Arsenal Holding PLC Essay

This composition is a SWOT analysis of the company Arsenal Holding PLC; whose main product is the Famous English football club ARSENAL FC which is based in Holloway, London and is one of the most successful clubs in English football with thirteen first division titles and ten FA cups and also a record of the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight.( Wikipedia) What is SWOT? SWOT represents the output of a marketing audit analysis and is essentially the analysis of the environmental factors and the internal appraisal part of the marketing audit. It stands for Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. Assessment of this SWOT factors together with an evaluation of its implications is a key part of objective marketing planning.(G.Lanchester and L. Massingham (1996) It is also important to note that SWOT ANALYSIS should be ranked in other to emphasis the importance of each point. The company Arsenal holding plc is the parent company of Arsenal FC and operates as a non-quoted public limited company a variation from other clubs. Only 62,217 Arsenal shares have been issued and they aren’t traded on any public exchange apart from rather infrequently on Plus market ;a specialist market.A single share in Arsenal had a mid share price of  £10,250,which set the companies capitalisation value at approximately  £637.74m.(wikipedia). Its Business Most of its business activities evolve around the Arsenal FC brand which is globally known as a top football club which performs consistently at the highest level in England and Europe. Football being an internationally accepted sport with Europe being the center piece of this affection, it has been suggested that the English Premiership is arguably the most colourful and entertaining League in the world with a viewer following that could be estimated into hundreds of millions weekly and Arsenal would also arguably be elected as its most entertaining team with millions of fans world wide. This Financial wise interprets into a massive brand image and which would  brings cash flow from; image rights of its players and the club, income and earnings from trophy wins and participation in the league and European competitions, Sale of players, television rights, sales of club merchandise and collecting gate for home games. Strengths 1. A very strong globally known brand 2. Large global fan base 3. Large stadium 4. Lot of large corporations interest in brand 5. Location in England and London 6. A few big and expensive players 7. Great history 8. Interesting records and achievements 9. Loyal fans 10. Colourful football and brand colour 11. Effective management Weaknesses 1. Inability to win trophy 2. Inability to compete financially with the best in Europe 3. Inability to keep its best players 4. Inability to convince fans of interest in football success 5. To many inexperienced players in squad 6. Small football squad Opportunities 1. A lot of young potential talents in the squad 2. Recent penetration into Asian market 3. Emergence of FIFA fair play rule 4. Emergence of very defensive teams playing unattractive football 5. Growing English national’s membership in the squad 6. Increasing interest in the English premiership and the European champions league globally Threats 1. European crises 2. Emergence of clubs funded by oil barons 3. Increasing wage structures in the premiership 4. Increasing player valuation 5. Increasing cases of player disloyalty 6. Unhappy fans 7. Resurgence of Tottenham their London rivals 8. Chelsea’s champions league win Evaluation and analysis The SWOT analysis as seen above, appears to be highly invested in the activities of Arsenal FC, this is because the club is a business institution which has an annual financial statement and is run by its parent company Arsenal holdings, which makes the activities of the club and its environment worthy of note. The analysis evolves around the clubs past and present positions and performances; its strengths revolves around the brand and how established it is, pointing out the colourfulness of both the clubs chosen colours and style of football it represents. It also points at the size of its stadium which is regularly filled up and which amounts to large amount of tickets sold. Its weaknesses evolve around its current inability to win trophies and also current financial restrictions as opposed to its main competitors who have a lot more to spend Opportunities looks at its youth policy; a system where by they buy a player most times cheaply and groom him after a few years into an inter national star with the club as his stage. The result of this is that the player’s value increases immensely and with the current state of transfer developments, beyond proportion. It also looks at the fair play rule which if put into effect by UEFA,the body that governs football in Europe will stifle the current dominance of some of its competitors. The threats point at the current crisis in Europe as its most important highlight, as if there is no money there will no body to buy tickets or purchase the goods that the club brands. It also considers its competitors as a major threat, because of the seeming limitless wealth some of them posses. *Note Players leaving the club on the short term is not a danger as it brings about healthier balance sheets and bigger profits, as the players are sold for huge fees, but in the long term it affects the clubs image and reputation and cause an increase in fan disloyalty, so it should be seen as both a weakness and a threat. Conclusion From the SWOT you can conclude that the company has a high amount of strengths compared to the other categories, its weaknesses are quite a few but the man danger lies in its threats, with the key one of note being the crisis in Europe which is affecting all businesses in general, the other threats appear manageable when compared more of the same is advised to sustain the club. REFRENCE G.Lanchester and L. Massingham., Strategic Marketing planning and evaluation, (1996) www.wikepedia.com

Civilization in Paleolithic Era

Topic: To what extent does the hypothesis of bona fide, yet ‘missing’, civilization in the Palaeolithic era make sense to you? Palaeolithic meaning old stone, which is about (2. 6 million years – 300,000 years ago). Having a Lower, Middle and Upper stone age for Palaeolithic. In the Palaeolithic era climate was the pacemaker of change. As the world grew colder, the new climatic conditions restricted the habitat, certain species disappeared. Every time the climate changed the new conditions suited other animals. Each Ice Age last between fifty and a hundred thousand years as so mentioned in â€Å"The New Penguin History of the World† written by J.M Roberts. He mentions â€Å"Evidence of the glaciations and their effects is now available from all oceans and continents and they provide the backbone for prehistory chronology. † I did research and came across a website http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2004/04/040421234349. htm. It has evidence that supports the three major glaciation events that occurred in the past. Robert Tucker and Zhanxiong Peng of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University of St. Louis implicated that â€Å"There would be no communication between the atmosphere and the ocean.The deep ocean would quickly become free of oxygen because light would not be able to penetrate the ice to fuel algae. Above the ice, there would be little rain or snow because there would be little evaporation. Many organisms that lived in milder conditions would become extinct. † Investigation shows that there are at least three levels of glacial deposits. Each ice age destroyed the habitats of creatures that had adapted to the arctic condition. But after each glaciation new species spread. As time went on, one branch lead to apes and the other lead to human beings, this line was named hominids.Indicated by J. M Roberts, â€Å"The first hominid fossil found in Kenya and Ethiopia are dated only 4. 5 million years ago. † But then a French fossil hunter discovered a fossil in Chadian desert year 2001; nearly complete cranium, pieces of jawbone and teeth. They pinned down the age of this fossil, which they say is between 6. 8 and 7. 2 million years old. (Information found in http://afp. google. com/article/ALeqM5gjCJ41Mm-Li6gU9Rd4n1DXPlm7Gg . ) So as to what is happening, fossil hunters, geologist, archeologist, scientist etc. keep discovering new fossils with different ages and keep pushing back our timelines. So saying the truth we are not sure exactly when the hominids where first taking place in our timeline. Who knows what there is yet to be discovered. Going to a description and comparison of a hominid and primate. Those with a small cranium were consider primates because the brain was not too intelligent. As time went on the brain developed little by little. More common sense, but as that happened the brain grew, therefore having a much bigger cranium, which were t hen classified as hominids.Hominids developed reasoning, a sense of communication and had a system of control, which is the beginning of the creation of human beings. Primates communicate with signals, went on natural instincts, and had no system of control. Their method was adaptation to life and the environment around them. Which if I’m not mistaken is what we now call wild animals. We are the top of the food chain. We are the fittest to survival. Why, because we have intelligence, logic and reasoning. We have common sense to avoid casual mistakes that can cause our lives. Professor Paul S.Burdett from Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg NJ wrote a document named â€Å"What Is Human? †. It describes three main parts of what makes us human and has a comparison to what is not classified to be human. 1. Reasoning is the power to think, and understand. Mind solves problems and the body has a reaction to everything but think before react. As for primates, theyâ⠂¬â„¢re mind and reactions are not reasonable like ours. 2. Language is our form of communication. Without communication we have nothing. With language we have grammar and syntax an arrangement that focuses on a relationship between words. . System of control, which keeps things organized. Having a social life. Under that category come family, tribes, and clans. Which are all in relation and come with a natural connectivity as in a connection in blood or DNA. Examples; mother, son, grandfather, cousins, aunts, including mother-in-law and so on. Now beyond that comes communities, societies, culture and civilization. Which is an organization of non-related people. People working together to make a living. As for primates, they only go with their instincts and communicate with signals.And cannot go any much further than that. So my definition for being a human is one who exhibits a sense of humanity, compassion, civilization, and consideration towards mankind. An understanding, organiz ation, and sense of communication. So is it possible that such a civilization could have existed? There was a point in time where the hominids decided to just settle down. Having water, and food near them. So they did not have to travel far. In the process tools were created, fire, a sense a religion, a stable living style, a sense of emotion, farming.All of these things is what started civilization. And civilization was not established until the Upper Palaeolithic Era. Without everything being done, no civilization would have been created. Till this day discoveries are made. The only way to know if something really existed is by evidence. And by evidence I mean fossils, skeletons, art, grave goods, â€Å"ARTIFACTS! † Artifacts is all we have. The only problem is that from what I have understood is that we have more evidence going towards the Upper Palaeolithic Era. In J. M Roberts book (Book 1, Chapter 2, last paragraph on pg. 1) he stated, â€Å"To separate Upper and Lower Palaeolithic is easy; the division represents the physical facts†¦ †¦ the most recent and therefore fossils and artifacts found among them are later found then lower. † Meaning more evidence is found in the Upper. â€Å"Almost all the artifacts that survived in Palaeolithic are made from stone, none are made of metal†¦ †¦ which stone artifacts provide the largest significant body of evidence. † So from what is seems stones where most likely to be preserved then metal. Neolithic Revolution involved far more than the adoption of a limited set of food producing techniques.The making of small groups of hunter, gatherers that had hitherto dominated human history into sedentary societies based in built up villages and towns, which radically modified their natural environment by means of specialized food crop cultivation that allowed extensive surplus food production. These developments provided the basis for high population density settlements, specialize d and complex labor diversification, trading economies, the development of art, architecture, and culture. All these things are well described in a book called â€Å"The Breakout: The Origins Of Civilization† written by Martha Lamberg-Karlovsky.The Revolution developed independently in different parts of the world, not just in the Fertile Crescent. The Mediterranean climate has a long dry season with a short period of rain, which made it suitable for small plants with large seeds, like wheat and barley. The Oasis Theory, originally proposed by Raphael Pumpelly in 1908, maintains that as the climate got drier due to the Atlantic depressions shifting northward, communities contracted to oases where they were forced into close association with animals, which were then domesticated together with planting of seeds.Agriculture, known as farming. Which was turning point. No more long travel, everything at hand and the sense of trading. With trading came leader, which meant governmen t. With all that said societies. In this part of time, known art was a way of recording things in their time. There were caves that have been found with carved drawings. Showing life itself, and how everything was before. Art created by stones, mud as paint, and drawings on top of other drawings creating stories that have yet to be discovered.Every time we think we found the oldest society another older one pops up. Everyday life was not able to be recorded. Communication was not able to be recorded. Records in that era took a lot of time and dedication. So in our sense, was there civilization in the Palaeolithic Era? I think there was. Even though there isn’t much evidence, it actually makes sense. Like in the quote, â€Å"If a tree falls in the forest but no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound? † Just because we did not witness it, it does not mean it did not exist.

