Self evaluation

Individual Critical and Reflective Self-Evaluative Paper Course Evaluation; I really enjoyed this course, as I knew I would. I love to debate!! I am a very opinionated person and I used to want to be a lawyer when I grew up Just because I loved to argue so much (such a pleasure for my parents! ). On the course with me were some other girls who had some strong opinions too which was really great because we had some good debates with some strong arguments and points! At the beginning of the course we voted on the topics we wanted for our debates, which meant that we would all be interested in most of the subjects we chose.Being all irls as well you can image some of the â€Å"banter† we had! Even though the class started at 9am, it was always easy to come in because of the group that we had in class; I think it makes such a difference when there is good energy in a work area, it makes it a lot more fun to be in. I enjoyed the class time, especially because the format was very re laxed. The lecture would be more of a discussion where we would talk about certain issues and elements relating to the course. It makes the class much more enjoyable and engaging rather than Just listening to a teacher go on and on whilst the class sits there texting away on their phones.Personal Evaluation; Being such an emotional person I do find it hard to sometimes control my emotions and I find myself slightly riled up after morning debates! I am generally an emotional person and things get to me quite easily and I need to learn that in business, university and even sometimes my social life I need to Just relax and breathe; its not the end of the world! Having been born and raised in London I like to think that I have a good grasp on the English language and have a good way of expressing myself which has definitely been a useful tool for the debate questions and reviews.I try to ake on board the constructive criticism because we would all offer a lot of feedback and comments to one another, which is really useful, and I will take those comments to help myself in the future. For the first few debates I didn't use sources that were credible and the tutor told me that in order to make my statements and points more reliable I had to start using more credible sources. This term I have not been happy with myself academically or personally. I don't think that I have performed to the best of my ability and I believe that at the moment I am Just living rather than enjoying life nd my time at university.This is because I have been lazy. I am not back into a routine of being healthy and active and this has a negative affect on the other areas in my life. I want to be more active and involved in what's going on around London. I want to be able to talk about interesting things IVe done and seen and experience life to the full. I am going to start to be more positive and realise that only I can help myself I aim to change my outlook this upcoming holiday so that I can be on top form for my last two semesters and enjoy this last part of my education. self evaluation By Christianna-psarros Self evaluation Individual Critical and Reflective Self-Evaluative Paper Course Evaluation; I really enjoyed this course, as I knew I would. I love to debate!! I am a very opinionated person and I used to want to be a lawyer when I grew up Just because I loved to argue so much (such a pleasure for my parents! ). On the course with me were some other girls who had some strong opinions too which was really great because we had some good debates with some strong arguments and points! At the beginning of the course we voted on the topics we wanted for our debates, which meant that we would all be interested in most of the subjects we chose.Being all irls as well you can image some of the â€Å"banter† we had! Even though the class started at 9am, it was always easy to come in because of the group that we had in class; I think it makes such a difference when there is good energy in a work area, it makes it a lot more fun to be in. I enjoyed the class time, especially because the format was very re laxed. The lecture would be more of a discussion where we would talk about certain issues and elements relating to the course. It makes the class much more enjoyable and engaging rather than Just listening to a teacher go on and on whilst the class sits there texting away on their phones.Personal Evaluation; Being such an emotional person I do find it hard to sometimes control my emotions and I find myself slightly riled up after morning debates! I am generally an emotional person and things get to me quite easily and I need to learn that in business, university and even sometimes my social life I need to Just relax and breathe; its not the end of the world! Having been born and raised in London I like to think that I have a good grasp on the English language and have a good way of expressing myself which has definitely been a useful tool for the debate questions and reviews.I try to ake on board the constructive criticism because we would all offer a lot of feedback and comments to one another, which is really useful, and I will take those comments to help myself in the future. For the first few debates I didn't use sources that were credible and the tutor told me that in order to make my statements and points more reliable I had to start using more credible sources. This term I have not been happy with myself academically or personally. I don't think that I have performed to the best of my ability and I believe that at the moment I am Just living rather than enjoying life nd my time at university.This is because I have been lazy. I am not back into a routine of being healthy and active and this has a negative affect on the other areas in my life. I want to be more active and involved in what's going on around London. I want to be able to talk about interesting things IVe done and seen and experience life to the full. I am going to start to be more positive and realise that only I can help myself I aim to change my outlook this upcoming holiday so that I can be on top form for my last two semesters and enjoy this last part of my education. self evaluation By Christianna-psarros Self Evaluation Self-Evaluation from Employee It’s easy to say you can use any performance review phrase, change it to â€Å"I† or â€Å"me† and be finished with your performance review – but it’s not always that simple. You want your phrases to be honest, accurate, but not too harsh. Phrases criticizing performance need to be well balanced. We’ve compiled a list of hundreds of self evaluation phrases you can use to complete your performance review and receive the high marks you deserve. We’ve separated the phrases by topical area, then by positive and needs improvement.Find the right balance to describe yourself and speed up your performance review paperwork. This is part 1 of a several part series on self evaluations. Self Evaluation Sample Templates Writing a great self evaluation during performance review time can be a difficult task. How exactly do I describe my performance in Training or Leadership? We’ve written 450 self evaluation parag raphs in 30 categories – by exceeds expectations, meets expectations, and below expectations. These paragraphs make completing the self evaluation easy – simply copy and paste into your document. This ebook is available for instant download for $18. 5. ————————————————- Top of Form Bottom of Form Attendance and Punctuality Self Evaluation Positive Phrases I am a reliable employee who arrives on-time and leaves on-time. My break times are well planned and do not exceed the allotted time. I arrive each day fully prepared to tackle my responsibilities. I am reliable and do not have any attendance problems. I   ensure my team adheres to their lunch schedules and breaks. I meet all company standards for attendance and punctuality. I begin each day refreshed and ready for any challenges I will face.My attention to punctuality has paid off this year, I consistentl y arrive on time. I start and end meetings on time. I schedule time off well in advance. I am conscientious of others when scheduling time off. Attendance and Punctuality Needs Improvement Self Evaluation Phrases I am occasionally late for work and will improve this area by focusing on showing up on time each day. I need to improve showing up to work on time and keeping a normal work schedule. Over the next year, I’m going to improve meetings so they run to their prescribed time. Some of my breaks may run a little long, but I will improve my schedule.I will work on taking heavy traffic and weather into account for arrival time. I will continue to work on punctuality. Attitude Positive Self Evaluation Phrases I always try to keep a positive attitude, a smile on my face, and demonstrate how much I enjoy my job. I try to be cheerful to help those around me feel welcome and appreciated. I have an even demeanor through good times and bad. I do this to help others keep their  "enthusiasm† – both positive and negative – in check. I have a calm personality to keep an even attitude. I bring a high level of enthusiasm to my job.I try to always set a good example for the team and be here when they need a lift. I maintain a positive mind-set. Even though we have difficult situations and decisions to make, I maintain a positive outlook. I maintain a positive attitude. I like to build trust with my team by being a positive force on the team, congratulating high performers on successes, and working with those that need assistance to improve. Attitude Needs Improvement Self Evaluation Phrases At times, I can be brisk and to the point. I don’t mean to offer a negative impression, but sometimes I am very focused on the work at hand.Due to the demanding nature of our business, my team may at times think I am insensitive, but we have to get the job done, on time, and on budget. I am working to improve how I deal with others and customers. Th ough some may struggle with my personality, I believe I effectively use it to manage my employees. Communication Positive Self Evaluation Phrases I keep managers and coworkers informed of my work progress. I report all necessary information to my coworkers. I am excellent at keeping written information about my assignments and projects. One of my strengths is the use of candor and effective communication with my employees.One of my core strengths is the ability to immediately connect with someone. I am a very competent communicator. I clearly communicates with my employees and they understand my expectations. I am clearly good at communication as evidenced by my effectiveness in resolving customer problems. At first, communication was not my strongest attribute. However, after a lot of work, I have become a very good communicator. Communication Needs Improvement Self Evaluation Phrases Though some may believe I withhold information from my co-workers, I provide all information as re quired.My written communication is great, but I need to improve my verbal communication skills. My verbal communication skills are very good, but I need to work on my written communication skills. I believe I effectively communicate with my fellow team members, but I must improve communication with my management team. Communication is a weakness which I know I must improve. Creativity and Innovation Positive Self Evaluation Phrases My ability to change direction when required is an asset to the team. I am an innovator at heart – my skill at inspiring new ideas adds a lot to the team.I have an imaginative personality and am very resourceful in times of need. I have a creative touch in a sometimes normal role within our team. I add an artistic flair to everything I produce which makes my projects much more fun than most. When a major problem arises, I use creative problem solving to look at different sides of an issue I think outside the box when crafting solutions. I demonstra te a key ability to craft creative solutions to problems. I show ingenuity when facing difficult situations. Whenever we need a fresh look at a problem, I try to provide a novel perspective.I don’t rely on common methods to solve a problem, but address each situation with a innovative viewpoint. I constantly search for new ideas and ways to improve efficiency. I create an exciting atmosphere for his team: one in which new ideas are rewarded and encouraged. Creativity and Innovation Needs Improvement Self Evaluation Phrases I find at times that I am more practical than creative in many aspects of my job. Over the next year, I plan on working to improve my imagination at work to think more creatively. Innovation is not at the heart of what I do – I am more of a task oriented person.There are times when creative solutions are just not called for, but I have a creative mind and have a tendency to go there immediately. Sometimes I have difficulty thinking outside of the box and creating innovative solutions. I plan on improving innovation this year by seeking out new opinions and ideas. I have a tendency to ask for help from other people more frequently than researching potential solutions and fixes. Customer Satisfaction Positive Self Evaluation Phrases I take great pride in my work with our clients. I skillfully overcome client objections. I consistently receive high marks on my customer satisfaction surveys.I understand the latitude to ensure customer satisfaction and do everything necessary to retain customers. I am able to handle clients well. I am very good at keeping happy customers and successfully up selling them at the same time. I deal with customer complaints with a calm demeanor. I am very good at handling difficult situations with customers. I work with customers very well. I am very good at dealing with irate customers in a calm and rational manner. I believe no problem is too big that cannot be solved with care and understanding. I lis ten to our customers and resolves their problems in an agreeable manner.I understand how to listen to customers and extract those details which make a big difference when dealing with our clients. Customer Satisfaction Needs Improvement Self Evaluation Phrases Sometimes, I do not follow up with customers quickly enough. Though I have some low marks on customer satisfaction surveys, I am working to improve those scores. I continue to work on improving my ability to overcome customer objections. I understand the importance of customer service training, though I do believe I’ve received enough training to be successful. I am much better about handling telephone customer service than in person situations. Self evaluation Individual Critical and Reflective Self-Evaluative Paper Course Evaluation; I really enjoyed this course, as I knew I would. I love to debate!! I am a very opinionated person and I used to want to be a lawyer when I grew up Just because I loved to argue so much (such a pleasure for my parents! ). On the course with me were some other girls who had some strong opinions too which was really great because we had some good debates with some strong arguments and points! At the beginning of the course we voted on the topics we wanted for our debates, which meant that we would all be interested in most of the subjects we chose.Being all irls as well you can image some of the â€Å"banter† we had! Even though the class started at 9am, it was always easy to come in because of the group that we had in class; I think it makes such a difference when there is good energy in a work area, it makes it a lot more fun to be in. I enjoyed the class time, especially because the format was very re laxed. The lecture would be more of a discussion where we would talk about certain issues and elements relating to the course. It makes the class much more enjoyable and engaging rather than Just listening to a teacher go on and on whilst the class sits there texting away on their phones.Personal Evaluation; Being such an emotional person I do find it hard to sometimes control my emotions and I find myself slightly riled up after morning debates! I am generally an emotional person and things get to me quite easily and I need to learn that in business, university and even sometimes my social life I need to Just relax and breathe; its not the end of the world! Having been born and raised in London I like to think that I have a good grasp on the English language and have a good way of expressing myself which has definitely been a useful tool for the debate questions and reviews.I try to ake on board the constructive criticism because we would all offer a lot of feedback and comments to one another, which is really useful, and I will take those comments to help myself in the future. For the first few debates I didn't use sources that were credible and the tutor told me that in order to make my statements and points more reliable I had to start using more credible sources. This term I have not been happy with myself academically or personally. I don't think that I have performed to the best of my ability and I believe that at the moment I am Just living rather than enjoying life nd my time at university.This is because I have been lazy. I am not back into a routine of being healthy and active and this has a negative affect on the other areas in my life. I want to be more active and involved in what's going on around London. I want to be able to talk about interesting things IVe done and seen and experience life to the full. I am going to start to be more positive and realise that only I can help myself I aim to change my outlook this upcoming holiday so that I can be on top form for my last two semesters and enjoy this last part of my education. self evaluation By Christianna-psarros

