Friday, November 29, 2019

Slavery and sectional attitudes free essay sample

During the mid 1800’s many Americans began to have mix feelings over the issue of slavery. Many northern Americans believed that slavery was morally wrong and that it was an evil. Southerners on the other hand believed it was a good for the economy as well as for commerce. This great split of attitudes between the north and the south eventually led to threat of the civil war. The North saw the issue of slavery as an evil. They believed that slavery was an impurity that became accustomed to life in America, in which made other systems of commerce forgotten. In a nation where freedom and equality is given, the property owning of people is wrong. In Hinton Helper’s â€Å"The Impending Crisis,† Hinton stresses the economic effects of slavery to the U. S. He goes on suggesting that the U. S cannot depend on only slavery and the staple crops to pull the nation forward. We will write a custom essay sample on Slavery and sectional attitudes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Especially, if the nation wants to become a great political nation, it should seek other means for obtaining wealth. (Document E). In every way Hinton tried to impose the idea that the north can also provide much commerce like the south. There was no need for slavery to continue in a growing society where the nation can do more than just produce cotton. The north was able to produce and manufacture products without the use of slaves, why couldn’t the south? That’s what many northerners believed. Though if abolitionist got their way in ending slavery then there would be an end to the cultivation of cotton. The country cannot go on cultivating such a ‘prized’ crop without the hands of slaves. It was an impossible thought for the south. If labor work didn’t continue in the south then the south would fall. (Document B). Abraham Lincoln’s speech in Illinois (Document D) warned all Americans that if the exploitation of slaves for a profit continued then the nation may dwindle and maybe even their freedom. The use of slaves in the U. S went against our very own principles of freedom and equality. But not everybody felt that way. Southerners believed that slaves were not only more reasonable and useful but also more comfortable than the factory works of England or Irish peasants. The peasants of foreign countries are treated more harshly with excess amounts of labor plus the add-ons of horrible working conditions. However, southerners such as Governor George McDuffie argue that slaves in the south are exempt to those harsh conditions ever since the slave trade ended. Most southerners believed that they were doing a â€Å"favor† for slaves since slaves were uneducated people. They believed that by clothing them, feeding them, and putting a roof over their head they were creating a good for these people. Pro-Slavery South believed if these uncivilized people went off into the world, they wouldn’t survive, so for them to be bought into slavery was not only helping them out but it was also creating wealth for the economy. (Document A). However, the anti-slavery novel â€Å"Uncle Tom’s Cabin† which sold up to 270,000 copies is what more or less convinced folks  ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat were against the anti-slavery reforms– that slavery was dehumanizing. This book fired up the emotions of most northerners to run to the aid of abolitionist. Though this book revolutionized the minds of many, it also depicted the south in a negative way. Many southerners were outraged because to them slaves were a common thing in life. (Document F). So common of a thing that there were even slaves that cared for white children and raised them (Document C). Slavery in the U. S during the 1800’s was a debated topic. It was important for northerners to try and revoke slavery in the nation for it was a true evil. Then again, it was important for southern commerce, economy, and life itself. Slavery was not just an issue dehumanized people, but it was an issue that split the country. Not everyone was in favor for it. Northerners fought to prohibit the use of slavery in the country, for there were more ways to produce commerce. Southerners fought to allow the use of slavery in the country, for it created an economic boost in the cotton industry.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Responsibility Centers Financial Controls Essays

Responsibility Centers Financial Controls Essays Responsibility Centers Financial Controls Essay Responsibility Centers Financial Controls Essay Responsibility Centers Financial Controls Name: Institution: Lecturer: Course: Date: Responsibility Centers Financial Controls The purpose of this project essay is to put into consideration Deer Valley Lodge’s revamping project. The ski resort is considering its options in customizing its location with more lifts for its customers. My task was to determine the suitability and contrast between two tax approaches and if the revamping project would prove to be a positive or negative investment. Before Tax NPV From the calculations in the excel sheet, if the management decides to employ the pre tax NPV approach, this will prove to be a profitable method yielding 408,953 dollars after deducting all the expenses. Every business aims at making profit (Bhimani, 2008), this approach is a profitable investment, and thus the resort can implement it. After Tax NPV If Deer Valley Lodge management decides to implement this approach in their ski investment, my calculations suggest that they will harvest profits amounting 935,438$ dollars. If I compare the two methods of approaching this investment, I would advice the management of the company to implement the after tax NPV approach since it is more profitable (Bhimani, 2008). Subjective Factors In accordance with my calculations, one of the subjective factors that would affect this decision is the profits realized from food sales, equipment rent as well as other items customers would purchase from the resort. If the resort should provide additional facilities to complement its services, purchases made would therefore have significant contribution on the net profit. This project will ensure sufficient space for the resorts customers. This means that customers will be more satisfied with the service, and may turn up in larger numbers come the next period (Cadez, 2009). In addition, I also think conditions of the weather would have significant effect on the project. Poor weather would mean poor customer turnout and good weather conditions would attract more customers (Cadez, 2007). Reference Bhimani, A., Horngren, C. T., Datar, S. M., Foster, G. (2008). Management and cost accounting. Harlow [etc.: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Cadez, S., Guilding, C. (January 01, 2009). Strategy and strategic management accounting: An investigation of organizational configuration. Programme and Collected Abstracts. Cadez, S. (January 01, 2007). A configuration form of fit in management accounting contingency theory: An empirical investigation. The Business Review, Cambridge, 7, 2, 220-227.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Student with pervasive developmental disorders Essay

