Microsoft vs. Apple

Introduction Apple incorporation is an international company that deals in electronic gadgets, computer software and hardware. Its operations began on 1ST April 1976 through the efforts of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as the founders. Apple incorporation mainly specializes in the manufacture of iPhone, iPod, Macintosh computers and iPad which is the latest computer technology. It is currently the world’s largest technology company and the second largest in the world after Exxon Mobil.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Microsoft vs. Apple specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Microsoft is a corporation based in America that deals in developing of a vast collection of computer software and licenses. Bill Gates founded it in the year 1975 together with his friend Paul Allen. Its growth was mainly achieved from the famous windows operating systems and their tricky business licensing rights as seen in the MS-DOS. Micr osoft is also well known for its most preferred office suite in the world that is commonly used for instance the Microsoft office 2003, 2007, 2010 that are common in the computer market (Coursey, 2009, p.1). Differences Since both deal in the development of operating system a distinction is made in the release and their uses. For instance when Microsoft is producing operating systems they produce one operating system but with several versions of the same. This is seen in windows xp where we have service pack one, two and three or in windows vista home basic, business and ultimate. They produce them in such a way that it’s the same only a few features have been improved or upgraded. Contrary Apple releases are final such that only one operating system with no upgrades. They also ensure that their operating systems give their customers maximum satisfaction. Apple specializes in both hardware and software production in that it manufactures the computer itself and the operating s ystem. The Apple operating systems only function on Mac computers which are produced and distributed by Apple incorporation (Coursey, 2009, p.1). Their operating systems do not function well on other non-Apple computers. Unlike Apple, Microsoft only deals in software production and distribution. They do not produce computers and thereby the sell their software to computer manufacturers such as dell, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Lenovo among others. The computer manufacturers then sell their computer brands with Microsoft operating systems installed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Microsoft operating systems are compatible with almost all computers. This implies that Microsoft operating system can run on any computer in the world today except the Mac. Unlike Microsoft that runs on many computer brands, Apple operating system and software are only meant for Mac computers only. T his means that apple products are exclusively meant for Mac computers only. Similarities Both Apple and Microsoft corporations are worldwide companies that deal in the development and distribution of computer software and operating system. The most recent Microsoft operating systems include windows seven, vista and server among others while Apple’s most recent is the Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (Bleeker, 2010, p.1). The two companies provide software that help in the running of a computers and other electronic gadgets. The two just like any other businesses have their goals and objectives. These include making profits and satisfying their customers’ wants and needs. They have to make sure they stay in business and it is through this that they have come up with a licensing program. The license helps to prevent imitation of their products and that is why genuine products from both companies have serial numbers or product keys. Conclusion In a nutshell Microsoft and Apple Corporation both deal with software and hardware development and distribution. They mainly aim at providing solutions brought about by the desires and wants of their customers. Their products have become part of our lives that we cannot do without due to their application in the daily lives today. Reference List Bleeker, E. (2010). Apple vs. Microsoft: Who Owns the Future? Retrieved from https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/06/04/apple-versus-microsoft-who-owns-the-future.aspx Coursey, D. (2009). Microsoft vs. Apple: Running stupid, Not Scared. Retrieved from https://www.pcworld.com/article/168603/Microsoft_vs_Apple_Running_Stupid_Not_Scared.html This essay on Microsoft vs. Apple was written and submitted by user N1k0las 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.

