Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Federalism and Constitution Essay

Federalism and Constitution Essay Federalism and Constitution Essay I am on the side of the federalists. Federalists believed that the constitution was perfect the way it was. Antifederalist disagreed and preferred a weaker government. â€Å"In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.† I think in this quote it stresses why the constitution had to be made the way it was. First off we needed a document which could control the people but also control the government. The constitution was basically a written description of how the government was going to run. This way having it all written out would be easier to make sure power was not abused. â€Å"All men of sense will agree in the necessity of an energetic executive †¦ The ingredients which constitute energy in the executive are unity; duration; an adequate provision for its support; and competent powers.† I think this was maybe a slight to the antifederalists since it states that â€Å"all men of sense† would agree that the constitution was necessary. I think the part about it being a unity is also in support of the constitution. The constitution wants the power to be spread between different branches of the government. The antifedralists believed the state should have the most authority. I agree with these quotes. They are all pro constitution which is exactly my stance. I do feel that the constitution was necessary. The articles

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Explaining the Start of Apartheid in South Africa

Explaining the Start of Apartheid in South Africa The doctrine of apartheid (separateness in Afrikaans) was made law in South Africa in 1948, but the subordination of the black population in the region was established during European colonization of the area. In the mid-17th century, white settlers from the Netherlands drove the Khoi and San people out of their lands and stole their livestock, using their superior military power to crush resistance. Those who were not killed or driven out were forced into slave labor. In 1806, the British took over the Cape Peninsula, abolishing slavery there in 1834 and relying instead on force and economic control to keep the Asian and Africans in their places. After the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, the British ruled the region as the Union of South Africa and the administration of that country was turned over to the local white population. The Constitution of the Union preserved long-established colonial restrictions on black political and economic rights. The Codification of Apartheid During World War II, a vast economic and social transformation occurred as a direct result of white South African participation. Some 200,000 white males were sent to fight with the British against the Nazis, and at the same time, urban factories expanded to make military supplies. The factories had no choice but to draw their workers from rural and urban African communities. Africans were legally prohibited from entering cities without proper documentation and were restricted to townships controlled by the local municipalities, but strict enforcement of those laws overwhelmed the police and they relaxed the rules for the duration of the war. Africans Move Into the Cities As increasing numbers of rural dwellers were drawn into urban areas, South Africa experienced one of the worst droughts in its history, driving nearly a million more South Africans into the cities. Incoming Africans were forced to find shelter anywhere; squatter camps grew up near major industrial centers but had neither proper sanitation nor running water. One of the largest of these squatter camps was near Johannesburg, where 20,000 residents formed the basis of what would become Soweto. The factory workforce grew by 50 percent in the cities during WWII, largely because of expanded recruitment. Before the war, Africans had been prohibited from skilled or even semi-skilled jobs, legally categorized as temporary workers only. But the factory production lines required skilled labor, and the factories increasingly trained and relied on Africans for those jobs without paying them at the higher skilled rates. Rise of African Resistance During World War II, the African National Congress was led by Alfred Xuma (1893-1962), a medical doctor with degrees from the United States, Scotland, and England. Xuma and the ANC called for universal political rights. In 1943, Xuma presented the wartime Prime Minister Jan Smuts with Africans Claims in South Africa, a document which demanded full citizenship rights, fair distribution of the land, equal pay for equal work, and the abolishment of segregation. In 1944, a young faction of the ANC led by Anton Lembede and including Nelson Mandela formed the ANC Youth League, with stated purposes for the invigorating of an African national organization and developing forceful popular protests against segregation and discrimination. Squatter communities set up their own system of local government and taxation, and the Council of Non-European Trade Unions had 158,000 members organized in 119 unions, including the African Mine Workers Union. The AMWU struck for higher wages in the gold mines and 100,000 men stopped work. There were over 300 strikes by Africans between 1939 and 1945, even though strikes were illegal during the war. Anti-African Forces Police took direct action, including opening fire on demonstrators. In an ironic twist, Smuts had helped write the Charter of the United Nations, which asserted that the people of the world deserved equal rights, but he did not include non-white races in his definition of people, and eventually South Africa abstained from voting on the charters ratification. Despite South Africas participation in the war on the side of the British, many Afrikaners found the Nazi use of state socialism to benefit the master race attractive, and a Neo-Nazi grey-shirt organization formed in 1933, which gained increasing support in the late 1930s, calling themselves Christian Nationalists. Political Solutions Three political solutions for suppressing the African rise were created by different factions of the white power base. The United Party (UP) of Jan Smuts advocated the continuation of business as usual, that complete segregation was totally impractical but said there was no reason to give Africans political rights. The opposing party (Herenigde Nasionale Party or HNP) led by D.F. Malan had two plans: total segregation and what they termed practical apartheid. Total segregation argued that that Africans should be moved back out of the cities and into their homelands: only male migrant workers would be allowed into the cities, to work in the most menial jobs. Practical apartheid recommended that the government intervene to establish special agencies to direct African workers to employment in specific white businesses. The HNP advocated total segregation as the eventual ideal and goal of the process but recognized that it would take many years to get African labor out of the cities and factories. Establishment of Practical Apartheid The practical system included complete separation of races, prohibiting all intermarriage between Africans, Coloureds, and Asians. Indians were to be repatriated back to India, and the national home of Africans would be in the reserve lands. Africans in urban areas were to be migratory citizens, and black trade unions would be banned. Although the UP won a significant majority of the popular vote (634,500 to 443,719), because of a constitutional provision that provided greater representation in rural areas, in 1948 the NP won a majority of seats in the parliament. The NP formed a government led by D.F. Malan as PM, and shortly thereafter practical apartheid became the law of South Africa for the next forty years. Sources Clark NL, and Worger WH. 2016. South Africa: The Rise and Fall of Apartheid. London: Routledge.Hinds LS. 1985. Apartheid in South Africa and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Crime and Social Justice 24:5-43.Lichtenstein A. 2005. Making Apartheid Work: African Trade Unions and the 1953 Native Labour (Settlement of Disputes) Act in South Africa. The Journal of African History 46(2):293-314.Skinner R. 2017. The dynamics of anti-apartheid: international solidarity, human rights . Britain, France and the Decolonization of Africa: Future Imperfect? London: UCL Press. p 111-130.and decolonization

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marbury v Madison Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marbury v Madison - Coursework Example In deciding the case the court stated that Marbury had the right to have the appointment however the court had no power to force him to do so. This decision elevated the power of the Judiciary to being the final arbiter in constitutional matters and thus an empowerment to the judicial fraternity. A contrary decision would mean that the congress was the ultimate decision maker and thus would have weakened the judicial power and given the congress higher position on legal matters. Justice John Marshall had to side with Marbury considering that he had been the previous secretary of state who was part of issuing the appointments to Marbury and hence his working ought to have been respected by his successor Madison. Further, Marshall had to protect the position of the Judiciary as the chief justice and set a precedent of the Courts as the final arbiter and constitutional watchdog. The court was not convicted that if they compelled the congress to issue the commission it would have complied with the same. To protect itself from any form of embarrassment and a point that it would have created a notion in the public that it was not as powerful as they knew it was prudent that the court stated that the although Marbury was entitled to the appointment but it could not force the congress to grant the appointment. The court has power to force compliance however this is made use of carefully. Where such order may embarrass the power of the court, the courts have always given reasons why they opt not to pursue the same. Where a writ of Mandamus is advanced by the court and the person being compelled ignores the same, it embarrass the power of the court and makes it look powerless. This explains the careful decision of the Supreme Court in Marbury vs. Madison. (Van Alstyne, W. W., & Marshall, J., 1969 p.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Letrery anaylesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letrery anaylesis - Essay Example As the author, John Updike sets the story in an ordinary environment, where people have become accustomed to the monotony of everyday life. Sammy and the other attendants are used to serving grumpy customers, for example that woman who is at the counter when the three girls come in. Sammy describes her as â€Å"†¦one of those cash-register-watchers, a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Updike 31). This kind of setting makes the girls stand out from the rest of the crowd, thus making Sammy mesmerized (Updike 32). The characters in the story are also well presented to fit their roles. For instance, Sammy is portrayed as a light-hearted teenager who is naturally attracted to the sight of the half-clothed girls. Sammy’s colleague Stokesie is portrayed as a young man who is forced to be responsible due to the fact he is married and has two kids. The most interesting character is Queenie who is the leader of the girls and is the epitome of beauty in a woman. Her beauty and the way she carries herself is enough to cause Sammy to quit his job in protest after Lengel embarrasses the girls because of their dressing. Updike uses a lot of imagery to add flavor to the story. For example, the herring snacks and beer glasses are used to show how rich the girls are, to be able to afford all those items. Updike also uses imagery to give the reader a clear picture of how the old people are stubborn. For example, Sammy talks about the old witch whose feathers he has to smooth. On the contrary, Queenie symbolizes beauty, and all that a woman should have (Updike

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Impact of ICT on an Adult in Employment Essay Example for Free

