`` Undeniable Evolution And Science Of Creation, By Bill...

1.) A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that one-third of Americans believe that humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time. In his new book â€Å"Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation,† Bill Nye tries to prove evolution and debunk the ideas of creationism. His idea to write the book started from a controversial debate between himself and Ken Ham, creation against evolution. Ken Ham challenged him to prove that evolution was undeniable. The book starts from the beginning of time as Nye explains life on earth evolving and continues into the mysteries of biochemistry, metabolism and genetics. He mentions Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species and what a huge part of our lives evolution has†¦show more content†¦The book is an attempt to prove to everyone that evolution is -in fact- undeniable. 2.) â€Å"Undeniable† seems to be directed towards â€Å"today s generation† of younger people. Nye talks about a future full of creationists. He says, â€Å" His only concern is science education at the elementary level. What everybody’s worried about is making sure you’ve got reading, writing, arithmetic.† Nye feels that if children are not properly educated at a young age on evolution, they will become indoctrinated from their parents or a religious group. He also says that,† Creationist kids are compelled to suppress their common sense and to suppress their critical thinking skills. By the time you’re 18, you’ve made up your mind.† He writes â€Å"Undeniable† for students, kids and teengers whom he believes are at a critical age to be exposed to evolution. He writes so anyone can understand and tries to relate to kids by using the example: â€Å"We wouldn’t have iphones, cars or video calls, it is all bec ause of science.† Nye says he is scared for the future because as climate change is happening we â€Å"need all the brains we can get to address this issue.† 3.) â€Å"It’s just unreasonable,† Nye says, â€Å"How can you conclude that the Earth is somehow 6,000 years old?† The Earth is not 6,000 years old!† Bill Nye mocks the idea of a global Flood remodeling the surface of the earth. He does not see how biblical Flood can explain what we observe in nature, such

The Constitution Of The United States Essay - 932 Words

In 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the framers of the Constitution of the United States of America worked together to identify the best way to elect the President (Patterson, 2013). The ideas suggested varied and ranged from selection by members of congress chosen by lottery, to a popular vote of the people. By the end of the Convention the matter had yet to be settled as the framers fore saw that many of the suggestions were prone to corruption, error, and were very chaotic. The issue was passed down to the Committee on Postponed Matters, who in turn created the system that is used today and is commonly known as Electoral College (Kazin, 2011). The Electoral College was outlined by the Committee to up hold the views of the founding fathers, who were the framers of the Constitution. The Committee on Postponed Matters was created on August 31, 1787, it took four days for them to make a proposal to the Constitutional Convention on the election process (Kazin, 2011). The proposed process included electors known as the Electoral College, each elector would have one electoral vote (Kazin, 2011). States would each have the same number of electoral votes as it had members in Congress (members in the Senate and in the House) (Kazin, 2011). However, the electors were to be selected by way of each states’ choosing as Congress members were prohibited from becoming electors (Patterson, 2013). The states would then hold a public vote for presidency and theShow MoreRelatedThe United States Constitution And The Constitution Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States Constitution, this very detailed group of words was written in 1787, but it did not take effect until after it was ratified in 1789, when it replaced the Articles of Confederation. It remains the basi c law of the United States then and till the present day of 2016. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware; the last of the original thirteen to ratify was Rhode Island and since only nine were required, this was two years after it went into effect. When the U.S. ConstitutionRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States Constitution Essay1185 Words   |  5 Pages(framers’ of the U.S. Constitution) position on the Presidency: The framers experienced the abuse of the English monarchs and their colonial governors. As a result, the framers were skeptical of the excessive executive authority. Furthermore, they also feared excessive legislative powers. This was something that the Articles of Confederation had given their own state legislatures. The framers of the constitution deliberately fragmented power between the national government, the states, and among the executiveRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States885 Words   |  4 Pages In 1787, our founding fathers came up with a few principles that would establish what we now know as the United States of America. These principles were put on paper to serve as a guideline for how the United States would be operated and structured. This historical piece paper became known as the Constitution of the United States. In the Constitution, a Preamble is implemented at the beginning that essentially tells what the founding fathers set out to do. â€Å"We The People, in order to form a moreRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States894 Words   |  4 Pagesthe substratum for that country. A Constitution can be defined as a document that is the substratum of the country’s principles. Elements in the Constitution may contain sundry information. Which can include: how many terms a leader may serve, what rights the citizens have, how the judicial system works, etc. The United States in no different from those countries. Every constitution is different, no country has the exact constitution as another. The U.S Constitution is a four-page document detailingRead MoreThe United States Constitution Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States constitution was written in 1787 by the founding fathers of this country. Now it might be appropriate to question why a document that is the basis of the government for one of the most culturally and racially diverse countries in the world, was written by a group of heterosexual, cisgender, rich, white men. Some might think that a constitution written well over 200 years ago would be outdated and irrelevant to the American society of today but with some research, it is quite theRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States756 Words   |  4 PagesPromulgation and Legislation in the U.S. Constitution: The federal system of government of the United States is based on its constitution. The Constitution grants all authority to the federal government except the power that is delegated to the states. Each state in the United States has its own constitution, local government, statute, and courts. The Constitution of the United States sets the judiciary of the federal government and defines the extent of the federal court’s power. The federalRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1007 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States of America has previously experienced failure every now and then. With