Meaningful Use Essay

In 2009 the HITECH Act was enacted with the purpose to improve health for Americans; however satisfying the requirements of the Act potentially reduces the quality of the care given to the patient due to the increased burdens placed on providers. Providers must purchase Electronic Health Record (EHR) Technology and comply with Meaningful Use (1). Initially providers are compensated for participating in Meaningful Use, however, the ultimate end result is providers are penalized if the 15 Core Measures for which they attest to are not met. Although the stimulus money can provide a gain in the beginning, what happens when the stimulus money is gone? Will the technology be able to support itself? There are costs for maintenance and upgrades of software for technology. For a large institution, such as Washington University, this could cost millions of dollars. Technology costs and reporting of Meaningful Use may outweigh the professed value (1). Health Information Technology (HIT) is used today for a variety of reasons. It is used by an individual to seek relevant information about themselves, family members, and friends. Additionally, it may be used to access health services, schedule appointments, and refill medications. One may also use HIT to communicate with their provider via a patient portal (PP), seek out information on a chronic condition, or utilize a patient health record (2). Stage 1 of The Meaningful Use rule, or Meaningless Use rule as many named it, is the only stage that is currently enacted and contains three objectives. Only one objective is patient-facing. This objective requires the patient to be supplied with an electronic copy of their health information, which may include diagnostic test results, problem list, medication list, and allergies (2). The issue with this objective is that if there is a collaborative hospital/provider practice such as Barnes Hospital and Washington University they each have patient portals. If a patient has a radiology test performed and the results are not readily available at the end of the office visit the information may be in the hospital system. Using the hospital’s portal, the patient can access information that has yet to be reviewed by the provider allowing for confusion and anxiety on the part of the patient. Another objective is â€Å"use of EHR technology to identify patient-specific education resources and provide those to the patient as appropriate. † (2) Elements from the first objective can be used for this measure and can target a patient’s specific problems. This has found to be very challenging in Orthopedic Surgery as this is a specialized practice and this measure is focused on educating patients on disease prevention, such as heart disease and diabetes control. The last objective for Stage 1 is sending reminders to patients for preventive and follow-up care and providing patients with timely electronic access to their health information. Once again, this has been a challenge to the specialty practices as they are limited on what preventive reminders they can offer. The providers feel as though they are providing reminders to patients solely to fulfill government requirements. One would ask if the government is dictating how providers treat patients. As a professional working in this medical field, I would attest to this being the case. Another issue faced with technology and the EHR is that they provide access to patient data; however, providers’ face difficulties with using them to support delivery and coordination of care. (3) The HITECH Act envisions that providers will exchange patient data through a common platform and protocols. Some states are currently implementing platforms to exchange such data, but are still in the early phases. (3) A big concern with this is that Health Information Technology alone cannot convert our healthcare system and there needs to be some form of financial incentive for coordinating care for patients. Secure messaging via a patient portal is another means of communicating with HIT between a patient and provider. Providers, however, are apprehensive of this means of communication as they feel it will overwhelm them. It is time consuming and adds yet another task consuming their time without compensation (2). Does this hold the provider liable if the patient does not relay the correct information or if there was insufficient information relayed to the provider and treatment of the patient was not appropriate or delayed? In all of the research I read I could not find anything that addresses this issue. One would think this would be a major concern with all providers. Washington University is in the pilot stages of implementing the patient portal and the providers for Orthopedic Surgery have raised concerns of liability issues. Projects are underway for health care plans to compensate providers for secure messaging in hopes to minimize their hesitancy to participate in this form of communications. However, if they do participate will this cause premiums to increase for individuals in those health care plans? If premiums are increased to pay providers, are we truly benefiting the health of the patient? The answer is no. (2) Providers are currently reimbursed on a fee-for-service scale. In our Orthopedic Surgery practice some providers see on an average of 45-50 patients a day. This can potentially make it difficult for the provider to take the appropriate time to listen to each patient’s concerns with the added burdens placed on the providers with current and future Meaningful Use requirements. Adding an EHR to each clinical encounter could potentially further distance the provider from the patient. (3). In class, a comment was made by Dr. DeSchryver concerning a visit with her healthcare provider in which the provider was documenting in the EHR during the visit. This caused her to feel like she was not receiving the attention that she deserved. With the added documentation requirements placed on providers and the limited timeframe allowed to document this will become the norm in provider practices. Providers have 72 hours from the time of the office visit to document Meaningful Use measures. Although HIT can provide tools to help with decision making in regards to diagnosis, management of disease, treatment, and prevention, the current EHR’s do not have a link to support systems to help manage chronic care. Primary care practices must now shift their focus on healthy patients, as well as acute and chronically ill patients. With HIT a provider can effectively report the quality measures, however the current EHR’s cannot identify which patients may need particular services (3). It appears that we do not have the technology required or currently a sufficient number of trained users for a successful implementation of the HITECH Act. We are potentially setting providers up for failure either on a patient satisfaction level or reimbursement level. There needs to be further investigation on clinical care processes, the execution and use of HIT, and restructuring of reimbursement to the providers. The current EHRs need to be able support both coordination of care and outcomes. EHR Vendors need to ensure they can provide accurate data for reporting. Another measure of Meaningful Use is E-Prescribe. The requirements are electronic transmission of prescriptions and maintenance of medication list. If this is done correctly and the EHR system is set up correctly it can improve patient safety, alert prescriber’s of drug-to-drug interactions, provide information on patient non-compliance to medications, and drug formulary information for insurance benefits. (4) A study was conducted with 10 physician practices that installed stand-alone e-prescribe systems to replace previously hand writing prescriptions. This study concluded that e-prescribing will require the provider entering accurate medication history and prescriptions to ensure that their formulary and benefits can be verified. This will also require health plans to ensure that they have a full set of formulary information. Currently pharmacies access this information and it will most likely remain as such. Providers in this study also relied on patients to provide medication history information as the medication history in the e-prescribe system was inaccurate. (4) In a large institution such as Washington University, a patient may see multiple providers from different specialty groups. One challenge we face with medication history is a provider from one department cannot discharge a medication that a provider from another department prescribed, even if the patient stated that they are no longer taking it. We are required to tell the patient to notify that provider, a lot of times the patient will tell us that they no longer see that provider and want us to discharge the medication, which our University policy does not allow. The medication will not be removed from the medication history list and the patient’s record therefore becomes inaccurate. The HITECH Act was enacted to allow patients access to their PHI, communicate with their healthcare provider, maintain their health record, schedule patient appointments, and request prescription refills via a patient portal; however, there are many obstacles that providers and patients face through Stage 1 of Meaningful Use. Technology is one obstacle that is faced with both the patient and provider. There needs to be a sufficient amount of support and resources in the community for patients who do not have the literacy needed to understand how to use patient portals. The government needs to also ensure that providers are trained and have an ample understanding of what is required of them for Meaningful Use. The government also needs to make certain that EHR Vendors are reporting accurate Meaningful Use measures. E-Prescribe and hospital/provider collaboration issues are two other obstacles that need to be addressed as well. There needs to be a network for all of the systems to be able to â€Å"talk to each other† so that patient care is not delayed or potentially at risk. There also needs to be added compensation for coordination of care for providers as this may take away some of the hesitancy that the providers have for the added burden placed on them; however, this should only be done if this does not affect a patient’s healthcare premium. It is in my opinion that the Government was pressured to pass the Healthcare Reform Policy and as a consequence the American people and healthcare providers will suffer as a result either through health or monetary measures

