School competitors ERCI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

School competitors ERCI - Essay Example By comparing the positive and negative attributes, a comparative estimation was done which highlighted on the competitive strategies, objectives of the individual schools as well as the efficiency and defensive moves which can help ERCI to gain market share by attracting more students internationally. ERCI on understanding its competitors’ strategies would restructure and implement their own strategies which would work as an advantage to them (ERC Institute, 2015). A survey was executed where the students of ERCI sampled 100 odd students from varied background to fill in a questionnaire which they analyzed to determine the student’s demand for educational school and what were the features they are more reluctant on while selecting a particular school to study in. The sample group had individuals from countries like Singapore, Vietnam, Korea and China who are students in Singaporean school. The main focus was on the survey method where the students were questioned on their decision making on selecting the specific schools they study in. The focus of the descriptive analysis was on the fees structure, the satisfactory attributes of the schools as well as the educational programs and certificates provided by them. Most of the students surveyed were males and were interested in further studies. 68.5% of the students were aware of the educational programs and attributes of the schools through the agents. Further, the sales manager of ERCI wa s interviewed to judge the recruiting and managing procedures for the international students. It was found that those students from India and China show greater interest in further studies internationally. They tend to seek information about the global schools through educational agencies in their respective countries and hence the Singaporean schools contact these agents to promote themselves and attract greater number of candidates. On the other hand, there are part time educational facilities in Singapore

Logistics and Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Logistics and Operations Management - Essay Example Replacement Costs on the rise due to poor quality Quality Costs Cost of control Prevention costs include Quality planning and Engineering, New product review, Product and process design, Process control, Cost of Burn in tests, Quality training and workforce development. Appraisal costs include Testing and Inspection. Cost of Failure of control Internal failure costs include Scrap, Rework, Retest, Failure Analysis, down time, Yield losses and down grading. External failure costs include Warranty Charges, Complaint adjustment, Returned product/material and Liability costs. Q2. In consideration of your response to part 1 and your experience in Aerials, i. Propose and explain what options a business and/or a supply chain has to cope with fluctuating demand. Options 1. Make or Buy decisions The most popular decision that a Business takes to cope with the fluctuating demand is whether to Make or Buy. A business must analyze their various costs of production involved in producing a product and compare it with cost of buying the product from an external supplier. If the cost of buying is less than cost of producing the product, then companies can opt for buying the product. This could be extended to each phase of the production cycle. 2. Forecasting Demand Companies plan and forecast the demand according to the future needs of the market. Forecasting demand assists in decision making with respect to investment in plant and machinery, market planning and future sales. Some of the popular forecasting methods include Time series methods Judgmental Techniques Causal methods (Econometric forecasting) 3. Quality management Companies strive to achieve quality standards like ISO 22000:2005, Six sigma, Deming awards...A business must analyze their various costs of production involved in producing a product and compare it with cost of buying the product from an external supplier. If the cost of buying is less than cost of producing the product, then companies can opt for buying the product. This could be extended to each phase of the production cycle. Companies plan and forecast the demand according to the future needs of the market. Forecasting demand assists in decision making with respect to investment in plant and machinery, market planning and future sales. Some of the popular forecasting methods include Companies strive to achieve quality standards like ISO 22000:2005, Six sigma, Deming awards etc. Total quality management along with Japanese techniques is widely practiced ensuring the continuous delivering of quality products. Nowadays a product without quality cannot exist in the market i.e. if a company is surviving, then quality is inbuilt. Quality forms the basis of survival of a company or a business nowadays. Quality audits and a lot of quality management practices are a means to ensure that the customer receives good quality product. Inventory control is a planned approach of determining what to order, when to order and how to order and how much to stock so that costs associated with buying and storing are optimal without interrupting production and sale

‘Friendship Changes Its Meaning and Function Through the Life Course Essay Example for Free

