Cash Flow Statement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cash Flow Statement Analysis - Essay Example 2012). Operating activities are the main activities of the business because they reflect the underlying health of the company. It reflects the money that comes into and leaves the firm that is associated with the ordinary activities of the company (Warren, et al. 2012). Based on the above analysis of operating activities of the five companies, it is clear that Emaar Properties PJSC is the best performing firm because it generates most of its income from its primary activities compared to the remaining four. This implies that Emaar Properties PJSC is putting more emphasis on its core activities than the other companies hence more income from operating activities. Additionally, it shows that the operating activities of the company are more vibrant than the other firms. At 63.72%, Emaar has a good performance because its primary activities generate more than half of the total revenue. The second company, Deyaar PJSC Development, also has a good performance because it generates most of its income from its core business activities. The third company, Drake & Scull International PJSC, is also performing well because it has a positive net cash flow from operating activities. The third and fourth positions are taken by Arabtec Holding PJSC and Al Mazaya Holding respectively. From the analysis, it is clear that all the companies are good investments and the investors will be willing to invest in any of them because they produce a net positive cash flow from operating activities (Kapil, 2011). This implies that all the companies are putting more emphasis in their core activities thus more income from operating activities. However, investors would prefer Emaar because it generates more cash from their core business activities. The net cash flows from investing activities largely reflects the amount of cash associated with the sale and purchase of long-term business investments (capital expenditures) like assets, property, securities and equipment. From the

Job Application Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Job Application - Personal Statement Example In other words, I know that I should be very discrete in choosing job openings I wish to pursue so I can be successful in my pursuit. Despite the immediate need of finances, I know that I should not jump to a job because it fills my pocket. I made it a point to make myself well-informed. I took the time to research on newspapers, advertising and company announcements. All these in consideration, I decided I would pursue a customer related position at _________________. Upon determining the job opening of my choice, I concentrated on finding out the details about the company. I researched on __________________'s reputation, how it has faired in the business world. I also predicted the fulfillment I will have with the position of interest. I also performed a SWOT analysis and compared it to the requirements of the job. It is shown as follows: After the preparations, I then wrote an application letter, prepared my resume and collected endorsement letters. The completion of the aforesaid documents for application was a long process. To be sure I observe the proper format; I consulted books and reputable sources online. I also asked the assistance of people I know. I made the effort to make my application documents impressive for I am aware that these are the first things an HR manager will base his impressions on. I I am now ready to be interviewed. Though I am not required to go to an interview, I still researched on the proper attire and the proper decorum that is expected of me in an interview. As I have assessed myself via the SWOT analysis, I am now fully aware of my value as a prospect employee and will convey this value in the interview. Even before the interview, I already have an idea of what I want to happen. With the end in mind, I will act accordingly. To further increase my chances of being hired, I will bring with me a portfolio of my achievements and previous work experience; and bring this portfolio up when the time is right. All things considered, it can be said that every employer wants something from every one of us. It is our goal to identify to them this certain something. As Hellen Keller once said, "We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough". Thus, the secret of a successful job hunt is dedication and passion to one's

The Justice System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Justice System - Research Paper Example This generally helps in creating a peaceful society as the people are ensured of justice. Premised on this fact, disputes in a society are settled in an amicable manner thus reducing the conflicts that might arise. Without the criminal and civil courts it’s impossible for the justice system to operate as the need for a body to resolve issues is part and parcel of the justice system. The civil and criminal courts form the judicial system that ensures citizens of any country live safely as well as in a civilized manner. A society cannot do without a judicial system that ensures justice is done. Criminal courts Criminal courts form part of the judicial system that seeks to enforce justice in a society. The idea of criminal courts came about due to the need for an institution to enforce the criminal laws coded in the different states of various countries. Some acts and omissions have been criminalized under