Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Joe Gargery’s Character Analysis Essay

‘†¦all(Dicken’s characters), no matter how briefly sketched are real.(CLIFFS NOTES P.54).Charles Dickens has the ability to make his characters very close to human, if not human. Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations, is mainly based on a character named Pip who goes from ‘rags’ to ‘riches’. Joe Gargery, Pip’s brother-in-law, lives with Pip and Mrs. Joe in the marsh country. He is a blacksmith who doesn’t make a lot of money but manages to stay a mild and good-natured man. But what causes Joe to stay so mild and good-natured throughout Pip’s transformation? The truth can only be revealed through studying his relationship to Pip, his importance to the plot, and the theme he best represents. When Pip’s parents die, his sister decides to bring him up ‘by the hand'(p.559). She has a very hard time with Pip, and in the future says, ‘I’d never do it[bring Pip up] again!'(p.560). Then she marries Joe Gargery. Joe and Pip form this ‘everlasting’ relationship, mainly because they were both ‘brought up by the hand'(p.559). Joe always looks out for Pip and helps Pip out. Mrs. Joe would never do this. For example, when Pip was coming back from the graveyard after his first encounter with the convict, he find out that Mrs. Joe had gone on a rampage with the tickler only by Joe telling him. When Mrs. Joe returns, she throws Pip at Joe and Joe guards Pip from any harm Mrs. Joe can do. Though these incidents, Joe develops a steady, everlasting relationship with Pip. When Pip receives word of his expectation, he also found out that in order to get his expectation and become a gentleman, he must go to London. Pip’s reason for wanting to become a gentleman is mainly for Estella. He will do anything to impress Estella and win her heart. Pip knew he had to go if he were ever going to win Estella’s heart. Joe had built up such a strong relationship with Pip that he didn’t want anything to do with the obstruction of Pip’s future. Another reason for Joe loving Pip is when Pip was sick and in debt, Joe went to London and helped Pip. Joe paid his debts(even though he himself had money problems) and stayed at Pip’s bedside every second he was sick. According to Joe, †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦you and me was ever friends.† (p.706) Joe must love Pip more than anything in the world if he flew to London just to help an ‘old friend’. Pip’s relationship to Joe wasn’t quite  as ‘smooth’ as Joe’s relationship to Pip. At the beginning of the novel, Pip and Joe had an equal relationship, the both cared and helped each other. Joe, for example, let Pip know of Mrs. Joe’s rampage and Pip taught Joe to read. So they both had an equal relationship at the beginning. But when Pip received word of his expectation, things changed. Pip only concentrates on being a gentleman and winning over Estella. Pip doesn’t think about Joe much anymore. When Joe went to visit Pip, and Joe kept trying to put his hat on the corner of the chimney piece without realizing it is too big, Pip becomes very annoyed with him. ‘I felt impatient of him and out of temper with him.'(p.631) If things were like home, Pip would teach Joe, not be annoyed at him. But Joe, being this mild and good-natured man, blames the whole incident on himself. The relationships between Pip and Joe are very different throughout the novel. Without Joe in the novel, Pip wouldn’t have ever received his great expectation. Joe is the ‘man of the house’. Joe provides the family with money. This money gives them a place to stay, food, and clothing. When Pip met the first convict, he demanded a file and wittles. Where would Pip get these items if Joe were not there to provide the money, which provided the food, shelter, and clothing? Pip would not be able to provide his convict with the file and wittles and the other convict would take Pip’s heart and lungs out. Then, there would be nobody to give the expectation to and there would also be no reason to give the expectation. The main reason for the convict giving the expectation was the last person who did something good for him. But Pip never gives the wittles and file to the convict so there was no last good thing done. So, without Joe, there would be no expectation. The theme Joe best represents is ‘Sophisticated manners are not nearly as important as genuine kindness and affection.’ At the beginning of the novel, Joe and Pip’s did not show sophisticated manners but stayed friends because they had kindness and affection for each other. But as Pip received his expectation, became a gentleman, and went to London, he lived in an environment of sophisticated manners. Manners in which Joe were not familiar with. But Joe did not care about how sophisticated Pip became. All he cared about was the kindness and affection they had together. That was all that  mattered in their friendship to Joe. Overall, Joe’s relationship to Pip gets an A+ because his thoughts of Pip stayed steady throughout the novel no matter what Pip did to Joe. Pip’s relationship to Joe gets a C because at the beginning he felt the same way about Joe but his expectation changed his feelings about Joe. Nothing should be able to break up a strong relationship. Joe’s importance to the plot received an A because the plot would not be able to continue without Joe. Joe’s representation to the theme received an A because Joe was the one who didn’t care about sophisticated manners, but only genuine kindness and affection. ‘†¦There has been no writer of fiction in the western world who had Dicken’s genius for creating such an infinite variety of characters.'(CLIFFS NOTES p.54) Charles Dickens has created Joe as an amazing character in the novel, Great Expectations.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Notes on Aryl Halides

3/22/2012 ARYL HALIDES 2. displacement reactions of diazonium salts ARYL HALIDES General formula: Ar–X where X = F, Cl, Br or I Examples Structure: ? C-X bonds are shorter and stronger Bond C-Cl C-Br Ar-X 1. 69 AÂ ° 1. 86 AÂ ° R-X 1. 77 1. 91 ? Dipole moments are unusually small. Bond C-Cl Preparation: 1. electrophilic aromatic substitution – useful only if one product is obtained C-Br Ar-X 1. 7 D 1. 7 D R-X 2. 10 D 2. 15 D ? Dipole moments may cancel out depending on the geometry of the molecule. 1 3/22/2012 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES: ?Boiling points – similar to those of alkyl halides; same trends ? Melting point – Among disubstituted aryl dihalides, para isomer has unusually high MP; ~70 – 100 Â °C higher than ortho and meta isomers ? Solubility behavior – insoluble in water; soluble in nonpolar organic solvents – para isomer is less soluble than ortho or meta in any given solvent ? can be readily purified by recrystallization Consider : REACTIONS: 1. Electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS) – recall directing power (o, p director) but ring is deactivated toward EAS. 2.Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution (NAS or SNAr) ipso substitution ? an atom or group other than H is replaced in the reaction Reaction Mechanisms For NAS: A. BIMOLECULAR DISPLACEMENT: addition-elimination mechanism; occurs under mild conditions ***the aromatic ring must contain strongly electron – withdrawing or electron – attracting groups 2 3/22/2012 Observations: 1. Element effect (Bunnett): Aryl halides do not show much difference in reactivities toward NAS via bimolecular displacement. 2. Aryl fluorides are most reactive. II. Addition – fast removal of the halogen as X- is not the rate determining step . B. The Benzyne Mechanism: Elimination-addition mechanism – occurs under forcing or vigorous conditions Evidence for the benzyne mechanism: 1. scrambling of the label – reaction mechanism: 2. benzyne c annot form if both ortho positions are occupied by other groups 3 3/22/2012 D. Wurtz-Fittig Reaction 3. O-bromoanisole and m-bromoanisole give the same product under the reaction conditions. ANALYSIS: 1. Chemical tests: Test Reagent Br2/CCl4 KMnO4 AgNO3 Result (-) (-) (-)OTHER REACTIONS OF ARYL HALIDES 1. Metallation Reactions for aryl halides without reactive groups Grignard Reaction: 2. IR Spectroscopy C-X absorptions lie in the fingerprint region ? not useful for analysis 1000 – 1350 cm-1 C – F str. 750 – 850 cm-1 C – Cl str. 500 – 680 cm-1 C – Br str. 200 – 500 cm-1 C – I str. Important peak frequencies 1500, 1600 cm-1 3000 – 3100 cm-1 aromatic C – C str. aromatic C – H str. Reaction with Lithium Metal: Transmetallation – most successful with ArBr and ArI 4

Monday, July 29, 2019

Assessing The International Human Resource Management Methods Business Essay

Assessing The International Human Resource Management Methods Business Essay Due to globalization, the economy around the world has been largely integrated. Many corporations are expanding their markets into regions or other countries they have never touched before. These corporations are experiencing an evolutionary stage: internationalization. It is clear that effective human resource management of an organization is the major competitive advantage and may even be the most important determinant of organizational performance. Thus, in order to survive in the crucial global economic market, a multinational corporation (MNC) mainly relies on the capability of its international human resource management (IHRM) during the internationalization process. In other words, it is the IHRM’s responsibility to enable the MNCs to be successful globally. Over the past several decades, practitioners and scholars have devoted great effort to explore the field of IHRM and there have developed thousands of literatures which support the notion that international human r esource management is increasingly an important topic. Most of their focus has been on IHRM issues in MNCs. Further, much of the literature deals specifically with managing expatriates (Napier, 1998).This literature review is divided into five parts. First part provides a brief introduction of the IHRM definition. In the second part, reasons for the increasing importance of IHRM are explained. Then, the author introduces strategic IHRM and an integrative framework of Strategic IHRM in MNCs Definition of International Human Resource Management (IHRM) What is IHRM? Actually, it is not easy to provide a precise definition of international human resource management (IHRM) because the responsibility of an HR manger in a multinational corporation (MNC) varies from one firm to another. Generally speaking, IHRM is the effective utilization of human resources in a corporation in an international environment. Scullion (1995: p352) defined IHRM as â€Å"the HRM issues and problems arising fro m the internationalization of business, and the HRM strategies, policies and practices which firms pursue in response to the internationalization of business†. In most studies, the term IHRM has traditionally focused on expatriation (Brewster and Harris, 1999). However, IHRM covers a far wider spectrum than expatriation management. Four major activities essentially concerned with IHRM were recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation and repatriation of expatriates (Welch, 1994). Iles (1995) also identifies four key areas in IHRM as recruitment and selection, training and development, managing multicultural teams and international diversity and performance management. From the perspective of worldwide people management, Hendry (1994) points out three main issues in IHRM: 1) expatriation management and development; 2) the management internationalization through the whole organization; 3) creating a corporate culture to internationalize the corporation to fu lfill the increasing need of inter-cultural interactions of doing business abroad and in home country. Recent definitions concern IHRM with activities of how MNCs manage their geographically decentralized employees in order to develop their HR resources for competitive advantage, both locally and globally. The role and functions of IHRM, the relationship between subsidiaries and headquarters, and the policies and practices are considered in this more strategic approach. Dowling, Schuler and Welch define IHRM as â€Å"a collection of policies and practices that a multinational enterprise uses to manage local and non-local employees it has in countries other than their home countries (Dowling et al., 1993: p2).†

