Dropping Out For Social Activism - 909 Words

The challenges that face college students today are vastly different from those in previous generations. Tuition at Michigan in 1960 cost less than $150 per semester. That left students who earned their degree move on to become contributing members of society without the burden of student loans weighing them down. Students today, however—even those who hold two part-time jobs—fall tens of thousands of dollars into debt, a burden that limits their career choices. Dropping out for social activism brings competitive disadvantage. The speedup of academic pressures dries up discretionary time that used to go to dreaming and exploring. Campuses are crowded with scrambling multitaskers for the most part too busy to protest the pace. Meanwhile, increases in the cost of college exceed inflation every year, intensifying the squeeze. We had different grievances. The curriculum was often irrelevant to the social crisis we perceived ourselves inheriting; it needed reform. Students were powerless under the paternal doctrine of in loco parentis; we wanted rights. Students were disenfranchised, even though men could be drafted; we needed the vote and alternatives to the draft. Structurally excluded, we went to the streets, to the outside, demanding change on the inside. It s an exaggeration, but only after strikes, rioting, and taking over buildings did colleges offer the mainstream menu of women s studies; black, Latino and Asian studies; queer studies; and environmental programs thatShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Ai Weiwei1760 Words   |  7 PagesCultural Revolution until his family moved back to Beijing. He studied animation at the Beijing Film Academy in 1978. After his studies he spent about twelve years in the United States and studied at the Parsons School of Design where he soon dropped out. For income he became a street artist, doing drawings on the side. When his father had become sick in 1993, Ai returned to Beijing from New York City. He then became the artist director and co-founder of the China Art Achieves and Warehouse. This isRead MoreThe Hippie Subculture Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pagesspiritually and socially to forever be known as one of the most memorable social movements of all time (Hippie Generation, 2003). Researchers classify social movements according to the type of change they seek (Aberle, 1966, Cameron, 1966, Blumer, 1969, as cited in Macionis, 2007). According to John Macionis, a social movement is when people commonly band together to create an organized activity that encourages or discourages social change (Macionis, 2008). In the case of this radical society, HippiesRead MoreShikhar Giri. Professor Sinclair. History-1302. 07 January,1580 Words   |  7 Pagesand the social safety net created by Social Security paled by European standards. President Roosevelt himself used to explored the appraisal of the New Arrangement before it was done. As clearing as his objectives was, they still on an essential level. The New Arrangement did not end the Misery. Nor did it out and out redistribute pay. It did, however, give Americans monetary security that they had never known. In the region of 1929 and 1932, the country and the world kept spiraling dropping into wretchednessRead MoreMalcolm X : An African American Pioneer1403 Words   |  6 Pagesdischarged from jail in 1952 to 40,000 individuals by 1960. Expressive, enthusiastic and a normally skilled and moving speaker, Malcolm X urged blacks to push off the shackles of prejudice by any methods important, including brutality. The searing social liberties pioneer broke with the gathering instantly before his death, February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, where he had been get ready to convey a discourse. Malcolm X was conceived Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, NebraskaRead MorePenetration Testing For A Company1451 Words   |  6 Pagesthem to prevent perpetrators from attacking and harming the systems. An ethical hacker will require the permission of a company to legally carry out pen-testing on its systems to help them secure it better. In common terms he/she can be thought of as an inspector that is trying to check whether a certain system is performing as it should by finding out things that can harm or damage it. You might think â€Å"But, we already have IT staff and network/system administrators who are already doing that jobRead MoreEnvironment And Society : Whiskey1438 Words   |  6 PagesWater is an absolute necessity in everyday life, the maximum amount that a human being can go without water is around three days. In recent years the bottled water market has sky rocketed, making jaw dropping profit off of a molecule that most consider a human right. The 2009 do cumentary Tapped seeks out the origin of bottled water and the reason why consumers today are infatuated with plastic water bottles. The documentary also showcases where the water comes from, how it is effecting the environmentRead MoreFactors Influencing Student Protests During Institutions Of Higher Learning1557 Words   |  7 Pagesgreat deal of political involvement in student protests. As stated by Hanna (1971) students tend to be political activist due to their fear of failing and use political means in order to change their academicals fate, in such a way that political activism will not harm their future. Many students have either been dismissed, punished or had their bursaries stripped away for protests against the university. Students often stop their strike without having to address their demands. The worse ordeal isRead MoreObjectives Of The Sustainable Development Goals1494 Words   |  6 Pagesgoal is sufficient because it builds upon, and strengthens the template se t-up in the MDGs. Furthermore, the four proposed ways of implementation to achieve these targets further reinforces the objective (1). Thus, if the work that has been laid out in the MDG era continues with a sustained focus, there is no reason why the priority health had in the MDG era will decline post-2015. In the following years after the institution of the MDGs, health was given a primary focus, and global efforts wereRead MorePaul Mccartney s Contributions Of The Beatles Essay1594 Words   |  7 Pagesto lose their unified creative focus, and all four members began to develop their own individual ambitions. In 1969, Paul married his first wife Linda, whom he’d met in nightclub in London called The Bag O’Nails. During ten years of political and social strife, the Beatles expressed the hopes of their contemporaries for peace, love and music. Paul in particular would write more hits for the band than any other member. Songs like Hey Jude, Yesterday, Hello, Goodbye, Blackbird and Let It BeRead MoreThe Gap Between the Rich and the Poor in America Essay1580 Words   |  7 Pageshousehold income† but an economy this top heavy will not be able to succeed (Sachs, 2011, p. 30). The working classes are struggling with housing, wage, and employment issues. Rich individuals are ignoring these troubles, shipping their business operations out of the country, thus furthering the downward spiral of the economy (Sachs). To make matters worse, this has become in a large part a political issue, because the rich can influence candidates with funding, where the poor and working class cannot (Sachs)

Family Structure Changes Essay - 1379 Words

Changes in Family Structure During the past few decades there have been major changes in the structure of the family. A family used to be represented by a married couple with children, generally of the same race and living under the same roof. The traditional family was known for its stability and unmarried people were considered to live a life of loneliness. Numerous people today still believe that the nuclear family is the best for raising children and even the media and television portray the best situations with the traditional family. Studies show that people in Canada and all around the world are freer than ever before to establish the kinds of family relationships that best work for them. More and more people choose†¦show more content†¦The media and our culture have managed managed to create and sustain a fear of marriage. Many singers today write songs about the â€Å"single life† and promote the idea that lots of money will help you find a partner easily. One of the main reasons why people choose not to marry is the fear of losing their independence. People want to be free of family responsibilities, they want to be able to go out and not feel tied down by their partner. They want to know they can leave any time they wish if the relationship doesn’t make them happy anymore. Men and women who grew up in a family where there was constant fighting are afraid of becoming just like their parents. Another reason why people choose not to marry is because their fear of failure. They consider that a â€Å"piece of paper† doesn’t mean anything and in case of divorce, they would add to the high number of already divorced couples. It is well known that the rising proportion of women who bear children out of wedlock has been increasing in the past decades. Government health officials say that 4 in 10 babies in the United States are born out of wedlock.[iv] This phenomenon was once associated with African-American women but it affects the white popul ation as well. Children who are raised in only-mother homes can suffer harmful consequences such as school suspension, abuse and drug addiction. Single-parent families are most popular in England,Show MoreRelatedChanges in Family Structure539 Words   |  2 Pages According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family is a group of two or more people who reside together and who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption (U.S. Census Bureau). How would we fit what today’s society calls a â€Å"family† in this definition? Families no longer live together. Some live in different houses, different cities, and even different states. Children go long periods of time without seeing either mommy or daddy, sometimes both. We have become so adapt to a single-parent householdRead MoreTHE CHANGE IN FAMILY STRUCTURES essay2686 Words   |  11 Pages THE CHANGE IN THE FAMILIES FORMS AND FUNCIONS IN SOCIETY STUDENT’S NAME: TN ID: 1066385 INSTRUCTOR: GLORIA MICHALCHUK ESL 140 – COURSE # 7052-1 NOVEMBER 25th, 2003 THE CHANGE IN THE FAMILIES FORMS AND FUNCIONS IN SOCIETY Society is composed of many elements based on values, traditions, cultures, government’s policies etc.; and family is one of the main basic ingredients, forming the society. Therefore, as the society changes its element, family is also forced to change the flowRead MoreFamily Structure Changes And Child Behavior Problems Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pagesmisconception is that children who grow up in low income families end up being more susceptible to experience behavioral problems as they get older, in contrast to that of high income families which generally speaking, people believe children are better off. 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Many researches compare children from a two-biological-parent family and children who are not living with both biological parentsRead MoreDiscuss Changing Family Structures in the Uk and Give Examples of Sociological Theories That Provide Explanations as to Why and How Families Have Changed.1123 Words   |  5 Pageschanging family structures in the UK and give examples of sociological theories that provide explanations as to why and how families have changed. This essay will discuss the various family structures in society. It will give theoretical explanation as to why and how families have changed. The essay will also bring statistical, historical and political evidence to back up the reason for these changes. During the pre-industrial society the ‘extended family’ was the most common family structureRead MoreUnit 4 Sociology - The Weakening of the Family Structure893 Words   |  4 Pages The Weakening of the Family Structure Tenisha Greene American InterContinental Online Abstract Many expert sociologists have alluded to a weakening of the family structure of the years. In an effort to determine if their findings are true, the factors that influence the deterioration have to be examined. Such factors as unemployment, welfare, and the entertainment industry play a major role in the weakening families. â€Å"For if the family is becoming less viable economicallyRead MoreEssay about Models of Family Therapy1315 Words   |  6 Pagesbehavior. The theory views family as an emotional unit, and uses systems theory to describe interactions within the family. Bowen believed that humans are dependent and reactive to others. Family members may feel distant or disconnected from each other; this is not a fact, but merely a feeling. Family members profoundly affect each other’s feelings, actions, and thoughts, no matter how distant they may be feeling (Bowen Center, n.d.). Bowen describes the family as a multigenerational networkRead MoreBeing A Perfect Family System Within The Realms Of Human Nature935 Words   |  4 PagesThere is no existence of a perfect family system within the realms of human nature. In fact, it is common place for struggles to be encountered and as such through strife comes growth. Granted this pertains to the typical life occurrences, as unexpected deaths, employment changes, environmental adjustments, and social influences brought on by sociological shifts. These normally are short lived in comparison to more traumatic events such as substance abuse as an example. The SAMHSA (2004) notes thatRead MoreThe Evolution Of The American Family Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesEvolution of the American Family Lisa Parris-Godley Introduction n the upcoming page’s I will answer the following questions. Why is family the most important agent of socialization? What caused the dramatic changes to the American family? What are the changes? I will discuss the differences in marriage and family, I will discuss how they are linked to class, race, gender, and personal choices. The purpose of this study is to explore the many different family functions and the paths thatRead MoreStructural Family Therapy : Family Structure1214 Words   |  5 PagesStructural Family Therapy considers family as a unit which grows and evolves with the passage of time and goes on to form culture and community (â€Å"What Is Structural Family Therapy and How It Works | New Health Advisor,† n.d.). Structural Family Therapy is based on three main principles. The first is family structure, the interactions among different families vary depending on inherent family rules. Each family member adjusts their behavior in accordance to the rules to make sure that the family system

