How to distinguish the business from the competition Essay

How to distinguish the business from the competition - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that when establishing a business, one has to consider short and long-term goals of the business concerned. To achieve the goals, critical analysis of the industry, should be determined. The analysis will aid in establishing competitor's weaknesses. Analysis of the competitors through daily subscription of their newsletters and approaching them as their customer help understand what they offer. It will also help to analyze the level of customer services offered. In addition, it is important to outshine the competition after analysis of the competitors. Creating a more user-friendly website is of great advantage to the business. Securing exclusive contracts with the business clients is substantial while outbidding the competitors. Through limiting competitor’s market appeal, it is possible to expand the business. The business goal is to offer efficient and effective products or services as from the beginning to enable customers to ide ntify the quality and integrity of the company. It is important to consider customer service by having a focused team. Resourcefulness and effectiveness of customer service aid in setting the business venture apart at the outset. The company should target at creating a shopping experience that is best for customers and should not compromise on the employee’s quality. It is important to address business strategies and priorities since it facilitates monetary growth.

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay Example for Free

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay In this essay, I aim to explore the term ‘McDonaldization’ dubbed by esteemed Sociologist and University of Maryland Professor, George Ritzer, to correlate his findings with those of the English Sociologist Les Back and then ultimately examine the effect both Globally and Locally. Ritzer’s concepts are fundamentally built around the theories of Max Weber, a German Sociologist who first established the idea of ‘Rationalization’. More specifically, four headings were used to define this shift in the organizational structure of society: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability and Control of new technologies increasing the productivity of the modern world. I will explore the relevance of these headings later in this essay. Weber maintained it was bureaucratization that contributes to this advance in achieving the â€Å"optimum means to ends† (Ritzer, 2008, 25). The bureaucracy as Weber defines it seems to be the prototype for flawless corporate functionality. â€Å"A bureaucracy is a large-scale organization composed of a hierarchy of offices. In these offices, people have certain responsibilities and must act in accordance with rules, written regulations, and means of compulsion exercised by those who occupy higher-level positions† With an operating structure as tightly knit as described above, it is no surprise that the paradigm of formal rationality according to Ritzer, McDonalds, is one of the most envied business models in the world. 50 million customers a day will find restaurants in 118 nations (Ritzer, 2008, 3). Thousands of businesses strive to emulate their successful rational framework yet fail to conquer, such as the fast-food giants, MacDonald’s. Franchising at an unbelievable rate, McDonalds profits are being maximized year after year as it expands worldwide. A British author Martin Plimmer captures the mastery of their expansion â€Å"There are McDonalds everywhere. There’s one near you, and there’s one being built right now even nearer to you† (Ritzer, 2008, 2). It is on the basis of this exorable power and infectious growth that Ritzer lays his ‘McDonaldization’ theory. â€Å"The process by which the principals of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world†. Ritzer, 2008, 1). Another aspect to this notable commercial structure is McDonaldization’s propensity to de-humanize. Teamed with bureaucratization, McDonaldization has the leverage to spread to modern society on a whole. Fears that people will be consumed by such a heavy emphasis on the rational and technical benefits of practicality and efficiency, destroying the human spirit and reducing them to nothing more then â€Å"a small cog in a ceaselessly moving mechanism† (Macionis and Plummer, 2005:143) as rational globalization expands. Sociologist Les Back puts forward the positive and negative influences of the flourishing technological network on globalisation in his monograph ‘Local/Global’. The concept of a global village; the idea that through new technologies and new converging forms of economy and political state that the world is shrinking and diminishing the importance of peoples differences (Back, 1998, 77) is one that can be both greatly agreed upon or just as easily denied, in my opinion. Firstly, It cannot be argued that one of McDonald’s keys to it’s worldly success was it’s overt American-style image, which many people outside the United States Of America hankered after. The book ‘Golden Arches East’ by James L. Watson describes vividly McDonalds highly anticipated entry into East Asia â€Å"Prior to McDonalds opening in Beijing, the company’s name was already popular among trendy consumers and it was only natural that, when the first restaurant was opened in