Changeling: Film Techniques and Son Essay

Changeling is a 2008 inspiring film directed by Clint Eastwood. It is based on an American drama known as the â€Å"Wineville Chicken Coop†. Christine Collins, played by Angelina Jolie, is a single mother in the 1920s whose son mysteriously goes missing. The film goes on a journey with Collins leading her to discover the corruptness of the Los Angeles Police Department. Though the film incorporates multiple plots, the main narrative revolves around Christine Collins and her unbreakable spirit as she attempts to solve the mystery of the kidnapping of her son. The theme of the movie is that through a horrible tragedy, a triumphant success can come out of it. Furthermore, it shows that hope and love can overcome all pain and suffering. It is because of the film’s use of cinematography, editing, camera movement, composition and overall mise en scà ¨ne that the theme of the film is clearly represented. The opening sequence of the film gives significant information about the setting and the narrative. This is accomplished with the use of establishing shots. The film begins with a black backdrop and plays non-diegetic music. The slow tempo music provided by brass instruments gives the film a sense of a cryptic effect. As a result, we get a vision of what genre this film could be. The music also helps trigger tension and stress from the audience. Besides the music, a teardrop on the black backdrop is shown, hinting to a sad, drama genre. A fade-in then takes us into a nearly black, almost white establishing shot of the city of Los Angeles. The date and location of the shot are provided at the center of the screen as â€Å"Los Angeles. March 8, 1928.† In regards to cinematography, the lack of color that is provided informs us that the story takes place in the past when everything was presented on televisions in black and white. This occurred during the â€Å"Jazz Age,† which also explains the instrumental music that is playing during the opening sequence. The cinematography additionally helps illustrate much of the California setting and time in which the film takes place. The high angle camera begins in the sky and moves down towards the traffic, people, and other objects which make up the setting. The production set includes old fashioned cars, palm trees, milk trucks, and the distinctive vintage look of California during the 1920s. As the opening sequence fades out, we are transported to the first scene of the film into a house by a camera pan. Collins is suddenly awakened by her alarm and then wakes up her son Walter. The use of light and shadowing in this scene was quite apparent. It showed the joy and love between the mother and son during this scene before an unfortunate kidnapping took place. As the sun was shining brightly through the window and mother and son were smiling, we get a feel for the close relationship they have for each other and their unconditional love. During this scene, the camera angles also showed the loving relationship the both of them shared. A prime example is when Walter looked up to his mother with an upward camera angle showing his admiration for his mother. While Christine looked at Walter with a downward camera angle to show her gratitude for her little boy. The exchanging of dialogue between the characters occurs next, which also gives us a sense of the strength of their conne ction. We then see the mother and son exiting a trolley while the camera neatly closes in on their hands as they come together. A lot of framing by windows and doorways is shown in the film. One example is after the mother and son exit the trolley and stand by the school. The camera stays in the trolley and the two figures are perfectly framed by the trolley window. This is done to create a feeling of isolation or loneliness. The audience is therefore not let into a lot of personal moments like the one outside of the school which makes the audience wonder how the main character is feeling. The last part of the scene before her son is kidnapped occurs when Collins is preparing to leave for work. This particular moment is intensified by the dramatic camera movement. Collins firmly stands outside the house as her son glances from the window. As she slowly walks away, the camera follows her and pulls away from the house. From that distinct moment in the film, that shot would foreshadow the sepa ration the mother and son would soon face. The next scene is when Christine enters the house and discovers that her son is suddenly missing. The lighting in the house is very dark and gloomy, which describes how Collins is feeling at that moment. The camera then takes an omniscient view when we watch the high angle camera show Collins searching the house for her son. The emptiness of not only her house is represented with this angle but also how she is feeling at that moment when she finds out that her son is missing. As she calls the police to report the disappearance of her child, the camera takes on the omniscient view once again. The camera is placed right above her ear in which the receiver is held against. This angle is done to give an impression of someone watching Collins make the call. We find out that the authorities cannot do anything within the 24-hour window frame of his kidnapping and this foreshadows the police department’s inability in helping Ms. Collins’ find her son. The next noteworthy scene is when Collins speaks at a conference addressing the media about the events concerning her son. In this specific scene the weather is wet and dreary and because of that, the lighting and coloring looks meek and cold. The use of ambient lighting in this scene reflects the trouble Collins is going through and the heartbreak she is feeling trying to convince the authorities that the boy who was given to her is not her son. The coloring is a blue tone which symbolizes a despairing mood. Though the use of ambient lighting in the beginning of the film when Collins was with her son gave a gentle and complimentary effect, it progressively changed to a more unflattering effect as the movie unfolded. Editing during this scene involved a matched cut. First we see Christine and then the camera shows different views of the action around her. This editing technique was used to provide a sense of continuity and to highlight this important event in her life when she lets society know that the Los Angeles Police Department was not doing their job properly in discovering her son. Another scene that incorporates many film elements is the scene in the police station when Collins continues to argue that the boy the authorities gave to her is not her son. During this scene the lighting was once again very murky and it was even raining. The frame was positioned by a window and though you could not see the rain, you could see the shadows of it dripping on the wall. Throughout much of the film and this scene, rain was another symbol of the despair Collins was going through at the time. The lead acting role of Angelina Jolie in this scene involved a lot of use of body language and expression. She held her hands to her head indicating the frustration she was feeling and that she could no longer keep her emotions bundled up inside. And throughout much of the film, her emotions are not hidden and are displayed not only for entertainment, but they are used to provoke sympathy in the audience. The use of close up shots in this scene was also noticeable to connote the fear and anxiety Collins was feeling. While the long shots were used to connote the feeling of loneliness and separation. The key light in this scene was also shown above the police to show female disempowerment. During these times, females did not have the same rights as men and it was clearly represented in the movie through lighting. An example would be when a police officer would walk into the room, the room would suddenly appear darker and this showed the dominance they had over Collins. The next significant scene is when Christine is admitted in the psychopathic ward by the authorities for relentlessly denying that the boy who was given back to her was not her son. The scene was very obscure and it was one of the lowest points in her life. But when she thought of her son during a positive train of thought, the sun would suddenly appear and the room would get brighter. This lighting choice symbolized her hope and that she would never give up because she felt her son was still alive. Throughout many of these important moments an editing choice of flashbacking was made to startle the audience. One particular flashback occurred to show multiple plots going on when the scene would out of nowhere travel to a ranch where all the boys were kept and the serial killer was about to pick one to kill. This decision by the editor and the director gave the audience a harsh simultaneous view of the struggles Collins was going through and the tragedy these innocent boys were encountering. During this flashback there was also use of a canted angle in which shows an environment of a ranch where a man is walking out with a gun in his hand. This canted angle reflects the obscurity of the event as a little boy (Walter, Collins’ son) is seen running away from him. A hand-held camera movement is then used to follow the little boy running. This is used to make the audience feel the perspective of the person chasing him, which in turn makes the boy seem even more unprotected. The last notable scenes that use film elements in which show the enduring quality of Collins is the scene at the prison and the very last scene when a sense of closure has finally come. When Collins has a private meeting with the serial killer to interrogate him about the killing of her son, the room is very dark but the key light is on Jolie. It is interesting to see how the lighting changed from the meeting with the authorities to this meeting because they no longer have dominance over Collins as the light is shown over her now. The scene evolves into the abductor not telling her the truth and he is dragged out of the cell while the camera pans away from Collins holding on to the prison bars. This camera movement suggests that Christine is trapped in her own mental state of a prison and her hope for closure has still not arrived. But as the closing of the film presents itself, we receive closure when another boy tells his story of survival and lets the authorities and Collins know that without Walter, he wouldn’t be alive. As the movie concludes, the same non-diegetic music that was played during the span of the movie to symbolize sorrow and pain was played, but this time it was for a different reason. It was played to symbolize hope; the hope of Collins that she never gave up. The Oscar nominated 2008 film Changeling is a film about female disempowerment, corruption in political hierarchies and about children and violence during the 1920s in Los Angeles, California. It involves many elements that the make the film what it is. From its cinematography, to its acting, to its production design, to its editing, the film wouldn’t be the same if it missed any of these filmic elements. It is because of the lighting and coloring that we get gentle and soft moments and dark and cold moments. It is because of the music that we get emotions of tensions, despair and hope. It is because of the narrative that we get the journey of the determination of Christine Collins. It is because of the production design that we get the feel of how it really was in LA in the 1920s. And it is because of all of the individual choices and decisions for this film that it was able to express the theme or the lesson of this film, which is that hope and love can overcome all pain and suffering.

