Derm Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Derm Project - Assignment Example Acne Folliculitis Acne, scientifically called Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition. It affects the hair follicles at the chest, face or even the back. It is manifested in the skin as congested pores called comedones, pustules, tender red bumps or cysts. Diagnosis of acne is on the basis of patient history and physical assessment. Initial pathology through microscopy is called microcomedo and, involves open or comedones referred to as blackheads and whiteheads respectively. These include Pillsbury acne grading scale, acne cook scale and acne Leeds technique (Gaeddert, 2003). Folliculitis is a common skin condition which is evident by several minute red or pink bumps predominant in at the hair follicles. This skin condition can affect any part of the body including the back, arms, legs, chest and cheeks. Ranging between 10 - 100 bumps, this skin condition appears as a scatter within the affected area. The spots or bumps can be slightly red indicating an inflammation. Accidental scr atching of the bump reveals a coiled hair engulfed within the bump. Diagnosis of Folliculitis basically involves the assessment of the skin’s appearance (Gaeddert, 2003). On rare instances is skin biopsies required so as to help the dermatologist on diagnosis. Additionally, the skin could be cultured in bacterial media so as to help in detection of the causative agent. Microscopic tests on the skin including fungal tests can be conducted using potassium hydroxide. This procedure helps in determining whether the condition is caused by a fungus or yeast. A histopathological procedure can be conducted to reveal epidermal hyperkeratosis as well as clustering of leukocytes. Rosacea Eczema Rosacea is a thriving skin condition which affects the eyes and the face. It is characterized by reddening of the affected region indicating a possible inflammation as well as emergence of pimples. This dermatological condition is most pronounced in women and individuals with fair skin tone. Usua lly, Rosacea is evident in the age range of between 30 to 60 years. Also termed as acne rosacea, this condition is characterized by symptoms of swollen nose, thick skin, red and itchy eyes. Moreover, there is a stinging facial skin on application of lotions as well as minute red veins on the face. The diagnosis of Rosacea is mostly dependent on physical examination categorized as primary or secondary features. A patient is diagnosed with Rosacea if he or she possesses one of the primary features of persistent flushing, pimples, visible blood vessels. Secondary features are manifest in several subtypes including Papulopustular, Phymatous Erythematotelangiectatic and ocular rosacea (Gaeddert, 2003). Eczema is characterized by vesicles that are small and which contain fluid substance. These vessicles are pimple like and are evident as reddish and swollen. When dried, the fluids leave behind dry patches on the surface of the affected areas. This condition occurs in the facial region in a majority of patients. Eczema can be diagnosed through microscopy. Seborrheic Dermatitis Scalp psoriasis A close relative psoriasis is the seborrheic dermatitis that affects the scalp as well. This condition is inflammatory and it leads to the production of flaky, white to yellowish scabs on the skin. Symptoms of this condition include reddish swollen patches around the nose, armpits and mouth. Others include itching, widespread

The Aftermath of World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Aftermath of World War II - Essay Example In the words of Cordtz, "Six years of the worst carnage ever inflicted on mankind. That was World War II. Between 35 million and 60 million were killed, and far more wounded. Property damage was literally incalculable" (par. 1). In terms of geopolitics, the aftermath of the war was a bi-polar world in which two Superpowers faced off from opposite sides of the world and of the ideological divide. The Cold War and nuclear arms race that followed the Allied victory constituted an incredibly costly military buildup that ended up diverting economic resources of the major countries of the world that might otherwise have been used for the betterment of humanity through education, economic growth, and cultural enrichment. All of these factors must be accounted for in any audit of the negative effects of World War II. The first and most important consideration in evaluating the consequences of World War II was the human toll, both civilian and military. From the six million victims of the Nazi extermination program to twenty-five hundred American service personnel who were lost at Pearly Harbor to the hundreds of thousands of Japanese whose lives were snuffed out by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it defies understanding to think about the potential each of those lives had to affect the world for the better. There are no words to describe the anguish suffered by so many loved ones who lost their family and friends during the war. Families were permanently shattered, and relationships were severed by the war. The moral cost of the war was also staggering. Not only did the German death camps obviously illustrate a new level of human degeneracy, but killing of civilians in the name of military necessity became and acceptable standard in the conduct of warfare, an unfortunate development that continues to be reflected in combat operations to this day. Richman contends that "area bombing of Germany and Japan set a new standard in the indiscriminate killing of civilians under color of combat" (par. 7). Thus, when evaluating the human cost of the war, it is essential not only to count the number of people whose lives were lost, but also to consider the impact on the moral standards of those who remained. The Economic Toll World War II was simply devastating from an economic perspective. The sheer destruction of entire cities had left little or no infrastructure to support economic stability of nearly every major economic power in Europe, as well as others around the globe. Nevertheless, the destruction left in the wake of the war ended up prompting a reconstruction and recovery effort known as the Marshall Plan that ultimately led to a far stronger global political and economic foundation than would otherwise have been possible. According to Cordtz, "even the losers ultimately emerged from the destruction and humiliation far better off than before. The people of Japan and Germany (most of it at any rate) escaped from totalitarian captivity to erect sturdy democratic political systems. Both countries rebuilt such powerful industrial machines that they can now successfully challenge their military conquerors. And both were able to accomplish all this in large part because of American assistance" (par. 4 ). The Marshall Plan was perhaps the most generous and successful foreign economic aid program in the history of the world. Without it,

