Bakra Beverages Negotiation Case Essay

The negotiation was fast. BebsiCo gave me a price for a yearly contract of $4 M and I agreed. We agreed to negotiate again next year after seeing the percentage of the target market we have reached. The deal was fair, and created value for me (reputation and possibility to obtain financing). I also noticed them about the availability to distribute in the largest chain-restaurant in the country (low cost for us, high value for them). This was an example of a claiming value negotiation, where both parties tried to achieve an individual gain (the best price) and only the price being discussed. However, it has integrative issues as well, because it is important to build a long-term relationship to keep distributing in the future. My BATNA was bankruptcy, and my reservation point very low, so any deal for me would be good. It was important to try to get a lot of information from the other party before you negotiate the price, because you may find out something. The opening party discussing the price shows a lot. So I tried to give her all the information I had (about my experience, my contacts) and ask her about things such as â€Å"why don ´t you want to work with Kabir† or â€Å"why are you interested in working with us†. Based on our answers, it was clear that we both had the same interest: succeed together. I learned from this negotiation that in claiming value negotiation, there are ways to include creating value issues. We could have negotiated including â€Å"if you do this, then you get that†. I also learned that it is important to know the reference points before you negotiate to get a fair deal. Parties may have assymetric information, but sharing information helps achieving your interest.

After high school Essay

As we get older, more and more problems begin to form. When we reach our teenage years though, it becomes worse. One problem I think the hardest is for young adults is deciding what we want to do for the rest of our lives when we are so young. You can go to college, military or the working field depending on your preference. When we’re in high school, we have to raise our hand and ask to use the restroom, go to the office to make any phone call no matter how important it may be and have ridiculous dress code rules. You are treated like a child from kindergarten all the way up to senior year and yet they expect you to make the most important decision of your life then. One thing that people do straight out of high school is go directly to the work field. Although its normally in most people’s best interest not to, not everyone is made for college. Unless you are extremely lucky, it has been found that people who didn’t advance to other education after high school make 85% less than those with a college diploma. My brother has a roommate in college and his dad dropped out of college after his first year or two and he makes more money than most people will ever see. His wife doesn’t have to work and his kids have it made when it comes to the materialistic things in life. He owns his own real estate company in Pittsburgh and sells and rents houses to people. He does most of his own work so he doesn’t have to pay people to do it, which is very convenient for him. Although most people do not get as lucky as him, that’s okay for some people because money isn’t everything though. Sometimes it’s better to take time off of school instead of wasting all that money when you don’t even know what you are planning on doing for the rest of your life and going straight to college. There are many reasons why people decide to not go to college, not because they just don’t think that they can do it. Sometimes people have kids before they plan, family problems or even they just can’t get help to pay for it so it holds them back from attending. College is an expensive thing that most people don’t want to pay for. You have years of loans to pay back and for a lot of people; they end up miserable at their jobs after a few years. It is also very hard to get help to pay for you college education. When my cousin tried getting help for college, because she had a full time job and no kids she could get barely any money even though she wasn’t getting any help from her parents. If college still isn’t the right thing for you but you don’t want McDonalds to be your only definite in for a job, the military is a great option. Although you have to work your butt off for it, the military gives awesome benefits. Of course it’s nothing that the NBA players make, which is ridiculous, but it is still a lot just for being in the military. A player in the NBA averages about $5. 15 million per year and all the do is dribble and shoot a basketball for a living where people in the military have to work their tails off every single day to fight for our country and they only get about $70 thousand per year. There is a lot of schooling that they will pay for you so you can still get an education while being in the military. Not only will you get your schooling paid for, but also you can even get paid for going. Also, they have programs like ROTC where you can still train for the military but you are in an actual college getting your education. As well as getting your education paid for, you also get free medical care, financial security and you can retire around 20 years before other people do. If you get all of that stuff paid for, is there even anything left to buy? Food and housing. No worries, in the Army, you receive a regular paycheck and free housing including meals. If you live off of base, you will still receive a housing allowance. Even if the amount of free meals and the checks don’t cover all of the food you want, some restaurants and grocery stores offer military discounts, which will also save a lot of money. My dad owns houses and rent them out to people and the first thing he looks at is what kind of job they have to make sure they can keep up with rent. Last summer there was a guy from the Army that tried to rent of my dad and he told him that the monthly paying isn’t going to be a big deal because he gets checks from the Army specifically for his housing so it is totally free for him. Although college isn’t everyone’s best option, I believe it’s more worth it than working forever at a job that barely gets you by. Colleges can really help you out when you aren’t exactly sure what you want to do. Some even make you take a full year of general education classes just so you are sure that you want to be in that major. Nobody should waste thousands of dollars just to change their mind like 50-70% of college kids end up doing. Also, most colleges have classes that help you transition from high school to college and help get good study habits and things like that. For most kids, what they do for the school like sports, music, theatre and clubs is the most important part of high school. Proceeding to college gives you the opportunity to further your career in things like that where there are plenty of sports, clubs, different bands and also sororities and fraternities. Although that would be going to college for the wrong reasons, a college education in general expands your knowledge base, makes you more organized and exposes you to a whole new world of learning. There are also so many different types of colleges though. Depending on your preference, you can go to school for a few months or 12 years. There are community colleges, tech schools, four-year schools and also schools that are totally based on what you want to do. At the four-year schools, you have to take a certain amount of general education courses where as a college with a certain amount of month program, all of your classes are dedicated for your major. Every school that you go to has a variety of majors to choose from which also make the college option hard. There are some things that people will never even hear of until they go to college and even then, there are thousands of jobs you can do with most majors that people will probably never even know throughout their entire life. A lot of people don’t realize that a really big benefit of going to both college and the military is the life long friends that you make. Of course you’ll always have your friends from high school, but college and the military both give you the opportunity to start over and make new friends. As you can see, there are benefits to every option you decide to do when you graduate high school. There are also a lot of cons to the option that you decide. It all depends on the person and what they are like. It’s just a very hard decision to make when you are barely old enough to stay outside past 11pm. We are very uneducated about the all the different majors in college and the benefits of or other options if we decided to not go to college. We have only lived about a quarter of our life and we are expected to decide what we want to do for three more quarters of our life. This decision is the one that is going to affect you for the rest of your life and I just don’t think that we are educated enough to make it.

Front Office Operation

Front Office Operations Adam Fikis Week #6 Reservations * Definition: An agreement reached between a supplier and a traveler or travel agent or a clerical or electronic process whereby a seat, a room, a berth or other accommodation is withdrawn from sale and set aside for the use of a specific person, often on payment of a deposit. Reservations Outcomes * Guest Perspective * Having a guestroom ready and waiting when they arrive * Should not be just any room, but the room that best meets the guest needs expressed during the reservations process. * Hotel Perspective The reservations process should provide the highest occupancy and the room revenue possible. Reservation and Sales * Before Automation: * Agents focused on room availability information. * Not able to identify room type. * Agents would note special request on the reservation. * Certain bedding type, smoking, non-smoking, scenic view * Front desk fulfill such request at the time of check-in. * At the same time agents were re sponsible for maximizing occupancy & revenue * Incentives were provided to sell higher priced rooms during check-in. After Automation: * Agents can review room and rate information for specific dates * Request for specific room types, location, and special features can be immediately acknowledged and quickly confirmed as a part of the reservations process. * Agent create an image of the hotel to the callers * Reservations agents are not order takers and are trained in sales techniques. * Reservation now is viewed as part of sales department. Role of the Sales Department in Reservations * Primary Source of Reservations Group Sales Managers or Representatives create group reservations * Corporations, trade associations or SMERF(Sports, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal) * Actual reservations may go the reservations department by phone, fax, website etc. * Sales office originated the sale * Sales Department also generate sales from other markets * Transient, Corporate, Leisur e etc. * A major function of the Sales department is to familiarise local businesses and travel agencies about the benefits and features of the property. * Depending on the type of hotel Sales Managers maybe assigned to work with travel agencies, Internet websites, and other reservations distribution outlets * Distribution channels should be familiar with the hotel’s characteristics and surrounding areas * To create a positive impression of the property and the travel destination * Sales Managers are often provided with financial or other incentives for meeting or exceeding their sales goals. * Sales objectives and incentives (including promotions) are now related to revenue rather than room sales as previously done in the past.Types of Reservations * Guaranteed Reservations: (A guaranteed reservation assures the guest that the hotel will hold a room until a specific time of the day following the guest’s scheduled arrival date. ) * Prepayment * A room reservation in wh ich guests, prior to their arrival, provide payment for their rooms. Sometimes referred to as an â€Å"advanced deposit† reservation. * Credit Cards * Reservations are secured by a credit card number. In exchange for your card number, the hotel promises to have a room for you no matter when you show up on the day. Advance Deposits * Requires that the guest pays the hotel a specified amount prior to arrival, usually large enough to cover 1 night’s room and taxes. * Travel Agent * Travelers pay the agency in advance for transportation and room charges; and the agency in turn guarantees the reservation. * Corporate * A corporation entering into an agreement with an hotel, which states that they will accept financial responsibility for any no-shows travelers the corporation is sponsoring. * Voucher / Miscellaneous Charge Order (MCO) * Guest prepays an amount to the agency.The agency forwards the Voucher/MCO to the hotel as proof of payment and guarantee that the prepaid am ount will be sent to the property when the voucher is returned to the travel agency. * Non-Guaranteed * Hotel agrees to hold a room for the guest until a stated reservations cancellation hour * Usually 4:00 p. m. or 6:00 p. m. * Does not guarantee the property will receive payment for no-show * The room is released back into the generally inventory if guest does not arrive by stated time. Reservation Inquiry / Sources Property Direct * Telephone * Mail * Traditional / Electronic * Property Web Site * Property to Property * Faxes * TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) * Through a central reservation system * Affiliate System * A hotel reservations system in which all participating properties are contractually related * Non-Affiliate System * Subscription system designed to connect independent and non-chain properties * Usually assumes responsibility for advertising * Only accepts certain quality or limited number of hotels in an rea to keep price of their service high * Examp les – Hazelton Toronto & Chateau Bonne Entente (Leading Hotels of the World) * Preferred Hotels & Resorts (Soho Metropolitan -Toronto) * Distinguished Hotels & Resorts (Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant) * Cluster Reservations Office * Chains that have several properties in a geographic area may opt to establish a single reservations or cluster office * Similar to hotel chain reservations system, but serves only a specific location instead of the entire company. All reservation enquiries are channeled through cluster office * Room rates and availability can be coordinated * Cross selling of other cluster properties * Global Distribution Systems (GDS) * Support the distribution of airline tickets, car rentals, hotel inventories with service providers, suppliers & intermediaries. * SABRE, GALILEO, WORLDSPAN, AMADEUS * Inter-sell Agencies * A reservations systems contracted to handle bookings for more than one product line. It is like a â€Å"One Stop Shop† or â€Å"One call does it all†. Handles booking for * Airline companies * Car agencies & lodging properties * Internet Distribution Systems (IDS) * A process by which Hospitality, Travel & Tourism companies offer on-line reservations services via the internet. Group Reservations & Terms * Usually involve(s) a variety of contacts: * In some instances (guests, meeting planners, CVB(Convention & Visitors Bureau), travel agents, tour operator, hotel sales staff etc. ) * Block: An agreed number of rooms is set aside If sufficient rooms are available * A Group Block must be monitored by reservation manager * Special identification code / Reservations Card * Given to prospective guests to reserve rooms within the group’s assigned block * Rooms reserved for specific guests are referred to as booked * If the group take away rooms from transient(non-group) Res. Manager must advise G. Manager. This is called NON-GROUP DISPLACEMENT. * Wash Down – reducing Block based on the group’s hi story * Cut-off date A pre-determined date when the hotel stops accepting reservations for the group * Group Resume * Summary of group activities, billing instructions, arrival / departure patterns * Key attendees and recreational / entertainment activities * Usually stored at the front desk * Group Contract: * states the number of rooms and quoted rate * states arrival, departure, and special consideration – such as complimentary room Reservation Records Identify guests and their occupancy needs before their arrival * Allows the hotel to personalize / customize guest services * Guest name (group name if applicable) * Guest’s home or billing address, telephone and email details * Guest’s company name and address, if any * Number of people and children * Room rate & type * Arrival date and time * Expected departure date * Method of guarantee (if any) * Corporate / Travel Agency Account Information * Special requests (Cribs, Smoking / Non-Smoking rooms, children, disabled etc. Reservation Confirmation / Cancellation * When the hotel acknowledges and verifies a guest room request and personal information by phone, fax, (e)mailing a letter of confirmation. They generally include the following: * Name & address of guest * Date and arrival time * Room type and rate * Length of stay * Number of person(s) in party * Reservations classification (guarantee/non-guarantee) * Reservations cancellation / confirmation number * Special requests, if any

