Case Study Alibaba, Com - 1272 Words

Alibaba.com’s Brief Company Background On November 6, 2007, Alibaba.com debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising US$1.5 billion to become the world’s biggest Internet stock offering since Google’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2004. On the first trading day, frenzied purchases of the stock pushed prices up to by 193%, the fourth largest first day gain in Hong Kong’s stock exchange in three years. The closing price of US$5.09 per share gave Alibaba.com a value of about US$25.6 billion, making it the fifth-most-valuable Internet company and the largest in Asia outside Japan. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) have been a key driving force in the booming Chinese economy. In 2004, SMEs contributed 68.8 percent to the†¦show more content†¦Alibaba.com also planned to continue organizing regular meetings, training, and offline events for registered users and paying members to further build the sense of community services. Third, that the company would strive not only to convert more users into paying members but also to generate more revenue from existing paying members through sales of value-added services, such as additional keyword listings and premium listings placements. Fourth, the company had already taken the first step by offering Gold Supplier membership packages to Hong Kong suppliers in 2007. Alibaba.com was already in talks with Japanese telecommunications giant Softbank about a joint venture to tap the Japanese market, for which significant upgrades to Alibaba.com’s Japanese languages Websites were already in the pipeline. Fifth, that loyalty of the users by providing business application through the marketplace platform and becoming an integrated part of users’ business operations. For example, it launched an internet based business management application called Alisoft Export Edition, developed by sister company Alisoft, for users based in China. Lastly, the underlying objectives would be expand its users and revenue base, widen geographic coverage, enhance content and service offerings, advance its technology, and strengthen its talent pool. Alibaba.com also considered leveraging itsShow MoreRelatedInternational Trade As A Tool For International Business1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe case study in chapter fourteen asks some very important questions regarding international trade as SME and MNE evolve globally due to technology. Therefore as international business continues to evolve companies are find easier ways to find importers and exporters from the comfort of their offices without the costly methods of travel and due diligences trying to find reputable companies to handle their needs. 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Visit www.ecch.com to subscribe. Economics, Politics and Business Environment 9-407-049 ALLIANZ AG: BECOMING A EUROPEAN COMPANY Lorsch, JW; Chernak, A Harvard

