Gender Inequality Essay Example for Free

Gender Inequality Essay Femininity and masculinity are socially constructed practices that reinforce gender inequality. Among the most popular variations of the social constructionist theories is the gender role theory as an early form of social constructionism (Gergen, 1985). The focus on power and hierarchy reveals inspiration stemming from a Marxist framework, utilized for instance by materialist feminism, and Foucault’s writings on discourse. Sex is the biological differences between male and female contradicting with gender which is the culturally and socially constructed differences between female and males based on meanings, beliefs and practices that a group associates with feminity or masculinity. Emerging from the criticism of Objectivity, Social Constructionism challenges concepts of knowledge put forward by Positivism, which states that the reality and empirically-proved truths are independent of the mind. For example, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker writes that some categories really are social constructions: they exist only because people tacitly agree to act as if they exist. † In fact, there are few scientific studies that currently support a biological basis for substantial differences between the way women and men think. Rather, research indicates there is more variation among women or men on cognitive, emotional and psychological variables than between the two groups (Fausto-Sterling, 1992). Despite this however, the idea persists that women and men are vastly different in their thinking. Hegemonic femininity, also referred to as â€Å"emphasized femininity† by some theorists, is a concept that was developed in tandem with hegemonic masculinity â€Å"to acknowledge the asymmetrical position of masculinities and femininities in a patriarchal gender order† (Connell Messerschmidt, 2005). This theory purports that males possess physical strength, the ability to use interpersonal violence in the face of conflict, and authority while females are physically vulnerable, unable to use violence effectively, and compliant (Schippers, 2007). In order for men to maintain superiority and social dominance over women, the constructs of masculinity then must remain unavailable to women. To achieve this, any feminine characteristic that does not fall in line with hegemonic femininity then must be defined as â€Å"deviant and stigmatized† (Schippers, 200). Women themselves have been made to submit to this stereotype hence leaving men to make decisions for them. Sociologists have criticized this as a misconception of meaning of gender to imply sex. Gender s not a personal trait; it is â€Å"an emergent feature of social situations: both as an outcome of and a rationale for various social arrangements, and as a means of legitimating one of the most fundamental divisions of society. † (West Zimmerman, 1977). The notion of womanhood or femininity is accomplished through an active process of creating gender through interacting with others in a particular social context. The perception of sexuality by others is an exte nsion of others’ perceptions of one’s gender. Gender is never fully acquired – it has to be constantly performed and reenacted in social interactions hence gender is an accomplishment, (Alsop, Fitzsimmons Lennon, 2002). It is frequently difficult to sort out how much of a measured difference between the sexes can be attributed to one’s biological composition and how much of the difference may be attributed to learned behavior. How do we know if the behavior is truly sex-based? In other words, is there something on the X or Y chromosome that predisposes men and women to be better in doing certain activities ? Or, could it be that people tend to be better at things they have practiced more and for which they’ve received positive reinforcement over the years? If there are no proves of chromosomal relationships or any biological connections between feminity or masculinity and activities performed. Fathers of evolution studies like Charles Dawin proved that the act of being able to perform certain activities is based on learned practice and not man or woman distinction. This stereotype has greatly led to gender disparity and the world is trying to fight the monster created by our fore fathers misconceptions. National news accounts of hazing and important evidence point toward gender differences in hazing activities. In general, a common conclusion drawn is that hazing among men is more likely to be violent in nature and hazing among women is more likely to be psychological in nature. For example, The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky (Woolhouse, 2000) quoted Gary Powell, a Maryland attorney who has represented fraternities and sororities charged with hazing as saying â€Å"females tend to be less physically violent than those involving males. Such perspectives align with and also reinforce predominant understandings of differences between women and men. Analyzing the phenomenon of hazing through the lens of gender theory provides some helpful insights on both similarities and differences in hazing behaviors between female and male groups. Gender theory contends that versions of masculinity and femininity are largely learned through a process of socialization rather than essential to one’s biological sex, (Jennifer Coates, 1996). Nevertheless, particular versions of femininity and masculinity rise to ascendancy during particular social periods. Bem (1993) points out that even while the predominant versions of masculinity and femininity may shift periodically, they generally operate as two poles of a gender binary where the masculine is positioned as active and the feminine as passive. In other words, that which is culturally defined as masculine oppositionally defines feminine. Active/passive, strong/fragile, aggressive/submissive, independent/dependent, and invincible/vulnerable are further examples of gender binaries that depict masculinity and femininity as polar opposites of a vast gender divide. While this particular construction is rooted in perceptions of ideal womanhood for white women specifically, it is relevant to all women because it remains a powerful and pervasive image or standard against which all women are often compared. Over the past few decades many writers have documented the differential treatment of boys and girls and the probable implications. Feminist scholars have long paved the way for considering how girls have been placed at a disadvantage as a consequence of gender stereotyping ( Pipher,1995). Studies in educational settings have documented gender bias, most often unintentional; teachers who simply give boys more quality attention that is likely to promote cognitive development and substantive learning. According to the Sadkers’(1994) research, even though girls and boys are sitting in the same classrooms day after day, on average, boys are receiving a better quality education than the girls. Studies have also documented how children themselves police each other’s behavior according to stereotypes (Thorne, 1997). For instance, if a young boy plays with a doll in the presence of older boys, it is likely that he will be teased and will quickly learn that having a doll is outside the bounds of acceptable masculine behavior. Sexual objectification is one of the worst results of the gender fallacy. Most societies have taken women to be sex objects. Issues of rape are more rampant in women; women are perceived to be physically and emotionally weak hence being subjected to intimidation by men. I want to be clear here that I do not consider these vulnerabilities to be innate to girls/women or boys/men, but rather a consequence of complex and powerful social forces that contribute to sustaining unequal power relations as a consequence of sexism, racism, homophobia, poverty and other systems of disadvantage that render certain groups of individuals vulnerable in particular ways. Conclusion Theories that imply that gendered behavior is totally or mostly due to social conventions and culture fall into the Nature versus nurture debate. Much empirical research has been done on to what extent gendered behavior stems from biological factorsAttending to the cultural construction of gender, homophobia, and the influences of race and social class is key to promoting more complex understandings and developing effective solutions to the problem of gender disparity. Interventions in all arenas need to take gender theory into account in order to design educational and policy initiatives that will work, (Jeremy Earp 2001). Making masculinity visible is the first step to understanding how it operates in the culture and how definitions of manhood have been linked, often unconsciously, with dominance and control.

