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Month: November 2023

The best tire chains of 2023

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

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When driving on snowy and icy roads, often the one thing that can keep you from getting stuck is a good set of tire chains. These vehicle accessories consist of metal chains that install around the wheels of your vehicle to maximize traction in snowy and icy conditions, making them a necessity for those who live in regions that see extreme winter weather each year. In fact, some states even require snow chains if traveling in certain mountainous areas during extreme winter weather. Finding the right set can be challenging, as not all tire chains are identical. They come in different sizes, materials, and tread patterns to suit different types of vehicles and varying severities of winter weather. Many models are designed to be easy to install, reducing the time one has to spend out in the cold. Learn what features are vital to consider when shopping for these winter weather vehicle accessories and find out why the models below are some of the best tire chains on the market.

How we chose the best tire chains

In reviewing more than 25 sets of tire chains for this article, we considered what sets best suit vehicles ranging from smaller cars to large SUVs and heavy pickup trucks, keeping the following considerations in mind:

Traction: Although traction isn’t the only thing, it’s clearly the most important factor in tire chains. We chose only models that provided ample traction.

Durability: I only included chains made from steel alloys that could hold up to supporting the weight of a vehicle in difficult weather conditions. This included traditional tire chains and those that use steel rollers or coils.

Installation: Tire chains are typically installed

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What Is Value Chain Analysis and How Do You Use It?

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

Value chain analysis is a tool that business owners use to break down each process their business uses. This analysis can be used to improve the business’s individual processes, enhancing the company’s efficiency and establishing a competitive advantage.

Value chain analysis is used by businesses of all sizes, ranging from sole proprietors to enterprise-level companies. Every business uses various processes to accomplish its work, and they all can use value chain analysis to study and improve these processes.

What is value chain analysis?

A value chain is the full range of activities – including design, production, marketing and distribution – that businesses conduct to bring a product or service from conception to delivery. For companies that produce goods, the value chain starts with the raw materials to make the products and consists of everything added before the product is sold to consumers. Value chain analysis finds any deficiencies in these processes and improves them, saving money, improving quality and expediting time to market.

Value chain analysis can create change within a business, improve the products and services it offers, and expand connections with other companies and their customers or clients. The United States Postal Service (USPS) explains the purpose of value chain analysis is “to create value that exceeds the cost of providing the product or service and generates a profit margin.”

Value chain vs. supply chain

A supply chain and value chain are similar, but the value chain takes a few more things into consideration.

“The supply chain generally looks at the parts or materials that go into a product, where a product is manufactured, and the transportation logistics of getting it from the factory to the store,” said Jon Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. 

The value chain “takes into

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20 Brunch Outfit Ideas You’ll Want to Wear Every Day

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler
street style paris fashion week womenswear springsummer 2024 day six

20 Brunch Outfit Ideas You’ll Really Want to WearEdward Berthelot – Getty Images

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Good weekend plans involve brunch. Some might argue the best part of Saturday and Sunday is that you can sleep in or make it to a workout class on time. But we think the best thing about those two restful days is that you have time for more than just a typical grab-and-go pastry and coffee. And unlike dinner or date-night fits, the best brunch outfits don’t have to feel like a chore at all.

Comfort is key—this is the weekend we’re talking about—so it’s best to rely on wardrobe staples that can transform those so-called boring basics into a look. A oversize blazer, for example, instantly adds polish to your favorite sports bra and leggings set, post-workout. And fluid pinstripe trouser pants can easily elevate a hoodie you slept in overnight. The simplest piece can really add depth to the laziest of outfits, and leave you feeling put together for what really matters: gossip shared over mimosas and ricotta pancakes.

Below, we’ve compiled 20 of the best looks we use as brunch fit inspiration all year, taken straight from the street-style set.

Sweat It Out

Dress up a sweatshirt with wide-leg pants and statement baubles for a fresh look that is pulled together but doesn’t feel like you tried too hard.

street style paris fashion week womenswear springsummer 2024 day eight

Claudio Lavenia – Getty Images

Classic Crewneck

The perfect crewneck does exist. This one by Skims is cute and comfy, but made not just for lounging. You’ll want to mix and match for brunch outfits all year long.