Training and Development Public Service Management

Question: Discuss about the Report for Training and Development of Public Service Management. Answer: Introduction In Singapore, near the Changi Airport Casino (CAC), a third casino has opened recently. The purpose of the casino is to serve the travellers, thrill seekers, tourists and many more of them. The communication within the airport is also very smooth as the terminals are connected with Sky train (Pollock, Wick Jefferson, 2015). Therefore, the location for this casino was selected near the airport to provide the service to the tourists easily. It has almost 3000 employees and 2000 out of them are the full time dealers of casino, who were known as the croupiers. This assignment is focussing on the issue regarding the training program of the workers. The director of this company (CAC), Margaret Chan, who was also the director of the gaming activities of the company, has received the notice about the training session of the croupiers in her section. However, she was not interested in the training session as the previous experience was not good. Almost 100 croupiers were sent for the training and development session in the last time and they had experienced a very negative. Additionally, they have complained about it to her. She had to face many problems in running the business that time and had to face many losses (Sundstrom et al., 2015). Therefore, she is not interested in this time to send her croupiers to the Training Session. In this assignment, the study is emphasising on the issues faced by the company CAC. The problem was between the two directors of this company, the Gaming Operation Director and the director of Training and Development department, who were not agreeing in the matter of sending the croupiers to the training program. In the end of the study, there are some recommendations also provided for the company to improve the relationship between Margaret Chan and Caleb Tan as well as the situation. The mistakes done by the Director in the Training Session The main three areas where the Director of Training made the mistakes are - Transfer of Knowledge The employees who were appointed in the new opened Casino under the Changi Airport Casino have experience in this sector. Therefore, all of them knew the process of handling the customers in this sector. They are able to deal with the customers, the travellers, thrill seeker and many more at the gambling table. These croupiers knew the strategies to handle the customers of a casino without hampering the business. All of them had worked for the local casinos and gathered experience of working in a casino. Additionally, all o them have passed the interview process before joining the casino of CAC. Therefore, the knowledge is transferring from the past to present. They always work on the prior experiences and learning a human nature. Therefore, they have performed very well in this new job. The training session was arranged for the croupiers who were already know the basics of the work. The Director has arranged the wrong training material for the employees and therefore faced the probl em (Torraco, 2016). The employees have to be trained in the advanced level to improve their working procedures but they got training on the same basic level. This was the main issue about the decision of director for selecting wrong training topics. Ability of analysis the Training requirements Every training program should be arranged after doing the full research on the company and then have to start the program. However, in this case the director, Caleb Tan, has started the training session without doing any research about the background of the croupiers of the casino. Therefore, the director was not aware of their experience and working procedures. The training was set up on the basics for working in the casino. This subject was not perfect for the croupiers who were sent to the training program. They were sent with the expectation to be trained in the sectors of the new processes to improve their business as well as their working style (Mazerolle Dodge, 2015). However, they got a very basic training program that disappointed them as well as decreased the business. Therefore, it was the drawback of the director of setting the training subject without analysing the requirements of the employees as well as the business situation. Estimation of Training The training needs to be evaluated properly. When a training program is arranged, there is a requirement of the training has emerged surely in that time in the organisation. This can be for attaining more profit in future or to change some business procedures that are not working and customers do not like those (Denne et al., 2015). In this case, the development director has planned to train the croupiers on the process of handling the customers in a casino and on their leadership quality to team building. However, they all knew about these qualities in their previous work places and the training program did not help them at all. They were already worked as the full time casino dealers and they knew how to deal with the customers (Berman et al., 2015). Therefore, the evaluation of training should help the trainer to know the effectiveness of the training on the trainee that was not followed here. It was another fault of the director that led the training session not successful. If th e director tried to evaluate the training procedure whether it was affecting the employees or not then the problem was solved. The reason of dissatisfaction of the croupiers would be corrected then. However, this fault of the director has increased the problem. Wide literature is required to support the identified errors The trainer should know the previous activities of the company as well as the employees who will be taught in the training session. According to Olaniyi (2015), it helps the trainer to set the objectives of the training session and to make the strategies for the betterment of the organisational business. Therefore, according to this theory the director of Changi Airport Casino has to go through the history of the company to know the strategies that the company was following. On the other hand, the background of the croupiers should be analysed before setting the objectives of the program. The employees who were supposed to be trained in this training program were already experienced in this field and they knew the lessons that have taught in the training program. Therefore, it was a total time consuming and loss of time for the company as well as the employees. From the view point of Biech (2015), it can be said that the director has to check the interview procedure of the employees before setting the training program. This made the director able to know about the qualities and experiences of the croupiers and then the training session would be helpful for them without wasting their time. Recommendations to reduce the errors of the training session There are three areas where is a chance to improve the situation and to make the training session effective. These are 1) The Director should have recognised the problems of the company as well as the employees to set the objective of the Training program. As the program has set without interacting with the other members of the company and developing knowledge about the real needs, therefore, the session has been proved to be wrong both for the company and croupiers. Therefore, it can be recommended to that the Director should analyse the situation and the requirements of the employees and company before arranging any Training session in future to get results from that. 2) The training session has failed to achieve success as it has a wrong training objective for the employees who already have the knowledge. Therefore, the director should have gone through some procedures to get the knowledge about the employees and the business. Then Caleb Tan should have decided about the training session whether it was important or required or not. In order to know the real picture of the business and the croupiers the Director should have asked the customers to get their feedback about it. If the customers were asked about the casino then the Director could be able to know the business situation and the customers expectations from their staffs (Dodson, Kitburi Berge, 2015). Additionally, Tan could have interviewed the croupiers to test their knowledge about customer handling. These procedures would help the director to analyse the present situation. Therefore, the decision regarding the Training has been taken properly. However, the wrong training has demoralis ed the croupiers to improve their working policies. 3) Every training program should have to follow the evaluating process strictly. In this case, the director has not followed the evaluating process to verify the effectiveness of the training. Caleb tan has not tried to check the trainees whether they were getting helped by the program or not. If it was evaluated by the director regularly then the problem was detected in the starting of the training session. Director should conduct survey on the trainees in order to know about their progress in the training and to get their feedback about the training program. This survey would have helped to understand about their dissatisfaction and time wasting. Therefore, it was a great mistake of the director not to assess the effectiveness of the training. Thus, it is hereby recommended to check and evaluate the process of the training and the effectiveness of it to overcome this kind of situations. Evidence of research and application of theories to support the recommendations According to Khan et al. (2016), the training sessions are arranged to overcome the poor situations of any organisation and to measure the ability of its employees to improve the business. In this casino the director has not checked the present situation of the company and started a training session with 100 croupiers of it. This has led to failure of the training session obviously. As per the report, the director should have recognised the drawbacks of the company and then develop the training program for the required areas. Instead of that the training was given to them who were already trained in the sector (Turner, 2015).The theories from Pande (2015), has stated that the training should not emphasised on the customer handling procedures, team making, team leading etc rather it would have been given to develop their skills of customer handling that should increase the business. The director must have arranged for practical sessions that the trainees could develop their interest i n training. Tan would allow the croupiers those who are under training to handle the consumers and enhance their skills under the direction of expert. Working Relations with the Director of Operations Strategies that can be acquired to improve the relationship between Director of Training and Director of Operation The relationship between the two directors in this case was not in good terms due to the failure of the previous training session. They should have to develop a good communication between them to know the progress and requirements of each other. Director of Training should have asked the Director of Operation about the croupiers experience and work progress before setting the training plan (Chandrasiri Fernando, 2015). Likewise, the Director of Operation should have helped the Director of Training by providing the real situation and requirements of the company. Measures supported by literature research and theories As opined by Pollock, Wick and Jefferson (2015), to run an organisation the relationships between the directors must be maintained properly, otherwise the organisation have to face many problems regarding this. One of the mostly faced problems is the miscommunication between departments. In this case, the training session was proved to be wrong due to this communication gap between director of operations and director of training. Therefore, developing a healthy relationship between them is very essential for the betterment of the company. Conclusion The study has analysed the importance of the communication between the departments in an organisation in order to improve the overall business. The case study of the casino under CAC has explained the outcome of independent decisions taken by the two Directors. The directors has not discussed about the requirements and drawbacks of the organisation to resolve those issues rather developed individual plans for giving training to the croupiers. Therefore, both the directors should consult each other and figure out if the training session would be required for the croupiers and then set the training program. Reference List Berman, E. M., Bowman, J. S., West, J. P., Van Wart, M. R. (2015).Human resource management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems. Sage Publications. Biech, E. (2015).Training and Development for Dummies. John Wiley Sons. Chandrasiri, M. S., Fernando, N. G. (2015). Training and Development Framework to Improve Employee Job Performance in Public Sector Banks in Sri Lanka. Denne, L., Jones, E., Lowe, K., Brown, F. J., Hughes, J. C. (2015). Putting positive behavioural support into practice: the challenges of workforce training and development.International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support,5(2), 43-54. Dodson, M. N., Kitburi, K., Berge, Z. L. (2015). Possibilities for MOOCs in Corporate Training and Development.Performance Improvement,54(10), 14-21 Khan, A. A., Abbasi, S. O. B. H., Waseem, R. M., Ayaz, M., Ijaz, M. (2016). Impact of Training and Development of Employees on Employee Performance through Job Satisfaction: A Study of Telecom Sector of Pakistan.Business Management and Strategy,7(1), 29-46. Mazerolle, S. M., Dodge, T. (2015). Role of clinical education experiences on athletic training students' development of professional commitment.Athletic Training Education Journal,10(2), 138-145. Olaniyi, T. K. (2015). SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS: IMPERATIVE FOR AVIATION TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE EMERGING NIGERIAN ECONOMY.SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,6(1). Pande, S. S. (2015). A comparative study of employee training and development practices of selected public and private hospitals in pcmc area. Pollock, R. V., Wick, C. W., Jefferson, A. (2015).The six disciplines of breakthrough learning: How to turn training and development into business results. John Wiley Sons. Sundstrom, E. D., Lounsbury, J. W., Gibson, L. W., Huang, J. L. (2015). Personality Traits and Career Satisfaction in Training and Development Occupations: Toward a Distinctive TD Personality Profile.Human Resource Development Quarterly Torraco, R. J. (2016). Early history of the fields of practice of training and development and organization development.Advances in Developing Human Resources, 1523422316659898. Turner, A. J. (2015).Generational cohort experiences with training and development: A phenomenological study. NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY.

