The Aeneid From An Analytical Approach - 1272 Words

The Aeneid by Virgil There are many different ways of looking at the Aeneid from an analytical approach. Many readers will tend to focus on the relationship of Aeneas and Dido and some will focus on Dido herself while others, like myself, will focus on Aeneas s blind ambition which is driven by the Gods desire to have him found a new Trojan empire in Rome. His obedience and loyalty was towards achieving what the Gods said was his future fate. Aeneas himself has some godlike qualities and was honored by the people of Troy. His father however, did not give him the same respect that the people of Troy did. Early on in the Aeneid, when the city of Troy fell, Aeneas was challenged with rounding up what was left of the Trojan people and leaving the city to find a new home to settle. His journey takes him too many places and through many obstacles before finally reaching a city that accepted them. Aeneas was not without fault and cared deeply for his people and eventually fell in love. That love proved t o be a distraction and once again Aeneas was off to find their new home. Aeneas eventually makes his way to Rome and becomes their king and fulfills his blind ambitious destiny the Gods lead him to believe. Who is Aeneas? Aeneas is a member of the Dardanian branch of the Trojan royal house but lived on Mount Ida instead of in Troy itself (Sage, Evan T). He was actually the son of the Goddess Athena who provided him with certain godlike abilities and protection that aShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Moral Idealism1159 Words   |  5 PagesMoral idealism,as characterized by German idealist Immanuel Kant, is a philosophical approach to life that is driven by a desired focus on what is â€Å"right† and governs morality by a set of universal rights or duties, which tend to avoid compromises and deals with absolutes. An individual that adopts such an ideology, while in search of revenge for a crime committed against family, may cross into the realm of the divine and seek retribution beyond the worldly human capabilities as performed by the

Prohibition And Its Effects On The United States - 1661 Words

When personal choice is withdrawn from individuals and prohibition is implemented to control natural human behavior, the hypocrisy that many preach the United States as being a free society and a nation of tolerance seems to deteriorate when politicians see any opportunity to capitalize on the masses without regard. Yet even after alcohol prohibition and fighting an endless war on drugs, history still repeats itself over and over again while the taxpayer is left with the bill. Responsible and recreational drug users feed the black market without any other option due to prohibition. And with an unlimited and unregulated supply from cartels to satisfy the consumer, there is no question why Al Capone came to light at the end of alcohol†¦show more content†¦Even today, manslaughter may give you less time behind bars than being convicted in the drug trade. And with Congress in 1986 implementing a five year minimum for anyone found with an equivalent of a few sugar packets worth o f crack cocaine (Pupovac), there was little to no remorse for any drug use at the time including marijuana. Additionally when looking at the case of Alva Mae â€Å"Granny† Groves in 1994, a 72 year old woman who was convicted of conspiring to trade crack cocaine for food stamps. The punishment was nothing short of harsh. She had no prior criminal background yet was sentenced to 24 years due to the sentencing system at that time. She wrote the following in a letter before she died while incarcerated; â€Å"The only money I received came from SSI (Supplementary Security Income) and what money I could earn selling eggs from my laying hens (I had about 100 chickens), I also cleaned houses when I was able, and sold candy bars and soft drinks to the kids coming from school in the afternoons.† She also requested a pardon at the end of her life in order to die closer to her family, but due to the unethical laws at the time she was denied (Pupovac). Next when looking at other sentencing systems around the world, the United States is ranked the highest in marijuana arrests exponentiall y. In 2014 alone, there were over 700,000 marijuana-related arrests in the United States yet

How does Shakespeare use the arras device for particular effect Essay Example For Students

How does Shakespeare use the arras device for particular effect? Essay Throughout his plays Shakespeare weaves the arras device skilfully into his plots shaping the characters involved, the genre, and the outcome of the tale. The arras technique was frequently used during Elizabethan times for dramatic effect and to emphasising the theatrical theme; it is still commonly practiced to this day. The literal definition for an arras is a wall-hanging, however, the purpose is concealment, meaning that an arras can take many forms both physical and metaphorical. Shakespeare uses the device to develop characterisation and to exaggerate comedy, betrayal and dramatic irony. The use of the arras for different effect is used in all the Shakespearean plays I have studied. The traditional form of an arras was a wall hanging or tapestry hiding an individual from the other characters. This barrier would permit a person to hide from another, allowing the person hiding to listen, concealed, to what the other person was saying or doing. Shakespeare uses this method in Cymbeline, when Iachimo is unwittingly taken into Imogens chamber To the trunk again, and shut the spring of it. Iachimo hides in the trunk, because he wants his presence to be secret, he knows the trunk will be taken to Imogens room so manages to pass by her guards and maids unseen. When Imogens maid enters her rooms she immediately asks Whos there? my woman Helen? This method is repeatedly applied in The Merry Wives of Windsor, when Falstaff hides from mistress Page and when he is carried out of Mistress Fords house in a laundry basket covered in dirty washing, unknown by Mr Ford, who is angrily searching for him. Once again this character hides in a moving arras, and passes right under the person they are hiding froms nose. Shakespeare can use this form of the physical arras to display and enhance humour and tragedy and in all of the plays I have studied this technique has occurred. However, the play that is the most dependent on the arras shaping the genre is The Merry Wives of Windsor, where the comedy solely relies on the humour being formed when Falstaff tries unsuccessfully to use the arras device. Falstaff believes he is tricking the two mistresses Ford and Page playing them both, this is shown when he is trying to woo Mistress Ford I love thee; none but thee, but suddenly Mistress Page appears and he is forced to hide. Hidden behind a wall hanging he believes that Mistress Page has no idea of his presence, when ironically the whole situation has been previously planned by the two women Mistress Page, remember your cue. This means that when Falstaffs confidence shines through it is comical for the audience who, through dramatic irony know what he does not; that in fact he is the one being played. To add further humour to his arrogance the director could have made him poorly hidden with his round stomach giving him away. Shakespeare continues this theme of comedy when Falstaff has to be hidden once again, but this time from Ford who knows not of the trickery devised by the two wives. Falstaff has to allow himself to be buried underneath a dirty pile of washing in a laundry and later dumped into a muddy brook, when trying to escape Fords resentful search. Humour is displayed when Falstaff tries to use the two different arrases but finds difficulty with his large size; Hes too big to go in there. A physical arras, whos purpose is to achieve trickery, is also used four times in Much to do about nothing. The first two arrases are of the same style and are intended to have the same effect; to be overheard. It first occurs when Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio manage to trick Benedict into believing that Beatrice loves him. This trap is carefully schemed and rehearsed by the two characters. The scene begins in the orchard with Benedicks monologue where the audience is told of his complaints of love. He wonders if he will ever marry May I be so converted and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not and how till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. However, the audience has been previously been informed of his friends plan and here dramatic irony occurs. The trickery starts with Don Pedro asking See you where Benedick hath hid himself? talking of the arras Benedick thinks he is well hidden behind, a box hedge, and this is obviously not intended to be over heard. However, he goes on to say you told me of Many times a playwright EssayA style of the arras devise that is used a lot less frequently in Shakespeare plays, but still causes great dramatic effect is a metaphoric arras, shown in Hamlet Much to do about nothing and in Cymbeline. A metaphorical arras devise arises into the plot of Hamlet helping to further sculpture the genre and end result. The arras that Hamlet seems to shelter behind in some parts of the play is madness that causes confusion amongst the other characters and amongst the audience. At the beginning of the play the audience is made to assume that madness is an act covering Hamlets real intentions, but as the play continues the madness seems to merge into the character of Hamlet, leaving the audience puzzled about if his actions are actually intended. The bewilderment cause by the arras shows the layering and entwining of different tales that makes this play even more complex. Another metaphorical arras devised to create tragedy is shown near the end of Much To Do About Nothing, when a small number of characters, including Hero, fake Heros own death. However, this devise is shown clearly to be intentional and this was succeed by Heros disappearance from public. This arras allowed Heros innocence to be proven without any further embarrassment for her and for Claudios love guilt to be revealed For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings here it seems as though Claudio takes full blame for the death of Hero causing his actions to be filled with guilt. The arras devise can also be the foundation of the audiences feelings towards certain characters, the audiences feelings about a certain character can be shaped by the use of the arras and this is shown in Shakespeares play Cymbeline. Spectators views towards Iachimo are affected by his unwanted, unknown presence and how venerable Imogen is lying completely oblivious in her bed. He seems to take advantage of her defencelessness by using the arras of sleep to be somewhat controlling and creepy which could easily unnerve the audience. Although this form of arras is not literal and is not an object which conceals him, it is in some ways even more affective in portraying the true characteristics of Iachimo. Viewers of the play, I believe, would feel uneasy about Iachimos next actions after his comment Our Tarquin thus did softly press the rushes, ere he wakend the chastity he wounded. This would be because Iachimo seems to take pride in comparing himself to Tarquin a well known story in Elizabethan times. From the tiny glimpse of Shakespearean plays I have studied I have seen continuous occurrences of the arras devise, where it has been used in many different ways to cause many different effects. In all the arrases that occurred the purpose accomplished, while highlighting and exaggerating dramatic effect. The devise plays a very important part in all the plays, and I do truly believe that the arras devise greatly affects the outcome of the play.

The Grapes Of Wrath (Ap Us History Paper) Essays - U.S. Route 66

The Grapes Of Wrath (Ap Us History Paper) The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath is an eye-opening novel which deals with the struggle for survival of a migrant family of farmers in the western United States. The book opens with a narrative chapter describing Oklahoma, and the overall setting. It sets the mood of an area which has been ravished by harsh weather. The sun flared down on the growing corn day after day until a line of brown spread along the edge of each green bayonet. The surface of the earth crusted, a thin hard crust, and as the sky became pale, so the earth became pale, pink in the red country, and white in the gray country. (Steinbeck pg.3) Steinbeck, in a detailed fashion described the area in great detail. Not only was the area stricken by a drought and extreme temperatures, but to add to the difficulties, the families of the area were bombarded by high winds and dust storms which barraged their houses, crops, and moral. The idea was made clear, quite early, that the farming plains of Oklahoma were a cruel and difficult plac e for a family to make a successful living. The reader is first introduced to a character by the name of Tom Joad, a man who has been released early from the penitentiary on parole after serving four years of his seven year sentence. Tom, once released, begins the trip back home to his family on their forty acre farming estate. Tom, through the aid of a helpful truck driver, is given a ride to the general area of his house. It is interesting to see how Tom manages to hitch a ride with the truck driver, who under normal circumstances, would not have given any rides to hitch hikers, simply due to a sticker on his cab which reads No Riders. Tom however, through cunning reasoning skills, is able to get what he needs. Can you give me a lift mister, said Tom. Didn't you see the No Riders sticker on the wind shield?,the driver proclaimed. Sure, I seen it. But sometimes a guy will be a good guy even if some rich b&%#@rd makes him carry a sticker.(Steinbeck 11) Technically, if the driver refused, he would not be a good guy , and if he took the hitch-hiker, he would be a good guy, and would prove that he was not one whom a rich boss could kick around. Through his actions in the opening scenes, we learn a little bit about Tom Joad, and what he is like as a person. Once Tom is dropped off, he meets up with an old minister named Jim Casey. The reader momentarily learns of Jim's inner struggle before he joins Tom in accompanying him back to his house. Meanwhile, the Joad's (tenant farmers) were being evicted from their house by the owner of the land, and were making plans for a trip to move in with Uncle Tom. Upon the arrival of Tom and Jim, they are quick to discover, through the knowledge of Muley, an old friend of Tom, that his family has already left, but were unable to reach him to let him know what was happening to them. Tom and Jim eventually catch up to the family at Uncle Tom's cabin and are greeted with open arms. Soon after their arrival, the family is once again forced to leave. After purchasing a truck, the family heads for California in the search of a home and work, but not without a struggle with Grandpa who does not wish to leave. The family is forced to drug him to bring him along, only for him to later die along the way of a massive stroke. Casey decides to come along with the family while still struggling with his internal conflict. As the trip lengthens, the family meets up with the Mr. and Mrs. Wilson one night along the side of the road. The two families befriend each other and continue the trip west together. Both families continue to travel west together until they are separated when Mrs. Wilson becomes fatally ill, which forces the Wilsons to stay behind. The struggle of the Joad's

Memory Joggers to Frame Your Lessons

Memory Joggers to Frame Your Lessons A difficulty that many students have after spending a day in class is crystallizing the key points and retaining the information taught. Therefore, as teachers we should devote time in each lesson to helping students see through the details to the core of what is being taught. This can be done through a combination of verbal and written cues. Following is a look at some of the ways that you can help students as they work through daily lessons in your class. Start With the Focus for the Day State What Students Will Be Able to Do at the End of the Lesson objectives convert fahrenheit to celsius temperature scale celsius Daily Agenda Posted With Topics/Subtopics Provide Students With a Notes Outline Materials and Equipment Lists Activity Structure End of the Day Review Relevance for Tomorrows Lesson Just like television shows end seasons with cliffhangers to whet the appetite and excite viewers for the next season, ending lessons by building interest for the next day can serve the same purpose. This can also help frame the information taught in the larger context of the unit or overall topic being taught.