<p><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1596630&url=https%3A%2F%2Fskims.com%2Fproducts%2Fcotton-fleece-classic-crewneck-light-heather-grey&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harpersbazaar.com%2Ffashion%2Fstreet-style%2Fg5375%2Finspiring-looks-for-weekend-brunch%2F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Shop Now;elm:context_link;itc:0" class="link rapid-noclick-resp">Shop Now</a></p><p>Classic Crewneck</p><p>skims.com</p><p>$68.00</p>

It’s a Cinch

A belted trench instantly adds polish for a weekend brunch date. We love a modern take in

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The 5 biggest engagement ring trends for 2024, according to jewelers

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

  • Business Insider spoke to jewelers about the biggest engagement ring trends for 2024.

  • The average spend on an engagement ring in the US was $5,500 in 2020.

  • Jewelers told BI that Gen Z are steering away from surprise engagement rings.

While fashion trends come and go, engagement rings are not a style investment to take lightly — the average engagement ring in the US was $5,500 in 2020, according to Statista.

Business Insider spoke to three jewelers based in London, UK, about the engagement ring trends they think will be popular in 2024.

Of the three jewelers BI spoke to, two said Gen Z couples are more likely to choose a ring together than previous generations, because they want the ring to reflect their personality.

Yellow gold is the winning metal color for engagement rings

Someone with red nails holding an emerald cut engagement ring

Yellow gold will be the favored metal color of 2024, jewelers say.Getty Images

Bear Brooksbank is the owner of a jewelry studio in London. Since setting up shop in 2012, she said engagement ring styles have evolved considerably.

She told BI that trends now point toward yellow gold being the favored metal used in rings, moving away from the classic trend of platinum.

Multiple celebrities have worn yellow gold engagement rings this year, such as Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Cooper, and Barbara Palvin, according to jewelry publication Only Natural Diamonds.

Engagement rings with multiple stones will continue to be popular in 2024

An engagement ring with two stones.

Engagement rings with multiple stones will be popular in 2024.Getty Images

BI previously reported on theengagement ring trend;elm:context_link;itc:0″ class=”link “biggest engagement ring trend of 2023 being rings with multiple stones, like the “toi et moi” style of two stones placed side-by-side — and it’s set to continue through 2024.

Emma Franklin, a jewelry designer, told BI

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Silver ornaments with quirky motifs, and bold, bohemian jewellery make a statement

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

The words edgy, unorthodox, and bohemian aptly define the aesthetics of Mumbai-based Bhavya Ramesh’s eponymous silver jewellery label. Rooted in opulent Indianness, her catalogue is unconventional — on it are lip, ear and palm cuffs, ear hangs, joint rings, nail rings and crowns, hair harnesses and clips. And sunglasses too.  

“I want to change how jewellery is perceived. Buying jewellery meant ‘let’s go buy gold!’ I want people to enjoy jewellery for its design and functionality!” says Bhavya. 

Jewellery by Flying Fish Accessories 

Jewellery by Flying Fish Accessories 
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

She is echoing the design philosophy of a young wave of indie designers, behind labels such as Quirksmith, Flying Fish Accessories and Oonth Studio, who are expressing themselves in highly stylised ways. At their hands, silver jewellery has acquired a bold and modern identity identity.  Desi motifs like paisleys and parrots, leaves and flowers meet kites, safety pins, nibs, bugs, and pinwheels. All made with techniques rooted in traditional Indian jewellery-making. 

Silver canvas

“Silver is my canvas,” says Bhavya, who launched her label in 2018, and recently opened a self-designed concept store at Kalaghoda, Mumbai. Her studio is in Jaipur, where visitors can see the karigars working. “Although jewellery is culturally entwined with our lives, its making has always been very ‘underground’. Only the commercial aspect is shown, I want to show how it is done and the craftsmanship that goes into it,” she states.    

Making a statement via jewellery was unintentional, confesses the engineer-turned-jewellery designer. Her label is known for bold pieces, like Bhavya Ramesh nail crowns, slipped over the nails [some even cover the fingers]. Their popularity came as a surprise, “I keep my nails very short, so, I thought, why not make jewellery inspired by it — nail crowns. I didn’t think it would become popular. The true

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Jacob Elordi’s Diamond-Set Cartier Tank Has Us Swooning

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

Photographs: Getty Images, Cartier; Collage: Gabe Conte

Want more insider watch coverage? Get Box + Papers, GQ’s newsletter devoted to the watch world, sent to your inbox every Friday. Sign up here.

