Week 5 leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Week 5 leadership - Essay Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Throughout Scripture many different styles of leadership are incorporated. Abraham was seen as an entrepreneurial style leader and Moses as a kaleidoscope leader. Moses had many styles like charismatic, administrative and a people’s manager in good times as well as during the times of crisis. This project will evaluate my personal ability as a Spiritual leader. Furthermore, this will examine my personal ability and style of leadership, as well as ability to set goals in conjunction with God’s agenda. It will also evaluate my ability to anticipate criticism from other leaders and followers, as a result of change processes. Moreover, this project will examine my potential as a leader to effect and accept change, innovate and effectuate continuous improvement.1 Leadership style and how the leaders deliver the message are important to the followers. Spiritual leadership is more than someone putting on an energetic show. The Spiritual leader is a vessel of the Holy Spirit to communicate the truth of the Gospel; of our Lord Jesus Christ. The leader must be sure that the Lord has called him or her into the ministry. Spiritual leadership is a high calling from the Lord and not just an occupation. Spiritual leaders are different from other styles of leaders. A true Spiritual leader must first be a true servant. In the secular world, leader and servant are completely opposite. We as Christian leaders pattern our lives and leadership after Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said, â€Å"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.† (Mark 10:45) After evaluating my personal style of leadership, I see similarities between my style and Abraham. Abraham had an entrepreneurial style of leadership. Personally I was involved as an entrepreneur in the secular business world, prior to God calling me to the ministry. After the

The Role of Nursing Leadership in Hospital Quality Improvement Term Paper

The Role of Nursing Leadership in Hospital Quality Improvement - Term Paper Example QI is a persistent process that involves mutual efforts and labor at all the levels of an organization to deliver better services to health care clients. It is attained as a result of positive interactions among various departments of a hospital to devise a progressive system that constantly improves the processes and outcomes of health care. The concept of QI comprise of quality assurance and problem resolution (Moran and Johnson, 1992). The multitude of hospital quality improvement activities involves participation in external programs sponsored by accreditation and regulatory bodies, QI organizations etc. Also, several hospitals participate in internal QI activities which are derived from employee and patient feedback (Draper et al., 2008). According to Hassmiller and Needleman (2009), the integration of nursing managers into decision making bodies of hospital provides improved quality of care and hospital efficiency. The initiation and progression of Magnet accreditation programs escalates the participation of nursing leadership in hospitals. The basis of magnet appraisal provided by American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is based on strong nursing representation in organization’s leadership structure, deployment of nursing manager that have a role in hospital’s executive leadership, a shared governance operational system in nursing and authoritative powers of nursing leadership at all functioning level of hospital. Initially the concept of magnet status was based on attracting retention and job satisfaction among nurses however, later it was revealed that it is associated with improved hospital quality and patient care. Another accreditation... This essay approves that quality is a mutual responsibility and along with nursing mangers every nurse and employee should participate in it. Some of the QI efforts recommended for nursing administration include establishment of standards and making staff liable for individual roles, inspiring nurses to champion efforts, maintenance and presentation of valuable feed back to the nursing staff for future motivation and encouragement, engaging nursing staff at all levels of QI activities from bedside to management and modification in traditional nursing education that does not prepare nursing staff for their advanced role in contemporary health care settings. In this regard, emphasis on QI skill development and effective implementation of these activities in a hospital setting are required. Nursing administration may find it difficult to manage high level of administrative burden linked with these activities. Similarly, the conversion of scientific data into useful form of experiential learning is a tiresome process which involves patient hospital stay and feedback etc; however, the involvement of nursing staff in such experiential learning is foundation for QI strategies and measures. This report makes a conclusion that nursing leadership play a focal role in QI of health care settings. The hospitals have to adapt and pursue schemes/projects that significantly contribute to achievement of quality, patient care and performance goals. In this regard, optimization of nursing administration roles is vital for smooth operation of QI activities. Challenges and barriers should be identified and effectively removed for sustainable QI of a hospital.

