Internal And External Stakeholder Analysis Essay

Non -profit organization- an organization that is tax free and that serves the public interest. Their purposes are charitable, educational, scientific, religious or literary. Public expects to donate and their donations be deducted from their federal taxes. A legally non -profit org does not declare any profit and instead utilizing all the resources and revenue for its operating expenses. International Humanitarian City (IHC) Established in 2003 by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the International Humanitarian City (IHC) has grown to become the world’s largest and busiest logistics hub for humanitarian aid with nine UN agencies and nearly 50 NGOs and commercial entities as members. Its expertise is in transport and logistics to work hand in hand with aid agencies on helping the victims of crises and families whose lives are scarred by poverty. IHC capabilities for delivering help is eight hours by air to two thirds of the world population some of the worst humanitarian crises that includes tsunami in Southeast Asia, recurring drought of Africa, Civil unrest in Afghanistan and Darfur and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. IHC also has been engaged on emergency responses to Syria and Philippines Characteristics of Nonprofit Organization: Passion for Mission ( values Driven) – creativity, energy and dedication for the work Atmosphere of Scarcity – Shortage of resources, underdeveloped infrastructure may exist execution walls. Bias toward informality, participation and consensus- Dual bottom lines; Financial and Mission Program outcomes are difficult to assess Governing boards has both oversight and supporting roles Mixed skill level of staff Participation of volunteers Public Sector- Composed of organization that are owned and operated by the government. Includes Federal, provincial, state, or municipal governments, depending on where you live. RTA( Road and transport Authority) a public sector organization responsible for transport network in UAE, a versatile entity mandated to manage marine roads , metro and public transport through sub agencies. 5 basic Characteristics of public sector State Ownership: Owned by the state. It could be in the nature of Central, State or local government ownership or any instrumentality of the state too can have the ownership of public enterprise. Controlled by the state Its operation and administration controlled by government. The Government has the direct responsibility to manage the affairs of the enterprise through various devices and exercises control over it by means of a number of agencies and techniques. Public Responsibility: Public Enterprises owe accountability to people as they are funded through public money. This accountability is realized through legislature and its committees, ministers, audit institutions and other specialized agencies. Independence: Public Enterprises function with highest independence under given situations. They are free from day to day interference in their affairs and management. Coverage The public enterprise negotiates all areas and activities. There is hardly any field of activity, which is not covered by the operations of public enterprises. Stakeholder- a person, group of organizations that has interest or affect the organization or with reasonable interest to a given situation or enterprise Stakeholder Analysis- tools to identify the needs and concern of various stakeholders. It is a useful tool for; Gaining understanding and building harmony Communicating the benefits of a proposed project Building strong inclusive campaigns that involve the public Benefits; common problems that can be solves using analysis. Unnecessary focus on analytical tools Issues are too large of complex for decision makers The scope of study is too large Some stakeholder are left out There is no local ownership There is no commitment for implementation. Kinds of stakeholder; Primary stakeholder- direct beneficiaries and direct concerned person Secondary stakeholder- mediators in the process of delivering aid to primary stakeholder Opposition Stakeholder- those who have the capacity to affect outcomes unfavorably through the resources and influence they command. It is crucial to engage them in open dialogue Marginal stakeholder- such as women, indigenous people, and other needy groups Key stakeholder- have significant influence upon or importance within the organization. Stakeholder Analysis Process; Identify and man internal and external stakeholder Assess the nature of each stakeholders influence and importance Construct a matrix to identify stakeholder influence and importance Monitor and mange stakeholder relationship. Two type of stake holder; Direct stakeholder – directly connected to the organization Intermediary- who represent others Importance of stakeholder Support the overall movement of the organization which involves providing quality service e.g medical assistance, recovery missions and distributing  relief goods to affected areas. Influence the Non- profit organization- provides the opportunity to organization to share its goals and objective to join to other organizations which has the same missions and purpose. Clients and Volunteers – Free publicity from the clients who receive quality service from the organization and tell its story publicly, or shared it to their co- workers, friends and or can be featured to any media advertisement to support the cause and ask for funding. Identifying Stakeholder; Brainstorming-one way of identifying the stakeholder.Analyzing or making a list of stakeholder or even the type of stakeholder. Mapping-a usefull way of unlocking creativity and helping the ideas to flow. A diagram that shows a map or even a software that can use to map its stakeholder Stakeholder list- general list of stakeholder are the starting point to identify them. Doesn’t include many specialists in the industry or industry specific job titles. Previous projects- documentation from previous projects and communicating the projects team who is involve on the particular project or a particular client. Organization charts and directories- Company organization or directory also can help to identify a particular stakeholder. Reviewing the Social network sites, like LinkedIn advance people search to look for company stakeholder, industry, job title and seniority. OGC Stakeholder categories- finding it hard to find a potential stakeholder company can do the categorization process. Below is the category can use for identification; User/beneficiaries Governance Influencer ( trade unions, media ) Providers ( supplier, partners) Below diagram is a stakeholder mapping; Internal Stakeholder; ( IHC-non- profit Organization) Board Members Staff members/employees- the one who has direct interaction and involved  during the crisis. One of the most important stakeholder on the organization, initiates activities of IHC consequently, concentrating on IHC mission and vision. Volunteers- individuals who are willing to help, lend a hand during the crisis Donors / Fund raiser– an individual or association that contributes in terms of kinds, monetary during crisis. Former member of the organization are still one to consider, provided they are still active in promoting it. Publicity- a person that may be an instrument for public awareness regarding the organizations existence. Fund raiser- a person who is involved for collecting funds from any group or individual who is willing to give their part. A fund raiser can collect through media and other concert for a cause. External Stake holder (IHC-Non- profit organization) Employers or politicians that create legislation encouraging the hiring of ex-addict. Suppliers of like foods and clothing to be distributed to the affected area they can take advantage of the event like selling other goods to other distributor on the market. Governmental bodies/civil society- a non- governmental society working in the field of exclusion. Competitors- Who has the same structure of business Media- TV, newspaper , TV channels Environment – place where humanitarian city is built, should have a friendly neighborhood, safety for the victims, stress free. Internal stakeholder ( RTA) Customer/Travelers- individuals who are rail users , who are experiencing the benefits Employees- who has direct interaction with the commuters Guards- Who assures safety of any travelers/ tourist, executed rules and regulations , Maintenance- who maintain the technical and mechanical problem of the RTA Cleaners- individuals who are responsible for cleaning the area including toilets, labatories and prayer rooms. Convenience store and other kiosk that are found on the station External Stakeholder (RTA) Governments- a group that executed/implements rules and regulation. State/federal agencies. Government agencies often devise and issue regulations and reporting requirements, and can sometimes make or break an effort by how they choose to regulate and how vigorously they enforce their regulations. Policy makers. Peoples or groups often have no official power – they may be â€Å"advisers† to those with real power – but their opinions and ideas are often followed closely. If they’re on your side, that’s a big plus. Media- commuters awareness (rates , maps and direction,) TV, Radio, Newspaper and magazine.

Is Prostitution Deviant? Essay

Prostitution viewed through the social-conflict paradigm, a â€Å"framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change† (Macionis-Society), would be that the act of prostitution is a result of an unequal distribution of money, power, education, and social prominence. Prostitution is deviant, in that it is an action that is outside the norm of the accepted standards of our society. However, whether prostitution is deviant or not is not the starting place of the social-conflict paradigm. The social-conflict theorist would make no judgment but instead ask why. The social-conflict paradigm would analyze the social structure the individual was raised in, such as the education level and thus the opportunities available for the individual to gain skills necessary to accomplish success in society. It would then cast blame on the social factors rather than poor choices or lack of vision of the person. In essence, a prostitute woul d just be a victim of things out of his or her control. Prostitution would be viewed as a necessary bread of inopportunity rather than immorality. A strength of the social-conflict paradigm in viewing conflict is that in order to change the pattern of prostitution or any negative matter of society we must look at what forms the problem in order to prevent it. However one viewpoint gives us a narrow solution for a vast number of problems and other issues besides social inopportunity, like morals, values and a persons character must also be addressed in ordered to wholly fix any problem. Though we live in a world that expresses moral relativism, there is still objective truth and there are still things which are right and wrong. Though prostitution may have been forced upon some as a means of survival, it is still wrong and destructive. The consequences medically are huge for this kind of wide spread behavior. Though we can feel for those who have found themselves in this kind of life style, we must teach them new ways of living as well as helping provide new opportunities.

