Starbucks †Going Global Fast

Starbucks – Going Global Fast Abstract Starbucks, like other companies, has continued to expand its global operations for enhanced business sustainability. As a matter of fact, the company is going global by entering new markets. On the other hand, there are various risks that the company is facing in international markets. Therefore, Starbucks has been forced to deal with various elements in entering global markets to enhance its operations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks – Going Global Fast specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Starbucks prides itself as the largest coffeehouse company around the globe. It was started in Seattle as a coffee bean roaster and retailer (Starbucks, 2010, p. 8). From thereon, the company has been expanding as time goes by to reach new markets. Wholesomely, the company has more than 17,800 stores in 49 different countries (Starbucks, 2010, p. 12). Most of these stores are based in the United States of America. In addition, it has a large range of products to suit different market needs and tastes. In a broad perspective, most of its products are seasonal. This means that they are specific to a given locality that the company operates a store. Starbucks has always had good growth plans and in 2009 it had projected to open 900 stores outside the United States to enhance its global operations (Starbucks, 2010, p. 6). Starbucks global expansion: Controllables It should be known that the company has dealt with relevant controllable elements in entering global markets. The company has had a big challenge of maintaining its own growth (Starbucks, 2010, p. 21). As a matter of fact, it does not have any debt and has been financing its expansion programs without any problem. The company has also been forced to maintain a tight grip on its own image. To deal with this issue, it has ensured that most of its stores are company owned. This implies that there will be no franchises to slow down its operations in different perspectives. Price is another controllable element that the company has had to contend with. For instance, Italian bars have prospered by offering customers various quisines. Starbucks has controlled its advertising and therefore saved a bundle on its marketing costs (Pendergrast, 2001, p. 8).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a matter of fact, it only spends 1% of its revenues on advertising and this is very effective and efficient. Most of this is incurred on new product launches and new flavor drinks. When compared with other companies that spend more than $ 300 million on advertising, the company spends $30 million (Pendergrast, 2001, p. 13). Management expansion tactics have been kept within the reach of the company’s resources in expanding to new markets (Starbucks, 2010, p. 24). This has made it possible for th e company to design and open a new store in less than 16 weeks. In addition, it has also been able to recoup its investments in less than three years. Innovation is another controllable element that the company has continually used to its advantage (Pendergrast, 2001, p. 32). In this case, the company has been highly innovative as far as its beverages are concerned. This can be explained from the fact that it has installed automatic espresso machines in more than 800 locations in a bid to improve service delivery in new markets (Bryant, 2009, p. 11). Some years back, the company began offering prepaid cards. This has improved its activities in new international markets. Technology has been embraced at an internal level in the company’s global expansion strategy (Pendergrast, 2001, p. 12). In this case, Web technology has been included in its systems to increase service delivery. This means that customers can preorder and pre-pay for various pastries and beverages. Starbucks g lobal expansion: Relevant uncontrollable elements The company has had to cope with the unpredictable challenge of being refereed to as a mature company (Starbucks, 2010, p. 6). This has been witnessed in the US but has spread to other foreign markets. In this case, the company will continually face a hostile reception from different future consumers. The company can not control the number of the youthful population in different markets. This means that it has to continually re-invent itself for enhanced sustainability. It has been extensively involved in market research to know the needs of different market segments (Bryant, 2009, p. 431).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks – Going Global Fast specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As the company spreads out, it has faced different cultural challenges in distinct markets. It should be known that countries have diverse cultural backgrounds. Culture defines th e tastes and preferences of different consumers. Therefore, the company has been forced to understand different cultural aspects to strengthen its presence (Bryant, 2009, p. 65). It is quite obvious that a given commodity might not do well in new international markets. In this case, Starbucks has continually enhanced its product line to suit new market needs and preferences. There is no company that can control the pace of technological advancements. Technology has continued to spread very fast as time goes by (Pendergrast, 2001, p. 32). For enhanced operations, the company should keep pace with various advancements for an improvement in its operations. To remain relevant, Starbucks has always embraced technology and incorporated it in its operations in relation to the demands of a given new market. Such advancements have been seen in the development of a prepaid card for customers (David, 2007, p. 7). Competition has been increasing in different markets like Japan. This competition has been intensified as customers demand new experiences. Therefore, the company should cope up with competition as it is not in any capacity to control it. For example, it has consistently developed a broad new menu in Japan to remain competitive. This has seen it increase its stores to 700 (David, 2007, p. 13). To keep off competition, it has also developed seasonal products to suit the needs of the market at that particular time (Bryant, 2009, p. 25). Starbucks has also had to contend with various political and legal bindings. An example is France’s arcane regulations and labor benefits. Major sources of risks facing Starbucks in its international markets One of the major risks that the company has faced is a saturated market. Though this has been witnessed in domestic markets like US and Canada, its effects have been felt in new and international markets. As much as it has more than 17,800 stores in 49 different countries, the company considers this as an upper limit of coffee shop saturation (Starbucks, 2010, p. 15).