Victoria Kite Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Victoria Kite Company - Essay Example Total collections $47200 $66100 $51500 January February March Schedule c: Purchases Budget Desired ending inventory $0 $0 $0 Cost of goods sold $20950 $37500 $19000 Total needed $60000 $37500 $19000 Beginning inventory $39050 $0 $0 Purchases $20950 $37500 $19000 Schedule d: Disbursements for Purchases 100% of previous month's purchases $23050 $20950 $37500 March 31 accounts payable $19000 Financial Statements Exhibit I VICTORIA KITE Budgeted Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements For the Three Months Ending March 31, 2005 January February March Cash balance, beginning $5000 $5000 $10850 Minimum cash balance desired $5000 $5000 $5000 (a) Available cash balance $0 $0 $5850 Cash receipts and disbursements: Collections from customers (Schedule b) $47200 $66100 $51500 Payments for merchandise (Schedule c) $35550 $37500 $19000 Rent $8050 $250 $250 Wages and salaries $15000 $15000 $15000 Miscellaneous expenses $2500 $2500 $2500 Dividends $1500 $0 $0 Purchase of fixtures $0 $0 $3000 (b) Net cash receipts & disbursements ($154000) $10850 $11750 Excess (deficiency) of cash before financing (a + b) ($15400) $10850 $17600 Financing: Borrowing, at beginning of period $15400 $0 $0 Repayment, at end of period $0 $0 $15400 Interest, 10% per annum $0 $0 $385 (c) Total cash increase (decrease) $15400 $0 ($15785) from financing (d) Cash balance, end (beginning balance + c + b) $5000 $10850 $7665 Exhibit II VICTORIA KITE Budgeted Income Statement For the Three Months Ending March 31, 2005 Sales (Schedule a) $175000 Cost of goods sold (Schedule...Thus, the JIT philosophy is an elimination of non-value adding activities in the company's supply chain to boost manufacturing efficiency, driving down cost, and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction by driving down prices of commodities. This report will look at the feasibility and compatibility of this system to the company's current operations. Since these factors can be best measured quantitatively, this report will present a master budget utilizing the company's assumptions. Part 1 will provide the schedule of Victoria Kite's sales budget, cash collections, purchases budget and disbursements. The next part looks at the impacts of JIT to the company's financial performance by providing a pro-forma income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet for the first quarter of 2005. The financial statements presented in Exhibits 1-3 shows that JIT will bring in profits and incremental shareholder

Dance essay Essay Example for Free

Dance essay Essay Dance is a well admired art form and sport that is performed by many groups, cultures, and religions all around the world. There are many different types of dance that are available for people that have a great amount of energy, dedication and motivation. Dancers must be exceedingly athletic, have the stamina to practice for hours, and be able train and preform in very competitive environments, just like many well-known sports. Plenty of people believe that dance is just a form of art and is not a sport, they are wrong, dance is both an art and a sport. All athletes must be in best physical shape to succeed in their own sport. Dancers not only need muscle strength and physical endurance, like most sports, they also need flexibility, coordination, agility, and balance. Dancers also need mental endurance. They need to stay calm under pressure, keep focus, rebound quickly if they make mistakes, and most importantly need they have to make everything look beautiful and effortless, even if they are in pain. Athletes must prepare for each and every event they participate in. Dancers must face incredibly long hours of conditioning, rehearsals, and never-ending repetition of movements and steps to get ready for a performance. Many people cannot handle the amount of work that goes into any single movement a dancer must perform. In football, if a player not playing the right position that they were assigned, it can affect the team’s overall performance, just like in dance. Dancers have to focus on their position of their feet, arms, what moves to do and also where they are supposed to be, and if any are off it is very noticeable and can mess up the whole routine. Dance, just like any other sport, is competitive and the goal is to win and preform the best they can. Also, dancers can get injured if they move in a wrong way. There are dozens of injuries that can happen in football while there are just as many in dance. For example, dancers have the potential to fracture a bone in their foot by not landing a jump properly or could paralyze themselves if they fall when they are on pointe shoes. As you can see, there are many reasons why dance is a sport, as well as it is an art. The definition of a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. Dancers train for hours, they compete against people to win and it takes lots of blood, sweat, and tears. So for the people who don’t think dance is a sport, they are incorrect.

The Ethics of Spam Prevention Essay -- Internet Computers Technology E

The Ethics of Spam Prevention The user base of the Internet and World Wide Web grows by millions of users each year. In recent years this has created an explosion in the number of Internet email accounts and addresses. Companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo and Netscape have made free email accounts available for the world to use. Many people have multiple email accounts on the web, in addition to those that they may have for business purposes. This increase in the number of users around the world surfing the Internet and using email has created a new problem and a very disturbing trend. Spam or unsolicited email messages, has become such a problem for people that it is common for users to spend a large portion of their time online just sifting through and deleting unwanted email. Spam has become an effective form of advertisement for any company or individual that uses the internet. Practically any type of product or service imaginable is being promoted through the use of spam. Many of these products that are being promoted are pornographic and can be offensive or harmful to people, especially to children. These spam messages however, are sent out indiscriminately to any email address that the spammer or source of the spam can find. Part of the reason that Internet users have more than one free web based email account is to avoid spam. People create new accounts for themselves because the spammers have found the old addresses and filled the inboxes with unwanted email. The progress of spamming technologies has created a whole new set of security products and features that companies and email providers must give users to make them competitive among email providers. Individual citizens and businesses have the ... ... enforce it. This type of a policy would certainly cause a drop in the billions of unsolicited messages sent each day, which are costing individuals time, money and productivity. Bibliography Google .com, 23 May 2004, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%E2%80%9C@msn.com%E2%80%9D John Leyden, 10 Mar. 2004, The Register, 22 May 2004 , http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/10/big_us_isps_set_legal/ Spam Statistics 2004, 2004, Spam Filter Review, http://www.spamfilterreview.com/spam-statistics.html David E. Sorkin, 16 Dec. 2003, Spam Laws, 22 May 2004 , http://www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.html Paul Roberts, 19 May 2004, IDG News Service (PCWorld.com), 22 May 2004, http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116178,00.asp John Leyden, 27 Apr. 2004, The Register, 22 May 2004 , http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/27/spam_law_review/

Organizational Values Essay

The decision individual makes reflect their personal beliefs about what is important for them and the decision organization make reflect their personal belief about what they think is important. The personal and organizational value develops based on the decisions we make. Value alignment comes into place when the values of an individual are same as the values of their organization. If there is no alignment between the organization and employees, then the organization becomes in a more stressful condition. Companies who create a value alignment have very few problems. They know what their employees want and they know how to provide it. The value of the employees is important for successful for an organization. The values of an organization and the values of the nurse impact nurse engagement and patient outcomes. If the nurses have a happy environment in the hospital, it becomes a happy environment for the customers too. When nursing staff members feel empowered in the decision making process, they are energized to share their best talent, and skill. Nurses are the nucleus of the health care organization (â€Å"Nurses as implementers,† 2003). An alignment between hospital and nurses will increase nurses’ satisfaction as well as patient satisfaction. The importance of effective communication in nursing is important when it comes to interacting with patients, medical team members and doctors. Miscommunication causes misunderstandings, low performance, misdiagnosis and patient suffering. Therefore, nurses acquire effective communication skills in order to competently supervise. Communication in nursing practice serves a vital function in the building of helpful relationship patients, and coworkers. Taking time to listen to and understand patients experiences convey a message that patients feeling cared for and respected. Through communication a patient can be reassured and understand their sickness fully. Once, when I worked as a charge nurse, a patient wanted to inform me about something. She told me that her assigned nurse was not giving pain medication on correct time, and demanded for a different nurse. When I talked to the assigned nurse she told me that she gave all pain medication on time and that patient was ready to be discharged but the problem as that the patient didn’t want to leave. I checked the medication administration record and it indicated that the nurse gave all the medication on time. I didn’t change the assigned nurse instead I decided to take care of the patient. I talked with the patient asked her why she doesn’t want to go home. She replied saying that the pharmacy she gets her medication from is closed on Saturday and Sunday and she cannot get her discharge medication until Monday. She also complained about not having any ride back home after being discharged. I called the social worker and she arranged to get her medication for the patient from hospital’s charity for few days and also provided the patient with a cab voucher. I called the cab and discharged the patient home without any problem. The way I handled this situation was by communicating to the patient, and knowing her needs, and acting accordingly. By effectively communicating, problems can be solved easier without any further dissatisfaction from the patient. Nurses are able to prevent or manage conflicts by improving their communication skills. It is important for the nurse to try to understand the other party’s situation. Then the nurses can become focused about being understood. Typically during a conversation, an individual is already tries to think of a response to give to a person instead of just listening to what is being said (Marshall, 2006). Most importantly the nurse must have the patience to listen, and not interrupt while the other person is talking. A good communication skill allows the nurse to resolve his or her own conflicts or take appropriate actions for conflict resolution between other individuals. Communication is the key factor in response to any problems. Effective communication helps maintaining credibility by solving the problems that arrive. Effective communication techniques influence the values of other nurses and are effective in problem-solving processes in the organization and the profession. People use organization values to lead themselves throughout their lives. Organizational values and each employee’s personal values need to blend in as well as impact people’s behaviors and attitudes in the workplace. When employees fails to connections between taking responsibility for living their own lives and the accomplishment of organizational objectives, those organizations run the risk of falling short on promises made to customers, or worse, failing to meet ethical or legal standards.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 9