Coca Cola Analysis

1 I. Introduction â€Å"Coca-Cola and Shasta. † These two products are in the same industry and both were invented around the same time. Nonetheless, a very different perception comes to consumers? mind when they hear these two words. In the 21st cent ury, Coca-Cola is considered one of the most valuable brands in the world, whereas Shasta is mostly known in United States, particularly in the West Coast region. Coca-Cola is owned and operat ed by The Coca-Cola Company, and Shasta is currently owned by National Beverage Corp. This report will examine, compare, and analyze both companies in terms of operation, promotion, management, and finance.In addition, SWOT analysis and Porter? s Five Forces will be conducted to evaluate the companies? positions in the industry. The report will also identify several issues that both companies currently face and suggest alternatives and recommendations in order assist Shasta, a subsidiary of National Beverage Corp. , to gain more market shar e. Table 3 exhibits that National Beverage Corp. makes up only about 2. 8% of the soft drink industry in 2010. Company Background Dr. John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, invented Coca -Cola in 1886. The world? s largest non-alcoholic beverage company trademarked its name and logo in 1893.After thirty years of establishment, the company went public in 1919. The share price of its initial public offering (IPO) was $40 a share (Datamonitor, 2010). Coca-Cola expanded rapid ly; it is currently available in more than 200 countries and reaches about 99% of the world population (National Geographic Channel, 2011). Consumption rate of trademarked or licensed products amounts to 1. 7 billion servings a day. As of December 31, 2010, the company has 139,600 employees worldwide (The Coca-Cola Company, 2011). Similarly, Shasta was founded in 1889, three years after Coca-Cola. In Northern California, Mt.Shasta, â€Å"a group of businessmen opened a health and vacation resort at the s ite a nd featured naturally carbonated spring water. † The carbonated water received positive feedbacks from clients who stayed at the health and vacation resort . Shortly after, t hese businessmen established Shasta Mineral Springs Company and started selling the product throughout the West Coast region, including California, Oregon, and Washington. In 1928, the company was renamed The Shasta Water Company, and began to diversify its carbonated water line to a segment with more flavors. In 1985, Shasta was acq uired by National Beverage Corp.Despite of the acquisition and product diversification, Shasta is serving the same West Coast market that it was serving decades ago (Shasta Beverage, Inc, 2010). Target Market Coca-Cola views everyone as potential consu mers. Coca-Cola targets all age groups; however, the one with most potential is the age group between 18 to 25 years old , which tends to have busy lifestyles. Furthermore, the company attempts to appeal students and family-ori ented consumers. The socio-economic status of these demographics ranges from lower to upper-lower income level (Grimm, 2000). These are a few characteristics of Coca -Cola? target market. Soft drink Industry 2 Shasta? s main focus is variety. Even though the company sells a variety of cola, the sales of other flavors are better. Statistics show that ethnic groups prefer flavored drinks over cola. Based on this research, Shasta has centered its target market on et hnic groups. Shasta? s demographic targets: low to middle income consumers, less educated individuals, and large families. Psycho -graphically, the company targets individuals who look for value and quality in a product, like Shasta cola, as an alternative to Coca-Cola or Pepsi (C.Anicich, E-mail Interview, April 20, 2011). Table 3: Industry Trends & Comparison Analysis (source: Beverage Digest) Source: Beverage-Digest (Top-10 CSD Results for 2010). II. Operational Analysis ? The Coca-Cola Company Raw Materials Water is the main ingredient used in Coca-Cola? s products. The soft drink is made from diluting water with concentrates and sweeteners. The concentrates used in Coca -Cola? s beverage remains a secret; therefore, the company does not allow filming during manufacturing processes. According to National Geographic (2011), the beverage is made with 90 percent water.Because water? s taste varies at every location, Coca-Cola has to neutralize the water to ensure that its products taste consistently worldwide. The other main ingredient is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and since imported sugar is more expensive, Coca-Cola uses HFCS as its principal sweetener. Manufacturing Coca-Cola is the largest player in the non-alcoholic beverage industry. It operates in over 206 countries and has 900 bottling plants and factories worldwide with locations such as Eurasia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, as well as North America (National Geographic, 2011).Due to this, these manufacturers must adhere to strict sta ndards in order to produce sta ndardized CocaCola? s products. Moreover, Coca-Cola manages its manufacturing processes efficiently. For Soft drink Industry 3 example, the new factory in Baton Rouge operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, and can produce up to 4. 5 million beverages in one day. Additionally, in recent efforts to be environmental friendly, the company announces that it will change its electrical equipments and reduce water usage. The decision is projected to save the company approximately one million dollars annually. DistributionsCoca-Cola has the world? s largest distribution system; hence, it is a ble to reach almost every region (Coca-Cola Co. , 2011). The company distributes its beverages to consumers through various retailers, wholesalers, vending machines, and distribution centers. Furthermore, it sells its syrup and concentrates to cafes and restaurants used in fountain drink dispensers. ? National Beverage Corp. (Shasta) Raw Materials National Beverage Cor p. collaborates with many suppliers for raw materials and packages. Moreover, the company consolidates its purchasing function for cost containment purposes (National Beverage Corp. 0K, 2010). This advantage allows the company to compete against major beverage companies. Some of the materials used to produce the beverages are sweeteners, juice concentrates, carbon dioxide, water, glass, p lastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper, cartons, and closures (NBC 10K, 2010). The costs of the materials are very volatile; reasons being are because of gas prices, tariffs, foreign exchange fluctuations, etc. Consequently, the company purchases forward agreements with suppliers to minimize the price increases on certain materials. Manufacturing National Beverage Corp. ets up manufacturing plants strategically. Its twelve manufacturing facilities are located near major U. S. metropolitan cities; thus, enab ling the company to distribute products promptly and efficiently (NBC 10K, 2010). In manufactu ring plants, the company bottles and cans its beverages. National Beverage Corp. believes that ownership of bottling facilities provides a competitive advantage o ver some competitors? dependency on third party bottlers (NBC 10K, 2010). As a result, the company is able build its own competitive advantage and become s more experienced and efficient. Distributions National Beverage Corp. tilizes a hybrid distribution system to deliver products through three primary distribution channels: take-home, convenience and food-service (NBC 10K, 2010). Take-home channel distributes to grocery stores, wholesalers, and warehouse stores such as Costco. Secondly, the convenience channel, which distributes to gas station and convenient stores such as 7-Eleven stores. This channel allows the company to charge higher selling price than the other channels because of lower sales volumes. The last channel is food-service. This channel distributes its products to schools, hotels, airlines, restaurants, a nd other food related places.Soft drink Industry 4 III. Promotional Analysis ? The Coca-Cola Company Word-of-Mouth Consumers are talking about brands and companies every day, and it so happens that a vast number of conversations are about Coca-Cola. According to Keller Fay Group, a research marketing firm, a study of 25,142 consumers shows that Coca-Cola is currently the most talked about brand in America (Wang, 2008). This finding demonstrates and measures the sample of consumers? conversations on a daily basis. In addition, the CEO of Keller Fay Group, Ed Keller, states, â€Å"†¦these brands fall under the realm of „social categories? and have greater frequency of purchase. As a result, consumers are exposed to packaged goods? logos and slogans frequently. The more products consumers purchase daily, the more likely that they are to start conversations about the products within their social circles. The table below exhibits the ten most talked about brands and Coca-Cola is placed first. Top 10 Word-of-Mouth Most Talked About Brands: 1. Coca-Cola 6. Ford 2. AT&T 7. Dell Computers 3. Verizon 8. Sony 4. Pepsi 9. Chevrolet 5. Wal-Mart 10. McDonald's Public Relations Coca-Cola has strong public relations because it is always on the forefront of contributing to the community and society.For instance, Coca-Cola recently announces to the press that it has just established the Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund, which promises to raise 2. 5 billion yens ($31 million U. S dollars), to assist the reconstruction of Japan over the next three years (â€Å"Coca-Cola raises†, 2011). As a result of this generous act, Coca-Cola will receive great public media presses. Social Media Since the emergence of social media on the Internet, Coca-Cola has increased its presence in the global community. For example, Coca-Cola? s Facebook page has more than 5. 18 million fans and still growing, which makes Coca-Cola? page one of the top fan pages on Facebook (Staff, 2 010). This illustrates the immense community support and brand loyalty the company receives on the Internet. In addition, Coca-Cola also utilizes the Internet as a tool to support the community in charitable acts. Example being, Coca-Cola promises to give one dollar to the Boys and Girls Club every time a Facebook user gives a friend a â€Å"virtual coke;† thus, raising about $126,000 for the organization (Staff, 2010). Overall, Coca-Cola uses the social media for community engagements and also to reach out to more consumers.Global Branding As the first mover in the market, Coca-Cola is currently known as a global brand, not just Soft drink Industry 5 an American brand. For instance, when the company entered the China market in 1928, the first direct translations of Coca-Cola had absurd meanings; such as â€Å"bite the wax tadpole† or â€Å"female horse stuffed with wax. † However, with due diligence and core competency in branding research, Coca-Cola was able t o choose different characters pronounced â€Å"K'o K'ou K'o LE, † which literally means, â€Å"let the mouth rejoice† or â€Å"happiness in the mouth† (Wooten, 2011).This proves that the company takes branding seriously and tackles every global venture strategically by adapting to local cultures. ? National Beverage Corp. (Shasta) Overview In the company? s mission statement, National Beverag e Corp.? s main focus is variety. Its soft drink line has over thirty different flavors with new flavors being tested every day. Its goal is to have consumers identify themselves with particular flavors. As individuals grow older, their likes, tastes, and personalities will change. National Beverage Corp. encourages its consumers to link their transformations to their favorite soft drinks.Its other objective is to promote itself as a friendly soft drink company that everyone can relate to. By using social media platforms such as Facebook, the company is able to reach out to current as well as new consumers. Also, word-ofmouth is known as the greatest influence for consumers ; thus, National Beverage Corp. hopes to satisfy consumers in order to create a word-of-mouth â€Å"boom† effect. Conceivably, this tactic can possibly lure over other consumers who belong to its competitors. The company also follows a consumer-based promotional strategy t hat centralizes on fitting the consumer? image to his or her favorite drink, rather than creating an image for consumers like Coca -Cola. With this, National Beverage Corp.? s promotional strategy can be dissected into parts by engaging the promotional strategy mix: advertisement, public relations, sales promotion, personal selling, and direct mail. Advertising Recently, National Beverage Corp. began showing television and online commercials highlighting its low prices in comparison to larger soft drink co mpanies. These comical commercials exhibit individuals being hit in the heads with a Shasta can; thus , coining the â€Å"Hit