Communication Research Paper Writing Tips

Communication Research Paper Writing Tips Tips on Writing a Communication Research Paper The name of this particular type of assignments makes it clear that a communication research paper depicts the process of interaction between people. It is based on sociological baselines in addition to other fields like ethics, anthropology, society, fine arts, etc. As a rule, it is assigned to students who have a communication study course and learn different types of interactions including rhetorical, interpersonal, theoretical, and some others. Once you have been assigned to write a paper on any of the above-mentioned topics, you should keep in mind that one theme cannot exist without a close relation with another. This is our first and foremost tip when writing a communication research paper. Now, lets have a closer look at the structure of the paper as well as general writing advice. Communication Research Paper Structure Any academic assignment is supposed to have a clear structure featuring every block logically connected with each other. The same thing is with a communication research paper. Keep an eye on every stage of the writing process to ensure the following: A Solid Introduction the first step is to write a long introduction where you highlight all the facts, problems. methodology and solutions. Not only your introduction is supposed to be informative, but also interesting for the reader. The introduction must include a strong thesis statement as well; Do the Research the term research paper considers doing some research work and analysis. The more validity your paper gets, the more trust your readers will have. State all the information in a persuasive but not intrusive way. Present yourself as an expert in a chosen field. The only way to achieve such approach is to get involved in a thorough investigation of the topic; Write the Body each body paragraph is the core of your major work. It should contain 100% of your findings in addition to argumentations and solutions to the problems raised in the introduction section. Drive your readers to a conclusion and encourage them for a discussion; Write a Conclusion a conclusion may be divided into two paragraphs when it comes to a communication research paper. They include discussion and summary. The first part should highlight the weak and strong aspects of the topic in addition to development opportunities and solutions. The second paragraph summarizes the information and introduces results. As you can see, a research paper on communication has a typical structure although it requires maximum involvement and investigation. Some General Writing Advice Most students start facing difficulties at first steps of writing a communication paper. You may boast the best analytic skills but still fail to get started. This is where our general writing advice may come in handy: Think of a provoking and inspiring topic that would be of great interest for your readers. Once you are able to grab their attention and make them read the text till the end, the academic success is guaranteed. Plan ahead and write an outline. The idea is to work out an effective writing strategy in advance. Look through as many communication articles, studies, surveys and other information sources as you can. Us experts opinions and include some of your own thoughts as a real-life example. Overview your paper before providing it to your teacher. Ask your friends or relatives to read it and share their opinion. A communication research paper is not about studying published articles and researches. It is about the ability to analyze and compare sources to provide your own summary of the problem. The idea is to help students contribute in the discipline by offering their own solutions. Write from the first person unless the requirements are different. Reference list is obligatory for this type of assignment. Mistakes to Avoid We hope our tips and recommendations will put an ease on the writing process making it as clear as possible. However, you should still avoid some of the common mistakes many students do when writing a communication research paper: Avoid presenting a simple compilation of material that has been already published by scientists and experts; Avoid all types of mistakes including grammar, stylistic and spelling; Avoid plagiarism and make your paper unique; Do not use superlatives, do not be too intensive; Include every part of the paper structure; Stick to the subject. If you still face difficulties when completing this type of assignment, you can opt for professional writing services and forget about all your education troubles for good!

12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

12 - Essay Example One example from history is the interaction between Europeans and American Indians in the colonial period in 1492 when 1-7 million American Indians lived in North America and European hunters migrated from northeast Asia into Alaska. They interacted with the native people through trade and agriculture. The Spanish and French are said to have developed good harmonious relations with the native people. The Spanish worked towards converting them into Catholicism after 1600. The English interaction with the American Indians was rather complex which involved mostly warfare and alliances. Another good example of cultural interaction is the development of understanding between Western and non-Western cultures over time. Non-Western cultures have adopted Western modernization without abandoning their own cultures, religious values and practices. Global trade has helped enhance this understanding. Both cultures have made efforts to start active communication across them and the pioneers of th is understanding are the philosophers of both the cultures who took extraordinary interest in the other culture to spread

Ecotourism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Ecotourism - Case Study Example is involvement in the decision-making process.Thirdly, there is a valuation of cultural activities of the community within and local communities giving assistance to in the initiative of protecting the natural resources(Nature,2014). Thailand is endowed with a lot of natural resources and ecotourism sites. The ecotourism sites offer spectacular sceneries. Some of the destinations that attract visitors frequently include the Bokeo nature reserve, Chiang Mai, Ko Talu Island and Kaeng Kranchan National Park. These attraction sites offer different kinds of activities that are distinct from any other ordinary tour. The ecotourism sites offer unusual, exciting, and daring experience given the numerous kinds of wildlife found in the sites. Interestingly, visitors can interact with tigers and play with their cubs. Lovers of adventure can also take elephant rides, watch birds of different species flying, and participate in hikes inside the ecosystems. Some of the lodges that offer accommodation include the Asadang bed and breakfast, Ariyasomvilla, Praya Palazzo, Sala arun and many others. Visitors show their appreciation for nature by viewing birds flying early in the morning at the Doi Inthanon tourist attraction centre (Wild Planet Adventures, 2014). The travel document for the planned ecotourism will cover two weeks. On the first day, students will arrive at Thailand’s capital city airport of Bangkok. We will be welcome by officials of ecotourism site and head to a nearby hotel for supper. The night will be spent at Bhuthorn and Arum residence. On the second day, students will tour Chiang Mai by bus. The site has both an Elephant camp and a Tiger Rescue Center. During the day, students will be given time to play with the elephants and have a photo session. The next stop will be at the Tiger rescue Center where we will play with cubes for 30 minutes. Those who would have carried food for the animals will be allowed to feed them given that the management does not

Ottoman Empire Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Ottoman Empire Study Guide Essay Devshirme: Every 2 years or so, young Christians were taken and trained and converted to Islam. They would either be janissaries (foot soldiers) but ones with â€Å"intellectual promise† went to work in the government. Many became powerful. Some were slaves? Because the enslavement of the Muslims was not allowed. The power was NOT hereditary (like the Chinese). So the sultan surrounded himself with people who did not have families. Millet System: Each religion had their own leader -Kept Jews and Christians happy -But they were still viewed as second-class citizens. -Everyone in a Millet still had to pay taxes to Empire though. -The Christians and Jews had to pay a special tax called the Jyzia. Jyzia was expensive tax. It showed favor to the Muslims. If you converted to Islam then you would not have to pay the tax. -Jews normally had more respect for this system because they never really were respected and had a country -Muslims regarded the Christians and Jews with a sort of respect because they are all Abrahamic Religions. But they were skeptical of Christianity because of the holy trinity and they believed that that meant they were poly, not monotheistic. Sà ¼leyman: â€Å"Suleyman the Magnificent† -10th Ottoman Sultan -Had great army -Warlike -Enforced the â€Å"Law of Fratricide† which was the act of killing all male relatives of the sultans so they would not over take the throne. -Was married to Hà ¼rrem (the smiling one) who was the â€Å"head concubine† fell in love with her. This was unusual because by this time it was not necessary for alliances through marriage to be formed. Selim the Sot: Successor of Suleyman. -Did not do much. Slacker. Preferred Eunuchs and concubines, and drank a lot Murad III: Successor to Selim -Manipulated by mother and wife -But still had military advances Mehmet: †¢Sultan Mehmet II -Conquered Constantinople †¢renamed it Istanbul †¢largest city in Europe (700,000+ people) †¢architecturally unbelievable (symbolized wealth and power) -Formed a navy †¢enabled Ottomans to conquer Venice and Mediterranean Islands -Improved Army †¢guns + gunpowder + technical advantages -portable guns Decline of Ottomans: Inflation, created an atmosphere of bribery and corruption. Not able to pay Janissaries so they no longer had complete power. Army became less efficient. Sultans stopped training their sons to rule so they became terrible rulers. So power went to the Janissaries and became a hereditary thing. Empire soon began to be ruled by the military.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Well guys, we've made it. We've made it through four years of one of the most highly involved times in our lives. We've seen all, we've done all, and at this point in the year, most of us have probably had enough of it all. If you think about it, four school years is really a long time. four years of high school is equal to 720 school days, 4,320 class periods, and if you're a busy guy like me and you tend to count things by the minute, then it might surprise you to know that we've been in class for about 237,600 minutes. Class of 2006- are you ready to graduate? There's a term I like to use to describe our high school experience: metamorphosis. As high schoolers, we metamorphosize; we change over the course of four years. We start as nothing and eventually we become something. When Terrace's doors opened in the fall of '98, we were not the same class that we are today. Something happened to us. Something made us change. That something was our hard work. It helped us to develop our talents, to accomplish great things, and to become the unique individuals that we are today. What, do you think that Brandon Gibbs began freshmen year as a varsity basketball player and a top runner? Did Mat Montgomery just walk into the school one day prepared to lead the Jazz 1 trumpet section? Would Sarah Abel, Keola Awana, and Chris Potts have been ready to serve on the top positions in ASB our freshmen year? What about guys like David Johanes and Tim Lehman, two of our great bowlers here at MTHS? Have you ever heard of an all-freshmen sports team winning state? I haven't. Four years ago, before I had anchored for morning announcements, I could not have imagined myself speaking to thousands of people. I would have been too scared to get up o... ...g. We have always been a diverse group and naturally, we will go on to different places next year. Class of '06 will enroll in as many schools and work in as many jobs as the variety of people that we come in. But one thing is for sure, and that is we have finally reached the end of our metamorphosis. We are at the final stage now and tomorrow, we will all head off to live very different lives. I myself will be going to the University of Washington next fall. Tonight, we will cease to be Terrace Hawks. Tonight, we will step out of our cocoons, and become new people. Tonight many of us will become Huskies. Others will become Cougars, Trojans, Tritons, Bulldogs, Vikings, and Dolphins. Tonight, we have transformed into the hard-working college student. Tonight, after four years, we have finally metamorphosized. Dunbar Class of 2006, the world is ours, let's go get it!

Mountains Beyond Mountains Essay

The title is a haitian proverb that translates â€Å"beyond the mountains, more mountains.† As it relates to the book, I believe mountains beyond mountains means the never ending struggle to control disease involving the poor. In this case, the poor are the haitian people who are in a struggle to improve their health and the institution in place allow this to perpetuate. Farmer sees health in a way that differs from most. Farmer believes improvement of health is not only the actual treatment of the disease. Instead, it is the complete assimilation of institutions where the poor are given power to succeed politically as well as the access to health care. This is evident in what resources Farmer’s clinic has available to his patients that go beyond access to equipment and medications that are not easily attainable in Haiti. In order to provide the necessary resources for a healthy community today and into the future they provide a school, housing, kitchen that feeds people daily, sanitation, as well as filtered water systems. These different resources combined make up what a community needs to have an improvement of health today and into the future. This philosophy rings true for me. How can you expect to have a healthy community when these basic needs are not available. In a country like the United States these resources are at at your disposal in the most rural locations and their benefits forg otten because of it. Farmer’s Story shows how a small group of practitioners can make a positive and lasting impact in a world with poverty and a lack of health care provisions to those without insurance. One major component to this ability is the level of sacrifice these practitioners were able to endure. For many, the dreams of being a doctor include the big bucks that come along with it. In order to provide the level of care Farmer believed was necessary he sacrificed an extraordinary amount of his personal wealth. Another major sacrifice was his time with family. He split his year in Boston and Haiti so the geographic aspect was limiting. Then, the enormous amount of work that seemed never ending (mountains beyond mountains) kept  him busy way beyond an average 9 to 5, leaving no time for vacation to visit. These sacrifices are not to be taken lightly. I don’t know if I would be willing to live for others like Farmer has. It takes a certain character that one is born with to do this. Farmer used every tool he had to help. He sweet talked workers at hospitals and walked away with tuberculosis medicine for the poor and even paid for it himself. When caught he paid back the 96 thousand dollars in medicine he had take. When he was with others he would lecture all he came into contact with on the plight of the poor. He felt as though the poor were all too often forgotten. Tuberculosis control was the perfect example of this. Pharmaceutical companies had controlled TB in wealthy countries and made no effort in poor nations like haiti because it did not make sense financially. Once Farmer came into contact with a resistant form of TB in haiti he was on a mission to make MDR available for all not just the wealthy. The biggest block was cost. His goal of MDR for all was not shared by pharmaceutical companies that wanted to keep the prices high. That didn’t sway him one bit. Ultimately, Farmer was able to acheive his goal and make MDR affordable for all. This motivation with no regard to a personal financial benefit is an attribute I have seldom seen in my lifetime. I imagine Farmer had been approached or had the opportunity to make huge profits from his position and public image. This ethical character seems mythical in today’s world of business and bottom lines. His ethical standard is something to aspire to. The most intriguing quality I see in Farmer is his ability to understand the position of the poor in all its complexity. Wether the person is from Haiti or the United States he treats the patient with a respect that puts the patient at ease. His overall goal is to help the patient in a manner where it improves their overall health. One example that stuck out was Farmer’s experience with Joe a drug addict who doesn’t take his medication or eat properly. He sits with him and asks what his needs are in order to have a successful change in health. The response was definitely unique. His needs were a warm place to stay, 6 pack of beer, person to make sure he takes his medication, and someone to make sure he eats. Instead of listening and  completely dismissing his needs as out of the question he promises to try his best. On a board he writes what Joe’s current situation and the situation he wants to place him in and begins his mission. Ultimately he finds Joe a homeless shelter but they do not allow alcohol, but that doesn’t stop Farmer from pleading Joe’s case. This unorthodox method for providing the care Farmer felt would make a real change in Joe’s health was impressive. Farmer’s story is impressive. After reading this book I understand that a medical career is more than the good life. The abilities we are about to have can help so many and we need to know that is the goal of a good practitioner.