Mexico Essays (901 words) - Mexico, Aztec, Mexican Art, Mexicans

Mexico Essays (901 words) - Mexico, Aztec, Mexican Art, Mexicans Mexico Mexico is our neighbor to the south. The United States was once part of Mexico. The country is a place for tourism and vacations for us. For the Mexicans, its home. They live different lives then us. Near the year 7000 B.C., Indians learned to grow plants for food. In time they were able to settle in villages. Those villages grew into towns. During the years 250 to 900 A.D. , the Indians lived in the Classic Period in Mexican history. During the time, the Mayas built huge pyramids and temples. They developed Mathematics and studied astronomy. The Zapotecas flattened a mountain top and built a temple. They also wrote the first written records in the region. The Aztecs built the greatest civilization in the years 1400. They had a capital named Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan is now Mexico City. The Aztecs had a powerful emperor named Montezuma II. In February 1519, a Spaniard named Hernando Cortes founded the city Veracruz for Spain. He then marched towards Tenochtitlan and seized Montezuma. The Aztecs revolted and forced the Spaniards out of Tenochtitlan. Two years later, Cortes returned to the city and conquered Tenochtitlan. Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec emperor, was tortured. He is now a Mexican hero. Spain now owned Mexico. For less then 300 years Mexico was a Spanish colony. That is why the language of Mexico is Spanish. The Indians were forced to accept the Roman Catholic religion. They Indians mixed the Roman Catholic religion with their own religion. In 1810, a man named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla , a priest, started a fight for the independence of Mexico. He had many Indians and Mestizos who fought against Spain for him. The Spanish king taxed the people of Mexico for their revolt. Most of the people did not want independence. The Mexicans later won their independence when there were more Mexican fighters then Spanish. In 1821, Mexico became independent. In 1824, Mexico became a republic. In the year 1846-1848, Mexico had a war with The United States. The Americans fought the war because they wanted Mexican land. The Americans won the war and took control of States like California and Texas. In 1917, Mexico adopted a Constitution. In the years 1942-1945 Mexico entered World War II for the Allied Powers. In 1953, women won the right to vote. In 1968, the Summer Olympics were in Mexico City. In 1985, an earthquake in Mexico City killed thousands of Mexicans. One of the most famous Mexican writers was Octavio Paz. He was a poet. In 1990 he became the first Mexican to win a Nobel Prize in literature. He also wrote many political essays about Mexico. Many of his works have been translated into English and are popular among many people. His most famous piece of writing was El Larerinto De La Soledad. A famous Mexican painter was Diego Rivera. He is well known for the murals he painted in Mexico City. His murals were related to Mexican History. He also did murals in the United States, which were about the life of an American. Other painters who painted murals in Mexico were Jose Orozco and David Siqueiros. The Architecture in Mexico City is very artistic because it is full of murals and old ancient ruins. The city is a work of art to many people. It is one of the Art Capitals of the world. Mexican music is very unique. Some instruments used in Mexican music are flutes, marimbas, and guitars. The music is called Folk Dance. La Bamba is a folk dance song, which was made into a rock song by Richie Valens. Many songs of folk dance are performed in the streets of Mexico City and other places. Songs of folk dance are played fast. The dances are very fast too. The most popular sport in Mexico is Soccer. Mexico has a World Cup soccer team that did very good at the 1998 World Cup in France. Jorge Campos is the most popular Mexican player in Mexico. He is the goalie for the World Cup team. He is one of the best goalies in the world. Another popular sport is baseball. Every year there is 1 American Major League baseball game played in Mexico City. Many people go to this game. Mexico

A SWOT Analysis of Nike, Inc.

