Migrating to an English-speaking country often requires achieving a specific score on an English language proficiency test. Two popular options are the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Pearson Test of English (PTE). This article explores the key differences between these tests to help you decide which one is better suited for your immigration goals.
Understanding the Point System
Many countries use a point-based immigration system, where points are awarded based on factors like education, work experience, and language skills. Achieving a high score on an English language test can significantly increase your overall points and improve your chances of receiving an invitation to apply.
Some countries might have a minimum score requirement on PTE or IELTS for eligibility. Scoring above this minimum threshold is essential to moving forward in the immigration process.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Test
Both IELTS (General) and PTE (Core) are widely accepted for immigration purposes, but they have distinct formats and scoring systems. Here’s a breakdown of some key aspects to consider:
Test Format:
IELTS
PTE
A paper-based test with four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. There is also a computer-based version available, but the speaking test is administered by a human examiner. The Speaking test can be conducted on a separate day from the other sections. (https://ielts.org/)
A computer-based test with four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. All sections are completed in a single session, and the Speaking portion uses artificial intelligence to evaluate your performance. (https://mypte.pearsonpte.com/)
Test Duration:
IELTS
PTE
Approximately 2 hours, 45 minutes
Approximately 2 hours
Scoring:
IELTS
PTE
Uses a band system from 1 (low) to 9 (high) for each section and an overall band score.
Uses a scaled score from 0 to 90, with higher scores indicating better proficiency.
While IELTS remains the more established test with wider global acceptance, PTE is gaining popularity due to its computer-based format, faster turnaround time for results, and potentially less test anxiety associated with speaking to a computer.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Test:
Your strengths and weaknesses: If you’re comfortable with handwriting and traditional testing formats, IELTS might be a good choice. However, if you prefer a computer-based test and feel less intimidated by speaking to a computer, PTE could be a better option.
Your budget: The cost of each test can vary depending on your location. Generally, the PTE test fee is slightly higher than the IELTS test fee.
Time constraints: If you prefer a shorter test duration, the PTE might be a better fit.
Test availability: Consider which test is more readily available in your area.
Personal Experience:
My experience with mock tests using the Alpha PTE app (https://alfapte.com/) and the APE University app (https://www.apeuni.com/) has been somewhat worrisome. I acquired bands 8 and 7.5 in IELTS in 2013 and 2023, respectively, however, the apps are scoring me very low in the speaking part, probably because of my pronunciation and fluency. Research has informed me that the actual AI algorithm of the Pearson test mechanism is not as brutal as these practice apps. Hence, I am considering taking the PTE test this time. These resources can be helpful for familiarizing yourself with the PTE format and practicing your skills before the actual test. However, it’s important to remember that mock test scores may not always accurately reflect your performance on the actual exam.
Final Thoughts:
There is no single “better” test between IELTS and PTE. The best option depends on your individual strengths, weaknesses, and immigration goals. Consider all the factors mentioned above, research each test format thoroughly, and check the specific requirements of your target immigration program before making your decision.
A critical introduction to the company’s approach to corporate responsibility and sustainability…
Qatar Airways has demonstrated a strong commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability through its ‘WeQare’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. This program, recognized with the 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year Award at ‘AidEx’ 2022, focuses on four core pillars: environment, society, economy, and culture.
One notable initiative within this program is the Chapter 1 program launched in 2020, where Qatar Airways Cargo transports ‘1 Million Kilos’ free of charge for eligible charities involved in humanitarian aid and medical supply transportation globally. The airline’s dedication to sustainability is evident in its efforts to protect the natural environment and contribute to global economic and social development.
Qatar Airways also engages in various social projects and community support initiatives, such as supporting the “Save the Dream” program and the “Educate A Child” global initiative aimed at providing quality primary education to out-of-school children worldwide.
Additionally, the airline has developed a comprehensive corporate sustainability framework, emphasizing economic, social, and environmental topics that are crucial to its business operations.
Despite challenges like the ongoing blockade against Qatar, Qatar Airways remains committed to corporate sustainability, investing in projects that align with its values and stakeholder expectations.
Through strategic partnerships and a focus on environmental sustainability, health, safety, and diversity, Qatar Airways continues to demonstrate resilience and leadership in the aviation industry.
The airline must explore innovative solutions, such as investing in sustainable aviation fuels or optimizing flight routes, to mitigate its carbon footprint. Striking this balance ensures long-term success without compromising the planet.
With reference to the triple bottom line (and other appropriate theories), the key dilemmas involved in being an ‘ethical’ company are laid out below. they are Theoretically grounded and relate to BOTH the sector and organizational context outlined in the scenario…
The key dilemmas in being an ethical company, as outlined by the triple bottom line (TBL) framework, relate to balancing the often competing priorities of profit, people, and planet. Qatar Airways, as an airline, faces particular challenges in this regard due to the industry’s high fuel consumption and environmental impact.
