EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Gaia Design is a private limited company that provides services such as interior designing
and landscaping to its clients at an affordable price in Lahore, Pakistan. Due to the increased
media exposure and evolving life style of the people of Pakistan, and desire for greater
personification and customization is being created in people. The clients would be getting the
most creative ideas and designs that would be giving their homes, offices, shops, malls,
gardens and farmhouses an aura of relaxation, class and beauty. Gaia design has initially
selected a rented office in sector “Y” DHA Lahore as its head office from where it would be
conducting its initial operations. The choice of this location is based on the high availability
of potential customers in Defence. A team of qualified people have been brought together to
make this business a success, whereas an opportunity is being given to the young talent to
revolutionize the concept of interior designing and landscaping with their fresh and creative
ideas. The competition in the interior designing and landscaping field is quite weak, with only
a few firms already occupying this sector. These competitive firms have some apparently
inefficient strategies employed that have been inhibiting their businesses from taking off. We
at Gaia Design have properly studied our competitors and made ourselves aware of their
weakness and strengths and worked hard to formulate a strategy with the help of some
qualified strategists in order to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. We have
developed integration strategies as well as market penetration and market development
strategies to make a proper impact in our market. The key success factor for Gaia Design is
our customer’s satisfaction. Gaia Design’s initial capital requirements would be met through
both debt and equity financing in equal proportions. We are quite confident that Gaia
Design’s viability is quite promising and the business would satisfy all its stakeholders.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………..1

2. SWOT ANALYSIS……………………………………………………………………2

3. LOCATION……………………………………………………………………………
3

4. MANAGEMENT AND
PERSONNEL………………………………………………………………………….4

5. INTENDED MARKET
ENVIRONMENT……………………………………………………………………...5

6. COMPETITION…………………………………….…………………………………6

7. INDUSTRY……………………………………………………………………………8

8. MARKETING
STRATEGIES…………………………………………………………………………9

9. DESCRIPTION OF GAIA DESIGN’S

SERVICES…………………………………………………….……………………..10

10. THE OPERATION PROCESS OF

GAIA…………………………………………………………………………………14

11. KEY SUCCESS

FACTORS……………………………………………………………………………15

12. PROJECTED CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEIR

FINANCING…………………………………………………………………………15

13. PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT FOR FIRST THREE

YEARS……………………………………………………………………………….16

14. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR FIRST THREE

YEARS……………………………………………………………………………….17

15. PROJECTED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR FIRST THREE

YEARS……………………………………………………………………………….18

16. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..20
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17. KEY ASSUMPTIONS………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………..20

18. SOURCES OF
HELP……………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..21
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1. INTRODUCTION TO GAIA DESIGN

The growing media exposure in Pakistan over the past few years has greatly changed the
lifestyle of people in Pakistan. People have gotten more conscious about the outlook of their
homes, offices etc. Not only do they want an aesthetic interior for their house, they also
crave for an exquisite front lawn and backyard. Recognizing this newly developed interest of
people in Pakistan in interior designing and landscaping, our company, Gaia Design, is being
incorporated. It is a private limited company. We aspire to provide professional services with
qualified staff along with thorough planning and arrangements in order to give our clients the
interior designing and landscaping experience that would leave our clients completely
satisfied. Our dedication gives us passion gives us innovative ideas to bring our clients and
exceptional designs together. We are committed to our goal of delivering excellence, acting
with integrity and working hard to exceed our client’s expectations.

Our services include interior designing and landscaping. Interior designing enhances the
visual and ambience of an interior space, seeking to maximize and harmonize the uses to
which the interior environment would be put. A meaning, power and authority is given to a
space that results in an identity and importance of that space. Landscaping is an art of
arranging outdoor space in such a way so as to enhance the functional and aesthetic quality of
what lies in front of our eyes. There has been an increase in importance of landscaping in the
world of architecture and design partly due to an immense increase in public concern and
respect of environment and partly due to the appearance of new set of Business Corporation
and national government bodies. Landscaping projects may vary from prestigious business
centers to recreation parks, gardens or backyard of houses.

Gaia Design stands confident as far as satisfying their client is concerned. We understand the
importance and value of our clients and we are fully aware of our responsibilities towards
them.

