Greyhound Transport What Happened after September 11 free essay sample

An overview of the inexpensive services that Greyhound has to offer and suggestions on ways it can improve its service given new security concerns. This paper summarizes the services of the American Greyhound Bus Service which is a part of the travel services industry, providing intercity travel within the United States as well as travel packages and mail services. The paper discusses what has happened to the company since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, citing positive aspects such as safety since people are feeling less safe in the air and more safe on the roads. In regards to the environment, Greyhound reports that one Greyhound bus takes 17 cars off the road and achieves 162 passenger miles per gallon of fuel. (Greyhound Facts Figures) The main issue effecting Greyhound is how the events of September 11 impact upon it. Since September 11 there is a new fear of flying. This is likely to increase the number of people choosing bus travel over air travel. We will write a custom essay sample on Greyhound Transport: What Happened after September 11? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It also means that many people in the United States will choose holidays within the United States instead of overseas travel. The downside is that there will be less overseas visitors traveling within the United States. It has already been noted however, that the majority of Greyhound customers are Americans traveling to visit family and friends. Overall then, we would expect demand for bus travel to increase. This brings with it both opportunities and problems. This is a changing environment for Greyhound. This report will focus on how Greyhound can respond to these changes and specifically how the problems they create can be predicted so that the opportunities presented can be fully utilized. Five of these problems will now be discussed in turn.

Fashion Blogs for College Students

Fashion Blogs for College Students College is a special time for young women (and men) when they’ve flown the coop and are on their own for the first time. Being in a different city surrounded by people from all over the country, it’s one of the most influential times for fashion changes in your life. Of course you want to make an impression on your peers and make a statement about who you are as you enter this new world. These blogs can give you the inspiration you’re seeking to explore new trends and find your fashion niche. And, of course, how to do all of that on a student’s budget†¦ College Fashion For the fashion conscious college student who wants to keep up with the latest trends in campus style, this blog will show you how to pull off a pair of pom pom shorts for both day and evening wear, how to make a plaid skirt cool and feed your fashion inspiration with pop culture images from Game of Thrones to Jean-Michel Basquiat. collegefashion.net A Beautiful Mess This is the perfect blog for the craftsy, DIY college student. For those who want to make their dorm room not only the place they sleep, but their home away from home, you’ll find lots of tips on budget home dà ©cor such as a home-made tassle rug or wall hanging using only a ball of yarn. In their fashion section a host of DIY fashion tips to set you apart from your classmates. You’ll be the envy of campus with your home-made feather block dress. Missing your pet dog or cat from home? Learn how to make a pair of personalized pajamas with their image on them. abeautifulmess.com Kendi Everyday Want to know how to wear this season’s hottest colors? How about what to wear on your first date with a new beau? And how to double up on denim with a blouse and jeans. Fashionista Kendi brings you her own personal shopping and fashion tips for you to devour at will. Feast on it! kendieveryday.com Love, Lenore Another personal blog for the young and fashionable, this blog shows you how to get the best styles from shops like Anthropologie, Forever 21, HM and Nordstroms. She offers tips for every kind of fashion situation including weddings, travel and holiday. Her curated wish list will have you saving up for your next shopping experience. lovelenore.com Millennielle This blog by fashion expert Coco caters to the tastes of college students and millenials. What to wear to music festivals, how to get the best looks on a student’s budget and the brands with the most enduring fashion status. You can address her with your fashion emergencies and read her tips on how to make the most of modern life. millennielle.com The Houndstooth Straight out of DC, this blog is dedicated to showing off the Capital’s street fashion. One of the few fashion sites for both boys and girls, you’ll get your inspiration from real people who turn heads on the streets of Washington. thehoundstoothblog.com Necessary Proper This is almost the fashion blog equivalent of the show Mad Men, with photos and articles that promote the high life of successful men and women. You’ll learn how to rub elbows with high society at polo matches and how to mix the perfect cocktail, all while looking your absolute best next to your beau in khakis (or a tartan) and you in your grandmother’s pearls. necessary-and-proper.com I Spy DIY If you live to create your own look with DIY projects, this is the blog for you. Lots of inspiration on how to personalize your denim jacket to how to make the perfect spring dress, to how to make versatile earrings for any outfit. Get inspiration for looks you can’t buy in a store. ispydiy.com The Budget Babe As promised by the blog title, this site will show you how to find the look you want without having to drop the cash you don’t have. You’ll learn how to find discount versions of big label trends, where to shop and how to throw together a complete look for less. thebudgetbabe.com Whether your style inspiration comes from the Hamptons or the streets of DC, whether you like brand names or prefer to DIY, this list of blogs has it all for today’s college student. Happy shopping!

Free Essays on Water Quality And Sanitation

Chemistry in Water Surface Water Quality Case Study Background Surface water is defined as run-off from rain and snow (precipitation) that flows on the earth’s surface in rivers and streams, and collects in lakes and reservoirs. Ground water collects in underground aquifers and springs after soaking into the ground and percolating through fissures. Overuse and contamination of both water sources is a major concern in the U.S. and around the world. Water quality can be compromised through overuse of the resource, resulting in changes in the ecosystems supported by these resources. Aquifers in the Western United States hold billions of gallons of water. These resources have been used in irrigation to bring millions of acres of otherwise unproductive farmland into production. As a result of these actions, major aquifers have been seriously depleted over the past thirty years. Since many aquifers are fed at a relatively slow rate, this water deficit may take hundreds of years to replace. In some geographic areas, the depletion of aquifers weakens surrounding rock structures that collapse and form sinkholes. Such consequences of the overuse of ground water are seldom observed, so much of the potential damage of this behavior go unnoticed. Links to resources on aquifers Artesian Aquifers, Kansas City Area Aquifer Protection The consequences of overusing surface water are usually much more evident. Streams are dammed to provide power, flood control and water for irrigation. This disrupts the natural ecosystems that have evolved around free flowing rivers. In the Northeast, the migrations of salmon stocks from the ocean in their freshwater breeding grounds have been disrupted, resulting in a dramatic drop in the population of this popular and beautiful species. River ecosystems rely on periodic floods to provide nutrients for plants that grow along riverbanks and for aquatic life that lives in the river delta. Two ... Free Essays on Water Quality And Sanitation Free Essays on Water Quality And Sanitation Chemistry in Water Surface Water Quality Case Study Background Surface water is defined as run-off from rain and snow (precipitation) that flows on the earth’s surface in rivers and streams, and collects in lakes and reservoirs. Ground water collects in underground aquifers and springs after soaking into the ground and percolating through fissures. Overuse and contamination of both water sources is a major concern in the U.S. and around the world. Water quality can be compromised through overuse of the resource, resulting in changes in the ecosystems supported by these resources. Aquifers in the Western United States hold billions of gallons of water. These resources have been used in irrigation to bring millions of acres of otherwise unproductive farmland into production. As a result of these actions, major aquifers have been seriously depleted over the past thirty years. Since many aquifers are fed at a relatively slow rate, this water deficit may take hundreds of years to replace. In some geographic areas, the depletion of aquifers weakens surrounding rock structures that collapse and form sinkholes. Such consequences of the overuse of ground water are seldom observed, so much of the potential damage of this behavior go unnoticed. Links to resources on aquifers Artesian Aquifers, Kansas City Area Aquifer Protection The consequences of overusing surface water are usually much more evident. Streams are dammed to provide power, flood control and water for irrigation. This disrupts the natural ecosystems that have evolved around free flowing rivers. In the Northeast, the migrations of salmon stocks from the ocean in their freshwater breeding grounds have been disrupted, resulting in a dramatic drop in the population of this popular and beautiful species. River ecosystems rely on periodic floods to provide nutrients for plants that grow along riverbanks and for aquatic life that lives in the river delta. Two ...

Selecting the right tools to learn French

Selecting the right tools to learn French So you already asked I want to learn French, where do I start? and answered  fundamental questions on why you want to learn, and what your goal is - learning to pass test, learning to read French or learning to actually communicate in French. Now, you are ready to pick a learning method. There are so many French learning method available out there that it can be overwhelming. Here are my tips on selecting a French learning method which best suits YOUR needs and goals. Selecting the right method to learn French Its really worth spending some time researching and sorting through the ton of French material out there to find what is good for you. Look at the customer reviews, and also what experts recommend.Be smart and make sure you dont fall for paid advertising (like Google ads) or affiliate links (links to product which give  the referring site a percentage of the sale†¦ Many very popular  audio methods such as Rosetta Stone use this marketing technique†¦ It doesnt mean they are necessarily bad, but it means you cannot trust the rating they are getting because the person wrote the review to get the affiliate fee†¦).Doing your own research here is essential because at the end, you can only trust yourself!  Make sure you know what you are buying: a decent site should have samples, and plenty of VERIFIED customers reviews.Many methods offer a 100% money back guarantee or free trial - thats always a good thing.Ask and you shall receive - if the method you are interested in doesnt offer samples or free trial, contact them and ask them for some. If there is no customer support, in our days and age, its a ve ry bad sign... Look for the right method for your own needs I dont believe there is only one good method. But there is one best suited for each student. If you speak Spanish for example, the structure of French, the logic of the tenses is going to be quite easy for you. You need a method that will give you the facts, lists, but you wont need much grammatical explanations.   On the contrary, if you only speak English, chances are that you will say at one point French grammar is so difficult (and I am being extremely polite here†¦). So you need a method that truly explains grammar (both French and English, a method that doesnt assume you know what a direct object is, for example†¦) and then gives you plenty of practice. Learning with level appropriate tools Many people will tell you to read the newspapers, watch French movies, speak with your French friends. I personally disagree.   There are always exceptions of course, but in my experience (20 years teaching French to adults) for the majority of people, that is not how you should START to learn French. Its what you do when you are a confident French speaker, but not how you start.   Studying with something too difficult, speaking with people who cannot adapt their language to your present level may  destroy your emerging self confidence in French. You have to nurture this confidence, so that you can one day get over your - only natural - fear of actually speaking French with someone else. You must always feel you are progressing, not running into a wall.   Nurturing methods do exists, but finding them will require a little research and sorting from your part. For beginners/intermediate students of French, I personally recommend my own method - Moi Paris downloadable audiobooks. Otherwise, I really like what they did at Fluentz. In my opinion, whatever your level may be, learning French with audio is an absolute must.

