Stinky Laundry Business Analysis Essay Example for Free

Stinky Laundry Business Analysis Essay Table of Contents Table of Contents2 1. Background4 The general nature of this business activity4 Benefits to society in terms of need satisfaction4 Why we chose this business venture5 2. Idea description6 The nature of our products and services6 Reasons why consumers will buy our products/services7 Our special services7 3. Idea feasibility8 4. Location11 7 important site selection factors11 Location of business12 How location factors apply to our business12 5. Enterprise Forms13 Type of enterprise13 Factors of selection of enterprise13 Legal name of business13 6. The Environment14 Internal environment14 Market Environment15 Macro environment of South Africa17 ? 1. Background The general nature of this business activity The cleaning of garments and other fabrics, that get dirty from everyday use, has always been a difficult task. Machines have reduced the labour but not much has changed in the three basic functions of laundering: cleaning, drying and finishing. The commercial laundry business offers laundry services to customers and is a very reliable and profitable investment. It requires minimum supervision and low operating costs. It has a typical return on investment of about 20-30% and classified as one of the safest investments with numerous benefits. It is a great part-time venture that requires a small amount of or no prior experience and can be located almost anywhere. It is highly profitable especially when located in minority communities and low-income neighbourhoods. It is also one of the most recession-proof investments. Many households use Laundromats on a daily basis with the key customer representing the fastest growing segment in the nation. Benefits to society in terms of need satisfaction The predominant benefit of the services offered by a Laundromat is convenience. People make use of this service because getting their clothes and other garments cleaned is a basic need satisfied by services on offer by Laundromats. People whom lack the time or money to do the washing at home prefer a quicker and easier way to getting it done. Students and other individuals staying in non-permanent residences like hostels or apartments mostly make use of this service. Other examples include organisations that make use of uniforms that is dirtied on a daily basis e. g. Mechanics and butchers. Another benefit is people who struggle to get their garments dry due to bad weather conditions (in winter) can dry-clean it at Laundromats. Lastly, it saves money that would otherwise have been spent on detergents and appliances. ? Why we chose this business venture We chose this business because there is always a need for Laundromats. It is cheap and easy to start and it is very sustainable because people need to use this service throughout the year regardless of the change of season. Innovative ideas can easily keep you ahead of your competitors like having specials. It is a very profitable venture and is very stable. Students would always want to make use of this service because it is quick and easy and removes the hassle of having to deal with your laundry. The laundry business is very stable, and unfailingly profitable. Families need clean towels and sheets regardless of other economic factors. People need clean clothing in summer and winter, on vacation or working, whether they are newborns, teenagers or retired ? 2. Idea description The nature of our products and services Our coin operated, self-service, washing and drying machines will serve as the base of services. Each load off washing ash will cost our clients R8 and for every load dried, we will charge R9. 50. Customers have the convenience of coming into our shops doing their laundry, enjoying the benefits of our other services. Our other services include: †¢Ironing or pressing of clothes. On request, our customers can get their clothes ironed or pressed by our attending staff at a fee of R10/kg. †¢Selling laundry products. We will be a retailer of washing powder, fabric softener and bleach to our clients if they wish to buy. †¢Selling laundry equipment. Our business will act as an intermediary between companies selling washing machines, tumble dryers, etc and clients wanting to buy laundry equipment. We will display a catalogue showing the equipment available and if bought through us we will make a commission on the sales. †¢Executive dry cleaning. We will offer extra care dry for clothing that are extra delicate or just needs a bit of extra care. Our executive dry cleaning will be at an extra cost to customers but we will call in our trained staff specialising in delicate clothing care to handle the items. This service will also come with a guarantee for immaculate attention to detail. †¢Pick up service. Our store will run a pick up and drop off service to UWC and CPUT Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will have one pick up and drop off point at each campus for students to get there laundry done with ease at an extra charge off 10%. †¢Arcade section. If our clients do bring their children along our arcade game section will keep their children busy while they wait for their laundry, create more convenience for our clients and creating wealth for our business through charging R1 per arcade game token. ? Reasons why consumers will buy our products/services Stinky laundry offers convenience to our customers our floor layout, products and extra services are for their convenience. In addition, a conventional home washing machine holds around a maximum weight of 120kg taking an hour to complete the load. At Stinky, our industrial sized washing and drying machines take four times the load and does it in half the time. Our innovative products and services will quickly gain an outstanding reputation for exceptional quality while our arcade friendly staff free reading material and free washing powder will do the rest. Our special services †¢Innovative ‘laundry package’ contracts. Our clients can buy washes, drying and ironing services before hand in bulk saving themselves money and time †¢Pick up service. Our pickup and delivery service to students will take a time consuming chore away from students at affordable prices ? 