University of Phoenix Material Essays (319 words) - Career

University of Phoenix Material Essays (319 words) - Career University of Phoenix Material Career Interests and Market Research Worksheet Access the Phoenix Career Guidance System, located by clicking on the Careers tab. Complete the first Career Guidance Milestone "Set Your Goals." Then, complete Step 1.2. At the end of Step 1.2, click Go to the Career Exploration tool to access the career interest profiler. Select two careers you are interested in, based on the results of the Interest Assessment activity. Conduct labor market research on the two careers, and fill in the following table regarding the research you conducted. | |Career 1 |Career 2 | |What is the|Administrative Manager |Business/ management analyst | |career? | | | |What |I like the entire business job|I would enjoy this job because| |interests |setting. I would enjoy that I |of the fact I would deal with | |you about |would managed different |the corporation part of the | |this |aspects of the company. |company. I would deal in the | |career? | |decision making such as | | | |production things. | |Is there a |No there isn't a hiring demand|Yes there is a very high | |hiring |for this particular job. |hiring demand. There are | |demand? | |currently 35 job openings in | | | |my area. | |What are |To have a bachelor's degree |To have a bachelor's degree | |the | | | |educational| | | |requirement| | | |s? | | | |What are |2-5 years of experience |2-5 years of experience | |the | | | |experience | | | |requirement| | | |s? | | | |What are |There are so many, but here |Business intelligence, | |the skill |are a few; business |financial analysis, and | |requirement|administration, office |business solutions. | |s? |management, and business | | | |management. | | Based on your research, which career path would you prefer to pursue? Why? I would choose the Business/ management analyst career path, because both require basically the same education, experience, and skills. The best thing about Business/ management analyst is the demand is so high and the pay is way better the Administrative manager.

