Tuesday, October 29, 2019

1947 U.N.'s Special Commission on Palestine Essay

1947 U.N.'s Special Commission on Palestine - Essay Example The government of British had earlier also made a recommendation to establish a special committee which was to prepare a report for General assembly. UNSCOP was set up by the General Assembly to investigate the root and possibly a solution for the Palestine’s conflict. UNSCOP is making up of representatives from 11 nations. Our visit as a commission included gathering of testimonies from organization of Zionists was boycotted by the higher committee of Arab. This paper work gives the assessment of the four options, which are Arab rule; Zionist rule; a bi-national state. Discussion The 19th century came with it the Palestinian- Israel conflict. In 1920 this conflict bore violence which is still continuing today. The Jews and the Arabs formed movement in the 29th century. These movements fought towards attaining their respective people’s sovereignty. Hallowed land and Zionism are some of the major causes of this conflict. The Great Britain allowed the Jews to immigrate to Palestinian land on which they had control. This conflict escalated when over 6 million Jews lost their lives on the hands of the Nazis on a Holocaust. Afterwards the Jews were allowed to migrate into Palestine. It was then that Israel was established, on Palestine’s land. This led to onset of a war that has born various battles and attacks of land in the region. Lots of Palestine citizens have become refugees in Middle East since 1948. It was in 148 that Israel established itself as a nation. Palestine use force to try and reclaim a land that was once theirs from the Jews. They also fight for the refugees who are still suffering yet they have their lands (Zanotti, 2010). During a talk with the British, the Arabs insisted on a unitary majority state for Arabs. Officials representing Palestine from the Jewish Agency opposed the Arabs and preferred partitioning Palestine. There are four options of potential rulers of the Palestine, which are Zionist rule, Arab rule, partitione d, and a bi-national state (Tal, 2000). Zionism rules the world and this is much reflected in the United States of America. It was in 1997 when the Zionist Congress was convened by Theodore Herzl. All that has happened to the Human race since Herzl is traceable to the world conquest protocol plan. Before Herzl, political Zionism was unpopular. Zionism is accountable to all that has occured in the United States of America. Most effects of Zionism rule are negatively felt. Zionism is believed to have been sacrificing Jews for several years now, and it is still dong it up to date. There are notable achievements in the United States as a result of Zionism, but the negativities shadow them. Zionism is hence not the best preferred rule for Palestine (Hurewitz, 1998). Arabs felt that the British had unfairly favored the Jews outside Palestine and did not like foreign rule. As a result of these frustrations, the Arabs planned and attacked the Jews. To Arabs Palestine was more of a battle fi eld and its people were seen as a source of man power and taxes. The Arabs there have never been interested in Palestine as an empire. They never saw any value attached to Palestine, and that explains why there is no Palestinian Jew. Arabs rulers use Palestine as a leverage. This way, they use it to control their population by drifting their people’s anger away from their backward and oppressive regimes (Akasaka, 2007). The ongoing war in Palestine is, however, not for overcoming Israel, but it is for defining the strongest tribe among the fighters. Hence this is the main Objective of Human involvement in the war. After considering the reasons of Arabs fight in Palestine, we, as a committee does not see Arabs rule as the best suited to rule Palestine (Tal, 2000).

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Costa Coffee Marketing Plan for China

Costa Coffee Marketing Plan for China This paper aims at outlining the strategic marketing approach of Costa Coffee for entering a new market . Costa Coffee is the British part or retail sales of Whitbread Family. Whitbread is a British Multinational Company and it has franchises worldwide. Whitbread includes Hotels, Restaurants [Household names like TGI Friday], Health and Fitness plus Other Businesses. The contents of this paper include the marketing strategy of Costa Coffee and its expansion plans in China. Introduction The Story The history of Costa Coffee began in a mountain town outside the region of Parma, where there was the house of Costa family. In the late 60s, the Italian brothers Bruno and Sergio Costa, hungry for success, traveled to England, seeking an opportunity for professional advancement. By arriving there, they found how simple the English coffee market was. Motivated by their Italian background and Sergios skills in the roasting of coffee beans, they decided to return to Milan to enrich their knowledge and technique in Italian coffee shops. In 1971, upon their return to London, they bought a three-story building in Lambeth, where they set up their own coffee shop. In the beginning, the Costa brothers worked as producers and wholesalers and were supplying high-class restaurants and specialty stores. Soon, they built their reputation for their dedication to excellent quality of their product. However, in 1978 they had to find some employment for their wives in order not to interfere in their business. Therefore, they decided to create their first coffee boutique in Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, and assigned its management to their wives. This idea experienced tremendous success, and led the brothers to the expansion of Costa coffee boutiques and award their management to relatives and friends. Since the opening day of the first store to date, the same traditional method of slow roasting (18-22 minutes) of coffee beans is used, offering the delicious and fragrant blend Mocha Italia, from 6 Arabica beans and 1 Robusta. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Today, Costa Coffee owns 500 shops worldwide. Costa Coffee believes in its employees skills therefore, it provides intensive employee training at the Cost Coffee Academy. VISION: Costa Coffee vision is to provide the best hospitality to its customers since its range of hospitality products range includes restaurants, hotels and leisure clubs. MISSION: To serve the best coffee in the true Italian style. BUSINESS PORTFOLIO: Costa Coffee has built an unrivaled reputation for coffee excellence, and this is achieved by fully controlling the process, from harvest and selection of coffee beans, from the roasting of the Italian maestros, the choice of engines and compliance with the procedures of manufacture of beverages, ensuring this way that customers can enjoy the same excellent quality coffee at any of Costa Coffee in the world. The drinks are served in 3 different sizes Primo, Medio and Massimo, and the customer can choose between the unique blend of Mocha Italia, or decaf, whole or skim milk and add an extra dose of espresso, flavored syrup, cream, candy or chocolate. There are 15 factors that are combined and help to create the perfect Costa coffee. In addition, in every store worldwide regular controls take place, which ensure consistency and maintenance of quality. Every Costa Coffee has a Barista Maestro (coffee expert) responsible for maintaining the excellence of the drinks served. COSTA COFFEE AND STARBUCKS: Starbucks is the largest competitor of Costa Coffee. Starbucks is the leader in the coffee shop market. Its international presence is in 50 countries. On the other hand, Costa Coffee, is the third biggest coffee specialist in the market with shops in 25 countries. Both companies have an excellent financial performance up to 2005 but in 2008 there was a decrease in revenue and operating profit as a result of the global economic recession. However, in 2009. Starbucks has an improving in cost structure and therefore its liquidity is better than Costa Coffee since it has managed to pay its short term debts. A key factor for both companies is globalization since most leading players in the foodservice market expand their operations in other countries. So the future success of Costa Coffee will be based on its operations outside the UK. The same applies for Starbucks. . THE CHOICE OF CHINA: China is one of the biggest economic forces in the world. Its domestic market is larger so there is a lot of potential for multinational businesses. Its average GDP growth rate is more than 10% despite the global economic crisis (10.9% last quarter 2009) (BBC China economy 2009). International financial analysts believe that the growth of the Chinese economy will continue. Regarding the coffee industry in China, it should be noticed that competition is quite intense but sales in cafes has grown by 8% to RMB36billion (over  £3,487million). It should also be noticed that in 2009 coffee shops chains had a growth of 22% (Euromonitor International August 2009,Cafà ©s/bars China). However, the Chinese market for many international companies is considered a tough market since it is difficult to understand local culture and customeCNY. Therefore, many companies pursue joint ventures and strategic alliances in order to do business in China. In 1998, Starbucks entered China and it has 180 coffee shops. In 2006, Costa Coffee entered China in a different way i.e. through a joint venture with Yueda Group which is based in Jiangsu Province. This was done because a local partner knows the market better so market penetration for the new entrant is easier. However, this also means that Costa Coffee is heavily dependent on Yueda. Costa Coffee has a strong Italian aura that aims at attracting the Chinese market. Affluent Chinese customers want to taste a coffee that is represented by a global brand name. So far, Starbucks has been quite successful in this area. The risk is that by being a partner with Yueda, the brand will be customized too much therefore, Costa will lose its competitive advantage which is the Italian aura. Starbucks has very aggressive expansion plan in China. The crucial point is if Costa Coffee will maintain its brand essence and will not be customized. In this case, Costa Coffee will be a strong competitor to Starbucks. Future trends Strategy The main issue for chained coffee shops is to create a unique experience that cannot be easily copied. The consumers want to enjoy their coffee in a nice environment. The coffee shop space should be comfortable with an ambiente that will be inviting so the consumers will return to the shop again. People will want to live the espresso experience at home so the sales of equipment and coffee will increase as well as the demand for better and higher quality of coffee and beverages in coffee shops. Corporate social responsibility is another issue that chained coffee shops should take care on. They have to prove that they implement ethical practices. Regarding marketing, researchers predict that chained coffee shops will use mobile apps and have social networking tools in the very near future. COSTA COFFEE Financial Data Turnover:  £263.8m (2008:  £216.3m) Operating profit before exceptional items:  £22.7m (2008:  £20.8m) Number of outlets: 881 in the UK, 407 overseas Total Revenue  £ (m) Strategy Our target for Premier Inn during 2009/10 is to deliver around 2,000 new rooms in the UK and overseas. We have a strong pipeline of secured sites and will continue to develop a land bank. Internationally, our first hotel opened in Dubai during 2008 and we will build on this position, intending to open a further two hotels in the Emirates plus one in India. We plan to open around 100 new Costa outlets in the UK in 2009/10. We will capitalise on our strong Costa brand by focusing on new locations, as well as areas where we can replace existing