Symptoms Of Sick Building Syndrome Construction Essay

Symptoms Of Sick Building Syndrome Construction Essay SBS stands for Sick Building Syndrome. It covers a mixture of symptoms thought to be generated when a student at school spends time in a particular building. The symptoms range from itchy eyes, skin rashes, and nasal allergy symptoms, to more complicated symptoms such as fatigue, pains, and sensitivity to odours. On the other hand, it may be lead to more serious diseases like cancer and pneumonia. SBS was first identified in the 1970s, and its identification at this time because of the increasing number of electronic equipment and other factors. The term SBS is used when a large number of people occupying a particular building develop symptoms associated with their presence in that building. Later on, the symptoms disappear. In most cases sick building syndrome occurs in office buildings, schools and apartment buildings.   SBS is suspected when the following circumstances are present: Symptoms are temporary and associated with time spent in a particular building or place. Symptoms disappear when the individual is not in the building. Symptoms reappear seasonally (heating, cooling). Symptoms and their severity are different from person to person.   The signs and symptoms of a diagnosable illness are easy to identify and can be directed to specific airborne building contaminants. On the other hand, the cause(s) of symptoms in cases of SBS are often difficult to pin down and in many cases different factors may lead to the situation. When a sick building is identified an investigation should be done. Once the causes are identified, corrective measures must be taken to ensure that any adverse reaction exhibited and cause(s) are isolated to make the area safe for the students and school personnel. The prevalence of sick building syndrome is a problem, but statistics are limited. A World Health Organization (WHO) report from 1984 suggested that up to 30% of new and renovated buildings worldwide may generate excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (1). This high rate may be associated with modern mass produced construction materials that tend to off load gas irritating volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). In a U.S. report on office workers questioned at random, 24% reported air quality problems in their work place, and 20% believed this harmed their ability to do their job effectively (2) (http://www.houseofplants.co.uk). Symptoms of SBS People suffering from SBS present different symptoms, like other conditions such as: Headaches Eye infections and irritations Visual impairment tremors Damage to the central nervous system Running noses and throat irritations Dry coughs Dry, itchy skin and rashes Dizziness and nausea Difficulty in concentrating Fatigue and tiredness Breathing difficulties Pneumonia and chest infections Causes of SBS The mechanism by which a building or anything within the building causes employees to become sick is unknown. Problem areas can be easily identified and curative action taken after an investigation. Causes are listed below: Building design, maintenance Failure of ventilation system Interior design factors Levels of specific pollutants, humidity and temperature Multiple chemicals acting in combination to cause sickness Age of building Type of materials used in building SBS is associated with the presence of certain mechanisms and pollutants. Most of the symptoms appear because of known toxic effects of high levels of certain chemicals. Some symptoms are mainly allergic irritations which could result from various allergens in a building. Other symptoms are suggestive of those really experienced by sufferers of chemical sensitivity and many of the indoor pollutants. Occurs in building with ventilation problems and may occur along with upper respiratory tract infection, Or with direct contact with chemicals, dust and gases. Itchiness, soreness, redness, eye lashes drop and excessive tear production. Headache Tension, prolonged exposure to different irritant substances and long working hours. Pain across the forehead, begins in the back of the head and upper neck as a band-like tightness or pressure and may end with vomiting. Fever Caused by breathing water droplets from humidifiers or from an air filter ventilation system. Or exposure to chemicals that irritate the lungs and cause infection in the lung. Productive cough, aching limbs, headache, tiredness, lethargy and abdominal pain. Skin problems Occurs in exposed areas because of the direct exposure to chemical and different irritant substances like painting materials and products. Rashes, batches, itchy, dry skin and may end with chronic skin inflammation. Stress Physical changes: lack of sleep and new environment. Headaches, digestive disorders, fatigue and lethargy, sleeping disorders, skin disorders and isolation from community. Lung problem Exposure to dust, ventilation problems and chemicals. Cough, breathlessness, may end with lung cancer. Throat Problems Dry mucous membranes, ventilation problems and chemicals. Hoarseness, dry throat pain, recurrent throat infections and chronic Asthma. School Environment Students spend most of their day in the school; its their second house. From that aspect, the school environment should be physically and emotionally safe, well disciplined, and conducive to learning. Safety is an important issue, which may affect the students physically and psychologically from this aspect, and there are important points that should be considered: Structure of the school: School building structures consist of columns, structural walls, beams, floors, and roof structures, which provide their stability. School buildings develop invisible cracks in concrete columns, structural walls, beams and floors. At the beginning, they are not an important issue. With time, the school building moves, creating stresses at joints in materials which ends in small cracks appearing. However, this is the normal process of a structure settling in its foundation. But, with the presence of other factors it makes the issue more serious. The idea is to be able to differentiate. In the event of a major structural problem in a school building, it should be evaluated by a structural engineer, and corrective measures should be made accordingly. Special attention should be made to these aspects: Bending in columns, beams, and roof structure Rotting in wood structural components and floor structure Rusting of metal structural components especially in high humidity weather ROOFING The roof protects the school building from rain, sun, wind, and keeps water from getting into the school building. The waterproofing system should be kept in a proper way. To prevent problems from happening, the roof should be kept in good shape and annually maintained. BUILDING EXTERIOR Using different building materials in school buildings is common nowadays; for example, using fashion blocks in the walls and having exteriors as maintenance free as possible to lower costs. But new school buildings may feature concrete blocks or brick walls even though fashion blocks in some walls are kept. The school buildings exteriors will still need annual maintenance plans to protect the materials. The plan will consider the type and quality of materials used and their current condition. Some school buildings are old, and the exterior may not be quite suitable for a maintenance free plan. The biggest threats to school buildings exteriors are water, sun, wind, and being in areas near the coast. BUILDING INTERIOR The design of the inside of a building is an important issue. Paint maintenance should be paid special attention, because it plays a major roll in preventing the deterioration of the building, and usually cracks are invisible when they start to appear. Also, the paint should be good quality to avoid any irritation reaction. GROUNDS The area around the school is made of concrete, but a pathway may be concrete, brick, stone, asphalt, or even wood. Such materials need good maintenance and must be watched for conditions that may cause major hazards such as slips and falls. Any major hazards should be eliminated through repair, ramping or clearing. Annual checkups and repairs must be done if the condition of the material deteriorates. Classrooms: Healthy classrooms are ones that have adequate ventilation, lighting, an adequate number of students per class, and proper classroom temperature. All previous points which were discussed should be applied properly. Ventilation Proper Ventilation is important to the indoor air quality. Air-conditioning, the type of material used and maintenance also affect indoor air quality in order to optimise performance and prevent students becoming sick. Many factors may affect indoor air quality and contribute to many health problems, the comfort, and the performance of students. Temperature There are many causes of sick building syndrome like uncontrolled temperature (high or low). If there is a wide variation in temperature, it will affect other factors such as the increasing possibility of exposure to fever and throat