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The Management of Small and Medium Enterprises - Literature Review

The Management of Small and Medium Enterprises - - Literature review Example Currently, SMEs in china are responsible for more than 75% of employment opportunities in urban centers and nearly 60% of the GDP (Zhao, 2007). For a period, majority of scholars have agued that organizational theories and models designed for large organizations could be directly applied to SMEs (Boyd & Nicolo, 2005). But in recent times, industry players have clearly demonstrated that there is a big difference between the SMEs and large organizations as indicated by Paulson (2008). This is because SMEs are confronted with numerous obstacles as opposed to large organizations. These obstacles are listed by Antkiewicz & Whalley (2005) to include lack of funds and socialized services, less access to market and poor management among others. The main purpose of the present paper is to examine trade policies in china and their advantages and disadvantages to small and medium-sized enterprises. With examples, this paper will also explore whether there are foreign small or medium-sized enter prises in china. It will also examine the key issues that china needs to address to enhance the growth of SMEs. Laws and Policies Concerning the Promotion of SMEs SMEs are the backbone of the Chinese economy according to study findings by Antkiewicz & Whalley (2005); Dunaway & Li (2005) and Lardy (2002). In view of this revelation, China has put in place trade polices and regulations that help in promoting their growth and development. These policies are geared toward improving their operational environment and increasing employment in both urban and rural areas as indicated in a World Bank report (2008). They are also aimed at exerting their significant influence on national economic and social development (Wang, 2004). At the present, majority of provinces and regions in China have formulated their administrative rules and regulations for enhancing the development of SMEs as noted by Paulson (2008). Moreover, the corresponding authorities and departments of the national government have issued several documents covering market access, the fiscal financial mix, enhancement of government control and administration, technological innovation, development of global markets and creation of service systems for SMEs (The World Bank, 2008). The government of China has developed legislations, policies and regulations related to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises. Th

Strategic Management of Intel Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management of Intel - Case Study Example Dr. Nicely concluded, after eliminating other potential sources of the irregularity, that the Pentium chip itself must be flawed. After contacting Intel's technical support service to no avail, he posted an electronic message to a Compuserve bulletin board to ask other Pentium owners if they were experiencing similar problems. The message set off a flood of Internet bulletin board postings that confirmed the irregularity. The news media (print and television) soon released the story to the rest of the public and the concern over the flawed chip escalated. In November, Andrew Grove, CEO of Intel, posted a message of his own. He acknowledged the problem, emphasized its minimal significance and made an offer to replace the Pentium chip for users of the Pentium processor who are engaged in work involving heavy duty, concentrated floating point calculations. Meanwhile, Intel worked with Dr. Nicely and other scientists to develop a 'workaround' that it could build into its programs to avoid the flawed calculations. Intel's offer and workaround only accelerated the concern and reaction by the Pentium public. In the face of its self-inflicted PR nightmare and increasingly critical media coverage, Intel decided in December to offer "no questions asked" chip replacement program to all of its Pentium customers. The company would take a one time charge of $475 million against its earnings for the fourth quarter of 1994 to pay for this program. Perceived Product Risk Intel's initial decision to tolerate the flaw was based on a quantitative analysis of its customers' risks. After Intel concluded that these risks were extremely low, it decided that nothing needed to be done. A few months later when its customers were made aware of the flaw, many of them felt they had been intentionally deceived and that they had paid a premium price for a damaged product. Intel's customers ultimately concluded that something had to be done. With all the debate exchanged over the months following the public exposure of the Pentium flaw, the involved parties did manage to agree on one thing. The heart of the issue concerned risk. The issue in this debate can be broken down into two questions: did the Pentium flaw expose Intel's customers and Pentium owners (end-users) to undue risks and were those risks significant enough that Intel should replace all flawed chips Intel's "at-risk" customers, specifically IBM, were concerned that the flaw might diminish its reputation as a best product provider and, consequently, its sales would suffer. There was concern the public might view IBM as the source of the problem rather than Intel, to which the problem rightly belonged. The "at-risk" Pentium owners had already bought their computers. They were confronted with an involuntary risk. It was clear that the customers' and the Pentium owners' motivations to react were based on their assessments of risk. Intel's approach to resolving product defects reflected an implied assumption that the assembler would be responsible for dealing with the end-users (Pentium owners). Intel also assumed that information about the flaw did not need to be passed along to its customers due to the insignificance of the flaw. When millions of computers with flawed Pentium chips passed into the hands of end-users, both assumptions would prove to be poor. Microprocessor defects

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Eugene O'neill's Long day's journey into night analysis Essay

Eugene O'neill's Long day's journey into night analysis - Essay Example The play mostly consists of painful admissions and bitter exchanges amongst the family until problems after problems pile together and the family gets engulfed in complete despair. It is said that O’Neill based the characters off himself, his older sibling and both their parents. James Tyrone Sr. was born in Ireland but his family migrated to the United States of America when he was just eight years old. Two years later, his father abandoned the family and went back to Ireland where he died with rat poison in his system. It was thought to be suicide but James remained adamant that it was not. Being fatherless forced him to get employed so he could support himself, which led to him having a strong work ethic. Also, having to work for money led him to having a great appreciation to it, almost going overboard and turning miserly. He does not seem to have any worries in his life but his greatest fear is losing all his money and ending up in a poorhouse. The play proves this by showing him to be dressed in shabby clothes as he seems to wear the clothes till they are worn out and cannot be used any further. He was a famous actor during his youth when he toured the United States of America with Mary. But playing the same character repeatedly let him to being unable to develop further as an actor and he was not able to go higher in the acting industry much to his everlasting regret. However, despite being sixty five years old, he has managed to retain his good looks and even looks younger than his age. Despite no longer being an actor, his mannerisms are those similar to one but that does not make him pretentions or even temperamental. This is because of â€Å"his humble beginnings and Irish farmer forbears† (ONeill 2). He is a healthy man in spite of smoking cigars and being a perpetual alcoholic. Mary is fifty four years old but, despite the age, still remains pretty. She loves her husband James

Friday, July 26, 2019

Risk Factor Handout Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk Factor Handout - Essay Example Main family risk factors for gang membership include the family structure (e.g., broken home), family poverty, child abuse or neglect, gang membership of family members (Howell, 2003 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004), sibling antisocial behavior, and parental attitudes favoring violence (Hill et al., 2001). Poor family management, including poor parental supervision (monitoring) and control of children, is also a risk factor of gang membership (Hill et al., 1999 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004; Le Blanc and Lanctot, 1998 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004; Thornberry, 1998 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004; Thornberry et al., 2003 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004). One of the most influential school-related risk factors for gang membership is low achievement in school, especially at the elementary level (Hill et al., 1999 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004; Le Blanc and Lanctot, 1998 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004; Thornberry et al., 2003 as cited in Wyrick and Howell, 2004).

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Review - Essay Example In a more comprehensive sense, the song teaches life skills that are important to learn for the execution of daily activities in life. It has a repetitive approach in the form of a song that is attractive to the intended audience. It makes the audience have a sense of time and ensure punctuality in all their endeavors. It uses a simple language that is understandable and gives a full preview of the day’s activities from home to school and back. It analyzes different activities from the time they wake to the time they go to sleep. The songs objective is to teach young children how to observe the time by memorizing their daily activities. The song uses a repetitive style so that children can internalize it and understand their responsibilities. It gives a narrative of the children activities throughout the day in a comprehensive way that captures every aspect of their lives. In that accord, it demonstrates some important subjects such as cleanliness, education, health, and play for the children. The information is illustrated in various media such as audio, video and print. The song writer intended it for elementary school. The method used, and the format depicts the experience of young children. This is a class of children who cannot comprehend complex subject or learning methods and, therefore, rely on simple repetitive songs and poems. Their proficiency is very minimal because they are at the beginners’ level of training. The type that fits this style of study is between 3 to 5 years. This is evident in the repetitive style of the song. Additionally, the themes reveal the audience to be people in their first stages of life. They are taught the essential activities like washing themselves, going to school, playing, cleanliness, and sleeping time. These are important topics in children in the above age bracket because they help in their physical and cognitive development. According to

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The Persuasive Research Paper (You have the liberty of choosing the