operators, such as in supermarkets, hospitals and leisure facilities. Costa will also continue to strengthen its position across international markets, adding 100 net new stores in the year ahead. MARKETING OBJECTIVES: Enter Greek market and develop a significant market share; Increase product portfolio by new high caliber products; Bring more value to shareholders; Be a leader in its field for customer service; Develop alliances with commercial partners and the communities in which Costa Coffee shops operate. TARGET MARKET Costa Coffee offers a wide range of products suitable for all consumeCNY. So far, coffee in China is consumed in big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou). Coffee producers have targeted young professionals since they are the most westernized, affluent and open-minded. However, they see it as something that is in fashion rather than a regular habit. Another target group for coffee consumption are returnees i.e. Chinese that studied in Western countries and come back to China. They are also affluent and they are accustomed to visiting coffee shops. Ex- pats are another target group. Chinas economic growth has attracted a lot of investments from foreign companies. Ex-pats are used to drink coffee and their number increases every year. It has been estimated that businessmen from Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as Westerners amount to 30% of customers at multinational chained coffee shops as Starbucks. The above customer base has been quite saturated so there is a need to increase customer base. However, coffee is considered a luxury good and the average Chinese cannot pay for a cup of coffee. The average Chinese annual income is RMB 8000 yuan whereas a small cup of Starbucks coffee costs RMS 12 yuan ($1.5 which is the same price as in USA). In the big cities the average annual income is higher however it is still difficult for someone to consume a cup of coffee. If coffee still goes on being considered as a luxury good, it will happen the same thing as in Japan i.e. it will take China more than 90 years to make coffee popular. Market Segmentation: Based on the above the following market segments were defined: Young / Mature professionals Returnees Ex-pats Students Middle Class Upper Middle Class Single Married Bus section and train/airplane passengers Marketing Strategy: Costa Coffee will follow Market Development strategy and the reason for choosing this strategy will be explained below: CURRENT NEW PRODUCTS PRODUCTS 1. Market Penetration Strategy 3. Product Development Strategy 2. Market Development Strategy 4. Diversification Strategy CURRENT MARKETS NEW MARKETS   Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Coffee is considered a luxury good. This misperception hinders businesses in identifying customer groups and implement marketing strategies. This misperception also hinders the majority of the population to get acquainted with coffee. The same happened in Japan, where coffee was also considered as a luxury beverage with unreasonably high prices. It has taken almost 90 years for Japan to get acquainted with coffee and still per capita coffee consumption is quite low. This makes things worse since Japan sets the trend for Taiwan and South Korea.   Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬In China coffee shops open every day in cities like Beijing and Shanghai. However, the average Chinese cannot afford a cup of coffee everyday. Multinational coffee companies have faced difficulties in developing the Chinese coffee market. Although they know how to penetrate mature markets but they see that they have difficulty in immature coffee markets. These companies need to understand better China and its people. Without understanding them all marketing campaigns will be in vain. A characteristic example is the marketing campaign of Nestle which was targeting at the young middle class Chinese although in reality this class does not exist or even if it existed they would not be heavy coffee drinkeCNY. Starbucks has increased awareness but it needs a different strategy for the Chinese market. Only KFC has been quiet successful. Starbucks success cannot be considered as sustainable since it was based on management, financial power and brand name whereas the Chinese market needs entrepreneurship to advance it and this is what Costa Coffee is planning to do. Coffee has been promoted by the Chinese government through festivals and fashion awards however these strengthened the misperception of coffee being a luxury good. Local coffee shops add too many side things such as food, spirits etc. Therefore, they dilute the idea of coffee. Coffee is a product that does not hurt health, stimulates the brain and it is addictive. Based on researches someone who has drunk coffee three times a week for two months in the row is addicted to coffee. Brain stimulation is important for personal wealth and intelligence. Coffee became popular because coffee shops were focused at making the customer accustomed with coffee. When people get accustomed then the market develops at an extremely fact pace. The coffee shop is important for this development and a coffee shop can be a seated place or coffee stands and carts. It is important to make people drink coffee and then offer them ground coffee. Many companies have found as an excuse the fact that tea is dominant in China and there is no place for coffee in a tea dominant country. However, there are no major tea companies that can compete international coffee giants nor is there a specific promotion to protect tea. On the contrary local society support the development of coffee houses and it is not negative to coffee. Costa Coffee will focus on making people drink more coffee. Its new coffee shops will be around areas where people gather such as Universities, stations and office buildings etc. This can be the best promotion since if one group of people becomes loyal to coffee then it will influence