Coopers Creek Wine Management Essay

1. 0 Introduction Coopers Creek, established in 1982, became one of New Zealand’s more successful medium-sized wineries by following a strategy of resource leveraging via networks of co-operative relationships with other New Zealand winemakers in the domestic and export markets. This strategy allowed Andrew Hendry, the managing director, to consciously manage the growth of the company to retain the benefits of small size. However, with increasing globalisation of the wine industry, the changing nature of export markets, the early maturity of the New Zealand industry and the constrained supply facing New Zealand wine makers, Andrew Hendry was faced with the decision of how to position a smaller company for the future. He had to decide whether the network-based strategies that served the company so well continued to be appropriate under conditions of industry concentration, increasing competition and emerging globalisation. (Robbins S, 2006) 1. 1 The NZ wine industry When Andrew Hendry established Coopers Creek, the New Zealand environment was highly regulated. By 1984, the New Zealand government had initiated a programme of deregulation, which included devaluation of the New Zealand currency, exchange rate flotation and general anti-inflationary measures. (Porter M, 2001) The opening of New Zealand’s domestic market meant that businesses had to improve their efficiency substantially over a short period. The agricultural sector sought out new markets, to replace the loss of their traditional dependence on the UK market with its increasing commitment to its European trading partners, and new products, reflecting a growing awareness that much of New Zealand’s exports were of a commodity nature. This period saw growing exports to Australia, the United States, Japan and the rest of Asia and exports of predominantly sheep meat and dairy produce being accompanied by more fresh fruit, venison and wine. A further response to fiercer competition at home and in overseas markets was an increasingly strong focus on quality, a case in point being the New Zealand wine industry. The New Zealand wine industry accepted the consequences of the liberalisation of the domestic economy and recognised the need to understand how on-going changes in the international economic environment affected its prosperity and how to plan accordingly. Building from a low international base in the 1980s ($4. 5 million in exports in 1987), New Zealand wine exports achieved phenomenal growth and accounted for $168 million in 2007, comfortably exceeding the $100 million by 2007 target set in 1999. The UK market was the most important export market for the industry in 2007, and at $84 million it accounted for around 50. 22 per cent of total exports by value and 54. 28 per cent by volume. Europe accounted for 66 per cent of exports with 85 per cent of that going to the UK. Four large firms, namely Corbans, Montana, Nobilo and Villa Maria, dominated the wine industry in New Zealand in 1999. The following year, Montana purchased Corbans and Nobilo was bought by BRL/Hardy of Australia. Between them, these large firms accounted for around 80 per cent of all exports in 2007, with another 17 medium-sized companies, of which Coopers Creek was one, handling 16 per cent in combination. For the most part, industry participants exported between 30 and 35 per cent of their production, but a few producers had much higher export intensity. (Wheelen, 2006) 2. 0 Key Issues The key issues are: (Study Guide, 2008) (1)Despite entering early maturity, coopers creek remained constrained by issues of supply. (2)The cost of new land for grape planting was rising and more previously marginal land became economic to grow on, the problem was still one of access to capital for these resources. (3)A possible over supply of grapes in New Zealand, which could lead to heavy discounting. (4) A contraction in ownership within distribution companies in New Zealand and in USA, which could lead to certain markets being effectively closed to coopers creek. (5)Protection of strategically important grape supplies so the can insure they still get a proportion of the very highest quality grapes. 3. 0 Planning. 3. 1 Life Cycle From a demand perspective, the worldwide wine consumption has stagnated. According to the Wine Institute, there is only a 2. 04% growth in wine consumption from 1997 to 2001. In fact, worldwide consumption dropped from 227,875 hectoliters to 226,646 between 1999 and 2000. Generally there is a drop in consumption from the traditional wine drinking countries like France and East European countries, whilst demand has growth significantly from China. (Grant R, 2005) The production of wine has shifted from the traditional vineyards in France to the rest of the world. There are New-World Wines from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These wines are generally thought to be of moderate to high quality and are essentially challenging the traditional wine producers on the quality front. Furthermore, there are wines coming out from China and India. Because of the lower wages in these countries, wines can now be produced at a fraction of the costs of the French vineyards. Price has now become a big challenge that the traditional wineries have to face. Some author’s even suggest that the Old-World producing countries like France has followed growth & decline and now has entered a second life phase. While the New-world countries are in an emerging or growth phase As the industry moves towards maturity phase of its life cycle, the pace of consolidation will increase. (Times of India,2007) 3. 2 PESTEL Analysis The following is a review of the major environmental factors, which will impact the industry to a large extent. A closer examination of the more important factors amongst them will allow for a tighter integration between the external environmental factors and the corporate strategy chosen for Coopers. Political factors Government regulation has always played a major role in the WI. There are increasing concerns that there will be new barriers and trade impediments to trade in the WI. One such example is the trade disagreement between US and European Union in the level of farm subsidies that the US alleged that the EU farmers receive. The same allegations may also be similarly levied on the European vineyards. In the Wine Institute report on International Trade Barriers to U. S. Wine 2006, European wine producers were noted to have received certain subsidies . Tariffs also have been the most important barrier to the international wine trade. Some governments impose unusually high tariffs on wine imports . Recent announcement in the media like India opening its market and slashing duties on imported wine and spirits bring good news to the industry, as this will allow them to enter this lucrative untapped market. Though due to WTO pressure the tariff has been reducing, which has lead to major wine producing countries imposing various non-tariff trade barriers. One such non-tariff trade barriers are research fundings made available by local governments to improve the overall harvest yields and quality of the country’s grapes . Economical factors. The rising number of middle class worldwide has led to an increasing appreciation of wine and demand for wine. In developing economies of China and India, this class of consumer is expected to increase significantly over the next decade. With the continued increase of economic growth rates for both countries, these consumers can now afford to consume wine is expected to grow significantly as well . The effect of currency fluctuations on the WI will continue to play an integral part in influencing the WI. The proportion of wine being exported outside the wine producing country has increased. Even in a traditionally large wine consuming market, the proportion of wine, which ends up in foreign land, has been increasing. The continuing trend of exporting to new markets such as India and China is going to increase as wine producers cope with the declining wine demand in traditional home markets As a result, the wine producers’ exposure to fluctuations in currency exchange rates will increase further. Socio-cultural factors The increased spending power, sophistication of the middle class in many countries with increased tendency of copying the west has helped to increase the demand for wine consumption. This growing group of earners from various countries is often well traveled & highly educated consumers with needs and wants for the better things in life. The number of middle class across Asia is expected to grow by 1 billion in the next 8 years . With the shift in demographics in the developing countries, there will be more wine drinkers in the future. Increasingly, there are also more scientific evidences that there are health benefits to be derived from moderate drinking of wine especially red wine. As a result, there is an increasing acceptance of the beverage as â€Å"health-product† leading to a healthy heart. Technological factors Innovation and technological factors continue to drive improvement in production yields and better storage of wine. The Australian WI today has transformed itself from a small cottage industry to one of the largest exporter of wines internationally, even to the extent of eclipsing some of the older Old-World countries. The great leap forward for Australia can be attributed to the Australian wine producers clustering to innovate and improve existing processes. (Read C, 2006) The growth of e-commerce infrastructure and the increasing acceptance of buying things online have led to new opportunities for wine connoisseurs and wine producers alike. With this new technology, niche wine growers are able to reach out to the individual wine consumers without being drowned out by the marketing noise generated by the large wine producers. The ability to ship small quantities directly to individual wine drinkers without passing through layers of middlemen may mean that small niche growers may be able to find their position in a market dominated by large brand names . Environmental factors. Within the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry, the WI is markedly different from the other products due to the fact that F&B products are limited by market, while the WI is limited by resource (land and grapes). Reason being wine is grown in moderate climates and on certain types of soil. Sudden climatic changes may adversely affect production yields or may even destroy crops all together. The significant changes expected in the environment from global warming, rising sea levels, rising carbon emissions and increasing acidity in the waters will all add to contribute to the adverse conditions for which growers will find themselves in. These conditions together with a scarcity of good arable land may act to constrain or even reduce the industry’s supply. On the positive side, in one of the rare articles published in Newsweek on the positive effects of global warming, the author highlights that fast melting of Artic glaciers and increase in global temperatures may lead to opening of new vineyards in many parts of the world with weather conditions similar to the France’s Champagne region. Legal factors External environmental legal factors have acted in line with other environmental factors changes. For example, the advent of the Internet e-commerce has resulted in changes in legislation for wine sales, which crosses state lines in the United States . In addition, the origin of the grapes used to make wines also became a contentious issue for many wine-producing countries. The origin of these grapes and the proportion of local grapes used became an issue for branding and labeling of wines; as governed by new local legislation controlling wine labeling. 