Managing strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing strategy - Case Study Example Starbucks Corporation is a global coffee retailing organisation headquartered in Seattle of United States (US). It was established in the year 1985 by three English partners named Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker (Smith, 2007). It is one of the leading coffee house conglomerates in the world with a substantial reputation and corporate brand image (Bigboardnews.Com, 2012; Thompson & Shah 2010). Apart from beverage sector, it also deals in restaurants and entertainment division. Starbucks is the market leader in beverage sector in global market with annual revenue of $10.7 billion at the end of the year 2010 (Starbucks Corporation, 2009). Starbucks mainly attempts to offer most delicious coffee to its customers in order to inspire individuals in the targeted market (Starbucks Corporation, 2011). Hence, from the SWOT analysis, it can be clearly depicted that even though Starbucks is a renowned organisation with a sustainable corporate image in international market, it includes certain limitations as mentioned above. Besides, it can also lead to varied threats as well due to alternative market trends and preferences amid the targeted customers. This might also result due to globalisation. Hence, from the above PESTEL analysis, a detail overview about varied external factors which are most likely to have a substantial impact over Starbucks’ international operations can be evaluated in an appropriate way in order to understand the impact of these aspects on Starbucks. Thus, from this investigation, it can be clearly determined that there are higher prospects of expansion and development of Starbucks in future years. With reference to the PESTLE analysis, the prime factors which can offer a significant impact on Starbucks can be identified which is described below: Starbucks is one of the leading coffee retailing brands in the global context which positions itself as the market leader in food and beverage sector.

Abuse in the Novel Beloved Essay Example for Free

Abuse in the Novel Beloved Essay Many of the characters from the novel Beloved suffered extreme abuse. Sethe, an independent mother, was no exception to the abuse. Sethe survived through many different accounts of mistreatment. The school teacher’s nephews made Sethe suffer the cruelest oppression. They held her down against her will, while she was pregnant, and brutally stole the milk that her body was producing for her child. This is the worst pain for Sethe because, besides the obvious obtrusions, she feared she would not be able to provide for her baby after it was born. A mother’s worst fear is being unable to provide for her children and this is the fear they instilled in her. This was not the end of the violence toward Sethe from these[insert a word that means a group of abusers here]. When the school teacher founds out that Sethe tells of the mistreatment she suffered because of his nephews he orders them to whip her. Sethe is brutally beaten by this group of young men. The result of the merciless beaten is a form of large scars that shape a tree on Sethe’s back. The tree may be a symbol of a family tree, and in Sethe’s case an incomplete family tree. Sethe’s family tree is incomplete because she killed her daughter, Beloved. The ghost of Sethe’s murdered daughter, Beloved, haunts the house where Sethe and the rest of her family live. The ghost torments them enough to drives away Sethe’s two sons, Howard and Buglar. Sethe undergoes torment from almost every possible angle but she refuses to run away any more.

Refractory Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis Treatment

Refractory Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis Treatment Role of Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation in the Treatment of  Refractory Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis: A Pilot Study Ali Abdel Raheem,* Yasser Farahat, Osama El-Gamal, Maged Ragab,  Mohamed Radwan, Abdel Hamid El-Bahnasy, Abdel Naser El-Gamasy  and Mohamed Rasheed Purpose: We evaluated the early clinical and urodynamic results of posterior tibial  nerve stimulation in patients with refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. Materials and Methods: We randomly assigned 28 patients with refractory  monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis to 2 equal groups. Group 1 received a  weekly session of posterior tibial nerve stimulation for 12 weeks and group 2 was  the placebo group. Evaluation was performed in each group at baseline and after  posterior tibial nerve stimulation to compare clinical and urodynamic findings. Another clinical assessment was done 3 months after the first followup. Results: The 2 groups were comparable in baseline clinical and urodynamic data. Overall, 13 patients (46.4%) had detrusor overactivity and 14 (50%) had decreased  bladder capacity. After treatment 11 group 1 patients (78.6%) had a partial or full  response to posterior tibial nerve stimulation but only 2 (14.3%) in group 2 had a  partial response (p 0.002). Also, the average number of wet nights in group 1 was  significantly lower than at baseline (p 0.002). All urodynamic parameters significantly  improved in group 1. In contrast, the number of wet nights and urodynamic  parameters did not change significantly in group 2. At 3-month followup the number  of patients with a partial or full response in group 1 had decreased from 11 (78.6%)  to 6 (42.9%). No change was evident in group 2. Conclusions: Posterior tibial nerve stimulation can be a viable treatment option  in some patients with refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. However,  deterioration in some responders with time suggests the need for maintenance  protocols. Key Words: urinary bladder, nocturnal enuresis, transcutaneous electric  nerve stimulation, urodynamics, treatment outcome  NOCTURNAL enuresis is usually associated  with severe psychological and social  distress to children and their families. 1 In recent years several treatment  modalities emerged to treat NE, such  as behavioral therapy,2 alarm treatment,  3 medical therapy with desmopressin,  oxybutynin and imipramine,  and combination therapy.4–6 However,  none has been completely successful and  the relapse rate of all of them is significant. 7–9 Therefore, there is a great need  to find other treatments that could be  more effective and durable than current  therapy.  The pathogenesis of refractory NE  was discussed in many studies and attributed  to decreased bladder capacity  and/or PTNS was introduced with early  promising results as neuromodulative  therapy for diseases that involve the  lower urinary tract and for refractory conditions in  adults and children.15–19 These beneficial effects of  PTNS for controlling various bladder disorders led  us to try it in patients with refractory primary MNE.   MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 28 patients were included in this prospective,  randomized, placebo controlled, single blind study from  January 2010 to March 2012 at the urology department at  Tanta University Hospital. The study protocol was reviewed  and approved by the Tanta University institutional  review board. Informed consent was obtained from  all participants or from parents if the patient was younger  than 18 years. We recruited patients with severe (3 or more wet nights  per week) primary MNE at least 6 months in duration in  whom available conventional and combination therapies  had failed, including desmopressin, anticholinergics and  an alarm. We excluded those with secondary NE, nonMNE,  nocturnal polyuria and any neurological abnormality. All patients provided a detailed history and underwent  complete physical examination, urinalysis, x-ray of the  lumbo-sacral spine and ultrasound of the urinary system.   All patients were asked to keep a nocturnal enuresis diary  for 2 weeks, which included the time of sleep and arousal,  and whether they had a dry or wet bed in the morning. Nocturnal urinary output was measured as the total urine  volume collected in the diaper after voiding during the last  night (assessed by weighing the diaper in the morning)  plus the first morning urine volume. Nocturnal polyuria  was defined as nocturnal urine output 130% or greater of   EBC for age.20 The Arabic version of a 2-day frequency-volume chart  (adapted from the Pan Arab Continence Society, www.pacsoffice.com) was obtained from all patients to confirm  that the problem was MNE. Daytime functional bladder capacity was considered the recorded MVV. EBC for age  was calculated by the formula, 30 _ (age in years _ 30). Children with MVV less than 65% of EBC for age were  considered to have a small bladder.20 All patients also underwent urodynamic tests, as performed  by the same urodynamicist using a Delphis-KT  device (Laborie, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), including  1) uroflowmetry with PVR estimation by ultrasound for at  least 2 voids and 2) cystometrogram, including 1 filling  cycle using an 8Fr double lumen urethral catheter with  the patient supine and a slow filling rate of 10 ml per  minute. Patients were randomly divided into 2 equal groups by  method. Randomization was done blindly by having an  independent nurse randomly take a card from an envelope  containing 14 cards for group 1 and 14 for group 2. Group  1 received active PTNS treatment sessions using the  Urgent ® PC Neuromodulation System, while group 2 underwent  a sham procedure. Treatment Protocol We applied the technique described by Stoller.21 The patient  lay supine with the soles of the feet together, and the  knees abducted and flexed (frog position). A 34 gauge  needle was inserted percutaneously approximately 2  inches (5 cm) cephalad to the medial malleolus and 1 cm  from the posterior margin of the tibia at an angle of 60  degrees from the skin surface and the lead wire attached  to it. The surface electrode was placed on the same leg  near the arch of the foot over the calcaneus bone. The  device was turned on and amplitude was slowly increased  until the largest toe of the patient began to curl, the digits  fanned or the entire foot extended, indicating proximity to  the nerve bundle (see figure). If this response was not  achieved or pain occurred near the insertion site, the  device was turned off and the procedure was repeated. When the needle was inserted in the correct position, the  current was set at a tolerable level (pain threshold) and  the session continued for 30 minutes. For the sham procedure we tested only the foot response  to the electrical impulse and then turned off the  apparatus during the whole session. To avoid patient  identification of the type of procedure all participants  were informed that they may or may not feel a sensory  stimulus in the lower extremities during the treatment  sessions. Groups 1 and 2 underwent 12 weekly outpatient treatment  sessions. All participants were advised to stop all  medical treatment for NE at least 1 month before starting  PTNS but to continue behavioral therapy, including fluid  A, neuromodulation system. B, system in use with flexion of left largest toe.   restriction at night, complete bladder emptying before  sleep and awakening 2 hours after sleep to void. Patient Assessment The first patient evaluation was done in the first 2 weeks  after the last session. This evaluation involved repeating  the clinical and urodynamic assessments. The clinical part  included a nocturnal enuresis diary for 2 weeks in which  the number of wet nights/week was reported as well as a  2-day frequency-volume chart. The clinical response to treatment was assessed as  outlined by the International Children’s Continence Society,  including no response—less than a 50% decrease in  the total number of wet nights, partial response—50% to  89% decrease, response—90% or greater decrease and full  response—100% decrease.20 Urodynamic assessment included  uroflowmetry, PVR measurement and cystometry. The second evaluation was done 3 months after the last  session. It involved clinical evaluation using nocturnal  and voiding diaries only. Statistical Analysis All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS ® 17.   Data are shown as the mean SD unless otherwise specified. The Student t and paired sample t tests were used  for comparison between groups and in the same group,  respectively. Nonparametric data were compared by the  Wilcoxon signed ranks or Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical  significance was considered at p 0.05. RESULTS Recruited for this study were 28 patients with refractory  NE who met inclusion criteria. Initial assessment  and baseline characteristics of each group  showed no significant difference in clinical and urodynamic  parameters (table 1). Overall, in the 2  groups DO was present in 13 patients (46.4%) and  14 (50%) had decreased bladder capacity.   The procedure was performed easily with no adverse  effects in all cases. No patient discontinued  the planned sessions. At the end of the PTNS sessions clinical assessment  revealed significant improvement in the average number  of wet nights per week in group 1 (decrease from  4.7 to 2.6, p 0.002, table 2). Compared to the placebo  group, the number of wet nights after treatment was  significantly lower in group 1 (p 0.041, table 2). At  that time 4 group 1 patients (28.6%) had a complete  response to PTNS, 7 (50%) had a partial response and  3 were nonresponders. However, in group 2 there were  2 patients (14.3%) with a partial response, while the  remainder did not respond. When we compared the 2  groups, the difference in this response rate was statistically  significant (p 0.002, table 2). At first evaluation after the end of treatment, the  active group showed significant improvement in all  urodynamic parameters compared to baseline, including  first and strong desire to void, and MCC  (p 0.002, 0.01 and 0.000, respectively, table 2). In  group 2 these parameters did not significantly differ  compared to baseline (table 2). Also, DO disappeared  in 2 of 7 group 1 patients but this improvement was  not noted in the sham treated group (table 2). Statistical  analysis revealed that the difference be- Table 1. Patient characteristics Active Placebo p Value No. boys/girls 8/6 9/5 1 Mean SD age (yrs) 13.7 2.8 14 2.8 0.8 Mean SD body mass index (kg/m2) 24.95 4.40 26.27 4.23 0.43 Mean SD max urine flow (ml/sec) 