‘Friendship Changes Its Meaning and Function Through the Life Course Essay In many western societies, friendship is portrayed in a very positive and desirable light, and most of all something people have the freedom to choose, unlike kinship. However as examined further in this essay, friendship means and functions as many different things to different people and can be influenced by an array of different social factors. There are various stages in the life-course that provide both opportunities and threats to the development and maintenance of friendships, yet it is evident that friendship does change and evolve in meaning and function through the life course. Some sociologists believe that social change has affected the significance of friendship, and thus changed its function throughout the life course. Due to social change, choice and reciprocity have become highly valued in relationships; which is expected in today’s post-industrial society. Many see the traditional ‘nuclear’ family as diminishing. This can be explained by the individualisation thesis (Giddens 1992, Ulrich Beck and Beck Gersheim 1995), who argue that set traditions and social rules are in decline, thus giving rise to voluntarism and democracy distinct from kinship; which can be recognised in the notion of the ‘pure relationship’ (Giddens 1992). Therefore friendship can be seen as the ideal relationship in society; differing much from the ‘fixed’ or ‘given’ relationships with kin and the community, which are seen to be declining in significance. This has allowed friends to take the roles traditionally formed by families. The idea of ‘families of choice’ (Weeks et al 2001:9) suggests that trends such as increasing cohabitation, divorce rates, greater social and geographical mobility, increasing levels of female education, increased participation of females in the labour market, and the growth of non-heterosexual household arrangements along with a strong sense of individualization have led to families of choice. This social suffusion of family and friends is especially evident amongst non-heterosexuals, due to their exclusion from the ‘family’ and ‘marriage’ in which they haven’t received support from families; they’ve chosen their own networks of relationships conceived as families. However it is important not to overstate the significance of friendship compared to relationships with family with much empirical evidence stating family relationships still remain significant. Firstly, it is important to recognise that there isn’t a single universal definition of friendship; which can cause many sociologists to encounter problems when researching the notion of friendship, and thus how its meaning and function may change and evolve through the life course. There are many different forms of friendships, ranging from diverse and complex friendships which are ever-changing and evolving. Whether it is those we file in our address books to those who have a profound presence in our lives. People attach the label ‘friend’ to those whom they’ve simply had a pleasant association with or as for as those who they’ve shared a lifelong relationship with. Some believe it is ‘the valuing of the other person for whatever is perceived as their unique and pleasing qualities’ (Wright 1978), which is said to be a defining characteristic. Research into what friendship means, reveals friendship as being voluntary rather than obligatory. Though as explored further this element of choice of who we categorise as our friends, can be highly influenced by other social factors and elements of homophily; which changes as we enter different stages of the life course. There is much diversity within friendship, with every relationship being completely unique. There are many recurrent types of friendships, such as associates, useful contacts, favour friends and a fun friend which are categorized as a simple friend, which ranges to a helpmate, comforter, confidant and a soul mate; which constitute towards a complex friendship. Research has found that the degree of intimacy of a friendship is affected by the amount of time friends have known each other. Furthermore, Pahl and Spencer categories the types of friendships people have in their personal communities into different types of friendship repertoire. They identify between the basic, intense, focal and broad repertoire, these typologies allow us recognise that some friendships strengthen in meaning whereas some even tend to get lost ad fade away as people enter different stages of the life course. Through stages in the life course such as leaving school, going to college, starting work, living with a partner/getting married, having children, getting divorced, moving home and retiring etc, can provide new opportunities for friendship whilst even threaten existing ones. Kinship ties and especially primary kinship ties generally continue in some form, whereas change in friendship is routine and normal. Indeed some friendships are long-term with some even life-long, although for the majority this isn’t the case. Usually friends occupy similar social positions to one another; tending to be the same age, be of a similar class position, same gender and occupy similar positions in the life course. Friendships are active in certain periods of our life and then gradually become less significant and meaningful, due to a change in people’s circumstances as they enter in stages of the life course, therefore sustaining that relationship becomes difficult. There are a variety of domestic circumstances that can affect friendship. Typically there appears to be changes in people’s friendship patterns when they get married. This is because their existing relationships with other single people tends to become less central to their lives and be replaced by other couple friendships (Cohen 1992), this is how couples create a marital relationship in which ‘togetherness’ and mutual involvement is paramount. Along with this is sharing leisure and sociability therefore maintaining friendships with those who are single becomes difficult. Not only that but divorce can also dramatically alter friendship, for men the effect may be less who will continue to be involved in the same work and leisure activities whereas women with children, their friendships patterns will alter more significantly due a change in their social, economic and domestic circumstances (Milardo 1987). Similarly shifts can occur in friendship when children are born, the aspects of family life will affect the space available for friendship. Old activities that were once shared between two people often become problematic, especially in the early years of childhood Having children can be a very demanding job, therefore