infections. Therefore, maintaining adequate temperature inside classrooms will allow the students to perform butter. One must make sure that dangerous or offensive fumes are prevented from escaping into the classroom through the heating or cooling system. Humidity Humidity can lead to different problems. It could vary from a simple one to a complicated one. For example, bacteria, fungi, and parasites live in places where humidity is above the normal levels, and they enter the body mainly through the respiratory system, resulting in some kind of respiratory infection. In classrooms, the range of controlled humidity is 40% to 70% in order to increase students effectiveness. The range of relative humidity in warm classrooms should be less than 40%. Therefore, there should be annual checking of controls on a regular basis, and also, checking should cover the cleanliness of equipment for humidifying. Adequate lighting Ensure that there is adequate lighting in the classrooms and whole building to avoid a lot of problems. Surveys by the National Institute of Ophthalmology showed that around 38.8 percent of students at 260 schools in Ho Chi Minh City have refraction problems, short-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism. The ratio in the northern Hai Phong City was 60 percent, while in Hanoi, Da Nang and the central Ha Tinh Province, it ranged from 25 percent to above 30 percent. Doctors attributed the high incidence of weak eyesight to substandard classrooms in terms of size, area and light, as well excessive time spent working with computers Summary To sum up, there are different factors that could affect the school environment, and some of them were discussed above. Some problems can be avoided by early detections and by finding proper solutions to avoid any health problems that arise. If a problem is detected earlier it can be solved during the design step or maybe later in order to maintain a safe school environment. SBS affects productivity, increases the rate of absenteeism, poor concentration and fatigue. It affects the well-being of the students and all school personnel and their performance. All the measures are directed to avoid and reduce the risk factors that affect student health. Task 2 BREEAM BREEAM is a method used internationally to assess a buildings surrounding area. It can be applied to asses both new and old buildings. There are several types of environmental assessment systems in use such as BREEAM, ESRSA, and CEEQUAL. Because it is used in two significant areas of the globe, BRE Global introduced two new geographical schemes that are use by BREEEAM International assessors which are BREEAM Europe and BREEAM Gulf. In addition to these two schemes, the BREEAM In Use and BREEAM Communities schemes are also available for use on international buildings and developments. Since BREEAM is widely used in Europe and as it used in the gulf, the BREEAM Gulf scheme can be used to assess the environmental impacts of any building located in the Gulf region. This will be explained later on in this paper. BREEAM provides designers, planner and others with key factors: It ensures the best environmental practice is included in a building It finds solutions that help to minimise the environmental impact It ensures the use of high standards and regulations It reduces the costs and improves working and living environments It reduces the time needed to finish the work Steps of BREEAM assessment There are two steps in BREEAM which can be used to evaluate the environmental effect secondary to building development: 1. Design Stage (DS) 2. Post-Construction Stage (PCS) Design Stage This step should be done before construction works start. Related information should be available to enable the BREEAM assessor to demonstrate, in a healthy manner, the buildings performance against the reporting and evidential requirements of the technical guidance. The official assessment of DS will be carried out at the detailed design stages. Post-Construction Stage This step starts after construction work has finished. In this step, an evaluation and the BREMM rating are used before building occupation. The post-construction stage is divided into two approaches: 1. A post-construction review of a design-stage assessment 2. A post-construction assessment A post-construction appraisal aims to detect the BREEAM rating achieved at the design stage in accordance with the reporting and evidential requirements of the technical guidance. Where a formal DS assessment has not been carried out and a BREEAM assessment and rating is required, a full PCS assessment can be conducted. BREEAM Gulf BREEAM Gulf has been developed and established in collaboration with a variety of large organisations based in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The purpose of the system is to bring all the new and used building types in the area into use. The available BREEAM system can be used to evaluate, demonstrate and improve the building environment. The system has been developed in the Gulf region to resemble UK BREEAM system categories; it provides special assessment points in relation to environmental impacts associated with construction in the Gulf region. The BREEAM Gulf system The BREEAM system for the Gulf assessment point areas is as below: Materials Waste Water Management Health and Wellbeing Land Use and Ecology Energy Transport Pollution During the assessment phase within each point from the above table, numbers of credits must be assessed to appraise the performance achieved by the development. This set of points is modified to fit the Gulf regions conditions and climate. They are applied to each point to enable the weighted scores to be added together to produce a single overall score for the building. Then, the score is translated into a 1-5 star rating and the highest level of environmental performance will score 5 stars. Unlike BREEAM in the UK which generally looks at building uses separately, a BREEAM assessment in the Gulf evaluates the performance of a whole building taking into account the different uses that are present (e.g. offices, retail, residential etc.). This approach reflects the construction market in the  region where mixed use buildings are the norm. The assessment, therefore, produces a single score for each assessed building based on an area weighted calculation. Differences with BREEAM in the UK The purpose of BREEAM Gulf is to evaluate the construction industry in the region to achieve and maintain higher levels of sustainability. It also aims to identify local contexts and issues, and with this consideration, all of the codes and standards which should be maintained are described in the guidance.   Figure3: factors affecting indoor environment www.yoshino-gypsum.com//sickhouse01.htm Appendixes Case study 1 The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has conducted a study about IAQ (Indoor Air Quality). William Blackstone Elementary School was one of three schools selected to pilot EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Kit and Program in 1999. The school is located in Bostons South End and is one of 120 schools in the Boston Public School System. The school was built in 1975, using the typical design of that time; brick walls, mostly flat roofs, Plexiglas windows, and visible duct work. It has a history of IAQ and health-related problems, specifically high rates of asthma among students. William Blackstone Elementary School was one of three schools selected to pilot EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Kit and Program in 1999. The school nurse noticed that the asthma rate was higher than the national average of two cases per classroom. Staff were also aware of serious problems with water intrusion during heavy rain, stained and collapsed ceiling tiles, peeling p aint and stains on the walls, rust on support beams, and water damage to equipment and furniture. Problem recognition Problems identified by the checklists and walkthrough included the following: An above-average number of asthma cases and illnesses typically associated with indoor air quality problems (headaches, nausea, etc.). Water damage, such as mold and mildew, missing, stained, and broken ceiling tiles, fungal growth on ceiling tiles, and damaged ceiling and wall plaster. Thermal discomfort, such as widely fluctuating temperatures, too high or too low humidity levels, and cold drafts. Ventilation problems, such as poor air circulation and lack of exhaust fans in some bathrooms. Cleanliness problems, such as dust accumulation around the supply vents and surrounding ceiling tiles, infrequent dusting and vacuuming, and pest problems. So, according to the findings, the IAQ team was formed and they established a meeting to list the causes of the problems and find solutions. Improvements The IAQ team implemented some actions to improve the indoor air quality at Blackstone Elementary School. The EPAs IAQ TfS Kit gave the team the leverage it needed to persuade the school district to improve the environmental problems in the school. Once the Superintendent was informed of the schools IAQ issues and the teams recommendations, Blackstone