The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance

Abstract The purpose of this essay is to analyse the concept of strategic planning and its relevance to the activities of an organization. Strategic planning has been viewed as an important cornerstone in the decision making activities of an organization. It enables an organization to achieve its goals and objectives through the development of plans. These plans can either be long term, medium or short term depending on the type of business and the context that strategic planning will be used in.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Strategic practitioners recognised the importance of strategies in the processes and operations of an organization which saw a lot of emphasis being placed on strategy which later saw the development of strategic planning as an organizational concept. Strategic planning slowly replaced corpora te planning which mostly involved developing formal plans that lacked any strategic focus. This change was largely due to the emphasis placed on the planning activities of an organization. The relationships that were meant to result from this change sometimes could not be achieved. Researchers found that only few organizations were able to succeed in achieving their goals and objectives through the use of strategies. Practitioners of strategic planning have founded their research efforts on the assumption that the creative task of formulating and implementing strategies can be designed into a series of actions referred to as planning that will lead to results that can be repeated in the future. Definition of Strategic Planning Strategic planning is a technique that is used to organize the present activities of an organization to reflect the desired future projections of what the organization wants to achieve over a certain period of time. A strategic plan is a map or guide that will be used to lead the organization from where it is now to where it would like to be. Strategic planning mostly focuses on the external environment of an organization. Since every organization has different activities and operations that set it apart from other companies, the strategic plans of every organization will therefore be different from that of the other organization; therefore Strategic planning systems will be designed to deal with the unique characteristics of organizations (Samson and Daft 2009). Strategic planning is derived from strategy which is the layout of a plan or set of actions that will be used by the organization to achieve their objectives. Strategic planning is the systematic and formalised effort made by an organization to develop detailed plans that would be used to implement the objectives, goals, strategies, and policies of an organization (Wittman and Reuter, 2008). Planning deals with looking at the future results of current decisions that are made by decision makers. This means that strategic planning provides managers and people in positions of decision making with the cause and effect of consequences that would occur over time if that particular decision was made. If the decision maker does not like the results of the decision, he can easily change it to one that would yield positive results. Strategic planning looks at the alternative courses of action that are available in the future and what options are chosen from these alternatives, they are used as a basis for making present day decisionsAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Grunic and Kuhn (2008) viewed strategic planning as a process that began with the identification of objectives and goals which later led to the development of organizational strategies, plans and policies that would be used to achieve these goals. Strategic planning was seen to be a process of mak ing decisions in advance that would determine what kind of planning activities would be undertaken and how these activities would be done. The process was also systematic as the various activities were organized in a sequence. Strategic planning process was geared towards companies that had their operations and activities in one particular industry within the market. The basic format of a strategic planning process that is used by most organizations is to first develop the company’s mission, objectives and goals as a first step. Once this is done the organization’s internal and external environment is assessed to determine the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats. The next step will involve selecting strategies that will be used to deal with the identified strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats. The organization should ensure that the identified strategies are in line with its mission ad goals. After the appropria te strategies are identified and developed, they are finally implemented. Hills and Jones (2009) note that organizations go through a new process of strategic planning every year as a result of changing business environments and the global economy. This however does not mean that new strategies have to be identified and implemented every year. What usually happens in most organizations is that the strategies are modified or reaffirmed since the strategic plan is usually designed for a period of more than five years. Strategic Planning for Small businesses and Improved Performance Given all the evidence on the benefits of strategic planning, most small businesses still do not practice planning. Most of the concepts and research on strategic planning have been geared towards helping larger organizations. Managers of small businesses mostly focus on the short term rather than on the long term strategies. Their decision making technique is characterised to be reactive instead of proacti ve and deliberate. For those managers who do practice strategic planning, the process is mostly characterised by ad hoc instead of formal activities (Wang et al. 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Strategic Planning and Its Relevance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to May (2010), small business owners today are realising more than ever that they need strategic planning to make decisions. This has emerged out of their uneasiness about what the future holds for their businesses or the fact that they have attained the present level of small business success without any strategic planning and they don’t feel like proceeding with ventures that they are unsure will yield any profits. Such uncertainties lead them to secure stable and predictable styles of management that mostly involve strategic planning. The main difference of strategic planning for both the large and small busines ses is that the larger organization can financially afford to conduct extensive strategic planning activities which at times might be very expensive while the small business has a limited amount of financial resources. The strategic activities of the smaller organization might be limited or constrained due to finances; the smaller business will also mostly rely on its internal resources do the planning (May, 2010). Wang et al (2006) conducted investigations on why some small businesses failed in their activities and operations. They noted that the major reason was attributed to the lack of strategic planning and poor business motivation. Previous studies by scholars such as Mintzberg, Crawford and Lefebvre also suggested that formal strategic planning systems in small organizations were absent. The authors noted that small business strategic planning was mostly characterized by informal planning systems that were unstructured and sporadic. Other characteristics were that the process was viewed to be incomprehensive, incremental and reactive. Wang et al (2006) note that the motivation for a small business owner to be in business was mostly interwoven with their personal lives. Most small businesses are family owned which shows that the personal motivation in starting the business lies in trying to provide a better life for the business owners and their families. Some of these owner usually lack a business background or the technical known how of running the business. This means that they lack basic strategic planning information. Such a situation enables the businesses owners and entrepreneurs to get away with developing short term strategic plans for their businesses .Because of the size of the firm and constant uncertainty in the global business environment, small business have a limited ability to control events. That is why their focus is on short term and medium planning instead of long term. The strategic model should be designed in a simple and inexpensi ve way Pitfalls of Strategic Planning The main problems experienced by small businesses when trying to initiate the planning process have been identified as the lack of time and lack of proper strategic planning knowledge. But when managers discover ways to overcome these constraints, strategic planning can lead to the improved performance of the business.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Small business managers need to gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses which will set a strong foundation for strategic planning activities. The size and simple structure of small firms allows them to increase their responsiveness to external changes. In discussing the failure of the concept, various studies have been referred to further explain why strategic planning sometimes fails in organizations. One pitfall is that no one study has been found that has assessed the outcomes of deviating from the long range plans. All studies that have been conducted on the subject do not show whether there has been any negative consequences of not following the long range strategic plan. Another pitfall came from an earlier study that highlighted that while particular companies engaged in systematically planned activities, other organizations that did not engage in strategic planning were able to surpass these companies performance wise; this showed that t he best planners did not always perform the best (Dimitrou and Thompson, 2007). Studies done in the 1970s by scholars such as Malik and Karger found favourable results when strategic planning was used while other studies such as those done by Sheehan, Grinyer and Norburn did not see any benefits of practicing strategic planning. Henry Mintzberg after a review of these studies came up with a conclusion that planning was not the only best way. He noted that in some circumstances it did not pay and that when planning was at its best, it might have had some suitability to particular and not all organizational contexts. Another pitfall of strategic planning is that most companies find the solutions derived from the formal process of strategic planning to not be what they had actually expected. They usually had a basic idea of the kind of results to expect once the process was done. Strategic planning makes a majority of the firms today to engage in less risky forms of long range planning in their decision making activities which often at times do not yield the best results. Major criticisms have been drawn to the fact that strategic planning does not in any way contribute to the strategic thinking of major decision makers in organizations. Many of the benefits that accrue from strategic planning cannot be measured and it is difficult to prove the planning process in absolute terms. This is due to the fact when the planning process is initiated; it becomes hard to compare what has happened with what could have happened. This leads to a lot of speculations and formation of assumptions that are in most cases usually wrong. There is also another pitfall in the form of identifying the amount of costs that have been used in the planning process (Hill and Jones, 2009). These costs can only be seen if additional profit made by the organization exceeds the additional costs used in planning. Logical expectations of most organizations are that strategic planning will lead the company to be successful in the future; this is a big misconception. Most managers view strategic plans to be the key that will lead the organization to market success which explains why they become devastated when the strategic plans fail (Hill and Jones, 2009). Conclusion Planning activities are important to an organization to ensure that everything moves in a systematic and orderly manner. Without planning the members of an organization would lack a guide or plan that would direct them to achieve the organizational mission, vision, goals and objectives. Planning is therefore to be the most important activity that an organization should undertake to ensure that it runs smoothly and effectively. Strategic planning should also be given the same level of importance as general organizational planning. While strategic planning for organizations has been going on for a very long time, the smaller businesses are yet to catch on, yet planning is very important for an organization to achi eve optimum success through the proper utilization of resources. Strategic planning might have some pitfalls but when used in the proper way and in the right organizational context, it can improve the performance of both large and small businesses. Managers should therefore exercise this concept to ensure the decisions they make now will reflect what the organization wants to achieve in the future. References Dimitrou, H.T., and Thompson, R. (2007) Strategic planning for regional development in  the UK. Oxford, UK: Routledge Grunic, R. and Kuhn, R. (2008) Process based strategic planning. 5th Edition. Berlin: Springer- Verlag Hill, C., and Jones, G. (2009) Strategic management theory: an integrated approach.  Ohio, US: South Western Cengage Learning May, M.G. (2010) Strategic planning. New York: Business Expert Press Samson, D., and Daft, R.L. (2009) Management Third Asia Pacific Edition. Australia: Cengage Learning Wang, C., Walker, E.A., and Redmond, J. (2006) Ownership motiva tion and strategic planning in small businesses. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and  Sustainability. Vol II, No.4 Wittman, R. and Reuter, M.P. (2008) Strategic planning: how to deliver maximum value  through effective business. 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Caribbean essays