â€Å"Nice glow,† Bastien told me when he answered the door the following afternoon. â€Å"Yeah. Tell me about it.† I traipsed into his house wearing the Tabitha body, and pulled up a stool at his kitchen counter. He handed me a Mountain Dew from the refrigerator. â€Å"Why so glum? Couldn't have been all that bad.† â€Å"It was okay. In that sleazy, backroom sort of way. Seth came over afterward and couldn't stop telling me how pretty I was.† â€Å"Of course he did.† Bastien was sporting a glow of his own today. â€Å"How could he help it? He's a weak mortal, just like they all are.† I ignored the jibe and took down half the can in one gulp. â€Å"On the topic of ‘weak mortals,' how'd your football game go?† â€Å"Ridiculously boring. Bill must have fantastic speech writers because his conversation is on the same level as that cupboard's over there. But, on the bright side, I did talk to Dana several times, and I think I repaired the damage you did.† â€Å"Ye gods, will you get over this? I didn't do anything. You have no one to blame for that but yourself.† â€Å"Hey, I didn't fall down the stairs. Anyway, I took your advice and played sympathetic brother. She really seemed to go for it. Except†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Except what?† He frowned, blue eyes perplexed. â€Å"She seems to like me well enough. She asks about my job, she asks about you. But something's weird. I just don't feel like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like she's going to throw herself at you any time soon? Huh. I never would have guessed.† His expression hardened, doubts banished. â€Å"It's just a matter of time, that's all. Like that convent in Brussels. Remember how well that turned out?† I grinned. â€Å"Just a matter of time. Sure. So what are your plans today?† â€Å"Nothing. I'll probably go out later, but now I'm just sort of hanging around. Mitch is supposed to be at work, after all.† â€Å"Well, let's sneak you out and go see a movie or something.† Frankly, I was eager to do something semi-fun. I had finally made it to my day off, and it hadn't come a moment too soon. The only thing that bothered me was not knowing what had happened at the bookstore when – or rather if – Doug came in this morning. If Warren or Paige had been around, they might have banned him for a while. But I certainly didn't have that power, and I hated to lose the coverage anyway. I'd finally resorted to calling Janice, telling her to ring my cell immediately if there were any repeat problems. I hadn't heard anything so far. Bastien allowed himself grudging interest in a movie. â€Å"Anything good playing?† The doorbell rang before we could check. â€Å"Geez, Bas. It's like Grand Central Station whenever I'm here.† â€Å"Probably a Jehovah's Witness,† he decided, checking out the door invisibly. â€Å"Huh. It's Jody. Wonder what she wants.† I supposed Dana visiting would have been more serendipitous, but I found Jody's presence a relief. â€Å"Well, let her go. You're supposed to be at work.† He nudged me. â€Å"You answer.† â€Å"Me?† â€Å"Sure. Make up some reason to be here. She's chummy with Dana. You can do some reconnaissance.† â€Å"Oh, for goodness – â€Å" The doorbell rang again, and Bastien looked at me pleadingly. I had a good opinion of Jody, but I didn't like him mixing me up in his affairs. Grumbling, I went to the door. Maybe she was just dropping off more baked goods or something, I thought. Her face burst into a grin upon seeing me. â€Å"I was hoping it was you! I thought I recognized the Passat.† I smiled back at her. â€Å"Good memory. Did you need Mitch? He's at work.† â€Å"No, not really. I just saw the car and wanted to say hi. Are you hanging out here?† â€Å"Uh, yeah. It's my day off, and I promised him I'd†¦do some yard work.† Bastien, hovering invisibly nearby, got a kick out of that. â€Å"It's a great day for it,† she agreed. I supposed it was, in that crisply sunny sort of way that sometimes shows up in winter. At least we had no rain today. â€Å"What were you going to do? It looks like the lawn service took care of most of the leaves.† That it had. I tried to think of something superfluous that suburbanites wouldn't have already underpaid someone else to do. â€Å"I was going to plant some flowers.† â€Å"Oh!† She clasped her hands together, brown eyes alight. â€Å"That's a great idea. Do you want some help?† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Beside me, Bastien nearly had a seizure. He nodded his head vigorously and mouthed the word reconnaissance. Yard work was the last thing I wanted to do on my day off, but now I'd gone and boxed myself in. â€Å"Sure. I don't really know what to do anyway.† That had to be the understatement of the year. â€Å"Let me grab my coat, and we'll go to my favorite nursery,† she squealed. â€Å"This is going to be fun.† She dashed back to her house, and I glared at Bastien. â€Å"I hate you.† â€Å"Don't I know it.† He clapped me on the back. â€Å"I'm sure you have a green thumb somewhere, Fleur . If not, you can shape-shift one.† â€Å"You owe me. Big time.† Jody drove us to some gardening place that looked like a maze of greenery to me. Actually, greenery wasn't quite the right word. Many of the trees and plants had lost leaves, turning brown and yellow as winter deepened. A maze of vegetation, I guess. â€Å"They're still alive,† she told me, assessing plants with an expert eye. â€Å"Although, this isn't exactly the best time to do plantings. Still, we should be able to manage something since the ground isn't too hard yet.† I grimaced. â€Å"Sounds dirty.† She laughed. â€Å"How'd you get slated for this?† â€Å"My brother doesn't†¦always think things through. And he's pretty persuasive when he wants to be.† And annoying. And pushy. â€Å"I can see that. He's pretty cute too. Bet he gets women to do anything he wants.† â€Å"You have no idea.† This made her smile again. â€Å"Well, hang in there. Once you get started with this kind of stuff, you get into it. And it's not that dirty. You want dirty, I'll tell you about Guatemala someday.† â€Å"When were you in Guatemala?† Whoa. Somehow I managed her circle picking places like Malibu and Paris for vacations. â€Å"When I was in the Peace Corps.† â€Å"You were in the Peace Corps?† â€Å"Yup. When I was younger.† I stared after her as she continued checking out the selection. Jody had been in the Peace Corps and worked as an art teacher. She was clearly talented creatively. She was smart and had a good personality. How the hell had she gotten mixed up with Dana? We ended up buying several plants she called Christmas Roses, plus some bulbs she warned might or might not come up in the spring. Once back at Bastien's, we bundled up in coats and gloves and set to digging in his front yard. I saw him peek out the window and wave at me at one point; I stuck my tongue out at him when Jody wasn't looking. Jody was only too happy to tell me about her past. I'd ask the occasional clarifying question, and she'd then go on for a while more. I listened, commenting occasionally, and – as much as I hated to admit it – found the afternoon passing pleasantly. She had been right: garden work wasn't so bad once you started. Inevitably, her chatter turned to the CPFV, and she both surprised and relieved me by admitting some discontent. â€Å"I mean,† she was saying, â€Å"I stand by them. Absolutely. It's just sometimes, I wish we were doing things in different ways. â€Å" I looked up, happy to take a break from hacking at the hard ground. â€Å"What kinds of things?† She pursed her cute lips together. â€Å"I guess†¦like†¦we spend a lot of time telling people what to do and what not to do, you know? Like we're trying to help them lead better lives, and I think that's good. After all, Dana says an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.† Ugh. Clich? ¦ anyone? â€Å"But I also wish we were doing something for those that need help now. Do you know how many families in this area don't have enough to eat? It'd be great if we could work with local food banks to do something about that – especially with the holidays coming up. Or like†¦we do a lot to help teens make smart choices, but I visited some shelters for girls that are already in trouble. They've run away. They're pregnant. Dana says they're lost causes, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You don't think so?† I asked gently. She had stopped digging too and stared absentmindedly at the bulb she held. â€Å"I don't think anyone's beyond help. But Dana†¦I mean, she's so smart. She knows more than me about this stuff. I trust what she says.† â€Å"Nothing wrong with questioning.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose. It's just, well, she's been a good friend to me.† Her eyes focused on something not here, something far away and long ago. â€Å"A couple years ago, Jack and I had some, you know, problems. I mean, it happens right? No relationship's perfect.† â€Å"No,† I agreed grimly. â€Å"Anyway, she helped me work through that. I feel sort of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Obligated?† Jody fumbled. â€Å"I-I don't know. I guess so. Sometimes, she's hard to know†¦like she can surprise you with things you never saw coming. Other times†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. â€Å"I don't know what I'm saying. She's wonderful. The most amazing person I've ever met. She does so much good.† She changed the subject abruptly after that, and I let her. We moved on to happier topics, and I found myself laughing along with her and enjoying her company. At one point, I ran into Bastien's kitchen and made us hot chocolate. We drank it outside as we finished the last of our plants, finally sitting back and admiring our handiwork. Despite my initial misgivings, I kind of liked accomplishing something so tangible. â€Å"Look,† said Jody. â€Å"Dana just came home.† Sure enough, Dana's Explorer pulled in next door, and a moment later, the woman herself strolled over. She graced us with one of those ice-bitch smiles. â€Å"This looks cozy.† Jody's earlier bubbly nature seemed somewhat diminished. â€Å"Tabitha needed some gardening help, so I came over.† â€Å"Wasn't that nice of you.† Dana gave the other woman a look I couldn't interpret, save that disapproval and possibly anger underscored it. Although I had been arguing to the contrary with Bastien, I got the feeling I might truly have pissed off Dana more than I'd suspected, creating the bad impression he kept accusing me of. It looked like Dana may even have voiced her opinions of me to Jody. I watched Jody's face pass through a range of emotions. I felt pretty confident there was more iron in there than her surface showed, and for a half a second she looked as though she might lash out in defiance. Then, after a moment's eye contact, she looked away, backing down. Perhaps I should have simpered just then and tried to weasel into Dana's good graces, but mostly I felt angry at what I perceived as her chastisement. She had no right to do that Jody. â€Å"It was incredibly nice,† I said sharply. â€Å"Jody's one of those rare, honestly good people in the world. Not just one who pretends to be. But of course you already know that.† Jody blushed furiously, and the edges of Dana's smile twitched a little. â€Å"Yes. Yes, she is. How's your ankle doing?† â€Å"Good as new.† â€Å"Glad to hear it.† We all waited in awkward silence. I decided I would wait out Dana this time, no matter how scary that stare. She, of course, was a master of waiting, so it wasn't a surprise when Jody was the one who cracked. Honestly, I couldn't blame her. â€Å"Well. Jack should be home soon. I should get going.† I stood up with her and helped her gather the tools. We all exchanged a few more stiff remarks, then parted ways. â€Å"What happened? What happened?† exclaimed Bastien when I came back inside. â€Å"I saw Dana out there.† â€Å"Nothing new. Jody's a saint; Dana's a bitch. I hope you hurry up and get this done with.† â€Å"Damn it, I'm trying! I don't suppose you found out anything useful?† â€Å"Not really†¦although, I think Jody knows something about Dana. Something juicy enough even for you. She wouldn't tell me exactly what.† The incubus clung to this piece of information like a dog with a bone. â€Å"You've got to find out what! Call her up tomorrow. Take her to lunch.† â€Å"Jesus, Bastien. I like her, but I'm not doing your work for you. This is your show, remember? Besides, I do have a life, you know. â€Å" He scowled. â€Å"That's up for debate.† â€Å"Why are you so worked up about this Dana thing anyway? I mean, I'd love to see her fall, but the way you're acting†¦I don't know. It's totally pushing you over the edge.† â€Å"Why shouldn't I be worked up? Just because you don't play the soul game anymore doesn't mean the rest of us don't have an eye on our careers.† I knew Bastien too well not to suspect there was some other reason we were fighting all the time. â€Å"And that's all it is, huh? Just good old-fashioned American work ethic?† â€Å"Yes,† he said stiffly. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with that.† We locked matching Hunter gazes, and I tried to let him know with my eyes that I knew there was more than he was telling me. He stared stonily back, refusing to open up. At last, I shook my head, not wanting to be drawn into any more fighting. â€Å"Mind if I use your hot tub?† I asked instead. He gestured toward the back patio. â€Å"Sure. Have the run of the house. Use me and go.† â€Å"You're being childish.† Not answering, he went off to watch TV. I let myself out through the patio and flipped open the hot tub's lid. Hot steam poured out, and I sighed with pleasure. It felt downright decadent after being out in the cold all day. Glancing around, I took in the vine-covered privacy trellises. There were three of them with a person-sized gap between each one. Dusk was rapidly giving way to darkness, and I felt pretty obscured from the neighbors. I stripped off my clothes and tentatively put a foot in the tub. Hot. Very hot. I yanked it out, then waited a minute before trying again. Slowly, I eased the rest of me in, bit by bit. When I was finally submerged from the neck down, I exhaled happily and leaned my head back against the edge. Fantastic. I kicked on the bubbles and closed my eyes. Suddenly, I found myself able to forget it all. Doug. The guy from the club. Dana. Seth. Well, maybe not Seth entirely. But I could forget the bad things, at least. When my hair had curled from the steam and sweat was rolling down my forehead, I stood up and sat on the tub's edge, letting the air dry me off. A lot of people don't understand outdoor hot tubs, but I preferred them to indoor ones. Nothing can match that temperature change. Once cooled, I sat back in the water, ready to repeat the process. I could have done this all night and been perfectly happy. I'd only been back in the water a few minutes when I heard a twig snap from somewhere nearby. It was like a bad-horror-movie clich? ¦, butterrifying nonetheless. I shot out of the water, splashing everywhere, scrambling over the side as I heard a rustle of leaves and brush. â€Å"Bastien!