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International business is all business transactions-private and governmental-that involve two or more countries. Why should one be interested in studying international business? The simplest answer is that international business enterprises a large and growing portion of the world's total business. Today, almost all companies, large or small, are affected by global events and competition because most sell output to and / or secure suppliers from foreign countries and / or compete against products and services that come from abroad.

More companies that engage in some form of international business are involved in exporting and importing than in any other type of business transaction. Many of the international business experts argue that exporting is a logical process with a natural structure, which can be viewed primarily as a method of understanding the target country's environment, using the appropriate marketing mix, developing a marketing plan based upon the use of the mix , implementing a plan through a strategy and finally, using a control method to ensure the strategy is adhered to. This exporting process is reviewed and evaluated regularly and modifications are made to the use of the mix, to take account of market changes impacting upon competitiveness. This view seems to suggest that much of the international business theory related to enterprises, which are internationally based and have global aspirations, does often change depending on the special requirements of each country.

Another core issue is the company's growth and the importance of networking and interaction. This view looks at the way in which companies and organizations interact and inevitably network with each other to gain commercial advantage in world markets. The network can be using similar subcontractors or components, sharing research and development costs or operating within the same governmental framework. Clearly, when businesses form a trading block with no internal barriers they are actually creating their own networks. Collaborations in aerospace, vehicle manufactures and engineering have all sponsored the development of a country's or a group of countries' outlook based on their own internal market network. This network and interaction approach to internationalization shows the substance of being able to influence decisions when knowing how the global network players work or interact.

For example, a critical market network is that of the Middle East. Middle East countries are rich, diverse markets, with a vibrant and varied cultural heritage. This means that although there has been a harmonization process during the past few years, differences still exist. Rather than business being simpler as a result, it should be recognized that because of regulations and the need those countries have to structure as they enter the global market, performing any kind of business can be highly complex. It should be remembered though that the Middle-Eastern countries have a low-income average and like to have their cultural differences recognized. Those firms that will or have recognized these facts have a good chance of developing a successful marketing strategy to meet their needs. Quite some firms have realized these important differences and reacted …

A good commercial lighting system can make a big difference in any business. Studies have found that a properly installed commercial or industrial lighting system can enhance the moods of employees and customers, improve employee productivity, and even increase sales in a retail business or restaurant. Because of this, it's vital that the people responsible for purchasing commercial lighting systems know just what products to buy for their specific business.

The Effect Industrial Lighting Has On Customers 'and Employees' Moods

It's been proven that bright lights affect a person's mood. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) commonly occurs in the winter or in gray, rainy climates and leads to depression. SAD is counter-used using light therapy, using a special, bright light. Although not everyone suffices from SAD, the theory of light therapy is the same. Brighter industrial lighting subconsciously helps to improve the moods of both customers and employees.

How Commercial Lighting Effects Productivity

Dim lighting encourages the body to create melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps people sleep. Because of this, it's important for industrial settings like factories and plants to keep employee work stations well-lit, especially if workers are performing repetitive tasks.

A study published in the May / June 1995 issue of Solar Today found that one company, Lockheed, saved $ 500,000 a year in energy costs by upgrading its industrial lighting system. What the company did not expect was a 15% increase in employees' productivity and a 15% reduction in absenteeism. Yet another company, West Bend Mutual, increased productivity by 16%, which reducing its energy bill by 40%. In both cases, simply updating the industrial lighting saved the companies thousands of dollars in energy costs and increased productivity.

Individual employees may appreciate different brightness levels at their own work stations. When possible, employers should allow workers to customize the brightness level using individual work station dimmers or lamps.

Properly Placed Commercial Lighting Increases Sales

Savvy store and restaurant managers know that the right lighting can create sales – it's a simple fact of the retail and restaurant business. Properly placed lighting at the correct wattage can make products pop and improve the appearance. From cosmetics to clothing to food, lighting sets the ambiance and can encourage people to spend more.

Products like cosmetics and fine jewelry need to have commercial lighting that's specially tailor. Customers expect to be able to see the unique shade variations in these products in order to make an informed purchase. Clothing displays can be lighted many different ways to enhance the look of the clothing.

Restaurants need to specialize commercial lighting systems based on the type of restaurant. For instance, a family-friendly chain or fast food eatery should be better lit than a fancy restaurant that caters to couples seeking a romantic meal. Many restaurants have the interior lighting on a dimmer switch that allows the manager to dim the lights as the evening goes on. This encourages customers to spend more in cocktails, which greatly increases the restaurant's sales figures.

Commercial …

Everyone is familiar with the 3-R's from school – reading, 'riting and' rithmetic. This was our first introduction to an effective performance model. As profitability increased in each R, performance was further enhanced. Effective performance models by their very design are a continuum that automatically raises performance to the next level.