less time is left for developing new and servicing old friendships, and thus gradually old friends who are at different stages of their life course become less involved and are replaced by others who share a similar social position. In the same way, caring for an elderly relative can constrain the freedom for sociability. However, we can also see how gender is affected within childcare which affects the space for friendship. As many women have less extensive social participation, and their character of domestic and paid labour, therefore there is less opportunity to develop social ties. Whereas, men tend to have more time and financial resources to devote to sociability because of their role within the domestic and paid division of labour. Equally, as people enter old age and retirement this can also affect the opportunities for friendship. For some retirement may present them with more time to spend with friends, with the absence of work commitments. However others the reduced financial circumstances mean the engagement through social activities is limited, and the pool of social contacts is reduced through employment. Friendships can also alter due to a change in a person’s social location. For instance, if someone was to gain a promotion at work it could affect their friendship ties. Not only that but with the idea of work as someone is in a different position within a hierarchy, they may have authority over others and thus increased earning capacity and an alteration of their life-style, maintaining existing friends becomes difficult especially as friendship is seen to be based on equality. Despite friendship being based on liking and trust and not on status hierarchy or difference, in essence the friendships becomes less active, and new friends who lead similar life-styles and of similar status replace old friends. A persons work situation affects the opportunities they have in meeting others as well as the resources of time, money and energy they have for sociability (Allen 1989). The demands and organization of a person’s work can also pattern their friendships both inside and outside the workplace. For example, different shift patterns, different levels of physical and mention exertion and different times being away from home call affect and individual’s capability and willingness to participate in sociability. Nevertheless, it may be thought that due advances in technology, email and social networking increase the possibility of forming friendships with face to face conversation being absent. Yet, despite these new forms of communication, we are still more likely to have closer ties with people who live in closer geographical proximity to us. Friendship is dynamic; it may become deeper or fade as we enter different stages of the life course nonetheless as Pahl claims it does change meaning and functions throughout the life course. Patterns of people’s friendships throughout the life course are structured around, people’s social and economic circumstances which influence their opportunities for social involvement. Different aspects of structural location such as work situation and domestic situation alter during the life course and change the meaning and function of friendship’s. Friendship is also linked to broader social and economic factors, and individual’s immediate social environment influences who they come in contact with and thus who they build friendships with. Word Count: 1,575.

Perspectives On Women In Brownings Poetry Essay -- English Literature

Perspectives On Women In Browning's Poetry One of the recurring themes in the poetry of Robert Browning, is that of woman, and it is this that I have chosen to focus on. In The first of the poems I have chosen to look at, Porphyria's Lover, Browning initially portrays the female character as the one with the power, although this in inevitably removed from her. In the opening lines of the poem: 'The rain set early in tonight, The sullen wind was soon awake' we gain a sense of forboding as the landscape of the poem seems to reflect the state of mind of the narrator, this is further explored in the next two lines where the speaker describes the weather as spiteful. All the narrator can do at this point in the poem is listen to the weather outside and he is completely helpless. 'I listened with heart fit to break.' However when Porphyria enters the poem, she alters the circumstances by replacing cold with warmth and seems completely unaffected by the weather even though it is she who has been out in it. 'And kneeled and made the cheerless grate Blaze up and all the cottage warm' Porphyria's actions at this point in the poem seem effortless in direct contrast to the impotence of her lover. Porphyria continues to take charge at this point in the poem by removing the evidence of the wet, cold weather outside, and even when her lover is unresponsive she manipulates the situation, moving his arm around her and placing his head upon her shoulder. We see at this point that her lover is the weaker of the two, but this is soon altered as in the lines: 'Too weak for all her heart's endeavour, To set its struggling passion free From pride' We finally see Porphyria described as weak, ... ... be even more attractive to the poet: 'What is far conquers what is near.' These women are the most perfect in the poets eye as they are whatever his imagination is capable of creating, they are the perfect idealistic objectification. These women spring from the poet's imagination in the moment of the poem being written just as they will spring from the earth to which he has returned. 'I will make an Eve, be the artist that began her, Shaped her to his mind' In Porphyria's Lover and Women And Roses, Browning treats us to two very different poems where a woman or women are the main subject matter. However, in both poems we see that the ideal figure of woman is one who has passed or is yet to be born as then she is able to exist in the most perfect state possible, not that of a real person with flaws and free will, but in that of a pure fantasy.

