Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Netflix Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Netflix Analysis - Case Study Example On the basis of this an overview of analysis tools has been discussed such as the 3C’s, STP and the 4 P’s. The 3 C’s model is used to provide an overview of the company. Based on this overview the market conditions can be assessed which help the managers in forming strategies for the company. Based on this the company can rectify its weaknesses and progress towards success. Company: Netflix is a DVD rental and online streaming business. The services offered by the company are in a combined form and these have attracted the customers. The services of the company are slow but once the videos are acquired then the services and facilities which are offered are unmatchable and incomparable. Customers: For the success of the business, the needs and requirements of the customer are important and therefore they should be assessed. The company has faced losses when a new strategy of separating both the practices was introduced. This also increased the subscription charges of the company. Competitors: The business faces competition from products like Apple iTunes, Amazon video on demand (VOD), Google TV and YouTube and others. All these provide similar services and have benefited highly from the splitting decision of the company (Dau, and Wesley). Segmentation: In this process the company will identify the segment which will be interested most with availing the services of the company. The company has segments its consumers in order to market them in a better way. by segmenting consumers, the company can do well in the market. Targeting: Finding the most appropriate segment and finding the factors which will satisfy these individuals most must be assessed. On the basis of this all the price and the product related strategies are formed. By targeting different segments in a different way, the company can get better results. Positioning: In this segment the appropriate industry is

Monday, October 28, 2019

Online Buyology Essay Example for Free

Online Buyology Essay Descriptions of China’s economy are often paired with the best of accolades: promising, miraculous and meteoric, to name a few. But observers rarely use the words â€Å"fair† and â€Å"transparent† to describe the country’s business environment. One need not look far to see why: rampant corruption, preferential policies for state-owned companies, and copious red tape all prevent private enterprises from thriving. Yet out of this unequal playing field, e-commerce giant Alibaba and web portal Sina have created two of the fairest and most transparent business platforms in China. Alibaba allows individuals and companies to sell goods on its Taobao platform, giving vendors a set of standards and leaving everything else to their discretion. Weibo is similarly a free-for-all of Chinese expression, with the notable exception of controversial political topics. Both Taobao and Weibo have exploded since their founding and have maintained commanding leads in their respective fields. Taobao sales were US$58. 7 billion (RMB370 billion) in 2010 while Tmall, a site aimed at more developed brands spun off of Taobao in 2008, currently has about 55,000 vendors. And in the two years since Sina Weibo’s founding, the Twitter-like service has racked up 250 million users. â€Å"If you ask people, ‘Why you want to shop online? ’ I think many people will say that it gives transparency of pricing†¦ people look for convenience, people like more information,† said Phil Wei, China CEO of Export Now, a startup that allows US-based companies to list products on Tmall. â€Å"One thing [Alibaba founder] Jack Ma did is offer freedom to all these consumers and all these business units. † The free market The freedom to compete is giving rise to third-party service providers that could become some of the most dynamic companies in the Chinese economy. As has been the case with US tech giants Twitter and Ebay, Taobao and Weibo have both spawned an eco-system of third-party companies that provide related services, making the platforms practically an economy unto themselves. The type of third-party service providers surrounding the two platforms reflects the different aims of Taobao and Weibo. â€Å"Taobao is doing usiness transaction[s] while Weibo is media spreading information,† said Deco You, a Beijing-based analyst at iResearch, an online market research company. This discrepancy results in very different growth rates, said You. â€Å"The number of Taobao-related companies will increase much faster than those Weibo-related ones. † In addition to opportunities to sell goods, Taobao and Tmall offer business opportunities for subcontractors that provide services to vendors , such as store design, customer service, logistics and marketing. As a media platform, Weibo naturally lends itself to marketing companies, which began to emerge about a year after Weibo’s founding. Yang Xin, founder of marketing firm Weichuanbo, said he knows of at least 10 start-up companies that also specialize in Weibo, not to mention traditional marketing firms which have entered the arena. Despite