Joint venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Joint endeavor - Essay Example Probably the greatest favorable position of joint endeavor is that it spares time. It takes an organization a great deal of time and exertion to build up the information base required to venture into the business, have the option to create and present new items in the market, and improve proficiency and efficiency in business. Joint endeavors give organizations the chance to share mastery, acquire lead time, and limit the cost that is in any case brought about due to absence of experience and aptitude. Another significant and remunerating highlight of joint endeavor is that it guarantees great quality. Naturally, when one firm needs to make an item, a few highlights of the item that the firm is fit for delivering would be of acceptable quality while the nature of different highlights may be undermined. Since the various organizations holding hands to shape a joint endeavor are specialists in their separate fields, items made in a joint endeavor are of awesome

The management strategy of Blackberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The administration system of Blackberry - Essay Example Focal point of conversation in this paper is Blackberry as a significant player in the advanced mobile phone and portable email advertises the world over. The brand was planned and created by the Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM) and has been operational in the advanced mobile phone markets since 1999. The ordinary Blackberry gadget is made to work as an individual advanced colleague, compact media player, web program, gaming gadget and numerous other comparative capacities. The biggest upper hand accessible to Blackberry gadgets in contrast with other advanced cells is their capacity to send and get push email and texting while at the same time protecting a ton of security through licensed encryption strategies. Run of the mill Blackberry gadgets bolster numerous texting highlights including the Blackberry Messenger. For the monetary year 2011, Blackberry deals represented 3% of all cell phone deals the world over. This makes RIM the 6th most well known gadget maker on the plan et, as 25% of every single cell phone produced on the planet are advanced mobile phones. The trademark Blackberry Internet Service is offered in 91 nations through about 500 versatile help administrators who give contrasting portable advancements. A gauge from October 2011 spots the quantity of worldwide Blackberry supporters at 70 million. The best market entrance of Blackberry PDAs is in the Caribbean and Latin America with showcase infiltration levels of up to 45% in the locale. ... s that Android has the biggest piece of the overall industry at 13% followed by Blackberry at 10% with Apple lingering behind at 9% while Windows Phone remains at a measly 1% as it were. The British market is additionally observing a general increment in advanced mobile phones in the general cell phone advertise. Inside this extent of extension, the portion of RIM expanded by 4% while Apple extended by 2% to their general piece of the overall industry. Notwithstanding, these builds fail to measure up to walks by Android that developed to twice its past market size. The expansion from Android’s end can to a great extent be credited to mid-run headsets fabricated by HTC and Samsung that are additionally supporting Windows little piece of the pie (Brill, 2012). Blackberry’s and its competition’s by and large piece of the pie uncovers a great deal given that Blackberry remains at 22.3% of the advanced cell showcase while Android remains at 45.2% with Apple lingering behind at 18.3%. At the point when these figures are contrasted with the market development rates revealed beforehand, it turns out to be evident that Blackberry’s most prominent rivalry comes from Android. So as to locate a superior showcasing plan it is important to consider why Blackberry is losing to Android in specific regions and picking up in others. While Blackberry is losing quick to rivalry from Android around the globe, however buyers in Spain and the United Kingdom are holding solid to Blackberry. The adolescent market is strong of Blackberry in view of the enormous volumes of instant messages and texting administrations utilized by them. The essential utilizations of youthful buyers are informing administrations that are more diligently to use in traditional handsets when contrasted with advanced mobile phones, for example, Blackberry. One significant bit of leeway accessible to Blackberry when contrasted with Android is the trademark QWERTY physical console that is standard to all Blackberry gadgets however

Online Congruency