26.85 6.74 23.28 5.49 0.13 Mean SD PVR (ml) 6.21 7.11 5.86 5.48 0.9 Mean SD daytime frequency 3.9 0.67 4.29 0.64 0.07 Mean SD MVV (ml) 266.57 82 288.93 106.29 0.27 Mean SD No. wet nights/wk 4.7 1.3 5.1 1.4 0.42 No. detrusor overactivity: Present 7 6 1 Absent 7 8 — Mean SD void desire (ml): 1st 148.46 25.89 153.50 21.65 0.59 Strong 260.43 84.18 271.79 75.43 0.71 Mean SD MCC (ml) 291.21 86.82 322.21 76.04 0.32 Table 2. Intragroup and intergroup comparisons of clinical and urodynamic findings after PTNS at first evaluation Active Placebo Baseline After Treatment p Value Baseline After Treatment p Value Posttreatment p Value Mean SD void desire (ml): 1st 148.46 25.89 177.71 35.48 0.002 153.50 21.65 154.14 20.71 0.59 0.041 Strong 260.43 84.18 283.64 72.03 0.01 271.79 75.43 271.6 72.8 0.94 0.67 Mean SD MCC (ml) 291.21 86.82 322.5 65.89 0.000 322.21 76.04 323.57 77.44 0.57 0.97 No. detrusor overactivity: Present 7 5 0.44 6 6 1 0.7 Absent 7 9 8 8 Mean SD MVV (ml) 266.57 82 280.14 71.81 0.022 288.93 106.29 291.07 96.84 0.73 0.6 Mean SD No. wet nights/wk 4.7 1.3 2.6 2.2 0.002 5.1 1.4 4.7 2.1 0.08 0.041 No. response: — — — — Full 4 0 0.002 Partial 7 2 None 3 12 1516 POSTERIOR TIBIAL NERVE STIMULATION FOR REFRACTORY NOCTURNAL ENURESIS tween the 2 groups in this regard was not statistically  significant (p 0.7, table 2). Furthermore, in  this evaluation urodynamic parameters showed that  bladder volume at first desire to void was significantly  higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p 0.041). On the other hand, bladder volume at strong desire  to void and MCC did not significantly differ between  the groups (p 0.67 and 0.97, respectively, table 2). Five of the 8 group 1 patients with decreased EBC  showed improved capacity. MVV also significantly  increased after treatment from a mean of 266.57  82 to 280.14 71.81 cc (p 0.022, table 2). When we studied the relationship between the response  to PTNS and initial urodynamic findings, we  noted that all 10 group 1 patients with small bladder  capacity and/or DO showed a good response to treatment,  including 4 and 6 with a full and partial response,  respectively. However, when we compared the type of  response in those with normal vs abnormal urodynamic  results, the 4 patients with normal urodynamic findings  in this group had a poor response to the sessions, including  3 with no response and 1 with only a partial response. This difference was significant (p 0.007). Clinical results at 3 months after the last session  showed some deterioration in early results in the  active group. In this group the number of patients     ith a full response decreased from 4 to 2 and the  number of those with a partial response decreased  from 7 to 4. No change was detected in the other  group. However, when we compared the response  rate in the 2 groups at this time, we detected no  significant difference (p 0.13). In addition, the  average number of wet nights per week at that time  was 2.9 in group 1 and 4.2 in group 2, which did not  significantly differ (p 0.07). DISCUSSION This study demonstrates that PTNS could be of value  in some patients with primaryMNEin whom previous  conventional therapies failed. To our knowledge this  treatment modality has not been tried before in such  cases but it has been successfully used for overactive  bladder syndrome,22,23 lower urinary tract dysfunction  in adults and children,15,18 refractory overactive bladder,  16 refractory vesical dysfunction19 and refractory  nonneurogenic bladder sphincter dysfunction.17   Absent daytime lower urinary tract symptoms in  patients with NE does not necessarily mean that the  bladder functions well because DO and/or decreased  bladder capacity was previously reported in such  patients.10,11 The clinical response to desmopressin  therapy is less satisfactory when NE is associated  with decreased bladder capacity and/or DO.12–14 In  our study we detected DO and decreased bladder  capacity in 46.4% and 50% of patients, respectively,  although patients with MNE only were included in  analysis. These values agree with previous reports  showing bladder overactivity24 and small bladder  capacity25 in 49% and 50% of children with MNE,  respectively. These findings may partially explain  the mechanism of resistance to the previous treatment  trials in our patients. Our results and those of others reveal that PTNS  can be applied easily and safely in children.18,19  After the 12 PTNS sessions in our series, patients  showed a significant increase in MVV and urodynamic  parameters, including first and strong desire  to void, and MCC, compared to the placebo group. These results agree with those in previous reports  demonstrating that PTNS increased cystometric capacity  from 197 to 252 cc26 and from 243 to 340 cc,27  and increased MVV by 39 cc, which was statistically  significant.23 However, at 3-month followup we detected some  deterioration in the response rate compared to early  results. The overall number of full and partial responders  decreased from 11 (78.6%) to 6 (42.9%) in  group 1. This deterioration during followup suggests  that PTNS may have temporary efficacy and its effect  decreases gradually with time. This finding was also  noted in patients with overactive bladder treated with  PTNS. van der Pal reported that 7 of 11 patients with  an initially good response had evidence of subjective  and objective deterioration after PTNS.28 They suggested  the need for maintenance treatment. The early promising results of this study encouraged  us to suggest that PTNS might be effective  in patients with refractory primary MNE in  whom nocturnal polyuria is not an etiological factor  but in whom the main underlying pathological  condition is decreased bladder capacity and/or DO. However, the exact mechanism that could explain  the mode of action of this treatment modality is  still unknown. PTNS may induce some inhibitory  effects on DO. The existence of this functional  abnormality in the bladder implies that the detrusor  is not completely relaxed between voids.   Therefore, the capacity of the overactive bladder is  usually smaller than that of the bladder with a  normal detrusor. Consequently, the clinical response  usually occurs when bladder capacity increases  and DO improves after PTNS. This explanation  may be supported by the improvement in  bladder capacity (functional and cystometric) and  the disappearance of DO in patients who responded  to PTNS in our study. The main limitations of this study are the small  sample size and the short 3-month followup. In  addition, we did not repeat urodynamic tests at  the second followup at 3 months to avoid patient  discomfort but depended only on the patient clinical  response. However, this information could be important for assessing the cause of the deterioration in PTNS efficacy after treatment was  stopped. CONCLUSIONS PTNS appears to be a viable treatment option in  some patients with refractory primary MNE. However,  deterioration in the response rate with time  raises important questions about the long-term  efficacy of this therapy and the need for further  maintenance sessions. More studies are needed to  support our findings and select patients who  would be good candidates for this therapy.

