Is an online degree in business management worth it?

20 December 2019

Students who are planning a distance learning education might have doubts about whether an online degree in business is worth the time, effort and money it takes to earn it.

In an online degree in a business program, learners explore the essential principles that drive business. It includes crafting strategic plans and managing people and resources. The students can also specialize in one of several areas such as international business, finance, accounting, and small business.

Whether a learner completes an associate degree or a master’s degree in this field, a degree in business is one of the most versatile majors available, and graduates are prepared for a range of exciting career opportunities in the future.

Why earn an online degree?

What makes online learning so popular? Today everyone is looking for convenience, flexibility and great value in their education. Many work full time or part-time and some have important family responsibilities. Some people can’t afford to focus entirely on choosing a diploma in business management by quitting their jobs or neglecting their family obligations.

Thankfully with online learning, students can get their education without having to make such sacrifices. They can go for their desired online degree in a business program that lets them log into the virtual classroom with ease. They can schedule and study and complete their courses whenever and wherever they want.

Benefits of Earning a Business Degree Online:

Accessibility

The students in an online business management degree get access to online lectures in a flexible time range. Some of the online business programs even provide a semester’s worth of materials instantly. It allows students to complete the work at their own convenience and as per their schedule.

Flexibility

As many business schools use the traditional model, the online business degree offers flexible learning so that students can begin their degree any time of the year from any part of the country.

School Options

Enrolling in the online course allows a student to find a program that fits its interests and skills, regardless of their locations. For example, a local college may not offer an MBA, and some of the best universities in the country offer the course which is accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

Diversity

Business relies on the ability to network and expand contacts. Online courses feature students from a range of diverse backgrounds. This network gives the online learner an additional edge over their on-campus counterparts.

Technology

With advancements in technology, online students can easily connect with faculty and classmates through live lectures, video conferences, and online discussion groups.

Online education is swiftly replacing traditional ways and is becoming a popular choice among students. They also open many possibilities of work as employers whole-heartedly embrace the digitized version of learning.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Pros and Cons of Oil and Gas Investment

Gas and oil are commodities that will always be in demand globally. No matter where you are in the world, people seem to be needing oil and gas more and more, be it for transportation, to run businesses and factories, and machines, and to do daily tasks such as cooking. Because of its increasing demand, it’s a highly favored investment choice by business owners and investors around the world. However, as with all other industries, the petroleum industry does have its pros and cons. Here are some of them: The Pros: 1. There Are Tax Benefits And Advantages: Naturally, economists and the respective governments encourage investors to put their money in the energy and petroleum industry. The more businesses in the energy sector, the higher the demand for this commodity, as the price per barrel of oil also tends to stabilize more. Remember this is important as almost all aspects of man's daily life are highly dependent on the energy and petroleum industry. To encourage investors to stay attracted to gas and oil businesses, governments provide for annual tax benefits and deductions. Some of these include the following: When you invest in a limited liability partnership/gas company, such as the CEFM Oil & Gas Investment Fund, 15% of your share can become a part of your tax-sheltered income, which means that this 15% of your total stock will not be subject to taxes. In the event of stock depletion, governments can allow for certain allowances to keep your company's cash flow reports stable. 2. The Gas and Oil Industry Is a Lucrative Trade: Gas and oil are both commodities. You cannot go through your daily life without either of these two. Even the simplest and most rural forms of living require gas, such as lighting up gas lamps at night. At present, the petroleum industry makes up 10% of the total gross domestic product of the world, representing an amount of around $10 trillion. This figure does not end here, as it is bound to grow even more as the global population increases in number. 3. The Rate of Return on Investment Is High: Economists around the world found that the return on investment from oil and gas companies is usually around 5 to 10 times more than the capital that you put in. It is tough to find any other investment opportunity that allows for the same favorable returns. When exploration of an oil reserve starts, profit can begin to accumulate after the first two months; this speed is unrivaled by any other business sector. The Cons: 1. There Is a Limit to Growth: Oil and gas reserves are not taken from a renewable source. Eventually, the time will come when these resources will be fully depleted. As the demand for oil continually increases by the day, so does the rate of these reserves eventually being maximized and fully depleted. You can only do so much. Further, this industry needs to fulfill a lot of environmental responsibilities, such as the rehabilitation of the reserve that was drilled up for oil explorations. Doing this entails costs for the company. 2. There Is a Huge Political Risk Involved Because oil is a commodity, it is but natural that political governments intervene. As much as they would want to protect a private company's interests to make sure investors in the market will stay, they are also protecting their political interests. Therefore, any change in trade factors concerning political state agreements, tax reform laws, treaties, and the like will significantly affect the price and stability of the oil. This would mean that you cannot ever shy away from any involvement of politics in your business if you decide to invest in the petroleum industry. 3. The Market Price of Oil Is Always Fluctuating: As more and more individuals demand gas and oil, its market price will continue to fluctuate as well. Increased demand for goods will increase the supply; hence, the competition is high, so the costs have to decrease. This economic fact is good for the consumers but bad for you as the business owner. Profit is always what you have in mind, and in the oil industry, there is a ceiling as to how much you can increase the price of gas and oil. Conclusion: As lucrative as the oil and gas trade may be, do remember this list of its pros and cons. The disadvantages are not to discourage you from investing in this business sector, but it will help you make a better and wiser decision on where to plant your hard-earned money. Anchoring your investment in an informed decision will help you earn better growth on your commodity investment plan. Read Also: Investing In Property Is Investing In Your Future Safeguard Your Loved Ones Against The Dangers Of Radon Gas