John Brown DBQ Essay Example for Free

John Brown DBQ Essay John Browns Raid in the South led to an explosion of passion and ultimately the secession of the south. Many radical abolitionists in the North felt that John Browns actions were Justified and that he was a hero. These radical abolitionists maximized the damage caused by him and his followers and created an almost godly figure out of him. Not all Northern Republicans saw him as a hero, but rather as a terrorist and a convict. Southern slave holders and normal men alike were astounded, frightened, and infuriated by John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry. These two radically opposing iews clashed together and caused the succession of the South. Radical Abolitionists supported John Browns actions immensely and applauded his drive to free the slaves from the grasps of the slaveholders. Many of these strict abolitionists also believed that he was a hero, divinely appointed by God. This shows how much they revered him and how justified they believed his actions to be. In Document C, the Topeka Tribune explains that all Republicans revered him, just in different amounts. It explains that one class of Republicans thought that he was a hero and a philanthropist. The other class pretended not to approve of John Brown but really did respect him. When John Brown was executed for treason against the state of Vlrglnla, many northern abolltlonlsts were sent Into a rage. Even though he was dead, his spirit and Ideals still Inspired and affected many abolltlonlsts, as seen In Document G. This song explains that even though his body is buried and decomposing underground, his soul still marches on. As you can see, many radical abolitionists revered, respected and approved of John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry, which directly opposed the Souths view. Secondly, not all Northern Republicans saw him as a hero, but rather as a terrorist and a convict of the state. Many Northern citizens, although sympathetic to slaves, did not approve of John Browns actions and thought that he was insane and morally wrong. This view was the majority of the Northern Republicans and showed that Radical abolitionists were maximizing the damage that John Brown Inflicted on the south. In document A, Horace Greely explains that although he wishes that all slaves were able to run away from their slaveholders and never be recaptured, he did not approve of what John Brown did. This shows that he was an abolitionist, but not a very radical one like the ones in the before mentioned paragraph. He clearly states in the document that he did not support what John Brown did in the south which was the ideas of many Northerners. Document D, consists of reviews of a book about the Life of John Brown. Most of the reviews talk about how radically abolitionist the book is and how biased it is. This shows that the majority of the North did not support the doings of John Brown and that it was a small minority of whites that maximized the event. All of these events show that even hough it could be perceived that the North was overwhelmingly supportive of the doings of John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry. Lastly, southern slave holders and normal men alike were astounded, frightened, and Infuriated by John Brown. The events caused by John Brown eventually caused the breakdown and eventual split In the Democratic Party. Popular sovereignty was created to cool tempers In both the North and the South but ultimately ended in the split in the Democratic Party. The order to be able to better protect themselves, they strengthened state militias and armies. This prepared them for the eventual war with the Union and it also supplied more confidence in the southerners. In the trial of John Brown, he was asked a series of questions. One of the comments given by a bystander was To set them free would sacrifice the life of every man in this community. John Brown responded with, l do not think so. l know it, I think you are fanatical. The bystander then responded with, And I think you are fanatical. Whom are gods would destroy they first make mad, and you are mad. l This series of questions and answers shows the general consensus of the South, that he was a fanatical, crazy man. As you can see, all of these things combined caused a massive amount of pressure to be put on the ties between the North and the South which consequently caused the succession of the South. In conclusion, all of the tensions built up caused by John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry and the Trial of John Brown caused the decline in relations between the North and the South and the final succession of the South. The Northern radical abolitionists enlarged the event and made the southerners enraged by the raid on Harpers Ferry. The southerners were astounded, frightened, and infuriated. These emotions clashed and destroyed the Union.

Caribou coffee company inc.