Caribbean essays When you think about all the countries in the world, it is quite difficult to decide on one particular favorite. There are just so many great nations, great people, and great cultures. But one country that has really captured my attention has to be the great island of Martinique in the Caribbean. A beautiful place to be sitting under the shade drinking a cold glass of lemonade. Martinique is roughly six times the size of our Washington D.C. This island was colonized by France in 1635 and basically remained under French rule until today. The capital and their largest city is Fort-de-France. When France inhabited Martinique, its sole purpose was to put slaves to work on its sugar plantations. Still today, sugar cane and agriculture are the integral part of this countrys economy. Thats why African and African mixtures make up 95% of Martiniques population. While whites only makes 5% of the population. And I will guarantee you that it is the minority that is ruling the majority. Everything is runned by the French Government, I personally dont like the idea of being ruled by a country that is thousands of mile away. Their president is Jacques Chirac and Martinique has only two chairs in the French Senate. The island basically has no power in senate. No matter what time you might visit Martinique, it has beautiful weather all year round. It has that tropical climate that is governed by the trade winds. The average temperature on the island is about 84 degrees. The only things that you have to worry about other than the humidity are hurricanes, which comes on an average of eight years. Martinique is subject to a lot of flooding during its rainy season from June to about October. The last hazard has to be dormant volcano, Mount Pelee. Mount Pelee is also their highest point at 1,397m. Martinique is relative a safe place, only averaging about one natural disaste ...