A SWOT Analysis of Nike, Inc. Internal: Strengths The first strength of Nike as a company is that is outsources all aspects of its production to overseas facilities. This is a strength as the company saves money on the labor costs and the helps the company focus on design and research with the additional capital they save. The next strength is that Nike is a globally recognized brand that has strong customer loyalty. Along with this, Nike has a reputation for quality and endurance which makes it the brand of choice for athletes and fitness fanatics. Another strength of Nike is that it is an extremely competitive company with a catchy slogan that summarizes the ideology of the company. â€Å"Just Do It† is globally known and contributes as to why Nike is one of the few dominating companies in the market. Weaknesses The first weakness of Nike as a company is it perceived by some people as too premium and expensive. This is a weakness as a lot of people are migrating to lower prices athletic wear which is primarily focused on quality. The next weakness is that Nike does its business through retailers who sell other competing brands. This kills the exclusivity of the brand as it is often competing against hundreds of other brands who beat Nike in some aspects including price or quality. As mentioned previously, Nike outsources all of its manufacturing to save money. A lot of companies who outsource overseas are faced with negative publicity due to the bad image of â€Å"Sweatshops†. This could turn people off shopping at Nike due to unfriendly conditions that are associated with sweatshops. Opportunities One of the biggest opportunities for Nike is the emerging markets in regards to athletes and sports teams. A lot of people purchase their favorite teams regardless of the brand. If Nike strategically gets access to the biggest sports teams their sale would increase. If Nike continues to diversify into new markets other than footwear they can begin to dominate different markets such as sporting accessories. Nike has the advantage of compromising price to attract new customers. They already have a loyal customer following so they already have large profit margins. If they take the chance of lowering prices they could increase revenue from new customers. Threats The main threat to Nike is competitors such as Adidas, Puma and Under-Armor. Companies in the same market as Nike are continuously growing, putting pressure on Nike as a company that needs to continue to grow. The price of competitors is a big threat to Nike. Consumers today are more price cautions and will often opt for the cheaper products. As Nike uses overseas outlets to manufacture there is a constant threat that they will be exposed for poor trade practices. If they are exposed it would damage the company’s image and consumers might want to purchase from other suppliers.  · Where do our internal strengths match with external opportunities? This represents the best fit between the companys resources and the options available in the external environment. Nike’s internal strengths matches their external opportunities in the sense that Nike is a globally recognized company that has strong customer loyalty. An external opportunity that Nike could take advantage is lowering their price to attract new customers. As of one Nike’s strengths is strong brand recognition, it makes Nike a desirable brand especially if the prices are lowered. There is a possibility that the increase of new customers could increase profit and get more life-long customers.  · Where do our internal weaknesses match up with external opportunities? What opportunities are we not able to capture? The first weakness of Nike that matches up with external opportunities is that Nike is viewed as a premium brand that is too expensive for some consumers to purchase. The opportunity that this matches up to is the chance Nike has to lower its prices and attract new customers. The reason as to why it is difficult for Nike to capture this opportunity is because Nike carries a certain prestige that they don’t want tainted with cheap prices of their merchandise. If everyone can afford to wear Nike the prestige element wouldn’t have as much of an effect and it could possibly lose customers.  · Where do our internal strengths match up with external threats? What resources do we have that might turn a threat into an opportunity? The internal strengths that match up with the external threats in Nike is the face that Nike outsources all of its production to overseas facilities to save money on the cost of production. The matches with the external threats as the conditions of these overseas facilities leave much to be desired. If a report of these conditions were to ever appear it could severely damage Nike’s reputation. The pressure of other companies such as Adidas and Puma could become an opportunity for Nike to continuously grow and slow down in a very competitive market.  · Where do our internal weaknesses match the external threats in the environment? These are the worst possible scenarios for an organization. The internal weaknesses that match the external threats is the fact that Nike do most of its business through retailers. This is a threat as many consumers can compare prices of Nike to other competitors in a retail store. This could introduce consumers to cheaper prices of rival brands.

Critically reflect on the nature of management practice and the role Essay

Critically reflect on the nature of management practice and the role theory plays, if at all, on management practice - Essay Example An organization is a very intrinsic system, and to make the system to remain sustain a considerable amount of flexibility is required (Dawson, 2009, p.13). This kind of organizational flexibility is given by the heterarchy organizational structure where the flow of information is not constrained. On the other hand a hierarchical organizational structure is one where every organizational entity excluding one is the subordinate of the other entity. It is not a flattened structure and has a centralized power of control. In this kind of structure the power is on the top level and it diminishes at the subsequent levels (Allee, 2002, pp.78-79). The hierarchical organizational structure is seen almost in every big company where there exist different levels of power of authority and management. But in today’s scenario of adaptation to more of flexible structures heterarchy organizational structure is the best mode for system formulation. Though it has not been seen as a very regular m easure in many organizations but those corporations who has such a flattened structure is more flexible and provides better scope for development. Thus according to me both the structures has its pros and cons but heterarchy organizational structure is the best structure to be adapted. Heterachy organizational structure is a lateral coordination of organizational diversity. It has been characterized as a distributed intelligence that is negotiable at multiple evaluative criteria. From the past two centuries hierarchical organizational structure has been the dominant model. In the early 19th century the traditional approach in the organizational system was more prominent. The bureaucratic traditional approach emphasized more on the rational control. This control was exercised through formalized communication in order to avoid misuse of power. Scientific management gained more efficiency in

