In September Of 490 BC. The Greco-Persian War Rages On In The Marathon

In September of 490 BC. The Greco-Persian war rages on in the Marathon Plain of Northwest Attica. The Athenians have just repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. The Greek army was vested to ten different generals each controlling one day of battle. The generals were evenly divided on whether to wait for the Persians to attack or to attack them. A civil official, Callimachus, who decided to attack, broke the tie. Four of the generals ceded their commands to the Athenian general Miltiades making him commander in chief. The Greeks did not want to face the Persian cavalry on the open plain, but before dawn the Greeks learned the cavalry was temporarily absent from the Persian camp. Miltiades ordered a general attack on the Persian army. He led his contingent of 10,000 Athenians and 1,000 Plataeans against the Persian force of 15,000. By re-enforcing his battle lines flank thus decoying the Persians best troops into pushing back his center where they were surrounded by inward-whee ling Greek wings. According to legend an Athenian messenger was sent from Marathon to Athens, a distance of 25 miles, where he announced the Persian defeat before dying of exhaustion. That tale became the basis for the modern marathon race. Herodotus tells that a trained runner Pheidippides was sent from Athens to Sparta before the battle to request assistance from the Spartans. He is said to have run some 150 miles in about two days. Through all the fighting there was one tradition that continued through all the ages. For centuries Olympic games have never stopped. The Olympian games were celebrated in the summer every four years in the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. The order of events is really not known but they believe that the first day was devoted for sacrifices to the gods. The second day began with foot races. Spectators gathered in the stadion, an oblong area enclosed by sloping banks of earth. On other days wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium, a combination of the two, was held. In the first of the sports the object was to throw your opponent to the ground three times. Contestants in boxing would originally wrap strips of soft leather over their fingertips to deaden the blows; they then started using hard leather weighted with metal. They fought until one opponent acknowledged defeat. Horse racing and a pentathlon next, the pentathlon included sprinting, long jumping, javelin, discus, and wrestling. Ev ery event that the ancient Olympians had, we now have, and the Olympics is still a chance for life long enemies to put aside their weapons and compete as gentlemen. The Olympic games are a way for all kinds to get along if only for a short time. By Josh Rudolph

Independance Day essays

Independance Day essays Independence Day (1996) Synopsis:It is an ordinary summer day. But then, without warning, something very extraordinary happens. Enormous shadows fall across the land. Strange atmospheric phenomena, ominous and mesmerizing, surface around the globe. All eyes turn upward. The question of whether we're alone in the universe has finally been answered. And, in a matter of minutes, the lives of every person across the globe are forever changed. With the fate of our planet at stake, the Fourth of July is about to take on an entirely new meaning. No longer will it be an American holiday. It will be known as the day the entire world fought back. The day we did not go gentle into the good night... The day all of us on planet Earth celebrated our independence day. What if visitors from another world suddenly appeared? What if tomorrow morning, you walked out of your door and saw an enormous spaceship hovering over your entire city? And what if you learned that the same thing was happening across our planet? These kinds of questions have sparked innumerable discussions, theories and debates across the planet. Now, we're about to get the answers. It is an ordinary summer day But then, without warning, something very extraordinary happens. Enormous shadows fall across the land. Strange atmospheric phenomena, ominous and mesmerizing, surface around the globe. All eyes turn upward. The question of whether we're alone in the universe has finally been answered. And, in a matter of minutes, the lives of every person across the globe are forever changed, With the fate of our planet at stake, the Fourth of July is about to take on an entirely new meaning. No longer will it be an American holiday. it will be known as the day the entire world fought back. The day we did not go gentle into the good night ... The day all of us on planet Earth celebrated our INDEPENDENCE DAY. In the epic adventure film INDEPENDENCE DAY, strange phenome...

