Merits and Demerits of Bariatric Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Literature review

Merits and Demerits of Bariatric Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Overweight and Obese Adults - Literature review Example Bariatric operations are basically grouped into totally restrictive, mostly restrictive, and mostly malabsorptive procedures (Ferrannini and Mingrone, 2009, p. 516) but the most common surgery performed is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass through which â€Å"between 33 and 77% of excess weight can be lost† (Buchwald et al., 2004, p. 1730). General consensus among clinicians is that the bariatric operations have proved to be particularly appreciative medical treatment for diabetes associated with obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Also research has it that all these surgical options are potentially capable of helping the diabetic patients in terms of fast recovery, weight adjustment, cardiovascular risk factors management, and significant reduction in mortality of 23% from a troubling 40% (Robinson, 2009, p. 521). Evidence about the role, credibility, and shortcomings of bariatric surgery as a thriving treatment option for type 2 DM is gathered through reviewing credible scientific j ournals and findings are discussed and scrutinized in this paper as an attempt to compare and contrast what different researchers have said on this subject so far. Literature Review For people having a BMI of at least 35 with significant comorbidities like diabetes, bariatric surgery is ruled out as a safe and healthy recommendation by the health care professionals as this is considered a wise decision with great payoffs (Robinson, 2009, p. 520). In a research study involving as many as 232 obese patients with type 2 DM from 1979 to 1994, it is claimed by MacDonald et al. (1997) that 154 out of them underwent gastric bypass operation and had their small intestines resected while the rest did not... Surgery is repeatedly claimed to be an effective early intervention for diabetes by different researchers. Much research has been done on the subject of effectiveness of bariatric surgery in weight loss and diabetes-related outcomes in the obese adults. Weight reduction is the first most strategy which should be considered by the diabetic patients as the progression rate of diabetes heavily relates to the obesity rate. A reduction in all-cause mortality is stressed in the literature on bariatric surgery and its implications because the surgical interventions largely aim at decreasing the weight as obesity in itself is a potential driver of many cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunctions. The charm of bariatric surgical interventions like gastric bypass surgery is that they are performed to achieve multiple targets and may or may not include weight loss depending on the situation. This means that diabetic patients of think physique can also go through bariatric surgery to have their di abetes treated only. However different sources cite that complications resulting from weight loss surgery vary and are frequent including nutritional deficiencies, kidney issues, bone fracture risks, postprandial diarrhea, and other metabolic bones diseases. Among the postsurgical complications, gastric dumping syndrome which involves bloating and diarrhea after meals forms the commonest complication of bariatric surgery performed to treat type 2 DM in overweight or obese adult patients.

Dynamic Domain Name Server Essay Example for Free

Dynamic Domain Name Server Essay The DNS is the IETF a standardized name service which enable the computer clients on a network to successfully register as well as resolve their DNS domain names. Such names are used in resource access by computers in a networked environment and from other connected networks. The Domain name space The DNS Name Server is a server that stores the domain name space and the related resource records. It also responds to queries requested by the DNS clients. The Domain Name Service query operation A query operation is issued by the DNS client to the DNS server to get either the entire or part of the resource record information that is associated to a certain domain. In case the domain and the resource record exist, the Domain Name Service responds to the query with required information in a form of query respond message. This replied query message changes the initial query and the response with the necessary records provided the DNS server is able to get the required resource record. The DNS query identified in the RFC 1034 is a typical query that comprise of the target domains name, the query class and the query type. A request for a particular resource record is submitted in the query for intended domain resolver. DNS Zones The DNS server that contains full information for a particular DNS name space is considered to have the authority on such name space. In addition, the authoritative information in the server is organized into smaller units referred to as zones that are the major units for DNS replications. The Domain Name Server administrator is responsible for the management and maintenance of DNS namespace, the DNS clients, the zone propagation, DNS zones, and the DNS servers. The administrator also maintains the network security through the anticipation and the control of the new security threats. The Domain Name Server administrator is concerned with the DNS integration with several other windows server services. Conclusion The Domain Name Server that stores full information for a particular DNS name space is considered to be authoritative on such a name space. References Mockapetris, P. , (2003). RFC 1034, Domain Names Concepts and Facilities. Atlanta . The Internet Society

Benchmarking With Costa Coffee And Caffe Nero Marketing Essay

Benchmarking With Costa Coffee And Caffe Nero Marketing Essay The organisation chosen for the report is Starbucks Corp. and the report would compare it with two similar companies, one being Costa Coffee and the other being Caffà © Nero. The report would highlight the frameworks underpinning the competitive position of Starbucks and also would identify and asses the economic and the competitive position of the firm. A financial model using appropriate ratio analysis would also be presented in a spreadsheet format identifying the industry trends and their impact on the performance of Starbucks vis-à  -vis Costa Coffee and Caffà © Nero. Both quantitative and qualitative data would be made available so as to provide an insight into Starbucks sustainable performance and prospects. Analysis of Starbucks operational, financial, organisational and marketing capabilities would be made available through application of PESTEL analysis, Porters 5 forces model, the Ansoff Matrix and the BCG Matrix. The report would also discuss the issues, the problems, the opportunities and the options available