Supplier Assessment And Screening For Good Environmental Performance Management Essay

Supplier Assessment And Screening For Good Environmental Performance Management Essay Abstract:- Suppliers assessment is a critical function within supply chain management . Green supplier assessment is also necessary for sustainable supply chain management. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate supplier performance using different methods. Since Environment protection has been concern to public in recent years,and the traditional supplier selection did not consider about this factor therefore, this paper introduces green criteria into the framework of supplier selection criteria. Index Terms:- Supply chain,Logistics. Introduction:- Logistics, or supply chain management, describe the transport, storage and handling of products as they move along the chain from the raw material source, through the production system to their final point of sale or consumption. However over the last 10 to 15 years environmental concerns have put companies under more and more pressure to address and reduce the environmental impact of their logistics operations. The adverse effects of distributing goods are diverse including impairing air quality, generating noise and vibration, causing accidents and contributing significantly to global warming. The effect of logistics and supply chain management on climate change has increased mainly because of the realisation that global warming presents a much greater and more immediate threat than previously thought. Freight transport is estimated to contribute roughly 8 per cent of energy-related CO2 emissions worldwide (Kahn Ribeiro and Kobayashi, 2007), however, making logistics sustainable in the longer term will involve more than just cutting carbon emissions. Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) is a fastest growing concept in developing countries and having its presence both in environment management and supply chain management literature. Adding the greendimension to supply chain management (SCM) involves addressing the influence and relationship between supply-chain management and the natural environment. Green supply chain management (GSCM) is generally understood to involve screening suppliers based on their environmental performance and doing business only with those that meet certain environmental regulations or standards. The green supply chain known at present refers to supply chain effect brought about by green products proposed by European Community in the 21st century. Although the focus on green logistics seems to be a recent phenomena there has been different research initiatives conducted over the past 40 years which attempted to address the environmental concerns. McKinnon (2010) discuss these under the following headings: Reducing freight transport externalities During the 1970s the focus, especially UK ,was on lorries that were much noisier And more polluting than is the case today. There was substantial growth of freight by Road and efforts were put in place to rationalise this freight ,tightening regulations On Emission levels,etc. In this way there were general reduction in transport Externalities. City Logistics Urban freight plays a vital role in th sustainable development of cities. There are, However, many challenges facing urban freight transport, including high levels of Traffic congestion,environmental impacts,high energy usage and labour problems This has led to research to what is now City logistics,a process to optimise urban Logistics within all different conditions that impact urban freight movements (Taniguchi et al.2001). The work in this area has led to modelling of city logistics, Demand and supply models,impact models,vehicle routing and scheduling,etc. All of These efforts contributed to addressing in the environmental issue. Reverse Logistics In a world of limite resources ,it becomes crirical that products such as white goods (washing tubs,stoves,fridges,etc.) are recovered. This has led to the extension of Logistics to include Reverse Logistics,which incorporates the flow of goods in both Directions. This development has a strong element of waste management and Sustainable development. The green suppliers can be the biggest assets to the organization but poor choice can make them biggest liability also. This paper, thus deals with issues related to supply. For vendor selection different model is proposed to show procedure involved and steps in software à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢super decisionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- are shown using windows for easy understanding. Literature review:- Green supplier management, has captured significant interest in the current literature (Lee et al., 2009; Hsu and Hu, 2009). Sphere of influence theory states that greening a supply chain is influenced greatly by focal companies that can effectively influence suppliers to engage in the GSC projects and act as better performers (Hall, 2001). Supplier selection is a multi-criteria problem which include analytic hierarchy process (AHP) (Akarte, (2001), Chan (2003)), Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) (Kuo(2007), Kahraman (2003)), case based ANP (Bayazit (2006), Gurpinar(2007)). Evaluation criteria for the supplier selection, may be tangible (measurable) or intangible (immeasurable). The criteria for supplier evaluation and selection were first proposed by Dickson (1966), who identified 23 different criteria, including quality, on-time delivery, price, performance history, warranty policy, technical capability and financial stability, and so on. Weber, Current, and Benton (1991) sur veyed the frequency of Dicksons 23 criteria and found that price, delivery, quality, and productive capability were mostly used to measure suppliers performance. Quality is considered the most decisive criterion for supplier selection (Weber et al., 1991). However, quality in itself is not sufficient to ensure that the suppliers can avoid extra costs while offering the right quality. From the literature we can develop a broad supplier assessment process model in the context of greening a supply chain that can be separated into three managerial decision phases: indentified suppliers, classifying criterias and evaluating suppliers based environmental performance, and select the best supplier. t methods of green supplier evaluation er many areas such as on-time delivery ,qualitycause an understanding ofa supplierlity Procedure:- There are different methods of green supplier evaluation. kjgjlgilggi;lglijhilk;hlkh;b. Analytic Heirarchical Process: U.S. operations researcher A. L. Saaty put forward the Analytical Hierarchy Process (referred to as the AHP method) in the 1970s; it is a decision analysis method which combine the qualitative and quantitative. It is a process which make decision-makers thought for a complex system modelling and quantitative. Applying this approach, decision-makers decompose the complex problem into a number of levels and a number of factors, through this way, make simple comparison and calculations between the factors, then we can get the weights of di ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent programs, can provide the basis for the selection of the best option. As a tool combine the qualitative and quantitative,AHP has been widely used in many areas. Application procedures of AHP are as follows: Step 1 Con ¬Ã‚ rming problems. Step 2 Building hierarchy structure. Step 3 Establishing multiple comparisons judgment matrix. Step 4 Checking consistency. The consistency index of judgment matrix is CI (Consistency Index). Its expression is: CI = ÃŽÂ »max-n n-1 And the greater the value of consistency index CI is, the greater the degree of the judgment matrix deviate from complete consistency will be; the smaller the value of CI is, the closer the judgment matrix and complete consistency will be. Generally, the greater the order (n) of judgment matrix is, the greater the value of CI which shows the deviation from complete consistency caused by human will be; the smaller the n is, the smaller the value of CI which shows the deviation from complete consistency caused by human will be. In this paper, we use ANC to have consistency test. Step 5 Total taxis of hierarchy. Arranging weights which come from the factors in same level shows the relative importance of the top-level (overall objective); known as total taxis of hierarchy, this process is from high level to low level and step by step. The total taxis of hierarchy which come from the lowest level (program level) are the total order of all evaluation schemes. Analytic Network Process:- The Analytic Network Process (ANP) developed by Thomas Saaty, in his work on multi criteria decision making. It applies network structures with dependence and feedback, among the criteria, to complex decision making. It is an