Writing Assignment - DRAMA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing Assignment - DRAMA - Essay Example It is largely through this element which Shakespeare examines the power which love can have over those it touches, even when that love is clearly not merited. However, even before the potion makes its appearance, the lovers are thoroughly obsessed with one another. When Demetrius tells Helena that he â€Å"cannot love her,† she replies with: These lines show how powerful a grip love has on her. She does not even care whether or not her love is returned—in fact, that it is not returned only makes her more in love. Once the love potion is applied to the various lovers, the situation worsens: first Lysander, then Demetrius both fall for Helena, who becomes so unhappy that she accuses them of being â€Å"bent / to set against me for your merriment,† so convinced is she that they both love Hermia and are mocking her love for Demetrius. (ibid. III.ii.146-147) This shows another aspect which the love potion obviously deals with: the illusion of love. By making the men in the play both fall for the woman that neither of them actually love at the plays start, Shakespeare points out that often what we think is â€Å"love† is nothing of the sort. This is driven home by the mens bombastic exclamations of love for Helena, with Lysander claiming that she â€Å"more engilds the night / than all yon fiery Os and eyes of light.† (ibid. III.ii.187-188) Furthermore, both Lysander and Demetrius are determined that their love for Helena will last â€Å"until death† (ibid. III.ii.168) or that it has returned to her â€Å"to remain† (ibid. III.ii.173). This is â€Å"love† is nothing more than illusion, as the ending of the play shows. However, because of the humorous incident of Titania falling for the ass-headed Bottom and the generally light treatment in this comedy of errors, love still comes out ahead in the end as a great unifying force. Strindbergs The Stronger portrays matters

E-Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

E-Business - Research Paper Example In the competitive world of business, the existing business organisations are trying to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage that strives to ensure a sustainable growth for the organisation. The prevailing scenario of the business world is the outcome of multiple factors where globalisation plays a very crucial role. Globalisation has itself offered better opportunities for trade and commerce as it has helped to enhance international trade. Moreover, the technological advancement is another key factor that has contributed significantly towards the growth prospect. The world economies have experienced a massive development in the fields of information & communication technology, transportation, infrastructure, research & development etc. All these improvements have changed the entire social and economic arena and now the entire business world is successfully incorporating and utilising these technical improvements to gain a better and sustainable competitive advantage over the prevailing highly competitive business world. In this regard, e-business and e-commerce are two most crucial technological developments that have revolutionised the entire business world. The present day businesses have recognised the potential for e-business and e-commerce and most of them have already identified and incorporated e-business and e-commerce as an integral part of their strategic management.