Profit vs Planet
The aviation sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 2% of global CO2 output. Airlines like Qatar Airways face pressure to reduce their carbon footprint through measures like fleet modernization, fuel optimization, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption. However, these initiatives require significant upfront investments that can impact short-term profitability. The TBL approach suggests that companies should not prioritize profit at the expense of environmental sustainability. However, airlines operate in a highly competitive industry with thin margins, making it challenging to absorb the costs of decarbonization without passing them on to customers or shareholder. Balancing profit and planet is a key dilemma.
People vs Profit
Treating employees fairly and investing in their well-being is another key tenet of the TBL. Qatar Airways should provide competitive wages, benefits, training, and opportunities for advancement to attract and retain talent. The airline should also ensure safe working conditions and promote diversity and inclusion. However, these people-focused initiatives can increase labor costs and reduce profit margins if not implemented strategically. Airlines must find ways to balance employee satisfaction with financial performance. Outsourcing non-core functions, automating repetitive tasks, and optimizing staffing levels are some ways to manage labor costs while still investing in people.
Planet vs People
Reducing environmental impact can sometimes come at the expense of employee well-being or community relations. For example, layoffs due to fleet downsizing or route cuts to lower emissions could negatively impact local economies and employee morale. Conversely, investing in green technologies may require retraining workers or shifting to new suppliers, disrupting existing relationships. The TBL suggests that companies should consider their impact on all stakeholders, not just shareholders. Qatar Airways should engage with employees, unions, and local communities to understand their concerns and find mutually beneficial solutions. Open communication, job retraining, and community investment can help mitigate the social costs of environmental initiatives.
Ultimately, the most successful and ethical companies will be those that find ways to align profit, people, and planet in a virtuous cycle. By investing in sustainable technologies, employee well-being, and community engagement, airlines can reduce their environmental footprint, attract top talent, and build resilient business models for the future.
Drawing upon value chain and resource-based view, the company’s source(s) of competitive advantageare discussed…
Value Chain Analysis
Product Attribute Differentiation: Qatar Airways differentiates itself through various attributes like exceptional customer service, a modern fleet with fuel-efficient aircraft, and a strong brand identity. These factors contribute to a unique value proposition for customers, setting the airline apart from competitors.
Customers’ Willingness to Pay: Understanding customers’ willingness to pay is crucial for pricing strategies. By offering a superior flying experience, Qatar Airways can command premium prices, leveraging customers’ perceptions of value and quality.
Human Capital: Investing in human capital is a key source of competitive advantage for Qatar Airways. By hiring, training, and retaining skilled employees, the airline ensures excellent service quality and operational efficiency, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Resource-Based View Analysis
Fleet Modernization: Qatar Airways’ fleet of fuel-efficient aircraft represents a valuable resource that contributes to cost savings and environmental sustainability. This resource is rare and difficult for competitors to replicate, providing a sustainable competitive advantage.
Brand Identity: The strong brand identity of Qatar Airways, characterized by luxury, quality service, and a modern fleet, is a valuable intangible resource. This brand reputation attracts customers and fosters loyalty, giving the airline a competitive edge in the market.
Employee Expertise: The skilled workforce at Qatar Airways is a valuable resource that contributes to operational excellence and customer satisfaction. By investing in employee training and development, the airline enhances its service quality and efficiency, creating a competitive advantage
Qatar Airways’ competitive advantage stems from its focus on product attribute differentiation, understanding customers’ willingness to pay, and investing in human capital. Leveraging resources like a modern fleet, strong brand identity, and skilled workforce, the airline positions itself as a leader in the aviation industry
Strategic Proposal for Enhanced Competitive Advantage and B-Corporation Score…
Following is a strategic proposal for Qatar Airways to enhance its competitive advantage and B-Corporation score:
Enhance Competitive Advantage
1. Continue investing in fuel-efficient aircraft to reduce emissions per seat by 15-20% with each new generation of planes. This will lower operating costs and environmental impact.
2. Implement more fuel optimization projects like weight reduction, route optimization, and single-engine taxiing. This can achieve significant fuel savings and emissions reductions.
3. Explore partnerships to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and adoption. Qatar Airways should work with oil companies, airports, and industry groups to increase SAF supply and drive down costs.
4. Expand carbon offset and removal programs to provide customers options to mitigate emissions from their flights. This demonstrates environmental leadership and meets growing passenger demand for sustainability.
Improve the B-Corporation Score
1. Enhance employee well-being and satisfaction through initiatives like automated shift trading. This gives crew members more flexibility and control over schedules, promoting work-life balance.
2. Invest in employee training and development to build a skilled, engaged, and productive workforce. This improves operational efficiency and service quality.
3. Implement robust environmental management systems to monitor and improve performance across operations. Set ambitious targets for emissions reductions, waste minimization, and resource efficiency.
4. Increase transparency and reporting on sustainability initiatives and impacts. Publish detailed annual sustainability reports aligned with global frameworks like the UN SDGs.