in the Head† theme.The end of the advertisement shows a statement, â€Å"Some people wouldn? t know a good deal even if it hits them in the head. † The focal point is to gain a satirical image in the viewers? minds to reiterate the fact that National Beverage Corp.? s soft drinks are usually priced lower than its competitors. Moreover, the vibrant colors used in the commercial highlight the many flavors that the company carries. Public Relations National Beverage Corp. cleverly uses the Internet as a medium to promote its image as a â€Å"neighborhood friend† to its consumers.By utilizing Facebook, the company starts a monthly promotional page called â€Å"Shasta Pop,† which is maintained by its employees who post three to four weekly highlights. These posts mainly discuss about advertising soft drinks, especially around the holidays. In addition, there are recipes on how Shasta can be combined in daily cooking. Soft drink Industry 6 Sales promotion Presently, based on its â€Å"Shasta Pop† Facebook page, National Beverage Corp. uses a Shasta van that travels around California and gives out free soda cans, discounts, coupons, and T-shirts. This promotional tactic is known as â€Å"Sha sta Pop Stops. For example, to promote new flavors, Stater Bros. will be inviting the Shasta pop van with KFROP radio station to its store locations. Moreover, fans are able to follow the Shasta van by tuning in to some of their local radio stations. Personal Selling In terms of sales, National Beverage Corp. mainly conducts business with local retail grocery stores. In order to promote its products, it offers attractive discounts to retailers through partnerships. For example, a retailer that chooses to place National Beverage Corp.? s products in front of the store will receive a higher profit for every sale. Direct MailAs Internet usage increased exponentially over the years, National Beverage Co rp. uses the Internet to send promotions to consumers via E -mail. Subscribers of â€Å"Shasta Pop† Facebook page receive periodic coupons through their Facebook? s wall and E-mail accounts. IV. Financial Analysis ? Sales Graph 1 shows that Coca-Cola generates most of its revenue from international markets. The U. S. revenue accounted for 31. 7% of the total revenues in 2010, which was $11. 1 billion, a gain of 34. 6% compared to 2009 revenues. Moreover, international markets made up 74. 1% of the total revenues in 2010, which was about $23. billion, an increase of 4% compared to 2009 international revenues. The significant growth in U. S. sales can be traced to the gain from the acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises and the growt h of its other beverage products, such as Fuze, Trademark Simply, and tea. However, international market sales rose slightly due to the concurrent growth in emerging markets as well as a decline in developed markets. Additionally, the unfavorable impact of foreign curren cy exchange rates was primarily responsible for a stronger U. S. dollar compared to other currencies (Coca-Cola, 2011, p. 63). Graph1: Coca Cola 2010 Sales by Segment 3% 0% 7% 13% 11% 14% 32% Source: 2010 Coca – Cola 10-K Report Soft drink Industry Eurasia & Africa Europe Latin America North America Pacific Bottling Investment Corporate 7 On the other hand, National Beverage Corp. sells its products to U. S. market only. Therefore, its domestic sales account ed for 100% of the total revenue in 2010, which was $593. 5 million, an increase of 3. 2% from 2009. Robust revenue in 2010 resulted from growth in the sales of case volume of 1. 2% for energy drinks, juices a nd waters; and 5. 1% for branded carbonated soft drinks. Moreover, â€Å"unit pricing increased 0. % which mostly due to positive product mix changes. The improvement was partially offset by a decline in allied branded volume† (NBC, 2011, p. 13). For the past six years, Coca-Cola increased its revenues and ne t incomes with average growth rates range from 8% to 18% annually. In 2005, sales were only $23. 1 billion. However, 2010 sales amount ed to $35. 1 billion, an increase of 13% from 2009. Additionally, 2010 net income was $11. 8 billion, an increase of 72% from 2009. The large growth was due to when the company acquired Coca-Cola Enterprises in October 2010, it recorded other income of $4. 8 billion.However, Coca-Cola experienced drawbacks in 2009 after the 2008 market crash. Its revenue dropped 3% to $30. 9 billion; nonetheless, its net income still gr ew to 17. 5% during 2009 as a result of price increase and effective cost cutting method of operating expenses as well as cost of goods sold (see Table 1). Even though National Beverage Corp. did not experience as much growth as Coca-Cola in its financial statements, its revenues have also been rising steadily since 2005. In 2010, revenue reached its highest level at $593. 5 million, an increase of 3% from 2009. Likewise, 2010 net inc ome was $32. million, an increase of 33% from 2009, primarily due to â€Å"higher sales volume, favorable changes in product mix and lower raw material costs† (NBC 10 -K, 2010, pg 13). Since 2005, revenue increased with an average of 3% per year, and net income growth averaged 11% annually. National Beverage Corp. experienced some setbacks in 2008 when the recession occurred. Though revenue increased, net income decreased by 9% to $22. 5 million (see Table 2). Table 1: Coca Cola Company (2005 -2010) (in millions) 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Net Oper. Revenue 35,119 30,990 31,944 28,857 24,088 23,104 Cost of goods sold 12,693 11,088 11,374 10,406 ,164 8,195 S elling, general and admin expenses 13,158 11,358 11,774 10,945 9,431 8,739 Net Income 11,859 6,906 5,874 Source: sec. gov (Coca – Cola Company 10-K Consolidated Income Statement) 5,981 5,080 4,872 Table 2: National Beverage Corp. (2005 -2010) (in thousands) 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Net sales 593,465 575,177 566,001 539,030 516,802 495,572 Cost of sales 396,450 405,322 393,420 365,793 349,131 340,206 S elling, general and admin expenses 145,159 131,918 138,447 137,212 135,090 130,037 24,742 22,480 24,682 22,226 16,886 Net income 32,853 Source: sec. gov (NBC 10-K Consolidated Income Statement) Soft drink Industry 8 ?Financial Overview According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Coca-Cola, leader in non-alcoholic beverage industry, is valued at $153. 15 billion via the market capitalization method. On the contrary, National Beverage Corp. , on the mid-size market capitalization roster, is valued at only $628. 23 million. In another word, Coca-Cola? s value is approximately 244 times more than National Beverage Corp.? s. Table 1 and table 2 show the income statements for these two companies for comparison purposes. Coca-Cola has been able to increase its revenues year after year and recorded top net sales at $35. 1 billion in 2010. Gross margin was 63. %, or another way of interpreting this i s the company took away $0. 639 per dollar of sale. Furthermore, after all expenses and income tax deductions, $0. 336 was net income per dollar of sale. The company boosted its bottom line from $6. 8 billion to $11. 8 billion primarily through revenue growth ($31. 0 billion to $35. 1 billion). For costs associated with cost of goods such as selling, general and administrative expenses (SGA) and income tax, a ll increased as a percentage of sales. However, the growth in revenue contributed enough to still see net income improve (Coca-Cola, 2011). Similarly, National Beverage Corp. as also been able to increase its revenue; therefore, increasing its net income year aft er year. Gross margin in 2010 was 33. 2% compared to 29. 5% in 2009. Due to lower economies of scale, National Beverage Corp.? s largest expense has been consistently cost of goods sold. Even though the company was able to reduce cost of goods sold expense from 70. 47% to 66. 80%, this expense was still high and is fin ancially harmful. However, the reduction in cost of goods sold in 2010 was a major driver that led to a bottom line growth from $24. 7 million to $32. 9 million (NBC 10-K, 2010). ? Financial Ratios Analysis Coca-ColaCOKE (KO:US) Current Quick ROA ROE Assets Turnover Inventory Turnover A/P Turnover A/R Turnover 1. 17 0. 85 14. 82% 42. 32% 0. 58 5. 07 times or 72 days 7. 88 times or 46. 32 days 8. 58 times or 42. 54 days LTDebt to Assets Total Liabilities to Total Assets Interest Coverage 0. 19 0. 57 19. 43 Coca-Cola? s financial ratios indicate that the company is in good health. In respect to profitability, return on assets (ROA) was 14. 82% and return on equity (ROE) was 42. 32%. These figures help the investors to assess management performance. Furthermore, liquidity indicators measure the company? s ability to meet short-term obligations.In 2010, current and quick ratios were 1. 17 and 0. 85, respectively. The quick ratio presents a more stringent figure on liquidity. Even though the â€Å"Golden Rule† states that it should be at least one, a figure like Coca -Cola? s can Soft drink Industry 9 be considered normal for a multinational company. Solvency calculations include long-term debt to total assets as well as total liabilities to total assets, which calculated at 0. 19 and 0. 57, respectively. Additionally, the interest coverage ratio, which indicates how many times interest expense is covered by operating profits before taxes and interest are factored in. Coca-Cola? interest coverage ratio was 19. 43, which meant operating profit was about 19 times larger than interest expense. Although there were not enough liquid assets to satisfy current obligations (total liabilities to total assets ratio of 0. 57), operating profit was more than adequate to service the debts. In addition to the calculations above, activity ratios measure how effective the company is utilizing its assets. Assets turnover, the amount of sales generat ed for every dollar's wor th of assets, was 0. 6. Inventory turnover, indicates how many times a company's inventory is sold and replaced over a period, and calculated at 5. 7 times per year or every 72 days. This shows that inventories were managed well. Accounts payable, represents an entity's obligation to pay off a short-term debt to its creditors, was 7. 88 times or every 46 days. Accounts receivable, is used to quantify a firm's effectiveness in extending credit as well as collecting debts, reported at 8. 58 times per year or every 43 days (Coca-Cola, 2011). National Beverage Corp. NBC (FIZZ:US) Current Quick ROA ROE Assets Turnover Inventory Turnover A/P Turnover A/R Turnover LT-Debt to Assets Total Liabilities to Total Assets Interest Coverage 2. 30 1. 71 20. 1% 21. 05% 2. 35 10. 67 times or 34. 21 days 8. 12 times or 45 days 11. 04 times or 33. 06 days N/A 0. 41 432. 13 For a mature company like National Beverage Corp. with a much smaller market capitalization, financial ratios indicate good perform ance year after year. Profitabi lity ratios like ROA and ROE were 20. 51% and 21. 05%, respectively. These returns on investment calculations were well above the industry? s average, which is very impressive. Liquidity indicators, such as current and quick, were 2. 30 and 0. 9, respectively. Unfortunately, these figures were below the industry? s aggregate.In regards to solvency indicators, total liabilities to total assets ratio was 0. 41:1 or $0. 41 debt for every dollar of asset. National Beverage Corp. used little or no debt in its capital structure and may have less financial risk than the indu stry? s aggregate. This increased the interest coverage ratio to 432. 13, meaning operating profit was 432 times larger than interest expense. Lastly, an activity ratio, such as total assets was $2. 35 revenue generated per dollar of asset. Inventory was presented at 10. 67 times per year, or every 34 days of cost of goods sold tied up in inventories.Accounts payable ratio indicates that the company collected 8. 12 times per year or every 34 days. Accounts receivable, reported at 11. 