these differences, doing business centered on either Taobao or Weibo is remarkably similar. The short lead times and relatively limited barriers to entry have resulted in fierce competition among many similar companies. Many of these third-party companies are quick to copy each other’s successes, a common tactic in China where enforcement of intellectual property rights is not as strong as in the West. But instead of knock-offs, the competition seems to foster flexibility. Weichuanbo has upgraded its software platform three times in attempt to stay ahead of copycats, Yang said. The companies also compete for the best online real estate on Weibo and Taobao. Taobao and Tmall sell ad spaces to the right of search results, although search results themselves are organic and depend on sales and consumer ratings. Weibo marketing companies commonly pay influential users to promote their products. Weichuanbo compensates about 200,000 users for their help, and Yang hopes that number will someday grow to 2-3 million. The instant feedback of web analytics also means that companies know immediately if they are falling behind the competition. If a user doesn’t like an attempt at viral marketing on Weibo, they are likely to say so or ignore it altogether. Shoppers on Taobao are just as quick to pass judgment. â€Å"Online, if a client comes to your store, if they stay longer than five seconds your store is not bad,† said Wei of Export Now. That means the chances they become frequent visitors will be significantly higher. But if [they stay] less than five seconds, they probably will not come back again. † Taobao- and Weibo-related companies also compete for unbridled optimism. Weichuanbo aims to have more than 300% in annual revenue growth within the next two years. Export Now expects to have some 300 US manufacturers selling through its service and US$1. 59-3. 18 million (RMB10-20 million) in revenue by the end of the year, up from virtually nothing at the present. The market will keep growing and the trend will continue in the next five to 10 years, and the expansion brings about more opportunities for third-party companies,† said Dong Xu, an analyst at research firm Analysys International. Yet growth in the Weibo community may not be sustainable. The government-led research center China Internet Network Information Center issued a report last month stating that new signups for Weibo began to slow in the second half of 2011. Weibo users nearly quadrupled from the end of 2010 to 250 million. With only 500 million internet users in China, however, continuing at that pace will be impossible. Although user growth will slow, there is still much money to be made. Spending on internet marketing is projected to grow to US$12. 5 billion (RMB79. 1 billion) in 2012, up from an estimated US$8. 1 billion in 2011 and US$5. 2 billion in 2010, according to iResearch. Marketing revenue in China is likely to continue growing quickly, said You of iResearch. Advertisers have only recently begun to shift online, attracted by ad space that is often more targeted and cost-effective than traditional print and TV advertising. Marketing and analytics companies can strive to grab more of that revenue by improving on underdeveloped technology and becoming more efficient, said You. Foreign companies with better technology and efficient operations could also enter the market, though they will still be limited by cultural barriers. Taobao and Weibo could also begin providing additional marketing services themselves. Taobao launched an internet marketing division in April 2010 called the Taobao Alliance, which quickly grew to have US$238 million (RMB1. 5 billion) in revenue, according to iResearch. This potential for new entrants means the market for third-party services is likely to remain highly competitive. Many companies that fail to keep up with the pace of innovation will undoubtedly be pushed out of business or be acquired by more successful competitors. But those that do innovate and survive will probably be among the most dynamic companies in China’s internet sector, regardless of the platform. As Wang Weili of Taobao marketing firm Shenzhen Fangwei E-Commerce puts it: â€Å"There might be other websites driving our business in the future. But where there are clients is where we will be. †

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Classroom Management and Learning Theories Essay -- teaching practices,