Elementary was placed on a high-priority list for roof repairs and other renovations. A number of improvements have been done, including roof repairs. There is a plan for installing new energy-efficient lighting and new ceiling tiles. Additionally, carpets will be replaced with tiles in the classrooms. The school nurse started to assess students health and document any new asthma cases over the next year to establish a link between the indoor environment and childrens health. Summary The surrounding environment plays a role in students performance and affects their health directly. This means that attention must be given at some point during design stage or later to avoid unwanted risky problems that may affect students health. Some problems can be detected easily like eye infections, but others like asthma will be treated but its effects are lifelong. Poor ventilation, lighting, humidity and temperature all can produce health problems; therefore, good ventilation, adequate lighting, and proper temperature should be maintained. High performance building features should be incorporated into the design process, and school building systems should be commissioned to ensure that they are operating according to design. Case study 2 Mold in schools is getting a lot of attention at local, state and federal levels, the Houston Chronicle reported in 2002. Wide variations in temperatures and humidity levels in South Texas make it difficult to maintain internal atmospheric conditions to minimise the formation of mold or mildew. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo School Districts Memorial High School, three years after it was established, faced a toxic mold problem that reached crisis stage. There were complaints from teachers, staff and students that some staff and students were becoming ill, and as a result students left the school. As with many schools, the indoor air quality at the school was poor because of high ventilation, the high number of students per classroom, high intermittent ventilation loads and carryover from showers in gyms and locker rooms, and long periods where the building was vacant. There was an increase in heat, humidity, moisture, bad ventilation and filtration. The building had reached a saturation point. Leaks from the roof and windows contributed to the problem, and mold growth. Humidity inside the building was as high as 90 percent. Problem recognition Instability of the weather (uncontrolled hot, humidity, moisture) Bad ventilation and filtration Leaks from roof and window Mold growth Solution Cut off the source of moisture and mold removed Fresh air from outside drawn to the building to regulate ventilation Equipment fixed to supply dry air to the building via temporary desiccant dryers Carpets exchanged for tiles Improvements outcome After three months the desiccant dehumidification system dried the building The school is kept at 45 percent relative humidity and 75 °F temp The mold growth is inhibited. Reduced absenteeism rate among students Conclusion Healthy environments in school settings empower students to learn more and increase their effectiveness. It also helps school personnel to meet their goals in teaching and other work. From the above case study it can be seen that any problem in the school environment affects students health and learning ability. The problem can be easily detected by studying the causes and solving them. Many problems can be avoided by: Choosing a good design of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning Controlling moisture to prevent mold growth and preventing damage to building materials and systems Maintenance of the roof and windows

Should the Morning-After Pill be Available Over-the-Counter? Essay

Should the Morning-After Pill be Available Over-the-Counter? Last Tuesday, advisors to the Food and Drug administration voted to make the "morning-after" pill available over-the-counter (1). The FDA has not yet acted on this recommendation (1). The morning-after pill is the vernacular term for emergency contraception, specifically, two pills with the commercial name, "Plan B", which have the ability to inhibit and, depending on one's perspective, possibly to terminate unwanted pregnancies. The FDA approved the first version of the morning-after pill for prescription use in 1998 (1). The issue today is whether it should be available without a prescription. The morning-after pill is essentially a high dosage of the birth control pill (2). It can contain progesterone, estrogen, or both (2). . It can prevent fertilization in the fallopian tubes by altering sperm and egg transport or by preventing or delaying ovulation, and it can prevent fertilized eggs, or zygotes, from implanting in the uterus by thickening the uterine lining (1). It is not effective if the process of implantation has already begun (5). The morning-after pill is not to be confused with RU-486, the so-called abortion pill, which terminates a zygote implanted in the uterine lining (1). All three mechanisms of the morning-after pill do not necessarily all take place every time it is used and it is impossible to determine which, if any, of them prevented implantation in any successful case (3). One controversial ethical issue surrounding the morning-after pill is whether it is tantamount to abortion. The debate concerns whether pregnancy and life begin with a fertilized egg or with its implantation. If conditions in the uterus are ideal, a zygote will be... ...ommission of the FDA has recommended making the morning-after pill available over-the-counter in the United States as it is in other countries. One can only hope that the FDA will follow suit. Internet Sources: 1) http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/16/morning.after.pill/index.html 2) http://www.morningafterpill.org/ 3) http://www.nccbuscc.org/prolife/publicat/lifeinsight/sept98.htm 4) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/286429.stm 5) http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/womenhlt/planb.html 6)http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/25/earlyshow/contributors/tracysmith/main560355.shtml 7) http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1179/article11371.asp 8) http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/27/1056683908357.html?oneclick=true 9) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Third Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996.

The Renaissance and Why Its Important Essays -- essays research papers

Q: What was the Renaissance and why was it important? The Renaissance was a radical and comprehensive change of thinking and lifestyle that took place in European culture during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Renaissance was the reformation of many old ideas and the formation of many new, this brought many changes to Europe such as the birth of vital subjects, such as mathematics, geometry, and algebra. As well as sciences such as chemistry and astronomy which led to technological advancements. In my essay I will explain how the flourishing culture helped to inspire new developments in art, clashing views in the Church and religion and the concept of multiculturalism which helped to inspire teaching and learning?s of a broader range subjects. Renaissance artists sought to create art and sculptures that expressed themselves on a deep and emotional level, they created art forms consistent with the appearance of the natural world and with their experience of human personality and behaviour. Renaissance artists considered perspective, or the differences in the way things look when they are close to something or far away. The artists painted in a way that showed these differences. As a result, their paintings seem to have depth and meaning. During the 15th and 16th century artists concentrated mainly on the theme of life after death. This was the result of artists who became increasingly liberated from their guilds to pursue individual carers. Renaissance artists were usually of high prominence in the modern day society. Many were hired by rich patrons to paint in their household of either family or religious themes along their walls. The idea that you hired famous artists to paint for you meant that you and your family were. .. ...h and learn off each other spread all over Europe. Thus, making Toledo a significant element in the innovation of Universities and learning during the period of the Renaissance and the modern day world. In conclusion the Renaissance is an important and significant part of life today as many concepts of learning and teaching, art and religion all contribute to modern day society. The Renaissance saw a dramatic change in people?s thinking and expressions. People felt free to think for themselves for once, rather then how they were meant to think. For example, Artists felt unconstrained to draw and paint the honesty and realism in religion. The public thought for themselves and freed themselves from the church in order to express humanism in society. Cultures and backgrounds came together to teach and learn of each other, oblivious to their race or religion.

