Nostalgic Records Proposal

Partner, Melody Nostalgic Records March 16, 2013 Proposal Number 014298B TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Company OverviewPage 4 2. Company Information SystemsPages 5-6 3. Table of Benefits & DrawbacksPage 8 4. Projected SalesPage 9 5. ReferencesPage10 COMPANY OVERVIEW Melody Nostalgic Records will have its grand opening on May 1, 2013. We are a small, brick n’ mortar, nostalgic record store located in downtown San Antonio, Texas. We will be providing a variety of music arrangements in the form of compact discs, vinyl records, cassette tapes, and 8 tracks.This will ensure we have products for all age ranges of customers. Along with music, we will also sell music products such as headphones, posters, t-shirts and other related items. In order to meet the needs of customers, we will need to have various information systems in place so we will be able to meet the needs of the customers as well as the needs of the company. Information Systems are integrated sets of components for collecting, storing, and processing data and for delivering information, knowledge, and digital products (Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.   2013). COMPANY INFORMATION SYSTEMS In order to ensure success in our business and customer satisfaction, utilization of the following five types of information systems will be conducted. * Functional Area IS * Executive Dashboard * Electronic Commerce System * Supply Chain Management System * Decision Support System COMPANY INFORMATION SYSTEMS Functional Area IS This system will support, plan and organize particular functional areas in our business.For example, this system will enable us to effectively conduct payroll and have an overview of sales management with cost and pricing analysis, inventory control, our overall spending and budget. With the information gathered, we will perform an evaluation of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports. Executive Dashboard This is a tool for data management. It will allow us to identify operational efficiencies , apply preventative measures and recognize the health of our organization through a visual presentation of critical information.Through these reports we will be able to improve any processes that are lacking in our business (â€Å"Executive Dashboard†, 2007). Electronic Commerce System A website of our products will be generated and correlated into our business to meet the needs of consumers who enjoy shopping from home and expanding our client base throughout the nation. This system will eventually allow us to increase our profits. COMPANY INFORMATION SYSTEMS Supply Chain Management System This will enable our company to monitor products, information and financial flow.This system will allow us to oversee our inventory and to also guarantee that we have enough products to meet the demand of our customers (â€Å"Supply Chain Management†,2010). Decision Support System This will enable our managers and company to compile useful information from raw data, documents, pers onal knowledge, and/or business models to identify and solve problems and make decisions on comparative sales figures and projected revenue (â€Å"Decision Support Systems†, 1996-2012). BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS Information System| Benefit| Drawback|Functional Area IS| Company Organization| Security and hacking issues| Executive Dashboard| Ability to produce reports from collected data| Requires person with extensive knowledge of Dashboard system| Electronic Commerce System| Ability to sell products online and expand clients| Possible online theft| Supply Chain Management| Ability to track inventory to ensure products are available on demand| Requires person with prior inventory record keeping | Decision Supports System| Ability to identify and solve problems| Identified problems may not always be accurate| Terms Expressed in Thousands REFERENCES Decision Support Systems. 1996-2012). Retrieved from http://www. informationbuilders. com/decision-support-syst ems-dss Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. (2013). Encyclopedia Britannica . Retrieved from http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/287895/information-system Executive Dashboard. (2007). Retrieved from http://www. iexecutivedashboard. com/ Rainer, R. K. & Cegielski, C. G. (2011). Introduction to Information systems: Supporting and Transforming Business. Chapter 2, Information Systems, Concepts and Management. Supply Chain Management. (2010). Retrieved from http://searchmanufacturingerp. techtarget. com/definition/supply-chain-management

The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Promoting Sustainable Development

The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Promoting Sustainable Development To care about sustainable development means to accept responsibility for the well-being of future generations and also of our habitat, of our planet. An affirmative attitude towards sustainability has to be an integral part of the moral foundation of our activities and of our lifestyle. This means that promoting sustainable development must be an important aspect of the educational agenda at all levels. It starts in kindergarten and it goes all the way to the university level and beyond.It basically involves three aspects: the buildup and reinforcement of a basic understanding of the problem of sustainability, an inspection of all aspects of our life under the criterion of sustainability and finally an active search for new methods and techniques to further sustainable development. In all of this, Higher Education Institutions play a crucial role. Clearly, the research agenda should be influenced – but not dictated – by striving for sustainability with the goal of inventing new methods to deal with all the big problems such as climate change, pollution, energy, hunger, infectious diseases, biodiversity, etc.Systematically thinking about justice and ethics, peace and good governance, not only about ecology, but also about economy might contribute in a substantial way to the establishment of a sustainable way of life. But the most important contribution is in education offered by institutions. Whatever particular subject is being taught, the question whether and how it may influence development towards sustainability must always be asked and discussed. Of course there are contexts in which it is difficult to make this connection, but they are much less frequent then one would expect.Should sustainability also be considered as a topic all by itself and be taught and discussed in special courses? The answer is a clear yes. Nowadays as we are moving towards thematic and prob lem-focused teaching and research, sustainability is a wonderful topic to bring together many different disciplines. Higher Education Institutions not only have to teach their own students, they have to explain the relevant problems to politicians and to industrial leaders as much as to a wider public.Here it is particularly important to show how to differentiate between scientific questions and results on the one hand and moral, ethical or ideological aspects on the other hand. But having said all this, we come to a point that often does not get the necessary attention. As Higher Education Institutions are to a large extent responsible for the training of teachers at the primary and secondary level, they are ultimately responsible for the development of new methods and new approaches to explaining sustainability to everybody, from pre-schoolers all the way to adults.It has to be said that quite a few impressive and successful steps in this direction have been taken, but nobody woul d doubt that much remains to be done. And much remains to be done in all domains of human life before we can claim to be fully on the path towards sustainability. The role of the educational institutions of the Ministry of Education and the school and the teacher is the cornerstone of the basic structure of the society through which we can build generations of intellectually and culturally sound and get rid of all nodes eternal.Teacher In addition to his sacred message of education must be to have another message, a rumor the spirit of democracy to achieve the goals of great importance remain stuck in the memory of the students also attached atoms dew flowers, Should the teacher change real to the imagination of the students towards a glimmer of hope to feel a moment of transparent wishlist using the method of modern education and the teacher to develop itself before it develops the disciples so that he could promote the reality Learning the right direction and uses all his efforts to highlight the humanity to dissolve all differences and to regulate its relations with his disciples to feel safe When listening to him and to have confidence when talking to him In the belief that the ideas addressed to reflect the expression of innovative ideas proposed by them.There is nothing ambiguous and overlapping between education and democracy and we need to find appropriate solutions Giving high doses of education without democracy, and vice versa will be has bad effects, we must make the themes pour in the course of a single coordinated harmonious hear the music fresh, comfortable with the human soul, the teacher make it clear that the surface in method of education and ideas and come in contact with a creative way what is going on in the interior of his disciples, and ideas and fluctuations Ituaha towards a formula amorphous deep knowledge of a democratic approach. From here stems the need to educate the community and then spread the spirit of democracy the existence of education has three objectives with one another, culture is to teach the individual how to accommodate education and receive the views of others, if you know the individual to listen properly to the ideas and proposals of others away from violence and acrimony in the debate and put forward his ideas with a structured format meaningful in this case we say that we have learned the first point of democracy.I must point out an important issue combines a teacher with the students a language to talk, he should attract voices of students and inspire the spirit to talk as he did (Algoskhoun) previously when lists his story, and try to deal with mental disorders among students in order to be able to express their opinions and not obscure desires and cultural needs and intellectual property that arise as a result of psychological factors stemming from within the family because of persecution and oppression of the FPL father and mother to the children, which generates feature sometimes turn to aggressive as a result of subjugation and repression of feelings and desires and can not be of educational institutions to contribute effectively to the success of the moral and intellectual isolation from family and occurs within it should unite the family's role with the role of school to become a cultural phenomenon in which we can achieve democracy in education. Teacher's role in this stage is very difficult because he needs to make another Maimlk of energy and effort to shift gradually towards the case creative students in order to harvest after years of effort, tired and needs to dissolve the differences among students by teaching them self belief of human value high and making the community and decryption problem between the attempt to access the ability to self-expression and social balance and what is created by the individual relationships between members of a sterile society in which they live.Hence the urgent need for the teacher is the first example to his disciples through the treated teachers with each other in a democratic manner the existence of the spirit of cooperation, tolerance and respect the spirit of constructive criticism, among them as can not talk about democracy in the absence of activating and harmony and the small capacity of teaching staff for the purpose of spreading the democratic life of the school . Democratic society in Iraq has a special form due to the circumstances presented by the society such as war and disasters that befell the families of Iraq (forced displacement and non-regulated) and sectarian killings created a lot of orphans who are left to attend school because of material need as a result of the absence of the father of all these things left a lot of Difficulties in the path of democracy, this issue requires upport from government agencies and civil society organizations and the family and the humanitarian organizations and human rights body in order to keep our feet on the first step and most difficult of the state of enhancing the concepts of real democracy, such as material and moral support and a lot of seminars, lectures and use of television, newspapers and magazines to educate society and the exploitation of some of the lessons received by students such as study of art education to output Doakhlhm by drawing on paper to be the case visible, listening to music to overcome cases of depression are enshrined within the hearts, extract the vital activity of exercise to use it in a creative state allowance to use on the differences which occur between the students and lead to hostile situations. Try to change the curriculum and not to impose curricula dry, but must keep up with updating curricula in line with progress in the world.Process subject to human beings and its ability to absorb the vocabulary of democracy and the provision of all supplies of intellectual success in order to create a generation democratic intellectuals keep pace with the rapid changes and act Petkaviip high based on social justice and respect for the law to reach the goals of a great void of class differences and nepotism, conflicts and hatred, social and all that calls for the demolition does not Building and creating an informed community can navigate life towards true equality and compensation for all of society at large without the use of random democracy which do correspond to reality, but we have to use mental intellectual honest and sophisticated approach to generation of creative art, commensurate with the culture of the world.