to Starbucks for future business growth, followed by conclusions to draw together all the variables identified. Recommendations would be provided for the company highlighting the direction it needs to take to ensure business profitability with comments on the suitability, acceptability and the feasibility of the options made available. INTRODUCTION The Starbucks Company was founded in Seattle in 1971 by Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Seigel with a vision to educate American consumers about the fine coffee drinking experience. In 1987 Howard Schultz took over the Starbucks Group. Starbucks is the number one in the industry, with more than 12,000 shops in more than 35 countries. Just within a couple of years they grew from a small coffee business house to a multi-million dollar player in the coffee industry by buying the best coffee available and providing the people with an unmatched store experience. Freshly brewed coffee is the main product offered by Starbucks along with other drinks which include cold and hot teas, cakes and pastries. The Starbucks coffee comes in a many varieties each possessing a different taste, aroma and flavour. INDUSTRY TRENDS AND MARKET ANALYSIS The market right now for gourmet coffee business is hot. All the multi-national fast food chains and street-corner shops want in on the boom. Many big companies are focused on the supply of specialty branded coffees and the economic stage is heating up. Specialty coffee industry is one of the fastest growing financial services globally. Growth in the coffee industry is continuously peaking, with many new overseas companies entering the market using policies offering exclusive perks and special discounts, despite the questionable quality of the coffee being used to increase the market share. A notable trend seen is that often a significant increase in sales occurs every time a cafà © starts to use branded consumables. The consensus is that these coffee drinks would be a long-term trend, with focus on elevating the customers taste for a product that they are familiar with and then leading them to the coffee stores to buy it. Many companies are also tinkering with expanding the food menus as well including an in-store display of sandwiches, fresh baked goods and many confectionary items. The newest trend is the drive-thru coffee stores. Starbucks has many such stores, all of which are seeing continual growth and long lines. Another trend includes customer requests for organic coffees, which has encouraged retailers to move towards the beans growing environment. The array of products offered has never been as wide, as retailers are adding more flavours to whole beans and creating variations to the basics of espresso and steamed milk. The clever retailers have added iced tea concoctions and coffee shakes to their menus to outdo competitors. Most specialty retailers now also retail whole beans and many such stores have added coffee grinders, espresso machines and other brewing supplies for add on sales. STARBUCKS ANALYSIS This part of the report would analyse the working of the business by application of PESTEL analysis, Porter 5 forces and the BCG Matrix. PESTEL Analysis POLITICAL Taxation policy High taxes levied on farmers in the bean producing countries, would consequently increase the rate at which Starbuck would buy the coffee beans and any such fluctuations in the taxation policy would certainly be passed on to the consumer, who now would have to purchase the end item at a higher price. International trade regulations and tariffs Trade issues would affect Starbucks directly when exporting and importing goods. When the government of the trading country imposes a tariff it would not only result in an efficiency loss for Starbucks but also such large income transfers can become inconsistent with equity. This extra charge would have to be borne by the consumers. Government stability A change in government policies has a direct impact on the taxation and legislation framework. Also the countries in political turmoil or civil war should be considered with great caution when considering probable market ventures. Employment law Reduction in the licensing and permit costs in coffee bean producing countries would consequently lower production costs for the farmers and any such saving would subsequently pass on to Starbucks when purchasing the raw materials and finally to the customers. ECONOMIC Interest rates High interest rates would mean putting off the investment and expansion plans of Starbucks, which would result in fewer earnings for the firm. Low interest rates should have the opposite effect. Economic Growth In periods of negative growth, the consumer incomes would fall leaving less disposable income thus impacting sales for Starbucks. Inflation rates Business costs will rise in times of inflation which would ultimately have to be borne by the consumer. Competitors pricing Competitive pricing from competitors would impact Starbucks pricing that would drive down the profit margin as they try to maintain their market share. Exchange rates If the currency value falls in a bean supplying country, Starbucks would get more for the same price, when importing the goods. This saving would be passed to the end consumer. SOCIAL Population demographics Identification of the target population at which Starbuck needs to aim their products is a significant factor in the business operations. The marketing campaign undertaken would focus accordingly. Coffee is a luxury product in some ways, so the people with the most amount of disposable income should be targeted. Working Population A large number of workers in big cities now go out for lunch and meals. Starbucks can cash this to their advantage by promoting the shop as a place where people can eat and meet, boosting the sales. TECHNOLOGICAL IT development Starbucks launched its first-generation e-commerce website in 1998. As a result, scalability and performance have improved, and the company now has the tools it needs to profile and target customers, analyse site data, and deliver new features to the market in the shortest time possible. New materials and processes Technology developments in coffee making machines and the computer systems that Starbucks use to operate their cash registers would enable the staff to work swiftly and efficiently. This results in customers being served quickly thus creating potential for serving more people in the day. Rate of technological change Technology is advancing at an astounding rate. Starbucks will need to invest majorly just to stand their ground in the always expanding and developing market, and also to try to stay ahead of competitors. ENVIRONMENTAL Pollution problems Starbucks customers create a lot of waste by disposing off the cup and the contents incorrectly. The material for the cup should be carefully selected to make it as biologically degradable as possible. Planning