Measure of your own physical fitness Assignment

Measure of your own physical fitness - Assignment Example Risk factors questionnaire first will involve collection of information involving risk factors. This may be by giving questionnaires to individuals who have been proven clinically to be normal and those suffering from dementia. This questionnaire is administered to a number of about six thousand individuals. The questionnaire is set as follows: Students stress scale investigates the relationship between anxiety, leisure satisfaction, time management and academic stress. A stress scale for a student will be as follows; considering that people who have 100 percent and higher have a lofty health risk, while those scoring 60 percent to 100 percent have a half chance of health changes which are serious. Those below 60 percent have health changes which are less serious. Stress levels are measured by considering the health status of the student; hence the scale will show the incident that leads to stress and then the health status which dictates the stress level (Landow 38) The stress scale includes various factors that have a direct impact on the health status of students. Taking the test helps to make the stress levels go down to avoid getting stress related illnesses such as blood pressure, and blood sugar related complications. The scale is constructed for a specific period and at these instances the total percentages are taken to evaluate the total stress levels, and hence finding the health risks the student may go through. The scale is vital for students who have to combine schooling, family and social matters (Landow 128). The social readjustment rating scale is a sort of questionnaire that identifies major life events which are stressful. The rating scale involves awarding an event which is stressful a unit which represents life changes. It depends on how traumatic the event was felt by the students who are the participants in this case. The student can then come up with a total value by adding the unit awarded for every event for a period of 12

Sociology Research - Hacking subculture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sociology Research - Hacking subculture - Essay Example In order to clarify the issue about hackers, it is but necessary to trace the history of these group.. Hackers are members of a sub-culture from the group of Information Technology professionals. According to the website Cyber punk project, Hackers are technical people like programmers and designers who â€Å"enjoy exploring details of programmable systems and an expert at a particular program, sometimes going to the length of being obsessive about programming† ( Cyber punk Project ). Thus, hackers are highly- skilled people who have their own culture, considerably a group with their own language and rituals. Hackers have different motives which can often lead them to committing malicious acts. In a study made by Taylor among young hackers, he identified some reasons behind hacking : feelings of addiction, urge of curiosity, boredom with educational system, enjoyment of feeling of power ,peer recognition, and political acts ( Jordan and Taylor 46) In 1994, Levy categorized the hackers into generations, the first of which are computer aficionados in the 50’s and 60’s mostly from MIT. The second generation are the ones who popularized computing through the development of PCs, and the third generation are responsible for the advent of computer games ( Taylor 15 ). Nowadays, hackers are considered belonging in the fourth generation (Taylor 17). Unfortunately, the fourth generation hackers have been perceived also as crackers. Crackers are hackers who commit cyber crime by maliciously spreading virus or illegally accessing other people’s PC or system. Nevertheless, there is a group of hackers known as â€Å"white hackers â€Å" who can be considered as a pure form of hacker. According to an article in the website koiskea, their ( white hackers ) main goal is to â€Å"help improve computer systems and technologies â€Å"(koiskea.net ). Ross also argued that ethical hacking done by these white hackers provide a lot of benefits such as

The Impact of the Automobile on Society Research Paper

The Impact of the Automobile on Society - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that in 1895, during a newspaper interview, Thomas Edison, an American inventor, stood at the edge of time and gazed into the horizon. They saw a future of unbounded potential in which the horseless carriage would reign. They added that it would only a question of time before their prophecy happened. At the time, many would have dismissed Edison as an idle dreamer. Carriages driven by horses were the main means of transportation then. As one would suspect, these were pricey and a preserve of the rich. Today, over a century after Thomas Edison pronounced their prophecy, the automobile is the dominant means of movement. This paper examines the impact of the automobile on society at a global scale. By the term "automobile" is meant widest scope to include public transit and heavy commercial vehicles.This paper declares that  the modern car was born in 1886 when Karl Benz, a German inventor, built the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. However, the car had to wait until the early 1900s to become widespread. Ford Motor Company’s Model T was one of the earliest cars to be produced en masse for the public. In the United States, cars rapidly replaced carriages and carts drawn by animals. Soon afterward, there were about ten thousand cars on American roads. It had taken much longer before cars were embraced in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The commencement of production of cars on a large scale by Henry Ford in 1914 ushered in an era of ever-increasing affordability for the automobile.

The Tools That Are Used By the European Central Bank (ECB) To Increase Essay

The Tools That Are Used By the European Central Bank (ECB) To Increase the Money Supply in the Economy - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the European central bank may use buying securities as a tool to increase the money supply in the euro area. This is through the open market operations. The ECB may affect the supply of money through selling or buying the European government securities, by the use of open market open market operations. When the ECB purchases the government securities from the general public, it will do so using the money that was not in existence in the system. This will make the bank reserves to increase or rise and in turn, will make the money supply to increase. For example, when the European Central Bank has an open market operation through buying or selling government securities and when it purchase these government securities from the public, it does so using the nonexistent money. Consequently, this makes the reserves in the bank to rise, and as a result, this increases the supply of money. The European central bank may increase the supply of the money by making the reserve rate to be lower. The ECB can do this through the formulae of the Required Reserve Ratio. Through this ratio, banks are able to know the required and specific amount which they must hold as the reserve through all the deposits and have limits to the amount that the banks will lend out to its customers. If this ratio is increased by the ECB, the money deposits will have to be few, therefore further limiting the amount available to the public. The European Central Bank may decrease the discount rate so as to increase the money supply. For example, banks may have to borrow funds when they need them. If the banks borrow from the ECB, an interest rate will be paid which is known as Discount rate. Another tool that can be used by the ECB to increase the supply of money in the economy is the publishing or producing of more money. Though the ECB may decide to increase the money supply in the economy through the selling of securities to the public, a majority of the public prefer ho arding money thus the money in circulation becomes less. It is for this reason and may be less availability of money that the ECB may decide to publish more money to increase the money supply in the economy.

Importance of Enlightenment to colonial history Essay

Importance of Enlightenment to colonial history - Essay Example Enlightenment principles contradicted colonial practices and were very instrumental in ending colonization. In the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries, the legality of colonialism was a subject of argument among the British, French and German philosophers. Key enlightenment thinkers including Diderot, Kant and Smith challenged the notion that it was the responsibility of the Europeans to civilize the world and criticized the cruelty of colonialism. They further insisted that every person had the ability to reason and therefore capable of own government. As far as they were concerned, colonial supremacy was unethical because it entailed expropriation of belongings, forced labor and slavery all of which were against the principles of self governance. According to Diderot, a critic of European colonization, the idea that the colonized individuals gained as a result of civilization by the Europeans was absolutely mistaken and instead the uncivilized lot was the European colonists. He further opposed colonization by arguing that culture enhanced customs of respect and boosted morality in an individual. However, these norms have a propensity of being undermined when a person is far away from his nation of origin. Additionally, he supposed that in most cases, the colonial empires became the places of severe cruelty since the colonists were distant from the informal sanctions and legal institutions which made them not to exercise restraints, instead demonstrate man’s brutal nature at its worst. Some of the proponents of colonization in the seventeenth and sixteenth century, like the Spanish philosophers, wrongly justified colonization by arguing that it was a vital and necessary factor in the realization of the right to commerce. However, Diderot refuted this approach by stating that it was not right for the explorers and foreign traders to access already occupied lands. On the contrary, he noted that only the areas that had no human settlements were fit for