Company analysis of Ooredoo (previously known as Q-tel) Research Paper

Company analysis of Ooredoo (previously known as Q-tel) - Research Paper Example The company is headquartered in Doha, Qatar and is growing ambitiously by capturing the opportunities that exist in the emerging market in the world. The Ooredoo Group operates with a wide range of brands in the communication industry and provides a collection of services which include mobile telephones, broadband, digital technologies and fibre technologies to serve their customer and the business industry. The core vision of Ooredoo is to enrich the lives of the people by being the leading communications company at the international stage. The Ooredoo group is committed to let their customer live their aspiration. This has been achieved for a huge customer base in international societies who are closely connected with their operators. The operators of Ooredoo keep close linkages with the communities and fulfil their daily needs. The markets of Ooredoo are present in Iraq, Indonesia, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, Maldives, Palestine and Qatar. The chairman of Ooredoo, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani enjoys the status of minister of state and has been instrumental in implementing effective corporate governance, corporate accountability and maximizing the wealth of its shareholders. In line with the vision statement, Ooredoo has a mission to become the leading international communications company in the world. ... For this Ooredoo maintains underlying ethics of true financial disclosures. Ooredoo group is committed to fulfil its corporate social responsibility by extending support to the communities and groups for charities in Qatar thereby returning the benefits to the society. The group also has a vision of contributing actively to social causes in the field of healthcare, education, sports, environmental aspects and welfare of the society. Ooredoo supports the national program for spreading awareness towards electronic wastes and their disposal techniques which helps in protecting the environment. Apart from that the company sponsors school events, educational projects. Ooredoo also supported construction of a full-fledged kidney dialysis centre in Qatar. As an outcome of adhering to the core values in line with the vision and mission statement, Ooredoo has achieved an eight fold growth from $800 million to $7.5 billion at the end of 2010 under the leadership of its management. Identificati on of stakeholders The stakeholders of the Ooredoo have increased as the company has expanded its operations in several markets all over the world by catering to the emerging needs in telecommunication. Ooredoo being a leading international communications company has both internal as well as the external stakeholders. The chairman of the Board of Directors, the governing body, representatives of the government and representatives of the private sector present in the governing body, the shareholders of the company and the employees of Ooredoo comprise of the internal stakeholders. The framework of policies of the organisation and implementing of those

The Fall of the Roman Empire and the Transformation of Europe Essay

The Fall of the Roman Empire and the Transformation of Europe - Essay Example Taking into account the modes of transportation in comparison to today's technology - the sheer size of the empire is even more breathtaking. How is it then that such a well-oiled machine that came as close to perfecting a governmental system out of all the ancient empires, one that is still partially mimicked in governments today, collapsed? Some would say that the legacy left after the physical decline of Rome was so influential, that the Roman Empire never collapsed to begin with, but rather remained in ideology. Others would argue that the Roman Empire merely relocated to the east and continued to live in prosperity there. To observe how the Roman Empire has affected civilization through its rise and fall, we shall look at the transformation Europe underwent in the centuries following the Capital's demise. The question to initially ponder would be: what caused the decline and fall of the Roman Empire? On this issue, scholars have and continue to differ in option. A general consen sus is that it was a multitude of reasons. The most popular being the adoption of Christianity, the continual invasion of barbarian hordes, and the gradual decline of social structure. In 410 AD, after 800 years of security, Rome was conquered and sacked by the Visigoths lead by Alaric I. Only 30 years after the adoption of Christianity as the state religion, it is hard to argue that this did not play into its destruction. Barbarians, however, were by no means a new threat. Rome struggled for centuries before containing the threats of pagan tribes such as the Visigoths, Vandals, Alani, Allemanni, and even the Huns lead by the notorious Attila. The Empire, at least the western half, had been in decline for a while and the sacking of Rome was the final nail in the coffin. In 476 AD, Romulus Augustulus, the final Roman emperor of the west, was removed from power by Prince Odavacar, a Germanic ruler who controlled the remnants of the Roman army. He then banished the regalia to Constanti nople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was then broken up and governorship was given to dozens of princes and kings. Power was based on military forces comprised of immigrants from former Roman provinces. The impact this revolution had on life in the former western Empire is immense. The spread of the Roman Empire was, for many, a symbol of education, literacy, advanced economic policies, sophisticated architecture, and a established and successful judicial system. The end of the Roman Empire, at least the western front, signified a death of the above and an entrance into a dark age. The eastern portion of the empire, however, went on to survive the collapse of the western portion, and became known as the Eastern Roman Empire. It went on to thrive in the sixth century under the reign of Justinian I. (Okamura 489). The specific dates of the fall of the Roman Empire can be attributed to the period 337 - 476 AD. Although this in itself could be a oversimplific ation. Firstly, this is specifically referring to the fall of the Western Roman Empire and that New Rome was to stand for a further thousand years. Secondly, the fall of Rome was not instantaneous. There was no specific event which led to the immediate downfall of the Empire. The first contributor to the downfall of Rome was the spread of Christianity and Christian thought amongst the Empire. Following Theodosius the Great's death in 396 AD, the Empire was divided into East and West amongst his sons. The progression of Christianity meant that new churches and Christian influenced architecture were built and buildings from the classical period were left to decay. The Emperor was met with increased difficulty and

Media and popular culture in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Media and popular culture in China - Essay Example Chinese history and culture have always been difficult to understand for western intellectuals. Although trade relationships between China and the rest of the world had gone on for centuries, there is always the perception of that the country represents the other, the Orient. This construct is noted to be in complete contrast to the Occident. Seen in light of this dichotomy, while sentiments and views expressed by Chinese leaders might appear contradictory or paradoxical to the western observer, they are not necessarily so for the Chinese people themselves. Chinese leader Dengs statement to the party to â€Å"Guard against the Right, but primarily against the Left† can hence be interpreted to be logically and practically plausible. The rest of this essay will elaborate on this thesis. Ever since the communist revolution of 1945 and the rise to power of the Communist Party of China (CCP), Marxist-Leninist thought have been the backbone of much of public policy. Under the iron rule of Mao Zedong, although several millions of Chinese lost their lives through their acts of rebellion, communist ideology has been reverentially promoted both within the party and among the general public. This is not to say that there are no contradictions and countervailing tendencies within the party leadership. If anything, when one looks at the priorities of Chinese leadership during the last six decades, it is clear that their holding on to authority is of paramount importance. Whether communist principles get implemented through public policy has been secondary to monopolization of power. And since the greatest threat to power comes from popular movements, as opposed to business interests, Dengs warning against the Left makes perfect sense. Although, the tendency to repress and sub due the public have taken new modes in recent decades, it was frequent even during the reign of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the CCP. In 1958, Mao introduced a highly