An Analysis On Dominos Pizza Marketing Essay

An Analysis On Dominos Pizza Marketing Essay This report focuses on the marketing activities by Pizza Hut, Dominos and Papa Johns as part of the fast food market. The report has looked at culturally diverse markets being China, India, USA and Mexico. Looking at the various cultures through an etic approach the report aim to convey the different levels of standardization and adaptation that companies have tried to establish in international markets. Through the marketing activities that have been carried out by each company respectively, this report forms a connection with cultural theories by theorists like Hofstede and Hall with the aim to establish which company is standardized or either adapted. In respect to the advertising activities, each company has been alert to meet local cultures in different countries. Eliciting responses that incorporate culture specific aspects like the Guan-xi and the Compadre in high context cultures and catering to the needs of low context cultures with increasing factual analysis in countries like USA, the selected companies have shown their high levels of local responsiveness. Through the report it is evident that have targeted their advertising to their standardized business model focusing on in house dining or a delivery system or even a standardized concept of the quality of products. Sales promotions done by these companies have brought to light the increasing elements of standardization as consumers are becoming increasingly technologically advanced in this mobile generation. Dominos has standardized its technological efforts gaining a competitive advantage giving customers the ability to see the exact location of their pizza during manufacture, customization of the pizza, online delivery etc. these companies have also been quick to gain public attention through local social media portals. Pricing affecting the level of standardization and adaptation, as this reports reflects. Affected by differing economic levels in different countries along with the stage in the product life cycle reached affecting the degree of standardization. Customer preferences and their disposable incomes also play a significant role on pricing and through the use of companies like Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns this report aims to communicate these links. With respect to the brands of the three companies the report sheds light on the different choices made by the company to maintain brand coherence and establish a meaningful relationship with their customers. With local adaptations the findings suggest branding develops a personality over time and when changed can result in negative attention. Branding when adapted correctly increases resonance the highest level in the customer based brand equity pyramid. This report also brings to mind the cultural aspects that link to websites being the initial contact point with customers and thus must be very culturally sensitive. Through the analysis it is evident that companies have adapted their websites in terms of subtle characteristics such as colour, gestures displayed, images, information provision as these affect the degree of standardization. Through this report the findings suggest that although standardization includes the benefits of economies of scale, generation of a better brand image in the global market and easier operations by the company there is an increasing need for adaptation as cultures although can be compared are greatly distinct and have to be acknowledged for a company to succeed in a host country. Introduction: The report based on the fast food market focuses on pizza making brands Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns. This report concentrates on the activities carried out by these brands across the globe in countries such as the United States of America, India, Mexico and China analyzing how cultural differences affect each brand (Fig -1). Through the analysis of the level of standardization and adaptation adopted by these brands across diverse cultures the report sheds light on the chosen companies activities: Websites, Sales Promotion, Advertising, Branding and Pricing. In the business environment is it integral to understand the differences in cultures, attitudes, environments etc. that requires firms to view their companies through a range of indices. Standardization gives companies an increasing advantage in terms of economies of scale along with common brand images as consumers have become increasingly mobile (Levitt, 1983; Craig, 1986, Yip, Loewe and Yoshino, 1988 as cited by Theodosiou and Leonidou, 2003). Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns have tried to internalize these benefits although as contended by Terpstra and Sarathy in 2000 (Theodosiou and Leonidou, 2003) these firms are affected by factors like culture, purchasing power and consumer needs therefore encouraging adaptation. This report aims to analyze marketing activities in different economically developed markets such as China and India belonging to the BRIC nations, Mexico a developing country and USA a developed nation. These markets give insights into differing price sensitivities affecting the products being sold respectively. Marketing Activities Analysis Advertising Pizza hut, Dominos and Papa Johns generally make use of Television commercials to advertise their products around the world. They use TV commercials as it enables them to reach a large target audience to deliver their marketing communications. This pull strategy fits in with the companys budgets and is adapted to meet the local requirements of the countries in which they are viewed in thereby promoting sales. Dominos Table 1 Country Tagline Language of advertisements Snap Shot of the Tagline India USA China Mexico Yeh hai rishton ka time (This is the Time for Relationships) Oh Yes We Did! 30 minutes fast heat delivery. Hindi English Chinese Surce: (Dominos.co.in, 2012) Analysis on Dominos Pizza Dominos Pizza has differentiated itself by advertising and positioning itself differently in different countries. Having altered their advertisements to local languages Dominos is able to communicate in a better way to their customers. Though their standardized pull advertising strategies (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010) the company has generated increased amounts of interest in the consumers and Dominos continues to achieve this through their adapted sales promotions. Dominos have also adopted an identical ad in two of our chosen countries being USA and Mexico, wherein the commercial speaks about the product changes that have been made in order to improve the quality of the pizzas. This global prototype ad has been adapted locally being locally responsive (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010). Dominos has also adopted a standardised pattern throughout its operations in different countries although there are elements of adaptations that can be seen through their differing taglines etc. Dominos has al so been alert to meet cultural imperatives in countries like Mexico and China in terms of compadre and guan-xi as the commercials focus on relationships and friendships being established with the brand, this tends to positively effect sales (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010). Another interesting finding has been the fact that Dominos throughout its operations in both international and home markets have focused their attention to their fundamental delivery model as they gain a competitive advantage from delivery in the pizza business. Pizza Hut Table 2 Tagline Language of Advertisements Snap Shot of the Taglines India USA China Mexico Pizzas and Much More Make it great Pizza and More Hindi English Chinese Analysis on Pizza Hut Pizza hut has been marketed in a way to meet the requirements and the likings of different countries. Throughout the advertisements that are set out by Pizza Hut it is evident that their emphasis has been on their in-house dining experience. In most commercials there are snapshots of the waiters, the ambiance, the furniture etc. This standardisation with local adaptations in terms of their different products that cater to local consumer taste preferences displays the companys emphasis on their in house dining services instead of their delivery. Mexico on the other hand portrays commercials incorporating different settings on a ship, or at a rock concert and even in consumers homes. This can be linked to the fact that Pizza Hut does not cater to the online market but caters to customers over the phone (Pizzahut.com.mx, 2008) (Fig 2.10). This can be seen as a decision to cater to the economic condition of the market, as Pizza Hut has adapted their delivery channel (Theodosiou and Kats ikeas, 2001). Fig 2.10 Pizza Hut ads in Mexico Papa Johns Pizza Table 3 Tagline Language of Advertisements Snapshots of Taglines India USA China Mexico Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Better Ingredients Better Pizza Hindi English Chinese Spanish Source: (YouTube, 2010) Analysis on Papa Johns Papa Johns uses a standardized tagline for Indian, Mexican, USA and Chinese marekts. Papa Johns have effectively used their CEO and produced high performing ads. Consumers have perceived these ads to be authentic and genuine (Kelso, 2012) giving Papa Johns consumers an image wherein the company cares and is about real people creating a personal connect with the consumer. Overall Analysis: As advertising is a basic necessity in the marketing mix of an international brand, the chosen companies Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns have translated the needs and wants of their local consumers. Through the use of adapted symbols these companies have also aimed to meet the cultural needs of local consumers. We have also seen that the companies have adapted their languages in different countries, which is intrinsically linked to different cultures (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010). Dominos and Pizza Hut have equalized their effects of both standardisation and adaptation, which is evident in their advertisements and their messages to respond locally. Papa Johns on the other hand have adopted pattern advertising, which can be linked to the concept of thinking globally, acting locally (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010), as the brand has a common mission to provide Better Ingredients Better Pizza, but still has adapted its advertising strategies in different markets. Through this example it is evi dent that B2C advertising is greatly heterogonous as the transferring success across different countries is increasingly difficult and therefore must be adapted. WEBSITES PIZZA HUT INDIA PIZZA HUT CHINA Source: (Pizzahut.com.cn, 2012) PIZZA HUT USA Fig-3.10 Food allergies and sensitivities Fig-3.12 Book it page PIZZA HUT MEXICO Fig-3.16 Nutrition ANALYSIS Pizza Hut USA has a red background which in most western cultures signifies Christmas as it is widely celebrated across USA and Mexico uses brown which means practical, down-to-earth and comfortable (Empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com, 2009) this encourages customers to make purchases and are attracted to the websites. Pizza Hut India website also has a red background for its homepage and its delivery page. Red in India symbolizes Indian weddings and the Indian bride (Empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com, 2009) thereby attracting the Indian customer. China has a light yellow background which depicts royalty and honour in Chinese culture reflecting the standard of service provided by the company in China, being compared to a 5* experience. (Empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com, 2009). DOMINOS PIZZA INDIA Source: (Dominos.co.in, 2012) DOMINOS PIZZA CHINA Source: (Dominos.com.cn, 2013) DOMINOS PIZZA USA Fig-3.27 Tracker Page DOMINOS PIZZA MEXICO ANALYSIS Dominos has standardized layouts of its websites across the globe with white as its background colour. White symbolizes weddings and brides in the USA, and is a symbol of peace and purity in Mexico, India and China (Geert-hofstede.com, 2013) thereby motivating a purchase as customers feel relaxed when on the page. However, adaptations have been made to fit the different markets and bridge the cultural gaps (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010) PAPA JOHNS INDIA PAPA JOHNS CHINA PAPA JOHNS USA Fig-3.44 Investors Page PAPA JOHNS MEXICO Fig-3.45 Homepage ANALYSIS Overall, a certain level of standardization is seen in Papa Johns websites across countries. The websites in all four countries follow the colours of the logo. Green symbolizes new beginnings and white is sign of peace and purity in all four cultures (Empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com, 2009), which subtly encourages purchases. There is also a degree of adaptation displayed in the websites. Sales promotions, advertisements and languages are adapted in context to the cultural values of each country. OVERALL ANALYSIS Dominos Pizza has a comparatively higher degree of standardization in its website layout in all four countries as compared to the websites of Pizza Hut and Papa Johns Pizza. Dominos website background colour is mainly white in all four countries unlike Pizza Hut and Papa Johns which have adapted their background colours in accordance to the culture of the respective countries. Pizza Hut India has adapted its website layout according to the countrys high-context culture. It shows an employee using various non-verbal communication techniques to promote its products, which is not shown in the websites of the other three countries. However, Pizza Hut does not provide the option of creating your own pizza and pasta, which is offered, by Dominos and Papa Johns. Finally, Papa Johns aims to make a connection with its customers by displaying pictures of its founder and brand ambassador, John Smith on the homepages of all four countries. Therefore, although there is certain degree of standardi zation in the websites of Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and Dominos, there are also certain adaptations that have been made in consideration of the cultural differences in each country. Websites being increasingly important in creating a link with the customers, as it is a direct portal between the brand and the customer, they must be increasingly adapted to accommodate cultural differences. Websites have also reduced the barriers between