Feasibility Study Essay Example for Free

Feasibility Study Essay Fast food chains have grown at an incredible rate over the past couple of decades. There seems to be a McDonalds or Burger King on every street corner. Fast food offers people in a rush an inexpensive way to grab food whenever they want. In the United States, fast food restaurants accounts for 46.7% of the total food service industry while sit-down restaurants have 39.3% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). This forces sit-down restaurants to target a different market, people that are looking for pleasure and a relaxing experience. The food services industry is considered to be the most known industry in the world. Sitdown restaurants typically offer full menus, which include appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts, and all types of beverages including alcohol. Most restaurants will have a host or hostess that will greet a person as they walk in and show them to the table that they will be sitting at for the duration of their meal. Sit-down restaurants typically will have trained chefs to cook and prepare the meals and servers that will completely take care of any needs that there will be while eating at the restaurant (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). It is important to have honest and hard working servers at a sit-down restaurant to ensure that people will have an enjoyable time at their establishment. If a restaurant has a unique reputation then the customers will come back time after time. For a restaurant to have a loyal customer group, it must be able to serve the customers with high quality food and service. The restaurant must also have different things that differentiate itself from other sit-down restaurants. Instead of just getting a bite to eat at a fast food chain, a person can go to a restaurant and enjoy him or herself with family and friends for an extended amount of time. The restaurant experience should become a form of entertainment for the customers. Some restaurants also offer a bar, which fast food chains do not. At a bar, people can come in and drink a few beers while watching a sports game on television. At night, the bar area can become a place for people to relax or enjoy themselves with some dancing. Many college age people like to spend a little time at a bar to relieve stress and to dance. With two colleges in the area and an increase of tourism within the past decade, Tacloban City would be a logical place to open a new restaurant. Tacloban is a city in Leyte and has been revamping its image to attract more people to the downtown area. The city has been growing in population with many new housing tracks recently built along with those under construction. The city is considered a beach town with many people visiting the beach every spring and summer. There is also a large amount of foot traffic in the downtown area as well as near the mall and the major schools. The problem with opening a new restaurant is being able to establish the business, while differentiating itself from others. A restaurant should be in a recognizable area which can be used as a landmark. In order to do so, the restaurant must find a theme and a strong following of customers. With the right marketing, good service, good management and strong financial information, a new restaurant can be a great business to start up. In order to open a restaurant, the owner should know the consumer characteristics of the area. For a restaurant to do well there must be people willing to spend money. That is why knowing the area’s workforce is important. Ventura has a strong work force with only 4.5% of the population being unemployed who are over the age 16. The city’s largest work industry is educational services, health care and social assistance which is at 21%, followed by professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services at 12.3%, retail trade at 11.8%, arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services at 10.1% and manufacturing at 7.8%. Some of the most prominent occupations of people that live in Tacloban City are management, professional, and related occupations at 38.8%, sales and office occupations at 25.7% and service occupations at 17.2% (U.S. Census, 2009) Problem Statement * Is opening a sit-down restaurant in downtown Ventura feasible? Hypotheses A new restaurant in downtown Ventura will have a demand of at least 50% of the people surveyed. The new restaurant also will be able to cover its everyday operating expenses as well as its start-up cost while still making a profit. Objectives 1. To assess the feasibility of a sit-down restaurant in Ventura. 2. To conduct a survey to determine the interest of a new restaurant. 3. To determine the target market for a new restaurant. Justification A feasibility study for a sit-down restaurant in Tacloban City will be beneficial to anyone who would like to open a sit-down restaurant in downtown Tacloban City, as well as Palo due to the similar demographics throughout Tacloban City. The study will also be helpful to anyone who would like to open a fast food restaurant in the area because of the analysis of the desirability of the location of the new restaurant. The analysis of the amount of people that go downtown in Tacloban City will be able help other entrepreneurs that plan on opening a small business because the study will give them the knowledge of how many people go downtown on a regular basis which can give them an idea of how many potential customers they may have. This study will also help people planning to open a restaurant in an area with similar demographics as Tacloban City. II. MARKETING STUDY LITERATURE REVIEW Competition Analysis Opening a restaurant takes a lot of time and effort to be successful. One of the most important things to know when assessing the target market for a restaurant is who the competition is. The competition can range from fast food chains all the way to a high-class sitdown restaurant. Many people are in a rush at times or are too tired to cook for the family after work, which drives them to dine out. These people then have to decide if they want inexpensive fast food or go to a sit-down restaurant to be serviced. That is why it is so important for restaurant owner to know who the target market is. Fast food restaurants target people in a hurry and that want an inexpensive meal, while sit-down restaurants target people that are there to take their time and be provided with good service (Brown, 1990). When assessing the competition Debruyne and Reibstein (2005) found it is important to know the technology and services that the competition has so that a company can keep up with them. Debruyne and Reibstein (2005) also went on to say that companies should consider approaches to avoid attracting competition to a new market. That is why having employees that can be trusted with company secrets is very important. Analysis of Potential Profit There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when projecting a company’s potential income. The location of a restaurant can have a large effect on the amount of income that a restaurant obtains, which is why finding a good location for a restaurant is important (Coats, 1986). The better the location, the more people will know about it and want to stop in. Having a restaurant in a place where foot traffic is heavy can be beneficial to the restaurants success because people walking down the street could see the restaurant and decide to stop in and eat. In order to see how much money could be made, a business should develop projected financial statements so they can see how much the business would cost to run the restaurant (Newman, 2008). Besides projecting income and expenses, there are many other things that a restaurant owner should take into consideration when trying to figure out if the restaurant will be profitable. Sweasey (1987) found a restaurant had a better chance of being profitable if it has a creative menu. This is very important for a sit-down restaurant because potential customers could order food from a well-known place like Domino’s Pizza, or a McDonalds. The key to success would be to offer many different types of food that would be unique to a particular restaurant. Another thing that indirectly affects a restaurants potential income is the relationship that the employees have with their managers (Davis, Schoorman, Mayer and Tan, 2000). Their study found that trust between management and employees can affect the restaurant financially because employees are willing to work harder for a manager that they can trust. A restaurants profit can also be affected by inventory control. Archibald, Betts, Johnston and Thomas (2002) stated that for a new business to survive it should be conservative with their inventory. This is very important with restaurants because there are many types of foods and ingredients that can go bad if not used in a short amount of time, which causes the restaurant to lose money from having to waste their inventory. The price of items on the menu is also very important according to Becker (1991). He found if prices of food are too high then customers will feel that they are being treated unfairly, which will keep them from coming back to the restaurant. It is important for a restaurant to have consistent customers because they will help bring in new business by telling others how good the restaurant is. THE MARKET City of Tacloban People that know the area and the interest of the people in the area tend to have more success operating a restaurant than people that do not know the area. Tacloban City is continually growing with new housing tracks recently built and some currently being constructed. The city is also rising in popularity and marketing towards becoming a tourist destination. Tacloban City has 3 large high schools and a junior college. Tacloban City restaurants also receive business from Channel Island students who live on campus and near campus that just want to get away from their area and eat somewhere nice. Tacloban City also attracts people to its downtown area with many places to shop and eat. Downtown seems to be a good location for a new restaurant because of the heavy foot traffic throughout the week. The city also has a shopping mall near downtown, which attracts even more people to the area. Tacloban City is known as a beach town as well, which helps bring more tourists to the city. A restaurant near the beach could be a good location assuming that people will see the restaurant on the way to the beach. III. TECHNICAL STUDY METHODOLOGY Procedures for Data Collection To determine if a restaurant will be feasible, a projected income statement must be made to figure out if expenses will be covered and if profits can be made. This will be done by going to different restaurants and talking to the owners and managers about the financial aspects of the restaurant along with how to run the operation smoothly. If the owners decide not to provide the financial information needed, then research online for standard restaurant financials will be collected. There will also be a survey made to determine Tacloban City demographics, and personal interests. The survey will be given out at random at mostly downtown Ventura. Two other places that the survey will be given out is at Leyte Normal University and Eastern Visayas State University. The survey will be administered for about four hours at each location The survey will also provide information about the type of food that should be on the menu and finding out if people would rather go to a dive bar or dance club at night. The survey can also be used to determine what type of theme the restaurant should have. One other thing that will be used from the surveys is to determine the target market so that the restaurant can be marketed to those that would be most likely to try the new sit-down restaurant in Tacloban City. Procedure for Data Analysis When the financial information is obtained, the data will be analyzed and provide projected numbers for a new sit-down restaurant.Once the projected financial statements are made, there will be several tests to see if the restaurant will survive and be profitable. Once the survey is completed, the information will be analyzed in SPSS. Using the information from the collection of data will create a better understanding of the restaurant market in downtown Tacloban City. The analysis should show an accurate description of the individuals who represent the population of Ventura. The data will show the people that like to go downtown, what age groups there are, their education level and income level. The data from the surveys should be able to show who the target market is for restaurants in downtown Ventura. Overall, the information that is obtained from the survey should be able to show an accurate target market and interest for a new restaurant in Tacloban City. Assumptions This study assumes that Tacloban City economy will remain stable and the growth rate of the city will remain consistent. The study also assumes that the observations conducted will be an accurate measurement of the desirability of restaurants in Tacloban City. Limitations The study that was conducted will be helpful to other cities in Leyte, but the actual analysis of the target market will be solely for Tacloban City due to the unique demographics of the city. IV. FINANCIAL STUDY DEVELPOMENT OF STUDY Surveys can be a great tool to find out information from consumers. They can show the interest of the people, who the target market is and the demographics of the area. The survey was distributed mostly in downtown Ventura do to the heavy foot traffic of the area as well as the potential location of the new restaurant. 