New Business Idea

This is some fashion laptop carry cases.Virtually all laptops/notebooks are only available with a dull, black nylon corporate carry case. People need to bring their laptop everywhere maybe for business, when they get out a fashionable laptop carry case, people may feel that they are cool. And I am sure that it will be a successful business, because it have its market, teenagers must buy them when they see it.

This is a Jelly Click Mouse.

In this 21st century, nearly everyone knows how to use a computer, and many people will have a computer at home, or even their own laptop. For example, for overseas students, they must have a computer with them, because this is a way of communication with their families and friends. Someone will use a mouse with their laptop but some won’t, if they bring their laptop, they need to carry the mouse also, and it will be heavier for them. At home, at office, you may use the computer for the whole day, and for some mouse, it’s too hard, you may also feel uncomfortable. Now this Jelly Mouse could be a winner as it feels floppy and like jelly. It so soft and so heavy, what you need to do is just blow some air inside when you want to use it. After you finish, you may just push out the air inside and become a very mini one.

Hoggard Organics' UK debut

A cash-flow forecast may predict the future, whereas a cash-flow statement describes what actually happened in the past. As predicting the future is not an easy task, constructing a cash-flow forecast may be quite difficult.

Cash-flow forecasts are important to a business because they enable it to foresee times in the future when the business will be short of money. If shortages are anticipated, the business may be able to prevent it happen.

Refer to the case study, all Hoggard Oanics’ shop managers in the UK which have done a cash-flow forecast; they may identify potential cash-flow problems in advance. They may also guide the firm towards the appropriate action. Also, it may make sure that there is sufficient cash available to pay suppliers and creditors and to make other payments is an important point. It can help to borrow money in a easy way.

But there are also some problems which using cash-flow forecasts, sales if organic food grew rapidly in the USA and had exceeded 8000 million pounds per annum, so they might have the same situation in the UK, there maybe a large number of competitors, changes in the economy, because it is a niche market, so there maybe a sudden changes in consumer taste and inaccurate market research etc…

Budget is an agreed plan establishing, in numerical or financial terms, the policy to be pursued and the anticipated outcomes of that policy. Using a budget can provide direction and coordination, it may also motivate staff and improve the efficiency. Once it motivate the staffs, and they will work harder, and there maybe a increase in productivity.

But there might be some drawbacks also, for example, because it is a niche market, not much people were working for this job before, they maybe senior manager, the allocation maybe inappropriate if imposed by them, also allocations maybe incorrect because circumstances have changed from time to time.

Case study

A business can use breakeven analysis to discover its breakeven output and the impact of changes in output on its profit levels.

Breakeven maybe useful to start-up businesses, because it is a simple, straight forward way of discovering whether a business plan is likely to succeed financially. Also a breakeven char can show the different levels of achieved. This means that business can predict its profit levels if it knows the number of units that is going to sell. Knowing the future profit levels can help a business to plan its future and strategies.

And for the most case, also for Nick Hess, breakeven can be used to calculate how long it will take to reach the level of output needed to make a profit, this will help the entrepreneur to assess whether or not the business is viable. New businesses often suffer from cash-flow problems, so it is useful for them to know when they can expect to reach a profit level. This information will help them to get financial support, such as a bank overdraft.

But also, there are some weaknesses of breakeven analysis. For example, the information may be unreliable; most breakeven charts are based on forecasts. It’s difficult to predict the number of customers who will buy the firm’s product, even with careful market research. Sales are unlikely to be exactly the same as output.

For Mr.Nick Hess and Foodeaze, they have their own USP, and it maybe a attractive point of their products. However, the opening of a new store nearby selling similar products its really affect their sales, so even the break-even they did before, it also can’t predict what will suddenly happen around them.

So breakeven is just a little value to an entrepreneur, the most important things they need to do is look around the location of the business, and do some research before starting up.

Using a computer in business and impact on staff

Using a computer in business is really an efficent and accurate way.

Once we use computer in our business, everything like money, staff control etc…can did it automate, just done by the computer, and I am sure that the mistake must be less than doing by staff.