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay The following report will provide a detailed analysis of John Lewis Partnership. The retailer has been very successful in the UK and has performed extremely well in spite of more negative financial issues and other dynamics impacting upon the retail sector at large, predominantly in light of declining consumer income, technological advances such as the internet and increased competition. The reason the company was able to achieve these was because of their commitment towards their clients in providing innovative solutions as well as improved awareness of customer needs and the significance of creating a reliable customer base which ensures positive word-of-mouth and the company has achieved this due to its commitment to providing innovative solutions to clients as well as a heightened awareness of customer needs and further recommendations to increase new revenue streams through an appropriate CRM system in place. Therefore, the reports provides an evaluation of the companys current marketing environment assessing how the external factors impact the retail sector largely and specifically on the strategies that John Lewis chooses to adopt. The report will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the threats and opportunities that the company is presented with and how best it can achieve a match with its own internal capabilities to the dynamics at play. The report will also look at how the John Lewis brand and customer proposition is placed in the UK market in comparison to other competitors, with an attempt to provide understanding in to how the company gains advantage through differentiation from other competitors, essentially highlighting how the company implements a differentiated strategy which allows it to maintain advantage. At the same time, the analysis has drawn attention to how the uncertainty which prevails and the continuous rate of change in the external market highlights the implications of continuous observation and continuous re-evaluation of the strategic options applied. Ultimately, the aim is to provide recommendations as to how the company can increase the probability of its advantage over the longer term. The John Lewis Partnerships 81,000 Partners own the leading UK retail businesses John Lewis and Waitrose. Our founders vision of a successful business powered by its people and its principles defines our unique company today. The profits and benefits created by our success are shared by all our Partners (John Lewis, 2012). Write the report as if you were working for an external management consultancy firm, reporting to the Board of Directors of your chosen company. The report should contain sections that address ALL of the main aspects of the module syllabus: that is the report should cover both strategic analysis (internal and external) and strategy formulation. It is essential that in undertaking your research and writing your report you make appropriate use of the strategic management tools and models to conduct internal and external strategic analysis and strategy formulation that you have encountered in this module. Credit will be given for analysis, evaluation and synthesis, and the appropriate selection and use of strategic management tools and models. 2.0 Introduction This report will discuss the strategic management tools demonstrating skills of analysis evaluation and synthesis of John Lewis. The report includes strategic analysis and an External Environmental analysis. The report also covers the strategy formulation in which the SWOT analysis and BCG Matrix will be discussed. John Lewis Partnership plc is one of the UKs top ten retail businesses. They operate amongst 2 sectors known as John Lewis and Waitrose. The company offers food as well as household products i.e. baked foods, fresh fruit veg, wines, household items, furniture, electronic items etc. The company functions in a chain of 287 Waitrose supermarkets, 39 John Lewis shops that include 30 departmental stores and 8 of them at home John Lewis stores. The company operates throughout the UK and is headquartered in London, they sell their products through retail stores, catalogues, and websites. The companys strategic focus is to accomplish its non-core business strategies through partnership with other firms. There are around 81,000 employees working in John Lewis stores who are partners in the business, they have a share in the companys profits and are given the opportunity to participate in the companys progress and growth. This is their unique source of competitive advantage as it encourages staff loyalty through being business partners (John Lewis 2012) 3.0 Strategic analysis 3.1 Mission statement The mission of an organisation highlights the broad directions they need to follow and provides a brief summary of the values and reasons that lie behind it (Lynch 2012). Like other organisations John Lewis also have a mission statement, it highlights their reputation established through their ownership structure as it is unique and they are very successful in being a profitable business. John Lewis aim to keep their staff satisfied so that their business can be a success. Their strategy is based on three key elements partners, customers and profit. (Refer to appendix 1) to see their full mission statement. 4.0 External Environmental analysis 4.1 PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis examines the macro-environment in which the business exists in. It is a helpful tool for understanding market growth or decline as well as the position, potential and the direction for business. It is also used for evaluating the Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental and Legal factors that a business operates in. The Political factors discuss government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations, tax policy and political stability. The Economic factors affect the cost of capital and purchasing power of an organisation. These factors also include economic growth, interest rates and inflation. The Social factors impact customers needs, potential market size such as John Lewiss goods and services, population growth and age demographics. Technological factors of John Lewis will discuss barriers to entry, making or buying decisions, investment and innovation and the technological change. Environmental factors include weather, clim ate and climate change. Climate change affects how John Lewis operates and the products they offer. Lastly Legal Factors include discrimination law, employment law and health and safety law. These factors can affect the way John Lewis operate their costs and the demand for their products. 4.2 Macro- environmental Factors It is commonly known, that those prevailing in the external environment of any firm shall have a significant influence in terms of decision making in the strategic options. Such analysis is known as PESTEL analysis and usually suggested as the first stage in the strategic planning process (Lynch, 2006). As Johnson et al (2008, pg.56) rightly declared, The key drivers for change are environmental factors that are likely to have a high impact on the success or failure of strategy. (Refer to appendix 2) to see the PESTEL analysis for John Lewis. It can be concluded that each factor of the PESTEL has had an effect on John Lewiss actions, some of them are now stated in their mission statement. Previous factors are used to analyse different factors, furthermore, these factors can give a prediction for the future, so can be quiet effective if they are applied correctly. There are also some restrictions in this model, e.g. when the procedure of the checklist is applied to John Lewis it may be tough. The emergent corporate strategies may well comment that the future is so uncertain that prediction is useless (Lynch 2012 page 84), however, some may still give words of caution but still predict the future. The PESTEL analysis isnt the only framework that John Lewis take into consideration, their organisation has many other internal and external factors that also have an effect on the strategy formulation, this is why Porters five Forces framework is applied. The PESTEL analysis has a lot of information but yet doesnt offer a detailed analysis of the business. Porters Five Forces (1985) observes factors that have an impact on competition in the organisation. 