Travel Agent Service – Business Plan

business. gov. au Business Plan Guide Prepared: December 2009 Table of Contents Preparing yourself4 Analyse your business idea4 Analyse yourself4 Business planning5 Regular review5 Distributing & protecting your plan5 Advice and support6 Attending business events6 Taking on a mentor or business coach6 Using the Template7 Template overview8 Title page8 Business Plan Summary9 The Business12 The Market21 The Future24 The Finances25 Supporting documentation31 Glossary32 [pic] This Business Plan Guide and the accompanying Business Plan Template have been developed by business. ov. au, the Australian Government's principal business resource, located within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. Copies of the latest version of this guide and the template can be downloaded from www. business. gov. au/businessplan. If you need further information, assistance or referral about a small business issue, please contact the Small Business Support Line on 1800 77 7275. Prepari ng yourself Before you start writing your business plan, you should honestly evaluate yourself and decide if your business idea has a good chance of success. Analysis can help you anticipate any challenges you may face and help you overcome them. Analyse your business idea Is your idea feasible? Before you get started, find out if there is a demand for your products or services. It's also useful to find out who your competitors are and whether the market can sustain your business. Researching all aspects of your business idea will involve  gathering, analysing and evaluating information to help you write your business goals. Some questions to consider are: †¢ What product/service will you provide? †¢ Is your idea viable? †¢ How will you protect your ideas? Is there a market for your product/service? †¢ What skills do you need? †¢ Who are your competitors? †¢ What difference will you bring to the market? †¢ Do you have the financial capacity to start a business? Analyse yourself Are you ready to venture into business? Operating a small business is not just about working for yourself, it's also about hav ing the necessary management skills, industry expertise, technical skills, finance and of course a long-term vision to grow and succeed. At the outset it’s important to consider whether you really understand what's involved and whether you're suited to business and self employment. Examine these questions: †¢ Why are you starting a business? †¢ What are your business and personal goals? †¢ What are your skills? †¢ What income do you need to generate? †¢ What are the advantages and disadvantages of starting your own business? Business planning Once you've conducted research into the feasibility of your new business you're ready to write your business plan. A business plan provides direction, keeps you on track and is usually a requirement when you seek finance. Depending on your business type, your plan could include the following sections: Business Summary: A one-page overview written after your business plan is finalised. ? About your business: This is typically called the management plan or operations plan. It covers details about your business including structure, registrations, location and premises, staff, and products/services. ? About your market: This is the marketing plan. It should outline your marketing analysis of the indust ry you are entering, your customers and your competitors. This section should also cover your key marketing targets and your strategies for delivering on these targets. About your future: This section covers your plans for the future and can include a vision statement, business goals and key business milestones. ? About your finances: The financial plan includes how you'll finance your business, costing and financial projections. Regular review Business planning is an ongoing business activity. As your business changes many of the strategies in your plan will need to evolve to ensure you business is still heading in the right direction. Having your plan up to date can keep you focussed on where you are heading and ensure you are ready when you need it again. Distributing & protecting your plan A business plan is a blueprint for how your business will run and reveals what future direction your business will take. Understandably you will want to be careful who you show your plan to and avoid your competition seeing it. Having an understanding with third parties when distributing a plan could be enough protection for some businesses, however others who have innovative business practices or products or services may wish to go further and sign a confidentiality agreement with each person to protect their innovations. It may also be a good idea to include some words in your plan asking the reader not to disclose the details of your plan. What to do†¦ ? Visit our Confidentiality/Trade secrets page, for more information on confidentiality agreements. ? For detailed information on Intellectual property protection, visit the IP Australia[pic] website. ? Contact your nearest  Business Enterprise Centre[pic]  (BEC) for assistance with your business planning process. Advice and support There are a number of government services available to help you plan, start or grow your business. These services can provide general advice, workshops, seminars and networking events, and can even match you with a mentor or business coach. Attending business events Small business workshops and seminars are run regularly in most areas of Australia, and deal with issues such as planning, financial management, innovation, employing staff and exporting. You may also find it useful to attend networking events to help expand your business. By developing networks, you can keep up-to-date on industry and local information, promote your business through new contacts and learn key skills from other businesses. Taking on a mentor or business coach Participating in mentoring or coaching programs can help you develop a greater understanding of business processes and practices, and equip you with the skills you need to grow and improve your business. What to do†¦ ? Contact your nearest  Business Enterprise Centre[pic]  (BEC) for assistance with your business planning process. ? Check if your local BEC or state business agency hosts a business planning workshop near you. ? Contact an Enterprise Connect[pic] centre for help with planning, growing, skills development, competitiveness and productivity. Search for networking, mentoring or training events and seminars on the business. gov. au Events calendar. ? Contact a business adviser, accountant or solicitor for advice. Using the Template Before you complete the business plan template and start using it, consider the following: 1. Do your research. You will need to make quite a few decisions about your business including structure, mark eting strategies and finances before you can complete the template. By having the right information to hand you also can be more accurate in your forecasts and analysis. 2. Determine who the plan is for. Does it have more than one purpose? Will it be used internally or will third parties be involved? Deciding the purpose of the plan can help you target your answers. If third parties are involved, what are they interested in? Although don’t assume they are just interested in the finance part of your business. They will be looking for the whole package. 3. Do not attempt to fill in the template from start to finish. First decide which sections are relevant for your business and set aside the sections that don’t apply. You can always go back to the other sections later. . Use the [italicised text]. The italicised text is there to help guide you by providing some more detailed questions you may like to answer when preparing your response. Please note: If a question does not apply to your circumstances it can be ignored. 5. Get some help. If you aren’t confident in completing the plan yourself, you can enlist the help of a professional (i. e. Enterprise Connect Centre , Business Enterprise Centre, business adviser, or accountant) to look through your plan and provide you with advice. 6. Actual vs. expected figures. Existing businesses can include actual figures in the plan, but if your business is just starting out and you are using expected figures for turnover and finances you will need to clearly show that these are expected figures or estimates. 7. Write your summary last. Use as few words as possible. You want to get to the point but not overlook important facts. This is also your opportunity to sell yourself. But don’t overdo it. You want prospective banks, investors, partners or wholesalers to be able to quickly read your plan, find it realistic and be motivated by what they read. 8. Review. Review. Review. Your business plan is there to make a good impression. Errors will only detract from your professional image. So ask a number of impartial people to proofread your final plan. Template overview Title page |Question |Explanation |More information | |Insert your business logo |Adding a logo helps give your business a more professional image. If you are just starting out and do not have a | | | |logo, you can remove this section. | |Your name |Enter the business owner's name. Enter multiple names if there are multiple owners. | | |Your title |The titles of the business owner(s) listed above. E. g. Owner/Manager | | |Business name |Enter your business name as registered in your state/territory. If you have not registered your business name, add |Visit our Register your business name page. | | |your proposed business name | | |Main business address |Enter your main business address. This can be your home address if you are a home-based business or your head | | | |office if you have more than one location. | |ABN |Enter your Australian Business Number. If you are a business and have registered for an ABN enter it here. |Visit our Register for an Australian Business Number | | | |(ABN) page. | |ACN |Enter your Australian Company Number. Only fill this in if you are a company. |Visit our Register your company page. | |Prepared |The date you finished preparing your business plan. | |Table of Contents |If you have changed this template in any way, please remember to update the table of contents to reflect the | | | |changes.. | | Business Plan Summary Your business summary should be no longer than a page and should focus on why your business is going to be successful. Your answers should briefly summarise your more detailed answers provided throughout the body of your plan. |Question |Explanation |More information | |The Business | |Business name |Enter your business name as registered in your state/territory. If you have not registered your business name, add |Visit our Register your business name page. | | |your proposed business name. | |Business structure |Is your business a sole trader, partnership, trust or company? |Visit our Which business structure should I choose? | | | |page. | |ABN |Enter your Australian Business Number (ABN). If you are a business and have registered for an ABN enter it here. Visit our Register for an Australian Business Number | | | |(ABN) page. | |ACN |Enter your Australian Company Number (ACN). Only fill this in if you are a company. |Visit our Register your company page. | |Business location |Enter your main business location. Briefly describe the location and space occupied/required. | | |Date established |The date you started trading. Whether it was the date you opened your doors or the date your purchased business | | | |opened its doors. | | |Business owner(s) |List the names of all business owners. | | |Relevant owner experience |Briefly outline your experience and/or years in the industry and any major achievements/awards. |Visit our Am I ready? age. | | |Keep this brief and try to include only your relevant experience and main achievements. You will have an | | | |opportunity to go into more detail under the Management & ownership section. | | |Products/services |What products/services are you selling? What is the anticipated demand for your products/services? These answers | | | |should briefly summarise your answers under the main products/services section. | | |The Market | |Target market |Who are you selling to? Why would they buy your products/services over others? Visit our Researching your market page. | | |This answer should briefly summarise your answers under the main Market section. | | |Marketing strategy |How do you plan to enter the market? How do you intend to attract customers? How and why will this work? |Visit our How do I promote my business? page. | | |This answer should briefly summarise your answers under the main Market section. | |The Future | |Vision statement |The vision statement briefly outlines your future plan for the business. It should state clearly what your overall | | | |goals for the