Used Books Business

Abstract There is a huge demand for used books because it is easy to acquire cheap books that are still in good condition. It is therefore high time to develop an online bookstore because of the low-risk involved. However, there are three things to consider.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Used Books Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More First, the existence of a reliable procurement team that can locate and procure quality used books at a low price. Secondly, there is a need for a reliable group of IT workers that that can develop and maintain a website. Finally, a group of workers that can help maintain a brick and mortar store as starting point for marketing and advertising. Introduction The rapid change in technology has made it possible to establish an online business with minimum risks. The cost of creating an online presence is insignificant (Leo, 2009). The only thing needed to do is a plan and hard w ork. One of the more remarkable business ideas is to sell used books online. According to one commentary, â€Å"Sellers of used books help build a better world by preserving and spreading knowledge †¦ helps communities by conserving resources, reducing the waste going to landfills, and making books more affordable (Weber, year, p.7). It is therefore one of those businesses that enable the entrepreneur to make money and do something that is worthwhile. The following is a description of the integrated marketing plan that proves its viability. The target market will be all the consumers of used books in the United States. The inspiration for creating an online used bookstore comes from the success of Amazon the biggest online seller of books, both new and used. In 2002 alone, the founder of Amazon acknowledged that fifteen percent of the orders in the quarter are for used products (Windwalker 2002, p.14). According to one report, â€Å"Used book sales on the Internet jumped 33 p ercent in 2004 †¦ now, one of every 12 books sold is a used book and two-thirds are purchased online with a total annual sales of $609 million (Weber, 2006, p.7). Even if it is relatively easy to establish an online business selling books there is enough opportunities to make it a worthwhile endeavor. Target Market and Competition This business anticipates serving the needs of all potential customers in the United States. The majority is composed of Caucasians around 80% of the population followed by African Americans, around 14% of the population. The rest of the target market is composed of Hispanics and Asians. The specific target market however is the group of consumers with income that are in the range of $50,000 to $100,000. The average age of the potential consumer is 33 years old.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The biggest competitor are established online sell ers such as Amazon with a market share of 22.6% (Minzesheimer, 2011). The second largest is Barnes Noble with a market share of 17.3% (Minzesheimer , 2011). This is followed by independent book sellers with a 6% share of the market and then Books-A-Million with a market share of 3% (Minzesheimer, 2011). Borders used to be a dominant competitor but it has filed bankruptcy and all stores are closed. Based on these figures it is easy to ascertain that there is still a huge market for used books. Even if online businesses will sprout up overnight, there is still a market that demands for the availability of used books online. Integrated Marketing Plan There are several ways to look for and collect used book that can in turn be sold online. Procurement teams must look into the following: 1) library sales; 2) estate sales; 3) used bookstore; 4) remainder distributors; 5) postal service auctions; 6) Treasury Department auctions; book fairs; 7) bargain tables; 8) classified ads; 9) thrift shops and 10) garage or yard sales. After collecting the books the next thing to do is to sort and classify using a system that enables easy presentation online. This business can create a competitive advantage by developing a website with a search-engine optimized content therefore it is easier for consumers to locate hard-to-find books. This strategy is a response to the dominant position of Amazon and Barnes Noble. These superstores with a significant online presence has one major disadvantage and it is the numerous selection of books with a listing that may prove difficult to go through without the ability to properly use the search feature of the website. The proposed online store on the other hand has a website designed for easy use. It begins with a search-engine optimized content and therefore when a consumer types the name of the book, author, or ISBN number, the site can provide relevant results. A key advantage is none other than low prices and speed of delivery. The imp roved response time is due to the size of the operation and the fact that it is easier to respond to e-mail and other customer inquiries because it is still a small operation. Nevertheless, as the company grows it is imperative to maintain these features in order to sustain high customer satisfaction. Aside from an online presence there is a need to have a physical store that can be the starting point of aggressive marketing and advertising. The store must have prominent signs that can attract the attention of potential customers. There is also the need to pay for billboards and radio advertisements. Online presence can be intensified by developing blogs that has links to the online store. Therefore, the main strategy is to grow the business slowly with minimal exposure.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Used Books Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The brick and mortar operation is simply a foothold into t he used books market. It jumpstarts the process but the focus should always be on the online store. A significant part of the resources must be used to improve the website and develop better online tools that make it easier for consumers to locate what they need. The company must also invest in developing a more cost-efficient way of locating and buying used books. It has been mentioned earlier that one of the main sources are remainder distributors because of the huge volume of books available through this mechanism of dealing with used books. However, it can also be a trap because the store can acquire a great number of books that are difficult to sell. The goal of the procurement team is not only to establish a cost-efficient protocol to locate and purchase books but also to determine if these books can still be sold for a profit (Ellis, 2006). The ultimate goal is to minimize the number of books in the inventory because storage space costs money. Therefore, the procurement team must develop the ability to determine if a particular book is still in demand. There is no use buying books that only end up in storage facilities. The procurement team must focus on the following genres: a) fiction books; b) sci-fi books; c) children’s books; d) biography books; and e) business books. It is relatively easy to determine if a particular fiction novel is still in demand. There are certain websites that can be used to determine the popularity of a particular title. It is also relatively easy to determine the popularity of a certain author. Sci-fi books on the other hand require an in-depth study in order to understand the needs of the target market when it comes to this genre. Biography books must be purchased based on the date it was published. A biography book that was published five years ago is difficult to sell because of the condition of the book and the relevance of the content. For example a book about George W. Bush written five years ago has little app eal as compared to books written after he stepped down from the presidency. On the other hand there are biography books that continue to be in demand and therefore procurement teams must take note of best sellers and other titles that are sought after by book collectors and enthusiasts.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Business books must be judged based on the relevance of the content. There are so many business concepts that have become popular in a span of a year and then become obsolete a few months later. Therefore, the best seller’s list is not a reliable indicator that a particular business book continues to be in demand a few years later. The procurement team must therefore have knowledge about recent trends in the business world and determine not only the popularity of the authors but also the business ideas and leadership strategies that has captured the attention of the general public. This business requires the participation of dedicated employees. It is therefore imperative to develop a hiring process that will determine the kind of workers that can thrive in this type of business. The procurement team is a key component of the business for they must have the ability to locate quality books at a low price. They must maintain a collection that can generate sustained growth. The second most important component of the workforce is the workers that are in-charge of the online business. They must possess the necessary IT skills to develop the website and troubleshoot the system 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The third most important component of the workforce is the employees that are in-charge of maintaining the brick and mortar store. Conclusion The used books industry is a growing industry. Although there are dominant competitors in the market, statistics show that they can only cover half the share of the market. There are still many people who are new to the concept of buying used books online. There is therefore room for a company that makes it easier for customers to search the books that they need online. Aside from low prices this company will develop tools that make online shopping for used books easy and fulfilling. References Ellis, I. (2006). Book finds: how to find, buy, and sell used and rare books. New York: Penguin Books. Leo, P. (2009) . Selling online. CA: P L Publications. Minzesheimer, B. (2011). Is there hope for small bookstores in a digital age? Retrieved from https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2011-02-10-1Abookstores10_CV_N.htm Weber, S. (2006). The home-based bookstore. New York: WeberBooks. Windwalker, S. (2002). Selling used books online. MA: Harvard Perspective Press. This essay on Used Books Business was written and submitted by user Kolby Mays to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Home Place Essays

The Home Place Essays The Home Place Paper The Home Place Paper The Home Place The story ‘’The Home Place’’ by Guy Vanderhaeghe is about a relationship between a father and a son. Throughout the story, the readers see and understand the reason behind Gil and Ronald broken relationship. In this story, the author implies that when a father puts is love for is land before his son, their relation will suffer. Vanderheaghe explains his theme with the help of the characters traits, the setting and conflicts. The author develop the character of Gil as a father who love is land, is dominant and cold. During the story, Vanderheaghe demonstrates many times how much Gil adore is land and how important it is to him, for example: † To Gil it had all been beautiful. It was all he had ever wanted, to possess that place and those sights†(15). Gil is also a man who likes to be in control. He wants things to go his way even if it not is responsibility anymore. At one point in the story, Gil even interfere in his son life when he 2 tell him: ’’‘’No divorce, Ronald,† he repeatd. †No divorce. Don’t let that bitch break up the home place†Ã¢â‚¬ (16). Ronald relationship with is father is awful because his father is not only dominant with him but he is also really cold toward him. The best example of this coldness would be at the end when Gil says to Ronald: ‘’You’ve got no right to look down on me,’’(17). Vanderhaeghe use of conflict emphasises the problem between Gil and Ronald. In the story, the readers quickly understand that two of the major conflicts are between Gil and his son. To start off, Gil is a shame of his son because he never accepted his choice. To Gil everything his son is doing is wrong. Even when he got married Gil speculation was ‘’that is son married only to get his hands on land’’(14). The other main conflict in ‘’The Home Place’’ would be about the land because Ronald is not taking care of his father land, the way Gil would like. When Ronald says to his father that he would ‘’open a pit and peddle gravel to the Departement of highways by the yard’’(16) instead of using the land to grow wheat and carrots, Gil is disgust with his son’s idea. During the story, readers can see Ronald’s internal conflict. He feels like he is not important to his father and that he 3 will always come second to the land. That’s probably one of the reason why †All spring Ronald fired his huge, gasoline-laced bonfires of scrub oak and poplar’’(16). Destroying the land is the only way Ronald can use to get even with his father for making him feel that way. The details that Vanderhaeghe uses to describe the setting demonstrate the love that Gil has for his land. This story takes place mainly on the family land. The Home place is special to Gil â€Å"Situated in a valley’’ (14) and ‘’down by the river’’ (14). The home place also have a beautiful land that ‘’consisted of the original quarter Gil’s father had homesteaded, the pre-emption, and another 320 acres picked up cheap from a Finnish immigrant’’ (14). The farm is everything Gil ever wanted and a day away from all the beautiful sights the farm has to offer made Gil restless. Another important part of the setting is the broken fences Gil wanted to repair because ‘’the wires were rotten with rush’’ (17) and ‘’They were a disgrace’’ (14). The fact that Gil wants to repair the fences so badly makes the readers understand how attach he is to the land and how important the image of the farm is. Even dough the land is no longer his, he still wants to be proud of the land he gives to his son. In conclusion, the author made it clear that Gil would have given up anything for his land. He never had a relationship with it son, Ronald, because he was too preoccupied with the home place to give him any attention. Gil is also someone who needs to be in charge but Ronald still want against his wishes when he got married and started to destroy the land. Ronald’s father never had any respect for is son and that’s one of the reason why they were so many conflict between the two of them.

I Have This Story to Tell . . .

I Have This Story to Tell . . . Wherever I appear, invariably someone comes up to me and asks how they can get published. I open the dialogue with questions such as: 1) Have you finished writing the story? 2) Have you edited the story with a vengeance a zillion times? 3) Have you gotten feedback from non-friends and non-family who understand the genre? 4) Have you studied indie versus traditional and understand the details of both? Maybe I ask a few more questions depending upon the nature and interests of the person. We might delve into platform and online presence. But the eyes of half those writers interrupt or divert back into a long explanation about the story; why they are writing it; what its about; why it needs to be told. I gently pull them back to the original question about publishing, and learning the craft well enough to be worthy of publishing. Some come back with me. Then there are those who, like a rubber band, launch back into a dissertation about the story. Inevitably we part, with nothing accomplished other than the writer is happy they were able to talk about their story. We didnt really discuss much about writing well or publishing smart. While the person said they wanted to know those answers, they were too wrapped up in the story. They didnt want to hear the hard part of the journey. Theyre too busy enjoying the dream. I understand that to a point. They are living the story in their head. Its a great one to know, to tell. But all they want to know about the business after the writing is PUBLISH. They want a short cut from GOOD STORY IDEA to PUBLISH, without the details. The vast chasm that is writing, editing, developing a voice, and learning the business is considered a minor obstacle in the quest to get from point A to point B, not understanding theres a long journey of canyons, mountains, and hell/fire/brimstone in between. Keep in mind that writing is more about the craft than about the subject matter. A beautiful writer can write about anything. A mediocre writer with a good idea rarely makes it off the ground. The best advice I can give you is to learn how to write (take classes, join writers groups, hire an editor) then publish. Everyone has a journey, but not everyone takes the time to learn how to write it well. Fewer still learn how to put it into print so that the GOOD STORY IDEA can reach readers. Fall in love with your story, but fall in love with the other parts, too.

A field trip to Point Reyes National Seashore and Lighthouse Assignment

A field trip to Point Reyes National Seashore and Lighthouse - Assignment Example California Highway 1 is one of the routes one can take people to the Point Reyes lighthouse. Highway 1 passes through very fragile hillsides in Big Sur region and one gets the impression that they might be trapped in a rock or mud slide. The area between Gorda and Lucia seems to have the most delicate hillsides. California Highway one is classified as one of the most dangerous highways in the state and consequently the state has set several safety rules for drivers using this road; the road meanders through the landscape. It also passes around the edges of steep slopes and this makes it seem even more dangerous. Point Reyes National Seashore is full of numerous wonderful features. The place has no mountains but is hilly. Other interesting features are windswept the beach, marshes, estuaries, coastal scrub grassland, and coniferous forests. Forested ridges are very beautiful as I could view vast regions from a single point. River Trail passes near the Point Reyes National Seashore. It is a source of drinking water to wild animals living around the area but also decorates the landscape. In the Point Reyes National park, there are numerous plant varieties and animal species. Of all these, I found the deer the most interesting. There are three deer species which are black-tailed deer, tule elk and fallow deer. They are very interesting to watch as they run up and down in the field. It is very easy to distinguish the three species from a distance as they have clear distinguishing features. The fallow deer is non-native as it was imported from the Californian mainland. It is the most beautiful of all with well combined white and brown colors. They are well adapted to the ecosystem and they make the entire environment beautiful. Driving through the beautiful landscape made me seem to have reached the end of my tour but when I reached the lighthouse, everything changed. It was clear from a

Separation of Powers in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Separation of Powers in the UK - Essay Example For example, if the parliament has more control over the others, there will be instability in the government. There has been the development of the UK government in achieving balance between the government and the parliament through application of the principle of separation of powers. In 1998, the Human Rights Act was launched by the parliament requiring consideration of the European Convention of Human Rights by the judiciary. Recently, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 was geared towards separation of powers through the judicial reforms. The Act required abolishment of the offices of the Lord Chancellor and establishment of a Supreme Court of UK without the consent of the judiciary at that time (Masterman 2011, p. 34). Following the development in separation of powers in the UK government, the three branches function independent of each other. The current UK government constitutes of the legislature whose role is to pass laws and supervise their implementation, the executive, who se role is to implement laws, and the judiciary, whose role is to administer justice by ensuring compliance to the laws. The Parliament of the UK comprises the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Crown. The main roles of the Parliament include passing laws and following their implementation by the executive, the Government (Madgwick 1991, p. 23). The Parliament in conjunction with the Government played a great in the implementation of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 that resulted to the establishment of the Supreme Court following the abolishment of the Lord Chancellor’s powers that undermined separation of powers. The Act dismissed the Lord Chancellor as the Speaker of the House of Lords, an effort towards separation of powers. The Parliament is privileged as it is granted the freedom to speech.