Online Congruency I am seated at a booth in a diner outside Birmingham, Alabama, the smell of freshly ground, over-roasted coffee beans wafting around me, sifting through emails from friends. One in particular stands out. A close friend is amid the tedious med-school application process, and she’s worried about her Facebook account being used against her by the folks who review applications. I don’t even have an undergraduate degree, so I’m likely an unfit advisor for grad-school matters; but, then again, I don’t really see this as a collegiate affairâ€"rather, it’s a matter of congruency. For the longest time, I, myself, led two separate lives: professional JFM and personal JFM. There was Corporate Meâ€"prim and proper, ostensibly flawless. And there was Creative Meâ€"flawed but beautiful (beautiful because of the flaws, perhaps?). For obvious reasons, the two mixed about as well as glass rubbing against concrete. So I kept them segregated: Corporate Me didn’t talk about his love for writing, and Creative Me loathed himself for hiding his creativity from the world. It was almost as though both sides were ashamed of each other. Over time, this internal tug of war took its toll, until eventually I realized that living two separate lives was exhausting, and even disingenuous. So instead of hiding one half from the other, I decided to change my activity to align both halves. In my friend’s case, she wanted to go as far as changing her name on social media. My advice: Do you do anything online you’re not proud of in real life? If so, I wouldn’t change my nameâ€"I’d change my online activity. Your online persona should be a mirror of you, and nothing to be ashamed of. For me, there isn’t an online self and a real-life self these daysâ€"just myself. Whether I write a blog post, speak to a crowd, or converse with a friend, my life is congruent. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a private life. Like most people, I enjoy having sex, sending tarty text messages, and walking around the house nakedâ€"I just don’t share those details publicly. Not because I’m ashamed, but because they are private (and because they don’t contribute to the greater good). There’s a big difference between a public online profile (an extension of one’s self) and a private intimate conversation (personal interactions not meant for public consumption). Deciding what’s private and what’s public is a personal matter; share whatever you’d like. Just don’t be ashamed of who you are: shame is ugly, and you’re far too beautiful for that. Read this essay and 150 others in our new book, Essential. Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

Types of Journalism Jobs

The Panama Canal - 1817 Words

Introduction The Panama Canal has become famous all over the world for being one of the most successful canals ever built, however, when it was first built many people thought that it was a mistake. During the building of the canal, there were many problems and scandals that had to be taken care of before the canal was up and running. Despite the problems during the construction of the canal, after construction the canal greatly aided the economic growth of the United States in the early twentieth century. In spite of the success of the canal and the seemingly positive impacts it had on the growth and development of the U.S., some historians still believe that the construction of the Panama Canal was not a good economic decision for the United States to make. The Panama Canal had a positive effect on the U.S. economy because of the time saved by traveling through the canal, the money saved from building the canal, and the growth of the U.S. economy as a whole as a result of the construction of th e canal. Construction of the canal Leaders in both Central America and the U.S supported the building of the canal. Both the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican presidents were happy with the building of the Panama Canal. These leaders thought that the canal would help bring economic prosperity to Central America, as well as the United States. This helped the U.S. get approval from most of Central America to start the construction of the canal. The New Panama Canal Company, the company thatShow MoreRelatedThe Panama Canal1413 Words   |  6 PagesShey Gibson Mr. Grate World History Period 2 5 December 2015 The Panama Canal The Panama Canal is the only canal in the world to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans together. It was built in the country of Panama and first used on August 15th of 1914. It became one of the most useful canals in the world for trading and transportation. In my opinion, the creation of the Panama Canal served as a significant human feat because the level of construction that it required had never been done beforeRead MorePanama Canal Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe Panama Canal has been called the big ditch, the bridge between two continents, and the greatest shortcut in the world. When it was finally finished in 1914, the 51-mile waterway cut off over 7,900 miles of the distance between New York and San Francisco, and changed the face of the industrialized world (Panama Canal). This Canal is not the longest, the widest, the deepest, or the oldest canal in the world, but it is the only canal to connect two oceans, and still today is the greatest man-madeRead More Panama C anal Essay888 Words   |  4 PagesPanama Canal Essay The canal was the best thing that ever happened to Panama. The Panama Canal was started under President Roosevelt and completed by his successor, William Howard Taft. The canal was built across an isthmus, a narrow body of land that connects two larger land areas, which connects North and South