Foundations of Tort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Foundations of Tort - Essay Example There are also intentional torts where the person being accused harmed the other with the full knowledge of what harm they are causing, for instance defamation and finally there is strict liability tort which covers injuries people suffer from using products, for instance if a person is burnt with hot coffee from a company that did not provide this information, by writing, to the consumers (Butler 2000 162). Torts usually result in compensation of the accusers, rather than the accused facing a jail term or other punitive measures similar to those in criminal offences. Therefore torts are civil suits brought against other people. The plaintiff in a tort has to prove three things in order to be compensated. First, they have to prove that those standing accused have a moral and legal obligation to act in a particular way. Secondly, the plaintiff has to [prove that the accused did not fulfill their obligation. Finally, she or he has to prove that she or he suffered an actual loss because of the accused not fulfilling their duties. Only after these have been established does the plaintiff get punitive or compensatory damages. Torts usually arise from common law principles coupled with legal enactments. The tort rules on compensation in Australia, especially those arising from accidents have been seen as being outdated, therefore inefficient in the way in which they work. In addition, if the party being sued is a government or public entity, there are several possibilities that people could exploit loopholes to get huge and undeserving compensation for mistakes of their own doing. Parties such as local governments in cities and counties could be sued for negligence by their residents should the latter feel that they have suffered a loss, physical harm or otherwise because the local government did not play its part in some sector or service provision, hence the loss suffered. Australia does not have a general system of compensation for victims, except in some very spe cific cases, for instance in traffic accidents. Thus, there is no cap on the amount of money that should be paid out to victims, leading to huge losses in cases of other forms of ‘negligence’ by the authorities. However, due to the increase in law suits against authorities in Australia, there was a necessity to start reforming laws on lawsuits against authorities. This led to the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation & Compensation Act 2001. However, the laws under this act are still taking a while to be implemented (Muirhead & Hocking 2001, p. 111). The primary focus of the Australian tort law reform focuses more on insurance premiums as opposed to the how deep taxpayers have to dig in their pockets to pay for the numerous lawsuits filed against the authorities. It is becoming a source of concern for many citizens as to the source of money used to compensate victims who think they have been wronged by the negligence of the authorities. A higher dependency on insurance prem iums rather than public coffers has seen insurance premiums skyrocket to unbelievable rates. This dependence has been brought about by the authorities using money in the public coffers as a last resort measure to compensate victims of the authorities’ negligence, leaving a bulk of the money going to compensate on the shoulders of insurers. Application of such overreliance on insurers in other sectors where the government was the underwriter, for instance in the provision of medical and health care, has led to the insolvency of some big insurance companies and the withdrawal of others, because of the unprofitability of such undertakings. The result is that, at the end of the day, it is the taxpayers of a country who end up

Agriculture's importance economic progress Essay

Agriculture's importance economic progress - Essay Example Agriculture which is predominantly the base of systems of economy in most of the under developed countries is the primary occupation of rural people in those countries. It is primary because it supplies basic necessities of human life, provides basic inputs for industries and, in addition to these, purveys goods for exports and other purposes. â€Å". . . the rise in agricultural production . . . makes important contributions to general economic development and that, within considerable limits at least, it is one of the preconditions which must be established before a take off into self sustained economic growth becomes possible† (Nicholls, 1970). Earlier development economists like Arthur Lewis (1954), Hirschman (1958) and Fei and Ranis (1961) have identified and analyzed how agriculture contributes to the overall economic growth of a country (Higgins, 1982). They highlighted that the ‘unlimited labor supply’ in the agricultural sector of an underdeveloped countr y can be transformed to industrial sector and the ability of agriculture to transfer its abundant resources to other sectors actually lead the economic growth of any country. Contribution of agriculture in an economy is judged by the value of the total quantity of output in the Net National Product (NNP). A ratio between the output of agricultural sector and the output of non-agricultural sector or the proportion of the former in the NNP furnishes reasonable evidence not only of the nature of economy but also its stage of development. Simon Kuznets (1961) observes that â€Å"an increase in the net output of the agriculture is, in and of itself, sum of the increases in the net products of the several sectors† (61). So long as the rate of growth of the non-agricultural sector is higher than that of the agricultural sector, the proportional contribution of agriculture in the total product will decline. His model for assessing the product contributions to the NNP quite explicit a nd it is delineated as follows: dP=A.a+O.o Where, A= Product of Agriculture; O = Product of all other sectors; P= Total Proudct =(A+O); a=rate of growth of A ; o=Rate of Growth of O; d= change. The increment in the total product is the aggregate of products of sectarian outputs as multiplied by their respective rates of growth. Role of Agriculture in Economic Development- Traditional approach The traditional and earlier approaches proposed by development economists like Lewis, Fie and Ranis highlighted the important roles of agriculture sector in the economic development of any country (Vogel, 1994). A fast track development of this sector is crucial for other sectors as well. Only a strong and efficient agricultural sector can feed the growing population of a country, provide employment, play vital role in the foreign trade and earning of foreign exchange and give a strong base to the industries. Because of these multifaceted functions of agriculture, it has got a multiplier effect on any country’s socio-economic and industrial scenario. Thus according to the traditional analysis the role of the agricultural sector is confined to the source of food, source of livelihood, role in foreign trade, capital/savings transfers and its role in industrial development (Stringer, 2001). Source of Lively hood Most of the developing countries depend on agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. Agriculture provides immense employment opportunities to the masses and this assumes much significance when the growing working force does not come out of the yoke. The figure may be varied from 10 percent to 60 percent in the contemporary scenario generally prevailing in the developing and underdeveloped countries across the globe (Stringer, 2001). Importance in the context of food security The character and content of a country’s economic structure alongside the potential for its further growth and development are largely dependent not only upon the quan tity but also upon the type of its output generated and distributed in the economy (FAO, 2001). For example, an

Experience on Taking the Test Essay Example for Free