Imperialism and Colonization Essay Example for Free

Imperialism and Colonization Essay Colonization and imperialism are inherently associated with an economic model that is meant to boost the economy of the colonizing power (herein referred to as benefactor state) by providing target market for manufactured goods and source of raw materials. During the twentieth century most colonies gained independence or autonomy resulting in a disruption of the economic model associated with colonization and imperialism. A current trend is globalization which necessitates a complete reversal of the economic role of states. The role has changed from serving as a market for the benefactor state to manufacturing products using inexpensive labor that are then sold back to the benefactor state. Many states (particularly in Africa) have not been able to adjust to this change and have, thus, been caught between colonization and globalization without strong economic ties to other nations. To minimize conflict within a state and between states, the respective nations must have ties that are strong enough to transcend national boundaries. This is evident when examining global trends such as colonization and globalization which tend to focus nations that would normally be at odds on a common goal. In the case of colonization, natives of occupied territories are inclined to unite against the occupying power. A current trend towards globalization has forced nations to unite because of an increased economic dependence between states. The claim (albeit untrue) that there has never been a war between two countries having McDonalds underscores the importance of economic ties that can transcend national boundaries. A History of Imperialism and Colonization During the height of colonialism, Britain controlled over a quarter of the land and one third of the population. Combined, Britain and eight other European countries controlled approximately 84% of the earth’s surface. (Conklin: 1) What factors allowed Europeans to exert such a strong influence on other parts of the world? More importantly, what were the motivations for subjugating the rest of the world that have made such a profound impact even in the modern world? J. A. Hobson describes the driving force behind olonization as â€Å"the investor who cannot find at home the profitable use he seeks for his capital, and insists that his Government should help him to profitable and secure investments abroad. † (Hobson: 15) On the practical side of colonization, armies are needed and colonization can’t occur until an industrial revolution begins. Industrialization requires cheap labor, a navy, a target market to buy surplus p roducts and raw materials. Without a large enough target audience for selling goods, the industrial revolution would have been stymied and Britain’s economy and industry could not have advanced as rapidly. Essentially, raw materials are shipped out of colonies to the colonizing country, manufactured into a finished product using cheap labor and then sold back to the colonies at profit. (Kollenbroich) Undoubtedly, there are other factors that motivated European powers to colonize; Christianity, national pride and civilizing those perceived as savages to name some. However, there is no denying that most colonies became economically dependent on the colonizing country. This implies that economic reasons, regardless of other motivating factors for colonization, were a driving force in colonization. In fact, the factors such as Christianity, national pride and the mission to civilize would often go hand in hand with the economic motivation and serve to conceal the economic reasons from the general public. (Kollenbroich) M. K. Ghandi agrees with that statement, â€Å"England is a nation of shopkeepers,† (attributed to Napoleon) and goes on to describe how the British, â€Å"hold whatever dominions they have for the sake of their commerce. † (Ghandi: 25) Continuing on the same note, Ghandi explains that the British view the world as a vast market for their goods. According to Ghandi, the British didn’t conquer India per se; rather the acceptance of British commerce, lifestyle and law allowed the British to govern India. For this very reason, Ghandi promotes a lifestyle lacking in machinery. â€Å"What did India do before these articles were introduced? Precisely the same should be done today. † (Ghandi 28-29) In Ghandi’s opinion, removing economic ties to Britain and rest of Europe, India would eventually attain sovereignty. Clearly, the economy plays a vital role in colonization and is a strong motivation by providing raw materials and markets to sell finished goods. The question that begs to be asked is: How were Europeans able to convince or force other parts of the world to accept colonization? The answer has everything to do with image. If natives didn’t believe that the Europeans were superior, revolts would have been much more widespread. In turn, European militaries would have been spread too thin and outnumbered. The key to preventing this lies in creating the illusion for natives that the Europeans are superior in every way and resistance is futile. The style of rule is as important as the fact the Europeans are in control of the colony. Typically the French would use a divide and conquer strategy. They would bring in French administrators and subject the natives to French culture. This was effective because the French often grouped tribes or groups of natives that didn’t get along. Instead of fighting the French, the natives would fight amongst themselves. On the other hand, the British would preserve parts of the local system and choose natives leaders. This was effective for the British because it gave the natives the illusion of a certain level of autonomy while the British remained in control. Kollenbroich) The socio-economic model in most colonies was noticeably lacking a middle class. On one hand there are the natives who are often dirt poor by European standards and on the other hand there are the business and elite classes that are continually sucking profit out of the colonies. This is somewhat true of even Europe because of industrialization which left a large lower class working in the factories fo r minimal wages. The Trend of Globalization The push towards a more global economy has several important consequences. Many states that were once colonizing powers have seen their role shift to that of economic powerhouses with global cities that serve as command and control centers for the economy. (Sassen, 4) In the wake of globalization, an increasing number of firms have centralized their business presence in the downtown areas of global cities and