Examples of how changes in the environment affect organisations Essay

According to Rob Watkins (2008) organisations are entities made up of interrelated parts which are intertwined with the outside world (the external environment). Business organizations and firms have to be wary of external influences that can affect their organization this can be a positive affect or negative effect. There are many factors that have an impact on the way organizations operate. Thus where an organization suffers from an external influence they need to adapt their products or services. Pestle stand for ‘Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental. In this report I am going to use 4 articles which are about a specific firm and discuss how each one suffers from one of the factors of the PESTLE analysis 1.Tube gets first Wi-Fi connection at Charing Cross 1.1Technology is one external factor from the PESTLE analysis, The article is about project Wi-Fi which is about the introduction of the first Wi-Fi access in London undergrounds by the company BT. The company I’m going to talk about is BT, they aim to put on a six-month trial which will allow commuters to connect to the internet while on the train, and enable them to check emails and browse the net. Investment in technology and innovation is seen as a key success for an enterprise (Rob Watkins, 2008, p10). BT trialling Wi-Fi on the tube is going to have a positive effect on its sale for broadband as more customers are going to be enticed by its additional benefit of using the broadband service on the tube while travelling for example to work. 1.2The article states how the service will be free for BT broadband customers as a result this may gain them a competitive advantage against the likes of other competitors such as Talk Talk and Virgin. The reason for this would be because customers might be more inclined to switch to BT internet service for this extra feature they provide that no other internet services offer. As the maturity of technology is developing and the use of technology is increasing, this means that BT are able promote their service and attract a wide range of internet users and become even more popular within the nation. 1.3Though this new implementation of technology can be very advantageous it does have its disadvantages, for example one disadvantage in this case is the implementation of Wi-Fi in the underground could put the city at risk of terrorist attacks and with the Olympics coming up it raises huge security concern. 1.4One Advantage of Wi-Fi in the tube would be more efficient as it would allow customers to check their email, complete some work they could be doing in the office, in the tube thus saving them time that could be better used by allowing them to do more work in the office that could improve the overall performance and making the company more money. 2.Nintendo hit as high Yen takes its toll on business 2.1Economic factor is another external influence from the PESTLE analysis, an organization has to be wary of these factors as it can have consequences on the businesses aggregate performance. For example the article states how due to the price of the Yen increasing this has caused Nintendo sales revenue to diminish as they are hit by the high ‘value’ of the Yen. The rising value of the Yen reduces the value of profits made abroad when converted back to the Japanese Yen. 2.2In all cases of changes in demand and supply the resulting changes in price act as both signals and incentives, a fall in demand is signalled by a fall in price, therefore this acts as incentive for firms to produce less of goods as they are now less profitable to produce. (Rob Watkins, 2008 pg 291). The article also states Nintendo sales also fell first half of the year partly due to lower demand for its Wii console. This will act as an incentive for Nintendo to stop producing more Wii consoles. 2.3Japan has little they can do with their currency, they are able to intervene in the currency market and do a lot of rounds of quantitative easing. However, this will not have lasting effects as competitive devaluation means it will be a race to the bottom as much larger countries, such as the US and China to also devalue which will only lead to temporary increases thus causing all parties to lose in the end. It’s also an expensive move that will ultimately return very little. Currency fluctuations are unavoidable as developing nations grow and weakening the Yen will only be a temporary solution for Japan. 3.Water to be tested from BP Oil Spill’ 3.1Environmental influence is another external factor from the PESTLE analysis, Environmental considerations are an important influence on business behaviour, particularly for the large companies. It is argued that businesses have a duty that goes beyond the organization and to a corporate social responsibility, particularly with regard to the environment. â€Å"Corporate social responsibility means that a corporation should be held accountable for any of its actions that affect people, their communities and their environment† (Rob Watkins, 2008, p652). 3.2The news article is about the ecological impact the BP oil spill caused to the waters, this article concerns that of south of New Orleans, US coast guard reported seeing an area of discoloured water which could be from the oil spill.. Overall this disaster has had negative impacts on the environment and also the company shares and profits had fallen dramatically. The discharge of oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico has also had major health concerns. 3.3Environmental disasters can cause the government to get involved; the government tend to impose heavy penalties which often have unfortunate consequence for the company. All countries have environmental laws and policies based on a regulatory regime imposed by governments at different spatial levels (Economics for business, Ian Worthington, Chris Britton, Andy Rees P435). 3.4Environmental factors can have consequences on small firms that operate within the affected areas. For example the article states s that â€Å"local fishermen have reported seeing miles-long strings of weathered oil on the sea†. This disaster can affect animals and their habitats in the sea and thus can have negative impact on local fishermen’s supply and livelihood. 4.EU to launch Google search investigation 4.1The legal factor is another influence from the PESTLE analysis; Businesses operate within a framework of law which has a significant impact on various aspects of their existence (Rob Watkins, 2008 Pg 11). This article states â€Å"The EU launched a formal investigation into Google following allegations that the internet giant has abused its dominant position in the search and advertising market†. Clearly the external factor here concerns monopoly, monopoly is defined as â€Å"†. The monopolist has considerable market power and can determine price or quantity (The Business Environment, Rob Watkins, 2008). 4.2The problem with monopoly is it disrupts the free market because it creates a dead weight loss. Dead weight loss is defined as â€Å"the loss of consumer plus producer surplus in imperfect markets† In this case for example if Google manage to monopolize the advertising industry this will have serious consequence on businesses trying to establish themselves as Google will be able to price how much they went to advertise a company The problem with monopoly is it disrupts the freemarket because it creates a dead weight loss Once u has market domination in that field the business can do whatever they want and don’t innovate because they don’t need to Can act as an incentive Reference Worthington, I., Britton, C. And Rees, A. (2001) Economics for Business, Blending Theory and Practice (Essex): Pearsons Education Limited http://www.cityam.com/news-and-analysis/nintendo-hit-high-yen-takes-its-toll-business http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/29/tube-wifi-charing-cross http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/nov/30/google-search-eu-investigation http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/09/oil-spill-inquiry-culture-complacency-bp http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/water-to-be-tested–for-oil-from-bp-spill-2115657.html

Social Classroom Activities to Build Social Skills

Social Classroom Activities to Build Social Skills Students with disabilities, especially developmental disabilities, suffer from significant deficits in good social skills.  They often cannot initiate interactions, they often dont understand what makes a social transaction appropriate for setting or players, they often dont get enough appropriate practice. Always a Need for Social Skill Development Using these fun activities helps model and promote healthy interactions and teamwork within the classroom. Use the activities found here a regularly to help develop good habits, and youll soon see improvement with students in your classroom who need help developing social skills. These activities, embedded in a self-contained program as part of a daily routine, provide students with lots of opportunities for frequent practice getting used to appropriate interactions. Shaky Day Pick a consistent day of the week (Fridays are great) and the dismissal practice is to have each student shake two students hands and say something personal and nice. For instance, Kim shakes Bens hand and says, Thanks for helping me tidy my desk, or, I really liked the way you played dodgeball at gym. Some teachers use this method as each child leaves the classroom. The teacher shakes the students hand and says something positive. Social Skill of the Week Pick a social skill and use it for the focus of the week. For instance, if your skills of the week is showing responsibility, the word responsibility goes on the board. The teacher introduces the words and talks about what it means to be responsible. Students brainstorm ideas of what it means to be responsible. Throughout the week, students are given opportunities to comment on responsible behavior as they see it. At the end of the day or for bell work, have students talk about what theyve been doing or what they did that showed acting responsibility. Social Skill Weekly Goals Have students set social skill goals for the week. Provide opportunities for students to demonstrate and tell how theyre sticking to their goals. Use this as the exit dismissal key each day. For instance, each child states how they met their goal that day: I cooperated today by working well with Sean on my book report. Negotiation Week Many students requiring additional help with social skills usually need support to negotiate properly. Teach the skill of negotiation by modeling and then reinforcing through some role play situation. Provide opportunities for conflict resolution. Works well if situations arise in class or on the yard. Good Character Submission Box Keep a box with a slot in it. Ask students to put a slip in the box when they observe good character. For instance, John tidied up the coat room without being asked. Students that are reluctant writers will need to have their complement scribed for them. Then the teacher reads the slips from the good character box at the end of the week. Teachers should also participate. Social Circle Time At circle time, have each child say something pleasant about the person next to them as they go around the circle. This can be theme based (cooperative, respectful, generous, positive, responsible, friendly, empathetic etc.) and change every day to stay fresh. Mystery Buddies Put all the student names in a hat. A child draws a student name and they become the students mystery buddy. The mystery buddy then offers compliments, praise and does nice things for the student. The students can then guess their mystery buddy at the end of the week. You can also incorporate the Wanted: Friend worksheet. Welcoming Committee The welcoming committee can consist of 1-3 students who are responsible for welcoming any visitors to the class. If a new student starts, the welcoming committee makes sure they feel welcome and they also help them with the routines and become their buddies. Good Solutions This activity takes some help from other teaching staff members. Have teachers leave you notes of the conflicts that have arisen on the yard or in the classroom. Collect these as often as you can. Then within your own classroom, present the situation that have happened, ask the students to role play it or to come up with positive problem solving solutions and practical advice to avoid repeats of the incidents.