trial and error, the country has learned to correct its ways and move toward(s) perfecting itself. Realizing the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation is a prime example of the U.S. learning how to better itself. Subsequent to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the United States was set as our new and improved framework of government. Possessing knowled ge on how America, although strongRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States951 Words   |  4 Pageshappening again. Unlike the artifacts, The Constitution of the United States has not been forgotten, it is actually still very alive today. Unlike most relics, The Constitution still holds a very heroic and patriotic implication, freedom. With freedom comes self-government, freedom of speech, religious tolerance, etc. With all these things comes the great responsibility to adapt and fit to the wants and needs of the decade. Even though the Constitution was made for the interests of the people ofRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1338 Words   |  6 Pages The Constitution is the basis of law in The United States and has been since it was written in 1789. Since then it has been amended 27 times with the first ten amendments collectively known as the Bill of Rights. The US Constitution was preceded by the Articles of Confederation and supported by the Federalist Papers which we will touch more on later. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson all wrote or influenced The Constitution in a very important way. Alexander HamiltonRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1388 Words   |  6 PagesInterpretation of the Constitution is one of the biggest conflicts within the United States–the highly contentious issue of states’ rights resulted from two different interpretations of what powers should belong to the federal government versus what powers belong to the individual states. No issue has ever caused as much turmoil as the issue of states’ rights–but one side must have more v alid arguments. Should the federal government’s power be superior, or should the authority of the individual states be held

Unit 206 Business Admin Free Essays

Learner statement unit 206 Outcome 1 Enterprise rent a car (ERAC) operates within the automotive and retail industries. Our mission is to fulfil the automotive and commercial truck rental, leasing, car sales and related needs of our customers and, in doing so, exceed their expectations for service, quality and value. We will strive to earn our customers’ long-term loyalty by working to deliver more than promised, being honest and fair and â€Å"going the extra mile† to provide exceptional personalized service that creates a pleasing business experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Unit 206 Business Admin or any similar topic only for you Order Now We must motivate our employees to provide exceptional service to our customers by supporting their development, providing opportunities for personal growth and fairly compensating them for their successes and achievements. We believe it is critical to our success to promote managers from within who will serve as examples of success for others to follow. Although it is our goal to be the best and not necessarily the biggest or the most profitable, our success at satisfying customers and motivating employees will bring growth and long-term profitability. Within the automotive and rental sector, ERAC offers high service levels and reliability and offers certain perks that other companies do not such as â€Å"we will pick you up† Reviewing damage claims and assigning collection strategies Negotiating with individuals, insurance companies, corporate customers and credit card companies  Ã‚   Maintaining accounts of collections  and incoming payments on claim files Producing professional written communication including tasks such as writing, editing and proofreading correspondence and brief reports   Interpreting loss data in conjunction with debtor feedback in order to establish settlement needs  and parameters Interpreting loss data in conjunction with debtor feedback in order to establish if claim is valid and/or if the claim needs to be closed Determining what claims must be worked in order to obtain payment Interpreting recovery efforts to determine if a claim must be referred to a third party vendor for additional collection efforts. The role is essential to the organisation as all vehicles are â€Å"self-insured† so all losses come straight from the company for any damages. If I was unsure of any policy or procedure relating to my role, I would init ially consult he policy on the intranet. I would then query with my coordinator, supervisor or manager and if needs be, HR department. Outcome 2 ; 3 People working together to achieve common goals needs proper coordination so that the assigned or delegated tasks are done smoothly and effectively. In an organization, there has to be leaders as well as the supervisors and those who implement the plans – the people founding the main work force or employees who needs to realize their own tasks and assignments so that they can perform accordingly. By working together you can achieve positive results because you work together to achieve a common goal quickly and effectively. By explaining and agreeing to work goals you emphasise how important the work is and also how important he individual’s role is. This also ensures everyone is working off the same timescale and the same standard. Team members can support each other by helping with workloads, emails and administrative duties. You can support other teams by encouraging them and appreciating their efforts. They can also share tasks, e. g. incoming phone calls. The purpose of agreeing quality measures within a team ensures everyone is working on the same time scale and to the same quality level, this means that work is consistent and creates a happier work environment as well as more professional image. All information should be communicated between the other people in the team as again this ensures everyone has the same knowledge base and feel happier with the tasks they have been set and why. The communication can take place verbally, face to face or in team meetings, via email or via memo’s. Outcome 4 By recognising the strengths in others you can pool abilities within the team so as to finish work to a high standard quickly and effectively. If one person excels at a certain task, they will complete it correctly and quickly and freeing up other team members to work on different objectives for the team. Diversity within a team offers different levels of expertise and viewpoints. Having diversity allows tasks and problems to be approached from many different angles. A project carried out by a divers team will raise clarity and levels of arguments to ensure that all ideas are thoroughly considered. By respecting your individual team mates you create a better working environment which is conductive to happier employees who work more efficiently. Outcome 5 The types of problems and disagreements that may occur within a team include * Dishonesty * Difference of opinion * Disagreement over workloads * Incompetence * Disagreements over personal issues such as annual leave, workloads, lunches etc. Disagreements over the way to work effectively The best way to resolve problems or disagreements is to compromise and be as flexible as possible. Problems can be resolved by the management assigning roles for different members or sitting down with employees and talking