Individual summar Week 3 Essay

Individual summar Week 3 Essay Individual summar Week 3 Essay Accrual-basis accounting is recording transactions as the service occurs, even if cash is not received yet (Kimmel, 2009). It makes sense that most companies would choose this way to me as I feel this is the best way to keep track of money that you are going to receive and keep things more up to date. The cash basis accounting is not recorded until the transaction until the cash is received (Kimmel, 2009). This to me would get really confusing if you are awaiting payment for a job already done. If you forget to add it to your financial statements or remember what the incoming cash is for you may get turned around. The main difference between the two to me is the fact that one is recorded with out the cash being paid and the other is not recorded until the cash is actually in hand. I would also like to know in my reports that I am awaiting that cash so that I can account for it in future months. Another reason is that when looking at the numbers laid out the numbers for the cash ba sis accounting can look misleading for the company. The reason that cash basis is prohibited under generally accepted accounting principles, is that it doesn’t record revenue when it is earned, that violates the revenue recognition principle. Similarly it doesn’t record the expenses when they are incurred which in turn would violate the matching principle. In the end when comparing the differences of the two accounting types it’s easy to see why accrual basis accounting is the

4 Tips for Landing a Pharmacy Technician Job

4 Tips for Landing a Pharmacy Technician Job The job hunting experts over at CareerStep.com have four basic tips for aspiring pharmacy technicians that should help you prepare for your ideal career, whether you’re finding your first job or preparing for a career change. Complete an externshipBuild your network and your resume and gain practical experience by completing a pharmacy externship or internship at a hospital or pharmacy. Some companies allow you to shadow experienced technicians to learn on-the-job skills; other online schools feature externships as a routine part of the course. Do your research and find out if there are opportunities available for you.NetworkThis is always included so casually in lists of job hunting tips as though it’s not the most intimidating  part of the whole process. So start small- develop an elevator pitch to use on friends and family who ask what you’re up to or what kinds of jobs you’ll be looking for when you graduate. Don’t stammer and change the subje ct- be ready to talk about the kind of pharmacy (hospital, retail, private, institutional) you’re hoping to work in. You never know when someone will know someone who will know someone who can give you an inside track.Then build on your newfound poise to talk to classmates, colleagues at your internship/externship, career center resources, and even LinkedIn contacts. Go to a mixer occasionally, and make contact/business cards to help people keep you in mind.Rework your resumeI say this all the time, but I really do have 6 different working versions of my resume, and it’s served me well. If you’re not sure what kind of pharmacy you want to work in, develop one for each track. Talk to your instructors about the demands of each particular setting.Retail experience should be showcased for retail pharmacies, obviously, but think about what a hospital most needs from its pharmacists: responsibility? professionalism in stressful situations? attention to detail? What ab out an institution like a residential or correctional facility? Polish the content for each prospective audience. Then take a look at the physical layout. Is it crowded? easy to read? concise? Do you have relevant accomplishments highlighted?Advertise onlineThe hard thing to balance about online presence is the mix of being â€Å"present† and being â€Å"professional.† Make sure your newly perfected resume is available on industry sites recommended by your career center counselors or professors. Check the privacy settings on all your social media, and strive to be the kind of pharmacy tech you would want to have handling your prescription in all your interactions online!

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Business Law - Essay Example dismissing the contract because they no longer have confidence in Lewis to continue with the business because he does not have sufficient equipment, but they will still win so long as they demonstrate that there is an existing law, which is related to the issue of market price. In addition, the court may not be able to grant a summary of judgment if both parties dispute against a material fact. In this case, Lewis can defend himself by providing evidence that such law does not exist, or that it affect their contract, if it exists (Jorgensen 250). Both Nine Mile Mine and Lewis can defend their position; in support of the motion or opposition of the motion respectively, by use of information obtained during the initial stages of the proceedings, such as answers to interrogatories, deposition testimony, and answers to wishes for production. In addition, the disputing parties can use affidavits from experts to oppose or support the motion. If any parties lose on the judgment, then they are free to seek appeal, though the chances of overturning summary judgments on appeal are extremely rare (Jorgensen

Proposed design for residential dwellings and retail super markets Essay

Proposed design for residential dwellings and retail super markets near Lichfield Basin - Essay Example The proposal also highlights the preventive measures that need to be incorporated in view of flooding, soft and moist clayey ground, damp patches in buildings. The other design considerations include the spacing between dwelling and the development of garden in nearby area. Thus the single major aim of this design proposal is to develop sustainable dwellings and retails that are contemporary with good aesthetics 2. Performance requirements for buildings: The proposed site is a basin area and hence requires a careful design with respect to structural stability, good thermal and sound insulation and availability of natural lighting. The materials that provide good insulation are prescribed in the EST guidance, â€Å"Insulation materials chart - thermal properties and environmental ratings† (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/housing , CE 71) and that for airtightness in â€Å"Insulation materials chart - thermal properties and environmental ratings† (www.energysavingtrust.org.u k/housing , CE 137). ... According to the Building Regulations Approved Document E of the Department for Communities and Local Government (Resistance to the passage of sound, 11 -17) of the building regulations, the attenuation values for airborne sound and impact sound could range from 3dB to 8dB. The credits in the certification is 1 for 3dB attenuation and for 8dB attenuation, the credit is 4. Insulation tests are carried out in pre-completion and post completion stage by test bodies accredited by UKAS. The thermal insulation is assessed by the Heat Loss Parameter. The long term thermal insulation of the building depends on the structure of the building. The Heat Loss parameter gives a statistical measure of the thermal insulation of the external surface area including construction and airtightness. A lower value of heat loss parameter specifies efficient design in terms of thermal insulation. The design and location of hot water cylinders, insulation pipes and cold water tanks needs more attention. ( I h ave removed some text here) During construction the design and mode of temporary supports need to be assessed and decided by a competent structural engineer who has sufficient knowledge about the load bearing ability of different materials. According to the Building and Construction Authority (â€Å"GUIDELINES FOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS†, www.bca.gov.sg/), the structural investigation of a building involves checking the structural plans, calculations of load bearing ability, testing the strengths of materials and carrying out load tests on parts of the building. As stated in the technical guide, of Department for Communities and Local Government