Care of Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Care of Cancer - Essay Example Oncologists or physicians perform tests to verify the diagnosis of cancer. However, more tests are recommended by a doctor to find out more on the cancer. This is because most tests are vogue and cannot be relied on for treatment. Additionally, there are types of cancer that are hard to classify. Lymphomas is one of the types cancer that require more than one test to ascertain its existence on the body. Combination of thorough test and evaluation of the patient history of symptoms provides a clear analysis for confirmation of presence or absence of cancer. Additionally, clear and effective diagnosis provides steps of monitoring the disorder and the rightful treatment for the diseases. The most common diagnostic methods of cancer are; biopsy, x-rays, endoscopy, diagnostic imaging and the blood test. According to Regnard and Kindlen (2002), biopsy is one of the diagnostic methods for cancer and it is done by surgically removing the tissue sample and put under microscopic test. The process involves either a short needle or a longer needle with the help of scan guidance such as CT scan or ultrasound. Diagnostic imaging is a technique used to provide internal image of the body. There are various processes performed under diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays, CT scans, positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). X-rays is the most common method used for screening lung and breast cancer. The method is effective in determining the spread of cancer to bones. CT and MRI scans are mainly used to ascertain the level of tumour and the results of treatment. The images produced during CT scans are analysed using a computer to produce images with a high number of tissues. However, MRI produces more detailed images than both CT and X-ray. Ultrasound is another diagnostic imaging for cancer. The aspects of ultrasound are not good like CT and

Minimizing risks in Shipping Lines Research Proposal

Minimizing risks in Shipping Lines - Research Proposal Example Identify and formulate new strategies, techniques or methods to identify and address risks due to the various factors like operational costs, oil prices, interest and exchange rates, political and environmental changes, etc. which are either highly exorbitant, volatile, or detrimental to affect the smooth and safe functioning of the shipping industry. Plan to use both primary and secondary data for the purpose of research. Primary sources off data like interviews and questionnaire will be used. Secondary sources like books, journal publications, articles, official websites, newsrooms, etc. would be used along with the primary sources of information. The primary sources of data that would be taken into consideration would represent a small section of people and their views and feedback based on their experience and varied roles in the industry which would then be generalized for the whole industry which may pose problems when taken for formulating high impact strategies by the governmental or policy making bodies. This use of limited primary data can be compensated by using secondary data from books, articles, journals, websites, newsrooms and other reliable sources. As the interviews would be conducted at shipping d... Plan to use both primary and secondary data for the purpose of research. Primary sources off data like interviews and questionnaire will be used. Secondary sources like books, journal publications, articles, official websites, newsrooms, etc. would be used along with the primary sources of information. Your signature Date Name(s) of proposed Supervisor(s) for this Dissertation: Confirmation of approval of proposal and its ethics by the Programme Leader/External Examiner: Signed Date RESEARCH ETHICS CHECK FOR MA DISSERTATIONS INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS This form should be submitted at the same time as the Dissertation Proposal Form Your Name: Your Degree Programme: Your Dissertation Supervisor's name: SECTION 1: DETAILS OF YOUR PROJECT 1. What is the title of your dissertation Minimizing risks in Shipping 2. What do you consider to be the main ethical issues or problems that may arise with the proposed study and what steps will be taken to address them The primary sources of data that would be taken into consideration would represent a small section of people and their views and feedback based on their experience and varied roles in the industry which would then be generalized for the whole industry which may pose problems when taken for formulating high impact strategies by the governmental or policy making bodies. This use of limited primary data can be compensated by using secondary data from books, articles, journals, websites, newsrooms and other reliable sources. 3. Where exactly will the interaction with participants be As the interviews would be conducted at shipping dock yards maritime control offices, etc. interaction would be with

I do not know please but the sutible topic Essay

I do not know please but the sutible topic - Essay Example On the other hand, Shary also describes in his article â€Å"Youth in School† the cinematic image of nerds. Nerds as we know it could be either a representation of individuals with high academic achievement, virgins or those usually left behind in the social group due to issue of conformity and acceptability (Choi 119; Driscoll 71). For instance, Shary emphasizes there are substantial opportunities for popular teens, those who are highly accepted in the group, and as a result, would mostly even have rich experiences when it comes to love (social affection) and sex (Shary 1989). Thus, in order for nerds to transform or gain acceptability, they have to produce something among themselves. Whatever might it be, the idea should be to increase their group and social acceptability or desirability. A specific example of this would be some of those shown in weird science films showing the protagonist (nerd) to excel and end up gaining high value in the society (Shary 1985). Thus, the b ottom line would be to increase the level of affection given to them by the surrounding social environment. Laney Boggs from the movie film â€Å"She’s All That† is unpopular art student in the campus, physically unattractive and wallows into solitary atmosphere. In the movie, Boggs needed to be transformed as somebody that comes from being an ugly duckling to a stunning beauty, which is a remarkable depiction of increasing one’s value and social acceptability. The movie film â€Å"The Breakfast Club† featuring the character of Brian Johnson also depicts issue concerning conformity, rebellion and social acceptability. Johnson in this film shows how shameful on his part to remain virgin at his age, which depicts issue about conformity. Shary’s ideas on the nerd concept are actually exemplified in the case of Boggs and Johnson due to the associated issue about conformance and rebellion. In the case of Boggs, her

The four people who influenced malcolm x life Research Paper

The four people who influenced malcolm x life - Research Paper Example ?s family background, the biographic report projects about his mother ‘Louise Norton Little’ as a homemaker as well as the mother of eight children. Malcolm’s father, ‘Earl Little’ was a minister and a supporter of Marcus Garvey who during that time was the leader of the Black Nationalist Party (Colorado State University, â€Å"Malcolm X - An Islamic Perspective.†). Adding to these, during the childhood days of Malcolm, his family was often threatened by the ‘Black Legion’ which was a ‘white supremacist organization’ and which even got its hands in the murder of ‘Earl Little’. The entire life of Malcolm took the form of struggle after this incident. These factors highlight the historical background of this ‘African-American Muslim’ minister along with ‘Human Rights Activist’ (The Estate of Malcolm X, â€Å"Biography†). Thesis. The four individuals who had a lasting impact on Malcolm X’s life were ‘his father Earl Little’, ‘his brother Reginald’, ‘Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam (NOI) organization’ and ‘his wife Betty Shabazz’. In the life of Malcolm X, the influence of the mentioned four individuals had been profound and compelling to direct him towards attaining greater recognition as a forthright leader of the masses. The first person who can be considered to have influenced Malcolm’s life is his father ‘Earl Little’. Malcolm’s father had been into the political scenario since long and had played a significant role in terms of influencing Malcolm to enter the world of politics after the death of his father and a long phase of struggling childhood. As stated in his biography, ever since the death of his father, all the eight children got split up either with foster parents or ended up in orphanages (The Estate of Malcolm X, â€Å"Biography†). Malcolm during his teenage period got arrested in a case of burglary and was sentenced to suffice 10 years of imprisonment. It was during that time

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS - Essay Example In a simpler terminology it measures the movement in value of any security with the movement in price of the market as a whole. This factor can be important in establishing a portfolio. There are many types of companies, some operate very closely with the financial institutions and markets while others have different operations e.g. manufacturing. All types of companies make investments. These investments play a huge role in assessing the cost of capital(Intermediate Financial Management). The cost of capital is basically the interest they pay on debt and dividends on stocks. This cost basically depends as explained above on the amount of risk associated. If the risk is low, that is beta for a company is low, its cost of capital will automatically be low. Investors will be willing to invest in it for lower returns and banks will lend on a lower rate. (Similar example can be found in intermediate financial management)We can better comprehend this with an example. Let us assume that Company X makes investments in Gold mines. Each Gold mine has equal probability of giving no gold at all and gold worth ten times its extraction cost. The extraction expenditure for a gold mine; irrespective that it results in gold or not, is $100 for small size mine and $1000 for a large size mine. In the first scenario Company X who is short of money and has just $ 1000 to invest, invests in a large gold mine. Now risk of a loss of the $1000 investment is 50%, which is very high. This will associate a high risk with the company’s future cash flows and investors will require a high return; thus driving its cost of capital up. In the second scenario however Company X decides to invest in ten small gold mines. Although the return is the same but the risk has gone down considerably, because most of the risk has been diversified away. (Intermediate Financial

