A Memorable Football Match Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Memorable Football Match - Essay Example The researcher started playing the game at the age of 7 where he uses to play with the friends who have similar kind of enthusiasm towards the sport. They continued to play in the same manner for the next three years forming a team where all the players were from their own locality and almost similar to one another in terms of age. They used to play matches with teams of other locality. Those days has kept the author engaged in watching as well as playing the football game. His concentration towards studies trembled up to an extent which showed in his academic performances. However, the researcher must mention that he cared a little about these aspects during those days. His interest and enthusiasm for the game augmented rapidly in course of time and it continued likewise till he was 12 years of age. It was the last week of the summer of 2005 and the weather was best suited for playing the game of football. Every year during this time, the local authority organizes a soccer competiti on inviting teams from various regions of the district. It was one of the most prestigious and followed football competitions in the district. Their team was aspiring to participate in this event since a longer tenure but was unable to do the same because of their age which does not match up the eligibility criteria which allows the age group of 12-15 years. That year their team was about to participate in the competition owing to the aspect that there were no age barrier for us anymore. The researcher’s first match was scheduled on the 3rd day of the competition with one of the toughest and most competitive teams of the tournament. His teammates were worried about this fact but the author had some feeling altogether. The researcher was not aware of what his teammates were felling about the match but for him, it was probably an all-new experience awaiting. There are some reasons owing to which the author depicted this match as an experience. This was the first he was about to play a football match in front of thousands of spectators coming from various regions of the district. This was also about to be the first moment when his game would be aired on the local television network. The D-day arrived and expectedly, thousands of spectators gathered to witness the match and the local television network was also about to telecast the same. A feeling of nervousness and anxiety was running through the author’s head. As they walked into the stadium, the roar of around 4 thousand spectators’ altogether greeted them. Although, the capacity of the stadium was quite less as compared to a usual national and international football grounds, for the researcher, the cheer of this handful number of spectators gave the feeling of playing in front of millions. The match started with a kick on the ball from the opposition team. With the passage of time, the enthusiasm of the spectators augmented considerably. The researcher must mention that his performance th roughout the match was mediocre and was unable to put the ball into the net on a single occasion. The match ended as a draw, where both the teams were scoring one goal each.

Utilitarianism - Justice Essay Example for Free

Utilitarianism Justice Essay A person who is a utilitarian believes in one principle of utility, which is to opt for an action that will bring the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people (Ronsenstand, 2013). It is not a decision made with selfish intentions, as it does not matter who benefits from the decision, as long as it is for the greater good. The utilitarian belief can be a solution to certain moral problems, but there are also problems that may arise from it. One of the problems of the utilitarian theory is that it is hedonistic and ignores individual rights (Sandel, 2009). Utilitarians will often look at the ‘big picture’ to determine the course of action that should be taken. If the decision is made in favor of the happiness of the greatest number of people, then what happens to those who are in the minority group? One example is the death of 6 months old Isis Charm Vas who was thought to be murdered by her babysitter, Ernie Lopez in 2011. Medical examiners failed to take into consideration that the child might be suffering from a rare blood disease. It is often found that in cases concerning the death of children, the law is quick to convict a person just to close the case as it impacts the society emotionally. Similarly, William Dillon served 27 years in prison for murder before he was exonerated from the crime he did not commit. It is not unusual for the law to convict innocent people just to provide closure for the family of the victims and also to give a sense of satisfaction or justice to the society. Society will naturally demand justice for these murders, thus putting pressure on the law to act quickly and often, make costly mistakes on behalf of innocents in the process. These people might sometimes be considered as ‘scapegoats’. Based on these cases, a utilitarian might argue that in general, it might bring a greater good to the vast majority if such criminal cases were brought to a closure, no matter if the person is truly innocent or not. Sacrificing one person is better than the unhappiness of a whole society. Closure reduces the hype around a particular case especially if it concerns children, which plays with the sympathy and anger of the society. The theory of utilitarian might argue that it is more important to restore the faith of the people in the law. If too much time is spent finding exact evidence pointing to the right offender in a case like Isis Charm Vas, the community might lose faith in the law thus creating even more problems in future. If no one trusts the law to provide justice, people might stop abiding the law altogether.

The Journey to Teaching Essay example -- Essays Papers

The Journey to Teaching My philosophy on education In taking this course there is one overwhelming fact that has become clear to me- Teaching is an ongoing process in which I will be te Student,as much as I am the Educator. My philosophy on education has greatly expanded from doing all that I can to help children learn, to a string of many ideas, and thoughts, which will shape my classroom. These are what i will discuss in this reflection. Lisa Delpit and her book Other People's Children, was influential to helping shape my educational philosophy. In her book, Delpit draws attention to educating minorities, and gives many examples as to why it is so hard. One reason is the language barrier between the teacher, and his/her students. I feel that from reading this book it is necessary for teachers to understand that culture impacts many of the ways our children speak. Delpit gives an example of this when discussing a conversation between a white teacher and her black student. The teacher is correcting the black child on how to say "brother." The student is reading to the teacher and he pronounces the word "bruvver," at which time the teacheer stops him and tries to get him to say the word in proper dialect (Delpit, 1995, p.59). There are a few problems that Delpit raises with doing this. First she says that you do not allow the child to gain confidence in their reading, and second, the child is interrupted continuous ly. Therefore the child will not be able to advance in the same manner as the other students who can read in the proper dialect. Culture plays a tremendous role in educating our youth, not only directly, like the example above, but also in the relationships between parent and teacher. Delpit ca... ...to a classroom, and embracing differences will help to create a multicultural room, full of respect and individualism. Each teacher has indifidual thoughts and beliefs, which they will bring with them to establish their own classroom. Although these values may not be the same for everyone, we need to respect them, because if we do not allow teachers to teach in their own way, then we are in fact telling them we don't trust their capabilities. This course has helped me gain an incredible amount of perspective on teaching, and there is one thing that I learned on the first day of class that will stick with me always. I think it sums up the every day routine that a teacher goes through, and will help me maintain my principles and strength through the most trying times. "BEWARE AND BE BOLD," never give up on a student, and never be scared to stand up for what I believe.

Rubber Company

Atlas Tire and Rubber Company 1) What were Atlas’ major challenges prior to the promotion of Walter Harrison as CEO? The main challenges faced by Atlas’ were competitive and financial challenges. As for the first time from 1905 the company was facing losses for consecutive 2 years in row as the company was facing a severe downturn. This was all because of the new challenges, which the company was facing due to their growth and expansion policiesThe company was also facing the competitive challenges from the low prices import products which were affecting their price strategy resulting in low profits, heavy slump in the automotive market in America also pulled back Atlas to regain its flagship. Due to all these the stock prices dropped down to 20 years low resulting in cutting down of credit rating to junk – bond status. So during this declining phase, the company needs some major transformational changes so that Atlas can regain its position and pride back. 2) Wh y did Harrison focus on an integrated supply chain as a significant element of Atlas’ new strategic plan?As Harrison and his team found that Atlas lacked integrated supply chain capabilities due to which disjointed distribution network was there and various third – partly logistic companies were used which lead to many problems and challenges. And logistics was only considered as a storage and distribution function rather than a strategic supply chain process. As Harrison came out with a strategic plan â€Å" Seven Principle of Growth† for turning around the Atlas’s fate. Harrison special focused on a superior and integrated supply chain.He focused on Integrated Supply Chain because he strongly feels that this would streamline the order and its fulfillment process so that they can be more accurate and easy to use because of their simplicity. The main focus was to deliver â€Å"the right tire to the right place at the right time while keeping costs and in ventories low. † Harrison wants to create an extra edge over the other tire manufacturers by creating the much better service capabilities. 3) What did the UST President, Michael Brogran, do to better understand customer needs? UST business defines Atlas’ s U. S.Tire business, which has the worth of producing, and selling 100 million tires per year and was generating approximately 50 percent of Atlas Revenue. Michael Brogran strongly feels that the superior supply chain was a vision that existed only on paper so he just made a team to understand customer needs in a better way. The main step the team had taken was to work across customer verticals, which were Consumer tires, Commercial Tires and Off Highway Tires. This structure help Atlas to better understand the customer needs in different segment and to meet them in different ways as needs were also different.As the part of this new alignment to understand consumers needs better Brogran facilitates cross company colla boration to identify interactions and collaboration and to share the best practices so that every department can better understand their customer needs for better visibility and control. 4) How did USTSC address the talent gap that they had in the organization? U. S. Tire Supply chain organization’s main objective was to integrate the planning and functional operations which included the responsibilities of contact centers, order management, pricing administration, distribution and delivery, billing and accounts receivable.USTSC was structured so that Atlas can understand & meet the needs of its customers that are classified under various segments likes consumer, commercial and off highway tires. The key goals of USTSC were – Lower the supply chain costs, – Boosting the customer services, – Improvement in the inventory management and associated working capital, – Simplifying the supply chain processes & management of the business. Initially USTSC c ame across major challenge with regards to talent gap.Reduction in headcount from several years impacted the internal supply chain analytical and execution capabilities. Moreover with five different 3PL (third party logistics) the focus was emphasized in managing the suppliers rather than the operations. After a thorough evaluation USTSC concluded that SCM (Supply Chain Management) was never a core competency of Atlas. In order to bridge the gap USTSC obtained assistance from organization that had expertise in planning and managing the complex supply chains.The synergy of these organizations was mutually beneficial to all the parties. Collaboration in supply chain planning, process development and service execution fetched superior results. Due to this synergy Atlas was able to leverage the expertise of Global’s supply chain & Global was in a position to gain a broader insight of Atlas’s requirements and supply chain capabilities. USTSC experienced a synergistic effect because of the Atlas-Global team and experienced more effective customer-supplier 3PL working model. Thus the talent gap was bridged by USTSC . Comment on the effectiveness of Atlas’ efforts to improve team-based strategic collaboration ? With the synergy of Global and Atlas, Atlas was in a position to leverage the expertise of Global’s supply chain & Global was able to derive a broader insight of Atlas’s requirements and supply chain capabilities. Alas-Global USTSC was able to develop team-focused, strategy-driven relationships that were unique in the 3PL industry. The organizations consistently maintained an active & effective coordinated participation across the supply chain sphere.Interactive teams from the three organizations facilitated the planning, developed and executed the key supply chain activities in order to achieve superior supply chain. The collaboration in team was very effective and was result oriented. The SCM team and the steering committee used to do brainstorming sessions to figure out new supply chain initiatives & at the other end the operations team and the SCM team evaluated and ensured the potential projects that could be implemented effectively and are favorable.The relationship building between the organizations was effective and there was a strong executive support from the top management. The organizations attained mutual benefits and they experienced more effective customer-supplier 3PL working model. There was effective synchronization in the strategies with regards to process design and execution. Allocation of resources was well planned and the responsibilities were well defined. More focused on the opportunities available. The integration of the team performance was able to create superior supply chain capabilities within the industry. . As O’Brien, what strategies would you recommend to Atlas to: A) Gain greater control over inventory; B) Optimize the flow of products in the supply chain. In ord er to gain control over inventory & to optimize the flow of products in supply chain: Implementing a centralized system within the 33 company owned regional distribution centers so that the information regarding supply chain, any innovations and critical information are accessible to everyone at one single point of time.Effective integration of the 4 third party logistics providers’ services would generate superior results. Forecasting should be done collaboratively by the Atlas sales group and manufacturing group in order to arrive at accurate estimates. Implementation of the ERP system like SAP would make it easy to figure out inventory analysis.A centralized system like SAP would also create transparency, easy availability of data, accessible to concerned department in a timely manner, constant flow of information, demand and supply of inventory can be balanced and can avoid instances like stock outs or over inventory carrying costs, more reliable and realistic, helps in d ecision making process, implementing a centralized approach in the transportation system, a well defined standard service parameter should be set and should get authorized by the compliance, regular audits and inspections should be done in order to check if there are any violations.

