Economic and Ethical Issues of Pricing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic and Ethical Issues of Pricing - Essay Example Using prices may be because every company wants to gain and retain competitive edge at a price level. Pricing cannot be done in isolation considering that there are number of economic issues in the business environment that firms must take into consideration before setting up prices in order to remain relevant (Devan, 2011). Key economic issues that may affect a business’s pricing strategy include but not limited to level of competition, recession, demand, cost of services, elasticity and government policy. The level of competition will definitely affect the organization’s preferred pricing strategy (Martins, 2010). The tax advisory firm is already facing competition from non-CPA market competitors and do-it-yourself tax-preparation software packages. Provided you are not a market a leader in the industry, competitive pricing will always have a great impact on your service prices. This is because market leaders are renowned for establishing standard prices against which comparisons will be made on other services price offering. It is the wish of every company to sell its services with a high margin but unfortunately, this is not possible in a highly competitive market as existing competitors are likely to offer identical services at considerably lower price. When trying to set prices as in our case where the tax advisory firm is already facing competition, it is not worthwhile to avoid competitors. Devan (2011) asserts that this is because an intense competition will always increase flexibility of company price offering. It is advisable, that the decision to compete with lower price offering should cautious, because competitors often respond with lower prices if they perceive negative impact of your low prices on market share. The level of market demand is another important issue that can affect pricing strategy of products/service (Devan, 2011). Demand in this case refers to the quantity of product that the client is willing and ready to pay for. In case demand exceeds available supply, in our case being service offering then there tend to be an increased rush for the few available service providers and this is likely to inflate product prices. According to Martins (2010), business enjoys when demand is very high in the industry, as this will not significantly influence service prices unlike in situation where demand is low with a high number of suppliers in the market. Recession will often have an impact on the pricing strategy of an organization. During recession, companies tend to set their prices low owing to the consumers low spending power. Clients often demand for lower prices during recession than in normal economic and this force business to cut down their prices to be attractive to clients and avoid closing down owing to lack of business. Elasticity is a vital consideration when designing an organizations pricing. A firm must consider the reaction of clients to its products in case of changes in prices. A high ela stic product/service is that which a slight increase in price will discourage consumers and thus low demand (Devan, 2011). Inelastic products are those, whose demand is not affected by the changes in prices whether upwards or downward. A company needs to consider the type of service offering t

Architecture and culture in italy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Architecture and culture in italy - Essay Example For this reason, even authors such as Ernest Hemingway, notorious for his brevity and deceptively simple-sounding stories, can reveal much about the areas they write about. In the novel Across the River and Into the Trees, written in 1950, Hemingway provides a great deal of detail about Italy both in what he says and in what he doesn't say. The story begins with a morning of duck hunting. The protagonist emerges slowly, simply called the shooter at first. His personality is the first thing that becomes known about him as it is revealed through his words with the boatman, his thoughts and his actions. Although coarse and irritable, he is also gentle in his treatment of others and his appreciation of beauty. This is seen in his irritation with the boatman as they work through the ice of the canal, "Get your back in it, jerk" (3) as compared to his understanding of the same man at the end of the book once the Colonel realizes it was his military jacket that set the man off. Throughout t he novel, most of which is a flashback to the days just prior to the duck hunt, the people of Italy are consistently referred to as polite and more honest than people elsewhere: "It's a tougher town than Cheyenne when you really know it, and everybody is very polite" (35). Yet there are continual hints that things are not quite as idyllic as the Colonel wants to picture it. Such an instance is introduced in scenes such as the one where the Colonel, then a general, knocked two men unconscious for having the impertinence to whistle at Renata at an even earlier time period or the scene in which he finds it necessary to scare two punks away from him by pretending to be carrying pistols in his pockets as he walks around Venice with Renata's family emeralds in his pocket. The Colonel's ability to appreciate the beauty of the landscape around him also helps to reveal the character and geography of Italy. This initial landscape is seen as particularly inhospitable, though, full of icy canal s and tall grasses - giving an impression of a frozen marshland. It is expanded as the Colonel and his driver make their way across country as "one farm blended, almost