Case The Coffee Shop Market Starbucks Marketing Essay

Case The Coffee Shop Market Starbucks Marketing Essay Starbucks Corporation is an international coffeehouse chain, founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks serves a variety of beverages including brewed coffee, tea, hot chocolate, espresso and a selection of bottled drinks. Starbucks also sells whole bean coffee and a variety of ready-to-eat snacks. The first Starbucks location to open outside of North America was in Tokyo in 1996; and from then on Starbucks became an international brand, expanding both nationally and globally. This report will attempt to examine the situation of Starbucks in Japan. It will bring out the marketing strategy to be adopted for a rise in profitability of Starbucks Japan in the next two years. In addition, it will attempt to explain the use of marketing mix to aid the chosen strategy. SWOT ANALYSIS: 1.1 STRENGTHS: 1.1.1 Strong brand image: Starbucks brand name, quality customer service and store ambience are its key strengths. It has maintained its international operations to ensure consumer recognition. Starbucks is renowned for its high quality products and has maintained a consistently positive consumer experience that has helped Starbucks build a strong brand image. Starbucks spends less than 1% of revenue on advertising and promotion each year which indicates they rely on an established company image (P. Ghauri, International marketing case study: Starbucks-Going Global Fast). Starbucks key competitor in Japan-Doutor coffee, had taken advantage of Starbucks brand image and copied its logo, while replicating the experience rendered to customers in its retail outlets. (Ono, 2003). This shows that the Starbucks image is a strength worth mimicking. With a well-established brand image in America, it was sure to expect recognition in the Japanese market, because the consumers there have a fondness for everything western . (http://azjatycka.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/international-marketing-strategy-of-starbucks-in-japan-success-or-a-failure/) 1.1.2 Commitment to community: Starbucks contributes a considerable amount of its resources to corporate social responsibility programs (Kotabe Helsen, 2004). According to Butler (2006)-CSR programs influence 70% of all consumer purchasing decisions, with many investors and employees also being swayed in their choice of companies. As a result, Starbucks involvement in the CSR programs helps its competitiveness in the business world. 1.1.3 Widespread Presence in International Markets: Starbucks has ventured into foreign markets with astonishing pace opening its outlets in 40 countries with 2068 stores worldwide. This widespread expansion has allowed its presence to be felt across the globe. 1.1.4 Retail outlets present at convenient and accessible locations: Starbucks has opened a number of coffee shops at convenient locations like shopping malls, libraries, university campuses, office buildings etc. They are typically located in high traffic, high visibility locations.(Starbucks annual report, 2008) 1.1.5 Presence of a variety of food items Beverages in addition to Coffee: Starbucks stores offer a choice of regular and decaffeinated coffee beverages, a broad selection of Italian-style espresso beverages, cold blended beverages, iced shaken refreshment beverages and a selection of premium teas. Starbucks stores also offer a variety of fresh food items, including healthier choice selections focussing on high-quality ingredients, nutritional value and great flavour. 1.1.6 Well Developed Corporate Strategy and Good Marketing skills. Weaknesses: 1.2.1 Lack of internal focus: Starbucks focuses too much on over-expansion, at times tending to ignore the problems arising withinconsistent employer dissatisfaction. The number of competitors: There are an ever increasing number of competitors that either mimic the Starbucks concept or try to get on par with its growth by providing the same line of products at a lesser price. Examples: Dotour Coffee, Tullys Japan, Mac Donalds. Self- cannibalisation: The strategy of over expansion has resulted in stores opened very close to each other, thus eating into the others sales. Product Pricing: Starbucks perceives itself as a premium gourmet coffee brand and bases its price on the quality of its beverages and in-store customer experience. Unfortunately, many competitors while offering a similar type of environment and lesser priced beverages are eating into Starbucks market share. 1.3 Opportunities: Flexible Tastes: Japanese consumers are influenced by western brands and have a fondness for them. They are open to new products and tastes and hence Japan is a viable market to test new products. New concepts can be concocted and brought out in the market at a faster pace, when compared to US or Europe. Thus those products that turn out to be popular and gain acceptance in the Japanese market can be introduced in the US market with positive expectations. For example, the Green Tea Frappuccino which was first introduced in Japan turned out to be a sensation and was thus launched in the United States too. (http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=4589). Thus, the flexible tastes of Japanese consumers give Starbucks an opportunity to develop new products and gain profits. Instant products: Starbucks recently launched its first premium soluble coffee stick product in Japan. About 60% of the total coffee sold in Japan is soluble. Hence Starbucks can capitalise on this aspect of Japans coffee market to enhance its sales through a variety of soluble ready to make coffee products. (http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=416) Diversifying its beverages: Starbucks is looking to sell regional wine and beer at its outlets in Seattle. It could introduce this concept in some of the Japanese stores as consuming western alcoholic brands is a trend among the Japanese clientele. (http://www.thestreet.com/story/10891284/starbucks-tests-alcohol-cheese-offerings.html . Growth opportunities: Though the overall market in Japan is nearing saturation, and Starbucks overexpansion in big cities has given it a lesser change at a steep growth, it could still expand to the less-saturated regions allowing it to exceed its growth potential. 