4.3 Strategic Options The external analysis undertaken has underlined how the focus and the landscape of the UK retail sector has changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Such developments clearly present both threats, primarily from new entrants and modes of distribution, as well as opportunities such as the increasing utilisation of technology within the current offering to customers. As Johnson et al (2008, pg.3) highlights, strategy is about exploiting the strategic capability of an organisation, in terms of its resources and competences, to provide competitive advantage and/or yield new opportunities. However, many competitors in the retail sector at large have managed to expand into other range of products as well as expanding internationally, John Lewis seems to have adopted a more thoughtful approach and stayed loyal to its customers as well as confident in terms of its offering to the market. At the same time it has also developed a wide range of products as a lower price range to attract more customers across a wider range of segments in society. In times of economic uncertainty this also appears to be a sensible strategy in terms of situations where its loyal customer base may be experiencing declines in disposable income, thus enabling John Lewis to maintain their business through customers trading down to less expensive ranges in store. The recent introduction for its Essential Waitrose Range in 2009 was both a reaction to external events including activities of competitors but was viewed as an effective strategy highlighting the companys attention to external research as well as its innovative approach to dealing with such negative events. Furthermore, Porter put forward the idea that there were three generic strategies; cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and the focus strategy, which companies follow. It is clear that John Lewis has embraced a combination of these, but essentially, differentiation has remained key to its business model which positions more favourably when compared to other competitors, particularly given the range and extent of the goods and services it provides as well as its highly effective branding and promotional events which appeal directly to customers and incite purchase. Its decision to introduce its Essentials range within its Waitrose stores may have been considered by some as an indication it was lowering its standards, but on the contrary, despite offering a cheaper alternative, quality remained key which ultimately implied that its position in the market would not be negotiated. 4.4 Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces framework highlights that the environment John Lewis is competing in is constantly changing, (refer to appendix 5). In this model it is believed that customers dont have more importance than any other aspect, however Aker, Baker and Harvey Jones argue that customers are more important than any other aspect of strategy development (Lynch 2012). Porters Five Forces of competition (1985) is a common tool often applied within the strategic management process to firms across several sectors. It is similar to the PESTLE analysis as it takes a predominantly external perspective of the firm within its given industry looking at how it is positioned against other competitors in the same sector. Recently many have criticised the ensuring importance of the framework given the changes that have risen, particularly with regard to the diversification of business which has ultimately created blurring across many previously distinct sectors. This is emphasized by the supermarkets entering into the clothing and electronics sector for example, as well as retailers including John Lewis expanding into financial services through insurance and credit facilities to customers. Barney (1995) and Henry (2008) underlined how Porters model is more helpful when it is applied at a strategic business unit level rather than at higher levels of industry analysis such as the sector at large as it cannot be expected that all competitors will be competing against one another. This tool is also believed to be useful in terms of assessing a companys strengths and weaknesses in light of how it stacks up against competition. As Barney (1995, pg.49) highlights, A complete understanding of sources of competitive advantage requires the analysis of a firms internal strengths and weaknesses as well. The importance of integrating internal with environmental analyses can be seen when evaluating the sources of competitive advantage of many firms. Looking at Porters five forces of competition, it is clear that John Lewis has attempted to not to just react to the external dynamics and actions of competitors, but actively be a step ahead. It has constantly adapted its business model, such as the introduction of store cards, its online offering and the Waitrose Essentials range in order to provide its business with a more appropriate fit to the market in line with Mintzbergs (1994) theory. A major element of its strategy however, is its reputation, branding and subsequent positioning in the market and how consumers view the business in its entirety. It has remained rather committed to its original proposition and further enhanced its appeal through appropriate branding and its reputation for quality and enhanced service to customers. 5.0 Internal Resource analysis 5.1 Value analysis chain The term Value Chain was used by Michael Porter (1985), the purpose of the value chain is to analyse the activities that are performed by the business, linking them to the competitive position. It also evaluates the particular activities to see which add value to the businesses products or services (quickmba 1999-2010) While many critics and leading authorities dispute the validity of Porters earlier theories, many of his ideas do still appear useful from the perspective of strategic analysis, particularly the notion of the value chain. Ultimately, it is within the value chain which John Lewis has created that it has succeeded in terms of sustaining advantage in its market sector. It has created efficiencies and synergies through the interrelationships within (Mintzberg and Ghoshal, 2003). Value Chain Analysis which is often compared to the RBV of the firm as it looks to both internal and external dynamics impacting an organisation. In recent years importance has also been given to joint ventures, collaborations and relationships which add value to the companys positioning. Elements of the chain such as HR which were previously considered as supporting elements are now viewed as core and this is demonstrated by John Lewis in terms of its commitment to and investment in staff. By enhancing the quality of its internal resources it can achieve distinctive competencies which are difficult to emulate by other competitors (Teece et al, 1997; Terwiesch and Ulrich, 2009). As Porter (1985, pg.36) emphasises, the way it performs individual activities are a reflection of its history, its strategy, its approach to implementing its strategy, and the underlying economics of the activities themselves. 