customers and the company as it has become increasingly accessible over the Internet in multiple countries. SALES PROMOTION Dominos India Dominos Mexico Fig 4.8 ONLINE-ORDER DEALS Analysis: Dominos has standardised its sales promotion in three of the four countries USA, Mexico and India through Facebook uploading coupons, unveiling new items, added to their menu. These promotional items being adapted from their domestic operations are culturally accepted in the countries in which they feature and hence have increased sales and adoption rates in short periods of time (can sales promotions go global). Dominos in both USA and India have used an adaptive approach for their sales promotion through Mobile Applications. China and Mexico both do not have a Mobile Application option for their customers. In USA the app., shows the Pizza Tracker option in which people can track their order progress status (Dominos, 2012). In the Indian app., they have not adopted such style of service to the customers and kept it simple to place an order. Dominos mobile applications technology gives the company a cutting edge advantage as 80% of smartphones have ordering apps (Dominosbiz.com, 20 08). In countries like China and India, Dominos has introduced its 30 Minutes or Free sales promotion. This effective sales promotion attracts new customers as a way of increasing sales in a short span of time. Furthermore, both Dominos USA and India have used the Electronic and Plastic cards option for their customers, whereby, they can send their loved ones greeting cards or vouchers by mail or post for usage in Dominos. Mexico USA have used another system of combining few options to offer to customers who come in a group of 2 or 3 to 5. They can thereby select a type of pre-fixed menu which differentiates with India and China Dominos. Papa Johns India Papa Johns China Papa Johns Mexico Papa Johns USA Analysis: Papa Johns Pizza does not have a mobile application (standardised for the global market) for its sales market in any of the countries, they just keep it normal by online or phone orders. Taylor Swift being one of the most top and famous singers of USA came to an agreement with Papa Johns Pizza of her album RED to be sold along with a Large Pizza as a promotion. Papa Johns, USA started Papa Rewards, a Gift Shop and an E-Gift card facility in only one country which elicits brand awareness through these sales promotions thereby increasing sales. American Football being one of the most popular sport of USA (Usatourist.com, 1998), Papa Johns came up with a two million free pizza scheme in collaboration with NFL targeting the local sport-freak customers (adaptive). Pizza Hut India Pizza Hut USA Pizza Hut Mexico Fig 4.27 Online Deals Targeted Football Followers Pizza Hut China Analysis: Pizza Hut has incorporated the same pre-fixed menus in all countries chosen (India, Mexico, China USA). They have adapted these to meet social and cultural norms. In India, Mexico and China they cater to a smaller group of people starting with 2 individuals, whereas in USA they cater to a larger group of people starting with 8. This aims to target groups of customers. Due to the recession period, the lower-priced chains gained sales and the bigger chains lost theirs sales. To gain some of its lost market share, Pizza Hut launched a $ 10 promotion by which customers could get any pizza, any crust and any topping for $ 10 thereby stimulating an immediate increase in their sales (Franchisedirect.com, 2010). Mexico and USA have used a similar approach towards their customers by setting a contest of winning a double trip to Football finals and Gamer Vacation of Maxim Magazine Party Spot respectively since Football is very well known and famous in both the countries. The Gamer Vacation contest is held mainly to attract the teenage category customers and influencing them to buy more beverages so that they can build the game pieces. Gift cards available in USA and India have been adapted to meet the local market taste through the personalisation of messages. In Mexico China they do not have this type of feature. Pizza Huts mobile application enables customers to place orders online, which has been adapted only in their two big markets USA China. Pizza Hut China has adapted its Childrens Party theme with a South African theme and a London theme as the children are very fascinated by the foreign countries thus getting attracted by such birthday parties (Pizzahut.com.cn, 2012) Overall Analysis: Sales Promotion/marketing activities are incorporated to attract customers and to promote their products (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010). Pizza companies use value meals and promotions/rebates to attract budget minded customers (Franchisedirect.com, 2010). These demonstrations do significantly well in less economically developed countries where prices are out of the reach of customers. (Can sales promotions go global) Dominos quoted that technology is playing an important role in their daily sales as it is convenient for users and customers can use it in their own time as they are more relaxed in ordering over the app. It added millions in revenue for Dominos just via the mobile app. Pizza Hut also quoted that it boosted its sales by $ 1 million in a period of five months from July to November 2009 (the initial period of launch) (Franchisedirect.com, 2010). Papa Johns has not yet adopted any kind of mobile application business for their customers. Facebook and Twitter are becoming a vital medium of sales promotion for the chain of stores. It has been quoted that 85% of the Pizza-chain sales are through promotions and discounts acquired through these social media websites according to the Citigroup Global Markets (Franchisedirect.com, 2010). The previous version of sales promotion was not effective enough since it could not target any specific group. Furthermore, these social media portals are more cost effective methods of marketing and promoting the products (Baker, 2012) India, USA and Mexico have aggressively marketed their products via Facebook and Twitter nowadays while China is still lacking behind this procedure due to government regulations which prevent foreign social media and micro-blogging websites. In order to meet the growing need for social media and microblogging in China the government has introduced an inter-country social media and micro-blogging websites such as Weibo.com, e.t.qq.com, renren.com that incorp orates different sales promotion as mentioned below (Table 1). They restrict these websites to avoid any sensitive issues to be discussed publically and become a revolt against the government officials (Branigan, 2009). Table 1 Websites: Facebook Twitter weibo e.t.qq renren Social Media Micro-blogging Micro-blogging Micro-blogging Social Media Dominos India, USA and Mexico India, USA and Mexico Pizza Hut India, USA and Mexico USA and Mexico China China China Papa Johns Pizza India, USA and Mexico India, USA and Mexico China With the introduction of a variety of sales promotions companies are able to significantly increase short-term sales encourage repurchase and increase buyer switching between brands. (can sales promos go iglobal) Pricing: Dominos Pizza: Dominos USA: General Analysis: At Dominos, by adopting a standardized strategy to their supply chain and dough manufacturing processes Dominos has been able to control price escalations (Fig 5.3) . Their One Brand One System policy (Dominosbiz.com, 1983) incorporates firms using the same core products and proven suppliers maintaining consistency and quality standards across different countries. This standardization has also given rise to increased buyer power from the company giving them a competitive edge in terms of prices of equipment and non-food items. Dominos has also lowered their distribution costs by implementing a shorter internalized distribution channel. Dominos has a set of Master Franchisers who further contract Sub Franchisers adapting itself to meet cultural differences affecting the deeply rooted channels giving increased localized information. (Fig 5.4) Fig 5.4 Master Franchisers and Sub Franchisers Dominos have also standardized their business model that solely caters to delivery and carry out pizza (Doctoroff, 2012). In developing countries although Dominos has incorporated tables in their outlets. Its purpose has not been to change its business model towards in-house dining but in fact to cater to local market needs. This does not affect prices, as high investments in the delivery of a service do not have to be incurred by the company. Papa Johns Pizza: Papa Johns China General Analysis: Papa Johns is aware of the drawbacks of competitor based pricing and hence have focused their pricing strategy by meeting a premium price point (Morrison, 2012). Papa Johns claims that their products are aimed at meeting the needs of those who are looking to purchase products providing them with value and better quality as their tag line suggests- Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. (Papajohns, 2013). This standardized approach that has been adopted has been able to maintain Papa Johns global coordination. Their prices have been set higher than competitors prices communicating the perceived value of the products although they have not been placed at a level where they do not generate sales as Papa Johns is part of the big four pizza franchisers (Franchisehelp.com, 2013). Papa Johns have influenced their prices by standardizing their entry modes into international countries through a franchising model as their products are perishable and need to be located near the consumer and consump tion of the product. Pizza Hut: Pizza Hut India: Pizza Hut Mexico: Source: Nytimes.com, 2010 General Analysis: Pizza Hut has standardized their business model and aims to meet high standards through their increasingly important service scape. Their restaurants give consumers a 5 star feel, which has been replicated throughout their operations in both domestic and international markets. This increasingly high standard of their service scape has increased their costs, as they need to meet a range of standards in terms of staff, furniture, cutlery etc. These significantly increase costs and are reflected through in the pricing strategies. By adapting their pricing strategies at Pizza Hut they have been able to gain a competitive advantage meeting the growing diversity in the food market. Pizza hut also sources their materials and equipment locally which helps manage price escalation. Branding Papa Johns Analysis: Brands today have an increasingly important role as they are termed to be the most valuable assets companies have (Ghauri and Cateora, 2010 p.286). Dominos and Pizza Hut have adapted a their brand over time to match a dynamic market. This can be seen through their change in logo and packaging respectively. Pizza Hut received a negative response from their consumers as the brand had formed a strong relationship with them. Dominos has benefitted from their change and they have adopted this change throughout their operations in USA. Papa Johns a having a transferrable logo has been able to standardize its logo throughout their operations (USA, India, Mexico and China) providing meaningful associations as the brand aims to provide customers with better quality products. Looking at countries like India, China, Mexico and USA companies like Papa Johns, Dominos and Pizza Hut have aimed to further strengthen their brand image with affiliations with other brands like Coca- Cola and Pepsi, which shows (Table 1) the different beverages used by the pizza companies. Conclusion: Despite the profound benefits brought by standardization this report lays emphasis on the fact that in the fast food industry- the pizza market, companies need to be increasingly careful with their marketing activities, as standardization could not bring long-term benefits for the company in an international boundary. This is affected by the fact that cultural differences play a significant role on the success of a product in an international country. Looking at the analysis in the report advertising has been greatly affected by subtle differences as suggested by Edward Hall in this theory of High Context or Low Context cultures. The chosen companies have adapted their advertising efforts to incorporate visuals, music and information by being locally responsive. Advertising in a B2C environment must be increasingly heterogeneous as transfer of success is becomes greatly difficult. Looking at the sales promotions adopted by Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns in order to gain a short-term response in increased sales these companies have been greatly responsive to differences in cultural norms, their target markets and government regulations in dissimilar markets Pricing has also been a determinant in the success of a company in an international country. The findings suggest that pricing must be alert to accommodate national customer purchasing powers. Different stages in the evolution of the PLC in chosen countries like China, India, Mexico and USA also greatly affect the pricing of a company thereby resulting in the success or failure of a brand. Marketing activity that incorporates branding analyses the fact that with a standardized brand in international boundaries like Papa Johns gives increased brand coherence and is easily transferrable into an international markets. Pizza Hut on the other hand having created a personality with its customers could not alter its brand name and logo, as customers were not accepting of the idea. Having placed significant amounts of emphasis on the closest form of contact between customers and the company, Pizza Hut has used an innovative concept wherein a man guides customers through the Indian website meeting subtle cultural associations in terms of gestures and facial expressions. Dominos have also been innovative adapting their websites to meet the growing technologically savvy customers and have introduced new tracking techniques etc, giving customers a clear understanding of where their pizza is during the production and exactly how long it will take. Owing to these marketing activities analyzed in the report it is evidently clear that companies although focus on sales promotions being short term, in order to gain long term benefits the company must adapt itself meeting local requirements. These companies as seen also provide enough standardization so as to reap benefits from brand salience and resonance.