3. Idea feasibility Technical Where sustainability is concerned the equipment should be of good quality so that the business does not have to deal with unforeseen circumstances such as the equipment malfunctioning. The development of a business venture of this nature has is minimal. The materials the business will make use of include detergents and equipment such as washing machines and tumble-dryers. This is reasonably easy to get access to and if there is liaison with suppliers, you could possibly get these products at a cheaper rate than the competitors could. Labour would be cheap and easy to control as there is not much the employers have to do in a Laundromat business. Transportation can be easily provided to clients when they need their garments delivered i. e. clients with huge contracts who need their huge quantities of garments to be delivered. A technical feasibility study is an excellent tool for trouble-shooting and long-term planning. In some regards it Legal There are many legal implications that this specific type of business has to deal with. Some of the many different laws that would affect such a business venture are as follows: The labour relations act Consumer act (sales and service) These laws affect the business in such a manner that all your actions within the internal functions of the business have to comply by treating the employees and customers correctly. ? Financial This specific business venture is very sustainable as there will always be a need for it. If all the proper financial procedures are followed, there should be no future problems. The area where your business is situated plays a major ole on the financial credibility of your business. Long-term contracts would provide sustainable income and you would have a guaranteed return on investment Market There is a huge market for this type of business, as everyone needs to wash his or her clothes e. g. the hospitality industries, health industries. The specific industry described in the type of business is a service industry. A Laundromat provides a service to the public. After doing a thorough market analysis you can determine what target market is the most lucrative. The competition in such a business is very feisty as this a very successful business venture. Prices should be as cheap as possible but still maintaining a good profit. Organisational When it comes to the organisational part of this type of business, it is important to look at the management function. There should be someone overseeing the basic activities involved in the daily running of the business. This will be possible if all duties that are assigned to the employees involved in the different functions of the Laundromat. Making certain the form of the business model follows desired outcomes and functions. An effective governance structure should be in place and the right constituencies should be represented. All the people involved should be in the right people. ? Physical and environmental feasibility Site considerations, architecture, engineering, and community and neighbourhood planning have to be looked at thoroughly. There are not many challenges, but many opportunities regarding site and physical infrastructure considerations. There will be no impacts to the quality of water, air, and soil during the course of the running of the business. With regard to other ecological considerations, the business has to take into consideration factors that could harm the environment. Once this is done correctly, no future problems will arise. Competitive A Laundromat business has a very competitive market, as it is a common business and is reasonably easy to start. Competitors in this market will raise and drop prices easily and have many specials to prove to consumers that there Laundromat is the better of the two. ? 4. Location 7 important site selection factors †¢Accessibility of human resources. Where will employees come and how much will be paid in terms of the quantity and quality of the education they received. Owners can’t run the business alone employees need to be accessible to help with the daily running of the business †¢Distance of competitors and market share. How close companies delivering the same services or selling the same products. Of what degree of quality are the products or services of the surrounding competitors and will this influence the consumer market. If there is too much competition for the business and the market share of the business is too low business will never thrive †¢The frequency and price of transport. By what means will products, external services and employees reach the business, road, rail, air or water. How often do those services run to the business. Transport to the business is crucial, if customers, employees or external services, like repairs, cannot reach the business frequently business will not exist at all. Availability of buildings and the costs involved. Buildings need to fit a required size and must be appealing to customers as well as be placed in the right area for business. If the business is too far from resources needed to run the business cost of getting them will exceed what they need to be and if customers don’t get a good feel for their surroundings i. e. in the building, they will always feel uncomfortable doing business there. †¢Adequacy of electricity, water, and the costs thereof. Enough electricity and water must flow to the business. Utilities are needed in order to satisfy customers without business will come to an idle. †¢Building and health regulations and the behaviour of those enforcing them. What are the cost of renovating, what are the laws regulating building in an area, like building regulations and property rates, and what are the costs abiding to them. Costs of certain areas may be higher than others and that cost may be hard to catch up with in terms o gain on investment †¢The state of surrounding business. Will surrounding business aid in growth. For example is there repairs and health care near the business location. Location of business Bellville Mall, corner of Strand Road and Bill Bezuidenhout Avenue, Bellville How location factors apply to our business †¢Accessibility of human resources. Bellville is rich in human resources, there is a high demand for labour and the best suitable for the job can be hand picked †¢Distance of competitors and market share. There aren’t too many Laundromats in Bellville, the majority of the laundromats those in the surrounding areas are of low quality and the business that have the ability to compete with Stinky Laundry don’t have the proper infrastructure or proper don’t have better innovations to compare. The frequency and price of transport. There are a number of ways to get to Bellville, those are train bus taxi. All three services run frequently throughout the day, but the most efficient way to travel to the laundry would be by car as there is enough infrastructure and better for carrying the load. †¢Availability of buildings and the costs inv olved. Buildings in Bellville are sufficient in the cases of expansion or move. Costs of the buildings may run a little high for the quality of the buildings but with the big influx of people it won’t be a bad investment †¢Adequacy of electricity and water and the costs thereof. Being the busy place that it is electricity and water won’t be a problem because of the already available networks, the cost of electricity in SA is on the rising but its an expenses any business must deal with. †¢Building and health regulations and the behaviour of those enforcing them. Being a constantly developing area Bellville is regulated with a strong hand but the city is eager for new development so developments will not be a problem. †¢The state of surrounding business. Bellville has enough of everything in the area gaining nothing in Bellville will be a problem. 5. Enterprise Forms Type of enterprise Close Corporation Factors of selection of enterprise †¢With 1-10 members of the C. C. , start up capital will be easier to raise. †¢More than one member will provide a wider range of knowledge. Different members might have different areas of expertise. †¢Close corporations are relatively easy and inexpensive to start. Compared to other forms of ownerships C. C. are easy to start all they need is an opening statement and they are ready to start. †¢Members of the C. C have limited liability, meaning the members can only lose what they invested in the business not their personal belongings. †¢The C. C. as unlimited continuity. The ownership of the business can be transferred easily and if a member dies the business goes on Legal name of business Dirty Laundry C. C. ? 