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, saturation has also been witnessed in Japan where the effect of new shops has slowly worn off. To curb this threat, the company has continually renovated its stores and improved its services to remain strategic in the market (Bryant, 2009, p. 35). Another source of risk is loosing customers. This is because the company offers very few options to different consumers. As a mater of fact, it has been importing its flagship products to new markets. As much as markets may be related, the company needs to develop products based on different tastes and preferences. This will protect it from losing customers who want new experiences (Bryant, 2009, p. 63). The Generation X does not feel comfortable with Starbucks stores and this is a very big source of business risk in international markets. In this case, the company might end up facing a very hostile reception from its future customers. As a matter of fact, they will be turned away by the power and image of the company’ s well known brand. To solve this problem, the company should continually redesign its brand to make it more appealing to the youthful market (Michelli, 2006, p. 17). Global expansion poses a big risk to the company’s international markets. This is because it makes less money from its overseas ventures. Such overseas ventures are operated in partnership with local businesses. In this case, the company should focus on a good strategic alliance that will increase its profitability. For instance, it can embrace alliances in the acquisition of properties instead of partnerships (Michelli, 2006, p. 19). Great obstacles will also be seen in SRC and Ethnocentrism with local partners. To solve this, the company can keep away SRC and Ethnocentrism from its decision making. There is another risk of employee disruption. In this case, there is a perception that most of the company’s employees are dissatisfied with their pay. Starbucks should therefore focus on new ways of reducing employee disruption to enhance service delivery in its stores (Michelli, 2006, p. 39). Critique Starbucks overall corporate strategy The company has been making various loses because of an apparent mismatch between its customer expectations and corporate strategy. Although the company dominates the USA market, there are other states that don’t have a single Starbuck store (Starbucks, 2010, p. 25). This means that it has not paid attention to the whole market. The company believes that it can make many sales by increasing its stores every now and then. By increasing its stores in domestic and international markets day by day, the company has forgotten to focus on its key mission of satisfying customer needs (Warner, 2004, p. 11). It should be known that the company can design and develop a new store in less than 16 weeks. Starbucks has continually focused on the older generation thereby forgetting the Generation X (Bryant, 2009, p. 75). In this case, it does not have a differ ential pricing for the youthful market. For instance, some of them find it absurd to pay $3 for a cup of coffee. The company has relied on franchising to expand its business outside United States and this undermines its strength in key domestic markets (USA and Canada). It is undeniable that the company is going global but its spending has not been matching its market status (Warner, 2004, p. 14). Starbucks only spends 1% of its revenues on advertising unlike other major companies that spend 10% of their revenues. This poor spending ultimately negates its brand building initiatives outside USA (Bryant, 2009, p. 67). Starbucks has in one way or the other created barriers to entry for other competitors through its somehow predatory real estate strategy (David, 2007, p. 18). This is not good in a free and competitive market and may attract a lot of dissents from customers and the community. The company’ does not pay its workers well in relation to their workload. This has create d a lot of dissatisfaction among employees. Apart from this, Schultz, the company’s chairman, has been making scathing comments that might affect its business in Muslim dominated regions (Michelli, 2006, p. 41). How Starbucks can improve profitability in Japan The company can still improve its profits in Japan by repositioning its products and services. As a matter of fact, Japanese customers are less conscious about prices. More attention should be focused on the youthful generation as they have good growth prospects. Because there are many competitors in Japan, the company can either increase benefits or reduce prices to keep off intensified competition. Japanese people are very busy and might not find enough time to visit Starbuck stores. In this case, it can introduce the US online system where customers will give their orders through the internet (Starbucks, 2010, p. 32). In addition, it can also come up with an effective entertainment or cultural campaign to entice vari ous Japanese youths. This will likely attract youths to the company’s stores. Extra activities can also be added to its existing product line to suit different market tastes. In this case, the company will be able to increase its profitability in Japan (Bryant, 2009, p. 31). Conclusion Starbucks has been increasing its global activities to expand its market beyond USA and Canada. This has seen the company establish its presence in more than 49 countries. Therefore, it has had to cope with the unpredictable and predictable elements in entering these markets. As much as it has more than 17,800 stores in 49 different countries, the company considers this as an upper limit of coffee shop saturation. The company has faced various criticisms because of its overall corporate strategy. This should be effectively taken care of for enhanced sustainability. For instance, the company believes that it can make more sales by increasing its stores every now and then. Despite all these probl ems, the company can still remain profitable in its key markets like Japan by embracing good growth strategies. Reference List Bryant, S. (2009). Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks. California: University of California Press. David, R. (2007). Struck By Starbucks. New York: Forbes. Michelli, J. A. (2006). The Starbucks experience: 5 principles for turning ordinary into extraordinary. New York: McGraw-Hill. Pendergrast, M. (2001). Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. London: Texere. Starbucks. (2010). For business. Web. Starbucks. (2010). Starbucks coffee Japan. Web. Warner, M. (2004). Cup of Coffee, Grain of Salt. New York: New York Times.