How Can We Tell What Is Good Or Bad? :: essays research papers

How Can We Tell What Is Good Or Bad? To tell what is good or bad, a person needs to consider what he or she considers to be morally sound and immoral. A persons morals are taught by their parents and from the society from which they are raised. Society is not worried about what is good or bad, but how to obtain money and power. Money and power can dilute the values of what people judge morally right. While the moral way of living would be to work a normal forty hour week to earn income, the easy and immoral way is to lie and cheat in their occupation to obtain promotions and benefits. Aristotle said, Every art and every "scientific investigation", as well as every action and "purposive choice," appears to aim at some good, hence the good has rightly been declared that which all things aim (Aristotle, 517). Today society is not aimed at good. This society has become a "me" society. People are thinking of "me,me,me" rather than thinking of the good of others. This society has found it acceptable for a football superstar to be found with an illegal drug to depart the judicial system with probation and again to play football. This is a true example of how people today in our society live their dreams through celebrities. People idolize immoral sport stars instead of holding in a higher regard common everyday people, who are God fearing, hard working, and ethically moral. While in this society it is hard to tell what is true, it is also hard when compared with other societies. For example, some European countries have legalized the use of mild drugs. These countries have attributed this toward less crime. Putting the question of right or wrong on the individual rather than, in our case, the government. In America the majority consider legalization of drugs wrong, but has it really worked our way? Are not alcohol and tobacco just as dangerous, causing mind altering effects, attributing to deaths and diseases everyday? Why are not these illegal? The reason is because people in our society hold a higher regard for the "almighty dollar" rather than the safety and health of their fellow man! Apparently this society has a double-standard. On one hand advertising and sending messages telling kids to "Don't Do Drugs", but on the other hand televising, for all the world to hear, a president admitting to smoking marijuana and hearing him laugh about it. This society expects the best out of kids, but rewards people who take shortcuts. Showing kids it is easier to live an immoral life rather than a moral one!