6. The Environment Internal environment Stinky laundry will be managed by its owners and will employ several workers to help with the daily running of the business. Open seven days a week from 7am t ill 7pm business. Some of the main aspects affecting our business are: Staff tasks. Staff will have the tasks of dry cleaning, ironing, maintenance, repairs, cleaning Equipment. The equipment of our business will be bought in bulk to save us money. The main sort of equipment required are washing machines, tumble dryers, irons, clothes pressers and washing baskets. Perishables. Our perishables, namely washing powder, fabric softener, etc, will be supplied by Surf on condition that we advertise and sell their products exclusively. Vision and mission statement Vision of Stinky Laundry: Stinky laundry wishes to become a profitable Laundromat, offering a reliable service to all customers and expanding the business by opening more Stinky Laundry branches across South Africa and revolutionise the way South Africans do laundry. Mission Statement: Stinky laundry is a local Laundromat that strives to achieve the status of the most recognised Laundromat in South Africa by offering cleaner, softer and a more affordable laundry service than any other Laundromat. Our ambition is to expand Stinky Laundromat and transform the business into a franchise that will be recognised all throughout South Africa. SWOT analysis of stinky laundry: Strengths- The cost of service of stinky laundry is cheaper than the average Laundromat, our staff is friendly and competent and we are situated in a fairly busy location in Bellville. Weaknesses- Technical difficulties arise occasionally regarding the washing machines, the repair costs tend to be costly and when a machine is out of order we are making less money. Stinky laundry is also under exposed. Opportunities- We can increase the exposure of Stinky laundry by means of advertising, take opportunity of all the lazy students who need their washing to be cleaned. Threats- Stinky laundries main threat would be other older Laundromats, because of their experience and loyal customers. Strategic objectives of Stinky laundry: †¢Create relationships with customers which will create more loyal customers †¢Make sure all customers are satisfied †¢Advertise at university residence Market Environment The target market for our particular service would be that of students, who have no time to do their own laundry. We try to keep our prices to a minimum so that it is affordable to the students, because they don’t have a particularly strong buying power due to the fact that majority of students don’t have income. Need satisfaction. We will satisfy consumer needs by providing a service to students and the general public who find doing laundry a waste of time. Being a retailer of cleaning products we satisfy needs of consumers specifically looking for laundry products Buying power and market share. Offering an all round service to the community we expect a larger market share because of the wide range of needs we satisfy. This intern brings us a large turnover and greater buying power to save on purchasing of new equipment. In order to maintain our low prices we have searched for the most cost effective suppliers, Stinky Laundry is also very much about quality, so it was difficult to locate a supplier that offered good quality washing powder at a low price. Suppliers. Our main supplier cleaning products would be Surf. We advertise their name and in return we save on the purchasing of their product. Since Stinky laundry offers a service we don’t really have intermediaries, because they is no need for a bridge between manufacturer and consumers. We will however need a bank, Bellville has a Absa branch in the area which we could deal with. Cleaning products could be bought from the nearby retailers in Bellville. Competitors are pulling out all the stops to compete with our business by trying to lower their prices and offering specials, but Stinky Laundry strives to be the best Laundromat, so that means we have to be a step ahead of our competitors, we do that by allot of advertising making sure that all residence in our area know who we are and are familiar with what the Stinky brand offers. Threats are rife in all of South Africa but Bellville is a busy place and police are aware of that. A security gate will be installed at the entrants to the building. The security gate can only be opened from the inside. ? Macro environment of South Africa South Africa, like many other countries, have lots of issues influencing the outcome of the growth of the country. Some of the main areas affecting us today are: Technological environment: †¢In South Africa we have experienced an rapid increase in technology and it is impacting business greatly. What these technological advances do is they help improve productivity of a business and can also even help improve the quality of your product/service. The negatives of technological advances are that if a competitor obtains more superior technology than you, you are then put at a disadvantage. If the buying power of your company is not big enough it is at risk. On the other hand technology aids businesses exponentially by decreasing production time and increasing profits †¢ The most important technological advances in South A frica would be water technology, Mineral technology, marine technology, agricultural technology, medical technology, transport technology and electrical technology. Economic environment: †¢Rates govern earning and profits made by individuals and businesses alike. Inflation rates of SA is now at 7. 5% which is good recovery after the world economic debacle. †¢ Unsteady growth of our economy is due to the high employment rate in SA. Inactive communities are only a burden on tax payers and do not contribute to economic growth but hinder it. †¢The exchange rate in SA is at an low to the dollar proving a good game for imports to our country. This saves us money and brightens our economy. ? Social environment: Demographics are even spread in employment. Previously disadvantaged are now being given a chance to prove themselves and women are showing that they are great assets to our country. †¢Distribution of wealth is still a huge factor in SA. The rich tend to make more money off their assets while those struggling get left behind †¢Values of South Africans are changing. They expect better for their lives and want better livin g conditions. This intern brings about new entrepreneurs wanting to better their lives and thus bringing new innovations to our country. Physical environment: †¢In some parts of South Africa we do see new infrastructure being built to help South Africans. Like the new buses and trains. The amount of South Africans using the new forms of transportation is rising. †¢The environments around us do need changing but more and more we do see businesses and individuals changing their life styles to help fight climate changes. Environmentalists often speak to us about trying to preserve the earth and people are starting to catch on.