Experience on Taking the Test Essay Taking the Jung Typology Test was a bit fun. It reinforced some of the things I already knew about myself and I also discovered a few revelations along the way. Though, if one has observed, the questions were often repeated, albeit in a different way. Some questions were also ambiguous, especially if the trait being asked was not concretely experienced by the individual. For example, the â€Å"do you trust reason rather than feelings?†Ã‚   line was quite hard to ponder, since the instances where I trust reason and the instances where I trust feelings depends on the circumstance that I am in. Personality Fit Based on the test, I am an ENTJ—slightly extraverted, moderately intuitive, distinctively thinking and moderately judging. I am quite surprised that I have a moderately judging personality. I also thought that I am largely introverted, for my desire to maintain only a few close relationships. Perhaps, being a slight extravert means that I transform into one gregarious, engaging individual if it would be opportune for me. Overall, however, I have always been aware of most of the traits I have, prior to taking the exercise. The Jung Typology test gave me a detailed description of myself. Workplace Strengths The ENTJ type, like the other types have specific strengths for the   workplace . Based on the interpretation by D. Kersey, I am a fieldmarshall, a leader that can visualize, and communicate. It also stated that I am highly organized and coordinated. Being an ENTJ also means that I am efficient   in completing tasks, yet I am also impatient of repetitive errors. In my case, I enjoy being in charge. Having a goal-oriented personality, I also urge my workmates to do the same. Thus, any assignment is sure to be completed in a timely manner. In addition, as the exam indicated, ENTJ’s are devoted to the task at hand, often at the expense of one’s personal life. In effect, the level of commitment that I put in my job usually translates to an output that exceeds the standard. Another positive aspect of an ENTJ is decisiveness. This usually comes handy when time pressure is involved. I believe that having a decision is better than having none at all. Weaknesses to be Adressed However, there are also some weaknesses that must be addressed. Since I am focused on achieving targets, based on the test and on my personal assessment, empathy usually takes a backseat. This usually spells trouble for me. I fail to connect with them in a deeper level, and thus, fall short of encouraging them to work wholeheartedly. Perhaps, it means, that I can sometimes be bullish just to realize the goal at hand. Also, my impatience with repetitive mistakes can dampen spirits of co-workers who are still learning the ropes. Another trait of an ENTJ that can sometimes be a weakness is the desire to control. Since outcomes are of utmost importance, the tendency to dominate is imminent. At times, being in charge brings positive results, especially if the group involved lacks direction and focus. However, oftentimes, it can be misinterpreted as being tyrannical and can cause subordinates to spite the boss, and thus affecting performance at work. These are just some of the things that I have to work on, since it is a well-known fact that part of being an effective leader is having people skills, or soft skills. Without the ability to encourage, inspire and motivate others, a manager or executive would create a lower morale in the workplace. Pitfalls of the Test Taking the Jung typology test has made me more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results, I now know that sometimes, my desire to accomplish much may be detrimental to my work relationships. Perhaps, I can still be goal-oriented and efficient without being brash. I can push them to work for a certain standard sans the feeling that they are doing it out of obligation or fear. I think the exam measures some aspects of basic personal managerial competence well by determining for instance the level of extravertness or intuition of the person. However, since it is a yes or no questionnaire, it has pitfalls. It puts the test-taker in a black and white situation, leaving him no room to answer, â€Å"maybe† or â€Å"sometimes†. References Butt, Joe.(2005, February 27).Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging. Retrieved May 6 , 2007 from http://typelogic.com/entj.html. Jung, Carl. Jung Typology Test. Retrieved May 6 , 2007 from    http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp Kiersey, D. .Rational Portrait of the Fieldmarshall. Retrieved May 6 , 2007   from http://keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirseyf=fourtempstab=5c=fieldmarshal

Individual Critical Reflection On Learning Outcomes Marketing Essay

Individual Critical Reflection On Learning Outcomes Marketing Essay Tag Games is formed in 2006 as an independent game development studio and publisher by 3 game manufacturer veterans eager to bring new experiences to mobile gaming primarily, and then to further platforms. The 1st heading Dead Water was launched on J2ME mobile phones in Sept 2006 to extensive very important praise. Since then the studio has developed a desirable status for modernization and excellence, structure strategic partnerships with several main games developers and development studios all around the world. Having achieved success in the beginning period 2007 Tag raised seed deal from successive Scottish technology industrialist Bill Dobbie and they funded in middle of 2007 to enlarge manufacture ability and to allow a more hostile move toward the licensing and publication activity. Tag Games was featured as no.23 in the 02/ Real business 50 in 2007 to watch in Mobile listing, a greeting acknowledgment of the excellence of the studios games and potential of the business strategy. Marketing Plan for Back on the saddle game. Most of the mobile games developers develop the games basing on the news events. Marketing plan illustrates the market segments and strategies, which we are employing to get customers and create good revenue stream. We always develop the games with real life twist, which always give advantage over our competitors by giving customers a new outlet to enjoy mobile games. We will fund development of our own game by providing consulting services to create similar games for corporations who are looking to create mobile games for promotional purposes. The consulting project will come from advertising sponsorship relationships that we will establish with companies who are interested in embedding their brand and offers inside our other games and would also like something more custom that they can offer as their own game. In first few years of the business, we expect consulting to constitute a large portion of our revenue stream. Vision Our Vision is to provide people with a fun over the course of their normal day. We create games that are easy to play. We develop games basing on the real life situations and on life styles of different country people. This unique feature always helps us in winning the customers. We also help the customers in understanding the various cultures. Our software development team is experienced to create timely games quickly. Our marketing challenge is to attract visibility quickly and we intend to accomplish this by leveraging a multi-pronged approach that involves social media, email marketing and search engine optimization strategies to gain market share. As we gain traction in the marketplace, word of mouth will lift our game downloads significantly Goals Boost sales by 100% by the end of year 1. To be a mile stone in traditional game development within two years. To set up reliability among the clients. Our goal is to establish a reputation for games that poke fun at what many would consider humorous actions by well-known people. Our aim is to create the most innovative and fun casual games in the whole wide world! Target Customers Ideal customers is between the ages of 15 and 25 who enjoys playing video games and has a mobile phone that allows applications to be downloaded, such as the moderate to high end mobile phones. Customers usually have play station or TV-based video game unit at home. Some of the even have a portable gaming unit such as the DS/DSI and other portable gadgets. Most of the customers have access to a home computer, pc or Mac. Most of the customers are teenagers living at home, others are college students or who have joined the workforce in the last 6 years. They have a wide range of disposable income. Market Definition and Segmentation We target two segments: Mobile game users. Organizations that want to reach them. In the above segments, customers enjoy creative experiences and computer and mobile phone savvy. Free mobile games: Some features of free versions are disabled and advertising is displayed in some strategic locations within the game so that users are not bothered or distracted by the ads. For example, a shoes company pays for a sponsorship and we might embed their name as a tappable billboard that appears as if it is part of the game itself. We offer trail versions of our games for free so that users can get a taste of the full game without committing any money up front. Paid mobiles games: Paid mobile games contain a broader set of features. The price was fixed to create very low price resistance for customers. Games are accessible via instant download on their mobile platforms. Paid games are monetized via clickable ad sponsorships embedded within the games. Organizations that want to reach youth: There are customers who purchases custom mobile game development services. Their intent is to promote their brand and products to the demographic that overlaps with mobile game users. Target Market Segment Strategy: Strategies focus on developing an initial set of libraries containing game attributes that can be combined to create new games. After launching the game, we will stay in regular contact with our customers via numerous online methods, including social media and email marketing. After creating these libraries and games, we will be able to market fast-turnaround consulting services to organizations who would like their own promotional games. Target Mobile Game Users: Our mobile games have a timely connection to current news events. Due to which we release new games basing on previous and present news. For example, we created a cow boy character in back to the saddle game. And we create the new versions considering the latest political scandals, celebrity comments. The mobile game users enjoy interacting with games that give them a sense of power and excitement, allowing