extension of his Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for decision making which involves breaking down a problem into its decision elements, arranging them in a hierarchical structure, making judgments on the relative importance of pairs of elements and synthesizing the results. ANP is combination of two parts: Network of criteria and sub criteria that control the interactions The network of influences of elements and clusters Hierarchies in AHP do not represent relationship among the levels. This shortcoming is removed in ANP feedback approach. For example, in AHP, importance of criteria determines the importance of alternatives but does not represent importance of alternatives may have impact on importance of criteria. Therefore linear structure of top to bottom is not applicable for a complex system. A feedback system is represented by a network where nodes correspond to levels or components. The structural difference between AHP and ANP is shown in Figure 1. The nodes in a cluster (level) may influence some or all the nodes in another cluster. Relationships in a network are represented by arcs and direction of arcs signifies dependency. Interdependency between two clusters is shown by two way arcs and inner dependencies are represented by loop arcs. Hierarchical (b) Network (a) (b) Figure 1: Structural Difference There can be many control criteria and sub criteria, these can be classified into four merits, namely, Benefits, Opportunities, Costs and Risks. For each control criterion of these B, O, C, R, one derives the priorities for alternatives of the decision with respect to all the significant influences that cause some of the alternatives to have higher priorities. After rating the top ranked alternative for each B, O, C, R, resulting weights are combined for each alternative of each merit to obtain the final answer in the form of priorities whose relative values are important in choosing the best alternative. Table 1 gives Saaty scale used for pair wise comparison matrix. Table 1 :Saaty Scale Used For Pair Wise Comparison Matrix Intensity of Importance Definition 1 Equal importance 3 Moderate importance of one over the other 5 Essential or strong importance 7 Very strong importance 9 Absolute importance 2,4,6,8 Intermediate Values Working of ANP:Supplier Selection: ANP BOCR Analytic network model, with BOCR is prepared as shown in Figure 2. The pair wise comparison matrices were made by taking opinion of the team. Calculations were performed by Super Decision software. Ranks of the alternatives are obtained and suppliers are selected. Supplier Selection Risks Costs Opportunities Benefits OD FS LS FR CC CD MBD PC LC ASC SC SD MC EC R PR V1 V2 V3 V4 Figure 2: Network model Table 2:Criteria for ANP Benefits Opportunities Costs Risks Response(R) Supplier collaboration(SC) Product cost(PC) Order delays(OD) Product Reliability(PR) Supplier development(SD) Logistics cost(LC) Field return(FR) Environmental Control(EC) Increase in manufacture capacity(MC) After sales cost(ASC) Financial strength(FS) Changes in demand(CD) Labour strikes(LS) Customer complaints(CC) Machine break down(MBD) Conclusion:- In the current scenario of global operating conditions and competitive environment, it has become highly necessary for organizations to select the best Green supplier. Any inaccurate selection of Green supplier will affect the companys overall performance. This shows that supplier selection procedure is a highly essential decision making process for companies. This paper endeavour to utilise AHP and ANP for ranking the potential suppliers and making the final selection.

Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe The theme of "man’s relationship to God and the universe" presented in Epistle 1 of Alexander Pope’s "An Essay on Man" complements Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is an inconsistent character who turns to God whenever he is in need, yet fails to maintain respect for nature and for his fellow man. In the first year of Robinson Crusoe’s solitary life on the island, he falls ill and has a terrifying dream that alters his awareness of his place in the universe and God’s control of it. This experience leads him to contemplate his past ingratitude and to embark on a life of piety, reading the Bible daily, though without a drastic or permanent change in his character. Throughout his adventures in the novel, Crusoe has moments of awareness and appreciation of God, yet each moment of faith fades as he regains control over his situation. The ideals presented in the last three sections of Epistle 1 — that life exists in a "chain of being" and is interdependent, that the spirit of God exists in all things, and that man should accept existence as good — speak directly to the understanding that Crusoe comes to as a result of his illness and the life he leads throughout the novel. Crusoe wakes up from the nightmare that he has during his illness and realizes that surviving each of his adventures has been in the hands of God, and that he has been ungrateful and unaware of this power. Section 8 of Epistle 1 in the "Essay on Man" states that all things in the chain of being are interdependent and that man in his pride should not strive to break this order. Robinson Crusoe is a very independent character and has traveled for eight years without "having the least sens... ...rly in his life, he claims Friday as a servant rather than a companion; and he is as materialistic after he is marooned on the island as he was before this misfortune. Pope and Crusoe both feel that God is in control of what happens in life and of what they understand of their experiences, although Crusoe does not maintain an awareness of God unless he is, or has recently been, in danger or in need. The relationship with God, nature, and fellow man that Pope describes in his essay powerfully articulates the weakness, pride, and independence that Crusoe grapples with throughout his narration. Works Cited Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Ed. Michael Shinagel. Norton: New York, 1975. Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." in Eighteenth-Century English Literature. Eds. Geoffrey Tillotson, Paul Fussell, Jr. and Marshall Waingrow. New York: Harcourt, 1969. 635-51. Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe The theme of "man’s relationship to God and the universe" presented in Epistle 1 of Alexander Pope’s "An Essay on Man" complements Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is an inconsistent character who turns to God whenever he is in need, yet fails to maintain respect for nature and for his fellow man. In the first year of Robinson Crusoe’s solitary life on the island, he falls ill and has a terrifying dream that alters his awareness of his place in the universe and God’s control of it. This experience leads him to contemplate his past ingratitude and to embark on a life of piety, reading the Bible daily, though without a drastic or permanent change in his character. Throughout his adventures in the novel, Crusoe has moments of awareness and appreciation of God, yet each moment of faith fades as he regains control over his situation. The ideals presented in the last three sections of Epistle 1 — that life exists in a "chain of being" and is interdependent, that the spirit of God exists in all things, and that man should accept existence as good — speak directly to the understanding that Crusoe comes to as a result of his illness and the life he leads throughout the novel. Crusoe wakes up from the nightmare that he has during his illness and realizes that surviving each of his adventures has been in the hands of God, and that he has been ungrateful and unaware of this power. Section 8 of Epistle 1 in the "Essay on Man" states that all things in the chain of being are interdependent and that man in his pride should not strive to break this order. Robinson Crusoe is a very independent character and has traveled for eight years without "having the least sens... ...rly in his life, he claims Friday as a servant rather than a companion; and he is as materialistic after he is marooned on the island as he was before this misfortune. Pope and Crusoe both feel that God is in control of what happens in life and of what they understand of their experiences, although Crusoe does not maintain an awareness of God unless he is, or has recently been, in danger or in need. The relationship with God, nature, and fellow man that Pope describes in his essay powerfully articulates the weakness, pride, and independence that Crusoe grapples with throughout his narration. Works Cited Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Ed. Michael Shinagel. Norton: New York, 1975. Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." in Eighteenth-Century English Literature. Eds. Geoffrey Tillotson, Paul Fussell, Jr. and Marshall Waingrow. New York: Harcourt, 1969. 635-51.