Student with pervasive developmental disorders - Essay Example st of them are not able to combine words into meaning by this age, while others are able either to repeat same words or phrases over and over or speak single words only. Various studies have indicated that PDD can considerably affect the progress of children in their academic, social, and personal development particularly within a standard environment where other normal students are growing and developing in (Syriopoulou- Deli, 2011). In order to have a better understanding of PDD and its impact on children, this paper will discuss the condition in respect to students suffering from the disorder. It is important to begin by noting that PDD is not a single disorder but rather it’s a category that comprises a range of delays in children of varying magnitude in various domains. The most severe of PDD is autism which indicates a primary or chief disturbance in the ability of a child to relate to others. Cognitive and language delays are the other primary characteristics of autism (Delfos, 2005). Students suffering from PDD may not be able to achieve academic and co-curricular success that students with normal abilities can achieve. For any student to be successful he or she needs normal abilities and cognitive skills. Nonetheless, if corrective measures are taken in time, students suffering from PDD may be able to achieve success in classroom and outside classroom. In particular, cognitive skills training can help a student with PDD to develop the necessary skills and abilities to succeed in classroom. Numerous studies have indicated that cognitive skills training in a gr eat way deliver essential skills and abilities to students with PDD (Holzhauser-Peters and True, 2008). There are symptoms associated with pervasive developmental disorder and parents and teachers should take immediate action once they notice them in a child. The first one is a child having difficulty in understanding and using language. Secondly, a child suffering from this disorder may display

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Piracy and different aspect of piracy clause in the Charter Party Essay

Piracy and different aspect of piracy clause in the Charter Party contract - Essay Example Reported cases of these terroristic activities run across the globe. From the shores of Africa and South Asia to the waters of North and Latin Americas, piracy remains one of the critical concerns of most nations and still present an extreme endangerment and precariousness to travelers, especially those engaged in business. The internationally-recognized governing body for matters relating to the law and order of the sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea defined piracy as the illegal acts of violence committed towards the crew or passengers of a private ship (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982). These acts include but not limited to boarding, extortion, hostage-taking, kidnap-for-ransom, robbery and murder. This undeniable risk prompted a certain initiative, for both ship owners and merchants to craft an insurance coverage that would guarantee them peace of mind and ultimately, protection. â€Å"Attack by pirates or any attempt of theft is covered by this policy that works around the gravity of damage to the aggrieved party† (Global Marine Practice, 2010). This agreement is subscribed in the charter party, in the form of a clause specific about piracy. A written contract shall be entered upon by both the ship owner and the merchant (charterer) signifying their commitment to responsibility when piracy occurs. Theoretically, however, charter clauses on piracy are generally centered on preventing and minimizing the hazards that ships may encounter when at sea. The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the world-renowned shipping organization, instituted two widely-accepted supplementary charter clauses concerning piracy: the War Risks Clause for Voyage Chartering of 2004 or simply, the VoyWar 2004 and the Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties of 2009. These governing rules are the ones implemented in almost all members of the shipping industry. The War Risks Clause for

Monday, November 18, 2019

Clean Edge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Clean Edge - Case Study Example The company is also experiencing growth in sales of other products implying that customers have confidence in the company’s products. The weaknesses off the company include inability to reach a consensus in relation to branding and marketing. Managers are specifically interested in the success of their brand rather than for the good of the company. Threats include substitutes and new entrants. The major competitors in the industry are also producing non-disposable razor products and thus the company must brace itself for stiff competition. Also, entrant of new firms will increase the amount of substitutes in the market. The behavior of the customers in regard to this product is clear. The consumers are gradually changing from replacement razors to the non-disposable razor products. The customers are expecting newer and advanced technologies that will give them a smoother shave. In this regard, consumers are increasingly choosing the super-premium category. Launching Clean Edge as a Niche product means that the product will focus on a few highly groomed persons who want a different shaving capability. It is the most preferred strategy among the company managers. Launching Clean Edge as a mainstream brand means that the product offers the regular shaving experience. The managers think that the strategy would cannibalize the market of other company products such as Pro. To avoid cannibalization of other company products, I recommend Clean Edge to be launched as a niche product. Launching it as a niche product will also enhance the product’s position as a super-premium product. I would recommend the name Paramount Clean Edge. The name would enhance the company’s name and enhance in brand positioning. Launching the product under the name Paramount would reap from the reputation of the company’s products. The name will also boost the visibility of the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Bjs Restaurant Brewery Group Project Marketing Essay