business are. | | |Goals/objectives |What are your short & long term goals? What activities will you undertake to meet them? | | |The Finances | |The finances |Briefly outline how much profit you intend on making in a particular timeframe. How much money will you need |Visit our How do I manage my finances? page. | | |up-front? Where will you obtain these funds? What portion will you be seeking from other sources? How much of your | | | |own money are you contributing towards the business? | | | |Your answers can be quite brief in the summary. They should give the reader a quick idea of your current financial | | | |position. Where you are heading financially and how much you need to get there. You can provide more detail in the | | | |main Finances section. | | The Business |Question |Explanation |More information | |Business details | |Business purpose |What is the main business purpose? What does it sell? | |Business size |Number of employees? Estimated/actual annual turnover? | | |Operating history |What is the business background? How long has the business been operating? What is your progress to date? | | |Registration details | |Business name |Enter your business name as registered in your state/territory. If you have not registered your business name, add |Visit our Register your business name page. | | |your proposed business name | | |Trading name(s) |Enter your registered trading name or names. Your trading name is the name you will use to trade under. It is the |Visit our How do I choose a business name? age. | | |name that appears on your marketing and advertising material. If you have multiple trading names, list them and | | | |explain the purpose of each name. | | |Date registered |The date that appears on your business name registration. | |Location(s) registered |Enter the state(s) you have registered your business name. If your business is located in more than one state, you |Visit our Register your business name page. | | |will need to register your business name in each state. | | |Business structure |Is your business a sole trader, partnership, trust or company? |Visit our Which business structure should I choose? | | |page. | |ABN |If you have registered an Australi an Business Number (ABN), then enter it here. |Visit our Register for an Australian Business Number | | | |(ABN) page. | |ACN |Enter your Australian Company Number (ACN). Fill this in if you are a registered company. |Visit our Register your company page. |GST |If you are registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST), then enter the date you registered with the Tax office. |Visit our Register for Goods & Services Tax (GST) | | | |page. | |Domain names |If you are planning on setting up a website for your business, you may also like to register a domain name to match|Visit our Register your domain name page. | |your registered business name. List any domain names you have registered and plan to use in the business. | | |Licences & permits |List all the licences or permits you have registered. These will vary depending on your type of business and |Visit our Licences & permits page. | | |location. Some examples include a tradesperson certificate, travel agents licence, or kerbside caf e permit. | |Business premises | |Business location |Enter your main business location. Describe the location and space occupied/required. What is the size of the space| | | |you occupy/require? Which city or town? Where in relation to landmarks/main areas? If you have a retail business, | | | |where are you located in relation to other shops? What is the retail traffic like? | | |Buy/lease |If you have purchased a business premises or are currently leasing, briefly outline the arrangements. These can |Visit our Buy or lease a business premises page. | | |include purchase price, length of the lease agreement, rental cost or lease terms. | | |If you are still looking for a lease or property, outline your commercial lease or purchase requirements and any | | | |utilities/facilities required. | | |Organisation chart | |Figure 1: Organisation chart |The organisation chart is a quick way of representing your business structure. If you are still recruiting staff, | | | |you may wish to include a proposed structure and label it appropriately. I. e. you could add ‘Vacant' to the | | | |positions that are currently vacant or you could label the whole chart as a ‘Proposed Organisation Chart'. | |Management & ownership | |Names of owners |List the names of all business owners. | | |Details of management & ownership |As the owner(s), will you be running the business or will a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) be running the business | | | |on your behalf? What will be your involvement? If it is a partnership, briefly outline for each partner their | | | |percentage share, role in the business, the strengths of each partner and whether you have a partnership | | | |agreement/contract in place? | |Experience |What experience do the business owner(s) have? Why should people invest in you? How many years have you owned or | | | |run a business? List any previous businesses owned/managed. List any major achievements/awards. What other relevant| | | |experience do you have? Don’t forget to attach your resume(s) to the back of your plan. | | |Key personnel | |Current staff table |List your current staff in the table provided. Outline each job title, name of the employee in the position, the |Visit our Employing people topic. | |expected staff turnover for the position and each employee's relevant skills or strengths. You may also like to | | | |attach a copy of their resume to the back of your plan. | | |Required staff table |List your required staff in the table provided. These are current vacant positions. Outline each job title, |Visit our Recruitment page. | | |quantity of each type of position, the expected staff turnover for the position, the required skills or strengths | | | |needed and the date you require this position to be filled. | | |Recruitment options |How do you intend on obtaining your required staff? Advertising in the local paper, online advertising, and/or |Visit our Recruitment page. | | |training current staff members? | | |Training programs |Are there any training programs you will be organising in the event you cannot find the required skills? Are these |Visit our Skills development & training page. | | |in-house or external providers? What training will you as the business owner/manager undertake to keep your skills | | | |current? | | |Skill retention strategies |What procedural documentation will you provide to ensure the skills of staff are maintained? Do you have an |Visit our Skills development & training page. | |appropriate allocation of responsibilities? How are responsibilities documented and communicated to staff? What | | | |internal processes will you implement to regularly check that the current skills of staff members are still | | | |appropriate for the business? | |Product/services | |Product/services table |List each product/service your business currently offers. Provide a description and unit price (including GST) | | | |amount for each. | | |Market position |Where do your products/services fit in the market? Are they high-end, competitive or a low cost alternative to the | | | |products/services offered by your competitors? How does this compare to your competitors? | | |Unique selling position |How will your products/services succeed in the market where others may have failed? What gives your | | | |products/services the edge? | |Anticipated demand |What is the anticipated quantity of products/services your customers are likely to purchase? For example, how much | | | |will an individual customer buy in 6 months or 12 months? | | |Pricing strategy |Do you have a particular pricing strategy? Why have you chosen this strategy? Visit our Fair trading laws page for your state fair | | |To help you develop your pricing strategy, you could refer to your customer research, market position, anticipated |trading office contact details. | | |demand and costs/expenses to get an idea. | | | |Whatever strategy you use when setting your price, you will also need to adhere to any relevant fair t rading | | |legislation or codes of conduct. | | |Value to customer |How do your customers value your products/services? Are they a necessity, luxury or something in between? | | |Growth potential |What is the anticipated percentage growth of the product in the future? What will drive this growth? | | |To help you determine this growth potential, you could refer to your region/industry research to get an idea of any| | | |industry/regional growth that could affect your business in a positive way. | | |Innovation | |Research & development (R&D)/ innovation |What R&D activities will you implement to encourage innovation in your business? What financial and/or staff |Visit our How do I make my business more innovative? | |activities |resources will you allocate? |page. | |Intellectual property strategy |How do you plan to protect your innovations? List any current trade marks, patents, designs you have registered. Do|See the IP Australia website[pic] for information on | | |you have confidentiality agreements in place? |protecting your innovations. | |Protecting your innovations can include registering for intellectual property protection, ensuring your staff sign | | | |a confidentiality agreement, and generally ensuring your competition does not find out what you are developing. | | |Insurance | |Workers compensation |Provide details if you have workers compensation insurance? This is mandatory if you have employees. |Visit our People insurance page. | |Public liability insurance |Provide details if you have public liability insurance? This covers any third party death or injury. |Visit our Liability insurance page. | |Professional indemnity |Provide details if you have professional indemnity insurance? This covers any legal action taken out as a result of|Visit our Liability insurance page. | | |your professional advice. | |Product liability |Provide details if you have product liability insurance? This covers any legal action taken out as a result of |Visit our Liability insurance page. | | |injury, damage or death from your product. | | |Business assets |Provide details if you have insured your business assets in the event of a fire, burglary, or damage? This |Visit our Assets & revenue insurance page. | | |insurance covers things like buildings, contents and motor vehicles. | | |Business revenue |Provide details if you have insured your business in the event of business interruption where you cannot trade |Visit our Assets & revenue insurance page. | | |because of a particular event and are unable to make money? | |Risk management | |Risk management table |List the potential risks (in order of likelihood) that could impact your business. |Visit our Risk management page. | | |For each risk, detail the following in the table provided: | | | |A escription of the risk and the potential impact to your business. | | | |The likelihood of this risk happening – either highly unlikely, unlikely, likely, or highly likely. | | | |The level of impact it may have on your business – high, medium or low. | | |Your strategies for minimising/mitigating each potential risk. | | |Legal considerations | |Legal considerations |List t he legislation which will have some impact on the running of your business. For example: consumer law, |Visit our What are the legal requirements? Page. | | |business law, or specific legislation to your industry. | | | |List the legislation in order of the most impact on your business. You should also detail what you will do or have |Visit the Australian Securities & Investments | | |already done to ensure you comply. |Commission Financial services[pic] page. | |For example if you are in the financial services industry and you provide financial advice to your customers, you | | | |should include the Corporations Act 2001 and your AFS licence details (if registered already). You may also like to| | | |include details about your disclosure and general obligations. | |Operations | |Production process |What is the process involved in producing your products/services. This process will vary depending on your | | | |product/service. Here are some examples of questions you may consider. Is there a manufacturing process? Who is | | | |involved in the process? Are there any third parties involved? What is involved in delivering the service to your | | | |customers? | | |Suppliers |Who are your main suppliers? What do they supply to your business? How will you maintain a good relationship with | | | |them? | | |Plant and equipment table |List your current plant and equipment purchases. These can include vehicles, computer equipment, phones and fax | | | |machines. For each item include the equipment name, purchase date, purchase