Huck Superstistion in the Novel Essay -- essays papers

Huck Superstistion in the Novel In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there is a lot of superstition. Some examples of superstition in the novel are Huck killing a spider which is bad luck, the hair-ball used to tell fortunes, and the rattle-snake skin Huck touches that brings Huck and Jim good and bad luck. Superstition plays an important role in the novel Huck Finn. In Chapter one Huck sees a spider crawling up his shoulder, so he flipped it off and it went into the flame of the candle. Before he could get it out, it was already shriveled up. Huck didn't need anyone to tell him that it was a bad sign and would give him bad luck. Huck got scared and shook his clothes off, and turned in his tracks three times. He then tied a lock of his hair with a thread to keep the witches away. "You do that when you've lost a horseshoe that you've found, instead of nailing it up over the door, but I hadn't ever heard anybody say it was any way to keep of bad luck when you'd killed a spider". In chapter four Huck sees Pap's footprints in the snow. So Huck goes to Jim to ask him why Pap is here. Jim gets a hair-ball that is the size of a fist that he took from an ox's stomach. Jim asks the hair-ball; Why is Pap here? But the hair-ball won't answer. Jim says it needs money, so Huck gives Jim a counterfeit quarter. Jim puts the quarter under the hair-ball. The hair-ball talks to Jim and Jim tells Huck that it says. "Yo'ole father doan' know yit what he's a-gwyne to do. Sometimes he spec he'll go 'way, en den ag'in he spec he'll stay. De bes' way is tores' easy en let de ole man take his own way. Dey's two angles hoverin' roun' 'bout him. One uv'em is white en shiny, en t'other one is black. De white one g... ... tobacco, so he went to the craven to get some, and finds a rattlesnake. Huck kills it and curled it up and put it on the foot of Jim's blanket. Night came and Jim flung himself on the blanket and the snake's mate was there, and it bit Jim on the heel. Jim tells Huck to chop off the snake's head, then skin the body of the snake and roast a piece of it. He took the rattles off and tied them to Jim’s wrist. Jim said it would help him. Huck says "I made up my mind I wouldn't ever take a-holt of a snake-skin again with my hands, now that I see what had come of it". As one can see Superstition plays an important role in the novel Huck Finn. Huck killing the spider which is bad luck, the hair-ball that tells fortunes, and the rattle-snake skin that Huck touched are examples that brought bad luck to Huck and Jim in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Business Plan for a Nightclub Essay examples -- Business Management Fi

Business Plan for a Nightclub LEVEL 3 plans to be a chain of upscale nightclubs centering around the middle Georgia areas. It is demographically targeted to middle aged adult’s ages ranging from 25 and up. LEVEL 3 aims at providing quality entertainment, food and refreshments along with a welcoming environment that will give our customers a unique and entertaining experience. Company Overview This company evolved through a partnership on January 19th 2005. LEVEL 3 is located in Perry, Georgia and caters to the surrounding Middle Georgia areas. The company plans to attract upscale and mature customers whose ages range from 25 and older. LEVEL 3 will be the premier, high-energy themed dance and night club in Middle Georgia. We will provide our customers with live entertainment, quality food and service along with a great atmosphere. We want to create an intimate setting that will make our customers feel a sense of belonging. Easily manageable and profitable, this business appeals to customers who want to relax and meet different enjoyable and exciting people. It will capitalize on the ever growing demand for a safe and sophisticated nightclub. Our objectives are to profit on our excellent location in Perry, Georgia, with commitment to the community developments. We also want to maintain tight control of costs, operations, and cash flow through diligent management. In additi on, we will maintain a food cost below 33% of food revenue and beverage costs below 25% of beverage revenue. Finally, we plan to exceed $3 million in annual sales by the third year of plan implementation. LEVEL 3 plans to launch with a highly publicized grand opening event in the summer of 2005. It intends to expand to other cities within Georgia after revenues excel. Product Plan LEVEL 3 will be characterized by the elaborate dance club situated in a spectator setting which comfortably accommodates 350 guests. The area will offer two private sky boxes and one banquet room which can be combined for use in a conference or private party setting. Also these rooms are intended for special events and daily use. In order to reach and maintain a unique image of quality, LEVEL 3 will provide attentive and friendly service through a high ratio of service personnel to customers, and will also invest in the training and supervision of its employees. The initial hours of operation will be fro... ...footage than anyone else in the region. A simple, yet unique, themed menu and atmosphere will create a sense of 'belonging' for locals and tourists alike. Our operating credo is: "happy enthusiastic employees create happy enthusiastic guests." The main objectives of the development of this new venue are: †¢ Capitalize on excellent location opportunity with swift commitment to the new Town Square development. †¢ To launch the venue with a highly publicized grand opening event in the summer of 2001. †¢ To maintain tight control of costs, operations, and cash flow through diligent management and automated computer control. †¢ To maintain a food cost below 33% of food revenue. †¢ To maintain a total beverage cost below 25% of beverage revenue. †¢ To exceed $3 million in annual sales by the third year of plan implementation. The keys to success in achieving our goals are: †¢ Provide exceptional service that leaves an impression. †¢ Consistent entertainment atmosphere and product quality. †¢ Managing our internal finances and cash flow to enable upward capital growth. †¢ Strict control of all costs, at all times, without exception

The Marketing Strategy Analysis of Starbucks Corporation

Under today’s ever-changing market, strategic marketing planning has become more and more significant whether of the functional or the fundamental. Especially, although financial crisis leaded economy growth slowdown, it did not cause a serious influence for chain coffee shop. As Howard Schultz said, CEO of Starbucks, â€Å"I don't think we had a business plan for the severity of what has taken place. History demonstrated to us that a downturn in the economy would not affect us, and in fact, we would be recession-proof. (Katie Couric, 2008) Based on Financial Times, Starbucks revealed that strong earnings of $242m of 2008, a jump from the $64m it recorded during the comparable period last year and total revenues for the quarter were $2. 7bn, up 4 per cent from the $2. 