The highly recommended: International Guidance for MBA distance learning
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هنا ستجد بعض الفورمات التي يمكن أن تحتاجها لبدء مكتب علمي و للقراءه المفصله أضغط هنا 1- Starting A Business بداية العمل عند بدء العمل ,بالتأكيد لديك أفكار كثيره و لكي تنظمها حمل الملف التالي Business idea analysis ثم يبدأ تفكيرك في اختيار أسم جذاب لشركتك , و الاسم يعتبر من الأصول المعنويه الهامه للشركه و هناك ملفات تساعدك على ذلك حمل هنا Business Name Brainstorming و بعد ذلك قم بتحديد مهمة شركتك بمساعدة الملف التالي Mission statement تأتي الأن خطوة التفكير في مصاريف البدايه , أحضر ورقه و قلم و فكر في كل البنود الممكنه التي ممكن أت تصرف فيها لبدء الشركه و يمكنك مشاهدة قائمة بكل البنود المحتمله هنا Startup costs worksheet و أخر خطوة في بدء العمل هي تحليل السوق المستهدف يجب أن تكون على درايه تامه بمعرفة عميلك , استخدم هذا الملف للتحليل Target market analysis 2- Human resource الموارد البشريه العنصر البشري هو قصة نجاح أو فشل أي مؤسسة , الشركات الناجحه نجحت بفضل الله ثم بفضل من يعملون بها لذلك فاختيار الموظفين هي عمليه هامه جدا أولا قم بتحليل المهام الوظيفيه المطلوبه Job analysis form ثم قم بوصف العمل الذي سوف يقوم به كل موظف Job description form بعد ذلك يمكنك الاعلان عن الوظيفه…
Continue reading …A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be classified as strengths (S) or weaknesses (W), and those external to the firm can be classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firm’s resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. As such, it is instrumental in strategy formulation and selection. The following diagram shows how a SWOT analysis fits into an environmental scan: SWOT Analysis Framework Environmental Scan / \ Internal Analysis External Analysis / \ / \ Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats | SWOT Matrix Strengths A firm’s strengths are its resources and capabilities that can be used as a basis for developing a competitive advantage. Examples of such strengths include: patents strong brand names good reputation among customers cost advantages from proprietary know-how exclusive access to high grade natural resources favorable access to distribution networks Weaknesses The absence of certain strengths may be viewed as a weakness. For example, each of the…
Continue reading …When a firm sustains profits that exceed the average for its industry, the firm is said to possess a competitive advantage over its rivals. The goal of much of business strategy is to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Michael Porter identified two basic types of competitive advantage: • cost advantage • differentiation advantage A competitive advantage exists when the firm is able to deliver the same benefits as competitors but at a lower cost (cost advantage), or deliver benefits that exceed those of competing products (differentiation advantage). Thus, a competitive advantage enables the firm to create superior value for its customers and superior profits for itself. Cost and differentiation advantages are known as positional advantages since they describe the firm’s position in the industry as a leader in either cost or differentiation. A resource-based view emphasizes that a firm utilizes its resources and capabilities to create a competitive advantage that ultimately results in superior value creation. The following diagram combines the resource-based and positioning views to illustrate the concept of competitive advantage: A Model of Competitive Advantage Resources Distinctive Competencies Cost Advantage or Differentiation Advantage Value Creation Capabilities Resources and Capabilities According to the resource-based view, in order to develop…
Continue reading …Introduction All businesses have process flows in which a product is designed or manufactured or in which a service is rendered. An on-going goal is to achieve the maximum possible throughput at the lowest possible cost while meeting all the requirements of the product or service. Inventory Benefits A certain minimum amount of in-process inventory is always necessary. This level is defined by Little’s Law: I = R x T where I = inventory, R = flow rate, and T = flow time, all of which are average values. The actual amount of inventory in the process will be greater than the theoretical amount because some inventory always will be in-transit between different locations. Furthermore, the actual levels usually are planned to be even higher. There are four possible reasons that firms intentionally plan excess inventory levels: 1. Economies of scale Quantity discounts offered by suppliers. Fixed ordering costs and fixed setup costs are lower if spread across more units. 2. Production and capacity smoothing Rather than vary processing rate to match varying demand, it may be more economical to process at a constant rate and use inventory as a buffer. 3. Protection against supply disruptions and demand surges…
Continue reading …I. Executive Summary A high-level summary of the marketing plan. II. The Challenge Brief description of product to be marketed and associated goals, such as sales figures and strategic goals. III. Situation Analysis Company Analysis Goals Focus Culture Strengths Weaknesses Market share Customer Analysis Number Type Value drivers Decision process Concentration of customer base for particular products Competitor Analysis Market position Strengths Weaknesses Market shares Collaborators Subsidiaries, joint ventures, and distributors, etc. Climate Macro-environmental PEST analysis : Political and legal environment Economic environment Social and cultural environment Technological environment SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of the business environment can be performed by organizing the environmental factors as follows: The firm’s internal attributes can be classed as strengths and weaknesses. The external environment presents opportunities and threats. IV. Market Segmentation Present a description of the market segmentation as follows: Segment 1 Description Percent of sales What they want How they use product Support requirements How to reach them Price sensitivity Segment 2 . . . V. Alternative Marketing Strategies List and discuss the alternatives that were considered before arriving at the recommended strategy. Alternatives might include discontinuing a product, re-branding, positioning as a premium or value product, etc. VI. Selected Marketing…