1.4 Threats: 1.4.1 Cannibalisation: Starbucks extravagant growth and over expansion involves a risk of customer fatigue. Starbucks has introduced an array of new products and an increased product innovation lowers the sale of current products. Also with many stores opened close to one other, there is a risk of some stores facing loss. Thus, cannibalisation is a major threat as the coffee chain is reaching saturation in most of the big cities. 1.4.2 Dependency on raw materials The fluctuations in coffee and dairy prices are a potential threat for Starbucks. Starbucks is reliant on dairy and a rise in prices of the raw material could affect its profit margins. (Wikinvest, 2008). 1.4.3 Cultural differences: In USA, about 80% of Starbucks sales are takeout orders. In Japan 80% of consumers prefer to drink in the store outlets. Thus consumers preference to use the store atmosphere might turn out to be a threat to Starbucks plans of building a number of drive through outlets in Japan. (Chozick,2006). 1.4.4 Shrinking Disposable incomes. 1.4.5 Competition: Immediate competition from fast-food restaurants catching on the specialty coffee wave and developing products that competes with Starbucks. Tim Hortons -Nestle Dunkin Donuts McDonalds PESTLE ANALYSIS: Political Factors: Despite being far apart geographically, Japan USA have similar political structures. The Emperor is the head of the state, but the real power resides in the parliament and is mainly held by the Prime Minister.( House of Councillors, 2008). In USA, different states have the power to regulate businesses; whereas in Japan, regulations are laid down by the Diet and enforced throughout the country. This indicates that there are less complicated and less conflicting regulations to be concerned about when International businesses seek entry into the Japanese market. ( House of councillors, The constitution of Japan, as promulgated on November 3, 1946). (http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/law/index.htm) Economic Factors: Measured on a purchasing power parity basis, Japan is the 3rd largest economy in the world. But going by the official exchange rates, Japan would emerge as the 2nd largest economy, behind USA. Japan had a spectacular economical growth in the 1980s, however, growth slowed down considerably in the 1990s. Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates( CIA, as accessed on 24th oct,2010) with its GDP rising to 5.3%, when compared to 1.2% in 2008. Socio-cultural: Individuals from varied backgrounds are exposed to different traditions, rituals, customs and religions. All these factors provide human beings with various learning environments, which cause significant variations in standards, behaviour, attitudes and beliefs (David,1998). A comparison of the subsidiary parent countries is important for the success of a business seeking to expand in the foreign market, as this would lead to a better understanding of the local market. The Japanese as opposed to the Americans act more collectively and tend to be loyal to their respective groups. The Japanese often sacrifice their personal goals and ambitions to promote group interests. A low context society in USA shows that Americans are more direct in their communications and their messages are explicit. Whereas the Japanese use indirect ways to communicate and their voice intonation, timing and expressions play important roles in conveying information. (David, 1998) Technological: Technological factors greatly influence business strategies as they provide an opportunity to exploit innovations and inventions. Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world and ranks 18th on the list.(http://gpmgroup.info/2007/04/27/the-most-technologically-advanced-countries). Thus it is more convenient to introduce technologically driven customer service into the Japanese market. There is scope for incorporating the American system of internet ordering in to Japan with the intension of faster service. Starbucks is continuously searching for ways to better a customers experience. With the introduction of the Starbucks Card for example, the Company has created the opportunity to improve customer service, shorten lines and make a customers visit at Starbucks quicker and more convenient. Also, most stores are equipped with WI-FI. Legal: There are no significant legal factors to consider while entering the Japanese market. Though, Starbucks has chosen to enter through a joint venture with SAZABY Inc., a Japanese retailer and restaurateur, because of the peculiarities of the local market. By doing so, Starbucks has given itself a better chance of exploiting the market as SAZABY would have a better understanding of how the Japanese consumers viewed food and coffee.