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Business Plan for The Medical Group of South Florida

Student’s name

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The legal name of the business

The Medical Group of South Florida

It was started in 2001 by Dr Steven H. Spangler, and the first location opened on Nebraska Avenue in Miami Beach. In 2011, they relocated to a new location directly across the street, at 6701 North Kendall Drive, Suite 1000, on the corner of Sunset Drive (The Medical Group of South Florida, 2022). The second location promises more convenience for patients who can now be treated in Fort Lauderdale than in Miami Beach.

Its ownership

Dr Joshua Smith is the owner of The Medical Group of South Florida. The Medical Group of South Florida has provided quality care to families for 50 years. It is the most extensive family practice, combining comprehensive primary care and specialty services. The main office is located on West Cypress Creek Road, with additional offices in Pembroke Pines.

Dr Joshua Smith graduated from Dartmouth College in 2000 and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 2004. Dr Smith completed his internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital and his residency in Family Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. After completing his residency, he moved to Key West, Florida, where he practiced as a family and internal medicine physician until 2006.

The Medical Group of South Florida is the largest physician organization in Boca Raton, employed by over 7,000 patients and the second largest in Palm Beach County. The Medical Group of South Florida employs over 200 physicians with a wide range of specialties, including family practice, internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics/gynaecology and allergy testing (The Medical Group of South Florida, 2022).

Legal Structure

The Legal structure of The Medical Group of South Florida involves a membership club with two divisions; one is the Medical Group itself, and the other is the American Society of Consulting Ophthalmologists. The Medical Group of South Florida offers ophthalmology consultations. There are no requirements for its members in terms of age or qualifications. There is no fee for them to join. However, some prices are required to be paid by every member that joins once a year in return for their services and additional costs as required by different treatment clinics and hospitals within the company’s network, which falls under the American Society of Consulting Ophthalmologists division.

Board-certified physicians run this organization to ensure the highest standard of treatment in South Florida. The Medical Group of South Florida has set itself apart from others with this primary core value in mind. It has been recognized for it many times with awards like Most Trusted Provider in Miami-Dade County and Best Internal Medicine Practice for Surgeons in Miami-Dade County (Carrasquillo et al., 2018).

The company is a private medical company specializing in ophthalmology consulting and has offices all over the country. It is an independent service affiliate of the American Society of Consulting Ophthalmologists, a for-profit entity in Sarasota, Florida. The Medical Group sells its services to hospitals, clinics, doctors and other health care facilities.

They specialize in providing the best treatment options available from some of the best eye surgeons throughout their network to improve their patients’ quality of life through enhanced vision.

The Medical Group of South Florida members are not employees of the American Society of Consulting Ophthalmologists and, as such, can choose to work independently from the company after being accepted into its membership by paying an annual membership fee.

The American Society of Consulting Ophthalmologists was created in 1987 by Dr Robert M. Foreman, founder of the Medical Group and president emeritus of The Mayo Clinic, who recognized a need for a world-class second opinion facility for physicians seeking specialized medical care. Due to this lack, he founded a network system that connects eye surgeons throughout the United States and Canada with hospitals that perform complex eye surgeries.

Product or Service Being Offered

The main products or services being offered by The Medical Group of South Florida include a primary care team that can handle all of your basic general needs. Additionally, there’s an emergency and urgent care service and a variety of testing options. They also offer support for cancer services, weight loss assistance, and other offerings to promote positive health overall. It is possible that The Medical Group of South Florida will be able to provide other products and services in the near future. When it comes to referrals, The Medical Group of South Florida is able to offer patients with a variety of options. One of the most common and preferred methods is through medical networks (South Florida Business Journal, 2022). They can also provide referrals for other medical professionals who can help treat the patient in question. The Medical Group of South Florida does not recommend that every patient would need referral services from them, but they do encourage people to explore all avenues possible for treatment or help.

The Medical Group of South Florida does have a staff that has been trained and certified through the National Commission on Certification of Allied Health Professionals (NCCAHP). This means that doctors and other medical professionals are able to meet all state requirements for certification, including having continuing education regularly completed. Additionally, they do not provide services to minors and only treat adults. The Medical Group of South Florida also does not accept any form of insurance or payment plan.

The Proposed Market (Marketing Plan)

The primary proposed market for The Medical Group of South Florida is, as of now, the South Florida region. This proposed market will consist of the entire South Florida region and include all towns and cities situated in that region.

The Medical Group of South Florida has proposed a marketing plan to promote their organization in media outlets and by utilizing social media. The primary marketing strategy for their proposal is to reach out to current customers and target new ones who are interested or invested in similar organizations. The Medical Group of South Florida sees this as a strategy since they are competing with various other medical organizations within the same area, such as Kaiser Permanente, Novant Health System and Miami Children’s Health System (Mohl, 2021). The Medical Group of South Florida has found that this strategy provides the best results for their unique needs. The content on their website focuses on the following: what they do and why people should invest their time in them; patient satisfaction and reviews; and customer references.

Many people within the South Florida region see this proposed market as a great opportunity due to the rapid population growth. Many people are attracted to living in such a region with so many medical centres that are readily available, thus forming a greater chance of being able to obtain health care. Also, the South Florida region has a large elderly population that is continuously growing, thus increasing the need for medical care. South Florida is also known for being a leader in world health care, diagnostics, and genomic medicine.

The Medical Group of South Florida has already begun its marketing campaign by looking at demographics, competitors, and existing products. Currently, there is an overwhelming number of uninsured people within the South Florida region, resulting in adverse outcomes for patients. The Medical Group of South Florida has looked at this statistic and seen this as an opportunity to obtain potential customers by offering a free health screening to those who are uninsured or under-insured as part of their initial marketing strategy.

The marketing plan for The Medical Group of South Florida is not just a marketing plan. And it is a business plan. It is different from any other marketing plan because it has been designed to consider the board of directors and stakeholders of the company before creating any promotional materials. Therefore, the marketing plan for the Medical Group of South Florida serves as an integral part of its business strategy rather than just an essential piece of its sales strategy.

A well-thought-out and well-written marketing plan will save time (and money) for both you and your company by helping you meet your objectives faster to reallocate resources accordingly.

A SWOT analysis includes five sections. Each section is broken down into four sub-sections, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the organization on that specific point. The SWOT Analysis process also emphasizes opportunities and threats from external sources, specifically competitors in its market. The analysis can identify if any gaps in the company’s competitiveness must be addressed to succeed (Benzaghta et al., 2021).

To further help them get a picture of how profitable their business would be, the Medical Group of South Florida can do a Calculation Impact Analysis which provides them with an idea of how revenue increases or decreases by altering various pricing factors. By assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, your company is forced to take an honest look at the present state of its business (and, therefore, its goals). The assessment of strengths and weaknesses provides insight into what your company already has going for it and what it lacks; this creates a realistic starting point for creating a successful marketing plan (Benzaghta et al., 2021). The assessment of opportunities and threats will give your company a glimpse into what your competitors are doing in the marketplace and how your company can use that information.

After evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, it is time to develop strategies. Each strategy should target one specific business area, such as marketing strategy or operations strategy. These strategies aim to identify ways to capitalize on your strengths while minimizing any potential pitfalls that stand in achieving your objectives.

In conjunction with the development of each strategy, you will need to create action plans associated with each system you have made. Action plans are concise and straightforward steps that will allow you to monitor and measure your progress in the short term. At this point, the marketing plan for The Medical Group of South Florida is complete. Once completed, it can be used to keep its strategy on track.

The marketing plan works hand in hand with strategic planning, where it will give an executive committee a vision of what the company should be doing and how they will measure success. The actions described thus far will provide a starting point for strategic planning. Still, it is not until you have created goals that strategy has any bearing on whether or not you are achieving those goals that the creation of the marketing plan becomes relevant (Nick Hernandez, 2018).