The Impact of ICT on an Adult in Employment Essay My Dad needs his laptop in order to run his weekend disc jockey business. These needs include keeping up to date and accurate computerised accounts of booking forms, receipts and other references. He also keeps the CD collection stored on the Laptop. It is essential that he uses his laptop to run his disc jockey business. The above reasons are a good example of why he has a Laptop rather than a Desktop computer because he can use the laptop while he is on the move. The Intel Centrino mobile technology enables my Dad to connect to the Internet without any wires. He has also used the Laptop to produce a user friendly website to advertise our business on the web as well as in the Yellow Pages. He also makes regular price and administrative changes to the website in order to keep in competition with other local DJs around the area. My Dad also updates the website in design and layout, as well as including new pages and photos. This enables customers to browse the website to see our set up and how the business is run. They can then book at disco online and my Dad checks the e-mail to see if any bookings have been received. He will then send out the correct documentation to the customer to confirm the booking. Having the Laptop has affected his working style in many ways. Before he didnt have a laptop computer, his bookings were hand written and kept in a folder. This meant that any record could have been lost or misplaced quite easily. Without the laptop computer, our advertising was limited to the Yellow Pages and leaflets only. Now, we can advertise over the net, enabling customers to see what theyre getting and booking confidentially online. Also, the cataloguing system of our CD collection was handwritten, and searching for requests was a tough task. Now, the collection is computerised and in alphabetical order. The Laptop computer meets my Dads needs well for a number of reasons. For example, it has dramatically changed his working style and the way he goes about his work. Also, he can now order CDs and disco equipment online from our Walsall and Birmingham based stockists. He can also order online motor and car electrical parts from the wholesalers, which is situated in Cannock. He also orders from other stockists around the country. It is essential that my Dad needs Sky+ because he comes home from a stressful day at work to relax in front of the television. The ordinary terrestrial television didnt suit his needs and therefore, we had Sky + installed. This is a service that allows him to record programmes while watching another. It also enables the viewer to pause, fast forward and rewind live television. As he is a busy person, he doesnt have the time to go the shops. As this service is interactive, he can order many items off the digital shopping channels, like QVC, Ideal World, Bid TV and Price Drop TV. He also books holidays off the Sky TV Travel Shop and FTN, formally Thomas Cook TV. Also, a new interactive service is coming to all Sky viewers, where they can buy groceries and everyday items from their local supermarket and have it delivered directly their house. As he has two jobs, he is a very busy person and needs to shop in the least time consuming way. The interactive and shopping channels on the digital service is an ideal way of shopping quickly and in the comfort of his own home. Sky+ meets my Dads needs well for a number of reasons. For example, when he works over, we record his favourite programmes, which he can watch when he gets home. Also, he can pause any programme while he is preparing any food or drink or if he needs the toilet. The interactive service also helps him, as he doesnt go to the shops that regularly, he can buy off the shopping channels. The majority of his purchased items arrive in good condition, but in some cases, he has had to send some of the items back to the suppliers due to damage of wrong item being sent out to him. He has also has a case where the item got sent to the wrong address and another where the item got lost in the post. My Dads phone is the current smart phone brought to you by Nokia. It has a 1-mega-pixel camera, which has a built in 4x digital zoom. These photos are stored on to the memory card and can be printed off at any Kodak Kiosk. Above all, it has a video recorder, which can record for as long as you wish. The phone also contains a built in photo and video editing package, so you can delete any unnecessary parts of your video or photo. It has an 8-mega-byte internal memory with additional add-on memory via the upgradeable memory cards you can buy at any electrical retailer. It also has Bluetooth technology, an MP3 player and the phone can synchronise with your computer via the supplied USB cable. With this cable, you can download upgrade applications for your phone. You can also download pictures, logos, videos and ringtones. Additional add-ons are available from many phone and electrical retailers to enhance the capabilities of this Nokia smart phone. My Dad needs his mobile phone for many reasons. For example, as he is a mobile DJ and is away from home due to engineering contracts, it is essential that he uses his mobile phone in order to contact friends and family via voice calling or text messaging. The above methods also enable friends and family to contact him. He also uses it to play games on it and download additional software upgrades, MP3 files, videos, pictures, games and ringtones. This enables him to keep his phone up to date with other models. His phone also has an Infra-red port, which he can challenge friends, family or other people to a game of his or their choice depending on whose phone it is. The phone also has Bluetooth wireless technology, which enables him to send any data to other Bluetooth users at high speeds, which is formally known as Quickshare. You can buy many Bluetooth accessories for the Nokia 7610. For example, my Dad has purchased a Jabra BT800 Bluetooth headset. He has brought this so he can make and receive call while he is driving. He has also brought a Hewlett Packard Bluetooth Dongle, which enables him to download additional software upgrades, MP3 files, videos, pictures, games and ringtones from his laptop. However, to enable the above devices to work, you must connect the device to the mobile phone, and perform a non-authenticity activity, which enables the two devices to connect automatically. My Dads mobile phone meets his needs well in many ways. For example, he can use the phone while he is on the go, very handy and useful to contact engineering suppliers while he is out on contract. Also, he can receive calls from potential customers who want a disco, and my Dad can give them a price of the job and send the a booking form to confirm the bookings. Most of all, he can contact friends and family, or vice versa, to see how things are going.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Can Fiction be Philosophy? Essay -- Literature Papers

This paper examines the relation between philosophy and literature through an analysis of claims made by Martha Nussbaum regarding the contribution novels can make to moral philosophy. Perhaps her most controversial assertion is that some novels are themselves works of moral philosophy. I contrast Nussbaum’s view with that of Iris Murdoch. I discuss three claims which are fundamental to Nussbaum’s position: the relation between writing style and content; philosophy’s inadequacy in preparing agents for moral life because of its reliance on rules; and the usefulness of the moral work engaged in by readers of novels. The evaluation of these claims requires a discussion of the nature of philosophy. I find that Murdoch and Nussbaum agree on the ability of literature to contribute to moral understanding, but disagree on the issue of what philosophy is. Therefore, they disagree on the question of whether certain works of fiction are also works of philosophy. I argue tha t the task Nussbaum assigns philosophy is too broad. Through the use of critical and reflective methods, philosophy should examine and sort moral claims. Literary, philosophical and religious texts contribute to moral eduction; keeping them separate helps us appreciate their distinct contributions, as well as respect their distinct aims and methods. Therefore, I conclude that Nussbaum’s inclusion of certain novels in philosophy cannot be sustained. In a recent article, Richard Posner examines the notion, advanced by scholars in the law and literature movement, that "...immersion in literature ... make[s] us better citizens or better people." (1) The focus of his discussion is a set of assertions, including a number made by Martha Nussbaum, concerning the moral influenc... ...h draws the following distinctions: literature does many things, philosophy does one thing (has one aim); literature is natural, philosophy is counter-natural; literature arouses emotion, philosophy tries to eliminate emotional appeal; literature is indirect, philosophy is direct; literature has no problem to solve, philosophy seeks to solve a few technical and abstract problems; literature is concerned with aesthetic form, philosophy does not aim at formal perfection. Murdoch says that she sees "no 'general role' of philosophy in literature" (p. 242). (15) See Frank Palmer, Literature and Moral Understanding (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), chapter 8. (16) In considering what is characteristic of philosophy, I was helped by reading Derrida and Wittgenstein, by Newton Garver and Seung-Chong Lee, (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1994), chapter 6.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Marketing Plan of Mother Energy Drink Essay

Mother is an energy drink marketed to Australians and New Zealanders by Coca-Cola. Mother was introduced in late 2006 to compete with the two leading energy drinks on the market, V and Red Bull, which then dominated the $151 million industry and accounted for 94% of sales. Mother remained unaltered on the market for 18 months. Reports emerged in mid-2008 that Coca-Cola had undertaken extensive market research to re-evaluate Mother after it failed to equal or exceed the popularity of V or Red Bull due to most consumers reporting the original formulation to be distasteful. Coca-Cola altered the formulation with respect to taste and addressed consumer dissatisfaction in regards to the ungenerous standard 250 mL can by doubling the size to 500 mL without effect on cost, thus exceeding V and Red Bull which remained 250 ml. Mission statement The mission of Coca-Cola Company is very simple and clear which is to provide products and services that meet the beverage and business needs of customers and consumers. In doing so, they will provide sound and rewarding business opportunities and benefits for customers, suppliers, distributors and communities. Vision statement In the short-term, Coca-Cola will provide the highest quality to their consumers and business partnerships and value the work satisfaction and lifestyle of each associate. In the long-term, Coca-Cola will meet shareholder needs by achieving sustainable growth, and moreover, they want to strengthen relationships with the community and their responsibility to the environment Goals In term of products, Coca-Cola Company is trying to innovate with natural sweeteners, which have the potential to lower calories per serving, and they will also continue developing products fortified with additional nutrients to meet global consumer needs. Marketing overview Market category The launch of Mother Green Storm will be accompanied by an integrated marketing communications campaign, including sampling and social media. Mother Green Storm will be available in three pack sizes: 250mL, 500mL and 4 x 250mL. The new flavor will be available at supermarkets, grocery stores, corner stores and petrol stations Australia-wide. Market size The size of energy drinks market: According to this Statistics, energy drinks only hold 1% of shares in the drinks market. Market potential Mother energy drink will reach 20 percent market share of the total energy marketing share. Marketing structure Because there are lot of energy drink in the marketing such as red bull, monster, rock star, and amp and so on so this marketing is competitive. Trend 1. 1. Economic With the development of worldwide economy, more young people can afford to drink energy. More and more care about their heather, so they will pay more money for their drinking. 5. 