Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Starbucks’ Mission & Strategic Choices

Starbucks' Mission and Strategic Choices: Are They in Alignment? Executive Summary This paper examines strategic management, which encompasses business decisions and actions that: define the organization's mission and objectives, determine the most effective utilization of organizational resources, select best courses of action to meet its mission, and seek to assure the effectiveness of the organization within the environment. This case study evaluates the strategic management process, and applies those concepts to a practical case study of Starbuck’s mission statement. This case study is presented in the format of a formal business report – prepared by a consultant and presented to the Starbucks' Board of Directors and CEO – that provides an analysis of Starbucks' mission and strategic choices, and a summary of the alignment of those strategies to its mission. This report is based on a critical review of the Starbuck mission statement, goals, and objectives, which is then compared against the strategic choices that Starbucks has made (e. g. product differentiation, research and development, operations) to determine how well Starbuck’s strategic choices are aligned to the company’s mission and vision. Finally, this study answers the question: Will the company continue its past  success? Randy Tanner, 2009 Starbucks' Mission and Strategic Choices: Are They in Alignment? Cover Sheet: Starbucks Corp. 2401 Utah Avenue South Seattle, WA 98134 Phone: 206-447-1575 Fax: 206-682-7570 Web Site: http://www. starbucks. com Business Plan presented to:Howard Schultz, Chairman of the Board, President, CEO Starbucks Board of Directors Prepared by:Randy S. Tanner Statement of Purpose:Analysis of Starbucks' Mission and Strategic Choices: Are They in Alignment? Table of Contents Executive Summary4 Background4 Company Description4 Starbucks' Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives. 4 Strategies. 5 Management Team. 6 Business Model. 6 Infrastructure7 Offering. 7 Revenue Model. 7 Pricing. 8 Customers. 8 Competitors. 8 Stakeholders. 8 Marketing Strategy. 9 Financials. 9 Analysis10 Company Analysis. 10 Current Marketing Mix Strategies (Product, Price, People, and Promotion). 10 Current Target Markets10 Market Analysis. 10 Competition & SWOT Analysis. 11 Competitive advantage. 12 Financial Analysis. 12 Conclusion13 Are Starbucks' mission and strategic choices in alignment? 13 Will the company continue its past  success? 13 Executive Summary Are Starbucks' mission and strategic choices in alignment? Yes. The strategies of innovation, product differentiation, and customer experience are directly aligned with Starbucks published mission â€Å"to establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world,† while â€Å"inspiring and nurturing† the spirit of their customers. Starbucks continues to apply strategies to expand its product offering in both breadth and depth. Coupled with this strategy is the expansion of alternate distribution channels to multiply the potential in increased revenues. Each offering in the product portfolio reinforces the brand name and quality experience described in the company’s vision statement. The recent focus on increasing profits in existing stores is not a shift of business strategy, but more of a symptom of business maturity – less waste equals more profit. The corporation has tempered its original goal of market dominance by saturation – slowing its growth in new stores – to market dominance with more efficient and more profitable stores with its strategy of disciplined expansion in key markets. The strategy of using the Seattle’s Best segment, vice Starbucks to expand the base of corporate customers also supports Starbucks’s prime mission. This elevation of Seattle’s Best does not create a corporate-sponsored competitor to the nearby Starbucks stores, but does serve as an alternate distribution channel for the company’s expanded product line. Therefore, this strategy supports the overall brand quality of Starbucks as the â€Å"premier coffee,† yet captures additional customers that do not seek the branded Starbuck experience and would likely choose one the niche competitors. This strategy can cater to a slightly different clientele – in both coffee stores and supermarkets – and increase overall corporate revenues. Will the company continue its past success? Yes. A continued emphasis on customer satisfaction, coupled with effective strategies that develop new product lines, will stimulate revenue growth and stabilize share prices. The current vision and path summarized by Starbucks president and CEO, Howard Schultz, is a commitment to â€Å"continually improving our customer experience as the roadmap to renewed growth and increasing profitability,† with emphasis on continued application of previously successful strategies, â€Å"we will continue to innovate and differentiate, two perennial hallmarks of the Starbucks brand. † (Starbucks Financial Releases, 2009) Background Strategic management is â€Å"a company-wide process that includes  a long-term plan of action that assists in achieving  an  organization's objectives and  fulfills company vision,† (course material) and is comprised of four major elements: situation analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation. (Bushman, (2007) This Strategic Management process includes the following steps: (Luca, 2009) 1. Developing a Vision/Mission/Goals and Objectives 2. Analyzing the environment company (internal and external) 3. Identifying internal Strengths and Weaknesses and external Threats and Opportunities (SWOT) 4. Articulating  strategic choices at the business, functional, and corporate levels 5. Selecting a strategy or strategies, based on in-depth internal and external analyses, to accomplish vision and mission goals. These strategies may exist at several levels: business, functional, corporate, and global. Company Description According to the company’s Factsheet (2009), Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The original name of â€Å"Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices† was later changed to â€Å"Starbucks Coffee Company. As quoted from Google Finance (Starbucks Corporation, 2009), Starbucks, together with its subsidiaries, â€Å"purchases and roasts whole bean coffees and sells them, along with fresh, rich-brewed coffees, Italian-style espresso beverages, cold blended beverages, complementary food items, a selection of premium teas, and coffee-relate d accessories and equipment, through Company-operated retail stores. Starbucks also sells coffee and tea products and licenses its trademark through other channels. Starbucks produces and sells a range of ready-to-drink beverages. The business segments of the Company are United States, International, and Global Consumer Products Group (CPG). The CPG segment includes packaged coffee and tea sold globally through channels, such as grocery stores and operates through joint ventures and licensing arrangements with consumer products business partners. † Starbucks' Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives. Mission statements are â€Å"fundamental to the survival and growth of any business,† (Analoui and Karami, 2002) and â€Å"set the direction and goal for the long term, reflecting the strategic intent. (course material) According to Germain and Cooper (1990), an appropriate mission statement serves to â€Å"promote a sense of shared expectations amongst employees and communicate a public image of the firm to important stakeholders and groups in the company's task environment. † Starbucks’ mission statement as stated in the corporate Factsheet (2009) is â€Å"To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles as we grow. The company’s stated Vision, Goals, and Objectives may be found listed as â€Å"Our Starbucks Mission† in the corporate website (The Company, 2009). This vision is expressed as â€Å"To inspire and nurture the human spirit— one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. † Some of the company’s objectives – referred to as â€Å"guiding principles† – included in that strategic vision focus on: 1. Quality of the coffee 2. Robust partnerships 3. Human connection to customers 4. Unique atmosphere of the retail stores that encourages social interaction 5. Being accepted as neighbor in the community 6. Obligation to shareholders (long-term success and profitability) Strategies. The original focus since the company’s beginning has been on product differentiation, in both the product and the store setting. This strategy emphasizes a premium product served in a unique atmosphere. Some claimed tactics employed to execute these strategies are to: (Factsheet, 2009) †¢ Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. †¢ Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. †¢ Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting, and fresh delivery of our coffee. Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. †¢ Contribute positively to our communities and our environment. †¢ Recognize that profitability is essential to our future success Historical Strategies for business growth noted in the 2006 shareholder’s meeting included continued expansion of retail stores, and exp ansion of the company’s portfolio of unique and innovative products â€Å"to appeal to a broad consumer base. † (Business Wire, 2006) These products included: †¢ Premium and proprietary food offerings as a component of the Starbucks Experience. Introduction of warm breakfast items in Company-operated stores by 2008. †¢ Joint venture with Apple to launch a Starbucks Entertainment Area on iTunes. †¢ Introduction of a heated-on-demand vending initiative, †¢ Expansion of its Kraft relationship to distribute Starbucks coffee into supermarkets. Recent changes to this original approach – which were in response to the recent economic downturn and drop in share prices – are aimed at retaining customers, rather than gaining new ones. According to Howard Schultz, the company’s CEO, â€Å"The issue at hand†¦ is the cost of losing your core customer. (Adamy & Wingfield, 2009) These changes in business strategy shift the focus from mark et saturation with additional stores to: (Starbucks Newsroom, 2009) 1. Increasing profits in existing stores, 2. Expanding the product base, and 3. â€Å"Disciplined global store expansion in key markets. † While continuing with the strategy of product expansion (to even include some non-food products), Starbucks has tempered its desire for continually opening new stores. This â€Å"disciplined† approach includes more niche targeting in key markets and even opening, or converting to, a Seattle’s Best vice Starbucks. Some of the new tactics announced at the 2009 Shareholders Meeting to implement this strategy include: †¢ A $500 million structural expense reduction to align the company’s cost structure to its current business strategy †¢ Focused efforts to improve operational efficiencies with technology investments, and better training for store managers †¢ Emphasizing the concepts of value and quality to the customer with selective price incentives †¢ Launching VIAâ„ ¢ Ready Brew instant coffee to tap the $17 billion instant coffee market †¢ Expanding alternate foodservice channels Management Team. Corporate organization and key management team members include: (Reuters, 2009) Howard SchultzChairman of the Board, President, CEO Troy AlsteadChief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer Arthur I. RubinfeldPresident – Global Development Martin P. ColesPresident – Starbucks Coffee International Clifford BurrowsPresident – Starbucks Coffee US Paula E. BoggsExec VP, General Counsel, Secretary Michelle GassExec VP – Marketing and Category Olden C. LeeInterim Exec VP – Partner Resources, Director Dorothy J. KimExec VP – Global Strategy, Office of the CEO Peter D. GibbonsExec VP – Global Supply Chain Operations Culver, JohnExec VP, President – Global Consumer Products, Foodservice & Seattle's Best Coffee Business Model. According to Osterwalder, Pigneur, & Tucci (2005), a company’s business model includes: infrastructure, offering, customers, and revenue model. 1. Infrastructure – the core capabilities and competencies, partnership network, or business alliances, and value configuration (what makes it mutually beneficial for a business and its customers). . Offering – the value of products and services offered for a specific customer segment, and how it differentiates itself from its competitors. 3. Customers – includes (1) the target audience for a business' products and services, (2) the distribution channel used to reach the customers (includes marketing and distribution strategy), and customer relationship management. 4. Revenue model – the cost structure and revenue flows that define the company’s income. Infrastructure. Starbucks infrastructure (sales & distribution model) began as a basic shopkeeper model[1]; brewing and serving fresh, premium quality coffee in a relaxed â€Å"neighborhood† atmosphere. This model chooses a location frequented by targeted customers, employs low-wage workers, and establishes repeat business based on customer satisfaction and ease of access. Recent strategic management emphasis is trending toward, or adapting part of the Loyalty or Service Quality model to reinforce the perceived quality of the product. Part of this model is based on the belief that it is cheaper to keep customers than gain new ones. Offering. The Starbucks brand portfolio is marketed as premium and, therefore, is luxury goods, relying on â€Å"consumer discretionary spending to drive sales. † (Hattery, 2009) This portfolio includes Starbucks Entertainment, Starbucks Hear Music, Tazo, Ethos water, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Torrefazione Italia Coffee – offers a variety of products and services through its retail stores and other channels, including: †¢ 30 blends of Coffee †¢ Handcrafted Beverages – fresh-brewed coffee, hot and iced espresso beverages, coffee and non-coffee blended beverages, and Tazo ® teas. Merchandise – home espresso machines, coffee brewers and grinders, premium chocolates, coffee mugs and accessories, and gift items. †¢ Fresh Food – baked pastries, sandwiches, and salads. †¢ Starbucks Entertainment – selection of music, books, and film from both emerging and established artists. †¢ Global Consumer Products – bo ttled Frappuccino ® beverages, Discoveries ® chilled cup coffee, DoubleShot ® espresso drinks, Starbucks ® Iced Coffee, whole bean coffee and Tazo ® teas, Starbucksâ„ ¢ Coffee Liqueurs, and a line of premium ice creams. †¢ Starbucks Card – a reloadable pre-paid debit card. Revenue Model. Starbucks’ revenue model includes its cost structure and revenue flows. Starbucks operating costs are directly influenced by fluctuations in the commodity prices (milk and coffee beans) which have risen sharply in the past. Starbucks purchases teas and primarily Arabica coffee beans directly from international markets in Costa Rica, Africa, Asian Pacific, and China. The wholesale price of coffee beans is unstable and often susceptible to dramatic price changes from a variety of weather and political events that may, or may not, affect global production. These reactionary prices can remain elevated for several years. Coffee prices in 2008, for example, were 20% higher on average than 2007, resulting in Starbucks paying an average price of $1. 42 per pound of green (unroasted) coffee. The price of Milk futures also rose dramatically from $13 to $18 per hundredweight in March, 2007, falling only recently to $17 in September, 2009. Starbucks’ revenue flow from its company operated coffeehouses relies on discretionary consumer spending, and can be affected by negative economic conditions. In fiscal 2008, Starbucks generated $10. billion in revenue through the sale of whole bean coffee, food, equipment, and beverages. The distribution channels included both its retail stores and specialty operations. [pic] Figure 1 – Revenue Categories Company operated retail stores (7,238 stores in North America and 1,979 international) generated 84 percent of the total revenue. (Hattery, 2009) The remaining 16 percent was generated through the specialty operations segment, which is chartered to â€Å"develop the company's brand through third parties outside the traditional coffeehouse. This segment channels, and percentage of specialty operations revenue generated, include: 1. Licensed Stores (48 percent) located in airports and supermarkets that generate licensing fees, royalties, and retail revenue from coffee, tea, and CDs. 2. Foodservices Operations (25 percent) sells Starbucks coffee to restaurants, offices, hotels, and Barnes & Noble Cafes under different licensing contracts. 3. Packaged Tea and Coffee (21 percent) sold at various food stores. 4. Branded Products (4 percent) like ready-to-drink beverages and ice creams sold through partnerships with Pepsi and Dreyer's. Pricing. Starbucks has maintained a premium pricing strategy for its branded premium quality coffee beans and unique customer experience. Customers. Starbucks serves approximately 50 million customers a week in its stores. The target market is defined as â€Å"young (25-to-45 years old) professional men and women, in higher income brackets with stressful lives (at work, home, or both). Most members of this target market live in the suburbs and commute to work in urban areas. † (Holmes, Bennett, Carlisle, Dawson, 2002) Competitors. Although Starbucks maintains a â€Å"dominant position in the specialty coffeehouse market and has no single clear rival in the sector,† (Hattery, 2009) competitors include other specialty coffee shops, doughnut shops, and restaurants. The closest specialty coffeehouse competitor is Caribou Coffee, with only 415 stores, with the major competition being â€Å"dispersed among the thousands of independent or small-chain coffee shops (i. e. , Die drich Coffee, Inc, Coffee Heaven Intl. , Autogrill S. p. A. Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Inc), and McDonalds Corp[2]. Stakeholders. Starbucks’ organizational stakeholders include both individuals and groups â€Å"who have an interest (give-and-take) relationship with the firm. † (course material) These internal and external stakeholders of Starbucks are identified as: shareholders, employees (including board members, executives, managers, supervisors, and baristas), customers, suppliers, local communities, and global alliance partners[3] Marketing Strategy. As described in VoteForUs (n. d. ), since the company’s inception in 1971, its marketing strategy has â€Å"ignored the traditional advertizing avenues of billboards and commercials and focused on seven fundamentals to differentiate Starbucks from other cafes. † These fundamental areas of marketing focus are: (VoteForUs, n. d. ) 1. Perfect Cup of Coffee – an emphasis on product quality (rich, delicious taste and aroma) to support the premium pricing structure. 2. Third Place – creating the â€Å"third place† for everyone to go to between home and work. This is another differentiation technique, aimed to create a unique and relaxing experience or atmosphere with which Starbucks could be branded. 3. Customer Satisfaction – ensure that customers feel the uniqueness of enjoying their Starbucks coffee experience. 4. Creating a Starbucks Community – this marketing strategy has even expanded to create a community around their brand. On their website, individuals are encouraged to express their experiences with Starbucks history, and the company strives to â€Å"personally† join in the discussions. 5. Smart Partnerships – create strategic partnerships that expand business opportunities and increase sales. 6. Innovation – a strategy to continually create new products or services that support their customer base or add new customer segments. (different coffee flavors, more food on their menu, and one of the first to offer internet capability in their stores) 7. Brand Marketing – The Starbucks marketing strategy has always focused on â€Å"word-of-mouth† advertising and viral marketing, letting the high quality of their products and services speak for themselves. Financials. Evaluating the company’s financial statements since the economic low point of May 2008 – with its first quarterly decline in profit, and 38 percent stock plunge – Starbuck’s has managed to maintain a healthy balance sheet. Consolidated company revenues for Q3 2009 were $2. 4 billion, compared to $2. 6 billion in 2008, reflecting a five percent decline in store sales. Quarterly financial sheets verify the reduction in operating income and corresponding slight increase in net profits. With the cost realignment scheduled to be completed in 2009, operating costs are expected to drop further. Total revenues for Q2 2009 show a positive rebound with a sustained upward trend over the last two quarters. Share prices – which bottomed around $8. 00 during Dec08 through Mar09 – have stabilized around $19. 00 for the last quarter. In response to the implemented cost reduction strategies, Standard & Poor’s raised the company’s short-term debt ratings (from â€Å"A-3† to â€Å"A-2) and â€Å"revised its outlook to ’stable’ from negative,† (Ogg, 2009), reaffirming the â€Å"BBB† corporate credit rating. According to Ogg (2009), â€Å"S&P believes that the company’s performance will continue to stabilize and that the credit metrics will continue to improve or remain at the current levels. † Analysis Alignment in the framework of strategic management refers to the mutual agreement and enforcement of the company’s vision, mission, and goals with its business strategies. These strategies are employed to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage in the market segment, and ensure long-term profitability for the company. Company Analysis. This company analysis focuses on three factors or issues involved in maintaining a competitive advantage. These factors and issues are: (1) current target markets, (2) current marketing mix strategies, and (3) the strengths and weaknesses of the Company. The company's marketing mix strategies are discussed in relation to the Five P's of Marketing. The elements of Five P's of Marketing include product, price, place, people and promotion. (Nimetz, 2009) These factors are explored in comparison to Starbucks’ published mission, vision statements, and guiding principles. To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles as we grow. †¢ To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. † Current Marketing Mix Strategies (Product, Price, People, and Promotion). Starbucks built its coffee stores on the principle product of Arabica coffee beans. T his product was marketed as a premium quality item that â€Å"† The pricing scheme followed the premium quality scheme, offering the customer more than a cup of coffee. Starbucks stores became the â€Å"third place† to go to and enjoy a unique atmosphere. One new strategy that CEO Howard Schultz brought with him was the emphasis on the role of sales clerks, or Barristers who brewed and served the coffee. Specialized training for employees reinforces their role in the customer’s perceived value of the product – the unique Starbucks experience. The promotion tactics employed by Starbucks broke with traditional concepts and avoided advertising, relying on word-of-mouth or viral advertising techniques where satisfied customers willingly share with others, and promote the Starbucks experience. This viral advertising has proven quite effective. Current Target Markets. For most Starbucks most consumers, coffee is not just coffee, but more of a ritual – a deserved reward. However, although the targeted market of professionals contains a significant percentage of higher-income professionals, the recent decrease in sales (and corresponding drop in shares) implies that they too are affected by the economic downturn and willing to reduce their â€Å"rewards. † Market Analysis. A market analysis reviews the specific market segment being targeted, and examines the demographic and social data required to â€Å"know your customer. This required information concerning the targeted customer includes: †¢ Who they are †¢ Where they are †¢ How to reach them †¢ Identifying their needs (what justifies premium price) †¢ Size of market †¢ Percentage of market captured †¢ Market growth potential Starbucks market for its coffee stores is targete d at 25- to 45-year-old professionals looking for solitude, or social interaction, without alcohol. This higher-income crowd of young, college-educated represents a group which tends toward higher luxury-consumption levels. The failure to successfully add drive-through service to its stores clearly differentiates its clientele from McDonalds or Java Hut customers whose needs or to grab a quick caffeine jolt on the way to or from work. According to Euromonitor International Plc,[4] Starbucks has captured 52 percent of the global specialty coffee market. According to Mintel (global consumer research firm in Chicago) Starbucks controls 43 – 73% of the U. S. market share[5] in coffeehouse sales in 2005, with its closest rivals being Caribou Coffee, and Peet's Coffee and Tea. Competition & SWOT Analysis. The SWOT analysis identifies and evaluates a company’s internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities, and threats). This analysis helps to focus on key issues to consider in strategic planning. The following details are an updated paraphrase of the SWOT analysis from Marketing Teacher (2007): Strengths. †¢ Starbucks Corporation is a very profitable organization, earning in excess of $459 million in 2008. The company generated revenue of more than $10. billion in 2008, exceeding revenue for 2007. †¢ It is a global coffee brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services with approximately 9000 cafes around the globe. †¢ Starbucks is know as a respected employer that values its workforce, and was one of the Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2005. †¢ The organization displays strong ethical values and an ethical mission statement that emphasizes its commitment to environmental lea dership. Weaknesses. †¢ Starbucks has a reputation for new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may falter over time. †¢ The organization has a strong presence in the U. S. with more than three quarters of their cafes located in the home market. An increased percentage of international cafes would help to spread business risk. †¢ The organization is dependant on a main competitive advantage, the retail of coffee. This could make them slow to diversify into other sectors should the need arise. Opportunities. †¢ New products and services can be retailed in their cafes, such as Fair Trade products. The company has the opportunity to expand its global operations with the emerging markets for coffee in India and the Pacific Rim nations. †¢ Additional co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink can be pursued. †¢ Capitalizing on the Seattle’s Best brand in both the retail and franchise markets could diversify revenue streams and spread business risk. †¢ With recent economic conditions, and dwindling disposable income, Starbucks could pursue a larger market share of the home-brewed coffee market with increased advertising. Pursuing additional partnerships with manufacturers of other goods and services has potential to decrease Starbuck’s dependency on it single competitive advantage in retail coffee. Threats. †¢ Starbucks has been branded and marketed as a luxury item, relying on the disposable income of its targeted customers. Regional, or national economic instability can be reflected quickly in revenue loss. †¢ Future growth of the coffee market is uncertain. A change in the current fad of coffee shops would significantly impact Starbuck’s major source of revenue. †¢ Starbucks is exposed to unpredictable cost increases in wholesale coffee and dairy products. Recent growth in the coffee house market has attracted many competitors, including copy cat brands and national restaurants that pose potential threats to S tarbuck’s competitive advantage. Competitive advantage. Starbucks established an early dominance in the market segment of coffee houses, and sustains its competitive advantage[6] through differentiation[7] by capitalizing on a unique experience that offers ambiance and unusual product variety. The primary strategies employed to establish market dominance were branding, creativity, and saturation by store expansion. 1. The branding strategies include quality product, personal service, a sense of community, and environmental responsibility. This strategy is strengthened by market and demographic analyses to slightly customize each store to the local city/community personality. 2. The creativity strategies emphasize â€Å"constantly looking for new ideas, new products, as well as new experiences for guests. † (Thompson & Gamble, 1999) Successful products are retained while weaker products are eliminated in a continuing cycle of process improvement. 3. Although growth in the store expansion strategy has peaked, new stores are still being added. This strategy has been modified from saturation by area concentration, to a more disciplined approach, that identifies key markets, based on market analysis that emphasizes individual store profitability. (Adamy & Wingfield, 2009) Financial Analysis. Starbucks has a solid financial status with multiple revenue streams from multiple coffee related products. A look at Starbucks Profit and Loss and Cash Flow tables[8] (shown in Table 1) reveals a slight dip in gross revenue, but a positive trend for increased net income. This is probably a result of the recent cost restructuring and emphasis on store profitability. Future revenue streams from coffee house sales are expected to increase from a combination of stable sales and higher efficiency. Revenue streams from alternate distribution channels show a slight, but steady increase, further bolstering Starbuck’s solid financial foundation. |In Millions of USD |Jun 2009 |Mar 20099 |Dec 2008 |Sep 2008 | Jun 2008 | |Revenue |2,403. 90 |2,333. 30 |2,615. 20 |2,515. 40 |2,574. 00 | |Total Revenue |2,403. 0 |2,333. 30 |2,615. 20 |2,515. 40 |2,574. 00 | |Gross Profit |539. 10 |470. 20 |481. 80 |393. 50 |452. 60 | Total Operating Expense |2,199. 90 |2,292. 40 |2,497. 50 |2,501. 20 |2,595. 60 | |Operating Income |204. 00 |40. 90 |117. 70 |14. 20 |-21. 60 | |Income Before Tax |217. 30 |34. 90 |98. 30 |-1. 20 |-33. 20 | |Net Income |151. 50 |25. 00 |64. 30 |5. 40 |-6. 70 | |Table 1 – Quarterly Financials Conclusion Are Starbucks' mission and strategic choices in alignment? Yes. The strategies of innovation, product differentiation, and customer experience are directly aligned with Starbucks mission â€Å"to establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world,† while â€Å"inspiring and nurturing† the spirit of their customers. Starbucks continues to expand its product offering in both breadth and depth. Coupled with this strategy is the expansion of alternate distribution channels that will multiply the potential in increased revenues. Each offering in the product portfolio reinforces the brand name and quality experience described in the company’s vision statement. The recent focus on increasing profits in existing stores is not a shift of business strategy, but more of a symptom of business maturity. Less waste equals more profit. The corporation has shifted its goal from market saturation – slowing its growth in new stores – to market dominance with more efficient and more profitable stores with its strategy of disciplined expansion in key markets. Using the Seattle’s Best segment, vice Starbucks to expand the base of customers for the greater corporate good requires close examination. As a corporate-sponsored competitor to the nearby Starbucks stores, this strategy seems in conflict with the prime mission. However, as an alternate distribution channel for an expanded product line, this strategy supports the overall brand quality of Starbucks as the â€Å"premier coffee,† yet can capture some additional customers that do not seek the branded Starbuck experience and would likely choose one the niche competitors. Seattle’s Best can cater to a slightly different clientele – in both coffee stores and supermarkets – with a different set of customer needs, while increasing overall corporate revenues. Will the company continue its past  success? Yes. A continued emphasis on customer satisfaction, coupled with effective strategies that develop new product lines, will stimulate revenue growth and stabilize share prices. The current vision and path summarized by Starbucks president and CEO, Howard Schultz, is a commitment to â€Å"continually improving our customer experience as the roadmap to renewed growth and increasing profitability,† with emphasis on continued application of previously successful strategies, â€Å"we will continue to innovate and differentiate, two perennial hallmarks of the Starbucks brand. (Starbucks Financial Releases, 2009) References Adamy, J. & Wingfield, N. (2009). Starbucks brews new strategies to fight slump. Wall Street Journal (Europe), p. 4. Retrieved July 11, 2009, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1662578621). Analoui, F. and Karami, A. (2002). CEOs and development of the meaningful mission statement. Corporate Governance, 2(3), 13-2 0. Retrieved August 31, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 181714601). Bushman, M. (2007). The major elements of the strategic management process. Associated Content website. Business and Finance. Retrieved August 31, 2009 from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/196677/the_major_elements_of_the_strategic. html. Business Wire (2006). Starbucks Coffee Company Outlines Core Strategies to Continue Delivering Long-Term Shareholder†¦ Retrieved August 27, 2009 from http://www. allbusiness. com/services/business-services/3918047-1. html. Factsheet (2009). Starbucks website – About Us. Retrieved August 22, 2009 from http://www. starbucks. com/aboutus/Company_Factsheet. pdf. Germain, R. and Cooper, M. (1990). How a customer mission statement affects company performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 19(1), 47. Retrieved August 31, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1129254). Hattery, E. (2009). Wikinvest website. Starbucks Corporation. Retrieved September 1, 2009 from http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/Starbucks_(SBUX) Holmes, S. , Bennett, D. , Carlisle, K. , and Dawson, C. (2002). Planet Starbucks – To keep up the growth, it must go global quickly. Business Week, (3798), 100-110. Retrieved August 27, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. Document ID: 160883051). Marketing Teacher (2007). SWOT Analysis Starbucks. Retrieved September 24, 2009 from http://www. marketingteacher. com/SWOT/starbucks_swot. htm. Nimetz, J. (2009). The Five P's of Marketing: Do they apply to SEM? Retrieved August 27, 2009 from http://www. searchengineguide. com/jody-nimetz/the-five-ps-of. php. Ogg, J. (2009). Starbucks Snags S&P Upgrade (SBUX). 24/7 Wall Street website. Retrieved September 1, 2009 from http://247wallst. com/2009/08/28/starbucks-snags-sp-upgrade-sbux/. Osterwalder, A. , Pigneur, Y. , & Tucci, C. 2005). Clarifying business models: Origins, present, and future of the concept. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 16, 1. Retrieved August 28, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 919406501). Reuters (2009). Officers and Directors for Starbucks Corporation. Retrieved August 27, 2009 from http://www. reuters. com/finance/stocks/companyOfficers? symbol=SBUX. O. Starbucks Corporation (2009). Google Finance. Retrieved August 11, 2009 from http://www. google. com/finance? q=NASDAQ%3ASBUX. Starbucks Financial Releases (2009). Starbucks posts strong third quarter fiscal 2009 results. Starbucks website – About Us. Retrieved September 1, 2009 from http://investor. starbucks. com/phoenix. zhtml? c=99518&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1309655&highlight=. Starbucks Newsroom (2009). Starbucks details strategy for profitable growth. Retrieved August 27, 2009 from http://news. starbucks. com/article_display. cfm? article_id=184. The Company (2009). Corporate website – About Us. Retrieved August 22, 2009 from http://www. starbucks. com/aboutus/overview. asp. Thompson, A. and Gamble, J.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Accuracy of Historical Films