Caribou coffee company inc. Introduction This assignment presents an analysis on Caribou Coffee Company Inc. (Case study 28 Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) An overview of the industry, in which the company operates, is provided, with an analysis of the company itself. From the outset, an overview of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. is presented; a business segment analysis, and identification of the companys major competitors. The assignment comments on the Companys financial outlook, to year ending September 2009. Whilst some discussion is made in text, for the purposes of the word limit of this assignment, this analysis will appear in the appendices. The assignment concludes with recommendations as to the future direction of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. The work is sourced from existing literature and referenced throughout. Company Overview Caribou Coffee Company Inc., (Caribou) is a specialty retailer of coffees, teas, bakery goods, and related merchandise. As of September, 2009, Caribou Coffee had 525 coffeehouses, which includes 112 franchised and licensed locations, predominantly in the US as well as international expansion to Asia, the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) Caribou targets its customers by offering gourmet coffee and espresso based beverages in addition to specialty teas, baked goods, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and related products. Furthermore, it sells whole bean and ground coffee to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, office coffee providers, airlines, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, university campuses and online customers. Caribou focuses on creating a unique experience for customers through a combination of high-quality products, a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment, in ski-lodge style, and a unique style of customer service (Caribou Coffee Compan y, Inc., 2009.) The company presents its mission statement as follows: â€Å"Our mission at Caribou Coffee is to provide a total experience that makes the day better.† (Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., 2009) Market competition includes Starbucks, local and regional coffeehouses, restaurants, coffee shops and to some extent, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds (See also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) The Company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Caribou Holding Company Limited and trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker (CBOU) (NASDQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) Industry Definition Caribou operates in the fast food industry; the fast food market can be defined as the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption either on the premises or in designated food areas which may be shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere; this definition excludes sales through vending machines and is restricted to sales in specific foodservice channels (Data Monitor, 2008) (Web-link provided.) All market values are given in operator buying prices that is the amount spent by foodservice operators on the food and drink that they serve and not the amount the consumers spend on food and drinks. The difference is the increase various companies add to cover their costs and generate a profit. Consequently, this values the market in terms of the amount of money for which food and drink manufacturers are competing. In terms of market segmentation, Caribou belongs to one of four: Quick service restaurants, take-away, mobile and street vendors, and leisure locations. However, in terms of the coffee industry, this comprises two business segments whole bean coffee and coffee beverages sales (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) Caribou has three reportable operating segments these being: retail, commercial and franchise. Arcapita Bank (Arcapita) based in Bahrain, has been the majority shareholder of the company, since 2000, with 60.6% holdings (NASDAQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) For Caribou, however, the competitive market, along with a potential class-action lawsuit involving store managers, has caused some serious issues, including increasingly high net losses and decreasing stock price over the past few years (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) By providing â€Å"an experience that will make the day better,† Caribou Coffee has created competitive advantage in their store operations, but the question remains whether they can maintain this and use it to sustain their growth strategy. Creating strong human capital is the foundation for the companys differentiation strategy (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008; Shultz, 1961.) One of the issues that will be analysed in this case is whether or not Caribous attempts in developing human capital, will enable them to achieve Case Study: Caribou Coffee Company, Inc A Strategic Analysis a sustainable competitive advantage given the competition and threats they are facing. In order for Caribou to maintain its competitive advantage it must continue to create differentiation in its coffeehouses through their human capital. The company has developed strong capabilities in recruiting, developing, and retaining their employees (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009) but this can be easily copied by competitors however, this is not enough to sustain their advantages. To continue to expand they must maintain their strong focus on human capital, in addition to developing their other strengths to create a bundle of resources as the basis of differentiation. Brief Profile of the Industry The global fast food market has exhibited strong growth over the past five years; however, it is predicted to decline in the years leading up to 2015 (Dess et al, 2008.) The market generated total revenues of $154.7 billion in 2008 which represented a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.6% for the period 2004-2008. By comparison, the European and Asia-Pacific markets grew with CAGRs of 4.4% and 10.3% respectively over the same period and reached values of $26.5 billion and $47.1 billion in 2008 (Data Monitor, 2008.) The number of transactions increased with a CAGR of 2.2%, during the period 2004-2008, to attain a total of 85.8 billion, in 2008. The number of transactions is predicted to rise to 97.0 billion transactions by the end of 2013 thus, representing a CAGR of 2% for the period 