The Problem Of Music Censorship - 1280 Words

I. Introduction: A. Attention Getter: Imagine yourselves listening to music at a party, you’re jumping around yelling, screaming, and majority of the time singing or rapping along to whatever song is playing. Now imagine every other word, or whole verses in the song getting bleeped out frequently because of the message it presents even though you have the right to listen to whatever you so desire. This is the problem of music censorship we all face today. B. Relevance: Being college students on a great campus such as this one, music becomes a part of our daily routine. Since our quad is so big we need ways to make our commute to class enjoyable if we don’t have anyone to†¦show more content†¦Being individuals we are in control of the choices we make, so the music that we listen to should not be censored E. Preview: To understand why music should not be censored, I will first detail why it has become a problem over the years, then talk about the cause of the pro blems with censorship today then finish up by giving a solution to this problem. Transition: To begin, I will first talk about why the current music censorship laws are a problem. II. Body A. Music Censorship remains a major problem in society today, mostly because of the restrictions it puts on certain things. 1. Music censorship does not abide by the first amendment a. Censorship restricts a person’s freedom of speech which is something every American citizen is entitled to. Heather Flippen states in an article published by Candor News in 2012, â€Å"the government suppresses content or lyrics that are viewed as inappropriate or objectionable† b. The problem stems from what people find to be acceptable in society, which majority of the time the government and parents decide for others which conflicts with the first amendment. Heather Flippen also states in an article published by candor News published in 2012 that, â€Å"The concept of what is acceptable and what is not has

Econ Macro Economics - 1987 Words

Chapter 1: Page 20; Questions - 4, 7, 9, 10, 11 4) What are the key elements of the scientific method and how does this method relate to economic principles and laws? The key elements of the scientific method are the observation of real world behavior and outcomes. Based on those observations, formulating a possible explanation of cause and effect which is a hypothesis. Next, testing this explanation by comparing the outcomes of specific events to the outcome predicted by the hypothesis. Then, accepting, rejecting, and modifying the hypothesis, based on these comparisons. Finally, continuing to test the hypothesis against the facts. If favorable results accumulate, the hypothesis evolves into a theory. A very will tested and widely†¦show more content†¦In a market systems participants act in there own self interest. 4) What are the advantages of using capital in the production process? What is meant by the term â€Å"division of labor†? What are the advantages specialization in the use of human resources and material expenses? Explain why exchange is the necessary consequence of specialization. The monetary rewards for new production techniques accrue directly to the innovator. The market system therefore encourages extensive use and rapid development of complex capital goods. Human specialization is called the division of labor which contributes to a society’s output in several ways. Specialization makes use of differences in ability. Specialization enables individuals to take advantage of existing differences in their abilities and skills. Specialization fosters learning by doing. Even if the abilities of two people are identical, specialization may still be advantageous. Specialization saves time. By devoting time to a single task, a person avoids the loss of time incurred in shifting from one job to another. 7)Assume that a business firm finds that its profit is greatest when it produces $40 worth of product A. suppose also that each of the three techniques shown in the table to the right will produce the desired output. a. With the resources prices shown, which technique will the firm choose? Why? 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Effects of Breast Cancer Diagnosis on Mary

Question: Discuss about the Effects of Breast Cancer Diagnosis on Mary. Answer: Introduction Breast cancer is one of the most challenging conditions in human life. Currently, people are worried about diseases like cancer because they are life threatening. Although cancer is a manageable condition, many people fail to have a stable mental, physical, and psychological state after its diagnosis. As a patient, Mary is in a similar position. After her diagnosis with breast cancer, Mary is likely to undergo through a difficult time because her cancerous condition will definitely subject her to mental, emotional, and psychological distresses. This paper presents a critical analysis of the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impacts of breast cancer diagnosis on Mary. Psychological, Cognitive, and Behavioral Impacts of Breast Cancer Diagnosis on Mary Research has proven that many people fear cancer. When individuals are diagnosed with cancer, they become psychologically-tortured because of the misleading belief that cancer is a deadly disease that cannot be fully eradicated regardless of the efforts put. The diagnosis of Mary with breast cancer will affect her psychologically. Just like any other cancer patient, Mary will go through a very difficult time. When she discovers that she is suffering from breast cancer, Mary will have to be psychologically affected. The first thing that will come to her mind is that she is almost dying. Many people hold the view that once an individual is diagnosed with breast cancer; there are higher chances that it might result into their death. This is what Mary will be going through because he will imagine that her life will be prematurely terminated by the dreaded disease. However, this is unnecessary feeling that should not bother Mary because it is not true that her diagnosis will definitely translate into her early death. Breast cancer should not be equated to death because it is a manageable condition. Many people have survived breast cancer (Leontjevas, et al., 2013). She can still live for a very long time as long as she takes her situation positively and takes the necessary measures to manage her condition. Besides, Mary will have to be stressed because of the feeling that her cancerous condition will last forever. Just like any other ordinary patient, Mary believes that her diagnosis with breast cancer means that she will always suffer from the disease until she dies. She will be psychologically disturbed to imagine that she will live with cancer for the remainder of her life because it is a disease that keeps on recurring. Since Mary lives in the society, she must have witnessed how bothersome breast cancer has been in the life of her relatives, friends, colleagues or neighbors. However, this does not mean that she will also experience the same. Her case will be different because she has detected the condition during its initial stages (Canvin, Rugksa, Sinclair Burns, 2014). Meaning, she will not suffer like other people whose conditions were detected at advanced stages. Therefore, the patient does not need to be emotionally disturbed because of the feeling that it will be a permanen t condition. In addition, Mary will be emotionally disturbed because of the feeling of physical pain to be experienced due to her condition. Breast cancer is a disease that is associated with lots of physical pains. So, Marys diagnosis with the condition means that she will also have to endure the physical pains suffered by the cancer patients. This is the feeling that will subject the patient to psychological distress because she knows that when her time reaches, she will suffer a great deal. The physical pains can be caused by the wounds on the body. It is an unpleasant experience that Mary does not wish to go through. However, Mary does not need to be worried about the physical pains because it is not a must that she must g through because she is different from other cancer patients (Rogers Pilgrim, 2014). She is a lucky patient since her condition has been detected in time. Lastly, Mary will be mentally disturbed because of the stressful conditions to which she will be subjected by the cancer. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, the patient knows that she will have to spend a lot of time seeking for medical attention. Such a feeling can cause depression to Mary because of the feeling that she will require to use a lot of money to cater for her treatment. Her worries will increase if she imagines that she might be rendered jobless if her condition deteriorates further. Meaning she will have no option rather than depending on her family for financial support. Truly, this is quite disheartening because Mary will lose her autonomy because she can no longer provide for herself. Such a feeling will negatively impact on the cognitive status of the patient (Morse, Salyers lins, 2012). As an adult human being, Mary does not wish to be stereotyped as a bother that cannot fend for herself, but has to rely on the support of well-wishers. How to Address Marys Cognitive, Behavioral, and Psychological Problems For a very long time, many people have been succumbing to cancer. However, one thing that is not taken seriously is that not all these deaths are caused by physical pains. A large number of cancer-related deaths are triggered by psychological and mental distresses. Once a person is diagnosed with cancer, the life drastically changes because of stress. However, Mary should not be allowed to join the list of such people. She should be helped to deal with her condition and manage it well. To do so, the healthcare providers should address the patients physical and psychological needs. Marys problem should be addressed by providing her with holistic healthcare services. Meaning, her care should not be narrowed down to physical, but be extended to psychological. The healthcare provider should be ready to offer her counseling therapy to enable her learn a lot about her condition. During the counseling process, the patient should be told that she is in a better position because her condition has been diagnosed in time (Bogner, et al., 2016). Therefore, she should not think of suffering, stress or death because she can manage it. Conclusion Diagnosis with breast cancer will impact on Marys psychological, cognitive, and behavioral status. She will undergo lots of stress because of the fear that the condition will cause her permanent pain and suffering. This is what many cancer patients go through. However, the patients condition can be managed if provided with psychological support. She should be empowered not be psychologically distressed because breast cancer must not cause all the anticipated problems. If all these issues are addressed during counseling, the patient will be helped to lead a better life. References Bogner, H.R., et al., (2016). Does a Depression Management Program Decrease Mortality in Older Adults with Specific Medical Conditions in Primary Care? An Exploratory Analysis. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(1), pp.126-131. Canvin, K., Rugksa, J., Sinclair, J. Burns, T. (2014). Patient, psychiatrist and family carerexperiences of community treatment orders: qualitative study. Social psychiatry andpsychiatric epidemiology, 49(12), pp.1873-1882. Leontjevas, R., et al., (2013). A structural multidisciplinary approach to depression managementin nursing-home residents: a multicentre, stepped-wedge cluster- randomised trial. TheLancet, 381(9885), pp.2255-2264. Morse, G., Salyers, M. P., lins, A. L. (2012). Burnout in mental health services: a review ofthe problem and its remediation. Adm Policy Mental Health. 39(5):341-52. doi:10.1007/s10488-011-0352-1. Rogers, A. Pilgrim, D. (2014). A sociology of mental health and illness. London: McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Report about the Purchasing Management