† I yelled, running back into the house. He tore into the room, face pale and alarmed. â€Å"What's the matter?† I backed away from the patio, pointing. â€Å"There's someone out there. â€Å" Nothing could really hurt me, of course, but being immortal does not relieve a person of instinctual fear and caution. There'd be time to feel embarrassed about girly behavior later. His eyes cut to the patio, and he moved outdoors without any hesitation to look around. My knight. I waited in the kitchen, dripping water onto the wood floor, my heart still thumping. He returned a few minutes later and shook his head. â€Å"There's nothing out there. You imagined it.† â€Å"No. It was there. I heard it.† â€Å"Then it was an animal.† He suddenly smirked. â€Å"Or maybe Reese getting a thrill.† When I didn't laugh at the joke, he approached and pulled me to him, unconcerned about getting his clothes wet. My body trembled against his. â€Å"It's all right,† he murmured. â€Å"You're okay. You're safe.† He pulled off his blazer and wrapped it around me. It was too big, but it felt wonderful. I huddled against him, still too fazed to shape-shift some more substantial clothing on. â€Å"Come on, Fleur .You know I'm here. You know I won't let anything happen to you.† The animosity we'd built from our fight went away, and suddenly we were back to normal again. He took me upstairs to his bedroom, still keeping his arm around me. I shape-shifted dry as we walked and turned back into my Georgina self. Changing into his usual shape as well, he pulled me down to the bed with him so my head rested on his chest. A lot of immortals don't understand the way incubi and succubi relate to each other. We tend to touch a lot, in ways that are small but still intimate by most standards. I'd been accused many times of being sexually involved with Bastien – or someone else – over the years. Yet the truth was that in all of our time together, he and I had never actually had anything romantic happen. We were close, physically and emotionally, but that came from friendship, nothing more. Because honestly, when you spent most of your existence giving complete strangers access to your body, it seemed stupid not to enjoy physical bonding with those you actually cared about. And again, by physical bonding, I just meant small things, not even those that resulted in orgasm or a PG rating. Petting. Stroking. Massaging. Kissing here and there. They were all signs of closeness. We needed them, I think, to keep ourselves sane with the way we lived. And there was a certain comfort to knowing that in doing this, the other person got exactly the same thing in return. I could not have had such an equitable emotional relationship if I'd sought a similar physical exchange with, say, Hugh or the vampires. It would have meant something different to them. Which was why I could lay there in Bastien's bed, half naked, with my body twisted around his. We laughed under the blankets, reminiscing about past times when we had to sleep in similar – but less comfortable – ways. Ship cabins. Narrow boardinghouse beds. Campsites along country roads. Then too, we'd huddled together for warmth and security. I ended up spending the whole night with him. He held me the entire time in as gentlemanly a way as Seth might have. But with Bastien, I didn't toss and turn with worry all night over what damage one careless touch might do. It was the best night of sleep I'd had in weeks. When I returned home the next day, I called Seth and asked him if he'd been at the bookstore yesterday. He verified that he had and that Doug had behaved himself. â€Å"He was kind of goofy and chipper but nothing like that day.† â€Å"Good. I hope that's the end of it.† There was an awkward pause, and then Seth asked, too casually: â€Å"Were you out again last night? I called you pretty late and didn't get an answer. â€Å" â€Å"Oh, yeah. I stayed at Bastien's all night.† â€Å"Oh.† Silence. â€Å"It's not what you think,† I hastily assured him. â€Å"We just slept. Perfectly platonic. Just like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You and me?† Silence. â€Å"Nothing happened. He's like a brother to me. Honest. He's the last person you should be jealous of.† â€Å"I'm not jealous. Not exactly. But if you say it's nothing, then it's nothing. I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of lying. I know you wouldn't do that.† I thought about oral sex at the dance club and my bare skin pressed against Bastien's. I might not lie, but I didn't always tell Seth the whole truth either. A few days later, Seth and I went to another Nocturnal Admission concert. Doug and I had worked together all week in a civil manner, if not exactly a friendly one. Seth picked me up at my place and again could only stare in wonder at my appearance. I'd gone out hunting with Bastien last night – against my better judgment – and had taken another victim. The glamour hadn't quite diminished yet, and I would have looked hot even in a burlap bag. So, I suppose wearing the kind of dress I did was just outright mean. It was a little slip of a dress in gray cotton jersey, with a ribbon threaded around it that tied just under my breasts. The thin-strapped, V-necked top showed lots of cleavage; the skirt hung soft and drapey to just above my knee. It was like a winter sundress. Seth put his arms around me and nuzzled my neck. â€Å"You never fail to surprise me. I always think I know what to expect with you. Then I actually see you, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't finish, but his eyes did it for him. They slid up and down my body, making my insides melt. Throw me on the bed and take me, I begged silently. Out loud I said, â€Å"We should get going.† At the concert, Nocturnal Admission performed as spectacularly as last time. Their following had increased, and people packed every square inch of the place. I had trouble seeing the stage but could hear every golden note. Fortunately, I got to see plenty of Doug later. The venue had let him use the place for another wild, post-concert party. Adoring women – and several men – clung flirtatiously to him and the other band members. Doug hugged me when he saw me, arranged for someone to make me a decent drink, and acted as though nothing had happened between us. I guessed I was glad to set aside the hard feelings, but now that I knew what to blame his behavior on, his bright and wild demeanor unnerved me. Casey showed up at one point, still looking a bit gaunt, but obviously on the mend. From across the room, I watched her tentatively approach Alec. He'd been talking to Wyatt the guitar player and turned to give her an obviously forced and fake smile. I couldn't hear the conversation, but the message came through loud and clear. She wanted to talk to him, to get his attention in some way, and he was blatantly snubbing her. I could see him shaking his head as she spoke, an almost desperate look on her face. Finally, he simply walked away, leaving her staring and upset. â€Å"I want to go over there and punch him,† I told Seth. â€Å"No, you don't. It's their business, not yours.† I turned on him. â€Å"Damn it, Seth! How can you always be so placid and nonconfrontational? Don't you stand up for anything?† He regarded me coolly. If he was surprised or offended by my outburst, he didn't show it. â€Å"I stand up for plenty of things. I just know when to pick my battles, that's all. So should you.† â€Å"You realize he slept with her and then turned around and dropped her cold. He may have even used sinister ways to do it.† â€Å"Believe me, I'm not condoning that, but Casey's got to be the one to say something. Otherwise, it's just you making accusations and starting a scene.† I scowled, half agreeing with him but still wishing I could help. Looking around, I couldn't see her anymore, which was probably just as well. With any luck, she'd gone home and would swear off the company of men for a while. Seth left for the bathroom, and almost the moment he was gone, Alec sidled up. â€Å"Hey, Georgina. You look hot.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. I angled my body away, hoping he'd get the signal I wasn't interested. He was lucky I didn't just turn around and deck him. â€Å"You're, like, the best-looking woman in here tonight.† Whether that was actually true or not, I knew the life-force surplus made me the most attractive. There was a difference. Eyeing Alec, I suddenly toyed with the idea of returning his flirtation and sleeping with him. I rather liked the idea of seeing him sprawled out unconscious and sick somewhere. Nah. On second thought, considering he was such a sleazebag, I probably wouldn't steal enough energy to do much more than wind him. â€Å"You drinking those vodka gambits again?† he asked, still pushing the act. â€Å"Gimlets,† I corrected. â€Å"Well, the bar can make anything if you want something different. And there's weed everywhere. I think I saw Corey with acid too.† This guy just couldn't stop trying to fuck women over. He didn't care how he did it. Seth showed up just then, and I turned to him with a dazzling smile. â€Å"Nice talking to you Alec,† I said breezily, taking Seth's arm. â€Å"See you around.† â€Å"What was that about?† asked Seth, once we were out of earshot. â€Å"That asshole was trying to pick me up again. Right after turning away Casey. God, I hate him. He was trying the usual stuff too. Trying to push more drinks on me. Telling me how hot I was.† Seth leaned his face toward mine. â€Å"You are hot.† â€Å"Stop that. You're giving me funny ideas.† He continued holding me close. I really needed to wait two days before seeing him after a fix. â€Å"Ever wonder how far I could kiss you on the lips?† he asked. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Well, I can somewhat substantially kiss your cheek and neck, right? Your lips though†¦well, those have to be quick, brushing kind of kisses. Too much intensity and tongue with your mouth is right out. So, I figure there must be a middle ground.† â€Å"Have you been drinking?† â€Å"Just thinking, that's all.† The rapture from my glow was reflected in his face. Forgetting about anyone we knew seeing us, I let him lean his mouth toward my own. Ever so gently, his lips touched mine. Not a family-type slip of a kiss, nor a saliva-exchanging deep kiss either. It was like a caress. His lips slowly stroked my lips, his tongue just barely tracing the contours of my mouth. Electricity ran from my head to my toes and tried to run back up again, but it got delayed between my legs. Seth stepped away. â€Å"Anything bad happen?† â€Å"No,† I breathed. â€Å"But I think we need to conduct several repeat experiments, just to make sure.† Suddenly, from across the room, we heard whoops and cheers, followed by a terrific crashing sound and gasps of alarm. Without conscious communication, Seth and I moved as one to see what had happened. Doug lay in a heap on the floor in front of the stage, laughing hysterically. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked Corey. His eyes were heavily dilated, and I remembered Alec saying the bass player had acid. â€Å"It's a new Olympic sport. Stage-table High Jumps.† Following his gaze, I saw a table set up on the stage. About fifteen feet away, on the floor by Doug, was an overturned table. I looked back and forth. â€Å"Did he try to jump from that table to that one?† Corey cackled. â€Å"Sure did. Shit. He almost made it. Caught the edge on his way down.† â€Å"He could have broken his leg,† muttered Seth in disgust. â€Å"Or worse.† Doug seemed to be okay. Some solicitous women in tight shirts were helping him stand. He caught my eye and laughed harder. â€Å"Don't look so panicked, Kincaid. I'm fine†¦but if you want to make sure, you can come kiss me too and make it all better.† He winked at Seth, and others laughed with him, without knowing why. I was soon forgotten as more adoring people swarmed in. Seth and I retreated. â€Å"What was he thinking?† I fretted. â€Å"I mean, he's always doing crazy acrobatic stuff on stage, but he had to have known he couldn't make that.† â€Å"If he's not thinking straight, there's no telling what he believes. Drugs,ll do that. Give you a sense of invincibility.† I reminded myself to look up those drug names Cody had suggested. I didn't know if it'd do any good, but it'd at least make me think I was doing something. â€Å"Hey,† I exclaimed, pulling Seth to an abrupt stop. â€Å"It's him again.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"That guy talking to Alec. The weird gothic, male-model-type guy.† Seth followed my gesture. Way on the other side of the place, near the bar, Alec and the man I'd seen at the earlier concert were having a heated argument. The GQ-poet guy looked stern and cold tonight, dampening his otherwise suave and polished looks. Alec had a pleading look. The drummer gesticulated frantically, his face desperate and frightened. The other man shook his head sternly, face unyielding. He waved a hand toward the crowd and then said something to Alec. Alec's face paled, and he once more turned into a pitiful supplicant. The other man shook his head yet again, then strode off. He didn't approach us exactly, but he had to move in our direction to reach the exit. He was still a good fifty feet away and separated by walls of people when an odd, prickly feeling touched my skin. It was strange and discordant, yet sleek at the same time. It was almost like what I'd felt around Doug and the band, except that had been unidentifiable. This was clearly a person's signature. It was linked to that man, pulsing with sentience. I choked out a strangled sound and quickly stepped back out of range. Pulling Seth with me, I threw my arms around him and kissed his neck. As I did, I watched out of the corner of my eye as the strange man froze and jerked his head around, looking out over the crowd. He had felt me too. His eyes passed over us several times, but we drew no especial focus. We were just another couple getting hot and heavy. I tensed, waiting for him to come closer and try to sense me again. Without knowing why, I didn't want him to find me. He scanned a bit longer before giving up and continuing his retreat. When he had left, I relaxed and leaned into Seth. â€Å"What†¦?† â€Å"That man that was talking to Alec,† I said, still in shock. â€Å"He's an immortal.† Seth's eyebrows rose. â€Å"Really? What kind? Angel? Demon?† â€Å"None of the above. He's not one of mine.† â€Å"What do you mean not one of yours?† â€Å"Not all immortals are part of the heaven and hell system. There are a lot of other creatures walking the world: nymphs, orisha, oni†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You do realize you've just thrust me into a theological quandary likely to keep me awake at night for years,† he joked. When I didn't answer, he turned serious. â€Å"Okay. So what kind was he?† I shook my head. â€Å"That's the thing. I don't know. I don't know what he was exactly.†

