Monday, September 30, 2019

Explain Expectations About Own Work Role as Expressed

In my role l am expected to support the teacher, to be reliable and build a good relationship with the children, encouraging them to the best of there ability in their learning, to assist their growth in knowledge and assist in enhancing their development, so they can grow holistically. To be aware of any weak areas that I come across whilst working with the children, for example a child that may need extra support within their numeracy, literacy or phonics time. I am also expected to deal, to the best of my ability, with challenging aggressive, rude or traumatised children.Whilst I may need to do this at times I am also aware that the class teacher is there for support. I have had to deal with bad language used by a pupil when dealing with the child I explained that the words used where not words that should be used. I found out why the pupil had said those words and asked what words we could use instead. As well as working with my own class teacher I can be asked at times to go and support another teacher in another class. I am expected to adapt very quickly to the other class and to the lesson there having.My role also means that I will support the children so they are confident in there journey though the school. It is important that I conduct myself in the correct manner within the school as children will often mirror others actions. I remain professional at all times and act appropriately. Any ideas or suggestions that I have with regards to anything that could contribute to the smooth running of the class, is always welcomed, and l have done this on occasion. When l take the children out for there guided reading session, if l notice a pupil that is finding there book easy I am able to move them up a level.If l do this for a pupil l note there name and the colour group l have moved them to so the class teacher can then check the level is suitable for them. With regards to dress code I feel that I should dress smart/casual and by doing this I feel my stand ard of work benefits. I am also representing the school and I feel (also as a parent of a child in the school) that it is important for other parents/carers to see the staff whatever your role looking smart and well presented. This has also made me approachable to parents and they come to me as well as the class teacher.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Re-Branding Sunsilk Back Into the UK Hair Market Essay

Originally launched in the Netherlands in 1956, Sunsilk provides haircare solutions in 80 countries around the globe. No matter the hair type or problem, we have the products and the know how to make your hair feel and look beautiful. Our passion in life is to help women celebrate looking beautiful everyday, anywhere. Bad hair days are history Take on life with confidence and consign bad hair days to the bin with Sunsilk. Our range of products incorporates various natural ingredients and extracts with their own specific properties; chamomile for cleansing without limpness, ginseng extract for strength and more for any and all requirements. Get great advice and tips on hair care from us too. Key facts * Number 1 in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East * Sales of more than â‚ ¬1 billion a year * Sells in 80 countries * Also sold as Elidor, Hazeline, Seda and Sedal * Recent awards: Holds the Guinness world record for the most heads of hair washed and styled in one day Sunsilk is a hair care brand, primarily aimed at women, produced by the Unilever group, which is now considered the world’s leading company in hair conditioning and the second largest in shampoo[1]. Sunsilk is Unilever’s leading hair care brand, and ranks as one of the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate’s â€Å"billion dollar brands†. Sunsilk shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products are sold in 69 countries worldwide. Sunsilk is sold under a variety of different names in markets around the world including Elidor, Seda and Sedal. The brand is strongest in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and is the number one hair care brand in India, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. * 1954 – Sunsilk first launched in the UK.  * 1955 – First advertisement of Sunsilk appeared on TV. * 1964 – Launch of Sunsilk hair spray. * 1968 – Sunsilk shampoo re-packaged in PVC bottles. * 1971 – Launch of Sunsilk conditioner. * 1975 – Sunsilk became the biggest name in hair care. * 2003 – Sunsilk glossy magazine launched in Argentina. * 2008 – Social networking site Gang of Girls was introduced in India. First advertising Sunsilk began advertising in 1955 with a campaign that focused on specific hair â€Å"issues†. In the UK, the campaign focused on shiny hair. During the 1960s, a television commercial of Sunsilk featured a tune composed by John Barry, â€Å"The girl with the sun in her hair†, which proved so popular that it was subsequently released as a pop single. Sunsilk radio commercials were aired in 1969 featuring Derek Nimmo to support the new Sunsilk Herb shampoo for problem hair called â€Å"Hairy Tales†. In the early 1970s, Sunsilk was advertised with the slogan â€Å"All you need is Sunsilk†. Celebrity associations Madonna, Shakira, Marilyn Monroe, and Marian Rivera all featured in Sunsilk’s 2008 advertising campaign â€Å"Life Can’t Wait†[3] which launched with a Super Bowl XLII spot. The philosophy behind the campaign was about girls taking positive steps to gain better control of their lives â€Å"Hair On = Life On†. Actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is the brand ambassador for Sunsilk in India. [4] In 2009, singer Delta Goodrem was announced as the â€Å"face of Sunsilk† in Australia. The singer and her music have since featured in several Sunsilk adverts.[5] In 2007, British girlband Girls Aloud launched a campaign for Sunsilk after securing a sponsorship deal worth over  £1,000,000.[6] Members Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Walsh and Sarah Harding all represented the brand, which included shooting a television commercial. Sunsilk also sponsored their following tour. Magazine In 2003, Sunsilk (Sedal) launched the first hair only glossy magazine in Argentina aiming to communicate to the professional hair industry. More than 800,000 copies are published each month. The magazine focuses on hair, fashion and beauty issues as well as showcasing hairdressers’ work. It is sold locally on news stands and distributed to hair salons. Gang of Girls In 2008, Sunsilk India launched a social networking site called Gang of Girls [7], which offered its users access to a variety of local and global experts to address various hair care needs through its content, blogs and live chat room. The site includes rich content of hair care and fashion, and users can also take part in interactive games and quizzes.In 2011, Sunsilk was listed in The Brand Trust Report published by Trust Research Advisory. Co-Creation collaboration From 2009 Sunsilk started working with a number of professional hair â€Å"experts† to develop new and improved products. Each hair â€Å"issue† variant links to an â€Å"expert† with the relevant specialist hair knowledge. For example, Dr Francesca Fusco, a New York dermatologist, co-created a â€Å"hairfall† variant for the brand. The line up also includes: Jamal Hammadi for Black Shine, Rita Hazan for Vibrant Colour, Teddy Charles for Plumped Up Volume, Thomas Taw for Damage Reconstruction, Ouidad for Defined Curls and Yuko Yamashita – inventor of Japanese hair straightening process ‘YUKO’ – for Perfect Straight. Availability Sunsilk is available in over 60 countries worldwide. However Sunsilk products seem to be no longer available in the United States. The Sunsilk website has a list of countries where their products are sold, the USA is not one of them.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Aspects of Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Aspects of Psychology - Essay Example The validity of the study can be accounted both by the objective nature of the study which includes behavioral patterns and the subjective nature that includes the experiences and feelings of an individual. The data collected also accounts for the uniqueness and hence the validity of the study. However, as the case study results cannot be replicated, the reliability measures of the study are generally very low. When the case study pertains to a specific individual the results cannot be generalized to a larger population as they cannot be considered to represent a particular population. The major advantages of the case study method includes the following: in-depth analysis of a case may at times provide insights to a new phenomena which in turn could stimulate a new research, additionally these new findings can contradict existing theories and lead to establishment of newer treatment modalities, a detailed view of the process or phenomena can be obtained through a case study, and inve stigation of extreme and inaccessible conditions. Despite the many advantages, the case study method also suffers from many disadvantages such as low replication and reliability measures, the study data and its interpretation can be influenced by the researcher’s thoughts resulting in researcher bias, documentation depends entirely on the memory of the individual which can result in inclusion of only those factors that are livid in the minds of the people and exclusion of other possible factors which are vaguely remembered and finally as the results of a case study cannot be easily replicated it if difficult to generalize them to a particular population (The case study method, n.d). Naturalistic observation method involves observing the behavior of an organism in its natural surroundings. The method requires no obstruction either from the investigator or the method used to collect data which would affect the behavior of the organism under study.

Friday, September 27, 2019

3 hours online test Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

3 hours online test - Assignment Example Last fall, the FDA had promulgated an administrative proposed  rule  that  would have required  all pharmaceutical companies  that sold over-the-counter medications  to incorporate a special tracking bar code (i.e., UPC bars) on  their packaging to ensure that recalls could be done with very little trouble.  The bar codes cost about 35 cents per package. Robins & Robins lobbied hard against this rule and managed to get it stopped in the public comments period. They utilized multiple arguments, including the cost (which would be passed on to consumers). They also raised  Ã¢â‚¬Å"privacy† concerns, which they  discussed simply to get public interest groups upset.  (One of the drugs impacted is used for assisting with alcoholism treatment – specifically for withdrawal symptoms – and many alcoholics were afraid their use of the drug could be tracked back to them.) Robins  & Robins argued that people would be concerned about purchasing the medication with a tracking mechanism included with the packaging and managed to get enough public interest groups against the rule. The FDA decided not to impose the rule. Robins & Robins contract with Casings, Inc., states, in section 14 B.2.a., "The remedy for defects in supplies shall be limited to the cost of the parts supplied."  Casings, Inc., had negotiated that clause into the contract after a lawsuit from a person who was shot by a gun resulted in a partial judgment against Casings for contributory negligence. List any bases Robins & Robins could sue Casings, Inc.,  under contract theory ONLY  for the damages caused by the explosives in their drugs, over and above the cost of the capsule shells. (short answer question) An agreement which is legally enforceable between two or more parties having mutual obligations is said to be a Contract. Damages or compensation in monetary form of compensation is the remedial activity in case of a breach of contract. Specific performance or

