Starbucks Case Study Essay Example

Starbucks Case Study Essay Conner A Intro to Business 3/26/2013 Case Study Consumer Behavior in the Coffee Industry Did you know one franchise alone dominated an entire payment-processing market in just one year? You might have heard of this giant company by the name Starbucks. Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, had a significant role in the company’s growth. Starbucks has steadily dominated the coffee market and has even extended to being a 3rd home for many of its consumers. Based in Seattle, Starbucks had significant competition when it opened its first store in the Pike Place market in Seattle, yet still managed to become superior. Starbucks used new advertising tactics and presented a unique experience for its customers, all of which was a game changer in the business world. Starbucks was created when three friends opened a small store to sell coffee beans and roast in 1971[1]. Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowler and Zev Siegl opened their store in the heart of the unique open air market in downtown Seattle. Located just off the harbor, Pike place market was the optimal location and attracted many residents and tourists. After ten years of incredible growth, Jerry Baldwin hired Howard Schultz as head of management. When Schultz first started, he slowly learned the coffee industry and helped made subtle but significant changes. For example, Schultz noticed that â€Å"first-time customers sometimes felt uneasy in the stores†[2] so he developed â€Å"customer-friendly sales skills and produced brochures that made it easy for customers to learn about fine coffees†2 Schultz had the vision of making Starbucks a coffee lounge versus a bar after being inspired by eastern traditions. We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Even though he did not agree with the new direction, Baldwin allowed Schultz to open one espresso bar and in 2 years, Schultz was able to buy out Baldwin and equity owners with the help of investors in 19921. Howard Schultz initially saw the power of consumer behavior early on when he realized Starbucks began to be a social gathering mecca for people instead of just an espresso stand. When Schultz first noticed the ‘seismic change in consumer behavior,’ he adopted a free-Wi-Fi service and mobile payment service and noticed that Starbucks began to attract people as if it was a third home for coffee enthusiasts. Although he jokes about not getting rent from consumers, it allowed Starbucks to create an online-experience in their ‘3rd home’ which was unique to the coffee scene in the United States. With scheduled deliveries and privatized ad networking, Starbucks was maximizing its profits and allowing an experience for coffee enthusiasts that did not make them feel locked-into paying. This shift in consumer behavior was in response to the cultural need for a place between home and work. As social beings, humans thrive for an excuse to hang out and socialize or participate in a community environment. This amazing experience that Starbucks supplied needed to be fine-tuned like any business plan. Like any business, Starbucks had challenges, such as their management of spending. In an interview entitled Business Brilliant, Schultz said that too much was focused on the customer instead of the infrastructure. To improve this, Schultz developed a unique experience in the store with the paired pastry-drinks and released free Wi-Fi for customers. In addition to free-Wi-Fi, mobile payments allowed consumers to avoid lines and continue their private work in the confines of the lounge. Soon Starbucks was thriving and announced that â€Å"the opening of 150 new stores in five years significantly exceeded the 1987 business plan’s objective of 125†[3]. Like every company, Starbucks faced unique issues in their business which slowed down growth initially which in effect slowed down growth in the long run. Schultz attributed the biggest hold-back in the long run to not investing in the supply chain, technology or manufacturing. Although Starbucks was marketing their franchise extremely well, they did not invest ahead of the growth curve and the infrastructures became under-par. In the Business Brilliant, Schultz candidly admitted that Starbucks â€Å"solely accelerated growth of the company. † Moreover, Schultz said the issue was that Starbucks â€Å"needed competency well beyond the size of the company and needed the kind of capability they didn’t have. † Since their infrastructure’s efficiency in the short run was hindered by technological limitations coupled with access to capital, the entire store chains needed to be shut down. Schultz defined the event as a need to redesign their image and retrain their employees. Starbucks was losing grip on the customers and their loyalty because the experience of Starbucks was losing its unique features. All of these internal and external issues that Starbucks was facing were all connected with values and company image according to Schultz. Schultz was so specific with the Starbucks experience that when he smelt burning cheese in a store he decided to ask the workers and they told him â€Å"So what, profits are up! † Soon after this, Schultz decided to close down and retrain all stores and employees. He sent out a press release admitting that Starbucks was misrepresenting itself. Although no one had accused or criticized Starbuck’s prior to his declaration, it was a bold move which negatively impacted the financial strength of the Company. However, the action proved loyal to the consumer and enhanced brand loyalty for Starbuck-addicts. This root issue of misrepresentation in the Starbuck’s experience and the company vision was so significant to Schultz that he needed rework his company from the ground up. This road block of ‘conserving the core businesses’ and ‘pushing for relevant innovation’ made Schultz tweak and adjust the Starbucks experience constantly but effectively. While Schultz attributes the root issue for Starbucks to be company image and adapting core values, could it be possible that the vision and image were not correctly portrayed because of unwise funding? Schultz does admit the funding issues contributed to the core issue of misrepresentation of company image and values, but he does not see the two issues in separate environments. Schultz assigns the core issue to misrepresentation and the surface symptoms to be funding. However, more funding or a different funding plan with more focus in infrastructure would have changed the outcome. The core issue was funding and the symptoms of the core issues were misrepresentation because of resource allocation. While their short term fixed costs of infrastructure and labor were solved, their reserved and recurring allocation towards the upgrades of their infrastructure lacked significantly. If properly funded before and seen ahead of the curve, their growth could have been anticipated. This is evident through the need to shut down and retrain employees. It’s clear that the total fixed and variable costs exceeded their revenue initially. Like all companies, there was a start-up curve but when the curve was dealt with, resource allocation was not the focus. The best plan of action ideally would start with addressing resource allocation. Starbucks was able to stay in business and have great growth so it’s clear the management was able to properly allocate their average variable costs and fixed costs for the most part. Nevertheless, it would have been best if the costs were optimized and revenue was set aside for changes in infrastructure. Funding should have been directed at things which would have produced stability