Karl Marx and the Idea of Communism Essay

Karl Marx’s claim that capitalism is important to human development but must be overcome and a system put into place that would eventually evolve into communism is unrealistic. Although the idea of communism, a social system designed to promote a classless society where everyone is truly equal and social problems such as racism, sexism and oppression do not exist, would be favourable to a capitalist society, it is unachievable as it doesn’t comprehend an individuals personal desire, the labour classes ability to lead or the growth and change that has occurred within capitalism since Marx. Capitalism is the social system currently within place in countries all over the world, where the means for producing and distributing goods are owned by a small collection of people, the capitalists, and the labour class, is made up of the majority of the population who sell their labour for a wage. Marx’s primary claim is that an individual’s moral, philosophical and religious ideas are reflections based on our material circumstance and that they are not autonomous driving forces in history as others have claimed. Marx concluded that ‘instead of shaping society, ideas were in fact shaped by society’ (Mann & Dann, 2005). By this he meant that the economic system of a society determines what values and principles are upheld. Therefore, an outdate society would value attributes such as honour and loyalty to keep people in line, whereas a capitalist society would value freedom and equality to keep the workforce as large and as mobile as possible to keep down wages. When a society’s economic conditions experience a fundamental change and a new class assumes supremacy after a political revolution has occurred and installed that leading class in power. Marx predicted that a communist revolution eliminating private property and the subjugation of one class by another would occur at the end of history society (Mann & Dann, 2005). Marx believed that through industrialisation, capitalism has increased the productive capability of the world’s economy but had also created two competing classes of people, the bourgeoisie, who controlled and owned the resources of production and employed wage labourers and the proletariat, who were everyday labour who didn’t own anything but their individual right to ell the labour. He felt that the nature of capitalism would guarantee that these two classes would eventually struggle against each other until the point where the working class would become sizeable and subjugated enough that it would takeover the bourgeoisie and its production resources and end the economic system known as capitalism. A socialist system would them be put into place and pure communism would progressively develop (Mann & Dann, 2005). In Marx’s theory communism is a period of historical progression that occurs from the expansion of productive forces leading to a surplus of material wealth, which allows for allocation based on freely related persons. The self-recovery of capitalism could not be predicted by Marx, as it was the introduction of a welfare state and trade unions that played their part in improving the conditions and wage of the workers of the labour class. Commons (2009) suggested that against Marx’s idea of the proletariat class becoming the ruling class of society, labour, as a class were inept in managing business and that the worker input and self-management weren’t feasible. Countries where workingmen have united for joint production of goods and rendering all services to become their own employees and have elected their own foremen, superintendents and directors have failed as labour as a class are inept to appoint their own boss because they base their election on compassion rather than the individuals competence and discipline. Individual labourers who rise out of there own class is capitalism and labourers that rise as a class to become their own boss as a class is socialism, which is unrealistic as the labour class is composed of conflicting races, sexes, religions, ages and there’s an inequality between peoples abilities and intelligence. These conflicting inequalities are brought to light in the competition for jobs and higher wages (Commons, J. R. , 2009). The great organisers of labour under a capitalist system are elected through natural selection within the industry, where the self-selection of leaders by the survival in the competitive struggle for profits mean that individuals are elected by their own success not by the votes of the individuals who work for them. These leaders are responsible to the capitalists and not to the wage earners they command as they are selected by those whose whole consideration s the profits which the can bring to the company or industry (Commons, J. R. , 2009). Marxists alleged that profit making is pure selfishness, with the implication that if the wage earners were in control, public service and not ambition would be the motivating power behind manufacture. The difference between wage earning and profit making, if there is one, is hard to see as both are the process endeavouring to get as much as possible for oneself with as little as possible (Commons, 2009). What Marx failed to see is the inherent selfishness of mankind, as each individual is self-serving to a degree, and how it would impact attempts to put into place a communist social system. In society labour, competition, capital and private property rights play an important role in creating an operational and successful economy. The division of labour allows for increases in the productive capabilities of labour and the specialisation of labour has moved society toward agriculture and manufacturing by encouraging the invention of greater technology. An individuals desire to live a comfortable life with their basic needs met creates and incentive for wage earning individuals to expend more effort within the industry to attain these wants and desires. Marx’s theory of communism can be centralized around the theory that with the abolition of private property, people would move into the final stage of social order, communism (Butgereit & Carden 2011). But with the abolition of private property and the private ownership of the means to production, the monetary prices generated by exchange that are used to appraise factors of production and determine the proportions in which those factors should be used to produce final product would not exist. When these monetary exchanges disappear so do the profits and losses the market produce to guide businesspersons on whether final product is needed within society or the resources used are being wasted (Butgereit & Carden 2011). One of the benefits Marx’s saw for communism was that the sovereignty of the proletariat would speed up the already vanishing national differences and antagonism between people due to the development of the bourgeoisies; the freedom of commerce, the world market, the uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life consequent to those changes. Through this political supremacy, the proletariats would seize the capital from the bourgeoisie to concentrate all tools of production in the hands of the state and therefore increase the total productive forces as rapidly as possible. He believed that respectively that as the exploitation of on individual by another would end, so would the exploitation and hostility of one nation by another and the animosity between classes within the nation would disappear (Mann & Dann, 2005). Although capitalism has seen the expansion of the global market, introduced the concept of civilisation and given it a universal character to production and consumption in every country, Marx saw it as the Bourgeoisie exploiting this world market and creating a universal inter-dependence of nations as all nations are compelled to adopt the bourgeoisie style of production or risk extinction (Mann & Dann, 2005). Through globalisation capitalism grew in strength and the emergence of new compromising ideologies such as social democracy, which is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state (New Oxford American Dictionary, 2005), are making it stronger still. While social democracy was established from Marxism, it has been effective in generating cooperation and agreement between labour and capital in developed countries, and has helped bring about the creation of new laws concerning to minimum wage, social security and the right to strike and demonstration, which reduced the level of inequalities on the working class. But in underdeveloped countries, where the free market system and democracy are not established enough, the working class face serious problems, where individuals are forced to work for below minimum wage and have no job security due the high level of unemployment. In these countries it can be seen that capitalism still causes alienation within the labour class and Marx’s idea where a communist society is designed to promote a classless society in which everyone is truly equal would be beneficial. Although this idea of a communist society is ideal, societies throughout history, such as the Soviet Union, which failed and collapsed on itself and the Chinese, which gradually eroded and had to abandon true communism for functional capitalism in order for the society to survive, have proven through experience and profound failure that communist beliefs do not describe a plausible reality (Post-Communist Economic Systems, 2005). Although a communist society would be ideal to create equality among society, it is unattainable as Marx didn’t comprehend an individual’s personal desire, the labour classes ability to lead or the growth and change that would occur within a capitalist society to decrease the size of the economical inequality between the two classes. Through the introduction of democracy and globalisation, the capitalist social system was able to recover without dissolving into socialism and allowed laws to be put into place on behalf of labour class better working conditions and higher wages. The individuals desire to earn a higher wage has allowed for globalisation to steadily increase the need for a larger quantity of products created by the worlds resources. The efficiency and productivity levels of modern society have been steadily increasing because of industrialisation and the progressive taxation techniques implemented after Marx have allowed for the reduction of inequalities between the working and capitalist classes. By taking into consideration the theories of Marx, the modern capitalist society is working to create a fairer working environment for the working class without turning to communism as history has shown, through failed experiences, that society needs some form of a capitalist social system to use resources in the most efficient and productive way.

Free Essays on Law School Admissions

WHAT IS THE LSAT? The LSAT or Law School Admissions Test is your ticket into law school. All students applying to ABA-approved law schools are required to take the LSAT. ABA or American Bar association-approved law schools make sure that law schools meet certain criteria in their courses.(Wright 42) Law schools use this test to measure a law school candidate’s ability to read and comprehend abstract material. Joanna Grossman had this to say about the LSAT, â€Å"Frankly, it was a cruel individual who devised this mode of assessment.† (1) What makes this test so difficult is the fact that it does not test your knowledge in a subject like the ACT or SAT. It is a thought process that you must learn and study in order to be successful on the LSAT and in law school. HOW IS THE LSAT FORMATTED? Tom Martinson comprised the LSAT with 6 different sections that look like this: SECTION NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TIME ALLOWED Logical Reasoning 1 24-26 35 min. Reading Comprehension 27-28 35 min. Analytical Reasoning 24-25 35 min. Logical Reasoning 2 24-26 35 min. Experimental 35 min. Writing Sample Essay 30 min. Note: The order of the section varies from administration to administration, and the Experimental section is not necessarily the last is not necessarily the last section of multiple choice questions. LOGICAL REASONING Logical reasoning questions make up about half of the test question that you will find on this exam. This is great, because I find that these questions are the easiest to master. What do we mean when we say logical reasoning? Let’s analyze each part of this, according to Webster’s definition of logical which means, â€Å"Displaying consistency in reasoning,† and reasoning which is, â€Å"to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences.† (Page #)In this section you will be asked to drawl a conclusion based on an argument or explanation in a short passage and provide the best possible solution. I should place emph... Free Essays on Law School Admissions Free Essays on Law School Admissions WHAT IS THE LSAT? The LSAT or Law School Admissions Test is your ticket into law school. All students applying to ABA-approved law schools are required to take the LSAT. ABA or American Bar association-approved law schools make sure that law schools meet certain criteria in their courses.(Wright 42) Law schools use this test to measure a law school candidate’s ability to read and comprehend abstract material. Joanna Grossman had this to say about the LSAT, â€Å"Frankly, it was a cruel individual who devised this mode of assessment.† (1) What makes this test so difficult is the fact that it does not test your knowledge in a subject like the ACT or SAT. It is a thought process that you must learn and study in order to be successful on the LSAT and in law school. HOW IS THE LSAT FORMATTED? Tom Martinson comprised the LSAT with 6 different sections that look like this: SECTION NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TIME ALLOWED Logical Reasoning 1 24-26 35 min. Reading Comprehension 27-28 35 min. Analytical Reasoning 24-25 35 min. Logical Reasoning 2 24-26 35 min. Experimental 35 min. Writing Sample Essay 30 min. Note: The order of the section varies from administration to administration, and the Experimental section is not necessarily the last is not necessarily the last section of multiple choice questions. LOGICAL REASONING Logical reasoning questions make up about half of the test question that you will find on this exam. This is great, because I find that these questions are the easiest to master. What do we mean when we say logical reasoning? Let’s analyze each part of this, according to Webster’s definition of logical which means, â€Å"Displaying consistency in reasoning,† and reasoning which is, â€Å"to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences.† (Page #)In this section you will be asked to drawl a conclusion based on an argument or explanation in a short passage and provide the best possible solution. I should place emph...