the issues out. If this fail s then grievance procedures should be followed. Outcome 6 Constructive feedback helps organisations improve and help employees work more efficiently. By giving constructive feedback you can help ensure that you are making work processes more effective and positive. When receiving feedback you can recognise any mistakes that you may not have spotted. Feedback enables you to reflect on your work as an individual and as a team as if delivered constructively will improve morale and productivity. Getting feedback is a suitable way to receive information that will help make a workplace more efficient. It helps individuals realise how members of your team and possibly other departments like or don’t like about how you work, this will allow you to either continue in the same fashion, confident that you are doing a satisfactory job or make adjustments to hopefully improve your performance. Likewise feedback to a team will show where they could improve and by discussing the issues this will enable the team as a whole to implement new ideas and working methods to improve effectiveness and productivity. How to cite Unit 206 Business Admin, Essay examples

James Mckeen Cattell Contributions to Psychology free essay sample

After completing his doctorate, Cattell spent two years at Cambridge University, where he founded Englands first laboratory in experimental psychology. While at Cambridge, Cattell married Josephine Owen, who became a lifelong partner in his research and later in his editing and publishing duties. Also during his Cambridge years, Cattells father helped him to secure a faculty position at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught for two and a half years. It was during this time that Cattell coined the term mental testing to characterize his research (Sokal, 1987). Cattell then moved to Columbia University as head of its psychology department and taught there until his dismissal in 1917, a dismissal nominally caused by an anticonscription piece that he published during the first world war, but almost certainly fueled by long-standing antagonism between Cattell and Columbias president, Nicholas Murray Butler (Sokal, 1995). Cattells eminence in his day is clear; in 1901 Cattell was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, although historian Michael M. Sokal suggests that this may have been due more to his resurrection of the journal Science than to his scientific research (Sokal, 1980). Cattell is known to psychologists familiar with the history of psychology in the United States not only for his experimental work on reaction time and mental testing but also as one of the founding figures of the APA in 1892 and as its fourth president (1896). Sokals numerous publications on Cattell have helped to elucidate his role for general, for Cattells influence extended far beyond the confines of psychology. Indeed, one scientific contemporary eulogized that Cattell did more than any other man of his generation to bring about the organization of science in America (Conklin, 1944, p. 154). Edward L. Thorndike similarly recalled that although Cattell had been the most likely candidate at the tum of the century for leadership in psychology, he chose to become both a leader and a servant, and of American science as a whole rather than of only psychology (Thorndike, 1944, p. 155). Cattell is best remembered for his lifelong services as an editor and publisher. He edited the first six editions of American Men of Science (now American Men and Women of Science), instituting and maintaining against increasing opposition its system of starring the 1,000 most eminent scientists (Sokal, 1995). Among the journals he published and edited were the Psychological Review (with James Mark Baldwin), The American Naturalist, School and Society, Popular Science Monthly, The Scientific Monthly, and his longest and most noteworthy venture, Science. He also helped to found the Archives of Psychology and the Journal of philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods. Cattell maintained an active interest in psychology throughout his life, and was president of the International Congress of Psychology (1929) as well as one of the founding members, in 1921, of the Psychological Corporation, a business designed to promote applied psychology. As Thorndike put it, even while becoming a broader man of science, Cattell did not cease to be a psychologist . . . . but his leadership was in psychological affairs rather than in psychological thought and experimentation (Thorndike, 1944). Cattell and Science Cattell was central to the story of the AAAS from the turn of the century until his death. Sokal, Kohlstedt, and Lewenstein have detailed that story in an excellent recent publication (Sokal et al. , in press); we simply summarize some of the highlights of Cattells AAAS years, as gleaned from their research and our own. As already mentioned, the AAAS was at a critical moment in its history at the turn of the century, as its membership numbers stagnated and attendance at meetings fell off in the face of the rising number of specialist societies that competed for scientists closely guarded time and energy. It both had no official publication, and at the AAAS meeting in 1900, members began grumbling that they were not getting enough for their $3 in dues (Conklin, 1944, p. 153). The journal Science had been founded in 1880, privately published and kept afloat financially first through the generosity of Thomas Alva Edison and subsequently by Alexander Graham Bell and his father-in-law Gardiner Greene Hubbard. Leaders of the scientific community in America perceived a need for a journal that would keep them abreast of developments across the various scientific fields and that would also promote the interests of science for the public. But the journal had a difficult time in the 1880s and early 1890s for various reasons (Kohlstedt, 1980). Of its first three editors, two were scientific amateurs who failed to gain the respect of scientific researchers. The journal varied in quality from issue to issue, and articles were often derivative of older published sources. The subscription list was never large enough to support the journal, so continuous external backing was needed, and patrons tended to offer more advice than editors wanted, leading to tensions and the resignation of the second editor. The journal finally sunk in 1894, its last issue published in March of that year (Kohlstedt, 1980). A number of members of the scientific community gathered at an AAAS meeting in that year and pledged their support to keeping the journal alive, even recommending that the AAAS provide it a subsidy if it were revived. One of the journals aims had always been to report on the activities of scientific societies, and the proceedings of the AAASs annual meetings had been a staple of Science since its founding, but as yet there was no official connection between the journal and the association. In the fall of 1894, Cattell purchased Science for financial reasons (Sokal et al. , in press). Of all of Sciences early editors, Cattell was without question its most scientifically established and respected. He was a faculty member and department chair at Columbia University, one of the leading research universities in the country, and he had a fine record of publication in the new experimental psychology. Earlier in 1894 he had started editing, with James Mark Baldwin, the Psychological Review. Cattell was already well-connected in the American scientific community, and he used