Continue reading …Rather than offer the same marketing mix to vastly different customers, market segmentation makes it possible for firms to tailor the marketing mix for specific target markets, thus better satisfying customer needs. Not all elements of the marketing mix are necessarily changed from one segment to the next. For example, in some cases only the promotional campaigns would differ. A market segment should be: measurable accessible by communication and distribution channels different in its response to a marketing mix durable (not changing too quickly) substantial enough to be profitable A market can be segmented by various bases, and industrial markets are segmented somewhat differently from consumer markets, as described below. Consumer Market Segmentation A basis for segmentation is a factor that varies among groups within a market, but that is consistent within groups. One can identify four primary bases on which to segment a consumer market: Geographic segmentation is based on regional variables such as region, climate, population density, and population growth rate. Demographic segmentation is based on variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, education, occupation, income, and family status. Psychographic segmentation is based on variables such as values, attitudes, and lifestyle. Behavioral segmentation is based on variables such as…
Continue reading …A new product progresses through a sequence of stages from introduction to growth, maturity, and decline. This sequence is known as the product life cycle and is associated with changes in the marketing situation, thus impacting the marketing strategy and the marketing mix. The product revenue and profits can be plotted as a function of the life-cycle stages as shown in the graph below: Product Life Cycle Diagram Introduction Stage In the introduction stage, the firm seeks to build product awareness and develop a market for the product. The impact on the marketing mix is as follows: Product branding and quality level is established, and intellectual property protection such as patents and trademarks are obtained. Pricing may be low penetration pricing to build market share rapidly, or high skim pricing to recover development costs. Distribution is selective until consumers show acceptance of the product. Promotion is aimed at innovators and early adopters. Marketing communications seeks to build product awareness and to educate potential consumers about the product. Growth Stage In the growth stage, the firm seeks to build brand preference and increase market share. Product quality is maintained and additional features and support services may be added. Pricing…
Continue reading …The effective management of people in an organization requires an understanding of motivation, job design, reward systems, and group influence. Behavior Modification Operant conditioning is the learning that takes place when the learner recognizes the connection between a behavior and its consequences. Positive reinforcement vs. punishment: rewarding desired behavior vs. punishing undesired behavior. Negative reinforcement: removing negative consequences from workers who perform the desired behavior. Extinction: removing whatever is currently reinforcing the undesirable behavior. Reinforcement schedules: variable, erratic reinforcement schemes are more effective than steady reinforcement schedules. Classical conditioning: if one gets sick after eating tacos, from that point forward one may get sick from the smell of tacos. People are genetically hard-wired to make certain associations. For example, sickness is associated with food. Expectancy Theory The expectancy theory of motivation models motivational force as the product of three factors perceived by the individual. There is research evidence to support the theory, and it has become relatively widely accepted. Principal-Agent Problem In a company, stockholders are principals and managers are agents. The goal of a compensation system is to align principals’ and agents’ interests. Executives who are compensated based on financial performance may favor diversifying the company…
Continue reading …Summary of Stephen R. Covey’s In his #1 bestseller, Stephen R. Covey presented a framework for personal effectiveness. The following is a summary of the first part of his book, concluding with a list of the seven habits. Inside-Out: The Change Starts from Within While working on his doctorate in the 1970’s, Stephen R. Covey reviewed 200 years of literature on success. He noticed that since the 1920’s, success writings have focused on solutions to specific problems. In some cases such tactical advice may have been effective, but only for immediate issues and not for the long-term, underlying ones. The success literature of the last half of the 20th century largely attributed success to personality traits, skills, techniques, maintaining a positive attitude, etc. This philosophy can be referred to as the Personality Ethic. However, during the 150 years or so that preceded that period, the literature on success was more character oriented. It emphasized the deeper principles and foundations of success. This philosophy is known as the Character Ethic, under which success is attributed more to underlying characteristics such as integrity, courage, justice, patience, etc. The elements of the Character Ethic are primary traits while those of the Personality…
Continue reading …Arguably, the role of a corporation’s management is to increase the value of the firm to its shareholders while observing applicable laws and responsibilities. Corporate finance deals with the strategic financial issues associated with achieving this goal, such as how the corporation should raise and manage its capital, what investments the firm should make, what portion of profits should be returned to shareholders in the form of dividends, and whether it makes sense to merge with or acquire another firm. Balance Sheet Approach to Valuation If the role of management is to increase the shareholder value, then managers can make better decisions if they can predict the impact of those decisions on the firm’s value. By observing the difference in the firm’s equity value at different points in time, one can better evaluate the effectiveness of financial decisions. A rudimentary way of valuing the equity of a company is simply to take its balance sheet and subtract liabilities from assets to arrive at the equity value. However, this book value has little resemblance to the real value of the company. First, the assets are recorded at historical costs, which may be much greater than or much less their present market…