Rise and Fall of Nazi Officer Franz Stangl

Rise and Fall of Nazi Officer Franz Stangl Franz Stangl, nicknamed The White Death, was an Austrian Nazi who served as director of the Treblinka and Sobibor death camps in Poland during World War II. Under his co-direction, it is estimated that more than 1 million people were gassed and buried in mass graves. After the war, Stangl fled Europe, first to Syria and then to Brazil. In 1967, he was tracked down by Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and extradited to Germany, where he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. He died from a heart attack in prison in 1971. Stangl as a Youth Franz Stangl was born in Altmuenster, Austria, on March 26, 1908. As a young man, he worked in textile factories, which would help him find employment later while on the run. He joined two organizations: the Nazi party and the Austrian police. When Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the ambitious young policeman joined the Gestapo and soon impressed his superiors with his cold efficiency and willingness to follow orders. Stangl and Aktion T4 In 1940, Stangl was assigned to Aktion T4, a Nazi program designed to improve the Aryan master race gene pool by weeding out the infirm. Stangl was assigned to the Hartheim Euthanasia Center near Linz, Austria. Germans and Austrian citizens who were deemed unworthy were euthanized, including those born with birth defects, the mentally ill, alcoholics, those with Down’s syndrome and other illnesses. The prevailing theory was that those with defects were draining the resources from society and polluting the Aryan race. At Hartheim, Stangl proved that he had the proper combination of attention to detail, organizational skill and absolute indifference to the suffering of those he deemed inferior. Aktion T4 was eventually suspended after indignation from German and Austrian citizens. Stangl at Sobibor Death Camp After Germany had invaded Poland, the Nazis had to figure out what to do with the millions of Polish Jews, who were considered subhuman according to the racial policy of Nazi Germany. The Nazis built three death camps in eastern Poland: Sobibor, Treblinka, and Belzec. Stangl was assigned as chief administrator of the Sobibor death camp, which was inaugurated in May 1942. Stangl served as camp director until his transfer in August. Trains carrying Jews from all over Eastern Europe arrived at the camp. Train passengers arrived, were systematically stripped, shaved and sent to the gas chambers to die. It is estimated in the three months that Stangl was at Sobibor, 100,000 Jews died under Stangl’s watch. Stangl at Treblinka Death Camp Sobibor was running very smoothly and efficiently, but the Treblinka death camp was not. Stangl was reassigned to Treblinka to make it more efficient. As the Nazi hierarchy had hoped, Stangl turned the inefficient camp around. When he arrived, he found corpses strewn about, little discipline among the soldiers and inefficient killing methods. He ordered the place cleaned up and made the train station attractive so that incoming Jewish passengers would not realize what was going to happen to them until it was too late. He ordered the construction of new, larger gas chambers and raised the killing capacity of Treblinka to an estimated 22,000 per day. He was so good at his job that he was awarded the honor â€Å"Best Camp Commandant in Poland† and awarded the Iron Cross, one of the highest Nazi honors. Stangl Assigned to Italy and Return to Austria Stangl was so efficient at administrating the death camps that he put himself out of work. By the middle of 1943, most of the Jews in Poland were either dead or hiding. The death camps were no longer needed. Anticipating the international outrage to the death camps, the Nazis bulldozed the camps and tried to hide the evidence as best they could. Stangl and other camp leaders like him were sent to the Italian front in 1943; it was hypothesized that it may have been a way to try and kill them off. Stangl survived the battles in  Italy and returned to Austria in 1945, where he stayed until the war ended. Flight to Brazil As an SS officer, the genocidal terror squad of the Nazi Party, Stangl attracted the attention of the Allies after the war and spent two years in an American internment camp. The Americans did not seem to realize who he was. When Austria began to show interest in