Equality and Inequality in the American Dream - 762 Words

Not everyone in America has the money they need to get by, or to live how they want to. Americans of low class can’t compete against those of high class. While some people can achieve The American Dream, others struggle with just living. With the right mindset, anyone can achieve the dream. Like many others, I can see the difference in class, just from how people behave. Money and class affects how each person is treated as an individual, rather than who they are. Lower class Americans don’t usually have the advantages that those of higher class have. A man who shows up to a job interview in a suit and tie will have a better chance of getting the job rather than the man who only has a T-shirt and jeans to wear. Appearance plays a key factor in interviews even though it does not affect how well you do at the job itself. A wealthy man also knows how to carry himself in a way that makes him look upper class. â€Å"From how close to stand to people to which colors to wear, Sayles has developed a precise formula for how to mix confidently with the upper classes† (People Like Us: Social Class in America). A lower class citizen would not know all the things that are expected or someone of upper class. They could go to the self - help counselor, but only if they have at least $1,500 to spend on it. Wealthy people also tend to have connections to help get them what they want. They know, and are friends with, people in high position places that will help them land a better job if need be.Show MoreRelatedMartin Luther King Jr. Is A Famous Figure In African American1416 Words   |  6 PagesKing Jr. is a famous figure in African American and American history. He is one of the most celebrated African Americans who lead the Black Civil Rights Movement to fight for the equality and freedom for African Americans. The speech I Have a Dream is King’s most famous speech, which helped African Americans fight for their rights of equality. The I Have a Dream speech purpose was to seek equality among blacks and whites, while feminism discusses equality among men and women. The rhetorician perspectiveRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jr s I Have A Dream Speech1480 Words   |  6 PagesMovement, Martin Luther King Jr s I Have A Dream speech was broadcasted across the nation and heard by millions of Americans on August 28, 1963. Throughout the decades, many have promoted the importance of racial equality in America. Leaders such as William J. Clinton, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush have contributed to modern social movements by, doing as Dr. King himself, giving speeches to varying audiences concerning the issue of racial inequality. Above all, Martin Luther King Jr made the strongestRead MoreThe American Dream1320 Words   |  6 PagesDecember 2017 American Dream Essay For the past few decades, the American Dream has been the acquisition of material objects, a perfect family, house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and a secure job that brought financial security. This pursuit began after World War II, when the United States became the â€Å"land of opportunity† and for many people this â€Å"dream† became reality. However, as the United States economy grew tremendously, the American Dream transformed into greed and inequality. AccordingRead MoreRacial Segregation Of The United States1508 Words   |  7 PagesWe have issues. More specifically the United States has issues, continuous and all encompassing issues of racial inequality.The United States is experiencing a outburst of racism, as can be seen from the 2014 killings of two unarmed African-American men, to the brutality of white supremacy in Charleston and the string of arsons in black churches across the South. Of course, it’s nothing new for a nation with a lo ng history of extreme racist violence—the most recent lynching-related death occurredRead MoreRacial Discrimination : The United States1510 Words   |  7 PagesWe have issues: more specifically , the United States has issues, continuous and all-encompassing issues of racial inequality.The United States is experiencing a outburst of racism, as can be seen from the 2014 killings of two unarmed African-American men, to the brutality of white supremacy in Charleston and the string of arsons in black churches across the South. Of course, it’s nothing new for a nation with a long history of extreme racist violence—the most recent lynching-related death occurredRead MoreThe American Dream : Dead, Alive, Or On Hold?1430 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States has a dream, or better yet known as the American Dream. What is the American Dream? Well, Brandon King, author of â€Å"The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?† quoted James Truslow Adams, who wrote that the American Dream â€Å"is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement, regardless of coral class or circumstances of birth†(610). Everyone’s American Dreams are all different, butRead MoreThe Dream Of The American Dream1047 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream is heralded and aspired to, by immigrants and natives alike. It is a hopeful belief, that although many believe in, very few achieve. This variability of outcomes is due to the American Dream’s dependency on ideals of equality and freedom of opportunity. These two ideals do not institutionally exist in the United States, causing its construction to be inherently unequal, as individuals cannot reach the Dream without systemic privilege and power. Social positions and historic contextRead MorePoverty And The American Dream933 Words   |  4 Pagesborn in poverty will not get out. Today, more Ame ricans are falling below the poverty line and are struggling trying to find a way to get out. The Inequality gap in America has increased for the past few decades. Resulting from Economic Inequality in America, 400 Americans share more than 50% of America’s total wealth. These 400 Americans are the Top 1%. While the Top 1% are living luxurious lives, the Bottom 99% is struggling to make ends meet. Inequality is nothing new to the United States. In factRead MoreInequality Of The American Dream1368 Words   |  6 PagesInequality Do you think the American dream is still a concept today? If so, is it still possible to achieve this American dream? The American dream can be described as the success of life, and the goals achieved. Sometimes, these dreams can not be achieved due to obstacles. In this case, obstacles such as inequality. Many may view America has the land of opportunity and the greatest nation ever due to our vast diversity and freedom, but is this thought to be true in America itself? There has beenRead MoreEquality And The American Dream1068 Words   |  5 PagesEquality and the American Dream History has a way of repeating itself. The problem of inequality has lasted as long as man has throughout the course of time. People are thought to be brave when they stick up against inequality. On July 4, 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the most important document in the history of our nation. The Declaration of Independence was the official document that claimed that their new name the United States of America and they would succeed from unfair British control. The

The American Of American History - 4245 Words

Learning about American history is an extremely fascinating topic. It’s intriguing how our great nation developed and changed throughout history. From wars to treaties, it’s all essential in understanding how our nation has grown to be what it is now. In our ever growing society today, immigrants are migrating to this nation with hopes and dreams. Hopes and dreams that lead them to live a better and more prosperous life. The United States of America is known as big â€Å"melting pot†. This melting pot that they refer to is an integration of nationalities, cultures, and ethnicities during the 1980’s. This term came into use in the 1780’s. Multiculturalism has always played a vital role in shaping our society. It is defined as the historical evolution of cultural diversity within a jurisdiction. The jurisdiction being the United States. With this in mind, it is evident that the idea of an American dream did influence immigration over the course of our nation’s history. For any American citizen, living the American Dream is an essential part. It is what they want to be a part of. Citizens feel entitled to live the American Dream because they it’s become so important in this country to become successful. This has been part of American social issues for a very long time and continues to be an issue now, in the present day. American Dream? Well, what exactly is an American dream? Is it an idea? A notion? A thesis? Well, in the simplest form, the American dream is an idea. An ideaShow MoreRelatedThe American Of American History Essay1523 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the course of American history, the usage of gangs has always been embedded in the striving desire to be rebel, such as defeating the overhanging stature of the British empire. However as the 13 colonies formed a colonial gang in an effort to eliminate British influence in America, the definition of the word gang has transformed into an entirely differe nt meaning. One common definition of a gang is a group of three or more individuals who engage in criminal activity and identify themselvesRead MoreThe American Of American History1199 Words   |  5 PagesSpain; and before there was Boston, Mass., there was Santa Fe, N.M. The teaching of American history generally highlights the establishment and development of the British colonies in North America, their appearance as an independent nation in 1776, and the change of the United States from east to west. This action easily overlooks the fact that there was important colonization by Spain of what is now the American Southwest from the 16th century on. It also tends to disregard, until the Mexican WarRead MoreNative Americans And American History988 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history, relationships between the Native Americans and the United States have been nothing but battle torn, and unfortunately have followed a consistent path of betrayal. There is no denying the universa l fact that Native Americans have been unfairly treated and portrayed throughout American history. According to American history written during and after the war the Indian Wars that occurred were very subjective, and prejudiced in its depiction of the Native Americans. For example oneRead MoreAmerican History : American Beauty1360 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Beauty Throughout American history there have been many different family types. In these families types that society has created everyone has a specific role that they are pressured to play and most of the time feel like they will be judged if they don’t play their intended role. The only way for a society to change and evolve is for people to break the norms and step outside of the box. We must question what is truly right and wrong to create new ways of living. The Cycle of SocializationRead MoreThe American Revolution And American History953 Words   |  4 PagesIn the year 1765 the American colonists in the thirteen colonists had an upheaval with Great Britain. The colonists were tired of British Parliament’s rules and taxes that Parliament was placing on imported goods; such as tea. Historians believe that the beginning point in American History really started with the American Revolution. Britain was trying to force their culture onto the colonists. However, the coloni st wanted no part in changing their whole cultural background that they created to theRead MoreNative Americans And American History1036 Words   |  5 PagesNative Americans do not experience enough social, political, and economic equality today because their stereotypes are portrayed in media, they do not have enough government representation, and they are not as well off as most Americans. Education plays a big part in how Native Americans are represented. Many schools, according to â€Å"The Coddling of the American Mind,† are overprotective of their students, thus censoring and limiting some important topics that students are required to learn. ThisRead MoreThe American Revolution And American History Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pages The American Revolution was an important moment in American history. The revolution shed new light on how people could live and how a nation could be governed. Looking back, one might think that the British saw the American colonists as a group of people easy to conquer. In the time period of the American Revolution, women were seen more as property rather than active participants in war, but women played a large part in the war. In the end, the American Revolution transformed the United StatesRead MoreAmerican History: Native Americans 829 Words   |  3 PagesHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be Native American during the European invasion? In American history Native Americans were treated unfairly. The American government mistreated the Natives by lying to them and treating them as foreigners. After years of fighting for freedom the Natives did not achieve their goal for freedom. The Trail of Tears, being the most tragic event in American history, was due to the Removal Act in the 1830s, the misguidance of President Andrew Jackson, theRead MoreAmerican Holocaust: American History1426 Words   |  6 PagesAMERICAN HOLOCAUST The other side of the story to our great American history is not as pretty as they teach us in grade school. The American Holocaust by David Stannard is a novel full of live excerpts from eyewitnesses to the genocide of the American Indians. He goes as far as to describe what life was most likely like before Europeans came to the Americas and obliterated the Paradise so described. Columbus even wrote how beautiful the places were in which he committed acts against the NativesRead MoreAmerican History : The American Revolution1484 Words   |  6 PagesPhuong Dung Ngo History 101 Assignment A 09/17/2014 The American in 1606 History is important because it has always encouraged everyone to think creatively about their nation’s history and take them back to the past in order to learn. The American Revolution (1775-1783) is one of the most famous events in American history. Why did it happen and how did it happen? There are many reasons to explain the colonial feelings leading up to the American Revolution. When the thirteen colonies were founded