A Financial Plan

The financial plan for The Medical Group of South Florida includes projections that illustrate how the organization will grow over time, set goals for increased profitability, and determine appropriate investment levels. The plan also includes a forecast of projected future cash flows (Myers, 2021).

The Medical Group of South Florida is preparing for potential changes in the health care marketplace that could affect their growth. This plan provides a way to expand their current business model by increasing market share and managing risk factors associated with hurricane season. By assessing new market opportunities, this financial plan can provide more excellent value to both the Medical Group of South Florida employees and investors as they look forward to continued success in the evolving health care marketplace.

The Medical Group of South Florida is a corporation with over 700 licensed medical providers. Founded in 1973, the company has committed to providing high-quality medical care across South Florida and the Caribbean. Currently, their facilities include ten hospitals, one rehabilitation center, and all have emergency rooms open 24/7. They employ more than 8300 employees at their hospitals in the US and overseas. All facilities located in Florida are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), while the appropriate local agencies accredit those located outside of Florida.

References

(2022). Retrieved 1 April 2022, from https://partners.bizjournals.com/providing-the-edge/south-florida-leads-the-pack-in-transforming-health-care-an-executive-discussion/

Benzaghta, M. A., Elwalda, A., Mousa, M. M., Erkan, I., & Rahman, M. (2021). SWOT analysis applications: An integrative literature review. Journal of Global Business Insights, 6(1), 55-73.

Carrasquillo, O., Seay, J., Amofah, A., Pierre, L., Alonzo, Y., McCann, S., … & Kobetz, E. (2018). HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening among ethnic minority women in South Florida: a randomized trial. Journal of general internal medicine, 33(7), 1077-1083.

Home | The Medical Group of South Florida. (2022). Retrieved 1 April 2022, from https://mgsfl.com/

Lab and Diagnostics | The Medical Group of South Florida. (2022). Retrieved 1 April 2022, from https://mgsfl.com/lab-and-diagnostics/

Mohl, R. A. (2021). 3 MIAMI: THE ETHNIC CAULDRON. In Sunbelt cities (pp. 58-99). University of Texas Press.

Myers, K. (2021). Healthcare Risk Lessons for Financial Managers. The Journal of Government Financial Management, 70(3), 34-39.

Nick Hernandez, M. B. A. (2018). Strategic Planning for the Medical Group. The Journal of Medical Practice Management: MPM, 34(1), 6-9.

Compared to a typical school year, teachers reported that more of their students started the 2020-21 school year behind and made less academic progress, according to GAO’s generalizable survey of K-12 public school teachers. Teachers also reported that many students ended the year behind grade level expectations (see figure). Educators and parents also shared their insights and experiences about student struggles and learning loss during the year.

Academic Progress during School Year 2020-21

Note: The margin of error for all percentages was less than or equal to +/- 8 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. The survey asked teachers how many of their students were behind grade level or made less academic progress. We did not define “behind” or “academic progress” as we wanted to obtain teachers’ overall observations of their students.

GAO estimated that about half of teachers (52 percent) had more of their students start the 2020-21 school year behind compared to a typical school year, and that this affected younger students more than older students. Further, nearly two-thirds of teachers (64 percent) had more students make less academic progress than in a typical school year. These issues occurred across all grades and instructional models, and were more pronounced in some than others. For example, between 68 and 72 percent of teachers of older students or in virtual or hybrid environments had students who made less progress than is typical, compared to other grades and learning models. Finally, 45 percent of teachers had at least half of their students end the year behind grade level.

Educators and parents did note, however, that some students excelled despite the strain of the pandemic. Factors associated with such success included flexibility to work at their own pace, and strong familial support.

The pandemic continues to take a toll on students’ and teachers’ well-being. The trauma of the last 2 years has profoundly affected many students and teachers, some of whom lost parents or family members. As our teacher survey, educator and parent discussion groups, and other research has shown, this trauma and pandemic-associated schooling disruptions disproportionately harmed vulnerable students and contributed to growing disparities between student populations. Further, after 2 years of challenging working conditions, teachers are confronting burnout and recent surveys indicate that many are thinking of leaving their jobs.

To help address these ongoing challenges as well as inform thinking about managing future learning disruptions, educators and parents identified strategies such as reducing class sizes or student-teacher ratios to provide more individualized attention to students.

Academic Writing Genres in Postgraduate Levels: Similarities and Differences among the varied Genres

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Word Count: 1980

Academic writing that serves as one of the compulsory activities of students pursuing their studies at postgraduate level is a somewhat challenging yet interesting experience (Petrova 2017). Whilst academic writing at undergraduate levels tends to be less demanding, academic writing at a postgraduate level requires lots of critical thinking and associated skills. Precisely there are four main writing genres in postgraduate level which entail essay, research proposal, research report and reflective writing. Essay writing entails in-depth exploration, analysis and evaluation of a given topic that is written in prose and presented in a continuous structure with the use of connected paragraphs. On the other hand, research proposals explain details about the plan, methodology, purpose and objective of a research study that could be undertaken in future. Moreover, a research report relies on particular sections which entail discussion, methodology, literature review and conclusion to present detailed information concerning a selected topic. Reflective writing offers detailed responses that a writer develops through their critical thinking capabilities with regards to a given document or situation (Rai 2006). Such categories of writing demand the use of particular structures and supporting evidence to back up information that is generated through critical thinking and the use of specific writing skills. Nevertheless, some variances exist amongst the different genres because of their varied purposes. Therefore, essay, research proposal, research report and reflective writing genres exhibit certain similarities and differences relating to their structures, required skills and development processes.

Similarities

First, each of the academic writing genres relies on evidence to support their points. Different academic writing documents depend on predetermined information to support their ideas and give them authority (Cumming, Lai and Cho 2016). Since critical thinking facilitates the development of personal opinions and ideologies, evidenced from earlier experiments and research findings are crucial in validating and proving such individual inferences. For instance, each type of academic writing relies on either direct quotes or paraphrased versions of other scholars’ findings. Nevertheless, such evidence should be obtained from reputable sources that may include quality scholarly articles that were developed through proven and acceptable processes like scientific experimentations and research studies. Without evidence, a document would be less convincing, and hence a writer may not attain their desired objectives and goals. Therefore, an individual has to conduct extensive and intensive studies and evaluations of available documents to determine the most suitable ones to be used in a given topic of writing. Thus, evidence act as qualifiers and validators of all categories of academic documents.

Secondly, all the different types of academic writing adhere to particular order and structures to guide the audience. Every form of academic writing exhibits a specific structure and order to ensure that their information flows smoothly from the begging to the end (Street 2009). Most academic documents rely on the use of three-part approach which entails the use of an introduction, body and conclusion. Each type of writing presents an introductory section that serves to inform and prepare the reader on what to expect from the other parts of the document. The body of the writing is where the author expresses and explain their points. Finally, the conclusion section offers summarized points and personal inferences that are drawn from the findings. Even so, every category of writing has a unique structure and order due to their varied uses. For instance, a research paper relies on sub-sections with the use of sub-titles that entail literature review, findings and discussions, conclusions and methodology to extensively elaborate and explain its varied groups of information. On the other hand, some forms of writing that include the essays rely on are continuously-flowing documents that are written in prose to ensure that their paragraphs are interrelated. Hence, order and structure are crucial in every type of academic writing at the postgraduate level.