Bankruptcy Research Paper - 725 Words

Filing for Bankruptcy in Vancouver: How It Affects Your Spouse When you are struggling to manage your finances, you might consider a variety of options. Sometimes, filing for bankruptcy is the best choice. If you are insolvent, you may be contemplating this strategy. One important detail to keep in mind is how such a plan of action will affect your spouse. According to the results of a new study, 40 percent of Canadian marriages start off with financial debt. As a matter of fact, numerous couples begin their new lives owing more than $20,000. What does all of this mean for people who are married, planning to get married, or are in the process of getting separated or divorced? If you are currently getting debt help in Vancouver, this is a†¦show more content†¦When You Are Getting Divorced or Separated If you are contemplating a separation or divorce, you should be aware that you may have a more difficult time once you are paying bills as a single person. In fact, a split could actually cause you or your spouse to become insolvent, although you might not have been previously. Dissolving your marriage is sometimes the best or only choice you can make, however. In such cases, remember that bankruptcy and owing money can also have an effect on your divorce. Here is what you should know: †¢ Joint Debt: Charges that you would have both been liable for during your marriage are still jointly owed after a divorce. The only exception would be if a creditor chooses to absolve one of you from paying the bill. †¢ Child Support and Alimony: Legal insolvency will not apply to alimony or child support payments. You or your spouse must still pay these after filing for bankruptcy. In fact, one of the terms of your divorce might be that you or your spouse can keep specific assets if payments are made. Those payments will not be eliminated after a divorce, but the assets will likely be lost when you go legally bankrupt. †¢ Joint Bankruptcy: Even if you are separated or divorced, you can still file for bankruptcy together. If you cannot pay your debts as a couple because of the split, you may need to apply this strategy. Stay Informed and Get the Debt Help You Need in Vancouver You do not need to face your debtShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Retail Industry On The Retail Sector1660 Words   |  7 Pagesfailure of retail companies can lead to adverse impact on not only shareholders, employees but also the whole economy. Those are the reasons why the UK government has focused on the development of this industry and also made an effort to prevent the bankruptcy in the retail sector. 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Corporation Had Renewed Pursuit For Qualityâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Corporation Had Renewed Pursuit For Quality? Answer: Introduction The Starbucks coffee company has developed one of the most eminent as well as most love beverage stream in the world in any diligence. It had accurately moved beyond the ramparts of its existing stores, agencies as well as sweltering and production plants. Increasingly more, individuals all over the place derived into contact with, involvement or at least have heard of the Starbucks brand. It has simply become the brand accomplishment story during the 1990s. According to (Gallaugher, 2010 p43) the corporation had renewed pursuit for quality coffee by posing fresh coffee that is dissimilar from the idea of conserved coffee like the General Foods, Procter Stake, Nestl, and Jacobs. In accordance with the vital focus of this study also strategic practices of Starbucks is discussed with aim of ensuring scholars have adequate information about Starbucks. Starbucks opened the first store in Australia in the month of July year 2000 that was located in CBD of Sydney's. Currently, Starbucks c offee company has twenty seven coffee shops in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold coast. In Australia, the head office is stiuated in Mount Waverley, which is at Victoria. In the year 2006, global coffee icon Starbucks introduced its first major shop in South Australia. Its flagship shop is located in Rundle Mall, that is in Adelaide CBD, other two stores are located in Glenelg and at Centro Colonnades. The shop which is at Centro Colonnades was the foremost to open in South of Australia. However, business in Australia did not flourish well due to some reason although Starbucks company is trying to come up again in the country. Background of the Company In the study, it was found important to study about the company background, as it will educate much about the overall operations of the company. In the year 1971, the first Starbucks shop came into existence/opened. The brand designation was from the definitive of Herman Melville, Moby Dick that grabs about the whaling commerce during the 19th century. The motive the owner selected the said appellation is due to the circumstance that the ocean-going name is suitable for the store importing the worlds premium coffees for the taciturn as well as thirsty individuals of Seattle (Mason et al. 2017). It was owned and managed by three associates named Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl who were sharing the same passion about coffee. The said corporate started by selling fresh-roasted decadent coffee beans and infusing and roasting accouterments. In 1982, Howard Schultz had amalgamated in the Starbucks business and he later visited Milan in the directive to observe to the diverse espresso bars and pragmatic it to the company. The said philosophies of Schultz had facilitated the company to convert into one of the most well-known coffee taverns in Seattle, driving them coffee-crazy (Starbucks History, 2010). Schultz had smeared the idea of communal gathering places that is comparable the coffee lines in the Italy in the US. In 1983, he reinvented the vision of the establishment by selling espresso by the teacup. However, the owner of the company did not custom the idea of Schultz to the completest due to budget restraints and lack of reliance to their creation that is why Schultz established and opened his own coffee firm that was named after the major newspaper in Italy, The Daily. Later the store became a big hit, serving more than 700 customers on daily services and selling about three hundred percent level more than that of the Starbucks positions. Maybe it is actually Schulz destiny to convert part of the Starbucks, since, in 1987, the Starbucks Coffee Company owners had decided to sell their corporate, together with the appellation for about $3.7 million, and ultimately, Schultz had fetched it with the help of his stakeholders. Overall, in the year 1990s the corporation expanded by going yonder Seattle and eventually through the United States. Throughout the said decade, the establishment had become the first corporations to offer stock possibilities to its part-time workforces and had become an in-public traded syndicate. Currently, the company is painstaking as the Americas principal brand in terms of vending and roasting of coffees. The enterprise had also converted the success icon during the 1990s and there have been eight millions of people visiting Starbucks locations each week (Thompson Arsel 2004 p765). Mass publicizing and the establishment of brand designations and logos drive monopolistic ally modest firms, like Starbucks. Starbucks atmosphere and products promotion are by the preeminent, intellectual inferences. There are countless coffee shops on the marketplace that also offer tasty fragrant coffees, but the advertising and atmosphere of the Starbucks sprees draw a high number of customers. Individuals apply more on Starbucks beverages because of the logo and status committed to them. Starbucks positon Presently Starbucks position is as the prominent coffee organization hinges highly around the sphere expansion strategy. Enlargement of Starbucks around the globe is tranquil in the early stages and it has the great prospect for future evolution. Starbucks foremost objective was unveiling itself as the most prominent and respected trademark in the world. The main objective was to the improvement of its outlets all over the ecosphere, to broaden its merchandising business, develop new procedures, product and familiarize new distribution frequencies in order to accomplish its goals. The company additional aims were inaugurating its brand as a primary brand in the coffee marketplace by selling high superiority products, providing improved services and construct a relationship between clients and the Starbucks. Briefing the position of Starbucks that is "This persuasion that Starbucks can triumph the unachievable helps explicate Schultz's dismissal of any apprehensions about the struggle to his company's ubiquity. Starbucks identifies its employees for much of its achievement. This owes mostly to the upkeep of a great and proven work milieu for all employees. The business does not have an official organizational chart; management badges sot employees to make verdicts without a management recommendation. Moreover, administration trust and stances behind the verdict of the employees and it is this that consents for employees to reflect for themselves as a fragment of the business, to make them a sense as a true benefit and not as just another employee (Williams et a l. 2017). In totaling to being the best-known purveyor of the finest coffee and promising only the peak quality products, Starbucks accentuates firm values, delivers guidelines to augment employee self-esteem. This is to guarantee continued customer gratification. Moreover, assortment has become a precedence to providing a pleasing environment to all shoppers. Starbucks endures abiding by a stringent, slow growth strategy in which they fixed out to dominate a market afore moving on to enlarge, thus history has revealed this approach to be efficacious for Starbucks, making them one the profligate growing companies nationally. Customers and staffs as well receive an involvement for Starbucks, in which the company constantly struggles to preference everyone around them. The atmosphere is so inviting, comfortable, and probably hipper than most peoples living apartment, and at the same period, quick strode if you need a coffee to-go. Starbucks has established an environment where the aff iliation between clients and employees sets the corporation apart from other coffee sprees. Starbucks sets an altered type of tendency than any other coffee house that appears to be contagious to consumers and even other companies. Innovation Starbucks endures breaking the ground in retail and tech while intensifying offerings for its workforces. From teaching and development to enhanced digital payments. Research displays that more than 70m individuals worldwide enter Starbucks teashop. To brand it all happen and to preserve their customers gratified workers blend, steam, and brew the brand`s coffee in all the 21,000 stores about the globe. Starbucks took expertise into an additional modest advantage by using peripatetic payments and coffee conveyances. The company has been lately on an innovation slit by putting its properties and money toward cloud-based coffee brewers and fine tea taverns. Howard is scheduling to branch out extra with the tea fetters and opened another Teavana Fine Teas in Seattle`s University Village in November year 2014. Meanwhile, Howard refurbished its food selections by offering snacks from La Boulng, a San Francisco bakery hawser. Starbucks bank on a great deal on information technology schemes in the maneuvers of its supply chain, point-of-sale dispensation, and many other business dealings (Thompson Arsel 2004, p71). The management of these trades greatly affects the production, delivery, and sale of its yields. Any technical disappointment within these systems can cause deferrals in sales thus lessening efficiency. Starbucks exploited its Human Resources to its full volume. Employees are o bligatory to follow Starbucks all-inclusive store operating processes and attend training lessons. Starbucks comprehends that its growth depends significantly on the knowledge, abilities, and aptitudes of key officials and other employees and its capacity to recruit and hold those employees. Government plan exists to manage entry into a business with licensing necessities regulations. Opening a coffee works or restaurant will require procuring certain licenses, i.e., business licenses, and tax identifications, among other possible authorizations. Current Starbucks strategies Nearly all performing companies all over the world functions under some set strategies by top management that are employed there to enhance the work appropriately. Strategies in business should always be followed to ensure that the operations are in line with the requirements of the management. Starbucks Company, in this case, employs some strategies that assist in giving quality products and services to their customers all over the world. Through subdivision, the stores can create a market plan for the business to operate applicably. Starbucks fragments their market contrarily all over the world in fifty countries. In these countries, Starbucks functions according to the characteristics of the consumers in the area. Segmenting the market in this facet will help in meeting diverse customer tastes and desires hence improving the general sales recorded at the headquarters of the stores. Targeting and position their merchandises in the market produces the strategy of the market thriving. Starbuck aims the markets where there are clients of their products well than their contestants products. In the situation, their market, they stance their market in spaces are uniquely advantaged in peddling their products and outlining the map (positioning) to comprehend how sections distinguish their products. In monitoring and supervisory of the businesses, the management should always put in considerations the predicted risks to occur and come up with conducts to minimize all these jeopardizes. According to (Warren, 2015 p87) risk managing aspects brings about features ensuring that indecision does not glance the exertion from the occupational objectives. Risks come from diverse sources like threats from project catastrophes, accidents among others foundations and the management should guarantee they are on toes to restraint these uncertainties if they transpire. Business strategy The business strategy used by the business focuses on the upgrading of the company-customer affairs. In this esteem, the company habits the customer-centered tactic as its key business policy. The customer-centered slant allows the company to preserve its current situation of the company in the marketplace. In practicality, the professional strategy of Starbucks emphases on the improvement of its modest spot in the market. In datum, the company endeavors in expanding its market portion and attract more clients through the expansion of newly established business strategy. Starbucks retains using the same yields and services. In such a technique, the company bids customers products and services of the high superiority. Consequently, the enterprise keeps increasing its business and offers clients traditional products and facilities. Customers escalate products obtainable at Starbucks and enjoy overwhelming them (Yu, 2013 p135). The conservation of traditional products permits the compan y to maintain attentiveness of customers and seizure them from fast food cafeterias. Marketing strategy The marketing approach of Starbucks focuses on the development of its market share and desirability of new consumers. At the same period, through the enlargement of the high eminence of its products and amenities the company can improve the customer faithfulness. In such a way, the firm uses traditional advertising strategy along with the enhancement of the quality of its merchandises and services to upsurge the customer fulfillment and loyalty. Target market means selecting one or more market section and invention position. Starbucks also emphasis on consumer conducts and portioning its specialty of coffee with the purchasers. In the culmination of the twentieth century, there are many vicissitudes in the market that assisted Starbucks in becoming successful. The most vital change of the last twenty, thirty years is the variations of economic policies over the realm. Starbucks mark market was between 18-24 years young expert because they are not yet remained loyal with coffee dilige nce (Mason, Cole Goza, 2017, p90). Starbucks approach comprises to discover its stores at meticulous places such as the first floor of wedges of offices, underground main entry, and urban areas. Starbucks auctions totally are contingent on company function retail stores and qualified retail operations, Starbucks peddles coffee and tea merchandises through many others conduits like distribution aiming restaurants, hotels, colleges and campuses and other work residences. Starbucks target market was affluent, upper class and cultivated who agree to pay high fees of Starbucks due to its high superiority and customer facility. Conclusion Starbucks is an enterprise comprises of various stores offering coffee and other beverages to the people around. From the research, it will be inappropriate to view Starbucks as a restaurant as it only offers coffee and other small beverages to their customers whereas a restraint is an entity where a variety of meals served to the customers (Chua Banerjee, 2013, p90). Starbucks is a well-recognized part of the coffee household culture in the United States, well viewed for its ethical tactic to obtaining and buying coffee beans. There are worldwide opportunities for the business as well as forte markets within the US to the feat. Though not the number one firm in the coffee house market (a position held by Costa Coffee) Starbucks has established a strong following among the youth and student sections; whilst enduring to provide the indispensable products for the occupied population in their eventful working day. Having wind-swept the temporary tempest of bad publicity over the income tax fudging scandal, Starbucks has functioned hard to advance its position in the eye of the shopper by emphasizing the moral and sustainable philosophies the firm has always preserved. Such communiqu and relationship marketing are important to long term variety loyalty. Notwithstanding fears that coffee may be deprived for healthiness there is also, proof to support drinking coffee in restraint to have preventive cost against certain diseases. Starbucks is finely placed to continue in occupation competitively in the US market, predominantly as it continues to novelty and exploit new and pioneering ways to get their merchandise out to the consumer in the system of driving in high footfall areas. According to (Stinson, 2014, p312) there appears little sign of the trend and manner for coffee houses to weaken anytime soon and it endures to be part of the United States culture just as it was above 300 years ago. Starbucks is a leading corporation around universally. Starbucks used the very modest strategy, "relating links amid treating employees with self-esteem and respect and generating good merchandise and services." That was the chief factors that distinguish Starbucks from others and fetch the successful to Starbucks. Starbucks comprehended its business with the aid of well-established policies of it positioned itself in the marketplace. Nevertheless, every product has a lifecycle, when it grasps its maturity it will tend to deterioration, the position of Starbucks is also not diverse. It is time to transfer their market and synchronize their approaches. References Chua, A. Y., Banerjee, S. (2013). Customer knowledge management via social media: the case of Starbucks. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17(2), 237-249. Gallaugher, J., Ransbotham, S. (2010). Social media and customer dialog management at Starbucks. MIS Quarterly Executive, 9(4). Hutt, R. W. (2016). Reputation on the line: the Starbucks cases. Journal of Business Strategy, 37(1), 19-26. Machi, L. A., McEvoy, B. T. (2016). The literature review: Six steps to success. Corwin Press. Booth, A., Sutton, A., Papaioannou, D. (2016). Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. Sage. Mason, A, Cole, T., Goza, N. (2017). STARBUCKS: ACASE STUDY OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT IN THE COFFEE INDUSTRY. Journal of International Management Studies, 17(1) Stinson, L. (2014). With Stunning New Stores, Starbucks Has a New Design Strategy: Act Local. Wired. com. Conde Nast Digital, 8. Thompson, C. J., Arsel, Z. (2004). The Starbucks brandscape and consumers'(anticorporate) experiences of glocalization. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(3), 631-642. Warren, K. (2015). Strategy Dynamics Essentials. Strategy Dynamics Limited Williams, C. C., Martinez-Perez, A., Kedir, A. M., Duran, P., Hitt, M. A., van Essen, M. (2017). Teaching Case borjo coffeehouse: Franchise, Independence Starbucks..... 861. Yu, J. (2013). Promotion mix and consumer engagement on social networking sites: A cross-cultural case study of Starbucks Posts on Facebook (USA) and Kaixin (China). Quarterly Journal of Chinese Studies, 2(1), 1.

