Thursday, October 31, 2019

Management Information System. (Position Paper) Assignment

Management Information System. (Position Paper) - Assignment Example Voice via internet protocol (VOIP) telephones offer high-tech means for employees to connect (Legge, 1991). When it comes to inventory management, Syndicate Technological Company has adopted the urgency to ensure that there is adequate stock to meet demand without spending in more than they need. Systems for managing inventory that track the measure of each item a company keeps, triggering an order of extra stock when the quantities goes below a certain amount. These systems work effectively when the inventory management system is linked to a point-of-sale (POS) system. The POS system ensures a removal of item from the inventory count, the moment an item is sold, creating a closed information loop between all departments. Syndicate Technological Company keeps digital forms of documents on servers and other mass storage devices like flash disk, DVD’s among others. These documents become instantaneously accessible to everybody in the company, irrespective of their geographical locality. Syndicate Technological Company is able to store and preserve an incredible amount of chronological data economically, and employees profit from instantaneous access to the documents they want. Storage of data and information is only an advantage if that data can be used successfully. Syndicate Technological Company use that information part of their strategic design procedure as well as the tactical implementation of that approach (Sarngadharan & Minimol, 2010). Management Information Systems (MIS) aid Syndicate Technological Company to follow up on sales data, expenditures and yield levels. The statistics can be used to track viability over time, capitalize return on investment and find areas to improve. Syndicate Technological Company is adopting information technology to enhance its design and management of customer affiliations. Consumer Relationship Management (CRM) systems records every dealings a business has with a consumer, so that a more

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Feasibility study for chosen business. Fast food restaurant Research Paper

Feasibility study for chosen business. Fast food restaurant - Research Paper Example Cambridge Fast Food is a small domestic fast food outlet in Cambridge which is intended to transform itself into a fast food restaurant by means of innovative and resourceful strategies towards the entity's impression and in-depth manifestation. The food point is registered with Department of Food and Live Stock. Cambridge Fast-Food (CFF) is furnishing a mixture of wonderful foodstuff and future plan is to offer unparallel food at discount rates with entertaining environment. CFF will address the general public for local recipes, Italian dishes, as well as Chinese and Indian food. The major aim is to offer the customers with highest quality services and products to keep them staying again and again. CFF believe that by getting crucial financial support through its sale within two years, the company will be able to capture 10-20% of the fast food market in Cambridge. The restaurant has estimated that it will enjoy a 37.3% profit for its investment by the end of April, 2013. Fast food is a foodstuff that is readily available and dished up promptly at sites known as fast-food bistros. This is the multi-billion dollar business which inturn keeps on progressing extremely fast around numerous international locations. A fast-food restaurant is somewhat different from fast-food points or outlets as it is recognized from nominal service and by meals simultaneously that may be presented immediately soon after placing the order. The food items around such dining places is usually prepared in volume upfront plus preserved hot for its reuse. A lot of fast-food restaurants are section of reputable restaurants or franchise's, while standard food products are supplied to every eating venue through main sites. As compared to some other food

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Style Of Quentin Tarantino Film Studies Essay

The Style Of Quentin Tarantino Film Studies Essay   Quentin Tarantino has his own distinctive style that mirrors his quirky vision of the universe. From the early Reservoir Dogs   to the stylish Pulp Fiction, Tarantino has challenged both viewers and the movie industry to look at the medium in a new way. His 2009 effort, the ultra-violent war film Inglorious Basterds, is a solid hit and every bit a Tarantino film. This paper discusses the film in general as well as its cinematography and editing. Discussion            Tarantino is a   director known for his love of film in general. He is knowledgeable about the medium and enjoys paying homage to it by sometimes filming scenes in a way that resembles works by other directors; or by putting a great many pop references in his film. This makes his films very hip, but it can also date them. However, because this film is set in a specific time and place-occupied France in 1944-these are quibbles.            Tarantino is also known for telling several stories simultaneously and bringing the threads together at the last moment to make a coherent whole. This is the structure of Pulp Fiction, in which three separate stories are told out of order: characters that are killed in one story show up later in the film, because that part of their story hasnt been told yet. At times its best to just sit back and let Tarantino do his thing and sort it out later.            