Investment Assignment Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Investment Assignment Report - Essay Example There are a set of rule governing how trades and investors choose the varying available security options in the stock market. Our strategy is exemplified in this paper because of the decision to apply the gainer part. For the momentum strategy, my choice was Voltari Corp. Applying the first trading principle, â€Å"avoid dealing in stocks reporting above or within the 52 week high†, the decision to invest in APC indicates that this trading principle was correctly followed. Purchasing stocks of Voltari Corp. in its 52-week high stood at $3.60. The second trading principle-choose stocks recording a minimum of 1,000,000 shares in the daily trade volumes, in addition to avoiding stocks recording daily volumes of trade below 100,000 shares-the decision to buy Voltari Corp. stocks comply with the second trading principle. Voltari Corp. stocks recorded 3 million shares in its average 3-month trading volume. The third trading principle illustrates the need to avoid mid-and-cap stocks (stocks recording values less than $5 billion). This principle does not conform well to Voltari Corp.; its stock falls in small-cap stock category with $16.91 million in market capitalization value. Finally, the fourt h trading principle indicates that an individual should choose stocks signified by analysts opinions rated closer to or above one (1). This is an indication of better performance in the future compared to opinions that are above or within the range of Five (5). The fourth rules also states that stocks recording negative trends or without significant changes in weekly consensus figures also need to be avoided. The â€Å"snapshot† tool available in Market Watch do not show the average recommendation from the analysts for Voltari Corp. generally, most stocks in the financial market have an average recommendation of ‘buy’. Consequently, the trend is projected to move towards the lower facet of the statistical ranking, with twenty-three

Patient Presentation with COPD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Patient Presentation with COPD - Essay Example COPD is partially irreversible and its symptoms are associated with hyper-responsiveness of the airways. The aforementioned conditions are recognized as a major disability causing a progressive chronic airway obstruction or narrowing that frequently occur as one entity. In the United Kingdom (UK), the prevalence of COPD affects both men and women more commonly in their fourth decade of life. Differential diagnosis of COPD includes asthma, congestive heart failure, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, obliterative bronchiolitis, and diffuse panbronchiolitis. Nonpharmacological and pharmacological management are considered in treating the patient. Other treatments include rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, and ventilatory support. Patient Presentation with COPD A Brief Introduction: This paper discusses chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its significance in the family and community settings, its socio-economic and cultural background, past medical history, differential diagnosis, and current guidelines relating to pharmacological and nonpharmacological patient management. The analysis of psychosocial impact of COPD to the patient and her family as well as strategies for patient education, and the context of multidisciplinary care team are also will be discussed in the paper. Short Background on COPD: ... Nursing Assessment: Patient, JC, is a 76 year old female patient with a ten year history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). JC, white female, now 76 years old was 66 year old when diagnosed with COPD in 2002. In the United Kingdom (UK), the prevalence of COPD affects both men and women more commonly in their fourth decade of life (NICE, 2010). It is associated with high rate of mortality and significant healthcare system cost (Raherison and Girodet, 2009). Epidemiological studies note a close association between chronic bronchitis prevalence and low socioeconomic status (Viegi, et al., 2001). COPD is classically thought to be a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, even though in COPD patients, only one of the previously mentioned conditions is present (MayoClinic, 2011; CDC, 2011; and British Medical Journal, 2012). Sharma (2012) defined chronic bronchitis as persistent productive cough for more than three months each year in a period of two consecutive year s. The mucous glands in lungs of individuals with chronic bronchitis are enlarged, the airways are inflamed, and the bronchial walls are thickened with subsequent changes and loss of supporting alveolar connection, which results to narrowing and deformity of the lumen of the airway and eventually causes limitation of airflow (Sharma, 2012). On the other hand, emphysema, one of the causative agents of COPD is defined as an abnormal and permanent alveolar enlargement of the terminal bronchioles that results to destruction of the airspace wall (Sharma, 2012). The patient has her own home; she is married with two children and one grandchild. Prior to her diagnosis, the patient worked in an office for most of her working life. She was a known cigarette

Corona beer Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Corona beer - Case Study Example The cause for unequal demand for alcohol is simply due to recessionary trails in the global economy. The soaring oil prices have caused a price rise for almost all the final goods and services. Though the money income has increased for buyers, the rising consumption expenses are putting downward pressure in the real income level. The beer and alcohol industry not only generates a significant share of many economies national product, but also spawns large employment opportunities. Thus, analysts and researchers are scared that the fall in production capacities of firms due to recession should not render more individuals jobless. At this juncture, it becomes rational to analyze the business of potential alcohol producing firms like Corona Beer. This essay will implicitly discuss the internal and external factors that determine the business of Corona Beer. The context of the research work will enumerate the different marketing strategies Corona beer has adopted to account for higher tur novers in future (DRUGSCOPE, n.d.). Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 SWOT Analysis 5 Strength 6 Weakness 6 Opportunities 6 Threats 7 Staying in Power 8 Porters Five Force Analysis 9 Bargaining Power of Buyers (low) 9 Bargaining Power of Suppliers (weak) 9 Rivalry in the Industry (high) 9 Threat of New Entrants (weak) 10 Menace of Substitutes (strong) 10 Summary and Conclusions 10 References 12 Introduction Corona Beer or Corona Extra is a famous pale larger that was first manufactured in Mexico by Cerveceria Modelo. The company was founded in the recent past at around 1925 in Mexico, but its unique quality and taste soon made it a famous beverage for a large customer base. Grupo Modelo always intended to extend the market of Corona Beer beyond the territories of Mexico. From its inception in 1925, by 1996 the company gained 32.7% share of the total market demand for alcohol in Mexico. The officials of the company first desired to export Cororna Beer to the prospe ctive economies of United States and then planned to enter the other markets. Europe, Latin America and Asian markets were secondary marketplaces for the company (UFL, n.d.). Figure 1: Words Top Beer Companies (Source: Ashok, 2009) The above table explains the market position of Corona in 2005 and 2006. The values are in terms of million barrels shipped. It is evident from the above schedule that the market performance of Corona was mediocre (1.9 of total market share) till 2006 when compared with the other top beer brands. Carlos Fernandez, the chairman of the company analyzed that what was most crucial for the company was to expand its market outside the domestic borders of Mexico. In 2007 the largest beer producer and manufacturing firm in Mexico (Corona) finally decided to enlarge its production capabilities. The company spends a wholesome amount of $300 million to suffice its growing market demand outside Mexico. The company first emerged in the U.S. market in 1979, its nonrefu ndable policy, unique packaging style and differential modes of marketing soon made it a potential competitor in the U.S. alcohol industry, especially in the Southern States. Although, the Federal excise tax rates in beer was increased in U.S., but the Modelo Group passed its incidence on the buyers. Figure 2:

Exploiting Strategy & Information for Competitive Advantage Essay

Exploiting Strategy & Information for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The Porter’s value chain model can also be aligned with information strategies whereby information could be used in the reorganization of activities to achieve lower costs and at the same time add value to products. Finally we discuss the strategy of thrust by Wiseman which describes defensive and offensive competitive moves which require information to achieve desired strategy. The five force strategy by Porter highlights the 5 major strategies a firm can adopt in order to gain competitive advantages, Porter (1999) highlighted five major factors that models firms in an industry and this include threat of substitutes, buyer power, supplier power, barrier to entry and the degree of rivalry. The first factor in the five force strategy is threat of substitution and according to Pearlson (2006) this threat can be minimized by using information whereby products will be differentiated and also prices should be improved. A firm will collect information in the market regarding new threats and improvise ways in which to meet the consumer needs through product differentiation. Buyer power is also a factor that shapes an industry, according to Pearlson (2006) information could be used in the selection of buyers and also in differentiation of products. Regarding supplier power firms will utilize information in the selection of low cost suppliers and finally the firm will use information to create barriers to entry into an industry. The strength of this strategy is that it aids a firm in the identification of areas to apply information strategies. This can easily be applied whereby it describes locations to use information to gain competitive advantage. Pearlson (2006) states that this strategy also helps in the identification of threats over time, this can e applied whereby the firms have access to competitors cost information. There are weak points of this

Ethical Leadership and How to Create a Positive Work Environment Essay Example for Free

Ethical Leadership and How to Create a Positive Work Environment Essay Leadership nowadays has encountered various problems. One of the most common one and which is contaminating the main business environment is that individuals at work are not engaging as they should. We have to ask ourselves, why is this happening and how can we prevent it? Dr. Charmine Hartel commented in the seminar that almost 20% of all the active workers in every organization do not work in favor of it. Instead they engage against the organization in various ways. This is a really big issue, because this means that there is something happening inside the organization and its leadership that is making these counter-productive acts. Recent researches that have been made show us that there are 3 different things that usually happens in the organization that get the workers to engage in a bad way their work as they should. * Work Environment * Negative Work Environment * Stress When the brain is under stress chemicals are released that weakens functions of the brain that gives us a higher level of structure (this is called the prefrontal cortex). When stressed, we are likely to engage inappropriate actions and lack the ability to regulate our emotions. With this in mind, we are encountering serious problems for the organization, because if these workers don’t have the use of their brain area they are not going to be able to engage the work they can and should do. Ethical Leadership The fruits of ethical leadership are Positive Work Environments, also known as PWE’s. PWEÂ ´s exists when the workers see their places as positive, respectful, inclusive and psychologically safe, and when leaders and coworkers are trustworthy and there exist an open diversity characterized in just policies and decision making. The entire above are needed to complete and get a PWE. PWE provides the set of emotional experiences necessary for human flourishing. We know that on average the positive emotional experiences outweigh the negative emotional ones. So, with this in mind, when you see your environment is safeyou have the ability to start being more creative and start being yourself. We should always keep in mind that an emotion is a response of the person when they have a particular event. They can have Destructive or constructive consequences. Organizations are responsible for the work environment they create. This is called the organization culture. When people and how the people interpreted the environment around their workplace. This is about how the organization context shapes the meaning and actions of its members. People management have the need to build resilience, diversity openness and be able to create a support to people trough change. There always exists the need to belong and to be valued for our uniqueness. Servant Leadership Many leadership approaches think about other things and focus their attention on what the followers need and develop things around them. Its an approach around the about the energy and direct it to the best place. With that in mind looking at the person as a whole being, not just as one more worker. One of the key things is that they can understand the core value of the workers and respect them as they deserve. There exist the emotion focus coping and problem focused coping they both have constructive and destructive emotions and impulses. The Giving Voice of Values (GVV) is designed to help individuals learn to recognize, clarify, speak and act on themselves when those conflicts arise. The focus is on how a manager raises this issues in an effective way.