America. In some places in Panama the isthmus is only 50 miles across. The French started the canal in the late 1800’s. They had just built the then famous Suez Canal with relative easeRead MoreExisting Canals in the World: The Panama Canal and The Suez Canal1642 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Canals are human-made and completely subject to the sovereignty of the state in which they are located. Canals are internal waters that have no right of innocent passage through canals. Typically, there are only two canals in the world - Panama Canal and Suez Canal. Panama Canal opened on 15 August 1914 with a total length of 80.5km (50 miles). Panama Canal is the integral link for shipping traffic from the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean in North U.S. (refer Fig. 1). Panama Canal consist aRead MorePanama Canal Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesPanama Canal Essay The canal was the best thing that ever happened to Panama. The Panama Canal was started under President Roosevelt and completed by his successor, William Howard Taft. The canal was built across an isthmus, a narrow body of land that connects two larger land areas, which connects North and South America. In some places in Panama the isthmus is only 50 miles across. The French started the canal in the late 1800s. They had just built the then famous Suez Canal with relative easeRead MoreThe Importance of the Panama Canal1251 Words   |  5 PagesThe isthmus of the canal was first mentioned in 1543 when Charles V, the King of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire ordered a search for a route through the Americas that would allow for easier passage from Spain to Peru. The King of Scotland attempted to set up an overland trade route in 1698, but gave up in April of 1700. Italian noble and naval Officer, Allesandro Malaspina outlined plans for construction of a canal 88 years later. Even at the very beginning of European activity in the Americas,Read More The Panama Canal Essay3208 Words   |  13 PagesThe Panama Canal In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt had a dream of a dominant America in both major oceans, connected by an American canal. With his inspiration, construction began on what has been called the largest project of any kind ever undertaken. Now that it is complete, the Panama Canal makes the world a much smaller place for ocean-going vessels of all sizes. Ideas for a canal across Panama have been in the works ever since the time the isthmus was discovered.Read MoreThe Building of the Panama Canal539 Words   |  2 PagesThe Building of the Panama Canal In order to get to the Pacific Ocean from the east coast of the United States you must either, go around Canada, go around South America, or go all the way around the world. These were the only ways to get to the Pacific from the Atlantic Ocean until 1914. The most common way the American navy would get there was around South America. In many instances when there was problems on the west or east coast that needed naval intervention it took a significant amountRead MoreThe Geography of Panama and the Panama Canal Essay472 Words   |  2 PagesGeography of Panama and the Panama Canal The Panama Canal is one of the greatest works of engineering and modern achievements of mankind. An all-water passage through the continental divide of the Panama region had been suggested since early Spanish colonial times of the 16th century. Today a canal that was cut through the Isthmus of Panama is a reality. Its presence has greatly affected Panama in many ways, politically, economically, and socially. The Panama Canal is possiblyRead MoreBuilding the Panama Canal Essay1697 Words   |  7 Pagesengineering feats in all of history, the Panama Canal is an essential asset for international trade and travel today, uniting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Central American Isthmus in Panama, Colombia. Its construction required the perseverance, innovation, time and money of at first, France and of second, America. Construction began with Frenchman, Ferdinand de Lesseps at the helm of the project in the early 1880’s; however, dreams of a Central American canal were had as early as the 1500’s

Meditation Worksheet Free Essays

Directions: Locate two resources on the Internet that explain meditation techniques. Copy and paste the Web address into the top of the matrix. After reviewing the Web site, provide a brief summary for each source. We will write a custom essay sample on Meditation Worksheet or any similar topic only for you Order Now Below your summary, list two interesting facts you learned from each site. Try the techniques you located in your Internet search. Provide a brief description of what happened in your experience. Summary of resource:Meditation is a form of stress management that will allow our mind to experience an oasis of peace and love within our heart and mind. Meditation gave me back control over my life so that no matter what was happening externally whether it was positive or negative I could still develop control over my thoughts and thus control the emotions and feeling in my mind. NO one can control eradicate adversity in life but you can master the