Quality Management Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quality Management Process - Essay Example "The importance of using a plan in order to guide the firm's communication effort would be able to bring forth a clear, coordinated, memorable, and effective way of interacting with one another" (Draft a Communications Plan, 2006). Based on the data presented in the planning process of the project, an estimated time of at least 330 days could be needed in order to complete the quality communications plan. During the course of this period, the staff and the officials who are leaders of the said projects would be able to complete the tasks required of them. Aside from that, additional changes and revisions could be done within that period. The revisions that should be applied within the project should be done so within schedule and also reason. This is because of the tight project schedule that has been planned in the project. Aside from that, there is also the need to thoroughly examine the outcome of the projects done. Testing the outcome of the said project is also necessary to ensure that it would be exactly as planned. The several steps divided into different categories and these categories would be the basis for the flow of the communication report between the company and the participants for the quality communications plan. ... On the other hand, to save time as the project is in a tight schedule, the report regarding the success of the project should be applied or implemented in a regular basis so that the waiting time would not be that long and that other projects could also be done. In the implementation of the plan, there should only be one resource person from the team that would report to the officials because if there are so many people relaying the information, the management would have a hard time comprehending it. It would also be better if there was some kind of system or a chain of command in relaying the message. Another thing which would be likely included in the quality management process is the budget estimate. A budget estimate seems to be more than the acceptable range because of its urgency to be on time and on schedule. The budget throughout the categories would need to be constant as to oversee that there would be no over-spending done in the project. The starting period would be the difficult part because it needs to be well-established so as the other steps would be next in line therefore, a chunk of the budget should be reserved especially to the start of the project. Despite of that, there would be time to cut back on other cost once the project has been progressing in the direction that it should be heading. Collection of Data in the Quality Communications Plan In order to ensure the implementation of the quality communication plan, certain data and information are needed to be collected. Aside from that, these data would also be a guide in determining whether or not such plans are effective or not. Here are some of the data and information needed upon the implementation of the quality

Research Topic Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Topic - Research Paper Example The role of custodial parents by the grandparents is a multiethnic issue as the literature review section will indicate. The research in discussion below will also point out the different effects the role of being custodial parents has on different individuals and especially the grandparents and the grandchildren and what efforts if any has the state taken to deal or assist in this matter. Literature Review Overview The US census results of year 2005 were the first to openly show interest in the growing number of grandparents who have become custodians of their grandchildren. According to those results, there was an average of 5.7 million grandparents living with their grandchildren and acting as their parents. In line with multiethnic issues, the results further indicated that of the 5.7 million grandparents, 8% were African Americans, 16% were Hispanics and the rest were Caucasians. In a large state like Colorado which also is a multiethnic state, the results are almost similar wit h those indicated nationally and this statistics have been on the increase (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). Theoretical model The best theory to explain the change of grandparents’ role to that of custodians of their grandchildren is the life course theory. ... According to Phua and Kaufman, 2008, it is with this light therefore that the life course of grandparents change and they now adopt the role of parents for their grandchildren. For the Hispanics and African American for example, the immigration, racial stereotypes and other ethnic difficulties of living in a foreign land contributes to the life course changes as it leads to changes in their social, cultural and structural lives which are contributing factors to the reasons why grandparents are left with custodial burden (Phua and Kaufman, 2008). Impacts of custodial grand parenting Numerous literatures have pointed out the impacts associated with this research topic to both the grandparents and the grandchildren. According to the National Institute of Mental Health and Population Reference Bureau, grandchildren who are in custody of their grandparents grow up with more emotional and behavioral problems compared to those raised by the parents (Scommegna, 2012). This is especially diff icult when it comes to adolescent grandchildren. The research also indicates that in homes where there is low income (mostly among African-Americans and Hispanics), the behavioral problems are likely to escalate. The problem however is not so rampant among the whites majorly because most of their custodial care starts when the children are young. Research findings by America Association for Marriage and Family Therapy indicate that grandparents also face their share of different impact. Some of these identified impacts include the legal problem and process of acquiring custody of their grandchildren. This is especially so in case of divorce where the parents are still alive. The other is the financial impact. Most grandparents are retired and therefore have no steady flow of

Initial Public Offering Essay Example for Free

Initial Public Offering Essay Introduction To get a small business to be successful increase must occur. Increase in a company sometimes happens either by funding through debt or equity. IPOs can be quite useful in the strong growth of a company and are extremely complicated involving many crucial role players. We shall additionally insure the dangers involved with creating an IPO and how safety regulations offer with. Additionally an problem which will increased variable to the IPO of a worldwide business is going to function as the problem of foreign currency exchange rates. These rates may also be mentioned and how they could be coped with. Role of Investment Banker and Underwriter The part of the investment banker and underwriter demands the 2 to work and perform as a team for the business theyre representing and also the traders theyre encouraging to put money into the first stock offering of a brand new public company. An Investment Banker is a tactical adviser to the managing of a business on a wide range of fiscal issues. As a way to offer the proper guidance to some business it really is critical the investment banker has a comprehensive knowledge of the tactical initiatives and directives of the corporation. The investment banker functions closely with sales along with the underwriters in this regard. Moreover, the investment banker is endeavor with making certain all legal, bookkeeping and regulatory files are ready and filed so. The Underwriter accounts for the sales of stock a company gives in its initial public offering (IPO). As suggested, the underwriter works closely with all the investment banker along with the business in creating the cost  of the primary stock offered. The crucial is the evaluation of the inventory to be certain it is just not exceptionally over or under priced to be able to market successful to any or all kinds of investors. For their providers, the underwriters are compensated a charge for marketing the inventory and so are incented to be sure there are purchasers for the accessible shares. Those shares more than these sold are bought by the investment company. Originating house and syndicate In the IPO to get a international business, the business that handles the underwriting is known as the originating residence (Mayo, 2012). These businesses have bought the securities from an organization that is attempting to improve capital and after that searches to offer the lists to the public. The entire process of selling these securities isnt always managed by one business. Together, the brokerage companies underwrite the firms offerings and offer them to the public. The edges of numerous businesses joining together to fingers the sale of a organizations offering is more accessibility to possible buyers also in addition it reduces the quantity of securities each business must sell. The dispersing of the selling procedure reduces the chance for every business involved with the method. Pricing the offering When establishing costs for securities, there are various variables which affect the purchase price. Prior to listing a certain cost, underwriters should conduct numerous study of info through the enterprise to learn exactly what the greatest for the business. There are frequently times when costs may be at an wrong sum which may possess an adverse effect on exactly what the business was wanting to be successful. When a cost is a lot higher, it may create a business possess a monetary weight. In circumstances like this, there are a few alternatives in marketing the securities. The expense bankers got two alternatives: (1) to keep the offer price and also to hold the securities in stock till theyre sold, or (2) to allow the marketplace find a lesser price level which will get investors to buy the securities. In addition, in the event the securities can be purchased to get a lesser cost compared to the business could overlook the chance to reach any profits. Risks in the public offering As a way to create a public offering in order to get a business in order to get the required resources to be able to enlarge numerous important variables come into play with securities regulations and the way you need to work within these regulations. In the event you should happen to make an unregistered offering because there is nothing demonstrating them to what they were getting in to plus they may be purchasing soil in the air current, now filing with all the Securities and Exchange Commission makes folks whose cash you seek sense a little more relaxed and theyre more at prepared to spend money on the community providing. Wed also need to determine just how much capital we were searching to lift as we need to enroll that as well revealing the would be investor simply how much cash we were seeking in the 12-month interval, the guidelines we adopted would restrict the sum were able to receive and indicate to traders what we were searching for. In the event the principles werent in location together with the SEC firms would venture out and oversell alternatives in their own public offerings and folks could be stuck with only luck of the draw on what was going on using their investing. The rules are made to indicate to potential investors precisely what the firm is attempting to do and be able to provide the investor the very best opportunity at producing a profit. Foreign exchange risks The money rate for global funds transforms daily. In case the rate of exchange should happen to choose a steep fall throughout the IPO procedure, subsequently the level of funds the business is expecting to increase might not be satisfied. This situation may likewise alter the promotion efforts of the broker to the market securities to the public. In case the exchange-rate becomes too large to buy the securities, traders might be taken back from the added cost linked to the rates of exchange for the correct money. Conversely, rates of exchange which are radically lower may entice investors to the IPO due to the sensed deal linked to the purchase of the organizations securities. To battle this kind of predicament in explosive exchange rates, setting an IPO in nation with like money rates as the corporations home land or running the raising of money in states using a  steady history of rates of exchange. Conclusion There are lots of advantages of forming an IPO or going community. Forming an IPO can assist a small business raise big levels of money and open more chances for increase in the company. To ensure an IPO works along with the first sales of the company’s shares is large, the crucial players for example the underwriters as well as the originating house should be included of experienced investors. Understanding as much as you can regarding the foreign currency exchange rates in the nations where the first shares will probably be sold to the general public is crucial to get a small business. Satisfactorily supervising and managing all those regions may help mitigate a big part of danger related to an IPO which will in turn, ensure the IPO is profitable creating high discuss costs and sales. Reference Mayo, H. B. (2012). Basic Finance. An Introduction to Financial Institutions, Investments, and Management (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/2014/09/29/educating-investors-about-investing-in-unregistered-securities-offerings-under-regulation-d-of-the-securities-act