Sui Dynasty Essay Example for Free

Sui Dynasty Essay China is known for its diversity of dynasties which occur within history. Although China’s dynasties do not last forever, many of them have presented impressive advances in government, military, agriculture and economy. However, one dynasty in particular, the Sui Dynasty, remarks its significance with its accomplishments within such a short period of time. By the end of China’s northern and southern dynasties (386-589 C. E. ), the nation was left unified. In 581, Yang Jian, a prime minister of northern Zhou Dynasty, replaced the dynasty with Sui and appointed himself Emperor Wen. Therefore, Yang Jian’s replacement marked the beginning of the Sui Dynasty. Many historians and students claim that the Sui Dynasty was not a significant dynasty due to only lasting a brief thirty-eight years. Nevertheless, the new dynasty is rather extraordinary. Soon after the Sui Dynasty was founded, eight years later, the Sui court defeated the remaining southern dynasty of Chen and finally reunited the whole nation for once. This was not however the end of their actions. The Sui Dynasty developed a unique political system which executed organization within the citizens. Three Departments and Six Ministries were created; the first ever in Chinese history. The Three Departments could be compared to the division of the United States government with the separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers (Chinese Sui Dynasty). Such departments are known as the Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the Department of State Affairs or the Zhongshu Sheng, Menxia Sheng and Shangshu Sheng. To illustrate, the job of Zhongshu Sheng is â€Å"transmitting the emperors intention, overseeing confidential files, and issuing government orders. † according to travelchinaguide. com. Meanwhile, the Menxia Sheng choose whether to keep or veto orders and Shangshu Sheng carried out orders from the previous departments. On the other hand, the Six ministries included: Ministry for Personnel (Li4 Bu), Revenue (Hu Bu), Rites (Li3 Bu), War (Bing Bu), Justice (Xing Bu) and Works (Gong Bu). For example, the Li4 Bu handled human resources like â€Å"appointing, dismissing, promoting, demoting, selecting, and evaluating state servants. † On the contrary, â€Å"Bing Bu chiefly took charge of the weapons and the books on strategies available for military officials and was also in charge of announcing military orders. (Chinese Sui Dynasty). In addition, these ministries under the Three Department branch of Shangshu Sheng, each controlled four additional departments called Si. In order to improve the selection of political office, the Jiupin Zhongzheng Hierarchical System was replaced with the Imperial Examination System that implemented studying, talent and political examinations. Unquestionably, the innovations injected organization and increased royal power with the limitations the political systems provided. Furthermore, to promote prosperity throughout the dynasty, the Sui developed two new polices known as the Juntian and Zutio System. In attempt to lower the gap between the rich and poor, the Juntian System provided equal divisions of fields depending on the number of people in each home (Sui Dynasty (581-618)). Pursuing this further, the Zutio System increased its governmental income through tax moderation. The changes promoted social economy likewise to agriculture growth. Similarly, advances in ship building helped agriculture rise too. To create a unifying ideology for the state, Emperor Wen introduced Buddhism and Daoism, although Confucianism had been already established. Wen even appointed Buddhist monks to high positions like political advisers (Duiker Spielvogel 256). Emperor Wen’s decision benefited the dynasty with cultural exchange among other nations. By the same time, Emperor Wen started the construction of a 1,400 mile canal known as the Grand Canal. Sui Yangdi, Wen’s son, finished it to set up a communication system within the north and south. Centering Luoyang, the auxiliary capital of the Sui Dynasty, the canal served multiple purposes like transportation, cultural exchange and economical purposes. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal continues to benefit people all over China† (Sui Dynasty (581-618)). In the light of advances, there is no doubt art took a toll of its own. During the Sui Dynasty, a stone arch bridge called Zhao Zhou Bridge was built by Li Chun which initiated the look on bridges for the future years to come. Also, Buddhist sculptures were well adored along with great the beginning of the porcelain industry. The combinations of all these aspects served as tools for the well-being of the dynasty. The Sui Dynasty lasted only thirty-eight short years. Emperor Wen’s unexpected death in 604 lead to second monarch, Yangguang taking the throne. Historically known as emperor Yang and a typical tyrant, he drove his own dynasty to an end with his ambition for power. Along with overworking the citizens and extreme shortage of food, one specific project of Yang’s destroyed the productive dynasty. Emperor Yang pressured war against Gaoli (modern day Korea) only to fill his own desire of success. Forcing men out of their farmland, families were destroyed and the agriculture and economy of the dynasty plummeted. After being defeated by Gaoli, the Sui Dynasty was left more unstable than ever before. As a result, the regime of the Sui Dynasty became rather unstable and in 618, when Emperor Yang was strangled by one of his subordinates, it completely collapsed. †(Chinese Sui Dynasty) Overall, the Sui Dynasty presented many accomplishments that either took longer to conquer or were never achieved by past dynasties. Improvements in agriculture, creation of economical polices, a new political system and the building of a communicational canal were some of the many projects that were impressively executed by the Sui Dynasty. This statement verifies that even though the Sui lasted less than forty years, the dynasty was by far significant.

