Smithfield Food’s Vertical Integration Strategy free essay sample

What are the most important elements of Smithfield Food’s strategy? 1. They chose the food industry – in particular the red meat sector. 2. Their core business focus was on mainly pork, and beef to a lesser extent. 3. The company opted for an aggressive growth strategy which is primarily based on amongst others a geographic expansion: oThey carried out 32 acquisitions since 1981. oThey expanded into foreign markets – Smithfield made acquisitions in Canada, France, Romania and Poland. Acquired meat processors in Poland and Romania; including a hog farming operation in the latter country. . They followed a product diversification strategy, in order to grow: 5. This resulted in diversification into new product segments – they marketed chops, roasts, lions, ground pork, bacon, hams, sausages, sliced deli meats 6. Most importantly, they followed a vertical integration strategy into the pork business: oThis entailed a full or partial integration (depending on location), with operations ranging from operations in hog farming, feed mill, meat packing plants and distribution. We will write a custom essay sample on Smithfield Food’s Vertical Integration Strategy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 7. They also carried out joint ventures 8. Established joint ventures in Spain, Mexico, and China . In addition to that they sought to become a low cost provider: 10. They employed the newest technology available, their plants were efficient, their wages were low and operating costs were relatively low. The pricing was as such very competitive. â€Å"Every effort was made to reduce costs† There was a concerted effort to lower costs and push up sales. Not withstanding the company’s financial performance, this strategy has facilitated the rapid adoption of new technology, improved quality control, assured markets for the hogs and provided a steady flow of hogs for processing. This essentially created economies of scale and lowered production costs. The customers benefited as the company was able to respond to their changing preferences for quality and convenience type products. 2. Is there a moral problem with Smithfield Food’s vertical integration strategy and its resulting concentration of thousands of hog farms and several meat-packing plants within a relatively small geographic area? Is it socially responsible for a company like Smithfield Foods to pursue a rapid growth strategy when that strategy poses environmental problems and adversely affects living conditions in the communities where it operates? Should the company be proud of its business model and strategy? oNo, there is no moral problem with this strategy. Neither the vertical integration strategy nor concentration of operations in small geographic areas poses a moral dilemma. â€Å"A company’s strategy relates broadly to competitive initiatives and action plan for running the business† Hough et al (2008: 7). In a free, capitalist society, this remains the prerogative of the individual firm on how to compete, to make profit and grow the business. Against this background, the company’s strategy is an attempt to contain volatile pricing in the market by controlling the every stage of production, thereby ensure the satisfaction of consumers’ changing preferences. The case study does not make reference to unfair competitive practices, but rather the focus is on ethics and social responsibility. oThe local communities where Smithfield ran its hog farming operation complained about its imposition on them, implying lack of consultation. More importantly, there were allegations of substantial adverse effects of low wages and environmental degradation. Lack of consultation in running business operation is neither paramount nor mandatory; however allegations of environmental damage and unfair labour practices infringe laws of any democratic country. They must therefore be seen in serious light and investigated by authorities. It must be borne in mind that prior to Smithfield’s introduction of the concept of factory farming; the prices of hogs were on the decline, resulting in closure of local packing plants. Smithfield stabilized the local economy and changed the distribution of income. They saved local farms and brought jobs to this region. They also shouldered the risk of hog prices, thereby protecting the farmers. Smithfield was also able to satisfy customer demands of better products at lower prices. The local farming community showed their tacit support by their eagerness to do business with Smithfield as there was a two year long waiting list in 1998 for farmers wishing to enter into contract farming! oThe company should be proud of its business model. A business model refers to how and why the business will generate revenues, cover costs, and produce profits and a positive ROE. Annual sales in 2006 of $11 billion from $1. 5 billion in 1995 and an average compound growth rate of 24% during the decade speak volumes. However attention is required in addressing the following: †¢Concerns from the industry observers on contract farming – more specifically their â€Å"debt laden† nature †¢Allegations of unfair labour practices- low pay/ low quality, in addition the recruitment of migrant labour from Central or South America that may be open to exploitation. Allegations of detrimental environmental practices – impact of concentrated cluster of hog farms on the environment. †¢Limited purchase of feed, machinery and fuel from local sources. †¢Although, trivial the issue of the â€Å"smell† in the air Essentially this business model was able to ensure profitability and sustainability of the com pany, because economies of scale in production and marketing. 3. Does Smithfield Food’s hog raising operation in North Carolina harm anyone? Yes, the following were affected: †¢Grain Farmers Feed grains were no longer purchased locally. At times, grains were imported at lower cost from Australia and Argentina †¢Milling companies – Grain was purchased and milled in the Midwest †¢Farm equipment dealers – Local farm equipment dealers were forced to close as Smithfield purchased equipment directly from the manufacturers. †¢Local fuel dealers – Diesel fuel was purchased directly from the refineries. †¢Local truck dealers – All truck purchases were made in Detroit from national dealers. †¢Local farmers – Inability to bargain and exposure to the risk of default on contract by Smithfield should it suit them to cancel the contract. Furthermore, they could hardly negotiate the terms and conditions of the loans received from Smithfield, as the demand for contracting farming was huge, they became price takers. †¢Workers – Working conditions were hard and unpleasant. Their wages were low. High labour turnover was prevalent as a result of the stressful work environment. †¢Local store butchers – Most grocery chains opted to buy fresh meat cuts, wrapped, packaged and ready for sale from Smithfield. †¢Environment – Allegations were abound that : a. Contaminants from hog lagoons were getting into ground water b. Industry is running out of places to spread the waste c. Emission of large amounts of ammonia gas from hog farms †¢Local community a. The quality of the air declined because of the sharp, pungent odour from hog farms. b. Decline in jobs despite a rise in hog production c. Decline in property prices, perceived to be aftermath of the â€Å"new† look and smell of the countryside. d. Decline in tourism – as a result of the poor image of environment damage, more discernibly the pungent smell. 4. Who is benefited by Smithfield Foods strategy in the hog raising business? It goes without saying that, primarily, the strategy would have benefited the company, its management, employees and shareholders. This is evident in the good financial performance that resulted in the last decade. However other stakeholders also benefited: oFarmers – they were guaranteed a set price per hog hence market access or freedom from market risk. Processors paid the hog producers their full cost of production on average over time or they would have no hogs supplied to them by the farmers. Access to funding in the form of loans was readily available for capital investment on the farms. Inputs, of the right quality were in constant supply. Smithfield also offered them a free veterinarian service. This essentially resulted in the survival of over 1000 family farms. This strategy reduced the risk and managerial demands on the farmers, while increasing availability of credit. oEmployment creation – This resulted in the creation of new agricultural jobs. A typical farm employed five people. Total number of employees by Smithfield increased from 9000 in 1995 to 46 400 in 2004. oConsumers – Increasing concentration of hog raising and ultimately processing, resulted in the decrease of the marketing margins because of economies of scale, and this benefit was passed onto to the consumer as lower food prices. Local economies – Increased efficiency of labour and other resources in agriculture over time accounted for the higher standard of living. Prior to Smithfield hog raising strategy, the local economies were on the decline. oShareholders – Earnings per share increased from $0. 40 in 1995 to $2. 03 in 2004. Net income increased by almost $200 million over the same period. 5. What is your assessment of Smithfield Foods’ environmental policy (as represented in case Exhibit 3)? What evidence indicates that the policy is merely window dressing?