Lord Of The Flies Essays (814 words) - Fiction,

Lord Of The Flies Lord of the Flies Director Peter Brook based Lord of the Flies on the novel by William Golding. The film, released in 1963, is the tale of a group of upscale British schoolchildren who are being flown out of London to the supposed safety of the South Pacific before war erupts. Their airplane crashes and the lads are left to fend for themselves on a remote island. The storyline takes the boys from innocence to savagery. The film did not receive rave reviews from critics. ?The film version takes away some of the creative imagination that comes from reading the story, but its images are as shocking as one might imagine ? little boys turned into violent savages?(Webster, Apollo Guide). The reviews could be in part from the inexperience of the actors. ?The little boys were almost all non-actors whose parents volunteered them for the job out of respect for the book? (Webster, Apollo Guide). However, Peter Brook did an excellent job of depicting the possible outcome of the situation with which the children a re faced. This film shows human nature in its truest form. Society is faced with people who are vulnerable to others, those who are capable of making the right decisions, and some who feel the need to violate the rules. Piggy, portrayed by Hugh Edwards, is the most vulnerable character. At the beginning, he makes the mistake of divulging his nickname. Piggy seems to be intelligent and sensible, but lacking the confidence in himself to put it to use. Jack belittles Piggy throughout the film. He continuously calls him ?Fatty? and at one point slaps him in the face, which causes his glasses to break. Piggy's only hope is the friendship of Ralph, who betrayed him at the beginning, only to eventually become his best friend. Piggy never succumbed to the savagery of the others. In his last words, ?What is it better to be, a bunch of savages like you are, or sensible like Ralph is?, he proves that it is possible for someone to remain themselves and not succumb to the pressures of others. Piggy is the symbol of rationality and adult society. Ralph is the character who always tried the orderly approach. Throughout the film, he tried to care for the others and be the leader that the younger children needed. However, Ralph's leadership is doomed from the start. Jack's resentment of losing the election is evidence of the upcoming trouble that Ralph will face. He seems to notice signs of rebellion after the first pig roast. When the plane flew over and the fire was out, his encounter with Jack signaled the breakup of the group. Ralph's last appeal at civility came after Jack took the conch away from Piggy and Ralph said, ?You are breaking the rules. The rules are the only thing we got!? Ralph continued throughout the film to stand by Piggy and the younger children. Even after most of the children left his group, Ralph still had respect for their well being. Jack is the antagonist of the film. From the beginning, he is upset about losing the election and resents anyone who did not vote for him. He continues to act as if he is in charge. He continually belittles the other children and leads the older boys towards savagery. Jack eventually splits the group and forms his own ?tribe?. They paint themselves like savages and begin to chant and have warlike dances. Jack seems to become more violent as his power increases After Simon was killed, he defended the slaying by telling the others that it was the beast disguised as Simon. Jack seemed to have turned into a dictator toward the end of the film. He is shown having the smaller children whipped; his cruelty eventually led to the murderous search for Ralph. This film shows the viewer several different personalities, all of which are in our society. It shows the variety of people who are forced to live in the same world. ?Golding's novel is the sort of fable that could shock only those who believe in the onwardness of civilization, as some still did in those days. At the time of its publication (1954), attempts were

Writing for Hobby and Leisure Activity Magazines

Writing for Hob When I began my freelance writing career in 2007, I would never have believed Id end up writing dozens of articles for hob My Ive found hob Leisure activity magazines exist in a mind-boggling plethora of topics; trains, quilting, motorcycles, automobiles, cats and dogs, dolls, scale modeling, yachting, cycling, running (and nearly every other sport imaginable), camping, hiking, video games, arts crafts, astronomy, military history, stamp collecting, coin collecting, rock gem collecting, antique collecting, and every other pastime imaginable. Next time youre at your local Barnes Noble or bookstore, thumb through the special interest and hob Where to Pitch Your Hob Leisure activities represent a huge market in first world countries. So, make sure you pitch your stories to magazines published in developed countries that have wealth and where the people have leisure time for pursuing hobbies such as North America, the U.K, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. You Dont Have to Be an Expert Writers do not need to be experts about their hob Ive consulted or quoted experts in some hob My article in Garden Answers Magazine, about the Elandan Bonsai Gardens in Port Orchard, Washington, was a profile piece about Daniel Robinson, a bonsai expert who created this magical garden. How Do You Pitch Your Story Ideas to Hob Hob Create Pitch Lists Ive created extensive magazine distribution lists for every leisure activity genre that Ive written in. Once youve developed your magazine distribution lists, youve got them forever, so you dont need to reinvent the wheel every time you want to query a hob Writing for hob

Sex Education in Our Classroom essays

Sex Education in Our Classroom essays Sex education, which is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. It is also about developing young people's skills so that they make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education, partly because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Sex education seeks both to reduce the risks of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behavior like unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases, and to enhance the quality of relationships. It is also about developing young people's ability to make decisions over their entire lifetime. Sex education that works, by which I mean that it is effective is sex education that contributes to this overall aim. There are two methods to teaching sex ed in our classrooms. There is the comprehensive approach and the abstinence-based approach. In this paper I intend to discuss both of these approaches, talking about the pros and cons of each. In my conclusion I will discuss my views as to which of these methods I would incorporate into my classroom. Also, I will reflect on why I would choose this particular method. Government funding of abstinence-only programs have existed for the past 20 years. The Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) began in 1981 and was designed to prevent teen pregnancy by promoting self-discipline and chastity. The program received $11 million in federal funds that year and $19 million in 2000. In 1996 the federal government added a provision to the welfare-reform law to establish a federal entitlement program for abstinence-only sexual educat...