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Essay

The topic that I have conducted research on involves underage alcohol consumption and various levels of academic achievement. More specifically, my goal is to conceptualize the increasing amounts of underage alcohol abuse by observing the affects effects that it has on individual’s GPA. Data obtained from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests that four out of five college students consume alcohol. Of the students that consume alcohol, approximately fifty percent engage in binge drinking (NIAAA 2012). In consideration of the location where the study was conducted (University of New Hampshire), it seemed appropriate to pursue a topic that would potentially correlate with alcohol consumption. Past studies have attempted to address the issue of alcohol consumption and it’s affects effects on academic achievement, yet none have constricted the independent variable to a specific age rage. Returning back to data gathered from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, information was derived that suggested about seventy percent of minors have had at least one alcoholic beverage by the age of eighteen. In accordance with this finding, it was also recorded that although minors drink less often than adults, they do however tend to binge drink more often during an average drinking episode (NIAAA 2012). The objective of the present study is to better grasp an understanding of underage alcohol consumption and academic achievement. With the focus of the age group being confined to individuals less than twenty one years of age, new findings will be generated. The reduction of underage alcohol consumption is an extremely prevalent topic that many policy implementers and law enforcement agencies are faced with. Hopefully results from this study can establish a causal relationship that will aid professionals in dealing with this dilemma not only at the University of New Hampshire, but at universities across the nation. A plethora of studies have been conducted to observe the many negative effects that come from alcohol consumption. For those that are unaware, alcohol is a powerful depressant that ultimately slows down your thinking and time of reaction (CTC 2013). Also, alcohol consumption can act as a precursor to things such as brain damage, heart disease, liver damage, ulcers and various types of cancer (CTC 2013). Many individuals have been presented with similar facts, but they continue to drink alcohol. At the college level, many of the individuals that are consuming alcohol are under the legal age. Policy makers and law enforcement have been faced with this dilemma for an ongoing period of time. In attempts to control for alcohol consumption, many studies have been conducted to pinpoint the main causes. In a study conducted by Labrie et al. (2010), family history of alcohol abuse and its effects on college student’s alcohol abuse were researched. Findings suggest that family history has a correlation with college student’s personal use making them more prone to abuse (mostly males) (Labrie et al. 2010). With this finding however, minimal policy implications are suggested except for parental monitoring of socialization. In a study conducted by Rasul et al. (2011), the current drinking age is tested. Researchers were curious if a deduction in the current drinking age would have a successful attempt in diminishing heavy episodic drinking periods amongst college students. Findings imply that only in the rare case of high alcohol availability, and low levels of law enforcement, would the reduction of the drinking age have a small positive effect. With the full understanding of the prevalence of alcohol consumption in college in general, the question is posed of the effect that it has on academic performance. There is a brief existence of literature that focuses directly on this topic. In a study conducted by Singleton (2007), he examines the relationship between alcohol consumption and academic performance while controlling for key background factors. When SAT scores and class ranks were controlled, a significant relationship for alcohol consumption and academic performance was observed (Singleton 2007). In a similar study conducted by Singleton and Wolfson (2009), they attempted to observe relationships between alcohol intake, sleep and academic performance. Main findings suggest that the most significant predictor of academic performance was sleep schedule. However, the association that high alcohol intake would result in poor sleep schedule ultimately effecting your academic achievement was established (Singleton and Wolfs on 2009). Although past studies have observed alcohol consumption and its effects on academic achievement, none of them control for age. In the present study, the collegiate population that illegally consumes alcohol is examined. Findings will hopefully suggest that illegal alcohol consumption has a negative effect on academic achievement. If so, I will provide some policy implications that will help address and potentially minimize underage alcohol consumption. * Null Hypothesis: underage alcohol consumption has no affect effect on individual academic achievement. * Alternative Hypothesis: underage alcohol consumption will have a negative effect on academic achievement. To gather the data necessary to study alcohol consumption and its effects on academic achievement, two survey questions were contributed to a general survey composed by the spring 2013 methods of social research class at the University of New Hampshire. Our study was conducted in various classrooms at the University of New Hampshire using the method of convenience sampling. This non-probability sampling method will produce un-representative results. However, considering our limits of time and money, this sampling procedure was deemed the most rational. Professor Rebecca Glauber contacted five sociology professors teaching large discovery courses during the spring semester. These teachers agreed to let students in the methods of social research course field a survey to their students. No compensation was received by the participants. In the middle of April, three to four students in the methods of social research course attended the classes of these professors. During that time, the students stood in front of the class room and read a verbal recruitment statement. Upon completion of the statement, students handed out the surveys to all participants in the classroom. If the students agree to participate, they will anonymously fill out the survey. If at any time an individual felt uncomfortable and wished to remove their consent, that survey was destroyed. After completion, students placed their surveys in a box at the front of the room. Minimal risk is present in our study. On the survey, questions involving illegal substance use were present. This could potentially be considered a criminal liability, but since the survey was completed anonymously that factor is ruled out and the participants were protected. Also, questions involving states of mental health were present which could potentially have negative psychological effects on participants. There is no direct benefit to the participants of the study. However, results of this survey helped individuals in the methods of social research class obtain useful information that helped them draw conclusions that otherwise would not have been possible. In this particular study, no physical harm, and minimal psychological harm to the participants was present. In addition, the assurance of anonymity will help establish the goal of the benefits outweighing the risks. The variables used for this particular study were alcohol consumption and academic achievement. The independent variable, alcohol consumption, was (conceptually) theoretically defined by measuring the amount of alcoholic beverages that are consumed in an average drinking episode. The question used to address this variable was, â€Å"During an average drinking episode, about how many alcoholic drinks do you consume?† There were five mutually exclusive and exhaustive answers for participants to select from. (this sounds like it could be plagiarism so maybe change that sentence.) The dependent variable, academic achievement, was conceptually defined by measuring students GPA’s. The question used to address this variable was, â€Å"What is your overall grade point average (GPA)?† Once again, there were five mutually exclusive and exhaustive answers for participants to select from.

Euro Disney Essay

Introduccion The Walt Disney Company, is an American multinational corporation located in Burbank, California. It is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Disney was founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney and established itself as a leader in the American animation industry. Disney has created new divisions of the company in order to market more mature content than it typically associates with its flagship family-oriented brands. The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Studios, and today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, A+E Networks, LifeTime and ABC Family; publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions; and owns and licenses 14 theme parks around the world. It also has a successful music division. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company. Focused on Euro Disney: Euro Disney S.C.A. is the company that owns and operates Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallà ©e, France. 