Building Your Email List Part 2 How to Keep Your Readers Engaged

Building Your Email List Part 2 How to Keep Your Readers Engaged Last week I gave you tips for setting up your email list, whether starting from scratch or dusting off an old one. This week we’ll talk more about what to do with that list and how to create content that will keep your readers engaged. First, if you didn’t do it last week, sign up with an email management system (EMS). (I have used   MailChimp, Constant Contact and MyEmma and recommend all three.   Hope Clark uses Aweber.) Besides managing the data, they help you comply with privacy laws Next, you need to decide, and share with your list, how often you’ll be communicating. The two big factors in determining frequency are your audience and your ability to create material. A fiction author may want to have once-a-month check-ins, while a non-fiction author may easily fill a weekly newsletter. For more frequent schedules, offer your audience the option of a â€Å"Digest Version† - once a week for daily emails, once a month for weekly. You’d much rather send them less than have them unsubscribe entirely. Exceptions to the schedule: If you have something big and exciting to share and it’s out of cycle, that’s fine, as long as these random mailings don’t become the norm. If it’s timely, send a special email. If it’s going to be just as cool when it’s time for your next email, hold on to it. probably read it. A short, hyperlinked list of blogs you’ve written recently with a summary no longer than a tweet (140 characters) is okay to draw attention to anything they may have missed. Draft your newsletter in whatever word processor you chose, then copy and paste the text into your Email Management System. Once you’ve found a layout template you like, stick to it. It’ll make formatting future emails much faster, and readers like a familiar feel. Also, try to avoid writing/formatting and sending all in one day. You’re much more likely to catch mistakes if you let the material sit for a day or two between draft and distribution. Things to consider while writing and formatting: Write a greeting and ending (it is a newsLETTER, after all.) Keep blocks of text short and to the point. Lists (bulleted or numbered) make scanning easier. Make use of formatting (bold, italics, underlining) only as appropriate. Use proper grammar/spelling/etc. and have at least one proofreader. This may seem hard for the first couple of weeks or months, but eventually you develop a rhythm. When you provide engaging content on a regular basis, your fans sh