other consumer groups. Costa Coffee will focus specifically on these people and its promotions will be measurable and specific. Coffee has an unbeatable image in China and it is known to everyone. Costa Coffee will be based on the quick service restaurant (QSR) concept. QSR is based on the idea of offering cheap, clean and good food and its purpose is to sell to a wider range of population. Costa Coffee plans to adopt this concept. Coffee has a high profit margin but food is what attracts people to the coffee shop. Costa Coffee already offers more products than coffee; however it should plan to add more snacks that are better suited to local customers and a cheaper but good quality filter coffee for taking away. Many local Chinese coffee shops offer food however, they have not formulated a strategy so they cannot be considered as potential competitoCNY. So far in these shops the restaurant is separated form the coffee house something that it is not the case of Costa Coffee. In the next two years the aim is to introduce new product lines that will be offered at affordable prices for the average Chinese consume r. It should be noticed that this does not mean price cutting since this will hurt Costa Coffees brand name. The location of the new coffee shops is also an important part of Costa Coffee strategy. Up today, the coffee shops were opened at locations where population is dense and the income is high. As a result, the rental prices are quite high. Therefore, Costa Coffee is planning to open new shops at bus stations and other busy intersections where rents are lower and the traffic is big. The marketing strategy that will be followed to China is important since it influences neighboring states such as South Korea which is also a new coffee consuming country. If the model of highly expensive coffee will be followed then the consequences will be similar to Taiwan and Hong Kong where there is a negative trend in coffee growth. à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚     Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths Weaknesses Established brand name worldwide Expensive prices for the average Chinese consumer Wide range of products Starbucks dominant position in the market Third ranked coffee shop chain in the world Coffee is considered a luxury good Know how of Yuda (local partner) Tea is the daily beverage of the average Chinese Opportunities Threats Big market potential a lot of Chinese Consumers that do not drink coffee Stagnant coffee growth due to high prices Unbeatable image of coffee Possible marketing enforcement of tea companies No competitors are located at bus intersections PESTEL ANALYSIS: Political China has a stable political environment that welcomes foreign direct investments. Economic The Chinese economic growth is impressive (10% per annum). Social Although the income of the average Chinese consumer is low, there is a growing middle class -190 million urban households, or 29%. According to McKinsey, middle class is expected to expand to 75% (372 million), by 2025 (DAltorio 2011). Technological New coffee machines are produced so making coffee at home is easier. Environmental There is a trend in producing organic coffee. Legal There are no legal issues involved. MARKET POSITIONING: The positioning strategy of Costa Coffee will be in line with its international strategy i.e. THE ITALIAN COFFEE MASTERS. The competitive advantage of Costa Coffee is the quality of their coffee. The image of the company is that is has a UNIQUE coffee. Another positioning of Costa Coffee is that this excellent coffee quality can be offered with affordable prices (launch of the new take away filter coffee). THE ITALIAN COFFEE MASTERS This is the tag line that will communicate the Italian aura of Costa Coffee to the mass audience. Since Chinese consumers perceive well the Italian atmosphere it is expected that it will attract more people to Costa Coffee. MARKETING MIX: Product: Brand Name: Costa Coffee is a well established brand that signifies luxury, perfection and excellence. Chinese consumers prefer established brand names. Image/Theme: Luxury Costa Coffee is related to luxury. The coffee shops ambiance is trendy and comfortable. Customers will have a nice time in a flashy environment. However, this luxury image should be cleverly related with the new, affordable, take away filter coffee. The message that will be transmitted is luxury can be affordable and can be taken with you. Color Scheme Costa Coffees shops are in warm tones having brown as the main color. Other colors that are used are green, black and white. The purpose of this color selection is the creation of a comfortable and trendy atmosphere. Service: Apart from coffee, Costa has a reputation of excellent service. Hiring and retaining talented employees and train them accordingly is a strategic goal of the company. Product variety: ESPRESSO A short, strong and black coffee, with no milk. ESPRESSO DOPPIO A double espresso shot. For those who like it strong. RISTRETTO An extra short coffee, even shorter than an espresso, with an even stronger flavour. MACCHIATO Espresso topped with just a dash of milk. Yum. AMERICANO Coffee, mixing shots of espresso with hot water. Add milk if you like. FLAT WHITE A rich, full-flavoured coffee with a velvety, smooth texture. Each Flat White is hand-finished with a distinctive pattern. CAPPUCCINO Coffee combining espresso with steamed, frothy milk. Chocolate on top if you have a sweet tooth. CAFFE LATTE Coffee made with steamed milk. Not as strong as a cappuccino, but just as good. MOCHA Espresso with hot chocolate, topped with steamed, frothed milk. (Source: Costa Coffee 2010) Costa Coffee products variety includes iced tea and coffees as well as cakes, pastries, Panini and sandwiches. Prices: Costa Coffee prices are generally higher than other coffee shops. High prices are related to the outstanding quality and taste of Costa Coffee. Therefore, the traditional customer