Prison Policy Recommendation Essay

There is currently a bill in the legislature that would double the maximum prison term for anyone convicted of armed robbery. As a criminologist advisor to a state legislator, I have been tasked with proposing a recommendation on whether or not the current bill on the table will be good for the government and the communities it represents or detrimental. The proposed bill would double the current maximum prison term for any individual convicted of armed robbery. The thought behind such a bill is that a longer prison term will deter people from even attempting, or committing a crime in the first place. This bill would also, in hopes, keep offenders from re-offending for the same crime. As a result of these hopes, the bill has gained much popularity within the legislature. As appealing as the possible resulting lower crime rates sound, there are certain costs that must be considered. The bill proposes longer prison terms for offenders. These longer terms will also come with a higher price tag. The cost of keeping inmates for a longer period will rise exponentially. Another cost, though not monetary, should also be considered; that is the risk of even more violent crimes being committed. If the prison terms for armed robbery were to be doubled and is close to that of the crime of attempted murder, what’s to say an offender would not go all the way if the sentence would be virtually the same? There may be possible solutions for the bill that can be appealing to both the government and the community. The first would be to increase the maximum term served before parole could be offered. For example, instead of a ten-year sentence, with parole after three years; increase it to six or seven years before parole can even be considered. Another option would be to put in place a work program within the prison system. This will be somewhat similar to the outside world, in that if the prisoner does not work, they will not eat or receive rec time. We do not get handed a meal simply because it is supper time. If we don’t work, we don’t eat. Same premise for prisoners. It is my recommendation that the bill not  be approved as it stands but that it is rewritten to reflect changes to the current prison terms. The prison term does not need to be lengthened, but the offenders do need to be made to serve more of their current term before coming up for parole. It is my opinion, and based on crime rates that offenders are often not rehabilitated in such a short period, time, term in prison, and often get paroled and re-offend. This is an endless cycle. If terms were lengthened, it would cost more to house and feed a prisoner, but the costs would outweigh that of releasing them, having them reoffend, costs of trial and a second prison term. Also, the implementation of the work program would help them to realize that prison is not just a free ride, with meals and rec time without hard work and consequences. The parole system must also be overhauled. Parole officers often cannot keep good track of their parolees, and offenders receive too many chances. Perhaps, requiring prisoners to learn a trade would be equally helpful to them outside of prison. The proposed bill for doubling the maximum prison term should not be approved. It cannot succeed as it is. Simply doubling a prison term without further consequences will be a hindrance to the justice system as a whole. A crime is a crime, and an offenders background should not be taken into account. Instead of threatening offenders with a longer possible sentence, change the current rules and statutes for prison terms. Make them serve the majority of their sentence, make them work for basic needs in prison, and educate them. Give them a skill, so that the possibility of reoffending goes down. As popular as the bill may seem, it does not mean that it is the right choice for the government or the communities it represents. All of the options must be considered and weighed carefully before a decision can be made. Instead of creating new laws, perhaps we should first look at ways to enhance and make the current ones better. Only then, can we hope to move forward and create a better nation. References South, T. (2010, June 8). Bill would keep armed robbers in prison longer. Retrieved from timesfreepress.com: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/jun/08/bill-would-keep-armed-robbers-in-prison-longer/ What are positives & negatives to maximum prison sentences? (2011). Retrieved from Yahoo Answers: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index Would doubling the maximum prison term for anyone convicted of armed robbery be a good idea or a bad one, why? (2007). Retrieved from Yahoo Answers: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index