in the long run. This would have lowered their total costs and properly funded their infrastructures for the long run and short run. Schultz should have looked at the management immediately after buying out the company and properly hired people with skills that would be able to guide Starbucks through significant growth. Investment in infrastructure to avoid long-term costs would have saved Starbucks from funding issues at later times. In addition to optimizing their infrastructure for the long run, Starbucks needed to invest more in manufacturing and supply chain for the success in the long run. For example, Starbucks should have initially allocated more funding towards small upgrades in their infrastructure such as ovens versus microwaves to avoid unpleasant scents in the customer’s experience. This also connects to Schultz’s emphasis on hiring employees and affiliates based on similar values. If the decision to hire those employees would have initially been more focused on similar values in addition to management skills, the variable costs to upgrade the infrastructure in the long run would have been lower because the management would have been more motivated to deal with the issue before the CEO had to see the symptoms. Finally, the management of Starbucks needed to choose their employee’s more wisely from the start. If Schultz would have chosen his employee’s based on the similarity of their values and the company vision, little issues such as smell in the customer’s experience would have been dealt with more efficiently. This connects to optimizing their infrastructure but focuses on the employees instead of the technology. It’s important to treat both with separate solutions because Schultz reminded us that the employees can only work with the assets they are provided with. This small change in the focus of the start-up of the company could benefit the image of Starbucks very efficiently and in a cost-productive way. Schultz jokes about not getting rent from Starbucks admirers yet he also notes that the potential to plug into the social media of the internet and create the environment was more beneficial than the issue of customers hanging out inside the store. The evolving Starbucks experience caused consumers to have incredible brand loyalty over alternatives such as Pete’s Coffee and Tea and Tullies. Yet the quick and agile response of technology was exactly what Starbucks needed to put it ahead of the ‘growth curve’ in social media while its competitors struggled behind. Schultz’s solutions were effective in the short run but he still realized his long run potential was limited by resource allocation. The problem with Starbucks and consumers was not the shift in demand for coffee consumers but it was resource allocation and initial planning. Howard Schultz’s plan of action was headed in the right direction apart from the minor mix-up between the surface symptoms and the core issue. In addition to new work practices, Schultz integrated new management and had to let go many of the people he knew were limited to the knowledge of the short-term. This new resource allocation towards what Schultz called ‘the backside’ of the company, allowed the company to finally resolve its funding and allocation issues. The new plan of action consisted of hiring new employees and investing in infrastructure to anticipate growth and new forms of technology; the poor management habits of the past from would not hinder Starbucks in the future. Similar to my suggested plan of action, Schultz’s initiative consisted of new employee’s, new technology and investing in the short term. If Schultz’s would have put more funding towards infrastructure to bring stability in the long run, he would have been able to manage the shift in consumer behavior and maintain profit without the need to close down the stores for retraining. The issue for Starbucks is not losing customers but how to accurately represent the company’s values. Moreover, if the employees were chosen correctly and the infrastructure was properly optimized, Schultz plan would have worked perfectly. All in all, every company in any industry is going to face challenges and have limited resources to meet them in an efficient manner. Howard Schultz used the resources he had to best manage Starbucks and handled the big issues he had efficiently and creatively. The future of Starbucks all depends on its management and commitment to adhering to the company vision and values. After experiencing the 2000-2008 period, one can see that the values will inevitably shift with changes in management. 4] The future of Starbucks is highly dependent on how long Howard Schultz continues to be an active part of the company and in shaping its vision. If affiliates and employees are chosen intelligently and have values matched properly with the company’s mission, Starbucks’s vision should be passed down effectively through each generation of new management. Nevertheless, the rise and fall of competitors in a market is inevitable and time will tell if Starbucks will eventually be surpass ed by a competitor. Starbucks will be a primary educational focus for many business programs. It is one of the best managed franchises in history and will remain one of the most successful for a long period of time. Like any business, Schultz received criticism for extreme responses yet these responses excelled the growth of the company. Much like my suggestions, Schultz acted quickly and made extreme changes which were crucial to repairing the infrastructure. Unlike most companies, Starbucks’s major focus is promoting the company image and values instead of putting profits first. Works Cited I. Schiff, Lewis. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Coming to NYC. Inc. com. INC, 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. II. Starbucks Corporation History. History of Starbucks Corporation – FundingUniverse. Funding Universe, n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. III. McGraw Hill. Starbucks Corporation. Starbucks Case Study. MHHE. com, n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. [1] Funding Universe, Starbucks Corporate History [2] McGraw Hill, Starbucks Case Study, Starbucks Corporate History [3] McGraw Hill, St arbucks Case Study, Starbucks Corporate History [4] Funding Universe, Starbucks Corporation History Starbucks Case Study Essay Example Starbucks Case Study Essay Conner A Intro to Business 3/26/2013 Case Study Consumer Behavior in the Coffee Industry Did you know one franchise alone dominated an entire payment-processing market in just one year? You might have heard of this giant company by the name Starbucks. Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, had a significant role in the company’s growth. Starbucks has steadily dominated the coffee market and has even extended to being a 3rd home for many of its consumers. Based in Seattle, Starbucks had significant competition when it opened its first store in the Pike Place market in Seattle, yet still managed to become superior. Starbucks used new advertising tactics and presented a unique experience for its customers, all of which was a game changer in the business world. Starbucks was created when three friends opened a small store to sell coffee beans and roast in 1971[1]. Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowler and Zev Siegl opened their store in the heart of the unique open air market in downtown Seattle. Located just off the harbor, Pike place market was the optimal location and attracted many residents and tourists. After ten years of incredible growth, Jerry Baldwin hired Howard Schultz as head of management. When Schultz first started, he slowly learned the coffee industry and helped made subtle but significant changes. For example, Schultz noticed that â€Å"first-time customers sometimes felt uneasy in the stores†[2] so he developed â€Å"customer-friendly sales skills and produced brochures that made it easy for customers to learn about fine coffees†2 Schultz had the vision of making Starbucks a coffee lounge versus a bar after being inspired by eastern traditions. We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Even though he did not agree with the new direction, Baldwin allowed Schultz to open one espresso bar and in 2 years, Schultz was able to buy out Baldwin and equity owners with the help of investors in 19921. Howard Schultz initially saw the power of consumer behavior early on when he realized Starbucks began to be a social gathering mecca for people instead of just an espresso stand. When Schultz first noticed the ‘seismic change in consumer behavior,’ he adopted a free-Wi-Fi service and mobile payment service and noticed that Starbucks began to attract people as if it was a third home for coffee enthusiasts. Although he jokes about not getting rent from consumers, it allowed Starbucks to create an online-experience in their ‘3rd home’ which was unique to the coffee scene in the United States. With scheduled deliveries and privatized ad networking, Starbucks was maximizing its profits and allowing an experience for coffee enthusiasts that did not make them feel locked-into paying. This shift in consumer behavior was in response to the cultural need for a place between home and work. As social beings, humans thrive for an excuse to hang out and socialize or participate in a community environment. This amazing experience that Starbucks supplied needed to be fine-tuned like any business plan. Like any business, Starbucks had challenges, such as their management of spending. In an interview entitled Business Brilliant, Schultz said that too much was focused on the customer instead of the infrastructure. To improve this, Schultz developed a unique experience in the store with the paired pastry-drinks and released free Wi-Fi for customers. In addition to free-Wi-Fi, mobile payments allowed consumers to avoid lines and continue their private work in the confines of the lounge. Soon Starbucks was thriving and announced that â€Å"the opening of 150 new stores in five years significantly exceeded the 1987 business plan’s objective of 125†[3]. Like every company, Starbucks faced unique issues in their business which slowed down growth initially which in effect slowed down growth in the long run. Schultz attributed the biggest hold-back in the long run to not investing in the supply chain, technology or manufacturing. Although Starbucks was marketing their franchise extremely well, they did not invest ahead of the growth curve and the infrastructures became under-par. In the Business Brilliant, Schultz candidly admitted that Starbucks â€Å"solely accelerated growth of the company. † Moreover, Schultz said the issue was that Starbucks â€Å"needed competency well beyond the size of the company and needed the kind of capability they didn’t have. † Since their infrastructure’s efficiency in the short run was hindered by technological limitations coupled with access to capital, the entire store chains needed to be shut down. Schultz defined the event as a need to redesign their image and retrain their employees. Starbucks was losing grip on the customers and their loyalty because the experience of Starbucks was losing its unique features. All of these internal and external issues that Starbucks was facing were all connected with values and company image according to Schultz. Schultz was so specific with the Starbucks experience that when he smelt burning cheese in a store he decided to ask the workers and they told him â€Å"So what, profits are up! † Soon after this, Schultz decided to close down and retrain all stores and employees. He sent out a press release admitting that Starbucks was misrepresenting itself. Although no one had accused or criticized Starbuck’s prior to his declaration, it was a bold move which negatively impacted the financial strength of the Company. However, the action proved loyal to the consumer and enhanced brand loyalty for Starbuck-addicts. This root issue of misrepresentation in the Starbuck’s experience and the company vision was so significant to Schultz that he needed rework his company from the ground up. This road block of ‘conserving the core businesses’ and ‘pushing for relevant innovation’ made Schultz tweak and adjust the Starbucks experience constantly but effectively. While Schultz attributes the root issue for Starbucks to be company image and adapting core values, could it be possible that the vision and image were not correctly portrayed because of unwise funding? Schultz does admit the funding issues contributed to the core issue of misrepresentation of company image and values, but he does not see the two issues in separate environments. Schultz assigns the core issue to misrepresentation and the surface symptoms to be funding. However, more funding or a different funding plan with more focus in infrastructure would have changed the outcome. The core issue was funding and the symptoms of the core issues were misrepresentation because of resource allocation. While their short term fixed costs of infrastructure and labor were solved, their reserved and recurring allocation towards the upgrades of their infrastructure lacked significantly. If properly funded before and seen ahead of the curve, their growth could have been anticipated. This is evident through the need to shut down and retrain employees. It’s clear that the total fixed and variable costs exceeded their revenue initially. Like all companies, there was a start-up curve but when the curve was dealt with, resource allocation was not the focus. The best plan of action ideally would start with addressing resource allocation. Starbucks was able to stay in business and have great growth so it’s clear the management was able to properly allocate their average variable costs and fixed costs for the most part. Nevertheless, it would have been best if the costs were optimized and revenue was set aside for changes in infrastructure. Funding should have been directed at things which would have produced stability in the long run. This would have lowered their total costs and properly funded their infrastructures for the long run and short run. Schultz should have looked at the management immediately after buying out the company and properly hired people with skills that would be able to guide Starbucks through significant growth. Investment in infrastructure to avoid long-term costs would have saved Starbucks from funding issues at later times. In addition to optimizing their infrastructure for the long run, Starbucks needed to invest more in manufacturing and supply chain for the success in the long run. For example, Starbucks should have initially allocated more funding towards small upgrades in their infrastructure such as ovens versus microwaves to avoid unpleasant scents in the customer’s experience. This also connects to Schultz’s emphasis on hiring employees and affiliates based on similar values. If the decision to hire those employees would have initially been more focused on similar values in addition to management skills, the variable costs to upgrade the infrastructure in the long run would have been lower because the management would have been more motivated to deal with the issue before the CEO had to see the symptoms. Finally, the management of Starbucks needed to choose their employee’s more wisely from the start. If