Marketing Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Planning - Essay Example The Marketing Planning is also defined as the process that motivates the marketing personnel to look internally in order to fully understand the results of past marketing decisions and to look externally in order to fully understand the market in which they operate. It also sets future goals and provides direction for future marketing efforts that everyone within the organization should understand and support. It is a key component in obtaining funding to pursue new initiatives. SBU stands for Strategic Business Unit. It is one of the crucial component in marketing planning. SBU is understood as a business unit with in the overall corporate identity which is identifiable from other business because it serves a defined external market where management can conduct strategic planning in relation to products and markets. When companies become really large, they are best thought of as being composed of a number of SBUs. A SBU is a unit of the company that has a separate mission and objectives and that can be planned independently from the other businesses. An SBU can be a company division, a product line or even individual brands and it all depends on how the company is organized. An independent grouping of organizations, products or technologies within a parent organization, with complete resource and profit responsibility for serving an identified markets (FN1). These organizational entities are large enough and homogeneous enough to exercise control over most strategic factors affecting their performance. They are managed as self contained planning units for which separate business strategies can be developed. A Strategic Business Unit can encompass an entire company, or can simply be a smaller part of a company set up to perform a specific task. The SBU has its own business strategy, objectives and competitors and these will be different from those of the parent company. The marketing planning is a dynamic process which has to be highly

Innovator of the Modern Art Essay Example for Free

Innovator of the Modern Art Essay Jackson became one of the trendsetters of the modern art movement. His technique, materials and perception of art distinguished him from other equally talented 20th century artists. The artworks that he produced represented his enigmatic character. Though many were amused with his painting, there were also those who questioned his artistic talents and knowledge. But he did not let these criticisms compromise his distinct creativity. Pollock was categorized as an Abstract Expressionist artist primarily because of his infamous drip paintings including the â€Å"Convergence†. These drip paintings were painted on a large canvas on the floor. According to Pollock, painting on the floor made him feel closer to his painting. He was able to work on the different angles of the canvass by walking around it. This unusual technique was considered by Pollock as a way of being a part of the painting not just the typical creator of it. The act of letting the the paint drip into the canvass generated prolonged and continuous lines in which the paintings were dominated by white and black and sometimes there were hints of exciting bold colors. In addition, the drips of the paint were able to create a three dimensional effect making it tactile and visually appealing. With regards to the choice of materials, Pollock utilized uncommon paints and brushes. His paints were industrial and household paints that he described as the â€Å"natural growth out of a need † (Boddy-Evans, 2008, What Paint Did Pollock Use? ). Meanwhile, the brushes were deteriorated and hard to let the paint naturally drip down the canvas. Pollock explained his painting method as â€Å"new needs need new techniques† meaning the modern age requires new approaches to reflect its real essence (Boddy-Evans, 2008, What Paint Did Pollock Use? ). References Boddy-Evans, M. ( 2008). What Paint Did Pollock Use?. About Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://painting. about. com/od/colourtheory/a/Pollock_paint. htm.

Corporal Punishment :: essays research papers

"The fundamental need of American education is to find ways of engaging today's children in the thrill of learning. Fear of pain has no place in that process." - The Christian Science Monitor. Because Ms. Peà ±a and I are in compliance with this statement, we have decided to bring to the attention of the community, the corporal punishment of Sinton High School. There are many effective ways of properly punishing a disobedient student, but there are also limits to certain disciplinary measures. Grant it that a student from Sinton High School may now choose their own punishment, with consent from the parents, it is up to the administrator to keep in compliance, and with in the limits. Bruises, cuts, and/or broken skin should not occur in the process of administering corporal punishment. The eight constitutional amendment clearly states that â€Å"no cruel or unusual punishment should be inflicted.† If markings are found on a student, the boundaries and law have been broken. Rupturing these boundaries surfaces the question, â€Å"Just exactly WHY are we administering the corporal punishment to students, to hurt them?† "...the use of corporal punishment in schools is intrinsically related to child maltreatment. It contributes to a climate of violence, it implies that society approves of the physical violation of children, it establishes an unhealthy norm...Its outright abolition throughout the nation must occur immediately." - U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. It has been made known to the students of Sinton High School, and now to the parents and community, that the administrators of the corporal punishment, Mr. Mike Burger, and Ms. Linda Harrison, have left numerous marks on students through corporal punishment. Many of the marks have lasted at least a week and many up to two. Physical child abuse is defined and characterized by inflicting physical injury by several means, and result in bruises and many other markings. Although the injury is not an accident the person may have not intended to hurt the child. The injury may have resulted from over-discipline or physical punishment. Dennis Randall of www.familyeducation.com once stated, in relation to the corporal punishment he received, â€Å"When I think back, I can’t remember why I was punished, and the only thing it taught me, was to loathe that teacher.† How can we teach children that violence is such a horrible thing when if, for say, they do something violent, they will get punished with violence.