Researsh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Researsh - Essay Example The law of the land distinguishes criminal guilt and civil liability. This indicates that the two court systems have different expectations from the complainant and the accused persons or organizations. On the other hand, the civil courts require different levels of proofs in order to attract compensation for the victims (Harr 16). Code enforcement officials are liable for all complaints arising from their area of authority. In any instance, enforcement officials are responsible or liable for complaints relating to health, zoning, and building, city planning and business regulation. This indicates that code enforcement officials are in control of both individuals and organization within the region. Therefore, it is possible to be sued either as an individual or as a department. Although most civil cases in Kentucky and other states deal with institutions and organizations, individuals also get involved with civil torts. Code enforcers can be categorized into building inspectors, fire marshals, zoning officials, health inspectors and the police force. Each of these organization focuses on different areas that is of civic interest. According to the stratification of code enforcement officials, it is evident that civil cases or torts concentrate on organizations (Harr 56). On the other hand, code enforcers are mainly organizations. However, this does not rule out the possibility of civil cases that affect individuals. For instance, building inspectors are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all buildings within the state comply with its building ethics and requirements. Owners of buildings can be both individuals and organizations. On the other hand, construction can be done by construction companies or individual contractors depending on the com plexity of a building. Thus code enforcement official are liable to torts committed by individuals or

Congo Conflict Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Congo Conflict - Research Paper Example Lack of resources and labor and strategic planning prevented the country from effectively controlling mining areas, which could have starved off funding for numerous illegal groups. The country has historically been at conflict since independence from Belgium in 1960. The United Nations has been present in the country from that time although its activities were restarted after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The Congo conflict has created many security and economic complications in the great lakes region. The United Nations has played and continues to play a crucial role in peace building and development in the democratic republic of Congo, with the major aim of creating a stable government and ensuring basic human rights are maintained in the country. The conflict in the DRC is complex and has many actors with very many historical injustices mostly a legacy of colonialism. Colonial injustice forms the root cause of the conflict. This paper will argue that the international response to the Congo conflict has not been successful. The paper will highlight the successes and failures MONUC and show that the United Nations and the International Community have not understood the underlying causes of the conflict. Addressing the root causes will help solve the crisis. Introduction Violence experienced in the Eastern Parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo is due to various ethnic and political differences. Peace has been elusive in the DRC and the United Nations is still running missions to maintain peace and stability to a region that has experienced more than one war with violence still flaring up even today. The country has lost over millions of lives to various wars with millions more people having being internally displaced and over thousands of citizens seeking refuge in other countries due to consistent violence in volatile areas including North and South Kivu, Katanga and Itori1. Sexual violence in the region is the most prevalent problem in the country with th ousands of rapes having being documented from 2005 to 20072. The country circumstances are unique because it is landlocked and surrounded by nine other nations. Intermittent violent conflict in the DRC causes regional instability in the region due to a weakened government. The country runs in an over stretched budgets due to constant military activity. Rwanda and Uganda constantly stir violence in Congo due to their constant forays into the DRC for economic reasons. The United Nations influence became critical in 1999 when many of the democratic republic of Congo neighbors became embroiled in the conflict. The United Nation Peacekeepers were tasked with enforcing the Lusaka Accord. The United Nation created the United States Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo commonly known as MONUC in 2000. The major responsibilities of MONUC were to implement and monitor the ceasefire agreement. MONUC was also mandated to collectively facilitate the recognition and observation basic of hu man rights in conjunction with other Non-Governmental Organizations. Despite the presence of the peace keeping forces, the conflict in the region never ended and consequently MONUC mandate has been extended several times with their mandate being constantly reviewed. The peacekeeping force is now required to protect Congo citizens from violence and maintain arms embargoes placed in the region.

Opinion about William Bennet's 1998 Quote on Education Essay

Opinion about William Bennet's 1998 Quote on Education - Essay Example This phenomenon is still, however; conceptually unclear to many people and few understand how it impacts the schools on which the legalization operates (Neal & Kirp, 1985; 2000). There are various aspects of the modern schooling which have been concealed. These include the deterioration such a legalization system imposes in the morality of students and teachers versus that of the parents. The parents have no say when it comes to choosing their children’s teachers. There is not much information given on teachers because of the protection of such information by law. Interestingly, the State knows so little about it. In this confusion, the teachers who are disposed have no idea of each other’s information (State University, 2011). Duplication of knowledge has been proposed as the best way to go for developing countries. Yet, we have restrictions on copyright materials. It is common knowledge that not every student will invent new ideas. Setting up legal restrictions on who can use the education materials and how, poses a great challenge for those who might not afford the cost. As can be seen, the Copyright Act gives a number of exceptional situations to the above law. Protecting the author’s work is good, but this has an effect on limiting the number of people who can access them. This brings about discrimination since not all students will have the money to afford purchase of such materials (Neal & Kirp, 1985; 2000). The legalization of education system in the 1950s brought about the entry of minorities into the public schools that practiced segregation. However; this exposed them to greater problems of chaos and constant violence, which in most cases went unpunished leading to the white flight to private institutions of learning (State University, 2011). Legalizations of education institutions are mostly aimed at making the schools a conducive place for all to acquire education. However; given the restrictions imposed on the teachers and the administration, the schools lose focus on their main missions and objectives. The legalization leads to the known de-emphasis on the teaching process and learning, which are meant to be the basic tenets of institutional establishments in the first place. With the growth of the state into a more litigious status, the schools have become even more bureaucratic in the process. It is truly appalling since learning institutions are supposed to be flexible and nurtures of change, efficiency and effectiveness. Yet many agree that schools, especially institutions of higher learning are the most bureaucratic establishments in the current society. It is like copying the government system and perfecting the art of bureaucracy (State University, 2011). Given the legalization processes, the school administrators turn institutions into fiefdoms as places of exercising their unchecked authority. Principals have had to meet out serious and unfair punishments to teachers who are in record for havin g questioned their status quo. The restrictions given to education institutions could still be looked at as one way of the government’s evasion of responsibility for what goes on in these schools. Instead of being fully involved in the process, the state takes an oversight role and leaves the backlog of problems to the school authorities who end up misusing such powers. Laws alone without a thorough implementation and

Soyfutures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Soyfutures - Essay Example ..12 Bibliography Chapter 1 Executive Summary The soya bean (or soybean in the US) is a legume grown mainly because of its edible bean which also has other multiple uses (Sidney & Smith 1972). A native crop of East Asia, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation classifies it as an oilseed and not a pulse. Of the entire soya bean crop produced worldwide, 85 percent is processed into vegetable oil and soya bean meal. 60 pounds of soya bean bushel yields 11 and 47 pounds of crude soya bean oil and soya bean meal respectively when processed. The high protein content makes soya beans ideal in the manufacture of livestock feed, especially in the United States. Human consumption is mainly in the form of dairy and meat substitutes, edible oils, soya flour, and infant formula. The use of soya beans in the non-food industry has also been on the rise, most significantly in the energy sector. Through the process of transesterification, biodiesel fuel can be obtained from soya bean oil for use i n diesel engines (Drapcho, Nghiem & Walker 2008). The process simply removes glycerine from soya bean oil. Because soya biodiesel burns cleaner than petroleum based diesel oil, it is non toxic, environmentally friendly and renewable. Environmentally friendly solvents can also be produced from soya oil that remove oil from shorelines, streams and creeks without causing any harm to the environment, humans, animals and marine life. It is also used in the manufacture of industrial solvents, lubricants, paints and cleaners. In the building industry, soya bean extracts are used in the manufacture of building materials, known as biocomposites, replacing the traditionally used wood in furniture making and flooring (McCormick 2006). Another use of soya bean oil is the manufacture of crayons, which makes them safer for children because they are non toxic. Candles made from soya bean oil produce less smoke and burn longer. With the growing non-food use of soya beans, this report will identify and analyse international market opportunities as well as risks involved for Soyfutures in their bid to develop market for soya bean oil. The US remains the world’s highest producer of soya beans, as shown in the table below, provided by UN Food and Agricultural Organization. Country Million Metric Tons in 2011 United States 90.6 Brazil 68.5 Argentina 52.6 People's Republic of China 15.0 India 9.8 Paraguay 7.4 Canada 4.3 Uruguay 1.8 Ukraine 1.68 Bolivia 1.63 With an annual soya bean production of 500,000 metric tons that is mostly used locally, Nigeria can produce and export biodiesel to Latin America, Asia and Europe where there is extensive use of diesel engines in farm equipment, automobiles, trains, generators and marine machinery. Although the focus of Soyfutures was to venture into markets outside Africa, the research found that Africa

Aston manor brewery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Aston manor brewery - Essay Example As mentioned in the methodology, information was collected from Birmingham City University electronic resources and official website. In addition, we have also collected the information from the client itself as well. This data was achieved from client presentation. The client also presented us with their latest market reports and markets trends they are currently experiencing. The client was basically asked three questions which was as follows:- What is the marketing planning in the 2013? What is marketing planning promotion between 2012 and 2013? Example something new and improve something. In the Corporate Social Responsibility, Aston Manor Brewery has made certain achievements, such as charity fund and sports aspects. But in the future, corporate will be in the new field take more social responsibility? Can you explain how to do that? After doing this market research project, I have become aware of a number of facts. Hence, the assignment has helped me to learn a number of new th ings which I considered to be the most useful knowledge I have gained so far in my career. The assignment has allowed me to gain both theoretical knowledge as well as practical knowledge. One of the moist essential learning from this resit portfolio was to know how a marketing plan is formulated. The information provided by our client pertaining to their marketing planning of 2013, I have become aware of the elements that are to be put into a marketing plan of a company or the factors considered by companies while formulating the marketing plan of their respective companies. Most interestingly I also become aware of the number of promotional techniques used by companies in promoting their products and services in the marketplace. I have identified that companies use different promotional techniques such as promotion through print media, broadcasting media, social media and several other traditional form of promotional techniques. Lastly, in terms of the theories I became aware about the importance of corporate social responsibility of the organizations. Having to revise my work, one thing became apparent to me is that client always needs the most appropriate solution to their problems. Moreover, in the context of the writing of the paper, I learnt several new things. For example, the introduction which I wrote about the company was simply discussing the company’s overview but hardly there were any discussions pertaining to the product portfolio of the company and the subject of the company. After revising the work, I came to know about the importance of providing introduction of a company pertaining to the subject of research. In addition, highlight the product portfolio of the company is also of similar importance. Hence, I believe the learning which I got after accomplishing this assignment is extremely important. Moreover, I also believe that these learning will allow me to excel in both academic as well as profession career. 7 items to submit in you r Portfolio from list of artefacts While suggesting the client about the marketing strategy they should be putting into practise for improving their market share are depth interviews, survey, competitor analysis, detailed target market analysis, internet advertisement, print advertisement, and e-mail or letter. The above are the 7 items chosen during the process of presenting the most appropriate marketing strate