2008-2013 (Data Monitor, 2008.) External Analysis PESTEL Political Caribou, like the rest of the food industry is directly concerned with public health and, as such government legislation is in place. Caribou, like all fast food manufacturers must strictly adhere to the regulations of the market in which it supplies its products. For example, frozen food must not be kept above -15C for longer than two hours over a 24 hour period. Furthermore, heating and cooling commercial buildings requires roughly six times more electricity. Since the government in several countries regulates electricity, then Caribou is highly vulnerable to government legislation. Economic A number of positive and negative factors can affect Caribous market growth, as well as the industry. For example, the increases in the price of coffee beans, milk as well as the worldwide economic recession and decreased globalisation of the economy and culture. The latter is evident by the introduction of products from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, demographic changes have increased the demand for, and consumption of fast foods and, for Caribou, this has impacted on their product performance, business profitability, production costs and firms overheads. In 2007-2008 Caribou reported that their production costs significantly increased as a result of higher wage demands due to global economic difficulties. In addition to being the majority shareholder, Arcapita also has two seats on the Board of Directors but its controlling interest could represent an overhang on the stock. Arcapita requires Caribou to operate in accordance with Islamic principles which may limit financial flexibility and impact the perception of the brand. Social Over the past 10-15 years, women have become more financially independent and entered the workforce, and the number of single households and single parents has increased, which has further increased the average disposable income. All of these factors favour fast foods. Specialty coffee is a strong and growing industry in the US. Specialty coffee consumption increased by more than 48% from 2001 to 2006 and the market is estimated to be over $11 billion annually (Dess et al, 2008.) The number of coffeehouses grew from only 500 units in 1991 to 24,000 units in 2006, but the industry remains highly fragmented (with the exception of market leader Starbucks) (Dess et al, 2008.) The reason for such growth is the consumer trend to specialty and traditional products such as micro brewed beer, single malt liquor, and organic foods. Coffee is seen as a new quality beverage, there is an expanding menu, and coffeehouses have become the â€Å"third place† for social consumption. However, the demand for coffee could fall as a result of changes in consumer preferences or concerns about caffeine. Technological Caribou has tapped into the market with their dedicated website. The site is interactive in style and content, with imagery or promotions based on business rules or consumer preferences. This provides the site visitor with more relevant information on coffee types or coffeehouses. Caribous marketing team can also update the site to keep the content fresh for site visitors. Caribou can also monitor consumer responses therefore, looking at new initiatives to meet consumer needs. Environmental As demonstrated, Caribou has many outlets throughout the US and its expansion to the Middle East, Asia and UAE. This means that the company could be affected by regional and national weather which may impact upon consumer preferences and needs. In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability, Caribou actively supports sustainable coffee production; for every pound of coffee the company purchases, a significant proportion of money is granted to sustain socially responsible initiatives in coffee-producing communities. Legal Caribou is not without exposure to the potential legal institutions of regional states within the US and those governing the countries outside of the US, where the company has its units. In 2008, Caribou faced legal proceedings, which was filed by three of its former employees, regarding overtime payments. The case was financially settled however, this left an element of disdain amongst other employees and, to a certain extent, consumers (Dayton Business Journal, 2008.) (Web-link provided.) Five Forces Analysis (Porter) Rivalry, Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power, Supplier Power, Barriers to Entry Rivalry among competitors is quite commonplace in the coffee industry consequently, Caribou must maintain its differentiation to maintain their customers loyalty. There is strong competition in the coffeehouse industry, which is characterised by not only from the industry leader, but also from the threat of new entrants and substitutes attracted by such huge growth (see also Porter.) Caribous position is under threat from emerging and current competitors who have a differentiated approach to the provision of coffee. Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses; including Starbucks, doughnut shops, bakery-cafà ©s, and traditional quick-service restaurants therefore it must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building on its market share. Caribou is under threat from Starbucks because they have increased their long-term store goals from 30,000 to a target of 40,000 (Starbucks, 2009; web-link provided.) As industry leader, Starbucks is committed to maintaining its domination of the industry, which gives them an overwhelming advantage which means that Caribou, and all the others, struggle to become the recognised second-place coffee ho use. In this instance, the buyer power is very high due to the many choices and the switching costs for going from one coffeehouse to another being so low. In order to create a good quality beverage suppliers need to provide quality coffee beans and, since these are an essential commodity, suppliers are unable to place controlling price demands. Caribous position in the coffeehouse industry is encouraging; when one examines the conditions and different forces that are present in the industry, as well as taking into account its incremental expansion over the years, however, strong competition and buyer power limits profit potential. Partial SWOT Analysis Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Caribou recognises the long-term potential to invest in 2,500 locations which the company believes is achievable based upon limited penetration across markets outside of Minnesota. The company