2 Technology Energy drink is not like normal drink, it have many trace elements to replenish people which they loss. That need high technology to make it, the higher technology the better effect. Competitor analysis. As a famous energy drink company, Mother is a drink company marketed to Australia and New Zealand by Coca-Cola. Mother has several considerable competitors. The competitors could be classified as direct and indirect competitor. The direct competitor is like the monster, red bull, rock star and amp. The indirect competitors are like some vitamin water, sports water and coffee, which are has the similar effect as energy drink. For comparison, red bull is considered to be the most competitive energy drink. It is one of the most popular energy drink brand in the world and it is effective work. The other competitor is amp energy, which is belongs to Pepsi company. Strengths and weaknesses The form below is the Strengths and Weaknesses analysis on Mother’s significant competitors. | Red Bull Energy drink| AMP Energy drink| Strengths| 1. Many famous cooperative partner. 2. the ingredient is healthy reasonable 3. Long history. Selling well all over the world. 4. Effective work in anti-fatigue| 1. Owned by PepsiCo, has grantee of quality. 2. Many kinds of sort, multiple selection 3. good taste 4. cheaper than | Weaknesses| 1. side effect if drink too much 2. expensive 3. crisis of confidence 4. Not suit for teenager. | 1. High caffeine than most energy drink. No convenient transportation around. 2. intestines and stomach belly will disorder if drink too much 3. The durability is shorter than others| Performance The performance could be classified as the function and the quality. Mother is an energy drink marked to Australia and New Zealand. As for the function, the effect of this drink is let people feel energetic, has the energy to sports. Mother energy has the feature of durability. The quality of mother energy is also could be trustworthy. Mother is the one of the most popular local energy drink in Australia for many years. Positioning To position the market, it should be depended on the circumstance that what are the competitors doing, what are their recent imaginable actions. Energy Drink| Positioning| Red bull| 1. Red bull is doing economic sponsor for many competition for the stake of make brand more popularity2. The ingredient in red bull has been improved, in order to more suit for human body, more healthy3. They also changed the packaging to be more fashion, and let some sports star to be spokesperson. | AMP Energy drink| 1. AMP is positioning to more flavors of energy drink. Let people has more selection 2. Science 2008, AMP has sponsored NASCAR driver to spread the brand. Let more younger people drink it| Mother Energy drink| 1. Mother is the local brand in Australia, it can has more marketplace. 2. Recently, mother launched a new Energy drink variant to the market, featuring â€Å"Fuel Cap Bottle†. This drink is similar to the new mother taste and boasts mothers â€Å"8 energy ingredients† as the main push. | Buyer behavior Buying roles There are 5 roles in buying behavior, which are initiator, influencer, decider, buyer and user. * Initiator is the first person who points out the needs and wants. * Influencer is the person who influences the purchase decision. * Decider is who made final decision. * Buyer is the person who actual paid. * User is the person who used the product and the beneficiary. In this case customers who want Mother, could be these 5 roles. The buyer decision process There are 5 steps in buying process: * needs recognition * information searching * alternative evaluation * purchase decision * after purchase When people first time realize they need energy drink to provide energy, they will go to supermarket and looking for marketing information, see what market can offer them. After that, customers will compare the brands and flavor or even other criteria. In this case, people will find that Mother has lot different flavor, such as Mother Surge, Mother Lemon Bite. After they drinking, if the product performance over customer expectation, customer will be satisfied. However, if the product performance less than customer expectation, customer will be unsatisfied. People can buy Mother anywhere from the shop, supermarket or bodega Market Segmentation Market segmentation is portions of the overall market that are different from one another and it consists of consumers with similar characteristics and needs. A successful organization will understand that they cannot sell everything to everybody therefore marketing segmentation implies on the understanding of consumers and satisfy their needs better than the competition. The segmentation profile of Mother energy drink will be based on Australia such as geographical segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation as well as behavioral segmentation. Geographical| Australia is the sixth biggest territorial area in the world. It has a dispersed population where people from different places came to live in together as a nation. Its population is 23,155,161(August 2013). Moreover, the climate of Australia is tropical, being hot and humid all year, especially the middle of Australia. Thus, having the energy drink around, it cools their throat as well as providing the people with energy that is needed for some parts of the state, which requires them to work late| Demographical | The specific age group that would be interested in the drink Mother would be those from the age of 18 years old to the age of 25 years old. Due to the range of age factor, most of the target youth’s occupation is more likely to be students and working adults as well. There are still some students who take up part time jobs in order to earn more money while studying. They have got disposable income, which is used to spend on Mother, a convenience product. Mother may focuses on young men who are always in need of an energy booster in order to do bigger things. These young men would require an energy drink to stay up late at night, due to gaming, or for exercising purposes. | Psychographic| At the psychological traits, these consumers who purchases Mother, are those who belongs to the lower social class groups. These young adults ranging from the age of 18 years to 25 years old. They are young, enthusiastic, impulsive consumers, who seek to savor the new and offbeat product. They have less responsible so they can spend much of their income on trendy consumer goods and entertain themselves. Furthermore, they are active in both physical and social activities. For instance, consumers who do activities such as going to the gym, or doing sports regularly. Mother is also a form of sports drink for the sports people. As Mother portrays itself as an energy drink that could generate bigger ideas and doing bigger things as shown in the Motherland Advertisement marketed by Coca Cola, this results in consumers wanting to correlate themselves with the drink as they want to be portrayed as a capable person or a person with an energetic personality. Mother energy drink looks spanking new to young men as an all-natural drink with attitude since the branding on the cans is gothic and reminiscent of a tattoo. | Behavioural| The target market is using Mother Energy Drink as rejuvenated drink. Therefore, Mother can be aimed to offer the promotional package, which sells two 500ml cans of Mother for Woolworths and Coles. The usage rate will be leading to moderate to high user depends on their consumptions. This is because sportsmen who are constantly working out, they would be consuming more of these energy drinks to give them the energy they need while exercising. On the other hand, students who are constantly up late at night, studying, or doing leisure activities that requires them to stay up, would also consume the energy drinks in order to feel perked even in the early hours. Mother will be consumed mostly in the day and night compared to the afternoons. This is because these are the two crucial times in which these energy drinkers would need the energy to do their activities at home, a friend’s place or at the club or bar| Internal Analysis SWOT analysis is an analysis of company’s strength and weakness, also measures the opportunity within the market environment and investigates the threat that might affect their achievements. Strength 1. What does Mother do better than its competitors? And what is the advantages does Mother have over competitors?(http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=PSgusGf9OTk) Mother has opened market towards teens 2. It is clearly that this kind of videos uploaded on the internet for people who loves crazy staffs or who likes to enjoy their lives within limit life while they are young. 3. Hence, the advertisements told their audiences Mother can give your energy hit and the message sent to teens are whether you did any crazy things ‘Mother Made Me Do It’ which is interesting enough to become their advantages: grabbing Australia teens attention. Weakness 1. As long as they focus on the teens, other age group might be left out, such as housewife or ppl who already got a job, etc. 2. The limitation of targeted ppl is their weakness. other weakness such as unhealthy , as we looked up online the first news of Mother popped up as some teens got harm with drinking Mother or Mother contains more caffeine than other energy drink may cause death. Those kind of negative reports are super weakness for its sales. Opportunities 1. As we all know that Mother has developed 500ml bottle with new packaging appeared in the market. 2. This comparing with V and Red Bull’s 250ml bottle can be more cheap and enjoyable. I believe that this is capable enough to cater to public needs which then be seem as an opportunity. Treats 1. According to our previous interpret, Mother occupied 14% of the energy drinks market within Australia, which means as the market limitation mother faces more pressure and diluting of the current market. 2. Once new drinks come into the market, they will be the potential threats of diluting the drinks market. 7P’S * Product: from 2006 till now, Mother developed 7 different favours: Mother Surge, Mother Big Shot, Mother Lemon Bite, Mother Low Carb, Mother V8 Powered, Mother Frosty Berry, Mother Green Storm. All those developments can create values. * Promotion: Mother and Call-of-Duty recently joint together operating a new packing energy drink for the promotion of them both. * Place: we can see Mother energy drink in everywhere, vending machine, supermarket, local milk bar, etc. * Price: 500ml for one can is $3. 5 in the market. Comparing with 250ml V and red bull, this price is better. * Physical environment: for the product Mother, the tangible aspects are the big manufacturing companies V and Red bull. They hold most of the market shares. * Process: Mother has its Facebook, putting all activities on it for its fans to follow. * People: they have many strategic marketing methods like giving free samples in the stations, leaflets for its activities, and sponsor for music concerts.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Business Plan for a Recreational Business