price and running cost. | | | |If you have not purchased all of your equipment yet, you can include a separate table and include an expected | | | |purchase date. | | |Inventory table |List your current inventory items in the table supplied. You can include inventory item name, unit price, quantity | | | |in stock and the total cost (i. e. unit price multiplied by quantity in stock). | | | |If you have a substantial inventory, you may prefer to attach a full inventory list to the back of your business | | | |plan. | |Technology (software) |What technology do you require? For example: website, point of sale software or accounting package? What will be | | | |the main purpose for each? Will they be off-the-shelf or purpose built? What is the estimated cost of each | | | |technology solution? | | |Even though this section focuses on software (as your hardware will be listed above in your plant and equipment | | | |table), for more clarity you may also wish to give a brief description of hardware including servers, specialised | | | |technology and computer equipment required. | |Trading hours |What are your trading hours? What are your expected peak trading times? Which times do you expect to be more | | | |profitab le? How will this change over different seasons? How do your trading hours accommodate these changes? | | |Communication channels |How can your customers get in contact with you? These channels can include: telephone (landline/mobile), post box, | | | |shopfront, email, fax and/or internet blog or social networking website. If you have chosen only a few channels you| | | |may wish to include your strategy behind this. | | |Payment types accepted |What payment types will you accept? Cash, credit, cheque, gift cards, Paypal etc | | |Credit policy |What is your credit policy for customers/suppliers? How long is the credit period? What are your collection | | | |strategies/procedures? What credit does your business receive? What are the terms? | | |Warranties & refunds |If you manufacture certain goods, what are the warranty terms? What is your business refund/exchange policy? |Visit our Warranties & refunds page. | |Quality control |Describe your quality control process. What checks or balances do you have in place to ensure the product or |Visit our Product safety & standards page. | | |service you offer is produced to the same standard of quality? What steps do you take to meet product safety | | | |standards? | |Memberships and affiliations |Is your business a member of any particular industry association or club? Do you have any affiliations with any | | | |other organisation? | | |Sustainability plan | |Environmental/ resource impacts |Describe the impact your business could potentially have on the environment. E. g. particular manufacturing |Visit our Environmental auditing page. | | |process produces carbon emissions. | | | |To help you answer this question, you could consider conducting an environmental audit. | | |Community impact and engagement |How does your environmental impact affect the loca l community? How can you engage the community in minimising your |Visit our Minimising your impact page. | |impact? | | |Risks/constraints |List any risks/constraints to your business resulting from this environmental impact? |Visit our Risk management page. | |Strategies |What strategies will you implement to minimise/mitigate your environmental impact and any risks to your business? |Visit our Environmental auditing page. | | |Will you conduct an environmental audit? Have you introduced an Environmental management system? |Visit our Environmental management systems page. | |Action plan table |List your key sustainability/environmental milestones in the table provided? Detail each sustainability milestone, | | | |the target you are trying to achieve and when you expect to reach each target. For example: Reducing water | | | |consumption by 60% before 2016. | The Market |Question |Explanation |More information | |Market research |What statistical research have you completed to help you analyse your market? Did you use a survey/questionnaire? |Visit our Researching your market page. | | |If so, you may like to attach a copy of your survey/questionnaire to the back of this plan. | |Market targets |Outline your planned sales targets. What quantity of your products/services do you plan to sell in a planned | | | |timeframe? Are they monthly or yearly targets? For example, you may set yourself a goal of selling 1 000 products | | | |in 12 months. | |Environmental/industry analysis |Detail the results of the market research you have performed. Is the area experiencing population growth? Are there|Visit our Market research & statistics topic. | | |long-term employers in the area? Is the region's economy stable? Are there seasonal variations? | | | |What is the size of the market? What recent trends have emerged in the market? What growth potential is available |Visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics National | | |and where do you fit in? How will the market/customers change when you enter the market? |Regional Profile[pic] page. | | |A good place to start when researching your regional profile is the Australian Bureau of Statistics website. The | | | |regional profile information includes economy, population/people, industry and environment/energy statistics. | |Your customers | |Customer demographics |Define who your target customers are and how they behave. You can include age, gender, social status, education and|Download the Social Atlas[pic] and the Social | | |attitudes. |Trends[pic] series from the Australian Bureau of | | | |Statistics website. |Key customers |Identify your key customers. (These can be large consumers of your products or individuals whose satisfaction is | | | |key to the success of your business. ) How will you target your products/service to them? | | |Customer management |How will you maintain a good relationship with your customers? What techniques will you use? How will you keep your|Visit our Customer service page. Visit our Codes of | | |customers coming back? Have you introduced customer service standards? Do you follow any particular code of |Practice page. | | |practice? | | |S. W. O. T. analysis | |S. W. O. T. nalysis table |List each of your businesses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats in the table supplied and then outline| | | |what you will do about each of the weaknesses/threats. | | |Your competitors | |Your competitors |How do you rate against your competitors? How can your business improve on what they offer? | |Competitor details table |List at least 5 competitors in the table. For each competitor enter: | | | |Competitor: Competitor name | | | |Established date: When were they established? | | |Size: Number of staff and/or turnover | | | |Market share (%): Estimated percentage of market share | | | |Value to customers: Unique value to customers. Why they would do business with your competitor? For example: | | | |convenience, quality, price or service? | | | |Strengths: What are your competitor's main strengths? | | | |Weaknesses: What are your competitor's main weaknesses? | |Advertising & sales | |Advertising and promotional strategy table |What strategies do you have for promoting and advertising your products/services in the next 12 months? |Visit our Marketing & advertising page. | | |For each promotion/advertising: What is the promotion/advertising type (e. g. Print media advertising, online | | | |advertising, mail-out, giveaway, media release or event) How do you expect it will improve your business success? | | | |What is the cost of each planned activity? When do you expect to complete each activity? | |Sales and marketing objectives |Who makes up your sales team? What sales techniques will they use? What tools/material will they use to help sell |Visit our Marketing & advertising page. | | |your products/services? What sales goals/targets will they meet? | | |Unique selling position |Why do you have an advantage over your competitors? How will your products/services succeed in the market where | | | |others may have failed? | | |Sales and distribution channels table |For each channel enter: | | | |Channel type: e. . Shopfront, internet, direct mail, export or wholesale | | | |Products/services: List all the products/services sold via this channel | | | |Percentage of sales: What percentage of overall sales do you expect to sell via this channel? | | |Advantages: What advantages are there of using this channel for these products? | | | |Challenges: What challenges do you expect to face using this channel? How will you overcome them? | | The Future |Question |Explanation |More information | |Vision statement |What is your business' vision statement? It should briefly outline your future plan for the business and include | | | |your overall goals. | |Mission statement |What is your business' mission statement I. e. how will you achieve your vision? | | |Goals/objectives |What are your short & long term goals? What activities will you undertake to meet them? | | |Action plan table |What are the business milestones that you need to complete starting from today? When do you expect to complete | | | |them? Who is responsible for delivering this milestone? | | | |Please note: This table does not include sustainability milestones as they are listed in the sustainability section| | | |above. | The Finances |Question |Explanation |More information | |Key objectives and financial review | |Financial objectives |List your key financial objectives. These can be in the form of sales targets or profit targets. You could also | | | |list your main financial management goals such as cost reduction targets. | | |Finance required |How much money up-front do you need? Where will you obtain the funds? What portion will you be seeking from loans, | | | |investors, business partners, friends or relatives, venture capital or government funding? How much of your own | | | |money are you contributing towards the business? | | |Assumptions | |Assumptions |List your financial assumptions. These can include seasonal adjustments, drought, economy or interest rates etc. | |Start-up costs for [YEAR] table |Using the table | | | |The start-up costs table contains a list of suggested costs a typical business may incur in its first year of | | | |operation. When you double click on the table you can edit these items by removing or adding rows and typing in | | | |your own items. Don’t forget to clearly display your start-up year in the heading. Please note: The table assumes | | | |all figures are GST inclusive. | | |Total formulas | | | |When you add your costs, the table will automatically total your items at the bottom of the sheet. If you are | | | |adding or removing rows please double-check your figures to ensure the total formulas have been preserved. | | |Estimating costs | | | |Whether you have already started or intending to start you will need to fill in Actual or Estimated figures against| | | |the items in the table. If using estimated costs, please label them clearly. | | |Attach your own | | | |If you have your own start-up cost sheet or your accountant has already prepared one, please feel free to remove | | | |the table supplied and attach your own. If it is a large sheet, you can always attach it to the back of the plan | | | |and reference it from this section. | | |Balance sheet forecast table |Using this table | | | |The balance sheet forecast table contains a list of suggested assets and liabilities a typical business may have. | | |When you double click on the table you can edit these items by removing or adding rows and typing in your own | | | |items. Don’t forget to edit the financial years if required. Please note: The table assumes all figures are GST | | | |inclusive. | | |Total formulas | | | |When you add your figures, the table will automatically calculate your totals and net assets at the bottom of the | | | |sheet. If you are adding or removing rows please double-check your figures to ensure the calculations have been | | | |preserved. | | | Calculations | | | |Net assets equals | | | | | | | |Total assets minus Total liabilities. | | |Attach your own | | | |If you have your own balance sheet forecast or your accountant has already prepared one, please feel free to remove| | | |the table supplied and attach your own. If it is a large sheet, you can always attach it to the back of the plan | | | |and reference it from this section. | |Profit and loss forecast table |Using this table | | | |The profit and loss forecast table contains a list of suggested profit items and expenses a typical business may | | | |have. When you double click on the table you can edit these items by removing or adding rows and typing in your own| | | |items. Don’t forget to edit the financial years if required. Please note: The table assumes all figure