Anti Terrorism Legislation May Infringe Human Rights

Anti Terrorism Legislation May Infringe Human Rights Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . Anti Terrorism Legislation May Infringe Human Right UK Anti- terrorism legislation of the past decade has been a passionately debated topic both within the media and the legislature itself. On one hand, it is argued that any nation should indeed encompass the ability to prevent any terrorist atrocity carried out against its people even if it is at the cost of human rights infringement. On the other hand, a tax on civil liberties has often been deemed an atrocity within its own rights and the recent influx of legislation has done nothing other than help with the evolution of global terrorism.   [ 1 ]    That the horrific events of September 11th 2001 changed the face of Terrorism is not at all in doubt. It was the end of the terrorism the world once knew as guerrilla violence for political gain. The violence administered on the New York skyscrapers was an unprecedented act which prompted an unprecedented reaction. Legislation in relation to terrorism in the UK was eagerly debat ed and following the 7th July 2005 it was accepted that the UK were not immune to attack thus facilitating the new legislation into position. Though anti-terrorist legislation has long existed in the UK and, much of which, has been incorporated within the recent developments, many new offences have also emerged creating a shift in the balance of power between the public and those forces responsible for administering the new legislation. Naturally there has been a significant increase in relation to the scope of police powers. Furthermore, the ‘Intelligence Communities’   [ 2 ]   have also capitalised in the power shift, especially in relation to covert intelligence gathering. To venture further into the effects of the recent developments to the legislation, it is important to analyse the current framework. A natural point of focus would be the definition of terrorist activity. Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2000 outlines terrorist activity as: â€Å"the use or thre at of action where, the action involves serious violence against a person, serious damage to property, endangers a person’s life or creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public.†Ã‚  The  Ã¢â‚¬Å"use or threat† must be â€Å"designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   [ 3 ]    Section 2 of the same Act outlines a terrorist offender is someone who: â€Å"is or has been concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism†Ã‚   [ 4 ]    Since the face of terror has changed to cell based networks, certain organisations are listed under the 2000 Act   [ 5 ]   as terrorist organisation, a recent addition to which has been Al-Qaeeda. A recent development emerging from the new legislation is the offence of organisations ‘glorifying’ terrorism being added to the list under s. 21 Terrorism Act 2006. This is not a question of whether such a provision is an intrusion on human r ights; free speech in particular, as it obviously is but rather to what extent is such taxation justifiable. Joining or rallying support of such proscribed groups is also a punishable offence under s. 12(1) of the 2006 Act. Arranging meeting and to address meeting of proscribed groups is also punishable under ss. 12(2) and 12(3) respectively. Even clothing worn in a manner that may raise suspicion that the wearer is a member of a proscribed group may earn a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment as per s.13 of the 2006 Act.

C & C Grocery Stores Case Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

C & C Grocery Stores Case Analysis - Article Example Recent structure of C&C also fails to change its environment, i.e. stores that are in sub urban areas are similar to those that are present in low income areas. New systems for supply and chain management were not yet implemented in stores. The friendly and informal environment that is created by the Doug Cummins in C&C was disregarded and therefore the within stores the cooperation get worsened. For instance an issue takes place in Louisiana store between store manager and grocery merchandiser when they decide to improve Diet Coke and Coke as a featured article of merchandise sold at a loss in order to draw customers. But the cooperation among these was poor and result in lack of preparation and communication led to their unwilling to cooperate regarding where the Coke can be displayed by the store manager. These issues could be resolved by powering the store manager in order to coordinate effectively in the stores. By doing this the cooperation would increase as the store manager got the authority and power to change whatever he or she requires for the sales improvement. This power would also increase the satisfaction of the store manager and they run their store in a profitable manner, and also can get training they require for their promotion as well as improvement of store. From my perspective I believe the new structure as much effective. This structure allows distinct responsibility areas and management. However, in the previous structure the name of responsible person was hard to determine, because whenever the store fails and the store manager is blamed he only talk about the way he desire to do something but can’t do the same way he wants because of meat/produce reject that by saying that it was not for their benefit. This issue is one of the core issues of the old structure, and it is entirely eliminated in the recent

How to stop data warehousing and mining before they become more Essay - 1

How to stop data warehousing and mining before they become more trouble than they are worth - Essay Example y service, promote efficient business operations and maintain the organizational productivity, avoiding disclosure of sensitive information and fraud and complying with the legislation. It is essential that the organizations understood the major principles of secure information systems implementation. Jeff Angus (2005) clearly demonstrates that the wrong and excessive security practices do nothing but harm the work, causing losses of money, time, and human labor, without providing the security the organization wanted to reach. He explains that very often the complexity of the initiatives overcomes the efforts, while there comes a moment when people and systems simply cannot cope with it, weakening the stability of system and protection. Angus points to the major error that can be committed by an organization concerned with its security: its concentration on â€Å"what might go wrong† instead of on â€Å"how to cope with the inevitable changes to their operations and business model†. While the organization spends money, energy and time overhead, it can be undercut by the changes in the market, so that it may lack the resources as a result. Mark Miller (2005) tries to highlight the reasons of the erroneous practices taking place. To his mind, the major problem is that computer security field is building â€Å"perpetual motion machines†, without distinguishing possible and impossible goals. Permanent frustration caused by such practices leads to the perception that â€Å"true computer security is impossible†, the breeches in protection are inevitable. This, Miller warns, may result in decrease of demand for the security information systems. First of all, Miller explains, it is necessary to understand that the security issue in the pattern of commerce cooperation is â€Å"how to safely obtain the benefits of interacting with the entities you do not trust†. It is also important to realize which of numerous and various models fits the best for achieving the purposes of the