Principal Agent Conflict

2. Explain several dimensions of the shareholder-principal conflict with manager-agents known as the principal-agent problem. To mitigate agency problems between senior executives and shareholders, should the compensation committee of the board devote more to executive salary and bonus (cash compensation) or more to long-term incentives? Why? What role does each type of pay play in motivating managers? There are several dimensions to the principal-agent conflict.Principal-Agent Relationships exist whenever one person or party works in the interests of another party. The owner (the principal) hires and often delegates decision-making authority to professional managers (the agent) to perform tasks on his behalf. The challenge for the principal is to create an environment in which the agent has incentives to align their interests with those of the principal. The principal typically creates incentives for agents to act as the principal wants.The principal-agent conflict acerbates when th e incentive system creates a conflict of interest, the principal cannot ensure the agent is performing exactly the way the principal would like and due to the intrinsic unobserved managerial effort and the presence of random disturbances in team production. The lack of information shared between the two makes it impossible and expensive for the principal to monitor the decisions and performance of the agent.The agent usually has less to lose than the principal; therefore they often seek acceptable levels of profit and shareholder wealth while pursuing their own self interests. The uncertainty and risk includes the principal not knowing the extent to which the contract has been satisfied and they end up paying agency costs. To mitigate agency problems between senior executives and shareholders, the compensation committee should devote more to executive salary and bonuses (cash compensation); dependant on the level of cooperation between the executives and the board.If the board is ab le to secure the cooperation of the executives through higher salary and bonus, such action is acceptable. In addition, if the board can set up a system of monitoring the executives so that the executives make the effort required to further shareholder interests. Monitoring improves executive performance and can be combined with cooperation. If long term incentive schemes are used then there is isk that the organization may not make profits or the financial outcomes on which the incentives are based may not take place. When negotiating with managerial talent, the high risk of incentives keeps reputed managers away from the company. Top managers want to be certain of the compensation they will receive. Incentives are supposed to motivate managers to make more efforts, take responsibility, and achieve more. However, the insecurity of incentives reduces the motivation of managers.They feel insecure when the bulk of their compensation is incentive based. The role of higher executive sal ary and bonuses are to provide security to the top managers and motivate them. Overall, executive salary and bonuses based on negotiation with board members should reduce shareholder-manager conflict. There should be cooperation between the board members and the executives. A mechanism for monitoring executive performance will go a long way in improving the alignment of executive action with shareholder interest.

Strategic marketing based on case study Maytag Corporation Research Paper

Strategic marketing based on case study Maytag Corporation - Research Paper Example The main problem in this case is the decision of buying the Maytag Corporation. The deadline regarding the offer is getting near and Qingdao Haier was still undecided whether or not to acquire the other company. Alongside with the main problem is the issue of what would Maytag bring to Qingdao in case it has made its decision to finally acquire it – whether it will be beneficial to the company or would just be a burden to the firm. Moreover, the changes that the acquisition would bring to the company such as the structure, the operations and even the policies are also the things that Qingdao should consider. All these should be evaluated in order to come up with a sound decision of Qingdao’s acquisition of Maytag. SWOT Analysis †¢ Strengths Qingdao Haier Ltd. is a very powerful company operating for more than two decades already. With this, the company has become one of the top 50 corporations in developing countries. Its ability to manufacture appliances at a wide range is also a strength that the company has, not to mention its diversified marketing strategy. Being able to conquer even the foreign lands is a proof of how well the company is going. The strength of going in for a difficult market, just like what the company did shows how strong the company is and reaching those markets is another strength for the company since this would mean that they are able to influence more people, thus bringing in higher income to themselves. As for Maytag Corporation, its edge on advertising is a big strength for the company. The quality of their appliances is also well-known. Maytag has as well made a mark in the home appliance industry by selling their appliances on the large retailers and numerous independent distributors. Con quering the United States, the company is said to be at large in this country. Maytag Corporation can also be said as a diversified corporation when it comes to their products. They are able to compete with other companies by producing appliances that meet the needs of different people. Weaknesses The Qingdao Haier Ltd. is weak at its advertising campaigns. Though this could not be seen as much of a hindrance to the company’s success, still, it can be viewed as its weakness, as advertisements make a huge impact on everything especially when you are selling something. Another weakness that Qingdao possesses is the pricing. Qingdao prices its products lower than any other brands like Whirlpool, General Electric and Maytag. This can be viewed as a weakness since by pricing your product on a lower level; consumers can have the mentality that your product is a sub-standard one as well. On the other hand, Maytag Corporation’s main weakness is its lack of innovation. The need s of people changes as time passes by and Maytag failed to deliver these needs, unlike what the other brands did. This has caused for the decline in sales and revenues for Maytag Corporation for the past years. With this, distributors as well stopped selling the brands thus giving

Ableism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ableism - Assignment Example Hayman also agrees with Christensen that societal beliefs usually change an individual’s mastery of concepts. For instance, society usually assigns minor roles, if not any, to disable-bodied persons as compared to able-bodied people. Able-bodied people are assigned significant roles in the society including other areas such as a career and sports. For example, Disabled individuals were not allowed to take part in a number of activities and events. For example, the capability and skills of disabled individuals, in sports, has never been fully exploited. In the current Paralympics games, the disabled people are exhibiting a number of potential skills and capabilities. With the introduction of new technologies, these people are capable of participating in games like marathon, steeplechase, basketball, and swimming. It is also notable that these athletes’ performances almost equalize that of able-bodied athletes. This is an indication that ableism is just a traditional notion that despises the competencies and capabilities of disable-bodied people. Therefore, a change is required to ensure that roles and duties are equally distributed depending on an individual’s capabilities and skills. This should also not be done on the basis of an individual’s physical

