Essay --

Throughout history, sugar has been an important product due to its multiple uses as a sweetener and preservative. Countless corporations continue to switch from cane sugar to HFCS to lower cost. But is the toll it takes on American’s health worth the quick buck? C. DIVISION: - 2 Main Points – roadmap, or preview for audience of what is to come. 1. First I would like to give a brief description of what HFCS is, what makes them different from cane sugar 2. When/why the U.S. started using HFCS in products and possible risk factors D. DEVELOPMENT: - 2 Sub-Points of Main Points – supporting detail of main points: quotations, stats 1. A brief description of what HFCS are, what makes them different from cane sugar? a. Since its introduction to food products in the 1960's, HFCS has slowly been added to most foods, such as ketchup, baby formula, soft drinks, baked goods, and breakfast cereals. High Fructose Corn Syrup is a thick, gummy substance used as an artificial sweetener. It’s produced by treating corn with enzymes. First the corn is made into corn starch then into corn syrup a...

Waiting Fo Death – Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Death By: Stephanie Melo Pabon Analysis on Samuel Beckett’s â€Å"Waiting for Godot†. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett is a play starred by Vladimir and Estragon, two men who seem to spend their days in a country road talking, wandering and blathering while waiting for a person they call Godot. This Godot never appears in the story but they both talk about him -her, it, it is difficult to define- at the same time that they look for things to do while waiting.During the two days they spend in that place just in the company of a dead tree, they have two encounters with two other men: Pozzo, an aggressive that seems to be the master of the other; the other man is Lucky, a terribly sick and tired man that looks like a mistreated donkey. The last character that appears is a boy who brings messages to Vladimir and Estragon saying that he -because the boy calls him ‘he’- is not coming today but tomorrow, for sure.The setting, as I said before, is a country road with just one mound and a dead tree -a willow like they think it is called-, everything leading to a hopeless atmosphere that accompanies their endless waiting. I think reading Beckett is a very difficult as he takes modernism to the highest level. He really expresses stories with plot and characters through his own way of thinking. I liked reading the play in spite of my dislike for reading plays; I do not like to read the setting and the characters actions and movements in such an explicit way.This time I was totally delighted by the characters’ dialogues. It was interesting to see how many thoughts about their conversations, the objects they use in the story, the setting, and their physical and personal description, actually arose. I read the play two times and watched one staging; since the first time I had many different thoughts and ideas to interpret the characters and situations they are in, these interpretations are the ones I will be telling. The main c haracters Estragon and Vladimir are, to me, the absurd depiction of the body and mind.They both are the same person: a poor man -Mr. Albert could be his name like the boy called Vladimir at the end of both Act I and II. Estragon is the body as he is the one with the need of sleeping and eating. He always wants to sleep but Vladimir does not let him do it and he always wants to eat, for instance when he asks for the chicken bones Pozzo leaves after eating in Act I, and in Act II when Pozzo falls and asks for help but Estragon only thinks about asking him for food to eat.Vladimir is the mind as he is the most lucid one; he remembers everything while Estragon never does, and he says Estragon he would be a heap of bones without him to show the dependence on each other. Also, at the beginning of the two Acts, Vladimir asks Estragon if he was beaten again and next he assures him that if he had been with him he would not have been beaten as he is the one that can make him stop of doing thi ngs he should not do.Although they say the idea of them together is to contradict and abuse each other, they both get along well: they communicate and seem to be friends. Estragon says they â€Å"always find something to give them the impression they exist†; they reason about many topics but Vladimir, the mind, is very healthy whereas Estragon is very tired all the time. The other two characters, Pozzo and Lucky, are the opposite; Pozzo, the very healthy but cruel man who is the slaver of Lucky. He is ambitious to the extreme of being greedy; he says he has professional worries, and about beauty and grace.Lucky is the tired and sick mind of a rich person that was never satisfied with material things; and I say he is rich because of the scene when Estragon asks for the chicken bones Pozzo is leaving but Pozzo says he has to ask Lucky because he is the owner. Estragon does that and Lucky does not answer, so Pozzo says it is ok if he takes the bones but at the same time he think s something is wrong as he had not seen him refuse a bone before. This episode means to me Lucky’s tiredness of always wanting everything for him, even the wastes, and Pozzo’s surprise for his change.The relationship between Pozzo and Estragon is the main topic when Vladimir and Estragon ask why Lucky does not do anything and never put down the bags he carries, and Pozzo’s answer is that â€Å"he used to be very kind, helpful and entertaining but now he is killing me†, he also says Lucky wants to impress him by doing a job is not for him. Here the mind is sick; Pozzo is healthy but he is dying because of his mind while Lucky cannot bare any longer all that burden and pressure Pozzo has put on him to control him and not to let him think and decide his life is better without external pleasures and material worries.These all four characters are making an absurd portrayal of what life is. Estragon and his struggle for the boots to fit and how in the second ac t when he tries a pair of boots that were not of his, he says they fit and then he complains saying they are too big; it is the way they refers to our constant complains of the life we live and the circumstances, bad or good, we do not want to be in, as Vladimir says â€Å"There is a man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet†.This is another way to say the metaphor about the life each one has to carry about with a cross: â€Å"†¦ to every man his little cross till he dies and is forgotten†. They both also talk about the searching of meaning when they say people speak always to themselves trying to determine where are â€Å"these corpses and skeletons† come from. They wonder if it is necessary to think or if they could have lived without it, as it was not enough just to live.Pozzo and Lucky are depicting the way society is always more concerned about material things, sometimes having as priority money and the mundane and superficial a spects rather than let the minds fly using the imagination and thinking beyond the banalities of the world. Also, with this two characters the performance of good deeds is visible when in Act II Pozzo falls and ask for help but Estragon prefers not to help him if he does not give anything to him in return.Vladimir compares what a tiger does to help his congeners without hesitating. Finally, as they spend their days in the same place and just looking for things to do to pass the time, it is just an ironic criticism to the routine the life becomes at some point; to the repetitive start, attempts, give up, and start again. This is just a cycle people live while for the end of the night to come, for the end of the daily routine to finish, for the death to come. When it comes they will be saved.

