Msft Accounting Essay - 659 Words

1. This question addresses the effect of Microsoft’s software capitalization policy on its financial statements. Ignore any potential tax effects. Estimate the effect of capitalizing software costs on Microsoft’s fiscal 1997, 1998, and 1999 income statements and balance sheets. Assume that 1) 60% of Microsoft’s research and development expenses were incurred after technological feasibility was established, 2) the average product life was two years, 3) the company had always capitalized these costs; and 4) the company begins amortization capitalized software costs at the beginning of the following fiscal year. Briefly speculate as to why Microsoft chose to expense all software costs as incurred rather than capitalizing a portion of these†¦show more content†¦Microsoft announced to integrate the internet technologies on Windows 95 and Office 97 giving an impetus to the sales of these products and a portion of these revenues should be deferred into the future. 3. What would be the combined effect of these two policies on Microsoft’s fiscal 1997, 1998, and 1999 financial statements? Answer: The revenue coming from the promise to integrate internet technologies on Windows 95 and office would be recognized in the future by the revenue recognition policy. However, the development costs to provide these enhancements are already incurred in the and expensed in the company’s treatment for the software development costs. The combined effect of these two policies is the mismatch of expense with revenue. 4. The case indicates that the company’s â€Å"market value† of equity at June 30, 1999 was $460 billion. Compare this to the company’s â€Å"book value† of equity. What factors likely explain the difference between these two values? Answer: The difference between the company’s market value and book value is a factor of the intangible assets like brand value, human capital, customer satisfaction and loyalty. These intangible assets become the factor of production providing future growth. Microsoft’s accounting policies had a negative impact on the book value of the company. 5. Would you characterize Microsoft’s overall financial reporting strategy as aggressive orShow MoreRelatedFinancial Analysis of Microsoft Corp. Essay2293 Words   |  10 Pagesratios the company is allowed to see how profitable the company. In addition it can serve as an examination of the overall performance of the company’s operations and how do these compare to past performances or other companies. The ratios in which accounting measures the profitability of a company are Profit Margin, Price over Earnings, Return on Equity and Return on Assets. In terms of Profit Margin it has a high ratio, which means that our company is turning 76.3% more of each dollar that we sellRead MoreDMBA620 Week 2 Fin Analysis Essay2581 Words   |  11 Pagesï » ¿Financial Accounting Individual Assignment: 1) What 3 items of important information does the income statement reveal about the financial performance of the company over the last three years?   Ans: The income statement lists the revenues minus expenses or costs of goods sold and operating expenses and will reveal a net income or net loss (Revenues – Expenses = Net Profit or Net Loss). Income statements show how much money a company made and spent over a period of time. Income Statements coverRead MoreBest Financial Statement1159 Words   |  5 Pagesquarterly basis as part of a public company s required SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) filings. Follow me, and let s go dig up Microsoft s (Nasdaq: MSFT) cash flow statement. 1) Click over to quotes.fool.com, or click the Quotes/Data tab at the top of this page. 2) On the left side of the page, under the Data heading, type MSFT, and click the SEC Filings button. (You should find yourself on this page.) 3) You now face a list of documents with funky form names. You re lookingRead MoreAnalysis of Microsofts Accounting Policy2832 Words   |  12 Pages| Case Study: Analysis of Microsoft’s Accounting Policies Introduction Microsoft’s business As the most widely recognized company in the world, Microsoft dominated the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows, a graphical extension for MS-DOS in 1980s.The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen and went public on March 13th, 1986 with the price of $25.75 per share. Since going public, the company’s performance kept being outstanding. Microsoft notRead MoreIbm and Microsoft Financial Statement Analysis5499 Words   |  22 Pagesposition as a result of debt. Illustration 2 IBM Balance Sheet 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 2007 IBM-Current Ratio 2008 2009 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 2007 2008 2009 9 Microsoft Balance Sheet IBM-Debt to Asset Ratio MSFT-Current Ratio MSFT-Debt to Asset Ratio The return on assets for Microsoft is quite high and consistent for the past three years 21.2% in 2007, 26% in 2008 and then a dip to 19.3% in 2009. I am sure Microsoft felt the 2009 dip