Inglourious Basterds is just such a film: there are possibly three stories running simultaneously: the story of the Nazi Colonel Hans Landa and his hunt for Jews (Christoph Waltz); the Basterds themselves, led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt); and the Jewish girl Shoshanna Dreyfuss (Mà ©lanie Laurent), who works in the cinema that will be the setting for the films explosive (literally) climax. Critics are singling out Waltzs diabolical, cruel, witty, charming and perverse Colonel Landa as the best thing in the film; he won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for his work, along with almost every other award its possible for an actor to receive. That raises some unpleasant questions: Waltzs character is the representative of possibly the most despicable regime ever to disgrace humanity, so what does that say about audiences who find him attractive and funny? Landa becomes a sort of guilty pleasure, as well as an object lesson in the fact that evil can sometimes wear a very attractive face: There is nothing more disturbing than finding something commendable in a character you want so badly to condemn (Meadows).            The film is simple: Raines group of commandos has been dropped into occupied France with only one object: to kill Nazis. They do so, often with a baseball bat or other suitably unpleasant means, and scalp them (Tarantino). They also have a penchant for carving swastikas into their victims foreheads and their gruesome tactics have unsettled Nazi officers all the way up to Hitler.            The film has surprised   some audiences by its length and others because for a war film, it is surprisingly non-violent; the violence is extreme and gruesome but sparse and contained within a few set pieces. The rest of the film contains a lot of dialogue, which is a hallmark of Tarantinos work. He is in love with dialogue; he likes to explore human relationships and does so by letting his character literally speaks for themselves. People who complain that theres no enough action in the film seem to be missing the point. Berardinelli notes that the long dialogue scenes are merely priming the pump for the action that follows: With every sentence, the tension mounts. Tarantino uses these sequences to prime the audience, teasing them until the suspense is nearly unbearable, then releasing it in one explosive burst. The films editing includes title cards that identify each scene, an old fashioned technique that some critics like while others denigrate. Its the same technique that silent films pioneered, and it has the effect of making the film feel very literary, almost as if the audience has to read it like a book rather than watching it.            The cinematographer on the film is Robert Richardson, who was director of photography for Tarantino on both Kill Bill films; he has also worked on films like The Aviator and A Few Good Men as well as The Horse Whisperer, Casino and Snow Falling on Cedars   (MacGregor). If these films have anything in common, its that they have nothing in common, but in each case Richardson has brought to life their [the directors] most grandiose aspirations in a way that is unrivaled and incomparable (Ebenezer).            In this film, numerous critics have pointed to the scene which introduces Colonel Landa as a perfect example of Richardsons gifted cinematography; he works magic with the lighting and framing here as he does throughout the film (MacGregor). In this scene, Landa is questioning dairy farmer Perrier LaPadite, who is suspected of harboring Jews; as he continues to question the farmer, the camera circles the table moving closer and closer, as if it is tying up the farmer in invisible cords (MacGregor). When Landa orders his men to shoot through the floor, killing the Jews he knows are hidden there, its almost a relief because the tension is so high its unbearable. This is Richardsons skill; and it is on display throughout the film. The structure of the scene of course is Tarantinos; it is his direction. But Richardson has the skill to shoot it the way Tarantino wants it shot, so that it brings his vision to life. Richardsons use of color is extraordinary; for instance, in the scene where Landa comes to the farmhouse, the day is beautiful, clear and sunny; the sky is blue and birds are singing. And into the midst of this idyllic scene comes a monster. The juxtaposition of Landa with the beauty of his surroundings, especially as he then orders the murder of the hidden Jews, is brilliant. It reminds viewers that things are not what they seem, and that the potential for violence is ever-present. It can be argued that the United States today is one of the most violent societies on earth, but the threat of drive-bys, gang wars and shootings cannot compare to the terror of living under the Nazi occupation, where punishment for the slightest infraction was swift and brutal. When Landa pops up in the middle of the idyll ic scene, the day is ruined. Much of the rest of the cinematography is muted, sometimes suggesting old newsreels with washed out colors. This could indicate the age of Europe, or the draining effect of war; it makes Europe, which is beautiful, cold and harsh, in keeping with the mission the Basterds have undertaken. The New York Times also mentions the cinematography, though it is less complimentary than most to the movie overall. Dargis writes that whether or not a viewer likes the film has a lot to do with whether he or she