has already increased market penetration by company and franchises in the Middle East and Asia. Furthermore, the company intends to build upon and increase its broader licensing strategy including more franchised stores in the US (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) This should lead to more profitability for Caribou. Threats A too aggressive growth plan requires Caribou to execute an active development schedule whilst managing existing operations across a range of markets. Consistent performance depends upon suitable locations as well as the recruitment and retention of staff. Consumers in the new markets may not embrace Caribous concept to the same extent as in the core markets such as Minnesota. Inflation for key inputs, for example coffee labour, could impact, as the company may not be able to pass through sizeable price increases and the demand for coffee could diminish as a result of consumer preferences or health concerns about core products for example, caffeinated drinks. Internal Analysis Caribou has been able to achieve a competitive advantage by fulfilling customers needs by placing emphasis on its human and social capital; however, the company is at risk of being compromised as a result of recent events. Developing human capital is embedded within Caribous strategic initiatives, to improve operations by improving their selection and training of coffeehouse personnel (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Through the creation of human capital Caribou has been able to create domination between the individual capabilities, skills, knowledge, and experiences of the companys employees. Shultz, (1961) discusses human capital in more detail. At Caribou, the human capital is built through the extensive training procedures that help create customer satisfaction; social capital is created through the network of relationships that the employees have throughout the company (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Three main interdependent activities of creating human capital i.e., attracting, developing, and retaining, are an organisations main focus (Shultz, 1961.) Caribou attracts human capital by implementing very selective hiring practices. The most important part of Caribous human capital is their focus on creating operational excellence through extensive training procedures; the training at Caribou is very important and continuous, as they believe it is the employees who create the great products or customer service that differentiated the company. The training of employees was believed to be central to fulfilling the mission of creating â€Å"an experience that makes the day better† (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) The company implemented this into all of their training practices as one of the companys core competencies that would create strong commitment in their employees. All new employees were given instructions to become ‘drink certified, in-store Certified Instr uctor Trainers provided ongoing instruction in presentation and service, and courses were offered through Caribou College to improve career skills (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) The company also retained their human capital by implementing rewards that are both tangible and intangible. Shultz (1961) discusses reward mechanisms in more detail. Caribou follows a pay-for-performance philosophy which enables the company to identify and reward team members whom achieve high performance standards. Employees would work harder to make their coffeehouse the best since the bonuses for managers and the coffeehouse was based on sales, profit, and customer service. The company has a belief that excellence is a product of hard work; this sounds good to consumers because they will get the best, but may be a negative for the employees and will make it harder to have employees contributing to human capital. These factors are what created effective human capital for only a certain time, but other issues is not allowing them to sustain that advantage. Caribou has a culture that allowed a place â€Å"Where Entrepreneurial Spirit Roams Free† (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) The company is not overly structured, which is why employees are able to work on a variety of different projects and take on an extensive range of responsibility; moreover, Caribou has a culture which includes a strong belief in promoting from within the company, which creates a future to work toward for employees. The company is more on the personal or relaxed side where they would communicate in person rather than through emails and they would have a dress code that was business casual. These different aspects of company culture, creates social capital that gains employee loyalty for Caribou; it has a strong belief that customer service is led by their employees and that their selective hiring practices, extensive training, and low turnover created superior employees (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Caribou has created differentiation by implementing a strategy dedicated to creating human capital as a way to better meet consumer needs, but in the changing and rapidly growing industry it will be very difficult to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This strategy has been successful in creating competitive advantage at the business level however; it is arguable whether this is a source of sustainable advantage since this advantage is based on resources and capabilities that can be too easily imitated by competitors. Having dedicated employees creates a value for Caribou, which differentiates them from other coffeehouses; the companys culture has created a value that creates a common purpose for the employees and the company, which creates an effective outcome when presenting service or products to consumers. The challenges that Caribou is facing through the stock declines, company losses, or even the manager demands for overtime pay can possibly weaken their human capital as a source of competitive advantage. Also, the effects of the external environment can significantly impact upon the company if they remain on the same path. The changes that Caribou is facing will send them into a decline of their human capital as a source of competitive advantage, if they do not do anything to add to or change their strategy. SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Specialty coffee sales in the US are on the increase; the factors that are driving growth are a greater awareness of the quality differences