The Film Industry Of Bollywood Cultural Studies Essay

The Film Industry Of Bollywood Cultural Studies Essay Bollywood, the second largest film industry is widely known for its form of creative art. It is a form of art with the ability to entertain, educate, and reflect and shape our sense of who we are and our understanding of the society in which we live in. In Hindi films there exits the hero and heroine, however gender hierarchy can be seen and importance is imposed on the male actor. One would agree that the Hindi film industry is male-centric, with limited space for females to be versatile in the character they play. The roles played by the heroine are the same guidelines seen within the Indian society. The Indian society is an influence to Bollywood and is what shapes and defines the roles played by females in films. The portrayal of women in Hindi films has been stable in correspondence to the norms and values contained by the Indian society. If the image [of women in the cinema] is submissive or secondary, it is the society who is responsible for it . . . filmmakers, keeping in min d the commercial aspect of films, simply highlight what exists (Prabhu 2001, 185). (6) India is known to be a hierarchal society, whether it is religion, northern or southern Indian all groups of people are ranked according to various qualities. Within gender hierarchy, men outrank women of the same or similar age, and senior relatives outrank junior relatives (1). This same concept is taken into the Hindi film industry where more emphasis is created on the male actor. From the beginning of the film process importance is on the male. For example within the internal aspects of film processing the second step is acquisition of leading male role and then followed by female acquisitions (class lecture). None the less, females are a priority in films; however their portrayals in films are steady and follow certain guidelines according to the roles played. Indian society has many norms and values, one being the role played by an individual in the society. In Indian society the dominant forms of patriarchal ideology how women are seen as subjected-as either the nurturing mother, the innocent wife, the vamp or the educated modern women. One or more forms of these roles are always portrayed in Hindi films. With these roles come specific characteristics that are viewed in the society which are then followed and expressed in Hindi films. For examples it known for an ideal women figures include passive, victimized, sacrificial, submissive, glorified, static, one-dimensional and resilient (3). These are the traits that are then brought into the film which not only reflect culture, but also shape culture. India is a religiously complex society with dominancy in the complex religion of Hinduism. In traditional Indian society there were definite and essential norm of behaviour that was usually passed down from the past. For example Sita, from the Hindu mythology of Ramayana was seen as ideal women, ideal wife as she was steadfastly loyal to her husband and obeys his wishes unquestionably (4).Hindi films have achieved this ideal of wifes self devotion. The Indian society is known to be restricted to strict rules and regulations which are to be followed by women. The moral of the Indian society states no independence in women and always is committed to her significant. For example a female in childhood is subjected to her father, in youth to her husband and after to her children. This interpretation of females can be seen in the film Mother India directed by Mehoob Khan. This film reveals the ideal characteristics of a mother played by Nargis. At the beginning of the movie it seen that sh e plays the typical role of a female who is married in an Indian traditional manner. The song Pi Ke Ghar Aaj Pyari Dulhaniya Chali is a significant with the line that states that it is a womens fate to leave home. This applies to the traditional moral of the female being passed on from the authority of the father to her husband who now she must be committed to. This is seen in the character. Dharma referring self-subsistence or a universal law or norm, which applies at the moral, the ritual and social level (5). This is another religious and mythological aspect that is inflicted upon women. This is also portrayed in the film through and expressed in the song Duniya Men Hum Aaye Hain. Here the lyrics in the song express that the only honour that a women has in her life is a womens dharma. In context of the movie it states that a women may overcome her struggles but with the conditions that are still expected with the role of a mother. After her husband leaving her she still has hope that he will return and keeps faith and raises her children on her own sacrificing whatever it takes from her. This shows the over stresses on the love for husband and the duties she has as a mother. It can be seen that in any case, in Indian society the first priority of females is to always keep in mind the norms and values placed on them as females. One may argue that these norms and values have changed within the Indian society with the progression of modernization. However, the lifestyle may have changed in roles of mothers, but the beliefs of the values and norms still exist. For example Kal Ho Na Ho directed by Nikhil Advani is a film set in New York with a modern setting. The role played by Jaya Bachchan shows similar characteristics of a mother which were portrayed by Nargis in Mother India. Jaya Bachchan, also a widowed female in the film experiences many difficulties due to her husband committing suicide. Even though the true reasoning behind the suicide is known by her, the blame is turned towards her by her mother-in-law. However, this does not stop her from being loyal to her husband as she stayed widowed and to the challenge to raise her children and show her devotee towards her husband. Throughout the film we see that she still supports her husband when people including her daughter talk negatively about him. Here she is also in the struggle of bringing her children up on her own and sacrifices all she has to raise them and keep them happy. In both Kal Ho Na Ho and Mother India the role of the mother can be seen to be dedicated with the qualities of self sacrifice, devotionally and religiously. If not seen as a traditional woman with traditional values, in Hindi films the female is then portrayed as the vamp or modernized women. Bollywood shows both the traditional and modernity of females, yet tends portrays the modern as immoral and favour the traditional aspects. The vamp is usually portrayed as morally dishonoured person and associated with everything that is disagreeable about the west (4). Again this is due to the norms and values seen in the Indian society. In this case women are seen as decorative objects and used for entertainment. Courtesan is another common role played by women which is attended for an arousing effect upon men. These types of roles are usually associated with protagonist character. The female is seen modern and revealing clothes and becomes an object of male desire. In many films with picturization of this role of female is usually seen to be glamorous and captures the females beauty in a sensual manner. An example of this is seen in the movie Sh olay directed by Ramesh   Sippy in the song Mehbooba Mehbooba. Here the female dancer appears very different from the other female lead roles. She is there for entertainment and to add glamour. Her clothes are revealing and she is used for the pleasure of the antagonist. A similar but slightly different scene is also seen in Kal Ho Na Ho with the song Its the time to disco. The difference in this song is that the lead female is in the song but is portrayed with a different characteristic that is not the usual in her role. Here Naina (Preity Zinta) is raised in New York but is a casual girl. This seen the her apparel as it is not revealing yet modernized. However, in the song a different perspective of her is seen when she gets drunk. Her clothes become more revealing and her actions are different. This is intended to show how a female may act when they go outside of their boundaries of the Indian society and the consequence of it. Jaswinder (Lilette Dubby) in the movie is would be seen as the vamp in the movie as her clothes are modish and she is flirty around men. Not only women who werent in traditional clothes seen as vamps. But those who didnt obey traditional rules. These would include who are adventurous, independent and values different norms. Thus, women commonly in Hindi films are either the modernized seductive role or the sophisticated tradition Indian women. There are many women in the Bombay film industry. Many have reacted with different opinions on how females are being portrayed. For example quoted from Ayesha Jhulka, an actress: You have to accept the fact that its a male-dominated industry. And you have to accept that basically heroes are given much more importance than the heroineSo its better to accept it and then carry on. You have your own place which nobody else can take. What you can do, the heroes probably cant do (7). Another opinion quoted by the actress Shabana Azmi: The one thing that hasnt changed only superficially I think, is in its portrayal of womenI think its a waste if you dont offer them and give them roles that are on par with their heroà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I think that would be very interesting, and basically do films that are pro-women (7). Lastly. Actress Ritha Bhaduri states: At the moment I think character roles have more to say than the female heroine, actressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦There are very few films that are wom en-oriented, or have a women dominating the whole thing (7). From these opinions of several actresses it can be conclude that many actresses are aware of the stereotypical roles given to women in Hindi films. The do feel that there isnt much importance strained on them, but also know that a film without a complementing female role with the male would not make much progress. Even though role of females are driven by the aspects in the Indian society, actresses have continued to accept the roles and play them according. As stated previously the main cause for this orientation is due to what takes place in the society. As the Indian society makes different progression a change in female roles in Hindi films will also be seen. In conclusion, the female roles played in Hindi film are very restricted and do not have space for variety. Either they are seen as objects to add glamour and entertainment to the film or they are portrayed with important roles such as mothers but with general Indian societal values that come with that role. Endnotes: http://www.heinonline.org.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/HOL/Page?men_tab=srchresultshandle=hein.cow/cowcs0040id=295size=2collection=cowterms=women|womens|Women|Womenstermtype=phraseset_as_cursor=#287 Class lecture http://www.saswat.com/blog/women_journalists_bollywood.html https://moodle10.yorku.ca/moodle/file.php/12062/Readings/Women_in_Indian_Cinema0001.pdf https://moodle10.yorku.ca/moodle/file.php/12062/Readings/Cinema_and_Society_in_India0001.pdf http://www.nzasia.org.nz/downloads/NZJAS-%20Dec07/02Booth6.pdf http://books.google.ca/books?hl=enlr=id=GTEa93azj9ECoi=fndpg=PP8dq=portrayal+of+women+in+popular+hindi+filmsots=OkbhSM0gfBsig=nPH6-uJz2wCft5FsivGe-opdg1c#v=onepageq=portrayal%20of%20women%20in%20popular%20hindi%20filmsf=false http://www.englishforums.com/English/PleaseEditEssayBollywoodFilms/dxklq/post.htm http://saswat.com/articles/bollywomen.htm http://www.questia.com/PM.qst;jsessionid=1460AF79FA0D92C0202D67F85883F2D5.inst3_3b?a=od=98736980gserror=true Portrayal of women in Bollywood then, now and in the  past. http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Changing-Face-of-Women-In-Indian-Cinemaid=87034 http://books.google.ca/books?hl=enlr=id=Alk5iwv1y_MCoi=fndpg=PA146dq=general+gender+hierarchy+ots=8nq76NqH2Osig=VTnkZoje6Xd2i6c6GRTH9u123Eo#v=onepageq=general%20gender%20hierarchyf=false http://books.google.ca/books?hl=enlr=id=kfVdxiSm-aYCoi=fndpg=PR7dq=hidden+messages+in+hindi+song+filmsots=yS1CgltbAHsig=zc15PBYPSwopVvlpkUpomMBDbT8#v=onepageqf=false http://books.google.ca/books?hl=enlr=id=cgDHFFe7YM8Coi=fndpg=PA191dq=themes+in+hindi+filmsots=Mq6lmD7Dedsig=kli9MXI-zSzX8CPBq7DKU0VkGxk#v=onepageq=themes%20in%20hindi%20filmsf=false http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0022-3840.1996.00173.x/abstract