5. Engage in more community investment and philanthropic programs that create positive social impact. Leverage Qatar Airways’ global reach to support causes aligned with its values.
By pursuing these strategies, Qatar Airways can strengthen its competitive position, reduce its environmental footprint, and demonstrate its commitment to stakeholders. This will enhance the airline’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen and leader in sustainable aviation.
The other day, somebody told me about a strange episode that occurred with his daughter. I am narrating it as narrated by him.
Around 12:20 AM, during my nighttime social media scrolling, my daughter suddenly woke up and started saying a few jumbled words while sitting on the bed. I could make out a few mumbling words like “kya hai (asking a question)” in the speech. She spoke only two words, mainly shortened questions, as if she were talking to somebody. I told her to go to sleep. I am not sure if she could hear it, but she did lie down.
After a gap of about 15 to 20 minutes, during which I went on scrolling through social media,. She suddenly stood up from the bed, went straight to the door, which opened with some effort, mind you, and stepped out.
I waited a bit and then went out, opening the door. Thankfully, she was only standing there, looking towards the door. Her big, black eyes were wide open, looking at the door around my waist. I opened the door and stepped away, unknowingly not disturbing her. She went back to the bed and instantly lied down, letting out a sigh or a hissing sound while lying down again and sleeping straight away.
Thankfully, he did not wake her up, as he learned later that it can be harmful to the child.
Listening to the above story, I decided to do some research on the subject. Opening the search engine, I sought a remedy for my confusion and surely found it there. The internet informed me that this act of sleepwalking is common in children and dies out in teens. I have shared the researched information and presented it for easy understanding and cognizance.
What is Sleepwalking?
Somnambulism is the official name. I do not know what the etymology behind it is. Defined as a sleep disorder where a person gets up, walks around, and performs basic tasks, all while sleeping!
As per scientific research, it mostly happens during the deep sleep stages, and involves a disconnect between brain functions. Here, the brain is less active, but the body can still move.
This is how the child managed to go straight past her father without noticing him, and open the door by herself. I have even read that people have committed crimes during their sleepwalking adventures!
What related people should know about it?
People who are sleepwalking may sit up in bed, open their eyes, have a glazed, glassy-eyed expression (that is what I saw in my girl), not respond or communicate with others, be difficult to wake up during an episode, and be disoriented or confused when awakened.
They may perform routine activities, such as getting dressed, talking, or eating, leave the house, drive a car, engage in unusual behavior, such as urinating in a closet, engage in sexual activity without awareness, get injured, or become violent during the period of brief confusion immediately after waking up.
Causes
It turns out that the factors contributing to sleepwalking include genetics, sleep deprivation, stress, and some medications
Numerous factors can contribute to sleepwalking, including sleep deprivation, stress, fever, sleep schedule disruptions, travel or sleep interruptions, underlying conditions that interfere with sleep, such as sleep-disordered breathing or restless legs syndrome, and substance use, such as alcohol. Sleepwalking appears to run in families and is more common if one or both parents have a history of the disorder.
Sleep paralysis is another disorder, which is commonly the opposite, where one cannot move or coordinate the organs even when he is awake. Sleep paralysis is a brief period of paralysis occurring during transitions between sleeping and waking. There is no established connection between the two; however, I earlier wrote an article on my personal experience with it at https://raihaan.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/my-body-haunts-me/
Should you be worried?
Children are more prone to sleepwalking, but it usually diminishes by the time they reach their teenage years. Isolated incidents rarely signal serious problems. Recurrent episodes may indicate an underlying sleep disorder. In adults, sleepwalking could be confused with other sleep disorders and medical conditions.
Disorders of arousal (DOA) refer to a group of sleep disorders. Sleepwalking is classified as an arousal disorder, happening during the deepest stage of NREM sleep. NREM, which stands for non-rapid eye movement sleep, is the deepest stage of sleep where your body is most relaxed and recharges itself.
In NREM sleep, brain waves slow down, breathing and heart rate stabilize, and muscles relax. This is the period when your body fixes tissues, constructs muscles and bones, and enhances your immune system. Examples of other NREM disorders include sleep terrors, which can occur alongside sleepwalking.
While sleepwalking may not be a concern, individuals who sleepwalk can harm themselves or others and experience disrupted sleep. Occasional episodes of sleepwalking typically don’t raise major concerns and may not necessitate immediate intervention. However, it’s advisable to reach out to a healthcare professional if the sleepwalking episodes happen frequently, result in hazardous behavior or harm, or are linked to other sleep disorders or medical issues.
The reputation of German universities is profound the world over. They are the prime reason that Germany stands as one of the world leaders in progress and development. The local institutions in my country are trying to follow in their footsteps by imparting quality education, but there is still a long way to go. Pakistan’s economy heavily relies on agriculture, which accounts for 22% of its GDP. Also, almost half of the country’s labor force is employed in agricultural-related work. There is a necessity to obtain the most current industry skills and implement them within our nation.
