BBC in 1920s and 1930s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BBC in 1920s and 1930s - Essay Example [1] [3] [4] John Reith was chosen as general manager and the company later became the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1927 when it was granted a Royal Charter of incorporation and ceased to be privately owned. It started experimental television broadcasting in 1932 and finally in 1936 began commercial operation. [1] [3] [4] Since BBC was doing great, it awarded a second TV channel, BBC2, in 1964, renaming the existing channel BBC1. BBC's monopoly on radio services persisted until the 1970s. Starting in 1964 a series of pirate radio stations came on the air, and forced the UK government to finally deregulate radio services. In response the BBC reorganized and renamed their radio channels. As well as the four national channels, a series of local BBC radio stations was established. [1] [3] [4] Since the deregulation of the UK television and radio market in the 1980s, the BBC started to face greater competition from the commercial sector, especially on satellite television, cable television, and digital television services. [1] The credit of the early success of the company goes to the BBC Research Department which has played a major part in the development of broadcasting and recording techniques. In the early days it carried out essential research into acoustics and programme level and noise measurement. [1] [3] [4] The BBC is a Public Corporation operating as a public service broadca... The BBC is required by its charter to be free from both political and commercial influence and to answer only to its viewers and listeners. [1] [3] [4] Goals in 1920s and 1930s BBC was established in 1922 and its earliest goal (as with most companies) was to survive. BBC started off with its radio service, which was the first of its kind. The national service which BBC provided could only be heard by the few who had radio receivers. Therefore as beginner BBC's objective was to firmly establish itself as a known company and promote the technology to the audiences. As the technology progressed and more people got interested in the entertainment provided by BBC, the goals of the company matured as well. For the purpose of better understanding these goals are broken down into separate headings and the goals specified are presented in a chronological order. Economic goals As mentioned above, as a new company starting in 1922, the aim of BBC was to survive the initial excursion into the unknown world of radio public service. After creating the stirring in the British elite circle (because this service could only be afforded by the elites initially), the economic goal of BBC changed towards enlarging its scope and expanding into bigger markets. By late 1930s BBC's economic goal was to earn through its radio and T.V. broadcasts without interference from commercial pressures. Governmental goals In 1926 the first royal charter was given to BBC to function. This charter was an understanding to promote governmental goals as well as BBC's own goals. The British monarch used the radio to forge a link between the dispersed and disparate listeners and the symbolic heartland of

