Where next for Grant Garden Centres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Where next for Grant Garden Centres - Essay Example The centre also had a single operating location, in the South East region of England. After taking over, Grant reinvested virtually all profits back into the company, opening two additional branches (Westgarth, 2012). He also renamed the garden centres to â€Å"Grant Garden Centres†. Grant’s passion for gardening makes him adhere strictly to the traditional form of garden centre management, where the head gardener makes all the relevant business decisions and the rest of staff follows. Grant also expects his children, Jane and Malcolm, to toe the line, without any compromise (Pepper, Jackson and Uzzell, 2009, pp. 126–136). The authoritarian management style is costing the business numerous opportunities. For instance, there is a high labour turnover, since workers are not given an opportunity to contribute. Additionally, the firm still uses conventional advertisement methods and it does not have up-to-date technology systems, making it lag behind competitors. To remedy the situation and set the business on a path towards development and profitability, radical changes must be made in the different business functions. External Environment Analysis Technology Technology is one of the principal factors to consider in running a contemporary business setting, failure to which a business is left behind by competitors (Patterson, 2011). This is one of the principal factors negating Grant Garden Centres’ proper performance, in a highly competitive environment. The Establishment lacks an up-to-date IT system, an aspect which hinders proper control of stock. The poor technological capacity also inhibits proper financial management. Development deterrence stems from the fact that, virtually all company operations have to be done manually for each centre, making financial evaluation and stock regulation a highly difficult task. Another technological aspect, affecting gardening centres, is utilization of social media and websites as advertisement platforms. This is barely applied in the case of Grant Garden Centres, thus dragging the establishment behind its rivals (Burke, 2009, p.72). Socio-cultural Aspects The other crucial external environment factor likely to affect the gardening business is the socio-cultural environment. This is because the Centres have to interact with customers, especially due to the services segment of operations. Evident from the business’ profile, Grant Garden does not take social aspects of society into consideration, while carrying out its operations. This is an aspect attributable to Grant’s perception that, customers solely care about the plants that the Centres supply. One of his children, Jane, is largely opposed to this notion and her principal interest is in developing an establishment that plays a significant role in the community, as well as, works with stakeholders to guarantee each partisan’s benefit. If the Company were to adopt Jane’s proposal of enhanced engagement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) then the Centres’ popularity among community members and other individuals would be propelled to great heights. For instance, Grant Garden Centres could formulate and execute educational programs that focus on increasing people’s awareness of gardening. Such programs would foster individuals’ interest in plants and landscaping concerns thus broadening the Company’s customer base and even appealing to the younger generation. Strengths and Weaknesses Marketing Just like everything else in the Company, marketing methods are dictated by Grant. It is Jane’s responsibility to focus on the stipulated marketing strategies, which principally entail advertisement in the

Compare three pre-20th Century poems about London Essay Example for Free

Compare three pre-20th Century poems about London Essay I am going to compare three very different poems about London. The first poem is London by William Blake, written around 1800. Upon Westminster bridge is the second poem , by William Wordsworth, again written around 1800. The third poem by Mary Ann Evans in the mid-19th century is called In a London drawing room. William Blake was a man of strong opinions, he was a strange person who painted horrific art and walked around naked in his garden. He was a strict Christian and wrote hymns. People disliked him for his strange ideas and strong criticism of what he felt was wrong. William Wordsworth lived in the Lake District, and wrote poems about where he live; the countryside. Whilst visiting London he wrote a poem about what he could see from Westminster bridge. Mary Ann Evans lived in London she was a tomboy by the name of George Elliot. Her father was a vicar. She moved to London to live a more interesting life. Working for a printing company she realised how mistreated women were. The story behind Upon Westminster bridge is:- London looks very beautiful. Youd be sad not to be impressed. Its about what Wordsworth sees from Westminster bridge. His theme is simple; He likes what he sees. London has a very different theme: William Blake lives in London and cant stand it. The story is very simple the poet wanders through Londons streets thinking about what he sees. In a London drawing room also has a simple story; Mary Ann Evans is in a drawing room looking out into the street. Her theme is much more complex She talks about how London through this window is dull, grey and boring. When she says this she actually means thats how she feels inside and expresses it through her poetry. Upon Westminster bridge is a sonnet because it has fourteen lines praising Londons beauty, it has only one verse. It has a regular iambic rhythm all the way through: Giving the poem a joyful sound. There is no regular rhyming pattern but some lines rhyme. London uses quatrains which means it has four equal lines into four verses. London has a regular and joyful rhythm, which is ironic because of its sad message. The rhyming follows an ACBD pattern (A rhymes with line C-B rhymes with line D.) In a London drawing room has no verses, twenty lines which have each ten syllables in them. There is no regular rhythm, because of the regular enjambment. Cutting the sky with one long line of wall Like soled Fog: Far as the eye can stretch. The enjambment causes lines to run into each other. There is no rhyme a tall in the poem. There is a lot of figurative language in Upon Westminster bridge. wear The beauty of the morning; silent bare, This a personification because the city wears the beauty of the morning like a dress. The river glideth at his own sweet will: In line twelve names the river a he. This poem has a lot of imagery, one of them mentions valley, rock and hill, putting the picture of the valleys, hills and rocks on the horizon. In a London drawing room too uses figurative language, The world seems one huge prison-house and court, this is a similar because the world seems to be like a prison-house. A metaphor would be, Cutting the sky with one long line of wall, this is calling the row of houses a wall cutting the sky. The figurative language in London are, The mind-forgd manacles I hear. Means the people in London believe they are in manacles. The metaphor at the end of the third verse is about the old war soldiers begging outside wealthy houses, And the hapless soldiers sigh Runs in blood down palace walls. In Upon Westminster bridge most of the play on words are to keep the rhyme and rhythm in a pattern. London plays on words quiet a lot compared with Upon Westminster bridge. At the end of the first verse there is an element of alliteration, Marks of weakness. Marks of woe, woe is a much more powerful word to use than sad plus it alliterates with weakness. The second verse uses in every. Four times to get the point that this is serious across more strongly. The mind-forgd manacles I hear, is an alliteration of the letter M. On the last line, the last two words are marriage and hearse (car that carries a coffin) this is called juxtaposition; because marriage is associated with beginning and hearse is associated with the end they are opposites. This is an interesting way to end the poem. The only real play on words in in a London drawing room was the last line because the three last words are the only positive words (colour, warmth and joy) in the whole poem but just before it says with lowest rate of. So they might be positive but shes saying there is no colour, warmth or joy. I feel London is the most effective poem. This is because I like the irony in the rhythm and rhyme which sounds happy but its meaning is sad. I also like the Juxtaposition in the last line Marriage hearse. He uses clever words and sentences to put down London. I dont like In a London drawing room because it drags on so as to lose its meaning. Upon Westminster bridge I quite like because its cheerful but I still prefer the way London is written because it uses good words and clever poetry.

Hound Of The Baskervilles Essay -- essays research papers

SUMMARY Entering the office and showing Holmes and Watson an 18th century manuscript, Dr. James Mortimer tells the myth of Hugo Baskerville. Hugo captured and imprisoned a young country girl at his estate in Devonshire. He then became the victim of a hound of hell as he chased her along the lonesome moors late one night. Ever since that day, James Mortimer reports, the Baskerville family has been haunted by a mysterious and supernatural black hound. The recent death of Sir Charles Baskerville has brought back suspicions and fears. The next of kin, Holmes and Watson find out, has arrived in London to take up his post at Baskerville Hall, but he has already been intimidated by an anonymous warning note and the theft of a shoe. The duo quickly discovers that Sir Henry Baskerville is being followed in London by a mysterious bearded stranger, and they speculate as to whether the mystery man is a friend or an enemy. Holmes, however, says he is too busy in London to accompany Mortimer and Sir Henry to Devonshire to investigate the bottom of the case, so he sends Dr. Watson to be his eyes and ears, asking him to report back regularly. Arriving in Devonshire, Watson discovers a state of emergency, with armed guards on the lookout for an escaped prisoner wandering the moors. He meets potential suspects in Mr. Barrymore and Mrs. Barrymore, Mr. Jack Stapleton and his sister Beryl, Baskerville neighbours. A series of mysteries happen: Barrymore is caught lurking around the mansion at ni...