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Gandhi (1982) Movie analysis not review attempt to dissect the films Essay

Gandhi (1982) Movie analysis not review attempt to dissect the films approach to its historical matter - Essay Example The opening statement of the film, – "No mans life can be encompassed in one telling. There is no way to give each year its allotted weight, to include each event, each person who helped to shape a lifetime. What can be done is to be faithful in spirit to the record and try to find ones way to the heart of the man" – shows the respect of Attenborough to Gandhi and a glimpse to the way he is going to present Gandhi’s legendary freedom movement. The director resorts to a flash back mode in this film. After portraying the last episodes in Gandhi’s life, he then moves on to sketch the life of Gandhi as a young barrister in Africa. Gandhi faces the first bitter experience here in Africa while travelling in the first class train compartment. Though he possessed the reservation ticket, he was thrown out of the train due to the fact that the first class is reserved for the Europeans. He had to spend the whole night on the cold railway station platform and realized that such humiliations and discriminations are quite common in Africa and therefore he decides to retaliate against it. He says, â€Å"We are children of God and members of the Empire.† This incident acts as a stimulus for Gandhi to conduct various protests against social injustices. The film then shows Gandhi’s return to India after having some success in his endeavors. The Indian National Congress party welcomed Gandhi to India and insisted him to travel through the country and identify the real suffering of the ordinary people. After witnessing them, he continues his protestations against injustices in India where is treated as a national hero. But things were not easy for Gandhi as he had to confront with many problems from the British Empire. The film links the important incidents in Gandhi’s life. Gandhi is often jailed as a result of his disagreement with the British authority on several matters. He goes on a hunger strike in order to react against the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

UN Millenium Development GoalsFinal Project Essay

UN Millenium Development GoalsFinal Project - Essay Example Criticism which has accompanied the achievement of millennium development goals has taken note of uneven progress, difficulty in measurements of some goals and lack of proper analysis. Some developed countries had achieved more than what was expected of them while some were behind realizing any of the targets intended to achieve the goals. The key goals and targets were outlined so that every individual could have at least the dignity to his right of freedom and the basic standard of living. Various goals and their corresponding targets outlined below have been found to be the key to economic development in the world. The indicators of how progress has been made show the effort and determination of the United Nations to achieve the goals within their specified timeline (United Nations). Poverty has been a hindrance to economic development. It has brought about the suffering of mankind all over the world. Many people in most developing countries are living in substandard conditions (Snarr and Snarr 25). Eradication of poverty is vital to the development of developing nations, every means has been tried to make sure that the standard for the threshold of poverty which lies at 1.25$ per day has been achieved by most nations. When a large portion of people lives in poor conditions, it becomes difficult for a country to make any huge step in economic development. The provision of jobs to people holds the main key in minimizing the levels of poverty. Through creation of jobs that provide adequate wages, people earn income that enables them to sustain their living. Discrimination of the youth and women in employment spaces provide and increase the levels of poverty in a given country. As a result, the World Bank has come up with various strategies which entail providing z ero-interest loans and development grants to countries. The strategies include provision of capital to

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

MGMT438 U4P Training Needs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGMT438 U4P Training Needs - Research Paper Example The training facilitators will use lecture method and videos during training sessions. The lecture method will involve presenting the theoretical concepts of salesmanship to the new salespeople. The content here will include introduction to sales, theories of sales, strategies for approaching customers, and ways of explaining product features to customers. The videos will play real scenarios as they happen in real sales contexts. The training will also use discussion method; these will enable participants to share ideas and facilitate exchange of knowledge and experiences. There will be a final hands-on exam for evaluating the salespeople. The entire training will last for eight days. There will be six facilitators, both from the company and experts from consultant companies. The trainees will be required to sign in their names as they enter the training room. Interested participants will receive emails invitation at least ten days prior to commencement of the training. The participants will be required to confirm their availability by replying to the

Monday, September 23, 2019

You will be analyzing the hyrdrodynamics of different swimming strokes Lab Report

You will be analyzing the hyrdrodynamics of different swimming strokes - Lab Report Example The major purpose of this lab report was to analyze the hydrodynamics of different swimming strokes through considering several factors such as swim time, stroke frequency, stroke length and perceived effort, in the comparison process. From the results, scenario B assumes a shorter swim time and higher stroke frequency than in the case of scenario A. Further, the perceived effort used in B was less than that used in A. The reasons for the observed phenomena, depends on such factors like gravitational pull, friction force and outside pressure. When a swimmer is partially submerged, as shown in A, there is increase in atmospheric pressure and gravitational pull acting thereby resulting in reduced speed. Further, while partially submerged, some parts of the body remain exposed to the air thereby triggering action of friction force between swimmer’s body and air. At the same time, scenario A allows the subject to breath, which in turn reduces the stroke frequency because more time is spent in breathing. The situation is different to scenario B, where swimmer’s body is fully submerged in water leading to reduction in friction force, gravitational pull and atmospheric pressure acting. This triggers shorter swim time, higher stroke frequency and less perceived effort (Stager & Tanner, 2005). The results also manifest differences between scenario C and D, where dolphin kick was used for both with difference being one is submerged while the other is not. C, where full submergence was assumed, both swim time and perceived effort was less than D (not submerged. This can be attributed to the fact that dolphin kick becomes more effective when there is reduced friction and gravitational force through ensuring full submergence (Maglischo, 2003). The reduced forces leads to less perceived efforts and swim time as observed in scenario C. For situation D, more force is allowed to act on the swimmer in addition to efforts spent on breathing

Sunday, September 22, 2019

HRM function Essay Example for Free

HRM function Essay Flexible working patterns have advantages and disadvantages that impact not only on individuals but also on the business and the economy as a whole. Although flexible working practices and part-time working provide opportunities for people may otherwise be excluded from the workplace, individuals can feel insecure in such employment, particularly if they are constantly working on short-term contracts. There is also evidence that part-time or flexible workers receive less training than their full-time counterparts. In these circumstances individuals can feel their contribution is undervalued. In turn, insecurities and frustrations experienced by part-time staff may affect their job satisfaction and, ultimately, their performance. This then impacts on the organisation, as it has to manage higher staff turnover rates. One solution that may overcome this is that if we think of our lives as inside-out doughnuts, with a core in the middle (the essentials of life) and the bounded space on the outside as our opportunities, workers can achieve satisfaction in other areas of our lives, even if the workers jobs are unfulfilling. APPENDICE 3 HRM plays a part in enabling Asda to improve its overall competitiveness in the market place. In the last decade of the twentieth century, we saw a transformation in the way companies like Asda started dealing with the people who were their employees. Instead of seeking to get the best out of people just for the sake of the business- i. e. to help it achieve its objectives- the new emphasis termed Human Resource Management (HRM) was that people would only work their best for the company if the company gave priority to identifying and seeking to meet the personal needs and objectives of its employees. This distinction is very subtle- but it is an important distinction to understand. A second important change in people management was a recognition that people work was not just the responsibility of the HR department. It is the responsibility of all managers in Asda- supported by HRM specialists. Increasingly, responsibility for recruitment, selection, appraisal and training is carried out by managers who work on an ongoing basis with employees rather than by a specialist in a centralised HRM function. A third key change in people management was that HRM was given a great deal more status in Asda. Instead of being something carried on at lower levels of the business, HRM is now recognised as a key strategic area of the business (i. e. one that needs to be given priority in organisational planning involving senior managers). Overall, HRM plays a vital part in Asda and many other businesses alike. If it recruits the right people with the skills and experience needed for the job, the business will run smoothly but if it doesnt then they will need to recruit some other people costing a lot of money for advertising, training, etc costing the business a high labour turnover rate. If it is to strive in the market place, not only does it need to meet the needs of the customers, but also of employees. If staff are motivated and incredibly fluent in their line of work, they would produce a quality service and production meaning that more people would want to shop at Asda.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay Example for Free