placed numerous factories in foreign states to take advantage of lower labor prices. The placement or acquisition of factories in other states is known as foreign direct investment (FDI). The five major exporters of capital (United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France and Germany) account for 70 percent of FDI (Sassen 11). According to Sassen, â€Å"the growth in FDI has been embedded in the internationalization of production of goods and services. † (Sassen: 10) This is readily evident when considering the number of factories being built in Latin American and Southeast Asian. The semiconductor explosion coupled with other industries choosing to locate in Asia has led to an â€Å"emergence of Southeast Asia as a crucial transnational space for production. (Sassen: 11) Prominent American companies have increasingly moved the manufacturing of products offshore to take advantage of more lax labor laws and significantly lower wages. The transition from colonization to globalization has seen the role of foreign countries move from buying products to creating products cheaply. The economics of intervention has played a more dominant role in foreign policy and will continue to do so in the future. For decades the United States and Soviet Union struggled to see capitalism and communism spread, respectively. The struggle played out both economically and militarily in many countries throughout the world and is important because more often than not decolonized countries would be in need of economic and sometimes military intervention. More recently, the United States and other countries have faced decisions about whether to intervene in situations such as Somalia and other African states. Interventions such as these are often viewed by the much of the public as too little too late and this can be attributed, at least in part, to a lack of economic interest in the conflict. In fact, intervention costs millions and sometimes billions of dollars which, in many politicians’ eyes, is not justified. To make matters worse, politicians are very careful about labeling conflicts as massacres or genocide because as soon as a conflict is labeled as such, it ethically requires intervention. What happens then to a state caught between colonization and globalization that has little or no economical tie to the global economy? If the conflict receives enough attention on the world stage and there is enough bloodshed, then there is a good chance that a peacekeeping force will intervene. However, the chance of intervention in a conflict with little or no bloodshed is much slimmer and may never materialize. Case Study: Zimbabwe According to the International Crisis Group, â€Å"Zimbabwe’s economy is hemorrhaging. † (Zimbabwe: 5) Zimbabwe’s economy has shrunk approximately 25 percent since 1998, inflation is more than 228% percent (Zimbabwe: CIA) and unemployment is higher than 60 percent. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has decreased from 436 million USD in 1998 to 4. 5 million USD. The FDI alone is indicative of an ever increasing gap between today’s global economy and the economy of Zimbabwe. Any economic ties that Zimbabwe has with the rest of the world are slowly wasting away with a decrease in gold production and decreased foreign aid. In fact, reducing hours and production volume is now the norm and has led to a scarcity of basic commodities within the country. To make a poor situation even worse, the government of Zimbabwe has been directing farm seizures that have led to 95 percent of large scale farmers either stopping operations or being severely disrupted. The food production has declined by 40 percent and prompted a United Nations (UN) report that warns of the potential of famine. If predictions hold true, Zimbabwe’s harvests will not be enough to feed the entire population Zimbabwe will be forced to import food. The government has gone as far as deploying army and police units to deal with riots, should they break out. (Zimbabwe) The ruling ZANU-PF party has been systematically eliminating opposition from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The ZANU-PF has been accused of distributing food to party members rather than equally which means that even children of MDC supporters have food withheld. ZANU-PF supporters, civil servants and traditional leaders are blocking MDC supporters from acquiring maize †¦ It is clear that some schemes have been discriminatory for months without the donor being aware. (Zimbabwe: 7) Thus far, the rest of the world has been passive about the happenings in Zimbabwe. In part, this can be attributed to the need to intervene if a country or countries declare a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. As noted earlier the FDI has dramatically declined resulting in essentially no economic ties between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world. More than likely, aid or intervention will not take place without a crisis that places Zimbabwe in the center of the world stage. Zimbabwe is just one former colony of many (in Africa and other parts of the world) that gained independence and left behind the imperialistic economy. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe has stepped out of one economic model and failed to step into the global economy. This is evident in the dramatically decreased FDI and production as well as the lack of intervention from other states. Focus on Former African Colonies World War II left the European powers (with the exception of Portugal) scrambling to leave Africa. As alluded to earlier, colonizing is an expensive business that takes enormous resources and ultimately is profitable for a relatively small number people. Most European colonies in Africa were never as profitable as had been hoped for couldn’t be justified like India and some other colonies. The bad name given to imperialism by Hitler helped accelerate the process in Africa as well as other parts of the world. Due to a lack of economic motivation capable of transcending national boundaries, many former colonies have descended into civil wars and other disputes between nations within the state. As demonstrated with Zimbabwe, this conflict is not necessarily militarily (although this is often the case) carried out and may be something as appalling as withholding food or other basic commodities from a portion of the population. Countless other African states such as Somali, Uganda, Liberia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Congo have had or continue to have conflicts between nations. Many countries in Africa are lacking a solid economy that isn’t dominated by a single sector such as agriculture.