Effective Use of the First Person in First Confession Essay -- First C

Effective Use of the First Person in First Confession "I decided that, between one thing and another, I must have broken the whole ten commandments, all on account of that old woman, and so far as I could see, so long as she remained in the house I had no hope of ever doing anything else," (page 189). This quote from the text of "First Confession" by Frank O'Connor exquisitely shows which point of view O'Connor selected for his story. Frank O'Connor chose the first-person point of view to tell his tale. One can determine this by three factors: the use of the word "I", the use of grammatical voice and the use of conveying the story through the characters. These three techniques are shown vividly throughout O'Connor's novella. The use of the word "I" in O'Connor's short story is in the text continuously with an unquestionable presence. A prime example of the usage of "I" in O'Connor's tale is first seen in the second paragraph as Jackie talks about his grandmother favoring Nora, his older sister, over him: "Nora, my sister, just sucked up to the old womanÖI was too honest, that was my trouble; and when I was playing around with Bill ConnellÖand saw my grandmother steering up the path with the jug of porter I was mortified. I made excuses not to let him into the house, because I could never be sure what she would be up to when we went in," (page 188). The application of the word "I" is an obvious and well-known method of the first-person point of view, as well as using another compatible method such as grammatical voice. Grammatical voice is a conventional technique of guiding the reader through the story using a first-person point of view. This is a... ...s. The reader is also shown that Jackie's mother dislikes her mother-in-law's mannerisms. This use of conveying the story through the characters is another method that is primarily used in first-person point of view, conventionally for its simplicity and advantage of giving several details in a short amount of time. O'Connor shows first-person point of view unremittingly in the short story "First Confession." By his usage of the word "I," O'Connor announces to the reader that he is writing in first-person, by using the method of grammatical voice O'Connor shows another technique of writing in first-person and, intertwined with grammatical voice, his conveyance of the story through the characters is his last usage of writing in the first-person point of view. These three applications of writing give the reader a sure perception of O'Connor's point of view.

Free Will Versus Determinism Essay -- essays research papers

Free Will Versus Determinism The controversy between free will and determinism has been argued about for years. What is the difference between the two? Looking in a dictionary, free will is the power, attributed to human beings, of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will. Free will allows free choice. Yet, determinism is the total opposite. Determinism has this definition: The philosophical doctrine that every event, act, and decision is the inescapable consequence of antecedents that are independent of the human will. Determinism states that humans have no free will to choose what they wish. That seems real extreme and harsh. Even though this is what determinism is, doesn't mean that the determinists are trying to steal your freedom. It's only what they believe because of religion and cause and effect. In religion, many people believe in the existence of a god supports determinism. The basis of god is that he is all-knowing and all-powerful. If free will is allowed, there would be decisions and actions in which God could not know due to the person's choice. This would limit God's omnipotence, which is unacceptable to some. The other argument for determinism is causation, or causes and effects. This argument depends on relationships that should happen with the same results every time, such as a baseball breaking a window, breaking the window. Basing on this, everything in the universe has a cause. And if all the causes and the events were known, then it would be possible to easily predict the future. If everything can be foreseen, then this proves that nothing that anyone does can change the courses of the future. This, of course, is not possible. Determinism says that what you do can be the cause of what your life turns out to be. This can be true. Yet, you can act otherwise that would steer you off that path of where your life was heading. Common sense tells us that we can change, which determinism opposes to. It also says that if we feel we are not forced, we could have acted differently. That is why I choose to side with free will. Determinism has too many extremes and limits that, already shown, is not possible in this world. Free will is the mind's ability to choose with intelligence. That doesn't mean that our choice has all the freedom in the world. Our choices cannot and ob... ...ermined by previous events. Therefore we can not change our behavior. Previous events do affects us; we cannot ignore that. But, like the previous examples, if the previous events' consequences were not good, we would mostly likely change, unless that individual was deranged. These arguments on free will definitely does not pertain to all people. Everyone is different. Yet mostly likely, individuals think towards free will. An implication to determinism is that man becomes nothing more than a puppet. That may sound cruel, but it is true. Under the rules of determinism, man must go by past events, doing the same thing he did in the past, right or wrong. He can not change his behavior, unable to let out his emotions. The man has become a puppet, being controlled and restricted. And in everyday life, determinism does not exist in most lives. It is logical and reasonable to say that the all of free will is a measure of our humanness. Whatever we choose will effect our future. But we will base our decisions on what we feel is right, taking in our moral feelings. Free will is a measure of self-determination that people feel themselves to possess and by which they make moral judgments.

Candide :: essays research papers

Candide Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains enlightmenet and at the same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers disguised by jokes and sarcisam, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook on life in the 1700’s. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas as taught to Candide about being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by the rest of the world. The main theme that I got out of reading Candide is optimism. Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Candide, the main character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything in the world happens for the better, because "Private misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more we find that all is well". As Candide grows up whenever something unfortunate happens Pangloss would turn the situation around, bringing out the good in it. Candide learns that optimism is "The passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong ". Candide also believes that he could make the world a better place by spreading his theories on optimism. One could say that Pangloss is an irrational figure, and Voltaire tries to expose how incomprehensible his beliefs are which do not measure up to reality. It is possible, however, that all along, deep down inside, Candide doubted the philosophies of his teacher because of his exposure to immorality in the real world. For example, Candide witnessed the public hanging of two Portuguese Jews simply because they refused to eat bacon for dinner.It was occurrences like these which demonstrated the inhumanity that one person can do to another, leading Candide to disbelieve Pangloss' philosophies. Cunegonde, the object of Candide's affections, wa s thought dead by Candide but she had really been raped and sold into slavery.