Beijing in April 1994, thousands lined up for the experience. † (Watson, 1997, 48). Not only did this fascination generate billions of capital for McDonalds (and other fast-food diners such as KFC, Pizza hut etc. ) steering revenue away from Asia’s own food industries but sociologically speaking, the influx of American-Style escapism in which the people of Asia were immersing themselves in spawned a question of multinationals refusal to localize. Are Hamburgers on the Champs-Elysees or Chicken Nuggets by the Grand Canyon really necessary or is it just corporate extremism exercising their capability to the nth degree? Somehow I’m not convinced it is a case that McDonalds cuisine is so delicious that we physically need to have it within reach at all times, particularly in such countries such as France, Italy or Spain, where gastronomy is paramount to their local culture. Back’s theory on this type of globalisation seems a lot more simplistic. He argues that â€Å"globalization can go hand in hand with the commercialization of exotic local cultures† (Back, 1998, 74) but I ask to what extent is this local commercialization succeeding? Chiefly global multinationals are apparent in the rapidly developing worldwide industries, leaving little to zero space for contained business ventures to gain momentum. Although Back does recognize an effective uses of localization in advertising imagery to which these trans-national companies happily comply. â€Å"Advertisers are willing to integrate all kind of notions of difference as long as they serve their purpose† (Back, 1998, 73). A fantastic example is that of the recent McDonald’s advertising campaign, which was specifically intended for a distinctly Irish audience. Johnny Logan, a well-known Irish performer appearing to many different characters with strong colloquial Irish accents, pulls in on regional interest. Vernacular phrases such as â€Å" ye plank.. † â€Å".. sound.. †and â€Å".. free gaff.. † are used, unmistakably local and familiar to McDonalds’s Irish consumers. Back relates the decreasing size of global margins to advances in technologies, which of course is impossible to deny. Although communication overseas and intercontinental conveyance is almost taken for granted at this stage, Back reiterates the speed at which this occurs and the inter-dependence this signifies. â€Å"International flows of technology and media hardware strengthen the dependency relationship between the West and the former colonial peripheries and promote a form of cultural homogenization† `(Back, 1997, 72) In spite of the fact that many of Ritzer’s examples are American the concept of this uniformity is at the heart of his writing and falls under the four heading’s of McDonadization aforementioned. Predictability is one of the devices multinational corporations have taken under their wing in the development of a McDonaldized framework of business. Globally, these giant organizations do not start at the bottom when it comes to extending their trade name abroad and casting their image over seas. â€Å"Wal-Mart bought out 120 stores in Canada in 1994 when it purchased the Wertkauf GmbH hypermarket chain in Germany in 1997, Similarly, when Starbucks moved into the U. K. n 1998, it acquiresd the already existing Seattle Coffee Company and refitted it’s 82 stores as Starbucks outlets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Klein, 2005, 139) Specifically many coffee shops have undergone ‘Starbucksization’ to the point where any coffee shop in the western world could fail to posses a hint of originality. Insomnia, Costa Coffee and increasingly McDonalds contribution to the market McCafe, are but a few of the cafe chains that are adapting to the modern competition. In our local environment a comprehensible instance of McDonaldization would be the excessive franchising of Spar shops in Ireland, eplacing another family corner shop as it unfurls over the country. As consumers we’ve experienced the components of Weber’s ‘Rationalization’ and Ritzer’s McDonaldization in its plainest form. The efficiency of these stores is unrivalled, often containing Juice Bars, Off Licences, Delicatessens and Coffee shops, a conglomerate of effectiveness under one roof. Calculability by the selection of staff who work at each counter, pricing, weighing and recommending items for purchase. Chiefly the predictability of a Spar shop would almost be similar to what one would expect of a handful of McDonalds’, the flooring, the lighting and the layout are all but slightly in difference nationwide. Finally, these environments are controlled not only by the presence of Security guards at the entrance to many branches but they are hi-tech and forward thinking in technologies in contrast with many of there older competitors, featuring Automatic doors and self check-out services. In conclusion, both George Ritzer and Les Back have some shared views and some conflicting one’s on the matter of globalization and how it affects us directly and indirectly. Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization worked alongside many of Back’s viewpoints on technologies, in particular as regards the dimension of control. Finally, the concepts of Global and Local, I believe will be disputed not only by both Ritzer and Back as the relationship worldwide decreases in size with the introduction of further connectivity when does the benefits of this begin and cease.