permissions Planning permission may not be granted to Starbucks if the construction would harm the environment. The land may be protected. Environmental pressure groups Starbucks should be aware of the influential and physical power of groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. Any violation of animal or environmental rights by a company is usually followed by a swift and attention-drawing protest from one of the groups. Brand image and customer bases are often irreconcilably tarnished due to the actions of these groups. LEGAL Trade and product restrictions Starbucks need to follow the trade laws of the countries where they have established businesses. They must ensure that they are not in violation of any local laws. Some countries impose a tariff that has to be paid accordingly when importing or exporting goods and this must be taken into account as well. Employment laws Each country has different employment laws, like limiting the number of hours a person can work per week, varying levels of minimum wage etc. Starbucks should be aware of such factors when considering business expansion. Health and Safety regulations By not maintaining high standards they would be liable for damages if found in violation as it is a legal requirement for them to enable that their staff and customers are safe when they are in their stores. PORTER 5 FORCES ANALYSIS New Entrants MID Buyer Power MID Supplier Power LOW Competitive Rivalry LOW Substitution Threat LOW 1. COMPETITIVE RIVALRY (Low) Starbucks is the leader in retailing and roasting of specialty coffee in the world. Major competitors include Costa coffee, Caffà © Nero, Seattles Best Coffee and secondary coffee providers such as McDonalds, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts. The competition is nowhere near to Starbucks volume of operations and sales. Consumption of coffee is not dependent on the price of the product but also on the differentiation between each product and several value adding variables such as the quality of customer services, brand, brand recognition and image of the company. Hence, Starbucks is not majorly sensitive to movements of other firms in this segment. 2. THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS (Mid) Starbuck is the world leader in its industry and has controlled access to distribution channels. Starbucks have extreme control over such distribution channels because of setting strict guidelines for the suppliers to follow. Starbucks is also constantly innovating and showing strong product differentiation to hamper the possibility of new entrants. However, the entry barrier for the industry is relatively low and any big firm where funding is not a problem, can be a potential entrant. Some of the more current and on-going threats of new entrants are Burger King, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts which can become a major problem in the near future. 3. BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS (Mid) A big threat to Starbucks is the absence of switching costs in the speciality coffee industry, customers face no switching costs in switching from Starbucks to Costa Coffee or Caffà © Nero for a cup of coffee. Also a threat to Starbucks is the ability of customers to brew their own coffee. Starbucks tries to counter this threat by offering the Preferred Office Coffee Providers and also provides directions for making a perfect cup of Starbucks coffee at home, that perfect cup of course includes all ingredients which have to be purchased from Starbucks Also with new entrants and competitors such as McDonalds who claim to offer premium roast coffee of reasonable quality for lower price, thus giving the customers some bargaining power. 4. BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS (Low) Central and South America produce coffee which is the second largest traded commodity in the world and Starbucks depends upon outside brokers and a mutually direct contact with exporters for supply of premium coffee beans. The quality of coffee beans sought by Starbucks is very high, proving to be a potential threat to the company. Only suppliers which meet Starbucks coffee standards are able to supply to the giant company. The supplying industry only has few firms which can deliver the quality giving them considerable bargaining powers. However, Starbucks counters this due to its massive size and being the primary buyer and also because of the importance of Starbucks business to any individual supplier as it would account for a large percentage of the total suppliers sales, thus reducing the bargaining power of suppliers. 5. THE THREAT OF SUBSTITUTION (Low) Substitute products are the products that can pose as a trade-off for the product being offered by a company. In the specialty coffee industry, substitute products can be soft drinks, tea, energy drinks, fruit juices and other caffeinated drinks. Here innovation would play a huge role. To counter this Starbucks have given their menus a complete revamp and have differentiated so many of their products which are now part of the main product line. The menu includes various teas, hot and cold coffee, baked goods and various confectionary items. The only true direct substitute for specialty coffee would be the basic coffee, which is of lower quality than specialty and as such does not present any threat. BCG MATRIX RELATIVE MARKET SHARE HIGH INDUSTRY SALES GROWTH RATE HIGH STARS ( Growth Strategy ) Global stores Market Penetration and Development Backward, Forward or Horizontal Integration LOW CASH COWS ( Stability Strategy ) Product Development and Differentiation Diversification U.S Stores ANSOFF MATRIX Present Product New Product Present Market Market Penetration: Hotels, Schools, Airlines, Grocery Stores, Businesses, and Industries Cafeteria Product Development: New Bold Fresh Lunch Programmes and Salads e.g. fiesta chicken salad, fruit and cheese platter New Market Market Development: Opening of stores all over the world. Expansion strategies into Brazil, Russia, Romania and India. Diversification: Music CDs, Clothing, Coffee Mugs and other accessories. STARBUCKS FINANCIAL ANALYSIS This part of the report would highlight the financial position of Starbucks using the annual reports and comprehensive ratio analysis for the financial years 2008, 2009 and 2010 which are enclosed in the appendix. 2008 In fiscal 2008, Starbucks experienced declining store sales in its stores, primarily due to lower customer traffic. The weaker traffic was caused due to number of on-going factors in the global economy such as the higher costs of gas, food, personal debt and rising levels of unemployment along with reduced access to consumer credit. In fiscal year 2008, store sales declined a margin of 8%. Consolidated operating income was $503.9 million in fiscal 2008, and operating margin for the year was 4.9% compared with 11.2% in the prior year. The 260 basis points of the decrease in operating margin were due to the restructuring charges, primarily related to the significant US store closures. EPS for fiscal 2008 was $0.43, compared to EPS of $0.86 per share earned in the previous year year. Restructuring charges and costs associated with the execution of the transformation agenda impacted EPS by approximately $0.28 per share in fiscal 2008. 