Business Essay bollocks

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, operates 8400, has over 2 million employees and handles over 200 million customer transactions every week. The company invests heavily to ensure that it manages information effectively in all areas of the business. To what extent has managing information effectively become the key to being market leader? Justify your answer with reference to Walmart and other organisations you know. 

Becoming a market leader is clearly an ambitious, attractive aim and can be found in a business’s mission statement. Managing information effectively is evidently a critical factor to this. This is because if information is managed poorly tasks may not be completely as they should be, there may be organisational issues and staff may not be used as efficiently as possible. This may lead to the business losing out on vital time and money. For businesses to run and expand effectively, it needs to manage its information properly. Walmart operates with 8400 staff which will lead to huge amounts of information. Modern technology could be an appropriate way to store this. 

The size of the business may determine the importance of managing information, however at all scales it is still important. With smaller businesses such as new entrepreneurs operating as sole traders may not have as much information to manage in comparison to Walmart. It may have other, more important needs such as market penetration, or building up a loyal client base before efficient ways of storing information becomes so vital. However, all areas of business require a dorm of information management. E.g when discussing market penetration a list of competitors and market sizes would be considered important and therefore would need managing. This shows to be a market leader all aspects of a business needs to be well managed. If not, there could be problems eg if the quality of the business drops, this may be linked to poor information management. A business may struggle to succeed without relevant information at hand, though it could be argued information management solely achieves a leading market position as there are so many other factors to consider. 

Communication is also an important aspect of managing information. A business with good communication between employees will be able to manage its affairs and information effectively, which could lower the level of mistakes. As Walmart is such a big company, it is important for it to have a clear path of communication. E.g managers to ensure the needs of each department are being met. Having better manages information will help HR to achieve higher capacity utilisation. It will also help to delegate tasks with the relevant information to ensure these tasks are delegated to those most appropriate for them. 

The organisational structure depends on where that business is centralised or decentralised. Large businesses such as Walmart are known to use decentralised structure due to the large scale of the business. This would include employing senior management teams help to break down the barrier of communication and can also help motivate their staff as they are responsible for their needs and the information that comes with that. As Walmart is such a big business, it invests heavily on managing information so it is likely to have a high number of staff with the authority to ensure employees are meeting targets and aiming towards their corporate objectives. Phones 4 U classify communication very important as they even banned emails in order to get the employees to speak verbally to one another. They found this reduced the number of misunderstandings and therefore improved the business efficiency.  Communication could be argued the most important aspect of the business as it is so vital in running a business effectively, however without the use of information management, a businesses would still undoubtedly struggle to expand accordingly. 

Information management can help greatly with a business’s cash flow when considering distribution, bills and money owed. It can also help a business to manage their stock and raw materials which links to efficiency. Having this information well organised can make it easier to understand spread sheets explaining stock levels and sales which in hand will help the business to trade accordingly. However even if a company is managed well internally, if the products of that business are of a low demand then the company regardless, may still make a loss of less of a profit. Although, it could be argued that the managing of information will prevent this from happening anyway, as this could lead to important market research finding patterns, trends and gaps in the market preventing the chance of low demand from happening. 

In conclusion, managing information is a crucial part of a business as it can help expand the businesses by providing relevant quantitive and qualitative data to help support important decisions. However, even if the information management is of a high quality, without good communication and management teams, good information management will have little effect. Therefore managing information appropriately is a must, but it is not the sole reason to the success of a business as there are too many other significant factors that play such an important role. 

 The reason I hate ‘The Benefit Culture’  