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay Samuel Beckett was a very astound Existentialist. Beckett’s work was essentially existentialist and consciously or unconsciously, his works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything. Existential philosophy became prevalent in the twentieth century as a symbol of the destruction of culture and tradition following World War II, asserting the hopelessness of humanity and focusing on life in a more honest but pessimistic manner than other socialistic philosophies. The philosophy recognizes the fact that humankind is capable of great evil and has limitless possibilities. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of ones acts. It emphasizes the difference between human existence and that of inanimate objects. Existentialism was a term adopted by Jean-Paul Sartre. Existentialism was identified with a cultural movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s. Heideggers 1927 Being and Time, an inquiry into the â€Å"being that we ourselves are† (which he termed â€Å"Dasein,† a German word for existence), introduced most of the motifs that would characterize later existentialist thinking(Edward). One existentialist view is absolute individuality and absolute freedom. The Existentialist conceptions of freedom and value come from their view of an individual. Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated islands of subjectivity in an objective world, we have absolute freedom over our internal nature, and the source of our value can only be internal. I feel Beckett expressed this view in the expelled when the main character got thrown out of his apartment. He had no one he could turn to for help. He just started wondering the city not caring where he was going. He knew getting thrown out wasn’t the end for him because he controlled his own destiny. Another existentialist view is the view of human nature. Existentialism is defined by the slogan Existence precedes Essence. Meaning we have no predetermined nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us. Human beings have no essential self; they are no more than what they appear. A person is basically born with a blank slate; humans have no uniform, predetermined principles or ethics common to all of mankind. Since there is no preformed essence or definition that exists for what it means to be human, a person must form conception of existence by asserting control of and responsibility for their actions and choices. Consequently, a human being gains essence through individual choices and actions. It is solely through the process of living that one defines ones self(Existence Precedes Essence). I feel Beckett expressed this point heavily in â€Å"Krapp’s Last Tape†. The character was an older man listening to a tape of when he was younger. He could listen to the way he use to think, act and be as a younger man. He was also able to see how his past had affected his life in the present but he still had no idea what laid ahead of him. That is way he made this tape’s so he could remind in self in the future what he thought lay ahead of him in the past. He knew to always go back and listen to the tapes to ponder on what he had made for himself and no had predetermined it. Existentialist encourage us to consider, in a personal way, the meaning of living authentically and inauthentically(Oaklander). Man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. First you exist, and then the individual emerges as he makes life decisions. Freedom of choice, through which each human being creates their own nature, is one of the basic themes. Because individuals are free to choose their own way, Existentialist have argued that they must accept the risk they choose to take and responsibility of their actions. Those people that follow this believe they are in a world that does not always make sense, a world that is filled with uncertainty where well-intended actions can become obscure and chaotic. In basic existentialist beliefs, man is the only animal defining itself through life. Without life, there is no meaning. Existentialist believe in life and fighting for it. While fighting for life, each person must face important and difficult decisions with only limited knowledge and time in which to make these decisions. Human life is seen as a series of decisions that must be made without knowing what the correct choice is. They must decide what standards to except and which ones to reject. Individuals must make their own choices without help from external standards. Humans are free and completely responsible for their choices. Their freedom and responsibility is thrust upon them and they are â€Å"condemned to be free†. Existentialist belief people are responsible for their actions, decisions and beliefs which caused them anxiety. They try to escape by ignoring or denying their responsibility. To have a meaningful life one must become fully aware of his true self and his situation and bravely accept it. Yet other existentialist thought dictates every person spends a lifetime changing his or her essence. Without life there can be no meaning, the search for meaning in existentialism is the search for self. In other words, we define ourselves by living, killing yourself would indicate you have chosen to have no meaning. Existentialist believe in living, in fact fighting for life. In Molloy I feel Beckett expressed this believe many times. First, at the beginning when his mother was dying and dead. He stated â€Å"I have her room. I sleep in her bed. I piss and shit in her pot. † this says to me that even though she had died he had to continue living his life. Also in Expelled Becket had traces of this theme. At the end when he left the cabdrivers carriage in the morning. I felt he was portraying that he used the cabdriver. He just needed a place to stay the night. The next morning he got up and left without saying anything. He got what he needed to survive the night then continued on his life. Samuel Beckett always used the Quote â€Å"a step from the cradle to the grave†. I feel this Quote means that you are only a split second away from dying. Even when you’re a new born one thing could go wrong and you’re died. Beckett used this saying in many of his writings. One time he used this saying was in the Expelled. He said â€Å"In what had just happened to me there was nothing in the least memorable. It was neither the cradle nor the game of anything whatever. Or rather it resembled so many other cradles, so many other graves, that I’m lost. † the character could not remember anything in life. He could not till if he was at the cradle of his life or the grave because they are so close together in life. Existentialism was a very big part of way Samuel Beckett was such a great writer. His works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything which is way his stories where so great. He was also one of the last people to write in that form. After researching this subject I plan on studying Existentialism more in depth. Works cited 1. Barsoum Diane. Existentialism and the Philosophical Tradition 2. Edward N. Zalta, Standford encyclopedia of philosophy 3. Existence Precedes Essence: Jean-Paul Sartres Existentialism and Human Emotions Online at:http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/186425/existence_precedes_essence_jeanpaul. html? cat=38 4. Grene, Marjorie. Introduction To Existentialism. 5. Oaklander, L. Nathan, Existentialist Philosophy an Introduction.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Public Health Case Study