The Growth Of The Mens Grooming Industry

The Growth Of The Mens Grooming Industry Mens grooming industry is one of the fastest growing markets in recent years (Euromonitor International: Mens Grooming Products Thailand, 2009). This sector is dramatically booming in Asian countries, especially Thailand. One of the leading brands in mens grooming market in Thailand is NIVEA FOR MEN brand, operated by Beiersdorf Thailand, which is selected to be the case study in this research. To be the leading brand in this fast growing industry, NIVEA FOR MEN needs to create business plan with a very strong strategic marketing plan. In general, a business sets the overall direction for the company through a business plan. The business plan is created in order that the goals and objectives of the company are to be achieved. In other words, goals and objectives of a business are the underlying foundation of the business plan (The times 100, 2008). The marketing plan is certainly a vital part of the business plan and plays active roles to achieve the targets. The strategic marketing planning process flows from a mission and vision statement to the selection of target markets, and the formulation of specific marketing mix and brand or product positioning objective (RESTREPO, N.A.). Moreover, Kotler (1994) presents the organization as a value creation and delivery sequence. To choose the value, the strategist needs to proceed to segment the market, select an appropriate market target, and develop the offers value positioning, which is known as a vital strategy of Market-oriented perspective. It seems to be unavoidable that Beiersdorf Thailand has to come up with the marketing strategies to penetrate and to be the leader in mens grooming market by doing the right segmentation, selecting the best-suited target markets, and creating the competitive brand/product positioning. In sum, the formula of segmentation, targeting, positioning, STP strategies, is the heart of strategic marketing (Kotler, 1994). The literature review is divided into two main parts. The first part focuses on the previous work on market-oriented approach, as opposed to resource-base view perspective. The second part covers the relevant work on the process of segmentation, targeting, and positioning as well as implementation of the marketing strategy. Part 1: Market-oriented perspective and Resource-based view perspective Part 2: Three essentially related topics Market Segmentation Market Targeting Market Positioning Part 1: Market-oriented perspective and Resource-based perspective This part will specifically study on market-oriented perspective, which underlies a market power imperative, through previous academic research. There are many studies about the implication of resource-based view and market-oriented perspective for a company to be successful in terms of profitability. Also, there are discussions about what perspective is the appropriate one. According to Porter (1991), a successful company has to use market-oriented approach to study the external market and then apply to internal resources. Market orientation , according to Kohli and Jaworski (1990), requires various departments in an organization to engage in activities geared towards developing an understanding of customers needs, and then develop the products to meet target customers needs (Hooley et al., 2008). In addition, Porters (1991) work relies heavily on the pursuit of advantages which are determined by firms exogenous variables that require analysis of the competitors and opportunities in the market. In Porters (1991) theory of competition strategy, he stated that the competition strategy of a firm is to seek an advantageous competitive position in the marketplace or to build up a profitable market position by drawing on varieties of factors that are critical to being competitive in an industrial sector. Following the Porters work, a recent research from Ren, Xie, and Krabbendam (2010) also studied the sustainable competitive advantage with the market-oriented perspective, which covered market innovation. Their work strongly supported the use of market-oriented perspective, with the conclusion that market-oriented approach can lead companies to success and gain more profits. Additionally, they suggested that companies analyse various marketing factors to discover new competitive advantages in order to achieve marketing innovation. However, Prahalad and Hamel (1990) and Sharkie (2003) undertake different perspective by arguing that external focus, in the view of market orientation, which requires the company to concentrate on conditions and constraints in the external environment cannot create competitive advantage for a company. Nonetheless, the resource-based view approach is believed to somehow lead to competitive advantages as it suggests that a firms unique resources and capabilities provide the basis for a strategy. In a previous study, Grant (1991) proposed a practical framework for resource-based approach to strategy formulation. The organizing framework for his study is a five-stage procedure for strategy formulation which are 1) analysing the firms resource-base, 2) appraising the firms capabilities, 3) analysing the profit-earning potential of firms resources and capabilities, 4) selecting a strategy, and 5) extending and upgrading the firms pool of resources and capabilities. Ren, Xie, and Krabbendam, (2010) had a reservation on the use of resource-base view, explaining that resources would contribute to sustainable competitive advantage just when a firm possesses valuable, scarce, inimitable and irreplaceable resources. They stated that in the real world, not every company has the resources with all of those characteristics (Ren, Xie, and Krabbendam, 2010). Part 2: The Process of Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning 2.1 MARKET SEGMENTATION 2.1.1 Definition of Market Segmentation Market segmentation is defined as the division of a mass market into identifiable and distinct groups or segments, each of which have common characteristics and needs and display similar responses to marketing actions (Rosscraig, 2007). As the market consists of diverse types of products, customers, and personnel needs, the marketers should divide the market into distinct group of buyers in order to appropriately determine which market segment offers the best opportunity for achieving company objectives. Perner (2008) indicated that it is very unlikely that one product could meet the satisfaction of all consumers. In this perspective, a company which chose to focus on a specific group of consumers rather than customers in general would be more successful in terms of profitability. Dibb (1998) suggested that companies divide large markets into smaller segments in order to identify customers purchasing behaviors. Furthermore, Brassington and Pettitt (2003) also suggested that marketers find ways of breaking the market down into manageable parts, groups of customers with similar characteristics in terms of commonly used classifications to measure demographics, which include socio-economics, geographic and personality, and to concentrate their efforts on selecting one or more of these areas. While various literatures stated that it is essential to consider the market segmentation, MC Donald (1998) argued that market segmentation always faced the problem that many different types of customers used the same products in diverse markets. It meant that these different types of customers were in fact subsumed under the same category. Besides, Moschis (1997) also stated the problems of segmentation that the demographics change and the aging of the population change were significant factors that affected the age composition of the consumer market. Day and Wensley (1983) criticised that the market segmentation relating to the consumer market sector alone was not sufficient as it generally reflected the one-sidedness of marketing. The competitive structure was to be taken into account as it yielded the basic information on segment formation. The research from Day and Wensley (1983) concluded that the formation and selection of segments could be improved if theoretical aspects of competitor orientation are included. Dibb (1997) outlined three condition classifications which help identify potential consumers in each segment; those are as follows The expected benefits must be identifiable; Having identified these benefits, marketers must divide people into recognisable segments; One or more of the resulting segments must be accessible to the firms marketing efforts. 2.1.3 Segmentation Variables/ Market Segmentation in Consumer Markets To segment consumer markets, the market information, in terms of customer variables, product variables, and situation related variables, must be collected for further analysis. In the study of The Application of Social Class in Market Segmentation, Carman (1965) stated that social class was a major segmentation variable to divided customers into groups. However, later on in 1994, Raaij and Verhallen argued that social class cannot be used as a main segmentation variable as the society had become less vertically organised with more buying power across larger layer of society, and also concluded that social class concept had lost its unique segmentation value. They claimed that other demographic variables, such as age and education, and other psychological characteristics were more appropriate for segmentation. Raaij and Verhallen (1994)s research studied the market segments and types of people as target groups for marketing activities; market segmentation is then classified into three main levels according to the level of generality of the variables which were general, domain-specific, and brand-specific levels (figure [2-1]). Level of Variable Objective Subjective General (behavioural patterns: Person characteristics) Age Income Education Behavioural patterns General values Lifestyle Personality Domain-specific (product-class usage) Situation Frequency of use Substitution Behaviour Opinions Perception Attitude Domain-specific values Brand-specific (brand-usage) Brand loyalty (behavior) Frequency of use Action Brand Loyalty (attitude) Preference Evaluation Purchase intention Figure [2-1]: Classification of Segmentation Variables by Raaij and Verhallen (1994) However, in the late of 2000s, Rosscraig (2007) suggested that media usage and technology usage could be a concern of market segmentation approach (See Appendix [2-1]). He stated that the variables used in segmenting consumer markets could be broadly divided into three main classes including: Profile criteria: Background customer characteristics Psychological criteria: customer attitudes Behavioral criteria: Actual behavior in the market place (Figure [2-1]). Consumer Criteria Profile Psychological Behavioural Demographic Socio-economic Geographic Who and Where Lifestyle Personality Perceptions Attitudes Motives Benefit sought Why and Who Purchase/transaction Consumption/ usage Media usage Technology usage Who, How, Where, and When Figure [2-2]: Segmentation criteria in consumer markets Profile Criteria With respect to profile criteria, customer characteristics are to be examined with isolation from the specific market of interest. The profile segmentation criterion is used for identiflying the target consumers and in the consumer goods markets which are most suitable to them (Rosscraig, 2007). According to Rosscraig (2007), this simple segmentation variable includes using demographic method, socio-economic method, and geographic method. Demographic method can be determined by age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, family size, generation, and etc. This method is useful in assisting media planning and marketing communications as the media selection criteria have been developed around these variables. Socio-economic method can be shaped by occupation, income level, social class, and education. Socio-economic status determines whether a consumer will be able to afford a product. Geographic location method is shaped by geographical areas; markets can be considered by country or region, by town or size of city, by population density such as urban, suburban, or rural areas, or by postcode. This approach is useful when there are clear location differences in tastes, consumption, and preferences. Moreover, this method is widely applied with direct sales operations as they can use census information to develop better customer segmentation and predictive models. The profile segmentation approach is criticised in respect of uncertainly. While one segment is based on consumer background characteristics, members of each variable may behave differently in the marketplace for various reasons while members in the different segments may seek for the same things and have the same interest in a particular product/brand (Hooley et al., 2008). In shorts, this type of segmentation variable describes who and where the consumers are, but it does not explain the basic reasons why consumers behave so. Psychological Criteria The psychological criteria draw a casual relationship between customer profiles and marketing behavior (Hooley et al., 2008). The psychological variable includes the characteristics of attitude of the customers. Attitudes to the product class and attitudes toward brands in the market have both been used as productive bases for market segmentation (Hooley et al., 2008). According to Rosscraig (2007), psychological variables used for segmenting consumer product markets include using attitudes and perceptions, lifestyle of consumers, and the types of benefit sought by customers from products and brands and their consumption choices. The use of attitudes and perceptions aims at identifying segments of respondents who view the products on offer in a similar way (Green et al., 1989). Consumer lifestyles segmentation is based on the analysis of consumers activities, interactions with others, and opinions to understand consumers individual lifestyles and patterns of behavior (Hooley et al., 2008). In 2003, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) developed a UK Lifestyle Typology based on lifestyles and classified the following types of lifestyle categories which are belonger, survivor, experimentalist, conspicuous consumer, social resistor, self-explorer, and the aimless (Rosscraig, 2007). The most important benefits of consumer lifestyle research are for guiding the creative content of advertising (Hooley et al., 2008). The main idea of the benefit segmentation is that the company should provide customers with exactly what they want, based on the benefits that they derive from the products that they use, not based on how the company designs products for them (Rosscraig, 2007). According to Hooley et al. (2008) benefit segmentation tells the basic reasons why customers buy the products and why customers are attracted to the product offerings. Holley (1982) also suggested that the development in techniques of analysis make them particularly suitable for identifying benefit segments (Hooley, 1982). Overall, segmentation on the basis of psychological yields more useful basis for marketing strategy development than merely consumer profile characteristics (Hooley et al., 2008). It gets closer to the underlying reasons for behavior of consumers, so it should be used as the basis for segmenting the market (Hooley et al., 2008). However, there are some major drawbacks of Psychological segmentation techniques, one of which is that this techniques require often costly primary research and sophisticated data analysis techniques (Hooley et al., 2008). Behavioral criteria Doing segmentation on the basis of the behavior of consumers in the market is the most direct method of segmenting markets. Behavioral segmentation includes purchase behavior, consumption behavior, media usage and technology usage (Rosscraig, 2007). Purchase behavior approach concentrates on the time of purchase which is early or late in the products overall life cycle, and the patterns of purchase which is the identification of brand-loyal customers. This approach could concentrate on innovator segmentation, concerning with initial purchase. Marketers will pay high attention to innovator groups when new products are launched. Innovators as initial target segments can improve the products chances of acceptance on the market (Hooley et al., 2008). In addition, brand loyalty has been widely used as a basis for segmentation, concerning with the repeat purchasing (Hooley et al., 2008). A company may segment a market on the basis of how often a customer uses its products, categorizing these into high, medium, and low users, by usage rate (Rosscraig, 2007). The examination of usage patterns and volume consumed can pinpoint where to focus marketing activity and can be used to develop service specifications or marketing mixes for each of these groups of users (Hooley et al., 2008). Cook and Mindak (1984) have shown that product and brand usage has a major advantage over many other situation-specific segmentation variables as it can be obtained, in case of many consumer products, from secondary sources. It is very essential to understand and profile audience media usage in the process of communication planning (Chatterjee, Hoffman, and Novak (1998). Since 1950s the information of media consuming, such as television viewing, radio listening, and print reading, have been continuously collected. And in more recent years, web usage data has also been collected by market researchers to help profile web users, basing on usage characteristics (Rosscraig, 2007) (See Appendix [2-2]). Furthermore, according to Olney, Holbrook, and Batra (1991) and Holbrook and Gardners (1993), duration of use is critical measure of consumption experiences and is a useful behavioral indicator of advertising effects (See Appendix [2-3]). By following this method of segmenting, marketers can observe the behavior of consumers while utilising the products and media, and this segmentation can be used as an important source for new products ideas, new product design, and product development (Rosscraig, 2007). Additionally, marketers can then create appropriate communication themes for product promotion and can specify new markets for existing products after having the right behavioral segmentation. In recent years, behavioral segmentation has become more popular as marketers tend to study the consumers media usage and technology usage in order to further create successful advertising campaigns. To support this, it was asserted by Advertising.com(TM), Inc., a leading provider of results-based interactive marketing services to advertisers and publishers, (2004), that behavioral segmentation helped improve advertising campaign performance by revealing that targeting campaign delivery based on real-time user behaviour increases advertisers ROI by reaching the audience segments most likely to respond to an ad message. Moreover, Hallerman (2004), a senior analyst at e-Marketer, a New York-based research company, stated that the logic behind behavioural segmentation and targeting gets to the heart of the internets potential as an advertising medium. His opinion is hereby quoted: In todays world of audience fragmentation, its much more effective to reach individuals not by abstract demographics but through their actions online. 2.1.4 Segmentation in Male Grooming Products According to Mintel (1995), a study about mens toiletries industry, male grooming products and toiletries is a fast growing industry. In 1980s, the market of male grooming products started to be segmented with the development of products types, including male body spray and shower cream (Sturrock et al., 1998). According to Sturrock et al. (1998), in 1998, the market of mens products were divided into different categories of products based on consumers needs and uses, including body sprays, deodorants, mens shaving, fragrances, shampoo, shower cream, etc. Dunn (1995) and White (1995) studied characteristics of men who use male grooming products and concluded that men used grooming products as they want to increase self-care practice and self-concept. Moreover, Langer (1986) has prior stated that using mens grooming products helps encourage a concern to stay attractive. For consumer products, Milner and Fodness (1996) has done a research on product gender perception and concluded that specific gender of the products is critically important to the consumers when deciding to buy a particular product. In the segmentation process, Milner and Fodness (1996) claimed that gender is the first segmentation variable that most marketers apply for consumer products. The reason behind is that both men and women want to use the products that were specifically made for them. According to Milner and Fodness (1996), many consumers clearly are psychologically uncomfortable using products which do not seem made for them. Therefore, many companies, particularly manufacturers of consumer products, divided consumers into segments by using gender variables. In skin care industries, products are conventionally made for women. However, in the post modern era, a lot of skin care products are launched to serve male consumers (Sturrock et al., 1998). The products for male consumers are launched as a result of segmentation strategy which companies divide its consumer market into two broad categories, male and female markets. The benefit sought variable is also one of the best ways for companies to segment its market. This statement is supported by Kotler (1997) and Wedel and Kamakura (1998), stating that the real features of products have been considered the most actionable bases for segmentation. It is critically important that consumer products must offer real benefits to users to create product positioning (Blythe, 2005). In men face care market, companies and brands always divided consumers segments based on products features. For example, NIVEA FOR MEN offers wide ranges of facial cleansers with benefits of whitening, oil-control, wrinkle protection, refreshing skin, and moisturizing effects (Nivea Website, 2010). Loreal Men Expert offers benefits for facial cleansers which are whitening, anti-tightness, anti-fatigue, pure matte oil control, anti-regreasing (Loreal website, 2010). There are some researches showing that competitive brands have similar ways of segmentation (Dawes, 2006, and Fennell et al., 2003). In other words, competitive brands often appeal to consumers who have similar demographic or psychographic characteristics. Moreover, Ehrenberg et al. (2004) supported this statement by stating that different brands in the same product category tend to offer a similar range of product variants. 2.1.5 Loyalty Segmentation and Relationship Segmentation A focus on Loyalty segmentation provides strategic and tactic insights that will assist in building a strong brand (Aaker, 1996). It is necessary to build customer loyalty as it is a key success of growth for a business (Crosby et al., 2004). By having loyalty segmentation, a company can learn more about the profiles of loyal customers, and this leads to the focus at the highest value segment (Markey et al., 2007). Crosby et al. (2004) stated that the purpose of the loyalty-based segmentation is to seek to address the managerial questions as follows. Who are the most/least potential customers? How can customers be segmented according to the types of relationships they would like to have with the product/brand/company? Which loyalty segment should be targeted? What changes are required to instill the highest levels of loyalty among the targets? Crosby et al. (2004) affirm that loyalty-based segmentation is the complement of existing segmentation frameworks and it can also be used to discover new segmentation frameworks by starting with customer loyalty research. According to Aaker (1996), in focus of the loyalty segmentation, a market can be divided into the following groups. Non-customers: those who buy competitor brands or not product class users, Price switchers: those who are price sensitive, The passively loyal: those who buy out of habit rather than reasons, Fence sitters: those who are indifferent between two or more brands, and The committed: those who are committed to the brand, or a loyal customer. Loyalty segmentation can be very successful when the company can increase the number of customers who are not price switchers and who would pay more to use the brand while the fence sitter and the committed should be critically managed (Aaker, 1996). Especially in high competitive markets, companies should exercise best efforts to enhance the loyalty of the fence sitters and the committed by developing and strengthening the relationship between customers and the brand (Aaker, 1996 and Drypen, 2010). Research from Raaij and Verhallen (1994) indicates that the company should also segment its market by loyalty segmentation method. The results of the research shows that the company should move customers from the lowest level of loyalty pyramid which is overall total potential customers to the highest level which is the heavy buyers. The major marketing strategy is to increase the frequency and intensity of their purchases and to take measures to maintain customers for as long as possible (Raaij and Verhallen, 1994). This also highly relates to the relationship marketing which develop relationship between buyers and brand to stimulate purchasing. 2.2 MARKET TARGETING 2.2.1 Definition of Targeting The next step of the market segmentation in STP process is market targeting. It is the process of determining which segments should be targeted and made the focus of a comprehensive marketing programme. Moreover, in the process of market targeting, a group of customers are identified for whom the offering should be right, and to whom firms will direct the majority of its marketing resources, time, and attention (Cahill, 1997). Choosing the target market, before creating positioning and marketing mix, is a part of developing effective marketing strategy. In order to target the right group of customers, the firm has to study the needs and buying behaviours of customers in each segment. Then the firm will be able to develop marketing strategies that suit requirements of each segment. According to Cahill (1997), a target market is simply the market of submarket at which the firm aims its marketing messages. By specifying customer targets, the company will also know which segments are not the target groups so that the company will not make special effort to serve them. Cahill (1997) said that market targeting is essential because it forces the company to focus at the customers and the markets by determining the best fits between target customers and the product offerings. Kotler and Armstrong (2001) suggested that a firm make the decision how many and which segments to target in their market positioning and its decision should be based on a clear understanding of companys resources and capabilities, nature of the competition, and the characteristics of the market. The company should evaluate market segments by first collecting and analysing data on current segment sales, growth rates, and then determine which segment can constantly enable the company to receive the greatest opportunities in terms of profitability and market demands in order to target main customers. However, Wright (1996) denied statement of validity of market targeting by claiming that there was no logical reason to adopt target marketing. Wright and Esslemont (1994) studied the logical formulations of the target marketing argument and summarised that target marketing did not necessarily give the best overall market response and also does not constantly give superior return than other approaches such as mass marketing. The two main targeting strategies are suggested by Dibb (1997). They are concentration strategy, and multi-segment strategy. Concentration strategy is defined as a process that a company manages its marketing efforts towards a single target. When targeting to one single segment, a firm can better satisfy target customers needs and requirement. However, this strategy is not always effective and the company may face business failure if target customers demand for the products decline or shift to other segments Multi-segment strategy is described as a strategy that a company directs its market efforts towards two or more market targets. The company should then develop appropriate marketing mix to suit each type of target groups, by all together considering product diferrentiation, target price, distribution method, and promotional strategies. In brief, the step of the selection of the potential target market is very critical in creating and developing comprehensive marketing strategy. The robust competitive positioning will then be developed after the market targets are clearly identified and the requirements and motivations are fully examined. 2.2.3 Doing Targeting in Different Market Environment Marketers have to decide whether to target single segment or multiple segments in the product market; there are several factors affecting the managements targeting strategy decisions, including stage of maturity, industry structure, companys capabilities and resources, and opportunities for gaining competitive advantage (Cravens, and Piercy, 2009). The maturity is used as a basis for considering different targeting situations; the market target strategy will be varied in each market environment or stage of product-market maturity. Four different product-market stages, closely related to product life cycle (PLC) stages, include emerging product-market, growing product-market, mature product-market, and declining product-market. The strategists can use product life cycle model to analyse the maturity stage of the products and also industries in order to develop the strategies that should be implemented. Growing product-market Source: Spencer (2009) According to Cravens, and Piercy (2009), segments are likely to be found in the stage of growth in the product life cycle, as identifying customer segments with similar value requirements improves targeting. In growth stage of product life cycle, consumers tend to gain awareness of products and to understand the benefits of the product, and company will likely to expect a rapid sales growth and will also try to build brand loyalty and increase market share (Spencer, 2009). High growth markets is very attractive, therefore it can attract a lot of competitors who want to compete for market shares. Cravens, and Piercy (2009) revealed their finding about the market structure