was terrible but when you lookRead MoreMicrosofts Accounting Cycle Or Fiscal1568 Words   |  7 PagesMicrosoft is traded on the NASDAQ stock market using the ticker symbol is MSFT. The current stock price as of October 14th 2015 is $46.84. The trading range over the past year has been between $39.72 and $50.05. The dividend rate is $1.44 and their yield is 3.06. Satya Nadella is Microsoft CEO; he is only the third CEO in Microsoft’s history. Their headquarters are located at One Microsoft Way Redmond, Washington. Microsoft’s accounting cycle or fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th. The ending dateRead MoreFinancial Ratios Analysis Of Microsoft Corporation979 Words   |  4 Pagesmargin is the ratio of net income to sales and indicates how much of each dollar of sales is left over after all expenses. The ratio of net income to total assets measures the return on total assets (ROA) after interest and taxes. The ‘bottom line’ accounting ratio is the ratio of net income to common equity, which measures the return on common equity (ROE). Microsoft’s Profitability ratios can be illustrated in the chart below. Profitability ratios 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Gross profit 86. 34% 81Read MoreThe Microsoft Corporation and Apple Computers, Inc.: Annual Report Comparision4025 Words   |  17 Pagesmust manage extensive assets and liabilities. Since both companies report large amounts of income, the matter of accounting checks and balances becomes more complicated than many smaller companies, but equally as important. Financial reports and the audits of these reports are public information and serve to provide a process to decrease errors and omissions and questionable accounting practices. History of Microsoft and Apple Microsoft. The idea of Microsoft was born in the minds of Bill GatesRead MoreFinancial Accounting 504 Final Project Essay1514 Words   |  7 PagesFinancial Accounting 504 23-Jun-13 Professor Chung Oracle v Microsoft Final Course Project As noted in Wikipedia Oracle is headquartered in Redwood, California. It was founded in 1977 and is the worlds third largest soft wear developer in sales. According to Yahoo Finance Oracle is a multi-faceted operation. Oracle provides a vast amount of services for the internet and computer. It provides cloud applications, IT consulting services, licenses middleware software which includes database andRead MoreApple Financial Analysis Essay example10900 Words   |  44 PagesFinancial Analysis Project APPLE INC. Rev 1.1 A Financial Analysis Project By Josie Chavez Submitted to Kendra Huff, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Accounting and Finance College of Business Administration Texas Aamp;M University-Kingsville BUSINESS FINANCE 3338 Spring 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES iii LIST OF FIGURES v 1. CORPORATE OVERVIEW 1 1.1 Overview of Industry 1 1.2 Overview of Corporation 2 1.2.1 Product/Service Description 4 1.2

Literacy Case Study Free Essays

Literature serves as a repository of human experience. The possibility of such is evident in the personal and political character evident in the creation of a literary work. Such a character is present in the process of creating a literary work. We will write a custom essay sample on Literacy Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now The literary work may be depicted as an artist’s compilation of thoughts and ideas formulated into a coherent whole. The process of formulating such is spearheaded by the artist’s acquisition of language through the socialization process. Socialization occurs at the formal and informal level. The formal level is generally characterized by the acquisition of the syntactical and semantical rules of a language. Such a process occurs during a child’s education. The acquisition of language, as well as the development of the interest for a particular language may occur during the early part of a child’s socialization process with the family. The family serves as the main element for a child’s acquisition of interest for particular styles or one may even state for particular literary genres. Hence, a child who has been introduced at an early age to fairly tales may have a taste for the fantastic and the supernatural. At the same time, a child introduced to personal narratives may develop an interest for personal narrations. In lieu of this, what follows is the result of literacy case study conducted with a peer/classmate. The study opts to present an analysis of a peer’s literacy level though the analysis of his/her reading and writing skills. Such an analysis involves the assessment of the individual’s personal views to the reading and writing process and the relation of these views to the individual’s assessment of his literacy level. Method The methodology employed for this case study involves a one on one interview with a particular peer/classmate. The methodology used enables the interviewer to assess the literacy level of the interviewee in terms of conversational language. Such