The Main Types of Investment Products Research Paper

The Main Types of Investment Products - Research Paper Example All these four asset classes have their own combination of growth and risk associated with it. The asset allocation strategy of an investor among the various asset classes is influenced by a multitude of factors and is as much art as it is science. While investors with more risk appetite will opt for equity-based investment products, an investor who prefers stability or in other words is a risk-averse will prefer Debt/Fixed income investment tools more. However, financial companies have designed investment products that are not pure-play Equity/Fixed income/Cash instruments but are hybrid in nature and have varied components of equity, debt and cash instruments. Pooled investments are managed by professional fund managers and are considered to be safer for individual investors. These pooled investments have exposure to almost all asset classes to spread risk, maintain growth rate and liquidity. Stock represents a part of ownership in a firm. Buying stock of a given company is equivalent to being a part owner of the company, and the investor, in essence, becomes part owner of all future earning of the company. The value of an investment in stock is dependent on the performance of the company. If the company performs well, the value of the investment goes, and vice versa. Investment in stock entails higher risk as compared to other investment products like fixed income/debt/bonds and cash instruments. Additionally, money invested in stock has lower liquidity as compared to other products. However, the possible upside of investment in stock is much higher as compared to other investment products. Investment in stock should be done only after proper research on the company, its future prospects, the market it is operating in and other factors influencing the company. It is very strongly recommended to invest in a group of companies (portfolio) rather than investing in a single company. By investing in companies from different domains and with varied market capitalization, the inherent risk can be substantially managed. However, developing and managing a well spread out portfolio requires a good amount of research, insight and constant tracking that may be difficult for an individual investor. One of the best ways of avoiding this effort is by investing in Mutual Funds. A Mutual fund is an investment company or a trust in which investors pool their funds and invest them in a wide variety of securities. (District Human Resources, n.d.) Â  

Food Retailing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Food Retailing - Research Paper Example Cereal forms an important part of the food industry. Kellogg contains cereal like fiber and whole grain. Cereals are the world’s most important sources of food industry. US is the largest production of cereals, the average production per 1000 metric tons in the US is 334,554 in the year 2001. The output of cereal globally is expected to be 2219 million tons in the year 2009, 2008 experienced a decreased by 3% (UN News, â€Å"UN News Centre†). Agricultural production Food marketing Value added components The value added components of the product Kellogg’s consists of some important cereals which are essential is day to day of life for all age group. Kellogg consists of cereals like whole grains, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Main ingredients and define The main ingredients in Kellogg’s contain fiber, whole grain, vitamins and minerals. Fiber is considered to be healthy for hearts. A diet which is high in fiber ensures all around wellness of the family. Acco rding to the Institute of Medicine, recommendation on fiber is mainly based on age and gender. But it seems like people fall short to achieve the goals as most of the people are losing out the benefits of fiber such as promoting good digestive and keeping the heart healthy. Therefore in order to help the people to overcome such issues, Kellogg have introduced delicious cereals such as All-Bran, Corn pops, Raisin Bran and other such products which aims to provide good and excellent sources of fiber (Kellogg’s, â€Å"Nutrition†). Whole grain has been defined by American Association of Cereal Chemists also known as A.A.C.C., whole grain consists of ground, intact, flaked or cracked whose main components i.e. anatomical components includes the germ, bran and starchy endosperm which are present in the same proportion as in intact caryopsis (Marquart & McIntosh, p.138) . Supply Chain Manufacturing/ processing The Supply chain encompasses all the activities which are associat ed with the transformation and flow of the goods from raw materials to the end users. In the global supply chain management the manufacturing and distribution facilities are scattered all around the world. Figure 1: Supply Chain of Cereals (Source: Radrigue, â€Å"The Geography of Transport Systems†) Storage/ Delivery The above figure explains the supply chain process that takes place in case of cereals. The cereals are processed and manufactured and then they are stored and distributed on to the stores. The cereals are packaged properly with proper label and then they are transported to the retailers. Supply chain of the company Kellogg’s is a well known brand and delivers all the essential requirements for the day to day activities of life through its product. The business primarily focuses on creation of profit but also keeping the environmental and social impact to a high importance. Kellogg’s believes that by acting responsible through supply chain through which the company aims to reduce energy as well as emission in the manufacturing and also distribution and improving the packaging of the product. Kellogg’s supply chain consists of three sectors which are the primary, secondary and the tertiary sector. The process includes a range of agencies which includes the quality, research, sales, purchasing, distribution and transport. As an essential part of the