Gaia Design also aims to uphold the interests of all its stakeholders and ensure a fair
consideration of all its stakeholders based on moral, ethical and legal grounds.
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2. SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

♦ Competent staff
♦ Dynamic Leadership
♦ Availability of adequate facilities i.e. corporate office with good working conditions,
internet excess, necessary software for designing, in house infrastructure facilities
♦ Effective marketing/promotion to create awareness of General public

Weaknesses

♦ Lack of training opportunities

♦ Non availability of some basic material/items to be used in both interior and exterior
designing
♦ Operating at very low rather negligible profit margin in initial years.
♦ Difficulty in building confidence among target customers

Opportunities

♦ Government incentives for housing industry

♦ Inflow of new ideas due to open trade and globalization
♦ Para dime shift in lifestyle

Threats

♦ Tough Competition
♦ New entrants can easily share the business.
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3. LOCATION

We would be starting off our business by renting a place in Lahore. This shall serve as our
head office. Address of the head office of Gaia Design is 98-Y. The location of the office Is
in sector Y, phase 3,Defence Housing Authority, as that is the area where upper and elite
class are most concentrated and that is where there is the biggest potential for getting clients.
Also this sector provides clear routes to newly developing sectors and phases in DHA where
we wish to capitalize. The availability of raw materials, labor and infrastructure facilities
provide aid to our business.

Small offices would be rented through the nation, depending on the potential market and
success of our marketing strategies.

The approximately covered area of our Head office is 2000 sq/ft. The monthly rent of our
office is Rs 30,000. Division of area is as follows:

Detail Area in Sq.Yd

CEO office 400

Hall 700

Reception area 300

Meeting Room 400

Ancillaries 200

Utilities Requirements

There would certain utilities requirements of our office. These are as follows:

• Water commercial connection

• Telephone-4 lines, one for fax, two for telephone usage

• Electricity – 3 phases commercial connection

• PTCL Broadband – 2 MB
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4. MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL

The Chief Executive Officer would be responsible for formulating long term policies and
taking strategic decisions. A team of professionals would be engaged to manage the affairs of
operations under the supervision of the CEO. Furthermore, a well trained staff with
appropriate experience, possessing creative ability and aesthetic sense would be hired. A
training facility for the fresh qualified person will help to prepare fresh graduates from design
schools for becoming a part of our team.

The Board of Directors of Gaia Design are:

• Qasim Hassan

• Uzair Ejaz

• Usman

• Jawad Abbas

• Tayyab Hameed

Gaia Design’s human resource requirement is as follows:

Position No Monthly Annual

Salary per Salary
person (Rs.) (Rs.)

CEO 1 40,000 480,000

Architect 1 20,000 240,000

Interior Designer 2 15,000 360,000

Designers/students(Part Time) 4 8,000 384,000

Account Officer 1 8,000 96,000

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Office Assistants 1 5,000 60,000

Computer Designer 1 12,000 144,000

Security Guard 1 4,000 48,000

Gardner 1 3,500 42,000

Electrician, Plumber, Carpenter 3 6,000 216,000

Office Boy 1 3,000 36,000

Total 17 1,866,000

5. INTENDED MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Interior designing and landscaping is a relatively new concept in Pakistan and hence is not
that much organized. The demand for such services has an upward trend and with increased
media exposure this demand is expected to keep growing in the coming years. Not many
entrepreneurs are yet aware of this new market and its potential growth. Therefore there is a
significant gap between demand and supply of interior designers and landscapers.
Universities such as BNU and NCA graduate fine designers, who due to the lack of
opportunity in Pakistan, have to go abroad. We have already conducted a survey in both BNU
and NCA and gotten an overwhelming response from their students who are interested in
utilizing their talents and skills locally.
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OVERVIEW OF MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Pakistan’s population started off from 32.5 million in 1947 and is touching the 175 million
figures approximately in 2010. The annual growth rate is 2.10% and the population is
expected to be twice in less than 32 years. Punjab is the most thickly populated area and
Karachi is the most densely populated city. The grown rate of Pakistan’s population indicates
a definite increase in housing requirements and automatically increases the demand for
services of interior designers and landscapers. The stats from the housing sector also clearly
show a massive increase in construction of houses and apartments in 4 major urban centers of
Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, estimated to approximately 4500 units bearing a
cost of 5 billion, This further supports our speculation of the increase in demand for
designing and landscaping services.

TARGET CUSTOMERS

Our target customers include the middle class, upper class, elite and business class of the
entire nation for interior designing and landscaping of their houses, offices, shops and banks.
However we shall take off from Lahore, from the posh society of Defence due to the potential
customers there. We will be providing our services to our customers at affordable rates,
taking in consideration the rising prices and the increased financial burden on our clients. Our
objective would be to deliver quality service at minimum cost so as to expand our services to
as many people as possible. We would keep low prices by achieving low cost using the
integration strategies. We would also look to broaden our customers by formulating market
penetration strategies to effectively make people consider Gaia Design as soon as their
interest in interior designing and landscaping develops.