Importance of a Team Charter Free Essays

Similar to developing a solid foundation when building a home, the team charter is the foundation for building a strong team. The team charter acts as a contract between the members of a team communicating contact information and establishing the ground rules and guidelines for the team. â€Å"Chartering is the process by which the team is formed, its mission or task described, its resources allocated, its goals set, its membership committed, and its plans made† (University of Phoenix, 2011, para. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of a Team Charter or any similar topic only for you Order Now ). The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it clearly defines the expectations of the team, permits agreement regarding communication and participation as well as provides the basis for conflict management. The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it will help to eliminate conflicts before they arise. By identifying the likely kinds of issues that might bring team members into conflict and agreeing beforehand how to deal constructively with those conflicts, team members will help to ensure the optimum functioning of the team† (University of Phoenix, 2002, para. 8). An area of conflict that tends to arise often is a team member feeling as if he or she is doing all of the work. It is best to try to avoid this by the agreement that has been reached collectively in the team charter. Each individual has contributed to the formulation of the charter and in doing so, has agreed to abide by its guidelines. This should bring about a sense of duty and responsibility to each member to contribute equally to the team. The charter will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and the consequences for non-participation. This will provide the basis for establishing trust within the members of the group. Each individual in the group has his or her own level of trust that he or she is capable of giving. This will influence how much they are willing to share and give of themselves. It is important that the members respect the privacy and boundaries of the other members, especially if they are less trusting. The same is true of listening skills. One must accept that some individuals are more outspoken than others and may not be as advanced in their listening skills. Others have honed these skills well and will pick up on the smallest nuances. The most important reason the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group is that it clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. It is imperative that each member is aware of the objectives of the team and what he or she is trying to accomplish. Each member must know what his or her individual contributions to that goal is and understand that it is the expectation of the team that he or she will complete his or her portion in a timely manner. Although some may say that developing a charter is an unnecessary step that requires too much time, the benefits of forming a charter are well worth the time invested. A charter is the foundation by which the team will collaborate to accomplish their goals. In conclusion, although some believe that the charter is not a useful tool and is not worth the time investment, the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group for two main reasons. First, it will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and consequences for non-participation. Second, and more important, the team charter clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. Just as a person would never think of driving cross country without first checking the oil in his or her car, one should never initiate a group without first developing a team charter. The most successful and productive teams always start with the foundation of a well developed team charter. How to cite Importance of a Team Charter, Essay examples

Artificial Intelligence Research free essay sample

Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. It is a phenomenon or a process of replicating the exact voice or sound of the humans by the computer. ( i. e. no change in the frequency, decibel level, etc). â€Å"A Speech synthesizer is a computer-based system that should be able to read any text aloud, whether it was directly introduced in the computer by an operator or scanned and submitted to an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system†. (Dutoit, 1996) Author Joseph P. Olive’s essay, â€Å"The Talking Computer† summarizes how the talking computer evolved from mechanical age to today’s cutting edge technology of speech synthesis. Speech synthesis has been a key area of interest to many of the research scholars in Artificial Intelligence. The author Joseph P. Olive points out the evolution of talking computer from mechanical model in which persons voices were recorded and during movie showed to audience as though the idols could speak. We will write a custom essay sample on Artificial Intelligence Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"HAL was definitely ahead of its time. For most of the people in the audience a computer was something out of science fiction. Its typical embodiment was an array of tall cases containing spinning tapes, a large box for the computers memory and CPU (central processing unit), and machines that printed out pages and pages of wide sheets filled with numbers and obscure symbols. † (Olive, 1997) 1. 1 The problem The toughest problem which is likely to be incorporated while implementing speech synthesis of humans by machines is that our greatest flexibility to vary the shape of our instrument is the vocal tract . â€Å"Speech understanding is much more difficult than natural language understanding. Words are often spoken in a run-on manner that makes it difficult to recognize where one word ends and another begins. Great variations in pronunciations exist among people: regional accents can make extreme differences in pronunciation; women generally have higher pitched voices than men; stress and intonation pattern vary; some people stammer and some drop endings of words; and even the same persons speech may vary from day to day as a result of stress, mood or something else. † ( Ghosh,2000) 1. 2 The thesis Speech synthesis plays a major role in communicating with the world by the machines. The aim is to produce a system that understands human feelings, ideas, behavior and communicates in exact pitch as humans. 2. My first source Sneaky tricks for speech synthesizers. 2. 1 Reference Information Battino, D. (October, 2004). Sneaky tricks for speech synthesizers. Retrieved April 13, 2005 from http://www. oreillynet. com/pub/a/oreilly/digitalmedia/2004/10/26/speechsyn. htm 2. 2 Summary of key ideas This article describes about the special speech synthesis tool called Spell Catcher which has an excellent system-wide spell checking program. It monitor every word in the program and if it encounters any mistakes it automatically corrects it or announces the spelling mistakes. It’s auto-correction feature is also invaluable, whenever any acronym is typed for example â€Å"adr,† the program dutifully types out my address. It also briefs about the special features which include spelling pane which ignore the words that are mixed case when checked and interactive pane where spell checker makes replacements directly without any warning. The article introduces about the latest development in music synthesizer where it can actually sign our lyrics .

Amide Definition and Examples in Chemistry

Amide Definition and Examples in Chemistry An amide is a functional group containing a carbonyl group linked to a nitrogen atom  or any compound containing the amide functional group. Amides are derived from carboxylic acid and an amine. Amide is also the name for the inorganic anion NH2. It is the conjugate base of ammonia (NH3). Examples of Amides Examples of amides include carboxamides, sulfonamides, and phosphoramides. Nylon is a polyamide. Several drugs are amides, including LCD, penicillin, and paracetamol. Uses of Amides Amides may be used to form resilient structural materials (e.g., nylon, Kevlar). Dimethylformamide is an important organic solvent. Plants produce amides for a variety of functions. Amides are found in many drugs. Sources March, Jerry (2013). Advanced Organic Chemistry, Reactions, Mechanisms and Structure (7th ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-0470462591.Monson, Richard (1971). Advanced Organic Synthesis: Methods and Techniques. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0124336803.Montalbetti, Christian A. G. N.; Falque, Virginie (2005). Amide bond formation and peptide coupling. Tetrahedron. 61 (46): 10827–10852. doi:10.1016/j.tet.2005.08.031

Free Essays on Congenital Analgesia

Congenital Analgesia What would it be like to go throughout life without having the feeling of pain? Most people would love not being able to feel the car door slam on their fingers, that tiny little paper cut, and many other pains that would hurt intensely. Pain we all know what it feels like, whether it's the short sharp shock of a scratch to the knee, or the nagging throb of a joint. It's an unwelcome sensation, but it's part of being human. In fact there are those few born unable to feel pain that are born with a condition known as congenital analgesia. Well there is this disorder that people are born with that causes a person to have no sense of pain in their bodies at all. Its called congenital analgesia, this disorder has different causes, many signs and symptoms, and significant ways to cope with it. Congenital analgesia also known as insensitivity to pain is a disorder that people are born with. "A syndrome characterized by indifference to pain despite the ability to distinguish noxious from nonnoxious stimuli. Absent corneal reflexes and mental retardation may be associated. Familial forms with autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant patterns of inheritance have been described†(Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1343). There are many causes of this disorder like structural abnormalities in peripheral nerves which are the peripheral pathways carrying electrical impulses from pain sensitive nerve endings in both superficial and deep tissues. In Congenital indifference to pain, the peripheral nerves are intact and the defect is apparently in the central structures such as the thalamus where painful impulses are normally interpreted. Indifference to Pain almost certainly exists as an independent condition, but is very rare. Congenital analgesia is usually classified under the more general heading of Hereditary and Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy (HSAN). The different categories are distinguished according t... Free Essays on Congenital Analgesia Free Essays on Congenital Analgesia Congenital Analgesia What would it be like to go throughout life without having the feeling of pain? Most people would love not being able to feel the car door slam on their fingers, that tiny little paper cut, and many other pains that would hurt intensely. Pain we all know what it feels like, whether it's the short sharp shock of a scratch to the knee, or the nagging throb of a joint. It's an unwelcome sensation, but it's part of being human. In fact there are those few born unable to feel pain that are born with a condition known as congenital analgesia. Well there is this disorder that people are born with that causes a person to have no sense of pain in their bodies at all. Its called congenital analgesia, this disorder has different causes, many signs and symptoms, and significant ways to cope with it. Congenital analgesia also known as insensitivity to pain is a disorder that people are born with. "A syndrome characterized by indifference to pain despite the ability to distinguish noxious from nonnoxious stimuli. Absent corneal reflexes and mental retardation may be associated. Familial forms with autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant patterns of inheritance have been described†(Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1343). There are many causes of this disorder like structural abnormalities in peripheral nerves which are the peripheral pathways carrying electrical impulses from pain sensitive nerve endings in both superficial and deep tissues. In Congenital indifference to pain, the peripheral nerves are intact and the defect is apparently in the central structures such as the thalamus where painful impulses are normally interpreted. Indifference to Pain almost certainly exists as an independent condition, but is very rare. Congenital analgesia is usually classified under the more general heading of Hereditary and Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy (HSAN). The different categories are distinguished according t...

