Business Analysis Mmis Bakery - 2112 Words

MMIS Bakery is a private company owned by Maria serving as President (CEO) and Jean (COO) with 30 employees involved in baking, decorating, retail, sales and administration, and also training over a decade now. It has three retail locations, all located within the state of Florida. The products offered at the retail location include cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, and beverages. A small percentage of the products are also sold in the Caribbean and Canada using independent distributors. Additionally, a few of products will be specifically made for particular wholesalers depending on customer orders. An important feature of their products is that, most of the ingredients used in the preparation are organically grown, no preservatives are†¦show more content†¦Cost of the goods eventually decreased over the time which is a good sign for company’s revenue. In the year 2014, ‘Engineering and product development’ spent $170,000 and the very next year the expense came down by $300 thousand. The sales and marketing expenses are $390,000 and total sales is $2.57 million, which shows that the current marketing strategies are not of much help and hence, implementing an e-commerce site would strengthen the sales. There is an eventual increase in total assets and at the same time decrease in current liabilities and, long term depths that, it’s a good sign for new investments. Anticipated Benefits of developing e-commerce site E-commerce has fundamentally changed the lifestyle of the people. E-commerce has expanded rapidly that business transactions and services have no barriers. Some of the anticipated benefits of implementing e-commerce site by MMIS Bakery are: 1. Investment to start as e-commerce site is considerably less and it is similar to expanding business but with a virtual store. 2. It covers wide range of market such as retail wholesale, and online orders from individual customers, cafes and coffee shops, restaurants and hotels, local and regional Supermarkets widens the business. 3. The multi-channel marketing and e-commerce site makes it easy for the consumers to know about the product details and then purchase them in whichever way is more convenient for

What If Abraham Lincoln Hadnt Died Essay - 626 Words

If Lincoln hadn’t died, a question that every student has come across while learning about the civil war, but what if he hadn’t died had reconstruction would had been better? Had former slaves gained better civil rights? Although these questions have no real answers and all we can come with are speculations, in Eric Foner’s essay he seems to address these questions with some acceptable reasons that made me come to the conclusion that if Lincoln hadn’t been assassinated the period of reconstruction would have been better than it was under Johnson. President Andrew Jackson opposed Lincoln’s plan of reconstruction, instead of forgiving the south like Lincoln wanted, Jackson wanted the south to suffer and pay for what it had cause, therefore†¦show more content†¦Andrew Jackson, while radical republicans fought for greater civil rights for the new free African Americans, Pres. Jackson, being stubborn and racist, did all he could to suppress this movement, going as far as appointing new governments in the south that gave the newly free African Americans no voice and almost send them back to the way they were before, but the worst part of this is that Pres. Jackson open the way to extremist groups to form such as the Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist group made up of extremely racist southern white males that were working to reestablish white supremacy. 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Event Management Engagement in Organizing the Monsoon Cup

Question: Describe about the Report for Event Management for Engagement in Organizing the Monsoon Cup. Answer: Budget for the project The estimated budget for the Fund Raising Event is mentioned asunder Event Budget for Fundraising Program (Amount in ) Site Expenses Estimated Actual Staffs 300 160 Accommodation Fees 460 250 Equipments 370 150 Total 1,130 560 Publicity Expenses Estimated Actual Advertisements 640 750 Graphical work 500 820 Total 1,140 1,570 Decorations Expenses Estimated Actual Candles 250 160 Lighting 300 260 Paper decoration 320 280 Flowers 200 230 Total 1,070 930 Refreshment Expenses Estimated Actual Food 550 610 Beverages 460 400 Catering Staffs 750 820 Total 1,760 1,830 Event Expenses Estimated Actual Performers 250 550 Travel 300 550 Hotel Charges 450 350 Musical Equipments 650 500 Speakers 300 255 Others 300 500 Total 2,250 2,705 Rewards and Prizes Expenses Estimated Actual Trophies 460 500 Medals 200 340 Gifts 390 460 Total 1,050 1,300 Miscellaneous Expenses Estimated Actual Stationery 500 600 Transportation Cost 380 460 Telephone and Fax 400 250 Total 1,280 1,310 Estimated Actual Total Expenses 9,680 10,205 The organizers have selected seven heads of budgetary elements which are imperative while discussing budgetary estimates for the event. At the outset, it is important to learn that the aim of this event is to celebrate and promote diversity. This cultural day Event will help promote local businesses, as well as bring together the community located in Newham community neighborhood. Total expenses as estimated amounts to 9,680 while the actual expenditure is 10,205 Income Budget for the Fundraising ceremony is laid below Estimated Actual Estimated Actual 320 250 Adults 5 1,600 1,250 190 196 Children 2 380 392 40 50 Others 3 120 150 Total Income 2,100 1,792 On the other hand, the income budget states that income proceeds would be available from admissions mainly. The total income estimated is 2,100 as opposed to 1792. It is worthwhile mentioning that the variance between estimates of both income and expenditure is minimized which means that the organizers have utilized the funds diligently and effectively. A summary of the target market for the event The event has been planned to take place in a community in East London. Therefore, the targeted invitees for the event might be the local people residing in East London. 