The Olay Brand Called Olay Evolution Marketing Essay

The Olay Brand Called Olay Evolution Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION The Procter Gamble Company (PG) is one of the worlds largest consumer goods companies. It markets more than 300 brands in the beauty, health, fabric, home, baby, family, and personal care product categories. The company operates in the Americas, Europe and Asia. It is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and employs about 135,000 people. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES The objective of Procter Gamble is that They will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the worlds consumers, now and for generations to come. As a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders and the communities in which we live and work to prosper. (http://www.uk.pg.com/company/aboutPG/purposeValuesPrinciples.html) CORPORATE STRATEGY Procter Gamble (PG), one of the worlds largest consumer goods companies is also a pioneer in the use of mass media. The company has used newspaper advertisements, radio and soap operas to advertise its popular brands like Crest, Pampers, Pantene and Folgers. During 1990-2000, however,  its rate of growth took a plunge. When AG Lafley took over as CEO in 2000, he gave PG a complete makeover with the focus on innovation and advertising. Since 2000, PG has been increasingly embracing targeted, viral and on-line marketing. (http://www.uk.pg.com/company/aboutPG/purposeValuesPrinciples.html) PROPOSED PRODUCT olayLogo87_Jul06.jpg Evolution Olay is a worldwide leader in skin care and have been trusted by women for fifty years. Graham Wulff, an innovative and entrepreneurial South African chemist developed the original formula at the beginning of the 1950s. Olay has eight global product lines offering a multiple of product. Product such as; Olay professional pro-X, Olay Definity, Olay Regenerist, Olay Total effect, Olay complete, Olay hydrate cleanse, Olay clarity, Olay body lotion, Olay touch of sun and Olay body cleansing (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/14719894/Oil-Of-Olay-Products). Skin care is evolving faster than ever with independent clinical trial and new standards in natural and organic cosmetics. Olay evolution will be a combination of Olay total effects (7 seven powerful anti-ageing in one) and Olay Definity (fight wrinkles, brown spot and discolouration). Many consumers want products that offer more than one benefit. So this product is expected to moisturize, fight free radicals and give the skin a more youthful appearance. This product would offer the costumer an ideal combination of the world most powerful skin care solution. Anti-aging is the fastest-growing skin segment, standing at $567.6 million, now representing the biggest category in skin care, surpassing facial cleansers which stand at $559.2 million. (http://www.allbusiness.com/population-demographics/demographic-groups/5517853-1.html) product-landing-definity_v6.jpg product-landing-total-effects.jpg Women are very particular when dealing with their face. They need to be convinced the product will deliver all the promised benefits. Women are willing to try new things and spend more money to look better and younger. Skin care attracts customers from all income level as most women like to take care of their appearance. The increase number of women working equates women with more money to spend and skin care is one of the favourite avenues for their spending. Based on Procter Gamble F4Q10 (Qtr End 06/30/2010) Earnings Call Transcript, Female Skin Care grew volume double digits with positive share trends. In the U.S., Olay all-outlet value share of the Facial Moisturizer segment was up almost two points behind the continued strength of the Olay Pro-X line and the Olay Regenerist Roller ball Eye Treatment innovation. Olay also had strong results in developing markets, more than doubling shipments in India, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. Organic sales increased 5%, driven by 8% organic volume growth. (http://seekingalpha.com/article/218380-procter-gamble-f4q10-qtr-end-06-30-2010-earnings-call-transcript) Rate of Global skin care market 2002 and 2007 Country 2002 ( £M) 2009 ( £M) US 6,752.2 8,059.2 FRANCE 2,391.1 4,368.0 GERMANY 1,975.1 3,239.3 ITALY 1,440.0 2,340.4 SPAIN 956.4 1,897.9 UK 1,612.7 2,937.6 Source: Euro monitor international Below are the analyses of the business environment to back up the proposal. ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Every Business operates within an environment, these environments directly and indirectly affects the way those businesses function. Competition in the skin care industry tends to be more intense and there are many changes that can be regarded as threat and opportunity that it is important for managers to cope with. MACRO Political The political environment Relates to the pressures and opportunities brought by changes of the government and their views toward the skin care industry. Each government always have a mandate to regulate the use on non organic ingredients in most skin care product. Economic This Refers to economic factors and structures and such variables like the stock exchange, interest and inflation rates, the nations economic policies and performance, exchange rates, etc. Although PG is based in the US, it earns revenues, pay expenses, own assets and incur liabilities in countries using currencies other than the US dollar. As a result, increases or decreases in the value of the US dollar against other major currencies will affect the companys net operating revenues, operating income and the value of balance sheet items denominated in foreign currencies. Social Middle-aged women are very interested in skin care items that help them retain a more youthful appearance and complexion. Observing social factors helps organisations maintain their reputation among stakeholders. Technological Changes in technology can affect a company competitive position. Industries merge; new strategic groups emerge; currents products improve and the cost of production gets reduced by process innovation. Because the skin care industry is very competitive, the company necessitate taking advantage of the latest technology and revolutionary substances to create new product in order to maintain customers interest and loyalty. Environmental With global warming and carbon foot prints being big concerns, governments and scientists are encouraging companies and individuals to be more environmentally aware. PGs policy is to: Ensure its products, packaging and operations are safe for their employees, consumers and the environment. Reduce or prevent the environmental impact of products and packaging in their design, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal whenever possible. They support the sustainable use of resources and actively encourage reuse, recycling and composting. MICRO Buyer Power;  Consumer products companies face weak buyer power because customers are disjointed and have little influence on price or product. But considering the buyers of consumer products to be retailers rather than individuals, then these firms face very strong buyer power. One good example is the business relationship between wall-mart and PG (see swot analysis). Supplier Power; the company could face some amount of supplier power simply because of the costs incurred when switching suppliers. Notwithstanding, suppliers that do large amount of business with the company also are somewhat obliged to their customers; nonetheless, bargaining power for both the firms and their suppliers is probably limited. Threat of New Entrants;  Given the amount of capital investment needed to enter the skin care industry, the assumption is that threat of new entrants will be fairly low. Threat of Substitutes;  Within the skin care industry, brands thrive in helping to build a