Schultz would have chosen his employee’s based on the similarity of their values and the company vision, little issues such as smell in the customer’s experience would have been dealt with more efficiently. This connects to optimizing their infrastructure but focuses on the employees instead of the technology. It’s important to treat both with separate solutions because Schultz reminded us that the employees can only work with the assets they are provided with. This small change in the focus of the start-up of the company could benefit the image of Starbucks very efficiently and in a cost-productive way. Schultz jokes about not getting rent from Starbucks admirers yet he also notes that the potential to plug into the social media of the internet and create the environment was more beneficial than the issue of customers hanging out inside the store. The evolving Starbucks experience caused consumers to have incredible brand loyalty over alternatives such as Pete’s Coffee and Tea and Tullies. Yet the quick and agile response of technology was exactly what Starbucks needed to put it ahead of the ‘growth curve’ in social media while its competitors struggled behind. Schultz’s solutions were effective in the short run but he still realized his long run potential was limited by resource allocation. The problem with Starbucks and consumers was not the shift in demand for coffee consumers but it was resource allocation and initial planning. Howard Schultz’s plan of action was headed in the right direction apart from the minor mix-up between the surface symptoms and the core issue. In addition to new work practices, Schultz integrated new management and had to let go many of the people he knew were limited to the knowledge of the short-term. This new resource allocation towards what Schultz called ‘the backside’ of the company, allowed the company to finally resolve its funding and allocation issues. The new plan of action consisted of hiring new employees and investing in infrastructure to anticipate growth and new forms of technology; the poor management habits of the past from would not hinder Starbucks in the future. Similar to my suggested plan of action, Schultz’s initiative consisted of new employee’s, new technology and investing in the short term. If Schultz’s would have put more funding towards infrastructure to bring stability in the long run, he would have been able to manage the shift in consumer behavior and maintain profit without the need to close down the stores for retraining. The issue for Starbucks is not losing customers but how to accurately represent the company’s values. Moreover, if the employees were chosen correctly and the infrastructure was properly optimized, Schultz plan would have worked perfectly. All in all, every company in any industry is going to face challenges and have limited resources to meet them in an efficient manner. Howard Schultz used the resources he had to best manage Starbucks and handled the big issues he had efficiently and creatively. The future of Starbucks all depends on its management and commitment to adhering to the company vision and values. After experiencing the 2000-2008 period, one can see that the values will inevitably shift with changes in management. 4] The future of Starbucks is highly dependent on how long Howard Schultz continues to be an active part of the company and in shaping its vision. If affiliates and employees are chosen intelligently and have values matched properly with the company’s mission, Starbucks’s vision should be passed down effectively through each generation of new management. Nevertheless, the rise and fall of competitors in a market is inevitable and time will tell if Starbucks will eventually be surpass ed by a competitor. Starbucks will be a primary educational focus for many business programs. It is one of the best managed franchises in history and will remain one of the most successful for a long period of time. Like any business, Schultz received criticism for extreme responses yet these responses excelled the growth of the company. Much like my suggestions, Schultz acted quickly and made extreme changes which were crucial to repairing the infrastructure. Unlike most companies, Starbucks’s major focus is promoting the company image and values instead of putting profits first. Works Cited I. Schiff, Lewis. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Coming to NYC. Inc. com. INC, 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. II. Starbucks Corporation History. History of Starbucks Corporation – FundingUniverse. Funding Universe, n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. III. McGraw Hill. Starbucks Corporation. Starbucks Case Study. MHHE. com, n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. [1] Funding Universe, Starbucks Corporate History [2] McGraw Hill, Starbucks Case Study, Starbucks Corporate History [3] McGraw Hill, St arbucks Case Study, Starbucks Corporate History [4] Funding Universe, Starbucks Corporation History

Evaluating the Internet Essays

Evaluating the Internet Essays Evaluating the Internet Essay Evaluating the Internet Essay Internet is one of the most influential tools in the world today. This technology advancement has caused changes on how people study, communicate, and shop. With its capacity to spread information at a faster phase, the Internet provides various links to different websites to locate more easily research materials and resources (Johnson). The Internet also links people who are separated by distance via communication advancement (Comer 4). On-line shopping also benefits professionals who cannot find time to go to the mall (Comer 198). Thus, there is no doubt that the Internet can be evaluated by discussing its impact on communication, education and shopping. Douglas Johnson’s online article mentions how technology is really effective in processing and producing necessary information (Johnson). As a result, education is made easier by the Internet via online university programs. Nowadays, students are more exposed to â€Å"word processors, databases, spreadsheets, presentation programs, multimedia authoring tools, e-mail, video production equipment, digital reference materials, electronic indexes, and network search engines† (Johnson). The Internet is indeed helpful in getting students to do their homework easily (Johnson). Moreover, productivity is increased because more time is saved in doing online researches compared to library researches (Johnson). Aside form the benefits of the Internet to students and education, communication is also enhanced by the Internet by changing the stereotypical way of people’s connection. The Internet makes communication more convenient, reliable, and faster (Comer 167). Paper mails are changed into e-mails or electronic mails, while long distance calls are changed into instant messaging and on-line voice calls (Comer 158). Since easy access is achieved by people in communicating with their loved ones abroad, they feel more connected and will be less mindful of the distance between them. Consequently, the Internet has brought people closer, supporting families, organizations, and communities in the process. Work can also be done at home using the Internet and company websites (Comer 198). It also allows people to meet and greet new people on-line using forums and websites like MySpace and many more (Comer 207). Web camera connection is also one good feature of the Internet since it provides a seemingly face to face interaction between two people who are far from each other. Hence, the Internet does not only pave the way for communication development but for socialization as well. Many shoppers