between specialty brands and commercial grades. Caribou sells it appeal as their coffee houses are an ideal gathering place, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. Caribou recognises there is a high demand for the variety of their beverages and these can be customised to cater for individual consumer preference. Penetration for coffee consumption is low (16% daily consumption by US population) relative to overall coffee consumption (57%); this is indicative of a major opportunity for growth; Caribou is performing well compared to other competitors and is set to take advantage of the booming industry. Caribou has created a distinctive position through providing high quality coffee in comfortable, ski-lodge like atmosphere, which distinguishes itself from the chic, upmarket approach used by its competitors, in the main, Starbucks. This concept is good; as it enables the company to capitalise on favourable trends in the specialty coffee market. The quality of Caribous custom roasted coffee has been the key to its success, with taste tests demonstrating that consumers prefer Caribou coffee by a significant margin over other competitors (Caribou Coffee Company Inc, 2009.) In terms of Caribous financial position, the last quarter to year ending September 2009, demonstrated a fourth consecutive quarter of positive earnings. These results are driven by strong implementation at every level of the Caribou with a fundamental focus on expansion and diversification, which is a key component of Caribous future growth strategy. Caribou focuses on maintaining its position as a branded coffee company and are making the necessary investments to expand the brand. Financially, Caribou is in a good position to secure further expansion in the future. Weaknesses Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses, with its main competitor being Starbucks. Caribou must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building its share of the market. During the financial year 2003-2008, Caribou announced net operating losses and negative free cash flow (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) Hence, the company needs to improve profitability and operating cash flow in order to sustain growth and achieve a health long term financial position. In terms of geographic concentration, Caribou is predisposed to local economic, meteorological factors and political issues. Conclusion and Recommendations With the industry leader creating new goals that target to make them almost a monopoly in the world of coffee, Caribou is in danger of losing its competitive advantage. This source of social and human capital is a key source of Caribous competitive advantage, but even that is in decline. In order to compete in the industry and even possibly surpass the industry leader, Starbucks, Caribou must have a sustainable competitive advantage. After conducting an internal analysis of the firm, it is clear that Caribou needs to maintain or better its human capital; it needs to implement the same practices, but the company must also consider implementing a way to satisfy overtime pay because the fact that managers work overtime shows dedication like an owner, but maintaining that belief is important for the company. Caribou has created a coffeehouse that is seen as an escape for consumers that helps the company maintain its differentiation from other coffeehouses, but the company is in its stag es of decline if no changes are implemented (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Although Caribous focus on human and social capital has created a temporary competitive advantage, in the current competitive environment these are likely to become necessary success factors, not valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable core competencies. It is more likely that their human and social capital, superior product quality, store design and atmosphere provide a collection of resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. Porter (1985.) As Caribou continue to shift their strategies to meet politico-economic and socio-cultural demands, like most in this industry sector, the company is not able to predict the economic and social challenges to which consumers and businesses will be exposed. However, the company believes that it is in a very good position to enable it to react and respond to these challenges because of their remarkable customer loyalty, their unique product brand and its attractive price-value position. As it places emphasis on coffee, a nd combination beverages, the company will, undoubtedly, innovate by creating new products and experiences which complement the coffeehouse experience and drive transactions.

The Ju-Wasi Experience :: essays research papers

My visit to the Ju/wasi area of Botswana was an eye-opening experience. At first sight, I could not believe they lead an able way of life. The entire society is built around waterholes, and they herd cattle. The idea of a modern village or town does not exist. They do not process their food, and their water is very scarce and unsanitary. Nevertheless, the living conditions of the Ju/wasi rarely inflict any diseases upon them. Rather, it is the Western world that has brought in viruses and bacteria that affect the health of the Ju/wasi the most. Out of all the noticeable problems that afflict the Ju/wasi, however, this was the least visible. The lack of organization among tribesmen, a constant food staple, and a stable economic model are the issues the Botswana government needs to address. In this regard, I agree almost fully with the previous panel that suggested improvements in several of the key areas. First and foremost, organization is key. The government needs to help the Ju/wasi build several villages. This will bring an element of government into the tribe, which will help the Ju/wasi make central decisions about the tribe’s actions. Digging the wells is not essential because a water supply already exists; yet it fits in well with the overall plan of improving the Ju/wasi living conditions. In order to provide a constant staple, the government need not distribute domesticated animals. Instead, they should institute an economic model and integrate tribesmen with Botswana’s job market. The Ju/wasi can then use their new income to finance a food supply or a cash crop. The key is to spend money as efficiently as possible in order to help the Ju/wasi, and my slightly modified plan accomplishes that purpose. Following these guidelines does not guarantee the Ju/wasi a carefree life.

