buy custom The Racial Achievement and Suspension Gaps essay

buy custom The Racial Achievement and Suspension Gaps essay According to research, the achievement gap is the performance between a few students whose parents earn low-income compared to that of their counterparts on standardized tests. The minority and low-income children do not perform well as their fellows on the tests (Murphy, 2009). Other studies define racial achievement gap as the differences between the performance of groups of students particularly groups defined by race, gender and social class status. The observation of the achievement gap could be through various different measures such as standardized test scores, drop out rates, and grade point average, as well as, admission in and completion from college rates. A good number of schools have tried so hard to reduce or eliminate the minority achievement gap. In most cases, schools put children falling behind in remedial classes to assist them catch up. Although, some schools are getting that grouping students by ability or tracking leads to even more problems other than solving t hem. Therefore, despite the fact, there is an increasing number in cultural diversity, in most schools, the policies, practices, and procedures of the dominant culture remain the accepted method to learning. This thus provides learning advantage to students of the dominant culture over learners of the other races and ethnicities. According to Murphy (2009), culturally competent instructors learn means by which they could effectively communicate with their learners from different races, cultures, and social class. This is always done in respect of the different cultures. These instructors are also aware of their attitudes toward members of different races and cultures with whom they may be working. Achievement and suspension gaps affect negatively educational results for poor children and children of colour on a consistent basis when analyzed in terms of race and ethnicity. According to studies, the achievement and suspension, this is detected, through standardized tests in elementary schools starts as early as in kindergarten. Some researches had the views that during the first years of children in school, about half the test score gap between black and white students is already evident. Several different tests at kindergarten entry have demonstrated evidence of such a gap. Therefore, this makes it difficult for such students to catch up with others later on since the early gap in performance is extremely critical. For instance, learners who perform poorly in tests of cognitive skills before joining kindergarten are most likely to perform extremely poorly in the entire of their school life. The use of suspension as the main discipline strategy always has a disproportionate impact on students of colour since most schools depend highly on suspension from classroom. Therefore, the application of suspension as a disciplinary practice may lead to the well documented racial gaps in academic achievement. This therefore, implies that there is a significant need for scholarly attention to the racial gap if efforts dealing with the achievement gap are to have a higher likelihood of success. However, some researchers argue that the achievement and suspension gaps are not as a result of race, but are issues of class. For instance, such arguments reveal that the gap in test scores does not show any signs of race, but rather it is because of the socioeconomic status of the family where the child is coming. These researchers demonstrate that the poorly performing students do so because they lack adequate financial resources. The financial resources could enable them compete favourably with their counterparts. Therefore, this perspective implies that the actual gap is brought about by the children who come from wealthy families and neighbourhoods versus those who come from poor families and neighbourhoods. Nevertheless, despite all these arguments made by various researchers, it is significant that the educational diversity focuses on whether the school community is serious and believes that all students can learn despite their races, ethnicity, social background and cultures among others. This is because effective school instructors promote cultures that are of value. There is the formation of healthy the processes of encouraging, acknowledging, understanding, and cultivating diverse values in schools. Causes of the racial achievement and suspension gaps Studies show that frequent suspensions of students from classrooms are the greatest cause of poor academic performance. In addition, suspensions may cause a student to drop out of school or to cause a delay in the graduation process. For instance, school discipline practices resulting in suspension from school may cause severe damage to the learning process of a student and in other ways, as well. This may happen because most of the time the suspended students become less attached to school, less invested in school rules and school assignments, as well as, less motivated to achieve academic success (Chubb, 2002). Such students not bonded to school are more likely to change into law breakers. For instance, they may start participating in law breaking practices hence becoming less motivate to achieve academic success. Therefore, from the previous research, it is revealed that school suspensions increase the risk of antisocial behaviour that the nations face. In overall, disproportionat e school discipline encountered by some racial and ethnic group has significant implications for academic outcomes. Some demographic characteristics that are common among some racial and ethnic groups have been used as the main explanation for the racial achievement and suspension gaps. For instance, low income