Senseo Creating Competitiveness through an International Alliance

Introduction For the last one decade, Senseo has been an important contributor to the coffee appliances business. The company breakthrough in coffee pod machine has enabled consumers to make quality coffee faster than before (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). Small size and ease of use from Senseo system helps in making the necessary coffee cup. Many households today rely on Senseo automated coffee pod machine.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Senseo: Creating Competitiveness through an International Alliance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company highlights the coffee pod machine and coffee pods as the ensuing unique value adds in the current global market. These are products that can rapidly obtain, analyze and take action on real-time data inputs. For the products such as coffee pods, Senseo is a market leader in many European countries while it also serves other foreign markets in America continent. The unce rtainties associated with each market are different and part of the Senseo story. The constant adaptation of products and business strategies are defining features of Senseo as a business. This is an important accomplishment of the firm especially when it comes to international expansion. The stiff competition in the global coffee market suggests the need for strategic entry into foreign markets in order to increase the market share (Hollensen, 2010, p.142). Beginning with the development of the patented coffee machine and brewing process in 2001 and extending to Senseo one-of-a-kind coffee ponds, international marketing initiatives have been considered by Senseo as the key to business success. The international alliance between Philips and Douwe Egberts is not just incremental gain but performance gain of an order of magnitude. Concurrently, Senseo has long invested in international market expansion which is another imperative part of this case. Senseo is the result of the partners hip between electronics expert Philips and coffee roaster Douwe Egberts both of which have a degree of autonomy (Hollensen, 2010, p.139). Royal Philips Electronics is based in Netherlands while Douwe Egberts is based in Denmark.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Both of these firms have expanded internationally with substantial brand recognition across the world. This case study is focused on the competitive advantage created through this alliance and the spirit of expansion is reflected in the performance of Senseo in presence of determined competitors. Global market environment The global coffee products market is becoming increasingly saturated. This is because of the increasing number of companies which are venturing into the industry. One of the factors that are contributing to this rapid growth is the increasing distribution of me-too products. This section gives a comprehensive of the coffee products market environment through PEST analysis. PEST analysis Political factors In order for Senseo to operate in the international market, it went through an important strategic alliance. This process of partnering exposed the company to various political factors across different economies. Government stability is a major factor that affects the company business. According to Cavusgil et al (2009), firms intending to enter new market encounter country risks including political risk which refers to the stability of the target country government. Expansion to these markets put the company under these political risks. The success of Senseo in many European countries can be attributed to the political stability of these countries. Thus the firm should reconsider this issue when entering emerging markets in future. In addition, governmental trade laws and regulation are key factors influencing Senseo international business. Between 2001 and 2007, the compa ny success was accelerated by the patented pod machine (Hollensen, 2010, p.141). However, the ccompany has to cope with new environments where such laws do not apply. There are also different intellectual property rights within these environments though Senseo can take the advantage of the alliance as the basis to mitigate any risk associated. Export laws affect the business in that Douwe Egberts has to abide with such legal requirements when exporting the coffee used to make coffee pods.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Senseo: Creating Competitiveness through an International Alliance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Economic The potential markets for Senseo products include the developed and emerging markets. In fact, the economic situation in the European countries where the company operates in terms of monetary issues is a major factor that drives Senseo. The economic trends in home countries of the par tners have also impacted on the business significantly. For instance, it has been reported that one third of the Dutch households own a Senseo machine and the number is expected to increase (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). This is partly because the country is economically stable and individual income is relatively high. Moreover, the fact that Senseo is operating in emerging markets such as the Chinese market suggests the influence of economic factors in these economies. According to Fedorova and Vaihekoski (2009), the major sources of risks in emerging markets are market segmentation and fluctuations in exchange rates (p.6). Single serve brewing concept is expected to impact most developing markets where disposable income has not reached sustainable level (Hollensen, 2010, p.138). Therefore, the economic growth in these markets will be a key driver of Senseo business in future. Socio-cultural factors International business are affected by changes in social environment either positively o r negatively (Baron, 2005, p.207). Senseo operates in several markets with varying social and cultural preferences. Cavusgil et al (2009) connote that cross cultural risk is a key challenge for internationalizing firms. The fact that European consumers have a special attachment to coffee is a major drive for success in the industry. Coffee is consumed daily by all members in a typical European family. Essentially, the international growth of Senseo can be directly related to increasing demand of a faster way to make a cup of coffee. Furthermore, the population has been increasing throughout the decade leading to increase in coffee consumption (De Mooij, 2010, p.71). The new generation is looking for the easiest and convenient lifestyle thus embracing new technologies with both hands. For Senseo and other coffee pod machine marketers, this group forms the largest segment.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indeed, the typical owner of such a machine is 40 years or below suggesting the significance of the younger generations (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). Therefore, it appears that the high birth rates in potential markets are a factor that can influence the industry as long as it meets the expected lifestyle standards. Technological factors In the last one decade the world has experienced massive technological developments. These changes have been part of the success factors for Senseo. Senseo coffee pod machine is a technological breakthrough that has built consumer intimacy. The company has also sort to differentiate the products through the adoption of new technologies for their products as reflected in the new model machine. Competitors such as Nestle and Melitta Unternehmensgruppe Bents KG have continued to introduce new machines with added technological features. Thus, the competition is somehow based on the technological capability of individual firms. Strategic fit analysis The mar ket environment indicates that Senseo is faced by a number of opportunities and challenges. For instance, the analysis shows that there is a high probability of the company experiencing an increment in the intensity of competition. On the other hand, economic stability and growth coupled with social trends represents an opportunity for Senseo to increase market share and profitability. The high rate of technological innovation presents an opportunity for Senseo to improve the competitive advantage through production of faster and high quality coffee pod machines. However, this is achieved when the company focuses on the core competencies and strengths to exploit the emerging opportunities while converting the weaknesses into strengths (Spence Kale, 2011). Core competencies According to Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2011), firms’ core competencies refer to the capabilities that form the accruing source of competitive advantage (p.82). Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2008) ar e of the opinion that for a company capability to be considered as a core competency, it should be inimitable, unique, non-substitutable and valuable (p.4). In all operations, Senseo has managed to create a number of core competencies. First, Senseo has developed strong brands that have successfully penetrated the international market. The company has achieved this by forming a strategic business alliance with two important firms. The strong brand is accompanied by the strong brands of individual companies that form the alliance. As noted, creating an overall identity that transparently links coffee and appliance as part of single system and building consumer intimacy around this was the crucial building block to success (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). Secondly, Senseo has built a strong management team to suit the internationalization strategy. As Cavusgil et al (2008) noted the fundamental challenge facing the organizations entering international markets is centered on solving manageria l problems in these markets (p.5). Thus, the success of the company is directly connected to good management. Furthermore, the key people involved in managing such an alliance must have the personal skills to make it a success. SWOT analysis Strength To survive in the international market, it is vital to build a competitive advantage (Harrison John, 2009, p.61). Among the ways through which a firm can achieve this is by improving important strengths. In business operations Senseo has developed a strong brand image due to the effectiveness in designing and producing high quality coffee pod machines. The company has invested heavily on RD