the Tennessee Criminal Code and as such the Tennessee criminal courts are institutions that ensure that the criminal justice system is enforced as provided in the law. The criminal courts came about to regulate alleged, potential and actual criminal activities within the limits that have been put in place by the law so as to protect the citizen of a particular country from the wrongful treatment as well as protection from wrongful conviction. The two main reasons why the criminal courts exists is, thus, to first ensure that people are protected from harm of any wrong doer. Secondly, to ensure that the alleged wrong doers are not convicted for a wrong they did not commit (Brown 65). Therefore, the criminal courts serve justice to the victim of the wrong doing as well as to the wrongdoer himself. In many countries it is wrong for citizens to take the law into their hands. For example mob justice is an example of a situation where citizen take the law into their hands and decide on the punishment of the wrong doer. The criminal courts are put in place to avo id such situation where fairness and justice are not seen to be done. Many a time the alleged wrong doer might not be guilty and as such it is important to determine his or her guilt in a free and fair manner through a fair trial and hearing. I addition to giving the alleged wrong doer a fair trial the criminal courts came about to give justice to the person who has suffered harm as a result of the wrong doing. Thus the criminal courts have to balance the interests of both parties of the wrong doing and ensure that justice is done. The idea of criminal courts also came about so as to determine the exact punishment of a guilty person. Every criminal act is known as an offence and various countries have provided for it in their status. Further for every offence provided the there is a punishment and in most cases the punishment provides for a fine not exceeding a particular amount or for a jail sentence not exceeding a particular number of years. This means that there is need to be a system that determines the specific amount of fine or number of years for a jail term. An example is where the Criminal Code of Tennessee provides that a person who commits Class A felony is to be jailed for a term not less than (15) years or more than sixty (60) years imprisonment. In addition to this, the code further provided that the jury may assess a fine not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). In such a case there is need for a criminal court which determines the gravity

The differences between reading content area material and literature Essay

The differences between reading content area material and literature - Essay Example The reading of the content areas is mainly divided into three parts. The students draw upon a prior experience or knowledge about the text, during reading they identify with the text and after reading they make interpretations. The strategies of the teacher depend on the activities of the students. (Literacy matters, n.d.). The appropriate strategies of the teachers are as follows: The content materials have a different structure than the other varieties of texts. If the preview of the structure is provided to the students beforehand with headings and sub-headings, pictures and captions then it will benefit the students to understand the nature of the text beforehand. A teacher can discuss these features before beginning starting the lesson. Before starting a new lesson, it will be beneficial for the students if the teachers give an idea of the concepts present in the lesson. The teachers should enquire the students about their knowledge of the subject, which will help in the flow of teaching. Various techniques like the Concept mapping can be used to know the prior knowledge of the students about the subject. The content readings have a high level of vocabulary, which has to be made familiar to the students. The meaning of the new words should be clearly explained to the students. (Abromitis, 28th July, 2009). Reading literature is of great importance because it is through reading of literature that the student learns to view the thoughts and actions of the character compassionately. It develops a sense of emotion in the minds of the reader. Therefore, reading of literature is of utmost importance. The appropriate strategies of teaching literature are as follows: The teachers may teach the whole literature through creating mini lessons about the text. It will be easier for the students to relate to the bigger picture and form a generalized idea about the text. This strategy is helpful for both the

Wal-Mart and Union Representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart and Union Representation - Essay Example Advantages: Some of most considerable advantages that Wal-Mart can get while being represented by unions include better working conditions, increased number of benefits, good compensation, and secure place in the market. Wal-Mart can struggle for these benefits with the help of unions. Almost every retailer wants better working conditions not only to operate effectively but also to earn high revenue. Efficient supply chain, better relationships with suppliers, security of supply, and improved compliance are some of the main aspects of good working conditions for retailers. Along with these benefits, Wal-Mart can also raise its voice for good compensation and secure place in the market under the umbrella of unions. Working alone in