Ideas For An Excellent Product Packaging

An average supermarket in the United States has about 40,000 different items for consumers to choose from. How does one consumer choose a product from the number of choices? Every industry relies on manufacturers, consumers, and distributors, but how do they grab the attention of potential buyers? Product Packaging. An industry in itself, proper packaging has the power to attract consumers. If you want to build a strong brand, consider optimizing your product packaging with a unique design and sustainable solutions. What makes an excellent Product packaging design? 1. Simplicity and clarity: When you walk into a supermarket, just go through products and take a glance at them. Do you identify the product or the brand by simply looking at it? The best example of quality packaging will be a clear and simple but highly distinctive packaging design. You will be amazed to learn that most consumers will decide to buy a product or not within a few seconds only. There will be numerous product listings with no specific brand name and you will also look at products that look great from the outside but they are unable to explain what is inside the box. Most importantly, packaging design should not confuse consumers. It should always deliver on clarity. There are some categories that allow a little bit of mystery but if the consumer fails to identify the product in terms of usage, content, or brand identity, it needs to be revamped. Be clear about what you are selling. Do not complicate it in any manner. 2. Be honest: A lot of brands try to depict the product in the most perfect way one can imagine. The packaging shows something about the product which is not real at all. When you try to depict a product ten times better than it actually is, you end up misleading the consumer and eventually disappointing him. This only leads to poor sales performance and builds a very bad brand image. Honesty plays a crucial role here. A lot of consumers like simplicity, they want to know what is the product is about and how it will serve them. You can do face lifting to a small extent but not where the product is something totally different. You need to show the product in the finest manner possible and ensure you show all honesty in it. Remember that the consumers need to be treated in an appropriate manner at all times. 3. Be authentic: Character and originality need to be at the core of great brands and excellent packaging designs. There are numerous products in the market and every product is competing for the attention of the consumer. If you want to set yourself apart, you will have to be very authentic. Product packaging is a matter of creativity and it is not possible to create a fake impression based on the design only to sell the product. People have a number of brands to choose from, they have different appeals and looks to try. You need to remain authentic in your product design in order to ensure that your product design is memorable. Do not get on with a genetic-looking design. Look for strong visual standards and an uncommon style to appeal to the consumers. If you notice that most brands have a contemporary product design, opt for something retro. Be creative and always look for different options for your product. With more customers looking for eco-friendly options, Brad Zaikov from Jansy (https://www.jansypkg.com/) says that businesses that use biodegradable packaging will attract more customers. 4. Consider shelf impact: If you look at a product from the view of a consumer, you will notice that no product is ever seen alone. It is also not seen in exceptional detail. All the products are organized in columns and rows and there are numerous patterns and designs you see. Until a particular design or pattern catches your eye, you are not going to take a better look of the product. The appeal of a product when it is placed on a shelf is known as shelf impact and it will make a huge difference to the sales of a product. You need to check shelf impact and explore the designs. Do this by copying the placement of the design on a shelf and then surrounding it with different products. It will sell better if it looks good. 5. Keep space for extensibility: The idea of product packaging should leave space for the introduction of a new product or a new brand. There should be a possibility to make easy variations to the product without it losing its appeal. The initial design concept should not heavily rely on one product or one color. You might expand in the future or introduce a new product and you need to leave space in product designing for the same. Create a visual design that will allow for easy alterations in the visual of the packaging or will allow for easy addition or removal of information. 6. Practicality: Last but not least, practice is important when designing the packaging of a product. It not only deals with the label but deals with the shape, functionality, and size of the product you are selling. To get higher sales, the product needs to be more practical. A lot of business owners tend to overlook the aspect of practicality in packaging design because they think consumers are simply going to pick the product off the shelf without any thought. Unfortunately, this does not happen and consumers are looking for innovation. Practicality merged with innovation can solve a number of packaging design challenges. Product packaging is as important as product manufacturing. If you have an excellent and highly functional product to sell but if you do not spend enough time and effort on its packaging, you might never be able to reach out to the consumers. Packaging is your last opportunity to convince the consumer to purchase the product. Read Also: How To Pack Clothing Properly For Shipping Simple Packaging: Your Guide To Branded Design Make Sure Your Product Hits The Market As Soon As Possible 6 Shameless Examples Of Product Placement In Movies We’d Like To Forget