How accurate a portrayal of Roman gladiatorial games and culture is the movie â€Å"Gladiator'? In society today historical films are merely valuable to society as a form of entertainment. Historical events have become another form of stimulus for directors when creating an engaging film for audience's . Len the creation of a film many historical Inaccuracies occur as seen In the film Gladiator.This film Instead of being a historical recreation of the Roman culture and gladiatorial games tends to embody the idea of certain characters and events. They reflect 21st century ideals onto these historical events to create a film that will appeal to the masses. Ultimately these inaccuracies are in insignificant in detracting from the purpose of these films which is to entertain. Historical films are merely a form of entertainment that is used to engage the masses but this is the extent of its value to society.Unlike a documentary, films are supposed to be â€Å"aesthetic Journeys† a nd historical events are merely another form of stimulus for a director trying to create an Individual storyline. On the release of the â€Å"historical film† 300, Warner Pros issued a statement Insisting that it â€Å"developed this film purely as a fictional work with the sole purpose of entertaining audiences' ‘ . In order to entertain audiences film makers must use these historical events , edit where necessary ,to create an film for a 21st century audience.Gladiator Is a key example of where an aspect of a culture has been reworked into a blockbuster film. The writer for Gladiator started to develop the story after reading â€Å"those who are about to die† by Daniel P Manic . The sinking f the titanic is an important historical event but in order to pitch this event to a current audience it was mixed with â€Å"a Romeo and Juliet love story† . David Benison summed up precisely the method in which accuracy in a historical film is undertaken â€Å"as for being absolutely faithful to the source material, I'm always going to pick the project† .The accuracy of these film's depictions are compromised so that it can be â€Å"guided by the Inner logic of capitalism†. Gladiator through this guidance made $457, 640,427 at the box office a very tricky task If you do not appeal to the audience. As seen In the film Gladiator, historical films tend to embody the Idea of a culture In order to appeal to the wider audience. While the film makers attempt to portray the emperor as the antagonist of the story, they however remove or add material where they see necessary.In the film Gladiator Marcus Aurelia's describes his son Commodes as an â€Å"immoral man† and thus is unable to present him with emperors but this is contradictory as Commodes was a joint ruler with his father Marcus Aurelia . While ancient historian Did Cassias refers to Commodes as a greater curse to the Romans† the production team have excluded facts such as his self-portrayal as Hercules , his left handedness and the â€Å"conspicuous growth on his groin † as these weren't necessary to the plot line and catered to the needs of the actors.This sense of recognition is further seen In how the film Gladiator portrays ancient Rome to be a grand city full of white buildings. The Coliseum was recreated as Riddle Scott felt that the real Coliseum was â€Å"too small† so Instead the CGI team created a grand â€Å"Rome of the Imagination† with a much larger coliseum ND fully white buildings as such to relate with the modern perception of this many colored building but today modern society can only view these structure without the color and in less grandeur.Gladiator's historical inaccuracies are further seen in its depiction of gladiatorial games as they aim to heighten the action within the film. The central character of Maximum is not a historical figure but is merely a personification of the traits that create a g ladiator. Russet's Crow's depiction off brave, fearless, skilled gladiator mirror many historical sources such s Valerian Maximum' who references the bravery skill and passion that are common among the great gladiators. These characteristics are cited by Cicero who describes the gladiators to be incredible well disciplined.Although they have avoided they have used historical figures as stimulus for the central character and as part of the story line. There was indeed a General Maximum who was an advisor to Marcus Aurelia's , and Commodes was killed by a gladiator named Narcissus . These however are two different people but their storyline have been merged to increase the excitement of he games which is further seen where Maximum a Protractor gladiator fights multiple different gladiators and animals.This contrasts to ancient gladiatorial games where he would have only been able to fight another Protractor rather than the Retailers (gladiators fighting with nets), Estuaries (gladiato rs on chariots) and Tigris . The warping of facts can further been seen in the death of Commodes in the arena. Although Commodes did fight in the arena , he always fought as a Sector and therefore Maximum should have faced him as a Retailers but instead both men ought as no particular gladiator type. This battle did not result in his death but rather Commodes was strangled in his home .While the death rate in the film is over 50% Professor David Potter believes the death rate to be 5-10% as too much time and money had been invested into them. Therefore gladiatorial games were to first blood . All of these inaccuracies are created to increase the entertainment value and appeal to a 21st century audience. In the film industry and especially to a 21st century audience the inaccuracies of these films become irrelevant because they increase the entertainment value of the film. The problem however is when these films are described as being historically accurate.Historical films are unreli able for a historian studying the time period but are still useful for discerning the 21st century western perception of Roman society. Gladiator is guilty of false advertising as Peter Russell, art director, states that the film is â€Å"based factually on the events of the time† . Though we can assume this is merely a marketing ploy as the majority of society is uneducated . As one review of the film dutifully states â€Å"there was no alternative odder audiences would have accepted or recognized† and this is true for many of the inaccuracies within the film.Oliver Reed Justifies these inaccuracies when he states â€Å"we are not making a documentary' and anyway if they were to make a historically accurate film it would be too long. Jean Shaw further states that films â€Å"need to appeal to their audience by having an exciting plot, a lot of drama † in order to become successful. As George Lucas was quoted â€Å"the secret to film is that it's an illusionâ €  and this illusion allows millions all over the world to and gain an insight into past civilization.In our modern 21st century society today, historical films are merely an individual's recreation of a culture. The have incredible value to the entertainment industry in providing stimulus for films, however the creation of these the goal off film. The film Gladiator clearly shows how the reliability of a film's portrayal of culture and in these particular case gladiatorial games is warped based on the decisions of the production team. Historical information is better suited to historians and lets leave film makers to cater for the rest of society.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Economic Organization and Transaction Costs Essay