The Persuasive (You have the liberty of choosing the specific topic) - Research Paper Example For the past many years, the internet has enhanced the capabilities of a common person to attain information on an international level. As the World Wide Web industry flourishes and broadens almost daily, new problems of censorship and free will of expression are mounting. Issues like the revelation of pornography to kids as well as the restricting the content to students have arisen huge controversies. Yet, these issues are just a handful of problems with the content accessible over the World Wide Web (Crystal 90). With the advent immense penetration of internet among the people, the potential of its material increases quickly, at an irrepressible rate. Why out of control? Because in a few cases there no censorship to that can be placed on the world wide web, what can sighted on the internet, and who can see what is uploaded on the internet. Hence, with the increasing number of users, the material uploaded on the internet grows too. Various people utilize the internet for various purposes without any worries, since they have the authority to. However, should everyone have access to these privileges? With all these masses employing the internet, shouldn’t there be a censorship of the content? The answer to these queries is debatable. For numerous reasons, there is no rigid determination of which consent is right, whether internet censorship is right or wrong   (Deibert 300). However, it is quite intricate to take unpretentious measures in this sensitive matter of internet censorship. Few people may think that specific content on the internet, which might be considered as indecent, are in fact beneficial to mature minds. Although younger audience is not prepared to attain access to such material that may cause immorality, however mature minds do not come across the same dilemma. Although, they may be prohibited from achieving what they require from the internet because of the possible presence of state

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

BBA-Strategic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BBA-Strategic Analysis - Essay Example BBA-Strategic Analysis According to Geurden, some banks are good at customer management or even in creating customer access points. The banks plan to focus on the customer service area and outsource the other banking functions like creation, running and operating technologies that implement new financial products. Most banks now days outsource of their technical jobs to data centers. Even bank of America is outsourcing its many parts in the banking infrastructure and this includes the automatic teller machines. Large banks such as the world well known Citibank go even further by putting into place a full range of financial services within each one stop shop bank location to service their clients’ banking needs (Rubin & McNeil, 1977). The banks are in much need of flexible information technology infrastructure to integrate and hasten the accurate reporting of banking services applications with the banks’ bank – end systems. Another trend that banks are happily engaged in is that the banks are convincing companies to outsource the financial services jobs to them. A big bank, Nordea of Scandinavia, even gives companies access to automated payment processing with Microsoft’s Biztalk accelerator for accounting services. Many big banks were originally smaller banks that consolidated and merged to form a big bank. The advantage of mergers and consolidations are that the formerly competitive banks can now share a common database of customers and to blaze the other combining partners’ uncharted territory t generate more sales and interest income.