A White Girls Burden

â€Å"A white girls Burden†, written Amy Finnegan is an article about a social movement, which happened in 2012, this is most commonly referred to as Kony 2012. This movement was started by a group of 3 regular Californian guys who had typical lives who were motivated to started an organization on this situation which is called invisible children, which was first formed in 2003. The video titled â€Å"Kony 2012† is 30 minutes long and quickly made an appearance on many social networks and newspapers across North America, â€Å"sparking wide spread concern about the lords resistance army (LRA) war in central Africa†.Finnegan, 2013). Once this video became viral thousands of people became moved about this issue and started to help fundraise thousands of dollars to help the cause from all ages of people. â€Å"Invisible children mobilizes predominantly young, privileged, evangelical Christian, female Americans to participate in a unique form of† non-wave-maki ng activism† (Finnegan, 2013). Aside from fundraising people were also reaching out to all the contacts and sources they had to further raise the awareness of the war in Africa. Soon after the video was released invisible children had already raised 1 million dollars after a week.The founders of the organization â€Å"invisible children† all had faith and were into religion, however they did not want to mix religion and business. Invisible children made a social movement unlike many others, through social medial and non-violent actions. â€Å"Distinct from activism that seeks to make social change by engaging institutions through civil disobedience or public protests, invisible children promotes legal, institutional forms of engagement. † (Finnegan, 2013). Some major events that invisible children has achieved is hosted the largest lobby day ever about an African issue in U.S history, they have also successfully gained several minutes of unscheduled airtime with Oprah to raise awareness about this conflict. In â€Å"less than an year, of the lords resistance army disarmament and northern Uganda recovery act, at a bipartisan piece of legislation that mandated that the Obama administration provide funds for the northern Uganda recovery and transitional Justice initiatives, and eventually send 100 military advisors to the region in October 2011† (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have also being contacted by George Clooney, and other popular films like Blood Diamond.However there are 3 ain problems discussed in this article regarding invisible children, firstly the media seemed to misrepresent Uganda and what one knows about it. Secondly, † invisible children also promoted policies that are highly controversial† and lastly † Americans shallow an ill-informed understanding of Africa, and a distorted picture of their own role in social change. † (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have focused on gaining the att ention on young people because these types of people are the future and are becoming more passionate and involved in stories and issues similar to this concern all around the world.Mobilizing young people to become active on these issues is very important and very effective to changing the world, young people are more socially active online and do participate in other subjects such as invisible children and stopping Joseph Kony. This issue is still going on but has gotten better; problems like this cannot be solved overnight but throughout the past 2 years have made a significant ditterence and will continue to get better. Because ot the generous donations and support a lot has been done regarding this issue and has led others to become aware of different problems, situations, organizations, and groups around the world.

Jewellery Sector in West Bengal

The main purpose of this study was to examine the migration profile of the workers in the Gold and Jewellery Sector of West Bengal and also to study the process of skill formation of the workers in this sector. The entire study was based on a primary survey conducted on a sample size of 60 individuals spread over 4 different regions of West Bengal – Sinthi, Bowbazar, Basirhat and DomJur. In the first part of my study, I examined the pattern of migration of the Jewellery artists in these areas. I also cited the existence of a large number of in-migrants, circular and return migrants in this ector.In the next part, I studied in details the process of skill formation of the workers and showed how the period of apprenticeship was crucial in the career of a jewellery artist. I also explained the wage vriation between the skilled, unskilled and semiskilled workers in Basirhat and also attempted to establish a link between skill, income and migration of the workers. In the last part of my analysis, I attempted give a comparative study analysis of these areas with respect to the nature of the migrant workers, conditions of work, income and pattern of migration.Acknowledgements I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the successful completion of this project. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Swati Ghosh, Department of Economics, Rabindra Bharati University, who was extremely helpful and offered invaluable assistance, support and guidance. Her willingness to motivate contributed tremendously to the succesful completion my project. Deepest gratitude is also due to Prof. Sukanata Saha without whose knowledge and assistance this study would not have been successful.To the Jewellery workers and shop-owners of Sinthi, Bow Bazaar, Basirhat and DomJur, I whole heartedly thank you for your kindness, co-operation and patience. Without your support, this project would not have materialized. I would like to exp ress my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Kaushik Mukherjee (Bowbazar), Mr. Subhash Sarkar ( Atoshi Jewellers, Basirhat ) for their valuable help and guidance during my survey. And last but not least, special thanks also to all my class-mates, for sharing the literature and providing invaluable assistance during the survey.