Bjs Restaurant Brewery Group Project Marketing Essay Introduction For 32 years BJs Restaurants and Brewhouses have expanded from one small Chicago style pizzeria to over ninety-two chain foodservice establishments. Over these years, Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy, the companys duel owners, have expanded the companys concept from a small family owned restaurant to a full service casual dining restaurant. Today BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse has more that 100 menu items including appetizers, specialty salads, soups, pastas, sandwiches, entrees and desserts. (www.bjsbrewhouse.com) Over ten years ago, in 1996, BJs introduced their hand crafted homebrewed beers into the mix adding a unique and lucrative spin on the concept while further distinguishing themselves from other competitive restaurants in their segment market. BJs restaurant further went on to fully engulf themselves in this new concept by changing their name from BJs Restaurant to BJs Brewhouse and BJs Restaurant and Brewery. Since then BJs has been recognized by many different brewing associations and competitions by earning medals and high remarks. To fully submerge themselves in this new beer market BJs has opened several microbreweries, which help produce and distribute BJs hand crafted beers throughout their restaurants. Throughout the years that BJs has been in business they have gone through and successfully accomplished many of their strategic directions. They have over taken several objectives including transitioning BJs Restaurant concept to a premium casual or sometimes called casual plus sit down dining experience. Also, BJs general net revenues tend to increase about twenty to forty percent each year which is a great entity for their current share and stockholders and will help new investors choose BJs over other players in their business segment. Because of a result of the failing economy, recent mass foreclosures and rising interest rates and gasoline prices another one of BJs Restaurants strategic directions has somewhat skewed their goals to be more of a higher quality, more approachable casual dining restaurant. They believe that the main stream customers are now more likely to cut back on their participation in more of the mediocre mass market casual dining and change their dining behaviors to more of a higher quality concept that will offer a better overall dining experience and also better value for their money. Today BJs Restaurant and Brew house current strategic direction is to have a passionate desire to provide extraordinary value for their guests in a high-energy, fun, child-friendly environment, along with a sincere commitment to support the communities in which they do business goes to the heart of what differentiates BJs from other restaurants. They are committed to ethical business practices and strong corporate governance standards. The Board of Directors and management believe sound corporate governance principles are important to ensure that the Company is managed for the long term benefit of its key stakeholders investors, guests and employees. (www.bjsbrewhouse.com) Along with BJs current strategic direction the company strives to differentiate themselves by being a huge cash donor to many different philanthropic organizations and charities. For example BJs Cookies 4 Kids program has raised millions for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by donating a portion of all Pizookies, a fresh baked cookie of choice served with two scoops of cold ice cream, to this great cause. This year round fundraising event strives to help BJs by showing their customers and investors how much they care for their community and by creating a strong competitive advantage over other similar markets. BJs Environmental Analysis Restaurant industry Analysis: Figure 1-1 The food dollar Source: National Restauramt Association Inc. The restaurant industry is a competitive one, every year thousand of restaurants open and close. But lifestyle changes, demographics, and trends continue to fuel its steady growth. More and more people have less time, resources, and ability to cook for themselves. The average American spends 15% of his/her income on meals away from home. People are eating out more because of convenience, making the industry sky rocket. According to the National Restaurant Association the industrys sales are expected to reach $580 billion in 2010 over 2009 sale (Figure 1.2).  Even though the industry has been hit hard these past two years, Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, supports the industry by stating, With a total economic impact of more than $1.5 trillion, the restaurant industry is a strong player in the economic recovery. Restaurants are the cornerstone of communities across this nation and we are a key player in propelling job retention and creation acr oss the United States. Despite the losses the industry has outperformed the national economy, expecting job growth in 2010. The restaurant-and-foodservice industry still remains one of the nations largest employers. Today almost one in 10 working Americans work in restaurants, employing nearly 13 million people and expected to grow further by 2020. There are still challenges that the industry continues to face such as future economic recessions, competition, maintaining sales volume, recruiting and retaining employees, and labor costs. Therefore restaurants will continue to keep their eye on new consumer and menu trends to stay in competition since socioeconomic trends and demographic changes have a great impact. Figure 1.2 Restaurant industrys sales BJs Broad Environment Analysis: Sociocultural influences on BJs restaurant have grown as the restaurant industry compete and become sensitive to consumers wants. Society expects money making business to give something back to it. Besides monitory contributions BJs has created a foundation that helps out the community where they do business in. As stated in their BJs foundation page, The BJs Restaurants Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to support charities benefiting childrens healthcare and education, with primary focus on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In addition, [their] Foundation recognizes and rewards the volunteer efforts of BJs Restaurants team members across the country as they help to give back to the communities in which our restaurants do business. In 2009 BJs received the Restaurant Neighbor award given by the National restaurant Association because of BJs continuous contributions to the communities; some examples are: BJs TASC Force program has helped to fulfill the wishes of special needs kids, placed flags in a national cemetery by the graves of fallen soldiers, painted over unsightly graffiti and helped clean up beaches, parks and school grounds. In addition, have hosted blood drives, worked with Special Olympics, painted houses for elderly citizens, supported Habitat for Humanity and re-built playgrounds. [Their] teams have also worked at food banks, participated in fundraising runs and walkathons and delivered food to families in need on Christmas morning. All this is possible by the TASC team members who work and donate their personal time for such causes. They claim to do it because it is the right thing to do and inevitably come away as better individuals and more responsible citizens. Many other charities are benefitted through the work of BJs TASC team. BJs keeps thinking of new ways to raise money and society awareness BJs also makes charitable contribution from new restaurant opening to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Fundraising events are also supported by BJs restaurants. One of BJs major fundraising events directly benefiting the Foundation is a yearly charity golf tournament. BJs Foundation page states that All proceeds from the tournament go to the foundation which then disperses funds throughout the year to designated charities defined by [their] mission statement.  Ã‚  This years tournament will take place on Monday, June  7, 2010  at Dove Canyon Country Club in Orange County. Other programs such as the Cookie 4 Kids have raised millions. The program donates portion of all Pizookie dessert sales to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. BJs Signature Pizookie is a fresh baked cookie [topped] with two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and served hot, and cold, a favorite for thousands of BJs guests making it a wonderful fundr aising campaign for their charity. It is a goal for BJs to continue to be a good corporate citizen to satisfy society needs. Through any way possible, as you can see, BJs focuses greatly in contributing to its community. And since customers may view BJs as an unselfish corporation this could be a value added to the name of the company. It may also be a competitive advantage against competitors whose major focus is making money for themselves and its investors. Besides the sociocultural influences, BJs has adjusted to the technological innovations that are becoming more and more popular in the industry. The Idea of Online ordering is a new one and BJs is not staying behind. They are currently doing online ordering which is easy and convenient. You find the location nearest you by typing in your zip code, click on the online order link and place your order, and last but not least pick it up inside or curbside, delivered right to your car. Technology for BJs doesnt stop there one of the challenges for restaurants is training employees so one of the first things a new server at a BJs Restaurant Brewery does is put on a headset and spend a few minutes in front of a POS monitor, working through an interactive video training module. Then the trainer reviews and demonstrates the tasks and works with new hire in a live session. This combination of high-tech and high-touch training has helped BJs Restaurants Inc. control turnover among its 4,000 employees and reinforces its ranks in anticipation of growth. BJs has also adopted technology through its dà ©cor. Flat panel televisions are displayed throughout their restaurants, making it a fun and entertaining environment for the customers. Even though the economic downturn did not have a big impact on BJs restaurant, they have come up with new ways of maintaining and attracting its customers. On March 2, 2010 the companywide updated its menu offerings. It includes the introduction of a new BJs Snacks and Small Bites menu category, along with five new lunch specials. These menu creations are big in flavor and small on price, yet still delivering the good value BJs guest expect. This was done to give guest the opportunity to try something new at a good value. BJs new Snacks and Small Bites ranges from $2.95 $3.95 that can be eaten as an appetizer or added to your entrà ©e. Through such promotion BJs tries to reach customers who are afraid of spending too much money. Yet some of the threats BJs may face may be changes in consumer spending trends for casual dining occasions. For example trends change to quick service or fine dining. If that was the case restaurants like BJs would suffer a big loss, but since there is big industry for casual diners it is very unlikely for that to happen. Examination of Key External Stakeholders: Key external stakeholders include supplier and customers, maintaining a good relationship with its suppliers is crucial for BJs Success. An annual award is presented by BJs to its biggest quality product contributors. Supplier partner awards for the year 2009 are Jacmar Foodservice Distribution, Nestle USA, Fresh Point Inc. and RR Advertising. The award is give to the most significant contributors for the quality, differentiation and value that BJs restaurant concept requires to give the consumer. Some of the threats BJs may face as stated in their forward looking statement is, the [variable] commodity costs and availability of food in general and certain raw materials related to the brewing of their handcrafted beers and energy. Nevertheless such threats are present for most restaurants in general. Customers are also a very important external stakeholder whose feedback is appreciated. Attracting customers is a goal for all businesses but for BJs as their BJs Gold Standard of Operational Excellence states it is, [their] genuine commitment is to take pride in passionately connecting with every guest, on every visit, through flawless and relentless execution of every detail during every shift to create and keep fanatical fans of BJs concept and brand. The company does not only want to attract customers but keep them so they become fans of dining experience at BJs. Given that customers and sales are strongly correlated, the objective of the industry is to maintain both. The loss of consumers means a loss in sales as well therefore customers are affected and can affect BJs success. Organizational Resource Analysis BJs has always had a desire to provide extraordinary value for their guests. They strive on providing excellent food with great customer service. They not only strive to live up to the expectations of their guests but they work hard to provide a high energy, fun loving, child friendly environment. They also