blurred, into another farm and you could only see what was far ahead and moving toward you" (14) and given texture as the driver starts to talk about the artists of the country, such as Titian: "if he painted any pictures of that country up around there, with those sunset color rocks and the pines and the snow and all the pointed steeples" (15-16). This glimpse of the country is also given a dual nature as the Colonel approaches the city, looking out at the flat canal-lined boulevard that they're following and remembering the ghastly scene of soldiers bodies, bloated and floating on unmoving water in those canals and yet also observing the peaceful, gentle motion of a sail from one of the barges moving slowly through one of those canals. This image of Italy finally opens up into the streets of Venice with the mention of St. Mark Square and the Colonel relives his last day with his girl, a 20-year-old native beauty in a segment that takes up most of the bulk of the book. In this consistent representation of the dual nature of both the people and the place, the book is very much in keeping with the historical era in which it was written. The second World War had just ended in which many of the older men fighting had already seen their share

Expansion and Merger Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Expansion and Merger - Research Paper Example But empirical evidence points to the fallacy of this theory. As it is, government intervention is only sought when there is a major economic crisis, like during the 2008 Wall Street crash. It is a bit unfair for the general population that tax-payer money is doled out to greedy corporations when they are in trouble. At the same time, during the boom their behavior is not regulated in the name of Laissez-faire. The activities of the financial services industry being the cause for the current economic slowdown, it would be prudent to call for greater government regulation in this area. The prospects and possibilities of Armor Bank for further expansion will have to be weighed in the broader context of the stability and long-term sustainability of the economy. 2. Justify the rationale for the intervention of government in the market process in the U.S. The American economy had always seen cycles of boom and bust. It is fair to say that the domestic and economic policies framework of var ious American Presidents of past have been generally business friendly and thereby been lax on regulation. The most recent economic crisis witnessed across the world was precipitated by financial institutions in the United States. The collapse of the Lehman Brothers in 2008 brought to light the reckless and greedy decision making of top executives in this industry, leading to the inevitable collapse. In this context, the idea of regulation as a legislative means to â€Å"encourage the things society as a whole likes (such as economic development) and discourage the things it doesn't (thus, the sin tax)† (Rosenzweig, 2007) is the way to go. As globalization and technology advance, â€Å"financial institutions become the focus of additional regulation; new regulations might be seen as a way of thwarting money laundering, achieving community development goals, or channelling credit to needy borrowers, for example. Such uses are legitimate reasons that lead regulation toward its true mission - to help establish the boundaries within which an industry can operate." (Jordan, 2001) In the prevailing regulatory environment in the United States, there are only limited hurdles for corporate consolidation. This means that there is a constant flux of merger & acquisition activities in corporate America. But such a free reign had not helped strengthen the general economy, beyond the private sector. Hence, there is credence to the view that greater control should be exerted over M&A activities. This is especially true with respect to the financial services sector that bears major culpability for the current decline of the economy. 3. Assuming that the merger faces some threats and that the industry decides on self-expansion as an alternative strategy, describe the additional complexities that would arise under this new scenario of expansion via capital projects. Expansion via capital projects is a relatively more challenging exercise than finding opportunities for m ergers. Yet, this could be achieved via starting operations in new and unexplored verticals within the financial services sector. In the context of Armor Bank, if the company could consolidate itself into a financial holding company, new opportunities for growth beckon, including â€Å"banking and insurance, investment and commercial banking, mortgage banking, trusts, and annuities†¦even the lines between banking and commerce blur." (Jordan, 2001) But managing a broad portfolio will bring

Redevelopment of Ratho Station Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Redevelopment of Ratho Station - Essay Example One such initiative is to link Ratho station region with BAA, Edinburgh. The components of transportation units proposed composed of combination of tram network supported by cycle ways and car ways. Also, the main access to the Ratho station road cannot presently accommodate huge impact. As a result, it is proposed to construct new road which will link the new road to the Glasgow road. Further, to regulate the traffic flow would be by using separate lanes for both entry into the station and also for exist from the station. This one way network would consist of the proposed road to the station to carry vehicles towards the station and the exist and the station road for those moving out of the station. Installation of