Extinguishment of Obligation Essay Example for Free

Extinguishment of Obligation Essay SECTION 1. – Payment or Performance Art. 1232. Payment means not only the delivery of money but also the performance, in any other manner, of an obligation. (n) Art. 1233. A debt shall not be understood to have been paid unless the thing or service in which the obligation consists has been completely delivered or rendered, as the case may be. (1157) Art. 1234. If the obligation has been substantially performed in good faith, the obligor may recover as though there had been a strict and complete fulfillment, less damages suffered by the obligee. (n) Art. 1235. When the obligee accepts the performance, knowing its incompleteness or irregularity, and without expressing any protest or objection, the obligation is deemed fully complied with. (n) Art. 1236. The creditor is not bound to accept payment or performance by a third person who has no interest in the fulfillment of the obligation, unless there is a stipulation to the contrary. Whoever pays for another may demand from the debtor what he has paid, except that if he paid without the knowledge or against the will of the debtor, he can recover only insofar as the payment has been beneficial to the debtor. (1158a) Art. 1237. Whoever pays on behalf of the debtor without the knowledge or against the will of the latter, cannot compel the creditor to subrogate him in his rights, such as those arising from a mortgage, guaranty, or penalty. (1159a) Art. 1238. Payment made by a third person who does not intend to be reimbursed by the debtor is deemed to be a donation, which requires the debtor’s consent. But the payment is in any case valid as to the creditor who has accepted it. (n) Art. 1239. In obligations to give, payment made by one who does not have the free disposal of the thing due and capacity to alienate it shall not be valid, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 1427 under the Title on â€Å"Natural Obligations.† (1160a) Art. 1240. Payment shall be made to the person in whose favor the obligation has been constituted, or his successor in interest, or any person authorized to receive it. (1162a) Art. 1241. Payment to a person who is incapacitated to administer his property shall be valid if he has kept the thing delivered, or insofar as the payment has been beneficial to him. Payment made to a third person shall also be valid insofar as it has redounded to the benefit of the creditor. Such benefit to the creditor need not be proved in the following cases: (1) If after the payment, the third person acquires the creditor’s rights; (2) If the creditor ratifies the payment to the third person; (3) If by the creditor’s conduct, the debtor has been led to believe that the third person had authority to receive the payment. (1163a) Art. 1242. Payment made in good faith to any person in possession of the credit shall release the debtor. (1164) Art. 1243. Payment made to the creditor by the debtor after the latter has been judicially ordered to retain the debt shall not be valid. (1165) Art. 1244. The debtor of a thing cannot compel the creditor to receive a different one, although the latter may be of the same value as, or more valuable than that which is due. In obligations to do or not to do, an act or forbearance cannot be substituted by another act or forbearance against the obligee’s will. (1166a) Art. 1245. Dation in payment, whereby property is alienated to the creditor in satisfaction of a debt in money, shall be governed by the law of sales. (n) Art. 1246. When the obligation consists in the delivery of an indeterminate or generic thing, whose quality and circumstances have not been stated, the creditor cannot demand a thing of superior quality. Neither can the debtor deliver a thing of inferior quality. The purpose of the obligation and other circumstances shall be taken into consideration. (1167a) Art. 1247. Unless it is otherwise stipulated, the extrajudicial expenses required by the payment shall be for the account of the debtor. With regard to judicial costs, the Rules of Court shall govern. (1168a) Art. 1248. Unless there is an express stipulation to that effect, the creditor cannot be compelled partially to receive the prestations in which the obligation consists. Neither may the debtor be required to make partial payments. However, when the debt is in part liquidated and in part unliquidated, the creditor may demand and the debtor may effect the payment of the former without waiting for the liquidation of the latter. (1169a) Art. 1249. The payment of debts in money shall be made in the currency stipulated, and if it is not possible to deliver such currency, then in the currency which is legal tender in the Philippines. The delivery of promissory notes payable to order, or bills of exchange or other mercantile documents shall produce the effect of payment only when they have been cashed, or when through the fault of the creditor they have been impaired. In the meantime, the action derived from the original obligation shall be held in the abeyance. (1170) Art. 1250. In case an extraordinary inflation or deflation of the currency stipulated should supervene, the value of the currency at the time of the establishment of the obligation shall be the basis of payment, unless there is an agreement to the contrary. (n) Art. 1251. Payment shall be made in the place designated in the obligation. There being no express stipulation and if the undertaking is to deliver a determinate thing, the payment shall be made wherever the thing might be at the moment the obligation was constituted. In any other case the place of payment shall be the domicile of the debtor. If the debtor changes his domicile in bad faith or after he has incurred in delay, the additional expenses shall be borne by him. These provisions are without prejudice to venue under the Rules of Court. (1171a) SUBSECTION 1. – Application of Payments Art. 1252. He who has various debts of the same kind in favor of one and the same creditor, may declare at the time of making the payment, to which of them the same must be applied. Unless the parties so stipulate, or when the application of payment is made by the party for whose benefit the term has been constituted, application shall not be made as to debts which are not yet due. If the debtor accepts from the creditor a receipt in which an application of the payment is made, the former cannot complain of the same, unless there is a cause for invalidating the contract. (1172a) Art. 1253. If the debt produces interest, payment of the principal shall not be deemed to have been made until the interests have been covered. (1173) Art. 1254. When the payment cannot be applied in accordance with the preceding rules, or if application can not be inferred from other circumstances, the debt which is most onerous to the debtor, among those due, shall be deemed to have been satisfied. If the debts due are of the same nature and burden, the payment shall be applied to all of them proportionately. (1174a) SUBSECTION 2. – Payment by Cession Art. 1255. The debtor may cede or assign his property to his creditors in payment of his debts. This cession, unless there is stipulation to the contrary, shall only release the debtor from responsibility for the net proceeds of the thing assigned. The agreements which, on the effect of the cession, are made between the debtor and his creditors shall be governed by special laws. (1175a) SUBSECTION 3. – Tender of Payment and Consignation Art. 1256. If the creditor to whom tender of payment has been made refuses without just cause to accept it, the debtor shall be released from responsibility by the consignation of the thing or sum due. Consignation alone shall produce the same effect in the following cases: (1) When the creditor is absent or unknown, or does not appear at the place of payment; (2) When he is incapacitated to receive the payment at the time it is due; (3) When, without just cause, he refuses to give a receipt; (4) When two or more persons claim the same right to collect; (5) When the title of the obligation has been lost. (1176a) Art. 1257. In order that the consignation of the thing due may release the obligor, it must first be announced to the persons interested in the fulfillment of the obligation. The consignation shall be ineffectual if it is not made strictly in consonance with the provisions which regulate payment. (1177) Art. 1258. Consignation shall be made by depositing the things due at the disposal of judicial authority, before whom the tender of payment shall be proved, in a proper case, and the announcement of the consignation in other cases. The consignation having been made, the interested parties shall also be notified thereof. (1178) Art. 1259. The expenses of consignation, when properly made, shall be charged against the creditor. (1178) Art. 1260. Once the consignation has been duly made, the debtor may ask the judge to order the cancellation of the obligation. Before the creditor has accepted the consignation, or before a judicial declaration that the consignation has been properly made, the debtor may withdraw the thing or the sum deposited, allowing the obligation to remain in force. (1180) Art. 1261. If, the consignation having been made, the creditor should authorize the debtor to withdraw the same, he shall lose every preference which he may have over the thing. The co-debtors, guarantors and sureties shall be released. (1181a) SECTION 2. – Loss of the Thing Due Art. 1262. An obligation which consists in the delivery of a determinate thing shall be extinguished if it should be lost or destroyed without the fault of the debtor, and before he has incurred in delay. When by law or stipulation, the obligor is liable even for fortuitous events, the loss of the thing does not extinguish the obligation, and he shall be responsible for damages. The same rule applies when the nature of the obligation requires the assumption of risk. (1182a) Art. 1263. In an obligation to deliver a generic thing, the loss or destruction of anything of the same kind does not extinguish the obligation. (n) Art. 1264. The courts shall determine whether, under the circumstances, the partial loss of the object of the obligation is so important as to extinguish the obligation. (n) Art. 1265. Whenever the thing is lost in the possession of the debtor, it shall be presumed that the loss was due to his fault, unless there is proof to the contrary, and without prejudice to the provisions of article 1165. This presumption does not apply in case of earthquake, flood, storm, or other natural calamity. (1183a) Art. 1266. The debtor in obligations to do shall also be released when the prestation becomes legally or physically impossible without the fault of the obligor. (1184a) Art. 1267. When the service has become so difficult as to be manifestly beyond the contemplation of the parties, the obligor may also be released therefrom, in whole or in part. (n) Art. 1268. When the debt of a thing certain and determinate proceeds from a criminal offense, the debtor shall not be exempted from the payment of its price, whatever may be the cause for the loss, unless the thing having been offered by him to the person who should receive it, the latter refused without justification to accept it. (1185) Art. 1269. The obligation having been extinguished by the loss of the thing, the creditor shall have all the rights of action which the debtor may have against third persons by reason of the loss. (1186) SECTION 3. – Condonation or Remission of the Debt Art. 1270. Condonation or remission is essentially gratuitous, and requires the acceptance by the obligor. It may be made expressly or impliedly. One and the other kind shall be subject to the rules which govern inofficious donations. Express condonation shall, furthermore, comply with the forms of donation. (1187) Art. 1271. The delivery of a private document evidencing a credit, made voluntarily by the creditor to the debtor, implies the renunciation of the action which the former had against the latter. If in order to nullify this waiver it should be claimed to be inofficious, the debtor and his heirs may uphold it by proving that the delivery of the document was made in virtue of payment of the debt. (1188) Art. 1272. Whenever the private document in which the debt appears is found in the possession of the debtor, it shall be presumed that the creditor delivered it voluntarily, unless the contrary is proved. (1189) Art. 1273. The renunciation of the principal debt shall extinguish the accessory obligations; but the waiver of the latter shall leave the former in force. (1190) Art. 1274. It is presumed that the accessory obligation of pledge has been remitted when the thing pledged, after its delivery to the creditor, is found in the possession of the debtor, or of a third person who owns the thing. (1191a) SECTION 4. – Confusion or Merger of Rights Art. 1275. The obligation is extinguished from the time the characters of creditor and debtor are merged in the same person. (1192a) Art. 1276. Merger which takes place in the person of the principal debtor or creditor benefits the guarantors. Confusion which takes place in the person of any of the latter does not extinguish the obligation. (1193) Art. 1277. Confusion does not extinguish a joint obligation except as regards the share corresponding to the creditor or debtor in whom the two characters concur. (1194) SECTION 5. – Compensation Art. 1278. Compensation shall take place when two persons, in their own right, are creditors and debtors of each other. (1195) Art. 1279. In order that compensation may be proper, it is necessary: (1) That each one of the obligors be bound principally, and that he be at the same time a principal creditor of the other; (2) That both debts consist in a sum of money, or if the things due are consumable, they be of the same kind, and also of the same quality if the latter has been stated; (3) That the two debts be due; (4) That they be liquidated and demandable; (5) That over neither of them there be any retention or controversy, commenced by third persons and communicated in due time to the debtor. (1196) Art. 1280. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding article, the guarantor may set up compensation as regards what the creditor may owe the principal debtor. (1197) Art. 1281. Compensation may be total or partial. When the two debts are of the same amount, there is a total compensation. (n) Art. 1282. The parties may agree upon the compensation of debts which are not yet due. (n) Art. 1283. If one of the parties to a suit over an obligation has a claim for damages against the other, the former may set it off by proving his right to said damages and the amount thereof. (n) Art. 1284. When one or both debts are rescissible or voidable, they may be compensated against each other before they are judicially rescinded or avoided. (n) Art. 1285. The debtor who has consented to the assignment of rights made by a creditor in favor of a third person, cannot set up against the assignee the compensation which would pertain to him against the assignor, unless the assignor was notified by the debtor at the time he gave his consent, that he reserved his right to the compensation. If the creditor communicated the cession to him but the debtor did not consent thereto, the latter may set up the compensation of debts previous to the cession, but not of subsequent ones. If the assignment is made without the knowledge of the debtor, he may set up the compensation of all credits prior to the same and also later ones until he had knowledge of the assignment. (1198a) Art. 1286. Compensation takes place by operation of law, even though the debts may be payable at different places, but there shall be an indemnity for expenses of exchange or transportation to the place of payment. (1199a) Art. 1287. Compensation shall not be proper when one of the debts arises from a depositum or from the obligations of a depositary or of a bailee in commodatum. Neither can compensation be set up against a creditor who has a claim for support due by gratuitous title, without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 301. (1200a) Art. 1288. Neither shall there be compensation if one of the debts consists in civil liability arising from a penal offense. (n) Art. 1289. If a person should have against him several debts which are susceptible of compensation, the rules on the application of payments shall apply to the order of the compensation. (1201) Art. 1290. When all the requisites mentioned in Article 1279 are present, compensation takes effect by operation of law, and extinguishes both debts to the concurrent amount, even though the creditors and debtors are not aware of the compensation. (1202a) SECTION 6. – Novation Art. 1291. Obligations may be modified by: (1) Changing their object or principal conditions; (2) Substituting the person of the debtor; (3) Subrogating a third person in the rights of the creditor. (1203) Art. 1292. In order that an obligation may be extinguished by another which substitute the same, it is imperative that it be so declared in unequivocal terms, or that the old and the new obligations be on every point incompatible with each other. (1204) Art. 1293. Novation which consists in substituting a new debtor in the place of the original one, may be made even without the knowledge or against the will of the latter, but not without the consent of the creditor. Payment by the new debtor gives him the rights mentioned in Articles 1236 and 1237. (1205a) Art. 1294. If the substitution is without the knowledge or against the will of the debtor, the new debtor’s insolvency or non-fulfillment of the obligations shall not give rise to any liability on the part of the original debtor. (n) Art. 1295. The insolvency of the new debtor, who has been proposed by the original debtor and accepted by the creditor, shall not revive the action of the latter against the original obligor, except when said insolvency was already existing and of public knowledge, or known to the debtor, when the delegated his debt. (1206a) Art. 1296. When the principal obligation is extinguished in consequence of a novation, accessory obligations may subsist only insofar as they may benefit third persons who did not give their consent. (1207) Art. 1297. If the new obligation is void, the original one shall subsist, unless the parties intended that the former relation should be extinguished in any event. (n) Art. 1298. The novation is void if the original obligation was void, except when annulment may be claimed only by the debtor or when ratification validates acts which are voidable. (1208a) Art. 1299. If the original obligation was subject to a suspensive or resolutory condition, the new obligation shall be under the same condition, unless it is otherwise stipulated. (n) Art. 1300. Subrogation of a third person in the rights of the creditor is either legal or conventional. The former is not presumed, except in cases expressly mentioned in this Code; the latter must be clearly established in order that it may take effect. (1209a) Art. 1301. Conventional subrogation of a third person requires the consent of the original parties and of the third person. (n) Art. 1302. It is presumed that there is legal subrogation: (1) When a creditor pays another creditor who is preferred, even without the debtor’s knowledge; (2) When a third person, not interested in the obligation, pays with the express or tacit approval of the debtor; (3) When, even without the knowledge of the debtor, a person interested in the fulfillment of the obligation pays, without prejudice to the effects of confusion as to the latter’s share. (1210a) Art. 1303. Subrogation transfers to the persons subrogated the credit with all the rights thereto appertaining, either against the debtor or against third person, be they guarantors or possessors of mortgages, subject to stipulation in a conventional subrogation. (1212a) Art. 1304. A creditor, to whom partial payment has been made, may exercise his right for the remainder, and he shall be preferred to the person who has been subrogated in his place in virtue of the partial payment of the same credit. (1213)