way you respond in regards to your thinking processes. Take control now master your mind through one of the meditation techniques and you will forever be able to be the peaceful beacon in the eye of the storm of any adversity. The basis for attaining an experience in raja yoga meditation in to understand the self and the mind. The human mind is the most creative, powerful and wonderful â€Å"instrument† we possess. Using this energy called mind we have been able to search the deepest oceans, send humans to the moon and scan the molecular fabric of the building blocks of nature. But have we found our true self? We have become the most educated and civilized society in our history, but are we civil towards each other? The soul has three main faculties; the mind or consciousness, the intellect and the subconscious. by the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga meditation organization. Two interesting Facts: So what I have read and learned of meditation is it is a way to lift up all bad energy from one’s body and it is a way to lower ones stress level to a normal level. It is a way to make one’s mind a peaceful place and in hopes of treating others like they are human too. Not only that, but most meditations help heal the body as well. Meditation allows one’s mind to open up to a peaceful place and it allows the stress to flow right out and it does have the power to heal the mind and soul. This in turns makes you feel loving and peaceful to other around you. That is what I got out of reading the facts I found. So my understanding of this particular meditation is more focused on ones three main faculties the mind or consciousness, the intellect and the subconscious. This meditation helps the mind and the other one is more for your body and mind. What intrigues me the most about this Raja meditation is that it is ran by women. Did you know that Raja meditation is what we have discussed in our class? It talks about the brain in how it is the power of our bodies. It also talks about the conscious mind and they talk about how feelings and emotions form in accordance with the montage of thoughts flowing in the mind. Therefore our state of mind at any given moment is determined by the thoughts in our consciousness, and also with the feelings that we associate with those thoughts. What happened after you tried each technique?Well, I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my mind and body. I am able to think more clearly and see everything around me as an equal. I tried this after my daughter spit grape juice all over my floor and I found myself not being so angry about it, but now I look at it as that she is a one year old who does not know any better and I am not as mad as I was at the beginning. I like the Raja meditation because it deals with our minds. When I tried this technique I found myself in a nicer state of mind. I was able to think clearly and I was able to appreciate life a little more than I did before. I was able to focus better on my homework while drowning out the extra noise around me. With both techniques I was more pleasant to be around and I was less moody. 1.Do you think meditation leads to heightened sensation and perception? Explain why or why not. Oh yes I do think it does lead to heightened sensations because when you allow your mind to open up to a different place you can actually feel it. Say you do the first meditation that I have tried. It takes your mind to any place you want to go. So when you get there you can feel the warm breeze on your face and smell the ocean air. You are able to hear the waves crashing on the rocks and sand and hear the gulls flying around in the sky. You can actually see the blue skies and the few white puffy clouds. It is amazing where one’s mind can take you. 2.Have you considered integrating meditation into your own lifestyle? If so, list one strategy for fitting meditation into your schedule. If not, explain why. Yes I have once brought meditation in my life when I was in high school. I think I need to bring it back to my life now because it has been so stressful and depressing. I plan to put in when I get up and when I go to bed. If for some reason I need it during the day I will find a quiet place to meditate for 15 minutes then I will go back to what I was doing with an open mind. There really is no reason why I cannot put a little me time in the day. I think everyone should be able to at least do some meditation in their day. Who knows maybe it might make the world a better place if they meditate. How to cite Meditation Worksheet, Essay examples

McDonald’s In India Essay Example

