Topic on the assignment sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Topic on the assignment sheet - Essay Example Climate change is here, with us to stay due to the reality that, even if corrective measures to reduce the rate of emissions, climate change will still exist (Gov. UK, par 7). Climate poses a lot of risks to the environment, with a potential of totally changing the climatic conditions of the areas affected. Climate change increases the vulnerability of the regions adversely affected to risks, dangers or disasters. This influences the processes of decision making in that, the risks vulnerable regions are more likely to be protected from further degradation as they may cause loss of lives and the destruction of properties. The aspect of protection of the environment is highly considered in addressing the possible outcomes of climate change in the regions of the world (Duncan, par 3). The protection of the people from the adversity of the impacts of climate change will imply the changes in the ways to handle the future probable (Duncan, par 4). The inculcation of the future in the plans is in line with the trends of climate change in the world and specifically in the effect of the future. Methods must be put underway to address the issues that causes climate within the societies. The government and the NGOs together with some stakeholders can be involved in the decision making on what amounts of wastes should be generated while per households. if the possibility of climate change posing future impacts to the people and environment, the decision making process should not be flawed. Climate change presents problems that are exhibited in the current ecosystems and the problems they o posses. Through the impact is hard to determined and approximate in the near future the problems, the trends can be realized and therefore the spread can be gauged to be very detrimental to the people. The policy makers therefore will have to incorporate the well need to plant tree planting as a means to

Corporate Goverance and Code of Ethics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Corporate Goverance and Code of Ethics - Article Example This essay will focus on the role of corporate governance in creation and adoption of the corporate code of ethics. It is factual that the quality of management in an organization is determined by the effectiveness of its system of corporate governance. Proper corporate governance should aim at bringing onboard honest and competent employees. Besides, it should be geared towards instituting a framework that will ensure adequate employees compensation so that they are motivated to give their best to the company. Corporate governance together with codes of ethics plays a crucial role in the success of a business because it shapes the way the company is viewed by the stakeholders. This article shall focus on the factors that influence the creation and adoption of the corporate code of ethics by a firm as well as those that determine its effectiveness. Some of these factors include the effects of the board diversity, board stock ownership and the constituent of the board directors on the creation of the corporate code of ethics. High profile scandals that involve corporate officers have in the recent years led to an increased attention on the subject of corporate governance. Research reveals that board of directors plays a significant role in establishing the code of ethics in a firm. Thus, it is necessary for an organization to engage the services of the directors that have the competence of planning and overseeing the corporate code of ethics. Studies show that researchers, government regulators, and practitioners are all in agreement that independent directors are more suitable than the insiders in championing the interests of the shareholders and other stakeholders because in most cases they possess vast experience and it is also presumed that the may make the board be more independent. In addition, they tend to have a higher degree of awareness on their moral and legal commitment.

Growth opportunities in detergent market

Growth opportunities in detergent market The case deals with Unilevers Home Care Cleaning range and is evaluating the growth opportunities in the marketing of detergents to around 48 million low income consumers living in the Northeast region of Brazil. Clearly, the aim of Unilever, like all profit making organizations, is to have a bigger piece of the pie. Its first step forward is to assess whether or not, its target market is lucrative enough. To do so we first understand the buying behaviour of the target users, analyse the current market scenario and Unilevers internal environment. The importance of knowing how people will behave is tantamount to knowing the secret of organisational success. The simplest description of consumer behaviour is the purchase and/or consumption decision of an individual and/or household who buy goods and services for personal consumption. In the case we analyse the behaviour of group of individuals in the Northeast of Brazil and the use of detergent and soap in order to evaluate whats not working for Unilevers growth in that market segment and decide the best positioning strategy to encourage increased consumption. Because we know comparatively little about human behaviour, we as marketers, tend to make some assumptions to know how consumers will react to what we do. The first one being, consumers go through a rational decision process when they buy. We assume the process to start with ignorance of the consumer and moving through awareness, information search, short listing alternatives and so on until the ultimate goal purchase is reached.. A distinction is further made between two types of products purchasing: high involvement and low involvement. Washing detergents are low involvement products where consumers may not go through the entire decision making process and either pick a brand out of compulsion, out of a desire to seek variety or because of their past preferences and experiences, or they may pick a brand due to some constraints such as income and amount allocation to household spending. Consumers put preferences and budgetary constraints together to determine their choices. The No rtheast Brazilian households are low income groups and thus the price of the laundry soap, bleaching liquid and detergent powder is a primary criterion for evaluation of the brand of laundry products. The women in this region of Brazil tend to pick a particular brand based what others in their social group are using (as they often do their washing in a public laundry or by the river with a group of friends) and their own past experience and satisfaction. The second assumption is that consumers are brand loyal either loyal to your own brand or loyal to your rivals brand. A wall street journal (19th October 1989) published that 48% consumers remain loyal to the laundry detergent they are already using. To penetrate and gain additional market share, Unilever will have to offer some extra inducements to get the NE consumers hooked and divert their loyalty towards its brands. The stimulus response model (Exhibit 1), the starting point for understanding consumer behaviour, has been used to understand the Brazilian household behaviour towards washing detergent powders and soaps. The stimuli enter the consumers consciousness and the buyers characteristics and decision processes lead to certain purchase decisions. Our task, as marketers, would be to understand what happens in the consciousness of the north-eastern Brazilians between the arrival of stimuli and the purchase decision. Exhibit 1: Stimulus Response Model Source: Marketing Management, Kotler, 2003, p.184. The women in this region of Brazil tend to pick a particular brand based on the performance of the product on the six attributes cleanliness, whitening, productivity; fragrance and softness; ability to remove stains; ability to dissolve in water; packaging of the product; and the ability to keep colours from running out. Cultural factors Culture, subculture and social class are the fundamental determinants of a persons basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviour. Majority (39.8 million) of the north eastern population of Brazil ranges from grade D to E- of social class. Brazilians are concerned about their position in a social class, because no class interacts with another social class unless it is in a professional way. Since the past many years, the vast income social stature difference has been impressed in the society.  Still, the north easterners take great pride in how they look and present themselves in the society, despite their poverty and inability to purchase a variety of clothes. It is perceived to be the duty of the lady of the house to maintain cleanliness of clothes of her family, as it is seen as an indication of the dedication of the mother to her family. It is the reason why the north eastern women spend a long and laborious time at doing the laundry. They first scrub the clothes with a soap bar, then bleach those clothes to remove tough stains, and finally wash the clothes with detergent powder to add a pleasant fragrance. This is opposed to women in the south eastern region who just simply mix detergent powder and softener in a washing machine. Social factors Consumers behaviour is also influenced by social factors such as the consumers relation to small groups, family, and social roles. Women from the northeast of Brazil do their laundry at a public laundry or at a nearby river or pond along with their friends. It is the most pleasurable activity as they get to meet and chat in their social network. It is here that these women discuss matters of personal and home cleanliness such as which laundry detergents they use, how their experience has been, and likely word of mouth promotions take place. Personal factors The characteristics of the individual consumer such as his age, economic situation, occupation and lifestyle play an influential role as well in assessing consumer behaviour. Of the 48 million, 25.4 million people of the north eastern region of Brazil have an annual income of less than $1700. In Recife, for example, only 28% households own a washing machine. Thus, having a push strategy for a detergent powder isnt going to be fruitful. Even though the per capita income for the whole Brazil was $4,420, it wasnt quite reflective of the north-eastern region, where the per capita income was $2,250 only. This translates to the fact that even though a product may have the right and required attributes, if not appropriately priced, people of this region would not pick it up from the shelf since they are constrained by their incomes. Also, since the people from the low income group own less clothes, their washing needs are frequent, and hence, a product that would be a success would be one t hat is affordably cheap, available in bigger quantities (for example, saver price or additional 20% pack) and removes dirt well keeping the colour from running. Psychological factors An individuals buying choices are manipulated by four major psychological factors motivation, perception, learning and beliefs and attitudes. The low income consumers of the Northeast have developed six key attributes (Exhibit 2) which would determine their attitude towards the brand of detergent they chose to use for their laundry. For them, the ability of the detergent to clean and whiten the clothes with a small quantity of the product is the most important attribute. The NE women often associate a strong pleasant fragrance with softening power and gentleness to fabric and hands. The ability to remove stains without the use of a soap bar and bleach, and the ability of the detergent to dissolve in water without any residue on the fabric, are equally important attributes. Packaging and the running down of colour are the least important features. Ladies perceive doing their laundry as a leisure activity where they meet and natter with their friends. They discuss and learn from each others experiences of personal and household cleaning habits and products. Main brands / players Competition is important in influencing how successful an organization can be. Merely producing a good product which matches consumer requirements and provides satisfaction should not be the goal. A firm must competitively position itself in the minds of its customers so that its products stand out. Unilever was the first to introduce laundry detergents in Brazil with Omo, followed by Minerva, Campeiro, Skip, Rinso, Drive, Puro and Unox to name a few. Competitive challenges came from Procter Gamble, ASA, and other small Brazilian companies. Market leading brands from PG included Ace, Bold Pop. ASA contested with its Bem-te-vi laundry soap and Invicto detergent powder. Even though PG entered the Brazilian market 59 years after Unilever, it entered the market quiet swiftly by strategically acquiring an existing Brazilian company, Bombril and its three brands Quanto, Odd Fasses Pop. With in-depth RD and investment for manufacturing improvements, PG rebranded Quanto to Ace, and Odd Fases to Bold, which are now key competitors with Minerva and Campeiro. In terms of market share, for the laundry detergent powder segment, Omo is the market leader with a 52% share, Minerva Campeiro collectively account for 23% share, while Ace, Invicto other PG brands take a 22% share jointly and other Brazilian brands take a 3% share. Unilevers 75% market share compared with competitors 25% share in the laundry detergent segment indicates a strong penetrative strategy that gives Unilever the competitive edge. Market share in the laundry soap segment is not so pleasing. Little console is that PG did not manufacture laundry soap. But local Brazilian companies posed enough competition. Even though Minerva had a 19% market share in this segment, smaller Brazilian companies, enjoyed the rest of the 81%. In terms of pricing promotion strategies, Unilevers premium brand Omo was the highest priced (whole sale price) at $3/kg. None of the competitors came in this price range. Because of its strong power to remove stains with low quantity, it became a market pioneer. It used a very simple yet direct advertising message which said removes stains on pockets, cuffs collar, clearly attracting consumers for whom cleanliness was of highest importance. It was meant to target the high income group. Minerva (Unilever), Ace (PG) and Bold (PG) fell in the same price category and probably targeted the upper middle income group; while Campeiro (Unilever), Pop (PG) and Invicto (ASA) targeted the lower middle income group. Minerva attracted consumers for whom the fragrance and softness were of key importance with its advertising campaigns. Pop used a Bundle promotion and Contest Strategy it ran a contest offering 200 washing machines and gave away 2 copies of the Viva! Magazine with its purchase. Table 1 below gives details on the Pricing strategies followed by the main brands in the laundry detergent segment. SWOT Analysis An analysis of Unilevers internal environment (strength weaknesses) and its external environment (opportunities threats) is depicted in Exhibit 3. Exhibit 2 : SWOT Analysis Strategy Suggestion With the above mentioned scenario, Unilever faces the following choices to cater to the low income group of the North eastern region of Brazil : Extending Omo Rebranding Campeiro Launching a new product Customising a product from its international portfolio Brand extensions are only profitable if the existing brands equity is strong and positive and it is likely to transfer its benefits to the new extension. Brand extensions face a serious challenge if not recognised and met with positive action will probably lead to death of existing brands. Before considering extension of Omo, Unilever should be aware of the fact that consumers get puzzled by the variety of identical products and may end up buying a rival brand. Omo already has its niche market with its Price-Quality inference strategy. It enjoys a 52% market share in the detergent powder product line. Even though the low income group of the NE likes Omo, but to target that segment, Unilever would have to reduce the price drastically and lower its profit margins. This would cannibalise its high margin sales with low margin sales in the short term and in the long term Omo would lose its price premium and would create confusion in the minds of people. Radically changing Campeiro and rebranding it does seem like a good option Exhibit 4 details the strategy. But, the perception of its brand value is not strong or positive with consumers of detergent powder. It only has a 6% market share. One of the lucrative options is to launch a new brand. Exhibit 5 evaluates the strategies of introducing a new product altogether. Unilever can introduce a new product to replace /or supplement Minerva Campeiro in its existing markets, and to serve new market the NE region of Brazil. The issues with rebranding Campeiro, repositioning Minerva would also be resolved. But before deciding to establish a new product, Unilever has to layout the profile of the target market, understand the problems they face and group them into segments, evaluate competition, identify core competencies, identify areas where competitor is vulnerable and define a new value proposition for the new target market. Introducing a new brand would be to Unilevers advantage, as its entering a target market which it has not catered earlier in Brazil. Another worthwhile option is to introduce a customised version of an existing and successful brand from Unilevers international portfolio of detergent powder. But the brand would have to be carefully selected one that caters to a similar demographics and similar income group; one that has high success rate with the right marketing mix. For example, Active Wheel Unilevers brand in India targets the low income group, stresses that with this product people will need to put less efforts to do their laundry, promotes the whitening attribute, is the biggest laundry brand with sales revenue of  £21million 2007. The advantages of considering this option are various. The same ingredients and basic formula can be used. Similar pricing strategy. Customisation required only in language on the cardboard boxes. Meaning and content of advertisements can be the same, only changes required would be to fit the ad to local environment. Probability of success is higher, although it is not guarante ed that a brand that works in one region will work in the other too. Even if the rumours of reducing brand portfolio are true, this option would still be lucrative as no new brand is being introduced; alternatively, Unilever could completely drop Campeiro and reposition Minerva, along with introduction of a brand from its international portfolio. The growing size of typical supermarket retailers such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Grupo Pà £o de Aà §Ãƒ ºcar in Brazil has produced extra shelf space that has allowed and encouraged such proliferation. The US magazine Business Week publishes an annual survey of the Best New Products. From the 38 noted for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, there were only 13 brand extensions and 3 genuine product innovations that were titled under the best new products over the 3 years. Ehrenberg (Repeat Buying, 1988) found that most buyers buy several brands over a period of time. They buy some brands more often than others and some not at all, but they mainly buy a large range of acceptable brands. The frequency with which they buy each brand varies from consumer to consumer but, on an average, it matches the brands overall market share. Unilevers forward strategy should not appear to make a distinct product without a real difference and that merely tries to differentiate the brand from competitors.