UK laser printer market analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UK laser printer market analysis - Essay Example This paper analyses the UK’s laser printing industry trends in recent times. HP is the major player in the UK laser printing industry with a market share of 39% in 2011, followed by Canon 19%, Epson 12% and Samsung 5% (Doidge, 2011). Even though Samsung’s market share is the lowest, statistics show that the growth rate of Samsung in UK laser industry is more than that of other companies. HP, Canon and Epson have suffered major setbacks in recent times while Samsung was able to maintain steady progress. The printing industry trends in UK are fluctuating rapidly in recent times. Fleur Doidge (2011) pointed out that â€Å"UK printer sales slid 15 per cent in unit terms during the second quarter of 2011, compared with the same period a year ago – with lasers the only segment to post growth†. Inkjet sales in the UK have been decreased substantially in 2011. Inkjet printer industry has lost 17 per cent market share by volume in 2011 (Doidge 2011) even though this loss was lesser compared to the loss suffered by other printing industry. In other words, laser printing industry was the only printing industry that was able to grow in 2011. However, the trend has been changed in 2012. In 2012, the inkjet printing industry in the UK has grown by 12.1% whereas the laser printer sales have only slightly increased, but overall inkjet sales have gone up a full 15%. (The European Printer Market Is Growing, 2012). The arrival of touchscreen mobile devices helped the printing industry in the UK to grow substantially in 2012. It should be noted that touchscreen mobile devices are mostly used by teenagers who are interested in using cheap printing machineries. Since laser printers are expensive than inkjet printers, teenagers usually prefer inkjet printers rather than laser printers. That is why the inkjet printing industry has grown more than laser printing industry in 2012 in the UK. Sam

Why does God let people suffer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why does God let people suffer - Essay Example The existence of a powerful and benevolent deity responsible for the design and creation of the world as well exercising power over the laws of nature has been debated by both skeptics and believers for millennia. Skeptics have often enquired; If God is all knowing all powerful and all good as most religions tend to believe, then it translates there should be no evil in the world because he would be able and willing to prevent its occurrence. Conversely, believers claim that despite his possession of the above attributes, he has given humanity freedom of choice, which would be moot, if he were to exercise these powers over them. David Hume’s articles attempts an explanation of the compatibility of God’s nature with the imperfection and evil that characterizes the world. Hume takes it for granted that God exists, his focus in the article is to determine if evidence of an infinitely good powerful and perfect God can be derived from the imperfect nature of the world. With inference form Hume’s work this paper will defend this claim that the nature and existence of a benevolent God cannot be deduced by humans from the natural and imperfect condition of the universe. In support of this claim, Hume puts forward several arguments to demonstrate the nature of Gods workmanship of the universe and the many flaws, which in the eyes of human intellect cannot logically be used as inference of benevolent God. The fact that pain exists and animals are doomed to suffer it is the first contrivance of evil in Gods supposed creation, through pain and pleasure animals are forced to become vigilant as they engage in the never ending routine of self-preservation. Hume posits that pain in unnecessary and should not rationally be used as the extreme opposite of pleasure. When an animal is hungry or thirsty for instance, instead of just feeling a reduction of the pleasure it briefly experienced should why should it feel the pain of this deficiency (Clark 82)? If the world was created by a benevolent and all-powerful God, should he not simply eliminate the pain that courses so much suffering and substitute it with absence of pleasures? The unpredictable and sometime s punitive character of our natural environment also makes it difficult for the human faculty to understand or accept that a benevolent creator could have been behind the universe’s design (Hume). The world is fraught with disasters many, which man can neither predict nor prevent and it would be logical to assume that God in his goodness would mitigate to either end them or turn them to the advantage of humanity. However, nature seems to follow no moral code and to some extent, it can be seen as evil, even immoral in its action and inactions. When adults die through accidents of disease, there is always an allowance from religious perspective that they could have died in penance for their sins, in most communities this is universally recognized if not accepted. However, illness also strikes innocent children who are incapable of doing wrong and therefore, why them would they suffer the same as those who knowingly commit sins. If the concept behind the belief in God and religi on is that we should lead righteous and moral lives and those who do not will be punished, indeed it is said that the wages of sin are death. Ironically, hurricanes, tornados, and pestilence do not select their victims and therefore one is forced to question whether there is any merit in the natural laws that coincides with religious moral expectations. What is the point of leading moral lives if the good and evil are treated with the same lethal indifference by nature and why would God make it so? Another example of what makes the universe so irrationally constructed is the frugality with which abilities are distributed with each animal having so little control over its own pleasure. Elephants are bestowed with great strength but lack speed, humans have great intellect (Compared to beasts) yet they would be helpless without the

The ways that AbeBooks can use the three components of creativity Case Study

The ways that AbeBooks can use the three components of creativity - Case Study Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is AbeBooks that has consistently been listed among the top 100 employers by Macleans Magazine starting from 2003 to 2008. Despite this impressive rating, AbeBooks has is experiencing a high turnover on its employees of late. The manager of Email and Online Marketing, Antonio Frias explains that this two heads from this department have left within a period of one month. Moreover, another exit of Christine; Affiliates Manager in the Online Marketing team is eminent. If Christine resigns, all the three positions in this department would have been turned over within a month. This demonstrates that there is something that is not working well in the management of the company. Furthermore, high rates of employee are linked to lower performance evidenced by decreased profitability and customer service. It is therefore critical to identify the causes of high employee turnover and propose strategies that can to reverse this trend. AbeBooks was emerged fr om Timeless Books founded by Cathy. Timeless Books generally stocked second-hand books but Cathy realized that people were coming to into the store and requested from books that were not in the store. Consequently she put up an advert in a business magazine where she listed about hundred books that she intended to purchase from other book sellers. Following her advert, she received many replies on the selection of the books available. (Kelleher, 2009, p. 2). However, she was faced by a problem of sorting out these replies and after sharing her concerns with husband, he proposed developing an online database to which listed booksellers and their books in well defined format. In 1995, AbeBooks was company started and enjoyed massive growth through the years. After seeing the company during its initial years, Cathy and Rick exited in 2001 and a new CEO was hired. In 2003, the last of the founders, Keith and Vivian left (Kelleher, 2009, p. 3). By 2009, AbeBooks had 135 employees and off ices in Germany and Canada. The growth of the company has been fuelled by the increasing online inventory and increased numbers of customers and booksellers. In addition, AbeBooks has made acquisition of other companies which has enhanced its growth. Bent was replaced by Hannes in 2003 who formerly worked with the senior management at Dusseldorf in Germany (Kelleher, 2009, p. 4). Kelleher explains that ‘‘AbeBooks business model can be described as both business to business and business to customer’’. AbeBooks makes profits by marketing services to booksellers and offering a secure platform for ecommerce (Kelleher, 2009, p. 4). At AbeBooks, the marketing department primary goal is to attract as many buyers to the website and manage the customer’s experience when making purchases. The duty of Online Marketing team is to increase traffic to the site and the Interactive marketing team is charged with the responsibility of managing the buyers’ expe rience. Before Antonio took over the leadership of Online Marketing employees, the department was headed by Sebastian Eberley who is a strategist who always adopted a practical approach and was up-to-date with development of effective ecommerce (Kelleher, 2009, p. 5). On the other hand Antonio has a friendly, straight and adopts a

What is meant by transaction costs and what part do they play in our Essay

What is meant by transaction costs and what part do they play in our understanding of the reasons for the existence of firms - Essay Example Coase’s theory that the transaction costs form the economic groundwork for all firms, thus becoming the sole reason for the existence of any organisation within marketplace, however has met with a number of contradictions. Many economists contend that existence of firms is not solely dependent on transaction costs. Other abilities (like being able to handle large variety of resources)   are of great advantage to any firm, especially in the context of new technologies, which create various opportunities where the organisation can improve their production values and increase their revenues, where the earned benefits accumulate to ‘start-ups,’ capable of creating more contemporary firms (  Alchian, and Demsetz, 1972, 777-795). Thus here the basic question is: does Coase’s theory on transaction costs present a holistic view on explaining why firms exist? In  economics,  transaction cost  refers to the expenditure  incurred while making a financial exchange, which can be stated as the cost incurred when one wishes to participate in a market. Humans by nature are social animals and tend to group together to conduct their various daily affairs, conducting business being one of them. Bartering is also another basic human nature, and this is most evident in marketplaces, where individuals tend to seek the best bargain by competing with their opponents (Maynard, 1982). Markets are organised social spaces for conducting such businesses or exchange of items and have been in vogue from the ancient times. Right from its origin there has been two forms of market: external market, where trade took place between communities, located at long distances from each other; and internal market, which is located within a particular society or community (Swedberg, 2005, 234-235). The producers gather here for gaining more customers;

The Differences between Abstract Language and Concrete Language Case Study

The Differences between Abstract Language and Concrete Language - Case Study Example For instance, Wordsworth used in his sonnet ‘Oh! raise us up, return to us again; And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power’ which meant pleading to John Milton in the hope of restoring qualities and values instead of material wealth. In Sylvia Plath’s poem saying ‘the desert is white as a blind man’s eye,  comfortless as salt; snake and bird doze behind the old masks’ offer a more concrete representation of the main theme though emotions play a major part at some point. Describe and discuss the origins of Rhetoric and Persuasion as a specific field of study. The ‘Father of Rhetoric’ known as Empedocles was initially opposed by Plato. He became the teacher of Gorgias who later introduced rhetoric to Athens or where many sophists sought wisdom. Sophists like Isocrates became a successful rhetorician and actor along with Protagoras and Aristotle, a student of Plato who taught Alexander the Great and identified the three types of rhetoric which are deliberative, forensic, and epideictic (Goldblatt).