them in some way to live vicariously through the game. Most of our games are help in increasing the users concentration levels. Needs and Requirements: Mobile games users always get tired quickly and are constantly looking for new games to play. We target the news media so they discuss games related to the stories they are covering. Our target stories are taken from all around the World. Generally teens get money from their parents to purchase games, which can be from low paying jobs or allowances. Teens also have limited financial capacity yet choose to spend part of their disposable income on game as one of their sources of entertainment. Most of the mobile users have limited financial capacity. Customers always talk to each other about which games they enjoy, including strategies for playing and winning. They also participate in online forums and discussion group to gather tips and other information to help them play or to find new challenges. Most of the customers enjoy being listed as the high score when there is a public setting available for players. We intend to offer this public setting by allowing the customer to upload their score to our web site for each game. The highest scores will be posted, giving the player worldwide bragging rights. As a result, the word of mouth potential for timely games is explosive. We emphasize more on focusing on creativity along with spectacular service and speed of development for our consulting clients. It is important for us to get to market quickly in order to capitalize on the news event that is associated with game. The longer the delay between game conception and game release, the less the penetration of that game. Distribution Channels: Approaching senior marketing executives is typically done through a variety of means. Our finances and resources are limited, so we need to manage them effectively. We focus on two aspects: Advertising Networking The advertising will primarily be online via search engine ads so we see the results within days instead of not knowing whether a print ad has effect. We have identified 4 trade shows and 3 conferences that these executives typically attend over the course of a year. Part of our marketing plan is to attend these events to network with these potential buyers. We also will submit response to calls for papers to be speakers at some of the events when possible. Blackberry applications are controlled by Blackberry through Blackberry App world. Their users tend to be older and more focused on business uses for their mobile devices. Because of this, we will not focus our initial efforts on Blackberry. However, we do have the expertise to build Blackberry applications and will create custom games for this device for consulting clients who would like them. iphone games are distributed through the Appstore which is currently controlled by Apple. One of the obstacles we have to overcome is the speed with which apple approves applications for downloading, which will be important for us since our games have a time sensitive nature to them as they will be popular as long as a new story is in circulation. Googles Android offers an open source model so they will likely surpass the iphone in the number of applications available soon. This also eliminates the need for review and allows us to post new applications quickly. As more applications come out for this device, it will gain market share. We want to be positioned so that we provide excellent games for the community. Competitive Forces: There are many mobile game developers. Most games are developed by one person who does not have the marketing savvy to integrate advertising sponsorships into their games as we have outlined in this marketing plan. Our unique twists on the type of the games is also an advantage because we will not have to spend as much time and energy thinking of the game themes. The news of the day will provide that folders so our efforts can be concentrated on developing that real-life story into a game. There are many software developers targeting organizations to build custom games. Some are developing games overseas at lower cost. Even some larger domestic companies outsource portions of their game development. In order to keep up with pricing pressures, we have established ties with one overseas organization to help us with game development as we release new games and create the component libraries. Communications: We leverage word of mouth and social media for the vast majority of our marketing using platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Orkut. These platforms are widely used by the customers in our demographic market. We will make announcements via regular tweets and updates to our fan page on Facebook. We also use email marketing list which is comprised of people who have expressed interest in knowing when we release new games. We have segmented our email list so that we can send appropriate emails to media and different ones to actual gamers, our customers. We also develop an online ad campaign with landing pages containing lead generation forms that visitors can fill out to get whitepapers on using mobile gaming to attract customers. We also network at major trade shows and conferences, including obtaining engagements where we can discuss case studies to expose our concepts and strategies to the right level of buyer. Each game will contain a link to our web site where users can find out about more games and subscribe to our email list and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. To help promote games via word of mouth, each game has the option to notify a friend. So, a user can send a text message to a friend instantly to share their excitement or recommendation about the game. Budget: Marketing expenses are mostly for staff required to do the marketing activities listed. The vast majority of the software tools needed to implement the activities, such as analytics and landing page creation, are available for free. The exceptions to this are for specific tools like email marketing and forums. We do not expect an increase in marketing staff requirements during year 1 because one person can actually do a lot of these activities. Once they have put marketing plan processes into place, the marketing activities upkeep becomes easier and can handle by junior staff. Below is breakdown of marketing expenses by month for year 1. Keys to Success: Many companies leveraged the power of mobile games to reach their market, however we will show case studies which is the primary key to success. This can be tracked using metrics such as the number of times a gamer clicked on an ad embed into a game, the number of times a custom game was downloaded or an increase in sales of the product being promoted. Success can also be tracked by industry buzz. For example, fast food chain burger king created a Facebook application that allowed users to earn points for unfriending one of their friends. This application would show the image of the friend burning. Upon burning 10 friends, the user would be entitled to a free burger. This application spread very quickly and quite a few Facebook users enjoyed participating. This campaign did two things: generated traffic into restaurants and generated a tremendous amount of media buzz. It cost significantly less than a paid advertising campaign involving television time purchases. Our posting to social media sites will include a trackable link so we know how many people click on each post. Using online tools like link redirectors. We can also see how many readers repost or forward such links. We will also include trackable links within our email marketing messages. People who want more information about the game will be directed to landing pages, which are web pages that contain more information about the game, which includes details about the game and the links to download the game. These landing pages will be optimized for search engines so that when internet user search on various keywords, our pages will rank highly in their search results. The usage of online analytics tools helps to enable to see how many people click on various links in our media campaigns to go to the landing pages and how many clicks to download each game. On the other hand, online clicks cannot track users who use their mobile phones to download the apps directly, which may comprise the bulk of our downloads. For those, tracking of downloads is provided by the platform such as Appstore. We estimate that one of every ten people who visit the landing page or see a tweet or Facebook post will download a game. The average sale price estimated based on paid downloads as well as sales of advertising sponsorships and custom game development. Sales Forecast: Sales forecast is a difficult area of management. We have three sources for sales: Custom games development: This will be consulting projects to develop promotional games. Game downloads: This includes free and paid downloads. The free downloads are monetized from embedded advertising sponsorships. Embedded advertising sponsorships: ads embedded in both free and paid games. Sales Monitoring: Sales must be constantly monitored to ensure that targets are being reached and revenue is being generated. The best way to do this is by comparing sales against pre-determined targets which we have. The revenue