an assessment enables the interviewer to consider the interviewee’s communication skills, which mirrors the interviewee’s self-perceived competency of his literacy level. Evaluation This case study was conducted with a classmate [Ali]. Several questions were posed which considered Ali’s socialization experience in terms of language acquisition. The study shows that an individual’s literacy level increasingly develops throughout the life span because of the continuous stimulation of various stimuli that necessitates the individual’s continuous use of his reading and writing skills. In Ali’s case, this is evident, as he perceives literature as the focal point, which enabled him to develop an interest for the other subjects during his junior year. In relation to this, his later years of development [specifically that which is situated within the University] mirrors his literacy development. Ali’s development has shifted towards a highly personal consideration of the role of these aforementioned skills in the development of his own voice and hence his own identity. Summary and Recommendations Based upon the interview, I perceive Ali’s utilization of the personal value that literature serves for the individual. Personal here ought to be understood as private. Literature for Ali thereby serves as an ensemble of various accounts that serve to reject the discursive unity that constructs subjectivity as simultaneously individualized and totalized since literature as Ali perceives it or utilizes it in his life takes the form or style of several generic discourses. The acts correlated with literature [reading and writing] thereby stand for Ali as acts that enable the discovery of the self through the daily recording of events that allows the creation of his singular account of the transactions and movements of his life. As I reckon, Ali’s interest lies in the creation of self-narratives in the form of daily records of his daily transactions. Such an act may be seen as an exercise of selfhood wherein Ali portrays his perception of his intimate self while recognizing that it is his mere perception of his self. Ali thereby allows the subversion of the act of turning â€Å"real lives into writing† as he allows the existence of conflicts and confusions in the formation of his identity [as depicted in his writings]. Ali himself notes that literature enables him to perceive the mistakes the he continuously commits in the act of delving within and understanding a literary work. Literature, in this sense, presents Ali with the form in which he may be able to continuously exercise the act of self-formation and hence self-creation. The possibility of such is evident if one considers that Ali takes the act of understanding a literary work as an internal act, which necessitates the reader’s complete understanding of the content of literary work. Such an understanding, although enabled and nurtured within a group through the introduction of various diverse views is only possible when one isolates one’s self in order to reassess one’s thoughts in connection to the simultaneous views presented within a group. To understand a literary work thereby serves as a process of reconsidering the self in order to attain a form of consensus within one’s self that enables the self’s creation and hence specification of its view. Literature, for Ali, thereby serves as a medium for self discovery and self creation wherein the acts of both reading and writing serve as the facilitators for the initial creation and finally in the end Ali’s own medium for the specification and exposition of his self as represented through his own creative work.       How to cite Literacy Case Study, Free Case study samples

Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Question: Have influence on the nature and process of the change. Respect the person who is championing the change. Expect the change will result in personal gain. Answer: To elicit positive reactions, the ABC Organization should adapt to change based on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. These work related components need to focus on different areas like communication, principal support and management competence (Vakola, Armenakis Oreg, 2013). However, to achieve positive responses it is important that there should be compensation involved with a change in job design and a focus on well-being. The change undertaken will lead to stimulate responses by changing beliefs and instilling coping behaviors in the organization to have a pleasantness reaction (Petrou, Demerouti Schaufeli, 2015). References Petrou, P., Demerouti, E., Schaufeli, W. B. (2015). Job crafting in changing organizations: Antecedents and implications for exhaustion and performance.Journal of occupational health psychology,20(4), 470. Vakola, M., Armenakis, A., Oreg, S. (2013). Reactions to organizational change from an individual differences perspective: A review of empirical research.The Psychology of Organizational Change: Viewing Change from the Employee's Perspective, 95-122.