And you also will save time by doing it, for example, if you need to count the money that you earn today, you may do it wrong and slow if you count by an calculator, by if you have a system and just simply type in the information, it will finish in not more than one minute.

And you can employ less staff because the computer will replace some of the staffs, it will lower the cost on employing people. Once your productivity is higher and there are less cost, then you profit must increase.

Although there maybe people who loose their job, but when there are more product that need to sold out, then there will be a job for sales, it will just like a circle. So it doesn't mean that it will be more people unemployed if business using a computer.

TQM improve management and profit

Total Quality Management (TQM) means the whole workforce has to be committed to quality improvements. The idea is to build quality into every department and not let quality get squeezed out.

With TQM, every employee has to try to satisfy customers- and everybody that they work for must be thought if as a customer, even fellow employees. So both external customers within the business, must receive a quality service.

Once the quality improve, they will be less cost because company don’t need to refund, and also even they use high quality, but it can keep some customers and they will come back to buy the product, it will increase sells, and so there will be more profit.

Japaness Management

Japaness Management inculde:

-Just in Time (JIT)
-Total quality management (TQM)
-Circle Production
-Kaizen (Continous improvement)
-Ouchi
-Lean Production

An aspect of Japanese management is the company union, which most regular company employees are obliged to join. The workers do not have separate skill identification outside of the company. Despite federations of unions at the national level, the union does not exist as an entity separate from, or with an adversarial relationship to, the company. The linking of the company with the worker puts severe limits on independent union action, and the worker does not wish to harm the economic wellbeing of the company. Strikes are rare and usually brief.

Japanese managerial style and decision making in large companies emphasizes the flow of information and initiative from the bottom up, making top management a facilitator rather than the source of authority, while middle management is both the impetus for and the shaper of policy. Consensus is stressed as a way of arriving at decisions, and close attention is paid to workers' well-being. Rather than serve as an important decision maker, the ranking officer of a company has the responsibility of maintaining harmony so that employees can work together. A Japanese chief executive officer is a consensus builder.

EF vedio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFSK4J2XcaI

This is the EF promtion vedio. It promote EF Oxford.
If I were one of the parents that who wanted my children studying in EF Oxford, I think I will be attracted by the beautiful view around Oxford, the environment in Oxford is really good, the people are nice here, many students studying in Oxford, so it is good for study, there are many people and students from different countries etc…and when the agent promote them to this school, they will just mention about the good things in the school, how good is the school, the reputation, an concentrate study because it is taught in a small group, you can exchange the information of your home country to other students and learn more different culture.

But is that all true? I don’t think so. Maybe there were really a good environment in Oxford, but I don’t think so in EF, because they just show the city centre of Oxford. It should be the greatest place. But on the way to our school, we must pass through Pullens Lane, and the road no one will know that how dirty the road is, how narrow the road will be once you pass through with a car, how muddy it is when it is raining, and also if you are staying in the residence, once you got back late, how dark and dangerous will the road be. People just watch the video didn’t know any about this.

A promotion video must show all the best things to their customers, they will like to let them think that they are providing a really good services or product to you and let you to buy or join it. But before you make your decision, you must think clearly that will it all be true?

K9 Kalmer Dog Quieter

I hate and afraid of dog so much, but unfortunately in Hong Kong my neighbor own a dog, even though it is just a little puppy, it’s still looks terrible for me. Alothoug it’s just only a little toy poodle, but when it barks, it’s really noisy. So I think I can introduce or buy them this dog quieter for their little dog.

This dog quieter is an irresistible, proprietary composition of music, which makes the dog hear but it’s inaudible to humans. The melody will lure attention away from anxiety producing stimuli and result in a dog’s version of tranquility.

The K9 Kalmer is completely pain free. It will reduce needless barking without painful shock, sprays, or sound. The K9 Kalmer works on your dog, or your neighbor's dog. The melody has a 100 yard range and travels through fences and over walls.

I think it’s really a good idea, because in Hong Kong, many buildings don’t allow to have any pets, but people still bring them in in secrete, but even they bring them in quietly, every dog will bark at some times, they can control it or lower their volume, so if they buy it, it may be useful. And also when people were sleeping at night, but your dog are still barking, there must be complain, but once they bark, you just get out this dog quieter, they will just simply stop barking.