The Success of Hamlet :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

The Success of Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Is this Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet as successful a play as some critics say? Wherein lies the success? Is the protagonist the prime reason for the continuing success?    J. Dover Wilson in â€Å"What Happens in Hamlet† attributes much of the success of the drama to the characterization of the prince:    Finally, this compound of overwhelmingly convincing humanity and psychological contradiction is the greatest of Shakespeare’s legacies to the men of his own quality. No ‘part’ in the whole repertory of dramatic literature is so certain of success with almost any audience, and is yet open to such a remarkable variety of interpretation. There are as many Hamlets as there are actors who play him; and Bernhardt has proved that even a woman can score a success. (101)    Could the enduring reputation of Hamlet   be attributed to the â€Å"ultimate form† in which the Bard of Avon expressed his ideas? Robert B. Heilman says so in â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare†:    It is the way of venerable texts whose authenticity has impressed itself on the human imagination: he has said many things in what seems an ultimate form, and he is a fountainhead of quotation and universal center of allusion. â€Å"A rose by any other name† comes to the mouth as readily as â€Å"Pride goeth before a fall,† and seems no less wise. [. . .] The Ophelia-Laertes relationship is strongly felt near the end of Goethe’s Faust, Part I, and the Hamlet-Gertrude-Claudius triangle echoes throughout Chekhov’s Sea Gull (24-25).    This play is ranked by many as the very greatest ever written. Cumberland Clark in â€Å"The Supernatural in Hamlet† gives the consensus regarding Hamlet that exists among literary critics of today:    At least six or seven years pass after the writing of Midsummer Night’s Dream before we find Shakespeare engaged on Hamlet, the second of the great plays with an important Supernatural element, and, in the opinion of many, the greatest tragedy ever penned. (99)    There is no more exalted ranking than the above. Richard A. Lanham in the essay â€Å"Superposed Plays† maintains that no other English tragedy has generated the literary comment which this play has produced: â€Å"Hamlet is one of the great tragedies. It has generated more comment than any other written document in English literature, one would guess, reverent, serious comment on it as a serious play† (91).

Deere And Company Case Essay

I. Introduction Deere & Company (also known as John Deere, after its founder) is a world-leading manufacturer, distributor, and financier of equipment for agriculture, construction, forestry, and commercial and consumer applications (lawn and grounds care). Deere’s objective has consistently been to be the low-cost producer in the markets it serves. However, it seeks to do so while maintaining an image of quality and customer focus. Its company values are quality, innovation, integrity, and commitment. Because of the company’s close ties to the agricultural industry, corporate performance in both sales and profits was highly, variable over the last several decades due to cycles of low prices and oversupplies of many agricultural products. During the period, the company made various adjustments in its product mix and manufacturing processes to enable it to better compete and survive in the global environment. II. Statement of the Problem During the company’s business cycle, Deere & Company faces the following problems: 1. How can the company achieve its goal, which is to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014?; 2. How can the company increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018? III. Areas of Consideration The Deere & Company faces different problems such as how to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014, and how to increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018. These problems are caused by the following: The company wants to double their sales, have a healthy increase in their profitability, and an almost three-fold increase in economic profit. The company have the eagerness to get all the opportunities outside their scope. The company wanted to widen their source of profit. IV. Alternative Courses of Action Alternative for problem #1 How can the company achieve its goal, which is to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014?; Advantages Disadvantages The company must continue improving their services and equipments. The company will be able to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the same time get more loyal customers. They will need more skilled and qualified workers. It will increase the costs of their expenses. The company must hire more skilled and qualified workers. The company can have sufficient manpower to help in achieving their goal. It takes more time to search and it is also costly to train the future workers. Alternative for problem #2 How can the company increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018? The company should increase their exports and establish more branches outside the U.S and Canada. The company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada. The company may not be able to reach their expectation of their target sales because they might have strong competitors with the same business industry in a specific location. The company should improve their marketing strategies. The company will be able to effectively promote their products and encourage more investors and customers. The company will incur more expenses. V. Conclusion The researchers conclude that the company wants to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014. So in order to achieve these, the company must continue improving their services and equipments to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the  same time get more loyal customers. But, they will need more skilled and qualified workers and it will increase the costs of their expenses. The company must also hire more skilled and qualified workers so that the company can have sufficient manpower to help in achieving their goal. However, it takes more time to search and it is also costly to train the future workers. The company also wants to increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018. I line with this, the company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada. But, the company may not also be able to reach their expectation of target sales because they might have strong competitors with the same business industry in those locations. The company should improve their marketing strategies for the company to be able to effectively promote their products and encourage more investors and customers. But, of course the company will incur more expenses too. VI. Recommendation The researchers are recommending the company to continue improving their services and equipments for themto gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014. The company will be able to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the same time get more loyal customers. By having loyal customers, they will also be the one who will encourage new customers by what we call â€Å"buzz marketing† because they are the ones who have experienced the high quality services and equipments rendered by the company. The researchers also suggest that the company should increase their exports and establish more branches outside the U.S and Canada to boost their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018.By doing this, the company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada because the company will have big chances of acquiring new customers and big profits by establishing more branches in different locations.