Reye Syndrome :: essays research papers

Reye Syndrome Reye Syndrome is an extremely rare, non-contagious disease thought to be triggered by aspirin use. The actual origin of the disease is unknown. Reye's Syndrome, occasionally called Reye-Jacobsen's Syndrome, is known to follow any viral infection. Two of the most common viral infections it precedes is influenza, â€Å"the flu†, and chicken pox. A now-familiar warning on bottles of aspirin, most notably Tylenol, is not to give Tylenol to a child who is recovering from the chicken pox, a fever, or any other viral infection. The link between aspirin and Reye's Syndrome and is not fully understood, but all reported cases of Reye's Syndrome include a child who has received aspirin before infection. Symptoms of Reye's Syndrome may often be mistook for a recurrence of the flu, or extreme exhaustion. These symptoms include vomiting, confusion, lack of coordination, distorted balance, irritability, a stupor-like state, and a recent infection from a viral illness. The symptoms often begin with vomiting and progress to a stupor and near comatose state. This disease is often found in young children and infants. Over sixty percent of reported Reye's Syndrome cases occur in children under the age of sixteen, with the majority of these cases being in children under six. Although less than five percent of Reye's Syndrome cases occur in people over the age of sixty, the elderly are often the most severely affected, due to old age and weakening immune systems. Infants, while hindered by their young age, can often fight the infections of Reye Syndrome better, for reasons doctors do not yet fully understand. The severity of Reye's Syndrome is classified on a scale of 1-5, with one and two being the onset of symptoms and four and five being the most severe, with the patient being comatose. With the most severe of Reye's Syndrome cases, internal fluid builds up in the brain and there is irreversible brain damage or even death. While the disease is not often fatal, it is essential to treat the disease early. Reye's Syndrome is not contagious, but the diseases that can lead to, such as the flu, and chicken pox, are highly communicable. The first case of Reye's Syndrome was diagnosed in 1963. Looking back into medical journals, there were many â€Å"mystery illnesses† that had the same symptoms as Reye's Syndrome, but no cases were positively diagnosed as being Reye Syndrome until this date. The definitive tests for this disease are a liver biopsy and blood analysis. The liver biopsy can help determine the presence of fat and lipid formation in the liver. Upon surgical examination, the liver is slightly enlarged, firm, and bright yellow.

Chapter 17 Scarlet Letter Analysis

Mira Susa, Jennifer Welsh Mr. Jordan AP Language and Composition 19 November 2009 â€Å"Chapter 17† Chapter 17, â€Å"The Pastor and His Parishioner,† of The Scarlet Letter, starts off with Dimmesdale returning from his journey through the dark forest, upon which Hester waits faithfully for him out of the public eye, and more importantly, Chillingworth. The scene is gloomy; it is noon, however, the sun is shaded by a clouded sky and the thick foliage of the forest, transforming it into a gray twilight. The moment passes when they encounter face to face after seven years of the punishment Hester has been given. They act coldly until Dimmesdale, with fear and reluctant necessity, grabbed Hester’s hand, which broke the dreary part of the encounter. Afterwards, they sit near a brook on a heap of moss and engage in casual conversation, until they start talking about inner peace, or more specifically, whether they have any inner peace. Dimmesdale has not found any from his hypocrisy and sin. He says he cannot console others about their sins when he is sinful. Hester says he does many good works and his sin should be left behind. Dimmesdale on the other hand wishes that he has someone, a friend, he could console in and tell his sins – this would keep his soul alive. Hester claims she could be that partner, but also warns he has an enemy close to him, even under the same roof. Dimmesdale is shocked. Hester realizes what deep injury she has caused to Dimmesdale, a sensitive soul, to a point where the alienation from virtue is causing him to go mad. Roger Chillingworth is finally revealed to be a deception of goodness, and Dimmesdale sinks to the ground and buries his face in his hands in struggle. Because of the betrayal he feels, he says he will never be able to forgive Hester. Hester rebukes this by saying that he needs to forgive her because it is God who will punish. Then, â€Å"in sudden and desperate tenderness,† she took hold of Dimmesdale and placed him against her bosom, on the scarlet letter. She can’t bear to see Dimmesdale frown. After he rests on her bosom, Dimmesdale eventually forgives Hester for the reason that Chillingworth is more sinful than both Hester and him. She says that what they did had a â€Å"consecration,† revealing that it was governed and fulfilled most likely by God. Life is tough for them, but they manage to love each other. Dimmesdale, once again, cannot think for himself, and asks for advice on what to do with his current situation. Hester says for him to leave the town and return to Europe once again. Dimmesdale says he is powerless and cannot go because he can’t quit his post. Hester says he may renew his life, for life is full of trials, and that there is more good works to be done. Switch names, move on. He cries out he must die, for he can’t venture into the world alone. Then, in a deep whisper, Hester says he will not go alone. Analysis Hawthorne uses several rhetorical devices to reach his purpose – to directly relate Puritan settings and romantic beliefs through Hester and Dimmesdale’s love and forgiveness of one another. Hawthorne uses imagery and diction, metaphors and similes, foreshadowing, irony and allusion to get his point of view across. The settings of the forest are dark and gloomy even though it is only noon, which represents Puritanism, but Dimmesdale and Hester see each other in a different light, like former lovers of a different world, which represents romantic beliefs. Hawthorne uses phrases like â€Å"shadow of the woods† to further explain the setting; however, a gleam of romanticism shines when they sit on a heap of moss. He uses powerful images, such as Dimmesdale gasping for breath, clutching at his heart, to express deep emotion. Dimmesdale is described as having a â€Å"magnetic sphere† of sensitivity, and also a â€Å"†¦blacker or a fiercer frown. Hester has firm, sad eyes, and Dimmesdale is a pale, weak, sinful, and sorrow-stricken man. They sit hand in hand on the mossy trunk of a fallen tree, which represents the new growth from a hard past. As for metaphors and similes, Hawthorne uses them to express emotions. He expresses the first meeting of Hester and Dimmesdale as two ghost s, and Dimmesdale puts his hand towards Hester’s â€Å"as chill as death. † Dimmesdale describes the emotion of standing in the pulpit, being watched by many eyes towards his face, â€Å"as if the light of heaven were beaming from it! He clutched his heart â€Å"as if he would have torn it out of his bosom. † Chillingworth is put into a metaphor describing him as a poison. Chillingworth’s revenge is described as â€Å"†¦has been blacker than my sin. † Hester describing â€Å"yellow leaves will show no vestige of the white man’s tread† indicates a metaphor for change, and how he can leave his past behind. Hawthorne uses examples of foreshadowing such as, â€Å"the gloomy sky, the threatening storm, and, next, the health of each† for rhetorically effective writing. An example that includes foreshadowing, along with imagery and metaphor, reads, â€Å"†¦ while one solemn old tree groaned dolefully to another, as if telling the sad story of the pair that sat beneath, or constrained to forebode evil to come. † It describes Hester and Dimmesdale as trees groaning against another, yet describing there might he evil to come. Dimmesdale crying, â€Å"I must die here! † is another example of foreshadowing directly related to death. Irony is shown through examples such as, â€Å"That old man’s revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart. † He, in cold blood (intentionally and emotionless), has done a wrong to Dimmesdale, but also literally, in the physical sense, has in blood done wrong to Dimmesdale. It is also ironic when Hester is giving advice to Dimmesdale that he should leave and move onward towards a different world, when she herself has not done so and does not know the extent of what is to happen. Lastly, Hawthorne uses a Biblical illusion, related to the Puritans, for a romantic subject, leaving the native land. When Hester says, â€Å"Then there is the broad pathway of the sea! † it is alluding to Moses’ parting of the Red Sea. Graphic The symbol of Hester and Dimmesdale close together, up at the top of the page, is outlined in light blue to express idealistic desires because they are spirits in white in Heaven. The forest trees are black from the judgmental settings of the Puritans, but the tree leaves are red to express Hester and Dimmesdale’s passion, blood and love. The road is paved smooth but spotted and messy because of Dimmesdale’s and Hester’s past road, but is depicted orange for their future ambitions. The two hands is an allusion to Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, and is surrounded by black for the evaluation and law of sin that Adam has created in the beginning of time. The orb is a representation of the world, in which Hawthorne does not call a world but a â€Å"sphere,† which suggests that Dimmesdale and Hester have left there earth-bound world to something spiritual. They have a magical connection, depicted in purple; however, it is rung around in white to represent the holiness, peace, spirituality, and hope of their love. The fallen brown log, stated in the chapter, is represented as tradition. The moss is a representation of their fallen or seemed to be fallen, past and wrecked future, but the green moss suggests a new beginning. Quotes â€Å"It was no wonder that they thus questioned one another’s actual and bodily existence, and even doubted of their own. So strangely did they meet, in the dim wood, that it was like the first encounter, in the world beyond the grave, of two spirits who had been intimately connected in their former life, but now stood coldly shuddering, in mutual dread; as not yet familiar with their state, nor wonted to the companionship of disembodied beings. Each a ghost, and awe-stricken at the other ghost! † This quote initially explains the Puritan settings, â€Å"dim wood, coldly shuddering† to a romantic belief, â€Å"intimately connected, companionship. † This quote binds the chapter to the theme of the book – Hawthorne’s speculation of Puritanism and Romanticism developed within the story. â€Å"They sat down again, side by side, and hand clasped in hand, on the mossy trunk of the fallen tree. Life had never brought them a gloomier hour; it was the point whither their pathway had so long been tending, and darkening ever, as it stole along; and yet it enclosed a charm that made them linger upon it, and claim another, and another, and, after all, another moment. † This quote explains the entire chapter of romantic belief by describing the love between Hester and Dimmesdale’s love. It explains how they are in the worst time of their relationship, with a long and horrific past, but their mutual desire for each other keeps them with one another, asking for more. Leave this wreck and ruin here where it hath happened. Meddle no more with it! Begin all anew! Hast thou exhausted possibility in the failure of this one trial? Not so! The future is yet full of trial and success. † This quote, spoken by Hester, explains the hope of beginning anew, a romantic belief. However, it is spiritual in the religious sense by saying that as one’s life moves on, it can b ecome less sinless – there are many trials, leading to successes. Also, it explains how God wants people to love life, to do more good, and to enjoy happiness.