groups of Costa Coffee are high and middle classes. Costa Coffee believes that a reduction in its prices will harm its brand name. However, it wants to increase its Chinese customer base so it will offer a filter coffee for takeaway at affordable prices. Chinese middle class growth rate is significant, it will reach 372 million by 2025, it is a social class that cannot be neglected. Therefore, Costa Coffee is planning in the next three years to offer its products at affordable prices for the Chinese middle class without harming its brand name. Locale / Setting: The next Costa Coffee shops will be at busy intersections e.g. bus, train stations and at areas where office buildings and Universities are located. It will focus again on the big cities like Shanghai and Beijing. The aim for the next three year is to have 30 new coffee shops at both cities. Promotion: Costa Coffee will not do a lot of advertising since its brand name is recognized. However, there will be special sales promotions at its new shops for the new filter coffee that can be taken away. Costa Coffee is based on word of mouth advertising since reputation is very important. MARKET DEMAND It is important to measure the market before launching new products and shops. It is also important to measure the market after the launch of the new products / shops so as to see their effects and gain a larger market share. Growth Share Matrix There are two factors that are important for the expansion to new markets and these are : market attractiveness and the Business Strength. Market Attractiveness Business Strength Factors Rate Factors Rate Overall Market Size 70% increase (2004-2012) Market Share 5.0 Annual Market Growth Rate 7.8 Product Quality 5 Competitive Intensity 4 Brand Reputation 4.5 Technological Requirements 2.5 Distribution Channel 3.5 Inflationary Vulnerability 4.9 Promotional Effectiveness 4.5 Productive Efficiency 4 Managerial Personnel 3.5 Market Attractiveness As it is seen above, the attractiveness of the Chinese market is very high. The annual growth rate of the coffee market is high. There are no significant technological requirements since Costa Coffee already possesses advanced technology. Inflation is quite high and it seems that it will increase in the near future, however the targeted market groups remain unaffected (growing Chinese middle class). Partnership with Yuda will protect Costa Coffee from any possible dangers. Therefore, the Chinese market is very attractive and suitable for coffee shops expansion. Business Strength Costa Coffee is part of the well-known Whitbread Family. The quality of Costa Coffee is unquestionable. Costa Coffee owns more than 500 stores worldwide. Its outlets are in Europe, UK, Middle East, India, Pakistan and China. In order to maintain its excellent reputation, Costa Coffee will continue its policy of recruiting, training and retaining the best available employees in China. Business Strength High Medium Low High Medium Low Costa Coffees Business Strength is high and the overall position is ideal for further expansion into the Chinese market. Projected Sales in CHINA Costa Coffee projected sales are expected to rise to almost 97% in 2012 and this is due to the launch of the new takeaway filter coffee and the new shops at the busy intersections. This rate is expected to slow down (87%) in 2013 and this is because the one time visitors are expected to cease to visit the coffee shops and the existing customer base is expected to remain. An extensive marketing promotion through emails, customer clubs, social media etc. is expected to increase market share. The above numbers are very impressive and expansion seems ideals. Sales forecasts per customer groups are also very promising.: Market 2012 2013 2014 Total Students Youngsters CNY. 20,000,000 CNY. 23,00,000 CNY.6,300,000 CNY 49,300,000 Ex pats and returnees CNY 7,555,000 CNY 7,000,000 CNY. 12,800,000 CNY. 27,355,000 Families CNY. 9,700,000 CNY. 9,850,000 CNY. 17,200,000 CNY. 36,750,000 Professionals CNY. 17,750,000 CNY. 32,750,000 CNY. 92,000,000 CNY. 142,500,000 Totals CNY. 55,005,000 CNY. 72,600,000 CNY. 128,300,000 CNY. 255,905,000 According to the above table it can be seen that professionals is a group that has a lot of potential. This is because the Chinese middle class is rising and the coffee culture is mounting too. Another reason for the increase in sales in professionals is due to the location of the new coffee shops. There will be located in busy intersections where there are many office buildings. Newspapers and other electronic media have approached Costa Coffee and various interviews and programs have been made which boost Costa Coffees reputation even more. BUDGET FORECASTS: The forecasted budget for the upcoming three years is as follows; TYPE 2012 2013 2014 Total Accommodation CNY. 2,000,000 CNY. 5,000,000 CNY. 7,000,000 Training CNY. 1,500,000 CNY. 500,000 CNY. 4,000,000 CNY. 6,000,000 Transportation CNY. 250,000 CNY. 350,000 CNY. 1,000,000 CNY. 1,600,000 Fixtures CNY. 2,000,000 CNY. 7,000,000 CNY. 9,000,000 Total CNY. 5,750,000 CNY. 850,000 CNY. 17,000,000 CNY. 23,600,000 Future promotion and expansion plans: Costa Coffee will be launching more coffee shops in the major cities of China (Beijing and Shangkai) but the plans are to expand all over China after having created a considerable market share in the above cities. The expansion has been planned for the next year that is 2012. In the next two years the next cities where new coffee shops will be located will include Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Costa Coffee is not in favor of extravagant launching campaigns. It supports the use of electronic and social media as well as corporate social responsibility programmes and actions. It also believes in the right location of its shops. So, the marketing activity will be low except the posters that will be in the shops, as sales promotion, advertising the new takeaway filter coffee. ANALYSIS: Costa