Life Without Technology Essay

If someone told me that I would have to be technology-free for 24 hours I would probably have asked them for a tranquilizer so I could sleep through the horrid day. From the moment my alarm clock goes off in the morning to the time I set it at night I am using some sort of technology. I couldn’t even eat lunch at school without the help of those little machines that take our meal plans. Last week I did my best and tried as hard as I could to be free from technology. Obviously, being at college made it impossible but it was a good experience nonetheless. After my alarm goes off, it’s time to take a shower. The lights aren’t necessary so I leave them off. I come back from my shower with sopping wet hair and decide to suck it up and leave the blow dryer in the closet. It’s Monday so I only have one class, which means I have more time to torture myself. On the way to lunch my roommate and I take the stairs; I live on the 7th floor so we know this won’t last long. On my way out I contemplate whether or not the lock on our mailboxes is too technologically advanced for me to use. Honestly, I would have to admit that my day was not all that bad. My wet hair eventually dried itself from running up and down the seven flights of stairs. There is so much that we take for granted it is unbelievable. Even if I wanted to be absolutely free from technology I couldn’t. Lights are on everywhere you go and someone always wants you to listen to the message on their cell phone from their boyfriend. There are unavoidable motion sensor lights and unavoidable automatic doors. Car trips, if driving in the car were even allowed, would be extremely boring not to mention dangerous. Without traffic signals there would be a lot of accidents; for some reason I don’t think people would pay attention to little men in bright orange vests  waving flags. I am convinced that without technology smoking and drug use would increase and people would be fat. While people would be forced to walk most places I think that they would just choose to stay closer to home. Sleeping would probably take precedence over most activities, except maybe those associated with reproduction. So basically if you think about it the world would literally be one big, fat, high, drunk family. On Mondays I have geography and my teacher lectures with the help of PowerPoint. Since there is no way I can copy notes from just listening I once again must give in to the machine. On the way back from class my roommate and I cut through the Science building to make our trip shorter. It isn’t until I am through the second door that I realize the doors are handicapped accessible and automatic. It’s amazing the little things we take for granted. When I get back to the room, seven flights later, automatically the first thing I do is flick on the lights. I then shake my head and turn them off.

Euthanasia essay Essay

For several years, euthanasia has been a subject of controversy. Euthanasia is a fairly new problem for the United States and has gained a horrible reputation from negative media publicity surrounding the issue. According to a website: Euthanasia also known as mercy killing is a way of painlessly terminating one’s life with the â€Å"humane† motive of ending suffering. Euthanasia came into the public eye recently during the Terri Schiavo controversy where her husband appealed for euthanasia while Terri’s family claimed differently. This is a classical case, shedding light on the pros and cons of mercy killing. (â€Å"Pros and Cons†) Many claim the betrayal of God’s right to control the human life and state that the legalization of euthanasia is the legalization of murder. However, people that are opposed to euthanasia are thinking how the death of a terminally ill patient would affect them, not how it affects the person that is sick. If there is no other way to relieve the suffering of terminally ill patients, then the more humane option to suicide is euthanasia. Euthanasia has a purpose and should be evaluated as humanely filling a void created by our inhumane society. Terminally ill patients already feel that they are deprived of all rights. However, many adversaries are not in favor of a patient’s right to die, it may seem heartless to consider the financial burden of keeping a patient alive against the patient’s will. Smith states, â€Å"that the cost of chemotherapy is deemed an unjustified expense for the government to pay due to the limited time it would provide. However, the governm ent informed the terminally ill patient that they will gladly pay for euthanasia† (Smith). By the article stating this quote, then if a patient has already told family members that they wish to die and discontinue the burden of the patient’s family members, euthanasia should be permissible. Even criminals have a right for their last wish. A website states, â€Å"Legalizing euthanasia would help alleviate suffering of the terminally ill patients. It would be inhuman and unfair to make them endure the unbearable  pain† (â€Å"Pros and Cons†). It is the physician’s duty to fulfill the last wish of terminally ill patients. If the person’s will is rejected, one might try to commit the act of suicide. Euthanasia is often mistaken or associated with assisted suicide. Doctors now have the technology and the skills to anticipate natural death almost indefinitely. A website article states, â€Å"In an attempt to provide medical and emotional care, a doctor does and should prescribe medicines that will relieve suffering even if the medications cause side effects. Euthanasia follows the same theory of dealing with suffering in a way to help one die peacefully† (â€Å"Pros and Cons†). There is a distinctive difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide. Euthanasia is the ability to die with dignity, while assisted suicide is assisting one to commit suicide. Euthanasia happens when a physician or other healthcare provider does something, such as administering a known lethal dose of a drug with the patient’s consent. Physician-Assisted Suicide is where the terminally ill patient’s request a prescription for a fatal dose of a drug which they can administer to themselves at a time of their choosing. Ernst and Mennie had stated in an article that â€Å"both euthanasia and assisted suicide force someone else to end your life. The job of the health care professional is to maintain and enhance life, not end it† (Ernst and Mennie). However, when one thinks of the job of the health care professional it is to add quality and meaning to one’s life. In some situations, when there is a terminally ill patient that will never be able to have quality or meaning in their life wouldn’t it be the duty of the physician to suggest euthanasia so one may die with dignity. The first priority in the care of patients facing severe pain as a result of a terminal illness or chronic condition should be the relief of their pain. A website states, â€Å"Palliative care can control nearly all pain; when it can’t, doctors can administer palliative care sedation that allows the patient to die a natural death without experiencing horrible symptoms† (Erst and Mennie). Many adversaries of euthanasia have feared that the increasing technology that doctors have now might lead to the abuse of euthanasia. Most people today support the rights of terminally ill patients to end their pain through euthanasia. A website states, â€Å"In case of individuals suffering from incurable diseases or in conditions where effective treatment wouldn’t affect their quality of life; they should be given the liberty to  choose euthanasia† (â€Å"Pros and Cons†). This issue has been a personal experience for me after seeing my grandfather at death’s door for over 17 months, waking up in his feces and urine, and begging God to let him die. If euthanasia was legalized, maybe he would have had the choice to die with dignity. Terminally ill patients should have the right to choose euthanasia. There has been much controversy over euthanasia in the past several years and is likely to remain a controversial subject because of the disapproval from many religious groups and the medical profession. Religious groups as well as the medical profession agree that doctors are not required to use extraordinary measures to prolong the life of the terminally ill. The government should legalize euthanasia because it is important in protecting the structure of the United States. Euthanasia should remain a choice and should be legalized. The right to choose euthanasia should not be restricted by other’s opinions and should be based on the individual’s right to die with dignity.

Centertop00 Essays - Electric Power Distribution, Electricity Market

Centertop00 Essays - Electric Power Distribution, Electricity Market centertop00 Who are we? Barr Towers are Australia's premier energy provider. Since the market deregulated, Barr Towers has emerged as the key player and has recorded year on year growth. Although competitors have come and gone, Barr Tower's focus on customer service has ensured that although their prices might be higher, people still want to have their energy supplied by Barr Towers. Barr Towers currently provides electricity and gas for 5 million Australian customers. They currently employ 2,500 people across 3 different offices in Melbourne. Barr Towers is owned and operated by Nick Barr. Barr started the company through the funds he made modelling. As a well-known Australian, Barr has become synonymous with a stable Australian economy. What do we do? Barr Towers is primarily focused on selling electricity and gas to their consumers. Barr Towers employs people to design their product lines (e.g. solar, electricity, gas plans), market their product lines (create ads) and then sell them to the customer (call centre). Separate call centres are used to call potential customers; call customers who are leaving us and we are trying to win back; and act as customer service representatives to assist customers with any issues they might encounter. Barr Towers takes pride in their one on one interactions, investing heavily in its customer service workforce. Future Strategy Barr Towers are currently looking at opening up in the recently deregulated Japanese electricity market. Although they have the capital to enter this market, they are worried that their service model will cost to much to run in Japan. In saying this, they are unsure that their model will be sustainable in the future in Australia either. In order to prepare for the entry into the Japanese market, Barr Towers are looking at ways to reduce their cost to serve customers. The board realise this is an issue moving forward and are looking for an innovative solution. They understand that they cannot continue Business as Usual (BAU) and expect a different result. They have assembled your team to look at the problems facing the business and where they should go into the future. Word on the street is that they have had a team from Microsoft pitch a new idea to them which will help with this. Although they don't have much for you now, they will try and send you as many materials as they can get their hands on and also give you some time with some senior executives. For now, they have a couple of key challenges for you. Key Challenges There are currently some major issues faced by Barr Towers. Location of offices Currently there are three offices in Melbourne that house the employees. A recent report by Deloitte has shown that Barr Towers looses 95 minutes of productivity per employee per week due to them walking between buildings. Second, as they are not near stations, employees walk 15 minutes to and from the station every morning. The board believes that if the office was closer to the station, employees would still catch the same train and arrive at work earlier and stay later. High cost to serve Although a major differentiator in the market, Barr Towers reliance on customer service teams are increasing their cost to serve. With a push to have call centres open on weekends, Barr Towers are worried about the potential costs of paying staff a casual wage and still making margins on electricity. The weekend wage of a casual employee is $35.50 and on a weekday it is $21.60 Unsure of preparation to enter Japan The market is there for the taking and Barr Towers aren't there yet. They need a clear plan of how much it is going to cost to get into the Japanese market and if it is worth it. Lack of collaboration The key issue that Barr Towers are worried about is the lack of collaboration between their staff. The teams do not talk, they do not interact and many people don't venture off their floor, let alone their office. Nous Group did a workplace audit and believed it was an issue with a lack of collaboration spaces. People were at the same desks they had spent their careers at. There were limited