6. COMPETITION

It is imperative for a newly established firm to face a competitive environment in the market
as competition enhances a company’s ability to strive for continuous improvement. We have
done an analysis of our environment and identified our competitors. Some of these
competitors would be competing with us in the interior designing market and some in
landscaping market. These competitors and their areas of operation are both listed below.
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Interior Designing Firms

Key Players Areas of Operations

Ali Zafar Nationwide

Ayesha Omer Lahore, Karachi , Islamabad, Rawalpindi

Khawar Peerzada Punjab

Landscaping Firms

Key Players Areas of Operations

Horti Group Lahore

Garden Design Nationwide

Arif Yazdani Associates Nationwide

It is quite apparent that only a few of the firms give their services nationwide. Majority of the
firms are restricted to catering Punjab. This gives us an opportunity to gain a competitive
advantage over our competitors by expanding our services as far as possible. Small offices
would be set up in various cities from where our services could be ordered.

We have also performed an in depth analysis of our competitors and recognized various
inefficiencies in their operations and quality. We are confident to gain and maintain a
competitive advantage by utilizing our information and continuously improving ourselves.
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7. INDUSTRY

SECTOR CHARACTERISTICS

Due to globalization, media and changing life style interior designing sector is growing
drastically as compare to past. Change in lifestyle is actually a pare dime shift and focus on
lifestyle, comfort and beauty has significantly increased .Due to globalization, excess on
internet made easy to set mind for some particular style. Establishment of number of housing
societies has enlarged the scope of sector. Now even middle class group also get their homes
decorated by designers. Government has enhanced landscaping through establishment of
Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA).

SUB SECTOR INFORMATION

The main focus of interior designers and landscapers are on big cities like Lahore, Karachi,
Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Other cities are also catered but this is done mainly through
offices established in the above mentioned main cities. The government projects such as
green belts; fountains etc are the major beneficiaries of interior designing and landscaping
services.

SUB SECTOR PERFORMANCE

The number of designing firms at present is quite limited. Most of these firms are architecture
and also engaged in providing services of interior designing. Similarly owners of plant
nurseries are providing services of landscaping. PHA has a mission to make Lahore Clean,
Bright and Green, To accomplish its mission ,PHA is working on plantation and clusters
along roadside, Envisaged projects of PHA are:

• Canal side landscaping

• Flowering, shrubs at bridges and underpasses
• Play units
• Nightscapes
• Parks floriculture and nursery progress
• New fountains
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8. MARKETING STRATEGIES

A good marketing strategy is extremely essential for a newly established business and we are
totally aware of its importance. Our market penetration strategies are well formulated by a
combine effort of our team and the best available strategists available in Pakistan. We have
no shied away from making use of the expertise of the renowned strategists in order to end up
with nearly flawless market development and penetration strategies. We seek not only to win
customers, but also build a demand for our services by appealing to the aesthetic sense of
people and triggering a need in them for interior designing and landscaping.

We have adopted various modes of marketing that complement our marketing strategies and
firm’s long time goals. These include:

Advertisement in Newspapers

Being a newly established business, we will initially focus on paper marketing. Placing our
advertisements in the local newspapers would help us gain public recognition. Newspapers
such as Dawn, The News, Nawai-e-Waqt, Jung, The Nation, and Express are our target
newspapers.

Advertisement in Magazines and Women Digests

We would also place our advertisements in magazines and women digests, making women
our prime focus as they are the ones more personal with their home environment and its
aesthetics. The women are also more concerned with beauty and usually not too cautious
when it comes to spending money.

Catalogues

We would be developing catalogues that would display some of the work by our designers in
order to impress the customer and give him an idea of what we are capable of. Also the
catalogues would help the customer in deciding what he probably wants.

Flyers

Flyers are a cost efficient and highly effective way of doing door to door marketing. We
would be dropping flyers in houses and offices in order to make them aware of our services.
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Television Advertisements

After our business starts off and we generate sufficient revenue, we would be taking our
marketing to the next level by using television to display trendy ads that would induce a need
for interior designing and landscaping in the mind and heart of the audiences.

9. DESCRIPTION OF GAIA DESIGN’S SERVICES

Gaia Design would be providing interior designing and landscaping services to its clients.
The clients would range from all classes of societies and the services offered would be at
affordable rates in order to serve more people. We would be providing our interior designing
and landscaping services for:

• Houses

• Offices

• Shopping Malls

• Farmhouses

• Shops

• Banks

• Recreation parks

With the passage of time, we would be gaining more experience and would seek to provide
our services to hospitals, airports and schools.