Primal Fear – Psychology Connections

? Psychology 101 Spring 2010 Midterm Please answer the following questions based on the information contained in the movie and place in the drop box no later than 11:59 p. m. on FRIDAY 03/12/10; The film, Primal Fear is a psychological courtroom crime drama based on William Diehl’s novel of the same name. Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman wrote the movie’s adapted screenplay, which was brought to life by director Gregory Hoblit and released in 1996. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense attorney who volunteers to represent a young boy accused of murder. Edward Norton plays the character of Aaron Stampler, a teenage alter boy charged with the gruesome murder of Archbishop Richard Rushman; who is portrayed by Stanley Anderson. Assistant District Attorney (and ex-girlfriend of Martin Vail) Janet Venable; played by Laura Linney, is assigned to prosecute Aaron’s murder case. Frances McDormand is cast as Doctor Molly Arrington, the Psychologist who discovers that Aaron suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder and has an alternate personality; a violent sociopath who calls himself Roy. Supporting performances: Alfre Woodard portrays Miriam Shoat, the Judge who presides over Aaron’s trial proceedings. John Mahoney is cast as John Shaughnessy, Chicago’s District Attorney. The beloved Archbishop of Chicago is brutally murdered in a gruesome manor; viciously stabbed multiple times, with letters and numbers carved into his chest, his fingers chopped off and eyes gouged out. Aaron Stampler is found fleeing the scene of the crime, covered in the Archbishop’s blood. After an extensive chase, the police eventually catch and apprehend Stampler. Criminal defense attorney Martin Vail watched the live man hunt on television; seeing an opportunity for publicity, Vail instantaneous met with Aaron and volunteered to represent his case. Vail questioned Aaron about the events that occurred before he was charged with The Archbishop’s murder. Aaron claims that he discovered the mutilated body of the deceased Bishop Rushman while attempting to return a book to Rushman’s library. Aaron also saw saw someone standing over The Archbishop’s body, who then attacked him; the last event he recalls before his memory blacked out. Nicknamed â€Å"The Butcher Boy† by the media, it appears that Aaron is already presumed guilty by the public. Martin Vail immediately starts the preparation of Aaron’s defense by gathering information about Aaron Stampler and Archbishop Rushman; Vail also orders a full psychiatric evaluation of Aaron. Assistant District Attorney Janet Venable is appointed to the prosecution Aaron’s case; on behalf of the state, she charges Stampler with first degree murder and seeks the death penalty as punishment. Janet Venable is not only the prosecuting attorney in Aaron’s trail, but also Martin Vail’s ex-girlfriend. Upon Vail’s investigation of The Archbishop, he discovers that Rushman invested money on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church which resulted in large losses of money to the city’s most powerful people; Vail also learned of the numerous death threats that were made to The Archbishop. In an attempt to find the exact cause of his black out and memory loss, Psychologist Molly Arrington performs a thorough psychological evaluation of Aaron. She discovers that years of abuse have caused Aaron to develop multiple personality disorder; Roy, Aaron’s alter ego is introduced to the audience. Martin encounters another of Rushman’s Altar boys, who accuses The Archbishop of sexual abuse and claims that such events can be proved by video recording; this uncovers the sinister truth of Rushman’s demonic secrets. Vail discovers the video in The Archbishop’s home; the tape displays Rushman forcing Aaron, his girlfriend Linda and the other Altar boy to participate in repulsive sexual acts. Vail rushes to the jail cell, confronts Aaron with his discovery, and accuses him of hiding the truth; Vail violently badgers Aaron, attempting to force a confession of guilt. After continuous harassment from Vail, Aaron snaps, causing his alternate persona â€Å"Roy† to surface and fight back against Vail. We learn that â€Å"Roy† killed The Archbishop and Aaron is truly insane. Martin Vail cannot change Aaron’s trial plea from â€Å"not guilty† to â€Å"guilty by reason of mental insanity†, Vail must come up with evidence that will prove Aaron’s innocence. During the trial proceedings, witnesses are questioned and Aaron is cross examined by Martin Vail and Janet Venable. Martin attempts to anger Aaron with the hope that it will trigger the appearance of â€Å"Roy†. After no success, Vail is finished questioning Aaron and Venable begins to ask him about his involvement in The Bishop’s murder. Aaron becomes enraged with Venable’s questions and attitude, he loses control of his anger and â€Å"Roy† replaces Aaron while on the witness stand. â€Å"Roy† curses at Venable, jumps from his seat and attacks Janet; threatening to break the A. D. A. ’s neck. The court officer’s eventually pry â€Å"Roy† from Venable and she is free from harm. â€Å"Roy† is handcuffed, taken from the courtroom and locked back into his jail cell. Judge Shoat pronounces Aaron Stampler medically ill and the trial is declared a mistrial. Martin Vail goes to Aaron’s cell and relays the good news; he will not be convicted of murder or face the death penalty and will instead be placed in a mental health facility. Upon leaving the jail cell, Vail is questioned by Aaron, who wonders if Ms. Venable’s neck is ok, and wants Vail to tell her he’s sorry for trying to harm her. Vail nods, and begins exiting the cell and comes to the realization that since the personality of â€Å"Roy† took over Aaron’s psyche while in court, he could not have known about his violent attack on Janet. Vail realizes that this means Aaron was faking his alternative personas and he tricked everyone into believing his innocence. Vail questions Aaron who admits to the fabrication of his entire act and claims that he murdered Archbishop Rushman in cold blood and got away with it. Martin Vail realizes he helped Aaron get away with murder; however he says nothing and slowly walks from the jail onto the street outside. â€Å"Primal Fear’s† main character is criminal defense attorney Martin Vail. Vail is a debonair, self-satisfied, egotistical legal hotshot; he flaunts his accomplishments, arrogance and enjoys seeing his name in the headlines. When Vail discovers a high profile murder case involving the mutilation of an Archbishop, he races at the opportunity to defend Aaron Stampler, the teenage boy accused of the crime. Vail’s character flaws are instantly presented to the audience, initially portraying a narcissist who’s only invested in defending Aaron for personal gain. After their interactions, Vail is troubled by his belief that Aaron is innocent. Martin Vail is motivated into unselfishness by the purity of Aaron Sampler. We begin to see the complexity of Martain Vail’s personality, and the multi-dimensions of his character. After indulging in hard liquor at a bar with a reporter, a candid conversation allows the audience to observe an extremely honest and sincere glimpse of the true virtues which motivate Martin Vail. During this vulnerable moment, Vail declares that he truly believes in the notion that all people are innocent until proven guilty, in the basic goodness of people; and he has faith that not all crimes are committed by bad people, some very, very good people do some very bad things. Judging Martin Vail’s initial actions during the start of the movie would result in a negative opinion Vail; we see him as selfish, cynical and corrupt. However, as Aaron’s story unravels and hidden secrets are revealed, we see Vail’s â€Å"multiple personalities†, and he evolves into a person with righteous morals and motives. â€Å"Primal Fear† has numerous victims who suffered because of the actions of other characters. The initial victim is Archbishop Rushman who is the victim of Aaron’s murder. However, another perspective could claim that Aaron was the victim of Bishop Rushman’s sexual abuse. Martin Vail could be seen as a victim of Aaron’s devious performance that tricked Vail and the court into believing in his insanity and innocence. Yet, the initial fame-loving behavior of Martin Vail and the selfish motives which encouraged his eagerness to represent Aaron Stampler was deceitful and Aaron’s best interest were exploited to better benefit Vail; these actions victimize Aaron. Psychology is used in â€Å"Primal Fear† in numerous ways. The movie’s main characters develop with complexity and are multidimensional in their emotions and behaviors. The film’s tagline; â€Å"sooner or later a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real†, explains this idea best. Our main characters all have multiple â€Å"faces†, and as the plot of Primal Fear develops, each character is faced with discoveries and revelations that change their ideas and alter their moral beliefs. Juxtaposition is literally exploding from every scene of this movie; and psychology can help us understand the motivations behind the characters actions. Martin Vail is initially a self obsessed, fame seeking, egotistical hotshot lawyer; who only does things that benefit him. As the film develops, events cause Vail to expose the more sincere parts of his motivations; as the outcome of Aaron’s trial looks grim, Vail literally portrays another side of his personality and we see a man who truly believes in the innocence of Aaron. This belief encourages Martin to work for the benefit of Aaron, and not concern himself with gaining any type of self profit. We see a transformation of Martin Vail as his actions go from selfish to selfless. The beloved and holy Archbishop Rushman is viewed as a savior and hero. When Rushman is found murdered, the media and people of Chicago paint image of Bishop Rushman as divine, righteous and saintly. Once again we discover information that changes our opinion of The Bishop from black to white. After Aaron’s fellow Altar Boy admits that Bishop Rushman had a dark, sinister secret; and he secretly forced Aaron, his girlfriend and him to perform numerous sexual acts on film. The Archbishop went from being regarded as holy to sexually satanic. The character of Aaron Stampler best portrays the ideas of psychology. Initially appearing weak and innocent, the stuttering Choir Boy illustrates a convincing story that causes the other characters and the audience to believe him. After appearing to have multiple personality disorder; Aaron is taken over by his alternative persona â€Å"Roy†, a violent sociopath who admits to murdering Archbishop Rushman. Aaron and Roy are complete opposite in their demeanor, actions and behaviors. At the end of the film we find that Aaron’s mindset it really that of Roy, and he had faked his entire shuddering and weak alternate personality. Martain Vail discovers this information too, and although he knows Aaron is a cold blood killer, he exits the jail and does not confess Aaron’s trick to anyone. Maybe Vail feels bad for Aaron because he was sexually abused, and he believes that Aaron killed the Archbishop because he terrorized his life; Vail may not think Aaron is an evil person, just a good person who did a very, very bad thing.

Ideas for Teaching Life Skills in School

Ideas for Teaching Life Skills in School Functional life skills are skills that we acquire in order to live a better, more fulfilling life. They enable us to exist happily in our families, and in the societies in which we are born. For more typical learners, functional life skills are  often directed at the goal of finding and keeping a job. Examples of typical functional life skills topics for curricula are preparing for job interviews, learning how to dress professionally, and how to determine living expenses. But occupational skills are not the only area of life skills that can be taught in schools. Kinds of Life Skills The three major life skills areas are daily living, personal and social skills, and occupational skills. Daily living skills range from cooking and cleaning to managing a personal budget. They are the skills necessary for supporting a family and running a household. Personal and social skills help nurture the relationships that students will have outside of school: in the workplace, in the community, and the relationships they will have with themselves. Occupational skills, as discussed, are focused on finding and keeping employment. Why Are Life Skills Important? The key element in most of these curricula is a transition, preparing students to eventually become responsible young adults. For the special ed student, transition goals may be more modest, but these students also benefit from a life skills curriculum- perhaps even more so than typical learners. 70-80% of disabled adults are unemployed after graduating from high school when with a head start, many can join the mainstream of society. The list below is intended to provide teachers with great programming ideas to support responsibility and life skills training for all students. In the Classroom Help with taking down or putting up bulletin boards.Care for plants or pets.Organize materials such as pencils, books, crayons, etc.Hand out completed assignments.Distribute newsletters or other materials.Help with checklists for money for trips, food, or permissions forms.Clean chalk- or whiteboards and brushes. In the Gym Help with any setup.Prepare the gym space for assemblies.Help to keep the gyms storage room organized. Throughout the School Pick up and deliver audio/visual equipment to classrooms.Help in the library by returning books to shelves and repairing damaged books.Wipe down computer monitors and shut them down each day.Clean the computer keyboards with slightly damp paintbrushes.Distribute the attendance records back to classes for the morning.Help keep the teachers lounge tidy. Help in the Office Bring mail and newsletters to the staff mailboxes or deliver to each of the classrooms.Help photocopy materials and count them into their piles as per need.Collate photocopied materials.Alphabetize any files that need sorting. Supporting the Custodian Help with regular school maintenance: sweeping, floor polishing, shoveling, window cleaning, dusting, and any outdoor maintenance. For the Teacher Everyone needs life skills for daily, personal functioning. However, some students will require repetition, redundancy, review and regular reinforcement to become successful. Dont take anything for granted.Teach, model, let the student try, support and reinforce the skill.Reinforcing may be required on each new day the child performs the skill required.Be patient, understanding and persevere.