Cadbury and Kraft

The acquisition of Cadbury faced widespread disapproval from the British public, as well as groups and organisations including trade union Unite,[29] who fought against the acquisition of the company which, according to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, was very important to the British economy. [30] Unite estimated that a takeover by Kraft could put 30,000 jobs â€Å"at risk†,[24][31][32] and UK shareholders protested over the Mergers and Acquisitions advisory fees charged by banks. Cadbury's M;A advisers were UBS, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. 33][34][35] Controversially, RBS, a bank 84% owned by the United Kingdom Government, funded the Kraft takeover. [36][37] http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmbis/234/23405. htm High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut ; paste the article. See our Ts;Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales. [email  protected] com to buy additional rights. http://cachef. ft. com/cms/s/a153ff94-595f-11df-99ba-00144feab49a. html#ixzz1dKyAgSEK Cadbury helps Kraft to 26% rise in revenuesBy Greg Farrell in New York and Elizabeth Rigby in London Published: May 6 2010 23:54 | Last updated: May 6 2010 23:54 Kraft Foods reported net revenues of $11. 3bn for the first quarter 2010, a 26 per cent gain over the comparable period in 2009, much of it fuelled by the US food company’s acquisition of Cadbury, completed in February, and aided by favourable currency exchange rates. Organic revenues for Kraft grew 3. 3 per cent for the quarter, while Cadbury’s organic revenue growth was 8. 2 per cent. Net earnings for the company were $1. 9bn, largely from a $1. 6bn gain on the divestiture of Kraft’s pizza business.

Homeostasis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homeostasis - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss four ways human physiology responds to athletic training from the perspective of musculoskeletal system, body composition, thermoregulatory system and cardiovascular system and explain physiological mechanisms. Exercise programs promote muscle development, which takes place in conjunction with body fat reduction resulting from the difference between the intake and output of energy. In the initial stages of weight reduction, the body fat available for the body to use as fuel is often counteracted as denser muscle tissues are gained. The adenosine triphosphate chemical (ATP) facilitates muscle contraction and after several repetitions, ATP levels are depleted. Glycogen is initially burnt to replenish the level and the longer exercise takes, the more fat is burnt, like in short and high-intensity exercises (Curtin & Woledge 583). If the exercises are longer, the muscles release more lactic acid, which could eventually lead to muscle fatigue and cramping. However, flexibility and stretching exercises create greater motion range in joints subjected to the associated stresses. The result is that when the joints gain the ability to move with more dynamism, there is a notable increase in stability , power and speed in the motions of the related structure. This greatly reduces chances of injury or being overstressed. Body composition accounts for the most visible physiological change in response to athletic training. The human body is constructed from skeletal bone, organs, lean muscle mass and body fat. Although training does not alter their dimensions, specialized exercise reduces body fat percentage while increasing the mass of lean muscle. Processed triglycerides are stored in the form of body fat in the adipose tissues for indefinite periods. When exercise is combined with the right diet, it will result in

Unguarded Gates vs. A Broadway Pageant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unguarded Gates vs. A Broadway Pageant - Essay Example His enthusiasm overshoots his subjects, as Whitman makes references to different races, ethnicities and cultures of the world with poetic grace. This is in sharp contrast with Thomas Aldrichs poem, titled Unguarded Gates, which takes on hues of Xenophobia and White Supremecist attitude. In fact, the poem is so laced with hostility and fear toward other races and cultures that it would shock anyone reading today. It should be noted that not all of Aldrichs poems were like this, which explains why he was considered an important poet during his lifetime. But given that the poem was written toward the end of the nineteenth century and that Aldrich could not have foreseen the occurrence of the two World Wars, his attitude toward other peoples of the world, is more a product of ignorance than one of malice. Even Whitmans poem bears marks of cultural ignorance, a his references to the other exotic parts of the world is clichà ©d and stereotypical. In A Broadway Pageant, the reader can clearly see that Whitmans view of the Orient and beyond is no more than that acquired through postcard pictures and popular trivia. But Whitmans ignorance in this regard does not mitigate against the spirit of the poem, which is one of respect and regard for the cultural outsiders. At the time of Whitmans writing of the poem (circa 1860) the trans-pacific relations between the Orient and the New World was in its inf ancy. It would see its peak in the coming decades, before meeting the nadir during the 1940s, when Japan and the United States were are war. But, despite this temporary setback, it is a testament to the spirit of human solidarity that the two countries have maintained amicable economic relations ever since. This is consistent with the basic theme of A Broadway Pageant. Considering the times we live in, with the phenomenon of economic

Choose one product or product group ( e.g. gifts, books, food, Essay

Choose one product or product group ( e.g. gifts, books, food, clothes, computer, or shoes) - Essay Example The conditions in the business environment also play a key role in the identification and promotion of successful marketing plans. Current paper focuses on the challenges that the marketing strategies related to a particular group of products, computers, tend to face in the global market. Particular emphasis is given on the product’s environment but also on the potentials of the product to create value, a fact that would increase the demand for the particular product in the global market. It is revealed that the promotion of computers worldwide has radically changed, compared to the past. Online promotion is mostly used for products of such characteristics. Still, the use of traditional marketing strategies, simultaneously, could lead to the increase of this product’s popularity; such prospect would be quite important if taking into consideration the fact that computers are gradually replaced by tablets, as also analyzed below. 2.0 Introduction When checking the effecti veness of a marketing strategy, there are certain issues that need to be taken into consideration: a) marketing strategies are not standardized worldwide even for products of the same category/ characteristics, b) when referring to Internet, marketing may have different priorities, focusing on communication and the exchange of information; in opposition, in traditional marketing plans emphasis is given on the achievement of the company’s goals but also on the increase of organization’s profits; c) the success of marketing strategies can be depended on several factors; in other markets, online sales may be considered as a daily activity while in certain markets the alignment of marketing strategies with the business strategy cannot be avoided. Computers, as a critical industrial sector, have achieved an impressive rate of growth; still, the position of computers in the global market is severely threatened: the technology is continuously developed while communication and cooperation have become critical requirements for the successful integration of the products in markets worldwide. The appearance of devices that can replace PCs has led to worries in regard to the survival of the industry in the future. The value chain analysis could help to understand the potentials of the specific product to stabilize its position in the future. 3.0 Online Product 3.1 Environment of the Product The performance of computers within their environment needs to be checked from time to time. The current market trends lead to assumption that online products have more chances to achieve a high rate of growth. Still, the technology available for the realization of such projects can be quite costly, not allowing the development of such projects. The trends in regard to the online and the offline environment of the product are presented in detail in the following section. At this point, the following question appears: what does the term environment of the product means? In general, this term is used to show all characteristics of the product’s environment, including the level of the economy, the mode of social and economic framework of the state involved and c) the level of competition. The conditions in the computer industry are quite competitive; only firms that are already well established in the market will survive; as a result the performance of computers in regard to innovation need to be extremely high. The

Inventing solutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inventing solutions - Essay Example As such, most inventions are for commercial purposes since the invented product is equally costly. This paper will address the invention of the Air blade Tap by James Dyson for commercial purposes. Indeed, the Air blade Tap is of great significance to the engineering and construction industry. James Dyson with the help of the British engineering group, Dyson engineers, invented the Air blade Tap with a built-in dryer in 2006. The invention manifests top class technology in engineering. Indeed, the inventor James Dyson states that Dyson engineers used laser-cutting techniques to manipulate marine grade steel in creating this intuitive and high performance tap that can wash and dry hands (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). Actually, the significance of the Air blade Tap has drawn widespread recognition in the world where it has won prestigious awards like the Best workplace product innovation and Best Overall Product at Interbuild in 2007. According to the Dyson engineering group, the Air blad e tap combines a high-speed hand dryer with hot and cold-water outlets to offer services to the users. Indeed, technology is the basis for the company's Air blade dryer that is now available in most countries. Actually, in the operation of the Air blade dryer, cold air replaces hot air in blowing off water. Notably, this is a deviation from the norm in operating conventional dryers where hot air blows off water. In addition, the Air blade dryer uses 430mph blast from wings of either side of the tap to dry hands in 12 seconds (Warman n.p.). This is an improvement in technology since other conventional dryers are much slower. Indeed, the Air blade Tap significantly reduces drying time by a quarter. As such, the Air blade dryer stands out as the fastest hand dryer. Moreover, the device has guaranteed durability as it has lifetime antimicrobial coating. Indeed, the device is bound to last. To ensure this, there have been various tests on its durability and resilience to physical and che mical abuse. In addition, engineering-grade steel applies in boosting the durability of the Air blade dyer. As such, the Air blade tap has a guarantee of five years. The device is equally easy to operate as it has a touch-free operation and uses a HEPA filter (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). More so, the device has a picture of hands on the dryer â€Å"wings† thus making it easy to recognize and use. This makes the device reliable, durable, effective, and faster. Worth noting is the fact that the significance of the Air blade dryer emanates from its technological components. Indeed, the Air blade dryer consists of a stainless steel head unit that facilitates the inflow of water and out flow of unheated air at 430mph (â€Å"BBC News† n.p.). The device also contains an air filter and sound-silencing equipment. In addition, it has a pipe that carriers the water, electrics and air to the tap. Moreover, it has a digital motor of 1600w that allows it to reach 90,000rpm in 0.7 sec onds (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). This is arguably the smallest motor in the world. Notably, all these components lie underneath the sink and hence do not interfere with the usage of the device. Additionally, the digital motor consists of springs and silencers that aid in minimizing vibration and noise while the device is in operation. Indeed, the motor stands on springs thus