now do their shopping on line because they find it hard going to malls and buy things for themselves. Working professionals can shop for things online, pay using credit cards, and just wait until it is shipped to their houses. The Internet also allows people to access online auctions like eBay where almost every needs and wants are posted and put on sale (Comer 243). The Internet has also led to new sources of revenue. Advertisements are posted in the Internet for a fee since more and more people are using this technology everyday (Comer 255). Meanwhile, networking makes it possible for people to earn even at home by just clicking their mouse and interacting with others (Comer 260). Internet is revolutionizing people’s lives by making enormous changes in governments, businesses, schools, and homes worldwide (Comer 4). Internet technology has worked so well in resulting in sudden success in the fields of communication, education, and business. It is an invention that has capabilities beyond human capacity. It stores more than what humans can memorize, it sends out messages faster than what is expected, and it gives more profit for businesses by reaching out international clients. The Internet has grown so much, and its growth has really involved and impacted much of the world. Comer, Douglas E. The Internet Book. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000. Johnson, Doug. â€Å"Evaluating the Impact of Technology: The Less Simple Answer.† From Now on: The Educational Technology Journal 5 (January/February 1996). 23 June 2008 http://fno.org/jan96/reply.html

Julia Donaldsons The Gruffalo Picture Book Review

Julia Donaldson's 'The Gruffalo' Picture Book Review Its not surprising that The Gruffalo, first published in 1999, continues to be a popular read aloud. The author, Julia Donaldson, has written a good story with such strong rhythm and rhyme that it just begs to be read aloud. The illustrations by Axel Scheffler are filled with bold color, detail and appealing characters. Summary The Gruffalo is the story of a clever mouse, three large animals that want to eat him and an imaginary monster, a Gruffalo, who turns out to be only too real. Whats a mouse to do when on a walk in the deep dark wood, he is confronted first by a fox, then by an owl and, finally, by a snake, all of whom seem to be intent on inviting him for a meal, with the mouse as the main dish? The mouse tells each of them that he is on his way to a feast with a Gruffalo. The mouses description of the fierce Gruffalo  who would want to eat them scares the fox, the owl, and the snake away. Each time he scares one of the animals away, the mouse says, Doesnt he know? Theres no such thing as a Gruffalo! Imagine the mouses surprise when the monster of his imagination appears right before him in the woods and says, Youll taste good on a slice of bread! The clever mouse comes up with a strategy to convince the Gruffalo that he (the mouse) is the scariest creature in this deep dark wood. How the mouse fools the Gruffalo after fooling the fox, the owl and the snake makes a very satisfying story. A Good Book to Read Aloud Besides the rhythm and the rhyme, some of the other things that make The Gruffalo a good book for reading aloud to young children are the repetitions which encourage children to chime in. Also, the story arc, with the first half of the story about the mouse fooling the fox, then the owl, then the snake with tales of the imaginary Gruffalo and the second half of the story when the mouse misleads the real Gruffalo with the unsuspecting help of the snake, the owl, and the fox. Kids also like the fact that the 1-2-3 order of the mouses meeting the fox, the owl, and the snake becomes a 3-2-1 order as the mouse walks back to the edge of the woods, followed by the Gruffalo. The Author Julia Donaldson grew up in London and attended Bristol University where she studied Drama and French. Before writing childrens books, she was a teacher, a songwriter,  and a street theater performer. In June 2011, Julia Donaldson  was named the 2011-2013 Waterstones Childrens Laureate in the UK. According to the 6/7/11 announcement, The role of the Childrens Laureate is awarded once every two years to an eminent writer or illustrator of childrens books to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field. Donaldson has written more than 120 books and plays for kids and teens. The Gruffalo, one of Julia Donaldsons first childrens books, is also one of her most popular childrens picture books. Others include  Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale and What the Ladybird Heard. The Illustrator Axel Scheffler was born in Germany and attended the University of Hamburg but left there to move to England where he studied illustration and earned a degree at the Bath Academy of Art. Axel Scheffler has illustrated some Julia Donaldsons books in addition to The Gruffalo. They include  Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, Stick Man and Zog. Book and Animation Awards Among the awards the creators of The Gruffalo picture book have been honored with are the 1999 Smarties Gold Medal Award for picture books and the 2000 Blue Peter Award for The Best Book to Read Aloud. The animated version of The Gruffalo, which is available on DVD, was nominated for both an Oscar and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award  and won the audience award at the Canadian Film Centres Worldwide Short Film Festival. Delight Your Child With a Story Sack If your child loves The Gruffalo, youll want to create a story sack for of crafts and related items. These can include other books by Julia Donaldson about the Gruffalo; mouse, owl, snake and fox crafts; a monster craft and more. Review and Recommendation The story of the clever mouse and the Gruffalo is one that children ages 3 to 6 love hearing again and again. The rhythm and rhyme of Julia Donaldsons story, along with the strong story arc, make The Gruffalo an excellent read aloud. Children quickly learn to help the reader tell the story, and that adds to the fun for all. The dramatic illustrations by Axel Scheffler, with their bold colors and appealing characters, from the little mouse to the colossal Gruffalo, add significantly to the books appeal. (Dial Books for Young Readers, A Division of Penguin Putnam Inc., 1999. ISBN: 9780803731097) Sources: Childrens Laureate siteJulia Donaldson siteChildrens Book Illustration: Axel Scheffler, The Hollywood Reporter

Managing Human Capital Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Human Capital Assignment - Essay Example People are complex, and the elements that motivate the human will involve more than the material or financial. Figure 1 is an author’s conception of the gamut spanned by the human resource reward system in an organization. Rewards may be intrinsic or extrinsic; intrinsic rewards are those values that an employee perceives he attains when he performs a certain job well. The value pursued by the employee is intangible, and the flawless execution of the job is itself its own reward, from which the employee derives immeasurable personal satisfaction. Factors that may enhance intrinsic rewards to the employee include the ability to participate in decision-making, relative freedom and discretion on the job, the assignment of work the employee finds more interesting, and the opportunity for personal growth, among others. There are likewise rewards that are of an extrinsic nature, that is, the source of the personal satisfaction derived by the employee is not part and parcel of the job itself, but is a result of the workings of the company’s incentive policies and system. Extrinsic rewards may be classified as either financial or non-financial. Financial rewards may be performance based (e.g. piecework, incentive pay plans, performance bonuses and merit pay plans), implied membership based (e.g.. profit sharing, cost of living increases, time-in-rank increase), and explicit membership based (e.g. protection programs, pay for time not worked, and services and perquisites). Those non-financial rewards include preferred office furnishing, assigned parking spaces, and ability to determine one’s preferred work assignments. Reference to different types of rewards or combinations thereof shall be made in the discussion. Merit issues span a broad and differentiated set of considerations, but which principally involve the determination of those aspects of