Introduction, Review of Accounting Process and Financial Statements

Introduction, Review of Accounting Process and Financial Statements Free Online Research Papers Accounting is the communication of financial information about a business to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management. Such financial information is primarily used by managers, lenders, investors, tax authorities, regulators, and other decision makers to make resource allocation decisions between and within companies, organizations, and public agencies. It involves the process of recording, verifying, and reporting of the value of assets, liabilities, income, and expenses in the books of account ledgers to which debit and credit entries are chronologically posted to record changes in value. Before you can begin an accounting position there are accounting concepts and terms that must be understood first. Part I of my case assignment will discuss the five commonly use terms in accounting: I.Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This term is used to refer to the standard framework of guidelines for financial accounting. GAAP includes the standards, conventions, and rules accountants follow in recording and summarizing transactions, and in the preparation of financial statements. GAAP can be derived from many sources, including promulgation of the Financial Accounting Standards Boards and Accounting Principle Board. Textbooks, articles, and papers are other sources that include the body of accounting literature. II.Double Entry Accounting. I never heard of Double entry Accounting until I started this course. During my research of this term, I have to come to find out what it means. Double Entry Accounting is a record keeping process that tracks just where your money come from and where it goes. By using Double Entry money is never gain nor lost, it is always transferred from somewhere to somewhere else. III.Historical Cost. This is the original money cost of an asset at the time of the purchase or repayment as opposed to the market value. Historical Cost is also the actual purchase price plus the incidental cost in getting the fixed asset in condition ready for use for commercial production for example: land, building, machines, furniture and vehicles. IV.Accrual Basis vs. Cash Basis Accounting. Accrual Basis is the income earned that’s reported in a specific period regardless when it was received. It’s also the expenses that were incurred, whether they were paid or not within that specific period. When using Accrual Basis Accounting, you have to record both revenue and expenses when they occur. Cash Basis Accounting is bookkeeping that records financial events based on cash flow and cash position. Revenue is noticed when cash is received and expenses are recognized when cash is paid. With Cash Basis Accounting, revenues and expenses are also called cash receipts and cash payments. Cash Basis Accounting also fails to meet the GAAP requirements. Accrual Basis Accounting is a method of accounting most business are required to use by law. V.Current Assets and Liabilities vs. Non-Current Items. Current assets are those assets that are cash or can be converted to cash in the short term, such as accounts receivable or inventory. Some people define current assets as those the business expects to use or consume within the year. A business’s non-current assets would be those that have a useful life of more than one year. These include fixed assets and intangible assets fixed assets are those assets that are not easily converted into cash in the short term meaning they are assets that only change over a long period of time. Land, buildings, equipment, vehicles, and furniture are some examples of fixed assets. Intangible assets also may be shown on a balance sheet. Non Current Items are goodwill, trademarks, patents, licenses, copyrights and franchises. Current liabilities are those coming due in the short term, usually within the current business year. These are accounts payable, employment, income and sales taxe s, salaries payable, federal and state unemployment insurance and current years portion of the multi-year debt. Some examples of current liabilities are short-term borrowing, long-term debt, and accounts payable. All current liabilities will be paid out of the current assets. If the current liabilities outweighed the current asset then the company is in bad shape. Investors should be able to understand and recognize that this is not the best investment. Part II of this assignment consists of analyzing three different corporation’s financial statements. I will be describing the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows; provide a prediction of each company. BP Financial Statement: Balance Sheet: The statement lists all the company’s assets, liabilities and the owner’s equity. The company took a lost in the assets as well as the liabilities from the previous year; however the company’s assets nearly doubled its’ liabilities which keeps the company on a good flow. I compared the years 2007-2008. Income Statement: The sales and revenues are listed for the past two years. It also break down the before and after taxation profits. The profits were up from the previous year and the earnings per share were also up. This statement will benefit this company quite well. Statement of Cash Flow: I have found that you have to have an open mind when reviewing BP’s Cash Flow Statement. It starts with the operating activities then the investing activities and then to the financing activities. In addition it is summed up with the cash and cash equivalents; however BP almost tripled their earnings from 2007. QuickSilver Inc: Balance Sheet (Consolidated): This statement list the company’s assets, liabilities and stockholder equity. It’s set up similar to the BP balance sheet. The company shows a lost in assets. Income Statement (Consolidated Statement of Operation): It was straight to the point and highlighted the earnings and losses from 2007 to 2008. Statement of Cash Flow (Consolidated): This statement is very detailed. It covers the operating activities, changes in operating assets and liabilities, cash flows from investing activities, cash flows from financing activities, effect of change rate changes on cash, and cash paid during the year. This statement will be most useful to this company. RTL Group: Balance Sheet: This company balance sheet was really easy to read. It was broken to the simplest form and within the guidelines of GAAP. I did notice a drop in the net assets. Income Statement: By looking at their income statement, this company is losing profits. This company took a significant loss in their profits from the previous year. From the loss they took I don’t really see any profit gains for 2009 Statement of Cash Flow: It covered the three basic section of what a Statement of Cash Flow should cover. Very easy to read and spot losses. This statement will be more useful for this company. In an attempt to predict the future trends of RTL. I saw losses from the income statement throughout. I believe it would be a risk to invest with this company right now. They took major losses in their profits for the year of 2008. Reference bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9021605contentId=7040949/ quiksilverinc.com/investor_anualreports_04.aspx rtlgroup.com/www/htm/annualreport.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountancy gnucash.org/docs/v1.6/C/t2504.html Research Papers on Introduction, Review of Accounting Process and Financial StatementsIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalLifes What IfsThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesPETSTEL analysis of India

English Contractions for ESL

English Contractions for ESL English contractions are shortened forms of helping or auxiliary verbs in both positive and negative sentences. Contractions are generally used in spoken English, but not in formal written English. However, written English is becoming more informal (emails, notes to friends, etc.) and you will often see these forms in print. Heres an example from a business email: Ive been working on a new project. It hasnt been easy, but next week Ill finish. This example shows three contractions: Ive / hasnt / Ill. Learn the rules of contraction use in English below. Each of the following English contractions includes an explanation of the full form and example sentences to provide context for understanding. Positive Contractions Im : Im waiting for my friend.Ill : Ill see you tomorrow.Id : Id better leave now. OR Id already eaten by the time he arrived.Ive : Ive worked here for many years. Youre : Youre joking!Youll : Youll be sorry!Youd : Youd left before he arrived, hadnt you? OR Youd better hurry up.Youve : Youve been to London many times. Hes : Hes on the phone now. OR Hes been playing tennis since 10 this morning.Hell : Hell be here tomorrow.Hed : Hed prefer to meet you later in the week. OR Hed finished before the meeting began. Shes : Shes watching TV at the moment. OR Shes had a lot of trouble lately.Shell : Shell be at the meeting.Shed : Shed been working for two hours when he telephoned. OR Shed like to have a glass of wine. Its : Its been long time since we saw each other last. OR Its very difficult to concentrate.Itll : Itll be here soon.Itd : Itd be difficult to say no. OR Itd been a long time. Were : Were working hard on the Smith account this week.Well : Well begin when he arrives.Wed : Wed better hurry up if we want to catch the train. OR Wed finished the meeting before you arrived.Weve : Weve been waiting for you! Theyre : Theyre studying German this afternoon.Theyll : Theyll finish soon if they concentrate.Theyd : Theyd eaten their lunch when she stopped by to say hello. OR Theyd rather not come to the meeting.Theyve : Theyve just purchased a new home. Theres : Theres a hotel in the next town. OR Theres been too many telephone calls today!Therell : Therell be a price to pay!Thered : Thered better be a good explanation for this. OR Thered be some reason for that. Thats : Thats been on my mind lately. OR Thats why I cant come.Thatll : Thatll happen sooner than you think.Thatd : Thatd be the reason why. OR Thatd happened before my time. Negative Contractions arent : They arent coming next week.cant : I cant understand you.couldnt : He couldnt get his shoes on!didnt : We didnt visit Rome. We went straight to Florence.doesnt : He doesnt play golf.dont : They dont like cheese.hadnt : I hadnt thought of that!hasnt : She hasnt telephoned yet.isnt : She isnt listening to you.mustnt : Children mustnt play with fire.neednt : You neednt worry about that.shouldnt : You shouldnt smoke cigarettes.wasnt : I wasnt joking when I said that.werent : They werent invited to the party.wont : I wont be able to attend the conference.wouldnt : She wouldnt be surprised if he showed up at the party. Contractions in Speech English learners should become familiar with contractions in order to understand the grammar of what is said quickly. Native English speakers tend to speak quickly and glide over function words such as helping verbs. Most English contractions are contractions of helping verbs, so an understanding of the role these contracted helping verbs play in grammar can help you better understand spoken English. English learners should feel free to use contractions whenever they speak, but the use of contractions is not required. If you prefer to speak using full helping verb forms, continue to do so, but become familiar with contractions in order to help your understanding.