Thomas Aquinas, Treatise on Man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thomas Aquinas, Treatise on Man - Essay Example It puts forward several topics concerning western Christian theology such as the existence of God, the purpose of man and the sacraments and how man should get back to God. The Summa Theologica is comprised of three major parts each of which deal with a major subject of Christian theology, the first part known as Prima Pars delves of God's existence in relation with nature; the creation of the earth, angels and man's nature. The second part Prima Secundae tackles in general principles of morality such as individual beliefs and vices while the third part Secunda Secundae deals with man's work for God and the sacraments and the ways of God. The Summa Theologica is composed of varying questions each of which is centered around a unique subtopic with the questions phrased as curious statements handling different issues such as whether Christ should have lived a life of poverty while on earth. Analysis: The first parts of concern are structured as eight questions such as questioning if th e happiness of man lies in wealth, scripture is quoted for example Ecclesiastes 10:19 states that whatever has the greatest hold over man's affections is ultimately the source of his happiness which is money therefore stating that man's happiness lies in wealth because it commands all things. Happiness is observed as a state of being made good by all things being perfect; money is portrayed as a guarantee for all of man's desires. St Thomas argues further by contradicting the notion that money is the source of man's happiness by stating that the good does not seek in spreading happiness but rather retaining it, Boethius argues by saying that wealth lies in giving rather than collecting as a miser which is hateful and applauds man's generosity. St Thomas is quick to disagree with the statement through his counter argument that shows how wealth is twofold consisting of the natural and artificial with the natural satisfying man's natural needs like food, dwellings and cars while the ar tificial wealth is that which is not related to nature such as money but exists as an invention of man for convenience in exchange and as a measure for salable things. He further argues that the happiness of man cannot be comprised of natural wealth as it is sought for to support man's nature and as such cannot be the last end rather is chosen as his last end. In addition, St Thomas argues that artificial wealth is sought to save humans from natural health while in its pursuit in a way that he procures natural wealth so as to obtain the necessities of life. The second question deals with the happiness in relation to the honor of man, the objection is made stating that all that belongs to God and people of honor and excellence is the source of happiness as it stands for perfection and good. Another objection is made which states that the greatest desire of man above happiness is to be honorable, of all man’s sufferings the loss of honor is the greatest and as such man's happin ess co-exists with honor. St Thomas answers the objections by stating that is not possible for happiness to be comprised of honor, because honor is accorded to man on account for his excellence and as a recognition of his achievements. Therefore man's good deeds can provide him some level f happiness but cannot entirely be the source of his happiness. A question is put forward as to

'Accounting theory and methodology are a waste of time'. Critically Essay

'Accounting theory and methodology are a waste of time'. Critically evaluate this statement and provide examples to illusrate your answer - Essay Example There is no practice that can succeed without a very strong theoretical base. There are rules and principles that have been developed and they are based upon past practices of successful accountants. A lot has changed in accounting due to the rapid changes in economic and social environments. Some of the principles and rules that were developed earlier on are longer applicable. Thus accountants are faced with new problems that can not be solved with the traditional explanations of accounting. New areas are emerging in accounting such as social accounting, inflation accounting and human resource accounting (Porwal 7). Methodology is important in creating an accounting theory. There are two methods of reasoning that are applied in accounting research methodologies; inductive and deductive. The two reasoning are as a result of differences in values, opinions and approaches between accounting research and accounting practice (Porwal 8). There are two types of accounting theories; the proposal or the normative type and the descriptive or the positive type. The normative type proposes alternative ways of accounting, for example, alternative method of assets valuation either by the market value or the present value. The positive type analyses and explains the existing modes of accounting, for, example, the real functions and social significance of today’s accounting systems (Fujita and Jinnai 283). Development of accounting theories began in the early 1900. The first attempt has been attributed to William Paton and John Canning. Paton was among the first people to propose the inclusion of the changes in the value of liabilities and assets in financial statements. The changes were to be measured on a current value basis. Canning’s framework of asset valuation was based on future expectations and a model to match expenses and revenues. DR Scott made contributions to the development of normative theory. His views are reflected in publications â€Å"The Basis

The Role of IMF(International Monetary Fund) and its impact on Poblic PowerPoint Presentation

The Role of IMF(International Monetary Fund) and its impact on Poblic Policy in China and South Korea - PowerPoint Presentation Example This necessitates the need to establish the role played by the IMF in promoting these countries development. IMF is an international organization that was established in the post world war II period. The aim of its establishment was to enhance the stability of foreign exchange. It was also meant to create a channel through which international payment systems would be reconstructed. This followed the disruption of the payment systems during the World War II. Initially, it had a membership of 44 countries. However, its membership stands at 188 in present day. The member countries contribute towards a common pool, from where countries with deficits can borrow. The roles of the IMF have also changed, to include financial and technical assistance to affected member countries. The effects of IMF in East Asia are innumerable. However, the most significant is the assistance of these countries during the financial crisis of East Asia in 1997. Nevertheless, the critics of this role argue that the IMF did not save the situation. They argue that that the higher interest rates charged, the tight monetary policies issued and the forced cut in government budget worsened the situation. However, it is apparent that the financial bailouts given to these countries by the IMF helped them to recover from the crisis. The IMF has influenced China’s public policy in various ways. It maintains and engages in policy dialogue with the Chinese authorities. It helps the Chinese government refine its economic and structural refer issues. The IMF identifies and monitors economic development in China. It helps the Chinese government and authorities undertake developmental and policy implementations. It achieves this through exchanging views regarding these issues. The economic situation of China has changed since it joined IMF. China has grown immensely both economically and socially since joining the IMF. It has

Vernacular Language Essay Example for Free

Vernacular Language Essay According to the dictionary, vernacular refers to the native language of a country. Throughout Rome, the language that was used was Latin; it was used throughout the Mediterranean and became the dominant language. Widely used by people with power, kings and queens. Latin was used as the formal language used in government and politics, this all changed during the 12th century when vernacular language started to become increasingly popular. During the Renaissance, Europe was undergoing a transformation. Cultural change occurs when there is a change in language or idea. During these times, people were interested in intellectual exploration. It was during this time that people felt that only highly educated people knew Latin. Bringing about a vernacular language was a way that they felt the need to educate the ordinary people. It was during this time that they began the transformation into the vernacular language. Up until the 17th century, most scholarly works were said to be in Latin. During the 12th century, many literary works were subject to translating. Most of the time the person translating would change things, they were not concerned with the ending, only how they have changed the various pieces into art. The development of the printing press and other technological advances was thought to be a method that sped up the process of spreading vernacular language. During this time, people who were economically disadvantaged could now read and own a bible. The use of vernaculars was thought of as a way to convert the non-believers. The spread of Christianity proved to be a method for spreading vernacular language. Petrarch was thought of as one of the most important figures of this time. He criticized the habits of the culture and believed their ideas were ancient soon others followed and this brought about the birth of humanism. Humanism was based on the belief that the philosophical works of Ancient Greece and Rome provided the best guide for living. Humanism was believed to be founded on three teachings humanistic studies, moral philosophy, and the qualities that make men and women good. Women played an important role in the spread of vernacular language, noble women insisted that literature was either written or translated to vernacular. Women began to assert their role as preservers of history. (Mccash, 2008) Most women had limited education so they were not proficient in Latin, this led to the acceptance of Romance and Germanic vernaculars. Women were given a chance to express themselves and participate in courtly debates. Women played a huge role in the transformation from clergy to court. (McCash, 2008) Women felt a sense of power by the rise of vernacular language; they began to write poetry, some even became translators. In the 13th century, Margery Kemp wrote the first autobiography in the English language. â€Å"Women turned to literature to express their pain and suffering, their longing and their loss, and their beliefs and vision† (McCash, 2008)