Art Blog Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art Blog - Assignment Example The psychology of the postmodern world is the continual state of change as we live in its idealist manufactured dream, built by developers† (Cullen). The poster in the exhibit reflected this statement through a number of fascinating ways. The first way in which it reflected this statement was through its graphically perfected nature, the art of the poster defined by edges that were uneven, but perfect, text that was bold, but rendered through the use of a typographically rendered font. This work was developed through the use of technology that separated the user from the medium, a brush or a knife not the connection between the artist and the medium, but the printing tools performing as the artist commanded to render what the tools were already capable of performing. The work feels manufactured, which is directly juxtaposed with the theme which expresses the freedom of the surfer. The surfer represents the extension of youth, the ‘Endless’ not only about time in a year, but about time in a life. Looking at the poster is reminiscent of the dream of the wave as it endlessly crashes against the sand, the heat of the sun as it beats out the color of the day until the ocean is a part of every moment of a day that will never end. The feel of heat, the grit of the sand, and the idea of following the waves is expressed through color and silhouette within the graphically rendered poster. Not only is the theme expressed, but the post-modern world in which technology and youth crashes into nature and defies it, is expressed. The work is an expression of a new world as it was emerging in the most socially volatile time in American history. The film that the poster was made to express was released in 1966 in the middle of a revolution that changed culture towards a more youth oriented aesthetic, even as it changed race relations, gender relations, and the relationship that the American people had with their government. Chasing the elusive dream, the next wave and a summer that never ended was emblematic of the new American dreams of freedom. Seeing this poster in the midst of the exhibit created a feeling of hope in which that dream of freedom could be discovered. See Pacific Standard Time at the LACMA which opened on October 1, 2011. (The images for the blog are easy to find, but I don’t know what parameters your professor gave you for copyrights, so I cannot help you with this. Since you didn’t submit the information until yesterday, my time to try and comply with this has been limited) Cullen Lauren. Interview with John Van Hammersveld on Pacific Standard Time. Examiner.com 30 September 2011. Web. 2 November 2011. Blog 2 Big Black Sun: The Loss of the Master Narrative within a Collective of Artists Minds The Geffen Contemporary at the MOCA is hosting an exhibition entitled â€Å"Under the Black Sun: California Art 1974-1981†. Paul Schimmel in his article on the exhibition website page quotes critic Arthur C. Danto as he discussed the idea of pluralism as â€Å"the implication that there was no longer any historical direction. That meant there was no longer a vector to art history and no longer a basis in truth for the effort to spot the historically next thing† (Schimmel). In looking at the works within the exhibit, the division of artistic direction is clearly evident and the works speak and reveal a wide variety of ideas from which

Europa Europa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Europa Europa - Essay Example Book Summary A young Jewish lad, Solomon Perel lives with his family in a remote part of Poland. A few years after his circumcision, he is forced to move with his family to Lodz, Poland after an attack takes the life of his sister. Solomon has two brothers; Isaak and David. Later, we learn of the tension that exists in these places when Germans attack Poland which leads to instability in the area. In the ensuing fracas, Solomon’s parents send him and his brother away so that they will be safe in a different location. We see how Soviet soldiers rescue Solomon and later sending him to an orphanage in Grondo. This way, Solomon and Isaac are separated. Solomon is then recruited into the Soviet Communist Union of Youth (Perel, 2008). Relations between German and Poland continue to deteriorate. For the second time, Germans attack Poland, this time attacking the orphanage. Orphans here flee which separates Solomon from his peers at the time. Germans rescue the young lad. Solomon is v ery fluent in German that he is able to convince the German soldiers that he is of German descent and not Polish. He comes up with a new identity by claiming that he is Josef Peters. A gay German soldier, Robert later discovers that Solomon is indeed a Jew since he was circumcised and not German as earlier claimed. Robert does not reveal this, hence, vows to keep it a secret. Robert becomes the young Solomon’s protector, but, this changes during a combat between Germans and Soviets. During this combat, Robert together with other German soldiers is killed, and this leaves Solomon all by himself. Solomon decides to surrender himself to the Soviets. As he strides across the battlefield, Germans grab this opportunity and they ambush the Soviets forcing them to surrender. Even though Solomon did not intend this, he is now regarded as a hero and this culminates in him being sent to a Hitler Youth school (Rigg, 2008). Various events transpire along the way to the school, the most no table being a sexual encounter between Solomon and a woman he was travelling with. Upon arrival at the school, Solomon is regarded a hero and a true and patriotic German. Solomon gets assigned to a room with a new found friend, Gerd. Solomon falls in love with a German girl, Leni, but, they do not interact sexually since he fears that his identity will be revealed. At school, students are expected to be examined by a doctor once a year. Solomon realizes that this is going to reveal his identity since the doctor’s examination entailed being naked. He, therefore, evades the procedure by faking a toothache. Later, we see Solomon slapping Leni after she insults Jews in a small argument. The two do not see each other for long. Solomon goes to visit Lemi’s mother after some months. He learns from her that Lemi was heavy with child, and that it is Gerd who had impregnated her. Solomon is really heartbroken, and this forces him to confess to Lemi’s mother that he is Jew ish. She sympathizes with him and promises to keep this a secret. At his school, police summon him to present his racial purity papers. Solomon tries to explain that he had left them at Grondo, but they hear none of it. They demand that he brings his Racial Purity Certificate. Solomon feels doomed since without these papers, his identity will easily be revealed. As he leaves the building, Gerd is killed through a nearby bombing. As the movie reaches its homestretch, Hitler Youth soldiers are

Ethical Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Ethical Worksheet Essay 1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly. The probation officer has to generate a presentence investigation report for the husband’s trial. The probation officer has to keep in consideration that this last DUI would be the husband’s third conviction, the only one being after his military service. The standard sentence for a third time offense usually begins at a minimum of 90 days in custody. The husband, however, has a record diagnosing him with post-traumatic stress disorder (developed after serving in Somalia) where confinement can trigger regression, explosive outbursts, and traumatic flashbacks. What should the probation officer recommend? 2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. This is the husband’s third DUI offense. Due to the husband’s military service in Somalia, and his imprisonment by the enemy soldier, he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has regressed to the level of a 10-year-old. As per his psychiatrists, any type of confinement could worsen his regression, triggering explosive outbursts and traumatic flashbacks. The standard sentencing (since he’s a third time offender) usually begins at a minimum of 90 days in custody. His prior convictions happened before his military service and he served a total of 60 days in custody, without incidents. 3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? Claimant (key actor) Obligation (owed to the claimant) Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?) Probation Officer Beneficence, protection, service The probation officer would strongly recommend for the husband be placed under house arrest and attend intensive therapy and rehabilitation, rather than being incarcerated or institutionalized. Husband Respect, order The husband would prefer to pay a fine, if any, and be penalized in any way other than confinement. Judge Beneficence, non-injury The judge would prefer to help the mental condition of the husband, as well as keep the order in any jails and/or correctional facilities. Psychiatrist Beneficence, farewell The psychiatrists would prefer to attend to the husband’s mental condition through intense therapy and rehabilitation, and avoid confinement at all cost. Society Justice, peace and order Society would prefer any type of rehabilitative therapy for the husband, a military veteran, and not incarceration. Evaluating Alternatives 4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within free will and control of the same moral agent. Alternative A Alternative B The probation officer strongly recommends rehabilitative therapy and psychotherapy in place of any incarceration time. The probation officer generates the PSI report following protocol of recommending the standard mandatory minimum of 90 days in jail for being the husband’s third conviction. 5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives. Alternative A Alternative B What are the best- and worst-case scenarios if you choose this alternative? Best: The husband shows improvement through different types of therapy and overcomes alcoholism. Worst: Therapy is useless for the husband and his alcohol dependency worsens. Best: Standard procedures are followed. Husband has no outburst or violent flashbacks. Worst: Husband has a violent outburst hrs within incarceration, has to be placed in solitary confinement, mental state deteriorates. Will anyone be harmed if this alternative is chosen? If so, how will they be harmed? Consider families and derivative effects. The husband will be hurt if the therapies recommended do not work as expected. His mental condition and alcohol dependency may worsen if the issue is not approached properly. The husband’s mental, emotional, and maybe even physical state will worsen will incarceration, since his violent outburst and flashbacks will be reoccurring. Would honoring an idea or value—such as personal, professional, or religious—make the alternative invalid? Prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of a military veteran with service related issues, such as PTSD makes the alternative invalid. Following the standard sentencing for a third time offender would make the alternative invalid. Are there any rules, laws, or principles that support the alternative? Are there rules, laws, or principles that make the alternative invalid? State the rule or principle and indicate if it invalidates or supports the alternative. 3455. Idiocy as a Defense You may not find the defendant guilty of if (he/she) was legally incapable of committing a crime because of idiocy. The defendant was legally incapable of committing a crime because of idiocy if at the time the crime was committed: 1. (he/she) had a mental disease or defect; 2. Because of that disease or defect, (he/she) did not know or understand the nature and quality of (his/her) act or did not know or understand that (his/her) act was morally or legally wrong. V C Section 23546 Penalty Third Conviction Within Ten Years 23546. (a) If a person is convicted of a violation of Section 23152 and the offense occurred  within 10 years of two separate violations of Section 23103, as specified in Section 23103.5, 23152, or 23153, or any combination thereof, that resulted in convictions, that person shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 120 days nor more than one year and by a fine of not less than three hundred ninety dollars ($390) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The persons privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles as required in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 13352. The court shall require the person to surrender his or her drivers license to the court in accordance with Section 13550 Applying Ethical Guidelines 6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your alternative. Guidelines based on the action itself Alternative A Alternative B Should this alternative become a rule or policy that everyone in this situation should follow in similar situations in the future? (Kant) Yes No Does this alternative result in using any person as a means to an end without consideration for his or her basic integrity? (Kant) No Yes Is the intent of this action free from vested interest or ulterior motive? (Kant’s good will) Yes Yes Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine concern for others affected by the decision, and is the moral agency responding to a perceived need? Yes: concern for others and responding to a perceived need are implicated No Guidelines based on consequences Alternative A Alternative B Is the good that results from this alternative outweighed by the potential harm that might be done to others? (Mill’s harm principle) Possibly No Is any harm brought about by anyone other than the moral agent? (causal harm) No Yes, the husband and the implicated correctional facility Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be defenseless? (paternalism) No Yes, the husband in a regressed mental state of a 10 year old To what degree is this alternative based on the moral agent’s own best interest? (ethical egoism) Not based on the parole officer’s own interest. It is based on the best interest of the husband. Not based on the parole officer’s own interest. It is based on the best interest of the husband. Which alternative will generate the greatest benefit—or the least amount of harm—for the greatest number of people? Select only one alternative. (utilitarianism) Alterative A will generate the greatest benefit. Ethical Decision Making 7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your decision. I recommend that on the parole officer’s presentencing investigation report strongly recommend an alternative type of punitive action against the husband, in lieu of incarceration. He should take in consideration not only the welfare and mental health of the husband, but the order in the corresponding correctional facility. The parole officer should note that incarceration will not only greatly deteriorate the husband’s mental, emotional, and even physical health, but it will also create altercations and physical confrontations in jail. The parole officer should push for some type of intensive rehabilitative therapy, as well as psychotherapy, and any other type of therapy the husband may need in order to treat his mental condition as well as to address his alcohol dependency. If necessary, applying a fine and/or house arrest in order to pay for the offense. The par ole officer should put the health and well being of the husband first.