foreign countries can be risky for Wal-Mart because there will be no one to support the business moves in case of any change in the economic policy. Therefore, in working with unions, Wal-Mart can achieve the above-mentioned benefits for its retail stores present in C hina and Canada. Disadvantages The capacity to accommodate economic strikes is one of the main disadvantages of union representation. Another disadvantage can be the rules, which people have to abide by under the representation of unions. Apart from these disadvantages, there is no big disadvantage of union representation for Wal-Mart.... cant benefits, which unions can provide to the employees, include increased wages, reduction in wage inequality, better way to raise voice against discrimination, job security, better fringe and health benefits, and improved working conditions. Almost every employee working for any company or organization wants increase in the wages and job security. Union representation is a perfect way for the employees to achieve these goals. Unions work for the favor of employees and do everything, which can secure their professional future. Strong labor unions set the pay scales for the employees, which employers need to follow in order to avoid conflicts. The collective bargaining power of unions also protects employees from being dismissed without any mistake (Blank, n.d.). Unions not only help employees get fringe and heath benefits from the employers but also they raise their voice in order to convince governments to develop policies regarding reduction in wage differences and workplace disc riminations. Workers represented by unions get their basic rights and benefits regardless of their race, sex, or religion. Therefore, we can say that unions really help employees get a considerable number of benefits. The disadvantages of unions for employees are not big enough to overshadow the benefits of unions. Some of the main disadvantages include limited workplace flexibility and limitations to adhere to the plans of the unions. Answer: no: 3 Wal-Mart tends to slow or stop union representation in the United States. The consequences of Wal-Mart’s efforts can be detrimental both for Wal-Mart and for the employees working in the United States. The consequences for Wal-Mart can be poor working conditions, decreased number of benefits, and insecure place in the market in case of

Inaugural speech Essay Example for Free

Inaugural speech Essay In the history of the United States, it has been a tradition that the President, makes an inaugural speech, when he begins his Presidential term. The first such inaugural speech was made by George Washington, on 30 April 1789. (Halsall Paul ). This essay makes an in-depth rhetorical analysis of one of the historic and important inaugural addresses- he one made by President John F. Kennedy, in 1961. He was he thirty-fifth President of The Unites States, and the youngest President to assume this prestigious office. He was the youngest president to die also. He graduated from Harvard University, and spent many years in the US navy. He was a very good writer also, and before assuming the Presidency, he was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer prize in history. ( John Kennedy) His education gave him the vision of a strong America striving for global peace, his naval background gave him the daunting spirit of challenging the enemy and his literal excellence helped in drafting an memorable inaugural speech in the history of the United States. His background is strongly reflected in his inaugural speech. This inaugural speech was delivered when world was at a very important juncture in its history. The dark clouds of the second world war had already vanished, the equations of power had changed, Germany and Japan were lying low, but USSR had risen to the level of a strong super power, always threatening the super power status of the USA. Great Britain, France, and China were as good as neutral not wanting to confront with either of the super powers. Both USA and USSR equated the power balance in such a way that neither can make an advancement. The rest of the world heavily relied on the aid of these to nations, to survive and sustain themselves. Globalization was an unheard word and each nation had its own independent economy. Markets of each nation were closed to foreigners. The cold war between the USA and the USSR for supremacy had just begun, when President John Kennedy made this address. In a narrow context this speech is intended for the Congress of the USA. However, in the broader context, President Kennedy wishes to address the Population of America, southern America in particular, because he takes the pain to make a special mention of them in his speech, and assures them justice and equality. The canvas of his speech is even larger, and crosses the boundaries of the United States. He seems to be addressing the entire population of this world. He cautions the strong nations to exercise restraint and assures help to he weaker ones to develop themselves. The government of the USSR is a special target of this speech. In a polite yet very stern and firm way, he extends an indirect warning to the USSR, to be cautious in their dealings with international affairs. President Kennedy intends to give three clear messages in his speech. One, he stresses on the freedom of every human being. He speaks of freedom not only at national level within the United States, but to all human beings. He clearly communicates