such that they produce new products ahead of market competitors. With characteristics of a strategic asset-seeking investment, Senseo has been able to promote long-term goals by reaping the advantages of the two partners (Dunning Lundan, 2008, p.73). The implementation of effective technology enables the company to produce high quality products. Th is satisfies the needs and wants of the consumers in the target markets especially those in European and American countries. Weaknesses The major weakness for Senseo is the narrowed focus on Eastern Europe markets. Cavusgil et al (2009) highlight the importance of market research before a firm decides to enter foreign market. But, Senseo demonstrates failure in this respect as their target market is primarily European countries while other countries could promise better performance. In addition, Senseo has very few products in their portfolio which suggests limited market segments. Coffee appliances are many and the company should attempt to widen the product portfolio and probably enhance their competitive advantage. Opportunities The social changes being experienced in many countries present an opportunity to Senseo. For instance, the growth in population presents an opportunity for the company to increase the current customer base. In addition, the economic growth in some countri es is an opening to new markets. Emerging markets are said to offer greater market development opportunities than those in developed countries but with the offer of higher returns comes higher risks (Cavusgil et al, 2008). The high rate of technological innovation also presents an opportunity for Senseo to enhance global competitiveness. This arises from the fact that the company will be able to develop high quality coffee pod machines (Economist Intelligence Unit Limited, 2009, p.10). Threats Senseo faces intense competition from other multinational companies such as Nestle, Melitta, Tchibo and Aldi (Varga, 2010, p.5). The future success of the firm is threatened by the fact that these companies are also diversifying their products. Therefore, consumer bargaining power in international markets is increasing due to the wide range of products available for them. In addition, Senseo is threatened by low-cost followers from china who must enter the industry in future (Tsui Lau, 2002). In as much as the firm differentiates through the alliance, the low cost followers will never be discouraged as long as new technologies are in place. There could be the fear of the followers developing cheap coffee pod machines that consumers would consider to be better. More interesting is that the followers begin by entering the emerging markets on their way up while Senseo approach these markets from the top. Therefore, the firm is threatened by saturated markets in those emerging markets if the foreign investment comes at a later stage. Creating international competitiveness through core competences Product development has been a long-term priority for Senseo. When the company focused on coffee products to support market entry it needed to create value to customer through innovation and high quality products. In 2001 the company developed the first coffee pod machine that was geared towards the use of coffee pods produced by Douwe Egberts (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). As the machi ne was patented, Senseo was able to increase the market share due to the high demand of the product. Indeed, the company was able to sell more than 15 million coffee machines and more than 8 billion coffee pods in the first seven years (Hollensen, 2010, p.140). According to Uppsala model, the company gradually increased and intensified activities in neighboring markets as the demand increased. By mid-2007 it was estimated that the company sold over five million coffee pod machines in Germany. Currently, Senseo business depends on innovation as patents were revoked in many market environments. Competitors keep on bringing new products into the market thus forcing the company to heavily invest on RD. In 2007 the company launched a new model-the Senseo New Generation-with novel mechanism to accommodate larger cups and new features including insufficient water indicators, larger water reservoir and options allowing users to adjust water quantity (Hollensen, 2010, p.142). This breakthrou gh is a result of the strategic alliance that enables the company to control the development of both coffee pod machines and the coffee pods. The success of a strategic alliance depends on the benefits perceived by each partner especially if their brands are already recognized. In this regard, Senseo had to leverage the equity in the partnering brands in order to give credibility to the new brand (Hollensen, 2010, p.141). While competition may lead to adverse factors like reduced prices of the products, a partnership can succeed by relying on mutual performance (Wallace, 2001, p.859). For instance, when the prices of coffee pod machines went below production costs Senseo continues to succeed as the losses in machine sales are compensated by the profits from coffee sales. Internationalization Hollensen (2010) identifies three models that can define how organizations enter foreign markets namely network, transaction cost and Uppsala models. These models may depend on factors like the type of business; the nature of target markets; the position of the firm in terms of resources; and the corporation motive to include others. Network model is where the supplier develops a good relationship with the buyer and internationalizes in order to service the customer better from another location while depending on resources controlled by other firms. Transaction cost theory is when a firm enters a foreign market and creates activities internally instead of outsourcing especially through exports or foreign direct investment (Dunning Lundan, 2008, p.70). Uppsala model is about how firms gradually increase and intensify their activities in foreign markets by first gaining experience from home markets before proceeding to international markets. From the analysis of Senseo case study, it is evident that the entry strategy to foreign markets can be explained through Uppsala model. The initial market for the firm was the Scandinavian countries where the partners came from. As the demand for coffee pod machines increased in the neighboring markets of France and Germany, the firm would enter the markets. This is reflected in the market being concentrated within the Western part of Europe. Certainly, the single serve brewing concept has proved successful in Europe and the trend is still in the early stages in the U.S. and is yet to impact on developing countries (Hollensen 2010, p.138). In this respect, it would be worth to suggest that transaction cost model for internationalization would serve Senseo business better. This is because the company is well established and has vast resources that can be used to extend assumed business in other potential markets through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). According to Cavusgil et al (2008), the fundamental challenge facing the firms entering international markets centers on solving managerial problems in these markets (p.5). But Senseo managers have proved to be competent enough such that they can be able to make eff ective decisions about how to mitigate the risks associated with Internationalization. In addition, there are many opportunities in the markets that the company is slack in operation. The American market is the largest in terms of coffee consumption while the Asian emerging markets have opportunities related to economic growth. As Dunning and Lundan (2008) connote, the company should engage market-seeking investment in order to exploit new market besides sustaining the existing one (p.70). In fact, competition in coffee pods machines is concentrated in European countries and moving away from these markets would suggest low competition. Therefore, Senseo should consider entering the emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil. While the developed markets are threatened by saturation, the emerging markets lack branded firms that offer coffee pod machines as well as the coffee pods and capsules. References Baron, D. 2005. Business and the surrounding environment. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 13 (1), pp. 205-208. Cavusgil, S. T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J. 2008. International business. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Cavusgil, S. T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J. Yaprak, A. 2009. Conducting market research for international business. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. De Mooij, M. 2010. Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising. Thousands Oak, CA: SAGE. Dunning, J. H. Lundan, S. M. 2008. Multinational enterprises and the global economy. London, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. Economist Intelligence Unit Limited. 2009. Unlocking innovation in China: An economist intelligence unit report. Available at:Â  http://www.finfacts.ie/biz10/EIU-Innovation_China-Cisco.pdf . Fedorova, E. Vaihekoski, M. 2009. Global and local Sources of risk in eastern European emerging stock markets. Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol.59 (1), pp.1-19. Harrison, J. S. John, C. H. 2009. Foundations in Strategic Man agement. Florence, KY: Cengage Learning. Hitt, M., Ireland, D., Hoskisson, R. 2011.Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization Concepts. Mason: South Western Cengage Learning. Hollensen S. 2010. Global Marketing: A decision oriented approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Johnson, G., Scholes, K. Whittington, R. 2008. Exploring corporate strategy: Text cases. New York: FT/Financial Times. Spence, M., Kale, S. 2011. Optimizing the internal value chain: Principles and practices. Journal of Management Organization, Vol. 14 (2), pp. 193-206. Tsui, A., Lau, C. 2002. The management of enterprises on the People’s Republic of China. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers Group. Varga, M. 2010. Analyzing the Australian fashion industry according to Porter’s five forces. New York, NY: GRIN Verlag. Wallace, P. D. 2001. Encyclopedia of Ecommerce. New Delhi, India: Sarup Sons. This case study on Senseo: Creating Competitiveness through an International Alliance was written and submitted by user Abrielle Anthony to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Anonymity