Case Study of The Deepwater Horizon Disaster Essay

Case Study of The Deepwater Horizon Disaster - Essay Example decision makers have to consider several tensions; for instance, individuals against profits, or short against long term rewards, so as to account for the various decision points of the diverse stakeholders. The management of BP illustrated that the company the development and also safety of the societies in their areas of operation. Safety is achieved through aiming for minimal accidents and harm to individuals, and also minimal environmental damage. Present companies generally explain that they serve the best interests of stakeholders. The companies stress the â€Å"triple bottom line† illustrating people, planet and then profits. These companies also emphasize good corporate citizenship in their societies, and ensure sustainability through safeguarding long term assets like environment and employees. But, this desired rhetoric cannot be achieved without the formulation of strategic decisions which reflects corporate social responsibility. Decisions illustrates where company rhetoric is transformed into practical reality, through implementation. Ethical decision making entails less complicated processes. Organizational structures or routines can develop organizational culture that render activities common sense, require less or no decisions. Company decisions are mainly among competing â€Å"goods† like short term against long term interests, proven systems against innovation, and reducing different categories of risks. This 2010 case study that analyzes deepwater horizon and Macondo well explosion, illustrates good example of ethical decision making complexities (Liu, 2011). On 20th April, 2010, leaking gas and oil from the Macondo exploratory site reached the overhead deepwater rig, and resulted in an explosion, and eventually the well blowout. The explosion resulted in the death of 11 individuals, the injury of 16 people, and traumatizing experience of 99 survivors. The blowout discharged approximately 5 million oil barrels for more than 87 days. Several

Personality Traits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personality Traits - Essay Example In addition, it is also true that I tend to perceive life as rosier than it is sometimes, but I do not think this is bad. On the contrary, if one willingly chooses to observe life as a unity of the good and bad, manages to focus on the good and learn from the mistakes that represent the bad, he is on the right path to a full and rich life of personal satisfaction and gratification. Aside from this, my problem solving skills have also been perfected in the sense that, unlike most people who get paralyzed when they are confronted with a difficult situation, I stop and think it through carefully. I do not waste time bothering myself with scenarios that could have been, and â€Å"if only he/she did not do it, now I would not be in this predicament.† I find this type of thinking detrimental to the process of solving the problem in question. A happy mind is a healthy mind and there is nothing that a healthy mind cannot

Marine industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marine industry - Essay Example Credible statistics and claims were uttered in line with this phenomenon. Perhaps, one might say such things are inevitable, we cannot deny the fact that these things could happen without the leniency and negligence of people working with regards to their duties plus the fact that these things could be avoided. Dr. Anita Rothblum of the United States Coast Guard research and development center stressed that over 40 years, the shipping industry focused on improving ship structures and reliability of ship systems to reduce casualty and ensure proficiency and reliability. However, the casualty is still high. She further pointed out that " Maritime system is a people system" and people do play a big part with regards to these errors. Moreover, she explains that 75-96% percent are caused by human errors and tanker accidents, collision, fires and explosions cause some of these incidents. This claim is not new to marine authorities 1. At present, if we are to base on the biggest of perhaps one of the most tragic disasters of ship industries in the world, the tragedy of MV Doa Paz in the Philippines is perhaps the perfect example of human error to date.

The impact of GMP on your job and work environment Essay

The impact of GMP on your job and work environment - Essay Example Ps are the current good manufacturing practices followed by pharmaceutical and biotech firms to ensure the products produced meet specific requirements for identity, quality, and purity. The cGMPs are regulated by FDA under 21 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 210 and 211. Subpart G of part 211, covers the aspects of labeling and packaging control. The failure to comply with any regulation in manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug shall render such drug to be adulterated, as well as the person who is responsible for the failure to comply, shall be subject to regulatory action. Packaging is the art, science and technology of manufacturing goods for sale in a cost effective manner. In the context of pharmaceuticals the packaging must preserve the product from degradation or contamination and, leakage. The particular type of packing should able to identify the product. Every individual employed in the packing of a drug product shall have education, training, and experience, or any combination thereof, to facilitate the person to perform the assigned functions. Adequate number of qualified personnel are required to perform and supervise the packing processes. It is a requirement of GMP, that owner of manufacturing authorizations set up procedures for their packaging operations to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, mix-up or substitutions. Written procedures are indispensable for the receipt, identification, storage, handling, sampling, examination, and/or testing of labeling and packaging materials. These materials are representatively sampled and examined before use. An authorized packaging instructions for each product is required. These should normally include name of the product, description of its pharmaceutical form and strength, where applicable, the pack size, description of packaging operation, including any subsidiary operations, and equipment to be used. It should also comprise in-process controls, with instructions for sampling and

Relationship with Boss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Relationship with Boss - Essay Example The traditional concept was top-down approach and there was no question of managing the relationship with the boss. However, in the modern context, the concept has changed and the both-way approach has begun to prevail within the various organizations. In present times, the subordinates are required to develop certain traits through which their relationship with the boss can be managed effectively. According to Geisler (2011), knowledge about the working habits of the boss is essential for the subordinates in order to manage the relationship. It has also been observed that the subordinates should communicate with the boss in the way which is liked by the latter. The values of the boss are required to be recognized by the subordinate and he or she should try to align the boss’s values with his or her own. The structure of this paper will be focused upon the various approaches mentioned by the writers of the two articles. In this section of the research paper, the understanding of the subordinate or the manager of the retail chain (about herself) will be discussed. The manager should be specific about the fact that in her relationship with the boss, she is holding one part, the other part being the boss. Hence, for making the relationship effective, the manager should understand her own necessities along with strengths and weaknesses and personal style. Although it is not possible to change the nature of any person and so do the boss and the subordinate, the manager should strive for recognizing her personal traits that are hindering the growth of an effective relationship with the boss. The manager should then try out ways through which her discrepancies can be eradicated and the relationship can be made worthy.

The impact of GMP on your job and work environment Essay

The impact of GMP on your job and work environment - Essay Example Ps are the current good manufacturing practices followed by pharmaceutical and biotech firms to ensure the products produced meet specific requirements for identity, quality, and purity. The cGMPs are regulated by FDA under 21 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 210 and 211. Subpart G of part 211, covers the aspects of labeling and packaging control. The failure to comply with any regulation in manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug shall render such drug to be adulterated, as well as the person who is responsible for the failure to comply, shall be subject to regulatory action. Packaging is the art, science and technology of manufacturing goods for sale in a cost effective manner. In the context of pharmaceuticals the packaging must preserve the product from degradation or contamination and, leakage. The particular type of packing should able to identify the product. Every individual employed in the packing of a drug product shall have education, training, and experience, or any combination thereof, to facilitate the person to perform the assigned functions. Adequate number of qualified personnel are required to perform and supervise the packing processes. It is a requirement of GMP, that owner of manufacturing authorizations set up procedures for their packaging operations to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, mix-up or substitutions. Written procedures are indispensable for the receipt, identification, storage, handling, sampling, examination, and/or testing of labeling and packaging materials. These materials are representatively sampled and examined before use. An authorized packaging instructions for each product is required. These should normally include name of the product, description of its pharmaceutical form and strength, where applicable, the pack size, description of packaging operation, including any subsidiary operations, and equipment to be used. It should also comprise in-process controls, with instructions for sampling and

Control by Heat and UV Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control by Heat and UV - Lab Report Example Some bacteria though have developed adaptive measures to sustain high-temperature exposures, for example, T. aquaticus that is used in PCR. Psychrophiles are those that require low temperatures of less than 20⠁ °C while mesophiles require 20-40⠁ °C. Thermophiles, on the other hand, require high temperatures of above 40⠁ °C to survive. Most bacteria that infect human are mesophiles and grow optimally at 35-37⠁ °C. Bacteria that have endospores are more likely to survive extreme environmental conditions such as high temperature and high UV irradiation (Prescott, John and Donald, 54) Three TSA plates were acquired and labeled with a name, lab time, and temperature. Each was divided into three sections. Each section was marked with the abbreviation of the test organisms. A single streak (about 1cm) of each organism was made on its respective section. They were incubated at temperatures of 35⠁ °C incubator, Room temperature (or 25⠁ °C incubator) and Refrigerator (~10⠁ °C). Four TSA plates were acquired for each bacterium. Each was labeled with the name, lab time and the organism name. The plates were then divided into half each and labeled control and UV on each side. A sterile swab was inoculated into the culture. Three zigzag lines were made on the agar surface at 45 degrees to each other. The plates were exposed to UltraViolet light for 3 minutes before incubation at 35⠁ °C for 48 hours. Four Trypticase Soy Broth tubes were labeled with name, lab time, organism and time. Each tube was inoculated with the appropriate organism. Each student in the team exposed the organism to different temperature of 40⠁ °C, 55⠁ °C, 80⠁ °C and ~100⠁ °C. Each organism was exposed to heat for a given length of time, that is, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes. The tubes were vortexed after every 10 minutes. After the appropriate length of time, the tubes were dried and incubated at 35 °C for 48 hours. The four types of bacteria exhibited different responses to