Throughout my tenure as assistant manager of an agricultural seed company, I became aware of the substantial amount of resources that are wasted in the production process. If these are minimized, a great jump in monetary and environmental profit can be achieved. For example, Pakistan is in the top 5 milk-producing countries, but unlike Denmark, it is not able to export its dairy products.
My purpose is to attain the required solid expertise and apply it for progress in the local industry and also in my career. There is no better option than to study at one of the top tanking universities in Germany. It will surely prove to be a beacon of valuable education. I hope to learn about the implementation of the latest techniques used in the farming and livestock industries.
I acquired experience in international education when I attended a one month workshop at Manchester Business School, University of Sunway, Malaysia. It provided me with a wealth of international exposure in the management field. Given my background in an agricultural country and my expertise in the agricultural industry; I am sure, with the help of this program, I will be able to acquire new business skills and methods of better utilizing the agricultural resources of our country for the improvement of the economy.
I wrote the following statement a very long time ago in an effort to make my application stand out to international universities. The statement is being posted here in the hopes that it will encourage some other travelers on the road to excellence, even though the project was never launched.
Perseverance, honesty, and evolution through feedback are the values inculcated in me by my family and mentors. These values have helped me survive and, in most cases, succeed in my life. If one were to ask my friends to describe me, they would give a picture of a man with a diversity of taste, knowledge, and experience. My flare for varying activities has furnished me with a broad outlook on problems and the ability to utilize my skills in tough situations.
Due to the prevailing economic conditions here in Pakistan, the competition is cutthroat, and one has to be an all-rounder if one wants to achieve their goals in a timely fashion. Despite the fact that we have adequate resources available here, we do not have the means to exploit them. We lack the skills and expertise required to manage these resources. Our society is in a developing mode and going through a transition in which change leaders are required at every possible organization. To be able to contribute aptly to the constructive change in my organization and society as a whole, I need to acquire firsthand knowledge and experience from the change leaders of the world. As the U.K. has three of the top five ranking universities, I am sure it has the people and the infrastructure to impart quality education in this direction.
I want to study the influence that global and national macroeconomic trends have on a company. For Example: Several years ago, there was a ban on wheat exports to Afghanistan. People with a myopic view could not judge the possible effect on the seed market, but a skilled senior executive from my company was able to forecast a sales drop the next year because wheat was overflowing the next year and farmers sought the alternative of corn the next term. I have been working in my company for the last three years, and the one thing I have noticed is that whoever has an international degree or experience fares better skill wise and financially too. The polishing of an international community and the ways learned in handling them have armed them with clearer goals and better values. Even our founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, studied law in the U.K. and was inspired to achieve a separate homeland for the Pakistani people.
I have previously travelled to Malaysia as part of my degree. The workshops I attended there, namely Entrepreneur Development, International Business Strategy & Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Risk Management, gave me a sense of international exposure and experience. Interacting in a foreign culture instilled in me a desire to learn from other developed nations so that I could improve my personality and my environment as well.
My near-term goals are rapid career growth and personal development. While my previous degree did equip me well for the objectives at that stage, a global M.B.A program from LCA Anglia Ruskin University will enable a greater understanding of business intricacies in an affordable manner. The College is situated in the heart of London, which itself is a global city, holding within itself almost every single subculture of the world. I also hope to equip myself with advanced analytical tools and techniques that will foster managerial efficiency. Graduate education in management at LCA Anglia Ruskin will thus help me train my instincts through the case study method of teaching and develop a structured approach towards refining ideas and developing fail-proof implementation plans.
Hunley, Inc. is an established producer of rods for the specific niche of fly-fishing. Freshwater fishing rods for avid fly fishers are their uniqueness, and their products have over time gained the perception of “middle-market” products. Currently, the company must deal with the challenges of declining revenue and a decreasing price per unit sold. In response, the president of Hunley, Inc. is evaluating plausible options to address these issues. The options are: 1. introducing a rod made from state-of-the-art materials (moving upmarket) with premium pricing; or 2. expanding product distribution into Walmart (moving downmarket) with low pricing. The decision must be made for selecting an option from the two, and the kind of marketing plan essential for the options to succeed. If both options are rejected, it is necessary to consider alternative methods for growth. The discussion can shed light on various marketing issues, including brand extension, market positioning, segmentation, introductory marketing programs, new product launches, channel conflict, and sales force management during strategic shifts. Focusing on positioning and increasing consumers’ willingness-to-pay.
Key Issues in the Case Study “Hunley, Inc.: Casting for Growth”
Several critical issues emerge for the company, such as:
Hunley faces a decline in revenue, which threatens the company’s financial stability. The company must address this issue to ensure long-term viability.
The decreasing price per unit sold affects profitability. Hunley needs to find a solution to maintain or increase pricing.
The company president must evaluate two growth options for sustainability. Either up-market by introducing state-of-the-art fishing rods or down-market by expanding distribution to Walmart.