What Is the Economics and Geography of Brazil

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population (207.8 million in 2015) and well as land area. It is the economic leader of South America, with the ninth-largest economy in the world, and a large iron and aluminum ore reserve. Fast Facts: Brazil Official Name: Federative Republic of BrazilCapital: BrasiliaPopulation: 208,846,892Â  (2018)Official Language: PortugueseCurrency: Reals (BRL)Form of Government: Federal presidential republicClimate: Mostly tropical but temperate in southTotal Area: 3,287,957 square miles (8,515,770 square kilometers)Â  Highest Point: Pico da Neblina 9,823 feet (2,994 meters) Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 meters) Physical Geography From the Amazon basin in the north and west to the Brazilian Highlands in the southeast, Brazils topography is quite diverse. The Amazon River system carries more water to the ocean than any other river system in the world. It is navigable for its entire 2,000-mile trip within Brazil. The basin is home to the most rapidly depleting rain forest in the world, losing about 52,000 square miles annually. The basin, occupying more than 60% of the entire country, receives more than 80 inches (about 200 cm) of rain a year in some areas. Almost all of Brazil is humid as well and has either has a tropical or subtropical climate. Brazils rainy season occurs during the summer months. Eastern Brazil suffers from regular drought. There is little seismic or volcanic activity due to Brazils position near the center of the South American Plate. The Brazilian Highlands and plateaus generally average less than 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) but the highest point in Brazil is Pico de Neblina at 9,888 feet (3,014 meters). Extensive uplands lie in the southeast and drop off quickly at the Atlantic Coast. Much of the coast is composed of the Great Escarpment, which looks like a wall from the ocean. Political Geography Brazil encompasses so much of South America that it shares borders with all South American nations except Ecuador and Chile. Brazil is divided into 26 states and a Federal District. The state of Amazonas has the largest area and the most populous is Sao Paulo. The capital city of Brazil is Brasilia, a master-planned city built in the late 1950s where nothing existed before in the Mato Grasso plateaus. Now, millions of people reside in the Federal District. Human Geography Two of the worlds 15 largest cities are in Brazil: Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and are only about 250 miles (400 km) apart. Rio de Janeiro surpassed Sao Paulos population in the 1950s. Rio de Janeiros status also suffered when it was replaced by Brasilia as the capital in 1960, a position Rio de Janeiro had held since 1763. However, Rio de Janeiro is still the undisputed cultural capital (and major international transportation hub) of Brazil. Sao Paulo is growing at an incredible rate. The population has doubled since 1977 when it was a metropolis of 11 million people. Both cities have a huge ever-expanding ring of shanty towns and squatter settlements on their periphery. Culture and History Portuguese colonization began in Northeastern Brazil after Pedro Alvares Cabrals accidental landing in 1500. Portugal established plantations in Brazil and brought slaves from Africa. In 1808, Rio de Janeiro became the home of the Portuguese royalty, which was ousted by Napoleons invasion. Portuguese Prime Regent John VI left Brazil in 1821. In 1822, Brazil proclaimed independence. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in South America. A military coup detat of the civilian government in 1964 gave Brazil a military government for more than two decades. Since 1989, there has been a democratically elected civil leader. Though Brazil has the worlds largest Roman Catholic population, the birth rate has significantly decreased over the last 20 years. In 1980, Brazilian women gave birth to an average of 4.4 children each. In 1995, that rate dropped to 2.1 children. The annual rate of growth has also decreased from just over 3% in the 1960s to 1.7% today. An increase in contraceptive use, economic stagnation, and the diffusion of global ideas through television have all been explained as reasons for the downturn. The government has no formal program of birth control. There are fewer than 300,000 indigenous Amerindians living in the Amazon basin. Sixty-five million people in Brazil are of mixed European, African, and Amerindian descent. Economic Geography The state of Sao Paulo is responsible for about half of Brazils Gross Domestic Product as well as about two-thirds of its manufacturing. While only about 5% of the land is cultivated, Brazil leads the world in coffee production (about a third of the global total). Brazil also produces a quarter of the worlds citrus, has more than one-tenth of the cattle supply, and produces one-fifth of the iron ore. Most of Brazils sugar cane production (12% of the world total) is used to create gasohol, which powers a portion of Brazilian automobiles. The key industry of the country is automobile production.