learners with histories of low achievement who live in high crime or high poverty neighbourhoods may be at a higher risk for involving themselves in acts leading to office disciplinary referrals and school suspensions. Therefore, sociocultural factors are the foremost causes of the achievements and suspension gap. For instance, the cultural attitudes and racism plays the key role in the achievement gap. This is seen when the minority students holds the attitude that the majority cultures sees them as people who are less capable. Thus, expects little from them. It is difficult for the minority students with such attitudes to try to perform better in school because they believe that they will not succeed. Some studies illustrate that minority learners try to keep their low levels of achievement intentionally. This is in order not to behave like the white students and get the approval of their friends. To make matters worse, the instructors have low expectations of these students hence making them to have low expectations for them. Other researchers demonstrate that the achievement and suspension gaps exist as a result of homes and communities. For instance, students may not be able to perform well if they are not coming from stable home environment with the support needed in order to succeed in school, even though there are enough alignment standards, as well as, setting flexible curriculums within the school. Therefore, the researchers try to make a follow up on what happens in the homes of the students in order to know the cause of the achievement gap. Thus, through such researches, it has been revealed that, in most cases, parents or guardian do not get involved in the education of the student, there is the lack of discipline for children in homes, and communities, and attitudes of indifferences and low expectations for the child`s educational achievement. This implies that the tutors and the school only have the ability of instructing, but they cannot reinforce the behaviours at home or ensure that a child `s` assignment is accomplished. Moreover, they cannot ensure that the child has someone to assist with his or her studies. Thus, the problem could only be solved starting form home by correcting those issues first. According to suggestions from other studies, academic achievement is exceedingly closely tied to race and socioeconomic status. For instance, being brought up in a low income family may imply having few educational materials together with poor nutrition and limited access to health care services, all of which could lead to poor and low performances academically (Orfield, 2008). Achievement gap is also caused by biological differences like brain structure and development. For instance, this is seen in the way in which one gender may perform better than the other especially in certain subjects. Statistics show that different parts of the brain grow differently in female compared to males. Therefore, the rate of brain maturation between boys and girls influences how gender process data and could have effects in their performance at academic, work. This thus shows that the average variations in genetic and level of intelligence are the main causes of racial differences in academic achievement. Another cause for achievement and suspension gap includes the cultural and environmental factors. This implies that the culture and environment where children are brought in may play a significant part in the achievement and suspension gap. For instance, the black parents in most cases do not motivate their children or do not promote early education to their children. This is because they do no see the personal advantages of gaining exceptional academic skills. Thus, the African Americans tend to start school with little vocabularies than their white counterparts as the result of the cultural differences. Nevertheless, poverty is known to play a crucial part, and the differences assumed to occur from racial factors may be as a result of socioeconomic circumstances. This means that the majority of poor students despite their race, are from homes that are unstable, lack enough care, inadequate nutrition, and health care thus causing depression environmentally hence affecting the young childrens growth and development. Thus as a result, this causes more effect on the achievement and suspension gaps. For example, because of lack of enough resources, a child may choose to participate in acts such as theft in order to meet some of his or her wants. Such acts may in the end cause suspension from schools hence; cause achievement and suspension gap between African Americans. Because of environmental and cultural differences between the whites and the black students, the black children in most cases join the school with low level of knowledge that can influence their skills in languages, their book experiences and develops difference in perceptions and expectations in the school context. Moreover, racial achievement and suspension gaps are due to low achievement. For instance, research shows that there is a persistent pattern that Asian and white students score greater grades on achievement tests compared with white students, Latinos and American Indian students. In such circumstances, most students may become frustrated disaffected as well as develop low self confidence due to repeated academic difficulties and underperforming which may lead to a higher rate of school disruption. Remedies for achievement and suspension gaps In order for the school, community, and students, to achieve or overcome the achievement and suspension gap, remedies such as teacher focused reforms should be advocated for in school institutions. Studies show that, teachers are the most significant in-school factor influencing the academic achievement of students. This