Factors Contributing to Christopher Columbus’ Voyage

Christopher Columbus departed Spain on August 3, 1492 for his first voyage. He stopped at the Canary Islands for a final restocking and left there on September 6. He was in command of three ships known as the Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa Maria. On October 12, they first sighted land which turned out to be a small island in present-day Bahamas (Minster, 2012a). There are various factors which influenced Christopher Columbus to undertake this voyage. He had a personal interest and determination to find a faster more efficient route to the East Indies. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella financed his voyage because they were interested in material wealth and converts for Spain. The time period in which Columbus lived also had a great influence since the Renaissance period was a time of exploration and finding new meanings for existence. Christopher Columbus examined mostly southward voyages of the Portuguese into the Atlantic and Africa and thought that one could also sail westward and ultimately reach India. This belief was also influenced by accounts he read from the travel accounts of writer Marco Polo. Columbus may have conceived this idea of sailing west to reach Asia as early as 1481 in a correspondence which he sent to Italian Scholar, Paolo del Pozzo Toscaneli. Apart from proving his theory of traveling westward, Columbus also had a personal interest on the voyage. When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella approved his voyage, Columbus would become viceroy of all the lands located and he would keep a tenth of all values found (â€Å"Thinkquest,† 2013). When Columbus sighted land, he believed he had reached the Asian islands as is evident in his self-promoted letter which he sent to the King and Queen of Spain. When Columbus developed his theory of sailing westward across the Atlantic in search of a shorter route to Asia, he first submitted his proposal in 1484 to John II, King of Portugal. He wanted the Portuguese to finance his expedition across the Atlantic. The King passed on the petition to the Royal Maritime Commission who rejected Columbus since other ships were already traveling to Africa (â€Å"Ucalgary,† 1997). Columbus then moved to Spain where he petitioned Queen Isabella. The Royal Commission first rejected his plan but he tried once more in 1492 when it was approved. Spain had its own interest in the voyage since it had a desire to spread Christianity and claim new land to expand its empire. They were also interested in the Northwest Passage which Columbus claimed since it would allow them to gather new sources of wealth such as spices, silk and gold. Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 which was the period of the Renaissance. It was a time marked by renewed interest in art, culture and exploration. As mentioned before, countries such as Spain and Portugal wanted to expand their empires and spread Christianity to new lands. This was the perfect period for Columbus to explore new lands since people began to chase secular pursuits and there was greater emphasis on human potential and human progress (Tammy, n. d. ). Knowledge became the key to understanding the world that surrounded human beings and Columbus’ voyage would directly help in increasing this thirst for knowledge. During this period there was increased trade and commercial activity, growth of cities and towns and the expansion of learning all aided in fueling Columbus desire to initiate his voyage. After landing on the island which he named San Salvador on his first voyage, Columbus sailed to other islands including Cuba and Hispaniola. Columbus returned to Spain in March of 1493 and although his first voyage was almost a failure, he lost his biggest ship and did not find the promised route to the west, the Spanish Monarchs were very intrigued with his discoveries. Spain financed three more voyages for him with the aim of establishing permanent colonies (Minster, 2012b). As can be seen there are various factors which contributed to Columbus’ voyage, including his personal interests, Spain’s interest of expanding its empire and religion and the time period in which his voyage took place. Today, Columbus is remembered for both the ‘good and the bad’ since he discovered the Americas but also opened the doors for exploitation, subjugation and slavery.

Complete Plan When Should I Start Studying for the ACT

Complete Plan When Should I Start Studying for the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re a high school student, you’re probably already feeling the pressure to take the ACT and do well on it – even if you’re just a freshman or sophomore. So when exactly should you start studying for the ACT? If you wait too long to study, you won’t get the highest score you’re capable of. But if you start too early, you might struggle because you don’t know all the content on the ACT yet. Or you might just forget things if you study over too long a period. So what’s the perfect balance? We will introduce you to the content you have to know to do well on the ACT and then give you a study plan based on your college goals. When Should You Take the ACT? In order to figure out when to start studying for the ACT, you first need to decide when to take the exam. You should aim to take the ACT in the fall of your junior year.This gives you time to retake the test in spring if needed. This schedule totally frees up your senior year for college applications, and it also gives you the first two years of high school to learn the content you’ll need to do well on the ACT. Also,taking the ACT for the first time in the fall means you won’t have to split your ACT study time with AP and IB exams, which can happen if you take it for the first time in spring. When Should You Start Studying for the ACT? For most people, we recommend beginning your ACT studying during the end of your sophomore year or the summer between sophomore and junior year. That will give you enough time to get in the prep you need to take the ACT at the beginning of your junior year. However, exactly when you begin studying depends on multiple factors, such as where you want to go to college and how many hours a week you'll be able to devote to studying. It’s up to you if you’re going to have a more intense ACT study schedule (like ten hours a week for two months) or a more gradual one, say one hour a week for six months. Your study schedule will also vary based on the type of schools you're applying to and how large a point improvement you need to make. 3 Steps to Decide When to Start Studying for the ACT Once you've decided on a rough date to take the ACT, you'll need to factor in several considerations, such as the ACT score you're hoping to get and how well you're doing on practice exams, in order to figure out when to start studying. In this section we go over the three main factors that determine the best time for you to start studying for the ACT. Step 1: Take a Practice ACT Your Sophomore Year One of your first steps should be to take a practice ACT in order to get a baseline score and a sense of how well you're currently doing on the exam. Ideally you should take this practice test your sophomore year so you have plenty of time to figure out when to start studying and develop a study plan. We have links to free and official ACT practice tests to help you get started and find your base score. #2: Figure Out Your College Goals and ACT Target Score The length and intensity of your study plan will strongly depend on your college goals and the ACT score you're hoping to get. There is a huge difference between studying for a 26 than a 36, after all. If you’re looking to go a decent in-state school, there is less pressure riding on your score than if you are set on the Ivy League. Because of that, we have come up with recommendations based on your college goals. Use the three plans below to help you come up with an ACT target score for you. Ivy League/Highly Selective School ACT Study Plan If you want to apply to Ivy League schools or other highly selective schools like Stanford and MIT, these recommendations are for you.Your ACT score goal for highly selective schools is a composite of 33 or higher – this puts youin the 99thpercentile nationwide. First of all, definitely plan to take a practice ACT early sophomore year to get your base score. Once you have a starting score,decide whether you want to study during sophomore year at a more gradual pace or use the summer for a more intensive study schedule.Also keep in mind how much you have to improve – if you score a 30 on your practice test, you won’t have to put in as many hours compared to if you a score a 25. Use the hours guide below to estimate the study time you need to put in, then come up with a study plan based on your schedule. Again, you could stretch out your study hours over sophomore year, or pack them into the summer after sophomore year. It all depends on your schedule and study style. Take the ACT for the first time during junior fall. If you fall short of a 33, keep studying and plan to retake it in junior spring. The closer to 36 you can get, the better, but breaking 33 is very important to be competitive at highly selective schools. (Read more aboutACT scores for the Ivy League.) Selective School ACT Study Plan If you know you want to apply to selective schools but you aren’t quite reaching for the Ivy League, these recommendations are for you. First,take a practice ACT as a sophomore to figure out your base score. Next, look up the ACT score ranges for your target colleges(fora guide on finding ACT score ranges, see our post). Set a target score based on the most selective school you are applying to. For example, let's say you’re applying to the University of Virginia as your top reach school.Their average ACT score is a 30.If you can achieve a score that’s competitive for the most selective school on your list, that gives you the best chance of getting accepted.So in this case, if you get a 30 on your ACT, you’ll be competitive at UVA as well as any other colleges you’re applying to. Once you have your base score and target score, you can either study over the course of sophomore year or the summer after. Keep in mind you will have to undertake a more rigorous study plan if you have a large point improvement to make (for example, going from a 22 to a 30). Finally, take the ACT in the fall of your junior year. If you are short of your goal, you can keep studying and retake it in the spring of your junior year. That will give you time to start working on your college applications after junior year and during the beginning of your senior year. Less Selective School Study Plan If you’re not trying to get into a super-competitive school, but you want to pursue the best local or in-state options, this guide is for you. First, either take a practice test as a sophomore, or you can use your Aspire data if your school uses that test, to predict your ACT score. If you seriously struggle with the practice test or Aspire – for example you are predicted to get below a 20, or you got below a 20 on a practice test – begin studying sophomore year. Otherwise, wait until after sophomore year is over and prep during the summer. How much time you put in during the summer depends on your starting score and the score ranges of your target schools. If you're really dedicated, you could bring your ACT prep with you on vacation. For example, say you’re applying to the University of Arizona as your top choice, and you got a 21 on your ACT practice test. TheUniversity of Arizona’s average ACT score is 24. That means you need to make a three-point improvement, which you can easily accomplish if you study over the summer. Take the ACT junior fall. If your score is way lower than your state school’s ranges, you can retake the test in junior spring. #3: Calculate How Long You Should Study for the ACT How many hours of study you need to put in before the ACT depends on how large a point improvement you want to make. You'll determine this by figuring out the difference between the baseline score you got from your practice test and your target score for the schools you want to get accepted to. You can use the following hours per point improvement recommendations as a starting point. 0-1 ACT Composite Point Improvement: 10 hours1-2 ACT Point Improvement: 20 hours2-4 ACTPoint Improvement: 40 hours4-6 ACTPoint Improvement: 80 hours6-9 ACTPoint Improvement: 150 hours+ (Readmore about ACT scoring here.) For example, if you scored a 26 on your practice test and are aiming to get a 29, you'd need a 3 point improvement, which would require about 40 hours of studying. This is just a starting guideline and heavily depends on how much you've prepped before, your starting skill level, and your ability to learn. If you're looking for a small improvement like 1point, you can do this by optimizing your testing strategy and possibly even just byretaking the test. But for serious improvements of three points or more, you need to learn a lot of fundamental content.Little tricks and strategies aren't enough to raise your score - you will need to learn actual material and attack your weaknesses. Think about it this way: the ACT tests academic skills that you've been learning your entire life, like how numbers work and how to read.As a high school junior, you've completed over 20,000 hours of schooling and homework.An improvement of three or more composite ACT points requires a serious retooling of your knowledge and skills. If you can't devote at least 80 hours to prepping, you will find it very difficult to make huge score improvements. Once you know how many hours you'll need to study and when you want to take the ACT, you can then figure out how many hours you want to study a week and use that to find the date you should begin studying. For example, if you estimate that you'll need to study 40 hours and you can get in about four hours of studying a week, you'd need to begin studying for the ACT about 10 weeks or 2.5 months before your exam date. What Do You Need to Know for the ACT? During your ACT studying, it's important that you cover each of the main topics tested on the exam. In this section we go over the major topics you'll be tested on in each of the ACT's four main sections. Use this information to figure out what you already know and what you still need to learn to do well on the ACT. Reading The reading section of the ACT consists of 40 passage-based reading questions. You will read four passages that cover the following topics: social science, natural science, humanities, and literary narrative/prose fiction. You'll have 35 minutes to complete the section. There are two main types of questions on ACT Reading. The first type asks you questions on what is directly stated in the reading. This could take the form of having you find significant details, understand the meaning of words or phrases, or understand the sequence of events and cause-and-effect relationships. The second type asks questions about what is implied. These questions will have you interpret details, make comparisons, determine direct ideas, and analyze the author’s voice or method. Your task is to read a passage quickly and be able to understand and interpret it. The more advanced of a reader you are and the more English courses you’ve taken, the better you will do on this section. Having two years of high school English under your belt by the time you take the test junior year is ideal. High school English courses give you practice in identifying an author’s purpose, as well as identifying techniques like figurative language. English classes also help you understand increasingly complex books and stories, which will help you decode ACT Reading passages. Any extra reading you do outside of class will also help you prepare for this section. You can read our detailed breakdown of the Reading section here. Math The math section of the ACT tests pre-algebra (including data collection and basic statistics), algebra, and some algebra II concepts. It also tests coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry. (Read a full breakdown of the section here.) Once you have taken Algebra II, you will have learned all the content you need for the ACT math section. However, since the ACT Math moves very quickly – you have to complete 60 questions in 60 minutes – you need to put in some serious studying to do well on this section. Think of it as a longer, much more intense version of those mad math minute worksheets you did in elementary school. Don’t attempt the ACT or a serious study regimen before you’ve completed Algebra II because you will struggle with the content and it will be hard to study effectively. As long as you complete Algebra II by the end of sophomore year, you will be on track to do well on ACT math. English The English section tests your writing and grammar skills. It is broken down into two main components: usage/mechanics (punctuation, grammar, usage, sentence structure) and rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, style). Read more about the English section here. The more familiar you are with English grammar rules, the easier this section will be for you. Again, two years of high school English should be sufficient preparation to do well on this section, but reading widely outside of class is helpful too. Also check out our post about ACT grammar rules to learn more about the ACT English section. Science Science on the ACT is less about knowing content – like the intricacies of cell biology or physics equations – and more about being able to read and interpret graphs, charts, experimental data, and conflicting points of view. You also need to be able to draw conclusions or predictions from data. ACT Science questions will show you a graph, chart, or experiment, and you'll answer multiple-choice questions about what the data shows or suggests. You can read more about the Science section here. Having a strong science background is helpful, but it's not required to do well on this section. As long as you're taking science classes each year that teach you about the scientific method and other science skills, you should have a solid foundation for ACT Science. Still, it will be important to do practice questions to understand what ACT Science is asking. The Bottom Line: When to Start Studying for the ACT No matter what your college goals are, you should take the following steps to maximize your ACT studying time and score: take a practice ACT sophomore year to get your starting score, begin your studying either during sophomore year or the following summer, and take the ACT junior fall. This will give you another chance to take the ACT junior spring if needed and give you senior year to focus on college apps. The intensity of your studying will vary by how selective the schools you want to get into are, and also your starting point based on your practice test. By using our hours guide above and basing your target score based on the schools you want to apply to, you can achieve an excellent ACT score your junior year. What’s Next? Are you aiming for a perfect or close-to-perfect score on the ACT? Get tips from our full-scorer about how to get there. Learn what a good/bad/excellent ACT score looks like, and get more advice on finding a target score. Get tips on writing the ACT essay. While the essay doesn't affect your overall composite, getting a high essay score is important, especially if you're aiming for selective schools. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Volcanos essays