4. 0 Organising 4. 1 Porter’s 5 forces analysis We have analyzed Coopers internal environmental factors using Porter’s Five Forces analysis. Being in a specialized industry, it is not easy for another player to just come in wanting a portion of the pie. The WI requires specialized skill sets, special knowledge and extensive experience to stay competitive. It also needs very high investment especially for equipments used for processing of wine. This indirectly induces high entry cost which is work as a barrier of for new entrants. There is also the expected retaliation faced by new entrants from existing players. Coopers together with other existing players may collaborate to deter competitors from coming in. For example, Coopers may start dropping its price and the other existing players may follow suit leading to a price war. On the whole, the force of threat of entry is low here. 4. 2 Threat of Substitutes This industry faces stiff competition from not only other wineries but also from other alcoholic drinks such as beer, spirit and pre-blended mixed drinks and carbonated drinks. Product-for-product substitution is also possible should customers of Coopers decide to try out other brands/types of wine. For the health conscious, bottled water, energy drinks and natural fruit juices also provide competition. Possibility of generic substitution is also there where as customers may prefer to spend on purchasing cigarettes rather than drinking wine. Thus, there is a high force of threat of substitutes in this industry. 4. 3 Threat of entry Competitive rivalry among existing firms is evident in this industry. Larger companies are acquiring smaller wine producers to monopolize the market resulting in dynamic competition amongst these companies. As the WI is at its mature stage, companies start to take market share from competitors to survive. As there are too many wine producers, adding on to the high power of buyers, companies may decide to go for price wars due to high fixed costs to gain market share. This industry has high entry and exit barriers due to the extensive capital investment and knowledge & skill set needed. In addition one must have sustainable resource, as it takes several years for wine to mature. This means that industry players do not have many choices. Again this induces competition amongst them and price wars and low margins situations are likely to happen. Based on the information above, the groups came to the conclusion that the industry is â€Å"Medium Attractive†. 5. 0 Directing 5. 1 Porter’s Generic Competitive Strategies Using Porter generic competitive strategies, we find that Coopers has the ability to outperform its competitors by adopting a strategy of â€Å"Focus Differentiation†. Porter proposed that a firm’s competitive advantage in an industry is determined by its competitive scope – i. e. , the breadth of company’s target market coupled with company’s unique resource (product range, distribution channels, target market etc.), For Coopers the scope of the target market is narrow. It is mainly targeting niche markets for premium wines in the wine drinking markets of Europe, US, Australia, Japan and a few emerging Far Eastern Asian markets. When targeting niche markets, the company either can go for â€Å"Cost Focus† or â€Å"Differentiation Focus†. Coopers should not be following the Cost focus strategy as NZWI compete in the high quality premium category wines. Reduction of overall cost is achievable only to a certain extent, as this industry is highly capital intensive with many inherent costs along the supply chain. Instead Coopers should concentrate either on particular market segment, or product line segment or geographic market with high growth potential or all three. By following a differentiation strategy Coopers would be able to better focus its resources & capabilities to the serve the special needs of a narrow strategic target more effectively than its competitors. 5. 2 Bowman’s strategic clock Using â€Å"Bowman’s competitive strategy clock† too, Coopers falls under category 5, â€Å"Focused Differentiation†. This strategy is similar to the Porter’s generic model, which tries to provide high-perceived product benefits justifying a substantial price premium usually to a selected niche market segment. Coopers can use this strategy in new markets, by targeting sales into the same niches in more countries. While in established markets Coopers could even adopt Category 4 â€Å"Differentiation –with price premium † by offering better wine at the same price or by pricing it slightly higher than competitive brands in the same price bracket, to take advantage of the fact that â€Å"fine quality wine will always demand a premium† and at the same promote it as premium category. (Meredith R, 2007). Cost Leadership may not be sustained for Coopers because of some of the following reason: – Competitors can imitate – differentiation may not be sustainable it can easily replicated by competitors like South African or South American wine producers – Bases of differentiation become less important to buyers – Competing on just quality to demand high price may not be enough. For example in price conscious markets like UK, Holland and Germany, wines from South American and South were seen as better value than NZ wine. – Target segment can become structurally unattractive: – Structure erodes – This could happen for Coopers’ target market in US, restaurants and boutique retailers. They may form a group for centrally sourcing activities to drive down costs, somewhat similar to what happened with Tesco Supermarket Chain (UK). (Aylward, 2006) – Demand disappears – there may be new research findings in future that may lead to lower consumption of wine. Or even they may be new legislation banning consumption of alcohol products in public places similar to that of smoking, which may lead to total disappearance of a target segment. From the evaluation of Coopers core competencies, the followings were recognized. – Coopers is a typical entrepreneurial venture in that the founding entrepreneur, Andrew, had driven its development and growth. A critical factor of success of Coopers is Andrew’s ability to build relationships, within the context of an innovative and flexible approach, in order to leverage critical resources to pursue growth. – Coopers strategy was based on having a carefully controlled but finite quantity of wine to sell every year. With Andrew’s commitment to quality, it has earned itself a relatively good reputation in the industry. From the evaluation of the KSF of the WI, the followings were recognized. – Historically, the NZWI had focused on the production of premium wines, given its constrained supply, small scale, high cost structures and distinctive ‘clean and green’ growing conditions. Availability of consistent high quality products that has strong brand value and recognition are highly sought after and considered KSFs. 6. 0 Monitoring 6. 1 Wineries Both management & employees of wineries play a key role and yield great power in terms of the quantity & type of wine to be produced. Great deal of collaboration exists between the local wineries to share knowledge & costs. 6. 2 Grape growers Being key players, they control the quality and quantity of grapes grown. Many of the wineries are backward integrated by owning lands or having long-term contracts with individual producers. Power of suppliers is low. 6. 3 Industry Associations Wine Organizations in NZ like Wine Institute, former Wine Guild with backing of the NZ government are very powerful. All Wineries have to take up compulsory memberships and contribute towards funding & running of the organizations. These key roles of these organizations are promoting NZ wine in international markets, lobbying with foreign governments to open new markets, lowering of trade restrictions and tariffs etc. They also initiate research programmes and training for the entire industry, funded by the wineries. (Zalan T, 2005) 6. 4 Consumers The final end user, this group needs to be well informed & kept satisfied by providing high quality premium products with consistent quality and availability at affordable prices. Power high. 6. 5 NZ Government NZ government is a key player with considerable power who has played a pivotal role in the development of the NZWI. The government has been implementing new legislations in consultation with NZWI to meet the current market requirements. Some examples would include changes in government policy in the 1980s making it favorable for local manufacturers to export to foreign markets . (Harvard University, 2007) 6. 6 Distributors, Retailers, Buyers Buyers like Supermarkets are powerful players who dictate the price & type of wine stocked on shelves. WI is a buyer driven industry, where buyers hold a lot of power. 6. 7 Domestic and Foreign investors. This group needs the minimal amount of effort. They are satisfied as long as they get a good return on their investments. 7. 0 Critical Analysis 7. 1 Competitor Analysis The world WI is currently experiencing a situation of over-production. In the EU alone, it was reported by Food & Drink. com that there is a surplus o f 1. 5bn litres of wine, enough for every European Union citizen to take roughly four free bottles each. Millions of Euros have been spent to turn these excess wines into industrial alcohol. (All Things, 2006) The WI is a highly fragmented, with over â€Å"a million wine companies† around the globe. None of the firms control more than 1% of the retail sales, with top 10 players controlling 11% of the global market share (based on volume) . These industry competitors come from different wine growing countries and continents. This is especially true for Old-World Countries in Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany) accounts for 60% of the world wine production and 80% of world trade . In contrast, the New-World Producers (Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, USA, New Zealand) wines are more consolidated. On average these countries appear to be more structurally attractive compared to Old-World Countries. Moreover, in the last decade the industry structure has been undergoing dramatic change. There is a growing trend of consolidation. Cash flow rich alcoholic beverage companies are investing in the WI as their own markets of beer and spirits are maturing. 