Aristotle and Meteorology Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Meteorology Essay Introduction: Aristotle wrote about many subjects that can be grouped into five general divisions: logic, physical works, psychological works, natural history works, and philosophical works. One of the little known physical works concerned meteorology. Aristotles views on meteorology are fascinating, but many of the views were not accurate. This paper compares only a few of his views to actual meteorological facts. I. Biography A. Birth and growth B. Influence on writings II. Basis of Aristotles meteorology A. Elements and theory B. Science and facts III. Water vapor and precipitation A. Aristotles view B. Science and fact. IV. Winds A. Aristotles view B. Science and fact Conclusion: Aristotle explained the various meteorological phenomenon in simplistic terms. The explanations match his theory of how matter and shape were interrelated. Aristotles ideas on water vapor and precipitation were somewhat accurate, considering that there were no tools to measure the atmosphere in his time. His views on wind, however, were not accurate at all. He wrote extensively on winds, but never fully comprehended how wind occurred. September 5, 2000 Aristotle on Meteorology Aristotle was born in 384 BC, at Stagirus, a Greek colony on the Aegean Sea near Macedonia. In 367 BC, Aristotle entered the Academy at Athens and studied under Plato, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years. In the later years of his association with Plato and the Academy, he began to lecture on his own account, especially on the subject of rhetoric. When Plato died in 347, Aristotle and another of Platos students, Xenocrates, left Athens for Assus, and set up an academy (Encyclopedia 2). In 342, Aristotle returned to Macedonia and became the tutor to a very young Alexander the Great. He did this for the next five to seven years. Both Philip and Alexander appear to have paid Aristotle high honor. There are stories that indicate the Macedonian court supplied Aristotle with funds for teaching, and with slaves to collect specimens for his studies in natural science (Encyclopedia 4). Aristotle returned to Athens when Alexander the Great began his conquests. He found the Platonic school flourishing under Xenocrates, and Platonism the dominant philosophy of Athens (Encyclopedia 5). Aristotle thus set up his own school at a place called the Lyceum. When teaching at the Lyceum, Aristotle had a habit of walking about as he discoursed. It was because of this that his followers became known in later years as the peripatetics, meaning, to walk about (Shakian 126). For the next thirteen years, he devoted his energies to his teaching and composing his philosophical treatises. His institution integrated extensive equipment, including maps and the largest library collection in Europe. He is said to have given two kinds of lectures: the more detailed discussions in the morning for an inner circle of advanced students, and the popular discourses in the evening for the general body of lovers of knowledge. At the sudden death of Alexander in 323 BC, the pro-Macedonian government in Athens was overthrown, and a general reaction occurred against anything Macedonian. A charge of impiety was trumped up against Aristotle. To escape prosecution he fled to Chalcis in Euboea so that (Aristotle says) The Athenians might not have another opportunity of sinning against philosophy as they had already done in the person of Socrates (Encyclopedia 5). In the first year of his residence at Chalcis he complained of a stomach illness and died in 322 BC (Encyclopedia 7). One of Aristotles writings is about meteorology. His theories are based on his belief that all objects in the world are composed of form and matter and the world is arranged according to the relative standing each object occupies in the universe (Shakian 127). This basis led to his theory that any motion was from the center or to the center (Encyclopedia 28). Aristotle saw the universe as a scale lying between the two extremes: form without matter on one end, and matter without form on the other end. Additionally, he believed all matter is made of four bodies: fire, air, water, and earth (Encyclopedia 29). With this information as a basis, it is no wonder that any remaining theories would probably be incorrect. Scientific fact cannot disprove that all objects are of form and matter. Any one can agree or disagree with that philosophy. However, scientific fact does show that movement can occur in directions away from the center or toward the center. For example, solar radiation from the sun does not travel in direct lines to or from a center. Some of the radiation scatters into space. Some is reflects from the earths surface and is lost into space (Lutgens 37-43). Air molecules do not move toward or away from a center. Air particles move in an infinite number of directions due to molecule size, shape, weight and composition. Finally, Aristotles theory that matter is made of four bodies is dramatically short sighted. Air is a mixture of at least nine different components and is constantly changing in composition. Nitrogen and oxygen make up nearly 99% of the volume of dry air. Of all the components of air, carbon dioxide is the most interest to meteorologists (Lutgens 5). In all fairness, Aristotle had no way to measure or determine the exact components of the atmosphere. In book 1, part 3 of Aristotles meteorology, Aristotle describes his explanation of water vapor. His explanation describes the area between the surface of the earth and the visible portion of the Milky Way. It is important to note that he views the Milky Way as a plane or upper level surface (Aristotle, Meteorology 253). Aristotle is very close to a scientific answer when he deduced that what immediately surrounds the earth is not mere air, but a sort of vapour, and that its vaporous nature is the reason why it condenses back to water again (Aristotle, Meteorology 253). His logic is interesting when he indicates that this expanse of a body cannot be fire for then all the rest would have dried up (Aristotle Meteorology 254). In part 9, Aristotle addressed the issue of precipitation. He explained that air condensing into water becomes a cloud. Mist is what remains when a cloud condenses into water. He further explained that when water falls in small drops, it is drizzle, and when the drops are larger, it is called rain (Aristotle Meteorology 267). This is one area where Aristotle was close to accurate. One flaw is his view of the Milky Way as a flat plane. Science has shown that the Milky Way is just one of an infinite number of star galaxies. Aristotle realized water vapor existed. He also realized that the area between the earth and the heavens was not fire. What Aristotle deduced as water vapor is scientifically referred to as a parcel of air. As the air parcel rises, it cools and may condense to form a cloud (Lutgens 81). Aristotle believed the remains of water vapor that did not form a cloud was mist. Actually, what remains is just other air parcels. The energy used to condense the air molecule is released as latent heat creating a cycle of rising and sinking air molecules (Lutgens 82-83). Aristotle provided names for the size of water droplets. It is possible that Aristotle coined the names drizzle and rain. Scientifically, drizzle is defined as small droplets of less than . 5 mm. Rain is defined as droplets of . 5 mm to 5 mm (Lutgens 131). Aristotle dedicated several chapters to the theory of winds. Without scientific measurements, the cause or theory of wind was difficult to determine or explain. Aristotle compared wind to a flowing river in book 1 (Aristotle Meteorology 348). Unfortunately, Aristotle could not discern why the river of wind never dried up. Therefore, he abandoned that theory and analogy of wind and simply tried to explain rivers instead. In book two, he dedicated three more chapters to wind. Aristotle used his theory of water vapor and direct observation of something he called smoke to describe the occurrence of wind. He related the rising water vapor and the heat of the sun. This combination created wind. Rain contributed to wind development by causing calm winds after a rain (Encyclopedia 191). Wind must have been a difficult subject for Aristotle to explain, considering how much was written about the subject. The facts indicate he was close to an answer but never fully understood the concept of wind. The definition of wind is the result of horizontal differences in air pressure. Air flows from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure. It is natures method to balance inequalities of pressure. Unequal heating of the earths surface generates the pressure differences. Therefore, solar radiation is the ultimate driving force of wind (Lutgens 149). The effects Aristotle explained were often the results of the pressure changes. He realized the sun had some influence. The clam wind after a rain is an occurrence with strong thunderstorms that leave a micro scale high-pressure dome in their wake (Lutgens 153). Aristotle explained the various meteorological phenomenon in simplistic terms. The explanations match his theory of how matter and shape were interrelated. Aristotles ideas on water vapor and precipitation were somewhat accurate, considering there were no tools to measure the atmosphere in his time. His views on wind, however, were not accurate at all. He wrote extensively on winds but never fully comprehended how wind occurred Works Cited Aristotle. Great Books of the Western World. Volume 1. Chicago: Robert P. Gwinn, 1990. Aristotle. Meteorology 113 438. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Internet Address: http://classics. mit. edu/Aristotle/meteorology. 1. i. html. Translated by E. W. Webster. 27 Aug. 2000. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy 1-321. University of Tennessee at Martin. Internet Address: http://www. utm. edu/research/iep/a/aristotl. htm. 24 Aug. 2000. Lutgens, Frederick K. and Edward J. Tarbuck. The Atmosphere. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1992. Sahakian, William S. and Mabel Lewis Sahakian. Ideas of the Great Philosophers. New York: Barnes Noble Inc. , 1970.