04 times per year or about every 33 Soft drink Industry 10 days worth of sales outstanding. In conclusion, National Beverage Corp. also appears to be in good financial standing. V. SWOT & Porter’s Five Forces Analysis ? SWOT Analysis Coca-Cola SWOT Analysis Strengths: Weaknesses: – Strong brand image and customer loyalty – High fixed costs of business – Robust global infrastructures and distribution – Several product recalls system – Higher prices compared to others Various product offerings – Solid financial condition and market presence Opportunities: Threats: – Expand to other developing countries – Change in customer preferences – Offer new beverages/drinks – Global economic recession – Shift focus to volume/price/ mix – Foreign exchange fluctuations National Beverage Corp. SWOT Analysis Stre ngths: Weaknesses: – Diverse product offerings – Low profit margin – Hybrid distribution system – Limited to U. S. market only Opportunities: – Expand to other neighboring countries – Offer new beverages/drinks – Increase in the non-alcoholic beverage ndustry ? Threats: – Change in customer preferences – Global economic recession – Rising cost of inputs – Competition from major beverage manufacturers Porter’s Five Forces (Soft Drink Industry) Threat of new entrants (Low): (H): Low switching cost for buyer, Low product differentiation (L): High economies of scale, High capital requirement, Low access to distribution channel Power of buyers (Moderate-High): (H): Low switching cost for buyer, Moderate product differentiation for supplier (L): Low purchase volume for buyer, Low threat of backward integration Power of suppliers (High): H): High switching cost to another supplier, High suppliers? concentra tion, Low availability for product substitute Soft drink Industry 11 (L): High importance of customer, Low t hreat of forward integration Threat of substitute product (Moderate-High): (H): High differentiation of substitute product (L): Low price performance relationship Intensity of Rivalry (Very high): (H): High number of competitors, Low industry growth rate, high fixed cost and storage cost, Low switching cost for buyers, High exit barriers (L): None Threat of New Entry (Low) Supplier Power (High)Competitive Rivalry (Very High) Buyer Power (Moderate High) Threat of Substitution (ModerateHigh) VI. Management Analysis The management analysis section will examine management structures, corporate policies, mission statement s, and vision statements of both The Coca-Cola Company and the National Beverage Corp. The management structure segment will explore the corporate leaders and executives as well as the workplace environment. A segment on corporate policy will observe responsibili ties and ethics expectations of every employee. The last segment will analyze each company? mission and vision statement and what it means to the company. ? The Coca-Cola Company Management Structure Management at the corporate level is headed by Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. Other top officers at the Coca -Cola Company include Executive Vice President Irial Finan, Chief Financial Officer Gary Fayard, President of North America Alexander Douglas, and President of Latin America Jose Reyes. Soft drink Industry 12 Coca-Cola creates a winning culture by developing a diverse workplace. At the core, there is the â€Å"right employee† value proposition, which is directly ffected by four key values. These values are finding the right talent, right capabilities, right leaders, and the right workplace (Global Diversity, Our Strategic Framework 2010). In order to create the right workplace, the company must sustain positive diversity and fa irness on all levels of operations. Finding the right talent relates to matching the right people with the market they serve. Building the right capabilities is about sharing social culture and knowledge in the workplace. The right leaders leverage talent in the workplace to achieve superior results across the business.Coca-Cola Company currently employs 139,600 people, also known as â€Å"associates† (Businessweek, 2011). Corporate Policy and Ethics The Coca-Cola Company has been able to enhance its reputation through integrity and ethical conduct. Therefore, it is important for the company to safeguard these values and set standards to ensure employees do the right thing. The company? s Code of Business Conduct covers guidelines on integrity around the globe, internal as well as external integrity, and conflicts of interest. Mission and Vision Statement The Coca-Cola Company has set long term road-map of acquiring its bottling partners.The 2020 vision defines the company? s attitudes and behaviors that are required to turn the vision into reality. Furthermore, Coca-Cola? s mission statement serves as a guideline for company? s actions and decisions (Mission, Vision, Values, 2010). ? National Beverage Corp. Management Structure The executive team at National Beverage Co rp. is led by Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Nick A. Caporella. Other top officers include President Joseph Caporella, Principal Financial Officer George Bracken, Executive Vice President of Procurement Edward Knecht, and Chief Accounting Officer Dean McCoy.National Beverage Corp. has been able to create a winning cultur e through several key factors. First, t he company works as a whole towards strength, knowledge, and longevity of management team ([NBC] The Difference, 2010). Its seco nd factor is the flexibility to plan globally and act locally, this includes the process of vertical integration, hybrid distribution, and basket of beverages ([NBC] The Difference, 20 10). The company currently employs 1,200 workers (Businessweek, 2010). Corporate Policy and Ethics Ethical conduct is vital to ensure successful and lasting business relationships (National Beverage Corp.Code of Ethics, 2007). National Beverage Corp. also sets high standards of ethics for all its employees, supervisors, and managers. These include the procedures for the employees to act accordingly when dealing with the following: ? Conflicts of interest ? The use of entertainment, gifts, and payments Soft drink Industry 13 ? Relationships with customers or suppliers, and government employees ? Receipt of items by National Beverage Corp. employees ? Complete and accurate financial records as well as communication ? The use of company assets ? Workplace environmentMission and Vision Statement National Beverage Corp. continually strives to set a higher standard for value, quality, variety and innovation as a leader in the beverage industry ([NBC] The Difference, 2010). It continually positions itself as a unique beverage company with innovative ideas. Furthermore, the company places its people, products research and development, environment, packaging, and consumers at its forefront to create innovative advantages for the company. VII. Alternatives Financial Objectives According to most observers, there are two strategies for achieving superior erformance in any business. One strategy is product and service differentiation; the other is low -cost leadership. In National Beverage Corp.? s case, it is appropriate to suggest a low-cost leadership strategy. This method focuses on consumers? attention on product pricing, often using such slogans as â€Å"everyday low prices† or â€Å"the lowest price in town. † The goal is for the company to become the lowest cost producer in the marketplace so it can underprice the competition, achieve the highest sales volumes, and still make a profit on each sale.This can be attained by making quantity discount purch ases, having a lean administrative structure, and using production efficiencies from vigorous cost containment. As the business environment changes, few companies actually pursue just one strategy. Most will attempt to implement both-developing customer loyalty while controlling costs. National Beverage Corp.? s management will now ha ve to decide to: (1) improve profit margin, (2) increase asset turnover (more sales volume or fewer assets), or (3) both. In this case, it is best for management to formulate goals to increase profit margin.Profit Margin ROA and Competitive Advantage 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 NBC 0 0. 5 1 1. 5 2 Assets Turnover Soft drink Industry 2. 5 3 COKE 14 Strategic Objectives The core business from these two companies stems from the production of soft drinks. Coca-Cola has its Coke line as National Beverage Corp. has Shasta. Unfortunately, there are many products within Nat ional Beverage Corp. that cause brand dilution. To overcome this effect, the company can shift f ocus back to the Shasta brand and eliminate low performing players. This will in turn, strengthen Shasta and consolidate the brands that are left.Some alternatives the company may want to consider are broken down into short-term and long-term. Short-term In order for Shasta to gain greater brand recognition in a short time, it is imperative that National Beverage Corp. increases its marketing budget. Several possibilities to better market Shasta are: ? Advertise at college sports events ? Target more local domestic stores to increase â€Å"Buzz† effect ? Use celebrity advertising, specifically o lder television show celebrities ? Create a new commercial that is consistent with the marketing strategy of Shasta (example: promote self-identities of consumers through favorite soft rinks) These potential marketing strategies all focus on strengthening Shasta? s brand image. They also allow the company to remain consistent with its overall marketing plan. Long-term Further analysis shows that Shasta? s range of consumers is very narrow. The company only distributes in four states: California, Arizona, Utah, and Minnesota. Several approaches to increase sales of Shasta are: ? Distribute to more states ? Develop distributing partnerships with large retailers like Target Expanding distribution channels will boost sales of Shasta. The residual income can then be used to invest in building new production plants.Moreover, developing contracts and partnership s with large retailers like Target will ensure greater product placement, therefore, revamp brand awareness among consumers. VIII. Recommendations Short Term Create a new commercial that is consistent with the marketing strategy of Shasta Shasta rarely advertises on TV or online. However, it does have a popular commercial, which aired recently, â€Å"Hit in the head. † Unfortunately, it is neither good nor interesting. Besides, it does not match with the company? s current marketing strategy to have cons umers identify themselves with their favorite beverages.If Shasta is able to create a different approach for its advertising method and follow its marketing strategy, it may be able to obtain greater brand recognition and market shares in the soft drink industry. Since Shasta is National Beverage Corp.? s core competency, the company should approach the consumers based on this beverage line. The best way is to create a commercial that promotes self-identity based on the flavors that Shasta offers. With the target market being very diverse, this new commercial might appeal not Soft drink Industry 15 to just different ethnic groups, but also younger consumers who like to be different and unique.Long Term Develop distributing partnerships with large retailers to increase p rofit margin In 2010, National Beverage Corp. had a 66% cost of sales ratio, whereas Coca-Cola had 34. 3%. National Beverage Corp. „s cost of sales was excessively high for industry? s standard; therefore, was the primary cause of low profit margin. In order to increase profit margin, the company should lower its production costs by achieving larger economies of scale through building or developing distributing partnerships with large retailers like Target. This in turn will lower production and distribution costs.Consequently, Shasta cola brand will be availa ble to many other states and reach more consumers and markets; thus, boosting revenue and total sales volume. Soft drink Industry 16 XI. Bibliography About National Beverage Corp.. (2009, January 1). National Beverage Corp.. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://www. nationalbeverage. com/10AboutNBC. htm Coca Cola Company. (2008, Feb. 28). 2007 Form 10-K. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/21344/000119312508041768/d10k. htm Coca Cola Company. (2011, Feb. 28). 2010 Form 10-K. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://ir. thecoca-colacompany. com/phoenix. zhtml? =94566&p=IROLsecToc&TOC=aHR0cDovL2lyLmludC53Z XN0 bGF3YnVzaW5lc3MuY29tL2RvY3VtZW50L3YxLzAwMDEwNDc0NjktMTEtMDAx NTA2L3RvYy9wYWdl&ListAll=1&sXBRL=1 Coca-Cola Raises Total Pledge to 2. 5bln Yen for Japan Relief. (2011). Asia Pulse. Datamonitor. (2010, Apr. 15). National Beverage Corp: Company Profile. Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority. Retrieved March 27, 2011, from http://search. ebscohost. com. lib-proxy. fullerton. edu/login. aspx? direct=true&db= buh&authdb=dmhco&AN=7E22BD44-DB90-4E61-AE79-F5F25D7169FB&site=bsilive Datamonitor. (2010, May 28). The Coca Cola Company: Company Profile . Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority.Retrieved March 27, 2011, from http://search. ebscohost. com. lib-proxy. fullerton. edu/login. aspx? direct=true &db=buh&authdb=dmhco&AN=37CB5616-D04E-49EE-9F5CFFE75047D6FF&site=bsi-live Disclaimer/Terms of Use. (2009, January 1). National Beverage Corp.. Retrieved March 27, 2011, from http://www. nationalbeverage. com/SiteInfo. htm Events & Promotions – Shasta. (2010, January 1). Shasta Beverages , Inc. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://www. shastapop. com/events-promotions/ Grimm, M. (2000). Drink me. American Demographics, 22(2), 62-63. Marketing Mix (4 p's) – Promotion and Promotional Strategies. (2010).Welcome to Learnmarketing. net – Learn about Marketing here. Free Marketing Education, Lessons and Marketing Resources. Retrieved March 27, 2011, from http://www. learnmarketing. net/promotion. htm Mission, Vision, & Values. (2011) Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/mission_vision_values. html National Beverage Corp. (2007, Jul. 12). 