Solicitar estatus de refugiado para Estados Unidos

Solicitar estatus de refugiado para Estados Unidos Las personas perseguidas o que teman sufrir represalias pueden solicitar asilo en Estados Unidos o que se les otorgue el estatus de refugiado. La gran diferencia es que el asilo se pide estando ya fà ­sicamente en EEUU o en un puerto de entrada y la condicià ³n de refugiado se solicita en el extranjero. Condiciones para que la condicià ³n de refugiado sea reconocida por Estados Unidos Deben cumplirse las siguientes premisas: 1. Vivir en un paà ­s distinto del propio o al de residencia habitual. Hay excepciones previstas legalmente, como el caso de los cubanos. 2. La persona que solicita que se le conceda el estatus de refugiado no puede tener và ­nculos fuertes en el paà ­s en el que se encuentra actualmente. Por ejemplo, si su cà ³nyuge es de ese paà ­s o tiene un trabajo estable se considera que tiene lazos fuertes. 3. No puede regresar a su paà ­s porque tiene un miedo fundado de que si lo hace sufrir represalias o ser perseguido por razà ³n de su raza, religià ³n, pertenencia a un determinado grupo social o à ©tnico o por su opinià ³n polà ­tica. 4. Y, finalmente, que conceder la condicià ³n de refugiado a una persona en particular se encuentre dentro de las prioridades del gobierno de los Estados Unidos de Amà ©rica, que es el à ºnico con potestad para decidir quà © es prioridad para el paà ­s. Procedimiento para solicitar el estatus de refugiado Dependiendo del caso, se contacta con una oficina consular o, en la mayorà ­a de los casos, se viene referido por una organizacià ³n, como por ejemplo, el Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (UNHCR, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Hay que tener en cuenta que en la inmensa mayorà ­a de las oficinas consulares de Estados Unidos no se tramitan las peticiones de refugiados. Sà ³lo en un nà ºmero reducido de las mismas.   Ser precisamente ante un oficial de Inmigracià ³n del USCIS asignado a una oficina consular ante el que hay que probar que se tiene un caso para ser considerado refugiado. Adems, hay que contar con la promesa de un patrocinador en los Estados Unidos que, en el caso de que sea concedida la peticià ³n de refugiado, sirva de apoyo para su recolocacià ³n en Estados Unidos. Si finalmente el USCIS otorga el estatus de refugiado, la persona recibir una visa para entrar y vivir en EEUU. A tener en cuenta En el proceso para conseguir el estatus de refugiado es necesario entrevistarse en persona con el oficial del USCIS a cargo del caso. Si la persona que alega ser refugiado se encuentra en otro paà ­s, el gobierno de Estados Unidos no corre con los gastos de su desplazamiento hasta el paà ­s donde se encuentra la oficina consular que debe tramitar el caso. Tampoco puede ayudar a conseguir visados para llegar a ese paà ­s, si fuesen necesarios. Tips Casa caso es un mundo. Por lo que es muy arriesgado juzgar si una persona puede ganar o no el estatus de refugiado. En todo caso es fundamental tener de verdad miedo de ser perseguido o sufrir represalias. Asimismo, se tiene que tener la capacidad de probar y explicar adecuadamente las razones de ese miedo. Y, finalmente, no hay que olvidar que Estados Unidos tiene sus propias prioridades. No todas las peticiones son iguales y es materialmente imposible conceder el estatus de refugiado a todas las personas que lo solicitan. En todo   caso, la solicitud de condicià ³n de refugiado para los nacionales de 7 paà ­ses de mayorà ­a musulmana se ha visto muy alterada por la  presidencia de Donald Trump, si bien las cortes se han pronunciado en contra de la prohibicià ³n que se impuso por orden ejecutiva a los refugiados de dichos paà ­ses.. Diferencia entre el asilo y el estatus de refugiado Segà ºn la ley americana, el asilo sà ³lo se puede solicitar cuando las  personas se encuentran ya fà ­sicamente en Estados Unidos o que lo solicitan en un aeropuerto o puerto de entrada a Estados Unidos y demuestran miedo creà ­ble. En cada uno de estos casos el procedimiento es distinto y no aplican las mismas reglas a las personas que ya se encuentran dentro del paà ­s y a las que solicitan el asilo nada ms llegar a la frontera. Adems, hay que recordar que se ha puesto fin  a la polà ­tica de de pies secos, pies mojados  para cubanos y tambià ©n las  visas CMPP  para personal sanitario de la misma nacionalidad en misiones en el exterior. Los cubanos pueden seguir el mismo procedimiento de peticià ³n de asilo que el resto de las nacionalidades. Si bien sigue en vigor la Ley de Ajuste Cubano. Segà ºn esa norma, los cubanos podrn solicitar la tarjeta de residencia al pasar 1 aà ±o y 1 dà ­a de presencia fà ­sica en Estados Unidos, pero la condicià ³n es que el ingreso haya sido legal. Finalmente, para entender el asilo y la condicià ³n de refugiado resulta conveniente tomar este test de respuestas mà ºltiples. Contiene las respuestas correctas y brindan ayuda para aclarar dudas e inquietudes. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Advertisments to Compare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertisments to Compare - Essay Example ADMITTEDLY, WE’RE BAD AT SUMMATION. This is further complimented by another phrase at the lower part of the ad that reads "There arent enough adjectives to describe the straight from the orange taste of Tropicana Pure Premium†. The simplified advert is further graced by an image of the drink’s packaging box positioned at the bottom right corner. The box has a replica image of an orange and straw similar to one described in the main advertisement (Belch & Belch, 2011). This advertisement is comprised of three key parts. On the top part of the ad is an image of Paula Creamer, a golf professional athlete who was at the time the sport’s holding champion. In her hands, the athlete is seen holding what looks like a golf club. Right below her image on the right side, a few words are inscribed: "UNSTOPPABLE. PAULA CREAMER IS. So is her Citizen Eco-Drive. Fueled by light, it never needs a battery. Its UNSTOPPABLE. Just like the people who wear it." On the left side just below Paula’s image, a large image of a white ceramic Citizen Eco-Drive watch is imprinted. On its right side, are the wordings â€Å"ECO-DRIVE Watch with 32 Diamonds.† On the bottom right part of the advertisement is the Citizen ECO-DRIVE trademark image (logo) accompanied by the company’s website link (citizenwatch.com) (Belch & Belch, 2011). In order to enhance the probability of succeeding in any marketing or advertisement campaign, it is important to begin by aligning the advertisements with what grabs the attention of the product’s target customers (Pride & Ferrell, 2010). By this, the marketers try to maximize on adding attractive features to the products’ advertisements which the target customers can relate to and perhaps get attracted to purchase the product. For the two advertisements described earlier in the paper, there are various features outlined in each, which help to establish the likely target

