names is that they should be easier to remember and should target the right audience.

Brand names have significant effects in the market place. Manufactures of new products may wish to be associated with the already established companies.  Some shoddy companies make a step further to counterfeit the names of big companies like Sony, Samsung or Apple.  By taking up these names, they aim at confusing the consumers who will end up buying from them.  What is in a name, does it mean anything to do with the company anyway  Apple was a brand name that was selected by Steve Wozniak and Steve Job to their products that included computers and other electronic gadgets (Kwon, Mondello, 50). The name basically represented the plain obviousness to the creative geniuses of Apple.  When others like Apricot tried to take the concept, they did not succeed but rather failed.

The brand name is therefore one of the most influential sources of identity. When a brand queries its individuality, the most appropriate answer is therefore to painstakingly look at its name and so make an effort to identify with the reasoning behind its establishment. Through this process, we can exactly link and find out the brands intent and agenda. Several brands make al the necessary effort to set free the qualities which their brand name fails to reveal or simply excludes on the whole (Duffy, Hooper, 17). The examination of the word Apple can conclude that the name just sounds fun and not such a serious name. Many companies have ignored their own brands to follow what the simple name brought to the success of the Apple Company. 

Majority of companies are tempted to ignore the brand names of their products after they realize that they have been surpassed by other brand names.  This temptation is merely based on a rash understanding of the belief of brand self-sufficiency. From a keen observation on the past events, brands turn out to be self-sufficient as they start to give words precise meanings other than those that are found in the contemporary English language or usual human usage. For example, a brand name like Red Bull may not have anything to do with the bulls but is well understood by the people who take high energy drinks (Balmer, Greyser, 87(). This applies to other brand names like that of Nike and Mercedes. In fact, Mercedes is a Christian name in Spain nevertheless the brand has made it to be a popular symbol in Germany. The naming of brands and other proper nouns have taken this characteristics to an extent that one is not able to differentiate or define the names.  Whichever the name, the products first will have to build the brand name then the same brand name will market the products and services. 

Brand names are like identities which need to be protected and managed. Some other names which may be used as brand names may have a two times connotation. The rationale of communication in that case is to decide on one meaning and go down with the other. For instance, the petroleum company, Shell chose the name to mean and emphasize on the seas shells rather than the one which means the bomb shell. At the same time, the international temporary employment agency also referred to as Ecco, has avoided the choice of exploiting the impending connection with matters of economy which come out in its name. What is clearly seen in Ecco is that it does use its name as a natural means to add force to its positioning in the sector of high excellence service.  Ecco keenly looks into the issue of duplication through its advertisement and puts back into track those treading out of the agency.

The discussion on the power of brand value on both the consumer tries to examine important issues regarding the basic types of brand that are evident in the modern society.  We realize that sometimes brands are also called brand names and the brand names are owned by the brand owners.  The brand names are protected by a legal framework and show the ownership. Although some products can be made as generics, proprietary products and services have much regard when it comes to the consumer side (Duffy, Hooper, 33).  Example is the medicines sold by giant pharmaceutical like GlaxoSmithKline or Pfizer which are the original compound under patent laws. Similar generic drugs can be made by other pharmaceuticals but attract less customers despite their low price. The brand name therefore makes the product to be of more demand than those without big names.  The brand names may be named notwithstanding the relatedness to the brand owners although sometimes they take the names of the founders like the Hewlett Packard.  For the brand names to have more power on consumer decision, they should be easy to remember.  They can also be named according to the products being traded.  

Saviour Management Consultancy

This is in reference to your request for recommendations for motivating employees at Royal Oil Company. My firm, Saviour Management Consultancy, is pleased to offer its services in this regard. Below you will find a brief summary of the recommendations report we have already mailed to Mr. Christopher Kassel, HR Manager, Royal Oil Company, as per your request.

It is a well-known fact that employees are motivated by money, interesting job descriptions, and co-workers who make their organisation a fun place to work. Another way of motivating employees is for your company to ensure that its missions are spelled out. In fact, the mission of each task must be explained to employees in simple terms.  

Mr. William D. Rusak    - 2 -    13 December 2009

Recognition is an important motivator, too. Whenever an employee or a team performs a good job, your company should make a public announcement. Awards should also be handed out, and managers should mention the productive effort of a high achieving employee or team whenever there is an opportunity. In point of fact, the successes of your employees andor teams must be celebrated by your company. We further advise you to motivate your employees by making them feel that although they have reached the top, they are still climbing the mountain of success. At Saviour Management Consultancy, we refer to this approach as the maintenance of balance between challenge and achievement.