Economic Organization and Transaction Costs - Essay Example Often included in this category are the accrued transportation/ logistical costs. Accordingly, these expenses are crucial in deciding whether or not to make or buy a product/ service (Cheung, 1987, p. 55). The paper will conduct a literature search and review that is related to a case study in transaction cost economics. The focus will be on General Motors and the Fisher Body Company, during the 1920s, in regard to the pertinent economics of organizations. There is have to accentuate at the beginning that there is not and will never be one brought together hypothesis of vertical integration. While the writing on vertical integration has a tendency to concentrate on a basic dichotomy between the choice to "make" inside or "purchase" through the business, from a TCE or NIE viewpoint we must be delicate in the way that there are a wide exhibit of business based administration plans that speak to different options for both straightforward unknown rehashed spot market exchanges and vertic al integration. These two administration plans are polar cases. Hypothetical and exact research in the NIE convention looks at not just the determinants of the limits in the middle of firms and markets additionally the sources of different "half and half structures" of administration structure that lie between basic mysterious spot market exchanges and bound together various leveled associations with fluctuating regions of vertical and even control. These crossover structures incorporate different sorts of long-haul contracts, joint endeavors, double sourcing (incomplete vertical integration), holding organizations, and open undertakings (Williamson, 1996, 2000, p. 598).

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Overview of IS Risk Assessment (IP) Research Paper

Overview of IS Risk Assessment (IP) - Research Paper Example Measurements consist of (Sun, Srivastava, & Mock, 2006): Cost which is used to protect the information and systems Value of the information and information systems Threat probability and occurrence Effectiveness of Controls Prior to Risk Assessment Before conducting risk assessment, primary factors are considered. The identification of information assets lays the foundation for further assessment. Information assets are defined as the entities that hold organization data. A good discussion is available on ‘www.ibm.com’ which states it as, information assets precisely resembles with the nature of business and business strategy of the organization. Likewise, these information systems may be subjected to contractual and legislative compliance requiring protection from threats and mission critical systems. The information assets for an organization will be the technology assets, data asset, service asset and people asset. In a typical scenario of an organization’s net work, the owners for server hardware will be the server administration group. The owners for the applications running on the servers will be the application support group and the owners for the data, which is stored on the server, will be system development group. Question needs to be answered Moreover, the risk management process involves the implementation of safeguards and controls that are continuously observed. Likewise, risk management identifies information assets along with their weaknesses and prioritizes them as per severity and business impact. The self-examination process of risk management assists managers to identify and mark severity of information assets. However, it is not a fact that assets are only indicating as systems, they also includes people, hardware and software components. Moreover, risk management also reflects asset classification, categorization of groups with respect to business impact against each identified asset; there are certain questions that nee d to be answered: What is the most important or mission critical asset for the organization? Which asset generates profit for the organization? Which asset provides revenue for the organization? Which information asset has the most replacement cost? Which information asset requires significant protection cost? Which information asset reflects the most significant liability when breached? Phases of Risk Assessment The first phase of risk assessment is the investigation phase. The investigation phase is conducted to gather information regarding the system and resources. The threats are prioritized before assessment. The identification of critical components is conducted in order to prioritize threats. After prioritization, related plug-in is selected before execution. Risk assessment includes the scanning of all open ports of the system. This phase also conducts scanning of all known vulnerabilities. The next phase includes reporting of the findings which are extracted by investigatio n phase. The findings are then categorized in different priorities. The report illustrates open ports, number of vulnerabilities found at high status, number of vulnerabilities found at medium status, number of vulnerabilities found at low status (Fenz, Ekelhart, & Neubauer, 2011). Report also includes host information including the ‘netbios’ name, DNS name and operating system. This phas