OUR SERVICES

Gaia Design would be working on the space given to them in order to increase its aesthetics
and give the space a meaning and identification. The designs offered by us are well-
proportioned, elegant, and functional and all elements would be harmonized. We would be
carefully selecting plants, colors, lighting, furnishing and furniture, unique items and ethnic
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modern artifacts, balancing each other, arranging them in right position in an all soft natural
tone without overpowering.
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Gaia Design & Interior Designing

A table is given below that shows our interior designing services to our clients. The services
are based on the size of building or area.

2 Kanal
2 Kanal
1 Kanal House 4 Kanal 8 Kanal
House (single Banks Offices
House (double House Farmhouse
Storey)
storey)

Drawing and Drawing and Drawing and Drawing and Drawing and
Partitions Partitions
dinning dining dining dining dining

3 bed rooms 4 bed rooms 5 bed rooms 4 bed rooms 3 bed rooms Reception area Reception area

Lounge Lounge 2 Lounges Lounge 2 Lounges Furniture Furniture

Kitchen Kitchen 2 Kitchens Kitchen Kitchen Flooring Flooring

Furniture Furniture Furniture Furniture Guest house Ceiling Ceiling

Flooring Flooring Flooring Flooring Furniture Walls Walls

Ceiling Ceiling Ceiling Ceiling Flooring Interior Interior

Walls Walls Walls Walls Ceiling

Interior Interior Interior Interior Walls

 Page | 13

Gaia Design & Landscaping

Specialty

We specialize in water features such as pool, spa, fountains and ponds. We also specialize in
creating tropical gardens, including Bali, Thailand, Hawaiian, Mexican, Indian, Islamic,
Japanese and Moroccan safari style. Mediterranean, Californian resort style as Modern and
Contemporary styles also come in our expertise.

Plant Selection

We help our clients to choose evergreen, perennial, drought, tolerant, low maintenance and
unique plants, research the nurseries which carry available plants, consider the shade and sun
loving plants, height and color arrangement. We ask our clients to submit the picture of the
plants of their choice for approval by our experts to see whether that plant is appropriate in
their design idea.

Water Feature

We provide pools, spa pond and fountains that bring spirit to the whole garden. Our creative
custom design pool and spa are destined to touch and appeal to many clients. We specialize
in kurhans spa which is popular in Europe. We seek to make our clients enjoy relaxed and
entertaining atmosphere in the garden.

Lighting

We carefully select high quality light fixtures to create mood and effects to transform into
perfect balance and aesthetics. Illuminating the dark space for safety brings magic to the
garden.

Feng Shui

We consider air circulation, sun exposure, four seasons, soil condition, drainage, topography,
neighbor surrounding, slop, noise, minimize the unattractive portion and emphasize the
positive area, to bring more Yang energy. Using the scientific Feng Shui principles, we try to
reach natural look as much as possible.
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Other Skills

Besides our design expertise, we also have experts that help in estimating, purchasing and
construction management. I am able to help clients to visualize the finished look and control
the budget and quality.

Presentation

Manual drafting or CAD drawing, color rendering or 3D virtual reality presentations are
available on clients’ request. Material catalogs, samples, vendors and specifications will be
part of presentation during design process.
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9. THE OPERATION PROCESS OF GAIA

The operations of Gaia Design depict the way business is conducted at Gaia. It highlights the
basic cyclic events that take place before and during an undertaken project. The events are
broken down into steps for better understanding.

 The first step is to understand clients and visualize the client’s perspective. We
encourage clients to bring pictures they collect. We also keep samples and pictures as
well as having a catalogue of our designs to help clients focus. Budgetary outlook is
defined in order to provide design fee with written agreement.

 After signing contract, with initial payment, a site survey is conducted and
photographs are taken. The existing landscape or space to be designed is evaluated in
respect of its features and architectural elements. The presence of pleasurable or
unpleasant vistas is recorded.

 The designers at Gaia prepare several concept drawings, which are approved by
owners and later used to make a final design and working drawing. It includes the
specifications, construction details, planting schedule, drainage and lighting schedule.
Successful design process involves detailed communication and research.

 Our qualified team works closely with the contractors to ensure that every detail is
implemented in a timely and professional manner.
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10. KEY SUCCES FACTORS

The most important factor for the success of our business would be our quality of services
provided to our customers and completion of jobs undertaken within the estimated time
frame. Customer satisfaction will be the key success factor.