A Short History on Modern Philosophy Paper

The existence of the self lends to the existence of God because of truths covered through inner experiences of being and thinking, which may have influenced Descartes' truth in Cogitator Ergo Sum. Bioethics (c. 475-526 AD), a former senator and top-level assistant turned persona non grata, developed proof of the problem of divine foreknowledge as the concern that human freedom doesn't truly exist due to God's foreknowledge through His prophetic revelations in the Bible. His knowledge that events will happen cannot be changed-?which means that He can never be wrong: the outcome is guaranteed-?man has no will to follow but His.Bioethics eventually come to solution: God is eternal (the simultaneous and complete possession of life) and thus cannot have knowledge of the future because He has no concept of time. He can experience every moment at once instead of in intervals due to his status as ultimate reality. Taking away free will as been labeled as simple necessity of nature (the morta lity of man), whereas keeping as a result of a relationship is conditional (bayou are seen walking, then you must be walking). SST.Ansell of Canterbury (1033-1109) was an infamous follower of Augustine work who believed that philosophy rationally justified religious levels through necessary reasons (logically true proportions and valid inferences). He proves God's existence in understanding and reality as an absolute truth: the idea of God in fact defines what it is to be the great conceivable being, which can only exist in reality. Being the greatest conceivable being is to be made up of all of the characteristics that would produce greatness.Being only the greatest in understanding would mean He would be less than great-?which is impossible. Peter Ballard (1079-1142), a prominent French noble and student of scholasticism (the dialectical method of learning), solved the problem of universals (how two different individual subjects be similar) through immanent realism (the essential substance of each individual is present within all of them), despite his own criticisms. Several kinds of things or categories can be labeled as the same when they are in fact merely similar (different); in order to even register what something is, you have to know its universal.However, Aristotle solution was contradictory to empiricism in that essential substance cannot be derived from the five senses, and so open for criticism. There can be no universality in individual things such as a unman and a beast, as this universality cannot be predicted and is therefore both rational and irrational, so he presents nominal as an alternative to imminent realism: what makes different individuals the same is nothing but a name-?there is only a similarity in terms, not the individuals themselves.Oversee (1 126-1198), a pseudonym for the Arabic philosopher Bin Rushed, was most infamous for his commentary of the works of Aristotle despite his works having been forgotten in the West. He resisted the theologian interpretation of the Koran-?the universe was derived was a specific point in he past -and instead advocated for the traditional view that God and the world have coexisted for an eternity, which closes the gap between the physical and metaphysical.A pure form, or nature, is required to uphold the endlessness of matter, motion, and time; as such, He is an Intelligence-?active and necessary in existence -?and as a nature, this lends to His divine and eternal knowledge as proven by Bioethics. This divine knowledge is the cause of all things, as God caused the formation of the universe that has existed since his beginning. TO deny causes is to deny Him, ND neither can be denied unless with the intention to let absurdities prosper and established principles refuted.Moodiness (1 135-1204), a Spanish Jew whose family chose exile over conversion, is known for founding agnosticism (indecisiveness or ignorance over the truth). He uses the following analogy to prove that rules that currently apply to the time have always done so: conception is to a human being as creation is to the universe; rules that currently apply to human beings may not apply at conception; rules that apply to the universe now may not apply at creation. Nothing can come from nothing because something can't just simply come into existence without an origin; however, the creation model says that God created the world from nothing.Moodiness counters that just because nothing can no longer come from nothing, that doesn't mean that creation couldn't have come from nothing eons ago. SST. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an Italian noble who sought to reconcile the Bible with Aristotle metaphysics through his own fifth empiricist truth: God's knowledge can imply reason for an individual to perform a function successfully, as he has already been endowed with a pacific form of causal efficiency.He expands on the second answer of the Typhoon question (whether or not morality is derived from His commands, or if they are concurrent) and so develops his natural theory that the world is congruent to our moral code. Supported by Aristotle doctrine of four causes (who, what, why, and how), the acts of doing good (natural inclination) and avoiding evil are a priori that support his view on ethics. Acting on natural inclinations is guided by reason as an individual's function to perform and should not be ignored.