The quality or state of being unknown or unacknowledged is called Anonymity. In her passage â€Å"The Anonymous Voice†, Esther Dyson talks about anonymity, its benefits and misuses. Esther Dyson earned her degree in economics from Harvard and then began her career as a fact checker and then a reporter for Forbes, a business magazine. The main idea of this passage is to explain why people adopt anonymity. Esther Dyson begins her article with her own anonymous role in life, and then talks more about anonymity in practice, problems with anonymity, her experience at the WELL, and true life experiments. In today’s world most of the people have second identity. Anonymity is in practice since decades. People send messages via blank calls and unsigned letters. Often a person has to play many roles in her life, in some cases she wants to be anonymous. Why? It is not necessary that anonymity is only for bad reasons, but there are also some legitimate reasons for which anonym ity is good. â€Å"Socially, anonymity is a useful mechanism for people to let off steam, explore ideas of fantasies, and hide from social disapproval with a minimum of consequences† (115). There are always two sides of the coin: the head and the tail. Some people use anonymity to avoid everyday responsibilities and challenges, to take advantages of others’ weaknesses, to betray their confidences, to misuse a totally open world, and to know others’ secrets. Esther Dyson is not on either side of anonymity. Although she is more towards the bad side of anonymity, she also had anonymous role in her own life. She says that anonymity is not a totally bad thing as long as one doesn’t misuse it. From the experience at the WELL, Dyson tries to show that how anonymity can be good or bad. On the positive side, people formed a tight little community, full of friendship and gossip, with deep friendships, and a few romances, some shared secrets and many more. On the oth... Free Essays on Anonymity Free Essays on Anonymity The quality or state of being unknown or unacknowledged is called Anonymity. In her passage â€Å"The Anonymous Voice†, Esther Dyson talks about anonymity, its benefits and misuses. Esther Dyson earned her degree in economics from Harvard and then began her career as a fact checker and then a reporter for Forbes, a business magazine. The main idea of this passage is to explain why people adopt anonymity. Esther Dyson begins her article with her own anonymous role in life, and then talks more about anonymity in practice, problems with anonymity, her experience at the WELL, and true life experiments. In today’s world most of the people have second identity. Anonymity is in practice since decades. People send messages via blank calls and unsigned letters. Often a person has to play many roles in her life, in some cases she wants to be anonymous. Why? It is not necessary that anonymity is only for bad reasons, but there are also some legitimate reasons for which anonym ity is good. â€Å"Socially, anonymity is a useful mechanism for people to let off steam, explore ideas of fantasies, and hide from social disapproval with a minimum of consequences† (115). There are always two sides of the coin: the head and the tail. Some people use anonymity to avoid everyday responsibilities and challenges, to take advantages of others’ weaknesses, to betray their confidences, to misuse a totally open world, and to know others’ secrets. Esther Dyson is not on either side of anonymity. Although she is more towards the bad side of anonymity, she also had anonymous role in her own life. She says that anonymity is not a totally bad thing as long as one doesn’t misuse it. From the experience at the WELL, Dyson tries to show that how anonymity can be good or bad. On the positive side, people formed a tight little community, full of friendship and gossip, with deep friendships, and a few romances, some shared secrets and many more. On the oth...