reform should be enhanced from both up down in line of greater standards for teacher education and preparation. Furthermore, it should consist of a bottom up through programs focusing on addressing educational inequity by recruiting and training teachers particularly to work in high needs learning institutions. Another remedy recommended includes the idea of investing in early childhood education. Throughh this remedy, the school institution may be able to reduce or at least eliminate the achievement gap starting at its young stages. Economists explain that the process of investing in early childhood education both more effective and cost effective than interventions in later stages of the life of a child. For instance, there are various education programs for pre-kindergarten children that are set aside to help the low income families as away of creating equality for these children before they join schools. Furthermore, adding to the increased access, there should be an increased national focus on raising quality standards for teachers and ensure that the pre-kindergarten programs are funded to meet to the needs of the low income families and their children. In addition, the early childhood education care providers should undergo serious training and professional development in order to make them achieve the necessary skills and knowledge needed to meeting the needs of these young children without struggle. There has been some recent evidence of the advantages of enhancing childhood education in early stages as a remedy of overcoming the achievement and suspension gaps. Therefore, this is a clear implication that pre-kindergarten programs create positive and long-lasting effects on the students academic achievement of the low income and minority learners. In addition, some studies argue that by reducing the gap between the white-black tests score gap would help a terrific deal in moving the United States toward racial equality than any political plausible alternatives. Therefore, through the reduction of the gap it will also lead to significant, positive social and economic effects which also help in reducing the rates of school expulsions hence overcoming the achievement gap. Furthermore, in order to a dress the issue of achievement and suspension gap, some interventions in both the district and state level should be encouraged. For instance, such interventions should include reduction in the size of the class, invest in young schools, and change in curriculum schedule, reinforcement of early childhood education through school standards and needs and advanced teacher education programs. The use of after school tutoring sessions and remedial programs help in achieving or meeting the achievement and suspension gaps within school institutions in order to create equality among all races whether white, black, or an Asian (Cheryl, 2007). With such remedies in place, the learning process of the minority students will be accelerated to extreme levels higher than a years development in one years time to enable them catch up to their counterparts. Therefore, all schools have to start de-tracking their learners in order to offer the same quality education for all st udents despite the race. Another remedy recommended includes providing the necessary incentive for the students particularly the students from the low income earning parents. The main goal of this is to enhance the achievement of students academically hence close the achievement and suspension gaps between the high and low performing schools. The parents should devote their time to checking and helping their children with education assignments to ensure that what they are doing is right. In addition, frequent check ups gives the child the motivation and encouragement she or he needs in accomplishing the course works and preparing for the final exams. Through this, there are high possibilities of closing the achievement and suspension gaps in students hence high academic performances. Research shows that children able to perform better in academic work if their parents offers or takes time in assisting them with coursework and assignments. Promoting remedies such as increasing awareness to teachers and administrators of the existing bias at the time of providing referrals for discipline to the students should be emphasized. The black students experience high rates of suspension compared to their white counterparts. It is advisable that suspensions and classrooms exclusions and schools should always be the last alternative measure of disciplinary rather than being put first (Myra, 2007). Teachers should always try to get the knowledge of what is leading cause of the problem leading to the unwanted behaviour of the student. This will help in reconnecting the learners with the educational mission of school at the time of disciplinary practices. Therefore, by applying these remedies to responsible offices institutions will ensure that the right procedures are adhered to hence closing the racial achievement gap and suspension gaps among student. This will obviously lead to high and better performance of students in schools. Conclusion The achievement gap is the performance between poor students compared to that of their peers on standardized tests. The minority and low-income children do not perform well as their fellows on the tests. Other studies define racial achievement gap as the disparity seen on rate of learning approaches between the achievement of students particularly groups defined by race, religion, and class status. The observation of the achievement gap could be through various different measures such as standardized test scores, drop out rates, and grade point average, as well as, admission in and completion from college rates. There are a considerable number of factors that cause achievement and suspension gaps. These include the cultural and environmental factors. This implies that the culture and environment where children are brought in may play a vital part in the achievement and suspension gap. Other factors include socioeconomic factors among others just as discussed above. However, the achie vement and suspension gaps could be overcome through several remedies such as reducing the test score gaps between the black and white students, setting up educational programs and investing in early childhood education programs in order to close the gap between the students in terms of race. Buy custom The Racial Achievement and Suspension Gaps essay