6bn recorded during the comparable quarter at the end of 2008. It illustrated that consumers will still pay premium prices for its coffee even in uncertain economic times. Greg Farrell 2010) In this essay, besides demonstrating the concept of strategic marketing, I will take Starbucks Corporation, United States for a case to define its position in this turbulent chain coffee shop market. Then, identify the â€Å"customized mass production† and evaluate how the organization affect and communicate the market. Next, the strategic importance of Starbucks Corporation, United States will be analyzed by various tools such as demand chain approach, SWOT and TOWS, PESTLE, pricing policies and so on with practical examples. Finally, based on these strategic analyses, the recommendations will be available for the organization to improve the competitiveness over this competitive market in the future. Brief history of Starbucks Corporation Starbucks Corporation, United States (NASDAQ: SBUX), the largest international coffeehouse chain company over the world, opened in 1971 by Gerald Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl in Seattle, Washington, United States. In 1982, Howard Schultz, the present CEO of Starbucks, joined the company as Director of Retail Operations and Marketing. In 1987, Howard Schultz purchased Starbucks chain and rapidly started to expand. The first location outside Seattle was established at Waterfront Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Chicago, Illinois. In 1992, its initial public offering (IPO) on the stock market with common stock being traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the trading symbol â€Å"SBUX. † In 1996, Starbucks opened first store outside of U. S in Japan. Today, there are more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries all of the world, including with over two thirds in the home market in the United States. The products sold include coffee, beverages, merchandise, and fresh food and consumer products such as coffee beans, Starbucks cups and so on. Besides, Starbucks engages in gaining the brands add value such as business responsibly nowadays that earn the respect and trust of the partners and customers. They claimed that two areas including ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement would be focused on. For example, the plan of Starbucks Corporation is that by 2015, all of the coffee will be grown using ethical trading and responsible growing practices. Besides, they also said that by 2015, 100% of our cups will be reusable or recyclable. So, what Starbucks Corporation emphasized is not only the tangible products, but the intangible assets such as brand image or the add value. The development and concept of the Strategic Marketing First of all, I want to define what is ‘market’ and ‘marketing. ’ The word ‘market’ can be referred to the process of exchange controlled by supply and demand, and the price involved. The word ‘marketing’ is the relationship between supply and demand and now favors demand and consumer choice. (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998) Trace back to the origins of modern marketing, it is from the Industrial Revolutions in Britain around 1750 and in the Germany and USA around 1830. The emphasis earlier was on â€Å"how to do it,† with a focus of the technique of marketing. As time goes by, people pay more attention on the philosophy of marketing and influence on stakeholders and society as a whole. Jobber and Fahy, 2009) Therefore, the strategic marketing becomes more and more significant since it can help organizations to find its own position of the competitive market; thus, they just can justify their strategy against whether the existing or the potential competitors. Therefore, organizations should classify the marketing environment including competitive environment (its immediate competitors and customers) and the macro-environment (the wider social, political and economic setting they operate. In order to develop the right strategy whether for short-term or long-term, organizations not only need to know the concept of strategic marketing but also how to use it within the competitive marketing. In addition, fundamental to strategic thinking is the concept of ‘strategic fit. ’ It indicates how organizations match the internal resources and capabilities with the opportunities in the external environment. The strategic model used to evaluate the appropriateness of the vision or decision making of the organizations (Hooley G et al 2008). A competitive advantage can be developed successfully by a suitable and unique combination of capabilities and resources. Nevertheless, organizations should pay more attention to classify the differentiation between resources and capabilities. Capabilities are focused on the learning effect of the organizations’’ possesses, whereas resources is connected to the inputs to production owned by the organizations. In other words, they should seek the appropriate balance between the marketing of functionalism and fundamentalism under this ever-changing market actually. Black Box Method Kotler et al. (2009) explain that the consumer is regarded as a ‘black box' in the sense that the consumer’s behavior is a conditioned response to marketing stimuli. After consumers making decision of purchase, the black box concept in behavior science responses. Because of the external stimulation, the consumers’ decision making process will be affected by the marketing planning and environment. The significance and the strengths of the model is that after consumers processing the various stimuli in their mind, they will react in specific ways. Generally speaking, in the model, the external elements to the consumer will move to behavioral stimuli; however, before a specific behavioral reaction is created, the consumer's decision-making process and personal characteristics will interact with the stimuli. On the other hand, in the ‘black box' model, people can’t get much information about the way human mind operates. The weakness of this model is people still cannot get the ideas of what goes on in the brain and have no ideas about what goes on in there. In other words, through the ‘black box' model the main internal process and influences of consumer’ behavior can be identified when consumer behavior operates, but the way how consumers convert the data, together with the stimuli, to act specific responses cannot be available. So, it is just called the ‘black box' model. (Kotler et al. 2009) The figure is shown the content and process involved in the ‘black box' model. Therefore, in order to understand consumers’ behavior in the market, organizations need to realize the fundamental process of perception and motivation. Through economic analysis and behavioral adds value can help organizations to make the marketing planning (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). Take Starbucks Corporation for example, last year (2009) in order to to maintain its brand image as a premium customer experience, it revealed â€Å"a long term, multi-million dollar† advertising campaign in the US, as it seeks to combat perceptions that its products are over-priced. As Howard Schultz, chief executive, said that they indicated the new â€Å"value focused† offerings had improved customers’ perception of the value of its products and it is based on the company’s research (Jonathan Birchall 2009). Source: Keegan et al. (1992, p. 193) Marketing Demand Chain Approach Demand is the relationship between needs and wants and also can be inferred to producer/supplier and consumer. Whole markets are motivated by demand; consumers can exercise demand by choice freely (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). A demand