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Friday, September 28, 2012

Summer Sandals of 2012

Summer Sandals of 2012: "Summer Sandals of 2012"


Warm temperatures are here and you’ve gotten your first pedicure of the season. Now break out those sandals and show off your pretty feet!
Just one problem… Which sandals are hot for spring and summer 2012?
Trends change yearly, and while some styles are classic and stick around, some should definitely be forgotten. We’ve scoured the internet, runways, and streets to find the most sought-after sandals for spring.

Flats
flat sandals
Flat sandals are a universal choice for all — they’re cute, comfy, and flattering for any body type and outfit. Flats have taken a big step in the right direction lately, and they come in many colors and styles. While traditional flip-flops are still around, these fun sandals give you tons of options for a quick, slip-on sandal.
There are several strappy options that are in, or you can go minimal with one solo strap that runs around your ankle down to your toes. Fancy embellishments like rhinestones, studs, or jewels mix well with this style!

Wedges
wedge sandals

For something a little bit more sassy, grab a great pair of wedge sandals! Wedges are perfect for people who love high heels, but don’t wear them because they’re too uncomfortable. While some wedges may be tall, they’re still seriously comfy shoes because of their structure.
Most wedge sandals have a cork-based heel, which lends to their comfort, but it’s common to see them made with other materials. The tops of wedges also come in a number of colors and materials, like shown above. One thing that you must do before putting on a pair of wedges: get apedicure! Since these are open-toed shoes, having polished toes is a must. Check out this guide to nail polish trends if you need some color inspiration.


Espadrilles
Espadrilles sandals
For the girliest of sandals, look no further than espadrilles! One part wedge, one part weave, these sandals go hand-in-hand with spring. Like wedges, these sandals are comfortable and a favorite of many. You can choose from different colors, like the orange, red, or navy blue above, or go a little bit bolder with a floral print.
Espadrilles look good with several spring outfits, like knee-length dresses and cropped pants. Since they’ve got some height, they’ll make you look slimmer, similar to heels, but your feet won’t be aching at the end of the day!

Types of Socks - The House Boardshop

Types of Socks - The House Boardshop:


Different Types of Socks
Whether walking, hiking, skiing, or just hanging out, socks can make or break your experience. Cushioning, moisture wicking properties, a good fit and temperature regulation are a few things to keep in mind when shopping around for socks. Once you try out a technical sock with a perfect fit, it’s tough to go back to straight cotton! The House has a large selection of men’s socks andwomen’s socks for every aspiration.

Socks are often categorized by activity or sport to make it easier for consumers to decipher between materials, intended uses, and levels of cushioning. Of course there is some crossover within every category, but understanding design features is the first step in finding the right pair of socks!
Ski and Snowboard Socks – These socks sit higher than other socks, hitting just below the knee. They won’t ride down your legs and provide cushioning in the shin, arch and ankle. Ski and snowboard socks wick away moisture with either synthetic materials or merino wool.
Hiking Socks – Hiking socks provide cushioning in the ball and forefoot, while wicking away moisture and drawing it outside the sock. The extra padding is ideal for long treks where blisters or hot spots are likely. Hiking socks also will stay put for hours on end! They come in a variety of heights and typically two weights – lightweight and mid weight.
Skateboarding Socks - With a variety of colors, heights and logos, skateboarding socks are the economical answer for everyday wear for the younger generation. They’re typically made from cotton and will serve their purpose throughout the school year and beyond.
Casual Socks – Sitting right between a technical sock and a cotton sock, casual socks are usually a blend of cotton and synthetic materials. While not quite as efficient at wicking moisture as a hiking sock, casual socks will stay drier and warmer than an all cotton sock. Prints, colors and varying heights are common among casual socks.
Sock Materials
Merino Wool - If your feet tend to get cold, hot, clammy or sweaty, wool socks will be your best friend. Merino wool is comprised of long, fine, itch-free fibers that have replaced lower end wool found in Grandma’s sweater. Merino wool is the ideal temperature regulating fiber that keeps your feet warm when you’re walking to class and dry in the midst of a heat wave. Perfect for the summer or winter, merino wool also absorbs moisture and passes it through to the outside of the sock.
Synthetic - Synthetic materials like polyester wicks moisture and dries quickly. Other synthetics like nylon and spandex help socks retain their shape, provide a snug fit and add arch support. With a variety of synthetic blends on the market at reasonable prices, synthetic sock materials have gained much popularity over the years.
Ingeo
 – Ingeo is an eco-friendly synthetic fiber derived from corn that yields outstanding moisture management properties, breathability, insulation and comfort. It’s hypoallergenic, so ingeo is a great alternative for those allergic to wool.
Cotton – Cotton socks absorb moisture and dry slowly, which can lead to blisters when used for athletic activities. However, cotton socks are inexpensive and come in a variety of colors and patterns that aren’t not available in technical socks. They’re ideal for kids, teens, and anyone else who doesn’t need moisture wicking properties for everyday use.
Related posts:
  1. How To Buy Snowboarding Socks
  2. Merrell Socks Review
  3. How to Get Kids Started With Snowshoeing
  4. Choosing the Right Base Layer Clothing
  5. Choosing the Best Travel Shoes