Additionally, each type of academic writing exhibit in-text citations and the use of a reference list to reinforce their points and provide links to areas of further reading. Citations and references are crucial in all academic writings since they attract more value and qualify the documents (Fox, Paine and Sauterey 2016). A piece of writing could be isolated from the wealth of academic writings if it does not recognize and appreciate work of other writers. References play crucial roles in supporting ideas that an individual develops through their critical thinking capabilities. Moreover, appreciate previous academic projects through the use of references and citations. Information that other academicians and scholars established contribute significantly in validating and reinforcing claims of a writer. For instance, the diverse categories of academic writings use in-text citations and reference lists to support their information. Therefore, references are vital sources of evidence as well as validators and qualifiers of academic documents.

Further, academic writing at the postgraduate level relies significantly on critical thinking capabilities, evaluations and analysis. Advanced levels of academic writing extend beyond mere descriptions of an idea or subject to include personal interpretations, responses and conclusions (Andrews 2007). Since virtually every form of academic writing at advanced levels of studies strive to expand existing knowledge, personal inferences and conclusions are essential in contributing to such desired growth. For instance, an individual could rely on recommendations and suggestions from previous research papers to conduct new studies, thus uncovering more vital information and growing the wealth of information. Academic documents could be of no or less value if they replicate what other persons accomplished without providing additional information. Nonetheless, findings from previous work by other scholars and academicians are referred to provide foundations for new writings. Moreover, academic documents require writers to use reliable findings and facts to develop new information through critical thinking.

Furthermore, each form of academic writing has a specific thesis that acts as their baselines. Theses are vital aspects of academic writing since they act as a guide and controller to ensure that the writer remains within the essential areas of coverage (Toprak 2014). For example, theses dictate the extent of what the writer would cover, the type of objectives and research questions that a writer would use. A well-directed document is relatively easier to understand and read since the audience would have specific expectations. Moreover, a reader who gains a clear understanding of what the writer intends to present would be eager to learn applicable procedures and eventual findings. Still, theses are important during evaluation of a document. Therefore, academic documents strive to explore, explain and support particular theses.

Difference

A key difference amongst the varied writing genres is based on the degree of research studies that a writer has to conduct. Amount of research studies that an individual conducts depend on the quantity of information that is needed (Shim 2005). For example, research reports and research proposals require extensive research studies to attain adequate documents that would be used in the literature review and other sections of the paper. On the contrary, essays and reflection tend to rely on limited but enough sources to support their claims and ideas. Since reflections strive to present personal emotions, interpretations, opinions and believes about a given subject, they depend primarily on a writer’s critical thinking, evaluation and analysis skills rather than exhaustive research studies. Hence, the extent of research studies differs from one category of writing to the next.

Required Skills

Also, all forms of academic writing at postgraduate level demand advanced research and reading skills. Research skills are essential in ensuring that a writer provides the right and valid information that enriches their wealth of knowledge. Similarly, critical reading enables readers to collect crucial information from a given document. Accordingly, research skills involve intensive and extensive critical analyses and evaluation of available materials to establish the most suitable ones that would be employed in a given piece of writing. For instance, an individual would have to find, read, analyze and evaluate various documents to determine and select the most appropriate sources that would be used to enrich their literature review section (Fox, Paine and Sauterey 2016). Such a practice is highly-involving since the practice of establishing verified, and credible sources consume lots of time and energy. An individual could end up replicating work of another person, thus generating similar information rather than expanding the existing ones by failing to conduct adequate research studies. Still, a writer should conduct exhaustive research studies to avoid plagiarism while increasing their knowledge for better information development (Bakhtiyari et al. 2014). Thus, research skills are critical in all academic writing.

Still, advanced writing skills are crucial in postgraduate level writing activities. At postgraduate levels, academic writing tends to be more sophisticated since it entails expression and explanations of particularly complex subjects in in-depth and lengthy approaches (Langan 2013). For example, an individual could be required to provide basic descriptions of a chosen topic then offer their inferences and conclusions. Accordingly, a writer should be able to establish a suitable writing structure and style to develop an interesting document that is relatively easy to read and understand. Moreover, writers should use appropriate terms and sentence structures that are relatively easier to understand by avoiding ambiguity while ensuring clarity and simplicity. Also, meticulous referencing, appropriate structuring, proper grammar, apt planning and drafting of academic documents are critical in promoting quality work. Thus, suitable writing skills are essential in every type of academic writing at postgraduate levels because they enable writers to adequately communicate their messages to the target audience.

Similarly, proper time management and planning is another essential skill in the development of all the varied academic documents. Appropriate time management enables writers to adequately study, analyze, evaluate, and interpret collected data while ensuring that sufficient time is available for writing quality documents (Rani and Mangala 2010). An individual would probably conduct quality analysis, evaluations and interpretations when they have ample time. Research and critical thinking activities consume relatively lots of time and energy. On the other hand, students at postgraduate levels tend to operate under tight time schedules following the complexity of their studies. Accordingly, an individual should establish and stick to a suitable timeframe that puts into consideration every aspect of the writing processes.

Additionally, all the varied categories of academic writing rely primarily on proofreading and editing to gain adequate quality. Proofreading and editing a document contribute significantly on ensuring that it exhibits all the desired qualities while presenting extremely minimized or not errors (Harwood, Austin and Macaulay 2012). For instance, writers could proofread and edit their work to ensure the inclusion of all the required sections and proper titles/ subtitles while embracing the correct tenses and vocabulary. Well-edited and proofread documents are free of punctuation and spelling mistakes. Consequently, such documents would exhibit high-quality because they communicate effectively while ensuring smooth flow of information from one point to the next. Moreover, the writers would present full details by ensuring that they provide all the necessary details. Therefore, proofreading and editing are vital tools that are used to refine academic documents to ensure they are of high-quality.

Overall, academic writing at postgraduate level comprises four main genres that entail research proposal, research reports, essays and reflections. The varied groups of documents tend to be more sophisticated since they demand lots of critical thinking skills to provide valuable information for expanding existing knowledge. The main similarities in the varied groups of writing entail the use of critical thinking and evaluation skills, time management and planning skills, editing and proofreading skills, writing skills, the use of a thesis and essential reading and research skills. On the other hand, the differences exist in the structures and extent of research studies that are employed to develop the different types of documents. Research papers demand extensive research studies since they focus on literature reviews. On the other hand, reflections and essays tend to rely on limited amounts of research because they depend mainly on critical thinking, analyses and evaluation skills of an individual. Therefore, academic writing at postgraduate levels is more demanding and require sufficient understanding of the varied writing genres to ensure quality work.

References

Andrews, R., 2007. Argumentation, critical thinking and the postgraduate dissertation. Educational Review, 59(1), pp.1-18.

Bakhtiyari, K., Salehi, H., Embi, M.A., Shakiba, M., Zavvari, A., Shahbazi-Moghadam, M., Ale Ebrahim, N. and Mohammadjafari, M., 2014. Ethical and unethical methods of plagiarism prevention in academic writing. International Education Studies, 7(7), pp.52-62.

Cumming, A., Lai, C. and Cho, H., 2016. Students’ writing from sources for academic purposes: A synthesis of recent research. Journal of English for Academic purposes, 23, pp.47-58.

Fox, C.W., Paine, C.T. and Sauterey, B., 2016. Citations increase with manuscript length, author number, and references cited in ecology journals. Ecology and Evolution, 6(21), pp.7717-7726.

Harwood, N., Austin, L. and Macaulay, R., 2012. Cleaner, helper, teacher? The role of proofreaders of student writing. Studies in higher education, 37(5), pp.569-584.

Langan, J., 2013. College writing skills with readings. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.

Petrova, O., 2017. Writing as a part of postgraduate training English (Doctoral dissertation).

Rai, L., 2006. Owning (up to) reflective writing in social work education. Social work education, 25(8), pp.785-797.

Rani, E. and Mangala, S., 2010. Need and importance of soft skills in students. Journal of Literature, Culture and Media Studies, 2(3).