Anatomy and Physiology Ch. 1 Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Anatomy and Physiology Ch. 1 Study Guide Essay Anatomy the study of the form or structure and arrangement of body parts and their relationships Physiology the study of the functions of the body parts or structures and their relationships in maintaining life processes. Levels of Structural Organization The human body consists of levels of structural organization that are associated with one another. There are six levels of structural organization: I. chemical level It is the simplest level and it includes all of the chemical substances essential for maintaining life. These substances are made up of atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass.  Atoms combine to form molecules, which may be simple or  complex. Different types of molecules combine to form or~anelles (little organs). Organelles are specific structures that carry out specific functions. 2. cellular level The cell is the basic unit of structure  and function and of life. Cells vary in size, shape, and function and may contain many types of organelles. 3. tissue level Tissues are groups of similar cells that perform a specific function. There are four major types of tissues in the human body: a. epithelial tissue It is found lining body cavities and covers the surface of the body. It functions in  protection, secretion, and excretion. b. connective tissue It is found on the surfaces of  and in organs and tissues and functions in protection, support, and attaching organs and tissues to each other and to the walls of body cavities. c. muscle tissue It functions in the movement of body parts and organs, and in the movement of substances throughout the body. There are three major types of muscle tissue: (1) skeletal muscle It is found attached to and covering bones and it functions in body movement. (2) cardiac muscle It is located in the heart wall and functions in the contraction and relaxation of the heart as it beats. (3) smooth muscle It is located in the walls of internal or visceral organs and it functions in moving substances throughout the body. d. nervous tissue  It is located in the brain and  spinal cord, and extends to various tissues and organs.  It  functions in transmitting electrical or nerve impulses from the external and internal environments to the brain and spinal cord where it is interpreted and a response occurs. 4. organ level Organs are groups of two or more types of  tissue working together to perform a specific function. 5. organ system level ~ sTstems are groups of organs that work closely together to perform a common function. There are eleven organ systems in the human body: ao g. h. i. j. k. integumentary system muscular system skeletal system nervous system endocrine system cardiovascular system lymphatic system respiratory system digestive system urinary system reproductive system 6. organismal level It is the highest level of structural organization and it consists of groups of organ systems working together to maintain body structure and function. Organ systems work together to maintain an internal environment that is fairly constant, stable, or balanced. This is referred to as homeostasis (to stay the same). Changes do occur, but within very narrow ranges or limits. Homeostasis Body parts or structures function efficiently in maintaining metabolic processes and when the survival needs are within certain limits or optimum levels. The survival needs include: water,  oxyqen, nutrients, an appropriate bod~ temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Water is necessary for chemical reactions, excretion, and secretion.  Oxyqen is required for many of the metabolic  reactions that break down nutrients and provide energy. Nutrients provide energy for cells and cell processes. Bod~ temperature must be maintained within a certain range for chemical reactions and cell processes to perform efficiently. If the body temperature falls too low or increases too high, chemical reactions will slow down or may stop. Atmospheric pressure is the force of air on the body surface by the weight of air. It is important in breathing and in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. To maintain homeostasis there are control mechanisms. Control mechanisms consist of three parts: i. receptor It responds to sensory stimuli from the internal and external environments. The information is sent along afferent pathways to the control center. 2. control center It consists of the brain and spinal cord which interpret and analyze the information and determine an appropriate response.  Information is then sent along efferent pathways to the effector. 3. effector It consists of tissues, organs, or glands that perform a motor response to the original stimulus that was received by the receptor. The response involves a feedback mechanism. If the response slows down or inhibit~ the stimulus it is a neqative feedback mechanism. If the response speeds up or enhances the stimulus, it is a positive feedback mechanism. Most control mechanisms for homeostasis in the human body are negative feedback mechanisms.

Free Essays - Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange :: Clockwork Orange Essays

  Clockwork Orange In Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange, Burgess creates a gloomy future full of violence, rape and destruction. In this dystopian novel, Burgess does a fantastic job of constantly changing the readers’ allegiance toward the books narrator and main character, Alex. Writing in a foreign language, Burgess makes the reader feel like an outsider. As the novel begins, the reader has no emotional connection to Alex. This non-emotional state comes to a sudden halt when Alex and his droogs begin a series of merciless acts of violence. The reader rapidly begins to form what seems to be an irreversible hatred toward the books narrator. However, as time progresses, Burgess cleverly changes the tone of his novel. Once wishing only the harshest punishments be bestowed upon him, it is these same punishments that begin to change how the reader feels. In fact, by the end of the book, one almost begins to have pity for Alex. The same character that was once hated soon emerges as one of many victims taken throughout the course of the book. Throughout Alex’s narration, Burgess manages to change the readers’ allegiance toward a once seemingly evil character. Alex is the type of character one loves to hate; he makes it all too easy to dislike him. He is a brutal, violent, teenage criminal with no place in society. His one and only role is to create chaos, which he does too well. Alex’s violent nature is first witnessed during the first chapter, and is soon seen again when Alex and his gang chose to brutally beat an innocent drunkard. This beating off the homeless man serves no purpose other then to amuse Alex’s gang. The acts committed were not performed for revenge, the one reason given was that Alex did not enjoy seeing a homeless drunk, â€Å"I could never stand to see a moodge all filthy and rolling and burping and drunk, whatever his age might be, but more especially when he was real starry like this one was† (13). Alex continues to explain his reason for dislike, â€Å"his platties were a disgrace, all creased and untidy and covered in cal† (13), from this explanation one realizes his reasons for nearly k illing a man are simply based on pleasure, desire, and a dislike toward the untidy. By the end of the second chapter Burgess’s inventive usage of a different language to keep the reader alienated from forming opinions about Alex ceases to work.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

1. Introduction/Thesis Statement. Rheumatoid arthritis, RA, is a chronic autoimmune disease in which both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the disease process. It is characterized by flare-up and remission periods affecting over 1. 5 million people in the United States, in which approximately 300,000 of those people are children. Rheumatoid arthritis is by far the most serious, painful, and potentially crippling form of arthritis. It is often called â€Å"the great crippler† because it can lead to deformities and debilitation.People living with RA live in fear that they might one day become disabled, but we have learned through research that early detection is the best preventive measure against disability. While RA has no cure and is somewhat of a mystery disease, researchers are making great advances in modern medicine to help with the symptoms and the progression of RA. These biologic medicines have made life much more manageable for RA patients improving the ir quality of life and overall health. 2. Disease definition and patient prevalence A. Definition of RA B. Age, sex, prevalence related to RA . Diagnosis and prognosis of RA A. What causes RA? B. How it is diagnosed C. Other risk factors associated with RA. 4. Patient experiences A. Symptoms and signs of RA B. Treatment available (medications, etc. ) 1. New treatment hope with biologics. C. Prognosis of patients with RA. 5. Living and coping with RA. A. Coping with the disease. References: www. webmd. com/rheumatoid-arthritis/default. htm http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020 www. arthritis. org/conditions-treatments/disease-center/rheum   www. cdc. gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid. htm

Cesar Guarin “First Filipino Ultra-Marathoner” Essay

Will you gamble your own welfare for the sake of others? Cesar Guarin, a 56-year-old entrepreneur and the first Filipino, first Asian and fourth person in history to run around the world proved that with a strong determination and with a purpose to help, anyone can bring their dream into reality. Guarin is known as the â€Å"Father of the Philippines Ultramarathon†. He joined Global Run which considered as one-of-a-kind marathon and the toughest run ever that began 1983 and will end in 2016. He already finished the first four legs of his Global Run wherein he run 11,583 kilometers from 1983 to 2009. After his last run in US-Canada (2009), he will again venture in another run, 2,053 kms. in the Australia marathon, the fifth leg of his Global Run. After completing the Australia leg, he will run across- Middle East (2012), England-Norway (2012), Finlan-Moscow (2013), Egypt-Israel-Jordan (2013), Japan-Korea (2014), India-Myanmar (2014) and Thailan-Singapore (2014) to complete the marathon. Despite of different hindrances like injuries, Guarin continuously run and this time it’s for a mission. He started a fund raising projects called â€Å"Batang Pangarap† and â€Å"Global Run, Alay sa Pilipino† to help poverty alleviation in the Philippines, to reduce the number of children on the street by encouraging them to venture into sports, to campaign the tourism of the Philippines and to show his appreciation to the Filipino community abroad for helping the country (Philippines). Guarin as an Ultramarathoner showed to the world that Filipino is a one-of-a-kind race.

Descent of Women essays

Descent of Women essays The Descent of Woman, by Elaine Morgan, tells the idea of the Aquatic Theory of Evolution. According to this theory of evolution, the ape, which man is believed to evolve from, comes down from the trees due to a drought and into the water. While adapting to a new environment, the ape evolved to become more like man. When the drought was over, this ape moved back onto the land and completely evolved into man. Morgan goes into great depth and detail throughout the chapters. She covers each process in the evolving of this species that she feels was wrongly described by past evolutionists. In chapter one, she tells how in the Book of Genesis, it is said that God created man first and woman was created later and was not created as well as man. Because of this, whenever a book is written about man evolving the pronoun he is used since man means male and species. This pronoun puts the image of a male in the readers head. This is why Morgan chose to use the pronoun she and tell the theory of evolution through a female evolving. She also tells in this chapter the theory of the Tarzanlike figure a prehominid male came down from the trees and almost immediately became a Mighty Hunter and that everything that evolved did so for the sake of hunting. She explains the flaws in this theory and in the next chapters explains the evolving through the Aquatic Theory. Morgan, in chapter two, dates back to the mild Miocene. During this time there was the hairy prehominid ape still living in the trees and still a vegetarian. She didnt yet evolve into what distinguishes her from other species. After a few million years, a drought occurred in the Pliocene and drove the ape out of the trees and onto the plain. She could simply not adapt to living on the plains. Since she lived in the central part of Africa, there was no water for her to move to so she became extinct. However, her cousin of the sam...

Bare Infinitive After Certain Verbs

Bare Infinitive After Certain Verbs Bare Infinitive After Certain Verbs Bare Infinitive After Certain Verbs By Maeve Maddox An ESL speaker has two questions about the following construction: I was startled to hear a local radio announcer refer to a contest for artists to submit designs to paint â€Å"murals† on storm drains. Question 1 Can you, please, explain to me why the construction calls for the plural form of the verb â€Å"refer† rather than the singular one (refers) when the subject of this verb (a local radio announcer) is singular? Answer Refer is not inflected because it is not a main verb in this clause. It’s an infinitive. The sentence contains one main verb (â€Å"was startled†) and four infinitives. Three of the infinitives are easy to spot: to hear, to submit, and to paint. The fourth infinitive- refer- lacks the identifying to because it is a bare infinitive. A â€Å"bare infinitive† is written without the particle to. Bare infinitives are not as common as complete infinitives, but they do follow certain verbs. The modal auxiliary verbs will, shall, would, could, can, may, might, must, and should are followed by the bare infinitive. For example: We should go to bed early tonight. (bare infinitive) Can you help me? (bare infinitive) When certain verbs, such as hear, see, make, and let, are followed by an object, the object will be followed by a bare infinitive. For example: I saw him make a face. The object of saw is him. Make is a bare infinitive. She heard Charles tell a lie. The object of heard is Charles. Tell is a bare infinitive. I was startled to hear a local radio announcer refer to a contest. The object of to hear is a local radio announcer. Refer is a bare infinitive. Question 2 Would I be correct if I use the participle form of the verb; i.e., â€Å"I was startled to hear a local radio announcer referring to a contest†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ? Answer The use of refer rather than referring in this context is a stylistic choice. The original sentence is made up of two clauses: Because I am used to thinking of a  mural  as a painting on a wall, I was startled to hear a local radio announcer refer to a contest for artists to submit designs to paint â€Å"murals† on storm drains. The word refer points the reader to the words following it. Changing refer to referring would shift the emphasis from what was said to the announcer saying it. It wouldn’t be â€Å"wrong,† but it would weaken the sentence. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowCannot or Can Not?"To Tide You Over"

A Professional Development Plan Scholarship Essay

A Professional Development Plan - Scholarship Essay Example As the research stresses  mentoring relationships vary from loosely defined and informal collegial relationships wherein a mentee learns through observation and example to structured and formal agreements between novice co-mentors and experts wherein both parties develop professional by a two-way transfer of perspective and experience. Whether or not the relationship is considered formal or informal, the objective of mentoring is to offer or grant advancement, both professional and personal. In higher education, professors are charged with the duty of passing knowledge to students and prepare them for life after college or university. This makes this group very significant in ensuring continuity of society.From the discussion it is clear that  the work of a higher education professor is to educate academic and vocational subjects to both post and undergraduate scholars in institutions of higher learning. Some of their teaching method comprise of lectures tutorials, seminars, prac tical demonstrations, e-learning and field work among others. Multimedia technologies are also more and more being used today. A professor is also liable of pursing his or her own research in order to aid in the broader research activity of their institution or academic department. The goal is to have his or her scholarly article or book peer reviewed and published, which, on the other hand, will raise his or her profile and also that of their institution.