him in 1947, it was due to his involvement in Aktion T4, not for the horrors that took place in Sobibor and Treblinka. He escaped in 1948 and made his way to Rome, where pro-Nazi bishop Alois Hudal helped him and his friend Gustav Wagner escape. Stangl first went to Damascus, Syria, where he easily found work in a textile factory. He prospered and was able to send for his wife and daughters. In 1951, the family moved to Brazil and settled in So Paulo. Turning up the Heat on Stangl Throughout his travels, Stangl did little to hide his identity. He never used an alias and even registered with the Austrian embassy in Brazil. By the early 1960s, although he felt safe in Brazil, it had to have been clear to Stangl that he was a wanted man. Fellow Nazi Adolf Eichmann was snatched off a Buenos Aires street in 1960 before being taken to Israel, tried and executed. In 1963, Gerhard Bohne, another former officer associated with Aktion T4, was indicted in Germany; he would eventually be extradited from Argentina. In 1964, 11 men who had worked for Stangl at Treblinka were tried and convicted. One of them was Kurt Franz, who had succeeded Stangl as commander of the camp.   Nazi Hunter Wiesenthal on the Chase Simon Wiesenthal, the well-known concentration camp survivor, and Nazi hunter had a long list of Nazi war criminals he  wanted to be brought  to justice, and Stangl’s name was near the top of the list. In 1964, Wiesenthal got a tip  that Stangl was living in Brazil and working at a Volkswagen factory in So Paulo. According to Wiesenthal, one of the tips came from a former Gestapo officer, who demanded to be paid one penny for every Jew killed at Treblinka and Sobibor. Wiesenthal estimated that 700,000 Jews had died in those camps, so the total for the tip came to $7,000, payable if and when Stangl was captured. Wiesenthal eventually paid the informant. Another tip to Wiesenthal concerning Stangl’s whereabouts may have come from Stangl’s former son-in-law. Arrest and Extradition Wiesenthal pressured Germany to issue a request to Brazil for the arrest and extradition of Stangl. On February 28, 1967, the ex-Nazi was arrested in Brazil as he returned from a bar with his adult daughter. In June, Brazilian courts ruled that he should be extradited and shortly thereafter he was put on a plane for West Germany. It took German authorities three years to bring him to trial. He was charged with the deaths of 1.2 million people. Trial and Death Stangl’s trial began on May 13, 1970. The prosecution’s case was well-documented and Stangl did not contest most of the accusations. He instead relied on the same line prosecutors had been hearing since the Nuremberg Trials, that he was only â€Å"following orders.† He was convicted on December 22, 1970, of complicity in the deaths of 900,000 people and sentenced to life in prison. He died of a heart attack in prison on June 28, 1971, about six months after his conviction. Before he died, he gave a long interview to Austrian writer Gitta Sereny. The interview sheds some light on how Stangl was able to commit the atrocities he did. He repeatedly said that his conscience was clear because he had come to see the endless train cars of Jews as nothing more than cargo. He said he did not hate Jews personally but was proud of the organizational work he had done in the camps. In the same interview, he mentioned that his former colleague Gustav Wagner was hiding in Brazil. Later, Wiesenthal would track Wagner down and have him arrested, but the Brazilian government never extradited him.   Unlike some of the other Nazis, Stangl did not appear to relish the killing he oversaw. There are no accounts of him ever murdering anyone personally like fellow camp commander Josef Schwammberger or Auschwitz â€Å"Angel of Death† Josef Mengele. He wore a whip while at the camps, which he apparently seldom used it, although there were very few eyewitnesses who survived the Sobibor and Treblinka camps to verify it. There is no doubt, however, that Stangl’s institutionalized slaughter ended the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Wiesenthal claimed to have brought 1,100 former Nazis to justice. Stangl was by far the â€Å"biggest fish† that the famous Nazi hunter ever caught. Sources Simon Wiesenthal Archive. Franz Stangl. Walters, Guy. Hunting Evil: the Nazi War Criminals Who Escaped and the Quest to Bring them to Justice. 2010: Broadway Books.