2009 Financial year 2009 was a tough year for Starbucks. The recessionary economic environment stressed the consumer spending in the US and internationally, which impacted store sales, operating income, company revenues, and the operating margins negatively. Starbucks countered the affects and created a business model less dependent on high revenue growth to drive profitability margins. The strategy was to rationalize the global company operated store portfolio to reduce the cost structure and renewing the focus on customer service excellence. Starbucks had to close down about1000 stores. Steps that targeted reductions in the cost structure in FY 2009 proceeded according to plan, with full year costs of $581 million removed from the cost portfolio. The company created a strong financial foundation, with no short term debt outstanding at the end of FY 2009, with cash and liquid investments totalling more than $640 million. The strong financial position and the continuing strong cash flow generation allowed Starbucks the financial flexibility to implement the restructuring efforts. 2010 In fiscal 2010, revenues increased to a record $10.7 billion. Operating income increased by $857 million from  ¬Ã‚ scal 2009 to $1.4 billion. The full-year operating margin of 13.3 % represented the highest full-year consolidated operating margin in Starbucks history. Fiscal 2010 ended with the highest full-year comparable store sales growth that Starbucks have seen in the recent past, while the earnings per share also grew more than double from  ¬Ã‚ scal 2009. BENCHMARKING WITH COSTA COFFEE AND CAFFÉ NERO Starbucks is a US chain whereas both Costa Coffee and Caffà © Nero were established in the UK. Costa Coffee was setup in London in 1971 by Bruno and Sergio Costa and acquired by Whitbread PLC in 1995. Caffà © Nero was established by Gerry Ford in 1997 in the UK. The comparison would be carried out using the financial information of the three firms which is available in the appendix. The comparison would majorly be based on the UK market. There are 1,175 Costa Coffee shops in Britain as compared to 731 of Starbucks and 440 of Caffà © Nero. A comprehensive business analysis of Starbucks has already been supplied in the above report; this part would focus on the business analysis of Caffà © Nero and Costa Coffee individually followed by a coherent conclusion of the findings. Costa Coffee According to the financial data available operating profit grew by 59.5% to  £36.2  million; 312 new stores were acquired or opened and like for like sales increased by 5.6%. Costa operates in 24 countries and is the number two international coffee shop operator with more than 1,600 stores. Sales performance improved strongly across the year, confirming the brands resilience, even in a recessionary environment. Caffà © Nero The groups 60% equity is held by the Ford family, the rest 30% by a private equity firm Paladin and 10% with the management. Caffà ¨ Nero has recently completed a  £140m refinancing to fund the businesss future growth goals. The business more than 500 outlets in the UK and internationally and has registered 54 consecutive quarters of positive like-for-like stores growth, it is forecast to generate  £32m in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the 12 months to May 2011. Revenue for the same period is forecast to reach  £170m, an increase of 12% on the previous year. The new financial structure would provide the Group with a financial platform to support its growth ambitions and expansion plans both in the UK and internationally. Nero has a lot of ups including strong brand positioning, intensive marketing campaigns and a clear differentiation point. However, there are some weaknesses, one of them being lack of experience in going international, thus some problems could arise while penetrating foreign markets. Though both the companies Costa and Nero are well established in the UK market, Starbucks is the industry leader in the world and is a major competition to them in the UK. Financial turnover of the Starbucks Group is so massive that it provides them with all the capital requirements to innovate and differentiate their product from the 2 competitors; it already has established a sizeable market share in the UK, but still needs to take over Costa Coffee which it should be able to do in the near future, looking at the financial figures provided and the international global strategy adopted by the group which seems very promising. ISSUES FACING STARBUCKS A major challenge that Starbucks is dealing with is the current financial crunch in the world economy forcing them to call closures of many stores around the world. Also another challenge that Starbucks is facing is with is competitors. There are many coffee shops all over the world and to be able to stand out and to generate loyal customers is very important. Their main competitors are McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Nestle in the US and brands like Costa Coffee and Caffà ¨ Nero in the UK, the two major markets for Starbucks. It is critical for Starbucks are aware of their competitors and know what they are currently doing. Also Starbuck coffees are priced higher than other market competitors because of Starbucks only purchasing the highest quality coffee beans for their product, thus increasing the price of the drink. As Starbucks have many competitors, this can be a potential advantage to for such competitors. Also Starbucks inadequate marketing strategy on advertising is a hindrance in the business growth opportunities. They prefer to build the brand by promoting the drinks cup-by-cup with customers. The advertisement ends until they drink the coffee, reducing the chances to attract valuable customers. Starbucks also does not emphasize on distributing their products to supermarket because of being concerned with the quality of the coffee; if the coffees were packaged into plastic bags. Also the rigorous expansion strategy followed by Starbucks can take a toll on the firms brand image. As a company grows there would be a tendency to focus heavily on increasing the output and store locations, thus focussing less on the quality and brand image. Starbucks needs to stay with its values and ideals that have made it successful. Also Starbucks policy of not franchising can be a cause of concern for the firm. Franchising would allow the company to open many new stores with less risk, and make considerable profits in doing so. Because of this the firms research and development costs would