Checkout paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Checkout paper 2 - Essay Example She even agreed that not able to attend schools due to sickness was causing a hard time for her. â€Å"I believe that I am feeling ill most of the time and sometimes the intensity of sickness increases which compels me to take off from the school. Since I am missing my classes, I am lagging behind from my classmates and it is quite disturbing for me. It is even giving me a hard time.† I think it was the right time to ask for clarifying me her viewpoint so that I could probe her for more information. I even realized that she was having difficulty in sharing her feeling and my question gave her space to open up and she responded to me appropriately: It was important to summarize and reflect on her responses so that we both were on the same pace and the matter could be resolved. Her response shed light on the solution which she was seeking for undertaking few measures for getting fit and healthy: â€Å"The medications make me tiresome and I feel sleepy during the classes too. It is quite irritating for me as I want to focus my attention on class lectures and compensate for the loss caused due to my sickness. Moreover, I want to move towards a routine which incorporates exercise regime.† With this statement, it was evident that she wanted support for implementing a lifestyle which will be in compliance with her requirements. At this point, I had to ask more information so I used the paraphrasing technique: This statement clarified everything that she wanted to get rid of the inactiveness caused due to sickness and motivate herself to include exercise in her routine. In order to summarize the interview, I said: The client agreed with my response and it was a productive activity as it highlighted the main area of concern. During this exercise, I made effective use of reflection, summarization, clarification and paraphrasing. Overall, I believe that I learnt about my

How America is Responding to the Flat World Essay

How America is Responding to the Flat World - Essay Example This essay discusses the topic of the United States and that it is no longer the world’s clear economic leader. The researcher suggests that perhaps that is a result of their archaic response to globalization. It will be necessary to redefine productivity in light of emerging technological advancements worldwide. These new policies will have to support the digital revolution, boost technological innovation, enhance workforce skills, promote entrepreneurship and ensure competitive and open markets. The Government will have to look inside and reorganize itself by placing more reliance on networks than hierarchy, more on civic and private sector actors than bureaucracy, and more on technology than on rule-based, bureaucratic programs. Be that as it may, the researcher states that America has single-handedly rescued many third world nations from meager subsistence and it has been somewhat detrimental to the United States internal economic policies. A collective response is necessa ry, but it must be spearheaded by the US Government. The submission to the internationalization of America and the shift away from Americanization by foreign nations demands serious attention. Perhaps rather than internationalization policies, American policy makers should concentrate on emphasizing pursuit of science and technology in the American school system. The researcher concludes that after that American’s themselves might want to become more ambitious in the pursuit of the sciences themselves.

Yann Martels Life Of Pi 2001 Literature Essay

Yann Martels Life Of Pi 2001 Literature Essay Yann Martels Booker-Prize winning novel Life of Pi (2001) narrates the nine months odyssey of Piscine Patel on the Pacific Ocean. Far from being only a fascinating adventurous tale, this novel addresses important issues such as faith, identity, universalism, religion, and areas of cultural contact. Although the plot may seem to revolve mainly around Pi and Richard Parker, Life of Pi deals extensively with the great human project of trying to live together. By using Pi as his trans-cultural hero, Martel seems to insist on the need to constructively reformulate the human mind in relation to cosmopolitanism, absolute truth and religious identity. This papers aim is to bring out the cosmopolitan message that Martel seeks to transmit to his readers and to show how the latter focuses on that part of our common human identity that links us, instead of stressing on those identities that only partially define and differentiate us. A cross-reference is also going to be made to Homers The Odyss ey so as to highlight the idea of the equal treatment of all human beings, regardless of religion, culture, ethnicity and values, as prescribed by cosmopolitanism. Life of Pi is a novel which can be read in many different ways; as an adventurous story, as an allegory of power, as a reflection on the superiority of imagination over reason, as an explanation of the intricate and complex life of humans and animals, and, of utmost importance to this essay, as a spiritual journey or a quest for identity and as a metaphor of the cultural and religious conflicts that characterize every known human society. Culture and identity play a key role in many contemporary wars. Many philosophers and cultural theorists argue that the resolution of protracted ethnic and religious conflicts lies in the fostering and nurturing of cosmopolitan identities. First of all, what makes Life of Pi an interesting platform for exploring trans-cultural and interfaith relationships is not merely Martels cosmopolitan background, but also the novels portrayal of the protagonists life before and after the shipwreck. Pi Patel grows up in Pondicherry, a former French territory on the Indian subcontinent, where Eastern and Western cultures inevitably exist in close contact. To the dismay of grownups, particularly the representatives of different religions, the wise men as they are almost satirically referred to in the novel, Pi shows devotion to Hinduism, embraces and practices Christianity and Islam simultaneously. After his nine months in the lifeboat, he is hospitalized in Mexico and the author finally encounters him as an Indian immigrant in Toronto. Pis hybrid, multiple faiths and open-mindedness not only help him survive emotionally and physically but are also strengthened after the events. His house in Canada can be used as a proof to support this statement; the author describes the devotional articles that he finds in the protagonists house, ranging from a framed picture of Ganesha, a plain wooden cross, a small framed picture of the virgin Mary of Guadalupe, to a framed photo of the black-robed Kaaba, holiest sanctum of Islam. Pi is therefore presented as a cosmopolitan, a citizen of the world, as he not only practices three religions but is also at home in the worlds of science and theology, having achieved university degrees in both fields. Martel juxtaposes the young Pi Patels receptiveness to other cultures and religions to the intolerance of the three religious figures encountered on the beach; the priest, the imam and the pandit, each convinced of the singular truth of the path he taught. Each of them apoplectically try to impose the superiority and validity of their respective faiths after discovering that Pi shows devotion to three different, opposing, and often conflicting religions; The priest looked askance at both of them. Piscine, he nearly whispered, there is salvation only in Jesus. Balderdash! Christians know nothing about religion, said the pandit. They strayed long ago from Gods path, said the imam. Wheres God in your religion? snapped the priest. You dont have a single miracle to show for it. What kind of religion is that, without miracles? It isnt a circus with dead people jumping out of tombs all the time, thats what! We Muslims stick to the essential miracle of existence. Birds flying, rain falling, crops growing-these are miracles enough for us. Feathers and rain are all very nice, but we like to know that God is truly with us. Is that so? Well, a whole lot of good it did God to be with you-you tried to kill him! You banged him to a cross with great big nails. Is that a civilized way to treat a prophet? The prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him-brought us the word of God without any undignified nonsense and died at a ripe old age. The word of God? To that illiterate merchant of yours in the middle of the desert? Those were drooling epileptic fits brought on by the swaying of his camel, not divine revelation. That, or the sun frying his brains! Whereas Pi just [wants] to love God, the three religious leaders represent those who insist on believing in one, absolute truth. This situation of world-wide coalition of cultures as Claude Levi- Strauss termed it, can be further elaborated using Richard Burtons famous words; All Faith is false, all Faith is true; Truth is the shattered mirror strown In myriad bits; while each believes His little bit the whole to own. Like Burton, Martel implies that absolute truth is inaccessible to human beings, who will probably never be able to understand it fully. Therefore, adhering slavishly and blindly to one faith without taking an interest in the practices and beliefs of others only contributes to [obstruct] empathy and [makes] ethnocentrism inescapable. The problem with most human beings and civilizations, as highlighted in Life of Pi and as extensively discussed by Appiah, appears to be that everyone believes that their particular faith is the all-comprehending and absolute truth. Everyone seems to be holding their little bit of their shattered mirror, guarding it protectively (almost jealously) from others and trying to see as much as they can in it. Gilroy describes such a situation as being one in which we are all sealed up inside our frozen cultural habits and where there is no workable precedent for adopting a more generous and creative view of how human beings might communicate or act in concert across racial, ethnic, or civilizational divisions. What Appiah in turn proposes to cultural and religious differences reflects Pis own ideologies. For Appiah therefore, there is no agreed-upon answer- and the point is there doesnt need to be. He urges that it is of central importance for the benefit of humanity that we all learn about people in other places, take an interest in their civilizations, not because that will bring us to agreement, but because it will help us get used to one another. In this sense, Pis behavior towards Richard Parker can be read as a metaphor used to promote or idealize a cosmopolitan ideology among human beings. Appiah also carefully points out that we can perfectly live together without agreeing on what the values are that make it good to live together. If the world could share their myriad bits, human beings would have definitely been able to see a lot more clearly. Similarly, there exists no singular truth. There are many truths, depending on our moralities and experience. As Pi reproaches to Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba twice at the end of the novel; Tigers exist, lifeboats exist, oceans exist. Because the three have never come together in your narrow, limited experience, you refuse to believe that they might. Yet the plain fact is that the Tsimtsum brought them together and then sank. And at some later point in the same conversation, Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe? Pi here implies that openness and the taking of interest in others lives and experiences are more enriching to human beings rather than further entombing themselves in what they believe is the absolute truth, thereby turning their own lives into yeastless factuality. Inspite of all his misadventures though, Pi not only remains faithful to all three religions but also admires the religious as well as the irreligious. Readers cannot disagree therefore with Pis statement that to choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation. Similarly, closing ourselves into our set of beliefs and closing all doors to the appreciation of other cultures, civilizations and people is akin to living without any enriching human and cultural progress. Sharing a lifeboat with a tiger for 227 days is considered as quasi-impossible both to believe and as a thing likely to occur. However, Martel beautifully uses imagination over reason to drag his readers in a kind of magical realism tour which requires a strong yet willing suspension of disbelief so as to show that such a thing is plausible and was actually experienced by the hero of his novel. Pi renounces to the initial idea of murdering Richard Parker because he realizes that if he does so, he will have no one to provide for, no one to depend on him and no reason at all to live. Thereupon, the tiger shifts from being a source of fear and a mortally threatening creature to a source of peace, purposeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ even wholeness. What Pi does therefore is that he uses his understanding of animals, acquired at the zoo, so as to establish a peaceful cohabitation between himself and Richard. According to June Dwyer, Pis success lies in the fact that he respects the Others instincts, n eeds and values and gives him equal consideration; it is acceptance of the Other without imposing change on him.Since Richard has already claimed his part in the lifeboat, Pi decides to negotiate. So, instead of killing, he shares and instead of giving up his authority he makes it clear to the tiger what is his by also urinating on his territory. The tiger in turn, much to Pis surprise, reacts positively to the latters whistle-blows. What Martel is trying to show here is that the human and the tiger are capable of living together (even in a lifeboat with limited space) as long as each respects the others space. If two completely different creatures are able to live together peacefully, by making compromises and respecting each other, then it becomes very much possible for cosmopolitanism among humans to be completely disregarded as a mere set of utopian ideals, as is often claimed by many,or, put in simpler terms, to be seen as a realistic utopia, as Nancy Fraser puts it. Likewise, Homers most enduring hero, Odysseus, celebrates someone seeking adventure and valuing the unfamiliar and the strange.According to one definition, cosmopolitanism represents the attempt to exhibit a familiarity with, or appreciation of many parts and peoples of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This definition aptly applies to both Life of Pi and The Odyssey. Much like Pi himself, Odysseus is also shipwrecked, which leads him to encounter different people, civilizations, cultures and languages. We witness for example his admiration for the Phaiakians at some point in the book, and we see how he admires the latters polity. The simple swineherd Eumaeus, remarkable for his apparent striking similarity to Odysseus, also helps to better understand the shared human condition at that time. According to Patrick Deneen, Eumaeuss understanding of the situation of humanity relative to the gods is similar to that of Odysseus himself. This understanding leads to his realization that the human con dition leads one to recognize that the parts of our human identity that link us outnumber those identities that differentiate us. As he says to Odysseus, whom he meets as a begger, upon their first encounter, Stranger, I have no right to deny the stranger, not even if one came to me who was meaner than you. All vagabonds and strangers are under Zeus, and the gift is a light and dear oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Readers are thus able to see how Eumaeus, as well as Odysseus, recognize the protection that Zeus accords to all human beings, even to the most desperate ones. Since readers are able to travel through different civilizations, cultures, mindsets and values in The Odyssey, comparisons between those who show kindness to strangers and those who do not (such as in the case of Polyphemus, Poseidons son) are made possible. In this sense, Telemachuss meetings with Nestor and Menelaus also allow Homer to explore the Greek code of xenia, or hospitality. As Bernard Knox argues in the introduction to Robert Fagless translation of The Odyssey, the obligation of attending to and entertaining travelers is the closest The Odyssey comes to affirming an absolute moral principle. This also reminds of Nussbaums most explicit description of the duties or obligations of any citizen of the world; Our task as citizens of the world, and as educators who prepare people to be citizens of the world, will be to draw the circles somehow toward the center, making all human beings like our fellow city dwellers. In other words, we need not give up our special affections and affiliations and identifications, whether national or ethnic or religious; but we should work to make all human beings part of our community of dialogue and concern, showing respect for the human wherever it occurs, and allowing that respect to constrain our national and local politics. Likewise, the social code of ancient Greek necessitated that one expresses kindness to strangers in foreign regions by receiving them into ones home. This social expectation of hospitality was so culturally crucial and significant that it was believed to be implemented by Zeus, the king of the gods. Both hosts offer their guest a warm welcome even before they learn Telemachuss identity. Furthermore, this adherence and respect for the social norms enforced by the gods sharply demarcates Penelopes careless wooers plundering of Telemachuss home in Ithaca from Telemachus and Odysseus. Homer sets the right against the wrong by portraying the latter as hero and the suitors as villains. Although it is set in 700 BC, The Odyssey certainly sheds light on contemporary debates about cosmopolitanism. Martel on the other hand beautifully uses Pi as the hero of his novel, so as to transmit the innocent yet strong cosmopolitan and universal visions of a child, thereby providing more hope for a cosm opolitan future for the new generations. On a conclusive note, it can be noted that what Martel in a way wants his readers to know is that the persistent barriers of doubt, fear of the Other, ignorance, close-mindedness, racism and imaginative, long- held stereotypes are only vicious obstacles to the creation of a cosmopolitan world and fruitful human relations. In order for the human experience to progress therefore, these constant obstacles have to be destroyed. Indeed this book seems to suggest that the most appropriate and beneficial perspective to be adopted in the 21st century is one of cosmopolitanism.