Essay on Pro Athletes and Violent Crimes - 1382 Words

The competitive nature of todays sports associations calls for athletes to be aggressive and forceful , both physically and mentally. This aggressive mentality stays with some athletes off the field, and may explain why so many athletes are committing violent crimes. Society calls for athletes to give flawless performances in the stadiums and arenas. The fans have grown accustomed to high flying, hard hitting shows of athleticism and finesse, and oftentimes an athletes success gains them a elevated status in society with special privileges that you and I can only dream of. As there careers get bigger and bigger they fell that they should be shown a certain respect by fans when not on the field, and many athletes become angered when†¦show more content†¦The child incorporates this aggressive mindset into its mannerisms and applies this aggressive behavior to other aspects of their life. If Im aggressive, I can get my way. These aggressive attitudes and tendencies have been shown to have effects on ones judgement and the perception of their environment. An athlete with an over aggressive attitude whos judgement becomes clouded by aggression develops a disregard foe the opponent(s) that their aggression is being aimed at. I think the aggressiveness in sports - just making the play, charging past people or dominating somebody physically - really needs to be separated by athletes from appropriate off field behavior.(Tom Jackson, Univ. Arkansas psychology professor.) This is one cause for the controversy over the amount of violence in todays sports, and the apparent nurturing and rewarding of athletes who display this over aggressive attitude. According to Edward Gondolf, a professor of sociology at Univ. Indiana; theres no doubt that sports such as football reinforces and rewards that aggression which in turn spills into their lives outside of the locker room., and its that spillage of aggression into their lives off the field that leads some athletes to commit violent criminal acts out of rage, such as assault, or sexually abusing women. One question raised when analyzing reasons for the rising number of crimes being committed by athletesShow MoreRelatedEssay on Violence in Sports1396 Words   |  6 Pagessome feel that the violent acts such as the hitting and fighting that occurs should be eliminated. It is very difficult to change the way that a game is played because people have been playing it that way for years. The violence in sports needs to be eliminated because of the extreme cases that continue to haunt many of the leagues and the players themselves. There are many theories to why there is so much violence in sports today and one of them is because the athletes today are able to getRead MoreHigh Levels Of Domestic Violence1781 Words   |  8 PagesHigh Levels of Domestic Violence in Athletes The National Football League has recently highlighted the problem of domestic violence. However, this is a problem that has long since been an issue. It is not only an issue in the NFL, professional sports, or even sports in general, but a problem for the whole world. The athletic world has seen an increase in violence in its players, which is a reason an athlete may experience more incidents. Through the media, the NFL has brought a great deal of attentionRead MoreSteroids And Their Relationship With Exercise / Sports Science And Chemistry1217 Words   |  5 Pages1950’s Olympic athletes started using them especially in Eastern Europe, East Germany, and the Soviet Union. [5] After taking large amounts of steroids the athletes began to dominate in their events especially Soviet wrestlers. [7][5] When an American doctor discovered what was happening he decided to created a more direct and potent version of the synthetic testosterone, this then became know as anabolic steroids . Once this was introduced it became very popular amongst with athletes both professionalRead MoreRice Was Released By The Ravens And Indefinitely Suspended1104 Words   |  5 Pagesas declining player at a position built for a young player. Rice’s rushing yards, average per carry, and touchdown totals declined in each of this final three years with the Ravens. Rice is certainly not the only player to involve himself in a violent crime. Adrian Peterson physically abused his son, and Greg Hardy physically assaulted a woman after a night of drinking; threatening to kill her. Peterson received a restructured contract with the Minnesota Vikings that includes millions in new guaranteedRead MoreEssay on Violent Video Games: Dangerous Entertainment1153 Words   |  5 PagesViolent Video Games: Dangerous Entertainment Since the beginning of organized society, entertainment has always been an aspect closely tied with human nature. From the times of ancient empires, such as the Romans and Greeks, humans have used entertainment as an outlet to escape the harsh reality of everyday life. Although in those times, entertainment was considered duels to the death with animals and other humans opposed to the censored reality shows and formulaic movies we have today. HoweverRead MoreOj Simpson : A Tragic Hero Of O. J. Simpson712 Words   |  3 Pageslike death, prison sentence or troublemaking due to alcohol and drugs. One of these well known celebrities are O.J. Simpson is considered a tragic hero. The talented football sensation Orenthal J. Simpson is a tragic hero because he was known to be violent and made bad choices, leading to accusations of murder. To begin with, Orenthal J. Simpson was well known and liked by many people. At around two years of age Orenthal had contacted rickets. He had to wear shoes that was connected to anRead MoreFor Most People, The Name Aaron Hernandez Was Synonymous1381 Words   |  6 Pagesin his second season in the NFL; and by his third year with the NFL he received the highest signing bonus of NFL tight end in history. However, there was a darker side to Hernandez that had a severe impact on people’s lives. He was known to be violent and had a history of petty criminal behavior related to that violence. As early as 2007, Hernandez was involved in a bar fight that resulted in injuries to the employee who had escorted him from the building. Later that same year, Hernandez mayRead MoreWhy Athletes Are Good Role Models1510 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Athletes Are Good Role Models Ever since the ancient years, we have admired athletes and the hard work that they do to achieve their goal of winning. We idolize them and wish we were more like them. What happens though when the realization sinks in that they are human too and that some of them do get greedy and selfish? A lot of athletes are model citizens that you should really look up to, but there are also some bad apples in the bunch that ruin it for everyone. Athletes can inspireRead MoreAnalysis Of Floyd Mayweather s Life832 Words   |  4 Pagesthings, all the time that aren t true, but you never hear about the positive,† This quote resembles Floyd Mayweather s life. His family really loves the sport of boxing, and Mayweather loved being in the gym with the gloves on his hands. The life of crime started to take over for Mayweather s parents. Mayweather’s talent inside the ring was amazing, and a great is what Mayweather turned into he shined in the ring. Mayweather proves to be one of the greatest with a record of 49-0 which is the secondRead MoreEssay about Why Athletes are Good Role Models1475 Words   |  6 PagesWhy Athletes are Good Role Models Ever since the ancient years, we have admired athletes and the hard work that they do to achieve their goal of winning. We idolize them and wish we were more like them. What happens though when the realization sinks in that they are human too and that some of them do get greedy and selfish? A lot of athletes are model citizens that you should really look up to, but there are also some bad apples in the bunch that ruin it for everyone. Athletes can