his new position to strengthen and broaden his network. More than previous editors, he was able to draw on these ties to persuade eminent scientists to contribute articles and information to the journal; its first new issue in January of 1895, for example, featured a lead article by Harvard physicist Simon Newcomb, another by Daniel Coit Gilman, president of The Johns Hopkins University, as well as a number of other presidential addresses and papers by leading scientists (Conklin, 1944). Within the space of a few short years, Cattell transformed Science into a journal that people wanted to read in order to keep up with the latest advances and gossip in the various fields of science. His connections with a wide range of scientists nationally and internationally enabled Science to scoop other American periodicals on a number of exciting scientific developments of the late-19th and early-20th centuries, such as the discovery of X-rays, wireless telegraphy, new chemical elements, the rediscovery of the gene, and the Wright brothers early flights at Kitty Hawk (Sokal, 1980). In addition to regularly featured articles and presidential addresses, he established a regular Current Notes section that included information on recent developments in various scientific fields, he included regular reports of local scientific meetings and reviews of scientific journals, he encouraged discussion of the latest scientific controversies in a Correspondence section, and he added a Scientific Notes and News section that gave professional news of the AAAS members (Sokal et al. in press). The latter section, Sokal suggests, was of special interest to members at a time when the scientific community was relatively small (only about 5,000 scientists in the United States and only about 2,000 AAAS members), and many of its members knew each other. As we will describe below, Dael Wolfie would later find it necessary to transform this section in order to meet the changing needs of a membership whose numbers had exceeded any reasonable sense of the term community. Even while he wa s reviving Science and making it a commercially viable enterprise, Cattell sought to link his journal with the AAAS; he quickly arranged to receive the subsidy that had been recommended by the AAAS committee of 1894, and he subsequently worked with the Permanent Secretary (now called the Executive Officer) of the AAAS to make Science the official journal of the AAAS in 1900 (Sokal, 1980). All members of the AAAS would receive Science without an increase in their $3 dues; Cattell would take a slight loss because individual subscriptions to Science cost $5, but his subscription list grew, which appealed to advertisers. The official linkage worked to the advantage of both Science and the AAAS, even exceeding their hopes. After a number of years of stagnation, within a year membership in the AAAS had nearly doubled, and within the decade it had tripled, hitting 6,000 in 1909 (Sokal et al. in press). Members now felt that they were getting something for their dues, and Science, now the official journal of the largest broadbased scientific society in the United States, had an even greater opportunity than previously to attract the support of leaders of the scientific community and to become the central journal to represent the interests of all the sciences in America. Cattell had revitalized Science, and its union with the AAAS helped to breathe new life into that organization as it weathered the changes of an increasingly specialized scientific community. HelpingPsychology. com (2010) James McKeen Cattell: Noteworthy Psychologist. Retrieved on January 9, 2011 from http://helpingpsychology. com/? s=James+McKeen+Cattell Plucker, J. A. (Ed. ). (2007). Human intelligence: Historical influences, current controversies, teaching resources. Retrieved January 9, 2011, from http://www. indiana. edu/~intell

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters free essay sample

Roasters reveals the following : 1. 1 Strengths i. Product Consistency By utilizing state-of-the-art roasting software, GMCR is therefore able to maintain their level of product consistency, ii. Unique Products Its key success is in differentiating its coffees. The coffee beans have been carefully selected and then roasting them in small batches to ensure consistency and to maximize their taste and flavor differences. This one of the reason why are the Green Mountain coffees is different from those of other specialty coffee companies. On the other hand, Keurig also gives Green Mountain access to the office and one-cup segment. iii. High Distribution GMCR flushes nitrogen into its packaged coffee and employ one-way value bag packaging technology that provides a minimum shelf life of six months for the company coffee as customer is able to retain the freshness of the coffee in the package. This in turn, allows GMCR to expand it’s distribution, without any worries about compromised quality. We will write a custom essay sample on Green Mountain Coffee Roasters or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page v. Socially Responsible Business Practices GMCR is a supporter of social and environmental causes, and being listed in the â€Å"100 Best Corporate Citizens† and â€Å"The World’s Most Socially Responsible Companies† lists. This acts as a bonus to the company’s outlook and reputation. v. Widely Available GMCR’s products are widely available in the market. By targeting various distribution channels and customer categories, GMCR is confident that consumer trial at one point of the distribution level will lead to a subsequent purchase at another. vi. Flagships Flagship customers such as Amtrack, Exxon-Mobile, JetBlue Airways and American Skiing Company are key to the company’s geographic expansion strategy as they provide visibility and sampling opportunities 1. 2 Weaknesses i. Single Product Line GMCR deals with specialty coffee solely, putting it at a serious disadvantage in bargaining with supermarket chains for favorable shelf space. ii. Own Distribution and Sales Force GMCR relied on its own distribution and sales forces to expand the Green Mountain brand in the grocery channel. 1. 3 Opportunities i. Increased consumption Increased coffee consumption in Europe, Asia and Brazil has just expanded GMCR’s distribution opportunities. By targeting and influencing more of the above mentioned countries’ coffee drinkers, GMCR can hope to influence most of the consumers before its rivals do so. ii. Specialty Coffee Market Gourmet, specialty coffee is the bread-and-butter of GMCR’s establishment. A growing increase in consumers seeking specialty coffee will mean brighter prospects for GMCR. iii. Keurig Acquisition Green Mountain acquired 42 percent ownership in Keurig Inc. The appeal of the Keurig K-cup perfectly brewing just one cup of coffee from a variety of coffee selections has contributed to GMCR success in the office coffee services. 1. 