How to Format an NLM Reference List

How to Format an NLM Reference List How to Format an NLM Reference List NLM referencing is used by many medical schools and journals. Thus, if you are studying medicine, you may need to use NLM referencing in your written work. And in this post, we’ll look at the basics of how to format an NLM reference list. Read on to find out more. NLM Reference List Rules In NLM referencing, as well as citing sources in the main text, you need to list each cited source at the end of your document. This list can be titled â€Å"References,† â€Å"End References,† â€Å"Literature Cited,† or â€Å"Bibliography† (check your school’s style guide if you are not sure which to use). Beyond this, there are some rules that apply to reference lists in NLM referencing: Write author and editor names surname first. Use initials in place of first and middle names. List all named authors for each source, regardless of how many there are. Use a comma to separate author names in each entry. Capitalize only the first word of book and article titles, along with proper nouns, proper adjectives, acronyms, and initialisms in titles and subtitles. Reproduce other titles (e.g., web pages) as they were originally published. Abbreviate significant words in journal titles (and omit other terms). Use a colon followed by a space to separate titles from subtitles. For online sources, include a citation date in square brackets after the date of publication; you should also give a URL at the end of the reference after the words â€Å"Available from.† Beyond this, how you organize a reference list will depend on the citation style used in the document. In the rest of this post, then, we will look at how to format an NLM reference list when using the citation-sequence, citation-name, and name-year versions of this system. NLM Refence List: Citation-Sequence In the citation-sequence system, you cite sources with superscript numbers in the main text. These numbers point to entries in the reference list, with sources listed in the order they are first cited. As such, the first source you cite becomes the first entry in your reference list, the second source you cite would become the second entry, etc. For instance: 1. Hopper D, Farrow A. Medical bibliographies. J Med Writ. 2008 June 15; 4(1): 128-130. 2. Aaronson A. A history of English alphabetization. New York, NY: Penguin; 1998. 480 p. 3. Zedwick Z. Understanding NLM [Internet]. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine; 2011 Jan 5 [cited 2018 Nov 11]. Available from: nlm.nih.gov/NLM-referencing. Here, for example, the fact that â€Å"Medical bibliographies† by Hopper and Farrow is the first source in the list would mean that it is also the first source cited in the document. We would then know that any citation with a superscript â€Å"1† in the text points to this entry in the reference list. NLM Refence List: Citation-Name The citation-name system is similar to the citation-sequence version in that you cite sources with numbers in the main text, with each number indicating a source in the reference list. However, with this version of NLM referencing, you order sources in the reference list itself alphabetically by author surname. With this version of the system, then, our NLM reference list would look like this: 1. Aaronson A. A history of English alphabetization. New York, NY: Penguin; 1998. 480 p. 2. Hopper D, Farrow A. Medical bibliographies. J Med Writ. 2008 June 15; 4(1): 128-130. 3. Zedwick Z. Understanding NLM [Internet]. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine; 2011 Jan 5 [cited 2018 Nov 11]. Available from: nlm.nih.gov/NLM-referencing. The â€Å"Aaronson† source is first here because â€Å"A† comes before â€Å"H† and â€Å"Z† in the alphabet. We would then cite each source with the number of its position in the reference list. NLM Refence List: Name-Year Things are a little different in the name-year citation system. In this version of NLM referencing, you cite sources by giving the author’s surname and a year of publication in brackets. In the references at the end of the document, meanwhile, you list all sources alphabetically by author surname: Aaronson A. 1998. A history of English alphabetization. New York, NY: Penguin. 480 p. Hopper D, Farrow A. 2008. Medical bibliographies. J Med Writ. 4(1): 128-130. Zedwick Z. 2011. Understanding NLM [Internet]. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine; [cited 2018 Nov 11]. Available from: nlm.nih.gov/NLM-referencing. The list here is, then, in the same order as with the citation-name system. However, there are two major differences: We do not number sources as there are no numbered citations. Because we use the year of publication for sources in citations, we give this detail immediately after the author’s name in the reference list. Otherwise, though, this version of NLM referencing is the same as the versions above when it comes to formatting a reference list.

They Can Get Inside You Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

They Can Get Inside You - Essay Example From the opening chapter of the book, we see that even though Winston has somehow been able to resist and question the party, he still absorbs its influence. As he sits writes in the diary for the first time, he remembers a recent two minutes hate session. Even though the charade of Goldstein and the hate sessions is so "exaggerated and perverse that a child should have been able to see through it" (Orwell 14), Winston is not entirely immune to the emotion it is intended to evoke. He feels the hatred that he is supposed to feel: "the very next instant he was at one with the people around him, andhis secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration". (Orwell 17) His hatred may not be directed at the intended target, but it indicates that Winston, like everyone else, is at the very least susceptible to the party's brainwashing. He feels the hatred, and that is enough: they are inside him. They are inside Julia, too. Julia appears to be a faithful party member, so much so that Winston suspects she is a spy for the Thought Police. Like Winston, she is a secret rebel, but her view of their world is different from Winston's. She is less concerned with ideologies and does not take much interest when Winston theorizes about the nature of the party. Unlike Winston, who dreams of a different world and a different life, Julia accepts the world as it is, and instead of dreaming, rebels in ways that make her life more bearable. Julia is intelligent but does not think deeply on the corruption within the party and what it means. She accepts the history she was taught in school without question, and does not remember that four years ago the country's enemy was a different one. She is bored and falls asleep when Winston reads to her from Goldstein's book. All these things indicate that Julia, despite her rebellious nature, is still influenced by the party. They are inside her, beca use she is "unwilling and unable to think too deeply on any subject whatever", just as she has been taught by the party. (Orwell 220) Winston and Julia both consider themselves intellectually free. They know the party is a lie and they are both against it, though for different reasons. But Julia is wrong when she says the party can't get inside them, and can't influence how they feel. They don't seem to understand how pervasive the party's influence really is, or perhaps they consider it unimportant because their conscious is free even if their subconscious is not. However when they are caught, they both end up losing that freedom of consciousness, and their loyalty to each other. During his stay in the Ministry of Love, Winston is subjected to mental and physical torture for an undefined length of time. O'Brien shows him that the party control the past and the present and shows him that 2 + 2 = 5 if the party says it does. Eventually Winston is allowed to physically recover, but during a dream he becomes aware that the party has not penetrated the deepest part of his mind - he still loves Julia, and hates Big Brother. He has tried to "keep the inner heart inviolate" (Orwell 293) and this has caused him to commit thoughtcrime. He decides that the only solution is to suppress his hatred towards the party and Big Brother so that it cannot escape from his subconscious, but instead O'Brien takes him to Room 101. In

Process Control Block Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Process Control Block - Essay Example terminals, devices), process owner (user ID), Parent (pointers to parent or child processes), save registry (process registers, stack information and pointers), process IDs (I/O, IPCs), process state (ready, running or standby mode), memory pointers (MMU registers) (Silberschatz, Galvin and Gagne, 2002). PCBs classified under process control information are : scheduling and state information (i.e., the current state of the process, time slot, time to run, the priority of process) , data structuring (i.e. pointer to parent process or a pointer to child process), interprocess communication (i.e. message passing, synchronization, shared memory), process privileges , memory management and resource ownership (i.e. retrieval of file ownership). In Unix, for example, the process structure has two separate places in memory (kernel and user space) where it stores PCBs. Under this arrangement, process is started at the information (process ID, scheduling priority, etc.) level. During linking stage, the PCBs are defined for queuing. Once the process is ready for initialization, queuing is linked with other PCBs. The PCBs assign pointers from parent to child to subsequent relative processes. The execution of the process comes from the user level. Once system level is reached, the system switches to system mode and utilizes kernel stacks to continue with the process. (Silberschatz, Galvin and Gagne, 2002). Linux PCBs act almost in a similar fashion as Unix. Linux uses the structure task_struct to describe the characteristics of a process. This structure is managed through a series of indicators called a task vector. The number of processes that could be made at one time is only limited by the capacity of the task vector, which by default has 512 entries. When new processes are created, new structures are assigned from the system memory and are then added to the task vector. The vector pointer points to the most recent processes being run, making it easier to locate (Nutt, 2004). Data structure that defines the "process identification information": struct task_struct { int pid, pgrp, session, leader;unsigned short uid, euid, suid, fsuid;unsigned short gid, egid, sgid, fsgid; } For each process initiated, a unique own process ID number and uid is assigned. Afterwards, it is given a groupID, pgrp, and a session identification. For each session, a leader process code is also designated. Every process has its distinct process ID number, uid, and is assigned to

GIS design and technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

GIS design and technology - Essay Example The paper tells that Geographical Information System (GIS) was created with the ability to assemble, analyze, manipulate, update, store and display information which has been geographically referenced according to the location of the data. For it to function it requires a vast amount of data hence making the projects which use GIS very expensive. Its data originate from images of satellites, maps, GPS data from survey an all other instruments which can attribute data. Before the development of Internet GIS large amount of data of different field like road networks, sewer lines, telecommunication lines and natural resources were useless as they were available in large unorganized states which makes them hard to retrieve and analyze. The creation of GIS solved this problem hence the organization of GIS databases which had all the information needed. Elangovan attributes GIS development is to different disciplines like databases, computer science, computer mapping, Computer Aided Design , remote sensing, geography, Cartography and many more. Different discipline had different functions in the GIS. Databases is used to store, manipulate and retrieval of the data. Computer mapping is used to create maps in the computer while the remote sensing is used to take satellite images. Through the combination of these and other disciplines the GIS emerged a super field which is very helpful. The development of GIS can be generally grouped into four stages of development according to Elangovan (2006, p.10). Between 1960 and 1975 there was introduction of the GIS concept. Due to this fact only few people used in mainframe computers. In between 1973 and early 1980s though many experiment and practice were done, there was little information as individuals were the one doing the research hence duplication of work. There was development of many GIS software between 1982 and late 1990s. This improved the growth of GIS. The last stage is between 1990 and 2000. In this stage there was standardization of the GIS due to the easy availability of software both for ensuring user friendliness and for a platform for working. After 2000 GIS had multi use like virtual reality, mobile mapping and web based GIS. Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965 was successful in the creation of processing of graphic data through computer aid. This fastened the development of GIS. Agencies in USA, Canada and the UK started using the GIS for the processing of large data amounts. The first to use GIS was the Canada government. The Canadian government used the GIS for management of land and other resources. The US government used the GIS for Geographical Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) which is used to analyze data on the use of land and land cover. In 1970s the Swedish bank on land data used the GIS to make the registration of land and properties automatic. After the development of Geographical Information Mapping and Management System (GIMMS) by the University of Minnesota , in 1963, there was publishing of the Atlas of Britain through the use of information in the GIS. It was printed by the Bickmore and his team of cartography. In 1970 there was publishing of the first multicolour map in Britain. The production of commercial GIS was done by the Harvard Graphic labs in 1970. There was also creation of many cartographic packages like GIMMS, GRID, GEOMAP and MAP. Between 1970s and 1980s there was development of many GIS packages. In 1975 after the first academic meeting about GIS in the UK there was release of the