Question: Write a report about the purchasing management. Answer: Introduction: The purpose of this report is to show the various aspects of the purchasing management with focus on the supplier selection criteria and an extended emphasis on the impact of supply chain of a company with the use of Internet communication Technology (ICT). For the purpose of supplier selection it has been defined whether single sourcing or multiple sourcing is appropriate for the selected company. The associated purchasing cost related to the various equipments has also been determined. The purchasing portfolio management has been prespared on the basis of Peter Karlijic model. The analysis shows the various types of leverage items, strategic items, non-critical items and bottleneck items which are directly influencing the purchasing activities of a company. The final of the report also suggests the rationale for selecting activity based costing versus total cost ownership (Monczka et al., 2015). The company selected for the purpose of study is Toyota Motor Corporation. The company was started in the year 1936. The basic model of the car started with production of AA model of cars. The leading Japanese carmaker id known for being one of the 13th largest companies on the world in terms of revenue and it had earned itself a reputation of producing more than ten million car models in a very short span of 12 years. The main competition is faced by companies such as General Motors, Ford, Honda and Volkswagen. Toyota has a reputation of application of lean manufacturing system into its entire production of the materials. The main supply of the company is controlled through tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers. The tier 1 suppliers are responsible for providing the primary part of the cars such as chassis and engines. The tier 2 includes the suppliers are responsible for supplying of those materials which are required for the required for the purpose of assembling (Hines, 2015). Rationale for selecting the suppliers The multiple sourcing criteria of the company involve the participation of both tier and tier 2 suppliers. As it has been discussed previously that tier 1 supplier are responsible for supplying of the primary car parts such as engines and chassis and the tier 2 suppliers engage in providing the parts such as crankshaft, spark plugs, valve and sump. These parts are necessary to furnish the tier 1 parts of the car. The Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America is one of the most prominent suppliers of the company. The suppliers focus on getting the purchasing policies and the gui9delines provided in the policies help the suppliers to know about the basic principles of purchasing ion North America, assisting the suppliers to increase the competitiveness in the auto manufacturing industry and engaging in long term relationship. The long-term relationship is maintained through annual purchasing policy and supplier support system. (Welcome to ToyotaSupplier.com, 2016). According to Verma (2014), the rationale for the selection of the suppliers is based on the following criteria: Importance of the new suppliers: The process of identification of the suppliers should involve the evaluation cost effectiveness than the existing suppliers. The recognition of the new suppliers should be based on the reasons based on the buyers and internal customers for procurement of the products. Qualification screening process: The supplier has to qualify through various types of tests such as delivery performance, contracts terms, and resolving of the various problems. The financial status also needs to be checked based not the supplier rating. The availability of the surge capacity also influencer the selection criteria of the suppliers. Quality: The needs to adhere to various types of quality aspects such as ISO 9000 certification and similar. In case of any discrepancy related to quality issue the suppliers organization needs to verify thoroughly. Information requests to suppliers: After the identification of the suppliers the request for information helps in identifying the buyers need and buyer also gain the knowledge about the types of the products which a supplier can provide. The request for proposal consists of the performance requirements details, which describes the potential strength and flexibility to understand the composition of particular material. Contract terms: The contract term states how a buyer will pay to the suppliers, the choice of a particular contract term may be long term, short term, fixed cost and cost plus basis. The payment terms in the contract specifies about the various form of contractual obligations. The payment of the various parts of the car can have fixed price, which states that the supplier will be paid irrespective of the actual cost of execution of the contractual agreements. In case of cost plus agreement the criteria for payment can be based on a certain fixed percentage and total cost incurred. Selection of the suppliers: Based on the supplier rating and contract terms, the appropriate suppliers need to be selected who can provide take and orders and meet the delivery within the required set of time. Supplier monitoring: The surveillance of the various activities of the suppliers can range from weeks to years. The monitoring criteria have several aims such as ensuring higher quality, accurate conformity of the specifications and monitoring for the purpose of cist containment. Issues faced in selection of the suppliers: In several cases while selection of the supplier based on the quality it has been observed that certification documents are misleading and tampered. This adds to the complexity of the buyers in assessing the capabilities of the supplier. These further raises the need to check the materials based on the specifications and when the buyers act on behalf of internal customers. The negotiation process to between the buyers and supplier often act as a major hurdle in the selection of the supplier and buyer, the main problem arises when the company attempts to induce the favorable terms to the suppliers and in similar way the supplier attempts to induce the price from the buyers. This leads to one sided benefit and paves the way for numerous conflicts in the future (Jahani et al., 2015). Karljic Model The Karljic model for purchasing helps to analyze the purchasing portfolio of a company. This particular model shows the working methods of the purchasing department. The two main dimensions of the portfolio focuses on the profit impact based on the strategic importance of the materials and risks related to supply of the materials. The supply risk is mainly associated to the abundance or scarcity of the materials and to what extent the materials are up to date in terms of technological innovations and requirements of substitution (Knight Preston, 2014). Figure 1: Karljic Purchasing Portfolio (Source: Artzblog.com, 2016) ICT for purchasing operations Some of the most noted initiatives by the company include the incorporation of data communication module in the broader range of vehicles. The changes are due to be implemented from the year 2017. The net result of this facility will connect the cars of the Toyota with cellular telecommunications networks, which will further expand the opportunity for the ability to transmit information for various types of products and services. The purchasing manager of the company is responsible for assuring the quality aspect of the company (Information Technology for Toyota_Motor (TM), 2016) Purchasing Goals and suggestions for improvement The main purchasing goal and suggestion for improvement has been shown below as follows: Analysis of purchasing Goals Recommendations Providing safe, reliable and economic mode of transportation. Use of industrial robots for the purpose of manufacturing of the cars. This will automate the process of lifting of heavy items from place to place. Assembling of the parts, joining and paint job. The industrial robots ensure high level of safety thereby by reducing the labor cost to a significant amount (Mori et al., 2012). Addressing customer concerns and innovating in terms of reinventing through sufficient information disclosure. Improving the customer satisfaction level by addressing to the customer enquiries through websites, blogs and emails. Holistic view of development by contributing to the local communities with an open stance towards the new suppliers and focusing on growth based on mutually beneficial business dealings with the distributors and the suppliers. Promotion of local purchasing in e-newspapers, blogs and other forms of electronic media. This can be also achieved by establishing sales network through vendor sourcing and enterprise resource planning. Development of environmental friendly vehicles and technologies for continuous improvement of the same. Use internal combustion engine and introduction electric motors in the car models will enable the company to produce hybrid models of cars. The technology of ethanol car by using renewable fuel will significantly improve the environmental aspect of the cars (Klckner et al., 2013). Reducing the no. of defect related to the accelerators of the car, also ensuring the reduction in the error rate in the manufacturing process. In order to ensure this goal the company needs to incorporate six- sigma and automate the process of error detection. The main focus of the internet communications technology is seen in integration of the core functional areas with the enterprise resource planning through software systems. The purchasing is a four stage process in Toyota Motor Corporations. Unique codes are assigned to clients, purchasing organizations and plants. This shows the flow of purchasing decisions among all the levels of the organization. The changes in the inventory and procurement activity are updated real time through this software. The purchasing operations are manages seamlessly with the help of ERP software. (SAP, Toyota InfoTechnology Center and VeriFone Connect Cars and Provide Drivers With Simplified Fueling. 2014). Figure 2 Source: (Appelrath Ritter 2013) Purchasing cost analysis The purchasing goals have been analyzed and it has been observed that the best cost analysis techniques for the purpose of the cost analysis the Toyota Motor Corporation is Activity Based costing system. Activity based costing system is the translation process of the indirect costs into the direct costs by tracking of the appropriate cost drivers associated with the indirect costs. As Toyota involves large number of activities in different segments of the manufacturing process, the cost is driven by pool of activities. This particular mode of costing will help the company in evaluating batch level activities, unit-level activities, facility costs and product level expenses. The unit level expenses are most relevant with volume produce d in units. These costs are typically the supplies and materials. The product level activities are specific to particular parts of the cars. These costs are in line with various types of the engineering activities performed by the company. This particular method of costing will prove to be helpful in formulation various types of pricing strategies, services and performance evaluation of the costing system of the company. The first instances of the cost are considered as the cost arising as a result of the functional categories and departmental activities of the various types of business process. The challenging part of this costing system lies in determining the cost drivers are associated with the cost drivers. The observed drivers are used to connect the activities to customers, cost objects and products. The use of ABC system in the Toyota motor corporation will ensure the disclosure of low-volume products which tend to be more expensive while computing them with the traditional system of costing (Pazarceviren Ozsuer, 2015). This form of costing system is the most effective form of costing system for identifying the planned activities before implementing it into the business process. The desired actions can be taken onto consideration for the explicit line of the managers based on the activity based costing system. Moreover the present Kaizen system of the costing of the various purchasing items are similar to the ABC costing system and thus the implementation of the change process will cost effective and considerably time consuming process for the company (Martin, 2016). The comparison of the Kaizen system of costing and activity based costing has been shown below as follows: Figure 3: Comparison of the Kaizen system of costing and activity based costing Source: (Song Yi, 2015) Conclusion The extensive of the report stets the various factors that act as the rationale for selection of the suppliers at Toyota. The presence of Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers suggests that the most appropriate method of costing will be effective for multiple sourcing of the suppliers. In this way the company will able to improve the procurement process from multiple sources of the suppliers. The issues relating to the forges quality certificate given by many suppliers is another raising concern for the company which needs to looked after. The Karljic Purchasing Portfolio clearly shows the profit impact of the company based on the supply risk. The latter part of the report shows the implementation of the Internet communication technology for the improvement of the purchasing goals of the company has been clearly stated ion the report. The integration of the purchasing department with the SAP systems software shows the real time updating of the purchasing activities of the company. The final pa rt of the report shows an overview of the present system of the costing based on the Kaizen Model and also gives recommendation for implementation activity based costing system. The report also shows a detailed comparison between the two costing systems. Reference List Appelrath, H. J., Ritter, J. (2013). SAP R/3 implementation: methods and tools. Springer Science Business Media. Artzblog.com. (2016). Retrieved 16 June 2016 Hines, P. (2015). Toyota supplier system in Japan and the UK. Developments in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Past, Present and Future, 113. Information Technology for Toyota_Motor (TM). (2016). Wikinvest.com. Retrieved 16 June 2016, Jahani, A., Azmi Murad, M. A., bin Sulaiman, M. N., Selamat, M. H. (2015). An agent-based supplier selection framework. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal, 8(2/3), 180-205. doi:10.1108/SO-01-2015-0003 Klckner, C. A., Nayum, A., Mehmetoglu, M. (2013). Positive and negative spillover effects from electric car purchase to car use. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 21, 32-38. Knight, L., Tu, Y. H., Preston, J. (2014). Integrating skills profiling and purchasing portfolio management: An opportunity for building purchasing capability. International Journal of Production Economics, 147, 271-283. Martin, J. (2016). Activity-Based Costing and Japanese Cost Management. Maaw.info. Retrieved 16 June 2016, Monczka, R., Handfield, R., Giunipero, L., Patterson, J. (2015). Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Monczka, R., Handfield, R., Giunipero, L., Patterson, J. (2015). Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Mori, M., MacDorman, K. F., Kageki, N. (2012). The uncanny valley [from the field]. Robotics Automation Magazine, IEEE, 19(2), 98-100. Pazarceviren, S. Y., Akcin, O., Ozsuer, U. (2015). A MODEL SUGGESTION FOR BUDGETING ACTIVITY COST REDUCTION UNDER ACTIVITY BASED KAIZEN BUDGETING APPROACH. European Scientific Journal.