PERSONAL GOALS & REFLECTION ASSIGNMENT BUSINESS ETHICS Essay

PERSONAL GOALS & REFLECTION ASSIGNMENT BUSINESS ETHICS - Essay Example After evaluating my time audit sheet, I can say with confidence that I am maintaining the values that matter to me in my daily activities. The two most important influences in my life are religion, and education, and so it is appropriate that related activities (class, study, and prayer) occupy the majority of my days. I would not change any aspect of the way I fill these time periods, except for extending them if it were a realistic option. If I were conducting myself as a business with the values equivalent to those described in the memorandum, then the usage of my time is very efficient. It promotes the building of personal skills, spiritual health, social activity, and a very productive, happy life. Of course, some play time does creep into my days, but it is a necessary release of stress that surely contributes to my success during the day. I wouldnt expect my employees to spend their entire day without any fun. It would surely exhaust them in a short amount of time. If I were to make a single change to my routine, I would try to eliminate about an hour from my night of sleep. There has been evidence that seven hours or even less can be more than sufficient for some people, and the extra time could certainly be used for a more productive purpose. Though sleep is definitely important, I would be interested to see if I can be awake for longer without a major negative impact to daily

Create a security policy - Please read instructions Essay - 1

Create a security policy - Please read instructions - Essay Example increasingly important in organizations all over the world since the usage of internet has increased in all organizations and so as the problems that organizations may face if they do not properly monitor web usage of their employees. 1 Rubric Company is an advertising agency that has been in operation for more than 10 years now. As an advertising agency, policies in the organization have been quite lax especially in the case of internet use. Keeping in view, the excessive use of internet and internet related downloads; the management has been brought to consider the importance of responsible web usage. The objective of this policy is thus to ensure that the employees within the organization conduct a responsible behavior in terms of web usage. Responsible web usage policy has become increasingly important in organizations all over the world since the usage of internet has increased in all organizations and so as the problems that organizations may face if they do not properly monitor web usage of their employees. Rubric Company is an advertising agency operating for more than 10 years in Destin, Florida. The company has rapidly expanding its business and has developed a strong presence in the market. It has steadily been gaining clients of all kinds but the main clients of Rubric Company are restaurants in the area that want to advertise their company or want an up gradation on their menu designs. When the owner and CEO of the company, Chad Michaels opened up Rubric Company, he started from a small office in his own home but with his hard work and that of his fellow workers, he was able to quickly expand business. Within a year, Chad Michaels was able to break even on his company. Since Destin is mainly a tourist’s attraction, the company receives various small design jobs throughout the year and especially in the summer. Along with providing design services, the company also provides PR services and content writing services for some of its major clients.

The CentralFush Website Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The CentralFush Website - Assignment Example Information categories on the website will be as follows:†¢Ã‚  Information about personsThe website will contain information of celebrities from around the world and the various activities that they are involved in, which are in tandem with the fashion trend being discussed. This information will be more graphical than written. The information will be in form of image and videos.†¢Ã‚  Statistical informationStatistical information on the site will cover the analysis of the numbers of young people who are following a particular trend in a given region.   The analysis will be in form of numbers and percentages as compared to the total figure.†¢Ã‚  Public informationPublic information will be general information that originated from the public. For instance, this category will cover the most stocked footwear in most shops in every region. The opinion that the shop-owners have for stocking the footwear will also be included on the website. This is public information. Fun ctions of the WebsiteThe primary function of the website is to deliver trending fashions content to the young people from all over the world. Secondary to this, is cultural integration through the appreciation of various fashions from other cultures.Other RequirementsThe major requirement that the site will need is tailoring it for mobile phone viewing. The reason for this is that many of the expected users will be browsing the site via their handsets. As such, it will be necessary to have the site optimized to run on tablets, iPads as well as mobile phones.

What factors should be considered by researchers when defining the Essay

What factors should be considered by researchers when defining the data required for their research;using two empirical studies - Essay Example duct the research in the best way to ensure that the investigated research question leads to data findings that contribute to the knowledge in the investigated field. Basing on two empirical studies, this paper therefore, investigates various factors, which must be considered by researchers in their definition of data that is required for their research. The reference point in explaining the facts of this essay bases on two empirical studies conducted in different areas. One study was conducted in Vietnam among injection drug users in two districts, to compare the prevalence of HIV and other associated risks among the drug users in the two different districts (Bergenstrom et al, 2008). Another study was conducted in the USA, involving different HVC treatment programs for HVC positive clients. This study however, studied two categories of these treatment programs, including the HVC drug free programs and the HVC MMTPs programs (Astone-Twerell et al, 2006). The two studies were conducted for different reasons, thus, the difference in their objectives. The study among the injection drug users in Vietnam was conducted with the purpose of establishing the prevalence of drug overdose in the region, including the main reasons behind this phenomenon. The additional voluntary HIV testing was aimed at helping to get more information about the relationship between drug use, age, and HIV prevalence. Therefore, the study samples were studied differently to establish and assess the prevalence rate, as well as the characteristics that are associated with non-fatal drug overdose among the injection drug users in the two districts of North Vietnam (Bergenstrom et al, 2008). On the other hand, the second study aimed at establishing the range of Hepatitis C Virus services, which are provided to HVC positive clients by treatment programs. In both studies, the research was based on drug use and the relationship with a specific disease. While the Vietnam study compares the injection