My Papas Waltz :: essays research papers

A Drunken Dance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† tells the reader of a small boy’s memory of his father. It explains how his father is intoxicated and the scene that goes along with it, using the word waltz to describe it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first two lines, it recounts the smell of his father’s breath and the extent to which it reeked: â€Å"The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy† (1-2). As the third and fourth lines are read, a picture of a small boy hanging onto his father is instilled in the reader’s mind: â€Å"But I hung on like death / Such waltzing was not easy† (3-4). We would not normally associate this particular image with a waltz, a word Webster’s Dictionary defines as a ballroom dance in 3/4 time with strong accent on the first beat and a basic pattern of step-step-close. How can such an elegant dance be used to describe such a scene?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fifth and sixth lines describe, sarcastically, a playful incident where pans fall off the kitchen shelf: â€Å"We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf† (5-6). Finally the boy’s mother comes into play during the seventh and eight lines. Her facial expression â€Å"Could not unfrown itself† (8). This tells us that the mother was displeased but its rather discerning that she made no attempt at intervening. We would normally think of a mother’s love as unconditional and willing to do anything for her son. It really shows the degree of fear the father must have embedded into the mother with his actions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The eleventh through fourteenth lines describe actual, bodily harm done to the young boy by way of his father’s acts: â€Å"At every step you missed / My right ear scraped a buckle / You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt† (11-14). We can actually picture the boy clinging to his father as his ear scrapes the father’s belt buckle and his watch bumps hard onto the boy’s head.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe this poem tells a rather disturbing story of a boy’s time with his father in a very sarcastic way. I believe the theme to it is the sarcasm itself. It shows how some things that are bad can be described as good.

FutureCola

The reports answers five questions elated to the case of cola in China. These questions include; 1 How effective is the positioning of Future Cola? ; 2 What are the factors that have contributed to Future Cola's growth so far? ; 3 How might Coca Cola and Pepsi Co. Respond to Wahoo in the carbonated drinks category? ; 4 What should Wahoo do to anticipate and respond to the next level of competition? ; 5 what other strategies and tactics could Future Cola employ to continue to grow its market share?The author has used different tools to answer these questions including SOOT, PEST, Five Forces Model, Anions Matrix, Core Competencies and Competitive Advantages. To measure the effectiveness of Strategic Positioning of Future Cola the author first analyzed its strategic positions using competitive advantage theory followed by SOOT and PEST analysis as well as porter's five forces model which helped to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the business.Also the po litical, social, economic and technological factors that are contributing to the success of Future cola have been discussed. Also the business environment was analyzed by identifying threats of substitute products, threat of new products, intense rivalries among existing players, bargaining power of appliers and bargaining power of buyers. It was found that Future Cola has become a successful brand and is competing with international brands in China because it has been advertised as a patriotic brand Intelligent.Further Wahoo Group holds vast wholesale and retail network. Also the prices of Future Cola are low as compared to other brand. Pepsi and Coca Cola can meet the rising demand and success of future bola by adopting a localized marketing strategy, lowering prices and introducing new flavors that are close to the taste that Chinese people like. 4 Report also offers recommendation to Future Cola for becoming leader in China and or succeeding globally. These recommendations inclu de; target developing nations, medium calorie drinks as well as drinks with natural ingredients Q-1.How effective is the positioning of Future Cola? Strategic Positioning â€Å"Pretax profit last year at Hangout Wahoo, the Chinese beverage giant controlled by the country richest man Gong Singing, climbed by 18% to 10. 1 billion Yuan, or $1. 6 billion, amid a fall in raw material costs, a company spokesman told Forbes†. (Forbes, 2013) The Company started its operations in 1987 as a milk factory that was run by a School with the goal of providing children with nutrient drinks. The company is among top five global beverage producers.Future Cola was introduced by Wahoo Group of China in 1998 at the time when carbonated drinks had become popular and this category was covering half of the volume of the soft drink industry. In 1997 the output of cola in China was 1. 36 million with 80% combined market share of Pepsi and Coca Cola. Currently on number three in China and Number five i n the world among soft drink manufacturers Wahoo has successfully achieved and maintained its position. (Nancy Dad, 2004) Competitive Advantage The competitive advantage of Future Cola lays in its generic business strategy that fermentation strategy.The Future Cola gained success because the CEO was prepared on how multinationals will respond to this new brand and prepared to compete with response as well increase its market share in the future. (Nancy Dad, 2004) The outward evidence of competitive advantage for Future Cola can be seen in its success in China as third major soft drink in China and high growth in sales. Future Cola is enjoying superior delivered cost position due to low costs 6 international brands and close to the Chinese taste and culture. Positional advantage has many benefits and cannot be exploitedIn theory, the competitive advantage is described from two perspectives; 1 . Resource 2. Capabilities As regards resources Future cola has competitive advantage that b ecause it has vast distribution network, financial capacity, its manufacturing and distribution network in low cost, has production capacity, it purchases raw material. Capabilities include focused knowledge, orientation of customer service, expertise in design, experience as a food and beverage company, holds trade relationship in China, is able to utilize relevant technologies, capability to design system as well as to response capability.SOOT Analysts Strengths Weaknesses ;Brand name resembling to Coca Cola ;Fifth biggest brand in the world ;Third Major Brand in China ;China' National Brand ;Vast network of wholesale ;Cheaper than its competitors ;Attractive Marketing Strategies ;Brand Management Skills ;Not an international brand like Pepsi and Coca Cola ;Focusing less on Threats Opportunities ;Great Competition ;Changing consumption trends ;Restriction on carbonated drinks ;Can expand its network to emerging markets and developing nations to ;Can introduce different flavors to grow sales ;Can acquire major players in ChinaFigure I-SOOT Analysis Future Cola Brand name resembling to Coca Cola which is already familiar One among the five biggest brands in the world Third Major Brand in China Established as China' National Brand Vast network of wholesale Cheaper than its competitors Attractive Marketing Strategies and Brand Management Skills Weaknesses 8 Not an international brand like Pepsi and Coca Cola Can expand its network to emerging markets and developing nations to increase sales and profits Can introduce different flavors to grow sales Can acquire major players in China Great Competition with presence of major brands Changing consumption trends