Pros and cons of caffeinne Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pros and cons of caffeinne - Essay Example Research has shown that caffeine improves memory and decreases fatigue while improving mental and athletic performance (Doheny, 2006). Caffeine increases athletic stamina by enhancing glycogen, the body’s energy storage system, and mobilizes fat cells which allow the body to burn fuel more efficiently thus promoting endurance. Caffeine diminishes perceived effort while exercising. This has the psychological effect of increasing the degree of effort during exercise which burns additional calories (Gruenemay, 2006). This chemical action also suppresses appetite which leads to weight loss. Morning coffee drinkers know that caffeine increases alertness. It does this by stimulating brain activity. Caffeine is an addictive drug causing a dependence which leads to withdraw symptoms when discontinued (Doheny, 2006). Though caffeine increases energy, the dehydration that accompanies makes exercise especially unhealthy. Caffeine, a natural diuretic, relieves constipation by encouraging the intestine to contract which causes diarrhea and cramping. When over-used, all stimulants including caffeine can cause  insomnia, irritability and ‘the shakes.’ The weight loss associated with stimulants is offset by cream added to coffee or tea. Caffeine has been shown to initiate heart palpitations and should be strictly avoided if the user is at risk of heart disease or if the user is taking any prescription drug (Gruenemay, 2006).   Moderate amounts of caffeine will not cause heart disease, cancer or birth defects according to evidence compiled by the American Dietetic Association. Moderation is the key to enjoying products that contain caffeine without suffering ill effects but the operative word is moderation (â€Å"The Pros and Cons of Caffeine†,