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, PESTEL, Five Forces) of McDonalds The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, PESTEL, Five Forces) of McDonalds 1.0 Introduction   Strategic Analysis (SWOT, PESTEL, Five Forces) of McDonalds 1.0 Introduction  1.1   Introduction1.2   Organisation Selection1.3  Organisation position1.3.1 SWOT AnalysisStrengths:Weakness:Opportunities:Threats:1.3.2 External/Internal Factors.1.3.2.1 External factors (analysed using key PESTEL factors)A. Political Factors  Economic FactorsB. Socio-Cultural FactorsC. Technological FactorsD. EnvironmentE. Legal Factors1.3.2.2 Internal Factors  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. Quality of Service:B.   Quality of product:C. Internal management:New Product / Process innovation 2.1 Facility Design and equipment:2.1.1 Restaurant Design: Innovative design to suit 2025 requirementsType of restaurant:The Market:Concept Development:Style of service:Speed of service:Per customer check Average:General Ambience:Management Philosophy:Budget:Completed restaurant design:2.1.2 Equipment:   Introduction of Technology and RobotImplementation(1) Create Urgency(2) Form a guiding coalition(3) Develop a vision and strategy(4) Communicating the vision(5) Enabling action and removal of obstacles(6) Generating short-term wins  (7) Hold the gains and build on change  (8) Anchor changes in the cultureReferences:Related 1.0 Introduction   1.1   Introduction The term restaurant is an establishment where food is prepared and served to the people and always/almost refers to any sort of dine-in. Restaurants range from simple dining places where food is catered to people nearby or tourists for a reasonable price to expensive eat-outs serving food and wine in formal outfits depending on the local culture and tradition. Restaurants are classified based upon the range of menu, pricing and the mode of preparation. The changing trends in economy and income changed the purchasing power. The change in purchasing power also reflected in the market preferences and consumer behaviour. The industry has started becoming customer centric. This lead to the change of historic serving method (food served to the table by a waiter) to evolve into of fast-food and take away restaurants. There is quite a lot of difference between different types of restaurant. A coffee shop serving breakfast and lunch is completely different from the fast food industry (Rainsfo rd, 2001, P.208)     Fast food restaurants ranges from small road side vendors to American giants like McDonald’s and KFC (Caterersearch, 2011). But they have one thing in common. They deliver their service to the customers very quickly when compared to typical restaurants. 1.2   Organisation Selection The case study is to develop an organisation as the restaurant of the future (2025) and to predict the possible challenges and opportunities in achieving it. The study has also tried to suggest methods to overcome the odds and capitalise on the possible strengths. What began with a handful of hot dog and hamburger has spread its influence into every aspect of the society as an industry (Schlosser, 2001, p.3). This case study has considered McDonald’s possibility of becoming a restaurant of the future.   Patrick McDonald in 1937 opened a restaurant â€Å"The Airdrome† selling hamburgers and juices. Later in 1940 Maurice and Richard, sons of Patrick McDonald opened a speed Service system and named the restaurant as â€Å"McDonald’s†. There are now more than 31000 restaurants in over 119 countries and revenue of US$ 24 billion (McDonalds, 2011 Securities and Exchange Commission, 2011). McDonald’s is the biggest chain of restaurants in the world serv ing nearly fifty million customers per day (McDonalds, 2011). 1.3  Organisation position Different organisations are influenced by different factors, but in common they are influenced by political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors. The response to these factors is determined by the organisation`s strengths, weakness, and managerial efficiency. McDonald’s, being a food industry, dominates the market till today with its diversification. McDonald’s market leadership can be attributed mainly to its growth in the recent years. The growth was steady despite global economic crisis. The improvement in the buying pattern of the people is a result of the overall increase in the income and the standard of living of the middle class. People have started to find ways to increase their income to rather than curb their comforts. UNESCO has predicted a substantial amount of increase in the consuming class. These facts make the organisation look very positive in future (UNESCO, 2011). 1.3.1 SWOT Analysis Strengths: Innovation and diversification in product range. Extensive geographical and demographical presence. Management and franchise network`s support and adoptability to the dynamic market Not being complacent and its attitude of uncertainty acceptance Weakness: Customer behaviour and expectation differs vastly among different cultures and boundaries. Opportunities: Increase in the number of applications for franchising. This goodwill of the organisation is a great asset in the long run. Increase in demand for the service oriented sector with increase in population of the consuming class. Its commitment to provide health conscious diet has attracted customers across the globe. Innovation in the product range keeps on accumulating the customer base. Threats: Legal threats including law suits against the restaurant against their advertising, meals, obesity caused by their food, fries, employment etc. Campaign against McDonalds by independent organisations like Mcspotlight posing a real risk to its marketing strategy (Mcspotlight, 2011). McDonalds have problems with fluctuations in operating and net profits which ultimately impact investor relations. Operating profit was $3,984 million (2005) $4,433 million (2006) and $3,879 million (2007). Net profits were $2,602 million (2005), $3,544 million (2006) and $2,395 million (2007) (Marketingteacher, 2011). Opposition from parent group for attracting the kids by providing toys/gifts etc., thereby soliciting them to the unhealthy fast food culture at an early age. Food contamination will lead to an epidemic as the raw food is always handled in mass and distributed to every part of the country by centralised distribution centre. Competition from major food chains like Burger King, KFC and mid-range local restaurants which sell similar products at much less price than McDonalds. 1.3.2 External/Internal Factors. 1.3.2.1 External factors (analysed using key PESTEL factors) PESTEL analysis helps us to understand the overall picture of the operation of an industry. A. Political Factors The operations of any organisation are heavily influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government and McDonald’s is no exception. For instance, there are certain groups in Europe and the United States that protest to the state pertaining to the health implications of consuming fast food. They claim that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food. There are other factors such as the tax law, employment law and related trade restrictions. Tax rates could affect the growth of the organisation.   In a diverse working environment employment restrictions like working hour’s regulation require the organisation to employ more staff. Amendments like this increase the overall cost involved.   Certain restriction has very strong influence in the operation of the organisation. Certain laws penetrate so deep that they even constrain the content of the food.   Economic Factors Organisations like McDonalds which have global presence are affected by the changes in inflation and the exchange rates.   Hence, these chains may have to adapt to the issues and the effects of the economic environment. The economic factors also determine the supply and demand relationship of the raw materials within the organisation. Other economic factors that impact the organisation are inflation rate, wage rate, and cost of living (Ivythesis, 2011). B. Socio-Cultural Factors International strategies of McDonald’s seem to act on several fields to guarantee lucrative returns for the organisation.   To illustrate, the organisation improves on establishing a positive mind-set from their core consumers.   McDonald’s have understood its customers based on their characteristics. A recent survey has proved that McDonald’s most frequent customers are below the age of thirty-five (Ivythesis, 2011). C. Technological Factors The Company’s key tool for marketing is by means of television advertisements. Elements like the inventory system and the management of the value chain of the company allows for easy payments for theirs. The integration of technology in the operations of McDonalds tends to add value to their products. The improvement of the inventory system as well as its supply chain allows the company to operate in an international context (Ivythesis, 2011). D. Environment The social responsibility of McDonald’s on a region is influenced by the operations of the company in that specific region.   These entail accusations of environmental damage.   Among the reasons why the company is charged with such claims is the employment of non-biodegradable substances for the glasses and Styrofoam coffers, which is offered for the meals (Ivythesis, 2011) E. Legal Factors Legal aspects like tax obligations, employment standards, and quality requirements are only a few among the other equally important legal factors on which the company has to take into consideration (Ivythesis, 2011). 1.3.2.2 Internal Factors  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McDonald’s constantly deals with very active and rigorous competition. Statistics and results show that there is always the threat of new competitor. One of the internal strength that McDonald’s has had in the past is its early entry into the international market. Due to the fact that it was among the first to enter the international market, it was readily able to analyse what the requirements of the industry and capitalised on its strength. The key reasons for the success of McDonald’s are A. Quality of Service: McDonalds was very committed towards achieving customer satisfaction. It consistently looked to improve its product range. Few of those developments include taking orders in the drive-thru’ with hand held PDA’s, by which not only the speed of the service was improved but also the quality of service was improved. The idle time of the customer was reduced. B.   Quality of product: Another important area within the customer service and customer satisfaction is the quality of product. It is a very well-known fact, that for the success of a food industry, the key area is the quality. McDonald’s lead in the market share for such a very long period of time demonstrates its quality. C. Internal management: Internal management is a key area in the organisation and is mainly controlled by IT systems. IT systems developments are colossal, in every named field. Their developments within this environment are in the following sectors Reports, Base, Forecast and Setup. New Product / Process innovation Innovations of the mangers are the assets of the companies in the present scenario. Innovation enables one to see potential acquisitions through different perspectives. Apart from producing monetary gains, innovation provides a greater scope for the organisation to deal with. Innovation also provides an edge in being able to enter new markets faster and deeper. Innovation serves as a fuel for the companies to accelerate (Maglio, 2006). There are various factors which influence the position of a restaurant, as we discussed earlier all these factors could experience change by 2025. It is impossible to predict the outcome or the progress of an industry accurately. Most restaurants adapt to the changing scenario rather than pre-empting on the change and acting proactively. The company that builds a culture of innovation and is able to evolve with change is on the path to growth. The company that fails to innovate is on the road to obsolescence (Kandampully, 2000). McDonalds is experiencing fierce competition from the developing Asian and Indian economy. The ways to withstand these threats are also discussed. McDonalds is going back to the future. The burger giant is investing $2.4 billion in renovating 2,000 of their locations, including 400 in the U.S., and building 1,000 new restaurants in the style of the renovations that they are doing (Franchises, 2011). Based on the location of the restaurant the designs vary. There are three major styles into consideration which is the urban living, young and cheering and the fresh and vibrant (Jaunted, 2011). Environmental concerns over waste management have forced McDonalds to switch to biodegradable packaging as well as to reduce the companys greenhouse-gas emissions. The next 10 years will see a culture of adapting to more recyclable material used in packaging, for serving, and separate receptacle bins for cups, plastic lids and leftover food (Minyanville, 2011). As re-organizing a complete restaurant for 2025 specification is the scope of this assignment, few specific areas of development are selected. Facility Design and equipment are discussed in detail in this study. New innovative ideas and a road map to implement those ideas were also discussed. The key task is to analyse the customer expectations, innovations and apply creativity to the thought by developing a model of a restaurant for 2025. The population of the United Kingdom is projected to increase gradually from an estimated 59.8 million in 2000 to reach nearly 65 million by 2025, according to national statistics published by the government (Gad, 2011). 2.1 Facility Design and equipment: 2.1.1 Restaurant Design: Innovative design to suit 2025 requirements Restaurant design plays a critical role in attracting and retaining customers. At the same time, design must complement food preparation and service. Successful restaurant design shows how to incorporate your understanding of the restaurants front- and back-of-the-house operations into a design that meets the needs of the restaurants owners, staff, and clientele. Moreover, it shows how an understanding of the restaurants concept, market, and menu enables one to create a design that not only facilitates a seamless operation but also enhances the dining experience (Baraban, 2010, p.80-89). Successful restaurant design should be based on a complete feasibility study that covers the following ten areas (Baraban, 2010, p.95). Type of restaurant The Market Concept Development Menu Style of Service Speed of service The per customer-Check average General ambience Management philosophy Budget These points should be considered at start of a project, before arriving at layouts and specifications. Type of restaurant: The restaurant (McDonalds) is a fast food restaurant that needs to aid both take away and eat-in customers. In 2025 it is expected that the market will be expecting something really quick and fast food is one of the options to move forward. The Market: A good market analysis looks at main four components: potential customers, competition, location and economic environment. These factors have been discussed earlier. Concept Development: The assumption in this study is that by 2025, the population will rise by 6 million and in order to meet the demand, the organisation needs more space, quick service and value added service Menu: The food and menu are beyond the scope of this study and hence not discussed Style of service: Style of service in this design is considered to be carried over from the current style. Speed of service: It is for sure that the customer’s expectation will be rocketing over the next decade and the speed of service will have to be improved. The equipments that are suggested in the next section are assumed to meet the service speed target. Per customer check Average: The nature of business implies the per customer check average is not going to be more than  £50 and this suggests that the restaurant will have to make huge customer turn around to become successful. This is based on the inflation rate in 2025. General Ambience: The atmospheres that future managers are throwing into this design set up is eat-in and go type. As this will be apt solution for a fast food industry. Management Philosophy: Management is designed to be a central command centre, rather than having manager in each restaurant. This is to save cost and have a unified command centre with unique target. Each store is to be connected to the central command centre through which the person/Computer in command could see the status of the shop floor activities. A computer constantly monitors the sales, stock and cooking time and the command is provided to the shop floor where the robots are tasked to do the required amendments (Kandampully, 2000). Budget: The assumption is that the design would be implemented as a pilot project and there is sufficient budget to setup a whole new restaurant based on the requirements for 2025. Completed restaurant design: The design of the restaurant is assumed to be completed with the above assumptions, requirements and is available for implementation. The next task is to analyse and implement the newly designed restaurant. 2.1.2 Equipment:   Introduction of Technology and Robot As we may be aware with the increasing population across the globe, the future of McDonalds could be a robot making a ham burger reducing manpower and increasing speed of service (Myownspunk, 2011). It’s a well-known fact that technology is the future. The use of electronic gadgets or robots to operate manual devices such as in the automotive industry or for manual handling of raw materials using robots will be a common trend for that generation of 2025; the use of robots in the food industry will be a common trend in future. Creativity could be a solution to complex problems, the future could be robots taking orders; preparing and serving food in the most efficient manner possible. Figure.1 Cost estimate of installing a Robot in a fast food industry (McGrath, 2004, p.228). Certainly man power will be reduced with the innovation idea of robots doing these tasks. The product cost for robot is expected to be $34,215 for the first year and reducing in the subsequent years (McGrath, 2004, p.228) Considering the levels of education the future generations are going to embark on, retail low skills in-proficient job like preparing food and taking orders by the generation is not going to be desirable. The innovation of robots into this market could also increase the speed of service as fast food restaurants are well renowned for its speed of service.   No matter the laws for an industry may vary from country to country but when it counts to food hygiene the laws across the globe are similar and not only the government, even the public will be very much concerned about the hygiene. To an extent one can be certain that these hygiene laws are easily met by the implementation of technology (Maglio, 2006). Implementation The innovator will be the leader in the future. The innovator need not necessarily be a technical genius, but he must be able plant the attitude of innovation and nurture it.   Collaboration is essential; failure is an unwelcome but inevitable outcome. Innovation leaders are comfortable with uncertainty and have an open mind; they are receptive to ideas from very different disciplines. They have organized innovation into a disciplined process that is cyclic and systematic. And, they will have the tools and skills to pinpoint and manage the risks inherent in innovation. Not everyone has these attributes. But companies cannot build a culture of innovation without cultivating people who do (Gadrey, 1995). When restaurateurs evaluate whether to adopt technology-based service innovations, they must consider not only the costs and benefits of that technology, but also the customers’ reactions to the procedural changes with respect to the innovation. Technology that fails to build customer satisfaction may not be worthwhile, no matter how much it reduces labour costs (Gann, 1998). In order to implement the above facility design and equipment change, John Kotters highly regarded book Leading Change (1995) was referred and a helpful model for understanding and managing change was used. John Kotter’s eight steps have been applied to McDonald’s implementation program as below: (1) Create Urgency According to John Kotter 1995, 75% of a companys senior management needs to support the change. In this case, a proposal is to arrange for a team meeting and present the change management plan and make sure that every team member is aware of the new facility design and the (technology of ) robot they are going to work with. This can involve a complete SWOT analysis, scenario planning and full deployment of all the strategic planning tools. Results of analysis and early conclusions should be thoroughly tested with informed third party opinion and a wide cross section of all stakeholders (Johnkotter, 2011). (2) Form a guiding coalition After all the team members are aware of the changes, its time to form a team to instigate the implementation process. Building the momentum for change requires a strong leadership and visible support from key people within the organisation. The coalition will involve a wide representation of the formal and informal power-base within the organisation (Johnkotter, 2011). By working as a team, the coalition helps to create more momentum and build the sense of urgency in relation to the need for change (Johnkotter, 2011). (3) Develop a vision and strategy A drive for change without a clear focus will rapidly fizzle out unless one develops a clear vision of the future that is accompanied with a clear description about how things will be different in the future (Johnkotter, 2011). The vision for this project is a)   implement the new facility design b)   introduce robot technology to make and distribute burgers Strategy is to have the implementation completed in set time and understand the root cause of any issues in this pilot programme so that future application of similar concepts could be done with ease. (4) Communicating the vision It is equally important to communicate the vision to the individuals who are involved in the implementation of the McDonalds new vision. This goes beyond the â€Å"special announcement† meetings and involves frequent and informal face-to-face contact with the people by the manager and by all individual members of the coalition (Kotter, 1995, p.110). There will be long list of items that has to be passed between the team which include schedules, training material, new procedures etc. The manager of the future will be responsible for communication and should make sure that the changes are received by every individual in the organisation. (5) Enabling action and removal of obstacles This is the stage where the change initiative moves beyond the planning and the talking and into practical action as you put supportive structures in place and empower and encourage your people to take risks in pursuit of the vision (Johnkotter, 2011). Regular meetings in which the reports are reviewed will provide better means to identify and remove obstacles and inhibitors to change. These may arise in processes or structures that are getting in the way. This may also involve addressing resistant individuals and/or groups and helping them to reorient themselves to the requirements of the new realities (Johnkotter, 2011). (6) Generating short-term wins This is important as a counter to critics and negative influencers who may otherwise impede the progress of the implementation initiative (Kotter, 1995, p.85-90). In this implementation program the short term goals could be easily identified. It is also important to recognise and reward all those people who make these early gains possible (Kotter, 1995, p.43-47). Every week a team member will be selected based on their performance and rewarded. This will motivate them and result in more productivity as team members will compete to gain that honour.   (7) Hold the gains and build on change Kotter argues that many change initiatives fail because victory is declared too early. An early win is not the end of a journey (Kotter, 1995, p.67). When a road block is seen on the implementation program the issue could be resolved by changing the plan or changing the viewpoint. Bringing in new people into the team will be a beneficial idea as the fresh eyes will capture something which was missed by the existing team (Kotter, 1995, p.73).   (8) Anchor changes in the culture John Kotter says that for any change to be sustained, it needs to become embedded in the new â€Å"way we do things around here† – that is the culture.   McDonalds has been seen as a fast food chain. It is really important to implement the change in a way that the trademark is not affected by the change. A major part of this is to articulate the connections between new behaviours and organisational success. To benchmark with organisations that have succeeded as a result of change and innovation and replicate their success (JohnKotter, 2011). References: Baraban, R.S. (2010) Successful Restaurant Design. London, John Wiley Sons. Caterersearch (2011) McDonalds restaurants. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx [Accessed 21st June 2011]. Dabholkar, P.A. (1999) Consumer evaluations of new technology-based self-service options: An investigation of alternative models of service quality. International Journal of Research in Marketing, (13) 1 February, pp.29-51. Franchises (2011) McDonalds. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: http://franchises.about.com/b/2011/05/26/mcdonalds-renovations.htm [Accessed 21st June 2011]. Gadrey, J. (1995) New models of the innovation. How services benefit industry. International journal of services industry management, (6) 3 March, pp.4-16. Gann, D.M. (1998) Learning and innovation management in project based service enhanced firms. Journal of innovation management, (2) 4 September, pp.431-454. Jaunted (2011) McDonalds Fututre [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: jaunted.com/story/2009/3/6/63325/49594/travel/What+Will+McDonalds+Look+Like+In+the+Future%3F [Accessed 21st June 2011]. John Kotter (2011) Stratagy and Change. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: strategies-for-managing-change.com/john-kotter.html [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Kandampully, J. Customer loyalty in hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image. International journal of contemporary hospitality management, (12) 6 June, pp.346-351. Kotter, J (1995) Leading Change. Boston, HarvardUniversity Press. Gad (2011) Population prediction. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: gad.gov.uk/Documents/Demography/Projections/2000-based_National_population_projections.pdf [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Ivythesis, (2011) PESTEL analysis. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from:   http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/02/pestle-analysis-of-mcdonalds.html#ixzz1QxZTV3sM [Accessed 21st June 2011]. Marketingteacher (2011) McDonalds SWOT. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: marketingteacher.com/swot/mcdonalds-swot.html [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Magilo, P.P. (2006) Sercice system, service scientists, SSME innovation. Communication of the ACM, (49) 7 July, pp.894-914. McGrath, E.M. (2004) Next generation product development. USA, McGraw-Hill. Mcspotlight (2011) Competitors in the market. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: mcspotlight.org/help.html [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Minyanville (2011) Business market [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from:   minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/MCD-BIG-Food-FAST-Mac-future/12/15/2008/id/20135 [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Myownspunk (2011) Hamburger-Robot. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: myownspunk.com/robots/lego-hamburger-robot [Accessed 22nd June 2011]. Rainsford, P. (2001) The restaurant start up guide. London, Kaplan professional company. Schlosser, E. (2001) Fast Food Nation: The Dark side of the All-American Meal. London, Sage publications. Securities and Exchange Commission (2011) About McDonalds in USA   [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63908/000119312511046701/d10k.htm [Accessed 21st June 2011]. UNESCO (2011) Population trends. [Internet], Leeds, LeedsMetropolitanUniversity. Available from: unesco.org/education/tlsf/TLSF/theme_c/mod13/uncom13t01.htm [Accessed 22nd June 2011].