Today's businesses have their own 3-R Performance Model. This model has not really changed since the early of origins of business enterprises. No matter what the latest business guru advocates, good business practices and most importantly the "bottom-line" always appear to return to these basic 3-R's. For without Relationships, References or Revenue, today's businesses will not achieve current goals nor grow.

R1 – Relationships – With the Internet providing immediate access to unlimited vendors, products and services, today's business owners must develop sustainable and loyal relationships. Current customer service research suggests that the cost to attract a new customer or client is 10 times greater than to maintain an existing customer. Relations lead to the second R.

R2 – References – References according to recent research account for 84% of all sales. This research supports what our common sense tells us about human nature. We are more likely to believe a close friend and probably a not so close friend over the slick Madison Avenue advertising efforts. Additionally, only 1 in 26 dissatisfied clients will share their dissatisfaction with the organization, but will be more than happy to share their "bad" experience with others.

References add value to the bottom line by reducing marketing dollars. You can not "pay" for referrals. References are given free much like a friendly smile or a sincere handshake. R1 and R2 make R3.

R3 – Revenue – Without this final third "R," companies would not be in business. Revenue is the ultimate desired end result. When revenue grows, both the company and employees transition beyond survival and transform into a thriving, high performance, results driven team where everyone shares a laser focus. Successful companies and individuals actively work the 3-R's every day regardless of their yearly achievements. Complacency for these individuals is not an acceptable attitude!

If your goal is to reach that next level of success, then maybe the first step is ask yourself, do you know your 3-R's? And the second step is to begin to construct a plan to help you improve your 3-R's. …

Are you thinking of becoming a professional home stager? You've done your research and met with other professionals in the field of home design and real estate. Now what? Before you jump right into the hustle of setting up your home staging business, you need to have a plan first. This will help you stay on track and focus your sights on your business goals.

A business plan will help you put down your business goals and strategies on paper. Whether you are writing a detailed formal business plan to submit to your loan officer, or whether it's just notes and reminders you've jotted down on a notebook, a business plan will help your business prosper in the long run. Below are the main parts of a business plan. You can omit some of these parts if you are not writing specifically to request funding.

1. Executive Summary.
This comes in first, but you have to write it last. After all, it's difficult for you to write the summary of something you have not even written. This should contain all the important points of your business plan, but remember to keep it brief, understandable, and straight-to-the-point for potential investors who are too busy to read the entire document.

2. Company Description.
This includes a description of the nature of your home staging business, how you plan to start your company, a profile of the company owners, the location of your company headquarters (and may be your home or a small office), and the facilities owned by your company.

3. Home Staging Services.
It's important that potential investors understand what kinds of services you are selling. Specify whether you are offering only consultation services, or if you also provide other home staging services such as designing and furniture rentals. Also, identify the competitive edge of your services as compared to other home staging services already available.

4. Market Analysis.
This section requires that you do a little bit of market research. Focus on describing your market and the current demand for home staging. Do not forget to include an assessment of your competition. This will help you decide what marketing strategies to undertake when you start selling your services.

5. Marketing Strategies.
This is an essential part of the formal business plan. This section describes how you will promote your business, the costs of your marketing strategies, and how you will determine whether these strategies were effective.

6. Financial Data.
If you are still planning on opening your home staging business, this section includes your projected profits in the short and in the long run. For formal business plans, you may need to ask the help of an accountant in writing this part. …

If you're a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. Doing a full business plan is a must if you're planning to seek financing or investors, but most solo professionals do not need anything that complicated.

Do not get me wrong, business planning is one of the most important things you need to do to succeed in your one man or woman show. Without planning you'll drift aimlessly from one crisis to the next and one idea to the next, never really getting anything done.

So, what's a solo pro to do? Here's what I do in my own business:

My business plan consists of one page with very little on it. It simply lists the three goals that I must achieve this year. Then, I list a statement for each goal: To achieve Goal # 1 I need to … This is followed by two to five activities or action items I need to do to make that happen.

That's it. That's the whole plan. The beauty is the simplicity. I simply can not handle more than that. I do not have a staff. I do not have "people". Everything has to be structured so that I can get it done simply and systematically.

So, let's say one of my goals is to increase sales by a certain number, like $ 25,000. I then ask myself, "What do you need to do to make that happen?" Maybe I want to develop an ebook or add a new service. How many potential or current customers will I need to reach? How much time will I need to develop the book or service? How will I market it?

From those answers, I develop my schedule. What do I need to do monthly, weekly, daily? I break it up into small pieces that take an hour or less. For example, if I decide I need to send out 100 marketing postcards in a month, I break it into 25 cards a week. Then, I put it on my schedule each week, just as I do my appointments with clients.

To keep myself on track, I place my mini plan in front of my keyboard so every morning it's the first thing I see. I also include a note to myself. It reminds me that "Nothing Else Matters." I follow it with my company slogan: Get Knowledge. Get Focus. Get Results.

Complex plans take tons of time to develop and many (if not most) end up gathering dust on a shelf. Using a simple plan improves your focus and helps you to achieve great results. …