Sex Education in Schools and Home Research Paper

Sex Education in Schools and Home - Research Paper Example On the other hand, teachers too fail to touch on sex related issues when educating teenagers believing it is the responsibility of their parents and guardians to educate these growing youth about sex education. At the end of the day, teenagers remain in darkness, without knowledge about sex, or even the slightest clue to what pertains to sexual education. Their curiosity to try out new things without a guiding hand ends up in even more dreadful results, such as early pregnancies and school dropouts. As such, this research paper seeks to explore various peer-reviewed journals discussing issues related to sex education, as well as, evaluate how various institutions approach this issue about sex among the youth (Brown, Dunn, Newby & Wallace, 2012). What are Parents really saying then they talk with Their Children about Sexuality? American Journal of Sexuality Education This article explores the communication that exists between parents and their children about sex and sexuality. A resea rch carried out on a number of parents within the United States revealed that parents took an authoritarian tone whenever speaking to their children about sexuality. ... Some of the reasons given by these parents on their indecision to discuss sexuality with their children were religious influences and cultural backgrounds, alongside distinct patterns of communication. Some religions forbid open discussion of sexuality, as they consider it as a sacred matter only for the married couples. On the other hand, a qualitative analysis on these parents revealed that these parents sometimes focused on specific issues when discussing sexuality with their children, such as early pregnancies, STDs/STIs, HIV/AIDS virus, and other adversities related to premature sexuality. As such, the lack of sexual orientation, as well as the lack of parental knowledge and support of sexuality, leads these children to exploring murky waters, hence coming out scotched and bruised from their actions (Cox, Gagnon, McDonalds, Meglio, Mitchelle & Rennick, 2011). Asking to Listen: Towards a Youth Perspective on Sexual Health Education and Needs, Sex Education This article explores t he perspectives of the youth in relation to sexual health education and needs within a Canadian province. This article seeks to impart some sense of responsibility among the youth by giving them power to take control of their sexual health behavior. As such, participating youths to this program learnt measures of how to take control of their sexuality, as well as develop a number of preventive skills towards the sexual risks involved in premature sexuality. This control and prevention skills over sexuality were particularly important in areas suffering from socioeconomic disparities. Statistics show that the rate of active sexuality is very high in areas with low socioeconomic standings as compared to the areas that live in affluence. For example, girl growing up in the

Article analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article analysis - Essay Example The assumption of the author in this case is that the failure to attend morning shows by the candidates is due to their preference for late night shows. This illustrates that the assumptions of the author are not effective because there is no due consideration of other factors which would cause the politicians to attend the late night shows as compared to the morning shows. The author would have made his argument effective by considering the fact that the candidates could be having a tight schedule in the morning hours which would not allow them to afford time for the morning shows. It is notable that the evidence that Scott provides to argue his point is effective as revealed by the examples that he uses of Ricky Perry’s famous memory lapse in Letterman’s late night show. This style of writing illustrates the author’s ability to involve emotional components into the article so that the memory of the audience is triggered and make them notice that the candidates are in favor of late night shows. The description of the issue by the author uses comparative analysis of the current political talk shows with the situation four years ago when the morning talk shows were mandatory for political candidates. The use of metaphors by the author emphasizes his point effectively as shown by the description of the 2007 morning talk shows when each candidate had to face the â€Å"gantlet† (Collins 1). The organization of the article is interesting because the author first gives his argument at the beginning of the article with examples to support his point but the explanation of the late night talk show preference is given later in the article. The language of the author in describing the late night shows as compared to the morning shows is full of emotion. This is illustrated by the description of the late night shows as more welcoming with its questions branded