Ethics in the Consultancy Profession

Ethics in the Consultancy Profession Ethics in the profession of consultancy Introduction: There are many reasons why individuals and organisations take the help of a consultant. Organisations resort to this practice regularly since the complexities of doing business are rising with reference to competition, new markets, laws and regulations, technology etc. Sometimes companies have their own consultants or they seek the help of professionals competent in their chosen field. In short a consultant is a person who is qualified to advise anyone who approaches him. This indicates that there should be trust in the client towards his consultant and the consultant on his part should not do anything to misuse it. In other words the consultant is expected to behave ethically toward his client. Ethical behaviour means a code of conduct with the belief that what is done is right with reference to own values, religious beliefs, law and what is generally accepted by the society. Ethics in the profession of consultancy: One of the most respected authorities on ethical consultancy is Peter Block who is a consultant himself. He has authored a number of books including the widely acclaimed Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used. Mr. Block has given several guidelines that are expected to be a part of the code of conduct of a consultant. The most essential element according to Mr. Block is of the opinion that the consultant always tells the truth even if it is unpleasant to the client. The trouble with many consultants today is that they force the clients to think in their viewpoint by acting clever. It should be noted that the client may have his own viewpoints which may be relevant and the consultant is expected to review that before advising the client. Such behavior on the part of the client will make him skeptical of the consultant and the level of trust or faith in him will diminish. Clients see right through the fast language and persuasion techniques and, as a result, their level of skepticism rises. Instead, consultants should be who they are and tell the truth in a caring way, which will establish the balance that leads to a trusting, productive relationship with the client (Meet the MasterMinds: Flawless Consulting with Peter Block, Management Consulting News). http://www.managementconsultingnews.com/interviews/block_interview.php. The author is of the opinion that the role of consultancy has changed over the years. Consultancy organizations have grown in size and the role they play is more of a manager than an advisor. They end up taking the responsibility of performing the tasks they advise the clients in the first place. What will happen in this case is that the consultants become a part of the client organization. They loose the freedom that is essential for a consultant because of the policies and organizational politics that exist in the client organization. Mr. Block says that this situation came about not because it is a part of consultancy but because there is money in performing such tasks for the client. Another area of concern regarding ethics is the lack of accountability on the part of the consulting industry. He consultancy firms have their own models and methods which they force it on the clients. There is no negative impact in this industry even if the models do not work. The fact is that the clients themselves have come to accept such a behavior on the part of the consultants. Sometimes the consultant will agree to the clients point of view totally without voicing any disagreement just to keep the client happy. The consultant may give advice on matters that are beyond their area of expertise. Clients are usually willing to listen to the advice of their consultants totally. This might prompt the latter to overemphasize their point of view, thereby bringing loss to the client. The same situation may also result in a proper study of the issues on the part of the consultant. It could also happen that the client d id not disclose all necessary information so that the consultant will offer advice which is acceptable to the client. The consultant may disclose confident information of the client for personal gain. Sometimes the consultant may use the client as a testing ground for some new model or technology that the consultant may have developed or acquired. The consultant may also disclose confidential information given by the head of the client organization to other members of the management in the belief that it will help them to solve a problem. The above information was those given by experts and clients who felt that these are instances of unethical behavior by consultants. It can be seen that such behavior occurs also because of the attitude of the client towards the consultants. Some of the instances occurred because it was the client who made it possible. Example: The best example of unethical consulting behavior in the recent past involves Arthur Anderson Consultants and Enron Corporation. The collapse of the multinational giant resulted in huge losses for its average investors and the loss of millions of dollars of pension funds which were very valuable to its employees. Hundreds of people lost their jobs, creditors lost their money and many were affected in other ways. Arthur Anderson Consulting, which was well known throughout the world as practitioners of high ethics lost face and exists only to clear the various litigations against it. This particular situation is a result of greed, non-disclosure of facts by Anderson Consulting for fear of losing the client, in this case Enron Corporation and the consultant moving out of its real area of expertise which was that of accountants. The fact was that Anderson had two previous audit failures prior to Enron. The two companies involved were Waste Management and Sunbeam. The company had to spend $110 million to cover litigation costs. In the case of Enron, the company had appointed Andersons consultancy division for a very large fee. It was due to this that Andersons had to go along with the crooked accounting policies of Enron for fear of losing that account. There were also another factor involved. Enrons impressive growth during its earlier years made them arrogant. This led to a number of growth plans that were not feasible. Enrons growth plans including its asset light policy did not proceed as expected. The end result was that Enron had stakes in a number of loss making concerns. If the figures were to be disclosed in the company accounts, Enron would have to report a loss and the value of its shares would fall. The company falsified the losses of these companies by saying that they were hedged by another company. The truth was that it was Enron itself that held