Public Health Case Study Fundamantals of public Health: Science and Practice Assessment This assignment will consider a given case study involving a lady named Melissa, she is a 45 year old Afro-Caribbean lady who had a University education. She now has a good job managing a regional chain of high street clothing stores. She has been engaged to her boyfriend for 12 months. She smokes heavily and spends several evenings each week and every weekend in various bars and clubs, where she drinks excessively and takes recreational drugs with her friends. Her partner disapproves of her behaviour and considers her friends to be a bad influence. She was recently taken to AE after collapsing in a nightclub. Her parents and her partner are concerned about her long term health. Due to these circumstances Melissa will be assessed on her needs as an individual, given advice on how to take care of her health and where she can access this guidance. Public health has been the concern of the government since Victorian times, and became the priority of the NHS (National Health Service) in 1974. However the UK (United Kingdom) Government has begun to return the responsibility of health improvement to local governments. They believe that local governments have the ability to focus on local populations and shape the services to meet the local populations needs (Department of Health 2011). Public health can be defined in a variety of ways depending on the individuals opinion and beliefs. However, it is common knowledge that public health is the prevention of disease, long term illness and a priority of prolonging life among the whole population. This process is encouraged and achieved through health promotion.The WHO (World Health organisation) definition of health promotion is â€Å"the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behaviour towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions† (WHO, 2012). All nursing staff currently on the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) register are involved in public health and have specific roles in promoting public health activities. One of the primary focuses with upstream nursing is to reduce health inequalities and social determins. However, for this to take effect it is required that all nursing practitioners fully understand the fundamentals of public health and health promotion. The upstream nursing framework, Living Well; Working well and Aging well was put in place to assist in the active promotion of health and well being (Nursing, 2012). Melissa will be educated about the services available to her and this assignment will demonstrate the understandings of key public health principles such as her age, ethnicity, religious beliefs her education and where she resides. Explaining why this may have an effect on her in society. The assignment will discuss the relevant sociological theories surrounding inequalities within populations and communities. It will focus on Melissas current lifestyle and the possible consequences this will have on her health. Finally the assignment will clarify on the recent policy incentives available to Melissa and her family, which will offer the support they need. To conclude a summary of findings will be discussed. Before the nursing practitioner can begin to educate Melissa about the services available to her, providing the person centered care she deserves. The nurses themselves must be aware of the basic key concepts within society, including the priorities and the correct practice. The relationship between health and society must be fundamental. Social circumstances have an impact on health inequalities through a variety of means, such as age, ethnicity, education, environment, income and available support. Inequalities are simply differences in peoples circumstances which therefore has an impact on their health (Wills, 2005). The main social determinant that has the biggest impact on health of Melissa is her race, ethnicity, cultural background and her beliefs. The link between ethnicity and social class also has a significant impact on someones health and life expectancy. For this reason sociologists study society, helping people to understand and respond appropriately to society and cult ure around us. Stratification is one of the sociological concepts by sociologist Max Webber. He discusses how various groups of people place within society, whether it be within a population or a community. This is often stratified by means of income, social class, gender, ethnicity, religion and political status. In Melissas case there are two key areas to discuss, firstly her form of biological characteristics, such as her skin colour and secondly her ethnic background. Melissa is of Afro – Caribbean origin, therefore her biological characteristics will differ from those of white British ethnicity. Her skin colour will be the more prominent difference along with her hair type, eye colour and structural build. Her ethnic background differences will likely be her spoken native language, preferred fashion, beliefs and her religion. These forms of differences would often lead to racialism (Jennie Naidoo, 2005). Racism a combination of discrimination and prejudice based upon Melissas difference s. These differences become ranked inferior or superior to each other, often resulting in a belief that because someone is of differences they should be treated differently. It is this unfair treatment that consequently induces inequalities towards Melissa. Therefore causing inequalities towards Melissas health (Pratt, 2006). The white paper Tackilng health inequalities for minority ethnic groups shows that in 2007 Non manual workers like Melissa reports 21 out of 100 white British people being in poor health compared to the 25 Caribbean nationals. Providing the evidence base that Melissa`s ethnic differences will have a downward effect on her overall health compared to the UK white British population (Randhawa, 2007). The possible determines of health for such inequalities can be influenced by housing, income, environment, education and the services available within her community. Also the white paper, Fair Society Healthy Lives has statistical evidence to support that life expectancy between both men and women has a seven year difference between different social classes of society (Marmott, 2010). Inequalities of wealth and health are not only an issue within the UK, they are global. For example, America, the UK and most European countries are among the wealthy, having a wealth, capital of over $50000 e ach, in comparison to Africa and Asian countries with Capital of just $2000 and under. These statistics show that the concentration of global wealth inequalities is high. Such inequalities are responsible for poor health services and education within these lower wealth countries, due to the simple fact that they cannot afford the resources (Mindfully.org, 2006). However, in Melissas case, social stratification which refers to the social class of people who share the same level of wealth. Would insist that Melissa has minimal strain from income inequalities in the UK. The Gilbert – Kahl model which focuses on income consists of six categories; The underclass, the working poor class, the working class, the middle class, the upper middle class and the capitalist class. The class structure of Gilberts model bases its assumptions of the economic society. In this model it would appear that Melissa having a managerial role within a chain of high street clothing stores, is part of the upper middle class society. Due to her university education and well paid employment, Gilberts model would suggest that Melissa deserves what she has achieved and is entitled to her share of life and her chosen lifestyle (Sill, 2014). The feminists would agree with Gilberts assumption of Melissa deserving what she has achieved regardless of her gender. Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett was one of the early 19th century feminists, she campaigned for the right of womens votes. She then became an activist on improving womens educational opportunities (Howorth, 2004). Since then feminism activists have gone on to make changes for women within society and politics. Modern feminism has four main focuses; the differences of gender, inequalities of gender, gender oppression and structural oppression. The theory of feminism is focused on giving women a voice and making awareness of womens contributions to society (Humm, 2014). Due to this women are now entitled to vote, seek employment without gender discrimination, reduced isolation of women from the household and reduced the differences in pay. Feminism has seen sections of legal legislation put in place for instance, The Equal pay Act 1970, The Sexual Discrimination Act 19 75 and the Equality Act 2006 plus many more, which all provide legal frameworks to protect women. Therefore, reducing the overall level of inequalities between women and men (Gov.uk, 2006). However, it was the historical work of Karl Marx and his Marxism theory that originally catoregised people in relation to economic production in society. Marx called this Capitalism, he implied that people who owned the production were the capitalists and the people that provided the labor were the proletariat (workers). This theory went on to create hostility between the two social classes. The proletariats were withheld from the products that they created and the development of its production, which left them feelings of alienation. This created feelings of less self worth and the social relationship between the capitalists and the proletariats became prominent in relation to power (Blaxter, 2004). However the feminists saw that it was these economic inequalities of power within a population, that began the understanding in regards to inequalities between social classes and gender. Insisting that the ability to overcome capitalism, would result in the reconstruction of the gender i mbalance (Yuill, 2003). It is clear to see from Melissas employment status and life style that social economy has evolved from Marx`s theory and the inequalities between men, women, owners and workers has drastically reduced. However, inequalities are still the forefront subject within upstream nursing and new frameworks such as the National Service framework for equality and diversity. Insists that the NHS (National Health Service) will respond to different needs of different populations fairly. Assisting in the understanding of individual needs during public health support (NHS, 2014). Today, women in the UK are expected to live until they are 82, but numerous people are dying young. Melissa is a heavy smoker and drinks excessive amounts of alcohol on a regular basis, she is also know to indulge on recreational drugs. In 2007 1 in 6 people died before the age of 65 due to diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases and circulatory diseases, most of which are avoidable. Most longstanding illnesses are due to individual lifestyle choices and the stability of mental health (Government, 2010). Health and wellbeing are influenced by a variety of factors, for example, social environment, mental health and culture and these factors continually change across ones lifespan. The No Health Without Mental Health Framework delves into mental health outcomes in relation to health and well being. It assesses life satisfaction, self worth and stress in relation to the lifestyle choices of individuals. The fact that Melissas chooses to smoke has already put her in danger of premature health complications. Cigarette smoking accounts for approximately 100,000 UK deaths, it reduces the quality of health and causes premature death. Approximately 365 of respiratory deaths are caused by smoking. Short term health conditions linked to smoking are infections of the respiratory tract and the possible onset of asthma. However, Melissa is also at the risk of developing much worse conditions such as a variety of cancers, emphysema, pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. The cost of smoking related illnesses is approximately  £2.7 billion to  £5.2 billion within each year on the NHS (ash, 2014). Melissa also chooses to regularly drink alcohol and use recreational drugs. Statistics show that regular alcohol drinkers among the UK population amounts to 58% and in 2012 1,008,850 hospital admissions were related to alcohol. It is also estimated that the misuse of alcohol costs the NHS in excess of  £ 3.5 billion per year (Gov.uk, 2012). The miss use of drugs among adults in the UK also equates to 2.7 million UK residents, with cannabis being the most commonly used drug and ecstasy coming in second. This misuse leads to 6,549 hospital admissions in 2013 along with 1,496 drug related deaths (Lifestyles Statistics, 2013). The main long term issues related to alcohol and drug use is an addiction, and health implications of the cardiovascular system. From these statistics is can be seen that Melissa has a very risky lifestyle and she has increased her chances of developing long and short term illnesses prematurely in relation to this. Once Melissa has had her assessment of health needs the framework model for up stream nursing; protect, promote and prevent will be practiced. Local level health promotion strategies within Melissa`s region will be identified, such as local stop smoking support. The DH (Department of Health) published the paper Smoking Kills in 1998 and recently released the document Tobacco Control. These papers have made measures to reduce smoking in public areas, restricted advertising and have supported the rise of tobacco costs (Cartwright, 2008). The Mental Health Foundation, focus on mental health awareness and inequalities as well as linking mental health policies, research and evidence to produce publications covering a wide range of mental health issues (Foundation, 2014). The Drink Aware campaign provides the public with information in regards to alcohol consumption. They promote responsible use of alcohol and the health issues related (Drinkaware, 2014), National Drug Prevention Alliance, provide education on addiction and how it takes control of your life. They provide support for family and friends too (Dependence, 2014). Finally the Womens Health Concern campaign provides information and education to women in regards to their health and wellbeing, including advice on lifestyle concerns (Concern, 2014). Many of these public health promoting campaigns are a charity funded but are supported by the government. The government has taken responsibility for public health promotion, however the government cannot achieve this alone. Individuals have to take action in regards to improving their own and their familys health. A new radical approach towards health and wellbeing is being pursued. At root level local authorities will be taking responsibility within society, dealing with the determines of health and support the public in making healthier selections (Nursing, 2011). The Directors of Public Health are the main advisors to the local authorities in relation to health. They are members of the health and well being board, but it is the department of Public Health England which offers the overall support to both sections. The new approach has its strategies sent out from the Secretary of Health. Who is responsible for allocating budgets to the local authorities and NHS. The Public Health England framework supports this approach. Believing, giving the responsibility back to local authorities w ill result in them being able to support their community with the services which that particular area needs (Health, 2013). Upon discharge from hospital Melissa will be advised on The primary care choices available to her such as GP (General Practitioner) practices and high street optometrists. The role of the nurse is influential in this case and the white paper Nusres as partners in delivering public health points out the contributions made by nurses has a major impact on behavior changes within the health promotion environment. It illustrates the success of upstream nursing with case study examples, providing evidence that health promotion at local levels working in partnership with other local services has a detrimental impact on reducing health inequalities (Nursing, 2009). In conclusion to this case study health and health promotion bases itself on cultural and social understanding of illness. The promotion of health is to enable the public to hold control over their own health by means of encouragement from intersectorial means. It is the influence of ones social and economic status, which can determine peoples lifestyle choices and risks. The statistics show that one bad lifestyle choice can reduce quality of life and cost health care services billions to provide treatment. Therefore, without the intervention of the government and the nursing professional background knowledge and support. The general public, perhaps, would lack the reduction in health inequalities and the stabilisation of the NHS. Amanda Jane Kaye

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Night Book Report :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eliezer is a 12-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy living with his family in the Transylvanian town of Sighet. Eliezer is the only son of the family, and his parents are shopkeepers. His father is a highly respected within Sighet’s Jewish community. Eliezer also 2 older sisters, Hilda and Bà ©a, and a younger sister named Tzipora. Eliezer is taught Jewish mysticism under Moshe, a local pauper. In 1944 German armies occupy Hungary, and soon move into Sighet. Jewish community leaders are arrested, valuables are confiscated, and all of the Jews are then forced to wear yellow stars. The Jews were all gathered into small ghettos, and soon after, the Germans began to deport them to Auschwitz. Eliezer’s family is among the last to leave Sighet and it is then Eliezer began his horrible experience as being apart of the Holocaust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During this long and painful experience, Eliezer questioned his faith more than once. Before he and his family were forced onto the camps, Eliezer’s studies in Jewish mysticism taught him that if God is good and He is everywhere, than the whole world must therefore be good. But his faith in the world is broken by the cruelty and evil he witnesses during the Holocaust. He wonders how God would even let such an evil take place, he feels that if the world is so sick and cruel, than God must also be sick and cruel or not exist at all. Moshe is asked why he prays and replies, â€Å"I pray to the God within me that He will give me strength to ask him the right questions.† Meaning, questioning is a fundamental to the idea of faith in God. The horrible experiences of the Holocaust force Eliezer to ask questions about the nature of good and evil and about weather God exits or not. But the fact he asks these questions reflects his commitment to God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eliezer not only suffers from experiences Nazi persecution, but also cruelty he sees fellow prisoners inflict on each other, and becomes aware of the cruelty of which he himself is capable. Everything he experiences shows how horribly people can treat one another, which troubles him. The Nazis are the first insensible cruelty Eliezer experiences. Though, when they first appear, they do not seem terrible in any way shape or form. Eliezer recounts, â€Å"Our first impressions of the Germans were most reassuring. . . Their attitude toward their hosts was distant, but polite.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Shakespeares Hamlet - The Ghost Of Hamlet’s Father Essay -- GCSE Engl