The thunder and lightening crashed over my head and made me very afraid

They said it would never rain again. I was surrounded by people but I had never felt so lonely. As I sat gazing from my window, I began to notice lots of happy families passing by on the road, all in their parents' cars. As I sit alone, thinking about my past, I began to feel so miserable and depressed. I suppose you are wondering who I am and what tragedy could have brought me to this place. Well, I will explain to you the long story. The thunder and lightening crashed over my head and made me very afraid. I was not the only one. My teacher kept looking upwards with a concerned expression. That's was when the head teacher burst into the room and ordered everyone to follow her. This was not normal. It could only mean that everybody was in serious danger. I instantly thought of my parents at home on their farm, had anyone warned them that a typhoon was coming soon? The noise outside was deafening. From our position on the roof, we could see everything. I watched in horror as a mud wall collapsed onto the road, trapping families in their cars. I saw frantic parents digging at the mud, trying to save their children who were still trapped. I wanted to go and save my parents too but I could not move. Two hours later, the road was a river. Trees and mud crashed through the village, destroying houses and families. Gradually, the storm came to an end. We were eventually allowed off the roof and I felt so glad, now I could go back and find out what had happened to my parents. I was so scared that they had been in danger, I just needed to know if they were safe. When I arrived home, I saw my house. It was completely destroyed. I ran towards it, screaming, calling for my mum and dad. Suddenly, I saw a flash of gold. It could only be one thing, my mother's ring. It was still attached to her still, lifeless, bloodless hand. I was numb. Standing there, I felt unusually calm but that feeling didn't last very long. Seconds passed and I began thinking about what would happen to me now. Where will I go? I have no other family, no one to take me in. I felt so isolated. That's how I ended in a foster home. All I can do is to sit and hope that someday, someone will come to get me. Perhaps today will be that day. I awoke feeling light in my heart and really hopeful that today would be that day. I heard that the newspaper reporter was going to come and write an article about the foster home where I was living. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there stood the reporter. She was a young beautiful lady with shiny, black long hair and a graceful smile. I was very surprised – I had never seen such a beautiful lady. She began to interview me because I had been at the foster home for the longest out of all the other children. She was very impressed with my unique poems; she even made a promise that she would make sure they were published very soon. She took my photograph so she could attach it to the poem. A grumpy old man was working in the hospital grounds. He reaches down to a scrap of newspaper which has blown across the garden and landed at his feet. He almost throws the article away when he suddenly decides to take a second look. He began to look more closely at the photograph and that's when he has a flicker of an image from his past. Suddenly his memory returns. It is difficult to cope with the emotions he feels after all these months. Dropping his tools, he strides down the road getting further away from the hospital. What has he remembered? Something is driving him he appears to be looking for something. The sky is grey and over-cast. I think about my future. Will I always be alone and abandoned. What's the point in living all alone with no family to love me? Everyday I wished that I had died with my mum and dad and this is why I made the decision to take an overdose. There was no point in living any more. No-one would even no that I had gone. I felt myself drifting into unconsciousness when unexpectedly there was a shadow in the doorway. At first I had great difficulty focusing my eyes on the figure in front of me. Slowly as my eyes began to see the details I was able to distinguish a man's frame. Meanwhile, I realised that it was my father. As my sight begins to dim, I see him run across the room towards me. He had tears in his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. He laid his head against mine and told me he loved me so much but as I took my last breath I felt so much regret. I could have had a happy life again with my family to love me and to be loved but now that will never happen.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Civil War Surgeon

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Civil War Surgeon Mary Edwards Walker was an unconventional woman. She was a proponent of womens rights and dress reform- especially the wearing of Bloomers which didnt enjoy wide currency until the  sport of bicycling  became popular. In 1855 she became one of the earliest female physicians upon graduation from Syracuse Medical College. She married Albert Miller, a fellow student, in a ceremony that did not include a promise to obey; she did not take his name, and to her wedding wore trousers and a dress-coat. Neither the marriage nor their joint medical practice lasted long. At the start of the Civil War, Dr. Mary E. Walker volunteered with the Union Army and adopted mens clothing. She was at first not allowed to work as a physician, but as a nurse and as a spy. She finally won a commission as an army surgeon in the Army of the Cumberland, 1862. While treating civilians, she was taken prisoner by the Confederates and was imprisoned for four months until she was released in a prisoner exchange. Her official service record reads: Dr. Mary E. Walker (1832 - 1919) Rank and organization: Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon (civilian), U. S. Army. Places and dates: Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861 Patent Office Hospital, Washington, D.C., October 1861 Following Battle of Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Tennessee September 1863 Prisoner of War, Richmond, Virginia, April 10, 1864 - August 12, 1864 Battle of Atlanta, September 1864. Entered service at: Louisville, Kentucky Born: 26 November 1832, Oswego County, N.Y. In 1866, the London Anglo-American Times wrote this of her: Her strange adventures, thrilling experiences, important services and marvelous achievements exceed anything that modern romance or fiction has produced.... She has been one of the greatest benefactors of her sex and of the human race. After the Civil War, she worked primarily as a writer and lecturer, usually appearing dressed in a mans suit and top hat. Dr. Mary E. Walker was awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor for her Civil War service, in an order signed by President Andrew Johnson on November 11, 1865. When, in 1917, the government revoked 900 such medals, and asked for Walkers medal back, she refused to return it and wore it until her death two years later. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter restored her medal posthumously, making her the first woman to hold a Congressional Medal of Honor. Early Years Dr. Mary Walker was born in Oswego, New York. Her mother was Vesta Whitcom and her father was Alvah Walker, both originally from Massachusetts and descended from early Plymouth settlers who had first moved to Syracuse in a covered wagon and then to Oswego. Mary was the fifth of five daughters at her birth. and another sister and a brother would be born after her.   Alvah Walker was trained as a carpenter who, in Oswego, was settling into a farmers life. Oswego was a place where many became abolitionists including neighbor Gerrit Smith and supporters of womens rights. The womens rights convention of 1848 was held in upstate New York. The Walkers supported the growing abolitionism, and also such movements as health reform and temperance.   The agnostic speaker Robert Ingersoll was Vestas cousin.   Mary and her siblings were raised religiously, though rejecting the evangelism of the time and not associating with any sect. Everyone in the family worked hard on the farm, and were surrounded by many books which the children were encouraged to read. The Walker family helped to found a school on their property, and Marys older sisters were teachers at the school. Young Mary became involved with the growing womens rights movement. She may also have first met Frederick Douglass when he spoke in her home town. She also developed, from reading medical books which she read in her home, the idea that she could be a physician.   She studied for a year at Falley Seminary in Fulton, New York, a school which included courses in the sciences and health.   She moved to Minetto, New York, to take a position as a teacher, saving to enroll in medical school. Her family had also been involved in dress reform as one aspect of womens rights, avoiding the tight clothing for women that restricted movement, and instead advocating for more loose clothing.   As a teacher, she modified her own clothing to be looser in the waste, shorter in the skirt, and with pants underneath. In 1853 she enrolled in Syracuse Medical College, six years after  Elizabeth Blackwells medical education. This school was part of a movement towards eclectic medicine, another part of the health reform movement and conceived of as a more democratic approach to medicine than the traditional allopathic medical training.   Her education included traditional lectures and also interning with an experienced and licensed physician. She graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1855, qualified as both a medical doctor and as a surgeon. Marriage and Early Career She married a fellow student, Albert Miller, in 1955, after knowing him from their studies.   The abolitionist and Unitarian Rev. Samuel J. May performed the marriage, which excluded the word obey. The marriage was announced not only in local papers, but in  The Lily,  the dress reform periodical of Amelia Bloomer. Mary Walker and Albert Mmiller opened a medical practice together. By the late 1850s she became active in the womens rights movement, focusing on dress reform. Some key suffrage supporters including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucy Stone adopted the new style including shorter skirts with pants worn underneath. But the attacks and ridicule about clothing from the press and public began to, in the opinion of some suffrage activists, distract from womens rights.   Many went back to traditional dress, but Mary Walker continued to advocate for more comfortable, safer clothing. Out of her activism, Mary Walker added first writing and then lecturing to her professional life. She wrote and spoke about delicate matters including abortion and pregnancy outside of marriage. She even wrote an article on women soldiers. Fighting for a Divorce In 1859, Mary Walker discovered that her husband was involved in an extramarital affair.   She asked for a divorce, he suggested that instead, she also find affairs outside their marriage. She pursued a divorce, which also meant that she worked to establish a medical career without him, despite the significant social stigma of divorce even among those women working for womens rights.   Divorce laws of the time made a divorce difficult without the consent of both parties. Adultery was grounds for a divorce, and Mary Walker had amassed evidence of multiple affairs including one that resulted in a child, and another where her husband had seduced a woman patient.   When she still could not get a divorce in New York after nine years, and knowing that even after the granting of a divorce there was a five year waiting period until it became final, she left her medical, writing, and lecture careers in New York and moved to Iowa, where divorce was not so difficult.   Iowa In Iowa, she was at first unable to convince people that she was, at the young age of 27, qualified as a physician or teacher.   After enrolling in school to study German, she discovered they did not have a German teacher. She participated in a debate, and was expelled for participating.   She discovered that New York state would not accept an out of state divorce, so she returned to that state. War When Mary Walker returned to New York in 1859, war was on the horizon. When the war broke out, she decided to go to war, but not as a nurse, which was the job the military was recruiting for, but as a physician. Known for:  among the earliest woman physicians; first woman to win the Medal of Honor; Civil War service including commission as an army surgeon; dressing in mens clothing Dates:  November 26, 1832 - February 21, 1919 Print Bibliography Harris, Sharon M.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Dr. Mary Walker, An American Radical, 1832 - 1919  . 2009.Synder, Charles McCool.  Dr. Mary Walker: The Little Lady in Pants.  1974.   More About Mary Walker: Profession:  PhysicianAlso known  as:  Dr. Mary Walker, Dr. Mary E. Walker, Mary E. Walker, Mary Edwards WalkerOrganizational Affiliations: Union ArmyPlaces: New York, United StatesPeriod: 19th century