Bret Harte Essay Example for Free

Bret Harte Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA The United States has some of the best literature that has ever been written. American literature is very well refined and unique from other countries. In the writing world, American literature has not even been around that long. The past 337 years that America has been a country is relatively short compared to the thousands of years that literature has existed. The many great American writers are what make American literature able to overcome its short lifespan and be one of the greatest countries for literature in the world. From Washington Irving to Mark Twain, American authors are responsible for American literature’s current amazing state. One certain author played an especially important role in shaping a specific genre in American literature. Bret Harte is the man responsible for making the Western genre of literature popular. His stories are captivating. Bret Harte was able to contribute to the rise of American literature by shaping the Western genre so that other authors may adapt to his new style of writing, and by writing some of the most memorable stories of all time, such as â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat. † Bret Harte was born in Albany, New York, on August 25, 1836. He was raised as one of his family’s four children. Harte was very ill from ages six to ten, which gave him free time for reading (Franks 829). This time for reading had a great influence on Harte, giving him blocks for him to build on in his writing career. He was especially affected by the writings of British author Charles Dickens (Franks 829). His family was so poor, that they were unable to afford for him to finish school (Franks 829). When his father died in 1845, Harte and his family moved to Brooklyn. When his mother became engaged again, he and his family moved to Oakland, where his mother was married. His family was still very poor though. These times of hardship were also very influential on his writing. He was able to understand difficult struggles, thus making the problems that his characters face in his stories more interesting. He connected with his characters in many ways when they would experience times of hardship. His time in Oakland is what made him such a great â€Å"Western† writer. It made writing about the Wild West natural for him. Harte then moved to Union, California, but was run out of town after publishing a newspaper story about local white men slaughtering Indians. Harte married Anna Griswold, and they had four children together. They lived together in San Francisco, where Harte wrote most of his popular stories and became quite famous. During the height of his popularity, he signed a contract with The Atlantic Monthly for $10,000 for 12 stories a year, the most money then offered to a U. S. writer (â€Å"Hutchinson’s†). His fame led to his stories becoming even more popular, but it would also go to his head. The main genre used in most of Harte’s stories is the â€Å"Western†. According to The New Encyclopedia Britannica, the â€Å"Western† is defined as â€Å"an original genre of novels and short stories, motion pictures, and television and radio shows that are set in the American West, usually in the period from the 1850s to the end of the nineteenth century,† (598). An average Western story was about a cowboy fighting Indians or a sheriff catching a bad guy, but Harte made his special. Of those stories, one of the most popular is â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat. † This story is about a group of people who are kicked out of their town for being â€Å"bad† people. They set up camp together and attempted to work with each other to stay alive. The group experiences many setbacks, including a member betraying them, a long snowstorm, and a shortage of food. While the reader watches the story unfold, he or she starts to see that these people really are not that bad, and perhaps they did not deserve this punishment. This story is very different from the traditional Western stories. In â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† Harte is able to make criminals seem like good guys. Usually a â€Å"Western† is about a perfect main character, who stops the bad guys; but in this story, the main characters are some of the worst people in the town. His is also different from traditional â€Å"Westerns† in the way that it does not have any guns. When most people think of a â€Å"Western,† they think of guns, but Harte was able to change that. He wrote a story with no guns at all, and it is able to focus more on the characters and their feelings, rather than action and violence. Harte goes far beyond the ordinary way of writing with this story. In the opening paragraph of â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† Harte writes: As Mr. John Oakhurst, gambler, stepped into the main street of Poker Flat on the morning of the twenty-third of November, 1850, he was conscious of a change in its moral atmosphere since the preceding night. Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances. There was a Sabbath lull in the air, which, in a settlement unused to Sabbath influences, looked ominous. (â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat†) As is visible in this paragraph, Harte was a very descriptive writer. He was able to paint a picture in the reader’s mind and effectively set his story’s mood. The characters that Harte used in this story were very significant. As said by Abby H. P. Werlock, his characters included â€Å"the stoic gambler, the soft-hearted prostitute, the unthinking drunk, and the vigilante committee driven by personal interests and blinded by the passion of a moment† (Werlcok). All of these characters that Harte used are still seen in many Western stories today. In fact, they are quite typical in modern Western stories, but Harte was the one to come up with them. Shaping the Western genre and writing some of the most memorable stories of all time, such as â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† was how Bret Harte was able to contribute to the rise of American literature. After Harte’s era, â€Å"Westerns† became much more popular. He forever changed American literature to be much more Western themed. Harte will always be remembered as one of the best authors of all time, and more specifically, the man who changed the way Western stories are written. Bret Harte. (2016, Sep 06). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Living in McMinden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Foundations of Finance and Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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