Coffee has a lot of potential for further intensifying its expansion efforts in China. It already possesses a significant market share in the Chinese market. The reason behind it is the unbeatable image of Costa Coffee and the advertisement (word of mouth) done by people who have visited its outlets. Sales are expected to rise in the following years and they are expected to rise even more in the forthcoming years since Costa Coffee is focusing on the rising Chinese middle class. Students and youngsters in general set the new trends so their influence in increasing coffee consumption and visiting coffee shops is of outmost importance. By further using social media, Costa Coffee is expected to increase its market share in this group. Professionals always seek quiet place to do their official or unofficial meetings. Costa Coffee is an ideal place to do these meetings. Apart from that, Costa Coffees activation in social media will certainly increase its future revenue. In conclusion, it can be said that Costa Coffee has so far implemented an excellent marketing strategy and the new campaign that it will launch for the takeaway filter coffee as well as the location of its new shops will help it increase its sales and gain sustainable competitive advantage. RECOMMENDATIONS: Sales numbers are very promising however the local partner should follow all the below the line activities mentioned. Costa Coffee should continue with low promotional strategies. Apart from posters inside the outlets, Costa Coffee should consider the use of bill boards at the busy intersections.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Sacrifice and the American Dream in the Works of E.L Doctorow Essay

Sacrifice and the American Dream in the Works of E.L Doctorow      Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the works of E.L. Doctorow, many facets of American society are explored, ranging from the plight of the homeless to the idiosyncrasies of the rich. A persistent theme prevalent in all of his novels is the existence of the American dream. He seems fascinated by upward social mobility, especially when it involves the impoverished and underprivileged. Yet Doctorow also points out that with the success or attempted success of the American dream, one must make sacrifices, compromising morality, physical well-being, conscience, or identity. The overall benefits, though, of achieving prosperity, equality, or acceptance seem to always outweigh the adverse affects that result from chasing the enduring dream.      Ã‚  Ã‚   In his most acclaimed novel to date, Doctorow tells a "story of the intersection of three very different families"(Weiss n. pag.) during the gilded era of the 1910's. Titled after the ubiquitous music of the decade, Ragtime chronicles the clashing social, economic, and political ideas that plagued the beginning of the century. The three seemingly separate families provide a cross section of the diverse American culture predominating this period of history. The first household represents the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant(WASP) culture, one which supposedly has already achieved the American dream. The other two families represent certain ethnic and racial groups who strive to attain the dream throughout the novel. But in pursuing this, they are each forced to pay a certain price.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In most of his novels, Doctorow seems "particularly compelled by the stories[of]...poor immigrants"(Righteous 112); Ragtime is no excepti... ...September1980. pp 38-40. Rpt in 19th Century Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1981 pp. 78 Johnson, Diane. " The Righteous Artist." Terrorists and Novelists. New York: Knopf 1982 pp. 141-149 Rpt. In 19th Century Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1981, pp. 112-115 ______. "Waiting for Righty." The New York Review of Books Online http://www.nybooks.com/nyrev.htm 5/7/99, n. pag. Litz, A. Walton ed. American Writers Part I: Angelou-Hogan. London: Scribners, 1996, pp. 222-231 The National Experience. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt, 1993, pp. 429 Prescott, Peter S. "Getting Into Dutch" Newsweek February 13, 1989, pp. 76 Weiss, Heidi. "The Revolutions of Ragtime." Chicago Sun-Times October 25, 1998 Willis, Garry. "Juggler's Code" The New York Review of Books Online http://www.nybooks.com/nyrev.htm5/5/99, n. pag.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The feasibility of wind energy from strategic management perspective in Russia

1. INTRODUCTION This research proposal has been complied to outline how an investigation into one part of the feasibility studies for wind energy developments are undertaken. From a strategic management perspective the socio-economics aspects of this shall be examined. These shall be considered by examining a number of case studies in Russia (as an example see; POWER, 2013; BAREC, 1998). 2. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY This study shall be undertaken by critically evaluating how these assessments are currently implemented in practice. The effectiveness of these shall then be assessed by comparing them to practices adopted by other countries (see as an example: Bell, Gray & Haggett, 2005; Bergmann, Hanley & Wright, 2006; Van der Horst & Toke, 2010). This could help to identify some opportunities, which may be utilised in Russia, to improve the undertaking of feasibility studies. 4. PROBLEM STATEMENT In Russia, feasibility studies are conducted to establish if wind turbine projects are viable (as an example see; POWER, 2013; BAREC, 1998). However, a variety of practices have been adopted to undertake these to date (Devine?Wright, 2005). This research seeks to ascertain if these practices could be improved, by establishing how these assessments have been undertaken in other countries. 5. RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES In conjunction with the problem statement above, the following aims have been formulated: To use available and relevant data, to investigate how socio-economic assessments are managed by using various management strategies (during the feasibility investigation phase of wind farm developments). To use available and relevant data, to investigate how socio-economic assessments are implemented by using various management strategies (during the feasibility investigation phase of wind farm developments). To use the findings from the above two aims make recommendations for how practices may be improved in Russia. Additionally, the following objectives have been developed: To evaluate how socio-economic assessments are strategically managed and implemented (during the feasibility phases of wind farm projects in Russia and other countries). To evaluate if these assessments may be improved in Russia. 6. PROPOSAL STRUCTURE The proposed outline of the dissertation is described in the next section. 7.LITERATURE REVIEW To date, studies have been undertaken into the development of wind farms (see as an example: Bell, Gray & Haggett, 2005; Bergmann, Hanley & Wright, 2006; Van der Horst & Toke, 2010). The majority of these have been focused on developments in Europe or the United States of America. There are a few case studies, which are pertinent to these types projects in Russia (as an example see; POWER, 2013; BAREC, 1998). Mainly, these case studies show that a variety of techniques are used to seek to ascertain if these developments are feasible. To ensure that this is the case a number of assessments are undertaken (see as an example: Bell, Gray & Haggett, 2005; Bergmann, Hanley & Wright, 2006). This helps to ensure that each aspect of the development and its impacts are fully considered. One assessment, which is important, seeks to evaluate the socio -economic impacts of wind farm developments (Wolsink, 2007). It is the management and implementation of these in Russia, which this study s eeks to explore. This shall be achieved by examining the literature from Europe or the United States of America (see as an example: Bell, Gray & Haggett, 2005; Bergmann, Hanley & Wright, 2006; Van der Horst & Toke, 2010) and comparing this to the Russian case studies (as an example see; POWER, 2013; BAREC, 1998). This will enable the researcher to understand how these are undertaken in a number of countries and how practices may be improved in Russia. 7.3 LITERATURE REVIEW SUMMARY The findings from this review shall be detailed in a summary and the research questions shall be outlined. 7.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Provisionally, the following research questions have been developed. How have socio-economic assessments been strategically managed (during the feasibility studies of wind farms in different countries) How have the socio-economic assessments been implemented (during the feasibility phases of wind farm developments in Russia and other countries) To date, what lessons have been learnt from one and two, and how may these be applied in Russia 7.5 METHODOLOGY Due to the nature of this study, the research shall be based on an extensive review of the literature and case studies. Once all of these have been examined and collated a number of recommendations shall be made. 7.6 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY The research philosophy, which has been adopted for this study is positivism. This will allow the investigation to be a critical and objective base method (Sundars, 2003). 7.7 RESEARCH APPROACH The research approach, which has chosen for this study is qualitative in nature, as it will be based on a literature review (Sundars, 2003). This will allow the research to explore the problem, which was outlined above, to see if any improvements may be made. 7.8 RESEARCH STRATEGY The research strategy, which has been chosen for this study is a literature review (Sundars, 2003). 7.9 DATA COLLECTION The literature review shall be conducted by searching websites electronic journals, case studies and relevant books. Once a number of relevant sources have been identified these shall be used to collect information to investigate the research problem. 7.10 DATA ANALYSIS All analyses shall be based on the literature, which is identified during the data collection phase of this study (Sundars, 2003). 7.11 ACCESS Access to this literature shall be established through searching library resources, electronic journals and websites. 7.12 RELIABILITY, VALIDITY, AND GENERALISABILITY The reliability and validity of this research shall be ensured by only using sources of information, which are deemed to be suitable for this study. The generalizability of the findings from this study shall be limited as it will be based on secondary sources and the study findings will only be valid whilst these sources of information remain current (Sundars, 2003). 7.11 ETHICAL ISSUES There are no ethical issues which need to be considered whilst this research is being conducted. 7.12 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS As this research is based on secondary sources, the data, which is available, may limit the findings from this and as already stated as the study is based on the current situation in Russia, its findings may only be valid for a limited time. 8 CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study shall be undertaken by seeking to identify and critically evaluate a number of secondary sources. This will enable the strategic management and implementation of socio –economic analyses to be critically evaluated. The effectiveness of these in Russia shall then be assessed by comparing them to practices adopted by other countries. Then a number of recommendations may be made where this is appropriate. 