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Procedure for Appointing a Sales Agent for Overseas Market.

Procedure for Appointing a Sales Agent for Overseas Market.: "Appointing a Sales Agent."


Introduction
Selling a product through an overseas agent is a very successful strategy. Sales agents are available on commission basis for any sales they make. The key benefit of using an overseas sales agent is that you get the advantage of their extensive knowledge of the target market. Sales agent also provides support to an exporter in the matter of transportation, reservation of accommodation, appointment with the government as and when required. It is, therefore, essential that one should very carefully select overseas agent.
Merits of Appointing a Sales Agent
There are various types of merits associated with appointed a sales agent for export purpose are as follow:
  • Sales agent avoids the recruitment, training, time and payroll costs of using own employees to enter an overseas market.
  • An agent is a better option to identify and exploit opportunities in overseas export market.
  • An agent already have solid relationships with potential buyers, hence it saves the time of the exporter to build own contacts.
  • An agent allows an exporter to maintain more control over matters such as final price and brand image - compared with the other intermediary option of using a distributor.
Demerits of Appointing a Sales Agent

There are also certain disadvantages associated with appointing a sales agent for export purpose which are as follows:
  • After-sales service can be difficult when selling through an intermediary.
  • There is a risk for exporter to lose some control over marketing and brand image.
Important Points While Appointing a Sales Agent:
Appointing right sales agent not only enhance the profit of an exporter but also avoid any of risks associated with a sales agent. So it becomes important for an exporter to take into consideration following important points before selection an appropriate sales agent for his product.
  • Size of the agent's company.
  • Date of foundation of the agent's company.
  • Company's ownership and control.
  • Company's capital, funds, available and liabilities.
  • Name, age and experience of the company's senior executives.
  • Number, age and experience of the company's salesman.
  • Oher agencies that the company holds, including those of competing products and turn-over of each.
  • Length of company's association with other principal.
  • New agencies that the company obtained or lost during the past year.
  • Company's total annual sales and the trends in its sales in recent years.
  • Company's sales coverage, overall and by area.
  • Number of sales calls per month and per salesman by company staff.
  • Any major obstacles expected in the company's sales growth.
  • Agent's capability to provide sales promotion and advertising services
  • Agent's transport facilities and warehousing capacity.
  • Agent's rate of commission; payment terms required.
  • References on the agents from banks, trade associations and major buyers.
  • Government Departments Trade Associations.
  • Chambers of Commerce.
  • Banks.
  • Independent Consultants.
  • Export Promotion Councils.
  • Advertisement Abroad. 
Agent v Distributor
There is a fundamental legal difference between agents and distributors and an exporter should not confuse between the two. An agent negotiates on the behalf of an exporter and may be entitled to create a legal relationship between exporter and the importer

A distributor buys goods on its own account from exporter and resells those products to customers. It is the distributor which has the sale contract with the customer not the exporter. In the case of distributor, an exporter is free from any kinds of risks associated with the finance.
Table of Contents

Starting Export Introduction.