Monday, July 22, 2019

Bean Trees Essay Example for Free

Bean Trees Essay Most authors convey an important message or idea throughout their noevls to give a greater understanding to their readers. In Barbara Kingsolvers novel, The Bean Trees, a strong idea that was developed was the possiublity of new beginnings. The Bean Trees is the story of the protagonist Taylor Greer, who starts off on a journey from her home town of Kentucky to Arizona. Along the way she she is given an abandoned child which is the start to her learning about motherhood, becoming a women, the power of friendships and also learns to be capable. The idea of new beginnings is the ability for characters to start over and leave their past behind them. It was mainly developed through Taylor, Turtle, and also a Guatamalan couple Estevan and Esperanza. The first person who helped develop this idea is Taylor. At the beginning of the story Taylor was called Marietta before she decided that she wanted to have a clean break because she had never been crazy about the names which she had been called previously. I didnt have any special name in mind, but just wanted a change this fitted into the theme of new beginnings because she was capable of leaving behind her old life and things that surrounded her name and had the opportunity to have the chance to create a new destiny for herself. As well as giving herself another chance to start her life and live it the way that she wanted through the changing of her name she also left her home town, house, friends, and mother all in search of somewhere new to live her life. She used chance to decide where she was going to stop with the use of her car. Wherever it ran out of fuel or something happened to it, she would stop there. With the ambition of leaving her old Kentucky life behind her, she started a journey which led her to Oklahoma. this just happened to be the place where she was given an abandoned child. This was another new beginning for Taylor. Can you talk? What am I supposed to do with you tonight? What do you eat? This series of questions that Taylor asked the abandoned child showed that she had absolutely no idea what she was doing and still had to learn the first steps of becoming a mother. It was a new beginning for her to take on responsibility for someone else. She had to grow, learn and understand in order to take care of the child that she had suddenly gained to take on her journey. She may not have understood what to do or how to do it, or even truly wanted this new beginning, but all in all she was given the chance. Kingsolver suggests through the use of Taylor that often life presents us with unexpected occurances, but if grasped correctly can lead to a possible great change, and therefore future. Through the use of Taylor as a character Kingsolver helps to show us that around the corner, in every situation, if something as small as a car journey, can lead to amazing opportunities to start afresh in our lives. Turtle is another character that helps develop Kingsolvers idea of new beginnings. Turtle is an abandoned 3 year old Indian child, who was abused when she was younger. After her mother died she was left to an unexpected Taylor who was just someone passing through the town, but turned into the receiver of a child who she had no clue what to do with. On later inspection of the child which she named Turtle she noticed that her body was covered in bruises and worse as Taylor said. When Taylor realised that turtle was a girl she said that fact already burdened her short life with a kind of misery that she could not imagine. Through this you can picture just how horrible the life this young child must have had. However this was the end of her bad story and the beginning to a new one. Just like Taylor she is given a new name, but also a new mother, new friends, and a new chance. With the opportunity Turtle is now able to grow. Turtle had managed to get through her whole life without a book, I suppose, and then she had two of them bought for her in one day. This quote shows the beginning if Turtles chance of recovery. She was a 3 year old stuck in an 18 month old body. She was a child with a horrible past, but a chance to start over. The development of Turtle made you understand that the majority of people are at some point given the ability to have a new beginning, no matter how terrible their life was before hand. Estevan and Esperanza are a Guatamalan couple who are also given the opportunity to have a new beginning and therefore helped develop the idea of new beginnings. Estevan and Esperanza are people who are illegally living in Tucson. Esperanza and Estevan live in Matties sanctuary that she has set up for people like them. After becoming good friends with Taylor they decide that they need to move on from Tucson and constantly running from the law. With Taylor and Turtle they set off to go to a safe house in Oklahoma. They were considered illegals and needed to be taken out of the country. however there should not be people judged as legal or illegal. There is only a difference between people who are good or bad. Because of this they are taken to a safe house where they are unlikely to be taken away. Instead of focusing on the negative once at the church Estevan says dont think of us stuck here forever. Think of us back in Guatemala with our families. His optimism in their new ability to have a clean break and go back to their home country showed the idea of new beginnings in a different light. It'[s not always physically being somewhere that gives people their new beginnings. Sometimes it is just a chance that makes believing in what was, or what could be, possible again. This is how Estevan and Esperanza helped deleop new beginnings as an idea in the novel. In conclusion, everyone has a chance at a new beginning, whther big or small. Three different sets of characters showed this throughout the novel The Bean Trees. Taylor helped the idea become present in the story as well as develop in as not only the physical actions that allow the new beginning to happen, but also a state of mind. Turtle developed the idea so that it showed the readers that just because someones life starts out badly, it doesnt mean their opportunity to have a new beginning wont come along. Estevan and Esperanza developed the idea so that you realised sometimes all that you need is faith to have the chance at a new beginning. In the end new beginnings was an idea that many characters showed their their own stories and therefore developed into their own way of showing the idea and allowing readers to understand it.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Strategic Analysis Of First Choice Holidays Tourism Essay