MBA Information Technology Preventing and Detecting Operational Risk Essay

MBA Information Technology Preventing and Detecting Operational Risk Caused by Employees - Essay Example It has become imperative for the senior management to forcefully implement the appropriate measures to detect and prevent operational risk from employees in their organisations. Most of the measures, including security, need to be followed top down. An employee who sees an upright senior is less likely to engage in fraudulent behaviour. Security Policies and Training. The next step is to develop security policies and provide training to ensure that everyone is aware of, understands them and also follows them in right spirit. The greater the understanding of how security issues directly impact production levels, customer and supplier relationships, revenue streams, and management's liability, the more security will be incorporated into business projects and proposals. Most critical is an Acceptable Use policy (AUP) that informs users of their responsibilities. An AUP serves two main purposes: (1) It helps to prevent misuse of information and computer resources and (2) it reduces exposure to legal liability. Security Procedures and Enforcement. The next step is to implement procedures, training, and enforcement of the AUP. Businesses cannot afford to ignore security risks nor can they afford the infinite cost of perfect security. Security Tools: Hardware and Software. ... Keep in mind that security is an ongoing, multilayered process and not a problem that can be solved with hardware or software tools. Hardware and software security defenses cannot protect against irresponsible business practices. 2. What events triggered the strong measures to prevent and detect internal fraud Name three laws that have antifraud measures. Answer. Fraud Prevention and Detection. Internal audits and internal controls (cover later in the chapter) are critical to the prevention and detection of occupational frauds. Some high-profile examples of occupational fraud that were executed because of the lack of internal audits and controls leading to implementation of strong measures to prevent and detect internal fraud include: NEC. In 2006, NEC had to restate its earnings for five prior years after discovering that a 50-year-old manager/engineer had been fabricating business deals. The bogus deals inflated sales by 36.3 billion yen ($311 million). The false transactions enabled the manager to embezzle tens of millions of yen, which he spent on entertainment. Adelphia. A year after the public learned of the $600 million Enron scandal, the Rigases made Enron's fraud look like penny-change. The SEC uncovered the misappropriation and theft of tens of billions of dollars. In addition to the $2.3 billion the family stole from the company for their personal use, they caused losses investors of more than $60 billion. Global Crossing. Corporate insiders knowingly sold more than $1.5 billion of artificially inflated company stock. In April 2005, the SEC filed a settled action for civil penalties against Global Crossing's former CEO, CFO, and VP of Finance for aiding and abetting the fraud. Each executive agreed to pay a $100,000

Economic And Social Impacts Of The Water Crisis Geography Essay

Economic And Social Impacts Of The Water Crisis Geography Essay 884 million of people worldwide do not have sufficient access to drinking-water and more than 2.6 million do not have access to simple sanitations. Each year about 2 million people die from the effects of unclean water, most of them are children. The 28th July was the day when the United Nations declared the access to clean water as a human right. This anchoring in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a strong symbolic meaning and therefore a wide influence on politics of various countries. Water resources in the region of the Middle East are scarce by nature. Competition over consumption of shared resources is thus predictable. This essay will show that accessibility and safety of clean water are major concerns all over the world and especially in the region of the Middle East. The first section deals with some geographic aspects as the environmental and climatic conditions. It shows how geographic aspects influence the availability of water and gives an overview about the allocation of water resources as the most limited natural resource in the West Asian region. Secondly, the essay describes the economic and social impacts of the water crisis. It will describe how health risks may arise from consumption of unclean water with toxic elements. Water shortages also constrain the agricultural and industrial productions and therefore the water supply has effects on the economic sectors of the concerned countries as well. The last part deals with options to manage the water problem. Possible solutions will be discussed and evaluated. It shows the forecast of water supply in some years and gives reasons why governments need to act quickly to avoid a deep crisis in already some years. Geographic aspects of the region 2.1 Climatic conditions The Middle East comprises two sub-regions: the Arabian Peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen) and the Mashriq (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and West Bank and Gaza). It is surrounded by four marine water bodies: the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf). The Middle East is dominated by arid and semiarid areas, with major regions of extreme aridity. Those climes are characterized by definition as areas of high water shortages, whereat in arid regions high evaporation rates are common. A steppe climate predominates in the northern part of the region, with hot summers and cold winters. The southern and central parts are characterized through extreme dryness with very hot summers and mild temperatures during winter. The Arabian Peninsula belongs to this part. In the whole region of the Middle East water is a very scarce resource. In most countries of the region desertification, water stress and droughts are common. Summer temperatures do not vary significantly across the Middle East. Generally the temperature rises to around 30Â °C, but in the deserts (e.g. Saudi Desert) it can get even warmer with about 45Â °C. In most parts of the region rainfall is very little and is depending on the season. Usually most of the precipitation occurs during winter in the Middle East. The southern part of the Arabian Peninsula constitutes an exception with summer rains. Regular annual rainfall varies from 0mm to 200mm. Just in the northwestern parts on the Mediterranean Sea the rates surpass 500mm and more. 2.2 Surface water resources Surface water is exceptionally restricted in the Middle East due to high evaporation and generally low rainfall. But almost all of the accessible surface water is used and supplies together with springs around 35% of total water