majority stake in the hedging company. This move resulted in the company s howing excess earning of one billion dollars during the period of 2000 to 2001. The company had also misappropriated funds by formation of certain companies like Chewco, LJM1 and LJM2. The formation of such companies resulted in huge illegal financial gains for its former CEO and certain employees of the company. According to the report by the Special Investigation Committee of the company formed immediately after the company filed for bankruptcy, former SEO Andrew Fastow received 30 million dollars from this deal. The company also found other methods to falsify its accounts. For this purpose, Enron created a separate entity called Special Purpose Vehicle or Special Purpose Entity (SPE). Such entities are usually formed for performing certain accounting tasks subject to regulations. Enron could treat the SPE as it were a totally independent company. Two conditions in forming the SPE were met by Enron. They are that an independent investor should invest at least 3% in the assets of t he company and that the independent investor should have control over the company. Another investment in a company called JEDI (Joint Energy Development Investment Partnership). To avoid showing the losses of this company in the company accounts, the then Enron CEO Fastow authorized Chewco to invest in a 3% stake in the SPE. The company, when reviewing the situation along with Anderson later in 2001 found that the investment in the SPE did not satisfy the rules. They decided to change the already published figures by incorporating JEDI in Enron accounts which resulted in a massive reduction income and a huge increase in debt. The question is what role did Anderson have in the whole affair. Reports from the Special Investigation Committee indicate that all the accounting tricks were done on the advice of Anderson. In virtually all of the transactions, Enrons accounting treatment was determined with extensive participation and structuring advice from Anderson, which Management reported to the Board. Enrons records show that Anderson billed Enron $5.7 million for advice in connection with LJM and Chewco transactions alone, above and beyond its regular audit fees. (Summary of Findings, William J Powers, Page 5, February 1 2002, Report of Investigation by the Special Investigative Committee of the Board of Directors of Enron Corp). http://files.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/enron/sicreport/cover.pdf It can be seen that Anderson had played a part in advising and helping to falsify accounting practices of Enron Corporation. Both its auditing and consultancy divisions were at fault and had behaved in a very unethical manner.

Affordable Wallpaper In The Industry Design Essay

Affordable Wallpaper In The Industry Design Essay My aim for my final project is to have a professionally finished wallpaper design. Along with this idea I would like my wallpaper to be displayed in a house, perhaps in a show home, so people can see my work and see what it looks like in a room. This is because many aspects can affect the appearance of the wallpaper, for example, the lighting. If the light is very harsh and bright it can cause the colours to appear different and not look as effective. However if there is a soft glow it can appear warm and inviting. Within a show home everything is new and the home is developed to a high standard in order that it will appeal to prospective buyers, therefore presenting wallpaper within this environment would be and excellent promotion medium. I am also going to look into interior architecture and aim to master new skills within this subject so I can transfer them into my project. Once I have my wallpaper design and found a space in which to display it, I then plan to create the space using interior architectural programmes such as Auto CAD in order to create a virtual room. I will also introduce furniture, fabrics and colour alongside my wallpaper design. This virtual room will provide a prototype of how the finished room should look. In order to create a wallpaper design I need to look into the history of wallpaper; Where do they come from? How are they made? Do people still buy wallpaper? What are the consumer demands? Current styles and trends, are they cost effective? Is the economic climate affecting the wallpaper industry? I also need to find companies that will print out my design and at what cost? What is Wallpaper the History behind it? When looked up in the Oxford Dictionary the term wallpaper, means paper for covering the interior walls of rooms. Wallpaper is a kind of material used to cover and decorate the interior walls of either homes, offices or other buildings. It is not essential, however it has become a very popular method in which to style, create a mood or inject colour into a room. Wallpaper can be used for either residential or businesses purposes. These differ from each other for instance; they differ in weight, serviceability and quality standards. Residential wallpapers are commonly made from various materials and can be bought either pasted or pre-pasted. However when it comes to the commercial grade wallpapers they are divided into categories based on weight, backing composition and laminate thickness. All commercial wallpapers must have a vinyl surface and successfully undergo rigorous physical and visual tests as mandated by the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association. According to the Made How website, there are four popular methods used to print wallpapers and designers have chosen the printing technique based on the cost and aesthetics. This suggests that cost is a major issue when it comes to making wallpaper. The progression of wallpaper can be found going as far back into 200BC, in China where paper was originally invented. However the earliest wallpapers used within Europe was as early as the 13th century. Designs involved painted images of popular religious icons and were commonly used within the homes of those which were religious however they were also used to liven up the bleak, dull homes of the poor. Religious prints only remained popular with the poor over the following centuries. By the 16th century more expensive wall coverings such as depicting tapestries began to hang in the homes of the elite. Tapestries included repeated images which were block printed in various colours spread over multiple sheets of fabric. They added colour to the room as well as providing an insulating layer. Tapestries however were very expensive therefore implying only the rich could afford them. Due to the cost of these the less well off members of society turned to wallpaper in order to lighten up their homes. Wallpaper designs featured scenes which were