Luxury Sectoral Analysis

Introduction This paper will present a detailed sectoral analysis, which focuses on the luxury wine industry in the US. Russian River Ranches Chardonnay is the luxury wine brand that will be analyzed. The brand is manufactured and distributed by Sonoma-Cutrer in the US.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Luxury Sectoral Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Russian River Ranches is a luxury brand because it is made of high quality grapes and advanced brewing technologies (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). As a premium product, Russian River Ranches is sold in luxury restaurants and hotels in the US. In addition, it was the second most expensive among the top 20 luxury wine brands in the US in 2013 (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Porter’s five forces model will be used to analyze the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches in its industry. Other elements of the brand that will be analyzed include price aesthetics, product, com munications, and branding. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Suppliers’ Bargaining Power The luxury wine industry has several suppliers, which include manufacturers of packaging materials, producers of labeling materials, producers of grapes, and shipping companies. The suppliers have a high bargaining power due to the following reasons. First, there are more wine producers than suppliers of key inputs such packaging materials. In the last five years, vineyard acreage reduced significantly as famers used their land to produce more profitable crops such as almonds. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that there are no substitutes for grapes in luxury wine production (Demeter Group 2013).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The demand for grapes has significantly increased as producers of high-end wine increase their production capacities. The resulting shortage of grapes has significantly increased farmers’ bargaining power. Second, differentiation of inputs is a key determinant of the quality of luxury wine. Producers of high-end wine must consistently use the best grapes and packaging materials to attract customers (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Third, most suppliers in the industry have low switching costs since there are many buyers for their products. For example, suppliers of packaging materials also sell to manufacturers in the soft drinks industry. Thus, they give priority to buyers who are able to offer high prices and to make bulk purchases. The high bargaining power of the suppliers means that they can easily increase their prices, thereby reducing the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches and other brands. Buyers’ Bargaining Power The buyers (consumers of wine) have a high bargaining power due to the following reasons. First, brand loyalty is very low since customers are interested in trying new products (Brun Castelli 20 13, pp. 823-847). This limits the ability of producers of luxury wine to retain their customers. Second, nearly all manufacturers of wine are focusing on product differentiation. This increases the number of products that are available in the market, thereby increasing buyers’ bargaining power. Third, buyers of luxury wine have low switching costs. Thus, they can easily change brands in order to satisfy their needs. The high power of consumers of luxury wine means that producers have to focus on product differentiation and aggressive marketing to retain their customers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Luxury Sectoral Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The producers of luxury wine have a moderate bargaining power. One of the factors that improve their bargaining power is ability to make bulk purchases. This enables producers to negotiate for favorable prices for their supplies. The threat of backwa rd integration is also high since companies such as Sonoma-Cutrer produce grapes on their own (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The main factor that reduces the bargaining power of wine producers is the mismatch between the demand and supply of their inputs (Demeter Group 2013). Specifically, undersupply limits manufacturers’ ability to bargain since the available inputs have to be rationed through high prices. Threat of Substitutes The main substitutes of luxury wine include soft drinks, beer, and spirits. Luxury wine also competes with the regular wine brands. The threat of substitutes is low due to the following reasons. To begin with, luxury wine performs better than other alcoholic drinks in terms of quality. Specifically, the people who drink alcohol prefer wine because of its superior taste. Consumption of luxury wine is also associated with high social status in the society (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). Apart from taste, wine has several health benefits that cannot be enjoy ed through consumption of other alcoholic beverages. Specifically, moderate consumption of wine helps in prevention of heart diseases, stroke, anxiety, and lose of memory in old age (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). These benefits make wine the best option among consumers of alcohol.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, excessive consumption of wine can have negative health effects. Moreover, some religions prohibit consumption of alcohol. These factors reduce the competitiveness of luxury wine as customers opt for soft drinks. Generally, luxury wine is more expensive than other alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). However, the high price does not have negative effects on the demand for luxury wine, especially, in the affluent market segment where customers are not price sensitive. Since Russian River Ranches has a superior quality, it is likely to overcome the low threat of substitutes in the market. Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants is low because of the following factors. First, the cost of entering the luxury wine industry is prohibitive. New companies that intend to establish production plants require significantly high financial capital, which is not easily available. Second, the incumbents have high economies of scale (Demeter Group 2013). In the last decade, major producers of luxury wine focused on consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. This has enabled them to achieve â€Å"economies of scale in production and distribution† (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 56). As a result, they have high production capacities and cost advantages that make them more competitive than new entrants. Third, the incumbents have control over the distribution channels. In the last five years, distributors of luxury wine such as wholesalers, specialty restaurants, and retailers embarked on consolidation to strengthen their market power (Demeter Group 2013). The incumbents in the wine industry have long-term distribution contracts with the available distributors. This means that new entrants will have to incur high costs to access the distribution system. Finally, access to inputs such grapes is difficult, since the incumbents have long-term supply contracts with famers. The low threat of new entrants is a growth oppor tunity to Russian River Ranches as demand continues to rise. Threat of Competitive Rivalry High competition in the US luxury wine market is explained by the following factors. First, the industry is highly concentrated. In 2013, the top 4 largest producers of luxury win accounted for 70% of the market share (Demeter Group 2013). This means that only 30% of the market is left for the remaining producers. Second, the industry is characterized by high fixed costs. Specifically, the cost of labor and warehousing is on the rise, thereby reducing the profits of producers of luxury wine. Third, there is overcapacity in the industry. This is explained by the fact that liberalization of the US wine industry has resulted into an increase in importation of luxury wine from countries such as China, Italy, and France (Demeter Group 2013). Wine products from countries such as China are sold at low prices since their producers have production cost advantages. Although the industry is characterized by high competition, it is still experiencing strong growth. In the last three years, the market for luxury wine in the US grew at an average annual rate of 12% (Demeter Group 2013). This strong growth is expected to continue in the next four years as economic growth improves. The implication of the high competitive rivalry is that Russian River Ranches must be able to satisfy customers’ needs in order to maintain its competitiveness. Specifically, the marketing mix strategy that is used to market it must be aligned to customers’ needs. Success of Russian River Ranches The factors that account for the success of Russian River Ranches in the luxury wine market include the following. First, the brand is successful because of its unrivaled quality. Since its inception, Sonoma-Cutrer acknowledged the fact that high quality is one of the major factors that determine the success of luxury wine brands. Consequently, the company strategically chose to produce its own grapes. This enables it to improve the quality of Russian River Ranches by selecting the best grapes to manufacture it (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Moreover, the company focuses on incremental product innovation to improve the quality of its wine. As a result, it has been able to produce several flavors that meet the expectations of its customers. As a premium brand that is known for high quality, Russian River Ranches is able to achieve high sales despite being one of the most expensive brands in the market (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Second, Russian River Ranches is successful because of its strong brand image. It has been rated as the most popular luxury wine brand in the US for over ten consecutive years (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The brand personality of Russian River Ranches reflects the attributes that customers in the luxury wine market look for. These include authenticity, premium quality, good reputation, and excusive brand history (Brun, Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). These attributes have enabled R ussian River Ranches to command a high brand loyalty in a market where customers are constantly shifting to new products. High brand loyalty enables the brand to overcome competition from other luxury brands and substitute products. Third, Russian River Ranches owes its success to the multi-level distribution channel that is being used to distribute it in the US. As the most popular luxury brand, all high-end restaurants and hotels strive to serve Russian River Ranches to maintain their competitiveness (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The wholesalers also have the incentive to distribute the brand because its premium price enables them to earn a decent profit margin. This enables Russian River Ranches to overcome competition by denying its competitors access to third-party distribution channels. In addition, Sonoma-Cutrer has its own retail and online stores that it uses to distribute the brand. This enables its sales team to offer excellent customer service, which in turn improves brand loyal ty and sales. Finally, Russian River Ranches is successful in the luxury market because of the marketing strategies that have been adopted by its producer. The brand’s premium positioning strategy has been reinforced through innovative marketing communications initiatives. The brand is marketed through digital platforms such as the social media, the internet, and smartphones that allow its marketers to convey personalized messages to a niche market segment rather than the mass market (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). This enables customers to identify with the brand and to recommend it to their colleagues, thereby increasing its sales and brand credibility (Reyneke, Pitt Berthon 2011, pp. 21-35). In addition, Russian River Ranches is marketed based on value rather than price. Although most companies are trying to gain market share by reducing the prices of their wine, Sonoma-Cutrer has focused on marketing the benefits that are provided by its brand. As a result, Russian River Ranches h as been able to overcome brand dilution in the market. Key Elements of a Luxury Brand Price Pricing has a significant influence on the way customers perceive luxury brands. Consciously or sub-consciously, customers often develop a psychological luxury image based on the price range that is used to market a brand (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 78). Most consumers of luxury brands believe that price has a positive correlation with value. This explains the high price of Russian River Ranches in the luxury wine industry. Specifically, the high price is meant to protect its brand image from being compromised. Undoubtedly, consumers of luxury brands are interested in obtaining high value for their money (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). They will not pay more for a product that has no superior functionality. As a result, the high price of Russian River Ranches is justified by its premium quality and good reputation. Apart from compensating producers for the high product quality, pricing in the luxury wine industry is used to ensure exclusivity. This perspective is based on the fact that consumers of luxury products focus on maintaining their self-esteem by purchasing products that others cannot afford. Since Russian River Ranches targets affluent customers, its high price serves as a mechanism for excluding the mass market from consuming it. Product A luxury brand must have a high quality (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). This requirement is justified by the fact that a luxury brand must achieve superior performance at the product level and experiential level. This explains Sonoma-Cutrer’s focus on product innovation to maintain the high quality of Russian River Ranches. At the product level, the brand satisfies functional and utilitarian attributes of wine in terms of taste, packaging, alcohol content, and acidity. As a luxury brand, Russian River Ranches also performs at the experiential level by creating an emotional appeal to customers. The emotional appeal distinguishes the brand from the regular brands of wine. The high quality of Russian River Ranches has to be maintained because its consumption signifies high status. The affluent customers consume the brand partly to express their status in the society (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). For instance, the brand is often bought as a special gift for loved ones or during special occasions such as weddings as a way of expressing appreciation. Communications Luxury brand communications must be dynamic and versatile in order to attract the attention of the market without hurting brand image (Reyneke, Pitt Berthon 2011, pp. 21-35). Adopting a dynamic marketing communications strategy is justified by the fact that a luxury brand must retain its pedigree status while keeping up with contemporary trends and newness. In a nutshell, the brand must adjust to emerging tastes and preferences without compromising its original attributes that make it unique. This enables the luxury brand t o remain desirable and inspirational. Russian River Ranches has been able to maintain its brand relevance because its adverts focus on conveying emotional and sensual messages. This creates a distinction between the brand and its competitors that target the mass market. In addition, the adverts focus on creating an aura that is genuinely exceptional to the brand image. In the digital marketing platform, Russian River Ranches is advertised using long-form commercials to attract customers’ attention. The main strength of this strategy is that it improves brand awareness and motivates customers to take action by purchasing the wine. Branding In the luxury market, brand presence focuses on creating memorable shopping experiences. A luxury brand has to be retailed in a high-end store that reflects its superior attributes. Every customer touch-point has to enhance the brand experience to strengthen the aura of luxury (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 98). In this regard, the marketers of Russian River Ranches utilize great aesthetics and craftsmanship to improve the ambiance of the stores where the wine is sold. Public relations also â€Å"plays an important role in branding luxury brands† (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 102). The use of public relations is justified by the fact that it enables marketers to influence public opinion favorably in order to strengthen brand image. In addition, it helps in enhancing the credibility of luxury brands, especially, if the brands are reviewed by renowned public figures. As a result, the marketers of Russian River Ranches use celebrity endorsements to influence public opinion about the brand. Specifically, the public associates the brand with the superior qualities of the celebrities that endorse it. This strategy has significantly improved customers’ confidence in Russian River Ranches, thereby making it the luxury brand of choice in the US. Conclusion The main threats to the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches are the high bargaining power of suppliers, high bargaining power of consumers of wine, and high competition in the luxury wine industry. The suppliers have a high bargaining power because of the shortage of key inputs such as grapes and the large number of producers of wine. The consumers of wine have a high bargaining power because of their