Addressing Industry Dependency Essay

Regal Entertainment Groups is the parent company of Regal Cinemas, which is made up of Regal Cinemas, the United Artists Theaters, and the Edwards Theater. It runs the largest theater circuit in the U.S., and uses the multiplex cinema model in metropolitan and metropolitan growth areas. The movie theater industry is highly competitive, both within the film entertainment industry (as with Netflix and pirated films) and with substitute goods, such as live performances, restaurants, and sporting events. In addition, industry competitors have an extremely low level differentiation from one another, which is partially due to the reactive nature of the industry. It is also due to the considerable dependency on major film production companies. Regal’s dependency on the film production companies for profitable films and film advertising contributes to its lack of differentiation from its major competitors, which hinders its profitability potential in a market of ambivalent consumers. See more:  The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Essay This report recommends that Regal pursue both an active advertisement campaign team to deliver the message of Regal’s value directly to the consumer (a practice not traditionally observed in the movie theater industry) to create brand recognition, and forge partnerships and agreements with live performance venues, utilizing Regal’s existing digital technology. By doing so, Regal could increase its profit margins, decrease its  dependency on quantity and quality of mainstream film companies, create greater value to consumers and stakeholders, and provide new entertainment possibilities and community experiences that have not been available on this scale before. Position Company Overview Regal Entertainment Group was created out of a consolidation of the Regal Cinemas, the United Artists Theaters, and the Edwards Theaters in 2002 (â€Å"Regal Entertainment Group Company History†). Regal Cinemas are primarily a line of multiplex, first-run theaters in urban, metropolitan, and suburban growth areas. It currently operates the largest theater circuit in the United States, with 520 theaters, averaging 12.6 screens per location, with a total of 6,558 screens. (Form 10-K 4) It is currently one of the ‘big three’ competitors in this industry. Mission, Vision, and Values Regal Entertainment does not currently have a mission or vision statement. It would be advisable to create such statements in order to improve investor and employee understanding of what Regal hopes to be, and better focus its efforts and attempts to solve current and future problems (Yuthas 9-10). However, their business strategies listed on the Regal Investor Relations webpage provide some insight into the company’s values. The four strategies listed are maximizing stockholder value, pursuing selective growth opportunities, pursuing premium experiences opportunities, and pursuing strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Combining these strategies with their metropolitan multiplex approach, their business landscape shows a drive to expand, using economies of scale to create value for the viewer, as well as their partners and suppliers. Their activities will better reflect their values, and will be discussed in greater length in this report, under the Current Activities sectio n. Key Stakeholders Regal’s key stakeholders include the usual categories: stockholders, suppliers, employees, and business partners. Regal’s main suppliers are their food and beverage suppliers and the major movie production companies that Regal depends on for their first-run films. The food and beverage  suppliers include beverage companies like the Coca-Cola Company, and confectionary companies like Tootsie Roll Industries, Cadbury Schweppes, and the American Licorice Company. Regal’s sheer size makes it a desirable client, and the economies of scale benefit both parties. Partners of note include AMC, one of its major competitors, with whom Regal jointly owns Open Road Films, a film distribution company. This will be discussed in more detail under the Current Activities section. AMC could conceivably take over if Regal were to go under, but splitting the cost and the risk of a new venture is a benefit to AMC. Regal also maintains an investment in National CineMedia (NCM), as does AMC and Cinemark (Form 10-K 74). NCM is an advertising service that acts through cinemas to reach the consumer. While this allows for more advertising within Regal Cinemas, Regal currently does not advertise itself outside of its theaters and website. NCM and Regal have a mutually beneficial relationship, in which Regal’s geographic expanse and numbers of theaters give NCM greater exposure, while Regal benefits from the money from the advertisers. However, Regal does little outside advertising for its cinemas. Regal Entertainment Group created the Regal Foundation, which is a non-profit charitable organization â€Å"committed to [improving] the quality of life in the communities in which [Regal operates] by providing funds and other resources to aid the initiatives of national and local charitable entities (â€Å"Community Affairs†)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some of it beneficiaries include the Will Rogers Institute, and their partners include the Boys & Girls Club of America, the American Red Cross, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation (â€Å"Community Affairs†). All of these stakeholders rely on Regal’s profitability to continue successfully, in order to maintain their charitable support. Current Financial State Regal reports a total of 211 million cinema viewers in at the end of the fiscal year December 2011, and recently reported dividends of $0.21,declared for Class A and B common share. These dividends have been distributed for the past four quarters (Form 10-K 97). Regal anticipates continued dividends in the foreseeable future, but note that dividends are considered quarterly and are only paid when their Board of Directions approves them. From May of 2002 to the end of December of 2011, Regal has returned $3.3 billion in cash dividends to their stockholders (Form 10-K 5). The movie theater industry  as a whole has a fairly low profit margin to dip into, and Regal has the same approximate costs and revenues as its competitors (Mintel – Leading Companies). Regal’s 2011 10-K states a net income of $40 million dollars, and cash and cash equivalents of $253 million, with $174 million in accounts payable (54); Regal appears confident in its ability to met its obligations. Current Activities In 2003, a year after its consolidation, Regal removed video games showing â€Å"graphic depictions of sexual behavior or nudity,† â€Å"graphically violent character deaths† or â€Å"human-like characters suffering bloodshed and/or dismemberment.† It also removed games depicting â€Å"violence toward law enforcement officers or other figures of authority or the ‘glorification of illegal activity (Earnest).’† A potential reason for this decision may be Regal’s major shareholder, Philip Anschutz, who is heavily involved in Conservative and fundamentalist Christian politics, and actively supports Christian and family-friendly cinema (Haber). The aim appears to be to gear the public areas of the theaters towards a more family-friendly approach, although this has had no effect on the MPAA film ratings that the theaters would normally show. This may be relevant to any changes they wish to make to the business in the future. Regal appears to be fairly reactive to market changes rather than being proactive. They, as have their competitors, turned a great deal of attention to digital, 3-D, and IMAX technologies (â€Å"Market Size and Trends†). Regal has been investing a considerable amount of time and effort into IMAX technology, as well as their own version of IMAX, called RPX (Regal Premium Experience), which emphasizes improved uncompressed surround sound. Another trend that Regal has followed is creating a dining experience in-theatre with its subsidiary, Cinebarre. There are 28 locations that are experimenting with various menu items, pricing strategies, and serving styles, such as the traditional restaurant versus being able to order directly from the audience seating. A few locations have beer and wine availability, and a total of 5 are testing the direct-to-seating Cinebarre method (Form 10-K 14). One of the major audience draws to the multiplex structure is the all-encompassing experience that involves â€Å"the consumption of the space as well as the visual consumption of the movie† (Hubbard). Open Road Films is jointly owned by Regal and AMC.  According to Regal’s 2011 Annual Report, they believe that â€Å"Open Road Films has a unique opportunity to fill a gap in the marketplace created by the major studios’ big-budget franchise film strategy by marketing smaller budget films in a cost-effective manner which [Regal] believe[s] will drive additional patrons to [sic] theaters and generate a return on [sic] capital investment† (12). They are approximating that they will eventually be distributing eight to ten films per year, effectively filling any dead space left by the major film production companies. Industry Overview Key Players and Market Share The major competitors that Regal currently contends with are Cinemark and AMC. Both of these companies have overseas markets, which Regal does not. Both also prefer geographical locations similar to those preferred by Regal. This is to be expected, as the multiplex structure is most profitable in such metropolitan and growing suburban areas that these first-run, multiplex theatres prefer to locate themselves in. Regal currently holds 21% of the market share, with AMC and Cinemark holding 20% and 18% respectively (â€Å" Leading Companies†). Current Practices Currently Cinemark and AMC are pursuing trial runs in improved and expanded concession ventures, which appear to be successful, judging by their continued implementation (â€Å"Leading Companies†). AMC and Cinemark currently have a potential advantage over Regal in their foreign markets. Not only have they expanded the number of people who will see first-run Hollywood films, but they have good relationships with foreign movie production companies and currently show their films in other countries. As previously mentioned, the industry and major competitors have made the move to digital, 3-D and IMAX technologies. Sense Industry Challenges and Causes Piracy and Alternative Goods The industry’s battle with pirated films is well known, costing the entertainment business as a whole roughly $20.6 billion (Plumer). It also  competes with such legitimate entertainment businesses as DVD rental services, Pay-per-View, cable television, and similar entertainments. Not only this, but since most of the movie theaters are in areas of high population, there are multitudes of other activities to compete with, such as live theater, restaurants, sports bars, pubs, concerts, and sporting events, to name a few. Fewer Total Annual Viewers It is no surprise that the current recession has had a significant impact on consumer’s spending habits. A night at the movies is an affordable luxury, but a third of the total respondents reported going to movies less in 2009, and again in 2011, than the previous year. Although there was a small increase in total revenue in 2010, it declined by 1.2% in 2011, with the lowest number of tickets sold since 1995 (â€Å"Segment Performance: Box Office Admissions†). The most profitable age group (18-34) are attending live performances more often than in the past, and as unemployment continues, their numbers are decreasing at the box office, although they still are going more frequently than any other age group (â€Å"Family Entertainment on a Budget†). Ambivalent Audiences Not only is the number of attendees declining, but consumers do not have a strong brand loyalty to their cinemas. A Mintel report showed that the major criterion for selecting a movie theater was the proximity to home (66% of respondents of all ages cited this as an important factor in their decision), the availability of the desired time (53%), and how comfortable the seats were (56%) (â€Å"Consumer Trends†). The brand of the cinema appears completely irrelevant for the average consumer. Branding has considerable value for any industry, yet movie theaters do not appear to have made a lasting connection with the average consumer. Reliance on Film Production Companies The industry depends heavily on the film production companies. Movie theaters depend on good relationships with the firms to get a contract, and must pay a premium for the use of big-name productions. The pricing has improved since the transition to digital, but to equip thousands of screens with the most profitable movies is still expensive. There are been accounts from the  film companies that because releasing to DVD is more profitable for the studio, there may be fewer films released and theater running times may decrease farther (Szalai). The movie theater industry historically has a low profit margin, and having empty theaters will only decrease it further. Regal Challenges and Causes Market Saturation There are a limited number of profitable places to create the multiplex experience that Regal specializes in. In light of the prevalence of competing first-run theaters that also occupy the same profitable locations, it seems that Regal is running out of places to go within the U.S. Its films are primarily first-run big-name productions, which are the biggest draw to the box office, but since the other major competitors specialize in showing these films as well, this is