can just groove on Tarantinos cinematic style, which includes his exuberant framing  and staging, his swooping crane shots, postmodern flourishes (Samuel L. Jackson in voice-over explaining the combustibility of nitrate prints) and gorgeously saturated colors, one velvety red in particular (Dargis). With regard to the films much-discussed opening scene in the farmhouse, Dargis calls it a marvel of choreographed camera movement and tightly coordinated performances. When the scene moves ins ide the building, Tarantino provides another homage: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the German soldiers outside are positioned within one of the windows, a shot that recalls the framing of an image in Monte Hellmans 1971 cult classic, Two-Lane Blacktop' (Dargis). Tarantino also gives a nod to a great Hollywood character actor of the 1950s, Aldo Ray, by naming his main character Also Raine; Also Rays widow served as a casting director on this film (Dargis). (For a delightful look at Aldo Ray, look at Were No Angels the original starring Ray, Humphrey Bogart and Peter Ustinov as three Devils Island escapees who are neither as tough nor as evil as they pretend to be.) As for the rest of the film, however, Dargis is less enthusiastic. She notes that the film is actually five set pieces, each organized around specific bits of business and conversations that increasingly converge (Dargis). The first chapter introduced Colonel Landa; the second brings in the Basterds while the third brings Shoshanna together with Joseph Gobbels (Dargis). The fourth chapter deals with the plot to kill Hitler and the final chapter is the destruction of the fire and the death of many of the characters (Dargis). While all this works, Dargis has trouble with Tarantinos use of slow dialogue scenes and she is particularly disquieted by Colonel Landa, whom she describes as charming and seductive (Dargis). A man who is the tool of a regime as repellant as National Socialism should have none of these qualities. And yet Landa has no equal in the film; he owns it, and that makes for some uneasy viewing (Dargis). Conclusion            Inglourious Basterds would be uncharacteristic for any other director but for Tarantino its merely the latest in a string of films that glorify brutality and make heroes out of the most unlikely people: hit men and Nazi colonels. Its also full of Tarantino trademarks: long dialogue scenes that lead up to shot, explosive action sequences; homage to other films; and a never-ending river of blood. He has also, as usual, played with film itself, using title cards that hark back to the days of silent films, and (mercifully!) having his German characters speak German, his Italians speak Italian, his Frenchmen speak French and so on. This means he has also subtitled some of the scenes, but again, this is a director who truly seems to love playing with the medium and all its capabilities. Whether a viewer will enjoy the film or not particular when it contains scenes of soldiers being beaten to death with a baseball bat and other horrific violence probably depends on whet her or not he or she is a Tarantino fan. If so, theyll know what to expect; if not, it can be a bit much. But all in all, the film has proven to be a solid success and another hit for a quirky filmmaker who breaks all the rules.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Grapes of Wrath :: essays research papers

This marking period I read a realistic fiction novel called The Grapes of Wrath. This novel takes place in the late 1930’s, when a farming family, the Joads, have to migrate from their farm in Oklahoma to California in order to find work. They move from camp to camp in search for work and survival. The main character, Tom Joad, gets into trouble after killing a cop who murdered his friend, Jim Casy. He goes into hiding for a while and then departs from the rest of the family. Meanwhile, Rose of Sharon, his sister, gives birth to a stillborn and then saves a man by allowing him to have her breast milk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tom Joad is the main character of this novel. He is a kind and nice, short-tempered and fiercely independent. Tom is a man that is more into the present than anything else. He tends to worry less about what will happen next and more on what is happening now. After being released from prison, he heads home. He meets up with a Jim Casy, a preacher. Jim ends up staying with Tom through out most of the novel until he dies. Tom learns a lot about humanity through Jim and his own development in the novel and in the end becomes a man of the people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jim Casy is another significant character. His beliefs are significant to the stories theme and concepts. He has a significant effect on Jim with these beliefs he expresses to him. He believes that life is holy no matter what, and that organized religion isn’t the only way to be sinless and holy. Jim organizes migrant workers to stand up for themselves and against the bosses, who are beginning to lower wages and making life more difficult for them. His purpose in the novel was to help Tom develop into a social activist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A third significant character is Ma Joad. She is not much different than any other mother. She is caring, loving, and protects her family. She is the backbone of the family. At the story progresses she is capable of keeping her family and herself together. She becomes more of a provider than Pa Joad. She is a strong person and has a strong composure, that she able to keep up. Ma Joad represent the true meaning of togetherness or she is the reason the Joad family survives and remains together as best as possible.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Chapter Review 1-3 Principles of Supply Chain Management