generated from sale should also be tracked against the companys budget. Â  Sale achieved should be reported on a regular basis so monitoring can take place. It is sometimes not always obvious when a deal has been closed, so a reporting template to record sales may be helpful in this process. This template can also capture prospects that are being worked on so there is overall view of the sales pipeline. In monitoring Process, it is good to understand why a sale has been successful, and why a sale was not made. This can help us readjust our approach or learn about competitors so that the sale can be won the next time. Progress Monitoring: We created a variety of key metrics that will measure on a regular basis, to make sure we are on the track. These require many adjustments and fine tuning as we progress. INDIVIDUAL CRITICAL REFLECTION ON LEARNING OUTCOMES The Tag Games Company sets forth a clear mission statement that is outlined with three major principals in mind that outline the companys values and motivates its employees. Their mission statement is divided into two parts: Product mission Economic mission Social mission Further defines the companys outlook on how they should impact the world. By using clear energizing goals and communicative goals, the mission statement of Tag Games provides a motivating ideal that its employees can strive for. The Tag Games Company has a mission statement that motivates its employees to want to produce a good product. The Tag Games mission statement is divided into three subsections that make it simpler to see what the overall goal is. The subsections are product, economic and social missions. Each area addresses energizing goals as well as communicative goals to provide a clear and motivating mission statement. Energizing goals state the intent of the company and what goals the organization would like to achieve. Under the product mission, it is stated that their goal is to make, distribute and sell the finest thought provoking games. This is the primary mission of Tag Games because they are in the business of selling games. It is also the first subsection in their mission statement, they are saying that this is who we are and this is what we do. Tag Games is a games company, so the first line makes sense because it simply states what the primary goal of the company is to make games. Along with this line, there are more lines about serving the society and using the morals. These statements add a sort of validity to the business of making Games. These statements add a sort of validity to the business of creating games. Employees reading this might feel like they are doing the world a service by working for Tag Games. These sorts of statements are designed to make the employees feel like they are making a better product, better for the people who play the game and better for the rest of the world too. A portion of people that work for Tag Games as well as a portion of their customers base will place great importance on the companys outlook on the style and creativity of the games. The goals in the first paragraph are clear organizational goals and will make some of the employees that work there feels good about working there. The next portion of their mission statement goes into their economic mission. The economic mission states that part of their mission is to expand opportunities for development and growth for their employees. This is a sort of communicative goal. By making expansion a part of their economic mission for the purpose of providing opportunity, it becomes in the interest of all employees to work hard for expansion. By adding this section into their mission statement, Tag Games is communicating to every employee that it is their duty to help expand the business to create even more opportunity for current and future employees. Every employ gains from the economic mission includes increasing revenue for investors and making profit. Most companies will include profit making for investors and increasing revenue because stating this in the mission statement can attract investors. The final area that is included in their mission statement is the social mission that Tag Games has outlined for its organization. They state that because business plays a vital role in society that they should initiate ways to improve conditions locally, nationally and internationally. This paragraph basically outlines how to be a good citizen or neighbor within the community. A certain portion of the employee population will feel inspired by this portion of the mission statement and get increased job satisfaction from working at Tag Games. Working in the community and coexisting with neighbors is good for the company as well as being good for the employees. When the whole picture is put together, the values that Tag Games is trying to push in their mission statement is clear. Respect for nature, helping one another and being good neighbors to each other sums up the Tag Games mission statement. Their mission statement is very idyllic, but it is a good idea that many people would take to heart. The mission statement of Tag Games sets the tone for all employees and creates a positive impression of their company. The employees of Tag Games are probably very motivated to work for a company that has so much social conscientiousness and basic love for fellow man. It is definitely a feel good kind of mission statement. I always felt that marketing play a major role in promoting a product. However I never had a clear picture of importance of growth of the company and values. Tag Games, successful employment relations has seen the company become a leader within the gaming and development industry. Marketing and employment relations are equally important aspects to the successful operation of all businesses, through correct marketing businesses can expect to grow and expand, both in size and profitability. Tag games have employed a range of strategies to accomplish its aims and become a more competitive player within the aviation industry. With the development of new game, individual strategies will need to be used to help the business succeed. Role of marketing in the growth of the company The role of marketing is to connect the business with its target market. Marketing is the major link between the business and its customers. As the market changes and becomes more competitive, the business needs to know and understand its target market so it can provide better service to its customers. Successful marketing will identify customers needs, and then, plan price, promote and distribute the products and service that will satisfy these needs. This way the business goals of increased profit and greater share of the market can be achieved. But continually researching customers and monitoring the business environment, marketing provides the information the business needs in order to change direction on adjust its tactics by providing new product or changing existing products. The objectives and strategies of the marketing plan are used to determine the plans of the other functions such as operations, employment relations, and accounting and finance. Management has recognized t he role of marketing in business success and so continually researches its market and modifies its marketing strategies to meet customer needs and wants. Setting Marketing Objectives The next step in the marketing planning process is setting the marketing objectives. The objectives establishes in the business plan will be the guide for the marketing objectives. Tag Games main objective is to make a profit, both in the current and long terms. The overall goal is to provide a satisfactory return to investors and to generate enough profit in reserve to fund growth and the development of the new games. Tag Games main objective is to sell its games at affordable prices that will ensure enough demand to sustain its profit objectives. However there are other objectives, Such as increase sales, increase customer service, decrease operating costs, increase market share. Planning Planning is essential for successful marketing. In order to carry out the marketing program, a business needs a plan that will help it to achieve its objectives. For each business marketing plan is going to be different depending on the size and nature of the business. The marketing plan involves 5 stages these includes: Marketing mix As the gaming industry has become more competitive, the competitors have focused on product planning. Tag Games designs products to be attractive and hold customers from a particular market segment and to do so profitably. This means using its detailed understanding of the needs and requirements of its different market segments. Such understanding is acquired through market research. In gaming industry customer always get bored after completing the levels in the game. They always want something new which is not present in the market. To achieve this Tag Games always comes with creative ideas to develop new games. Price is an important element in any marketing plan. Strategies for promotion the new game. Image of Tag Games in the society. Advertising Sales promotion Strategies of Marketing A business can use a number of different strategies to reach the same objective, and a combination of different strategies can be used. Whichever strategies