only a minor point in Regal’s favor. Regal could conceivably open theaters in more remote locations, but while big-name films are popular everywhere, they are also the most costly to rent (Morgan). Opening in less densely populated areas could mean higher costs than revenues, if the attending numbers aren’t high enough. Another option could be expanding Regal Cinemas overseas, but expanding overseas is a highly risky and costly venture. It should also be noted that AMC and Cinemark have already established themselves in the most convenient overseas locations (namely Central and Latin America), and have been closing theaters in recent years (â€Å"Leading Companies†), indicating Regal may have a difficult time finding a marketing foothold. Fewer Total Annual Viewers Despite the optimistic announcement of Regal’s 2011 attending numbers, movie theater attendance for the industry has been declining (â€Å"Family Entertainment†), and Regal’s viewership went down by 5.5% (â€Å"Segment Performance: Box Office Admission†). The economy has had a significant impact on the buying power of Regal’s main audience: middle to upper-middle class families and young adults (18-25). These are currently becoming more price-sensitive groups, and movie prices are nearly the highest they’ve ever been (Morgan). While Regal cannot turn the economy into a bull market, it could create some consumer incentives to attend Regal Cinemas. They have a customer rewards program; restructuring the rewards program to create a  better value may help incentivize an increasingly price-sensitive market. Some have suggested a return to staggered pricing, which fluctuates depending on the movie title and show time, typically having higher prices for popular movies at peak viewing hours (Zeitchik). However, pricing rarely regresses, and if Regal is the only movie theater to attempt it, consumers may resist and direct their attentions to movie theaters with more familiar pricing. Viewers are turning towards other methods of movie entertainment, such as Netflix and On Demand (Form 10-K 7), as they are more affordable and convenient. As mentioned in the industry challenges, the key age group18-34 are attending more live performances than before, indicating some experience value that Regal is not providing them. Regal must find a way to remain competitive and to market greater value to these consumers to coax them out of their homes and away from live venues. Dependency on Film Production Companies As noted in the Industry Challenges, Regal is dependent on the major film production companies. Because of the film production companies’ release times, theater business is seasonal, peaking during the summer months and during the holidays. This is occasionally broken up by a fluke film release, but this is again the choice of the film production company. Not only is Regal dependent on the timing of the releases, but also on the quality and draw of the films. Regal notes in its 2011 Annual Report that the decline in viewers during 2010 may have been due to the poor product offerings those years (Form 10-K 37). If the film production companies do decide to reduce the number of films produced and reduce the run times of these films in favor of earlier DVD production, Regal stands to lose profitability in the future. The production companies take a significant portion of ticket sales, anywhere from 35% to 100% for a specified amount of time, on a film-by-film basis (Morgan). More popular movies will have a larger percentage taken from their ticket sales for a longer period of time. This effectively decimates Regal’s earnings. Most theater-viewers see the film within the first six weeks of its opening, and the highest volume is within the first two to three weeks, when the production companies are taking their cut. Also, the younger, profitable age groups tend to go during the first few weeks, and older viewers, who are notoriously more price-sensitive, tend to wait until  the crowds die out. Having a shorter timespan to show the films, knowing that the best part of those profits will be going to the production companies, and having fewer films to pack the multiplex seats: it is clear these issues will create profit gaps for Regal if left unaddressed. Regal’s Open Road Films venture is perhaps an attempt to alleviate the stress from that dependency, but it is not a full solution to the problem. ORF is a distribution company. While Regal must enjoy some income and savings from its involvement, they are not (and are not legally able to) actively creating their own films to guarantee quantity and quality of films. However, its first films distributed met with success, with Killer Elite starring Clive Owen and Robert De Niro, and The Grey starring Liam Neeson. It is a good addition to the company, but it is not enough to fully address Regal’s dependence. Lack of Differentiation From Competitors First-run movie multiplex theaters are the most profitable in the motion picture theater industry. However, there is very little differentiation between major movie theaters. They all show the same big-name films, they provide the same concessions, they have very similar prices, and their layouts and locations are similar. The industry shift to digital and IMAX technology is also widespread, so it despite Regal’s investment in it, it does not create a sustainable advantage. As discussed earlier in this report, consumers are fairly ambivalent about which cinema they attend to see a particular movie, which is understandable, considering the striking similarities of major movie facilities. Again, the two highest deciding factors in a consumer’s cinema selection are the cinema’s proximity and the availability of the desired viewing time. Movie theaters depend on movie production companies to advertise their films, and do not create significant advertising outside of their facilities and website, with the exception of local newspapers (Segment Performance: Advertising). The production companies do not advertise specific theaters, and so Regal must depend on its location and available viewing time to entice audience members. Since there is little to make Regal stand out from the crowd this way, creating an active marketing campaign designed to show advertisements outside of the newspapers and company website could be a divisive next step to better differentiate itself from other theaters. Problem Statement Upon the given information of the industry and business environment and challenges: Regal’s lack of differentiation from its competitors and its dependency on film production companies is negatively impacting its profitability. Uncover Problem Focus and Potential Solutions In creating the fishbone diagram (Appendix A), I present the problem as a two-pronged issue that stems from dependency and lack of differentiation. I chose to present it this way because both problems are intertwined, and can be solved by similar means. Dependency on Film Production Companies Again, film companies claim a large percentage of the ticket sales for the first few weeks. After that period, Regal gets the majority of the ticket sales. However, the profitable market groups (tweens, families, and the 18-25 age range) tend to see movies in the first few weeks, which means Regal is left with fewer tickets, and thus lower total profits. Regal could attempt to renegotiate with film production companies regarding the percentage of ticket sales, in an effort to buffer against the lessened and shortened theater runs that the production companies are currently discussing. Regal could increase production with Open Road Films, or extend negotiation to other film distributors to include indie films. Using Open Roads Films not only fills a void and generates some cash flow that is significantly less garnered than Regal typical ticket sales, it also creates the potential to gain revenue from the showings of Regal’s film creation at other cinemas. In creating fresh relationships with outside artists, Regal could create a more beneficial set of terms than it currently has with the mainstream film production companies, and would be creating greater exposure for fledgling or small-time artists. Another option may be to create a whole new cinematic experience with Cinecasting. Cinecasting is digital, sometimes live, streaming of a remote event. In Santa Rosa, California, a small local theater was able to use a local movie theater’s digital projection system to show a live Broadway run of The Importance of Being Earnest, performed by the Roundabout Theater Company, which had been  nominated for three Tony Awards. They charged a premium for tickets, which were not available until one hour before curtains. They sold out every show and created a huge demand that led to an on-going, mutually beneficial relationship between the theater and the local movie theater company (Fuller). Cinecasting is slowly catching on, but no major cinema chain has done much with it. Cinecasting could be applied to theater performances around the world, concerts, major sporting events, and potentially minor sporting events such as Friday Night Fights. It would make the special events seem larger than life, and make the smaller events seem special. Lack of Differentiation The ORF and Cinecasting solution mentioned previously would also attack the problem of lack of differentiation directly. If Regal could get exclusive agreements with various entertainment providers before its competitors follow in its footsteps, they could potentially create a sustainable advantage for some time. Regal is in the process of creating a premium adult dining experience, as shown by their investment in Cinebarre and menu expansion, and ventures into wine and beer provision. Because Regal will be charging higher ticker prices for these experiences, there is more of a call to add something extra-special to the experience. Regal locations in metropolitan and urban areas could invite local artists and business to entertain in the theater during times when the theater is in low use, usually late at night. Other theaters are making the same push with their menu expansion as they did with digital, 3-D, and IMAX technologies. Not only would Regal be creating additional value for the customer, but gaining community bonds and goodwill. These connections are extremely valuable to a company (Grewal and Levy 190). However, simply taking the small step of actively advertising the Regal experience to the public would be a beginning to making Regal stand out from its competitors, and increase profits (Pitelos 39). Movie theaters, as previously mentioned, rely on the film production companies to advertise the movies to drum up interest, but this does not specifically help audiences select a particular theater. The advertising campaign would have several parts to it. There could be one for the traditional movie-going experience, but with an emphasis on the superior Regal experience. In the event that Regal does begin to differentiate its  offerings beyond blockbuster films, the advertisements might show what entertainments are available on a regular basis, or simply to show the variety of experiences it is capable of bringing to the consumer, thus getting the attention and creating consumer interest. Another advertising effort might be to create advertisements that are more specific to the region s they are in. This would help to integrate Regal into the community further, as a way of showing that they are a part of the community and are paying attention. For example, T-Mobile ran an ad on a Manhattan billboard, proclaiming that their service connection moved faster than new families moving to Park Slope. It was almost immediately reposted and written about on a dozen New York City blogs, written by New Yorkers, who love making fun of other New Yorkers (Arak). The humor is highly selective, but it was successfully implemented, creating the feeling of an in-joke with their consumers and their region. Making the significant changes necessary to alleviate the problems of dependency and differentiation could additionally address some of the other problems discussed previously, such as creating interest in ambivalent consumers and offset market saturation. By expanding potential cash inflow ventures outside the major production companies and forming those alternative options, Regal would be addressing saturation and ambivalence through the differentiation projects, and so those will not be the main problems addressed in the remainder of the paper. Potential Stakeholder Effects The majority of Regal’s stakeholders would most likely benefit from these changes. If the changes are successfully implemented and Regal’s profit margin rises, the majority of its stakeholders stand to benefit, including stockholders, charitable organizations, and employees. Regal would be following its normal business strategies that rest on its current strengths, so it wouldn’t depart from the company’s culture and â€Å"mission†. In creating strategic alliances and partnerships with additional entertainment groups, Regal would be fulfilling its goal to create greater worth to its stockholders and following its current business strategy. Breaking from the dependency on the film production companies should not cause a great gap in Regal’s usual operations. Regal’s bread and butter is first-run films, so those will continue to take precedence in the theaters, so the changes  should not damage Regal’s relationships with the major production companies. The changes would be intended to supplement those films once the hype dies away and audiences are looking for new entertainment between peak film release times, rather than replacing blockbusters.