Introducing high-end rods may enhance the brand image, but it comes with risks. The expansion to Walmart could have the potential to influence consumers’ perceptions of Hunley.
Expanding the distribution of Walmart may create conflicts with existing retailers. Managing relationships with current partners is essential.
Hunley needs to innovate and develop new products to stay competitive. The state-of-the-art rod option requires substantial research and development.
Implementing a strategic shift (upmarket or downmarket) will affect the sales force. Proper management and alignment are critical.
Understanding customer segments (avid fly fishers, budget-conscious buyers) is essential. Hunley must tailor its marketing approach accordingly.
Courses of Action:
Introduce State-of-the-Art Rods (Up-Market):
Pros
Cons
The perception of Hunley as a mid-tier brand was bothering CW, as he believed that the company had premium products but at the same level, competing products were perceived top tier as compared to Hunley By offering high-quality rods, Hunley can position itself as a premium brand, appealing to discerning fly fishers.
The Titaluk brand may cannibalize the Klamath product line of Hunley. To maneuver around with a new brand, a dedicated sales team, and different promotion channels means increased marketing costs.
State-of-the-art materials may allow for higher pricing, resulting in improved profit margins of around 50%.
It will appeal to 40% of avid customers, according to the fly-fishing marketing survey. There is uncertainty regarding customer acceptance of the new product.
Innovation with the GB product can enhance the brand’s image and attract the attention of core customers.
It may take a longer period of time to get accepted by customers.
Table: Pros & Cons of Up-Marketing Strategy, Hunley Co., Inc.
It is better to pursue this option if market research indicates strong demand and a willingness to pay for premium rods.
Expand Distribution to Walmart (Down-Market):
Pros
Cons
Walmart’s extensive retail network provides access to a broader customer base. It can attract a whole new group of consumers to fly-fishing, who might trade up after buying the starter equipment.
This move can risk diluting the brand’s perceived quality by associating with a mass-market retailer.
Placement in Walmart means high sales volume because of customer traffic.
Traditionally, Hunley has been placed in specialty shops, with a margin for retailers. Existing retailers may react negatively to Walmart distribution.
Attract budget-conscious customers with inexpensive new rods at lower price points.
The average sales price is already low because of placement at large retailers of fishing equipment, and adding Walmart to the list can further decrease this.
Table: Pros & Cons of Down-Marketing Strategy, Hunley Co., Inc.
Consider this option if capturing a larger market share and achieving economies of scale outweigh potential brand image concerns.
Subjective Recommendation
Given the circumstances, Hunley, Inc. should prioritize the upmarket strategy of introducing state-of-the-art rods. While this entails higher costs, the potential benefits—such as premium positioning, improved margins, and enhanced brand image—outweigh the risks.
The company should conduct thorough market research to validate demand and ensure effective marketing communication to highlight the innovation. Simultaneously, Hunley should carefully manage existing retailer relationships to minimize channel conflict. By pursuing this path, Hunley can elevate its brand and secure long-term growth.
SWOT Analysis of Hunley, Inc.: Casting for Growth
Let’s conduct a SWOT analysis for Hunley, Inc. This analysis will help identify internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.
Marketing Plan
The matter at hand with the leadership of Hunley Inc. is to choose between the two growth paths. The following factors are part of the plan to make it successful:. They can either take the approach of going up-market or heading down-market, both of which have their own challenges. Although choosing the first option seems more feasible at the moment, it will mean a move up in the average unit sale price for the company. Currently, Mitsubishi is offering to exclusively provide the GB (Great Bassara) graphite material for high-end fishing rods, which is a differentiation point not available to low-cost mass producers.
Market Research: It may be fruitful to conduct market research before launching the product. Initially, a test version of the products can be launched while the research is carried out. The research will try to profile the target audience with their demographics, buying behaviors, and interests.
Fishing equipment was a $7.4 billion retail business. As per the 2017 Hunley Fly-Fishing Marketing Survey (shown below), a total of 92.5 percent of the market segment has some kind of brand loyalty. It would be wise to target this large segment with an upscale Hunley product (Titaluk) and achieve more market share.
Segment
% of Market
% of Sales
Brand Loyalty
Occasional
52.5
18
Weak
Avid
40
70
Moderate
Targeting the Right Audience: The ideal customer would be avid fly-fishers who will purchase equipment they feel provides the best performance they can afford. Hector Molina, one of the retailers involved in Titaluk’s development, claimed that the new fishing rods were one of the best he had touched; however, he had concerns about the target audience and product positioning.
Still, the price being considered for the new product is not as much as the top brands, as pointed out by Rick Meyers, another retailer involved in the development. Therefore, avid fly fishermen seeking the best value with affordability will be targeted.
Competition: Most of the competition concentrated on narrow market segments, such as Thomas & Thomas, which focused on saltwater rods built to handle powerful fish and to cast large, bulky flies over long distances and into strong winds. Fishing equipment companies tried to position their products as the choice of professionals.