4 Threats i. Decrease in coffee consumption The U. S coffee market now only accounts for 20% of world coffee consumption, compared to the 80% during World War II. The coffee market is now moving on to Europe, Asia (particularly Japan). ii. Commercial coffee roasters There is higher competition as major companies seek to enter the specialty coffee industry. Such names include but are not limited to : Phillip Morris’ Gevalia, Procter Gamble’s Millstone and Nescafe. The major coffee marketers make a big push to make their premium coffee brands dominant in the wholesale channel. iii. Starbucks Partnerships Starbucks, seen as a long time competitor to GMCR, upon entering into a long-term licensing with Kraft, will expect to generate extra sales 20-40 pounds of coffee per store per week. This is seen as a threat to GMCR, which has an average sales of 100 pounds of coffee per store per week. Starbucks, which has distribution agreement with Kraft foods Inc. plans to place their coffee in supermarkets along with Kraft Maxwell House brands. Kraft manages all distribution, marketing, advertising and promotion for Starbuck coffee in grocery, warehouse club and mass merchandise store. It featured distinctive, elegant packaging, prominent positions in grocery aisles and the same premium quality as that sold in its stores. Starbucks is also partnering with Dreyer’s for branded ice cream, and Pepsi to distribute bottled Frappuccino. Starbucks become the coffee supplier to 20 million passengers who fly United Airlines each year and mail-order sales division accounted for roughly 2 percent of total revenue. iv. Seattle Coffee Company Acquisition Starbucks acquisition of Seattle Coffee Company in the forth quarter of fiscal 2003 and increased warehouse club revenue due to growth in existing account. The increase was primarily attributable to the growth of the food service business as a results of the acquisition of Seattle Coffee Company and the growth in new and existing Starbucks food service accounts. To conclude Green Mountain’s SWOT analysis, its resource strengths are limited, and the company is a so much smaller compared to the rest of the major coffee marketers, like Starbucks. However, it is carving out a market niche for itself and has done a commendable job of securing wholesale accounts. 2. QUESTION TWO In your analysis of the organization’s strengths, be sure to identify the firm’s Core Competencies using the Value Chain. M. Porter’s value chain is as follows : Source : UK Education, Accounting For Strategic Management According to M. Porter’s value chain, we have analyzed and indentified the firm’s core competencies as follows : 2. 1 Technology Development Nitrogen-based one-way valve packaging allows GMCR to increase the shelf life of it’s coffee, thus leading to a higher Convection air roasters combined with specific roasting programmes for each bean type allows GMCR to create â€Å"signature† coffees, distinguishing itself from other coffee companies. 2. 2 Inbound Logistics GMCR obtain their coffee beans from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Indonesia and other coffee-growing countries. This allows for a wide variety of coffees to be made. By obtaining its resources for multiple locations, GMCR is at lower risk of being affected by shortages. 2. 3 Marketing and Sales GMCR has over 100 varieties of finished coffee products, which caters to consumer taste and preference, in the specialty coffee sector, the market niche which it has identified. Partnership with Wild Oats and Costco allows for greater penetration into the wholesale and supermarket channels. The Keurig K-cup ownership by GMCR has tremendously increased business prospects for GMCR. With the precedence of online shopping, similarly, coffee is set to follow, as more and more consumers are starting to brew their own coffee from the comfort of their own home or office. 2. 4 Services According to Wikipedia (16 JUL 2007), GMCR has also launched delivery services to cater to consumers. Cafe EXPRESS is Green Mountain’s automatic delivery coffee club that rewards their end consumers with discounts, free gifts, and special perks and privileges that only Cafe EXPRESS membership brings. Besides coffee beans, Green Mountain also sells brewer and accessories to the end consumers out there. Therefore consumers are able to get all the necessary equipment within one stop. 3. QUESTION THREE Identify and evaluate the strategies that the organization has pursued to maintain its growth and leadership position. GMCR has adopted a differentiation strategy, therefore creating prestige and brand image. Ever since GMCR entered the specialty coffee market back in 1981, it has created over 100 varities of finished coffee products, and with the use of technology to enhance consistency and quality, edged over its competitors. Green Mountain’s strategy has several key elements: A key component of management’s growth strategy was to make Green Mountain coffees readily convenient and available for consumer trial by the cup at convenience stores, office coffee services, and food service establishments, thereby spurring sales of green Mountain coffees in supermarkets and specialty food stores. Green Mountain has a wide selection of high-quality coffees. There are about 90 varieties. Green Mountain’s coffee products included single origin, estate, certified organic, Fair Trade, flavored, and proprietary blends of coffee sold under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Newman’s Own Organics brands. Green Mountain also emphasis on 2 distribution channels which are; i. Catalog sales To promote catalog sales, Green Mountain focused solicitations on catalog customers who bought regularly, especially members of the company’s â€Å"Coffee Club† who had customized standing orders for automatic re-shipment. Recently, the company had begun pursuing ways to increase traffic on its website both to build brand awareness nationwide and boost direct sales to consumers where the company had a limited presence in supermarkets and specialty food stores. ii. Wholesale accounts Supermarkets, specialty food stores, convenience stores, hotels, restaurants, universities, travel and office coffee service customers, and food service companies. Major wholesale customers included the American Skiing Company alpine resorts, Amtrak, ARAMARK, ExxonMobil Convenience stores (almost 2,000 locations), Fred Meyer Stores, Hannaford Bros. Supermarkets, Kash N’ Karry Food Stores, Kings Super Markets, Nestle Waters of North America, Price Chopper, Shaws Supermarkets, Sodexho and Wild Oats—see Exhibit 6. Acquiring additional â€Å"flagship† customers was viewed as key to the company’s geographic expansion strategy because they provided great visibility and sampling opportunities On the other hand, Green Mountain is also providing high levels of sales and equipment service support to its supermarket accounts which helps them to win over supermarket chains to stocking and supporting the Green Mountain brand in their stores. Every Green Mountain’s coffee bean has been carefully selected and then roasting them in small batches to ensure consistency and to maximize their taste and flavor differences. This is why the Green Mountain coffees is different from those of other specialty coffee companies. The company’s strict quality control and distinctive aroma has resulted in the strong customer loyalty to the brand. The Green Mountain coffee was sold in a variety of packages including whole bean, fractional packages, and one-cup Keurig  ® portions. The packaging equipment for Keurig K-Cup portion packs was also owned by Green Mountain Coffee and Green Mountain paid a royalty to Keurig for each K-Cup sold. Green Mountain’s strategy will be classified as focused differentiation (where the focus has been on the New England and mid-Atlantic regions as well as on specialty coffees). However, the company is transitioning to a broad differentiation strategy in the sense that it is expanding geographically. 4. QUESTION FOUR What factors should the organization consider in the development of its future strategy? 4. 