But still, I think even it say it’s completely pain free, but when you use this to your dog, it will just hurt it in some way, just like stop them to bark, every dogs need to bark, if people just control they bark, it’s just the same as your mother stop you shouting and talking, it’s a bit unfair to them I think.

'Looj' Remote Control Roof Gutter Cleaning Robot

The romote control Looj robot attempts to make gutter clearning-a necessary chore- safer, faster and less hassle.

The world is improving day by day, and everyday they will be some new technology invented. This time there is a new things like irobot, it helps you to clearn you house.
No one like your house to be messy, but do you really have time to clean it everyday? What if all your house memeber need to go to work or to school, who will do the cleaning?
So this maybe help a lot!
It is an electronic clearn, it can clearn all over your house by just controlling the remote, it will follow you order to do their work, help you to clearn your house, make it to be tidy.

But there are also disadvantage, I think it may help you to clearn, but not make sure that clearn every corner, because it it round and can't go insdie a little corner.

So even you buy it, you still need to clearn some place by yourself. But keeping your house clean and comfortable is your own responsibilty.

'Clocky' Evasive Alarm Clock

'Clocky, a fiendish, wheel-foored alarm clock, sounds off and then scurries around your room so you have to wake up, get out of bed, find him, turn the alarm off and then kill him.'

This is a alarm that make sure the people who can't wake up every morning to work or to school. It design the alarm which are on wheels. It can move everywhere or even jump.
The patented alarm clock that jumps 3 feet from your night stand and runs away beeping to get you up. I think it was a really really good invention for the people that who can hardly get up in the morning. Because even you are awake by the lound sound, you still need to find out the alarm and then you also need to catch it, when you are catching it, it can make sure that you are awake, because you may need to jump or chase it, it helps you to do exercise in the morning too !

But it was include in the high technology machine, I though it should cost much, but the alarm just sold in 59 pounds, and it have different colours to choose.

And I am sure that many people will love the design and buy it because it is really useful.

Advertisment.

If EF wants to recruit staff for a-level, I think they will find the staff for ICT, BUSINESS STUDIES, ECONOMICS, MATHS, ACCOUNTING, PHYSIS, CHEMISTRY and BIOLOGY teacher. These are the main subjects in our a-level course.

I think the advertisement can high light the main point that there are not more than 10 students in a class, the teacher who come to interview may teach in a state school before, so it may new to them. Now we are starting a new syllabus, and maybe some experience teacher will be the first choice for EF. And also I think because it is an international school, so it may recruit some international teachers.

And also can mention about the environment in our school. There are international students, and you may know about different country’s culture etc… and widen your eye sight.And in EF, we don’t just have a-level course, it also have English course, so once the teacher and not happy and satisfy in their job, they may think about to change to teach the language students. It maybe a good opportunity.

But I think working in EF may be a good choice, because the teacher doesn’t have much pressure at all.

podcast

Claudia Winkleman's Arts Show
Podcast

BBC Radio 2
Programme Highlights
Typical Duration: 33 Mins.
Latest Episode: Mon, 16 Feb 2009
Available to all listeners

What can the government do?

More and more people are starting to drink alcohol nowadays, even though the teenagers who are under 18. Some may think that alcohol will help you to relax, but another side, it’s harmful.

I think the government should do something that helps to reduce people who drink too much. Because once you get drunk, you will do many things that will harm yourself, the one besides you and also the things around you.

I think the government should do something because after some people were drunk, they will destroy the things on the street, for example they will throw the rubbish bin, kick the door of the shop, throw stones into some shops and also they will make a lot of noise and also rubbish, it really affect. If the government just let it happening again and again, the number of things and people who affect will just keep on increase, and they also need to pay more and more money to replace those things.

Drinking too much alcohol is really harmful to our health; for example, lung cancer. So I think people really need to stop drinking too much alcohol.

Government may do something to help,

1) advertisement

Government can have some advertisement to let people know how alcohol would affect, and the dangerous things may happen when you get drunk .