his mind in one sentence, â€Å"And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. † Undoubtedly, Kennedy firmly believes that freedom is a basic right of human being, not given by the state, but by God. In other words, all men are born free and no state has any right to deny this basic right to anyone. He shows his commitment to this freedom to the natives of southern states, which have experienced a past full of cruelty and brutality. The second point he makes is on the subject of peace and aid to the weaker nations. Both at national level and at international level. â€Å" To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support—to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective—to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak—and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run†, (John F. Kennedy ) he remarks on the subject of international peace and says that. â€Å" To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. † ( John F. Kennedy ). On the subject of helping the weaker countries. His third point is a proposal to the ‘adversaries’ of the USA, namely, USSR, to strive for mutual co- operation which can benefit both he nations and the entire humanity. â€Å"Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction. † ( John F. Kennedy ) He remarks. This speech has two important undercurrents. President Kennedy, though very polite, is fully confident. His confidence is evident from one sentence of his speech. â€Å"And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house. † (John F. Kennedy). Second, while proposing mutual co-operation to the adversaries, he also indicates at some amount of suspicion towards their intentions. This is evident from the statement, â€Å"remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof â€Å". ( John F.Kennedy ). The structure of this speech is also very strong and has a natural flow. Beginning with the issue of freedom of Liberty and of all human beings, he switches over to the issue of helping the weaker sections of the American society and the poor nations of this world. He then makes a brief mention of the UN, and pledges American support in its endeavors. Quite surprisingly, a major portion of his speech is devoted to the issue of mutual co-operation between the two super powers. It is a clear indication of the importance Kennedy gave to this subject. But, the big question is, did this subject deserve that much of priority in the prevailing international scenario at that time? This should be a topic for historians to research into. He also reminds the citizens, with an authoritative tone, that they also need to fulfill their duties towards the nation. † From the linguistic point of view, this speech is just a master-piece of careful craftsmanship. It is not a very simple and a direct speech. The exterior gloss of politeness is filled with undercurrents of self-confidence and suspicion towards the attitudes and intentions of others. Figures of speech, namely repetition and metaphor are freely used throughout the speech, act as an ornament. One of his statements in this speech has become very famous, and will be remembered by all. This is, â€Å" And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. † ( John F. Kennedy ) President Kennedy fully succeeds in communicating the three main messages which he intends to pass over. He succeeds because of his style. A style which has nothing new to say, yet everything is new. The word ‘peace’ has great force to attract masses of humanity, and Kennedy has used this word very effectively in his speech. His commitment to peace and self pride for his nation, were, perhaps the reasons for his immense popularity, not within America but around the world. So powerful is the impact of his speech, that it can be safely concluded that Kennedy delivered this address not as the President of USA but as an international leader, to an international community. References : 1. Halsall Paul, [July 1998], History of inaugural addresses, Retrieved on 29 Sept 07 from: http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/presidents-inaugurals. html 2. John Kennedy, The White House, Retrieved on 29 Sept 07 from: http://www. whitehouse. gov/history/presidents/jk35. html 3. Burton Grideon O. , Basic questions for rhetorical analysis, Brigham Young University, Retrieved on 29 September 2007 from: http://rhetoric. byu. edu/Pedagogy/Rhetorical%20Analysis%20heuristic. htm 4. John F. Kennedy, [ 20 February 1961] Inaugural address, Retrieved on 29 September 07 from: http://www. bartleby. com/124/pres56. html .

Analysis Of Marketing Mix

Analysis Of Marketing Mix We took up Amul Ice Cream as a product for our study and analysis. The project basic objective was to acquire a deeper understanding of the product and apply the concepts related to marketing mix, 4Ps of marketing and the consumer behavior as learnt in the course. The project was studied in three parts: Marketing mix of Amul Ice cream Study of the consumer behavior with the help of a structured questionnaire Marketing mix of two main competitors; Kwality Walls and Mother Dairy, suggestions and foresight about Amul Ice Creams In the first part, we studied the marketing mix of Amul ice cream which was further divided into four parts: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. MAIN CONTENTS Note: all corrections/additions/reasons in lieu of corrections are done below the remarks itself. SESSION 1 Marketing Mix of Amul Ice cream Amul Ice Cream was launched on 