1 Publicity Since GMCR has established it’s distribution lines, which it claims that â€Å"at one point of a distribution line, a customer will make a subsequent purchase†, it is the right time for GMCR to go on a publicity campaign. This will raise awareness amongst the coffee drinkers who have been loyal to GMCR’s competitors. With GMCR having such a wide distribution channel, consumers are bound to encounter the distribution lines at some point or another. Therefore we suggest that GMCR consider increasing its advertising budget, exploring all methods to increase public awareness of its coffee. Green Mountain should continue with its present strategy. The company must continue its strong efforts to obtain new wholesale accounts; preferably large regional or even national accounts. Sales growth at Green Mountain is largely dependent on gaining additional retail exposure for the company’s coffees; both in states where it is already fairly strong (New England and the mid-Atlantic) and in states where its market penetration is low. . 2 Franchising and location By reducing the number of outlets which are company-operated, GMCR will save a lot of costs and instead look forward to thriving on franchising revenues. As cities are continuously developing, buildings after buildings are being replaced, a good location may not last forever. Therefore it is wise for GMCR to leave the strategic positioning decisions to the franchise owners, wh o may have lived there for a longer period of time or are locals who have more experience and knowledge. Currently Green Mountain target audience has always been in the United States and it is only available to the niche market. As a result, other coffee drinkers in the United States might not know about Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Other coffee drinker will not be purchasing any coffee from GMCR. The company should look into expanding the target audience in the United States and the other part of the world. In order to reach out to the other coffee drinkers, GMCR should consider in re-opened the company-owned and operated retail stores. GMCR made a strategic decision previously to close down the company-owned and operated retail stores. By closing the company-owned and operated retails stores, it will reduced the presence of the company in the market and other coffee drinkers might not know of the GMCR. 4. 3 Marketing Green Mountain should focus its marketing efforts on securing new accounts where it will not encounter the competitive wrath of Kraft (Maxwell House), PG (Folger’s), or Nestle; all of which have more financial and marketing muscle than Green Mountain. The Management of Green Mountain must get performance of the newly-acquired Keurig subsidiary on track; there is not enough information in the case to offer specific recommendations about Keurig. Green Mountain management seems confident that the problems are temporary and that the acquisition will work out. GMCR offer samplers to new consumer however they would need to complete an online form and to qualify for the free trial and you would need to have at least 12 employees in the office. It is time consuming from the customer point of view and prevent them from completely filling up the information. GMCR are concentrating most of their sales online. Although there are supermarkets or convenience stores that are selling their products, customer like to know where to purchase them however the website does not provide them the information. 4. 4. Product Line Expansion Issues Based on the website http://www. greenmountaincoffee. com, GCMR sells other products beside coffee powders. They have brewers and other coffee-related accessories that are being sold online however customer would like to have the physical touch and feel of the product that is being sold. There are products which cost hundreds of dollars which customer would not purchase the coffee machines online unless they are a regular coffee drinkers of GMCR. By taking their expanded product lines offline and to supermarkets, they will therefore be able to ensure the survival of their accessories. 5. QUESTION FIVE Discuss the importance of changes in the external environment to the organization. We have analyzed the following six environmental factors and its effect on GMCR: Political, Economical, Sociocultural , Technology, Demographics and Global factors. . 1 Political A political campaign to push for greater presence of socially-responsible companies would have an impact on the coffee industry. Socially-responsible business practices come into the limelight now, as consumers are not only concerned about product quality, but the processes which the business goes through to obtain their end-products. Therefore, businesses would have to increase their contributions to charitable/ non-profit organizations to enhance their reputation as a â€Å"company which gives back to the society†. 5. 2 Economical During an economic downturn, GMCR’s sales would decline. People would cut back on unnecessary spending, and specialty coffee is on the list of those items, which people can easily replace by buying coffee powder from home-grown brands, which tend to be cheaper. On the other hand, when the economy booms, people have less qualms about spending more on luxury items like GMCR’s coffee. 5. 3 Sociocultural As society becomes more and more fast-paced everyday, people would eventually have lesser time on their hands during office hours. With more deadlines approaching, people spend more time in the office, sometimes even having their lunch in the office. Activities such as having an hour-long lunch break would eventually become a luxury for working adults. As such, they would hesitate to even spend their time queuing up for coffee. GMCR’s stores would suffer a decrease in revenue because of a dip in customers during working hours, however, their Keurig K-Cup and coffee bean sales would increase, as more people would prefer brewing their own cup of coffee within the comfort of their own office. The workforce continues to get larger and larger everyday. More and more people are entering the workforce, and coffee consumption would increase since coffee consumption in the office is considered a norm, and more people would therefore be consuming coffee. Health concerns over caffeine would constantly harass the coffee industry. As more health reports are released everyday regarding the side effects of caffeine, companies should strive to provide more varieties of de-caffeinated coffee, so as to cater to the group of consumers which are more health conscious. . 4 Technology Better technologies are developed everyday. The construction of highways and roads allows for less transportation time for goods, so that they can be delivered earlier. This in turn reduces transport costs, as more transport alternatives become available. Focusing on the coffee industry, technology is crucial to the production of coffee beans. The preservation of coffee beans, as demonstrated by GMCR’s nitrogen valve bag packing technology, allows for coffee beans to have an increased shelf life. This is extremely crucial as it allows a business to expand its distribution. Moreover, a longer shelf life would appeal to the consumer as they are able to buy in bulk for future use, and not have to return to the supermarket on a frequent basis. Improvement in technology allows for faster processing times and better quality control. Therefore this would have a serious impact on the coffee industry, not only to gain the edge over their competitors, but also to increase customer confidence that the product they are buying is indeed value-for-money. . 