Proving King Lear Is a Tragedy Essay Example for Free

Proving King Lear Is a Tragedy Essay A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. A flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin or sorrow. a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat: King Lear is a perfect example of a tragedy. In a typical tragedy, the main character, or tragic hero, is brought to suffer some extreme sorrow, because of a tragic flaw he possesses. King Lear, the tragic hero, carries the tragic flaw of vanity, which causes his downfall. His demise begins with him believing his two insincere older daughters, Goneril and Regan, tell him that they love him more than anything, and casts out his youngest daughter, Cordelia, who truthfully tells him, â€Å"I love your majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less† (Shakespeare 4). Lear is too arrogant to see that Cordelia is the daughter that truly loves him and throws out anyone close enough to tell him his mistake. As the plot progresses, Lear realizes Goneril and Regan have betrayed him and Cordelia did truly love him, but still refuses to return to Cordelia begging for forgiveness. At this point, Lear is mad, but Cordelia wants to nurse him back to health. Cordelia dies and later Lear dies of grief all because of his vanity.

Huck Finn :: essays research papers

Satire in Huck Finn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first few chapters of Huckleberry Finn, we can see traces of satirical elements begin to emerge from within the story. The very first satirical scene occurs after Tom plays a trick on Jim, Miss Watson’s slave. Huck goes on to describe how Jim reacts to finding his hat hung on a limb above his head. â€Å"Afterwards Jim said the witches bewitched him and put him in a trance, and rode him all over the State, and then set him under the trees again and hung his hat on a limb to show who done it.† This note that Huck makes may have served a humorous purpose during older times, when Blacks were stereotypically superstitious. This also shows Jim’s gullibility and is referred to later on in the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first eleven chapters of the story, the only evident character and element in the story being satirized is Jim and the simple stereotypes of an African American living in Finn’s and Clemens’ time. Jim is once again satirized in chapter ten, where he is bitten after Huck places a dead snake near his blanket. Jim, being superstitious, chides Huck after he touches a snakeskin earlier in the story. Huck ignores this and places a dead snake at the foot of Jim’s blanket one night and Jim gets bitten in the foot by the dead snake’s mate. This portion of the book once again satirizes Jim’s superstition and adds to the element of humor in the story by describing the treatment that Jim applies to his foot after he is bitten. â€Å"He was barefooted, and the snake bit him right on the heel. That all comes of my being such a fool as to not remember that whenever you leave a dead snake its mate always comes there and curls around it. Jim told me to chop off the snake’s head and throw it away, and then skin the body and roast a piece of it.