36% of the population of London resides in East London, making it one of the populated immigrant regions of London (Duarte-Alonso 2016). There are people belonging to different religions and communities. The event is open to all residents and any person willing to participate in the charitable event will be welcomed. The main targeted people are the families with children. The proposed age group of the members is between 25 and 50 years and the children of age between 8 and 14 years. Demography of the region shows the presence of various ethnic groups. Therefore, people from different backgrounds such as White British, Irish British, Asians including Pakistani and Bangladeshis will be the invitees (gov.uk, 2016). Event management tools and techniques Certain strategic tools are needed for successful planning of an event. These tools can be mentioned here: Visioning the situation: Understanding the aim and objective of the event is the primary requisite of organizing an event. The aim theme behind the event is to raise fund for community development. Therefore, all kind of arrangements has to be made depending on this criterion (Cserhti and Szab 2014). There will be arrangement of game shows for the children and other programs where the children will participate. Along with that there will be also arrangements of food and beverages for the invitees. At the end of the event, the invitees will be asked to contribute or donate for the cause. Making a mind map: The complete event has to be planned step by step so that the process can be carried on smoothly. Scheduling each and every step of the event is very important. Communicating with the various stakeholders and the invitees plays a vital role in this factor (LesiĆ¡, RuÃ…Â ¾iĆ¡ and PavloviĆ¡ 2015). The plan has to be disseminated among the members and each and every person must be made aware of their respective roles and duties. In order to schedule the whole event and keep a trace of each step of the event, use of technology is preferred. Certain computer software and programs can be used to make the task easy. Building a team and thorough communication: The success of an event depends upon the coordination among the members of the events. Building a team and letting them know about their individual tasks and duties is very important. It also falls under the responsibility of each and every member to help each other whenever necessity arises (Abdullah et al. 2014). The event is expected to be held on a holiday that would facilitate the invitees to participate without any problem. In the busy life, attaining an event on a regular working day may not provide the opportunity where many participants would come and join the event. Apart from the invitees, scheduling the event with the stakeholders is equally important. The caterers, decorators and others responsible for the success of the event should be co9mmunicated and scheduling has to be done in accordance to the event. Team management and structure The event management hierarchy reveals the management group involved in the event. The management of the team can be structured in the following manner: Event coordinator: The event coordinator is at the top of the management level and the person is responsible for the most crucial work that is coordination. Major responsibility lies on the co-coordinator (Getz and Page 2016). For the charitable event, it is important to coordinate with the invitees and the participants. They should be acknowledged about the theme and the intention behind the event. Event planner: Planning an event requires numerous things to be handled at the same time. The person responsible for the event planner has to be the best skilled person. The person must possess the vision and the detailed facts of the event. The plan regarding the participation of children and their parents to help in raising fund should be planned by the event planner. Client service event manager: The main responsibility of an event manager is to coordinate with the clients and the staff members of the event. It falls under the responsibility of the event manager to keep an eye on the complete event and manages every little detail of the event (Silvers and Goldblatt 2012). Taking care of the comfort of the invitees and the need of the stakeholder is the prime responsibility of client service event manager. Event manager: Scheduling the event and taking care of the decoration, catering and other inputs in the event are the responsibility of the event manager. It is expected that the person responsible for this task is responsible enough to handle everything. Other staffs: Apart from the important coordinators and the managers, the need of numerous staffs cannot be neglected. About 