use in the region. Most of Middle Eastern surface water stems from its three main surface sources: the Nil, Tigris-Euphrates and Jordan River systems. The countries of the Arabian Peninsula are potentially poorer in surface water resources than the Mashriq area. This region has a number of seasonal rivers and two shared rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates). In contrast to the Mashriq countries the Arabian Peninsula has only some irregular seasonal flow of wadis and only a limited number of springs. In most of the regions surface water drains to the Red, Dead or Mediterranean Seas. The Jordan River presents the most important dewatering system in the region. It has it source in the Lebanon Mountains and flows into the Lake Tiberias. In very dry years an overexploitation of the water resources was observed with the cause that the sea water table reaches already a critical value. Fortunately wet year can adjust the balance. The available surface water in the Jordan Valley is almost emptied so that just small amounts of water arrive at the Dead Sea. This is another reason for damage by lowering the Dead Sea level which has fallen down more than 20m in the last twenty years. 2.3 Groundwater resources The apparently most important source of water in the Middle East is wells and springs. More than 50 percent of water supply is provided by them for total water consumption. Groundwater is contained in water-bearing permeable rocks called aquifers from which water can be extracted via wells or springs. Through seasonal rainfall in semiarid areas aquifers are on and off recharged. The recharge quantities depend on relief and the climatic conditions. Naturally ten to thirty percent of the rainfall in the Middle East contributes to the recharge of groundwater. In the Libyan Desert or the Arabian Peninsula as examples for some arid areas fossil groundwater resources provide important additional amounts of water. Groundwater resources in West Asia in general and on the Arabian Peninsula in particular are in a critical condition because the volumes withdrawn far exceed natural recharge rates. Groundwater is being extracted much faster than its renewal rate, as a result water levels in the shallow aquifers are continually declining. Socio Economic Impact of the Water Crisis 3.1 Importance of Fresh Water Supplies The availability of water as a natural resource has always been a challenge to the civilization of the Middle East. Climatic conditions have influenced politics and activities in the region. The lack of water even restricts the economy, the development of the society and its wellbeing and also endangers political stability within the states of the areas and between neighbors. In other words: Easy access to water is not an end to itself, for any society, but a means to other ends: health, industrial and agricultural production. The situation in the Middle East has exacerbated with the increasing demand for freshwater as a consequence of increasing population. The greatest consumer of water supply in the region is agriculture. Nevertheless, each human being needs about two to five liters of fresh water per day, only for pure surviving. And the personal demand on water has increased with the development of modern civilization. The smallest fraction constitutes the need of drinking water, much more is necessary for the personal hygiene, the cleaning of household and other application for privacy issues. 3.2 Water Quality and its Effects on Health Poor water quality is not only a matter of taste it has serious effects on human health. Water quality problems emerge from the discharge of industrial and human wastewater. Due to inappropriate agricultural practices aquifers are polluted by irrigation backflows. The lack of adequate sewage infrastructure is a difficulty which causes water pollution and health problems. Sewage is often discharged into open pools where water can easily reach groundwater and aquifer systems. Consequently, water supplied to households contains bacterial elements and therefore has to be chlorinated. Chlorination in that extent already exceeds the recommended limits and becomes another health issue. The salinity of water is another problem facing the region. 3.3 Impacts on Agriculture and Industry About 85 percent of the regions water is used by the agricultural sector. Through non- water policies such as agricultural price supports that keep crops profitable or energy subsidies that make pumping water from aquifers cheap the regions water problems rest unchanged. Valuable water is still wasted by inadequate irrigation techniques or the growing of plants with high water demand as crops for example. The lack of water is a factor that blocks the basic economic development and affects the entire social and economic situation in the countries of the Middle East. Water scarcity has also high influence on industrial development. Virtual water is necessary to produce the things we use each day. Although industrial water consumption varies one can say that for instance around 20 000 liters of water is used to produce one kilogram of coffee and about ten liter to produce one piece of paper. But In areas where the resources are not enough to cover the necessary food production only a limited amount of water will be available for industrial production. Lack of water is a major concern for industrial companies especially during summer. Energy systems are depending on water and decreased water quality aggravates the problems. Water Management Options 4.1 Water management and Water Diplomacy Water availability is a major concern in most countries of the region. Some countries (e.g. Syria, Iraq, Lebanon) have reliable sources of surface water; the majority, however, depend either on groundwater or on desalination for their water supply, both of which enable them to use water in amounts far exceeding the estimated renewable fresh water in the country. The World Bank estimates that the amount of water available per person in the arid region will halve by 2050. The report of the institution mainly blames the increasing population and climate change as reason for the situation. But how can governments tackle this issue? Two approaches can be applied to the management of the water crisis in the Middle East. On the one hand the technical approach which refers to water management. Water management has been defined as the skill to bring water supply into line with demand at the lowest possible economic and ecological cost. On the other hand the political approach that views the water conflict as a question of shared resources distribution. A reliable water management plan hast to rely on both approaches to find a way out the crisis. 