Apples Ipad Promotional Strategy Marketing Essay

Apples Ipad Promotional Strategy Marketing Essay To survive in the global and competitive business environment, it is essential for a companys to conduct extensive research so that they can develop a strong brand image from the initial stage as it leads to greater financial benefits for the company. The marketing plan of Apples iPad is the topic where an effective marketing strategy is developed to ensure its success in the global competitive market where major plays such as Sony, Compaq and Dell have a significant impact upon Apples strategies. Apples latest ipad is the revolutionary product which is a portable mini device used as a pc anywhere with its wide range of options and innovative design. Apples marketing strategy will be focusing upon the product design, brand positioning, price and promotion of iPad in the global market. This will be linked to the research and analysis of the environmental forces and SWOT analysis to understand the companys position. Apples market strategy will be incorporated with the generic business strategy which is towards growth and maintaining a strong position in the market through its innovative products. Apple will use competitive marketing strategy for its iPad where two such strategies can be developed which are differentiation and Focus to make iPad a success in the global market. Marketing planning and strategies can become highly effective if Apple focuses upon its strategic human resource management and make continuous efforts to redesign its marketing plan to survive successfully. Company Description Apple Corporation is a highly successful organization that aims to advance in the technology field through its high quality and innovative products. The success of Apple is primarily based upon its innovation and dynamic technological advancement it takes to give its customers the ease and luxury to use its products. Apples latest product iPad is launched to compete with existing computers and tablet technology, as it is a portable high tech device for the usage of all needs of an individual whether personal or business use. Environmental Analysis/PEST Analysis This analysis will help in identifying the factors that affect the organizations ability to perform efficiently in the global markets. Political Forces: The political factors affect the organizations ability to operate efficiently in foreign markets. Therefore, Apples operations are affected by political conditions of developing countries in Asia where it is unable to meet its organizational targets successfully. The increasing suicide bomb rate and terrorism is another reason that limits the ability of Nestle to operate in some countries. Moreover, the changing legal requirements regarding the sales tax, import and export duties also affect Apple in terms of its rising costs and limitation to have access to a greater market. Economical Forces: Economical factors affect organizations ability to expand its business and achieve organizational objective of growth. The recent recession has slowed down economic activity and resulted in increase of prices of law materials, which have increase the costs and ultimately the prices of products. Apple faces low demand due to the big economies collapsing and going under stabilization phase, which has forced countries to boost their economy by discouraging imports and encouraging exports (Ball, McCulloch, Frantz Minor, 2006). Socio-Cultural Forces: In todays business enjoinment, people belonging to different backgrounds, experiences, values and cultures work together in multinational organizations with common objectives of gaining success in competitive global markets. Therefore, this creates a critical challenge for organizations to help employees develop positive and interpersonal relationships so that all people can work productively while respecting others culture and backgrounds. Apple has focused upon the cultural values of its employees as well as customers to achieve positive long-term relationships through maintaining an organizational culture which is highly flexible and culturally diverse. Technological Forces: Apple concentrates on the technological advancements of its work operations. The highly competitive and global business environment has forced organizations like Apple to become highly efficient through technology and internet revolution. Apple focuses upon innovation which can be achieved by meeting the new technological advancements and by being efficient in providing better quality and innovative products to its customers through advanced technology (Turban, 2004). SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis assists organizations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an organization which are internal and opportunities and threats which are external. This will help in understanding how Apple can utilize its strengths and opportunities and overcome its threats and weaknesses to survive in the global competitive market. Strengths: Apple is a successful organization and its iPod has a high market share in the global market due to its brand perception and image as s high quality innovative brand. Moreover, in the I.T industry, Apple holds a strong position by catering to the needs of the dynamic market with its extensive research and developments that enables it to satisfy its customers with highly innovative products. Apple has maintained its brand name in the global market and the customer loyalty is increasing at a high rate (Barnet Cavanagh, 2006). Weaknesses: Apple provides highly innovative products in the market but it is having issues with the quality of its products as recently the Apple iPad was reported to have a faulty screen and it had replace all those products. This is one major weakness of Apples products. Moreover, the company has a relatively weaker research and development system as compared to other major competitors and needs to put more emphasis on building strong reliable products as its brand name portrays (Borrington Stimpson, 2004). Opportunities: Apple has many opportunities for growth and expanding its range of products and services. It can develop iTunes and music player technology into cell phones and iPad devices. It can focus upon developing Podcasts for radio shows through internet and can enhance its iPad into more sophisticated and reliable device to be used by every individual. The I.T industry is full of rapid and dynamic changes and there is growing demand for innovative and technologically advanced products so for Apple, there are unlimited opportunities to avail for growth. Threats: The major threat for Apple and its products is the intense rivalry among competition in the technology industry. The competitive global environment has brought critical challenges for Apple to maintain a competitive and strong position in the global market. Moreover, Apples iPod and iPad are subjected to demand which can go down at any time due to saturation and substitutes in the market. Hence, to meet with changing trends and globalization, Apple requires extensive research and development to create a diversified range of products to be successful. Marketing Objectives The objective of Apples iPad device is to capture the market by creating awareness and persuading customers to use this device. Its emphasis will be entirely upon positioning iPad in the global market as a highly reliable device which is a need for every individual in todays busy hectic life. The marketing plan of Apples iPad should consist of two major objectives that help to achieve organizational success in todays global business environment. First of all, Apple focuses upon its customers through thorough market research and planning then the second step starts by integrating all organizations functions which are related to the marketing plan of the organization. After this, Apple becomes competent in planning and implementing its organizational core objectives to achieve positive results (Barnet Cavanagh, 2006). Marketing Strategy The marketing plan of Apple iPad is based upon extensive research and planning so that it can expand its operations worldwide where the marketing strategy aimed to promote the following key elements to strengthen its brand image. The major brand elements are the superior quality, friendly usability, design and reliability of the product. It can be promoted as a product that not only provides an ease to an individuals life but a reliable cost effective solution to all computer related problems. The following are the major components of the marketing mix that can help in understanding the product and how it is to be marketed in the global market. The marketing growth strategy of Apple mainly aims to provide superior quality and innovative products and services. This strategy helps in increasing customer loyalty and building a stronger position in the global competitive markets. Innovation is the success key of Apple. In todays highly competitive environment, developing innovative products is a major key towards achieving success. This requires extensive research and development by the businesses to be successful. Although, innovation has become a key towards success but it has high financial risk because the customers can dislike the new invention and it can go into waste (Gannon, 2009). Product Design: IPad is the new invention of Apple with extensive Research and Development. It is the latest technological device which is mini pc device equipped with high compatibility mode and ease of usage for users. It is a fully equipped device where a user can take pictures, watch movies, download large amount of data and send/receive emails, attachments and documents. It is designed for personal and business usage where a user can be highly digitized and connected to the world within seconds with no hassle. Ipad is the new revolution introduced by Apple to provide ultimate user friendliness and access to all technological advancements together in one mini device (Hall Jones, 2000). Brand Positioning: Initially, Apples iPad target market can be the professionals and businessmen who require portable easy accessible devise for their usage. And then, young customers comprising of students will be targeted through emphasizing upon its innovative and trendy design that provides unlimited options will start gaining popularity and acceptance in the global market then it can expand and broaden its market segments by satisfying a larger market segment by positioning iPad as a need for every individual. Promotion: Apples iPad promotional strategy will mainly focus upon word of mouth advertising and point of purchase strategy where consumers will be encouraged to discover and try out the product themselves. Apples latest iPad requires extensive marketing through television and other media sources to achieve high customer response. Television is an effective medium of advertisement ad Apples advertisement has given it more importance and this industry is flourishing through these innovative ads. Price: Apples iPad will be charged at a premium price from the start to show and prove that it is a superior quality and innovative device than any other available in the market. As it is an innovative product, it will be promoted in the market as a premium priced device that has value for the benefits it provides. This way the consumers will consider Apples iPad as a highly reliable and portable pc device that can make their life faster and efficient in terms of both work and entertainment which will lead to its brand image strengthening through this marketing strategy (Borrington Stimpson, 2004). Place: Apple has to focus upon building long term relationships with its suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers worldwide because this way its supply chain management can become highly efficient. As the economic activity has slowed down, it resulted in increase in the prices of oil, which has ultimately increased the costs of production for Apple and reducing its cost effectiveness. Also, the concept of E-commerce has greatly helped Nestle to automate its systems through E-shopping and E-supply chain management. Implementation Plan Now, we can develop an effective competitive marketing strategy where two such strategies can be developed which are differentiation and Focus to make iPad a success in the global market. Differentiation: Apples strategy of differentiation has its focus upon producing unique and innovative products for its customers which are not provided by other competitors in the global markets. The major success key of Apple is that it offers superior quality and innovative products and services to its users with prime emphasis upon innovation and design. Therefore, marketers must focus upon their advertisements that promote these five actors to influence consumer buying decisions. This will create a buzz in the market and gradually the image as a premium high tech pc device will strengthen all over the world which will contribute towards its brand equity. The spread of this innovation will be influenced mainly by its attractiveness, quality, price, promotion and durability. Customers make high involvement purchase decision for innovative products as it involves high risks. Moreover, Apple being the first one to enter the market with a highly innovative device will lead to its strong brand image b uilding in the competitive global market (Barnet Cavanagh, 2006). Focus: Apple can focus on more than one segments of the market and develop its brand image in these market segments for its latest iPad. The target segment for iPad will be the upper and higher middle-income group who want to improve their lifestyle with revolutionary gadgets. Through this strategy, Apple will be able to focus on its resources and plan towards a selected target segment for managing it effectively. To survive in global business environment is very challenging for iPad, therefore conducting thorough market research will help in achieving the core organizational objectives (Barnet Cavanagh, 2006). Evaluation and Control To meet with the intensified global competition, Apple requires extensive research and planning for its success in the future. The highly dynamic and uncertain global market brings serious challenges for Apples iPad to survive successfully. The major competitors of Apple such as Compaq, Sony and Dell Co have forced Apple to focus upon its brand equity in order to maintain its brand image worldwide. Apple can meet and control the challenges and obstacles arising in its way of growth through its long-term business strategy where effective marketing plan emphasizes upon innovation and building customer loyalty (Gannon, 2009). Firstly, focusing upon the Strategic human resource management, Apple can create a competitive advantage that is not imitable by its competitors. As Apple is known for its quality and innovation as the first energy drank, it has captured a very large customer base as compared to its competitors but to maintain this customer base or increase the number, it must focus upon developing sustainable competitive advantage through its human resource which ultimately leads to excellent customer relationships. Secondly, the 4 Ps of marketing also require changes and continuous improvements to survive in todays highly global business environment. The marketing campaigns can emphasis upon the design and reliability of the iPad in future to make the most reliable functioning device in the market. This will strengthen the brand equity as well as help in surviving successfully in the competitive global market. The positioning of Apple can be altered according to the market trends, the children and teenagers can be the target for iPad in future (Sana Shah, 2008).