proper road signs and display boards , road markings and clear way signs all need to be indicated properly. Also, the display signs shall also incorporate better reflective type of materials to improve visibility in the case of winter and foggy days. The thrust for sustainable development initiatives in the Ratho region have forced the authorities to consider different policies that limit the public using large number of private vehicles. This have forced the regional council to decide not to provide extended car parking facility at the station premises (Edinburgh, n.d.). Thus a few spaces need to be earmarked for the disabled for whom such facilities need to be appropriately provided. The best location identified for such cases is at the main entrance of the station itself. It is estimated that nearly 10 numbers of parking spaces shall be provided as the disabled car parking facility at the main Ratho station entrance. And, to easy movement of the disabled passengers from the parking space to the platform separate wide footway along with the ramp need to be constructed. Such facilities would make Ratho station to be accessed by all in the society without much difficulty. Public transportation The existing facilities for public transportation at the Ratho station region is very minimal. The service of the buses is limited to trip generated by single route available in the region. The prevailing route is the network lining Ratho village, Ratho station and Edinburgh Airport. Thus the initiative to reduce private vehicles also makes the administration to look for increased number of public buses along these routes. Another recommendation being presented to the change the trip frequency to 10 to 15 minutes as a result of which better comfort for public would be experienced. Another major development in connection with the public transportation facility is implementing effective tram network in Ratho region. The major drawback often stated against the trams are its very low travel speed and the obstructions caused by their overhead wires. Thus a concept of underground tram network is mooted in the planning discussions. The route proposed as part of the development initiative w ould start from north side of Ratho station. It would then run parallel to the entry road and later separate to move beneath the Glasgow road through the tunnel. The tram way extends further along the Glasgow road and continues up the airport and finally closes at the new tram station. As large number of heavy vehicles are also expected to pass this region necessary facilities are also

Brabantio Protests the Marriage of His Daughter Essay

Brabantio Protests the Marriage of His Daughter - Essay Example This essay would therefore like to determine whether Othello is doomed to fall because of his position as a Black, or because he is merely an outsider. But even with the second option, the play would demonstrate xenophobic tendencies. What was the attitude of Shakespeare’s England to Blacks? England first â€Å"encountered† Blacks sometime in the sixteenth century, probably around 1554 (Orkin 166). By 1601, however, there must have been enough rise in the Black population for Elizabeth I to have noticed and criticized the â€Å"great numbers of Negars and blackamoors which are crept into† England (Jones 12). There was therefore, already a culture of mistrust against the Moors in England. The word â€Å"black† at the time had many different, negative associations of evil, as the OED suggests. However, Shakespeare may not have been part of this attitude. Aaron in Titus Andronicus is still a racial stereotype, but by the time Shakespeare writes Merchant of Ve nice, he is ready to present a more dignified Moor (Orin167).

Marketing-Santa Fe Grill SPSS Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Marketing-Santa Fe Grill SPSS Analysis - Essay Example Summary statistics for some questions of interest are presented hereunder. The main objectives of this survey were as follows; The average frequency of eating at Joses Southwestern Cafà © was about 4 days per week while at Santa Fe Grill was approximately 3 days per week. Table 1 provides a breakdown of respondents’ frequency of eating for the two restaurants. 33.6% of respondents very frequently had meals at Joses Southwestern Cafà © as compared to 15.8% that very frequently had meals at Santa Fe grill. This is a confirmation of the dwindling customers for Santa fee grill. The pie charts below show the distribution of age by type of restaurant. From the chart, we can see that majority of the customers are aged between 35 and 49. This is true for both Santa Fe Grill and Jose’s Southwestern Cafà © restaurant. To be noted is the fact that Santa Fe has fewer customers aged between 26 and 43 than its competitor. Table 1c below shows the distribution of the number of children customers have at home for the two restaurants. This factor is believed to influence the type of restaurant one chooses to dine at. From the results, we can see that majority of Joses Southwestern Cafes’ customers (44.7%) have 1-2 children at home whereas the case of Santa Fe Grill majority of their customers has no children at home. In order to see if there is an association between a number of children at home and restaurant, a Pearson chi-square test was done and the results presented in table 1d show that at 5% level of significance, this association exists and it’s statistically significant. Table 1e presents results of a cross-tabulation of employee friendliness and restaurant. From the summary statistics, we learn that majority of customers at Santa Fe Grill (40.7%) disagree that the employees of the restaurant are friendly.  