Animal Oxygen Consumption Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Animal Oxygen Consumption - Lab Report Example After series of tests and manipulation, the investigator found out that, oxygen consumption of the group's subject which is the "Tilapia" increases, as incubation period increases; however, the former was found to have no direct relationship with its body weight. The result was contrasting to the experience of other groups which were assigned to investigate "crayfishes". Direct or linear relationship among crayfishes' oxygen consumption, incubation time and body weight were not as well established. All living cells need energy from exterior sources to act upon their many important tasks such as biosynthesis, transportation of molecules across membranes, movement, and reproduction. Green plants for example, acquire vast amount of energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. Chloroplasts surrounding the cell matrix convert solar energy into chemical energy. Moreover, most animals ingest food (usually plants and other animals) to acquire chemical energy that are stored in the food at the same time generate ATP through a process called cellular respiration. Cellular respiration in the same manner requires oxygen as a reactant. Thus, as an outcome of cellular respiration and cellular activity, animals are able to produce and release heat. This is one of the many unique characteristics of organisms and they as well vary in the rate of heat production as part of their metabolism.The overall process of cellular respiration can be summarized as: C6H12O6 + 6 O2 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + ATP + heat (Foodstuff) (respiration) (heat) (work) Oxygen consumption was measured by estimating the energy metabolism, since the rate of oxygen consumption as well as energy utilization is generally directly related. In this exercise, the oxygen consumption of Tilapia was determined by using LaMotte Dissolved Oxygen kit in small volumes of water. This technique is titration-based on the oxidizing characteristics of dissolved oxygen (DO). Manganese solution is also added to the tested water samples followed by a strong alkali. Later, the solution was titrated through a standard solution, followed by addition of an indicator. Objectives The laboratory activity intended to achieve the following aims: 1. To demonstrate relationship in animals' body weight, oxygen consumption per body weight with respect to the incubation periods. 2. To perform accurately the procedures in the use of LaMotte Dissolved Oxygen kit, titrations and balance. 3. To compare the oxygen consumption of nektonic and benthic organisms. Hypothesis There is no direct relationship among oxygen consumption, incubation time and body weight for both animals (tilapia and crayfish). Methods/Procedures 1. Students are assigned into groups. Each group will be assigned and organism to work with depending on availability. 2. Fill 4 jars with the aquarium water. Using a net, select 3 animals of which your group is assigned to and gently transfer them one to each of the mason jars. The animals may vary in size. In addition, in the case of Tilapia, choose smaller ones so they have room to move about in the jar. *Collect water for your negative control first, since

Lessons from Jesus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lessons from Jesus - Essay Example The first twenty verses of Chapter five of Mark describe how Jesus freed a man from the demons that had possessed him. Background information presented indicates that the demons tormented the man immensely compelling him to dwell near tombs. However, on seeing Jesus, the man recognized that Jesus could offer a remedy to his problem, by ordering the demons to depart from him. Moreover, the man had knowledge of the true identity of Jesus as the one sent from God because he hid obeisance to him. Jesus ought to know the man’s name, and he replied that he was Legion because multiple demons had possessed him. Upon his request, Jesus ordered the demons to move out of him and possess the swine that were feeding on the mountains instead. After the demons possessed the swine, they moved into the sea and drowned. On Jesus’ order, the man went to retell his experience to his people (Reddish, 2011). From verses 21 by Mark, Chapter 5, a man named Jairus approached Jesus requesting hi m to accompany him to his homestead and heal his daughter. According to the man, the daughter was critically ill. Heeding his call, Jesus accepted to go with him, although the large crowd following Jesus proved to hinder swift movement. In this crowd was a woman who had suffered hemorrhaging for twelve years without finding any remedy despite her search. She had the conviction that Jesus had the potential of healing her condition. She only touched her garments and experienced instant healing. As they walked, they received news that Jairus’ daughter had succumbed to her illness. However, Jesus proceeded to the homestead and brought her back to life. In addition, John in Chapter 11 outlines how Jesus resurrected his friend, Lazarus. This happened after he had been in the tomb for four days. During this occasion, Jesus saw the grief of the people and wept to show his sensitivity to their needs (Reddish, 2011). Application It is evident that Jesus had power and used it in a sensi tive manner of helping others.  