Volcanos essays Viewing an erupting volcano is a memorable experience; one that has inspired fear, superstition, worship, curiosity, and fascination throughout the history of mankind. The active Hawaiian volcanoes have received special attention worldwide because of their frequent spectacular eruptions, which can be viewed and studied with a relative ease and safety. The island of Hawaii is composed of five volcanoes, three of which have been active within the past two hundred years. Kilaueas latest eruption still continues as of today. Mauna Loas latest activity was in 1984 and Hualalais in 1800-1801, but is likely to erupt again within the next one hundred years. East Maui, or Haleakala, one of the oldest volcanoes, has a long eruptive history and recent activity indicates that the volcano will erupt in the near future. Last but not least, the Loihi Seamount, sometimes known as the youngest volcano is an undersea mountain this is still active. Scientists now believe that the hot spots lie in the o cean, deep beneath the volcanoes. These hot spots spew out of molten rock that rises to the waters surface and hardens. After doing this for a long time, the hardened lava forms an island, like the Hawaiian islands (Volcanoes Online). The Kilauea volcano is one of the most active volcanoes on earth. Its current eruption started in January 1983, and there is no signs that the current eruption is slowing or will come to an end anytime soon. The U.S. Geological Observatory monitors the daily activities of the volcano, for example-movement of lava flows, earthquakes, surface deformation, and gas production. Kilauea has been monitored ever since, making it one of the better-studied volcanoes. Still there is much we dont understand about the inner workings of this volcano. Unlike most other volcanoes though, Kilauea is approachable. It has been called the drive up volcano because of the ease of access ...

Who Was Ida Lewis, Lime Rock Lighthouse Keeper

Who Was Ida Lewis, Lime Rock Lighthouse Keeper SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips On March 29, 1869, two soldiers and a young boy pushed a small boat into the icy waters of Newport Harbor. The soldiers needed passage to the nearby Fort Adams and the boy told them he knew how to navigate the turbulent waters of the harbor quickly and safely. The trio hadn’t been at sea for very long when a snowstorm descended upon Rhode Island. The waves became more and more choppy and soon, the boat overturned. The boy was quickly lost, succumbing to the freezing waters. The soldiers managed to grab hold of the upside down boat and clung to it, helplessly. From the shore, a twelve-year-old girl saw the capsized boat and knew immediately what she needed to do. Running to her own boat without pausing to put on her coat or shoes, the girl rushed into the dangerous harbor and rowed towards the dying men. That girl was Ida Lewis. Ida Lewis Biography Born in Newport Rhode Island in 1842, Ida Lewis was the second of four children born to Captain Hosea Lewis of the Revenue-Marine. When Ida was twelve, her father became the appointed keeper of the Lime Rock Light, a lighthouse located on a small island called Lime Rock in the waters outside of Newport. The entire Lewis family eventually moved to Lime Rock. A few months after their arrival, Ida Lewis’ father suffered a debilitating stroke. In the aftermath, Ida and her siblings took on many of the lighthouse tasks, including lighting and extinguishing the light at the very top of the tower. Lime Rock was a small island, surrounded completely by water. The only way to get supplies or to meet with other people was to row to the mainland. As a young teen, Ida Lewis quickly learned how to navigate the waters around her island, developed a reputation as the best swimmer in Newport, and rowed her siblings to school every single day. Ida became skilled at handling her heavy rowboat, much to the surprise and disgust of her community. Ida Lewis: Lighthouse Keeper or Lightning Rod? Many members of Ida Lewis’ community disapproved of her skills in swimming and rowing. They told Ida it was un-ladylike to row boats. Ida wasn’t deterred. Responding to her detractors, Ida said, â€Å"None but a donkey would consider it ‘un-feminine’ to save lives.† Undaunted by the criticism against her, Ida Lewis continued her work at Lime Rock Light and in the surrounding waters. Ida and her mother tended to the lighthouse until her father’s death in 1873. At that point, Ida’s mother became the official ward of Lime Rock until her own death just five short years later. Upon her mother’s death in 1878, Ida became the sole keeper of Lime Rock. In 1879, her role became official. With an annual salary of $750, Ida became the highest-paid lighthouse keeper in the country. Ida Lewis Rock Light Rescues The main reason Ida Lewis received such a high salary was because of her history of rescues. By the time the two soldiers rowed into her harbor in 1869, Ida had already developed a reputation for daring and difficult rescues. She saved her first person in 1854, the same year her father first came to Lime Rock Light. By the end of her long career, Ida had at least 18 confirmed rescues on the books. Since she kept no official records, historians estimate the real number is over 25. After rescuing the two soldiers from the harbor, Ida’s fame grew. Articles about her appeared in the New York Tribune, Harper’s Weekly, and Leslie’s. She received a silver medal from the Life Saving Benevolent Association and had a parade held in her honor in Newport. The soldiers themselves collected over $200 to give to Ida in thanks - a large sum for the time. Ida received recognition from the biggest names of the day. She met President Ulysses S. Grant and was visited by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other members of the Women’s suffrage movement, who saw Ida Lewis as an important figure in the fight for equality. Throughout her life, dozens of people would come to Lime Rock Lighthouse, seeking a meeting with the â€Å"Bravest Woman in America.† The Legacy of Ida Lewis Ida Lewis completed her last recorded rescue at the age of 63. She died six years later of a stroke at age 69. In the years after her death, the Rhode Island legislature changed the name of Lime Rock to Ida Lewis Rock and the name of Lime Rock Lighthouse to Ida Lewis Rock Lighthouse, which today houses Ida Lewis Yacht Club. To this day, Ida Lewis is the only lighthouse keeper in United States history to have a lighthouse service named after her. What's Next? Learning about US history? If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. One of the best ways to learn more about U.S. history is to make sure you’re taking history classes.Most high schools offer a variety of history classes,so make sure you’re taking the right ones for you. Did you know that the SAT offers subject exams, too?This article will teach you more about the SAT subject testsand help you decide whether you should take them.

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Global Warming - Research Paper Example This paper stresses that the IPCC regards the act and measures made to counter increase in temperature as mitigation and these activities include attempts made to reduce emission of greenhouse gasses and enhancement of the ability of carbon sinks in order to increase the absorption of GHGs that are found in the atmosphere. This report makes a conclusion that IPCC created a report according to which policies need to be made in order to decrease the emission of greenhouse gasses. Another method through which the effects of global warming can be offset is through the method of adaption to changes in the climate. Adaption can be conducted in three ways, it can be planned beforehand as a reaction to changes to the climate that have already occurred or climatic changes that are yet to occur. This method is still in the process of research where its costs and outcomes are yet to be figured out but this method have been adopted on small scale basis. Global warming can be countered at the individual level as well as the organizational and the state level. If individuals, organizations and state conduct certain activities they can counter the challenge of global warming. Opponents of global warming even state that activities conducted by human beings are not the major contributors of increase in emission of carb on dioxide and instead it is the natural events that are resulting in increase in carbon dioxide. They even state that it is natural for the earth to warm and cool over different time periods because of the natural process and if currently the earth is warming.