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What are the major arguments for both the advantages and disadvantages of(1) division of powers and checks and balances and (2) federalism - Essay Example ecutive branch had the complete power of the United States vested in its care then a significant amount of individuals could potentially feel alienated or oppressed by the decision-making (Joe). Similarly, the short time period of congressional representatives, and the life period of judicial representatives allows for differing perspectives to be thrown into the political mix. Still theorists recognize that there are many disadvantages. The United States operates under what has been termed Federalism. One of the primary tenants of Federalism is that there is a national government, but states that fall within the auspices of this governmental structure. There is then a further division of powers between the states and the national government. Just as with the branches of government, the checks and balances between state and national powers guard against corruption and allow for multiple perspectives. Still, the disadvantages with both the divisions of the branches and Federalism are that they create layers of bureaucratic government structure. These added layers hinder the quick passage of laws that could directly contribute to the betterment of society (Rice). Joe, Chris. "Drawbacks of Checks and Balances." . N.p., 2011. Web. 26 Mar 2012.

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

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Walden by Thoreau, a Satirical criticism Essay Example for Free

Walden by Thoreau, a Satirical criticism Essay Walter Harding is most accurate when he said you could read Walden as a satirical criticism of modern life and living. Another way of saying this would be that Thoreau writes in a way that he is criticizing the way modern people are living. In fact, he believes, that we could be living in a different way, which would ideally be a more nature-oriented and simplistic form of living. In other words, Thoreau thinks the best way to live is to abandon all materialistic things and live in nature. His reasoning leads to the conclusion that you can be closer to the universal soul and fulfill more of a spiritual life. So, in this sense, we can look at the book in a way that Thoreau seems to criticize the civilization. One thing we can be sure about is that whenever Thoreau speaks of the positive points of living in nature, he is in some way criticizing nature because he claims he his nature has a better method of functioning. Although he does not insist that people remove to nature, he encourages people to do so because he believes thats the best way for them to learn about themselves and the world. One of the lessons he learns involves some criticism on modern society and possessions. An example that Thoreau brings up involves how farmers are chained to their farms as much as a person would be to jail. This can be explained by saying if you work to own things, you will restrict your freedom because you need to work to be able to own things. If you work to gain materialistic things, then you will not be able to gain personal freedom because you consume so much time with it. Thoreaus solution is that you have to realize what you need and what you want. Once you do this, then you are able to work less and work for only the necessary things. Since he is making this suggestion, he is also putting down the way society works. Secondly, Thoreau thinks the modern society has too much excess and should be simpler. A good quote to support this statement would be that he says, Most of the luxuries and many of the so called comforts of life are not only dispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. Basically he is saying that the more comfortable we get, the lazier we become,  therefore slowing down the growth and development of society. This is easily stated in the first chapter of Walden. Another example of Thoreaus criticism of the society is about how we do not simplify, like we should, because our life (society), Is frittered away with detail. Things we can simplify even include the four basic necessities. For instance, clothing isnt important, it is the man behind the clothing. Shelter is important for withstanding the weather, but good shelter doesnt take more than a few days or weeks to create. Thoreau is saying that society lives materialistic lives of excess and in the end it is better off that you arent that way. Lastly, Thoreau believes that we do not spend enough time in solitude. Solitude, to Thoreau is a person that accompanies him. In his opinion, solitude does him more good than any other company. When with solitude, he can think more clearly and deeper to learn more about himself. He believes living in nature is preferable to living in a town. Thoreau is criticizing modern living because he says we have too much work and things to think about and flood our minds with. We arent spending enough time in solitude, and we should be. We are given these four basic needs (food, fuel, clothing, and shelter) but we do not pay enough attention to simplifying our lives down to these necessities. Moreover, Thoreau feels strongly on the importance of time for solitude, so if we arent following that plan, then we arent experiencing what Thoreau thinks is essential to being complete. In conclusion, I believe that Thoreau is criticizing the modern society in many ways, which have been proven to you. Thoreau always has the words must and need in his lectures, and this must obviously mean that he is implying we are lacking something (which to him is contact with nature and spirit). If he says we as modern society are lacking something, then it is a criticism. I must also let you know that the examples I provided were chosen out of many possible ones, so there is always more evidence to prove that Thoreaus purpose was to criticize. Also Thoreau is very justified in his points, and it is easy to understand these ideas that he gives. Society is getting lazier and considering this literature lets us take a step back and look at where we are headed in this world.