are used they must meet a number of basic points. Meet the objectives of the business and marketing plans Satisfy the needs of the target markets Work together in achieving marketing objectives. Tag Games uses market segmentation to better meet the needs of all its customers, to compete more effectively, and to attain financial goals more readily. Tag Games is launching new game called Back on the saddle which is targeting on youth and teenagers. Positioning is the image that Tag Games projects in relation to its competitors. Tag Games brings attention to its games by using a variety of positioning strategies. Situational Analysis The situational analysis looks at the market n terms of size and growth, needs of the target market and trends in buyer behavior. The performance of the products or service in terms of sales, profit margins and stage in the product lifecycle are examined. Major competitors are identified and analyzed in terms of marketing and stage in the product lifecycle is examined. Major competitors are identified and analyzed in terms of marketing strategies. A major part of such as market share, loyal customers, level of customer satisfaction and product quality. Marketing Plan Implementation Process of implementing Tag Games marketing plan into action. The marketing department of TagGames continually monitors, controls and adjusts its marketing activities using the following tools; Comparing actual and planned results using a number of tools. Revising market strategies and taking corrective action where appropriate. Developing a financial forecast of revenue using models, past sales data, executive judgment and surveys of customer trends. It then estimates costs such as market research cost, promotion costs. Tag Games marketing plan and strategies are effective because of the following: Focus on market research. Identify and satisfy customer needs. Encourage new product development. Comprehensive marketing plan and strategies. Apart from these, working on various projects has given me varied experience on the basis of which I have decided that marketing is where I would like to base my future. A career in marketing would give me an opportunity to work across boundaries of industry definitions with a number of industries ranging from consumer goods to innovative communication and high tech markets. The project helped me gain exposure, insight, knowledge and hands-on experience with time environment. The Project also helped me in understanding consumer buying behavior entails marketing, relationships, and consumer behavior. Consumer behavior comprises all the consumer decisions and activities connected with the choosing, buying, using and disposing of goods and services. I learned that marketers must pay very close attention to consumer behavior that occurs before the purchase and after the particular product has been used. Studying consumer habits is one of the steps in marketing search and analysis. In add ition to other basic principles of consumer buying habits, marketers also need to study the decision and actions of real people. If companies does not have the correct or necessary information about the competitors and market, bad business decisions occur, leading to companies not making marketing decisions without knowing specific details about their customers. I have understood and learned the planning and implementing marketing promotions to capture the market, within given budget constraints. And various methods of approaching companies marketing head for contracts or business deals. The bottom line of my experience is, every business is to attract customers continuously. It takes more than a good product or service; it takes serious planning and committed people working the plan.

People and Events of World War II :: essays research papers

People and Events of World War II The Axis Powers World War II was started by the Axis Forces, which were comprised of Germany, Italy, and Japan. They fought against the combined might of almost the entire world, and, but for a supreme combined effort on the part of America, the USSR, and Britain, almost won. During the war, the Axis Powers were totalitarian states, controlled by their respective leader or leaders. These are their stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During World War II, there were three men who were controlling the Japanese government, none of which liked each other. The first, Emperor Hirohito, born in 1901, was ruler from 1926 to 1989, the last divine imperial leader of Japan. During the first nineteen years of his reign he gave over power of the government to a militant party. The result of this was the war with China from 1937 to 1945 and adherence to the Axis Powers. At the end of the war Hirohito wanted peace and, in 1945, he unconditionally surrendered to the Allies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second, Isoroku Yamamoto, born in 1884, was the reluctant Commander- in-Chief of Japan's naval forces during WW II. He had a clear grasp of the situation and predicted that against a country like the U.S. or Britain, Japan would quickly lose the war. He died in 1943, shot down by the U.S. 13th Air Force in a surgical assassination strike.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last, Tojo Hideki, was born in 1884, and was the most violent of the three. He was the leader of the militaristic party that controlled the government from 1926 to 1945, and the one who commanded the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1937. He controlled all government and military campaigns until 1944, when, as a result of bad military defeats, he resigned as Prime Minister. Tojo was later arrested, tried, and convicted by an international military court for conventional war crimes, crimes against peace, and crimes against humanity. He was later executed in 1948.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These three men had control over the Japanese government, and allied themselves to Germany and Italy, thus forming the Axis forces. So, as the Pacific was being dominated by the Japanese, Europe and North Africa were being equally terrorized by Germany and Italy, who were under the iron fists of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, respectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adolf Hitler was born in 1889, the son of a very low-ranking official, and a peasant. He wasn't very well educated, never completed high school, and was also rejected from institutes of higher learning because of his lack of talent. Although he was a poor student, he read non-stop, and it was from books

Transformation of Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

Transformation of Macbeth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning of Shakesphere's, Macbeth, the character, Macbeth is basically an everyday normal type of soldier fighting and killing for his king.   His title at this point is the Thane of Glamis.   Upon having a great day on the battlefield, including killing MacDonwald, Macbeth has no clue as to what is in store for him. When Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet the witches for the first time, they are completely shocked.   While talking with the witches Macbeth and Banquo are told that Macbeth will be named the Thane of Cawdor, and then later king.   They also told Banquo that his children will be kings, but that Banquo would not.   After hearing this Macbeth begins to become ashamed with himself to think that he actually thought about killing the king in order to the throne from Duncan.   At this point he is somewhat confused and maybe more curious than anything.   His thought was not to do anything drastic to become king.   He basically says, whatever happens, happens.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Macbeth arrives home to his wife, Lady Macbeth, she begins to play mind games with him.   She does this by trying to convince him to murder Duncan. She tells him things like â€Å"If you were a real man you'd do it†.   This upsets Macbeth, and he begins to think that he is actually going to do it, and eventually carries it out. What he doesn't realize is that he will later regret his actions, and wish that he could turn back time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As soon as Macbeth has killed Duncan, he seems to start to lose his mind. He just doesn't know what to do with himself.   In fact, he cannot finish smearing the blood on the chamberlains, lady Macbeth had to.   As time goes by Macbeth begins to think that to keep his name clear he must kill all the people that may pose a threat to him.   Even if it means killing his best friend, Banquo.   Macbeth did this by hiring people to kill him.   They succeeded in killing Banquo but his son Fleance escaped. Although this wasn't the end of Macbeth's killing, for instance he killed one man's(Macduff's) family, which basically didn't make any sense.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After a couple more run ins with the witches, Macbeth completely loses all his ability to think straight and starts killing people just to prevent anyone from finding that he killed Duncan.   Not only has Macbeth lost his mind, so has lady Macbeth.   She is always caught walking in her sleep talking about Duncan's death, and she eventually commits suicide.