Shim, E., 2005. Introductions in research papers: Genre analysis of academic writing. ENGLISH TEACHING (영어교육), 60(4), pp.399-422.

Street, B., 2009. ” Hidden” features of academic paper writing. Working Papers in Educational Linguistics (WPEL), 24(1), p.1.

Toprak, F., 2014. The graduate students’ autonomy development in a thesis writing course for postgraduate students at EMU (Master’s thesis, Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU)-Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi (DAÜ)).

Media Strategy For The Movie “Brave”

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(Institutional Affiliation)

Abstract

Media strategy is a term that is common to modern advertising that involves the communication of particular messages to niche markets. Because it involves an in depth analysis of the target market and influencing consumer behavior, media strategy has been used in the entertainment industry to pass messages regarding particular issues. Accordingly, the media strategy will be prerequisite for the promotion of the animated movie “Brave” which is yet to be released. More specifically, this strategy, as well as, all other sub-strategies entailed in the concept will be used to communicate the message of gallantry in children and young adults.

Key words: Media Strategy, Advertising, Direct Response Media, Public Relations

Introduction

Media strategy is a term used to define a marketing process that involves the identification of target audience, and the classification of the different types of media to be used in the marketing process. This concept is centered on influencing the behavior of the target markets towards the purchase of products or services. Specifically, this strategy has been exploited in the entertainment industry for the promotion of movies and other entertainment events. The animated movie “Brave” is a story about a young princess, Merida, flouts her community’s customs which results in the destruction of her kingdom (IMDB). The movie produced by Pixar uses 3D technology, and is centered on the theme of bravery and determination as a form of entertainment-education for children and young adults. The movie “Brave” is yet to be released and for that reason requires the consideration of several media strategies so as to influence the audience to go watch the movies.

This paper examines the various media strategies that the producers of “Brave” can exploit for the promotion of their movie.

Media Strategies

Three media strategies have been identified for the promotion of this movie including advertising, direct response media and public relations. Before going into the media strategies, one must first consider the characteristics of the target audience, which will in turn assist in understanding why these specific strategies were chosen for the movie. Evidently, the target audience are children and young adults, and it will also incorporate anyone who needs a lesson or two about bravery. The main character is female, meaning that in a way the young girls will also be the central targets of the movie. Set to be released in June 2012, the movie, therefore requires the best thought out media strategies, as children are estimated to have closed school for their summer holidays, hence providing a larger audience.

Advertising has been identified as the first media strategy that will incorporate both print and online media for the persuasion of audience to watch the movie “Brave” (Graydon 2003). Examples of advertising activities that can be employed for this movie include posters, online advertisements, and print media advertisements.

Direct response media for the promotion of the movie will incorporate marketing for an immediate response from the target audience (Kern 2001). This strategy will not only create awareness of the movie, it will also engage the audience in various activities that are concerned with the movie. Examples of direct response media activities include TV commercials which might include McDonald’s and Happy meal about the movie, winning a trip to Disneyland, winning tickets to see the movie or winning toys of the characters.

Conclusively, public relations as a media strategy will incorporate the promotion of goodwill between the production company and the target audience and will incorporate activities that allow the meeting of the production crew with the audience(Seitel 2007). Examples of public relations activities as media strategies for the movie include, movie toys in Disney stores & ‘real’ characters event in stores, ‘real’ characters in Disneyland parade, movie game, as well as, contracting fruit juice companies to promote the movie. 

References

“Brave (2012)”. IMDB, Accessed 28 November 2011, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/

Graydon, S., Made You Look – How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know, Toronto:

Annick Press, 2003.

Kern, R., S.U.R.E.-Fire Direct Response Marketing: Generating Business-to-Business Sales

Leads for Bottom-Line Success, New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2001.

Seitel, F. P., The Practice of Public Relations, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall,

2007.

Computer Memory Hacking

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Computer Memory Hacking

Memory hacking is any technological effort employed in manipulation of connected systems and normal network behavior connections. Hacking is also any task that involves tricky, constructive and clever work which develops malicious programming intrusion on internet networks and other systems.

Memory hacking can include games memory modification, which changes game plays (Easttom & Taylor, 2011).The hackers like fly hack, god modes, monster vacuums and other hackers apply the hacking tactics .

The common tools used by hackers in hacking computing memory devices range from cheat engine. This tool is achieved by building DLL file which is infused into the game route. Another tool used is EXEs (executable programs) although it seems difficult to bypass (Easttom & Taylor, 2011). Memory hacking performs all tasks you commands it. It can perform packet editing, game exploits, god modes, monster gods and memory edits.

Packet editors tool is also used in information hacking. The most powerful tool applied is cheating engines which can perform all the tasks packet editor performs. It can transform game memory, search the IP addresses and execute system hacking.

The best practices one should use in protecting their computers from being hacked ranges of firewall installation, antivirus software application and password protection. Technically, all internet programs and online materials can be hacked (Grand, Russell, & Syngress Media, Inc, 2014). There are many things to be done to protect your data and yourself from attack.

By applying good practices and safety measures one can protect the computer privacy and system hacking. The protections include automatic software updates. This leads to hackers accessing outdated programs (Grand, Russell, & Syngress Media, Inc, 2014). The practice enables Microsoft products be up to date for office suites updates.

The second practice is downloading current security programs like anti malware and antivirus software, firewall and anti spyware (Grand, Russell, & Syngress Media, Inc, 2014). The anti exploits technology like malware bytes can avoid the hacks before occurring.

The third practice is application of strong passwords on all your devices. The password acts like a key to your data. Make sure you choose characters that are difficult to guess (Grand, Russell, & Syngress Media, Inc, 2014). The strong passwords should have a minimum of eight characters and a number. This is because most hackers apply programs which try every character of dictionary.

Another practice is one to avoid using open wifi as it makes hackers task easy about hacking your connections and downloading illegal data. The encryption of password and refreshment of equipments like routers yearly will protect your open wifi (Grand, Russell, & Syngress Media, Inc, 2014). Recent routers have an option on provision of segregated wireless for guests ‘ access and automatic password generation.

There are numerous benefits of hacking in modern society and organizations existing worldwide. The hacking groups have important impacts on the society as they influence the philosophies of fresh hackers entering in the market (Roebuck, 2012). The free software and open source hacking groups have accomplished the introduction to GNU, Linux and Microsoft projects.

Other groups like CCC and CDC have spotted vulnerabilities in applications of Microsoft that could be unseen without their sweat and result in various security breaches. Black hat group of hackers has cost the society large amount of money and have led to undetermined hours period in problem fixing caused by their actions (Roebuck, 2012). Regardless of the groups involved, it has led to the hacking conferences allowing citizens to assemble and share ideas.

Hackers like grey; white or black are working hard in transforming technology and increasing its expertise fields (Roebuck, 2012). They continue discovering and transforming latest technology and fresh ways of interpreting operation principles.

In my opinion, as a society we need to develop an advanced, sophisticated and secure environment by providing a secure world for online shopping and transactions.

References

Easttom, C., & Taylor, J. (2011). Computer crime, investigation, and the law. Boston, MA: Course Technology.

Grand, J., Russell, R., & Syngress Media, Inc. (2014). Hardware hacking: Have fun while voiding your warranty. Rockland, MA: Syngress Pub.

Roebuck, K. (2012). IT Security Assessment: High-impact Strategies – What You Need to Know: Definitions, Adoptions, Impact, Benefits, Maturity, Vendors. Dayboro: Emereo Pub.