6.0 Strategy formulation 6.1 SWOT Analysis: John Lewis Partnership A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for understanding and decision-making, businesses such as John Lewis use this tool in all sorts of situations, a SWOT summarizes the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This framework covers a crucial part of the strategic planning process a scan of the internal and external environment. Strength, Weaknesses are considered to be internal to the business whereas, Opportunities and Threats are part of the external environment. Looking at the SWOT analysis (refer to appendix 6) it can be concluded that John Lewis take this tool into consideration when making business decisions based on their customers. However, John Lewis need to expand their target audience because at the moment they are only targeting an older audience need to improve the diagnostic power of a SWOT analysis is to define the elements from a customer perspective rather than the organizational point of view. (Baker 2007, pg.267). By doing this they will generate a higher profit margin. If john Lewis wants to stay ahead of their competition they need focus on their weaknesses such as they need to ensure their prices are similar to their competitors. Also John Lewis need to focus on threats the business may have to face but they can avoid such matters by acting upon the threat before it occurs. Although the SWOT analysis tool is useful to businesses when making decisions, it has been criticized due to its simplicity and possible misleading approach to strategic analysis. This is because companies have failed to follow a few simple procedures. The SWOT analysis is a focused methodology (Baker 2007), therefore, when John Lewis the using this tool they need to ensure they are able to follow correct procedures of this tool to ensure they are able to achieve success. 6.2 BCG Growth-share Matrix The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix was developed by Bruce Henderson, founder of BCG, in the late 1960s (Baker 2007, pg.125). The BCG Matrix is a simple tool used to assess a companys position in terms of its product range. It simplifies how a companys thinks about the products and services and makes decisions about which it should keep and let go and which products to invest in further. It provides a useful way of seeing the opportunities that are open to the company and also helps to consider how the company can maximise the profits in the future. Below is the BCG Matrix for John Lewis, highlighting where in the market the different departments of John Lewis are positioned. John Lewis was voted Britains best retailer in 2009 and have won awards House Beautiful Awards 2008: Online Home Retailer of the Year Gold Award (washerhelp 2012), making them leaders in departments such as House and Garden, Electrical Appliances, Fashion, Gifts and Toys. They now have a high growth and a high market share in this segment, thus putting them in the star category. Further, technology and baby departments are between the star and question mark category this could be due to high growth and market share or high growth and low market share as they are faced with high demands but have low returns. Moving on to the sport department as it is in the cash cow category, as a markets it isnt growing but yet the market share for the products is high. Looking at the final category it can be said that John Lewis are safe as there isnt any products in the dog category. 7.0 conclusion Overall, the company has responded admirably to the changing dynamics impacting upon its market and customers, it is also clear that going forward, more challenges and threats shall be presented to it, particularly given persistent uncertainty relating to the global economy as consumer confidence within the UK. It would appear that in addition to a thorough and consistent approach to its markets in relation to external analysis of those factors deemed to impact most significantly; the company also adopts an internal approach, evaluating its inherent resources and competencies within the business. In line with the resource based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) and subsequent research by other authors such as Grant (2005), this analysis is often viewed as a more appropriate approach to the task of strategic management as ultimately, organisations have much more control over their internal resources than external market variables. Such an approach enables companies to incite the innovat ion process and thus create change in the wider environment as well as improvements to its value chain. This appears to be exactly what John Lewis has done to date through its expansion into other areas, as well as extending its range to customers through on-line facilities as well as credit, insurance etc. Threat of New Entrants This is considered to be fairly low for John Lewis given the original capital investment required as well as the regulations governing the market. At the same time, the fact that discount retailers and the supermarkets who benefit from vast scale economies can offer many of the same goods at substantially lower prices, is a concern and is perhaps indicative of why many retailers such as John Lewis now provide an electronic service in addition to their store offering. More entrants to the online space does seem inevitable though may become increasingly difficult given the variety currently in existence as well as the perception that customer service is often diminished. In this respect, John Lewis is clearly at an advantage given its reputation in the market. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes is low from a product viewpoint yet in terms of suppliers, is high and is underlined by the success of the supermarket chains in their clothing lines as well as the competitive landscape in the online space and the continuing popularity of price comparison websites and similar forums. Over time, online retailers could exert increased pressure on officials such as John Lewis, particularly in terms of pricing as well as sourcing of product ranges. Bargaining Power of Buyers This is considered as being extremely high given the range of suppliers in the market and the realisation that customers are faced with unprecedented choice. Price is clearly a key advantage for the retailers, but at the same time, in the particular segment in which John Lewis manages factors such as location, quality, customer service and atmospherics and added benefits to be derived from the in-store experience are significant. Such variables also assist in terms of differentiating the store from other competitors in the High Street. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Though it was just few years ago the retailers were considered as having a major effect over suppliers, this seems to be fairly changing, particularly with regard to restrictions in supply of some raw materials as well as other concerns in the global supply chain which might put the suppliers in a more favourable position and increase their bargaining power. Degree of Rivalry Rivalry is obviously intense mainly due to the immense choice available as well as the increasing pressure from on-line retailers. On this basis, competitors are ultimately jockeying for position (Porter, 1979) and increasingly retailers challenge themselves to differentiate in some manner through providing expanded ranges as well as complementary goods and other services. The success of John Lewis Christmas promotional campaigns in the last few years highlights how the company attempts to differentiate itself, particularly focusing on those matters which are considered to impact most on subsequent motivation of customers to make a purchase.