How to Conjugate the Verb Sapere in Italian

How to Conjugate the Verb Sapere in Italian â€Å"Sapere† is often one of the first verbs Italian language students learn, because learning how to say â€Å"I don’t know (non lo so) in the midst of lots of fast speech is essential. So, in this article, you can expand your knowledge of this verb with examples and all of its conjugations. Definition of Sapere To knowTo know how toTo be aware ofTo learn Sapere Conjugation Sapere can be a transitive verb, which requires a direct object, and an intransitive verb, which does not. In both forms, it is conjugated with the auxiliary verb avere.The infinito is sapere.The participio passato is saputo.The gerund form is sapendo.The past gerund form is avendo saputo. Indicativo/Indicative Il presente io so noi sappiamo tu sai voi sapete lui, lei, Lei sa Essi, Loro sanno Esempi: Non lo so. I don’t know.Mi sa dire dov’à ¨ la Piazza di Pietra?  Can you let me know where Piazza di Pietra is? Il passato prossimo io ho saputo noi abbiamo saputo tu hai saputo voi avete saputo lui, lei, Lei, ha saputo loro, essi hanno saputo Esempi: E poi ho saputo che mi aveva detto un sacco di bugie! And then I found out that he had told me a ton of lies!Hanno saputo che il museo era chiuso subito dopo aveva iniziato a piovere. They found out the museum was closed right after it started to rain. L’imperfetto io sapevo noi sapevamo tu sapevi voi sapevate lui, lei, Lei sapeva loro, essi sapevano Esempi: Non sapevo cosa dovevo fare! I didn’t know what I should do!Linda sapeva suonare la chitarra quando aveva sette anni, ma ha dimenticato tutto. Linda knew how to play the guitar when she was seven years old, but she has forgotten everything. Il trapassato prossimo io avevo saputo noi avevamo saputo tu avevi saputo voi avevate saputo lui, lei, Lei aveva saputo loro, essi avevano saputo Esempi: Aveva saputo che sarei venutoa a Roma. He had heard that I would be coming to Rome.Mi disse che avevate saputo quello che era successo. She told me that you all heard what had happened. Il passato remoto io seppi noi sapemmo tu sapesti voi sapeste lui, lei, Lei seppe loro, essi seppero Esempi: Non seppi nà ¨ leggere nà ¨ scrivere fino alla maggiore et. I didn’t know how to read nor how to write till I was 18.Nessuno seppe che ero partito. No one knew that I had left. Il trapassato remoto io ebbi saputo noi avemmo saputo tu avesti saputo voi aveste saputo lui, lei, Lei ebbe saputo loro, essi ebbero saputo This tense is rarely used, so don’t worry too much about mastering it. You’ll find it only in very sophisticated writing. Il futuro semplice io sapr noi sapremo tu saprai voi saprete lui, lei, Lei sapr loro, essi sapranno Esempi: Ti farà ² sapere non appena ne saprà ² di pià ¹. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out more about it.Spero che queste persone sapranno arrivare al ristorante! Noi ci siamo persi. I hope these people will manage to get to the restaurant! We got lost! Il futuro anteriore io avr saputo noi avremo saputo tu avrai saputo voi avrete saputo lui, lei, Lei avr saputo loro, essi avranno saputo Esempi: Deciderà ² quando avrà ² saputo come à ¨ andata tutta la faccenda! I’ll make a decision as soon as I know the matter went.Sicuramente avranno saputo del tuo viaggio per l’Italia! Surely they will have heard about your trip through  Italy! Congiuntivo/Subjunctive Il presente che io sappia che noi sappiamo che tu sappia che voi sappiate che lui, lei, Lei sappia che loro, essi sappiano Esempi: Non credo che tu non sappia la verit! I can’t believe that you don’t know the truth.Penso che sappiano suonare gli strumenti, avevano una banda cinque anni fa! I think they know how to play instruments, they had a band five years ago. Il passato io abbia saputo noi abbiamo saputo tu abbia saputo voi abbiate saputo lui, lei, Lei abbia saputo loro, essi abbiano saputo Esempi: Suppongo non abbiano saputo le notizie di oggi. I suppose they hadn’t heard today’s news.Peccato che non abbia saputo che fossimo qua, ieri sera ci avrebbe potuto raggiungere per cena. It’s a shame that he didn’t know we were here, he could have caught up with us for dinner last night. L’imperfetto io sapessi noi sapessimo tu sapessi voi sapeste lui, lei, Lei sapesse loro, essi sapessero Esempi: Non sapevo che pure lui sapesse la verit! Che brutta figura! I didn’t know that he also knew the truth! How embarrassing!Scusa! Pensavo che tu sapessi come si usa il metro a Roma, altrimenti te lo avrei detto prima. Sorry! I thought that you knew how one uses the metro in Rome, otherwise, I would have told you about it  first. Il trapassato prossimo io avessi saputo noi avessimo saputo tu avessi saputo voi aveste saputo lui, lei, Lei avesse saputo loro, essi avessero saputo Esempi: Se io avessi saputo cantare, sarei andato su quel palco scenico. If I had known how to sing, I would have gone up on that stage.Se avessimo saputo le notizie di Giulia prima, non le avremmo detto del matrimonio di Roberto! If we had heard Giulia’s news first, we wouldn’t have told her about Roberto’s wedding! Condizionale/Conditional Il presente io saprei noi sapremmo tu sapresti voi sapreste lui, lei, Lei saprebbe te loro, essi saprebbero Esempi: Se solo avessi frequentato le lezioni di piano, adesso saprei come suonarlo! If only I had  been attending piano lessons, I would know how to play it now!Insegnare una lingua? Sembra qualcosa che Rachele saprebbe fare! Teaching a language? It seems like something Rachel would know how to do. Il passato io avrei saputo noi avremmo saputo tu avresti saputo voi avreste saputo lui, lei, Lei avrebbe saputo loro, Loro avrebbero saputo Se avessi detto il segreto a Marco, poi tutto il mondo l’avrebbe saputo! If you had told Marco the secret, then the whole world would have found out about it.Carlotta, scusa, ma sono confusa e Rachele mi ha detto che avresti saputo cosa fare. Carlotta, sorry, but I’m confused and Rachel told me that you would know what to do.