Mitre Mapping

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Module Code and Name

Instructor

Date

Mitre Mapping

Often, the first step in protecting networks and data is to figure out how attackers might act. This information is very important for network defenders to find and stop intrusions because they depend on it. The MITRE ATT&CK (Advanced Tactics and Computer Hacking Tactics and Techniques) system is a knowledge bank that can be accessed anywhere in the world (Kwon et al., 2020). It is based on real observations of the tactics and strategies of opponents. The ATT&CK knowledge base is used to build specialized threat models and methods for businesses, the government, and the community of cybersecurity product and service providers. ATT&CK is free, available to anyone, and can be used by any company on the planet. Its goal is to get communities to work together to make better cybersecurity. In their analysis, Al-Shaer, Spring, and Christou (2020, p.3) define the MITRE ATT&CK architecture as one that shows how a security attack can be done in many different ways. It shows the common strategies, operational procedures, and tactics used in sophisticated, persistent attacks on business networks. Successful ATT&CK applications should provide a clear and consistent set of mappings that can be used in reporting for detection, response, and mitigation, as well as for making adversary profiles and analyzing activity trends.

For network protection, analysts can choose their own starting point when using Mitre Mapping based on the information they have and how well they know ATT&CK. One example is the difference between the words tactics and techniques. The first step in getting rid of areas of possible intrusion is to be aware of it. Looking for signs of attack is different from looking for signs of compromise, malware file hashes, URLs, domain names, and other traces of a previous attack (Georgiadou, Mouzakitis, and Askounis, 2021). The first step of a mitre mapping pprocess is to look for signs of how the attacker interacts with different platforms and applications to find a pattern of strange or suspicious behavior (Kwon et al., 2020, p. 107). At this point in the process, analysts try to figure out how the initial breach happened and how the post-breach activity was done.

In the second stage, behavior analysis is done in order to determine how best to protect networks. More research might be needed to get the background information needed to understand why an opponent or program might be acting in a hostile way. Analysts have to look at the original source reports to see how the behavior was described. There are also reports from security groups, government cyber groups, international CERTS, internet sources that may be helpful in the mapping process (Tatam et al., 2021). Even though not every enemy operation can be broken down into methods and sub-techniques, a mix of technical details can show the overall behavior and goals of the enemy. The analysts have to look for words that will help them figure out what is going on. In reports, it is common to look for key verbs that point to aggressive behavior. Analysts can use terminologies such as to execute a command, make a connection, create a scheduled task, and send a connection request.

The next step is to figure out what strategies have been used. Analysts must carefully look over the report to figure out how the enemy attacked and where it was going as a whole within a network. The first step in this process is to figure out the opponent’s plan, which is also called their goals. Focus on your opponent’s goals and what drives them instead of their techniques. A common operational strategy is to look for signs that could show if the target wanted to steal, trash, or improve their rights (Hacks et al., 2021). After the mapping is done, analysts must look at the definitions of strategies to see if the behaviors seen could be interpreted as taking a certain approach. If analysts know how the attack went, they may be able to figure out what methods or sub-strategies an attacker used.

The next thing for analysts to do is to decide what methods will be used in accordance to the network they operate in. Analysts must look at the technical details of how the opponent plans to reach their goals when they are mapping. This comes after figuring out what the enemy is doing. For example, in order to know how to respond, analysts need to know how the attacker got in the first time. One of the most important things to think about is whether or not access was gained through spear phishing or a third-party remote service (Ahmadjee et al., 2022, p. 7). The next step in mitre mapping is to narrow down the options by looking at the report and judging the behaviors that have been seen. Analysts can only map down to the strategy level if they don’t have enough information to come up with a good plan, and this level of analysis doesn’t give any information that can be seen. Analysts are taught to see a foe’s tactics and sub-techniques as parts of their playbook, not as separate things they do on their own. Opponents often use the information they get from each operation to decide what techniques to use next in the attack cycle. So, the tactics of an attack are often linked together.

The fifth step of mapping is to list all of the different sub-techniques that are used within a network. Analysts should read through the descriptions of the sub-techniques to see if they match the information in the report. When there is alignment, it usually means that the current sub-technique is right. Because the reporting isn’t always clear, Pell et al. (2021) notes that it may not be able to figure out the exact sub-technique in some cases. When there isn’t enough information to find a sub-method, you should only map everything to the parent technique. If it’s hard to figure out what a sub-technique is, it might not always be there. The new information could either confirm a mapping or show that more research needs to be done on an alternative mapping (Georgiadou, Mouzakitis, and Askounis, 2021, p. 3267). There is always a chance that a certain behavior points to a new technique that ATT&CK hasn’t looked into yet. This is very important to keep in mind.

Finally, at the end of the mapping process, it should be possible to compare the results to what other analysts have found. Analysts must work with other analysts to improve their maps, since mapping is a group activity. Working on mappings with other analysts is helpful because it gives you a wider range of perspectives and sheds light on other points of view. This may help you become more aware of possible analyst bias. Using a methodical approach that includes peer review and consultation can help people share different points of view, learn more, and improve performance as a whole (Pell et al., 2021). Peers could look at a report with notes on the proposed strategy, methods, and sub-techniques to map TTPs that were missed in the first study. If this method is used, the mapping work of the whole team might be more consistent.

Reference List

Ahmadjee, S., Mera-Gómez, C., Bahsoon, R. and Kazman, R., 2022, ‘A study on blockchain architecture design decisions and their security attacks and threats’, ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), vol. 31, no. 2, pp.1-45.

Al-Shaer, R., Spring, J.M. and Christou, E., 2020, ‘Learning the associations of mitre att&ck adversarial techniques’, In 2020 IEEE Conference on Communications and Network Security (CNS) (pp. 1-9). IEEE.

Georgiadou, A., Mouzakitis, S. and Askounis, D., 2021, ‘Assessing mitre att&ck risk using a cyber-security culture framework’, Sensors, vol. 21, no. 9, p.3267.

Hacks, S., Butun, I., Lagerström, R., Buhaiu, A., Georgiadou, A. and Michalitsi Psarrou, A., 2021, ‘Integrating security behavior into attack simulations’, In The 16th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security (pp. 1-13).

Kwon, R., Ashley, T., Castleberry, J., Mckenzie, P. and Gourisetti, S.N.G., 2020, ‘Cyber threat dictionary using mitre att&ck matrix and nist cybersecurity framework mapping’, In 2020 Resilience Week (RWS) (pp. 106-112). IEEE.

Pell, R., Moschoyiannis, S., Panaousis, E. and Heartfield, R., 2021, ‘Towards Dynamic Threat Modelling in 5G Core Networks Based on MITRE ATT&CK’, arXiv preprint arXiv:2108.11206.

Tatam, M., Shanmugam, B., Azam, S. and Kannoorpatti, K., 2021, ‘A review of threat modelling approaches for APT-style attacks’, Heliyon, vol. 7, no. 1, p.e05969.

Suzy Student

Dr. Keel

English 1301

17 January 2008

MLA Format for Essays and Research Paper (for Microsoft 2007)

This is a sample page for the proper MLA format you will use throughout this semester. The first thing you should do before typing anything is to set your Font Size to 12 and your Font to Times New Roman. Click Default, and you will only need to do this once. Next, within the Home Tab, open the Paragraph menu box. On the Indents and Spacing tab, go to Line Spacing and choose Double. Make sure the Before and After Spacing is set at 0. Check the box that says Do not include extra space between paragraphs of the same type. Click Okay to close this after it is set. If you are on your home computer, click Default, and you will only need to make these changes once.

Now you should set your margins for the paper. All papers require 1” margins for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right. To set margins, click on Page Layout Tab, and then choose Margins. Select the Normal option to set your margins (top, bottom, left, right) to 1”. Open the Page Setup menu box and select Layout. Make sure that the Header and Footer margins (on the Layout Tab) are already set for 0.5”. Click on Defaulty to set this.