7. 2 Stakeholder analysis The WI being a competitive industry has a varied, vibrant and balanced group of stakeholders, with frequent and varied channels of communication. All the forces involved try to build consensus within which the primary decisions in the industry are made. 7. 3 Life-Cycle Analysis We have identified Coopers to be in the phase of â€Å"Mature† stage in the life-cycle model. In view of its competitive conditions, we also identify there may be many competitors which are likely to resort to price-cutting strategy for volume. Therefore one of Coopers directive is to differentiate its product portfolio through leveraging on its enhance brand equity to promote customer’s retention and loyalty within its existing customer-based and new customer groups whilst consistently driving cost efficiency through economies of scales and innovative & efficient ways of bringing cost down. (Pape E, 2007) 7. 4 Positioning analysis Coopers currently enjoy relatively good brand equity amongst its market segment. To infuse the same branding principle across distinctive first label allows them to capitalize on its already successful branding strategy, further maximizing the returns of their marketing investment especially for the second label. 7. 5 Value chain analysis Through new ways of doing things such as possible bottling in import markets to reduce shipping costs, backward integration either through ownership or long term leasing with good quality of vineyards across NZ and beyond, could potentially reduce their overall cost per unit yet enabling them to utilize cost advantage strategy to expand the perceived value for the brand. 7. 6 Business profile analysis This growth strategy do not require a complete reinvention of wheels, it capitalizes on the existing goals and values of the group, its resources and capabilities, its structure and management systems and its industry environment to further produce enhanced features and products thus major increase in expenditures is not expected, instead an increase in financial perform is forecasted due to the additional opportunities from new market penetration. (Heijbroeck, 2003) 8. 0 Recommendations: 1. The expansion of the cooper’s creek network of export markets and the development of second labels. These second label wines could generally be sold at lower prices thus protecting the price status of the Coopers Creek labels but gaining extra sales volume for the company. In most cases the second labels will sell through different distributors. 2. The above strategy will also help with over reliance on a few key distributors. In the case of the rapidly growing US market, coopers creeks have not appointed one exclusive national importer. Instead they will sell to some 20 independent importer/distributors in different states either by direct shipment from the winery or out of a warehouse in California. This will ensure the company doesn’t become a victim of the rationalisation of a large importers or distributors catalogue of wines carried. (Kogut B, 2006) 3. The steady acquisition of control of the vineyards producing their best grapes. That has taken the form of either complete acquisition by purchase, long term leases or the establishment of joint ventures with the vineyards under cooper creek’s management and tied up under long term supply contracts. In the last two years they have purchased three vineyards, leased one and entered one joint venture with an existing contract grape grower. They are currently looking at two further existing vineyards with a view to purchase or lease. 4. Continue to produce consistently high-quality products. 5. Maintain and increase its brand equity and recognition as a premium wine producer. 6. Establish international supply management to facilitate its global market operations. 7. Maintain or improve its already good relationships with stakeholders. 8. Ensure there is cost efficiency in its operations so as to maximise profit with minimum cost. 9. Last but not least, continue innovating in terms of its product and marketing. †¢Current turnover is NZ$5. 5M †¢Current production is at 1100tonnes per year (approx 85,000 cases) and aiming to be 1800tonnes by 2008 †¢They should purchase more of their own vineyards in the Hawkes Bay region in the last few years which would prove beneficial to them. †¢They should increase production of Pinot Noir which is one of their best vineyards by 400% and this will become a feature varietals alongside Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for the future †¢All wine is made on site at their Auckland vineyard. On site facilities include Cellar door tasting room and retail shop, Plant buildings (tanks) and bottling line, warehouse and barrel store, landscaped gardens with picnic areas and children’s playground. (Johnson, 2005) A cellar/courtyard wine bar will open for lunches and private group bookings late 2003. Plans have been drawn up for a cafe/function centre but as yet no time frame as to when maybe initiated, which should be implemented soon. (Nielson A, 2006) 9. 0 Conclusion It can be concluded, the NZWI is still considered to be at an early maturity phase of its lifecycle, as evidenced by a small number of takeovers and increasing concentration. As the industry matures, there is a need for NZ wine producers to retain focus on quality, differentiated products, while holding their premium price position. In addition, they need to play to their strengths in white wines and introduce more red wines into their portfolio. (Ghoshal S, 2007) As a company, Coopers needs to realize the trend toward deteriorating industry profitability is a constant threat in mature industries. As rivalry encourages overinvestment in capacity, international competition increases, and as differentiation is undermined by commoditization, attaining a competitive advantage becomes essential to achieving positive economic profits. Cost is the overwhelmingly important key success factor in most mature industries and three cost drivers tend to be especially important: Economies of scale, low-cost inputs and low overheads. Cost efficiency in mature industries is rarely a basis for sustainable competitive advantage; it is typically a requirement for survival. Deteriorating performance among mature companies typically triggers the adoption of turnaround strategies, of which the company must choose the most suitable one for its profile. Coopers have so far maneuvered its way past the many problems that plague other producers. However, more emphasis might be needed in terms of differentiating itself from the other NZ brands. It would have to build on its brand equity, and continue to leverage on Andrew’s contact network. Most importantly, the establishment of a succession-planning project would also has to be included in future strategic plans so that the company will continue to prosper should Andrew decide to depart or retire. (Robbins S, 2006) 10. 0 BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. (Johnson, 2005) Johnson, Scholes & Whittington , † Exploring Corporate Strategy†, Prentice Hall, 2005 2. (Porter M, 2001) Porter Michael E. , â€Å"The Competitive Advantages of Nations†, The Macmillan Press Ltd. , 2001 3. (Wheelen, 2006). Wheelen, Thomas L. and Hunger, David J. , â€Å"Strategic Management and Business Policy†, Prentice Hall, 2006 4. (Grant R, 2005) Grant, Robert M. , â€Å"Contemporary Strategy Analysis†, Blackwell Publishing, 2005 5. (Read C, 2006) Read, Charlotte, â€Å"Stakeholder Consensus Marketing. An explanatory national competitivess model for the New Zealand Wine Industry†, September 2, 2006 6. (All Things, 2006) All Things Considered. Washington D. C. , Global Warming Endangers California Wine Industry, December 5, 2006 7. (Times of India,2007) â€Å"India plans duty cuts on wine, spirits†, http://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/NEWS/India_Business/India_plans_duty_cuts_on_wine_spirits/articleshow/1897262. cms, April 12 2007 8. (Pape E, 2007) Pape E. , â€Å"Bordeaux Meets Beijing; China’s eager oenophiles are reviving the flagging French Wine Industry†, Newsweek, April 16, 2007 9. (Meredith R, 2007) Meredith, R. and Hoppough, S. , â€Å"Why Globalization Is Good†, Forbes, New York, April 16, 2007 10. (Aylward, 2006) Aylward, D. K. and Glynn, J. , â€Å"SME Innovation within the Australian Wine Industry: A Cluster Analysis†, 2006 11. (Smith J, 2006) Smith, J. M, â€Å"The e-Commerce Pendulum†, Brandweek, September 18, 2006 12. (Pape, 2007). Pape, Eric â€Å"Vineyards on the move† Newsweek, April 2007 13. (Nielson A, 2006) Nielson, A. , Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 29, Iss 2, Spring 2006 14. (Asimov E, 2005) Asimov, E. , New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast). New York, N. Y. , August 31, 2005 15. (Zalan T, 2005) Zalan, T. , â€Å"Global, Local or Semi-Global? The Case of the Wine Industry†, Australian Centre for International Business, Working Paper, No. 6, August 2005 16. (Heijbroeck, 2003) Heijbroeck, Arend M. A. , â€Å"Consequences of the globalization in the wine industry†, Report made by Rabobank International, Symposium International, October 8 2003 17. (Ghoshal S, 2007) Ghoshal, S, â€Å"Global strategy: An organizing framework. Strategic†, Management Journal 8, 2007 18. (Kogut B, 2006) Kogut, B. , â€Å"Designing global strategies: Comparative and competitive value-added Chains†, Sloan Management Review (Summer), 2006 19. (Porter M, 2004) Porter, M. E. ,†Clusters and the new economics of competition†, Harvard Business Review, November-December 2004 20. (Harvard University, 2007) â€Å"How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy†. Harvard Business Review, March-April 2007 22. (Slater S, 2002) Slater S. Malcolm, Michael Porter. â€Å"Notes on Diversification As a Strategy†. Harvard School Publishing, 2002 23. (Slater F, 2002) Slater F. Stanley, Olson. Eric, â€Å"A Fresh Look at Industry and Market Analysis†, Business Horizons. Kelly School of Publishing, January-February 2002. 24. (New Zealand Growers, 2006) New Zealand Wine Growers Research Committee, â€Å"Research & Development Strategic Plan†, December 2006 25. (Robinson J, 2008) Robinson, Jancis, † The Fast-Changing World Of Wine†, http://www. sifst. org. sg/pdf/article-thefastchanging. htm. 26. (Robbins S, 2006) Robbins S. , Bergman, R. , Stagg, I. & Coulter, M. @006, Management, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney. 27.