The Ghost Of Hamlet’s Father      Ã‚   What would Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, be like without the character of the Ghost? The drama simple wouldn’t BE! The Ghost, though not a human character in most senses of the word, is crucial for the development of the play. This essay will analyze this interesting character.    Frank Kermode in â€Å"Hamlet† fits the Ghost into the local and national scene:    But meanwhile the ghost – â€Å"this thing† – has appeared. (Horatio as skeptic raises questions as to its status which could have been avoided.) There has been speculation as to its purpose, but one thing seems sure: it has to do with the state of the nation – it   â€Å"bodes some strange eruption to our state† – and with the armaments drive now in progress under the threat from Norway. That it genuinely has to do with the state of the nation – its spiritual rather than its merely political state – we shall learn; and to give us a â€Å"musical’ sense that this is so, there is the unexpected speech about Christmas. (1138)    The Ghost means more than a commentary on the spiritual and political state of the nation. Gunnar Boklund’s   â€Å"Judgment in Hamlet† introduces the Ghost in terms of the dilemma of the protagonist:      It is a commonplace to refer to Hamlet’s â€Å"dilemma† and a critical problem to explain in what this dilemma consists. A natural way to come to terms with the problem is obviously through the character that forces the dilemma upon Hamlet, that is to say, the Ghost. This is a particularly attractive approach, since it promises to bring the findings of modern research into Elizabethan demonology to bear directly upon the question of the nature of the Ghost and its message. It was apparently generally believed, a... .... San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907–21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 http://www.bartleby.com/215/0816.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. â€Å"Shakespeare.† Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Present Proposals for Improvements to customer service Essay

Introduction: In this assignment I will research a business through either the Internet or visiting the actual location and describe what type of customer service does that business have. I will pass judgement by listing all the facilities that the business has installed to facilitate and benefit their customers. I will base my research on the Legoland theme park in Windsor as it has a lot of factors to talk about in my assignment and will prove quite interesting in my understanding in what good customer service is. For task 2 I will describe the Acts of Parliament that protects customers and relate each Act according to how it will affect an customer at Legoland. I will then take another business and I will observe all the factors that has been asked of me to do, such as make notes like the â€Å"friendliness that the business makes to its customers† to questions like â€Å"What are the conditions of hygiene to the customers†, all of which will be taken in to account into an overall conclusion to how that business gives satisfaction to customer service. I will visit Mc Donald’s in Hounslow, being as its a very busy environment it will test their behaviour to all the elements that could effect their service and observe how they deal in those predicaments. I will then interpretative my opinion on how Mc Donald’s could improve there business through an oral presentation. Read more:  Advantages of Off The Job Training For task 5 I will obtain information on how an organisation monitor customer service and explain on how Legoland would take out to improve and increase sales for the long term future. Task 1 and Introduction to Legoland I have chosen to visit Legoland Windsor as my organisation, Legoland has 150 acres of wooded landscape. It is set on a beautiful site, nine million families within our target age range. The lego group was founded in 1932 by â€Å"Ole Kirk Chitarisen who started life as a carpenter. today Lego is consistently the only European toy manufacturer in the worlds top ten best sellers list. The Lego group is always being innovative. Manufacturing new designs and different techniques of satisfying children’s fundamental needs. The lego group is still a family owned business. Around 1.2 – 1.4 million people visits Legoland per year. It has all a child aged 2-12 needs. It is near to main motorways and there are several means of access to Legoland. There are many advantages, for example the effect on the local economy. I am visiting Legoland in order to investigate how the business treats its internal and external customers and what methods they have to solve customer complaints. External customers are people that buy or visits. They are private individuals and businesses Legolands main external customers are families, grandparents with children, children from school trips and foreigners. There are 12 – 14 million visitors every year. It is a great idea for parents to take their children to Legoland as it meets their needs. Legoland has five themed activity areas with forty interactive notes and is full of fun for children aged 2 -12. The services that Legoland offer to its customers. * Toilet facilities: Children always need to go to the toilet nearly each hour of the day therefore , there should be a sufficient amount of toilets around the site. * Baby care Centres: This area is a private area for mothers to changed their baby or to breastfeed. It is ideal for mothers as it is convenient and they can rely on them in case of a emergency. * Lockers: Legoland offers lockers to the public as it saves them carrying their luggage around and they know that it is safe. They are non-refundable coin operated lockers . There are a high amount of lockers provided. * Pushchairs and wheelchairs hire: Both pushchairs & wheelchairs can be hired from Legoland. They have a charge but is fair. To make pushchairs & wheelchairs give more access Legoland have provided slopes instead of steps and wide gaps for access in the attractions. For example freestyle workshop. * Public telephone: There are public telephone located on the mini map. This is very pleasing as not everyone has mobile phones. This may be ideal for parents making calls to a taxi firm or friend to pick them up. * First Aid: There is only are first aid centre on the map. This is unpleasant as first aid centres are vital as children may cause injury to themselves and need assistance promptly. * Lost Parents: There are two lost parents sites located. This is a vital need as children need to know where they are and how far they are. A child may get lost and will not know what to do. Normally if a child appears at a lost parents centre, they announce it on speakers around the site giving a full description of a lost child. * Automatic cash machines; There is one cash machine on site. This is useful as parents do not have to visit banks to withdraw cash. Parents would not have to worry if they run out of money. * Restaurants and cafes: There are eight restaurants & cafes in Legoland. This is pleasing as parents and children will have the benefit of eating when they are ready. They would not have to walk far to find a restaurant. The internal customers of Legoland are the employees, support staff and those who work within the organisation. Their needs would be: * A pleasant environment to work in: The employees would require an environment in which it is clean, safe and suitable. * An average salary: All employee want to earn a sufficient amount of money, so they can purchase more goods/services, or of a higher quality of goods or services. Their salary must be able to cover for their own running costs, food and needs. * Uniform: Some jobs require the employees to wear a uniform. The employees would have to wear the uniform as it is presentable and is a form of advertising. It pleases customers & alerts them that the employees are available. * Changing area: Employees need an area in which they can change their clothes into their uniform. Their has to be a male/female changing room. This is convenient for the employees, as they will not have to wear their to and from work. * Lockers: Employees need locker to store their valuables and to reduce the risk of theft. The employees feel a little safer as they know their goods are store somewhere safe. * Toilets: Staff need toilet facilities as this is a basic need. * Car park: Staff who drive need to know where they can park their vechiles without worrying. In some staff car – parks, only the staff have an entrance to it. Business communication Oral. An event when I spoke to an member of staff at Legoland was: 1) At the main entrance, I went to guest services to ask on some more information on Legoland and perhaps that they might have a student information pack, they replied and gladly and gave me a booklet on all the information on the Legoland Corporation. My opinion of the customer service of Legoland. During my visit to Mc Donald I discovered that many of staff were exhausted, unhelpful and bored. There were not many members of the public as the weather was unpleasant. Due to the poor weather, most of the attractions and shops were closed I went on a few attractions to test the staff’s reaction. For example, we went on a ride called â€Å"the ferrous wheel†. The woman working there was being very sarcastic as the ride was for all ages but aimed at younger children but still didn’t give her the right to tell me and the people I’m with â€Å"I hope you not come back†. We went on another ride called â€Å"casserole†. The man who was supervising the ride who was opposite us and phoned the person on the other side of the path and they both started laughing and making jokes, which quite rude and uncomfortable The procedures Legoland adapt to handling customer complaints are. * Listening to the customers complaints. * Try to assess the situation. * Let the customer fill in a customer complaint form * Reassure the customer saying sorry and it will not happen again An situation where a complaint was proceeded. A man came into a restaurant to purchase a cup of coffee for 85p. He begins to drink and realises that