5 Demographics An aging population would mean more adults (18 and above), therefore naturally contributing to an increase in coffee consumption. The National Coffee Drinking Trends survey of adults 18 years and above concluded that 79% of adults consume coffee in 2000, 78% in 1999, and 75% in 1997, which is a total increase of 4%. 5. 6 Global i. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Coffee bean prices seem to be driven by supply and demand for i nstance, a bad crop can drive prices up and a good growing season with high yields can drive prices down. Or even adverse weather and growing conditions could produce sharp upward spikes in prices of coffee beans, especially premium and relatively scarce varieties. In recent years, green coffee prices had been under considerable downward pressures due to oversupply. The low coffee price ranges generally experienced in recent years were not considered high enough to support proper farming and processing practices for top grade coffees, potentially endangering supplies of premium grade beans. But getting high quality beans was definitely a factor for the sellers of premium coffees. To protect their access to supplies of top grade beans, many specialty coffee companies, including Green Mountain, had entered into long-term contracts to purchase needed supplies from the growers of high quality beans. In addition, companies from time to time purchased coffee futures contracts and coffee options to provide additional protection when they were unable to enter into coffee purchase commitments or when the price of a significant portion of their committed contracts were not fixed. ii. Bargaining Power of Customers Most whole bean specialty coffees for home consumption were purchased in supermarkets or neighborhood grocery stores. Supermarket retailers are in a very strong position to drive a hard bargain in granting shelf space to the many premium coffee brands wanting retail exposure—many of these brands are relatively unknown and the companies marketing them are small (like Green Mountain). Supermarket chains have considerable leeway to switch out low-selling brands and replace them with more popular brands. Individual consumers have no bargaining power beyond that of switching brands henever they are dissatisfied with the brand they are currently using. 5. 7 Conclusion The biggest source of competitive pressure is rivalry among competing brands like Starbucks Coffee while the other two big sources of competitive pressure are the bargaining power of retail chains and the continuing entry of additional brands. The industry is probably ripe for consolidation—500 specialty and pre mium brands probably cannot survive (unless most remain niche brands for a limited clientele). Strong regional brands with an attractive product and a good brand image—like Green Mountain—may well be able to grow at the expense of weaker brands. . REFERENCES 1. UK Education : Accounting for Strategic Management, [Online] Available at : http://www. ukeducation. org. uk/Documentation. asp? key=1340 2. University of Cyprus : Green Mountain Handout, [Online] Available at: http://www. pba. ucy. ac. cy/staff/Green%20Mountain-Handout. pdf 3. Wikipedia : Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, [Online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green_Mountain_Coffee_Roasters 4. Green Mountain Coffee : Green Mountain Coffee, [Online] Available at: http://www. greenmountaincoffee. com INDIVIDUAL REPORTS – WONG JUN WEI Question 1 : Undertake a SWOT analysis of the organization in the case. The SWOT analysis on Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) are as follows : Strengths i. Product Consistency By utilizing state-of-the-art roasting software, GMCR is therefore able to maintain their level of product consistency, ii. Unique Products GMCR uses specific roasting programmes for various types of coffee, thus creating their â€Å"signature† roasts. By offering products which are unique in the market, this allows GMCR to stand out from their competitors. iii. High Distribution Packaging technology allows GMCR’s coffee to have a long shelf life. This in turn, allows GMCR to expand it’s distribution. iv. Socially Responsible Business Practices GMCR is a supporter of social and environmental causes, and being listed in the â€Å"100 Best Corporate Citizens† and â€Å"The World’s Most Socially Responsible Companies† lists. This acts as a bonus to the company’s outlook and reputation. v. Widely Available GMCR’s products are widely available in the market. By targeting various distribution channels and customer categories, GMCR is confident that consumer trial at one point of the distribution level will lead to a subsequent purchase at another. Weaknesses i. Brand Awareness Consumers are less aware of GMCR, as compared to Starbucks, which has a higher advertising budget to create consumer awareness. Opportunities i. Increased consumption Increased coffee consumption in Europe, Asia and Brazil has just expanded GMCR’s distribution opportunities. By targeting and influencing more of the above mentioned countries’ coffee drinkers, GMCR can hope to influence most of the consumers before its rivals do so. ii. Specialty Coffee Market Gourmet, specialty coffee is the bread-and-butter of GMCR’s establishment. An increase in consumers seeking specialty coffee will mean brighter prospects for GMCR. Threats i. Decrease in coffee consumption The U. S coffee market now only accounts for 20% of world coffee consumption, compared to the 80% during World War II. The coffee market is now moving on to Europe, Asia (particularly Japan). ii. Commercial coffee roasters There is higher competition as major companies seek to enter the specialty coffee industry. Such names include but are not limited to : Phillip Morris’ Gevalia, Procter Gamble’s Millstone and Nescafe. iii. Starbucks Partnerships Starbucks, seen as a long time competitor to GMCR, upon entering into a long-term licensing with Kraft, will expect to generate extra sales 20-40 pounds of coffee per store per week. This is seen as a threat to GMCR, which has an average sales of 100 pounds of coffee per store per week. Starbucks is also partnering with Dreyer’s for branded ice cream, and Pepsi to distribute bottled Frappuccino. Question 2 : In your analysis of the organization’s strengths, be sure to identify the firm’s Core Competencies using the Value Chain. They have brewers and other coffee-related accessories that are being sold online however customer would like to have the physical touch and feel of the product that is being sold. There are products which cost hundreds of dollars which customer would not purchase the coffee machines online unless they are a regular coffee drinkers of GMCR. †¢GMCR are concentrating most of their sales online. Although there are supermarkets or convenience stores that are selling their products, customer like to know where to purchase them however the website does not provide them the information. GMCR offer samplers to new consumer however they would need to complete an online form and to qualify for the free trial and you would need to have at least 12 employees in the office. It is time consuming from the customer point of view and prevent them from completely filling up the information. Question 5 Discuss the importance of changes in the external environment to the organization †¢Custome r taste and preference will change and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters would need come up with new flavours of coffee to retain existing customer.