Globalization and the Asian Financial Crisis

Globalization and the Asian Financial Crisis The Asian financial crisis is a prime example of an economic meltdown and it exemplifies the effects globalization has during times of widespread economic downturn. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, globalization is â€Å"the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), capital flows, migration and the spread of technology. † The global economy is becoming further inter-twined and therefore it is very difficult to stop the effects of an economic crisis. The Asian financial crisis was a major economic crisis that spread throughout several Asian countries. The beginning of the Asian financial crisis can be traced back to July 2, 1997, with many believing the start of the crisis was triggered in Thailand (King 439). On this day, the Thai government floated their currency, the Thai Baht, and it also went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for â€Å"technical assistance. † One by one, South-East Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan saw their economies crash in the wake of heavy foreign investment. An economic boom had made the region an attractive investment proposition for investors for much of the 1990s. From 1990 to 1997, the private capital flow to developing countries rose more than fivefold, from US $42 billion in 1990 to US $256 billion in 1997 (King 441). However, in the summer of 1997, the economic climate changed, on July 2, 1997, the Thai Baht fell around 20% against the US Dollar (King 441). This was seen as the trigger for the crisis, as investors grew nervous, which led to disinvestments on the Baht, resulting into domestic production and development stalling. The reason why this was happening was because many corporations depended on foreign investment and when they dried up, the businesses could not meet their debt repayments, leading to many firms folding across Asia. Within a week of that day in July, the Philippines and Malaysian governments were heavily intervening to defend their currencies. Soon other East Asian countries became involved; Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and others to varying degrees. As global integration was spreading and growing rapidly, the markets were opening up and becoming more liberalized. This enabled these countries to get a huge influx of foreign capital. These countries were targeted by investors because they were classified as â€Å"emerging markets,† meaning that they had rapid growth and industrialization (Hanieh 65). Hence, they seemed to be ideal for investors as they sought after high profits and yields. It must be emphasized that most of the inflows that came were for short term portfolio investment purposes. Private capital inflows coming into the â€Å"emerging markets† were $42 billion, which increased to a gigantic $256 billion in 1997 (Hanieh 70). Ironically, that peak was the same year as the markets crashed. As mentioned previously, most of the inflows were for portfolio purposes; therefore, the stock markets were experiencing high booms and estate prices were also on the rise. Most of the countries had their currency pegging loosely against the US dollar in the run up to the crisis. The informal pegs to the US dollar encouraged capital inflows due to the large interest rate differential. This though, attracted problems too, due to the predictable nominal rates, it encouraged unhedged external borrowing. This asset boom continued to grow and the flow of credit continued to increase. This resulted into Japan, who was already suffering from their lost-decade, into depreciating their currency (Hanieh 74). As a result, this made their currency weaker and doing so, it made the exports of the South-Eastern countries uncompetitive. This was damaging to the rest of the countries to integrate on a global scale. Most of the functions that these countries undertake are producing parts of a production that would be later assembled and completed in countries like Japan or China. As stated earlier, these tiger-economies operated in a fixed exchange rate system; therefore, their central banks needed to keep enough reserves so that they could support the Baht at the fixed exchange rate. As the central banks ploughed money in to support their currency to maintain the exchange rate, business confidence was shattered and spread across other countries. The effect of this was further felt as their exports were much dearer since Japan devalued their currency. The knock-on effect was that foreign investors started to take their money out. Thailand was the major casualty of this and it quickly passed onto its neighbours; thus, the start of the Asian financial crisis. The financial crisis heavily affected three main emerging economies in the global market; Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea (Hanieh 64). These were the hot-bed for foreign investors who sought high returns on their investments. As the fixed currency fell, the more the investors pulled out; thus, worsening the currency further. The central banks tried in vain to hold the exchange rates as the Thai government spent $23 billion buying the Baht to maintain to US dollar peg (King 440). Investors sank money into these economies without knowing the full extent of policies involved; therefore, as the mounting hidden information of the Thai economy came to surface, it resulted in many speculative attacks on the Thai Baht, which finally forced the central bank of Thailand to float the Baht as it was no longer able to defend the itself against the US Dollar. It can be argued that the uncertainty, which is the absence of quality information on which to base investment decisions had increased the investment risk. This resulted in a contagion effect to other Asian countries. Much of the instability in the economy of Thailand was brought about by heavy short-term borrowing that required debt maintenance. The Thai government attempted to shore up shaky investor confidence by officially backing the financial institutions that were heavily indebted aboard. By October 27, 1997 the crisis had spread worldwide and had an impact on a global scale (Prakash 127). On that day, it provoked a substantial response from Wall Street with the Dow Jones falling by 554. 26 points (or 7. 18%), its biggest point fall in history, causing stock exchange officials to suspend trading (Prakash 128). There are several thoughts as to why the Asian financial crisis occurred. One of the clearest problems that can be seen is that of their financial systems. It has been evident that because the sudden influx of capital flows, the financial systems were not capable of handling the vast amounts. The weak financial systems led to poor investments and excessive risks. Negligent oversight of corporations caused consequences in economic downturns that were not a concern in the mid-nineties boom. The macroeconomic policies of the South-East Asian countries made their economies vulnerable to the uncertain confidence of their foreign investors. However, many economists argue that market overreaction and herding caused the plunge of exchange rates, asset prices and economic activity to be more severe than warranted by the initial weak economic conditions. Also, the deeper roots of the economic crisis went back to the early 1990s. Throughout the 1990s, growth in South-East Asia attracted huge capital flows. The account deficit of Thailand had grown from 5. 7% in 1993 to 8. 5% in 1996 (Khan, Islam, Ahmed 177). This was worsened as the domestic production slowed as the account deficit represented an even greater percentage. Much of the instability in the Thailand economy was caused by heavy short term borrowing and as previously stated; the government spent a lot of their reserves to maintain the exchange rate. This created a false sense of security in pretending the economy was stable. However, this support of the highly leveraged private sector by the Thai government lent the appearance of stability towards an unstable system and attracted even more foreign loans. In February 1997, the Thai company Somprasong was unable to make maintenance payments on its high levels of foreign debt. In the face of such instability, Finance One, the largest finance company in Thailand, failed at the end of May (Khan, Islam, Ahmed 182). Most of the lending by the company was made up of risky loans for real estate and stock market margin investment. This political instability resulted in the resignation of the Thai Finance Minister; thus, worsening the situation. The speculative attacks on the Baht forced Thailand to let the currency float on July 2, 1997, a key date in the Asian financial crisis. As an after effect, the currency depreciated further devastated the Thai economy. This forced the Thai government to call on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic help. In August 1997, Thailand was the first country to seek help and the IMF approved a loan for $3. 9 billion (Glassman 126). However, the IMF gave stipulations that the government had to follow. These were maintaining a level of government reserves, increasing the VAT, government cuts and a reorganisation of the financial sector. As the Baht declined sharply, a second bail-out was approved. Indonesia and South Korea also approached the IMF for financial assistance. Another key element that caused the crisis was that in a lot of East Asian countries the capital account was liberalized for inward and outward flows for foreign investors; however, domestic investors could not invest aboard and this meant they could not diversify their risks. Throughout these countries, financial institutions were inadequate. They had poor prudential management of currency risks, credit evaluation and public financial reporting. Rising global credit and liquidity fed vast amounts of capital to badly regulated institutions. Those had limited transparency and poor due diligence from foreign lenders. The poor macroeconomic policies failed to manage these problems and left the countries vulnerable to shocks in many ways. Firstly, widening current account deficits, financed by short-term debt, exposed the economies to sudden reversals in capital flows. Secondly, weaknesses in the under-regulated financial sector fuelled risky lending. A further problem with exacerbated the crisis was the tendency for the government to intervene and bail out floundering companies. These guarantees put further pressure on the global market as the level of debt kept escalating. Together with the depreciating of the currency meant foreign debt proved to be too much of a burden. A further domino effect was evident between the economies. As the currency of the country depreciated, this had a negative effect on the competitiveness of other countries. Therefore, as the Thai Baht was tumbling, their goods became competitive and had a negative effect on other currencies, such as the Rupiah of Indonesia and the Ringgit of Malaysia (Glassman 129). After the Baht was put on the floating exchange rate, the economy of Thailand started to recover and was able to alleviate their debt earlier than they thought in 2003 (King 459). South Korea did manage to recuperate despite its weak financial system. However, Indonesia was especially hurt by firms going bankrupt and the devaluation of the Rupiah made it harder for them to recover. Monetary and Fiscal policies were tightened as countries fought to cope with the financial panic. The countries also raised interest rates in order to attract foreign currency and increase the price of domestic assets. On the other hand, higher rates meant higher repayments and many could not survive their debts. Following the Asian financial crisis, Russia, Mexico and Argentina all suffered economic collapses (King 61). Another factor that is thought to be one of the reasons for the crisis, the Asian currencies appreciated to levels that were too high leading to a crash in the markets. The IMF gave these countries support during these times and in return they wanted the countries to follow three key elements; large official financing packages, structural reforms, and macroeconomic policies that intended to counter the crisis itself (King 463). Structural reforms were seen as the root causes of the crisis. They intervened to shore up institutions and more importantly, improved the financial supervision and regulation. Thus, reducing the likelihood of a crisis reoccurring. Other structures were also altered to help the economies in the long run; they strengthened competition laws and increased transparency. This would help reduce eradicate corruption. Macro policies were harder to implement due to the turbulent market conditions; though, after some initial hesitations, nominal and real interest rates fell to pre-crisis levels. However, Indonesia’s policies steered them off course for a while before it was brought under control in late 1998 (King 464). The Asian financial crisis raised certain important issues that need to be taken into account for the international financial system. It is very important to prevent a crisis from occurring in the first place, because the short term flow of capital can be moved within seconds; therefore, prevention is the best sought achievement/target. Transparency is also important to crisis prevention. At the height of the Asian financial crisis, some unpleasant information was revealed, in particular, on the weaknesses of central banks international reserve positions. The IMF pointed this out as an integral part as closer monitoring of the finance sector could give alerts to any such problems in the future. Another issue that needed to be analyzed after the crisis was that of capital controls. As the countries liberalized the capital accounts, they left many short falls in the regulation of them. Tighter restriction and closer monitoring of the capital flows would have helped the financial institutions to keep greater control. An additional issue that should be noted is what policies the governments used and which ones seemed to be successful in such a crisis. Looking back at the Asian financial crisis, it seems that monetary policy worked. A period of high interest rates and the market pressures eased and interest rates soon fell below pre-crisis levels. In theory, if monetary policies were implemented earlier, it might have contrasted the spread of the crisis. However, the higher interest rates meant that debt repayments were higher and led to widespread insolvencies. These macroeconomic policies are crucial as they can be implemented to the changing economic conditions. The Asian financial crisis has brought a new way of thinking in the world of global finance. There are lessons that were harshly learnt by a few countries; however, the overall effect was a global one. In the contemporary world, one country does not stand by itself, global integration has meant that countries are connected and interlinked. Therefore, as we witnessed from the Asian financial crisis, the end result of poor management of financial institutions can have a drastic impact on the world economy. In the current climate, we are facing a global recession, an expected drop in world trade, all this as a result of a credit boom. The government and regulators must learn from the Asian financial crisis and hopefully they will be able to contain the latest economic crisis. Works Cited Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press 2010. Web. 18 March 2011. McNally, David. Another World is Possible: Globalization & Anti-Capitalism. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Arbeiter Ring Publishing. Print. Adam Hanieh. â€Å"Forum of Hierarchies of a Global Market: The South and the Economic Crisis. † Studies in Political Economy Volume 83. (2009): 61 – 81. Print. Michael R. King. â€Å"Who Triggered the Asian Financial Crisis? Review of International Political Economy Volume 8. Issue 3 (2001): 438 – 466. Print. Aseem Prakash. â€Å"The East Asian Crisis and the Globalization Discourse. † Review of International Political Economy Volume 8. Issue 1 (2001): 119 – 146. Print. Saleheen Khan, Faridul Islam, Syed Ahmed. â€Å"The Asian Crisis: An Economic Analysis of the Causes. † The J ournal of Developing Areas Volume 39. Issue 1 (2005): 169 – 190. Print. Jim Glassman. â€Å"Economic Crisis in Asia: The Case of Thailand. † Economic Geography Volume 77. Issue 2 (2001): 122 – 147. Print.