Mid term Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mid term Questions - Assignment Example On the other hand, computer worms do not strike a specific victim (computer). Should this happen, a state(s) or man’s civilization may retrogress by 200 years, into the pre-electricity era. Question 2 It is most likely that P2P software will be replaced by the new subscription sites such as Spotify. This is because, the fact that there are more than 22 million peers who are connected to P2P file system is likely to attract a court verdict which is inimical to the use of P2P file sharing system. Court verdicts against high-profile file-sharing systems may in turn birth the emergence of technically more superior and sophisticated platforms. This is especially the case when expedited attempts to disable P2P file systems infrastructure are made. This postulation is verified by the manner in which the shutting down of Napster changed file sharing, following a court verdict. Napster users did not deal file-sharing a coup de grace, but only gave newer and more sophisticated platforms such as KaZaa and Gnutella a larger purview. KaZaa and Gnutella also experienced the same fate in Grokster v. Supreme Court, 2005. Question 3 Lakhani postulates that the reason why Facebook is bigger than its competitors in terms of connections is partly explained by Metcalf’s Law. Originally formulated by Robert Metcalf (b. April 7, 1946), Metcalf’s Law states that a telecommunication network’s value is proportional to the square of the number of the number of users who have connected themselves into that system. To this effect, just as the value of every fax machine increases with the total sum of fax machines in the network, the total number of Facebook users with and to whom every member may posts and receives documents increases. Because of this, the greater the number of users of a social online network (Facebook) is, the more valuable Facebook services become (Lakhani, 164). Question 4 Interestingly enough, in 2006, Second Life was the future and vice ve rsa, but this is contrary to the present situation. Some of the reasons why Second Life is not the future include: technical lacunae; moral gaps; legal drawbacks; and the failure to address security concerns. According to Kane, Robinson-Combre and Berge, the technical lacunae came in the form of Second Life’s failure to budget for server resources. This is a serious failure since Second Life’s virtual real estate as an online world that is owned and run by Linden lab is used by residents who need long-term in-world content which they own, have created or both. The crux of the matter herein is that both Second Life’s residents and Linden Lab’s users make money from the former, through trading, while using virtual real estate. Thus, Second Life’s failure to budget for server resources would lead to serious legal implications which readily invited financial responsibility. For instance, the amount of land a resident owned in a region specified the num ber of objects which may be placed in the region and the area in which they may be placed. Nevertheless, alternative region servers such as network bandwidth and CPU time are seldom budgeted in like manner and thereby bringing about problematic situations (Kane, Robinson-Com

EBay expands around the globe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

EBay expands around the globe - Essay Example This growth has mainly come in the past 8 years. While expanding globally, eBay has exercised a variety and combination of options that it had available in the first place (Thompson, 2003). The following section discusses various options for businesses while expanding. For moving in the international markets, a business has a number of options that can be considered. The consideration is based on various analyses of cost versus benefit being the major highlight (Davis, 2000). Some of the main options that a business may consider while going international are: Franchising is when a foreign business (parent company) deals with a local business to be their representative in the local markets, with the parent company's name, rules, policies and procedures being followed. The local company operates under the name of the parent company, precisely as per their inherent instructions, and earns the parent company earns the royalty from this set up (Shull, 2000). Examples of such an arrangement are often witnessed in the fast food chain set up or even in gas stations. Mergers occur when two or more businesses decide on merging their set of services to compete in a much enhanced form in the industry. In such a form, the businesses unite and the separate existence and identity seizes (Price, 2003). Glaxo Smith Klime (GSK) is the most renowned merger of recent times, with Sony Ericsson being another one. Acquisitions takes place when one firm is taken over by another and the acquiree seizes to exist as the acquirer takes over the operations and assets under its own books. In such a scenario, the acquirer yields various advantages. The extent of the advantages increases further when the acquirer is a foreign entity, acquiring a local entity to enter into the local markets (Carr, 2004). For example, as Royal Bank of (Scotland RBS) took over ABN AMRO, it instantaneously got access to the countries where it had no existence earlier. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) takes place when a business having no existence in a certain region or country decides to enter into the local market for purpose of expanding its operations and taking advantage of an existing opportunity. For the industry in which eBay operates, the two most viable options for expanding are either acquisition or FDI. However, on majority of the occasions, eBay has seemed to preferred acquisition over FDI. The following section discusses the pros and cons of this selection and preference in detail. eBay's Policy: Acquisition Vs FDI eBay while expanding globally has chosen the option of acquisition rather than any other mode of expanding. There have been several critiques on the issue because with the likes of funding available at eBay, the firm could have easily gone in with any mode of expansion. The aim of essay is to critically analyze the pros and cons of acquisition vs. FDI. Following are the main advantages for eBay to choose acquisition over FDI as its preferred strategy to enter into the markets (David, 2002): 1) Existing Infrastructure: The major advantage of

Hypothetical Situation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hypothetical Situation - Assignment Example Indeed, when it comes to making a moral decision, feelings often distract people for the correct option. As a result, her decreased ability to feel should be seen as an advantage of her as an advisor, not a disadvantage. 2. Given the option of choosing either Dekisha or Christina, I believe I would choose the former. First of all, it has already been stated that she is superbly qualified medical professional; so, I trust that she would do anything possible to help me. Secondly, speaking of the peculiarity of her character, namely being dedicated, I am strongly convinced that this is far better than being joyous. I have nothing against the latter; however, I think that medical assistance as an important activity which requires attention and any mistake might cost a life. Contrary to that, a joyous person is more likely to make a mistake if compared to a dedicated one. Finally, it must be noted that the choice that I make will not be affected by the question what person is morally better since this aspect is not involved in any way. 3. It would not be a mistake to suggest that the comparison of an ethical behavior and swinging a golf club is a rather effective one since the author was able to grasp some of the most essential elements of the two activities. Indeed, some people often think that acting morally is difficult; however, many find that it may actually be rather easy as the innate moral compass that everyone has will definitely point out the a person is moving in the right direction. That is why while making a difficult decision, a person should always listen to one’s heart and do as it truly says. The next element which is mentioned in the quotation suggests that acting moral is natural. Indeed, I do believe that all people are originally good and that they will always choose the right option when they have such ability. That is why when one considers different

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Irr Finance Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Irr Finance Essay Internal Rate of Return of a project is a discount rate at which the net present value of a project is zero. In case of several independent projects, a project where IRR is greater than the cost of capital shall be accepted and in case of mutually exclusive projects, the project with a highest IRR shall be selected. It is also known as realized rate of return. (K.J.S. Satyasai) Net present value indicates the impact of a projects value on firms value. The projects with a positive NPV shall be selected and those with a negative NPV shall be rejected not to be undertaken. In case of mutually exclusive projects, the project with a largest NPV shall be selected. NPV is computed as the difference between the present value of the project cash inflow and the present value of the project cash outflow. Capital budgeting is a process by which firm decides among the various long term projects which project is to be undertaken. The factors to be considered while deciding various projects is the cash flows generated from the project and the cost related to that project. How to Calculate IRR measures the growth of the portfolio in absolute terms. To compute internal rate of return, we should use either trial error method or average capital base. Trial error method This method requires certain information for the time under consideration All inflows of capital for the project. All outflows of capital for the project. The beginning value of the project at beginning of the computation period. The ending value of the project at end of the computation period. PV = Sum of (FVi / (1+r) ni) + FVe / (1+r) N Where, PV represents the present value, FVi represents future cash flow i, ni represents number of period i, r is IRR, FVe is end value and N represents the number of period. Average capital base method IRR = (End Value Begin Value Total Contributions + Total Withdrawals) / (Begin Value + Total Weighted Contributions Total Weighted Withdrawals) Where Total Weighted Contributions Total Weighted Withdrawals = Sum of (Each Change in Capital Xi (Days Left in Period for Xi / Total Days in Period)) Advantages and Disadvantages of IRR Advantages: It takes into consideration the time value of money while evaluating a project as compared to ARR method (Accounting Rate of return) which does not takes it into consideration. This method is simple to interpret as compared to other methods. It does not require to compute hurdle rate or required rate of return. The required rate of return is a rough estimate and IRR is not completely based on required rate of return. Disadvantages: It ignores the actual dollar value of benefits. Assumes that the project will generate future cash flow which is reinvested at IRR. If a project generates low IRR, then it will assume reinvestment at low rate of return and on the other hand if the other project has very high IRR, it will assume reinvestment rate at very high rate of return. But this is not a realistic situation. As at the time the cash flows are generated, will have same investment opportunities is very difficult. In case of certain projects, a manager may require to invest into certain contingent projects also. So, IRR ignore these additional costs. IRR may suggest to purchase a asset but the benefits derived from that project may be wiped off by the cost of the contingent project. In case of mutually exclusive projects, that is the manager if selects then he has to reject other projects. In such a case IRR is not suitable as it gives a percentage of interpretation value which is not sufficient. It does not take into consideration the duration of a project in case two projects are evaluated with different time period. Other competitive methods Pay Back Period (Investment appraisal techniques, The Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales) Refers to time required for cash generated from a project to become equal to the initial cash outflows. This method is an initial screening method where by a manager can determine the initial time period by which projects return would equate the cost invested in a project. Hence, it would reject a project whose payback period is more than the targeted payback period. This method is very simple to use. It enhances the liquidity by focussing on early pay back. This method is alone is not suitable to determine the real worth of a project as it has several disadvantages: Ignores the timing of cash flows with the payback period. Ignores the cash flows after the end of an project as well as the total return of a project Also ignores the time value of money. In case two projects has similar payback period then it is difficult to determine which method is suitable. It could also lead to excessive investment in short run. It takes into account the risk of the timing of cash flows but does not take account of the variability of the cash flows. Accounting Rate of Return (Investment appraisal techniques, The Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales) ARR is defined as the average accounting period as a percentage of the accounting outlay. Higher the ARR better it will be. In order to select a project, ARR should be above the minimum acceptable level. The main advantage of the project is that it is very simple to calculate and understand. But it has several disadvantages: It does not take into consideration the timing of the project. It is subject to various accounting policies as it is based on accounting profits rather than cash flows. It ignores the time value of money. It does not take into account the size of an investment as it is a relative measure rather than absolute measure. Net Present Value (Investment appraisal techniques, The Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales) The difference between present value of future cash flow of an investment and the amount of an investment. Discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques discount all the forecast cash flows of an investment proposal to determine their present value. The main advantage of this methodology is that it takes into consideration the time value of money. If NPV is positive, it indicates cash inflows from a project will generate a return more than the cost of capital hence the project shall be undertaken. If NPV is negative then it indicates that the inflows from a project would generate a return lower than the cost of capital, hence the project shall not be undertaken. If NPV is zero then it indicates that the cash inflows from a project would generate return same as the cost of investment, hence the project should not undertaken as it would have certain inherent risk and will not generate any wealth to the shareholder. Disadvantages: The project size could not be measured or is not reflected. It is difficult to compute. It is difficult to compute appropriate discount rate. It may not give appropriate result when projects have unequal span of life. Time Value of Money Time Value of Money (TVM) is based on the principle that money is available at the present time is worth more than the same amount in the future due to its potential earning capacity. It is an important concept in financial management and can be used to compare investment alternatives. The drivers of time value of money are inflation, consumer preferences and risk. The concept has an impact on the appraisal of long term projects. So, the future cash flows are discounted to reflect the time value of money. The total of these discounted cash flows reflect the true value of a project. Disadvantages This method requires an estimate of the cost of capital to decide a project. In case of mutually exclusive projects, the method does not give value maximizing decision. In case of capital rationing it does not give value maximizing decision. This method cannot be used in situation where the sign of cash flow during a project more than once during the life of a project. Conclusion IRR is an appropriate method to select a project as it considers the time value of money. As in todays world of competition, inflation plays a very significant role which decreases the value of money over a period of time. So, by considering these factors it becomes one of the methods while evaluating a project. Recommendations Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages so a manager should be very careful while selecting an appropriate methodology. If a manager chooses a wrong methodology then he would end up selecting a wrong project and can incur heavy losses. Appendix