39.78% of shares are held by The Walt Disney Company, 10% by the Saudi Prince Alwaleed and 50.22% by other  shareholders. The stock is traded on the Euronext Paris exchange. Disneyland Paris comprises Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney Village, and seven on-site Disney Hotels. Val d’Europe is a new residential and shopping development. Another seven hotels/residences have been built not  far from the two Disney theme parks on land held under Euro Disney SCA’s lease, including properties from companies such as Holiday Inn, Kyriad, MyTravel and Radisson Hotels. The Resort is a result of an agreement signed on 24 March 1987 between The Walt Disney Company and the French Authorities for the development of a new tourist destination, and construction began within a year. Since opening on 12 April 1992, the Resort has created more than 30,000 jobs (both directly and indirectly) in the region to the east of Paris. Today it is the n umber one tourist destination in Europe with 14.5 million visits recorded for Financial Year. Offers/Suggestions: There are many companys which offers many packs for families. Below some examples. Esayjet: Esayjet offers the best prices on Paris Disney Area deals and get away on a Paris Disney Area holiday for less. easyJet Holidays has a fantastic range of prices and offers with a selection of easyJet flights and Paris Disney Area hotels available. http://holidays.easyjet.com/france/paris/paris-disney-area-holidays.htm Thomson: Thomson gives you the opportunity to cutomize your trip: – Accommodation in a Disney Hotel including breakfast – Tickets for both Disney Parks for each day – Access to Free Fastpass service for every member of your party: Cut down the queuing time at the most popular attractions – Extra Magic Hours: Get access to the Disneyland Park up to 2 hours before regular Park opening! http://www.thomson.co.uk/editorial/features/disneyland-paris.html Hotels inside the Amusement Park: There are many opptions for accomodation indide the park. In total there are 14 hotels. Some examples as follows: Disney’s Newport Bay Club: At Disney’s Newport Bay Club, enjoy all the style and charm of the late 19th Century New England seaside, right on the waters of Lake Disney. Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe: Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe offers you a taste of the monumental landscapes of America’s South West, along the legendary Route 66. Disneyland Hotel: If you you asked for the best. Disneyland Hotel offers the ultimate in Disney quality, service, hospitality and location! It’s right at the entrance to Disneyland Park. Location: Euro Disney is located in France (Paris). France is the largest country in Western Europe and the third-largest in Europe as a whole. It possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world. France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military, and political influence in Europe and around the world. France is a developed country,possessing the world’s fifth-largest and Europe’s second-largest economy. Questions A: 1) What did Disney do wrong in its planning for Euro Disney? EuroDisney made different financial ​​strategic mistakes .Taking into account the studies predicting the good economic panporama The growth would be very fast, which means good benefits for the region. But the reality was very different, It means the prediction was wrong. Maybe the will need to made two or more financial Studies befote taking a desition. Another of his errors was the European habits which had changed. From the American experience the highest assitance would be on friday’s, the opposite occurred. The company had difficulties planning the number of workers for those days. Another operational errors was the computers of the hotels. EuroDisney was based on that customers spent several days in the park. The reality was very different, customers arrived very early in the morning to spend the day in the park and get to the rooms at night to leaving the next day. Queues to pay dragged on the grounds that there was only one computer. They had to install several computers addicionales to reduce queues. 2)What recommendations would you make to Disney to deal with the problems of Euro Disney? EuroDisney uses Other Strategies to Solve the Problem of the Situation Name change to Eurodisney Disneyland Paris, so well adapted to European tastes and give a disastrous change in customer care. Through the emphasis of recognizing Paris, executives capitalize on the proximity of the park to the French capital. Keeping costs and increase revenues decreased 8.6% of its labor potential. In response to criticism of high ticket prices and hotels EuroDisney decided to introduce offers and new prices for hotels in low Seaton Disney company changed its marketing philosophy to attract customers from other countries such as Israel and Africa. Instead of offering the park as a holiday destination 3)What lessons can we learn from Disney’s problems with Euro Disney? Misunderstand food habits and customs of Europeans. They learned that for foreign market, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study of the  customs in that country which they did not do. These results obtained in human resources can help l from this process and this be applicable everywhere in the world. The food market must require a study of economics, rights, culture, climatology, interests, customs, lifestyle, geography, work habits etc.. Questions B: 1.How should the park differentiate itself from the competitive treta posed by the growing number of European amsusement Parks? The main and most important reason is that it is the only amusement park in Europe related to Disney. In my point of view it would be important to provide prices, packs, etc. for children under 7 years, for example, for birthdays, facilitate price, queues etc†¦ Finally renovation, uptades or new attractions design quite often. 2. What target marketing strategy should be pursued in the face of the changing competitive environment? A marketing strategy that positions Euro Disney as a affordable, fully equipped and multicultural park rather than just an American import. This can be done through the following: Implementing more aspects of European culture and less American culture. Signs and ads should be multilingual Food and drinks should be fitting for European tastes. Characters and casts should be more presentable to French culture in specific and European in general. Euro Disney is for Europe and not a form of an Americanized location in Europe. 3. What branding-strategy decisions are relevant? When it comes to the branding strategy, the image of Disney as a brand needs to be maintained as an amusing and incredible experience for everyone. However, again it should be directed in a way to fit the European perceptions of Amusement parks and not the American style. Plus the brand should have the attribute of being the worlds best amusement park provider by displaying the success it has in the U.S.A and in Japan. Meaning that you can have the thrill and experience that Disney as an organization offers you but in Europe. 4. What can be done to make better use of underutilized resources (such as the Hotels) while increasing the profitability of well-patronized facilities? On the short term the most sensible idea is to have a well-fit price for the current economic situation in Europe. Disney Europe can offer packages and promotions for visitors based on the seasonality and demands of the European consumers. A combination of promotional packages can help boost the number of visitors who will find it more appealing to go to Euro Disney rather than any other park because it has a combination of facilities at a reasonable price. Conclution Disney wanted to Americanize European customs. That mistake led to the executives to build an amusement park of your dreams, but following a American model and thus strictly different from physical reality, financial and cultural center of Europe and France. To enter the European market, should make a more detailed study based on research into every applicable aspect of the economy, laws, culture, climate, interests, customs, habits in lifestyle, geography, work habits, among others. This case demonstrates the importance of taking into account the Consumer Comportamientodel when making decisions about new products or paraextender existing products to new markets. It is vitally importanciatener into account social factors such as habits, culture, customs, language,  demographics, socioeconomic status, etc.. What to darsecuenta of which is the best way to reach that market.

Canadian International School and Asia Essay

There are certain things in life that are taken for granted. Some people would feel contented with what they have, while others would have a bigger yearning to become someone. Sometimes, what we yearn for in life becomes the very core of our existence, making us hardworking and persevering. My high school was spent in Asia, where I was exposed to numerous realities. I graduated from the Canadian International School and Asia, and I must say that I was provided with the necessary knowledge in order to become prepared for the real world. Eventually, I was given the opportunity to study at the NAME OF UNIVERSITY. The short time I spent there was enough for me to become equipped with the necessary knowledge that would allow me to follow my dreams. However, I believe that I would be able to spread my wings further if I studied at the NAME OF UNIVERSITY in Vancouver, Canada. For this, I am showing my interest in taking up NAME OF DEGREE from your university. Studying at the NAME OF UNVIERSITY would not come as a challenge, for I have been previously exposed to the Canadian way of teaching. In this regard, I would not have much difficulty adjusting to the culture, and instead become more proficient in class. I would become more comfortable with my environment, at the same time be able to express myself further in the best possible way that I can. As mentioned earlier, it is my belief that your university would become one of my keystones in achieving my goals in life. Although some would opt to think that the success of an individual is not based on the school, I beg to disagree. Some of the important factors to be learned in life are based on the foundation that institutions have inculcated in their students. Since I have been a product of a Canadian institution in high school, I wish to strengthen my knowledge and beliefs further with your help. Life is always about taking risks – these are the choices that we make in order to fulfill our dreams.

Business Plan & Product