Mens Rea And Actus Reus Of A Crime

Mens Rea And Actus Reus Of A Crime Two elements comprise nearly all crimes, a guilty mind (mens rea) and a guilty act (actus reus). An act does not make a man guilty of a crime, unless his mind is also guilty. It is, therefore, not the act which is guilty but respectively the man and his mind. A substantiation of an actus reus is required in every crime. Also, there is a presumption that every element of the actus reus needs proof of a consequent mens rea. Where the presumption of mens rea is not applicable, such offences are called strict liability crimes. Most crimes have the element of a mens rea. It must always be proven by the Prosecution that an unlawful conduct is committed by an accused. Furthermore, it will usually have to be proven that the accused committed with guilty mind in engaging such conduct. For instance, to ensure conviction for rape in contradiction to s.2(1), 1981 Criminal Law (Rape) Act, it must be proven by the Prosecution that the accused committed unlawful conduct (i.e., non-consensual sexual intercourse with a woman), knowing that no consent is given by the woman or being thoughtless regarding whether or not the woman was consenting (mens rea). If the guilty act (actus reus) involves the particular outcome which the criminal conduct of the accused caused, a mens rea may have to be proven by the Prosecution as well with regard to the particular outcome. The actus reus, for instance, in the crime of assault producing injury in contradiction of s.3, 1997 Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, is criminal act, i.e., an assault, and a distinct outcome (i.e., injury). Intention and Mens Rea It is impossible to explore somebodys mind to determine their intentions.  [3]  The meaning of intention, in line with s.14, 1861 Offences against the Person Act, deliberated by the Court of Criminal Appeal in The People (DPP) v. Douglas and Hayes,  [4]  provides that whoever shall fire at any person with the intention to carry out murder shall be guilty of a felony, whether or not it will result to any physical harm. The Special Criminal Court convicted the applicants inter alia of an offence in contradiction of s.14 of the 1861 Act. They argued successfully that the requisite intent under s.14 had not been proven. The courts judgment was conveyed by McWilliam J, stating that unless intent has actually been expressed by the accused, the intent of the accused can only be determined from a consideration of his actions and the surrounding circumstances. What the accused intend or did not intend, only he can know such. Apparently, if the accused expressed the intention to do a thing and carried on to accomplish that intention, proving that the accused acted with intent will be reasonably simple. Conversely, lacking such an expression, intention is harder to prove and other statements expressed by the accused must be considered by a jury or judge as well as the actions of the accused and the circumstances surrounding the case in coming to a decision whether intention is to be inferred or not. Omissions Liability and Actus Reus Precisely what is meant by conduct is commonly referred to as an act. In criminal liability, an omission or a part thereof cannot form the actus reus of a crime as a general rule. As stated by McAuley and McCutcheon,  [5]  the common law traditionally disinclines to punish omissions and to illustrate this time honoured example, watching an infant drowning in a shallow pool by an able-bodied person does not constitute an offence. But this principle is also subject to exceptions. The accused in DPP v. Bartley  [6]  had been convicted of different sexual offences. Carney J on passing judgment commented that where a believable complaint of felony is presented to a policeman, the policeman under the Common Law has no discretion in not investigating the complaint and arrest the indentified offender. This duty if not carried out strongly constitutes on the part of the policeman an illegality and makes him liable to prosecution on indictment. Palles CB remarked in Creagh v. Gamble  [7]  that a person shall be brought to justice where a credible suspicion of a felony is present against him. The Peace Officer is entitled and duty bound as well to apprehend him. This Common Law principle still applies. This was substantiated in R. v. Dytham.  [8]   Concurrence of Mens Rea and Actus Reus If mens rea is to be proven by the Prosecution, it must moreover establish that mens rea existed at the time of the actus reus. At times whether the actus reus and mens rea concurred may not be apparent. The accused in Kaitamaki v. R.  [9]  was charged with rape. Having sexual intercourse with a woman without consent is the actus reus of rape. Knowing that it is non-consensual or whether there is consent or not by being reckless is the mens rea of rape. It was established that the woman initially consented to have sexual intercourse with the accused. In spite of the subsequent withdrawal of the womans consent, the accused persisted and did not desist from having sexual intercourse. It was contended by the accused that at the time of the actus reus (i.e., penetration), consent was present, hence, he did not have a mens rea. Lord Scarman, the Privy Council, rejected this contention by stating that the act of sexual intercourse is continuing and ends only with withdrawal. Accordingl y, the woman had the right to withdraw her consent at whatever time during sexual intercourse, even though she had initially given consent to penetration. The case of Kaitamaki v. R.  [10]  can be referred to in sustaining the proposition that an actus reus entails a continuing act, and as such, in order to ensure a conviction, the accused must be proven to have the required mens rea at some period during its continuation, although it is not essential to establish that at the outset the requisite mens rea was present with the accused.