Movie Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movie Analysis Paper - Essay Example In a low-context culture, more information is in transmitting messages in order to create the omitted (RAHMAN, 2005). Amy Tan, daughter of John and Daisy Tan and was born in America after the divorce of her mothers’ first husband who turned out to be abusive. Daisy left her three daughters whom she would not see for nearly forty years, according to Joy Luck Club context (Eshbaugh, 2011). Featuring Amy as daughter in the Joy Luck movie explains more on the difficulties mothers and daughters face in communication.The theory explains that there were conflicts between Amy and her mother after the death of Mr. Tan and Amys’ elder brother from a brain tumor. Mrs. Tan and her other children moved to Switzerland, where Amy finalized her high school education. Her mother, however, choose where and which course Amy had to study as it was the culture back in China (Tan, 2012). Amy contradicted her mother and took the course of her desire after which she got married to an American. Amy explored in many fields to find her satisfaction. She is the best example of daughters in Joy Luck Club as she grew between two cultures and tries to assimilate into American culture as a young child at the expense of Chinese culture (RAHMAN, 2005). She disagreed with her mother about her career plans and education (Tan, 2012). She never met her mothers’ expectations as the mother featured her daughter as a doctor and a concert pianist (RAHMAN, 2005). Amy’s mother never got married to another man while in China and had children in the previous marriage. The act resembles the life of Jing-Mei ‘s mother, who is a character in the movie (Eshbaugh, 2011). Amy Tan brought her mother to China to meet her daughters whom she left behind. The action is again similar to that of Jing-Mei in the movie, although Jing-Mei returns alone for her is dead. According to thi s theory, mothers and daughters tend to see things from another perspective as

@the most important political fact of the nineteenth century in Europe Essay

@the most important political fact of the nineteenth century in Europe was the growth of nationalism.' (M.S.Anderson. Discuss with reference to at least 3 major - Essay Example However, nationalism became increasingly identified with conservative elements and clashed with new ideologies such as socialism. Nationalist sentiments among nation-states turned to the acquisition of territory and prestige which led them to imperial adventurism. Nationalism had much to do with the outbreak of World War I. The defeat of the Axis powers after the Great War also saw the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. Many of their former territories became independent nations through treaties after the war, and the Paris Peace Conference firmly placed the principle of national self-determination and equality among nations (Columbia Encyclopedia). Napoleon was the dominating force in Europe by the end of the 18th century. The French emperor created the Confederation of the Rhine which grouped the individual German states bringing them together for the first time. This conglomeration of formerly separate states brought about a rise in nationalism which started in the northern states. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Leipzig by Russia, Prussia, Britain and Austria, this Confederation also collapsed. Napoleon’s defeat brought about the beginning of the Congress of Vienna which was formed to restore the balance of power in Europe and ensure that France would be unable to once again expand beyond its pre-war boundaries. The countries who participated in Leipzig were the principal players in the Congress of Vienna. Lands which formerly formed part of the French Empire were partitioned among the victorious powers. Prussia traded the Grand Duchy of Warsaw for Saxony with Russia. The other powers became anxious w ith the growing power of Prussia, and so it agreed to take only two-fifths of Saxony to prevent the formation of a coalition against it by the other powers. The Coalition then created the German Confederation which was similar to the Confederation of the Rhine, under the leadership of Austria. The four

1 page for Leaflet about Bikesharing system already prodived your Assignment

1 page for Leaflet about Bikesharing system already prodived your examples - Assignment Example The message will be delivered to the market in different venues. This tends to aid in event awareness, on the healthy wise, the bikes are simple way of exercising they are propelled manually, this give a rider work out. This is advisable since its makes muscles flexible and burn out unwanted fats in the body. Our biking systems are so simple, easier and convenient way. They don’t disrupt pollution is either way neither through air nor land. This system is environmental friendly. It’s also requiring less skills and knowledge in its operation. This makes the user feel easier and smoother while using the system. It gives the free service on its users. Affordability is a major bit in this system. The prices are meant to suit different consumers financial capabilities. Its spare parts are also readily accessible, leading to easier and faster maintenance. Consumers are able to acquire the bikes at their best prices in the current market, enabling even lower and middle leveled class to enjoy the system. The bikes come with full package. Including, free registration numbers. These minimize bureaucracy involved in the process of registration, saving time and the extra costs occurred in the process. It gives riders free time to start enjoying its products on immediate basis. It enables the user to get full access of the holding documents, to provide full ownership of the bike. The authority will have the knowhow about the legal owner of the products, in case of

Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Decision Making - Essay Example I highly appreciate your hard work and tolerance in this organization. The organization committee has invented viable contingent plans and strategies to deal with the economic downs that are anticipated to hit our organization. This is to ensure that every employee within our organization is catered for during this challenging moment. Therefore, you should not worry about it because measures are in hand to ensure everything runs smoothly and nothing goes amiss. I urge you to focus on your jobs and think less about the anticipated layoff, because this is a problem that shall affect the entire nation. You should know that, this is just anticipation, and no one is certain if it will occur. The organization values every one of you and when faced with such circumstances, sometime we are forced to consider dismissing some employees in order to survive the economic hardship. This does not mean that the layoff is permanent, but, immediately we surmount over the hardship, the organization sha ll call them back. The organization shall ensure that the layoff is done fairly and on merit basis. That is to say, your hard work shall determine your stay in the organization during the layoff. I urge you consider the layoff necessary because this will help the organization minimize the costs incurred, and it is difficult to strain through the hardship and survive the economic upheavals. In ensuring that minimal effects are experienced, the organization has viable plans to relocate some of the employees in our friendly organizations. I hope that you will bear with the situations and understand that the situation is pushing us to this extent, otherwise all of you are great employees and your work is greatly appreciated. I know all of you are very stressed right now, but I assure you that this are only preventive measures that the organization is taking and will only apply if the situation worsens. In case the layoff will push through I promise that it will be fairly done, but we be lieve that the economic downfall will fade away so that we may not have to reach that level of layoff. Am deeply concerned with the gloomy faces you are portraying and I wish to urge you all not to be stressful in any way as everything will be alright in near future. Interact freely and share ideas among yourselves and be free to forward them to the administration for more consideration. I want also to stop the spirit of fear among you and urge you to speak out in case you have any complain, an idea or a suggestion. Stress and fear will not help us in any way at this difficult time that the economic downfall has hit our company. We need to focus our minds to ensure that it is handled before it worsens and pushes us to harsh measures like layoffs. We should take advantage of the situation to invest even more in the quality of our services. The administration also urges you all to input more effort as you all can see the tough times that we are in. We urge every one of you to accept w hole heartedly all the measures take to tackle this situation. The organization is promising that it will not tighten the working schedules but, all of you are being urged to deliver quality services at this hour of need. We believe that in the near future this terrible crisis will be

The Hope Athena Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Hope Athena - Essay Example Although Athena was a Greek goddess, the Romans adopted her as one of their own, renaming her Minerva and adopting many of the legends regarding her and her abilities. Her importance to her new society can be seen in the intricate detail of the copyist to remain true to the Greek original.  Athena was a very powerful Greek goddess who epitomized everything the Greeks admired, intellect, wisdom, strength, courage, strategy and more. â€Å"With a battle cry that resounded through the kingdom of heaven and earth, she springs from the head of Zeus. She is one of the most powerful forces on Mount Olympus, representing war and the immortal spirit of wisdom. Athena embodies the matriarchal goddess, a complex figure of internal strength and reflection. She is a powerful source of interpretation for the idea of the goddess as a balance between nature and humanity† (Ortengren, 1998). As a goddess of military strength and protection, she is often depicted in battle, such as in the scen es featured on the Parthenon, or ready for battle. The statue the Hope Athena is believed to be modeled after is believed to have once held a spear in her one hand and a Nike, â€Å"a winged personification of victory†, in the other (Lansberry, 2005). Experiencing the statue in person does little to solve the mystery of her handheld iconography. The details of what the Hope Athena might have held can only be conjecture as one of the first things noticed about her is the fact that she is missing her arms. The scars marking where they once were do suggest that one hand was held out in front of her, as if holding something in the palm of her hand, and one arm might have been stretched to the side somewhat, as it would have been if holding a long spear. There is another evident damage to the statue as well.

Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Decision Making - Essay Example I highly appreciate your hard work and tolerance in this organization. The organization committee has invented viable contingent plans and strategies to deal with the economic downs that are anticipated to hit our organization. This is to ensure that every employee within our organization is catered for during this challenging moment. Therefore, you should not worry about it because measures are in hand to ensure everything runs smoothly and nothing goes amiss. I urge you to focus on your jobs and think less about the anticipated layoff, because this is a problem that shall affect the entire nation. You should know that, this is just anticipation, and no one is certain if it will occur. The organization values every one of you and when faced with such circumstances, sometime we are forced to consider dismissing some employees in order to survive the economic hardship. This does not mean that the layoff is permanent, but, immediately we surmount over the hardship, the organization sha ll call them back. The organization shall ensure that the layoff is done fairly and on merit basis. That is to say, your hard work shall determine your stay in the organization during the layoff. I urge you consider the layoff necessary because this will help the organization minimize the costs incurred, and it is difficult to strain through the hardship and survive the economic upheavals. In ensuring that minimal effects are experienced, the organization has viable plans to relocate some of the employees in our friendly organizations. I hope that you will bear with the situations and understand that the situation is pushing us to this extent, otherwise all of you are great employees and your work is greatly appreciated. I know all of you are very stressed right now, but I assure you that this are only preventive measures that the organization is taking and will only apply if the situation worsens. In case the layoff will push through I promise that it will be fairly done, but we be lieve that the economic downfall will fade away so that we may not have to reach that level of layoff. Am deeply concerned with the gloomy faces you are portraying and I wish to urge you all not to be stressful in any way as everything will be alright in near future. Interact freely and share ideas among yourselves and be free to forward them to the administration for more consideration. I want also to stop the spirit of fear among you and urge you to speak out in case you have any complain, an idea or a suggestion. Stress and fear will not help us in any way at this difficult time that the economic downfall has hit our company. We need to focus our minds to ensure that it is handled before it worsens and pushes us to harsh measures like layoffs. We should take advantage of the situation to invest even more in the quality of our services. The administration also urges you all to input more effort as you all can see the tough times that we are in. We urge every one of you to accept w hole heartedly all the measures take to tackle this situation. The organization is promising that it will not tighten the working schedules but, all of you are being urged to deliver quality services at this hour of need. We believe that in the near future this terrible crisis will be

Land Economics and Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Land Economics and Planning - Essay Example The paper suggests and recommends some proposals to be followed in this scenario.More and more people from the rural areas are beginning to turn up in the urban areas for the better employment opportunity. This is the â€Å"pull† factor, which attracted people from the villages to come to towns and cities. Subsequently, there were also â€Å"push† factors in the form of change in land reforms and the development of capital-intensive techniques of agriculture. This has created an explosion of urban population in the recent years. As the population increased, the need for appropriate infrastructure to support these people became a necessity. It is a known fact that cities have traditionally enjoyed more economic advantages because the facilities for industrialization like transportation, communication etc. is available here. (Balchin, Isaac & Chen,2000, 2000; pp 1-6). The retail park to be set up will house various retail stores and supermarkets under one roof. This will lead to more employment opportunities for the people in the town. Various retail stores will open up in the area providing for more investment from the companies in the development of the town. As it will be set up in the heart of the town, that would mean the availability of communication from all parts of the town. Subsidiary industries will be opened up to support the new activity in the town. In short, the whole economy will get a facelift using land as a resource. On the contrary, the town center is one of the areas, which lies in the pivotal position of the town. It lends to the beautification of the area with greenery and parks. To set up a retail park would mean the destruction of these places, which are treasured by the citizens. The town will be devoid of the greenery. The construction of a retail park would also mean the setting up of various subsidiary industries, which would increase the pollution.  