AIC test and diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

AIC test and diabetes - Essay Example From this study, it was found that A1C level of a patient provides a reliable measure of controlling chronic glycemia without the need for a timed sample or fasting, and it correlates highly with the long-term risk of diabetes-related complications and mortality. Most important, this test tool is more effective in detecting undiagnosed diabetes and there is a higher potentiality of using the measurements of AIC levels to screen type 2 diabetes (Choi et al, 2011). How the new tool can be integrated into practice It has been found that AIC test is not recommended for diagnosing diabetes among adolescents with diabetes. The conventional fasting plasma glucose test in which a patient is put on fast for 8 hours prior to testing has been found to detect more undiagnosed cases of diabetes among adolescents compared to the AIC test. The suitability of this among children is still debatable. For example, the American Diabetes Association has given guidelines on how it can be used in children yet researchers from Michigan University caution against the same. The AIC test tool is therefore best applicable to adults. This suitability is supported by research which indicates that AIC test is more sensitive in diagnosing adults accurately compared to adolescents. The application of the findings of this study to adults simply entails making a shift from the use of the fasting blood glucose tests to using AIC tests when diagnosing diabetes among adults.... The AIC test enables physicians diagnose patients who are diabetic faster and more comprehensively. Because of this, the AIC test can be used to increase the number of adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and thus the number of people with diabetes who receive timely intervention to reduce the complications and clinical implications of the disease. This will particularly be important in diagnosing asymptomatic patients because of the accuracy of obtaining glucose levels. The result of this will be the reduction of diabetic patients, especially asymptomatic patients, who suffer from multiple organs systems failure due to late diagnosis. This application is important because there is a rapid increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Less than 13% of adults in the US and Asia have been diagnosed with this type 2 diabetes. Among the newly diagnosed patients, 25% already had microvascular complications, indicating a 6- to 7-year time lag that exists between the onset of type 2 diabe tes and its diagnosis. The second application of the AIC test among adults is making predictions of diabetes for purposes of timely management. The AIC test is more powerful in identifying people who are at a high risk of becoming diabetic in future or who have undiagnosed diabetes. The use of AIC test will therefore be useful in increasing the prediction of new-onset diabetes among adults and thus the number of people that are likely to be on diabetes prevention and management programs. Â  This application is vital because when taking into consideration the clinical implications and complications of diabetes, it is of paramount importance to identify people with who are at a high risk of becoming diabetic in future or who have undiagnosed

Business Policy Development and Implementation Critical Thinking Mod 5 Essay

Business Policy Development and Implementation Critical Thinking Mod 5 - Essay Example Encore also an expansion of Wynn Las Vegas is located adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas featuring 2,034 all suited hotel (Wynn Resort, 2013). One of the greatest operational strength of the resort lies in the hands of the founder, Steve Wynn. Wynn resorts differentiate its resort from the competitors through an idea which states, â€Å"Bigger ain’t better. Better is better.† However, as Steve Wynn is the biggest strength for the company similarly if Steve Wynn leaves the organization it shall result in failure for the company acting as weakness for the Wynn resorts and casino (Hoffman, n.d). Growth and expansion strategy Wynn Resorts has been planning to expand its business and build on new resort located on the Cotai strip in Macau and thus plans to spend about $4billion. Wynn operates in Macau as Wynn Macau and Encore and thus by expanding the resort is trying to strengthen the position in Macau. The new project aims to start off on the Cotai strip and plans to have 2000 roo ms, 10 restaurants and 500 gaming tables. Macau has grown to be the epicenter of the gaming industry across the globe with all renowned gaming companies looking for opportunity to expand in the region. According to reports of PWC the gaming market in Macau is expect to double and value at 62.2billion by 2015 (Trefis, 2012). Wynn Resorts and Casino deals in gaming and operates as one of the largest casino players in Las Vegas and other areas. So analyzing the Macau gaming industry, it should be profitable for Wynn Resort and Casino to build a resort in the Cotai Strip. Wynn expects that the Cotai Strip resort shall prove to be irresistible for the guests (Velotta, 2012). To analyze whether Wynn should pursue expansion in Cotai Strip Porters five force model has been used to support the expansion strategy and whether capital investment in the resort shall be profitable. Porters five force deals with five forces and are applied to identify the attractiveness of the industry. The indust ry here is the gaming industry and analysis is made on Macau gaming industry to analyze the future of Wynn resorts and casino. Bargaining power of buyer: The bargaining powers of the buyer refer to the ability of the customer to influence the price as well as terms of purchase. In the gaming industry the buyer power is least as it does not have any power in influencing the price. The prices are set by the companies and it does not change irrespective of any conditions. Wynn resorts plans to raise the price of the resort in Cotai Strip as compared with its other resorts. Power of supplier: The power of supplier is minimal but do not have the power to exert power over the firm and shall not crash on the profitability of the company. Threat of substitute: Threat of substitute for the gaming industry may be categorized from medium to high. But since Wynn Resorts deals in casino, the threat for the resort is relatively low. Threat of potential entrant: The threat of new entrant is low as huge capital investment is required to set up casino as they are already established players in the market. Rivalry: The rivalry is high as almost of the renowned gaming company from across the globe has been planning to expand in Macau that makes the competition even tougher in the current global economy growth rate. Conclusion Analyzing the Porters five force for Wynn Resort and Casino, it may be said that the decision taken by Steve Wynn to expand in Macau

I need a summary for those 3 articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I need a summary for those 3 articles - Essay Example Meanwhile the Quakers also made a minimal contribution to the college movement. In later times, Methodist and Baptist started establishing colleges which was a resort to middle class society of America. The American colleges soon became a medium of social investment. The American colleges gave birth to a concept of ‘self taught and self made man’ .By the end of 19th century, American colleges also propagated that a man should not spend more than half of his time on studies. An English men visiting American definitely found a very motivated young men and students who could serve the country at the best in the future. The American universities are in hard situation as to make choices in protecting the academic value and there were no political body taking leadership for it. Some universities prefer quality and want to preserve it and proved that they have brain as well as body.Some universities wants to improve the quality of citizen ship and ethical conduct of students .Few universities which maintained their integrity and marveled were Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Yale, MTI,Brown, Berkeley and Michigan.Accomodating large number of students always been the problem faced by many universities.As economic growth is the responsibility of the Federal government , they are supposed to give subsidies to the graduates to increase productivity. The two areas which offer opportunity in America is education and healthsector.Higher education is becoming business minded where as they should be interested in producing good citizens with creative talent and productivity.Universties and society is interrelated and universities need to utilize full resources to upgrade the students and their utility to the society. Magnet schools which introduced in America in 20th century, gained popularity in 1970s as they promoted racial diversity and improved scholarship opportunities and catered to individual needs and interests of students.

A Critical Assessment of an Agency or Funding Regime that promotes Essay - 1

A Critical Assessment of an Agency or Funding Regime that promotes physical regeneration - Essay Example ese agencies and their functioning toward the uplift of the regional economy, it would be interesting to study and understand what urban regeneration is all about and how it evolved. Urban areas are essentially dynamic in nature. Socio-economic factors, environmental and physical factors all interplay and interact together to generate changes in their structures. Moreover, an urban area experiences thrusts from outside which necessitates adaptation to changes while internal dynamics and pressure try to withstand such changes or accept those resulting in either prosperity or decline. Though each problem may not be unique to a specific rural area, yet each challenge requires a distinctive approach towards the generation and implementation of its solution. Since the beginning, urban areas have always performed a variety of functions, offering shelter, providing infrastructure and opportunities for trade and commerce and opportunities for social interaction, being a few of those. As time passed, the importance of each need changed necessitating the requirement for new infrastructure, more space, more facilities for business etc. These changes in the physical structure and functioning of a town and its social life are inevitable since the town has to reorganise itself to meet the changing demands. These changes are also beneficial in a somewhat indirect way since these changes also make fresh demands for improvement of infrastructure and facilities so that the community within an urban area is forced to adjust itself to the new demands and work towards providing better opportunities for growth and progress. The relation between social deprivation and meagre physical infrastructure and facilities had long been an accepted fact and legislations and policies were implemented for improved infrastructure for health and better living conditions. It was gradually realised that merely improving health and living conditions will not contribute significantly towards the