Data analysis on Apple Inc

Data analysis on Apple Inc Abstract Apple Inc. is a company that deals with mobile electronic devices. It was founded by Steve Jobs. The company uses the Apple brand to market its products and compete in the highly competitive global business environment. Some of the areas that this company deals with include: the manufacture of personal computers, notably the Macintosh line of computers and other consumer electronics such as the iPod and iPhone.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Data analysis on Apple Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has a heavy presence in the consumer electronics products industry and has done its best to remain the top brand in this industry. Over the years, one of the branding strategies that this company has used has been the creation of innovative products. This has kept the company ahead of its competitors and has helped it cut a niche for itself in the competitive global business environment. Wh en a company wants to do a brand promotion, a multi-product strategy is usually adopted. This means that the name of the company is used as the common name under which all the products of that particular company are being marketed. Apple Inc. is one of the companies that have chosen to direct its energies towards branding its corporate name instead of focusing on individual products that it manufactures. Introduction Apple Inc. is a renowned electronics company based in the US. The company is involved in the designing and selling of electronics, computers and computer software. Finding a niche in the competitive business environment globally is not a cheap and easy venture (Alan, 2000). Companies globally are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of corporate branding to any business enterprise. Branding basically involves distinguishing a company’s goods and services from the rest in the market through the creation of exceptional identity and position of these produc ts in the competitive business environment. Apple Inc. is one of the corporations that have identified the value of branding of its products and uses it to create a distinction between its products and those of its competitors in the market. This paper shall look into the branding strategies of Apple Inc. as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies. An analysis of this company using secondary data shall then be provided and recommendations given. Methodology The information in this paper has been gathered from secondary sources. These include books and articles by other writers based on prior research. Only information about branding strategies of Apple Inc. and the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies has been used. A SWOT analysis of this company has been done using these secondary sources.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Branding strategies of Apple Inc A Store Just for Apple As a strategy for branding, Apple Inc. opened stores that only deal with its products only (Apple’s Competitive Strategy, 2011). This has helped this company to set its unique products apart from the rest that are in the same business environment. The stores are customer friendly and customers have the opportunity to explore some of the technology that Apple Inc. offers. This move has helped the company create loyal customers. Offering complete solutions Apple Inc. products come in packages that complement one another. Moreover, the products complete one another (Kahney, 2002). This means that most of the programs that Apple Inc. products need are also produced by the same company. The customer does not have to struggle looking for these programs elsewhere. Solutions for most of their needs when dealing with Apple Inc. products are also provided by the same company. Advertising strategies While promoting its products, Ap ple Inc. tries as much as possible to identify with everything that is young, smart and trendy (Dairymple, 2008). For example, the company ran a campaign dabbed ‘I’m a mac’, which depicted ‘a mac guy’ as one who is young and bold. This attracts many people because everyone would like to identify with whatever is young, smart and trendy. Manufacture of varied products Due to the high cost of buying some Apple Inc. products, such as Apple computers, the company has diversified its products to come up with products that are not as costly as the computers. Customers who are not able to buy high cost products such as the computers are able to buy products such as iPod, which they can afford (Seeking Alpha, 2011). This provides the customers with an opportunity to sample some of the Apple Inc. products. This also makes it easier for the customers to consider buying the high cost products such as the computers when they are in need because they have confide nce in the Apple brands. Selling of products used in the education sector Apple Inc. sells most of its products to education institutions. Young people in schools and universities are introduced to Apple Inc. products at a tender age. When these students desire to buy their own electronics in future, chances of buying apple products are very high. This is because the students feel more comfortable using the products that they have used all along while in school than buying new brands that they are not familiar with (Inside CRM Editors, 2008.). Apple Inc. is therefore able to capture customers, who are very young. The company retains most of its customers after their first purchase.