picasso and george braque essays

picasso and george braque essays PICASSOS and BRAQUES FABULOUS BREAKTHROUGH Painting is one of the most interesting skills in our life. Any child of eight can do it, but the important thing in painting is uses of styles. The people who have talents and can use styles very successfully and can create new techniques. With the new techniques, primitive art lost the sense and artists found modern techniques so modern art period started. Looking for the origin of modern art, it is the way of primitive art. Primitive art is far away from culture, traditions, styles but we must consider that modern art comes after developing primitive styles. That is to say; modern art is affected by primitivism.(Goldwater,1986) Art become meaningful because it has the power to express ideas, forms and events; it reflects peoples opinion, artists feelings. The modern art began with Industrial Revolution in the second half of the 19th century and new art styles and movements appeared and disappeared.(Smith,1972) All distinct styles came from different aspects of the ch anging world and each reflects the modernism in its own way. The most effective period of modern art was 20th century and Cubism which is the paintings with cubic shapes is the most influential visual arts style of the 20th century that was created principally by the painters Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque   in Paris between 1907 and 1914. (Herbert,1964). Picasso and Braque used similar common styles of cubist, but the differences are most important which are their own styles and object that they used, different forms of Cubism movement that they started and the different political view that they showed as a reflection of their ideas in their paintings. Even they had different or similar ideas of Cubism, both of two were the creater of Cubism at the same time but I can said that Picasso had the more influence on Cubism than Braque. The only similar...