10th March, 1996 in Gujarat. It was launched on the platform of Real Milk. Real Ice Cream given that it is a milk company and the wholesomeness of its products gives it a competitive advantage. In 1997, Amul ice creams entered Mumbai followed by Chennai in 1998 and Kolkata and Delhi in 2002. Nationally it was rolled out across the country in 1999. It has combated competition from the established players like Walls, Mother Dairy and achieved the No 1 position in the country. This position was achieved in 2001 and it has continued to remain at the top. Today the market share of Amul ice cream is 38% as against the 9% market share of HLL, thus making it 4 times larger than its closest competitor. Product Amul has added a vast variety of flavours to its ever growing range. Currently it offers a selection of 220 products. Amul has always brought newness in its products and the same applies for ice creams. The broad heads under which Amul markets its ice creams are as follows: Royal treat range (rajbhog, cappuccino, chocochips, butterscotch, tutti frutti) Nut-o-mania range (kaju draksh, kesar pista, roasted almond, kesar carnival, badshahi badam kulfi, shista pista kulfi) Utsav range (anjir, roasted almond) Simply delicious range (vanilla, strawberry, pineapple, rose, chocolate) Natures treat (alphonso mango, fresh litchi, anjir, fresh strawberry, black current) Sundae range (mango, black current, chocolate, strawberry) Millennium ice cream (cheese with almonds, dates with honey) Milk bars (chocobar, mango dolly, raspberry dolly, shahi badam kulfi, shahi pista kulfi, mawa malai kulfi cream, green pista kulfi) Cool candies (orange, mango), Cassatta, Tricone cones (butterscotch, chocolate), megabite-almond cone), Frostik 3 layer chocolate bar, Fundoo range exclusively for kids, Slimscoop fat free frozen dessert (vanilla, banana, mango, pineapple), Health Isabcool In January 2007, Amul introduced SUGAR FREE ProLife Probiotic Wellness Ice Cream, which was a first in India. This range of SUGAR FREE, LOW FAT Diabetic Delight ProLife Probiotic Wellness Ice Cream is created for the health conscious. Price Amul has managed to stay ahead of its competitors by providing quality products at competitive prices, maximizing customer value. Amul followed the penetration pricing strategy and entered the market with prices much less than the leader in the market kwality Walls. This helped Amul in achieving great success at the start. Amul also captured a lot of the lower end untapped market due to its pricing strategy and gradually acquired a market share of 12-15% in the first few years. The pricing has been a major advantage of the brand. Following Amul, other players lowered their prices consequent to which Amul now follows a competitive pricing as its major strategy. Range of price minimum and maximum? Amul frostiks start from Rs 10 and go upto Rs. 20. The prolife pro-biotic icecream is priced at Rs. 15 for 125 ml. the super saver take away packs start from as low as Rs.110 for 2 litre whereas catering the higher end, exotica range starts from Rs. 120 per litre brick and extends upto Rs. 160 for different flavours. Place Ice cream, being a perishable item, it is very important to have a good distribution channel. Amuls head office is at Anand. The entire market is divided into 5 zones. The zonal offices are located at Ahmadabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. Moreover there are 49 Depots located across the country and Amul caters to 13 Export markets also. Amul follows four marketing channels to distribute its ice creams. Level Zero also called direct marketing channel consists of a manufacturer selling directly to the final customers how? Amul has entered into direct retailing through Amul Utterly Delicious parlours created in major cities Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Baroda, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Surat. These parlours surpass the regular softy and ice-cream scoop offering joints in terms of popularity and look set to give the more established ice cream brands in the cities a run for their money. In these parlours, icecream is stored and transported in a frozen condition (- 28o centigrade or below). They also keep frozen pizzas and frozen paneer. Level One contains one selling intermediary such as retailer to the final customers Level Two has two intermediaries typically distributor and the retailer Level Three comprises the distributor, retailer with the jobber in between Promotion Amul doesnt follow an aggressive marketing strategy for its ice creams. In the beginning, TV commercials for products such as amul tricone, real milk ice cream, frostik and premium ice cream were seen frequently. However these commercials cannot be spotted now. Instead the company prefers a more direct approach to sales promotion strategy. Offers such as super saver packs, one plus one and the likes are often given to lure the consumers into buying. Apart from these, Amul Company as a whole with its advertising partner FCB-ULKA puts up its hoardings which are famous for their satirical take on current happenings, for its complete basket of products including ice cream. The main reason for Amul retaining its dominant position in the market despite a conservative marketing strategy is because all the market players in this product category follow the same kind of strategy, i.e. minimal exposure to electronic media and high on sales promotion technique. In such a scenario Amul has been successful in