| ‘November 2012| | | | | | | | | | | | BUSINESS PLAN & PRODUCTSCertificate IV in Business: TAFE Sydney Institute| Teacher: Henry Forte Teacher: Henry Forte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SWASTI ARIANI| BUSINESS PLAN & PRODUCTS 1. BUSINESS PROFILE 2. 1 Business Activity Retail fashion is through times has gone through so many rapid changes with constant demand for new clothing products created by fashion designers.However in a clothing line business, the specifications and descriptions of the designs and clothes are so general that they can fit more than one costume, which actually are quite different in nature from each other and this is solely dependent on the taste of people. We look this fact as a good opportunity to set up a fashion line especially in Sydney where the women and girls have the sexiness angle covered. The proposed business will be a fashion line. This proposed business is a start-up retail of uptown fashion line that reflects edgy but glamorou s style.The apparel is designed with individual sophistication with a modern spin. Targeted for women and girls, the brand includes styles such as Tops, Dresses, Pants, Shirts, Skirts, Jackets and accessories with a glamorous touch. While our initial goal is to open one boutique, expansion plans include potentially franchising our retail store and/or building a well-recognized brand name. In turn, we would hope to penetrate a sizable portion of the online retail market. 2. 2 Ownership Structure The business will be operated as a partnership with Swasti Ariani and Richard D. Kitts as co-owners of fashion line.The proprietors have chosen to operate as a partnership to gain benefits by combining their different skills and financial resources. And both are agreed to hold equal shares of ownership in the company. 2. 3 Business Name The business will trade under registered name of â€Å"Gritty Glam†. 2. 4 Business Location Gritty Glam fashion line will be located at 471 Kent St, Sy dney. Our company is a retail establishment selling fashionable women's clothing. Our business operates within the retail industry and is classified under Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) Class 4251 – Clothing Retailing.The gorgeous area includes numerous restaurants, an art gallery, coffee shop, candy store and a picturesque park in the town square. We have signed a one-year lease for a 120 square meters building. Also we have signed a one-year lease for Stitching Unit Building for warehouse ; production. Working with the property owner Interior Design consultant, we have secured a $4,000 to beautify the facade of the building to include painting, signage and a new awning. Only slight internal renovations will be required – such as the installation of dressing rooms and decorative items.When considering the addition of wall mounts for merchandise, multi-level clothing displays as well as creative floor planning, this facility is l arge enough to support future growth. Additionally, we will be able to conduct all aspects of our business from this location. This includes deliveries and shipments, inventory management and administrative duties such as finance, buying and marketing 2. 5 Entry Strategy The business will be started up as a new operation. The reason for starting up as a new business is because we believe there are few uptown fashion lines that reflect edgy but glamorous styles in Sydney.Gritty Glam fashion line recognizes the importance of marketing. And to that end, we plan to promote our retail business with an ambitious, targeted marketing campaign, which will include a grand opening event, local media coverage, print advertising and a direct-mail campaign. Our goal is to keep our marketing budget to no more than 3% of our gross annual sales, and we will partner with some Rising new-comers Band and artist in Entertainment Industry to endorse them in events as often as possible. 2. 6 Legal Require ments The legal requirements to operate the business are: . Business name registration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission(ASIC) b. Home business use permit from the local council c. Registration for GST with the Australian Taxation Office d. Registration for Australian Business Number (ABN) with Australian taxation office (ATO). e. Business account with Commonwealth Bank Legal requirements will continue to be met during the course of operation. 2. 7 Business Objectives Gritty Glam line aim is to offer a great quality of clothes for women and girls that have an edgy but classy personal style.Gritty glam store will cater women and girls in Sydney area, and position ourselves as a boutique store servicing in particular market specifically in range of age 18 – 30 yet affordable for their pocket. Our objectives in set up Gritty glam line are: a. Become only store with unique styles currently not found in Sydney b. Strong competitive advantage on quality and pricing c. Committed to make a positive impact on our customers through Monthly Online updates. d. To receive a 30% profit margin within the first year 2. Environment and Workplace Health ; Safety (WHS) We responsible to ensure the workplace are safety for all staffs and customers. Some of our responsibilities to support this are by: a. Provide training for all staffs, including warehouse staffs (Stitching Unit, Ironing Unit ; Merchandising) also Store staffs on how to use machines, materials, process ; how to report incidents. b. Provide regular evacuation training for staff so they understand emergency procedures, including evacuation instructions, assembly point locations and use of fire alarms and equipment. c.Provide Fire Extinguishers in both store building ; stitching unit building. 2. 9 Financial aspects Gritty Glam fashion line requires $149,950 to launch successfully. We've already raised $70,000 through personal investments of the co-owners. We are currently seeking addit ional funding from outside angel investors and business loan. Start-up funds will be used store interior design, inventory (fabrics, accessories), stitching machines, and operating expenses such as rent & business registration. Our company will earn revenue from our customers' purchases of our products.Gritty Glam’s first-year income statement (see appendix) illustrates a profit margin of at least 35%, with a net income of $71,543 per annum – before taxes. We project our annual profits to reach $200,000 by year three. Our company will generate revenue from the retail sale of clothing and other accessories. First year sales are projected at $81 63,860, and we expect sales to surpass $1. 6 million by the end of year three. We will achieve month-to-month profitability within the first year. Our business will collect immediate payment from customers, so our cash flow statement will be substantially similar to our income statement.Our cash flow statement clearly demonstrate s our ability to cover all bills 2. 10 Monitoring To monitor our business, co-owners will directly handle day to day business at store and at the warehouse. As a retail establishment, Gritty Glam store will conduct business seven days a week from 9 am. to 7 pm. During the holiday seasons and during special events, store hours will be extended. In addition to the two full-time co-owners, two part-time employees will be hired to serve customers during those seasons. Our company will secure fabrics and accessories local manufacturer ; international manufacture located in Indonesia.We'll also have access to Fabrics Elsegood, which is the largest wholesale textiles and fabrics in Australia. Additionally, we will work closely with our regional sales representative, endorse rising new comer artist & band on events as often as possible. We will also attend relevant pre-season fashion trade shows. To control costs, track inventory and manage stock levels, an inventory control system will be set in place. This will include the standard bar code with its related equipment and software. Staff will conduct annual inventory audits and hire outside auditors when necessary.Accounting & Finance matters will be maintained using MYOB software. 2. MARKETING STRATEGY Gritty Glam fashion line will solely focusing on sell an edgy glamorous clothing product for young and women. We will closely follow generational fashion trends as well as our own customers purchasing preferences. Moreover, we will tailor our inventory to meet the needs of our special clientele. Our main staples are tops, dresses, jackets, Skirts, Shorts, and pants, but we will also offer some accessories such as belts, scarves, and hats. Profits will be earned via the sale of our products.Our pricing structure will utilize a value-based pricing structure, which measures the value of our products to our customers such as easy access, quality, customer service and styles flattering to our target consumer. End of season sales, holiday and overstock sales, multi-buy savings and promotional coupons will be implemented at strategic intervals. 2. 1. SWOT ANALYSIS We have identified the opportunities, challenges for the business in the next two years as following: Strengths * Experience and understanding of the fashion industry for women and girls Unique shopping experience with exceptional customer service * Great downtown location * Large and growing consumer base * Competitive prices with a special & made from good quality fabrics * Provide products tailored to all shapes and sizes of women Weaknesses * New line, could be unrecognized by customers at the first time * Must follow the fashion trends & changes all the times * Original ideas of design Opportunities * Outstanding shopping experience by customers will lead to repeat business * Expand the business into others apparel for example, Men’s Apparels, Shoes & bags. * Establish online store Endorse rising new comers artist will rise brand public awareness Threats * High Competitions, New retail shops that may or may not open in the future * Ideas/products copy by another competitors * Lower prices given by competitors 2. 