Agatha :: Character Analysis, Brother Grimm

In Brother Grimm’s â€Å"Brother Lustig†, the main character, Brother Lustig, is initially portrayed as an honest, inexperienced and stupid young man, who shares all his possessions with others. For this reason, when analyzing Brother Grimm’s tale form a Jungian psychoanalytic perspective, will become a prime example of a character experiencing individuation, for he eventually becomes a more selfish, cunning and independent person. Through meeting his archetypes, Brother Lustig goes from an honest, stupid and generous person, who shares his wealth and possessions with the less fortunate ones to a cunning, selfish and self-sufficient trickster. Brother Lustig’s burgeoning conscious is demonstrated through an analysis of his Jungian archetypes, with the shapeshifting beggar, acting as his positive shadow, and St. Peter personifying as his symbolic Self. An analysis if Lustig’s positive shadow, St. Peter as the poor shapeshifting beggar, is particularly useful in understanding the various challenges which the main character of the story will eventually have to face later on. In the folk tale, the beggar is portrayed as a cunning and intelligent trickster, who changes his appearance every time he â€Å"begged a gift [form Lustig]†(368). Every time the disguised beggar â€Å"placed himself in another shape† and asks for charity, Brother Lustig will always fall in his trap and give him â€Å"a quarter of the loaf of his bread and one kreuzer† (368), for he eventually have nothing left. By the end of the story, Brother Lustig becomes an intelligent trickster, capable of surviving alone thanks to his ability to smart and trick other people. In this context. It is evident that St.Peter as the shapeshifting beggar is a positive shadow since he embodies the qualities that the independent and grown up Lustig nee ds. By becoming more selfish and cunning, Lustig is finally capable of helping people by using his intelligence against â€Å"the nine devils†(376) by putting them in his knapsack†(376). By the end of the story, it becomes clear that his cunning and intelligence help him to become a more independent person capable of to survive without the help of others. He is no longer tricked by others and this shows clearly that he is on a further step towards individuation. The most important step in Lustig’s maturation to a man capable of surviving alone is the realization of Self, personified once again by St. Peter. Through his journey with St. Peter, Brother Lustig eventually maturates. At the very beginning of the story, he was a stupid, honest, selfless soldier who does not care about how to survive the day after.

Whole Foods Market Case Analysis

Whole Foods Market has received recognition as recent as January 27th 2011 when CNBC aired Supermarkets Inc: Inside a 500 Billion Money Machine. â€Å"Whole Foods is arguably the most influential, and by some measures, the most successful supermarket chain in the world. The specialty gourmet store has grown into a Fortune-300 company offering specialty foods and locally grown organic produce. † CNBC goes on to state that even â€Å"Established brands like Safeway, Giant Eagle and Kroger are cultural icons as familiar as our own street names, but they are under constant attack from brilliant upstarts like Whole Foods†¦1† From the general supermarket industry Whole Foods Market breaks down into even a smaller specific industry which is the natural and organic foods industry. This industry focused on proving customers with natural foods which is defined as â€Å"foods that are minimally processed, largely or complexly free of artificial ingredients, preservatives and other non natural occurring ingredients; and near to their whole, natural state as possible. 7. † Also â€Å"organic foods were a special subset of the natural foods category; to be labeled as organic, foods had to be grown and processed without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, synthetic chemicals, artificial fertilizers, preservatives, dyes or additives or generic engenerring. † Also from the text book CEO John Mackey believes Whole Foods Market has been highly selective for finding the highest quality, least processed, most favorable and naturally preserved foods available. Whole Foods Market is an industry leader in natural and organic food retailing. The five forces model of competition, in written form, is provided as a key analytical tool to better understand the overall attractiveness of the industry. Rivalry among competing sellers is certainly strong and is expected to become stronger as more grocery retailers compete for loyal customers who desire the healthiest foods. The threat of substitute’s products is very high from other grocery retailers. For example, Publix has branded its own natural/organics products line named Green Wise and even a few stores that have a majority of its products natural/ organic. The restaurant industry should be considered but it is a very low threat because there are very few restaurants that are only dedicated to natural/organic products. The threat of new entrants entering the industry is fairly low. This is simply because grocery retailers have already got into the market to insure they would get their share. The bargaining power of suppliers is a medium level threat to the industry because industry members are competing for products to put on their shelves from the same suppliers. The bargaining power of buyers is definitely low because conventional retailers set the price consumers must pay to obtain the goods they want. Because of these threat levels the overall attractiveness of the industry high. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the foods they are eating and will continue buying natural and organic foods. There have been many main events and performance indicators that have occurred with Whole Foods Market recently, as stated in the Epilogue to January 2009 â€Å" Whole Foods Market planned on opening 15 stores , have annual sales of about 8. 