Capital Punishment Essay -- essays research papers

Capital punishment is the execution of criminals by the state for committing crimes so wicked that it is the only acceptable punishment. The debate over the death penalty has endured for years and has become increasingly controversial. According to an article written by Richard Worsnop, entitled "Death Penalty Debate Centers on Retribution," in 1966, 42% of Americans were in favor of capital punishment while 47% were opposed to it; in 1986, support for capital punishment was 80% for and only 17% against with 3% undecided. Most of the undecided voters said they would support capital punishment, if they had to vote on it immediately. Currently, public approval of the death penalty is about 70%. While some people are opposed to capital punishment, the majority is in favor of it. Therefore, the United States government should strictly enforce capital punishment in every state. Admittedly, the act of killing someone is immoral and "Thou shall not kill" is one of God's commandments. However, if it were not for the threat of execution, the murder rate in the United States would be far greater. According to the United States Bureau of Justice bulletin on capital punishment (1989), from 1955 to 1965, there were 78,500 murders and 351 executions in the United States; but from 1966 to 1976, when the death penalty was weakened, 288,310 murders were committed and only six executions were carried out. In order for capital punishment to work as d...

Macro and Micro Environmental Analysis of Waitrose Supermarkets

WAITROSE ASSIGNMENT INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING MARKET RESEARCH CONTENTS INTRODUCTION —————————————– MACRO ENVIRONMENT POLITICAL ———————————————- ECONOMICAL ——————————————- SOCIAL ————————————————- TECHONOLGICAL—————————————- ENVIRONMENTAL—————————————- MICRO ENVIRONMENT SUPPLIERS———————————————- IN TERMEDIARIES—————————————- FINANCIAL———————————————– GOVERNMENT——————————————– THE COMPANY——————————————- EMPLOYEES———————————————- CUSTOMERS——————————————— COMPETITORS——————————————- MEDIA—————————————————- PUBLICS————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- SWOT ANALYSIS—————————————– CONCLUSION——————————————– APPENDIX———————————————— BIBLYOGRAPHY—————————————— INTRODUCTION The food retail industry in the United Kingdom is an extremely competitive market. The major players in the industry all have tremendous purchasing power and are constantly fighting to increase market share. Like any other industry though they are affected but factors which are both within their control as well as outside. In this report we will first be focusing on the macro environment of the UK supermarket industry where we will review external issues such as politics, economy, technological, social/demographic and environmental factors. From this analysis we can gain insight into how supermarkets react to changes that are beyond their control and how they can often turn these changes into business opportunities. The second part of this report will be looking at the supermarket chain Waitrose. Through this we analyse the micro environment whereby we look at factors such as suppliers, intermediaries, financial, government, the company, customers, employees, competitors, media, and publics. The micro environment is what makes up a company and all aspects must run efficiently and effectively for a business to succeed. Based on the findings of the Waitrose micro environment we are then able to evaluate the companies strengths and weaknesses as well as their opportunities and threats. MACRO ENVIRONMENT Political The supermarket industry is affected by many varying political factors. New legislation and decisions from Governing bodies that regulate the industry aim to ensure that all business within the sector is conducted fairly and with the economy suppliers and consumers best interest in mind. Most legislation on food standards originates from the European Commission which consolidates legislation across the EU. The Competition Commission, a non departmental governing body, are responsible for investigating mergers, markets and inquiries related to regulated industries under competition law (Competition Commission No Date),. Competition Law which was introduced in 1998 promotes healthy competition, and bans anticompetitive agreements between firms such as agreements to fix prices or to carve up markets, and it makes it illegal for businesses to abuse a dominant market position (Office of Fair Trading, 2007). In 2009 the Competition Commission issued an amended and improved Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) with hopes of providing greater security to suppliers. To help regulate legislation and the GSCOP an independent financial ombudsman was established in 2010 to resolves problems between retailers and suppliers (Sourceuk 2009). When a supermarket wishes to build or extend a site a ‘competition test’ would be carried out on the retailer and an assessment made to ensure that local shops don’t lose out to the large chain supermarkets domination an entire area (Competition Commission 2009). Price fixing is illegal under the competition act of 1998. When participants on the same side of the market (such as the big 4 in the UK supermarket sector) agree to sell a service, product or commodity at a fixed price it’s the consumers who must pay while retailers and suppliers reap the benefits. There are extremely heavy penalties for price fixing in the UK You can be fined, disqualified from being a director – or even sent to prison (Business Link No Date). Minimum wage laws will always affect supermarkets as generally many of their staff would be paid minimum wage. Under the National Minimum Wage Act of 1998 all employers must pay their employees a certain amount per hour as set by the UK Government. The main rate of National Minimum Wage which applies to workers aged 22 and over and is currently ? 5. 80 per but will raise ? 5. 93 in 2010 (Directgov 2010). There are many laws in the UK and EU which are designed to protect the environment. However there are two main Acts which were made to consolidate as many issues as possible, these are the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Environment Act 1995 (Hartshorne. J,1996). DEFRA is the UK government agency which is responsible for setting legislation and guidance on a number of environmental issues (DEFRA, No Date). Some important legislation which applies to supermarkets include laws on waste and recycling, genetic modification, and Climate Change which are all covered under these acts. Office of Public Sector Information No Date) Economic The economic situation at any given time will always affect market conditions. As the economy continually fluctuates between periods of economic growth and periods of relative stagnation (also known as an economic cycle) factors such as changes to interest rates, exchange rates, inflation and purchasing power will directly and indirectly affect th e supermarket industry (Tutor2u, No Date) In 2008 the UK had entered the recession stage of the economic cycle. Interest rates dropped from 5% to 0. % in an effort to increase consumer spending (Mintel 2009, Market Re-forecasts – Food – UK). And while this would initially appear to be a gain for supermarkets, other factors of the recession such as wide spread unemployment and bankruptcies saw this sector of the market having to revise their marketing strategies in order to weather these changes to the economy (Mintel 2009, Market Re-forecasts – Food – UK). In 2009 trading was down with consumers eating less ready meals and opting for own brand rather than premium products (Mintel 2009, Food Retailing UK – Broader Market Environment). This is just one of the many changes to consumer purchasing that changed and will continue to change as the economy tries to recover. According to The Office of National Statistics (2010) unemployment dropped by 33000 since then end of 2009 and the economy grew by 0. 1% a possible indication of the UK slowly emerging from the recession (BBC News 2010). However this will be the beginning of a recovery which could take at least another two years. As interest rates still remain at an all time low of 0. % (BBC News 2009) supermarkets will start to see an increase in spending from consumers as their confidence in the market returns (Mintel 2009, Market Re-forecasts – Food – UK). Inflation has only become a recent issue in the UK economy. Rising fuel prices, a few poor harvests and the weakness of the sterling has seen inflation accelerate between 2006 and 2008 (Mintel 2009, Food Retailing UK – Broader Market Environment) (Appendix 1). The implications of this for supe rmarkets are that it erodes the purchasing power of money which in turn means the price of imported good will rise. However a positive result of rising inflation, which at times reached over 10% also, meant that food price increases boosted sales value (Mintel 2009, Food Retailing UK – The Market In Context). A trend for customers trading down rather than reducing quantity enables sales value to rise fast enough to cover cost growth (Mintel 2009, Food Retailing UK – Sector Size and Forecast). The recession as a whole has had a very mixed effect on the supermarket industry. At the beginning of the recession in 2008 consumers drastically cut back on purchases from retailers such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer. However by December 2009 Waitrose was the fastest growing supermarket chain while Aldi was on the decline. This is believed to be due to more expensive supermarkets introducing own brand products into their stores and selling them at a lower price to their standard products (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – Industry Overview). Social It is essential for supermarkets to understand the current sociocultural environment as any changes will affect their customers’ needs and wants. (Brassington & Pettitt 2006) According to Mintel (2009) the ageing population will have a negative effect on the supermarket industry with there already being more retired people than children, with this level set to increase (Appendix 2). This will affect the industry as older people tend to eat and drink a lot less than their younger counterparts but also treat themselves less as well. This decline in basket size will have long term effects for the industry over time as they are less efficient to service and require more staff (Mintel 2009, Food Retailing – Broader Market Environment) A worrying trend which has emerged in the last several years has been the increase in obesity among children and adults in the UK with 60% of the UK population being overweight (Office of National Statistics, Health and Social Care, 2010) Poor quality convenience foods, labour-saving technology, increased car use and more people doing sedentary jobs are just some of the reason the country is getting bigger. However despite this increase in obesity the U. K population on a whole is far more health conscious than in previous years (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – Industry Overview). There has been a trend away from genetically modified foods towards organic foods and an increased the customer desire for healthy alternatives. The government and other health organisations are working with supermarkets and manufacturers to help consumers make healthier choices when shopping. (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – PEST Analysis). According to the National Office for Statistics (2010) The UK population is increasing at an alarming rate with figures showing the population of the United Kingdom to be at 61383000 in 2008. This is up 0. 7 per cent since mid 2007. Increases in births, decreases in death and a sharp rise in migration to the United Kingdom have all contributed to the change in population (Office of National Statistics, Population Estimates 2010) Statisticians have said that at least 70 per cent of the population rise over the next 20 years will be attributable directly to immigration (Office of National Statistics, Migration 2010). The supermarket industry needs to reflect the needs of the changing population. With more people with different cultural backgrounds residing in England it is essential that the needs of these new consumers are being met by supermarkets in order to retain market share (Keynote, Food Retailing – UK 2009) The over powering proposition of the â€Å"everything under one roof† format has been a major factor in the demise of the small independent grocer, butcher and green grocer in recent times thus replacing the high street as the focal point of community life (IGD 2009, Non-Food Retailing). Declining meal preparation consequent to demographic changes such as an increasing number of single-person households and working women is forcing UK retailers are to focus on added-value products such as the booming ‘food-to-go† sector (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – PEST Analysis).. These demographic changes have also affected consumer work patterns with retailers modifying aspects of the customer shopping experience to accommodate changing lifestyles. Supermarkets are now flexible in opening hours as well as adding extras such as Thursday late night shopping and free parking facilities (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – Industry Overview). The recession in the UK has changed the population’s attitude towards the foods they purchase. Britons have developed a sophisticated customer preferences and demands for greater choice and comfort in the shopping experience but for lower prices. Supermarket own brand products have been on the incline as their ranges often offer great value for quality products. (Keynote 2010, Food Industry – PEST Analysis). Technological Recent technological advances have enabled supermarkets to provide customers with a quicker, easier and more enjoyable shopping experience. In recent years we have seen the introduction of online shopping, self check outs, product scanning and forecast technology which has changed the dynamics of how people shop. One of the most influential technological changes to happen to the supermarket industry in the past few years has been the introduction of internet shopping. The online grocery market is currently worth ? 4,4 billion having doubled in the past 4 years (Mintel 2009 – Online Grocery Retailing) and is set to reach ? 7. 