Teachers use theories, models of learning, and professional standards to shape their teaching practices. There are several learning theories that have evolved the educational field. Theories guide instruction and the beliefs of the teachers. Teachers use these theories, standards, and personal beliefs to develop goals in order to improve teaching effectiveness. Through exploring multiple learning theories and reflecting on my own teaching beliefs, I have developed my own theory of learning. As I developed my theory, I wanted to consider what it takes to be a highly effective teacher. An effective teacher must have mastery of instructional strategies, classroom management, classroom curriculum design, and use assessments as feedback (Laureate Education, 2010a). By using a variety of instructional strategies, teacher’s can meet the learning styles of all the students in the classroom. Effective classroom management can lead to students feeling safe and more willing to take risks. When a student feels comfortable to take risk, then learning will increase and the students’ confidence will grow. Classroom management also creates order in the environment, which will allow effective learning to occur. By understanding curriculum, the teacher can target skills and causes learning to take place. Teachers need to deliberately pl an lessons around standards and specific goals based on curriculum and the school’s mission (Marzano, 2010). Assessments need to be use to guide instruction and used as a â€Å"method for improvement and mastery,† (Marzano, 2010). While determining my own theory of learning, I believe that I need to consider what effective teachers demonstrate in the classroom. My theory of learning is based around the ... ...ation, Inc. (2010). Designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment: Research on learning. Baltimore, MD: Author. Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). Designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment: Teaching and learning. Baltimore, MD: Author. Killion, J. (2008). Knowledge, attitude, skills, aspirations, behaviors (KASAB) matrix. Adapted from Assessing impact: Evaluating staff development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Marzano, R. J. (Ed.). (2010). On excellence in teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. National Board Professional Teaching Standards. (2002). What teachers should know and be able to do. Retrieved from http://www.nbpts.org/sites/default/files/documents/certificates/what_teachers_should_know.pdf Social Learning Theory (Bandura). (n.d.). . Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Logotherapy: Meaning of Life and Frankl Essay

Viktor Frankl was an Austrian man born in 1905. He was the father of Logotherapy which is referred to as the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy. Frankl followed in the footsteps of other famous psychologists including Sigmund Freud. He pioneered the thought that a person can move forward in one’s life after a traumatic or rough experience by finding new meaning in life. Though many of his ideas were derived from Freud’s and Adlers previous thoughts, he also took an new approach to helping people. Thus the beginning of Logotherapy. He was first published in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis when he was in high school. He then went to secondary school and began working on his degree in psychiatry and Neurology in medical school. Frankl went to the same school in Viennese as Sigmund Freud. At first Frankl was extremely interested in Freudian psychoanalysis but soon started to disagree with his therapy methods. Frankl thought that Freuds views were to narrow and did not agree with Freud’s idea’s that sexual impulses could explain the majority of human behavior (Hoffman, 1995). After studying Freudian psychoanalysis, he became interested and focused on environmental and societal factor to explain human behavior, which was Alfred Adler’s psychology view (Frankl, Viktor Frankl recollections: An autobiography , 1997). While studying the teachings of Freud and Adler he began forming his own very different therapy known was logotherapy, which is defined as healing through meaning. After graduation he was promoted in the hospital in Vienna to the head of suicide and depression prevention, where he treated over 3,000 women. During this time, he formed his own private practice where he began to utilize logotherapy (Frankl, Viktor Frankl recollections: An autobiography, 1997). He then could ask his clients questions about how they were feeling and what was keeping them alive and moving forward in such a low time in their lives. He then noticed because of the question that he was asking people seem to be suffering from lack of meaning in their lives than the loss of employment (Hoffman, 1995). In 1937 Frankl started to write articles about what he called logotherapy. Then in 1938, Frankl had to give up his private practice and was forced to relocate. He was transferred to the Rothschild hospital where he could only treat Jewish patients; due to the Nazi control (Hoffman, 1995). The Nazi euthanasia program forced extermination on many clients who were suffering from brain injuries and psychological illnesses, and Frankl was forced to watch these executions. To try and save the mentally ill personnel he began to falsify documents to help avoid euthanasia. He would change their diagnosis so that they would not be transferred for the euthanasia program and could stay with their families. While at the hospital he would get about a dozen of men and women who attempted to commit suicide. Where he tried to help them find meaning and life and to continue the fight. He was then married in 1941 to Tilly Grosser, and a year later Frankl’s and his family were arrested and brought to concentration camps. While in the concentration camps Frankl knew that he could not change his situation but could help