Effect of Body Mass and Cord Length on Bungee Jump Motion

Effect of Body Mass and Cord Length on Bungee Jump Motion The physics behind Bungee jumping To what extent a body’s mass and length of the cord affect the Bungee jumping motion? Dhouha Khammassi Abstract: This essay investigates a body’s motion during a bungee jump in order to answer the question: â€Å"To what extent a body’s mass and length of the cord affect the Bungee jumping motion?† the investigation takes place with comparing three different bungee cords ‘s performance in two simulation laboratory experiments. The first is to check the relation between the bungee jumping cord and its relation to Hooke’s law and finding its elastic limit. The second is to inspect the motion in terms of velocity and acceleration changes with varying the weight of the body attached to the cord and changing the length of the cord, since they are the factors to be considered in the research question. Introduction Scope of work The vine jumpers of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu inspired the spot of Bungee jumping, as it was viewed by way of a rite of passage to manhood. It is about jumping from a high point such as a bridge, a building or a crane attached to nylon braided, rubber shock cord. It is from a fixed structure most of the time but it is possible to do it from an object floating in the air, for example, a moving crane or a hot air balloon. It became a popular sport the last two decades in the United States of America where people do it for the sake of the excitement and adrenaline pumping sensations. Of course this sport involves a lot of risk and most of the accidents occurring are from miscalculations in the length of the elastic cord, which leads to many horrifying accident when people end up landing on the surface or the cord collapses, it occurred to my mind that exploring such a occurrence might be very interesting. Objective: In this essay I aim to look at the physics behind Bungee Jumping. The aim of this essay is to investigate the factors affecting the bungee jump motion. I will be exploring the stages that the bungee jump goes through and the factors affecting it allowing a safe landing but exciting at the same time. This involves data logging from laboratory experiments and graphing data with analysis. Exploring this matter can easily make connections between fundamental concepts of physics and real world phenomena: Bungee Jumping. Therefore attempting to answer, â€Å"To what extent a body’s mass and length of the cord affect the Bungee jumping motion?† Background information Safety of Bungee jumping There is no doubt that a thrilling from a height usually more than forty-five meters carries its own risk and can be very dangerous, Bungee jumping is like most adrenaline pumping sports, when done wrong, can be hazardous and even lethal. Bungee jumping mishaps can occur because of faulty equipment or regardless of safety measures, the injuries that could have been avoided are human errors when the body strapping fails due to improper attachment or flawed harness, Chris Thomas is an example of this horrible incident, he died during a charity jump in Swansea, Wales: because of his weight[1]. Another case is cord length miscalculation and the jumper ends up hitting the ground or the bungee cord just snapped, similarly to what happened to Erin Langworthy, an Australian woman who almost drowned with her feet tied together in Zambezi River at Victoria Falls[2]. In 1989, this activity was banned in France and one state in Australia after three people faced their death[3]. And many other incidents causing people to collapse on concrete and suffer from extreme cranial trauma or even die because the rope was too long, that actually happened to Matthew E. Coleman[4], who died at an Adventure World bungee jump. However, unavoidable injuries might occur, minor injuries such as skin burn, which is triggered through gripping the cord, happen when Bungee jumpers do not act accordingly to the guidelines given. Some of them stated that they got slapped in the face by the cord. Other mores serious injuries; such as eyesight damage or temporary retina haemorrhage[5], strokes and traumatic carotid artery dissection happened to fit and healthy youth. But injury inflicted by the cord, such as choking to asphyxiation, appears not to happen. This can be explained by a combination of factors, including the cords minimal torsional stiffness. Also, the minor pendulum motion keeps the cord from contacting the jumper and tangling or strangling him, No modern-day jump site has seen any serious entanglement, and it is noteworthy that many participants enjoy somersaulting during the free fall without any harm or disaster occurring. Principle components in the physics of Bungee jumping To allow the bungee jumping motion to occur the person jumps from a high surface and the cord stretches as he is moving downwards, this demonstrates the cords’ elasticity, which can be defined as the ability of a body or the cord, in this case, to oppose a force exerted on it and change shape and size and to return to its same characteristics when the strain is removed. The law of elasticity, Hooke’s law, determined by Robert Hooke, an English scientist in 1660, which states that, for relatively small deformations of an object, the displacement or size of the extension is directly proportional to the deforming force applied. Under these conditions the object returns to its original shape and size upon removal of the load. If the force exerted exceeds a certain amount, known as the elastic limit, it would create a permanent deformation to the body even when there is no force applied on the body. The elastic limit differs from a body to another because both of the resistance to stress and it depends on what the body is made of. Elastic materials expand thinner and thinner until rupturing at their breaking point. The strength of materials is the measurement of a body’s capacity to bear strain and stress. Stress is the internal force applied by a segment of an elastic body upon the connecting part and strain is the dimension’s deformation caused by stress. Elastic materials are the materials whose stress disappears after the exerted force is removed. In bungee jumping the cord is subjected to pull, this is identified as tension. When the cord has weight attached and it is being pushed, this is known as a compressive stress. During the jump, the external forces twist the body around an axis, it is known as the torsional stress. Experiment 1: Hooke’s Law This experiment is carried out to calculate the elasticity of the bungee cord and its elastic limit. Variables Independent variables: The force exerted on the bungee cord Dependent variable: The extension of the cord due to the force applied Control variable: The same bungee cord used for different weights Shape of the weight used Height of the cord from the ground Apparatus Used Since the Hooke’s law experiment apparatus is usually equipped with a retort stand, which is a stand that has a ruler and a pointer attached to the spring, but since I am using a bungee cord instead of the spring, I used a regular clamp and I had seven different masses labeled 0.1 kg, a digital measuring scale with 0.01 kg uncertainty, three different car bungee cords purchased at the local hardware shop, a ruler0.0005m and a flat surface to perform the experiment on. Method First of all, I measure the length of the car bungee cord is provided with two hooks at each of the extremities, therefore I hang the cord with one hook on the clamp, I measure the weight holder then I hang it to the bottom hook line the I add one weight cylinder, afterwards I carefully measure the length of the cord. Next I measure each weight on the scale and I measure the extension on the cord each time the weight is added. All the measurements are recorded during the experiment. Experiment 2: Bungee Jumping Simulation Variables Independent variables Length of the cord Thickness of the cord Force applied to the cord Dependent variable: Time taken to complete a bungee jump Velocity of the body Acceleration of the body Control variable: The same bungee cord used for different weights Shape of the weight used, using the same set of weights Height of the weights from the motion sensor, it is controlled by placing the Vernier motion sensor on a laboratory chair with the ability to move it around and adjust its height. Apparatus Used Vernier motion sensor connected to a computer with a data logging software[6] installed which will be crucial for more accurate timing and graphing purposes than manual timing. Also, the same Bungee cords used in the previous Hooke’s law experiment are used since characteristics are already measured and this experiment is relating to the previous one, a meter ruler can be used to insure that the apparatus is perpendicular to the motion sensor. Blu-tack and tape is also needed. Method A clamp is put on a flat surface, to prevent it from falling I and the bungee cord is hung from it with the weight holder suspended at the bottom of the cord, both of the hooks attached to both ends of the cord are secured with Blu-Tack to prevent the apparatus from falling and act as the harness in this simulation. The Vernier motion sensor is put on the laboratory chair, and before starting the experiment, activate the motion sensor and oscillate the cord with the suspended weight holder to test the sensitivity of data logging and test the range of motion detection. Afterwards the weight is elevated to the beginning of the cord and it is released with minimum to no force. This step is repeated by adding weights and the weights are secured with a thin strip of tape to avoid them falling off. Conclusion: Bibliography Aussie Plunges into Raging Waters after Bungy Cord Snaps. N.p., 9 Jan. 2012. Web. BERSA. Bersa. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. Bungee Jumping. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. Elasticity. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2014. Print. Fatal Bungee Jump Was accident BBC News. BBC, 25 Feb. 2005. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. For Thrills, Lovers and Others Leap. The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 July 1991. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. Hookes Law. Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Hookes Law The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2012. Print. Injuries Resulting from Bungee-cord Jumping. ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE 22.6 (1993): 1060-063. Print. PhysicsLAB: Springs: Hookes Law. PhysicsLAB: Springs: Hookes Law. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. Relatives Grieve after Fatal Bungee Accident. Baltimore Sun. N.p., 16 May 2000. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. Strength of Materials. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2012. Print. 1 [1] Fatal Bungee Jump was â€Å"accident† BBC News. BBC, 25 Feb. 2005. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. [2] Aussie Plunges into Raging Waters after Bungy Cord Snaps. N.p., 9 Jan. 2012.Web [3] For Thrills, Lovers and Others Leap. The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 July 1991. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. [4] Relatives Grieve after Fatal Bungee Accident. Baltimore Sun. N.p., 16 May 2000. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. [5] Injuries Resulting from Bungee-cord Jumping. ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE 22.6 (1993): 1060-063. Print. [6] Logger Pro 3. Portland, Or.: Vernier Software, 2003. Computer software.

Vlad Dracula - A Makeup Plot :: essays research papers

Character Analysis – Count Vlad Dracula   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The man known as â€Å"Dracula† was Vlad Tepes (the Impaler) - a king in one of the historical parts of Romania. Born in 1431 in Sighasoara, Transylvania, Tepes grew up in a Germanic, and later Turkish atmosphere (as a prisoner from 1444 to 1448), became a tyrannical ruler that was feared throughout the lands, then died in 1476 in a fight defending his country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Based off of the motion picture â€Å"Bram Stoker’s Dracula†, Count Vlad denounced God after the death of his beloved, Elizabeta. Allegedly, in his rebirth, Vlad (known in legend and in history as Dracula or Dracul) became an unholy demon to avenge Elizabeta’s death for all of eternity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The form of Dracula that I’m portraying (he had many in the film, including a wolf form, dignified prince, demon, and bat) is seen in the beginning of the picture when he is first introduced in real-time. Jonathan Harker first arrives at the Romanian castle and is greeted by this creepy, cryptic, and subtlety intimidating old man. He is garbed in royal red satin as if he still rules this land and its . . . people. Though visually ancient, his eyes seem much younger than his body and skin present them to be; and his smile – his features crinkle up to this . . . hideous grin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the world of makeup design, this version of Count Dracula is quite complicated; the film didn’t win an Academy Award for Best Makeup for nothing! Gary Oldman sat in the makeup chair for a long time for this role. In analyzing his visage, we can see that the ancient face of the Count is aged very carefully by the extensive use of latex. The natural wrinkles of Oldman’s face were heightened drastically. The skin tone itself was of a sickly white – not albino, just white enough to be really old and still slightly human. Oldman’s eyebrows were completely covered (with the latex) and were replaced with slight strands of white hair. His cheekbones, bones on the top of his eyes, and chin cleft were nicely accentuated. Due to their dark and sunken nature, his eyes themselves are quite focused on and almost hypnotic – a well-known characteristic of the Count. Though he is very VERY â€Å"up there† in age, his weathered look give s him a sense of his struggling history and inner strength.

Kennedy Assassination Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"President Kennedy was dead. I stopped by a giant live oak tree on the vast front lawn of Parkland Hospital and cried." As this reporter said, people everywhere were distraught when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated. News reporters from other countries flew in, called up, and sent letters back to tell the people in their country what had happened and to give advice to the Dallas Police Station. Everyone everywhere was upset by this tragic loss. People were sent home from work, kids sent home from school, and an entire nation with one question, who? The only answer that was given and is still the accepted answer is that, Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin in the murder of President John F. Kennedy. The events surrounding President Kennedy’s death are still under speculation, but this is known for sure: President Kennedy landed in Love Field, Dallas along with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy at about 11:35 a.m. They left the airport in the motorcade along with Governor Collany and followed by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Claudia â€Å"Lady Bird† Taylor. At approximately 12:30 p.m., both President Kennedy and Governor Collany were shot. Lee Harvey Oswald left the Texas Book Depository just three minutes later. By 1:00 p.m., just an hour and a half after Kennedy arrived in Texas, he was announced dead. After the assassination, Oswald got onto a city bus, but once the bus got stuck in traffic, Oswald got off. He then took a taxi to within 4 blocks of his house, but did not go directly to his house. Oswald grabbed a different coat, a handgun, and left without saying a word to his housemaid, who was watching the assassination details on television. He then began walking around Dallas. A police officer named J.T. Tippet saw a man that fit the description of the assassin, so he stopped to ask Oswald some questions. Oswald panicked and shot Officer Tippet and then fled the area. He then entered a cinema where police finally arrested him. The public was outraged that President Kennedy was murdered and wanted an explanation. President Lyndon B. Johnson set up the Warren Commission lead by Earl Warren to head investigation. The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin in the murder of John F. Kennedy. Lee Harvey Oswald had a major role in the assassination of Pres... ...ce to support a conspiracy. A conspiracy of that level takes months to plan. If it was a conspiracy attempting to blame Oswald, then how did they come up with all the evidence in just a short time? Oswald’s fingerprints were on the gun; it is very unlikely that his fingerprints could have been on the gun in a conspiracy to blame him. The fact that President Kennedy decided less than a week before the assassination also shows that this was one man acting alone. Oswald more then had to ability to carry out the assassination, and he showed that he would kill someone like when he attempted to kill General Edwin Walker. There is also no plausible evidence linking anyone to the crime besides Lee Harvey Oswald. There is nothing linking a second gunman to the assassination. The main argument that there is a second gunman is he would have been situated in the grassy knoll, but injuries would be on the side of the body, where there were no injuries. The Warren Commission had more evidence that conspirators do not have, and came to their conclusion. Even with all the technology that we have, it is apparent that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Wedding Toasts †Perhaps Others Have Said it Best Essay -- Wedding Toa