Case Study Analysis Essay Example

Case Study Analysis Essay Example Case Study Analysis Essay Case Study Analysis Essay There was question as to whether these two organizations would have the ability to mind beneficial success with the acquisition and ensuing strategy. II. Summary of the Facts In September 1995 the world?was largest global management consulting firm, A. T. Carney was acquired by Electronic Data Systems (DES), an information technology firm. The merging of the two organizations raised a lot of questions and issues. ?C How will both strategic consulting and information solutions be provided to clients ? Is It beneficial to sell the services between the two firms ?C Will the two firms share their current clientele Will the two firms work together to acquire new clientele Will a completely ewe compensation program be introduced a?C What Is the strategy to prevent overlapping or overstepping of specific products/ services or projects Once the president of A. T. Carney (Canada) has addressed the issues in his upcoming meeting, the issue of sales management can be addressed. It is necessary to for sales management decisions to be a direct result of the marketing strategy. Ill. Analysis A. T. Carney is a global management consulting firm using strategic insight. The firm uses customization In order to ensure that they are assisting their clients to achieve sustainable results while working with them In collaboration. A. T. Carney has a long reputable history of trust which Is why some of the world?was leading organizations, covering many different Industries use their consulting services (AT Carney, 2012). DES is a leader in the management of information technology: designing, installing and operating data processing systems for clients within the automobile, communications, government, financial and other industries. DES is an innovator in facilities management and actually was the founder of long term, fixed rising contracts within the industry (Electronic data systems, n. D. ). In deciding how to provide the services that each of the firms has to offer to existing and potential customers; the purchase of A. T. Carney by DES and subsequent merge with Management Consulting Services (MASC.) was considered a favorable match. Case Study Analysis 1. The section on the principles of screening and testing deals with the issue of ethics in the testing and identification of disease as this may have a social and economic effect on the process itself. Screening programs introduced without the reflection upon its opportunity cost can result in false results from these tests (Chadwick, 2001). Testing is defined as correct when it follows principles of impartiality, consistency and validity. Ethics should also be applied in screening as screening can help identify patients at risk for disease and illness at a stage where prompt intervention could increase chances of survival for a patient. 2. By far, the most fundamental aspect of a test is that it is precise. This is achieved by first determining the most specific and responsive test in relation to the malady being sought. There needs to be a balance between these two criteria. A highly specific test can only state that a person has a high probability of having the disease, which leads to the possibility of a false negative while a highly specific test will only detect one who has symptoms for that particular disease and this could lead to a false positive. Both outcomes are highly unfavorable, as false negative results would then cause delays in patients’ diagnosis while false positive results could end up creating diagnosis where there is none (Chadwick, 2001). After a test is conducted there needs to be an precise interpretation of the results, and since this is done in connection with other issues specific to the patient such as their medical history, the goal is to interpret the results with as small a margin for error as possible. Further, given the method of testing for a given disease, some risk is bound to attach with some procedures and thus the goal is to first start with the safest and noninvasive procedures before moving on to radical alternatives. The patient’s safety and comfort must be weighed against the necessity of the test. The case study deals with the ethical issues that come with insensitive tests that may lead to false positive results. False positive results create diagnosis, and this is shown when the test shows positive results for marijuana in one who has taken ibuprofen. Tina comes across test results she believes should show the opposite and ends up faking results, this negates the point to the test as the testing should be done impartially meaning that the tester should not favor the test no matter what the outcome (Chadwick, 2001). Tina was obligated to go with the test results she had without bending to emotion based on her personal relationship with the tested party. Tina also should push her boyfriend for a more accurate test as she is aware of the unreliable nature of the testing method. Thus, when in doubt, she should recommend further testing of a more specific nature to cases that would require further examination. As to whether Tina is justified in working for a company that lets people lose their jobs for no sufficient reason, the blame should be accorded to the testing methods and not to the tester. It is well clear that a more specific test would also be more expensive than a standard the standard one conducted by Tina and it would be impractical in terms of cost to subject everyone to this mode of testing. Reference Top of Form

10 Facts Worth Knowing About Noah Webster

10 Facts Worth Knowing About Noah Webster Born in West Hartford, Connecticut on October 16, 1758, Noah Webster is best known today for his magnum opus, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). But as David Micklethwait reveals in Noah Webster and the American Dictionary (McFarland, 2005), lexicography wasnt Websters only great passion, and the dictionary wasnt even his best-selling book. By way of introduction, here are 10 facts worth knowing about the great American lexicographer Noah Webster. During his first career as a schoolteacher at the time of the American Revolution, Webster was concerned that most of his students textbooks came from England. So in 1783 he published his own American text, A Grammatical Institute of the English Language. The â€Å"Blue-Backed Speller,† as it was popularly known, went on to sell nearly 100 million copies over the next century.Webster subscribed to the biblical account of the origin of language, believing that all languages derived from Chaldee, an Aramaic dialect.Though he fought for a strong federal government, Webster opposed plans to include a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Liberty is never secured with such paper declarations, he wrote, nor lost for want of them.Even though he himself borrowed shamelessly from Thomas Dilworths New Guide to the English Tongue (1740) and Samuel Johnsons Dictionary of the English Language (1755), Webster fought vigorously to protect his own work from plagiarists. His efforts led to the c reation of the first federal copyright laws in 1790. In 1793 he founded one of New York Citys first daily newspapers, American Minerva, which he edited for four years.Websters Compendious Dictionary of the English Language (1806), a forerunner of An American Dictionary, sparked a war of the dictionaries with rival lexicographer Joseph Worcester. But Worcesters Comprehensive Pronouncing and Explanatory English Dictionary didnt stand a chance. Websters work, with 5,000 words not included in British dictionaries and with definitions based on the usage of American writers, soon became the recognized authority.In 1810, he published a booklet on global warming titled â€Å"Are Our Winters Getting Warmer?†Although Webster is credited for introducing such distinctive American spellings as color, humor, and center (for British colour, humour, and centre), many of his innovative spellings (including masheen for machine and yung for young) failed to catch on. See Noah Websters Plan to Reform English Spelling.Webster was one of the principa l founders of Amherst College in Massachusetts. In 1833 he published his own edition of the Bible, updating the vocabulary of the King James Version and cleansing it of any words that he thought might be considered offensive, especially for females. In 1966, Websters restored birthplace and childhood home in West Hartford was reopened as a museum, which you can visit online at the Noah Webster House West Hartford Historical Society. After the tour, you may feel inspired to browse through the original edition of Websters American Dictionary of the English Language.

Nestle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Nestle - Essay Example most appropriate growth strategy to pursue will be determined by arriving at decisions about whether to sell old or new products in old or new markets. (Ansoff, 1957). Nestle’s growth strategy falls under the category of concentric diversification, wherein a Company produces new products that are closely related to its current products, but introduces them into a new market (Ansoff, 1957). This has been Nestle’s strategy in countries such as infant formula, tofu and noodles which are basic food stuffs but are tailored to meet the needs of the new market, for example in India, the Company also sells pickles to appeal to the housewife market. Nestle’s financial strength and ability to weather the recession may be closely linked to its diversification strategy. Since it has such a broad based approach, any potential issues that it is likely to face are marginal. The efficacy of this strategy is also borne out through the application of the Shareholder Value Analysis, developed by Rapoport (1986). Rapoport identified three specific value drivers, namely Finance, Investment and Business, all three of which if improved, could lead to a direct increase in shareholder value. In general, shareholders in a Company are rewarded in two different ways: (a) dividends paid and (b) capital appreciation, which depends upon the kinds of investments that the Company undertakes. The total shareholder return for a specific year can be calculated using the formula: TSR = Dividends + Capital Appreciation (Pike and Neals, 2006). From an examination of Nestle’s balance sheets for financial records in the European region, it may be noted that the net dividend yield percentages have increased as follows: 2006 – 2.4%, 2007- 2.8% and 2008 – 3.1% (NestleSA, 2008). The last share price in 2006 was 42.85, in 2007 it was 48.05 and in 2008, it was 45.56.(www.nestle.com). The total shareholder value for each year may therefore be calculated as follows: This result from the

Space Cowboys Film and Genre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Space Cowboys Film and Genre - Essay Example This film has been penned by Ken Kaufman and Howard Klausner of which Clint Eastwood has given superb direction. This is a pretty entertaining and one of the more rambunctious films that have been directed by Eastwood whereby they have clearly explored the idea with vitality and a sense of dynamism. The movie has put a very unique kind of spin on the formula that the longer one lives; the lesser is his worth with the passage of time. The story is set from the scene of 1958 in which pilots Frank Corvin played by Clint Eastwood himself and Hawk Hawkins, by Tommy Lee Jones are members of Team Daedalus, which is an elite Air Force group that is bent upon testing the high-altitude planes as well as dreaming of becoming the first American astronauts to do so. It is unfortunate to mention here that when this very dream does not see the light of the day, Frank starts blaming Bob Gerson, played by James Cromwell who is his commander for betraying him in the middle of the accomplishment of the dream mentioned above. After duration of four decades now, this same individual has become a NASA big shot who has got a huge problem up his sleeves. A huge Soviet satellite, which is named Ikon, has become dysfunctional and is threatening to fall out of orbit and then crash into the region of the earth. Indeed, it is true that similar in notion to the confusion surrounding the US space agency and its affiliates, this guidance system for the satellite is in more ways than one quite similar to that with one of Skylab that was initially put in place by Frank Corvin.