Strategic Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Limited Marketing Essay

Strategic Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Limited Marketing Essay The following report will provide a detailed analysis of John Lewis Partnership. The retailer has been very successful in the UK and has performed extremely well in spite of more negative financial issues and other dynamics impacting upon the retail sector at large, predominantly in light of declining consumer income, technological advances such as the internet and increased competition. The reason the company was able to achieve these was because of their commitment towards their clients in providing innovative solutions as well as improved awareness of customer needs and the significance of creating a reliable customer base which ensures positive word-of-mouth and the company has achieved this due to its commitment to providing innovative solutions to clients as well as a heightened awareness of customer needs and further recommendations to increase new revenue streams through an appropriate CRM system in place. Therefore, the reports provides an evaluation of the companys current marketing environment assessing how the external factors impact the retail sector largely and specifically on the strategies that John Lewis chooses to adopt. The report will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the threats and opportunities that the company is presented with and how best it can achieve a match with its own internal capabilities to the dynamics at play. The report will also look at how the John Lewis brand and customer proposition is placed in the UK market in comparison to other competitors, with an attempt to provide understanding in to how the company gains advantage through differentiation from other competitors, essentially highlighting how the company implements a differentiated strategy which allows it to maintain advantage. At the same time, the analysis has drawn attention to how the uncertainty which prevails and the continuous rate of change in the external market highlights the implications of continuous observation and continuous re-evaluation of the strategic options applied. Ultimately, the aim is to provide recommendations as to how the company can increase the probability of its advantage over the longer term. The John Lewis Partnerships 81,000 Partners own the leading UK retail businesses John Lewis and Waitrose. Our founders vision of a successful business powered by its people and its principles defines our unique company today. The profits and benefits created by our success are shared by all our Partners (John Lewis, 2012). Write the report as if you were working for an external management consultancy firm, reporting to the Board of Directors of your chosen company. The report should contain sections that address ALL of the main aspects of the module syllabus: that is the report should cover both strategic analysis (internal and external) and strategy formulation. It is essential that in undertaking your research and writing your report you make appropriate use of the strategic management tools and models to conduct internal and external strategic analysis and strategy formulation that you have encountered in this module. Credit will be given for analysis, evaluation and synthesis, and the appropriate selection and use of strategic management tools and models. 2.0 Introduction This report will discuss the strategic management tools demonstrating skills of analysis evaluation and synthesis of John Lewis. The report includes strategic analysis and an External Environmental analysis. The report also covers the strategy formulation in which the SWOT analysis and BCG Matrix will be discussed. John Lewis Partnership plc is one of the UKs top ten retail businesses. They operate amongst 2 sectors known as John Lewis and Waitrose. The company offers food as well as household products i.e. baked foods, fresh fruit veg, wines, household items, furniture, electronic items etc. The company functions in a chain of 287 Waitrose supermarkets, 39 John Lewis shops that include 30 departmental stores and 8 of them at home John Lewis stores. The company operates throughout the UK and is headquartered in London, they sell their products through retail stores, catalogues, and websites. The companys strategic focus is to accomplish its non-core business strategies through partnership with other firms. There are around 81,000 employees working in John Lewis stores who are partners in the business, they have a share in the companys profits and are given the opportunity to participate in the companys progress and growth. This is their unique source of competitive advantage as it encourages staff loyalty through being business partners (John Lewis 2012) 3.0 Strategic analysis 3.1 Mission statement The mission of an organisation highlights the broad directions they need to follow and provides a brief summary of the values and reasons that lie behind it (Lynch 2012). Like other organisations John Lewis also have a mission statement, it highlights their reputation established through their ownership structure as it is unique and they are very successful in being a profitable business. John Lewis aim to keep their staff satisfied so that their business can be a success. Their strategy is based on three key elements partners, customers and profit. (Refer to appendix 1) to see their full mission statement. 4.0 External Environmental analysis 4.1 PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis examines the macro-environment in which the business exists in. It is a helpful tool for understanding market growth or decline as well as the position, potential and the direction for business. It is also used for evaluating the Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental and Legal factors that a business operates in. The Political factors discuss government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations, tax policy and political stability. The Economic factors affect the cost of capital and purchasing power of an organisation. These factors also include economic growth, interest rates and inflation. The Social factors impact customers needs, potential market size such as John Lewiss goods and services, population growth and age demographics. Technological factors of John Lewis will discuss barriers to entry, making or buying decisions, investment and innovation and the technological change. Environmental factors include weather, clim ate and climate change. Climate change affects how John Lewis operates and the products they offer. Lastly Legal Factors include discrimination law, employment law and health and safety law. These factors can affect the way John Lewis operate their costs and the demand for their products. 4.2 Macro- environmental Factors It is commonly known, that those prevailing in the external environment of any firm shall have a significant influence in terms of decision making in the strategic options. Such analysis is known as PESTEL analysis and usually suggested as the first stage in the strategic planning process (Lynch, 2006). As Johnson et al (2008, pg.56) rightly declared, The key drivers for change are environmental factors that are likely to have a high impact on the success or failure of strategy. (Refer to appendix 2) to see the PESTEL analysis for John Lewis. It can be concluded that each factor of the PESTEL has had an effect on John Lewiss actions, some of them are now stated in their mission statement. Previous factors are used to analyse different factors, furthermore, these factors can give a prediction for the future, so can be quiet effective if they are applied correctly. There are also some restrictions in this model, e.g. when the procedure of the checklist is applied to John Lewis it may be tough. The emergent corporate strategies may well comment that the future is so uncertain that prediction is useless (Lynch 2012 page 84), however, some may still give words of caution but still predict the future. The PESTEL analysis isnt the only framework that John Lewis take into consideration, their organisation has many other internal and external factors that also have an effect on the strategy formulation, this is why Porters five Forces framework is applied. The PESTEL analysis has a lot of information but yet doesnt offer a detailed analysis of the business. Porters Five Forces (1985) observes factors that have an impact on competition in the organisation. 4.3 Strategic Options The external analysis undertaken has underlined how the focus and the landscape of the UK retail sector has changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Such developments clearly present both threats, primarily from new entrants and modes of distribution, as well as opportunities such as the increasing utilisation of technology within the current offering to customers. As Johnson et al (2008, pg.3) highlights, strategy is about exploiting the strategic capability of an organisation, in terms of its resources and competences, to provide competitive advantage and/or yield new opportunities. However, many competitors in the retail sector at large have managed to expand into other range of products as well as expanding internationally, John Lewis seems to have adopted a more thoughtful approach and stayed loyal to its customers as well as confident in terms of its offering to the market. At the same time it has also developed a wide range of products as a lower price range to attract more customers across a wider range of segments in society. In times of economic uncertainty this also appears to be a sensible strategy in terms of situations where its loyal customer base may be experiencing declines in disposable income, thus enabling John Lewis to maintain their business through customers trading down to less expensive ranges in store. The recent introduction for its Essential Waitrose Range in 2009 was both a reaction to external events including activities of competitors but was viewed as an effective strategy highlighting the companys attention to external research as well as its innovative approach to dealing with such negative events. Furthermore, Porter put forward the idea that there were three generic strategies; cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and the focus strategy, which companies follow. It is clear that John Lewis has embraced a combination of these, but essentially, differentiation has remained key to its business model which positions more favourably when compared to other competitors, particularly given the range and extent of the goods and services it provides as well as its highly effective branding and promotional events which appeal directly to customers and incite purchase. Its decision to introduce its Essentials range within its Waitrose stores may have been considered by some as an indication it was lowering its standards, but on the contrary, despite offering a cheaper alternative, quality remained key which ultimately implied that its position in the market would not be negotiated. 4.4 Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces framework highlights that the environment John Lewis is competing in is constantly changing, (refer to appendix 5). In this model it is believed that customers dont have more importance than any other aspect, however Aker, Baker and Harvey Jones argue that customers are more important than any other aspect of strategy development (Lynch 2012). Porters Five Forces of competition (1985) is a common tool often applied within the strategic management process to firms across several sectors. It is similar to the PESTLE analysis as it takes a predominantly external perspective of the firm within its given industry looking at how it is positioned against other competitors in the same sector. Recently many have criticised the ensuring importance of the framework given the changes that have risen, particularly with regard to the diversification of business which has ultimately created blurring across many previously distinct sectors. This is emphasized by the supermarkets entering into the clothing and electronics sector for example, as well as retailers including John Lewis expanding into financial services through insurance and credit facilities to customers. Barney (1995) and Henry (2008) underlined how Porters model is more helpful when it is applied at a strategic business unit level rather than at higher levels of industry analysis such as the sector at large as it cannot be expected that all competitors will be competing against one another. This tool is also believed to be useful in terms of assessing a companys strengths and weaknesses in light of how it stacks up against competition. As Barney (1995, pg.49) highlights, A complete understanding of sources of competitive advantage requires the analysis of a firms internal strengths and weaknesses as well. The importance of integrating internal with environmental analyses can be seen when evaluating the sources of competitive advantage of many firms. Looking at Porters five forces of competition, it is clear that John Lewis has attempted to not to just react to the external dynamics and actions of competitors, but actively be a step ahead. It has constantly adapted its business model, such as the introduction of store cards, its online offering and the Waitrose Essentials range in order to provide its business with a more appropriate fit to the market in line with Mintzbergs (1994) theory. A major element of its strategy however, is its reputation, branding and subsequent positioning in the market and how consumers view the business in its entirety. It has remained rather committed to its original proposition and further enhanced its appeal through appropriate branding and its reputation for quality and enhanced service to customers. 5.0 Internal Resource analysis 5.1 Value analysis chain StratISTh3 Source: Porter, Competitive Advantage, 1985 The term Value Chain was used by Michael Porter (1985), the purpose of the value chain is to analyse the activities that are performed by the business, linking them to the competitive position. It also evaluates the particular activities to see which add value to the businesses products or services (quickmba 1999-2010) While many critics and leading authorities dispute the validity of Porters earlier theories, many of his ideas do still appear useful from the perspective of strategic analysis, particularly the notion of the value chain. Ultimately, it is within the value chain which John Lewis has created that it has succeeded in terms of sustaining advantage in its market sector. It has created efficiencies and synergies through the interrelationships within (Mintzberg and Ghoshal, 2003). Value Chain Analysis which is often compared to the RBV of the firm as it looks to both internal and external dynamics impacting an organisation. In recent years importance has also been given to joint ventures, collaborations and relationships which add value to the companys positioning. Elements of the chain such as HR which were previously considered as supporting elements are now viewed as core and this is demonstrated by John Lewis in terms of its commitment to and investment in staff. By enhancing the quality of its internal resources it can achieve distinctive competencies which are difficult to emulate by other competitors (Teece et al, 1997; Terwiesch and Ulrich, 2009). As Porter (1985, pg.36) emphasises, the way it performs individual activities are a reflection of its history, its strategy, its approach to implementing its strategy, and the underlying economics of the activities themselves. 