Gendering Childhood Essay Example for Free

Gendering Childhood Essay Toy stores are places where the gender of different children is being shaped – be it femininity, masculinity or gender-neutrality – according to the current ideas of society and culture about gender. It is therefore evident that toy stores are actually catalysts to the ongoing ideas about a certain kind of gender. In terms of gender-neutral toys, toy stores can be seen as a channel for interaction or equality between the sexes, although this is only seen some of the toys intended for toddlers and teens, and the toys that are digital/computer-based such as educational toys and consoles. In most toy stores, there are clear divisions and may even be separated and placed on opposite ends of the store. There are also sections where it is not clear whether or not the intention is for either gender. The toy stores are also divided depending on the age of those who are going to buy them. Usually, the age is progressive as one goes deeper into the store from the most simple of dolls and balls for one-year olds to the complex digital, computerized toys that can span from the age of seven and up. Looking at the store itself, the general theme of a certain section can actually point to whether or not the section is intended for boys, girls or neither gender. It is seen in many ways including the color scheme of the section, the featured toys and, sometimes, even the salespersons manning the section. However, the toy stores aren’t explicit in their customers in terms of labeling a section either for boys or for girls. Most of the signs in the sections are only implicit in the themes that they take. Gender neutral sections are often filled with toys that are educational and electronic gadgets. Also, gender neutral sections often have neutral colors such as white and silver as opposed to the gendered colors of pink and blue. They are also often seen in the middle of the gendered section. In terms of packaging, some of the toys are explicit in their intended customers by showing either boys or girls playing with the toys they are selling printed on the boxes. Gender neutral toys are often printed with both a girl and a boy on the cover, cooperating or looking very intrigued as they play or tinker with the toys. Other gender-neutral toys have neither child involved but only a feature of the product without any action that denotes the culture’s (in this case, America’s) notion of femininity or masculinity. The colors are neutral – often just a white background – and does not feature any actions that could be seen as either soft (feminine) or hard (masculine). A gendered toy’s packaging, on the other hand, has an implicit message conveyed on the box. Action, competition, adrenaline, and the macho effect are often portrayed in the boxes of boys’ toys in the boys’ section. On the girls’ section, flowers, happy homes, cute and sexy themes seem to dominate the shelves; often, older themes of make-up and fashion are being made as toys, as if pushing for girls to be women at a younger age. Going further into the connection of age and gendered toys, there seems to be a pattern concerning gendering them with respect to age. This is not to say, however, that other toys that don’t fall into these two categories are not gender neutral. There are also toys, most belonging to sports, which are gender-neutral. Toddlers usually have gender neutral toys intended for two things. The first involves amusement in the form of dolls and other soft items that they can chew on, throw, fall on and hit without causing them any harm or danger. Some of these toys may be gendered but many of them are not. The second is to educate them. These educational toys are completely gender-neutral as toy-makers consider the minds of either sex of the children as capable of processing basic information that they should learn, such as knowing what a cow is and what sounds they make. And since toys are not exactly limited to children, some toys that can have adults as audiences as well, such as game consoles and sports-oriented toys, are gender-neutral and are only gendered when it comes to the accessories and other things that they append to these toys. Some examples include the game cartridges. Because of gendering of the majority of toys in the formative years of the child, the idea of femininity and masculinity are instilled in society in an ongoing cycle. The current society’s ideal of masculinity are seen instilled in children in the early stages, dictating and instilling ideas on how girls and boys should be and how they should grow up to be. This forces them to conform to society’s current ideas of them aside from possible biological and other external influences that dictate children from their earliest years. Although gender preference may change in the later years, the influence of toys given to children – even if it is â€Å"feminine† toys given to boys – is a factor in how these children grow up to be.

The Puzzling Message of Figure in the Carpet :: Figure in the Carpet Essays

The Puzzling Message of Figure in the Carpet At the beginning of "The Figure in the Carpet", the main character considers the criticism of literature to be a career, something he does for money. "I had done a few things and earned a few pence" (p. 357), declares the narrator in the opening line. He says later in the paragraph that having an advanced copy of a prominent novel to review was desirable because it would advance his career: "Öand whatever much or little it should do for his reputation I was clear on the spot as to what it should do for mine." (p. 357) The character sees Vereker's work as a vehicle to advance his career. There seems to be little excitement as to the content of Vereker's work, the reader is never given even so much as the subject matter of a Vereker novel. Instead, all of the focus of the opening scenes is directed towards the narrator's struggle to become a renowned critic. Henry James is contrasting the practice of literary criticism with the ideal of what literary criticism should be. Even the characters that seem to be in the purest pursuit of Vereker's great secret, Corvick and Gwendolen, will not share it with their friends. When they discover it, they all want to publish it for themselves. Vereker himself seems to hold the literary critics in the book in contempt, citing their lack of vision. Vereker speaks to the narrator at several points in the novel, "You miss it, my dear fellow, with inimitable assurance; the fact that your being awfully clever and your article's being very awfully nice doesn't make a hairs breadth of difference." (p.365) The work of a literary critic in Vereker's eyes is to find the figure in the carpet. Which is to say that what a literary critic and readers of literature should do is to look for a deeper meaning or context in works of literature. Vereker is upset because the critics fail to grasp the deeper meaning in his works. James himself must have been quite upset at the critics of his day. Influential critics can make or break a writer. More than anyone else, critics can sway how people perceive the work of an author. As James illustrates in the story, critics are not to be trusted as authority.