Online Purchases and Delivery Service in NTUC Fairprice Essay

INTRODUCTION NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd (NTUC) was founded in 1973 by the labour movement. Its first supermarket was opened in Toa Payoh in the same year. NTUC has now grown to become Singapore’s largest retailer, with a network of more than 270 stores comprising FairPrice Supermarkets, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Xpress and Cheers convenience stores. NTUC also owns a Fresh Food Distribution Centre and a centralised warehousing and distribution company. Sales in 2013 were reported at more than S$2.6 billion. NTUC also operates an online store where customers can order their groceries directly from their online store and have them delivered to their homes or destinations of their choice. This paper explores the business operations management of NTUC in Singapore and the possible challenges NTUC may face in their online retail and delivery service. This paper also evaluates and recommends appropriate measures that NTUC should implement to overcome these challenges as well as the methods to measure the business performance of the new process. PART 1 NTUC’s Business Functions NTUC operates with three core business functions to run the chain of supermarkets in Singapore; Procurement, Warehousing/Distribution and Retail. These functions are supported by Finance, Information Systems and Human Resources. Figure 1: Process Flow of NTUC Online Retailing and Delivery Service NTUC currently operates an online grocery store from their website.  According to their website’s Help section (2009), NTUC mentioned partnering a logistics service provider to provide the delivery services to customers. In its website (2009), customers have the option to select their preferred date of delivery but the earliest they can receive their purchase is by the next working day. NTUC currently does not provide delivery services on Sundays and Public Holidays. Delivery charges apply according to the order amount and additional charges will also be imposed to rearrange another delivery date if the customer is not present to receive the goods. Challenges of Online Retailing and Delivery Service Using the Soft Systems Methodology (Checkland, 1981), we identified some key challenges (Appendix 1) that NTUC may face for their online retailing and delivery service to their customers. Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie (2011) grouped these challenges broadly under availability, timeliness and condition. Availability †¢There is a lack of online tracking system.  Timeliness †¢Online grocers are unable to offer same day delivery to customers. †¢Deliveries fail to arrive as promised. †¢Distribution centres need to spend more time picking individual orders for customers. Condition †¢There is a need to have delivery accuracy as products with shelf life, especially fresh food, would require cooling. †¢Products are damaged during transit. Literature Review of Challenges Availability: Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie (2010 and 2011) conducted postal surveys with chosen households and qualitative interviews with retailers, logistics service providers and experts for their research papers. Both papers found that one of the key challenges of online home delivery is to keep customers informed of the availability and status of their purchase. Without such  online tracking systems, a big gap will be created between what the customers want to purchase and what they are offered eventually. Ruby and Zhao (2010) also identified that the most important attribute that affects customers’ satisfaction is the ability for online retailers to provide on-time delivery which would impact the customers’ decision to repurchase in future. Ling, Yang and Jun (2013) also reported that customers feel that the unavailability of ordered products will affect their online shopping experience negatively. Timeliness: According to Ling, Yang and Jun (2013), most customers tend to get very frustrated when faced with the inconvenience caused by any delay in delivery. Customers feel the hassle of having to stay at home along with the uncertainty in waiting time for the delivery person to show up with their purchase. Another challenge as reported by Starkey, A (2010) is that 17.5% of the customers had no one at home to receive their purchase during the normal delivery hours and 37.5% of them were only at home on some days. According to him, this translates to a 55% probability that customers run the risk of a failed delivery since there was no one available to sign their purchase. Another challenge that is highlighted by Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie (2011) is the timeliness of the standard delivery schedule. According to the authors, retailers and logistics service providers kept the delivery charges low so as to remain competitive as providing prompt delivery services would usually cost a premium for customers. Such measures usually result in a standard 3 to 5 business days for delivery causing a relatively low level of customer satisfaction in this area. Condition: Based on the findings by Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie (2011), customers’ satisfaction level drops when their purchases are delivered wrongly or the  orders are incomplete. Another factor that impacts their satisfaction level is the condition of the goods being delivered. As in the case of perishable items, customers expect their purchase to be delivered fresh. Operations Strategy Perspectives for NTUC Using the four perspectives on operations strategy (Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A. and Johnston, R, 2013: Ch 3 Pg 73 – 85), we seek to understand the different perspectives that will help us recommend the appropriate solutions for NTUC in its online retail and delivery system. Figure 2: The Four Perspectives on Operations Strategy (Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A. and Johnston, R, 2013: Ch 3 Pg 73 Figure 3.3) Top-Down Perspectives: According to NTUC’s website (2009), its vision is â€Å"to be Singapore’s leading world-class retailer with a heart†. NTUC also strived to â€Å"provide its customers with the best value, quality products and excellent service, be a preferred employer, to moderate the cost of living in Singapore, and serve the needs of our members, the labour movement and the community.† Bottom-Up Perspectives: According to Song, L., Cherrett, T. and Guan, W (2011), besides inconveniencing the customers, distribution centres also incur high costs whenever there are failed deliveries. The authors suggested that there are environmental costs to be considered for every added trip to the customers. This suggests that the CO2 emissions caused by these repeated trips would increase. NTUC should work closely with its internal Warehousing/Distribution team to understand these concerns before developing the strategy forward. Market Requirements Perspectives: Various authors (Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie,2010 and 2011; and et al) identified that customers expect to be kept updated of the status of their purchase; prompt delivery service as well as having purchases delivered to them in good conditions. Operations Resources Perspectives: According to Xing, Grant, MaKinnon and Fernie (2011), a high operational cost would make retailers cost sensitive. Technology advancements require monetary investments and yet retailers need to strike a balance between home delivery cost and the amount they charge their customers. Therefore, NTUC should explore how it can optimize its operations functions and resources to continue delivering the values customers expect. Appropriate Solutions for NTUC Based on the challenges identified and with the understanding of the 4 perspectives that NTUC need to consider, the following are some of the recommendations that NTUC should adopt to improve on their online retail and delivery system: †¢Upgrade