20 members or staffs will be required to conduct the event who will act as helping hand while conducting the complete event. The above mentioned roles are equally important for each and every member. Organizing an event requires support and coordination of numerous members. For a successful event, it is important to maintain coordination these members. Event communication and stakeholder management Communication plan of an event include both internal and external communication. Internal communication depends upon the members of the team whereas external communication depends on the stakeholders of the event. The stakeholders for this particular event are the members who would be invited to the event for the purpose of contributing towards community development. The invitees include children, their parents and other members who would join the event willingly. Other stakeholders are the owner of the community hall, the caterer, members who would be responsible for taking care of the invited children and others. The communication plan can be prepared in three stages: Pre-event communication: All the necessary arrangements are done in this stage of communication. It is expected that the event organizer will communicate with all the stakeholders and narrate them the requirements (McNeil, Frey and Embrechts 2015). Since it is a community program, there must be a community group who would be involved in the event. The detail of the event has to be discussed with them. Apart from them, it is required to communicate with the other stakeholders such as the decorators, costume designer, caterer, people responsible for the technical things such as light and sound and others. Several means by which internal and external communication can be made can be stated here: By meeting: Face to face meetings are the most effective and clear way of communication. At the time of deciding the plan for the event, meeting with the stake holders and the members and staffs of the event management is very vital. Over phone-calls: People can be frequently communicated by phone calls whenever requirement arises. The invitees can be invited by directly approaching them via phone calls. Apart from that the stakeholders and the members can also be communicated via phone calls. Emails or other text messages: An official mail can be sent to the invitees from an official website of the community forum. Apart from that general announcement can also be made by the means of posters or announcement in the locality (Jones 2014). Communication during the event: Communication during the event is equally important as the communication needed before the commencement of the event. It is the responsibility of the managers of the event to take care of the invitees and the participants of the event. Keeping a check of the requirements and the needs of these members is the most important part of communication during the event. Apart from that, there should remain a continuous communication with the stakeholders. Keeping a thorough communication during the event will help to carry on the event smoothly. Moreover, in case if any kinds of troubles or issues are found to arise it can be solved easily. Communication after the event: It is not that when an event ends, the responsibilities of the event organizer ends. Post event communication holds equal importance. The two most important things that are done in the post event communication period are taking feedback from the attendees of the event and tallyi9ng accounts with the involved stakeholders (Braglia and Frosolini 2014). Therefore, it is recommended that the manager of the event would communicate with the invitees and other participants and try to get feedback from them. For the same purpose, a form can be made where the members would be asked to answer a few queries. This would help to improve the plan of the event for future purposes. The stakeholders who have been a part of the event also need to be communicated. All kinds of financial issues and settlements are to be made after the event. Risk management plan There might be certain situations that would result in certain risks in the event. In case of charitable events, there are a number of areas where the chances of risks increases. Some of these expected needs can be stated here: Risk category Examples of risks Governance risks The structure of the management team might be inappropriate The members might lack the relevant skills and commitment There might arise conflicts of interest Operational risks The operational function might lack safety or other beneficiary welfare Staffing and other recruited employees might show poor functionality (Michalco and Navrat 2012) There is also a risk regarding the security of the assets Financial risks The management might have inaccurate or insufficient financial information regarding the expenses of the event External risks The event might not imprint a positive impression on the members of the community There also lies a chance of turbulent political and economic environment Compliance with laws and regulations Any kind of birch in the trust and acts of the government will result in governmental risks (Bowdin 2012) The staffs might have poor knowledge of the regulatory requirements of the activities like fund raising In order to combat against such risks, certain recommendations can be made. These recommendations are: It is important to know the governmental laws and