Ethics In Contemporary Society Essay

The study of ethics explores man’s notion of morality. It refers to the in-depth analysis of the social norms that are used to gauge what is right and what is wrong from our actions. Most of these social norms largely depend on our view of life and its value. This is where â€Å"bioethics† was based. Although all the moral principles stem from the basic social norm that life should be valued, it should be noted that overtime, the way in which life is esteemed and prized changes. In other words, though the notion of preserving and promoting life seems to be the core principle of morality, the interpretations of the importance of life, along with the basis of its value change sporadically from time to time. Advancement and changes in the view of life Technological and medical innovations have delivered various changes in the life of mankind. These advancements have brought about ease and comfort in our day to day living. Such innovations were deemed as necessary tools for progress, advancement and expansion towards a more developed state of industrialization. Such innovations were made to fulfill an end goal of having a world where each and every human being will find a better state of life. However, the rise of this modern civilization did not only produce improvements in the way of living. Rather, it also introduced modifications in our values. In essence, the modern civilization that leans on science, technology, and capitalism proved to be the major basis for the creation of the evolving views on life and living. This modern society brought about by deemed advancements challenged our social norms and created a new sense of consciousness and appreciation for life. As what can be observed, the various bioethical dilemmas that remain to be very arguable issues these days stemmed from the introduction of scientific and technological advancements. Generally, it seems that the advancements that were created and invented by man not only enabled us to have power and control over our physical landscape. Rather, these granted us a certain level of empowerment that allowed us to generate the notion that we can challenge the traditional parochial view of life and living. As such, many issues that address the concept of life and death have risen. The question, however, remains the same: should these challenges to the norm beneficial or do these changes just contribute to the disintegration of society and ruin of moral integrity? No common ground Abortion, â€Å"mercy killing,† â€Å"mercy death,† and â€Å"letting people die† are just among the pressing bioethical issues that continue to haunt not only the medical sector, but the entire society. Apparently, issues that involved life and death stem from our various points of view regarding how, why, and when life should be valued and in what degree. Although all worldviews seem to agree that everybody should place value on life, the basis on how it should be valued changes over time and place. For example, it should be noted that issues on â€Å"mercy killing† stem from the fact that people are faced with the dilemma on what should be prioritized: life as merely the chance to breathe or life as a state of actual living. Also, the introduction of innovations to man’s way of life largely prompted many people to disregard the supreme thought that â€Å"everyone has the right to live. † Instead, more and more people are adapting the thought that life should be valued only if the person will enjoy more benefits that sufferings in the life that he is bound to pursue. Radically, the importance of life has changed from â€Å"being supremely important† to â€Å"becoming important on the grounds of the rewards and punishments that it may bring. † Unfortunately, the dilemma of choosing which of these life views are better for our society will be left unanswered unanimously for each of us will hold his own set of moral opinion, that is again, largely influenced by the degree of technological advancement that enveloped each of our lives. Reference: Thiroux, Jacques P. (2006). Ethics: Theory and Practice. Prentice Hall

Marketing Research †Final Exam Review Essay

Units 1-2 One question will be drawn from the following. This is the only material you need to know from the first two units except for material that has carried over into Unit 3. For instance, things like response types, population, sample, sampling distribution, etc. were covered in Unit 2. These concepts are important to understanding the Unit 3 material, so you need to know them. Studying real organizations is sometimes the most effective way to understand some marketing research concepts. In this course, class material has been illustrated through over fifty examples of real organizations. Most of the examples and cases have been covered in the first two exams. These possible long answer questions address examples and cases that have not been covered–there aren’t that many of that haven’t been covered! 1. In the Diageo Captain Morgan Gold case, what did management choose to do and why? (4 pts) What was the outcome, and why did it happen? (4 pts) What is the main lesson to take away from the case? (2 pts) 2. In the cloth vs. disposable diapers case, describe the background and results of the two studies. (8 pts) What lesson does this illustrate about using secondary data for marketing research? (2 pts) 3. In the Whirlpool case, what did marketing research studies show, and what did management decide to do? (6 pts) While management made a mistake in hindsight, their reasoning made sense from the production side—why? (2 pts) There are several takeaway lessons from this case. Name one. (2 pts) Unit 3 – There is only one possible long answer question, and here it is: Part 1 Do people in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston spend the same average amount on furniture each year, or are there differences between the cities? To answer this, a furniture company gathered data from people in the four cities. The supervisor proposes that they compare each pair of cities. So they would compare NYC vs. Chicago, NYC vs. LA, NYC vs. Houston, Chicago vs. LA, Chicago vs. Houston, and LA vs. Houston. If any of those pairs reveals a significant difference with 95% confidence (i.e., you can be 95% confident that the two groups are different), then they can conclude that the cities are not all the same. a. Briefly, why isn’t this a good way to analyze the data? (5 pts) The problem with running 6 pair tests is that there is still a 5% chance that the z- value we calculate will be a fluke that leads to a wrong conclusion. For each calculation done, there is an increased chance of error, thus we are six times more likely to get the wrong conclusion. This gives you a total of 1-(95/100) ^6 = 0.265 = 26.5% chance of improperly rejecting at least one of your six calculations. b. What is a better method? You only need to give the name of the method. (2 pts) The better method to use is called analysis of variance aka ANOVA Part 2 When conducting a chi-square test, the expected frequencies are equal to (Row total x Column total) à · Grand total How is this formula derived from mathematical and probability rules? Be detailed. If it helps to explain it by referring to an actual table, you can use the table below. (10 pts) | This formula is derived by each individual amount being assigned to each other individual amount. The probability of being in row A is A/E = 150/253 = .5929 = 59.29% The probability of being in column C is C/E = 135/253 = .5336 = 53.36% Thus when mathematically combining the probability of being in row A and column C is A/E x C/E = 150/253 x 135/253 = (150Ãâ€"135)/253 = 80.04 which is the same as B D C A E .5929 x .5336 = .3164 x 253 = 80.04