Starting Export Introduction.: "Starting Export Introduction."


Introduction
How to Start Export is a fair question that every first time exporter wants to ask. Export in itself is a very wide concept and lot of preparations is required by an exporter before starting an export business.

A key success factor in starting any export company is clear understanding and detail knowledge of products to be exported. In order to be a successful in exporting one must fully research its foreign market rather than try to tackle every market at once. The exporter should approach a market on a priority basis. Overseas design and product must be studies properly and considered carefully. Because there are specific laws dealing with International trade and foreign business, it is imperative that you familiarize yourself with state, federal, and international laws before starting your export business.

Price is also an important factor. So, before starting an export business an exporter must considered the price offered to the buyers. As the selling price depends on sourcing price, try to avoid unnecessary middlemen who only add cost but no value. It helps a lot on cutting the transaction cost and improving the quality of the final products.

However, before we go deep into "How to export ?” let us discuss what an export is and how the Government of Indian has defined it.
In very simple terms, export may be defined as the selling of goods to a foreign country. However, As per Section 2 (e) of the India Foreign Trade Act (1992), the term export may be defined as 'an act of taking out of India any goods by land, sea or air and with proper transaction of money”.

Exporting a product is a profitable method that helps to expand the business and reduces the dependence in the local market. It also provides new ideas, management practices, marketing techniques, and ways of competing, which is not possible in the domestic market. Even as an owner of a domestic market, an individual businessman should think about exporting. Research shows that, on average, exporting companies are more profitable than their non-exporting counterparts.

Why Need to Export
There are many good reasons for exporting:

The first and the primary reason for export is to earn foreign exchange. The foreign exchange not only brings profit for the exporter but also improves the economic condition of the country.

Secondly, companies that export their goods are believed to be more reliable than their counterpart domestic companies assuming that exporting company has survive the test in meeting international standards.

Thirdly, free exchange of ideas and cultural knowledge opens up immense business and trade opportunities for a company.

Fourthly, as one starts visiting customers to sell one’s goods, he has an opportunity to start exploring for newer customers, state-of-the-art machines and vendors in foreign lands.

Fifthly, by exporting goods, an exporter also becomes safe from offset lack of demand for seasonal products.

Lastly, international trade keeps an exporter more competitive and less vulnerable to the market as the exporter may have a business boom in one sector while simultaneously witnessing a bust in a different sector.

No doubt that in the age of globalization and liberalizations, Export has became of the most lucrative business in India. Government of India is also supporting exporters through various incentives and schemes to promote Indian export for meeting the much needed requirements for importing modern technology and adopting new technology from MNCs through Joint ventures and collaboration.
Table of Contents

The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0 - Harvard Business Review

The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0 - Harvard Business Review: "The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0"