Find out about Marks ans spencer and its competitors to write a review Essay

Find out about Marks ans spencer and its competitors to write a review of the company's environmental management - Essay Example The region is populated with an estimated 5.3 billion of populace based with 84% of them are located in urban centers (Index Mundi, 2013, p. 1). The presence of these diverse and multicultural consumers and its relative economic affluence compared to other emerging countries, are opportunities for business chain to undertake corporate operation. Mark and Spencer sell clothes, food, home needs, and other products, has it main center based in UK and has varied offshore operations including chains in advanced countries. The company relies on its core corporate values: quality, value, service, innovation and trust (M & S, 2012a, p. 2). Its subsidiary company at UK also contributed to the ? 9.9 bn group revenue in 2012, underlying group operating profit of ? 810.0 m. As a leading retailer, it sourced its products responsibly from 2,000 suppliers globally (M & S, 2012a, p. 2). Central to its business operation since 2007 is the drive to address ecological concerns and social inequities by upholding a healthier and sustainable lifestyle (M & S, 2012b, p. 1). The company prided of integrating sustainability in managing its business by providing such framework of governance that is focused on environmental management systems (M & S, 2012b, p. 1). What is environmental management system? The US Environmental Protection Agency (2013) defined Environmental Management System (EMS) as a quality control mechanism designed to enable an organization to practice set of rules and behaviors that will reduce and mitigate environmental destruction to scale up its operating efficiency (p. 1). Such framework encourages companies to attain environmental objectives by employing environmental plans, goals, and protectionism campaigns as part of its operational mandates in management, for customers, for human resources, including its suppliers (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This extols the assumption that employing environmental management control will likewise gain social acceptance and hence impr ove the corporate financial sustainability of the organization (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This is also presumed that the EMS is also aligned and is consistent to company’s goals and business practices (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). Experts likewise posit that this internal and external regulatory approach requires stringent compliance to reduce risks, hazards, and to ensure cost-efficient business operation (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This is also to address the call of our times amid the devastating impact of climate change and the need to respond for ecological protection (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). It also provided remedies to unregulated issues like problems on energy conservation, quality operational control and the importance of corporate stewardship (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). Thus under this framework, the company develops its own environmental goals based on ecological and legal basis; form its own environmental objectives, increase employees competence. EPA encourages company to have an environmental p olicy as its foundational plan to attain targeted environmental performance and outcomes (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). These blue prints are implemented and became subject of an evaluation at the end of every cycle of to determine it has improve its corporate social relations, it is has positively impacted

THE BP OIL SPILL IN MEXICAN GULF 2010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

THE BP OIL SPILL IN MEXICAN GULF 2010 - Essay Example A crisis refers to an undesirable and unfortunate position that a business finds itself in, and which poses a great threat to the organization (Benoit, 1995). The value of communication in any company is very important, and this importance cannot be understated. The major concept of this work is crisis management, and will employ a special focus on the BP oil company, and the oil spillage crisis of 2010. It shall take keen interest on how well, or otherwise, the crisis was handled by the company. Two theories are important in this work. First is the structural function systems theory which provides an in depth insight in crisis management. It implies that those companies that have a very effective information and communication model are more likely to succeed in crisis management (Lightstone and Driscoll, 2008). The second theory, the diffusion innovation theory, which is a widely applied theory, helps to structure the framework of this work, theoretically. It shows how businesses co mmunicate and disseminate information through specified networks, or after a period of time which results to consistency (Hooghiemstra, 2000). Accounting theories lay great value in communication, and sets up assumptions, methodology and frameworks, to