Safety Operations Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Safety Operations Plan - Essay Example Our mission statement is "Your Safety is our First Priority. Certain principles form the core expectations of the Georgetown ATV company. The employees are expected to adhere to these principles to uphold quality standards provided by the company. These principles include: The overall aspiration for the company is to ensure safety for the customers while on the track and to get value for their money. Safety for all customers will encompass orientation on the track, checking gear and re-training our staff to maintain the international standards set for this sport. This will ensure that the customer is learning and having fun at the same time. The young will be trained on how to command a vehicle at an early age. The company’s target audience is young people between the 15 to 30 years of age. The company is hoping to nurture young talent in the sport. Our hope is that some of the riders could turn professional as we have qualified, experienced trainers and a state of the art equipment to realize this. However, it is paramount that safety is ensured at this stage. Therefore, our objectives will center on ensuring that the riders respect the rules and regulations set by the Georgetown AVG company. The core objectives will be: The company foresees the customer market for the ATV or off-road industry growing significantly in the coming years. Previously, this sport was for experts, but ordinary people are warming up to it because of the thrill and great discipline it nurtures .Many are new to the sport and therefore the Georgetown ATV company hopes to embrace the aspiring talent and lead them to greater heights as far as racing is concerned. Having trained these young generations of riders, the company hopes to sign them on in deals that will provide opportunities to compete with others in this sport. Therefore, in order for the company to gauge its success we will have in house tournaments and meets with other companies. The races should record no to

Quality and environmental management systems 333 Essay

Quality and environmental management systems 333 - Essay Example This paper explores possible ways in which Timmerhus UK Ltd. could integrate its QMS and EMS into a single complete management system. It also looks at possible environmental aspects of the company, suitable objectives, targets and relevant environmental programmes as well as auditing arrangements that will be necessary for the integrated management system. How Timmerhus UK Ltd Could Integrate Its QMS and EMS into One Complete Management System There are numerous models and strategies that Timmerhus UK Ltd could use to integrate its QMS and EMS into a single comprehensive management system. vonAhsen and Funck (2001) suggest three fundamental models and strategies that organisations can utilise in the implementation and assessment of their management systems. These models include Integration model founded on ISO 9001 Integration model founded on ISO 14001 The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. There are different approaches or strategies that corporations could t ake towards integrating management systems that already have. The following approaches are available for organisations aiming to integrate their management system: A company can first establish a quality management system then add to it environmental management system, which is consistent with vonAhsen and Funck’s ISO 9001-based model. Starting with the implementation of environmental management system followed by quality management system, which ascribes to vonAhsen and Funck’s model based on ISO 14001. Simultaneously establishment of environmental management system (EMS) and Quality management system (QMS) ISO 14001-based Integration Model Based on ISO 14001, environmental management systems focus absolutely on environmental aspects of an organisation. According to this model, environmental management system is first implemented and then quality system is added on to it. The approach demands that all processes be documented in terms of environmental aspects and quali ty. ISO 9001- Based Integration Model Unlike ISO 14001-based integration model, ISO 9001-based integration model requires an organisation to develop integrated management system on the basis of ISO 9001 followed by incorporation of environmental factors and any other relevant elements to the organisation (BS EN ISO 9001:2008 2008). The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Model This model was established in 1992 as an organisational assessment framework for companies seeking European Quality Award. Timmerhus UK Ltd can make use of the EFQM excellence model to integrate its QMS and EMS. An organisation ca optimise from this model by developing comprehensive understanding of its major concepts, which may change with organisational improvement and development. Some of the main concepts of EFQM include: Attainment of results, which are satisfactory to all stakeholders of the company Creation of sustainable customer value Good leadership and purpose consistency Management vi a a series of autonomous, but interdependent management systems Focus on development of employees through engagement to optimise the contribution of employees Creation of a continuous learning organisation environment Establishing and sustaining value-added alliances Enforcing corporate social responsibility by surpassing the minimum regulatory requirements and expectations of stakeholders The EFQM model

Marketing Audit and set Marketing Objectives for Holiday Inn Essay

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Review of the Market Entry Modes