When managers at the golf equipment company Callaway launched the successor to its Big Bertha driver, in 1995, they faced a challenge: What should they call it? They settled on Great Big Bertha, which was followed two years later by Biggest Big Bertha. It’s a clever progression—but is it the right way to name next-generation products?
Although there’s ample research to guide marketers in naming new products, little of it has addressed follow-on offerings, even though these make up the bulk of new products in industries ranging from automobiles to digital cameras.
Companies have two basic strategies to choose from. They can stick with a name, as Cadillac did during the 45-year run of its Coupe de Ville—often adding a sequential indicator, as Callaway did with its Berthas. We call this brand-name continuation. Or they can come up with a new name for the next version, as Nintendo did with its N64, GameCube, and Wii gaming platforms. We call this brand-name change.
Which strategy works best? It depends. In laboratory and field studies involving hundreds of subjects, we found that when consumers see a brand-name continuation, they expect improvements to existing features. When they see a brand-name change, they expect fundamentally new features, and they perceive the product as riskier (likelier to fail or more prone to compatibility problems with previous products) but potentially more rewarding (higher in quality, more satisfying to use). These findings suggest three questions that managers choosing next-generation names should explore:
What is the target market’s attitude toward risk and reward?
Consumers’ risk tolerance varies widely from one demographic to another. Young people typically accept risk in exchange for greater reward; for example, they often prefer an entirely new video game despite the higher likelihood of glitches. The Wii was Nintendo’s fifth home video game console; its name change signaled a dramatic departure from previous generations. Microsoft Office caters to business users who care more about consistency than novelty, so it uses brand-name continuation to highlight its reliability.
What are the consequences if things go wrong?
Consumers’ perceptions of risk depend in part on the setting. Error is less acceptable in business and social contexts than in private. Whereas Honda wisely stuck with Accord for each iteration of its family sedan, Gillette gave new razors their own names (Sensor, Fusion). In addition, the possibility of error is more easily tolerated when backups are available. In one lab experiment we conducted, subjects asked to select a new camera for a vacation typically chose a next-generation model with a new name when a family member would also be taking a camera; otherwise they opted for a (presumably) more reliable same-name camera.
What is the competitive landscape?
Your relative strength in the market also matters. In the mid- to late 1990s, AMD’s K5 and K6 microprocessors trailed Intel’s Pentium series in sales. So in 1999 AMD gave a new name, Athlon, to its next-generation processor, which did much better in the marketplace than its predecessors had.
Names set expectations. Above all, make sure your product delivers on them. Because it had a new name, Microsoft’s Vista operating system primed consumers to expect dramatically new capabilities that the software did not actually have. The company thus mismanaged expectations. Callaway’s brand-name continuation pointed to steady but not radical improvements—a perfect message for golfers, who don’t want surprises to ruin their games.

Can You Tweak Products Like Steve Jobs? - H. James Wilson and Elaine Eisenman - Harvard Business Review

Can You Tweak Products Like Steve Jobs? - H. James Wilson and Elaine Eisenman - Harvard Business Review: "Can You Tweak Products Like Steve Jobs?"


One cliffhanger of last night's earnings announcement from Apple is whether the company can keep making intuitively brilliant product tweaks without Steve Jobs.
As a number of recent biographical and journalistic analyses show, Jobs was the "editorial" sensibility and decision-maker behind many of Apple's most celebrated and appreciated tweaks. He shaved 10 seconds of boot time off the Macintosh. He removed the off/on button from the iPod. He swapped in more durable screen materials for the iPhone. He rounded off the corners of the iPad.
Now, without Jobs' input, Wall Street and consumers seem less certain if the modifications to the iPhone 5 will carry the same editorial sensibility. If they do, it may help Apple reverse the weakening demand for iPhone sales it described in the earnings call.
This ability to tweak offerings is a skill that most organizations need to have, according to our recent analysis of data from 180 CEOs. But unlike Apple, most companies don't rely on the CEO to do the tweaking. Specifically, CEOs report that they identify two types of "tweaker talent" within their organizations. We call them reframers and filters.
Reframers are like good story editors who can help writers see new and better ways to frame their ideas. In organizations, reframers similarly help the business see better ways to deal with complex problems or opportunities for innovation.
For instance, a national bank in our sample was facing tough new regulations that immediately impacted about 14% of revenues. Rather than moving into damage control mode, beginning with lowering revenue projections to shareholders, executives called workers for suggestions. A few reframers quickly came forward with an alternative, eco-friendly offering. The result was a 15% increase in new revenue, and a leadership position in a new market segment.