Contrast Of Films And Literature Film Studies Essay

Contrast Of Films And Literature Film Studies Essay There are many things to be considered when comparing literature and film. Using the knowledge gained in class, the differences between literature and film will be explained with a focus on the film and literature of Oedipus Rex. This play makes you think and shows us how important the theater was and still is as a way of communicating a playwrights ability to build something from the inside out. In addition, adapting literature to a film is a challenge for sure, and since the beginning, films have been considered the realm of the actors and the script itself. The process of characters construction, the techniques, the language, and the references are very important aspects to be considered while making films because after all they are based on the play itself, which the directors will reduce in size to fit in a time frame between one and three hours. By looking and thinking critically, plays and films are dedicated to each other; films are just a new way of thinking. Many films were made based on books which were used to tell a story about something. For example, telling the reader or the viewer about the life of a person doomed to be destroyed by its own wrong doings; a kingdom whose people are suffering because of political arrogances due to family problems including a drunk king that cares about his own well-being; or a love story ending in tragedy dramatized by the separation of the two main characters. Of course there is more to these stories that films do not always depict, in some cases the literary text makes us think about morals, gives us advice, or poses questions about real life circumstances. Sometimes the film does not always portray this and a more in-depth analysis will be found by reading the actual play. The video created in 1984, Oedipus the King with Michael Pennington, Claire Bloom and John Shrapnel, translated and directed by the late Don Taylor, can show the spectacular performances of all the actors, especially King Oedipus. The techniques used by the director draws attention, while the other elements used in the video including the sound, light, and fog direct you to another point of view and create the reality of the situation. The costumes were appropriate for the time period, except for the main character, Oedipus the King was dressed in a white suit while the others were dressed for the correct time period. Maybe this decision was made by the director to separate Oedipus from the rest of the actors, or it is possible it could be a mistake not realized until after the film was done. The film is fantastic but it cannot be, in any way, a replacement for the original play by Sophocles. (http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/OpqVmviDEvk-oedipus-king-part-212.aspx) One of the differences among the film and the play is the approach for understanding. If people who has recently read the play and have been asked what the play intends to tell, it is possible to have some different answers, which will be in accordance with the concerns and priorities of each reader. Now, if a group of people was just done watching the video and have been asked the same questions, even after the film not being the same as the original script, the possibility of having the same answer is much more like because the film captures the viewers attention at the same time by all the effects used. The version of Oedipus the King starring Christopher Plummer, made in 1967 by U.K production directed by Philip Saville, brought the story to life. In the beginning of the film we can see Oedipus as adult attacking his father on the wagon and killing him. This part is presented as slides of pictures to demonstrate how it began; each picture can be used as a flash back, as you watching the film, to explain a little more about the details and the use of images as an alternative from language used for plays. Sometimes people can lose interest reading the play, but with the growing fascination and effects of films its almost impossible to lose concentration in what is going on. (http://www.youtube.com/watch#!videos=atN3Ko8Ni3Mv=EUzr-48JIwM) The Chorus in this video, with no doubts, calls the attention of the viewers and carries a very important part of the video. It symbolizes the people of Thebes and acts as a guide, directing our attention to the truth about what is going on. In addition, it acts as the voice of reason, when Oedipus does not. After each part, the chorus has a task which is to clarify and guide the audience to what is happening with more details, explanations and sometimes mediators. For example when Tiresias reveals Oedipus fate to the Chorus, the chorus remains inert: But that a mortal seer knows more than I know-where Hath this been proven? Or how without sign assured, can I blame Him who saved our State when the winged songstress came, Tested and tried in the light of us all, like gold assayed? How can I now assent when a crime is on Oedipus laid? (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31/31-h/31-h.htm / (Ant. 2) after last words of Teiresias) Most of the Greek plays written were done in very different society than the one we live in today and most of the time it was presented to one entire community in which were used to seeing and experiencing this kind of activity at that time. This is one of the main challenges in which directors face today to produce a film. The directors have to work not only with the spectacular mythical traditions of the play but they have to somehow combine the old tactics into a modern way to draw the attention of viewers. (http://wogone.com/iq/Sophocles_Oedipus_Rex_in_Modern_Film.pdf) One of the differences between literature and the films are the interpretations. Most of the audiences today grown without the recognition of ancient literature and begin their journeys focusing directly to films. After learning that about the particular film they have watched was made from a play or a book, the viewers can become more interested to the subject and most of the times they find themselves reading the scripts. In a dissertation undertaken as part of the requirements for the degree of B.A. joint honors in Classical Literature, Civilization and Russian Studies called Sophocles Oedipus Rex in Modern Film using the film done by Pier Pasolini, an Italian poet, intellectual, film director, writer and creator of Oedipus Rex filmed in the summer of 1967, N. Woodbridge from the University of Birmingham wrote: Another major choice facing the director is whether to produce modern tragedy in the medium of the theatre or of film. Theatre is often considered more conducive to Greek tragedy as it was the original medium used. Film can be thought to be incompatible with Greek tragedy as there are obvious difficulties in transferring plays which have existed for 2500 years into a medium that has only existed in the last century. (http://wogone.com/iq/Sophocles_Oedipus_Rex_in_Modern_Film.pdf / line 31) In this work Pasolini had a true vision based on the original work of Sophocles. The movie adaptation is considered by many to be a frustrating and boring film while others classify as a beautiful work. Many also felt that the double period of time was a bit confusing, modern at the beginning and end of the film and basically ancient in the middle. However, Pasolini used a chronological order showing the full circle of his work. In addition, his work was very close to the original work of Sophocles, it shows that the life of Oedipus was predetermined and governed by his fate. The dedication and talent of Pasolini and his production team were the main input responsible for the perfect adaptation of this famous tragedy into film version. The tragedy of Oedipus, whether written or in film, shows the values given by the Greek tradition. Reading or watching people somehow sympathize with Oedipus, crying to his tragic fate and at the same time purifying the emotions of the readers and viewers. The tragic error of Oedipus was his pride and arrogance to his indestructibility. People also can feel suspense and fear because the reader knows what will happen to Oedipus in the end. The perfect demonstration of how life can change and show a person cannot, in any way, diverts its fate. Sophocles used a combination of special intelligence and creativity by mixing mythology and tragedy into this perfect play. Without a doubt, all tragedies created by Sophocles are considered exceptional for its quality of work and its power, bringing more attention into our new generation.

Nelson Mandela Essay -- essays research papers fc

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African resistance leader who received a life sentence on Robben Island for opposing apartheid. Nelson Mandela personified struggle throughout his life. He is still leading the fight against apartheid after spending nearly three decades of his life behind bars. He has sacrificed his private life and his youth for his people, and remains South Africa's best known and loved hero. Nelson Mandela was born in a village near Umtata in the Transkei on July 18, 1918. His father was the principal councilor to the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland. After his fathers death, the young Rolihlahla became the Paramount Chiefs ward to be groomed to assume high office. However, influenced by the cases that came before the Chief s court, he was determined to become a lawyer. Hearing the elders stories of his ancestors struggles during the wars of resistance gave him dreams of making his own contribution to the freedom struggle of his people (Ngubane). 	After receiving a primary education at a local mission school, Nelson Mandela was sent to Healdtown, a Wesleyan secondary school. He then enrolled at the University College of Fort Hare for the Bachelor of Arts Degree where he was elected onto the Student's Representative Council. He was suspended from college for joining in a protest boycott. He went to Johannesburg where he entered politics by joining the African National Congress in 1942 (Woods). 	At the height of the Second World War, members of the African National Congress set themselves the task of transforming ANC into a mass movement. In September of 1944 they came together to form the African National Congress Youth League. Mandela soon impressed his peers by his disciplined work and consistent effort and was elected to the Secretaryship of the Youth League in 1947 (Ngubane). 	By painstaking work, the ANCYL was able to get support for its policies amongst the ANC members. At the 1945 annual conference of the ANC, two of the leagues leaders, Anton Lembede and Ashby Mda, were elected onto the National Executive Committee. Two years later another Youth League leader, Oliver R. Tambo became a member of the NEC (Ngubane). 	The victory of the National Party which won the 1948 all-white elections on the platform of Apartheid, inspired ANCYL to create the Programme of Action. The Programme of ... ...onference of the ANC held inside South Africa after being banned for decades, Nelson Mandela was elected President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the organization's National Chairperson (Ngubane). 	Mandela accepted the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of all South Africans who suffered and sacrificed so much to bring peace to their land. He was inaugurated as State President of South Africa on May 10, 1994. 	Nelson Mandela's life symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit over man's inhumanity to man. His struggle throughout life to do away with racism exemplifies his courage and heroics. South Africa is very fortunate to have a leader of that character. Without Mandela, blacks would still be opposed and would not have equal opportunities. They would not have a proper education or have any basic human rights.   Bibliography   "Apartheid." World Book Encyclopedia. 1988 ed., vol. 1, pp. 563.   Ngubane, Jordan. "Mandela." McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography. 1987 ed., vol. 7, pp. 132-133.   Woods, Donald. Biko. New York: Paddington Press LTD, 1978.