Marketing Plan Of Coca Cola Company Marketing Essay

Marketing Plan Of Coca Cola Company Marketing Essay Introduction: Coca Colas path to nearly universal recognition as a consumer product began by means of a peddler of patent medicines in Atlanta, Georgia in the year 1886. This individual one John Stith Pemberton had an ingenious idea. Why sell 75 pennies or Pound medicine bottles? This was a marketing strategy limited to the sick. Why not sell a single serving for a nickel? In the Deep South of the U.S. everyone might afford 5 ¢ for a cold invigorating soft drink. The nickel Coke was born. At the time, no one might have predicted that it would be almost 1960 before the nickel Coke was finally gone. (Allen, 1994) Today, if one scans the economic literature on price rigidity, he/she will find documented cases on how a number of prices seem to be sticky for significant periods of time. For example, Bergen, 2002 examines data on magazine prices plus finds that their prices transform regarding every 3-6 years. Using the Bergen, 2002 transaction price data, Bergen, 2002 finds that, It is not unusual in a number of industries for prices to individual buyers to remain untransformed for several years Bergen, 2002 studies catalogue prices of 12 retail goods over a 35-year period plus reports that the average time flanked by price transforms is regarding fifteen months. Blinder, et al. (1998), presenting detailed survey evidence as of U.S. firms, concludes that the average lag of price adjustments following supply or demand transforms is 3 months. Bergen, 2002 studies apartment rental prices in the U.S. using the Annual Housing Survey data, plus finds that over the period of 1974-1981, flanked by 23 as well as 34 percent of the apartments had no transform in nominal rent as of one year to the next. The study by Bergen, 2002 examines the frequency of price transforms for 350 categories of goods as well as services covering regarding 70% of consumer spending in addition to documents frequent prices transforms, by means of half of prices lasting less than 4.3 months. (Bergen, 2002) On the other hand, the price of a serving of Coca-Cola did not adjust to supply or demand transforms for over 60 years, plus the nickel Coke did not entirely disappear as of U.S. markets until 1959 Over 70 years! The contrast is of an order of magnitude to say the least! Our goal in this paper is to study this unusual episode of price rigidity in detail as well as try to explain it. Understanding what appears to be one of the most long-lasting nominal price rigidity phenomena of the 20th century is valuable for several reasons. First, the Coca-Cola Business is one of the most successful in addition to documented producers of a consumer good in the world. Second, over most of the time period covered in this study, the soft drink industry was a non-negligible part of the U.S. economy. For example, as of 1945, the bottled non-alcoholic carbonated beverage industry had a nominal production value of  £579 million, or 0.26 percent of the  £222 billion Nominal GDP.4 The Coca-Cola Busine ss had a 50 percent plus market share of the industry, making its contribution alone economically significant, regarding 0.13 percent of the GDP. (Zbaracki, 2002) Marketing Strategy: Coca Colas spends loads on advertising however; the theme should be how to use it more effectively so the advertising program is simple.   Coca Colas should do direct mail, banner ads, and inserts, by means of inserts in the Register Guard likely to be the most successful of the campaigns.   Mission Coca Colas mission is to provide the customer the finest drinks as well as dining experience.   We exist to attract and maintain customers.   When we adhere to this maxim, everything else should fall into place.   The services should exceed the expectations of the customers.   Marketing Objectives Maintain positive, steady, growth each month. Generate maximum sales target each month. Experience an increase in novel customers who are turned into long-term customers. Realize a growth strategy of one store per year. Financial Objectives A double-digit growth rate for each future year. Reduce the overhead per store through disciplined growth. Continue to decrease the variable costs associated by means of food production. Target Marketing The souk can be segmented into two target populations: Individuals: sportsmen Families: during dinners as a popular fizzy drink, ceremonies and other family functions. Combining several key demographic factors, Coca Colas arrives at a profile of the primary customer as follows: Sophisticated markets all over the globe. Meant for all ages. All stores and supermarkets to keep the Coca Cola products on their shelves. Positioning Coca Colas should position itself as a reasonably priced, upscale, drink.   Consumers who appreciate high-quality fizzy drinks should recognize the value and unique offerings of Coca Colas drinks and its different promotions.   Coca Cola positioning should leverage their competitive edge: Product. The product should have the freshest ingredients including fizzy drinks, and might be smoothies and shakes can also be introduced.   The product should in addition be developed to enhance presentation, everything should be aesthetically pleasing. Service. Customer service should be the priority.   All employees should ensure that the customers are having the most pleasant delivery experience (by customer it is meant to mention the retailers and wholesalers).   All employees should go through an extensive training program and only experienced people should be hired. By offering a superior product, coupled by means of superior service, Coca Colas should excel relative to the competition. Strategy Pyramids The single objective is to position Coca Colas as the premier drinks , OR area, commanding a majority of the souk share inside five years.   The marketing strategy should seek to first create customer awareness regarding their services offered, develop that customer base, plus work toward building customer loyalty and referrals. The message that Coca Colas should seek to communicate is that Coca Colas offers the freshest, most creative, health conscious, reasonably priced, drinks.   This message should be communicated through a variety of methods.   The first should be direct mail.   The direct mail campaign should be a manner to communicate directly by means of the consumer.   Coca Colas should in addition employ  banner ads as well as inserts in the Register Guard.   This should be particularly effective for the reason that the Register Guard is a popular local paper that is consulted when people are looking for things to do in the global markets.   The last method for communicating Coca Colas message is through a grassroots PR campaign.   This campaign should leverage personal relationships by means of people on staff of the Register Guard to get a couple of articles written regarding Coca Colas.   