Battle of Makin in World War II

Battle of Makin in World War II The Battle of Makin was fought November 20-24, 1943, during World War II (1939-1945). With the end of the fighting on Guadalcanal, Allied forces began planning for a march across the Pacific. Selecting the Gilbert Islands as the first target, planning moved forward for landings on several islands including Tarawa and Makin Atoll. Moving forward in November 1943, American troops landed on the island and succeeded in overwhelming the Japanese garrison. Though the landing force sustained relatively light casualties, the cost of taking Makin increased when the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed and lost with 644 of its crew. Background On December 10, 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces occupied Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Meeting no resistance, they secured the atoll and commenced construction of a seaplane base on the main island of Butaritari. Due to its location, Makin was well positioned for such an installation as it would extend Japanese reconnaissance abilities closer to American-held islands. Construction progressed over the next nine months and Makins small garrison remained largely ignored by Allied forces. This changed on August 17, 1942, when the Butaritari came under attack from Colonel Evans Carlsons 2nd Marine Raider Battalion (Map). Landing from two submarines, Carlsons 211-man force killed 83 of Makins garrison and destroyed the islands installations before withdrawing. In the wake of the attack, the Japanese leadership made moves to reinforce the Gilbert Islands. This saw the arrival on Makin of a company from the 5th Special Base Force and the construction of more formidable defenses. Overseen by Lieutenant (j.g.) Seizo Ishikawa, the garrison numbered around 800 men of which about half were combat personnel. Working through the next two months, the seaplane base was completed as were anti-tank ditches towards the eastern and western ends of Butaritari. Within the perimeter defined by the ditches, numerous strong points were established and coastal defense guns mounted (Map). Allied Planning Having won the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz desired to make a thrust into the central Pacific. Lacking the resources to strike directly at the Marshall Islands in the heart of the Japanese defenses, he instead began making plans for attacks in the Gilberts. These would be the opening steps of an island hopping strategy to advance towards Japan. Another advantage of campaigning in the Gilberts was the islands were within range of U.S. Army Air Forces B-24 Liberators based in the Ellice Islands. On July 20, plans for invasions of Tarawa, Abemama, and Nauru were approved under the code name Operation Galvanic (Map). As planning for the campaign moved forward, Major General Ralph C. Smiths 27th Infantry Division received orders to prepare for the invasion of Nauru. In September, these orders were changed as Nimitz grew concerned about being able to provide the needed naval and air support at Nauru. As such, the 27ths objective was changed to Makin. To take the atoll, Smith planned two sets of landings on Butaritari. The first waves would land at Red Beach on the islands western end with the hope of drawing the garrison in that direction. This effort would be followed a short time later by landings at Yellow Beach to the east. It was Smiths plan that the Yellow Beach forces could destroy the Japanese by attacking their rear (Map). Battle of Makin Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: November 20-23, 1943Forces Commanders:AlliesMajor General Ralph C. SmithRear Admiral Richmond K. Turner6,470 menJapaneseLieutenant (j.g.) Seizo Ishikawa400 soldiers, 400 Korean laborersCasualties:Japanese: approx. 395 killedAllies: 66 killed, 185 wounded/injured Allied Forces Arrive Departing Pearl Harbor on November 10, Smiths division was carried on the attack transports USS Neville, USS Leonard Wood, USS Calvert, USS Pierce, and USS Alcyone. These sailed as part of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turners Task Force 52 which included the escort carriers USS Coral Sea, USS Liscome Bay, and USS Corregidor. Three days later, USAAF B-24s commenced attacks on Makin flying from bases in the Ellice Islands. As Turners task force arrived in the area, the bombers were joined by FM-1 Wildcats, SBD Dauntlesses, and TBF Avengers flying from the carriers. At 8:30 AM on November 20, Smiths men commenced their landings on Red Beach with forces centered on the 165th Infantry Regiment. M3 Stuart light tanks on Makin, November, 1943. US Army Fighting for the Island Meeting little resistance, American troops quickly pressed inland. Though encountering a few snipers, these efforts failed to draw Ishikawas men from their defenses as planned. Approximately two hours later, the first troops approached Yellow Beach and soon came under fire from Japanese forces. While some came ashore without issue, other landing craft grounded offshore forcing their occupants to wade 250 yards to reach the beach. Led by the 165ths 2nd Battalion and supported by M3 Stuart light tanks from the 193rd Tank Battalion, the Yellow Beach forces began engaging the islands defenders. Unwilling to emerge from their defenses, the Japanese forced Smiths men to systematically reduce the islands strong points one by one over the next two days. USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56), September 1943. Public Domain Aftermath On the morning of November 23, Smith reported that Makin had been cleared and secured. In the fighting, his ground forces sustained 66 killed and 185 wounded/injured while inflicting around 395 killed on the Japanese. A relatively smooth operation, the invasion of Makin proved far less costly than the battle on Tarawa which occurred over the same time span. The victory at Makin lost a bit of its luster on November 24 when Liscome Bay was torpedoed by I-175. Striking a supply of bombs, the torpedo caused the ship to explode and killed 644 sailors. These deaths, plus casualties from a turret fire on USS Mississippi (BB-41), caused U.S. Navy losses to total 697 killed and 291 wounded.

A History of the Supreme Court Including Some Landmark Case Decisions essays

A History of the Supreme Court Including Some Landmark Case Decisions essays Since the American Constitution was the first written constitution in the world, it created an entire wealth of laws and interpretations for the newly formed government. From 1787 until the mid-nineteenth century, the Supreme Court had to create policies and procedures while it heard cases. It literally had to "define itself" (Davis). While the founding fathers created a court system in 1787, it took until 1789 to truly define it and set up the basic system of the courts, which includes district courts and circuit courts. Historian Davis continues, "Three circuits, consisting of one district court judge and two Supreme Court justices, heard criminal cases and civil suits as well as appeals from the district courts" (Davis). Thus, the system was very different than it is today, where Supreme Court judges only rule on cases that have made it through the layers of district and state courts underneath them. In addition, Supreme Court justices were appointed to hold office as long as they had "good behavior" (Semonche 24), and that has always meant for "life" in the interpretation of the Court. Historian Semonche continues, "From the very beginning, then, the Court was charged with maintaining the national authority and, with it, the Union itself" (Semonche 40). That tradition continues today, with the word of the Supreme Court the final ruling in the courts of the nation. The original Court consisted of six judges, which was raised to seven in 1807, because of a growing population, and rose to nine in 1837, and ten during the Civil War. The Court dropped back to eight justices in 1866, and up to nine in 1869, the number that still rule today. Historian Davis notes, "Today, the Court oversees 13 Courts of Appeal (Circuit Courts) and 94 District Courts in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. These courts, along with specialized legi...