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Bank of America Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Bank of America - Case Study Example This paper analyzes the organizational and customer value situation of the bank with a view to making strategic proposals for improvement. The fact that BOA is a multinational corporation operating in several countries of the world gives them the upper hand over their competitors who have no global footprint. BOA’s global presence opens doors for unbounded opportunities for the bank to grow their revenues and profits(Degryse & Ongena, 2002). However, the global presence of the bank poses formidable challenges to the corporation. One of these challenges is to be found in the area of human resources. The bank must comply with the specific labor laws of every country where they operate. This is a daunting task with serious implications on the banks resources. Compliance with employment laws can be even more demanding where a country is divided into regions or states, and each has their labour laws(Degryse & Ongena, 2002). For example, each of the fifty or so states of the United States has their laws that govern employment. The bank must comply with the laws of all these states. Not doing so could result in legal suits that could cost the corporation a lot of money. Besides labor laws, the bank must comply with the taxation requirements of all the countries where they operate. Again, this is a demanding task that if not well managed could cost the corporation. Compared to two of their majorcompetitors, namely J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and Federal Credit Union (CFE), BOA is quite competitive. The main source of this competitive edge, though narrow, is the ban’s charges compared to what their rivals charge(Weinstein, Clasen, Lorenzo, & Roberson, 2014). For instance, with respect to a 48-month, car loan, BOA charges interest at the rate of 2.24% against Chase Bank’s 2.33% and CFE’s 3.35%. While this difference might appear marginally, it makes all the difference in a competitive environment with

Blogs Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blogs - Article Example The consumer knowledge leads to active role of the consumers in putting forward relevant queries on the products sold and also clears any confusion that may be present in the minds of the purchasers. China, for example has overtaken the US in the automobile market sales in 2009. This is due to the fact that with the spread of globalization, the Chinese consumers have become increasingly knowledgeable and aware about the automobile products. The tastes and preferences in the market have become rationale due to the aspect of consumer knowledge. The availability of information with the customers prior to the point of transaction provides an idea on the value of the product and also judges the aspects of price, economy, efficiency and product safety. Thus consumer knowledge enables to take informed decisions and influences the purchase behavior. Is impulse buying really impulsive? There are many instances happening around us where it could be observed that customers take decisions of pur chase just by looking at the product. It apparently looks as if the customer had no intentions of purchase just a few moments back but suddenly decides to buy the product. Researches on impulse buying suggest that these impulses exhibited by the customers are primarily the effects of underlying emotions and feelings or sentiments that are instigated at the occurrence of a specific event. This means that the intentions of obtaining the product features are hidden which comes out due to the impulse of a certain incident. It would be unreasonable to think that the customers have never experienced such emotions or feelings before and that sudden flow of emotion and feeling has led to the purchase of the product. The marketing specialists look to utilize the impulse buying behavior of the consumers in order to increase the sell of their products. For example, a customer going to purchase clothes and garments is not likely to buy cakes and chocolates. However, marketers adopt the techniqu es to bring out the basic needs and desires of the customers in order to influence impulse buying. The chocolates, cakes, fashionable toys are displayed in the counters. The electronic items and accessories may be wrapped up with national flags of a particular country. By looking at these items, some customers experience sudden flow of emotions and passion. This leads to the intent of purchase and thus influences the purchase decision. Market segmentation methods vary from one company to another The companies are better off in targeting a segment of the market rather than focusing on the entire market. This would lead to a more profitable and sustainable business as the product and services offered by a company may not fulfill the needs of the broader market (Kotler 15). In order to narrow down on the market segment whose needs are fulfilled by its products and services, an analysis of the target market segment is necessary. The cost of the marketing and promotion of its products an d services are reduced and increased revenues are earned by the company from the identified market segment. The companies undertake market segmentation based on the features of their offered products. For example, a merchant selling umbrellas and water-proof jackets may divide the market based on

Friday, July 26, 2019

Discussion on Business Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discussion on Business Organization - Essay Example This market leadership may relate to pricing innovation, product innovation, new forms of promotion, development of new market segments, or initiating a new trend in the market. Quite often such market leaders may not be large organizations, but more innovative smaller organizations, like Dyson in vacuum cleaners; or organizations with better expertise, like specialized accounting firms or those with more talent and competencies, like Stella McCartney in fashion designing. Simon, 2009, p.29, terms such smaller organizations as â€Å"hidden champions†. These â€Å"hidden champions†, reframe the definition of market leadership to â€Å"market leadership not only in terms of market share, but see it as an extended claim to overall leadership in their markets† (Simon, 2009, p.29). Table – 1 below gives the advantages and disadvantages of market leadership. ... Compounding the contribution of these factors to problems in identifying market leadership is the issue that some organizations, do not concentrate on achieving leadership by merely market share. They may to look to acquiring leadership in other aspects, like asset leadership, which gives them a boost towards taking over market leadership. Asset concentration may be in terms of competencies of the employees, or superior equipment or strength in distribution channels. Identifying market leadership thus becomes a more difficult endeavour (Pickton & Masterson, 2010, p.40). Following in the path laid out by a market leader are the organizations that may be called market followers. Market followers identify and keep a track of the successful ideas and strategies employed by market leaders. This does not imply that they follow a me-too product design and promotion strategy. Rather, the strategy employed is to allow the market leader to employ resources in testing their innovative ideas and strategies, and then cash in by employing the successful innovative ideas and strategies themselves. This can be seen from the example of the competitors of McDonald’s in the 1990’s waiting for McDonald to identify locations for its outlets, using its resources, before moving into the location as a competitor. It is these market followers that need to identify the market leaders, so as to copy their successful innovative ideas and strategies (Pickton & Masterson, 2010, p.39). 2. The EC Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the German Act against Unfair competition define unfair competition as â€Å"unfair commercial practices that are likely to distort the economic behaviour of consumers† (De

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Consumer and Market Analysis for Kick Covers Essay

Consumer and Market Analysis for Kick Covers - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that for a product to be successful, the creators should understand the market in depth. Research should be carried out to find: out how much need is there for the product, and the ability of the consumers to purchase it. The creators of a product also have to ensure they communicate, in its entirety, the value of the product to the target consumer to boost sales. Maslow, a psychologist, studied human behavior and the various factors that motivated them. He proposed a model that classified the needs into five different groups. These groups were classified in order of which ones were most likely to be considered first. The hierarchy was such that an individual could not move to another level of need without satisfying the lower level ones. He grouped the needs as physiological needs, security and safety needs, love and belongingness, esteem and self-respect and self-actualization. The first four levels of needs are the most fundamental and a re referred to as ‘deficiency needs’. One cannot move to the level of self-actualization without having satisfied the ‘deficiency needs’. Maslow came up with the term ‘metamotivation’ for those people who went past the level of basic needs. These needs could occur at any point in an individual’s life. Maslow recognized this and proposed the model as a general order. The lack satisfaction of these needs could lead to a person being anxious or tense depending on their urgency

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

According to Instructions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

According to Instructions - Coursework Example As a result, God awards death the victory for conquering the life of man while man rewarded with honor as a way of demonstrating care and concern. This brings in the basic elements of Renaissance literature and the humanistic view of life and circumstances (Johannes, 106). The pope himself cannot remit guilt, but only declare and confirm that it has been remitted by God; or, at most, he can remit it in cases reserved to his discretion. Except for these cases, the guilt remains untouched. Martin Luther criticized the Catholic Church on the basis that they church advocated for matters that did not adhere to the basic principles of human rights and freedom. The papacy did not approve the reading of the bible by the masses as they preferred that they be the ones to dictate to the people what they ought to read as far as the holy book was concerned. He was against the fact the people had to approach the throne of God through the pope and not directly as indicated in the bible. He argues that only faith alone through the grace of God could save the sinners from their sins as well offering them the perfect form of forgiveness. The poem by Andreas Gryphius talks about the negative result of the thirty years war that adversely affected the Germans. Many destructions were occasioned to lives and property. The atrocities that were committed were very gross and many people lost their lives through torture, rape, and fire outbreaks. The war was not just about rivalries among nations but it was more about the Catholics and Protestants. Lack of religious tolerance further led to the escalation of the war and very little could be done to prevent the war from going to the extreme thus leading to the negative events (Byers, 113). The society has been divided into two main rival camps namely the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The book stipulates that there has always been class struggles in which the working

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Explain the current relationship status between the public and private Research Paper

Explain the current relationship status between the public and private sector. Include a discussion on the relationship between local law enforcement and private security departments - Research Paper Example me, the police themselves have become much more open to the assistance of private security firms, and have even begun to go so far as to provide valuable assistance and to open up line of communication to aid in the crime prevention process. While there most likely still exists an ‘us against them’ mentality, the reality is that both security sectors are beginning to realize that they have the same core objective and can both mutually benefit one another by forming partnerships rather than barriers. As with any large and populated area, the United States is in need of security. Long ago it became obvious that government agencies, as skilled as they were, could not be in all places simultaneously, so without the assistance of private security firms many individuals and organizations simply would not feel adequately protected. For quite some time, there has been an effort on the part of government law enforcement agencies to liaison with such private companies to provide security functions to broader society, but some would question the sincerity of this movement. Most definitions of such liaison programs revolve the ability to effectively communicate amongst various parties. In the case of security interests, these parties would involve public law enforcement entities, private security firms, and various business organizations. To properly liaison, however, a mutual feeling of respect and trust must be established in order to facilitate the information sharing process, and such sharing should be consistent and cooperative in nature (Alimahomed, 2014). Unfortunately, this mutual spirit of cooperation is often lacking between public and private security agencies, causing a breakdown in communication that can serve to threaten the very safety of the individuals that the groups are designed to protect and defend. Throughout history, it seems that private security and respective public policing agencies has not always agreed to maintain a cordial and working