Outsourcing Plan Essay Example for Free

Outsourcing Plan Essay 1. Outsourcing has become a way to increase an organization’s flexibility to meet rapidly changing market conditions, focus on core competencies and develop competitive advantage. As a result, the need for SM has intensified and positioned Supply Managers as agents of strategic change critical to supply chain success. A. True 2. Outsourcing decreases an organization’s flexibility to meet rapidly changing market conditions, but it can usually reduce total costs in the long-term B. False 3. Early supply management involvement is an approach in supply management to bring the expertise and collaborative synergy of suppliers into the design process. A. True 4. The strategic sourcing plan should be developed in a collaborative environment that includes all relevant functional area representatives and supply chain members. A. True 5. Foreign governments never impose countertrade requirements. B. False 6. Statutory rates are full rates for tariffs. A. True 7. Which of the following is not a strategic issue in making the outsourcing decision? A. The issue of short-term vulnerabilities. 8. Which of the following is a consideration that favors buying a product? B. Multiple source policy 9. Which of the following is not one of the conditions demanding negotiation? C. Market must consist of adequate number of sellers.

Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, Māori culture

From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010). Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, MÄ ori culture From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010).

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene’s character

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene's character. Consider how the interview process exposed what she is like and the choices she has made. Marlene is a high powered business woman; she has just gained a promotion to managing director of a successful employment agency called ‘Top Girls. ‘ In Act 2 Scene 1 Marlene is positioned in the work environment, this enables the audience to see her perform as she would on a daily basis. This is the first time the audience sees Marlene in the work place you are able to make the observation that Marlene is well suited in this career as she is very ambitious. Act 1 informed the audience that Marlene just received a promotion this shows she is dedicated and successful within this agency. Marlene's charisma does a lot to hide her working class roots which she has obviously tried very hard to conceal from the people around her. You would never make the assumption that Marlene is from an impoverish background however, this is revealed when her sister is introduced in Act 2 Scene 2 and shown in working class society. Marlene has made several choices in life in order to move herself up civilization, which Churchill discloses throughout the play. Marlene is interviewing a young girl, Jeanine, for a job in Act 2 Scene 1. The audience is able to see her brisk interviewing skills here and how Marlene would generally perform in the work place. Marlene is quick to notice Jeanine's faults; this shows her to be a relatively pessimistic person. She is fairly blunt and seems rushed in this scene. This shows she is a busy woman who is committed to her work. Churchill purposely exposes the differences within the two women here even though Marlene was once from the same background as Jeanine, her abandoning of the ‘working class' background is noticeable in this scene as she clearly views Jeanine as being underneath her. This is shown by Marlene using Jeanine's forename, † Right Jeanine, you are Jeanine aren't you? † which is generally informal and disrespectful in this situation. Marlene is very original in her views of other women, she seems very self indulged, even though she helps people get jobs she is very ambitious and constantly looking ahead. As Marlene has no one else to worry about Churchill shows her to be self reliant and not want to let anyone else into her life. Jeanine has different ambitions to Marlene, though Jeanine is not necessarily the ambitious type she does have one desire, to get married. Marlene's character is thoroughly exposed when the idea of marriage and children in introduced. She reacts very negatively to both these aspects and seems to view Jeanine negatively for having this ambition. It is revealed in the Act 3 of ‘Top Girls' that Marlene in fact gave up her own child in order to pursue her career. Marlene has made sacrifices, marriage and children to be in the position she is in now and Churchill portrays Marlene to view other people differently for taking this path, like she believes others should make the same choices as she has. When Jeanine mentions not receiving an engagement ring Marlene responds with, â€Å"saves taking it off. † This shows she believes marriage affects work and possibly should stay undisclosed. This shows she is very dedicated to work, possibly too much so. Marlene is definitely a woman who knows what she wants from life and plans ahead to the future. Jeanine is very much the opposite of this as she is very reliant on other people's views and ideas instead of her own. When Marlene questions her about ten years time Jeanine replies with â€Å"I might not be alive in ten years. † This shows the audience their obvious differences and Jeanine's lack of expectations for herself. Marlene is definitely the type of woman who has planned out her next direction in life with steady consideration. Marlene thoroughly believes in commitment to work in order to receive the things you want. She went in to do higher education in order to pursue a career and distant her self from the working class life, her sister's life. This has been an inevitable choice for Marlene and she seems very independent. Marlene does not have a close connection with anyone. Here distances are brought across while speaking to Jeanine on the idea of marriage and children but also the idea of cutting Jeanine's speech up meaning she does not care about her personal life. I don't believe Marlene leads a great social life as she is very work orientated. Act one shows us she has never really had any partners showing again her self reliance but also her inability to make time for others. We know she has at least had one partner when it is revealed that Angie is in fact Marlene's daughter who she handed over to her sister. Though it is never revealed properly why, you get the impression Marlene would not give up the time to look after her daughter and did not want a child to interfere with her plans in future. She wanted to pick the career path not the child path. Marlene's new middle class background Marlene is definitely in a better financial state than Joyce but Marlene chooses to leave Joyce to take care on Angie. Marlene is not fond of children so the audience is able to identify that this child was not planned and Marlene left her mistakes behind her by moving away and beginning work. When Jeanine is speaking about her marriage, Marlene is swift to change the subject, possibly showing she is lonely and knows what she has missed out on. Marlene has abandoned the idea of ever getting married, to work for this company, receive her latest promotion etc. The play provides negative connotations toward being married and having children in this work environment as Marlene says â€Å"So you won't tell them you're getting married†¦ It would probably help. † Showing it is more difficult to get a good job when you have other commitments. Relationships are a hindrance for Marlene while Jeanine sees her relationship as her main focus in life. Marlene is very enigmatic as she keeps most problems and situations to herself. She is a serious character, especially in the work place. In Act 1 you see a slightly more open and humorous side to Marlene however, this was most likely because of her severe alcohol intake. In this interview process, Churchill portrays Marlene as being straight to the point and says what she thinks so that she does not have to waste time. Her job is a busy one and the way she acts towards Jeanine in the interview shows she does not have time to waste â€Å"We don't have any foreign clients. You'd have to go elsewhere. † Marlene also speeds up the interview so it finishes quickly this may be due to her amount of other work or her disliking of Jeanine, it is unclear because of Marlene's secretive side. Marlene seems to live up to the middle class stereotype. There is no connection with anyone from working class background made; this shows Marlene to be ashamed. She is proud for leaving that world behind but keeps it to herself as she doesn't want people to judge her for whom she used to be. Marlene is presented in many ways. Seeing her in the working environment is very significant as this is how she exposes herself to other people. Churchill wants to shows the differences between the two characters in Act 2 Scene 1. Marlene is apathetic towards Jeanine. She has dissimilar ambitions to Jeanine and slightly frowns upon her for choosing this path that Marlene has been so successful without. The differences here really highlight Marlene's thoughts and her as a character. The choices she has made in order to live a middle class career following life are very significant. Giving up a child is a huge decision and Marlene believes in part she made the correct choice and she is now a very successful business woman. You do receive the feeling that it has affected her on the whole as she quickly switches the direction of conversation while speaking with Jeanine about marriage and children. Also the idea of being very secretive shows Marlene must be slightly ashamed or possibly does not find others very trust worthy. She has changed her image and does not feel the need to mention the past which is mature of Marlene. Overall she is exposed by Churchill as making many significant choices in life which she makes no attempt to change permanently. Marlene is portrayed as being dedicated and successful in the work place and this is largely helped by her steady ambition. She has transformed herself and sacrifices certain aspects of life in order to be successful and have her dream occupation.