Wedding Toasts – Perhaps Others Have Said it Best To the Bride From her Groom Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you. To the bride and groom (before the wedding) Here's to the bride that is to be, Here's to the groom she'll wed, May all their troubles be light as bubbles Or the feathers that make up their bed! Anonymous To the bride from her groom "Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss within the cup, And I'll not look for wine." Ben Jonson "Grow old with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, For which, the first is made." Robert Browning I have known many, Liked not a few, Loved only one I toast to you Irish toast "Wherever I roam, whatever realms I see, My heart untravelled fondly turns to thee." Oliver Goldsmith Because I love you truly, Because you love me, too, My very greatest happiness Is sharing life with you. Every day you look lovelier and lovelier, and today you look like tomorrow. To quote John Keats's immortal line, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." Here's to you, my beautiful bride." "Were't the last drop in the well, An I gasp'd upon the brink, Ere my fainting spirit fell, 'Tis to thee that I would drink." Lord Byron The world is happy and colorful, And life itself is new. And I am very grateful for The friend I found in you. Anonym... ... Here are some words to live by: Love to one, friendship to many, and goodwill to all. May you live to learn well, and learn to live well. Remember that if you ever put your marital problems on the back burner they are sure to boil over. Unkown "Marriage is our last, best chance to grow up." Joseph Barth "A happy marriage is still the greatest treasure within the gift of fortune." Eden Phillpotts "Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and they blossom when we love the one we married." Sam Levenson "Seek a happy marriage with wholeness of heart, but do not expect to reach the promised land without going through some wilderness together." Charlie W. Shedd

Warlord – Creative Writing

â€Å"Half a year before you were born, a great battle was fought and many brave men lost their lives. Your father led his army of seven thousand men into battle, they were fighting the evil Rovonaga. It was a lost cause right from the start, only three thousand of the seven were trained warriors, the rest ordinary men trying to save their homes. The odds were four to one as Rovonaga had a force twenty-eight thousand strong, including five thousand cavalry and five thousand archers, each extremely well trained in what they did. It was said every archer could pierce an apple at four hundred yards. The other eighteen thousand were fully armoured samurai with swords so sharp they could cut a human torso clean in half. Our men fought bravely, but the outcome was inevitable, they lost and with it the land. Rovonaga gave no mercy, he murdered every last man until a river of blood flowed. Your father was killed last, they hung him from a tree at the top of a hill so everyone could see him. His body was left there and nobody ever took it down, it slowly decomposed over time and nothing is left, except the rope, which still hangs as a symbol to show what happens if you get in Rovonaga's way. That is how your father died son, he died an honourable man. A brave man, like your father, may die, but cowards do not live at all. † Akechi remembered when his mother told him that story when he was six years old. That same night Rovonaga's soldiers broke into their house, tied Akechi to a chair and made him watch as his mum was slowly tortured to death. He managed to break free and run from Yalu, a large province in Japan where he lived. When he was young he remembered his mother telling him what Yalu used to be like before Rovonaga took over. He pictured the image in his head now, a beautiful, free place. Miles upon miles of fields, covered in crops. The warm sun beaming down giving colour and growth to all. The place was alive with animals of every kind, freely running here and there. Butterflies filled the air and birds the sky as rabbits roamed the ground. Farmers tended to their crops happily, at one with the creatures. She said the air smelt so fresh and every breath was like new life rushing into you. The highest hill was covered with trees, its top barely visible. Flowers flourished in-between each tree and she said it was like walking through paradise. No sounds, except those of animals, no smell, except that of freshness. He remembered she once told him she climbed a tree on top of the hill. When she reached the top she was in the clouds, like being in heaven. She never climbed it again as she thought it was so holy it was only meant to be visited by God. Akechi desperately wanted to see this land, as it should be. Then he remembered what it was like before left. Chitu Village lay at the centre of Yalu, this was where Rovonaga lived. It was basically a huge palace for him and his generals. Not a nice place, an ugly place, too big and covered in statues of eerie creatures. Small men with horns and great, giant goblins on top of towers. Surrounding his palace was where his soldiers lived, another ugly place, but luxury compared to outside of Chitu. In the six and a half years Rovonaga had been in Yalu, he had sucked the life out of everything. The people were treated like slaves, only kept alive to serve Rovonaga and his soldiers. They grew all the crops, harvested them yet at the end they saw none of them. They were lucky if they got a meal a day and many died of starvation and exhaustion. The hill where the trees once grew and the flowers flourished was now where a big, black iron gate stood, the only way in or out of Yalu. Walls soared high all around the border, covered with spikes, just as much to keep people in as out. It was a huge prison and the people were prisoners in their own homes. All animals had fled, their habitats destroyed and no life lived inside of these walls. The land was suffocated and the air heavy. People breathed unwillingly, they only did because they knew they had to. Although the sun shone it appeared colourless and so did the land, everything black and white. The dead were not cared for and bodies lay here and there, some fresh others half decomposed. People did not live, they were merely bodies, without souls or spirits, all doing the same routine everyday. Nobody smiled, nobody laughed and most people did not even talk. Guards watched and drove the people on, whipping, beating and killing. When he was six Akechi escaped. He found a small gap in-between the land and the bottom of the wall. He dug furiously, earth flying out behind him. He heard guards coming and so surged on. The gap was now just big enough for him to get through, he did and he had made it, he was free. He ran and ran that night, too scared to stop, tears blurring his vision. Most of the way he cried for his mother, but she was never coming back. By sheer fortune he had run to the coast. There he saw a small trading vessel lying in the harbour. He sneaked upon board and hid himself inside a box. Inside he collapsed from exhaustion and slept for hours. He was in such a deep sleep he did not even know the boat had set sail. The boat took him to China and there he spent the next twenty years of his life. A family took him in and he was raised as if he were one of their own. He joined the Chinese army and with his father's spirit and his intelligence he rose higher. He became general of the whole of South-East China and many people looked up to him. He was a fine leader and a great strategist. He also became well known for his excellence with the blade. Like his father before him, Akechi was a true samurai warrior. Rovonaga became bored with hid palace life and one day he ordered his troops to got o Chinese ports and burn any ships they saw. He wanted a war, and a war he would get. The Chinese government reacted straight away and ordered Akechi to take his men over to Japan and crush Rovonaga. Akechi rallied his men and they boarded their ships. Under his command Akechi had ten thousand samurai, six thousand archers and two thousand cavalry. A total force of eighteen thousand, but he was outnumbered by Rovonaga's force. They landed in the same port Akechi had fled from twenty years ago. There the army camped and stayed for the night. The next day was spent unloading the ships and gathering provisions. That night they marched until they were just three miles from the walls of Yalu. Akechi's plan was one which relied on the element of surprise. He planned to camp for that day and attack at dawn of the next. Armour was strapped on, swords worn and bows carried. He gathered his troops together and told them this. â€Å"I know we are outnumbered in total force, but we will win. We will catch our enemy by surprise and overthrow them. We have more archers and this is a great advantage. Also I am sure you are all thinking that we cannot get past the Walls of Yalu. We will use ladders to get over, rams to smash the gate, any means possible. Have you thought the people of Yalu may help. When they see what is happening they will rise and rebel. Giving us time and maybe letting us in. Be brave all of you. Someone once told me: a brave man may die, but cowards do not live at all. Which one are you, I know my men and all of you are the first. Come on lets march on to victory. † Just as he planned Akechi attacked at dawn. He ordered his archers to fire, and his men to go and ram the gate. A storm of arrows went over the walls, many hitting targets. Ladders went up and men climbed over. Rovonaga quickly rallied his troops and sent them to meet this onslaught. The gate held and could not be breeched, men fell from the ladders and Rovonaga was winning, there was simply no way in. The solid iron gate could only be opened from the inside. The people in Yalu did do what Akechi had hoped, they rebelled and fought the soldiers. This gave Akechi some time, in which he thought and planned. The gap in the wall where he had escaped, it was just around the corner. He had a plan, a trap. He sent his foot soldiers to go down the hill and stay there, he did the same with his cavalry and archers. He took about a thousand men and five hundred archers around to the gap. There he ordered his archers to give covery fire and keep the enemy's heads down, and with his thousand men he ordered them to dig, but slowly. As he had hoped Rovonaga had seen them do this and assumed it was the whole army. He could not get to them, but he could not afford to let them in. So he chose to go and meet them. The gate opened and first out was Rovonaga and his five thousand cavalry, they galloped around the side to meet the army at the gap. As did the eighteen thousand men that followed. His archers stayed on top of the wall firing down upon Akechi and his men. The men did not see the main bulk of the army at the bottom of the hill, and the trap was set. The gates were left open and three thousand of Akechi's archers and a thousand of his foot soldiers went inside. Here they killed any remaining soldiers and all of the archers. Then Akechi's men did what Rovonaga's archers were doing and fired upon the enemy below. Meanwhile the cavalry and the remaining two thousand five hundred archers and eight thousand foot soldiers went to meet Rovonaga's force. They attacked the rear and the cavalry charged and chopped the men to pieces. The archers were very effective against Rovonaga's cavalry and foot soldiers, and severely weakened both. The samurai soldiers cam in to finish the fight off. Rovonaga surrendered and Akechi had won. His men were spared as was he. Rovonaga and his men were kept in prison for the rest of their lives and things slowly returned to normal. The walls were torn down as was the place and the great iron gate. Colour returned to Yalu and so did life. New trees were planted, animals returned and over the years things became increasingly better. Akechi retired from the Chinese army and became ruler of Yalu which China gave back to Japan. Life went on better than ever. Akechi was a great ruler and his people loved him, a true warlord.