Throughout History, Appearance And Reputation Have Always

Throughout history, appearance and reputation have always been essential to human culture, and they often dictates how people respond to each other. Consequently, many authors and playwrights have used this fact to develop the conflict in their works. In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen uses the societal expectations (cultural context) to create a character’s struggle to fulfill their requirements as a member of society which reveals our desire to appear accepted at all costs. The character, Nora, who strives to be the wife and woman defined by society while masking the rules she broke, exposes her need to maintain her image. Torvald, and Krogstad, both seek to be a man that follows and upholds the standard to become a respected member of the†¦show more content†¦After her creditor had placed a letter to expose her in her husband’s mailbox, she went to great lengths to distract him and prevent him from collecting the mail. One notable example is the conversa tion between Nora and Torvald: â€Å"Nora: What are you going to do? Torvald: Only to see if any letters have come Nora: No, no! Don’t do that, Torvald! Torvald: Why not? †¦ Nora: I can’t dance tomorrow if I don’t practice with you?† (pg. 480). The dialogue illustrates the complexity of her schemes to protect her debt. Ibsen s use of exclamation marks also gives a sense of panic in Nora’s voice which further demonstrates how desperate Nora is to protect her image. These examples show how Ibsen incorporates cultural context to create Nora’s struggle for acceptance. She purposefully acts naive and obedient to Torvald, when in truth she has deviated far from the rules prescribed by society. Since fulfilling these rules often equates to acceptance, Nora by putting in an enormous amount of energy to achieve these guidelines, proves her desire to be accepted by society. Torvald, as Nora’s husband, struggled to be a man that followed and upheld to rules of society to appear acceptable to others. Throughout the play, there were many instances where Torvald had done this. For example, when Nora introduced Mrs. Linde as a potential employee for his bank, Torvald said, â€Å"Well, it is not altogether impossible. I presume you are a widow, Mrs. Linde?† (pg.Show MoreRelatedCultural Influences On Masculinity And The Beauty Bias By Deborah Rhode950 Words   |  4 PagesCultural Influences Throughout History on Masculinity and Feminism There has been many influences regarding masculinity and feminity throughout past and recent years in America. Society, along with the media, has created a social spectrum with masculine and feminine on each extreme end. Society has altered the peoples perceptions of what a man and woman should act like, look like as well as be like within the society. 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Throughout history, she has been the victim of gross injustice, having been attacked for being a woman, a sinner and a prostitute. These concerns may have affected the Christian view with regards to her being a person with apostolic authority. We do not know much about Mary Magdalene. The name Magdalene likely indicates that sheRead MoreGender Roles In The Fairy Tale848 Words   |  4 Pagesimplies how the story has changed over time. Frequently in the story, the characters’ traits are based on their gender. The women tend to be more focused on their outward appearance, as the men look at and judge women on how beautiful they are. Cinderella was a perfect archetype of how women are judged today and throughout history. She was treated like a queen when she was pretty, and like a slave when she was ugly. 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In Ta-Nehisi Coates book Between the World and Me Coates is addressing his son about the truth of being black in a society that is inherently races and the constructed stereotypes on them by those in power. Both Coates and Staples agree on the fact thatRead MoreCall Of Duty : Modern Warfare 31015 Words   |  5 Pageshow the game’s was influenced by history during that time. Writer Michael Vlahos, discusses this in his article â€Å"What ‘Call of Duty’ Shows About How War Changed America†. The games of Call of Duty series sometimes assumes the role as a mirror for the United States in cert ain areas. The author suggests that the soldier’s representation in the game reflects the change in the current perceptions of soldiers. Due to the war, the soldiers lost their positive reputation in the eyes of the people. 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Sample on Strategy Management of McDonalds Fast Food Company

Question: Describe about the Strategy Management for McDonalds. assignment requires to choose the retail company. Answer: Executive Summary This report contains an analysis of different strategies that can be employed by McDonalds in their operations for sustainability. It analyses the mission, vision and objectives of the company. Besides, the macro-environment has also been analyzed critically by the application of the PESTEL model and Porters five factor model. Internal factors have also been analyzed in the form of a SWOT analysis. The models applied in this report are essential in strategic management and they have been crafted to fit the operations of different organizations. Lastly, recommendations have been provided on how the strengths the company has can be utilized while minimizing the effects of the companys weaknesses. Also, there are recommendations on how the company can seize opportunities and evade possible threats that may be harmful to business. Strategic Purpose Strategic Purpose of the Organization Various business aspects are covered by McDonalds vision and that is evident in their vision statement. The company embraces innovation because they need to satisfy their customer needs, and that is why they say they need to enhance the contemporary customer experiences. Their vision has a strategic link to it and that is why the company is ever improving their products to suit the current and future market needs (McDonalds UK, 2016). They are determined to create products that will give satisfaction now as they work towards improving the products to give the