The Job Cuts in the U.S. Postal Service

The Job Cuts in the U.S. Postal Service Chapter One The article written by Lisa Rein discusses the expected job cuts in the U.S. Postal Service; in particular, the author reports that approximately 7,500 jobs are going to be eliminated in the near future (Rein unpaged).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Job Cuts in the U.S. Postal Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To a great extent, this policy is aimed at reducing the administrative costs of the government; nevertheless, the representatives of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) argue that these reductions will result in numerous delays in mail delivery (Rein unpaged). Moreover, according to the finding of PRC, the government will not be able to achieve the expected savings (Rein unpaged). On the whole, this initiative can pose a significant threat to the infrastructure of the country (Rein unpaged). This article is closely related to the several the concepts discussed in Chapter One of the te xtbook; in this case, special attention should be paid to government corporations and regulatory commissions that perform different functions and interact with one another; for example, the Postal Service can be a government corporation that serves the needs of the population. In turn, regulatory commissions like the PRC are supposed to control and monitor different economic relations within the country. The situation described by Lisa Rein illustrates the conflict between these agencies of the government. Chapter Two Another important event that should be discussed is the intention of the U.S. Supreme Court to review the federal policies regarding same-sex marriage; this issue is closely examined in the article by Adam Liptak. According to the author, the U.S. Supreme Court may review and even reject the legal definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman; the judges may exclude the notion of gender from this definition (Liptak unpaged). Adam Liptak emphasizes the idea tha t nowadays the decisions regarding the status of same-sex marriages are taken by the governments of separate states of the country; in contrast, a new definition of marriage can legitimize the wedlock of same-sex couples and the consent of state governments may not be required. These are the main implication of this case, but at this point it is too early to speak the changes in the legislation of the United States, but this legal debate indicates at a dramatic shift in the public opinion.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This event is linked to one of the concepts mentioned in the Chapter Two of the textbook, namely the division of the government into three branches. They have to perform different tasks such as the development of laws, the enforcement of these legal acts and their interpretation. The actions of the Supreme Court indicate that judicial and legislativ e branches of the government can interact with one another in effort to change the laws of the country. Chapter Three The recent presidential campaign and the struggle between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have attracted much attention of the press; in his article, Sean Sullivan examines the disagreement between these politicians regarding such an issue as the redistribution of wealth (Sullivan unpaged). In particular, Sean Sullivan refers to the words of Barack Obama who said that the government should ensure every citizen of the United States should have equal opportunities (Sullivan unpaged). In part, this goal can be achieved through the redistribution of wealth (Sullivan unpaged). Mitt Romney responded to this argument by saying that such an approach could undermine the core values of the country, for example, the right to property and income (Sullivan unpaged). The events described by the author are closely tied to the ideas explored in our readings, for example, the classic an d modern dilemmas of the government discussed in the Chapter Three. The redistribution of wealth is related to the modern dilemma, namely the need to promote equality in the society and the need to ensure the individual freedom of citizens. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney represent two different to the solution of this dilemma; Obama places emphasis on equality while, Romney stresses the individual freedom of citizen and their right to property (Sullivan unpaged). Therefore, the concepts discussed in the readings have significant implications for modern-day politics. Chapter Four The article written by Phillip Rucker describes the attempts of the Republican Party to reduce the role of the trade unions in Michigan (Rucker unpaged). In particular, the author focuses on the so-called right-to-work laws according to which employees are not obliged to join the union and pay any fees to these organizations (Rucker unpaged). One can say that this legislation can almost entirely exclude trade unions from the negotiations between workers and private businesses; overall, this change is more likely to benefit the employers who can dictate their terms to employees (Rucker unpaged). The critics of right-to-work laws believe that these legal changes can undermine the rights of workers; more importantly, this policy can deprive the Republican Party of its influence in Michigan for a very long time (Rucker unpaged). This article is closely related to the issues covered in the textbook; in this case, special attention should be paid to the role of interest groups that can attract the attention of policy-makers to certain problems or issues and promote legal specific changes. The situation described in the article illustrates the conflict between several interests groups, namely the employers and trade unions; in this case, they have very different goals and priorities that do not coincide with one another.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Job Cuts in the U.S. Postal Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chapter Five In his article, Sean Sullivan discusses the recent disagreement between Democrats and Republicans; in particular, the politicians debate such issues as spending cuts and tax increases (Entitlement debate, unpaged). According to the author, the Republicans oppose to the increased taxes for the wealthiest citizens of the United States; in contrast, Democrats believe that this policy is necessary to fund governmental programs such as Medicare (Entitlement debate, unpaged). In the opinion of the Republican politicians, such strategies are more likely to harm middle-class people, rather than benefit them (Entitlement debate, unpaged). In turn, Democrats believe that this strategy is not likely to reduce the income of many residents. On the whole, this debate is closely tied to the questions discussed in Chapter 5, for example, such concepts as pluralism and majoritarianism. Thi s disagreement illustrates the principles of pluralism that stresses the needs of different groups. It seems that pluralism ensures that the needs of particular groups are not disregarded by policy-makers who should remember that their decisions can have far-reaching implications for a great number of people. In contrast, majoritarianism in the Congress can result in the situation when there is no debate or discussion among legislators. This is one the main dangers that politician should avoid when discussing legal or social problems. Liptak, Adam. â€Å"Justices to Hear Two Challenges on Gay Marriage.† The New York  Times, 7 Dec. 2012. Web. nytimes.com/2012/12/08/us/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-two-cases-on-gay-marriage.html. Rein, Lisa. â€Å"U.S. Postal Service announces sweeping job cuts, district office closures.† The Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-03-24/politics/35207861_1_postal-regulatory-commission-postal-servic e-service-cuts. Rucker, Phillip. â€Å"In Michigan, heart of organized labor, Republicans push to limit union power.† The Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. washingtonpost.com/politics/in-michigan-heart-of-organized-labor-republicans-push-to-limit-union-power/2012/12/07/a9583a2a-4098-11e2-bca3-aadc9b7e29c5_story.html. Sullivan, Sean. ‘Romney draws attention to Obama ‘redistribution’ remark from 1998.’ The Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2012. Web. washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/09/18/romney-draws-attention-to-obama-redistribution-remark-from-1998/ .Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More -. ‘Entitlement debate sparks disagreement along party lines.’ The  Washington Post, 9 Dec. Web. washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/09/democrats-republicans-divided-over-entitlements/

Customer service skills every employee needs

Customer service skills every employee needs If you work with clients on a regular basis, you always need to be on your game. Being good at customer service means that when you’re grumpy, tired, or super-busy, you still project a friendly and professional tone at all times.  Even if you’re not working directly in customer service, per se, that doesn’t mean that customer service skills do not apply to you- it can never hurt to brush up on your people skills, no matter what industry you work in. Here are a few universal skills that every good employee should master if they want to make sure not to lose clients or customers for their business- or make big jerks of themselves at crucial moments.CommunicationIf you can’t communicate well verbally and in writing, then it’s time to learn. When you are representing a company, things like poor grammar, misspellings, excessive slang, and a too-casual tone really come across as unprofessional. Aim to express yourself clearly and articulately in whateve r format you are required to. Check and double-check all written communication, and take care with your words. Then, get better at it. Solid communication skills will make everything in your life- especially your job- go more smoothly.RespectThis one seems obvious but it’s worth repeating to yourself now and again: treat others as you would like to be treated. This goes for your boss, that annoying customer screaming at you about something out of your control, and the cleaning staff. Some simple things you can do  to show respect are using a person’s name, actually listening when they talk, not talking over them, not looking bored, and making eye contact. If these actions don’t come naturally, make an effort to thoughtfully add them to your daily interactions. Pretty soon, they’ll become habit.PatienceThey don’t call it a virtue for nothing. Don’t rush people out the door, off the phone, or out of your cubicle without making sure they feel heard. Giving slower service or taking a bit of extra time is sometimes the smartest, most effective (and efficient) way to work- even when you just want to move on to the next task. Stay focused and show that you are paying attention. Give people your full concentration (please, please, don’t check your phone when someone is talking to you) and repeat back key details to demonstrate that you are listening and comprehending.KnowledgeKnow your job, your company, and your product inside out. Never be the person who doesn’t have the answer to a question- if it isn’t your department, you should know off the top of your head the right person to contact for the answer. And, of course, you should be a total  expert when it comes to your company role and responsibilities. Know everything there is to know so that if anyone comes to you with a problem you don’t have to tell them you aren’t familiar with some aspect of your job.AdaptabilityGet better at re ading people. What do they want, exactly, to happen from your interaction? And how do they want to be dealt with or addressed? Every person- customer or boss- comes with his or her set of personal quirks. It’s never about cookie-cutter solutions. Your approach for dealing with people must adapt to the specific situation. If you’re too rigid, you’ll seem fake and uncaring.CreativityBeing able to find workaround solutions and think outside of the box to solve a problem is a huge asset to any career. Cultivate your ability to think of something, anything, to help out- even when the situation seems hopeless. Stay tenacious and positive and work through it until a resolution comes to you. Even if your solution isn’t the answer, everyone will admire your dedication. When people see you are making an honest effort, they are very appreciative. You’ll come out looking like a true professional.

Acadian ambulance service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Acadian ambulance service - Essay Example Flight system. Acadian ambulance service offers specialized aviation services with international expertise. It provides information required to make conversant decisions and to deal with the risks effectively. The flight services make it expedient to travel with increased concentration on valuable experience. The flight services of Acadian Ambulance Service is available 24/7 for any emergency services with safe, relaxed and effortless travel ([2] Acadian, â€Å"Executive Aircraft Charter Service†). Employment opportunities. Acadian Ambulance Service is known for providing excellent employment opportunities and offering them a greater prospect to grow as professionals. It helps the employees to progress and to try different activities in order to help and improve the ambulance services which can have positive impact on the life of others. In Acadian Ambulance Service, there are diverse employment opportunities for individuals to select such as HR generalist, billing specialist, safety technician and pilot among others ([3] Acadian, â€Å"Careers†). Pension system. Acadian Ambulance Service is committed to provide several pension and benefitsto its employees. It allows employees the flexibility to select such benefits and plans which matters highly for their individual objectives. The pension plans of Acadian Ambulance Service are based on delivering keen support to the wellness of its employees along with their families (Acadia University, â€Å"Total Reward Philosophy†). Benefits. Acadian Ambulance Service provides several benefits to the employees. The remunerations and benefits are regarded as a key portion of the organization’s strategy and it also determines its image as an ideal place to work. The benefits provided by Acadian Ambulance Service comprise reasonable earnings, dental plan, family assistance program, sports affiliation, leisure services, fuel