McDonald’s In India Essay McDonald’s In India Name: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s In India specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s In India specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s In India specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer McDonald’s In India Introduction McDonald’s is considered one of the fastest growing fast food franchises in the world. Therefore, it is no surprise that the company has taken a keen interest in promoting its brand outside the country. One of the countries McDonald’s has established a presence is India. While the company enjoys a global popularity, India is a country that does not believe in eating beef. It is therefore interesting to find out how a business that depends of beef as a marketing strategy fairs in a country whose culture prohibits eating beef. Therefore, a SWOT analysis is carried out to determine the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities that the company have in India. Consequently, a marketing strategy is developed to ensure that the company establishes a foothold in the country. Situational Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Financial strength McDonald’s is considered the number one fast food company in terms of sales. This means that it has a large financial basis. In this regard, it is very capable of cushioning the losses that may be incurred in the Indian market. The company also has over 30 thousand restaurants in about 120 countries. In India, they have more than 200 units of the franchise (Collins 2000). In this regard, it is very capable of cushioning the losses that may be incurred in the Indian market. Production Strength The company’s many restaurants indicate that the company has a huge potential for production. It means that they have been able to replicate the same product in all countries. The company has the ability to adapt to the socio-cultural differences inherent in the country of operation. In India, the company has ensured that they serve burgers with lamb meat so that they can counter the fact that Indians do not partake of beef. Marketing Strengths Intellectual property: The company trademark mascot is Ronald McDonald. The golden arches are also trademarks that are associated with McDonald’s company. The ability to establish trademarks makes it possible for people in India to identify with the brand. The company has built very strong brand equity. Almost all startups by McDonald’s have an almost 100% chance of success (Collins 2000). Brand Image: McDonald’s has developed a strong brand image globally over the years. The brand offers an array of consumer choice at a reasonable price and exceptional prices. There has also been a lot of investment that is geared toward sustaining its franchise store networks. As of 2007, 75% percent of McDonald’s restaurants were franchises. It is believed that McDonald’s is able to make sales just from the brand name. This is what is referred to as brand equity. Core competencies include price, promotion, product, and place. Product McDonald’s merchandise primary range comprises of non-vegetarian burgers and vegetarian burgers. The vegetarian burgers include items like salad sandwich, Veg surprise, Aloo Tikki Burger, or the Mc veggie bugger. The non-vegetarian burgers include the Chicken Mc grill, the fillet or fish Maharaja Burger, the Chicken Maharaja Burger. Also in the product portfolio is French-fries, wrap chicken maxican, veg pizza mc puff, and wrap paneer salsa. The establishment also offers coffee, soft drinks and value meals. All these foods and drinks are aimed at providing variety for different customer preferences. Another important factor to recognize is the fact that McDonald’s in India has taken into account cultural needs of its market by introducing burgers that use lamb meat instead of beef. This enables them to establish themselves as a formidable fast food entity in India. Price The vegetarian burgers in McDonald’s have a price rage of between 20 Rupees and 48 Rupees. The wrap paneer salsa, price range is between 45 Rupees and 50 rupees (Book My Restaurant 2011). On the other hand, non-vegetarian burgers have a price range of between 30 Rupees and 60 Rupees. The wrap chicken maxican price tag is at 55 Rupees (Book My Restaurant 2011). Potato wedges cost 20 Rupees; Medium French fries cost 28 Rupees (Book My Restaurant 2011). Promotion The primary focus of McDonald’s is attracting children to their establishment (Collins 2000). The happy meals target children since with each meal served, a child is given a toy. In addition, the customer is accorded a chance to win prizes in draws and the use of scratch cards (). These options are offered if an order is placed on some of the combos offered. The value meals and econo meals indicate to the customer that they can buy different items while at the same time saving money as opposed to when the items in the value and econo meals are bought differently. Place The McDonald’s outlets in India have been evenly spread out to ensure that there is easy access to them. The reason for this is the fact that they do not offer delivery services thus making sure that the outlets can be easily accessed. McDonald’s also makes it possible for customers to use take away services that utilize drive–in facilities. One weakness that the company faces is high employee turnover that has led to more money being used to train employees. Threats and Opportunities Technological Environment The company has many opportunities to explore. For example, the â€Å"Going green† initiative is geared toward the company improving on energy management, using environmentally friendly refrigeration methods and making it possible for efficient packaging. These technological advancements approach make the company develop a good