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example This essay will judge Obama's speech according to the principles of rhetoric – ethos, pathos, logos and mythos – to show that a speech with no apparent political motive (motive as distinct from purpose) can still be worthy of rhetorical study. Ethos, the (usually introductory) part of speech which convinces the audience of the speaker's moral authority on the subject to be addressed, has been under debate for at least hundreds of years: the question is whether ethos can be established before the speech, if a speaker's moral character, if known to the audience, has some effect on the audience's reception to what they say (Hyde, ix). The debate is purely academic, however, because Obama's position as President of the United States means that he will generally be accepted as an authority wherever he chooses to speak. At the time, his great interest in the reformation of healthcare and health insurance made his appearance in front of the ANA even more relevant. Obama's etho s is, as always, evident in three parts. Firstly, his casual announcement of somewhat specious facts – â€Å"it is an honor to speak to the ANA, representing more than three million registered nurses across the country† – present phronesis, as do his declaration of personal experience with nurses (which I will discuss under pathos). However, this is jeopardized slightly by his obvious lack of specialized knowledge on nursing. Moral excellence, or arete, is mostly to be discerned from the President's work previous to this speech, but is also reinforced in the large middle section which discusses his recent achievements in the field of health insurance, in which the Democratic party and progressive Americans are portrayed as a force of good against the â€Å"abusive† insurance industry. Eunoia is a powerful force in this speech, as Obama begins with personally thanking a member of the audience and congratulating her mother on her daughter's achievements; he continues with a joke (â€Å"I don't break promises to nurses because you never know when I'm going to need a shot†), which was received with laughter by the audience. He humanizes himself by talking about himself as fallible during the birth of one daughter and the serious childhood illness of another. The speech is peppered with individuals, and Obama's thanks for these people; the ending note is one of praise for the strong women and men who endure â€Å"tough †¦ stressful †¦ exhausting and †¦ thankless† jobs to help sick people. The audience is very much brought over to Obama's side by his goodwill and even flattery. This brings me to the second aspect of rhetoric: pathos. I see great evidence of pathos in Obama's speech – his appeals to emotion are frequent and often personal, as evident in many of his public appearances (Coop, 41). The video clip of the speech shows his great passion for less discrimination in healthcare, and his words cont ribute to this emotion. The stories of Obama's family – one daughter's birth and another's bout of meningitis as a three-month-old – are calculated to flatter every member of the union for being a nurse, not to thank the small number of nurses who attended to his family in times of need. Obama refers to the nurses who

Starbucks Strategic Management

Starbucks Strategic Management The Strategic Management provide an indepth knowledge of the process for developing and enacting business plans to reach a long-term goal that takes into account the internal variables and external factors in the business environment. It encompasses an integrated, future oriented managerial perspective that is outwardly focused, forward thinking and performance based. Strategic managers identify long-range targets, scan their operating environment, evaluate their organization structures and resources, match these to the challenges they face, identify stakeholders and build alliances, prioritize and plan actions and make adjustments to fulfill performance objectives over time. This module will provide detailed explanation on how the balancing of strategic managements outward, inward and forward looking functions would be used to develop a vision and strategies to move forward. The five key facets of strategic management namely, goal setting, strategy analysis, strategy formation, strategy implementation, and strategy monitoring will be introduced in stages. These are the integral elements that, when applied together, would distinguish strategic management from less comprehensive approaches, such as operational management or long-term planning. In 1971 Starbucks opened operations in Seattles Pike Place Markets with the future aim of providing coffee to a number of restaurants and surrounding bars. With the recruitment of Howard Schultz who led the marketing and retail efforts of Starbucks. * In 1982, the company took a change in direction through the views of Schultz, who after visiting Italy tried to adapt the same principles in order to a strong bar culture. Schultz then utilized Starbucks ability to provide quality coffee beans and opened up a new store called Il Giornale, which brewed coffee from these particular beans. * In 1987, Giornale had decided to take over the assets of Starbucks and also, further changed its name to Starbucks Corporation. By the end of the year, Starbucks had increased the number of stores to 17 and furthered its location span by entering Chicago and Vancouver. * In 1990, the company took further steps forward with expansion of the Seattle headquarters and an increase in resources with the opening of a new roasting plant. Relationships and other ventures also took off during the early nineties as the company looked to development organizations to further its progress. *In 1995, the company really established its name with the opening of the 676th store as well as increasing the products in store with the addition of compact discs a result of a previously popular experiment with in-house music. * In 1996, the company kept on stretching its reach by entering into the market of Japan, Singapore and Hawaii. This was achieved through joint ventures including the one formed with Sazaby Inc., which pushed through the development of coffee houses in Japan. In 1971 Starbucks opened operations in Seattles Pike Place Markets with the future aim of providing coffee to a number of restaurants and surrounding bars. With the recruitment of Howard Schultz who led the marketing and retail efforts of Starbucks. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1982, the company took a change in direction through the views of Schultz, who after visiting Italy tried to adapt the same principles in order to a strong bar culture. Schultz then utilized Starbucks ability to provide quality coffee beans and opened up a new store called Il Giornale, which brewed coffee from these particular beans. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1987, Giornale had decided to take over the assets of Starbucks and also, further changed its name to Starbucks Corporation. By the end of the year, Starbucks had increased the number of stores to 17 and furthered its location span by entering Chicago and Vancouver. * In 1990, the company took further steps forward with expansion of the Seattle headquarters and an increase in resources with the opening of a new roasting plant. Relationships and other ventures also took off during the early nineties as the company looked to development organizations to further its progress. *In 1995, the company really established its name with the opening of the 676th store as well as increasing the products in store with the addition of compact discs a result of a previously popular experiment with in-house music. * In 1996, the company kept on stretching its reach by entering into the market of Japan, Singapore and Hawaii. This was achieved through joint ventures including the one formed with Sazaby Inc., which pushed through the development of coffee houses in Japan. Current situation The current international situation for Starbucks seems to be an emerging part of their business and the reorganization of this is proved by their aim to become a leading global company through making a difference in peoples lives all around the world. This goal is quite close to being achieved as proved the Starbucks current locations in international markets and the successfulness of these ventures. The current countries in which Starbucks are located in are: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Peoples Republic of China, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, United Kingdom, and the United States. Current performance Overall, the aim of becoming a worldwide global brand seems to be working in favor of the company and is helping it to attract the attention of many major companies who would like to share a partnership. This is all positive news for the company because it provides a strong basis for future development of international markets, which further strengthens the mission to become one of the leading specialty coffee retailers in the world.However, the net revenues increased 3 percent to $2.5 billion for the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to $2.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2007. For the 13-week period ended September 28, 2008, Starbucks reported net income of $5.4 million, which included $105.1 million of restructuring charges and other transformation strategy costs. Net income was $158.5 million for the same period a year ago. The company actions announced in July of 2008 to close approximately 600 company-operated stores in the U.S. and 61 company-operated stores in Australia, and reduce approximately 1,000 open and filled positions within its leadership structure and non-store organization. Strategic posture 1- mission To inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time The mission of Starbucks is to establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow. None of this success would have been possible without a set of goals that the company aimed to achieve and a set of principles, which governed the decision making process. The six principles of Starbucks are stated as: 1-Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. 2-Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. 3-Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing. 4-Roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee. 5-Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. 6-Contribute positively to our communities and our environment, and recognize that profitability is essential to our future success. Application of these principles can be used as a guideline for all employees from managers to workers to aim to achieve the companys goals, while maintaining a certain type of standard. However, the net revenues increased 3 percent to $2.5 billion for the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to $2.