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Away with the old and in with the new ‘X-Treme Gravity’ recreational park. The business is viewed as exhilarating, enjoyable and flexible. It accommodates almost all ages and different packages are designed to suit the customers’ capacity and beyond that to boost one’s confidence by motivating them to overcome their fears. The first task accomplished was the brainstorming and mind-mapping session. This was done in order to develop an exhilarating and fresh idea for recreational businesses. The factors considered for the business were divided in to two. There were the external factors that were considered such as economic factors, political factors, the socio-cultural factors and the competitors in the industry. Then, there were the internal factors considered which include: the start-up costs, the returns on investment, the assets and other resources required and the overall financial budget. The business’s main center is located in Karen within Nairobi. These premises offer several extreme and outdoor sports such as paintballing, go karting, dirt bike racing, and zorbing, among others. The business also extends their services by offering extreme sports packages for certain extreme sports that cannot be done on the premises. Therefore, the packages comprise of mountain climbing, trekking, scuba diving, snorkeling, white water rafting and sky diving to different areas within Kenya. The vision of this business is; to provide excellent customer services, build long-term relationships with the clients, create awareness & increase stipulation for the extreme sports. Various sources for the research were used, such as: The Internet, newspapers, magazines, journals, public banners, the general public, individual businessmen and successful companies. The task of SWOT analysis was much of a group contribution, whereby the group members contributed information based on their own knowledge and understanding of the business. The financial projections of the business were based on estimated values. The business interviewed companies with similar products such as, ‘Out of bounds’ and ‘Kitengela adventures, to acquire reasonable figures for costs and revenues. They were mainly interviewed via email and telephone. Our business also did surveys and face-to-face interviews. A market research was carried out to determine market growth, trends and needs. Survey objectives were determined and the questions were prepared based on these objectives. The promotional campaign was addressed and researched through a market survey. Overall, the business was seen as viable and acceptable. MISSION STATEMENT: AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE BUSINESS -Short Term goals: From 1 to 12 month of operating: a)Establish the target market and inform the target market of the products existence by 10% in the first year. )Creating a promotional and marketing plan that will fasten the awareness process by 15% in a year. c)Using discount and seasonal pricing to increase the demand of the products and services in the market by 10% in the first year. d) To develop a relationship with our customers in order to create a friendly environment and to keep them loyal to our business. This will maintain and steadily increase revenue by 5% each year. -Middle term goals: From 13 to 60months: a)Design a marketing plan that will keep our customers loyal to the business. Profits will steadily increase by 10% in a year. )Design a plan to increase our customer’s margin; revenue will increase by 9% in a year. c)Increase the profit monthly through the above plans. Profits should increase by 15 in a year. d)Receive higher returns on the investment of 12% in a year. e)Grow in the market and expand the business’s market share by 6%. f)Increase revenue and sales margins after the first year, by 10% each year thereafter. – Long-term goals: a)To expand the business by locating it in different areas to facilitate the access of our products to potential customers in those areas; revenue will increase by 15% in a year. )To design a plan that will expand the business in terms of the target market; profits will rise by 18% in a year. c)Maintain long-term relati onships with the clients and receive customer feedback. Market share will expand by 7%. d)Introduce new activities and extreme sports packages. Profits will increase by 19% in a year. e)Maximize profit margins and revenue margins by 22% in a year. f)Continue expanding in the market to eliminate any other competition. Increase market share by 10%. KEYS TO SUCCESS The essential keys to success of this business include: Create an environment for people to feel good about themselves, both physically and mentally. †¢To keep our customers comfortable by creating a relationship with them †¢Provide special activities for various holidays. †¢To insist on excellent customer assistance at all times †¢To recruit professionals in the different domains to insure customers’ satisfaction Always a follow up on the customers’ experiences in our premises and in outdoor facilities arranged by us. IDEA GENERATION When selecting an appropriate business, the group identif ied various factors and their implications on the business. EXTERNAL FACTORS CONSIDERED: Economic factors: These included factors such as inflation, unemployment, economic growth and income inequality. Each factor was considered and evaluated in order to determine the most detrimental one to the business in the market. Initial surveys and experiments show that Income inequality will affect this business the most in this market. Political factors: These include the political upheaval in the market. Another major detrimental factor to businesses in Nairobi is the political factors. Therefore, it is important to study the current political situation and the impact it will have on our business. Socio-cultural factors: These include factors such as population structure, lifestyles and behavior of the market. This was vital to consider since the nature of the business is one that has rarely been explored before and therefore, its success depends entirely on the customer behavior and lifestyles. Competition: The fewer the competitors, the easier the success of the business. Therefore, the business was selected based on the number of competitors in the market. X-Treme Gravity faces its main competition from â€Å"Out of Bounds† and â€Å"Kitengela adventures†. (Sourced from surveys) The pie chart shows which one of these factors is seen as the most detrimental in the market, especially for our business. INTERNAL FACTORS CONSIDERED: Assets and resources: The assets and resources for the business are limited, since most of the sports being done on the premises are outdoor and require, one-off payments for the main equipment. Similarly, since the business is outsourcing for the extreme sports packages, then the assets and resources required are controlled. Financial budget: The business was also selected because the preparation of the projected financial budget was not impractical. Initial start-up costs: The initial start-up costs for the business are relatively high for the new business. This is because the business is being located in Karen and the cost of acquiring lad is quite expensive. However, it is a one-off cost. Return on Investment: The return on investment is attractive. This encourages more investors to ‘pitch in’ and the success of this business highly depends on the attractiveness of the investment. Profitability: The nature of this business is very dynamic which constantly eliminates any new type of competition to this business. The business may experience high initial start up costs but these costs are likely to be recovered fully within the course of the business. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION / COMPANY SUMMARY COMPANY DESCRIPTION AND OWNERSHIP: 1. 1Company description The business is mainly accentuated around extreme sports. We provide our customers with different thrilling activities. These include: A set of activities that can be enjoyed in either the ‘X-Treme Gravity’ recreational park or outside the premises. Our premises are situated in Karen, Nairobi. This is our main center, and it will be an extreme sports recreational park. Then we extend our services by offering other extreme sports packages so that certain extreme sports such as scuba diving, skydiving, mountain climbing and white water rafting, among others, can be done in style. The extreme sports packages have been designed in such a way that it stretches out to different, unique places within Kenya that are best suited for that particular extreme sport. The main objective of this business is to provide a new way of enjoying and relaxing during leisure time to our Nairobi residents. Therefore, ‘X-Treme Gravity’ is not only an extreme sports park but also a fun park, specifically founded to add enjoyment in the lives of our customers. EXTREME SPORTS AGENTS: We extend our services as extreme sports agents and the procedure that tour business followed is: 1. 2Company Ownership After a careful analysis of all the different possible ownerships available, this company will operate as a limited company for the following advantages: a)The ordinary shareholders are the owners of our company. b)The ordinary shareholders at the AGM elect the Board of Directors. )The members of the company can vary from two till infinity (depending on the no. Of shares) d)The shares are traded on the stock exchange. e)There is a separate ‘legal entity’ from the shareholders f)There is a limited liability to shareholders. g)Funds and finance are raised through the issue of shares and redemption of debentures. (MBA Publishing Ltd, 2005) COMPANY LOCATION AND FACILTIES : This company will be located in Karen considering the atmosphere we would like to create for our customers as well as the issue of land. Extreme sports which need to be done outdoors will then have its appropriate locations where customers will either be transported there using the company’s facilities or use their private transport. Those w need to hire out our company vehicles to pick and drop them to our premises need to give a weeks advance notice, including the numbers needed to be picked. (Sourced from Kitengela Glass) The facilities included are: A cafeteria: The cafeteria is designed in a modern art style. It extends outdoors so that our customers can enjoy the outdoor breeze on a sunny day under the table umbrellas. People may also sit in the well-designed, creative loft. Changing rooms: These have been included on the premises so that the people doing the outdoor sports can change there and lock their belongings in the secure lockers in the changing rooms. Picnic site: There is a picnic site on location, which has bee well designed to fit the description of â€Å"peaceful, relaxing and scenic†. This has been specially introduced for the schools, companies and families. An area filled with nature and comfort perfectly designed specifically for the satisfaction of our customers. Go-kart and dirt bike tracks: The premises also include two separate tracks for go karting and dirt bike racing. Attention has been given to developing these tracks so that various competitions can be held on location under the categories of ‘junior karting’ and ‘team building’. Artificial rough rock wall: This has been installed on location as well for the purpose of training for rock climbing. There is one separate wall for juniors and one separate one for adults and professionals. Within this area, individuals are also trained for abseiling/ rappelling. Rope crossing/ Tarzaning/ aerial rope structures: Once again, a separate area within the premises will be dedicated to all the rope games (heights), where ropes are tied to various tall structures very high off the ground. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PRODUCT AND SERVICE DESCRIPTION: X-TREME GRAVITY will be offering the following activities within the premises: 1. Paintball: P aintball is a sport in which players eliminate opponents by hitting them with pellets containing paint (referred to as a â€Å"paintball†), usually shot from powered paintball gun (or marker). Wikipedia, 2007) The area for paintballing has been designed in such a way that it offers flexibility in the types of paintball games that can be played on location. These variations in the paintball games have been done intentionally, to offer a wider variety for customers ranging from the age group of 10 onwards. Among the paintball games that can be played on our premises are: Capture the flag- players need to steal th e enemy flag and defend the friendly flag Elimination- shoot the enemy team; may replay if hit King of the hill- one team defends a raised flag while the other team attempts to lower the flag. Zombie- a few players are considered enemy (only die with goggle shots) which will turn others into their team by hitting them Speedball- players start from 2 far sides of a round field trying to capture a flag placed in the middle and returning it to friendly base. (Wikipedia, 2007) 2. Go-karting: T He business chose to introduce go-karting on the premises because it is a very fun-filled, enlivening and stimulating game. The game requires a person to hire out a go-kart and complete several rounds, competing with other fast drivers on the same tracks with them. The idea is to reach the finish point before the opponents and the thrill lies in the speed at which they drive the go-kart. The game has been designed and split in to two categories: The ‘junior karting’ for all the children under the age of 12 and ‘team building’ for adults and companies who come to the premises for ‘team building’ activities. We can also provide photography, video recording and product displays if required. (Envermeyer, 2009) ‘TEAM-BUILDING’ GO KARTING: What better way to get your workforce motivated than a Grand Prix-style event? Once your staff is confronted by a track full of adrenaline-fuelled workmates and a burning desire to win you will soon see who responds best under testing conditions; there really is no better way of bringing people together than on the race track. (Envermeyer, 2009) â€Å"JUNIOR KARTING†: All likelihood the next Formula 1 Champion will have started his career in a go-kart. Youngsters from 8 years upwards are competing on a regular basis and whether you are trying the sport to see if the child has potential or simply looking for a different type of birthday treat the karting could be something to consider. Envermeyer, 2009) 3. Dirt bike riding: This game has several similarities with go-karting. To start with, it is a game that spells out ‘wild and crazy’ fun, just as go-karting. Separate dirt-bike tracks have been designed in such a way that the tracks are dusty, uneven, uphill, downhill, through bushes, testing various levels of difficulty. The tracks are quite long and the game requires a well protected and geared up individual to ride a motor cross bike through the different levels along the track, competing with his/her opponents along that track. The deal is to reach the finish point before your opponents. The game is only applicable for children above the age of 15 and requires a certain level of skill or enthusiasm. (Dirtrider. net, 2005) 4. Aerial ropes / Rope crossing and Tarzaning: This activity emphasizes on height and balance. There are several activities involving ropes within the premises that have especially been designed for ‘team-building’ activities, ‘junior’ activities and ‘professional training’. One rope is tied from one tall structure to another and a person is to balance him/herself on the one end to the other wearing the harness and other necessary protective gear, for our client’s protection. However, this is just one of the many activities with the ropes. There are bridges made of ropes only, suspended high off the ground, there are ‘Tarzaning’ activities as the name suggests and many more. (South Stafford shire council, 2009). The ropes are suspended very high of the ground and they have been positioned in an area within the premises that has outdoor, adventurous, bushy excursion scenery. This helps overcoming the fear of heights. Some of the trails we offer are: MINI AERIAL ROPES TRAIL: 8 years of age & up: This trail is to be created especially for small adventurers. The trail is similar to the regular trail, but is adapted to the younger clientele. This trail permits children to have fun going from one tree to the next all the while at their own rhythm and abilities. Although, the trail has different levels of difficulties for the juniors as well. Participation Requirements: (South Stafford shire council, 2009). Must measure a minimum 1m40 arms extended, from fingertips to toes. Adult supervision is obligatory. Be in good health. THE ‘CAP JASEUX’ TRAIL: Aerial ropes course in Cap Jaseux consists of 73 suspended bridges, which cross over 4 distinct areas. These bridges wind through a majestic trees, bushes and woods, from platform to platform within’ the trees. Each section is composed of a complete route with each its own challenges and surprises, but always respecting the capacities of each hiker. (South Stafford shire council, 2009). Participation Requirements: You must be over 8 years of age and measure a minimum of 1m80, arms extended, from fingertips to toes. Participants under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult (an adult can accompany a maximum of 3 young participants). Participants cannot be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Participants must be healthy. 5. Zorbing: The activity of sphering, zorbing or globe riding is the recreational practice of humans rolling downhill in a bouncing sphere, generally made of transparent plastic. Sphereing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, as well as on water, permitting more rider control. The zorbing zone has been designed with several exciting and challenging barriers. While rolling downhill in the plastic ball, the sphere is rolled down n a certain direction and from there it meets several ‘cushioned’ barriers that make the sphere ‘bounce-off’ the cushioned barrier. We offer two types of spheres, the single holder and the double holder. Zorbing is a very flexible game as it can be done in various ways. It could be rolled down, it could be in water, it could be bounced off various barriers. Extras: We also include a low level of water in the zorbs. Extreme dreams, 2009) . 6. Wall/rock climbing and abseiling/rappelling: For those who are interested in high-adrenaline adventures and the terror of height, wall/rock climbing was not forgotten in the mixture of the creation of X-TREME GRAVITY. In this sport, the climber wears a harness and other protective equipment before the activity begins in order to protect them from accidents of any sorts. The built-in wall/rock wall has an uneven, rough texture just as in a real adventure. Individuals are required to climb it using different levels of support. The wall stretches very high. On reaching the top, then the individual is required to climb down using the appropriate equipment from the other side of the wall. This helps in overcoming fear of heights and it can be used especially for training of using the appropriate equipment and climbing and descending aptly, for a real rock climbing expedition. (Wikipedia, 2007) EXTREME SPORTS PACKAGES: The business is keen to provide exciting, thrilling and adventurous extreme sports packages and therefore, X-treme Gravity has designed several exhilarating packages for the introductory stage of the business. The business looks forward to expanding and introducing more new and unique extreme sports packages over time. The packages that X-treme Gravity introduces, includes: Mountain Climbing White-Water Rafting and Kayaking Scuba Diving Sky diving Mountain Climbing If you enjoy climbing/hiking, Kenya has a lot to offer, the most favorable areas being, the Aberdare Mountains, the Chyulu Hills, Hell's Gate, Mt. Susua, Mt. Longonot, the Menengai Crater in the Rift Valley, Ngong Hills, located south-west of Nairobi, Cherangani Hill, Mt. Elgon and Mt Kenya. (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) Mt Kenya offers a rewarding hike as well as challenging climbs. There are eight routes up the mountain, three of them being the most popular and accessible to anyone of reasonable fitness. Naro Moru, lying to the west, is the easiest ascent with Sirimon to the north and Chogoria to the east being equally popular but you still need to be fit and properly equipped. Batian at 5,199meters is the summit and should only be attempted by experienced climbers. You need to be accompanied by a porter or go with organized tour. Be careful of altitude sickness and hypothermia. The best time of the year for climbing is from mid-January to late February and from late August through September but it is accessible most year round. (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) You will need warm, wind proof clothing, strong comfortable walking boots, gloves, a tent and a good sleeping bag as well as a stove and high-energy food and drinks. Several places hire equipment (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) Mount Kenya Routes and Rates (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) Sirimon Route – The least used of the three principal routes. Because Sirimon is on the dry side of the mountain it offers some of the finest forest walking to be had on any tropical mountain. In the lower sections, above the Park Gate. Higher up, Hugh specimens of St John's Work interspersed with small thickets of Bamboo. Near the top of the track, beautiful alpine flowers and the start of the tussock grass. Animal life abounds and parties often come across buffalo, elephant and sometimes-even lions. Naro Moro Route – Although the least scenic of the three principal routes, it remains the most popular. Firstly it is the fastest route to Lenana and back if you enter from the main road. Secondly both the Naro Moro River Lodge and Mountain Rock Hotel offer excellent facilities for climbers, including equipment hire porters and comfortable accommodation. Chogoria Route – Having reached the road head, Chogoria is the fastest and, arguably, the most beautiful and spectacular route up the mountain. Itinerary: (Packages designed by X-Treme Gravity) Option 1: -2 night 3 days. Sirimon Route $537 pp (Kshs. 42950) Day 1: Transfer from Nairobi and beginning of ascent. The first night is spent at Old Moses Day 2: Trek from Old Moses up to Shiptons Hut, in preparation for the final ascent. Day 3: Starting very early in the morning, ascend up to Lenana Point for Sunrise. The descent begins shortly afterwards, back past Old Moses in order to meet the vehicle, for the transfer back to Nairobi. Option 2: 2 nights 3 days. Naro Moru – route. From US$537 pp (Kshs. 42950) Day 1: Transfer from Nairobi and beginning of ascent. The first night is spent at the Met Station. Day 2: Trek from the Met Station up to Mackinders Hut, in preparation for the final ascent. Day 3: Starting very early in the morning, ascend up to Lenana Point for Sunrise. The descent begins shortly afterwards, back past the Met Station in order to meet the vehicle, for the transfer back to Nairobi. Option 3: 3 nights 4 days Sirimon Route from US$600 pp (Kshs. 48,020) Day 1: Transfer from Nairobi up to Old Moses. Day 2: Trek from Old Moses to Shiptons Hut. Day 3: Starting very early in the morning, ascend up to Lenana Point for Sunrise. The descent begins shortly afterwards, back to Old Moses for the night. Day 4: Final descent and transfer back to Nairobi. All Prices include: All prices exclude: Park FeesTipping PortersClimbing Gear & Sleeping Bags GuidesBeverages & Mineral Water Accommodation in huts 3 simple meals per day Cooks White-Water Rafting and Kayaking Kenya has three rivers; the Tana, the Athi and the Ewaso, suitable for rafting at all levels of competence up to exhilarating Class V white water. The experience is more rustic and less crowded than the Zambezi version. (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) Below are details of the rivers we run and the rates for established trips. Rivers and Rates: The Tana River – one day rafting trip: Our premiere one-day trip ideal for people with a day or two to spare when visiting Nairobi, or those basing themselves in the capital (only 100kms along the Nyeri Rd). This will be an exciting day of thrills (and often spills) with a great mix of high action white-water (up to grade V) interspersed with scenic calm water where bird life abounds. Not enough? Why not leap feet first into a big surfing hole, jump a 30ft waterfall or swim The Devils Toilet Bowl (water level dependant). (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) A typical day trip starts with you being picked up from either The Norfolk hotel, or Sarit Centre in Nairobi by 8am. A 1. 5hr drives sees you arriving at our Camp at Sagana. Here you can relax with tea/coffee and biscuits before receiving a comprehensive safety briefing. After signing a compulsory release and assumption of risk form, we drive up to the put-in where you will receive some final practical training before heading down river. The trip is either 16km (high water season) or 8km (low water season) and lasts approximately 4hrs. This varies greatly due to the water levels and we often find ourselves rafting 8km one day, then 11km the next due to rain upstream. The trip takes out at Savage Camp, where you can enjoy a solar heated shower or relax in the pool before enjoying a three-course BBQ lunch. Trips depart Savage Camp no later than 5pm for Nairobi to ensure you arrive back at your pick up point before dark. Other options available on the Tana include scenic float trips from the camp downstream on completely flat water for those not wishing to experience any white-water. This trip lasts 4hrs and takes in the abundant bird life inhabiting the lush riverine forests along the river. To date our guides have recorded over 120 species of birds on this section. A Kenya Professional Safari Guide usually takes trips. (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008). New to our repertoire of Tana trips is the full moon run. This takes in the white-water section only and lasts about 3hrs. (Packages designed by the X-treme Gravity) Prices All prices are in US dollars: One day trip — 99. 00 (Kshs. 7,910) One day/one night —137. 00 (Kshs. 10,920) Scenic float trip — 82. 00 (Kshs. 6,540) Full moon trip — 124. 