Marilyn Manson Essays - Marilyn Manson, John 5, Concept Albums

Marilyn Manson Essays - Marilyn Manson, John 5, Concept Albums Marilyn Manson Hey Mr. Superstar This band is a twist of Iggy Pop, KISS, and Alice Coopper. Starting in south Florida as a small industrial Goth band, Marilyn Manson has changed the main stream music of today. They have come to be a leader and paved the way for other shock-rock bands. Just coming out with his fifth album this week, he will continue reaching out to rebellious teenagers that need some sort of support. Marilyn Manson has been hitting charts because of their songs and lyrics, show performances, and public attention. One of the reasons why Marilyn Manson is famous today is because of their undefined musically talents. They are a five piece band which includes singer Marilyn Manson, lead guitarist Twiggy Ramirez, bassist John5, drummer Ginger Fish, and on keyboards M.W. Gacy. Each member has been playing music since childhood. Putting these musician's talents and creative minds together they have accomplished more than most bands around. Unlike many artists today Manson with help from Ramarize writes and produces all songs that go onto thier albums. Their lyrics are very skillfully written so that they will attract public attention and listeners. Manson gets lyrics from his personal thoughts and tragedies that happen around him. On their bands fourth album he wrote about his girlfriends drug addiction in a song called Coma White, A pill to make you numb, A pill to make you dumb, A pill to make you anybody else, But all the drugs in this world won't save her from herself. In this new album called H olywood, Manson was inspired by the violence he see in entertainment and how it is affecting children and the world. Touring the world, visiting countries across the globe, and selling out concerts have been the role of Marilyn Manson since they became popular with the public in the mid nineties. The band works hard to entertain their fans with new and outrageous performances. Most of their earnings from touring and album sales go into the performances and live shows they do. Their performance is a show to remember. In last year's sold-out tour, Dead to The World, had Manson doing over seven costume changes, stage explosions, a burning cross, wide screen televisions, and large amounts of glitter poured onto the crowd. With over a hour long performances filled with entertainment, speeches, and music. Their show is like no other shock-rock artist of today. Another reason why Marilyn Manson keeps on the top of the charts is because of his public attention. Even when he is not turning out records or running his music videos, the media seems to still keep him at a focus point. The publicity that he gets from reports saying negative rumors just seems to help him with selling albums and concert tickets. The anti-Marilyn Manson fans appear to have something to say about him and his acts. They start rumors to trash the shock rock band by telling media that they kill animals, throw puppies into the crowd at concerts, and even say that he pours pigs blood on the audience of his concerts. Yet this does not stop young rebellious teenagers from attending. Even politician Joe Lieberman suggested that Marilyn Manson's music was responsible for the shooting at Columbine, when in fact the shooters for the high school killing did not listen to their music. A big part of being Marilyn Manson is attracting fans, pushing the limits, and finding new ways to shock and appall people. Yes, many older generations do not agree with what they are putting out and think that it is rock trash, but then why is the band topping charts, and why is it that they can go to any country and sell out concerts with a weeks notice? Maybe because some people believe in what he is saying and that some people actually do like his music.