Continue reading …The cost associated with trading securities can have a non-negligible impact on portfolio return. Trading costs include the following: Explicit costs – commissions, fees, and taxes. Market maker spread – difference between the bid and ask prices that the specialist sets for a stock; the specialist keeps the difference as compensation for providing immediacy. For less liquid stocks, the specialist has greater exposure to adverse price movements and likely will make the spread larger. Market impact – results when high volume trades influence the market price. Market impact can be broken into two components – a temporary one and a permanent one. The temporary component is due to the need for liquidity to fill the order. The permanent impact is due to the change in the market’s perception of the security as a result of the block trade. Opportunity cost – the effective cost of price movements that occur before the trade executes. NYSE specialists sometimes may appear to have a monopoly on trading their respective securities, creating a larger than necessary spread between bid and ask. However, there is more competition than is initially obvious. First, there is competition for the specialist positions, providing the specialist incentive to price…
Continue reading …To extract value from an innovation, a start-up (or any firm for that matter) needs an appropriate business model. Business models convert new technology to economic value. For some start-ups, familiar business models cannot be applied, so a new model must be devised. Not only is the business model important, in some cases the innovation rests not in the product or service but in the business model itself. In their paper, The Role of the Business Model in Capturing Value from Innovation, Henry Chesbrough and Richard S. Rosenbloom present a basic framework describing the elements of a business model. Given the complexities of products, markets, and the environment in which the firm operates, very few individuals, if any, fully understand the organization’s tasks in their entirety. The technical experts know their domain and the business experts know theirs. The business model serves to connect these two domains as shown in the following diagram: Role of the Business Model Technical Inputs Business Model Economic Outputs A business model draws on a multitude of business subjects, including economics, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, operations, and strategy. The business model itself is an important determinant of the profits to be…
Continue reading …sole proprietorship general partnership limited partnership limited liability partnership corporation (including S corporations) professional associations limited liability companies business trusts professional corporations There are six common issues that distinguish the different business forms: taxation liability risk and control continuity of existence transferability expense and formality Taxation and risk and control are the more significant issues. In addition to these common issues, there also are issues specific to each form. A one-person company generally has only three choices of business form: sole proprietorship, corporation, or a limited liability company. Multiple people typically have the additional options of general partnership, limited partnership, or a limited liability company. Liability is a risk that one exposes oneself to when starting a business. Two types of risk are tort risk and contract risk. A tort is an intentional or unintentional harm to the person or property of another. Some examples of tort risk are worker injury, product liability, automobile liability, and general liability, such as when somebody falls on a wet floor. Examples of contract risk are financing risk and risk with vendors and customers. Tort risk can be protected against by using insurance. 99% of businesses can get an insurance policy against all tort…
Continue reading …The sequence of activities beginning with the occurrence of a transaction is known as the accounting cycle. This process is shown in the following diagram: Steps in The Accounting Cycle Identify the Transaction Identify the event as a transaction and generate the source document. Analyze the Transaction Determine the transaction amount, which accounts are affected, and in which direction. Journal Entries The transaction is recorded in the journal as a debit and a credit. Post to Ledger The journal entries are transferred to the appropriate T-accounts in the ledger. Trial Balance A trial balance is calculated to verify that the sum of the debits is equal to the sum of the credits. Adjusting Entries Adjusting entries are made for accrued and deferred items. The entries are journalized and posted to the T-accounts in the ledger. Adjusted Trial Balance A new trial balance is calculated after making the adjusting entries. Financial Statements The financial statements are prepared. Closing Entries Transfer the balances of the temporary accounts (e.g. revenues and expenses) to owner’s equity. After-Closing Trial Balance A final trial balance is calculated after the closing entries are made. The…
Continue reading …In double entry accounting, rather than using a single column for each account and entering some numbers as positive and others as negative, we use two columns for each account and enter only positive numbers. Whether the entry increases or decreases the account is determined by choice of the column in which it is entered. Entries in the left column are referred to as debits, and entries in the right column are referred to as credits. Two accounts always are affected by each transaction, and one of those entries must be a debit and the other must be a credit of equal amount. Actually, more than two accounts can be used if the transaction is spread among them, just as long as the sum of debits for the transaction equals the sum of credits for it. The double entry accounting system provides a system of checks and balances. By summing up all of the debits and summing up all of the credits and comparing the two totals, one can detect and have the opportunity to correct many common types of bookkeeping errors. To avoid confusion over debits and credits, avoid thinking of them in the way that they are used…
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