118 responses were collected and then analyzed in SPSS. The following charts and analysis will show the results of the survey conducted. The first question asked how many times a month a person eats at a restaurant. It is important to know how often people like to eat at a sit-down restaurant because the people that go out to eat often will be more likely to actually try a new eating establishment. The majority of responses were 1-3 times a month at 36% and 4-7 times a month at 32%. Only about 2% of the responses said that they never eat at a restaurant. The next question asked how often the individual went to the downtown area of Tacloban City? Knowing how often people go downtown is essential because the more foot traffic an area has the more likely someone is willing to stop in and check out a new business. The largest response was 0-3 times a month; however 52% of surveyees said that they do go downtown at least 4 times in a month. On average, how many times each month do you eat at a sit-down restaurant? When the respondents were asked what their favorite restaurant in Ventura was, 35% of the respondents answered Aloha Steak House and 25% said Andrias Seafood Restaurant. When asked how likely the respondent would be to try a new sit-down restaurant in Ventura, 32% said they would certainly try it and 52% said that there was a good possibility they would try a new eating establishment. Only 2% of the respondents said that they would not be willing to try the restaurant out. People willing to try a new restaurant are the most important people to market towards. These individuals can become loyal customers and even help thebusiness out by telling others about the restaurant. What is you favorite restaurant in Ventura? The next question asked how many people lived in their current household. This response was spread out with the three largest responses being four people at 25%, three people at 22% and two people at 21%. People tend to eat in groups, whether it’s with family, friends, roommates or even co-workers. Most people are likely to bring members of their household with them while eating at a restaurant, which increases sales. This information can help when determining whom the target market will could be. This next question asked how desirable the social atmosphere, reasonable prices, variety of food, time food takes to be ready and service at a restaurant or bar is.? The averages were 3.93 for social atmosphere, 4.3 for reasonable prices, 3.84 for variety of food, 3.87 for time food takes to be ready and 4.5 for service. These attributes are important to know in order to have the right type of atmosphere, employees and management style needed for the establishment to succeed. When the people surveyed were asked what publications they read at least once a week? 59% said that they preferred to read the Philippine Daily Star. This information is critical when deciding where to advertise. Establishing a new business’s name is one of most difficult things to do, which is why knowing where reach the public to advertise is important. The next question asked the type of music the respondents liked to listen to? Rock and roll had the highest response and next was hip-hop and rap with 54% with 37%, respectively. Knowing the type of music people prefer to listen to can help when advertising by having announcements on radio stations with that type of music. The type of music the surveyees like to listen to can also be helpful when determining the music that will be played at night in the bar area of the restaurant. The next question asked if people would rather go to a dive bar or dance club at night. Over 60% said they would rather go to a dive type of bar atmosphere that consumers like at night is important for a restaurant owner to know. This will help drive in more customers at night, which may increase the amount of sales. Knowing the type of bar atmosphere that consumers like at night is important for a restaurant owner to know. This will help drive in more customers at night, which may increase the amount of sales. The following question asked the individuals where they would most like to see another restaurant. 47% said that they would like to see a new restaurant downtown with 35% saying Main Street would be the best location in the downtown area. The next two places people would like to see a restaurant open at would be near Century theaters or near LNU which were both at 20%. The location of the restaurant is vital to its success. Location of new restaurant People want to eat where they often are at on a regular basis. Many people go downtown, and Main Street is the street with the most traffic of people. The place with a lot of foot traffic will not only be a great place for the shoppers that want to eat, but also employees of other businesses that need to eat something on their break. Knowing people also would like to see a restaurant near Century Theaters and LNU can be helpful if the restaurant owner ever wanted to expand and open up a new location. Further analysis was conducted using crosstabs in SPSS. Critical questions where compared to other questions to reveal specific behaviors of potential restaurant customers. This analysis can give a more precise showing of the preferences and atmosphere of restaurant people are willing to try.The most useful information from these tests were discovering the respondent’s preferences who responded that they would certainly or have a good possibility of trying a new restaurant in Tacl oban City. The following crosstabs used in the analysis of the survey are significantly valid using chi-squared testing. Of the people who indicated they would be likely to try the new restaurant, 80% said they eat at a restaurant 1-3 or 4-7 times a month. Of the 15% of respondents that said they go to a restaurant 12-15 and 16-20 times a month, 89% of them said that they were likely to try a new restaurant in Tacloban City (P = .027). When comparing people that like American food to people that like ethnic food, 79% of people that like American food said they would like to see a dive bar over a dance club (P = .035). Due to the individuals’ preference of a dive bar over a dance club, traditional American food would be an excellent choice of food for the menu. The menu should also be broad and have a bit of variety to it in order to attract more customers. This is why the menu should also include Mexican and Italian entries due to the high preference according to the survey results. Although not many surveyees reported that they were in the downtown area often, 81% of them still responded they would like to try a new restaurant in Ventura (P = .077). These people may not go down town on a regular basis, but they can still be a great resource to advertise by word of mouth. They may eventually try the place out and then tell their friends and family about the business. Although not significant valid, as far as gender goes, 80% of men that were surveyed said that they would be likely to try a new restaurant establishment and 86% of women said that they would (P = .433). This information can be useful in determining the target market for the new restaurant. When examining the survey results to help determine the target market of a newrestaurant in Ventura the following results were found. When comparing males and females, females make up the majority of respondents who make $60,000 to $80,000 (69%) and over $80,000 (51%) (P=.787). When looking at how many people live in the household for women the highest response were two people with the next being five people in the household (P=.177). These results were close to the target market that MRI, Inc had in their database, which will be discussed in the following chapter. A projected income statement can be helpful when trying to determine if the restaurant has the ability to be successful. The income statement can also be used to help run the business properly and help the owners and managers be efficient at their job. The following income statement in Table 1 was based off Food Service Warehouse’s (2006) website of a sample restaurant’s income statement for a week in Greenwood Village, CO. All numbers were then multiplied 52 to give the financial information for the year as a whole. This information was ad justed using the rent as a base number to determine the rest of the expenses as well as the revenue. Rent typically goes for $2 a square foot in downtown Ventura. An efficient restaurant size of 4,000 square feet was used to determine that rent would cost $96,000 a year. Further adjustments were made to incorporate the start-up cost of a restaurant, which is in the range of $300,000 to $500,000 (Rainsford and Bangs, 2001). The number used in this study was $300,000. After the first year was constructed, the revenues and expenses where increased by 2% due to inflation for the next two projected years. Changes in the income statement that are not held in consistency with the example income statement given were the equipment and repairs expense for the first year which includes the start-up cost along with a $5,000 projected repairs expense. The next year only included the repair expense with respect to the number used for inflation. To determine the interest expense, an amortization schedule in Table 2 was made based on a five year, $300,000 loan with a 7% interest rate for the start-up cost of the company. Advertising and promotions expense where also added to the income statement do help promote the restaurant’s name, which is essential in the first few years of operation. A depreciation expense was added in to account for equipment and supplies. The depreciation expense was 28calculated by using the straight-line method for five years on the $165,920 for equipment and supplies. The number used for depreciable assets was calculated by taking the initial start-up cost and then subtracting any items that are not depreciable. A miscellaneous expense of $1,000 was also added in case of unforeseen costs that may occur throughout the year. A break-even analysis in Table 3 was then performed to determine how many meals would have to be sold to cover expense. The unit price was based on an average projected meal cost of $11 for the first year and then adding in inflation rates for the next two years. The number of meals that would need to be sold for the first three years to break-even would be 70,403, 42,770 and 42,416, respectively. 29 Income Statement Projected Income Statement Sales| Year 1| Year 2| Year 3| Food| 483, 487| 485, 166| 505, 028| Wine| 70, 668| 72, 081| 73, 523| Liquor| 58,488| 60, 678| 61, 871| Beer| 126, 464| 128, 88| 131, 573| Beverages| 3,744| 3, 817| 3, 875| Total Sales| 742,860| 758, 737| 773, 812| Summary The data that was collected and analyzed from the 118 surveys collected proves the hypothesis to be correct by showing that people have a strong interest of trying a new restaurant Tacloban City. The hypothesis was also proven to be accurate through the projected income statement by showing that after the first year, the restaurant would start making a profit with the following years increasing in net income. The desirability of a new eating establishment by the people of Tacloban City appears to be high with 84% replying they would be likely try out a new restaurant. People who responded to the survey said service is the most important attribute of a restaurant which means the time of day staffing is most important would be from 11:00am to 2:00pm for lunch and 5:30pm to 8:00pm for dinner. The days of the week that more staff then usual would be needed is on Saturdays and Sundays due to the large amount of people that like to eat at restaurants and go downtown on these days. The target market for the restaurant according to MRI, Inc (2010) which was close to the results of the survey analysis are Caucasian women, who have attended or graduated from college, 25 to 54 years old who are employed full time in sales and office occupations or professional and related occupations, with an income of $80,000 or more and three to four people living in the household. Conclusions The best type of restaurant in respect to the results of the analysis would be a traditional American food restaurant with a section of the menu being dedicated to ethnic food mainly including Mexican and Italian food. The type of bar the restaurant should have at night should be a dive bar with a mixture of rock and roll, hip-hop and rap playing in the background. The average price for a meal should be around $11. The location of the restaurant should be downtown and preferably on Main Street nearplaces to shop. Possible places to expand would be near Ventura College or by Century Theatres. The best way to advertise for the bar would be running ads in the Ventura County Start newspaper or on radio stations and internet radio stations that play rock and roll or hip-hop and rap. Recommendations This study shows that opening a new sit-down restaurant would be feasible in Tacloban City but further research of consumer trends of Tacloban City could be done to have a more accurate desirability of the restaurant market in Ventura. It would also help to have a strong background and work experience in the sit-down restaurant industry. Contacting and obtaining more financial information from restaurant owners or managers would also be helpful when conducting the financial analysis. Reference Cited Archibald, T.W., J.M. Betts, R.B. Johnston and L.C. Thomas. 2002. Should Start-up Companies Be Cautious? Inventory Policies Which Maximize Survival Probabilities. Management Science (48:9) September. pp. 1161-1174. Becker, Gary 1991. A Note on Restaurant Pricing and Other Examples of Social Influences on Price Journal of Political Economy (99:5) October. pp. 1109-1116. Brown, Douglas M. 1990. The Restaurant and Fast Food Race: Whos Winning? Southern Economic Journal (56:4) April. pp. 984-995. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2009. Food Services and Drinking Places. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs023.htm. Carter, Michael. 1988 Detailed Findings of a Survey of or Society Membership-I: Structure, Education, Functions and Computers. The Journal of the Operational Research Society (39:7) July. pp. 643-652. Coats, Craig 1986. The Feasibility of an Assembly Line Restaurant in Santa Barbara, California. Unpublished Senior Project. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Project #86-0670. Davis, James, David Schoorman, Roger C. Mayer and Hewee Tan. 2000. The Trusted General Manager and Business Unit Performance: Empirical Evidence of a Competitive Advantage. Strategic Management Journal (21:5) October. pp. 563- 576. Debruyne, Marion and David J. Reibstein. 2005. Competitor See, Competitor Do: Incumbent Entry in New Market Niches Marketing Science (24:1) Winter. pp. 329-337. Food Service Warehouse. 2006. The Restaurant Profit and Loss (PL) Statement. Restaurant Supplies | FoodServiceWarehouse.com. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/restaurant-operations/profit- loss.aspx#_ednref1. MRI, Inc. 2010 Local Market 2010 Los Angles Sports and Leisure, Family Restaurants and Steak Houses February 2011. mriplus.com Newman, Anthonia. 2008. The Feasibility of Opening One More Restaurant/Bar in San Luis Obispo. Unpublished Senior Project. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Project #08-0654. Kalnins, Arturs and Kyle Mayer. 2004. Franchising, Ownership and Experience: A Study of Pizza Restaurant Survival. Management Science (50:12) December. pp. 1716-1728. 34 Kotler, Philip 1964. Marketing Mix Decisions for New Products Journal of Marketing Research (1:1) February. pp. 43-49. Rainsford, Peter, and David H. Bangs. 2001. The Restaurant Start-up Guide: a 12-month Plan for Successfully Starting a Restaurant. Chicago: Dearborn. pp. 65-107 Sweasey, Hal. 1987. The Feasibility of Opening a Small Mexican Food Restaurant in San Luis Obispo. Unpublished Senior Project. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Project #87-1612. State of California, Department of Finance. 2010 E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change January 1, 2009 and 2010. Sacramento: Department of Finance. pp. 10. U.S. Census Bureau. 2009. San Buenaventura (Ventura) City, California Fact Sheet. American FactFinder. Web. 06 Mar. 2011. http://factfinder.census.gov/ servlet/ ACSSAFFFacts?.

The objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are influenced

The objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are influenced Introduction The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate the objectives of Vodafone and how the stakeholders are influenced by the company. It further illustrates the impact of the economic, social and global environment on Vodafone and how it helps them in making decisions. Moreover, the second half of the assignment shows how organizations in general act, role of the market structures and what are the strategies employed by the organizations to deal with them. Finally, The last task gives a good knowledge of how UK businesses have been affected by the European Union and whether joining the European Monitory Union is a solution to overcome recession. Mission, Objectives and responsibilities of an organization within its environment Mission, objectives and values: Vodafone is relatively a new company if it is compared with other UKs leading multinational companies such as Shell, BP and Rolls-Royce who have been in the industry for more than a century. Vodafone has defined a consistent set of values to achieve the aim of being a respected and pioneering company that puts the customer at the heart of their business. The essence of who they are underpins their values. They emphasize in the importance of; Speed   Vodafone is focused on speed to market, meaning they persistently prioritise and pursue the outcomes that matter to their business. Simplicity   They make things simple for their customers, partners and colleagues. Trust   They are reliable and transparent to deal with. They deliver for others, and believe on others to do the same. Their objective just like any other organization is reasonably high but they make no compromises in achieving their goals by not only having a bigger portfolio then the rivals but also by making sure that all the stake holders are influenced by the companys products and services. Influence of Stakeholders Vodafone believes in having constant feedbacks therefore dialogue between stakeholders is a part of normal business practice to them. This way the stakeholders are kept influenced by the company. Vodafone has the following stakeholders; Customers: Customers are the first priority and Vodafone ensures they are taken good care of. No customer would expect to be the cash cows hence it is essential that they are not overcharged for the products or services they use. They ensure this by marketing honestly; communicating openly and making sure customers are happy. Employees: Vodafone strongly believes that for customer satisfaction it is essential that the staff is well trained and have good knowledge of the products and services they are offering. Vodafone does that by recruiting and retaining the best people, invest in improving their skills and motivate employees by setting clear goals and reward them for achievements. Shareholders: They are the ones who have invested their money and time in the organization and therefore expect great returns or the share value of their company will decrease. Supply chain partners: The suppliers demands fairness and want to be dealt effectively and paid on time or it may cause a bad name for the company. Local community: They participate in local and national charities through The Vodafone UK Foundation, observe and aggressively reduce the impact of the business on the environment by recycling  mobile phones, reducing waste and energy saving activities. They also make certain that the concerns of local communities, pressure groups and all other stake holders are heard and considered before coming to a decision. Government: The governments controls organizations by putting laws and acting as watchdogs what the wants taxes, regenerate the area to reduce unemployment and ease disaffection amongst communities. Achieving the objectives of Stakeholders: Customers: Vodafone has 10% of the worlds market for mobile telephony and they have achieved this by safeguarding the rights of customers by setting up objectives and ensuring they are met precisely. Their reputation depends on earning trust of their customers and therefore they rely on the following main aspects for customer satisfaction. Content standards: Due to the large range of contents available online on mobile phones, Vodafone introduced a supervisory body where inappropriate content for all customers, especially young users are protected. Responsible Marketing: They make sure communications are always legitimate, decent, reasonable, authentic, straightforward and sensitive to the views of different groups in society. Pricing Policies: Clarity and affordability of pricing across the markets have been improved by introducing simpler price plans, and making tariffs more liable and flexible. They have also reformatted bills to help communicate the new price plans in a simpler way. Driving Safety: They support national legislation to promote safe use of mobile phones to drivers. For this reason they have invested in advertising and campaighing to Drive Safe! and also recommend hands-free kits to be used in cars for emergency. Product Safety: Before purchasing products, they conduct risk assessments to identify any health and safety issues. In the event that a product or piece of equipment is found to be unsafe, an immediate incident investigation is required and acted upon. Employees: Vodafone relies on it employees. Its their enthusiasm, talent and commitment that brought the company where it is today. Vodafone aims to treat all employees equally, ensuring healthy employee relations through open communication and consultation processes. Equal opportunity: Employee diversity is an asset to them, having employed people from different phases of life and of different gender and ages it helps them to serve customers all around the world. By instructing the recruitment consultants to recommend a suitable female candidate for every vacancy at management level, ensuring mobility needs are met for disabled employees and by international rotation of the employees; Vodafone aims to focus on Gender, Cultural and Disabled diversities, respectively. Reward and recognition: On meeting the targets they are given bonuses and benefits. They offer benefits such as medical insurance, subsidised mobile phones, share plans and retirement benefits. Training and Development: They provide training and development prospects to support employees gain new skills, and inspire them to reach their full potential. Vodafone offers a wide range of online courses related to specific aspects of the business or key skill sets. Community: Vodafone invests heavily in the community and has been working with various charities and welfare organizations to serve the community. For this reason they launch campaigns on a regular basis globally and domestically where they either contribute directly by giving charities, medical health to desired countries organizing events and asking the local people, their own employees and customers to participate in it for free. Vodafone also believes in being an environment friendly organization and therefore it encourages recycling of mobile phones and for this reason they are working on several campaigns as well. Responsibilities and Strategies employed to meet them: Vodafone is largest telecommunications Network Company in the world by turnover and they achieved this by being a pioneer in bringing revolutions. Being at this stage when they have other companies that look onto them, it is their responsibility to maintain their position. For this reason Vodafone is one step forward than its competitors. Vodafone does not only focus on the buying and selling of its products but also ensures that all the stakeholders are kept happy with their products by working on building a sustainable future. They are doing this by meeting societys needs and focusing on the areas where their interventions can address sustainability challenges most effectively at the same time as offering an attractive commercial return for their shareholders. They have set clear priorities to; Capturing the potential of mobile to bring socio-economic value in both emerging economies and developed markets, through broadening access to communications to all sections of society. Delivering progress against stakeholder expectations on the key areas of climate change, a safe and responsible internet experience and sustainable products and services. Ensure their operating standards are consistent and of an appropriate level across the group. Economic, social and global environment in which the organisations operate 2.1) Economic Systems: An economic system is a set of basic rules that a country implies to organize the ownership and allocation of economic resources.   From the countrys point of view, production of goods and services are influenced by the limited supply of elements as labour, land, natural resources and capital. Types of economies In general different countries adapt different types of economic systems. They are as follows; Planned Economy: In this type of economy the government controls the resources and has the command over every decision which is why it is also called Command Economy Mixed Economy: In a mixed economy both the sectors, individuals and the government, play a vital role in economic-decision making of the country. Market Economy: In such an economy market decisions are mainly dominated by supply and demand and the government. Government plays a minor role and the consumers drive the economy according to their needs. 2.1.1) Effective use of resources: The essential economic problem in any society is to provide a procedure for distributing resources and consumption among individuals who cant satisfy their wants, given limited resources. Every nation, no matter how the government works, who controls the government or how rich or poor the government is, three basic economic questions must be answered to allocate effective use of resources; What and how much to produce? From whom will it be produced? How will it be produced? UK Economic System: The United Kingdom operates a mixed economic system, where most of the decisions are to be made by the free market but at the same time the government has maintained a minimum wage, set out certain rules and regulations for environmental protection and provides medical facilities for the member of public. 