the online order system †¢Implement online tracking system †¢Incorporate a collection / delivery point Upgrade the Online Order System: According to Ruby, R.D. & Zhao, M. (2010), NTUC should, in order to satisfy its online customers and ensure that they return to the retailer to purchase again, ensure that their website should be able to control conditions where a product is out-of-stock. The online website should provide updated inventory information of the product to avoid customers becoming unhappy over a failed purchase. It is also important to ensure that the descriptions of the product are authentic and exactly matches the intended product. NTUC should provide more delivery options (Xing, Y., Grant, D.B., McKinnon, A.C. & Fernie, J., 2011) and consumers who are willing to pay a premium for these choices could select their preferred delivery options with more specified dates and times. The authors believed that the premium delivery charges customers pay will eventually offset the increased in delivery cost  of NTUC or their appointed logistics service provider. Implement Online Tracking System: Xing, Y., Grant, D.B., McKinnon, A.C. & Fernie, J. (2011) concluded in their report that setting up an online tracking system is very important as it allows customers to keep track of their purchases. If retailers are using a logistics service provider which is the case for NTUC, a link to the logistics service providers’ tracking system should also be provided. The authors also suggested that retailers can adopt software applications that operate alongside their existing ordering system. These software applications are able to provide timely contact with the customer by email or text messages during the time of fulfillment to keep customers updated of their order status at appropriate times. The most important messages are at the point when their purchases are ready to be delivered with confirmation of the delivery date and time. Having a good tracking system not only reduces the probability of first time delivery failures, Edwards, J.B., McKinnon, A.C. & Cullinane, S.L. (2010) also reported that reducing repeating trips will significantly reduce the CO2 emissions. In their findings, a standard home delivery for a non-food item would be allocated 98 gCO2. Therefore, striving to improve on the home delivery system would also help reduce any harmful impact to the environmental. Incorporate a Collection/Delivery Point: To reduce the number of unsuccessful home deliveries to customers, NTUC should implement a network of collection/delivery points (Song, L., Cherrett, T. & Guan, W., 2011) as alternatives to the delivery addresses in their system. This means allowing customers to choose a nearest collection/delivery point where they would like to pick up their purchase from if they happen to be away when the delivery person arrived. Customers can also have the option to select the collection/delivery point as their delivery destination if they are sure they will not be home to receive their  purchase. Retailers can definitely benefit from this implementation as it reduces the number of re-delivery attempts. PART 2 A Perspective of the New System We use Soft Systems Methodology (Checkland, 1981) to have a systematic view of the new system (Appendix 2). In the process, we also identified two potential problems that may arise from this new system. Behjati, S. and Othaman, S.N. (2012) said that one of the key drivers of online shopping is trust and reliability. If customers do not trust the idea of shopping online, it would take more effort for NTUC to try to switch these customers to online customers. Another potential problem is an upgraded online ordering system would take up more internet bandwidth in NTUC. Therefore, the retailer must ensure that there is sufficient bandwidth (Ling (Alice) Jiang, Yang, Z. & Jun, M., 2013) to allow customers to search its online store seamlessly. NTUC’s â€Å"As Is† Process In the Help section of NTUC’s website (2009), a customer simply need to log into their account, select the products and the required quantity before adding into the shopping cart. Once the purchase is confirmed, an email will be sent to the customer instructing him/her of the delivery information. According to the website, the earliest date customers can receive their purchase is by the next working day. NTUC currently does not provide delivery services on Sundays and Public Holidays. Delivery charges apply according to the order amount and additional charges will also be imposed to rearrange another delivery date if the customer is not present to receive the goods. A clearer version of the â€Å"as is† process of NTUC is attached in Appendix 3. Figure 3: â€Å"As-Is† Process of NTUC NTUC’s â€Å"To Be† Process With the proposed upgrading of the online ordering system, online tracking system and implementing a collection / delivery point for NTUC, the â€Å"to-be† process is drafted in Figure 4 with a clearer version attached in Appendix 4. Figure 4: â€Å"To-Be† Process of NTUC Freeman, M. and Freeman, A. (2010) emphasized the importance that for the online ordering system to work, all products in the retailer’s inventory must be displayed. Out-of-stock products must be clearly indicated so that customers can make decisions on the spot to select alternative products. Rose, S., Clark, M., Samouel, P. and Hair, N. (2012), in their study, also supports this by saying that it is important for the retailer’s website to be easy to use. An overly complex navigation and information overload will reduce the probability of customers returning to patronize the online store. Omar, M., Bathgate, I. and Nwankwo, S. (2011), in their research, considered that when a customer is well-provided with order information and a clear estimate of the product arrival information, customers will be more certain of what they ordered and when they can expect their products to be delivered. It is therefore recommended for NTUC to set up an online tracking system for the purpose of allowing customers to trace their products any time of the day. Edwards, J.B., McKinnon, A.C. & Cullinane, S.L. (2010) provided that failed deliveries can cause a lot of inconvenience and highly uneconomical for both the customers, logistics service providers and retailers. According to the studies, a 100% successful first-time delivery would incur a CO2 emission of 98g for urban deliveries. This, however, increases to 110g of CO2 emission for a 12.5% delivery failure. Song, L., Cherrett, T. & Guan, W. (2011) suggested reducing failed deliveries by using a network of collection / delivery points (such as in petrol stations, convenience stores, post  officers etc) in nearby neighborhoods as alternative delivery destination. Keeping failed deliveries to a low number would limit the amount of CO2 emission to the lowest possible level. In this â€Å"To-Be† process, an upgraded ordering system coupled with an online tracking system for customers to track their parcels and finally providing an alternative pickup location instead of having the hassle of arranging for future delivery trips will improve the transactional process which is according to the expectations of the customer. This will improve their perception of NTUC. PART 3 In Part 1, we identified the challenges NTUC faced when operating the online retail and delivery system. Appropriate solutions were put up with the aim to improve these challenges. Part 2 looked at the changes that need to be made to the business process. In Part 3, we will be looking at how NTUC translate performance objectives into operation priorities and subsequently, how NTUC measures its performance and recommend further improvements to ensure the success of the new system. Implementing a Performance Measurement System For NTUC to succeed into achieving its performance objectives, a performance measurement system needs to be put in place. The Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan R.S. and Norton D.P., 