Analyze Donne’s Duplicity as a Lover in His Poems Essay

John Donne is not only the greatest love poet of his time, but also surpasses the limitation of times. Donne’s greatness as a love-poet arises from the fact that his poetry covers a wider range of emotions. He was the first English poet to challenge and break the supremacy of Petrarchan tradition. Though at times he adopts the Petrarchan devices, yet his imagery and rhythm, texture and color of his love poetry is different. There are three distinct strains of his love poetry – Cynical, Platonic and Conjugal love. The Sun Rising is one of Donne’s popular and widely read love poems. It is love poem of an unusual kind. In this poem the poet lover reprimands the Sun and calls it names for disturbing love making. Here as a lover Donne exaggerates his love and his beloved so much that it overlaps the Petrarchan love poetry also. He addresses the Sun as â€Å"busy old fool†. He calls it unruly because, by peeping in to the bedroom through windows and curtains it disturbs the lovers. The poet-lover tells the Sun that lovers’ seasons do not run to its motions. He advises the Sun to go and do such routine and dull jobs like chiding late-schoolboys and apprentices, waking up court-huntsmen and peasants. Love knows no season, no climates. It is not affected by time. The poet’s wit is so clear when he tells the Sun that he has no reason to think that his beams are â€Å"so reverend and strong†. The poet lover could eclipse and could the beams of the Sun with a wink. He does not do so because he does not wish to â€Å"loose her right so long.† He says Thy beams so reverend and strong Why shouldst thou think? I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink. But that I would not lose her sight so long. The poet-lover knows that the Sun would go to the other half of the world and come to that place at this time tomorrow. The poet-lover asks the Sun to go round the world, see all Kings, come back tomorrow and say if â€Å"both the India’s of spice and mine† . He says to leave them alone and to let them love. Again, he says, his beloved is represents the whole world, East Indies and the West indies because of her sweet fragrance and her glitter. Here Donne uses highly hyperbolical words for her beloved. He says again that his beloved is all the states and he is the prince of this state, nothing else matter to him, and nothing else exist for him, except he and his beloved. She is all the state, and all princes I Nothing else is. Furthermore, compared to their love all â€Å"honour’s mimick†, all wealth alchemy.† In the latter imagery there is an allusion to the medieval belief in the powers of magic etc. In this particular poem Donne’s praise for his beloved reaches at the height that is incomparable to nothing. However, we find the opposite side of the coin in the poem namely ‘Go and Catch a Falling Star’. Here we find Donne’s duplicity as a lover. In ‘The Sun Rising’ we find Donne passionate and sensuous as a lover, but in Go and Catch a Falling Star he is very much cynical as a lover. He does not believe in true love. We find Donne’s misogynistic attitude here. The poem starts by challenging to catch a falling star. The falling star can signify something bright and beautiful that has come to an end and how difficult it is hold on to this goodness for ever. It also suggests trying and making a wish and seeing if it comes true. In fact it is as difficult to catch a falling star as it is to ‘get with child a mandrake root’ which shows the stark contrast of getting a child which is something innocent and joyous to a mandrake root which is used in witchcraft to wish death on someone. Again the contrast of living and the positive is contrasted with death and negativity. Donne here presents many impossible tasks and says to find a true woman is as impossible as the tasks are. He says it is impossible to remember the past years, to listen the mermaid song, and to find the person who clove the Devil’s foot. According to Donne, it is impossible to find; a loyal and chaste woman. The poet, through irony and exaggeration suggests the impossibility of the undertaking to discover a true and fair woman. According to him And swear No where Lives a woman true, and fair. He believes fair women will have lovers and therefore it is not possible for them to be faithful to any of them. If anyone ever found then Though she were true when you met her, And last till you write your letter, Yet she Will be False, ere I come, to two, or three. To him to find a true and fair woman is not a herculean task rather it is impossible. Here we find the duplicity of Donne. He is here misogynist and believes true love cannot be found because of women’s fickleness. Women are inconsistent and for that reason true love cannot be found, as a woman use to love so many suitors. He criticizes the women race and spares no words to ridicule them. Here his misogynistic attitude shows that he has very little respect for love. In ‘The Sun Rising’ we find him as a pure lover, who believes in solely love. He praises his beloved and the placed her with the Olympian goddesses. He same Donne in ‘Go and Catch a Falling Star’ shows abominable attitude towards love and towards women race. He skeptically believes that women are neither deities nor fully honest; they possess all the human shortcomings. Thus Donne’s attitude towards women is materialistic, pessimistic, and occasionally misogynistic. This contradictory attitude as a lover makes him unique. Donne’s love poems are rich with various mood and attitudes. Two opposite sides as a lover is found in this both poems. In one poem he exaggerates his beloved and worshipped her, on the other poem he says women race is perverted race. Two contradictory ideas are given by the same poet. One poem is full of passion and the other is full of abhorrence.

Environmental Science and Policy Essay

The occurrence of rapid economic and political changes could be traced from the post-era of industrial revolution. These changes have brought impact to the environment wherein emerging industrial progress and remarkable growth of population has acquired significant economic resourcing relating to the utilization of the ecosystem. On the other hand, the accompanying trends in the advancement of science and technologies have conquered the law of natural sciences. The expansion of factories, development of industrial machineries and increasing numbers of vehicles has brought in the looming effect of air pollution and other pollutants. Likewise, the exploitative and inefficient utilization of environment depletes the natural habitation of flora and fauna, from which the ecosystem becomes fragile and the forces of Mother Nature asymmetrically collide. Today, Global Warming is a potential catastrophe that threatens the earth and all its inhabitants. Such a situation depicts the poem of the Founder of Evolutionary Economics, Kenneth Ewart Boulding’s (1910-1993), as cited: â€Å"The world is finite, resources are scarce, Things are bad and will be worse, Coal is burned and gas exploded, Forests out and soil eroded, Wells are dry and air polluted, Dust is blowing, trees are uprooted, Oil is going, ores depleted, Drains receive what is excreted, Land is sinking, seas are rising, Man is far too enterprising, Fires will rage with man to fan it, Soon we will have a plundered planet† (Boulding,1993; in Edugreen Poems, 2008). The health hazard and death toll related to air pollution is extremely alarming; specifically in most highly populated and highly industrialized countries. Thus, the issue on air pollution is recognized as a critical sociological, economic and geological problem that is tried to be sensibly addressed by people and governments worldwide. This paper will objectively examine the extent and scope of various governmental and non-governmental responses on environmental science and policy issues relating to the evolution of the United States’ Clean Air Act, and the effects or impacts of its subsequent amendments towards achieving national and global importance in enacting policies to mitigate air pollution and towards the protection and preservation of the global environment. Methodology This paper adopts a three-prong method of study, such as (1) a review of literature relating to the Clean Air Act, (2) discussion of policy issues affecting its implementation, and (3) situational analysis to evaluate the national impact. What is Clean Air Act? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), the Clean Air Act (CAA) has been amended in 1970 as an ambitious national campaign to maintain healthy and quality air by controlling air pollution. With the 1970 amendment to CAA, many US-based industries criticized the CAA’s implementation due expensive compliance. To cite, the American businesses in a number of ways are forced to control air pollution through end-of-pipe methods that confine pollution and implement preventative measures that limit the quantity of pollutants, in which the cost of compliance with Clean Air Act regulations can be expensive (US-EPA, 2008). However, the Clean Air Act has been enacted to basically reduce air pollution. Based on the report of Business Week Magazine (2008), CAA implementation contributes to the decrease of significant amounts of air pollutants in the US at about 30% from the period of 1970 to 1995, in spite of the US’ population growth of 28% of that period. Literature Review Brief historical background The problems on air pollution have long been an issue way back from the time of King Edward I of England in 1306 (American Meteorological Society, 1999). As further cited from the American Meteorological Society (1999), King Edward issued a proclamation banning the use of sea coal in London due to the smoke it caused. On the succeeding centuries, Great Britain continuously pursued the anti-pollution campaign on its first trial to air pollution controlling in Chicago and Cincinnati during its US occupation, in which it legislated the Clean Air Policy of 1881. After the British-American war, the Clean Air Policy of 1881 was adopted by the US and enforced by its federal government agencies, specifically the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior which established the Office of Air Pollution. In the 1940’s, the tragedy caused by a â€Å"deadly smog† in Los Angeles and Donora, Pennsylvania elevated the alarm of the residents of affected areas which called the US Congress to pass the ‘Air Pollution Control Act of 1955’, which was the â€Å"first clean air and air quality control acts† that is still in effect and being continuously revised and amended (American Meteorological Society, 1999). Historical amendments to the Clean Air Act as a state policy A timeline on the amendments to the Clean Air Act is herein cited from the electronic journal of the American Meteorological Society (1999) in order to fully discuss the historical and chronological basis of its evolution as a state policy, as follows: In 1955, the local governments’ problems on air pollution has triggered the federal government to address the issue at a national level in which Congress passed the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 as a result of the â€Å"deadly smog tragedy† in Donora, Pennsylvania that accounted the deaths of 20 people and hundreds of casualties from airborne diseases. In 1963, Congress passed the nation’s Clean Air Act of 1963 to reduce air pollution by setting emission standards for stationary sources such as power plants and steel mills. It did not take into account mobile sources of air pollution which had become the largest source of many dangerous pollutants. In 1970, the issue on inadequate laws in enacting the Clean Air Act of 1963 has been amended by the Clean Air Act of 1970 as a major modification which emphasized challenging principles, such as the establishment of â€Å"primary and secondary principles† for setting air quality, minimize emissions from factories and vehicles as to be enacted by the state and federal government, and increased funds for air pollution research and development. Congress did not amend the Clean Air Act during the 1980’s because of President Reagan’s prioritization of economic policies above environmental actions. In 1990, the long phase of idleness of the federal government has realized the need to modify the Clean Air Act of 1970. The amendment has enacted the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 that focuses on 5 key areas of implementation, such as (1) air-quality standards, (2) motor vehicle emissions and alternative fuels, (3) toxic air pollutants, (4) acid rain, and (5) stratospheric ozone depletion. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (as amended) envisioned a recovery of gaps of regulatory policies and empowered the functions of government agencies’ and the implementations of their policies.