2.2) Impact of Social welfare and industrial policy on organizations and wider community In 2007-08, about  £158 billion was spent on social security benefits in Great Britain. This amounts to approximately  £2,580 for every man, woman and child in the country and represents 25.6 % of total government expenditure. The UK believes strongly in the constant welfare of its people and therefore a public sector organization has been formed that ensures anyone who cant afford the basic necessities is given funds by the government through the tax payers money so that they can overcome poverty. Benefits are given from the day a child is born until the day he/she is deceased, provided they are entitled to it. One can be eligible for benefits if he/she is; Un-Employed Needs extra help with student finance On low income Expecting or bringing up children Ill or injured Disabled In retirement Caring for someone Although the social services system was introduced for the welfare of people, it has now been found out that a number of people have been misusing it and this has caused the government billions of pounds. Therefore in the recent budget the government has announced welfare cuts like freezing child benefits for 3 years, housing benefits restricted to a maximum of  £400 a week, a proper medical assessment for people claiming disability from work and so on and so forth. In my own opinion many of the benefits that are being reduced should not have existed in the first place. Vodafone and the benefits to employees: Depending on the location, Vodafone offer benefits such as medical insurance, subsidised mobile phones, share plans and retirement benefits. Retirement benefits are provided through a variety of arrangements, including defined contribution schemes. These vary depending on the conditions and practices in the countries concerned such as local market practice, taxation, legislation and the quality of the states pension. Industrial Policy: The issue of climate change is affecting the whole world and steps are to be taken to slow down this process. The UK Government is committed to showing international leadership in this area by taking possible steps to overcome this global issue. However, UK alone cannot overcome this because it is only responsible for roughly 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Vodafone and the environment: Vodafone takes climate change very seriously and has therefore set themselves a goal of being recognized as a green brand by 2010. For this reason they have already started working on securing the future by working on the following initiatives; Handset recycling   Fewer upgrades Universal and Solar chargers Reduced packaging E-billing Behaviour of organization and the market environment 3.1) How does market structures deviate from model of perfect competition Usually, while starting a new business firms start off in a perfect competition market, meaning they have many competitors and buyers. This basically gives them a chance to dissolve in the market. However, an aim for every successful organization is to be able to set a price they want and produce products that no one else is making. For this reason their approach from the beginning is to become a monopoly organization. However, Monopoly between organizations used to exist few years back but now it is impossible to have Monopoly because there is a lot of competition and the regulatory bodies ensure that no one has the right to take over the market all to themselves. Since becoming a Monopoly organization is not possible, the next best option is to adapt an oligopoly structure. This means there are not many competitors compared to what you find in perfect competition but its the maximum an organization can go to. In oligopoly they have a command over their pricing because not many buyers are selling it so they can set up a price accordingly and then approach the consumers. 3.2) Porters five forces: To start a business one needs to find out what problems they might face while entering a new market, for this reason Porters five forces are taken into consideration. Porters five forces go along with the market structures and it helps in finding out how each market structure may be affected by porters forces. Competitive rivalry With o2, orange, virgin, 3 and t-mobile operating in the market, there is a high rate of competition and therefore Vodafone ensures they are always offering services that give them a competitive advantage over it rivals. Bargaining power of customers The customers of Vodafone hold a very strong bargaining power because they can buy similar products and services from other rivals as well. For this reason Vodafone has to ensure that their pricing are very competitive and customer satisfaction is always taken into consideration before coming to a conclusion. Bargaining power of suppliers Due to the geographical existence and being one of the worlds leading mobile services providers, Vodafone has a good control over the suppliers. Vodafone has approximately 1550 suppliers worldwide and this enables them to have a command over the bargaining power of its suppliers. Threat of substitutes Vodafone faces  a low threat of product  substitutes. It is very difficult for the competitors to launch a similar substitute at a lower rate because Vodafone has already penetrated the markets and keeps itself up to date with the price changes and technological advancements. Threat of entry Threat of entrants is only possible when your products are either not according to the needs of customers or are relatively higher in price. For this reason Vodafone continuously keeps an eye on the market behaviour and reduces the costs compared to the competitors. Vodafone  being the  major supplier of mobile products  and services can reverse  the  trend set and make  it harder for the competitors  to make  a potential  entry. 3.3) Role of Competition Commission and regulatory bodies: Competition Commission and regulatory bodies act as a watchdog over the unfair competitions within the countries. They do this by limiting uncompetitive practices between the firms, allowing mergers and preventing monopolies from taking over the market. Regular checks are carried out by the committees on the organizations to ensure they are working on a fair trade. On 7 January 2002, Competition Commission made a ruling on Vodafone, along with o2, orange and T-Mobile over the call terminating charges. The committee did an investigation on this issue and declared that mobile termination charges were substantially high and therefore commanded the mobile networks to reduce it within a period of 4 years. Regulatory bodies such as competition commission play a vital role in maintaining a healthy competition within the markets. It is because of them that the emerging organizations can join the market and compete with the other maintained organizations. This gives the consumers an opportunity to choose from a variety of companies and get a better value of money. Significance of international trade and European dimension for the UK 4.1) Importance of international trade, economic integration and global markets to UK business organizations Resources are scattered around the world and there is not a single country that has everything it needs for continues development. Therefore international trade, economic integration and allowed entry of global markets in different countries are very important. The UK economy has one of the most open economies and is based on the services sector. It therefore encourages free trade with the rest of the world. Through this they are not only fulfilling the basic and essential needs of their people but also providing job opportunities within their country and throughout the world. Importance of Globalisation to UK Overseas Investments: There has been an increase of overseas investments both inwards and outwards in the UK economy. When companies from different parts of the world open a business in UK, they obviously bring a lot of investments, job opportunities and competitive products to the country and this helps in building the UK economy. Rising level of import penetration Particularly in those industries where Britains previous comparative advantage has been eroded such as textiles and clothing and the manufacture of lower-valued added electronic products. Developing a competitive advantage Through international trade there is no such thing as a monopolistic company in the UK. There are a range of similar services and products offered by different companies. These help the consumers in choosing from different suppliers and get a value for their money. Structural changes in industries For example the long-term loss of output and employment in industries such as textiles and other manufacturing sectors. This creates problems where factor resources are occupationally and geographically immobile In my view, Globalisation has definitely increased competitive pressures on British businesses in tradable goods industries. Cheaper prices for many international commodities and finished manufactured goods have certainly helped to control inflation in recent years and therefore reduce inflationary expectations. However, on the contrast due to Globalisation many of the well-known UK companies are now outsourcing their services which has resulted in lack of job opportunities within the country. This is weakening our economy and not leaving a good impact on our own people. 4.2) Impact of two policies of the European Union on UK business organizations The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member states, primarily in Europe. Together these states merged to form the union so that they could have a mutual identity. Various policies have been imposed by the EU which benefits all the members in some way or another. The most important out of them are, Working rights: EU has given people from all the member states a great opportunity to find employment and study in other member countries. According to the EU commission, more than 15 million EU citizens have moved to other EU countries to work. This has given the developing countries like Poland a chance to utilize their skills in countries like UK and earn a decent livelihood. On the other hand, a large no. of people within the UK believes that the Europeans are stealing their jobs and they should not be allowed work in the UK but in actual they are just employed on the unskilled sector. In my opinion, there are still unskilled jobs in the UK market but the British either cant or dont want to work at the rates it is viable to employ them. So if you were to take all the Europeans out of the country, there will still be no jobs for the British in the unskilled sector. Free Trade: Easier cross-border trade within the EU means that small and medium sized organizations now have access to new export markets, which previously were not an option because of the cost and hassle that was involved with border bureaucracy. Single market has brought major benefits to the businesses in the UK. The free trade of goods have enabled the physical movement of goods within the UK and people across EU easily. This means that there are no trade barriers between the countries and people can freely expand their businesses. 4.3) Implication for the UK of entry into EMU In the past decades currency unions have failed so it is doubtful if the EMU will be a success either. As for the UK joining the EMU, I doubt this will be of any good. It is believed that UK might recover from recession if it joins the EMU but it is quite obvious that UK did not get into recession because of its currency. The Euro economy is also entering a recession and how can we expect to be saved by just joining the EMU is questionable. Moreover, in times like this it is more important that the UK should be independent of any monetary policy so that it could cut interest rates if necessary. Example, if the Euro economy recovers before the UK economy, interest rates may increase too quickly and harm the UKs recovery. The UK market for housing is quite sensitive to interest rates and many people have high mortgages. So, if the interest rate was to be increased or decreased it will have a great impact on buyer spending which can lead to either an inflationary boom or a deeper recession. I agree to the fact that the UK couldnt benefit from membership of the Euro currency which would have helped the tourists in using the same currency throughout the Europe and not be affected by the currency exchange rates, but it would be a very small percentage and would not have a great impact on UK economy because companies who are willing to expand and exchange business always get a much better deal than the tourists. Conclusion: This assignment in a nut shell has helped me in investigating what Vodafones economic environment is like, how it differs from other well-known organizations and what impacts does it have due to the social, economic and global factors. Vodafone is a global organization and their main aim is to satisfy all its stake holders, may it be the society, customers, employees and even government. It ensures this by having a clear vision and an approachable objective. For this reason, Vodafone always make use of effective use of their resources and take initiatives to overcome any sort of social and industrial issues while the regulatory bodies like competition commission act as a watch dog and ensures that there is always a healthy competition between organizations. Globalisation has affected everyone, in a good or a bad way. As for UK, where emphasize has been on the services sector it has been of a great use and is continuously building the economy because of the investments made by the global markets. However, the entrance of UK into European Monitory Union is still debatable because it may affect general public and the society.