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My opinion started to develop when I was about nine/ten years old and I’d just had my tonsils out, now I do enjoy a bit of lazy time but I remember having literally nothing to do and therefore laying on the sofa drowning my sorrows in ice cream and crappy daytime TV. I was flicking through the many unnecessary and useless channels SKY provide us with and finally decided to watch ‘Wife Swap’ - a programme where two completely different families swap wives for a week or so and have to live their lives according to the other family’s ways. The two were different on probably every level with one being from a very successful working class background and the other where the parents hadn’t worked a day in their lives and just existed due to the benefits they were entitled to provided by everyone else. I remember the Dad of the working class family being particularly frustrated as the amount of money taken from his wage packet each month (hours he’d strained over) pretty much being handed to families like this.
Immediately I felt really angry and confused why this could happen. The family were evidently very capable of working but they just decided they were above this and were quite comfortable with reaping the rewards of everyone else.
Now I know I am only eighteen and probably have very little idea but I have grown up lucky to have my parents home on time or for them to make a parents evening. I see how exhausted they are every single day from working so hard and I know just how much they pay towards tax. For this money to just be handed over to people truly undeserving infuriates me. The Benefits System is good for individuals who honestly do need that little extra help or for people so ill they are incapable of working. Not for people that are too lazy to get off their arses and try and make a difference. The system is an absolute shambles and the culture is disgusting.
Where did everyone’s pride go?

Coursework Sources

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HHsWm1xYvEEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA20&dq=Language+Change+murderers+and+victims+media&ots=5n62Iv9cvk&sig=4Fy3CGAO95iHII3Zelf3LRkFsvU#v=onepage&q=Language%20Change%20murderers%20and%20victims%20media&f=false


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/22/newsid_2504000/2504409.stm (Peter Sutcliffe)

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/dec/24/ukcrime1 (Peter Sutcliffe)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-334925/The-brutal-father-monster.html (Peter Sutcliffe)

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/london_evening_news/881001.html (Jack The Ripper)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9512915/Jack-The-Ripper-The-Daily-Telegraphs-report-of-Polly-Nicholss-inquest-from-1888.html (Jack The Ripper)

http://www.jack-the-ripper.org/timeline.htm (have a look there’s some transcribed murder articles on here about the individual deaths) (Jack The Ripper)

Actual articles from The London times 1888 (click on each one) (Jack The Ripper)

Black Angels Review: Coursework Analysis

1st Paragraph

I decided to write a music review aimed at the music enthusiasts reading NME magazine, although I specifically aimed my text at 16-35 year olds that have a distinct interest in the Psychedelic genre.  I wrote my review in order to entertain, like most magazines, but to also inform readers of the new 'Black Angels' album.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the album, therefore my opinions are shown clearly throughout my review, however I added the odd negative connotation as well to emphasise the fact it was a review. My review was set out just like other reviews in NME magazine, to make it as authentic as possible. As the album came out this year, the audience I was appealing to would probably contain people considering purchasing the album. The register of my text is informal, however I chose to use some formalities as it gave me more linguistic power with my lexical and grammatical choices, as this is also the tenor that NME often use. 

2nd Paragraph 

My model text was a music review from NME magazine, of the new Arctic Monkeys album: AM.  The audience, purpose and context were similar to my piece and they would be printed in the same magazine. 

Business Essay 

Question 4:

There are many arguments in favour of Flylo's project.  Firstly entering the Asian market at this time seems wise. Incomes in selected Asian markets are forecast to rise strongly (7.2%) - which is must faster than Europe; Flylo's alternative market to venture into. Demand for air travel is increasing quickly in the Asian market due to it being such a huge place and it's the easiest form of transport, unlike in Europe where other transport methods are popular. Also, as an increase in demand has risen to 12 %, this results in new customers seeking air travel which may lead to Flylo gaining customer loyalty. 

However, there are many reasons why entering the Asian market may be a bad decision for Flylo. The average rate of return on the Asian project is 17.5% which is lower than past figures Flylo have managed to achieve in years such as 2011. Investing so much money in a part of the world new to the business is risky enough. Despite connections with Air Thailand, Flylo have little knowledge regarding the Asian air transportation market, therefore the 17.5% figure does seem discouraging. 

Alternatively, the net present value for this project for the first four years is £84 million, which seems positive - especially considering this would be the first four years of the investment in this type of project. Rhona has admitted a real profit and a relevant share in the market will take some time, but forecasted sales do show a steady rising investment. This suggests that the current time is an ideal opportunity for Flylo to enter the Asian market. 