Crime Data Sources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crime Data Sources - Assignment Example For UCR program, crime data is collected in two ways: traditional summary reporting and National Incident-Based Reporting held at state level where all local agencies report to their respective state UCR programs. These two methods capture data from a myriad of primary and secondary sources. Information acquired is accessible to the public, researchers and the media on the existing crime levels in the US. The UCR is vital in key policy issues as it captures data for multiple years on different crimes (FBI, nd). These surveys collect data on a sample representative of the nation on personal and domestic victimization in the US. The survey has been ongoing from its inception in 1973. The sample size is estimated at 40000 households with an average population of 75000 where each household is surveyed twice in the year the household is selected, but a household can be interviewed for a period more than one year but not exceeding 3 years and limited to 7 interviews (BSJ, nd). The surveys target to gather information about crimes and their consequences; estimate unreported crimes; provide measures to curb selected crimes; and allow comparisons between different geographical areas over time. The survey is important as it provides data used to estimate probability of victimization for the population as a whole plus other interest segments like racial groups, geographical locations etc. NCVS also provides a national platform for victims to describe the effects of crime and profile violent offenders. These surveys are sponsored by the justice department through the Bureau of Justice statistics (Fisher& Lab, 2010). The international victimization survey provides worldwide information on crime victimization, allowing for contrast and evaluation between countries. The survey is administered by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and aspires to set the standard for victimization reporting. The survey is conducted through

Hinduism & Jainism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hinduism & Jainism - Essay Example In Jainism, no practices of food are offered to God or the divine. Consequently, Hindus give offerings of gift and materialistic needs for the divine. Rituals and traditions of sacrifices also differ in both religions. Since Hinduism is more focused on sacrifice, the focus of sacrificing animals is prevalent in Hinduism. In Jainism, this form of practice is refuted and discouraged. As mentioned above, the theory of salvation and afterlife is quite essential in both religions. While the Hindus believe that only God can truly achieve salvation, Jainism insists that humans are the only creation that can reach that level of state. Karma is another focal point that differentiates the two religions. Salvation is another crucial concept in which both religions tend to have differences. Hindus believe that Gods can only achieve salvation. However, the Jainas consider this privilege of human beings only. While Hindus regard Karma as an invisible power, Jainas think that it is something that c omes from â€Å"within.† Clearly, both religions share many similarities but also possess many

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary - Assignment Example The authors work with Elizabeth Brainerd is based on two hypotheses. Firstly, competitive industries do not have discrimination, so in case of an exogenous shock (increased trade) the effect of discrimination is negligible. Secondly, in less competitive industries, scope of discrimination is more, so in case of the same exogenous shock narrowing the gender wage gap would be considerable. Since theoretically, the wage differential in competitive industries is nil, by providing for increased trade, the authors could compute the gender wage gap in concentrated industries. The survey covering the period 1977-94 used data from Current Population Survey. The population comprised of individuals aged 18 to 64 and working as full time. First log wage of all individuals was regressed on education, age, agesqaured and nonwhite dummy variable. Then the residual gender wage gap was computed from difference in average residual wages for male and female at industry level. The industry level results were matched to trade level results, with trade measured as import shares. The findings show that an increase in import share leads to reduction in gender wage gap in concentrated industries. However overall increase in trade have a negative impact on relative wages of women. These results can also be factored on decline in unionization and not discrimination impact.