Week 4 response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 4 response papers - Essay Example The disadvantage with such an approach is that businesses relax their CSR actions when they are not economically rewarding. This means that organisations no longer derive their motivation for CSR mainly from their negative environmental effects and need to protect the environment, but the need to have a good image and make profit. The avoidance of CSR may not be detrimental to the organisation but its effect cannot be ignored in a society where customers are becoming more cautious about environmental issues. Over the recent years, CSR has afforded organisations some social power and ignoring this because of economic or other reasons is bound lead to a gradual reduction of social power. Davis’s statement therefore holds some truth. As mentioned, businesses know the effects of their actions on the environment. In this case, they have an obligation to focus on environmental change whether voters and politicians are not pushing agendas that focus on environmental change. In opposition to Hussein’s (1999) statement that adopting such a position can be harmful to the organisation, CSR has turned into one of the biggest source of competitive advantage for businesses. Multinationals have also tapped into it as a risk management model. In addition, many governments respond positively to such actions by recognising and rewarding organisations which undertake good CSR activities in efforts to protect the environment. This has increased awareness of such organisations, their products and consequently, they have experienced a positive return on their sales (Bhattacharya et al, 2011). Customer/voter purchases are now influenced by CSR to the benefit of organisations that have good CSR reputations. Since the 1950s, many organisations have formulated their own CSR policies. However, if the decision to become responsible was totally left at their disposal, many would choose not to because CSR activities

Individual case study report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual case study report - Essay Example But this will not assure satisfactory performance. Recruitment, selection and training typically focus only on the ability side; thus a major missing ingredient is one's willingness. Motivation then becomes a process of activating this potential in all the employees. While motivation refers to the drive and effort to satisfy a want or a goal, satisfaction refers to the contentment experienced when a want is satisfied. From a management point of view, a person might have high job satisfaction but a low level of motivation for the job, or the reverse might be true. Understandably, the probability is that a highly motivated person with low job satisfaction will only express poor quality in his job. The yet another factor affecting the productivity of an employee is his attitude. Attitudes and values differ among workers and employers, rich and poor people, accountants and engineers. This variety makes it difficult for managers to design an environment conducive to performance and satisf action. We shall discuss the impact of motivation levels of workers in an organization, its impact on productivity, the attitude levels of workers which play a vital role on the motivation levels and finally how to achieve the best performance out of an employee by highly motivating him. "Organizations today are recognizing ... The significant workplace issues of the present day require different kinds of solutions. Some of these include flexible work hours, pay for performance and Employee Stock Ownership Plans. These may vary with people and organization based on the problems faced by them. Case Description According to the case presented by Drugs Inc. older males occupy the top management. The rest of the work force also seems to have a majority of males. There seems to be a minor note on female staff that the clerical staffs are females. The company finds it difficult to compete with the overseas companies who manufacture the same kind of products on a lesser cost. Thus the company's business is not doing well in the recent years. As a cost cutting measure, the company is looking for a downsizing of its employees and is trying to set up an alternate marketing facility through Internet business. In the given case, we find that the business of Drugs Inc. suffers due to high cost factors compared to its competitors who use low cost manufacturing techniques. The major issue we find here is the productivity. If the productivity goes up, there is every possibility of meeting out the cost and making a good profit. Productivity is a major concern of managers. It implies measurement, an essential step in the control process. The productivity measurement of skilled workers is generally easier than that of knowledge workers such as managers. Yet managerial productivity is very important, especially for organizations like Drugs Inc. operating in a competitive environment. The improvement in productivity is brought about by the improvement in performance of employees. The performance of an employee in turn depends upon his motivation levels. The fact

Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Taxation - Essay Example his study will also perform examples of calculation to demonstrate the actual effects of the tax payments on individual and limited company, considering the aspects of Insurance, capital gains and inheritance. When Sally realizes capital gain from the investment through the exercise of the share option, the capital gain ought to form part of the taxable income. Taxation exempts many specified benefits under this condition, including insurance and the application of computer and technology. The tax system operates with exemptions of certain income elements from taxable income for individual investors, which in the case of limited company, there is minimal exemption or no exemption at all. Income sources including interest, house rent and dividends are added to the income of the spouse with the highest earned income. The personal income tax will be charged a flat rate of 15% of the income per month from the earnings gained from investment (Melville 2014, p32). If sally operates in cash, she will have two alternative decisions, either to declare the entire income from the investment, or part of it, or she may decide not to declare the income of personal income in the tax return. In the case of registering a limited company, there is no decision to make on the income to declare. All the income sources including taxable income, forms part of the taxable income. The UK system of calculating corporate taxes operates on the basis of a single tax rate applying to all the taxable incomes.  The rate is decided on by the amounts of total earnings. Registration of a limited company will enable Sally’s investment to attract smaller tax rates applied to the taxable incomes lower than the minimum limit. Investment earnings between $10000 and $37000 are exempt from taxation in the individual investment, but in the limited company, the corporate tax return must contain all income elements, charged a flat rate of 15% (Melville 2014, p27). However, the company is allowed to

Development of a Leadership Plan Research Paper

Development of a Leadership Plan - Research Paper Example This has led to the emergence of several rehabilitation centers and organizations to assist drug addicts within Ohio State. Lome Counseling and Support Group are a volunteer association initiated by five members who had a passion to help drug addicts abandon their destructive activities in the society. It was started in the year 2000 and has grown immensely due to the support from the government, private organizations and well-wishers who had the passion to reduce the rate of drug use. The group is located in Ohio State and has several branches and support centers within the state which assist various groups of people involved in drug use (Schuckit et al., 1996). Lome is headed with a CEO named James Bond and a deputy director. The other three members are involved in the daily management of the organization and in various administrative posts within the association. All of the five members were initial drug users who had undergone rehabilitation and thus have the passion to assist ot her people engaged in drug use. Program Description Lome consists of various technocrats and experts within its premises who help in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The program runs through various communities and targets specific people who engage in drugs and substance abuse for various reasons. Consequently, Lome targets drug dealers who sell the drugs to young people in middle and higher learning institutions (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2011). The program first identifies groups of people and institutions who are at risk of using drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, marijuana among other drugs. Afterwards, the program rolls out plan of reaching them through the organization of workshops, sports, seminars and training program. During the meeting session, the program coordinators engage with drugs and substance users by discussing various negative impacts of drugs on the users and seeking their views. Thereafter, the coordinators of the program advise the youths on various ways of stopping using drugs. The program also incorporates involvement of the youths are the most affected in activities that make them exploit their talents and engage in constructive activities. For instance, the organization arranges sporting activities amongst schools, various estate teams, debates, seminars and various forms of competitions within the society, thus minimizing time available for the youths to engage in drug use (National Youth Network, 2011). The group takes various drug addicts to the several centers it has opened thus ensuring the youths are looked after during the recovery period. Relation of the Program to Selected SP Chapter Lome Counseling and Support Center mainly focuses on drugs and substance abuse in the Ohio State. This is a serious social problem within many societies since it erodes social norms set out to be observed by everyone in the society. This happens when the drug addicts rebel against parents, elder people or even their own family members and only associate with fellow drug users. This was the main reason for establishing the program within Ohio State. The program explores various means of curbing incidences of drug use among the youths who constitute a sizable percentage of learning students. Through the program, the plan is to provide both moral, emotional, physical