(http://www.docshare.com/doc/155323/Starbucks-global-expansion-strategy2) Porters Five Forces Competition Tullys Coffee, Gloria Jeans, Caribou Coffee etc. Competitors selling similar products, incl. specialty coffees high quality food. Competition nowhere in terms of volume of operations. Threat of new entrants Controlled access of distribution channels Innovation product differentiation Bargaining power of buyers More options due to no. of competitors. Large variety of products. Bargaining power of suppliers Overcrowding of market. Rise in prices of coffee beans. Choose suppliers based on quality, social, environmental economic issues Threat from substitutes Tea Soft drinks Juices Marketing Strategy to Enhance Profitability in the next 2 years: Segmentation: Segmentation is dividing the consumer market into distinct groups based on each individual groups wants, needs, preferences and behaviour. Starbucks is a company that embraces diversity, not limiting themselves to one specific demographic, behavioral, or geographic segment. Individuals appreciate how, regardless of any little difference, at Starbucks they are always treated as equals. (starbucks.com) Taking the demographic factor as the desired basis for segmentation: Gender: Sixty percent of Starbucks Japan market are woman customers in their 20s and 30s. (http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020819slug=starbucks19). Hence Starbucks should further penetrate the market by retaining the woman customer base and increasing its appeal amongst them by providing incentives in terms of products, ambience and experience. Age: Most of Starbucks customers are educated, working personnel who can afford the high prices of the products offered. Starbucks has a limited consumer base with females in the age group of 25-39 forming their major share of consumers.(http://www.euromonitor.com/Japan_a_nation_of_coffee_lovers). It should reach out to the younger and much older groups by introducing a line of nutritional beverages. Education Income: Starbucks genius was to redefine the meaning of affordability regarding coffee. Target consumers were identified with regards to their living environment, level of income and education. They were convinced to pay premium prices for the experience, service and quality they were getting. The company was able to capture the changing consumer behaviour since the 1980s: more out-of-home entertainment, more self- gratification from consumers towards a good movie, a good glass of wine and a good cup of coffee. By raising the perceived value of the product for the consumer, Starbucks was able to raise its prices while keeping the product affordable. Creating brand loyalty through quality and innovation was also an important factor in decreasing the price elasticity of this commodity product. Thus, Starbucks should maintain this strategy and look less towards price reduction and more towards quality enhancement, a characteristic that has helped it build its brand. Targeting: Starbucks should practice differentiated targeting as it should try and capture a more wider section of the society. As it has identified the female gender to be its major consumers, Starbucks should retain this market and further expand it by targeting the woman clientele and coming out with more products that appeal to them. Also in order that it recieves a larger share of the male consumers, it should try and blend with the Japanese culture and accept their preference for smoking in some stores. Starbucks has already established its image amongst the educated and high income society. But, it should go one step further by seperately targeting the younger generation who are bound to follow in the footsteps of their peers and elders. In order that it recieves more number of teenagers, it should try and develop an atmosphere within its stores in terms of products and store experience that would appeal to the teens. Product Positioning: Starbucks is listening to the needs of the educated by devoting its business and research to developing ways to cater to this groups wants and needs. In addition to further building on its product quality and in-store customer experience, Starbucks should make itself more accessible to a wide variety of people by opening several quick stop services that would cater to the new generation of coffee drinkers because college-age students and the general population are always in a rush with little time to spare. The quick stop services and kiosks will make the process of buying coffee easier by eliminating long lines and creating alternative ways to buy coffee faster and will avoid the prospect of impatient customers. Starbucks should position itself as a brand not reserved only for the premium, high income society, but as a quality store that reflects on the needs and wants of all. As most Japanese are health conscious, it should try and build an image which does not discourage the teens and older people from visiting its stores. By bringing out more food items that match the Japanese palate, it should position its brand image as An American taste induced with Japanese flavors. Using the Marketing Mix to assist the chosen growth strategy: 1. Product: Diversify the product line: The tradition of tea drinking in Japan has been prevalent from the early beginning. There are many varieties of tea, and some of them, especially Green tea can be bought anywhere. Tea has proved to be a popular drink for most Japanese because of its wide variety of tastes. Thus, by introducing a few select varieties of tea in its store outlets, it would touch at the roots of the consumers. It would directly be percieved as a renowned American brand that cares to accomodate the Japanese tastes. (http://azjatycka.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/international-marketing-strategy-of-starbucks-in-japan-success-or-a-failure/). The presence of soybean in Japanese dishes is indispensable. Its not only widely accepted as the staple ingredient in Japanese dishes,be it rice, curd or soup, but also has great nutritional value. It finds its place in Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner. It contains a chemical, soy isoflavones, which when accumulated in the body, functions like the female sex hormone(estrogen), which in turn promotes bone formation. Hence it is considered useful for post-menopausal women whose estrogen levels are low. Also soy isoflavones has been found to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 40%.