2007 Form 10-K. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/69891/000095014407006550/g08320e10vk. htm National Beverage Corp. (2007). National Beverage Corp. Code of Ethics. National Beverage Corp: Author National Beverage Corp. 2009). The Difference – Our Vision. National Beverage Corp.. Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://www. nationalbeverage. com/ 32OurVision. htm National Beverage Corp. (2010, Jul. 15). 2010 Form 10-K. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/69891/000095012310065795/g24048e10vk. htm Soft drink Industry 17 National Beverage Corp. (2011, Jan. 21). National Beverage Corp (FIZZ). Value Line Investment Survey, p. 4633 National Geographic Channel. (2011). Ultimate Factories [Web]. Available from http://channel. nationalgeographic. com/series/ultimate-factories/5151/Overview#tabVideos/09750_00 Nguyen, J. Interviewer) & Anicich, C. (Interviewee). (April 20, 2011). Shasta Target Market [E-mail]. Shasta Beverage, Inc. (2010). Our History. Retrieved April 17, 2011, from http://www. shastapop. com/history/ Sicher, J. (2011, March 17). Beverage-Digest. Top-10 CSD Results for 2010, 59(5), Retrieved from http://www. beverage-digest. com/pdf/top-10_2011. pdf Staff, J. (2010). Coke, Pepsi like ‘net gains; cola rivals' fans on Facebook, twitter help steer, sell the brands. The Atlanta Journal- Constitution, 13A. The Coca-Cola Company. (2010). Code of Business Conduct: Acting with Integrity Around the Globe. Coca-Cola Company: AuthorThe Coca-Cola Company (2010). Global Diversity Our Strategic Framework. Coca-Cola Company: Author The Coca-Cola Company. (2011). The Coca-Cola Company Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 17, 2011, from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/pdf/Company_Fact_Sh eet. pdf Van Liew, NC. (2011, Jan. 28). Coca-cola (KO). Proceedings of the Value Line Reports for The Dow 30. Available from http://www3. valueline. com/dow30/f2084. pdf Wang, E. (2008). Study: Coke, the most talked about brand in America. Brandweek, 49(38), 009. Wooten, A. (2011). Preserving brand strength in global markets. Deseret News, WEB. Soft drink Industry Coca Cola Analysis The Coca Cola Company The company that I have chosen for my course project is the Coca Cola Company. The reason for my selection is simple, I am impressed with growth associated with Coca Cola and plan on further researching and analyzing how such growth of this magnitude is possible. The company was founded in 1886 by John Pemberton as a simple soft drink, created solely out of curiosity. John Pemberton, a pharmacist, mixed together the caramel flavored carbonated drink and initially starting selling it for 5 cents.Now 126 years later, Coca Cola has more than 3500 beverages, sold in over 200 countries and employ more than 146,200 employees. What debuted as a simple soft drink in an Atlanta pharmacy, now has a global success rate of 1. 8 billion servings per day. Product List The following product list is from research gathered covering the Coca Cola drinks of the North American Region in the United States. Globally Coca Cola has over 3500 products. The products sold solely in the Un ited States range from juices, energy drinks, soft drinks, coffees, teas, sports drinks and drink mixers.Coca Cola diverse efforts to cover every aspect of liquid drinks, whether for sporting events or simply enjoyment, have made up a total of XXXXXX in the United States alone. The original Coca Cola product was first introduced in 1886 and distributed nationally by 1899. Today you can find your favorite Coca Cola product literally anywhere in the world. Due to higher concerns for health and nutrition, in 2007 Coca Cola furnished caffeine content per serving along with already available nutritional information. Product Lines and MixThe Coca Cola Company has 7 product lines within their beverage selection. They all fall into the non alcoholic liquid beverage sold in restaurants, stores, vending machines and distribution companies in the United States. Of the 7 product lines (see table A below), you can see that the most variety falls under the soft drink line with over XXXXX of produ cts. Table A. Product Coca Cola Products have some of the most distinct flavors. At times they were criticized for adding certain ingredients, such as cocoa leaves, to enhance flavor and increased desire to drink the soft drink.Today the Coca Cola products sold in stores in the United States range from carbonated delightful drinks, to sports drinks used to fuel the body with electrolytes (See Table B. below). Coca Cola's first product was actually made by mixing a â€Å"fragrant, caramel flavored liquid and combined with carbonated water. (Coca Cola Co. , 2012). It became an almost instant sensation and today Coca Cola owns some of the favorite soft drink products sold in the U. S. such as Dr. Pepper, Sprite, PowerAde, Minute Maid, and Dasani. Table B. |Type of Drink | Popular | |Soft Drinks |Carbonated -flavored |Coca Cola- Sprite | |Juices |Non carbonated fruit drinks made from real fruit juice and |Minute Maid Lemonade | | |flavoring | | |Energy Drinks |Energy carbonated drink s made from Ginseng and Tuarine |Monster Energy | |Sports Drinks |Combines carbohydrates with fluid for hydration |POWERADE | |Tea / Coffee |Iced Coffee and Tea |Nestea | |Water |H20 |Dasani | |Other |Drink mixers, lactic drinks, and coffee blend |Bacardi Mixers | Include competition and SWOT ANALYSIS here before final draft!!! Branding Founded in 1886, the now famous brand that can be found world wide, Coca-Cola is the face to many different popular brands that we find on store shelves. In the 1950's Fanta joined Coca Cola only to be followed by Sprite, Tab, Minute Maid, Mr. Pibb, and Mello Yello.In the 1980's the famous brand Diet Coke and Cherry Coke were added, and the 1990's brought about the PowerAde and Dasani era. The Coca Cola logo has remained unchanged and impressively a letter script font so simple has become globally recognized. Packaging In 2010, Coca Cola switched from â€Å"The Coca Cola Management Company (TCCMS)† to the â€Å"Coca Cola Operating Requiremen ts (KORE)† to ensure quality, and product safety. Coca Cola holds a high standard in packaging and quality control of their operations. Coca Cola is consistently refining their efforts to maintain a high level of packaging and implementing new requirements as deemed necessary.Since Coca Cola is packaged globally, the â€Å"KORE† has implemented a set of requirements that are must be in accordance with packaging guidelines in order to protect the integrity of the product wherever it may find it's destination. The Coca Cola company first started bottling their product in 1894 in a now commonly known bottle called a â€Å"Hutchinson†. You can now find the product in a 6. 5oz, 10oz, 12oz. , 26oz. , bottle, plastic and aluminum containers. The product can also be found in a concentrate form. Sold in a carton box with the concentrate inside a plastic sealed bag, restaurant owners can then connect to their carbonated mixers and serve fountain drinks. Product FeaturesCoc a Cola has some very unique features and on top of having a patented flavor that has literally been untouched since its' debut in the late 1800's, the Coca Cola Company has now expanded it's diverse taste palette to accommodate anyone’s preference of taste. From soft drinks, to energy drinks, you can literally find a match from a Coca Cola product. One of Coca Cola's biggest product features is that you can find your favorite product shelved at a local store, anywhere in the world. A great product feature is that you can purchase it in bulk or by a single unit. Labeling The Coca Cola Company provides several labels for their customers to attain facts of the beverage that they are consuming.Nutritional Facts and UPC codes can clearly be found on Coca Cola Products. Since 2007, Coca Cola began furnishing a detailed â€Å"caffeine content in addition to nutritional information already provided. † ( Coca Cola, 2012). As of 2008, Coca Cola began providing â€Å"servings-pe r-container† and â€Å"calories-per-serving† for all customer's. Finally in 2009, Coca Cola's packaging was formatted differently to provide an immediate visual presentation of the calorie content on front of packaging. Competition It is no secret that Pepsi Cola Company is Coca Cola's direct competition. For many years we have seen the on going marketing battle of the two companies literally feuding via commercial air waves.The long battle is due in large part to Pepsi's direct marketing strategy to out due or match every single move that Coca Cola makes. The shadow-like improvements of each mega marketing campaign have proven to be cornerstones in marketing and advertising trends that we see today. The mega moves and strategies that each company has the ability to afford are a great tools for any company to take notes on and follow suit. Interestingly enough, Pepsi competes with Coca Cola in a different approach; Coca Cola has over 3500 soft drink products and Pepsi w orked its' way into marketing their brands of chips, oatmeal, snacks, cereal, teas, soft drink PricingDue to the variety of sub- brands under Coca Cola, price segmentation is in place due to the different markets and global distribution pricing as well. In the United States, Coca Cola Company and Pepsi Cola have become mega players in the oligopoly market. With less competitors, and the same brand names seeking larger market share, the pricing strategy on a product that sometimes can be found for $1. 00 U. S. , is uniform delivered pricing. (Lamb, Hair, McDaniel, 2012). Since distribution is world wide, the companies prefer to factor in their own freight and production costs, to deliver the price demand that competitors are available to offer. There is a mutual agreement when in a market such as oligopoly.The pricing strategy is still competitive pricing strategy, due to the fact that if Coca Cola decided to lower prices, Pepsi Cola would soon follow suit to stay within the target m arkets price demand. It is also very realistic that when competitors raise or lower prices, the opposing players can decide not to match opposing prices as a strategic stronghold to maintain position in economic market spot. In a recent article from the â€Å"News by Industry†, Pepsi announced a â€Å"festive promotional price cut† and sources close to Coca Cola said that they would not match the cut. (â€Å"Pepsi to Cut†, 2012) Since the beverage commission has very little companies with a lot of buyers, the pricing strategy is competitive and based on competitors pricing.Pricing in this market is very elastic and companies have the ability to change pricing as they wish depending on their geographic locations. The pricing in vending machines can also vary since labor costs do not exist and can basically sell the product all day, every day. The pricing strategy on Coca Colas different product sizes is extremely strategic. Depending on where you purchase the pro duct from, prices will vary. According to a recent poll question asked on Yahoo, â€Å"how much does your Coca Cola cost where your at? †, average cost on a 20oz. bottle of Coke is about $1. 25, average cost for a 2l bottle of Coke is about $1. 10, nationwide. Promotional pricing can be found regularly on 2l bottles and packages with larger per volume products.The pricing strategy is tactical and allows for consumers to feel the need to upgrade to save on price and increase volume. The most expensive form of consumer product purchase is the 5 gallon â€Å"bag in box† form. This concentrated syrup is usually purchased by restaurants/bars industry, and can yield 30 gallons of fresh fountain product. This price also varies on your geographic location and distributor, but on average here in Texas can be purchased from Sam's Club for $69. 83. (Sams, 2012) When sold in restaurants, soft drinks now sell for about $2. 