Fahrenheit 451 Essay Example for Free

Fahrenheit 451 Essay Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury and in this book I will be talking about on how this book is related to the theme censorship. I will be proving why censorship is related to the book. So why is the theme censorship important in the novel? Point IÂ  Censorship was a very important theme in Fahrenheit 451 in a lot of different ways one of them is since people are not allowed to read books, so that is the most extreme form of censorship that exists. So according to Montag he said I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, itll make sense. This means that nobody understands him the way Clarisse does. Here is another one, so in this statement Captain Beatty says Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences. So he is saying that books don’t open people’s minds they destroy them it doesn’t show how they learn, but we know that it’s not true, since some books do help us in life. And one very interesting fact about the book is when Ray Bradbury wrote about the book it was in the McCarthy era, and he as concerned about the censorship in the United States. So he got an idea about it and thought about it, and so Fahrenheit 451 was born. Point II In the paperback edition released in 1979, Ray Bradbury wrote a new coda for the book containing multiple comments on censorship and its relation to the novel. The coda is also present in the mass market paperback, which is still in print. At other times, Ray Bradbury explained the theme of the book differently. Bradbury observed that the novel touches on the alienation of people by media. Another thing is that this book and theme does have a message for all of us, it’s that the anticensorship message has often been cited by opponents of book banning in the United States. This means people also have to look out on what they are reading. ` Point III Another thing that I would like to point out is that the book explains on how Firemen also burn books, that there is censorship since they are using their materials not for job purposes but for just burning books. And that Captain Beatty there leader just cares about how his firemen finish the job, that another censorship since Beatty only cares about the money. Also how in one of the quotes a pointed out was when Montag wishes that he could be heard, he wishes that people can understand him better. That is another sign of censorship, you also can’t even touch a book, well you can but people say that they are scared of books, and even owning a book is illegal so this book does have a lot of censorship on it. Here is one very good statement in the book that I thought was good it was said by Captain Beatty according to him he said What traitors books can be! You think theyre backing you up, and they turn on you. Others can use them too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives. Which is significant because he is saying that when you read books you keep on learning which is good but for Beatty it’s just nonsense and these books can turn you into something good, but for Beatty he thinks that you’ll turn into a bad influence for children. Conclusion: So all in all this is why the books main theme is censorship lots or burning books, no one can even own or touch a book and how people don’t even know if books are bad or good.

Normative ethical subjectivism Essay Example for Free

Normative ethical subjectivism Essay Normative ethical subjectivism is an ethical stance that attempts to specify circumstances under which an action is morally right or wrong using four distinct arguments that try to prove this claim. Normative ethical subjectivism claims that an act is morally right if, and only if, the person judging the action approves of it. Stemming form this view on ethics a normative ethical theory has been made. An ethical theory is a theory of what is right and wrong. This stance on ethics is the opposite of another ethical stance called methethical antirealism. Methethical antirealism is centered on the idea that because there is no right and wrong actions, just personal preferences there is no such thing as morality. It also states that morals are just a personal preference. Normative ethical subjectivism makes its claim in four different arguments witch are democracy, tolerance, disagreement and atheism. The democracy argument makes the premise that if everyone has an equal right to have and voice moral opinions then everyones moral opinions are equally plausible. The next premise states that everyone does have an equal right to have and voice moral opinions. These two premises lead to the conclusion that everyones moral opinions are equally plausible. The first premise of the argument creates a problem because not everyones moral opinions are equally valid and plausible. I have lots of opinions like the location of LSU, how far away the moon is and, the speed limit on College Drive. My opinion is LSU is located in Arizona, the moon is 100 miles away and the speed limit on College Drive is 75 miles per hour. My opinions are all incorrect showing that the plausibility of an opinion really has nothing to do with ones right to hold it. Having a right to an opinion is one thing, the truth of that opinion quite another. This undermines the first premise of the argument causing me to reject a crucial part of the democracy argument. Consequently making the argument for democracy unstable and not a good foundation for supporting normative ethical subjectivism. The next argument for normative ethical subjectivism is the argument of disagreement. The first premise states that if there is a constant disagreement among educated, open-minded and, good-willed people about some subject matter, then that subject matter does not admit to an objective  truth. Followed by the premise there is persistent disagreement about ethical issues among educated, open-minded and, good-willed people. These two statements lead to the conclusion that there are no objective ethical truths. There is persistent disagreement among educated, open-minded and, good-willed physicists and mathematicians. We assume that their work is aimed at discovering objective facts. Physicists continue to disagree about that started the universe. But this is not evidence that their views are subjective, it is evidence that the facts they arrive at are merely expressions of personal opinion about some fact. This shows that a professions may deal in objective truths even if its open minded and educated deeply disagree with one another. In rebuttal to this, normative ethical subjectivist would state that objective truths dont exist, but for a finding to be true someone has to believe in it. Thus proving that the first premise of the argument of disagreement if false giving no support for normative ethical subjectivism. The tolerance argument of normative ethical subjectivism has two premises. The first premise states if normative subjectivism is true, then no ones deepest opinions are more plausible than anyone elses. The next premise states if no ones deepest opinions are more plausible than anyone elses, then we have to respect and tolerate the opinions of all others. Generating the conclusion that if normative subjectivism is true, then we have to respect and tolerate the opinions of all others. Tolerance is defined as the capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others (Websters Dictionary). In the normative ethical subjectivism argument tolerance is good thus making it good for others to respect the actions and beliefs of that other people. The tolerance argument is still not a persuasive argument for normative ethical subjectivism. The problem with tolerance argument is that we all have to be tolerance of peoples opinions if they truly believe in them, making their opinion morally right. If a person truly believes in intolerance and that intolerant behavior is acceptable then according to normative ethical subjectivism it is morally right. According to the tolerance argument if a racist feels that be does not what to be tolerant of other races and goes around killing them off but truly feels that that he is doing is right then to a normative  ethical subjectivist we must be tolerant of opinion. The tolerance argument does not seem to be helping persuade a person towards normal ethical subjectivism view. The final argument for normative ethical subjectivism is the atheism argument. The atheism arguments premise states if ethics are objective, then God must exist. Followed by the premise that God does not exist. Structuring the conclusion ethics is not objective. Since it cannot be proven through science and nature that God does exist, it validates the atheist argument. But lets suppose God does exist and he does issue commands on that is morally right and wrong. This brings up the euthyphro question, which asks are actions good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? The first part of the question, actions good because God commands them, makes Gods commands arbitrary and so if God commands us to throw our children into volcanoes, to rape, or to murder, then these actions would be good actions according to God. And for the next part of the question, God command them because they are good, seems to imply that there is a standard of goodness over God. It also leaves open the question who is the commander behind moral commands? These arguments against the euthyphro question create doubt in the atheism argument. The arguments for normal ethical subjectivism are not very strong and could deter persons away form relativism. The above arguments against normal ethical subjectivism are few in numbers. For the majority of moral values and situations, actions are not complete but are relative to the persons or groups holding them. Lets say there is an objective moral fact that lying was wrong for all cases and should never be done. Avery close friend of yours is on the edge and suicidal. He asks you if he is an attractive person. You are this persons only friend and every thing you tell him he takes very literally. He could be the most hideous person you have ever seen, but if you tell him he is ugly he will without doubt kill him self. According to the objective moral fact about lying that I have just made, you have to tell him the truth, that he is revolting. Or you could have a relativism stance and tell him he is an attractive person and stop him form killing him self. In this situation it would be ideal to save the persons  life and prevent the mental problems stemming for know you killed someone. Although normal ethical subjectivism and metaethical antirealism are different but there is a relationship between them. Both of these views on ethics are subjective and both have its problems convincing people to follow them. Facts are mentioned as not important in their arguments. In the atheist argument of normal ethical subjectivism, Gods commands are not to be taken as facts but as suggestions. A big part of metaethical antirealism is that moral facts dont exist but facts are just part of the role in making decisions. Normative ethical subjectivism is an ethical stance that attempts to establish the situations under which an action is morally right or wrong. It states an act is morally right if the person judging the act approves of it. Normative ethical subjectivism uses the arguments of democracy, tolerance, disagreement and atheism to try proving this claim. Methethical antirealism is an ethical stance that claims there are no right or wrong views or stances on ethical options. Methethical antirealism goes on to state that morals do not exist at all. Even thought normative ethical subjectivism failed make its calm a person can still be a relativist, but I still feel that every moral case must be taken on a base to base cineraria. Works Cited Tolerance. The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary. Revised and Expanded edition 1981.