Monday, July 22, 2019

East Asian Civilizations Essay Example for Free

East Asian Civilizations Essay The East Asian countries are Taiwan, North and South Korea, Macau, Japan, and China. These countries experience peace and prosper economically throughout the civilization of Eastern Asia. Taiwan is an island off the southeast coast of China and the seat of the Chinese Nationalist government. It has rugged ranges of the Chungyang Mountains blanket the eastern two-thirds of the island. On the other hand, Korea is a divided country of eastern Asia. It occupies a peninsula, about 450 miles in length and between the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. Since 1945 Korea has been divided into two political units—the Democratic people’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). They are separated in by a demilitarized zone, about 2 ? miles in width, along the armistice line established in 1953 at the close of the Korean War while Macau was a Portuguese overseas territory on the south of China coast. It lies in the estuary of the Pearl River south of Canton (Guangzhou), China, and across the estuary from Hon Kong. Moreover, Japan is consists of for large islands—Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku—and more than 3, 300 smaller ones, including the Ryukyu chain. Japan is bounded the north by the Sea of Okhotsk; on the east and south by the Pacific Ocean; on the southwest by the East China Sea; and on the west by the Sea of Japan while the People’s Republic of China situated on the offshore island of Taiwan. It is the third largest nation in the world and it is less than half the size of the Soviet Union, somewhat smaller than Canada, and slightly larger than the United States. For thousands of years they called their country Chung Kuo, which means middle Kingdom, or domain. The name reflects the traditional Chinese belief that China is the geographic and cultural center of the world, with all other nations on the periphery. Thesis Statement: This paper scrutinizes and establishes detailed information about the East Asian Civilizations in particular the countries under it. II. Discussion The improvement and development of East Asia will not be possible without the significant countries within this periphery. †¢ Taiwan Japan began Taiwan’s industrial development after gaining the island in the Sino-Japanese War, 1894-95. Since the early 1950’s, under Chinese Nationalist control, Taiwan has developed a strong, diversified economy, based mainly on manufacturing. Taiwan is one of the leading exporters of manufactured products in Asia. United States aid, large-scale foreign investment, and an abundant, well-educated labor force have played major roles in the island’s rapid industrialization (Kuo, 2003). Leading industries produce chemical and petroleum products, metal goods, machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, textiles, clothing, and processed foods. Despite a decline in relative value, agriculture remains a vital sector of the economy. Farming is limited mainly to the western lowlands, where virtually all available land is devoted to crops. Most farms are small, averaging about thee acres each, and are family owned (Gold, 2006). The mild climate and extensive use of irrigation permit the growing of two or three crops a year. Rice, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, cassava, citrus fruit, bananas, and pineapples are among the main crops. The railway and highway systems, begun by the Japanese in the decades before World War II, are among the best in Asia. The chief seaports are Kaohsiung and Chilung. There are international airports near Taipei and Kaohsiung (Kuo, 2003). Foreign trade has grown enormously since the 1950’s. Among the main exports are clothing and textiles, television sets and other electronic consumer products, footwear, plywood, plastic items, and processed foods. Most of the trade is with the United States and Japan. In addition, the great majority of the Taiwanese are descendants of 18th- and 19th-century immigrants from adjacent mainland provinces of southern China, particularly Fukien (Fujian). More recent arrivals—those who fled mainland China in 1949 and their descendants—form the most influential group on the island (Gold, 2006). Mandarin Chinese is the official language, but southern Chinese dialects are commonly used by most of the people. Education is free and compulsory for children aged 1 to 15. More than 96 percent of school-age children attend schools. †¢ Korea South. South Korea’s economy was largely agricultural at the time of the Korean War (1950-53), when much damage was inflicted on the nation. Reconstruction and recovery were rapid after the war, in part because of large amounts of economic aid from the United States and other nations. In the early 1960’s industry began to grow rapidly (Choi, 2003); by the mid-1980’s South Korea had become one of the world’s chief exporters of manufactured goods. The South Korean government played a major role in directing and developing the economy, particularly through central planning and direct and indirect control of many manufacturing industries and banking. Rapid industrial development was also aided by large investments of capital and technology from the United States and Japan and by an abundance of skilled, cheap labor (Lee, 2004). Although few in number, corporate conglomerates, called chaebols, produce most of the nation’s goods and services. Light manufacturing industries requiring much labor were the first to be developed, mainly during the 1960’s. Textiles, clothing, shoes, and similar consumer items were among the main goods produced (Lee, 2004). Priority shifted during the 1970’s to the development of heavier and more technically advanced industries. Since the early 1980’s increasing emphasis has been placed on developing high-technology industries, centering mainly on data-processing equipment, especially computers. Much military equipment is also produced. Seoul, Pusan, and Inchon are among the chief manufacturing centers. Only about 20 percent of South Korea is suitable for farming, and roughly one-fourth of the people are dependent on agriculture for their living. Farms average about 2 ? acres and are privately owned (Choi, 2003). Some farming is done by communes and cooperatives. Moreover, it has greatly expanded and improved its transportation facilities since the early 1960’s. Highways have replaced railways as the chief means of intercity transport. The railways are owned and operated by the government; many are electrified. Education is free and compulsory through six years of primary school, which beings at age six. It is followed by three years of middle school and then three years of high school (Lee, 2004). North. With the division of Korea after World War II North Korea acquired most of the mineral resources, hydroelectric dams, manufacturing plants, and industrial facilities developed during the Japanese occupation, 1910-45. Much damage was done during the Korean War, but it was quickly repaired with aid from the Soviet Union and other Communist nations (Choi, 2003). Under the North Korean Communists, all industry was nationalized, agriculture was collectivized, and the entire economy was rigidly planned. Growth was rapid during the early years, but slowed in the 1970’s. In the mid-1980’s North Korea’s total output of goods and services was roughly one-third to one-fourth that of South Korea’s. Soviet technical and financial aid has played a major role in the development of North Korea’s economy. About 20 percent of North Korea’s land is used for farming, and 40 percent of the people make their living in agriculture. All farming is done on collectives and state farms; private farming ended in the late 1950’s (Choi, 2003). Rice is the nation’s staple food and the most widely grown crop. Other crops include corn, wheat, barley, millet, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and soybeans. Much progress has been made in increasing mechanization, in expanding the irrigated area, and in land reclamation, especially in coastal areas. Commercial fishing is a major activity, particularly along the east coast and in the Sea of Japan. Wonsan and Sinpo, on the east coast, are the chief fishing ports. Part of the catch is exported (Lee, 2004). Unlike South Korea, North Korea is relatively well endowed with minerals. Among the numerous minerals produced in substantial amounts are coal, mostly anthracite; iron and etc. Railways handle most of the intercity passenger, and freight traffic and are North Korea’s principal means of transport. Most of the railways are relatively new and are electrified (Choi, 2003). Pyongyang is served by a subway. Furthermore, education is free and compulsory through five years of primary school (which begins at age six), four years in of middle school, and two years of high school. †¢ Macau Macao (Macau) consists of the mainland city of Macao and two islands—Taipa and Coloane. Together they have an area about 6 square miles. Macao’s economy is based on light manufacturing. Most of Macao’s food and all of its fresh water are imported, primarily from China. About 99 percent of the people are Chinese; the rest are Portuguese or persons of Portuegese-Chinese descent (see â€Å"History of Macau†). Portuguese is the official language; the Cantonese dialect of Chinese is the prevailing tongue. Macao is the oldest European settlement on the Far East. It was established by Portuguese traders with China’s permission in 1557. Trade flourished, and until the early 1840’s Macao and Canton were the only Chinese ports open to European trade. The development of Hong Kong and other rival ports, beginning in the 1840’s, greatly reduced Macao’s importance. In 1887 China formally recognized Portugal’s sovereignty over the settlement (see â€Å"History of Macau†). Since the Communists gained control of China in 1949, the official position of the Chinese government has been that Macao is a Chinese territory under Portuguese administration. In 1976 Portugal granted Macao internal self-government. In 1987 Portugal agreed to transfer the administration of Macao to China in 1999(see â€Å"History of Macau†). At present, Macao is one of the finest places to visit with its flourishing economy. †¢ Japan Japan is one of the world’s leading industrial nations, ranking behind only the United States and Soviet Union. During the 1960’s and the earl 1970’s, Japan gross national product (GNP) grew at the phenomenal average rate of about 11 percent a year—more than twice that of the United States. The worst postwar slump came in the mid-1970’s (Hane, 2001), when worldwide recession brought high levels of unemployment and inflation and a sharp decline in economic growth. Most of Japan’s postwar economic growth has been due to keen corporate management, a well-educated, industrious labor force, high levels of savings and investment, intensive promotion of industrial development, and vigorous foreign trade. Government has also been a decisive factor. Its influence is powerful and widespread, though exercised mainly through informal, cooperative arrangements with business (Hall, 2004). Giant conglomerates, many of which are interlocked in manufacturing, finance, and trade, are of prime importance in the economy. Coexisting with them are many small and medium-sized firms. Government ownership of industry and business is negligible, limited mainly to transportation and communication services (Hall, 2004). There has been little foreign investment in Japan because of numerous governmental restrictions. Of increasing concern to the Japanese are the environmental and social consequences of the nation’s industrial expansion. In some areas, water and air pollution is severe and increasing rapidly. Japanese culture is partly of Chinese origin and partly indigenous, for the Japanese adapted and did not merely imitate the culture of the mainland. Since the middle of the 19th century, Japan has been influenced more by the culture of Western countries than by that of its neighbors (Hane, 2001). Adoption of many Western ways produced sharp contrasts between the new and the old. Buildings and clothing, for example, are now seen in both traditional and Western styles. In addition, in Japan the family is a traditional and strong institution. It has a formal structure with authority vested in the male head of the family. The wife is expected to be subservient. Children learn discipline and their respective roles in the family at an early age. Japanese homes are noted for their simplicity. Nearly all are built of wood. In many hones, paper-covered wooden frames, called shoji, are used for windows and doors (Hane, 2001). Being light and easily moved, they allow much of the house to be opened to the landscaped gardens. Additionally, six years of elementary education and three of lower secondary schools are free and compulsory for children 6 to 15 years of age. At the three-year upper secondary schools, tuition is charged. Education in Japan is highly competitive, and admission to upper secondary school and to college is determined by rigorous entrance examinations. As a result, many Japanese children spend their after-school hours attending jukas, â€Å"cram† schools that specialize in preparing students for entrance examinations and other school tests (Hall, 2004). †¢ China When the Communists came to power in 1949, China’s economy was backward and suffering from nay years of war and civil strife. Agriculture was disrupted and producing at a low level. Modern factories, then located in only few places, lay idle or in ruins. Since the Communist take-over, agriculture has been reorganized and production increased, and modern industry has been greatly expanded. New mineral resources have been discovered, production of electric power increased, and transportation improved. In general, China’s development has been guided by five-year plans, patterned originally after those used in the Soviet Union (Gernet, 2002). Since the 1970’s, however, the centralization of economic decision-making has lessened and greater use has been made of profit incentives and private enterprise to stimulate production. Although accomplishments have been considerable, development has not been continuous. Many setbacks have occurred and much remains to be done in order to raise the relatively low standard of living. Political conflicts among China’s leaders have caused some of the worst setbacks (Barnett, 2006). On the other hand, a modern transportation system is one of the goals of China, and much has been done to build new facilities and modernize old ones. Though greatly improved, transportation is still poorly developed in all but a few areas. Railways are the chief means of long-distance transportation. Trackage is concentrated primarily in Manchuria and on the North China Plain, the two most economically advanced parts of the country. Moreover, elementary education, depending on the program being pursued, lasts five or six years. Lower secondary lasts three years (Gernet, 2002); thus, upper secondary education, depending upon the school, two or three years. China has an extensive adult-learning program, particularly to teach literacy. IV. Conclusion In conclusion, these countries comprise the East Asian civilizations contributed much to the entire world. Although each county faced a lot of turmoil and crises due to invasion of other nations yet these countries made its way to surmount every trial and had survived to its crises. In addition, the civilizations of these nations proved that East Asian countries can make it to the top as they strive hard for the betterment of their economy and for the benefits of its own people.