Same-Sex and Cross-Sex Friendships

Same-Sex and Cross-Sex Friendships Friends. How many of us have them? Friends. Ones that we can depend on. This question about friendships was asked in the 1984 song Friends by Whodini. Humans have the need for social interaction and one of the ways that human beings fill this need is by forming friendships. From an early age, we form bonds with our peers. Initially these bonds start as surface friendships in childhood and as people grow older, the friendships they have take on a more profound meaning. Many different kinds of friendships can be found depicted in the media. From television shows like Friends, Girlfriends, and Seinfeld to movies that depict the ups and downs of friendships. People typically have more same-sex than cross-sex friendships (Booth Hess 1974; Ross, 1985). In this paper, I will discuss the differences and similarities of female-female and male-male friendships and use examples from two movies to show how the values and characteristics of these friendships differ and are alike. I will also be discussing cross-sex friendships (CSFs). There hasnt been as much research or theory on cross-sex friendships because for a long time, theorists and researchers viewed cross-sex friendships as potential romantic relationships (Bleske-Recheck Buss, 2001). This view has changed and there is now emerging research and study of difficulties and advantage of having and maintaining cross-sex friendships. I will also be discussing a movie that demonstrates the positive and negative features of cross-sex friendships. Male-Male Friendships Although there has been a rising popularity of depicting bromances (a term used to describe close male friendships) in the media, Traustadottir found that research has found that males have significantly fewer friends than women, especially close friendships or best friends. (2008 p.1) There are three main barriers that have been attributed to the lack of close friendships in men; competition between men, traditional masculine stereotypes about real men, and fear of homosexuality (Fasteau, 1991; McGill, 1985; Miller, 1983). The movie The Wood, is about three male friends from Inglewood, California who have grown apart and reunite back in their hometown during one of their weddings. The movie shows present-day and also flashback scenes to their childhood to show how their friendship developed. One of the flash-back scenes gives an example of the three barriers attributed to lack of closeness. The three main characters; Mike, Roland, and Slim in a pizza parlor discussing how their luck with the women is going during their junior year of high school. All three are talking about their frustration at still being virgins as sophomores (traditional masculine stereotypes), they begin to argue about who will lose their virginity first (fear of homosexuality) and decide to make it a competition by making a pot. Every week, they add a dollar to the pot and whoever loses their virginity first will receive the money (competition). Male friendships tend to emphasize activities and companionship and expressions of closeness felt between friends comes in the form of friendly teasing. Although male friendships are formed and maintained in ways that differ from female friendships, there are still some similarities that can be seen. Male friendships provide a release of stress and reduce depression in the same manner that women friendships do. Female-Female Friendships The differences in female friendships and male friendships is not in what is strived for in their close relationships i.e. intimacy, empathy, and trust; but in the means in which their friendship goals are accomplished. Women are naturally more apt to show emotions and this translates into the friendships they form as well. Traustadottir (2009) examination of female friendships found: Women typically describe their friendships in terms of closeness and emotional attachment. What characterizes friendships between women is the willingness to share important feelings, thoughts, experiences, and support. Women devote a good deal of time and intensity of involvement to friends. (p.1) Women are more open with affection and more likely to sincerely complimenting each other. While men use communication to accomplish things, communication is seen as a way to build and maintain intimacy and closeness in female friendships. This is why women are more likely to discuss personal thoughts, feelings, and problems with their friends (Greif 2009). In a survey done by Greif (2009) 71% of women stated that being understood (communication, sharing, caring, not being judged, and receiving feedback) to describe what friendship means. Only 51% of men surveyed answered the same. Demonstrating friendships with concrete acts (example. helping move, giving loan) was a choice that men responded to in the survey was not shown on the womens responses. In the movie, Waiting To Exhale, it depicts four female friends providing support and advice to each other through their dealing with men, families, and careers. This movie shows how female relationships are built on communication and emotional intimacy. Cross-Sex Friendships Because male and female same-sex friendships have different characteristic, it has been speculated that men and women cannot become and maintain strictly platonic friendships. Although much more difficult, successful cross-sex relationships are possible. There are at least four unique challenges facing individuals in cross-sex relationships: defining the relationship, managing sexual attraction, establishing equality, and managing interference of others (OMeara, 1989). The movie Brown Sugar is the story of two friends Dre and Sidney that met as children and have maintained their cross-sex friendship throughout their adulthood. In the movie, Dre starts dating a woman and they become engaged. This sparks questions and thoughts about Sidney and Dres own friendship and if there was any romantic feelings between them. One scene in the movie after Dre has become engaged, shows Sidney prepping and beautifying herself when Dre calls to say hes coming to visit. As she looks at herself in the mirror and fixes her hair and make-up, she pauses and asks herself What am I doing? Its just him. This scene shows how managing sexual attraction and clearly defining the relationship are concerns that come up even in long-term cross-sex friendships. Although difficult, there are benefits from cross-sex friendships that cannot be seen in same-sex friendships. Those benefits include, an increase of the understanding about beliefs and values of the other sex (Canary, Emmers-Sommers, Faulkner, 1997), verifying out attractiveness to the other sex (Rubin, 1985), protection, short-term sexual opportunities, self-expression, and intimacy (Bleske-Rechek and Buss 2000). Conclusion Developing and maintaining friendships is key in developing interpersonal skills. Although some friendships may be more easy to maintain than others, there are benefits to all types friendships and they are attainable if the parties involved value the relationship enough to put in the hard work and effort. References Alison P. LentonLaura Webber. (2006). Cross-sex Friendships: Who has More? Sex Roles, 54(11-12), 809-820. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from Psychology Module. (Document ID: 1175830101). Diane H Felmlee. (1999). Social norms in same- and cross-gender friendships. Social Psychology Quarterly, 62(1), 53-67. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from Research Library Core. (Document ID: 40396565). Greif, G. L. (2009). Buddy system: understanding  male friendships. New york: Oxford Universtiy Press. Matthijs Kalmijn. (2002). Sex Segregation of Friendship Networks. Individual and Structural Determinants of Having Cross-Sex Friends. European Sociological Review, 18(1), 101. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from Social Science Module. (Document ID: 323673221). Traustadottir, R. (2008, April). Gender patterns in friendships. Retrieved from http://thechp.syr.edu/genpat.htm

How to Throw a Party Without Getting Caught By Parents?