How Information Technology impact in business world Research Paper

How Information Technology impact in business world - Research Paper Example Current trends in Information Technology include; cloud computing and information security. Alternatively, the view of Daintith John (2009) is that â€Å"Information Technology is the use of computers and telecommunication facilities in business; to collect, manipulate, transmit, store and retrieve data. Information Technology refers to computers plus computer networks, but can also include information transmitting equipments like satellites, phone, televisions and radios. IT infrastructure involves the framework on which information networks operate.† The infrastructure include; computers, networks, database management systems and a regulatory framework. In the field of Information Technology, infrastructure refers to physical hardware which connects computers and users, for example, telephone lines, satellites, television cables and antennas. To some people, infrastructure is anything that supports the processing of data and information. Erick Miley (2014) explains that â€Å"Information Technology is an occupation or profession that identifies with computer technology." He stresses that modern businesses use computers to ensure high standards of customer service and efficiency. The benefits if information Technology to businesses many. Computers process information at very high speeds, for examples emails deliver messages instantly. Business information can be updates on market. Increased computer speed ensures efficiency in information processing. Computers are also able to multi-task accurately and quickly, for example, solving complex mathematical equations. IT ensures low business costs; this is due to the fact that as technology becomes more common it also becomes affordable. It has led to more entrepreneurship opportunities; this is because many people nowadays work at home using the internet. (Allen and Morton 37). According to Chirantan Basu, Demand

Interpersonal Skills for Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interpersonal Skills for Work Place - Essay Example The nature of interpersonal communication is dynamic because it cannot be explained or generalized easily. People are extremely different and therefore there is no one theory that can inform managers about how to behave in the workplace. Each situation has to be assessed individually and then judgement should be made accordingly. The aim should be to maximize the benefit of the organization and gain maximum out of the employees. The theoretical framework explaining effective interpersonal skills can only be used as a guideline. It is based upon general principles that are aimed at effective listening and communication of thoughts. It is also vital not to overreact but at the same time digression should be avoided at all cost. Such basic techniques can improve interpersonal skills at the workplace.Analysis of Team MembersIn the meeting there are different team members. First of all it is important to clearly define roles of chairperson and care manager. Then direction of the housing a ssociation is to be set. It is extremely important to shape the conversation on the right track otherwise no conclusive thing will come out of such meetings. It is also important to understand the behavioural cues of the team members. In face to face encounters on average 55% of communication is done through body language and only 7 % is communicated through words (Donnelley & Neville, 2008). This is why team members that are not speaking may be contributing to the meeting. It is therefore important to understand their point of view as well.

Strang Steel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strang Steel - Essay Example Gross Profit Margin: This ratio tells the profit of the firm in relation to sales, after the cost of producing the goods is deducted. Over the three years, the gross profit has been declining showing the inefficiency of Strang Steel's operations.Net Profit Margin: This ratio depicts the profit in relation to sales that a firm earns after taking account of all the expenses and taxes. It tells a firm's net income per dollar of sales. The net profit has also been declining over the three years showing that Strang Steel's sales profitability has declined. This could be attributed to the expenses rising steadily over the three years and eating out of the profits.Return on Equity: This ratio shows the return earned on the funds invested by the shareholders of the company. This ratio is also on the decline over the three years showing that the shareholders are getting less and less of their worth and the company is providing weak investment opportunities.Current Ratio: This ratio measures t he firm's ability to meet short-term obligations. It shows the effectiveness of the utilization of current assets to meet short-term liabilities. Strang Steel's current ratio has declined steadily in the three years showing that the current assets are proving less and less useful in meeting the current liabilities and hence the inability of the company to pay its bills. Quick Ratio: This ratio is more conservative in its approach to measuring a firm's liquidity position as it excludes inventories (the least liquid portion of the current assets). This ratio is between currents assets excluding stocks and current liabilities. From the year 2003 to 2004, the quick ratio has increased showing that the firm is efficiently meeting its short-term obligations but from year 2004 to 2005, the ratio has dipped showing the current assets have not been utilized in the proper manner to maintain the rising trend of the previous years. Average Collection Period: This ratio tells us the average number of days that receivables are outstanding before being collected. From the year 2003 to year 2004, the days have risen showing that Strang Steel has a very lenient policy with regard to collecting its receivables and the debtors are taking a long time in paying their dues. Having too many receivables is not good for the money as a lot of money is tied up which could be invested elsewhere. However, from the year 2004 to 2005, the number of days has sharply declined showing the change of the management's policy regarding receivables and the debtors paying up in just 20 days. Inventory Turnover in Days: This ratio illustrates the number of days on average before inventory is turned into accounts receivables through sales. The number of days has declined over the three years showing that Strang Steel has gotten effective each year in turning its inventory into sales. Total Asset Turnover: This ratio shows the relationship of sales to total assets. This ratio has increas

The Open Source Challenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Open Source Challenge - Essay Example American elite intelligent team uses OSINT as among the disciplines to combat security threats both at home and outside the country (FBI, 2014). For military officials to manage perfect air strikes and eliminate terrorism, they must have used intelligent Satellites to determine the terrorists’ locations. The intelligent team must have also used direct information from local residents. There is likelihood that the team used internet to acquire the correct photos and information of the targets. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (2010). IN Tellingence: Open Source Intelligence. Retrieved September 15, 2014 from https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2010-featured-story-archive/open-source-intelligence.html The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (FBI). (2014). Directorate of Intelligence: Intelligence Collection Disciplines (INTs). Retrieved September 15, 2014 from

Strang Steel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strang Steel - Essay Example Gross Profit Margin: This ratio tells the profit of the firm in relation to sales, after the cost of producing the goods is deducted. Over the three years, the gross profit has been declining showing the inefficiency of Strang Steel's operations.Net Profit Margin: This ratio depicts the profit in relation to sales that a firm earns after taking account of all the expenses and taxes. It tells a firm's net income per dollar of sales. The net profit has also been declining over the three years showing that Strang Steel's sales profitability has declined. This could be attributed to the expenses rising steadily over the three years and eating out of the profits.Return on Equity: This ratio shows the return earned on the funds invested by the shareholders of the company. This ratio is also on the decline over the three years showing that the shareholders are getting less and less of their worth and the company is providing weak investment opportunities.Current Ratio: This ratio measures t he firm's ability to meet short-term obligations. It shows the effectiveness of the utilization of current assets to meet short-term liabilities. Strang Steel's current ratio has declined steadily in the three years showing that the current assets are proving less and less useful in meeting the current liabilities and hence the inability of the company to pay its bills. Quick Ratio: This ratio is more conservative in its approach to measuring a firm's liquidity position as it excludes inventories (the least liquid portion of the current assets). This ratio is between currents assets excluding stocks and current liabilities. From the year 2003 to 2004, the quick ratio has increased showing that the firm is efficiently meeting its short-term obligations but from year 2004 to 2005, the ratio has dipped showing the current assets have not been utilized in the proper manner to maintain the rising trend of the previous years. Average Collection Period: This ratio tells us the average number of days that receivables are outstanding before being collected. From the year 2003 to year 2004, the days have risen showing that Strang Steel has a very lenient policy with regard to collecting its receivables and the debtors are taking a long time in paying their dues. Having too many receivables is not good for the money as a lot of money is tied up which could be invested elsewhere. However, from the year 2004 to 2005, the number of days has sharply declined showing the change of the management's policy regarding receivables and the debtors paying up in just 20 days. Inventory Turnover in Days: This ratio illustrates the number of days on average before inventory is turned into accounts receivables through sales. The number of days has declined over the three years showing that Strang Steel has gotten effective each year in turning its inventory into sales. Total Asset Turnover: This ratio shows the relationship of sales to total assets. This ratio has increas

Production of one tonne of a bioproduct by fermentation process Essay

Production of one tonne of a bioproduct by fermentation process - Essay Example It is also found the apple cider vinegar is good agent is reducing the risk of cancer. It also fights diabetes, high cholesterol and heart problems. Vinegar is used massively is a number of products including foods, pickles, beverages, detergents and glass cleaners. The major use of the vinegar is in the foods and pickles. Vegetables and raw fruits are dipped into vinegar to preserve the vegetables and raw fruits. Chinese sauces are made up of vinegar and the more Chinese soups and foods enter the market, the use of vinegar will increase. United Kingdom imported vinegar of worth $30 million Canadian dollars in 2009, while the exports of the vinegar remained under $17 million Canadian dollars in 2009. This shows that vinegar has a great local market as well as foreign market. The increasing demand of the pickles round the world increased the demand of the vinegar. At this stage, white vinegar is utilized the most. It has the most application considering various types of the vinegar. The health benefits of the vinegar increased the market demand of the vinegar to a considerable level. The process that had been utilized to manufacture vinegar for many years is simple but it takes many days to complete. However, current industrial processes are considered to be a little complex but the time consumption for the completing of process dropped significantly. The very first process is to collect the fruit or crop. Industrial processes recommend that crops that are rich in sugars or derivatives. The fruits juices are extracted and processed by adding several enzymes and microorganisms. In case of crops, the crops are grounded, refined and mixed with adequate amount of water, then enzymes and added and then the product is fermented. The basic steps of the process include the refining, adding distilled water, fermentation stage 1, fermentation stage 2, fermentation stage 3, distillation, pasteurization and dilution to suite the exact taste. Fruits,