Vitamin C Deterioration in Orange Juice

Vitamin C Deterioration in Orange Juice This experimental investigation was designed to examine the deterioration of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) content when placed in conditions with different oxidization and temperature exposure. Home brand orange juice was placed in different temperatures, such as room temperature, freezer, and fridge. Also with different oxidization as one beaker from each temperature was covered with glad wrap. Over 6 weeks, mold, smells, fungi, bacteria and evaporation where just some of the observations that we made. Although, as well as observing we took test results and it was evident that freezer uncovered and freezer covered had the most content of vitamin c preserved. Over 6 weeks 8ml of orange juice was used from each beaker to test with indophenol, with most juices the juice can be added to the indophenol solution until the juice becomes clear. In some cases the orange juice wont change clear, and go a pinky brown. For this reason a control is used to compare colours. Over 6 weeks the experimen t was conducted, data was collected and reached a conclusion based on the findings. Introduction: [4] Vitamin c is an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, vitamin c is a water-soluble vitamin, being water-soluble this means that the body doesnt store it. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is one of the least toxic substances and this is why vitamin c is necessary for growth and development; it helps repair tissue in all parts of the body. [10]Vitamin c helps the body make an important protein called collagen, in which is used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels, vitamin c is also essential for healing wounds and helping maintain and repair bones and teeth. [4] Vitamin C is also essential in an individuals health for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue, which gives support and structure for other tissues and organs. [5]However, the protective role of vitamin C goes far beyond our skin and gums. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, joint diseases and cataracts are all associated with vitamin C deficiency and can be partly prevented by optimal intake of vitamin C. [6]Vitamin C achieves much of its protective effect by functioning as an antioxidant and preventing oxygen-based damage to our cells. Structures that contain fat (like the lipoprotein molecules that carry fat around our body) are particularly dependent on vitamin C for protection. The human body uses vitamin c to complete a variety of chemical reactions, for example providing energy to cells and sending information through to neutrons. [7]Vitamin C is also very important because it metabolizes cholesterol, which means it may help lower cholesterol levels. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient responsible for manufacturing compounds and aiding in basic chemical functions. Humans must ingest vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, because we cannot make it ourselves. [11]The body gets its daily allowance of this vitamin by eating raw fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. [8]Vitamin C is needed in order to help the body to protect cells and to keep them healthy. Vitamin C is found wide variety of foods, mainly being in the fruit and vegetable areas. Good sources include: Broccoli Brussel sprouts Sweet potatoes Oranges Kiwi fruit Red berries Red and green bell peppers Tomatoes spinach Juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange Vitamin C deficiencies occur as part of general under nutrition, but severe deficiency is uncommon. Vitamin C deficiency symptoms include: Dry and splitting hair Bleeding gums Rough, dry, scaly skin Decreased wound-healing rate Easy bruising Nosebleeds Weakened tooth enamel Swollen and painful joints Anemia Decreased ability to fight infection Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism [21]A severe vitamin C deficiency is called scurvy, is a medical condition caused by a lack of vitamin C. Left untreated, scurvy can be fatal, but fortunately this condition is extremely easy to address, as all that is required to eliminate scurvy is an increase of vitamin C intake. Scurvy is relatively rare in the modern era, thanks to widespread knowledge about the need for vitamin C, but it sometimes appears in malnourished individuals, infants, and the elderly. Early signs of scurvy include fatigue and joint pain. If the condition is allowed to progress, a distinctive rash will develop on the legs, the mucus membranes will start to bleed, former fracture sites may come apart, and the patient will experience severe muscle weakness. The lack of vitamin C allows the connective tissues of the body to essentially pull apart, allowing blood to leak freely through the blood vessels, and causing long-term damage to the muscles if the condition is not caught early. If vitamin C an individual intakes too much vitamin C it can result in stomach pain, diarrhea and flatulence. [9]As humans cannot synthesize Vitamin C in their own bodies, there have a great need for dietary supplements of it. Although, good sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C can also be made in a laboratory; most experts recommend getting vitamin C from a diet high in fruits and vegetables rather than taking supplements. Vitamin c supplements are effective for treatment and prevention of vitamin C deficiency, including scurvy, also these supplements are likely to be effective for improving the way the body absorbs iron and treating a disease called tyrosinemia in newborns when given as an injection. [2]Vitamin C is safe for most people when taken by mouth in recommended doses or when applied to the skin. In some people, vitamin C might cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach cramps, headache, and other side effects. The chance of getting these side effects increases the more vitamin C you take. Amounts higher than 2000 mg per day are at risk and may cause side effects, including kidney stones and severe diarrhea. In people who have had a kidney stone, amounts greater than 1000 mg per day greatly increase the risk of kidney stone recurrence. [3]Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant and as a coenzyme. Molecules called free radicals are formed during normal cell metabolism. Free radicals cause damage by reacting with fats and proteins in cell membranes and genetic material. This process is called oxidation. Antioxidants like vitamin C are compounds that attach themselves to free radicals so that it is impossible for the free radical to react with, or oxidize, other molecules. During the manufacturing stage of processing Orange juice manufacture add extra vitamin C into the liquid in order for the orange juice to deteriorate less than usual, this is also so the orange juice content abides with the label that is processed onto the packaging, this same label also states requirements after opening the juice in order when to store the juice and at what temperature. If false statements are given on the label the manufacture can face serious consequences. Therefore, the aim of this experiment is to investigate what environmental factors cause the rate of vitamin c to deteriorate quicker, with variable conditions being oxygen exposure, different temperatures and also oxidization. Our hypothesis is that the room temperature would lose vitamin c faster due to the factors of temperature oxidization. Materials 2L Home brand orange juice 6 x250ml beakers 9xPipettes 18x Test tubes 3xTest tube racks glad wrap paper pen sticky take Indophenol solution 0.1% 2xWatch glasses 1x scalpel Method A All materials were gathered Each beaker was designated a number(1-6) which is written on a piece of paper and stuck to beaker using sticky tape The beakers are then put in pairs (1-2,3-4,5-6) Each beaker pair is then designated to an area room temperature (25degrees-37degrees), fridge (3 degrees) and freezer (-5 degrees) this is also written on the paper attached to beaker 230mL of home brand orange juice was then carefully poured into each beaker Each beaker was then tested with indophenol to find standard (refer to method B) In each designated area (room temperature, fridge or freezer) one beaker was chosen to be covered with glad wrap making the liquid unable to breathe. Each beaker was then placed in designated area and leave juices for one week Gathered 18x test tubes 3x test tube rack and 9xpepits and 2x watch glasses 1x scalpel Gathered all samples of juice and placed on designated safe work bench Observed any noticeable changes (smells, colours, molds fungi) and recorded in log book 15 drops of indophenol was put into each test tube using a pipette Using a pipette orange juice was carefully added to the indophenol solution each drop was carefully counted and swirled after each drop until a colour changed occurred. Recorded how many drops in each test tube along with what designated area and covered or non-covered Retested each beaker once a week by repeating steps 9-12 On Microsoft excel, each week data was entered in, and created a table format, with the headings, which test it was 1-6, average and standard error, with each weeks tests results (number of drops) being put under the headings 1-6 and also what it was and where (fridge uncovered.) This was done each week and a line graph was made Method B- establishing standard Placed 15 drops of indophenol solution into a test tube Added 0.1% ascorbic acid solution, one drop at a time, into the indophenol. Counted the drops added. Swirled the test tube after each drop was added Continued until the indophenol becomes colorless What was the total number drops of 0.1% ascorbic acid solution required to decolorize the indophenol solution. Results Graph no. 3- Abscorbic Acid Standard Photo 1: Week 1 Beakers with labels Photo 2: Week 2- Mold and fungal organisms present on room  temperature covered Photo 3: Week 3- Obvious colour change in beaker 4, water vapor  present on beaker 3 and beaker 2 significant evaporation Photo 4 Photo 5: Week 4- Change of colour in beaker 3 and 4 evaporation in beaker 2 Photo 6: 5- Obvious colour change and evaporation in beaker 1 2 Photo 7: Week 6- Photo 8: Week 6- Fungal organisms in room temperature beakers Photo 9: Week 6- Fungal organism found in beaker 3 room temperature covered fridge covered fridge uncovered Room temp covered Room temp uncovered Freezer covered Freezer uncovered It is highly evident that the main trends throughout this experiment are: The higher the temperature the increase in level of evaporation The uncovered samples above freezing displayed much higher level of evaporation compared to covered samples The freezing samples displayed same amount of evaporation for covered and uncovered Orange juice becomes more intense over the content of 6 weeks due to evaporation Fungal organisms increase the vitamin c content Evaporation played a major part in this experiment. Evaporation is the process of liquid turning into gas by mechanisms such as: the fastest moving molecules at the surface of the liquid have enough energy to break the attractive bonds with other molecules. They then escape the surface of the substances. Since at higher temperatures the molecules have more kinetic energy, more of them are likely to escape and so evaporation occurs more quickly at higher temperatures. The rate of evaporation is higher due to factors such as: increased temperatures, high humidity and wind exposure. [15,16,17] Oxidization is a common form of chemical reaction which is the combining of oxygen with various elements and compounds; oxidation also transfers hydrogen atoms or electrons from one molecule to another. Oxidization is a reaction in which the atoms in an element lose electrons and the valence of the element is correspondingly increased. .[12, 14] Oxygen, the most plentiful element on earth, combines readily with numerous other elements. When combined with other elements in a compound or molecule, oxygen frequently is an electron hog. It takes electrons away from many other elements and this oxidizes them. The oxygen takes the negatively charged electrons and becomes a negatively charged ion. The oxygen has been reduced. However without certain factors affecting the rate of oxidization, it can be reduced quiet significantly.[12,13,14] A number of factors affect the oxidation rate, including temperature, pressure, crystal orientation, oxygen source (oxygen or water) and impurity doping. Oxide growth rate is very sensitive to temperature, because the oxygen diffusion rate in silicon dioxide is exponentially related with temperature, increasing temperature can significantly increase the oxide growth. Oxide growth rate is also related to the oxygen source. Dry oxidation with O2 has a lower oxide growth rate than wet oxidation with H2O. This is because the diffusion rate of the oxygen molecule O2 in silicon dioxide is lower than that of hydroxide HO generated from the dissociation of H2O molecules at high temperature. Therefore the wet oxidation process is preferred to grow thick oxide layers. [ 13,14] Fungi are classified within their own kingdom The Kingdom Fungi, while some are in the Kingdom Protista. A fungus is similar to a plant, but it has no chlorophyll and cannot make its own food like a plant can through photosynthesis. They get their food by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings. The kingdom includes the yeasts, molds, smuts, and mushrooms. Fungi must take in food materials synthesized by other organisms due to the absence of chlorophyll; the fungi cannot photosynthesize their food from simple substances. Saprophytic fungi derive food from dead and decaying materials. [18,19,20] Fungi exist in various habitats, including deep down in the ocean, lakes, rocks, deserts, very salty environments, and areas of extremely high or low temperatures. However, factors such as temperature, water and light all affect the rate of fungal organisms growing. Fungi grow best in warm temperatures. Various species of fungi do grow better at warm temperatures; moreover, there are a number of fungal organisms that thrive in very high temperatures of and few that will thrive in very low temperatures below freezing. [18,19,20] Fungi need lots of water to grow. For most fungi this is true. This is why fungi are more of a problem in the tropics than in temperate areas of the world. Personal property that is normally safe from fungi, such as clothing and shoes, can be damaged in the tropics. However, some fungi can grow in very dry conditions. At the other extreme, there are also fungi that can live under water. Also, fungi can only grow in the dark. For the most part, light does not play a role in how well fungi grow. [18,19,20] It is evident in the results that the higher the temperature the increased level of evaporation, by viewing the outcome in the evaporation graph it can be seen that the fridge uncovered sample evaporated 7x more than the freezer sample and the room temperature uncovered evaporated 14x more than the freezer samples. This is due to the higher temperatures in the room which increases the movement of molecules at the surfaces of the orange juice resulting in the molecules having enough energy to break the attractive bonds with other molecules, resulting in the molecules escaping the surface of the substance, and escaping into the air as water vapor. It was apparent that room temperature uncovered sample (25-37degrees) had evaporated the most. The reason being that, this beaker was in direct sunlight, increasing the temperature and the juice temperature was increased over the other samples. This is due to the fact the molecules of a warmer liquid (room temperature) are vibrating more frequently and with more energy than in a cool liquid(freezer). The added energy of heat therefore makes it easier for a given molecule to escape the liquid. Oxidization impacted the results significantly as the uncovered samples above freezing displayed much higher evaporation compared to covered samples. This is due the samples of uncovered beakers easier being able to obtain more oxygen; this is because the oxide growth rate growing process grows thick oxide layers within a wet or damp area. Also, the juice was subject to higher temperatures, this was because there was no layer in between the gas, to the orange juice, it is apparent that through our data the higher the temperature increases significant oxide growth. It was demonstrated that at freezing both evaporation and oxidization had minimal affect on the samples. On the evaporation graph it is evident that there was minimal evaporation within the both freezing samples. Both freezing samples evaporated approximately 10ml over the duration of 6 weeks. This is because the freezer temperature being at -10 degrees it would have slowed down the process of evaporation due to the fact the molecules would have been moving slower than usual and it would have had insufficient energy amount to break the attractive bonds with other molecules. Making the substance unable to escape from the liquid. At freezing it is evident there is little kinetic energy within the sample resulting in almost no evaporation and zero oxidization as both the covered and uncovered samples returned the same result. It was evident through our data that the ascorbic acid content changed dramatically over time. The orange juice became more intense over the content of 6 weeks, with each sample ascorbic levels increasing or staying the same. This is evident in the change in % ascorbic acid content over time. Over the duration of 6 weeks it was evident due to the results that via, oxidation and evaporation the juices became more intense with vitamin c. Not only was it oxidation and evaporation, but it also includes fungal growth. Fungal growth played a major part in the room temperature samples. Over the duration of this experiment fungal growth was observed, first sighted in week two. From the data our results showed, fungal organisms and bacteria increase the levels of vitamin c. Fungal organisms thrive in warmer conditions and of off moister this is evident in the way the fungal organisms only grew in the room temperature samples. In the warmer climate the bacteria and fungi reproduce faster and more frequent, this would increase the growth of fungal organisms within the room temperature samples.[22] Kambucha tea is an example where fungal organisms secrete vitamin c into the drink, the drink is known as the miracle fungus. Kambucha tea relates to this experiment and the orange juice b ecause, they both have vitamin c being produced into the liquid via, fungal organisms. Our hypothesis was that room temperature would lose vitamin c the fastest, from the data and results that were produced, it is evident that the room temperature samples within the first 1-3 weeks dropped significantly, however, in week 3 there was a sudden change to the results and both room temperature samples started increasing in vitamin c content. Therefore our statement was correct for the first 1-3 weeks and then deemed incorrect for the final results of this experiment. In conclusion, the major outcomes of this experiment are that evaporation, oxidization, and fungal organisms are all different factors that have affected the orange juice deterioration process. Temperatures and oxygen exposure also played a large role throughout this experiment. In doing this experiment again in the future, more research and prior background knowledge would have been benefited. Also, having more temperature variables would increase the data and would help in order to broaden this experiment. The author would like to acknowledge Katy Ollard and Maddison Hoffman in working well as a team and helping each other in order to increase background knowledge. As well as Mr. Fesuk, in helping in providing background knowledge about vitamin c and kambucha tea and helping within the practical side as well.

symbolaw Symbols and Symbolism Essay - Symbolism in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Symbolism in Kate Chopin's The Awakening Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a literary work full of symbolism. Birds, clothes, houses and other narrative elements are powerful symbols which add meaning to the novel and to the characters. I will analyze the most relevant symbols presented in Chopin's literary work. BIRDS The images related to birds are the major symbolic images in the narrative from the very beginning of the novel: "A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over: `Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That's all right!'" (pp3) In The Awakening, caged birds serve as reminders of Edna's entrapment. She is caged in the roles as wife and mother; she is never expected to think for herself. Moreover, the caged birds symbolize the entrapment of the Victorian women in general. Like the parrot, the women's movements are limited by the rules of society. In this first chapter, the parrot speaks in "a language which nobody understood" (pp3). The parrot is not able to communicate its feelings just like Edna whose feelings are difficult to understand, incomprehensible to the members of Creole society. In contrast to caged birds, Chopin uses wild birds and the idea of flight as symbols of freedom. This symbol is shown in a vision of a bird experienced by Edna while Mademoiselle Reisz is playing the piano. "When she heard it there came before her imagination the figure of a man standing beside a desolate rock on the seashore. He was naked. His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from him." (pp26-27) In this vision Edna is showing her desire for freedom, desire for escaping from her roles as wife and mother, from her husband Léonce who keeps her in a social cage. After these episodes, the images related to birds are absent form the narrative until the chapter 29. Following the summer on Grand Isle, where she had awakening experiences, she starts to express her desire for independence in New Orleans through her move to her own house, the pigeon house "because it's so small and looks like a pigeon house" (pp 84).