C.W. III believed that Hunley differentiated itself by using the most advanced materials available and careful craftsmanship. Although Hunley was perceived as a mid-tier brand for fresh water, penetration into saltwater segments was slowly in progress.
Crafting an interesting Brand Message: A clear, resonating message to the customer should be crafted, something along the lines of explaining why the product is innovative, has exceptional craftsmanship, and provides higher value compared to costlier products.
Or the company can go with the launch of the product with a separate brand, a dedicated sales force, and an increased price in the range of its competitors, such as Sage, promoting the aspirational lifestyle approach.
The Marketing Mix in Action: The 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) will be tailored to the chosen path. Adopting an up-market strategy means developing high-end rods with premium pricing around $800, sold through specialty retailers and online stores catering to professionals.
Promotion will involve targeted advertising, sponsorships, and influencer endorsements in the fly-fishing world. Hunley can create blog posts, articles, and videos that teach people about fly fishing. This will show potential customers that Hunley knows their stuff and make them more likely to trust and remember the brand.
Avid fly-fishers prefer shopping in specialty fly shops for their service, but they will seek value at large stores, such as Cabela’s or Brass Pro Shops. So both of these channels should be selected.
Budget: Increasing the budget on advertising and promotion, currently at 8%, to double to around 16% should be adopted. Shift from May-September and Christmas Thanksgiving spending on promotion to throughout the year, as some of the higher-end competitors Hunley did. Also, increase the budget for upscale print outlets and quintuple the amount spent on search-based advertising.
Measuring Success: Defining key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress is important. Up-market will focus on sales growth, brand awareness within the target segment, and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, measuring the effectiveness of the ads should also be the priority of the company.
References:
Quelch, John A., and James T. Kindley. “Hunley, Inc.: Casting for Growth.” Harvard Business School Brief Case 919-501, September 2018.
What is a pivot table? It is a feature in MS Excel made to help organize and condense complex-to-understand data. The pivot table is best for finding patterns appearing in the data matrix being processed and brings out trends and relationships in the data, enabling the user to present key aspects of information in a more meaningful way.
Pivot tables allow us to summarize and analyze numerical data. We can group and total data, explore details behind the totals, and create neat and visually appealing reports. They are particularly useful for comparing data, analyzing trends, and drawing insights from complex datasets, such as sales data or financial data. Pivot tables work by reorganizing and summarizing data without altering the original dataset, making data analysis more efficient and insightful.
Users can choose which data to include in the pivot table and can specify the rows, columns, and values that they want to see. This allows users to customize the pivot table to meet their specific needs and goals.
So reiterating the purpose of pivot tables: calculate, summarize, and analyze data in Excel. It helps you see comparisons, patterns, and trends within your dataset. Hence the keywords #Organize and #Summarize.
Let’s assume, for demonstration’s sake, that we have an e-commerce store with customers from some major countries in the world. Our website gathers the data in a spreadsheet in downloadable form. In the scenario, we have order id, customer names, products category, purchased products, product price, quantity, order date, country and city columns in the downloaded file. To get useful insights, we start with a sizable dataset (typically tabular) and build a pivot table.
We can either do this stuff by manually putting in formulas and functions, or use pivot tables and let excel do the heavy lifting. Here, Pivot Tables come in handy and allow us to: Group data by different criteria (e.g., sales by region, products by category); Summarize values (e.g., total sales, average scores); filter, sort, and rearrange data dynamically.
The sample dataset for the pivot table exercise uploaded at the above link for convenience. In the next step, we want to analyze a few points in the information to better understand your business position. This will help us in our decision making in the future and direct the business into a more desired state.
Creating a Pivot table: Basic Steps
Select the data range (ensure it’s organized in columns with headers). Go to the Insert tab and click Pivot table. Choose where to place the Pivot table (new sheet or existing sheet). Drag fields (columns) into the Rows, Columns, and Values areas to build the summary table.
Now the next step would be to identify patterns for further decision making. Suppose we want to find out what country and city is giving us the most sales so that we can devote a CSR team to provide seamless customer service for that area.
Place the cursor on a cell of the table, go to the Insert tab and click on Recommended Pivot Tables. Excel will suggest pivot tables with different calculations for your ease. Either choose from the list or we can click the pivot table and start from scratch.
Recommended Pivot Table Snippet
As seen above, the Sum of price by country is a very simple table which can help identify which country is giving the most sales. Choosing this will open a pivot table in a new sheet for editing. Here’s what happens. Excel rearranges the country column inputs into row labels and then adds up the values in the price column and presented the results in a single cell in the Sum of price column. See below:
Table Fields snippet
Note that we have the option to calculate prices manually using other formulas, like SUMIF. However, here the Pivot table is performing the action for us. If we want to see country and city wise data, we can drag the city field into the rows and so on as per requirement.
Editing Pivot Tables
Based on the table, it might seem that the USA is giving us the most business, however to determine other aspects, we might need to know how many items are being sold in Italy to give the total price amount. For this, we can drag “Quantity” into the values field and choose SUM in functions (when selected in values area). Subsequently, we move the orderid and quantity columns from the dataset to the values area, for calculating the sum of quantity and count of order.