2) Legislation

It may have some strict rules that control people for drinking or buying alcohol, for example, only after 21, that may stop teenagers start drinking.

3)Increase tax

Probably, if the government increase tax on alcohol, people will still buy it, but if the government increase tax on alcohol but at the same time decrease tax on some other substitutes, it may work.
4) Have some substitutes

for example some juice but add a bit alcohol inside it, or maybe some soft drink that taste like it.

I think these are the ways that can let people to drink less, but the main point I think is that people behave themselves, don’t drink too much or even start drinking when they are young.

Podcast.

Stravinsky famously described him as “a six-and-a-half-foot scowl”. After seeing him in his coffin, the conductor John Barbirolli remarked that he looked “a bloody sight more cheerful than he ever did in life”. The butt of this harsh humour was the composer Sergei Rachmaninov, whose music exudes not just the melancholy which was his own personal hallmark, but extraordinary warmth and optimism too. In this week’s edition of Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod explores the life and music of this remarkable man.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio3/cotw/rss.xml

A WIND turbine stood wrecked yesterday with one of its giant 65ft blades torn off — after it was hit by a UFO.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/ufos/article2108149.ece

UFO hits wind turbine!

Gloucester Green Wednesday Market and Covered Market

Today we went to city centre in the morning, we went to the covered market and also the wednesday market.

About Convered Market, I think that it's really better than wednesday market because it have cover on top so that it's not really so cold inside. But because we were in the morning, not many shops were open, just the shops that sells breakfast, flowers and meat that open...Many different items were selling in covered market, for example shoes, meat, cake, drinks, clothes, accessories and flowers etc...many different kinds.

The five products sold at the Gloucester Green market:

1. gloves (1.2 pounds)
2. sweets (80 p)
3. shoes (7 pounds)
4. cake (2.5 pounds)
5. the eye glass box (1 pound)

Overall of these two market, I think they are really a bit cheaper than the other shops in city centre, because maybe the rent of them are lower or even in the wednesday market they don't need to pay for their rent, if they really sell cheaper products, people will definently choose to buy from them, but one thing is that their quality maybe not so good or maybe their are second hand. So it will sell in a cheaper price. So before you buy anything, you must know more about the product, because i think they will not return money to you if you regret at last.

10 ways of using bricks

1. BUILD BUILDINGS
2.PLAY WITH IT AS A TOY
3.HIT SOMEONE
4.PROTECT YOURSELF
5.THROW TO A SNAKE WHEN YOUR HIKING
6.TO FIX A HOLE
7.DOING EXERCISE OF HANGING UP THE BRICKS
8.KEEP ALL THE PAPER ON THE TABLE WITHOUT FLYING EVERYWHERE
9.WHEN ONE LEG OF YOUR TABLE OR CHAIR HAVE BEEN BROKEN CAN STUCK IT
10. MAKE FIRE

Podcast.

BizDaily: Davos growing economies
Business Daily is in Davos in Switzerland, looking at how the great and good hob-nob at the world economic forum. They may exchange valuable views on what's caused the economic crisis - but what can they do about it? We look at how it may affect economies which had been growing fast, and had got all too used to the boom times.

An online pawnbroker for consumers in a pinch

Given the current state of the economy, it’s timely to see a makeover of an age-old form of personal loans. Borro claims to be the world’s first online pawnbroker. The company, which was launched in August 2008, offers short term loans to customers who cannot borrow from banks or have maxed out their other options, giving them cash for jewellery, gold and memorabilia. After filling out an application form describing the valuables they wish to pawn, a borrower is offered a loan of up to 40% of an item’s value.
Should they take the plunge, the borrower couriers their item to Borro, receiving their loan via bank transfer or postal order. Interest on loans accrues at 6% per month (lowered to 4% for loans over GBP 1,000), and loans must be repaid within 6 months for the pawned item to be returned, unless an extension is agreed in writing. Loans of GBP 100–GBP 100,000 are available, with Borro stating that over 85% of borrowers repay their loans on time and in full.
The site brings an ancient system into the 21st century, providing a convenient form of short-term credit that could be cheaper than unauthorised bank overdrafts or payday loans. It also creates a certain degree of transparency for customers, since everyone is offered the same rate. And sending items in by courier eliminates the potential awkwardness of dealing with an offline pawnshop. Based in Oxford, Borro currently only serves the UK, though European and US expansion plans are in the cards.