00 (Kshs. 9,950) The Athi River – 3 day rafting expedition: Itinerary (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008) If you like multi-day expedition style trips then the Athi is for you! Flowing through Tsavo National Park, we raft up to 80km`s of Kenya’s second longest river with three days and three nights on the river. The river gives an awesome mixture of relaxing calm water with game viewing (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, crocodile and hippo have all been seen from our boats) and abundant birdlife interspersed with some great white-water (up to grade IV). The trip usually goes out fully self supported with our guides providing breakfast (full cooked or cereals/fruit/toast), lunch (a selection of cold meats and cheeses with bread/salad and fruit) and dinner (three courses). If a more luxury trip is your style then vehicle support (at an extra cost) is available to bring those added necessities. (East Africa Shuttles & safaris Ltd, 2008)Day one: gets you to Athi at Kibwezi, a short drive from the Mombassa road. After our comprehensive safety briefing, you will set out in the afternoon to raft the short distance to our first camp, Bushwhackers. Set on a secluded sandbar mid river. The first night is spent round the campfire listening to the sounds of Africa and swapping stories with the guides about the days ahead. Day two: after breakfast and an early start you will soon reach our first major rapid followed by a few calm sections interspersed with smaller rapids down to our lunch spot. More rapids and flat open plains where hopefully you will see some of the animal’s native to this area follow this. Late afternoon we arrive at our second camp `scorpion` on the relatively unpopulated left bank of the river. Day three has some of the best rapids with the legendary `Vietnam` taking you through dense undergrowth and crocodile burn providing an awesome hit. After another fun packed day you will arrive at our final camp, `Hippo`, where you will spend a final night by the fire relaxing and re living the previous day’s action. Day four: we return to Nairobi by around lunchtime. Price (US Dollars) – $623. 00 (Kshs. 49,800) All prices exclude: Tipping Beverages & Mineral Water Scuba Diving and balloon safaris Kenya has nearly 600 kms of coastline, nearly all bordered by spectacular coral reef. The Indian Ocean provides warm, hospitable waters, with coral reefs teeming with marine life, ideal for scuba diving. Often on our way to dive sites the boat will slow down to play with a school of friendly dolphins or stop to dive with the gentlest of giants, the whale shark. (Africastay, 2004) In Kenya we work with Diving the Crab and Diani Marine – Kenya's top dive schools. Both are based at Diani Beach on the South Coast of Kenya and are accredited to run PADI and SSI dive courses. Diani Marine was established in 1978, Diving the Crab in 1983 so both schools have nearly many years experience of scuba diving in Kenya and operate very well run dive bases, equipped with the latest equipment, dive boats and high qualified instructors and dive masters. Africastay, 2004) The package: 7 night’s accommodation at beach side hotel on the spectacular Diani Beach + flying safari to the Masai Mara for 2 nights 3 day in Luxury tented camp. on full board with 3 game drives per day in 4Ãâ€"4 vehicle Optional extras such as diving with Whale Sharks, scuba dives and courses, dolphin watching, kite surfing + windsurfing; Flights from Europe not included, airport transfers included and park fees included Location, Mombassa Region, Diani, South Coast Price, from US $ 1,198 (Kshs. 5,800) All prices include:All prices exclude: Flights, Included Tipping Availability: All yearBeverages & Mineral Water Skydiving Divers are usually based at a single beach resort and make their way to a local airstrip before falling out the sky at enormous heights. At Diani, skydivers take a short trip to Ukunda airstrip, and ascend in a Kenya Twin Otter, completing the spectacular and exhilarating drive by landing on the doorstep of their chosen accommodation to enjoy a well-earned drink. Mowngera Kioga, 2005) This means that at Diani, skydivers stay at the Safari Beach Hotel – take a short 10 minute drive to Ukunda airstrip, take off in a waiting Air plane [Twin Otter], and then dive directly over the beach- landing on the sands right at the doorstep of the resort. For the skydiving addict, th is is a perfect arrangement. For most skydivers, it's all about the fall- the pure freedom of flight that lasts from the time a jumper leaves the plane until the parachute is pulled at around 2000 feet. The average diver falls at the incredible speed of 120 miles per hour- but those who have never tried it may be surprised to know that this experience does not feel like falling- the continued momentum of the plane sends the diver earthward on a sustained arc- which means that there is none of the stomach lifting â€Å"plunge† sensation that you may expect. (Mowngera Kioga, 2005) This is the nearest experience possible to flying free as a bird n freedom at its most pure and simple. Packages 2 night, 3 days, Diani beach. US $ 1,074, (Kshs. 85,900) Day 1: Transfer from Nairobi to Mombasa Diani Day 2: sky diving day. Day 3: Starting very early in the morning, for the transfer back to Nairobi. Location, Mombasa, Diani Region, Kenya, Africa All prices include:All prices exclude: Flights, IncludedTipping Availability, January, February, March, November, December,Beverages & Mineral Water CURRENT SITUATION AND SWOT ANALYSIS INDUSTRY PATTERNS: Whilst millions of shillings are being pumped into the sports industry especially the extreme sports industry, by companies in the form of sponsorship, most extreme sports remain at amateur levels, bedeviled by problems. This is in sheer contrast to the thriving environment businesses are currently enjoying. Among the most attractive extreme sport is mountain climbing and trekking which is mainly practiced in on Mt. Kenya, Mt. Elgon, the Aberdare Mountains, the Chyulu Hills, Hell's Gate, Mt. Susua, Mt. Longonot, the Menengai Crater in the Rift Valley, Ngong Hills, located south-west of Nairobi, Cherangani Hill, as just a few to mention among others. Extreme sports are a combination of both professional and corporate social sports at the same time. The second most popular extreme sport is Skydiving, which is usually based at a single beach resort and make their way to a local airstrip before falling out the sky at enormous heights. At Diani, skydivers take a short trip to Ukunda airstrip, and ascend in a Kenya Twin Otter, completing the spectacular and exhilarating drive by landing on the doorstep of their chosen accommodation to enjoy a well-earned drink. Throughout the 2002 event, over 120 divers made continual skydives over 2 weeks. Kenya has a weak reputation for extreme sports compared to the other sports, the coastal regions are mainly the scene for these sports mainly because of the huge water bodies (sea), and on the other hand, motor sports tend to recover the reputation through big sporting events like the Kenya Safari Rally, which takes place around Easter. The rally, which starts and finishes in Nairobi, follows a route that covers 4,000 kilometers (2,486 miles). Large crowds follow the event in the rural areas and the cities. During the rally, daily results dominate radio, print, and television news coverage as Kenyans cheer for the local heroes competing against top international drivers. In the sports industry, the rules of play change constantly. Sports organizations must deal with an ever-evolving array of challenges such as risks that can threaten organizations' ability to compete in this dynamic and high-profile marketplace, finding professionals experienced in identifying and solving the unique risk management challenges facing companies and organizations within the sports industry. Some of the major challenges are Designing and negotiating cost- effective, custom-made insurance programs tailored to the needs of your company or organization, Establishing a loss-control program by assessing the risks facing your company or organization and preventing losses before it is too late and designing a claims management program that will help reduce your total cost of risk. The Government says that it will support establishment of extreme sports lottery that will among other issues help fund the welfare of extreme sports people and promote sporting activities in the country. President Kibaki said a committee will soon be formed to manage the lottery to improve extreme sports in the country. â€Å"We want to have institutionalized mechanisms in Kenya that will promote various fields of Extreme sports and improve the welfare of extreme sports people in the country,† the President said. In recognition of the importance of sports, President Kibaki said the Government has initiated measures to strengthen the sports industry in Kenya. He disclosed that the Government has allocated resources in the budget to support sports development programmes. Said President Kibaki: â€Å"My Government has also established the sports stadia management board and set aside funds for maintenance of sports facilities countrywide. † The President said, in addition to these measures, programmes will be intensified for the promotion of extreme sports through identification and training of talented young people from the districts and provinces up to the national level. He observed these sporting activities are essential not only for nurturing good health but also in creating opportunities for individuals and communities to socialize among people â€Å"Thus sport contributes to building a cohesive society that is an essential base for a strong and prosperous nation,† the Head of State said. The President pointed out that sports have become a source of dependable employment for many young people and urged extreme sports people to aspire to excel in their chosen fields in order to benefit from these sports. In terms of market needs, there is legitimate great need for extreme sports entertainment. A growing economy means more people have more money to spend and leisure activities are gaining a premium. The local entertainment industry mostly consists and is almost limited to media. People are willing to spend a lot just to enjoy the pleasures of extreme sports and explore these sports to rise in the sports industry for economic purposes. Some of these sports are professionally practiced around the world and cost quite a lot compared to the local sports but this in turn brings a benefit to the country as a whole, not only financially but economically and socially as well. In terms of promotion and engagement, our emerging culture has a tremendous tie to sports. People will develop a personal identity with a sport; being in such a group fulfills a strong social need. This is a social need that is currently only served by mainstream sports. Club sports tend to disappoint but there is a legitimate social need not being met here. This is because club sports are usually amateur played and do not engage in team building so as to play among people and get to know the sport very well, such an example is golf, which is played individually, so it is up to the player to play it right. COMPETITION AND BUYING PATTERNS Competition is mainly among touring companies, lodges and resorts that associate with different packaging styles and enhance these extreme sports. They help in the practice of these sports such as to get the appropriate locations for the sports. These touring companies have professionals who help in the process of undertaking these sports, where they guide the actual practitioners all through the way. Some of these companies include Africa scope safari and tours located in Nairobi, Extreme Safaris located in Mombasa, Kenya eco lodges, Kenya diving resorts, Mt. Kenya treks, Burguret Chogoria, Wildlife safaris, the ultimate expedition and various others. This leads to a monopolistic competition among the market therefore competition is intense due to many choices and a wide range of variety for customers to make decision upon. These touring companies create a ‘smart’ marketing strategy in order to attract their customers. This is done through affordable and attractive packages and offers that customers look forward to all the time. This is mainly generated during the peak seasons although most recover their costs through high pricing but in an attractive way or package therefore making the competition intense. This allows very little room for new entrants in the market therefore creating barriers to entry. The buying patterns are mostly the youth who are excited to explore these sports in many ways. This is because most of them are fearless of the risks and