ensure timely, reliable, efficient and consistent information (Islam and Deegan, 2010). The crisis that BP found itself in was a great test to the company’s reputation, which has taken many years to build. The case The case study chosen, in this context is about BP oil spill in the Mexican Gulf in 2010. BP Ltd has operation sin over eighty companies. Statistics reveal that in 2012, it was the fifth largest company in terms of market share, and has over 87, 000 employees globally (BP, 2010). According to this report, on the morning of 20th April 2010, there was a huge explosion at the Macondo Prospect. A drilling rig had exploded, which resulted to the death of eleven people and seventeen others being injured. This was the worst marine accident in the oil industry, which put the reputation of the company at stake. The BP Company addressed the issue through several press releases, interviews, updates via new media including Facebook and Twitter and also through their annual financial report. The use of these means can be attributed to several accounting theories including the stakeholders and legitimacy theory, the systems oriented theory and the positive accounting theory, which will be discussed in the methodology section. Data After the accident, the company CEO, Tony Hayward, was interviewed by several media houses. In the interview, he consoled the family of the bereaved and the injured. The company also issued press releases regarding the accident. The press releases thereafter were released after a period of time, and each of it gave updates about the accident. For instance, between the day of the accident and the beginning of the year 2011, the company had released about thirty or more press release s on the same issue (Landau, 2001). New media has also boosted communication. The company therefore took its chances and continued to communicate via Facebook and twitter, updating all recent developments and photos of the progressing work. The other disclosure vehicle chosen was the annual report of 2010. In this, the chairman, Carl Henric Sanberg addressed the issue. In the same report, there is a summary of the accident, and a detailed explanation of what has been done, and what continues to be done (BP, 2010). The vehicles chosen for corporate analysis in this particular crisis were effective, though not fully. Methodology The

The first experiment Essay Example for Free

The first experiment Essay In the three experiments, we see how different objects fall. We should take note that the experiments are employed with the presence of air (and thus, air friction). In the first case, the quarter dollar coin is bigger and heavier than the penny; therefore, it will drop faster because its gravitational force is greater than that of the penny. Even if there is an air friction which is opposite the direction of gravity, it only has a minimal effect on the coins. In the second case, the crumpled paper falls faster than the uncrumpled one. This is because the presence of air friction acts greater with the uncrumpled paper as its surface is greater, hence creating a bigger space for air friction to occur. The crumpled paper, on the other hand, falls faster because of its compacted state. Its gravitational pull acts greater than the opposing air friction. Thirdly, the case of the coin dropped from the index card accounts for the coin to fall faster. This is because it has greater mass (and therefoe, greater gravitational force) tan the index card. Generally, the mass and weight of an object are major characteristics to consider in predicting its rate of fall. The greater the mass or weight, the faster will it fall. This is primarily due to the fact that gravitational force is mass (m) times acceleration die to gravity (g = constant at 9. 8 m/s2). In the same way, the shape and surface of an object also contribute to its rate of fall. The more compact or solid the object, the faster it will fall; the bigger the surface area, the more slowly it will fall. The frictional force is responsible for this slow down. 2. Describe the difference (in both what happens and why) between a person who jumps from an airplane with a parachute and one who jumps without a parachute. If a parachute is used, what would be the difference when the same size parachute is used on a person and then used on an elephant? In the first instance where a person jumps from an airplane with a parachute (say, person A), as compared to the person without a parachute (person B), person A will be able to land in a safer manner since the chute provides for a decrease in the person’s acceleration towards the ground. As person A drops down, the chute slows down his velocity by adding the oppositely directed air friction; meaning, as the downward velocity increases (or as person A accelerates downward), an upward force (which is the air friction sifted by the parachute) reduces the acceleration, thus creating less impact on person A’s landing. Contrastingly, person B will drop downwards in an accelerating manner, where the increased velocity will account for a less safe landing. In the second instance, the size is given focus with regard to the velocity and acceleration of the falling person/animal. Given the same sizes of parachutes used, a person (say, person C) and an elephant (say, Dumbo) are dropped down from an altitude. The effect would be that Dumbo will fall faster than person C despite the same sizes of chutes. Dumbo’s size accounts for the increase in velocity, as it has been established that mass is a factor for acceleration according to Newton’s First Law of Motion (F = ma or a = F / m). Person C will then fall more slowly as compared to Dumbo’s acceleration. The parachute may provide a decrease in acceleration, but this is more observable in person C’s experience.