try and support their communities with full commitment so everyone involved understands that BJs is different from other restaurants and is concerned for their stakeholders. As BJs definition states that to be the very definition of WOW for the casual dining experience but BJs also strives to WOW not only with their dining experience but also with their customer service and quality of food. Their promise is to be the best and never to compromise! They take immense pride in what they do. They take pride in passionately connecting with every guest so they understand what the customer actually wants so they can provide them with the utmost care and attention. We are excited to introduce additional menu creations that are big on flavor and small on price, and that deliver the high quality and good value that our guests have come to expect from BJs, said Matt Hood, BJs Chief Marketing Officer. By expanding our popular lunch specials, we are giving our guests the opportunity to try something new at a good value. Our new Snacks and Small Bites menu category offers outstanding value and portion sizes that are perfect as individual appetizers or as additions to a favorite entree. (www.bjsbrewhouse.com) BJs financial situation has also been improving. According to BJs official website, Total revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 increased approximately 13.5% to $112.6 million compared to $99.3 million for the same quarter last year. Comparable restaurant sales such as The Cheesecake factory decreased by 0.2% during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 compared to a decrease of 0.7% during the same quarter last year. Net income and diluted net income per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 were $1.7 million and $0.06, respectively. Jerry Deitchle is the Chairman and CEO of BJs brew house. He is a CEO who is very concerned and involved with his company. His leadership and management style has led to BJs financial performance which has been very successful. With the nature of todays economy and its continuing pressure on consumer spending for restaurant occasions BJs reported profits for the financial year of 2009 and this is largely because of Jerry Deitchles performance as CEO. BJs popularity is a solid testament to how strong their performance has been over the years. Casual dining customers are preferring BJs style over competitors such as the Cheesecake factory and Chillis. Another reason for BJs success is the ease of approachability and the ability to consistently and correctly execute the routine within the four walls of the restaurant. That includes front of the house, back of the house, chefs, servers, cooks, bus boys, managers, etc. This is a statement the CEO made at a recent press conference where he talks about the impact of the economy on consumer spending for 2010. While we do not expect consumer spending for restaurant occasions to significantly recover during 2010, we remain confident in BJs ability to gain market share in the estimated $80 billion casual dining segment, said Deitchle. Our 2010 new restaurant development pipeline is in excellent shape as of today, and we are already working on potential locations for 2011 openings. Additionally, we will continue to make prudent investments in the core of the BJs concept to further strengthen its competitive advantages of quality, differentiation and value for the casual dining consumer.(www.bjsbrewhouse.com) The company has been advancing since it has started. BJs has excelled in customer service and in quality of food. BJs strengths has been its phenomenal attention to customers needs while at the same time providing them with great tasting food and a huge variety of self brewed beers. The variety of beers has definitely been BJs great strength over the years as competitors such as The Cheesecake Factory only have company brews. They also have great happy hour deals which other restaurants do not. BJs weakness is hard to define as they dont have many. They have been very successful as they have grasped on to the essential elements of great food along with great customer service. The only weakness they probably have is that there menu is not as extensive as compared to the cheesecake factory. They have a very good continental cuisine but they lack variety of ethnic foods. But they are working on that. It is also hard to spot a weakness for this institution as they have doubled profits and plan on investing more into the company. Future Strategic Direction The future strategic plan of BJs Restaurant Group is to expand globally, and ultimately sell their beers to public from grocery, liquor, or beverage Distribution Companys instead of only offering them in restaurant. Internal Analysis: BJs has the resources to produce beer that so many people enjoy while dining at BJs Restaurants Brewhouse. Diversifying their business to provide a line of beer sold in stores is a great opportunity for the company. The company already operates several microbreweries, which produce and distribute BJs hard crafted beers within the chain, so promoting it to other distributors and stores would be the next step for them to branch out. Some of their first place award winning beers include, BJs Brewhouse Blonde , A light and refreshing pale beer in the style of a German Kolsch. Slightly malty with delicate hopping to balance. Bottom-fermented and well-conditioned for exceptional smoothness. and Harvest Hefeweizen, Not just another wheat beer [it is] fermented with authentic Bavarian weizen yeast to produce its unique flavor profile fruity, spicy, and refreshing. These beers would make great candidates for distribution, resulting in greater revenue for the company and jo b enlargement for current and future employees. Since it would be a big expense for other restaurants to make and sell their own beer if they dont already do; it gives BJs a sustainable competitive advantage. Competition would most likely arise from current beer companies whose brands have been sold in stores for year and are widely known by consumers. External Analysis Distributing BJs beer and Expanding BJs globally would also greatly increase sales and brand recognition. Some of the benefits in choosing to expand globally can be the extra resources available for the companys operation, cheaper labor, and the economies of scale access to more customers and markets. However it may also tempt BJs to import beer to the United States instead of making it there since resources and labor would be a lot cheaper in other countries. Exploiting other countries resources might be viewed as unethical by consumers and investors, leading to decrease in consumer loyalty. BJs needs to be careful in not taking away the quality it currently provides to its own country by commoditizing their brand. Besides the threats of expanding an advantage BJs has is the new trend for microbrewery beer. Microbreweries are limited to small batches of hand-crafted beer resulting in enhanced taste. Due to this trend people are willing to pay more for better beer such as New Belgium beer brands. Some examples of the most popular microbrewery and future competitors in the U.S. for BJs include: Anchor brewing Company (San Francisco, CA), Full Sail Brewing Company (Hood River, OR), Real Ale Brewing Company (Texas), and Stone Brewing Company(San Diego, CA). Focusing in external distribution as mention before is a great opportunity for BJs to expand into a different segment. It would allow for BJs name to expand nationally using the distribution as a marketing tool for their restaurants. Along with their microbrewery BJs has been extremely successful in California. There style and service has attracted thousands and has led to massive profits and numerous advantages for the stakeholders. BJs should be very smart about their future direction and should pounce on any opportunity and they should make sure that all the rules and regulations are implemented. BJs should focus on embarking in the international market for the future. Their direction should be to crack the tough European Market as American beer is very popular in Europe and BJs can really pounce on the idea of opening an American Brew House in Europe. Apart from the beers, BJs can also attract a lot of European customers with its cuisine. They can introduce every entrà ©e as a dish from a different region of the United States. BJs should also look to focus on making their menu more extensive as it is important to have variety of food, especially if you want to attract customers in such a culturally diverse place as Europe. BJs goal should not change, but their vision should be broadened onto a bigger scale as they should try and implement their success story in some other part of the world and should take advantage of a growing hospitality market around the world. It does not necessarily have to be in Europe but places like Malaysia and Thailand have a booming tourism economy and these places could be an ideal place for BJs to jump start their international career. Overall, BJs future strategic direction should be directed towards the world! They should focus on bringing the elements of classic and delicious American dining along with great customer service to different parts of the world where this style would be appreciated. A lot of brands have expanded into the global market as BJs should do the same as they have been very successful in the way they have implemented their strategies.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Northern Lights Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Northern lights are poetry, they are nature's light show, and they are quantum leaps in the oxygen atom. They are elementary particle physics, superstition, mythology and fairy tales. The northern lights have filled people with wonder and inspired artists; they have frightened people to think that the end is at hand. More exact explanations of the phenomenon could not be given until modern particle physics were developed, and knowledge about details in the earth’s magneto sphere has been based on measurements from satellites. When the northern lights are seen over Tromsà ¸, it happens in a set pattern, although this pattern varies considerably. The outburst starts with a phosphorocent glow over the horizon in northwest. The glow dies out and comes back, and then an arch is lit. It drifts up over in the sky. And new arches are lit and follow the first one. Small waves and curls move along the arches. Then within a few minutes a dramatic change is seen in the sky. A hailstorm of particles hit the upper atmosphere in what is called an aurora sub-storm. Rays of light shoot down from space, forming draperies, which spread, all over the sky. And they really remind us of draperies or curtains, which are flickering in the wind. And you can see a violet and a red trimming at the lower and upper ends. Or the colors are mixed all together, woven into each other. The curtains are disappearing and forming all over again by new rays of light shooting down from space. Above our head we cans see rays going out in all directions forming what is called an aurora corona. After 10 to 20 minutes the storm is over and the activity decreases. The bands are spread out, disintegrating in a diffuse light all over the sky. We can not see individual pockets of light, but the total effect is bright enough to enable us to make out details of the countryside around us. If we look very carefully, we can see the remains of the northern lights display as faint, pulsating flames. Clouds of light which is turned on and off regularly every 5 - 10 seconds as though by an electric light-switch. The natures own gigantic light show is over. What causes the northern lights? To answer this, we start with the sun whose energy production is far from even and fluctuates on an 11-year cycle. Maximum production coincides with high sunspot activity when processes on the sun's surface throw particles ... ...ll over the sky. 7) Bands of northern lights one above the other, raising towards the zenith indicates that the sub storm is starting. 8) Rays of light shoot down from space tells about higher activity. 9) Draperies are formed with waves at the lower end. 10) Curls and waves wave along the draperies. 11) The draperies look as if they are flickering in the wind. Maximum activities close. 12) The interaction between the moving charged particles and the earth’s magnetic field creates a charging magnetic field. The particles stream down along the magnetic field lines. 13) Rays and draperies can die out in one place of the sky, and form at another. 14) During the maximum of a sub storm, the whole sky can be full of light. 15) An all-sky (fish eye) picture showing that the draperies are stretched from east to west, through zenith. 16) When the activity reaches Zenith, by an optical illusion, it seems like the rays stretch out in all directions above our heads. This form of the northern lights is called aurora corona. Works Cited http://www.uit.no/npt/nordlyset/nordlysbilder.en.html http://www.uit.no/npt/nordlyset/ Way North Magazine, publication by Tromsà ¸ Museum.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Apollo Group Phoenix University Essay