One should be as of the trade point of view, talking regarding the opening of the restaurant and the people behind the venture.   This is likely to be run in the trade section.   The second article should be a food review that is what are the different foods a customer feels a fizzy drink is a must, this will help the company to make sure that its products and all the drinks range is available on such occasions which augments its sales;  In speaking by means of several dissimilar retailers plus restaurateurs, significant increases of traffic followed articles in the Register Guard.   For the reason that of this level of effectiveness and low/zero cost, Coca Colas should work hard to get press in the Register Guard. Marketing Mix Coca Colas marketing mix is comprised of these following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. Pricing. Coca Colas pricing scheme is that the product cost is 45% of the total retail price. Distribution. Coca Colas food should be distributed through a take out  model where customers can call in their order plus come to the  restaurant to pick it up, come into any restaurant free coke campaign will enable the , place the take out  order as well as wait for it to be completed, or come in and dine at the restaurant. Advertising and Promotion. The most successful advertising should be  banner ads and inserts in the Register Guard as well as a PR campaign of  informational articles plus reviews  in addition inside the Register Guard. Customer Service. Obsessive customer attention is the mantra.   Coca Colas philosophy is that whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy have to occur, even at the expense of short-term profits.   In the long term, this investment should pay off by means of a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends by means of referrals. Marketing Research During the initial phases of the  marketing plan development, several focus groups were held to gain insight into a variety of patrons of drinks.   These focus groups provided useful insight into the decisions, as well as decision making processes, of consumers. An additional source of souk research that is dynamic is a feedback mechanism based on a suggestion card system.   The suggestion card system has several statements that patrons are asked to rate in terms of a given scale.   There are in addition several open ended questions that allow the customer to freely offer constructive criticism or praise.   Coca Colas should work hard to implement reasonable suggestions in order to improve their service offerings as well as show their commitment to the customer that their suggestions are valued. The last source of souk research is competitive analysis/appreciation.   Coca Colas should continually patronize local drinks for two reasons.   The first is for competitive analysis, providing Coca Colas by means of timely information regarding other drinks service offering.   The second reason is that local trade owners particularly drink owners, are often part of an informal fraternal organization where they support each others trade. Financials, Budgets, and Forecasts This section should offer a financial overview of Coca Colas as it relates to the marketing activities.   Coca Colas should address Break-even Analysis, sales forecasts, expense forecasts, and how those link to the marketing strategy. Break-even Analysis The Break-even Analysis indicates that  Ã‚ £40,000 should be needed in monthly revenue to reach the break-even point. Sales Forecast The first two months should be worn to get the company up and running.   By month three things should get busier.   Sales  should gradually increase by means of profitability being reached by the beginning of year two. Expense Forecast Marketing expenses are to be budgeted so that they are ramped up for months two through four plus then lower as well as plateau as of month five to month 10. Companys typically have increased trade in the fall.   This generally occurs for the reason that during the summer, when the weather is nice and it does not get dark until late, people tend to eat out less but due to hot weather drinks sell well.   As of months 10-12, the marketing costs should increase again. Controls The purpose of Coca Colas marketing plan is to serve as a guide  for the organization.     Implementation Milestones The following milestones identify the key marketing programs.   It is significant to accomplish each one on time, and on budget. Marketing Organization Kevin Lewis, the owner, is primarily responsible for marketing activities.   This is in addition to his other responsibilities, plus does depend on some outside resources for graphic design work, and creativity. Contingency Planning Difficulties and risks: Problems generating visibility. Overly aggressive as well as debilitating actions by competitors. An entry into the Eugene  souk  of an already existing,  company. Worst case risks might include: Determining that the trade cannot support itself on an ongoing basis. Having to liquidate equipment or intellectual property  to cover liabilities. The concept and product image of Coca Cola should attract 3 dissimilar customer profiles; The student further and further young people have developed healthy eating and fizzy drinking habits. Some in addition go through a health food phase while in college. The health conscious person of any age or sex this includes anyone on a restricted or prescribed diet or those who have committed to a healthy diet. Curious and open-minded if one tries it, one should like it. Through marketing, publicity, plus word-of-mouth, people should seek out a novel experience and learn that nutritious food can be tasty, fun, convenient, as well as inexpensive. The Competition There are over four dozen companies in the global markets that offer drinks at similar prices. Even though this presents an obvious challenge in terms of souk share, it in addition indicates the presence of a large, strong potential. The newest competitors have made their successful entry based on an innovative concept or novelty. Coca Cola should offer an innovative product in a familiar style at a competitive price. The aggressive plans of take-out and delivery should in addition give us an advantage to create a good souk share before the competition can adjust or similar concepts appear. Competitors Profile Competing by means of Coca Cola for the target souk are these categories of food providers: Independent table service companies of similar range and price structure. Chain Commercial foodservice companies serving students directly. Competitive Strategy There are three major manners in which we should create an advantage over the competitors; product identity, quality, plus novelty high employee motivation and good sales attitude Innovative as well as aggressive service options. Marketing Plan Sales Strategy Souk Penetration Entry into the souk has to not be a problem. The store has high visibility by means of heavy foot traffic all day long. The local residents