creating a niche for itself. Amuls entry into ice creams is regarded as successful due to the large market share it was able to capture within a short period of time. The differential pricing, quality of products and of course, the brand name made this possible. SESSION 2 Consumer Buying Behavior We studied the marketing mix of Amul ice creams. Now well study and analyze the behavior in terms of consumers decision making process and factors affecting their buying behavior. Consumer behavior is how individuals, groups, and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services and ideas to satisfy their needs and wants. Consumer passes through five stages in buying a product: Need Identification Information Search Evaluation of Alternatives Purchase of Product After Sales Service Consumers dont always pass through all the above stages while making a purchase. For many of products (mostly perishable), the kind of involvement in the buying process is low. Consumers tend to do a lot of brand switching for the sake of variety and novelty. While buying a regular brand of ice cream, one goes directly from the need for ice-cream to the purchase decision skipping information search and evaluation. Even if they are present, the time given to each of these is negligible as compared to other stages. This is very important part of consumer buying behavior which in turn affects the factors affecting the consumer behavior. If one is loyal to one brand he will repeatedly purchase that brand and flavor. However if one doesnt find that product, he is very likely to switch to other available brands without much effort and may start liking it. Factors affecting the consumer behavior: Various types of factors which affect the consumer behavior and lead them towards a particular ice-cream brand are as follows: Product specifications, variety, price range, promotion strategies, and availability of product (which forms an integral part in case of variety seeking products) Reference groups (family, friends , media etc) and their effect on choices Knowledge of other brands existing in the market and their positioning in the minds of the consumers Demographics age, gender, income group Situational occasions where a consumer buys a product Involvement in buying the product in terms of frequency of purchase Studying the consumer behavior: In the survey conducted, (sample size=60) well first do a general analysis studying the market and Amul ice-creams position in it. In second part of the analysis, well see how different age groups may behave differently in consuming ice cream. Methodology: Samples for the study consisted of people from the age group of 18-40. Samples were taken randomly where a structured questionnaire was mailed to the people and their responses recorded. The questionnaire had the following dimensions: Demographics of the respondents such as age, income group, occupation, gender Knowledge/awareness about the various brands available in the market Frequency of purchase of ice cream, place of purchase, price preferences, reference groups, Favorite brands vis-Ã  -vis Amul in terms of ratings on the features of the product. Sample size: 60 respondents from the target population were approached to fill in the questionnaire. Result and discussion: The decision in buying ice cream is influenced by many factors such as taste, availability, pricing, packaging, variety of the product, occasions and mood and so on. Results of the data analysis will be studied in two parts: An overall analysis of all the factors. A comparative analysis of the age groups to analyze the difference in their behavior due to different age. Overall analysis: Demographics of the respondents: Data was collected with respect to four demographics of the sample; age, gender, income groups and occupation. Based on the analysis, it was observed that 68% of respondents were in the age group 18-24 and 32% in the age group 25-40. One third of the respondents were females. More than 50% of the samples were students owing to which the income range of less than 50000 Rs. bears the highest percentage in the income distribution. The following pie charts show the age, and income group distribution of the sample: Consumer behavior with respect to frequency of purchase and the occasions/moods leading the buying towards buying ice creams: The frequency of purchasing of ice creams is high. 7% and 35% of the respondents buy ice cream on a daily and weekly basis respectively. This implies that buying frequency for ice creams is fairly high. This influences the level of involvement in looking for the alternatives each time the buyer consumes an ice-cream. The consumer is more or less habitual own interpretation? in purchasing the ice cream due to which the 2 steps in buying behavior become redundant as already mentioned earlier. By habitual, we mean routine to be more precise. This can be seen in the following pie-chart which shows the frequency of purchase. Restating the data, 7% of the respondents are buying on a daily basis and 35% are doing so weekly. In terms of mood in buying, people generally buy ice-cream without any reason when buying very frequently. If they buy occasionally then the occasions on which buying is carried out on the occasions as given below: The samples are equally distributed over the occasions such as birthday, marriage, family outing, hanging out with friends, or part with the % of people consuming it with friends dominating the others. As far as choosing the