competitive advantage, but even the pricing power of brands can be scoured with substitutes. Threats to this product may arise from other anti-aging products such as; Avotone, Revitol, Ceramide C etc. Degree of Rivalry; Skin care industry is a very competitive market, taking advantage of the latest technology and revolutionary substances to create new product in order to maintain customers interest and loyalty will be very important. In doing so it will increase the companys competitive advantage over other top brands like Avon and Nivea Visage. INTERNAL The internal environment constitutes variables and forces within the control of the organisation. These variables are; conditions, entities,  events, and  factors  within an organization which  influence  its  activities  and  choices, its philosophy, particularly the  behaviour of the  employees. Other variables include; the  organisation mission statement,  leadership style, and its  culture. SWOT Analysis; this is a planning method use to evaluate the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and treat to a business. It involves specifying objectives of a business at the same time identifying the internal and external elements that will affect the business both positive and negative in the race to attain its stated objectives. Strengths Weaknesses Leading market position geared on a strong brand portfolio. Significant RD and market investment. Robust cash productivity Increase instances of product recall. Excessive dependant on Wal-mart. High product prices translated into sales volume decline and market share loss. Opportunities Threats Future growth plans- Increase concentration on its core attractive businesses and enhancing its customer base. Increase investment in manufacturing capacity in developing countries. Acquisitions to expand portfolio Counterfeit goods. Changing global retail scenario and rise of private labels. Commodity cost and currency exchange rate. Rising cost of energy prices Economic slowdown in US and Euro zone. (www.datamonitor.com) STRENGTHS Leading market position garnered on a strong brand portfolio With revenues of $79,029 million, PG is the worlds largest consumer products manufacturer, with its products reaching 4 billion people worldwide. PG is the 20th largest company in sales and the 9th largest company in profit among the Fortune 500 companies. The companys market capitalization in 2009 was roughly $150 billion, making it one of the 10 most valuable companies in the US. PG holds leading global market shares in a variety of categories, including baby care (33%), blades and razors (70%), feminine protection (37%), and fabric care (33%). The companys leadership position is built on its strong brand portfolio. Strong brand portfolio enables the company to achieve economies of scale in distribution and retain a strong bargaining position with retailers. Leading market position provides PG with significant competitive advantage as well as stabilizes the companys financial growth Significant RD and market investment. Being a consumer products company, PG relies heavily on innovation and continued marketing investments in order to establish a significant competitive advantage. As a result, the company has made significant investments in RD and marketing. Over the last decade, PG has invested more than $2 billion in consumer and market research (nearly twice that of its closest competitor, Unilever; and equal to the combined total of its other major competitors; Avon, Clorox Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Energizer Holdings, Henkel, Kimberly-Clark, LOreal, and Reckitt Benckiser). Virtually, all the organic sales growth delivered by PG in the past nine years has come from new brands and new or improved product innovation. PG also involves external innovation partners to boost its internal innovative capability, an approach it calls Connect and Develop. Currently, more than half of all product innovation coming from PG includes at least one major component from an external partner. PGs strong RD capabilities and a marketing-driven understanding of consumer needs are backed by significant marketing investments. The company invests more than $7 billion in advertising annually, consistently making PG one of the worlds largest advertisers. Strong focus on research and development allows PG to renew its product line at regular intervals, which boosts customer loyalty and revenue growth. Significant marketing investments to support its brands and a broad product portfolio help PG to remain at forefront in a competitive market. Robust cash productivity PGs cash productivity: the percentage of earnings converted into cash has averaged over 100% since 2001, consistently among the very best in the industry. This is primarily due to PGs strong focus on productivity, working-capital management and cost reduction. Furthermore, PG is equally rigorous about managing costs. The company has reduced overhead costs as a percentage of sales by more than 300 basis points since 2001. The cash productivity allows PG to maintain the companys excellent credit rating, to pay strong dividends, and to have the flexibility to invest in the business organically or through mergers and acquisitions. Therefore, robust cash productivity ensures that PG has the flexibility and the resources to invest in growth even in the most challenging environments. WEAKNESSES PG has been registering increasing instance of product recalls. One case in point is in November 2009, the company voluntarily recalled three lots of its Vicks Sinex nasal spray in the US, Germany and the UK. The recall was a precautionary step after finding the bacteria B. cepacia in a small amount of product made at its plant in Gross Gerau, Germany. In March 2010, PG voluntarily recalled its Pringles Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger potato crisps and Pringles Family Faves Taco Night potato crisps in response to a recommendation from the Food Drug Administration (FDA) to the food industry to protect consumers from potential Salmonella exposure. Most recently in June 2010, PG voluntarily recalled a small percentage of 1-liter bottles of Scope Original Mint and Scope Peppermint mouthwash with malfunctioning child-resistant caps in the US and Canada. Recurrent product recalls could affect the brand image of the company, which would lead to low customer loyalty and brand equity. Excessive dependent on Wal-Mart PG is heavily dependent on Wal-Mart Stores (Wal-Mart) and its affiliates for generating major part of its revenue. Sales to Wal-Mart and its affiliates represented approximately 15% of its total revenue since 2006. High dependence upon a Wal-Mart reduces the bargaining power of the company. Also, Wal-Mart could use its bargaining power to impose unfavourable terms on the company. Any decrease in revenue from Wal-Mart could have a negative impact on the companys businesses. Hence, the loss of this customer will lead to a sharp decline in PGs revenues and also a loss of its market share. OPPRTUNITIES Future growth plans In order to grow in a highly competitive environment, PG is pursuing a clearly drafted strategy with focus on two areas: increasing concentration on its core attractive businesses and enhancing its customer base. The company is sharply focusing on its core attractive businesses (the beauty and health market segments and several household care categories) as these are fast-growing businesses. For instance, the global market for personal care products has annual sales of over $39.5 billion and is growing at a rate of around 5% annually. PG intends to increase its customer base by acquiring under served and unserved consumers. In line with this, the company is targeting developing markets; extending its distribution systems; and expanding its brand and product portfolio. Developing and emerging economies are expected to account for 90% of the