Panera Bread Company Essay

SWOT Matrix Stakeholder Matrix Financial Ratios Financial Trend Graphs Responses to Questions Not Answered in the Presentation Business Strategy Functional Area Strategies Assessment of Panera Bread Company? s Strategic Performance Resources Value Chain Assessment of Panera Bread Company? s Financial Performance and Capabilities Strategic Issues Panera Bread Company Faces Management? s Values Organizational Culture Executive Summary: Our consulting team completed an analysis of Panera Bread Company mainly focusing on the opportunities and threats within the industry, Panera? competitive capabilities, and the company? s strengths and weaknesses. The following recommendations contain the opportunity or threat within the industry, the strength or weakness that allows Panera to pursue or defend against the critical issues and the tools needed to take immediate action. We recommend that Panera Bread Company: 1. Open cafes in untapped markets, and focus on utilizing franchising to achieve the desired 1:160,000 cafe: person ratio by 2010. We found that the restaurant industry life cycle is still in growth. This growth coupled with Panera? strong franchising capability offers a significant opportunity for Panera to pursue. To achieve this Panera must first use the current site selection and market analysis processes to chose ideal locations for new cafes in untapped markets. Panera should also utilize this process to assess the logistics necessary to support the potential locations. Next, Panera needs to utilize the established, stringent franchisee selection criteria to identify candidates that are a good fit, and then work with the selected franchisees using the existing franchise assistance programs to educate and train franchisees in Panera? unique brand, vision and culture. Once Panera sets up franchising systems in new markets, the company should measure success by whether or not the 1 cafe per 160,000 people per location by 2010. Panera also must assess the new franchisees based on the historical areas of success. 2. Bolster the current promotional strategy to a more aggressive soft-sell promotional strategy while still utilizing word-of-mouth tactics to increase first-time customer traffic. We found that customers are prone to give newly opened eating establishments a trial. Panera has underutilized potential in its promotional strategy to allow customers to know of newly opened cafes. Panera can pursue the opportunity within the industry if it strengthens the current promotional strategy to promote awareness. This helps Panera promote brand awareness to become a dominant leader in the bakery-cafe industry. To do this, the company must begin expanding to untapped and lowpenetrated markets where customers will not know much about the company. The company must then increase excitement about these new cafes before opening by using guerilla marketing. An example of this is hiring plain-clothed personnel to circulate future and current development sites and engage potential consumers by drumming up interest in cafe openings. The next implementation step is to distribute coded coupons with a two-week expiration period, and an additional coupon to be given to a friend. Success can be measured by tracking new customer foot traffic in the specific cafes and the new cafe? s sales volume in the first six months. 3. Implement the â€Å"Oven Fresh, To Go† program that will increase customers switching costs and reward buyer loyalty through progressive discounts based on levels of return patronage. Our analysis revealed that the restaurant industry is threatened by low switching costs and low customer loyalty. Our analysis revealed that Panera had strengths in buyer loyalty. Panera should first begin steps one month prior to the start of this service using signage and promotion. Next Panera should print menus that displaying the oven fresh option and distribute them at the point of sale. Panera should cross train employees on the oven fresh operational procedures of taking orders and bringing orders to customer? cars. Next Panera should purchase or lease 2 to 3 parking spots per location in close proximity to the door with signs for designated parking. Last Panera should place a pre-paid post card with survey questions inside to-go packaging and place customer loyalty punch card in packaging that rewards returning loyal customers. Panera should track the discounts given by customers. Because of the progressive nature of the discounts, Panera can identify its most loyal clientel e based on the level of the discount rate. 4. Broaden the product scope and service offering to include a wider array of light entrees, dinner fare, and beer and wine available after 4:30 at select locations nationwide. The new offerings will be paired with community events such as wine-tastings and fundraisers to bolster the perceived dinner atmosphere. Our analysis of the restaurant industry led us to determine that there were a large number of buyers available to firms providing an opportunity for increased market share. Our analysis of the competitive capabilities showed that Panera had an internal strength in research and development. Panera needs to utilize the extensive research and development skills to determine ideal menu offerings, portions, price, and locations suitable for beer and wine. The new product offerings will be introduced to a limited number of stores to determine customer response and verify the scalability to ensure quality. The successful food and alcohol items will be introduced to pre-determined ideal locations along with marketing and training support. The final implementation step will be a market survey question at the point-ofsales system that will determine the number of new dinner customers. The ultimate goal of this recommendation is to increase market share for Panera. Macro-Environment: The United States saw 3. 0% growth in the overall economy for the year 2006. Additionally, real disposable income increased by 2. 1% from the third quarter of 2005 until the end of 2006. The unemployment rate continued on a downward trend from a high of 6. 0% in 2003. Unemployment was 4. 65% in 2006. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer expenditures were $48,398 and $2,794 was spent on food away from home per household. Because there was overall economic growth, consumer expenditures ere high, and unemployment was on a downward trend, the economy at large was in a healthy state. When economic conditions were perceived as good, consumers were more willing to spend excess income, as opposed to saving or investing. Therefore, consumers were more likely to spend money on eating out for various meals; this was an opportunity for the restaurant industry. The legal, regulator y and political environment was relatively stable in 2006. Because there was a stable regulatory and political environment, business owners were able to operate at a more functional level. Companies were not worried about significant changes to regulations which hinder business growth. Therefore, this stable environment was an opportunity for the industry. The population demographics for the U. S. consumer in 2006 were as follows. The population was 49. 27% male and 50. 37% female; the median age was 36. 4. About 15. 07% of the population was over 62 years old. The median income was $46,326 for a single earner household and $67,348 for a dual earner household. Of the total 299,398,484 consumers, 36. 43% lived in the South Region, 18. 8% in the Northeast Region, 22. 12% in the Midwest Region and 23. 16% lived in the West Region. In the U. S. 31. 7% of persons over the age of 25 were a high school graduate; 18. 3% held a Bachelor? s degree, and 9. 7% held an advanced degree. Because of the large number of variables and the diversity of the U. S. population across all descriptors, the restaurants industry? s target market was large and the individual buyers were small and numerous. This caused decreased competition over potential buyers, and therefore was an opportunity in the restaurant industry. There were two significant societal trends that emerged among restaurant industry stakeholders in 2006. First, the issues surrounding trans-fats in restaurants were coming to a head after a 2003 court case. Consumers called for a ban on trans-fats in restaurant food in many different states. Since this made restaurants appear to be the culprit, it decreased customer satisfaction with local restaurant establishments. This decrease was a treat to the industry. Second, the baby boomer generation was aging, and the children of the baby boomers were moving out. This increased the number of empty nesters in the U. S. With no children at home and both husband and wife working, the couple was less likely to arrive home and feel the need to cook dinner. This phenomenon led to more dinner outings and consumers looking for an establishment to eat a quick and quality meal. Because this increased the numbers of consumers looking to dine out, the aging baby boomer population increased the number of meal occasions and therefore was an opportunity for the industry. Industry Analysis: i. Industry Drivers: The market size of the industry was quite large. Commercial eating places accounted for about $345 billion†¦ The U. S. restaurant industry †¦ served about 70 billion meals and snack occasions, and was growing about 5 % annually. † Based on unit sales of $345 billion, sales volume of 70 billion and a growth rate of 5 % annually, we conclude that the market size of the restaurant industry was quite large and growing. Because when the mar ket size of the competing industry was growing, rivalry among competitors decreased, we conclude that decreased rivalry was a threat for the restaurant industry. The scope of the competitive rivalry was broad. Restaurant chains competed on regional, national and global levels. The product scope was also broad. The industry served breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack covering many ethnic tastes. Because geographic and product scope were wide, industry members competed in many geographic areas and over a wide array of product lines. Because competition was increased, we conclude that the scope of competitive rivalry was a threat for the industry. Market growth rate and position in the business cycle was in the growth stage. The U. S. restaurant industry†¦ served about 70 billion meals and snack occasions, and was growing about 5 % annually. † Because the industry was growing at a rate of 5 % annually we conclude that the industry was still in the growth stage. Because no indication was given that growth rate was declining, we conclude that the rate was not increasing at a decreased rate and therefore not approaching maturity. Because e xpanding buyer demand produced enough new business for all industry members to grow without using volume-boosting sales tactics to draw customers away rom rival enterprises, rivalry in the industry was decreased when the life cycle was in growth. Because rivalry decreased when the industry was in growth, we conclude that the growth rate was an opportunity for the industry. The number of buyers and their relative size in 2006 were as follows. â€Å"On a typical day, about 130 million U. S. consumers were food service patrons at an eating establishment – sales at commercial eating places averaged close to $1 billion daily. † Since 130 million consumers spent $1 billion daily, we conclude that on average, each consumer spent $7. 9 per day. Based on our analysis, we conclude that the number of buyers was large and their relative size was small. Because buyers have more power when they are large and few in number, we conclude that many small buyers was an opportunity for th e industry. The pace of technological innovation in product introduction was fast. â€Å"Most restaurants were quick to adapt their menu offerings to changing consumer tastes and eating preferences, frequently featuring heart-healthy, vegetarian, organic, low-calorie, and/or low-carb items on their menus. It was the norm at many restaurants to rotate some menu selections seasonally and to periodically introduce creative dishes in an effort to keep regular patrons coming back, attract more patrons, and remain competitive. † The constant change in consumer tastes and habits and the rate at which most competitors stayed on top of the changes made product competition very fierce. To stay competitive, establishments needed similar commitment to constant revision of menu items. We conclude that the fast pace of innovation in product introduction was a threat for the industry. Product differentiation in the industry was common. Industry members pursued differentiation strategies of one variety or another, seeking to set themselves apart from rivals via pricing, food quality, menu theme, signature menu selections, dining ambiance and atmosphere, service, convenience, and location. † Despite attempts to differentiate products, the restaurant industry operated in a pure competition environment where switching costs were low and there were many competitors. Because the industry products by nature were weakly differentiated, we conclude that the extent to which rivals differentiate their products was a threat to the industry. The learning and experience curve for the restaurant industry was low. â€Å"Just over 7 out of 10 eating and drinking places in the United States were independent single-unit establishments with fewer than 20 employees. † Because 70 % of competitors were restaurants who could open and close at any time, new entrants did not need large corporate backing and were free to open anywhere. The ability of so many small competitors to enter and compete in the industry indicated a steep learning curve. The steep learning curve and low capital requirement was threat to the industry because of the ease of rivals to enter the industry. i. Five Forces: Our analysis revealed that there were about 624,511 commercial eating locations in the industry. Because rivalry intensifies as the numbers of competitors increase and as competitors become more equal in size and competitive strength, we conclude that the high number of competitors was a threat for the industry. Based on industry sales of $ 345 billion, the leading competitor Starbucks had less than two percent of the market share. This fact coupled with the above mentioned 70% single unit establishments characterized the industry as having many competitors with very small market share. Because rivalry tends to be stronger when competitors are numerous or are of roughly equal size and in competitive strength, we conclude that the small relative size based on market share was a threat for the industry. Switching costs and buyer loyalty were low for the industry. â€Å"Consumers (especially those who ate out often) were prone to give newly opened eating establishments a trial†¦loyalty to existing restaurants was low when consumers perceived there were better dining alternatives. Because low switching costs and low buyer loyalty increase rivalry among competitors, we conclude that low switching costs and buyer loyalty were a threat to the industry. It was not more costly to exit the industry than continue to participate. â€Å"Many restaurants had fairly short lives. † Based on our previous analysis of market share, we determined competitors were small in size and can enter and exit with little capital requirements. Assets were sold easily and the workers in the industry were not entitled to significant job protection. Because rivals had low barriers to exit they did not resort to deep discounts to remain in business. Continuous new entrants increased rivalry. We conclude that the ease of entry was a threat and ease of exit was an opportunity for the industry. The industry’s products were discretionary purchases. â€Å"The average U. S. consumer ate 76% of meals at home. † The fact that consumers could eat at home for less characterized the discretionary nature of the eating out option. Because discretionary spending was not necessary and represent consumers? first costs to cut in economic difficulty, we conclude that the discretionary nature of the purchase was a threat to the industry. iii. Changes to the Industry Structure and Competitive Environment: As of 2006, the restaurant industry was growing by 5% a year. Due to this growth rate there was room for more firms to enter the industry. This changed the industry structure in the coming years by introducing more competitors. However, since the market was not saturated, firms entering were in a business environment that allowed them to obtain new market share. Since the long-term growth rate was increasing there was an opportunity for new firms to gain the growing market share. The average U. S. consumer ate 76% of their meals at home. The average person in 2004 had $974 of income to spend on food purchases away from home. Customers were less likely to be loyal to a restaurant if they perceived a better option available to them. Patrons also used restaurants for more than just eating. Restaurants served as places where people could catch up on work, meet friends, and read the paper. The fact that majority of meals were eaten in the home and that restaurant spending was discretionary, coupled with the fickle and specific nature of the customer created strong competition among rivals, and resulted in a threat to firms. Marketing innovation in product and promotion was especially strong in the restaurant industry. Firms constantly updated their menus to accommodate new trends such as low calorie, organic, vegetarian, and heart healthy foods. Restaurants also utilized Wi-Fi and large television screens in order to enhance the experience for customers. Happy hours and other events served as promotion to attract new customers. The constant marketing pressures created complex rivalries between firms and resulted in an altered industry structure. The industry structure resulted in a business environment where firms diligently adapted and changed with updated marketing mixes. This constant change was a threat within the industry. Entry into the restaurant industry was marked by just over 7 of 10 eating and drinking places being independent, single-unit establishments with fewer than 20 employees. Exit from the industry was frequent and often firms were limited to short lives. The easy entry and exit of firms to and from the industry created a business environment that was fiercely competitive. The ease of new rivals entering and the large failure rate was a threat for firms within the industry. iv. Existing Rivals Competitive Capabilities Analysis: The case did not provide specific information about rivals? resources and strategic goals to formulate conclusive competitive capabilities. v. Key Success Factors: The key success factors in the restaurant industry were dictated by what consumers deemed necessary attributes to have and what allowed the business to profit. Consumers did not dine at particular places that did not possess these qualities because they lost value in their purchase. Also, there were many substitutes that offered the key factors to patrons instead. The particular key success factors related to the restaurant industry were: low-cost production efficiency, customer service, breadth of product line and selection, ability to respond quickly to shifting market conditions, overall consumer experience, image and reputation, and high consumer volume. The first key success factor was low-cost production efficiency, which was crucial in lowering prices for the consumer. When a restaurant could not keep costs low, the high costs were passed through to the consumer with a higher price. If customers did not believe the value in what they were buying was worth that high price, they did not pay for it. Since there were many competitors in the restaurant industry, the consumer shopped around for