and students always support novel flavours plus the tourists do not have fixed preferences. In addition,  £10,000 has been budgeted for a pre-opening advertising and public relations campaign. Marketing Strategy Focusing on the unique aspect of the product theme (quality fizzy drinks) a mix of marketing vehicles should be created to convey the presence, the image, as well as the message. Print media local newspapers, magazines and student publications Broadcast media local programming and special interest shows Hotel guides, concierge relations, Chamber of Commerce brochures Direct mail subscriber lists, offices for delivery Misc. yellow pages, charity events A public relations firm has been retained to create special events and solicit print and broadcast coverage, especially at the start-up. The marketing effort should be split into 3 phases; 1) Opening An advanced notice (press packet) sent out by the PR firm to all media plus printed announcement ads in key places. Budget  £10,000 2) Ongoing A flexible campaign (using the above media), assessed regularly for effectiveness. Budget  £10,000 3) Point of sale A well-trained staff can increase the average check as well as enhancing the customers overall experience. Word-of-mouth referral is extremely significant in building a customer base. Future plans and Strategic Opportunities Catering to offices (even outside of the local area) might turn out to be a large part of gross sales. At that point sales agent would be hired to directly souk the products for daily delivery or catered functions. Operations Compensation Incentives Coca Cola should offer competitive wages and salaries to all employees by means of benefit packages available to key personnel only. Board of Directors An impressive board of directors should be assembled that represents some top professional as of the area. They should be a great asset to the development of the company. Consultants Professional Support Resources At the present, no outside consults have been retained, excepting the design department at Best Equipment. Management to be Added We are presently searching for a general manager plus executive chef. These key employees should be well chosen and given incentives for performance and growth. Ownership The stockholders should retain ownership by means of the possibility of offering stock to key employees if deemed appropriate. Long-Term Development Exit Plan Goals Coca Cola is an innovative concept that targets a novel, growing souk. We assume that the souk should respond, plus grow quickly in the next 5 years. The goals are to create a reputation of quality, consistency and security (safety of food) that should make us the leader of a novel style of dining. Strategies The marketing efforts should be concentrated on take-out and delivery, the areas of most promising growth. As the souk changes, novel products might be added to maintain sales. Risk Evaluation By means of any novel venture, there is risk involved. The success of the project hinges on the strength plus acceptance of a fairly novel souk. After year 1, we expect some copycat competition in the form of other independent units. Chain competition should be much later. Exit Plan Ideally, Coca Cola should expand to more units with increased supply of drinks in the next 10 years.

Fan Violence: Whos To Blame? Essay examples -- essays research papers

â€Å"These people want to hurt you. It’s frightening. You feel like you’re in a cage out there†. Reggie Smith, (Berger, 1990). Spectator violence at sporting events has been recorded throughout history. People who have power over the events, often team owners, indirectly influence the amount of spectator violence by encouraging the factors contributing to violence, in order to benefit themselves. Sale of alcohol, encouraging crowd intensity, creating rivalries, and targeting social groups, are factors affecting the degree of spectator violence and can be proven to be influenced by the owner’s actions. Therefore the blame for spectator violence can be attributed to whoever has power over the sport. Many historians suggest that an increase in spectator violence coincides with the commercialization of sports. Anthropologists agree that in societies where games were not for profit, they were enjoyed as celebrations of physical skill without competitiveness or violence between players or spectators (Berger, 1990). However, when people gained power or financially from the sporting events, spectator violence increased (Berger, 1990). Public spectacles and games were part of the Roman Empire. Each emperor had an amphitheater and the size of the crowd reflected the emperor’s wealth or power. The emperor through crowd excitement could influence spectator violence to such an extent that gladiators could be killed or freed depending on the crowd’s effect on the emperor (Robinson, 1998). The emperor encouraged the Roman working class, â€Å"to forget their own suffering, by seeing others suffer,† while the senators, and emperor would benefit financially from gambling p rofits (Robinson, 1998). With the commercialization of sports, owners’ profits increased with alcohol sales. Beer drinking has been an integral part of sports since the late 1870’s. Chris van der Alie noticed that his saloon did well when St. Louis Brown Stockings were in town. As a result, he decided to sell beer at the games. On February 12, 1880, Alie signed a contract with the Browns allowing him to sell alcohol on their property (Johnson, 1988). During a game on July 6, 1881, the first alcohol related brawl broke out in the crowd, injuring twenty spectators and killing two (Johnson, 1998). The signed contract with the Browns’ was a financial bonus for the owner, however permitting alcohol to be sold, might h... ...ger, G. (1990). Violence And Sports. New York: Library of Congress-in-Publication Data Johnson, O. (1988 August 8). Sports and Suds. Sports Illustrated, pp. 70-72 Atyeo, D. (1979). Blood and Guts. New York: Paddington Press Chapman, A. (1988, January 19). Violence Jeopardizes Tourney. Newsday, p. A4 Davidson, K. (1983, May 3). Study Links Boxing, Homicide. Newsday, p. A7 Berger, M. (1982). Sports Medicine. New York: Crowell Hazelton, L. (1989, April-May). British Soccer: The Deadly Game. New York Times Magazine, pp. 40-43 Robinson, L. (1998). Crossing The Line. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Taylor, R. (1992, June 16). Football and its Fans. St. Martin’s Press, p. B3 <a href="http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/baseball/bol/features/flashbacks/06_04_1974.html">http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/baseball/bol/features/flashbacks/06_04_1974.html Schumacher, E.F. (1975). Small is beautiful: Economics as if people mattered.New York: Harper and Row Tiger, L. (1970). Men In Groups. New York: Vintage. Bonney, N., & Giulianotti, R. (1994). Football Violence and Social Identity. New York: Routeledge Oliver, C. (1971). High For The Game. New York: Morrow.