those around him and himself by counseling in his barracks. During his imprisonment Frankl dug ditches, volunteered at the typhus ward, and also set up a suicide prevention program (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). After the long hard days of the prisoners being beaten, starved, Frankl would help the prisoners understand that their experiences were helping them develop strengths for the future (Ivey, Ivey, & Zalaquett, 2010). When Frankl was in Auschwitz he first wrote â€Å"The Doctor and the Soul† and it was then discovered and then the book was destroyed. In April of 1945 Frankl’s camp was liberated. Frankl and his sister were the only two who survive during their stay throughout the various concentration camps. His father died from starvation and his mother and wife were murdered by the gas chambers. He then reconstructed his book â€Å"The Doctor and the Soul† and it was then published, and nine days following he published a second book which sold over 11 million copies before he died and became known as â€Å"Man’s Search for Meaning†. The original title of that book was â€Å"Saying yes to life in spite of everything†. This book describes his experiences throughout his stay in concentration camps and also his theory of logotherapy (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). During this time Frankl met his second wife named Elenore Schwindt and had a baby girl soon after they were wed. Frankl went on to author over 38 books and to speak around the world on his experiences and logotherapy. Frankl lived a long life and died on September 2, 1997 when he was 92 years old. Logos is a Greek word that which stands for meaning. Therefore logotherapy focuses on a person’s search for meaning, the search relates to finding purpose in one’s life or tasks (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). Frankl found that humans are more oriented towards meaning and seek meaning in all their circumstances (Kimble & Ellor, 2009). The idea of logotherapy began back in 1921 when Frankl was still in high school (Guttmann, 1996). Then while in the concentration camps, the people who had a better chance of survival were those that had hope of being reunited with loved ones, ones with faith, or ones that felt as if they had a purpose in life that they had to complete. This is how logotherapy started off by 1960 logotherapy gained worldwide recognition. Logotherapist do not tell their patients what to see but simply corrects their ability to see (Kimble & Ellor, 2009). Logotherapist also help search for positive meaning that underlines behavior, thought and action. Throughout therapy certain techniques are used. Paradoxical intention is a technique used to help patients with anxiety, phobias and obsessive compulsions (Guttmann, 1996). It is part of therapy when you confront your fears, in essence you tell yourself to do the opposite of what you truly want, like try not to fall asleep when you are truly trying to sleep. A specific strategy that logotherapist use is dereflection; it is used when clients focus on negatives (Ivey, Ivey, & Zalaquett, 2010). Dereflection is a technique that you shift attention from oneself and onto others, problems often disappear. Frankl noted that the meaning of life is different from person to person and from situation to situation. Therefore he states that there is not a general meaning in life for all humanity (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). There were three different basic principles that are composed to make up logotherapy, and help discover meaning. The first basic principle of logotherapy is life has meaning under all circumstances. The second principle is that all people have a will to achieve meaning in their life. Finally the third principle is people have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to meaning and to find meaning (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). Throughout a clients therapy the goals concerning the outcome of their treatment consist of the client being able to be aware of his/her choices. The goals guide the clients to understand current experience, and past experiences and the meaning for the purpose of life. They also recognize factors that block freedom and can accept freedom and responsibility. The tragic triad is composed of three different elements guilt, death, and unavoidable suffering. Any part of the tragic triad can happen to anyone and it will always be a part of mankind. Each person reacts differently to each situation. When we are faced with one of these elements it is then when we realize we need to improve our lives and begin to act. Situations cannot be changed but your attitude on the situation can be (Guttmann, 1996). But when life has no meaning it becomes empty, is what Frankl calls existential vacuum. The existential vacuum creates a hole, which needs to be filled. People try to fill their hole with superficial things or anything that provides some satisfaction; such as drugs, eating to an excess or not at all, anger, obsession, or fear. Behaviors such as depression, aggression and addiction were caused by the loss of meaning. There are also two levels of meaning. Ultimate