Ford Hybrid Car Case Bass Essay

Before beginning any case, students should familiarize  themselves with the model being used. Marketing Engineering for Excel comes with tutorials that demonstrate the capability of each model. The tutorial can be found under each model within the MEââ€" ºXL menu after starting Excel. These tutorials are  designed to work with our OfficeStar examples which are located in the My Marketing Engineering directory, usually installed in My Documents during software installation.  There is no external data set associated with this case; all necessary data are included herein. Ford’s Hybrid Future In September 2006, Alan Mulally had just taken over as the CEO of Ford, the fifth largest corporation in the United States. Ford was in trouble, as was the entire American auto industry, partly due to the rapid increase in average gas prices from $1.10 per gallon for regular, unleaded gasoline in January 2002 to more than $2.50 per gallon in September 2006, according to the Energy Information Administration. Sport utility vehicles and trucks, the mainstays of Ford’s product line, no longer had the depth of consumer appeal they had in the past. Ford’s stock price had declined more than 30% from September 2004, and for the 2006 fiscal year, Ford executives were projecting a loss of almost $6 billion from ongoing operations; paired with restructuring costs, the total projected losses reached approximately $9 billion. Through its â€Å"Way Forward† plan, Ford announced buyout offers for 75,000 hourly workers and planned to cut 30% of its 35,000 salaried employees in the United States. Although these cost-saving measures would improve profitability, ultimately, Ford needed to win in the marketplace to regain its past status; to win, it needs to take drastic market-oriented actions. As part of the Way Forward plan, the previous CEO (and current Chair) William Clay Ford initially announced that the company would build 250,000 hybrid cars annually by 2010. Now Mulally is rethinking that commitment: Would it be enough? Would that be too much? He needs a quick and credible answer to this question before deciding how forcefully to push the hybrid car program within Ford. Mulally also recognizes that the technologies and manufacturing systems that support hybrid cars are growing more and more sophisticated, and companies such as Toyota and Honda, with their head starts in these areas, may move more quickly down the learning curve, producing their cars more cheaply and in greater volumes, which would make it difficult for other companies to catch up to them. To plan Ford’s long-term investments in the hybrid car business, Mulally needs a 10-year forecast of the overall U.S. hybrid Copyright  © 2008 by DecisionPro, Inc. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, go to www.decisionpro.biz. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the permission of DecisionPro, Inc.  market, the world’s largest consumer of gasoline, along with corresponding forecasts for the sales of Ford’s hybrid cars if they are made available to the market. Background A hybrid car is an automobile powered by two sources: (1) an internal combustion engine or diesel engine, as in a regular car, and (2) an electric motor. However, hybrid cars do not need to be recharged via electric plugs; instead, they receive charge from the movement of the wheels and store the generated kinetic energy through a process called regenerative braking. Hybrid cars provide higher mileage by requiring a less powerful engine than a comparable regular car and help conserve nonrenewable sources of energy, such as diesel or gasoline. The smaller engine in the hybrid car is powerful enough to move the car along on the freeway, but when it needs to accelerate or get up a steep hill, it needs the assistance of the electric motor and battery to boost the power output. Hybrid cars work much like regular cars and create little difference in terms of how they are driven, refilled with gas, or serviced. However, hybrid cars typically cost approximately $3,000 more than comparable re gular cars (base price of $25,000 to $30,000) and offer a 10– 15% improvement in gas mileage. The actual savings depend on the driving habits of the user; gradual acceleration, coasting, and the use of cruise control help increase mileage. Although many experts have predicted that hybrids will be the cars of the future, it remains difficult to predict their popularity with consumers and, consequently, their profitability for auto companies. Within the past few years, hybrid cars have gone from being novelties, bought largely by environmentalists and technology-oriented consumers, to represent an established, though small, part of the automotive landscape. According to J.D. Power & Associates, hybrids constitute approximately 1.5% of the total U.S. light-vehicle market, but sales have been growing quickly as other segments have stagnated or fallen. Sales in 2005 of 205,000 units were more than double the 2004 sales levels. A recent survey by J.D. Power also reveals that 57% of consumers who expect to acquire a new vehicle within the next two years will consider a hybrid. Worldwide, approximately 800 million cars and light trucks are in operation, and 240 million of these are in the United States. By 2020, 1 billion cars and light trucks are expected to be in use worldwide. All these cars could eventually be replaced by hybrid cars. In addition to consumer demand for hybrid cars, car manufacturers’ interest in hybrid cars is driven by CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulation, according to which an automaker must maintain a minimum mileage of 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) across passenger cars in its product line and 20.7 mpg across light trucks. The U.S. Congress appears likely to raise these standards in the future in response to societal pressures; according to some experts, the CAFE average may rise to 35 mpg or higher by 2020 across the entire product line (i.e., including all passenger cars and light trucks produced by the manufacturer). Hybrid cars offer the opportunity to raise gas mileage sufficiently to meet this requirement, and therefore, most car manufacturers have either launched hybrid cars or announced plans to do so. An auto manufacturer that fails to meet the standard must pay a penalty to the federal government, which some companies, including BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari, have paid i n 2006. 1 1 The penalty for failing to meet CAFE standards is $5.50 per tenth of a mile per gallon under the target. Thus, a manufacturer that produces cars that average 2 miles below the target and sells 10,000 cars in a given year will pay a fine of $1,100,000 for that year. In 2006, BMW paid a fine of $5.1 million. FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 2/8 Forecasting Considerations The chart in Exhibit 1, from www.hybridcars.com, illustrates the variety of opinions regarding sales forecasts for hybrid cars. The black line shows hybrid sales continuing at their current pace, determined in the time since hybrids first were introduced in 2000. Considering the future five-year timeframe, J.D. Power forecasts are well below the line, whereas others (e.g., D.O.E., Freedonia Group, BoozAllen) predict wider public acceptance of hybrids. Exhibit 1: Forecasts for Hybrid Cars  The wide variation in forecasts reflects some fundamental uncertainties surrounding this technology and market: Technology uncertainties: Many alternative technologies offer different price/performance points. The gas–electric hybrid is the most common; alternative technologies include pure electric cars and fuel cell cars. Alternative fuels might be used in nonhybrid cars and could gain popularity, swaying consumers away from buying hybrids. Some alternative fuels currently in use include E85 (an 85% ethanol blend), clean diesel, and natural gas. For 2006, Ford increased its production of four vehicles that can run on a mixture of gasoline and E85 (i.e., F-150 pickup trucks, Ford Crown Victorias, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Towncars). In a 2005 KPMG survey of 140 senior auto executives, 88% predicted that gas–electric hybrids would gain market share. Even within the gas–electric hybrid market, automakers apply the hybrid technology at varying levels. For example, Honda and Toyota make full-blown hybrid cars, whereas General Motors eased into the sector with a scaled-down, less-expensive hybrid technology that still needed some gasoline to power the transmission. A FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 3/8 breakthrough in battery technology may create a shakeout among the alternative technologies. According to the Department of Energy, either lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries may offer the best future technologies. Lithium ion batteries possess nearly twice the energy of NiMH (nickel–metal– hydride) batteries but require significant circuitry to prevent overcharging and undercharging. They also require thermal management and pose some safety concerns. Hydraulic hybrid technology also is considered superior to the electric hybrid technology, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); UPS is currently testing hydraulic hybrid trucks for use in its regular fleet. Auto companies are also testing other technologies; in 2007, BMW plans to produce 100 hydrogen cars for its 7 series. BMW spokesperson Andreas Klugescheid notes that these cars will not be sold but rather given to consumers who may â€Å"have a potential impact on making a hydrogen economy happen.† These cars will run on hydrogen or gasoline, depending on the driver’s preference, which acknowledges the limited availability of hydrogen fuel and the difficulties associated with distributing it. Market uncertainties: Many uncertainties surround the decisions of both dealers and consumers. For consumers, the potential economic benefit of a hybrid car depends on the price of gasoline. At a gas price of $2.50 per gallon, the breakeven point between a hybrid and a regular gasoline car can occur after 50,000 miles of driving. The higher initial cost is also a barrier to many consumers. To make hybrid cars more attractive to consumers, federal and state governments offer several incentives. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits for their purchase of fuel-efficient, hybrid electric vehicles, in effect through 2007. The amount of tax credit depends on the fuel economy and ranges from $400 to $2500 per vehicle. Some states also offer special incentives for hybrid car drivers, such as solo use of high occupancy lanes (e.g., Georgia, Florida, Arizona), tax credits (e.g., Utah, Illinois, Colorado), or exemption from sales tax on the ca r (e.g., Connecticut, New Mexico). At the same time, some consumers are willing to buy hybrids, even at higher differential prices, to make a statement (you are what you drive!). The Toyota Prius was such a success that dealers charged additional fees for the car and established buyer waiting lists. According to surveys, some consumers would be willing to pay somewhat more for electricity to power their cars if they knew it was coming from renewable and nonpolluting resources. Hybrids also may require some changes in driving habits, such as learning to accelerate and stop smoothly and coasting whenever possible. Many consumers also are not aware that, unlike most regular cars, hybrids achieve better mileage during city driving compared with highway driving. Ford is organizing special â€Å"driver education† events, during which current owners  will team up with Ford engineers to discover ways to improve gas mileage when using hybrid cars. The company hopes that such activities will promote wordof-mouth communications about Ford’s hybrid cars. According to Mary Ann Wright, Ford’s director of hybrid technologies, through this program, â€Å"we created about 300 ambassadors for us. It’s free advertising, and we’re getting some great feedback from them.† Many celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Bill Maher, and Will Ferrell, not only drive hybrid vehicles but openly promote their choice. Thus, it is becoming easier for consumers to hear buzz about hybrid cars and educate themselves, such as through Internet research or by discussing the option with friends and acquaintances who may own a hybrid. The demographics of the typical hybrid car buyer thus may change in the future, especially if the cars grow more attractive to mainstream car buyers. The characteristics of current hybrid car owners are summarized in the  FORD HYBRID CAR CASE. 4/8 following list (Source: Walter McManus, director of the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation, University of Michigan): †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ High level of education. Higher income than the average new buyer—approximately $100,000 a year versus $85,000 a year for the average buyer. More likely to be female. A few years older than the average car buyer—closer to 50 than the average age of 40 years for all car buyers. Drive fewer miles on average. Plan to keep their car longer than the average person—a little more than five years rather than less than five years. Willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly (or â€Å"green†) product. Want to do something to help reduce vehicle pollution. More pessimistic about the future of fuel prices than the average person. Forecasting Hybrid Car Adoption Using the  Bass Model A key consideration in developing forecasts using the Bass model is an understanding of the diffusion process of analogous products. Several different product categories may provide suitable analogs based on the â€Å"substitution† of one type of technology by another. Using this logic, the market research group at Ford has proposed that the diffusion process of diesel cars in Europe might provide a suitable analogous situation because, over time, diesel cars substituted for gasoline cars as the technology of choice. Starting with Volkswagen’s introduction of its Golf diesel car in 1976, the adoption of diesel cars has progressed steadily, and diesel vehicles now account for more than 50% of new car registrations in Western Europe. However, according to Christy Swiecki, an auto industry analyst, the adoption of hybrid cars in the United States is likely to be slower, if the experience of switching to renewable energy is any guide. Although wind, solar, and geothermal so urces of energy are more environmentally friendly, their adoption rates have been slow, partly because traditional sources of energy (e.g., coal, petroleum) remain relatively inexpensive and convenient, and alternative sources may not provide greater economic benefits when the total consumer experience is taken into account. According to Swiecki, initial enthusiasm for hybrid cars will fade, especially once the market expands beyond the traditional high-income, environmentally friendly consumers and as people begin to realize the potential environmental issues with respect to the disposal of the rechargeable batteries in their hybrid cars. She therefore projects sales of hybrid cars in 2015 will be, at most, in the range of 6–8% of the total light-vehicle market of approximately 16.5 million vehicles. Another approach to forecasting views hybrid technology as a â€Å"feature enhancement† to a regular car that increases its mileage. In that case, hybrid cars would be perceived as just another â€Å"under-the-hood-innovation† that delivers more fuel efficiency without sacrificing power, and they should appeal to a broad market. Using this perspective, the market research group at Ford has proposed that the adoption patterns of antilock braking systems (ABS) and fuel-injection technologies might be useful analogs. Both these  technologies were built into products and offered as enhanced features that the customer could choose to buy.  Although ABS originally was created for use in aircrafts, by the early 1970s, ABS technology was being developed for automobiles. In 1978, Bosch created FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 5/8 the first ABS that could be successfully mass produced, and Mercedes-Benz and BMW began to offer the technology. The early versions weighed about 6 lbs (compared with 1.5 lbs today) and cost several thousand dollars. By 1985, less than 1% of all new vehicles worldwide were equipped with ABS—mostly high-profile, high-cost vehicles. In 1985, the Chevy Corvette came standard with ABS for the first time, and by 1989, it was standard in all Porsche models, followed by Mercedes-Benz in 1992. By 2000, 60% of new cars worldwide had ABS, and by 2003, this rate had increased to 69%. Fuel injection is another potential technology enhancement that could serve as an analog for hybrid cars. In a gasoline engine, small amounts of fuel  mix with air during combustion. Since the inception of the auto industry, carburettors were the predominant method to meter the amount of fuel used. An engine’s air-to-fuel ratio must be controlled accurately in different operating conditions to achieve the desired performance metrics. With the development of electronic fuel injection (EFI) technology, fuel could be metered very accurately and precisely, which helped increase gas mileage and reduce air pollutants compared with their levels in carburetted engines. Even though EFI was a much superior technology, the transition from carburettors to EFI was gradual, taking about 14 years from 1979 to 1993 for EFI to displace carburettors. Reasons for the gradual transition included the initial high cost of EFI systems (about $600 more per unit than carburettors) and the lack of cl early perceptible benefits for car owners. As a result, the early EFI systems appeared only in luxury and performance cars, which could absorb their higher costs into the overall price. From Market Forecasts to Forecasts for Ford Ford is primarily interested in how many hybrid cars it will be able to sell in the next 10 years so it can make sound judgments about how much capacity for hybrid cars to build in its factories, as well as the amount of effort it should devote to training its dealer network that will sell the cars. Therefore, marketlevel forecasts need to be converted into forecasts for Ford brand hybrid cars. Exhibits 2 and 3 summarize sales of hybrid cars from 2000 to 2006 and sales of Ford hybrid cars relative to the total market in 2006. Ford introduced the Ford Escape hybrid in late 2004 and the Mercury Mariner hybrid in early 2006. Year Number of Hybrid Models (Light Vehicles) U.S. Sales of Hybrid Cars (Units) U.S. Total Number of New Cars (Light Vehicles) Sold 2000 2 9,350 13,181,000 2001 2 20,287 13,510,000 2002 2 35,000 13,639,000 2003 3 47,525 13,594,000 2004 5 88,000 13,609,000 2005 7 215,000 13,551,000 2006 10 252,636 13,271,000 Exhibit 2: Sales of Hybrids in the United States Notes: Light vehicles include passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks. FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 6/8 Car Model Honda Insight Toyota Prius Honda Civic Honda Accord Toyota Camry Toyota Highlander Lexus RX400h Lexus GS450h Ford Escape Ford Mercury Mariner Total Combined (city + highway) EPA mpg 57 55 50 31 39 29 29 26 34 31 Jan. 2006 59 7,654 3,165 351 n/a 2,263 1,477 n/a 801 97 15,867 Feb. 2006 72 6,547 1,780 783 n/a 2,631 1,803 n/a 1,233 108 14,957 Mar. 2006 79 7,922 2,232 581 n/a 2,987 2,470 n/a 1,441 149 17,861 Apr. 2006 110 8,234 3,087 614 86 3,768 2,247 141 3,039 381 21,707 May. 2006 92 8,103 2,890 520 3,032 3,755 2,006 294 2,434 428 23,554 Jun. 2006 77 9,696 2,601 396 4,268 2,705 1,190 231 1,569 315 23,048 Jul. 2006 91 11,114 2,673 504 5,023 2,784 1,220 157 2,060 423 26,049 Aug. 2006 109 11,177 3,411 499 4,977 2,581 1,514 192 1,789 351 26,600 Sep. 2006 19 10,492 2,508 389 4,044 2,347 1,687 164 1,369 282 23,301 Oct. 2006 9 8,733 2,288 287 2,806 1,643 1,239 177 1,343 259 18,784 Nov 2006 2 8,008 2,208 311 3,100 1,667 1,327 176 1,323 161 18,283 Dec 2006 3 9,291 2,408 363 4,005 2,354 1,981 252 1,748 220 22,625 Total Unit Sales 2006 722 106,971 31,251 5,598 31,341 31,485 20,161 1,784 20,149 3,174 252,636 Exhibit 3: Unit Sales of Different Models of Hybrid Cars, 2006. (Source: www.hybridcars.com; www.fueleconomy.gov). FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 7/8 EXERCISES (1) Summarize and justify alternative scenarios (i.e., compelling stories about the future) ranging from pessimistic to optimistic with regard to market performance of hybrid cars. (2) Develop forecasts of hybrid car penetration in the U.S. market from 2007 through 2016 for each scenario you develop, along with a justification and explanation for your forecasts. (In applying the Bass model, note that market penetration data for the four analog products mentioned in the case, namely, ABS, EFI, Solar, and Diesel cars, were all reckoned in terms of the percentage of the target market that adopted the product. Thus the maximum market potential can at most be equal to 100). (3) Recommend short-term and long-term strategies that Ford should pursue based on the forecasts that you develop. Note: This case was developed by Professor Arvind Rangaswamy with assistance from Megan Ruth De Stefano and Sasi Amarlapudi. The case is based on publicly available information as of January 2007. Its purpose is to illustrate a business situation involving forecasting, based on real events; it does not purport to represent actual decisions made by the Ford Motor Company. Data and the case situation described here are based on information obtained from public sources listed in the body of the text and the following: U.S. Department of Transportation; http://www.hybridcars.com; USA Today, October 14, 2005; Plunkett Research, Ltd.; The Wall Street Journal, September 13, 2006.