The Starbucks Entrance Into Vietnam Marketing Essay

The Starbucks Entrance Into Vietnam Marketing Essay Starbucks Coffee Company Starbucks began in 1971 as a roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices. Back then, the company was a single store in Seattles historic Pike Place Market. From just a narrow storefront, Starbucks offered some of the worlds finest fresh-roasted whole bean coffees. (Starbucks Coffee Company) Starbucks is named after the first mate in Herman Melvilles Moby Dick. The name evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders. The logo is also inspired by the sea, featuring a twinà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ tailed siren from Greek mythology. (Starbucks Coffee Company) In 1981, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer, Howard Schultz, was drawn into Starbucks from his first cup of Sumatra, and joined Starbucks a year later. (Starbucks Coffee Company) In 1983, Howard travelled to Italy and became fascinated by Italian coffee bars and the romance of the coffee experience. He had a vision to bring the Italian coffeehouse tradition back to the United States where coffeehouse is made a place for conversation and a sense of community and to be a third place between work and home. He left Starbucks for a short while to start his own Il Giornale coffeehouses and returned in August 1987 to purchase Starbucks with the help of local investors. (Starbucks Coffee Company) Today, Starbucks connect with millions of customers every day with exceptional products and nearly 18,000 retail stores in 60 countries. (Starbucks Coffee Company) Starbucks mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. (Starbucks Coffee Company) Starbucks have always believed in serving the best coffee possible and it is their goal for all of their coffee to be grown under the highest standards of quality, using ethical sourcing practices. STARBUCKS Entrance into Vietnam (Starbucks opens first store in coffee-loving Vietnam) Starbucks opened its first cafe in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City as part of its strategy to expand across Asia, and plans to add more shops throughout the country. The grand opening of the HCM City store marked Vietnam as Starbucks 12th market in the Asia Pacific, and adding up to its chain of some 3,400 stores in the area. John Culver, president of Starbucks Coffee China and Asia Pacific, said during the ribbon cutting ceremony that Vietnam is one of the most dynamic and interesting market in Asia, and that they are proud to open a Starbucks store in the country. Coffee Concepts (Vietnam) Ltd., a Hong Kong Maxims Group subsidiary, will operate Starbucks Ho Chi Minh City store in Vietnam, and its first store will be in the citys business district. Starbucks will be seeking to compete with local rivals in a country known for its strong cafe culture. Vietnam is the worlds second-largest coffee producer and it has dozens of local chains as well as small coffee shops on nearly every street corner which present a major challenge for Starbucks to break into the crowded market. According to research, although many people queued up in southern Ho Chi Minh City for the opening, but the US giants coffee may not be to everybodys taste. Some speculated about how the Starbucks will compete with Trung Nguyen Coffee and Highlands Coffee, a homegrown brand that credits Starbucks as an inspiration. One Vietnamese, Nguyen Tien Tam, 35 had been quoted as preferring Vietnamese coffee, which is stronger than Starbucks and that as a Vietnamese, he only love local coffee. Compared with other Asian markets which Starbucks has recently entered, the Seattle-based company faces a unique scenario in Vietnam, where French-inspired coffee culture rules supreme, two homegrown chains have established presences and family-run sidewalk cafes are as many as noodle shops. In HANOI, Vietnam, Nghiem Ngoc Thuy has been providing coffees to thirsty Vietnamese for 20 years in her colonial-style villa with peeling shutters, and she and her customers arent too worried that Starbucks will alter their time-tested coffee traditions. As quoted by Thuy, her family-run cafe in Hanoi offers prices that are affordable for average Vietnamese. Thuy further added that expensive coffee is just for the children of government officials, or people who have lots of money. A regular customer, an electronics salesman Do Thanh Tung, said he is eager to see if Starbucks coffee really is different from the Vietnamese blends he has been drinking since he was 10 years old. Tung, now 30, said Vietnamese young people will welcome Starbucks, once they get used to it. But he added that he doesnt expect to become a regular Starbucks patron because he drinks five or six cups of coffee a day, thus regular visits to Starbucks would be too expensive for him. Dang Le Nguyen Vu, whose Trung Nguyen Group owns 55 cafes in Vietnam, said he welcomes Starbucks and doesnt view the American newcomer as a threat. Vu even visualized Starbucks opening up to a hundred cafes in Vietnam in the next 10 years, but it remains questionable whether people in a country with such a low GDP per capita, and a different taste in coffee, would really accept Starbucks. Unlike China, where tea is the caffeinated drink of choice, Vietnam inherited a coffee culture from French colonizers in the 19th century. Vietnam is also the worlds second-largest exporter of coffee behind Brazil. Starbucks already operates more than 3,300 stores across 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and its entry into Vietnam marks the latest round in a campaign to attract Asias emerging middle classes despite a stagnating U.S. economy. Jinlong Wang, president of Starbucks Asia-Pacific, said the company plans to expand across Vietnam in a way that celebrates the countrys coffee culture and heritage. He had commented on an email to The Associated Press that Starbucks is looking forward to growing with Vietnams already vibrant coffee industry and making a positive impact in the communities where they operate. Vietnam has a population of about 90 million and three out of five Vietnamese are under the age of 35. Architect Tran Cao Tho,a 32-year-old architect and his friends sipped their coffees from low, wooden stools on the sidewalk as motorbikes whizzed by and street singers dropped in. Starbucks will seek to profit from surging consumer demand. Tho and his friends are part of the sizeable under-35 generation that Starbucks, the Seattle-based company, will seek to convince and switch from stronger and cheaper coffee at their neighborhood cafà © to Starbucks coffee. Tho whose morning routine includes a cup of drip coffee at Hanois Cafe Hanh said that he like his coffee black, dark and strong and that he would go to Starbucks once in a while for the ambience, but not for the coffee as the flavor is too light. According to Anthony Emms, managing partner at Stanton Emms Strategy Consultants in Singapore, which advises international food and beverage companies on Asian markets, he commented that Vietnams economy has slowed recently in part because of a problematic banking sector, but Starbucks upmarket brand will appeal to the growing Vietnamese middle class, and that he doesnt believe there is a massive barrier to Starbucks in Vietnam and further added that Starbucks is not really a coffee but is a food-service concept. He further added that more than 60 per cent of Vietnams population was born after the Vietnam War ended in 1975, and there is a strong demand among youth in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for branded clothing and accessories, regardless that the labels often are fakes, and average annual income is only about $1,500. Furthermore, other international food chains have opened stores in Vietnam in recent years, including the Australian coffee chain Gloria Jeans Coffees International, the California-based Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, and the American fast-food chains KFC and Burger King. And Nestle instant coffee which is engineered to suit the Vietnamese palette is sold widely in Vietnamese supermarkets. However, Emms said that Starbucks would risk alienating some of its potential clients if it didnt include Vietnamese drip coffee on its menus here. This would be to cater to and target at not only the younger generation but also the older and senior generation. What differentiates Starbucks from other coffee chains? (Starbucks Coffee Company) Starbucks have always believed in the importance of building a great, enduring company that strikes a balance between profitability and a social conscience. Starbucks take a holistic approach to ethically sourcing the highest quality coffee. This includes responsible purchasing practices, supporting farmer loans and forest conservation programs. They believe that by buying coffee this way, it helps foster a better future for farmers and a more stable climate for the planet. It also helps create a longà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ term supply of the highà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ quality beans which they have been carefully blending, roasting and packing fresh for more than 40 years. They share their customers commitment to the environment. And they believe in the importance of caring for the planet and encouraging others to do the same. It is their goal that 100% of their cups will be reusable or recyclable by 2015. They will also work to significantly reduce their environmental footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction. They also believe in fostering thriving communities, from the neighborhoods where their stores are located to the ones where their coffee is grown. To bring people together, inspire change and make a difference in peoples lives are all part of being a good neighbor. They also hope to contribute one million volunteer hours each year to their communities by 2015. Since the beginning, Starbucks has been a different kind of company. One which not only celebrate coffee and the rich tradition, but would also bring a feeling of connection. It is one that is dedicated to inspiring and nurturing the human spirit and committed to serving the finest coffee, creating an exceptional customer experience, and being a great place to work. Starbucks is grateful to their partners (employees) for making Starbucks the company that they are. And they are honored to be acknowledged for their efforts which earned Starbucks its awards and recognition. Today, with more than 17,400 stores in 60 countries, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. And