reputation toward environmental sustenance. Economic Environment There have been an increasing number of people dinning out. This makes it possible for the company to maximize on sales using this particular kind of clientele. The Growth of the fast food industry in the country accords McDonald’s is the chance to experience continued success. The global economic downturn saw many companies register losses. This is because many people would prefer to spend less and thus cutting down on expenses such as eating out (Majumdar 2010). A repeat of an economic recession is makes it impossible for a business to maintain sales. Since the economy is stable, the company still stands a chance of managing profits. Competitive Environment The company also has threats to achieving success. The fast food industry is becoming more competitive and therefore, people have different options for services. McDonald’s has to compete with local fast food outlets that offer cheaper food and more culturally acceptable food variety. This competition therefore threatens the market share for the company. McDonald’s has to find means to ward of the competition. Political Environment The political environment allows the company to operate in a peaceful atmosphere. A peaceful atmosphere makes it possible for the company to enjoy economic freedom. However, this environment could also be affected by political issues such as terrorism. India has been a target of terrorism over the years. With increasing terror attacks being targeted toward Americans, it is possible that American companies abroad will also be targeted. This may affect how business carries on in the country. Cultural/Social Environment Focus by consumers on eating healthy can be considered a social change that may affect the company sales. This is because the company is associated with unhealthy products. This may force McDonald’s to change its menu to suit the needs of a society that is increasingly conscious of eating healthy. The other concern is that fact that the company has decided to use lamb meat in place of beef to cater for cultural inhibitions. While this move may be viewed as an attempt to include India into the McDonald’s family, it alienates those who prefer beef in the country. Therefore, they stand to lose business from this clientele. However, McDonald’s can make use of the growing consumer awareness toward eating healthy (Collins 2000). This opportunity has already been explored with the company spearheading campaigns for eating healthy and providing healthy options for its consumers Set Objectives by Target Market Qualitative Objectives Product performance as an objective is geared toward enhancing sales of products offered by the company. The company has to ensure that the product being offered is acceptable to the cultural norms and that prospective customers are going to relate. The ability of a product to gain popularity is by ensuring that the products are well advertised through creation of brand awareness (Gordon 2002). Brand awareness as an objective is geared toward making the McDonald’s brand known allover the country. However, creating brand awareness has to be geared toward a market type that is likely to buy the products. Brand Awareness is therefore more of a strategic approach to product promotion. Through effective brand awareness, then there is the possibility of making the company’s products become the preferred brand. Brand preference depends on effective brand awareness strategies. It therefore has to ensure that what is advertised is what the consumer is going to get so that the company can develop a brand preferred b consumers. The McDonald’s brand name is already known worldwide. This makes it have strong brand equity. It is necessary that the company use the brand name to make more sales. Quantitative objectives They include market share, share of customer and sales volume. The main objective is to increase the quantity of market share, share of customer and sales volume. Market share refers to number of customers who would prefer to use McDonald’s. The share of customer refers to customer percentage that purchase a company’s product of all the customers who buy in a particular product category (Gordon 2002). The product category is fast foods. The share of customer will therefore mean the percentage of all customers who buy from McDonald’s as opposed to other fast food outlets. The higher the percentage, the higher the market share McDonalds’s has. To increase the market share, the company has to have many outlets so that the volume of sales is mores. The sales volume is the amount of product sold depending on market share and share of customer. Marketing Strategy Customer Demographic profile The customer demographic profile consists of two criteria. The first is market segmentation and the second target market selection. The main aim of customer demographic profiles is to ensure products are engineered to meet customer expectations. Market segmentation is a technique employed by companies to enable them better target products offered by a company. Therefore, McDonald’s needs to segment its market in India so that the products offered will elicit the expected market reaction. The Hindu religion