6.0 Strategy formulation 6.1 SWOT Analysis: John Lewis Partnership A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for understanding and decision-making, businesses such as John Lewis use this tool in all sorts of situations, a SWOT summarizes the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This framework covers a crucial part of the strategic planning process a scan of the internal and external environment. Strength, Weaknesses are considered to be internal to the business whereas, Opportunities and Threats are part of the external environment. Looking at the SWOT analysis (refer to appendix 6) it can be concluded that John Lewis take this tool into consideration when making business decisions based on their customers. However, John Lewis need to expand their target audience because at the moment they are only targeting an older audience need to improve the diagnostic power of a SWOT analysis is to define the elements from a customer perspective rather than the organizational point of view. (Baker 2007, pg.267). By doing this they will generate a higher profit margin. If john Lewis wants to stay ahead of their competition they need focus on their weaknesses such as they need to ensure their prices are similar to their competitors. Also John Lewis need to focus on threats the business may have to face but they can avoid such matters by acting upon the threat before it occurs. Although the SWOT analysis tool is useful to businesses when making decisions, it has been criticized due to its simplicity and possible misleading approach to strategic analysis. This is because companies have failed to follow a few simple procedures. The SWOT analysis is a focused methodology (Baker 2007), therefore, when John Lewis the using this tool they need to ensure they are able to follow correct procedures of this tool to ensure they are able to achieve success. 6.2 BCG Growth-share Matrix The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix was developed by Bruce Henderson, founder of BCG, in the late 1960s (Baker 2007, pg.125). The BCG Matrix is a simple tool used to assess a companys position in terms of its product range. It simplifies how a companys thinks about the products and services and makes decisions about which it should keep and let go and which products to invest in further. It provides a useful way of seeing the opportunities that are open to the company and also helps to consider how the company can maximise the profits in the future. Below is the BCG Matrix for John Lewis, highlighting where in the market the different departments of John Lewis are positioned. John Lewis was voted Britains best retailer in 2009 and have won awards House Beautiful Awards 2008: Online Home Retailer of the Year Gold Award (washerhelp 2012), making them leaders in departments such as House and Garden, Electrical Appliances, Fashion, Gifts and Toys. They now have a high growth and a high market share in this segment, thus putting them in the star category. Further, technology and baby departments are between the star and question mark category this could be due to high growth and market share or high growth and low market share as they are faced with high demands but have low returns. Moving on to the sport department as it is in the cash cow category, as a markets it isnt growing but yet the market share for the products is high. Looking at the final category it can be said that John Lewis are safe as there isnt any products in the dog category. The BCG Growth-Share Matrix 7.0 conclusion Overall, the company has responded admirably to the changing dynamics impacting upon its market and customers, it is also clear that going forward, more challenges and threats shall be presented to it, particularly given persistent uncertainty relating to the global economy as consumer confidence within the UK. It would appear that in addition to a thorough and consistent approach to its markets in relation to external analysis of those factors deemed to impact most significantly; the company also adopts an internal approach, evaluating its inherent resources and competencies within the business. In line with the resource based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) and subsequent research by other authors such as Grant (2005), this analysis is often viewed as a more appropriate approach to the task of strategic management as ultimately, organisations have much more control over their internal resources than external market variables. Such an approach enables companies to incite the innovat ion process and thus create change in the wider environment as well as improvements to its value chain. This appears to be exactly what John Lewis has done to date through its expansion into other areas, as well as extending its range to customers through on-line facilities as well as credit, insurance etc. References Arnold, G. (2012). Corporate financial management. 3d. ed.Essex: Prentice Hall. Baker M (2007). Marketing strategy and management. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Barney, J. and Hesterly, W.S., 2008. Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases: International Edition. London: Prentice Hall. Barney, J.B., 1991. Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management; 17, (1) Chloe. (2012). ANALYSIS Waitrose and John Lewis move closer together, offline as well as online. Available: http://internetretailing.net/2012/11/analysis-waitrose-and-john-lewis-move-closer-together-offline-as-well-as-online/. Last accessed 20th Nov 2012. Davey, J and Laurance, B (2008). John Lewis under fire: how the City turned against Rose. The Sunday Times. 16 March 2008, p.12-13 The Economist (2012). A Rose by any other name. A retailing star ticks off investors at an awkward time. 13 March 2012, p58-60 The Economist (2012). The world in figures: industries. The world in 2012. p124, 126 Gartner. (2011). Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2011. Available: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1454221. Last accessed 25th Nov 2012. Grant, R.M., 2005. Contemporary Strategy Analysis. London: Wiley-Blackwell Henry, A., 2008. Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Johnson, G, Scholes, K and Whittington, R, 2008. Exploring Corporate Strategy. London: Prentice Hall. Keynote, 2008. Clothing Manufacturing, Keynote. Keynote, 2009. Clothing Retailing. Keynote Levitt, T, 1983. The Globalization of Markets. Harvard Business Review, May-June. Lewis J. (2012). John Lewis Partnership. Available: http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/about.html. Last accessed 18th Nov 2012. Lynch R (2006). Corporate strategy . 4th ed. Harlow: Prentice Hall. Lynch, R (2012). Strategic Management .6th ed. Harlow: Pearson Mintzberg, H., Quinn, J., and Ghoshal, S, 2003. The Strategy Process. London: Prentice Hall Mintzberg, Henry, 1994. The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning: Reconceiving the Roles for Planning, Plans, Planners. New York: Free Press Nugent, H and Hawkes, S (2012). George follows Jeremy Paxman as John Lewis faces another brief challenge. 20 March 2012. www.timesonline.co.uk (Accessed 24/11/2012) Ohmae, Kenichi, 1989. Managing in a Borderless World. Harvard Business Review, May-June. Porter, M., 1979. How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, March/April. Porter, M.E., 1980. Competitive Strategy. New York: The Free Press. Porter, M.E., 1985. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press. QuickMBA. (1999-2010). The Value Chain. Available: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/value-chain/. Last accessed 20th Nov 2012. Reynolds, A., 2012. John Lewis Partnership on Target to Cut Emissions. Supply Management, 17 October, available at http://www.supplymanagement.com/news/2012/john-lewis-partnership-on-target-to-cut-emissions/, accessed 12/11/12 Teece,D.J., Pisano, G. And Shuen, A., 1997. Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management. Strategic Management Journal, Vol.18, No.7, pp.509-533. Terwiesch, C. and Ulrich, K., 2009. Innovation Tournaments: Creating and Selecting Exceptional Opportunities. Boston: Harvard Business Press. Washerhelp. (2012). John Lewis. Available: http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/Retailers/John-Lewis.html. Last accessed 20th Nov 2012. Appendix 1 John Lewis mission statement The John Lewis Partnerships reputation is founded on the uniqueness of our ownership structure and our commercial success. Our purpose is the happiness of all our members, through their worthwhile, satisfying employment in a successful business, with success measured on our ability to sustain and enhance our position both as an outstanding retailer and as a thriving example of employee ownership. With this in mind, our strategy is based on three interdependent objectives Partners, customers and profit. Appendix 2 PESTEL Analysis for John Lewis Political Factors John Lewis operates within the UK market and therefore changes in the policy related to the governance of UK business, as well as advanced policies in the context of the UK, have an impact on the business. The laws and codes of conduct relating to ethical business practices and CSR initiatives particularly impact John Lewis. Subsequently, there has been conscious effort on the role of the retailers to combine relevant Codes of Conduct concerning the supply chain as well as giving a guarantee to customers that have been sourced in an ethical manner. It is likely that changes such as this will continue to impact going ahead but at the same time as this, pricing will be raised as a concern for the retailers as margins will certainly be eroded as prices are put higher, epically where the products may be obtained from developing markets. Economic factors It is obvious that economic factors have a major effect on the strategy implemented by John Lewis; such factors have had a negative impact on the UK. However, when the government took the decision to decrease the VAT rate temporarily in 2008 due to financial crisis, this had a direct positive impact on the retail sector. The company faced major setbacks in relation to its revenue and performance in 2001. The company was successful in reversing its fortunes through a complete re-evaluation of its supply chain practices; they improved the company model so that it met the needs of customers. The company is still conscious that the confidence levels of customers are slightly unstable, this is highlighted in its current financial results, (refer to appendix 3). Such uncertainty has an obvious impact on which strategies companies can follow and directly influences which marketing strategy John Lewis decide to apply in relation to pricing, advertising and other variables of the mix. Increas ed global uncertainty also influences their operations which are mainly UK based. This is especially true regarding the price of raw materials that has been changed considerably over the past few months, with products such as cotton, coffee and oil being a great concern. Such fluctuations put pressures on retailers as well as customers whereby margins shall be reduced and costs passed on to consumers who may in fact seek cheaper alternatives as their own incomes may decline. A full appraisal of all elements of the supply and distribution chain is needed to ensure that efficiencies are being formed and improvements are made to the overall value chain (Porter, 1980; 1985). This may also clarify the companys latest challenges in integrating its business with Waitrose, John Lewis are becoming much more aligned over the past months (refer to appendix 4) Events overseas such as Spain and Greece could also have more implications for the sourcing policies the company accepts as well as its foreign currency payment methods etc. to suppliers given the weakening Euro currency. Social Factors Social factors for John Lewis are very important across the business as they are considered to have a direct effect on how successful the customer behaviour is and the preference towards the items or brands. While many have pointed out that overtime as consumers we have slowly become more similar across country borders (Ohmae, 1989; Levitt, 1983), latest indications actually highlight much divergence in consumer buying habits. Much of this might also be attributed to progress in internet trading whereby consumers have further choice as well as getting updated and having more knowledge about the alternatives available in the market. This has increased the competition which has therefore, put pressure on prices, mostly in the case of stores as there are much higher fixed costs involved. Another major progress relating to the retail sector in the UK has been the success of the supermarket chains in growing into non-food items with shares of the clothing market increasing every year from competitors such as Asda, Tesco, and Sainsburys. a report from Keynote in 2009 outlined how supermarkets share of the clothing market increased from around 10% in 2000 10 23% in 2008, and this expansion is likely to continue as the major multiples devote increasing amounts of floor space to non-food items such as clothes such growth has completely changed the retail space in the UK and certainly, many have attributed the demise of many High Street incumbents directly to the strategies pursued by supermarkets. At the same time, it is also clear that John Lewis has followed somewhat of a different method and thus located itself apart from these competitors and is seen being more exclusive, of higher quality as well as providing higher levels of service to customers. Technological Factors It is impossible to ignore the progress that occurred in technology over the decade or so. Such advances have completely changed and improved all features of the supply and distribution chain particular with regard to online shopping. Over the past few months John Lewis have become more of this and adapted its business model appropriately so that they are capable of understanding customer expectations, with regards to convince and availability. Another major development has been the increasing use of media and subsequent positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Such tools are viewed by companies as an important ingredient to their overall strategy, not just in terms of communicating with customers but also in gaining further knowledge through customer feedback which can assist them in gaining further knowledge through customer feedback which can assist them in engaging more with their customer base and addressing any potential problems or other threats. Technology is considered as pro viding more choice to customers but increasingly is being embraced within the overall customer management strategy and is likely that this will intensify going forward and further facilitated by new developments such as improvements in text analytics and the capture of real-time data (Gartner, 2011) Environmental Factors Making the right long term decision is one of John Lewiss founding principle, environmental sustainability is key to this approach. There are programmes, processes and targets in place to ensure that environmental commitments are delivered (John Lewis 2009) John Lewis recently revealed new plans where their key aim is to cast their CO2 emissions to 15% by 2020 (Reynolds, 2012) Legal Factors John Lewis is also impacted by changes to employment regulations as well as procedures guarding trading standards. Over the recent years many retail competitors such as Primark and Gap have been negatively criticised due to concerns on the unethical sourcing and manufacturing of products. Primark, a leading High-street label attracted unpleasant headlines in the media in response to claims they were using child labour, consequently affecting their position in the market. Other changes in the economic framework of overseas markets on which John Lewis depends on depend on