Swot Analysis of Starbucks

Management 303 SWOT Analysis of Starbucks Corporation Section I – Organizational History / Mission Statement In 1971, Starbuck’s opened its first location in the touristy Pikes Place Market in Seattle. The Starbucks name is derived from the coffee-loving first mate in the novel, Moby Dick. The logo, a two-tailed mermaid encircled by the stores name, continues with the theme and background of the name. From the beginning, Starbucks prides themselves on not only providing their customers with high-quality whole bean coffees, but also with providing them with an inviting atmosphere. The mission statement, â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time†, is seen today in the more than 15,000 locations in more than 150 countries. Section II – Strengths and Weaknesses In my opinion, the top two strengths of Starbucks is their strong brand image associated with their high-quality coffee and their committed and strong workforce. Their top two weaknesses in my opinion are their high premium prices and lack of internal focus. Strength 1 – Strong Brand Image According to G Serrano, â€Å"The strongest attribute that consumers associate with the Starbucks brand is its being known for specialty/gourmet coffee. Starbucks is a widely-recognized brand. Its top-of-mind recall is high. It is both a household name and a buzzword. † By becoming a household name people go to Starbucks to get the â€Å"Starbucks Experience†. This means that Starbucks has made their stores so inviting that people actually get up early in the morning, grab the paper or a good book and drive down to the local Starbucks and basically just chill out. They provide an optional light snack, a good cup of coffee, free Wi-Fi and the comfort of your own home. Being highly recognized for all of the above qualities has contributed in the growth and expansion of their many locations throughout the US and abroad. This is a huge strength in that that being on top of the market share pretty much ensures that no matter what they will continue to stay on top because of their branding and their popularity. Strength 2 – Committed and Strong Workforce Not only does the coffee drive customers to Starbucks, but the dedicated employees who care about their jobs and their customers do as well. Starbucks thinks so highly of their employees, they call them â€Å"partners†. The partners are the ones who create the atmosphere that makes the customers feel the way they do about Starbucks. As Hammers stated in her â€Å"Workforce Management† piece, â€Å"The company’s rich benefit blend keeps turnover low and employee satisfaction high. And that's why it's the Optimas Award winner for Quality of Life. As business owners and managers, our job is to make sure that our employees or partners, for that matter, are happy and well-trained. When this happens, as it has with Starbucks, it outwardly shows to the clientele and it makes them want to come back time and time again. Weakness 1 – High Premium Prices Starbucks is a premium brand that commands premium prices. As competitive pressures increase, the company could b e undercut by lower price rivals such as McDonalds or Duncan Donuts. Recession or downturn in the economy, like we are facing now, affects consumer spending. If Starbucks continues to increase prices over the next few years in the face of increasing coffee prices, there could be a downside to their forecast. In this highly competitive market and with less disposable income to spend, consumers turn to lower priced venues and competitors. † Starbucks should look into some sort of cost saving efforts when it comes to the coffee beans that they buy. I know they are known for their premium brands, but with prices on the steady increase something Weakness 2 – Lack of Internal Focus Starbucks has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade or so. They seem to be consumed with growing their market share by increasing the amount of locations they have within the states as well as abroad. Serrano states just this point in saying â€Å"The growth strategy was not really the failing point. In fact, this augured well for the company’s bottom line. What the company’s executives failed to see was the fact that if it wanted to saturate the market, its product and service offerings were not really meeting the characteristics of the market. That is why the market perceived Starbucks as merely concerned with growth in the number of stores and profits. The wide potential market base did not see Starbucks as concerned with their needs. † Starbucks goes through a lot of effort to get the opinions of their partners and their clients. They even have a board of people who read the queries on a monthly basis to see where improvements can be made. Since they are putting in all the effort, they need to follow through and start listening to the very people that give them their profits. Expanding will do no good if you don’t have any customers. The more they neglect what their partners and customers are saying, the more they are going to lose touch. Section III – Opportunities and Strengths In my opinion, the two biggest opportunities for Starbucks are increasing their CRM and database marketing and expanding into new product lines. Strength 1 – Increasing CRM and Database Marketing One of the greatest opportunities for Starbucks is to increase their CRM and Database Marketing. At the moment Starbucks just asks you what you want, you pay for it, they make your drink and you are on your way. In order to better serve their clients and give back to them, they could come up with some type of rewards program. Many large retailers and food chains have already begun these programs. This would help them stay in touch with their clients by sending them emails of upcoming events, new drinks and new offers. They could also attach a rewards program for the customers who have a daily addiction to their drinks. This basically becomes a win-win situation for not only Starbucks but for their customers as well. Strength 2 – Expanding Product Lines and Services We all know that Starbucks has the best selection of coffees around. Unfortunately, that is all they do. I think one of the greatest opportunities for them would be for them to expand their food line to go along with their drinks. Seeing that they are open all day long and into the night, they could benefit greatly by developing a larger lunch line. They currently have small salads and finger sandwiches at some of their locations. By increasing their menu they could also increase their profits. This would help give them a competitive advantage of other cafes along the same lines as them.

Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism

were infallible. One can see this in the following passage: We lie in the lap of immense intelligence, which makes us receivers of its truth and organ of its activity. When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing by ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams. If we ask whence this comes, if we seek to pry into the soul that causes, all philosophy is at fault. Its presence or its absence is all we can affirm. (Self-Reliance 1163) In the preceding passage reference to the divinity of humanity is made when he states â€Å"When we discern justice, we discern truth†. Another â€Å"truth† he discusses is the divinity of nature and mankind’s oneness with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson believes that there is Divinity in Nature, and everything makes a circle back to a unity with the universe. The universe is the externsation of the soul. Whereve... Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism Emerson and Transcendentalism In The Pulley George Herbert stated â€Å"He would adore my gifts instead of me; And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature†. Quite often people make this mistake of not seeing the forest through the trees. Be that as it may, there are many that only see one aspect of the whole scheme and focus all of their lives and energy into that feature. Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of these, devoting his existence to the concept there is divinity in nature and humanity. Emerson exemplifies these points in his writings â€Å"The Poet† and â€Å"Self-Reliance†. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s beliefs are grouped in a category called transcendentality. This idea started a philosophical and literary movement that flourished in New England from about 1836 to 1860. It began in a small group of intellectuals who were debating against the orthodoxy of Calvinism and the rationalism of the Unitarian Church, developing their own faith centering on the divinity of humanity and the natural world. Because he surrounded himself with intellectuals he started to believe that his words were infallible. One can see this in the following passage: We lie in the lap of immense intelligence, which makes us receivers of its truth and organ of its activity. When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing by ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams. If we ask whence this comes, if we seek to pry into the soul that causes, all philosophy is at fault. Its presence or its absence is all we can affirm. (Self-Reliance 1163) In the preceding passage reference to the divinity of humanity is made when he states â€Å"When we discern justice, we discern truth†. Another â€Å"truth† he discusses is the divinity of nature and mankind’s oneness with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson believes that there is Divinity in Nature, and everything makes a circle back to a unity with the universe. The universe is the externsation of the soul. Whereve...