Understanding English Pronunciation

Understanding English Pronunciation In order to improve your English pronunciation, it is important to understand a number of terms and concepts. This article introduces the most important components from smallest- a unit of sound- to largest- sentence level stress and intonation. A short explanation is given for each concept with links to more resources to improve, as well as teach, English pronunciation skills. Phoneme A phoneme is a unit of sound. Phonemes are expressed as phonetic symbols in the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). Some letters have one phoneme, others have two, such as the diphthong long a (eh - ee). Sometimes a phoneme may be a combination of two letters such as ch  in  church, or dge in judge.   Letter There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet. Some letters are pronounced differently depending on which letters they are with. For example, c can be pronounced like a hard /k/ or as an /s/ in the verb cite. Letters are made up of consonants and vowels. Consonants can be voiced or voiceless depending on the sound (or phoneme). The difference between voiced and voiceless is explained below. Consonants Consonants are the sounds that interrupt vowel sounds. Consonants are combined with vowels to form a syllable. They include: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, z Consonants can be voiced or voiceless. Vowels Vowels are open sounds caused with the vibration of vocal sounds  but without obstruction. Consonants interrupt vowels to form syllables. They include: a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y NOTE:  y is a vowel when it sounds as /i/ such as in the word city. Y is a consonant when it sounds as /j/ such as in the word year.   All vowels are voiced as they are produced using the vocal chords. Voiced   A voiced consonant is a consonant that is produced with the help of the vocal chords. A good way to tell if a consonant is voiced is to touch your fingers to your throat. If the consonant is voiced, you will feel a vibration. b, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, v, w Voiceless A voiceless consonant is a consonant that is produced without the help of the vocal chords. Place your fingers on your throat when speaking a voiceless consonant and you will only feel a rush of air through your throat. c, f, h, k, q, s, t, x Minimal  Pairs Minimal  pairs are pairs of words that differ in only one sound. For example: ship and sheep differ in only in the vowel sound. Minimal pairs are used to practice slight differences in sound. Syllable A syllable is formed by a consonant sound combining with a vowel sound. Words can have one or more syllables. To test how many syllables a word has, put your hand under your chin and speak the word. Each time your jaw moves indicates another syllable. Syllable Stress Syllable stress refers to the syllable that receives the main stress in each word. Some two-syllable words are stressed on the first syllable: table, answer - other two syllable words are stressed on the second syllable: begin, return. There are a number of different word syllable stress patterns in English. Word Stress Word stress refers to which words are stressed in a sentence. Generally speaking, stress content words and glide over function words (explained below). Content Words Content words are words that convey meaning and include nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and negatives. Content words are the focus of a sentence. Glide over function words to stress these content words to provide the rhythm of English. Function Words Function words are required for the grammar, but they provide little or no content. They include helping verbs, pronouns, prepositions, articles, etc.   Stress-Timed Language When speaking about English we say that the language is stress-timed. In other words, the rhythm of English is created by word stress, rather than syllable stress as in syllabic languages. Word Groups Word groups are groups of words that are commonly grouped together and before or after which we pause. Word groups are often indicated by commas such as in complex or compound sentences. Rising Intonation Rising intonation occurs when the voice goes up in pitch. For example, we use rising intonation at the end of yes/no questions. We also use rising intonation with lists, separating each item with a short rise in the voice, before a final, falling intonation for the last item in a list. For example in the sentence: I enjoy playing hockey, golf, tennis, and football.   Hockey, golf, and tennis would rise in intonation, while  football would fall.   Falling Intonation Falling intonation is used with information sentences and, in general, at the end of statements. Reductions Reductions refers to the common practice of combing a number of words into a short unit. This generally occurs with function words. A few common reduction examples are: gonna - going to and wanna - want to Contractions Contractions are used when shortening the helping verb. In this way, two words such as is not become one isnt with only one vowel.

Decision making models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision making models - Essay Example The basic theme of techniques that commonly utilized to put together decisions in our organization is: assessing quantitatively whether to track a way of achievements. You may have been intensely creative in generating solutions to a problem and rigorous in your choice of the best one on hand. However, this clarification may still not be worth implementing, as you may invest a lot of time and money in solving a problem that is not worthy of this effort (Kenneth, 1998). Let’s take an example of situation in which you have a number of first-rate (number) options or choices to decide from, and a lot of diverse issues to take into account. In such situation cost benefit analysis did not work, so we have some better technique to tackle such situation. For this we will select â€Å"Grid Analysis† technique for our problem solution (Kenneth, 2003). Grid Analysis is particularly prevailing way that makes it a preferable and great technique to utilize in approximately several significant decisions where there isnt an obvious, clear and understandable preferred choice. Being capable to utilize â€Å"Grid Analysis† shows that you would be able to acquire decisions boldly, confidently and rationally, at an occasion when other people may be under pressure to formulate a decision (Kenneth, 1998). The decision making model for which I will favor is â€Å"The Rational Model†.  It is supported by the logic of most favorable option: the option that would increase and maximize worth and value for the organization. The executive/ manager is assumed to be a point of focus (objective), exclusively educated person who would choose the mainly the best and appropriate option, maximizing whatever quantity and kind of output s/he worth. A rational business decision making model has centralized power of decision making of the organization (Kenneth, 1998). It is better in most of situations, because decision power is in hand of few people, these