meaning is a meaning that we can never reach. It can be a god or science as the search for truth, nature, and evolution for those who do not believe in god or an ultimate being (Guttmann, 1996). The other level of meaning is meaning in the moment, which is the understanding meaning of each moment by fulfilling the demands that life places on us. Frankl points out that there are three ways to find meaning in life and is often referred to as the meaning triangle. The first way to find meaning is through creative works. It is what and how we give to the world through self-expression. The second is by experiencing; by what we take or receive from the world through nature, culture, relationships, and interactions with others and with our environment. The third way to find meaning is with a change of attitude. Even if we can’t change the situation or the circumstances, we can still choose our attitude towards the condition. These are the ways that a client can help find meaning in their life. These attitudinal values as Frankl calls them, is when being confronted with a hopeless situation a person has a way to find meaning (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959). Throughout Frankl’s life he was inspired to help people. While throughout his experiences he was able to develop logotherapy which has become a widely used therapy process and techniques. His life experiences and trials helped him to form a therapy that not only people with issues should follow but all of us as well. He still helps find people a meaning and purpose in life. References Frankl, V. (1955). The Doctor and the Soul. New York: Random House. Frankl, V. (1959). Man’s Search for Meaning. New York: Random House. Frankl, V. (1997). Viktor Frankl recollections: An autobiography . New York: Plenum. Guttmann, D. (1996). Logotherapy for the Helping Professional. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Hoffman, E. (1995, March 18). Viktor Frankl at 90: A Voice for Life. America, pp. 17-22. Ivey, A. E. , Ivey, M. B. , & Zalaquett, C. P. (2010). Intentional Intervieing & Counseling. Belmont: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Kimble, M. A. , & Ellor, W. J. (2009). Logotherapy: An Overview. Journal of Religious Gerontology, 11:3-4, 9-24.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Goodwill Impairment Testing Essay

Galaxy Sports Inc. (Galaxy), a U.S.-based manufacturer of sports equipment, is a calendar year-end SEC registrant with one operating segment and the following three reporting units: Fitness Equipment. Golf Equipment. Hockey Equipment. Galaxy is in a competitive industry with several publicly traded companies in which growth and profitability are tied to the market and consumer demand Three reporting units are appropriate because discrete financial information is available for each component, each component is a business, and each component is managed separately. The Fitness Equipment component is Galaxy’s largest reporting unit. Over the years, various acquisitions have resulted in recorded goodwill of $200 million assigned entirely to this reporting unit. The Golf Equipment component is a large golf equipment manufacturer that was acquired in 2004. Upon acquisition of the business, Galaxy recorded $130 million of goodwill that was assigned entirely to this reporting unit. The Hockey Equipment component is a small hockey equipment manufacturer acquired in 2003 to gain entry into the very profitable hockey equipment market. Galaxy recorded $30 million of goodwill related to this acquisition, which was assigned entirely to this reporting unit. Galaxy has elected an annual goodwill impairment testing date of December 31 for all three reporting units. In December 2010, Galaxy management engaged Big Time LLC (Big Time), a reputable external valuation firm, to perform three annual ASC 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other, impairment analyses (one for each reporting unit) on the $360 million of goodwill recorded by Galaxy as of December 31, 2010. Previously, management had performed the annual goodwill impairment analysis internally. However, given the increasing complexities involved in the calculation and resource constraints at Galaxy, the company decided to use a third party. Through early discussions with Galaxy’s management and Big Time, it was expected that the entity was going to pass step 1 of the goodwill analysis for all three reporting units with a significant cushion (i.e., the estimated fair value of each reporting unit significantly exceeded the book value) for each reporting unit. This was also consistent with the goodwill analysis that was performed internally by Galaxy in the previous year. Copyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-9: Goodwill Impairment T esting Galaxy management indicated that the significant cushion was likely because 2010 Q4 sales were very strong, and strong sales were also expected for 2011and beyond. Big Time completed its analysis in late January 2011 and, as expected, Galaxy passed step 1 of the annual goodwill impairment test for each reporting unit. Galaxy’s common share price was $56.75 as of December 31, 2010. Note: As of December 31, 2010, Galaxy’s share price was $56.75 and 46 million shares were outstanding, indicating a market capitalization of $2.6 billion. The implied control premium of 18 percent is viewed by management as reasonable. First Quarter of 2011 Management released Q1 earnings, which were slightly below expectations. In a Q1 press release, Galaxy attributed the lower earnings to the slowing economy and reduced consumer spending on recreational activities. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $49.25 after the release of Q1 earnings. Second Quarter of 2011 Management released Q2 earnings on July 15, 2011. As in Q1, Q2 earnings were also below expectations because the slowing economy resulted in continuing reductions in consumer spending. In Galaxy’s press release, management discussed the impact of the slowing economy on its business. Further, the company experienced additional pressure on its sales during the quarter as a result of an increase in sports equipment manufactured in China that was being sold at large discount retailers. The equipment has a lower price point, which is appealing to consumers during difficult economic times. Historically, Galaxy has not experienced significant competition from imports because the quality of the imports is inferior to the quality of the sports equipment manufactured by Galaxy. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $45.25. Third Quarter of 2011 During the financial close process, management considered performing an  interim goodwill impairment test but, after reviewing ASC 350, determined it was not necessary. Copyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-9: Goodwill Impairment T esting Page 3 Management released earnings on October 15, 2011, and indicated that although Q3 earnings were significantly below expectations because of a continued slowing economy and reduced consumer spending, revenue would rebound in Q4 as retailers stocked up for the holiday shopping season. Historically, Q4 has been the strongest quarter for Galaxy with Q4 sales representing more than 50 percent of the company’s annual sales. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $31.50 after the earnings release. On September 15, 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, which amends the guidance in ASC 350-202 on testing goodwill for impairment. Under the revised guidance, entities testing goodwill for impairment have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit (i.e., step 1 of the goodwill impairment test). The carryforward option permitted in ASC 350-20-35-29 was removed. The amendments are effective for an nual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted; however, Galaxy elected NOT to early adopt this guidance when performing their annual goodwill impairment test as of December 31, 2011. Year-End 2011 As Galaxy prepared for its annual goodwill impairment test, management determined that (1) assets and liabilities of the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units had not significantly changed, (2) the most recent fair value determinations (the 2010 analysis prepared by Big Time) for both reporting units resulted in an amount that exceeded the carrying amounts by substantial margins, and (3) on the basis of its analyses, there  have been no significant events or circumstances that would cause the fair value to fall below book value for both reporting units. As a result, management decided to carry forward the prior-year step 1 analyses for the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units. Management believed that ASC 350 supported its determination to carry forward these analyses. For the Golf Equipment reporting unit, management used the analysis created by Big Time last year and updated it as of December 31, 2011, by using the same growth rate and discount rate as in the prior year. On the basis of this updated analysis, management concluded that the Golf Equipment reporting unit passed step 1. A summary of Galaxy’s 2011 annual goodwill impairment test follows: * We have elected to carry forward the fair value as of December 31, 2010. Note: On December 31, 2011, Galaxy’s share price was $27.50 and 50 million shares were outstanding, indicating a market capitalization of $1.375 billion. We firmly believe that the reporting unit fair values represent management’s view of the company’s business and expectations. The market has undervalued the company’s stock. Accordingly, the implied control premium of 120 percent is viewed by management as reasonable given the overall market climate. Galaxy released year-end earnings on January 25, 2012. On the basis of the annual earnings release and the lack of an expected Q4 rebound, Galaxy’s common share price fell even further, from $27.50 on December 31, 2011, to $21.25 after the earnings release. Galaxy filed its December 31, 2011, Form 10-K on February 10, 2012. Required: Should management have performed an interim goodwill impairment test as of September 30, 2011? Assume no interim test is required. Was management justified in carrying forward the prior-year goodwill impairment test for the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units?