Study Guide for Green Lab Book Exam Essay Example for Free

Study Guide for Green Lab Book Exam Essay This study guide does not cover all of the material on your test. This review is meant to be a starting point to help you remember the major ideas that we covered in class. Be sure to also review the information in your notebook, lab book, and returned quizzes and tests. 1. What is ecology? The scientific study of how living things interact with each other and their environment. 2. What are the ABCs of Ecology? Abiotic, Biotic, and Cycles 3. What are the characteristics and needs of living things? Needs: Water, food, sunlight, shelter Characteristics: movement, respiration, nutrition, irritability, growth, excretion, reproduction, death 4. Arrange the following from smallest to largest: population, biome, organism, community, ecosystem. Organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biome. Ecosystems: 1. Define the following: a. niche- the role of an organism in an ecosystem. b. decomposer- an organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter. c. producer- an organism that captures energy from sunlight and transforms it into chemical energy cccccccc cthat’s stored in energy-rich carbon compounds. Producers are a source of food for other organisms. d. consumer- a living thing that gets its energy by eating other living things in a food chain. e. limiting factor- a factor or condition that prevents the continuing growth of a pop. in an ecosystem 2. What do the arrows in food chains or webs mean? Eaten by, gives energy to 3. The level of the energy pyramid with the most energy contains what type of organisms? How much energy is transferred each time you move up a level? The level that has most energy are the producers which are plants. 10% of the energy is transferred each time NJyou move up a level. 4. What is . . . a qualitative observation, a quantitative observation, and an inference? Qualitative- describing the appearance of something using words. Quality/look Quantitative- using numbers and words to describe something. Quantity/number Inference- a logical conclusion drawn from the available evidence and prior knowledge or observations. 5. Symbiosis – Define each term and give an example a) mutualism- an interaction between two species in which both benefit. (Flowers and bees) b) parasitism- a relationship between two species in which one species is harmed while the other benefits. Xxxxx(Tapeworms and host) c) commensalism- an interaction between two species in which one species benefits without harming the dffffffother. (Moss and trees) 6. Describe the process of succession. Primary: 1. Retreating glaciers expose bare rock where nothing lives. 2. Lichens appear and when they die, particles break down the rock and soil is made. 3. After a lot of years, there is a lot of soil. Other organisms appear like moss and insects. 4. When more soil is made, there are ferns, flowers, shrubs, and small trees 5. After many years there is enough soil to support a forest. Secondary: 1. A disturbance occurs in an area and the organisms no longer live there. Soon though, crabgrass grows. 2. Then more weeds begin to grow. 3. After about ten years, pine trees grow and after 100 years, a forest may form. 4. Pines may be replaces by hardwoods. Photosynthesis and Respiration: 1. What is photosynthesis? Where does it happen? In what type of organisms? When does it happen? Photosynthesis is the process by which green  plants and other producers use simple compounds and energy ddfrom light to make sugar, and energy-rich compound in the leaf of the plant. It happens during the day. 2. What is the formula for photosynthesis? Underline the reactants and circle the products. 6CO2 + 6H2O + SUN ENERGY C6H12O6 + 6O2 3. How do they enter and leave the plant? CO2: leavesstomaspongy layerpalisadechloroplastchlorophyll H2O: rootsstemleavesxylempalisadechloroplastchlorophyll 4. What is respiration? Where does it happen? In what type of organisms? When does it happen? Cellular Respiration is a process in which cells use oxygen to release energy stored in sugars. Takes place in the mitochondria. It happens all the time. 5. What is the formula for respiration? Underline the reactants and circle the products. C6H12O6 + 6O2 ATP + 6CO2 + 6H2O Biomes: 1. List the major characteristics of the six land biomes and 2 water biomes. In which biome do we live? We live in the Temperate Deciduous Forest. a. Desert- A region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation.| e. Taiga- A type of forest characterized by cone-bearing, needled- leaf trees. It is also known as Evergreen Forest.| b. Freshwater- Defined as having a low salt concentration usually less than 1%. Plants and animals in freshwater regions are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration.| f. Temperature Deciduous Forest- Consists of trees that lose their leaves every year. Examples include oak, maple, beech, and elm. Has all four seasons. Plants become dormant in the winter.| c. Grassland- Characterized as lands dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees.| g. Tropical Rainforest- Contains at least one-half of the worlds species of plants and animals and are dominated by tall, broad-leaved trees. Tropical rainforests are wet and hot year-round and have nutrient poor soil. Found @ the equator.| d. Marine- A biome consisting of waters containing 3.5% salt on average; includes the oceans and covers more than 70% of the Earths surface; divided  into benthic and pelagic zones.| h. Tundra- A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen.| Chesapeake Bay/Watershed: 1. Which 6 states are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? 2743 km2 Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. 2. Define the following: a. tributary- a stream or other body of water, surface or underground, which intermittently contributes its aaaaaaaaawater in small quantities to another larger stream or body of water. b. estuary- the lower end of a river where it meets the ocean and freshwater and saltwater mix. c. watershed- an area or region drained by a river, river system, or other body of water. 3. What are the 2 critical roles oysters play in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem? Oysters are filter feeders, consuming phytoplankton and improving water quality while filtering the water for food. As generations of oysters settle on top of each other and grow they form reefs that provide structured habitat for many fish species and crabs. Oysters also improve dissolved oxygen. 4. What are the roles of SAV? They provide underwater life with food and habitat, absorb nutrients, trap sediment, reduce erosion, and add oxygen to the water. They are an excellent measure of the Bay’s overall condition because their health is closely linked with the Bay’s health. 5. What are the roles of wetlands? Wetlands are transitional areas between land and water. While some wetlands are noticeably wet, others do not always have visible water. An area is defined as a wetland based on its soils and vegetation. All wetlands are dominated by hydrophytes, which are plants that are adapted for life in wet soils. Wetlands also have hydric soils, which are soils that are periodically saturated or flooded. Water Quality Factors: 1. What can affect the temperature of water? The shallowness of the water, the air, and the shade. 2. Draw a simple pH scale. What is neutral? _7_ the most basic? _14_the most acidic? _1_ Basic 3. Why is dissolved oxygen needed in water? How does the oxygen get into the water? Just as we need air to breathe, aquatic organisms need dissolved oxygen to respire. It is necessary for the survival of fish, invertebrates, bacteria, and underwater plants. DO is also needed for the decomposition of organic matter. There are three ways that oxygen gets dissolved into water. One is by diffusion, when oxygen diffuses into the water directly from the air above it. Next is aeration, this can be cased by wave action of water spilling over rocks and waterfalls or you aerator. And the third is by waste products of plants. Aquatic plants produce oxygen as a waste product of photosynthesis and this dissolves into the water. 4. What causes the uncontrolled growth of green algae in the Bay? What is the name for this process? Nitrites act as fertilizer for aquatic plants such as algae and contribute to the sequence of events called eutrophication. An excess of nitrates causes algae to grow and cover the entire surface of the water. The plants that grow underwater do not get enough sunlight so they die and begin to decompose. Eventually the algae will die and be decomposed by bacteria in the water. Decomposition and the lack of green plants resultfin a decreased amount of oxygen in the water. Without enough oxygen, fish and other organisms will die.