1992) will be used for this purpose. Besides deciding and measuring performance, Sharma, A. (2009), in his research findings reported that the balanced scorecard can also help NTUC manage the strategies that require implementation and improvement so that the retailer’s long term goals are meet. Valmohammadi, C. and Servati, A. (2010) stated that it is very important to allow all managers, in this case all the Business Functions Managers in NTUC, participate in the performance measurement process. This is because implementation at various functions requires the expertise and active  participation of every functional levels in company. Balanced Scorecard of NTUC NTUC should start with an assessment of the company’s mission and vision; and working together with its functional managers identifies key objectives. SWOT analysis can be performed to eliminate the weaknesses and threats that NTUC is exposed to. NTUC will then develop the balanced scorecard (Appendix 5) which according to Sharma, A. (2009) helps each function teams understand and work towards its shared vision. The balanced scorecard depict the objectives, measures, targets and appropriate initiatives that are put in place to assess the performance around 4 broad areas (Kaplan R.S. and Norton D.P., 1992), namely financial, customers, learning and growth and internal business processes. Financial Perspectives: The reason why NTUC would take up the recommendations to upgrade the suggested systems is ultimately to achieve financial returns. Without a doubt, the financial perspectives of this balanced scorecard would focus on measuring the revenue, profit and also to increase the online market share of the retail business. The indicator for revenue and profit can be retrieved from NTUC’s Annual Report. NTUC’s growth average revenue growth for the past 3 years average 8.91%. Hence, a 9% growth is recommended as target for the company. Figure 5: Deriving the Revenue Targets for NTUC (Source: NTUC Fairprice Annual Reports) Based on the Annual Report, the profit achieved has been consistently at approximately $120 million for 2010, 2011 and 2013. Hence, using these 3 years as benchmark, we propose NTUC to set a target of maintaining the profit level at S$125 million. Figure 6: Deriving Profit Margins for NTUC (Source: NTUC Fairprice Annual  Reports) According to a market report in UK (Thomas, J., 2010), sales in online retailing is expected to increase by 34.4% in 2014 compared to 2013. Online sales are also expected to increase to 12.4% of the total retail market. Basing on this forecast, NTUC could consider targeting to achieve an increase an online market share of 12% for 2014. Figure 7: Forecast UK Online Food and Drinks Market by Value, 2009 to 2014 (Source: just-food) Customers Perspectives: From the customers perspective, NTUC decided to upgrade its online retailing and delivery process is so that it could satisfy its online customers (Ruby, R.D. & Zhao, M., 2010) and ensure that they return again for their next purchase. Hence, it is necessary that NTUC tracks its performance on customers’ usage of its online site. With an easier to surf online ordering system that NTUC would be investing, it becomes necessary for the retailer to track its customers’ traffic flows on the internet (Gunawan, G., F, E. & King, M., 2008) as this gives the company an indication if it is successful in building customers’ awareness and loyalty of its online retail service. In their study, Edwards, J., Makinnon, A. and Cullinane, S. (2011) reported that 38% of internet users access online food and grocery websites and this is likely to increase another 66% in he near future to 63%. We recommend targeting a 66% increase in online visitors as a performance measurement. Another performance measure would be to generate a report to derive the ratio of returning customers against its total online customer base. A target of 25% increase in online customer base is recommended which is in line with Jessica, L. (2011)’s report that the number of customers at NTUC has increased by an average of 25% every year. Learning and Growth Perspectives: The objectives on learning and growth focus on increasing the employees’ knowledge know-how of the new improved systems. With the implementation of the online order and tracking systems, NTUC need to ensure that its staffs undergo adequate trainings (Hoi, Y.C. and Alex W.H. Chan, 2012) to keep themselves up-to-date of what the new technology is able to achieve which allows them to handle challenges that arised in the future. As recommended by Lai, W.H. (2010), NTUC should budget 1% of its annual payroll to staff training and development. With improved system knowledge, NTUC’s employees would be able to make suggestions on how the business processes can be improved (Wilson, G., DuPlessis, A. and Marx, A., 2010). Adequate trainings (Tan, K. & Newman, E., 2012) also ensure NTUC’s employees are able to increase their productivity levels and NTUC should seek to achieve a 20% (Pollitt, D. 2012) increase in orders per head every month. Internal Business Processes Perspectives: In order to ensure the successful implementation of the proposed new systems, NTUC needs to ensure its internal functional teams are able to work seamlessly together. To measure the performance of its internal business processes, we propose NTUC to track the delivery success, product returns and ultimately the level of CO2 emission. Unsuccessful deliveries can be very costly and inefficient for companies. Edwards, J., Makinnon, A. and Cullinane, S. (2009 and 2011) reported that approximately 30% of home deliveries failed for the first time and that between 25-30% of online purchases were returned to the retailer as compared to 6-10% in traditional shopping environments. Therefore, with implementation of the online ordering and tracking system, NTUC targets to achieve at least 80% success rate in its first time delivery and less than 25% returns of customers’ orders. Another recommended measure is to reduce the CO2 emission of NTUC’s delivery services. Assuming that 25-30% of the online purchases were returned as mentioned above by Edwards, J., Makinnon, A. and Cullinane, S. (2009 and  2011), the CO2 emission according to Edwards, J.B., McKinnon, A.C. & Cullinane, S.L. (2010) is 123g. NTUC should set its performance measurement target to reduce CO2 emission to 110g. Figure 8: Emissions (gCO2) per item including Failed Delivery Rates (Source: Edwards, J.B., McKinnon, A.C. and Cullianane, S.L., 2010) CONCLUSION In conclusion, this paper analysed the business operations of NTUC in their online retail and delivery service. Key challenges relating to availability of the intended purchased products online, timeliness of delivery and the conditions of the products as a result of the delivery was identified. Adopting a business operations management approach, we recommend NTUC to implement an integrated online ordering and tracking system to improve the retail business processes and eventually to increase customers’ confidence in its online retail business. At the same time, to ensure the purchase quality is well-maintained for the customers, NTUC should seek to reduce its delivery failure rates for the home delivery service. Establishing a network of collection / delivery points could help achieve the objective. Finally, this paper proposed using the balanced scorecard as a performance measurement tool to ensure that all business functions and managers work towards achieving NTUC’s strategy and vision of this new system. REFERENCES 1.Behjati, S. and Othaman, S.N. (2012): What Drives Consumers’ Online Shopping? Conceptual Review of Online Shopping Attributes Investigated in Previous Studies, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, Vol. 3: No. 12, pp. 297-311 2.Checkland, P (1981): Systems Thinking, Systems, Practice, Chichester, John Wiley & Sons Ltd 3.Edwards, J., Makinnon, A. and Cullinane, S. 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