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Diabetes - Essay Example e discovered numerous advantages for the diabetes patient in maintaining a stable exercise routine as well as the most beneficial degree of physical involvement and frequency of physical activity, but each of these realizations could have an impact on best practices for physical therapists in working with diabetic patients. In â€Å"Metallothionein-Mediated Antioxidant Defense System and Its Response to Exercise Training Are Impaired in Human Type 2 Diabetes† (Scheede-Bergdahl 2005), the authors discuss the importance of metallothioneins I and II (MT 1) as part of the antioxidant defense system and its relationship to exercise in the diabetic patient. Previous studies regarding these antioxidants have indicated that exercise has only beneficial effects on the production of MT 1, but the research team noticed that none of the studies had actually been conducted on people with Type 2 Diabetes. Further evidence had suggested the possibility that these important chemicals are reduced with exercise in persons with Type II Diabetes. During the study, it was confirmed that levels of MT 1 are increased in the skeletal muscle tissue and plasma of healthy individuals who have participated in a regular exercise program. Participants who had Type 2 Diabetes showed no corresponding increases thou gh. While the study was careful to note that there were no increases or decreases in MT 1 levels in the skeletal musculature in these patients, it was also noted that levels were decreased somewhat in the plasma levels. Decreased MT 1 can lead to oxidative stress, which â€Å"contributes to the development and acceleration of related conditions such as nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy and macro- and microvascular damage† (Scheede-Bergdahl 2005). At the same time, tissue samples taken from patients with Type 2 Diabetes indicated increased oxidative stress from the control group with tissue appearing more susceptible to damage. As further research is conducted as to

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Busniess form application - Essay Example law of contract and company law and business closure among others. Kuwait in these respects ranks fairly well with its neighbors Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar among others where it is ranked 61 (The World Bank 2010). Having given this background if offered a chance to address the leader of my country, I would ask him what the government is doing to enhance the ease of doing business in the country and more so in the area of investment both by local as well as foreign investors. The basic reason of asking this question is that the world is becoming more and more of a global business community. For countries which wish to be best positioned to doing business and increasing investment activity, creating a favorable environment of doing business is a necessity rather than a choice. Kuwait although well ranked as compared to its Arab world neighbors it has a long way to go as countries like Singapore are way ahead of it and yet it is one of the top 10 richest countries in the world considering the GDP statistics (The World Bank 2010). I may wish to know what the government is doing in respect to the various reference points mentioned above that are used to come up with the global rank on the ease of doing business. The first issue lies with the number of procedures that one undertakes as an investor to start a business venture. In total the procedures are 13 which is relatively a long process than on average takes a month and 5 days (The World Bank 2010). This aspect makes investors chose to invest elsewhere so as to save on time and expenses associated with the long wait. My suggestion on this is to consolidate these procedures and their documentation as well as doing away with others all together. The other area is that of delays in construction permits which in overall takes over 100 days while registrations of actual properties takes 55 days at minimum. Taxation is

Do Animals Have the Right to be Free Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Do Animals Have the Right to be Free - Essay Example What did human do today? They use mice in laboratories for experimentation – they will electrify them, or they will do whatever to satisfy their studies or assumptions about the welfare of human beings. Non-humans are â€Å"means† to save human beings, is that justifiable? Is that fair enough to let them suffer and die just to save us? For some reason, we will insist that our lives are more valuable than those of the mice and cats, but it's not good enough to let them suffer to death. A cat has injected a chemical just to prove something, the poor animal suffers – can we also let human suffer like that? Therefore, what's my idea about animal liberation? Animals should be treated just like us. Even it's inevitable to consider them as food and kill them for that purpose, but we would take extra consideration about their â€Å"suffering† in the long run. Experimentation and tortures of animals should be banned in all places with very few exemptions. Their suf fering somehow means life to us – in case of medical practices, yet, let's put some limitations. It's not really good to see this practice so â€Å"common†, and even medicals students commonly do this as a habitual practice. Can we at least abide a just law for animals? Factory farm animals, for instance, are like machines and robots, they are confined, they are deprived of anything as if they are simply machines that produce food for us. Did you ever realize why chicken have wings? Because they are designed to be flying animals.