4.2 Supply and Demand Side Management Options Water scarcity is a function of supply and demand. Demand is increasing at an alarming rate in some regions, through population growth and increasing per capita use. In many water-scarce countries, such as Jordan and Israel, there is no obvious and inexpensive way to increase water supply, and tensions among different water users are likely to result. In other countries improvements in water efficiencies offer reasonable solutions. Managing supply on water is one option to deal with the existing water problem. Unused rivers or groundwater are hardly to find in the region of the Middle East. Therefore developing existing resources is kind of impractical in this situation of water scarcity. Nevertheless there are possibilities as for example the catchments of winter flood water which can also add some amount to the water resources. Another technique adding water resources is water harvesting. Using this approach house cisterns collect rainfall from the roofs and store it for domestic use. In earlier times these cistern were highly appreciated but has fallen into disuse nowadays because households were connected to the piped water network. Reintroducing cistern by law could increase quantities of available water for domestic use. Wastewater recycling can be another source of gaining water. The advantage of this technique is that it is the least expensive source of water for agriculture. But the big drawback is that it requires a high investment. Plans for expanding the use of this resource as a strategic alternative to meet future demands exist in many countries. Due to high salinity sea water has to be desalinated before using as potable water. Gaining potable water through desalination is already a great source of water supply for many countries as Saudi Arabia but it is constraint by its high cost. In the 1980ies another idea emerged by a Saudi Arabian prince who had the idea to import an iceberg of Antarctica to cover the water needs of its country. Although this concept sounds promising it has not been implemented yet. Demand on water is also important to manage. Decreasing demand can be obtained by establishing special incentives or tariffs that enforce water saving measures. Higher charges on water could enable the countries to modernize their water distribution systems and thus reduce high water losses. As already mentioned the increasing population represents another problem. Handling the demographic changes governments should think about dealing with immigration control and family planning as a measure to manage demand. All in all the natural water resources are already exhausted in a great extent, so that a carefully organized water management is absolutely essential. Conclusion In the Middle East water is considered as a strategic resource and tensions between countries in the region over it are high. There it has become a major political issue and the various peace agreements that have been proposed or signed in recent years all include water. The author of this quote reveals the critical situation in the Middle East where water is a scarce resource. His statement clearly leads to one question: Is there likely to be a conflict over water? Historical experiences suggest that this is unlikely to occur. But there is no doubt that water scarcity will definitely be a problem in some areas in the future. Global warming is tending to aggravate the crisis because rainfall decreases while evaporation increases. In addition the growing population rates, industrialization and abuse of agrochemicals cause the urgent need for long-term plans to meet future water demands. The greatest improvements can be made in the agricultural sector, where most of the water resources are spend for irrigation purposes. In future times the use of desalination technology will also be greater and importing water will become normal. Yet water scarcity will be at the forefront of the international agenda for decades to come. In some cases, water may even be a contributing factor in international conflict. Knowing this issue the UN declared the access to potable water as a human right. This declaration may also have raised public awareness of the subject and people in the Middle East may treat water as more valuable. Avoiding future conflicts alternative management strategies are required. These have to be well designed with detailed plans but especially in the Mashriq countries the settlement of potential conflicts over shared water resources remains a fundamental and pressing issue.

Coldest Winter Ever Summary

Set in the projects of Brooklyn, New York, The Coldest Winter Ever is the story of Winter Santiaga (aptly named because she was born during one of New York's worst snowstorms), the rebellious, pampered teenage daughter of a notorious drug dealer. Ricky Santiaga, Winter's father, has attained substantial wealth through his illegal drug empire and lavishes his wife, Winter, and Winter's three younger sisters, Porsche, Lexus, and Mercedes, with the best things money can (and cannot) buy. Unknown to her father, Winter uses her hustling tricks to get whatever she wants. Winter's world is turned upside down on her 16th birthday, when her father suddenly decides to relocate his family and his growing business to Long Island, but she is determined not to sever ties with the old neighborhood. Her life spirals downward when her mother is shot in the face by foes of her father. Shortly afterward, the FBI arrives at the Santiaga mansion while Winter is at a party, seizes the family's possessions, and sends the drug lord to prison. At this juncture, Winter's sisters are placed in child custody, rather than in their unemployed mother's custody. Winter escapes by pretending to not be her parents’ daughter. Winter stays with a man just for his money for a while, but when his girlfriend comes back, Winter goes to live with an aunt. While with the Aunt, Winter's location is revealed, and she is turned over to the Bureau of Child Welfare. Winter's location was probably divulged by Natalie, a former friend of Winter's, who suspected that Winter was trying to date her boyfriend. While visiting her father in jail, she finds out that he had an infant son and was cheating on her mother, which tears her apart. Also, her father murdered someone while in jail. After being taken out of her aunt’s home, Winter starts living at the House of Success, a group home for teenage girls. Her new surroundings do not stop her from hustling: she makes money by selling clothes and cigarettes to her housemates, and she does their hair. Winter obtains the goods she sells from her friend Simone, who is a booster who steals designer clothes for her. Winter continues making money this way until Simone is arrested. Winter does not bail out now-pregnant Simone, but Simone gets out another way. Upon her release, Simone gathers some friends to wait so that they can beat up Winter. Winter escapes the beating by running and never returns. Then Simone falls and has a miscarriage. Rashida, one of Winter's House of Success housemates, thinks that Winter needs help and persuades her to go to a friend's house. Winter doesn't know that the friend is Sister Souljah, whom Winter boldly stated she never liked in the book's introduction. Under Souljah's tutelage, Winter volunteers at a benefit for people with HIV/AIDS, but Winter still does whatever she can to get money. Winter steals money from the AIDS benefit and rushes home to pack. Suspicious of Winter leaving, Lauren, Souljah's sister, switches the bag into which Winter has put her prized belongings. Winter takes a cab to a New Jersey hotel, and realizes that she has no money, no jewels, and no protection. Winter hooks up with an old boyfriend named Bullet, who has money. She finds out that she is pregnant with the baby of a man who tricked her into believing he was hip-hop MC GS. Months later, Winter's world crashes again when she is attacked in a car by Simone. A crowd gathers to watch the fight, and Winter loses focus when she sees Bullet cause the crowd to disperse by waving a gun in the air. Once Winter looks away, Simone slashes her across the face with a broken bottle. Winter is led back to the car by Bullet and, shortly afterward, the police arrive. Bullet leaves Winter, who gets a mandatory 15-year prison sentence for transporting drugs in his rental car. Soon, her old friends Natalie and Simone join her in prison, and her younger sister eventually becomes just like her. The ending surprises: after her father was jailed, Winter talked about being let out of prison to attend her mother’s funeral.