similar food at a lower price. Restaurants needed to keep these costs low to stay competitive and not risk bankruptcy. Customer service was another key success factor because it added value to the meal. The consumer was not just purchasing food; they were paying for the entire experience. A component of this was having pleasant employees in all customer contact positions. Good customer service skills that made the customer feel comfortable in the restaurant helped to keep customers coming back. When a waitress went above and beyond her normal duties to please a customer, the patron was likely to return because of the great experience offered. Exceeding customer expectations was crucial in attracting loyal customers who returned to the establishment. Another factor for success was having a wide breadth of product line and selection. Restaurants needed to offer many different kinds of dishes to attract a broad group of buyers. Some examples were serving chicken, beef, seafood, and vegetarian. If there were ten dishes or so within each of those categories, the restaurant was offering a large selection and a customer could find a meal they craved. Offering various types of dishes helped widen the breadth of what was offered, such as: breakfast, lunch, dinner, soups, salads, pasta, and sides. There were also various styles of food offered such as Mexican, bland, Cajun, Irish, Italian, Mediterranean, and more. Such a broad selection ensured that customers found what they were looking for. If the consumer saw multiple meals he or she as interested in, he or she returned. The fourth key success factor within the restaurant industry was the ability to respond quickly to shifting market conditions. Customers were constantly changing what they wanted, and restaurants needed to keep up with those changes. If a restaurant had an inability to change its menu, it could not compete with its rivals. Recently, consumers changed their needs to heart healthy, vegetarian, organic, low calorie, and low-carb. This also took into consideration seasonal changes. Soups became more prevalent in the winter than the summer. Certain seasonal soups like pumpkin, squash, and others were craved around the holidays, but not as much during other times in the year. Desserts and specialty beverages followed similar patterns. Restaurants needed to change their menus to satisfy customers? cravings and remain competitive within the industry. Having a good overall consumer experience was extremely important in the restaurant industry. This was crucial in building a loyal clientele that could promote the business through word-of-mouth tactics and regularly dined at the establishment. The overall experience took into consideration more than just food and customer service because it encompassed the entire value perceived by the consumer. This included price, food quality, quality of service, ambience and atmosphere, and having a variety of offerings. Without that great experience, a customer would not return and they could verbally damage the restaurant? s reputation when they told friends about their poor experience. This factor was important to build loyal customers and increase brand awareness. Image and reputation was another key success factor because this was what attracted customers to the establishment. This also created word-of-mouth advertising for a restaurant. When something happened to tarnish a restaurant? s reputation, patrons no longer dined there, which led the company to go out of business. Image and reputation was how consumers perceived the company, which could add value for the customer when it was extremely good. Another key success factor was having high consumer volume. No matter what type of eating establishment, having high customer foot traffic was essential for success. This increased brand recognition, word-of-mouth advertising, and sales. This factor was essential to success in the industry, without it, a restaurant was unable to grow, or even survive. These seven key success factors dictated the industry and how restaurants needed perform in order to remain competitive in the industry. The restaurant industry was purely competitive and extremely risky due to the large number of rivals. The seven factors were areas to focus on because that was what consumers deemed important. Critical Issues the Industry Faces: Our analysis led us to the following critical issues faced by the restaurant industry. There were many opportunities in the industry for businesses to capitalize on. According to the analysis of the industry drivers, we concluded that the business life cycle was still in growth and there was a capacity shortage in the industry. This was an opportunity for the industry. Based on our analysis of the five forces model, we concluded that there were many buyers in the industry with many choices in selection of products. This was also an opportunity for the industry. Based on our analysis of the industry drivers, five forces model, and the changes to the industry structure, we concluded that there were untapped markets and consumers were prone to give newly opened eating establishments a trial. Based on our analysis of the changes to the industry structure and the competitive environment and the five forces model, we concluded there was a threat to the industry in that there was low customer switching costs and low customer loyalty. Panera Bread Company’s Competitive Capabilities: i. Business Strategy: Panera Bread Company? s strategic intent was â€Å"to make Panera Bread a nationally recognized brand name and to be the dominant restaurant operator in the specialty bakery-cafe segment. † Panera intended to achieve this by â€Å"being better than the guy across the street† and implementing a successful business model. Panera? s business model satisfyed customers? needs through providing quality food in a casual setting that continued to bring customers in for the ambiance as well as the food. Panera achieved sufficient profits to cover the costs of providing this value to the customers by selling food in the cafes and by collecting franchising fees and a percentage of franchisee sales. Management intended to grow the number of Panera Bread locations by 17% annually and expand further into suburban markets. Panera focused on achieving a 1 cafe per 160,000 people per location ratio by 2010 through effective use of franchising. Panera intended to build a loyal clientele by employing a superior business model and offering artisan breads as a base of a high quality menu that changed to reflect evolving consumer tastes. The prevailing market in which Panera operated experienced 5% growth in 2006. Thus Panera? s strategy of growth was in sync with market conditions. Furthermore, by focusing on building a loyal clientele through quality breads and a menu that suits customers tastes, Panera tailored the strategy to strengths the company already possessed. Panera? ability to create well crafted, predictive strategies and adapt well to changing conditions with reactive strategies indicated that Panera? s strategy was a dynamic fit to the company and market. Therefore, Panera? s strategy was a good fit for the company. Operating in an almost pure competition environment, Panera faced threats from low cost and differentiated products. Panera employed a best cost provider strategy to take advantage of the large amount of value-conscious buyers who want a good meal and pleasant dining experience at an affordable price. Taking a position as best cost provider, in conjunction with a commitment to â€Å"providing crave-able food that people trust, served in a warm, community gathering place by associates who make guests feel comfortable† helped Panera achieve a strong strategy, but the competitive nature of the industry does not permit the strength of Panera? s strategy to become a competitive advantage. Panera had 0. 5409% market share of the $345 billion annual sales in the restaurant industry. Though Panera was not a dominant operator, this was a relatively big market share, given the nurture of the industry. The company? s profits and number of locations grew from 2002 to 2006. Panera? s strategy led to a strong financial position and a sizable market share. Because Panera? s strategy was a good fit for the company, was strong in the competitive industry, and was financially successful, we concluded that Panera? s strategy was working very well and gave the company a competitive position in the industry. Therefore we feel Panera? s overall strategy, as well as its strategy to grow the business and build a loyal clientele was a strength. ii. Functional Area Strategies: Panera? s marketing strategy contained three distinct initiatives. The first aimed to raise the quality of awareness about Panera by focusing on quality crave-able food the consumer can trust, and by enhancing the appeal of its bakery-cafes as gathering places. The second initiative focused on boosting awareness and trials of Panera at multiple meal times. The third initiative was to increase consumers? perception of Panera as a dinner option. Throughout the entire marketing strategy Panera avoided hard-sell, in-your-face advertising. Panera preferred consumers â€Å"gently collide† with and discover the brand. As Panera performed well financially in past years, this marketing strategy was successful. However our analysis led us to conclude there was an untapped potential in the soft-sell marketing technique. This was a weakness that Panera must bolster to pursue industry opportunities. Panera? s production and distribution strategy was to use economies of scale and centralize operations for the dough making process. There were 17 regional fresh dough facilities to service the 1,027 Panera bakery-cafe locations. By controlling the process at central locations Panera was able to ensure consistent quality and dough making efficiency. Panera? s production strategy supports the overall strategic intent of being better than the guy across the street and ensures quality to keep customers coming back. Because Panera? s production strategy supported the company? s overarching strategic goals, we concluded that the strategy was working well and was a strength for Panera. Panera had a unique franchise system. Each franchise license was for a multi unit deal, usually for 15 bakery-cafes to be opened over six years. Panera only granted licenses to applicants who met stringent criteria. These criteria included a net worth of $7. 5 million or more, access to resources that would allow for the expansion of 15 locations, real estate and multi unit restaurant operator experience and commitment to Panera? s brand, culture and passion. Historically, Panera? s ambitious franchising model was a success. Franchisees indicated a high level of satisfaction with Panera Bread Company? s concept, support and leadership. Likewise, Panera reported satisfaction with the quality and pace of franchisee openings and the franchisees? perations. Panera committed limited fiscal resources to franchising; the company did not â€Å"finance franchisee construction of area development payment, or hold any equity in any of the franchise-operated bakery-cafes. † Because the franchising model supported the company? s intent to grow to a dominant restaurant operator, we concluded Panera? s franchising system was a streng th. Panera committed to constantly staying in tune with consumers? changing tastes for the base of the research and development strategy. Panera regularly reviewed the menu and revised the options to sustain customer interest. When developing new products, Panera first made the menu items in test kitchens before introducing them in a select few bakery-cafes. Panera used the test kitchens and select rollouts to determine customer response and ensure that the products could be produced in mass quantities and still maintain the high quality standards associated with the Panera brand. The successful products were then introduced in all the chain locations and integrated into menus. Because it helped keep up the Panera standard for quality food that customers craved, the research and development aspect of Panera? s strategy supported the marketing strategy. Furthermore, by ensuring consistently high quality food that consumers depended on, Panera? s extensive research and development supported the company? s strategic goal of becoming a dominant operator in the restaurant industry. iii. Assessment of Panera Bread Company’s Strategic Performance: -Business Strategy Performance The strategic intent of Panera was to become a nationally recognized brand and dominant operator in the specialty bakery-cafe segment. In 2005 Panera Bread was the highest rated for the fourth year in a row among competitors in the Sandleman ; Associates national customer satisfaction survey. Panera had also won â€Å"best of† awards in 36 states and across a range of markets. In addition, â€Å"J. D. Power and Associates? 2004 restaurant satisfaction study of 55,000 customers ranked Panera Bread highest among quick-service restaurants in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States in all categories, which included environment, meal, service, and cost. † Panera created this nationwide renown through the successful implementation of the company? s business model. In 2006 Panera opened 155 company and franchise owned cafes bringing the total units to 1,027 in 36 states. The continued expansion of cafes in new markets showed that Panera was operating successfully within the framework of the intended strategy. However, Panera managed to open only 1 cafe per 330,000 by 2006. So, although Panera had begun the process of increased penetration into markets, the benchmark given of 1 cafe per 160,000 people in 2010 at the time of the case had not been reached. Therefore a complete analysis of the success of the growth strategy was not possible. Panera differentiated the bakery-cafes by implementing several important menu changes that addressed the targeted consumer needs and trends. The addition of â€Å"good carb† breads, antibiotic-free chicken, and an artisan line of sweet goods were employed as part of a differentiation strategy. In 2005-2006 Panera introduced the G2 concept in an attempt to bolster the dining environment, thus providing more value for the customer. There was no data to support or deny the effectiveness of these strategic moves. -Functional Area Strategic Performance Due to fact that the Panera won considerable accolades in consumer satisfaction, we determined that its marketing initiative of developing customer awareness of the quality and trust-worthiness of the company? s food was working. The second initiative of boosting awareness and trial of dining at Panera Bread at multiple meal times had not been shown operationally. Therefore, we were not able to determine the performance of this strategy. The marketing data showed that, â€Å"85 % of consumers who were aware that there was a Panera Bread bakery-cafe in their community or neighborhood had dined at Panera on at least one occasion. † From this data, we concluded that the strategy was sound to pursue and specifically implement. The third initiative of increasing consumers? perception of Panera as a dinner option had not yet been implemented with specific steps. The marketing research showed that 81% of consumers indicated a â€Å"considerable willingness† to try Panera at other meal times which supported following this strategy into the implementation phase. Panera? s production and distribution goal was to ensure lowered costs and quality control with a strategy of centralized locations taking advantage of economies of scale. The quality of the product was evidenced by the many â€Å"best of† awards and other consumer satisfaction accolades. The lowered costs due to economies of scale and the high quality of the products indicate that Panera? production and distribution strategy was successfully implemented and executed. Panera pursued a unique franchising model based on multi-unit, multi-year deals with franchisees who were selected based on stringent criteria. The franchised cafes performed better in return on equity investments and average weekly and annual sales than company-owned cafes and were also equally or slightly m ore profitable. The measured success of the franchisee owned stores showed that the franchising model strategy was performing well. The research and development strategy was to stay in tune with customers? changing tastes. The implementation consisted of regularly reviewing and revising the menus, and the use of test kitchens for exploring new products and determining customer response. In 2003 Panera scored the highest level of customer loyalty among quick-casual restaurants, according to a study conducted by TNS Intersearch. This customer loyalty indicated the success of Panera in anticipating customer needs through the company? s research and development strategy. iv. Resources: Panera had skills and expertise in sight selection and cafe environment. They chose sights and cafe environment by the following method. Based on analysis of this information, including the use of predictive modeling using proprietary software, Panera developed projections of sales and return on investment for candidate sites. † This recourse was difficult but not impossible to copy. The length of time it would last depended on how hard competitors chose to work to develop similar technology. This resource was really c ompetitively superior because no other competitors had it. It could not be trumped by rival? s resources because the same software had to be developed before competitors could use it. Because this resource was hard to copy, competitively superior, potentially long lasting and could not be trumped by rivals? resources, the site selection and cafe environment was a competitive capability. This competitive capability was a strength that gave Panera a competitive advantage. Our analysis revealed that Panera? s advertising and promotion strategy was too weak. They had underutilized promotion potential. Panera? s strategy was to raise the quality of awareness by the â€Å"caliber and appeal of its breads and baked goods, by hammering the theme â€Å"food you crave, food you can trust. Panera also aimed to â€Å"raise awareness and boost trial of dining at Panera Bread at multiple meal times (breakfast, lunch, â€Å"chill out† times, and dinner. )† Panera avoided hard-sell approaches, preferring â€Å"instead to employ a range of ways to softly drop the Panera Bread name into the midst of consumers as they moved through their lives and let them „ge ntly collide? with the brand; the idea was to let consumers „discover? Panera Bread and then convert them into loyal customers by providing a very satisfying dining experience. † This approach was a great concept and successful to an extent, however we conclude that because many of Panera? competitors were using more aggressive promotion, the current strategy was not aggressive enough. â€Å"Management claimed that the company? s fresh- dough-making capability provided a competitive advantage by ensuring consistent quality and dough-making efficiency. † Because this dough making capability allowed Panera to maximize the production capacity, used no preservatives, did not freeze the product and control the quality of the dough by making it themselves, this recourse was hard to copy. How long it would last depended on strengthening competitor capabilities and their interest in the dough making market. Based on the first two tests, we conclude that this capability was really competitively superior and could not be trumped by rivals? capabilities and therefore a competitive advantage. Panera? s franchise system used superior intellectual capital with the use experienced and capable workforce. The success of the franchise system was an example of proven managerial know-how. The site selection software granted