Destiny of Oedipus the King :: essays research papers

Oedipus the King Sophocles demonstrates in the play Oedipus the King that a human being, not a God, ultimately determines destiny. That is, people get what they deserve. In this play, one poorly-made judgment results in tragic and inescapable density. Oedipus fights and kills Laius without knowing Laius is his father. Then, Oedipus's pitiless murdering causes several subsequent tragedies such as the incestuous marriage of Oedipus gets into the flight with Laius. However, Oedipus's characteristics after Laius's death imply that Oedipus could avoid the fight as well as the murder of his father, but did not. Ultimately, Oedipus gets what he deserves due to his own characteristics that lead him to murder Laius: impatience, delusion, and arrogance. One characteristic that leads Oedipus to flight his father is impatience. Oedipus?s impatience is obvious when Creon reports news from Apollo. After Creon says only two sentences, Oedipus cuts him off by saying, ?but what were the god?s words? There is no hope / and nothing to fear in fear in what you?ve said so far? (1302). Oedipus is too important to listen to even three sentences from Creon. Oedipus also shows his impatience during a conversation with Tiresias. Oedipus blames Tiresias, who is reluctant to tell Oedipus that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Looking at the impatience behavior it explains how Oedipus comes to flight Laius on the road out Corinth. Oedipus rushes into the flight without thinking whether it is necessary when Laius?s men ?shoulder [Oedipus] off the road.? It can be that Laius?s men think Oedipus as a common person, not royal because Oedipus is walking alone, or that the group is simply in a rush for some reason. However, Oedipus ?strike[s] [Laius?s man] in anger,? (1321) without thinking why Laius?s group acts against him. Oedipus acts like a modern day outlaw ? shoot first and ask questions later. In this way, Oedipus starts the fight without patience and as a result fulfills Apollo?s prophecy perfectly. Not only impatience but also delusion is a characteristic that leads Oedipus to fight his father. After listening to Laius?s assassin, Oedipus?s delusion is noticeable through his statement, ?Whoever killed the king might decide to kill me too, / with the same violent hand- by avenging Laius / I defend myself? (1304). Without any evidence to link Laius?s assassin to Oedipus, Oedipus believes the murderer who killed him. Another example of Oedipus?

Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay -- Fahrenheit 451 R

Ray Bradbury’s satire, Fahrenheit 451, is a novel full of symbols criticizing the modern world. Among those symbols appears The Hound. The Hound’s actions and even its shape are reflections of the society Bradbury has predicted to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Montag’s world continues on without thought; without any real reason. There is no learning, no growth, and no purpose. â€Å"The Mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating, softly illuminated kennel back in the dark corner of the firehouse'; (24), wrote Bradbury to describe this hound. Like the hound, society was alive yet dead as well, drudging through life; mindless. The Hound was a programmed robot that didn’t thing on its own; that only acted as it was told. Captain Beatty states, â€Å"It just ‘functions’. It has a trajectory we decide on for it. It follows through. It targets itself, homes itself, and cuts off. Its only copper wire, storage batteries, and electricity'; (20), and â€Å"It doesn’t think anything we don’t want it to think'; (27). That society was programmed to not think, wonder or ask why. They didn’t do anything that they weren†™t supposed to do. Today, everything is happening just as The Hound is controlled. Programming is happening in our very world. Take schools for example. Consider Pavlov’s experiment with ringing bells to provoke an automatic response in dogs. He rang a bell; the dogs salivated expecting food. The school board rings a bell, and students ris...

Critic Paper †Out of Africa Essay

Out of Africa: The Incredible Human Journey, is an educational movie series hosted by Alice Roberts, a medical doctor and anthropologist, trying to explain the reasons behind evolution and repopulation of humans from our early ancestors by citing existing evidences such as skulls or bones, artifacts and many more in different parts of Africa. The purpose and intention of the film was to discuss that we, as a modern human being, just evolved and originated from Africa. Emphasizing that all people in the world came from Africa. Throughout Robert’s journey in the film, she met lots of people having different views towards this evolution of humans. It started when Dr. Robert crossed a river and arrived in an island somewhere in Africa, and later introduced to the head of the said tribe who entertained her. She was then guided by villagers into the place wherein it is said that it is the place where the early humans lived. Robert observed that there’s no visible roads present on their track, and a little bit curious to how do these villagers reach their destination paths without roads to remember setting as guides for directions. During their walk, Dr. Robert noticed that one of the guiding villagers is carrying a gun, which is for protection purposes they said. Because according to them the other tribes might attack them anytime on their way to the said place. After Dr. Robert’s very tiring and long walk, she finally reached her destination, and finally arrived at the place where according to them where early human remains were found. Robert stated facts and histories about the place, wherein she believed that people live their in thousand years ago. She also discussed and explained to what are the possible explanations to how African ancestors left Africa repopulating throughout the world. Later on, Dr. Robert spend her night in the wild making a safety place for her to sleep all through out. During her stay in the wild, she heard different loud roars of various animals, then later on, in the morning she found out footsteps of lions near her place wherein she spent her night. After her tough night, she and volunteer hunters went out for a hunting trip under the heat of the sun. Not just that, Dr. Robert is constantly checking their body temperatures from time to time which he found out that their body temperature are constantly changing, which shows a sign of survival and may be is the reason for our ancestors to why they managed to pass through the deserts of Africa and repopulate the other parts of the globe. Afterwards, she stated and examined to how our appearance differentiated with our ancestors based on the skulls found in some part of deserts in Africa. Critique: The movie merely focuses on the human origins from Africa and how did evolution involving migration from one place to another occur. The ideas were well presented supported by scientific facts and evidences. Also it is clearly emphasized in the film that the studies were focusing on the discoveries in Africa without the influence of different scientific findings in other parts of the world, independently which segregates the main objective of the movie which is to find out to what really is the truth behind human journey. The film should have presented more evidences or discoveries from other parts of the world outside Africa for a better satisfaction of viewers and to avoid conflicts. However, despite of lack of supporting discoveries to compare with, the ideas and discoveries throughout the film where properly selected and arranged in a way that the viewers will understand and have a broad background from the origination to evolution and finally to migration of these African ancestors of our as they say. Reaction: â€Å"Out of Africa† is an educational and very much helpful movie specially when it comes to the illumination of events and the approximate life in the past. But not just helpful, it also was entertaining and fascinating, one of these reasons is that, its difficult to go to the wild and take the risk just to share the personal experiences waiting their for example. But maybe because Dr. Robert just find it interesting in taking these risks for his contentment for this field. Overall, I liked the movie for the same reason that it has given evidences and images to what really is the life of our ancestors before and how did they repopulate the whole world in a way that involves struggle for survival. Not just like that, the movie also showed some on going struggle for survival such as the tribes in Africa, which might be an existing evidence carried from our ancestors generation.