Relationship between society and education Essay

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIETY AND EDUCATION Introduction Many sociologists have observed that there is a strong relationship between education and society. This observation is borne out of the fact that it is not possible to separate or draw any line of demarcation between the two concepts. This is because of the fact that what happens to the educational system undoubtedly affects the society, the young in its own image. The components of the educational system that constitute perfectly defined facts and which have the same reality as another social fact are inter-related. They are inter-related internally, so that a given education system has unity and consistency, and also externally so that the education system reflects a society’s moral and intellectual values. Ottaway (1980) defined society as the whole range of social relationships of people living in a certain geographical territory and having a feeling of belonging to the same kind of group. In every society, whether developing or developed, complex or primitive, there is always an education system. Education systems are not the same, as no two societies are identical. Therefore, education systems differ from society to society and their aims, contents and techniques also differ from one society to another. From the foregoing, one might postulate that educational institutions are micro-societies, which mirror the entire society. This is one of the reasons why societies try to evolve education systems and  policies that would meet the needs, beliefs, attitudes and the aspirations of their people. Havighurst (1968) observed that the way to understand a society’s education system is to understand how it is related to the other basic institutions of that society, in particular the family, the church, mosque,the state, the polity and the economy. Relationship between Education and Society We have seen education in particular as a means of cultural transmission from one generation to another. The parents are the first teachers of the child and they still maintain an educative function throughout the early and formative years of a child. In most of the developing nations of the world, including Nigeria, parents are responsible for sending their children or wards to school. Since these nations are undergoing rapid socioeconomic and political changes, they witness special problems involving the appropriate education system, which will be able to produce the adequate manpower needs in all the segments of the society. . Schools are established in many societies of the world so as to instill in the pupils those skill’s which will afford them the opportunity of taking their rightful positions in the society; but this function cannot be adequately accomplished without the assistance of the home because both the home and the school perform complimentary functions in the moral and intellectual development of the child. This means that the child cannot be educated in a vacuum or in isolation. Therefore, for a child to be educated there must be interaction between him and his physical and social environment. By this we mean that education is the development of personality. It is something which goes on both inside and outside the home and in the school. In other words, education is an activity of the whole community. This means that education is used in the transmission of the cultural values. One important implication of looking at education as the transmitter of cultural values is the fact that education can be influenced by the culture of the society in which it takes place. For this reason, one may infer that for a child to be educated, he must be influenced by his environment and, in turn, be capable of influencing it. And it is only by the concept of the continuous interaction of the individual and his society that the development of personality can be properly understood. We have noted above  that education is a means through which the cultural values of a particular society are transmitted from one generation to another. Through this process, the society is able to achieve basic social conformity and ensure that its traditional values, beliefs, attitudes and aspirations are maintained and preserved. Clarks (1948) observed that a general knowledge and acceptance of the ideals and aims of our society is essential for all its citizens, and it must be achieved throug h education but in a form, which makes it compatible with freedom. So he reconciles the double purpose by saying that admittedly, the purpose of the educative society may be to make men conformable. But overmastering that must be the purpose to make men free. A society needs a stable and dynamic set of values and a ,unified purpose. It is when this is ascertained that meaningful economic, political and social programmes can be embarked upon for the overall benefits of the citizens. To be a fully developed a person in such a society, implies full and creative membership of it with powers to change it. Ottaway (1980) contended that the transmission of culture still remains a vital function, and is not to be dismissed as merely conservative in the sense of being old-fashioned. He further observed that our children are potentially the society of the future, which still belongs to the non-social community, and education in this respect can be regarded as a socialization of the young. Education depends on the total way of life of a people in a society. This suggests that the type of education provided will differ from society to society. Besides, each society has her own norms, values and her own ideal persons who stand out clearly for the youn ger generations to emulate. Since all these societies are not the same, then it means that a man is regarded as a hero in one society because of his contributions to educational development of the society may not be regarded as such in another society where education is not given priority in the scheme of their daily activities. It, therefore, implies that children have different people to emulate in different societies. It is logical to expect that the type education given in each society will change from time to time as the society changes. Many writers have argued that education is one of the causes of social change in the society, but another school of thought is of the opinion, that educational change tends to follow other social  changes, rather than initiate them. Ottaway (1980) observed that ideas of change originate in the minds of men; often in the mind of a single man. Exceptional individuals invent new techniques and propound new values for their society. These ideas arise from the impact of man o n his culture, but do not change the culture until they are shared and transmitted by a social group. In his own submission, Boocock (1972) noted that societies undergoing rapid social change or modernization have special problems in adapting the educational system to the manpower needs of the world. They often suffer shortages of persons with special kind of education in engineering and other technical fields and may have difficulty in keeping persons with valuable skills once they have completed their education. Another area of the relationship between education and society is through the arrangement of the entire society into a hierarchical order that is, through the social structure in which education plays a prominent and significant role in fixing educated individuals into social classes. Ottaway (1980) observed that education is the process of preparing people to fit into this complex social structure and to play particular social roles as members of more than one institutional group. Individuals have to learn to be fathers or mothers, school teachers or civil servants, shopkeepers or priests. They have to learn to keep the law, to understand how they are governed and to be prepared to try and change the social moves when they see that they can be improved. Education as a social phenomenon is also concerned with the preparation of the child for his future occupation in life. This is one of the main economic functions of education and this is in the interest of both the nation and the individual. Through education an individual knows the structure of the society and the different types of relationships that exist among those structures in the society. The child is taught how to perform different roles within the social structure in the society. These roles are inter-r elated. For example, the role of a father is a relational role; a father could be a son to another person. So education allows the child to perform his role adequately within the social structure in the society. In addition, the child is able to understand the network of inter-relationships among the different social institutions that make up the society. . Also of importance are the different functions that are performed by each social institution in the society. Like an individual, each institution has definite functions to perform in the society and the functions of each institution differ from one to another even though they are complimentary. Another aspect of the relationship between education and society is in the area of social interaction. Social interaction may be defined as any relation between people and groups, which changes the behaviour of the people in the group. There is a need for social interaction by the child before he could acquire the culture of his society. This interaction in the society is therefore part of the child’s education, provided that, that type of interaction brings about positive changes in the child’s behaviour in the right direction as required by the educational system. One important point here is that the child has been taking part in group interaction long before he starts to attend school and the most common among these group interactions are within the family and the peer group. These groups in which the child interact, gives him the opportunity to learn from the wider circles in the society. From his social contacts, he learns his roles in different groups and this influences his personality development. Conclusion Many sociologists have appreciated the relationship between education and society and have concluded that the two are so interrelated. That one cannot draw any line of demarcation between them. It has been observed that the educational system of any nation must be based on the needs and demands of the society, and that any educational system that fails to meet the needs, aspirations and ambitions of the society is not relevant and is bound to fail. The educational system of any nation is concerned with, the transmission of the cultural values of today to those who will live in the world of tomorrow, and contents of education must somehow strike a balance. Dubey et. al. (1984) observed that a good educational system, in all its full substance and ramifications, is related to the level of culture, industrial development, rate of urbanization, political organization, religious climate, family structure, stratification and other institutions of the total social system. Finally, education has to fulfil both the individual’s needs and those of the society and must keep pace with other sub-systems in the society, as both variables are inter-related. REFERENCES Blakemore, K. and Cooksey, B. (1981). A Sociology of Education for Africa. London: George Allen & Unwin. Boocock, S. (1972). An Introduction to the Sociology of Learning. New York: Houghton Mifflin. Clarke, F. (1948). Freedom in the Educative Society London: University Press. Dubey, D.L. et.al (1984). An Introduction to the Sociology of Nigerian