Chapter Review 1-3 Principles of Supply Chain Management, 3ed Wisner, Leong, Tan 2012 Chapter Review 1-3 Chapter One: Introduction To Supply Chain Management A Supply Chain is the steps necessary for a manufacturer to procure materials, build a product, and transport the product to consumers. The consumers buy the products based on a combination of cost, quality, availability, maintainability and reputation factors. They hope these products will live up to their needs and expectations. An example of a supply chain that I was involved in while serving in the Air Force would be when I worked in the Supply Squadron. One of our customers, the jet engine maintenance shop, would need a part to repair and F101 engine for use on a B1B bomber aircraft. They would place the order through us. We would place the order with one of our depots that manage the assets. The depots would then place an order with the manufacturer of the asset. The manufacturer of the asset would be our second-tier supplier. The depots would be our first-tier supplier. The jet engine maintenance shop would be our first-tier customer, and the flight line mechanics would be our second-tier customer that needed the engine to install on the aircraft. The end product consumers would be the recipients of the mission to be accomplished by the aircraft crew. The three definitions of supply chain management in the text are all stated differently but pretty much mean the same thing; planning and managing the processes of procuring assets, converting assets into products, and delivering them to a customer. Of course there is much more detail involved getting from one end of the chain to the other and back again when necessary. There are four foundation elements of supply chain management. The supply elements are all about the purchasing and strategic concepts of supply management. The operations elements consist of several internal operations that oversee the assembling of parts into a finished product that meets all specifications and customer requirements. The logistics elements deal with the storing of the completed product and transporting it to the customer. The integration elements deal with the process integration of all the processes among the focal firm and their partners. Through the use of lean and Six Sigma methodology, improvements in the supply chain processes can be made and costs lowered. As the conditions change around the world, supply chain management will continue to change with it. Questions 1. What is a company that is hired to manage all of a firm’s logistics and supply chain management called? Answer: Fourth-Party Logistics Provider or 4PL (Page 10) 2. What is meant by perfect order fulfillment? Answer: Orders that arrive on time, complete and damage free. (Page 20) 3. What is right-shoring? Answer: The combination of on-shore, near-shore and far-shore operations into a single, flexible, low-cost approach to supply chain management. (Page 23) 4. What are Reverse Logistics Activities? Answer: When customers return products, get warranty repairs or recycle items. . What is the radical rethinking and redesigning of business processes to reduce waste and increase performance? Answer: Business Process Reengineering or BPR. (Page 14) Chapter Two: Purchasing Management The goal of Supply Management in an organization is to ensure a continual flow of raw materials at the lowest cost possible. Another goal is to improve the quality of the finished goods produc ed as well as increase customer satisfaction. By obtaining these goals supply management has proven to be a key strategic business process and not just another supporting function of the business. Done well a company can give itself an edge over other companies that are not meeting these goals. Using smarter purchasing is another way for a company to increase profitability. Cutting costs and boosting sales are not the only way to improve profits. For instance, if a firm reduces its purchase spend on materials through a more effective purchasing strategy they will increase their return on assets. This is also likely to lower raw material inventory and total assets. E-Procurement brought many benefits to companies. It has proven to be a time saver and cost effective. It is more accurate as the information is only entered once instead of twice. Before the users had to enter the information and the buyer had to reenter the information creating another error point in the process. E-procurement is more flexible as it can be used without the restrictions of location or time of day. Status of orders can be looked at without having to check paper trails. There are different reasons why a firm may use a single supplier instead of favoring multiple suppliers. Using a single supplier gives a firm the chance to build a stronger relationship with the supplier. Costs would be lower due to larger purchases keeping the cost per unit down and transportation would be cheaper as the firm can take advantage of full truckloads. Single sourcing would also make sense if the firm’s requirements are too small. It would not be worthwhile to split the order among multiple suppliers. There is a disadvantage with sole sourcing as