00 for a 10-16oz glass, making it extremely profitable and cost effective to purchase the concentrate.On the other hand, Coca Cola benefits for simply selling the concentrate and less costly forms of packaging. Place Since Coca Cola is one of the most popular soft drinks in the world, distribution is in high demand and in a multitude of channels. The distribution method that is used by Coca Cola is in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods. Here the products do not rely on a long shelf life and due to the moderate and easy pricing, products are in high demand, sell at a high rate and distribution is high. Ranging from mobile vendor carts on the streets to some of the large amusement parks such as Disneyland and 6 Flags, distribution is effective in every form.At the end of the day when added up globally, Coca Cola is at the top of the beverage consumption list. Some of the many distribution channels include the following. Mobile/ cart vendors- mobile vending can satisfy consumers conveniently at their location instead of having the consumer come to a retail store or stand. Provides easier access to consumers in special events or parks with the satisfaction of a cold beverage in any location. Vending Machines- with an occasional restocking visit, a vending machine provides an assortment of products at no labor cost. The vending machine provides product to areas that are remote or not within walking distance to the store, accessibility and great advertising.Vending machines are favorites in schools and business lounge areas. Retail stores / grocery stores- with places such as Wal-mart, this allows for a wide array of variety to be shelved and advertised while selling the product. Coca Cola holds contracts and agreements to provide for strategic placement of their product so that the first visual product such as Coke is in plain site. Competitors products are pushed to the end of the aisles. Hotels, Restaurants, Cafe- This is by far the largest number of consumption since restaurants and bars use a large number of soft drinks an d mixers. Contracts and sponsorships with these locations provide for major distribution.Amusement Parks, Museums, Civic Centers- Areas like Disneyland and 6 Flags over Texas are the biggest types of distribution forms. Amusements Parks hold concerts and special events where the â€Å"official beverage† of the theme park are displayed profoundly. Within the park are restaurants and food courts that are also limited to selling the â€Å"official beverage† adding to the large number of distribution methods. In a recent article provided by Beverage World, â€Å"Six Flags Entertainment Corp. and The Coca-Cola Company have announced a 10-year extension to their partnership agreement, designating Coca-Cola as Six Flags' official beverage sponsor for all domestic parks. (â€Å"Coke, six flags,† 2012) With a partnership agreement of this magnitude, competition is increased due to the large number of exposure and distribution that is provided. Coca Cola has had this sam e contract with 6 Flags for the last 50 years. Any media that is released or furnished by 6 Flags Over Texas, (i. e. Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo) will automatically provide the â€Å"Coca Cola-Official Drink† stamp. With a consistent strategic placement in a venue such as ginormous as an amusement park, it can be said that all of Coca Cola distribution channels undoubtedly cover important areas to contribute to the 1. 8 billion serving per day in over 200 countries. Promotion Communication StrategyA communication strategy is the way in which a company relays information for the products or services to reach the consumers hands and attention. The Coca Cola Company has several strategies which it employs to reach their target market. In order to reach the correct target market a strategic and precise strategy must be applied. Although specific, detailed marketing information could not be obtained, in 2006 roughly $2. 6 billion dollars were used for advertising expenses in pursuit of reaching a solid communication strategy. In 2000, only $1. 7 billion was spent on advertising. (Coca-Cola FAQ. 2012) In my summary the amount of advertising investments paid in relation to dividends generated will be defined.According to a recent article by Forbes Magazine, The Coca Cola Company is at the top of all beverage companies, and ranked #3 among the most powerful brands in the world. Forbes Magazine also estimates Coca Cola's advertising expenses at around 3. 2 billion (Badenhausen, 2012) In order to form a powerful communication strategy, the target audience must be defined. The following target market is what Coca Cola has found to be beneficial for the companies growth. . Young athletes- young athletes are a good source to start with. By increasing product awareness at a young age, you inspire taste bud recollection and a higher return. Young athletes are easier to inspire with promotional ads, billboards and endorsements from professional athletes. More of the sport s drinks and water fits into this category.High School Athletes- High school athletes are constantly looking up to professional collegiate athletes. Adding the endorsement incentive to these young athletes is a primary step in increasing product consumption. Sponsorships Collegiate Athletes- here athletes are influenced by professional figures and the hopes of the Olympics. Endorsement deals are larger here since the competition is fierce with hungry rising, mature individuals. Sponsorships Pro Athletes- Endorsements are the main source of advertising. Professional athletes are the main element of advertising and sports drinks are seen everywhere. Young Adults- Non Athletes- Clubs, bars, and nightclubs are the focal point in order to attract this demographic.Professionals- very open form of market. Basically all elements of the previous demographics factor into the professionals. This is an ongoing form of demographic that derive from the adolescent to present day professional. Larg e Audience- there is no specific market here as it applies to the whole general consumer base as a whole. It is the maximum exposure that creates a large audience base. Olympians- The entire universe participates in these events and are a great source of advertising. Here endorsements here are extremely valuable as athletes are in a world wide arena and competition is extremely fierce. Other- made up of all elements comprisedSales Strategies Coca Cola has several different sales strategies that have actually worked for them numbers wise. According to an article posted by â€Å"The Packaging Digest† in 2011, a recent sales strategy boosted sales by 8% to 2. 2. billion world wide, and actually increased the product price by 3%. (Crocker, 2011) This is a proven method that has given results. The placement of products is strategic. When shopping for health foods, one of the most popular fruits being the bright yellow bananas, you will find â€Å"Dasani† , eco friendly recy cled water bottles right under them. Pairing items like this is a tactic that has proven effective since 2011.Another strategy is one that Coke Zero uses to place their products in the beer section, to encourage the designated driver to consume their products. Finally, the 2 liter coke that is found in the grocery stores near the pre-cooked chicken is also a strategy to make it easier for you to â€Å"grab and go†. Making it easier for people to shop faster is key. Vending machines and coolers with the product before check out are some of the sales strategies that Coca Cola uses to increase sales in a market of $1 products. â€Å"The competition is actually pretty fierce for the overall beverage dollar,†¦ It requires a lot of marketing and promotional support. â€Å"(Crocker, 2011) Sales ApproachIn order for a product to remain within the realm of competition it is necessary for your product to remain as fresh as it was as when you opened it. Coca Cola claims that thei r approach is quite simple in this aspect according to a recent article in the Forbes Magazine. Jeff Tripodi, CMO of Coca Cola, claims that their strategy is innovation. (Dan, 2012) Having a state of the art dispensing machine will increase sales, further connecting with your consumers will also increase your chances at success. One of the recent forms of innovation are the â€Å"Freestyle† dispensing machines that can pour 125 different beverages with a perfect pour each time. Building a strong cultural connection with your geographic area you plan on promoting to is a huge plus in improving overall sales.In order to promote sales a great promotional mix is required to ensure that all advertising expenses are maximized and yield awesome results. The following is promotional mix that includes all of the avenues thru which sales are promoted. Promotional Mix Advertising- commercials, billboards, visual advertisments, vending machines Sales Promotion- Battle of Bands, My Coke R ewards Personal Selling- Coca Cola Representatives Social Media- Facebook, Twitter Communication Channels / Media A recent article on Coca Cola's webpage, March 27, 2012, announced the acceptance speech of the companies induction to the â€Å"Advertising Hall of Fame†. With over 120 years in the beverage business, there is no doubt that Coca Cola has held some very important marketing campaigns.Their first campaign came in the 1920's, with â€Å"The Pause That Refreshes†, then with â€Å"Things Go Better With a Coke† in the 1960's, and present day â€Å"Open Happiness†. Today over 845 million people are connected to Coca Cola via Facebook, 6 billion cell phone subscriptions, and 2. 5 million connected regularly via the webpage. (â€Å"Remarks in acceptance,† 2012) In order for these communication channels and effective marketing efforts to be maximized, a diverse array of marketing efforts are taken into account in the following channels. Promotion al Tasks: Internet Sporting Events Billboards TV Advertising Press Concerts Sales Promos Promotional SWOT Analysis SWOT |Positive |Negative | | |Strengths |Weakness | |Internal |Globally recognized |Product shipment could be damaged | | |Established distribution |Recalled products costly | | |Established Market shares |Endorsements could cost face of the company with a | | |Brand identity |simple mistake | | |Opportunity |Threats | | |unlimited partnerships |Pepsi is the biggest competitor | |External |unlimited new product offerings |the product is inexpensive and easily lose consumers to | | |globally recognized brand |competitors | | |offer beverages for all carbonated or â€Å"un†. |the caffeine and diet craze could prove costly. | Conclusion to Promotional Analysis The Coca Cola Company deals with promotional aspect of their business on a mass communication level. The company usually doesn't know the type of people with whom they are trying to communicate with but rather who their target market is.Careful management of this delicate area can ensure that messages are being met and no clutter of message or mixed signals occurs. The promotional campaigns that the Coca Cola Company is operating grew 20% to 10. 2 billion dollar in the year 2011 so that you can say that it is extremely effective and does work. The Coca Cola Company is represented by everyone who drinks it and when they do, they are literally providing advertising with a profit rather than at an expense. Coca Cola originated in the U. S. A. and has built a brand that has represented many countries during the Olympics. For that reason Coca Cola has had a successful and prosperous lifespan.They have allowed the people that drink the product the opportunity to share in many of its' triumphs during the Olympics and built a brand that is represented by the people who enjoy Coca Cola. References (2012). Coke, six flags extend partnership. Beverage world-Intelligence for the global drinks busine ss, Retrieved from http://www. beverageworld. com/articles/full/15193/coke-six-flags-extend-partnership concentrate-5-gal/185511. ip#desc (2012). how to get your customers to like price segmentation. Upstream commerce, Retrieved from http://upstreamcommerce. com/blog/2012/08/15/customers-price-segmentation 2012). Pepsi to cut 600ml pet bottle price. News by industry, Retrieved from http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. om/2012-10-05/news/34279675_1_returnable-glass-bottles-coca-cola-cola-category (2012). Remarks in acceptance of the coca cola company’s induction into the advertising hall of fame. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://www. coca-colacompany. com/our-company/acceptance-induction-into-the-advertising-hall-of-fame Badenhausen, K. (2012, 10 02). The worlds most powerful brands. Forbes Magazine, Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/powerful-brands/ Crocker, R. (2011). Sales pop as coke refreshes strategy. The houston chronicle:Packaging digest, Retrie ved from http://www. packagingdigest. com/article/519787- Dan, A. (2012, 03 15). Coca cola's joe tripodi on staying relevant.Forbes Magazine, Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/sites/avidan/2012/03/15/inside-the-coca-cola-marketing-machine/ Lamb, C. W. , Hair, J. F. , & McDaniel, C. (2012). MKTG 4 (6th ed. ). New York: Cengage. ISBN: 9781133190110 . Sams Club. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. samsclub. com/sams/dr-pepper-syrup- The Coca Cola Company FAQ's. (2012) Retrieved from http:/www. coca-colacompany. com/contact-us/faqs. The coca cola company. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/index. html The Pepsi cola company. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. pepsico. com/ Yahoo (2012). Retrieved from http://yahoo. com ———————– [pic]