Then, he wonders how e will ever keep it a secret from his parents. His life will be over if his parents find out and he will be grounded until he Is married. Luckily for him, he Just has to follow numerous steps In order to not receive a miserable punishment from his parents. He will conquer his high school dream of becoming a part of the popular crowd and earn respect from his peers all while acting Like the perfect child towards his mother and father. As he learned in high school English class, research must be done before writing a huge research paper.He must first see when his parents and siblings will be out of own for more than a couple of hours in order to throw the party. He should do this by tip-toeing down to the kitchen, looking at the family calendar, and finding a day where the house will be completely empty and useable. He absolutely cannot ask his parents directly when they will be gone or the entire plan Is ruined and suspicion will fill his parents' heads. If his pa rents planned for a family vacation for the weekend, he can simply play sick and contract a viral disease that will inhibit him from going on the family trip.With this terrible Illness, the family will have to leave him at home while they go on to their vacation. After all, he Is a high school boy and can take care of himself. If the whole family decides to stay home and â€Å"take care† of their beloved son, then he must magically hop out of bed, claim to be well again, and go on the trip. There will be another available time slot to have a house party. Once he finds a time where the family is gone for the day or night, he can begin to plan the party.If the parents decide to ask their neighbor or grandparents to check in on him, he should avoid this by telling the â€Å"watcher† that he does not want to get them sick and will send periodic pictures of what he is doing throughout the night. He will of course cake pictures alone in a room doing homework, reading, or lis tening to music while the rest of the party Is In another room. He must first find a close group of friends that will evaluate the student population and figure out who to invite. These friends must be trustworthy and not have parents who are friendly with the host's parents.If a parent of one of his friends calls the host's mom, the entire plan could be ruined If the friend's mom says her son was at a party at their house. Once a group is formed, speak of the party to anyone but his close group of friends until he is 100% certain of the time and day of the party. He should wait till the day of the party to invite people. This should be done through Backbone. He should create an invite on Backbone and make the invite private which means only people he invited can see it.If he tells his peers a week before the party, talk could go around school, get whispered to parents, and get told to his mom and dad. The planning behind the party is key. Once the day of the party comes, he must th ink about every possible situation that could occur and safe proof the house. He must remove any objects that are sentimental to his parents, things that are easily broken, and valuables of any kind in moms where the teenagers will be occupying. Before doing so, he should take a picture of each room so that he can put back all objects into the correct spot.If his parents noticed a picture or lamp was moved to the other side of the room, they may become suspicious and ask questions. He must lock doors to rooms he does not want anyone in such as the parents room or the father's office. If a teenager were to get into these rooms while unlocked, things could be moved around or stolen without the host even noticing. If the parents came home and saw a disruption in their bedroom r office, he would be punished immediately due to suspicion.The fewer the rooms that teenagers are allowed to go in to, the easier clean up will be. If there is illegal activity going on at the party such as under age drinking, the bathroom can be a common living area for party goers. There should be an excessive amount of toilet paper, paper towels, plungers, trash bags, and air fresheners in the bathrooms. With these available necessities, hopefully his guests will have chances to clean up after themselves. In order to minimize visibility to neighbors, he should drape or tape blankets and towels over the windows.This way, neighbors will not see any suspicious activity and call up his parents.. If his parents are coming home at one in the afternoon the following day, he should set three alarms in order to wake up four hours before his parents arrive. Once he does all these things, the party can begin and guests can arrive, but with caution. To lessen suspicion amongst neighbors, all guests should carpool with as many people as possible and park a block away from the house or scatter their cars throughout the neighborhood.This way, there will not be a line of cars in front of the house that i s supposedly vacant. Once the guests enter the house, he should pump up the music to an appropriate level and peruse the party making sure all guests are having a great time. After each guest enters the house, he must lock the door immediately after. This way no uninvited teenagers can come in the party. Also, if a guest leaves the door open without the host knowing, the neighbors might catch a glimpse of the activity going on in the house and call the parents.Once he does this, he can enjoy himself at the party. He should monitor the rooms people are allowed in and clean up food, cups, or any trash left behind. If he does this, the cleanup will be easier the next day and trash will not accumulate under sofas or tables. He should make sure guests are all feeling well and having a good time. While doing these steps, he will also be meeting numerous friends and becoming the most popular guy in Tree Hill High School. Once the host becomes tired, he should tell all guests to leave and t ravel home safely.Before he falls asleep, he should call his parents to and say goodnight. They will not be suspicious of their son's activities. After he says his goodbyes, he should clean up as much as he can. The clean-up process cannot be put aside and done five minutes before the parents come home. If he misses a single alarm and does not have time to clean up, the house will not be in perfect condition and his mom and dad will know he threw a raging house party. That is why he set three alarms to ensure this does not happen.After all three alarms wake him up; he must start with loading trash bags with bottles, cans, cups, boxes, or any large trash items. Because he woke up so early, he can have enough time to take these trash bags to a public dumping site so that his parents do not wonder why there are numerous trash bags for one person. He must look outside the window and make sure his guests did not dump their trash on his rent lawn. Once this is done, he should then move on to general clean-up such as mopping, sweeping, and putting back all the objects he originally took away.He must grab his camera, look at the pre-party pictures and make sure all heirlooms, pictures, and valuables are in their precise starting position. He should then unlock all the original rooms he blocked off. The host should do a scan of the house and make sure there are no holes in the walls or stains on the floors. If so, he should have enough time to figure out a solution. If there is a hole in the wall, he can cover it up with mouthing such as a chair and then casually admit that he caused the hole at a later time in the week when playing football in the house by himself.After the clean-up is done, he should change into casual clothes, plop on the couch, pop in a movie, and pretend that he Just woke up and is having a relaxing day. Once his parents came home, they will suspect no party occurred in the house and see that they have the best son in the world. As long as he foll ows every necessary step, he will throw the biggest, most raging house party to ever occur in his small town without his parents ever finding out.