Explain How Children and Young People’s Development Is Influenced by a Range of Personal Factors Essay

There are many influences which can affect a child’s development, personal factors include influences before and at birth, health status and disabilities, sensory impairments and learning difficulties. Genetics affect a child’s development at conception where the sperm and egg determine sex, height and eye colour. If the genetics are faulty this can affect the child’s health and development. During pregnancy the mother needs to ensure that she does not smoke, drink or use drugs, all of these things are made up of toxins which can severely harm the baby which in turn can cause complications at birth and possible delayed development later on in life. Genetics can also cause addiction, depression and low self esteem if these problems run in the family. Difficulties throughout the labour such as anoxia (lack of oxygen) can cause difficulties for development. Read more: Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of external factors essay If a child is born with a condition or develops one later on in life this may affect their development. They may have an illness such as asthma which affects their breathing; this can be caused by living in highly polluted areas or living in a house with people who smoke. Due to this the child may be less likely to play and be active with their friends as their condition may restrict them from doing this, this may mean that the child has a lesser understanding of appropriate group interaction or team playing. Learning difficulties in a child can cause a developmental delay; this means that the child finds learning difficult. Disabilities, sensory impairments and learning difficulties can affect children’s and young people’s development, their disability may affect one area of development which in turn can affect another the development of another area, meaning that overall development cannot occur, this can lead to low self -esteem and self-worth.