Josephine Baker, Dancer, Singer, Activist, and Spy

Josephine Baker, Dancer, Singer, Activist, and Spy Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; June 3, 1906–April 12, 1975) was an American-born singer,  dancer, and civil rights activist who overwhelmed Parisian audiences in the 1920s to become one of the most popular entertainers in France. She spent her youth in poverty in the U.S. before learning to dance and finding success on Broadway, then moving to France. When racism soured her return to the U.S., she took up the cause of civil rights. Fast Facts: Josephine Baker Known For: Singer,  dancer, civil rights activistKnown As: â€Å"Black Venus,† â€Å"Black Pearl†Born: June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, MissouriParents: Carrie McDonald, Eddie CarsonDied: April 12, 1975 in Paris, FranceAwards and Honors: Croix de Guerre,  Legion of HonourSpouses: Jo Bouillon,  Jean Lion,  William Baker,  Willie WellsChildren: 12 (adopted)Notable Quote: Beautiful? Its all a question of luck. I was born with good legs. As for the rest...beautiful, no. Amusing, yes. Early Life Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis, Missouri. Bakers mother Carrie McDonald had hoped to be a music hall dancer but made her living doing laundry. Her father Eddie Carso, was a drummer for  vaudeville  shows. Baker left school at age 8 to work for a white woman as a maid. At the age of 10, she returned to school. She witnessed the East St. Louis  race riot of 1917 before running away when she was 13. After watching the dancers in a local vaudeville house and honing her skills in clubs and street performances, she toured the United States with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers, performing comedic skits. Getting Started At 16, Baker began dancing in a touring show based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where her grandmother lived. By this time, she had already been married twice: to Willie Wells in 1919 and to Will Baker, from whom she took her last name, in 1921. In August 1922, Baker joined the chorus line of the touring show  Shuffle Along in Boston, Massachusetts before moving to New York City to perform with the  Chocolate Dandies  at the Cotton Club and with the floor show at the Plantation Club in Harlem. Audiences loved her clowning, mugging, improvising comic style, foreshadowing her style as an entertainer. Paris In 1925 Baker moved to Paris, France, more than doubling her New York salary to $250 a week to dance at the Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre des Champs Elysà ©es in La Revue Nà ¨gre  with other African-American dancers and musicians, including jazz star Sidney Bechet. Her performance style, referred to as Le Jazz Hot and Danse Sauvage, took her to international fame riding the wave of French intoxication for American jazz and exotic nudity. She sometimes performed wearing just a feather skirt. She became one of the most popular music-hall entertainers in France, achieving star billing at the  Folies-Bergà ¨re dancing seminude in a G-string ornamented with bananas. She quickly became the favorite of artists and intellectuals such as painter  Pablo Picasso, poet E.E. Cummings,  playwright  Jean Cocteau, and writer  Ernest Hemingway. Baker became one of the best-known entertainers in France and all of Europe, her exotic, sensual act reinforcing the creative forces coming out of the Harlem Renaissance in America. She sang professionally for the first time in 1930 and made her screen debut four years later, appearing in several films before  World War II  curtailed her movie career. Return to the US In 1936, Baker returned to the United States to perform in the  Ziegfield Follies, hoping to establish herself in her home country, but she was met with hostility and racism and quickly went back to France. She married French industrialist Jean Lion and obtained citizenship from the country that had embraced her. During the war, Baker worked with the Red Cross and gathered intelligence for the French Resistance during the German occupation of France, smuggling messages hidden in her sheet music and her underwear. She also entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East. The French government later honored her with the  Croix de Guerre  and the  Legion of Honour. Baker and her fourth husband, Joseph †Jo† Bouillon, bought an estate she named Les Milandes in Castelnaud-Fayrac, in southwestern France. She moved her family there from St. Louis and, after the war, adopted 12 children from around the world, making her home a world village and a showplace for brotherhood. She returned to the stage in the 1950s to finance this project. Civil Rights Baker was in the U.S. in 1951 when she was refused service at the famous Stork Club in New York City. Actress Grace Kelly, who was at the club that evening, was disgusted by the racist snub and walked out arm in arm with Baker in a show of support, the start of a friendship that would last until Baker’s death. Baker responded to the event by crusading for racial equality, refusing to entertain in clubs or theaters that werent integrated and breaking the color barrier at many establishments. The media battle that followed almost triggered revocation of her visa by the State Department. In 1963, she spoke at the March on Washington at the side of Martin Luther King Jr. Bakers world village fell apart in the 1950s. She and Bouillon divorced, and in 1969 she was evicted from her chateau, which was sold at auction to pay debts. Kelly, by then princess Grace of Monaco, gave her a villa. In 1973 Baker became romantically involved with American Robert Brady and began her stage comeback. Death In 1975, Bakers Carnegie Hall comeback performance was a success. In April she performed at the Bobino Theater in Paris, the first of a planned series of appearances celebrating the 50th anniversary of her Paris debut. But two days after that performance, on April 12, 1975, she died of a stroke at 68 in Paris. Legacy On the day of her funeral, over 20,000 people lined the streets of Paris to witness the procession. The French government honored her with a 21-gun salute, making her the first American woman to be buried in France with military honors. Baker had remained a bigger success abroad than in her home country. Racism tainted her return visits until her Carnegie Hall performance, but she had a profound influence worldwide as an African-American woman who had overcome a childhood of deprivation to become a dancer, singer, actress, civil rights activist, and even a spy. Sources Josephine Baker Biography: Singer, Civil Rights Activist, Dancer. Biography.com.Josephine Baker: French Entertainer. Encyclopedia Britannica.Josephine Baker Biography. Notablebiographies.com.Dancer, Singer, Activist, Spy: The Legacy of  Josephine Baker. Anothermag.com.Josephine Baker: The Black Venus. Filmstarfacts.com

The career you are preparing for now Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The career you are preparing for now - Essay Example ve is to evaluate my skills of creating documents such as those found in the employer website or even improved ones as well as understanding the implication that the document on the employer website create on a potential candidate. DOE can be perceived to be a site for electrical engineers, but also services a major employer for mechanical engineers. The U.S. Department of Energy website has various kinds of documents including hypertext, web, articles, PDF, press lease, and graphics. DOE website has other various documents on its site including a charter, company budget and performance report, and invitation to tender. The charter document describes the aim and principles of DOE in ensuring that engineering finds interventions to the challenges facing the world such as the innovation of renewable energy and discarding the use of fuels that will save the world from the greenhouse effect responsible for global warming. The company report is classified into the many projects that the company has undertaken including the science and innovation and energy saver. Invitation to tender documents are provided for the need to cover the staff and contractors rights as they form the most important aspect in ensuring the success of the company’s mission. Additionally, the site has warning documents that highlight the terms and right of access to the company’s information and reports as well as protecting it from whistleblowers. The DOE site makes use of an expository writing style, which aims at explaining process in a logical order with support of figures. Mechanical engineering is a practical career that require the explanation of processes in a logical order; hence, the site being one of the major employer in y field of career, has clearly distinguished its aim and scope though its technical communication of various projects . Additionally, I noticed that the site has used illustrations that are entirely technical to describe the technical details of various

Coral Reefs in the Philippines and the trophic levels and organism Research Paper

Coral Reefs in the Philippines and the trophic levels and organism localization and interaction specific to this area - Research Paper Example From the lowest level to the higher level, organisms feed on each other, with the latter being decomposers that break down the tertiary consumers into components used by the producers for their growth (Alex, 2009). This ideally means that at each level, organisms depend on each other for survival. In the primary producers level; photosynthetic organisms that make their own food by synthesizing organic compounds, there are mainly coralline algae, filamentous turf algae, and other species of seaweeds (Alicea, 2006). For primary consumers, mainly zooplankton and invertebrate larvae feed on the primary producers for their food and acquisition of energy. In this level, organisms such as jellyfish form around the coral polyps to interact with the reefs by offering protection from predators in the secondary consumer level (Alex, 2009). In the secondary consumer level mostly plankton consumers such as parrotfish common in the Philippines coral reefs, which interact with algae by the parrotfish feeding on the microalgae (Alicea, 2006). Microalgae usually cover the reefs making them unhealthy by preventing their growth. Others in the same level include Sixbar wrasse of Thalassoma Hardwicke species and Double whiptail of the Pentapodus emeryii species. These feed on small fish that when reduce in numbers, result in an increase of algae, thereby requiring parrotfish to prevent algae from covering the coral reefs hence hindering their growth. The final level is made up of tertiary consumers, majorly carnivores that feed on the secondary consumers. With increased feeding on algae by the parrotfish, algae reduce substantively thereby reducing their population, and hence reduced growth of the coral reef. The parrotfish play a substantive role in the Philippines coral reefs ecosystem, making them irreplaceable. Alicea, E. (2006). Collaborative

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GM - Essay Example Through this structure the car design process speed up as the decision making of the global engineering and design groups was recentralized. GM had employed a 'Localization Strategy' in the beginning. With this strategy, although there was local responsiveness and the products were designed according to the demands of the various global divisions but due to this decentralized control in each country it operated, there was a duplication of the various activities like the design, component parts, manufacturing and sales functions in the various divisions which resulted in an increase in the costs of GM and therefore effected GM's revenues and profits. The company later implemented a 'Global Standardization Strategy'. This strategy was based on the product-group structure and aimed at coordinating the activities of home and overseas operations. Through this strategy by sharing expertise, the various divisions work together to design cars which can be sold anywhere across the globe. GM has been changing its global structure to allow it to coordinate the production and sale of its products most effectively around the world by the implementation of a "Global Standardization Strategy". GM has firstly centralized the car design and production decisions.