Katherine and Bianca of The Taming of the Shrew :: Taming Shrew Essays

Katherine and Bianca of The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew brings out the comedic side of Shakespeare where irony and puns carry the play throughout. In my paper, I will concentrate on one the irony of the play, the introduction of the two sisters. These two sisters begin off with the elder, Katherine, viewed as a shrew, and Bianca as the angelic younger of the two. However, as the play proceeds, we begin to see the true sides of the two sisters and their roles totally turn around. I will try to analyze the method in which Shakespeare introduces the two sisters and how he hints their true identity and the events for the rest of the play during the first two acts. Although even her father calls her a shrew, Katherine has a deeper character than the epithet would imply. From the beginning we see that she is continually placed second in her father's affections, and despised by all others. Bianca on the other hand, is identified as the favorite, playing the long-suffering angel, increasing Baptisa's distinction between the two. As Katherine recognizes her sister's strategy, her reaction is as one can imagine how another would react suffering this type of bias for so many years. She is hurt and she seeks revenge. This is seen in Act II, Scene I, when Katherine sums up her own state: "I will go sit and weep/ Till I can find occasion of revenge" (35-36). It is an immature response, but the only one she knows, and it serves the dual purpose of cloaking her hurt. The transformation, which she undergoes near the end of the play, is not one of character, but one of attitude. At the end of the play, we find out that her negative attitude becomes a positive one. The shrew is not a shrew at all beneath the surface. The play begins introducing Katherine with her father's words of shame towards her when he offers his eldest daughter to the two suitors of Bianca. The audience is then given their first impression of Katherine from the Gremio, a suitor of Bianca, right after her father's words when he says: "To cart her, rather.

A Child Special Place

All children have a special place, whether chosen by a conscious decision or not this is a place where one can go to sort their thoughts. Nature can often provide comfort by providing a nurturing surrounding where a child is forced to look within and choices can be made untainted by society. Mark Twain once said â€Å"Don't let school get in the way of your education. † Twain states that this education which is provided by society, can actually hinder human growth and maturity. Although a formal education shouldn't be completely shunned, perhaps true life experience, in society and nature, are a key part of development. In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain throws the curious yet innocent mind of Huck Finn out into a very hypocritical, judgmental, and hostile world, yet Huck has one escape–the Mississippi River constantly flowing nearby. Here nature is presented as a thought provoking environment when experienced alone. The river is quiet and peaceful place where Huck can revert to examine any predicament he might find himself in: â€Å"They went off, and I got aboard the raft, feeling bad and low†¦ Then I thought a minute, and says to myself, hold on,- s'pose you'd a done right and give Jim up; would you felt better than you do now? No, says I, I'd feel bad†¦ † (p. 127). Only a few weeks with Jim and still feeling great ambivalence, Huck returns to the river to think. Twain tries here to tell the reader how strong the â€Å"mob† really is, and only when totally alone is Huck able to make the morally correct decision. The natural flowing and calm of the river cause this deep-thought, show! ing how unnatural the collective thought of a society can be. The largest and most obvious test of Huck's character is his relationship with Jim. The friendship and assistance which he gives to Jim go completely against all that â€Å"sivilization† has taught him; at first this concept troubles Huck and causes him a great deal of pain, but over time, through his life experiences and shared times with Jim, Huck crosses the line upheld by the racist South and comes to know Jim as a human being. Huck is at a point in his life where opinions are formed, and by growing on the river, Huck can stand back from society and form his own. Eventually he goes as far as to risk his life for Jim:†And got to thinking of our trip down the river; and I see Jim before me, all the time, in the day, and in the night-time, sometimes moonlight, sometimes storms, and we a floating along, talking, and singing, and laughing. But somehow I couldn't see no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind†¦ I studied a minute sort of holding my breath, and then I s! ays to myself: ‘All right, then, I'll go to hell'†¦ † (pp. 270-271). After a long and thought-provoking adventure, Huck returns to the raft one final time to decide the fate of his friend. Symbolically, Huck makes the morally correct decision away from all others, thinking on the river. Although it might not be evident to himself, Huck causes the reader to see that â€Å"sivilization†, in their treatment of blacks especially, is not civilized at all. Every person Huck and Jim come across seems to just be following someone else blindly, as the whole country were some sort of mob. In the last few chapters, Tom Sawyer is re-introduced and the reader is left to examine how different environments: â€Å"sivilization† and nature (the river), have affected the children's growth. It is distinctly evident that Huck has turned out to be the one with a clear and intelligent mind, and Tom, although he can regurgitate worthless facts about Louis XVI and Henry VIII, shows no real sign of maturity. â€Å"The first time I catched up to Tom, private, I asked him what was his idea, time of the evasion? – what it was he planned to do if the evasion worked out all right and he managed to set a nigger free that was already free before? And he said, what he had planned in his head, from the start, if we got Jim out, all safe, was for us to run him down the river, on the raft, and have adventures plumb to the mouth†¦ † (p. 360). Huck has always thought of Tom as more intelligent than himself, but he cannot understand how Tom could toy with Jim's life in such a way. For much time, Huck is! without the river and it is though his mind clouds; he follows along with Tom playing a sick game until the end when he is once again threatened with being â€Å"sivilized†. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before† (p. 362). Huck's adventure, if nothing else, has given him a wary eye towards â€Å"sivilized† society. When the prospect of settling down with Sally is presented he light's out for the Territory to distance himself from a restrictive, formal education. Twain ends his novel by setting Huck up for a new experience and personal growth. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn taught an important lesson, one that showed the importance of the self in the maturing process. We saw Huck grow up by having the river as a place of solitude and thought, where he was able to participate in society at times, and also sit back and observe society. Through the child's eye we see how ignorant and mob-like we can all be. Then nature, peace, and logic are presented in the form of the river where Huck goes to think. Though no concise answer is given, the literature forces the reader to examine their surroundings, and question their leaders.

Facts about the ACT Test and Reasons to Take It

Facts about the ACT Test and Reasons to Take It What Is the ACT Test? The ACT test, started by the American College Testing Program (hence the acronym), is a standardized pencil-and-paper test used as a college entrance exam. Colleges and universities use your ACT score, along with your GPA, extracurricular activities, and high school involvement to determine if they’d like you to grace their campus as a freshman. You cannot take the test more than twelve times, although there are exceptions to this rule.   Why Take the ACT Test? Money, money, money. Broke as a joke? The ACT test can garner you some serious coin for the college of your choice if you can earn an impressive score. And by impressive, I do not mean a 21.Your scores follow you around. I’m not kidding. When you apply for your first entry-level job, your ACT score is going to be on your resume, because truthfully, your pizza delivery gig can’t showcase your reasoning ability like a 33 on the ACT can.It can help balance a low GPA. So maybe you hated World History, flunked it on purpose, and ruined that 4.0. That doesn’t mean you dont have the ability to do well in college. Scoring high on the ACT can show you off when your GPA doesn’t.  Its often preferred over the SAT: Since the ACT is a college entrance test like the SAT, it can be used in its place. Which should you take? What’s On the ACT Test? Never fear. You’ll not be required to rewrite the entire periodic table of elements, although Science is one of the subjects you’ll see. This test, although long, (3 hours and 45 minutes) basically measures reasoning and the stuff you learned in high school. Here’s the breakdown: ACT Test Sections How Does the ACT Test Scoring Work? You may have heard previous students from your school bragging about their 34s on the ACT. And if you did, then you should definitely be impressed with their test-taking skills because that is a high score! Your overall score and each individual multiple-choice test score (English, Mathematics, Reading, Science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high). The overall score is the average of your four test scores, rounded to the nearest number. Fractions less than one-half are rounded down; fractions one-half or higher are rounded up. So, if you get a 23 in English, a 32 in Math, a 21 in Reading, and a 25 in Science, your overall score would be a 25. That’s pretty good, considering the national average is right around a 20. The Enhanced ACT Essay, which is optional, is scored separately and much differently.   How Can You Prepare For This ACT Test? Don’t panic. That was a lot of information to digest all at once. You can actually prepare for the ACT and get a brag-worthy score if you choose one of the options mentioned the following link (or all of them if you’re the go-getter type). 5 Ways to Prepare for the ACT Test