The garden is an artistic recreation of nature Essay Example for Free

The garden is an artistic recreation of nature Essay There is a saying which goes, the garden is an artistic recreation of nature; a landscape painting in three dimensions. Gardens are considered as a serious art form that aims to create a balance, harmony, proportion and variety. It is distinctive by its symmetrical and controlled characteristics with the landscape beyond it considered as hazardous and hostile. As the 18th century, however, emerged, this view was changed as gardening turned towards its more â€Å"natural† style of planting. â€Å"Natural† gardens were first expressed by writers before it was attempted by garden designers. In Kirk Johnson’s article entitled English Landscape Gardens he said that this is not surprising since literature was more important in English culture than the visual arts. The essay of Sir William Temple entitled Upon the Gardens of Epicurus, which was written in 1685 and first published in 1692, praised what the author imagined as the Chinese Manner of garden style. This essay did not really caused the Europeans to imitate Chinese gardens but it helped them to open their minds to the possibility of creating gardens that differs from the formal tradition (Johnson, 1999). The Chinese imperial garden is basically built in two kinds of styles: first is a large park that is usually with a lake and islands; and the second, a small park which is more intimate because buildings are placed much closer with each other. These gardens are made to traditionally intend to depict the natural landscape of mountains and rivers. Viewed from within the garden, the Chinese design gardens as settings for everyday life. In these gardens, plants are treated in a naturalistic way and often included a water feature. One of the famous traditional Chinese imperial gardens is the Qianlong Garden situated at the Palace of Peace and Longevity in the Eastern section of the Former Imperial Palace which was constructed in the late 18th century in China during the reign of Emperor Qianlong What made this garden unique from other Chinese garden is that despite its limited space all the man-made sceneries built, played a role in beautifying the garden thus creating a harmonious whole. This garden features the famous Chinese rock formations which is the main feature that the Chinese was known for. This naturalistic view was the way that the Chinese depict their garden. Buildings where placed in this garden but due to the fact that there was a limited space of the building, the Chinese landscape designers worked on it in a more compact manner as it would not obliterate the naturalistic view of the landscape. The Kinning Lake which is almost three-fourths of the entire landscape forms part of the entire area of the Qianlong garden. This serpentine lake was transformed and beautified to depict the natural view and natural landscape that the Chinese landscape architects are known for. The English got their ideas of Chinese gardens essentially from the patterns on imported porcelain, lacquer work and silk where they got glimpses of gardens laid out without order or disposition. With these porcelains and other products, the inspiration and ideas was then set leading the new landscape architects to form works similar to the Chinese. The new style of gardening within the English landscape, pioneered by designers like William Kent, Lancelot (Capability) Brown and Humphrey Repton, swept away almost all the remnants of previous formally patterned styles. Looking at the masterpieces of these famous landscape designers, it is undeniable that the Chinese influence in gardening made its way to England during this period. One of the famous eighteenth century landscape garden created by Lancelot Brown is the Stowe Landscape Garden, where he had been the head gardener for ten years. This garden evolved from the traditional Baroque style to that which features the famous serpentine style of Brown. Similar to the Qianlong Garden of China where rocks are piled into hills and winding paths form a maze, Brown recreated a â€Å"Grecian Valley† that is an abstract composition of landform and woodland. This was an unusual composition as compared to the traditional English style that is based on symmetry and proportion. When Brown incorporated the maze form or winding paths, the traditional English style of gardens was revolutionized. The use of buildings in landscapes was the most seen influence by the Chinese. Since the English got their ideas merely on pictures rather than actual observations of Chinese gardens and the lack of detailed information, these garden buildings were quite misunderstood in Europe and tended to be over powering. The Chinese merely used garden buildings within relatively confined areas combining practicality with aesthetics. As buildings were added in the garden setting, some of the pleasing features of the Chinese architecture such as the parsols, pavilions, and bridges were adopted and mixed with the native English work. The Chinese parasols were also in fashion, these are small temples found mixed within the gardens. Later on, there were bridges that were constructed, since most Chinese influence includes small rivers, as they would depict a natural look, bridges were constructed as part of the general garden design. The Stowe Garden with its winding lake similar to the Qianlong Garden also has a bridge nestled in it as against the more traditional symmetry and with only fountains to incorporate water. Another Chinese influence to English garden is the use of Chinese ornamental details. These parsols or mini temples are incorporated on the serpentine lake which particularly depicts the Chinese influence. The more traditional style was then only benches and chairs, which is more likely symmetrical as against the naturalistic way because these mini temples serves as a place of relaxation since they are found near the lake. These are some of the things that the Chinese influenced the English gardens; however, they still do not fully depict the Chinese style but merely form part of the grand design. These ornamental details served to remind Europeans of the eighteenth century of the wondrous land of the East that during that time it was almost impossible to find any one of the larger European gardens that had not at least one Chinese pavilion. Chinese influence may be visible, but the main inspiration of these gardens came from old European paintings (Johnson, 1999). Be that as it may, there are still things that are incorporated in the English design that mainly depict the Chinese influence as part of the general inspiration. WORKS CITED: Gothien, Marie Louise. The English Landscape Garden: Chinese influence on English gardens. History of Garden Art. 1928. Johnson, Kirk. English Landscape Gardens. 9 July 1999. Retrieved from http://www. suite101. com/article. cfm/garden_design/21925/3 Shouyi, Chen. The Chinese Garden in Eighteenth Century England. Tien Hsia Monthly 2 (1936): 321-339. China: Love and Loathing Acquisition of Stuff; Devaluation of Culture. Influence of the Chinese