Can Marriage Be Saved Essay Example for Free

Can Marriage Be Saved Essay Can Marriage Be Saved? Written by: Frank Furstenberg Summer 2005 I chose the article â€Å"Can Marriage Be Saved? † written by Frank Furstenberg. This article was found under the â€Å"topics for course papers† section of our syllabus, link number four. I felt that the article was very much true to life. I agree that marriage seems to last a lifetime for the more educated and wealthy. I see all too often young adults getting married just because they have become pregnant or for the wrong reasons. This theory rarely seems to work. This usually causes problems for the young family because neither person is ready to take on the major responsibility that having a family at such a young age brings. This relates very close to my life because I was married and had my first child at the age of 16. With the lack of education and work experience that I had, it made it almost impossible to support and provide for my child. Needless to say, I found myself divorced and a 16 year old single parent six months later. The struggles of being married without an education or a career are a huge strain on a relationship. It is almost unheard of to have the idea, 1960’s, type of lifestyle these days. It was very common for the woman to be the homemaker and the caregiver for the children during this time while the man worked and provided for his family. Now, it is almost forced upon most families to have a middle class lifestyle or above in order to live a comfortable life. With this being said, it is crucial for both parties of the marriage to obtain a higher education and to work full time. Adding a child to the mix of working, school and trying to find time to be a parent can be a disaster. No wonder most marriages end almost as soon as they begin. I believe the best way we can change these old habits is to set better examples for our children and instill high values in them to get a college degree and make sure they have a strong career path before tackling the challenge of marriage and having a family. I believe marriage has a much higher chance of success if you have your education and career in order first. Once you have a good balance of values in your life, then you should consider marriage and a family.

Applied Behavioural Assessment Case Study

Applied Behavioural Assessment Case Study Sophia A. Johnson Abstract Behavioral assessment involves a variety of methods including direct observations, interviews, checklists, and tests to identify and define targets for behavior change. (Miltenberger, 2012) This assessment will utilize evidence based research to clearly identify target behaviors to assist our clients in implementing a successful intervention plan that is based on a behavior modification plan that objective, clearly defined, measurable and geared to the individual’s specific needs. We hypothesize that we will be able to reduce Emily’s refusal to attend school, her crying tantrums and head banging, as well as improve and increase Mr. Smith’s employee’s attendance and restore production to normalcy. Case #1 This case study examines why 6-year old Emily is exhibiting behavior issues. Recommended by her pediatric psychologist her parents want to understand this change in behavior that started when she started first grade. It appears that Emily’s reluctance to attend school which she claims is no longer fun, often results in her having screaming tantrums in which cries and bangs her head on the floor. Her parents also noted that she has not been able to sleep in her own bed and they must take her theirs in order for her to fall asleep, but even after falling asleep if they return her to her bed she will awake and cry and scream until her parents return her to their bed. Due to these outburst she is often allowed to remain home from school. Her parents are tired and frustrated and in need of answers for this behavior change and an intervention to return their household to normalcy. Emily’s teacher reports that on most occasions she is well behaving and her basic academic skills appear to be at grade level. It is hypothesized that Emily’s behavior maybe as a result of bullying and teasing, if we could get her to address her fears we will be able to reduce the screaming tantrums and fear of going to school and return her to the normal school environment. In communicating with Emily’s parents we were able to identify the target behavior that they would like addressed. Emily’s parents would like us to address her reluctance to attend school resulting in a screaming tantrums, which includes a loud piercing cry followed by her head repeatedly striking the floor. We believe this target behavior needs to be addressed because it poses a social significant health risk which may result in bodily injury for Emily. This behavior is also being targeted because it results in a â€Å"negative reinforcement by escape from a task† (Cooper, 2007, p. 49), this behavior is inadvertently being reinforced by her parent’s reluctance to upset her so they allow her to remain home. This cannot continue as it will also affect her academic and social interaction skills, there may also be financial ramifications if the parents are missing work or having to find a sitter to care for Emily while they go to work. It is hypothesized that Emily’s overall reluctance and tantruming would decrease and that, with time, we would see her willingly wanting to attend school and interacting with others more frequently, we expect to see a decrease in the number of tantrums and head banging’s. As part of the intervention technique we will be able to create a confident rapport with Emily, where she can share her fears and concerns regarding school. Based on the information shared we will be able to change the target behavior by helping Emily adapt to her school environment. We will carry out a functional assessment on Emily using direct observation both at her home and school to assess and gathering relevant data on the target behavior, such as duration and frequency and whether or not they are preceded by a visible antecedent. The behavior modification program that will be used is operant condition using positive reinforcement. Each day that Emily goes to school without a resulting tantrum she gets to do an activity of her choosing with the family when she gets home. If she has a tantrum and refuses to go to school she has to do one hour of reading. We will be tracking her progress using a excel spreadsheet after which we will chart and graph the results on a weekly basis and do a monthly assessment. The data gathered will be reported by her family and teachers, so as to get an accurate view of her overall behavior in both environment. We chose operant conditioning using positive reinforcement because, â€Å"operant conditioning is the means by which we use reinforcement or punishment to change one’s behavior and â€Å"the goal of behavior modification is to establish desirable new behaviors or skills†. (Miltenberger, 2012), in Emily’s case we hope to increase her desire to attend school by creating a positive experience and reduce her tantruming and head banging episodes by allowing her to use her words to express herself. Once per week on a Friday a visit will be made to Emily’s school and home to collect the charts, review any discrepancies and get a verbal feedback on Emily’s behavior. We will meet with Emily as well to learn how she is doing and assess if the behavior modification is having a positive outcome. The data is analyzed by gathering the number of refusal to attend school for the week, the number of tantruming and head bang, as well as any disruptive behavior in the classroom. We will be able to identify whether or not the intervention is successful if the data reveals a decrease such as only once per week does her parents have to keep her home for refusal to attend school or if they do not have to keep her home at all. Table 1.1 After a 3 month period a review of the behavior modification program will be assessed, if it is found to be unsuccessful or not progressing as expected, we will review the data to see if there are specific days when Emily exhibits continuous refusal to attend school, we could also assess the stimulus being used to reinforce the desired behavior, changes to the program will only help to benefit and address any future needs that may arise. If however, the program is successful and we are able to cause extinction of the behavior which is â€Å"the process by which a previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by the reinforcing consequences, and the frequency of the behavior decreases in the future (Miltenberger, 2012, p. 516), we could say the behavior modification intervention is successful, even if there is only a reduction in the number of refusal to attend school, or even a reduction of the need for positive reinforcements. The scientific method has guided this experiment by helping us to evaluate the data using frequency of measurement, resulting in accurate, reliable, and believable data to create an individualized assessment intervention plan. Case #2 Mr. Smith owns a manufacturing company which specializes in custom figure skates. He has 30 employees who has highly specialized training required for the production of these skates. Mr. Smith is concerned that over the last year his workforce seems to be suffering from a high percentage of absenteeism, which is having a negative effect on production and the health of the company. Prior to soliciting our help Mr. Smith has tried to address this behavior by offering breakfast which consists of coffee and donuts, he has also called a meeting and shared with them that the end result of continued absence will result in the company suffering a financial loss and closing. He noted that neither of these interventions has worked and seem to only increase the problem. In the case of Mr. Smith the target behavior being identified is the consistent absenteeism which is defined as unreported or unscheduled absence from work by an employee who is not on vacation or other documented leave. This target behavior is being addressed because it affects productivity and the overall well-being of the organization, employee morale and the community. The behavior also affects the social responsibility of the individuals who have contracted to work for a specific period of time and should give adequate notice or inform a manager of any absence. Antecedent: Employee shift starts, production line short. Behavior: Employee does not show up for work, does not call. Consequence: Unable to meet production quota and financial obligations. Mr. Smith previous interventions of providing breakfast of coffee and donuts or sharing the company financial perspective, may not have worked because he did not do the adequate research needed to assess the situation and offer a contingency plan that was appealing to the employees, or his overall approach could also not have been appealing to the employees. It is our job as the behavior analysis to help Mr. Smith achieve his goal by selecting target behaviors that are the most directly and functionally related to those goals of his employees. Evidence suggests that the continued absenteeism maybe due to low morale, stress or sheer employee burnout. We hypothesize that after assessing and defining the cause of the absenteeism we will be able to create an intervention plan that will improve attendance, reduce employee burnout and restore the company morale. After gathering data from HR on the persons who are habitual absentees, individual interview was schedule for one on ones to understand the reason and what can be done to assist the employee in restoring their attendance record. For ethical reasons this information will not be shared with HR. Based on the results of the interviews and questionnaires completed by the other staff, we decided that a contingency contract or a behavioral contract would be implemented to restore productivity within the organization. Each employee will have the opportunity to be rewarded for completing their 40 hour work week for 30 minutes of paid time off per week. The company will implement a time card system and HR will judge the time completed and award the time off accordingly, employees do not have to take their time off weekly but may accumulate and take as needed. Additionally, the organization will implement paid sick leave, a daycare reimbursement program, a schedule adjustment for employees need ing time off during the work hours, and a monthly health truck run to ensure staff is mentally and physically fit. To address the morale issue Mr. Smith has agreed to supplement a breakfast and lunch program as well as quarterly picnics. Each person will be given a task sheet to review and sign, this Behavioral contract will take effect the first of the month and the first review will be done a month later. We will be able to assess the success of the program by a decrease in the number of absenteeism and an increase in productivity and production, as well as employee morale. Charts representing the percentage of attendance versus absenteeism will also serve as a visual for performance. If the expected outcome is not obtained, we would reassess and try another strategy such as possibly a token economy system offering which is more tangible and is immediate in occurrence and reinforcements. â€Å"Extinction is the process that weakens behavior† (Miltenberger, 2012), Extinction/Response maintenance is ensuring that the behavior that has been reinforced for a period of time and is no longer reinforced in the future. Measures need to be put in place to maintain the success of behavior that has now become extinct. In Emily’s case the potential issue with extinction is that her tantrums may return but reinforced based on another behavior. According to (Miltenberger, 2012), â€Å"a potential issue with extinction/response maintenance is that behavior often increases in frequency, duration or intensity prior to being extinct and may undergo extinction regardless of positive or negative reinforcement.† CONCLUSION As behavior analysis we were able to determine that Emily and Mr. Smith’s employees did not need to learn a new skill related to behavior. Instead we recognized the need to make changes to their environment and preferences in order to support them and change their behavior. Since Emily experienced such distress when being prepared for school, changes were made in the environment at home and school, and reinforcers were used to encourage a positive outlook for going to school. Mr. Smith’s employees were given opportunities to not only change their attendance habits, but increase company morale and productivity. Despite these apparent drawbacks when creating an intervention plan in a controlled experimental settings, the findings largely supports both hypotheses suggesting that behavioral analysis when used in a scientific method with clearly defined target behavior, the result is an objective and measurable intervention plan. References Cooper, J. H. (2007). Applied behavior analysis. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education. Miltenberger, R. (2012). Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures. 5th Edition. In R. Miltenberger, Extinction . Wadsworth.