Review of the Market Entry Modes INTRODUCTION When we look at the development of world business, it can be easily noticed that recent years have witnessed a growing intensity of competition in virtually all areas of business, whether in domestic or international areas. In today`s changing and developing world, it has been getting more and more important and at the same time becoming difficult day by day to expand your business` borders. For this reason, it has also been getting more and more important to make the decision of going internationally and choosing an appropriate entry mode. The perception of this importance can be related to the answer of this question; â€Å"how come international business is important especially for domestic companies?† International business is that kind of trade that gives increase to the economy of the world. In this the demand and supply and the prices are influenced by the global issues. For instance, the change in political conditions in Asia can raise manufacturing cost and cost of labour of an American company which is in a country in Asia. This would then result in rise in the price of the product that you need to purchase from a local mall. If there is a decrease in cost of labour, on the other hand then you can have to pay relatively less price on the product. (Hussey, 2008) It is also another advantage of going internationally that it gives an opportunity to developed countries to use their resources effectively like technology, capital and labour. Since a large number of the countries already have natural resources and different inputs such as labor, technology, land and capital, they are likely to produce many products more efficiently and sell them for cheaper prices than other countries. A country can obtain an item from another country if it cannot effectively produce it within the national boundaries. This is the specialty of international trade. In same way a country can obtain an item from another country, for the reason of that product can be produced in its own country but with worse conditions such as lower quality or higher cost. Global trading also allows the different countries to participate in global economy encouraging the foreign direct investors. These individuals invest their money in the foreign companies and other assets. Hence the countries can become competitive global participants. Entering a Foreign Market Before entering international marketing, if we reflect on our perception what marketing means itself, we will face a few important definitions. According to Chartered Institute of Marketing, marketing is a â€Å"Management process which is responsible for identifying, predicting and providing customer requirements profitably†. (Lowe and Doole, 2001) Marketing involves; providing customer needs and wants, finding out best ways and methods to provide these needs and wants, orienting the firm towards the process of focusing on that satisfaction, meeting organizational objectives. In this way, it becomes important for the company or organization to prepare itself to achieve competitive advantage in the market. The company then needs to work on taking this advantage in the market. The company then needs to work on taking advantage by manipulating controllable functions of marketing, within the uncontrollable marketing environment which is directly affected by SLEPT factors, i.e. Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological and Legal. (Lowe and Doole, 2001) When domestic and international marketing are compared, it is argued that†what differences there are between these two markets â€Å". Actually, the key elements are still same. The concept is not likely to change to any market degree when a company moves from a domestic market to an international market. However, two main differences can be defined. First, of them, there are different approaching levels depending on international scope, and second, the company will be likely to face complexities and difficulties as the result of international marketing environment factors as it mentioned above. (Lowe and Doole, 2001) General Review of the Market Entry Modes For the majority of companies, the most important international marketing decision that they are most likely to take is how they should enter new markets, as these decisions which they make will directly affect every part of their business for many years in the future. There are advantages and disadvantages with each market entry method and critical in the decision-making process are the firms assessment of the cost and risk associated with each method and the level of involvement the company is allowed by the government, or want to have in the market. These factors determine the degree of control it can exert over the total product and service offer and method of distribution. (Chee and Harris, 1993) There is, however, no ideal market entry strategy and different market entry methods might be adopted by different companies entering the same market and/or by the same company in different markets. The Alternative Market Entry Modes The variety of alternative market entry methods are shown in figure below, depending on international involvement from virtually zero, when the company only makes its products for others to export but effectively does nothing itself to market its products internationally, to total involvement, where the firm might operate wholly-owned subsidiaries in all its key markets. (Chee and Harris, 1993) The market entry decision is taken within the company and it is determined related to the companys objectives and attitudes to international marketing and the confidence of its management teams to operate in foreign markets. In order to select most appropriate and effective market entry strategy, it is essential to take into account some point including; the company objectives and expectations relating to the size and value of predicted business, the size and financial resources of the company its existing foreign market involvement the skill, abilities and attitudes of the firms management for international business the intensity of the competition in target market, the affect of existing and expecting tariff and non-tariff barriers the nature of product considered for international entering the areas of competitive advantage, such as trademark or patent protection the timing of entry in relation to the market and intensity of competitive situation However, this list of entry modes is likely to be meaningful when the other factors which affect the entry mode and are very specific to the companys particular situation. For instance, the regulations of laws of the host country might be a barrier for a company to own 100 percent of an operation in that country. All companies should identify, analyse and monitor these external factors and consider their potential affect on their products/services. Although these external factors take place outside of the firms management teams control, they all must be taken into account as much as internal factors. (Chee and Harris, 1993) According to Terpstra and Sarathy (1994), alternative methods of foreign market entry can be summarized basically as shown below; Production in HomeMarket Foreign Production Sources -Contract Manifacture -Licencing -Assembly -Joint Venture -100 Percent Ownership and / or Indirect Exporting -Trading Company -Export Management Company -Piggyback, etc. Direct Exporting -Foreign Distributor -Agent -Overseas Marketing Subsidiary STARBUCKS IN CHINA In 1999, when Starbucks invested into China, the company entered the joint-venture agreement with three big local partners: Beijing Meida Coffee, Shanghai Uni-President Starbucks Coffee Ltd and Maxims Caterer (Asia Pulse, 2006). On the one hand, the company was able to meet requirements from the Chinese governments regulations and lower the risk and level of investment when entering a new market. In return, Starbucks sacrificed its control over development of those individual companies while only earning loyalty fees (ibid). As a result of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, Chinese government has loosened regulations on foreign investment, especially the removal of restrictions on foreign investment. Since then, share of local partners is no longer required for foreign companies (ibid). Consequently, Starbucks has paid out more than USD 21, 3 million to gain its share to 50 percent in Shanghai Uni-President Starbucks Coffee. Similarly, the company increased its stake s in Maxims Caterer to 51 percent and control over 50 percent of stock in Beijing Meida Coffee (Harris, 2007). Such forward integration gives Starbucks more control over its expansion which will be more aggressive in the near future (ibid). Besides, Starbucks