well. If the purchase was for a proprietary product or process and the supplier holds the patents to them, the firm has no choice but to buy from them. Multiple sourcing is advantageous for many reasons. If the demand is greater than the capacity of a single supplier, having more than one supplier would help to keep up with the demand. It gives firms options in case of interruptions that have affected any given supplier. Competition is created among the suppliers in terms of price and quality. You would have more sources of information about the market conditions, product developments and new technologies. Questions 1. What are the primary goals of purchasing? Answer: To ensure uninterrupted flow of raw materials at the lowest total cost, to improve quality of the finished product and to maximize customer satisfaction. (Page 40) 2. The list of suppliers that a firm uses to acquire materials, services, supplies and equipment is called what? Answer: The supply base or supplier base. (Page 57) 3. What are the six advantages of centralization? Answer: Concentrated volume, avoid duplication, specialization, lower transportation costs, no competition within units and common supply base. (Page 62) 4. What is the difference between direct and indirect offset? Answer: Direct offset usually involves co-production, or a joint venture and exchange of related goods or services; whereas indirect offset involves exchange of goods or services unrelated to the initial purchase. Page 65) 5. What are the three basic types of bid bonds? Answer: Surety bonds, performance bonds and payment bonds. (Page 67) Chapter Three: Creating and Managing Supplier Relationships To have a successful supplier partnership you must understand the key factors for developing them. You must be able to build trust at all levels of management and trust i s very crucial to the success. The partnership should have clear and mutually agreeable shared vision and objectives. When both parties involved have the same goal in mind and have equal decision-making control, the partnership has a higher chance of succeeding. Interpersonal relationships are important as well. It is not just companies talking, it is people talking to people. It is people who make up the companies and are representing them. The companies must be able to manage the change that comes with a new partnership. Communicating information to the people affected by the change. This internal communication is very important so employees can understand why the partnership was formed. Developing performance metrics are a way to evaluate how well suppliers are doing. Information gathered can help improve the entire supply chain. Organizations can identify suppliers that have exceptional performance and recognize them as such. It can also show where improvements are needed. The data used is based on a set of mutually agreed performance measures. This will provide information for continuous improvement that can result in eliminating mistakes and will lead to ensuring that products are always meeting customer requirements. A supplier certification program is a way for organizations to identify suppliers who are the most committed to maintaining a partnership and who have the best capabilities. The results of a supplier certification are being able to reduce the supplier base, build long-term relationships, reduce time spent on incoming inspections, improving delivery, recognizing excellence, developing a commitment to continuous improvement and improving overall performance. Supplier recognition programs are another way to nurture a healthy supplier relationship. An award program is a good way to promote excellent supplier performance. This allows the award winner to serve as a role model for the other suppliers. The other suppliers will want to do better and also be recognized. Supplier relationship management involves streamlining the processes and communication between the buyer and seller using software applications to manage the processes more efficiently and effectively. Questions 1. What are the seven steps in the approach to supplier development? Answer: Identify critical goods and services, identify critical suppliers not meeting performance requirements, form a cross-functional supplier development team, meet with top management of suppliers, rank supplier development projects, define the details of the buyer-supplier agreement, and monitor project status and modify strategies. (Pages 89-90) 2. What are the two types of SRM? Answer: Transactional and analytic. (Page 94) 3. What are the three major cost categories? Answer: Pre-transaction, transaction and post-transaction. (Page 81) 4. Why is a supplier evaluation and certification process important? Answer: So organizations can identify their best and most reliable suppliers. (Page 82) 5. What are the benefits of investing in an environmental management system based on ISO4000 standards? Answer: Reduced energy and other resource consumption, decreased environmental liability and risk, reduced waste and pollution and improved community goodwill. (Page 89)

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Portfolio Models Essay