low switching costs and access to a variety of brands. Competition is high in the market because of the high concentration of the industry and increased importation of luxury wine. The opportunities that are available to Russian River Ranches include the strong growth of the luxury wine market, as well as, the low threat of substitutes and new entrants. The factors that account for Russian River Ranches’ success include its high quality, strong brand image, and access to established distribution networks. In order to overcome competition in future, the quality of the brand should be improved consistently through product innovatio n. References Brun, A Castelli, C 2013, ‘The nature of luxury: a consumer perspective’, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, vol. 41. no. 11, pp. 823-847. Chevalier, M Mazzalovo, G 2012, Luxury brand management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Demeter Group 2013, State of the wine industry. Web. Reyneke, M, Pitt, L Berthon, P 2011, ‘Luxury wine brand visibility in social media: an exploratory study’, International Journal of Wine Business Research, vol. 23. no. 1, pp. 21-35. Sonoma-Cutrer 2014, Our craft. Web. This report on Luxury Sectoral Analysis was written and submitted by user Keaton Irwin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

What You Need to Know About Taking the total English Sample Test For Essay

What You Need to Know About Taking the total English Sample Test For EssayIf you're a new student entering the First Year English at Western Sydney University, one of the most important parts of your journey is undoubtedly the total English sample test for essay. This is one of the most essential items for you to complete in order to successfully manage your grades. As such, it's vital that you learn how to write an essay effectively and understand the main elements of the test before you begin.The essay test is commonly used in secondary school, although it has become much more standardized in recent years. As such, any student, regardless of their levels, can expect to take the test. If you're new to writing, or you are looking to further develop your academic skills, this is an ideal way to start.It is also important to understand that writing a good essay is not the same as writing an essay for a test. Students are expected to know how to write properly, but the examination in it self is relatively short, consisting of four essay questions. Therefore, this may be an appropriate time to study for other areas of study that require substantial writing skills. Regardless, remember that this test is not just about how well you write; it's also about how well you can communicate effectively.The first part of the total English sample test for essay will consist of two parts. One part is a 'short list' essay and the other is a round table discussion. In short, the 'short list' portion is where you must evaluate potential topics that you could have written an essay on, with examples provided. As you do this, you are supposed to brainstorm and critique all of the topics you have created.This is important because it will force you to draw out a problem and come up with a solution. You'll need to be able to apply what you've learned to situations you may encounter in the future.On the other hand, the round table discussion requires you to communicate effectively and ide ntify the perspective of the other student. Again, you'll be forced to think about your own perspectives and make decisions based on the information available.At the end of this test, you'll be required to write an essay of up to 10 pages and include both the 'short list' and the 'round table' essays. Your grade is based solely on your essay and the topic covered. Although both portions of the test do not appear on the final grade, you should definitely focus on them throughout your career.

Word Families - a Quick Reference for Teachers

Word Families - a Quick Reference for Teachers Word Families are sometimes referred to as groups, chunks or rimes. A word family has something in common with each other, have it be the prefix, suffix or root word. For example, green, grass, grow all have the gr sound in the beginning of the word. What are the Benefits? Word families are important because they help young children recognize and analyze word patterns when they are learning to read. When teaching analytic phonics, teachers use word families to help children understand these patterns and that certain words have the same letter combinations and sounds. Most Common Word Families According to researchers Wylie and Durrel, there are 37 common word families: ack, ain, ake, ale, all, ame, an, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, aw, ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ide, ight, ill, in, ine, ing, ink, ip, it, ock, oke, op, ore, ot, uck ,ug, ump, unk. ack- back, hack, pack, rackain - brain, chain, main, plainake - awake, bake, cake, fakeale - ale, bale, sale, taleall - all, ball, call, hallame - blame, came, game, samean - an, ban, can, panank - bank, drank, sank, tankap - cap, map, rap, tapash - bash, dash, rash, sashat - bat, cat, fat, matate - fate, gate, late, rateaw - claw, draw, paw, saway - day, hay, may, sayeat - beat, feat, meat, seatell - bell, fell, tell, wellest - best, rest, vest, westice - dice, mice, nice, riceick - brick, kick, pick, sickide - bride, hide, ride, sideight - bright, fight, light, nightill - bill, hill, pill, stillin - bin, chin, grin, tinine - dine, fine, mine, vineing - bring, king, sing, wingink - drink, link, pink, sinkip - chip, dip, lip, sipit - bit, fit, hit, sitock - block, clock, rock, sockop - cop, hop, mop, topore - bore, more, sore, toreot - got, hot, not, rotuck - buck, duck luck, tuckug - bug, hug, mug, rugump - bump, dump, jump, pumpunk - bunk, dunk, junk,sunk Source: Richard E. Wylie and Donald D. Durrell, 1970. Teaching Vowels Through Phonograms. Elementary English 47, 787-791.