regulations regarding fund raising events. There are certain guidelines set by the government that states the methods of raising funds. These ways are: Door-to-door fundraising or public collection on the street By the means of gaming and lotteries By organizing events or street fair (Brown 2014) Therefore, it can be said that organizing an event for fund raising might not be counted as a risk factor. In order to avoid any kind of operational risks, it is important to train the members and the staffs. The detail of the event needs to be discussed with the members and each and every person must be assigned with their respective responsibilities. At the time of recruiting staffs for the event it is important to take account of the capability and ability of the members to work for the purpose (Coombs 2014). It also falls under the responsibility of the managers of the e3vent to keep a detailed account of the assets and other things that would be used in the event and prevent any kind of damage or unavailability. The financial requirement also needs to be solved. Therefore, the management must be conscious about the budget and the financial requirements. Necessary sponsorship needs to be availed prior to the event (Getz and Page 2016). To overcome any kind of external risks related to community or neighborhood, it is important to inform the community about the event. If required, pamphlets can be distributed in the neighborhood or the invitees of the event. In the pamphlet the detail of the motive and intention of the event has to be mentioned. If required, the same can be approved by the local authority of the region so that the acceptability of the event can be increased (Andersson and Lundberg 2013). It is very important to conduct the event abiding the rules and regulation of the community and the government. Conclusion There is a great opportunity of the success of the event. People of England believe in charity and it has been found that people heartily participate in such social processes. Therefore, there is no such risk of conducting the event. The aim of the eve3nt can be easily fulfilled if the invitees are encouraged and they are convinced to participate in the charitable cause. The risks of the event can be easily avoided if proper measures are taken. All it requires is a proper plan of the event. The mode of communication and the tools required for the success of the event has to be used properly to achieve the objective behind the event. When all the criteria are met successfully using proper management tools, success of the event can be easily expected. Reference list: Abdullah, N.H., Hassan, H., Ali, M.H. and Karim, M.S.A., 2014. Cultural values (power distance) impact on the stakeholders engagement in organizing the Monsoon Cup International Sailing Event.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,144, pp.118-126. Andersson, T.D. and Lundberg, E., 2013. Commensurability and sustainability: Triple impact assessments of a event.Event Management,37, pp.99-109. Bowdin, G., Allen, J., Harris, R., McDonnell, I. and O'Toole, W., 2012.Events Management. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Braglia, M. and Frosolini, M., 2014. An integrated approach to implement project management information systems within the extended enterprise.International Journal of Project Management,32(1), pp.18-29. Brown, S., 2014. Emerging Professionalism in the Event Industry: A Practitioner's Perspective.Event Management,18(1), pp.15-24. Coombs, W.T., 2014.Ongoing communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications. Cserhti, G. and Szab, L., 2014. The relationship between success criteria and success factors in organisational event projects.International Journal of Project Management,32(4), pp.613-624. Duarte Alonso, A., 2016, June. Stakeholders, collaboration, food, and wine: The case of Jumilla's Gastronomic Days. InJournal of Convention Event Tourism(pp. 1-19). Routledge. Getz, D. and Page, S.J., 2016.Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge. Getz, D. and Page, S.J., 2016.Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge. gov.uk, 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509704/cc26_lowink.pdf [Accessed 9 Aug. 2016]. Hierarchystructure.com. 2016.Event Management Hierarchy. [online] Available at: https://www.hierarchystructure.com/event-management-hierarchy/ [Accessed 9 Aug. 2016]. Jones, M., 2014.Sustainable event management: A practical guide. Routledge. LesiĆ¡, K.T., RuÃ…Â ¾iĆ¡, M.D. and PavloviĆ¡, D.K., 2015. Identification and analysis of cultural event stakeholders in a tourism destination: case study of teta-teran and truffle festival. InCultural tourism and destination impacts. SveuÄ ilite Jurja Dobrile. McNeil, A.J., Frey, R. and Embrechts, P., 2015.Quantitative risk management: Concepts, techniques and tools. Princeton university press. Melo, C.D.O., Cruzes, D.S., Kon, F. and Conradi, R., 2013. Interpretative case studies on agile team productivity and management.Information and Software Technology,55(2), pp.412-427. Michalco, J. and Navrat, P., 2012. Arrangement of Face-to-Face Meetings using Social Media.Studies in Informatics and Control,21(4), pp.383-392. Silvers, J.R. and Goldblatt, J., 2012.Professional event coordination(Vol. 62). John Wiley Sons. Yu, L., Wang, C. and Seo, J., 2012. Mega event and destination brand: 2010 Shanghai Expo.International Journal of Event and Festival Management,3(1), pp.46-65.