Faith in Faulkners Light In August Essay -- Faulkner Light August Rel

Faith in Faulkner's Light In August Religion is a big part of the southern world that Faulkner creates in Light In August. It is also a major theme of the novel. Most characters seem to use â€Å"Lord† and â€Å"God† very often in their dialogue, which shows that religion is never forgotten by the members of this society. Light in August portrays a type of religious fundamentalism. In this fundamentalism, among the people of the south, there is only one proper way of following and implementing religion in one’s life. Characters are constantly trying to justify killing, hatred, and racism through their faith. The creation of hatred and racism is the result of each character’s belief that theirs are the only genuine beliefs and therefore, it is their responsibility to carry out the work of God in their own personal way and through their own reasoning. Two characters that are blinded by their own version of living a religious life are Mr. Hines and Mr. McEachern. I will argue that the obsession with their religion and their belief of how it should be followed is an ideology that fails each of these characters in their purpose. Consequently, the more these characters are faced by failure the more they try to embody God and take actions as if they are the Almighty Himself. Ironically, while using religion as a shield these characters fail to see their own sins. These characters see their sins instead, as the most essential and virtuous deeds and the work of God. From the moment Mr. McEachern picks up Joe Christmas from the foster home he stresses the importance of religion to Joe. While introducing himself, Mr. McEachern explains to Joe, â€Å"†¦I will have you learn soon that the two abominations are sloth and idle thinking, the... ...forced upon them. There are other types of religious extremists, like Doc Hines, who see those who do not share their faith as enemies and believe that they are a curse of God and therefore, should be eliminated through killing. These ideologies, even though seen in our world today, cannot be the definitions of faith and religion. In fact, the violence created through them defies the very basic beliefs associated with most world religions. Mr. McEachern and Doc Hines are blinded by their faith and their approach to implement religion in their lives and the lives of others is a forceful and violent one. In the end, both characters fail to spread their faith and instead their forceful teachings and extremist beliefs perpetuate more evil than good in the name of God. Works Cited Faulkner, William. Light in August. New York: Vintage International, 1990.