( http://www.mindfully.org/GE/2003/Kikkoman-Non-GM-Soy22jun03.htm). Since Starbucks has found its presence to be more popular among woman, it will only increase its appeal to them by introducing a variety of beverages and food items that contain soybean in its diet. It should also bring about innovations in its product line, making them more nutritious to consume, thus forwarding its appeal to the health c onscious society. Introduce a line of health drinks, fruit juices that would attract teenagers who percieve Starbucks as a high end store selling speciality coffee. The presence of flavored non-caffeine drinks would help capture the teen market. 2. Place: Diversify its stores: Many critics had expected Starbucks to fail because of its strict no-smoking policy within its stores. The general Japanese customer prefers to smoke with food and drinks. But this strategy attracted many young health concious women who then accounted for Starbucks majority sales.(http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020819slug=starbucks19). Although starbucks has so far managed to sustain its growth, competitors with a tolerance to smoking are providing good reason for its drop in sales in recent years. Hence,in order to attract a more varied clientele and improve profitability, Starbucks should make an exception in the case of Japan and introduce some stores that accept smoking; adapt to its culture. They could still stick to their rationality behind no-smoking environment to preserve the aromas flavors of the coffee beans(Starbucks website) by not allowing in-store smoking. Certain stores with a wider space facility could bring in open-air seating arrangemen ts. This way, those who wish to smoke can take a seat outside and enjoy a starbuck coffee. Another way would be to introduce balconies in some stores that have 2 or 3 storeys. Build on its in-store experience: Starbucks should build more in its store atmosphere rather focus on building drive-through outlets. In Japan 80% of the coffee consumers like to drink inside the store, while relishing the ambience.(chozick,2006). Although starbucks has an untarnished brand image, it should further build on its superior quality of store atmosphere in order to remain competitive and keep up sales. The hygiene of the stores, book readings, baby changing stations, sleek furniture and posh interiors are the key to its ability to provide a quality customer experience. Given that the majority of its customers are women and the Japanese love for the English language, it should transform certain sections of the store to accomodate a reading section that would comprise more of women oriented magazines and books that teach english. Choose a larger number of distribution units: Starbucks should improvise on its plan to introduce its instant coffee-starbucks VIA across convenience stores in Japan. It had announced the launch of its instant products in 11000 convenience and grocery stores in september. (http://www.finchannel.com/Main_News/Business/70201_Starbucks_VIA_Ready_Brew_Hits_Grocery_Aisles_Around_the_World/). By doing so, it has exposed its brand to the worlds largest instant coffee market. (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63C1NG20100413). Now the availabity of starbucks instant products is not limited only to its retail outlets. However, the presence of its competitors( Nestle and Kraft) in the instant coffee segment is more widespread and well established. Thus, it should try to capitalise on Japans $5 billion instant coffee market by providing its instant products to more number of distribution units and seal its presence. 3. Price: Prices of instant products: Starbucks should consider reducing the price of its instant products to enable higher sales. Starbucks is to sell a box of 3 VIA instant soluble sticks for 300 yen, which amounts to 100 yen per cup, and a box of 12 sticks for 1000 yen. When compared, its competitor Nescafe has a rival offering of 15 sticks for 300 yen. (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63C1NG20100413?pageNumber=2). Thus, there exists a wide price gap for its instant products and since Starbucks VIA will be occupying the same shelf space as Nescafe, Kraft etc., it would find it difficult to gain acceptance in the market. A customer would go up to the racks and find the rival offerings more viable. Hence, Starbucks should look to cut down its prices on instant products. It can afford to do so without the risk of diluting the brand image built on high end coffee, as the instant coffee would come without the experience of physically being in the store. Prices of in-store products: Starbucks prices of in-store products are higher when compared to its competitors. It is looking to further raise the prices of some 20 beverages and 5 coffee bean products. (http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/starbucks-japan-to-raise-coffee-prices). It should retain this pricing strategy as it differentiates itself from its competitors by providing an excellent quality customer experience. Also most of its outlets are located on expensive pieces of real estate in centralized, busy areas of Japan. 4. Promotion: Cultural Entertainment campaigns: Starbucks should come out with various cultural and entertainment campaigns to attract the Japanese youth, a segment of the society it has still not managed to woo successfully. Conclusion Starbucks is ahead of the rest in the Japanese coffee market, but there is still room for improvement. A decentralised structure accompanied with a mixed global strategy has helped the company to find a balance between reaching economies of scales and responding to the local market. By establishing a joint venture with local retail chain Sazaby Inc., it has reduced their risks of being unfamiliar with the market; and Starbucks has successfully gained the knowledge and channels of distribution from its partner. Starbucks strong brand image and customer loyalty has contributed to their maintaining a leading position in this market. By diversifying its target consumers and innovating its product line, it should be able to further strengthen its market share.