10 Points About Possessives

10 Points About Possessives 10 Points About Possessives 10 Points About Possessives By Mark Nichol Writers are often challenged by the details of producing singular and possessive forms, but dealing with less common possessive variations can be downright vexing. Here are guidelines about additional possessive constructions. 1. Absolute Possessives His, hers, its, theirs, ours, mine, and yours, which are termed absolute possessives because, unlike their simple possessive versions (for example, their and my), they require no subsequent noun, should never be followed by an apostrophe. (Note that his and its, which can precede a noun or noun phrase or can stand alone, do not change form depending on whether they are simple or absolute possessives.) 2. Compound Possessives The possessive form in compound nouns and in noun phrases is generally expressed only in the final element for example, â€Å"The student teachers’ experiences varied†; â€Å"Her brothers-in-law’s attitudes differed dramatically.† (It might be better to relax the syntax: â€Å"The experiences of the student teachers varied†; â€Å"The attitudes of her brothers-in-law differed dramatically.†) 3. Genitive Possessives The genitive form, also known as the possessive form although most phrases formed this way refer to relationship, not to possession is most often problematic when the apostrophe implies of, as in â€Å"a hundred dollars’ worth† or â€Å"three months’ time.† (See this post for a discussion of the various types of genitive.) 4. Phrasal Possessives The spontaneity of speech often results in statements such as â€Å"The family down the street’s RV was hit by a car,† but because writing enables more thoughtful composition, writers should avoid such awkward constructions; instead, write, â€Å"The RV belonging to the family down the street was hit by a car.† 5. Possessives Attached to Italicized Terms An apostrophe and an s following an italicized term should not be italicized for example, â€Å"Did you read the Washington Post’s editorial today?† If the style calls for quotation marks instead of italics, avoid constructions like â€Å"Did you read the ‘Washington Post’’s editorial today?† Instead, revise the sentence, for example, to â€Å"Did you read the editorial in today’s ‘Washington Post’?† 6. Possessive with Gerund In a sentence in which a gerund (a verb functioning as a noun), not the proper noun or the pronoun preceding it, is understood to be the subject of the sentence as in â€Å"Jane’s yelling had put us all in a bad mood† the proper noun or pronoun (a modifying part of speech known as a determiner) should be in the possessive form. The sentence is expressing that the yelling caused the bad moods, and the genitive form Jane’s identifies the yeller. In â€Å"Jane yelling had put us all in a bad mood,† by contrast, Jane is the subject and yelling is a verb; the implied subject is â€Å"The act of Jane.† This construction, however, is awkward; either use the construction with the gerund, or relax the sentence to something like, â€Å"When Jane yelled, it put us all in a bad mood.† 7. Possessive Forms vs. Attributive Forms Organizations, businesses, and government agencies often refer to themselves attributively, meaning that one noun modifies another for example, respectively, note the names of the California Teachers Association, the Diners Club, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The key noun in each name takes the plural s but not the genitive apostrophe, because the entities are intended for the referenced groups rather than established by them. However, similarly constructed generic terms such as â€Å"farmers’ market† and â€Å"girls’ soccer team† are genitive phrases and should feature an apostrophe after the plural s. Similarly, a name used as an adjective is attributive, not possessive: Write â€Å"the Jones Mansion,† not â€Å"the Jones’s Mansion,† as, for example, a designation for a historical landmark (though â€Å"the Jones’s mansion† is correct for a simple description of, for example, a neighbor’s house), or â€Å"the Vikings game† (but â€Å"the Vikings’ win-loss record†). 8. Possessive of Inanimate Objects Generally, constructions such as â€Å"The jar’s lid is cracked† is more efficient than, for example, â€Å"The lid of the jar is cracked,† but avoid rendering such set phrases as â€Å"the head of the class† unidiomatic. (â€Å"Go to the class’s head† fumbles the idiom.) 9. Possessive Preceded by Of When a phrase describing a relationship includes the preposition of, as in â€Å"a neighbor of Dad’s† or â€Å"that statement of Smith’s,† note that the presence of the preposition does not preclude the need for the genitive apostrophe. (A construction omitting the apostrophe doesn’t necessarily look wrong, but consider the example â€Å"the book of John†; this phrase suggests a book about John, not one belong to or written by John.) However, consider simplifying the phrase to, for example, â€Å"Dad’s neighbor† or â€Å"Smith’s statement† when doing so does not change the meaning. (â€Å"A neighbor of Dad’s,† for example, implies one of two or more neighbors more strongly than â€Å"Dad’s neighbor† does, and â€Å"that statement of Smith’s,† for example, more clearly specifies a particular statement than â€Å"Smith’s statement† does.) 10. Shared and Separate Possession When two closely related nouns refer to as a single entity, as in a statement about a comedy team’s best-known routine (â€Å"She’s never heard Abbott and Costello’s ‘Who’s on First’ bit†), only the second item is assigned a possessive form. But when the component entities are discussed as separate things, both items should have the possessive form, as in â€Å"Abbott’s and Costello’s off-screen personalities were consistent with their on-screen personas.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing Light25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)Drama vs. Melodrama