The Relationship Between Religion and Israel Essay -- religion, theolo

Israel, the place call the holy land, the land, which Jesus walked, however, it is widely acknowledged that tensions between secular and religious sectors constitute a salient feature of Israeli society. If one were to try to summarize the relationship of Israel to Jewish religion, he would say that it is related but not equivalent to certain concepts of Israel. Most people think of the holy land when they hear the names Israel but one must ask the question is Israel truly the holy land. This essay will show the relationship between religion and Israel. Religion in the broadest sense may be defined as man's attitude towards the unseen, and the earliest forms of human thought furnish the clue from which must be traced the development of those great systems of religion that have at different time periods been professed by certain groups of people. The term religion must also include, not only beliefs in unseen spiritual agencies, but also numerous customs, superstitions, and myths which have usually been regarded by the people of the specific society or community. As far as, Jewish religion goes, there are many different opinions about the origin and history of people and the religion. The Jews are a people who trace their descent from the biblical Israelites and who are united by the religion called Judaism. They are not a race; Jewish identity is a mixture of ethnic, national, and religious elements. An individual may become part of the Jewish people by conversion to Judaism; but a born Israel who rejects Judaism or adopts another religion does not entirely lose his Jewish identity. In biblical times the Jews were divided into 12 tribes: Reuben, Simeon (Levi), Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Ash... ...ment of the Israeli culture with religious Jewishness. Because of the diversity in the different religiosity categories’ exigencies from the social order, one may speak in this respect of the Israeli society as an example of conflictual multiculturalism. This notion designates this kind of multiculturalism where the dominant culture conditions the insertion of groups on their acceptance of exigencies which, in given respects, contradict their own self-perceptions. Religiosity in Israel is bound to multi-sided conflicts, which is conjunctively articulated through a continuum of approaches. This religious convictions stand behind the stage explains the sharpness that conflictedness may eventually take on. Yet, as we have seen, in this case, religiosity does not divide this society dichotomously and actors remain bound by common references, albeit unevenly.

How the Authors Create a Feeling of Fear and Terror in The Ostler, The

How the Authors Create a Feeling of Fear and Terror in The Ostler, The Red Room and The Superstitious Man's Story In order to answer this question I read the relevant stories, i.e. 'The Ostler' by Wilkie Collins, 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells and 'The Superstitious Man's Story' by Thomas Hardy in great detail. I will now attempt to compare the methods the authors have utilised to create the impact mentioned above. In order to see which one has been more effective in conveying fear and terror, suspense and the extraordinary, in my opinion. Furthermore, I will endeavour to point out the similarities and differences in tense, style and prose between the stories, using quotations where appropriate. Moreover, I will discuss the roles the various characters play. These people are important, as the reader needs to identify to some extent with the narrator and his description and interpretation of his 'human props' as well as the setting they are placed in. The opening to any story is crucial, since the reader may not decide to continue with his intention to 'read all' if he/she is not sufficiently interested in the first few sentences. In 'The Superstitious Man's Story' the reader is struck immediately by an air of mystery, and somehow feels privy to a secret. This is a story steeped in 'hearsay'. The narrator (the seedman's father) painstakingly talks us through every minute detail 'putting away the irons and things, and preparing the table for his breakfast in the morning.' By placing so much emphasis on mundane issues the impact of the extraordinary is in stark contrast. It is almost as if the reader is lulled into a sense of security, ... ...e unknown is intriguing to many. Even though the three stories have a different approach they all centre of the supernatural. They are all written pre-1914 - well before the advent of technology, which has accelerated at an alarming rate. Nowadays, our culture revolves around technology and people require proof. It is essential for an author to set the scene, draw the reader in and when that is accomplished deliver the punch line. All of the authors succeed in doing this. 'The Superstitious Man's Story' is too stark, and puts the reader 'on guard' as to its content. I prefer the gradual style of the other two stories. In 'The Red Room' and 'The Ostler' the settings and the characters enhance the plot immensely. The characters are not developed enough in 'The Superstitious Man's Story', and the setting is rather boring.

Horatio and Laertes as Foils in Hamlet Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakes

   Horatio and Laertes as Foils in Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare is a play about a man's revenge for his father's murder and all the tragedy that comes along with it. The play takes us through the emotions and doubts Prince Hamlet finds within himself after speaking with the presumed ghost of his father, the former King of Denmark.   Through Hamlet we meet Horatio, a friend of Hamlet's and a fellow student.   When reading [ref] the conversations between Hamlet and Horatio, it becomes clear how Hamlet feels about his father's murder and his plans to avenge this murder.   We also meet Laertes, son of Polonius and sister to Ophelia.   Through interactions with Laertes we see another side to Hamlet. The similarities and the differences between them both help to show off more of Hamlet's personality and feelings about the revenge. Through both Horatio and Laertes we see not only Hamlet's plan for revenge but also some of his feelings of doubt and confusion between what he thought he wanted and wh at he was actually capable of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A foil is a minor character in a play or novel that shows the feelings   and thoughts of the major character. This is done not only by the dialog between the two characters but also their similarities and differences. As a foil, Horatio can be seen as a window into what Hamlet feels and does.   Horatio is one of the first to see the ghost of King Hamlet and he also informs Hamlet of this sighting.   This is something that they have in common because not all of the characters can see the ghost.   The queen, for instance, was unable to see it when talking to Hamlet in her ... ...tries to do away with Hamlet right from the start. The only thing that slows him down is that Claudius wants the right time and the right place to not only make sure that Hamlet is dead but to also save him from any repercussions that might come his way from Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Through different minor characters, the true feelings and personalities of the main character in a novel or a play come out. Hamlet's weaknesses and strengths and thoughts and desires came out because of his relationships with others.   Without   Horatio or Laertes the small aspects of Hamlet's personality would not be clear. This is true of every relationship whether it be fact or fiction. People, real or fake, need others about themselves. These people to Hamlet are Horatio and Laertes, and without these two essential characters,] the play would be less than great.   

Macbeth Essay

The first recurrent image is the dark or darkness. Dark represents evil and hell. All of our fears rise in the dark. We can see that most of the mains scenes happen in a dark place or during the night. In fact, all the murders and treasons are done in darkness as if the dark could cover and hide the horrible deeds. For example, in act I scene V l. 53 to 56, Lady Macbeth says: â€Å"Come thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry, Hold! Hold! In this passage, Lady Macbeth is thinking about Duncan’s murder, and she wants to act in darkness so she will not see the murder. In that way darkness blinds out all of the terrible things that could be done. Then, the scene of Macbeth’s vision of the dagger happens in the complete darkness so the vision of his future murder comes to Macbeth only at night when no light can bring him back to goodness. Banquo’s murder also happens in the dark. Such evil deeds could only be done in the dark. Then during Lady Macbeth’s sleep walking, the only source of light comes from the candle that she keeps by her at night. In fact, Lady Macbeth is very afraid of darkness because it makes her remember of all the deeds that happened during the night. (Here, light has a positive reassuring role. ) In this scene, she reveals all the crimes that her husband committed with her support. In conclusion, darkness intensifies the horrible deeds and murders and brings a very fearful ambiance to the play. The second image is the one of the sleep that is kind of related to the one of the dark because dark and sleep comes together. Firstly, we can see that Duncan is killed during his sleep. This fact is even mentioned by Lady Macbeth in act II scene 2 l. 15 to 16: â€Å"Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t. † Then, in the same scene, Macbeth says l. 46 to 47: â€Å"Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep! † Ironically, he’s going to lose his sleep as well as Lady Macbeth who will become a sleep walker. Then, Lady Macbeth relates sleep with death, when she says in act II scene 2 l. 67 to 70: â€Å"The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures: ‘tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted evil. † The second reference to sleep in relation to death is present in act II scene 3 l. 9 to 80: â€Å"Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeilt, And look on death itself! † The third image that appears in the book is the image of the light. Light in opposite of the theme of darkness is representative of purity, God, goodness, heaven etc. Light is for Macbeth a disadvantage because all his actions consist on killing people, committing deeds and crimes and he doesn’t want any light to lighten his awful actions. For example, in act I, he says: â€Å"Stars, hide your fires; Let not loight see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it done, to see. Here, we understand that his desires are so terrible that he can’t even stand the thin light of the stars that shine on them; he doesn’t even want to look at them himself probably because he feels ashamed. We can also say that through his words, Macbeth constructs a bridge between light and morality. Within the whole drama, the sun seems to shine only twice. First, in the beautiful but ironical passage in which Duncan sees the swallows flirting around the castle of death (it’s Macbeth’s ca stle when he’s going to be murdered). The second time, when at the close of the army (who wants to take revenge) gathers to rid the earth of its shame. Therefore, the reader can conclude that Shakespeare portrays darkness to establish the evil parts of the play, we can say that he employs daylight to define victory or goodness (as it said before) in the play. The fourth and last theme is the animal. We found a lot of comparaison between the characters and the animals in this play, for example: â€Å"Raven himself is hoarse† said by Lady Macbeth in act I scene V. Raven represents death. Looks like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it. † Also said by Lady Macbeth in act I scene V. She says that his husband must look nice and calm on the outside but evil inside. â€Å"We have scorched the snake not killed it. † Said by Macbeth in act III scene II, this quote means that snake represents everything that prevents Macbeth from enjoying his kingship. â€Å"And Duncan’s horses, beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, contending ‘gainst obedience, as they would make war with mankind† said by Ross in act II scene IV. Here, Ross says that Duncan’s horses were acting strange. They broke out of their stalls and started to attack anyone who came in their way. Another image appear in act III scene IV, said by Macbeth : â€Å"Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear. † Here, Macbeth is describing how the ghost of Banquo is hauting him by coming closer to him like a bear. These imageries of animals which symbolizes the different character of the play, helps to make the play’s atmosphere from supernatural nature. Shakespeare uses animal imagery to characterize, to show emotions and also to foreshadow.