On the other hand the investment Flylo needs to raise to enter the market (£400 million) is enormous, especially considering Flylo have already borrowed money in the past. The businesses non-current liabilities have risen since 2011 - taking the companies gearing ratio to 52.29%, which is higher than the 50% statistic that suggests a business is highly geared, resulting in a possible rise in interest rates which may lead to Flylo being unable to pay off the loans when payments are due. 

As well as this the company have a poor liquidity rate. Figures decreasing in the past few years along with venturing with Air Thailand (a company in a weak cash position) could threaten and damage the project as a whole. Risky, considering the early stages of the project only suggest small profits. 

However, entering a joint venture with Air Thailand could be deemed a smart thing to do. As Flylo are entering a market completely new to them, teaming up with a company already established in the Asian market and with knowledge of it may help Flylo to establish themselves in the market and although Flylo will have to pay 8% of its Asian revenues annually, the help of Air Thailand giving up some routes etc seems more than worth it. 

When considering both aspects of the argument, it is a close judgement with many pros and cons to each side. Personally, I would recommend Flylo do enter the cheap air travel market in Asia, as I believe there is an open window for it at the moment and Flylo may miss their chance. The rise in Asian incomes as well as air travel being the easiest method of transport in Asia is very encouraging for Flylo and do suggest now is the perfect time. The case study also suggest Rhona Jackman's main aim is to grow the business as a whole and the Asia opportunity would fully support this aim. The fact that it's a joint venture, makes it much less risky especially in the marketing sector. 

As long as Flylo keep costs and prices low in the developing market, I believe they hold a great chance in enjoying a good share in the market that is growing quickly. Flylo should go ahead and venture into the Asian market. 

"Words are, of course the most powerful drug used by mankind.'' - Rupyard Kipling

"Words are, of course the most powerful drug used by mankind." - Rudyard Kipling.
The English Language. To most people just a simple mother-tongue of communication, but to me; an ambition and hopefully my future.
I am a student at Wyke College studying English Language, Law and Business. My greatest skills lie in the ability to communicate effectively through my writing. I have always been fascinated with the English Language and how it has evolved over time, but even more so regarding the patterns in which we put sentences together to create beautiful pieces of work.
My choice of A level subjects and part time work outside of college have enabled me to acquire the skills needed in order to attain a successful career in English.
Studying Business has primarily given me the skills to help interpret and learn pieces of factual and logical information. Studying Law has offered me an additional insight into the way the world works. I have specifically enjoyed learning about how Laws are configured, introduced, and the way in which they are drafted.  I find the various uses of the English Language enthralling, and even more so understanding Latin terms as many Latin words we use in our language today. Both subjects have broadened my recognition of ethical and cultural predicaments, and have thus complemented my study of English. English has helped me analyse and evaluate multiple pieces of text leading to a great understanding of why we all speak the way we do. I find the transformation of the English Language completely intriguing and admire people like William Caxton for playing such a huge role in this compelling evolution of language. Whilst studying the media syllabus of this subject, I became severely conscious of the persuasion we are all subjected to. I found the power of the press phenomenal, and I was fortunate enough to acquire a job right in the heart of journalism at the Press Association; Howden.
I am a copy taker and my job requires me to speak to reporters and type up journalism for national papers such as The Times, The Sun and The Daily Mail. Strict accuracy in grammar, spelling and punctuation is an absolute must, which has lifted my literacy skills to a superb standard. Although working at a fast pace in a busy environment grounded by the need to make deadlines can be stressful; it has emphasised the importance of English and encouraged me to follow my dreams and pursue my hopes of becoming a journalist. As well as being a copy taker, I was lucky enough to take part in some voluntary work to gain more of an insight into the world of journalism. This involved me writing music, leisure and theatre listings for clients such as: The Guardian and The Kent News.  Although constantly writing listings can be repetitive, the buzz I felt when seeing my very own words in print felt wonderful and this prompted me to strive for more.
This lead me to search for further voluntary work experience which resulted in me writing music previews for The Metro in Glasgow. This suited me down to the ground and reassured me that being a music journalist would be my absolute goal. My interests fundamentally stem from music. I established a great love for music early on and this is why I spend my spare time attending in and out of town gigs and festivals that I then write about on my music and culture blog. Attending Glastonbury 2013 was a brilliant adventure for me as it gave me so many fascinating experiences to write about. Although I do this out of enjoyment, I feel it has also elaborated my writing considerably and I therefore want to study English further as a catalyst for my own writing and to heighten my knowledge of a subject that I love.
I am a conscientious, enthusiastic and devoted student and I am confident that I naturally have the skills required to succeed at university.  I look forward to the challenges that a demanding course will bring and the opportunities to learn so many riveting things along the way.