The reasons are varied and include paying bills and mortgages, money for holidays, school fees, plugging the gap while waiting for a bonus or a lump-sum payment, a small business loan, a cash loan to repay debts, waiting for the time to be right to sell property, stock and shares and other assets, or waiting to start a new job. Whatever your reason, Borro.com can meet provide you with a short-term pawn cash loan instantly.

China vows to help WTO on piracy

China has promised to co-operate in the global fight against counterfeit goods, in response to a highly critical ruling from the World Trade Organization.
The commerce ministry said it would "continue to promote international exchanges" on intellectual property rights, but gave no firm details.
In a US-backed case, the WTO ruled on Monday that Beijing ignored piracy of DVDs and its customs policies were lax.
US companies say Chinese piracy costs them billions of dollars every year.
In its ruling, the WTO largely supported the US claims against China and found Beijing had breached trade rules.
The WTO was particularly critical of Chinese customs for allowing seized goods to be reintroduced into the market.
And it said Beijing had turned a blind eye to piracy of DVDs and CDs.
The US has repeatedly accused China being a safe haven for product piracy, and some analysts believe the WTO decision takes Washington a step closer to seeking compensation for lost sales revenues caused by counterfeiting.
Europe has also had run-ins with Beijing on the issue.
Last year, the European Commission estimated that 60% of all counterfeit goods coming into Europe had originated in China.

Podcast.

BizDaily: Japanese lessons 27 Dec 09
Can we learn a lesson from Japan's miserable 90s? That period only ended when the failing banks actually admitted how big the damage was. Should the rest of the world now follow suit? Plus the basic banking questions you want answered.

Investors put stock in feng shui

According to the Chinese Lunar calender, they year of Ox begins on 26 January. There is a report reckons that former US treasury secretary will become the boss of citigroup, while iceland will challenge the phillippine and indian dominance of the call centre industry as it rebuilds its crisis-ravaged economy.
The predictions are made in a tongue-in-check that ''Feng Shui Index'' report from Hong Kong incestment firm CLSA.
Many investors and business people in Asia put great stock in advice from feng shui masters.

As a Hong Kong people, I think we really beleive on Feng Shui very much, for example when you choose you office, you house etc...they will also care about Feng Shui, they need to make sure that it is really a good place and siutable for the people who live or work in that place. So i think Feng Shui is a good investment for the incestors and business people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7842164.stm

New Business Idea

Use leather or fabrics to make pen wallets and pencil cases. Sell the wallets and cases empty. Or buy pens and pencils at trade prices and add them to the wallets and cases respectively to make the finished products.

I think this maybe a good business idea, because it sell the two things together. First it will lower the selling price, it's a good thing for the customers. And also when the seller sell the wallets or cases, the customers may also buy the pens and pencils because they are selling them on the trade prices. Leather and fabrics is the most common materials that people made for wallets, everyone need one, so maybe this will be a new business idea.

How to keep generation y motivated?

Generation Y,were born between 1977 and 1994, it makes up over 20% of today’s population and they are rapidly becoming a hot commodity in the work force.Organizations of all sizes are scrambling to learn how to attract these dynamic individuals.Gen Y may bring to the table a diverse knowledge and an interesting perspective that can really make the company shine.

The studies say that there are top five for Gen Y:
1.They are looking for work/life balance
2.They want to be heard and valued
3.They need regular recognition
4.They want to work somewhere fun
5.They are motivated by challenge and a collaborative environment

There is a man that what he have been doing as CEOis right on target for his company that he want to cultivate,what he did was:

1.Creating a warm, fun, friendly environment to work in
2.Socializing with my employees
3.Rewarding them for performance
4.Providing flex time as long as the work gets done
5.Giving them a voice that is heard and valued
6.Opportunity for mentoring others
7.Sharing in the company succes