Political reasons Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political reasons - Article Example Our planet is suffering from climate change and we can no longer deny its effects. Storms are getting fiercer, hurricanes became more destructive, flooding becoming more frequent that it now cost us lives and properties. We should instead explore alternative source of energy to help heal our planet and make the lives of all people better before spending money on space projects which are very expensive with no real immediate benefit to improve the lot of mankind. Space projects do not immediately benefit us. So what if we understood the cosmos when we cannot address human suffering? This is not to say that space projects are useless. We just have to set our priorities straight. First we should alleviate human suffering, then fix our planet and when all of that is already done, then that would be the proper time to spend money on space projects. But for now, we have to direct our resources to more urgent

Fullers Principle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fullers Principle - Essay Example Therefore, if someone sees some people doing this activity, he/she should report the activity to the officials whatever the relationship he/she has with the people involved in the illegal activity. According to law, a police officer has the professional obligation to respond to the illegal activities instantly by taking appropriate action against the lawbreakers. If I would be the police officer, I would use both professional discretion and the law to handle the issue. First, I would call my friend to make him aware of the activities of his/her friends. I would give a chance to my friend to make his/her friends stop the activity immediately. However, in case of display of delaying tactics by my friend, I would call my law enforcement agency to take appropriate action. To me, professional and moral obligations come first. Therefore, I would not put my professional and moral obligations aside to allow an illegal activity even at my friend’s place. I do not think there is any moral problem related to this scenario. Anyone can present anything to the other person as a reward. Giving a free shopping card and a fruit basket to an officer as a reward for his/her services is not against any law. The only problem associated with the scenario is that if a police officer accepts a gift from a shopkeeper, it builds respect in the mind of the police officer regarding that shopkeeper. Although the element of respect between two people has no issues, but it can lead to discrimination if any of those persons has some form of authority. In the given scenario, after accepting the gift from the shopkeeper, the police officer may provide illegal support to that shopkeeper if, in future, a dispute occurs between that shopkeeper and some other person. Police officers take oath to perform their duties honestly (Pomper, 2012). Other than this concern, I do not think there is any