market the quality of products they would need in the future. This shows that the main strategy to keep this reality is by embracing innovation which the company does effectively. Also, the mission of the company as clearly stated in their mission statement is to provide a conducive environment for their customers to eat and drink while offering the best working conditions to the employees. Also, it includes the corporate social responsibility by clearly stating that they would like to have a positive impact in the environment (McDonalds UK, 2016). These are factors that are strategic since they help the company to have a humble experience in the society and in so doing, they gain popularity and increase their sales. Compatibility between Strategic Statements and Functional Objectives of the Company From the vision and the mission statements discussed above, it can be deduced that there is a relationship between the statements and the functional objectives of the company (Dey, 2016). This is so because, McDonalds has managed to fulfill its promise to the market in offering the best quality food that they need and an ample environment from which the consumers can enjoy their meals.Besides, it has managed to give people good working experience by providing conducive environments from which they work. Their corporate social responsibility is also on point because they have activities that work towards improvement of the environment. External Analysis Macro-Environment Analysis (PESTEL Analysis) McDonaldscorporate strategies address the different issues that are discussed in this PESTEL analysis. This model analyzes the external factors that that present different opportunities and threats to the business. McDonalds is mainly focused on the socio-cultural and economic factors. Nonetheless, the companys success can be attributed to the effective strategies that have been employed by the company to deal with the external factors (Leekha Chhabra Sharma, 2014). Since the company is the biggest fast food outlet, McDonalds needs to adapt its strategies to suit the ever changing industry. Political Factors Political factors play a vital role in the operations of a business. This relates to many factors that are politically influenced. For instance, when an organization wants to enter the global market, it needs to have strategies that will make it successful in such an environment (Shilei Yong, 2009). In McDonalds case, the political factors include: increase in international trade agreements, which is an opportunity; the pending tax reforms which also is an opportunity and the changing public health guidelines and policies, which pose a threat to operations in the industry. The political factors have enabled McDonalds to expand in many international markets due to political stability (Verma, Gupta Nangia, 2014). Also, the company has an opportunity to strategically change its operations to minimize the impact of taxation without necessarily violating the law. However, there is a threat of the public health policies which are increasingly discouraging people from consuming junk and fa st food. Nonetheless, the company has a chance to change and improve its products to be healthy. In this analysis, the political factors opportunities outweigh the threats that are posed by the policies. Economic factors Economic factors address the wider economy. The economic factors include the growth rate of the economy, inflation, unemployment, costs of raw materials and energy costs among others. Changes and shifts in these factors affect the operation of an organization. Economic changes across the globe influence McDonalds working environment because it operates in different markets. The slow but steady nature of the US economy gives an opportunity to the company. McDonalds has a potential to grow because of the nature of the economy of the state. Another factor is the stable but risky economy in Europe (Sardar Talat, 2015). This poses a threat to the companys expansion in the region. Also, in Asia there is a rapid growth of the economy and it is offering opportunities to the local population. This is also a threat to McDonalds expansion in the Asian market. Analysis of the economic factors shows that the economy as an external factor poses a threat to the business (Bernhardt, et al., 2015). Socio-cultural Factors The analysis of social cultural factors refers to the social conditions that favor or limit the business of the company.Socio-cultural factors involve shared or common attitudes and beliefs of a population. They also refer to how the population reacts to trend changes. For McDonalds, the external social factors include: First, the widening wealth gap. This brings opportunities for the company to increase revenue due to an increased customer base. Since the company targets the middle and the low income earners, this creates great potential for growth. Secondly, cultural diversity gives the company an opportunity to improve the product mix to suit the diverse market (Brown, Bessant Lamming, 2013). This is also an opportunity since it increases the companys revenue through more sales. Lastly, there are lifestyle and healthy trends, which give the company an opportunity to improve healthfulness of its products. The analysis of the socio-cultural factors gives the company more opportunit ies than threats and hence an increased chance for future business. Technological Factors The technological factors also play a vital role in the success of a company. The ever changing technological techniques offer opportunities to those companies that also grow with the technology while the ones that do not improve their technologies are threatened. Such factors as improved communication, production techniques and distribution channels impact a business greatly. For McDonalds, research and development activities help the company to come up with improvements that enhance efficiency. Also, automation by the company helps in increasing production and hence a larger market is easily satisfied. Moreover, online marketing and sales increase the market base for the company (Erickson, 2016). Generally, the technological factors existing offer the company an opportunity for better business. Self service is one of the operational functions that technology enhances. Self service creates efficiency for both the organization and the customers. Also automation makes the production o f different products easy and faster. This improves the general performance of the organization. Ecological Factors Factors like climate change affect the business negatively hence posing a threat to the company. Although, emphasis on strategies that emphasize on sustainable business offers an opportunity, and also the increased corporate environmental activities help in popularization of the company. The company has a CSR policy because it is concerned with the environmental matters (Stembridge, 2014). The company encourages reusing of waste products to protect the environment. Also, they engage in occasional activities that clean the environment. Legal Factors Legal factors act as threats more than