is also concerned with coffee sources and prices. Currently, for the Chinese market, Starbucks imports coffee beans from its suppliers all around the world (Reuters, 2007a). Since these suppliers have been controlled tightly by the companys specialists, Starbucks can assure the quality of its products in China. However, Starbucks needs to pay import duty. Depending on the type of coffee, this duty may vary from 10 to 30 percent (Friedlnet, 2003). To make the problem worse, coffee prices have jumped from 89.36 US cents per pound in 2005 to 113.20 US cents per pound in 2007 and is expected to grow higher in 2008 (Reuters, 2007a). This may consequently influence the price of Starbucks product and influence Starbucks performance. I n America, as a result of the increase in price of dairy product, Starbucks raised the price of its coffee drinks by 9 cents and 50 cents for its whole bean coffee in 2007 (Reuters, 2007b). This is the second time Starbucks raises its prices. The first time this happened was in 2006 when Starbucks raised 5 cents for all of its drinks (USA Today, 2006). To prevent such potential price change in the future, Starbucks has been working with coffee farmers in many parts of China and trying to help them meet the company standards. Jinlong Wang, president of Starbucks greater China, expressed that â€Å"China does produce some quality coffee and sourcing from China would start very soon, maybe in a couple of year† (Reuters, 2007a). Starbucks also plan to build a roasting plant in China. This backward integration when applied successfully in the future, will give Starbucks a huge competitive advantage. After initial success with more than 540 stores across China, Starbucks is striving hard to expand its operation and turn China into the biggest overseas market in near future. However, the Chinese market has many differences to other market that Starbucks has entered. Average coffee consumption in China is projected to increase by 20 to 25 percent each year. Therefore, much more opportunity is waiting for Starbucks in the near future. Despite its success, Starbucks should continuously monitor changes from the external environment and prevent unfortunate incidents such as in 2000 when Starbucks was kicked out of the Forbidden City, a symbol of Chinese Culture (CNN, 2000). Failing to monitor and respond properly, China can be a graveyard for Starbucks ambitions. IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING AN EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY In today`s competitive international world, one of the most significant tasks for many companies which are preparing itself to enter a foreign market is to make the right decision about how the company should enter a foreign market. One reason for this is that this decision is likely to influence every part of its business for a long perid of time in the future. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of every single foreign market entry modes. For the aim of selecting the most appropriate and effective foreign market entry strategy, it is essential to take into account some point including; (Chee and Harris, 1993); the company objectives and expectations relating to the size and value of predicted business, the size and financial resources of the company its existing foreign market involvement the skill, abilities and attitudes of the firms management for international business the intensity of the competition in target market, the affect of existing and expecting tariff and non-tariff barriers the nature of product considered for international entering the areas of competitive advantage, such as trademark or patent protection the timing of entry in relation to t he market and intensity of competitive situation Recommended Strategies In fast-changing Chinese cities, finding locations that will embody the right lifestyle is more like gambling than science. Real-estate know-how is a hallmark of Starbucks worldwide, but the computerized mapping databases that are used to test a potential street corner in the United States would be little help in Chinese cities. Starbucks must continue to use joint ventures or license other companies to own and operate Starbucks stores as this philosophy differs from its domestic approach, where the stores are largely company-owned. The idea is that an experienced local partner can help identify locations, sift through tax issues and give Starbucks stores a more local community appeal. Once the market is established Starbucks will be given an opportunity to purchase a controlling interest in the partnership, which will then allow them more control and management of the overall operation and direction of the business. As Starbucks adds a whopping six stores a day on average, the company must continue to carefully consider everything from the direction of commuter traffic zipping by a potential drive-thru site to how many people are pounding the pavement on a busy urban block. As of Oct. 3, Starbucks had 12,440 stores worldwide, including 7,102 company-operated stores and 5,338 licensed locations. Starbucks must continue to open new locations as their market continues to grow. At some stage there are limits to their expansion, but to date the company has not seen any signs that they are near that optimal point or number. A major concern would include anything from a drop in quality to the brand losing its luster. Despite potential saturation and plans to add many more stores in China. Starbucks insists that it sees very little cannibalization of its existing business when a new store opens. In fact, the company says, one reason would-be customers dont end up buying a Starbucks drink is because the line or wait is too long. One solution is to open up another store nearby. Besides adding stores, drive-thru and kiosks throughout the world, Starbucks also has plans to make itself ubiquitous even in places where it cant squeeze in a store. It is getting ready to launch Starbucks-branded vending machines, which will let people buy warm lattes and other drinks in a nine-ounce can for $2.50. And thats in addition to the business it already does selling bottled cold Starbucks drinks and coffee beans in more traditional food stores. In closing if you see a mall in the United States today itll probably be there two years form now but, a year passes by in a Chinese location, and you almost wont know your way around there any more. Ive witnessed this first hand when I travel to China on business. This is just how fast the Chinese economy and market is growing and Starbucks is looking to convert 1.3 billion tea drinkers to coffee lovers. The key attribute to attain this surmountable goal is to continue the expansion plan in China and other countries in Asia. References Pulse A., (2006), â€Å"Starbucks Soars in China†, accessed on 15th February 2010, available from: www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/HF15Cb06.html Harris C., (2007), â€Å"Starbucks Exec Talks of High Hopes for Growth in Asia†, accessed on 18th February 2010, available from: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/330121_starbuckschina04.html Reuters, (2007a), â€Å"Reuters Summit Starbucks to source coffee from China†, accessed on 21st February 2010, available from: www.today.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?type=comktNewsrpc=33storyid=2007-09-04T075310Z_01_PEK299845_RTRIDST_0_CHINA-SUMMIT-STARBUCKS-URGENT.XML Reuters, (2007b), â€Å"Starbucks raising U.S. Drinks Price Next Week†, accessed on 22nd February 2010, available from: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2337368320070723?feedType=RSSrpc=22sp=true Friedlnet, (2003), â€Å"Analysis: The Chinese Coffee Market†, accessed on 21st February 2010, available from: http://www.friedlnet.com/news/03031606.html USA Today, (2006), â€Å"Starbucks Raises Prices of Most Coffee Drinks by Five Cents†, accessed on 19th February 2010, available from: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2006-09-22-starbucks-prices_x.htm CNN, (2000), â€Å"Starbucks Brew Storm in Chinas Forbidden City†, accessed on 16th February 2010, available from: http://edition.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/12/11/china.starbucks.reuter Terpstra V. and Sarathy R., (1994), â€Å"International Marketing†, 6th Edition, Orlando: The Dryden Press. Chee H. and Harris R., (1993), â€Å"Marketing a Global Perspective†, Fitman Publishing, London, and p: 21 Lowe R. And Doole I., (2001), â€Å"International Marketing Strategy: Analysis, Development and Implementation, 3rd edition, Thomson learning. Hussey R., (2008), â€Å"Importance of International Trade†, accessed on 15th February 2010, available from: www.thefreelibrary.com/Importance+of+International+Trade-a01073876158