Imperfect Society Depicted in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death of a Salesman

Imperfect Society Depicted in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman   Advancements in science throughout this century have led to tremendous advancements in industry.   Advancements in industry, however, have not always led to advancements in living.   For some, society has created mass wealth and enabled a standard of living unparalleled throughout history.   For Willy Loman, society has created only tremendous grief and hardship, aggravated by the endless promise of the good times to come.   For these reasons, Willy’s tragedy is due more to societies flaws than to the numerous flaws in his own character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy Loman was host to many flaws and deficiencies ranging form suicidal tendencies to psychotic disorders.   However, these shortcomings did not account for his tragic end, not by themselves anyway.   Society is to blame.   It was society who stripped him of his dignity, piece by piece. It was society who stripped him of his lifestyle, and his own sons who stripped him of hope.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most obvious flaw in society is greed, the desire to get ahead of the next guy.   This malady is present on a national level.   It is the philosophy of business and comprises the dreams of man.   Sometimes, this can drive man to great things, sometimes it can drive a man to ruin.   Willy was driven to the latter.   (Not his own greed for he was a simple man with simple dreams, but by the greed of others.)   The developers who took away the sun and gave birth to shadows, his boss who reduced him to commission and his sons which reduced him to a failure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The next largest flaw in society is a lack of compassion.   This could be as a result of almost overwhelming greed, the main culprit being big business. I'm always in a race with the junkyard!   I just finished paying for the car and it's on it last legs.   The refrigerator consumes belts like a goddam maniac.   They time those things.(Act 2, page 73, lines 16-19)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy's belief in this statement drew him to believe that big business lacked compassion.   It is because of this that he is abandoned by Biff and disowned by Happy, left babbling in a toilet.   It is this flaw that allowed him to die a slow death and played the greatest role in his eventual downfall.      Ã‚  Ã‚  The third largest flaw in society (particularly American society) is the lack of a social safety net.

Energy Drink and Alternative Beverages Essay

1. What are the strategically relevant components of the global and U. S. beverage industry macro-environment? How do the economic characteristics of the alternative beverage segment of the industry differ from that of other beverage categories? Explain. SEGMENTATION: The global market for alternative beverages was divided by product type (sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverages) with different demands for each group. Sports drinks accounted for nearly 60% of alternative beverage sales in 2009, while vitamin-enhanced drinks and energy drinks got about 23% and 18% of 2009 alternative beverage sales, respectively, in the US. RIVALRY: The worldwide competition between three major producers (PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Red Bull) made the industry rivalry become global. In U. S. , Pepsico has engulfed almost half or 47. 8% of the market shares last 2009. The only region where Coca-Cola beats Pepsico is in Asia-Pacific. Coca-cola has 13. 7% of the market shares while Pepsico has 12. 4%. Worldwide, Pepsico is still leading among the three with 26. 5% of market shares while Coca-Cola and Red Bull had 11. 5% and 7%, respectively. MARKET SIZE: The global beverage industry’s dollar value for beverages in 2009 was $1,581. 7 billion (458. 4 billion liters); with 48. 2% of industry sales was from carbonated soft drinks, 29. 2% from bottle water, 4. 0% from sports drinks, 1. 6% flavored or enhanced water, and 1. 2% from energy drinks. The dollar value of global market for alternative beverages in the same year was $40. 2 billion (12. 7 billion liters), while the dollar value of the U. S. market for alternative beverages stood at $17 billion (4. 2 billion liters). Meanwhile, in Asia-Pacific region, the dollar value for alternative beverages in 2009 was $12. 7 billion (6. 2 billion liters) and it was $9. 1 billion (1. 6 billion liters) in the European market. MARKET GROWTH: The dollar value of the global beverage industry had grown approximately 2. 6% annually from 2005 to 2009 and was forecasted to grow approximately 2. 3% annually from 2010 to 2014. However, this indicator for the alternative beverage industry was much higher. For example, the dollar value of the global market for alternative beverages grew at a 9. 8% annually from 2005 to 2009, but was expected to slow down to 5. 7% annually from 2010 to 2014. Based on the geographic share of the alternative beverages market, U. S. largely covers 42. 3% of it; while Asia-Pacific, Europe and Americas (excluding U. S. ) only cover 31. 5%, 22. 