Yorktown Technologies free essay sample

Technologies, was founded by two gentlemen, Alan Blake and Richard Crockett, with the objective to patent the idea of producing GloFish ® genetically modified tropical zebra fish which would fluorescent all the time. Zebra danio fish are native to India. These fish are clear with stripes on them. The objective of these fluorescent fish is to identify water contamination. After further analysis, patenting this idea was not possible as these fishes where already been developed for research. As a result, Crockett and Blake proceeded in modifying their business strategy to license the packaging and reselling of fluorescent fishes to large industry buyers. Yorktown Technologies founders, met with Dr. Ivan Pruchansky who developed the fluorescent zebra fish and had expressed interest in working with the startup. Dr. Pruchansky eventually decided not to work with Yorktown Technologies for various reasons that triggered him, such as environmental community concerns, involving the university on the licensing of his discovery and jeopardizing his academic credibility. We will write a custom essay sample on Yorktown Technologies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After the unsuccessful negotiations with Dr. Pruchansky, Blake and Crockett partnered with National University of Singapore (NUS) as they had developed their own fluorescent fish and expressed interested in commercializing their fish. As a result, an agreement was signed which gave Yorktown Technologies rights to NUS line of fluorescent zebra fish and patent that covered all fluorescent ornament fish in exchange for a 16% royalty fee. This agreement would set Yorktown Technologies on a competitive advantage as competitors enter the market. Blake and Crockett implemented successful fundraising strategies which raised $5 million in preparation for the launch of GloFish ® genetically modified tropical zebra fish project. Yorktown Technologies secured two distribution agreements with the largest Florida freshwater ornamental fish producers and distributions in the country, 5-D Tropical and Segrest Farms. Despite the successful efforts in fundraising, Yorktown Technologies first year performance drove a loss of $120,000 compared to the $4 million company surplus projections. Although Yorktown Technologies sales have increased year over year, the main problem in this case is they haven’t reached their geographical targeted audience and facing channel distribution. Analysis and Evaluation As various issues have been addressed at Yorktown Technology, Blake and Crockett still need to evaluate the problems which are hindering the growth of the organization to drive long-term sustainable success. We will focus on five key areas to provide Blake and Crockett on what to expect, this includes: marketing environment, consumer market, channel infrastructure, competition and address any ethical concerns. All of this information will be used to provide a recommendation to Yorktown Technologies board of directors. Marketing Environment: Yorktown Technology faced a variety of environmental challenges, which triggered them to launch their product sooner than planned. There are various environmental agencies which are developing negative publicity of the impacts of genetic fluorescent zebra fish. Negative publicity prohibited Yorktown Technologies in marketing fish to Californian population which historically demonstrated adoption of innovative products. Yorktown has taken action to defend, educate and drive awareness of these fluorescent zebra fish. This effort has been implemented through media, such as television, magazines, newspaper and website. Regardless of the environmental concerns and Dr. Pruchansky’s effort, approval has been granted to market across the country, excluding California. Yorktown Technologies should provide additional report to California government to obtain approval. There is a significant level of market share Yorktown Technologies can obtain as the aquarium industry is worth over $1,000 million (Cato and Brown, 2003). The United States is the number one importer of ornamental fish despite European Union being the largest market for ornamental fish (Livengood and Chapman, 2012). Additionally, the United States produces and sells over 200 million ornamental fish and distribute to over 5,000 retail establishments (Kerin and Peterson, 2012). Moldvay (2012), published the United States 40% of pet owners, own a fresh water fish compared to cats and dogs (refer to table 1). The marketing environment and opportunities to succeed in the aquarium industry is significant just the proper marketing strategy needs to be implemented. Consumer Market: According to Yorktown Technologies, the negative â€Å"buzz† on genetically