opportunities to a business. For instance, regulations limit operations of a company. The new minimum wage levels in the US affect the company negatively since they increase the operation costs, also the animal welfare regulations also threaten the business because they produce animal products too (Pingali, 2016). Legal factors are a major threat because they keep on changing and what is legal today may be illegal tomorrow making business difficult. These factors offer different opportunities and threats to the company. Since McDonalds is still a leader in the fast food restaurant business, it can be ascertained that they have the right strategies to tackle the challenges that are posed by these factors. Besides, the company can also seize the opportunities that the factors bring due to their strategic positioning. The analysis shows that there are opportunities that the company can use to gain a competitive advantage in future and that is how the company can be sustainable into the future. Also, the company should lay down strategies that deal with threats that these factors offer. Porters Five Force Factors Analysis McDonalds exhibits different levels of strength in the five forces. This model analyzes the most effective factors that directly or indirectly affect the business. For McDonalds, the focus is on the fast food industry. The companys success in the industry indicates that, effective strategies are being utilized to manage the external forces that may negatively affect business (AzadiRahimzadeh, 2012) Competitive Rivalry (Strong Force) The company faces stiff competition because the fast food restaurant industry is already saturated. Some of the players in the industry include KFC, Dominos, and Pizza Hut among others.For McDonalds, the external factors that create a strong force include the high number of competitors, the level of aggressiveness of the competitors and low switching costs. All these pose a threat to the company since they are strong forces and entry is easy for other firms. Bargaining Power of Customers (Strong Force) Customers have a chance to easily impose their demands on the company since switching costs are low. Moving from one restaurant to another is easy. Also, the large numbers of service providers acts as a threat to their operation and customers can influence their operations (Rosenberg, 2015). In addition,availability of substitutes give customers the strength to bargain since they can readily get substitutes of what the company offers, hence the bargaining power of customers is a strong force. Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Weak Force) The bargaining power of suppliers does not affect the companys operations. This is due to the large number of suppliers of raw materials in the market. Also, there is an abundance of the supplies that the company utilizes which makes it possible for them to have options to choose the best bargains. This is a weak force and it gives an opportunity to the company to cut costs. Threat of Substitutes (Strong Force) The analysis of this force focuses on the effects of the availability of substitutes on the firms performance. High performance, low switching costs and substitute availability are strong forces that influence the operations of McDonalds. This factor is harmful to business although the company has managed to retain its popularity in the industry for long (Dey, 2016). Such a force can be managed through strategies like product quality enhancement and improvement. Threat of New Entrants (Moderate Force) In all industries, the threat of new entrants exists. It is a force that threatens the market base of a business. In the case of McDonalds, the force is not so strong because there are some limitations in terms of costs. These costs relate to capital, switching costs and brand development. McDonalds is already popular and there are minimal chances of new entrants taking over their market space. Besides, McDonalds has developed a loyal customer base. Again the high cost of capital does not allow new entrants to invade the market easily and that is why this force is moderate and is controllable by the company. Internal Analysis Strategic Capabilities. Organizational Capabilities and Core Competences The company has different capabilities that enable it to manage the operations of the company such as having a secret recipe, core intellectual assets, a strong value chain and other capabilities and core competences are discussed below. Secret recipe-McDonalds has a secret recipe that cannot easily be imitated. They have strict confidential contracts signed by people who offer their services. Core intellectual assets-The employees in McDonalds are trained in the way the organization operates and how to prepare different products. Quality is highly upheld and they are highly motivated. Strong value chain-The organization has a strong value chain, which helps in the achievement of the companies objectives. Financial physical assets and technology-The Company has a huge asset base and that makes its expansion easy because of the competitive advantage it enjoys. In addition, it employs technology in most of its activities and that makes it have superior products. Business Functions Analysis The main business functions include, administrative functions, franchising, which is a kind of business model that gives different organizations a right to use their brand name and business model for a specified period of time, human resource, supplies and product development. These functions are essential and helped the organization to gain the success that it enjoys currently. Although there are other functions, the ones mentioned are the ones that promote the strategic wellbeing of the organization. Basis of Competitive Strategy The generic strategy the company uses is the one of cost leadership. The company engages in cost minimization so that their products can have low prices. This strategy has helped the company in market penetration. The company operates on position 2, 3 and 4 which are, low price, hybrid and differentiation. Innovation and creativity are the practices that enhance the companys competitive advantage (Wittmann Reuter, 2008). Strategic Choice and Strategy Evaluation Key Direction of Future Growth It is essential for McDonalds to grow its business and possibly diversify because of the changing trends in the business environment. Changes like peoples tastes and preference, production techniques and environmental conservation policies affect business. This can be done by exploring new products and new markets. The Ansoff matrix can be applied in the process to come up with suitable strategies for improved business operations (Richardson Evans, 2007). Market Penetration Market penetration involves the presentation of the existing products to an already existing market (Taylor, 2012). McDonalds has chicken products, Hamburgers, French fries, soft drinks, desserts and salads. The strategy for market penetration for the new products is offering them at a reduced price (Goldman, Nieuwenhuizen, 2006). This strategy is effective for the