flavor/brand of ice-cream is concerned, over 93% choose the flavor/brand themselves. It can be inferred that the influence of family and friends in choosing the ice-cream is very low and people go by their own choices while buying it. 5% of the people eat ice-cream flavors as decided by the family which may be the case when one is buying bricks of ice-cream. Rest 2% constitutes people who go by the friends choice in choosing the flavor/brand. Place of purchase and importance attached to packaging: More than 50% of the consumers buy ice cream from the corner shop of their colony. It signifies the importance of distribution channels and the kind of availability they need to have to maintain to create a position in the market. If they go out of stock they are at the risk of losing their customers to other competitors. The data infers that availability of Ice-creams are high in round the corner shop and Super markets whereas Malls may afford to go loose on all time availability. Regarding the packaging, 93% place importance on the packaging of the ice-cream which again makes it important for the brands to have a very attractive packaging in order to attract the consumers. Factors forming an important consideration for trying a new product/flavor: There are various factors which lead to trying out a new product launched in the market and make repeated purchases. The following pie diagram shows the constitution of various factors that may lead to trying out and repeated a new flavor, brand or product: It can be seen that taste forms the most important factor leading to buying of ice cream which is placed higher than the brand name also. It reemphasizes the fact that brand name of the ice-cream is not the most important. If the consumer likes the taste of other product, one may shift to the other brand. The 2nd most important factor is advertising. Ice-cream brands are generally low on their promotional strategies. However the importance of advertising with consumers is easily visible in the survey. For one fourth of the people, advertising is the force which leads them towards an ice-cream product. Most of the advertising for Ice-creams comes through billboards and hoardings and here Amul as a brand scores over others as the brand awareness of Amul is one the best. 2. Comparison of consumers favorite ice-cream and Amul ice-cream on various attributes: We asked our sample to rate their favorite ice-cream vis a vis Amul ice-cream on various attributes such as taste, packaging, price , variety and availability on a scale of 5 where 1 was the worst and 5 was the best (out of total samples 13 rated Amul as their favorite ice-cream also which is roughly 21% of the total samples). A comparative chart of the same is given below: Studying the parameters: Taste: People rate their favorite ice-cream as approx 3.7 (average of all the samples collected) whereas rate the Amul ice-cream as approx. 3.1. And as we saw that taste is the most important factor in determining the choice of consumers, how you can conclude this? Graph shows that Amul ice cream is lagging behind in this attribute to quite a large extent as compared to other factors. In the previous question, we had asked the consumers about the factors which would lead them to try out a new product/flavour/brand. The response was in favour of taste with over 50% of the respondents going for the same. We took five parameters in that question and weve taken the same in the rating scale also. So using the data from above, weve concluded that from these five factors, taste is the highest influence in making the choice for ice cream. Packaging: Favorite ice-cream stands at an average of approx 3.4 as against Amul ice cream which stands at 2.9. The company needs to work on its packaging also in order to attract the consumers. Price: Amul ice cream fairs slight better than the consumers favorite ice-cream. This is obvious as Amul is known for its lower range products. Kwality-walls among the other brands are known for slightly higher prices. Amul has been doing well on this front. Variety: Favorite ice-cream is rated at 3.4 Vis a Vis Amul rated at 2.8 on this parameter. Though Amul offers a wide range of products, but maybe people are not aware about the variety of the Amul ice-creams. Amul needs to create awareness among the consumers on this front. Availability: On the parameter of availability, people rate their favorite ice-cream as approx. 3.4 and Amul as 2.9. Amul has to ensure that it never goes out of stock due to the nature of buying behavior of the product. Awareness about other brands existing in the market: People are well aware about the brands in the market. Among the top 3 brands mentioned by the consumers, Amul and Kwality-walls feature the most among the two. For the 1st preference, Kwality-walls overtake the awareness whereas for the 2nd choice Kwality-walls and Amul stand at an equal rating. This is important from the point of view of Amul as the people who are variety seeking will switch over easily to the other brands if they are not happy with Amul. Among the brands that are well known to the customers, Amul, Kwality-walls and mother dairy are the most sought after brands. Other than these regulars brands, there are other brands such as Vadilal, havmor, Baskin Robbins, creambell, and others which constitute a small share in the market in terms of awareness level. Analysis with taking age, income (demographics) as the distinguishing factors: For analyzing the difference in factors leading to buying behavior due to difference in age, we have already divided the samples into 2 age groups 18-24 and 24-40 years. Frequency of purchase: Following is a chart depicting the total sample of people on the parameter of frequency of purchase divided age wise: It is clearly visible that 18-24 years consume ice-cream more frequently than the people in the age group of 25-40 years. 