Puritan Influence on American Culture Essay

Write an essay in which you evaluate the influence of Puritan values on the development of American culture. Use specific examples of Puritan ideas, traditions, and institutions, and discuss how these were affected by the end of the first century of American colonial development. (Be sure to rely heavily on Morgan’s The Puritan Family, as well as lecture, text and primary sources, for material and examples. ) Cultures often rely on past beliefs to shape their values or way of life. Puritans had a great impact on American society today. Their primary focus was on that of religion and how it guided their lives in aspects such as relationships, social order, and education. They did not accept many who fell outside of these standards and I think that today, many are marginalized if they do not conform to the common beliefs. Many people today use the Ten Commandments as an outline of how to live and what to believe which shows that religion is still an important aspect of lives in America. Although their ideas have been manipulated over the years, they provided a strong basis for American Culture. The husband and wife relationship is an area that has evolved its basic ideas from the Puritan lifestyle. A pastor or magistrate was not allowed to perform a marriage unless it was already â€Å"published† by the law which is similar to a marriage certificate today. It is a legal union as well as a religious one. After the ceremony was a feast to celebrate which is still common nowadays. A difference is in that they forbid dancing and other extensive â€Å"fun† activities. This is where some of our laws originated from, such as anti-smoking or censorship laws. Domestic abuse was forbidden in Puritan marriages and this was also taken as far as punishment for speaking ill words of one another. Their idea of marriage was that a relationship was based on companionship and this remains a main reason couples get married. They also believed in a subordination of the women which has been challenges but there are some areas where it is still seen in society. The Puritan’s education was closely related to religion which is not the case in American culture however there are similarities in the importance of education. They believed that the education of children would lead to salvation therefore it was of high importance for young children to be educated. Both Puritans and today’s society believe that the importance of education is so that advancement is possible to bring wealth. Their entire system of order and belief relied on this, â€Å"Every Grace enters into the soul through Understanding† (Morgan, 1944). Therefore education and religion went hand in hand. This is not as common today with the separation of church and state. There are some separate school systems that are closely associated with religion however it is not the norm.

buy custom Literary Analysis of The Great Gatsby

buy custom Literary Analysis of The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Introduction The essential story of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby seems simple enough. Meanwhile, when asked exactly why readers enjoy the novel and what makes it work, they usually realize that it is a very complex book that means much more than it seems at the first glance. *The novel has a perfect unity of effect: every image, character, symbol, and turn of the plot contributes to the theme and to the feeling a reader carries away from reading it. The major themes of the novel include class and status in society, true feelings, loyalty and the American Dream. However, exactly the theme of the loss of morality in America of that time, when the true values were replaced by the false ones, occurs throughout the novel and provokes much thinking. The author shows how poor morality has turned the American Dream, one of the finest fruits of the Western culture, into the dead materialism. Additionally, Gatsbys life and death show that if the values are false, they will finally destroy individu als no matter how innocently and wholeheartedly they pursue their goal.