worlds population by 2010, and this is expected to drive demand for fast moving consumer goods. Increased investment in manufacturing capacity in developing countries PG is planning the biggest increase in its manufacturing capacity in order to expand into categories and countries where it doesnt have a brand presence. The company is investing 4% of sales in capital spending, including funding for new manufacturing capacity to support future growth. Over the next five years, PG plans to add 20 new manufacturing facilities. Almost all of these facilities are in developing markets, and almost all will be multi-product category facilities. By focusing on developing markets, the company would reduce the cost of serving these markets while also being closer to regions with the greatest long term growth potential. Acquisitions to expand portfolio PG has made significant acquisitions in the recent past. For instance, in June 2009, the company acquired the Zirh skincare brand. Zirh is a leading super premium, male grooming brand available in high-end department stores, specialty outlets and online. Later in May 2010, PG entered into an agreement to acquire Natura Pet Products, a privately-held pet food business. Most recently, in July 2010, the company concluded its purchase of the Ambi Pur Brand from Sara Lee Corporation. Ambi Pur is a leading global air care brand with presence in 80 countries, and also has several toilet care products, with strong presence in Western Europe and Asia. These kinds of acquisitions will strengthen PGs presence across a range of categories and in turn augment its top line and bottom-line. THREATS Changing global retail scenario and rise of private labels PGs products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which is experiencing an increased trade concentration and the growing presence of large format retailers and discounters. With the growing trend toward retail trade consolidation, it is increasingly dependent on key retailers. Some of these retailers have a greater bargaining strength than PG. They may use this leverage to demand higher trade discounts, allowances or slotting fees, which could lead to reduced sales or profitability. Commodity cost and currency exchange rate instability places tremendous pressure on PGs business. Not to mention the unexpected and dramatic devaluations of currencies in developing or emerging markets reduce profits. Counterfeit goods Trade of counterfeits and pass-offs products is negatively affecting the growth of FMCG companies like PG. The top two brands within any category be it cosmetics, detergents, or soaps are effected the most by counterfeit. It is estimated that the loss due to counterfeit products convert into around  £6 billion ($8.5 billion). Furthermore, with the advent of digital channels there has been a surge in the sale of counterfeit products and online sales of these products increased by 9% in 2009. Besides revenue losses, counterfeits and pass-offs also affect the companys brand as they are unsafe. (Swot analysis Source: www.datamonitor.com ) The best strategies accomplish an organisation mission by exploiting an organisation opportunity and strength, while neutralizing its treat and avoiding its weakness. Ansoff matrix Ansoff matrix highlight four possible market strategy for the propose product. ansoff_matrix-124013-1.jpeg (http://www.brothersoft.com/ansoff-matrix-124013.html). Product development: as this is a new product in the range, much emphasis will be to offer the product to the existing customer base. Using the competitive advantages and brand image of previous products to lunch the propose product. With the companys focus on advertising, (worlds largest advertisers) it can use the advertising power to push the product to recognition. Sixty percent (60%) of the strategy will be on product development. Diversification: One of the opportunities available to the company is launching into new markets and developing economies. Forty percent (40%) of the strategy will be to launch the propose product in an entirely new market. Market Penetration: this occurs when the company sells its existing product in its existing market, perhaps through greater promotional efforts. As this is a new product this strategy might be considered in the future. Market Development: this occurs when the company tries to sell it existing products in new and emerging markets. This strategy as well might be for future considerations.

Management Models :: Business Employee Management

The Industrial Revolution brought about the emergence of large-scale business and its need for professional managers. Modern managers use many of the practices, principles and techniques developed from earlier concepts and experiences. Early military and church organizations provided the leadership models on which the classical/functional model was the first to be developed. It began around the 1900 and continued into the 1920s. Max Weber known as the father of modern sociology analyzed bureaucracy as the most rational and logical structure for large organizations4. Through the years, other men and women like Frederick Taylor, Frank and Lilian Gilbreth, Mary Parker Follet and Chester Barnard, to name a few, tried to come with better models which were all geared towards making organizations more productive and lucrative until in the 1950s, the project management model was developed by Henry Gratt.

cinco de mayo :: essays research papers

Cinco de Mayo "After Mexico gained it's independence from Spain in 1821, it faced internal power struggles that left it in a volatile state of rebellion and instability for years." In 1846, the Mexican government, under the dictator Santa Anna, went to war with the United States. As an outcome of that war, Mexico lost a large amount of land--the land we now know as Texas. In 1854, Juan Alvarez and his troops led a successful revolt to drive Santa Anna out of power. One of Alvarez's strongest supporters was a man by the name of Benito Juarez, a Zapotec Indian leader. In 1855, Juarez became the minister of Justice under the new regime and issued two new controversial laws. One denied the right of the church and military courts to try civilian cases and the other made the sale and distribution of church lands legal. Many people disagreed with these laws and for three years a civil war raged between the two sides. In 1861 Juarez took control of the capital, Mexico City, and put his new Const itution into effect. Not only had Juarez's laws split the country, they had caused the civil war that left Juarez in debt to Spain, England, and France. The three countries were concerned about the debt, so they held a meeting in London, at which Spain and Britain decided to waive the debt in exchange for military control of the Custom House in Vera Cruz. France did not agree to these terms and invaded Mexico in 1861 in hopes of defeating the country and disposing of Juarez. The French troops--deemed among the best trained and equipped in the world--marched into the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862, expecting no resistance. The French army consisted of 6,000 men under the command of Marshal Lorencz. The French were met by an armed force of 2,000 peasants under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza. The Mexican guerilla forces successfully defended their positions and attacked and drove back the French forces. Victory, however, was short lived. Within a year, France had successfully c onquered Puebla and the rest of Mexico, and went on ruling there until 1867 when Juarez was once again restored to power. He ruled the country until his death in 1872. Cinco de Mayo, therefore, does not celebrate Mexico's independence, rather it symbolizes "the right of the people to self determination and national sovereignty, and the ability of non-Europeans to defend those rights against modern military organizations.