chain is composed of the organizations which sell products or services. For example, from the customer perspective, the demand chain may be composed by the customers who lead the sales transaction and the suppliers who sell or create the goods. Or from the supplier perspective, the suppliers create or offer the products and the customers buy it. In addition, the market for specific products or service can be defined by a three-dimensional box. The three sides of the box are product purchase, buyer group and buyer location (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). For example, the demand for Starbucks Corporation can be defined using this method. Buyer group could be identified by age, education or salary characteristics – such as students, white collar workers and retired people. Product purchase could identify the range or type the products offering such as beverage, pastries, whole coffee beans, coffee-related retail items and so on. Then, buyer location could be described the locations of buyer groups. Under this complicated and competitive coffee market, the demand chain approach is appropriate for managers to use the concept of identifying the market segmentations. Once the demand is identified, the necessary change and strategic marketing planning of the business environment could be evaluated effectively. The competitive position and market segmentation of Starbucks Corporation ‘Position’ describes the characteristic place in the market and becomes important more and more in a competitive market because it makes the comparisons to be set between organizations, products and services. It also makes the market segmentation to be classified and the competition analysis and market analysis to be connected to an organization’s strategy. The market segmentation is produced by the differences in customer’s needs, wants and attitudes (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998. Take Starbucks Corporation for a case, numerous cheap coffees are available, what is its attraction under this competitive coffee market? The idea can be also referred to â€Å"the role of positioning is to support that process, not to be it. † (Mintzberg et al 2009) The advantage of defining the position is to help Starbucks Corporation both defending itself and attacking the existing or potential competitors by utilizing the strategic tools such as Porter’s generic strategies, Porter’s five forces and so on. For example, using Porter’s generic strategies for the strategic tool shown below, differentiation focus is Starbucks Corporation’s position compared with other competitors. Hence, the suitable strategy could be set by it. Through identifying the position of the market, not only analyzing the competitors but creating competitive advantages is necessary to organizations. Competitor identification is the purpose of competitor analysis and it investigates competitor strategies, objectives, capabilities and prediction of response patterns. In addition, the process is to offer a foundation of competitive advantages, defining their future strategies. Competitive advantages are the resources and skills of the organizations; classification of the organization’s core competences could be available by analyzing those factors (Jobber 2001). â€Å"Customized mass production† of Starbucks Corporation For Starbucks, it is very important that it provides mass customization to their customers. They obey the conception which is every customer is unique. Therefore, both products and services are created to be a unique experience and atmosphere for the customers individually. So, what customer pay for is not just the products or services but including the unique experience and atmosphere. As B. Joseph Pine (1999) said, â€Å"We have shifted from a goods economy (coffee beans in a can) to a service economy (hot coffee at a diner) to an experience economy (coffee sold in a special mug, in comfortable surroundings – Starbucks). † In other words, under an ever-changing economy, what trend the organizations should follow is that converts products into services and then services into a unique and memorable experience. The unique and memorable experience is the differentiation between Starbucks and its existing or potential competitors. Starbucks Corporation’s Strategic Marketing Planning Strategic Marketing Planning includes the competitive position creating of both the organization and its offerings, core strategy decision making and implementing that strategy. The significance of planning marketing strategies for organizations are to make sure that the organizations’ capabilities are appropriate or not and it is not just for short-term but for the long-term (Hooley et al, 2008). Besides, organizations also need the market audit to model and understand the key factors in the marketing environment. A marketing audit could be defined that â€Å"it is an essential tool for the periodic reassessment of any organization’s marketing effectiveness. † It is the way to analyze organizations’ environment, activities and strategies critically, and improve them (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998. ) Starbucks Corporation’s strategic marketing planning starts with marketing audit and it could be divided to three parts, macro environment, internal environment and external environment. Macro environment is examined to recognize the directions and patterns; inter environment is scanned to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses and opportunity and threat is involved in external environment. * PESTEL analysis For macro environment, it could start with PESTEL analysis (an acronym for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Ethical and Environmental and Legal factors) of the organizations’ environment. Starbucks Corporation tends to classify main drivers which play important role in the strategic marketing planning by its PESTEL analysis. Take the socio-cultural environment for example; identifying the difference such as consumer preferences could shift from coffee to other beverages can help Starbucks Corporation finding the target groups by setting the suitable marketing strategies. In addition, increasing usage of community networks such as Facebook in the technological environment can provide Starbucks Corporation the efficient way to promote the brand on the popular channel nowadays. In other words, organizations can understand the macro environment by using strategic tools and then set the appropriate marketing strategies for not only now but for the future. Appendix-A provides the summaries of Starbucks Corporation’s PESTEL environment * SWOT analysis For internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) analysis, its purpose is to make organizations to get valuable chances and then to enable them taking advantages of them. For external environment (opportunity and threat) analysis, a marketing opportunity is a field of buyer interest and need that organization with high possibility of beneficially satisfying. In addition, an environmental threat is a danger by a negative development or trend that would lead to decrease profit or sales (Kotler and Keller 2009. According to the information of the internal environment and external environment, Starbucks Corporation develops SWOT analysis to classify the key strengths and weaknesses related to opportunities and threats (Appendix-B). Consider this case, the