with every cup, they strive to bring both their heritage and an exceptional experience to life. 4Ps (old) 1P (new) OF STARBUCKS MARKETING STRATEGY IN VIETNAM (Starbucks opens first store in coffee-loving Vietnam) Price Starbucks will price its products in a premium position that is competitive. According to Sara Senatore, a New York-based analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein Co, prices may still be less than the U.S. because of lower income and operating costs in Vietnam. Place Their stores are a neighborhood gathering place for meeting friends and family. Their customers enjoy quality service, an inviting atmosphere and an exceptional cup of coffee. Starbucks is also monitoring Vietnams rising coffee demand. Its first store in the country is located in one of Ho Chi Minh Citys busiest roundabouts and is near to a new Burger King restaurant and Ben Thanh Market which is the center of the citys tourist trade. People (one of the new 4Ps) Their coffee buyers travel personally to coffee farms in Latin America, Africa and Asia to select the highest quality beans. And their master roasters bring out the balance and rich flavor of the beans through the signature Starbucks Roast. Starbucks offers the finest coffees in the world, grown, prepared and served by the finest people. Their employees, whom they call partners, are at the heart of the Starbucks Experience. They believe in treating their partners with respect and dignity. They are proud to offer two landmark programs for their partners: comprehensive health coverage for eligible fullà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and partà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ time partners and equity in the company through Bean Stock. Product Starbucks offers an extensive wide range of exceptional products that customers enjoy in their stores, at home, and on the go. There are more than 30 blends and singleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ origin premium coffees and Handcrafted Beverages which include freshà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ brewed coffee, hot and iced espresso beverages, Frappuccino ® coffee and nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ coffee blended beverages, smoothies and Tazo ® teas. Their merchandises include coffee and teaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ brewing equipment, mugs and accessories, packaged goods, music, books and gifts. They also offer fresh food like baked pastries, sandwiches, salads, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits and fruit cups. Other Consumer Products Coffee and Tea include Whole bean and ground coffee (Starbucks and Seattles Best Coffee brands), Starbucks VIA ® Ready Brew, Starbucks ® Kà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Cup ® portion packs, Tazo ® tea filterbags and tea latte concentrates. Starbucks also offers Readyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Drink (RTD) beverages wh ich include Starbucks ® bottled Frappuccino ® coffee drinks, Starbucks Discoveries ® chilled cup coffees, Starbucks Doubleshot ® espresso drinks, Starbucks Doubleshot ® Energy+Coffee drinks;Seattles Best Coffee ® Iced Lattes, Starbucks Refreshersà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ beverages, Tazo ® bottled iced and juiced teas. Starbucks ® Ice Cream is also available in Superà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ premium coffee and coffeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ free flavors. Brand Portfolio Starbucks Coffee, Seattles Best Coffee, Tazo Tea, Evolution Fresh, La Boulange and Torrefazione Italia Coffee. Promotion Starbucks card members enjoy Starbucks Rewards which include complimentary handcrafted beverage of customers choice, brewed coffee and/or whole bean coffee. Members also enjoy complimentary slice of cake on birthday month. There is also a wide range of merchandize and product that is available which include bags, cups and mugs. swot Analysis on starbucks entrance into vietnam Strengths (Starbucks Coffee Company) Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees. Their coffeehouses have become a inspiration for coffee lovers everywhere. They insist on Starbucks because they know they can count on its genuine service, an inviting atmosphere and a superb cup of expertly roasted and richly brewed coffee every time. Starbucks is more than Coffee, they are passionate sources of coffee and everything else that goes with a rewarding coffeehouse experience. They also offer a selection of premium Tazo ® teas, fine pastries and other palatable treats to please the taste buds. And the music you hear in store is chosen for its artistry and appeal. People come to Starbucks to work, chat or meet up. Theyre a neighborhood gathering place which has become a part of their daily routine. It has a global recognition and good reputation for fine products and services. Starbucks has nearly 18,000 retail stores in 60 countries. The company values its workforce and treats its employers as partners. The company has strong ethical values and ethical mission statement. Starbucks has some equally impressive statistics with 41 years of experience and 3,300 stores in 12 countries in the China and Asia-Pacific region. They also have an ongoing relationship with Vietnamese coffee growers. According to the company, Starbucks already purchases a notable amount of high-quality arabica coffee from Vietnam and are working to buy more. Weakness (Starbucks enters entrenched Vietnam coffee market | SeacoastOnline.com) Starbucks will have to battle entrenched tastes, local brands, international rivals and the thousands of neighborhood coffee shops that dot Vietnams streets. Local chains such as Trung Nguyen Coffee and Highlands Coffee have more experience catering to the Vietnamese love of strong coffee. Starbucks coffee flavor is too light. Starbucks coffee may be too expensive for local consumers who need their coffees regularly each day. Opportunities (Starbucks enters entrenched Vietnam coffee market | SeacoastOnline.com) There is a strong demand among youth in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for branded goods and services. Starbucks looks forward at growing with Vietnams already vibrant coffee industry and making a positive impact in the communities where they operate. Has potential to consider co-branding with other food and drink manufacturers and also brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services. (Starbucks opens chain of raw vegan juice bars) (Starbucks opens new blend of juice bars) (Starbucks to open first Evolution Fresh juice store USATODAY.com) New markets for coffee and healthy beverages are beginning to emerge and that can be retailed in their cafes. (NaturalNews) Starbucks, the coffee shop that is renowned for its seemingly limitless coffee varieties, is opening a new chain of juice bars in response to the growing health trend towards unprocessed and whole foods. In late 2011, the coffee giant also brought out Evolution Fresh, a juice company. Health foods now represent a $50 billion industry, and Starbucks has been very open about their intention to expand into the market and establish themselves as a major player. The juice bars will offer fruit and vegetable options which can be blended according to customer preference, or in sampled and true menu options to produce natural fruit juices that are high in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, and antioxidants. Thicker smoothies can be supplemented with protein ingredients such as juiced wheat grass and nut butter, to help provide customers with a more nutritionally balanced meal. Their healthy foods and snack options which include a wide menu to support vegetarian and vegan lifestyles will also be available. Starbucks think the market demand is high enough to justify its own set of chains, not just an extra few fruit options on the menu at their coffee shops. While the market is smaller than that for coffee, Starbucks research on consumer spending trends show the increasing concern with health. Despite this being a more risky investment than those to which Starbucks shareholders are familiar with, the dollar market shares of the company are steadily rising, showing wide support for this move. Over the past few years, the fresh fruit smoothie industry has bloomed into a billion dollar industry. Customer demand can be seen in the number of people purchasing bottled mixed vegetable and fruit drinks, seeking dietary reparation or preventative health measures against a wide array of illnesses. Growing numbers of people are turning to juicing for detox solutions. According to research, there is certainly more than enough demand to support this major industry. One of the customers, Angelica R. from Salt Lake City said she cant wait till Evolution is worldwide so she could go back again. Starbucks purchase of Evolution Fresh for US$30 million last year was in line with its strategy to sell a broader range of products through its own cafes, grocery stores and other retail outlets. Threats (Starbucks enters entrenched Vietnam coffee market | SeacoastOnline.com) Vietnam is the worlds second-largest coffee producer and it has dozens of local chains as well as small coffee shops on nearly every street corner which present a major challenge for Starbucks. Starbucks will have to compete with Trung Nguyen Coffee and Highlands Coffee, a homegrown brand as well as other coffee chains that have opened stores in Vietnam in recent years and who have more experience catering to the Vietnamese love of strong coffee, including the Australian coffee chain Gloria Jeans Coffees International, the California-based Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, and Nestle instant coffee which is engineered to suit the Vietnamese palette is sold widely in Vietnamese supermarkets. Another threat is Trung Nguyens plan to enter the U.S. market which follows the companys rise to become the biggest roaster and packaged-coffee retailer in a country with a brewing tradition dating from 19th century plantations by French colonists. The chains 60 shops across the country serve Vietnamese-style individually brewed cups, along with varieties including Italian espresso and Turkish-style coffees, a mix which Vu expects to sell well in the United States as well. Vus focus on specialty beans and roasting includes a variety called Legendee created to mimic the flavor of coffee brewed from beans that are recovered from the feces of civets, a weasel-like rodent. The civet coffee is considered a