Notice that the header of this sample page has the student’s last name and page number at the top right corner. Set the page number first by clicking on the Insert Tab and then clicking open the Page Number menu. Select Top of Page, and chose Plain Number 3, which will set your page number at the top right corner. (On your blank page, a blue Header line will appear.) While your cursor is at this number 1, type in your last name with a space. This action should place your last name next to the page number. Then click Close Header and Footer (Red X on Menu Bar). All of your pages will then have the same header and will automatically paginate.

Your heading will always be at the top left and will be in the order of your name, instructor’s name, class name, and the date an assignment is due. Begin your heading on the first line of the page. Notice that the date is inverted with the day first, then month and year.

Notice that there is no extra line spacing anywhere in this sample. All lines are equally double-spaced; therefore, do not double-double space between the date and the title, between the title and the text of the paper, or between paragraphs. Also notice that the title of this sample paper is properly centered (using the Center Align icon on the Home Tab), has no italicized words, is not underlined, and is not in bold print. (Be sure to take off the Center Alignment and return to the Align Left icon before beginning the text of your paper.)

Make sure that you follow these directions when you type your papers. It is important that your formal essays and research paper maintain the proper MLA format.

MKT 321 Principles of Marketing

Project

Table of Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u 1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc96389390 h 22. Executive Summary PAGEREF _Toc96389391 h 23. Mission Statement, Vision, and Objectives PAGEREF _Toc96389392 h 24. Product review PAGEREF _Toc96389393 h 35. Competitor review PAGEREF _Toc96389394 h 36. Analysis of Marketing environment PAGEREF _Toc96389395 h 3Company’s Micro-environment PAGEREF _Toc96389396 h 3Company’s Macro-environment PAGEREF _Toc96389397 h 47. SWOT Analysis PAGEREF _Toc96389398 h 48. Marketing Strategy PAGEREF _Toc96389399 h 5A. Market Segmentation PAGEREF _Toc96389400 h 5B. Target Market PAGEREF _Toc96389401 h 5C. Marketing Mix (4p’s) PAGEREF _Toc96389402 h 59. Market Differentiation and Positioning (Competitive Advantage) PAGEREF _Toc96389403 h 610. Action Programs PAGEREF _Toc96389404 h 611. Budgets and Controls PAGEREF _Toc96389405 h 6References PAGEREF _Toc96389406 h 7

1. IntroductionThe world is changing tremendously owing to the proliferation of technology and other variables. At LytWorld, we are keeping up with the advancements through developing smart LED candles that are electronic and remotely controlled via smartphones and other gadgets. The smart candles will be available in a wide range of sizes, colors, and scents. They also fit a variety of functionalities to suit the different requirements of our clientele. LytWorld is developing state of the art smart candles designed to be aligned to the present needs of the consumer using timer features, multiple light variations, run time, and brightness settings.

2. Executive SummaryLytWorld will be a market leader in a new segment, smart candles, that has shown promising of creating a large consumer base. The signature line of creative and innovative smart candles including timer features, multiple light variations, run time, and brightness settings, a wide range of sizes, colors, and scents, and various connection settings to provide a superior experience to our customers. All candles will use real wax, sold separately in a refill package. LytWorld will reinvent candle experiences for people for all occasions from candle-lit dinners to quite study time, room freshening, therapy sessions, and any other occasion/event that warrants a beautiful candle.

3. Mission Statement, Vision, and Objectives•Our vision is to be the most recognized smart candle brand in the country and to be among the top five most recognized smart candle makers in the world.

•Our mission is to establish a smart candle manufacturing company that will not only suit the demands of our current clients but also pique the interest of new consumers.

•Ultimately, our objective is to take our brand beyond the borders of the country and have a global presence.

4. Product review

LytWorld’s product is a smart candle designed to be remotely controlled via a smartphone and other smart gadgets. The app-enabled smart candle will have different features on various product lines. It will feature smart applications, real fire, variant scents, different sizes, battery-operations, charge functions, and long standby time. Every smart candle will burn up to 72 hours. It will contain a rechargeable battery. One smartphone will be able to control a maximum of 15 candles designed for a single household at a given time. The product also features security and safety details such as passwords and reminders to extinguish the candles in regular intervals.

5. Competitor reviewThe main competition for the product includes leading LED candle companies, smart gadgets like Alexa and other Bluetooth and light-enabled gadgets, and the traditional candle. Top manufacturers of scented candles such as Newell Brands, SC Johnson & Sons, and the Yankee Candle Co Inc, Gold Canyon, and Bridgewater Candles are more versatile in terms f financial and resource power. These companies will start production of smart candles as soon as they hit the market.

6. Analysis of Marketing environmentCompany’s Micro-environmentLytWorld faces intense competition from already established brands. Newell Brands, SC Johnson & Sons, and the Yankee Candle Co Inc, Gold Canyon, and Bridgewater Candles are all organizations doing well in the candle making business. Other players include smart Bluetooth speakers makers who have incorporated LED lights and candle functions.

The customers will include various segments such as home owners, newly married couples, families, single women, organizations such as churches, therapy groups, and event management companies.

The owners, employees, and management will also have a critical role in the success of the business (Olmedo-Cifuentes, Martínez-León, & Davies, 2014). Shareholders are individuals who own a significant portion of the business and have a vested interest in its success. Individuals that work for the firm make a substantial contribution to its overall success. It is critical that all workers understand and support the company’s mission and goals.

Company’s Macro-environmentThe performance of a firm or sector is influenced by the macro-environment. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a macroeconomic indicator. A high GDP signifies a strong economy, which is something that most businesses want (Žvirblis & Zinkevičiūte, 2008). Taxes are necessary. The size of taxes can help understand a country’s monetary policy and how it affects the economy. The importance of consumer spending cannot be overstated. The annual number of things purchased by customers is known as consumer spending. Consumer spending has both an economic and a socio-cultural impact on the macro environment (Yüksel, 2012). Politics might have an impact on the macro environment, especially when it comes to global trade policy. A country’s political status may disclose a great deal about its cultural views. Finally, in today’s macroeconomic environment, technology is critical. The technological infrastructure of a country may be included in the macro environment (Charan, 2017). This might be due to the country’s technological preferences or the widespread use of different technologies.

7. SWOT AnalysisStrengths

Strong relationships with customers, distributors, vendors and financial institutions

Excellent staff trained to be customer attentive

Online retail space that bypasses the barriers of a traditional physical store

High customer loyalty and increased rate of repeat customers Weaknesses

A weaker brand name compared to the competitors

Limited resources in marketing budgets

Opportunities

Growing market for smart candles

Increased sales opportunities

Attractiveness of the product

Technological inventions Threats

Competition from local producers

LED candles that have had a head start in the candle market

Recession and slump of the economy that has reduced disposable incomes.

8. Marketing StrategyA. Market SegmentationThe candle industry has a high demand, although it is contingent on the accessibility of discretionary per capita income among customers, which is dependent on the economy’s health. Because of the high demand for scented candles, producers are always researching new fragrances to keep customers interested. The market will be divided into demographic, psychographic, and behavioral segments. Age, family size, income, religion, occupation, gender, are some of the demographic factors that will be used. Behavioral aspects including benefits sought, loyalty, and online shopping habits will be considered.

B. Target MarketThe target groups and markets include:

Households

Single men and women

Churches and other religious gatherings

Spa, therapy, and beauty salons

Religious houses

C. Marketing Mix (4p’s)The product mix will include smart candles, scented candles, LED candles, traditional candles, and wax-less candles. LytWorld will employ premium pricing in order to create a premium or luxurious feel to the brand. It will also include a loyalty program to keep customers returning. In terms of place, the product will be marketed online on social media and the company’s website. Lastly, the company will focus on search engine marketing, targeted ads, and influencer marketing.