Coffee and Starbucks Essay

?Introduction Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee company and coffee house chain headquartered in Seattle, Washingston. Starbucks was founded in 1971, when three academicians, began a specialty coffee store called Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice in Seattle (Starbucks Corporation, 2009). In 1996, Starbucks operated its first international store expansion in Tokyo, Japan. With current approximately 19,500 stores in 58 countries (Location xcelerated, 2012), Starbucks is quickly becoming one of the best known brands and the largest specialty coffeehouse company in the world. The Market Demand of Coffee. The demand of coffee in the United States has rose 2 percent in 2011(Perez, 2011). Americans drank 77. 4 billion cups of coffee during a year (Perez, 2011). A statistics showed that â€Å"the average consumption among coffee drinkers in the United States is 3. 1 cups of coffee per day† (E-Imports, 2012). With gathering the information and statistics, it has proved the demand of coffee market in the US is extremely high. Also, the coffee market is the potential market for rivals entering into. Hence, Starbucks has to attain strong competitive advantages and market demand with its resources and capabilities. Starbucks’s Resources and Capabilities An organization has the ability to identifying and determining the competitive power of their resources and capabilities to create competitive advantage. Business resources are the productive input or competitive asset that is owned or controlled by the organization (Thompson, 2012). In the case of Starbucks, the resources and capabilities are coffee bean, store ambience, employee culture, and brands and reputations. Coffee Beans Coffee beans are the natural resources of Starbucks. They are one of the most valuable resources for coffee industry. Starbucks was a purveyor of specialty coffee – it has seemed top-notch coffee beans to produce high quality of coffee. High quality of coffee beans was usually sourced directly from coffee-producing countries, for instance Kenya, Guatemala and Indonesia. Starbucks was usually acquired the coffee bean at a premium price for suppliers who suited the Starbucks’ standards, socially and environmentally responsible farming. Starbucks has committed the long term contracts with the supplier in order to protect both party with the price and quality of coffee beans. The Starbucks’s coffee beans provided a sustainable competitive advantage in the face of active competition. It is due to the high quality and premium coffee beans sourced from other country were uncommon and costly to imitate for competitors. Store Design and Ambience Starbucks was positioned as a â€Å"third place† between beyond home and work with the store design and relaxing ambience. The design of store is provided a comfort and relaxing environment for its costumer. Each detail of likes the style of fixtures, the edges of countertops and the texture of slate floors was examined to enhance the unique ambience and mood of the Starbucks store. With blended the colorful banners and artworks, the merchandise displays, the music and the aromas, Starbucks has created an attractive, consistent and stimulating environment that provided comfort of a home for customer, excellent customer service and quality products as the concept of â€Å"third place theme† (Moon & Queich, 2003) cited by (Harveywallbanger, 2012). These elements made the Starbucks experience key in retaining its customers with the competitive advantage and capture new markets. The store design is valuable by providing a third place theme, a relaxing and conform atmosphere. Besides, it was rare design in United States as Starbucks is the first mover to replicate the Italian style coffee store. Competitors are difficult and costly to imitate as the Starbucks has an exclusive In-House architects and designers to ensure the right image and character for each store. Employee Culture A vital dynamic in Starbucks’s growth was the human resources, its employee. Starbucks has provided a great work environment around its employees, one of its most important resources and sources of sustainable competitive advantage (Gates et al. , 2011). Schultz believed that a plentiful employee benefits package was a key competitive advantage. Starbucks was the first company to offer all employees, even part-timer, were qualified to get healthcare benefits, participate in the Bean Stock program for stock option grants. Besides that, Starbucks has offered an extensive training program to each employee that includes a commitment to customer service experience and the knowledge of products (Balaban et al. , n. d). All employees of Starbucks were trained to have good customer experiences for retaining customers. For example, they were trained â€Å"just say yes† to customer requests. Starbucks’ approach towards employees benefited to company has maintained the turnover rate at 60-65 percent, while the other national industry turnover is about 150-400 percent a year. The plentiful employee benefit package provides a sustainable competitive advantage to Starbucks. It is added value to Starbucks because employees will have the better job performance due to the motivation and courage. It was rare as the Starbucks was the first company provided healthcare benefits and stock option plan. And also, it is costly to imitate for Starbucks’s competitors. Brand and Reputation Brand recognition and reputational are essential resources and capabilities to Starbucks’s competition advantage. According to Starbucks Strategy Fortune, â€Å"Starbucks store traffic has risen between 6 percent and 8 percent a year even in a down economy†. Starbucks reputation was growing mostly by word of mouth rather than spending on advertising. Schultz believed that opening numerous stores helped to build the brand to Starbucks by increasing awareness of the brand. On the other hand, Starbucks also strengthened its brand and reputation with Fair Trade Certified coffee and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company collaborated with CARE and Conservation International to encourage environment responsible methods of growing coffee. These activities would be created the attention and attraction of its customers on the brand of Starbucks. Due with the strength of brand and reputation, Starbucks was achieved sustainable competitive advantages in the specialty coffee segment. Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model. One of the powerful and widely assessment tools of an organizations industry’s competitive forces is the five forces model, created by Michael Porter. This model embraces that the competitive forces affecting industry success go beyond rivalry among competing sellers and include four coexisting sources (Thompson, 2012). The Michael Porter’s five forces are the threat of entry, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of supply and rivalry among competing sellers. I will identify the competitive environment of Starbucks in coffee industry by using Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model. 