Computer Aided Instruction Essay

The way the class was maneuver where depended on the teacher who utilizes it. Hence, whatever the technique and style of the teachers in teaching was always the crucial point. No wonder, many teachers were now trying to innovate the old learning styles and replacing it with new and more fun techniques like the Computer Aided Instruction (CAI). Despite the revolutionary advances in the field of computer-based education, technology remains simply a tool. Potentially powerful and stimulating, the computer is only an inert object that can never be a substitute for the personal touch of the classroom teacher. Without proper integration of computers into the curriculum, the benefits of technology to foster children’s learning cannot be fully achieved, regardless of the creative potential of any software used. Responsibilities of the teacher in the computer-enriched classroom begin before the computer is introduced to the students. In providing a rich, challenging, and appropriate learning environment, teachers must take an active role in selecting the software that will truly enhance children’s learning and development. (McPherson and Nunes, 2004). Over the past 15 years, the fundamental nature and use of technology has changed. Throughout Canada and the United States (US), computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been used over the years to support student learning. In some of these instances the literature is contradictory. However, many research studies do suggest that CAI was used in appropriately and can have positive impacts on student learning. CAI seems to be especially effective in the area of literacy. Studies reported significant effects of CAI on reading skills of pre-schoolers, elementary school students, at-risk students, students with Special Needs and English Language Learners (ELL) (Chambers et al., 2008; Stetter & Hughs, 2011). In the Philippines, Liceo de Cagayan University implemented an Interactive Courseware for Preschoolers to develop their social skills. It enhances the traditional way of teacher’s instructional strategies to encourage the pupils’ interests in learning with the computer environment that is creative enough to please them. This Interactive Courseware for Preschoolers is a type of computer-based instruction with its  text and animations in a graphical form for the preschoolers to learn interactively with the lessons that are presented with facts and able to have a recap on what they have just learned by taking the interactive quizzes. This can provide the pupils with a more flexible, creative and entertaining environment for their learnin g experiences. Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School, Bunawan District, traces its humble beginning from the pioneer, Don Daniel M. Perez and natives of the place. Don Daniel M. Perez selflessly donated a portion of his land which is about 2.2 hectares located along the Davao-Agusan Road. The school is located 24 kilometers from Davao City proper. Presently, the teacher of Kinder-II is still using Instructional Materials (IM’s) and exercising the old fashion in teaching. Though it was a good tactic, teachers handle too many responsibilities for discussing the topics in order for them to deliver efficiently and effectively to make sure the pupils merely understood them on what they want to impart. In their activities the students are also asked to bring their own materials as their tools in understanding the lessons. The researchers focused in the Kinder II level. The students of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School are the present generation and most probably the benefactor of the future teaching techniques such as CAI. Based on the interview conducted by the developers, these are the following problems that were identified: 1. Difficulties in pronouncing the words, familiarizing, matching and identifying numbers, colors, objects and letters. 2. Difficulties in counting numbers and objects. 3. Lack of visual representation in describing the topics relevant in the subject matter. 4. Lack of graphic diagram that could aid in identifying the parts of the body. The motivation of the developers to create and develop software is grounded on the solution to the problems specified by the respondents. It provides information to help or encourage students’ interaction in the classroom discussion to be presented in a multimedia format which includes videos, animations and sound effects. The project aims to aid instructors and  modernized its way of teaching such as computers with multimedia simulation to catch the student’s attention in class. Objectives of the Project General Objective The main objective of the study is to develop an Interactive Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) for Basic Proficiency Learning for Pre-School Kinder-ll Level of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School. Specific Objectives: 1. Provide the capability to authen 2. ticate authorized user. 1.1 Sensitivity of password as part of the security posture. 3. Provide an effective handling of student record. 3.1 Provide verification control on the data added. 4. Provide the ability to manage class. 4.1 Allow adding of class lesson by subject. 4.2 Able to upload still image and video. 4.3 Provides confirmation control to restrict unauthorized access and free from human error. 5. Provide the capability to administer time-bounded activities. 5.1 Allows adding of questions its answers and duration of activities. 6. Provide embedded videos in learning rhymes. 7. Generate real-time reports. 6.1 Obtain selected profile. 6.2 Furnish list of student’s profile. 6.3 Obtain performance rating by subject area. Scope and Limitation of the Project The study being proposed is the Interactive CAI of the Kinder-II Level of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School which focuses on the development of an Interactive Computer Aided Instruction. On the other hand, this will give some resources to be used by the teacher in giving instruction. The system will be able to provide lessons and activities for the following subject: mother tongue, science and mathematics. It also provide realistic  illustration that will catch the attention of the students in the form of animated objects; provide a pre-recorded voice in giving instructions, pronouncing words and numbers; provide a video representation for nursery rhymes and lessons; record the students information, score per activity and generate report such as class list and summary of assessment result. There are two accounts of the system, one for the student and the other one for the teacher. Each student account shall have lessons and activities