strengths such as strong global coffee brand, differentiated atmosphere and customer base loyalty would let Starbucks Corporation to grow the market share in new markets such as some specific cities with high population density in China. Besides, take the other care for example, facing the threat of more and more competitors are from various channels such as McDonald in the competitive market, Starbucks Corporation develop new strategy to defense it. Last year (2009), Starbucks Corporation embraced customer research surveys and ran its first major advertising campaign (Claire Cain Miller 2010). * TOWS Matrix The SWOT analysis provides the identification of organizations’ strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Nevertheless, according to such an nalysis, it is rarely and static of the development of definite substitute strategies. Hence, the TOWS Matrix is instituted for analysis the competitive situation of organizations or lead to the evolution of four different sets of strategic alternatives. In addition, the TOWS Matrix is a conceptual structure and begins with the threats since organizations try to make strategic marketing planning under the pressure of perceiving danger, crisis, or threat (Koontz and Weihrich 2007). Appendix-B shows the example of TOWS Matrix. Starbucks Corporation plans to spend the majority of its $40m marketing budget to promote its Via brand of instant coffee and Frappucino drinks through grocery stores (Greg Farrell 2010. ) This is the example for the SO strategy of Starbucks Corporation based on the strength of strong global coffee brand and the opportunity of New products/services/ distribution channels. In addition, take the other case for example, in 2009 the New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released the results of a study about the ordering habits at 115 Starbucks stores in the city. The study, which was conducted in 2007, found that the average blended drink had 239 calories. The average cup of coffee had 63 calories. â€Å"The popularity of blended coffee beverages has grown in recent years,† Dr. Thomas A. Farley, the city’s health commissioner, said in a statement. â€Å"Unfortunately, many of these drinks are loaded with calories. Your afternoon pick-me-up may be weighing you down. † After that announcement, Valerie O’Neil, a vice president at Starbucks, said in a statement: â€Å"We offer wholesome food and beverage options for our customers, including blended coffee beverages less than 100 calories. Looking forward, we continue to find helpful ways to deliver information for our customers to make more informed choices. † (A. G. Sulzberger 2009) This is the example for the ST strategy of Starbucks Corporation based on the strength of product diversification and the treats of healthy issue (calories). In other words, by using the TOWS Matrix, organizations can know that how to take advantages of the opportunities. Meanwhile, the impact of weaknesses could be minimized and defense them against threats. By clearly identifying the analysis of threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strength, organizations can make the appropriate strategic marketing decisions actually. Pricing strategies of Starbucks Corporation â€Å"Price may be defined as the value (measures by whatever means is appropriate) given to a product or a service by a market. The price of a product or a service refers to the term by which it can be acquired, and may be expressed in monetary or non-monetary terms (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). In organizations, designing pricing strategies effectively not only needs a systematic approach but also a complete understanding of consumer psychology and then just can set or adapt prices appropriately (Kotler and Keller 2009). Consider the case of Starbucks Corporation, last year (2009) they announced a new pricing scheme. It included the price decreased of many of its popular products such as brewed coffees and lattes. This action is in order to confront the danger of the other organization with offering lower price coffee such as McDonald’s stealing price sensitive customers (Claire Cain Miller 2009). However, in this article written by Claire Cain Miller in the New York Times, it also mentioned Starbucks increased some drinks’ price including Frappuccinos and caramel macchiatos. The reason is that Starbucks thought there are less competition from rivals in higher-end more complex drinks. Starbucks is attempting to make the most profit from its loyal customers who are desired on its products and expecting they will patronize Starbucks continually. Jobber and Fahy (2009) stated that positioning strategy is one of the key factors influencing price-setting decisions. Positioning strategy includes the creation of a differential advantage and the preference of target market. These factors affect price enormously. In addition, price is the main element to make great influence to the marketing strategies since it is the only factor of the marketing mix that impact on the generates revenue directly. Indeed, the pricing strategy plays a very important role of organizations because it is can be a good indicator of its future growth potential.

Gatsby

In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents all three women in a vilifying manner; Daisy is weak and careless, Jordan Is dishonest and haughty, and Myrtle Is unfaithful. Nick describes Jordan as â€Å"Incurably dishonest†. This Introduces the Ideology of distrust of women in the novel. In 1922, American women did not have the same rights as men and were often trapped in oppressive marriages and seen as the inferior sex. This inferiority is reflected through the way in which women have a secondary role in this novel.Nick's citation concerning the dishonesty in a woman depicts the way in which throughout the novel, women's flaws are almost exonerated. This citation of Fitzgerald also advocates that, because women do not have the same moral values as men-because they are Inferior-lt Is therefore not their fault. This possible proposltlon provides an explanation for Jay Gatsbys ignorance towards Daisy's vindictive nature, and Nick's swift forgiveness of Jordan's fraudulence. Daisy is presented as the most enigmatic, female character.Although Fitzgerald does uch to make her a character worthy of Gatsby's unlimited devotion, In the end she reveals herself for what she truly Is. Despite her beauty and charm, Daisy Is merely selfish, shallow, vindictiv Both idolized the riches and glamor of the age, he was uncomfortable with the unrestrained materialism and the lack of morality that went with it. Women are still represents as a trophy the type of women desired for this role is what has changed, symbol of the materialist society In the 1920's Absolutely. Women are another symbol of the materialist society In the 1920's.For Tom, Daisy Is a trophy: a rich, lovely, unassuming wife who looks the other way in regards to his adultery. The fact that Daisy has stayed with Tom, in a very comfortable life, is Fitzgerald's way of commenting on what was important to this very elite society in the 20s: wealth and appearance. Myrtle is also a good example of this. Tom uses her wh en he needs her and then breaks her nose when she angers him. The fact that neither relationship revolves around love suggests that Tom sees both of these women as objects to be used as he sees fit.

Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics Essay

Amongst countless issues of the decade, an appealing dispute, that is persistent, is the significant impact of religion on contemporary politics and its perpetual distinction between the positive and negative influences that is associated with the effect. Religion has consistently been a resilient drive of change, development and settlement. Religion has been the core of several systems of human affairs that co-exist today including economics, welfare, law, philosophy, art and most importantly, politics.[1] However, according to historian Farhang Mehr, â€Å"†¦ a realistic appraisal of the current impact of religion on the official policy and governmental structure of each country can only be made in its historical context: the record of the colonial rule in that country, indigenous conditions, cultural background, and people’s real and perceived grievances.†[2] Relevant examples consisting of the attitude of religion in the political affairs of Israel[3], the infl uence of the Roman Catholic Church in shaping the entirety of politics in Quebec[4] and the emergence of Islam as a political force in many countries like Iran[5], reveal that these events and many others throughout history are substantial catalysts in determining the intensity of the religious impact on modern-day politics.[6] The impact of religion on politics cannot be seen with all its fierceness and intensity anywhere else in the world but in the Middle East as it highlights the Arab-Jewish wars in the region that have been going on and off for almost the past 60 years.[7] Religion is of utmost importance in the Holy Land (Israel) and hence, religious disputes are a commonality to the Israeli crowd which is a combination of religious (observant) and non-religious (secular) Jews.[8] The arrangement creates an environment where either party has harsh demands and even though, neither group ends up winning; it always leads to frustration on either side.[9] The role of state-supported religion is usually studied as the issue that is responsible for the problem in the relationship between religion and politics.[10] Despite the fact that the major monotheistic religions namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam take pride in originating in the Holy Land of Israel, the population of Israel comprises of 80% Jews; of which approximately one-fifth consider themselves to be â€Å"religious† or in other words, wholly or partially observant of Jewish law.[11] The vast remainder of the Jews still pursue the path of their ancestors by practicing the traditions and sacraments of Judaism but persevere to maintain a ‘Jewish state’ by standing on secular ground.[12] All be it, whilst the virtually divided Jews were found surviving the disputes between the two groups, the aspiration of a Jewish state led to the encouragement that public policies of the nation should replicate its Jewish nature and be a stronghold for Jews all around the world.[13] From religious texts and proven findings, it is well recognized that the land that is called ‘Israel’, currently, is considered the ‘Promised Land’ – the land that they have always been promised by God. Due to various historical incidents that included invasions, battles and conquests, the Jews were spread across different parts of the Middle East and some parts of Europe. The followers of the Zionist movement (support of establishment of independent, separ ate Jewish State in Palestine)[14] pressed for a Jewish State and after plenty of bruises and broken bones, Israel was recognized and formed in 1948.[15] The very purpose of the formation of a Jewish state alone shows that it has more to do with the religion than with simply a group of people wanting a country and therefore, it is clearly evident that religion has played a major role in the shaping of the politics of Israel. The only essential conclusion is that decisions in modern-day politics in Israel usually comes down to two religious groups than two political groups due to diverse interpretations of the religious teachings and traditions, and the excessive popularity of secularism in most parts of the world. The fundamental religious values ‘affect the complex of power and search for national goals that shape the contemporary Israeli political horizon.'[16] Similarly, the dominant presence of the role of the ‘Church’ in aligning communities to live in peace and harmony and to be subject to law and order through the aspect of politics is extremely evident as is seen in the case of the Roman Catholic church in Quebec, Canada. The province of Quebec is fashioned upon religious intentions and till date, these ideals uphold grand authority in organizational decision making of the government’s law and regulations. Two major factors indicate the impact of the Church in the making of Quebec, of which includes primarily, the assistance offered by the government (comprised of passionate Roman Catholic, French officials) in the settlement of French Roman Catholic immigrants that arrived in Canada post-1639.[17] During this period, a member of the royal council of Louis XIII of France, Cardinal Richlieu,[18] vigorously promoted the emigration of Roman Catholics to France’s colony, ‘New France’ (Quebec) becaus e he believed that Quebec, like France, was destined to be a purely homogeneous group of people – the idea of ‘one religion, one language, and loyalty to one monarch.'[19] Quebec is spectacularly distinctive in the ‘North American continent’ as it stands as the only ‘political unit’ that comprises of, simultaneously, a predominant French and Roman Catholic combination of people.[20] Unlike other French Catholic countries like France or Italy, the Catholic approach of Quebeckers is more intense in that that a French Canadian’s entire thought process, his/her value system, lifestyle and government, is massively influenced by the ‘doctrines and social philosophy of Roman Catholicism.'[21] This religious standpoint in administration is a result of the occurrences in history that Quebec underwent during the times of the French dominion in North America. The early settlers in New France (Quebec) were dependant for leadership upon two distinct authorities – the Governor and the Bishop of Quebec. When the British subdued the French, the French settlers in Quebec paid minimal regard to the legitimate English civil authority as a colonial administration but instead, subjected themselves to the effective guidance and leadership of the Catholic church which was the only, other viable option available to them.[22] The circumstance not only led to the Church’s impact on politics but highlights the Church’s responsibility in replicating its values and philosophy in not alone moral and religious affairs, but also, ‘economic, social, educational, and largely political matters.'[23] Secondly, the endorsement of measures by the authority composed of clergy of the Church of Quebec in regards to encouraging the natural increase in populace, particularly referred to as ‘revenge of the cradle’, highlights the influence of the Church in long-standing Quebec while working towards building a state that is able to maintain its identity and not be pacified by other dominant parties.[24] With the British conquest of Quebec from the French, it was generally perceived that the British administration would eradicate the identity of the French-speaking, Roman Catholic community by imposing rules like mandatory speaking of English at all levels of the state, by excessively populating the colony with English Protestants that are loyal to the British crown or through other fiercer means. In order to protect the identity of the French people of Quebec, the Church’s leaders initiated steps to increase the population. For instance, fathers (considered heads of families) were offered compensation that included a ‘family allowance bonus’ if they had at least ten children while on the other hand, they would be fined if they did not arrange for their sons and daughters to be married off at an early age. To persuade young men to get married, they were forbidden from the right to hunt, fish or trade with the indigenous people in the land or even go into the woods, as the experience was considered a form of pleasure.