Brita Products Company Essay

1.To what do you contribute Brita’s success?The success of Brita in the USA market is due on the one hand to attributes of the core product and on the other hand to factors related to the market environment and successful marketing. †¢Attributes of the core productThe pitcher itself had the following benefits: it reduced chlorine and odors, it made water to taste better, it was extracting heavy metals from the water and the water was not depositing salts/sediment when boiled. †¢Market environmentInitially, there was no major concern to the consumers about filtering the tap water. However, the sensitivity that people showed about some health problems and/or accidents that rose during the decade of 1990, aided by significant publicity of these health problems, assisted Brita to easily increase brand awareness to the consumers and create a significant market. Moreover a lot of people perceived Brita filter as a present for their friends. †¢Successful marketingBrita pitcher was a technologically advanced product made from a well known German producer of industrial and consumer water filtration products, characteristics which made it attractive to Clorox who had significant marketing experience and distribution channels in the US. Clorox, which obtained the license from Brita GmbH to set up a subsidiary in USA, knows very well the specific market as it was a major manufacturer and marketer of home products with $3.9 billion dollars of sales in 1998. Clorox provided the support for Brita: capital for 4 years, the desired know how and leadership, as expressed by the insistence and personal involvement of Mr. Couric. Furthermore, Brita was the first very successful system of water filter, which created the home water purification industry. In the distribution area, Brita USA has achieved dominant position in most of the outlets and department stores in the market covering all five possible channels of distribution (Department stores, Mass merchandisers, Grocery stores, Club stores, Drug stores). Another important element that contributed to Brita’s success is the different pricing policy set according to the POS outlet. This means that the company could satisfy its consumers according to different needs and habits. Last, but probably the most successful decision was the great taste positioning concept that helped Brita to market the pitchers with a clear promotion and advertising strategy boosting its sales, as there was no other competitor with such a strong image. 2.What are Clorox’s marketing assets going forward? Can you comment on their positioning choices?Marketing assetsThe Clorox company for the first four years faced real problems to launch the pitcher in the market. After the four years the company managed to create a strong image and build strong brand equity. These assets of the Brita’s pitcher are revealed through the following facts:First of all Brita company is a strong brand name in the market of water purification system. This functions as an asset to support and boost the sales of Brita’s pitcher (or any other water purification system), as there is high degree of brand awareness. Also, by the year 1999 Clorox had created with the Brita pitcher a significant home water purification industry worth of $350 million at retail and was holding about 70% of revenue share or about $250 million, being a market leader. Furthermore there is a strong customer base who will buy new filters for the next years (80% of the buyers who have tried the pitcher were still using it a year later and they were re-buying extra filters of about 2.5 pieces per year). Furthermore, from the Lifetime Value of a Customer (LVC) analysis shown in the next question (No 3), it is obvious that filters contribute  significantly to the profitability of this product. All these details above are showing to us that the Brita company has significant assets (brand equity, loyalty, awareness, being a market leader, having a strong customer base of people who buy filters) for going forward with any clear strategy. Positioning choicesAt the beginning Brita company positioned the pitcher as a purification system providing water of unique taste. They positioned most on this benefit for 3 reasons:a) Surveys showed that taste means health, b) whole bottled water industry had been built without reference to health and c) Brita wanted to develop an unbeatable position (â€Å"be at the top of the mountain†) which would not be possible by positioning on how much of some impurity is removed. We believe that Clorox made an important decision for the promotion and advertising campaign under the idea of taste (â€Å"great tasting water†, â€Å"clear, fresh, wonderful†) because it was also consistent with the attributes of the core product (water indeed tasted better after filtration with a Brita pitcher). Brita stuck on one USP and promoting as taste as one central benefit avoiding a confused or doubtful positioning strategy which would lose the attention of the consumers. The choice that Brita did not make was focusing on health. Filters decrease health hazards by low quality tap water (even if not all dangers are eliminated). The publicity given to health problems due to water could easily serve to strengthen Brita’s position. Health is PUR’s choice for positioning their faucet mounted system, which is not quite a head-on attack, since they would attempt to occupy a different position in the mind of the consumers. 3.What is the lifetime value of a customer with a pitcher? How does it compare with that of a customer with a faucet mounted system? Does their  Ã¢â‚¬Å"bogo† promotion make sense?According to Gupta and Lehmann, Lifetime Value Of a Customer (LVOC) is:LVOC = m r/(1+i-r), where m=margin, i=cost of capital and r=retention rate. Since cost of capital is not mentioned in the case study, we assumed a value of:0% for simplification purposesand a scenario with:3% which can be considered closer to real valuesA hypothesis with cost of capital 0Under this scenario, with r=0.8 (80% yearly retention rate) and i=0, the ratio r/(1+i-r) is equal to 4. From the case study (p.18) the gross margin for the pitcher is 7,36, while gross margin for the filters is 2,05. 1a. The lifetime value of a customer with a pitcher system is the following:LVOCpitcher system= LVOC from pitcher + LVOC from filters== margin from pitcher + 4*margin of filters*2,5 filters/y==7.36+4*2.05*2.5=$27.86So, we can see that Brita is going to receive $27.86 from one customer for the lifetime period of a customer with a pitcher. 2a. At this point we examine the lifetime value of a customer with a mounted faucet in two different models:(i)Best scenario: pricing at $40 and retention at 80% (same as for pitchers)(ii)Worst scenario: pricing at $35 and retention rate of 80%Cost as mentioned in the case study is taken as $15. We have also assumed that Brita will keep on filters for faucet-mounted the same margin as in filters for pitchers. i.(40-15)=25+4*2.05*3=$49.8*LVOCfaucet=ii.(35-15)=20+1*2.05*3=$26.15*The worst scenario of the faucet production for Brita is that it is going to receive $26.15 from the lifetime value period of one consumer and the best scenario reveals that Brita is going to receive $49.8 for the same period. If we compare the worst scenario of (2aii) with 1a we see that the two amounts are close but pitcher systems have higher LVOC ( LVOCfaucet is $26.15 while current LVOCpitcher is $27.9) and in case of (2ai) there will possibly be significantly higher profits by the faucet ($49.8) in comparison with the pitcher system ($27.9). Using the lifetime values of the pitcher and faucet filter, we can conclude that if Brita is going to enter the market of faucet filters, it will receive higher margins of profits by 78% if all goes well, while even in a bad scenario it would lose 6,5% of its margin. A hypothesis with cost of capital of 3%1b.Similarly, the case when cost of capital is considered to be 3% and all other things unchanged, then our calculations will be:LVOCpitcher= 7.36+3.45*2.05*2.5=$25.04a.(40-15)=25+3.5*2.05*3=$46.52**2b.LVOCfaucet=b.(35-15)=20+0.94*2.05*3=$25.78**. As we can conclude from the above calculations the profit Brita is going to receive according to LVOC of pitcher and LVOC of faucet are close to those of the 1st hypothesis. In the best scenario there can be significant profit from the faucet. In the worst case, the faucet remains (even marginally) higher since the higher price of the faucet brings most of the benefit of the LVOC in the beginning (when the system is sold). An important element in the calculations above was the hypothesis that filters will be priced to provide the same margin of $2.05. BOGOThe amount of money Brita is going to receive it is based to the following hypothesis:†¢Retention rate would be the same as for the pitcher. †¢The consumers will use the second filter as the first, replacing filters at the same rate. †¢There was no cannibalization of the market. †¢COGS per pitcher is shown to be $7,8 at p.18 of the case study†¢Cost of capital is also taken at 0% for simplicity reasons. LVOCbogo= 4*2.05*2.5-7.80=$12.7Brita hopes to receive an extra amount of money of about $12.7 from the jag is going to give it as a present. If the conditions / hypothesis presented above are true, then the BOGO promotion did indeed make sense. Bibliography: KOTLER R. – KELLER K, MARKETING MANAGEMENT 11TH EDITION, PRENTICE HALL 2005