1) Industry Rivalry The industry competition among the existing firms is positioned at the center of Porter five forces model. Rivalry is gradually growing against Starbucks each year as the growing of industry. The growth of industry rivalry has increased due to introduce the new products into the market and differentiate products based on quality, service and selection (Gamble & Thompson, Jr. , 2011) cited by (Brown, 2011). With this point, Starbucks has introduced a new way of having premium coffee and new product of Frappuccino, was greatly differentiated from the competitors. Starbucks also served coffee with the highest freshness standards with FlavorLock bags. Starbucks compete to against two strong orgationation in the fast food industry who have operated coffee beverages and stepped into coffee market, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts. The competitive threat distributed by McDonald’s to Starbucks was referring to the Consumer Reports magazine in 2008 , which rated that the McDonald’s the quality of coffee is better and the price is cheaper as compared to Starbucks. The industry’s growing has slowed down while the industry competition is increasing among existing firms. In short, the force of industry rivalry formed by the competition among coffees industry is characterized very strong. 2) The Threat of New Entrance The second competitive force of Porter’s model has significant differenced in the late of 80s and the recent competitive environment of Starbucks, is no barriers to entry. According to Porter (2008), barriers of entry are low in the specialty coffee industry. The coffee houses in the United States were about 585 in 1987 and 25000 in 2007. It showed that the new entrants of specialty coffee market was increasing speedily in 20 years. Besides that, the specialty coffee market had grown from $11. 5billion (2005) to $12. 27 billion (2006) in the United States. Due to the market demand growing rapidly, it was attracted a number of fast-food retailers, such company as McDonald and Dunkin’ Donuts. In addition, the product differentiation (included coffee selection, roasting and brewing) is considered weak. With these elements, it can be established that the threat of new entrants in coffee industry is moderate. However, Starbucks has a strong competitive advantage with a well-known brand and image, the quality service and diversity products, and a strong market in the segmentation. 3) The Threat of Substitutes Another competitive force of Porter’s model is the threat of substitutes. The force of substitutes is significant decreased in the coffee market. This is because, there are only little of substitutes product, such substitute as soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit juices. The principal substitution of products has posed a slight threat to coffee industry were carbonated soft drinks which introduced by the Pepsi and Coca-Cola company. In the past few years, studies have done that coffee has increasingly obtained the preference of consumer more than carbonated soft drinks. This is probably concentrated the healthy related with carbonated soft drinks, and evidenced that coffee is a relatively healthy preference. (Harding, 2000) cited by (Larson. , 2008) Based on the information and evidence, the threat of competitive substitute products is considered to be weak for Starbucks Corporation. 4) The Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of supplier has changed in several ways through the widely growing in the coffee industry. Starbucks was purchased it premium coffee beans from the farmers that were numerous, small and unconnected during the late 1980s. In the recently years, coffee beans suppliers were joint by Fair Trade Certified coffee and acted like a large entity. Specialty coffee companies were making the coffee beans suppliers gradually important by seeking greater quality of coffee to compete the competitors in the market. The coffee beans suppliers today are more power, with increased joint and increased importance upon high quality coffee beans. Starbucks has work out with the coffee beans suppliers into continuing fixed-price commitments in order to ensure an adequate supply, which decreased the supplier bargaining power. (Larson, 2008) 5) The Bargaining Power of buyers. The last element of five forces model is the bargaining power of buyers. The force of the buyer’s bargaining power is defined to the buyer’s capability to force down prices, and seek for higher-quality products and services (Porter, 1998, p. 24) cited by (Larson, 2008). The bargaining power of buyer in specialty coffee segment is considered high, since two strong competitor of Starbucks, McDonalds and Dunkin’s Donuts have offered the lower prices. However, Starbucks has introduced the several new products and high quality of coffee, highly differentiated to maintain consumers satisfied and away from competitors in the coffee market. Thus, the buyer bargaining power has offset and became moderate. The Summary of Michael Porter’s Five Factor In summary, the coffee market faces very strong forces from the industry rivals but it obtains weak forces from the threat of substitutes. Besides, the other three forces are considered as moderate. Generally, the impact of the five forces is moderate in the specialty coffee industry. Therefore, Starbucks is able to obtain the ideal revenues in the coffee market with operated effectively and efficiently. Starbucks’ Generic Strategy. There are three successful generic competitive strategies that organizations can apply to achieve their competitive strategies, included overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus, defined by Michael Porter. Overall cost leadership strategy implies an organization to apply lower overall costs to attract consumers. The differentiation generic strategy contains the creation of service and product as being valuable and unique for the industry. Focus is the last generic strategy, which aims a certain market of a product line (Porter, 1998, p. 38) cited by (Larson, 2008). However, Starbucks are suitable the broad differentiation strategy of the five generic competitive strategies nowadays. This strategy allows Starbucks to serve a broader customer base with the differentiation of product and service (Grant, 2009) cited by (Brown, 2011). This approaches to retain and attract as many consumer with the generally product mix. Starbucks had the unique skills, products and services reputation with the distribution segment of specialty coffee industry. For instance, Starbucks was developed an icy-blend of dark-roasted coffee and milk, named Frappuccino. This drink was a hit with $54 million sales in the first year on the national market. In addition, the high-quality standards and strong employee culture of Starbucks were known well in the specialty coffee industry. The high-quality coffee beans are purchased from Fair Trade Certified, considered a differentiation product to other competitors. The employees of Starbucks were also trained to have strong customer experience. In the differentiation strategies, Starbucks have strengthened the brand and reputation for quality and creative flair. Starbucks’ Strategy Options. Starbucks is able to create three strategic options for sustaining competitive advantage and further growing the business by having evaluated its forces. The three strategic options for Starbucks are that diversification, expansion and merger. 