does not allow Hindi faithful to have beef (Majumdar 2010). While they may offer lamb to the Hindi faithful, it is also important to recognize that there are other religions within the country that have no problem with beef. It is therefore important that McDonald’s determine the regions where beef is accepted is not and ensure that all customer needs are met. Therefore, market segmentation should look at market segments in terms of homogeneity in needs and the distin ct nature of its customer base in India. Market segmentation as a strategy may also consider whether market action may bring about similar responses to the market. Target market refers to a group of people who have similar perceptions, needs and interests. Target market selection therefore means that the company identifies the needs of a market segment and ensuring that the needs in thus segment are met. Two important factors need to be considered when choosing a targeted market segment. The first is the attractive nature of segment and secondly, the compatibility between the segment selected and the company’s objectives, capabilities and resources (Gordon 2002). The attractiveness of the segment refers to the ability of the market to sustain volume of sales the company expects to achieve. Other factors include the level of competition in the segment, the projected profit margins, the loyalty of the market segment of toward the brand and the growth rate of the market segment. In strategic planning, McDonald’s has to ensure that all these factors have been considered before opening another branch in the country. Controllable Variables Product Strategy In employing marketing strategies, there are controllable variables such as product strategy, pricing strategy, and advertising strategy. Controllable variables are factors that a company has full control over in a bid to increase sales volume (Majumdar 2010). Product strategy refers to a company making sure that products appeal to a particular market segment. For example, in India, McDonald’s have to ensure that they remain culturally relevant by offering lamb for their burgers instead of beef. The company also has to offer vegetable products since a religious practice among the Hindi, Ahimsa, advocates for the consumption of vegetables and respect for animals. Therefore, products have to meet these cultural needs. While considering products strategy, it is also important to think about the price of goods. Pricing Strategy Pricing strategy ensures that the products are affordable by setting cheap prices but ensuring that the prices are such that the company can still make profits. Several pricing strategies could be used. One pricing strategy and the simplest are to determine the cost of making the product and then add a percentage profit. Since the Indian market through market segmentation may require a different menu, this is an effective way of setting the price of the products (Collins 2000). Another strategy is the limiting strategy where a dominant company in the market sets the price at low rates to discourage any new entrants. This means that McDonald’s in India needs to maintain the market share to be the price determinant where any new company selling above it may risk failure. However, the best strategy is market-oriented pricing where McDonald’s utilizes market research to ensure that the prices being set are affordable and attractive. Since the main aim is increasing profits. Promotional Strategy Promotional strategy is an approach a company uses to make their product known. The strategy involves advertising, public relations and personal selling. Advertising should be geared toward attracting a particular clientele. The main concern for McDonald’s has always been children. In advertising, the company has to consider what is to be said, where it should be said, who to say it, when to say it and how it should be said. The company should utilize their company trademark mascot Ronald McDonald to promote them in India. This is because he is a universally recognized figure. The advertisements featuring Ronald McDonald should be aired on television, print media and the other visual media. The message should appeal to children and their parents offering them the chance to win if they buy econo and value packs. Naturally, the advertisement should adhere to the cultural setting in terms of the language used. Advertising in essence should be used to strengthen McDonald’s presence in the country by appealing to more people to buy its products. Distribution Strategies The distribution strategy refers to how McDonald’s will ensure that its products reach everyone who needs it. Currently, McDonald’s in India has more that 200 outlets in India. This means that the company already has a strong presence in the country. However, it could be prudent to collaborate with retail outlets such as supermarkets to offer their products (Osenton 2002). This one channel could be used to ensure that people get the chance to access McDonald’s products while shopping for other household utilities. Through market segmentation, McDonald’s India should identify more areas where outlets could be erected. The outlets could be erected next to malls and other busy business centers