Critical Incident Analysis Definition, Models and Frameworks Essay

Critical Incident Analysis Definition, Models and Frameworks - Essay Example In doing critical incident analysis, several models have been offered. Models serve as frameworks that will guide the person in analysing the event. It is the paradigm in which the event is made understandable. In other words, model is the lens that people use as they try to understand and make sense of their experiences of the world. As mentioned, the event acts as the precipitator of the analysis. However, the reflection in critical incident is not just a reflection of one’s self per se. It is deemed as reflection of one’s self in the context of one’s work. It is a purposive looking into the event and after the event in order to arrive at the possible things that can be learned from the critical incident. In this regard, the ethos behind undertaking analysis/reflection of the critical incident is to arrive at knowledge that can be gleaned from what had happened. This is made possible because reflection becomes an â€Å"active, persistent and careful considerat ion of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it". For this paper, Gibbs Model (1988) has been chosen because it affords a step-by-step approach in doing reflection. It is holistic as encompass all the essential elements in the incident – the critical incident, the person, the things learned and the action. Lastly, the model allows for a continuous re-evaluation of the incident and as such, the model makes room for filtering and    re-assessment of the events and the actions undertaken.... In this regard, the ethos behind undertaking analysis/reflection of the critical incident is to arrive at knowledge that can be gleaned from what had happened. This is made possible because reflection becomes an â€Å"active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it and the further consequences to which it leads† (Dewey 1933, p. 9). The Choice: Gibb’s Model For this paper, Gibbs Model (1988) has been chosen because it affords a step-by-step approach in doing reflection. It is holistic as encompass all the essential elements in the incident – the critical incident, the person, the things learned and the action. Lastly, the model allows for a continuous re-evaluation of the incident and as such, the model makes room for filtering and re-assessment of the events and the actions undertaken. Description: What Happened? The patient was considered in critical condition because of the patient ’s suicidal tendency. As a plan of action, the patient was given a one-on-one CNA to protect the patient from self-harm. However, despite the ‘guarding’, the patient was able to commit suicide. Feelings: What did you feel? I felt fear, anguish and worry all coming together trying to find the answer, how could it happen? It was numbing. I felt and knew that when the tasks is to care for the patient, a care that is developed and built on knowledge, technical skills and ability to perform one’s duty to the utmost of your ability, something like that do not happen. However, why it happened? I felt terrible during that incident because the patient was able to commit suicide when the major care plan was to watch the

International Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Business Management - Assignment Example The following report talks about the McDonald’s corporation, its inceptions, values and international expansion. Then, the theories are applied and McDonald’s strategies are analyzed in light of these theories. Later, the issues McDonald’s faces as a corporation as it expands particularly in the developing countries are discussed, followed by specific examples of the challenges, from the past, the external environment has posed on the fast food chain. The McDonald’s corporation, whose international division was established in the year 1969, today is the largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in the world, and serves around 70 million customers on a daily basis in 118 countries. In the 1940 when the company began its operations in the United States under Richard and Maurice (Mac) McDonald, it was a barbeque restaurant. It wasn’t untilm1948 that they decided to reorganize the business as a hamburger joint based on the principles of production line. In 1954 when the milk-shake mixer sales man, Ray Kroc, saw an opportunity in this market and joined the business as a franchise agent in 1955. Ray Kroc negotiated the deal with the brothers and ended up making a franchise deal that gave him the exclusive rights to franchise in the USA. Kroc offered a McDonalds franchise at a price of $950, and took home a service fee of 1.9% of sales. The McDonalds brothers eventually sold out for $2.7million in 1961. The corporation’s first international venture was in Canada in 1969. International expansion in McDonald’s was accomplished through three different means 1) McDonald’s and its foreign subsidiaries, 2) franchisees and 3) Affiliates. Franchising played a major role at McDonald’s. A major factor contributing to the rapid and successful international expansion for McDonald’s has been the way its franchise system has operated. Over the years the corporation has given immense importance to the training and

Organisational change and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisational change and development - Essay Example In addition, this paper will explain two approaches that may become critical in addressing such difficulty: project management and systems approach to management. Change in Organisations There are at least three important changes in organisational life today. First, there is the case of changing the organisational goals and objectives. An organisation passes through a life cycle and that, along the way, it is inevitable to make modifications in order to address and adapt to unforeseen challenges as well as new opportunities. Managers, in these cases, revise organisational objectives in order to enforce better management and operational initiatives (Stam and Andriessen, 2009, p. 136). Changing this fundamental aspect in an organisation entails far ranging restructuring and shifts. It involves the changing the rationale behind the organisation’s existence. Secondly, there is cultural change. It is the next logical step once a strategic change is adopted or when management decide s to change the organisational goals and objectives. The rationale is that in order to achieve effective change in that direction, a gradual change in mentalities must be achieved as well (Hamalainen and Saarinen, 2004, p.143). This is crucial in changing the organisational behaviour. ... In tandem with several external variables such as the spurt of innovations in the market, the increase in competition, and the level of complexity of the supply chain, among others, it forces organisations to change. Resistance Resistance to change is inherent in every organisation. This is the general consensus in academic literature and is largely based on the principle that organisations are made up of human beings and that resistance is part of human characteristics (Passmore, Woodman and Shani, 2010, p.234). Even researchers and academics who question the assumption of such pervasiveness, tacitly recognize the inevitability of resistance when they argue in focusing on the differences and contexts in the way people respond to change (Fisher and Howell, 2004; Piderit, 2000). The human variable in this theme ensures the persistence of such behaviour and underpins the methods behind change initiatives. Several thoughts attempted to explain resistance as a concept. For example, there is the position that it is â€Å"a reactive process where agents embedded in power relations oppose initiatives by other agents† (Jermier et al., 1994, p.9). The breadth of scholarly work and empirical evidences on this subject show conceptualizations of resistance as a behaviour, emotion and belief that determine the way people respond to change (Piderit, 2000, p.786). All in all, the theoretical and empirical evidences highlight the dominant view that resistance is both negative and counterproductive in implementing change; hence, it must be addressed. An excellent way to demonstrate the difficulty in handling resistance to change at the group level is to explain the dynamics of an approach in forming a team. When one is building a team from the ground

International Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Business Management - Assignment Example The following report talks about the McDonald’s corporation, its inceptions, values and international expansion. Then, the theories are applied and McDonald’s strategies are analyzed in light of these theories. Later, the issues McDonald’s faces as a corporation as it expands particularly in the developing countries are discussed, followed by specific examples of the challenges, from the past, the external environment has posed on the fast food chain. The McDonald’s corporation, whose international division was established in the year 1969, today is the largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in the world, and serves around 70 million customers on a daily basis in 118 countries. In the 1940 when the company began its operations in the United States under Richard and Maurice (Mac) McDonald, it was a barbeque restaurant. It wasn’t untilm1948 that they decided to reorganize the business as a hamburger joint based on the principles of production line. In 1954 when the milk-shake mixer sales man, Ray Kroc, saw an opportunity in this market and joined the business as a franchise agent in 1955. Ray Kroc negotiated the deal with the brothers and ended up making a franchise deal that gave him the exclusive rights to franchise in the USA. Kroc offered a McDonalds franchise at a price of $950, and took home a service fee of 1.9% of sales. The McDonalds brothers eventually sold out for $2.7million in 1961. The corporation’s first international venture was in Canada in 1969. International expansion in McDonald’s was accomplished through three different means 1) McDonald’s and its foreign subsidiaries, 2) franchisees and 3) Affiliates. Franchising played a major role at McDonald’s. A major factor contributing to the rapid and successful international expansion for McDonald’s has been the way its franchise system has operated. Over the years the corporation has given immense importance to the training and

Educational Tour Essay Example for Free

Educational Tour Essay Educational Tour gives us ideas likewise opportunities to visit prestigious agencies that may help us visualize what we are learning at school. This activity helps us develop our personality since social graces and etiquette are learned too by experience. Moreover, important to every student since it is a part of our learning process to acquire more knowledge through actual exposure to the different agencies. Narrative Report: On July 4,2013 ,the faculty of World Citi Colleges held an educational tour for the Bachelor of Science and Tourism Management students. The locations are the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Resort World Manila and Island Cove. July 4, 2013, the day when I have to wake up early because it should be a big No for rush and the call time is 6:00 to 6:30. I have to commute to go to our school. It is around 5:00 in the morning when I left my house and started to wait a jeep in waiting area going to Cubao. Sadly, I wait for 15 minutes just to ride in a jeep. When I rode a jeep, I paid going to Anonas and dropped to our school. When I got there, I saw my classmates and we went to Bus no. 3. While waiting for others, I and my classmates sit in the vacant sit . We started to travel around 7:00 but of course we pray first for a safe trip. After the pray, here it goes! We already started talking, laughing, picture taking and of course we cooperate in our tour guide to answer some questions and he gives some rules. We arrived at Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Our tour guide in CCP gives us knowledge about the history of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and about some Arts that in the place who made it and why he/she made it. I recognized some of my classmates didn’t listening to our tour guide while some of us listening. He showed us the theater. He said, â€Å"I didn’t showed this to some groups but because you’re listening I will show you the theater. † We were in at a dark place and I saw the theater. It’s so big! It’s my first time to see a big theater. After that, we continued the tour again and of course we take pictures. After the CCP, we went again to our bus. We arrived at the Resort World but before we go out on a bus, a tour guide in Resort World showed and gave us some of the rules. We gave our member information to get a member card. He said that only 29 students will get the member card on a day of our tour. Luckily, I got it. After that, we toured in the resort world. Actually, that’s my first time to go to a luxury mall. We entered to a theater and then they showed us the rooms in hotel. We played games in Game zoo. They gave us a Game zoo Card for free play. After we played, we bought our lunch in Mc Donald. Then, we went back to our bus and ate the lunch while moving the bus going to Island Cove. We arrived at Island Cove which was our last destination. We walked in a bridge. There, we have a seminar with other branch of World Citi Colleges Caloocan, Antipolo and Cubao. The seminar started. I learned many things about Tourism and of course being a tourist guide. After the seminar, we toured around the island cove. We saw a swimming pool and some slides. Too bad, we didn’t know that we can bring some clothes so we can swim. Because of that, we just took some pictures and toured the place. When we got tired, we went back to our bus. I and my classmates were talking, laughing, and taking pictures. Then all my classmates were got in the bus so we were going back to school. We left the Island Cove around 5:00 pm and arrived at the school at 8:00 pm because of the traffic. I got home safely around 9:00. The tour for me is great! I learn many things that I will I hope we have a tour again in a great place and an educational.