2. INDUSTRY CONDITIONS Direct observation shows Sydney fashion retailer is dominated by megastores such as MYERS, DAVID JONES, ZARA, etc. Even the product prices offered by those multinational company is higher than other small company & the quality is sometimes not worth the price, but for the sake of brand image people don’t mind to spent lot of money shop on that place.Brand Awareness is the main important in promoting Gritty Glam fashion line. Market growth is in an upward motion, despite some of the latest economic downturns Statistics analysis reported by ABS show negative trends on clothing Industry. However, this business will always exist and will always be high on demand. By make a good promotion and marketing strategy, Gritty Glam fashion line will be able to compete with multinatio nal retailer as mentioned above because the retail fashion industry is a solid business with ever-changing styles and ever-present consumer demands. . 3. PROMOTIONS Gritty Glam will follow an aggressive yet creative promotional plan but keep the marketing budget no more than 5% of our gross annual sales. This will allow us to focus directly on our target customer. Below are some promotions strategies we will do; a. Select Magazines that most read by women and girls to promote our product, b. Partner with top 10 most view by women and young TV programs to endorse the actress as often as possible. These strategic partnerships will allow us to piggyback on publicity for local events. c.Social Media, to keep our customers aware with our new arrival products & our promo programs d. Participate in fashion exhibitions events to promote our products and sell in the same time. e. Print out brochures and distributed throughout every houses/apartments in particular areas by Direct mail strateg y every 4 months/ new seasons. Manage a direct mail program that will focus on our top 50% customers spotlighting any in-house sales and promotions f. Spot radio advertisements on two local FM radio stations that most heard by women and girls. . Posting sale flyers on community bulletin boards. 2. 4. STRATEGIES Since Co-owners have marketing backgrounds and recognize the significance of effective marketing. We expect our strategy to draw consumers into Gritty Glam from the very beginning. Strategies we will propose are: a. Hire a local Public Relation firm to help us develop and implement a strategic marketing plan and guide our publicity efforts in a cost-effective manner. b. Offer a 100 day return/exchange policy to build trust with our customers and maintain retention and loyalty. c.Hold a drawing for a $50 shopping spree and fashion consultation. Entry collection will start at the grand opening and continue throughout the week. Names and contact information will be utilized for follow up marketing initiatives. d. Give 10% discounts for birthday member who shopping at Gritty Glam store. Finally, marketing opportunities will be continually utilized as we expand our business and our consumer numbers grow. 2. 5. COSTS See Appendix 2. 6. RESOURCES Gritty Glam fashion line is a small business and therefore requires a simple organizational structure.Swasti Ariani & Richard D. Kitts will act as Co-Owners. Richard D. Kitts will manage the day-to-day operations including supervising staff, maintaining inventory and bookkeeping. He will be helped by one Part time Accounting Staff, Swasti Ariani will oversee the merchandise buying for the store as well as maintain a keen awareness of trends within the industry. Swasti Ariani will also work with public relations firm to ensure superior marketing plans are in place and implemented.Gritty glam will employ 1 designer, 2 pattern Makers & 2 Dress Makers that will be directly supervised by Swasti, a Store manager & 3 part-ti me associates. These positions are still vacant. Our sales associates will be paid an hourly wage, plus commission. Bonuses will be provided with each year of service following an annual review to encourage employee retention. All decisions are made in-line with the company objectives. Employee tasks are delegated based upon their level of expertise, creativity, strengths and weaknesses. Resources| Quantity| Who to consult|Designer| 1| Fashion School career centre or Job Agency| Store Manager| 1| Friends| Associate| 3| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Accountant-Part time| 1| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Pattern Maker| 2| Fashion School career centre| Dress Maker| 2| Fashion School career centre| Press/Iron man/Finishing| 1| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Total| 11| -| REFERENCES 1. Writing your plan for small business success. Ian Birt. Prentice Hall. 2007 2. Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification – http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[email  pro tected] nsf/0/D23C85FE73B2A765CA25711F00146EF3? pendocument 3. Business & Industry Portal – http://www. business. qld. gov. au/business/employing/employee-rights-awards-entitlements/personal-safety-workplace 4. Clothing Retailing in Australia: Market Research Report – http://www. ibisworld. com. au/industry/default. aspx? indid=407 5. Australian Bureau Statistics. Analysis by industry – http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[email  protected] nsf/Latestproducts/8501. 0Main%20Features3Sep%202012? opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=8501. 0&issue=Sep%202012&num=&view= APPENDIX – FINANCIAL PLAN Business Plan & Product | ‘November 2012| | | | | | | | | | | | BUSINESS PLAN & PRODUCTSCertificate IV in Business: TAFE Sydney Institute| Teacher: Henry Forte Teacher: Henry Forte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SWASTI ARIANI| BUSINESS PLAN & PRODUCTS 1. BUSINESS PROFILE 2. 1 Business Activity Retail fashion is through times has gone through so many rapid changes with constant demand for new clothing products created by fashion designers.However in a clothing line business, the specifications and descriptions of the designs and clothes are so general that they can fit more than one costume, which actually are quite different in nature from each other and this is solely dependent on the taste of people. We look this fact as a good opportunity to set up a fashion line especially in Sydney where the women and girls have the sexiness angle covered. The proposed business will be a fashion line. This proposed business is a start-up retail of uptown fashion line that reflects edgy but glamorou s style.The apparel is designed with individual sophistication with a modern spin. Targeted for women and girls, the brand includes styles such as Tops, Dresses, Pants, Shirts, Skirts, Jackets and accessories with a glamorous touch. While our initial goal is to open one boutique, expansion plans include potentially franchising our retail store and/or building a well-recognized brand name. In turn, we would hope to penetrate a sizable portion of the online retail market. 2. 2 Ownership Structure The business will be operated as a partnership with Swasti Ariani and Richard D. Kitts as co-owners of fashion line.The proprietors have chosen to operate as a partnership to gain benefits by combining their different skills and financial resources. And both are agreed to hold equal shares of ownership in the company. 2. 3 Business Name The business will trade under registered name of â€Å"Gritty Glam†. 2. 4 Business Location Gritty Glam fashion line will be located at 471 Kent St, Sy dney. Our company is a retail establishment selling fashionable women's clothing. Our business operates within the retail industry and is classified under Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) Class 4251 – Clothing Retailing.The gorgeous area includes numerous restaurants, an art gallery, coffee shop, candy store and a picturesque park in the town square. We have signed a one-year lease for a 120 square meters building. Also we have signed a one-year lease for Stitching Unit Building for warehouse ; production. Working with the property owner Interior Design consultant, we have secured a $4,000 to beautify the facade of the building to include painting, signage and a new awning. Only slight internal renovations will be required – such as the installation of dressing rooms and decorative items.When considering the addition of wall mounts for merchandise, multi-level clothing displays as well as creative floor planning, this facility is l arge enough to support future growth. Additionally, we will be able to conduct all aspects of our business from this location. This includes deliveries and shipments, inventory management and administrative duties such as finance, buying and marketing 2. 5 Entry Strategy The business will be started up as a new operation. The reason for starting up as a new business is because we believe there are few uptown fashion lines that reflect edgy but glamorous styles in Sydney.Gritty Glam fashion line recognizes the importance of marketing. And to that end, we plan to promote our retail business with an ambitious, targeted marketing campaign, which will include a grand opening event, local media coverage, print advertising and a direct-mail campaign. Our goal is to keep our marketing budget to no more than 3% of our gross annual sales, and we will partner with some Rising new-comers Band and artist in Entertainment Industry to endorse them in events as often as possible. 2. 6 Legal Require ments The legal requirements to operate the business are: . Business name registration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission(ASIC) b. Home business use permit from the local council c. Registration for GST with the Australian Taxation Office d. Registration for Australian Business Number (ABN) with Australian taxation office (ATO). e. Business account with Commonwealth Bank Legal requirements will continue to be met during the course of operation. 2. 7 Business Objectives Gritty Glam line aim is to offer a great quality of clothes for women and girls that have an edgy but classy personal style.Gritty glam store will cater women and girls in Sydney area, and position ourselves as a boutique store servicing in particular market specifically in range of age 18 – 30 yet affordable for their pocket. Our objectives in set up Gritty glam line are: a. Become only store with unique styles currently not found in Sydney b. Strong competitive advantage on quality and pricing c. Committed to make a positive impact on our customers through Monthly Online updates. d. To receive a 30% profit margin within the first year 2. Environment and Workplace Health ; Safety (WHS) We responsible to ensure the workplace are safety for all staffs and customers. Some of our responsibilities to support this are by: a. Provide training for all staffs, including warehouse staffs (Stitching Unit, Ironing Unit ; Merchandising) also Store staffs on how to use machines, materials, process ; how to report incidents. b. Provide regular evacuation training for staff so they understand emergency procedures, including evacuation instructions, assembly point locations and use of fire alarms and equipment. c.Provide Fire Extinguishers in both store building ; stitching unit building. 