Gay African American on TV Essay -- Social Issues, Gender Roles

Historically, the representation of gay, African-American men on television has fallen short of the mark . We have seen â€Å"sissies, faggots and finger-snapping queens† sashaying across the screen, feminizing and marginalizing African-American men by these racially insensitive and homophobic caricatures. In this paper I examine the characters: Keith Charles of HBO’s Six Feet Under, Omar Little of HBO’s The Wire, Lafayette Reynolds of HBO’s True Blood, and Julien Lowe of FX’s The Shield and how their characters manifest their masculinity. The three characters that appear on HBO shows are portrayed as strong, masculine, openly gay men. Only Lowe, the sole African-American gay man who has appeared on a basic cable hour-long television drama is a closeted gay character. Since the â€Å"out† characters appear on HBO and the closeted character appears on basic cable, is it possible that an audience who can afford to pay for HBO is tolerant of t he representation of masculine gay men while an audience watching on basic cable is not tolerant of that representation? Or is HBO’s marketing campaign, â€Å"It’s not TV, it’s HBO† an experimentation with â€Å"genre, coupled with their strategy of distancing themselves from broadcast television culminating in a distinguishable brand name and a noticeable schism between pay cable and broadcast television† (Jaramillo 60). Or rather, is the HBO audience one that is able to pay for a subscription to HBO, just gazing at these characters? Are these characters just a twist on the â€Å"big black buck† stereotype for a post-modern audience – one comfortable with explorations of masculine, racialized, gay desire? HBO’s marketing certainly attempts to position itself as a step above broadcast TV, airing programming that is de... ...hough he is tall and strong, Julien’s masculinity is policed aggressively and violently by his peers. When the rumor spreads that Julien is gay, his fellow officers, beat and intimidate him. Despite his stature, Julien quietly submits to their threats and intimidation. Quite literally, Julien’s masculinity is â€Å"policed† by his fellow police officers. Much like Patricia Hill Collins’ assertion about controlling images and that representations of black women as mammies and matriarchs work as â€Å"powerful ideological justifications† for â€Å"intersecting oppressions of race, class, gender and sexuality† (p. 69) the same can be applied to the controlling images of black male masculinity, â€Å"the â€Å"faggot and the queen†. Controlling images function to justify various oppressions by distorting reality through reducing the stereotyped subjected black body to a controllable object.

Stones from the River Essay -- Stones from the River Germany Essays

Stones from the River 1. Synopsis of â€Å"Stones from the River† Trudi Montag was growing up during the World Wars in Burgdorf, Germany. She lived with her father, Leo, and helped him run their pay library. When she was young her mother, Gertrude, went insane, and died at the asylum. Trudi could remember how her mother used to run away, and after her father carried her home, he would lock her up in the attic, to try to prevent her from escaping again. She always did escape, and Trudi usually found her outside, hiding under the stairs. Trudi would spend time with her mother in the attic, or under the stairs. In the attic, the two would play with the paper dolls Leo gave his wife, and Gertrude would teach Trudi how to escape from the attic. Under the stairs, Gertrude told Trudi of her affair with her husband’s friend, Emil, and how she fell off his motorcycle one day, and skinned her knee. Her knee healed, but the stones could be felt beneath her skin if she let someone try to feel for them. That very same day Leo got shot in the kn ee in the First World War, and had to come home, and would forever walk with a limp. Gertrude blamed herself for her husband’s injury, just as Trudi blamed herself for her mother’s death. Trudi was born a dwarf, a Zwerg, in German. Trudi felt that if she were a normal baby/child, then her mother would have never tried to run away. Trudi thought that it was her fault her mother went insane, and had to go to an asylum, where her mother died. Although Trudi’s father told her it was not her fault her mom died, she blamed herself anyway. Trudi and her dad became close, and would spend their time playing, reading, walking, or working in the library together. At the end of the book, Trudi felt a great lose when her dad died the day after his birthday. Ever since his friend Emil died, and Mrs. Abramowitz was taken away for being a Jew in WW II, Leo grew weak, and seemed to give up his will to live. Trudi hated the fact that she was a dwarf, and began to hang from doorframes in attempt to stretch her body. She would also tie her mother’s scarves around her head to keep it from growing at night and pray everyday to grow. She asked the town doctor how to make her grow, and even drank some â€Å"magic potion† from a man who said it would make her grow. Trudi had no friends in school, and every child made fun o... ...can prison camps, the Americans kept their prisoners close to starvation, with only two bowls of soup per day.† He said, â€Å"that the Americans said it was only fair because the Jews got even less food in the KZs.† In short, American prisoners almost starved because the Jews did, so it was fair. Do you agree with this? Why? 7. Trudi and many others risked their lives hiding Jews in their houses. If you were confronted with this situation, what would you do? 8. Frau Simon saved a little Jewish girl from being stoned by a group of boys. If you witnessed the same thing, knowing that protecting Jews was against the law, would you have done the same as Frau Simon? Why? 4. Open ended questions continued 9. What are your feelings toward the Nazis? If you were confronted whether or not to turn in your family members, as Helmut was, would you? Why? 10. After WW II had ended, many Germans said, â€Å"It’s not good to dwell on the things that were terrible.† â€Å"Nobody wants to relive those years. We have to go forward.† If you were told this, would you agree or disagree? Would you want to talk of the War, or never hear of it again? Why?