Definition of the Disengagement Theory of Aging

Definition of the Disengagement Theory of Aging Disengagement theory outlines a process of disengagement from social life that people experience as they age and become elderly. The theory states that, over time, elderly people withdraw, or disengage from, the social roles and relationships that were central to their life in adulthood. As a functionalist theory, this framework casts the process of disengagement as necessary and beneficial to society, as it allows the social system to remain stable and ordered. Overview of Disengagement in Sociology Disengagement theory was created by social scientists  Elaine Cumming and William Earle Henry, and presented in the book  Growing Old, published in 1961. It is notable for being the first social science theory of aging, and in part, because it was controversially received, sparked further development of social science research, and theories about the elderly, their social relationships, and their roles in society. This theory presents a social systemic discussion of the aging process and the evolution of the social lives of elderly  and was inspired by functionalist theory. In fact, famed sociologist Talcott Parsons, who is regarded as a leading functionalist, wrote the foreword to the Cummings and Henrys book. With the theory, Cummings and Henry situate aging within the social system and offer a set of steps that outline how the process of disengagement occurs as one ages  and why this is important and beneficial to the social system as a whole. They based their theory on  data from the Kansas City Study of Adult Life, a  longitudinal study that tracked several hundred adults from middle to old age,  conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago. Postulates of the Theory of Disengagement Based on this data Cummings and Henry created the following nine postulates that comprise the theory of disengagement. People lose social ties to those around them because they expect death, and their abilities to engage with others deteriorate over time.As a person begins to disengage, they are increasingly freed from social norms which guide interaction. Losing touch with norms reinforces and fuels the process of disengagement.The disengagement process for men and women differs due to their different social roles.The process of disengaging is spurred by an individuals desire to not have their reputation damaged by losing skills and abilities while they are still fully engaged in their social roles. Simultaneously younger adults are trained to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to take over the roles played by those who disengage.Complete disengagement happens when both the individual and society are ready for this to occur. A disjunction between the two will occur when one is ready but not the other.People who have disengaged adopt new social roles so as not to suffer a crisis of identity o r become demoralized. A person is ready to disengage when they are aware of the short time remaining in their life and they no longer wish to fulfill their current social roles; and society allows for disengagement in order to provide jobs for those coming of age, to satisfy the social needs of a nuclear family, and because people die.Once disengaged, remaining relationships shift, rewards of them may change, and hierarchies may also shift.Disengagement occurs across all cultures but is shaped by the culture in which it occurs. Based on these postulates, Cummings and Henry suggested that the elderly are happiest when they accept and willingly go along with the process of disengagement. Critiques of the Theory of Disengagement The theory of disengagement caused controversy as soon as it was published. Some critics pointed out that this was a flawed social science theory because Cummings and Henry assume that the process is natural, innate, and inevitable, as well as universal. Evoking a fundamental conflict within sociology between functionalist and other theoretical perspectives, some pointed out that the theory completely  ignores the role of class in shaping the experience of aging, while others critiqued the assumption that the elderly have seemingly no agency in this process, but rather are compliant tools of the social system. Further, based on subsequent research, others asserted that the  theory of disengagement fails to capture the complex and rich social lives of the elderly, and the many forms of engagement that follow retirement (see The Social Connectedness of Older Adults: A National Profile by Cornwall et al., published in  American Sociological Review  in 2008). Noted contemporary sociologist Arlie Hochschild also published critiques of this theory. From her view, the theory is flawed because it has  an escape clause, wherein those who do not disengage are considered troubled outliers. She also critiqued Cummings and Henry for failing to provide evidence that disengagement is willingly done. While Cummings stuck to her theoretical position, Henry subsequently disavowed it in later publications and aligned himself with alternative theories that followed, including  activity theory and continuity theory. Recommended Reading Growing Old, by Cumming and Henry, 1961.Lives Through the Years: Styles of Life and Successful Aging, by Wiliams and Wirths, 1965.Disengagement Theory: A Critical Evaluation, by George L. Maddox, Jr.,  The Gerontologist,  1964.Disengagement Theory: A Critique and Proposal, by Arlie Hochschild,  American Sociological Review  40, no. 5 (1975): 553–569.Disengagement Theory: A Logical, Empirical, and Phenomenological Critique, by Arlie Hochshchild, in  Time, Roles, and Self in Old Age, 1976.Revisiting the Kansas City study of adult life: roots of the disengagement model in social gerontology, by J. Hendricks,  Getontologist, 1994. ​​Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Income statement and balance sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Income statement and balance sheet - Essay Example The business community has more accumulated wealth that the governments of the over 200 countries in the world combined.There are thousands of publicly traded companies been traded on Wall Street and international markets such as the London Stock Exchange every day. Due to the importance of these capital markets there is a need for professionals dedicated to financial reporting. Publicly traded companies have to prepare financial statements every accounting period. The normal accounting period is one year, but most companies also release quarterly financial statements. The four major financial statements are the income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flow, and statement of stockholders equity. These four financial statements are included in the Annual Report of corporations. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and describe the income statement and the balance sheet. The income statement and the balance sheet are two interrelated statements. The outcome of the income s tatement affects the equity account of the balance sheet. The income statement is a financial report that provides information regarding the profitability of the company during an accounting period. The top figure in the income statement is sales. Sales are very important because they provide the economic asset needed to operate a business. The sales of the company are subtracted by the cost of goods sold. The subtraction of those variables is the gross profit. At the bottom of the income statement the operating expenses and taxes are subtracted from gross profit to arrive at net income. The income statement is a very valuable report because it indicates how well a business operation is doing in terms of financial success. The income statement reports the revenues and expenses of an enterprise during a natural or fiscal year. The top and bottom figures of the income statement are the two numbers investors look for which are sales and net income. The higher the figure of net income t he better off a company is financially. Net incomes help companies accumulate capital. The net income figure is transferred from the balance sheet to the stockholder’s equity section. The second major financial statement is the balance sheet. The balance sheet is considered a statement of position. This means that the figures illustrated in the balance are the account balances at a specific point in time. The three major components or categories within the balance sheet are assets, liabilities and stockholder’s equity. The internal structure of the balance sheet follows the logic of the basic accounting equation. The basic accounting equation states that assets are equal to liabilities plus stockholder’s equity. An asset can be defined as an item of economic value owned by an individual or corporation (Answers, 2011). The assets in the balance sheet are listed in order to liquidity. The most liquid asset is cash. Equipment and machinery are two examples of asset s. Machinery is a fixed asset that can be used to generate revenues. Assets can also be converted to cash by selling them. The liabilities of a company are short and long term obligations to financial institutions such as banks. It is preferable for a company to have a low level of debt. Debt instruments can be used to finance expansion projects. The debt section of the balance sheet is divided into short and long term liabilities. The last segment of the balance sheet is the equity section. The balance sheet and the income statement are prepared once the accounting department completes the accounting cycle. These two financial statements are extremely valuable pieces of information for the user of financial information. It is mandatory for public companies to release the financial statements at least once a year. The regulatory agency that foresees the financial actions of public corporations is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The data in the balance sheet and income statement can be used by financial analyst or anyone with financial knowledge to perform ratio, trend,