Tao Heung Case Study Analysis

Tao Heung Case Study Analysis ABSTRACT Tao Heung is a listed company focusing on Chinese restaurant business in Hong Kong and Guangdong. By utilizing Porters five forces model, Chinese restaurant industry is identified to be intensively competitive. Nevertheless, Tao Heung still recorded slight growth by 2009 through successful cost control measures and operational efficiency. The company has strengths of strong financial position, cost efficiency, and good marketing and management capabilities, and weaknesses of imbalanced market presence, business portfolio, and capital structure. The business environment provides it new opportunities for developing new markets and businesses because of improving living standard and purchasing power. Major threats include severe inflation leading to soaring costs related to labour, rent, and food ingredients. TOWS matrix is a technique to formulate possible strategic alternatives matching internal factors to external opportunities and threats. In corporate level, Tao Heung is suggested to adopt market development strategy by using merger and acquisition and leveraging of debt. In business level, enhancing currently adopted cost leadership strategy is recommended. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Tao Heung is a catering company, focusing on operating Chinese restaurants and mainly operating in Hong Kong and China market. The company was founded in 1991 and was listed on the main board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 2007 (Stock code. 0573.HK). It is now operating 66 outlets, including various styles of restaurants, in Hong Kong and more than 10 outlets in Mainland China. The business philosophy of Tao Heung is Delicious and Value for Money. It is well known for its quality foods and quality services at relatively low prices, and innovative marketing campaign, such as One Dollar Chicken, at the minds of Hong Kong consumers. One Dollar Chicken campaign was a marketing promotion during the period of financial tsunami in 2008. Consumers could enjoy a dish of chicken for only One Hong Kong Dollars at the restaurants of Tao Heung. The campaign effectively enacted the companys Value for money philosophy. Chinese restaurant is a traditional industry in which there are many inherent shortcomings and flaws. However, Tao Heung is renowned for the use of innovative marketing strategies and modern management techniques in running this traditional business. The objectives of Tao Heung are to become one of the most esteemed and premier Chinese restaurant groups in Hong Kong and China, recognized for innovations and its capabilities to provide high quality food and restaurant service that promise customers exceptional dining experiences (http://www.taoheung.com.hk/eng/corporate/overview.jsp). The goal of strategic management is to leverage a firms capabilities to accomplish its strategic objectives with the balance of all stakeholders interest. Mr. Chung Wai Ping, who is one of the founders of Tao Heung, owns 36.7% of shares in Tao Heung and must be the key stakeholder. However, share owners of a firm are not the only group of stakeholders of the firm in the sense of strategic management. Stakeholders refer to the groups of people who have interests in a firms activities and affect or are affected by the achievement of the firms objectives (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Therefore, creditors, suppliers, customers, competitors, employees, governments, and public in the communities are the stakeholders of Tao Heung. Tao Heung tries to maximize profit through providing quality foods and exceptional dining experiences to its customers. As a result, it has the capability to repay loans to its creditors, pay taxes to governments, share profits with employees, satisfy the business need of suppliers, and contribute to communities. Meanwhile, its status as one of the most esteemed and premier Chinese restaurant groups in Hong Kong and China inevitably has impact on its competitors. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY Strategy is defined as a firms theory about how to gain competitive advantages (Barney Hesterly, 2010). Therefore, strategic management is a set of managerial decisions and actions that generates the firms competitive advantage, and, hence, gains above average return (Wheelen Hunger, 2010) (see Figure 1). Mission Objective External Analysis Internal Analysis Strategic Choice Strategy Implementation Figure 1 Strategic Management Process This article aims to critically evaluate the strategic position and direction of Tao Heung. Johnson and Scholes (2007: 16) point out that understanding the strategic position is concerned with impact on strategy of external environment, internal resources and competencies, and the expectations and influences of stakeholders. Therefore, this article will present external environmental analysis and internal analysis of resources and competencies for Tao Heung and evaluate its strategic options accordingly. By conducting external analysis, the critical opportunities and threats in external environment of Tao Heung will be identified, including macro-environment and industry environment in which the firm operates. Porter (1980) contends that a firms profitability is determined by the intensity of competition within the industry it competes. As a result, he developed Five Forces Model for examining the intensity of competition of an industry. In addition, generally adopt PESTEL framework for analyzing a firms macro-environment. The following factors are included in the analysis: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors (Harvard University Press, 2007). By conducting internal analysis, the organizational strengths and weaknesses of Tao Heung will also be identified. The resources and capabilities which are the source of competitive advantage will be identified by internal analysis (Barney Hesterly, 2010). Porter (1985) proposed that Value Chain Analysis is a technique for analyzing source of competitive advantage of a firm. However, according to the Resource-based View, competitive capabilities must be rare, durable, valuable, robust, and not easily be imitated (Grant, 2002). Then, external analysis and internal analysis are synthesized into a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym used to describe the particular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that are strategic factors for a specific company (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Utilizing the result of SWOT analysis, a number of strategic options can be generated. A TOWS Matrix is produced to show how the external opportunities and threats facing a particular firm can be matched with the firms internal strengths and weaknesses (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Finally, this article will critically justify the strategy that Tao Heung is using and suggest corporate and business level strategy that Tao Heung should use to improve its performance. Corporate level strategy refers to the strategy that creates value to the firm in line with the overall purpose and scope of the firm. Diversification, merger and acquisition, are examples of corporate level strategy. Business level strategy refers to the strategy about how to compete successfully in particular market and achieve competitive advantage (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Porter (1980) suggested three generic competitive strategies: cost-leadership, differentiation, and focus. They are examples of business level strategy. Secondary data from company annual reports, Internet, government statistics, academic journals, CEO interviews, magazines and newspapers will be collected for conducting analysis. 3. ANALYSES Four analyses will be presented here: Industry analysis, Macro-environment analysis, Internal analysis, and SWOT analysis. 3.1 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS According to Five Forces Model, the intensity of competition within Chinese restaurant industry in Hong Kong is determined by five competitive forces (Porter, 1980): Threat of new entrants New entrants are threats to the existing firms within an industry because they bring new capacity to the industry, and a new desire to gain market share and resources. If the entry barrier to the industry is high, the threat of new entrants is lower. The relatively high capital requirements and sunk costs create certain degree of entry barriers for Chinese restaurant industry. According to the information provided by Trade and Industry Department (2006), the capital requirements for opening a Chinese style cafà © was HK$1,275,500. The scale of a Chinese restaurant is 10 to 20 times greater than a cafà ©, the capital requirements are estimated to more than HK$15,000,000. Most of the investment is spent for decoration, facilities, and marketing activities. They are all sunk costs that cannot be recovered. Economies of scale also help establish barriers to entry. Therefore, the major rivals of Tao Heung are big Chinese restaurant groups such as Maxims and Star Seafood. Companies with limited capital have been not easy to start up a new Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong recently. Rivalry among existing firms Hong Kongs Chinese restaurant industry is dominated by several large restaurant groups now. They are Maxims restaurants, Federal Restaurants, Hsin Kuang Restaurants, East Ocean Victoria City Restaurants, Star Seafood Restaurants, and Tao Heung Restaurants. The relatively small number of competitors and roughly equal in size create intensively competitive environment. In addition, the growth rate of this industry is slow. The value of Chinese restaurant receipts and purchases for the first half of 2010 was HK$19,600 million, accounting for 6% increase compared with last year (Census and Statistics Department, 2010). Moreover, the exit barriers of this industry are high because of high sunk costs. Diversity of rivals and differentiation are low. These factors contribute to fierce competition within this industry. Threat of substitute There are many substitute products that can satisfy the same needs of dinning in Chinese restaurant. Consumers would like to gather to mingle and socialize in Chinese restaurants, besides of the dinning needs. But they could satisfy the same needs by going to Western restaurants, fast food restaurants, or even at home. According to Porter (1980), substitute limits the potential returns of an industry by placing a price ceiling. Chinese restaurants cannot charge profitably beyond the perceived values of dinning experiences. Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers in this industry is high. The major reason is that consumers can choose their favorite restaurants free of switch costs. The restaurants can create greater product and service differentiation by introducing innovative recipe, and leveraging quality foods and services, in order to erode the bargaining power of buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers The major suppliers of Chinese restaurants are the food suppliers. They are numerous in the market. The products are not unique and restaurants have almost no switch costs to change suppliers. Substitutes are always readily available. Therefore, the bargaining power of suppliers is low. Overall, collective strengths of five competitive forces determine high level of competitive intensity in Chinese restaurant industry. The profit potential of this industry is limited. 