The Cold War in Europe Essay Example for Free

The Cold War in Europe Essay How far do you agree that the Cold War in Europe broke out because Soviet and Western leaders misinterpreted each others words and actions? The Cold War broke out in 1945 (although some have argued other years) with the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences. They were held to discuss what was to be done with the peace of Europe and how to rebuild the damage that had been caused. It was at these meetings that the Americans and Russians slowly began to mistrust one another, even though they were previously war-time allies. During the Potsdam Conference in July/August of 1945, America declared that they had tested the first Atomic Bomb (which President Harry Truman referred to as the greatest thing in history). Stalin was suspicious as to why America had not told him previously, and after this, relations spiraled down rapidly. But it was at this time that Americas suspicions of the USSR were beginning to settle in and it was Harry Truman who later said that unless Russia is faced with an iron fist and strong language another war is in the making Their first misinterpretation was over the issue of Poland and what was to happen to it now that the war was over. Russia had been attacked through this country on numerous occasions, including World War 1 and 2 and had lost approximately 25 million people, 700 towns destroyed and their steel industry cut by half. They were keen to dominate and occupy most of the land in order to prevent any further attacks through this country. On the other hand, Britain had gone to war over Poland and was keen for it to remain independent. Also, there was a Polish Government who had been forced into exile at the beginning of the war and Britain was now keen for them to return to power. As for America, they became extremely suspicious of Russias plans and believed that Russia merely wanted to spread Communism. Unlike at the end of World War 1, they were determined not to appease Stalin as Britain had done with Hitler. It should be remembered that they did have the right to believe that Stalin only had the intentions of spreading communism through the quotation of Karl Marx. He declared that We are living not merely in a state, but in a system of states and its inconceivable that the Soviet Republic should continue to exist for a long period side-by-side with imperialist states. The Warsaw Pact and Marshall Aid are other examples of how the two great powers misunderstood each other, thus causing a start of the Cold War. Western suspicions rose to a height when Stalin refused to allow Marshall Aid to be distributed to Soviet-occupied countries. As a result, the Warsaw Pact was created in retaliation. It could have actually been an attack towards the West, or Stalin trying to hold together his buffer states and prevent them from turning to Capitalism. There are some smaller matters that show that the Cold War was the result of misunderstandings. For example, the Long Telegram, this was written by George Kennan in February 1946. George Kennan was the USAs Deputy Chief of Mission to the US Embassy in Moscow and in a telegram he declared that the Soviets were aggressive and suspicious and only a hard-line approach would contain Communism. It declared that world communism is like a malignant parasite that feeds on diseased tissue. It [the USSR] does not take unnecessary risks. Impervious to the logic of reason. It is highly sensitive to the logic of force thus, if the adversary [the USA] has sufficient force and makes clear his readiness to use it, he rarely has to do so. Taking this evidence from the eyes of a Revolutionist thinker, it can be said that George Kennan was rash and presumed this with little prior knowledge. But there were other factors which led to the beginning of the Cold War. People such as Vojtech Mastny have accused Stalin as being the sole man to cause the Cold War. He regarded Stalins foreign policy in Eastern Europe as the cause of the Cold War. His Red Army liberated land, therefore claiming it to be theirs. To the USA, this looked aggressive and a determined effort at spreading World Communism. The Berlin Blockade was the first direct attack on the West from the Soviet Union. It started when Berlin was divided into 4 parts and these 3 parts that belonged to the West were surrounded by Soviet territory. This upset and frightened Stalin as he believed that they would influence his Eastern Berlin and Germany. In rebellion, he closed of all the main routes by land, sea and road that lead into West Berlin. In response to this, America began to send in 450 aeroplanes of food and other supplies each day in order to prevent West Berlin from collapse. The America viewed all of this as a first attack on them and so serious action was necessary. But, although it may have seemed like the Soviets wanted to starve all the West Berliners to death, he probably wanted to prevent the emergence of a separate West German state under US influence (West Berlin was improving its economy greatly and the currency had even been changed). In response to all of this, America created NATO, which was a military alliance aimed against further Soviet aggression. And so, although it was seen as the first attack, there are also underlying misunderstandings to be considered. Some other explanations include the fact that it was simply inevitable. The end of the war left a power-vacuum in which countries such as Eastern Europe and Germany sucked the Powers in and so aggression would naturally occur. Louis Halle, the author of The Cold War as History once stated that the decision to eliminate German power from Europe rather than make peace was the basic cause of the Cold War. The collapse of the Grand Alliance can also have been seen as inevitable. During the Yalta Conference, the war-time allies spoke and they all generally agreed on matters. But by the time the Potsdam Conference came a few months later, Roosevelt had died and been replaced with Harry Truman and Winston Churchill had been replaced with George Atlee. Only Stalin remained and this meant that neither of the other powers really knew him. They became suspicious quickly and disliked everything he did. It can be said that as a result of all of this, the Grand Alliance was destined to collapse and then after that tensions rose and the Cold War began. Another reason can be seen in the Commonwealth and other such countries that were occupied by the Powers, only in this case it was Britain, France and Portugal who suffered the power-vacuum. Many of these countries had been promised independence if they fought with their occupying country and now that the war was over they were independent and left vulnerable to Communism. The Soviet Union would naturally spread into these countries and as a result, the USA would become suspicious of the Soviet Union. Also the fact that all the countries had suffered badly during the war (with the exception of America, whos industry had doubled) meant that they were all desperate to regain their reputation in World Status and so felt that by gaining land would they become more powerful. And so, with many of the countries trying to rebuild their prestige, arguments and suspicion would naturally arise. The USSR had also just become a World Leader and after many years of shying away, they felt that they needed to exert their power, although this could be a much debated view and one usually take by a Traditionalist thinker. There has been much debate over who really started the Cold War. A traditionalist thinker would say that it was the doings of the Soviet Union, whereas a Revolutionist would say that America was to blame and finally a Post-Revolutionist would say that it was the work of both Powers. A traditionalist would argue that Russia only had plans to spread Communism in an aggressive manner and Britain and the USA were only trying to be defensive. On the other hand, a Revolutionist would assert that it was the Americans who were all to blame and that they were aggressive even before the start of the Second World War. And so in conclusion, I would say that the Cold War was a result of mainly misunderstandings but it should be remembered that there were many other reasons as to why the USA and the USSR became so suspicious of each other, for example, the fact that there was a huge power-vacuum both around the world and in Europe and the Berlin Blockade of 1948.