Ecobus Marketing Coursework - Nokia - The Wireless Giant Essays

Ecobus Marketing Coursework - Nokia - The Wireless Giant Ecobus Marketing Coursework "Nokia - The Wireless Giant" Introduction & Purpose For this coursework, I have decided to study the wireless giant, Nokia. Nokia is, unarguably, the leader in the world of mobile communications. The brand boasts a significant number of users from around the world, ranging from Europe to the Americas, and from Africa to the Asia Pacific. Nokia's success has been aided by its experience, innovation and its user-friendliness and thus, has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and other related products around the globe. The aim of this project is to identify how Nokia has approached its market and what has enabled the company to become a world leader in the world of wireless communications. This will include a study of the customer behaviour towards the brand and how Nokia has managed to secure a large share of the market, leaving its competitors far behind. Methodology In order to fill my purpose, I will collect both primary as well as secondary data from the appropriate sources. To collect the primary data, I will hand out questionnaires to a sample group of people varying in age and nationality. This is necessary to get a wider perspective of the possible customers of Nokia. Two samples of the questionnaire will be presented in the appendix. I will also carry out an interview with one of the staff of a Nokia Retail Outlet to further inquire about their aims and objectives in Hong Kong. The appropriate information from the questionnaires will be converted into graphs and then summarised. However, my study of Nokia will be based in Hong Kong and may contain a Hong Kong Perspective of the brand In addition to these data, I will create a S.W.O.T (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the company and also analyse Nokia's marketing mix. This will give a good overview of the company's marketing strategy. To add to the analysis, I will include a Boston Matrix of the brand, which will help determine the position of the company in the market. Following this, I will gather all the information to form a conclusion, which will include my own recommendations. A Brief Introduction to Nokia Nokia started in the communications service in 1865 establishing itself in the newspaper business, the original medi... ... a successful wireless giant aided by its strong marketing strategy. Its innovative products, appropriate placement, top notch promotion and suitable pricing has allowed it to hold the better share of the mobile communications market. In a world that is fast becoming reliant on technology, Nokia, with the help of its state of the arc technology, will create a new revolution in the industry. Locally, the telecommunication market is a thriving one and offers endless opportunities to the company. However, continuous market research and development needs to be done to keep Nokia where it is today. To eliminate any possible threats, Nokia can continue to develop new products and acquire a patent which will eliminate any chances of 'me-too' products from other companies. Acquisitions are also an option as a merge will make Nokia stronger as well as help remove competition. Organic growth can also help them guide towards more turnovers over a period of time. Nokia is, clearly, the hot choice of the mobile customers at present. By the looks of it, it is only a matter of time before its competitors are hunted down to extinction, at least in the field of mobile phones.

Crimson Tide film Essay

Crimson Tide film exhibits a theme of leadership case, is based on nuclear ballistic submarine order aimed to hit against Russia. The attack is aimed to silence threat of launching nuclear missiles which Russia is in possession. The combative action is in a problem since the army structure is loose due to dispute between executive officer and the captain over the course of action to be taken by the crew. This results to splitting of the crew in this mission hence formation of two confrontational factions for same combative mission. The warship is in problem as the rival group tries to take control of command. The situation turns desperate and speedy resolution in to this problem is requiring since the time is running up to launching moment. Success in this situation largely depends on the decision made since it has to be resolved in case of winning or face the disastrous consequences due to wrong decision (Kempley 1995). Crimson tide film exhibit the strength as well as weak point of the responsible leader in this film i. e. the captain and Executive officer. Different strategies and advices by the two leaders geared toward course of action to be taken results to potential conflict. In this situation leadership is required to guide the crew who are expected to follow the directives. But the situation changes due to the internal conflict affecting the crew to lose track of the event at hand since leaders hold diverse understanding of the mission as well as the organization. This film shows element of racial undertone in the leadership theme since captain and Executive Office are white and black respectively. On the other hand this film is designed to show sober mediation in the military setting other than an action thriller (Kempley 1995). This film is set on Archbury Airfield tries to reveal how people characters as well as effectiveness is affected by different leadership approaches. Based on American 918th Bomber Group the film show the fighting crew enduring from low morale, poor performance and bad luck as a result of unsuccessful fighting mission. This situation changes after the change of leadership which is dedicated and persistent toward improving crew’s morale through motivation and uplifting of crew towards actualization and pride. In this film different characters exhibits exemplary leadership as well as poor leadership trait (Maslin 2008). There are two characters in this movie designed to send theme battle and leadership based on different philosophies to ease tense military thriller. These leaders are Captain Frank Ramsey in charge of nuclear submarine, the U. S. S. Alabama. He is respected person almost getting to his retirement age and led his crew with an iron hand. As he puts it he requires the crew to pressure democracy even without practicing it. â€Å"Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is much younger than Ramsey, Harvard educated, and believes the goal of the military in the nuclear age is to prevent war, not fight it† (Maslin 2008 para 2). Ramsey career moving to an end when atomic era is rising while Hunter highly educated and very careful in handling of nuclear weapons. Crew in the ship becomes alert due to sprinter group of Russia decides to seize missile silo. The Alabama is allowed to fire but the situation at hand is distracted from taking of action due to receiving new external order the radio malfunctions. The leadership of Ramsey is geared to following the orders to the letter such that an order is an order and should be obeyed. Therefore the situation at hand required the crew to move forward and attack the enemy according to Ramsey leadership ideology. According to Hunter the situation required more scrutinizing of the situation to ensure there is no doubt in the course of action taken as well as waiting for conformation orders. Meaning he gave an allowance to analyze orders as opposed to Ramsey ideology who says that an order is an order and calls for action without a second of thought. There emerge differences between the two leaders where Hunter go to an extent of threatening Mutiny against his colleague Ramsey in case a missile strike is undertaken against the enemies. The two leaders become hostile toward each other on the direction to be taken. This is evident as shown from the eyebrow but the leaders are obliged to deliberate on the morality of the attacking Russia. The situation hot up and Alabama is given orders to fire its trident to the radicals and try to engage them. On the cause of fight between the rebels, second message is received delaying the order to fire at the enemy but this ends with loss of contact as well as command control. This results to Ramsey refusal to hold his fire waiting for second message confirmation but this time Hunter does not agree. This results to increase tension between the sailors as well as the officers on the board due to difference of there leaders had hyped and could result to a mutiny (Maslin 2008). Reference: Maslin, Janet (2008): Crimson Tide (1995). http://movies. nytimes. com/movie/134690/Crimson-Tide/overview Kempley, Rita (1995): Crimson Tide. Retrieved on 14th October 2008 from: http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/crimsontiderkempley_c015cb. htm