Food Insecurities Essay

Have you ever seen a person yell at his colleague or his partner, overreacting on a particular matter that has caused not only the person who got yelled at to feel annoyed, but also third parties who know about it or have witnessed the scene? For the many who do not wish to get into the mess, or has enough logic sense to not judge immediately, they will most likely give out a fair statement and try to reason out that person’s overreaction by saying he probably had a bad day or he probably has dilemma at home. However, if we take a bit closer and look closely, all of us will eventually realise that it all goes down to one matter; insecurity. Insecurities are not something new and unfamiliar to the human kind. Everyone has insecurities, regardless of whether they realise it or not. The Oxford Dictionary defines insecurity as the uncertainty or anxiety about oneself or lack of confidence. Insecurities exist in every living soul on this planet. Till today, it is still seen as a negative matter as not many have addressed this issue in proper ways using proper mediums. Most parents don’t even talk about it and shove it away when their children decide to speak up about it. Little do people know that the slightest things in life are the ones that add up to our insecurities. The amount of insecurity in a person differs from one to the other. The types of insecurities that one possesses also vary. The most common type of insecurity is physical insecurity. Let’s face it; human beings are never satisfied. Even when you have all the parts of the body needed to sustain and go through your daily routine with ease, you still beg for more. Some want healthier and shiner hair, some want to be taller, but most importantly, everyone wants something. It is not just human beings as an individual who face insecurities, but also countries and states. Currently, the world is looking at the issue of food insecurity, which is also classified as a type of insecurity. Food security may be said as the availability of food and one’s access to it. Hence, the United Nations have defined food security as all people at all times having both physical and economic access to the basic food they need. For more than 2 billion of people on this planet, they are lucky to not worry about this form of insecurity. However, we might not realise this but this matter is more complicated than it seems. Food securities may result from many different causes. It is imperative that we focus on why are the food insecure, and why are the people are food insecure. Among the most common causes of food insecurities are drought and extreme weather changes. This setback, which is very commonly faced by third world countries, usually ranges from overnight floods to droughts. In short, the climate changes faced by these countries are extreme. In most African countries, like Nigeria, droughts are not new to them. It has been a setback since the time of their ancestors; nonetheless, they are helpless at it and have no comeback on solving this matter. In many comparisons throughout time, some of the most severe food crises were all preceded by drought or by other similarly extreme weather events. These extremities result in poor and failed harvests which in turn results food scarcity and high prices of the available food. As mentioned in the Climate and Development Knowledge Network report entitled ‘Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sectors: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report’, such force of nature causes impacts which will include not only food insecurity, but changing productivity and livelihood patterns, economic losses, and impacts on the infrastructure. Besides that, the natural resource base for the poor and food-insecure is invariably narrow and, in many areas, fragile. With the exception of Uganda only 4 to 10 percent of the land area is classed as arable, and just a small area of land suitable for rainfed cultivation. The greatest numbers of poor people are concentrated in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems and on marginal land in the higher rainfall parts of the region. It has become axiomatic to say that poverty is one of the main causes of environmental degradation. This can be seen all too clearly in the farming of steep slopes, which takes place as an increasing population is forced to cultivate marginal land. The falling crop yields that characterize the marginal areas are a result of the loss of massive quantities of topsoil throughout the region, declining soil fertility as fallow systems are replaced by continuous cultivation, reductions in soil organic matter as manure is burnt for fuel, and shrinking holding sizes. However, the poor are also the most vulnerable to environmental degradation because they depend on he exploitation of common property resources for a greater share of their incomes than richer households do. In the rangelands, the evidence for long-term secular environmental degradation is ambiguous. The successive cyclical growth and decline of herds reflects cycles of rainfall and rangeland productivity, and is perfectly normal. As animals die in large numbers, the rangelands recover remarkably quickly. However, when there i s a major drop in the number of animals, the people who depend on them for their livelihoods also suffer. Development programmes that have sought to increase animal production on rangelands through water development and animal disease prevention have all too often failed to find, at the same time, sustainable ways of increasing animal nutrition, so the resulting increased numbers of animals may wreak havoc on the range itself. Many of the available freshwater resources are in river basins and lakes that extend beyond the boundaries of individual nations. Shared water resources include lakes Victoria, Albert, Edward, Kivu and Turkana and major rivers such as the Blue Nile, White Nile, Atbara, Awash and Shebele. The potential for developing irrigation from these sources is constrained by the problem of achieving agreement on sharing the resources and avoiding conflict. Although natural climatic factors have played their part in the process of desertification, in general, it is increased population and the related development of unsustainable production systems that have had most negative impact on the fragile natural resource base. Wood and manure have remained the main sources of domestic energy, even in urban centres. This situation has contributed to depleting the forest and range resources, resulting in an overall decrease in biomass and biodiversity, reduced water infiltration and increased runoff and soil erosion. These factors, which contribute to the impoverishment of ecosystems, have led to a vicious circle of environmental degradation, lower system resilience to erratic rainfall, decreased agricultural productivity and increased poverty and food insecurity. Not only that, the cause of food insecurity in these third world countries are also caused by the poor state of development and maintenance of roads and transport, energy sources and telecommunications in the marginal areas of countries in the Horn of Africa makes it difficult for these areas to become integrated into the national and regional economy. As with all other indicators of development, the countries of the region have some of the worst figures worldwide with respect to access to roads and water supply. A recent report suggests that, in terms of access to infrastructure, the gap between Africa and the rest of the world has widened over the past 15 years. The sparse road and communications network hampers emergency relief operations as well as the commercialization of the rural economy. The density of the road network in the countries of the region gives an idea of both how difficult it is to reach people in rural areas with services and the problems such people face in participating in the market economy. For example, in Ethiopia, every kilometre of road serves 72 km 2 and 3 000 people, compared with only 8 km 2 and 850 people in North Africa. Even after strenuous efforts by development agencies and NGOs, access to a clean water supply is still an unobtainable luxury for most rural inhabitants in the Horn. Piped systems are uncommon in rural areas and protected wells and hand pumps are the best that rural communities can expect. The burden of collecting water, as with so many other menial tasks, falls almost exclusively on women in the communities, who must spend many hours each day collecting water from unsafe sources. The statistics on access to water and sanitation reveal wide differences within the region. In three countries, namely Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, only one-quarter of the population has access to safe water, and in two others (the Sudan and Uganda) the figure is less than 50 percent. Access to sanitation is as low as 13 percent and, except for Kenya, barely exceeds 50 percent anywhere. In addition to that, the indicators of access to social services in the countries that face the setback of food insecurity are also among the lowest in the world. While the average figures are bad enough, they mask fundamental inequalities in access to services within the region. Again, rural areas, especially remote, low-potential areas are the least well served. Nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists are the most difficult populations to provide services to and, consequently, they are invariably the ones with the poorest health services and least education. All these indicators, combined with malnutrition and poor access to safe water, have adverse consequences for productivity and for the long-term physical and cognitive development of people in the region. Also, let us not forget the fact that crop and plants as well face diseases. Diseases affecting livestock or crops can have devastating effects on food availability especially if there are no emergency back-up plans in place. For example, an epidemic of stem rust on wheat which was spreading across Africa and into Asia in 2007 caused major concern. A virulent wheat disease could destroy most of the world’s main wheat crops, leaving millions to starve. The fungus had spread from Africa to Iran and may already be in Pakistan. A different threat, on the other hand, has attacked the African continent’s second biggest crop; wheat. In 1999, 50 years since the last outbreak, a contemporary and virulent strain of stem rust attacked the Ugandan crops. Its spores then travelled to Ethiopia and Kenya, before appearing in Iran last year. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation (FAO) has given warning to six other countries in the Central and South Asia to be prepared and keep an eye for symptoms of this new strain while scientists in the United States of America are working diligently in searching for a resistant that combats this problem. It is important that the remedy for this will be obtained quickly as in India alone; more than 50 million small-scale farmers are at risk because they depend on wheat for their food and earnings. Most importantly, we must not overlook that politics and dictatorship also play a role in food insecurity. Many do not realise that politics play a part in something as serious as this. As mentioned by Nobel Prize-winning economist Amarya Sen, â€Å"There is no such thing as an apolitical food problem. It is more often than not that the administration of the country that determines its severity, or even whether the famine will occur. If truth be told, the 20th century is full of examples of governments undermining the food security of their own nations. Let us take a look at Nigeria, Africa’s most densely inhabited state, where a legacy of corrupted governance and an economy based primarily on oil exports has left the agriculture sector significantly undermined, leaving millions of N igerians in deep hunger. True, the neighbouring countries export food to Nigeria in exchange for money, but remember; the people in these neighbouring countries need food too. And they are much poorer than those living in Nigeria. It was reported by the United Nations that thousands of children in countries neighbouring Nigeria died because of malnutrition. These kids paid the price not because of food shortage in their country, but because of food shortage in Nigeria. The distribution of food is often a political issue in most countries. The government will always give priority to urban areas and cities, since most influential and powerful families and enterprises are located there. The ruling government over and over again for generations overlooks the subsistence farmers and rural areas in general. In other words, the more rural an area, the less likely the government will pay attention to solving its needs. What’s more is that the governments of these countries would normally keep the price of basic grain at extremely low levels that subsistence farmers cannot accumulate sufficient capital to make investments to improve their production. Hence, they are prevented from getting out of their precarious situation. In addition, food has always been a political arsenal by the dictators and warlords, where they reward their supporters and deny food supplies to those areas that are against them. Under this condition, food has become more like a currency instead of a basic need that cannot be denied rights of. Food has become the money to buy support and used against the opposition. Even in Guatemala, income inequality is amongst the worst in the world, with indigenous communities at a disadvantage. In some areas, an estimated 75 percent of the children, ranging from infants to children ages six and seven years old, are severely malnourished. And this is a shocking statistic relating food scarcity coming from a country that is merely a four-hour flight away from the USA. Furthermore, it was pointed out in William Bernstein’s 2004 publication entitled ‘The Birth of Plenty’ that individuals without property will lead to starvation and it is much easier to bend the fearful and the hungry to the will of the state. If a farmer’s property can be arbitrarily threatened by the state, that power will inevitably be used to intimidate those with different political and religious opinions. It is fundamental and crucial that we understand and be aware of the consequences of this global food scarcity. The effects might be similar to the effects of malnutrition and hunger, where, at the outset, the human population will be affected greatly in the sense where stunted growth may occur. The stunting starts in when the baby is still in the mother’s womb and happens till the age of three. Once stunting happens, giving proper nutrition to these helpless children will not help in reversing the damage or improving the child’s condition. Pregnant mothers who do not receive the correct amount of nutrition needed may risk of having a higher chance of infant and child mortality later on, which is, of course, a very heartbreaking circumstance. Apart from that, severe malnutrition during one’s early childhood also leads to defects in cognitive development. Stunted individuals also have a higher chance of getting diseases and illnesses as compared to those who have not experienced stunting. It must also come to the attention that food insecurity is also associated with various developmental consequences for children in the United States. A research was conducted by Diana F. Jyoti, Edward A. Frongillo, and Sonya J. Jones to prove that food insecurity is linked to specific developmental consequences for children, and whether these consequences may be both nutritional and nonnutritional.