2% and 4% respectively. US is the country that has strongest growth internationally in terms of alternative beverage sales with a 84. 78% growth between 2005 and 2009; while Europe and Asia-Pacific are 22. 97% and 24. 51%, respectively. However, poor economic conditions in the US in 2008 and 2009 led to a 12. 3% decline in sports drink sales and a 12. 5% decline in flavored and vitamin-enhanced waters sales. It was also the reason why energy drinks sales increased just a little of 0. 2% between those years. 2. What is competition like in the alternative beverage industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness and the potential profitability of new entrants? In the beverage industry, competition can be extensive (large scale). There are many substitute beverages from tea,soft drinks,fruit juices, and bottled water. Provided that there is a wide range of substitute beverages, this weakens the competitive power of substitute beverages when there comes a change to consumer preference. Because there is a large purchase for wholesale clubs, grocery stores, and convenience stores ; consumers have significant influence in negotiations for pricing and slotting fees with the producers. Wholesale clubs and the likes find it difficult to represent new brands due to limited shelf space. When products become a household name such as coca cola, red bull, etc already offer the demands of consumers. Coca Cola and PepsiCo are the least vulnerable when it comes to substitute products since they offer a wide range of variety beverages. The strongest competitive force is competitive rivalry within the industry, competition grows stronger by the year. The primary focus on brand image is key to becoming a household name in the industry, Attractive packaging should be developed, New research and product development, Increase of distribution capabilities, Better taste and more variety. The Bargaining power and leverage of suppliers is the weakest competitive force, Consumers tend to buy more alternative products. The threat of new brands varies by market maturity of each alternative beverage category. Competition is strong and will continue on growing every year in the product line. Competition among all brands center mostly on brand image, attractive packaging, new product and research development, sales promotion, better access to shelf space, and strengthening distribution capabilities. Rivals expands their numbers and types of alternative beverages in their product line, the opportunity for low switch cost for consumers gets introduced and sales efforts to establish consumers brand loyalty. 3. How is the market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those forces individually or collectively make the industry more or less attractive? The market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages is now changing due to the change in the long-term industry growth rate. Because of the US recession on the entire beverage industry the demand for the alternative beverages was expected to grow worldwide as the purchasing power of the consumers increased. The volume of the alternative beverages offered higher profit margin than those of other beverages. Product innovation, in terms of flavors and formulation, was the most important competitive feature of the alternative beverages. They competed on the basis of differentiation from traditional drinks. This made the industry attractive because of the enhanced look and flavors that the company made. The modernization in marketing and distribution system changed the industry in the way that the beverages may be bought from convenience stores, restaurants, sporting events, delis, concerts, festivals, carnivals and vending machines. The industry was made more attractive because of the famous artists that the companies hire for advertisements. There was also an expansion of target markets, and an increase in new entrants, which made the industry seem appealing to others. The regulations and policies that the government implemented made the industry less attractive due to the products’ faults being exposed to the public. The growing concern of people about health associated with their consumption also made the industry less attractive. For example, caffeine in energy drinks, mixture of alcohol and energy drinks, melatonine hormone in relaxation drinks, and use of Kava and unapproved valerian roots as food additives. The drivers of change, however, will unlikely alter the attractiveness of the alternative beverages for the next years because large producers of this industry would rely on product innovations and acquisitions to increase sales and market shares. But individual and collective effect of industry drivers of change will likely affect the attractiveness of the industry. 4. What does your strategic group map of the energy drinks, sports drink, and vitamin-enhanced beverage industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? The worst positions? PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Red Bull GmbH, and Hansen Natural Corporation are strategic groups that are in the best positions because they have already established a market position and they hold most of the market share in the alternative beverage industry. They also account for most of the sales in the industry and they have conquered not just US but also Europe and some parts of Asia and America. Living Essentials, Vacation in a Bottle, Dream Water or Drank are strategic groups that are in the worst positions. This is due to the small number of consumers that they have and policies implemented by the government hinder their expansion. Though Living Essentials lead the development of energy drinks, they did not expanded their market thus other companies took advantage of the opportunity. 