Hamburger and Wendy Essay

Introduction Wendy’s International (Wendy’s) is a restaurant company, which operates globally under Wendy’s brand of restaurant chain stores. The company’s headquarter is in Ohio, United States. Wendy’s was founded by Dave Thomas who opened the first Wendy’s restaurant on November 15, 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, United States. In 1972, the first Wendy’s franchise was sold. Wendy’s also stressed Wendy’s superiority through the â€Å"Quality Is Our Recipe† slogan and featured a red-haired, pig-tailed â€Å"Wendy† with dancing hamburgers. In mid-1975 Wendy’s opened its first international restaurant which located in Canada. In 1976, Wendy’s offered public stock with one million common shares sold at $28 per share. In November 15, 2009, Wendy’s celebrated its 40th year anniversary with more than 6,600 Wendy’s restaurant worldwide. Mission Statement â€Å"What We Believe† guidelines, which serve as both an internal mission statement and an external customer service goal, which include quality is our recipe, treat everyone with respect, do the right thing, profit means growth, and give something back. Vision. To continuously grow stakeholder value by leveraging the strengths of vibrant, independent restaurant brands. Products and Stores Old Fashion Hamburger Chicken and Wraps Garden Sensations Salads Fries and Sides Frosty Beverages Kids’ meal Wendy’s Restaurant Wendy’s SWOT Analysis Wendy’s is a leading successful restaurant operating and franchising company in North America. The company was ranked 562nd in the list of America’s largest corporation, as evaluated by the Fortune magazine, in 2007. A strong market position provides better visibility and increases the company’s bargaining power. However, Wendy’s faces strong competition from international, national, regional, and local retailers of food products. Competitors could affect to Wendy’s market share and its margins. STRENGTHS – Leading player in the U. S. – Market research strength – Strong management team – Effective advertising – Brand recognition WEAKNESSES – Fried food – Distribution problem – Weak research and development OPPORTUNITIES – Global expansion – Franchising Argentina, Chile, China – Mass customization THREATS – Strong competition such as McDonald and Burger King – Political environment. – Exchange rate – Health conscious consumer – Recession in economy worldwide . Analysis of Wendy’s Globalization Strategy There are more than 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in 26 countries worldwide (Appendix B). Since early 2009, the company is very alert for international expansion of Wendy’s with new restaurant development in Singapore, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Federation, the Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan. The company’s target is to open more than 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. New market expansion and further development within existing markets will continue to be major drivers of Wendy’s worldwide strategy. By maintaining superior quality, freshness, and operational standards worldwide, the customers could taste the quality Wendy’s hamburgers whether they visit Wendy’s in Dubai, Moscow, or Puerto Rico. In 2010 and 2011, Wendy’s was recognized by Zagat Survey as the food quality leader in the United States quick service restaurant industry, and also received their Top Overall designation. Wendy’s is also been awarded by the international organization. For example, in New Zealand Wendy’s has been voted as having the best tasting hamburgers for over ten years in a row. Wendy’s, Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), has experienced both competitive and economic challenges over recent years. However, the global QSR business has continued to grow significantly especially in emerging markets. According to Euro monitor International, this trend of category growth is expected to continue as show in Appendix C. According to the graph in Appendix C, the sales from previous year to future are a positive trend. In 2005, the global QSR sales were $376 billion and in 2010, it lifted up to $549 billion. The QSR sales in 2013 are forecasted that it could rise to $611 billion and it could go up to $678 billion in 2015. Franchising as Global Expansion Wendy’s provide new franchisees with the training and tools to run a Wendy’s restaurant. The franchisees will benefit from an image of leading brand in the quick service restaurant industry. Wendy’s provides support to its international franchisees through international corporate headquarters in Atlanta, and regional support offices in Miami and Hong Kong. The franchisees will benefit from Wendy’s expertise and ongoing support which including operations, training, marketing, engineering and site development, supply chain, quality insurance, and technology. Operations A skilled management team will help in preparing and opening the first restaurant and monitoring its progress as well as the future locations afterward. The reason of doing this is to ensuring that every restaurant in the system meets Wendy’s quality and service standards. Training The training is focused on how to exceed customer expectations and operate according to Wendy’s standards. Training will be provided for the head of operations and store managers at a regional training location. Marketing The franchisor marketing team will help franchisee maximize potential of the brand in that country market. Before the franchisees open the first restaurant, franchisor team will help to outline locally competitive aspects, identify key market opportunities, generate sales forecasts, and create a marketing plan. Franchisor will also provide an on-going support through existing marketing programs. Engineering and Site Development. When a location is selected, the engineering team will provide franchisees with guidance in developing the layouts and equipment plans. Supply chain Franchisor supply chain team will help in identifying efficient and safe suppliers. Franchisees will benefit from negotiated purchasing contracts with regional suppliers and be given support in developing a distribution system. Quality insurance The Quality Assurance team will approve new suppliers, local product adaptations and provide on-going monitoring of selected suppliers. Technology. Franchisor will help franchisees select restaurant technology tools to efficiently run and manage growing business such as manage labor costs, track food inventory, and analyze sales information. Wendy’s Strategy Map Wendy’s strategy map includes financial, customer, internal (operations), and learning and growth which Wendy’s needs to focus on to achieve its vision of growing