Nature Versus Nurture: Humans Should Morally Become Vegetarians Essay

To many, it is very acceptable and seemingly natural that humans include meat in their common diet. This practice can be found historically and globally across many countries and cultures. It is undeniable that humans are omnivores and have been for the past many millenniums. However, is consuming meat actually natural? What is acceptable may not be natural and may have become acceptable due to our environment and nurture, and it is important to distinguish between the two, as popular acceptance does not equal to moral rightness. In Animal Liberation, Peter Singer argues that, as animals have the ability to feel pain and pleasure, they have sentience and hence, are subject to the equal moral worth as human beings. Therefore he claims that it is only moral that most of us ought to opt for a vegetarian lifestyle. I agree with Singer on this claim based on the Natural Law Theory and with scientific proof that animals indeed have a sentience and also based on our natural physiological design. Singer argues that equality should not be limited only to humans and points out that beings with a sentience should be entitled to equal consideration of their interests (Singer, 1990), with sentience being the ability to perceive through the senses. This is perfectly reasonable as there is ethological evidence that animals do have sentience on several cases, such as sheep being able to recognize faces, prairie dogs speaking their own language. Furthermore, elephants bury their dead, gibbons take care of their elderly, and male bats babysit young bats that are not their offspring while their mothers are out hunting (Basile, 2005). These animals need not do these actions, as these actions are not necessary for their own survival, nor do their own progeny’s survival depend on them. However, these altruistic deeds show that animals do not merely act on instinct. Moreover, emotions are present in animals such as chimpanzees showing excitement and joy when they are allowed out in the sun. Also, sadly, works of Dr. Donna Haraway, a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, show that maternal deprivation, abuse and total isolation are shown to cause severe trauma in infant monkeys (as cited in Weisberg, 2009). The Natural Law Theory states that â€Å"good and right a direct function of the way things are naturally† and the good of human comes from realization of what is natural (VanDeVeer & Pierce, 2003). This law also supports anthropocentrism with â€Å"anthropo† being humanlike, with regards to sentience. When this theory was proposed, it was thought that only humans had the capability of being sentient and put human as of most importance. However, since some animals are now proven to have sentience, and arguably, morals as well, should they not be entitled to their own rights and interests as well? One might argue that since some animals, such as clams, cannot be proven to have emotions or morals, and hence it is morally acceptable to harvest them as food. However, this argument contains a fallacy of ignorance and is equivalent to arguing the Moon emits light before it was proven that in fact, it reflected the light from the Sun. Non-existence of an object should not be accepted simply because it has not yet been proven. Another objection to the equality of interests of animals may ensue from the natural state of the ecosystem: humans are at the top of the food chain and it is natural to consume beings positioned below us. And since the Natural Law Theory focuses on humans’ capacities, tendencies and desires, it is morally correct to consume meat as human beings. This is yet another fallacy of ignorance to what is natural. In fact, researchers have shown that humans are physiologically designed to be herbivores, and according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus at Cornell University and author of The China Study, we have only started consuming meat around 10,000 years ago, which is recent in our years of evolution (as cited in Freston, 2009). Meat consumption is not essential for human survival and our omnivore tendency is out of choice, not of need. The anatomy of a human being is strikingly similar to one of a herbivore’s. Our not-so-sharp canine teeth and molar teeth are designed to optimize not the tearing of meat, but the chewing and grinding of fibrous plants. Also, carnivores have very short intestinal tracts, which is approximately three times its body length. However, a herbivore’s intestinal tract is around 12 times the body length, and human beings are extremely close to herbivores than carnivores. Also, humans lack the essential amino acids to properly digest meat and â€Å"It is clear that humankind’s gastrointestinal tract is designed for a purely plant-food diet. † (Mills, 2009). On a health perspective, meat eaters are found to be at a much higher risk of having intestinal cancer and heart disesse than those who opt for a vegetarian or even vegan diet. Towell, 2009) Since being vegetarian ultimately benefits humans and therefore flourishes humankind, fulfilling the Natural Law Theory, one can come to reason that being a vegetarian is morally correct and most should follow this lifestyle. However, it should also be pointed out that in some cases, if the human is extreme deficiency of a substance such as the vi tamin B12, and in that situation, meat contains enough of such substance that benefits the human in a much shorter time domain than choosing the vegetable alternative would, then the human should be allowed to consume meat for the sake of an utilitarianism view, as Singer supports. Since the interests of all beings count, the instant relieve of the human being leads to the longer pleasure from not being sick, and would maximize the net worth of happiness. Therefore, it is morally accepted, so long that the animal sacrificed in this case is treated as humanely as possible and with the least amount of pain inflicted upon it. Although we cannot deny that humans have more factual superiority, it does not mean we can abuse that power and forcefully consume animals against their will only to fulfill our unnatural tendencies and lust for meat. It is immoral to consume meat simply because years of nurture has made it seemingly acceptable and as a species with higher intelligence, we must take the responsibility to distinguish between nature and nurture, while ensuring the wellbeing of our moral equals and taking their interests into consideration.