Five Reasons Your Business Needs Incident Management Software

There are all kinds of ingredients that go into making a business successful. You have the obvious things such as providing products and services that customers/clients want and need, you need both online and offline marketing tools, a strong business plan and, of course, cash flow. Then there are those things that don’t always get talked about as much, but that can help to streamline processes, provide a better customer experience, save the company money, and just make things more efficient overall. One of those less talked about tools in ensuring that your business reaches its maximum level of success is IT incident management software. Now, this may not be something your company currently has, nor are you convinced you need it. Here we’ll take a look at the top reasons your business does, in fact, need the software, and why it’s time you went ahead and invested in it. It's All About Efficiency: When it comes down to it, efficiency in a business can either make it or break it. If a company has found ways to be efficient in all different aspects and levels of the company, then its odds of being successful are much better. IT incident management software is a great way to improve efficiency. Sure, your IT staff are important, and they probably do a great job, but they also need the right tools at their disposal. This kind of software allows them to elevate their degree of effectiveness in your company. Take, for example, theSysAid ITIL incident management software, which allows users to log, manage, process, and then report on any and all IT issues that arise. It’s a streamlined approach that ensures all incidents are caught and made note of, so they can be corrected. Make It Possible for Employees to Work Remotely: Today there is a real push for employees to be able to work remotely, but that also means they need the right tools at their fingertips. With incident management software, they will be able to access it no matter where they are, which means they won’t miss a beat. Put in Place Standardized Procedures: With dedicated IT management software, there will also be a standardized process that is put in place. This means all staff will need to follow a specific list of procedures and steps, which means everyone is on the same page and nothing slips through the cracks. It helps to eliminate questions regarding what each person is expected to do when an incident pops up. Enjoy Cost Savings: By using incident management software, you and the company can also enjoy reduced costs. This type of software is designed to save money and time, which helps the bottom line. Prioritize the Workload: Another way this software can help us to prioritize the workload and tickets. Let's face it, not all issues are urgent; some can stand to wait a bit. A Wise Investment for Businesses: When looking for ways to streamline your business and make things more efficient, IT incident management software could be the solution to all your problems, thanks to the many benefits it provides. Read Also: Tips To Choose The Best Inventory Management Software

Is an online degree in business management worth it?

Why earn an online degree?