First Impressions in Bernard Shaw’s play The Devil’s Disciple Essay

Bernard Shaw’s play â€Å"The Devil’s Disciple† is set in 1777 when the American War of British Independence was at its height. Richard Dudgeon is the main character in this production and he begins as a ‘black sheep’ in a family of self-righteous puritans. Richard has entitled himself â€Å"The Devil’s Disciple†. In the first Act of the play, Richard’s father has died and this starts the reading of his will. During this scene we get a lot of the other characters views on Richard before we meet him. It seems that almost everyone apart from Essie (Richard’s cousin). Everyone finds it hard to talk about him as if it is against the rules, e.g. Judith Anderson says to Essie, â€Å"Dick Dudgeon! Essie: do you wish to be a really respectable and grateful girl, and to make a place for yourself here by steady and good conduct?† †Then you must never mention the name of Richard Dudgeon – never think even about him. He is a bad man†. This suggests that Judith believes even thinking about Richard could mean you were becoming a bad person yourself. However, we find out later that she has never actually met Richard Dudgeon, so is only saying this from what she has heard. Whilst Mrs Dudgeon and Mr Anderson are talking at the very beginning of the scene, Mrs Dudgeon also expresses her view of Richard. She says, â€Å"Let it be a warning to him. He may end that way himself, the wicked, dissolute, godless—â€Å" This shows us that he is even hated by his own mother. From all of the views shown in the early stages of the first act about Richard, we get the impression that he is a terrible person, with no respect or cares for anyone else. Even when we meet Richard, our opinions as an audience don’t change greatly, he shows himself as quite arrogant and sarcastic. How... ... a fool. Judith: Like a hero. I think that Shaw made us change our opinion of Richard in the context of the story that he is telling because it shows us how even the ‘worst’ people among us can change, or that these people are not so bad after all, just covering up their true selves until the time is right. Anderson (whilst talking to the British soldiers) says, â€Å"Sir: it is in the hour of trial that a man finds his true profession. This foolish young man [placing his hand on Richard's shoulder] boasted himself the Devil's Disciple, but when the hour of trial came to him, he found that it was his destiny to suffer and be faithful to the death. I thought myself a decent minister of the gospel of peace, but when the hour of trial came to me, I found that it was my destiny to be a man of action and that my place was amid the thunder of the captains and the shouting.†

Food storage and preparation for babies Essay

What is your understanding of the term â€Å"Balanced diet† This term is often used in connection with healthy eating and means a diet that has sufficient nutrients in the right quantitites for children and adults. The â€Å"Eatwell plate† shows the five categories of nutrients. To be considered balanced all meals, snacks and drinks taken throughout the day, when considered as a total package must povide children with sufficient nutrients. How do you educate the children in your care about healthy eating? We don’t specifically educate the children in our care about healthy eating as we are not open all day long. However, the snacks that are available to the children are always healthy snacks such as fruit. We also encourage children to take one piece of food at a time to enable us to monitor portion control and encourage the children to stop when they feel that they have had enough. Any children who are â€Å"fussy eaters† are encouraged to sit with their friends and try things that their friends are eating. We are always on the lookout for children with food phobias or if any child never wants to have a snack so that we can speak with their parent/carer to ensure that they are able to seek further guidance if required. If we ever have food that would not be considered â€Å"healthy† such as cake, biscuits, ice-lollies, it is always very clearly stated that the children are having a special treat that day and the children are always encouraged to play an active ga me (outside if possible). Explain how to store expressed breast milk safely according to health and safety guidelines In our setting we don’t deal with young babies so don’t have to store expressed breast milk, but if we did the department of health recommends the following guidelines for storage; Up to 5 days in the main part of a fridge, at 4 degrees celcius or lower up to 2 weeks in the freezer compartment of a fridge  up to 6 months in a domestic freezer, at minus 18 degrees celcius or lower. Breast milk that has been frozen can be defrosted in the fridge. It can then be served straight from the fridge rather than warmed.

Definition of Boiling Point in Chemistry

Definition of Boiling Point in Chemistry The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the external pressure surrounding the liquid. Therefore, the boiling point of a liquid depends on atmospheric pressure. The boiling point becomes lower as the external pressure is reduced. As an example, at sea level the boiling point of water is 100  C (212  F), but at 6,600 feet the boiling point is 93.4 C (200.1  F). Boiling vs. Evaporation Boiling differs from evaporation. Evaporation is a surface phenomenon that occurs at any temperature in which molecules at the liquid edge escape as vapor because there is not enough liquid pressure on all sides to hold them. In contrast, boiling affects all molecules in the liquid, not just those on the surface. Because molecules within the liquid change to vapor, bubbles form. Types of Boiling Points ​Boiling point is also known as  saturation temperature. Sometimes boiling point is defined by the pressure at which the measurement was taken. In 1982, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC0 defined the standard boiling point as the temperature of boiling under 1 bar of pressure. The normal boiling point or atmospheric boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the pressure at sea level (1 atmosphere).