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2007. For the 13-week period ended September 28, 2008, Starbucks reported net income of $5.4 million, which included $105.1 million of restructuring charges and other transformation strategy costs. Net income was $158.5 million for the same period a year ago. The company actions announced in July of 2008 to close approximately 600 company-operated stores in the U.S. and 61 company-operated stores in Australia, and reduce approximately 1,000 open and filled positions within its leadership structure and non-store organization. This mission statement along with the set of guidelines provides a focus for employees as they make strategic decisions. It not only supports the employees, but supports the customers as well, making a note that they should be satisfied all of the time. The mission shows alignment with the vision by stating how the company plans to reach the broad goals set by the vision statement. Another supporting sentence in the mission statement is that the company applies the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of its coffee. This statement supports the idea thatStarbucks uses the best available resources to give it a recognized and respected name. Objectives Strategies: Here are the following objectives ofStarbucks: Our Coffee It has always been, and will always be, about quality. Were passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. We care deeply about all of this; our work is never done. Our Partners Were called partners, because its not just a job, its our passion. Together, we embrace diversity to create a place where each of us can be ourselves. We always treat each other with respect and dignity. And we hold each other to that standard. Our Customers When we are fully engaged, we connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. Its really about human connection. Our Stores When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. Its about enjoyment at the speed of life-sometimes slow and savored, sometimes faster. Always full of humanity. Our Neighborhood Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbors seriously. We want to be invited in wherever we do business. We can be a force for positive action- bringing together our partners, customers, and the community to contribute every day. Now we see that our responsibility-and our potential for good-is even larger. The world is looking to Starbucks to set the new standard, yet again. We will lead. Our Shareholders We know that as we deliver in each of these areas, we enjoy the kind of success that rewards our shareholders. We are fully accountable to get each of these elements right so that Starbucks -and everyone it touches-can endure and thrive. From all what mentioned above that Starbucks is aiming to success through quality of product, diversify in business and place, to satisfy customers and shareholders, through pleasant and nice existence nearly to everyone. Financial Analysis The general financial performance for Starbucks in 2008 was declining from the previous years dramatically. The following analysis will show this fact. Investment Returns % Company Industry Return On equity 12.6 25.8 Return On Assets 5.6 13.2 Both the ROE and ROA are lower than the industrys average, which means that the company is not using both the equity and their assets properly to increase their revenue. Profit margins % Company Industry Gross Margin 16 27 Pre-Tax Margin 4.4 13.2 Net Profit Margin 3.03 8.5 Starbucks margins are lower also that the industrys average, especially in 2008 where the net profit margin reduced to 3.03 from 6.3 in 2007. Financial Condition Company Industry Debt / Quity Ratio 0.4 0.46 Current Ratio 0.8 1 Quick Ratio 0.48 0.7 Starbucks generally manages their debs and liabilities wisely, and this considers a financial strength for the company. Year 2008 2007 2006 2005 sales 10383000 9411497 7786942 6369300 Net income 315500 672638 564259 494467 Corporate governance Board of directors As part of Starbucks mission they are committed to maintain their uncompromising principles while they grow. In this regard, their Board of Directors has adopted governance principles and committee charters to lead Starbucks governance practices. Currently, the board has 9 directors, a substantial majority of whom meet all of the independence requirements of NASDAQ ® and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Of the nine members of Starbucks board, one is Latino, two are African American (one of which is female), and one other female also serves on the board. Starbucks president and CEO Howard Schultz chair the board. In Starbucks there are well-defined criteria for the selection of new board members, foremost being a clear demonstration of their own personal integrity and ethics. Board diversity is sought in terms of members personal and professional backgrounds, gender, race, ethnicity or other differentiating characteristics, enabling a wider range of opinions and perspectives to be considered. This criterias of selection affected the company in a very good way that gave it the opportunity to succeed in the international market. That the diversified background, education, culture and gender in the board was one of the greatest Starbucks strong points. There are three committees of the board are comprised of independent directors and have specific charters: Audit and Compliance,Compensation and Management Development and Nominating and Corporate Governance. In November 2007, the board amended the companys bylaws to include majority voting to allow shareholders to play a more meaningful role in the election of directors. Director nominees must receive more for than against votes to be elected in an uncontested election. Additionally, the term of a nominee who does not receive a majority of the votes cast will end on the earliest of either: (1) 90 days after the date election results are certified; (2) the date the director resigns; or (3) the date the board of directors fills the position. This change demonstrates Starbucks ongoing commitment to strong corporate governance practices. Shareholders and partners (employees) can provide recommendations and feedback to the board through the Business Conduct Helpline and the Audit line. In addition, written correspondence can be sent to the board, an individual director or to any of Starbucks independent board committees. Committee charters, governance principles, director nominations policy (including criteria for board membership) and profiles on each board member are available in the corporate governance section of Starbucks.com. Starbucks formed a Policy Governance Council in fiscal 2006 to oversee and approve governance tools at the global enterprise level, and to ensure they are well-defined, consistent with each other, current, stored for easy retrieval, and effectively communicated to partners. The Council is comprised of company leaders who represent multiple business units and functions, and is supported by Starbucks Policy Office and staff.Starbucks stakeholders include partners (employees), customers, suppliers, farmers, shareholders, governments, community members, environmental groups, activists and many others. The company engaged them to be able to understand their concerns and gain their input on topics of mutual importance. External Environment: Opportunities and Threats Starbucks international operation was one of the major aspects of their success. , in the mid 1990s, with the market reaching saturation, Starbucks could no longer depend on the U.S. market for growth. To maintain its growth rates and to boost revenues, Starbucks had to venture abroad. Starbucks international presence is now in more than 25 countries and the United States of America. This presence is formed in three modes in entry that are Joint venture, licensing and wholly owned subsidiaries. This became a burden on the mother company in a later stage. That those types of entry moods need a lot of training, supervising, management assistance and technology transfer for the partner. This is along with inability to engage in global strategic coordination. However, the success of Starbucks is not only to its aggressive expansion but also to its product innovation. Starbucks came out with new products to attract customers on different periods. Also diversification was one of the factors that Starbucks started to apply even on a small initiated base. That along with serving coffee, Starbucks also sold merchandise. In 1995, it started selling CDs of its famous in-house music program. It also entered into alliances with various players such as Canadian Airlines, United Air Lines, Starwood Hotels, and Barnes Noble, Inc., to serve Starbucks coffee. Michael Porters five forces Michael Porter defines five forces impacting a firms competitiveness- threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants in the industry, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers, and the intensity of competition within the industry. A firms strategic decisions to respond to these five forces are a source of risk also. The company is facing a real threat of substitution from many other companies that producing the same product that is satisfying the same need. This is in its domestic market and even in the international market specially Europe and Middle East. Also Starbucks is facing a real problem of rival competition due to its uncompetitive price all over the world and even in its domestic market. Also the taste of Coffee had been judged by customers as an artificial taste especially in Japan. Suppliers bargaining power is really represent a threat for Starbucks. That they decided to deal with a 51% women or minority owned suppliers. Also they are not dealing with suppliers who dont follow the same environmental ethics that are for Starbucks. This may lead them to lose a good opportunity or deal with a supplier that they will not deal with him. Also dealing with small suppliers instead of dealing with limited number of big power full suppliers is not giving them real good deals for facilities and prices. Societal Environment Economics Economic factors are an important aspects that concern the nature and direction of the economy in which a firm operates Starbucks also faced criticism from Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that urged the company to acquire certified coffee beans,ensuring that those coffee beans were grown and marketed under certain economic and social conditions. Furthermore, Starbucks faced problems due to economic recession in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, and Japan in the early 2000s, where it experienced declining sales and revenues. Moreover, a real expectation of huge recession during the next year due to the worldwide financial crisis may affect the companys results badly. Technological Starbucks is continuously searching for ways to better a customersexperience. With the introduction of the Starbucks Card for example, the Company has created the opportunity to improve customer service, shorten lines and make a customers visit at Starbucks quicker and more convenient. Most if not all Starbucks location has WI-FI for consumer needs. Political/Legal Increasing tensions between the United States and the rest of the world, the business environment, especially in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, was becoming increasingly volatile. After U.S. declaration of war on Iraq in early 2003 matters became worse for the company. This created serious problems for Starbucks. In July 2002, Arab students called for a boycott of American goods and services, due to the alleged close relationship between the United States and Israel. The boycott targeted U.S. companies including Starbucks, Burger King, Coca-Cola and Estee Lauder 2-In addition to these