Literary Analysis of Bartleby the Scrivener Essay

Bartleby the Scrivener could be described as a story about getting rid of its title character, about the narrator’s attempt to get rid of Bartleby, and Bartleby’s tenacious capacity to be always there. It is the story of an unnamed lawyer and his employee, Bartleby, a copyist of law documents. Confronted not only with Bartleby’s refusal to do work (first to â€Å"read† copies against the original, then to copy altogether), but also with the contagious nature of the particular words of his refusal (Bartleby’s peculiar â€Å"I would prefer not to†), the narrator concludes that, before Bartleby â€Å"turns the tongues† any further of those with whom he comes into contact, he â€Å"must get rid of† Bartleby. At the same time Bartleby feels â€Å"mobbed in his privacy† (27) when the other office workers crowd him behind his screen, they in turn are invaded by his idiosyncrasy – his private idiom â€Å"prefer. † Bartleby’s presence breaks down the clear distinctions between public and private, professional and domestic, between â€Å"privacy† and â€Å"the mob. † By pinpointing Bartleby as the â€Å"cause† of infectious language (language â€Å"turned† bad), the narrator wants to stop the course of a process (the â€Å"turning of tongues†) already in progress. But getting rid of Bartleby is as tricky as getting rid of a chronic condition; the narrator emphasizes a phrase which appears textually in italics: â€Å"he was always there† (20). Bartleby is, as the narrator calls him, a â€Å"nuisance† (40), an â€Å"intolerable incubus. † As a character in the story with a body, he moves very little, but the few words he speaks break out at unexpected moments in the office. Every attempt the narrator makes to control the passive Bartleby and his infectious language fails hilariously (Schehr 97). The narrator experiences a curious tension between the impossible imperative (on the level of the story) to get rid of the subject, and the impossibility (on the level of the narration) to write his complete biography (Bartleby’s â€Å"history†). Thus, Bartleby is also a fable about writing history or biography. In attempting to write what he thinks of as Bartleby’s biography, the narrator merely misnames his writing project, or he emphasizes it from the wrong point of view. In search of Bartleby’s origins, the narrator does not simply narrate (as he thinks) the history of Bartleby the Scrivener; he relates rather the story of his own anxiety vis-a-vis Bartleby. In particular, he relates his anxiety over the scrivener’s silence – and modes of breaking that silence; for we could say that, rather than speaking very little or in particular ways, Bartleby has particular ways of occasionally breaking silence. It is this violence in speech, this unexpected eruption, which the narrator fears. The narrator, whose acquaintances describe him as an â€Å"eminently safe man,† who likes nothing better than the â€Å"cool tranquility of a snug retreat† (4), is thrown decidedly off kilter when faced with what he terms Bartleby’s â€Å"passive resistance† (17). Bartleby’s weapon is his total indifference to truth, whereas the narrator seeks a second opinion on truth from the other office mates. Bartleby could be seen as the one solid block around which the narrator writes his own story about truth rather than the truth about the Bartleby story. Bartleby’s passive resistance actually generates the story — confronted with it, the narrator creates theories (his doctrine of assumptions, for instance), carries on debates with himself, and seeks the counsel of others — all with the opaque Bartleby as the core. In reconstructing Bartleby’s story, the narrator follows an implicit logic which he never directly states. It is the logic of cause and effect. (He is not deliberately hiding this logic, but because he takes its validity for granted, he never comments on it critically. ) Believing in the possibility of finding a specific, locatable, and nameable cause to Bartleby’s condition (as he is able to do with the other office workers, Nippers and Turkey, whose moods vary according to their diets and the time of day), the narrator thinks that by eradicating the cause of the problem, he can alter the effects, the effects of Bartleby’s speaking condition in the office space. McCall follows the same logic as the narrator in seeking causes of Bartleby’s behavior. He mentions remark that when the narrator asks Bartleby to run an errand for him at the post office, â€Å"that is probably the last place, if the rumor is correct, that Bartleby would ever want to go. † (McCall 129). The narrator never considers that his line of reasoning might be faulty — that Bartleby’s condition may not be linked to a specific, locatable, nameable cause. We as readers may be placed in the same position as the narrator in that we never know either the origin of Bartleby’s condition; we witness primarily its effects, or symptoms, in the story. These symptoms reside not only in Bartleby as individual character, but in the very way the narrator tells the story about that character. Rather than speaking about the cause of Bartleby’s condition, one could more aptly speak about the ways in which its effects are spread to other characters within the text. When the narrator impatiently summons Bartleby to join and help the others in the scenario of group reading, Bartleby responds, â€Å"I would prefer not to† (14). Hearing this response the narrator turns â€Å"into a pillar of salt† (14). (Faced with Bartleby’s responses and sheer presence, the narrator oftentimes evokes images of his losing, then waking to, consciousness. ) When he recovers his senses, he tries to reason with Bartleby, who in the meantime has retreated behind his screen. The narrator says: â€Å"These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you, because one examination will answer for your four papers. It is common usage. Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. Is it not so? Will you not speak? Answer! † (15) The narrator is exasperated when Bartleby does not respond immediately to the logic behind his work ethic. â€Å"These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you. † Examining or reading copy is a money saving activity, from which every member of the office profits (four documents for the price of one reading! ). â€Å"Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. † To the contract the lawyer emphatically demands from his employee, a bond based on an exchange of reading, Bartleby replies three times, gently, â€Å"in a flutelike tone,† â€Å"I (would) prefer not to† (15). By refusing to read copy, Bartleby refuses to consent to the economy of the office. It is perhaps only to another type of reading, one not based on a system of exchange and profit, which Bartleby consents. Although the narrator says he has never seen Bartleby reading — â€Å"not even a newspaper† (24) — he does often notice him staring outside the window of the office onto a brick wall. Staring at the dead brick wall (in what the narrator calls Bartleby’s â€Å"dead-wall reveries†) may be Bartleby’s only form of reading, taking the place of the economy-based reading demanded of him in the process of verifying copies. About halfway through the story, the lawyer/narrator visits