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Ziv Siegl founded Starbucks in 1971. Their goal was to sell the finest quality whole beans and ground coffees (Starbucks timeline and history, 2004). In 1982, Starbucks had grown to five stores and started serving coffee to restaurants and espresso bars. Harold Schultz was employed as the director of retail operations and marketing. Harold Schultz convinced the founders of Starbucks to open a downtown Seattle coffee bar, which opened in 1984. With the success of Seattle coffee bar, Schultz left Starbucks to start his own company named Il Giornale. In 1987, Il Giornale acquired Starbucks retail operations for 4 million dollars. In addition, Il Giornale changed its name to Starbucks Corporation and open locations in Chicago and Vancouver, B. C. (Starbucks timeline and history, 2004). Starbucks continued its expansion throughout the late 1980 and beyond. In 1991, Starbucks became the first privately owned U. S. Corporation to offer stock options to part time employees (Starbucks timeline and history, 2004). In the early 1990s Starbucks started setting up coffee shops in Nordstrom?  ¦s department stores, Barnes Noble bookstores and ITT/Sheraton hotels. In 1995, the corporation began selling compact discs and formed an alliance with the Canadian bookstore, Chapters Inc. In 2000, Schultz promoted Orin Smith to the position of CEO. Schultz remained chairman for the corporation. This allowed Schultz to focus on Starbucks?  ¦ global strategy. Starbucks operates and licenses more the 7,500 coffee shops in more than 30 countries. Coffee Industry In the United States, coffee is the second largest import (Roosevelt, 2004). Furthermore, the United States, consumes one-fifth of all the worlds?  ¦ coffee (Global Exchange, 2004). The present industry is expanding. It is estimated that North America? ¦s sector will reach saturation levels within 5 year (Datamonitor. n. d. ). According to National Coffee Association (NCA), 8 out of 10 Americans consume coffee. In addition, it is estimated that half of the American population drinks coffee daily. The international market remains highly competitive. It is estimated that 3,300 cups of coffee are consumed every second of the day worldwide (Ecomall, n. d. ). The latest trends included dual drinkers, an increase in senior citizens consumption and a shift in consumption away from home. There has been a significant increase in the consumption of dual drinkers (NCA, 2004). Dual drinkers are people who drink both traditional coffee and gourmet coffee. According to NCA, 54% of America?  ¦s coffee drinkers are dual drinkers. Gourmet coffee is experiencing substantial growth with senior citizens. According to NCA, senior citizens coffee consumption leaped from 9% to 13%. Another trend is coffee consumption is moving outside the home. Coffee consumption away from home increased by 6%. Mission Statement The current mission statement is ?  §Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow. This mission statement fits well with the general direction and the future strategies of Starbucks Corporation. Principles The following principles compliment both Starbucks mission statement and their strategies. Our recommendation is to keep the current mission statement and principles. ?aProvide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. ?aEmbrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. ?aApply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee. ?aDevelop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. ?aContribute positively to our communities and our environment ? aRecognize that profitability is essential to our future success. SWOT Analysis StrengthWeakness ?aFinancial Resources ?aGlobal Presence ?aBeverage Innovator ?aReliance on US Domestic Markets ?aReliance on Beverage Innovation ?aInternational Expansion Problems OpportunitiesThreats ?aInternational Operations ?aContinued Growth of Gourmet Coffee Market ?aExpanding ? V Unit Clustering ?aSupply Risk/ Dependence on Trading Companies and Exporters ? aUS Market Reaching Saturation Levels ?aCompetition Internal Strength. A few of Starbucks strengths included strong financial position, name recognition and being creative beverage innovators. Starbucks has reported revenue from January to July 2004 as 409 million dollars, which gives the company a strong financial position. Starbucks has a strong global presence from its many stores and licensees units, which has made Starbucks a household name. Starbucks is known for their creative innovations of beverages. Starbucks is not afraid to experiment and test new drinks in their stores. Some of the beverages introduced are Fappuccino Blended Beverages or Iced Shaken refreshments. Internal Weakness Some of the weakness the corporation faces includes international expansion problems and dependence of the United States markets and beverage innovations. The corporation was forced to close a number of stores. These stores failed to entice potential customers and Starbucks was forced to end a joint venture due to the lack of success. Starbucks has a dependency on beverage innovation and US markets. It is estimated that 85% of the corporation revenues come from the United States (Datamonitor, n. d. ). Starbucks contributes its growth based on beverage innovations (Datamonitor, n. d. ). External Opportunities One opportunity deals with clustering its business units. Starbucks uses clustering to ensure domination in chosen geographical areas. This practice allows Starbucks to bring conveniences to customers and at the same time preventing new business from entering the market. The last two opportunities are profitability of international operations and the expected growth of the specialty coffee market. The profitability of international operations and the expected growth will give the company greater leverage into the world market and will promote new market expansions. External Threats. One major threat is the lack of superior coffee beans. The expansion of Starbucks operations and limited quantity of superior coffee beans may result in a shortage of supply. Other factors, which could affect the coffee beans, are weather, political and economic conditions. Organizations like Fair Trade could change or alter the coffee industry. Another threat to Starbucks is the dependence on trading companies and exporters for their supply of superior coffee beans. Although Starbucks has limited the risk by paying above average prices for the superior coffee beans, the risk is still there. The last threats are competition and market saturation. The success of the coffee industry will attract more competitors. A competitor with a serious financial backing and resources could compete against Starbucks (Datamonitor, n. d. ). It is estimated that if the current market growth continues saturation levels will be reached in five years (Datamonitor, n. d. ). Customer Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction is defined as the measure or determination that a product or service meets a customers expectations, considering requirements of both quality and service (www. eglin. af. mil/46tw/StrategicPlan/glossary.htm). A customer?  ¦s expectations of product quality, service quality, and price, then a firm will achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. On the other hand, if the customer?  ¦s expectations are not met, the customer will be disappointed and this is likely to lower the satisfaction level. Due to lowered satisfaction, the customer could choose to stop buying from the firm/company. There have been many studies done that have shown that high customer satisfaction increases the likelihood of corporate profitability. It also showed that the costs incorporated with keeping an existing customer are five times that of getting new ones The Starbucks Customer The Starbuck?  ¦s Corporation is the leading retailer in the coffee industry. The market size of the coffee industry in the United States for 2003 is near 18 billion. The company?  ¦s sales have increased 23. 9% in the year 2003. These statistics show how many people in the U. S. are drinking Starbucks coffee. Starbucks attracts a cult-like following, serving 25 million drinks a week at nearly 7,000 locations worldwide. At one time or another, just about everyone has been a customer at a Starbucks retailer. Based on research done on the Internet, we have identified who the typical Starbucks?  ¦ customer is. A typical Starbucks customer is a male or a female, age ranging from 18 to 55. In most cases, the Starbucks?  ¦ customer is a college student, businessperson or someone in their mid to late fifties. A Starbucks customer tends to be very loyal to the company and will not accept substitutes. The usage level of a typical customer is at least three times a week, for some; it is every day. The benefits sought by customers range from enjoyment, relaxation, energy, and reward. Those who are not in a hurry like to sit down for a cup of coffee, listen to the relaxing songs played at the shops, enjoy a conversation with a friend, or just way to be alone and study. Another important characteristic of a typical customer is that most of the customers are financially stable enough to be able to afford to spend at least $2. 50 for a small cup of coffee. A typical Starbucks?  ¦ customer spends and average of $40 to $65 a month for coffee drinks. However, there are many customers who spend well over $65 a month. Improving Customer Satisfaction According to Schultz, ? §our success is based on their continued trust in our people and our environment over long periods of time. Redefining the industry youre playing in doesnt just mean hiring an agency to think up a fancy new slogan. To make it work, you have to offer high-quality new products and services that customers actually want, and that will reinforce the value offered by your core brand and expand the emotional connection your customers feel with it ( www. fastcompany. com from Issue 84 July 2004, Page 50 by:Alison Overholt). To continue the success that Starbucks had over the years, there must be ways to measure the customer? ¦s perceptions of the company. The customers are what make Starbucks what it is today, and to keep them we need to know what they expect from us. Based on research done on starbucks. com, it is evident that Starbucks values their customers. On the main page of the website there is a link to Customer Service; here the customer can ask questions or leave comments. This tool could be much more beneficial to the company if questions and/or comments could be asked by the customer. In the area of questions/comments-there is a drop down list of freqeuntly asked questions/comments, from this list the customer must pick. There could be many times when a customer has a question/comment, but it is not included on this list. The idea of having this link makes the customers feel that their opinions are valued, but there are a few areas that could be improved on that would be much more beneficial to the company. It is important that Starbucks asks for the opinions of their customers, but why only offer this online? Even though we have become such a computer savy world, there are still many people out there that are not computer literate. Many do not have access to computers, or some just do not know how to use them. This does not mean that these people don?  ¦t drink Starbucks coffee. To increase overall customer satisfaction, we should also incorporate a general product/service survey or some type of comment card in the retail stores. Surveys may seem tedious at times, but to help us find out information that could help our company in the long run, it is worth it. Surveys will give us an idea of how we can improve our product and service to satisfy the customer. Typical customer surveys are designed to measure: ?aOverall satisfaction ?aProduct-level satisfaction ?aImportance vs. satisfaction ? Timeliness of delivery ?aCustomer service process satisfaction ?aReturns and exchange process satisfaction ?aInterest in new potential products and services Included is sample survey that could be used to get a general idea of how our customers feel about our products and services. The main goal to achieve customer satisfaction needs to be: to find ways to deliver a great customer experience around your product or service. Customer expectations may be set, the idea is to exceed those expectations that they might already have. The recipe for a great cup of coffee includes four fundamentals, proportion, grind, water and freshness. Using the right proportion of coffee to water is the most important step in making great coffee. The shorter the brewing process, the finer the grind. The amount of time the coffee and water spend together affects the flavor elements that end up in your cup of coffee. Using fresh, cold water heated just off the boil is perfect for extracting the coffee?  ¦s full range of flavors. Use fresh ground coffee by grinding beans each time you brew the freshness is preserved. Starbucks quality is dependent on trading companies and exporters for its supply of green coffee. The company is looking to secure long term supply contracts, and in some cases has had to pay inflated prices in order to obtain such contracts. Starbucks responded to world coffee prices reaching 30-year lows during fiscal 2001 by offering suppliers more money to guarantee supply, and as such the risk of non-delivery on such purchase commitments is low. However, the nature of the business dictates that the company?  ¦s dependency on suppliers does put it at risk. Starbucks quality is at risk to the volatility of the supply and price of coffee. The company?  ¦s search for the superior standard coffee mean in can be adversely affected by multiple factors in the producing countries, including weather, political, and economic conditions. In addition, green coffee prices have been affected in the past, and may be affected in the future, by the actions of organizations and associations that have in the past attempted to influence prices of green coffee through agreements establishing export quotas or restricting global coffee supplies. The actions of these associations could cause a degree of costly disruption to Starbuck?  ¦s operations. Purchasing Guidelines Starbucks has also introduced coffee purchasing guidelines. The goal of these guidelines is to support Starbucks commitment to purchase coffee that has been grown and processed by suppliers who meet environmental, social, economic, and quality standards. Global coffee production can only be sustainable if it is economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally sensitive at all levels of the supply chain. Over the past few years Starbucks has been working on the sourcing guidelines and they feel that is an important step that will help increase the production of high quality coffee and improve the health of the specialty coffee industry. With these guidelines, Starbucks is taking a leadership role in addressing the environmental and social issues surrounding the global coffee industry. This initiative is part of a long-term partnership between Starbucks and Conservation International to promote methods of coffee production that help to conserve global biodiversity. To launch these guidelines, Starbucks will enlist the support of coffee suppliers who are sustainable advocates. Starbucks has instituted a flexible point system that rewards performance in sustainable categories. Points will be accrued based on a supplier?  ¦s ability to meet sustainability guidelines, and suppliers who earn more points in the program will receive higher purchasing preference when Starbucks purchases green coffee. Starbucks has a long-standing practice of paying premium prices for coffee, and has always paid an average of at least $1. 