The use of portfolio models in marketing has been gaining increasing use since 1960s. The portfolio models were developed with the aim of helping in the development of market share and growth. These models have been used as strategic thinking model in the making of business decision. These models include BCG, General electric/shell, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. Each model has been criticized on the capabilities and according to its scope on market share. These models have been found to lead to the wrong decision in investment and other business processes. The portfolio models assume a causal relationship between the market share and the profitability of a product in the market. The common scope of portfolio models is the way it tries to ignores some of the most relevant strategic issues in business. Therefore, all models cannot be taken as an effective strategic decision making model. It should however be discarded or it should be used with caution. This paper does not recommend the use of portfolio models and an alternative way should be sought to replace this. Introduction Portfolio models can be defined as a method or strategy in which a new product will be introduced in the market and perform as it was expected. In the 1960s, there was growing assertion of the use of portfolio models in marketing. There was growing interest on the development of market share and growth strategy which later came to be known as marketing portfolio. The BCG matrix, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models and GE/S were meant to achieve the marketing needs especially when introducing new products in the market. They were meant to stimulate strategic thinking especially among the senior marketing executives in the turbulent business environment. However, there has been dysfunction of these models in the way they are taught and the way they are applied in the market. This study will look into the applicability of portfolio models in strategic decision making in marketing. The study will evaluate the view from a number of literature to understand whether the model can really be applied to the decision making process or not. This paper therefore evaluates the available literature which has given an insight into this model to understand how it can be applied in strategic marketing decision. There are other methods that were introduced to give a product a distinctive market share especially when it’s introduced. There are four commonly used methods to approach this matter, the Boston consulting group (BCG), the General electric/shell (GE/S), Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. Therefore to give the clear meaning of the portfolio model, there is a need to understand how the portfolio models work. The first step to be taken when using the above models is to understand the different business/ marketing strategies of the company. Portfolio models in marketing decisions Portfolio models management generally defines the way business comes up with strategic decision to venture into the market. In this definition, the strategic marketing decision is a method by which marketing ideas are made and implemented in order for a product to have stronger grounds in the market. At any one time, company will be coming up with new product which will need to be introduced to the market in the most successful way. Portfolio models therefore provide the business with important tools for analyzing of the strategic decision to determine their effectiveness in the market (Abell and Hammond, 1979, p. 42). Purpose of portfolio models in strategic decision making in marketing There are mainly four main purpose of using the portfolio models in the strategic marketing decisions which are pursued in portfolio management and must be achieved through any model that is used. These goals include the maximization of portfolio, seeking of the right balance of the available projects, aligning of the portfolio strategically, and aligning the projects to the available resource (Ansoff, 1984, p. 12). Smith and Swinyard (1999, p. 2) also show that portfolio marketing models are important for an organization to assess the overall success of a new product in the market before a lot of money is used in the development of the product. They both call for the use of multiple marketing models in order to achieve the overall success of introducing new products in the market. This will reduce the failure rate of the products and extend their life cycle in the market. (Thomas, 2002, p. 61) The models can also be used as important tools to forecast the level of competition and therefore draw upon effective way of beating this competition. They help to forecast the performance of a product in the market so as to draw up strategies to effectively introduce it in the market. Edgett, Cooper, and Kleinschmidt (2002, p. 2) showed that in order to achieve full development of a new product in the market, there has to be effective portfolio management. There are different types of portfolio models that include the BCG, GE/S, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models. In his review of the portfolio models, Day (1977, p. 32) showed that the use of bubble diagrams had been gaining increasing use in business. Day shows that these models resemble the portfolio models with stars, cash cows, dogs, and others. He showed that these models could be used successfully to forecast the market in the future. Day therefore asserted the role of matrix like Boston matrix in marketing. The Boston matrix could be used to show four quadrants as has been shown by Day and corresponding strategies which could be used in each quadrant. However Day criticizes the matrix on the sense that it is too narrow on its scope. He asserts that the BCG matrix has a narrow focus on the market share of the product. On the other hand Morrison and Wensley (1991, p. 106) provided