the coffee has gone cold. He goes to the server and tells him that his coffee that he just purchased has been cold when he bought it. The server Written communication I got this leaflet from a library. It has all the information the public need to know about Legoland. It has six different languages for everyone’s needs, it gives the statistic information, opening times, advance booking, season passes and where how to get there. It is a very vibrant and bold leaflet. This leaflet is all you need to know about Legoland. It has a big and colourful writing for children to read and uses words like â€Å"excitement†, â€Å"hours of fun† â€Å"nothing better†. These words are emphasised many times to make Legoland sound fun and interesting. Legoland manufactures many leaflets in order to persuade little children and parents to visit. LEAFET * Here in a leaflet, I got from the front desk It tells the public when the opening times are for certain attractions. The second Leaflet is a addition feature that Legoland have added as their last and closing days to their seasonal year. It is shown in a very bright and vibrant layout with space Legoland character shooting a space war over the miniature site attraction. It would attract people into to going to this event but the thing that would put people off is the times that the fireworks will be displayed which is the late evening so some people might need to leave, so they have to miss that event, if it was some other special event that can proceed in the day then the turn out could be large. N/A N/A These are the four acts which protect customers 1)Consumer protection Act 1987 This act states that all goods brought should be safe to use, and prices should not be displayed in a misleading way. Legoland would have to abide by these rules. For example, the price of goods should not be displayed in a confusing way. The price should be bold so customers can clearly see and understand them. 2) Sales of goods act 1979 This law declares that goods should be: * Merchantable quality (Fit to sell, have no faults or damages) * Fit for their purpose (suitable for the purpose for which they are sold) * As describe (must match description given) For example, at Legoland the goods sold should have no faults or damages. If a women purchases a key ring and discovers that there is a crack in the glass that contains a picture of Legoland, she can take it back either to received a refund or exchange, Legoland may lose customer loyalty through damaged goods so they must maintain high quality products. 3) Trades Description Act 1963. The code conveys that traders must give an accurate description of their goods & services. Legoland must show clearly their goods & services they sell. For example, In the leaflets it describes the goods it sells. 4) Health and safety at work Act 1974 This act states that External customers can sue if they: * get injured because he/she sold a faulty product * suffer financial lost/distress, because of poor workmanship, professional negligence * Injure themselves because lack of care by an employee due to unsafe fittings. For Example, a customer walks into Burger king and slips over and breaks his arm. There were no signs of safety to alert the customer. The customer can sue the business for this. Task 4 Intro: In this part of the assignment I am going to observes the customer service at McDonald. This requires me to purchase something from the fast food chain and take in all the details which will help me explain what are my thought on the overall service of that particular restaurant. ________________________________________________________________ During my visit to a well known restaurant I discovered that many of staff treated their customers very well. I went into a restaurant called â€Å"McDonald†. The service was satisfactory as they treated me in a good manner. There were limited amounts of food to choose from. They had a chicken burger, chicken nuggets, beefburgers & chips, all in total of 6 meals to choose from. I thought there would be more of a variety to choose from. I paid 79p for a medium portion of chips. its was not filling at all, whereas if I went to a general fish and chip shop the portions that they give for 79p is quite handsome and leaves you quite full. The time it took to order an potion of chips was very quick as it was almost instant. It took almost for the cashier at Mc Donald’s to despense the money I gave her in order to give me my order about 40secs, which was very impressive. I was in a long queue to test the amount of time it took to place my order. It took 3 mins to place my order in a queue with 7 people ahead of me. The hygiene of the restaurant was only satisfactory as the place was over crowded and I think due to the poor weather conditions most staff were ill and tired to meet the standards of cleanliness required by the Health and Safety Act to their customers. Despite the hygienic of the restaurant the ergonomics of the seats and tables and all other design features to the chain restaurant is in general quite good. For a family of four could easily seat together in a booth that is to assist a number of people at once to sit. The tables is on average in the right height to eat, and the seats just complement the table with the right height. The only disadvantage to the comfort to the seats is that its 100% plastic and that can be quite uncomfortable if sat down for a long time, but due to the constant redesigning to the restaurants it may just be a costing objective. In overall comfort to the restaurant is very welcoming and due to the winter they have set the climate to a comfortable temperature. The hygiene of the lavatories was at a high standard. No matter how busy it is, Mc Donald’s always maintained the lavatories clean and the all the way into the mensroom neat. The floors are always mopeds and the cubicles are always smelling fresh. The access for the disabled people is just satisfactory. As I walked in I noticed instant that the space between the tray and bin stand and the parallel table was quite close together, and if I just squeezed through a person going the other direction then someone in a wheelchair is going to have a frustrating time getting to order and finally having a place to eat in McDonalds. There is a disabled toilet which is at a very good standard, so Mc Donald’s are to facilitate disabled people but there ideas would need to have concerns on how they are meant to get in their restaurant. Mc Donald’s have always been concern for the environment. From when a customer opens there boxed burger to reading the sheet that covers the tray, Mc Donald’s always mentions and expresses that all there packaging and wrapping is produced from recycled paper and other materials. The majority of the disposable rubbish is always mention to be recycled too. The surrounding environment to Mc Donald’s is clean and members of staff take shifts into picking up any other rubbish that surrounds Mc Donald’s. The bins around the restaurant are always being replaced with an empty black bag, and on the outside of the restaurant which is the front, is a bin which is always being monitored by the staff. The safety of the restaurant was excellent as they had taken all precautions to prevent accidents from occurring. For example a sign symbolising that theirs a wet floor was put up, this was to reduce the risk of injury. The improvements that Mc Donald’s need to take in to action are: The three improvements to customer service that I have chosen are: a) Friendliness b) Availabilty of Goods and services a) Friendliness When I went into Mc’Donalds the staff did greeted me nice but in self forcefully way. As I ordered my fries the cashier almost shouted and said â€Å"Is that all† I quietly replied â€Å"no that would be fine†. Then when I received my order She said â€Å"Thank you enjoy your meal† even when I ordered a portion of fries and in the way she said it was in a insincere way. The way that the staff at Mc Donald’s could improve its courtesy to their customer would be to hire more cashiers and give them a longer break as on the day I went to the restaurant it was a very busy day and the amount of customers and stress combined can did lead to satisfactory behaviour. b) Availability of goods. From time to time McDonalds do have a wider variety of extra value meals but only for limited time period such as the new Chinese themed meals. As in a any other working day you would go into have lunch at their restaurants you would find yourself limited amounts of foods to choose and soon enough you would become fed up of eaten the same thing time and time again. Mc Donald’s could improve this by introducing more different extra value meals and fixing them into the ordering system in the restaurant so they become a regular fixture. How businesses monitor customer satisfaction Legoland monitor the number of customers by looking at their level of sales. If their sales are low, this means that the numbers of customer’s visits are low. This may be due to high price unhelpful or rude staff or validity of goods/services. Legoland monitors the level of sales by seeing if the sales have increased. This means that more customers are buying more. If the sales are rising this may indicate that customers that customers are happy with the service or find the goods at a reasonable price. Legoland monitor feedback by asking their customers to fill a form on their service. If a customer went into a shop to purchase a magazine and was unable to find it, he/she says thank you. This is a method of feedback as the customers was happy with their good/service. Some businesses issue surveys to their customers because then they can detect if people are happy with their good/service. Legoland monitor repeats business by checking the name and address of a person and how many times his names appears. For example a man buys a jumper on credit card. It shows the name and address. Another day, the same man returns and purchases a jacket, his name will appear again. Therefore the company can conclude that this is a frequent customer.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Keurig: Convenience, Choice, and Competitive Brands Essay