fall making use of the franchisee knowledge of the local market in terms of geographic, psychographics, demographics, and the local country regulations. CONCLUSION AND RECCOMENDATIONS Starbucks has to effectively pursue a Focus-Based Strategy in conjunction with differentiation and cost leadership based strategy. Being a lower cost store will increase the difference between Starbucks and provide it with a competitive edge. At present, Starbucks competitors are attempting to specialize in the coffee business, therefore Starbucks must pursue focus strategy to increase its strength. Starbucks must reduce their product price by producing a new product of coffee using cheaper beans or can come out with special discounts and promotions to reduce cost, thus increasing sales enabling Starbucks to enter new low cost markets and increase profitability. Also needs to focus on building alliances in new markets/countries to reduce management focus and benefit from the local and experience curves. Should focus on advertising the brand through internet services for users to access, do road shows, hand out brochures etc. so that consumers become more aware of the brands strong international presence and brand name. Market penetration and market development will help increase the sales. Access unexplored distribution channels like making available packaged Starbucks coffee for consumers by displaying it nationwide in various convenience and shopping stores and not only Starbucks stores. Starbucks must adopt twin policies of Product Development and Product-Market Diversification to counter the stiff competition in international markets. There needs to be concentration of efforts in the product development so as to focus majorly on making the existing products better. Product and market diversification can be modelled through research and development coupled with creativity and innovation. Product differentiation would be an excellent defence against the threat of the bargaining power of buyers. Developing new products lines may offset such potential risks. A strategy should be formulated to tackle the competition by entering into long-term contracts and agreements with the food service companies which could be the potential competitors. This way their coffee would be sold at these competitors outlets providing access to more markets and increase sales while decreasing the competition. Starbucks must be a first mover into markets with their new products and ideas. Being a first mover into developing international markets would be the appropriate way for Starbucks to build their customer loyalty and upholding its image as the innovative company that it is. Starbucks should also locate the store operations in possible high traffic and visibility areas. The company should take adequate care in picking such locations. It is of prime importance that Starbucks international stores reflect their trademark uniqueness in their location and layout. Having locations in a variety of areas will ensure large market exposure. REFRENCES Johnson, Scholes (2008) Exploring Corporate Strategy, 8th edition, FT Pitman Whittington Vaitilingam, R.(2005) Financial Times Guide to Using the Financial Pages, FT Prentice Hall Holmes, Sugden Gee (2008) Interpreting Company Reports Accounts 10thed, FT Prentice Hall Brealey, Myers Allen (2003) Principles of Corporate Finance 9thed McGraw Hill Miller, A (1998) Strategic Management, 3rd edition, McGraw Hill Grundy, T et al (1998) Exploring Strategic Financial Management Prentice Hall Buckley, A et al (1998) Corporate Finance Europe McGraw Hill Barker, R (2001)Determining Value valuation models and financial statements, FT Pitman Fraser L Ormiston A (2001) Understanding Financial Statements, Prentice Hall Shapiro A Balbirer S (2000) Modern Corporate Finance Prentice Hall Chorafas D (1995) Financial Models Simulation St Martins /Macmillan Watson D Head A (2001) Corporate Finance Principles Practice FT Prentice Hall Starbucks (2010) Company Profile [Online] Available from: http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/company-profile-feb10.pdf [Accessed 11th May 2011] Starbucks (2010) Recognition [Online] Available from http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/starbucks-recognition-jan2010.pdf [Accessed 2nd May 2011] Iwata (2006) Owner of small coffee shop takes on java titan Starbucks [Online] Availablefrom:http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2006-12-20-starbucks-usat_x.htm[Accessed 1st May 2011] Jagger (2008) Starbucks profits dive by 97% [Online] Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5127267.ece[Accessed 2nd May 2011] Linn (2008) Starbucks to close 600 stores in the U.S[Online].Available from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25482250/ns/business retail/[Accessed 2nd May 2011] Thompson (2008) Starbucks blames UK for weak performance[Online].Available from:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/starbucks-blames-uk-for-weak-performance-1012568.html [Accessed 3rd May 2011] Bowers (2010) Starbucks losses in UK rise to  £10m [Online].Available from:http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/09/starbucks-losses-rise-recession[Accessed 6th May 2011] Guardian.co.uk (2010) Starbucks triples profits to $240m [Online].Available from:http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/21/starbucks-triples-profits-coffee[Accessed 14h May 2011] BBC.co.uk (2010) Starbucks profits jump as sales climb[Online].Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11699561 [Accessed 19th May 2010] Weber (2011) Preserving the Starbucks Counter Culture [Online]. Available from:http://www.workforce.com/section/recruiting-staffing/feature/preserving-starbucks-counter-culture/[Accessed 16th May 2010] Starbucks (2011) Investor Relations [Online] Available from http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518p=irol-irhome[Accessed 3rd May 2011] Dobson (2011) www.statistics.gov.uk (2011) Employment [Online] .Available from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=12 [Accessed 10th May 2011] Hoovers.com (2011) Starbucks Corporation [Online].Available from http://www.hoovers.com/company/Starbucks_Corporation/rhkchi-1.html [Accessed13th May 2011]

Brown v. Board of Education: A Step Towards Equality Essay -- Brown ve