incidents, Starbucks topped the list of companies to be boycotted due to Schultzs alleged closeness to the Jewish community. Till now in the Arab countries Middle East a lot of rumors that Starbucks is sponsoring the Jewish community against Palestinian crises. Due to increasing security threats, Starbucks closed down its six stores in Israel. Starbucks had two class action suits pending since 2001. The lawsuits entitled Carr vs. Starbucks and Sheilds vs. Starbucks are challenging the status of Starbucks California store managers and assistant managers as exempt employees under California wage and hour laws. Starbucks is denying all liabilities in these cases, however; the company has agreed to the settlement in order to take care of all of the plaintiffs claims without having to get involved in any protracted litigation. Starbucks only imports all their coffee beans, so possible threats could include a change in import laws. A change in the status quo as far as imports go could greatly affect numerous areas of production for the company. For example, if it costs more to import or the process is made more difficult the result could ultimately be a change in price, which would affect the level of consumption for Starbucks coffees. Social/Cultural Environmental Mission Statement (Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business) As a result of Starbucks closely following their objectives, the company has installed a list of principles that further outline the companys willingness to make sure that its affect on the environment is as positive as possible. These principles are stated as: 1-Understanding of environmental issues. 2-Sharing information with our partners. 3-Developing innovative and flexible solutions to bring about change. 4-Striving to buy, sell and use environmentally friendly products. 5-Recognizing that fiscal responsibility is essential to our environmental future. 6-Instilling environmental responsibility as a corporate value. 7-Measuring and monitoring our progress for each project, and encouraging all partners to share in our mission. Those can only be seen as a positive for the image of the company and shows that they are willing to utilize their resources in order to more than satisfy requirements. Task Environment Not only this but also, Starbucks organizing activities such as neighborhood clean-ups and walk-a-thons. Many examples are available on the web site of the company. Policies that also have been implemented are the buying policies, which only allow the company to purchase from those other businesses (suppliers) who follow the same environmental strategy as Starbucks. This may push the company to lose an opportunity of good deal, because the supplier doesnt follow the company environmental policiesFinally, to integrate these policies to new employees, Starbucks has employed the services of a few partners which congregate together to create a Green Team, which installs the environmental views into trainees as well as coming up with inventive ways of helping the environment. Summary of External factors TO However, it was found that the success of Starbucks was due to its profitable domestic operations. It was reported that most of Starbucks international operations were running into losses. In May 2003, Starbucks Japanese operations reported a loss of $3.9 million (Japan constituted the largest market for the company outside the United States), and the company also performed badly in Europe and the Middle East. Analysis pointed out that Starbucks international operations were not as well planned as its U.S. operations. It was also observed that the volatile international business environment made it difficult for the company to effectively manage its international operations. Internal Environment: Strengths and Weaknesses Corporate Structure Starbuck has no formal organization chart and does not work with hierarchy structure. It consists of to main departments, functional department consists of marketing, supply chain, operations, finance and human resources, and cross functional teams, consisting of local store marketing and marketing campaigns. The decision making process in Starbucks is bottom up process, where the employees are empowered even to take decisions without referring back to the management. There is a conflict in the corporate structure where some employees are reporting to two different divisions which in some cases causing confusion and over lapping. Corporate culture The Chairman of Starbucks, Schultz decided to treat employees as family, and called them partners. Both full time and part time employees could benefit from training and health insurance. Starbucks paid some more salaries than competitors to gain highly qualified employees. Starbucks relied on its baristas and other frontline staff to a great extent in creating the Starbucks Experience which differentiated it from competitors. Employees had option to stock chare according to their base salaries. Also Starbucks had shared values with their employees who made them proud to work in such successful company, and this created good culture. Schultz decided also to be open and honest with his employees, and let them share in the decision making process. He gave extensive training to employees especially barista employees to give careful attention to customers. Environment was important to Starbucks. Using this concept Starbucks gave good attention to their suppliers by helping them technically and financially as part of their corporate social responsibility. Also it encouraged all partners to share in the companys mission. Starbucks has deep tacit knowledge, which is difficult to be imitated by competition. Functional