Managing physical resources Essay Example for Free

Managing physical resources Essay Within this task I am going to produce data that is going to be included in a job information pack, as part of an advertisement campaign for a new post with a company that my supervisor has asked to to work on. The main factor that I am going to include is: Â  The key features of legislation, including Health and Safety, which effects the management of resources. It is important for employers to be aware that they have a responsibility for the health and safety of their employees. They are also responsible for any visitors to their premises such as customers, suppliers and and general public. Employers can help ensure of the health and safety of these people through conducting a risk assessment. A risk assessment can be defined as identifying a potential risk. Employers have a duty of care to ensure as much as possible of the health and safety of people involved with the business. Often an employer will appoint specific person to deal with risk assessments within the business that is trained within health and safety. This is highly recommended for a business to use as it is known to significantly decrease the risk of problems regarding health and safety within a company. This is because by analysing and then identifying potential risks, then strategies can be used in order to combat these potential risks so as an employer completes their duty of care for the people involved in the business. There are many factors that a company must take into account when opening there business so that they maintain their responsibility of ensuring the health and safety of people involved in the business. The first issue that I will look at is when a business is employing five or more people. In this case the business would have to have an official record of what the assessment consists of, meaning that that the employer would have to have certain plans in order to deal with potential risks. As well as this, there must also be a formal health and safety policy, which also includes arrangements to protect the health and safety of the employee. Health and Safety at Work Act The next issue I am going to focus on is the employers duty of care in practice. It is imperative that all employers, despite the size of their company ensure of certain factors, and examples of of these factors are shown below: Ensuring the workplace is safe. Â  Provide adequate first aid facilities. Â  Have emergency plans for potential risks. Firstly, employers should prevent the risks of injury within the workplace as much as possible. Following this, if an injury was to occur then there should be first aid facilities than can deal with the problem effectively. Finally, if an injury was to occur then the employer should have emergency plans so that it can be dealt with to the highest standard so as the person involved is treated in the most effective way possible. In order for the workplace to be safe and healthy, an employer should:Â  Light premises so that employees can work and move safety. Â  Ensure that employees are their necessary work break. Â  Store items so they are unlikely to cause an injury. These are some examples above of what an employer is expected to ensure of in the workplace for the health and safety of people involved with the company. Firstly, the premises should be at the correct light so as people an see what they are doing and the chance of an injury will therefore be decreased. The employers must also ensure that their employees have the adequate time break so that they are able to operate effectively, on both a person and business level. A hazard that is often a cause of injury within a workplace is when items are not stored correctly and when to storage cupboard is opened it falls, causing an injury. This is therefore vital for the employers to ensure that employees are able to store items correctly to prevent injury. The rights of an employee within the workplace with regards to health and safety are shown below. Â  To have any risks to your health and safety properly controlled by your employer. Â  To be provided, free of charge, any personal protective and safety equipment If there are reasonable concerns about your safety, to stop work and leave your work area, without being disciplined. To tell your employer about any health and safety concerns you have. COSHH This is a law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. This meaning of this law is shown below. C ONTROL O F S UBSTANCES H AZADOUS H EALTH An employer will be able to prevent employees exposure to these substances by: Â  Identifying the health hazards. Â  Creating a risk assessment. Â  Provide training to employees to understand these substances. Provide training to employees so they know how to deal with an accident involving these substances. Â  Planning for emergencies. There are often chemicals and substances within a workplace that are hazardous to employees healthy, and through using COSHH then the chance of employees having an injury that is related to chemicals or substances in the workplace is significantly reduced. This is on the assumption that the employer takes into consideration the points stated above. Most businesses use substances, or products that are mixtures of substances. Some create substances that could cause harm to employees and people within the workplace. Sometimes substances are easily recognised as harmful such as paint, bleach or dust from natural materials may also be harmful. The company itself would be responsible for carrying out the procedure above and any equipment necessary to ensure the employees and people within the workplace are not effected by hazardous substances. The necessary equipment needed to ensure this will also need to be maintained by the company itself. Fire Precaution Act 1971 This legislation deals with factors including: * The detection process and giving a warning in case of a fire. Â  The process of escape from the danger. * The way to fight and combat a fire. The training of staff with regards to fire safety. This legislation focusses on safety within the workplace with regards to the chance of a fire. This is designed to ensure that employees are able to prevent a fire occurring as much as possible. However, in the case of a fire employees would be able to deal with it effectively so as the safety of people involved are ensured. The first point looks at the importance of being able to identify that there is in fact a fire within the premises. This can be done through having adequate and effective fire and smoke alarms located thoroughly throughout the workplace. If a fire is identified then people within the workplace will need to know the process of escaping to safety. This can be done by having fire exists in the workplace, with employees of the company taking control of the situation and ensuring people within the premises are re-assured and are guided step by step to safety. In some cases there will need to be staff trained that are trained in being able to combat a fire whilst emergency services on on route to the premises. This can be done with effective training in fire extinguishers and necessary equipment used to combat a fire. As it is the resource managers responsibility to deal with the safety of employees and customers, then it will consequently have an effect on them. For example, they will have to send staff on training courses regarding fire safety which will be at a cost. However, this training is a necessity and will be needed by the company. As well as this, there will be changes in equipment such as more modern and effective fire extinguishers. Therefore, further training with regards to this be needed to be carried out by the resource manager to ensure that certain employees can use these pieces equipment effectively in the event of a fire. Employees may have to go on training courses mean that they will not be able to work whilst this training is being carried out. This training could be off the job and could be at a different premises to their workplace and therefore these employees need to be willing to commit to this so as the training on new equipment can be complete. This equipment would be the responsibility of the company who is providing the training to another company to make sure it is in the appropriate condition so that the safety of trainees is ensured. The Control of Noise at Work Regulation 1989 This legislation came into force for all industry sectors in Great Britain on 6th April 2006. The aim of this legislation is to ensure that employees hearing is protected from excessive noise in the workplace, which has the possibility of damaging their hearing or can be a cause of tinnitus. The level at which employers must provide hearing protection is 85 decibels, on the means that it is a daily or weekly average exposure. Employers must access the situation regarding this legislation and where it is necessary, ensure that: Hearing protection is provided and used. Â  They provide information, training and health surveillance where it is needed. Certain factors can be used to judge whether there is a problem with noise in a workplace. These factors are shown below: Â  Whether employees have to raise their voice to carry out a normal conversation from about two metres apart. Â  Whether employees use noisy powered tools or machinery for more than half an hour a day. Â  If there are noises due to impacts, such as hammering. The purpose of this act is to ensure of the health and safety of people within a business in regards to the noise in the workplace. The resource manager will have to purchase the necessary equipment to measure to decibel level in the premises so that the right precautions can be carried out if they do in fact reach a certain level. For example, if the noise in the workplace does exceed 85 decibels then it means that the resource manager will have to purchase the necessary equipment to ensure that the hearing safety of people with the premises are ensured. Equipment that would usually be used are ear plugs, which primarily cut out exterior noise pollution, and allow the person to hear people from a close range. Conclusion In summary, a resource manager will have to take into account certain legislations and factors so that the health and safety of people involved within a company, such as employees and customers are ensured. This may mean that they will have to purchase equipment and use training to have be able to do so.

Death of a Salesman Idealism and Truth Essay Example for Free

Death of a Salesman Idealism and Truth Essay ?Idealism describes the belief or pursuit of a perfect vision often based upon unrealistic principles. This pursuit is often contrasted and opposed by truth. The truth and reality in an individual’s life is what enables this person to remain grounded and down to earth. An individual must set themselves high expectations in order to be their best, but they must also acknowledge the fact that everything they desire is not achievable. The imbalance of idealism and truth in an individual’s life can have calamitous effects. It is significant in an individual’s life because it can lead to the deterioration of an individual’s sanity, destruction of family relationships and ultimately death. This is exemplified in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, by Willy Loman. Willy spends his whole life pursuing the American Dream. This pursuit leaves him in debt and lacking less than a sliver of sanity. This man lacks the capacity to face the truth; the reality of his situation. The negative effect that his dream has on his family and life is simply overlooked and ignored. As Willy’s life swerves out of control, he tumbles deeper into the abyss of his idealism, to a point of no return. The inability for an individual to achieve a single-minded dream can lead to the deterioration of their sanity. In Willy’s case, he has spent his whole life pursuing the American Dream; a dream that is impossible to achieve. His inability to cope with the failure of his life at first simply causes him to feel lost, but eventually causes him to go insane. Ironically enough this man, so set on having the perfect life, has an affair with a secretary of one of the buyer. This is simply a financial transaction of gifts for sex and access to the buyers. Willy does this to escape the truth of his life, and in the process completely contradicts his goals. In an attempt to protect himself from the reality of his life, he goes into self-protection mode. His own mind morphs his memories to achieve and establish his desires. Willy’s constant flashbacks lay the groundwork to support that he is becoming senile and that his idealistic tendencies caused him to lose the ability to recognize reality from illusion. Willy is a very insecure individual, and he tries to make himself look better by lying to himself and his family. In his world of delusion, Willy is a hugely successful man. He disguises his profound anxiety and self-doubt with extreme arrogance. Biff nails it on the head when he points out the fact that Willy â€Å"had all the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong. † The overpowering pursuit of idealism over truth can lead an individual to lack the ability to cope with reality. Willy has a lot of potential, but he also has a whopping case of self-deception paired with misguided life goals. He has based his whole life on supporting others and does not know how to live any other way. The effect of lacking a manly figure during his youthful development is substantial effect in how Willy raises his own sons. In Willy’s pursuit of the American Dream, he clearly instills in his sons that being well-liked is more important than character. By emphasizing likability as being the most desirable quality for success he places a higher premium on outward projection over inner strength of character. He simply passes on these unrealistic qualities to his sons. â€Å"I never in my life told him anything but decent things. † Willy’s memories reveal that the values with which he raised his sons has made Biff comes to consider himself exceptional and entitled to whatever he wants regardless of how hard he works or whether it harms others. Biff’s perfect illusion is shattered when he discovers that his father is having an affair and he feels hateful and confused about his father’s actions. His excessive pursuit of idealism shatters Willy’s relationship with his son; this is something that he does not have the ability to repair. Willy’s pursuit of idealism in his life was extremely unrealistic and eventually prevented him from having the ability to see the truth in life. He spent his whole life trying to provide for his family. He wanted the life of a salesman. To be well-liked and have a massive funeral when he dies. The reality is that he spent his whole life pursuing unrealistic dreams based on negative personal values. Willy himself points out that he’s â€Å"worth more dead than alive. † It’s quite tragic that Willy believes he has to kill himself to feel that he is worth something to his family. The reality of the situation is that his death is in vain. The Loman’s only had one more payment left on the house, and don’t actually need the money anymore. But in his blinded illusion, Willy cannot see through or cope with his failure. This causes him to believe that he is worth nothing more alive and kills himself to enable his family to collect his life insurance money. The unevenness of idealism and truth in an individual’s life can lead to the loss of sanity, deterioration of relationships and even death. By having a good balanced of idealism and truth, there is a greater potential that an individual will discover contentment in life. While pursuing an ideal, an individual may be confronted with truth that must be recognized, and if ignored will have cataclysmic effect. Idealism provides a good source of motivation to strive for excellence and truth reminds us that we are all flawed. Together, with an appropriate balance of both, you have the tools to live a life happy.