Climate Change Awareness Begins with Me

â€Å"Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me† TGTAI CONCEPT PAPER Goal: To encourage youth to engage in interactive learning on Global Warming & Climate Change which may be translated into education outreach in their specific communities and/or organizations. Objectives: 1. To encourage youth from youth organizations, schools and communities to learn/learn more about global warming and Climate Change concepts (Think Green) and engage in simple Green Solutions at the individual/community level. 2. To assist young people in understanding the Commonwealth initiative as it pertains to Education for Sustainable Development. 3. To provide opportunities for experiential learning on the environment through nature appreciation, work group activities and other interactive knowledge elements. 4. To assist youth in developing their critical thinking skills. Problem Statement The long-term alteration in global weather patterns, especially increases in temperature and storm activity, and the potential of sea-level rise, will have a detrimental impact on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Like all countries of the world, Trinidad and Tobago will need to play its part in decreasing its carbon emissions and encouraging its population to: â€Å"Think Green, Then Act to Impact (TGTAI). † Additionally, there is an urgent need to address the gap between information-on-the- street and knowledge leading to action at the micro-levels in communities. In a preliminary baseline survey conducted by TGTAI’s volunteers, on conceptual knowledge of Global Warming & Climate Change, 77% of the persons surveyed either did not know what was global warming this included mistaking the circumstance of ozone layer depletion for global warming. Among this group, the youth also had difficulty expressing these concepts. Presently there is no collective ESD initiative which provides opportunities for youth to learn through a learning environment that is more natural, to learn basic concepts associated with global warming and climate change, while enabling them with opportunities to engage at individual level, simple energy-saving and conservation activities within their home/school units. Additionally very little exposure has been provided for youth to engage in understanding the role of the Commonwealth in supporting ESD initiatives among local youth. Project Description â€Å"Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me† is a One-Day highly interactive ESD Collaboration which seeks to jointly engage youth in exposure to (and in some instances), concretizing their Global Warming/Climate Change knowledge. Youth will be engaged in four (3) ESD learning areas/modules: ? Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation ? Global Warming & Climate Change Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives ? Green Solutions 1. Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation Participants will learn about overall environmental awareness by encouraging learning in a natural setting with opportunities provided to interact and learn from nature, a trail experience and interaction with wildlife elements. This preliminary intervention will hopefully help the young people to gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of existi ng ecosystems and to see themselves also playing a responsible role in their conservation/protection. . Global Warming & Climate Change Participants will learn basic global warming and climate change concepts and will be able to demonstrate linkages between anthropogenic (man-made) activities and their emerging/existing impact on human well-being and the natural environment. 3. Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives Participants will learn the structure of the Commonwealth, to determine its benefits and to understand the existing/emerging role of the Commonwealth for ESD Initiatives. 4. Green Solutions Participants will develop and be exposed to simple Green Solutions that they can individually carry out in their homes while transmitting knowledge in various ways for others in the home/school/community to do same. Project Methodology: The Lead Youth Agencies who will engage in Pre-implementation work/activities: ? Commonwealth RYC Trinidad and Tobago. ? Junior Environmentalists of Trinidad and Tobago (JETT) and its TGTAI Volunteers. Key Project Elements: ? Use of Interactive Think Green Workshops in a Natural Setting. Use of Visual Stimulation through Trail/Nature Experiences To Encourage Nature Appreciation. ? Provision of Problem-Solving Opportunities for Participants to Engage in Critical-thinking and Real-life Application. ? Encouraging by Facilitators of Youth Capacity to Create and Adopt a Green Charter. These elements will be achieved by the following strategic partnerships: Asa Wright Nature Centre: Nature/Eco-system Appreciation Youth Facilitators: ? Junior Environmentalis ts of Trinidad and Tobago (Environmental Advocacy and Green Solutions) ? Commonwealth Youth Programme (Commonwealth RYC, ESD Initiative) Environmental State Agencies: ? Environmental Management Authority (PowerPoint Presentation on Global Warming & Climate Change: Concepts and Social Impacts) ? Forestry Division (Environmental/Wildlife Conservation Issues Related to Climate Change and Human Impacts) ? Institute of Marine Affairs (Marine Ecosystem Challenges Related to Climate Change) ? WITT (Water Challenges Related to Climate Change) Recommended Venue which meets all project requirements: ? Asa Wright Nature Centre (East Trinidad) Alternate Locations: ? Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, ? La Vega Estate (Central Trinidad) ? Emperor Valley Zoo/Botanical Gardens Target Group: 30 youth (aged 14-24), from the East-West Corridor (20 students;10 youth from youth organizations); Project Timeline: Project Start date: March 18th (pre-implementation activities) and End Date: April 10th 2008 (One-Day Interactive ESD Learning Experience). Expected Outcomes: . 30 Youth from the East-West Corridor exposed to Global Warming & Climate Change Concepts and Related Issues. 2. 30 Youth exposed to information on the Commonwealth and its role in emerging/existing ESD initiatives for their benefit. 3. 30 Youth exposed to critical thinking skills, through experiential learning and interactivity with and among a healthy, thriving ecosystem. 4. 3000 Youth Exposed to Green Solutions. 5. Creation of a Youth-oriented Green Declaration for furt her ratification among youth. Project Sustainability: Each Participant will also receive 100 Green Solutions which they will be encouraged to disseminate among their peers, families and communities. Participants will also have the opportunity to create and adopt a Green Declaration, which symbolizes their commitment to educate and act on in their own spheres of influence, their peers, families and communities on Global Warming & Climate Change towards a low carbon emission. This will include acquiring a goal of 5,000 signatures for the Green Declaration, an indication of the young individual’s willingness to support through daily commitments, Environmental Education and environmentally-friendly activities as laid out in the Green Declaration. Evaluation & Monitoring 1. Feedback from Participants (an evaluation questionnaire). 2. Evaluation Meetings by Project Team. Bibliography: JETT TRAINING MANUAL, 2004. TGTAI BASELINE SURVEY, 2008

Benjamen Harrison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Benjamen Harrison - Essay Example In 1748, he married his cousin Elizabeth Bassett, a niece of George Washington's wife Martha. He had many children eight of whom survived infancy. After a while, he was successful in expanding his plantations to include eight more and also in shipping and ship building. He was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1764. As was the tradition, he sat in the House of Burgesses frequently as a speaker from 1749 till 1774 when the Royal Governor dissolved the organization. His involvement in politics started from there. In time, he became aware of the strained relationships between the Great Britain and the U.S.A and was in support of independence from Britain. Benjamin Rush once remarked that Benjamin Harrison "had strong state prejudices and was hostile to the leading men from the New England states." Hence, became a renowned leader during the American Revolution which started in 1775 and ended in 1783. Harrison was greatly against the Stamp Act and thus, assisted in composing the Colony's objection. When the House disregarded the Royal Governor and approved the Stamp Act Resolution, the Royal Governor attempted to bribe Harrison with a promise of a seat to the executive council when he saw the amount of influence Harrison had as a political leader. However, Harrison rejected the proposition instead declaring loyalty to the principles of the republic and people's rights even at his young age of 38. Also, he contradicted the resolutions of Patrick Henry by suggesting civil waywardness as a response. Moreover, in 1772 he supported the statement that the import of slaves should be restricted and taxed in great amounts. Presumably his choice to be with the colonists came from his experience on the Property and Grievances Committee and the Trade Committee. He got elected as the First Continental Congress in 1774 and was one of those who were obliged to attend General Washington in Cambridge to help make plans for the future of the American Army the next year. He chose to represent his state from then on in every session whenever he was a member of the Congress. During the war, he heeded affairs at home in the position attending as a lieutenant in his county's armed force and was also a chief magistrate as well. As the falling-out with the British Crown increased, Harrison was compelled to object and cast his group with the patriots. Between 1773 and 1776, he took part in carrying out the responsibilities of the Revolutionary conventions, the committee of correspondence, and the provincial congresses. He controlled the discussions on the Articles of Association and signed them on 20th October, 1774. He made effective contributions on the foreign affairs, groups of military, finance and marine. As the Chairman of the Whole from March 1776 to August, Benjamin Harrison was vastly respected in Congress; he led the negotiations till the approval of the Declaration and early arguments on the planned Articles of Confederation. When in Congress, Benjamin Harrison sought financial and added assistance from other countries being a member of the Secret Correspondence Committee. On the significant day of 7th June, 1776, Harrison was selected to introduce his fellow Virginian Richard Henry Lee; his resolutions called for independence from England. He was also

The prevailing poverty and inequalities in the world Essay

The prevailing poverty and inequalities in the world - Essay Example More specifically, the Summary Report of the Social development: implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly states (2006) that around the world some of "those working did not earn enough to lift themselves and their families above the $2-a-day poverty line" (p.3) In other words, it has quantified economic impoverishment as an earning below the amount of two USD. Hence those people who do not have opportunities to earn a minimum of 2 USD per day, as said to be in a state of poverty. According to the Summit Report of the United Nations General Assembly (2006), the approximate estimate of those living below the poverty-line globally, was about 1.4 billion. This is despite the fact that this 1.4 billion is a working force. According to the report "although the share of the $2-a-day working poor in total employment had decreased to 47.4 per cent in 2006, from almost 55 per cent in 1996" (p.3). Moreover, other categories of aged unemployed, women and children unemployed also fall into the category of 'people living below the poverty line, according to the Summit Report (2007, p. 2-3). The overall figures of the various figures show a m