Modified Table Snippet
Next, we adjust the prices of products in Italy (which were mistakenly put before) and recreate the pivot table. This time we see that the sum of pricedivided by the sum of quantity is higher for Italy than that for the USA, meaning Italy may have more potential for quality product sales.
Calculating potential sales Snippet
From the above brief example, we can infer that Excel’s pivot table function empowers users to explore, analyze, and summarize huge datasets with ease. It helps in presenting data in a user-friendly way, filtering, grouping, sorting, and conditionally formatting subsets of data, and rotating rows to columns or vice versa (pivoting) to view different summaries of the source data.
For effective pivot tables: organize data in columns (not rows), ensure all columns have headers, use clean, tabular data for best results, format your data as an Excel table, and consider using Power Query for complex data transformations.
You are solving problems on a deadline and need a conditional search in the company database. In comes Vertical Lookup to the rescue.
The Excel developers created an indispensable formula that greatly simplifies tasks related to searching and formatting data within large datasets. Excel functions are formulas that facilitate the user’s data processing. Processed data can be useful in performing various tasks. Excel provides multiple such functions designed to aid in processing data into a desired shape. But sometimes, the crude description of the function input parameters and variables proves an obstacle to carrying out the functions.
To help in understanding the implementation flow of the function, brief manuals are found on the global web in the form of written articles or videos on platforms. In the plethora of tons of information lying around on the internet, I gift you one more snippet of how I understand the VLOOKUP function. Use Case:
Consider that you have 1,000 employees working in different organizations through your agency. You are preparing to run their payroll, but you are in doubt of the ID of the employee mobilized to the “Healthplus” organization. The employee’s name is Santosh, and he is a doctor.
Fortunately, you have access to the main recruitment file, downloaded from the HRIS software, such as Oracle Fusion Cloud, and it may be assumed that your company module does not include the search option in Oracle Cloud.
Let’s break down the components of the function:
The lookup value, or simply the value you want to search for,.
When using the VLOOKUP function, ensure that your lookup value is in the first column of the specified range. For instance, if your lookup value resides in cell C2, your range should begin with column C.
When using the VLOOKUP function, remember that the column number corresponds to the position of the desired value within the specified range. For instance, if your range is B2:D11, consider B as the first column, C as the second, and so forth.
When using the VLOOKUP function, you have the option to specify TRUE for an approximate match or FALSE for an exact match of the return value. If you omit this specification, the default behavior is an approximate match.
=VLOOKUP (lookup value, range containing the lookup value, the column number in the range containing the return value, Approximate match (TRUE) or Exact match (FALSE))
Snapshot of VLOOKUP function application
Here is what the backend looks like. The VLOOKUP function searches for a specified value (such as “Santosh”) in the leftmost column of the table array (A1:F6). If a match is found, it returns the corresponding value from a specified column (e.g., the employee ID column # 5).In this case, if “Santosh” is found in row 1, the function would return the employee ID “EMP-0001.
Note that VLOOKUP is not case-sensitive. Similar to VLOOKUP, the HLOOKUP (horizontal lookup) function is based on the same principles horizontally. However, vertical data tables predominate in the information world, so HLOOKUP is seldom used.
To be honest, it is a great function for searching attributes of a specified value, which helps you acquire data. I hope this helped!
After some initial research on the subject matter product, I am still unclear about its core functionality. Therefore, I have decided to lay down the machinations in my mind in the coming paragraphs and would appreciate any insights you could share.
By the way, I am in no position to offer any Fiqh advice, but being a layman, what I have derived from my meek understanding has been shared with you below to enrich the perspective of your mind and aid in the consciousness of our souls.
The aspect of predetermination
In my opinion, the golden rule for identifying interest is: Once you determine a fixed profit from an investment, it instantly becomes a Riba form.
Keeping in mind the same principle, one might ask why rent is permissible. The answer is that the rent is based on the use of a commodity, as opposed to interest, which is charged on the use of money.
The word murabaha comes from the Arabic word for profit and simply means “sale.”. Islamic banks, using Murabaha, provide their customers with financing through buying goods that their customers need and selling those goods to their customers on a deferred payment basis
Consider an example of a Murabaha contract:
A person (X) approaches a Murabaha bank in order to finance the purchase of a $5,000 automobile from an automobile vendor.
The bank (Y) has agreed to buy an automobile from the vendor for $5,000 and subsequently sell it to A for $7,000.
X will pay this amount in equal installments to the bank over the next two years.
Islamic banks that use this product term it interest-free because the amount that X owes is fixed and does not increase if he is delinquent on payments to Y. Therefore, this makes it a standard sale, wherein B buys an item for one price and sells it for an increased price to X. Put differently, the argument in favour of Murabaha is:
Does Islam allow someone to buy a car for $5,000 and sell it for $7,000?