2 billion buy 2014 according to research industry analyst IDG (Appendix 3). This is a major new opportunity for retailers and the UK offers a good market for this with the highest percentage of people online across the EU (Just Food 2009). New scanning device designed to be used by shoppers to scan products as they shop and then simply paying at a self serve checkout using the scanned date are a new introduction to the industry. Scales are then used at point of payment to weigh shopping against weight data which is provided when the product is scanned. This ensures much shorter queuing times for customers (Waitrose 2010) New communication technology such as the introduction of scanners which provide price labels and barcodes for any stock that needs to be reduced has enabled more sophisticated store management. The scanners minimise unsold food as well as check out productivity, which saves time and reduces waste. (Retail Systems 2010) Advances in forecasting software such as that developed by SAS and purchased by Waitrose in 2006 will help forecast demand for product based on the history of the item, casual variables, events and holidays. (SAS 2006) The introduction of self check outs into supermarkets has bought many advantages to both the supermarket sector and its customers. This technology allows customer to scan barcodes on their won items thus eliminating interaction with supermarket employees. While they are a relatively new concept, having only become wide spread in 2003 they have been accepted as a faster, more efficient and private way to shop. Through self check out systems supermarkets are also able to reduce staff requirements and save money (Goliath 2005) Environment With the environment becoming an important topic over the last several years it has been essential for supermarkets to meet the demands of both the Government and their customers with regards to addressing environmental issues. This has proved to be both a challenge as well as a business opportunity for the major players in the industry, who strive to try and reposition themselves as leaders in responsible sourcing, sustainability, climate change issues and recycling (Donohue. A 2007). Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. The UK government has a long term plan to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050 (Department of Energy and Climate Change – A Low Carbon UK 2008). The Climate Change Bill and the Committee on Climate Change influence have raised consumer awareness of climate change which put pressure on the supermarket industry to meet their environmental obligations (Department of Energy and Climate Change – Legislation 2008). Many UK supermarkets are now part of a government initiative known as the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). WRAP works with the food industry is an effort to reduce food and packaging waste. Retailers who have signed the Courtauld Commitment (a voluntary agreement between companies and WRAP) agree to have absolute wastage reduction by 2010 (WRAP No Date). The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) with its green agenda for food and drink manufactures also play a key role in helping companies reduce emissions and waste as well as cutting the amount of packaging that reaches households (FDF No Date). The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) works with the government and consumers in an effort to reduce waste through recycling and composting of household waste (DEFRA No Date). This has created more consumer awareness and this new found awareness puts pressure on food retailers to meet waste reduction targets (Appendix 4). Waitrose currently puts into practice the use of the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle) to divert waste away from landfills (Mintel 2008 – Ethical and Green Retailing) Sustainable sourcing has become a very real issue with consumers over the past few years with a demand for supermarkets to ensure that their produce such as fish and meat are from sources that can be replenished. Another form of sustainable sourcing is for supermarkets to source their produce locally rather than importing from overseas. This has a huge impact on carbon use as well as a significant impact on creating sustainable economies in our local communities (Mintel 2009 – Influence of the Environment on Food Shopping). MICRO ENVIRONMENT Suppliers Behind its 18,000 different products, Waitrose is supplied by 2500 firms in over 60 countries. The majority of them are small scale and regional producers. Waitrose’s main aim, to offer high quality product, is the base of its plan to source goods from the areas where it trades. For example, that will show the real taste of British food with its regional variety. Furthermore people will have easy access to buy local food and support its local economy. Regardless of the small or big producers, Waitrose aim to work with decency and respect in long term with its suppliers. It wants to help its suppliers to reach their objectives by ensuring them that it will keep the integrity or quality of the suppliers’ product. For this reason, Waitrose wants its producers to use recognisable and with the best quality ingredients for the food, not a list of chemicals such as stabilisers or preservatives. Waitrose. com. â€Å"The Waitrose Small Producers Charter†) To succeed in that approach, the company presented a new Waitrose Locally Produced range, which will aim to offer the best local quality food and great customer service to its customers. The difference between Waitrose and the other UK retailers is the co-ownership of company by its staff, not the publ ic shareholders who only demand for quick and profitable return of their investments. It allows it to make long term growing plans and continuing relationships with its producers in order to face its great customer’s expectations. Waitrose. com. â€Å"The Waitrose Small Producers Charter†) In order to prove their support for small local producers, Waitrose teamed up with The Times to create â€Å"The Small Producers Awards† in 2001. For example, its first year category winners will receive ? 7,000 in cash, plus access to Waitrose business and marketing expertise. (Waitrose. com. â€Å"The Waitrose Small Producers Charter†) Moreover, in relation to the UK Recession, followed by the consumer downturn, Waitrose asked 1000 suppliers to cut their prices with 2%. The request was addressed mainly to suppliers of branded food and farmers in UK. The managing director Mark Price explained company’s decision with the fall in commodity prices, which makes suppliers’ raw material cheaper. Furthermore he states that the Waitrose’s market growth will lead the suppliers to sustain profit, which they should share with their biggest buyer. Moreover John Lewis Partnership’s decision was forced by the annual report of the company, which unveiled 26% fall in pre-tax profit for 2008 to ? 279. 6m. (Telegraph website, 12/03/09) Intermediaries By rewarded as the UK’s favourite retailer for 2007 and 2009, Waitrose main aim is to sustain its loyal and respectful relationship with its suppliers and partners. It is the main intermediary of its own branded goods. Furthermore, Waitrose nurture long-term relationships with its suppliers, paying the fair price and helping them to reinvest in their business. It is the most established local sourcing initiatives in its sector. All Waitrose shops have a regional offering, which covers in excess of 465 producers supplying over 1,400 product lines. In order to ensure its support for UK suppliers and in response to customer feedback, Waitrose has developed new shelf-edge ticketing, which emphasise the county, origin and unique qualities of each product. (JLP annual report 2009) Moreover, Waitrose cooperate with other intermediary companies in order to transfer the produced goods from its supplier to the customers. Its main distributor is the online supermarket delivery company Ocado. It operates mainly in Greater London, covering over 3 million households. Their relationships evolved in 2002 when John Lewis Partnership bought 29% of Ocado’s shares. In addition, their contract will expire in 2013. Apart from Ocado, Waitrose has established an own online delivery in over 100 stores. (JLP annual report 2009) Financial In difference from the other UK retailers, Waitrose isn’t owned by public shareholders and the City. In stead of cruel shareholders, whose fixed idea is to gain profitable quick returns, Waitrose is a part of John Lewis Partnership, which is owned by its workers. Each year, every partner share company’s profits, which in others retailers go to the shareholders. This organisational system makes extraordinary commitment and loyalty amongst its labour. Furthermore company could praise itself with partners who worked with it for many years. This system makes its workers to be interested in what they are doing and selling. For that reason the often good remarks of the customers about the customer service are not surprising, because every worker in the local store do in fact own the store. (Waitrose website. â€Å"The Waitrose Difference†) Moreover, an interest public fact is that Waitrose holds a Royal Warrant with Her Majesty The Queen. This means that company is chosen to supply the Royal Family with goods for five years. Moreover, Waitrose held the long-lasting Warrant with Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. That is a significant evidence for the great quality that Waitrose has been offering through the years. (Waitrose website. â€Å"The Waitrose Difference†) Government As an established responsible and reliable retail company, Waitrose aim to consider and follow government policy. It is in a consistent relationship with any local government, discussing key issues which affect its partners, customers and communities in which it operates. Furthermore it is an active member of government policy advisory groups, such as Climate Change Leaders Group, British Retail Consortium and Retail Energy Forum. (John Lewis Partnership website, â€Å"Engaging our stakeholders†) Moreover, Waitrose cooperate with local authorities during planning and construction of all its new shops. It wants to ensure that its new stores are built responsibly and will operate sustainably in order to diminish its impact on the environment and the local community. (John Lewis Partnership website, â€Å"Engaging our stakeholders†) Lastly, Waitrose and its parent John Lewis Partnership work closely with regulators such as â€Å"Environment Agency† and â€Å"Health & Safety Executive† to inform that the Partnership do all its best in compliance with the law. In any case of legal issue occur, it respond immediately, and cooperate with the local regulator to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. (John Lewis Partnership No Date, â€Å"Engaging our stakeholders†) The Company Waitrose stems from a small grocery shop called ‘Waite. Rose & Taylor’ founded by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor; the small grocery shop opened for business 1904. Four years on the founders decided to rebrand the company in 1908 by changing the company name to ‘Waitrose’, which is a combination of two of the founders’ surnames. The Waitrose Company desired changed once again so joined ‘The John Lewis Partnership’ 1937, whereby 160 Waitrose employees became ‘partners ‘or co-owners of the business (Waitrose No Date – The Company). The John Lewis partnership is formed by 70,000 partners (staff) who co-own John Lewis department stores, Waitrose supermarkets, an online and catalogue business (John Lewis Direct-johnlewis. om), a direct service company (Greenbee), three production units and a farm. (The John Lewis Partnership No Date) (John Lewis Partnership CSR Report 2009, Page 5) ‘The Waitrose difference’ Waitrose focuses operation around offering the best quality goods and have adapted their daily producers, to make shopping easier to suit all by offering a distinctive service; such as packing at checkouts, carry to car service and assists to those that required it; it is this that they believe gives them the edge over other supermarkets (Waitrose No Date – The Waitrose Difference) Waitrose has an exceptional return policy whereby customers will receive their full money back, if they genuinely pursed t a product they didn’t require or a customer is not one hundred percent happy with the product. It is this edge that provides Waitrose with long lasting loyal customers that trust the supermarket they shop in. As well as food products Waitrose offers ‘Branch Extras’ at selected stores; enabling customers to rent wines glasses, beer glasses and fish kettles free of charge as a friendly jester(Waitrose No Date – The Waitrose Difference). Waitrose commitment to provide outstanding produces and services has been credited with a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen; Which is a mark of recognition of those that supply goods or services to members of the Royal Family for at least five years(Waitrose No Date – The Waitrose Difference). Employees Waitrose employees are also co-owners and form part of the John Lewis Partnership; the John Lewis Partnership aims to employ exceptional staffs that are dedicated to putting the consumers’ needs first whilst delivering excellent customer service. The John Lewis Partnership aims to keep the happiness of its employees at the heart of the partnership and uses a blend of five key elements to do this: †¢Work/life balance – employees are encouraged to keep a equal balance of work and play to support this the partnership offers ; flexible hours, career breaks, long leave, a flexible retirement policy . †¢Competitive pay and benefits – the partnership aims to maintain a pay policy which is competitive while being fair to all partners and offers a range of partners benefits from discounts and bonus to life insurance. Filling potential – the partnership gives all their employees the chance to reach their full potential and required all employees to ender go compulsory training. There partnership also allows employees the opportunity for promotion and career development programs. †¢Fair treatment – the partnership treats all its employees fair and provides equal opportunities for all, regardles s of age, gender, ethnicity, social background, religion and disability or sexuality. Powered by our Principles (PboP) – these are six principles sets out to inform employees of what is expected from all them; be honest, give respect, recognise others, show enterprise, work together and achieve more (Waitrose No Date – Our Employees) Customers ‘The John Lewis Partnership aims to deal honestly with customers, securing their loyalty and trust by providing outstanding choice, value and service. ’ (John Lewis Partnership CSR Report 2009, pg 4) Waitrose dominates a niche market were its target customers are believed to be affluent with a more flexible disposable income. They are associated with the middle classes along with high class food and fantastic customer service. Their repeat custom is formed, as the consumer seeks a well established supermarket they can trust and complete their weekly shop in a supermarket that’s driven by high quality fresh food. (Mintel 2009 – Food Retails Waitrose) A loyal Waitrose customer will complete their weekly shop unconditionally every week in there local Waitrose store; however if they need a product unexpectedly they will use a convenient store as a one off it is it nearer in location. Typical Waitrose customers are considered to be; affluent with a more flexible disposable income, middle to high classes, working professionals and health focused consumers (Mintel 2009 – Food Retails Waitrose). In addition another important factor that adds to ‘the customer’ that shops at Waitrose supermarkets is the location of the stores; as Waitrose stores are based more South/East England and areas that are frequently referred to as ‘posh’, where people are financially comfortable (Mintel 2009 – Food Retails Waitrose). Waitrose strive to maintain exceptional customer service and are always constantly evaluating their services to unsure they are fulfilling their consumer needs. Waitrose uses a range of formal methods of research and feedback, such as customer surveys, panels, focus groups, online feedback forms and regular mystery shopping to gather sufficient evidence to monitor their customer service and performance necessary action if required (John Lewis Partnership No Date – Customer Service) Competition Waitrose occupies up to 4% of the UK grocery market, this compares with the largest food retailer in England today is which is Tesco’s who hold a massive 30 % share of the market. In the UK today every ? 