What constitutes as training? The answer to this question is there is formal and informal training. Formal training is those programs that take place in an educational or training institution, with the goal of obtaining a certificate, diploma, or degree. A broader definition could also include structured activities that are not part of formal training and often referred to as non-credit on â€Å"non-informal learning activities†-usually called â€Å" informal learning†- are not usually considered to constitute training per se, but they may influence participation by learners. The objective of trainings in my selected organization is based on its strategy to out beat its competitors through delivery of quality products in an on time delivery status and this is accomplished through informal trainings (Palameta, Meyers, Gyarmati, Voyer, 2014). The relationship between training programs design and capabilities are to recognize the purpose of the training program which is to help employees learn the skills needed to help the organization accomplish its strategies in meeting customers’ expectations of services and products offered by the company and to build on wealth for its shareholders. To design an efficient training program it is up to the trainer to establish what the capabilities of the organizations employees are to become effective learners and what changes in behaviors of employees contribute to specific learning outcomes, this would include, verbal information, which is recall of names or labels, facts and bodies of knowledge. It includes specialized knowledge that employees need in their jobs, for example in my selected organization which is a distribution center for Hon Furniture Manufacture, it is imperative that employees know the technique of using a scanner to scan product into location, label product for specific stops on delivery and stage those specific products in the correct loading zones. All of these function rely on recall of information. Intellectual skills which consist of concepts and rules. This is important  trait for employees to have for solving problems, serving customers and creating problems. In the Hon organization employees input and ideals are encouraged on how to move product in the most efficient safe and timely manner, employees are rewarded for ideals that best suit the companies day to day operations. Motors skills are critical for Hon Distribution Center as motors skill include coordination of physical movement, employees that are hired to do the job for the company must be able to left product in a safe manner and move product to different location within the facility and load product into specified transportation vehicles. All employees start the day with a trainer guided exercise before the start of work each work day. And are required to attend trainings for safe lifting practices each year (Noe, 2011). Attitudes of employees toward the organization is important, it consist of the beliefs and behavior of each individual employee, It is important to the organization that each employee is recognized for hard work done and that the employee are given a chance to express thoughts and given feedback on work performance before the end of each shift. Employees are made to feel that their beliefs and thoughts matter to the organization and that they are not just considered workers for the company. Cognitive strategies relate to the process of learning, employees are directed during the learning process to relate learning material to the importance of being able to complete a job for the organization in the most efficient and safe manner and how to solve problems when they arise on the job (Noe, 2011). References Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From – To. Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Environment Analysis for Boost Juice Bar Essays