11. PROJECTED CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEIR

FINANCING

PROJECTED COST

Description PKR

Furniture and Fixture 123,000

Vehicles 465,000

Office Equipment 359,000

Pre-operation Expenses 47,800

Total Fixed Cost 1,003,800

Initial Working Capital 190,000

Total Projected Cost 1,193,800

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CAPITAL STRUCTURE

The total projected cost of Gaia Design at the time of incorporation is PKR 1, 193, 8000. The
capital structure of our business is such that 50% of the required investment would be met
through equity financing and 50% by debt financing. This basically means that the initial
investment by our board of directors and shareholders would be Rs.596, 900. The rest of the
capital requirement would be met by securing a long term loan of Rs. 596,900 from Silk
Bank. The loan would have to be repaid within 2.63 years. The IRR is 34.49%.

The dividend policy of our firm states that an annual dividend of 30% of Gaia Design’s net
profit would be given to its shareholders.

12. PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT OF FIRST THREE YEARS

YEAR 1 2 3

Revenue 5,668,000 6,234,800 6,858,280

Less Cost of Services 4,140,700 4,485,650 4,880,701

Gross Profit/(Loss) 1,527,300 1,749,150 1,977,579

Operating Expenses

Admin and Selling

1,112,250 1,222,519 1,343,815
Expenses

Financial Charges 90,566 84,906 62, 264

Total Expenses 1,202,816 1,307,425 1,406,079

Profit Before Taxation 324,484 441,725 571,500

Income Tax 64,897 88,345 114,300

Net Profit After Tax 259,587 353,380 457,200

Balance Brought Forward - 259,587 612,967

259,587 612,967 1,070,167

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Retained Earning 259, 587 612,967 1,070,167

13. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET OF FIRST THREE YEARS

CAPITAL AND
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
LIABILITIES

Paid up Capital 646900 646900 646900

Retained Earnings 259587 612967 1070167

Total Equity 906487 1259868 1717067

Long Term Loan 646900 485175 323450

Current Liabilities

Creditors and Other

137000 151000 166000
Liabilities

Fees received in advance 1133600 1246960 1371656

Tax Payable 64897 88345 114300

Total Current Liabilities 1335497 1486305 1651956

Total Capital And

2888884 3231348 3692473
Liabilities

ASSETS

Fixed Assets 956000 956000 956000

Less Depreciation 195300 345810 462657

Net Fixed Assets 760700 610190 493343

Pre-operation Expenses 38240 28680 19120

Current Assets

Trade Debtors 1165000 1300000 1400000

Security deposit against office 90000 90000 90000

Cash and Bank Balance 834944 1202478 1690010

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Total Current Assets 2089944 2592478 3180010

Total Assets 2888884 3231348 3692473

14. PROJECTED STATEMENT OF CASHFLOW OF FIRST THREE

YEARS

FOR THIS YEAR YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3

Net Profit Before Tax 324484 441725 571500

Add Depreciation 195300 150510 116847

Pre-operating Expenses 9560 9560 9560

529344 601795 697907

(Inc.)/Dec. in current assets

Trade Debtors 35000 (135000) (100000)

Security deposit against office - - -

Inc.(dec.) in current liabilities

Creditors and Other Liabilities 70600 127360 139696

Change in Working Capital 105600 (7640) 39696

Net Inflow/Outflow from

634944 594155 737603
Operating Activities

Cash flow from Financing

Activities

Repayment of long term loans - (161725) (161725)

Tax paid - (64897) (88345)

Net Increase/(decrease) in Cash 634944 367534 487533

Cash in beginning of year 200000 834944 1202478

Cash Balance (end of year) 834944 1202478 1690010

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15. CONCLUSION

The feasibility study conducted to analyze the viability of the business has a strong support
for our business and its success. The highly unexplored market with an already huge potential
customer existing and an expected growth in the customers is a good sign for anyone
considering entering the interior designing and landscaping business. The availability of
financing through bank shows their trust in our business proposal as well as their approved
their loan after conducting their own analysis of our proposal. To sum it up, Gaia Design is a
viable business proposal that seems extremely promising.

16. KEY ASSUMPTIONS

No. of projects in a year=20

Designing and Planning fees @4% of budget

Financial Projections

Business Life=10 years

Debt=50%

Equity=50%

Interest on Long Term Loan=14%

Debt Tenure=5 years

Income Tax Rate=20%

Operating Assumptions

Days Operational/Year=300

Days Operational/Month=25
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17. SOURCES OF HELP

a) Wikipedia

b) Wikihow

c) Relatives

d) Friends

e) Google

f) Teachers of Finance, Investment Portfolio, Strategic Management, Management,

Operations Management, Marketing and Accounting (Hailey College of Commerce,
University of the Punjab)