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Data analysis on Apple Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Manufacture of products that always deliver Before Apple Inc. manufactures any of its products, an extensive research is done to identify the needs of the customers (Rosenthal, 2011). This helps in ensuring that the company manufactures products that meet the needs of the customers, resulting to high customer satisfaction. This also makes the customers happy and willing to buy products from this company in future, because they are assured that their needs are going to be met. Consistency in manufacture of the products Apple Inc. is very consistent in the way it manufactures its products. This means that all the new products that are developed follow the same basic architectural structure. person who is conversant with any of the Apple Inc. products has some basic knowledge of what to expect whenever they are buying a product from this company. A person who has prior knowledge of Apple products adapts to new hardware from this company more easily than one who has never interacted with the company’s products. Consequently, such people are likely to make repeat purchase. New innovations Apple Inc. products are in novative and diverse (Jeffrey William, 2005). This gives the customers an opportunity enjoy the services of Apple Inc. products in various locations and at their convenience. It is possible for consumers to have variety of products, ranging from those that can be used in the office, at home of even while one is away from these places. Manufacture of attractive products Apple Inc. manufactures products that are colorful and generally attractive to the users. The use of smiling icons, as well as bright colors, makes the products look attractive and appealing to the customers. Advantages of branding of Apple There are immense benefits experienced by Apple Inc. as a result of their branding strategy. One of the advantages that Apple Inc. has as a result of branding is having a platform where new products can be launched in future. Due to superior branding that this company has created, consumers are likely to buy products because they are viewed by many as an epitome of technological s uperiority and modernity (OGrady, 2009). Through branding, Apple Inc. has been able to differentiate its products from the rest in the market, in terms of the quality and value of the products. These products are usually identified with positive factors, such as being of high quality, trendy and reliable, among other qualities.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This positive brand image has helped the company to sell the existing products to the customers easily and introduce and sell new products without struggle. Apple Inc. relies mostly on the corporate name that it has created and the unique products brands it offers to market its products. Disadvantages High costs One of the major disadvantages of branding is the high costs involved in advertising. In order for a company to set up a local or an international brand, a lot of time and resources are needed. There are high costs incurred in issues related to public relations, advertising and in offering exceptional customer care service. This is because; it takes a lot of time to create a brand name both locally and internationally. During this time, a lot of advertisement is required, since a brand name cannot be created within a short period or by running a few advertisements (Miller, Vandome McBrewster, 2009). The adverts should continue being aired, even during economic turndowns, in order to avoid giving competitors a loophole that they can use to outdo Apple Inc. Brand image The brand image can also be a disadvantage to a company. If a brand becomes associated with a particular person, their departure, either due to natural causes such as death, or if they willingly walk out of the company, can affect the brand image. For example, when there were rumors that Steve Jobs, the founder and chairman of Apple Inc, was on the verge of death due to cancer, most of the people sought to withdraw their shares from the company. This was a big blow to the brand image of Apple Inc. Poor customer service The issue of poor customer service by retailers is also a disadvantage to branding of Apple Inc. This arises when the retailers fail to treat customers well. Even though the company has done its best to create a good brand image both locally and internationally, such ill treatment can cause customer dissatisfaction, which may be detrimental to the brand image (Morgan, 2011) . Recall of products Issues with the manufactured products that may lead to the recall of the products may also be dangerous to the brand image. This may cause customers to lose their trust in Apple products, regardless of the long time that the company has taken to create a positive brand image. Moreover, recall of the already manufactured products would mean that the company has to incur more costs, which may lead to the company registering