Nintendo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nintendo - Case Study Example With that approach, they were able to streamline promotion and advertising into a single and consistent message. On the other hand, Nintendo was emphasizing on selective specialization, whereby they targeted both children and hardcore gamers. This kind of approach created confusion among Nintendo’s customers, because the two segments of the market had different needs that called for different messages in the advertisements for each segment. Customer satisfaction was, therefore, not achieved, and Nintendo needed to address that issue in order to reclaim its market share. Analysis of Case Data The main cause of the issue was Nintendo’s failure to invest in new technology. Key customers in the video game industry are in two categories: nontraditional children or teenagers, and the 18-35 year old serious gamers. The industry’s profits and revenues are realized from the second group that spends huge amounts of money and time sharpening their skills. Furthermore, they are tech-junkies, an aspect that Sony and Microsoft noticed. They targeted the segment and created games with high-speed, powerful processors. From the number of Playstation units sold, it can be determined that Sony managed to reach the target group. 120 million Playstations were sold by Sony, compared to only 20 million GameCubes by Nintendo. Data on market share shows that Nintendo was steadily dropping. Alternative Solutions The circumstances facing Nintendo dictated two major alternatives: either fight the competition to get back its market share or shift focus to other markets and avoid direct competition. If they chose to fight, it would have meant putting emphasis on hardcore gamers like Sony and Microsoft, and then attempt to beat them in performance terms. With the high cost of essential components in the manufacture of high performance video games, Nintendo would be forced to sell at a loss. Furthermore, their children-friendly themes was disadvantaged against the new market of M-rated and violent games. The other option was to focus on a different market segment that was not being served by Sony’s PlayStation or Microsoft’s Xbox. Determining and Establish Key Decision Criteria Key decision criteria should be based on a firm’s advantage in a segment, competitive environment, profitability, growth rate and size (Rusetski 211). These should be supported by an understanding of demographic trends, the significance of market segmentation and the uncertainties that are associated with a change of market targets. Viewing the market differently, it is possible to identify several other specialized segments. Nintendo was able to identify the casual and hardcore gamers. From the two available alternatives, Nintendo can either; invest more and fight for the hardcore segment that seems to be setting the trend in video games, with the risk of ending up in more losses; or take yet another risk and focus on the casual segment and the sub-segments found within the category, which also risks a re-launch failure. However, the casual segment provides a wider market that includes families, seniors, women and children. Evaluation of the Alternatives While the pressure from the competition seems minimal in the casual segment, there is uncertainty in profitability, growth rate and size, even with Nintendo’s image being family-friendly. This is bec ause it cannot be known for sure whether the video game adoption process has reached a point of early and late majority buyers being ready to be members of the gaming society, yet they make upto 65 percent of the market. In the same way, the casual segment’s growth rate is not known. The greatest risk lies in the segment’

External and Internal Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

External and Internal Environments - Essay Example There are social, economic, political, legal etc factors that can effect a business environment. It can be analyzed that the two main segments that effect the business environment of Nike are the economic and social segments. Nike is a company based on U.S. which is the most technologically commanding nation in the world with a high level of GDP per capita of about $49800. As the level of income of people in U.S. high they have a good share of spendable income that they use in purchase of consumer goods like shoes. Nike is considered to have the largest market share of sports footwear business in U.S as estimated in 2012. The social environment of U.S. supports the business of sports shoes manufactured by Nike. United States has high rate of urbanization (82%) and an estimated growth of urbanization of about 1.2% from 2010 to 2015 (CIA, 2013). Most of the people in U.S. wear western dresses as casuals. Thus sports and lifestyle shoes of Nike are most commonly used by the people in U. S. 2. Considering the five (5) forces of competition, choose the two (2) that you estimate are the most significant for the corporation you chose. Evaluate how well the company has addressed these two (2) forces in the recent past. A company gets affected by various types of forces like threat of a new entrant, substitutes, existing rivalry in the industry, bargaining powers of buyers and suppliers. Among all, the most two important forces of competition that are likely to affect Nike are bargaining power of buyers and existing rivalry within the industry. The buyers of Nike shoes always demand for better quality of product but at lower prices. The bargaining power of the buyers of shoe industry in U.S is very high because there are various companies that produce shoes in U.S.(Iqbal, 2013). The company has to give various offers to attract more buyers for their products. Nike shoes are athletic shoes and various types of sports companies purchase bulk of their products. The company has to offer negotiable prices to these sports companies. It is observed that Nike shoes are rich fashionable shoes that exhibit the characteristics of luxurious products thus the degree of responsiveness of the buyers to change in prices are very high. The company has various rivals in the market. Companies like Reebok, Puma, and Adidas etc also produce lifestyle and sports shoes so if the prices of Nike shoes are increased to a very high level then it can drastically reduce the quantity demanded for Nike shoes. This signifies that the industry is highly competitive. Nike constantly upgrades their customized designs for lifestyle shoes so that they can pitch buyers on grounds of design and quality. In 2010 the company has introduced a new division known as Nike Digital Sports that has invented a special technology that can track the performance of a user in any type of sports. To lead in the progressing industry Nike has adopted low cost strategies like selling products online. 3. With the same two (2) forces in mind, predict what the company might do to improve its ability to address these forces in the near future. Nike as a firm can attract more potential consumers by making their shoes better in quality and fashion than the other companies. Nike may diversify the range of their lifestyle shoes so that apart from the people who participate in sports, Nike shoes are also

Implication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Implication - Essay Example We then proceed to the f test. In this instance, we are terming two hypotheses. The null hypothesis is that the other brand will be referred to LIDL breakfast bread and Kellogg breakfast bread. We test this null hypothesis against an alternative hypothesis. In this instance the alternative hypothesis is that irrespective of the addition of a new brand of breakfast bread into the market, many consumers stay loyal and prefer to purchase LIDL and Kellogg breakfast breads. The scenario can be presented as follows: The computed F value is 5.004. This f value is compared to the tabulated f value at 3 and 156 degrees of freedom that are the regression and residual sums of squares. Indeed, the computed f value is greater than the tabulated f value at the r=0.05 level of significance. This means that at the r=0.05 level of significance; we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that irrespective of new additions to the market, LIDL and Kellogg bread remain most popular. This is affirmed by the t-test that concludes that Kellogg and LIDL breakfast breads are good value for money and that they are reasonably priced. The two hypotheses being tested are that a new bread of the same quality as Kellogg and LIDL would not be preferred to an alternative a new bread with the same features as LIDL and Kellogg would be preferred. This can be presented as follows: At the r=0.05 level of significance, f tabulated is greater than f computed hence we fail to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that LIDL and Kellogg breakfast bread perform consistently irrespective of new additions to the

Field Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Field Report - Essay Example It can be apparently observed with the occurrence of physical changes amid the individuals affected with late adulthood. Usually, people with late adulthood will possess advance ageing and might lead to a retirement stage (Potter & Perry 191-211, 2009). The association amid the biological, psychological and the cultural factors aid in the identification of late adulthood (Pearson Education, 2013). In this article, a filed survey has been conducted in a community wherein older adults have been residing. The main purpose of this field experience is to find out the thoughts and the feelings of this specific group of people i.e. the late adulthood. Description of the Experience The field experience or the survey in terms of interacting with older adults in a community setting aims at finding out the development of late adulthood in that particular community and the way they lead their life. Moreover, the experience tends to verify whether the people with late adulthood were leading a bet ter life and attend various recreational activities or not. The targeted group of people in the field trip was 68 residents and the retirement home is 26 years. They were offered with two sorts of special care namely independent care and assisted living. The term ‘assisted living’ denotes the housing facility which is provided to the people having disability. In relation to the special features, the residents of the home were taken for shopping a month and provided church service twice a week. Other facilities such as beauty salon and haircut were also offered. Exploration of the Experience, Thoughts and Feelings Nursing is such a profession wherein a person must be treated as a human being rather than a patient. At an old age, a person is in utmost need of care, love and affection. The prime duty of the nursing professionals is to deliver proper care with affection especially to the older adults. After visiting the community of the older people, it was observed that th ose living in the retirement home were not only provided with the basic needs, but also with other necessary requirements and recreational activities. The activities such as band performances have been arranged for them so that the older people can lead a better life at the end of their life (BVT Publishing, 2001). An effective care was being provided as they were taken for shopping and visiting church regularly. Hence, from the field experience, it can be concluded that the old people residing in that community were provided with better physical along with mental care. Analysis of Learning The above field experience can be related with the learning of effective nursing programs linked with the perceptions of health, growth and development of late adulthood. From the experience, it can be affirmed that the people with late adulthood were at the end of their life and thus require to be enjoyed with their family and friends along with proper health care. Specially mentioning, delivera nce of an effectual nursing care is quite indispensable in their life along with the support of family and friends. Numerous physical and health related changes occur during this period that needs to be treated quite effectively by the trained health professionals. As a learner in the nursing program, one can be clear about the ways of taking the best care of the people residing i

Implication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Implication - Essay Example We then proceed to the f test. In this instance, we are terming two hypotheses. The null hypothesis is that the other brand will be referred to LIDL breakfast bread and Kellogg breakfast bread. We test this null hypothesis against an alternative hypothesis. In this instance the alternative hypothesis is that irrespective of the addition of a new brand of breakfast bread into the market, many consumers stay loyal and prefer to purchase LIDL and Kellogg breakfast breads. The scenario can be presented as follows: The computed F value is 5.004. This f value is compared to the tabulated f value at 3 and 156 degrees of freedom that are the regression and residual sums of squares. Indeed, the computed f value is greater than the tabulated f value at the r=0.05 level of significance. This means that at the r=0.05 level of significance; we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that irrespective of new additions to the market, LIDL and Kellogg bread remain most popular. This is affirmed by the t-test that concludes that Kellogg and LIDL breakfast breads are good value for money and that they are reasonably priced. The two hypotheses being tested are that a new bread of the same quality as Kellogg and LIDL would not be preferred to an alternative a new bread with the same features as LIDL and Kellogg would be preferred. This can be presented as follows: At the r=0.05 level of significance, f tabulated is greater than f computed hence we fail to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that LIDL and Kellogg breakfast bread perform consistently irrespective of new additions to the

Mafia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mafia - Assignment Example The mafia is involved in various criminal activities. These include prostitution rings in various cities and towns around the world. These organizations have brothels and operate night clubs to cover up their criminal activities. Most of the women in the prostitution rings are not willing participants but rather victims of human trafficking sold into the sex trade (Artemis 2004). The mafia is also involved in drug trade supplying large quantities of cocaine, amphetamines and other addictive drugs, besides selling to their customers, they also keep their sex workers hooked on these drugs so they have more control over them. Other mafia activities include loan sharking. They use their economic resources to give loans to needy people, most likely gamblers who have been caught up in gambling debts in the illegal gambling dens owned by the mafia. From such people, the mafia will extort large amounts of money to be used in other activities. The mafia is also involved in labor racketeering, smuggling of goods and at times bank robberies. All these activities are used to grow the organizations’ economic resources putting them in a better position to expand the scope of their illegal activities. Where the mafia is involved, slavery is still an issue. The most serious issue is when it comes to the prostitution rings. The mafia will sell young girls and women into sex slavery since most are unwilling to participate knowingly. In rare cases, the mafia will sell people into forced labor.