Yet another way to motivate your employees is to understand their personalities, based on which you may determine their needs. Typically there are seven kinds of employees
Commanders are employees that seek control,
Drifters require flexibility,
Attackers require respect,
Pleasers need appreciation,
Performers require recognition,
Avoiders require security, and
Analyticals require certainty.


This need theory of motivation is built upon the fact that the fulfillment of your employees needs is enough to motivate them. There are different ways to motivate the seven types of employees. The commanders among employees, for example, must have their work linked to results in order to feel that they are in control. If these individuals lack a sense of being in charge, they would be unmotivated. Likewise, the drifters in the workplace should be given free rein to express their creativity, without which they may be unmotivated to work efficiently.

Derived from organizational research, all of the above recommendations are successful tools to increase employee motivation. We would be honored to offer our services in the implementation of these tools at your organisation. Please feel free to contact us again.

For many people today, Microsoft Windows has become a household name. Whereas branding may be a big part of their success, one cannot overlook their world class distribution system which has helped them become the leader in operating systems the world over. The recent launch of Windows 7, Microsofts latest operating system has been in the news for some time now, and thus will be used as an example for further discussion

Direct distribution Strategy
A direct distribution system is one in which the manufacturer directly interacts with the customer. In the case of Microsoft windows this can be done through online delivery systems. Current Windows users can upgrade to the newest version or just have it shipped to their location by paying online. The advantages of such a system are that information sharing is at a maximum. This in turn ensures that Microsoft can setup an effective customer service system that ensures that customers are taken care as per the agreed standard operating procedures, issues that may come to light through an indirect distribution strategy.

Indirect distribution strategy
An indirect distribution system entails the manufacturer interacting with a third party (such as the retailerwhole seller) who will then distribute it to the end customer. In the case of Windows 7, this is done through licensed distributors of the software. Any customer can just walk into any licensed seller and pick up his preferred version of the software from the shelf. The advantage of setting up an indirect system is so that the manufacturer can reach out to more customers, essentially increasing the width of its market.

Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code

Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code is a very good instrument which can help a person handle debts that are not manageable however not all qualify. People file for bankruptcy for various reasons. Bankruptcy influences the rates of interest on loans and credit cards.

Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code, the Bankruptcy code, directs the process of dealing with individuals and organizations that have in law been declared not in a position to pay their creditors. The history of bankruptcy law dates back to as early as 1942. Closely related to Chapter 7 is Chapter 13 which allows debtors who have regular income to come up with a concrete plan of how to repay all or part of the debt during a given period within which the creditor is not supposed to take any recovery action. (www.uscourts.gov)

Who may file Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Chapter 7 is a very good tool of dealing with devastating debts. However, it is not available to all. Those who qualify are those who have no enough income to meet their financial obligations and cannot therefore use Chapter 13.The income of a person filing Chapter 7 should pass the all new means test if at all its higher than the median. The purpose of the mean test is to determine whether a person has enough disposable income (net of certain allowable expenses) to repay all or some of the unsecured debt.
Further, people who had previously received a bankruptcy discharge within the last eight years under Chapter 7 and within six years incase of Chapter 13 dont qualify. A dismissal of a previous bankruptcy within a period of 180 days disqualifies a person from succeeding in a Chapter 7 case. (www.uscourts.gov)
Any person who defrauded his or her creditors cannot enjoy Chapter 7.This applies also to those who had concealed some assets so that they can keep them for themselves.

How has this changed over the past few years
The latest changes regarding bankruptcy law are geared towards making it harder for people to file bankruptcy. For example certain people are now restricted from filing chapter 7, previously one had just to chose between chapter 7 and Chapter 13.Previously,there was no means test which is now being applied to determine those who qualify for Chapter 7. (Broude, 2005)    The other important change is that requiring people to undergo credit counseling with one of the agencies approved by the United States Trustees Office. This will help people determine whether to file for bankruptcy or make an informal arrangement on how to pay the debt.

What are some of the reasons why people file bankruptcy
Many people file bankruptcy for one of the following reasons stop foreclosure, remove community debt, stop collector harassment as well as eliminating the legal obligation to pay many more debts.                           

How does bankruptcy affect interest rates on loans and Credit cards
The relationship between bankruptcy and interest rates on loans and credit cards is positive. Those who have filed for bankruptcy will pay more interest rates since they are viewed as relatively riskier than those who have never filed for one. Those who have never filed for bankruptcy are viewed as more financially stable. (Broude, 2005)