Brown v. Board of Education: A Slow Yet Significant Step Towards Equality On May 17, 1954, in the landmark court case of Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously outlawed racial segregation in public schools. The court decision, in light of the continual endeavor of African Americans to ban racial segregation, came hardly surprising. Still, the prohibition of school segregation stirred up hot debates throughout the country and was met with strong opposition, violence, and inertia in the South, where the law mandated school segregation. James Baldwin, an African American writer noted for his ability of weaving narrative and argument and intermixing public and privates experiences, also joined the army of critics. In his essay â€Å"Down at the Cross,† he cites the Supreme Court ruling as an example to help manifest his view that white Americans are reluctant to give sincerely anything to their black counterparts and that concessions made to African Americans are due to Cold War politics. While without doubt Baldwin has more aut hority than most outsiders today in any discussion of the African American experience in the 50s and 60s, he, as a product of this tumultuous era of intense racial hatred, can hardly be considered objective. Indeed, Baldwin is over-cynical in his analysis of Brown v. Board of Education, and his vision of civil rights struggle is too idealistic. A New York Times article published on May 18, 1954, reported in detail the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education and its aftermath. In regards to the High Court’s 9-0 decision, Chief Justice Earl Warren said that racial â€Å"segregation of children in public schools†¦even though physical facilities and other ‘tangible’ factors may be e... ...1995. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347. â€Å"Dilemma in Dixie.† Time 20 February 1956: 76. â€Å"Editorial Excerpts From the Nation’s Press on Segregation Ruling† New York Times 18 May 1954: 19. â€Å"Historians Laud Court’s Decision† New York Times 18 May 1954: 17. Huston, Luther. â€Å"High Court Bans School Segregation: 9-to-0 Decision Grants Time to Comply.† New York Times 18 May 1954: 1+ â€Å"Ruling Tempers Reaction of South.† New York Times 18 May 1954: 20. â€Å"The Slow March of Integration After 7 Years, 7 Per Cent.† U.S. News & World Report 28 Aug 1961:46. â€Å"What Negroes Want Now.† U.S. News & World Report 28 May 1954: 54-59. Zirkel, Sabrina, and Nancy Cantor. â€Å"50 Years After Brown v. Board of Education: The Promise and Challenge of Multicultural Education.† Journal of Social Issues 60.1 (2004): 1-15.

A Study on the Relevance of Punctuality, Completeness and Accuracy

A Study on the Relevance of Punctuality, Completeness, Accuracy and Conformance to Requirements in the Architectural Profession Abstract:The Architectural Profession is God-like. Being a professional, an Architect is known as a designer of his world. Basically he is trained to design, to plan and to construct buildings and human settlements. The practice of an architect, where architecture means to offer or render professional services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings, that have as their principal purpose human occupancy or use.A central issue in architectural profession is time management and work ability of an architect. The researcher noted all the basic ethics of an architect. Being punctuality is one of the basic. Architects are professionals who deal with professionals most of the time. Time is always of the essence. You have to transact at the agreed time always. Any dela y caused on your part is an inconvenience to the other party. Completeness and accuracy ethics can be performed at work with full of effort. Completeness and accuracy make the design perfect. Conformance to requirements is also indeed part of the basic ethics of an architect. Accompanying material: HR Profession MapConformance to requirements is the capability to follow all existing laws or decrees that were designed or enacted to serve the welfare of the majority. In conforming to requirements, an architect assures the safety of life and property involved particularly in architectural designs. It all boils down to professionalism. Keywords: Professionalism, punctuality, completeness, accuracy, architecture, ethics, conformance, creator, capability, relevance. Introduction The UAP (United Architects of the Philippines) Architect’s National Code Document Series 200 entails the code of ethical conduct.It includes the architect’s responsibilities in relation to the people, to his clients, contractor, manufacturers, dealers and agents, relation to his colleagues and subordinates. These responsibilities cannot stand to an architect unless he has moral values, passion, confidence and respect to the career he chose. But what is a name without a goo d attitude? The architect should know the importance of punctuality so that his work will be presented on the appointed time. His services should meet the necessity of his client; it ust be complete, accurate and conform to the requirements. 1 Objectives * To study the Importance of Punctuality, Completeness, Accuracy and Conformance to Requirements in Architectural Profession. * To know what are the right ethical conduct in Architectural Profession. 2 Methodology This study made use of the descriptive method. * To gather information through internet, books, media about the developing an understanding of professional ethics. * Personal interview with the architects who have been practicing the architectural profession and ask questions about the study. Output * To be able to pass a term paper about the Study on the Relevance of Punctuality, conformance, accuracy, and conformance to requirements in Architectural Profession. * To be able to form conclusions and recommendations about t he topic. Content 1. Professionalism and Ethics Architectural education should begin with students developing an understanding of professionalism and ethics. a. To students, develop the punctuality by attending the lectures in college on time; or at least on the learning stage. b.A curricular framework that recognizes the importance of a broad education including general studies, architectural studies and electives. c. Knowledge of the diverse needs, values, and behaviours that characterise different cultures and the implications of this diversity on the community roles and responsibilities of architects. d. Legal principles and ethical issues in practice. 2. The Architect’s Code of Ethics a. I shall work with this general objective – which my duty is not only to myself, but also to my Country and God. b.I shall uphold the ideals and follow the norms of conduct of a noble profession and endlessly endeavour to further its just ends. c. I shall humbly seek success not th rough the measure of solicited personal publicity, but by industrious application to my work, strive to merit a reputation for quality of service and for fair dealing. d. I shall ask from all, fair remuneration for my services while expecting and asking no profits from any other source. e. I shall hold the interest of my Client over and above any self-interest for financial returns. f.I shall exercise my professional prerogatives always with impartially and disinterestedness. g. I shall avoid any private business investments or venture which may tend to influence my professional judgement to the detriment of the trust placed upon me. h. I shall inspire by my behaviour the loyalty of my associates and subordinates and takes upon me the mentorship of the aspirants to the profession. i. I shall confine my criticisms and praises within constructive and inspirational limits and never resort to these means to further malicious motives. j.I shall dedicate myself to the pursuit of creative endeavour towards the goal of enlightened Art and Science, generously sharing with colleagues, friends and strangers alike the benefits of my experience and experiments. 