Compare two or more poems that convey different impressions about town life Essay Example for Free

Compare two or more poems that convey different impressions about town life Essay Compare two or more poems that convey different impressions about town life. Compare their purposes and techniques in writing these poems. In this essay I will analyse and discuss the similarities and differences of four poems, all about relating to life in London: Symphony In Yellow by Oscar Wilde, Composed Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth, London by William Blake, and Conveyancing by Thomas Hood. I will aim to focus on the techniques used by the poets and the overall effect the poet is trying to create. I will later illustrate the similarities and differences between the poems and how they convey comparable impressions of London. In the late 18th and 19th century, the country life was seen to be peaceful and calm, and London in general was seen as a busy and hectic atmosphere. Oscar Wilde was born in 1854 and grew up in an intellectually bustling Irish household. His inspirations of London came when he visited the city, in order of fulfilling his dream of becoming famous. I would expect an idealistic impression of London from Wilde, as he looks up upon London and believes that it is the place in which he will gain a successful career. William Wordsworth was brought up in the Lake District where he became extremely familiar of the exquisiteness of the surroundings. In his poems, I would expect Wordsworth to revolve around nature and to capture the inner beauty that the environment creates. William Blake was an imaginative poet who had visionary experiences for the supernatural. I expect that in his poems, the images created would be of an abnormal presence or enclosing a lack of liveliness and presenting a disturbed situation. Thomas Hood was brought up in a part of London which was not so wealthy, and where the citizens were not as well off than other parts of London. Later in his life, he was left to roam the streets of London, a time when he spent most of his life in solitary. This leads to me believing that Hood would write his poems about the different areas of the city, and what London basically comprises of. Also, I think believe that his poetry would have meaning that links in with the passing of time, as Hood spent a lot of his life watching the time go by. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 is a petrachan sonnet, not written about love, but one in which eulogises the view over West Minster Bridge. William Wordsworth is describing the view because he is inspired it and the feelings surrounding the beauty of the view. It is similar to Symphony in Yellow because it is an idealistic view of the surroundings; it also has a beautiful, tranquil impression of city life. The poem is set in the early morning, which gives a special sort of radiance to the city. It gives an impression of a clean and refreshed setting that is virtually seen as shiny and new. It beauty is enhanced by introducing the dazzling sun. The poem is different to Conveyancing as it is more peaceful and calming. Later in the day it would be more tense, more rushing, and lots of hustle and bustle. Wordsworths impression is based on London at a time of the morning where everything is asleep, and the time when nature invades a man-made scene. He uses antiquated words such as, doth, and ne-er which gives a sense of the city being more special, The city now doth. Wordsworth also uses similes such as, like a garment, wear the beauty of the morning, suggests that the morning is the striking part, like a garment cloaking the reality of the city. It is a covering, a beautiful faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade that is only temporary while the morning lasts. The word steep means to be saturated in. The sun is completely saturating the hill; never did it more beautifully shine until it shone onto the buildings. The power of the sun if infusing all buildings with light. The effect given is that of the sheer radiance of sun, which is saturating everything. The metaphor, That mighty heart relates towards the human body; the heart, being the main organ, is at the centre. The heart pumps resources around and therefore gives life and feeds the rest of the city. Everything centres around the city, while country is a life-giving organ. Touching and majesty in line 3 suggests awe and wonder, the poet is emotionally moved by the sight. It is a graceful and elegant sight that holds certain power that allows it to come across as commanding and reveal an impressive nature. It is to be looked upon, and it forces you to be humble upon its present. The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie. This list helps to construct the landscape as well as to create an image of all the buildings in the distant. It fills in the readers knowledge of the actual physical features that lay in the city, which help to understand the overall image created by filling in more detail to it. Bright and glittering implies a sense that the buildings are treasures, like jewels all glittering as the sun is shimmering through. Never did sun more beautifully steep contains alliteration, which produces sibilant sounds. This contributes to a tranquil feeling, certainly not an aggressive sound. It creates a restful atmosphere, and with the aid of soft consonants such as s a smooth dreamy effect is created. Neer saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! This repetition disrupts the flow and draws attention to the fine feeling he has. Quite a spontaneous feeling is illustrated by adding as it goes along; it is a personal attempt to record feelings. The river glideth at his own sweet will, is a form of personification that infuses the river with a sense of life. The personality of the river is amiable and sweet natured, it is a sentimental way of making it a positive feature. Dear God! The abrupt exclamation jolts the poem in attempt to suddenly articulate his feelings. It is quite a conversational line that recreates the experience of personal thought and emotion. The poem Conveyancing is a ballad that uses comedy to portray a bustling picture of life in London. Conveyancing is a general term for moving things from one place to another, which is exactly what this poem is about. It is a ballad, which tells a story, and is characterized by stanzas of four lines that rhyme alternately. The poem has a regular rhythm/rhyme scheme throughout, and regular syllables to help people sing it fluently. It is a version of a comedy poem with a punch that portrays London as a place of trade, poverty and stealing. The word Bustling suggests light-hearted action. Hood is being affectionate towards London but critical also, no one ever stops. It suggests that the city is too busy, and life is always on the go, loco-motion! Machine or man, or caravan, implies that people are always busy making and taking money. It also means that you can practically have anything if you pay for it. There is a lot of mention about the actual people in the city, and what happens in their life. Also, how they make an impact on how the city looks at a stereotypical perspective. There is talk about gambling, people getting drunk, and journalists. There are also jokes about horses being out of condition, Then if you like a single horse, This age is quite a cab-age. This suggests the poverty and scarcity in the city. Perched up to behind, at last to find, Your dinner is all dickey! This is being critical of the cafes in London, and also of the standard of food that is served there. There is a satirical tone that is brought in throughout the poem, whence the positive and negative aspects are shown. Some of the words are italicised, this defines a certain emphasis on words that create a constant rhythm going. There are a lot of references to transport such as steam, train and horses. This adds to the impression of a fast-paced moving environment. Symphony in Yellow is a poem where Wilde picks out dimensions of a scene that he is describing. There is far less activity in this poem than Conveyancing, and more of a tranquil atmosphere. The humans are not dominant impressions unlike Conveyancing. Symphony in Yellow is more about the nature and the soothing tone of the country. Crawls like a yellow butterfly, is associating with meadows and peace. It adds to the calm and relaxed mood of the poem. The thick fog hangs along the quay. This quote shows the fact that for is not just described as a dismal and depressing feature, but as elegant and enhancing. There are signs of trees and vegetation, The yellow leaves begin to fade. Also, And flutter from the Temple elms. Again, this enhances the nature prospect and the beauty of the poem. Pale green Thames, is another dazzling luxury, which brings colour to the scene. Wildes Symphony in Yellow is a simple image-based soporyphic poem. It is written in a very idealistic motion, painting a misleading portrait. It is more artistic that accurate. The poem is rather like Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 as it is an idealistic view of London, taking into account the nature and character of the city instead of focusing on man-made features.