losses for that period. SWOT analysis of Apple Inc Strengths This is a very successful company that has high sales of electronics such as iPod, iPhone and the Macintosh computers. It is also one of the established brands in the manufacture of electronics (A2Z Everything, 2010). Most of its customers are loyal. Apple Inc. is also able to attract new customers and retain them. This means that the company is able to sell the existing products to these customers easily, as well as introduced new products to them without much struggle. Weaknesses So me of the products were reported to be faulty (Linzmayer, 1999). For example, the Apple iPod Nano was reported to have faulty screen, something which couldcause customer dissatisfaction. In addition, some of the iPod produced previously had faulty batteries and the company had to give its customers other batteries. Opportunities There is an opportunity for Apple Inc. to develop the iTunes that they currently offer into another more convenient format such as the mobile phone. This would increase its sales, as well as meeting the needs of many users of the Apple products. Threats The greatest threat to leading IT producers such as Apple Inc is the stiff competition that exists in this industry. Being a leader in this industry, Apple Inc has attracted a lot of competitors. This means that the company has to remain vigilant always and be innovative in order to stay ahead of its competitors. The high product substitution that is on the rise with new inventions is also a threat to this co mpany. In the recent past, the CDs and Vinyl were some of the leaders in the music industry. However, the MP3 and iPods are the ones reigning currently. With these changing trends, one is never sure what to expect in the IT industry. Recommendations Apple Inc. should consider co-branding, as a way of reducing on the costs incurred in branding. Co-branding involves a joint venture of branding that is done by several companies. In addition to reducing the costs for branding, co-branding allows easier market penetration. However, if Apple Inc. is to adopt this method, it should be ready to share the credit with the rest of the companies because co-branding usually has a dilutive effect. Moreover, a negative brand image of one of the companies involved in co-branding is likely to affect the brand image of the other companies involved in the joint venture. Apple Inc. should try as much as possible not to have a single person who is associated with the brand. This would help minimize any negative brand image that may arise if any person leaves that company. This is also important in protecting the brand image, in case one of the people in the company is surrounded by negative events, which may ruin the reputation of the brand when the brand is associated with such a person (King, 2011). Extensive monitoring should also be done to ensure that the brand image is not tarnished by outsiders, who may try to use the brand name for their own selfish gains. Conclusion Apple Inc. is one of the leading producers of IT products. It has managed to create a niche for itself in the global business environment through branding. However, this has come with advantages and disadvantages that the company has to cope with. A SWOT analysis of the company reveals some of the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the company faces. Reference List Alan, D., 2000. The Second Coming of Steve Jobs. Chicago: Broadway. Apple’s Competitive Strategy., 2011. Apple†™s Competitive Strategy. [Online] Available at: mannmuseum.com/apple-s-competitive-strategy/ A2Z Everything. 2010. SWOT Analysis- Apple. [Online] Available at: http://mgmt280.blogspot.com/2010/01/swot-analysis-apple.html Dairymple, J., 2008. Analysts: Apple brand benefits from Idol deal. [Online] Available at: macworld.com/article/132225/2008/02/idol_analysis.html Inside CRM Editors. 2008. 11 Effective Strategies Apple Uses to Create Loyal  Customers. [Online] Available at: insidecrm.com/features/strategies-apple-loyal-customers/ Jeffrey, S. Y., William, L. S., 2005. iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the  History of Business. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Kahney, L., 2002. Apple: Its All About the Brand. [Online] Available at: wired.com/gadgets/mac/commentary/cultofmac/2002/12/56677 King, R., 2011. Jobs departure wont diminish Apples brand. [Online] Available at: zdnet.com/blog/btl/jobs-departure-wont-diminish-apples-brand/56082 Linzmayer, O., 1999. Apple confid ential: the real story of Apple Computer, Inc. California: No Starch Press. Miller, F., Vandome, A., McBrewster, J., 2009. Apple Inc.: Apple Inc.. History of  Apple, Apple Inc. Saarbrà ¼cken: Alphascript Publishing. Morgan, R., 2011. Disadvantages in Branding  [Online] Available at: ehow.com/info_8278424_disadvantages-branding.html OGrady, J., 2009. How Apple Inc. Changed the World. India: Jaico Publishing House. Rosenthal, M., 2011. Advantages Disadvantages of Apple Computers. [Online] Available at: ehow.com/about_5439348_advantages-disadvantages-apple-computers.html Seeking Alpha., 2011. Apples Branding Strategy Delivers Superior Results. [Online] Available at: http://seekingalpha.com/article/74064-apple-s-branding-strategy-delivers-superior-results