Brave New World Essay -- essays research papers

Imagine a world where all of your fantasies can become reality. Imagine a world without violence or hate, but just youth, beauty, and sex. Imagine a world of perfect â€Å"stability† (42) where â€Å"everyone belongs to everyone else† (43), and no one is unhappy or left out. This sounds like the perfect world. But it’s not. Looks can be deceiving as proven in Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World. In his novel, he introduces us to a society that strives to satisfy everyone’s wants and needs by inflicting pleasure in order to bring stability. However, in order to truly achieve this stability, old world ideas relating to art, history, and religion are abolished, and are replaced by new age technology. As a result, the people of the Brave New World now worship Henry Ford instead of God, use test tubes instead of natural birth, and use a hallucinogenic drug called soma instead of facing reality and the everyday responsibilities of adulthood. Although the appeals of this world are alluring and attractive, they are only a distraction to cover up a hidden truth that can even be seen in today’s society. The fact of the matter is, as technology advances, people are becoming increasingly more dependent on it, resulting in the loss of their own individuality as they inevitably fall to conformity. In turn, society inevitably succumbs to the oppression of what it has come to love, all to achieve stability.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But is stability worth the cost of individuality? No. Withou...

Book Will Always Exist Essay

We are living in a century of technical progress. More and more new gadgets appear in our everyday lives. If I had been told ten years ago that I would be able to check e-mails, listen to the music and read electronic books with the use of only mobile phone, I wouldn’t have believed it. Nevertheless nowadays it’s as easy as abc to read a book through computer, mobile phone or a special e-books reader. Major IT corporations raise competition for the invention of the most modern and convenient devise helping people among other options to read e-books. One of the advantages of e-books is that you can download it to your mobile phone, for example. Consequently there’s no need to take a heavy thick book with you anymore. Additionally some internet sources give the possibility to download files for free. You don’t go shopping, just to click on an icon. Hence, you simultaneously save your money and time – the most vital things in life. With the appearance of I-Pads, thin and light, more people change from paper books to this new handy gadget. However in spite of the variety of technical devises for reading, in my opinion, books will always exist. There is a large group of people who prefer simple paper to any modern equipment. Some people like the feel and the smell of paper. From my point of view that’s because paper is a natural material, produced from wood. Megapolis citizens often suffer from the lack of nature in the world of electronics and technology. Likewise when I think of myself recharging my batteries after a hard working day I imagine myself lying on a cosy sofa reading a thrilling book, a real paper book. I’d hazard a guess that I’m not the only one for whom a book may be associated with comfort and relax. That’s why it’s so pleasant to hold a book, turn its pages and feel yourself enjoying the atmosphere.