Domestic violence: Social-cultural perspectives

Domestic violence: Social-cultural perspectives Domestic violence has been a serious social problem in many families, not only in the United States and United Kingdoms, but across the world. As per the 2003 surveys of the Centers for Disease Control, domestic problems or home violence had affected at least 32 million Americans (Bancroft, LT, Jay, GS. 2003). Research studies have also shown that different countries have various ways of dealing with the family violence, its public awareness, perception and documentation are all prone to variations from State to State. Actually, the initial use of the concept Domestic violence can be traced back to 1977 when it was first identified as serious and growing phenomena, following a series of researches (Archer, J.2000, Waits, K., 1985). These are a few manifestations that domestic violence has been a critical issue in many societies. It therefore deserved or still deserves to be given extra attention. This paper delves into the same, in attempt to find out, compile and discuss on issues surrounding domestic violence from different perspectives, and perhaps shed more light on the numerous cases of violence and social turbulences in homes and families. Introduction The concept Domestic violence have also commonly been referred to as spousal abuse, domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, or child abuse depending on who is victimized or affected in a way by the violence at home (Johnson, M., 2000). Reading through the work of Bancroft and Jay, spousal, child or domestic abuse is the act or the behavior of violence against a child, or a spouse. It is a raging conflict that may exist within a relationship perceived as very intimate, the cases of violence in families, marriages, between friends, in dating and all the intimate relationships categorically enclosed (Bancroft, LT, Jay, GS, 2003). According to the U.S Office on Violence against Women, domestic violence had been defined as a pattern of abusive conduct in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and authority over the other and control over an intimate partner (Johnson, M., 2000). In the year 2004, the Spanish Measures of Integral Protection against gender Violence contended that gender violence is the violence directed at women from the very fact of being a woman. This had been one of the most controversial and brutal sense of gender inequality ever witnessed in the history of domestic violence (Waits, K.1985). Intimate partner violence (IPV) assumes many patterns of abuse. Among such things that research studies have categorized as behaviors of violence are assault, insults, beating in any form i.e. kicking, slapping or hitting with anything, shoving, sexual abuses, emotional and psychological torture, economic deprivation, maltreatments, slavery and many alike (Waits, K.1985).According to Robertson and his research counterparts, domestic violence have been attributed to a number of possible causes, ranging from alcoholism to mental illnesses (Robertson, KP, Murachver,TM., 2009). Aim and Objective The aim of this paper is to discuss at length issues of domestic violence from different social-cultural perspectives. The paper seeks to address the mushrooming challenges surrounding social demographics i.e. families and homes across the societal divides. Its objective is to give a succinct elaboration on what many researchers hold to be right or wrong about the domestic violence. It investigates into the previous research findings and methods that had been employed to establish whether the spousal, child or family abuses could be brought to a permanent end, or the society have to live with and appreciate the violence as part of life. Literature Review United States as a point of reference is the one State that researches have shown to contribute a greater magnitude of long lasting domestic violence. Prolonged account of legal precedents pertaining to spousal abuses and relationship conflicts were common trends in the United States (Waits, K.1985).Similar cases have continuously been observed in the rest of the societies of the world. This implies that domestic violence have been a worldwide socio-cultural fiasco, not narrowed to the United States alone (Waits, K.1985). Many research studies have found that the most affected by the domestic violence are women. To begin with, the research conducted by Robertson and Murachver revealed that women were the first victims of all domestic chaos in every society. They emphasize many women were being battered, assaulted, insulted, sexually abused, emotionally and psychologically tortured by family affairs, and all manners of family violence (Robertson, KP, Murachver, TM. 2009).Backing up the claims of these researchers was Bancroft and his research colleagues. They too emphasized that even though domestic violence affected all the members of families, including children and the spouses, women were faced with the most staid domestic challenges resulting from the social conflicts and violence (Bancroft, LT, Jay, GS, 2003). The arguments and assertions of these researchers were however met by stern resistance from the National Institute of Justice whose research findings pointed out that both women and men were affected equally by domestic violence, and that to some extent or in some cases, men were faced with most challenges than could be compared to their wives and children (Waits, K., 1985, The Criminal Justice Response to Battering). The findings of the National Institute of Justice further contended men from a few families were also battered, assaulted and insulted by women, and so, justice had to prevail when handling domestic issues (Wait, K., 1985). However, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) further refuted the findings of National Institute of Justice (NIJ), arguing that male and female spousal assaults could not be rated similarly as the research studies of the NIJ posited (Wait, K., 1985).The CDCP and BJS studies held there was more violence of men against women, men assaulting women, and not otherwise. Debates surrounding domestic violence were becoming controversial and highly contested. Archer Jefferson and other conflict resolution researchers also had their own stand. They opposed the assumption of gender equity or gender neutrality in domestic violence as held by some research scholars and civil rights movements (Archer, J., 2000) Pertinent to domestic violence characterized by controversial debates and arguments, there were also emerging gender movements whose major aims were to defend themselves against the claims on who between men and women violated the family peace accords the most. The first of such movements was a womens movement that beginning in 1970s (Bancroft, LT, Jay, GS, 2003).This movement was concerned with womens rights which held that men were ruthlessly abusing their wives. This move was later to be countered by the masculine movements commencing from1990s. Modern attention given to domestic chaos put into consideration factors that could have led to commencement of the gender conflicts and domestic fiascos (Bancroft, LT, Jay, GS, 2003). Survey estimates have, too, indicated that in every 1000 females, approximately 240 were victims of domestic assaults as compared to only 76 in every 1000 men going through the same domestic traumas (Robertson, KP, Murachver, TM. 2009). Nevertheless, some anonymous reports released in 1997 revealed that a good number of men who suffer from the wraths and brutalities of women fail to say so, therefore living no substantial evidence that could be used to approve to what extent men suffer the domestic violence concomitant to women The reports, however, noted that there were no certified proves that men under-reported their cases than women or the vise versa (Robertson, KP, Murachver, TM. 2009). The reports were though more categorical on the case of female reportage of domestic violence, admitting that a significant percentage of women were likely to accept they were being abused by their partners. This, according to reports, had been one of the challenges facing men, the fear to admit for safeguarding the perception of the masculine gender (Robertson, KP, Murachver, TM. 2009) Research Methodologies Among the most commonly used and criticized research methodology in investigating gender domestic violence was the use of Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) survey tool. CTS was found in 1970 as a tool used in measuring the extent of domestic and gender conflicts through surveys and compilation of data. This research methodology was, however, met with stern criticisms and dissatisfaction by other research bodies like the U.S National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) (Waits, K., 1985). The above highlighted research organs commonly contended that the use of CTS in research was not effective in a number of ways. It did not measure critical domestic violence aspects such as coercion, control, sexual assaults by ex-partners or partners, factors contributing to the domestic and gender violence (Waits, K., 1985). For such concrete assertions against the use of CTS, other research methodologies have been preferred in investigating issues of domestic violence. Such methodologies as filling of questionnaires, field researches, desk research, and interviews have commonly been utilized. Results and Findings The major findings concerning domestic violence is that women are generally the most victimized, though a number of other researches claim otherwise. Like-wisely, a significant percentage of men have fallen victims of gender violence. Debates as to whether it is women or men that suffer the consequences of domestic violence the most is still unsettled, with both genders pointing accusing fingers on who should be accused of violating the family piece accords almost always. Causes of domestic violence so highlighted indicate that alcoholism plays a significant role in instigating family violence, making the male gender to be the first culprit to be accused of the assaults and insults in the families. This follows the general notion that a better percentage of men are drunkards as compared to women. Other factors contributing towards the same are misunderstandings, mental illnesses, poverty, communication conflicts and cultural diversities (Robertson, KP., Murchver ,TM., 2009, Attributes and attributions associated with female and male partner violence). Discussions and Conclusion The so called domestic violence has no boundaries or limits. It can possibly take place in any family at any time. This, as Robertson and Murachver confirms, is very true in the cases of psychological abuses. After all, the violence doesnt need to go physical or get aggressive through attacks, and family skirmishes. Many psychological researchers have incessantly pointed out that the psychological kind of abuses in families present more severe consequences than could be compared to the equally consequential physical and aggressive domestic violence (Archer. 