Rayon’s market

Britton to acquire American Fiber market consists of Rayon, Nylon and Cotton. Rayon's market share was increasingly rapid until 1959 but started to fall by year 1960. Nylon was introduced in 1955 and was eating up the market for Rayon. It has achieved a good increase in market share every year.1 . 3rd largest producer of rayon in the SSI . Increased earning difficulties 2. $MOM liquid assets 2. Rayon industry was declining 3. No short or long-term debt 3. Entry of new fiber products 4. Modern central manufacturing facility l. Problem Institutional Should MR., Inc. Acquire American Rayon Inc. (AR') ? OperationalIs Marc's management control system well suited to handle AR'? II. Objectives 1. To find out viability of MRS. acquisition of AR'. 2. To find out how much should MR. pay for the AIR acquisition. 3. To find the Net Present Value of AR'. Corporate Objective 1. Growth is the explicit objective of the acquisition program 2. And borrowing capacity Areas of Consideration 1. SOOT STRE NGTHS AIR is the 3rd largest producer or Rayon Strengthen liquidity AIR had over $20 million in liquid assets that were not needed for operations – No short or long term debt They had a modern manufacturing facility, their facilities can be retrofitted for ewe technology. MR. has a long history of successful acquisitions through its diversification campaign (therefore they have enough experience in handling risks and problems connected to acquisitions. – James Clinton, President of AR', had expressed willingness to stay and offer his services even after the acquisition for two years. WEAKNESSES MR. has a weak R & D MR. maxed out credit benefits From 1955, rayon began to falter AIR faced earning difficulties with a shrinking industry MR. management lacked the technical know-how to contribute o ARIA'S profitability OPPORTUNITIES upcoming innovation (polyester) in the fiber industry.THREATS The growth of Rayon has been falling which was about to become obsolete. – Introduction of new raw materials in the tire cord business- Acquiring AIR might entangle MR. in a dying business Competitors in the fiber industry 2. Macroeconomic Indicators Political Political climate in different countries producing and buying automobiles regarding policies on import, export and manufacture of automobiles and automobile components. This will also include policies on allowing setting up of manufacturing plants by foreign companies. Stability of governments. This may affect the future conditions in a country. Taxation policies. Economic Recession – Demand for cars, during the period, would result to decline as a result of higher levels of unemployment, lower purchasing power and the resulting postponement of new car purchases, decline in per capita automobile travel and volatile fuel prices. Reductions in per capita automobile travel directly impacted demand for tires and thereby tire cord in the replacement market. Debt Crisis – . Credit restriction s as a result of austerity measures implemented by debt ridden governments, consumer indecisiveness, weakening consumer confidence as a result f periodic flaring up the region's financial problems, would result in slowing down auto sales Level of economic activity that affects need for commercial use of automobiles Exchange rate, interest rate, GAP, inflation & other economic indicators Demographic The population figures and automobile buying capacity of people. The aging baby boomer population and their proximity to retirement age is increasing annually while the number of young drivers in the 16 to 29 year age bracket is increasing at the slowest pace. The discrepancy between the growing number of retirees and the educed number of young drivers is bound to manifest itself by way of reduced growth in the vehicle buying population. Socio-cultural Lifestyle and preferences of people that has an impact on their choice of types of automobiles. Social norms that impact the decision to o wn and use automobiles versus other means of transport.Market Profile and Outlook There is significant uncertainty since MR. is uncertain about the future of the rayon business. There are different perceptions about whether the potential of the AIR acquisition is big, but in new unfamiliar area such as rayon market the information is not enough. There are huge questions surrounding the potential of this business. Questions like how the market may evolve, considering the fact that the rayon industry had enjoyed one of the most spectacular successes in the history of tire manufacturing and at one point, the rayon industry started to decline.On another note, AIR is also expected to pick up and gain market share as smaller companies vertical and functional integration; taking the fact that MR. already has strengths in the manufacturing of power brake systems, industrial furnaces and etc. The acquisition may be able help MR. to enter the new market of rayon production and also use rayon to get deeper into tire manufacturing. Competition Different synthetic fibers compete for shares of the total fiber market principally on the basis of relative prices and relative quality characteristics.Diversification program created significant strains on the Company's organization structure and financial position. Since continued rapid diversification was considered imperative, Company's highly- centralized decision-making processes had shifted to a highly decentralized management structure, which transferred substantial decision- making power to division managers. In 1961, there were seven divisions. All marketing, purchasing, manufacturing, research and development, personnel matters, and accounting were handled at the division level.Each division has its own manager (usually a Vice-President) and had responsibility for the growth and profitability of his division. A division manager could get stock options and earn an annual bonus of up to 60% of his base salary depending on the earnings and growth of his division. Divisional sales and earnings goals. Divisional sales and earnings formulated by each general manager and submitted each November to the head office for review by Mr.. Britton and the Corporate Staff. The corporate staff provided legal, administrative, and financial support to the divisions and handled external affairs, financing and acquisitions as well.The staff, including corporate officers, consisted of fewer than 60 people, about half of whom would be classified as secretarial and clerical. With this, Mr.. Britton has the capacity to exercise adequate to exercise control over the decentralized organization through its power to hire and fire at the division manager level and important, through control of the elaborate capital budgeting yester. s product lines were power brake systems for trucks, buses, and automobiles; industrial furnaces and heat-treating equipment; and automobile, truck, and bus frames.

Formal linkage mechanisms Essay

Formal linkage mechanisms such as mergers and joint ventures are supposed to reduce transaction costs in a business enterprise. However, sometimes companies can experience increased cost if the management fails to lay down proper strategies (Jones, 2006). It is worth noting that joint venture refers to two or more parties coming together to carry out business activities. In this case, these parties agree to share revenues and expenses. On the other hand, mergers entail two or more companies joining but each maintains their identity. The likely causes of increased costs In both mergers and joint ventures, there is the possibility of â€Å"double running of the departments†(Jones, 2006). This comes about by failure of the companies to do away with similar operating departments. For instance, when the joined and merged companies each maintain their human resource department, the results are increased expenses in running the departments. Increased company cost can also result from uncertainty about the future by the trading partners. In this regard, the resulting merger or joint venture has to cater for the associated risks. For instance, the possibility of one or more parties pulling out will result to increased cost since the ratio of sharing cost changes. Conclusion and Recommendations The above factors would contribute to an upward trend in the company’s transactions costs. Therefore, it would be of significance for the computer company to consider the following recommendations. The companies should review their former organizational structure by joining departments that perform similar functions to avoid duplication. Moreover, the companies in the merger should work out a plan towards reducing uncertainty costs such as increasing the number of partners in the merger (Jones, 2006).

Genealogy of the Titans and Gods in Greek Mythology

Genealogy of the Titans and Gods in Greek Mythology The genealogy of the Greek gods is complicated. There was not one uniform story all the ancient Greeks and Romans believed. One poet could directly contradict another. Parts of stories dont make sense, seemingly happening in reverse order or contradicting something else that was just said. You shouldnt throw up your hands in despair, though. Familiarity with the genealogy doesnt mean your branches always go in one direction or that your tree looks like the one your neighbor prunes. However, since the ancient Greeks traced their ancestry and that of their heroes to the deities, you should have at least a passing acquaintance with the lineages. Further back in mythological time than even the gods and goddesses are their ancestors, the primordial powers. Other pages in this series look at some of the genealogical relationships among the primordial powers and their other descendants (Chaos and Its Descendants, Titans Descendants, and Descendants of the Sea). This page shows the generations referred to in the mythological genealogies. Generation 0 - Chaos, Gaia, Eros, and Tartaros In the beginning were primordial forces. Accounts differ as to how many there were, but Chaos was probably the first. The Ginnungagap of Norse mythology is similar to Chaos, a sort of nothingness, black hole, or chaotic, swirling disordered state of conflict. Gaia, the Earth, came next. Eros and Tartaros may also have sprung into existence at about the same time. This is not a numbered generation because these forces were not generated, born, created, or otherwise produced. Either they were always there or they materialized, but the idea of generation involves some sort of creation, so the forces of Chaos, the earth (Gaia), love (Eros), and Tartaros come  before the first generation. Generation 1 The earth (Gaia/Gaea) was the great mother, a creator. Gaia created and then mated with the heavens (Ouranos) and the sea (Pontos). She also produced  but did not mate with the mountains. Generation 2 From Gaias union with the heavens (Ouranos/Uranus [Caelus]) came the Hecatonchires (hundred-handers; by name, Kottos, Briareos, and Gyes), the three cyclops/cyclopes (Brontes, Sterope, and Arges), and the Titans who numbered as follows: Kronos (Cronus)Rheia (Rhea)Kreios (Crius)Koios (Coeus)Phoibe (Phoebe],Okeanos (Oceanus],TethysHyperionTheia (Thea)Iapetos (Iapetus)MnemosyneThemis Generation 3 From the Titan pair Kronos and his sister, Rhea, came the first Olympian gods (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia). Other Titans like Prometheus are also of this generation  and cousins of these early Olympians. Generation 4 From the mating of Zeus and Hera came: AresHebe the cup-bearerHephaestusEileithuia the goddess of childbirth There are other, conflicting genealogies. For instance, Eros is also called the son of Iris, instead of the more conventional Aphrodite, or the primeval and uncreated force Eros; Hephaestus may have been born to Hera without aid of a male. In case it is not completely clear where brothers marry sisters, Kronos (Cronos), Rheia (Rhea), Kreios, Koios, Phoibe (Phoebe), Okeanos (Oceanos), Tethys, Hyperion, Theia, Iapetos, Mnemosyne, and Themis are all offspring of Ouranos and Gaia. Likewise, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia are all offspring of Kronos and Rheia. Sources Timothy Gantz: Early Greek MythHesiod Theogony, translated by Norman O. Brown