similar to those in the tapestries, however printed onto large sheets of paper; these were either hung loose on the walls, or pasted instead of being framed. By the mid 18th century Britain was the leading wallpaper manufacturer in Europe, exporting large quantities to Europe but also selling within the middle class market, subsequently this trade was greatly interrupted due to the seven year war. Yet, slightly previously before the war, in 1748 the English Ambassador to Paris decorated his office with blue flock wallpaper, this in turn then became greatly fashionable. Within the 1760s designers began to work with silk and tapestry to produce subtle, luxurious wallpapers. Near the end of the century the fashion for scenic wallpaper revived in Britain once again and led to vast panoramic views of antique architecture, exotic landscapes and pastoral subjects as well as repeating patterns of stylized flowers, people and animals. During this period of time two problems arose, one problem was producing long sheets of paper for printing, the other was printing attractive wallpaper inexpensively. Until the mid 1700s their techniques included making rag-based paper which was individually printed in sheets, these were then applied to the walls. However in 1785, Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf invented a machine for printing coloured tints on sheets of wallpaper. Then in 1799 Louis-Nicolas Robert created a machine to produce long and continuous lengths of paper. This ability to produce long lengths of paper therefore allowed the wallpaper industry to flourish. By the 19th century printing costs had finally been reduced, this occurred by discarding manual block printing and replaced with cylinder printing. Wood block printing was a technique which involved applying a colour to each separate block by hand, then pressed down onto the paper, tapped in order to ensure the quality imprint, the block was then lifted up and re-inked and the process would be repeated, this was a very expensive and time consuming process. However with the cylinder printing the, technique involved the paper being mechanically fed between cylinders until the paper had been fully printed, therefore no hand printing being involved. This therefore led to the successful reduction of cost, consequently resulting in it being cheaper to wallpaper a house than it was to paint it. The development of the steam powered printing presses also had a great impact on the wallpaper industry as this allowed manufacturers to mass produce wallpaper, again cutting the costs and making it affordable to the working class. Wallpaper benefited from a high boom in popularity in 19th century and it had established itself as one of the most popular household items across the western world. Todays Styles Trends Wallpaper has changed greatly since it was first developed, in todays industry it comes in multiple patterns, designs and textures. Wallpaper manufacturers like Cole Son have realised the consumers needs for bold attractive wallpapers. As hubpages.com has pointed out, todays homeowners today want their walls to be more than simply covered they want them to make a statement. Arguably a wall covering is a piece of art and an expression of ones personality. By just browsing through the internet for popular wallpaper designs there are numerous different styles and textures available. However hubpages.com provides some of the industries offerings: Hubpages.com suggests that metallic wallpaper is one of the popular modern styles today. It is produced in a variety of colours and patterns. Due to its rich visual texture it instantly creates a focal point for a room therefore grabbing attention. Although this style of wallpaper is a modern technique, the patterns which are used are quite traditional, often with a floral repeat print. The colours used within todays market are bright and bold which have a modern feel to them. This therefore suggests to me that the current market trends are a mixture of traditional designs with modern bright colours. However it can be argued that in the 1970s bright orange was injected into the world of interiors. As Lesley Hoskins (1994 p.226) points out, The first few years of the 1970s were bright in every respect, Also according to hubpages.com, The most popular colour palettes in the seventies were based in nature dark woods, mossy greens, bright pumpkin orange, daffodil yellow and the ubiquito us harvest gold dominated the interiors of suburban seventies homes. Therefore questionably are bright colours a modern trend? Or have they just remained popular since the 1970s? Metallic wallpaper varies in price depending where you purchase it from it can range between  £10 a role in stores such as Focus and up to  £50 a role from Cole Son. Therefore showing that this type of wallpaper is affordable for everyone and it is also a popular style due to the wide range of stores selling it. Flock is a traditional style of wallpaper and has been around for countless years, it became very popular in the mid 17th century. It has a slightly raised textural pattern that has a soft velvety feel to it. This can be supported by hubpages.com as they state, it is rich in both visual and tactile texture. This style is elegant and luxurious. In the 1760s it was greatly respected within the industry as noted by Charles C. Oman and Jean Hamilton (1982 p.21) The flock papers of this period on the other hand, are, almost without exception, the work of very capable designers. Their decorative qualities were such that their suppression by other types of wallpaper later in the century was clearly due to a change in taste, rather than to the growth of greater artistic appreciation. Although Flock is a traditional wall covering it has remained to this day a fashionable choice of wallpaper, as it is sold by manufactures such as BQ, Cole Son, Osborne little and Zoffanny. Flock wallpaper is very expensive compared to other wall coverings. My research has identified that prices start from  £44.98 in lower end stores such as BQ and can range up to  £150 by Cole Son, increasing in price to  £253.95 by designers such as Antonina Vella. This style is very highly priced and therefore suggests only the greater cliental would be able to afford it. However it can be argued that a fashionable trend within the industry today is the feature wall, being the decoration of one wall only. This would subsequently cut costs and allow more homeowners to buy luxurious styles of wallpaper. As in a article published by the Guardian, Review of the Decade, Humi Qureshi makes the point that, with some designers saying feature walls offer recession-proof style (buying one roll of wallpaper or one pot of paint, to cover a single wall is more affordable than