5. What key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers? The four key factors that determine the success of alternative beverage producers: (1) access to distribution, (2) innovating product skills, (3) image, and (4) sufficient sales volume. The first one is access to distribution, which is regarded as the most important industry success factor due to the fact that most brands of energy drinks/alternative beverages cannot achieve good sales volumes and market shares unless they are widely available in stores, and there are also far too many brands for all to be included on store shelves. Popular brands that enjoyed first mover advantages such as Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy and brands offered by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were assured of consistent access to distribution. The second factor is innovating product skills. By definition, alternative beverages were different from traditional beverages based upon product innovation. Moreover, continuing product innovations were essential to developing additional volume gains from line extensions and the entry into new categories like energy shots. The third one is image, which was also a critical factor in choosing a brand of customers. The image presented by the product’s name and emphasized in advertisements, endorsements, and promotions created demand for one brand over another. Brand image was also a result of labels and packaging that alternative beverage consumer found appealing. Small producers with poor image building capabilities found it difficult to compete in the industry unless the product enjoyed a first-mover advantage similar to that achieved by 5-Hour Energy. Finally, sufficient sales volume to achieve scale economies in marketing expenditures is also an important driver. Successful alternative beverage producers were required to have sufficient sales volumes to keep marketing expenses at an acceptable cost per unit basis. 6. What recommendations would you make to Coca-Cola to improve its competitiveness in the global alternative beverage industry? to PepsiCo? to Red Bull GmbH? Coca Cola * Increase alternative beverage drink brand awareness in Europe and capture its market * Grow infrastructure in Africa * Continue to budget and implement their â€Å"2020 vision† corporate strategy * Enhance product line and innovation PepsiCo * Focus on current energy drink line * Continue to promote their tea and juice-energy lines * Offer different sized cans for current energy drink lines of No fear and Amp * Proceed to distribute Rockstar energy drinks and strengthen their alliance with them RedBull * Expand product line while focusing on market penetration in South America * Branch out with additional lines of alternative beverages * Continue to promote brand

The On The Natures And The Properties Of Royal Authority

In times of uncertainty, Jaques Bossuet and Thomas Hobbes were able to contribute their ideologies and beliefs surrounding legitimate political rules as well as the responsibilities of the sovereign and its citizens to shine a light on a time that we would otherwise have very little knowledge on today. In Jaques Bossuet s written work titled, On the Natures and the Properties of Royal Authority, he shares his experiences and personal views regarding the correlation between the higher power of God and the rulers of the sovereign. Thomas Hobbes in his famed written work, Leviathan, on the other hand, shares his own unique doctrine which allows us to see the important relationship between the rationale of man and the sovereign. While Bossuet was a Bishop and Hobbes was a philosopher, their independent and credible experiences were able to develop fascinating points and ideas that allow us to look back and learn about the times at hand. Their respective works are still widely spread and circulated across the globe which allows for a deeper and more critical understanding of their work. Jaques Bossuet and Thomas Hobbes share their respective philosophies that at first glance are quite different, with no apparent similarities coming to light. However after deep analysis of both texts, the connection of their empirical knowledge becomes more and more evident and is able to be more critically evaluated. While neither Bossuet or Hobbes provides an ideal form of rule, one can’t helpShow MoreRelatedCadia Case Analysis Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pagesincluding copper and gold, and paid royalties to the Minister pursuant to the Mining Act 1992 (NSW). The Minister referred to the Case of Mines[1], claiming that the mine owned by Cadia was a â€Å"royal mine† containing gold that belonged to the Crown prerogative, and as a consequence the copper was also the property of the Crown. 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