penetration of a new and existing market since people like to spend little and gain more. New Product Development The company has always provided innovative products to its customers. This relates to unique recipes that they employ in the production of their products. McDonalds seeks innovation from one market and employs it in the rest of the worlds markets. This strategy is a little risky but it has helped the company to build its over 47 million customers across the world. The strategy is the one responsible for the companys growth. New Market Development McDonalds is a global company and its franchise system helps it to reach its customers in the international market. The organization has over 31000 outlets and is operational in 119 countries and still is expanding (Pride Ferrell, 2010). The franchise system, the company is successful in entering new international market and the strategy has proven to be significantly effective. Diversification Diversification is a marketing strategy in which an organization engages in exploring markets which in which it has not been having operations (Taylor, 2012). It is difficult for the company along its normal operations to diversify. The franchise system is not suitable for diversification since the processes involved may be long and insignificant. The strategy employed is the acquisition of other companies with different products. For instance, McDonalds acquired some stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill Pert a Manger and Donatos Pizza. This is the strategy that can work for diversification since the company has a competitive advantage. Ansoffs Matrix Analysis This is a strategic planning tool that is used by marketing managers and other executives in coming up with ways they will operate in the future. The option in the matrix chosen is market penetration strategy. Suitability The strategy employed by McDonalds in market penetration is taking in new products to existing markets at low prices and that edges competition making it a suitable strategy (Richardson, Evans, 2007). Acceptability The strategy is acceptable because, the company operates at low costs and that gives them a competitive advantage over other players who have high operational costs. Feasibility The strategy is feasible because the company has a huge financial asset base which enables it to enter the new markets at low prices without significant effects on their financial status. Conclusion and Recommendations McDonalds has different strengths which enable it to survive in the competitive fast food industry. Having a strong financial base enables them to navigate through various economic cycles. To reduce risks, the company should diversify since it has a high financial asset base. The nature of the food that the company produces acts as a weakness because there are campaigns against fast foods in the world. The company should start producing healthy products that will help them remain afloat in the market. Also, all legal requirements should be fulfilled to reduce risks. There is an opportunity in the fast growing fast food industry because people dont have time to prepare their food and so this opportunity should be used by the company to increase its business. Besides, the company should explore green energy which will help in conservation and reduction of costs. The threats the company faces include competition, public health matters and environmental issues. Competition can be edged b y improving quality while public health and environmental matters can be resolved by having the right certifications and processes. Bibliography Azadi, S, Rahimzadeh, E 2012, 'DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGY FOR ELECTRONIC BUSINESS BY USING MCCARTHY'S FOUR MARKETING MIX MODEL AND PORTER'S FIVE COMPETITIVE FORCES', EMAJ: Emerging Markets Journal, 2, 2, pp. 47-58, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Bernhardt, A, Wilking, C, Gilbert-Diamond, D, Emond, J, Sargent, J 2015, 'Childrens Recall of Fast Food Television AdvertisingTesting the Adequacy of Food Marketing Regulation', Plos ONE, 10, 3, pp. 1-12, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Brown, S., Bessant, J. R., Lamming, R. 2013. Strategic operations management. Routledge. Dey, K. 2016. The fast food industry in the UK. Analysis of McDonalds with PESTEL, VRIN and Porter's Five Forces. Erickson, N. 2016. 3rd Party Monitors Spur Action in McDonalds Chinese Food Safety Protocols. Goldman, G., Nieuwenhuizen, C. 2006. Strategy: sustaining competitive advantage in a globalised context. Cape Town, Juta. Leekha Chhabra, N., Sharma, S. 2014. Employer branding: strategy for improving employer attractiveness. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 22(1), 48-60. McDonalds UK. 2016. About us. [online] Available at: https://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Aboutus.html [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. 'McDonald's Corporation SWOT Analysis' 2014, Mcdonald's Corporation SWOT Analysis, pp. 1-8, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Pingali, V. 2016. Responsible leadership: learning from Indian case studies. Asian Journal of Business Ethics, 1-9. Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C. 2010. Marketing. Australia: South Western Cengage Learning Richardson, M, Evans, C 2007, 'Strategy in Action Applying Ansoff's Matrix', Manager: British Journal Of Administrative Management, 59, pp. i-iii, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Rosenberg, M. 2015. Strategy and sustainability: a strategic logic for engagement with the environment. Palgrave Communications, 1. Sardar, R., Talat, M. A. 2015. What managers believe as important while recruitment in fast food industry within Norway: A case study of Burger King and McDonalds. Shilei, L, Yong, W 2009, 'Target-oriented obstacle analysis by PESTEL modeling of energy efficiency retrofit for existing residential buildings in China's northern heating region', Energy Policy, 37, 6, pp. 2098-2101, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Stembridge, A. F. 2014. Strategic planningThe basic steps. In International Forum Journal (Vol. 4, No. 2). Taylor, EC 2012, 'COMPETITIVE IMPROVEMENT PLANNING: USING ANSOFF'S MATRIX WITH ABELL'S MODEL TO INFORM THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS', Allied Academies International Conference: Proceedings Of The Academy Of Strategic Management (ASM), 11, 1, pp. 21-27, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016. Verma, A., Gupta, A., Nangia, G. 2014. Study of Various Adaptation Policies by Companies to Compete At a Global Scenario. Global Journal of Finance and Management, 6(7), 615-618. Wittmann, R. G., Reuter, M. P. 2008.Strategic planning: how to deliver maximum value through effective business strategy. Philadelphia, Kogan Page Ltd. Zhao, Z, Zuo, J, Wu, P, Yan, H, Zillante, G 2016, 'Competitiveness assessment of the biomass power generation industry in China: A five forces model study', Renewable Energy: An International Journal, 89, pp. 144-153, GreenFILE, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 June 2016.