Family Violence Essay Example for Free

Family Violence Essay Family violence is not a new phenomenon, as it has essentially existed since the beginning of time. Only in modern times, however have societies begun to recognize violence and family members as a social problem (Barnett, Miller-Perrin Perrin, 2005). For many years, the social problem of family violence had not only been heavily ignored, but for a number of years, had not been fully understood. For example, family violence takes many forms and has a number of different names. Family violence, also known as domestic violence, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), is defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one partner against another in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation (Barnett et al. , 2005). Moreover, family violence includes but is not limited to physical abuse such as kicking and punching, but also includes sexual and emotional abuse. Emotional abuse includes controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (neglect) and economic deprivation and in many cases is more severe than physical abuse. The changing visibility of family violence is the leading indicator of the necessity of an historical approach to understanding it (Gordon, 2002). Over the past few years, the general public in the US has become familiar with family violence through news coverage of highly publicizes cases, TV programs and movies. At the same time, researchers have made great strides in recognizing the scope of family violence and the context in which it occurs (Barnett et al., 2005). As sociologists know of it today, family violence is politically, historically and socially constructed (Gordon, 2002). In terms of power relations and functionalism, family violence arises out of power struggles in which members of the family are contesting for resources and benefits (Gordon, 2002). Furthermore, these contests arise from both personal aspirations and change social norms and conditions (Gordon, 2002). It is therefore important to know that family violence cannot be understood outside the context of the overall politics of the family. Historical developments that continue to influence family violence include prominent changes in the situation of women and children (Gordon, 2002). It is imperative therefore for a historical analysis of family violence to include a view of the changing power relations among classes, sexes, and generations (Gordon, 2002). Political attitudes have also affected research â€Å"findings† about family violence. Both psychological and sociological interpretations in the debate often ignore the gender politics of family violence issues, and the gender implications of policy recommendations, not only when women or girls were the victims, but also when women were the abusers (Gordon, 2002). Over the past 80 years, four major types of family violence have be studied and examined; child abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse of children and wife beating. In later years, there have been other forms of family violence, which include sibling abuse (which is the most common form of family violence), and elder abuse (Gordon, 2002). Family violence has had many different faces historically, and has been classified in five different stages with different focuses periodically. The first was the 19th century and child saving era, which was from 1876-1910. During this era, there was anti-cruelty to children movement that was influenced by the temperance movement. Emphasis on the cruelty done to kids was placed on the immigrant poor and never the respectable classes (Gordon, 2002). The progressive era was followed by a child saving era which lasted from 1910 -1930 which lead to an emphasis on child neglect. During this era, there was a decrease emphasis on alcohol and identified other forms of stress such as poverty, unemployment and illness (Gordon, 2002). The depressed followed the progressive era where there was an increased defense for the conventional nuclear family. During the World War world war 2 era and the 1950’s child neglect was increasingly seen as emotional neglect and the 1960s and 70s was a period of increased medicalization of family violence which, as sociologists have identified can have extremely negative affects (Gordon, 2002). A lot of attention to family violence began to gain increasing importance during the time of the women’s movement in the 1970s as a concern about wives being beaten by their husbands. Interestingly enough, there was a rise in what some call â€Å"the men’s movement† as response to the problem of domestic violence against men, which is largely omitted in the feminist theory (Barnett et al., 2005). Some flaws in the feminist approach to family violence (as well as others that will be further discussed in the paper), is that it has reduced domestic violence, especially against men as their likelihood of being killed by a female intimate partner has decreased six-fold (Barnett et al. , 2005). OVERVIEW OF SEMINAR READINGS: WEEK 2 Symbolic interactionism is a perspective which seeks to understand how people interact with others (Ingoldsby, Smith Miller, 2004a). The theory claims that people interact with one another by interpreting each others actions (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Their response is based on the meanings that they attach to such actions (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Thus, human interaction is largely mediated by the use of symbols (Karp Yoels, 1993). Authors Karp Yoels (1993) discuss notions of the generalized other and looking-glass self as examples of symbols with which we interact. In one instance, the self emerges from common expectations that others have about social norms within a particular society (Karp Yoels, 1993). But in another instance, people will self-evaluate themselves against the perceived judgments of others and act accordingly (Karp Yoels, 1993). The emphasis on symbols brings attention to the roles people play. Role-playing is a key mechanism that allows people to see anothe r person’s perspective to understand what an action might mean (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). In sum, no situation is static but rather contextual (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Individuals then through their own behavior and interaction with others, construct their individual social realities (Karp Yoels, 1993; Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Situating family violence within a framework of symbolic interactionism is important in that it provides a context within which people develop their personal interpretations of events. Therefore to understand family violence requires knowledge of the processes through which such interpretations emerge. Rosen (1996) and Mullaney (2007) illustrate ways in which interpretations of the self are at the core of domestic violence. Their findings are essential for understanding how family violence continues over time. Findings also help to account for the formation and preservation of culture and social roles in society. In one respect, interpretations of the self are mediated through two primary orientations of communication: processes of seduction and processes of entrapment (Rosen, 1996). This first is characterized by forces that tend to draw women into their relationships (romantic fantasies and romantic fusion) and the second by forces that keep them there: survival tactics, cognitive dissonance, roller coaster relationships, traumatic bonding, Romeo and Juliet effects, and peer-family collusion (Rosen, 1996). For example, within the framework of symbolic interactionism, processes of seduction can be loosely defined as a dependent emotional state (Rosen, 1996). Individuals then, connect with partners because they internalize similar understandings of weakness and dependency to communicate feelings of love (Rosen, 1996). The interplay of such communication patterns facilitates an environment of spousal abuse that is likely to continue so long as interaction is repetitive (Rosen, 1996). Processes of entrapment on the other hand, can be argued to demonstrate the externalization of the communication patterns found in processes of seduction. Once meanings of dependency and weakness have been internalized as being both legitimate and appropriate within the context of one’s relationship, these women rationalize such behavior as the norm and thus stay. Survival tactics for example illustrate these efforts, by which women actively engage towards relationship management of an abusive relationship, otherwise internalized as an acceptable social norm. In contrast, Mullaney (2007) identifies low self-esteem as a correlate of men’s violent behavior. Domestic violence then, is a reaction to the attacks or perceived attacks on men’s self-concept (Mullaney, 2007). Mullaney (2007) argues that men will most often justify, yet also minimize, excuse, or blame and offer no apology on account for their violence towards women. These categories serve as scripts through which perceptions of masculinity are restored (Mullaney, 2007). If threatened, masculinity evolves accordingly as men interpret the actions of those around them. For example, women’s irrational spending habits may undermine men’s role as financial provider (Mullaney, 2007). Men would argue that such habits do not align functionally with women’s domestic and social roles (Mullaney, 2007). By doing so, men’s responses are based on the meanings which they attach to such actions and reflect cultural expectations of gender difference. This is problematic because it helps promote and develop stereotypically gendered selves (Mullaney, 2007). Symbolic interactionism then, becomes useful in demonstrating how dominant ideologies of gender are enacted within the interactions of marital relationships, and lend to domestic violence in the process. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES Feminist Theory The root of feminist theory begins with the inclusion of gender and power. Feminists argue that the distinctions between males and females are not inherent or functional; rather they are socially constructed to create and maintain male power in society and thus the family (Yllo, 1993). This sense of patriarchy reinforces traditional social roles and the relationship between the division of power and gender. The feminist perspective suggests that men use violence to retain their dominance or sense of control within the institution of the family. Thus, the feminist paradigm believes that domestic violence is utilized as another means of the social control of women, and takes roots at a personal, institutional, symbolic and material level. The application of a feminist lens to Rosen’s (1996) article allows for a very different approach to the processes of abduction and entrapment. The feminist perspective would likely explain that the forces drawing women into abusive relationshi ps were largely due to the social expectations of femininity and masculinity. The concept of romantic fantasies can be explored through gender identities. Here society portrays the male as being a strong, aggressive, independent individual and the female as a weak, docile individual that is largely dependant on their partner. For instance, the fantasy of Cinderella eludes that a man can protect a woman and save her from her problems. Feminists would suggest that women fall victim to these relationships due to the inequalities portrayed by traditional gender norms. Feminist theorists would likely explain the concept of romantic fusion as being due to the extremely controlling nature of husbands within a patriarchal marriage. This type of relationship is defined as Patriarchal Terrorism (Johnson, 1995). Here, the woman in the relationship would be forced to part with her individual characteristics and become completely devoted to her husband (Johnson, 1995). Furthermore, the husband may further restrict the identity of the woman by refusing to allow her to go to work or maintain friends outside of the actual relationship. The feminist lens would offer a slightly different interpretation of the processes that restrict women from escaping abusive relationships. Though women may still use coping mechanisms and adhere to other social forces, outlined by symbolic interactionaists, feminist theory suggests two main reasons why they stay in violent relationships. The first reason women stay in abusive relationships is fro the sake of their children (Emery, 2009). In cases such as these women will stay with the intent of maintaining some stability for their kids by trying keeping the family in tact. The other reasons women may stay are due to the normalization of gender norms in society. Feminist theory sees the root causes of intimate partner violence as a causation of living in a society that excuses aggressive male behaviours (Yllo, 1993). In other words, because these behaviours are so normative, some women may excuse the behavior and treat it as the norm. What is perceived as the norm also varies across culture. Even today, many cultures adhere to traditional hegemonic norms and strongly believe women should