Ted Hughes The Jaguar Essay -- English Literature Essays

Ted Hughes' 'The Jaguar' How effectively does Hughes convey the power of the jaguar? Ted Hughes’ poem ‘The Jaguar’ describes the animals in a zoo and their lifestyles. It also compares them to the jaguar, which is an animal that lives differently to the others in the way that it views its life. The poem depicts the jaguar as powerful, but in what way? The first line of Ted Hughes’ poem the jaguar is: â€Å"The apes yawn and adore their fleas in the sun.† From the very first three words it is clear that the apes are tired, and the fact that they are in the sun adds to the sleepy air. I think this line was deliberately chosen to begin to convey the monotonous lull of everyday life in the zoo and set a drowsy mood. They are â€Å"adoring† their fleas, which is not a word commonly used in these circumstances. Playing with fleas is normal behaviour for apes, but the use of the word adoring suggests that they are glad of the distraction in their lethargic state. From this line, the apes do not sound threatening, more bored. The second line has a rather different tone; it tells of the parrots that screech as if on fire. Parrots do indeed screech, so this is literal, but it has connotations of pain or perhaps boredom. Obviously they are not literally on fire, so these words could have been chosen to help exhibit their brightly coloured plumage or to remain with the painful image and to display their banshee-like screaming. The end of the line includes enjambment and expresses how the parrots strut like â€Å"cheap tarts to attract the stroller with the nut.† â€Å"Cheap tarts† may also have connotations of the bright, tacky colours of parrots’ feathers, but the parrots also mean to attract attention with their screeches and strutting. Line three goes on to speak of the tiger and lion, who are apparently â€Å"fatigued with indolence†. Again the tone is of sleepiness and possibly boredom, and the idleness of the animals in question. The animals are tired, and in the wild they would probably be more likely to be hunting rather than lazing about in the middle of the day. This particular line is also an example of enjambment, as it runs into the next verse. The last words of the first stanza are: â€Å"tiger and lion† and the first words of the second are: â€Å"lie still as the sun.† The end of the first stanza is therefore going on to a different subject, which intrigues th... ...fe very differently because of the way he beholds it. The crowd at the zoo is not very interested in the zoo creatures until they encounter the jaguar, and is so stunned to see an animal living as it would in its natural habitat that they are enthralled by it. The jaguar is depicted as powerful in that the crowd is in awe of it, and this is very different to how they see the other animals because he acts as he would in his natural home. Therefore the jaguar has power over the watching people because he is grabbing their attention and in effect controlling them. The jaguar has also been depicted as powerful in comparison to the other animals, who have let the cage become their way of living. The jaguar instead is totally ignorant of the cage and instead still believes himself to be in his old environment, and since he is by himself he is automatically the ruler of his environment. He is powerful in the way he moves, which is with refinement and at some points rage, because he move s in a way that illustrates power. He believes himself to be powerful and therefore he is. Overall, the poem successfully describes the jaguar as a powerful being in every respect addressed in the poem. Ted Hughes' 'The Jaguar' Essay -- English Literature Essays Ted Hughes' 'The Jaguar' How effectively does Hughes convey the power of the jaguar? Ted Hughes’ poem ‘The Jaguar’ describes the animals in a zoo and their lifestyles. It also compares them to the jaguar, which is an animal that lives differently to the others in the way that it views its life. The poem depicts the jaguar as powerful, but in what way? The first line of Ted Hughes’ poem the jaguar is: â€Å"The apes yawn and adore their fleas in the sun.† From the very first three words it is clear that the apes are tired, and the fact that they are in the sun adds to the sleepy air. I think this line was deliberately chosen to begin to convey the monotonous lull of everyday life in the zoo and set a drowsy mood. They are â€Å"adoring† their fleas, which is not a word commonly used in these circumstances. Playing with fleas is normal behaviour for apes, but the use of the word adoring suggests that they are glad of the distraction in their lethargic state. From this line, the apes do not sound threatening, more bored. The second line has a rather different tone; it tells of the parrots that screech as if on fire. Parrots do indeed screech, so this is literal, but it has connotations of pain or perhaps boredom. Obviously they are not literally on fire, so these words could have been chosen to help exhibit their brightly coloured plumage or to remain with the painful image and to display their banshee-like screaming. The end of the line includes enjambment and expresses how the parrots strut like â€Å"cheap tarts to attract the stroller with the nut.† â€Å"Cheap tarts† may also have connotations of the bright, tacky colours of parrots’ feathers, but the parrots also mean to attract attention with their screeches and strutting. Line three goes on to speak of the tiger and lion, who are apparently â€Å"fatigued with indolence†. Again the tone is of sleepiness and possibly boredom, and the idleness of the animals in question. The animals are tired, and in the wild they would probably be more likely to be hunting rather than lazing about in the middle of the day. This particular line is also an example of enjambment, as it runs into the next verse. The last words of the first stanza are: â€Å"tiger and lion† and the first words of the second are: â€Å"lie still as the sun.† The end of the first stanza is therefore going on to a different subject, which intrigues th... ...fe very differently because of the way he beholds it. The crowd at the zoo is not very interested in the zoo creatures until they encounter the jaguar, and is so stunned to see an animal living as it would in its natural habitat that they are enthralled by it. The jaguar is depicted as powerful in that the crowd is in awe of it, and this is very different to how they see the other animals because he acts as he would in his natural home. Therefore the jaguar has power over the watching people because he is grabbing their attention and in effect controlling them. The jaguar has also been depicted as powerful in comparison to the other animals, who have let the cage become their way of living. The jaguar instead is totally ignorant of the cage and instead still believes himself to be in his old environment, and since he is by himself he is automatically the ruler of his environment. He is powerful in the way he moves, which is with refinement and at some points rage, because he move s in a way that illustrates power. He believes himself to be powerful and therefore he is. Overall, the poem successfully describes the jaguar as a powerful being in every respect addressed in the poem.