Proposed Expansion Strategies Of Starbucks Into Indian Market Marketing Essay

Proposed Expansion Strategies Of Starbucks Into Indian Market Marketing Essay The following report is based on the proposal for Starbucks Corporation to make a direct foreign investment in India by penetrating its market with its product and services. Strategic recommendations for the future course of action is provided in order to achieve market competitive advantage. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Starbucks is the worlds leading speciality coffee retailer, producing and selling a wide variety of beverages, as well as pastries and confections, through some 8,400 coffee shops throughout 30 countries around the world. Starbucks has grown to become one of the most talked about globalized brands in recent times. In the four years since going public, the chain of coffee bars has become wildly successful by turning one of the worlds most pedestrian beverages into a premium product, wrapped in a carefully cultivated, widely recognized brand name that extends far beyond whats in the cup. It is a brand thats defined as much by attitude as it is by products. The Starbucks experience is about more than a daily espresso infusion; it is about immersion in a politically correct, cultured refuge from everyday hassles. Having established itself as a global force, many analysts are asking whether Starbucks can continue to go from strength to strength. Sustained success will require sharp focus on a set of key challenges, including innovation and experimentation. In order to achieve a competitive advantage, the company continues to rapidly expand its retail operations and pursue opportunities to leverage the Starbucks brand through the introduction of new products and the development of new distribution channels. SWOT analysis is given in Appendix A to highlight companys current strategic position. Companys proposed expansion into India is likely to bring a strategic challenge for the company. India is seen as having the greatest potential for multinational corporations. India is a highly diversified country. There is, nonetheless, a core culture based on a shared religion and political experience. India now has a growing middle class, an increase in disposable income that is considered rather opportunistic for companys expansion. To give a more in-depth insight into Indian market for Starbucks operations, macro-environmental framework is presented in Appendix B, including the analysis of political, economical, social and technological factors that will affect Starbucks proposed operations. 2.0 EXPANSION INTO INDIAN MARKET India is a mixed economy, where both public and private sector enterprises work together to achieve economic development for the country. India has many large and dynamic private sector companies which operate in all areas of economic activity trade, commerce and industry, without much interference from the government. India is a nation of more than 1.03 billion consumers (The Economist, 2001). It has an expanding middle class of 150-200 million consumers, most of whom are well educated and speak the English language. In the revised per capita income estimates, on the basis of the World Banks purchasing power parity (the exchange rate that equates a countrys goods and services with international prices), it is estimated that Indias per capita income is $1,150, with a GNP of a trillion dollars. As a result, India is ranked as the sixth largest economy in the world. India is the worlds largest democratic republic; although government bureaucracy does not have ultimate control over business decisions as in China, it has a lot of influence. Multinationals, such as Starbucks will be seen as vanguards of a new colonialism (Cateora and Graham, 1999), are continually thwarted through such measures as prohibitive tariffs (e.g. on computers and softwares), bans in importation (e.g. automobiles), quotas and other non-tariff measures (Schlender, 1997). In spite of the huge potential of the Indian market, there are various challenges Starbucks expansion will have to face, including six distinct issues concerning the economy, management, marketing, government, labour and finance. India is perceived to have a more favourable general business climate than, for instance in China. At current growth rates, corporate investment in Asia will not have a tremendous impact on the short- or medium-term growth and profitability of multinationals. For Starbucks in particular, it will be just another matter of gaining a broader global representation and greater market share. 2.1 Main Investment Advantages The Indian economy, already the fifth largest in the world after US, Japan, China, and Germany, is growing faster now than at any time in the past fifty years. On average, India boasts a GDP growth rate of more than 6 percent annually since 1991 (Panigrahi, Ede and Calcich, 2002). India is fast industrialising and with its vast labour force and talented people, the Indian government is striving to make the country an industrial giant within a decade. India, with the largest middle class in the world, also ranks second, after China, in terms of overall population (over 1 billion). For example, India has 1.03 billion people and about 170 people per car. The US, on the other hand, with a population of 275 million people, has three people per car. Forecasts indicate that by 2010, only 9 percent of the Indian population will be elderly, while the elderly, by comparison, will make up 19 percent of the US and 30 percent of the Japanese populations. Thus, consumers in India are comparatively young, having a potential to powerfully influence economic growth and consumption patterns. In India, the outlook is favorable for companies looking to build long-term value and improve manufacturing efficiencies. But Asian markets may not be the easy answer for companies attempting to boost their short-term growth. By investing in India, Starbucks should take a careful look at what really affects returns to public shareholders. Most investors and executives want a piece of the booming Asian market for the right reasons. With vigorous growth in the region, getting into India, and other countries should position companies well for the expected groundswell of shareholder value. Over the past five years, India, the largest democracy in the world, has put in place the foundations of a deregulated market-driven economy. It is hardly surprising then, that a growing number of US companies, motivated by favourable investment climate and the regions huge reserves for both human and natural resources, have begun to seriously consider investing there. 2.2 Financial Analysis of India Financial matters in India  [1]  are governed through more than 800 decrees and provisional regulations (Belcsà ¡k, 2005). The whole financial system, including banks, financial institutions, and stock markets, is yet to be organised. Simultaneously, in the financial sector, banks and financial markets remain plagued by lack of expertise, government mismanagement, corruption, and unclear legal status. Until recently, virtually all of Indias banks and financial institutions were state-owned, government controlled organisations. However, after the implementation of a liberalisation programme, and imposition of international financial standards, domestic state-owned banks and other financial institutions are less tightly controlled and more professionally managed. India is a functioning market economy with the majority of companies becoming consumer focused and market driven, getting increasingly urbanized, using technology to replace labour, deriving an Asian approach to management as distinct from the same followed by the West and are beginning to establish networks with other nations to face the rest of the world (Marshall, 2005). Many of these trends are applicable to India and it is no wonder that leading multinationals, including Starbucks, are making it a point to ensure that they have a strong presence in India. In todays context, the wealth of a nation is synonymous with the wealth of its organizations and to ensure that large domestic firms play their due role in the countrys development, the government of a developing country must provide the required support. The Government of India seems now to have understood this important requirement and recently proposed that it would delegate required managerial autonomy to various leading public sector units of the country. A number of recent policy changes have promoted foreign direct investment (FDI). The government has reduced exchange control regulations for companies with significant foreign participation. The 10 percent tax rate on long-term (12 months or more) and the 30 percent tax rate on short-term (less than 12 months) capital gains are the same for both Indian and foreign firms and investors. Dividends and interest income are taxed at a rate of 20 percent (Country Review, 2005). Article (2005) states that the key at tribute of multinational company, such as Starbucks is not that it engages in foreign production, but that it finances at least part of the production in its home currency. It is suggested that the stronger currency enables companies in the companys area of advantage in investing over weaker currencies, because of investors preference for securities denominated in the stronger currency and hence, a cheaper cost of capital. A strong home currency discourages and weaker currency en courages FDI in the nation. 2.3 Coffee Market in India India accounts for approximately 4.5 percent of world coffee production and has coffee importing countries, including Italy, Germany, Russian federation, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, US, Japan, Greece, Netherlands and France (Mulligan and Authers, 2003). The coffee market itself in India is rather fragmented with no evidence of market leaders. Meanwhile with increasing competition amongst different multi-national brands, companies are coming up with added facilities. Coffee shops tend to focus on quality service, providing a cool and soothing ambience. Currently, Indian industry is expecting marginal improvement in price realisation in the global market. The quality and aroma of Arabica variety of Indian coffee is much diverse than in other global coffee markets. The Indian Coffee Board is quite sensitive to the plight of the countrys coffee industry and has been consistently following possible corrective measures to make the domestic industry feel least impact of adverse international market condition. Majority of coffee shops in India large cities are privately owned and there are only few bi players, such as Tata Coffee, Hindustan Lever, Nestle India, Barista Coffee. 3.0 PROPOSED EXPANSION STRATEGIES OF STARBUCKS INTO INDIAN MARKET 3.1 Cultural Context According to Hofstede, national culture plays an important role in individuals behavior and attitudes. It is recognized that individuals behavior in culture groups are strongly influenced by the values held in that society. Some of these values influence consumption patterns. Swaidan and Hayes (2005) pointed out that Indian culture, like many other Asian cultures, exhibits high collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. Similarly, Todeva (1999) found that Asian consumers are less prepared to take the social risk to try new products. On the other hand, the discomfort of being left behind presses them to follow suit if they believe others have tried the product. The innovation curve among Asians is, therefore, steeper and negatively skewed. In India, Venezia (2005) observes, you will find a society that has, like Europes, the diversities of a continent and the unities of a civilization. Such is the measure of the magnitude of the nature of diversity in Indian society whose features Indian industry had inherited. Societal diversity is not an unmixed blessing for corporations and their management. It is argued that in India, generally speaking, the weaknesses of societal diversity such as caste, for instance, are superimposed on its business and industrial organizations and exacerbated. Collectivism that is highly evident in India, is characterized by a tight social framework, in which people distinguish between in-groups and out-groups. According to anthropologists Kluckhohn and Kroeber, the essential core of culture consists of traditional ideas and their attached values. These values influence how people judge behaviour or situations and shared values direct people of the same culture to react in a similar way to a certain situation (Venezia, 2005). A major study by Hofstede defined business culture as learned assumptions and beliefs, attitudes and values shared by members of a group. India can be considered with a high score, along this dimension reveal a cultures orientation toward the present and past. Having a high Confucian dynamism culture India values the relative importance of personal steadiness and stability, saving face, respect for tradition, and reciprocation of greetings, favours, and gifts. Understanding of the cultural norms is a reliable basis for understanding behavioural responses and outcomes in the international buyer-seller dissolution process. For example, cultural norms operating in diverse culture in India compared with Australia is likely to have a significant influence on the styles of management and communication strategies that are appropriate for managing long-term and cooperative relationships. In particular, India is likely to have a cultural environment that is considerably complex to manage. Globalization has blurred the line between industrialized countries and developing nations by integrating politics and culture into management improvement. Typically, in business relationships in Asia between Asian and Western companies, where both cultures use and understand that management styles should be designed to be high in collaboration and low in assertiveness, we posit that both parties use a cooperative style. Starbucks needs to understand the national culture within which the company plans to operate, and the extent to which it adjust its communications accordingly. It is possible that Starbucks may have an inappropriate evaluation of the host culture of the overseas company in accordance with which it designs its communications. The trend in Indian public administration continues with a rationalist scientific approach that reflects the values of a nation. Hofstede analyzed as having small power distance, weak uncertainty avoidance, strong individuality, and masculine being exported around the world through globalization (Freeman and Browne, 2004). This is possibly due to the political instability. Higher stress, at the national level, is correlated with weak rule orientation and lower employment stability. It is possible India has found its natural balance in relation to its native culture and values. 3.2 Strategic Alliances  [2]   By entering a new market, Starbucks is likely to spur domestic competition and introduce a more dynamic style and new coffee experience.The company will also generate more labour and promote Western attitudes towards service and its provision. Main barriers to entry, in accordance to Porters competitive forces framework, will include the new power of suppliers and competitors already established supplier relationships and the knowledge of the market. One popular way to become involved in business is through franchising. While franchises are also a popular way of entering some international markets, strategic alliances are increasingly utilized. In fact, strategic alliances are often required by some countries, rather than other modes of entry, as they involve local firms directly in the business. Davis (2000) and Welles (2001) suggest that historically Starbucks does not like franchises, which is why the group in order to successfully enter Indian market, might consider this expansion through joint ventures and other partnerships. However, the company should keep in mind that Asian companies have not been particularly kind to minority and public shareholders. Numerous publicly listed companies have seen their share price d rop amid accusations that the controlling shareholders manipulated the relationship between listed and privately held subsidiaries. Poor governance contributes to market inefficiencies, which in turn lead to volatile markets that have to make larger corrections periodically in order to adjust for gaps in information and in perception. 