Strategic Analysis Of First Choice Holidays Tourism Essay This report is based on the strategic analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC, one of the worlds leading package holiday companies. An analysis of the companys internal and external environments will be undertaken resulting in the researchers findings of the opportunities and threat that the industry faces. A look at the industrys competitive forces will determine show the profitability of different industries and the data found, analysed showing the different external competitive forces that affect organisation and how information can be used to counter them. A strategic analysis of the company will show the companys competitive and financial strength in which the companys strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. A strategic fit which will indicate whether the companys mission and strategies fits its internal capabilities and its external environment. 1.0 Market Environment Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC 1.1 History First Choice Holidays PLC, trading name of TUI UK limited is part of the TUI Travel PLC Group of companies, one of the worlds leading travel companies, which operates in over 180 countries. The company boasts of having more than 30 million customers worldwide in 27 key source markets such as the United States, Italy, France, India and the United Kingdom. In addition to First Choice Holidays, the company has over 200 brands which are comprised of market leading mainstream brands and specialist brands. The company operates in four sectors: Mainstream this is the largest sector in terms of the companys financial performance and employee numbers. It comprises of leading tour operators and power brands as well as it operates 146 aircraft and serves 22 million customers. Activity this sector has over 40 activity travel businesses that operate under five divisions which are Marine, Adventure, Ski, Student and Sport. The adventure businesses take more customers to iconic adventure destinations than any other operator and serve 1.1 million customers. Specialist and Emerging markets this is an international portfolio of travel businesses focusing on specific destinations, premium travel experiences or particular customer demographic segments, often with differentiated and exclusive products. Accommodations and Destinations this sector sells and provides a range of services in destination to tour operators, travel agents, corporate clients and direct to consumers worldwide. Some services include hotel accommodations, cruise handling and round trips for customers. TUI Travel operates its headquarters from the U.K and employs approximately 50,000 people in over 200 travel businesses in the world. First Choice Holidays PLC, formerly Owners Abroad (Wholesale) Limited and Owners Abroad PLC was formed in 1973. After launching an airline, Air2000, the company moved into Specialist holidays. The company was restructured and rebranded into First Choice Holidays PLC after several acquisitions and joint ventures with various tour companies and cruise liners. The group then structured itself into four sectors: Mainstream, Activity, Specialist and Online Destination Services before the merger with TUI Travel PLC in 2007. First Choice was awarded the Most Environmentally Responsible Large Tour Operator (2007-2009) from the British Travel Awards. 1.2 Vision and Strategic Goal Since First Choice merged with TUI Travel, it shares the same vision and strategic goals. The companys vision statement is Making Travel Experiences Special. The companys strategic goals are to create superior shareholder value by being the leading global leisure travel group providing its customers with the widest choice of differentiated and flexible travel experiences to meet their changing needs and focusing their strategic initiatives for profitable growth. These include developing the companys business model, continuous efficiency improvements and development of growth opportunities. 1.3 PEST Analysis According to G. Johnson et al. in the text Exploring Corporate Strategy, PEST stands for Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. It provides a comprehensive list of influences on the possible success or failure of particular strategies that First Choice may face or is facing at present. Political With the governments hiking of aviation taxes and Air Passenger Duty (APD), this causes airline tickets to be expensive, therefore discouraging prospective customers from choosing the package holiday company. Political unrest in some countries may cause customers to decide on not travelling to that particular destination out of fear for their safety. Impact on individual of anti-terror measures likely to increase inconvenience of some travel options. The governments Fuel Price escalator is a way of government making money while protecting the environment by discouraging people to travel less. The May 2010 British elections caused political instability with certain actions destabilising the whole of Europe. The government can form new regulations under which these companies can operate which may or may not be positive. Economical The current inflation rate of the U.K is 3.1% which affects air fares, clothing, food etc. With the rise in petrol fuel which increased by 3% above inflation, customers are feeling the pinch of this and are less likely to choose taking a vacation with any package holiday company. The unemployment rate is at 7.7% which lowered by 0.1% over the last quarter. Having a rise in employment will raise confidence in consumer spending. The UK Pound Sterling Exchange Rate has shown recent developments which are indeed very much favourable for the citizens of the U.K. travelling abroad. At present the UK Pound Sterling Exchange Rate has posted the UK Pound Sterling at nearly double the worth of the US Dollar, which means that when British citizens travel to the U.S. they will be able to draw double bargains for their moneys worth.   Social The number of people purchasing on the internet has been on a constant rise. In 2009, 18.31million U.K households have access to the internet. In a survey it was found that 69% of U.K households use the internet to purchase services related to travel accommodation. Increased popularity of foreign travel leading leads to a boom in demand for air travel. However, this has been adversely affected by international terrorism which causes concern for the safety and security of future package-holiday makers. The interaction between tourists and the chosen host community can be one of the factors that may affect a community as tourists may not be sensitive to local customs, traditions and standards. Peoples life style changes cause package holiday companies to now offer customised packages and online booking facilities to meet customer expectations. Technological Today more companies are choosing to broadcast their products via the internet. Online booking has been one of the biggest factors affecting the package holiday industry. U.K residents are now constantly using the internet to book their holiday trips which saves on time for them as well as providing convenience. Advertising on the internet has been proven to boost sales for companies; more and more people are using the internet as a way to communicate their needs and wants to the outside world. 1.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis Figure 1. The Five Forces That Shape Industry Competition First Choice is in a very dynamic and competitive industry, the Porters Five Forces Model was created to show the profitability of different industries. This model is used for analysing the different external competitive forces that affect organisation and how information can be used to counter them. The following is an analysis using the model: Threat of New Entrants First Choice has direct ownership of its own airline and hotels. New entrants may not have the capital for such an investment and therefore may depend on external airlines and hotels to provide their customer with a service. New competitors may not possess the know-how or have the necessary experience to begin operating a package holiday business. Government regulations provides a list of rules that new competitors have to take into consideration before beginning operation, some of which may pose a problem for beginners in this industry. In an already highly competitive market, there will be the issue of pricing to new competitors. Pricing packages in a way that it may be attractive for holiday travellers without being too low so that it may end up running at a loss. Threat of Substitute Products or Services First Choices main competitor, Thomas Cook, has dropped its prices to compete with them for lowest priced package holidays. If successful, customers may be lead to choose that company and divert from the services of First Choice. Competitors may not possess assets such as its own airline or hotel but offers the same services at a cheaper cost. Destinations that the company may not have package deals for, other competitors may provide causing prospective customers to switch to the competitors services. Bargaining Power of Buyers Buyers can dictate the price of package holidays being that the industry is a highly competitive one. Buyers have a lot more choices on package holiday services to choose from. Market research has shown that buyers are taking fewer 7/14 night packages causing package holiday companies to attempt differentiation and specialisation of certain package deals to cater to those who take shorter trips. The threat of buyers going directly to suppliers is possible. The purchasing of airplane tickets from the airline and the booking of accommodation is an imminent threat to the industry. Convenience is key for todays buyers. With the internet customers would choose the company which can provide the complete package holiday service without leaving the comfort of their homes. Bargaining Power of Suppliers If oil prices rise, suppliers of fuel for the airlines may raise their prices. Fuel suppliers can dictate prices for their product depending on the demand for flights. Taxes applied to the cost price of fuel can affect the cost of package holiday deals. Suppliers will have high negotiation powers for those package companies now entering the market but for those experienced and large companies such as First Choice or Thomas Cook, there will be a balance of power. Rivalry Among Existing Competitors Thomas Cook, the main competitor for First Choice and parent Company TUI Travel, has joined with the company offering cheap package deals which increased the already existing price competition. First Choice was combined with its sister company Thomson award winning airline Thomson Airline to be one of the top package holiday airline in the UK which is acquiring the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which meant it will be a fifth more fuel efficient than its competitors Flybe and Thomas Cook Airlines. Thomas Cook offers a range of financial services that First Choice does not which includes foreign exchange services, their own prepaid currency card and the recent innovation of creating an app for the Iphone and Android phones. 1.5 Industry Life Cycle Figure 2. Industry Life Cycle Source: http://alife4testing.co.uk/ This model is used to showcase which stage the package holiday industry is at current. The industry is currently in the Shakeout stage of the lifecycle. The barriers to entry are currently high, economies of scale have been achieved, forcing smaller companies to be acquired by bigger companies such as TUI Travel and Thomas Cook or exiting all together. 1.6 Critical Success Factors (CSFs) The Critical Success Factors of the package holiday industry will highlight the key factors that present and upcoming companies should focus on that will bring satisfactory results, therefore ensuring successful competitive performance. Creating a consolidated market Combining companies or products into one provides opportunities for significant cost savings as well as revenue synergies. Having more direct ownership of airlines and accommodation suppliers. Having successful product differentiation will attract more customers from segments such as university students. To raise awareness, influence choice, change behaviour, and develop and promote new products to encourage responsible holiday choices. Maximised web sales and content. 1.7 Opportunities and Threats of the Market Environment Having analysed the market environment of the industry, the following will highlight the various opportunities and threats the market faces. INDUSTRY Opportunity Threat To consolidate the market by taking over smaller companies. The opportunity to come up with new innovative products/services because of the changing consumer market. To build new capital to purchase assets such as aeroplanes and cruise ships, reducing dependency of suppliers with that mode of transport. New mergers and strategic alliances to promote the maximisation of synergy profits. To maximise on the use of the internet market, to make it more interactive for consumers. Low cost airline competitors such Ryanair and EasyJet has relatively low prices. Natural disasters that may occur at destinations or the home country. People owning foreign property wont be willing to take a full package holiday, just a cheap flight. People booking their holidays for themselves and not through the package holiday companies. Threat of terrorist attacks may change a customers perception on safety when travelling. Table 1. The Opportunities and Threats of the Package Holiday Industry Having analysed the market environment of the industry, this paper will now take a closer look at First Choice Holidays PLCs strategies which will explain the companys various operations and the resources to get it done. 2.0 Strategic Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC Strategy is concerned with matching a firms resources and capabilities to the opportunities that arise in the external environment. The following shows the strategic analysis of First Choice and the tools used. 2.1 Value Chain Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC A Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Figure 3. Michael Porters Value Chain Model Source: http://www.12manage.com/images/picture_porter_value_chain.gif The following is the value chain analysis for First Choice Holidays PLC: Inbound Logistics Providing all working material for travel shops and tour operators. Printing of travel brochures. Liaising with suppliers of fuel for Thomson aircraft. Liaising with financial institutions for the supply of various foreign exchange currencies to be made available online and at First Choice travel shops. Communication with various hotels and other sources of accommodation. Hiring of security for airport parking facilities. Operations Booking and pre-payment of hotels and other sources of accommodations for clients at various destinations. Liaising with different tour operators, transport and excursion providers. Booking and pre-payment of excursions providers. Updating the travel website for online booking. Securing flights for various destinations. Liaising with insurance company, Mondial Assistance (UK) Ltd., for travel insurance for customers. Fuelling of aircraft for flights. Ensuring there is enough on board staff for flights. Outbound Logistics Distributing brochures to customers. Distribution of airline tickets or cruise ship passes to customers. Marketing and Sales Online booking as well as a pre-departure website for new and existing customers. The availability of 300 travel shops spread conveniently across the UK. Advertising of the company and airline by television and print also on the companys website. Call centre staff are readily available for customer support. The offering of special package deals at a lower price. Existing customers sharing their experiences about the company through word-of-mouth. Service The service of travel insurance for all customers. Airport parking so that customers can safely use their vehicles and park instead of hiring alternative transport to get them to the there. The service of Travellers cheques is provided to customers who want to purchase foreign currency. Seats on the plane can be reserved before customers travel, making it easier and more comfortable for a family to sit together. Car hires are organised for customers in need of transport during their holiday. Qualified child care-takers or nannies are provided to customers equipped with toys and other equipment from respected UK brands such as Crayola and Little Tikes. Firm Infrastructure The following departments make up First Choices company infrastructure. Sales Marketing Finance and Admin Human Resources Support Engineering and Research Operations IT and IS Human Resource Management Employees are trained to be knowledgeable about the industry and company. Training is done for employees so that they can assist customers with choosing the perfect holiday option for their budget. Nannies for baby-sitting services are trained and qualified with  NNEB/CACHE (or equivalent). Air hostesses are equipped with the necessary first aid and situation response training. Technology Development Continued development online booking and interactive websites such as the pre-departure site. Outbound dialler system was installed to automate the call-in service for agents, giving them guidance through the many services and products First Choice has to offer. A browser-based management information system enables management to access operational and business information to monitor how calls are made. Procurement Research on various locations for new accommodation according to customers needs and wants. Communication with vendors and other tour operators. Acquisition of the necessary technology needed to run the company. The purchasing of new aeroplanes for flights to more destinations at a greater speed. 2.2 The Strategic Capabilities of First Choice Holidays PLC An organisations strategic capabilities are its capacities, resources and skills that create a long-term competitive advantage. The following shows the strategic capability of First Choice. 2.2.1 Resources and Competences Resources Competences Threshold Capabilities Threshold resources Tangible 300 travel shops in the U.K 14,000 employees Airline First Choice Airways Expedition cruise ships Over  £2 billion in assets Intangible 4th largest package holiday company Brand strength Owner of several market leading brands such as 2wentys Falcon Online booking website State of the art communication systems (MO Communicator) A contributor to an  £13.8 billion revenue Threshold competences Deployment of travel shops in various key areas in the U.K. To create a market leading presence in the Russian market through joint ventures The introduction of Microsoft Office Communicator to implement an IP-based voice network to deliver better customer service. Enhancing customers experience online by ways of after-sales services Investments such as yachts, aeroplanes and expedition cruise ships that provide First Choice with a greater competitive advantage. Capabilities for competitive advantage Unique Resources Tangible Boeing 787 Dreamliner aeroplanes that are able to go greater distances and offers greater fuel efficiency. First Choice Holiday Village designed for families and a 5-star spa concept for couples. Intangible Powerful brand with the merger with the largest leisure company in the world. 37 years in the travel and leisure industry. Relationships with suppliers to retain 150 million bed nights per year. Core Competences Operational profitability which allows First Choice to respond to changes in the trading environment. Possessing profitable capacity by having individual flight allows the company to determine optimum seat capacity by each U.K airport and to ensure the most appropriate aircraft fleet size and type are maintained. Consolidation of aircraft fleet as a fuel conservation measure and to reduce the companys direct carbon footprint. Table 2. Resources and Competences of First Choice Holidays PLC 2.3 The Financial Analysis of First Choice Following a look at the companys resources and competences, a brief analysis of the company is needed to see where it stands in the industry. First Choice is a part of TUI Travel PLC, therefore shares in the groups profitability. Having merged with the group, First Choice has contributed to  £93million in synergy profits as well as the groups overall revenue of  £18.6billion. The following shows a break-down of the companys financial capability in the following areas in 2009: 2.3.1 Profitability Gross Profit Margin This is used to assess  a firms financial health by revealing the  proportion of money left over from revenues after accounting for the cost of goods sold. The companys Gross Profit Margin stood at 8.4% in 2009, an improvement of 1.1% of the previous year. This shows that the companys pricing strategies have been effective. Net Profit Margin This is used to show how much profit a company makes for every  £1 it generates in  revenue  or  sales.  The companys net profit margin stood at -0.77% which states which has improved over the previous year of -2.1%. Therefore this shows a rise in efficiency after all expenses and that have been considered. Return On Assets This gives an idea as to how efficient  management is  at using its assets to generate earnings. The company earned 0.3% from invested capital (assets) compared to 2008s -1.4% loss. As a result this shows the company is earning more money on less investment. Return on Equity This shows the amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity. The company showed a 1.2% profit made from shareholder investments, a rise from the previous year -0.1%. Thomas Cook, the companys main competitor had a higher return at 2.37%. 2.3.2 Liquidity Current Ratio This is used to determine a companys ability to pay off its  short-terms debts obligations. The companys current ratio stands at 3:5 which means they can pay off its obligations should it become due at that point. Acid Test Ratio This indicates  whether a firm has enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities without selling inventory. The company showed a ratio of 1:2 for 2009, which means that the company has enough liquid assets to cover an unexpected drawdown of liabilities. 2.3.3 Leverage or Debt Debt to Equity Ratio This indicates what proportion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets. The company showed a ratio of -3% which means that they were not aggressive in financing its growth with debt and has the ability to repay loans. Total Debt to Total Assets This is used to measure a companys financial risk by determining how much of the companys assets have been financed by debt. The company showed a ratio of 3:4 meaning that 75% of the companys assets are financed by the creditors or debt (and therefore 25% is financed by the owners). 2.3.4 Activity (see Appendix) Asset Turnover This shows the amount of sales generated for every dollars worth of assets. The company showed a ratio of 1.5 which means for every dollar in total asset spent they gain 1.5 in revenue compared to the industrys 0.34 ratio. Despite a drop in revenue, the company still remained profitable and above its competition. It is seen that the company has an edge and is inviting for any investor. The following shows the companies. The following shows the strengths and weaknesses of the First Choice. First Choice Holidays PLC Strengths Weaknesses One of the market leaders in the package holiday industry both domestically and globally. Technologically advanced, creating new ways using technology to make decisions on their own without going physically to an agent. Offers a wide range of comprehensive services that customers enjoy. Ability to consolidate the market. Inability to fully penetrate the Western market resulting in dependency on the European market for revenues. As at August 2010, there was a consistent decrease in bookings following the recurrence of airspace closures, the emergency budget and the UK weather. Accounting errors on the part of executives. 3.0 The Strategic Fit Analysis of First Choice Holidays PLC Strategic fit indicates how well the First Choice Holidays mission and strategies fit its internal capabilities and its external environment. First Choice is the 4th largest package holiday company in the UK. Its main competitors are Airtours, Thomas Cook and its sister company Thomson Holidays, currently Thomsons dominates the industry. According to Investopedia, competitive advantages give a company an edge over its rivals and an ability to generate greater value for the firm and its shareholders. The more sustainable the advantage, the more difficult it is for competitors to neutralize the advantage. It is the companys competitive advantage that allows it to earn excess returns for its members. Having a competitive advantage is important to First Choice because without it, the company will have no economic reason to exist and will just simply wither away. Through the analysis done in this essay, although First Choice is ranked as #4, it still holds an advantage on its competitors. First Choice used the strategy of backward integration, meaning the company purchased suppliers in order to reduce dependency. An example of this would be its own airline and the First Choice Holiday Village. The acquisition of new aeroplanes, the Boeing 787 Dreamliners, would prove to be a major advantage as consumers are now taking responsibility for the environment and with these aeroplanes; the company will showcase environmental performance by reducing their carbon emissions. Having these assets will give First Choice the advantage of delivering products or services of a higher value at a cheaper price, as a result gain cost leadership. Using the internet for online sales has maximised their profits also the company retained their customers while gaining new ones. The companys liquidity and financial situation is stable despite a drop in revenue in 2009, with that they are capable of market consolidation. An example of that would be the acquisition of C.I.T Holidays, a UK based company with extensive operations in Spain and Italy. First Choice has a long history within the industry along with experience. They have proven to be well prepared to any changing environment. The company has achieved high economies of scale because of its access to larger market allowing them to operate with greater geographical reach. They have the ability to create value for money to its customers and have shown to be innovative by way of creating differentiated products such as its pre-departure website, an after-sales service. 3.1 The SWOT Analysis of First Choice Holidays The SWOT Analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the competitive environment it operates. First Choice Holidays PLC Strength One of the market leaders in the industry. Ability to offer differentiated products/services. Commitment to customer service. Wealth of knowledge of the industry. Backward Integration which made them spread across the value chain. Strong distribution channels, the strongest being online sales. Weakness A 13.5% reduction in package prices because of a decrease in sales as a result of the recession and events such as the volcano ash disruption in mid-April 2010. A loss of  £69million in revenue in 2009 compared to the year before. Opportunities Further expansion through acquisitions and mergers. With new mergers and alliances, an opportunity to create synergy profits arise. Threat Airlines and hotels are now offering package deals. Threat to Thomson Airlines from low cost airlines such as Ryanair. Terrorist threats or attacks will change customers perception of safety when travelling. In conclusion, First Choice Holidays PLC is strategically fit and has a high advantage over the competition. The company is seen to be attractive for investment, although their profits fell for the previous financial year and sister company Thomson Holiday still stands at number one, but with new products underway, there may be a positive change.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Euthanasia: A Fatal Decision :: Free Essay Writer