Performing a Business Impact Analysis for an IT Infrastructure Essay

Overview Answer the following questions, specific to the creation and focus of Business Impact Analysis as well as BCP documentation. Lab Assessment Questions & Answers 1 What is the goal and purpose of a BIA? To identify which business units, operations, and processes are crucial to the survival of the business. 2 Why is a business impact analysis (BIA) an important first step in defining a business continuity plan (BCP)? BIA identifies what is crucial which sets the path for what will be included in the BCP. 3 How do risk management and risk assessment relate to a business impact analysis for an IT infrastructure? Risk Management/Risk Assessment identify risks/vulnerabilities to the 7 domains of an IT infrastructure. BIA is basically doing the same thing but at the entire organization level. 4 True or False – If the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) metric does not equal the Recovery Time Objective (RTO), you may potentially lose data or not have data backed-up to recover. This represents a gap in potential lost or unrecoverable data. False 5 What questions would you have for executive management prior to finalizing a BIA report? What is the Maximum Acceptable Outage of a specific server or service? What are some critical business functions? What are the recovery objectives? 6 How does a BCP help mitigate risk? Mitigates risk by ensuring the organization is better prepared for disasters. 7 What kind of risk does a BCP help mitigate? Â  It is mitigating the risk of disaster that either destroys the server or building the server is in. 8 If you have business liability insurance, asset replacement insurance, and natural disaster insurance, do you still need a BCP or DRP? Why or why not? Yes you still need a BCP/DRP as insurance will reimburse you money to help rebuild, but they cannot provide you company data and that is what is needed for survivability. 9 What does a BIA help define for a BCP? Defines what systems and services are critical to the survival of an organization. 10 Who should participate in the development of BCP within an organization? IT Personnel and top level management. 11 Why does disaster planning and disaster recovery belong in a BCP? BCP ensures that the entire business can continue to operate in the event of a disruption, this includes disaster planning and recovery as loss of systems or services affects the organization. 12 What is the purpose of having documented IT system, application, and data recovery procedures and steps? So in the event something happens IT is not scrambling to try and figure out what to do. They set clear guidelines and instructions on what to do and when. If this is not clearly documented the RTO could be impacted which will result in UNHAPPY management and possible loss of revenue. 13 Why must you include testing of the plan in your BCP? Having a BCP is great but testing it proves that it works. You would not want to be in a situation when you need to failover and it is not working and this could have been resolved prior to the actual outage if it was tested. 14 How often should you update your BCP document? This should be updated at a minimum annually, semi-annually is probably a better target to shoot for.

An Online Degree This Coming Summer Essay Example

An Online Degree This Coming Summer Essay Example An Online Degree This Coming Summer Essay An Online Degree This Coming Summer Essay The summer months are generally a season reserved for relaxation, family trips, and perhaps the pursuit of a warm weather hobby that we have more time to enjoy. But for others, the summer months are a time in which more significant goals can be met – especially when the days are longer, and people have more energy to set out plans that can be met without the pressure of the holidays and dreaded winter blahs. For those seeking to pursue educational goals, the summer offers a perfect time to begin the pursuit of an online degree. With no need for travel, no requirement to sit in class, and the only resources needed a computer and the assigned books, students find that an online degree can be worked towards steadily during the summer when there is more time to spare. In fact, with laptop computers an ever popular possession, students are literally able to work from anywhere – logging on from the beach, from a family vacation spot, or simply from their backyard where they can they can work diligently and still enjoy the warm weather with their family and friends. The pursuit of an online degree differs from traditional degrees only in location. Online degree programs generally adhere to the same syllabus as traditional classes; the only difference is that students logon to complete assignments, required reading, and even to take tests. Many will find that the flexibility offered through online degree programs allows to them to work more productively as they are working during time periods that are most convenient for them rather than trying to fit school into an already busy schedule. Further, the summer marks the perfect time to begin the process of earning an online degree as students can take just one or two classes rather than feel it necessary to load up on classes. With online degree programs students can have their cake and eat it too – school and the warm days of summer.