fluorescent zebra fish didn’t seem to impact initial sales. Blake communicated to USA Today, â€Å"Public demand for GloFish ® fluorescent fish has been extraordinary, even greater than we had anticipated† (USA Today, 2003). â€Å"Finicky† fish consumers accepted the product favorably. Product innovation was implemented after a retailer informed Yorktown Technologies that fish lovers like different, unique fish and that â€Å"variety drives purchases†. It isn’t too late to perform market research analysis on the targeted population to understand the unmet needs. After obtaining the retailer’s feedback and evaluating the flaws of the Red Zebra Danio (i. e. minimal brightness, loss of color), NUS developed a new generation of fluorescent GloFish ® that would address the flaws followed by launching different color fluorescent zebra fish (i. e. green and orange). The next phase should consist of line extension strategy by expanding the color variation to provide variety to consumers. In 2008, over $4 million was estimated to have been spent on Yorktown Technologies products and the United States consumer ornamental fish market is growing at a nine percent rate year over year. This requires Yorktown Technologies to identify the opportunity recognition to differentiate the supply of fluorescent zebra fishes. Concurrently, Yorktown Technologies should invest the time and effort to address the government’s request to enter the California market. This will be a significant win since California is the most populous state reported by the Census Bureau. Historical this population has proven to embrace innovated products. There is a significant consumer market to offer ornamental fish which would benefit Yorktown Technologies. Channel Infrastructure: Yorktown Technologies understands they need to identify the optimal distribution channel to reach their targeted population. There are five distribution options which Blake is evaluating to determine the optimal solution considering the firm’s resources. For instance, Yorktown Technology should strengthen the relationships with â€Å"mom and pop† (independent pet stores) pet shops through marketing not only their products but also these businesses where the GloFish ® products are sold. This will allow optimal display of the fish at the pet shops increasing the likelihood of visibility and increase demand. Although the Census Bureau indicates there is a decline in pet stores, sales are increasing at a substantial annual rate. According to Moldvay (2012), pets are considered part of the family, therefore owners will cut back on personal discretionary spending first before reducing spending on their pets. Another option is establish and strengthen relationships with major retail chains. Yorktown Technologies should present a new case to the three major retail chains demonstrating product line performance throughout the country, including California, and proposed optimal economies of scale that will benefit both parties. Overall, this will require to keep in mind the price sensitive and expert fish lovers. If this attempt fails, then Yorktown Technologies should reach out to medium size pet stores to introduce the product line which slowly will gain exposure and open opportunity to enter into the major retail chains market. According to the IBISWorld (2012) publication, PetSmart and PETCO own 63% of the pet store market share. PETCO recognizes the opportunity recognition by offering the product line at some of the stores now it is time to open the dialogue to roll out the product line across all stores. Blake is evaluating leveraging kiosks to increase awareness, education and sales. Finicky fish hobbyist would be more interested in purchasing the fish in person versus by mail or online. Blake understands that kiosk generate $10 billion annually which is a great appetite to steer positive organization growth. This is a model where other GloFish ® product lines can be cross-sell and proper educational information can be provided to the public. Additionally, Yorktown Technologies can ensure proper display of the fluorescent zebra fish is presented to capture audience attention. Developing a strategic pilot in metropolitan areas where kiosk can be used to initiate interest and sales. Eventually, if the pilot demonstrates to be successful then kiosk expansion discussions can be developed. Unfortunately, the cost to lease a kiosk is extremely costly for Yorktown Technology to invest currently. Another alternative is the internet which is a cost effective channel to sell the GloFish ® product line. The operational cost are minimal which shipping would need to be a variable Yorktown Technologies would need to address. Blake performed analysis on the shipping cost and the cost was greater than the fish value. Mintel (1991) notes that most of the weight of shipment is water and it is expensive to ship a box of water around the country. Per the US Census Bureau, retail e-commerce sales have increased year over year attributed to $60 million and is forecasted to continue to increase. Yorktown Technologies should develop partnerships with independent pet stores or major retail pet stores to request consumers to pick up their online orders at local stores. Not only would this benefit Yorktown Technologies, but the stores will generate extra foot traffic with the possibility of generating additional sales. If shipping is required, a relationship should be established with a package delivery company (i. e. USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc) to determine a flat rate and potentially offer free shipping to the consumers incorporating a satisfaction guarantee offer. This strategy can work if the website provides value, such as educational videos are provided, to sell the product to consumers. Unfortunately, consumers will not be able to select the â€Å"right† fish as variation exist amongst them where satisfaction concerns could not be met. Absolutely a channel to evaluate further as e-commerce growth continues to grow year over year. Finally, going international is another alternative Blake is considering. Although going international requires a significant level of investment, there are tariffs to consider, illegal breeding possibilities and would require to address foreign regulations. The international market is much larger but the US is the number one importer of ornamental fishes (Livengood and Chapman, 2012). Countries such as India and European Union identify a lucrative industry to export ornamental fishes as source for income generation (De and Ramachandran, 2011). Blake indicates there are a few countries with restrictions making it impossible to enter those countries. Yorktown Technologies priority should strengthen the market share and relationships in the United States prior to going global. Competition: Yorktown Technologies has monopolize the ornamental fish, GloFish ®, since they have patent the fluorescent ornamental fish from NUS making it difficult for competition to enter the market. Consequently, there is already and existing market (National University of Taiwan, NUT) with similar products (fluorescent green medaka fish) and lower prices already abroad (Kerin amp; Peterson, 2010). Competing with the medaka fish will be very challenging for Yorktown Technology as they currently don’t have a strong financial foundation to compete aggressively and invest in the international arena. As a result, this could cause the end of this organization. An option could be for Yorktown Technologies to determine if there is business benefit to develop a similar patent agreement with NUT to diversify the product line and legally introduce the fish in the United States. This would be a proactive approach for Yorktown Technologies before a competitor obtains the NUT agreement and competes with them in the United States. A more thorough explanation of the competitive position will be defined through a SWOT analysis. Yorktown Technologies strengths consist of being the first and only organization to patent a fluorescent ornamental fish. It has monopolize the market giving them full market share on fluorescent ornamental fish. Another strength is they have incorporated the trading up offering by leveraging NUS enhancement to ensure the GloFish ® is more colorful and avoid losing the color as the fish matures. Additionally, they have taken a proactive approach to introduce product variation by providing fish lovers’ two additional colors to select. Scientist support the genetically engineered fish since they don’t pose any harm to the environment. With strengths comes weakness, Yorktown Technologies is encountering lack of brand awareness by various environmental communities. They haven’t been able to build a relationship with these environments to address their concerns and educate them on the benefits of the fluorescent engineered fish. Another weakness is identifying a solid distribution channel to maximize their sales force. They are encountering poor display of their products with independent pet stores and unable to successfully distribute to all major pet retailers. Yorktown Technologies is encountering challenges with controlling shipping cost. From outside perspective, Yorktown Technologies has several opportunities that can help the firm reach its full potential. First, management should invest time and effort to provide the report California government has requested to reach ~40 million consumers. Strengthen relationships with retailers to obtain optimal display and offer their products across major