2. 9 Financial aspects Gritty Glam fashion line requires $149,950 to launch successfully. We've already raised $70,000 through personal investments of the co-owners. We are currently seeking addit ional funding from outside angel investors and business loan. Start-up funds will be used store interior design, inventory (fabrics, accessories), stitching machines, and operating expenses such as rent & business registration. Our company will earn revenue from our customers' purchases of our products.Gritty Glam’s first-year income statement (see appendix) illustrates a profit margin of at least 35%, with a net income of $71,543 per annum – before taxes. We project our annual profits to reach $200,000 by year three. Our company will generate revenue from the retail sale of clothing and other accessories. First year sales are projected at $81 63,860, and we expect sales to surpass $1. 6 million by the end of year three. We will achieve month-to-month profitability within the first year. Our business will collect immediate payment from customers, so our cash flow statement will be substantially similar to our income statement.Our cash flow statement clearly demonstrate s our ability to cover all bills 2. 10 Monitoring To monitor our business, co-owners will directly handle day to day business at store and at the warehouse. As a retail establishment, Gritty Glam store will conduct business seven days a week from 9 am. to 7 pm. During the holiday seasons and during special events, store hours will be extended. In addition to the two full-time co-owners, two part-time employees will be hired to serve customers during those seasons. Our company will secure fabrics and accessories local manufacturer ; international manufacture located in Indonesia.We'll also have access to Fabrics Elsegood, which is the largest wholesale textiles and fabrics in Australia. Additionally, we will work closely with our regional sales representative, endorse rising new comer artist & band on events as often as possible. We will also attend relevant pre-season fashion trade shows. To control costs, track inventory and manage stock levels, an inventory control system will be set in place. This will include the standard bar code with its related equipment and software. Staff will conduct annual inventory audits and hire outside auditors when necessary.Accounting & Finance matters will be maintained using MYOB software. 2. MARKETING STRATEGY Gritty Glam fashion line will solely focusing on sell an edgy glamorous clothing product for young and women. We will closely follow generational fashion trends as well as our own customers purchasing preferences. Moreover, we will tailor our inventory to meet the needs of our special clientele. Our main staples are tops, dresses, jackets, Skirts, Shorts, and pants, but we will also offer some accessories such as belts, scarves, and hats. Profits will be earned via the sale of our products.Our pricing structure will utilize a value-based pricing structure, which measures the value of our products to our customers such as easy access, quality, customer service and styles flattering to our target consumer. End of season sales, holiday and overstock sales, multi-buy savings and promotional coupons will be implemented at strategic intervals. 2. 1. SWOT ANALYSIS We have identified the opportunities, challenges for the business in the next two years as following: Strengths * Experience and understanding of the fashion industry for women and girls Unique shopping experience with exceptional customer service * Great downtown location * Large and growing consumer base * Competitive prices with a special & made from good quality fabrics * Provide products tailored to all shapes and sizes of women Weaknesses * New line, could be unrecognized by customers at the first time * Must follow the fashion trends & changes all the times * Original ideas of design Opportunities * Outstanding shopping experience by customers will lead to repeat business * Expand the business into others apparel for example, Men’s Apparels, Shoes & bags. * Establish online store Endorse rising new comers artist will rise brand public awareness Threats * High Competitions, New retail shops that may or may not open in the future * Ideas/products copy by another competitors * Lower prices given by competitors 2. 2. INDUSTRY CONDITIONS Direct observation shows Sydney fashion retailer is dominated by megastores such as MYERS, DAVID JONES, ZARA, etc. Even the product prices offered by those multinational company is higher than other small company & the quality is sometimes not worth the price, but for the sake of brand image people don’t mind to spent lot of money shop on that place.Brand Awareness is the main important in promoting Gritty Glam fashion line. Market growth is in an upward motion, despite some of the latest economic downturns Statistics analysis reported by ABS show negative trends on clothing Industry. However, this business will always exist and will always be high on demand. By make a good promotion and marketing strategy, Gritty Glam fashion line will be able to compete with multinatio nal retailer as mentioned above because the retail fashion industry is a solid business with ever-changing styles and ever-present consumer demands. . 3. PROMOTIONS Gritty Glam will follow an aggressive yet creative promotional plan but keep the marketing budget no more than 5% of our gross annual sales. This will allow us to focus directly on our target customer. Below are some promotions strategies we will do; a. Select Magazines that most read by women and girls to promote our product, b. Partner with top 10 most view by women and young TV programs to endorse the actress as often as possible. These strategic partnerships will allow us to piggyback on publicity for local events. c.Social Media, to keep our customers aware with our new arrival products & our promo programs d. Participate in fashion exhibitions events to promote our products and sell in the same time. e. Print out brochures and distributed throughout every houses/apartments in particular areas by Direct mail strateg y every 4 months/ new seasons. Manage a direct mail program that will focus on our top 50% customers spotlighting any in-house sales and promotions f. Spot radio advertisements on two local FM radio stations that most heard by women and girls. . Posting sale flyers on community bulletin boards. 2. 4. STRATEGIES Since Co-owners have marketing backgrounds and recognize the significance of effective marketing. We expect our strategy to draw consumers into Gritty Glam from the very beginning. Strategies we will propose are: a. Hire a local Public Relation firm to help us develop and implement a strategic marketing plan and guide our publicity efforts in a cost-effective manner. b. Offer a 100 day return/exchange policy to build trust with our customers and maintain retention and loyalty. c.Hold a drawing for a $50 shopping spree and fashion consultation. Entry collection will start at the grand opening and continue throughout the week. Names and contact information will be utilized for follow up marketing initiatives. d. Give 10% discounts for birthday member who shopping at Gritty Glam store. Finally, marketing opportunities will be continually utilized as we expand our business and our consumer numbers grow. 2. 5. COSTS See Appendix 2. 6. RESOURCES Gritty Glam fashion line is a small business and therefore requires a simple organizational structure.Swasti Ariani & Richard D. Kitts will act as Co-Owners. Richard D. Kitts will manage the day-to-day operations including supervising staff, maintaining inventory and bookkeeping. He will be helped by one Part time Accounting Staff, Swasti Ariani will oversee the merchandise buying for the store as well as maintain a keen awareness of trends within the industry. Swasti Ariani will also work with public relations firm to ensure superior marketing plans are in place and implemented.Gritty glam will employ 1 designer, 2 pattern Makers & 2 Dress Makers that will be directly supervised by Swasti, a Store manager & 3 part-ti me associates. These positions are still vacant. Our sales associates will be paid an hourly wage, plus commission. Bonuses will be provided with each year of service following an annual review to encourage employee retention. All decisions are made in-line with the company objectives. Employee tasks are delegated based upon their level of expertise, creativity, strengths and weaknesses. Resources| Quantity| Who to consult|Designer| 1| Fashion School career centre or Job Agency| Store Manager| 1| Friends| Associate| 3| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Accountant-Part time| 1| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Pattern Maker| 2| Fashion School career centre| Dress Maker| 2| Fashion School career centre| Press/Iron man/Finishing| 1| Advertise on Job Seeker Website| Total| 11| -| REFERENCES 1. Writing your plan for small business success. Ian Birt. Prentice Hall. 2007 2. Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification – http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[email  pro tected] nsf/0/D23C85FE73B2A765CA25711F00146EF3? pendocument 3. Business & Industry Portal – http://www. business. qld. gov. au/business/employing/employee-rights-awards-entitlements/personal-safety-workplace 4. Clothing Retailing in Australia: Market Research Report – http://www. ibisworld. com. au/industry/default. aspx? indid=407 5. Australian Bureau Statistics. Analysis by industry – http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[email  protected] nsf/Latestproducts/8501. 0Main%20Features3Sep%202012? opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=8501. 0&issue=Sep%202012&num=&view= APPENDIX – FINANCIAL PLAN