Quotation Marks The Right Way to Use Punctuation Inside of Quotes

Quotation Marks The Right Way to Use Punctuation Inside of Quotes Quotation marks ( ) are a beloved form of punctuation in the English language, used to indicate a verbatim report on what someone said, and used in a great deal of business writing. They are often misused. This article will explain some punctuation rules and clear up some misconceptions held by many about proper usage of quotation marks with other punctuation marks. When to Put Periods and Commas Inside Quotes – The United States In the United States, commas and periods ALWAYS go INSIDE the quotation marks, whether or not the comma is actually part of the quotation. Here are some examples from some recent discussions on LinkedIn. Don’t expect this rule to be logical: CORRECT (in US): E.g. stands for â€Å"exempli gratia.† CORRECT (in US): As for [the phrase] â€Å"graduating college,† I’m not sure when it became correct. INCORRECT (in US): You are my â€Å"go-to person†. INCORRECT (in US): I was unaware of the difference [between initialisms and acronyms] until I heard it on the NPR program â€Å"A Way With Words†. INCORRECT (in US): â€Å"Its† is the possessive form of â€Å"it†, and is rare among possessives†¦ When to Put Periods and Commas Inside Quotes – The UK Australia Leave logic to the Brits. In the UK and Australia, they keep punctuation inside the quotation marks only when it is part of the quotation. For example: CORRECT (in UK): I was unaware of the difference [between initialisms and acronyms] until I heard it on the NPR program â€Å"A Way With Words†. CORRECT (in UK): You are my â€Å"go-to person†. CORRECT (in UK): â€Å"Its† is the possessive form of â€Å"it†, and is rare among possessives†¦ INCORRECT (In UK): E.g. stands for â€Å"exempli gratia.† INCORRECT (in UK): As for [the phrase] â€Å"graduating college,† I’m not sure when it became correct. When the Period or Comma is Part of the Quotation If the punctuation mark is part of the quotation, always put it inside the quotation marks! INCORRECT (everywhere): It is written, Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. CORRECT (everywhere): It is written, Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Punctuating Letter Names Some grammarians say we should use the logical way of punctuating in the case of letters. For example: The eighth letter of the alphabet is â€Å"h†. Name three words that start with an â€Å"e†, and three that start with a â€Å"k†. I prefer to avoid this issue by italicizing the names of letters: The eighth letter of the alphabet is h. Name three words that start with an e, and three that start with a k. Exclamation Points and Question Marks When it comes to exclamation points and question marks, we all get to be logical. If the quote is a question or exclamation, include the punctuation inside the quotation marks. If it’s not, don’t. She asked, â€Å"Which way is it to the theater?† Did she say, â€Å"I absolutely love the theater, darling†? I’m so excited to see â€Å"In the Heights†! I get chills every time I hear King Richard declare, â€Å"Off with his head!† Semicolons and Colons Here’s some more good news: We get to be logical with semicolons and colons too! The following items go in the bin labeled â€Å"Paper Recycling†: magazines, newspapers, envelopes, and clean cardboard. Put magazines, newspapers, and envelopes in the bin labeled â€Å"Paper Recycling†; do not put paper towels, tissues, or greasy pizza boxes in there! (It’s so much fun to sneak a public service announcement into a grammar blog!) What if Im Canadian? All bets are off (or on, as the case may be), in Canada. Do it the way you think your readers will expect you to do it, or the way your editor requires you to do it. As far as I can tell, you get to choose unless under prescription by someone else. There are many more subtleties to the use of quotation marks. If you have questions, ask The Essay Expert. I’m happy to provide my most educated answer. If youre not already on our Grammar Writing Tips e-list and youd like more tips like this, sign up here. 😀 Log in to Reply Marji Yablon says: February 10, 2010 at 6:58 pm Up until today, I never doubted that punctuation any punctuation that wasnt part of a quote should go outside the quotation marks. After reading your post, out of curiosity, I skimmed some of my published articles. In every one of them, that little habit of mine had been corrected, so that it all agreed with the rules as you have explained them. In any back-and-forth Id done with an editor, I had failed to notice that change or maybe it had come later. So, thanks. From now on, I can give them their punctuation correctly from the start. But perhaps some day, Ill write the original version of something for a British publication. Then, Ill be able to both BE correct and FEEL correct! Log in to Reply Laurie Price says: April 24, 2012 at 8:34 am Re: What if Im Canadian? There is something called mid-Atlantic style, which I think of as a euphemism for Canadian. I have Canadian clients who request that I use: The Economist Styleguide which includes your suggestions for quote marks (in fact, their section on quote marks is fairly extensive), and for spelling issues, The New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. My Canadian friends have verified this they spell analyze as analyse, and categorize as categorise, yet realize, memorize and finalize are spelled how we would spell them. Log in to Reply Mike says: March 20, 2013 at 1:44 pm Per British punctuation, are these correct? 1. I dont like his pithy sentence It is what it is. (Full stop outside?) 2. The sign said Keep off the Grass. (Full stop outside?) 3. I like the old adage A stitch in time saves nine. (Full stop outside?) 4. His email said, There will be a mandatory meeting on January 1, 2013 at Town Hall. Please be punctual. (Full stop outside?) 5. The signs Beware of dog, Swim at your own risk, Trespassers will be arrested and Shoplifters will be prosecuted were posted throughout the village. (Commas outside mid-sentence quotes?) Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: March 20, 2013 at 1:50 pm I believe the periods should be inside the quotation marks in #1, #3 and #4 since the periods are part of the quoted sentences. Log in to Reply Mike says: March 20, 2013 at 1:51 pm One more, please. Im thinking that No 2 below is correct with the ending punctuation like this (.) – the full stop inside both the double and single quote per British style. Am I right? If not, which is preferred and why? 1) Mike said, I heard Judith say, Im not interested in the management position. 2) Mike said, I heard Judith say, Im not interested in the management position. 3) Mike said, I heard Judith say, Im not interested in the management position. Thank you. Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: March 20, 2013 at 2:22 pm Again, since the quoted sentences include periods, I would put the periods inside the quotation marks. I would choose #2: Mike said, I heard Judith say, Im not interested in the management position. In the United States, it would be: Mike said, I heard Judith say, Im not interested in the management position.' Log in to Reply Mike says: March 20, 2013 at 11:05 pm Thank you. Last questions on this. Again, per *British* style, would the commas separate the questions after the exclamation points and question marks? 1) Barry hated his wifes How much did you drink?, How late were you out? and Did you cheat on me? questions. 2) When she screamedGet the hell out of here!, the children got scared. 3) When he said, Be careful what you wish for, most people listened. (Comma outside the the single quote after the word for?) 4) I called his mother a purveyor of malicious quips. Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: March 21, 2013 at 12:43 am My best take on these: #1: I believe this sentence is correctly punctuated. #2: I dont think the comma is necessary here at all. #3: The comma here should be inside the quotation mark because it replaces the period. I know, its confusing. #4: Why are there two sets of quotation marks here? Log in to Reply Mike says: March 21, 2013 at 5:50 am Thank you. Log in to Reply Mike says: March 21, 2013 at 5:59 am In lieu of #4 (to more accurately depict the example), I believe this to be correct. Of course, I dont want to use italics here. Again, this is per BrE style. Im not sure whether I can define the word tergiversate. When they asked me to define the word tergiversate, I couldnt. (Comma outside of tergiversate mid-sentence as exampled?) Thats all I have on this subject. Youve been great, and I thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Have a nice day! Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: March 21, 2013 at 9:58 am In both these examples again I dont see the need for the double sets of quotation marks! Do you mean to ask about a sentence where someone said these things? He said, Im not sure whether I can define the word tergiversate. She complained, When they asked me to define the word tergiversate, I couldnt. Sometimes a better solution is to write the sentence in a different way so as to avoid these issues! For instance, He said that he was not sure whether he could define the word tergiversate. Log in to Reply Mike says: March 21, 2013 at 1:29 pm Yes. All I wanted to know was if somebody said it, would the sentence end as I had it – (.) Thank you for your time. Log in to Reply Avi Green says: May 29, 2018 at 1:59 pm Thank you! Log in to Reply Brenda Bernstein says: May 30, 2018 at 11:14 am Youre welcome, Avi! Log in to Reply

Law for business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Law for business - Essay Example Dickman, however, stated that there is a requirement of proximity between the claimant and the defendant (Caparo Industries Place v. Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605). Foreseeability alone is not enough to create a duty of care (Hill v. Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53, 60). Thus, under the Donaghue test, a duty of care would be established. Donoghue concerned a decomposed snail in the claimants ginger beer. Initially, there was held to not be a duty of care, as there was not a proximity between the claimant and the shopkeeper, as the claimant did not purchase the ginger beer. However, the Donoghue court decided that the shopkeeper did owe a duty of care to the woman, as it was reasonably foreseeable that she would be harmed by having snail in her drink, and she would have been considered to be a â€Å"neighbor† (Donoghue v. Stevenson, p. 580). Thus, under Donoghue, there would be sufficient proximity between the claimant, Jeff, and Rodney to establish a duty of care. Just as in the Donoghue case, there was not a special relationship between the parties, yet the harm was reasonably foreseeable – it was reasonably foreseeable that, if one drinks and drives, an accident may occur. Jeff would be considered to be a â€Å"neighbor† in the loose sense of the term, in that the loose sense of the term would describe a â€Å"neighbor† as anybody who would be reasonably foreseeably harmed by the defendants actions. Therefore, under Donoghue, the first element, duty, is established. Next, did Rodney breach that duty? In other words, did he act as a reasonable man would act? (Blyth v. Company Proprietors of the Birmingham Water Works (1856) 11 Ex Ch 781). This is the objective test for whether or not a breach occurred. At first glance, it would seem that Rodney did not act reasonably – he drank and drove. And, there was some indication that the vehicle might have been unsafe, as it was described as â€Å"rather old.† Therefore,