decorating a whole room), therefore supporting the feature wall current trend. An interesting design of wallpaper I have researched is glass bead wallpaper, after looking into this I have discovered that it is a moderately new product, it is very rich in texture as it is built up of thousands of miniature glass beads stuck onto the paper backing. The three dimensional surface makes this wallpaper strikingly unique. A positive to this wallpaper is that it can be developed in a variety of colours however when it comes to cost this product is very expensive compared to the others as it can be up to three times the price of regular wallpaper. This again makes me think this style of design would be more suited for the more affluent buyer. I love this technique I think its very eye catching and unusual, it would look great in a grand, luxurious bathroom. I can also see this design being used within upper class hotels and perhaps restaurants. However, although this is a very luxurious wallpaper, if too much was introduced into a room it would become tacky and unattractive therefore I would keep it to a minimum and use small amounts to add accents and create a unique look to the room. By adding only small sections of the beaded paper it would reduce costs therefore making it affordable to more people. Todays Economic Market According to keynote.co.uk in 2009 outgoings on wallpapers amounted to  £315 million. However total market value has dropped by 6.4% from the previous year. Is this due to the economic climate? Or is the consumer spending elsewhere? Keynote.co.uk states that wall coverings and ceramic tiles account for 10.3% of total expenditure on materials for maintenance and repair of dwellings in the UK, trailing other home dà ©cor and improvement products such as paint, this statement shows home owners are opting to use other methods for decorating instead of buying wallpaper. Arguably the cost cuts for the wallpaper industry may be due to the feature wall trend implying that the consumer is still buying wallpaper albeit not in large quantities as they did before, thus explaining the cost cuts. Although the market value has dropped keynote.co.uk also points out it remains popular with the C1 and E socio-demographic groups, as well as consumers based in particular regions such as the West Midlands, the North, the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside. This statement is interesting as to quote from Wikipedia, Socio groups C1 and E are; lower middle class and Those at lowest level of substance, suggesting, home owners of all classes are able to afford wallpaper and signifies, wallpaper is not just for the affluent buyer. According to keynote.co.uk Recovery within the UK retail market for wall coverings is not expected to start until 2011 By 2014 market value is expected to have risen by 7.3% Thus implying there is still going to be a demand for wallpaper in the UK for the fore coming years. marketresearch.com points out A key market influences, construction sector- historical trends and current performance of housing and commercial construction markets, house moving this statement shows the possibilities for wallpaper and its future. Through my own primary research, using surveys and asking a variety of consumers, their opinions based around wallpapers about their profession, thoughts on cost, design, colours and techniques, along with their outlook on the feature wall trend. Has allowed me to find out the current consumer demands; along with assisting me to answer the questions: do people still buy wallpaper in todays economic climate? Are they cost effective? What are the consumer demands/what do they look for in wallpaper? What styles do they like?

Eating Disorders in Males Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Eating Disorders in Males Eating disorders are largely considered to be a "female disease". Statistics seem to validate this perception – of the estimated five million-plus adults in the United States who have an eating disorder, only ten percent are thought to be male ((1)). Many professionals, however, hold the opinion that these numbers are incorrect – it is impossible to base the statistics on anything other than the number of adults diagnosed with eating disorders, and men are much less likely than women to seek help for such a problem ((2)). This means that the male population probably suffers more from eating disorders than the numbers show. The fact that the number of men who suffer from eating disorders is larger than most people think, and the fact that most people do not consider men to be susceptible to eating disorders at all, raise the question of whether or not we treat men who may have an eating disorder the same way we treat women. Simply put, this knowledge begs the question: is it more dangerous to be a man with an eating disorder than it is to be a woman with one? For quite some time, there was a great deal of debate within the medical community as to whether or not men develop eating disorders for the same reasons that women do ((2)). Since very few men are willing to participate in treatment and study programs for people suffering from eating disorders, there was little way of knowing what psychological factors triggered disordered eating in males. A study published in the April 2001 issue of an APA journal, which looked at men with eating disorders and compared them to women with eating disorders and men without eating disorders, found that "men are generally very similar to women in terms of co... ... them on the early signs of an eating disorder in their child. It is also important that doctors be aware of the possibility that one of their male patients may have an eating disorder, and that they treat any of the symptoms that would lead them to believe a female patient had an eating disorder just as seriously when those symptoms occur in a male patient. By working to erode the assumption that eating disorders are fundamentally un-masculine, we assure that men feel able to seek the same help that as women. Internet Sources: 1) http://www.jsonline.com/alive/news/aug00/eat14081300.asp 2) http://www.medem.com/search/article_display.cfm?path=\\TANQUERAY\M_ContentItem&mstr=/M_ContentItem/ZZZ0626R6LC.html&soc=APA&srch_typ=NAV_SERCH 3) http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/issuesformen.php 4) http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/sci/0401/blbul401.htm

American high schools not up to par :: essays research papers