Comparison of economic efficiency of the model of perfect competition Essay

Comparison of economic efficiency of the model of perfect competition with that of monopoly markets - Essay Example Moreover, their ability to exploit economies of scale also allows them to sell their products at very low prices which are often less than the cost price of other sellers, thus allowing the larger companies to easily drive them out of the business3. However, monopoly seller, as mentioned earlier, is highly likely not to satisfy the complete demand for its product so that it could charge a premium price. Therefore, the monopoly seller fails to take the full advantage of economies of scale, unlike many firms in monopolistic, perfectly competitive and oligopolistic markets4. Other than technical, allocative and productive inefficiencies, monopolies are also likely to be X-inefficient. American Economist Liebenstein argued that regardless of the level of production, monopolies are always X-inefficient because of the absence of competitive pressures5. Therefore, there costs of production are always higher than it would be within perfectly competitive on even monopolistic markets. The same is true because monopolies sellers are most likely to own technologies, assets, and machines that are not operating at their fullest or which are not needed. Furthermore, they are also likely to overpay people, thus leading to cost inefficiencies6. In presence of competition, firms spend great deal of time and energy over ensuring that they decrease their costs to utmost possible. Consider the example of the US airline industry where strong competitive pressures have forced companies to seek more cost effective pressure. Competition forced Southwest Airlines to create a new business model aimed at cost effectiveness where the company flies its aircrafts for more than 11 hours a day, uses same aircrafts for reducing maintenance and training costs, flies short haul, uses dynamic...This paper is an attempt to explore the economic efficiency outcomes of monopoly markets with that of perfect competition markets. Furthermore, the paper would also attempt to present a possible government policy to improve efficiency within the markets. The focus of policymakers should be at creating policies and programs that facilitate competition within various markets, especially within monopolies markets. However, policymakers should draw a line for their intervention. Even in the worst times, direct government intervention or control is not a viable long-term option for creating efficiency because not only it is inefficient but ineffective. The only policy that governments should pursue is to ensure that monopolistic and oligopolistic markets could move towards a perfectly competitive market. Interestingly, in many cases, it is the existing government policy and structure, which creates the costs and hurdles for new entrants to enter into the market. Therefore, governments all over the world should try to follow the economic models of countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland where the government intervention within the markets is minimal. Furthermore, the cost of starting up a business, running the business and winding up the business are also much lesser than the rest of the world. The focus should be on reducing the excessive costs and time required to start, operate and wind up a business, opening up borders to other companies, facilitating free trade and research and development.

Importance of Managers for the Success of an Organization Assignment

Importance of Managers for the Success of an Organization - Assignment Example The operations of various departments become smooth, fast and efficient. The managerial configuration is a road map for managers while conducting promotions inside the organisation. Managers can make available solid progression tracks for employees and all their workers at entry level. Organisational structure cultivates joint efforts. If all employees work in their departments with the aim of accomplishing their targets as predetermined by the organisational arrangement, the company will easily reach its business aspirations (Drucker & Maciariello, 2008). Leaders of the diverse departments are accountable for handing over projects and tasks to all subordinate staff members. These departments are then able to meet the time limits of their assignments. Through the help of a managerial structure, managers can assess the performance of their human resources. Supervisors are able to see the tasks accomplished by their juniors by utilizing the linear arrangement. They can review the skills and potential of their assistants, how they communicate with their fellow staff and the time they take to complete responsibilities. Using this understanding, the supervisors can go on to carry out semi-annual and annual performance evaluations of the employees. For most organisations like sales and promotion companies, organisational arrangement is useful in running changes in the market (Drucker & Maciariello, 2008). Managers are in a point to meet, identify the origins of problems and build solutions as a team.

Plasmodium Falciparum - Causative Agent of Severe Malaria Research Paper

Plasmodium Falciparum - Causative Agent of Severe Malaria - Research Paper Example Even in today’s medically advanced world, malaria remains one of the primary concerns of researchers and health practitioners in areas where the disease is endemic. Despite immense research and availability of advanced healthcare facilities, malaria has a high mortality rate causing a million deaths each year and infecting a total of 300 million people around the world. The purpose of this research paper is to provide information on structure, aetiology and other aspects of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Plasmodium Falciparum Mode of transmission The female Anopheles mosquito serves as a vector and a definitive host for Plasmodium falciparum. The two phases of the lifecycle of plasmodia are the sexual cycle and asexual cycle. The sexual phase occurs in female mosquito and asexual phase is completed in Humans. Due to the production of sporozoites, the sexual cycle is known as sporogony while on the other hand, the asexual cycle is known as schizogony because of the pr oduction of schizonts. Plasmodium sporozoites are introduced into intermediate host i.e. humans, through the saliva of the infected mosquito when it bites an individual. Within 30 minutes, the sporozoites enter the hepatocytes where multiplication and differentiation are initiated resulting in the conversion sporozoites into merozoites (Levinson et al 1999). Physiology and lifecycle The merozoites produced in the liver are released into the peripheral circulation. Once released, the merozoites enter the red blood cells in order to mediate the erythrocytic phase of the disease. In erythrocytic phase, merozoites transform into a ring shaped trophozoite. Later, the trophozoite develops into an amoeboid form which further grows into a schizont. Each schizont is filled with several merozoites. The red blood cells burst and release the merozoites into general circulation where they infect other red blood cells in a similar manner. The release of merozoites into the blood is the cause of r ecurrent typical symptoms seen in malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. The development of male and female gametocytes leads to the initiation of a sexual cycle of P. falciparum in the human red blood cells. When a female Anopheles mosquito takes a blood meal the gametocytes are sucked up and lead to the production of female macrogamete and eight male microgametes which have an appearance similar to that of sperm cells. The male and female gametes undergo fertilization to form a diploid zygote. The process of differentiation occurs and converts the diploid zygote into a motile ookinete. The ookinete forms a hole in the gut wall and converts into many haploid sporozoites. The sporozoites leave the gut wall and enter the salivary glands of the Anopheles mosquito. Once, the sporozoites enter the salivary glands their sexual cycle is completed and they are now ready to cause malaria when the mosquito bites a human (Levinson et al 1999). Diagnosis Thick and thin Giemsa stain smears ar e observed under the microscope in order to determine the presence of the parasite in the blood. To determine the presence of the parasite, thick Giemsa smear is used while on the other hand thin smears are used for the identification of parasite species. The blood sample from an individual suffering from malaria show characteristic ring shaped trophozoites residing within the erythrocytes.     

Financial Regulation & Supervision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Regulation & Supervision - Essay Example These regulations not only protect the firms involved in online transactions but also the cardholders from being exploited by the online frauds. Such compliance requirements have posed new challenges as to how to minimize compliance costs and continuously monitor the security systems to stay ahead of web criminals. Nevertheless, the benefits seem to surpass the costs associated with these regulations. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Facts of the Case 5 Andrews’ Options with Bank 6 Advantages of PCI DSS Compliance Advisor 10 Conclusion 11 References 13 Bibliography 15 Introduction A few years back the fraud in payment cards was conducted by small time criminals who used to take the advantage of opportunities as they came along. However, today it has become a well organized crime where sensitive customer information is stolen and ruthlessly exploited, affecting millions of cardholders and retail businesses. Considering this the PCI DSS we re introduced. PCI refers to ‘Payment Card Industry’ and DSS to ‘Data Security Standard’ (Carpenter, 2010). ... ember 2006 for the management and development of PCI security standards to improve the payment account security in transaction process (PCI Compliance Guide, n.d.). PCI SSC was formed by major credit card brands like VISA, American Express, MasterCard, JCB and Discover (Kim and Solomon, 2010, p.395). These brands and their acquirers are responsible for the enforcement of compliance with the standards. All the merchant companies that process transmit and store the cardholder data should be PCI DSS compliant. There are three steps in adherence to the standards: 1. Assess: This involves identification of cardholder data, inventory of business processes and IT assets along with an analysis of vulnerability in the security system for potential cardholder data exposure. 2. Remediate: No to store cardholder data unless needed and fix the vulnerabilities identified in step 1. 3. Report: Compilation and submission of required validation records and compliance report to the acquiring bank and the payment card company (Hart et al, 2010, p.357). There are four merchant levels: Level 1: The level 1 merchant has aggregate annual online transactions of more than six million and has been subject to cardholder data breach or poses significant risk. They are required to have an onsite audit every year by Qualified Security Assessor and quarterly network security scan by Approved Scanning Vendor (Bradley, 2007, p.209). Level 2: The level 2 merchant has annual aggregate transaction between one million and six million. They should submit PCI DSS self assessment questionnaire on an annual basis and conduct network scans every three months by Approved Scanning Vendor. Level 3: The level 3 merchants have annual aggregate transactions between 20,000 and one million; therefore, they should PCI

Sonnet 93 by E. Barrett Browning Essay Example for Free

Sonnet 93 by E. Barrett Browning Essay Throughout the first eight lines of the sonnet the language is simple and personal. There is little elaboration and imagery which shows her true love and shows that the sonnet wasnt written to impress the public. This differs from the other two sonnets as they were conventionally written to amuse the reader and in order to do this they included complex language and imagery. The line beginning the final section of the sonnet shows that she loves Robert Browning with the depth, trust and emotion a child feels for their parents; I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhoods faith. Following this the next line supports a popular belief of the Victorians which was when you are born you are born pure and innocent. As you grow up you gather sin and impurity, and become further away from God. E. Barrett Browning says that Robert has taken away her sin and bought her closer to God once more just like when she was a young child; I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, She also expresses that she loves her husband with every emotion she goes through in her life; -I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! The last line in the sonnets suggests her love is eternal and she will love Robert even in the afterlife; -and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. E. Barrett Browning doesnt use a Volta in her sonnet as she wants to show her love is continuous and eternal which is a contrast from the other two poems. All three sonnets appear to be about love but all show different meanings. Shakespeares sonnet seems to be about a true physical attraction to a lady and how her beauty is eternal when in fact he is really saying the beauty of his words are eternal. On the other hand Draytons sonnet appears to be about a dying woman when in fact its about a fading love desperate for love to be breathed into it. Finally E. Barrett Brownings sonnet is totally sincere and includes no reversal of meaning. The sonnets also have different forms and language. Shakespeare and Drayton both write a Shakespearian sonnet with complicated and elaborate language whereas E. Barrett Browning uses a Petrarchan form with simple language. Another resemblance is that E. Barrett Browning and Shakespeare consider love relates to time. The most obvious contrast is that Drayton and Shakespeare both use a Volta whereas E. Barrett Browning doesnt. Although I liked the clever, witty changes of meaning in the sonnets by Shakespeare and Drayton my favored sonnet would have to be Sonnet 93 by E. Barrett Browning. I liked it because of the sincerity of her love to her husband. I think when reading and understanding the sonnet the reader is emotionally touched by the strong feelings such simple words can put across.