Report for the head office of Electrocom Ltd(Case Study) Essay

Report for the head office of Electrocom Ltd(Case Study) - Essay Example The notion of learning is applied to the organization as a whole, not as a sum of the parts of individual learning of individual employees. Organizations like these encourage continuous learning and innovation and advocate an integrated knowledge management structure for the organization. Other features of such organizations include being proactive, flexible, innovative and able to tap into potential to gain competitive advantage. (Cors, 2003). Another important introduction is one that focuses on organizational learning. Organizational learning in an organization relies on three factors, the first one being routine, the second being dependency on the company’s history and the third one being the targets that the organization has set for itself. Organizations add to their knowledge bank through practice and over time, that is through practical experience. This experiences interpreted and the lessons learned are applied to future scenarios to ensure that mistakes are not repeat ed and good practices are adopted. Learning can also occur by looking at other organizations, competitors or those who are similar to the organization in question so that generalizations can be studied and applied to own organization. (Levitt and March, 1988). Electrocom needs to focus on knowledge acquisition; this will have two pronged benefits for the organization. First, it will provide them further consumer insight which will help them better understand, connect with and cater to their consumer base. Second, it will help them build a knowledge bank from which they can take assistance in the decisional process and which will enable further learning for the company’s employee base. Knowledge acquisition can be done through surveys, R&D activities, reviews of performance and a thorough analysis of competing firms in the market. Another aspect to be focused on is how this knowledge and information is disseminated throughout the organization. Organizational structure should b e flatter so information can flow quickly from source to destination without any hold ups or barriers to stop the flow. Electrocom also needs to focus on how the information is interpreted, for this will determine how the information impacts the organization, if at all. Lastly, through revision and incorporation of this knowledge over and over again in practice the organization needs to make sure that it remains fresh in the organization’s memory. (Huber, 1991). In the same vein, Schein (1993) writes about how it is important for organizations on the modern business environment which is becoming increasingly globalised and culturally diverse, to engage in dialogue. To effective in this business environment, it is necessary for Electrocom to increase and improve communication to enhance levels of integration within the organization and across borders and cultures. Organizational learning will only take place once there is an established healthy level of communication and integ ration internally and creating dialogue will be the first step in this direction. This approach will also improve cohesiveness of work groups, thereby improving their performance. Once a healthy level of communication has developed internally within the organization, subcultures will develop, often providing a motivational source for better performance at work because they promote

Treatment Approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Treatment Approaches - Essay Example ach focuses on minimizing the bad behavior initially, and with the passage of time, having complete control over that particular behavior and getting rid of it (Denning et al., 2004). It is far easier to make people realize that using seat belts while driving can prevent many damages during an accident instead of eliminating the complete auto mobile industry to overcome damages in road accidents. The harm reduction approach mainly focuses on reducing the hazardous behavior of an individual that might cause harm to him/her and to the society in general. While disease model looks upon such behaviors with a different perspective. According to disease model, people addictive to drugs or alcohol are treated as chronically diseased and can get relief either by continuing to use the addictive drugs which in turn deteriorate their health, or by practicing self-restraint to abstain the addiction once and for all (Van and Davis, 2012). Hence, the objective of both the approaches is same i.e. curing addiction, but the method of analyzing the patient and its treatment is different. Legalizing Drugs: The government should realize that the people who are addictive to alcoholism and to other drugs will not leave them even if they are forced to do so, therefore, in an organized manner, these drugs should be made available to such addictive people in specific institutes where they will not only be monitored but will also be helped in getting over their damaging behavior. Safe Drinking: An individual with drinking problems not only put themselves in harm’s way by losing control which eventually leads to hazardous accidents involving others as well. Therefore, the best solution to control and overcome such situations is to drink in presence of a company. In this way, the results of drinking on an individual as well as on his surroundings can be controlled by those present around the drinkers. Reduced Drinking: The best way to get rid of addictive habits is by taking baby steps

Statistics and Stress in Medicos Essay Example for Free

Statistics and Stress in Medicos Essay There is a lot of anxiety among medical practitioners, both senior and junior concerning certain topics like statistics and epidemiology. The anxiety in some situations becomes quite acute causing stress to themselves as well as their students. Good research draws on statistics to prove certain findings and to establish associations. However statistics is definitely not everything in research. Identifying a topic of research, writing up the objectives, planning the right design, coming up with a water tight methodology, estimating an adequate sample; all these are equally important. Even as judging of studies in conferences goes, most experts are carried away by some fancy statistical methods used rather than other criteria. Unfortunately our current medical society is captivated by statistics in a love hate relationship, with a significant overlay of fear of the subject. This fear is being passed on to the new generation. Let us face the facts. Statistics is a subject associated with mathematics. Most degree courses in universities combine statistics with math. Biostatistics is one field where we have borrowed some principles of statistics to assist in our medical research for the common good of the society. Just like there are surgically inclined and non surgical people in our medical fraternity, there are those who are statistically inclined and those who are not. Some of our medical people have taken to statistics well and kudos to them. We depend on them to unravel a few of the mysteries of this predominantly mathematical subject to us; just enough maybe to help us do our research well and come up with scientific inferences. We can continue to draw more and more complicated statistical precepts into our medical field. But at what cost? After a post graduate subject like General Medicine, many doctors feel the need to specialize in a particular sub specialty like nephrology, cardio, gastro etc. In the current age, due to rapid advancements in technology and newer knowledge, there is much to learn in each sub specialty and now we are seeing higher and finer specializations. One would not expect a general medicine specialist to have a nephrologists’ knowledge or diagnostic skills and also an endocrinologist’s knowledge. Similarly after an MD in Community Medicine we cannot expect one to have full knowledge in all the subspecialties for example epidemiology, nutrition, health economics, project evaluation etc. Trying to do that would cause a lot of stress and anxiety. However it is desirable to get a good working knowledge of each. This will also help one to decide what subspecialty they would like to take up in the future. There are user friendly statistical packages; Epi Info, SPSS etc. which can help us analyse our data quickly and efficiently. We do need to know some of the simple applications of these packages as it would make our research work very easy. The techniques are simple but need a practical work shop (hands on) approach. I am sure that we can identify resources within our group to help familiarize ourselves with these valuable skills. In conclusion I would like to say that we should stop being fearful of statistics. If I want to travel to a certain city by train, I need to know certain things like which train to catch and how much it would cost and how to get to the station in time. It would be redundant for me to know how to engineer the train to that city. There is an engine driver for that and he is well trained to do just that. The statisticians in our departments are also there to help us. If they are not good enough, it would be appropriate to help them get the required skills. However it is not fitting for us to give too much importance to one topic like statistics at the cost of other perhaps more important fields. We must also keep in mind the younger members in our field who may needlessly develop a phobia for epidemiology and statistics which will then handicap their future.