delicacy. According to the companys website, the coffee roaster discovered enzymes that mimic civet digestion and developed a process to give the coffee the same magical flavor. Vu said he intends to build a coffee empire and a global brand within the next 10 years, rivaling Starbucks. He said that the company is also considering an initial public offering and the timing has yet to be decided. Vu won a medical degree before starting his roasting business. He developed Trung Nguyen from a shop he founded as a student into a coffee retailer with more than 3,000 employees. He plans to increase the number of cafes in Vietnam to 200 in the next two years. Porters 5 forces in reaction to the SWOT analysis Starbucks stability and expansion in Vietnam will be determined by external sources which include potential entrants which may also want to venture into the Vietnamese market, also by internal and external threats which include pre-existing local brands and industrial rivalries and by threats of substitutes whereby another type of beverage or service may replace Starbucks coffee and beverages. Other internal threats would include the effect of suppliers power and the buying power of the customer. (porters 5 forces Google Search) Sustainable Competitive Advantage Analysis (sustainable competitive advantage analysis | blekko) Competitive advantage is defined as the strategic advantage one business entity has over its rival entities within its competitive industry. Achieving competitive advantage strengthens and positions a business better within the business environment. In order to uphold a sustainable competitive advantage, Starbucks must achieve its value activities in a way difficult for competitors to replicate or imitate. A competitive advantage is maintained if the cumulative cost of performing the value activities is lower than competitors. A level of value must support the competitive advantage to the customer that is at least compatible to the competitors. Otherwise, a lower price will have to be charged and the net effect will be zero. A companys relative competitive advantage will depend on the type of structure the value chain of the company has versus the competitors and also the position of the cost drivers in each activity. OUTLOOK (Starbucks opens first store in coffee-loving Vietnam) (Starbucks has seen mixed reactions in AsiaLIFE HCMC) John Culver, president for China and Asia Pacific said that Starbucks plans on showing up in a way that doesnt currently exist in the market in terms of the premium products and the experience they offer. The chain will offer flavors that will be tailor-made to Vietnamese tastes along with its trademark drinks, while expanding aggressively into Hanoi and other cities. Starbucks however declined to elaborate on the number of outlets it plans to open in Vietnam. Ralf Matthaes, a regional managing director at market research and consultancy firm TNS said that Local consumers will be drawn by the Starbucks name and young people desire that modern, hip culture. He further added that Starbucks is famous and Vietnamese people want to be seen at popular places, which is very typical for Vietnamese. Vietnams coffee culture stretches back to the late-19th century after France colonized the country. According to the General Statistics Office, it exported 1.73 million metric tons of coffee in 2012, and is the worlds biggest exporter of bitter- tasting robusta. According to the International Coffee Organization, consumption of the drink in Vietnam jumped 65 percent between 2008 and 2011. Tran Doan Kim, a business management professor at National University said the coffee chain will attract young Vietnamese who like to be fashionable, live a Western lifestyle and enjoy brand names. According to the World Bank website, Vietnam had reached what the World Bank calls lower middle-income status in 2009, with per-capita income having increased more than 10-fold since the ruling Communist Party started market-oriented reforms in 1986. Gross national income per capita was $1,270 in 2011. Dang Le Nguyen Vu, founder and owner of Trung Nguyen, which operates about 60 cafes in the country, isnt threatened by his newest competitor. He said Starbucks is not worth worrying about as it doesnt sell coffee. The people who go into a Starbucks may want to show that they are modern and stylish and a coffee lover will go to them instead. Vu said Trung Nguyen, which exports coffee to about 60 countries, will expand to at least 200 retail outlets in two years. Highlands Coffee stores, with overhead music and Wi-Fi Internet, are located in prime retail and landmark locations in Vietnams largest cities. Culver said Starbucks will price its products in a premium position that is competitive. According to Sara Senatore, a New York-based analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein Co, prices may still be less than the U.S. because of lower income and operating costs. Senatore further added that Starbucks doesnt compete directly with the local coffee shops, just the same way that McDonalds or KFC doesnt compete directly with the local fast-food vendors. And there is a premium that people are willing to pay for a clean environment, for consistent products and good service. Thuan Pham, a commercial airline pilot and a Vietnamese-American who now lives in Ho Chi Minh City who goes patronizes Coffee Bean Tea Leaf in Hanoi expects to be a frequent Starbucks visitor and said he will be surprised if Starbucks doesnt succeed in Vietnam. Pham added that the cool factor is crucial and its important for young people to be seen at these places and is not about the coffee. A first time customer, Nguyen Ngoc Tram, 17 explained to Tuoitrenews that as this is the first time she tasted a US coffee brand name, she was very eager to buy her first Starbucks cup and was willing to queue for more than 30 minutes to be able to sip her Vietnamese Starbucks coffee. An hour after the official opening hour, the long line in front of the store still remained, as there were more people like Tram coming to become one of the first to taste Starbucks in Vietnam. Most of other customers are young, and those who have already experienced Starbucks in the US and other Asian countries. They said they came to see if there is any difference between Starbucks Vietnam and in other nations. One local coffee store owner, Nguyen Phi whose shop is located in the chaotic traffic in the roundabout just west of the New World Hotel and of Phis newest neighbour and competitor, Starbucks commented that they dont operate on the same battlefield and belong to two different businesses. Le Suan, one of Phis customers, agrees that while he now lives in the United States, he grew up in Vietnam and defaults to local coffee joints when he returns to his home country for a visit. He further explained that people in Vietnam drink their coffee very strong and Starbucks coffee is very light. Coffee is not just coffee but more a way of life in Vietnam. While its consumed as a morning pick-me-up in parts of the western world, its a social activity that takes place throughout the day here. Venue options, which range from mobile coffee carts to locally-owned cafes to big-but-still-local names like Trung Nguyen, are pretty much unlimited. The rest of the world has also caught on to the great flavour of the Vietnamese coffee bean and the country is now one of the top coffee exporters in the world. John Culver, president of Starbucks China and Asia Pacific, tells AsiaLIFE that Starbucks is deeply respectful of Vietnams long and distinctive local coffee culture and they know coffee is a national pride for many Vietnamese and as such, Starbucks look forward to contributing and growing Vietnams already vibrant coffee industry. The company also pledges to promote responsible business practices and production standards with coffee farming communities. While this is reassuring to some, others remain concerned, especially those whove come from areas where large coffee chains have pushed smaller operations out of business. One commenter even quipped that Starbucks is the new war face of America. So who is Starbucks targeted customer in Vietnam? Who are the patrons who would be willing to wait in long lines for that tall, grande or venti cup at a price substantially more than what they can get on the street? It would be tourists and guests of the New World Hotel and young Vietnamese, who are seeking to try this internationally-known brand and perhaps to impress others with it, who would also likely to be there as well. A customer, Nguyen Phuong said many in Vietnam know of Starbucks and want to be fashionable. She and her friend Nguyen Nga are already part of the Starbucks in-crowd thanks to jobs that often take them outside the country. On those trips, they are regular Starbucks customers who go not for a standard cup of coffee but for the specialty drinks. Phuong added that Starbucks has so many things like Cappuccino that other local coffee stores dont have. And both Phuong and Nga love the taste of Starbucks and accept the price. The key to all coffee vendors surviving in Ho Chi Minh City may come down to menu offerings. Joints like Starbucks and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf succeed at higher-priced specialty drinks, while coffee carts focus on their classic offerings at extremely low prices. The face of the countrys coffee culture is changing but back at the busy roundabout, where Cach Mang Thang Tam, Nguyen Trai, and Ly Tu Trong streets meet, one of the local coffee store, Nguyen Phi has no intention of changing his business plan. Hell keep doing what he does best and his customers will keep coming as well. John Culver, president of the companys China and Asia Pacific region, said in a telephone interview that Starbucks will grow aggressively in Vietnam and there will be hundreds of stores for Starbucks though he didnt give a time frame for the expansion. Dang Le Nguyen Vu, founder and owner of Trung Nguyen said hes ready to compete against Starbucks with a plan hes developed over the past three years. His newest cafes in Vietnam are in fact reminiscent of Starbucks, with oversized armchairs, contemporary music and a menu offering coffee drinks, smoothies and snacks. Some stores even feature shelves lined with books that customers are encouraged to browse including books that inspire and encourage young Vietnamese patrons. Vu further added that Starbucks no longer has the personality it had when it first started and that its regime will soon end and will soon be replaced. Well, it has happened Starbucks has finally