Filters, on the other hand, are like deeply knowledgeable acquiring editors, skilled at finding the next best-seller in a stack of book proposals. These employees are willing to use deep experience in a particular sector to discern and shape opportunities within their social networks and regional markets.
For example, one CEO in our sample identified a filter who found a previously untapped government market the company could sell services to. Using his networks, deep social and professional connections from previous public sector work that no other employees had, the filter could quickly "sort through the thousands of potential opportunities and distill the top 1%. Of this 1% we were rewarded one in four projects," reports the executive.
Besides leveraging their networks, executives can also rely on filters to create value by sharing their first-hand insight on the nuances of a local market. When product developers weren't sure where to launch a new home flooring offering, the CEO advised his R&D team to ask for input from employees in satellite offices throughout North America. Acting as filters, many employees offered local insight not only on whether the product would sell but also on where small modifications could be made to satisfy regional tastes.
If you fear you're short on reframers and filters, our research suggests that that you can develop them. Encourage people to conduct low-risk experimental tweaks to offerings, especially where there is hard evidence that tweaks would help. In particular, CEOs mention three forms of data that signal a product is ripe for experimental tweaks:
  • Declines. Measurable declines in customer sales are an obvious signal tweaks may help. One pet supplies and services company noted that customers were unexpectedly cutting back on its preventative veterinary care offering. So it began testing a "wellness package" that combined these services with healthy pet food products at a reduced cost. The tweak increased overall revenue by 8%, four times initial projections.
  • Demands. A direct customer demand could be an opportunity to tweak. Based on a customer's repeated requests for an "add-on feature in its next generation product," a software company tested to see whether there might enough market demand. Results showed yes, so the company "accelerated R&D and spending at a time when revenue was flat to down," says the CEO. "Today most customers see it [the added feature] as a major benefit."
  • Disconnects. B2B companies often have a distinctive outside-in view of interactions across functions and groups at client organizations. From this vantage point they can often identify communication and collaboration failures ripe for tweaking. One consultancy observed that a client company trained its marketing staff in a highly "lopsided" way, leading to high-turnover (and low marketing-effectiveness) in regions where staff were undertrained. As a result, the consultancy made a a small alteration to an existing training technology, and the tweak has led to a "significant new revenue stream for our firm," according to one executive.
In each of these three Ds, tweaking occurs within the context of existing resources, offerings, and customer data. It's not about making big bets. The promise of creating value in a low-risk environment encourages people to step forward and cultivate their editorial skills. Remember when you start tweaking: Don't start with your firm's high-stakes equivalent to the iPhone 5.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Beauty and success: To those that have, shall be given | The Economist

Beauty and success: To those that have, shall be given | The Economist: "To those that have, shall be given"


The ugly are one of the few groups against whom it is still legal to discriminate. Unfortunately for them, there are good reasons why beauty and success go hand in hand

IMAGINE you have two candidates for a job. They are both of the same sex—and that sex is the one your own proclivities incline you to find attractive. Their CVs are equally good, and they both give good interview. You cannot help noticing, though, that one is pug-ugly and the other is handsome. Are you swayed by their appearance?
Perhaps not. But lesser, less-moral mortals might be. If appearance did not count, why would people dress up for such interviews—even if the job they are hoping to get is dressed down? And job interviews are turning points in life. If beauty sways interviewers, the beautiful will, by and large, have more successful careers than the ugly—even in careers for which beauty is not a necessary qualification.
If you were swayed by someone's looks, however, would that be wrong? In a society that eschews prejudice, favouring the beautiful seems about as shallow as you can get. But it was not always thus. In the past, people often equated beauty with virtue and ugliness with vice.
Even now, the expression “as ugly as sin” has not quite passed from the language. There is, of course, the equally famous expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, to counter it. But the subtext of that old saw, that beauty is arbitrary, is wrong. Most beholders agree what is beautiful—and modern biology suggests there is a good reason for that agreement. Biology also suggests that beauty may, indeed, be a good rule of thumb for assessing someone of either sex. Not an infallible one, and certainly no substitute for an in-depth investigation. But, nevertheless, an instinctive one, and one that is bound to redound to the advantage of the physically well endowed.