Shouldice Hospital Essay Example

Shouldice Hospital Essay Example Shouldice Hospital Essay Shouldice Hospital Essay Q1: How does shouldice compete? In other words why do patients come to shouldice hospital? Two main reasons drive customers into choosing Shouldice over other competitors/hospitals. The first is quality, and the other is cost. talking about quality of the Shouldice â€Å"product† includes both, quality of the operation, and quality of post operation activities and overall services offered by Shouldice. The Shouldice method is a focused, specified operation that deals with Hernias, with a reputation that has been built throughout the years and is still growing; the hospital doesn’t even use advertisement to attract patients, the â€Å"word of mouth† way of advertisement has been doing very well for them so far. The superior quality offered by the Shouldice method, gives the patients a motive to operate at Shouldice for what it gives regarding peace of mind, low risk and low recurrence rates. Away from the in-operation excellence in quality, the services that Shouldice hospital offers are more tempting than other hospitals. Patients do not feel that they are in a hospital; they consider it more like a recovery vacation with an excused absence from work without feeling any guilt in that. How do you count for its performance ? The Shouldice Method * Specializes in external hernias only. * Is a 45 minute procedure for first time repairs, * And a 90 minute procedure for recurrences of hernias previously repaired elsewhere. * Involves separation of muscle layers and six rows of sutures in an overlapping fashion resulting in a reinforced muscular wall. * Typically, only requires use of a sleeping pill, a pain killer, and a local anesthetic allowing for immediate post-op ambulation rapid recovery. The Patient Experience * Appointments are driven by patient referrals. * Patients are encouraged to self-diagnose to avoid a visit. * The experience requires only one or two visits. * A typical length of stay is about 3 days. * All rooms are semiprivate, and patients are grouped with someone of like interest. * Patients nearing discharge help orient new patients arriving. * Surgery occurs on day 2. * Patients walk from the operating table to the post-op room (with some help from surgeons), * For psychological and physiological reasons * And are encouraged to exercise regularly, explore the premises and make new friends. * Patients were so fond of their experience that they sometimes asked if they could stay an extra day. * The most common after-effect in summer is sunburn! The Nurse Experience * Shouldice employs 34 full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses on staff. * The ratio of nurses to patients is 1:15, compared to 1:4 in Canadian acute-care hospitals. * Nurses spend an unusually large amount of time providing counseling services to patients. * Due to low nurse turnover, there is a waiting list of nurses wanting to work at Shouldice. * Competition is constantly short-staffed. The Doctor Experience * 10 full time surgeons, * 8 part-time assistants, * 2 anesthetists on site, * 30-36 operations per day. * Each surgeon performs 3-4 surgeries per day. * Salary is $144k + bonus (15% over competition). * Surgeon’s typically work 7:30 – 4:00 M-F. * On call 1 weekday night in 10, 1 weekend in 10 * Better quality of life than most surgeon schedules * Consequently, turnover is low. The Facility * The facility is designed so patients have to walk in order to do things they need or want to do. * Rooms are not equipped with phone or TV. * Patients must travel to make a phone call, watch TV, socialize, eat, etc. * Small rise stairways make it easier on patients who have just completed surgery. * Carpeting makes it feel warm and comfortable. * Patients and staff eat together in the cafeteria. * Food all fresh ingredients and prepared from scratch. The Administration * No one is fired! Turnover is low. * Staff is non-union. * Pay scale is higher than the competition. * Profit sharing plans are in place for doctors and staff. * Cross-training teamwork are strong. * Managing director stays late one night per week to interact with patients and staff. The Market * 1 million hernia operations in the US in 2000. * Most commonly performed on males. * Shouldice has a backlog of 2400 growing. * Relies entirely on word-of-mouth advertising. * Rates are reasonable. * Annual checkups are provided for alumni free of charge. * Annual reunion of patients draws about 1000. What actions to take to expand the hospitals capacity ? Consider becoming a teaching hospital to provide a new revenue stream and spread the Shouldice technique around the world. Consider performing surgeries on weekends. Provide training for leadership staff, to overcome the concerns about compromised quality control of operations with expansion. Develop resilience skills of all staff and leadership skills for administration. Hire new staff with the understanding of the new operating hours. It is highly recommended to adopt Saturday working option with some minor modifications. The existing procedure needs to be synchronized with the various activities and to be well planned. How would you implement the changes you propose ? * Admission of patients to be made on Sundays with the available administrative staff. * During the peak period of operations, use the 14 hostel rooms available in the third floor for accommodating the patients. * Incentives to doctors, nurses and other staff for the Saturday working days to be paid twice that of normal days. * Successor for Dr. Obney from the existing experienced doctors to be done within six months. * A general meeting is going to be scheduled to discuss the expansion. * Feedback and suggestions would be gathered from the overall staff. * Employees would be allowd to work flexibly.