Does Islam allow someone to make a purchase on a deferred payment basis?
The answer to both questions is yes. So where lies the objection?
Objection on the Murabaha Contract
The same car that is being sold for $7,000 on a deferred payment basis is being sold for $5,000 on a cash basis. Now that we have the whole scenario, let’s analyze the example: X has two options:
The vendor will sell him the car for $5,000, but he is not willing to wait to receive the full price.
Y will sell him the car for $7,000 and is willing to wait two years to receive the full price.
X‘s choice to purchase from Y reflects his desire to not pay the full price of the car today. In other words, he prefers to pay part of the price today and be indebted to the rest. Y agrees to finance X’s car purchase by allowing him to owe the bank an amount that is $2,000 higher than the current price of the car. Did Y charge X a predetermined return for the use of its money?
The bank charged $2,000 in return for X’s use of it’s $5000 to buy a car. Whether Y hands X the money or it hands the money to the dealership is irrelevant because, in either case, X is the one who decided and is responsible for where it was spent.
Assume X goes to a traditional bank and borrows $5,000 at a 9.5% annual interest rate (at this rate, he will owe $2,000 in interest in two years). Also assume that the interest on the loan is capped once it reaches $2,000. In other words, once X pays $2,000 in interest, it stops accruing.
Further, if X pays off the traditional bank’s loan early, he will end up paying less in interest than he would with the Y financing, which means traditional banks change the rate of interest.
Does any Muslim disagree that the loan to X involves interest and is prohibited in Islam?
How is the traditional bank’s loan different from the earlier Y contract??
Any Loan that draws Profit is Haram
Imagine a scenario where a friend asks to borrow 100 rupees from you, promising to repay 120 rupees after a month. According to the teachings of the sahaba (companions of the Prophet S.A.W.), accepting this arrangement would be considered riba (usury or interest).
This is prohibited, and scholars have suggested avoiding accepting a meal invitation from a friend to whom you gave a loan (without interest). If your friend repays the loan in full and then, afterward, invites you to dinner as a gesture of gratitude, that would be acceptable.
Comments in favor of the Murabaha contract
A common argument presented in favor of the permissibility of the contract is that no penalties are assessed in the event that the buyer is delinquent on his payments. Or, it can be rephrased as “the amount to be paid on the financing is fixed.”
However, it may be noted that traditional banking may also offer fixed or variable interest on loans taken.
Similarly, a prohibition in the form of the exchange of the same kind of goods (described very aptly at : http://www.muslimtents.com/shaufi/b16/b16_5.htm), such as earning money on money, is also helpful in understanding murabaha. Since the exchange is in different forms, it forces a tangible transaction in the contract, thus making it permissible.
A very comprehensible explanation of the comments in favor of murabaha can be found at the following link:
Today, pointing out the usury of the incumbent Islamic banking regime is termed orthodoxy or fundamentalism because we try to think of it as a workable solution. Anyone who has pondered Islamic values should agree that we have to keep reviewing sensitive matters to ensure that we are not bending the code of the religion into much more appeasable and livable rituals for the common folk.
The objective here is not to make people’s lives difficult but to learn and expand the perspectives of our collective wisdom. Personally, for me, I would try to avoid the Murabaha product. What about you?
Almost all of the needs of a modern-day corporate entity, or a small business can be fulfilled by using Microsoft Excel software.
This is my humble opinion, though, and I may be wrong, however, it is an undeniable observation on my part, and I have gathered feedback from many professionals in the industry, that many of the financial and record keeping aspects of organizations can be maneuvered using the software.
Recently, I was asked an interview question regarding the “SUMIF” function of Excel. I politely told them about my ignorance of the function; however, it got stuck in my mind. So afterwards, I did a little research on the function to understand it and have consequently placed it below my way of understanding it.
In Excel, by specifying the list to be worked on, the filter criteria, and the field to be summarized, it is possible to use conditional =IF functions. SUMIF is one of them.
The function has three portions, range, criteria, and sum_range.
So how will it proceed? Let me explain in my own words. Mind it, this does not represent the actual machine language or work behind the function.
a) The function will go through the range provided, let’s say, from 2019 to 2024.
b) It will then check for the criteria, for example, if the criteria are the year 2020 from the above year range, it will mark that criterion.
c) Lastly, it will check the sum range for every corresponding value to the criteria value cell and bring back the sum of those corresponding cell values.
I have an image placed below for better understanding the function:
Snapshot of SUMIF function application
Here you see, checking the total sales in Lahore region is convenient in this situation, as the function has gone through the RANGE of C13 to C18, checked the CRITERIA in B22 i.e., (Lhr), and added all corresponding values of B22 in the SUM_RANGED13 to D18, bringing back the value of 3200.
“SUMIF” handles one condition at a time, while the similar function “SUMIFS” can evaluate multiple criteria at a time.
To be honest, it is a great function for decision points, which helps you make decisions accordingly. I hope this helped!
Rhapsody 