The Difference Between Good and Bad Writing

The Difference Between Good and Bad Writing Here are 10 writers and editors, ranging from Cicero to Stephen King, offering their thoughts on the differences between good writers and bad writers. 1. Dont Expect It to Be Easy You know what, it is so funny. A good writer will always find it very hard to fill a single page. A bad writer will always find it easy. (Aubrey Kalitera, Why Father Why, 1983) 2. Master the Fundamentals I am approaching the heart of this book with two theses, both simple. The first is that good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and then filling the third level of your toolbox with the right instruments. The second is that while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one. (Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000) 3. Say What You Think A bad writer is a writer who always says more than he thinks. A good writerand here we must be careful if we wish to arrive at any real insightis a writer who does not say more than he thinks. (Walter Benjamin, journal entry, Selected Writings: Volume 3, 1935-1938) 4. Reach for the Best Word It is the misuse and overuse of vogue words that the good writer must guard against. . . . It is extraordinary how often you will find vogue words accompanied in the same sentence by pretentiousness or sloppiness or other signs of sickness. No motorist is to be blamed for sounding his horn. But if he sounds it repeatedly we are not only offended by the noise; we suspect him of being a bad driver in other respects too. (Ernest Gowers, The Complete Plain Words, revised by Sidney Greenbaum and Janet Whitcut, 2002) 5. Order Your Words The difference between a good and a bad writer is shown by the order of his words as much as by the selection of them. (Marcus Tullius Cicero, The Oration for Plancius, 54 B.C.) 6. Attend to the Details There are bad writers who are exact in grammar, vocabulary, and syntax, sinning only through their insensitivity to tone. Often they are among the worst writers of all. But on the whole, it can be said that bad writing goes to the roots: It has already gone wrong beneath its own earth. Since much of the language is metaphorical in origin, a bad writer will scramble metaphors in a single phrase, often in a single word... Competent writers always examine what they have put down. Better-than-competent writers- good writers- examine their effects before they put them down: They think that way all the time. Bad writers never examine anything. Their inattentiveness to the detail of their prose is part and parcel of their inattentiveness to the detail of the outside world. (Clive James, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg: Lessons on How to Write. Cultural Amnesia, 2007) 7. Dont Fake It In the course of a fairly long work, there are bound to be impasses. The writer must backtrack and choose other alternatives, observe more, and sometimes have bad headaches till he  invents something. Here lies the distinction between a good writer and a bad writer. A good writer does not fake it and try to make it appear, to himself or the reader, that there is a coherent and probable whole when there isnt. If the writer is on the right track, however, things fall serendipitously into place; his sentences prove to have more meaning and formative power that he expected; he has new insights; and the book writes itself. (Paul Goodman, Apology for Literature. Commentary, July 1971) 8. Know When to Quit Everyone who writes strives for the same thing. To say it swiftly, clearly, to say the hard thing that way, using few words. Not to gum up the paragraph. To know when to quit when youve done. And not to have hangovers of other ideas sifting in unnoticed. Good writing is precisely like good dressing. Bad writing is like a badly dressed woman- improper emphasis, badly chosen colors. (William Carlos Williams, review of Sol Funaroffs The Spider and the Clock, in New Masses, August 16, 1938) 9. Lean on Editors The less competent the writer, the louder his protests over the editing. . . . Good writers lean on editors; they would not think of publishing something that no editor had read. Bad writers talk about the inviolable rhythm of their prose. (Gardner Bots ford, A Life of Privilege, Mostly, 2003) 10. Dare to Be Bad And so, in order to be a good writer, I have to be willing to be a bad writer. I have to be willing to let my thoughts and images be as contradictory as the evening firing its fireworks outside my window. In other words, let it all in- every little detail that catches your fancy. You can sort it out later- if it needs any sorting. (Julia Cameron, The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life, 2000) And finally, heres a cheerless note to good writers from English novelist and essayist Zadie Smith: Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never  ­being satisfied.

Research Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Research Report - Essay Example The reasons for the rise of spirituality were diverse ranging from religion to superstition. People felt empowered and believed that they had a sense of direction when they get involved in spirituality. These findings open new doors for the governments in these countries which can create policies that can make people engage in more productive activities and make them rely less of spirituality for peace of mind and self-esteem. But the results also showed rise in happiness level and self-esteem. The success of spirituality can be harnessed to make people feel fulfilled. This study investigates into the phenomenal rise of spirituality in the western countries. Many things such as astrology and meditation have existed in the Oriental civilizations such as India, China and Japan. But these are being adopted by the western countries at a very fast pace. The purpose of this report is to investigate this issue by asking four major questions – There have been many studies on the rise of spirituality. Author of the book The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, made a documentary called The Enemies of Reason. In that he argued that people believe in superstitions in order to escape hard realities of life. He wondered on the rise of spirituality at a time when science was giving answers to most of the problems. With these studies in the background, this study identifies the need to investigate the real reasons behind rise of spirituality in current age. This research is very important as it can provide an insight into the psychology of people and may also identify a social drift taking place in the western society. This research will address questions that aren’t usually asked in developed countries. Questions such as are people happy with the material prosperity, and are they seeking for some form of escape through spirituality, will be addressed by the present study. People, throughout the world, look for new experiences that would satisfy them.