3.3 Marketing Mix For a successful penetration into the market, Starbucks will have to establish a defined marketing mix, including: Product: Coffee shops may have their unique characteristics, but it also possible to see many parallels between the sector and other retailing and catering sectors. Over the years, Starbucks has grown to become one of the largest purchasers of high-quality arabica coffees. With a growing proportion of young people in India, the company might put also have in-store entertainment facilities and Internet. Place/distribution: Starbucks need to place its shops into central locations, as the rural part of the country still lives in poverty. Customer convenience and service delivery will have to be understood. Pricing: As Asia emerges from economic downturn, a growing middle class is willing to spend money. However, Indian population is predominantly characterized by an attitude to save money. The company will have to benchmark its products and prices in accordance to competitors, and also considering the market trends and the consumer incomes. Promotion: Starbucks uses various promotional strategies, including catalogs, the Internet, advertisements in local media but mostly, it uses word-of-mouth. The very location of its stores is a strong marketing tactic. To appreciate what is at stake, understand the psychology behind the brand. Advertising has never created Starbucks image. It was built on two things: the quality of its product-it really is a better cup of coffee-and the store experience. The retail experience also extends to sparkling service and an unspoken invitation to linger over a cup of coffee in the store. (Donation, 2003) The middle class populations in India will be targeted by Starbucks as potential markets for consumer durable goods. The company might use community events and sponsorships as the most effective marketing tools. Incorporating knowledge of consumer attitudes about the beverage and food industry Starbucks is entering should help in designing strategies to reach target markets. Indian consumers tend to be opinion leaders; less loyal to the same food product; and more responsive to product promotions and advertisement. Food prices are of a great importance to all Indian consumers. The company will have to use its ability to market itself as an ideal as much as a product-a caffeine-infused oasis for the hip and trendy. 3.4 Strategic Choices There is no best corporate strategy. The main focus of the business-level strategy should be based on how to compete effectively in the market. It is the core issue of how value is realised in a business, after all, value is realised only when a buyer is prepared to pay for the product. The extent to which they are prepared to pay a price which provides profits superior to those of competitors will therefore determine the extent to which that business is highly regarded by its owners and investors. Bases if strategic choice need to take account of the environment in which Starbucks operates. It is important, therefore, to recognise the role of organisational resources, capabilities and core competence in terms of the bases on which competitive strategy and advantage may be built. Porters generic strategic framework enables Starbucks to apply one of three main strategic options in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, that include cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Sustaining bases of competitive advantage is likely to require a linked set of organisational competences which competitors find difficult to imitate. Strategies of collaboration may also offer alternatives to competitive strategies. In a new uncertain environment, Starbuckss competences need to be found in companys culture and structure, which will encourage speed, innovation and the capacity to gain business success. The choice of a right entry route is critical to the future success of Starbucks. In accordance to Johnson and Scholes (2002), a unified framework linking country risk, country familiarity, the stage of the countrys development, technology and transaction cost has to be provided that a particular entry decision cannot be viewed in isolation and that such decisions are considered in relation to the overall strategic posture of the firm. The marketplace and workforce in India are becoming more diverse every day. In fact, workplace diversity is considered a major challenge and opportunity for human resource management. It makes integration both difficult and easy depending on how diversity is viewed and used. The sources of diversity and its uses make a difference to what it means and how it impinges on organizational purpose and human behaviour at the workplace and beyond. Workplace diversity in India may have been partly inherited from centuries of customs and practices, partly imposed from colonial heritage and largely acquired through corporate omissions and commissions. They have implications for global competitiveness and for managing human resources/ industrial relations (HR/IR). Clearly analysing cultural norms and attitudes towards management will be beneficial for Starbucks in the long-term. 4.0 CONCLUSION Starbucks has become a great successful company in the coffee bean and beverage business. A large part of this success is due to its effective strategy. To further grow, Starbucks will need to expand further in other areas of the United States as well as internationally. Due to India being one of the largest coffee drinking nation in the world, Starbucks expansion into India market will be an effective expansion strategy. Although, the expansion is occurring at such a rapid rate that investors worrying issue is of oversaturation. Therefore, Starbucks will have to look into other avenues for maintaining profits and further success. Considering partnerships and venture might be an effective strategy for Starbucks that can reduce the potential threat of the new market. New market penetration is a challenging and uncertain area of business. Hence, for Starbuckss effective market entry, a great emphasis should be given to market analysis. The culture and corporate strategy must also be maintained for success. This will ensure the health of the organization throughout the proposed expansion. APPENDIX A SWOT ANALYSIS: STARBUCKS 1. Strengths Financial resources: The company is the worlds number one specialty coffee retailer, and as such is has a greater financial reach than practically all of its competitors. Huge financial resources enable the company to take advantage of market opportunities, investments and expansion activities that are not available to smaller firms with a reduced capital. Starbucks has considerable financial strength. For instance, in fiscal 2003, Starbucks generated revenues of $4.1billion, a 24% increase on the previous year. (Company Report, 2004) Global presence: Starbucks is a truly global brand. The company has roughly 7,570 retail store locations around the world (as of September 2004), the majority of which are company owned and operated. The company has cast its net across 30 countries in a bid to establish a pioneering image, and although such a strategy has generated limited early returns form its international business, the company has succeeded in developing a truly global brand. A disciplined innovator: Starbucks is a disciplined innovator, and good management of its innovation time line is one of the primary reasons behind the companys success in generating consistent high level of same store sales. Starbucks currently has a number of new ideas being tried and tested in its stores. In 2002 the company introduced new Frappuccino Blended Beverages, and in 2003, the Iced Shaken refreshments product line was launched. Starbucks ability to roll out new initiatives and produces relatively quickly is a considerable competitive strength for the company. That is can rapidly fill gaps in its calendar is a by-product of Starbucks company-owned retail structure, vertical integration of many products and relatively simple store operations. Customers are also increasingly drawn to the companys music compilations, produced for the company by Hear Music. Consistent strength of core product: In the last eight years, Starbucks has consistently derived increasing proportions of its annual revenue from its beverages business unit. It is good for Starbucks to focus on the beverage market, as this core product division dictates the direction of other units, such as merchandise and food. A continued growth in the beverages unit represents overall company growth for Starbucks, as it shows the consistent strength of the core product. 2. Weaknesses Reliance on US market: Given the company is an international brand with wide ranging operations, it should be looking to generate a greater proportion of revenues from outside the US. Such is Starbucks reliance on this market, the company entire performance will be materially affected should the companys US unit under-perform, as a result of economic conditions or increased levels of competition. Rapid build-out hangover: Starbucks based its international strategy on the basis that maximum benefit can be derived from entering markets early to capture a first mover advantage. In accordance with this, the company rapidly cast its net, establishing operations in around 30 countries since 1995, and in doing so, incurring sizeable overhead charges. Also, in the companys haste to increase its scale, some rash decisions were made and some of these mistakes have delayed progress to profitability. Reliance on beverage innovation: An important long-term risk to the companys stock is a lower valuation caused by a slowdown in US sale store growth. Starbucks store sales growth has been largely driven by beverage innovation, but there are questions over how long this can last. Diminishing return from beverage innovation, one of the companys competitive strengths, would have a significant adverse effect on the companys performance. Performance of International operations unit: Starbucks International operations division has faced problems of expansion, with a number of openings failing to be successful. In 2003 Starbucks Coffee International ended its joint venture with the Delek Group of Israel. Following this decision, Shalom Coffee Company, the joint venture between Starbucks Coffee International and the Delek Group, closed its six Starbucks stores in Tel Aviv. 3. Opportunities International operations: By the end of fiscal 2004, Starbucks international business should finally achieve profitability. About 23% of the companys stores are located outside North America. Key markets include the UK and Japan, which should provide useful indicators for the respective performances of Starbucks other operations in Europe and Asia. Growth market: The specialty coffee sector accounts for roughly 15% of the US retail coffee market, which is already worth $21 billion. By 2005, the retail coffee market is expected to be worth $22 billion, and the specialty coffee sector will grow to account for 41% of this market. Starbucks has a market share of over 40% of the specialty coffee market, and the anticipated growth in this category will offer the company considerable opportunities for further growth and expansion in the near future. Starbucks Visa Card: The Starbucks Visa Card is likely to bolster revenues in 2005. During 2004, the companys retail sales mix by product type was comprised of approximately 78% beverages, 12% food items, 5% whole bean coffees and 5% coffee-making equipment and accessories. (Company Report, 2004) By diversifying its revenue streams Starbucks should be able to both increase the stability of its financial position by reducing its reliance on certain product lines, and also grow its revenues. Clustering of company units: With the continued growth of the coffee market, the company has looked to expand its business, including those areas where it has an established presence. Working on the basis that a key driver of business is the convenience of the companys outlet location, Starbucks has looked to cluster its units so as to dominate particular areas. The financial reward derived from this practice has been found to be considerable, as new outlets have not been found to eat into the business of existing outlets. A continued strategy of unit clustering, and a focus on stores that have convenient access for pedestrians and drivers, represents further opportunity for Starbucks to capture an increasing share of the coffee market. 4. Threats Supply risk: Starbucks is dependent on trading companies and exporters for its supply of green coffee. The company is looking at securing long term supply contracts, and in some cases has had to pay inflated prices in order to obtain such contracts. Starbucks responded to world coffee prices reaching 30-year lows during 2001 by offering suppliers more money to guarantee supply, and as such the risk of non-delivery on such purchase commitments is low. However, the nature of the business dictates that the companys dependency on suppliers does put it at risk. Slowing US retail sales: Long-term concerns regarding US store growth potential still remain. If current growth continues, saturation levels within the North American retail division will be reached inside five years. This represents a considerable concern for Starbucks, given that over the last two years, domestic retail has been the source of about 75% of the companys revenue growth and an even greater proportion of profit growth. Before they reach saturation point, US retail sales growth will slow considerably over the next three to five years, further increasing the pressure on the international division to justify the companys investment in expansion. Competition: The global coffee market is a very competitive sector, and Starbucks must compete against the likes of restaurants, coffee shops, and street carts. A major competitor, with substantially greater financial, marketing and operating resources than Starbucks, could enter this market at any time and compete directly against the company. Starbucks must be aware of competition on all levels and maintain its operational performance if it is to retain its status as the worlds leading specialty coffee retailer. Volatility of market: Starbucks is at risk to the volatility of the supply and price of coffee. The companys search for superior standard coffee means it can be adversely affected by multiple factors in the producing countries, including weather, political and economic conditions. In addition, green coffee prices have been affected in the past, and may be affected in the future, by the actions of organizations and associations that have in the Starbucks Corporation past attempted to influence prices of green coffee through agreements establishing export quotas or restricting global coffee supplies. The actions of these associations could cause a degree of costly disruption to Starbuc