Essay --

Walt Disney Every little girl and boy at some point in their life, wanted to be a Disney character of some sort whether it be Cinderella, Aladdin, Mushu, or even the famous Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney Company has been worldwide, and has had a moving impact on both children and adults since it first started in 1924. â€Å"All your dreams can come true – If we have the courage to pursue them† (Disney) Throughout Walt Disney’s life he has been an inspiration to all through his never-ending imagination, his magical theme parks, and his charming cartoons. Walt Disney was born in Chicago on 5 December 1901, the youngest of four sons, with a sister to follow. In 1906 his family moved to a forty acre farm in Marceline, Missouri. Walt’s father Elias, after four years of proving unsuccessful as a farmer and then being afflicted with typhoid, had to sale the farm and eventually move the family to Kansas City, Missouri. Walt would always speak of life in Marceline with a great sense of homesickness. To him the small town signified what was best about America. In Kansas City, Walt and his brother Roy helped their father deliver papers every morning and evening. A few years later they returned to Chicago, and while working several jobs, Walt took classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Hope 2 Arts, the only art training that he would ever get. Even though as a child he was told he had no imagination he didn’t let that stop him from doing what he truly loved to do. One of the ways he is an inspiration to all is through his willpower to never give up. Disney's cartoons became widely popular in the Kansas City area, and through their success, he was able to purchase his own studio, Laugh-O-Gram, unfortunately, studio profits were unable to cover the... ...ted, warm loving woman who loved every child. Travers, who died in 1996, became a rich woman thanks to the film royalties but refused to work with Disney again. The new film is a Disney production. Her experience with Hollywood executives was so bruising that she agreed to a Mary Poppins stage musical by Sir Cameron Mackintosh on the proviso that "no Americans" be involved in its creation. But in Hope 5 the end Marry Poppins ended up winning five Academy Awards including best actress for Dame Julie Andrews. Throughout Walt Disney’s life its seen that his never-ending imagination, his magical theme parks, and his charming cartoons have encouraged and thaught people that no matter what your circumstances, or how many time you have fallen down, you need to get right back up and try again, and never give up. Because, â€Å"If you can dream it, you can do it† (Disney).

Final Project: Financial Analysis

Two of the major competing companies that manufacture drinks are Coca-Cola, and Pepsi. They both produce regular water, flavored water, and soft drinks of many kinds. While this essay will explain what vertical and horizontal analysis is, it will also explain each company’s vertical and horizontal analyses. Also the ratios for each company will be given, and several examples as to how each company can improve in their financial status. The financial analysis of both companies is very important so both businesses can understand how they are being managed.It is very important for a company to keep up to date financial documents, audits, taxes, and other financial statements. This is the information needed to show what a company is doing with their finances and what they have done in the past. This information is also very useful for management to use and know what to do differently in future months or years. Information like this allows a company to grow, and have healthy produc tion going forward. Having this data also helps management, investors, and creditors know if there are any issues that have come up in the past that need to be worked on.While in competition, these two companies have continued to grow in size, market value, and profit sales. Since the beginning of their competition, both companies have ventured into new areas of sales, (such as snack foods, iced tea, and bottled water) and they continue to think of new ways to grow their business yearly. In order for both companies to continue to grow in the ways they foresee, they must have investors to invest money in the company.These current and potential investors will first look at both company’s financial statements and data, find as much information as possible needed to make a decision, then make a judgment call as to which company is the best investment at the time. By competing for the number one position of drink provider, both companies have continued to grow and prosper by creat ing new beverages throughout the years. Since they both have the advantage of being known on a global scale, they have been rated number one and two for many years.They have modeled practices that one another have followed in order that they could overcome any obstacles to worldwide manufacture and distributions. (The Coca Cola Company, 2009). Although they are two different companies, they produce somewhat similar products, and their distribution techniques and services are very similar also. Both companies continue to use the â€Å"follow up strategy†, which was used to explain that when one of the companies launched a new product the other would very quickly come up with a similar product or service.Using this method one could see why these two companies easily pass all other companies in the competition. Even though both these companies are both growing rapidly and gaining huge profits yearly, they have also had to deal with global issues, politics, and precedents. They b oth have taken risks getting into business with markets where they didn’t necessarily belong and where the risk was far too great. So they had to back out of some markets because of several issues that arose from those ventures. They had to find who their target audience was and begin to produce products that were specifically made for that group of people.By making it appear as if they are following the highest moral and ethical practices, they create a product that is focused towards a specific population. Then, even though other companies cannot compete at the level that Pepsi and Coke can, they also try to use the same target influences in global markets. There are three tools of the financial statement analysis: Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis. Each tool has a different function, but each helps to analyze important information and data that is in a financial statement.The Vertical Analysis, also called Common Size Analysis, is used to express data in a statement as a percent from the base amount. The base figure given represents the total assets of each company. The main starting point for the financial analysis is the total assets amount for each company. This becomes useful when a company wants to be able to see what percent of assets cash and other items represent. The Horizontal Analysis, also called Trend Analysis, is used to evaluate how a company performs within an accounting period to another accounting period.The change in percentages given can help a company to better see trends over a designated time frame. Lastly, Ratio Analysis is used to express a relationship among specific items on a financial statement. These relationships are give n in terms of a percent, or a rate. * To fully examine Pepsi I must look at the Consolidated Balance Sheet and take a look at the Current Assets, Current Liabilities, and Total Assets for years 2005 and 2004. After doing so I am able to calculate the Current Ratio for both years 2005, and 2004. The Current Ratio for 2005 is 10,454*/9,406*= 1. 11:1, and the Current Ratio for 2004 is 8,639*/6,752*= 1.28:1.To find the vertical analysis of both years I must first compute the current assets and divided them by the total assets for each year, I then get: 2005: 10,454*/31,727*= 0. 32949= 33%, and for 2004: 8,639*/27,987*= 0. 3867= 39%. Then for the horizontal analysis I got Assets: 31,727* – 27,987*27,987*= 0. 1336= 13. 3%, and for Liabilities: 17,476* – 14,464*14,464*= 0. 2082= 21%, which gives us the change in total assets. (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008) After examining The Coca-Cola Company’s Consolidated Balance sheet and using the Financial Accounting worksheet I have found the Current Ratios for both years (2005, and 2004).The Current Ratio for 2005 is 10,250*/9,8368= 1. 04:1, and the Current Ratio for 2004 is 12,281*/11,133*= 1. 10:1. When we use the current assets and divide them by the total assets for each year we can find the vertical analysis f or both years: 2005: 10,250*/29,427*= 0. 3483= 35%, and 2004: 12,281*/31,441*= 0. 3906= 39. 1%. By computing the change in total assets by percentage we can find the horizontal analysis of both the assets and liabilities: Assets: 29,427 – 31,441*/31,441*= -0. 06405= -6. 4%, and Liabilities: 13,072* – 15,506*/15,506* = -. 1570 = -15. 7%.(Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008)The total assets that we previously stated above can be used with other items on the company’s balance sheet. For example, the cost of sales for Pepsi in 2004 was $12,674* which gives the ratio percentage of 45. 3% in their total assets. In 2005, the cost of sales for Pepsi was $14,167*, which gives the ratio percentage of 44. 7% in their total assets. For Coke their cost of sales in 2004 was $7,674*, which yields the ratio percentage of 24. 4% in their total assets, and in 2005 their cost of sales was $8,195*. This gives us the ratio percentage of 27.8% in their total assets.Over the two years (20 04 and 2005) Pepsi’s cost of sales sold differed by a small amount of . 5%, Coke on the other hand an increase of 3. 4% in the same two year time frame. When looking at this information an increase in items sold does not always reveal a positive analysis, because this figure does not go far enough into detail as to whether the increase given is a positive measure. Net income will be the next item to be discussed for the two companies. In 2004, Pepsi had a net income of $4,212*; this gives us a ratio percentage of 15.1% of their total assets. In 2005, Pepsi’s net income was $4,078*.This shows that the ratio percentage of 13. 2% is Pepsi’s total assets for 2004. So between 2004 and 2005 there is a decrease in their net income of 1. 9%. Coke had a net income of $4,847* in 2004, and a net income of $4,872* in 2005. This gives a ratio percentage of 15. 4% of their total assets in 2004, and a ratio percentage of 16. 6% in 2005. Coke unlike Pepsi has an increase of 1. 2% over these two years. Now we will discuss the current liabilities of each company for 2004 and 2005.In 2004 Pepsi’s current liabilities totaled $6,752*, which is the ratio which is the ratio percentage of 24. 1%. For 2005 their current liabilities was $9,406*, which gives the ratio percentage of 29. 9%. This shows that there was a 2% increase in Pepsi’s assets. When looking at Coke their current liabilities for 2004 were $11,133* this gives us the ratio percentage of 35. 4%, and for 2005 their current liabilities was $9,836*. This shows a ratio percentage of 33. 4%. This information reveals to us that there was a 1% decrease in Coke’s liabilities from 2004 and 2005.Looking at both companies total liabilities continues to tell us even more information about their financial status. In 2004 Pepsi’s total liability was $14,464*, which is a ratio percentage of 51. 7%. While their total liabilities in 2005 were $17,476*, so the ratio percentage is 55. 1%. Th is reveals their 3. 4% increase in their total liabilities for 2004 and 2005. Coke on the other hand had a 4. 9% decrease in total liabilities within these two years. Their total liabilities in 2004 were $15,506* with a ratio percentage 49. 3%, and for 2005 their total liabilities were $13,072* with a ratio percentage of 44.4%.After reviewing all the information for both Pepsi and Coke we can conclude that both companies experienced lower net profits for the year of 2005 then in 2004. I think that both companies should look into fixing their operation so that they can reduce this expense, once this is done they can increase their profit margins. This will help to get rid of reductions in their profits that have seemed to be nonstop. Since Pepsi had a 5. 8% increase in liabilities and they only had a 2% increase in their assets, the increase in debt did not help the company.Pepsi would better benefit if they looked into finding strategies that would help in the reduction of their tot al current liabilities. At this time they should also not take on any new debts, instead they should work harder at increasing their total current assets. Coke on the other hand decreased their total current assets by 4. 3% in these two years. I think that Coke would be better off if they looked into increasing their total current assets also. One way to do this would be to increase their net profits which would then affect their assets.Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been around for a very long time, and together both companies have helped to take the beverage industry to the next level. Both being global companies, and selling products in over 100 countries, and producing many products that appeal to all kinds of people, they have continued to grow. Taking a look at each company’s vertical and horizontal analysis we were able to see the financial status of both companies. Though both of these companies are profitable, the analysis showed in more detail how different these companie s were in 2004 and 2005.