2000).Emotional abuses though minimal as the many surveys on domestic matters indicate, they leave prolonged and long lasting tensions (Robinson, KP, Murachver,TM, 2009). In conclusion, domestic violence may be regarded as part and parcel of life that both men and women should learn how to manage, appreciate and live with. ukessays>essays>classics Essays Roman Social Life ukessays>essays>classics Essays Roman Social Life What can the decoration and layout of the Pompeian house tell us about Roman social life? The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79AD, and the subsequent destruction of Pompeii, and it’s near neighbour, Herculaneum; offers us a unique glimpse into Roman life at the end of the first century AD. There are, however, certain problems that must be understood before a discussion of Roman social life can be attempted. Pompeii was not a Roman city in the sense that it had not been founded by Roman citizens. At the time of its destruction it was already very old and had been inhabited by many generations of people from disparate backgrounds that came together to form their own uniquely structured society. From the early second century BC it is possible to identify four separate and distinct concepts of urban organisation within the city. It should further be noted that only a relatively small part of the city has been excavated to this point, and so any argument from archaeology will always be incomplete. The literary sources are even more problematic, Ancient authors rarely mention Pompeii before the first century BC and even after this date the sources are far from extensive. The writings of Varro (C.116-27BC), Vitruvius (fl.20-10BC) and Pliny the Younger (C.62-110AD) are our main sources. Archaeologists working at Pompeii, and indeed elsewhere, have tended to be classically trained scholars. The tendency of such scholars has been to interpret their finds in ways that are analogous to the Latin textual tradition. This is to say that scholars tend to assume that a given room in a given house must have been for an activity typically mentioned in one the sources. From the time of the very first excavations at Pompeii, a similarity was seen between the ideal plan of a Roman house set out in Vitruvius, and the floor plans of the many houses being unearthed. Terms deriving from Varro’s language study and Pliny the Youngers’ descriptions of his own country villas have also been applied to the floor plans at Pompeii. It is indeed common practice to label a room with a Latin term as soon as it is excavated. As a result of this, perhaps natural tendency, the archaeological remains have been interpreted in combination with textual references, and plans of Pompeian h ouses are general labelled with such terms. Some modern scholars even translate the Latin terms into the assumed appropriate modern equivalent. The implication of this is that we are given the impression that we are far better informed than we in reality are, as to the nature of the activity that occurred in any given room in a Pompeian house. Some of the terminology used by ancient authors, and followed by modern scholars, was undoubtedly used by Pompeians, but any assignment of labels to rooms should be treated with a due amount of caution. Amongst other problems, this assumes that the function of rooms did not change over time and that individual rooms served only one function, such as they largely do in the modern world. Relatively recently Wallace-Hardrill has offered a very convincing description of the social structure of Roman houses, demonstrating that the entire space of the house was arranged to present the identity and status of the owner to the surrounding community. This may seem an obvious point, but in relation to the question, it is a vital one to note. The social function of a house determined both the layout of the rooms and the choice of decoration within each room. There are two especially characteristic elements to this social function, namely the different use made of space depending on the type of visitor to the house, and the significance of the extravagant dimensions and the wasted space as an example of conspicuous consumption. Ancient authors present us with an image of clients waiting in the atrium for an audience with a wealthy patron as a yard-stick of the social status of that patron. He would receive more important guests in smaller rooms closer to the interior of the house. Often more secluded rooms were used if the discussions were considered private. Close friends would come to dinner in dining areas that were specifically and deliberately located at the rear of the garden peristyle. A social pecking order was thus easily established, corresponding to the increasing access given to the interior of the house. It is evident that architects took great pains when designing the peristyles of Pompeian houses, to ensure that a guest would receive the most comprehensive impression of the size of the patrons’ home. An example of the way this was achieved was to locate the largest and most impressive rooms around the peristyle courts so that all would be visible, along with the garden, as a guest was taken to the patron. The number of reception rooms, and indeed the total number of rooms, played a significant role in determining the rank of the household and the social status of the patron within the social hierarchy of the city. A wealthy homeowner would have a home large enough to receive guests in different areas depending on their numbers, social status, time of the day, season etc. This ability to choose the location of reception was key in establishing ones social status. Although the amount of money spent on a persons house was not always directly proportional to the individuals wealth, some relationship is certain, as today, it was the most expensive item in the family budget. In order to purchase a large and impressive dwelling, one that would indicate high social rank, considerable amounts of money were required. There were also ancillary costs to consider, high social status was implied from having a large number of slaves and household attendants; all of whom had to be housed themselves. A measure of the importance of an impressive house in determining social status of the senatorial class is indicated by the amount of debt Cicero incurred in order to obtain his house on the Palatine. The character of Trimalchio in Petronius Satyricon is also not unaware of the importance of a grand house. With his expensive and extensive house he can hope to be held in high esteem. In the description of the house all of the rooms are on a grand scale. Trimalchio relates that when ‘Scaurus’ came to town he preferred to stay with Trimalchio rather than in his own house by the sea. By spending large sums of money, Trimalchio can hope to raise his social status among the wealthy elite; such thinking can no doubt be applied to any town within the Roman Empire, and certainly to Pompeii. Quite naturally, the preceding discussion only applies to the wealthy and socially prominent. They were the only rank in Pompeian society who needed (or could afford) large atria to receive clients, or large dining rooms to entertain friends. It should be noted the Pompeian society, an indeed Roman society as a whole, was competitive and there was relatively extensive upward mobility, or at least the desire sue such. The social elites created a model for their less wealthy and powerful contemporise through their activities and particularly through the style in which they lived, at least when they placed themselves on ostentatious open display, as was the purpose of a grand house. Decoration, as well as size and general layout, was also used as a means of indicating, or attaining a certain social status. Thus both architecture and interior design were employed in the competition for social status in Pompeian society. The natural side effects of this were stylistic developments in the various arts and crafts employed in interior dà ©cor, especially in painting. It has been argued that room function can be determined from the decorative schemes and that the more elaborate decoration was in rooms that were most likely to be seen by visitors; whilst probably broadly true, as Wallace-Hadrill has shown, arguments based on the premise of a precise relationship between archaeological remains at Pompeii and the surviving textual source tradition are often trapped in circular arguments. The extensive nature of the decorations in the Pompeian house, and indeed in houses throughout the Roman world, tell us much about the social life of the inhabitants. The fact that Pompeian houses were extensively decorated, and particularly those areas through which visitors would pass, or in which they would stay for extended periods, such as reception rooms and dining rooms, tells us that visitors were common. Houses, therefore, performed a very significant social function. Not only were they areas in which to live, they were also designed and decorated to present the owner in the best possible light, to indicate to the world his wealth and social standing. The Interpretation of individual rooms is, as already mentioned, problematic. Archaeologists and classical historians tend to interpret the Pompeian house without any consideration of the contents of a given room at the time of the eruption. Whilst it is obvious that some fixtures, such as cooking hearths, shrines, water-catchment areas and garden colonnades provide a good indication of room use, no systematic evaluation of room contents at Pompeii has ever been made. With this in mind, it should be recognised that an understanding of the social significance of decoration in the Pompeian house can never be complete as decoration surely implies the contents of any given room and not just the wall decoration. One final point that should be made is that decorating a part of a house for the purposes of social display was not a specifically, or even an originally Roman idea. In Greek cities of the classical period the houses of the rich were more elaborately constructed and better furnished and decorated then those belonging to people from a lower social level. A wealthy visitor to an Athenian house of the fifth or fourth century no doubt expected certain standards of decoration in the room where the symposium took place. The decorative style of Roman elite houses drew its inspiration from that of the Classical and Hellenistic period, but soon developed in the competitive climate of the late Republic and early Empire. The Pompeian house, therefore, served a number of functions. It was somewhere for an individual and his family to live in the first instance. But it also performed a significant social function as a place to receive and impress clients. Its size and exterior adornments were an open display of wealth and social standing, making a claim to be from a particular social class (even if not born into it), and the decoration, both interior and exterior all served to reinforce this impression. The more elaborate the decoration, the greater the social status of the owner. Bibliography P.M.Allison, Pompeian Households: An Analysis of the Material Culture (Los Angeles 2004) A.Boethius J.B.Ward-Perkins, Etruscan and Roman Architecture (Middlesex 1970) A. Cooley, M.G.L. Cooley, Pompeii (London 2004) M.W.Frederiksen, Caesar, Cicero and the Problem of Debt, JRS, 56, 1966, 128-141 M. Grahame, Private and Public in the Roman House: Investigating the Social Order of the Casa del Fauno in R.Laurence A.Wallace-Hadrill, Domestic Space in the Roman World: Pompeii and Beyond (Michigan 1997) M.Grant, Cities of Vesuvius: Pompeii and Herculaneum (London 1971) W.M.Jongman, Pompeii (Amsterdam 1988) A.McKay, Houses, Villas and Palaces in the Roman World (Southampton 1977) M.C.Van Binneke, Some Remarks on the Functions of Houses and Rooms in the Insula V at Herculaneum. Mededelingen van het Nederlands Instituut te Rome, Antiquity 50, 1991, 136-144 A.Wallice-Hadrill, The Social Structure of Roman Houses, PBSR, 56, 1988, 43-97 A.Wallice-Hadrill, Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum (Princeton 1994) P. Zanker, Pompeii: Public and Private (London 1998)