Marketing Concept and Marketing Segmentation in Practice Essay

INTRODUCTION Haagen-Dazs were the pioneers in the market for creating distinctive and indulgent taste experiences by marketing to an untapped segment – the adult ice cream lovers. The Haagen-Dazs brand quickly developed a loyal following. Its early success was created by word of mouth and praise. Without the benefit of advertising the story of an incredibly rich and creamy confection spread rapidly. At first, it was only available at gourmet shops but soon distribution expanded In 1983 Haagen-Dazs was sold to The Pillsbury Company , which remained committed to the tradition of superior quality and innovation on which Haagen-Dazs was founded. Since then, it has become a global phenomenon. Ice Cream lovers the world over now recognize the unique Haagen-Dazs logo as synonymous with the ultimate super-premium ice cream. However, for the company to reach where it is today, a sincere marketing effort was undertaken from its early days to understand customers and their needs. Since the beginning, Haagen-Dazs has kept a keen focus on developing an internal & external marketing orientation. They obtained their current competitive strengths to establish premium pricing from: *Developing the brand with an attached history of perfection and luxury *Using the finest ingredients to deliver product excellence *Invested in consumer research to understand tastes and preferences of customers *Used selective distribution and did not mass market until the minimum critical mass of opinion leaders were established *Did not change their objectives in between *Used creativity and innovativeness to support brand identity This report will discuss in detail the evidence that Haagen-Dazs does, indeed, practise the marketing concept of keeping customers needs as a priority for the rest of the business to follow. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Year by year, new products and their competing items have entered into the field and have successfully created a slot for themselves. This phenomenon is greatly supported by the open down policy of the local government to the people coming from other lands for settlement and tourism. Ice creams are a product that has not seen their prime in the U.A.E. Its potential is tapped in a meagre form. Not that the commodity is in short supply. There is ample ice-cream available even at the moment. But, there is great scope of habitualizing the inhabitants of this place to consume more of the product, by exploiting the U.A.E. climate to its best potential. The United Arab Emirates has an ice cream market of Dh140 million, yet it has one of the lowest consumption (6.00 per capita/ pints) of ice-cream when compared to Australia which consumes 36.87 per capita / pints and USA 30.04 pints . In spite of these low figures, Haagen-Dazs began its Middle East venture by opening its outlet in Al Diyafa Street in Satwa and from then on rapidly opened up cafes in Deira City Centre, Rigga Street, Palm Strip Shopping Mall and Thunderbowl. However, prior to their entry into this market, a proper industry analysis was undertaken, similar to the one described below using the Porter’s Industry Analysis. Rivalry in the Industry – Medium Rivalry is strong due to a number of factors. Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs dominate the global super-premium ice cream market. Each of these competitors has approximately 42% of the market, with the remaining 15% being divided up between a number of smaller firms that compete on either a local or national basis . However, within the U.A.E., Haagen-Dazs made its entry while Ben & Jerry’s was still concentrating on Europe. Globally, Haagen-Dazs was competing for a larger slice of what was a shrinking pie. The ice-cream sector has been stagnating in the recent years. In addition to this, new government labelling regulations, a rise in consumer price sensitivity, and other factors have led to further slow growth. In the U.A.E. however, the major competitor at the time was the highest priced ice-cream at that stage, namely Baskin Robbins. Baskin Robbins ice-cream parlours are still not considered direct competitors because they do not portray the image and class associated with a Haagen-Dazs cafà ©. Further, industry lead times for copying a new flavour are lowering, making it harder to maintain a competitive advantage in this area. Haagen-Dazs has been facing intense competition from a relatively similar priced entrant ‘London Dairy’ which has positioned itself as a premium ice-cream but still made itself accessible at every petrol station and convenience store in town. Haagen-Dazs quite readily imitated them and are now available in select petrol pumps and supermarkets. Threat of new entrants – Weak Though there are a significant number of competitors in the market, the largest firms still have such large market shares that they are somewhat â€Å"insulated† against smaller competition. Barriers to entry into this market are relatively low, especially since a firm that already competes in the premium or standard ice cream market could easily convert to the super-premium market (though not with guaranteed success). There is not a significant threat for a new firm to enter the market and establish itself as a rival to the main competitors though brands like Unikai, Kwality and London Dairy have been introducing ice creams to attract this market. Substitute Products – Weak This is not a significant force, even though there are a number of substitute products for this market. Because this is the super-premium ice cream and yogurt market, and the products have prices that reflect this super-premium  standard, the buyer who is interested in this type of product is probably going to be an ice cream lover that is willing to pay the extra price to receive the higher level of quality . One of the driving forces in this industry is the ability to produce a range of flavours, and to keep introducing new ones. Many sales could be attributed to the buyer attempting to satisfy a craving for some unconventional flavour of ice cream. Such a buyer would probably not be satisfied with a substitute product. Though there is sure to be some competition from products such as high quality cakes and cheesecakes, other frozen dessert products, and other snack products such as chips and dips, these products are not a significant factor to this super-premium ice cream market . Power of Suppliers – Weak This force is also weak since, in some cases, Haagen-Dazs is paying well above market prices in an effort to stay true to their mission of producing super-premium quality ice-cream and exotic flavours. Should the need arise, it would be quite easy for them to find a new supplier for any of its products. The advantage the Haagen-Dazs and Baskin Robbins have over the smaller producers are that since they purchase on a global scale, being such a large buyer, gives them more power in the supplier/buyer relationship. Power of Buyers – Strong This is obviously not a product that is necessary to the consumer. There is a declining level of the price elasticity of demand. This puts more of the power in the relationship into the hands of the consumer. Producers in this market must respect this and be sensitive to consumer attitudes concerning their products or face declining sales. Most of this revolves around flavours that they produce and for this reason, Haagen-Dazs is continuously innovating on newer and more exotic flavours to keep their customers continuously attracted to them. FOCUS ON CUSTOMER NEEDS Haagen-Dazs continuously researches its market because this is exactly what got them into the business in the first place. Effective marketing is based on three key elements, the marketing philosophy, market segmentation and consumer behaviour. Haagen-Dazs has been noted to practise the consumer-driven philosophy whereby they rely on research to discover consumer preferences, desires and needs before production actually begins. This philosophy stresses the need for marketing research to be conducted in order to better understand where or who a market is and to develop a strategy targeted toward that group . The core business they are in is production of ice-cream. This industry primarily focuses on consumer tastes and preferences and only research can help identify these. However, it is not enough that research is conducted only prior to production of a particular flavour. They need to constantly research the movement of this flavour in the market and get feedback from customers about this. Market research has given Haagen-Dazs many advantages, such as, *Unique environmental insight, which they used to spot opportunities others overlooked – Reuben Mattus found a segment in the market he believed to be un-served, namely, the adult ice-cream lover segment. While other companies focussed on enticing kids with ice cream, Mattus decided to tap the older, mature segment that had the disposable income to ‘indulge’ themselves. *Are proactive to competitor moves by following them closely – Haagen-Dazs quite readily met all of competitors’ Ben & Jerry’s moves by continuously introducing new flavours focussing on their niche while others lost focus and were mass marketing heir ice creams. This helps makes them fiercely competitive constantly striving to defend their turf. *Identify customer wants thus focussing energies on giving them exactly what they want – research helped them realise that Japanese love tea and hence introduced the Green Tea flavour which was an instant success in that market . They are not the only ones undertaking market research. The UK Super Premium  ice cream market had a retail value of  £56 million in the UK in February 2000. Ben & Jerry’s accounted for fully 83 per cent of the overall growth in the UK Super Premium market in 2000. Multiple grocers account for 70 per cent of all Super Premium ice cream sold in the UK, and in September 2000 Ben & Jerry’s secured parity with Haagen Dazs in terms of sales through this channel, with Ben & Jerry’s securing a 52 per cent share of the market as against 48 per cent for Haagen Dazs . In the U.A.E. though, despite being of reasonably higher price, the brand established itself quite comfortably as a ‘must try’ product among the elite and middle-class. This is exactly what Haagen-Dazs had hoped to achieve when it first came here. The management were counting on the expat population of the U.A.E. who were already familiar with the brand to spread word of mouth about its high quality, unique flavours and prestige associated. MARKET SEGMENTATION As simple as it looks, every little detail of the ice cream is meticulously planned for the final consumer to buy the product. Of the money that goes into paying for the ice cream, nearly 80% is returned into marketing costs for the company. The rest of the 20% represents the actual production costs. Consumers are an integral part of the industry and the market research helps identify the core market segments that Haagen-Dazs caters to. Market segmentation is the process of identifying a specific set of characteristics that differentiate one group of consumers from the rest. In respect to ice creams, although many people eat them, the market can quite easily be segmented on bases of taste and price. Some individuals prefer high-quality ice cream made with real sugar and cream because of its taste while others cannot tell the difference in quality and would buy primarily based on price and availability. Lower-priced competitors are into mass marketing while premium priced ice creams makers have followed a niche strategy to target that one single segment consisting of affluent upper-middle to upper class segment. Haagen-Dazs uses a few main segmentation bases for dividing their market,  namely, demographic, socio-cultural and psychographic. Under demographic segmentation, they focus on the income bracket of consumers. Their products are mainly aimed at the affluent with higher disposable income to spend on frivolous luxuries like super-premium ice cream. Although they do not segregate flavours by gender they do tend to highlight he romantic and sensuous image of ice-cream by featuring couples in all their international adverts. They tend to link their ice creams directly to sex in order to highlight that the indulgence and pleasure felt is similar in both cases and just as fulfilling for inner desires. This leverage gives it extreme importance among the adult population as they can understand this feeling and hence relate consumption of this product directly to this feeling. The socio-cultural segmentation looks at various cultures and nationalities and their preferences. Certain cultural groups tend to have similar needs especially when it comes to food, confectionery and drinks. For this, Haagen-Dazs has taken into account various national tastes and preferences in their innovative product