in the form of multimedia contents, activities that will be given after the end of each lesson. Activity results are being given after the students complete the activity. The teacher is the administrator of the system that has the ability to view contents of the lessons as well as the activities, and can also view the performance rating of every student who’s already done with the activities; verify and retrieve the student’s information. Furthermore, the teacher account has the control to view the nursery rhyme. The system will give a summary of assessment result that can be converted into excel files; it is also capable of retrieving the performance rating by using animated object such stars that depends on their scores of the students based on their activity per lesson. However, computing the final grades will not be incorporated in the system that the researchers develop. Significance of the Project The Interactive Computer-Aided Instruction for Basic Proficiency Learning for Pre-School Kinder II Level of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School will help the administration, students and also the teachers to know more about computer. For the administration, the proposed project of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School will help by improving the previous teaching strategy into an Interactive Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) for Basic Proficiency Learning. Hence, the project will give them the assurance that the students will be able to develop their knowledge and skills in learning. For the student, the project is also beneficial to the students to encourage active learning, as well as their participations and interactivity. It can also be a help to the students to gain additional knowledge and improve their self-esteem. Through this project, it is a great  means to capture the student’s attention. For the teacher, the project is also beneficial to the teachers to lessen their effort in teaching especially to those who are involved in system. For the developers, the proposed project enables the developers to share and improve their knowledge and skills in developing software such as the Interactive Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) for Basic Proficiency Learning for Pre-School Kinder- ll Level of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School. Operational Definition of Terms CAI. It refers to educational instruction performed almost entirely by computer and uses mother tongue language, which is Visaya, in the process. Graphical Representation. It is a representation given to the students with the corresponding object like images. Video Representation. It is a video representation given to the students with the corresponding nursery rhyme. Pre-recorded Voice. It refers to the sound of the correct pronunciation of every letter and number. Student. The students of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School who take the subjects of Mathematics and Science at same time the user of the Computer-Aided Instruction Software. Teacher. The teachers of Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School who will manipulate and teach the students how to exploit the system. Multimedia. The integration of multiple forms of media, this includes text, graphics, audio, video and many more.

Cost Analysis

Table of content Introduction: Financing decisions and investment decisions are considered to be two of the most vital decisions that corporations have to take. Cost analysis is one of the factors that should be taken into consideration while evaluating financial and investment decisions. This paper reviews the concept of cost analysis, how it is used in decision making, and how firms usually involve cost analysis in evaluating different projects. Furthermore, the paper discusses some of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis such as cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. In addition, some of the advantages and disadvantages of cost analysis will be discussed. Moreover, the concept of intangible cost analysis will be introduced. Then, the results and findings of the research paper will be illustrated. Finally, few recommendations that are based on the results and findings will be made. Literature Review: Due to its high importance in the decision making process, cost analysis has been discussed in many books by several authors who illustrated different aspects of cost analysis. In his book â€Å"cost-benefit analysis,† E. J. Mishan discussed in depth the concept of cost-benefit analysis, which is a form of cost analysis. Professor Mishan focused on some of the key concepts that are related to cost-benefit analysis. The author started his book with few examples of cost analysis in order to illustrate to the reader the meaning of cost-benefit analysis. Then, Mr. Mishan illustrated the economical aspect of cost-benefit analysis and showed how opportunity cost could be related to cost-benefit analysis. Furthermore, Mr. Mishan tried to show how cost-benefit analysis is limited and can be used partially in the decision making process. A notable section of Mr. Mishan’s book is certainty equivalence. In this section, the author developed an assumption that â€Å"enables us formally to rank a number of alternative uncertain benefits without first reducing each to a certainty equivalent. In his article â€Å"Ways to Deliver More for Less,† Harry E. Roberts, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Boscov’s Department Stores, discussed how cost analysis can be used to reduce IT spending. Mr. Roberts discussed how the IT budgeting has changed over time. The author suggested ways to enable Information Technology, which is a cost center rather than a profit center, to â€Å"deliver more than what is expected and at a lower cost than what was budgeted. † Then, Mr. Roberts suggested that a revision for different costs, such as variable costs, fixed costs, and payroll costs, should be made. The author concluded his research by emphasizing on the fact that â€Å"every dollar invested on a cost item must deliver as much value to the business as its highest-margin product or service. † Cost Analysis: Definition According to The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, cost analysis can be defined as â€Å"the process of obtaining cost breakdowns, verifying cost data, evaluating specific elements of costs and examining data to determine necessity, reasonableness, and appropriateness of the costs. Both financing and investment decisions are highly affected by cost analysis as corporations usually pay a great deal of attention to the different types of costs that are involved in the different projects that will be taken into