Fast Food Industry Essay

1. Executive Summary This report provides an analysis of the international marketing environment of fast- food industry in US and evaluates the international marketing activities of McDonald’s, which is considered a key player. Firstly, the PEST framework is used to analyse external environmental factors influencing the industry. The Porter’s Five Forces framework is utilised to analyse the competitive rivalry within the industry, and its attractiveness for potential new entrants. Key players and their positioning was identified using a strategic-groups model, mapping brand value against global presence. Based on the industry analysis, McDonald’s was identified as the market leader and an examination of their market entry modes was carried out. Their international marketing mix was evaluated to identify success factors, drawing focus upon international branding, international distribution, international communications and standardisation vs. adaptation of the service offering. An internal analysis identified the firm’s strengths and weaknesses whilst an external analysis considered the opportunities and threats posed to McDonald’s as market leader. Finally, short and long term strategic and tactical recommendations were outlined in order to enhance McDonald’s competitive position within the global fast-food industry. These recommendations are both realistic and well supported, based upon the evaluation of their current strategy and activities. 2. Introduction The global fast-food industry is dynamic with a variety of competitors. This report identifies the current factors influencing the industry before specifically focusing on McDonald’s Corporation, who is considered as the current global leader. Based on this analysis, the report identifies several areas for improvement and makes strategic recommendations for McDonald’s to enhance its position. 3. International Marketing Analysis†¨3.1. PEST Analysis and Environmental Impact Matrix (Macro Environment) The following framework provides an analysis of the external international marketing environment, relating to the fast-food industry: *These ratings are based on the authors’ subjective judgement Political Global fast-food firms must comply with country-specific political requirements, such as national minimum wage regulations, affecting costs. Hygiene and quality regulations vary significantly between nations and may influence the quality of products provided by fast-food outlets (FDA, 2012). Different countries set varying regulations regarding labelling and packaging. For instance the UK government pressured firms to promote healthy eating, and several fast-food companies have voluntarily included calorie information on their products (BBC, 2011). Economic Despite the 2008 recession and the resulting decrease in consumer confidence across the globe, average consumer fast-food spending has increased (The Economist, 2010) due to convenience and low-cost. Consumers are still looking for the convenience of eating out, but are drawn to the low prices of fast-food over table-service restaurants (Financial Times, 2009). Many fast-food chains have capitalised upon the recession by introducing new deals in addition to their already low-priced menus. Between 2005 and 2010, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Russia accounted for 89% of global growth in the fast-food industry (Passport, 2012). Social Increasing consumer awareness about healthy lifestyles has pressured many fast-food players to offer healthier selections within their menus (BBC, 2011). This includes offering low- calorie options and salads alongside burgers, and prominently displaying nutritional content. The fast-food industry has also been heavily criticised for targeting young children by including toys within children’s meals (New York Times, 2003). Recently in the UK, the broadcasting of ‘junk food’ adverts during commercial breaks in children’s programmes has been banned (BBC, 2007), following increasing childhood obesity. Technological As consumer familiarity with new technology increases, fast-food firms are using channels such as social media websites to engage with their customers. For example, McDonald’s is the 9th most ‘liked’ brand on Facebook (CNBC,  2012) (Appendix 1). Additionally, digital displays allow outlets to change their menus efficiently, to suit the time of day (NRA, 2012) and self-service ordering points have increased service speed and reduced labour costs. Environmental Environmental lobbyists and governments are pressuring the fast-food firms to become more ‘green’ (Greenpeace, 2012). Rainforests are being destroyed to increase the area of land for beef production to meet the demand for beef-burgers (Kline, 2007). Recycling is a prominent global issue and in response, McDonald’s adopted recyclable packaging. Increased environmental awareness among consumers provides firms with a significant opportunity to position themselves as ‘green’ to garner customer loyalty (National Pollution Prevention Centre for Higher Education, 1995). Legal Global operators must comply with country-specific regulations and legislation. This includes opening hours, taxation and employment regulations such as the National Minimum Wage Regulations (1999) in the UK. Firms are often required to meet national food standards such as the requirements set out by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Furthermore, authorities are becoming increasingly worried about childhood obesity associated with the industry (WHO, 2012) and have tightened regulations regarding targeting children. 3.2. Porter’s Five Forces – Fast-food Industry This framework identifies the competitive forces affecting the fast-food industry: THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS Industry dominated by global chains with very high brand values High brand awareness and loyalty Retaliation from strong incumbent players Low initial capital outlay Low fixed costs Economies of scale POWER OF SUPPLIERS Many undifferentiated suppliers Fast-food chains have high purchasing power due to high volume COMPETITIVE RIVALRY IN THE FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY Fragmented market Low exit costs Low margin, high turnover – drives competition High brand power POWER OF BUYERS High product differentiation Target many segments High price sensitivity THREAT OF SUBSTITUTIONS Alternative foodservice options Ready meals and home cooking ingredients Main players quite differentiated No switching costs Convenience is the value adding component which is difficult to substitute Threat of New Entrants – Moderate The industry is dominated by a number of international Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and Domino’s (Datamonitor, 2010). These global brands are extremely valuable, boasting strong customer loyalty and recognition; indicating consistent quality and service. Key players including McDonald’s, adapt their marketing orientation to suit local cultures and social norms (Datamonitor 2010), strengthening the brand and avoiding consumer alienation. New players struggle to compete with incumbent firms, as their brands are unknown and advertising campaigns are expensive. Established chains have the resources to retaliate aggressively through pricing promotions, deterring new players from entering the marketplace. New entrants lack economies of scale, which existing chains have developed over time, and utilise to remain competitive in this low-margin, high-turnover industry. However, social media websites have evened the playing field in terms of marketing communications; they allow firms to efficiently communicate their message inexpensively. Initial capital outlay and fixed costs are low, encouraging new entrants (Datamonitor, 2012). Threat of Substitutions – Moderate Substitutes are readily available: food can be purchased almost anywhere, through foodservice or retail. However, convenience is the value-adding component of the service which reduces the threat of substitutes. Consumers can cook at home cheaply, but this lacks the convenience element which people require nowadays. Ready-meals are therefore a more substantial threat, competing with fast-food on price as well as convenience  (Datamonitor, 2012). If you are ‘on-the-go’ however, without access to a microwave, QSRs are almost uncontested if you want a hot meal in a short timeframe. With many differentiated players (Datamonitor, 2012) and varying service offerings, customers can select the best value option. Competitive Rivalry – Strong Although McDonald’s and Burger King almost hold a duopoly in the ‘burger segment’, the market as a whole is fragmented with many global chains and independent operators (Datamonitor, 2012). Competition is primarily cost-based with firms continuously investing in their production and service processes to undercut competitors. Exit costs are low and capacity is easily increased through franchising. Branding is the most prevalent weapon for competing; McDonald’s spent over $650 million on global advertising in 2009 (Datamonitor, 2012). Power of Buyers – Moderate Figure 1 shows sales and growth of the top ten fast-food companies (Euromonitor International, 2012). The market’s competitiveness increases buyer power and customers are price sensitive (Muhlbacker et al., 1999) with no switching cost between providers. However, key players attempt to reduce buyer power, offering a product range which caters for the entire demographic, rather than one specific segment. For example, McDonald’s target children with ‘Happy Meals’ and professionals with breakfast options and take-away coffee (McDonald’s, 2012). Firms are increasingly promoting differentiated products: McDonald’s â€Å"Big Mac†, Burger King’s â€Å"Whopper† and offers such as Domino’s â€Å"Two for Tuesday† campaign. High brand value and customer loyalty has reduced buyers’ bargaining power. The 2011 ranking of the top 100 brands indicates McDonald’s’ success (Interbrand, 2011). 10 Power of Suppliers – Moderate Figure 1: Top Ten Fast-food Companies by Growth. With a competitive global supply chain, supplier power is limited. â€Å"17,500 British and Irish farms that provide us with top-quality ingredients.† (McDonald’s – UK, 2012) These farms supply Tier 1 suppliers who transform raw materials into food items, ready for McDonald’s to cook and serve. Due to the number of suppliers in the industry, it is difficult for them to  leverage significant power over fast-food firms. The supply of soft-drink is dominated by Coca-Cola (McDonald’s and Burger King) and Pepsi (KFC) due to their global distribution channels. Additionally, Coca-Cola and Pepsi provide fast-food chains with equipment such as refrigerators and drink dispensers. This markets their brand and aligns it with fast-food brands, reducing costs for customers, which would otherwise be passed onto them (SMO, 2011). 3.3. Identification of Key Players and their Competitive Position 3.3.1. Strategic Groups The following framework identifies the key players in the international fast-food industry and identifies which firms are in the most direct competition with each other: Brand value and the chain’s global presence (Appendix 2) are significant indicators of overall performance. The above strategy-group chart maps the firms’ performance. Brand value (US$) is plotted against the chain’s global presence, in terms of the number of outlets worldwide. The strategy-grouping shows that McDonald’s has the highest global market value and revenue in the industry, despite Subway having more international outlets. 4. Key Player – Evaluation of International Activities 4.1. Identification of Key Player Based upon their global presence, market value and revenue, McDonald’s is identified as the key player in the industry. 4.2. McDonald’s International Market Entry Modes In 1940, McDonald’s operated only one QSR but today has restaurants at 33,000 locations in 119 countries. McDonald’s utilises a variety of international market entry modes for rapid expansion: sole ventures, franchising, master franchising and joint ventures. 15% of McDonald’s branded restaurants are operated as sole ventures. This involves a significant capital commitment but allows the highest degree of control.†¨Most restaurants are operated as franchises, allowing rapid expansion without high capital requirements. Franchising has also allowed McDonald’s to benefit from local knowledge, demonstrated by the menu differences by country. However, McDonald’s maintains control over crucial aspects such as the supply chain, marketing mix and staff training. Master Franchising introduces a third party as a ‘go-between’ to overcome geographical and cultural barriers. The combination  of the master franchisee’s local knowledge and McDonald’s brand and model has been a successful formula, allowing expansion whilst maintaining significant control. McDonald’s has also expanded internationally through joint ventures. Again, this allows for rapid expansion and utilises the knowledge of firms in closely-linked markets. Both firms invest equity in the project, there is a lower financial risk for both parties; however, many joint ventures end in hostility and conflict due to firms taking advantage of one another (Brown and Harwood, 2010).