57% of people in the age group of 25-40 consume ice-cream occasionally which is only 31% in the case of the lower age group. On the other hand, the combined % of people consuming ice-cream on a weekly or daily basis for 24-40 year age group is only 25% as against 48% in case of 18-24 year olds with weekly consumption leading for the same. Factors consuming new ice cream product, brand or flavor: It can be observed from the above table that number of people preferring taste is much higher in case of 18-24 year olds. Also people in the age group of 24-40 years dont consider packaging or cheaper price as a leading factor while considering a new product. This is an important observation as Amul mainly sells on the lower price strategy. If it is offering a lower priced product, it needs to work on packaging as large numbers of people give importance to packaging in this group (also shown in the following chat). However it may or may not work so much on packaging if it is introducing a new product/flavor in the higher end markets. Willingness to buy sugar free ice cream at a higher price: To determine the level of health consciousness of the people and their willingness to buy the ice cream at a higher price if available, the data was collected, representation of which is given below: 70% of the people were not willing to buy the sugar free ice-cream at a higher price. This can be due to 2 factors: always better to ask from the respondents people are less health conscious people are price sensitive The options given to determine the same would not have been exhaustive. Possible the open-ended question wouldnt have been of much use. But yes, it is certainly better to ask from the respondents and due care would be taken next time. To further judge this, we distributed this data age wise to which how many people in which age group are willing to buy the ice-cream at a higher price. The representation of the findings is given below: In case of people in the age 25-40 years, over 42% of the people are willing to buy the sugar free ice cream if available at a higher price. However this falls to 32% In case of the age group 18-24 years. This can be again attributed to 2 factors: People in the lower age group are less health conscious or they are earning less so they are price sensitive or both. People in the higher age group are more health conscious or they are earning more so they can afford higher prices. Miscellaneous remarks about Amul ice creams: (optional in the survey) Amul is my favorite brand but more chocolate varieties are possible using different caramels and nuts. Its like since childhood I have an image that Kwality Walls is the best ice cream. Amul and Mother Dairy are my second best. They should come out with some good advertising campaigns for their ice creams and should really try out the social media to market their brand. It is good, but sometimes some flavors are out of market, especially mango flavor. The Amul ice cream should be readily available and the variety should be more. Also the marketing is very poor we do not see much. Amul seems to be a brand for common men the middle class, very well placed to cater to middle class people the biggest chunk of Indian populationalthough not very popular among the higher class These remarks about Amul ice cream highlight the fact that we have been saying all throughout out analysis. The variety in some products of Amul is not at par with the other brands or the needs of the consumers. The availability is on a lower side due to which some of the samples complained of the brand getting out of stock. Also the level of awareness of the ice creams of Amul among the consumers is very less due to which it suffers a lot. Amul needs to go aggressive on its promotion strategies so that it can expand its market share and perform well. Conclusion: From the above survey, we can conclude that major factors affecting Consumer behavior are Taste, Price, Packaging, Brand Perception and occasion. As Ice-cream is a variety seeking product, therefore the availability of Amul Ice-cream has a major impact on the actual consumption by the consumers and since Amul is very close to the market leader Kwality-walls. It has to take care of availability especially at round the corner stores and super markets where the sales of Ice-cream are maximum. Taste is considered the most important factor in determining the consumer behavior as per the survey. Amul Ice-cream is lagging behind in Taste as per the consumer perception when compared to Market leader. Attitude of the consumer is favorable towards Amul Ice cream and this can be seen through the comparative analysis of different brands in the market. Part of it can be attributed to Amuls brand perception across all the product categories countrywide. There is no significant difference in behavior towards purchasing Ice cream based on gender but the younger age group prefers to eat ice cream more than their older counterparts. Since most of the younger age group also falls in relatively lower income group, this shows the higher consumption trends by low income group in survey.