Environment Analysis for Boost Juice Bar Essays Environment Analysis for Boost Juice Bar Paper Environment Analysis for Boost Juice Bar Paper This created an advantage in Boosts marketing process. Weather: Australia has long, dry and hot summer. Fresh and cool Boost juice is highly preferred in weather like this. Competitive situation analysis (1 ) Competitors Direct competitors I Indirect competitors I Viva Fusion; Pulp Juice;Kick Juice Bar;And other juice bars. Sell bottle juice;Smoothies retail sellers;Low fat yoghurt retail sellers. (2) Porters five forces (3) Competitive advantage Boost is in a monopolistic competition with target market of young Stores Australians. Although Boost is growing faster and bigger than its competitors, it still need to be aware of them. Boosts greatest advantage is its friendly relationship with customers, including good service at the branch, fun web page targeting young buyers and the Boost guarantee which encourages customers to give feedbacks. Company analysis (1) Mission statement Objective 1 : to become the leading company in juice bar industry; Objective 2: to make Boost a global phenomenon (Boost juice bar 2011 (2) Company resources Financial strength: Boost has its advantage in the low cost production and invention. It also has made an agreement with Riverside Company in which Riverside becomes Boosts overseas investor. With Riversides Asian fund, Boosts expansion into international market is fully supported. Production capability and flexibility: shortage in fruit supply due to nature disaster is a gig threat to Boosts production. Besides that, Boosts production is very flexible that can suit all customers requirement. Marketing strength: Boosts major marketing strength is provided by its brand. It understands young customers need and want hence present them a wide menu of juice and smoothies. The low cost of workers training also puts Boost in an advanced position. SOOT Strengths: Well-known brand;Low cost of operation and production;Low price;High profitability;Good reputation as healthy food provider;Short production process;Love requirement of staff skill;Owning cultural preference. Weakness:Highly relies on supply chain;No price advantage. Opportunities: Healthier life style trend in Australia;Partnership with Riverside;Succeed overseas operations.   Threats: Relies on seasonal factor too much;Open market allows more competitors to entry;Hard to take market share from other countries local brand. Conclusion Overall, Boost owns a stable position in fruit juice and smoothies market. The macro environment is mostly friendly to the company and allows it to grow freely. Its competitive position is positive. Although facing a market thick of competitors, Boost seems to be able to hold its place.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