Evaluation of a Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Development Essay

Evaluation of a Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Development The basis of Freud's psychoanalytic theory was that the mind contained three parts: The Id, Ego, and Superego. He argued that the Id controlled the primal instincts such as aggression and sexual desire ('libido'), and was found in the unconscious mind. Its purpose is to gain immediate gratification, according to the 'pleasure principle'. The Id, he said, was in competition with the ego. This is because the ego, working on the reality principle, is the more rational, and conscious mind. The superego oversees the Id and ego, and creates the sense of what is right and wrong. Freud believed that the Id was innate, that the Ego developed by the age of 2, and the superego by the age of 5. This aspect of Freud's theory is supported by research carried out by Dr. Solms. In his study, PET scans illustrated that during REM sleep (where the participant was dreaming), brain activity in the limbic system (the part of the brain that controls emotions, senses and long-term m...

Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Friend Yesterday, as Martin's friends poured into town, I was struck by how many distinct sets of friends he had. Family, skaters, punks, his Swampland posse, his boys and his girls, Professors, colleagues, Ann Arbor friends, Chicago friends, cyberspace friends who'd never met him "in the flesh"... Trying to walk down the street with him was an exercise in frustration, as Martin's fans flocked to him like the Pied Piper. He was so much, to so many. One of his greatest gifts to us is each other. I remember the first time I saw Marty 12 years ago. You couldn't miss him, of course. It was Computer Science 101, a lecture hall with hundreds of students. He would skate into class 20 minutes late, flip his skateboard up onto his desk, crack open a chocolate milk and begin to drink... 200 eyes on him. Martin would turn around and give us a little wave. The thing was, and it *clearly* pissed off the Professors, he routinely scored the highest marks in the class on every assignment. Immediately I said to myself, "I need to know this guy..." So I cornered him and announced, "You and I are going to be friends..." Martin looked me up and down and said, "Uh....No thanks..." And so it began. Martin, in those days especially, had an approach to people that was at best "challenging", & at worst confrontational. Those who didn't "get" Martin brushed him off as a clown, but to those who watched, and listened, it was clear there was something extremely profound going on. Martin had an uncanny ability to see into people, to look through you, to reflect your own insecurities and hangups back at you, until you had no choice left but to drop them... and dance with him. Martin called your bluff every time... Despite his best efforts to the contrary, eventually we did become friends. I simply refused to let him go, or to let him push me away... I knew in my core that if being Martin's friend required change, well then I'd change. He was worth it... Martin was a hacker in the true MIT tradition. As a teenager, and Marty didn't often brag about this, he reengineered some communication software into what became the de facto standard for software pirates around the world. In those days he was known by his handle, the "Redheaded Freak". Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy Eulogy for Friend Yesterday, as Martin's friends poured into town, I was struck by how many distinct sets of friends he had. Family, skaters, punks, his Swampland posse, his boys and his girls, Professors, colleagues, Ann Arbor friends, Chicago friends, cyberspace friends who'd never met him "in the flesh"... Trying to walk down the street with him was an exercise in frustration, as Martin's fans flocked to him like the Pied Piper. He was so much, to so many. One of his greatest gifts to us is each other. I remember the first time I saw Marty 12 years ago. You couldn't miss him, of course. It was Computer Science 101, a lecture hall with hundreds of students. He would skate into class 20 minutes late, flip his skateboard up onto his desk, crack open a chocolate milk and begin to drink... 200 eyes on him. Martin would turn around and give us a little wave. The thing was, and it *clearly* pissed off the Professors, he routinely scored the highest marks in the class on every assignment. Immediately I said to myself, "I need to know this guy..." So I cornered him and announced, "You and I are going to be friends..." Martin looked me up and down and said, "Uh....No thanks..." And so it began. Martin, in those days especially, had an approach to people that was at best "challenging", & at worst confrontational. Those who didn't "get" Martin brushed him off as a clown, but to those who watched, and listened, it was clear there was something extremely profound going on. Martin had an uncanny ability to see into people, to look through you, to reflect your own insecurities and hangups back at you, until you had no choice left but to drop them... and dance with him. Martin called your bluff every time... Despite his best efforts to the contrary, eventually we did become friends. I simply refused to let him go, or to let him push me away... I knew in my core that if being Martin's friend required change, well then I'd change. He was worth it... Martin was a hacker in the true MIT tradition. As a teenager, and Marty didn't often brag about this, he reengineered some communication software into what became the de facto standard for software pirates around the world. In those days he was known by his handle, the "Redheaded Freak".