3. The Importance of Punctuality Figure 1 A white businessman in a suit, holding a briefcase and sticking out from an arm of a cuckoo clock upon the hour of 9am, symbolizing punctuality. Punctuality is the most important habit that people need to develop. It’s a great virtue to be present on the appointed time. A punctual person is always one step ahead of others.Frequently when a person say plan work and work plan. But if you don’t start your work promptly, how can you become a better person in your life? According to Arch. Alexander Timbang(2011), â€Å"–you have to manage your time, don’t let time manage you. Be on time always. † When at work, to give time for a meeting or a site visit and not to be present there on time creates a bad impression. It should be the other way. An a rchitect shall be so particular about the time that others around you shall be alarmed about it. An architect must take note the possible time required to travel along the street. You must start on time.Don’t be use giving unreasonable excuses when you are late. It’s a bad habit. If you are late just say, â€Å"Sorry for the delay†. To avoid uncertainty and to be punctual, a diary habit will help a lot. If the meeting was cancelled or postponed it should be announced in advance not at the last minute. To avoid overlapping of the appointments, you must check your schedules on your diary, so you can give time to other appointment. Just give enough time gaps between the two successive appointments. * How to be punctual in work: a. Be considerate Think about how you would feel if someone else was late at your expense.Realize that it makes you look unreliable, even though you may be only a little late. If you are always waiting on someone, don’t try to figure out how you can be later than her/him. Use the time instead to read a book or something. b. Finish things early leave as little as possible to be done in the morning, you will be groggy then and everything you do will take longer than normal. If there were things you couldn’t finish in time the night before make a list of them and put them somewhere you can see quickly as you are getting ready in the morning. c. Put a clock everywhere unless you are in the habit of wearing and looking at wristwatches every now and then, having a clock at all your rooms helps you keep track of time. You can put alarms on your clocks so it goes off every half an hour or something, to let yourself know how much time is passing by and working accordingly. d. Set ahead your time – if you are a little late for everything you do, setting your clocks a few minutes ahead is a good idea. It’s up to you how much you set it ahead by, I know someone who has it ten minutes ahead. If it comes to a point where setting the time ahead isn’t working anymore, just change it again.You can set events earlier in your calendar too, schedule any projects due to be finished a day or two earlier than the actual due date. e. Prioritize – if you are running late, stop and think, for just a few seconds, what must be done now and what can be done later. This puts your tasks in priority and is a good way to organize and find time to do the things you need to without sacrificing time. It’s refreshing to get things done in time. When we know we are going to be late, we always think about it, or at least have it at the back of our thoughts. Once you get in the habit of doing things timely, you feel more reliable at yourself.It feels like a burden has been lifted off of you. 4. The Importance of Completeness and Work Accuracy In almost every line of work it is important if not critical that work be done accurately. Yet, there is a significant portion of the population fo r whom excellence, accuracy and attention to detail do not come naturally. The methodology corrects this and opens a critical doorway to career advancement. According to * The responsibilities of the Architect As the prime design professional, the architect assumes primary contractual responsibility to the owner for accuracy and completeness of the work of architect’s consultants.If something goes wrong, the architect can be held contractually liable to the owner for services improperly perform their services in accordance with applicable standards of professional practice, and failure to do so may result in their liability to injured parties. However, their failure to meet the standard of care may also make the architect contractually liable to the owner. The architectural profession has changed dramatically in recent years due to technological advancements. Computers and other electronic devices have improved the speed and accuracy of design and provided convenience for arc hitects.Despite these developments, there are some traditional tools that are still widely used in the architectural profession. Architects should be comfortable utilizing technology as well as more traditional methods of design. * Tools can be use of Architects to make their work accurate and complete: a. Computers Most architects work extensively with computers, using them to develop design ideas or draft construction documents using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Word processing software is used to write specifications, proposals and other documents. b. Large Format Printers or PlottersArchitects typically work with large-format drawings on 24 by 36-inch or larger paper. Most architectural firms have their own large-format printers or plotters to print and copy computer-generated drawings. c. Digital Photography Digital cameras enable an architect to document existing site conditions for future reference or for use in presentation images. Photographs help the architect rem ember important site characteristics that will influence the design. d. Measuring Devices Architects use measuring tapes or laser measuring tools to take accurate measurements on site, ensuring that their designs are accurate and feasible.An architectural scale, a type of ruler, is used for measuring scaled construction documents, or to scale down real-world measurements to a size that will fit on paper. e. Sketching Materials Even with computer software advancements, it is often quicker and easier for an architect to carry a sketchbook to jot down important notes and brainstorm design ideas as they occur. Tracing paper is still commonly used to sketch design modifications over existing drawings. f. Manual Drafting Tools CAD technology has almost completely replaced manual drafting, but some architects still prefer to draw by hand.Most architectural schools still teach manual drafting as a required skill. A drafting board, parallel rule, triangles, compass, drafting pencils and inki ng pens are some commonly used tools for hand drafting. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. http://www. di. net/articles/archive/3229/Professional_and_Ethics_in_Architectural-Education_DesignIntelligence. htm Nov. 3, 2011 [ 3 ]. ARCHITECT’S NATIONAL CODE, UAP DOC. 200, CODE OF EHTICAL CONDUCT, 1979. [ 4 ]. Importance of Punctuality in work,www. oppapers. com/essays/Importance-Of-Punctuality/194688