Fearful symmetry

The godfather of scientific study of beauty is Randy Thornhill, of the University of New Mexico. It was Dr Thornhill who, a little over a decade ago, took an observation he originally made about insects and dared to apply it to people.
The insects in question were scorpion flies, and the observation was that those flies whose wings were most symmetrical were the ones that did best in the mating stakes. Dr Thornhill thought this preference for symmetry might turn out to be universal in the animal kingdom (and it does indeed seem to be). In particular, he showed it is true of people. He started with faces, manipulating pictures to make them more and less symmetrical, and having volunteers of the opposite sex rank them for attractiveness. But he has gone on to show that all aspects of bodily symmetry contribute, down to the lengths of corresponding fingers, and that the assessment applies to those of the same sex, as well.
The reason seems to be that perfect symmetry is hard for a developing embryo to maintain. The embryo that can maintain it obviously has good genes (and also a certain amount of luck). It is, therefore, more than just coincidence that the words “health and beauty” trip so easily off the tongue as a single phrase.
Other aspects of beauty, too, are indicators of health. Skin and hair condition, in particular, are sensitive to illness, malnutrition and so on (or, perhaps it would be better to say that people's perceptions are exquisitely tuned to detect perfection and flaws in such things). And more recent work has demonstrated another association. Contrary to the old jokes about dumb blondes, beautiful people seem to be cleverer, too.
One of the most detailed studies on the link between beauty and intelligence was done by Mark Prokosch, Ronald Yeo and Geoffrey Miller, who also work at the University of New Mexico. These three researchers correlated people's bodily symmetry with their performance on intelligence tests. Such tests come in many varieties, of course, and have a controversial background. But most workers in the field agree that there is a quality, normally referred to as “general intelligence”, or “g”, that such tests can measure objectively along with specific abilities in such areas as spatial awareness and language. Dr Miller and his colleagues found that the more a test was designed to measure g, the more the results were correlated with bodily symmetry—particularly in the bottom half of the beauty-ugliness spectrum.
Faces, too, seem to carry information on intelligence. A few years ago, two of the world's face experts, Leslie Zebrowitz, of Brandeis University in Massachusetts, and Gillian Rhodes, of the University of Western Australia, got together to review the literature and conduct some fresh experiments. They found nine past studies (seven of them conducted before the second world war, an indication of how old interest in this subject is), and subjected them to what is known as a meta-analysis.
The studies in question had all used more or less the same methodology, namely photograph people and ask them to do IQ tests, then show the photographs to other people and ask the second lot to rank the intelligence of the first lot. The results suggested that people get such judgments right—by no means all the time, but often enough to be significant. The two researchers and their colleagues then carried out their own experiment, with the added twist of dividing their subjects up by age.

Bright blondes

The results of that were rather surprising. They found that the faces of children and adults of middling years did seem to give away intelligence, while those of teenagers and the elderly did not. That is surprising because face-reading of this sort must surely be important in mate selection, and the teenage years are the time when such selection is likely to be at its most intense—though, conversely, they are also the time when evolution will be working hardest to cover up any deficiencies, and the hormone-driven changes taking place during puberty might provide the material needed to do that.
Nevertheless, the accumulating evidence suggests that physical characteristics do give clues about intelligence, that such clues are picked up by other people, and that these clues are also associated with beauty. And other work also suggests that this really does matter.
One of the leading students of beauty and success is Daniel Hamermesh of the University of Texas. Dr Hamermesh is an economist rather than a biologist, and thus brings a somewhat different perspective to the field. He has collected evidence from more than one continent that beauty really is associated with success—at least, with financial success. He has also shown that, if all else is equal, it might be a perfectly legitimate business strategy to hire the more beautiful candidate.
Just over a decade ago Dr Hamermesh presided over a series of surveys in the United States and Canada which showed that when all other things are taken into account, ugly people earn less than average incomes, while beautiful people earn more than the average. The ugliness “penalty” for men was -9% while the beauty premium was +5%. For women, perhaps surprisingly considering popular prejudices about the sexes, the effect was less: the ugliness penalty was -6% while the beauty premium was +4%.
Since then, he has gone on to measure these effects in other places. In China, ugliness is penalised more in women, but beauty is more rewarded. The figures for men in Shanghai are –25% and +3%; for women they are –31% and +10%. In Britain, ugly men do worse than ugly women (-18% as against -11%) but the beauty premium is the same for both (and only +1%).
The difference also applies within professions. Dr Hamermesh looked at the careers of members of a particular (though discreetly anonymous) American law school. He found that those rated attractive on the basis of their graduation photographs went on to earn higher salaries than their less well-favoured colleagues. Moreover, lawyers in private practice tended to be better looking than those working in government departments.
 Illustration by Brett Ryder
Even more unfairly, Dr Hamermesh found evidence that beautiful people may bring more revenue to their employers than the less-favoured do. His study of Dutch advertising firms showed that those with the most beautiful executives had the largest size-adjusted revenues—a difference that exceeded the salary differentials of the firms in question. Finally, to add insult to injury, he found that even in his own cerebral and, one might have thought, beauty-blind profession, attractive candidates were more successful in elections for office in the American Economic Association.
That last distinction also applies to elections to public office, as was neatly demonstrated by Niclas Berggren, of the Ratio Institute in Stockholm, and his colleagues. Dr Berggren's team looked at almost 2,000 candidates in Finnish elections. They asked foreigners (mainly Americans and Swedes) to examine the candidates' campaign photographs and rank them for beauty. They then compared those rankings with the actual election results. They were able to eliminate the effects of party preference because Finland has a system of proportional representation that pits candidates of the same party against one another. Lo and behold, the more beautiful candidates, as ranked by people who knew nothing of Finland's internal politics, tended to have been the more successful—though in this case, unlike Dr Hamermesh's economic results, the effect was larger for women than for men.