In 1990, John Sylvan and Peter Dragone entered the coffee brewing industry by launching their company Keurig built upon on the question of, â€Å"why do we brew coffee by the pot when we only drink it by the cup?† Within a few years after their start-up, they were able to secure multiple patents as well as acquiring $1 million from venture capitalists to improve upon their prototype. By 1998, Keurig, which is German for excellence, was finally able to launch their first industrial strength, single-serve machine delivering a perfect cup of coffee every time. Keurig was lucky to join the coffee market at the dawn of its explosion, when consumers’ wants and needs began to shy away from traditional coffee pot brewing and shifted more towards a single cup of premium, gourmet roasted coffee. As the coffee market continued to grow, it exhibited two trends. First being the â€Å"mainstreaming† of specialty coffees and secondly, only brewing one cup of it at a time. Keuri g focused its efforts towards adapting to these changes by dramatically boosting innovation, technology, and their R&D department. Keurig changed the game in the single cup sector by introducing their patented K-Cup and partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR). These were tiny plastic cups that contained the coffee grounds already within the filter and sealed with an aluminum lid. All the consumer then has to do is place the cup within the Keurig machine (without removing the aluminum), close the lid and press a button, and in less than a minute, a fresh cup of coffee awaits. From the time of its launch in 1998, Keurig offered only 8 varieties of GMCR coffee and by the early 2000’s consumers had the choice of over 200 varieties from 30 different brands. When it comes time that Keurig’s patents will expire, competition will skyrocket, so it is extremely important that they pay close attention to their competitors’ moves. After an in depth analysis of the entire coffee industry, its competitors, and major market players, I have determined three recommendations to go forward with: Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups With the coffee drinking market growing as fast as it is along with the amount of competition that  can present in the market, it is important that firms build their brands and are constantly improving what they have to offer. Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Current in the industry, the top market players have established themselves in the United States as well as in other various parts of the world such as Europe and Asia. In order to be a serious competitor, Keurig must consider the advantages to expanding internationally, not only for sales but for manufacturing purposes as well. That being said, it is extremely important that companies pay close attention to other cultures and certain characteristics that effect each community differently. Especially when you are attempting to enter somewhat of a segmented market. Keeping foreign cultures in mind, implementing a transnational strategy would be the most advantageous in terms of serving the needs of other countries. Keurig would impose a think global, act local strategy or â€Å"glocal†. The book describes this as a middle ground strategy for when there are relatively high needs for local responsiveness as well as appreciable benefits to be realized from standardization. Although coffee is somewhat the same all over, different cultures prefer different types or blends. It is crucial that a company understands a cultures preferred wants and needs before embarking abroad. Although it may be difficult to implement, the benefits of sharing information and resources across boarders along with flexible coordination can far outweigh the negatives. Because coffee can become so standardized, it will not be extremely difficult or costly to differentiate between the lines. If Keurig wants to be able to compete with the other industry leaders, it is essential that they take the time to do careful research, then implement their strategy for expanding abroad. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation With the expiration of Keurig’s patents coming to a near, it is crucial that Keurig be on the defensive end for a while and prepare themselves for any major market moves. In order to prepare themselves, Keurig must also have some tricks up their sleeve to keep their market share and diversification high because of the relatively low barriers to entry. There were two of GMCR’s 2012 initiatives that stood out as goo d plans for attack. The first one dealt with launching new coffee makers such as the Rivo Cappuccino and Latte System as well as new variety blends to accompany them. When their patent expires, launching  a completely new product with new patents will pave the way for increased market share. Keurig will be able to compete in a much broader market and can appeal to greater amounts of consumers. In addition to developing new variety packs, it is also essential that Keurig pursue more beverage options to appeal to a broader market. For instance, GMCR mention introducing a Wellness Brewed line to include healthy beverages containing vitamins and antioxidant ingredients. Keurig must continue growth between certain partnerships to keep up with certain trends in the market to be able to jump on new opportunities that present themselves and can be taken advantage of. Innovation is extremely key to remaining on top, and it is one of Keurig’s primary key success factors. Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups Pursuing a green initiative, I believe will bring nothing but prosperity to Keurig. Being economically and socially responsible can yield high returns if done in the right way. With the coffee industry already in the global spotlight wi th Fair Trade agreements, it certainly would add credibility to a brand. With a large number of coffee drinkers already economically conscious, it would exponentially boost ratings if they were enforce a recycling initiative similar to what Nespresso did with their â€Å"ecolaboration† and encouraging consumers to recycle. Equally as important, if not more, would be the need for developing biodegradable K-Cups. It is very important to the world and its consumers to give back to the earth and not harm our environment. With the extremely high number of K-Cups produced, it would be extremely beneficial to find a way for those tiny little cups decompose into the ground. From the time Keurig was launched until 2006, over 1 billion K-Cups had been consumed. Within the next two years, another 2 billion had been consumed by 2008. That is an exceptionally large amount of K-Cups potentially harming the environment that could otherwise be helping to add to our nutrient rich soil. Industry Analysis Exhibit 1: Dominant Economic Forces Market size and growth rate: The coffee market within the United States is steadily increasing from year to year. In 2012, the US alone consumed nearly one-third of all coffee worldwide. That equals out to roughly 400 million cups of coffee per day.  During World War II, US coffee consumption accounted for nearly 80% of all coffee worldwide. Despite the drastic change in percentages, the coffee industry has never been as profitable as it is today because consumer value migration. In the early 90’s, P&G, Phillip Morris/Kraft, and Nestle held nearly 90% of the entire coffee market. When the market for specialty coffees began to take hold, within six years, that market had already grasped 22% of the total market share, leaving the big 3 in the dust without knowing how to properly react to the extensive growth. The big names were concerned with price and consistency while specialty coffee focused on origin, quality, processing and cultivation. It was estimated that the total coffee market consumption was nearly 2.9 billion pounds or $30-$32 billion in 2012. Specialty coffee accounted for nearly 37% of volume share and over 50% value share meaning it was far more profitable than generic coffee. In 2010, there were 90 million coffee brewers within US households and in 2012 alone, approximately 24 million brewers were purchased. During this growth phase, single cup brews increased 52% while all other brews only increased 3%. Coffee pods and single cup brews have experienced dramatic growth and have begun taking over the entire coffee market share. From 2011-2017, it is expected that these will lead the evolution with a 74% off-trade growth. Number of Rivals: Within the specialty coffee industry, there are only a handful of companies that compete at the level of Keurig and their single K-Cup technology. There are four main market players that have similar brewing technologies. The most successful competitor would have been Nestle with their Nespresso brewing machine released in 1976 that utilized pods for their espresso. Their technology has been around the longest but with the emergence of Keurig, they slowly began to be overshadowed. Keurig’s other three primary competitors included Mars’ Flavia beverage system which targeted offices, Kraft’s Tassimo system which offered an at home brew, and lastly there was the Senseo brewing system manufactured by Sara Lee. Scope of competitive rivalry: The coffee industry has a massive international market that reaches all points around the world. The US has the next largest market compared to  France. Americans consume 276 cups of coffee a year while the French consume 395. Nestle took advantage of this by expanding its technology to Europe to include both France and Switzerland as well as in Japan and China. Within the US, Keurig began to dominate by purchasing companies nationwide to increase its market share much quicker than rival companies were able to keep up with. Specialty coffee already had a strong foothold in New England. To expand their brand, Keurig partnered with Van Houtte to gain market share in Canada and later purchased Caribou Coffee (Midwest) as well as Tully’s coffee (Pacific Northwest). Number of Buyers: The number of buyers within the Unites States is extremely vast. As mentioned earlier, nearly 90 million of American households had a coffee brewer of some sort. The scope of brewers reaches far beyond that and can be classified into smaller groups. Households: extremely prevalent within the industry with high purchase power Hotels: approximately 5 million coffeemakers are in hotel rooms in the US Businesses: most, if not all businesses have a coffeemaker onsite or in their break rooms. B2B: Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Office Depot, Staples, Bed, Bath & Beyond Pace of technological change: The increase of technology and push for innovation plays a huge role in gaining market share. The evolution from a coffee pot to single cup brews has sparked a huge push to develop the perfect cup of coffee while at the same time making the process simpler. Coffee pods lead the way for the early 2000’s but when Keurig introduced their K-cups, other companies were eager to jump on board. Their patented technology included the coffee and the filter all into one simple cup. Keurig also released the My K-Cup, which allowed consumers to use their own coffee grounds to make a single cup roast. Upon Keurig’s patent expiration in 2012, other companies such as Breville and Cuisinart developed their own single cup brewers and even offering a My K-Cup as part of the package. Specific brewing techniques are important to customers in terms of getting the most out of your cup of coffee. Improving upon the injection brewing process is the key to perfecting the brew. Innovation is extr emely crucial in order to meet customer demands as well as keeping up with their wants and needs. It is  critical to have a strong research and development department to keep up with these changes. Standard Products: Within the specialty coffee market there are two products used within conjunction. There is the brewing machine itself and then there is the pod or the cup. There is mild differentiation between products but vast differentiation between different blends or roasts and so on. In the end, what it comes down to is the techniques applied to the brewing processes. Though coffee is not the only thing a Keurig can brew. It can brew a wide variety of beverages such as tea, lemonade, cider, fruit brews, and cocoa, which many competitors cannot compete with. Vertical Integration: By partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Keurig was able to keep the manufacturing and selling process within the boundaries of their supply chain. Also by partnering with Van Houtte, they were able to acquire an already very successful vertically integrated company on top of being able to expand their market share into Canada. GMCR divided their operations into 3 different segments: Specialty Coffee business unit (SCBU), Keurig business unit (KBU), and Canadian business unit (CBU). Each of these carry out different responsibilities such as packaging processes or customer relations. For instance SCBU deals traditional packaging for supermarkets, convenience stores and distributors, while KBU focuses more on single serve packs for at home brewers. Keurig also has many licensing partnerships to carry and promote their product in their stores such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks. Exhibit 2: Five Forces Analysis Rivalry: Weak to Moderate Buyer demand is growing rapidly (-): the specialized coffee industry is growing as exponential rates, in some years even double digit increases Costs to switch are high (-): if a consumer owns a Keurig, then they are unable to switch to any other brand that does not utilize K-Cups Number of buyers are increasing (-): it is a growing market that is spreading rapidly and gaining nationwide attention Fairly high product differentiation (+/-): The brewers themselves are strongly differentiated as well as the diversity in the roasts themselves Threat of New Entrants: Strong Entry barriers are low (+): once Keurig’s patents expired, it made it easier for companies to enter the market and mimic preexisting products Buyer demand is growing (+): specialty coffee drinks are growing dramatically Expanding market segments (+): companies are purchasing or partnering with other companies to increase the geographical market segment. In doing so they are also expanding their product lines buy adding new brews Threat of Substitutes: Moderate to Strong Substitutes are readily available (+): consumers can choose to go to Starbucks or other coffee shops. Customers can also pursue another source of caffeine such as sodas, energy drinks, or 5-hour energy Substitutes have comparable features (+): Whether customers are pursuing a caffeine fix or looking for a good cup of coffee, they are each similar and readily available Relatively high switching costs (-): it would be much cheaper to put a K-Cup into the brewer than to go out to a coffee shop and purchase a specialty brew. Same idea applies for purchasing sodas or energy drinks Supplier Power: Very Strong Differentiated product selection (+): the products available are specific to each company’s needs such as K-Cups or pods. Coffee blends are very specific as well and rely on the same product on a regular basis No good substitutes for suppliers without high switching costs (+): it can be extremely difficult to switch coffee producers. There are specific contracts in place that need to be fulfilled. Supplier industry is more concentrated (+): Keurig obtains its coffee from specific companies that their sole purpose is to provide coffee. The industry is also dominated by a few large companies Bargaining Power of Buyers: Weak Buyer demand is growing (+): It is expected that the specialized coffee industry will continue to grow and bring high demand Buyer might not necessarily be able to postpone purchase (-): The primary purpose of purchasing coffee is for the caffeine intake and waking up. Certain customers integrate coffee into their daily routine and do not fare well without it High switching costs (-): difficult and expensive to purchase an  alternative product. Buyers price sensitive (-): In Keurig’s case, this works to their benefit because purchasing a specialty cup of coffee is more expensive than purchasing K-Cups and customers are likely to revert to Keurig when money is tight Exhibit 3: Driving Forces Entry or exit of major firms: In 2012 when Sara Lee was forced to discontinue their Senseo coffee maker, that in turn opened up a great deal of market share for competing companies such as Keurig to take advantage of. Companies were able to thrive off their misfortune and gain market share and new customers. On the contrary, barriers to entry into the market are relatively low, meaning new competition can arise causing existing companies to have to shift their focus and execute counteracting strategies. Buyer preferences shift to standardized product: With this situation I believe that Keurig has the upper hand whether buyers prefer a standardized product or a differentiated product. The same can apply for a situation in which buyers have to cut costs. Keurig offers both cheap, generic beverages and expensive, high end K-Cup choices. Keurig is the better alternative to purchasing an expensive specialty drink at a coffee shop. Regulatory or government policy change: There could be an increase in price between trade agreements or extra tariffs imposed for importing coffee into the United States. This could cause Keurig to have to make drastic changes in their pricing or expenditures. Although they might not deal directly with importing the coffee, they would surely be impacted down the line and consequently have to bear the brunt of it with increased prices from suppliers. Product innovation: There is always a high probability of a competitor coming out with a revolutionizing innovation that boosts them to the forefront of the market. Both Kraft and Nestle are capable of improving their products and making Keurig seem outdated. Keurig would in turn have to implement a sound strategy to counteract their move and boost their research and development teams. Exhibit 4: Key Success Factors Technology and Innovation: Held 26 US patents and 65 international patents in 2007  Patented proprietary portion-pack system using specially designed filter, sealed in a low-oxygen environment to ensure freshness (K-Cups) Specially designed proprietary high-speed packaging lines that manufactured K-Cups Brewers that precisely controlled the amount, temperature, and pressure of water to provide a consistently superior cup of coffee in less than a minute Eliminating the need to measure water and coffee grounds Marketing: Penetrating the medium and low income homes and not just appealing to high end Reliable pod machine, with easy to use refills, and a variety of coffee flavors that are easy to find. Leading to a 94% customer satisfaction rating Offering My K-Cup to use for personal coffee grounds Encouraging distributors to give away or lease Keurig brewers to businesses in order to attain the real profits from the K-Cups Utilizes â€Å"razorblade model† that keeps customers continually having to replenish their K-Cups once they have purchased the brewer GMCR deriving 90% of consolidated net sales from Keurig appliances and K-Cups and receiving $.04 royalties from every K-Cup sold through partners Expanding Brand Name Vertically integrating their business to keep it within the supply chain Partnered with Van Houtte, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Newman’s Own, Gloria Jean’s, Coffee People, Caribou Coffee, and Tully’s coffee in order to increase market share Partnering with large corporations such as Starbucks, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Staples, and Bed, Bath and Beyond to promote and stock their product on their shelves With these partnerships, Keurig was able to expand their customer base not only geographically but also by expanding their beverage variety to more than coffee and tea Exhibit 5: Competitor Overview Competitor Analysis Despite stiff competition and rapid growth of single cup brewing, barriers to  entry remained relatively low. Although, the high demand for Keurig’s K-cup technology began to vastly outnumber that of its competitors, many still pursued their techniques and innovative strategies. Sara Lee: Their brewing line was called the Senseo which was the first real competitor of Keurig. The Senseo utilized similar brewing techniques by being able to vary the amount of water passing over the coffee, which affected the flavor and strength of the brew. When Keurig introduced their Vue system in 2012, Sara Lee was unable to compete forced to shut down production due to unreliable performance and short product life span. Kraft Foods: Launched their product called the Tassimo, which utilized coffee pods called T-Discs that caught on extremely well in France. After spending nearly $10 million in promoting T-Discs, coffee pod volume grew 26% in 2005 and another 35% the following year in France. Unfortunately, due to lesser quality of coffee and limited user control features, sales were negatively affected. On top of that, in 2012, approximately 835,000 coffeemakers in the US and another 900,000 in Canada as well as 4,000,000 T-Discs were recalled after reports of brewers spraying hot liquid and causing second degree burns to consumers. Mars: They developed a brewing system named Flavia. Their primary focus was creating a coffee maker that would be ideal for the workplace or in a business environment Nestle: Nestle has been in the coffee industry the longest out of the competitors. In 1976 the launched the Nespresso machine that was one of the first to encapsulate the single cup espresso. Their technology quickly caught on and within ten years had expanded their market to Switzerland, Japan, and Italy. In the early 90’s they introduced their household espresso machine in France. By 2000 they were experiencing double digit growth by focusing on the highest quality coffee. Their industry was skyrocketing and in 2006 exceeded revenue of 1 billion, quickly followed by 2 billion in 20 08, then 3 billion in 2010. By 2012 they had over 8,300 employees across 60 countries, offering 30 machine models, which all lead to their 19% market share in espresso and premium coffees that paved the way for the rest of the premium coffee roasters. Exhibit 6: Financial Breakdown The chart below demonstrates the breakdown of net sales between 2010 and 2012 of each of the products the Keurig sells. It is clear the vast majority of  sales is due to sales of single serve packs growing on average nearly 1 million a year. Keurig has experiences substantial growth from year to year with the exception certain royalties. Their ability to rely on the sales of single serve packs acts as their distinctive competency. Exhibit 7: Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment The weighted competitive strength assessment demonstrates that Keurig and Nestle both have the strongest market positions compared to the inferior Kraft and Sara Lee. Keurig exemplifies its strengths in quality and innovation while Nestle has the upper hand in their developed brand name and advertising abilities. Kraft and Sara Lee have lower scores considering their failed attempts to compete at the top only to have their products discontinued or recalled which reflects their overall quality which is demonstrated in the group map below COMPANY ANALYSIS Exhibit 8: Business Level Strategy Keurig focuses their strategy around broad differentiation by offering customers something that competing rivals cannot. Keurig coffee makers have appeal to all coffee drinkers worldwide, especially in the Unites States, whether they are pursuing a premium roast or a basic cup of coffee. They appeal to the niche market of specialized gourmet coffee drinkers with the ability to reach the broader section of all coffee drinkers. They offer something attractively different while keeping quality at a premium. In doing so their customer loyalty continues to flourish with nearly all of them being repetitive buyers as well as a 94% customer satisfaction rating. Through all of their partnerships with other coffee companies they are now able to appeal to vast array of customers, and not just coffee drinkers. Their massive selection of K-Cups includes over 30 brands with over 200 varieties to choose from. Their partnerships have also put them to the forefront by being able to grasp a nationwide market share that appeals to everyone. When it comes to innovation, Keurig’s puts that as a top priority, which keeps them ahead of their imitative competitors, especially when it comes to the speed and simplicity of using their product. Their ability to evolve their technology through innovation is their strongest sustainable  competitive advantage. In addition, their continued increase in capital investments is why they have remained an industry leader as well as their large amount of patents they are able to retain. Keurig would not be nearly as successful without their well-built, in-depth research and development team. Keurig stands by their name of excellence. Lastly, their implemented growth strategies is what will keep them on top with continual improvements and innovations to all aspects of their brand. Of the 90 million households with coffee makers, Keurig has made it their goal to convert half of those coffee makers to Keurigs as well as strongly pursuing hotel rooms to implement their technology. GMCR has four vectors of their growth strategy for Keurig which include new brewer technologies, new beverage categories, new brands, and new channels. Keurig clearly demonstrates their strive for product supe riority over the rest of the market. Exhibit 9: Resources and Competitive Capabilities Resource Strengths Keurig has developed a strong loyal customer base that spans beyond specialty coffee drinkers, and even beyond coffee drinkers for that matter, including tea and cocoa Acquirement and partnership with multiple established companies nationwide that strengthen their market share, customer base, and supply chain success Core Competencies Strong differentiation from their competitors in terms of offering their superior K-Cups and premium roast coffee blends Their strong ability to improve upon their technology with their extremely advanced and well-rounded research and development department Distinctive Competencies Keurig has become an industry leader in the single cup market by vastly differentiating their products from competitors through a series of patents that revolutionize the speed and simplicity of using their coffee makers. Exhibit 10: S.W.O.T.O. Analysis Strengths Keurig is one of the leading innovators in the industry with one of the best research and development teams to back them that are constantly aiming to  improve their brand Expanding the firms brand vertically and geographically to gain greater market share and appeal to consumers by broadening their beverage horizons and offering over 200 different varieties The idea that customers will continually run out of K-Cups and have to repurchase them and earning a $.04 royalty with every K-Cup sold through another brand Weaknesses Keurig, unlike many of the other industry leaders, has not firmly established itself as a strong international brand. In order to stay at the top, a company must compete with its rivals on other playing fields. There is tremendous room for growth internationally, especially with the technology Keurig has to offer Opportunities Total coffee machine sales are projected to increase by 20% from 2011-2016 The specialty coffee industry is experiencing rapid growth New iced coffee drinks are becoming more popular in the market Threats The idea that some of Keurig’s key patents will expire in 2012, meaning they are vulnerable to mimicking as well as potential flooding of new entrants due to the relatively low barriers to entry Increased tariffs or trade barriers Options Implementing a green initiative to encourage recycling as well as developing biodegradable K-Cups to not hurt the environment Expanding internationally and increasing its market share Push to partner with hotels to include a Keurig coffee maker in every room