1) Diversification The diversification of a business is that introducing new products and offering new services to the industry. There are two way of diversification for business, be related or unrelated. Starbucks is suited to attempt related diversification, reflecting more association with the specialty coffee industry. Schultz believed that the company has lacked on blockbuster products, only the variations of products. Starbucks has a successful product diversification in the history with launched coffee and tea beverages, brewing and serving equipment, roasted coffee beans, music and gifts. The introduction of savory products such as cake, donut and muffin is a successful diversification as it can be combined with the existing product and core product, coffee. The diversification strategy is a good option for enhancing Starbucks’ growth and competitive advantage. 2) Expansion. The expansion of an organization can be within a country and into an overseas market. Starbucks should reduce their expansion efforts in the United States and focus to expand its business into new countries to further internationalize it. The Economist stated, â€Å"While Starbucks has expanded so have its rivals. The firm’s home market seems to have reached saturation point. † With the rapid expansion, Starbucks is oversaturated in the United States. Therefore, this strategy option is suitable for Starbucks as the United States coffee market is reaching saturation point. If Starbucks has to go further growing and expanding, the international expansion is one of the best strategies for Starbucks. 3) Merger and Acquisition According to Investopedia, it defined as â€Å"a merger is an alliance of two organizations while an acquisition is the attaining of one organization by another. † The strategy of merger and acquisition sets out to accomplish the same goal, by increased broad customer base, market share and corporate strength of business. In the history, Starbucks has merged with Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream to develop super premium ice cream and acquired a premium tea company, Tazo LLC. In the case study of Starbucks, there states that there were about 25000 coffee houses in the United States in 2007. The merger and acquisition of small specialty coffee retailers will enhances the market position, market share and competitive advantage of Starbucks. This is a strategy that will exploit opportunities whilst avoiding threats to further growing and expansion of Starbucks. Recommendations The first and most important process which Starbucks should take is to diminish the efforts expansion in the United States. According to Starbucks’ strategy Fortune, a new store will often cannibalize about 30% of the sales of a nearby Starbucks. The continuing aggressive of expansion in the United States by opening as many new stores of the same area is an act to cannibalize store sales. The reason why Starbucks should diminish their expansion plan is the coffee market has reached the saturation in the US. The overcapacity of expansion plans in a location will be met with failure to an organization. On the basis of all the evaluation and evidence referred for the strategy options, the recommendation is to further expand internationally. Starbucks can convey the remained investment into international development plans by reducing the expansion plans in United States. The expansion of international market offers a supreme target with three fundamental objectives. The first reason is the lack of awareness of coffee market in many countries which represent the prospective market share. For instance, Starbucks currently opens approximately 20,000 stores with 13,000 in the US and 7000 in foreign countries. The total coffee consumption per person in the US has lowered much than many countries, such country as Finland and Italy. With gathering the information, this proves that expand internationally, there is a massive coffee drinking population and potential market share to be selected. (Starbucks Corporation, 2008) cited by (Larson, 2008). Another reason that international expansion offers an ideal prospect is that the expansion of product innovation. For example, Starbucks has announced their Tazo tea brand into the Japanese market. And, Tazo was brought into the United States market as it was a successful trial in Japan. Tazo green tea has brought a success to Starbucks as it was a national drinks and showed that the power of brand in North America. Starbucks could have to evade the risk of brand reputation as more innovative products should run a trial in international markets. Since the markets have yet visible to Starbucks for a period time, it is possible to avoid a great risk with affecting the brand reputation. Therefore, Starbucks has great competitive advantage in the markets with expand intentionally. The last reason of international expansion is to increase the brand reputation. Building brand image is key factor to an organization as the brand will affects an organization’s sales and position in the market. For example, in case of Starbucks, the company has increased revenue from $7. 8 billion in 2006 to $9. 4 in 2007, along with an increase in brand value. In order to recover the exclusivity of Starbucks brand, Schultz would focus the expansion of international countries and slow down the expansion of the United States. Therefore, the international aggressive expansion will help to strengthen its brand image and regain a strong competitive advantage for Starbucks. In a nut shell, I am highly recommended a strategy decision to Starbucks is that expanding into international markets. International countries have represented the ideal potential market shares with the high demand of specialty coffee. By applying this strategy, Starbucks will continue to be the leader in the specialty coffee industry and further regain and strengthen its competitive advantage. Furthermore, it also gains the customer satisfaction in the international markets. International expansion is the way to move forward. Reference Balaban, S. et al. (n. d) â€Å"Management 600† Starbucks Coffee Company. http://cobweb2. louisville. edu/faculty/regbruce/bruce/cases/starbucks/starbucks. htm [Accessed on 7 April 2012]. Brown, H. (2011) â€Å"External Environmental Analysis of Starbucks and the Coffee Industry† Strategic Management MGMT 4340 http://www2. uhv. edu/chapao/MGMT4340/Samples/Project%20Sample%203. pdf [Accessed on 9 April 2012] E-Imports (2012) â€Å"Coffee Statistics† Espresso Business Solutions. http://www. e-importz. com/Support/specialty_coffee. htm [Accessed on 5 April 2012]. Gates, R. et al. (2011) â€Å"Strategy Analysis MGMT 562† http://freedownload. is/pdf/strategy-analysis-mgmt-562-2925711. html [Accessed on 6 April 2012]. Harveywallbanger. (2012) â€Å"Starbucks’ Customer Retention Strategies 89† HubPages.http://harveywallbanger. hubpages. com/hub/Starbucks-Customer-Retention-Strategies [Accessed on 6 April 2012]. Heavey, J. (2012) â€Å"Starbucks a Strategic Report†Scribd. http://www. scribd. com/doc/27614539/Starbucks-a-Strategic-Report-by-James-Heavey [Accessed on 8 April 2012]. Larson, R. (2008) â€Å"Starbucks a Strategic Analysis† Past Decisions and Future Options http://coe. brown. edu/documents/StarbucksaStrategicAnalysis_R. Larson_honors_2008. pdf [Accessed on 8 April 2012]. Location Excelerated (2012) â€Å"How many Starbucks are they? † Location Excelerated. http://loxcel. com/sbux-faq. html.