Business Btec

Definition of marketing is the management process through which goods and services move from concept to the customer. For example, new Apple products are developed to include improved applications and systems, are set at different prices depending on how much capability the customer desires, and are sold in places where other Apple products are sold.Marketing is based on thinking about the business in terms of customer needs and their satisfaction. The overall concept of marketing is a management philosophy according to which a irm's goals can be best achieved through identification and satisfaction of the customers stated and unstated needs and wants. Companies should identify the needs of their customer and produce products and services to satisfy those needs.The production concept is a philosophy that consumers will favour products and services that are widely available and highly affordable and that management should therefore focus on improving production and distribution effici ency this is relevant to Nike as they do this with small products cheaper products such as accessories and ports equipment relying on economies of scale to make profit on products that are priced cheaper.Private sector can be explained as a business owned by private individual or groups and there main aims and objective and one of those objectives is to make a profit, and growth mean that they can -maximise their profits by reinvesting in the business. The main aim of a private sector business is survival as they want the business to last and not go bust. The main aim and objectives of my two business which are Apple and Nike theirs is to remain marketing leader in there industry.Public sector is part of an economy that is controlled by the government and is not run for profit such as schools and hospitals. The Voluntary sector is part of the economy that consists of non-profit making organisation such as charities and is run by volunteers. The public sector and voluntary measure th eir progress not by profits but with other factors such as service provision, growth of range of provisions, cost limitations and meeting quality.Service provision the act of performing a task for a business or person that wants or requires it in exchange for acceptable ompensation. A business that using service provision needs high quality trained staff such as the fire department that are available to preform what is need of them in a situation and doing the Job to the best they can. Growth of range of provisions is the number of services a public or voluntary sector do and the quality they do such a school offering extra courses things such as after school clubs to helps the student's and develop.Cost limitation is used to see if the businesses have used the funds they have at had adequately as for public sector organisations such as school hey will need to distribute the money they receive to get the best out of there students. Meeting quality standards are used in the public an d voluntary sector as for hospitals they rely on this as lives are in danger and will need to provide a standard to the people seeking help.Marketing objectives the group of goals set by a business when promoting its products or services to potential consumers that objectives may be based on factors other than survival and growth. Market leadership is the position of a company with the largest market share or highest profitability margin in a given market for goods and services. Market share may be measured by either the volume of goods sold or the value of those goods. This links both to Nike and Apple as they are the market leaders in the given markets.Brand awareness is the likelihood that consumers recognise the presence and availability of a company's product or service. Creating brand awareness is one of the key steps in promoting a product both for Nike and Apple they do this very well as they are recognised globally plus have such iconic logos that are easily recognisable. P erception of customers is a marketing concept that encompasses customer's impression awareness and/or consciousness about a company or its offerings.Customer perception is typically affected by advertising, reviews, public relations, social media, personal experiences and other channels. Ansoff was known best for developing a strategies he Identified as the four categories for growing and the categories are market penetration, marketing development, product development and diversification. Market penetration the activity or fact of increasing the market share of an existing product, or promoting a new product, through strategies such s bundling, advertising, lower prices, or volume discounts.Marketing development is the act of increasing the total market served by a company by finding new customers and markets, or providing new products to existing customers and markets. An example of this for Nike is their sports clothes and trainers are always developing and coming out with new id eas. Product development this strategy entails finding new markets for existing products. Market research and further segmentation of markets helps to identify new groups of customers. An example for Nike is producing a new winter line or a new product or material such as Dri-fit.Diversification this involves moving new products into new markets at the same time. It is the most risky strategy. The more an organisation moves away from what it has done in the past the more uncertainties are created. However, if existing activities are threatened, diversification helps to spread risk. Survival strategies are used by many businesses as they are faced with having to develop there strategies to survive such as economising the business to reduce expenses. This would lead to the business being less profitable and have a smaller market impact and awareness.In business a rand is a unique design, sign, symbol, words, or a combination of these, employed in creating an image that identifies a pr oduct and differentiates it from its competitors making it stand out and easy to remember. The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding is used by both businesses as they have brand name, a logo and a slogan. They are both such powerful brands worldwide. They both have brand extension and are always looking to keep brand building as well as both do brand extension.