1 in every ? 7 of consumer spending is spent in one of Tesco’s stores. Tesco specializes primarily in food and drink with its Value and Finest ranges that we all know well, but it has also become a major player in a range of non-food markets including consumer electrical, clothing, financial services, telecoms, fuel and internet services amongst others. In 2008, Tesco launched a new ‘Discount Brands’ range, which is geared towards consumers seeking to trade down but not ready to compromise on quality. The new range appears to have halted the drift of customers to Aldi and Lidl. Tesco’s sheer scale means it has been able to lower prices on the back of large volumes. Tesco’s has different types of stores every one of them targeting different consumers, tesco express for example, the smallest one in the range, is designed to be a convenience shop where the costumer can Top-up (Mintel 2009 – Food Retail Tesco). Other major players are Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons with Asda taking up to 17% of the market. Asda has a similar range of product to Tesco but opened up the clothing market in supermarkets but presenting its own brand known as George at Asda. Asda, part of Wal-Mart, directs its main focus on price, primarily targeting the lower end of the mass-market although the current climate is increasing demand for discount items from a variety of consumer groups. In terms of consolidated sales, in 2008 the company was the third largest grocer in the UK although when fuel sales are removed Asda moves into second place behind Tesco but above Sainsbury. What has really set Asda apart from its rivals in the food sector in the UK has been its lack of convenience store activity. While Tesco and Sainsbury’s have attacked the c-store sector very aggressively, Asda has been happy to maintain its larger big-box stores enabling them to maintain a presence out of town. (Mintel 2009 – Food Retail) Waitrose occupies a relatively small but nevertheless very strong portion of the market with its closest supermarket being Marks and Spencer. Both of these supermarkets aim at a quality rather than quantity market with prices generally being higher than the larger supermarkets Marks and Spencer holds approximately 3. 9% of the grocery market. The main differences between of the two chains is that Waitrose holds 18% of organic food ranges and sells none Waitrose brand products whilst Marks and Spencer sells just its own made brand. Marks & Spencer is the UK’s leading non-food retailer, but food has long been a part of its heritage. The company trades from a premium positioning, emphasising quality and value. Dry groceries are only a small part of the offer, with the company instead focusing on ready prepared meals, fresh items and foods for special occasions. The food range is available from specialist Simply Food convenience stores as well as the larger general merchandise outlets. (Mintel 2009 – Food Retail – Marks & Spencer). In the food retail industry we find that there are two different orientated companies, price orientated and customer orientated. Waitrose aims at the customer orientated market and this has generally held them in good stead. The recent recession was a testing time for the company but their strong brand name appears to have weathered the storm and it has successfully retained its position. Media Waitrose takes its promotion and advertising seriously and has a very organised and wide range of media publicity. On they own website they have options to find press releases and press packs and it is optional to sign up to receive daily updates regarding Waitrose. They have affirmed their commitment by appointing Grand Union as the lead digital agency for Waitrose. The agency will relaunch the brand's website Waitrose. com, as well as produce digital marketing for Waitrose Deliver, the brand's online grocery shopping service. Waitrose uses television and advertising extensively to promote its products and services and has announced recently that celebrity chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal will join forces in a collaboration that will see them appear in TV, press and online advertising for the grocer (Waitrose 2009) The company website now provides an option to find all the recipes that have been used on the show. In addition John Lewis, the stores sister brand, has launched a glossy customer magazine, which will be made available in all Waitrose stores, with an initial print run of 500,000. The launch is backed by an in-store marketing campaign (Mintel 2009 – Food Retail).. Publics The company takes its public and social responsibilities very seriously and its basic philosophy is as follows:- â€Å"As a responsible retailer, owned beneficially by our employees, we believe that the long-term future of the Partnership is best served by respecting the interests of all our stakeholders: Partners, customers, suppliers and the wider community. We look actively for opportunities to improve the environment and to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities in which we trade. (Waitrose Feb 2010 – Press Centre) In 2008, Waitrose was the first UK food retailer to begin using Anaerobic Digestion (AD), a process which eliminates the need to send waste food to landfill sites. (Waitrose Feb 2010 – Press Centre). Waitrose commits at least 1 per cent of pre-tax profits to charitable and community projects. They are also committed to providing support to overseas disasters through the British Red Cross and are involved in over 100 projects involving 16,000 people in South Africa; rolled out to Ghana and Kenya. Their target is to increase activities in the field referred to above and to actively encourage participation in Sport and physical exercise in the UK. They have already diverted 50 per cent of their total operational waste food away from landfill and their goal is to divert 95 per cent by 2013. Waitrose is set to launch an environmental initiative inviting customers to suggest eco ideas that it can implement into the business. â€Å"Your Green Idea† was launched on 15 March 2010, following a soft launch of the website. It is clear that Waitrose is very committed to its social and public responsibilities and have a proven track record to support their mandate SWOT ANALYSIS Internal Strengths Waitrose was one of the first retailers to develop own brands (after Mark’s and Spencer). Their own brand line carries over 18000 products including 117 lines in their ‘Perfectly Balanced’ range which promotes a fresh and healthy lifestyle for their customers (Mintel 2009, Food Retail UK – Waitrose). Waitrose differentiates itself strongly from other supermarkets. They have a more defined range of products with focus on high quality food and up-market products. They are extremely customer orientated and place great emphasis on customer service as one of their unique selling points (Mintel 2009, Food Retail UK – Waitrose). According to a survey by Which Waitrose is the leading supermarket chain in food quality and range. Only ASDA was rated better than Waitrose for value for money (Which 2008) Having owned their own farms for over 70 years Waitrose prides itself on working with its farmers, growers and suppliers directly to ensure that only the highest quality food from the most ethical and environmentally friendly sources reach they consumers. This is supported by its own inspections and farm assurance schemes (Waitrose No Date – Origin of our Food). Waitrose was the first ever winner of the title Organic Supermarket of the Year and have over 16 awards for wine purchasing and retail. These are just some of the many awards that have been claimed by Waitrose over the past several years (Waitrose Various Dates – Press and Awards). Waitrose also holds a Royal Warrant with Her Majesty the Queen to supply goods to members of the Royal Family (Waitrose No Date – The Waitrose Difference). Waitrose was the first to introduce self-scanning (Quick Check) in some stores, which demonstrates a willingness to innovate and offer a high service and reducing costs. Recent technological innovations that have been introduced in stores include: printers which provide price labels and barcodes for any stock that needs to be reduced and hand held devices available to shoppers to use as a self scanning system. (Thompson. S 2010). The partnership with John Lewis gives Waitrose tested supplier links and economies of scale. Waitrose would struggle to achieve the success it has today without the help of the partnership. The partnership also functions as a conglomerate therefore diversifying risk. The association with John Lewis improves Waitrose’s reputation (John Lewis Partnership No Date). Waitrose has a strong culture of co-ownership due to the fact that it’s not owned by shareholders but owned by everyone who works for the partnership. Their staff are generally well motivated because they are partners and profits ultimately come back to them. Various other benefits (such as pension schemes) are what make Waitrose a good employer, with satisfied employees. Waitrose No Date – The Waitrose Difference) Internal Weaknesses The distribution of the Waitrose stores is quite weak, especially in certain areas such as the south west of England, Wales, North-West of England, and Scotland. However their acquisition of 13 Somerfield stores has lead to an expansion of distribution into the North of England and Wales (Chesters. L Property Week 2009) Own labels are the main segment within th eir product mix. Waitrose is very dependent on this product range with a majority of sales coming from its own brand. Larger diversification would be helpful to gain better strength in the market (Mintel 2009 – Brands: Are Supermarkets Squeezing Out Brands) Waitrose also has the weakness of only supplying high quality, high price products. This could be seen as a negative factor due to the exclusion of an entire demographic of people in the lower class of the population who could be potential customers. However they have recently made attempts to increase their target demographic through the introduction of an economy range branded as Waitrose Essentials. This shows they have recognised a potential for expansion and this can lead to further developments in the future (Finch, J March 2009) External Opportunities Further expansions throughout the UK would be useful to raise the importance of the firm, gain market share and, weaken the competitors buying their own branches and improving e-commerce. Also further acquisition of competitor stores such as the Somerfield stores purchased by Waitrose would lead to increased market share (Chesters. L Property Week 2009). Waitrose has an elaborate online shopping facility in place; however, this as well is subject to regional limitation. Expansion of distribution channels for online shopping facilities would help Waitrose get their products to customers who live outside areas where branches are located. Setting up new partnerships with other companies will grant higher incomes because both companies could be able to buy larger amount of products with cheaper prices. New Partnership could also help Waitrose to diversify into other non-food products other than those that John Lewis already offers. Waitrose has recognised this opportunity (All Business, No Date) External Threats A major part of Waitrose strategy on sales has been built on the sale of premium own brand products. Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have identified the sales of premium own brands as a lucrative segment with high margins and all three have a wide selection of premium products in store. Tesco and Sainsbury’s advertise on price which gives the perception of their products still being of a lower quality than those sold at Waitrose (Mintel 2008 – Premium Foods – UK) The recession while perceived to be coming to an end still has the potential to generate many problems for Waitrose. When interest rate rise this year people will have less disposable income and may start to buy cheaper products and so shifting from Waitrose to other cheaper retailers. This could result in a loss in consumers’ loyalty and this would give direct advantages to competitors (Mintel 2009 – Food Retail) Also due to the weakened sterling there is a possibility that overseas groups could enter the market and increase competition generating the reduction of incomes and market share for each player (Keynote 2010 – Food Industry) CONCLUSION The supermarket industry has gone through some important changes over the past few years. From our analysis of the macro environment we can see some main issues have affected the food retails sector. Environmental issues are now at the forefront of everything companies do, with consumers not only demanding more for their money but more for the environment as well. Technology has seen the internet open up a whole new way of shopping and while it’s still the early stages there is great promise for the internet as a medium for food purchases. Society is changing in a way that will affect how people shop in years to come. Now with more people from different cultural backgrounds residing in the UK than ever before supermarkets must act fast to meet the new needs of a changing society. New legislation has stopped many key players in their tracks with plans for expansion as a new financial ombudsman now has the last word on whether a supermarket can expand in a certain location. The recession has had a major impact of the supermarket sector over the past couple of years. It has been the driving influences to a lot of changes which have been occurring in most of the major food retailers. While the supermarket industry is relatively ecession proof their customers are not and this has seen consumer trends of trading down and buying less. An analysis of the internal structure of Waitrose shows us a very strong company with high moral grounding and a passion for customer service. They may not have such large market share as the ‘big four’ but they are growing at a rapid pace and with the addition of their new ’Essentials’ range to their portfolio they are preparing to enter a whole new main stream market. They pride themselves on having great relationships with employees and suppliers and are at the forefront of environmental issue such as sustainable ethical sourcing. Waitrose is a company that is heading in the right direction and while they are not without their weakness’s, distribution being a key factor, they are adept at recognising where improvements can be made and building towards a higher market share. 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