Black Angels Review

 Cat D

In 1965 Pink Floyd brought us psychedelic music, philosophical lyrics and A Great Gig in the Sky.
Today, the modern substitutes that are The Black Angels, bring us acid trippiness, jangly tambourines and a psyche groove all of their own.

Their latest album Indigo Meadow was released Friday, and I have to say they have undoubtedly stepped it up a notch. This simple five piece with a distinctive Texas heritage bring us a dark and drowsy trip through an almost euphoric-sounding record.

Let's start with the details: 13 tracks and 56 minutes of pure drone-drenched psychedelic pop. In contrast to their last album, Phosphene Dreams, the Austin-made band have poured dark, oozing and backwards guitar riffs into a louder and heavier melody.

The band clearly have many influences. I would start by saying The Velvet Underground; not only a huge influence but the five pay a homage to their heroes by naming themselves after a song on the Nico album: 'The Black Angel's Death Song'. 

Starting with Track 1: ‘Indigo Meadow’. This song sets the scene for the entire compilation.  Catchy rhythms, eerie tones and cold lyrics initialise the creeping intensity.

Next up are 'Evil Things' and 'Twisted Light' which seem much more drowning in an abyss of darkness, as moments of silence contrast with sudden bursts of sound.

'Holland' brings us a complex and confusing sound with threads of Texas sewn right through. The slow bass and drums swim beautifully with an intense guitar riff wallowing in the undergrowth of simple beats.

Another artist that's clearly had a huge impact on the band's musical direction, would have to be former frontman of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett. Barrett was an original pioneer to that 60's sound the Angels strive to achieve and Christian Bland, lead guitarist has always been honest when stating Barrett's musical experiments were the reason he started the band. 

The catchiest of the album by far has to be 'Don't Play With Guns'. The successful single, released some weeks ago, was a hit from day one. The sharp and straightforward lyrics create a great dance tune, perfect for a festival or a night club. The memorable track sets the scene for 'Broken Soldier', reinforcing the whole 'trebly guitar' feel. The upbeat tune reminisces the 60s nuggets compilations of British 'garage'. 

'War On Holiday' is the shortest of the album and also my least favourite. Although lyrically I find it perhaps the most poetic, the long instrumentals over-ride any real meaning, unlike the rest of the album where the lyrics are allowed to speak. 

In contrast to this, the track 'Black Isn't Black' contains a soft blues feel. Not a surprise, considering they toured with the bluesy rockers The Black Keys and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Or it could simply be down to lead guitarist Christian Bland's huge love and respect for the timeless genre. 

When comparing Indigo Meadow to its predecessor, it's easy to notice the difference. Phosphene Dreams was energetic and a more approachable listen. Indigo Meadow is slower, darker and rammed full of psychedelic wooziness; suggesting the five were hugely influenced by Jim Morrison's band, The Doors. 

They clearly acknowledge a tradition of musical development, constantly evolving their far from ethereal sound. 

Lyrically, the album is very much 'up there' with music milestones and it's evident that Christian Bland and Alex Maas have poured their souls into some of these tracks.  It would be easy to say Indigo Meadow won't win the band any new fans, their music is gold to psych fans but entrancing to those not already engrossed is a different story.
The album is another classic chapter in the bands ongoing journey. Their infectious music is certain to make them currently one of the biggest psych-rock bands of the decade, whether they're making a political statement or screaming texan notes into the mic, they're one band you're sure not to forget.

Facts:

They have released four studio albums and one compilation album. 

Touring partners have included the blues rock band The Black Keys, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Warlocks, Roky Erickson, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Queens of the Stone Age, The Raveonettes, Wolfmother, and The Horrors.