strategies Marketing The main marketing strategy and position for Starbucks is for customers to consider it as their place after home and work, this will guarantee customers visiting the shops several times. However it also customizes its positioning for each store individually according to the specific location it is in. Another important part of Starbucks positioning over competition is that they are environmentally friendly. Starbucks does not generally offer promotional prices on its products. It has a reputation for having pricey drinks; furthermore, Starbucks brand is too expensive. The company mainly depends on the brand for their high revenues, which could be risky from competition. However it seems to be the market leader when it comes to new products and ideas. Starbucks has found more success advertising on a local level rather than to the nation as a whole. The Company advertises a lot through print mediums, as Starbucks target market tends to be educated people who do more reading than the average person. In 2005, Starbucks spent $87.7 million on advertising, or 1.4% of revenues. Starbucks also market itself as environmentally friendly and focus on its corporate social responsibility, one example is buying Ethos-Water Company and they also plan to donate $ 10 million to help countries under developed lacking clean water. RD The RD role in Starbucks is to make a RD mix and mainly consists of the following activities: Ä ±Coffee Science Ä ±New Technology Ä ±Equipment Technology Ä ±Product Development Ä ±Menu Development Ä ±Coffee Quality Assurance Ä ±Sensory Science The introduction of the Starbucks Card for example, Starbucks has created the opportunity to improve customer service, shorten lines and make a customers visit at Starbucks quicker and more convenien. Starbucks is continuously searching for ways to better a customers experience. The company spent 7.2 Million in 2008 for new technologies related to food and equipment. Operations and logistics The main operation for Starbucks divided into local operation in USA and international operation. Starbucks depended mainly on their employees to manage operation, thats why they focused on training employees as they are the main asset in the company. They are managing all stores in USA, however, they are in the international operation sometimes manage their store, or give licenses, or get into joint ventures with existing companies. But they focus on their operation on the quality of their coffee Starbucks deals with international small suppliers. Starbucks made good deals with their suppliers to supply coffee with fixed prices rather than using the Fair Trade Coffee. They mainly use non-smoking restrictions in their stores, however in some countries because of culture conflicts they had to have either smoking rooms or smoke areas in the air. One of the main advantages Starbucks has is the accumulative experience of their employees in operation, this is due to the low turn over they have and their focus on employee satisfaction. Human Resources Starbucks paid considerable attention to the kind of people it recruited. So the company hired people for qualities like adaptability, dependability and the ability to work in a team. Starbucks was one of the few retail companies to

Correlation Between Tempest and the New World :: essays papers

Correlation Between Tempest and the New World Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford, The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles by John Smith, and The Tempest by William Shakespeare, seem to have one thing in common in that they all touch upon the aspect of life in the new world. While The Tempest alludes to the new world and focuses on an imaginary concept of a Utopian society, The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles and Of Plymouth Plantation offer first hand accounts of life in the new world. John Smith tells us about life on the new land and his experiences with natives while William Bradford emphasizes the difficulties and hardships that the people had to endure in building a colony. The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles by John Smith, portrays the enormous troubles the settlers were faced with by the Native Americans. He explains how he was captured by Indians and also saved by a young Native American girl, Pocahontas. He vividly describes the ceremonies and rituals of the Natives performed before his execution. However, the execution never occurred due to the tremendous mercy showed by the king’s daughter who blanketed John Smith’s body her own. Pocahontas went on to persuade the Native Americans to help the settlers by giving them food and other necessities. Despite her efforts to reach peaceful grounds, her people were still bitter and planned an attacks on the colony. Nevertheless, Pocahontas saved them once again by warning the settlers of attacks. Pocahontas went on to marry an Englishman and traveled to England. She resembled the prosperity and good that was to be found in an untamed land. Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford gives us an insight into the endurance of the early settlers and the kind of pain they went through in order build the foundation of our great nation. They embarked on the new world and developed a colony from the ground up. However, there troubles started long before they even stepped foot on the land. With a strong hold on their religious beliefs, they continued their voyage to the new world even though there were questions about the safety of the vessel. They managed to work hard on the ship and make it to the new world, tired and hungry, only to learn that there was no rest to be found, but even more work.