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A white flash of lightening catches the glint of frantic black eyes peering from beneath frazzled grey hair. Screaming to his assistant, the frenzied scientist paces before the lifeless body on the table; his creation. As the creaking chains raise the corpse out of the roofless laboratory, the scientist’s evil laugh echoes up into night sky. This scene, often replayed in old films, captures the horror of unrestricted medical research. When a person who is ill decides that it is his or her time to die, they are, in effect, playing God by taking control of human life by deciding when it should end. Sidney Hook, an octogenarian, suffered to the point of requesting, but not receiving, his own extermination. In his article, In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia, Hook argues that euthanasia provides an easy way to end suffering. Examining the pros and cons of euthanasia and its usefulness if legalized, it is clear that there are very few benefits involved. When deat h is made a legal and easy option, it is an attempt to take full control of life and, by doing so, opening the door to more abuse than benefits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Euthanasia is the practice of putting to death persons who have incurable, painful, or distressing diseases or handicaps. It is commonly called mercy killing. Voluntary euthanasia may occur when individuals who are incurably ill ask their physician to put them to death or the patient may ask a doctor to withhold treatment, allowing them to die more rapidly. Many opponents of euthanasia contend that too often doctors and others in the medical profession play God on operating tables and in recovery rooms. They argue that no medical professional should be allowed to decide who lives and who dies. This is true. The time when a person dies is a decision only God should make.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, why would anyone want to keep a person who is desiring death from making that choice? Seneca, a well-known philosopher once said, â€Å"The wise man will live as long as he ought, not as long as he can† (qtd. in Hook 484). A considerable amount of society is in favor of euthanasia mostly because they feel that we, as free individuals, should have the right to decide for ourselves when to terminate life, especially when an individual is suffering from an incurable disease. No one wants to end up plugged into machines and wired to tubes.

René Magritte Essay -- Arts Paintings Art History

Renà © Magritte Belgian Surrealist artist Renà © Magritte was a master not only of the obvious, but of the obscure as well. In his artwork, Magritte toyed with everyday objects, human habits and emotions, placing them in foreign contexts and questioning their familiar meanings. He suggested new interpretations of old things in his deceivingly simple paintings, making the commonplace profound and the rational irrational. He painted his canvasses in the same manner as he lived his life -- in strange modesty and under constant analysis. Magritte was born in 1898 in the small town of Lessines, a cosmopolitan area of Belgium that was greatly influenced by the French. Twelve years later, Magritte, along with his parents and two younger brothers, moved to Chà ¢telet, where the future artist studied sketching. On vacations with his grandmother and Aunt Flora during the summer months, Magritte frequented an old cemetery at Soignies. In this cemetery, Magritte often played with a little girl, opening trap doors and descending into underground vaults. This experience would prove a great influence upon his later artwork, as wooden caskets and granite tombstones recur in many of his paintings. Magritte also developed a fascination with religion around this time, often dressing up as a priest and holding mock mass services in complete seriousness. In 1912, Rà ©gina Bertinchamp, Magritte's mother, committed suicide by drowning herself in the Sambre River. The night of her suicide, the Magrittes followed Bertinchamp's footprints to the river, where they found her dead with her nightgown wrapped around her face. Magritte was 14 at the time. He would claim years later that his only recollection of his mother's death was his pride at being the center of attention and his subsequent identity formation as the "son of a dead woman." Some critics point out that several of the subjects in Magritte's paintings are veiled in white sheets as a reference to his mother's suicide. A year later, Magritte's father moved the family to Charleroi. It was in Charleroi that Magritte would meet his future wife Georgette Berger on a carousel at the town fair. However, the two would not see one another again until a chance meeting in Brussels years later. In Charleroi, Magritte quickly lost interest in his studies and asked his father for permission to study at the Acadà ©mie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. ... ... Faubourg in Paris. The exhibition caused much scandal, but won few admirers. Soon after, Magritte resigned to his original style, though he bitterly attributed this retroaction to his desire to please Georgette, who preferred his earlier paintings. He continued to acquire much success all over the world with paintings such as L'Empire des Lumià ¨res (The Empire of Lights, 1954), which employed standard Surrealist techniques and precise Magritte lines. On August 15, 1967, Magritte died in Brussels. Unlike many of his Surrealist counterparts, Magritte lived quite humbly and incon uously. He did not draw much attention to himself, and he lived life relatively uneventfully. Despite his unassuming lifestyle, though, Magritte managed to leave an artistic legacy of transforming the ordinary into the fantastic. While some art historians attribute Magritte's art to his desire to oppose and combat the triviality of everyday life, others suggest that his work goes beyond escapism and serves to reveal some of the murkier and complex aspects of the human condition. Whatever the impetus was for his art, it is certain that Magritte's works are at once hauntingly beautiful and deeply provocative.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay examples --