line by introducing flavours like Cheesecake ice cream for the UK, Green Tea ice cream for Japan, Belgian chocolate for those in East Europe, and so on . Finally, probably the most important type of segmentation bases in this case is the psychographic segmentation. To be attracted to eating super-premium ice cream, people need to be part of a particular lifestyle segment. They should technically be among those that enjoy the luxury and indulgence associated with the brand. Haagen-Dazs has been portrayed to be a reflection of pleasure and for this reason, the brand creates an ambience behind its cafes too by ensuring that furniture is cozy and in deep shades of browns, burgundy and red to add a feeling of cocooning and intimacy . Using these segmentation means, Haagen-Dazs has narrowed down its business to cater to specifically two main target markets, namely, *Affluent, pleasure seeking adults who are generally brand conscious, innovators & trend followers *Health conscious, young adults who are interested in desserts but prefer natural ingredients and low fat substitutes By identifying only two target segments and focussing on a small but profitable segment of the market, Haagen-Dazs is practising a niche market strategy. They have been fairly successful in identifying and catering to this segment and this can be determined by their growth from gourmet stores in New York City to its global presence now in over 54 countries. Identification which segments are profitable to market to is not enough. Companies need to design a marketing mix to cater to each of these segments. The next section discusses Haagen-Dazs current marketing mix for the mentioned segments. MARKETING MIX INDULGENT & AFFLUENT ADULTSHEALTH CONSCIOUS ADULTS PRODUCT – All products made with exotic ingredients to add to the luxury and fine taste by sourcing nuts from Hawaii, vanilla from Madagascar, and chocolate from Belgium, etc. – Ice cream flavours ranging from Bailey’s Irish Cream and Blueberry Cheesecake to Cherry Vanilla and Chocolate Caramel, etc. Velvety Gelato in flavours from Cappuccino to Raspberry. Ice cream, sorbet, gelato bars for the adult palate in all flavours of the tubs – Frozen yoghurts where the fat content is derived directly from fresh cream and fresh egg-yolk. Sorbets are sweetened only with ‘pectin’ which is derived from fruit sugar thus ensuring no extra artificial sweeteners – All low-fat bars & tubs are marked with accurate calorie counts and fat content on the packaging to ensure that this segment knows exactly what it’s eating PRICE – premium priced at AED 7-10 a scoop while regular ice-creams are only priced at a maximum of AED 5 per scoop – no price discounts or special offers to keep in line with the luxury and prestige associated with the brand – for the health conscious, Haagen-Dazs have not reduced price to try and attract them simply because this segment already exists and they are willing to pay the same amount and purchase the product PROMOTION – although initially advertising was only through word of mouth, today Haagen-Dazs uses its print adverts to entice customers worldwide. Due to regulations in the Middle East region, they have refrained from linking their product attributes to sex, intimacy, alcohol, etc. and have focussed on highlighting the pleasure of eating ice cream made from the finest ingredients in the world – advertising for this segment has focussed on the fact that you can still maintain a great body and still treat yourself to an occasional ice-cream and not add on pounds for it – in store displays of the actual number of calories in each scoop and endorsements from fitness conscious stars are evidence enough of how Haagen-Dazs is continuously trying to attract people from this segment. PLACE – cafes with comfortable seating for couples, bar stools, dim lighting, rich colours all help to create an ambience of intimacy & love – all cafes are located on prime streets or malls where young adults tend to hang out or socialise thus enabling maximum accessibility for the elite – focus for this segment has moved away from actual cafes where they may be tempted by the non-low fat products and towards supermarkets, petrol pumps and other convenient areas where they can pick a scoop while their on go. The current marketing mix does quite effectively meet the needs of the target segment and my only recommendation to Haagen-Dazs would be to start targeting emerging segments such as the affluent teenage segment that would have more time to spend in cafes an who would be more easily convinced to experiment with flavours. Haagen-Dazs major success factor was the way it positioned itself in the minds of the consumer. It took a strategic marketing outlook to achieve this positioning. All said and done, Haagen-Dazs core business is still in the production of ice cream. However, differentiation using the finest products and developing of a premium ice cream brand was the positioning they portrayed. The next section will look into how they achieved this. POSITIONING Superior flavour and texture are principal to Haagen-Dazs and their definition of quality extends much further. From the ingredients they choose to the recipes they develop, from the packaging materials they select to the care with which they deliver the ice creams, from the ambience of each Haagen-Dazs cafà © to the attention with which they serve, the Haagen-Dazs brand quite obviously signifies its commitment to perfection. However, it is not enough that they believe they have done this. At the end of the day, the customers would base their decision on the tangible aspects of the brand such as the taste of the products, the quality of service offered at the cafes and so on. Product-wise, Haagen-Dazs ensures to maintain the high quality and luxurious taste associated with the brand by using best-selected ingredients from  around the world and ensuring that fresh cream is used for a rich creamy flavour, fresh skimmed milk for body and texture and fresh egg yolk for delicate flavour As a matter of differentiation, they advertise that their ice cream is ALL ICE CREAM by ensuring that the ice cream is perfectly rich because it contains no excess air. Further, unlike mass marketed brands, no artificial flavourings or colours are used. Haagen-Dazs prefers to find better natural alternatives and make sure that their customers know about this. Although most companies limit their product quality testing only within their manufacturing process, Haagen-Dazs takes it a step further to ensure that quality tests take place at every stage of production by visiting and testing ingredients suppliers, checking manufacturing processes and equipment daily, tasting ice cream in-store on a regular basis for temperature and taste. From this we can see how Haagen-Dazs positioning is based primarily on product & image differentiation. For this to be understood by customers, Haagen-Dazs has tried to convey this through every available communication vehicle such as the deep maroon & gold logo, to the Scandinavian name and lettering, and the seductive adverts mentioning the various exotic flavours. The only possible aspect that they need to modify with regards to their positioning would be to start co-branding the product in the U.A.E. with luxury events, shows, etc. Although currently premium ice creams like Godiva and Haagen-Dazs are served at all the major five-star hotels in town, they have not really ventured into sponsoring or conducting events. Locally held international-level fashion shows, horse races and golf tournaments are splendid opportunities to link the brand with the ‘best of the best’. Being primarily based on an actual product and its augmented offerings, Haagen-Dazs has not been very successful in differentiating its products from its services. The next section will look at this in further detail. SERVICE VS. PRODUCT ASPECTS Haagen-Dazs product aspects have already been discussed and this section will now concentrate on the services that they offer that acts as evidence of their marketing orientation. Haagen-Dazs has a global website that offers customer information on all the newest flavours, special recipes, current promotions, events, links to other Haagen-Dazs international websites and even access to their loyalty programme called REWARDS . This is a free membership to all their loyal customers who like to enjoy the uncompromising quality and indulgent taste of their products. This gives customers VIP access to all Haagen-Dazs sponsored events, fashion and art shows, early announcement of all new products, trial coupons and free gift vouchers. An excellent means to keep their customers coming back to them time and time again. The website also gives investors information on how to open a franchise outlet and company highlights which gives a better understanding of the company’s early beginnings. The primary mode of service at Haagen-Dazs was through their numerous high-street cafes. The website is a feature that was established of late but to actually receive the welcoming, customer-friendly service, one must visit a cafà ©. All Haagen-Dazs cafes are staffed with well-trained staff whose primary concern is to keep their customers feel relaxed in the cozy ambience of the outlet. The staff are always impeccably dressed in fine uniforms and are sure to be there at every customer’s beck and call whether asked for or not. The feeling is almost as if being served in a five star hotel. Even within the various cafes, club memberships are offered for all regular customers . These customers get free privileges like attending flavour launches, sample testing and focus group meetings. All these features help Haagen-Dazs continuously cater to its niche affluent segment who are willing to pay that extra premium for this high grade of service. Extra services offered at the cafes are the free ‘love’ postcards and mugs that are given as giveaways to promote the feeling of love, intimacy, sensuousness and passion that the brand is directly linked to. CONCLUSION Haagen-Dazs’ main challenges will be faced from the growing media effect on consumer preferences and tastes. New segments are emerging constantly and they need to continuously innovate and broaden their target market to incorporate these. In the 1980s, the premium brands were faced with intense competition from consumers changing preferences to low-fat, fat free and light ice-creams . Now, the media is actually convincing people that they deserve to indulge and this has resulted in many ice cream marketers to come up with products that are both indulgent, yet not high in calories. Currently, Haagen-Dazs just has frozen yoghurts and sorbets to cater to this segment, but they need to come up with newer recipes and ideas for getting this segment to eat more of their ice-cream. Haagen-Dazs need to realize that the world is moving to a general economic trend of higher earnings, more disposable income and leisure time and they need to understand that its not just the affluent that are eating their ice-creams but also those of the lower and upper middle-income segments. They have focussed on capturing the innovators in the market but need to start developing their marketing strategies to include the early and late majorities into this segment because they pose as a larger market. The brand has repositioned itself from being exclusive to being accessible yet high-class and quality. This needs to be further capitalised on by convincing the market move it from being something to be eaten at the cafà © to something in all family fridges to indulge in when important guests come for dinner. Their clear marketing orientation has given them an established brand. They managed to educate their customers on how they should indulge themselves occasionally even if it means buying a relatively more expensive ice-cream. Now they need to change focus to monitor international tastes and trends to better predict changing customer tastes and preferences. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Lancaster, G., and Massingham, L., 1993, Essentials of Marketing, 2nd edition, McGraw Hill Book Company Dickinson, P., 1994, Marketing Management, The Dryden Press ARTICLES Business News Publishing Group, September 2001, Sales Flat, Prices up for Top 12 Ice Cream brands, Dairy Foods Liebman, B., May 2002, Frozen Desserts Fatten Up, Nutrition Action Healthletter Reyes, S., 7th February 2000, Haagen-Dazs Extends Dulce’s Reach, Brandweek Wallace, K., 4th July 2002, Consumer Reports has the Scoop on the Best Ice Cream, Consumers Union of U.S. WEBSITES www.haagendazs.com www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m0BDW/6_41/59779529 www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m0813/4_29/85915465 www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m3301/9_102/79007885 www.hauserbeiten.de/faecher/hausarbeit/bwu/5732.html www.wral.com/money/1544486/detail.html