Business Failure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Failure - Research Paper Example The company was among the first to try out the Web 2.0 approach for dealing with this problem (Bruene, 2010). It started off on the right track since it had the appropriate technology thus was flexible in contracting negotiations. They had state-of-the art user interfaces that allowed the company to carry out efficient transactions. It featured in a public API and it had a well established database (Bruene, 2010). It had a strong brand image at the start and never used commissions from financial providers. At this juncture, it is important to note that the company was the first of its kind and had the experience as compared to other competitors. However, the company’s woes began even before the company was formed as several companies had started working on similar plans. The company started off with a decent capital investment of approximately $5 million capital investment and had up to 150, 000 members in the first year of its operation. The company was adversely affected whe n a similar company Intuit Company (Mint) was started $117 million capital and 300, 000 users (Bruene, 2010). Mint had a better brand name, an easier interface and a huge pool of capital. This together with the increasing competition from other new entrants put increasing pressure on Wesabe. The company began generating revenue later than Mint and finally ceased its operations in July 2010. The company’s mission statement was concerned with offering cheap, fast and efficient financial services by using the internet. It defined itself as ‘a community of real people dealing with real money issues’. The goals and objectives focused on ensuring that its clients meet their financial targets (Bruene, 2010). It was referred to as web based site that offered its members a better understanding on how to manage funds. It also focused on giving sound financial advice to their customers thereby improving their decisions on spending. The company did not aim to compete with tr aditional banks focused on providing unique and secure financial solutions to its customers. The company operates in a highly competitive market and its chief competitor is Mint. Mint has had outstanding growth since it was formed ten months after Wesabe. It has a market share of 60 percent (Bruene, 2010). The second competitor is Geezeo that has been experiencing impressive growth in the recent past. Other competitors include BudgetTracker, Thrive, Yodlee, PearBudget and Buxfer all which have shown impressive growth over the years (Bruene, 2010). The company faced competition from these other players in terms of marketing, sales and technology. The company failed to employ strategic marketing strategies therefore it did not reach a large number of users. Mint was more aggressive with marketing its financial services. With regards to sales, the company did not apply the sales tactics such as the ones used by Yodlee and Geezo. In terms of technology, Wesage did not integrate the FIâ €™s online banking frameworks in their system. Reasons for Failure As earlier stated, most businesses fail after a few months in operation. The major reason is due to lack of enough capital investment to run future activities. Stiff competition from other players in the market may also cause a business to shut its doors. Such businesses are characterized by poor developed business models that are impractical and ineffective (Bridges, 2013). Small businesses tend to be anxious to generate profits therefore they may over expand their activities. The other reason

Summary Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Summary - Coursework Example As per the requirements of US GAAP and Securities and Exchange Commission, the income statement of PepsiCo shows the comparative financial performance of the company over last three years, i.e. 2009, 2010 and 2012. There is one extra ordinary item is also included with the head of â€Å"bottling equity income†. However, this item was of non-recurring nature such that it was present in the income statements of 2009 and 2010 but in 2011, this figure was not shown by the company. The requirement to show both basic and diluted earnings per share is also provided in the income statement of PepsiCo. There are few optional items also presented by the company in order to provide more meaningful picture of the company especially to its shareholders such as weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding and dividend per share declared by PepsiCo over last three years. Contingencies Contingencies, is a specific type of liability under which account head is presented on the face o f the balance sheet but its amount is not showed. Generally, contingencies include those items the results of which can go either in favor or against the company such as lawsuits, long-term contractual obligations, commitments etc. However, contingencies are presented only when their respective amounts are probable and can be reliably estimated as well. PepsiCo has also provided contingencies on its balance sheet under the name of commitments and contingencies. There are different kinds of contingencies under which PepsiCo is obligated, such as non-cancelable commitments. These non-cancelable commitments include commitments for operating leases of building, purchasing agreements with the suppliers of sugar and sweeteners, oranges and its juices and related packaging material. Non-cancelable marketing agreements are also signed by PepsiCo mainly for its sports based marketing. There are some items, which have not been included under contingencies by PepsiCo such as bottler funding an d medical plan related liabilities for retirees. Bottler funding is that agreement which is negotiated by PepsiCo with its suppliers on yearly basis. Medical plan is not included because expected future cash outflows in this regard are not represented as long-term contractual obligations. Off-balance sheet transactions and items are also not included in the commitment and contingencies because PepsiCo has not made it its practice to include in its financial statements unless they constitute under the normal course of business of PepsiCo. INTANGIBLES Being a multi-national entity, PepsiCo has acquired different sorts of intangible assets such as brands, computer software, franchises, goodwill etc. The company has developed various criteria in order to value its intangibles, which are discussed below. Brands PepsiCo develops certain brands the cost of which is normally expensed out by the company in the year in which the brand is developed. Certain brands are acquired by PepsiCo such that their goodwill is recognized separately in the balance sheet. With respect to the life of brands, there are two types of brands i.e. brands with definite life and brands with indefinite life. PepsiCo has the specific brand valuation criteria, which it follows in order to assess the life of the brand. Generally, the brands with definite lives are amortized over a period ranging from 5 to 40 years are