an insight into the portfolio planning models as used in making business decision. They asserted that the use of BCG matrix in portfolio management is inhibited by difficulties in measurement of the rate of market growth and the relative market share of the product. This is due to a number of reasons. They gave the most prominent reason being the fact that market boundaries are often very difficult to fix which meant the different matrix methods will give different recommendations for a given situation. Therefore they argue that the common scope of BCG matrix in a way ignores some of the most relevant strategic issues in business. Though these other models are not as famous as BCG, Day still argues that use of them could also lead to success in the market. Day advocated and recommended the use of Porters competitiveness that he viewed to have higher possibilities of success than other models if its well implemented. It is commonly used in an already operating business with other products in the market. The experience curve can only be help to the company that has been in the market for sometime with a different product. The experience that the company has gained in the given period will determine the strength of the company in the market. This has been used by several companies like coca-cola in the introduction their mineral water. It would be hard for a company that has not been doing well in the market to succeed with the new product. They showed that Boston matrix was a technique for one season and not for all the season. This is because its popularity and use increased in the 1960s and 1970s and then plummeted due to the challenges faced in the market. They showed that the single chart could be successfully used to determine the growth potential and the competitive strength of a product in the market but this has rapidly changed with time. Armstrong and Brodie (1994, p. 38) evaluation on the applicability of the Boston matrix concluded that the use of the matrix to guide investors often would result to wrong decision through the use of BCG. General Electric and Shell, Porters competitive models are designed for long term use in the market, once the product has been introduced in the market, the models techniques still continues to support the product through the entire life in the market. Whichever model is used, it has to be used for entire life of the company because no other model will fit without altering the companies business especially when the company is introducing new product in the market. Although they based their study on a small number of graduates in a class, they gave a further warning against the use of the matrix in a simple mind. Armstrong and Brodie (1994, p. 3) carried out a study on the effect of the portfolio planning methods on the overall decision making process. Their study pointed out the weakness in the use of BCG matrix in making strategic decision in an organization. Their study revealed that the use of BCG matrix in making investment decisions was highly likely to lead to unprofitable investment while Robert and Merton (1989, p. 210) advocates that the implementation of other models instead of matrix were intended for lifetime decision making. If not well implemented, there is a probability of causing life time losses and would be hard to recover unless the product is withdrawn from the market. Each model has some weaknesses bas they are exposed out in the way models assume a casual relationship between the market share and the profitability of a product in the market. Morison and Wesley (1991, p. 26) also pointed out lack of consistency in the use of the portfolio models in determining market growth and profits. These studies give varied views on the use of Boston matrix, GE/S, Hofner-Schendel, Experience Curve and Porters Competitive models in making marketing decision. They all seem to point out on the weaknesses of these models in light of their theory and application. There are other ways a business can prosper other than using portfolio models. The strategies used in introducing the product in the market is all that matters, portfolios are just to give the business a rough idea on how to approach the marketing matter but not to give a conclusive tread which the business should follow. Conclusion Portfolio models are applied in portfolio management. They are applied in management to make strategic marketing decision. Though they had gained increasing use in different times, they have some weaknesses that are fatal to the welfare of the business in future. On the other hand they may give a rough idea on how to approach the market issues and on how to introduce the new product in the market. In all portfolios, not is able to predict the growth and the profit margins or losses on the other hand for the product, thus making them less important tool for the marketing. However the use of models should be discarded and there be implemented new strategies that would be able to address the issues of the business on long term and in both growth and revenues that are likely to be gained by the introduced product. Recommendations: The use of portfolio models is not recommended and if they have to be used, they must be implemented with great caution. None of all models has proofed an effective strategic decision making in regard to the marketing issues. It should however be discarded or it should be used with caution. This paper does not recommend the use of portfolio models and an alternative way should be sought to replace this.