McDonalds environment analysis for hospitality

McDonalds environment analysis for hospitality INTRODUCTION As per British Hospitality Association, hospitality is UK’s 4th largest industry which employs 2.7 million people in the UK and accounted for 27.7% of total job growth in the UK. Importance of this industry to the UK’s economy can never be overemphasised. In recent past the UK’s economy has faced radical changes which led the organisation to adapt and change in order to survive and grow. The aim of this research is to analyse the impact of business environment on the success of an organisation chosen from this ever growing Hospitality and Tourism industry. The study choses McDonald corporation which is a key food service retailer. McDonalds serves over 69 million customers in over 100 countries through its 36000 locations. The organisation stepped in the UK market in 1974 and has more than 1200 restaurants across the UK. References: http://www.bha.org.uk/ http://news.mcdonalds.com/Corporate/Press-Releases/Financial-Release?xmlreleaseid=123062 1.2 FACTORS AFFECTING AN ORGANISATION: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIORNMENTAL FACTORS As per www.study.com there are a number of events and situations that impact an organisation and they can be classified into: internal environmental factors and external environmental factors (referred to as IEF and EEF hereafter). Few examples of IEF would be changes in the management, cultural changes and employee morale changes etc. Similarly few examples of EEF will be industry regulations, economic and political factors, government regulations etc. References: http://study.com/academy/lesson/internal-and-external-environments-of-business-lesson-quiz.html 1.2.1 INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIORNMENTAL FACTORS IN THE CASE OF MCDONALDS: As per Campden BRI which is a food and drink research firm, there are six challenges that this industry will face in 2012 and beyond. The Campden report broadly classifies these factors as Manufacturing challenges Innovation Food Drink and the Consumer Safety Knowledge The tables below classifies the Campden BRI’s six factors as IEF and EEF applied in the case of McDonalds. Source: http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Supply-Chain/Campden-BRI-s-six-food-industry-challenges 1.2.2 ANALYSING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIORNMENTAL FACTORS IN CASE OF MCDONALDS This section tries to analyse various IEF and EEF based on 1.2.2.1 RAW MATERIAL CHALLENGES/SUPPLIERS- AN EXTERNAL ENVIORNMENTAL FACTOR The foremost supporters for McDonalds are their supplier as they are the one of the largest company to supply burgers in the US. Customer’s reputation is highlighted through maintained system of service, quality and cleanliness in every aspect. They have also met or exceed USDA standards that are strictest in the food industry. The public supporters are in general multiple support clubs and with respect to customer group represents multi fan sites and blogs. 1.2.2.2 MANUFACTURING CHALLENGES / AN INTERNAL ENVIROMENT FACTOR Analysing the business environment will attempt to demonstrate the complexity of issues arise with the organisation. They have developed network operation and distribution system. The company has been able to achieve consistent product taste. Their focus is on delivery sales and protecting its life time reputation. McDonalds has also done culture adaption to consider vegetarian options for their all universal food branch. 1.2.2.3 INNOVATION / AN INTERNAL ENVIROMENT FACTOR The innovation will increase both product quality and longevity. 1.2.2.4 FOOD, DRINK AND THE CONSUMER / McDonald’s had maintained the quite low bargaining power of buyers. They are very low risk of switching customers into other brands. There was quite stagnant image among the customers through quality of differentiation, customer care and other promotions. 1.2.2.5 SAFETY / REGULATORY AND STATUTORY COMPLIANCE 1.2.2.6: KNOWLEDGE / 1.2.2.7 EXPANSION/ NEW GEOGRAPHICAL MARKET A number of key internal and external environmental factors constitute the elements of long term sustainable growth plan and it will not be wrong to say that the geographical diversification is vital element to fuel growth. As per the company’s corporate website: â€Å"We believe these priorities align with our customers evolving needs, and combined with our competitive advantages of convenience, menu variety, geographic diversification and System alignment will drive long-term sustainable growth.† Looking into the recent trends it can be said that McDonald’s growth is fuelled by its franchise business. As per the company’s official website â€Å"We view ourselves primarily as a franchisor and believe franchising is important to delivering great customer experiences and driving profitability. At year-end 2014, more than 80% of McDonald’s restaurants were franchised. SOURCE: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/company_profile.html http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/company_profile.html References: http://www.bha.org.uk/ http://news.mcdonalds.com/Corporate/Press-Releases/Financial-Release?xmlreleaseid=123062 http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Aboutus/Franchising.html Competitive advantage http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Aboutus/Development/Locations_and_contacts.html McDonald is very open about its grown plans. On the official website the company has posted geographical regions for its intended growth region and invites the public to propose a development site. The study feel that by using this approach McDonalds is making an effective use of public information by providing an open platform for the local. This information gathering methodology not only is more efficient in terms of using local public knowledge about the area, but is also effective way of reducing planning, research and development cost and time that goes is development of a new site. This marketing strategy also adds to Brand awareness, brand recognition and stronger connect via the local people. Negative: The Company may end up losing a lot of time effort cost in moving in a direction which may not be fruitful. To afford a comparative analysis of the internal and external environment of McDonalds this study has used KFC’s corresponding data. It’s structured as an independent business with responsible accounting operations, community relations, training and human resources. They offer both counter service and drive through service with indoor and outdoor seating. In 2006, introduction of forever young brand was to redesign the current structure outlet of restaurant. One of the cornerstones of McDonalds success in the UK is its property portfolio, which provides a well located and convenient network of restaurants throughout the country for our customers to use and enjoy. There are almost 1200 restaurants to be found in a variety of locations such as traditional high streets; shopping centres; retail parks; roadside locations; leisure centres; railway and airport termini and motorway service areas. We are renowned for being the pioneers of the drive-thru restaurant concept and are the UK and world leader in this sector. This continues to be the key focus for our growth. Due to the growing success of the Company, the intention is to increase the pace of acquisitions with a target of 40 new restaurant openings per year from 2014, which will create up to 2,400 new job opportunities annually. The primary vehicle for this expansion will be freestanding drive-thru restaurants where convenience is key or locations in new or existing retail and leisure parks and transport hubs where visits are often part of a linked trip. Competitors http://www.kfc.co.uk/join-us/become-a-franchisee/ Mc Donald’s has a much stronger presence in the UK Market as compared to its competitors whereas a key rival KFC has 800 branches across the UK. http://www.kfc.co.uk/join-us/become-a-franchisee/ As evident from the information openly available on the website of Mc Donald’s KFC it appres that the cost of opening a Mc Donald’s franchise is much less as compared to cost of opening a KFC franchise. They suffer tough competition through burger king’s that are specialised in beef products. Wendy has also been added as a competitor due to high hamburger chains. They are other companies as well who are gaining market shares due to specialised in gourmet coffees, pasties and fresh sub sandwiches like Subway, Greggs and Starbucks. http://www.kfcdevelopment.co.uk/faqs/ KFC pays finders fee Do you pay finders fees for introducing a site? Yes we pay generous finders fees for recognised introductions  £20,000 for DT sites and  £12,500 for food courts/restaurants.* Figure: Competitors of McDonald’s A table showing a comparative analysis relating to the franchise between Mc Donald’s (UK) and KFC (UK) based on information directly available from the website. http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Aboutus/Franchising/the-finance-bit.html http://www.kfc.co.uk/join-us/become-a-franchisee/ Opponents McDonald’s has been targeted due to their popularity in the food industry. Recently there was criticism about the cow disease crisis which showed serious threats towards world health. Children welfare society also opposes this company about their advertisement on happy meal which continuously attract children to buy their products. The other opponents are mainly animal rights groups that supported animal cruelty, which are against the manufacture of food produced by killing animals. Environment Analysis McDonalds differs from its Competitors All leases are taken in the McDonalds Restaurants Ltd name McDonalds take leases up to 25 years McDonalds has a superior covenant strength achieving yields of between 5% and 6% Site requirements Mixed Use/Retail Parks/Leisure Parks/Main Arterial Routes Co-location opportunities with hotels and petrol stations considered Ideal site size is 0.5+ acres All opportunities considered: Standalone units/Leasehold or Freehold sites up to one acre Our Recommendations: The research asserts that being in food industry the importance of maintaining a healthy and clean image in the eye of the public can never be overemphasized. Having said that, the increasing competition in the industry may lead to targeted negative criticism towards McDonalds. Developing a proactive crisis management team will be key element to manage any crisis situation. This study feels that there is a direct correlation between growth planning and the number of outlets that an organisation can open in new geographical areas across the UK. The franchise model plays a key role in deciding the growth path in the UK market and how well McDonald’s and its competitors manage this model will determine the organisations future share in this industry segment in the foreseeable future. Below are some key recommendations: Proactive measures to find a store location in the newer markets: Whereas, inviting public to propose a site for an outlet is a very cost effective and efficient way for growth planning, at the same time the study feels that McDonalds should take proactive steps to capture all the key locations in the major towns and cities. Using extensive market research, talking to local people and other direct means of research will be highly recommended for this purpose. Encouraging active participation of local resources: From finding a new location to the stage of complete set up of a franchise store, the process may involve a close liaison with local public. The study feels that there should be more incentive for the local parties to take an enthusiastic participation in this process. The study found that the KFC offers a ‘Finder’s Fee’ covenant openly disclosed under the FAQ section whereas provision for such a clause was missing from McDonalds website. Full disclosure of key information which is vital for decision making: If the franchise procedure is explained well, it could play a key role in encouraging people to show active participation in the process. Whereas KFC’s website discloses information about handing of planning permission and the time duration involved in the whole set up process very openly, this was found missing from the franchise FAQs section of the McDonalds website. Clear and full disclosure of the vital facts will afford more tools for informed decision making in the hands of perspective franchisee.

Leonardos Laptop :: essays research papers

Ben Shneiderman, in Leonardo’s Laptop, introduces the idea of new education, which uses technology for active learning and collaborative teaching methods. In this new education, a part of the new computing, Shneiderman envisions an educational online web tool, which he calls LEON. This method of e-learning would provide a student oriented view of what is on the web. Students could gather information and acquire resources. It would allow students to recognize truth and useful information. LEON would allow for students to work in collaborative teams. Students and teachers will be able to work together and post the outcomes of the collaborations. It would allow for student participation, whether one on one or groups. E-learning would produce results that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom. An archive would be provided for students and teachers everywhere. These explain the idea’s for Shneiderman’s LEON in the new education, a part of the new computing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I agree with all parts of LEON. It would be an interest catching educational tool; Shneiderman proposes graphics and sound to captivate the student. As a creative outlet it would be ideal for students to explore everything technology has to offer while learning. A tool to gather information and acquire resources, I believe I agree that it would be useful for students to learn how to use the web to gather useful information. At the same time they would learn to avoid dangers and false information. I think that it would be great as a tool to work in collaborative groups. Here students would be able to share ideas and allow large amounts of people to work together. I agree that LEON would help to develop ambitious projects by students. By using LEON students know that others will be seeing their work, and this makes them polish them to perfection. Other students would be able to put their input in as well.