If looks could kill

What these results suggest is a two-fold process, sadly reminiscent of the biblical quotation to which the title of this article refers. There is a feedback loop between biology and the social environment that gives to those who have, and takes from those who have not.
That happens because beauty is a real marker for other, underlying characteristics such as health, good genes and intelligence. It is what biologists call an unfakeable signal, like the deep roar of a big, rutting stag that smaller adolescents are physically incapable of producing. It therefore makes biological sense for people to prefer beautiful friends and lovers, since the first will make good allies, and the second, good mates.
That brings the beautiful opportunities denied to the ugly, which allows them to learn things and make connections that increase their value still further. If they are judged on that experience as well as their biological fitness, it makes them even more attractive. Even a small initial difference can thus be amplified into something that just ain't—viewed from the bottom—fair.
Given all this, it is hardly surprising that the cosmetics industry has global sales of $280 billion. But can you really fake the unfakeable signal?
Dr Hamermesh's research suggests that you can but, sadly, that it is not cost-effective—at least, not if your purpose is career advancement. Working in Shanghai, where the difference between the ugliness penalty and the beauty bonus was greatest, he looked at how women's spending on their cosmetics and clothes affected their income.
The answer was that it did, but not enough to pay for itself in a strictly financial sense. He estimates that the beauty premium generated by such primping is worth only 15% of the money expended. Of course, beauty pays off in spheres of life other than the workplace. But that, best beloved, would be the subject of a rather different article.

How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points

How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points - Forbes: "How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points"


 Top Recommendations
When I see a fantastic business plan I note the following:
1. The plan is viewed by management as a living document.  It’s concise and accurate.  It is considered by everyone daily.  It’s a constant guide to high performance and corporate success.
2. The leaders have defined very precisely who their customers are, by the numbers, with specific measurable demographics.  They know everything about their buyers including what they watch, read, and hear.  They know these targets better than their own family.
3. They know what customers need, what they want to buy, when and where.  They know what people will pay for their products or services. They know why people need to buy; the emotional components as well as the utilitarian purposes.
4. They have listened and heard what’s on the minds and in the hearts of potential and existing clients.  They are able to forecast what people might purchase in the future even before the customer knows he will need it.
5. These leaders know the industry like the back of their hands. They know everything about the competition and what they are doing. They have excellent relationships with trade association members and channel partners.
6. They understand industry trends and are forward thinking.
7. They have conceived, developed and manufactured exactly what the customer needs. They have built products with features and benefits that differentiate themselves from competing product offerings.
8. They have set specific priorities with key objectives they will achieve via the correct resources.
9. They have developed sound, repeatable and time tested processes that yield high efficiency and productivity.
10. They have all the right people on the bus, with measurable tasks and rewards.  Everyone has participated in developing their individual plans that are aligned to achieve their goals and the overall objectives of the organization.
11. Their financial plan is defensible and accurate. They have backup plans in the event of unseen consequences.
12. Leaders meet regularly to evaluate their progress and the progress of each organization within the business. They report to all employees, often.
13. Management has developed a powerful culture based on teamwork, innovation, client and employee satisfaction, integrity, results and hard work.