be completely subservient to their husbands. In cases such as this, abuse may be next to impossible to escape. The application of the feminist perspective to Mullaney’s (2007) article would allow for a similar analysis of the attitudes of men and their reasons for rationalizing their abusive behaviours. Mullaney (2007) suggests that men will often become violent due to low self-esteem and a perceived attack on their self-concept. The feminist lens would suggest that men become violent due to the inequalities in society that allow men an advantage position and with that gendered norms. Traditional hegemonic masculine norms suggest that men should be leaders that are strong, in control and tough. This is what the men in the study were trying to demonstrate. Whenever, they felt that their sense of masculinity was being challenged they would lash out in an attempt to regain control. The Control Model of Domestic Violence further provides a precise framework in displaying the interconnectedness between violence and other forms of coercive control. Simply put, the feminist theory suggests th at men use violence as a tactic of controlling their abused wives from participating in actions they have not sanctioned. Family Systems Theory The Family Systems theory provides a very unique, holistic perspective on the topic of violence in the family. This perspective describes the family as a unit of interacting personalities. Sociologist Ernest Burgess, best summarized this perspective when he stated that the family is more then just a definition; it is a living, super personality that has its essence in the interaction of its members (Ingoldsby, Smith Miller, 2004b). Each member of the family plays a very important role in the overall functioning of the unit. When applied to the topic of violence in the institution of the family, this paradigm focuses on the family dynamics that contribute to domestic abuse. Subsequently less attention is focused on the individual perpetrating the violence and more attention is paid to the environment surrounding the violence and the role each character in the family plays. The Family Systems perspective offers a diverse interpretation of Rosen’s (1996) article on the processes of abduction and entrapment. Family Systems Theorists differ with respect to how they feel that women are drawn into abusive relationships. This perspective identifies the connection between family goals, rules and control, and how together one can fully understand the development and causation of domestic abuse (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). For example in the article by Rosen (1996), it can be seen that by using family systems theory and studying familial interactions that certain females may be predisposed to the Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast paradigms. By looking at how their families’ function, one may be able to see the recycling effect due to unresolved or violent backgrounds these victimized individuals may come from. They may fall into a similar pattern from what they know at home, thereby examining the origins of this behavior and viewing the interconnectedness of how one internalizes family rules and ideas of control. Family System’s Theory offers a unique interpretation as to the role women play in becoming stuck in abusive relationships. In the stages preceding marriage, women will often date their partner, while simultaneously leading separate lives which consist of separate relations. As the commitment in a relationship increases, a couple begins to modify their individual social lives. In these types of situations, both men and women will often make more time for one another. This allows for the woman to feel appreciated and loved. As the relationship continues to progress, incidents of sexual jealously among men will often become a major source of conflict. This sense of possessiveness will ultimately cause the female to begin severing ties with male friends, and become increasingly committed to her future husband (Dobash Dobash, 1993). Once married, dramatic changes occur and the extreme constriction of the wives social life takes place. With the introduction of children, comes the solidification of traditional gendered norms. Wives become extremely restricted and are left responsible for domestic work, such as the operation of the home (Dobash Dobash, 1993). This may cause women to become increasingly dependant on their husbands. Subsequently, when sources of conflict occur, such as sexual jealousy, disputes over domestic duties or the expenditure of money, women may feel that they have no mobility and are stick in their current situation. Lastly, Family Systems Theory offers a holistic approach to the factors found in Mullaney’s (2007) article that cause men abuse their partners. Like Feminists, Family Systems theorists also believe that a very important aspect of traditional hegemonic masculinity is the element of control. However, unlike the feminist theory this approach attempts to understand what causes men to lose control. One explanation is that violent men often feel as if they may lose control, if they express their emotions, and thus hold it in. This in turn, causes violent men to generally be less emotionally reactive to stress on a day-to-day basis, then non-violent men (Umberson, Anderson, Williams, Chen, 2003). Though in the short term, repression may be a successful coping strategy for reducing stress and anxiety, it causes the individual increased predicaments in the long run. Repression turns a violent man into a ticking-time bomb, one that is ready to explode in a violent manner. As a result, unlike feminist theories or social interactionism, family systems theory attempts to understand violence in the family by examining every interdependent part of the family. This includes the part both the victims and the offenders play, as well as the role everyday stresses and ones immediate environment have in contributing to family violence. Social Constructionism The methodological approach of Social Constructionism somewhat contrasts the assumptions of other theoretical perspectives that explore the issue of family violence. This paradigm suggests that the emergence of social problems is heavily due to how society, or more specifically institutions within society such as the mainstream media, portrays the issue at hand. Furthermore, social constructionists are often referred to as claims-makers, in that they present a claim that attempts to define the problem at hand. These claims can be heavily influenced by the agenda of the claims-maker, and will clearly identify the roles of the characters within the construct of the event. For instance, social constructionists will identify the perpetrator of the violence as the villain and the abused partner as the victim. The analysis of Rosens article surrounding the processes involved with seduction and entrapment, using a constructionist lens, provides a different interpretation to the ways women b ecome bound to abusive relations. This perspective focuses on the subjective definitions that cause social problems and look to frame the phenomena of family violence as a social problem (Loseke, 2005). For instance, symbolic interactionism maintains that some abused women are bound to relationships by the process of cognitive dissonance. In cases such as this, women create discrepancies between what they believe the violence in the relationship signifies and what is actually happening. Constructionists on the other hand will focus very little time into how women construct the violent situations. Instead this perspective theorizes that these women have fallen victims to the violent, controlling nature of their abusive, villainous male partners (Loseke, 2005). The media or other primary claims-makers would further emphasis on violent verbal claims, visual images and specific behaviours. The reason of this is to evoke the emotions of society in order to persuade society that a troubled condition exists. The application of a constructions lens to Mullaneys article on the reasons and types of rationalizations men provide for spousal abuse would allow theorists a better understanding of the ways victims and villains perceive family violence. The social constructionist lens suggests that men create their own social reality. This reality allows men to rationalize their behaviours. For example, in Mullaney’s (2007) article men would often minimize, justify or even deny abusive behaviours. These men will often excuse their behaviours by blaming social or external factors, such as alcohol abuse and the structural problems associated with poverty. These claims are sometimes able to persuade audiences and have allowed for some villains to be rehabilitated through the medicalization of their deviance. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES Symbolic Interactionism Symbolic Interactionism is a key tool to examine domestic violence and its various intricacies. In essence, SI theory attempts to look at domestic violence from the viewpoint of individuals and their interactions with other people. This theory explains that individuals are engulfed in a symbolized environment, where the meanings for these symbols are altered within the course of interaction with other people (Karp Yoels, 1993). For example, in the article â€Å"The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment†, SI is exemplified in the notion of cognitive dissonance. If a man were to slap his wife, while she may see this as an expression or symbol of love, many other people would see this as abuse. Therefore, the difference and meanings of symbols is very fluid, changing and subjective. Furthermore, SI theory is extremely effective in allowing researchers to understand and describe the individuals and their behaviors. It allows an understanding of how conflicts and complex behavioral patterns may arise in relationships, and how the interpretations of symbols may play a role in domestic disputes. This theory is quite effective in predicting future behavior (SI theory is advantageous to use as it grows and adapts to changes within society) and the roles they may play in the relationship either as a perpetrator or a victim, and the context in which these roles are played (Karp Yoels, 1993). Rosen (1996) explains and clumps together several types of entrapment processes, such as placation or isolation, which predicts why and how females are coerced to remain in that sort of relationship. In addition, this theory does lack certain key elements in understanding domestic violence in its entirety. Due to the quite narrow scope of analysis, it is not very useful in understanding more macro levels of interactions such as groups or family systems. Another disadvantage is that it is quite difficult to apply the theory to other cultures, as its findings and hypotheses are based on a singular cultural atmosphere. Since monotony across cultures does not exist, a grand, overarching theory of domestic violence cannot be established, thereby making international or cross-cultural comparisons quite trying. Feminism Domestic violence as viewed through the feminist perspective focuses on the relationship between gender and the division of power in the familial framework (Yllo, 1993). This framework allows domestic abuse to be viewed in a way that is quite distinct from other theories. Feminist theory reveals that the social expectations regarding masculinity and femininity give relationships their shape, which may result in violent and abusive familial relations (Yllo, 1993). Feminist theory allows for the recognition of the effects of patriarchy in an abusive relationship, which is normally neglected in other theories. For instance, the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) looks at the violence in families, however it neglects several other aspects that could contribute to violence. CTS assumes that males and females are both equally violent in domestic relationships however, feminists note that CTS fails to account for the social expectations (Yllo, 1993). The social expectations of the division of power between a male and female within a relationship can give rise to the abuse and therefore, it cannot be assumed that males and females are equally violent and there are statistical measures that portray a gendered view. For example in the reading, â€Å"Patriarchal terrorism and common couple violence: two forms of violence against women† it can be seen that feminism denotes a difference in the types of violence that occur in domestic partnerships and further differentiates between common couple violence and patriarchal terrorism. This article notes that while CTS looks only at a limited number of control tactics, feminism can shed light to several other controlling methods. While, one can see that feminist theory brings up key defining points that are commonly overlooked, it does remain flawed in many respects. Feminist theory is difficult to apply to forms of domestic violence except for spousal abuse; specifically it only examines the abuse directed towards women. It automatically victimizes the female, and thereby situates the male in role of the