Essay --

Ads of these days in comparison to those in previous times have come a lengthy way from how it is used to how it is provided to the community. Promoters use many methods to reel in most of their clients into purchasing or trying an item whether it is new or an old item. One of the many kinds of propaganda they use is the simply people system which may use a popular individual as an make an effort to persuade the community that his or her opinions indicate those of the typical individual and that they are also operating for the advantage of the individuals. However, the kinds of propaganda used in the Pepsi marketing is the group and shining generalities system. The Coca-Cola ad is also provided as a Pepsi container with a rush of colors capturing out with a cheerful experience in middle of all the different colors. Promoters have many different kinds of propaganda they could use to take clients into the checkout range with their product(s) in side. With the Coca-Cola ad select to use a vibrant plan to entice the clients fun and free-spirited aspect, and a range which indicates the use of the group system. In the Coca-Cola ad the first thing clients will observe is the colors and how it is within the image. This ad uses main, additional, and a few fairly neutral colors all booming out of a coke container and in the center is a female's satisfied cheerful experience. With an image such as this provided to a individual, each factor included to the image gives a kind of satisfied sensation which the customer would want to experience. The satisfied experience results in illustrating in a individual by indicating that the lady is cheerful because the item is really excellent. The colors and the grin performs with a individuals psy... ...ors except for a bit of fairly neutral colors. These different colors provide as lovely up-lifters to customers because it would make them satisfied. The cheerful experience of the lady would usually carry a grin to their experience as they accept all the factors of the image. The range that is mentioned is both an example of a group, and shining generalities propaganda. The group technique indicates an entice the customer to buy the item considering that they would be residing the â€Å"coke aspect of life† but they do not intricate on why that is a excellent choice. By not elaborating on a purpose why the item should be bought and using terms like â€Å"live† and â€Å"life†, the technique being used is shining generalities. Therefore, by placing all these components together advertisers have a higher possibility of creating efficient product sales and getting prolonged clients.

The Two Best Job Searching Methods

There is no doubt that people who want to have a good life dream of a good job. Although it may seem us easy to find a job, people have to struggle so much for having a good job because of great competition about accept top position even average positions. There are various ways to find a job such as internet, direct application, newspapers, using connections or friends, networking. In my opinion internet and networking are the two most of effective ways a finding a job.Internet is a constitution that is infinitely useful and serviceable when it used effective and correctly. Internet is a wide network what spans the world. It contains a lot of recruitment agencies, cooperation websites, association sites, newsletters and freelance job options and in the present day access to internet very easily. This also provides an opportunity to become an impressive job searching. Based on The Conference Board report , newspapers and online ads are used by 70% of all job seekers for recruitment ( 2006)p1.It was established a lot of websites in order to bring together job searchers with employers such as secretcv. com, kariyer. net, yenibiris. com, monster. com. All over the world engagement agencies are accepted by companies and employers. Nowadays, most of company advertise only this websites, and choose their workers by means of who appealed this websites with their CV. Especially large companies are not permit direct application for many positions. Another effective job searching method is networking.Communication and relations compose the basis of the network because many jobs are never advertised. Networking also comprises not only business networking websites but also friendships, exhibitions, shows, seminars, training. Firstly, let’s consider business networking websites such as linekedin. com, bni. com. Their aim is create a platform where professionals from all kinds of different industries can meet up, find jobs, new assignments, cooperation partners, expert s and generate business ideas.With more people getting online now, business networking sites are attracting a great deal of attention for their role in bolstering professional relationships and facilitating new connections. Secondly, some companies organize seminars thus they explain about their business and accept graduated or students who suitable in order to their business. In this way more and more people are employed. According to Goodman, networking is the leader of job searching because it is on the success of 50% regarded in generally (2009)p2. I believe that networking is a giant world in its own right.

Marketing Reflection Paper Essay

Marketing is a major component for most business in the United States but is only just beginning to take hold in the healthcare field. Within the healthcare arena the concepts of marketing has taken a long time to develop. In the late 1970s Evanston Hospital in Illinois was the first hospital to hire a marketing person for healthcare. We are now in the early 21st Century and healthcare marketing is going full steam ahead. The purpose of this essay is to examine some of the healthcare marketing techniques and its possible impact on healthcare workers. General OpinionI have only been working in the healthcare industry for about seven years. Of the seven years, I worked five of them in one large medical center in a local town. Marketing was never a part of my vocabulary until recently. I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to advertising campaigns until I started working for Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mass communication was and still is a major marketing technique that Saint Francis uses. A day doesn’t goes by that you will not see the â€Å"Medical Minute† spot on the local television stations. Shortly after Saint Francis started using this technique, three other local hospitals developed their own television campaigns. Even though some people may get tired of the constant bombardment of these TV commercials, I believe that they may save lives as well as promote more business for the hospitals. As quoted by Wagner, Fleming, Mangold, and Laforge (1994), a 46-year old male wrote to a local hospital thanking them for saving his life through their TV campaign on the signs of heart attacks. From this campaign, this individual was able to identify that he was having a heart attack at which time he went straight to the emergency room. Another technique that Saint Francis used was the â€Å"We Care† campaigns. According to Beckham (2001) the â€Å"We Care† campaign was listed under the section â€Å"What Hasn’t Worked† of his article. Beckham claimed that consumers are more concerned with competence and results than whether the hospital cares or not. In my opinion, I would have to agree with this concept. Yes, Saint Francis did care, but is the service good? I believe that the TV campaigns are more successful as a marketing tool than wearing buttons reading â€Å"We Care.†Are Current Marketing Techniques Affecting Consumer  Trends?The answer to this question is hard to pin down at this point in my current opinion. According to Beckham (2001), some marketing strategies worked better than others. Positioning is one technique where an organization/hospital creates an image of clinical competence. Becham claimed that â€Å"positioning required more than advertising and facilities: there had to be underlying capabilities, and evidence, to back up the claims.† Another technique that Becham outlined in his article was â€Å"Missionary Work,† which is used when a physician cannot compete with his local hospital physicians and goes out into the countryside and builds relationships with the primary care physicians for referrals. This proved to be a successful technique being used. I do believe that the new techniques such as the ones mentioned above have or will affect consumer trends. The technique that I believe affects the most is the missionary work technique. There was a time when consumers believed that the only healthcare available to them was the primary care physician within their small countryside communities. Now with the relationships that are being built between the local physicians and the small countryside physicians, more specialized healthcare can be offered/provided to the citizens of these small communities. Thus, the trend of only using the local hometown physician has changed. Negative Impact on Healthcare WorkersI am sure some healthcares workers can be found that do not believe there is a negative impact from the techniques being used within healthcare. However, I believe there are some. Take for instance the technique outlined by (Wagner, Fleming, Mangold, & Laforge, 1994) of the marketing technique of building image and not on increasing demand for services. The negative impact that could be realized here is losing consumer business because consumers want to know more about the services provided to meet their needs than the hospital image. One hospital was quoted as having to shut its doors because of this type of marketing technique. The impact here is loss of jobs for the staff members of the hospital. A positive impact would be due to the technique that was listed as under the  sub-title â€Å"What Worked† in the article written by Beckham (2001). When the techniques work, everyone benefits because the consumer is satisfied and will continue to use the services, as well as, refer their friends to the hospital/clinic. ConclusionUnlike prior to the late 1970s marketing is now considered one the most important aspects of healthcare. There are many marketing techniques used today in which some have proven to work and others not so well. The main point to remember is there has to be a complete understanding of the background and foundation that identifies the importance of marketing. The right people need to be hired as marketing staff. If the wrong person is selected, not only will business fail, but healthcare workers would be affected as well. Marketing is good, it just has be worked properly for all to benefit from it. References Beckham, C. (2001, Jul/Aug). 20 years of healthcare marketing. Health Forum Journal, 44(4), 37-40. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from ProQuest database. Wagner, H. C., Fleming, D., Mangold, W. G., & Laforge, R. W. (1994). Relationship marketing in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Marketing, 14(4), 42-47. Retrieved , from EBSCOhost database.