and next to housing units. Increasing points of sales will ensure that the company realizes more profits because of an increase in sales volume. The point of purchase should use self-service since this is a faster method as opposed to waiting tables. Self-service also e nsures that orders are right and hence avoids customer dissatisfaction. However, for a family concept, it would be vital to keep a family together and personal selling in this regard may be effective (Majumdar 2010). Implementation The main goal for McDonald’s India is to increase sales volume and maximize profits. In this sense, the goals include increasing product performance, creating brand awareness, improving brand preference and increasing brand equity. To implement strategies to enhance product performance the company should ensure that they offer culturally acceptable foodstuff and ensure all the market requirements are met. For one, the menu needs to be changed to be vegetable oriented. This not only makes the establishments culturally acceptable, but also healthy. To implement this kind of menu requires employing individuals who are aware of these issues. To create brand awareness, McDonald’s India need to make sure that the company there are advertisements on television and relevant print media such as billboards, newspapers, and flyers. This strategy could also work for the goal to enhance its brand equity. To increase market share, the company also needs to make it possible that menu is relevant culturally. To gain more customers, the company has to implement Indian themes in their restaurants by having Indian employees and decor. However, the decor should not overshadow the McDonald’s theme such that the brand image is lost. The schedule of key events needs to be strategically planned. For example, the company should advertise the opening of new outlets and their locations. To inaugurate new outlets, the company should hold open days and provide discount offers for the day. This aims at establishing brand awareness and increasing market share. This should be done when the company reveals partnerships with retailers who have agreed to display their products on their shelves. Results Measurement Criteria Sales To determine the increase in sales volume, the company should determine calculate the profits earned and compare it to profits earned in previous years. If profits are more, then it means that sales have soared. There should also be measures to determine the sale of individual products so that the company can find out which products perform better. This will enable the company to determine what products contribute more to profit margins and which ones do not. This will also enable the McDonald’s to devise strategies to improve the sales of products performing poorly. Market Share To determine market share, McDonald’s India should analyze sales depending on the market segments the company has created. This is an effective way to identify the viability of target market research. To determine market share, it would be considered necessary to compare the performance of other fast food service providers with that of McDonald’s India. McDonald’s should also compare sale of products with previous years to determine if there has been a shift in the market share. Contingencies If outcomes do not meet the expectations of the company, the best thing is to review the strategic plan putting into consideration reasons as to why the strategy did not work out. For example, the strategic plan should shift from customer-oriented strategy to enhancing employee capacity to offer services and improving organizational structures. In reviewing employee structures, the company should consider ways to reduce employee turnover since time spent on training is time that could be spent on satisfying customer needs (Osenton 2002). If the strategic plan does not work, it is always a good idea to ask the customer what is unsatisfactory with McDonald’s establishments visited. This could be done by having suggestion boxes. The company should also employ the use of customer satisfaction forms, where customers rate the service by answering questions about the service. This can be a good contingency plan since the company can monitor the effectiveness of the strategy on a daily basis. It also accords the company the chance to rectify the various problems customers experience customers face. All this should be aimed at increasing sales and in this regard maximizing profits. References Book My Restaurant (August 5, 2011). Mc Donald’s India-Menu and Price/brands. Retrieved from http://bookmyrestaurant.co.in/blog/brands/mc-donalds-india-%E2%80%93-menu-and-price Collins, S. (January 01, 2000). Watson, James L., ed. Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia. Journal of Popular Culture, 34, 160-166. Gordon, I. (2002). Competitor targeting: Winning the battle for market and customer share. Etobicoke, Ont: J. Wiley Sons. Majumdar, R. (2010). Consumer behaviour: Insights from Indian market. New Delhi: PHI Learning. Osenton, T. (2002). Customer share marketing: How the world’s great marketers unlock profits from customer loyalty. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Financial Times Prentice Hall.