are energetic therefore allowing them the opportunity to participate in these sports. Even though money is an issue, as most of them are not employed, they still do these sports as they borrow money from other sources. Following the youth are the middle-aged adults who have fear of safety but still some of them dare to challenge themselves. These people are mostly employed but still have concerns about prices due to economic downturn plus some get limited salary just enough to survive. This in turn causes a high pricing pressure on the companies allowing them to target their market. Therefore in summary, the main market here is the market with high income and flexible lifestyle who can afford to enjoy these sports at any time although those with an average income tend to save but this eventually takes a long time before they practice these sports. OTHER PRODUCTS THAT AFFECT OUR BUSINESS PRODUCTS: Other competitor’s products: The extreme sports industry is dormant in the industry currently. Perhaps the biggest reason for that are the backward trends of the society and the cultural backgrounds. Therefore, the idea is to make extreme sports a new and latest fashion in Nairobi in order for the business to succeed. However, the downfall in our competitor’s products allows our business to pick their weaknesses and turn them in to our strengths. SWOT ANALYSIS: STRENGTHS: a)Excellent staffs that are highly trained and are very customer attentive: Customers are drawn to excellent services since it is the only indicator of the quality of services. Since we are employing highly trained staff who will provide efficient and effective services to our customers; keeping the customers in mind at all times; it is expected that the reputation of our business will grow rapidly as a result of our efficient staff. )Well-equipped ground state of art equipment: This is an indicator of quality of the services we provide. Apart from that it offers a competitive edge for our services. c)The business is able to establish a strong reputation for our services because the business is monopoly in the market. The nature our of the business apparently makes us stand-alone and as a result gain customer loyalty. d)Th e business is a unique idea: We offer our services as a package. This will be convenient to our clients especially those who normally prefer paying at once when booking. )Superior service offering: Extreme sports; sky diving, scuba diving mountaineering, Bungee diving and white water rafting. f)The Internet: Our website www. xtremegravity. com promises to be significant technological solution for our products in the areas of registration, communication and information delivery system. The website has demonstrated the ability to provide more extensive and current information at reduced costs. g)A state-of—the art computer system: utilizing the latest software that continues to enhance our productivity and expand our capacity. There is real time processing where customers requirements are processed as they are received. WEAKNESS a). The business is struggling to build brand loyalty. The business has not yet developed footing with the customer and is still creating market demand for the product. b). Difficulty in finding well skilled workers: -Extreme sports are very fragile and needs highly skilled workers who unfortunately are very difficult to find. c). Lack of knowledge, awareness and information of the new business being offered. Most of our local customers tend to be ignorant in extreme sports and consider it as a ‘sport for others’. We therefore in our promotion strategy focus intensively on creating awareness of this new product. d). Seasonal revenues posses as another weakness. Apart from the locals we are also targeting tourist who actually and factually jet according to the season. We therefore need to adjust in promotions during high and off pick season to maximize our profits. OPPORTUNITIES a). Growing awareness due to the rising awareness in health, fitness and extreme sports and interest too. The government and the world health organization in general have organized campaigns stressing on Importance of physical fitness. This advantage since awareness is being created and indirectly advertising our product. b). Ability of developing long-term customers . Basing on the monopoly nature of our product, there is a great potential of developing long term customers who are very much loyal to our product. c). At the moment very low competition in the market for this product. We have the potential of acquiring the lion’s share of the market. THREATS. a)Seasonal interest in particular sports which is in direct competition with our own sports. Examples of these sports include the marathons e. g. Lewa marathon, the safari rallies e. . KCB and cycling. Most people tend to plan for this programs in their Holiday calendars and this Impacts negatively to our business at these times of the year. b). Lack of knowledge and interest in our product. Extreme sports is not In the mind of most people while others who have information about it tend to behave like they have other better things to handle than go for su ch sports. c)Many fears and safety concerns associated with our product. Due to the risks associated with this sports, some of our expected customers turn away from it and making them o change their minds may not be that easy. )Legal and liability issues. Extreme sports continues to be exposed to liability issues in many aspects in many aspects of the experience it provides . The potential concerns range from health and safety issues to various forms of verbal or physical abuse in an increasingly litigious society, there is always potential for legal actions. MANAGEMENT SUMMARY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The business will operate using the common organizational structure. The business operates using the concept of ‘departmentalization’ and in particular the ‘vertical functional’ approach. Since the business is in the preliminary stages, most of the positions besides, the directors are vacant. (Organizational structure, O. E. ) MANAGEMENT TEAM: Since this is a new business being ventured, the management team is constricted to the main departments for this business. As the business expands, we will be able to employ more managers and initiate other secondary departments. Qualifications: A basic Bachelor of Business degree or A bachelor’s degree with any one area of expertise required for that position A professional degree Masters of Bachelor of Administration (MBA) At least 5 years work experience. The vital departments for this business have been addressed and managers are required for the field of: General manager: The general manager will be in charge of the day to day running of the business and will mainly accentuate around the administrative staff and the sundry staff. Extreme sports / Outdoor manager: The extreme sports manager is required and is perhaps the most vital manager for this business since the business mainly comprises of extreme sports and a leader is required for the extreme sports specialists. Cafeteria manager: Since the premises will also consist of a cafeteria, it is necessary to have a manager controlling the daily activities for the cafeteria and reporting to the general manager or even to a director. The manager is also required to observe the needs of the staff. Marketing manager: Another very important section of the business. This is essential because the business requires expertise knowledge on marketing and promotion of the business is to be successful and expand. Therefore, a marketing manager is required. Financial and accounting manager: A financial manager needed to fill the position. Required to maintain the basic book keeping for the business and calculate the daily finances. Work hand in hand with internal auditors. SALARIES AND REMUNERATION FOR MANAGEMENT AND STAFF: Constant for three years: No. Kshs. Directors remuneration p. a22,000,000 Managers salaries5300,000 Staff salaries10250,000 Proffessionals salaries8280,000 2,830,000 FINANCIAL PLAN FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES: The following are the financial goals of the business for a year. ?Achieve revenue growth of 10% per year Increase earnings by 15% annually ?Increase dividends per share by 5% per year ?Increase net profit margins 2% to 4% ?Boost annual returns on invested capital from 15% to 20% ? Stronger bond and credit ratings ?Recognition as a â€Å"blue chip† company ?A more diversified revenue base ?Stable earnings during recessionary periods ?Return on investment (ROI) of 15. 5% ?Solvency ratio of about 30%; ?Dividend distribution of at least 30% of the net profit, unless dictated otherwise by long-term investments and/or acquisitions and/or exceptional circumstances. DIVIDEND POLICY: In recommending the dividend, the directors will consider the following: The availability of distributable profits: Dividends will be given on a basis of the profits that are distributable The availability of liquid funds: In a time of solvency problems, dividend payments will be adjusted accordingly Whether the revenue reserves are adequate or need to be increased by further profits ploughed back into the business A balance between dividend growth and capital growth The liability to advance corporation tax, which arises from the payment of dividend. (Dividend Policy and account, W. M. ) IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS: There are certain factors that are not mentioned and cannot be explored, therefore X-Treme Gravity analyzed, debated and made an assumption based on those factors. These factors are mainly pertaining to the projected financial statement and the start-up plan for the business. The specific assumptions are stated in the calculations for revenue and expenses. For a broad view on the assumption though, these factors were considered: The tax rate of 30% per annum (approximated) The estimated cost of equity The estimated cost of debt i. e. bank loans and debentures The cost of marketing and research The number of expected customers for each year The number of expected customers for each outdoors sport and the extreme sports packages. The fixed cost remains constant for the first three years The fees per person from: The entrance fees, activities and the picnic site remain constant for the three years. The variable costs will increase by 10% each year. START – UP PLAN FOR THE BUSINESS: (Sourced from Finance lecture notes, WACC, F. A. ) Since the business will operate as a limited company, there are various sources of funds and finance for this business. These include: Bank loans Ordinary shares Preference shares Corporate bonds: Debentures Bank loans: These are currently being given at an interest rate of 16. 50%. The business cannot highly depend on its shares for raising its initial investment since it carries a high risk. Therefore, a bank loan will also be used, with an annual interest of 11. 55% after tax. Ordinary shares and preference shares: The business is issuing five million ordinary shares and one million preference shares for the first year. The cost of equity is 13. 50% and 12. 50% respectively. Debentures: The business is also issuing corporate bonds for the purpose of long-term security. The cost of its debt is 9. 0% after tax. SourcesAmount (Kshs)Cost of debt/ equity (%)After-tax cost (%)WeightsWACC (%) Ordinary Shares (@ Kshs 5)25,000,00013. 50%-0. 364. 86 Preference shares (@ Kshs 10)10,000,00012. 50%-0. 141. 75 Bank loan17,500,00016. 50%16. 5(1-0. 3) = 11. 550. 252. 89 Debentures17,500,00014%14(1-0. 3) =9. 800. 252. 45 Total70,000,000111. 95% The estimated tax rate is 30% each year and the required rate of return is 11. 95%. INITIAL START-UP COSTS: (Start-up costs sourced from different businesses) CostKshs. Cost of purchasing land in Karen42,000,000 Cost of construction and renovation7,000,000 Cost of business van / bus1,500,000 Cost of furniture for the lobby and cafeteria1,600,000 Cost of office furniture and equipment1,200,000 Cost of marketing research750,000 Cost of acquiring licenses1,000,000 Cost of outdoor tables and chairs320,000 Cost of activity equipment (W3)13,154,000 Total69,424,000 CALCULATION FOR REVENUE AND EXPENSES: PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT: FINANCIAL ANALYSIS: PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT: The projected income statement shows that the initial year expenses are very high relative to the revenue. However, the business will still make a profit in the first year. The net profit margin for the first year is 2. 