Qualifications to be a United States Representative

Qualifications to be a United States Representative What are the constitutional qualifications to serve as a  U.S.  Representative? The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S.  Congress, and it currently counts 435 men and women among its members. House members are popularly elected by voters residing  in their home states. Unlike U.S. Senators, they do not represent their entire state, but rather specific geographic districts within the state known as Congressional Districts. House members may serve an unlimited number of two-year terms, but becoming a representative has specific requirements beyond money, loyal constituents, charisma, and the stamina to make it through a campaign. Requirements to Become a U.S. Representative According to Article I, Section 2 of the U.S.  Constitution, House members must be:at least 25 years of age;a citizen of the United States for at least seven years prior to being elected;a resident of the state he or she is chosen to represent. In addition, the post-Civil War Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any person who has taken any federal or state oath swearing to support the Constitution, but later took part in a rebellion or otherwise aided any enemy of the U.S. from serving in the House or Senate. In addition, the post-Civil War Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any person who has taken any federal or state oath swearing to support the Constitution, but later took part in a rebellion or otherwise aided any enemy of the U.S. from serving in the House or Senate. No other requirements are specified in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution. However, all Members must take an oath to support the U.S. Constitution before being allowed to exercise the duties of the office. Specifically, the Constitution states, â€Å"No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.† The Oath of Office The oath taken by both Representatives and Senators as prescribed by the United States Code reads: â€Å"I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.† Unlike the oath of office sworn by the President of the United States, where it is used only by tradition, the phrase â€Å"so help me God† has been part of the official oath of office for all non-presidential offices since 1862. Discussion Why are these requirements for being elected to the House so much less restrictive than the requirements for being elected to the Senate? The Founding Fathers intended that the House be the chamber of Congress closest to the American people. To help accomplish that, they placed decidedly few hurdles that might prevent any ordinary citizen from being elected to the House in the Constitution. In Federalist 52, James Madison of Virginia wrote that, â€Å"Under these reasonable limitations, the door of this part of the federal government is open to merit of every description, whether native or adoptive, whether young or old, and without regard to poverty or wealth, or to any particular profession of religious faith.† State Residency In creating the requirements to serve in the House of Representatives, the founders drew freely from British Law, which at the time, required members of the British House of Commons to live in the villages and towns they represented. That motivated the founders to include the requirement that Members of the House live in the state they represent in order to increase the likelihood that they would be familiar with the people’s interests and needs. The Congressional district system and the process of apportionment were developed later as the states dealt with how to fairly organize their congressional representation. US Citizenship When the founders were writing the U.S. Constitution, British law banned persons born outside England or the British Empire from ever being allowed to serve in the House of Commons. In requiring members of the House to have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, the founders felt they were balancing the need to prevent foreign interference in U.S. affairs and keeping the House close to the people. In addition, the founders did not want to discourage immigrants from coming to the new nation. Age of 25 If 25 sounds young to you, consider that the founders first set the minimum age to serve in the House at 21, same as the voting age. However, during the Constitutional Convention, delegate George Mason of Virginia moved to set the age at 25. Mason argued that some should pass between becoming free to manage one’s own affairs and managing the â€Å"affairs of a great nation.† Despite an objection from Pennsylvania delegate James Wilson, Mason’s amendment was approved by a vote of seven states to three. Despite the 25 year age restriction, there have been rare exceptions. For example, William Claiborne of Tennessee became the youngest person to ever serve in the House when he was elected and seated in 1797 at the age of 22,  Claiborne was allowed to serve under Article I, section 5 of the Constitution, which gives the House itself the authority to determine whether Members-elect are qualified to be seated.   Phaedra Trethan is a freelance writer and a former copy editor for The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper. Updated by Robert Longley

Free Essays on Pascal’s Wager

Over all Pascal’s Wager is very logical, but I must say that I do not personally find it to be very persuasive. Although it makes complete sense in the risks involved in the wager and that it is over all more beneficial to be faithful and bet on their being a god than it is to assume there is no god and be wrong, but rather the wager gives no other reason as to why one should believe in god other than the fact that if there is a god u gain more by believing and by disbelieving you loose much more than if there is no god and you believe or disbelieve. If there is no god there is not much lost or won in either case. Pascal’s Wager offers no more than this as to why one should believe in god. It seems very similar to the mother who tells her children that they must behave otherwise Santa will not deliver toys and games on Christmas Eve, but regardless of the child’s actions they (at least in most cases) get a visit from Santa on Christmas, who leaves many toys and presents. In a way Pascal is making the same exact threat, follow and believe in God and you will go to heaven, but if you don’t then you will pay dearly, granted there is a God. If there is not a God then nothing is truly lost from this practice. Just like if Santa exists, behave and Santa will visit leaving many goodies behind for the good girls and boys or misbehave and you will get coal in your stocking. If, on the other hand, it is only the parents of the child playing the role of Santa then generally regardless of how the child acts and behaves he or she will receive the toys. Leaving the entire thing as an empty threat, which in many cases is how Pascal’s Wager is viewed. Also it seems that one cannot just change their whole entire point of view and beliefs just because they have come to the conclusion that â€Å"oh wait what if there really is a God. I better start believing now or else I could really ruin things after I die.† It just doesnï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Pascal’s Wager Free Essays on Pascal’s Wager Over all Pascal’s Wager is very logical, but I must say that I do not personally find it to be very persuasive. Although it makes complete sense in the risks involved in the wager and that it is over all more beneficial to be faithful and bet on their being a god than it is to assume there is no god and be wrong, but rather the wager gives no other reason as to why one should believe in god other than the fact that if there is a god u gain more by believing and by disbelieving you loose much more than if there is no god and you believe or disbelieve. If there is no god there is not much lost or won in either case. Pascal’s Wager offers no more than this as to why one should believe in god. It seems very similar to the mother who tells her children that they must behave otherwise Santa will not deliver toys and games on Christmas Eve, but regardless of the child’s actions they (at least in most cases) get a visit from Santa on Christmas, who leaves many toys and presents. In a way Pascal is making the same exact threat, follow and believe in God and you will go to heaven, but if you don’t then you will pay dearly, granted there is a God. If there is not a God then nothing is truly lost from this practice. Just like if Santa exists, behave and Santa will visit leaving many goodies behind for the good girls and boys or misbehave and you will get coal in your stocking. If, on the other hand, it is only the parents of the child playing the role of Santa then generally regardless of how the child acts and behaves he or she will receive the toys. Leaving the entire thing as an empty threat, which in many cases is how Pascal’s Wager is viewed. Also it seems that one cannot just change their whole entire point of view and beliefs just because they have come to the conclusion that â€Å"oh wait what if there really is a God. I better start believing now or else I could really ruin things after I die.† It just doesnï ¿ ½...