Importance Of Brand Leadership For A Fmcg Brand Marketing Essay

Importance Of Brand Leadership For A Fmcg Brand Marketing Essay The main objective of this report is to understand the importance of brand leadership for a FMCG brand. The report develops further by analyzing the previous literature on Branding, Brand leadership, and Brand Loyalty which is implied to a FMCG brand. Finally, it underpins the Brand value which enables Irn Bru to create Brand Loyalty. 1.2 Objectives: To identify the Brand Leadership model used by Irn Bru. This is based on Aaker et al. (2000) brand leadership model; an analysis would be carried out in order to compare the model with Irn Bru operations. To identify consumer motives behind purchasing Irn Bru. By the help of a devised survey questionnaire, consumer behaviour toward purchasing of Irn Bru will be analysed To investigate why loyalty develop from consumer perspective in FMCG market. Academic literature and dimension of brand loyalty will be used to investigate this objective. Focus group will be brought under practice to indentify these factors. 1.3 Background: With an increase in the level of competition, and companies offering more than one similar product into the market, it has become necessary to brand the product in order to differentiate it from others. Brands play an important role in modern society, and allow products to be easily identified within the market. The concept of branding is used in many aspects of human life i.e. it could be a product, religion, sports, culture etc. As companies are expanding globally, the concept of branding has been recognised as an utmost important factor. Not only to attract set target markets, but also to attain brand leadership. The main aspects of branding include: building a successful brand, differentiating amongst its competitors, and maintaining the brand image in the market. Due to the intensity of the modern market, there has been increase in the spending on marketing; branding is a major aspect (Aaker, 1991; Simmons, G. 2007). Generally, a brand is considered as a product, service, a pres ence or personality which rides on the mind of consumers. Branding, according to De Chernatony McDonald (1992), has been characterized as the process of creating value by offering convincing and constant customer experience, which in turn satisfy their needs and wants and keep them coming back. Organisations have started referring to themselves as a branding organisation once customers have realized the value of a brand. With diversity in the market, it has become extremely important for companies to create and maintain high brand awareness and identify how it varies from that of the competition. Internet has proved to be a medium that enables consumers to explore the benefits provided. The increasing number of internet users indicates that global brands can be viewed, and interacted from a single point. Also, the increasing number of online purchases reflects the future of brands. Since more than one company manufactures similar products, the question that arises is: which brand is a market leader? Brand leadership has opened a new gateway for the brands who seek to be on the top of the market. Brands can be an important asset for the company, and in the future they will be an increasingly prominent feature of business dealings. AG Barr was founded in 1830 with the foundation of Robert Barrs cork-cutting business in Falkirk. In 1875, his son diversified the company into aerated water production, and in 1887 operations were extended to Glasgow. The Glasgow-based company was re-named AG Barr in 1904. Its core brands included: Irn-Bru, Tizer and Orangina, the latter of which is produced under licence from Pernod Ricard. The company also distributes Lipton on behalf of Unilever Bestfoods in impulse and cash and carry outlets. In 2001, the company established an agreement with Pepsi Bottling Group to distribute Irn-Bru in Russia. The company will continue to focus on its core brands and markets. High brand loyalty for carbonates brand Irn-Bru has seen it maintain sales in a declining market sector The Companys main strength lies in its Irn-Bru brand, which shows no sign of a sales decline and seems unaffected by the general switch to fruit/vegetable juice amongst carbonates consumers. To a certain extent it is po ssible that consumers of Irn-Bru are not much concerned with the health issue; whilst, comparing to other carbonated brands. In order to meet the needs of their potential consumers, Irn-Bru has launched a low-calorie version for the consumers preferring diet carbonated drink. The main strength of Irn-Bru is the inclination of consumers toward Scotlands other national drink. The performance of Irn-Bru in Scotland is astonishing, despite the economic downfall. The catchy advertisements and the tag line Phenomenal has continuously portray the tradition and the uniqueness of the Irn-Bru. AG Barr has also pursued a strategy of diversification through acquisition the company bought Strathmore mineral water in 2006 and acquired both the TAUT sports drink range and the exotic juice drinks manufacturer Group Rubicon in 2008. (GMID, 2009). Rationale for the topic: According to Aaker et al. (2000), the emerging paradigm of strategic brand leadership is replacing the classic, tactically oriented brand management system. Leadership has become an important aspect of the brand, as it leads to innovation. A key element of brand leadership is brand vision. The ability to see the future of the company through the customers eyes is important, as it sets into motion a long-term strategy for the brand. It is vital to discover how consumers perceive the product and what their view points are, as brand value is highly based on it. Measuring loyalty towards a product is equally important as it will enable Irn Bru to reflect on their strategies. Chapter two-Literature Review 2.1 Brand and the concepts: A brand is not a name. A brand is not a positioning statement. It is not a marketing message. It is a promise made by a company to its customers and supported by that company. I may have intelligent agents that can go out and assemble pages of reports on every camcorder on the market, but I dont have time to read them. Ill buy Sony (Sterne, 1999 cited in Rowley, J. 2004). Due to the different characteristics of product, brand enables to distinguish one brand from another ( Riezebos, R. 2003). One of the main concerning areas in the field of marketing is branding. As brands have grown beyond the national boundaries, it has become vital to manage and operate them with a strategic view. This will enable companies to focus on the specific brand, rather than company as a brand. As the level of competition has risen, companies tend to focus on their branding strategies. A well derived strategy will lead a brand to attain high awareness and success in the market niche. As defined by Pickton and Broderick (2001), branding is a strategy that helps the company and their products to leverage in to the market and it also build brand value for the owners of the brand and also the consumers. Whereas, Randall G (2000) has a presented a different approach: Branding comprises of all fundamental strategic process going within the company; it is a part of marketing, but not restricted only to marketing department. Based on the benefits offered by a brand, the consumers form a purchasing decision, and evaluate it depending on their needs and wants. According to Temporal (2001), as the importance of branding is increasing, fast moving consumer goods industry is highly benefited by these strategies. Companies have more than one product in the marketplace, and by viewing the soaring profits in this sector. Companies have tried to differentiate it from their rivals, so that consumers find it easy to purchase. Henceforth, brands provide guarantee package to the consumers in terms of va lue, quality and reliability. Consumers will generate loyalty toward a brand, if the promised quality, value and reliability are full field. As identified by Murphy (1991), Branding adds value to the overall product, and from consumer perspective it provides a self confidence. However, Rowley (2004) has argued by stating that brands not only consist of value, and it also acts an information hub. This enables consumers to eradicate the time spent on searching a specific product offering. 2.2 Brand Equity: The goal of the brand leadership paradigm is to create strong brands. Brand equity is defined as the set of associations and behaviour on the part of a brands customers, channel members and parent corporation that permits the brand to earn greater volume or greater margin than it could without the brand (Wood, 2000). Appendix 1 depicts, according to Aaker (1991) major assets of a company can be brought together into five main types: Brand Loyalty, Brand name awareness, Perceived quality, Brand association, and other proprietary brand assets such as copyrights, patents, trademarks. Appendix 2 shows the brand equity chain, where the description provided on the brand leads to the strengthening the brand and this results in creation or building of brand value. Keller (2003; cited in Atilgan et al. 2005) defined Brand equity from a customer based point of view as Customer based brand equity occurs when the consumer has a high level of awareness and familiarity with the brand and holds som e strong, favourable, and unique brand associations in memory. One of the main reasons for a company to brand their product is to attain organisational goals of attracting and creating amongst their consumers by provision of cost efficient products, as it will aid company to acquire higher margin of profit (De Chernatony McDonald, 1998). Strong brands are the core products of the company and in order to gain a recognition and financial reward, it is important to build a successful brand. Appendix I: Aakers theory on Brand Equity Appendix 2: Brand Equity chain Source: Wood (2000) 2.3 Brand Leadership: Leading brands are perceived to be relevant, unique and compelling. They inspire customer loyalty and enable organizations to charge price premiums. They increase bargaining power with business partners, make it easier to hire and retain talented employees and provide organizations with clear strategic directions and platforms for future growth. Together, these lead to well above average financial performance and a market valuation that far exceeds book value. (Aaker, 2000) Leading brands are organizational assets that must be preserved, enhanced and leveraged for the benefit of their organizations. Aaker Joachimsthaler (2000) developed a Brand Leadership model which will enable companies to build strong brands for the future. It comprises of four challenges which an organisation should consider. 2.3.1 Organisational Challenge: Every organisation should structure and process their functions that will lead them to be a strong brand in the market place. A clear organisational hierarchy should be made so that brands are not at the mercy of ad hoc decisions made by those with no long term interest. When a company increases its portfolio, and extends the production line, every manager from a different production line should provide a common set of inputs, outputs and knowledge that will benefit the organisation. The inter-communication will enable the sharing of insight, experience and brand building initiatives. As companies are going international, there lies a trend which companies struggle to confront with, and organisational challenges are raised. With the increasing competition for talent growing amongst business networks, current economic activities rationalise the challenges which are created within the firm. In order to gain competitive advantage, change in organisational strategy is important as respon se to market need is important. 2.3.1.2 Brand Strategy: Strategies are always used to gain sustainable competitive advantage, which could reflect from any part of the organizations operation. The marketplace is the evaluator of this advantage. Brand strategy is the process whereby the offer is placed to evoke the perception of advantage (Arnold, 1992). Almost all the features of Brand Management are driven by the overall brand strategy; otherwise a company might be leading with a confused perception and image of the brand. Strategy gives focus and direction to brand management and provides the platform that enables brand managers to gain consistency in all their brand related activities (Temporal, 2002). According to Reizebos (2003), a brand strategy is based on two parameters: differentiation and added value. Differentiating refers to the practice of trying to establish the difference between a companys own product and that of the competitor. This signifies that the intention of the brand strategy has a competitive character. By targetin g the differentiation strategy, the firm tends to deliver a brand competitive advantage. The other fundamental trait of a brand strategy is added value, which refers to the fact that a brand has more value for consumers than the bare product. In order to create such an added value, the brand must be meaningful for the consumers (Reizebos, 2003). Appendix 3 shows different branding strategy approaches adapted by brands, and their advantages and disadvantages (Drummond Ensor, 2001). 2.3.2 Brand Architecture: Pertomilli et al. (2002) defines brand architecture from a company perspective as a combination of strategies which include managing, organising and operating in to the market with their brands. 2.3.2.1 Branding in FMCG sector: Branding plays a significant role in FMCG sector, as there are myriad of products in the market. Due to presence of high number of products, it acts a powerful instrument in creation of differentiation and higher store presence. Since the competition is intense in this sector, it is highly important for firms to make their brand identifiable from others. Packaging, graphics and promotional activities such as advertisement is used to attract consumers (Ellwood, 2002). Brands operating in this sector are highly cost efficient and production is carried out in masses. A high capital is required to establish production of FMCG brand, as production cost is high; such firms enjoy the benefits of economies of scale. As identified by Moffett et al. (2002), products are not confined within a region or country. With increase in globalisation, brands can be found in any part of the world. Companies need to consider the global implications of marketing and try to gain brand leadership in the mark etplace. For the FMCG sector, advertising plays a pivotal role and is the best channel to communicate with the targeted audience. Moreover, with the advancement of internet and information provided on it, consumers tend to opt to review product information online before purchasing it. With high competition and many brands offering same product quality, it is very difficult to generate brand loyalty in FMCG sector. 