Ray Charles Robinson Essays -- Soul Music Biography Musician Essays

Ray Charles Robinson Ray Charles Robinson, more commonly known as Ray Charles (to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson), was born in the southern city of Albany, GA on September 23, 1930. He was a prolific, multi-talented singer, pianist, bandleader, and composer who, when on stage captivated his audience not only by his musical ability, but also because he was a blind, African American man. He was given the nickname â€Å"the Genius† for his capability of combining the music of gospel, jazz, pop, country and rhythm and blues (R&B), known as â€Å"soul music.† Charles began going blind at around age five, and had completely lost all eye sight by age seven. The cause of his blindness was never confirmed, but most believe it was due to glaucoma. By then, his family had moved to Greenville, FL, and Charles had already begun playing the piano. Charles’ mother never took pity on him, she began teaching him things even before he became completely blind. He never saw his being blind as a weakness, and that helped him out tremendously as a child and into adulthood. He soon began attending the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind, as a charity student, where he perfected his piano skills while learning how to play various other instruments. He also learned how to read and write music, type, and compose scores in Braille. Both of Charles parents were dead by the time he was fourteen, and at age fifteen he was orphaned and left St. Augustine to begin his professional music career. For almost two years, he played for local bands in Florida, but then he headed to Seattle, WA which has been said to be the turning point in Charles’ personal and professional career. During the ear... ...lobe Award nominations. Works Cited "Charles, Ray." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 22 Jan. 2005 < http://search.eb.com/eb/article?tocId=9022591&query=RAY%20CHARLES&ct= >. "Charles, Ray." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 22 Jan. 2005 < http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?tocId=9310645&query=RAY%20CHARLES&ct= >. Ray Charles: The Official Site. Comp. Chad Hanson, Ira Merrill, and Raenee Robinson. Mar. 2001. RCR Production, Inc. 22 Jan. 2005 < http://www.raycharles.com/ >. "Ray Charles." Ed. Larry Sanger, and Jimmy Wales. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 15 Jan. 2001. Wikipedia Online. 22 Jan. 2005 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Charles >. The History of Rock 'n' Roll. Comp. D K. Peneny. Mar. 1998. 22 Jan. 2005 < http://www.history-of-rock.com/ray_charles.htm >.

Problems Facing United States Today Essay

It is now year 2008, and after Bush administration’s destructive decisions to humanity, America is now facing tremendous problems at home and abroad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I consider moral standard as the problem which should be taken most seriously. Why? Because it has been in question since the Bush administration declared war against Iraq and violated not just the human rights but also the rights of the country and the rules of war. Justice was not given. Though there were a number of Americans that opposed these attacks, the effects violence has resulted to confusion on moral standards of most Americans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Next is, the problem arising now in medical and social security aspects. It is a problem that should be dealt with as soon as possible for the reason that the government is spending large amount of money and that health is considered a high priority for the benefits of the citizens. There are also issues regarding the inequalities in the medicare system. The government should protect its citizens through improving this type of services. The third problem I consider to be taken with high importance are issues between the Republicans and the Democrats which constitutes the political controversies covering all other problems America is facing. There are far more important issues than the rivalries between the two parties. With this, the politicians tend to focus on such issues and controversies, rather than solving the state’s problems regarding the government’s inefficient services. Following this is the failing value of dollar. As a result of this, the economy of US is under a critical condition. If not solved, this may affect their domestic and international trades. The prices of services and goods may also increase, that may result to revolutions or the failure of the standard of living of the Americans. When this happens, it may cause the less competitiveness of their market to foreign trade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fifth problem I considered is the lack of preparedness and actions for natural disasters. The whole planet is under climate change and the people are not aware of what is it all about. The natural disasters now and stronger and are not detected and reported accurately. One example is the typhoon that hit a state in US wherein hundreds of people died and the government was unprepared, so the rescue operation and the services were of low quality. Not only that, the spread of information and educating the people about natural disasters is very minimal. Next is the poor control of government spending. Like the war in Iraq which cost them millions of dollars, but they failed to give justice to both sides. Also the funds they provide for space exploration in order to compete with other countries that are advancing in that field like Russia. Another is the fund for war weapons which are not rationally used, and gives high risk to the citizens security and health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The seventh problem on my list is the human rights violation abroad brought by the wars launched during Bush’ administration. The war violated the human rights of almost all the population consisting Iraq. Its effects are long term because it has caused and American citizens residing in Middle East can be in danger for attacks as the result of the war.   Next is the lack of help in restoring the environment which is I think is connected with the issue on lack of preparedness. This is a problem because the whole planet is experiencing climate change, and given that US is a first world country and has a high contribution in the world’s pollution, I think they should launch programs and lead other countries in restoring mother nature. The ninth on my list is the problem within family relations. There is an increase in the number of partners getting a divorce, though they have institutions to help these families, still it makes their moral standards low since children of broken families are the victims. The last problem is the illegal aliens inside their territory that may cheat taxes and commit crimes causing another set of problems to the nation. References The Real Problem Facing America. January 18, 2008 retrieved from http://gopublius.com/the-  Ã‚   real-problem-facing-america/ Some More Information on the National Healthcare Plan– How It Can Be Done. January 18, 2008 retrieved from http://www.blogs4me.com/johnnyangel/ Importance of Your Family History to Your Marriage. January 18, 2008 retrieved from http://marriage.about.com/od/familyoforigin/a/familyhistory.htm Top Ten US Natural Disasters. January 18, 2008 retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/environment/top10_naturaldisasterthreats_us.html