American High Schools Not Up To Par There are many factors that would lead someone to believe that high school is a waste of time. High school has too many distractions for kids to try to concentrate on learning. Since the Columbine tragedy police officers have moved into most high schools and created a distraction for most students. During the day students have study halls that are a huge waste of time, while this time could be utilized to have more instruction or tutoring for kids. Every student is different and has a different learning style. Yet schools don’t separate kids by their learning style to help maximize their curriculum intake. Students are also forced to take classes that they have no interest in and will not be used in their future. All these reasons show how school has too much wasted time and is not doing what it school is intended to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the school day students are faced with many distractions that may keep them from doing their best. Since all of the school shootings in recent years schools have beefed up security across the country. Students are faced with metal detectors as they walk in the school doors. Dogs are used in the schools to conduct random searches and some students find this very controversial. Students are violent and are bringing weapons to school and making bomb threats. These can cause lockdowns that can take hours to search the whole school. This is all valuable time taken from the school day. Police officers are also a new presence in the school system that intimidates students. School is supposed to be a place of learning but now students have to worry if they are safe when they go to school. All these distractions have some students scared to go to school. Every one of these distractions creates an environment that is not conducive to learning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Almost every student has had a study hall. Study halls are a huge waste of time because students end up just sitting around getting themselves into trouble. How is one to study when these are quiet study halls? Studying is much easier with a partner where each can quiz each other aloud. With block scheduling students can waste eighty minutes a day if they have a study hall. That’s an hour and twenty minutes where a class of importance could be put in.

Frank Lloyd Wright :: essays papers

Frank Lloyd Wright These ideas proposed by Wright represent a half century of ingenuity and unrivaled creativity. Wright was unquestionably a architectural genius and was years ahead of his time. The biggest obstacle which held Wright back throughout his career was the lack of technogaly that was present during his time. As a architect, Wright accomplished more that any other in history, with the possible exception of DaVincci or Michangelo. His philosophy of Organic Architecture showed the world that form and function could both by achieved to create a house that was both true to nature and affordable. Wrights homes, have today become monuments of greatness and distictionn. Most of them serve as museums, displaying the his ideas and the achievements of a lifetime of innovation. It wasn't until Wright published "The Natural House" however, that he fully was able to illustrate all of his ideas relating toward housing. In the "Natural House" wright defines the meaning of Organic Architecture and how it c an be applied to creating housing which provides a closeness to nature for the occupents. Wright was undoubtly a romantic and individualist. His feeling toward nature and self integrity can best be shown by comparing them to those shared by Emerson and Thoreau. Wrights deep love of nature and his individualism were formed from the events which influenced him as a child and up until his days working for Louis Sullivan. In order to fully understand the ideas which Wright proposed through his philosophy of Organic Architecture, one must first understand the events and influences which led to their creation. As a child, Wrights parents always encouraged him to be a free thinker and individualist. Both of his parents were intelligent and creative people by nature. They, of all people had the greatest influence on Wright. Throughout his life they were extreamly supportive of Wrights dream of becoming an architect, and always made sure that he had books and pictures of buildings that he could study and learn from. Wrights parents had little money, but they always found the extra money needed to support their childrens intrusts. When Wright became old enough to begin learning about working, his parents felt that sending him to his uncles dairy farm during his summer break from school would provide him with the proper work ethics and morals needed to become a responsible adult. The work on the farm was rigorous and seemingly endless to Wright.

The Role of The Front Office

A security program is most effective when all employees participate in the hotel s security efforts. Front office staff play a paticularly important role. Front desk agent, door attendants, bellpersons, and parking attendantshave the oppurtunity to observe all persons entering or departing the premises. Suspicious activities or circumstances involving a guest or visitor should be reported to the hotel s security department or a designated staff member. Several procedures front desk agents should use to protect guests and property have already been mentioned. For example, front desk agents should never give keys, room numbers, messages, or mail to anyone requesting them without first requiring appropriate identification. Similiarly, the front desk agent should not announce an arriving guest s room number. Guest s may be further proteceted if the front office prohibits staff members frrom providing guest information to callers or visitors. Generally, front desk agent should not mention guest room numbers. People calling guest s at the hotel should be directly connected to the appropriate guestroom without being informed of the room number. Conversely, someone asking for a specific room number over the telephone should never be connected until the caller identifies whom he or she is calling and the hotel employee verifies the identity of the person in the room requested. A person inquiring at the front desk about a guest may be asked to use the house phones so that they connect only to the hotel operator. The caller can then be properly screened to provideadditional security. Front office staff may also inform guest s of personal precautions they may take. For example, front desk agents may suggest that guests hide and secure any valuables left in their cars. Bellpersons accompanying the guest to a room generally provide instructions on the operation of in-room equipment. The bellpersons may also review any decals or notices in the room relating to guest security. This should always include emergency evacuation paths and procedures. The front office may provide the guests with flyers containing safety tips, such as the example shown in exhibit 6. 5.