Ability Grouping and Tracking in Schools Famous American author Mark Twain once said, â€Å"I have never let schooling interfere with my education† (The Quotations Page). School is sometimes a difficult place to learn. Teachers can’t be expected to give an individualized lesson to thirty students at once. This task increases in difficulty when not all of the students are behaving or when the students are at different levels of learning. Some schools, however, are attempting to make learning easier on both students and teachers. The methods of tracking and ability grouping are revolutionizing the way teachers teach and students learn. Tracking and ability grouping are two separate practices, but they share many similarities. Ability grouping is used most commonly in elementary schools, while tracking is used in high schools. Both practices involve grouping students by their abilities in schools. The main difference between the practices is tracking is between classes, while ability grouping is within individual classes. Tracking, in other words, is different for every subject. Ability grouping is grouping within an individual class (Loveless). The main arguments against tracking and ability grouping deal with the lower-level students. Critics argue that ability grouping can create a "self-fulfilling prophecy" for lower class and minority students, who tend to be placed in the lower-achieving classes or groups (Thompson). Also, some argue that the lower-level classes may not receive the same quality of instruction as higher-level classes, increasing the achievement gap (Sosnowski). To help shrink the achievement gap, teachers will often reshuffle groups when using the ability grouping method. Sometimes, teachers will give t... ...my entire high school career. Ability grouping and tracking are practices that could greatly benefit every school system and every individual student. Lower-level students would no longer feel pressured to learn at an uncomfortable pace. They would have the opportunity to receive additional instruction on concepts that they struggle with. Higher-level students would have opportunities to learn at an accelerated rate, and they would have a chance to explore concepts in much greater depth. These students wouldn't feel like they are constantly waiting for the other students to catch up with them. American journalist Sydney J. Harris said, "The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows" (Sydney J. Harris Quote). Tracking and ability grouping can help transform our generation of mirrors into windows that can change the world with our knowledge.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Cultural Site Paper: Starbucks Essay

Starbucks began as a coffee importing and roasting company in 1971. Since 1987, the company has expanded at an astonishing rate. America was ready for the third place provided by Starbucks. In 1987, Starbucks opened its first store outside of the State of Washington. Over the next eight years, the company spread throughout North America before opening its first overseas location in Japan. The company continues to open new stores at an impressive rate. 1,500 new stores have been planned for 2006. Starbucks has also grown through licensing relationships and by offering bottled drinks and bags of coffee for sale in grocery stores. (Corporate Website) It has zoomed up as one of the best companies globally. It shall also examine some of the visual representations of the place so that an overall impression is generated. It shall delve into the purpose of the kinds of representations it chooses to represent the group and analyze how this culturally represents the community where it is situated. The Workplace Visual images are natural means to enhance learning. Things become clear as vision plays a vital role in communication, since more than 60 percent of communication consists of nonverbal, visual cues. This paper will tackle Starbucks and look into the site’s â€Å"sense of place† and the effect this ambience has on the people who visit the place. Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees and sells them along with fresh, rich-brewed, Italian-style espresso beverages, a variety of pastries and confections, and coffee-related accessories and equipment, through its company operated retail stores. In addition to sales through its company-operated retail stores, it sells primarily whole bean coffees through a specialty sales group, a direct response business, supermarkets, and online at Starbucks.com. I.   Visual materials At Starbucks, there are certain objects which act as symbols or representations that have come to be generally accepted as standing for or representing something more than what it is there for (Vander, Zanden 1993). Usually this is an idea or something abstract. In Starbucks’ case, it is the smell of coffee that fills the air with the coffee smell that stimulates people to buy more, relax and savor the classy atmosphere. The coffee beans, brochures and CD purchased from the store are also objects that represent the outlet to everyone. People can get coffee mug with their personalized pictures on it. The displayed objects are powerful code or shorthand for representing and dealing with aspects of the corporate world (Hewitt, 1994). The significance of symbols as socializing mechanisms lies in the attitudes they conjure up and the accompanying behavior they stimulate. The space of the outlet is comfortably arranged with several sofa and chairs arranged to accommodate groups of people coming in the place. There is a sense of harmony in the layout and arrangement, which relaxes customers. According to anthropology professor Leslie White (1960), â€Å"All culture (civilization) depends upon the symbol. Much as we would like to think so, energy, pride, loyalty and a passion for work are not created by an organizational structure, a leader, a product, or a work process. They are all created by people who work together every day in organizations. These members of the workforce have dreams, hopes, and expectations. II.   Site’s sense of place Starbucks is one place where almost all the senses are stimulated. Foremost here is the sense of smell. All this smelling goes on at an almost subconscious level. Humans are least attentive to the olfactory sense. Yet it is our most ancient sense and is most closely linked to our memory and emotions. The maintenance and development of this quality experience requires a strong organizational commitment. The 1990s saw Starbucks expand its talent pool on the most influential senior levels, with key additions contributing greatly to the evolution of the company’s business lines. Howard Schultz began assembling an experienced team of professionals to drive Starbucks’ growth. The pursuit of first-class quality drove Starbucks back up the coffee supply chain when it encountered stiff competition. Coffee, though second only to petroleum in volume of global trading, was highly fragmented. It was estimated that a full one-third of the world’s coffee farms were three acres or less in size. This typically resulted in a consolidation process which handed off coffee from farmer to collector, collector to miller, miller to exporter or broker, and finally to importer. In the past, the importer and brokers then sold coffee to the large mass-market coffee roasters and producers. III. Connection to cultural context Starbucks defines their social responsibility as â€Å"conducting our business in ways that produce social, environmental, and economic benefits to the communities in which we operate. In the end, it means being responsible to our stakeholders.† (Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report). There is growing recognition of the need for corporate accountability. Consumers are demanding more than â€Å"product† from their favorite brands. Employees are choosing to work for companies with strong values. Shareholders are more inclined to invest in businesses with outstanding corporate reputations. Quite simply, being socially responsible is not only the right thing to do, it can distinguish a company from its industry peers.† (Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report). Starbucks is the place where groups gather for the expression of their values and attitudes. This cultural site, therefore, serves as a meeting place for those who just want to express themselves and their individuality, without any disturbances. The chairs are arranged closed to each other but everyone is there to mind his own business. Usually Starbucks is built near a commercial area but there are now outlets near exclusive villages and neighborhoods. In a big commercial area, relationships are more fragmented and it is unlikely that one would just by chance see a friend at a restaurant, simply because there are so many restaurants available to eat at in a large town. Thus, establishing a new one in the neighborhood encourages interaction with different types of groups. While employees clearly come first in the Starbucks culture, the customer is a close second. Starbucks’ fourth guiding principle is to â€Å"Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all the time.† â€Å"We recognized early on that the equity of the Starbucks brand was going to be the retail experience that the customers had in our stores,† says Schultz, the company’s CEO. Indeed, Starbucks has come a long way from its very beginnings. It has been able to identify the things it does so well – from the simplest service procedure to the massive, company wide operation. It has proven time and again that the business strengths will be small isolated islands of effectiveness. The key, as Starbucks has unlocked, is finding these strengths and using them as foundation cornerstones that support the entire reinvention strategy it does almost naturally.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Why Did Global Food Prices Rise

Why Did globose Food Prices go on? Why Did Global Food Prices skip? There ar many frugal factors that lead to the increase in solid food outlays globularly. The case explains exactly Why Did Global Food Prices Rise? and how the economic factors cast off impacted countries and worlds pretermit of food. The tariffs and subsidies give rise to the increasing world-wide food prices. This case also duologue abut how the government policies may be an advantage for some domestic producers and the discriminate to others.The ones who benefit from the government policies to promote ware of grain alcohol are obviously the ones producing ethanol because they are looking for to a greater extent than options to be able to make ethanol. The different types of stark materials that pile be produced into a respite for gas, can affect the price of whole goods. The ones who benefit to place tariff barriers on imports of chou chew out are the countries that ache a higher occupa tion of mad material because they ordain benefit from either of the production.For example give and soybeans are generally employ as tangible marrow for biofuel. The more demand for ethanol and biofuels, the more it will increase our prices for foods. Sugar cane can also be used for biofuels, however due to the tariff barriers the price of sugar cane has increased and it can no longer compete with the subsidize corn and soy beans. The Poor are suffering worldwide as a result of these policies. Unfortunately some of them are unable to afford food.Developed countries are normally giving the subsidies, so with the production of corn increasing rapidly for farmers to plant more of it the policies are beneficial to the developed countries. Consumers will suffer by paying more for corn as the demand for ethanol continues to increase. As well as Brazil, the sugar cane production suffers from the policies to promote the production of ethanol and the tariff barriers placed on sugar cane imports. If we accept that global warming is a serious problem, should we not be encouraging governments to View in effect(p) Essay