consideration either to raise funds or to invest surplus funds that a corporation has. Sometimes cost analysis is perceived as a tool that is used only to reduce costs. In contrast to this point of view, cost analysis is believe d to be a tool that helps management to choose the best possible solution or project among many different alternatives. In their article â€Å"â€Å"Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation,† Meg Sewell and Mary Marczak believe that cost analysis methods and uses are â€Å"complex, require very sophisticated technical skills and training in methodology and in principles of economics, and should not be taken lightly. † Three Types of Cost Analysis: Three of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis are cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. These three methods are usually used simultaneously in order for corporations to evaluate different decisions or projects. Some of these methods might seem simple and easy to use; however, they should never be ignored or taken slightly as they can be of great benefit in determining the right decisions. Cost Allocation: Cost allocation is the simplest among the three concepts that were mentioned earlier. Sewell and Marczak stated that cost allocation refers to â€Å"setting up budgeting and accounting systems in a way that allows program managers to determine a unit cost or cost per unit of service. Furthermore, Sewell and Marczak illustrated that in many corporations, cost allocation is used to provide â€Å"some of the basic information needed to conduct more ambitious cost analyses such as cost-benefit analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis. † Therefore, it can be concluded that cost allocation is a prerequisite to both cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Example: The following table shows the monthly cost allocation for 3 different projects It is important to note that firm s usually allocate their costs based on previous experience and estimation. However, firms should expect costs to change, which can be due to financial crises, inflation, or other factors, and try to adapt their cost allocation systems in such a way that it will handle the new changes. Based on the costing method that the company uses, such as activity-based costing, a more detailed cost allocation system can be structured in order to determine the unit cost as precisely as possible Once costs have been identified and allocated, more advanced cost analysis methods, such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis, are used. Cost-effectiveness Analysis: According to Sewell and Marczak, the concept of cost-effectiveness analysis holds that â€Å"a certain benefit or outcome is desired, and that there are several alternative ways to achieve it. † However, cost-effectiveness analysis should not be used separately during the process of evaluating projects or decisions as it will favor the cheapest option. Instead, cost-effectiveness analysis should be used along with cost allocation and cost-benefit analysis in order to provide more precise and more informative outcomes. It is important to mention that cost-effectiveness is a comparative tool that compares the cost of separate projects and favors the least expensive one. If we only used cost-effectiveness to decide which machine to buy, machine 1 will be favored by cost-effectiveness since it will generate products cheaper than machine 2. However, this is not necessarily the correct decision since cost-effectiveness analysis fails to take into consideration certain criteria such as the time each machine requires to generate the product and the quality of the generated products. Cost-benefit Analysis: According to smbtn. com, cost-benefit analysis can be best described as â€Å"An analysis tool that measures the results or benefits of a decision compared with the required costs. † Cost-benefit analysis is perceived as a powerful tool that management usually use whenever a â€Å"buy-or-build† decision needs to be taken. Buy-or-build decisions are usually taken when a firm faces a situation where it has two options: (1) To buy or outsource a certain part of its business (2) To internally manufacture or perform a certain part of its business. Cost-benefit analysis can assist in taking buy-or-build decisions as it will illustrate the benefits and costs that are expected if buy decision or build decision is taken. Cost-benefit analysis consists of several tools, such as benefit-to-costs ratio, that are used to analyze and compare benefits and costs that are involved in a certain project. According to Sewell and Marczak, benefit-to-costs ratio is â€Å"the total monetary cost of the benefits or outcomes divided by the total monetary costs of obtaining them. Despite the fact the cost-benefit seems to be the most powerful tool to analyze costs and taking cost related decisions, it should be used along with other tools such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost allocation. Using cost-benefit analysis separately from other tools can result in misleading decisions that can cost management dearly. If the benefits-to-costs ratio is greater than 1, then the project should be analyzed further, compared to other projects and taken into consideration as a potential project that the firm can invest in or use to raise funds. Advantages of Cost Analysis: Cost analysis can be of great help for management as it can be used as a tool in the decision making process. Some of the most important advantages of cost analysis are: Cost analysis can clarify all costs that are involved in a certain project. Cost analysis will draw attention to costs that may not be obvious at first. Consequently, allowing managers to take more precise financing or investment decisions. Cost analysis can help management prioritize tasks and processes when budgets are limited. It is believed that managers can distribute budgets more effectively when all costs are identified; therefore, it will be possible to get the most out of available resources. Disadvantages of cost analysis: On the other hand, cost analysis is not always sufficient by its own for management to make decisions. Some of the facts that cost analysis cannot provide information about are: _As Sewell and Marczak mentioned, cost analysis cannot always tell â€Å"whether the least expensive alternative is always the best alternative. _† Cost analysis by its own is not always enough to determine the best alternative. Usually, other criteria that cannot be determined by cost analysis, such as time, have an effect on the decision making process. Cost analysis is very complex and requires great deal of skills and expertise. Cost analysis requires not only background