ACADEMIC ENGLISH (22) / MANAGING A PROJECT

Purpose

To oppose the mainstream of pure utility and help create a comfortable, enjoyable & living home, which should also help to avoid a lifestyle characterised by „blind activism“.

Idea

Look and feel of beautiful, soft, colourful fabrics of high quality support the feeling of wellbeing, ease and comfort for both, individuals and families.

The idea is based on the „Cocooning Concept“ (Faith Popcorn, see „Academic English 20“).

This feeling should help create a haven generating happiness, thus prevent from restless and futile pursuit for it in permanently new places, locations, activities and events which never fulfill the eternal longing of a man for bliss. On the contrary: a constant mode of chase causes stress, frequent disappointment and consequently addiction to a never ending action. To put it in a nutshell: escaping from home is like running away from one´s self.

Even though the phenomenon of climate warming has led to the loss of distinction between particular seasons, the „genetic code“ of plants and animals established through millions of years still decides about the rhythm of the nature, which is an amazing garden with each season having a different character and spirit.

It has always been a source of inspiration for artists and people with the sharpened awareness of beauty.

Why not stay connected and get it home?

Product Quality & Design

„4 Seasons“ natural home textiles (linen & cotton) with carefully chosen patterns corresponding to the seasons of the year. Meticulous workmanship and attention to detail.

Focus on the combination of aesthetic and pragmatic function.

Product portfolio

Counterpanes, cuddle blankets and cushions.  

Target Group

Master Brand:  Adult individuals and families.

Junior Line: Children (age 4 to 16).

Market

Domestic.

Business Model

B2B

Finance

Available.

Marketing

Social media, brochures, catalogues.

Distribution

Freight services: DHL, Hermes, UPS

Future Prospects

Grow operations. Enlarge product range.

We hear more and more that organizations must have a compelling “purpose” — but what does that mean? Aren’t there already a host of labels out there that describe organizational direction? Do we need yet another?

I think we do, and I’ve pulled together a typology of sorts to help distinguish all these terms from one another.

A vision statement says what the organization wishes to be like in some years’ time. It’s usually drawn up by senior management, in an effort to take the thinking beyond day-to-day activity in a clear, memorable way. For instance, the Swedish company Ericsson (a global provider of communications equipment, software, and services) defines its vision as being “the prime driver in an all-communicating world.”

There’s also the mission, which describes what business the organization is in (and what it isn’t) both now and projecting into the future. Its aim is to provide focus for management and staff. A consulting firm might define its mission by the type of work it does, the clients it caters to, and the level of service it provides. For example: “We’re in the business of providing high-standard assistance on performance assessment to middle to senior managers in medium-to-large firms in the finance industry.”

Values describe the desired culture. As Coca-Cola puts it, they serve as a behavioral compass.  Coke’s values include having the courage to shape a better future, leveraging collective genius, being real, and being accountable and committed.

If values provide the compass, principles give employees a set of directions. The global logistics and mail service company TNT Express illustrates the difference in its use of both terms. TNT United Kingdom, the European market leader, lists “customer care” among nine key principles, describing it as follows: “Always listening to and building first-class relationships with our customers to help us provide excellent standards of service and client satisfaction.” TNT’s Australian branch takes a different approach: Rather than outline detailed principles, it highlights four high-level “core values,” including: “We are passionate about our customers.” Note the lighter touch, the broader stroke.

So how does purpose differ from all the above, which emphasize how the organization should view and conduct itself?

Greg Ellis, former CEO and managing director of REA Group, said his company’s purpose was “to make the property process simple, efficient, and stress free for people buying and selling a property.” This takes outward focus to a whole new level, not just emphasizing the importance of serving customers or understanding their needs but also putting managers and employees in customers’ shoes.  It says, “This is what we’re doing for someone else.” And it’s motivational, because it connects with the heart as well as the head. Indeed, Ellis called it the company’s “philosophical heartbeat.”

For other examples of purpose, look at the financial services company ING  (“Empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business”), the Kellogg food company (“Nourishing families so they can flourish and thrive”) and the insurance company IAG (“To help people manage risk and recover from the hardship of unexpected loss”).

If you’re crafting a purpose statement, my advice is this: To inspire your staff to do good work for you, find a way to express the organization’s impact on the lives of customers, clients, students, patients — whomever you’re trying to serve. Make them feel it.

https://hbr.org/2014/09/your-companys-purpose-is-not-its-vision-mission-or-values

The aim of this project is to understand how easy it is for women to set up an own business in the Western world.

It should point out to the fact that any business must have a meaningful purpose und has to be founded on sustainable values.

The purpose of business is apparently not to make money in the first place, as the RESEARCH shows.