20 per pound. As part of this practice, Starbucks will provide additional premiums of up to ten cents per pound to vendors based upon how well their coffee samples meet the standards. These financial incentives will help defray the costs incurred by participating suppliers. Suppliers wishing to participate will be required to provide independent, third party verification of their performance against the guidelines. Starbuck?  ¦s hopes that the success of this program demonstrates to the rest of the coffee industry that they can benefit by producing coffee in a way that protects global biodiversity and improves the livelihoods of coffee farmers. The Three Keys to Quality Coffee The three keys to quality coffee are: 1)Quality Green Arabica Coffee The best coffee beans produce the best cup of coffee. 2)Fresh Roasted Great tasting coffee relies on how soon the coffee is brewed, and consumed after roasting. For coffee to be fresh, and best, it must be consumed within five days after roasting, three hours of grinding, and fifteen minutes of brewing. The first sign that coffee is stale is a bitter taste. 3)Proper Brewing ? V Temperature and time, brewing is the extraction of coffee flavor oils from the roasted grounds using water. The best temperature for optimum extraction is water just off the boil (195 degrees to 205 degree Fahrenheit). This temperature will extract the full range of flavors from fresh roasted beans. Time is a function of brewing method and grind size. There are many ways to brew good coffee. Steeping and espresso are the two best methods. Financial Analysis Total net sales for Starbucks Corporation were analyzed for 2001, 2002, and 2003. The company had a total net sales increase of $639. 9M between the years 2001 and 2002. Another net increase of $786. 6M in sales occurred between 2002 and 2003. This is a positive sign because in a growing company, of course, we would expect a consistent increase in sales. A result of the increase in sales in part is due to a recent innovation of drive-throughs being added for the convenience of its many customers. Net income increased substantially to 215. 1M in 2002. This was due to the boom in sales and good control of its cost of goods sold. Net income increased to $53. 2M in 2003. The coffee giant acquired Seattle Coffee Company from AFC Enterprises for $72. 0M in 2003, as well. Income from operations took a boost up from $281. 0M in 2001 to $318. 7M in 2002, a difference of $37. 6M. Income from operations saw a considerable upturn of $424. 7M in 2003. In a growing company we would expect income from operations to grow from year to year. Cost of sales continued to increase $237. 2M between the years 2001 and 2002 and it peaked again $335. 9M between 2002 and 2003. This is normal when sales are increasing significantly. Management Strategies From cappuccinos to lattes to just regular coffee, the quality of Starbucks fine coffee beverages is worth the cost in dollars. An article from the Internet stated ?  §At $43 in mid-June, a share of Starbucks (SBUX) cost 47 times what Wall Street analysts expect the coffee-shop chain to earn per share this year. The typical stock in the SP 500 index trades at just 19 times earnings (Rosato, D. , 2004, p. 124). The article continued to state that management is projecting Starbucks earnings to grow to 20% every year for the next three to five years. With an amazing growth rate like that its no wonder that their growth far exceeds the typical SP stocks growth rate by as much as three times. Starbucks has a very strong balance sheet. It has little long-term debt and $380. 0M in cash. It continues to expand its long-term assets and finances them from its own cash flow. If a company is in a state of expansion, we would expect long-term assets to increase. The total current assets for the year ending September 29, 2002 for Starbucks Corporation were $847. 5M. For the year ending September 28, 2003 total current assets grew $76. 5M. This gives us a good indication that the company is expanding. Inventory increased from $263. 1M in 2002 to $342. 9 in 2003. In a growing company, we would expect inventory to increase. An article in the Internet stated that in November 2001, Starbucks offered their own Starbucks card. It was a convenient way for coffee drinkers to pay quickly and easily for their morning cup of coffee (Kuykendall, 2004, p. 7). Starbucks sold roughly $18. 0M of these gift cards. This strategy is a great way to increase volume and unlike other cards Starbucks said, ?  §It had never charged the fee noted on its cards $2 a month after on year ? V to anyone (Kuykendall, 2004 p. 7). Another vision to increase its financial strategy was the introduction of the Duetto combo prepaid/credit card in late 2003. An article on the Internet stated how the Chicago based Bank One Corp. called Duetto worked with Starbucks to generate a program where cardholders would receive rewards based on their spending habits. Starbucks conducted a survey to determine the gift that was most attractive to customers and Colette Courtion, director of Starbucks Global Card Services stated, ?  §Duetto cardholders receive a one-time $10 ?  §preload and 1% in so-called Duetto dollars that are automatically loaded on the stored-value side each month for every Visa purchase made. Starbucks also donates $5 to the Starbucks Foundation, after every customer?  ¦s first Starbucks Card Duetto Visa purchase (Martin, Z. , 2004, p. 22). A half-pound of coffee was one of the great appealing rewards, as well. Bank One and Starbucks were very well pleased with the markets positive response to the Duetto card. We are in agreement with these financial strategies and as a team, we concur that Starbucks Corporation should continue the card services as a strategic process that gives their company a great competitive advantage. A key strength of Starbucks is being a disciplined innovator. Frappuccino blended beverages and iced refreshments were new innovations and helped the growth of Starbucks. Starbucks should continue coming up with new kinds of beverages, as that is its core product. Perhaps a vegetable drink that is geared more toward the healthier population like a low calorie, low fat, and low sugar carrot drink that is actually providing the body with good vitamins and minerals. According to information retrieved from the Factiva database, Starbucks Price/Earnings ratio in the last twelve months was 56. 9 and its current ratio was 1. 8. Starbucks is on the right track with their strategies and they have done such an excellent job so far that we believe these strategies will continue to bring revenues for many upcoming years. Growth Starbucks Corporation has a good strategic growth plan currently to enhance their business and gain market share over their competitors. In this section of the report, it will go over Starbucks current ideas about their growth and give different recommendations in how some other ideas may increase their current and future growth. In the current high completive coffee market Starbucks has a good market share and are opening location across the world. Starbucks have opened their location in markets before any of their competitors has any of their location even around that market. Starbucks has a global brand name over their competitors. Starbucks Corporation has roughly 7,500 retail locations across the world, with majority are owned and operated in the United States of America. Starbucks currently has locations across 30 different countries to set their business in the market before any competitors due. Even with Starbucks aggressive move to open many locations across the world they have very little profit with their business. The reasons that Starbuck?  ¦s profitability is low because they?  ¦re trying to cease the market first. In the fiscal year of 2003, the company has a total of nearly 1,300 licensed retail stores, with 1,000 in Asia-Pacific region, 176 in Europe/Middle East/Africa and the remainder in America, excluding North America (Canada, Hawaii, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru and Chile). Starbucks is headquartered in Seattle, derives approximately 85% of its revenues and substantially all of its profits from its domestic US market. The US market is the market that gives them the most profit of all markets. Starbucks started most of their locations at cold states based that more coffee drinkers live in cold states. With the new innovation of the cold flavored coffee drinks increased their chance to open more location in warm clement locations. Even with the rapid growth of coffee businesses in the US Starbucks has a large market share and with any change the Starbucks may due their competitors looks to target. Starbucks looks to enhance their brand image in the US market to increase their product sales from the stores that carry Starbucks coffee drinks, like Seven Eleven that carry only Starbucks coffee only. Starbucks reliance on the beverage innovation is important for the Starbucks future growth. With the increase for coffee store based on the need for coffee because of the new flavors, coffee market is growing but Starbucks looks to bring a new innovation to the market. The only problem at hand would be how long will the need and growth of the market last. In the international markets need less innovation then the US market based that there are less competitors in the market. International markets may need to have certain products for their taste. Most often different countries have different customs and life styles that could change the need for each custom. By the fiscal year of 2004, Starbucks international market will achieve profitability. About 23% of the company?  ¦s stores locations that are profitable are located in North America markets that include UK and Japan. Currently the specialty coffee sector accounts for 15% of the US retail market, and which is already worth $21 billion. By 2005, the retail coffee market will be worth $22 billion, and the specialty coffee will account for 41% of the market. Also Starbucks are looking to invent a coffee ice cream and ice cream coffee drink. All of the ice cream has many different flavors and if the newly product takes of like it?  ¦s planned on doing. The specialty coffee products are now sold even at retail store based on the growing need for it. Starbucks is looking to open coffee and ice cream combined stores in start a new market. Starbucks currently sees that more and more coffee business are opening threw out the US by small business owners, so Starbucks is selling more stores to lessen the opening of small businesses. Starbucks feels that if they sell their name that more small business owner would rather have a well-known name to enhance their chances in doing well. Starbucks owners will learn and gain from the innovation and marketing ideas that Starbucks will give. Starbucks will grow faster if they sell of most or all of their location because their will be less need in maintaining their stores and more need in bring new ideas to the market. Now their competitors are franchising their location to. Most of the Starbucks locations in malls or in strip malls across the world. Currently Starbucks are building freestanding locations and designing a drive threw so their customers can have a more convenient way when needing their service. With these newly developed locations will have a food line. They?  ¦re looking to have hot food and cold food to compete with the Tim Horton coffee business. They are also looking to stay open 24 hours, seven days a week. Starbucks is looking to carry donuts, breakfast sandwiches, bagels and other morning food. Starbucks interest to change to compete with Tim Horton?  ¦s may hurt their business or help their business based on the cost involved in the change. Starbucks has concerns regarding the US store growth potential. Currently if the growth continues, saturation levels within the North American retail division will be reached inside five years, the reasons why Starbucks has some concern is that about 75% of the companies revenue growth and a greater portion of its profit. Before the US market becomes saturated, the US market sales growth will grow slowly over the next three to five years. With this change of saturation point coming, the pressure will be on the international Starbucks division will need to grow faster. Currently Starbucks global coffee market is very competitive, and must compete against the likes of restaurants, coffee shops, and street carts. Any major competitors, with a large financial background and the same resources as Starbucks can enter the market at any time and compete directly against the company. Starbucks feels that they have a good market share and are aware of competition on all levels and can maintain its operational performance if its to maintain its status as the world?  ¦s leading specialty coffee retailer. Starbucks was one of the first coffee businesses in the market and will try to be one of the last to leave. The recommendation to Starbucks Coffee that if they are going to grow in the market faster than their competitors is not to change their business to be more like Tim Horton?  ¦s and have their own identity. Currently Starbucks started the wireless Internet access in their stores and now every competitor is doing it. Also, it will help Starbucks if they would enhance the online service to provide laptops and other computers at their locations. They should have online ordering of coffee so when business people need to go fast they can order online and pay online to have a faster way in getting there coffee. With the innovation of new products, Starbucks should think in expanding in creating a coffee machine that can be place at schools, hospitals, and other companies that may need coffee and late hours or that don?  ¦t need a store. They currently market their own coffee brand coffee to purchase at other store but they should have it accessible online to order. The best thing that Starbucks has going for them is that none of its direct competitors are selling their product at store and online. With the increase in people that drink specialty coffee, Starbucks should innovate more different flavored coffee to increase their potential growth currently and in the future. The international looks to be the best growth for their business and they should invest more into locations and countries. Summary In order to ensure future success, we feel that Starbucks should implement the following suggestions. To improve customer satisfaction, Starbucks should include a section where customers actually ask questions and/or leave comments both in store and at their website. In addition, Starbucks should incorporate a survey to measure customer satisfaction. To ensure quality, Starbucks should continue its current practices. The practice includes securing long-term contracts, paying premium prices for coffee and additional premiums to suppliers to ensure quality needs are meet. To guarantee financial security, Starbucks should continue its role as a disciplined innovator. Starbucks should continue to promote the use of Starbucks cards and Duetto combo prepaid credit cards. An important part of Starbuck continued growth is emphasizing their unique image and to continue to provide the latest technical advancements. Starbucks should start expanding by providing coffee machines at schools, hospitals and other similar organizations. These strategies will continue to promote Starbucks as a leading retailer in a highly competitive coffee industry. Starbucks Customer Survey Dear Customer: I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you. Please help us serve you better by taking a couple of minutes to tell us how we are doing. We appreciate your business and want to make sure we meet your expectations. Attached you will find a coupon good for 1 free coffee.