How to Write a Great Argumentative Essay

How to Write a Great Argumentative Essay Politics, social movements, laws, and religion- these topics, among others, are often approached through argumentative discourse, among individuals with diverse experiences and perspectives. While potentially tense, arguments are a great way to learn about the world around you, as well as the perspective of others in it.Debate is a necessary skill for anyone in law or education careers, and it is a useful one in just about every profession imaginable. Being able to learn from (and negotiate with) others through clear, well-researched, concise discussion is important for leaders, especially since this type of skill is often needed on a day-to-day basis in leadership positions.So what is an argumentative essay?You should think of an argumentative essay as essentially the written form of a well-thought-out debate. Just as would be the case in spoken arguments, its important to start with solid evidence without the need to fabricate anything to support your claims. When your statistics a nd data are fabricated, anyone who looks up those facts for themselves will immediately dismiss your opinion. On the other hand, when youve done your research and have credible data as evidence, your argument (or argumentative essay) has a much greater chance of winning.What topic should I choose?If youre writing an argumentative essay on a topic youre passionate about, consider yourself lucky. Those are the easiest type of argumentative essay assignments to write, because we tend to have a lot of background knowledge on the topic through past reading, experiences, or conversations. So the answer in this case would be to pick a topic thats important to you, whether thats conservation of the planet, politics, race problems, etc.If you have been given a topic to write about- or worse, discover the topic for the first time for an undergraduate or graduate entrance exam- knowing the right outline to use to create a great argumentative essay is going to be a life saver. Even if youre not passionate about (and therefore, have little background knowledge of) the given topic, youll at least have a road map for navigating through the process.What needs to happen before I start writing?The key to writing an exceptional argumentative essay is research. A lot of it. And this isnt limited to researching studies done by those who side with you on the issue- you also have to research a few of the most prevalent arguments opposing yours. You need to know the significant evidence they use, and consider their point of view. It is essentially planning ahead, like in a game of Chess, to determine where the other side is likely to move and the strategy they are likely to take.Planning ahead and playing smart is what makes a great argumentative essay.Now research, then research some moreThomas Paine, an English-American philosopher and political theorist, wrote some of the most influential political pieces of the American Revolution. In his series of pamphlets entitled The American Crisis, he wrote: To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead†¦The point here is that you should focus on two things as you research:Evidence that supports or disproves your side of the issueEvidence that supports or disproves the other sideThis is approaching an argument from a logical, grounded perspective, which is crucial for writing a great argumentative essay. The research you do before writing even begins will make or break your argument.Your goal is to win the debate - ethicallyOne of the best ways to win an argument is to know the most significant facts and recent data published on the issue, and how to direct your reader to it. Logic- presented correctly- will win almost every time, unless your audience isnt logical themselves. Despite this, when writing an argumentative essay, you need to approach the process with logic as your guidin g principle. You should also be extremely careful to avoid including any fabricated data, since this is both unethical and a sure way to lose credibility when your audience discovers you did it.Research all of the facts to win the debate.Dig for dataHow do you build logic into your essay? Simple. Know what the experts have said- on both (or all) sides of the debate. Find data that has been published in reputable journals by experts in their chosen field. Look at statistics gathered from trustworthy sources, or, if they are unavailable, conduct your own survey to gather them. If you take the latter approach, keep in mind that fabricated data is a big risk and could result in failed classes or being denied entrance into a university. Your teachers are likely able to spot the difference- especially when its statistics related to the field they know so well.Research is done – now what?After conducting thorough research, youre ready to start outlining. If you were able to conduct research beforehand, it should allow you to quickly complete the outline and start writing. Even if you are taking an entrance exam and are under significant time constraints, an outline will speed up the process of writing and keep your logic on the right track. You shouldnt spend more than five minutes or so in doing this if there is time pressure, but it will more than make up for your lack of research and background knowledge on the issue.You should create an outline before writing an argumentative essay.IntroductionStep 1 - Find a hookAs with any genre of writing, the hook you choose to open the first paragraph needs to grab the readers attention. It needs to convince them to continue reading because youve opened the discussion with a startling statistic or brutally honest question. Most readers cant resist either one.Examples:11 adolescents die every day from the number-one killer of American teenagers: texting while driving.When was the last time you used your phone while dr iving?Step 2 - Summarize background of the topicIf youve researched your topic thoroughly, it should be all downhill from here. Following your hook, you need a summary of the topic as a whole. Why is it important? Why is it worthy of further scrutiny and debate? Who are some of the well-known people, in the present or in history, who have focused on it? This is how you provide a background and give readers a concise summary of the topic.Step 3 - Include your ThesisAt the end of this summary is where your thesis will most naturally fit, as you state (in one sentence, preferably) the position you choose to take on the subject. This thesis sentence will be one of the most important sentences of the essay if logic is your aim (which it should be!). Your readers need a solid, easily understood thesis to form a foundation for any kind of logical discourse.BodyHere is where the real fun starts, especially if you enjoy debating and expressing your opinion often. The body of a five-paragra ph essay generally consists of three paragraphs exploring three points you want to make that back up your thesis. The same holds true for a five-paragraph argumentative essay. In the first paragraph of the body (the second paragraph in a five-paragraph essay), you should begin by stating the first point youd like to make to back your thesis. Following that statement, you need to include solid, credible evidence that supports your claim.Now, remember at the beginning, when I said that your level of research can make or break your argument? Heres why. If you are stating claims about an important topic, you need to have a reason for those claims. No one should just take your opinion as truth- your readers need to know that you have solid evidence to back up your opinion.This evidence most often comes in the form of statistics and data gathered from credible sources. Such sources could include data published on .gov websites, information printed in peer-reviewed professional journals, a nd reports released by nonprofit organizations that specialize in providing services and resources related to the topic.Keep in mind that for this section of the argumentative essay, its best to present one claim per paragraph. In a five-paragraph essay, you could most easily express two claims, followed by evidence supporting them. These would make up paragraphs two and three in a five-paragraph essay. In a longer essay, several claims could be made, as well as more than one paragraph dedicated to each of them.The final step for writing the body of an argumentative essay is acknowledging opposing arguments. Remember: your goal here is to briefly introduce these opposing opinions to provide context. In addition to acknowledging opposing arguments, you will need to explain briefly the evidence that is typically used to support that side.This is another place where thorough research is important- a necessity, even. If you have researched your topic in depth, you will know both sides o f it, and can therefore summarize both sides of it. This section is meant to provide your reader with a birds-eye view of the topic, in addition to your individual perspective on it.While the primary goal of an argumentative essay is certainly to argue your point (thesis), without presenting the opposing view youre not providing a logical argument for your reader. Youre also approaching unethical territory in your writing. Your audience deserves to know that there are others out there who feel differently than you do, why they feel that way, and (potentially) significant research or data that supports their side.ConclusionNow that youve reached the end, dont make the mistake of thinking that an essays conclusion is simply restating the introduction. Sure, you might have been taught this in middle school, but its also middle-school level writing.The conclusion is the end result of all of the work you have done in the process of researching and writing the essay. Its also the paragrap h that will make the most significant impression on your reader, partially due to the fact that it will be the last words of the essay (and, therefore, will resonate in the mind of the reader for minutes, hours, even days afterwards). So here is where you have the best chance of winning over others to your side of the argument, or making a great grade on the argumentative essay assignment. A simple re-wording of the introduction- in this light- comes across as lazy and a missed opportunity to hit a home run.Rather than restating your introduction using different words, use your conclusion to synthesize your thesis and the evidence you have provided that supports it. Revisit only the strongest evidence that supports your claims, and refute the opposing side respectfully, without fabricated data or statistics. Restate your thesis but restate it in a way that will stick in the mind of the reader- a more powerful expression of the original- and make them think†¦ wow, I never though t of it that way!