9. Market Differentiation and Positioning (Competitive Advantage)Our competitive edge over other firms is in providing unmatched customer service; this may be accomplished by employing the necessary personnel. We understand that providing exceptional customer service is among the most efficient strategies to retain clients.

10. Action Programs(a) to meet the demands of the marketplace

(b) to gain a competitive edge

(c) to make a profit

11. Budgets and ControlsThe following is the sales forecast for the next few months

ReferencesCharan, R. (2017). How high‐potential leaders can master the macro environment. Leader to Leader, 2017(85), 31-36.

Olmedo-Cifuentes, I., Martínez-León, I. M., & Davies, G. (2014). Managing internal stakeholders’ views of corporate reputation. Service Business, 8(1), 83-111.

Yüksel, I. (2012). Developing a multi-criteria decision making model for PESTEL analysis. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(24), 52.

Žvirblis, A., & Zinkevičiūte, V. (2008). The integrated evaluation of the macro environment of companies providing transport services. Transport, 23(3), 266-272.

Medical Tourism in Thailand

Name:

Professor

Institution

Course:

Date:

Chapter III

Materials and Methods

Introduction

This chapter has vital information regarding how the research process will be conducted, and the methodology to be used. At the end of the third chapter, discussion concerning limitations will be present. In the study, literature review is the methodology used by the researcher. Furthermore, other data collection techniques used was from websites, book and journal article, literature review. The research was conducted by the researcher using electronic and print resources. The researcher obtained all the information regarding medical tourism from the Royal Thai Government as well as that from other countries.

Description of Methodology and Process

The United Nations World Tourism Organization affirms that, the researcher should choose to use literature review to explain the research. There are various stages, which have been used and they include;

Recognize and define the problem

As it had been mentioned in Chapter 1, which is the Statement of the Problem, medical tourism in Thailand has been viewed as being a problem area. The study concerning medical tourism in Thailand does not have a specific study. Also, a specific planning process for the study does not exist.

Specify data needs

The researcher has used resources, which are electronic, and print, also those that have been published. The study provides a lot of information regarding medical tourism in Thailand and in other countries. Moreover, the information is from research studies, also from credible sources. Literature review has provided information regarding definitions, history, issues, trends and Thailand’s tourism medical market.

Evaluate and choose secondary data

The World Wide Web provides many credible sources whereby, information on medical tourism can be found. Some of these websites include; Discover Medical Tourism, the Royal Thai Government and the United Nations World Tourism Organization, among others. The resources were thoroughly reviewed and thus, chosen for the study. Furthermore, the study made use of credible and peer reviewed hospitality and tourism books as well as academic journals.

Collect desired data

The study’s main data were collected from online and printed data. It is through using Google, a search engine, in the internet that the researcher typed in key words for the study. Examples of key words include; Medical Tourism, Thailand Medical Tourism, Service Management and Medical Travel, among others. A criterion had to be adhered to before choosing the websites to be used. Reliability and Credibility were the two main principle considerations. Euromoniter and Royal Thai Government official website were some of the websites used. Various internet databases were used, and they included; Emerald, EBSCOhost and ProQuest. The services of library periodicals were extremely helpful while conducting the study.

Process and analyze data

The electronic and print resources that were collected had to be reviewed before they could be analyzed any further. They were then matched and paired with their respective research objectives of the study.

Foremost, an over view regarding Thailand’s medical tourism was provided. In response to the study’s first objective, vital information regarding medical tourism in Thailand was given. Secondly, the study sorts to give a comparison between other countries and Thailand’s medical tourism. In order to obtain information regarding the second objective, critical analysis of medical tourism occurred. It focused upon data analysis obtained from other countries and Thailand’s medical tourism. Thirdly, the study sort to find out why Thailand is a destination to be considered for those seeking the benefits of medical tourism. In response, information was provided regarding Thailand’s tourism ranking, as well as other tourist attractions found in the country. The study’s fourth objective dealt with various issues, which currently exist in Thailand’s medical tourism. In turn, data was analyzed to provide effective ways and methods of improving Thailand’s medical tourism. Lastly, the study aimed at analyzing and presenting information regarding the tourism industry of Thailand, in terms of trends and statistics. The data obtained from electronic and print resources were used to improve the structure of medical tourism in Thailand. Moreover, it sorts to find suitable ways of attracting international and domestic tourists in pursuit of medical tourism in Thailand.

Interpret result, draw conclusions and formulate recommendations

In Chapter IV, there will be a discussion and presentation of findings. The last chapter of the study will have conclusions as well as recommendations.

Limitations

The research method in the study has a few limitations, and they include;

There is not enough research, which has been done, concerning medical tourism and in turn, the books and journals are few. When the researcher is collecting data, it becomes extremely difficult to obtain sufficient information about this topic. Some information is in languages such as German and Spanish, which cannot be understood by the researcher

There is a high risk that the literature used in the study might be misunderstood and misinterpreted. The study used data from electronic and print resources, which are viewed differently by people, depending on their culture.

Business Plan for a Diversified Fast-Food Establishment

Students Name

Student Number

Submission Date

Business Plan for a Diversified Fast-Food Establishment

1. Business Model

1.1 Project Background

There has been a robust growth in the fast-food industry in Chinese market since the last decade (Al-Shargie and Ahmed, 2019). The major cause of the increased growth is attributed to the high number of tourists visiting the Middle East Countries especially China. It is also due to the large population of China, the Chinese living in China are said to be 1.378 billion according to 2016 (Al-Shargie and Ahmed, 2019). The large population turns out to be the major contributor to the fast growth of the fasts food industry in China.

Picture 1: A graph of the general growth of the fast-food industry in China up to 2019 (Al-Shargie and Ahmed, 2019)

1.2 Organizational Form

Success in establishing and running the fast-food joint requires effective acquisition of the investors. This way, the whole project is able to acquire the required financial support. Through investors, the project can also benefit from the diversified business skills. These are mainly the skills that are brought to the table by the investors. For the business to achieve success in attaining investors and general establishment it should assume the corporation form of business. Corporation business has a limited liability to all investors, which is a crucial point in attracting investors. Corporations are also beneficial in that they are not limited to the number of investors. Therefore, for expansion and other future intentions the corporation organizational form, acts on the best interest of establishing and running the intended fast-food joint.

1.3 Business Model

A business success is highly attached to the type of business model adopted by the specific business. According to Hendriarto (2021), a suitable business model is crucial to achieving growth and viability of a business for a long time. The proposed food joint should be set up so as to serve the proposed qualities and specifications. The project is expected to assume the direct sales business model. This model benefits the project in that major control of the business is left to us as the creators (China Chain, n.d). Direct sales business model helps us implement the right strategies for the business. This business plan is crated for a diversified fast-food joint which can only be achieved only when the decision-making role and the management role is left to us as the creators. Franchise business model does not favor independent decision making. Major decision making is done by the franchising company. Franchising maybe a great idea since the branding is already done and the franchising company already has loyal customers. More so, securing financing for a franchise is way simpler than a company business structure, this makes it less risky business model to consider. However, Franchising has a number of cons that may stay in the way of our major objectives. Amongst these cons are, less flexibility with the business model. Lack of flexibility may hinder our aim of expansion to major areas which generally curbs growth with time. Franchising is also met by profit splitting with the franchising company. Paying of the loyalty dues may be a stress factor in our finance plan in matters of growth and development. Lack of flexibility and profit splitting in franchising means that the entire fate of the business does not lie on us. Therefore franchising does not serve the purpose intended for the business. Company business structure on the other hand has the liability of the investors limited to their initial investment. The major cons affecting company model with association to our plan is the double taxation aspect. For a company, the government specifies the policies in action for operation making it simple to adhere to and follow. Among all the pros of a company, there is the independence in decision making. Independence in decision making is vital to build and grow the diversified fast-food joint. Therefore, the proposed business project assumes the company model in terms of a direct sales business structure.