Mongolia’s Karakorum

The ancient city of Karakorum in the 13th century according to history and archaeological records was the seat and the imperial capital of the Mongol Empire of Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan. It is located in the Ovohangai Mongolia, near the Orhon River and Mount Otuken according to Haw (2006, 32). The city was founded and erected by Genghis Khan himself in 1220 to serve as the seat of his vast Mongol Empire and not only served as the administrative center but a major cultural link between the East and the West. Before the 13th century, the area around Karakorum particularly Karabalghasun used to be the seat of the Uyghurs who needed a permanent fortified capital to store resources extorted from China in 750-757. Ideally, this place was the best choice because the Turks and the Mongols considered the surrounding lands as sacred. After the Uyghurs were destroyed in 840 by the Khirgiz; the region was transformed from a Turkish heartland to a Mongol land. The Khirgiz power was however centered on the Yenisei River to the North which was how the area around Mt. Outuken and Karakorum faded into oblivion according to Findley (2005, 49). Geographically Karakorum also lies in the northwestern corner of the Ãâ€"và ¶rkhangai Province of Mongolia, near today’s town of Kharkhorin. This region is surrounded by arable land making the soil generally soft and ideal for planting after the annual flooding according to Morgan (1986, 87). The land is also conducive to grazing which is highly acceptable and desirable to a nomadic tribe who relied on horses to travel faster to faraway lands. Present day Mongolia has discovered the ruins of the vast city of Karakorum in an area which was suitable for both crops and livestock and which possessed very old-established mining deposits Morgan(1986, 46). As a major geographic route in the Middle Ages, Karakorum is also a saddle between two mountains and a river and considered a relatively easy passage to the East which was how Genghis must have envisioned his central empire. When the Mongols reunited the steppe tribes, they created the largest land-based empire in history interlinking Europe and Asia under Genghis Khan in McCannon (2006, 143). However, prior to their expansion, the Mongols did not have a sophisticated society and proved adept at cultural borrowing as related in McCannon (2006, 144). History has related how the Mongols behaved like barbarians without any regard for personal care and clothing. As warriors, a nomadic life best suited them and anything that could slow their journey to the next city they could conquer is avoided. However Kwantes revealed that the Mongols massive journey and conquests into other lands awoke them to goods they had never seen (2005, 57). Khan and his men learned to appreciate the beautiful silk, delicious food and exotic items pillaged and gathered from other places (Kwantes, 57). They began to slowly learn about other people’s culture which changed their way of lives. Genghis Khan’s advisers told him once, â€Å"thou has conquered great empire in the saddle†¦ thou cannot govern it so,† (Kwantes 58). Clearly this advisor understood that Khan’s nomadic way of life could not continue when vast lands and goods were acquired without a central government devised to rule for such a grown empire. Understanding the need for continuity of the Mongol rule, Genghis Khan now growing older changed the Mongol’s nomadic life and decided to establish Karakorum as his headquarters because of its accessibility and spiritual history (Kwantes, 57). In its prime Karakorum served not only as the administrative centre of the Mongolian Empire, but also as a major trade and cultural link between East and West in Haw, (2006, 32). The Mongols soon imposed a single political authority, encouraged economic exchange and made travel conditions safer according to McCannon (2006, 144). They began to established cities around their territories and made crucial economic centers passable for merchants, missionaries and travelers of all profession (McCannon, 144). Genghis Khan desired for his people to learn which is why foreign visitors were encouraged and welcomed so the Mongols could gather knowledge from the foreigners about cultures uncommon to them. Morgan once said that the Mongols were unsophisticated and uncultured who did not know how to write (1986, 114). All this would change later on as Mongol conquest is contemporarily declared as the transfer of intellectual and scientific primacy of the Old World from Islamic societies to Western and Eastern societies in Saunders(2001, 82). At its height, Karakorum became a busy metropolis served by soldiers, merchants, and craftspeople, many of the latter imported from lands conquered by the Mongolian military in Morgan (1986, 114). The ancient city, with an area of 400 meters by 400 meters, was protected from attackers by a fortified wall, and near each of the wall’s four gates, four giant granite turtle sculptures were installed to protect the city from a potentially more dangerous threat: periodic floods from the Orhon River in Morgan (1986:115). Karakorum in the 13th century then became home to more than ten thousand people, including Khan’s family, noblemen, ministers, military leaders, craftsmen, traders, clergy, and foreign guests, in addition to nomads inhabiting the compounds in Morgan (1986, 114). The huge size of the city was ideal for the city’s diverse religions where twelve idol temples of different nations, two mosques in which is cried the and one church of Christians could be found within its walls(Kwantes, 59). In addition, a diverse population also inhabited the walls with resident Chinese, Alans, Ruthenians, Georgians, Hermenians and other non-Mongol peoples inside as provided in Saunders (2001, 19). Karakorum became a host to a stream of foreign emissaries and traders like Marco Polo and perhaps Ibn Battuta among others. Delegations as far away as India, Arabia, Armenia and Rome, as well as merchants from China, Persia, and other countries along the Silk Route were welcome to the Great Khan’s established city. Town life must have prospered a lot during Genghis reign as archaeological evidence supports how their existence was centered on metallurgy powered by the currents of the Orkhon River. Other findings include arrowheads; iron cauldrons; wheel bushings; evidence of ceramic tiles and sculpture production (Brittanica, 2005). Glass beads production and yarn spindles were also evident along with also Chinese silk and coins that could support the trading activity in the area (Brittanica, 2005). Recent excavations of the city ruins have indicated that the royal palace was likely burned down at the time of the Min invasion, but it is not clear how completely the city was demolished (McCannon, 144). Although there is no mention of Karakorum in known historical records of the following 87 years, it is quite possible that the city was never fully abandoned according to McCannon (2006, 144). Indeed the city is the cradle of many Central Asian civilizations with its advanced agriculture and crafts that were highly developed while trade flourished. Despite European claims that the Tartars (as how Europe called the Mongols) were highly uncivilized and unsophisticated; records would show that Karakorum was once an intellectual community. They honor and respect diverse cultures and religion which has been carried through centuries of repression until 1990’s when Mongolians were soon free to practice any religion of choice. Illiteracy has also been eliminated in this modern period as a legacy from its great leaders. Today the Mongols and their great leaders are remembered as valiant heroes who conquered vast lands against all odds to build a mighty empire or as ruthless conquerors that destroyed everything in their path. Genghis set a certain set of organization, discipline, equipment and mentality to fight for and with his men with a vast army organized into a decimal system, with a commander for every series of 10 units elected by the troops in Morgan (1986, 115). Military tactics were rehearsed well in preparation and each warrior was expected to know precisely what to do from the signals of the commanders, which took form in flaming arrows, drums, and banners (Morgan, 116). With extreme discipline they combined skill, discipline, and tactics without Western interference or teaching, learning such divisive techniques on their own. Sometime when the western knights fought with the Mongol horsemen during an invasion, the Europeans were utterly destroyed as the Mongols employed a wide array of tricks that contradicts claims of their uneducated and barbaric status. Nevertheless, the sheer extent of their conquests revealed how an ailing nation ravaged by poverty and conflict once united under a single cause could reach great heights of power and achievement. Division and greed for power disunited them into utter failure which serves as a lesson for the next generations. I therefore consider the Mongols as the significant players in history because their conquests surpass what any other country has done. Works   Cited Kwantes, Anne. She Has Done a Beautiful Thing for Me: Portraits of Christian Women in Asia PhilAm books, 2005. Haw, Stephen. Marco Polo in China: A Venetian in the Realm of Khubilal Khan. Routledge, 2006. McCannon, John. Barron’s How to Prepare for the AP World. Barrons   Educational Series, 2006. Findley, Carter Vaughn. The Turks in World History. United States: Oxford Press, 2005. Britannica. Karakorum. 2005. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9044690/Karakorum Accessed: 08 May, 2007. Morgan, David. The Mongols. Blackwell Publishing, 1986. Saunders, John Joseph. The History of the Mongol Conquests. Blackwell Publishing, 2001.

The Introduction of Starbucks

Background of Starbucks In 1970s, Starbucks opens first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The name comes from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, a classic American novel about the 19th century whaling industry. The seafaring name seems appropriate for a store that imports the world’s finest coffees to the cold, thirsty people of Seattle. In 1980s, Howard Schultz joins Starbucks as director of retail operations and marketing. Starbucks begins providing coffee to fine restaurants and espresso bars.At the next year, he travels to Italy, where he’s impressed with popularity of espresso bars in Milan. He sees the potential to develop a similar coffeehouse culture in Seattle. He convinces the Starbucks’ founders to test the coffeehouse concept in downtown Seattle by serving the first Caffe Latte. Howard found Il Giornale, which offering brewed coffee and espresso beverages. Its name changed to Starbucks Corporation and opened in Canada. In 1990s, Starbucks expands headquarters in Seattle. It became the first privately owned U.S. company to offer a stock option program that includes part-time employees. It opened the first licensed airport store at Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport and completed initial public offering (IPO) at the next year. It opened roasting plant in Kent, Wash. In 1994,  Starbucks opens the first drive-thru location and introduces Starbucks ® super-premium ice cream in 1995. They  begin establish the Starbucks Foundation. In 1998, they extend the Starbucks brand into grocery channels across the U. S. and  launch Starbucks. om. In 2000s, to our excellent coffees and espresso drinks, people now enjoy for Tazo ® tea and Frappuccino ® blended beverages. Howard transitions to chairman and chief global strategist, Orin Smith promoted to president and chief executive officer. They established licensing agreement with TransFair USA to sell Fairtrade certified coffee. In  2003,  they acquire Sea ttle Coffee Company and open the first Farmer Support Center in San Jose, Costa Rica. In 2006, Starbucks launches the first paper beverage cup containing ost-consumer recycled fiber. Chairman Howard returns as chief executive officer and then acquires Coffee Equipment Company. He launches Starbucks first online community. In 2010s,  Starbucks expanded digital offerings for customers with free unlimited Wi-Fi, Starbucks Digital Network. Until 2012, Starbucks has out of 17,000 stores throughout the world. It also  introduces Starbucks ® Blonde Roast and announces Verismo ® system by Starbucks premium single-cup espresso machine.Starbucks also acquires La Boulange ® bakery brand to elevate core food offerings. Nature of Business Starbucks is one of the famous coffee brands and shop it also is the best coffee making. It purchases and roasts high-quality bean coffees and sells them along with fresh, rich-brewed, Italian style espresso beverages, a variety of pastries and confec tions, and coffee-related accessories and equipment-primarily through its company-operated retail stores.In addition to sales through our company-operated retail stores, Starbucks sells whole bean coffees through a specialty sales group and supermarkets. Additionally, Starbucks produces and sells bottled Frappuccino ® coffee drink and premium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships and offers a line of innovative premium teas produced by its wholly owned subsidiary, Tazo Tea Company. Starbucks are also launches Starbucks Card iPhone apps and Starbucks Card Mobile payment.The Company's objective is to establish the Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world. To achieve this goal, the Company plans to continue to rapidly expand its retail operations, grow its specialty sales and other operations, and selectively pursue opportunities to leverage Starbucks brand through the introduction of new products and the development of new distribution channels.

Service Marketing Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Service Marketing Management - Term Paper Example According to the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a lender is also held responsible along with the supplier of the goods for any type of breach of contract or the misrepresentation made. This also, therefore, means that the banks have probably failed to correctly anticipate the needs of their customers and then form strategic alliances with the firms offering the goods that consumers want to purchase through credit extended by the banks. According to the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a lender is also held responsible along with the supplier of the goods for any type of breach of contract or the misrepresentation made. This also, therefore, means that the banks have probably failed to correctly anticipate the needs of their customers and then form strategic alliances with the firms offering the goods that consumers want to purchase through credit extended by the banks. Most of the banks are willing to offer what they promise to their customers, however, due to other dimensions, they may not be a ctually delivering what they promise to do. Large Banks, however, seems to be too occupied with offering the services that are more profit-oriented and do not take into consideration what is actually required by the customers Smaller Banks and larger retailers fill that gap?   The above discussion indicates that there are two major gaps in the services offered by the large banks. These include reliability as well as the assurance and as such consumers seem to be most dissatisfied in these two areas. Reliability is often an issue in retail consumer credit wherein banks often tend to levy charges which are not either explicitly explained to the customers or presented in ambiguous and technical language. Since this is often done in order to make more out of unsecured relationships, many banks often engage themselves in such type of activities and result into the significant perceptions issues for the customers. Assurance is another critical gap because many consumers believe that the banks fail to deliver the required services with a given level of services. The issues related with the administration of the services clearly indicate towards the lack of required skills to basically administer the service and may indicate that the large banks are lacking behind in training and development of their employees.