This isn’t the first time Gen Z superstar Jacob Elordi rocked a Cartier Tank in public, and we doubt it’ll be the last.

The Euphoria star, previously spotted wearing a Tank Normale in 18-karat yellow gold, seems to have a soft spot for the iconic dress watch. Though he was once an ambassador for TAG Heuer, it’s the Tank that he’s worn to two separate appearances while promoting Sofia Coppola’s new film Priscilla, in which he plays Elvis. This week, he pulled out yet another beautiful model, a diamond-studded Tank Must, on The Today Show, proving that the moderately sized, slim-wearing watch is alive and well among today’s young collectors.

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NBC/Getty Images

Unlike the solid-gold Normale, the Tank Must is more of a bare-bones, entry-level model. This particular version, however, adds diamonds to the watch’s famous brancards, turning a somewhat pedestrian reference into a stealthy flex with 42 brilliant-cut stones and a synthetic cabochon crown. Powered by a high-autonomy quartz movement, it might not have the Normale’s horological cachet, but it should certainly appeal to watch lovers both casual and serious—and it’s fairly widely available for $6,850.

In case you missed the Must craze: Back in the 1970s, Cartier released an affordable line of paired-down fare—watches, perfumes, and more—that offered the maison’s class at a more palatable price. These (now vintage) Must de Cartier Tanks used gold vermeil cases and quartz movements, and until recently, could often be had for under $1,000 on online watch exchanges. However, Cartier surprised the watch world back in 2021, relaunching the Must line with a

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What is Value Chain? Definition of Value Chain, Value Chain Meaning

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler
Definition: A value chain is the whole series of activities that create and build value at every step. The total value delivered by the company is the sum total of the value built up all throughout the company. Michael Porter developed this concept in his 1980 book ‘Competitive Advantage’.

Description: The significance of the value chain: The value chain concept separates useful activities (which allow the company as a whole to gain competitive advantage) from the wasteful activities (which hinder the company from getting a lead in the market). Focusing on the value-creating activities could give the company many advantages. For example, the ability to charge higher prices; lower cost of manufacture; better brand image, faster response to threats or opportunities.

What is the value chain made of?

Porter defines the value chain as made of primary activities and support activities. Primary involves inbound logistics (getting the material in for adding value by processing it), operations (which are all the processes within the manufacturing), outbound (which involves distribution to the points of sale), marketing and sales (which go sell it, brand it and promote it) and service (which maintains the functionality of the product, post sales).

The support functions which feed into all the primary functions are the firm infrastructure, like MIS which allows managers to monitor the environment well; Human Resource, which develops the skills needed to steer the company well; procurement to buy/ source goods at the right price, which increasingly takes importance because of difficult economic conditions and technology, which could give the firm speed, accuracy and quality. Both these allow the firm to charge a margin, which partly comes from the value addition of the primary and support functions and partly from the advantage that the company gains due to communication of the value

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Stylish, affordable jewellery NZ for Christmas gifts

Posted on by Betty R. Sattler

Jewellery has long been cherished as the perfect gift for loved ones, and for good reason. Whether it’s an emblem of love or a token of friendship, gifting jewellery is a thoughtful and memorable way to show you care.

When choosing the perfect piece of jewellery, seek out brands known for their craftsmanship and fashion-forward designs, and ensure your chosen gift reflects your recipient’s tastes. Here are three jewellery brands we’re currently shopping that’ll make your Christmas gifting a breeze — tap to shop our favourite looks.

Bonito’s versatile and affordable jewellery embodies its designer, Julia Sousa’s passion for art and fashion. Bonito’s birthstone necklaces are an excellent choice if you’re after a sentimental gift. Its chunky gold rings are ideal for wearers of minimalist and classic jewellery. If you’re seeking a memorable present for a fashion-forward individual, Bonito’s unique ear climbers are a popular choice.
Each Kelly Woodcroft piece is designed and hand-crafted by its namesake founder, intended to be treasured for a lifetime. Woodcroft’s trending statement silver earrings are perfect for the social butterfly or fashionista in your life — they’ll proudly wear them all summer party season long.
Mejuri is a jewellery brand synonymous with affordable luxury, priding itself on its expertly crafted and high-quality pieces. Its birthstone, zodiac and personalised letter charms are a thoughtful token of your appreciation, and its exquisite pearl and gemstone-adorned pieces will delight and impress your intended recipient.
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