retailers. Additionally, Yorktown technologies has the opportunity to develop partnerships with package delivery companies to minimize shipping cost and be able to offer products via their website or request consumers to pick up their order at a local pet store. Another opportunity can be to diversify their product line by developing a patent agreement with NUT which will leveraged their fluorescent green medaka fish. Providing educational material and attending seminars will be instrumental to ensure the companies brand isn’t impacted with the negative â€Å"buzz†. Threats is the final category of the SWOT analysis. The major threat the organization is facing is poor distribution strategy. If the strategy isn’t finalized it will continue to impact the organizations growth opportunity. Additionally, the Asian competition will be required to address as they are manufacturing large volumes of the genetically modified medaka. Another factor to be consider is the validation of altered medaka imports which could/is hinder Yorktown Technologies future growth opportunities. Ethical Concerns: Despite the controversy GloFish ® generated prior and after the launch, various scientist confirmed these genetically engineered zebra fish weren’t a threat. The FDA (2003) announced that these genetically engineered zebra danio fish don’t pose a threat to the environment from the unmodified fish. Dr. Jyotshna Kanungo (2009) observed they are extensively used for research since they are similar to humans in many ways. These fishes have been instrumental in research and have made significant discoveries recently. Additionally, these fish have similar pathways as humans which have vertebrates, liver, pancreas, etc (FDA, 2013). The cost of maintenance is minimal and their fast development are advantages in using this specimen in laboratories. The concerns addressed by the environmental organizations don’t display any concerns to humans or to their species. Ethical issues aren’t a factor for Yorktown Technologies. We live in an environment where products and food are mostly genetically engineered which don’t cause an issue to society. There is confirmation from many scientist and organizations which indicated there is no concern with these fishes therefore the ethical dilemma surfaced aren’t relevant. It is almost a decade since the launch of GloFish ® and no reports have been addressed reporting negative side effects to the environment and original species. Finally, science is used to provide opportunities, hope and success to people and businesses. Hence if there are any concerns in genetically modifying the zebra danio fish then are the issues with in-vitrio where hope is given to couples to become parents. This is definitely a sensitive matter but genetically engineered zebra danios absolutely don’t drive ethical concerns they drive opportunity. Yorktown Technologies recognized the opportunity in the aquarium industry and developed research to partake in this industry. Recommendation Based on the information provided in the analysis, it is highly recommended that Yorktown Technologies dedicates the time and resources to abide with the California government request to enter this geographic arena to expose ~40 million people with this innovative and sophisticated product. Additionally, Yorktown Technologies should build and strengthen the relationships with independent pet stores and major retailers (i. e PETCO) by promoting the pet stores in Yorktown Technologies marketing efforts (i. e. magazines, website, public relations) in exchange of selling the product and providing optimal visibility. Next, Yorktown Technologies should diversify their product line by introducing variations and potentially patenting NUTs fish. This will aid in adding additional complexities for competitors to enter the fluorescent fish industry. Blake is aware that in order to acquire market success, a strong distribution strategy needs to be address. Hence, the internet channel will be the most cost effective channel in comparison of the kiosk. Yorktown Technologies should establish strong relationships with package delivery companies to obtain a cost effective shipping fee. Additionally, consumers can be given the chose to pick up the fish at their local pet shops for their convenience. This would absolutely require partnerships to be built with local and major pet shops to establish a same day pick up program. Finally, Yorktown Technologies should develop education campaigns to address the concerns that have been addressed by various organizations and offer online promotions to increase adoption rates. There are opportunities for Yorktown Technologies to reach its targeted population as one out of eight American households owns a freshwater fish aquarium (Kerin and Peterson, 2010).