Marketing Research Proposal for a Study about Determination of Coffee Essay

Marketing Research Proposal for a Study about Determination of Coffee Shop Franchisee Business in Western Australia - Essay Example The client management feels that the strategy to open franchisee stores in the upcoming suburban areas with considerable young population will be appropriate. However they are not sure whether it will do well. Other coffee bars have already come up in the said areas. However, it is too early to say whether they too will be successful. The client wants to gauge the demand for their products which is pizza and coffee with and assortment of snacks. They would like to find the demand for their brand of stores and the way people in the region perceive it. It wants to know whether enough opportunity for franchising exists in the region. To know whether there is enough possibility for the brand to open and run a new store in every area identified for the same in the next two years. Apart from the immediate demand, the client wants to know whether considerable business opportunity for a relatively sustainable span of time exists or not. Research problem As mentioned above, the client wants t o measure the demand for its franchisee stores in the identified areas. They have hired us for the purpose and expect us to present the report within a span of three months. The client problem warrants a thorough study of the market, with measurable outcomes. In order to accomplish the task, a study shall be undertaken to understand the underlying factors for current state of the demand and its future ramifications for the coffee industry in general. The Coffee chain store brands need to be subject to a comparative analysis and the competition from stand alone coffee stores needs to be gauged. A thorough analysis of the consumer trends and preferences towards coffee consumption needs to be done with respect to the locations identified by the client for the purpose. The locations shall be subject to separate inspection on measurable parameters which will eventually contribute to the measurement of the location wise demand for the client coffee and snacks store brand. The study will a lso seek to establish the possibility of enough franchisee ventures at the rate as mentioned by the client. The study will not only seek to measure the current demand for the Clients’ stores but also enough demand for future. The study will analyse the historical sales figures and consumer preferences. In combination with the survey of the consumer tastes it will try and arrive at sales projections for the next five years for each proposed store location. The projections will be categorized for different items on the Client coffee store menu and will suggest ways to maximize profits by better menu planning. Research Objectives Thus, based on the discussion of the research problem, the study will be directed at fulfilling the following salient research objectives: Measurement of current demand for coffee and snack stores in the region (O1) Measurement of current demand for client brand of stores in the locations specified by the client (O2). Measurement of the current and futu re demand for the client’s brand of stores for next five years, based on the Franchisee model in the specified locations (O3) The study shall first seek to do a contextual scan of the above objectives and will check the validity of the objectives against the Client’s research problem. The scan shall be performed with the help of the pre study feedbacks and interactions with the client

The Video of the USC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Video of the USC - Essay Example As seen in the video, the students are very responsive and assertive in contributing their knowledge and experiences to the aforementioned issues that have been the matter of a heated debate for several years. The teacher acts as a facilitator throughout the discussion. She also engages in the discussion to reiterate the need to understand these contexts. Her teaching style is relatively effective, as can be inferred from the video, since she welcomes all the points and contentions of the students. Ultimately, the issues of racism, gender and class stratification in society that affect the children are being dealt with in the video in a proper way; the teaching style can be deemed fit to address the issue and to provide an avenue for intellectual fermentation. 2. Analysis and Interpretation of the Video In its totality, the video evokes an inherent complexity about the issues of race, gender and class division in society. These issues affect the quality of education received by the s tudents. There is a structural problem in terms of implementing educational policies, since there is classification between the students and the selection of a manner of teaching can be problematic (McDermott et al 2008, p. 3). As there in attempt to make the kids realize the importance of engaging with these issues, there is a need to look at the relations of the social structures that affect the kids (McDermott et al 2008, p. 5). Is it important, and to what extent? For Rodgers, there is a need to analyze this matter, since it affects the intellectual condition and perception of the kids inside the classroom (2002, p. 231). The teacher-student relationship is considered to be very vital. This vitality is important; there is an intrinsic irony about American democracy where the person aspires to be accepted by others, yet there is dominance of racist practices despite of the attempts to eliminate them (McDermott et al 2008, p. 4). In relation to the video, the aforementioned ideas have been highlighted. The teacher tries to provide a very conducive learning environment that makes the children aware of racism, sexism and economic classification through a synthetic understanding of history and the political-economic structures that linger in society. As pointed out by McDermott et al, this manner implemented by the teacher to address the complexity of the matter shows that there is a need for reformulation of teaching methods. They must take into consideration the capacity of every student regardless of gender, race, and class (2008, p 13). This is considered a good step towards integration and understanding which will eventually abolish the racist and sexist practices that pose a detriment to the students’ learning capacity. Another positive aspect of the video is the very interactive approach that the teacher implements in making the subject matter interesting to the students. This shows a very reflective learning condition, wherein the understanding o f the students regarding the subject is based upon the input of the teacher and allows them to formulate their own approach which highlights independent thinking and critical reasoning (Rodgers 2002, p. 233). The verbal exchange between the stude