9 TIME CHART TasksTask LeadStartEndDuration (Days) DissertationResearcher7/06/137/15/1310 Write Up Results 7/06/137/20/1315 Write up analysis 7/21/138/01/1312 Write Recommendations 1/08/1313/08/201310 Draw Conclusions 13/08/201318/08/20135 REFERENCES BAREC (1998) Conditions for the development of Wind Power in the Baltic Sea Region. Available from http://www.basrec.net/files/basrecdocs/Projects/BASREC-wind%201_enabling%20studies_120424.pdf (Accessed 03/07/2013) Bell, D., Gray, T., & Haggett, C. (2005). The ‘social gap’ in wind farm siting decisions: explanations and policy responses. Environmental politics, 14(4), 460-477. Bergmann, A., Hanley, N., & Wright, R. (2006). Valuing the attributes of renewable energy investments. Energy Policy, 34(9), 1004-1014. Devine?Wright, P. (2005). Beyond NIMBYism: towards an integrated framework for understanding public perceptions of wind energy. Wind energy, 8(2), 125-139. POWER (2013) Perspectives of Offshore Wind Development. Available from http://www.corpi.ku.lt/power/ (Accessed 03/07/2013). Saunders, M. (2003) Research Methods for Business Students. South Africa: Pearson Education. Van der Horst, D. (2007). NIMBY or not Exploring the relevance of location and the politics of voiced opinions in renewable energy siting controversies. Energy policy, 35(5), 2705-2714. Van der Horst, D., & Toke, D. (2010). Exploring the landscape of wind farm developments: local area characteristics and planning process outcomes in rural England. Land Use Policy, 27(2), 214-221. Wolsink, M. (2007). Planning of renewables schemes: Deliberative and fair decision-making on landscape issues instead of reproachful accusations of non-cooperation. Energy policy, 35(5), 2692-2704.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Cyber Games Essay

What is a Cyber Game or Video Games? This is a game in the form of computer software, run on a personal computer or games machine and played by one or more people using a keyboard, mouse, control pad, or joystick. Computer games usually combine sound and graphics and range from traditional games such as chess to fast-moving action games or complex puzzles. Video and computer games, like many popular, entertaining and addicting kid activities, are looked down upon by many parents as time-wasters, and worse, parents think that these games rot the brain. Also, violent video games are readily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some youth become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games actually have many benefits – the main one being making kids smart. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future. Here are some of the good effects of the Cyber Games. Cyber Games give your child’s brain a real workout. In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. These skills are not even taught at school. Some of the mental skills trained by video games include: †¢Following instruction †¢Problem solving and logic †¢Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills †¢Resource management and logistics †¢Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives †¢Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions †¢Strategy and anticipation †¢Developing reading and math skills †¢Perseverance †¢Pattern recognition †¢Estimating skills Inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing †¢Memory †¢Reasoned judgments †¢Teamwork and cooperation when played with others. †¢Simulation, real world skill Video games introduce people to computer technology and the online world. You should recognize that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world. Video games make people adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. This is particularly important for girls who typically are not as interested in high technology as much as boys. Video games allow each and everyone to play together and can be a good bonding activity. Some games are attractive to kids as well as adults, and they could be something that they share in common. When a child knows more than you, he can teach you how to play and this allows you to understand a child’s skills and talents. In the contrast of the good effects, here are the bad effects saying that too much video game playing makes a person socially isolated. Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends. Video games do not exercise a person’s imaginative thinking. Using imagination may be important in developing creativity. Some video games teach kids the wrong values. Violent behavior, vengeance and aggression are rewarded. Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are often not options. Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative. Games can confuse reality and fantasy. Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. Video games may also have bad effects on some children’s health, including obesity, video-induced seizures and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders, such as tendonitis, nerve compression, carpal tunnel syndrome. When playing online, a child can pick up bad language and behavior from other people, and may make the child vulnerable to online dangers. A study by the Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family suggests that video games can be addictive for kids, and that the kids’ addiction to video games increases their depression and anxiety levels. Addicted kids also exhibit social phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted to video games see their school performance suffer. I am not saying; stop playing Cyber or Video games because it can harm you and your health rather to limit the amount of time in playing although playing video games can be a learning experience, a variety of entertaining things to learn from, so people will not be addicted to just one thing. Be sure to some read books, play sports, interact with other people, and watch good TV. Everything should be taken in moderation. The Pediatrics recommends that a person should not spend more than one to two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games (handheld, console, or computer), and computers (for non-academic use). This means seven to fourteen hours per week total.