3 billion, have capital expenditures of $400 to $450 million, and incur annual interest costs of $35 to $40 million. † The main elements of Whole Foods Market strategy are providing customers with the highest quality natural/organic products. Whole Foods Market has a strong growth strategy because they have 66 store in the stages of development and have future plan of acquiring more stores to expand their company further down the road. This growth strategy has helped them achieve their financial goals. Whole Foods Market can be assessed by using a simple SWOT analysis. This assessment will begin by examining the internal strengths and weaknesses. Internal strengths Whole Foods Market has two narrow markets that it serves, organic differentiation is the key-stone of whole foods mission, this means Whole Foods Market uses a focus differentiation strategy, highest quality brand reputation, dedication to the social ethics of organics, industry best customer service strong supply chain, and developing a private label of organics. Whole Foods Market has had experience in the natural/organic retailing industry since 1980. For the past 30+ years they have built over 300 large customized stores in North America and also in the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market is known to provide the highest quality of products. Weaknesses of Whole Foods Market include the high prices for their products; this is a direct result of the company’s focus on their availability of the finest products. The majority of Whole Foods Market inventory consists of perishable items. This can sometimes pose problems because, produce, milk, eggs have a short shelf life, Produce especially needs constant maintenance to be graded as well as pulling the damaged or bruised produce off the sales floor. Working as a roduce clerk for several years I know the importance decreasing the cost of throw away products. It hurts the company’s sales especially when you are dealing with pricy high quality natural and organic foods. Another weakness the Whole Foods Market faces is the high costs associated with expanding into different locations. The third part of SWOT is external opportunities that WFM faces in the industry. Over the past couple of decades more consumers have been becoming more health conscious and eating right. WFM can take advantage of this new outlook on the health food industry by acquiring new customers. Also, Whole Foods Market should spend more money on advertising to attract these health conscious customers. The final part of the SWOT analysis is the external threats that Whole Foods Market has to face. One of these threats is the increasing competition of already established grocery retailers. It’s very easy for these competitors to add natural and organic foods into their inventory. Another threat to Whole Foods Market is that their growth relies on building new stores and acquisitions of existing favorable buildings. If Whole Foods Market does not succeed in acquiring these store then the dominating grocery retailers will take more market share and slow the company’s growth. Evaluating Whole Foods Market using (S. W. O. T. ) analysis internally and externally helps you to develop an overall assessment of the company’s current competitive situation. Whole Foods Market is in good standings with the competition they seem to have a business model that is working for them and may need to emphasis a bit more on advertising and attracting more health conscious people with pamphlets at gyms. The Internally the company looks great with not to much to worry about but externally they must act now before the Wal-Mart starts taking their profits as well as other grocery retailers. One of the Key Success Factors (KSFs) of Whole Foods Markets is that it has a strong brand name because the company is well known reputation and far superior up against its main competitors. When a consumer shops at Whole Foods Market they know they will be getting the best quality possible. Another thing that gives them a competitive advantage, is the strong network of suppliers. This KSF has been a focus of Whole Foods Market to purchase their products grown locally to their stores. Information from wholefoodsmarket. com shows that each store has their own definition of â€Å"local† but the consumer just need to check with their particular store to find out where their quality goods are coming from. Another KSF is the access to locations rich in the target market. Whole Food Market has strived to establish stores in most metropolitan areas attracting more people. The Final KSF has been the company’s effective marketing communication. There are many Key Success factors (KSF) when stacking Whole Foods Market up to the competition. It seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintains the strictest quality standards in the industry, has an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture, and the excitement and fun they bring to shopping for groceries, Whole Foods Market is permanently committed to buying from local farmers whose produce meet quality standards, particularly those who farm organically and are themselves dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture. Whole Foods Market is greatly increasing their efforts in this regard by further empowering their individual store and regional buyers to seek out locally grown produce. From Investor relations Whole Foods Market states â€Å"Our success reaches far beyond the company by contributing to a higher quality of life. By offering the highest quality food available, we are helping to transform the diet of America, helping people live longer, healthier, more pleasurable lives while responding positively to the challenge of environmental sustainability. † In Conclusion, Whole Foods Market is the leader in this niche market of natural/organic foods industry and is facing strong competition from the big superstores such as Wal-Mart, Costco and many other grocery retail chains. The company is in a position to change people lives forever and future generations as well. As many companies are doing now is finding their consumers and keeping those customers for life. Not just what they just spend at the register each time but what they may spend over each person’s life span and if you are eating healthier you will definitely live longer in return spending more money with Whole Foods Market. Works Cited http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/locally-grown/ http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/green-mission.php