Hubspot Case Essay Example for Free

Hubspot Case Essay The problem in this case is that Hubspot needed to make a transition from its initial start-up structure (organizational structure, target customers and pricing strategy) in order grow, and the dilemma was how to best approach this change. Hubspot faced three main issues for this: a) identify target customers, b) modify their pricing model and c) how to develop the growth strategy. Hubspot was good at building a community, e.g. over 300000 unique visitor in 2008, and thousands of freeware subscriptions in 2009. Nonetheless they had a diverse universe of customers, from small business owners (Ollies) to marketing professionals (Marys), different type of business ranging B2B or B2C, and size (over or under 25 employees). Table C shows there was a potential market evenly distributed among B2B and B2C. For Hubsport, the decision to identify a target customer was difficult. This is seen when contrasting exhibits 6 where 73% of customers were Ollies and exhibit 5 which indicated that Marys accounted for 68% of new customers from Sep-Dec 2008. Although the B2B customers were important for Ollies and Marys, there was an interesting growth of Marys in B2C. Thus a segmentation of customer was required to better assess their different needs. At the end of 2008, Hubspots’s products responded to the main two customers (Ollies and Marys), still its pricing model was similar for both, where Marys paid a slightly higher monthly amount as its software package included more features (exhibit 7). This was something Hubspot needed to analyze as Ollie and Marys had various pros and cons as customers. Ollies represented a lower cost to acquire ($1000) and where quick to sign in, but cancel subscription early, while Marys cost more to acquire ($5000) and took longer to sign in, by stayed for longer using the product. Assuming no churn rate an Ollie had to maintain subscription for 2 months and Marys had to maintain subscription for 9 months, to pay off their acquiring cost. The previous  scenario meant that HubSpot’s 2008 projections including the 100 paying customers from 2007 made the current pricing model not viable to support the high cost of Marys (see appendix 1). Another issued faced was the Hubsport was still a small company, seen in that it only had few engineers to build the software therefore it was hard to catch up with the sales team. Thus the product vs customer vs pricing situation presented an optimization and planning issue to keep the company growing. The previous two points require a growth strategy. At the same time it made the owners question their vision, i.e. to inbound or outbound. The strategy for growth had to clarify which customer to target, how to roll-out the respective products, whether to keep it a SaaS, and the transition into a new pricing structure to maintain current customer and capture more value from new ones. The objective of our proposed solutions is to keep Hubspot as the software-to-have for inbound marketing and grow financially from a start-up to an established business. For this we set out the following actions: Hubspot’s culture and vision should be maintained. Web 2.0 is continuing evolving as more businesses are using the various channels and HubSpot can differentiate itself as the inbound marketing which weighs more than outbound marketing (inbound represents 37% marketing budget while outbound 30%). HubSpot has the expertise to create traffic and analyze and qualify leads filling the respective demand of Ollies and Marys. At the same time we differentiate from our two main competitors by proving a lower price (Eloqua is more expensive) and focusing on inbound marketing (Marketo is a mix of inbound and outbound). Our conclusions are founded by overlaying HubSpot’s competitive field (exhibit 3) with customers’ needs a) traffic creation and b) leads analysis and qualifications, in line with HubSpot’s main strengths, as seen in appendix 2. Thus the company should not consider outbound as an alternative. As showed in appendix 4, our two segmented customers have showed different needs in terms of product features and consumption behavior. Based on the current churn out rate, we can estimate consumer lifetime value of Ollies is $4,750 and Marys $10,500 (see calculation in appendix 3). Therefore, according to our segmentation strategy, we propose following product bundles by differentiating product price and product features: 1) Product pricing: As Ollies have a shorter customer life and less marketing budget, we suggest keeping current up-front fee and a lower monthly fee. As suggestion, up-front $500 and monthly fee in the range of $150 to $250. As Marys have a longer customer life and lower price sensitivity we suggest increasing both up-front and monthly fee. As suggestion up-front $600 and monthly fee in the range of $600 to $750. Meanwhile, Marys are interested in deeper analytics, we suggest additional fee for each service of deeper analytics. As CMS system helps lower churn rate, we suggest initial fee of $300 covering 6 hours consulting to encourage both of them to use such service. 2) Product features: As Ollies prefer quick and simple solutions, we suggest tailor-made product focusing on generating leads. As Marys have a high demand of analytics, we suggest tailor-made product with more sophisticated tools to meet the needs of deeper analytics. As frequent log-in helps lower churn rate, we suggest to provide service update on a regular basis to encourage a continuous use of our service. After clearly identifying the segmentation of consumer and differentiation of products, we need ensure market-centered organizations that are capable of translating strategy into actions: 1) Engineering: To invest on product development and innovation to continuously provide with relevant service to enhance our competitive advantage of generating leads as well as analytics . 2) Sales force: To divide sales force to separately serve Maryer Ollies by providing Maryer with long-term, more sophisticated support, providing Ollies with quick simple service. 3) Marketing: To continue make a buzz for inbound marketing to create inbound marketing community rather than a simple business Finally the strategy has to be sensitive to our current customers, Appendix 5 indicates a tentative layout of the plan. Starting with the internal reorganization, then gradually change the product offering for consumers.

We Can Actually Use First Aid

We Can Actually Use First Aid We cannot predict anything, we can never tell when an accident will occur, but there is one thing for sure, we can prevent added injury or pain if we know how to demonstrate first aid. Last January 15, 2013, we have our guest speaker in the class to discuss and help us with the basic knowledge about first aid. The simple discussion helped us learn the importance of first aid and how we can use it in the future. Saving a personà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life is the most important thing why we should learn first aid. When there is an accident and there is no one there to help out the victim, you can perform the first aid to alleviate the suffering and prevent the victim from having serious damages when treatment or help is not yet present. First aid also serves as the bridge that fills the gap between the sick and the physician so we should be the middle man who will secure that the victim would feel less in pain and would check his/her condition by observing the blood pressure, breathing, pulse rate and temperature. Every second or every minute counts after the victim have encountered the accident thatà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s why he/she should be attended in the quickest time as possible. We can actually use first aid in many simple ways and by performing the first aid properly. And as medical biology students and maybe future doctors, it is very useful for us to know the basics of first aid because we can definitely use it in case of emergencies to give a victim some medical attention. So for us to practice how we can use first aid, our guest speaker and our professor site us a situation wherein a boy was injured in his arm after he fell on the ground when heà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s trying to change the light bulb. Given that we have some materials like: handkerchief, cardboard, ruler, belt, strips of cloth and masking tape at first we donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t really know how we should start and how we should do it but then we properly managed it. We tried to wrap the handkerchief around our classmatesà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ arm but its length was a bit short so we decided to use the belt and replace the handkerchief then we put some bandage around his arm and use the ruler and the cardboard to straight his arm and whoala! we actually performed a first aid. Our group didnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t win but our guest praised us because our group was resourceful to use a belt instead of the handkerchief. We donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t have to always bring our first aid kit because we can always be resourceful and use things around us to save a life. Life is very important to people and there is no rule saying that we should not help people right? Even if we donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t know the person suffering from an injury or an accident we can always give a helping hand to that person and give some first aid to give a temporary hand care. Just like what the Good Samaritan did to the Levi? who was beaten in the road. Maybe if you help a victim in need you will be his/her savior for saving his life from near death experience or maybe youà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ll be the next Good Samaritan. If you know the true meaning and the importance of first aid you can definitely use it and save a personà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life. Our English professor asked us to write an essay about our experiences during the first aid lecture and the activity of using household items to give first aid to the injured as instructed by our professor. First aid is a must for us students of Medical Biology because it is related to our course and our future profession as Medical doctors. And because this essay is a requirement to pass this subject, we are obliged to do it. The first thing that we did is the first aid lecture. Our professor invited a guest speaker to talk about first aid. This lecture covers the definition of first aid, its objectives, doà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s and dontà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s of doing first aid, some tricks in saving oneà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life and the ABCà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s of life. This lecture can come in handy when someone needs help. Honestly, the lecture is informative but also boring. The speakerà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s approach in lecturing was so boring that I felt that everyone in the classroom is half dead while listening to the speaker. Good thing that I managed to stay awake while listening to the lecture. After our lecture, our professor challenges us to put our skills to the test. He first asked one of the members from each group to be the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½main actor/actressà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. I doubt that statement because I knew that this person will be subjected to slight discomfort and probably humiliation while doing the activity. Thinking that way, I decided that I donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t want to do it. But my fellow members forced me to volunteer. Someone has to do it right? So I ended up doing it. After that, our professor gave this situation: Supposedly I fell down from the chair while changing the light bulb with my left arm first. I winced in pain and my left arm maybe broken. So using the materials provided, my fellow members will give me first aid treatment for 10 minutes. And we started this chaos. They wrapped my left arm with bandage; straighten my left arm with a ruler and a stick, serving as a support for it to immobilize my arm. Then they use a leather belt that hangs from my neck to the injured arm as a support. I felt like I was a dress-up doll and twisted in awkward positions while giving me the first aid treatment. So much for top-notch care and gentle movements. It was, for me, an awkward moment. Then, the presentation of the output comes. The four main actors goes in front of the class and shows off what they have done. As I look to the other people, one thingà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s for sure, we all look like fools. Then the guest speaker judged the output. But in the e nd, we lost. But we still gain experience and a few laughs while doing the activity. In life we really not know what are going to be happening. Because in life we cannot predict the future only one Man can, what if we are riding in a plane then suddenly a one passenger experience difficulty in breathing or something? You are in a park with your brother or sister then a child fell on the monkey bar and broke his or her arm? What are you going to do? These are the example of the many situations why first à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ aid is important and why should we learn how to practice it. Weà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve lectured about first Aid in our class; and in that lecture we learned why First Aid is important in our daily living. First à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ aid is define as the immediate and temporary aid provided to a sick or injured person until medical treatment can be provided. First Aid is important in several reasons; it serves us the temporary treatment to a certain victim. It is done to make the situation lighter or to help the victim feel less pain and suffering by knowing his or her vital signs to his or her heartbeat First aid also helps to prevent further danger to come and risks of the life span of the victim and more importantly with a simple hand you will learn how to save someone life. As Medical Biology students and a soon to be doctors we should know how to practice first aid. On the activity weà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve done there is a certain situation and we should practice first aid in one of our group mates with the materials we have assigned to brinkg like ruler, piece of cloth, masking tape and scissors. We have no idea what we are doing we just wrap the piece of cloth with a ruler with my classmateà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s arm because in the situation the person fell from the chair so we think that he or she might broke his arm. The other groups did the same technique. I think what if this happen in real life? And we are in our white uniform there is a situation that needs first aid it is given that we should have the experience doing it but what if we are not? So this explains why we should learn how to practice first aid, from the simple CPR to save a drowning friend to the heavy situations of people meeting accidents having fractured bones. It can be an advantage to us Pre Med students to have the knowledge and the strong ability to learn how to practice first aid and use it to help other people. Having to contain the ability of helping people in a crucial danger situations, Helping them reduce their suffering and helping save someoneà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s life; this thoughts make First Aid important so we should practice it because in this world we are living we are clueless of what bad or good things will happen, we all know that Life really are full of challenging surprises.