2. Financial Projection

2.1 Project Introduction

Lease a two-storey mini hall along one of the busy streets of Shanghai China.

Hire a contracting company to renovate the space such that it should offer kitchen space and customers serving and eating area.

Hire qualified chefs, waiters, cleaners and security agency.

Hire renown and reputable marketing agency to create our brand awareness.

Create an IT department and hire IT personnel to avail our services on an online platform for online orders and deliveries.

2.2 Fixed Cost Description

Item Description

Registration Fee This is the amount of money paid in order to have the business legally known and controlled by the laws of the government.

Leasing Fee Includes the amount of money paid to the landlord for using his/her space

Renovation and Labor cost Includes the money paid in acquisition of materials of renovating the space as well as the wages for the workers in action during the process.

Furnishing Cost Involves the cost of the furniture, Kitchen equipment, IT equipment, lighting products among other products used for furnishing the place.

Operation Expenses Involves the money to be spent on all employees working in the business.

Marketing Cost This is all the money paid to the agency hired to market the business to create brand awareness.

Maintenance cost This is the money used in sustaining the condition of the equipment in operation.

3. Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis of a store in Beijing

Earning forecast within five years (Currency in RMB Yuan)

Description Price/Cost

(RMB) Remarks

Average cost of a meal/person 20 RMB Yuan

(variable costs/day)

Average daily sales

(Physically and online) 24 000 Electricity and Water bill 4000 Cleaning services 3 000 Cooking fuel consumed 4 000 Ingredients Cost 7 067 Gross Profit 8 367

(Fixed Cost/Day)

Registration fee 6 500 Staff Wages/ Salaries 136 000 Annual registry of salary

Lease fee 650 000 Furnishing cost 70 000 Marketing Cost 45 000 Maintenance Expenses 80 000 Operation Cost 50 000 Total Cost 1, 037, 500 Daily profit is calculated as an average value of the completed orders made both physically and through online platform. Upon deduction of the daily expenses of 18 067 RMB the daily profit is left at 8367 RMB. On the other hand, the annual expenses accrued total to 1,037,500 RMB, therefore the break-even volume sales can be calculated as 1037500/ 8 367=124

So the turn over period of the business is expected to be 124 days in a single year

Earning forecast after five years. (Currency in RMB Yuan)

Description Price/Cost

(RMB) Remarks

Average cost of a meal/person 20 RMB Yuan

(variable costs/day)

Average daily sales

(Physically and online) 24 000 Electricity and Water bill 4000 Cleaning services 3 000 Cooking fuel consumed 4 000 Ingredients Cost 7 067 Gross Profit 8 367

(Fixed Cost/Day)

Registration fee Staff Wages/ Salaries 136 000 Annual registry of salary

Lease fee Furnishing cost Marketing Cost 45 000 Maintenance Expenses 80 000 Operation Cost 50 000 Total Cost 311, 000 After the first five years according to our plan, there is very little change in the general price of the ingredients and the energy. With that, most of the prices changes may be left same. The daily profit is calculated as an average value of the completed orders made both physically and through online platform. Upon deduction of the daily expenses of 18, 067 RMB the daily profit is left at 8367 RMB. On the other hand, the annual expenses accrued total to 311 000 RMB, therefore the break-even volume sales can be calculated as 311 000/ 8 367=37

So the turn over period of the business is expected to be 37 days in a single year

4. Financing Plan

According to the financing forecast results obtained, assuming all the acting factors remain constant or within the margin of error allowed, then;

The one-time investment on the store is as follows

Registration fee Leasing fee Furnishing cost

Amount 32500 650 000 70 000

One time Investment 3,632,500

Daily annual expenses (along the error margins considered)

Staff wages/Salaries Marketing cost Maintenance fee Operating cost

Amount 136,000 45,000 80,000 50,000

Daily Expenses 311,000

The business has two types of capital requirements, one-time investment and the annual amount of daily cost of operation. The first and initial phase of the business establishment requires a large capital investment. For the larger amounts of capital requirements, loans may not form the best source of the financial acquisition. Loans are tied to a percentage of interest per year causing time extensions for the business to break even. Therefore, for this kind of capital the business should consider equity financing. Equity should be allowed for three to four shareholders taking up to 40% of the total business equity. For daily operational cost financing, we should consider low interest business loans. This phase of the business does not require a lot of capital. Low interest business loans can be the best way to sort this phase. The low amounts of capital required for operation may not accrue large interests upon payment. Considering the low interest rates, the business loans are suitable for the daily operations cost financing.

5. Risk Assessment

The large population of China creates a large market that is highly diversified. Despite the large market of food and hospitality industry, there still lie risks within this industry.

5.1 Risk of consumer preference

The numerous types of fast food available for consumers possess the risk of customer preference. A single mistake in marketing or the encroachment of bad reputation from a prior consumer may impact the business fatally. We should work on the marketing to ensure that all information getting out concerning the business service is clean and promotes the business.

5.2 Risk of competition

The food industry is densely populated with different business offering different differentiated products and services. The high number of businesses creates a highly competitive environment. We should ensure our services are high end with low to none chances of mistakes.

6. Investment Income Analysis

As the brand gradually grows, there are noticeable changes especially in sales and the cost of marketing. Growth of the brand brings with it the loyalty of certain customers and the continuous flow of new customers. An increase in customers results to increased sales. Consequently, brand growth reduces the need of intensive marketing. Reduction of the cost of marketing results to higher profit margins.

Cash flow= Average annual sales within the expected error limits- staff salary/wages-marketing cost-operation cost-Maintenance cost

NPV Analysis=Cash flow × (1 + discount rate) × number of years

According to the NPV results obtained, the business idea is worth investment. The analysis generally proves the survivability of the business plan.

7. Research

The general demand for snack-oriented food has highly increased in China and the greater Middle Eastern countries. The world has seen a increment of 33.2% increase in the consumption of fast foods in Asian countries which is higher than that of the United States of America at approximately 9.9% (Li et al., 2020). Adolescents have been classified as the group in high consumption rate of the fast food. 55.2% of the world adolescents have been considered to consume fast food at least once a week.

The fast-food industry has as a result grown exponentially. The industry marks revenue of more than a billion dollars in the current year 2021. This is said to rise by approximately 2.5% in the future five-year margin (Wang et al., 2016). The major aspects of this market include: the age of consumers, the time of meal consumption and the type of meal choice.

References

Al-Shargie, F., & Ahmed, E. (2019). Fast Food Industry Growth in China. https://doi.org/10.31232/osf.io/w74vqChina Chain: Fast Food: Business Revenue. CEIC, https://www.ceicdata.com/en/china/fast-food/cn-chain-fast-food-business-revenue.

Hendriarto, P. (2021). Understanding of the role of digitalization to business model and innovation: economics and business review studies. Linguistics and Culture Review, 5(S1), 160-173.

Lian, L., Ning, S., Lina, Z., Guodong X, Jingjing, L., Jingcen, H., Zhiying, Z., Jianjun L., Hongxia, D., Zhisen, Shen., & Liyuan, H. (2020). Fast food consumption among young adolescents aged 12–15 years in 54 low- and middle-income countries, Global Health Action, 13:1, DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2020.1795438Robin, R., Lorelle, F., & Park, T. (2020). A Western franchise in Shanghai, China: a late entrant’s success, Journal of Strategic Marketing. DOI: 10.1080/0965254X.2020.1823457Wang, Y., Wang, L., Xue, H., & Qu, W. (2016). A Review of the Growth of the Fast Food Industry in China and Its Potential Impact on Obesity.  International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(11), 1112. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13111112