stakeholder value and profitability can be readily identified and more easily accomplished. The strategy map presents a visual diagram and representation of the linkages among the four perspectives. Financial Perspective. Lower cost The basic instruction to lower cost is by reducing waste, improving reliability of orders, and increasing operational efficiency. This will very important considering during economic times as consumers are looking for a low cost with quality provider of food. Controlling for reducing waste, saving supplies, and ensuring ordering accuracy will allow the reduction in operational expenses and thus lower cost. Increase revenue Increasing revenue is a combination of raising prices and lower expenses. The revenue can be increased by expanding market share and penetrating the global market. Wendy’s should focus for expanding into overseas developed and emerging markets. Another way to increase revenue is to raise prices. Increase overseas expansion The building and expansion of more stores overseas, Wendy’s will not only able to help create stronger brand identity but also will allow increasing revenue through overseas stores while increasing market share. Moreover, it would be advantage to expand stores in the developed markets such as the U. K. , Canada, and Australia. It would be wiser for Wendy’s to expand operations in fast growing an emerging market such China, India, Russia and Easter Europe. Customer Perspective Lowest total price Wendy’s could provide the lowest total cost for price and value of service, which they effectively have been doing by offering comparable prices for products with superior service. Availability locations Wendy’s is currently the third largest provider of Quick Service Restaurant falling behind McDonalds and Burger King in the total number of available locations. Wendy’s can increase the number of available locations by focusing on urban and global markets to increase their presence in areas with the highest concentration of consumers which will allow them to achieve other goals of increasing revenue as well as creating stronger brand identity. High quality Wendy’s has storied past for providing high quality products. It already stood out when compared to competition. However, Wendy’s needs to continue to set high standards and organize initiatives such as always fresh ingredients and never frozen beef campaigns to ensure to customers that providing quality products. Internal Perspective (Operations) Increase operational efficiency As new technology is adopted, it is important to always stay at front of introducing and taking advantage of new technologies to increase operational efficiencies. Wendy’s can benefit over other competitors if they can develop a sense of timeliness and reliability for delivery orders. Improve reliability Other than providing the inexpensive offerings in a timely manner, what remains important is the expect reliability. Wendy’s needs to ensure that it provide a reliable product. Reduced waste As an operational perspective, reduction of waste is a huge concern. Wendy’s will have to focus on reducing waste as it has visions of becoming the lowest total cost fast-food provider. Moreover, reducing waste will allow more revenue as cutting expenses. Learning and Growth Perspective Management training programs Wendy’s currently has management programs. However, Wendy’s needs to create greater incentives for managers to attract brighter and more qualified candidates for management positions and to keep managers and hard working employees employed after training programs. Develop new products Wendy’s will need to focus on bringing out and introducing creative new products that will help stimulate excitement for their food offerings as well as take advantage of current trends towards healthier foods. Moreover, Wendy’s is suffering from poor menu diversity, thus the development of new products will help this issue. Open new stores Regarding to that Wendy’s needs to increase its total availability of location, this will allow for greater strong identity, increased revenue options, and greater penetration into capturing market share. Moreover, the opportunities as indicated in the brief SWOT analysis to create stores as a means to expand and grow. Wendy’s Enter Fast Food Market in Thailand. Fast food in Thailand continued to perform healthily during 2010 regardless of economic and political instability due to the strong financial positioning of leading chained fast food operators like CP All, YUM Restaurant International Thailand, Minor International, Central Restaurants Group, S&P Syndicated and McThai (McDonald), which accounted for 83% of fast food value sales in 2010. Although these players had to close down a number of outlets as a result of political instability in 2010, they still had sufficient cash flow to expand further, renovate existing outlets, and invest in marketing. In Thailand, there are many kinds of fast food. These are the major types of fast food industry in Thailand. First, Thai style fast foods include all main dishes of local food. Second, American style fast foods such as hamburger (number one market share), fried chicken, sausage, and bacon. The American fast foods are usually sold as a set with beverage. Third, other style fast foods such pizza, Japanese ramen (noodle), and Chinese streamed dim sum. Consumer Analysis These are some of the consumer surveys toward fast food in Thailand. – Group of age less than 20-30 is the main fast food consumer. This is because their perception toward fast food is convenient and easy to purchase. – The level of education is unaffected to fast food purchasing behavior. – Group of income less than 5000 Baht or 160 USD per month tend to consume fast food often. American Fast food already turned into world food. It is the fast growing business worldwide including Thailand. The changing of taste and lifestyle create the new trend of eating. Food for Thai people is the main factor and center of life. Since the globalization and technology entered along side with the changing of eating trend plus the creativity, the variety and development of food covered the entire nation. Thai people have obtained the Western eating behavior, thus this modern fast food has huger role in Thai people daily life. In the center area of tutor schools, the interview from two sample students says toward fast foods that â€Å"fast food is available everywhere† and â€Å"it’s the last-ditch choice†. From the center city to country side, fast food became a part of everyone which influences the growing of this western food business continually. Product Positioning Healthy Fast Food KFC Burger KingWENDY’S McDonaldSubway Marketing Mix Product Wendy’s offers fast food with reasonable price with good quality. The products are hamburger, chicken, salad, and fries. Wendy’s should emphasis on the fresh and good quality raw materials including beef, chicken, vegetable, and bread. Moreover, company need to do a product research and development in order to come out with new product which could meet with customer’s need. The term† fast food† should represent not only fast service food, but need to provide the nutrition and good for health. Price The price should be rely on the standard price of Wendy’s international and related to the local market price. In Thailand, the raw materials and labor cost are quite inexpensive, thus company could compete the price with the exiting competitors. Along with the price, company should offer the good service in order to impress the customer as a new coming. Place Wendy’s restaurant provides the eat-in service and take out which customer can buy back home. The restaurant location should locate at the general department store or business and tutor area. The