the franchises cutting-edge knowledge in technology to choose locations and cafe environments. The stringent franchisee requirements employed only the most dedicated, well capitalized and capable franchisees as managers. The franchise system was hard to copy because of the stringent requirements for the franchisees, managerial know-how and the proprietary site selection software. Site selection system would tend to last because of how difficult it was to copy and could not be trumped by rivals because it was so rare, and was characterized by a gradual learning curve. This analysis led us to the conclusion that Panera? s franchise system was a distinct competitive capability and therefore gave Panera a competitive advantage. The product research and development program was also an example of Panera? superior intellectual capital. â€Å"Product development was focused on providing food that customers would crave and trust to be tasty. New menu items were developed in test kitchens and then introduced in a limited number of the bakery-cafes to determine customer response and verify that preparation and operating procedures resulted in product consistency and high quality standards. If successful, they were then rolled out system wide. † The research and development system was hard to copy because of the gradual learning curve and constant need for revision. Because every competitor was also engaged in tactics to improve product development, we conclude that this intellectual capital was only hard to copy in Panera? s specific product line. Because it was not generally hard to copy we do not conclude that it was competitively superior. Based on our analysis, we conclude that Panera? s product research and development was a resource capability and therefore strength, but it was not a competitive advantage because many competitors have the same resources. Panera? s financial position was an important resource. Panera had a low debt to equity ratio. In 1998 this strategy began with the sale of Au Bon Pain for 73 million in cash. This strategy was well served by the franchise system. â€Å"Panera did not finance franchisee construction or area development agreement payments or hold an equity interest in any of the franchise- operated bakery-cafes. † The franchise system allowed Panera to keep long term levels debt low. This allowed Panera to use cash reserves and or take on long term debt at lower costs when capital was necessary to seize opportunities. Panera? s financial position was a resource capability because it was hard to copy. The resource tended to last long because the franchise system kept debt low. It was not really competitively superior because other competitors could have had similar financial positions. Because this capability was hard to copy but it was not competitively superior, we conclude that it was a capability and there for strength, but not a competitive advantage because others may have a similar financial position. v. Value Chain: -Inbound Logistics The case does not provide enough information to comment on the inbound logistics that Panera has with suppliers. However, each franchisee purchased dough directly from Panera Bread. Panera had an interest in each of the franchised stores succeeding because the company received 4%-5% royalties from sales continually. This meant Panera as the supplier had an interest to keep prices of dough as low as possible to maintain viable franchise operations. -Operations Panera provided and required comprehensive front and back of house training, market analysis, and bakery-cafe certification. This corporate level tactic impacted the company? franchised and company owned stores by enabling Panera to develop systems used by all the cafes thus applying economies of scale to operations. Since each cafe-bakery did not have to develop its own operations structure this reduced costs for each store. In addition, the methods Panera introduced to each store had proven historically successful, thus increased the learning curve for a new cafe and lowered costs. Panera had a policy to not finance new franchisees, area development payment agreements, or hold any equity in the new cafes. This operational model resulted in minimal long-term debt and low capital intensity to expand the Panera brand. All the cafes offered an assortment of 20-plus varieties of bread baked daily and as of 2006 at least 22 types of sandwiches. Each of these breads and sandwiches were regularly reviewed to determine whether the products matched regular customer needs, new consumer trends, and seasonal relevance. The complexity of the product line enabled Panera to match menu items with a variety of customer needs. This process ensured that weak selling items would be removed limited excess inventory. Outbound logistics Each franchisee purchased dough directly from Panera Bread. Each dough making facility was able to produce dough for six bakeries. The fresh dough was sold to both companyowned and franchised bakery-cafes at a delivered cost not to exceed 27% of the retail value of the product. These costs margins were achieved by producing the dough at central locations employing economies o f scale. -Sales and Marketing Panera used focus groups to determine customer food and drink preferences, and price points. This work was done by only a few individuals at the corporate level and scaled to the rest of the cafes. The existing company and franchise owned cafes would be able to take advantage of this market information and reduce costs associated with sales and marketing information. The franchising model Panera used required the franchisee to pay 0. 7% of total sales to a national advertising fund and 0. 4 % of total sales as a marketing administration fee. Franchisees were also required to spend 2. 0 % of total sales on advertising in local markets. Panera contributed similar amounts of capital from the company owned stores. Requiring the franchise owned cafes to pay a significant portion of marketing costs allowed Panera Bread to lower the company? s capital contribution. -Research and Development New menu items were rolled out in limited cafes and developed in test kitchens prior to nationwide release. This process addressed two cost drivers. First, by employing economies of scale individual cafes will not have to spend resources and capital investing in the development of new menu items. Second, through the expertise of the advanced research and development department Panera ensured both quality of product and process. This resulted in less product waste and increased customer satisfaction and in turn lowered costs. -Integrated Value Chain Effect Panera Bread utilized both structural and executional cost drivers to lower costs on the value chain particularly in inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, and research and development. The cost reduction across the value chain gave Panera a strong capability. vi. Assessment of Panera Bread Company’s Financial Performance and Capabilities: Panera Bread Company showed growth in its profitability from 2002 to 2006, but there were no industry standards presented to compare the numbers in relation to the industry and individual competitors. Panera Bread Company stated a desired growth rate of 17% each year, and the sustainable growth rates from 2003 to 2006 were all above this desired rate (See Financial Ratios Section), but the internal growth rates were slightly lower for these years (See Financial Ratios Sections). For the most part, Panera Bread Company showed consistent results for the profitability financial ratios calculated. Therefore the company maintained management? s objectives and values each year. Panera? s ability to maintain cash reserves allowed the company to expand and open new cafes while maintaining management? s goal of not taking on large amounts of long-term debt. Panera Bread Company showed increased revenues as the number of cafes increased, which shows company growth (See Financial Trend Graphs Section). Also, Panera? current ratio was 1. 16 in 2006, which shows the company was able to satisfy all current obligations from operating activities without the need for long-term financing. Since Panera strives to decrease long-term debt, the cash reserves could be used for expansion without the need to restrict assets for future obligations. The company presented low total debt and debt-toequity ratios which allowed the company to avoid overleveraging itself. This also left so me capacity for the company to take on long-term debt if deemed necessary during expansion. The company created a strong financial position for itself by having available cash reserves and diminishing the amount of long-term debt assumed. This created an opportunity for expansion. vii. Strategic Issues Panera Bread Company Faces: The strategic issues that Panera faced were as follows. Our first strategic issue was Panera? s potential to use its internal franchising capabilities to take advantage of the fact that the industry life cycle remained in its growth phase. The second strategic issue Panera faced was how to alter its existing promotion strategy in untapped markets in order to take advantage of the opportunity presented by customer? s willingness to try new restaurants. The third strategic issue was how Panera could use its internal capability to build loyal clientele to defend against the threat of low switching costs and low customer loyalty. The final strategic issue was how Panera could use its internal capability of advanced research and development skills to take advantage of the large number of buyers within the industry. iii. Management’s Values: Management valued the enthusiasm Panera Bread cafes showed for the quality and value of the products offered. The main example was in the company? s dough making capabilities. Panera believed that actions spoke louder than words, so the company needed to show the high quality of its food to the customers. Management believed that the â€Å"attractive menu and the dining ambience of its bakery-cafes provided significant growth opportunity, despite the fiercely competitive nature of the restaurant industry†. Management strived to become the dominant operator within the bakery-cafe segment as well as a leader in the specialty bread segment while making its brand name nationally recognized. Another key value within Panera? s management was maintaining a debt-free balance sheet. The ability to uphold this value came from the company? s franchising model because the franchisees financed the majority of the cafe building expenses. Management stressed the quality of the food and service offered and knew that all other goals, such as expansion, recognition, and holding a higher market share, would simply fall into place as a result. x. Organizational Culture: Panera Bread Company? s organizational culture began with the overall company and the dough-making facilities and spread out to the bakery cafes, whether company owned or franchised. Panera Bread Company was centered on its dough-making capabilities. The company guaranteed freshness and high quality in each dough it created. The dough was then passed to the cafes, where it was baked fresh and delivered to the customer. The quality controls within the company were maintained through the entire process to ensure that the customer would be pleased with his purchase. Quality was the basis for success, and quality was what the company relied on to generate loyal customers. Franchising was also a crucial aspect to Panera? s organizational culture because cafes were where the majority of customer contact occurred, and it was the basis for some of management? s values. Panera? s franchising model was extremely stringent, so only certain individuals were able to have cafes. There were eight criteria that had to be met in order to be considered, and a passion for fresh bread was one of them. Panera ensured that each franchisee had the capital and prior knowledge necessary to succeed. The stringent criteria and Panera? s site selection technology provided a strong basis for cafe success, which in turn led to a strong and satisfying organizational culture. Although Panera did not own the franchised cafes, the company dictated where supplies could be obtained to ensure quality. Panera also trained the franchisees so they could operate on their own successfully, but turn to the company for guidance when necessary. The open environment was helpful without it being too overbearing. The strength in the organizational culture was a contributing factor to Panera? success and continued growth. Appendices i. ii. iii. iv. v. SWOT Matrix Stakeholder Matrix Financial Ratios (See attached Excel file) Financial Trend Graphs Responses to Questions Not Answered in the Presentation i. SWOT Matrix STRENGTHS: -Strong and attainable growth strategy -Ability to build a loyal clientele -The business model -Franchising system ; site selection and proprietary software -Research and Develo pment ; Product Innovation -Financial position – lack of long term debt -81% of frequent and moderately frequent customers indicated a willingness to try Panera for multiple meal times WEAKNESSES: -Under utilized potential in promotion strategy -Frequent diners only come at one meal time per day -Only located regionally OPPORTUNITIES: -The industry life cycle is still in growth -Low cost substitutes viewed as lower quality ; value -Large number of small buyers in the industry (Lack of buyer bargaining power) -Buyers are characterized as likely to give new restaurants a try THREATS: -Low switching costs/low customer loyalty -Product is a discretionary purchase -Substitutes are convenient and lower priced -Wide breadth of competitive rivalry -Steep learning curve ii. Stakeholder Matrix Stakeholders Companies, Groups, And Individuals Type/Nature of the Relationship/ What We Do For Each of Them -A chain of cafes perceived as a neighborhood bakerycafe which can be found in various locations around the U. S. and quality is consistent in all locations Needs How We Satisfy Those Needs Customers -U. S. Consumers -A quality food option which is perceived as a good value -A pleasant dining experience with good service and a warm ambiance -By providing quality food in a casual setting that continued to bring customers in for the ambiance and the food -Creating food consumers crave and can trust at all locations Competitors -Independent single-unit establishments with fewer than 20 employees -Competed on a local level, as Panera desired to be seen as the local, neighborhood cafe and gathering place -Fast-casual restaurants -Competed on inviting dining environment, quality of food and enticing menus -Commercial eating institutions -Competed on price, service, ambiance, overall experience and convenience -Provide a successful franchising model to be pursued by highly -Preopening assistance with market -Provided market analysis and site selection assistance, lease review, Employees -Franchisees capitalized, experienced and passionate individuals analysis and site selection, training programs, leadership new store opening assistance, a comprehensive initial training program, and a program for hourly employees, benchmarking data regarding costs and profit margins, company developed marketing and advertising programs, neighborhood marketing assistance Shareholders -Owners of the 31,313 shares outstanding -The community of the regional markets of company and franchised cafes Provided a stable company to invest in -Do not pay dividends -provide a gathering place for locals and visitors and support the community the locations operate in -A food option and company that adds value to its product and the community at large -Panera sponsored local community charity events Community iv. Financial Trend Graphs: Net Income 70000 Net Income (Millions) 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0 2002 2003 2004 Year 2005 2006 This figure shows the net income for Panera Bre ad Company from 2002-2006. It depicts a steady increase in net income each year. Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities Nat Cash Provided by Operating Activities (Millions) 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 2002 2003 2004 Year 2005 2006 This figure depicts the net cash provided by operating activities for Panera Bread Company from 2002 to 2006. It shows an increase over time, except from 2005 to 2006. Open Cafes 700 Number of Cafes Open 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Franchised Cafes Company Owned Cafes Year This figure shows the number of cafes opened at the end of each year. It depicts growth within the company. It also shows that franchise-owned cafes are more prevalent than company-owned ones, which shows success in the company? s franchising model. Store Revenues 2500 Store Revenues (millions) 2000 1500 1000 500 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year 2004 2005 2006 This graph shows a steady increase in revenues for each cafe over time. v. Responses to Questions Not Answered in the Presentation: Alterations to Opening Cafes in Untapped and Low Penetrated Markets Recommendation Our recommendation needed to be altered to provide a separate action plan from recommendation to pursue a more aggressive soft-sell promotion strategy. We altered this recommendation by moving Panera? s focus when opening new bakery-cafes using the superior franchising model to solely untapped markets. These untapped markets would allow for sufficient growth to achieve the desired 1:160,000 ratio. Alterations to the More Aggressive Soft-Sell Promotional Strategy Recommendation: Recommendation two needed to be altered from a marketing strategy to a purely promotional strategy. Panera needed to promote its quality menu by implementing the suggested promotional strategies in its bakery cafes. The purpose of the promotional campaign was to bring new customers into the cafes. This satisfied the opportunity within the industry that customers are prone to try newly opened eating establishments in their community. The campaign needed to be implemented in untapped and low-penetrated markets in order to develop brand awareness by attracting new patrons. Though it may help, it will not be as successful in the highly-penetrated markets because Panera is already an established company with high brand awareness and loyal customers. Alterations to Implementation of â€Å"Oven Fresh, To Go† Program Recommendation In response to your concerns regarding recommendation three, we agree that our implementation of â€Å"Oven Fresh, To Go† did not specifically address the low switching cost threat by rewarding return customers for their loyalty. To resolve this issue, we altered the implementation steps to include a punch card in the to-go packaging that would reward existing â€Å"Oven Fresh, To Go† customers for their loyalty and raze their switching costs with progressive discounts based on their level of return patronage. Alterations to Broaden Product Scope Recommendation During the presentation of the recommendations there was concern that recommendation 4 did not adequately address the goal of increasing market share. The primary concern was that offering an expanded dinner menu after 430 pm would not be incentive enough to overcome factors of image, location, and substitutes for Panera to obtain a relevant increase in market share. To bolster the strength of our recommendation and overcome the aforementioned hurdles to success we have amended our recommendation to include the addition of beer and wine at select Panera locations. A Panera site will qualify for alcohol consideration if the area demographics and local legal and regulatory environment are ideal. Selected locations will participate in wine-tasting and other events to engage the surrounding community. The combination of new menu items and select sites serving alcohol will create a new and lively experience for dining at Panera.