How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points

How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points - Forbes: "How To Build A Billion Dollar Business Plan: 10 Top Points"


Ten Key Points:
What should be included in a well-conceived business plan?  Tom recommends the following:
1. Describe why your company is relevant. What is the need being addressed?
2. Explain the overall state of the market and any important trends.
3. Explain why customers will buy your product or service.
4. Describe, in detail, who your customers are.
5. Explain who your current competitors are and their advantages.
6. Explain which competitors you will displace.
7. Describe your product offerings, how they compete with other brands and why they are needed.
8. Provide an overview of the various resources, including the people that will be needed to deliver what’s expected by the customer.
9. Describe corporate priorities and the processes to achieve them.
10. Included three thorough financial plans; one that’s conservative, one moderate and one optimistic, each with realistic and achievable sales revenues, margins, expenses and profits on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

Top 10 Questions Every Business Plan Should Answer - Forbes

Top 10 Questions Every Business Plan Should Answer - Forbes: "Top 10 Questions Every Business Plan Should Answer"


Below is their list of the Top 10 Questions Every Business Plan Should Answer.

1) What is the need that your business exists to satisfy?
  • Every business exists because of some noticeable opportunity that you have discovered within the market. So you must clearly define the need and/or problem you are solving with this business.
2) How will your business satisfy the need?
  • Introduce and describe the business itself. Consider including a mission or vision statement with objectives detailing how the business satisfies the need in the market.
3) How does your company differentiate itself?
  • Describe your business model and competitive advantage. This will help you to outline how the business will sustain its position within the market.
4) Who will be the key players in the business?
  • Name the management team, board and advisers to the business. Highlight their expertise and experiences.
5) How big is the market you are entering?
  • Only after understanding the industry you are entering – its size, attractiveness and profit potential – can you truly justify the opportunity.
6) Who will you be targeting as customers?
  • Narrowing down your target customer will help enhance and define your marketing strategy.
7) What will be your most effective marketing and promotional strategies?
  • Once you’ve identified your target client, you’ll need to develop and implement a strategy on how best to reach them (e.g. PPC, television, radio, social, etc). And this in large part will be influenced by where your target client consumes information.
8) What are the economics of your business?
  • Define your revenue streams including pricing structure, costs, margins and expenses.
9) How much money is required to get your business started and generating revenue?
  • Identify needed capital requirements by determining where your business stands today, and what is needed in order to move forward.  Also, if you are in need of outside funding, what will be the sources and uses of funds requested.
10) What needs to happen to break-even?
  • Play around with financial projections and forecasts to determine the volume of sales needed to cover your expenses and to become profitable.  Include monthly breakdowns for the first two years.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Buy or not to buy TV

SlashGear: Why You Shouldn’t Buy A TV Now

Apple is releasing a new TV  with TV apps
A year end upcoming TV technology show is coming up
Summer is not good time to buy TV

Apple TV will disrupt the TV market. Samsung will be once again attacked in TV market by Apple. But, this time google will again be helping samsung with software side. However, smart TV of samsung is out without any support of TV apps. What TV apps you can think of at the moment.

Tablet first, netbook second

SlashGear: Tablets are for fun, Laptops are for work

Keyboard and screen size limiting factor for different devices. Wearable devices will have the same limiting factor. However, different functionality is way to go with google glass for videos, siri for voice commands without using visual,  ink technology watches are for small text based information.

Playstation 4, wii u, xbox 360 and the console war

SlashGear: Is 2014 too late for the PlayStation 4?

PlayStation has lost the game because of being late in market. Microsoft wins the game because it understands the timing and software side. Wii wins because it understand game play. So, how will the new timing game, software game and actual game play show their strength this time.

Why apple lacks NFC, localized heptic vibration, wireless charging

SlashGear: Why the iPhone 5 needs no NFC, wireless charging, or localized haptic feedback

The reason behind all these specs not included in the iphone 5 are as following

The technology ecosystem is not ready
Consumer don't need it yet
It will make device heavy
It will reduce the battery charge
It will decrease the device experience

Here is where samsung is lacking. This is the why of buying device. Its underline psychology that is being dictated. Its not specs its above things that are important.