Charles Dickens The Signalman and A Birthday by Karen Mansfield Essays

Charles Dickens' The Signalman and A Birthday by Karen Mansfield A signalman is a short story written by Charles Dickens. This is a story about a signalman who is driven â€Å"mad† by the environment of his work, away from sunlight and people. But he was not alone; a supernatural ghost decides to accompany him too. He has a lot of responsibilities to shoulder. There are only two characters that really are prominent in the short story. In fact in the story, there are only about three to five characters. The important characters are the signalman and the narrator. Charles Dickens uses dialogue to make the characters more appealing and easier to understand. He has written exactly what was need to understand the story, nothing less or nothing more. The characters are described physically briefly but Charles Dickens has described their attitude, nature, thoughts and character to a great deal. Through out ‘The Signalman’ the signalman’s name is not mentioned which seems quite awkward. The signalman tells the narrator about his worries and still they do not ask each other their names. It seemed a little strange! The signalman was troubled but it did not seem so if a person who would have seen him for the first time and judged him by his appearance. The signalman’s appearance described in the story as, â€Å"†¦he was a dark sallow man, with a dark beard and rather heavy eyebrows.† He seemed to look perfectly reasonable and normal but you should never judge a book by its cover. You cannot tell his problems merely by his appearance! (Proved by the short story) The signalman is a very peculiar man. When the narrator called him from the top of the steep cutting he did not seem to reply and walked down the railway li... ...is short story is written by a woman it seems to be more descriptive. If ‘A Birthday,’ and ‘A Signalman,’ were compared Andreas Binzer’s character would be unquestionably more descriptive than that of the signalman. Karen Mansfield described everything from his teeth, attitude and nature in greater detail. Meanwhile, Charles Dickens just wrote what was needed exactly. The way people see each other seems to differ so drastically. In one short story you try to understand a person’s problems and situation whereas, the other shows how inconsiderate a person can be and still be blessed with great people around them. I spent a long time writing this essay and I believe that if I take the time I would really show what people are like. It amazed me how realistic the characters in these short stories are and that many people like those can be found in the world.

Why Religion Is Important Essay -- Why Study Religion?

"You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself." -- Swami Vivekananda "I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is." -- Albert Camus In this essay, I will explore the religious experience in general and some of its variations around the world. The focus will be on the types of religious beliefs and religious leaders, especially in small-scale societies. An exploration of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or any other major religion is beyond the scope of this essay. The approach taken is that of cultural relativity--religious practices or beliefs are not evaluated in terms of their "correctness" or "sophistication" but, rather, in terms of their function within the societies that have them. What is Religion? A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. Religious beliefs provide shape and meaning to one's perception of the universe. In other words, they provide a sense of order in what might otherwise be seen as a chaotic existence. Religions also provide understanding and meaning for inexplicable events such as a loved one being killed in an earthquake or some other unpredictable force of nature. For most religious people, their beliefs about the supernatural are at the very core of their world views. Rituals in Religion The performance of rituals is an integral part of all religions. Rituals are stylized and usually repetitive acts that take place at a set time and location. They almost always involve the use of symbolic objects, words, and actions. For example, going to church on Sunday is a common religious ritual for Christians around the... ...what is right and wrong behavior. If individuals do the right things in life, they may earn the approval of the gods. If they do the wrong things, they may suffer supernatural retribution. For instance, the most sacred text of Islam, the Koran, not only provides detailed lists of specific kinds of crimes and appropriate earthly punishments, but it also gives descriptions of how to do mundane tasks such as eating specific kinds of food. The sacred texts of religions usually set precedents for proper behavior in common situations. The Judeo-Christian Bible stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah, Job, Moses, Solomon, and even Jesus provide examples of how virtuous people should lead their lives. It does not matter whether the sacred stories or myths of a religion actually occurred in every detail--they are still illustrative of correct thought and behavior.

Womens Studies: Woman of the Year Refia Ari -a pioneer of Special Need

Women's Studies: REFIA ARI - Woman of the Year Pioneer of Special Needs Education for disabled children in KKTC Cyprus Refia Ari received the Woman of the Year award in 2003 of the Women's Studies & Education Centre, Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), KKTC/TRNC-Cyprus. She enabled special needs education for disabled children, children's disability support for their parents and disabilities careres. "Mrs. Refia (Ari) has created for .. children a world that becomes more beautiful every day" (Sà ¼leyman Ergà ¼Ãƒ §là ¼, News Director, Bayrak Radio-Television -rtd ~YaÅŸamÄ ±n Ä °Ãƒ §inden BRTK, Cyprus-KKTC) This woman's nation also has its share of disabled children. But Cyprus-KKTC had no facilities for children with disabilities. Neither for their care, nor for their well being and education. Nor for the welfare and educational support needs of their parents. Special needs education did not exist for children with disabilities. Parents of disabled children had no education on how to cope. Children with mental or physical handicaps simply existed and suffered. Refia Ari changed that for the disabled of Cyprus-KKTC. Her Successful Woman of the Year Award by the Eastern Mediterranean University's Women's Studies and Education Centre was for her pioneering works which made that change possible. Especially for children with disabilities and the parents of handicapped children. While Cyprus is in, both, the British Commonwealth and the European Union, and, indeed, also in the European Convention on Human Rights, concerns were, as of the United Nations, mostly with its inter-communal conflict, and neither local nor foreign aid existed for the disabled men and women and children of Cyprus-KKTC -not even an official disability re... ...ial education provisions catering also for the special needs of disabled children up the age of 18, and she was included in its committee for the re-organisation of the educational system which should also ease the integration into society of disabled children by their education in ordinary schools. Refia Ari, with her exceptional leadership qualities and extraordinary organising skills having worked wonders for the handicapped children of Cyprus-KKTC, is reported in the media to be pursuing her vision to get official help, support and education extended also to disabled adults. Her voluntary works with various disability organisations and vision for the disabled, as she stated to the BRTK, is based on Refia Ari's philosophy that -translated "We have advantages in life and disadvantages, some of us can't run -but if one's hand is held one can at least walk."