A Few Words about our Oldest Science

A Few Words about our Oldest Science Astronomy is one of those subjects that just reaches out and grabs you the first time you step outside under a sky full of stars. Sure, its a science, but astronomy is also a cultural practice. People have watched the skies since the first person looked up and wondered about what was up there. Once they got the hang of observing and noticing what was happening in the sky, it wasnt long before people figured out a way to use the sky as a calendar for planting, growing, harvesting, and hunting. It aided in survival.   Noticing Sky Cycles It didnt take long for observers to notice that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Or, that the Moon moves through a monthly cycle of phases. Or, that certain spots of light in the sky move against the backdrop of stars (which appear to twinkle due to the action of Earths atmosphere).. Those wanderers, which look more disk-like, became known as planets, after the Greek word planetes. From Earth, with the naked eye, you can seeMercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The others require a telescope, and are quite faint. The point is, these are things you can see for yourself.   Oh, and you can also see the Moon, which is one of the easiest objects to observe. Study its mottled surface and it will show you evidence of ancient (and recent) bombardments. Did you know that the Moon was created when Earth and another object collided early in solar system history? And, if we didnt have a moon, there might not be life on Earth?   Thats a fascinating aspect of astronomy that most of us dont think about! Star Patterns Help you Navigate the Sky If you watch the sky a few nights in a row, youll notice star patterns. Stars are more or less randomly arranged in three-dimensional  space, but from our point of view on Earth, they appear in patterns called constellations. The Northern Cross, also known as Cygnus the Swan, is one such pattern. So is Ursa Major, which contains the Big Dipper, and the constellation Crux in the Southern Hemisphere skies. While those are merely a trick of perspective, those patterns help us make our way around the sky. They add order to an otherwise chaotic-seeming universe. You Can Do Astronomy You dont need much to do astronomy: just your eyes and a good dark sky sight. Oh, you can add in binoculars, or a telescope to help magnify your view, but they arent necessary when youre getting started. For thousands of years, people did astronomy without any fancy equipment at all.   The science of astronomy began as   people went out and observed each night and made notes of what they saw. In time, they DID build telescopes, and eventually attached cameras to them, to record what they saw. Today, astronomers use the light (emissions) from objects in space to understand a great deal about those objects (including their temperatures and motions in space). To do this, they  use ground-based AND space-based observatories to study the far distant reaches of the universe. Astronomy concerns itself with studying and explaining everything from nearby planets to the earliest galaxies that formed not long after the universe was born, some 13.8 billion years ago.   Making Astronomy a Career To do Big Astronomy, people need a solid background in math and physics, but they still need a basic familiarity with the sky. They need to know what stars and planets are, and what galaxies and nebulae look like. So, in the end, it all still comes down to that basic activity of going out and looking up. And, if you get hooked, you can take it at your own speed, learning the constellations, the names and motions of the planets, and eventually peering out to deep space with your own telescope and binoculars.   Deep down, were all astronomers and were descended from astronomers. So, when you go out tonight and look up, think about this: youre carrying on a tradition as old as humanity. Where you go from there - well, the skys the limit!