IKEA Case Essay

1. ) There are three main factors that account for IKEA’s success in the furniture retailing industry: (a) its unique, Scandinavian designs, (b) its product strategy, and (c) its cost efficiency. a. IKEA’s simple, yet unique designs are undoubtedly a critical factor in its success as a furniture retailing company. In its early years, IKEA’s cost-focused strategy led to its manufacturing of â€Å"low-priced furniture [that] was functional at best, ugly at worst† (4). However, over the last decade, the company has deliberately focused on creating products with a more distinct design aesthetic. Today, consumers appreciate IKEA furniture for its both its functionality and appeal, rather than solely for its functionality. Ingvar Kamprad, the company’s founder, first introduced furniture into the IKEA product range in 1947. He solicited local Scandinavian manufacturers in the forests close to his home to design and build the furniture. The history of Scandinavian influence on IKEA’s products and its company culture was a major factor in its success. b. IKEA’s innovative â€Å"matrix† product strategy was also critical in the company’s success. Its product-development process was â€Å"overseen by a product-strategy council, which consisted of a group of senior managers who established priorities for IKEA’s product lineup† (3). After analyzing consumer trends, these priorities were established, and a product developer would use â€Å"the matrix† to set the product’s target retail price. The matrix is a grid that consists of three basic price ranges and four basic styles, and within each price range, the company would survey the competition and set benchmarks of prices 30% to 50% lower than those of its rivals (3). The matrix also used to identify gaps in IKEA’s product lineup, because there was a separate matrix for each type of product the company sold. The â€Å"matrix† product strategy was very successful and has generated massive amounts of revenue for the company. c. IKEA’s cost efficiency plan was a huge determinant of its success. In 1956, IKEA began designing products so that they could be packaged flat and assembled by customers on their own. This greatly reduced transportation, labor and storage costs, and it enabled the company to charge lower prices to consumers. IKEA estimated that its â€Å"transport volume was six times less than if it shipped its products assembled† (4). Like Wal-Mart, IKEA emphasized cost efficiency in its company culture. Employees were encouraged to save on electricity by turning off lights and idle computers, and managers always traveled coach and took buses instead of taxis if possible (3). The company focused on cost-efficiency in engineering its products as well. IKEA liked to use high-quality materials on furniture surfaces that were high-stress and visible and low-quality materials on surfaces that were low-stress and less visible to the consumer. These cost-cutting measures definitely helped IKEA become successful. 2. ) I believe IKEA’s slogan – â€Å"Low price with meaning† – perfectly parallels its product strategy and product range. The â€Å"matrix† development system seems overly simple, but it has been proven to work. Of course, there are sure to be some discrepancies regarding the competition’s prices, but IKEA’s product strategy and â€Å"matrix† system does a good job of targeting potential market opportunities as well as pinpointing areas of improvement and gaps in its product range. Overall, I think IKEA’s product strategy and its product range are perfectly suited to the company’s culture and slogan. The matrix system allows IKEA to deliver to customers the best possible product at low prices. 3. ) There are definitely some downsides to shopping at IKEA. The biggest downside is the realization that the furniture you are buying probably won’t last very long. Some of IKEA’s products have been known to fall apart after only a few years or during a simple move to another apartment. Another glaring downside is the fact that customers must pick-up and assemble their purchases without the help of an IKEA employee. Of course, this is part of what makes IKEA unique and what enables the company to charge its low prices. The final downside to shopping at IKEA is the low ratio of sales reps to customers. Ironically, the company’s vision statement proclaims that IKEA wishes to establish a â€Å"partnership† with its customers. On a global scale, IKEA has created a partnership with its customers through selling appealing yet affordable products. But on a smaller scale, and more specifically, within individual IKEA outlets, the company has failed its mission. Its strategy of having consumers purchase products (most likely without the help of a sales rep) and then immediately drive home to assemble them creates a clear disconnect between the company and its customers. Manufacturing functional furniture does not create relationships, it drives profits, and if IKEA truly wants to establish a â€Å"partnership† with each of its customers (while creating appealing and affordable furniture), it has to find a way to make consumers feel less disconnected; they have to feel as though they are a art of the brand. I believe more sales reps could be a good start to fixing this issue. 4. ) I agree with the concept of â€Å"mini-IKEA† stores. Implementing â€Å"IKEA Lite† shops would expose the brand to a larger and more diverse customer base. IKEA outlets are notorious for being large, cavernous warehouses – a typical outlet consumes 15,000 to 35,000 square meters. IKEA could create more brand awareness by installing IKEA Lite shops in shopping malls or in large, urban areas where retail space is scarce. Overall, I think it’s a great concept and would serve the brand well. 5. ) No, IKEA is not being overly optimistic in its growth plan of opening fifty stores in the United States by 2013. Many furniture retailers have far more than fifty stores in the United States. Wal-Mart, the leading US furniture retailer, has 4,005 stores in the US, so I think IKEA’s goal of fifty stores, while lofty, is perfectly reasonable and would position the company well to gain a greater market presence in North America. I think IKEA could improve its value proposition by providing more after-service support and communicating more with its consumers about who its suppliers are, what its working conditions are like, etc. , because Americans value ethical companies and transparency. We want to buy products from a company we can trust. 6. ) I don’t think IKEA needs to change a lot with regards to its product strategy in order to accomplish its goal of having 50 stores in the United States by 2013. I think IKEA should make the product matrix more detailed to account for the larger US furniture market. By this, I mean break down the designations of â€Å"high,† â€Å"medium,† and â€Å"low† in the product matrix into specific percentages. Going along with this, the company could add more than four styles to its product matrix to allow for more specificity. I believe if IKEA created more specific price points and furniture styles, the matrix system will continue to work and help the company identify gaps in its product line.

Conference Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Conference Report - Essay Example Clint Eastwood, Fellow Researcher, Atlantic Marine Ecology Research Group, presented an interesting speech on "Implications of Global Warming for Marine Ecology" followed by the Asst. Prof. of Department of Oceanography, Texas University, Mr. Tony Adams' presentation of "Cleaning the Oil Spills in the Atlantic". The Conference concluded with thanks from Mr. Tim McKenney. Evaluations of the Research Presentations were analyzed to determine the constituents of an effective and ineffective presentation, and, to review and refine their presentation techniques. A 'Presentation Assessment Form' was prepared (Table A), to evaluate each speaker, and distributed to the audience prior to the commencement of the conference. Evaluation was done on a scale of 1 - 6, 1 being the 'Poorest' and 6 being the 'Excellent', on two aspects of each of the five competencies viz. 1) Content: Planning and Organization. 2) Topic Selection. 3) Quality of Content. 4) Style of Presentation 5) Use of Visual Aids and Tools. The feedback was collated and analyzed to determine the number of positive and negative comments and common themes related to ineffective or poor presentations. A total of 138 assessment forms for each speaker were analyzed, of which 66% remarked positive feedback and 'A' grade for Mr. Eastwood's for the 'Quality of Content' in presentation, as against 29% posi tive feedback 'A' for Mr. Tony Adams, with 'Style of Presentation', being given the most frequent negative grading 'C'. The assessment scheme was evolved after a careful consideration of some important competencies. Since effective presentation is "to present information in ways that influence peoples' attitudes and behaviour" (Verderber, 1997:6), 'Quality of Content' and 'Style of Presentation', were marked as two prime competencies. The importance of 'Para-linguistics' (Hayton, 2005), the non-verbal communication like eye contact, directing voice to all parts of the room etc, cannot be overemphasized. The audience also participated in the presentation, through "feedback on assessed work" which was "perhaps the most commonly mentioned" (Ramsden, 1992; Biggs, 1999) review tool. Additionally, audience participation has also been envisaged in a 'Question and Answer Session'. It was also meant to develop constructive critiquing techniques, by providing the opportunity to the audience to 'identify and assess the style of speech, evaluate the content, judging the weak and strong points of delivery, and be capable of offering quality feedback to the speaker' (Hooper, 2005). Thus developed, after much deliberation and thought, it was hoped that this scheme will affect "the deep processing results in well-structured learning outcomes" (Biggs, 1979; Marton and Saljo, 1976; Trigwell and Prosser, 1991; Watkins, 1983). An example of a Good Presentation: In this conference, Mr. Clint Eastwood's