2.3.2.3 Benefits of Branding in FMCG sector: A successful brand is one which evokes the consumers by creating and sustaining a strong, positive and lasting impression. (Fill, 1999). For a FMCG company, it is important to create trust towards its brand in minds of consumers. This trust is being built by providing better quality and satisfaction. Once the trust is created, it subjects to the top most choice of the consumers mind set and leads to re-purchasing actions. The approval of customers signifies that branding, from consumer perspective, is a method which reduces the time taken for decision-making and related perceived risk of the product. This shows that the brand name provides information about the quality, price, and attributes of the product without requiring the consumer to undergo the time consuming process (Fill, 1999). 2.3.2.4 Branding in the soft drink sector: With the fierce competition in the soft drink industry, firms are fighting for market share. Companies should reflect upon their branding strategies, as they are of paramount importance. Companies should extend their brands to various market niches in order to meet the needs of the consumers. The scope and opportunity in this market is high, as products can be differentiated by infusing different flavours. It would be appropriate to emphasize that the value which the brand adds to the product is intangible, however, its presence is undeniable and with immense significance. Considering the characteristics of soft drinks, branding is an ideal marketing tool which allows companies to position and differentiate between the offered product and its incremental value. International product portfolio analysis The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) originated an early version of product portfolio analysis. The BCG version classifies a companys products into four categories: stars, cash cows, problem children, and dogs. The classification is based on market share and market growth rate. The optimum product portfolio for one market is different from that of another. Product A, for example, may be a star in country X, and a dog in country Z. Individualizing the use of portfolio techniques for each country will help define different product portfolios for each foreign market. Although portfolio analysis of products for international sale is relatively new, it can assist the company in determining how to allocate resources among different markets. Positioning a new product/brand depends upon the firms ability to describe product attributes that will generate a flow of benefits to buyers and users. The international marketer planner must put these attributes into bundles so that the benefits created match the special needs of each targeted market segment or subculture. Product positioning then is viewed in a multidimensional space, commonly referred to as theperceptual space or product space (Johanson, 1985). In terms of perceptual space, a particular version of a product is graphically represented as a point specified by its attributes. Competitors (local and international) and other products are similarly located. If points representing other products are close to the point representing the new product, then these are products similar to the new prototype. If the prototype is positioned away from its closest competitors in the world markets and its positioning implies positive features, then it is likely to have a significant competitive advantage. This mapping process is appropriate for each foreign country/market segment contemplated. 2.3.3 Brand identity 2.3.3.1 Competitive Analysis: According to Cohen (1988), competitive analysis permits the understanding of differential competitive advantage, as well as the comparative advantages in relation to competitors. Intense competition requires operations to be carried out with maximum efficiency. The key to this is large-scale production to reduce the value of fixed costs per bottle. With increasingly sophisticated vehicles and rising investment costs, the optimum economic scale increases (Rees, 1999). Industry Analysis Using Porters Five Forces According to Besanko (2007), in order to devise and execute successful strategies, a firm must understand the nature of the markets in which they operate and compete. In 1980, Micheal Porter developed five forces to analyse the extent of competition. Understanding the nature and strength of each of the five forces within an industry assists managers in developing the competitive strategy of their organization. (Campbell D., 2002, p.134) The Five Competitive Forces for Irn Bru: A structural analysis of the UK carbonated soft drinks industry examines the impact the various forces have on this industry. Firms operating in the carbonated soft drink market in the UK, face tough competition from the rivals. Every soft drink organization should review its rivals products, analyse any potential new entrants in the market, understand the demand of substitute products, review the consumption pattern and demand amongst the buyers, and identify appropriate suppliers. Porters five force model is used to analyse the magnitude of competition. The intensity of competition within the industry is quite high, with regular advertising wars taking place; on the other hand, sales are increasing and the products are differentiated. There are high barriers to limit entry such as: the high capital required for production and distribution, increasingly advanced and specialised technology, lack of access to distribution, and strong consumer loyalty to recognised brands. A final, but very critical, point to bear in mind is that the forces themselves change over time. Sometimes in a predictable way, other times not. However, it is usually possible for the firms to have some influence over these changes. If no action is taken to counter the forces, it is extremely likely that the forces will grow stronger over time. Each firm needs to consider the actions that it could take to counter the forces, or position itself in such a way as not to face their full impact. For example, merging with a rival not only eliminates a competitor but also reduces the number of competitors in the market as a whole, something that can benefit all rivals by reducing competitive intensity. Threat of Rivalry: In the UKs soft drink industry, Irn Bru faces the greatest competition from its arch rival Coca-Cola and Britvic soft drinks (Appendix, X). Their presence all round the globe shows their potential strength, and demand in the consumer market. As can be seen from the table, Irn Bru has made constant strides in an upward direction by gaining market share. Manufacturers retail value brand shares in carbonates, 2006-08 2006 2007 2008 (est.) % change  £m %  £m %  £m % 2006-08 Coca-Cola GB, of which: 1,296 65 1,302 65 1,334 66 2.9 Coca-Cola 934 47 942 47 968 48 +3.6 Fanta 127 6 124 6 115 6 -9.4 Schweppes 96 5 102 5 111 6 +15.6 Dr Pepper 61 3 61 3 65 3 +6.6 Sprite 57 3 56 3 60 3 +5.3 Lilt 21 1 17 1 15 1 -28.6 Britvic Soft Drinks, of which: 277 14 280 14 305 15 +10.1 Pepsi 215 11 224 11 252 12 +17.2 7-Up 24 1 28 1 30 1 +25.0 Tango 38 2 28 1 23 1 -39.5 AG Barr Irn-Bru 82 4 86 4 91 5 +11.0 Other 96 5 94 5 88 4 -8.3 Own-label 239 12 235 12 200 10 -16.3 Total 1,990 100 1,997 100 2,018 100 +1.4 Source: Mintel, 2009 Loyalty towards brand names is another factor to measure brands performance. Brand loyalty in the soft drink market is another component which Irn Bru has to deal with from its rivals. Coca Cola and Pepsi are well established brand names all around the globe. Due to high brand awareness and product availability, they attain high market share. The presence of Irn Bru in the international market is very limited. Perhaps, due to its authenticity, it is famous in Scotland, and has struggled in other international markets (e.g. Russia, South Africa, Australia, America and Canada). The soft drink industry is mature, with nominal current growth and limited ability of firms to increase revenues at the pace they may have become accustomed to in the past. Of course, new markets, such as in Middle East or Southern Asia, may result in major new growth opportunities. The current makeup of the industry line-up leads to higher levels of competition. On one hand, key rivals offer different products, but similar in size, which increases competition. Differences in companies philosophies, cultures, and histories result in varied strengths and weaknesses, and lead to different strategies in pursuit of competitive advantage; the overall predictability of the industry development decreases and industry volatility increases. Irn Bru has a strong presence in the Scotland, due to the fact that it is the country of origin and a strong culture is associated with it. Threat of new entrant: Entry to the market, on a large scale, is difficult. The risk of new entrant in the soft drink industry is low. The presence of renowned brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and their strong distribution channels in major grocers, public houses, and fast food outlets dominate the industry. Moreover, as the market is saturated, growth tends to be minimised. Such situations prevent new entrants from entering the market, and competing against strong brands. With high fixed cost attached i.e. labour, warehouse, logistics and economies of scale, it is difficult for new entrants to compete with established brands. Market saturation and high fixed costs, the levels of barriers are increased, and henceforth, entering into the UK soft drink market is difficult. Furthermore, because the products are have already acquired the impression of good experience, and reputation matters, very heavy advertising would be a necessity to gain a foothold as a brand producer. Entry as an own label producer might be possible, but it would demand a large scale operation to keep costs down and be as competitive as the existing large own-label producers. Even with the removal of trade barriers and generally greater harmonization within the European Union, major continental firms have appeared to be reluctant to plan a takeover on the UK market. There are at least several strong brands for every consumer segment currently in the carbonated soft drink industry. Consumers do have a choice, and many have developed brand loyalty. It would be difficult for new entrants to sufficiently differentiate their products and to build brand identity and loyalty. Threat of Substitute: There are number of substitute for carbonated soft drinks e.g. mineral water, fruit juice, energy drinks, tea, coffee etc. Water and sport drinks provide more variety that appeals to the consumers who seek the healthier options. However, carbonated soft drinks have gradually been gaining market share at their expense and this trend does not appear set to reverse. In addition, carbonated soft drinks have a particularly strong appeal to the youth market (10-25years), which is where most of the sales can be traced to. Overall, the threat appears relatively weak, especially to the core youth market. Power of suppliers: Soft drink industry suppliers do not hold a strong competitive pressure. There are usually several suppliers to choose from for any of the soft drink components; therefore, the rivalry between suppliers is high, and companies have many options, including manufacturing components themselves, which some of them still do. Again, relatively weak pressure exists, with the exception of sugar producers and plastic suppliers. The work force is not highly organised, nor is it militant. Power of Buyers: The large numbers of consumers willing to purchase a bottle of carbonated soft drink mean that the actions of a single consumer will not have a notable effect on a companys performance. At the same time, however, these consumers face low switching costs and have varied degrees of brand loyalty, which requires companies to spend significant resources on capturing and retaining that individual consumer. Over 65% of sales are sold through multiple grocers. The top five grocery chains account for nearly 70% of all grocery sales and are thus in a strong bargaining position. Some 8% of sales are through fast food restaurants, and 6% sales are through public houses. (Mintel, 2009) The remainder of sales are relatively weak buyers, including off-licences, confectionaries, newsagents and restaurants. Soft drink manufacturing companies distribute the products to these stores so that they can be sold to the consumers. The top grocers buy soft drinks in bulk, as it allows them to purchase goods at a cheaper price. The strongest pressures come from the power of buyers and the fairly intense non-price competition within the industry. Nevertheless, overall the industry seems to be in a fairly healthy position: the leading firms are very profitable and industry growth is expected to be steady around 8% over the period 2007-9. Cola, as a product, appears to be reaching maturity, but other segments offer prospects of development and growth. This plays to an advantage in the hand of Irn Bru, as the product offered is completely contrary to the Colas. At the same time, the firms are actively competing on quality and bringing new products to market, as well as being innovative in terms of reducing costs by investing in new technology and machinery, developing new forms of packaging and offering better distribution services. The danger is that the firms may not be able to sustain the route to growth and instead may seek growth through techniques such as undercutting rivals prices in a market share game. In this situation, profits are likely to deteriorate rapidly if destructive head-to-head price competition becomes the main competitive instrument. 2.3.3.2 The Brand Positioning Concept: According to Kotler (1997), Positioning is the act of designing the companys offering and image so that they occupy a meaningful and distinct competitive position in the target customers minds. The positioning of a brand is not about the quality which products provide, but it is what consumer thinks about the brand. For positioning, it is important how a consumer perceives the product rather than its physical nature. According to King (1991; cited in Fill 1999), advancements in technological fields have allowed products to offer similar functional and physical appearance, where consumers choices and decision will be based on the brand name. Henceforth, positioning origination as a brand will evoke actual and potential customers. According to McCormack (1984, cited in Olsson 2004), positioning is a factor which determines what consumers are actually purchasing while buying any product or service; and subsequently communicating related imitations and inspirations to the buyer. An organ ization should primarily evaluate and identify where they stand in the market spectrum and then position it accordingly. 2.3.3.3 Branding from Consumers Perspective: A brand provides not only a source of information, but also performs certain other functions which justify its attractiveness and its monetary return, when they are valued by buyers. According to (Kapferer, 2008), there are eight main functions (Appendix 4), Identification and practicality are mechanical and concern the essence of the brand i.e. to function as a rec