Are Family Members Allowed in Code Blue free essay sample

Allowing family members to remain with patients during code blue procedures has been a debated topic in the healthcare environment for many years. A great diversity in opinions exists on the subject among healthcare providers. A great diversity in opinions exists on the subject among healthcare providers. According to statistics, only 5% of hospital units have any type of formal written policy to use as a guideline for these situations. This lack of written policy has added controversy and confusion amongst healthcare providers. Current trends are moving towards allowing family members to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other procedures. Studies show great disparity in opinion exists depending on the type of practice. Nurses are far more likely to support family presence than are doctors. Resident physicians are the least open to family members remaining with the patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Should Family Members Be Allowed In Code Blue? Allowing family members to remain with patients during code blue procedures has been a debated topic in the healthcare environment for many years. A great diversity in opinions exists on the subject among healthcare providers. According to statistics, only 5% of hospital units have any type of formal written policy to use as a guideline for these situations (Doyle, 2007). This lack of written policy has added controversy and confusion amongst healthcare providers. Current trends are moving towards allowing family members to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other procedures. Most healthcare professionals have been found to have positive feelings about allowing family members to remain during code situations. Studies show great disparity in opinion exists depending on the type of practice. Nurses are far more likely to support family presence than are doctors. Resident physicians are the least open to family members remaining with the patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). One study done by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, found that 75-80% of its physician members were opposed to family members being present during resuscitation or invasive procedures (Duran, Oman, Jordan, Koziel, Szymanski, 2007). According to physicians, having family presence during resuscitation also has some serious drawbacks. Resuscitation is an intense situation; where every second is critical. Their major concern is that there is no distressed family member present that could interfere with the resuscitation efforts. If family members are present, this will distract attention from the patient and the care he/she needs. Not having family members present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will allow the staff to continue to work effectively in the midst of this critical situation. One question that is asked many times by medical providers is the following: â€Å"Is it feasible to implement a family presence intervention during medical resuscitation in an emergency department using national guidelines to ensure appropriate family member behavior and uninterrupted patient care†? For some, it is also believed that family presence throughout cardiopulmonary resuscitation present problems. Fear that the staff might be distracted from providing needed patient care by distraught family members, is a physician’s main concern (Walsh, 2004). Throughout these codes, many times the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) team demonstrates a quick ability to provide the best care under stressful and intense situations. Many physicians fear the cardiopulmonary resuscitation team will have difficulty controlling their own emotional response with the family present. Another point they are also concerned with is the patient’s code might be prolonged in futile situations because of the requests of the family members. This increases anxiety that an overwrought family member might hurt himself due to their reaction of the scene. If the family member faints, resources could be diverted away from resuscitating the patient. There could be accidental exposure to blood and body fluids thus endangering family members to other unknown pathogens. This then leads to a final point, but most valid point, that there is not enough room in an emergency to accommodate the family throughout a code. There may have to be a limit to the amount of family members that may be present in a code due to the small rooms available in healthcare facilities and the amount of equipment needed to save the patient’s life. In a survey, when asking several physicians about their opinion on having family members present throughout a cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a Vancouver physician stated: â€Å"To watch a team of strangers frantically shove tubes down the throat of a relative pierce each arm with large-gauge needles, or, in extreme situations, crack open the chest, would not only be traumatic to observe but could also leave the relative with a horrifying final memory. † (American College of American Physicians, 2008). As mentioned before, there is a very high percent of physicians that do not believe that this may be particularly safe for the patient. As patient advocates, physicians feel their main concern is first the well being of the patient and then the family They feel that the family will have an unpleasant, haunting, constant memory reminding them when the patient was at the worse time of their lives. In conclusion, bringing a family member to the bedside should not happen haphazardly but should be handled with careful consideration and define expectations. The best practice should be to educate healthcare staff during advance cardiac life support (ACLS), advance trauma life support (ATLS), and fundamental critical care support (FCCS).  The patient’s and family wishes should be honored whenever possible.