Tips for Submitting to Literary Magazines

Tips for Submitting to Literary Magazines As editor of the Maine Review, Im often asked what I look for in submissions. As a writer who has submitted to literary magazines, I know the process is fraught with anxiety, hope, and an occasional bit of dread. Its sad that theres no easier way for editors to discover excellent writing than through an impersonal submission process, and I hope that Let me say first that there would be no Maine Review, or New York Times, or Amazon.com without writers. Though writers often feel theyre at the bottom of the totem pole, the fact is that writing is actually the cornerstone of the entire industry. Be proud that youre a writer. As an editor, its a thrill for me to read a piece of writing that grabs me in the first paragraph, carries me along, and moves me in some waywhether to tears, laughter, or amazement that someone could so clearly express powerful feelings, ideas, and metaphors that I can deeply relate to as a fellow human being. Writing is powerful.   The process of writing can be powerful, healing, enraging, ennobling its one of the purest forms of self-expression because it comes straight from inspiration. What many writers ignore (or dont realize) is that theres a second part to the process, and that is craft. There are many excellent books on craft: Stephen Kings On Writing and Anne Lamotts Bird Over the years, Ive edited books in every genre, and Im amazed that some writers will write a novel without reading over it to tighten, focus, delete, and expand to make the book as compelling as possible.   Rewriting isnt always as fun as penning the first draft, but its what truly makes the story. That said, here are a few tips to keep in mind when submitting: 1. Find out what kind of work the lit mag publishes, and choose your submissions accordingly. You can often get a copy through your interlibrary loan system, or find previously published issues on the website. 2. Go deep. Readers love to experience what theyre reading, to relate to it on a visceral or emotional level. Gutsy writing is always appreciated. 3. Reading a piece through without noticing an error is a real joy for editors. I always suggest that writers have their work edited before submitting it anywhere. At least run the work through the spell checker, and fix what comes up. One or two typos doesnt mean the end of the world, but a piece that has numerous typos feels carelessly done, no matter how good the writing. 4. Follow instructions. Its amazing how many people, in every walk of life, fail to follow instructions. At the Review, we usually ask for a cover page along with a submission, so that we can easily keep track of a writers contact info. When were running a contest (deadline for the current contest is February 10th), we need a separate cover sheet to tag entries for the blind judging process. When we receive a submission that doesnt follow instructions, theres a tendency to assume that the writing might not be that good either even if thats often not true. Above all, enjoy the process of writing! Remember that editors love discovering the next great writer and it could be you. Good luck!

Apache Tribe Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apache Tribe - Research Paper Example According to Waldman (2006), several Athapaskan-speaking tribes from present-day Western Canada migrated to the southwest region in the 1400s and became known as Apache while in other areas they are called Navajo. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the Apache sub tribes were identified in different names, mostly according to the geographical regions where the tribes are found. As original inhabitants of North America, these Apachean tribes were known to be the resisting force which opposed Spanish and Mexican occupiers for many years. In this paper, the journey of the various Apachean tribes will be retraced to showcase the struggles and challenges that these tribes went through in the course of history. It will feature the wars that these tribes fought in order to defend their original territory. Also, the Apache way of life will be examined through their religious beliefs, traditions, and social organization. It is important to examine their cultural ways in order to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the indigenous population in North America. Lastly, the examination of today’s Apachean tribe will showcase their presence and coexistence in the modern day America. The word Apache carries a fierce meaning. From the Yuma word, it means â€Å"fighting men† while the Zuni word translates the term Apache to â€Å"enemy†. As such, it is not surprising that the Apacheans were historically powerful tribes which resisted Spanish, Mexican, and later, the Anglo-American colonizers in their homeland. Before the Europeans came, the Apachean tribes were known to be nomadic hunter gatherers who skillfully travelled vast distances and â€Å"literally lived off the land† (De Mayo, 2011). However, the series of armed conflicts started when by the late 1500s when Spanish settlements started to occupy northern Mexico. Since the Spanish conversion of Apacheans did not succeed, these armed conflicts continued until Mexico and New Mexico gained its independence from