store interior should be attractive with color and product photo. The other important thing is always keep the restaurant clean. Another channel is home service. Home service is a convenient for customers who unable to come to store. They can make an order through phone service. Promotion In order to get attraction from customer, Wendy’s should come out with the heavy sale support marketing activities last for about one to two months such as buy one get one free, and the souvenir. In order to remain the customers, company could offer the membership card for discount, collected point, and special event on the customer’s birthday. Conclusion Wendy’s is a fast food restaurant a chain store operates worldwide with 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in 26 countries. With the global expansion strategy, the company planned to open more than 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. Wendy’s has awarded from variety organization worldwide as a guarantee of efficient performance such as the Zagat Survey as the food quality leader in the United States and the Top Overall designation, and the best tasting hamburgers for over ten years in a row from New Zealand. With the good performance from the exiting restaurant, it could push up and help promoting for new coming and provide an easy chance for Wendy’s to go as a global brand. Appendices Appendix A. America’s largest corporation evaluated by the Fortune magazine in 2007 Appendix B Source: Wendy’s international franchise brochure There are more than 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants currently in operation in 26 countries and territories worldwide. Since January 2009, we have aggressively laid the groundwork for international expansion of Wendy’s with new restaurant development announcements in Singapore, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Federation, the Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan. We are targeting expansion to over 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America. Appendix C. Global Quick Service Restaurant Sale (Historical – Forecast) Source: Wendy’s international franchise brochure. Bibliography http://www. aboutwendys. com/Our-Company/Our-Story/Accessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://www. aboutwendys. com/International/Support/Accessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://nyjobsource. com/wendys. htmlAccessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://retailindustry. about. com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Wendy-s-Mission-Statement. HtmAccessed on Nov 3, 2011 http://www. docshare. com/doc/189567/WendysAccessed on Nov 5, 2011 http://franchises. about. com/od/w/fr/wendys-international-franchise.htm Accessed on Nov 5, 2011 http://franchises. about. com/od/fastfoo1/fr/wendys. htmAccessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/full_list/501_600. html. Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. nesdb. go. th/Portals/0/home/†¦ /scs/†¦ /scs-success-survey-bkk. pdf Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. fundinguniverse. com/company-histories/Wendys-International-Inc-company-History. htmlAccessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. gotomanager. com/news/details. aspx? id=2939Accessed on Nov 6, 2011 http://www. racing-club. net/board/index. php? topic=1177Accessed on Nov 6, 2011.

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL The Rise Of The Y2k Bug The Y2K problem is the electronic equivalent of the El Nio and there will be nasty surprises around the globe.John Hamre, Dep. Secretary of Defense When I was in the first grade, my elementary school invested in several computers and started Introduction to Computers classes. I remember playing math games and drawing with art programs, in awe of, and slightly intimidated by the beastly piece of technology in front of me. I had little idea of how it worked, and even less of an idea of what was in store. Over the years, the technological world has advanced rapidly, and humans have come to rely on computers for just about every aspect of daily lifefrom education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we depend on technology. The Y2K bug seems to be a vicious reminder that our technology is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have come to let run our lives. The Year 2000, or Y2K problem is caused by a shortcut imbedded into many computers and microchips. In the 1960s, to conserve what was then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers shortened the four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit methodfor example, 78 would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still use a two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When using data involving dates, the problem will cause failures in arithmetic, and can corrupt databases with incorrect information. These types of calculations are necessary in systems involving administrative information, scheduling, and billing. A statement issued by the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion states: This [Y2K bug] could cause [computers] to either shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic information-dependent society, that could be a big problem. At the time the two-digit year was first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was prepared for a problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today, technology was advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that the two-digit year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This, obviously, did not happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the two-digit method have been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are the basis of large corporations and other industries that run civilization as we know it. Computers are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our jobs. When one system fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems. Despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable. said Stephen Horn, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology Scratching beneath the surface frenzy of Will my home PC work? and Will my microwave make the transition? it is not difficult to find an even more threatening danger. The North American Electric Reliability Council sites four critical areas that pose the greatest direct threat to power production and delivery: energy management systems; telecommunications; protection systems; and power production itself. Their Y2K Coordination Plan for the Electricity Production and Delivery Systems of North America states that The threat is most severe in power plants with digital control systems (DSCs). Numerous control and protection systems within these DSCs use time-dependant algorithms that may result in unit trips. Despite extensive plans and endless explanations, the potentially catastrophic nature of this problem cannot be accurately figured. No one knows exactly what will be affected, or how much. While the government and its assorted departments and councils have taken to releasing longwinded, optimistic reports and coordination plans, computer programmers hired to seek out and fix the bug have been learning how to live in a world independent of technology. Bad news lurks in every corner and statistics are depressing. The consulting firm GartnerGroup has estimated that Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United States) are 12 to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K-compliance efforts. Being faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and unfortunately, any hope of technological stability is a serious matter that should not be dismissed quickly. Knowledge and preparation is the key