his office on a Sunday morning and, discovering a blanket, soap and towel, a few crumbs of ginger nuts and a morsel of cheese, deduces that the scrivener never leaves the office. Realizing the full impact of Bartleby’s condition, he states, What I saw that morning persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder. (25) The narrator clearly locates the disorder in Bartleby. Seeing himself in the role of diagnostician and healer, he himself is faced with the â€Å"hopelessness of remedying excessive and organic ill† (24). The narrator’s concern about an individual medical cure should more aptly be a concern about an obsessively private rhetorical debate or a dangerously idiomatic group contagion (Perry 409). Despite his assumption that Bartleby is incurable, or perhaps precisely because he can effect no cure, the narrator beleaguers himself throughout the story with questions or commands to do something about Bartleby (McCall 9). If the private man’s disorder can be passed on to another (one) person, what happens when the condition is let loose out of close quarantine into the public space of the office? Bartleby walks a precarious tightrope between comedy and tragedy (Inge 25). The tragic dimension often resides in the narrator’s turning inward on himself (a sort of tragic compression), then putting himself on trial, an interior moment of accusation which eventually results in the collapse of the narrative in a single sigh or exclamation (â€Å"Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity! † 46). The comic effects are often related to the authoritarian attempt (and failure) to contain the spread of idiom as contagion (Perry 412). If Bartleby has been a figure for tragedy in the lone meditation of the narrator, he becomes a figure for comedy in his contact with his office mates Nippers and Turkey. The more the narrator tries to regulate the contact between the three, the more hilarious — and significantly out of control — is Bartleby’s influence. The effort to contain or control tends actually to promote the epidemic proportions of the narrative. It is the narrator himself who uses a vocabulary of contagion in relation to Bartleby. He says he has had â€Å"more than ordinary contact† (3) with other scriveners he has known. Bartleby exceeds this already extraordinary contact – he has been touched by â€Å"handling† dead letters (Schehr 99). Some critics reproduce the narrator’s language of contagion in talking about Bartleby. McCall, in his study on The Silence of Bartleby, describes â€Å"our† response, the collective readers’ response, to reading the tale: As we go through the story, we watch with a certain delight how Bartleby is â€Å"catching. † We root for the spread of the bug. (145) In a somewhat less delighted vein, Borges says, â€Å"Bartleby’s frank nihilism contaminates his companions and even the stolid man who tells Bartleby’s story. † (Borges 8) In the office scenes where the employees and boss come inevitably together, the â€Å"bug† word is Bartleby’s â€Å"prefer. † Nippers uses it mockingly against the narrator as a transitive action verb when he overhears Bartleby’s words of refusal to the narrator’s plea â€Å"to be a little reasonable. † Bartleby echoes, â€Å"At present I would prefer not to be a little reasonable† (26). If Nippers is suffering from his own peculiar and chronic condition of indigestion, he takes on the symptoms of Bartleby’s condition when he exclaims to the narrator, Prefer not, eh?†¦ – I’d prefer him, if I were you sir, I’d prefer him; I’d give him preferences, the stubborn mule! What is it, sir, pray, that he prefers not to do now? (26) Whereas later in the story the narrator totally loses his critical skill to â€Å"catch† himself in his speech, in this exchange he is still able to articulate the effect Bartleby’s â€Å"word† is having on him. He notes anxiously, Somehow, of late, I had got into the way of involuntarily using the word ‘prefer’ upon all sorts of not exactly suitable occasions. (27) It is this qualifier â€Å"not exactly† which is of particular interest. Bartleby’s use of words is â€Å"not exactly† wrong. â€Å"Prefer† is so insidious because it is only slightly askew, dislocated, idiosyncratic. As McCall accurately notes about the power of Bartleby’s â€Å"I prefer not to,† â€Å"one must hear, in the little silence that follows it, how the line delivers two contradictory meanings, obstinacy and politeness. â€Å"(152) The line calls just enough attention to itself so as to attract others to its â€Å"profoundly mixed message† (â€Å"its perfect yes and no†) in an imitative way (McCall 152). â€Å"Prefer† is as inobtrusive, as contagious, and as revolutionary as a sneeze. The narrator lets it out of his mouth involuntarily. When Turkey enters the scene and uses the bug word without realizing it (without Nippers’ italicized parody or the narrator’s critical comments), the narrator says to him, in a â€Å"slightly excited† tone, â€Å"So you have got the word, too† (27). In this pivotal sentence, the verb â€Å"get† implies â€Å"to receive† (as in â€Å"to receive a word or message†), but more strikingly for our discussion here, it implies the verb â€Å"to catch† – one â€Å"catches† the word as one would â€Å"catch† a cold. The narrator attempts to monitor the contagion by naming the bug and pointing it out to the others. But the word mocks everyone’s will to control it â€Å"prefer† pops up six times in the next half a page — four times unconsciously in the speech of one of the employees, and twice consciously (modified by â€Å"word†) in the narration of the lawyer. Bartleby could be described as a story of the intimacy – or anxiety – a lawyer feels for the law-copyist he employs. The narrator arranges a screen in the corner of his office behind which Bartleby may work. Pleased with the arrangement of placing Bartleby behind the screen in near proximity to his own desk, the narrator states, â€Å"Thus, in a manner, privacy and society were conjoined† (12). The narrator idealizes the possibility of a perfect harmony between privacy and community in the work environment, but it is precisely the conflict between these two spatial â€Å"conditions† which generates the story, defining not only Bartleby’s â€Å"idiocy,† but the narrator’s as well. The narrator most characteristically encounters Bartleby â€Å"emerging from his retreat† (13) or â€Å"retiring into his hermitage† (26). The screen isolates Bartleby from the view of the narrator, but not from his voice. Works Cited Borges, Jorge Luis. â€Å"Prologue to Herman Melville’s ‘Bartleby† in Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, â€Å"Benito Cereno,† â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener,† and Other Tales, ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Inge, Thomas M. , ed. Bartleby the Inscrutable. Hamden, CT: Archon Books, 1979. McCall, Dan. The Silence of Bartleby. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1989. Melville, Herman. â€Å"Billy Budd† and Other Stories. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. Perry, Dennis R. â€Å"‘Ah, Humanity’: Compulsion Neuroses in Melville’s Bartleby. † Studies in Short Fiction 23. 4 (fall 1987): 407-415. Schehr, Lawrence R. â€Å"Dead Letters: Theories of Writing in Bartleby the Scrivener† Enclitic vii. l (spring 1983): 96-103.