[25] These occurrences aid in vividly understanding the concept of the ‘revenge of the cradle’ which in its broadest sense refers to the state at which the birthrate of a minority group (French-speaking population, Quebec in Canada) is higher than that of the majority, principal group (English-speaking population, remainder of Canada) from fear of oppression or dominion.[26] Even though the Church’s role had a major effect in the politics of Quebec, the influence of the Church gradually declined long after due to the developing ideas of secularism. However, that does not prove fatal to the case in that the foundation of the politics of Quebec will always have been founded upon the philosophies of the Church. As perfectly laid out by a scholar, â€Å"Although the leading role of the clergy in political affairs was to be challenged by the slow growth of a new lay leadership after 1800, the Church has been able to retain its pre-eminent position in most of the other fiel ds up to the present time.†[27] Likewise, the impact of religion on politics is well portrayed as in the case of the Islamic drive in the development of Iran. Historian, Fahrang Mehr wrote about the connection between religion and politics in the shaping of Iran, â€Å"In the last three decades, Islam has emerged as a political force in many countries, including Iran. It has been a driving power behind revolution, assassinations, seizure of holy places and terrorism.†[28] It is apparent that modern-day surroundings allow for the identification of drivers of change like Islam to allot power towards political and social agendas. Mehr further adds, † Iran requires careful evaluation of the extent to which post-revolutionary Islamic regime has infused religiosity in the Iranian polity. The study should also take into account the credibility of clergies and the religious laymen who rule the country, bearing in mind that change is an organic process.†[29] Rich historical data supports the fact that religion, liberalism, nationalism and monarchism were intertwined to Iranian politics which led to the shaping of the Islamic dominion in Iran.[30] In 651 CE, the Arab invasion of Iran led to the elimination of nationalism due to the influence of Islamic principles but eventually (in around 1502 CE) studies recognized that nationalism and religion particularly Shiaism, again intermingled and safeguarded Iran’s independence from the invasion of the Ottoman Empire (which demanded loyalty of all Muslims).[31] Above all, the Iranian Revolution in 1978-79 proved to be an important manipulator of law and governance in Iran including the state’s internal policy which in turn mainly affected educational systems and the kind of learning imparted to the students based on Islamic fundamentalism.[32] That being told, Islamic fundamentalism is often misjudged. The term is usually represented on a level of faith and while giving it meaning it could turn out to be profusely ‘negative rather than positive.'[33] One analysis reveals that, ‘In relation to Islam, it is important to recognize that the term fundamentalism (usiliyyah) is not self-descriptive but has been applied by others in their attempts to describe and understand contemporary Islamic history and politics.'[34] In correspondence to Iran, fundamentalism has a profound stance unlike in other Islamic nations. The Iranian government has steadily been involved in competition with Saudi Arabia (the epicenter of the Muslim world) to stay up to par in procuring the attention of the Islamic world and gaining significance; thus, offering home and harbor to the world’s Islamic fundamentalists which include leaders, activists, thinkers and others. This is done on the watch of the Iranian Foreign Ministry by hosting events, seminars, conferences and so on for increasing awareness.[35] The Iranian government is motivated by Islamic principles and continues to be a mark of strength in the Muslim sphere and thus, it is evident how effectively a religion can influence the politics of a nation. There exists several other countries that have undergone certain historical incidents generated by the influence of one or even more religions leading to transformations in contemporary political models and structures that are quite similar to the impact of the Zionist Movement (Jewish group) that led to the whole new formation of a nation – Israel, the significant role of the Catholic Church in the polity of Quebec and also, the foundation of the Iranian polity on the concept of Islamic fundamentalism. As much as this research justifies the argument that the historical background of a religion’s doing has a part to play in figuring out the style of modern-day argument, it is also manifest that contemporary politics might not be entirely continuing in the path set by past occurrences. For instance, present-day Israel, has a law that is influenced by the Jewish traditions and customs which would include that ‘all glory belongs to God for He protects His people as in the days of Moses’ but then comes a trend tending towards ‘self consciousness’ where the people of the nation are exhorted by their leaders to prepare for their enemies by training in self defense and learning to protect one’s self.[36] Similarly, in Quebec, the public realize that there is a need for secularization and so, have advocated the limitation on the rights of the Church in the involvement in politics. However, there are some nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia that are unable to divulge from the law given to them and thus, maintain the relationship between religion and politics quite effectively; the results there of be positive or negative. The relevance of the impact of religions on politics is very significant in understanding why countries, nations and their leaders interact with each other the way they do and how the pathway of politics can be predicted based on past occurrences; thus, the issue of this research appeals to historians, politicians, religious leaders and educationalists all alike. Works Cited Blumberg, Arnold. The History of Israel. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. http://www.questia.com/read/98623170. Knowles, Valerie. Strangers at our Gates. Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press, 2007. Liebman, Charles S., and Asher Cohen. â€Å"Synagogue and State: Religion and Politics in Modern Israel.† Harvard International Review 20, no. 2 (1998): 70. http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-30308720. Merriam-Webster, â€Å"Zionism.† Last modified 2012. Accessed November 15, 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zionism. Milton-Edwards, Beverly. Islamic Fundamentalism since 1945. New York: Routledge, 2004. http://www.questia.com/read/108858736. Quinn, Herbert F. The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963. http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. Rubenstein, Richard L., ed. Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics. New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987. http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. Sharkansky, Ira. Politics and Policymaking: In Search of Simplicity. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2002. http://www.questia.com/read/105768998. Suyama, Nobuaki. â€Å"Quebec: Populate or Perish.† New Zealand International Review 22, no. 3 (1997): 15+. http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-20059576.