Elements of Marketing Essay

There are several views and definition of marketing. The most widely accepted definition is that of the American Marketing Association, the professional organization for marketing practitioners and educators, which defines marketing as â€Å"the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives† Elements of Marketing Marketing Research Marketing is by definition a process of planning and executing to meet consumer needs. It understands what are actual consumer wants and needs. Marketing research is the process in which collection of data by systematically helps to identify consumer’s needs. The Four Ps The heart of marketing strategy is the development of a response to market palace. Marketing by definition explains the concept of execution, pricing, promotion and right placement of goods, ideas and services. To respond to customers, a good organization develop product according to willingness of its purchaser, identify appropriate place for availability and finally and promote its product to create familiarity in its customers mind. Product, Price, Place and promotions are four Ps of marketing which are use many organizations to define its marketing strategy. Product: Product represents goods, services, or ideas offered by a firm. Price: Price focuses on what customers are willing to pay for services. What price actually suits to consumer to buy goods? A company provides good or services and a customer willing to exchange dollars to satisfy its needs. Place: Place represents the way or specific area in which company will distribute its goods or provide services to its customers. This decision company takes after careful and effective marketing research. Promotion: The final P represents promotion. Historically it is renowned with advertisement which is mean marketing. Promotions activities involve creating awareness in consumers mind to understand how they can meet their needs. Second approach is to define STP’s STP (segmentation, Targeting, Positioning) Segmentation: It is Process of dividing the market according to similarities that exist among the various subgroups within the market. The similarities may be common characteristics or common needs and desires. One of the main reasons for using market segmentation is to help companies to better understand the needs of a specific customer base. Mass marketing assumes that all customers are the same and will respond to the same advertising. By looking at ways in which potential customer groups are different from each other, the marketing message can be better targeted to the needs and wants of those people. Market segmentation strategies that meet these criteria can cover wide range of consumer characteristics. Subsets may be defined by basic demographics like age, race, or gender, for example. Other qualities, like educational background or income can also be used, as can location. Some of the potentially most powerful variables by which to segment a market are behavioral ones, including social class, lifestyle, and interests.

The Transportation System of Hong Kong and Sydney †Compare and Contrast Essay

The Transportation System of Hong Kong and Sydney – Compare and Contrast Essay Free Online Research Papers The Transportation System of Hong Kong and Sydney Compare and Contrast Essay Transport system is important to every modern city. A good transport system can bring convenience to everybody. On the surface at least, every city should have similar transport system. However, due to different factors and environment, there are differences between transport systems in different places. For example, Hong Kong and Sydney, both are famous modern city. Railway system is one of the most important parts in a good transport system. Railway makes transportation more efficient and easier. In Sydney, the City Rail is the main railway which brings people from north to south. Just because Sydney is so big that it takes a long time to travel every stop during the journey, in order to save time and make it more efficiency, the trains are divided into three types: â€Å"All Stops†, â€Å"Limited Stops† and â€Å"Express†. â€Å"All Stops† trains take people to every stop while â€Å"Limited Stops† and â€Å"Express† save time by not stopping at each station. On the other hand, Hong Kong is much smaller compared to Sydney. The main railway in Hong Kong is the Mass Transits Railway (MTR). Similarly, the MTR also makes transportation more efficient and easier to travel. The network of MTR nearly covers all the area of Hong Kong and Kowloon and south part of the New Territories. The MTR is fast, comforta ble and convenient railway in Hong Kong, just like the City Rail in Sydney. However, because Hong Kong is so small, it doesn’t take a long time to travel from one place to another. Therefore, the MTR can stop at every station it travelled through without a long time (probably less than an hour) to travel from the east to the west. Bus is also an important public transport in everywhere. In Sydney, the area is so big that it has to be several bus systems. For example, the Sydney Buses, which is the largest bus company in Sydney, travels many suburbs in Sydney, still not all. Sydney Buses provides regular bus services between the major interchanges of Sydney CBD, Wynyard, Circular Quay, Townhall, Central, North Sydney, St Leonards, Lane Cove, Epping, Macquarie Centre, Chatswood, Manly, Northern beaches, Burwood, Parramatta, Rockdale, Maroubra, Bondi Junction, Bondi Beach, Sydney Airport and many more.(Sydney Buses) The remaining parts have their own bus system to assist the transportation there. If someone is going to travel from one suburb to another suburb which is far away and if the Sydney Buses do not travel the destination, he/she has to travel by train. This makes the bus system in Sydney not as good as in Hong Kong. Compare to Sydney, Hong Kong has a much simpler bus system. There are just 3 bus companies in Hong Kong but they share the same system in Hong Kong. The routes are more or less the same. They all travel to every part in Hong Kong, even the parts that MTR does not cover. As mentioned above, Sydney is much larger than Hong Kong, it is better to have a car to travel. In Hong Kong, the roads are narrow but it is full-filled with buses, taxis, mini-buses, and private cars, which makes serious traffic jams everyday at the busy times. However in Sydney, the roads are much wider and there are fewer cars on the roads which make the traffic very thoroughly. There are also some differences and similarities in other transportations in Sydney and Hong Kong. An Example like the tram in Hong Kong, which is similar to the light rail in Sydney, both travels in a short distance and small area. There are mini bus in Hong Kong, which is like the bus in Hong Kong, while Sydney don’t have. In conclusion, even though there are similarities between the transport system in Hong Kong and Sydney, there are still some differences for example like the bus systems. The transport system in the two cites varies from each other due to different factors and environment. But it is sure that both of the systems bring efficient and convenience to each of them. Reference List: Sydney Buses: www.sydneybuses.info Research Papers on The Transportation System of Hong Kong and Sydney - Compare and Contrast EssayBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionLifes What IfsMind TravelNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office System19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital Punishment