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes us to adolescent places we either know or remember well: the heart-fluttering first crush or the high-school obsession with an SAT score. Yet despite the familiar material in The Perks of Being a Wallflower material that will be especially recognizable to those who have read the young-adult novel on which it is based the disjointed but refreshingly earnest movie ultimately establishes itself as a charmer. While Stephen Chbosky directing from his screenplay, based on his 1999 book occasionally leans a little hard on the overtly sentimental, he succeeds at the most important element in any film about that bumpy path from pubescence to adulthood: He makes us feel young. Charlie (Logan Lerman of Percy Jackson the Olympians: The Lightning Thief), having recently lost his best friend to suicide, is entering high school with no acquaintances and no notable romantic history but an enormous appetite for making mix tapes and reading every classic work of fiction that his affable English teacher (Paul Rudd) slips him for extra credit. When Charlie meets Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson) seniors, stepsiblings and self-defined misfit toys he suddenly finds himself with two spirit guides willing to usher him into a world of Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings, marijuana brownies and the first glimmers of unrequited love. One could argue that Chbosky adheres to his original work a bi t too closely; there are moments in Perks when scenes flow abruptly from one to the next, as if the filmmaker is racing to squeeze the most crucial plot points into a 103-minute running time. Still, the performances by the charismatic young actors particularly the uber-confident Miller compensate for any missteps. The other star of the movie is the soundtrack, which, in keeping with the early-90s setting, spills forth a parade of melodies from the Cocteau Twins, Cracker and the Smiths. That makes Perks a film designed both for nostalgic Generations and the text-addicted kids of today. It is a movie for anyone who has ever ridden in a car beside his closest high-school friends with his hair whipping in a liberating weekend-night wind and his heart filled with a sense of the infinite. According to Charlie, since the dawn of motion pictures, music has played an integral part of the cinematic experience. Before the advent of talkies, music quickly became a necessary tool to aid the narrative. These conventions have become moviemaking standards and are still used today. The use of music is a vital part of a movie. It helps create the emotion in the viewers; where as a film with no music would be flat. Not only is it used to convey the emotion but to: heighten drama, establish time, advance the story or even mislead the viewers. Since the movie the perks of being a wild flower was written in the late 90s, the directors choice in music was well suited for the movie. For example, in the scene where the trio enters the tunnel and Sam (Watson) stands up; all of a sudden the song Heroes by David Bowie come on the radio and later or ends up being blasted through it. This song is significant there because Sam was standing up in the car while entering the tunnel, which gives the viewers the feeling that even for one day they could be heroes and lovers. If any other song was played in place of that, it would not have created the same feeling. Similarly, the song Asleep by Smiths is one of the many songs that Charlie likes to listen to. This song fits well in this movie because the lyrics of the song repeat itself, as it does in Charlies playlist. Acting is equally or even more important than sound. Just because the sound is great doesnt make much difference if the actors and the acting is not there. The roles of Sam, Patrick and Charlie are played equally talented teens. Sam played by Emma Watson was an outstanding performance by her. Ms. Watson is known for her character, Hermione from the Harry Potter Series. Although she has an accent, she worked on it and strived to sound like any old American teenager. Emma Watson was a good choice for this role because of her short hair; she fit the character as a rebellious, doing whatever they want kind of teenager. Logan Lerner plays the role of Charlie, a lonely soul, does a fantastic job in playing in playing the part. He is famous for is fabulous role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Charlie is a delicate character and has to be portrayed in a delicate manner. Although, other roles were important, the most critical role in the movie is that off Charlies. Mr. Lerners character h as to quickly gain attraction and be likeable by the viewers; otherwise the movie would seem pointless. Another major character in the movie, Patrick played by Ezra Miller, is to help guide the other characters to final destination so to speak. Millers ability to be comical and serious fits the character he played. He does an outstanding job as a scene-stealing, impossibly cool, life-of-the-party, openly gay senior Patrick. The three actors did a phenomenal job at playing the part. In my opinion, The Perks of Being a Wildflower is a fantastic movie that takes me back to my high school days. I can relate to the movie because I too was a lonely freshman entering high school, with the hopes of making one friend other than my physics and math teachers. However, this movie falls into a lot of clichà ©s. Just because this movie is set in the 90s, doesnt make the bells and whistle gays and drug abuse, more superior to other films in the same genre. The teen-film genre about a teen trying to fit in with others is a popular genre, but what made me like this movie is the personal connection I felt with the character Charlie. Being one of his first films, the author and director of this book and movie, Stephen Chbosky, does a phenomenal job at representing the book. Being based on a book, there are some differences between the two to a certain extent. For instance, in the book Patrick and Charlies relationship is much tenser than that portrayed in the movie. If I had to guess, the director probably didnt have enough screen time to have that scene develop, or perhaps to have a more emotional connection to the director. All in all, this movie was fantastic and would recommend anyone to go watch. One thing I know for sure is that I wouldnt mind watching it a second or third time.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Diabetes an Epidemic in the African American Community Essay -- Biolog

Diabetes an Epidemic in the African American Community "The facts are clear: The diabetes epidemic sweeping the U.S. is hitting the African American community particularly hard, according to doctors." (2) Diabetes is defined as, "A disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy." (1) There are two types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, which usually begins during childhood or adolescence, "Is a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by total lack of insulin. This occurs when the body's immune system attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them.." (2) Type 2 Diabetes, most common form of the disease, "Usually occurring in middle age adults after the age of forty-five, is a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by either lack of insulin or the body's inability to use insulin efficiently." (2) National heal th surveys over the past 35 years show that the number of African American's that have been diagnosed with diabetes is drastically increasing. In fact, it has been reported, "Out of 16 million Americans with diabetes, twenty-three million are African Americans." (3) There are clearly many implications on why diabetes is so rampant in the African American community, those of which will be discussed in this report. In this report, I will exam aspects of the "African American Culture," in order to determine whether those aspects have anything to do with the reasons why diabetes is higher in the African American community, more so than others. "Have you ever heard in the Black culture someone say t... ... amounts of oils and sugars in food, improper dieting and apathy towards treating the disease. Diabetes is a major disease in all ethnicities, particularly in African Americans and can be deadly if not treated properly. If the cycle of diabetes is to lessen, in the African American community, people have to take the approach to eat right and exercise, or else the diabetes will continue to run rampant throughout the community. Internet Sources: 1) http://www.diabetes.org/community/outreach/african_americans/diabetesin.jsp , a rich resource from the diabetes community outreach project 2) http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/control/4Steps.htm , a rich resource from the department of health and diabetes. 3 http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/africanamerican/index.htm, a rich resource on diabetes 4) http://66.102.126.72?Diabetes.htm, a rich resource on diabetes

Friday, July 19, 2019

lord of the flies :: essays research papers

The leading characters in this book are Ralph, Jack and Piggy. The other boys are mentioned often but most of it is about those three boys. Ralph and Jack are both "leaders". That's because they are so "loud", everyone listen to them. Piggy is really different from Ralph and Jack, he is kind, he does what others want him to do, he seems to be quite shy too, but he is also very clever, he has good ideas but it is hard for him to be heard. The environment where everything happens, is on an island that looks very nice, it’s a paradise palm trees, white sand, coco-nuts, clear ocean water, beautiful starry nights with the sound of the ocean crashing on the beach. "The shore was fledged with palm trees. These stood or leaned or reclined against the light and their green feathers were a hundred feet up in the air. The ground beneath them was a bank covered with coarse grass, torn everywhere by the upheavals of fallen trees, scattered with decaying coco-nuts and palm saplings. Behind this was the darkness of forest proper and the open space of the scar.† Lord of the Flies is about a group of English schoolboys who are from 6 to 12 years old. They have been set on a fate island somewhere in the south Pacific after a crash. This could have been a dream situation for the boys; no teachers, no parents and no rules that tell them what to do or not do, but the dream situation develops in to a hard society where rules are set up and everyone has its own task.. They started to hunt and live a life like if they never would be rescued. After a while this big group became divided into two smaller groups with Jack and Ralph as leaders. This "competition" developed a bloody fight on life and death. long environmental descriptions make the book very interesting, depicting the scenery so clear. If you use your imagination it can feel like you’re there. I like Lord of the Flies because it was exciting and it showed how we humans can be, I think shows people how bad we actually are in a hard situation, but that's also what I think William Golding wanted to say with this book, he did also show the difference between two different kind of leaders.

Essay --

Segregation, the separation of individuals by their race, was something that many African American experienced in their life after their freedom from slavery until the end of segregation around the mid-1900s. Southerners were less accepting of African Americans than their Northern counterparts. Southerners were often extremely cruel to African Americans, referring to them with demeaning names and physically hurting them, sometimes to the point of critical injury or death. During this time, James Meredith, a civil rights leader was born. James Howard Meredith was born as one of ten children on a farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi on June 25, 1933. He was not exposed to racism until a train ride from Chicago, where he had to give up his seat for a white man. This train ride was his catalyst for fighting for civil rights. He spent nine years in the Army Air Force following high school. After his service, he enrolled in the all-black school, Jackson State College in Mississippi. The beginning of his work started in the year 1961, when he applied for University of Mississippi, which back then was an all-white school that had been segregated and should have been integrated with the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. The Brown v. the Board of Education, taking place in 1952, was a case that overruled the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that legalized segregation. This case brought about after an African American man from Topeka filed a lawsuit saying that black and white schools were not legal. This parent was Oliver Brown. This case was taken care of by Thurgood Marshall and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The court ruled in favor of Brown and segregation became considered illegal and in violation of ... ...aces, however, when they look at the same classroom about sixty years ago they will find it less diversified. Now, people can see African American children play with the children of white people. There are children who are of mixed race, when back then these children would be shunned by both sides. The children are able to play, become friends, and be happy. They are able to have a life where they do not have to worry about getting off the street just because a white person is passing by. They do not have to worry about moving to the back just because a white person has arrived. This would not have been the case sixty years ago. This place where children of all races are able to enjoy each other’s company was the result of many years of effort and blood, not only by one person but by many courageous individuals who wanted to create a better future for their people. Essay -- Segregation, the separation of individuals by their race, was something that many African American experienced in their life after their freedom from slavery until the end of segregation around the mid-1900s. Southerners were less accepting of African Americans than their Northern counterparts. Southerners were often extremely cruel to African Americans, referring to them with demeaning names and physically hurting them, sometimes to the point of critical injury or death. During this time, James Meredith, a civil rights leader was born. James Howard Meredith was born as one of ten children on a farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi on June 25, 1933. He was not exposed to racism until a train ride from Chicago, where he had to give up his seat for a white man. This train ride was his catalyst for fighting for civil rights. He spent nine years in the Army Air Force following high school. After his service, he enrolled in the all-black school, Jackson State College in Mississippi. The beginning of his work started in the year 1961, when he applied for University of Mississippi, which back then was an all-white school that had been segregated and should have been integrated with the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. The Brown v. the Board of Education, taking place in 1952, was a case that overruled the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that legalized segregation. This case brought about after an African American man from Topeka filed a lawsuit saying that black and white schools were not legal. This parent was Oliver Brown. This case was taken care of by Thurgood Marshall and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The court ruled in favor of Brown and segregation became considered illegal and in violation of ... ...aces, however, when they look at the same classroom about sixty years ago they will find it less diversified. Now, people can see African American children play with the children of white people. There are children who are of mixed race, when back then these children would be shunned by both sides. The children are able to play, become friends, and be happy. They are able to have a life where they do not have to worry about getting off the street just because a white person is passing by. They do not have to worry about moving to the back just because a white person has arrived. This would not have been the case sixty years ago. This place where children of all races are able to enjoy each other’s company was the result of many years of effort and blood, not only by one person but by many courageous individuals who wanted to create a better future for their people.