The New Republics by Chris Hughes Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The New Republics by Chris Hughes - Case Study Example It might have portrayed a callow and incompetent image of him in public. (Lizza, â€Å"Inside the Collapse of The New Republic†). The eruptive exit of most of the senior editorial staff and critics in a masthead, following the sudden resignation of Frank Foer and Leon Wieseltier, made the atmosphere of TNR turbulent. Many interpreted this as the revamp of magazine-style long reporting structure to follow a Silicon style way of going digital, with the advent of Vidra at TNR (Lizza, â€Å"Inside the Collapse of The New Republic†; Calderone, â€Å"Owner Chris Hughes and CEO Guy Vidra Say the New RepublicIsn’t Dead Yet†). In order to break shackles from the impending management pressures at TNR, Foer and Hughes started looking for a new CEO. Though there was an initial round of disagreement on getting someone hired from the magazine industry, Hughes welcomed Guy Vidra, a person with a strong corporate background for the position. With Vidra, the working climate in NR started changing. The traditional institutional model was fast changing and a separate investment vehicle was launched in the name of New Republic Fund. TNR started proclaiming itself as a vertically-integrated digital-media company of its kind (Calderone,† Owner Chris Hughes and CEO Guy Vidra Say The New Republic Isn't Dead Yet†; Horowitz,† David Brooks Calls New Republic Owner Chris Hughes Callow And Incompetent†). Hughes, joining hands with Vidra, was contemplating means of making more money and preventing wastage overcomplicated things. Hughes is conscious of the financial bloopers and has been always aware of the mistakes (Snyder, â€Å"The new Republic- A Letter from the Editor†). While, on the one hand, going digital might be the fashion trend, but on the other hand, a high level of competition causing immense impact in the journalism industry is unavoidable.

The Rise of E- Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Rise of E- Business - Essay Example E-business receives due attention due to several reasons. These reasons belong to two main categories: benefits for the suppliers and benefits for the customers. Each of these categories shows how beneficial this new mode of conducting business is. Briefly, e-business is the market for goods and services, which exists online. The suppliers make their goods and services available online, through the websites of their companies. Customers visit these websites, go through the online catalogues and finally select and order their chosen product online. They usually make the payment for these goods and services online as well, after which the supplier couriers the goods to their physical addresses. The efficiency and speediness of this innovative new medium of trade has gained it much popularity throughout the world, as people in both developed and developing countries benefit from this advantageous new option today (Berreby, 2010). Firstly, e-business has led to immense profitability for the supplier side of the market. These suppliers rejoice the numerous advantages virtual trade has over store-based, physical trade. It eliminates the need of large amounts of tangible capital, thus making it a very profitable venture. It replaces the need for inventory and stock collection concerning future predictions of demand. Apart from this, it is also an effective way to keep track of all transactions, since they are all recorded online. Finally, the e-business is one that helps tap into markets all over the world, that is, to reach customers in every country; instead of just the country, the supplier lives in (Li, 2007). These numerous benefits to conducting a business online have led to a sharp rise in e-business over the last decade. Whenever a business is set up, one of the most essential factors to consider is how much startup capital it will require. This refers to the land, buildings, offices, stores, etc. This property needs to be bought or rented, maintained, paid ta xes for and depreciated. All these costs can combine to form a significant chunk of the costs of the business. Apart from this, a large number of employees are required for the upkeep and maintenance of the property, be it repair people, janitors, or other maintenance staff. These numerous employees increase the costs of running a business greatly, and are sometimes responsible for a great cut in profits. E-businesses, however, do not require such buildings and property. The costs of maintaining an online website, although substantial, are not as great as the costs of hiring or buying and depreciating physical property (Karake-Shalhoub, & Qasimi, 2006). This is a major attracting factor for people who choose to start e-businesses. Apart from this, the inventory needs of a physical business are also huge. The seller needs to budget according to the next month, and for this she needs to predict demand for the following period and then order and store that amount of goods in inventory, until they are sold. If any of these inventories is not sold by the end of the next period, it needs to be accounted for, check for expiry and included in the calculations of the following month’s inventory. This procedure takes up a lot of time, money, and effort, and often leads to wastage of goods and shortage of storage space (Stanford-Smith, & Chiozza,