Micro-analysis Tablet Industry Essay Example

Micro Micro-analysis Tablet Industry Paper Micro-analysis Tablet Industry Paper It can also be argued that the increase in sales could be driven by back-Washbowl promotions. Because the tablet PC market is reaching its maturity stage because of the growing number of sellers, the choice available to the consumer is big. The worldwide tablet market is led by Apples Pad product line. Although Apples market share decreased with % In one year, it maintains its leading position in 2014 with 22,8 % share of the market. Samsung is ranked on the second place with 18,3 % of the market share. SASS holds a number three position despite its decreased market share from 7. 4% in 2013 to 6. 5% in 2014. Leno, who occupied the number 3 position in the second quarter of 014, digressed to the 4th position with only 3 million units with a 5. 7% QUO market share. Finally, RCA achieved Its number five position by shipping 2. 6 million units and also bumping their market shares up to We could therefore state that the tablet industry is a oligopoly with Apple occupying the leading position, challenged by Samsung and SASS, Leno and RCA as main followers in this market. Brief analysis of Porters Five Forces In this paragraph the five factors of the Porters Five Forces Model will be briefly discussed. Firstly, the extend of competitive rivalry Is quite high due to the large umber of competing companies. Although it is forecasted that Apple and Samsung are going to remain their leading position in the medium term, it is possible that these leaders could be challenged by other companies since more and more competitors are starting to appear in the table industry. As we can see in the table above, 41 . 8% of the market share is hold by other companies than the top five vendors of tablets and they are all trying to obtain market share. There Is a big competition between the tablet companies because innovation is needed to survive n this industry as technologies continue to transform. Concerning the bargaining power of buyers, customers can switch tablet brand without actual costs. They have the choice between a large number of different tablets from different companies. Because these products arent largely differentiated, every type of customer can choose every type or brand of the tablet. The only factor that could restrict the power AT Dryers Is ten Tact Tanat one AT ten operating system Is parterre over ten toner one, but this can only be considered as a small restriction. Overall, the power of the client an thus be considered high. The bargaining power of the supplier on the other hand is rather low as companies in this industry are manufacturing their products by themselves and thus are not dependent of a supplier. The threat of potential new entrants into this market can be considered rather low or medium as it can be difficult for new companies to catch up with the big companies who already have experience and a high brand awareness and because of the high startup capital that is needed to enter this industry. Finally, the threat of substitutes is high as the customer has the choice between a wide range of products who are able to offer the buyer more or less the same functionalities.

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market Discuss the trends in retailing of organic foods and the impact of these trends on Whole Foods Market The retailing business of organic food in the United States of America is on the rise; this has been facilitated by enlighten of the American on the health advantages brought about by organic food consumption as well as a realization of danger likely to be brought about by eating non-organic foods.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Whole Foods Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 2005, there were14000 small and medium scale outlets of organic and natural foods; the estimated sales of the 14,000 units totaled to $18Billion; the market offered a variety of products that shoppers could choose from, the establishments were mostly small scale, however giant stalls were established to tap the growing market. Some of the giant malls that were introduced between 2005 and 2008 are Wal-Mart and Whole Food Company. The rais ed demand for organic food in the American food industry forced Whole Food Company to change its business approach and target to tap the growing market; generally the trend in a market has an effect on the kind of products that a company stocks and the area that the company will concentrate on. Whole Food Company had to focus on the new market demands and started to stock products like wild oats, fresh produce and millet. Evaluate the competitive environment of the firm: Apply Porter’s model and analyze each factor relative to the company Since 2000, before the wave to organic foods, many companies in the food industry were experiencing a reduced business and they recorded losses; an example of a company that recorded a loss was Whole Food Company: the competitive environment of the company looks as follows (using porter’s five forces): Buyer’s Bargaining Power The market is driven by the demands made by the customers, it is the customers who decided they needed organic and fresh foods, the supermarkets and small scales stores had no option that supply the commodities. In the market, the buyer’s power is more evident and strong.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Suppliers bargaining power Suppliers of organic foods have increased with the demand of the foods; however, the production of the foods is dependent with the climatic conditions, which may sometimes not be favorable. However, the markets benefit a great deal from the growth of international market, which has continued to supply organic foods to the supermarkets and small outlet chains. Threats of substitute Although consumers have access to cheaper non-organic foods, they have strongly opted to use organic foods for the benefits it has on their health. Threats to substitute are manageable if the company has a constant supply of organic foods. Threat of New En trants In every business, there is a threat to entry of new businesses, however Whole Food Company is a giant in the industry thus it has an upper hand to be able to maneuver in the market despite entry of new players. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry Since the industry is consumers driven, the success of a company is dependent on how well it can meet consumer’s needs. A strong business like Whole Food Company has no worries to have since it has the financial base, the reputation and the will to succeed (Hughes Beatty, 2005). Discuss which environmental factor poses the most significant threat to Whole Food and what the company can do to combat it The environmental factor that offers Whole Food Company the greatest challenge is Suppliers bargaining power; the reason for the above is because suppliers in the market are growing but their effect and the rate they are producing is also affected by climatic conditions in the country. The world is facing threats from global war ming and seasons are not precisely predictable, the suppliers have the likelihood of not being able to produce the quantity wanted by the market. The effect on climate is not limited to the United States however; it cuts across other organic foods producing countries. The dependency that the company can have on international trade is limited to international relations affecting the world; if the relations do not support production, then the effect is negative and the country will miss the much-needed suppliers. The rising demand has led to a rising needs for the produces; there are a number of companies with different packages evading the market; they are likely to lead to a hiked prices of the produce.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Whole Foods Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Whole Food should develop a good business relationship with its suppliers, as this will assist in making sure that there is reliabil ity in the supply of materials. Suppliers in the company fall in the category of contractors and those companies in the business of supplying raw materials and semi finished goods. This will ensure that the company manufacturing is kept with the right materials always. On the other hand, it is easy to get goods at a better price and market data from suppliers whom the company has established good business relations. Complete a SWOT analysis and identify significant opportunities and threats facing the organization Strengths The company has a strong financial base and enjoys a wide range of customers; it can use this advantage to buy products from suppliers at a slightly higher price that the one offered by competitions. The management is futuristic and makes effective and strategic decisions when called upon to. Weakness The company seems to depend on suppliers who cannot be fully dependent on; it would have been better if the company had a farm of its own where it is producing the commodities for its stores. Opportunity The main opportunity facing the firm is an increased demand for organic foods and massive campaigns by third parties on the goodies of eating organic food Threats The company is threatened by unreliable international relations; this threatens the companies continued supply of organic goods. Discuss how Whole Foods can use it strengths and opportunities to achieve a sustained competitive advantage in the marketplace The company has a strong brand name and a reliable financial base; it should use these strengths to enlarge its business via stocking of a variety of products in its shopping malls. With increased sales, the company can be able to buy from suppliers at a fair price and enjoy the benefits of economies of scale.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The growing demand for organic products is offering the company an increased demand of its products; thus, the company can diversify its operation in the niche of the market and enjoy increased sales. Globalization and growth in international market offers the company an increased market base and increases the material sources (Adam, Jochim Cutting, 2008). References Adam, L., Jochim, D., Cutting, T. (2008). The art of strategic leadership: A proven approach to optimizing your organization. New York: Beck. Hughes, R., Beatty, K. (2005). Becoming a strategic leader: Your role in your organization’s enduring success. San Francisco: John Wiley Sons.