villain. Another disadvantage of using solely feminist theory is that same-sex relationships are also not taken into account in their analyses, since it is assumed in feminist analysis that males are the perpetrators and use violence in the relationship to control women. For instance in the article, â€Å"The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment†, the analyses are based on the observation of heterosexual relationships. It did not look at how and if these processes of entrapment are applicable to homosexual relationships, for instance, do the Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast paradigm still adequately explain why homosexuals remain in violent relationships. It can be seen that there is a victim/perpetrator structure of the violent relationship, however it cannot be concluded that the processes that entrap victims in violent relationship are similar for same-sex couples. Family Systems Theory Family systems theory is a more holistic approach to understanding abuse within the family and further looks into how everyone within this framework is interconnected. Therefore, it explains how the individual affects the family system and vice versa. Through this analysis, one key contribution of this theory is that it paves the way of identifying the connection between family goals, rules and control, and how together one can fully understand the development and causation of domestic abuse (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). For example in the article by Rosen (1996), it can be seen that by using family systems theory and studying familial interactions, certain females may be predisposed to the Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast paradigms. By looking at how their families’ function, one may be able to see the recycling effect due to unresolved or violent backgrounds these victimized individuals may come from. They may fall into a similar pattern from what they know at home, thereby examining the origins of this behavior and viewing the interconnectedness of how one internalizes family rules and ideas of control. In the article, â€Å"Stay for the Children? Husband Violence, Marital Stability, and Children’s Behavior Problems† it clearly articulates that the violent behavior is internalized or externalized by children by prolonged exposure of violent behavior. The cyclical pattern of violence is foreseeable in these sorts of family arrangements, thereby being consistent with the idea that the system of family and the individuals within it are affected by each other on a constant basis. Family Systems theory also helps identify the different sorts of family structures in terms of their communicational boundaries and also allows the recognition of the various outcomes for a particular situation (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). Understanding that there are multiple outcomes for a given situation sets a more encompassing investigation and limits the likelihood of leaving something out or missing a key-contributing factor. It also allows a point of differentiation, and assumes that not all people react the same when the situation arises. This is important as it further provides the researcher with a defining and narrowing point as to which sort of family has a higher likelihood for domestic violence to occur and persist. Some of the downfalls of using family systems theory are that it is often criticized that it is too general and therefore, its application remains vague. The vagueness stretches from the assumption that systems theory is not a true theory rather it is a model that is more methodological than theoretical. Social Constructionism Social constructionist theory is a popular theory used to examine the roles played in an abusive relationship. An advantage of constructionist theory is that it clearly identifies the victim and the villain within the construct of the particular event (Loseke, 2005). Claims-makers are portrayed as practical actors constructing successful claims that reflect existing culture, and producing new culture of various social problems, specifically family violence. Social constructionism also allows domestic violence issues to be raised to the forefront and become more public, through the media. Through its application and explanations, this theory can be used to show how knowledge is socially constructed and how that knowledge reflects power and politics in family violence situations. Furthermore, it can give shape to other forms of domestic violence through counter claims making, such as husband abuse. Unlike other theories, constructionism is quite useful in examining other types of abuse and not singularly looking at wife abuse like feminism (Loseke, 2005). Constructionism allows for the understanding of child or elder abuse in the household. This theory also helps understand how people construct realities that keep them in abusive relationships, and how the relationship may be viewed differently to other people. In the article by Mullaney (2007), the construction of the men’s reality of the situation may differ from what abuse has occurred to the wife. The husband may reframe the abuse as â€Å"non-violent† or suggest that in that instance of abuse that it was not the â€Å"real him† that was carrying out the abuse. The disadvantages of using social constructionist theory are that due to the fact that individual events are a crucial component to the analysis, its subjectivity allows much room for debate. This makes it difficult to develop a theory that can encompass all the social realities and have it apply to all domestic violence cases cross-culturally. While looking at the article â€Å"Creating clients: Social problems work in a shelter for battered women,† it can be seen that shelters create an ideal client that one must fit in order to be allowed to be in the shelter. Creating this sort of criteria leaves out many other people who typically do not fit the stereotype or do not meet the conditions set out by the providers even though they are in need of assistance. Using this theory, it seems as though society has constructed an â€Å"ideal† victim and those who do not appear to fit this idealistic view of a victim are often rejected despite their need for immediate attention. Social constructionism therefore does not grant that everyone experiencing violence will be offered assistance, as this is based on the shelter’s perception of what a victim should look like. Family violence is a very serious social problem, and while social critics focus on how to achieve social change in this regard, social constructionists work to achieve new knowledge. Thus, social constructionism does not only pose a potentially dangerous approach to understanding and treatment of family violence, but it also does not examine objective conditions in their own right and seek to solve this social problem; essentially there are â€Å"no real truths† due to the subjectivity of the theory. REFLECTION Although much research and knowledge has been gathered in the field of family violence, there are ways in which this research must progress. Theoretically, family systems theory, symbolic interactionism, social constructionism, and feminist perspectives each have advantages in their application. As previously discussed, they each additionally have faults that hinder the study of family violence. We propose that a new theoretical framework be considered which essentially combines different aspects of each. For example, the notions of cause and effect associated with family systems, with an understanding of roles, salience and identity associated with symbolic interactionism. These theories can additionally be used to critically examine the core concepts of each. For example, how is the process of the looking-glass self influenced by the double-bind. Theoretical application in these ways may lead to new ways of perceiving family violence. The study of family violence also should attempt to increase its scope. Studies of family violence must adjust due to emerging and increasingly common alternative family forms; same-sex parent families and polygamous relationships are such examples. Methodologically, the study of family violence should attempt to attain a more culturally diverse sample. Many of the readings focused on this semester relied on a predominantly Caucasian sample, and studies focusing on different ethnicities would be beneficial. If researchers are to examine alternative family forms they must also establish a methodology that is sensitive to the stigma surrounding different identities, for example the emasculation associated with husband abuse, or the intersection of a homosexual identity within a context of family violence. Researchers should also establish a methodology that accounts for those patterns of violence considered â€Å"less severe† than others such as verbal abuse, as studies pertaini ng solely to physical violence are not enough. Practically, we suggest that researchers focus on early intervention through education. Researchers should aim for the implementation of programs directed to informing children and teenagers about this social issue. With increased awareness may come increased action towards ending the problem. These programs may assist a young person who is dealing with family violence, giving them an opportunity to speak to someone about it. Making the issue visible, giving it a platform to be discussed and early intervention is requisite to decreasing the frequency of family violence. The application of different aspects of the theories discussed this semester will be beneficial to the study of family violence as a whole. The fallacies of one theory may be redeemed through the usage of another. When evaluating such troubling social issues such as family violence, it is important to always think critically. In the cases of physical violence, we know that though symbolic interactionism, family members react to a situation based on their ability interpret the situation. So, it is important to understand the symbols the family uses to understand their interactions and behaviors. If a family is exposed to continuous physical abuse, in what ways do the family members interpret and internalize it? Why is it that many of the abused women came from families where no abuse was present and moreover continue the cycle of abuse? Where has the self worth gone or was it ever there in the first place? We now know some of the reasons why family violence is not reported and a lot of it has to do with the social stigma that is attributed both by those receiving the abuse and those who are the abusers. By building on – rather than challenging – the theories we can expand our knowledge and practically implement programs to assist those dealing with family violence. REFERENCES Barnett, O. W., Miller-Perrin, C. L., Perrin, R. D. (2005). Family violence across the lifespan: An introduction (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage Publications. Dobash, R. E. Dobash, R. (1993). Violence against wives. In B. Fox (Ed.), Familypatterns: Gender relations (pp. 299-317). Toronto: Oxford University Press. Emery, C. R. (2009). Stay for the children? Husband violence, marital stability, and children’s behavior problems. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 71, 905-916. Gordon, L. (1989). The politics and history of family violence. In A. Skolnick J. Skolnick (Eds.), Family in Transition (pp. 68-86). Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company. Ingoldsby, B., Smith, S., Miller, J. (2004a). Symbolic interactionism theory. In B. Ingoldsby, S. Smith, J. Miller (Eds.), Exploring family theories (pp. 81-92). CA: Roxbury Publishing Company. Ingoldsby, B., Smith, S., Miller, J. (2004b). Family systems theory. In B. Ingoldsby, S. Smith, J. Miller (Eds.), Exploring fa mily theories (pp. 167-179). CA: Roxbury Publishing Company. Johnson, M. (1995). Patriarchal terrorism and common couple violence: two forms of violence against women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 283-294. Karp, D., Yoels, B. (1993). Socialization and the construction of social reality. In D. Karp W. Yoels (Eds.), Sociology in everyday life (pp. 37-59). Illinois: Waveland Press. Loseke, D. R. (2005). Construction people. In D. R. Loseke (Ed.), Thinking about social problems: An introduction to constructionist perspective (pp. 75-96). London: Aldine Transaction. Mullaney, J. L. (2007). Telling it like a man: Masculinities and battering men’s accounts of their violence. Men and Masculinities, 10, 222-247. Rosen, K. (1996). The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment. In D. Cahn S. Lloyd (Eds.), Family violence from a communication perspective (pp. 151-176). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Umberson, D., Anderson, K., Williams, K., and Chen, M. (2003). Relation dynamics, emotion state, and domestic violence: a stress and masculinities perspective. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 65, 233-247. Yllo, K. (1993). Through a feminist lens: Gender, power, and violence. In R. Gelles D. Loseke (Eds.), Current controversies on family violence (pp. 47-62). Newbury Park: Sage Publications.