Holocaust Records Archive Unveiled

Holocaust Records Archive Unveiled After 60 years of being hidden away from the public, Nazi records about the 17.5 million people - Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, mental patients, handicapped, political prisoners and other undesirables - they persecuted during the regimes 12 years in power will be open to the public. What is the ITS Bad Arolsen Holocaust Archive? The ITS Holocaust Archive in Bad Arolsen, Germany contains the fullest records of Nazi persecutions in existence.  The archives contain 50 million pages, housed in thousands of filing cabinets in six buildings. Overall, there are 16 miles of shelves holding information about the victims of the Nazis. The documents - scraps of paper, transport lists, registration books, labor documents, medical records, and finally death registers - record the arrest, transportation, and extermination of the victims. In some case, even the amount and size of the lice found on the prisoners’ heads were recorded.This archive contains the famous Schindler’s List, with the names of 1,000 prisoners saved by factory owner Oskar Schindler who told the Nazis he needed the prisoners to work in his factory.Records of Anne Frank’s journey from Amsterdam to Bergen-Belsen, where she died at the age of 15, can also be found among the millions of documents in this archive.The Mauthausen concentration camp’s â€Å"Totenbuch,† or Death Book, records in meticulous handwriting how, on April 20, 1942, a prisoner was shot in the back of the head every two minutes for 90 hours. The Mauthausen camp commandant ordered these executions as a birthday present for Hitler.Toward the end of the war, when the Germans were struggling, the record keeping was not able to keep up with the extermination. And unknown numbers of prisoners were marched directly from trains to gas chambers in places like Auschwitz without being registered. How were the archives created? As the Allies conquered Germany and entered the Nazi concentration camps beginning in the spring of 1945, they found detailed records that had been kept by the Nazis. The documents were taken to the German town of Bad Arolsen, where they were sorted, filed, and locked way. In 1955, the International Tracing Service (ITS), an arm of the International Committee of the Red Cross, was put in charge of the archives. Why were the records closed to the public? An agreement signed in 1955 stated that no data that could harm the former Nazi victims or their families should be published. Thus, the ITS kept the files closed to the public because of concerns about the victims privacy. Information was doled out in minimal amounts to survivors or their descendants.This policy generated much ill-feeling among Holocaust survivors and researchers. In response to pressure from these groups, the ITS commission declared itself in favor of opening up the records in 1998 and began scanning the documents into digital form in 1999.Germany, however, opposed amending the original convention to allow for public access to the records. German opposition, which was based on possible misuse of information, became the main barrier to opening the Holocaust archives to the public.Yet until now Germany resisted the opening, on the grounds that the records involve private information about individuals that could be misused. Why are the records now being made available? In May 2006, following years of pressure from the United States and survivors groups, Germany changed its viewpoint and agreed to a fast revision of the original agreement.Brigitte Zypries, the German justice minister at the time, announced this decision while in Washington for a meeting with Sara J. Bloomfield, the director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.Zypries said, Our point of view is that the protection of privacy rights has reached by now a standard high enough to ensure ... the protection of privacy of those concerned. Why are the records important? The immensity of information in the archives will provide Holocaust researchers with work for generations. Holocaust scholars have already started to revise their estimates of the number of camps run by the Nazis according to new information being found. And the archives present a formidable obstacle to Holocaust deniers.In addition, with the youngest survivors very swiftly dying each year, time is running out for survivors to learn about their loved ones. Today survivors fear that after they die, no one will remember the names of their family members who were killed in the Holocaust. The archives need to be accessible while there are still survivors alive who have the knowledge and drive to access it.The opening of the archives means that survivors and their descendents can finally find information about the loved ones they lost, and this may bring them some well-deserved closure before the end of their lives.

Comparison between sudden fiction story The Country Where Nobody Ever Essay

Comparison between sudden fiction story The Country Where Nobody Ever Grew Old and Died by William Maxwell and the Garden of Eden from the Bible - Essay Example He/she claims that the story is in the Leipzig edition of the book; however, Beckford’s book does not have any reference to the case that told in the story. The major theme of the story, as its title also implied, is the question of immortality/temporality. In that sense, the story reminds â€Å"Garden of Eden† in the Bible. The aim of this paper is to compare how the theme of immortality/ temporality is interwoven into the fabrics of both stories. Firstly, a brief account on the theme of immortality in the â€Å"Garden of Eden† story will be given. Then, the stories’ differences in regard to the theme will be discussed. Before proceeding to the comparison, the question of immortality raised by the â€Å"Garden of Eden† story must be discussed. The question of what death is and whether Adam was made mortal holds a crucial place in biblical studies. The question of mortality/immortality is significant in a sense that it puts the authority of God in question while raising a suspicion that whether the snake was right. In Genesis 2: 15-17, God makes an arrangement with Adam and tells him that he will die if he eats of the tree of the knowledge: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying â€Å"You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, â€Å"but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.† It is very clear from the above passage that if they disobey God’s command, they will be punished by death sentence. On the other hand, when the serpent and Eve converse (3:1b-5), the serpent says to the woman â€Å"You will not surely die† and contradicts God’s commandment of â€Å"You shall surely die†. However, although they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they did not die and God pronounces a different sentence in 3:14-19. The discrepancy between the

Common Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Common Law - Essay Example The existence of a contract is not dependent upon it in being writing thus a contract can be existent if it oral or informal (Atiyah, 2006). The important decision in respect of contract can be said to be Smith v Hughes , wherein the courts laid down the subjective as well as the objective test was laid down so as to determine whether a contract was existent or not. The subjective test deals with the intention of the parties to the contract whereas the objective test looks into what was said by the parties and the intention of such things done (Peel, 2007). As far as an offer is concerned it is defined as willingness by one party who is called an offeror so as to bind itself on stated subject to acceptance by the other party who is known as the offeree. In respect of invitation to treat it has been defined as an inducement to the other to enter into negotiations and have a definite offer at the end thus an invitation to treat can be said to be a party’s readiness to start negotiations thus it cannot be said to be unequivocal thereby not having the intention that is required for an offer.. The main cases that differentiated between an offern and invitation to treat are Gibson v Manchester City Council and Storer v Manchester City Council . In Gibson the courts found an invitation to treat by looking into the correspondence between the parties and because of the fact that the price was left blank. However, in Storer the courts held that there was a contract which existed and the parties had moved beyond negotiations (Mackendrick, 2009). In respect of display of goods in shop the criterion laid down by the courts is that such display is held to be an invitation to treat (Fisher v Bell)4. However, there have been cases where the courts have found display of goods to constitute as an offer but this was due to the different nature of the case (Chapleton v Barry)5. It has been held that the use of word offer would not make the case an offer and thus the criterion needs to be established (Furmston et al, 2007). As far as posts are concerned there is a special rule that had been laid down in the case of Adams v Lindsell6, wherein it was stated valid acceptance takes place where a letter is validly posted The next step after an offer is that of acceptance the requirement which is an unequivocal and unconditional acceptance by the offeree of the terms and conditions of the offeror (Holwell