3.2 MACRO-ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS PESTEL framework is employed for analyzing macro-environment: Political factors The economic transition policy of the government of Guangdong province intended to change the manufacturing-based economy into high-value-added economy. The results lead to severe factory closure in Southern China. It is a drawback for the market development strategy of Tao Heung since its physical presence in China is mainly in the cities in Guangdong province. On the other hand, after the 2008 financial tsunami, Chinese government introduced measures which aimed at promoting domestic demand and increasing welfare benefits. The purchasing power of Chinese consumers has been increased. Tao Heung is definitely benefited from these measures. Overall, the market potential for Chinese restaurants business seems to be optimistic in the long run. After all, factory closure in Guangdong province is a temporary phenomenon. It will recover when the transition is successful achieved. Economic factors Financial tsunami in 2008 created a very volatile economy for catering industry. Tao Heung recorded a relatively low revenue growth of 5.5% only in 2009 (Tao Heung, 2010). Fortunately, economic conditions both in Hong Kong and China are gradually recovering. However, another economic force has been negatively affecting Chinese restaurant industry since economic recovery. Inflation has been very serious for the recent two years. As a result, the costs of raw materials have been soaring. The profitability of Tao Heung is inevitably eroded. In addition, Tao Heung also faced rental and labour market pressure because of severe inflation. Indeed, rent, food and labour are three major inputs to Chinese restaurant industry. Increased Costs associated with rent, food and labour cause significant negative impact on the Chinese restaurant industry. Social factors Living standard is high in Hong Kong. Besides, as economic growth in China is substantially, living standard is improving accordingly. Thus, there is increasing demand for quality cuisine. Restaurant goers both in Hong Kong and China are not only seeking for food, but also for specialty recipe, quality service, and excellent atmosphere. In addition, there are rising concerns for food safety also. It may be because of recent food safety problems in China and the emerging environmental conservation sentiment. Increasing demand for quality and safety will impose challenges to that industry. On the other hand, it may be opportunities for Tao Heung. Tao Heung is a pioneer in adopting modern management and marketing skills to operate traditional Chinese restaurants. If Tao Heung can cope with the challenges, they can outperform its rivals. Besides, improving living standard in China means more market opportunities, for example, banquets market. Technological factor Advanced information system technology is an enabler of modern supply chain management. Tao Heung has utilized bulk purchase and direct food supply from its logistics centres to enhance cost efficiency. The advancement in food processing technology also creates new opportunities for food catering industry, chilled food trading business. Environmental factor Chinese restaurant operations pollute water when washing foods and dishes. According to the Polluters Pay Principle, restaurants need to pay additional sewage charges. Because of the increased environmental concern in our society, the sewage charges are expected to rise. Besides, consumers are more concern about food safety now because of severe pollution problems. Legal factor The minimum wage legislation process is about to complete in Hong Kong. The initial minimum wage rate will be HK$28 per hour. It is expected to come into force on May 1, 2011 (Labour Department). Tao Heung will face increasing labour costs and human resources pressure. 3.3 INTERNAL ANALYSIS Internal analysis is concerned with identifying a firms internal strategic factors which is the firms critical resources and competencies for success (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). With reference to resource-based view of strategic management, Grant (2004) suggested that an organizations sustainable competitive advantage is primarily determined by its strategic resources and competencies. The following internal strengths are identified to be critical for the success of Tao Heung: Strong financial position Tao Heung has very low debt ratio (about 1%). The value of cash and cash equivalents asset is 428 million at the end of 2009 (Tao Heung, 2010). In addition, Tao Heung is listed company so that it has capability to raise funds from shareholders or public when needed. The strong financial position can support Tao Heung to grow naturally or grow by merger and acquisition. Logistics centres Tao Heung owns a logistics centre in Tai Po (Hong Kong) and Dongguan (China). The logistics centre in China enables it to achieve bulk purchase of food ingredients from their sources. Logistics centres have another role of supplying food products to restaurants of Tao Heung. Foods have been processed before delivering to restaurants. The semi-processed food ingredients can help (1) save the cooking time in restaurants, (2) use less skillful chef, and (3) save kitchen space. Besides, the excess capacities of logistics centres are utilized to manufacture pre-packing chilled food supplied to its own outlets, supermarkets and food centres, providing another source of revenue. Marketing and management capabilities Tao Heung has profound marketing capability. The marketing team has launched some excellent promotion campaigns such as One Dollar Chicken. They have also developed brand awareness in China and have won some awards such as Top 500 Quality Brands in China 2009 and Top 500 Overseas Chinese Merchants in Chinas Market (Tao Heung, 2010). Tao Heung has a lot of innovations in Chinese restaurant management, for example, achieving cost efficiency by using operation of logistics centres. Moreover, Tao Heung will establish a training institute providing professional training to restaurant workers with the cooperation of VTC. The program can ease labour pressure of the industry. Although the economic situation was bad in 2009, Tao Heung could still achieve growth through stringent cost control measures and streamlining of operations. On the other hand, Tao Heung has some weaknesses. It has been too focus on Chinese restaurant business and Hong Kong market. Its peripheral businesses including airline catering, chilled food trading and bakery accounted for a relatively modest amount of total turnover (HK$52 million) in 2009. Besides, Mainland China business accounted for only 17.3% of total turnover in 2009. In addition, its use of debt has been too little. Better use of debt can enhance returns of shareholders, although high level leverage of debt will increase business risk. 3.4 SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis summaries the key issues from the external environment and the strategic capabilities of an organization that are most likely to impact on strategy development (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Figure 2 shows the internal strengths and weaknesses of Tao Heung, as well as the opportunities and threats from the external business environment. The strengths are strong financial position, cost efficiency, and marketing and management capabilities. The weaknesses are imbalanced market coverage, business portfolio, and capital structure. Opportunities include increasing purchase power, living standard, demand for quality cuisine, and advanced IS technology. The threats include inflation pressure, minimum wage, intense competition, and food safety concern. Strengths Strong financial position Cost efficiency through the use of logistics centres Good marketing and management capabilities Weaknesses Imbalanced market coverage Imbalanced business portfolio Imbalanced capital structure Opportunities Increasing purchasing power in Mainland China Increasing living standard leading to new business opportunities such as banquet Demand for quality cuisine Advanced IS technology enabling efficient supply chain management Threats Severe inflation pressure leading to rising costs related to rent and food. Minimum wage legislation leading to higher labour market pressure Intense competition in Chinese restaurant industry Concerns about food safety Figure 2 SWOT Analysis for Tao Heung TOWS matrix is used to illustrate how the external opportunities and threats facing a particular organization can be matched with that organizations internal strengths and weaknesses to result in four sets of possible strategic alternatives: SO strategies, WO strategies, ST strategies and WT strategies (Wheelen Hunger, 2010) (see Figure 3). Strengths (S) Weaknesses (W) Opportunities (O) SO strategies Generate strategies that use strengths to take advantage of opportunities WO strategies Generate strategies that take advantage of opportunities by overcoming weaknesses Threats (T) ST strategies Generate strategies that use strengths to avoid threats WT strategies Generate strategies that minimize weaknesses and avoid threats Figure 3 TOWS Matrix The possible strategies are listed in the Figure 4. In summary, Tao Heung is suggested to develop new markets, enhance its operation efficiency, rapid expansion into Mainland China, and better use of debt. The strategies can be consolidated into two levels of strategies: corporate and business level. Strengths (S) Strong financial position (S1) Cost efficiency (S2) Good marketing and management capabilities (S3) Weaknesses (W) Imbalanced market coverage (W1) Imbalanced business portfolio (W2) Imbalanced capital structure (W3) Opportunities (O) Increasing purchasing power (O1) Increasing living standard (O2) Demand for quality cuisine (O3) Advanced IS technology (O4) SO strategies Expansion to various food catering businesses (S1O2O3) Rapid expansion into Mainland China (S1O1) Enhance capacities of logistics centres (S2O4) WO strategies Acquire other catering businesses (W2O2) Merger and acquisition in Mainland China (W1O1) Threats (T) Severe inflation pressure (T1) Minimum wage legislation (T2) Intense competition (T3) Food safety concerns (T4) ST strategies Leveraging the use of logistics centres (S2T1) Stringent quality control (S3T4) More stringent cost control (S2S3T1) Improved employee training (S3T2) WT strategies Diversify into other market segments (W1W2T3) Figure 4 TOWS Matrix for Tao Heung 4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Ansoff product/market growth matrix (Figure 5) suggests that a business attempts to grow depend on whether it should market new or existing products in new or existing markets (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Existing Products New Products Existing Markets Market Penetration Product Development New Markets Market Development Diversification Figure 5 Ansoff Product/Market Growth Matrix Concerning with Tao Heungs corporate level strategy, market development is a more suitable strategy. Both new geographical markets and new segment markets should be explored. Although Tao Heung has established its presence in Chinese market, it has only less than 15 restaurants in China by the end of 2010. All of these restaurants are located in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Tao Heung should expand more rapidly in China market and open more new restaurants in other cities within Guangdong province. Regarding to segment markets, most of restaurants in Hong Kong are seafood restaurants targeting to medium income level families. Tao Heung has adopted multi-branding strategy. The different brands are targeting similar segments using different products. For example, Hak Ka Hut, Chao Inn, and Shanghai Inn provide different style of dishes but target the same segmented customers. Chao Inn and Shanghai Inn even located at the same place. HIPOT is a new brand of Tao Heung. This new brand target young customers. It is a good direction. Tao Heung is encouraged to explore more new segment markets by building more new brands. Tao Heung has mainly used internal development for growth. The only acquisition in the past few years is the acquisition of Tai Chong Bakery. Using companys own resources to develop new businesses is actually a play safe game. However, Tao Heung is suggested to use more merger and acquisition to expand into China market in a more rapid pace. Since Mainland China is a massive market, growth by acquisition could be better than by organic growth. Besides, Tao Heung can better use of debt to balance its capital structure. Porter (1980) suggests three generic strategies to compete with rivals in a market. They are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus strategies. Cost leadership is the strategy that Tao Heung is currently adopting. Tao Heung put much effort on achieving cost efficiency by utilizing logistics centres and stringent cost control measures. . It is a correct direction since Chinese restaurant is a very intensively competitive industry. However, Tao Heung is suggested to focus on maintaining quality cuisine while achieving cost efficiency. To complement cost leadership strategy, diversifying into other food catering business such as bakery and school catering to balance its business portfolio.