4%, which indicates that for every Kshs. 100 of revenue earned, a profit of 2. 74 is being made on it. The second year projections indicate a sharp increase in the net profits. The net profit margin increases to 17. 23%. This shows that the business will be picking up especially in the second year. In the third year, the net profit margin indicates that, the net profits are increasing at a slow rate but the margin is still very high. MARKET RESEARCH AND SURVEY DESIGN METHODS OF RESEARCH: The business used various methods for research: ?Surveys / questionnaires ?Face-to-face interviews ?Telephone and e-interviews. Market experiments Surveys/ Questionnaires: The business highly depended on the surveys to determine whether the sample market accepted this business. The survey was used to determine several factors that required fieldwork that could not be gathered otherwise. This was the main form of research. Face-to-face interview: These were conducted with the general public as well as several travel agencies such as Twiga tours and Ibis. It was used to determine information such as the form of operation of a travel agent, the costs involved for outsourcing with travel agents and the marketing costs for using travel agents. Telephone and e-interviews: These were conducted with those companies that were too far to travel to. Our competitors ‘out of bounds’ and ‘Kitengela adventures’ were interviewed via telephone due to distance. Similarly, banks, insurance companies, hotels and lodges were interviewed via email due to the timing constraint for these firms. The market experiment: This was conducted for the purpose of the promotional campaign effectiveness. The general public was asked whether they could recall the advertisement for the business, whether they could summon up the slogan for the business and what other details they could evoke. OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY: Before conducting the survey, the business opted to decide the key objectives or goals that the survey was trying to achieve. After viewing the different aspects that required the attention of the market, the questionnaire was designed strategically to cover all these aspects and objectives. The objectives selected are: ?To determine the potential demand for extreme sports as a recreational activity in the market. ?To establish the potential competition for extreme sports, outdoor sports and extreme sports packages in this market. ?To identify the ability and the chances of the business survival in the market. To establish what the general public of this market is looking for in this business. ?The demand for different types of extreme sports. ?The preference for Karen as a location and the opinions of the general public, concerning the location for the business. ?To determine other locations for the business. ?The audience’ opinion on the pricing of the packages and products offered by X-Treme Gravity. ?To determine the target market for the business’s products and packages. ?Analyzing and identifying the key external and economical factors that are barriers to the success of this business. ?The acceptability / viability of the business. SAMPLE SURVEY: (Web surveyor, 2009) X-TREME GRAVITY QUESTIONNAIRE This is a recreational business that is mainly accentuating on extreme sports such as skydiving, bungee jumping, white water rafting, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, mountain climbing and trekking, among others. The business is a new and unique idea for leisure in Nairobi City, mainly developed for the purpose of diverting people to healthier ways of enjoying their leisure time. We will be carrying out various extreme sports within our premises (which has been conveniently located). We also extend our services as extreme sports agents. Those activities that cannot be done within the city (e. g. the water sports) will be arranged for in different areas within Kenya. These packages are directed towards anyone and everyone, ranging from school children to adults. (Circle your choice) NB: The 5 – point scales used, range from: Bad (1), Average (2), Good (3), Very Good (4), and Excellent (5). 1)How do you prefer extreme sports? 1 2 3 4 5 2)Are you? Male Female 3)What age bracket would you appear under? a)11 – 20 b)21 – 30 c)31 – 40 d)41 – 50 e)50+ 4)Are you currently? )Employed b)Looking for a job c)Studying d)Retired 5)During your leisure time, you enjoy: a)Doing some sports b)Going on a long vacation c)Watching TV at home and lazing around d)Others 6)If a new extreme sports business develops in the markets, would you: a)Be one of the first to try the sports for this new business b)Wait for a while for the business to settle in to the market and then try it. c)No, I prefer doing my ow n activities at the sports club d)No, it’s not my area of interest. 7)The location of the business would be in Karen. How would you prefer it? 1 2 3 4 5 ) Which district do you live in? ___________________________________ 9)Would you find the location of the business in Karen? a)Convenient b)Out of the way- too far for you to get there c)Appropriate for the type of business (extreme sports) d)Skewed / biased 10) If you had a choice, where would you locate this business? _____________________________________________ 11)Since the business offers extreme sports packages, among the rates included for these packages are: What would you think of these rates? Extreme sports packages: Ranging from Kshs. 30,000 p. p. to Kshs. 90,000 p. p (approximately) 2 3 4 5 12)Approximately how many people do you think will turn up in the first year? a)150 – 300 b)301- 450 c)451 – 550 d)550 + 13)Out of these extreme sports, which would you like the most? a)Sky diving b)Bungee Jumping c)Water sports i. e. Scuba diving, white water rafting, surfing d)Mountain climbing & trekking e)Others 14)The idea of a new extreme sports recreational park would be? a)Exciting b)Unique c)Not realistic d)None of the above 15)According to you, which one of these economic conditions will the biggest factor to affect the market for extreme sports adversely? )Inflation b)Unemployment c)Downturn in economic growth d)Income inequality e)Others 16)From this business, your biggest expectations are: a)Excellent quality of services b)Fun and exciting extreme sports packages c)Reasonable prices for the extreme sports packages d)Other activities besides extreme sports 17)Do you see this business as? a)A new and unique business in the market b)A similar business to a few other competing businesses that already exist c)A small business competing with many small businesses of its own type 18)Out of these factors, which would affect majority of the businesses in Kenya? a)Economic factors i. . re cession / downturn in the economy b)Political or legal factors c)Socio – cultural factors d)Competition 19)To what extent does your chosen factor affect the survival of a new extreme sports business? 1 2 3 4 5 20)What other suggestions or advice would you give for this new extreme sports business? ~END OF SURVEY~ Thank you for your cooperation and time. We assure you that your responses in this questionnaire will be kept highly confidential. RESULTS OF SURVEYS AND DATA COLLLECTED: DATA COLLECTED: A total of 36 surveys out of 50, were successfully completed. INTEREST IN EXTREME SPORTS: Level:No. Of people(%) 1-Bad26% 2-Average38% 3-Good925% 4-Very good1028% 5-Excellent1233% TARGET MARKET Class of people:No. of people(%) Gender: Male2569% Female1131% Age group: 11-201233% 21-301953% 31-4038% 41-5013% 50+13% Occupational status: Employed822% Looking for a job38% Studying2569% Retired00% Lifestyles / Behavior: Innovators1542% Conservatives411% Not interested514% Wait for business to settle1233% LOCATION: Preference for Karen: LevelNo. Of people(%) 1-Bad26% 2-Average925% 3-Good1542% 4-Very good411% 5-Excellent617% The location is: No. Of people(%) Skewed/ biased:411% Convenient:617% Out of the way:1233% Appropriate for the business:1439% DEMAND (IN TERMS OF CUSTOMERS) FOR THE 1ST YEAR: No. Of customers expected in the first yearNo. Of people(%) 150-3001850% 301-450822% 451-550514% 550+514% INTEREST IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTREME SPORTS: Type of extreme sport:No. Of people(%) Sky diving1028% Bungee jumping822% Water sports822% Mountain climbing1028% ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE BUSINESS ADVERSELY: Economic factors:No. of people(%) Inflation38% Unemployment1131% Economic Recession925% Income inequality1336% CHANGES IN UNEMPLOYMENT AND INCOME INEQUALITY OVER TIME: YearsUnemploymentIncome inequality (%)(HDI) Year 200540%0. 521 Year 200640%0. 532 Year 200740%0. 532 Year 200845%0. 544 Year 200943%0. 541 TYPE OF BUSINESS IN THE MARKET: Type:No. of people(%) Monopoly2569% Oligopoly822% Monopolistic 38% PROJECTED MARKET SHARE FOR THE BUSINESS: Year:No. Of competitorsMarket share Year 2009337% Year 2010526% Year 2011720% Year 2012817% OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE BUSINESS ADVERSELY: Factors:No. of people(%) Economic factors1747% Political-legal factors822% Socio-cultural factors719% Competition411% ANALYSIS OF THE DATA: Figure 1. 2 shows that, 86% of the sample market has a great interest in extreme sports while 14% of the sample market does not. This permitted us to continue further with the business proposal. Figure 1. 3 supplements figure 1. 2. After determining the interest in extreme sports by the sample market, the level of preference was determined. The figure shows that 33% think of extreme sports as ‘excellent’ while 6% think of extreme sports as ‘bad’ due to lack of interest. Figure 1. 4 shows that 42% find the location of the business ‘good’ while 6% find the location of the business ‘bad’. 25% find the location ‘excellent’. The reasons are illustrated below: Figure 1. shows that 39% find the location of the business ‘appropriate for the type of business’ while 33% find the location ‘out of the way’. Hence, this explains why the highest level of preference is ‘3-good’. Figure 1. 6. Indicates that majority of the sample market expect a turn up of ‘150-300’ customers in the first year. Figure 1. 7. Sho ws that Economic factors will affects the business the most. Competition in the market will least affect the business. Figure 1. 8. Shows that income inequality will be the most detrimental factor for the business, followed by unemployment, economic recession and then inflation. Figure 1. 9 shows the demand for various extreme sports. Skydiving and mountain climbing have the highest demand. Bungee jumping and water sports have a lower demand. Figure 2. 1. Indicates that unemployment rate has increased at an increasing rate from 2007 onwards. After 2008, the unemployment rate grows at a decreasing rate. This is a major factor affecting our business. Figure 2. 2 shows that income inequality (measured using HDI) has been on an upward trend since 2005. After 2008, the HDI has gradually decreased and this could be a positive signal for the business. Figure 2. 3. Shows that the projected market share for the business will rise at an increasing rate. This indicates the chances of the business growth and expansion in the market, is high. The expected number of competitors determined the market share over the years, depending on the profits and the return on investment in the business. RE – ASSESSING THE VIABILITY OF THE BUSINESS POSITIVE COMMENTS: ?A new and unique business: Most of our potential clients believed that our business is very interesting, exciting and unique as opposed to other recreational businesses. There is a chance for survival with this business. Location for the on-premises activities: There are several activities that we are offering on location. The location of the business, as mentioned earlier, is in Karen along Karen road. Even though it seems inconvenient to our potential customers, the surveys indicated otherwise. People actually find the location for the business appropriate and acceptable. ?Diversifying: With a business such as extreme sports, that has rarely been explored, the idea is to spread the risk. Therefore, besides offering extreme sports on the premises, we are sports agents, also offering extreme sports packages. Prices for the products are reasonable: Another surprising result of the survey are the prices. Many of the people in the market find the prices reasonable for the nature of the products being offered. NEGATIVE COMMENTS: ?Uncertainty with the location for extreme sports packages: There were a lot of questions that were raised conc