in finance and accounting, but also economic and decision making skills. It is common nowadays for organizations to outsource cost analysis if it cannot be done effectively in-house. According to _Sewell and Marczak, â€Å"sometimes costs and monetary values are considered less important than other, more intangible values or program outcomes. † Intangible cost analysis: Despite the fact that corporations frequently use cost analysis in evaluating the different decisions that have to be made, intangible cost analysis is not always taken into consideration. In his book â€Å"Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis,† Ken Stanfield described intangible cost analysis as set of processes that â€Å"[allow] executives to identify, measure, and reduce costs that the organization has always been aware of, but has not been able to previously measure and control. Intangible cost analysis allows corporations to increase efficiency and productivity as well as decrease costs. According to Stanfield, in contrast to old cost analysis methods where tangible costs were the most important selection criteria, modern cost analysis methods favors alternatives, decisions, or projects â€Å"with the lowest total real cost (tangible costs + intangible costs). † Some of the intangible costs that should be taken into consideration are knowledge costs, time costs, and relationship management costs. Many organizations started to take intangible costs more seriously and established departments that are dedicated to deal with such costs such as knowledge management department. Intangible cost analysis is more complex than tangible cost analysis due to the fact that it depends on estimation skills and past experience. Therefore, possessing intangible cost analysis skills can be considered as a competitive advantage as it will result in better cost management and lower incurred costs. Results and Findings: Cost analysis is one of the most sophisticated concepts in business, and many economists wrote several books about it. The following points illustrate the results and findings of the research paper: Cost analysis consists of multiple tools and techniques that are usually used simultaneously to reach the best decision possible. Cost analysis not only allows firms to find ways to reduce costs, but it also suggests methods that can be applied to turn a cost center into profit center. It is vital for decision makers to be aware that cost analysis consists of tools that can estimate costs, which might differ from costs that will be incurred in reality. Intangible cost analysis should not be taken slightly as it has a great affect on the business of any company, especially on the long run. Cost analysis fails to take into consideration some factors such as time and quality Cost analysis needs advanced skills and is considered to be a competitive advantage for firms that have employees specialized in it. Recommendations and Conclusion: Using multiple cost analysis tools, which is due to the fact that the use of only one or few tools will result in misleading decisions Pay great attention to intangible cost analysis as it can make the difference between success and failure. Take into consideration factors that cannot be quantified and analyzed such as time and quality. Due to the fact that cost analysis has become a vital part of the decision making process, firms have to ensure that they possess the required cost analysis skills or outsource to specialized cost analysis firms. In conclusion, it is vital to emphasize on the fact that cost analysis is just one tool that can be used in the decision making process. Financing decisions and investments decisions are so critical that many tools and selection criteria have to be used while analyzing and evaluating these decisions. Nowadays, the world is facing a financial crisis that is affecting all companies; consequently, firms are starting to analyze costs to determine how best to protect themselves. Bibliography Mishan, E. J. Cost Benefit Analysis: An Informal Introduction, 1982. Ramji, Al-Noor, Linda Reino, Harry E. Roberts, eds. , Inside The Minds: Ways To Reduce It Spending : Leading Executives On Managing Costs, Negotiating Pricing & Reducing Overall Technology Expenditures. United States of America: Aspatore, 2004. Sewell, Meg and Mary Marczak. Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation. The University of Arizona; available from http://ag. arizona. edu/fcs/cyfernet/cyfar/Costben2. htm; Internet; accessed 1 November 2008. Stanfield, Ken. Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis. Academic Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2002). The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement: Federal Assistance Manual. Washington, D. C. , 1998; available from http://www. osmre. gov/fam/defin. htm; Internet; accessed 16 November 2008.

Teaching by Principles - 2659 Words

Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy Brown, H. D. (1994). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents. 416 pp. Reviewed by Gail Schaefer Fu The Chinese University of Hong Kong H. Douglas Browns Teaching by Principles is intended for teachers in training -- those who intend to be teachers but who have little or no classroom experience -- and for teachers who train teachers. It is centered, not surprisingly, around certain principles of language teaching and learning, echoing Browns own Principles of Language Teaching and Learning (1994). His new book Teaching by Principles is itself a manifestation of the principles which†¦show more content†¦Elsewhere he talks about the exciting but complex task readers would have before them if their teaching situation allowed them to actually choose the textbook themselves. He refers to extensive and comprehensive textbook evaluation checklists and then provides an abridged form of such a checklist for illustration. He invites readers, as they read through this form, to think of an ESL textbook that you are reasonably familiar with and ask yourself how well that book meets the criteria (p. 149). He provides, in other words, opportunities to practice and to make practical application even within the confines of the book itself. THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-PONTIFICATION: Brown does not make pronouncements, nor does he pretend that he, or anyone else in our field for that matter, has all the answers. Instead he gives broad historical recognition of various schools of language teaching thought and acknowledges, where appropriate, the strengths on which we can draw and the insights from which we can benefit (even if that is primarily what does not work so successfully!). 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