Monday, November 4, 2019

International Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

International Management - Assignment Example The paper herein thus gives a full-scale discussion of the business meeting and communication culture in the United Arab Emirates and the larger Middle East region. Business meeting and communication culture in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) operates under the laws of the Islam religion since the Middle East is an Islamic zone. Islam religion is the primary culture since it permeates all the societal segments of the United Arab Emirates. The religion is a guidance vessel that provides the rules for individuals lives, ways of executing business transactions and community relations. Thus, doing business in the UAE requires a person to have at least a modicum of the religions practices (Igarashi 2). The most fundamental practice that a person willing to do business in the region must understand is that Islamic prayers occur five times in a day. The prayer sessions are normally announced by different mosques using "azan". "Azan" is a call that is made in the form of an announcement for Muslims to go to the mosque and pray. Thus, business meetings or the execution of business dealings must be fitted within the times of the day that are not in the Muslims prayer schedules. Moreover, Fridays are the days that Muslims congregate to carry out their prayers as an obligatory practice for all men. Doing business on Fridays in the UAE is thus not a good idea since the day is considered a prayer day for the Muslim brothers. The Arab culture treats the female gender with outright sensitivity to an extent where women are mostly disallowed to engage in any business transactions. The interaction between Arab women and an outsider is thus an out-and-out prohibition unless special permission is given to an outsider. Finding women in business dealings is hence an uncommon scenario since the business field is male-dominated and restricted such that women do not engage in it fully. For an outsider, this might be

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Asset Assesment and E-Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Asset Assesment and E-Commerce - Essay Example early internal audit reports Delineation of Authorities and Responsibilities Roles defined and responsibilities delineated for: Overall fixed asset officer: 1. planning and overseeing of system asset management 2. involving in the implementation of asset management plan 3. taking action of defective or obsolete assets Hardware and software custodians (as related): 1. obtaining resources 2. performing functions 3. documenting and maintaining records 4. deployment and controls 5. managing contract agreements, internal and external customers’ relationships Asset Management manual and strategic plans, roles and responsibilities specified in the job description Organization-wide communication of the specified responsibilities Minutes of meetings, e-mails, posting in bulletin board Policies and Procedures Availability of policy and procedure development, periodic review, approvals, issuance, and control Approved policy and documented implementation Documented policies including: 1. Employees and leadership responsibilities on of software and hardware in use 2. limitations on the use of assets and software for personal use 3. compliance to legal and regulatory requirements, propriety and protection of data 4. asset acquisition 5. approval on installation and use of software 6. consequences of violating the policies Review of policies and documents on implementation Organization-wide communication of policies including: 1. newly joined employees during orientation period 2. continuing annually through in-house trainings 3. signing on acknowledgement 4. accessible to all anytime needed Publications through the e-mails, system database for manuals, adding to the code of conduct, e-mailing and minutes of meeting MANAGEMENT OF ASSETS INVENTORY Identification of Software Asset... This study shows that per audit checklist used, internal audit is not conducted periodically. Hardware changes are not covered in internal audit. Technology resources were not considered in the current year budget plan. Functions in control of assets overlap with overall fixed custodian and software and hardware custodians. Purchasing officer has nothing to do with assets contracts. Computer games are installed in the computer networks. No regular training of employees related to information technology. Positive findings deserve appreciation from the management to the responsible employees. â€Å"Keep up the good work.† On the other hand, all employees should get training on information technology. IT Department should be part of orientation program presenters for new employees. The human Resources yearly training program should include information technology topics. All employees should sign the â€Å"statement of confidentiality†. Storage of software, backup system an d consequences of information system violations should be included in the security policy.Findings from Belarc Advisor system audit recommendation should configure settings on account lockout, passwords, event logs, files permission, security options, user-right assignment and system services. Define policies for password issuance and usage, audit, the Internet, Explorer Seven and local computer. Impose restrictions on local computer administration templates, network, systems, and Windows. Create profiles for Windows firewall, domain, and standard.