Models for Entrepreneurship Development

Models for Entrepreneurship Development Develop a business proposal based on an actual or potential opportunity which has not yet been exploited 1.0 Introduction Innovations and new business ideas are the cornerstone of business development and wealth creation in an economy (Drucker, 1993). As such, the creation of robust business proposals and plans to exploit these opportunities is likewise vital to ensuring ongoing economic success. This piece will analyse three potential entrepreneurial business opportunities, decide which one has the most potential, and then apply relevant economic theories and models to create business plans and financial projections for said opportunity, along with a discussion of any risks and considerations for this business to address. 2.0 Opportunity selection 2.1 Creative thinking model Walls (1926) creative thinking model contains five stages: preparation, incubation, intimation, illumination and verification. However, in line with Wiener’s (1971) analysis, this piece will condense this model to a four stage model, ignoring the intimation stage, which can be argued to represent a sub stage of the process. Idea 1: Mobile Grocery Retail Service Preparation: In many rural areas there are significant distances between shops, and many people do not have access to local shops selling a wide variety of products. The small size of many villages also makes it impractical to serve them with a large scale brick and mortar supermarket or by requested online delivery. Incubation: The idea was mainly developed from the author’s experience of living in a rural community, where village shops tended to be poorly stocked, and hence rural dwellers tended not to have access to the same level of choice as people in urban centres. Illumination: The concept of a mobile grocery retail service, with a wide range of groceries sold direct to consumers from the back of a van was seen as the only feasible way to serve scattered rural communities with no major supermarkets of their own. This would take advantage of existing wholesale and distribution facilities set up across the country. Verification: Research from Datamonitor (2007) indicates that the grocery sector is very large and competitive, but that no store manages to maintain a significant level of loyalty amongst its customer, with over eighty per cent of customers using more than one brand of grocery retailer. As such, customers tend to be very flexible about where they buy groceries, thus creating an attractive niche market and meets verification criteria. Idea 2: Farm selling its own branded range of organic products Preparation: As with the grocery service, past experience of living in a rural community led to the conclusion that many farms are struggling because they fail to make use of all their available opportunities. Incubation: After considering various diversification ideas, the idea of selling farm made goods in shops developed as the only one yet to be fully exploited. This led to the idea of developing a distinctive brand appeal and partnering with a major supermarket chain. Illumination: Research by Trobe (2001) indicated that consumers have an increasing preference for locally grown, organic and ethical food, and that they want to source it from the manufacturer to be sure of its organic credentials. As such, a farm branded product would provide the required level of assurance, above that offered by a supermarket corporation. Verification: MarketWatch (2005) indicates that consumers are willing to pay significantly higher prices for organic food they know is grown in the local area. In addition, the Soil Association (2008) demonstrated that the organic food market in the UK grew by around 22% in 2006, and that growth was predicted to continue in the future. This makes the market very valuable for new entrants. However, the fact that this opportunity would need to be undertaken in partnership with existing supermarket chains would likely make it difficult to create a business plan without first finding a retail partner. Idea 3: Small screen cinema business Preparation: The film entertainment business is very volatile, with some films making huge revenues whilst others take very little. As such, the author tried to work out a way to minimise this volatility by creating an offering with a steady cash flow and no ‘box office flops’. Incubation: Unfortunately, in a creative industry such as film entertainment, there is no way to find opportunities which are guaranteed to succeed. As such, the aim was to find a way of extracting more revenue and value from existing successful films. Illumination: The current lifecycle for a film goes from cinema to DVD to pay television to standard television. This means that only a quarter of the lifecycle is spent in the cinema, whilst the remaining three quarters is spent in people’s homes. This reduces the extent to which the film can be shown to large groups. As such, the aim was to extend the lifecycle for large groups, by showing films on smaller screens in smaller cinemas before they go to DVD, making a more exclusive environment than standard cinemas. Verification: Unfortunately, in this area there was little research available to indicate that the opportunity was likely to succeed. Many filmmakers are reluctant to adjust their model for fear of undermining their mainstream box office revenues, and also resist making films widely available before they go to DVD due to the risk of piracy. As such, this idea did not achieve verification or present itself as a viable opportunity. 2.2 Opportunity assessment Based on the analysis above, there was insufficient data to assess the third opportunity, which indicates that it does not fulfil Casson’s (1982) criteria of providing new goods or services at greater than their cost of production or Shane’s (1996) definition of recombining resources to produce a profit. As such, the only two ideas to be assessed are the first and second. Of these, the second idea cannot be pursued in depth at this stage, as it requires a significant degree of commitment from a partner organisation before it can be investigated in detail and financial resources can be determined. This implies that idea one is the one which should be taken forward. 3.0 Analysis of business concept â€Å"Setting up a mobile grocery retail service with the aim of serving communities with a wide range of groceries in convenient local locations† Food 2 You is a new venture which will look to service local communities which do not have access to a large supermarket or shop. The venture will operate a number of refitted lorries which will contain a wide range of groceries beyond that which would be available in a typical village shop. The mobility of this service will make such a range cost effective because Food 2 You will not be limited by the geographic distribution radii possessed by most local stores. Instead, the lorries will be able to visit numerous villages; thus achieving economies of scale similar to a supermarket whilst maintaining all the convenience of a local store. 3.1 Difa analysis According to Rae’s (2007) argument, the existence of a demand and the ability to fill it is key to the success of any innovation. As such, the Difa model will be used to assess the level of demand, the innovation of the model, the feasibility of supplying the market and the attractiveness of the potential segment. Demand The UK grocery industry is forecast to grow by 35% from 2007 to 2012, a compound annual growth rate of over 6% (Datamonitor, 2008). In addition to this, Cotterill (2006) reports on the findings of various studies into the competitive nature of grocery retailing markets, finding that customers often lack choice about the services available to them. As such, a completely new service which is unlike any previous offerings could succeed in attracting a large number of customers. Innovation As discussed above, the main innovation in this offering is that it is unique in grocery retailing. Currently, customers have the choice of either visiting a shop, which requires time and effort, or ordering online which requires extra delivery expense and the risk of the wrong goods being packed or supplied. Food 2 You offers the certainty of making selections from a shop, whilst also providing the convenience of local food delivery. Feasibility A MarketWatch (2007) report indicates that consumers are more active in choosing where to shop for food when compared to any other retail sectors. Indeed, shoppers for food and groceries regularly use three stores, on average, to fill all their shopping requirements. This implies that it is feasible to fit this service into existing demand and make a profit from it. Attractiveness Ketzenberg and Ferguson (2008) argue that one of the key issues facing many shops is how to handle the slow moving perishable items which have higher levels of waste and lower revenues. By combining all such items into one mobile store, and selling them in a variety of locations, Food 2 You can access a niche which is not particularly profitable for other shops. This will help it develop rapidly with little competition from the established players, who have little profits to defend in this area. 3.2 Business model See Appendix 1 for the business model 3.3 Market potential segmentation Datamonitor (2007) claims that grocery customers are very flexible regarding the locations and times at which they shop, with low levels of brand loyalty. As such, they are very likely to switch supplier if there is a more convenient option available. As a result, this business will be based strongly on providing a convenient solution, giving customers what they want, when and where they want it. The expectation is that customers will be willing to pay a small premium for this additional convenience, and thus this service will be able to extra significant rents. The service will likely have three target customer segments: Families where one or both parents work, and hence they are under significant time pressure and regular shopping trips increase this pressure further. In addition, these families would tend to have higher income levels, due to both parents working, and will thus be able to afford to pay the premium. Elderly or retired people who will find it challenging to go to the shops on a regular basis. As such, they will often be limited to local shops with a very poor selection and quite high prices due to a lack of economies of scale. As such, this segment would potentially not see higher shopping bills due to using the service, but will benefit from increased convenience. Homemakers and people who work from home. These people may have chosen to stay at home because they have small children, something which can make shopping in a large store very difficult. In addition, they do not commute to work, and hence have a lower geographic range when shopping. Also, as this segment is not constrained by time, and is growing due to the increase in flexible working (Vant, 2003), it could be one of the largest growing market segments in the coming years. 4.0 Resources, returns, risks 4.1 Financial plan forecasts See Appendix 2 for detailed financial plan and forecasts. 4.2 Proposed investment anticipated returns The service is such that it can be started out on a small scale and can grow further as its profile and demand rise. As such, an initial investment of  £200,000 should be sufficient.  £100,000 of this could be used to purchase the first two lorries and refit them to carry goods including refrigerated food. The remaining  £100,000 would be used to buy groceries on the wholesale markets and to provide ongoing cashflow. Given the anticipated demand for this service, this capital should be fully recouped within eight years. 4.3 Required human capabilities The main human capabilities needed are in two areas. The first of these is the ability to source and negotiate groceries at or near to wholesale prices. This could be quite difficult, as the supermarkets in the UK tend to have significant power over the distribution networks for groceries. As such, it would be ideal to either recruit someone with supermarket experience, or to enter into a supply partnership with a supermarket or a major grocery supplier in order to purchase groceries on the same terms as other major players (Kumar, 2008). The second capability required is rather more mundane: the service needs drivers who can also operate their lorries as mobile shops. It is envisioned that the lorries will operate by opening one side completely, so that customers can see all products within the store. However, this will not allow a significant number of customers to enter the lorry at any one time. As such, the driver will also need to fetch most goods for the customer, bag them and perform all other customer service actions. This will require a somewhat unique combination of human capabilities. 4.4 Risk assessment There are several risks to this venture: Lack of acceptance from customers over established brands Failure to launch in a local market with sufficient customer demand Failure to negotiate partnerships or supply deals with wholesalers Rising costs such as petrol prices Inadequate start up capital Mitigation strategies are as follows: Carry out local advertising prior to launch Conduct studies of market demographics to determine which are the best areas for the target market If supply deals cannot be negotiated, the venture will not be cost competitive and will likely have to be abandoned Rising petrol prices should drive up grocery prices across the board hence prices can be raised to absorb the additional cost Additional drawdown facilities should be negotiated to provide additional cash flow in case of difficulties 5.0 Start-up marketing plan As discussed above, the initial actions will focus on using demographic, social and economic analyses to determine the best markets for the service to launch into. Households in these areas will then be surveyed to determine the likely response to the service and generate word of mouth publicity. This is consistent with Collinson and Shaw’s (2001) view that entrepreneurial organisations should structure their activities around the market. 5.1 Internal evaluation Food 2 You’s main strength will be its flexibility and responsiveness, as well as the relationships it can build up with the local communities. For example, customers will be given the opportunity to place orders for goods they want, which can be sourced through the supply deals and be collected by the customer the next time the lorry is serving the area. However, the main weakness of the service is that it will not have the marketing and buyer power of the main supermarkets, and thus will not be able to match them for price. Also, in the early stages of launch, it will not have the reputation and awareness amongst consumers, and thus it may be difficult to establish the service. 5.2 Competitor analysis As discussed above, the main competitors will be the big supermarkets, whose buyer power allows them to keep their prices at lower levels that Food 2 You’s. In addition, local shops may oppose the service, seeing it as a threat to their business. Of these, Tesco is likely to represent the main threat, as it has stores in every UK postcode area and thus will be the only company to challenge the potential geographic reach of Food 2 You. 5.3 Porters five forces Porters (1980) five forces model is one of the most used and recognised methods for analysing the competitive environment acting in a market. The forces tend to act at the microeconomic level, which means that they will impact on Food 2 You differently in each region served. However, in general the five forces will act as follows: New Entrants Whilst the market is very attractive for Food 2 You to enter, this will also apply for any other potential entrants, particularly if Food 2 You’s offering proves profitable. Indeed, the low entry costs: all new entrants require is refurbished lorries and the ability to buy groceries at wholesale prices, will also make the market more attractive to potential new entrants. As such, and due to the small growth speed of the service due to the need to analyse a region before entering it, it is likely that Food 2 You will soon face several competitors and will not be able to dominate the market. Potential Substitutes As discussed above, the main substitutes are shopping in a standard store or ordering groceries online from a major supermarket chain. Shopping in a standard store is the dominant mode of purchasing groceries, but has significant time and travel requirements, particularly for those who do not live near a store. Online ordering reduces the time and travel requirement, but leaves customers unable to choose their own produce, at the risk of errors by the supermarket, and having to pay a delivery charge. Buyers Given the wide range of choice and the ability of consumers to switch supplier at will, consumers represent the dominant force in the grocery market. As such, this service aims to play on this by offering consumers a service close to their homes, with a wide selection, and at a convenient time. It is hoped that this will attract consumers away from stores. Suppliers In the early stage, the service is likely to be dependent on one major supplier, which means the supplier will have significant power. This could be countered by making the supplier a partner in the service, giving said supplier an incentive to grow the service and make it profitable. If this does not prove to be possible, then as the service grows it should look to work with more suppliers to reduce this level of power. Competitive Rivalry The UK supermarket industry has very strong competitive rivalry, however the rivalry is lower in home delivery as there are fewer suppliers and the market is not large enough for the major supermarkets to pay much attention to it (Boyer and Hult, 2006; Teller et al, 2006). However, with the low barriers to entry, if Food 2 You proves popular the market and the number of competitors in it could grow rapidly. 5.4 Marketing objectives The main marketing objective will be to build relationships with the villages or towns identified as being worthwhile locations in which to operate. These locations will be segmented according to their demographic, social and economic characteristics and the residents will be surveyed to find out their times and dates. Each part of the town or village will then be allocated a delivery slot based on their espoused interest. 5.5 Product strategy The service will aim to stock the products which will be most in demand in specific areas, focusing on high quality, high margin products in affluent areas and more basic products in poorer areas. However, in general the service will aim to provide higher quality items in order to justify its price premium. 5.6 Price strategy As discussed with the products, the company will pursue a pricing strategy based on providing maximum convenience in terms of time and distance. As such, the service will not be aiming to compete on price, and thus will have more flexibility to set premium prices and extract additional surplus from time pressured consumers. This will likely reduce the size of the target market for the service, but at the same time increase its value and profitability. 5.7 Place strategy The service will look to select locations in each town or village based on the locations which are easiest to reach for the majority of target customers. This will also require some consideration of where lorries can be parked most easily, as well as some consultation with local authorities to ensure that roads are not blocked and the public are not inconvenienced. 5.8 Promotion strategy The promotional activity of Food 2 You will concentrate on showing consumers the value that the company offers to them, in terms of not needing to spend lots of time and effort travelling to supermarkets. It will focus strongly on developing word of mouth advertising around the convenience of the stores and will also look to build relationships through allowing consumers to place orders for their favourite products and have a say in their delivery times. 6.0 Growth exit 6.1 Growth strategy The main growth strategy for the company will be to develop sufficient word of mouth in its chosen launch locations to allow it to develop into nearby geographical areas and hence to expand its fleet of mobile stores (Bolton and Drew, 1991). As this word of mouth begins to reach its limits in terms of reach and effectiveness, it can be supplemented by effective PR, such as arranging for local newspapers to write stories about the impact of the delivery service (Klein, 2007). Once the company’s brand image has grown significantly, it can also help grow itself through internet promotions, such as setting up a website through which potential customers can request the company provide services to their local area (Mayzlin, 2006). This will then help the company grow from being a local to a national company, thus allowing it to better compete with other stores on price. 6.2 Exit strategy The exit strategy for the venture is likely to be contingent on the level of success it experiences, and the reactions of other players in the grocery industry to its success. Should the company be launched in partnership with a major supermarket chain or supplier, then a takeover of Food 2 You by said partner would be a likely exit strategy. However, if the company launches alone and experiences significant success then it may still be purchased by one of the major players, as this would help the buyer increase their market share and access this segment of the industry without having to start their own offering. If this does not come to pass, then the most likely exit strategy would be an IPO by the owners, who could then decide whether to stay on as managers to the company or whether to exit completely. Alternatively, depending on the relationships the company builds with the communities in which it operates, the company could be taken over by these communities and run as a co-oper ative, or even taken over by its employees. 7.0 Conclusion The market analysis indicates that there is significant potential demand for this service, and that it can fill a sizeable existing gap in the grocery market. However, the main criteria for the success of the company is that it is able to partner with an existing major grocery retailer or supplier in order to obtain wholesale prices for its groceries. If it can do this, then it will be able to remain relatively price competitive, and thus can compete aggressively on convenience for consumers. However, in the initial two years of operation the venture will be quite high risk, particularly in terms of the locations in which it chooses to operate and its level of customer exposure. As such, it is vital that the company is careful when researching and selecting its start up locations, and also has significant cash flow to get it through the initial start up period where sales may be low. 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