Gods Existence and Aquinas Objection Essay Example for Free

Gods Existence and Aquinas Objection Essay I was in the debate team in high school. And there were times that our team would take the against side of the statement. In his famous work Prologion, written in 1077-1078, Anselm presents the idea the God exists because God is the greatest thing of all, that the idea of thinking of God exists prove its existence. Hundred of years later, Thomas Aquinas brings up the account that addresses Anselms idea in objection 2 of Question II, First Article of Summa Theologica. Aquinas objects Anselms argument later in his work by attacking the idea that God is something that can be thought greater. To understand Anselms argument for Gods existence, one must first understand the principles that forms the argument. The first principle is the claim that â€Å"nothing greater can be thought. † There is too types of existing, existing in understanding (existing0) and existing in reality (existing1). Then, we try to think of something is existing1. Anselm let â€Å"something† be â€Å"something than which nothing greater can be thought (NGT),† or in another word â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived† according to the Proslogion. The very first act of thinking that something is existing1 serves as the basis of it existing0. Because in the process of trying to think of something greater, we already establish its existence0. For example, there is a flower A, existing1. This flower A is the most beautiful flower, that this flower is a NGT. In order to prove this flower is NGT, one has to think of all the flower he has seen, flower B, C, or D. In the process of searching through ones mind trying to think of a flower that is more beautiful than flower A, flower A already exists in ones mind, which is existing0. To open his argument, Anselm then said an example of NGT is God. The second principle is the principle of â€Å"thinking of non-existing objects (Principle E). † Anselm uses the example of a painter conceiving the drawing he will paint, then executing his plan in mind to make the painting exists in reality. To breakdown his argument, lets begin with something that exists0. Because one has the ability to imagine that something exists0, one can also imagine that the same thing exists1. This priniciple is the most uncontroversial because it is just a matter of imagination. The fact that one has imagination allows him to imagine whatever he wants. For example, one imagines he won the lottery and has a million dollars. It is safe to say that one can proceed to think of that million dollars is existing1, regardless of if the million dollars truly exists1. Applying Principle E back to the argument of NGT, if one can imagine NGT in existence0, one can also go ahead and imagine NGT existing1. The third principle is â€Å"thinking something greater than something (Principle G). This principle compares the greatness of existing0 and existing1. Anselm proposes that â€Å"greatness† has two faces: qualitatively and existentially. To further support his argument, Anselm implies that greatness qualitatively means everything positive, such as, more beautiful, more knowledgeable, more influential, etc. Base on this assumption, Anselm argues that, â€Å"Suppose it exists in the understanding alone: then it can be conceived to exist in reality; which is greater. † To apply this principle in daily life, one can relate to a million dollars example above. One can imagine having a million dollars in his mind, but that million dollars doesnt exist1. In another case, one owns a millions dollars, which means that million dollars exists1. The rhetorical question here will be, which case is more appealing to you, which scenario is â€Å"greater? † Back to Anselms claim, the â€Å"it† in his argument is, of course, NGT, which is God. That God exists1 is better than God only exists0 but not exists1. The next principle returns to the basic meaning of NGT. Principle N presents the idea â€Å"if something can be thought to be greater than x, then x is not an NGT. † Assume something is an NGT, nothing greater can be thought. If there is another thing that is greater then it. This â€Å"something† is no longer an NGT. This principle is pretty self-explanatory. To put it in everyday examples, imagine the beautiful flower A is the most beautiful flower in the whole wide world. However, one found another flower more beautiful than A. Now A is no longer an NGT, regardless in existence0 or existence1. Now substitute God in for NGT in the equation. Because Anselm already claimed that God is an NGT, if one can think of something greater than God, God is no longer an NGT. According to the Proslogion, â€Å"God cannot be conceived not to exist. God is that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. That which can be conceived not to exist is not God. † The upcoming principles idea bases that of principle E. Principle T simply proposes the idea that â€Å"an NGT can be thought. † Because one has the ability to think of an object either exists0, exists1, or even both, one can also think of NGT existing0, existing1, or both. The idea that one can think of something is very broad and universal, that â€Å"something† can simply be anything. The final piece of Anselms argument is Principle M. This principle presents the very vague idea that â€Å"if something must be thought as existing1, then it exists1. † If one must think of a flower exists1, then that flower does exist1. Now that all principles Anselm needed to support his argument that God exists are gathered, he begins his argument with a â€Å"fool (thinker)† that â€Å"understands [God] is in his understanding; although he does not understand it to exist. † To fully understand this argument, one has to accept Anselms assumption that God, indeed, is an NGT. The argument that the thinker has the ability to think of NGT existing1 is based on Principle E that if one can think of an object then he can think of it existing1. The idea of thinking NGT exists1 is â€Å"greater† than the idea of thinking NGT exists0 but doesnt exist1 (Principle G); therefore, one can think of something greater than the NGT that exists0 but not in reality. However, this violates the basic meaning of an NGT (Principle N), nothing greater can be thought. So the idea that one can think of something greater than the NGT that exists0 but not in reality is contradictory to the fundamental element of an NGT. Which comes to the agreement that if one think of an NGT it is to be existing1. The conclusion implies the principle that one can thought of NGT exists1 (Principle T). Also, one can and must only think of an NGT exists1. This lead to the final conclusion. If one has no choice but think of something exists1, that something must be existing1 (Principle M). Therefore, an NGT, God, exists. Aquinas gives an condensed version account of Anselms argument in Summa Theologica. In objection 2 of question II, â€Å"Whether the existence of God is self-evident? †, Aquinas addresses the idea much abruptly. He first implies that Anselms idea of God is an NGT is equivalent to saying â€Å"things are said to be self-evident which are known as soon as the terms are known,† that the significant of the word â€Å"God† is nothing better can be conceived. He follows the account by stating that the word â€Å"God† â€Å"exists actually and mentally is greater than that which exists only mentally. † Therefore, if the word â€Å"God† is understood mentally it has to be understood to exist actually. Both Anselms argument of Aquinass account of it come to the same conclusion that God exists, that the thought of it existing lead to its real existence. Aquinas objects Anselms idea by stating that not everyone understands the word â€Å"God† will agree that it is an NGT. He follows his objection by stating: Yet, granted that everyone understands that by this name God is signified something than which nothing greater can be thought, nevertheless, it does not therefore follow that he understands that what the name signifies exists actually, but only that it exists mentally. Aquinass main objection is that the idea of NGT can be interpreted that it can only exists mentally. However, for Anselms argument to work, one has to understand that God can exists in reality; therefore, Aquinas further objects Anselms claim by stating those â€Å"who hold God does not exist† will not admit the fact that God is an NGT and it exists in reality. In Anselms defense, he based all his argument on the fact that God is â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived. † As a true believer of God, Anselm would have simply oppose those who does not believe in God has not fully understand the meaning of â€Å"God†; therefore, they fail to grasp the idea God exists in reality. If one understands God, he will be able to think of Gods existence in mind then agree to think of it in reality. After reading excerpts both from the Proslogion and the Summa Theologica, I am more inclined to support Aquinass claim. Although I do not think Aquinas has successfully destroyed Anselms argument, I think there are more weak links in Anselms argument than that of Aquinass. The most apparent loopholes are Principle M and Principle G. First, Principle M states that if one has to think of something as existing1, then that something has to exists1. However, Anselm neglects the fact that what one believes exists1 does not has to be true. For example, children were told to believe Santa Claus exists in reality and many of them do believe that idea. The contradiction being what those children â€Å"can and must† think exists1, Santa Claus, does not exists1. Second, the positivity of â€Å"greatness† implied in Principle G is too vague. The concept of greatness of reality is â€Å"better† than that of in mind can be subjective. Just because one person thinks the existence in reality is greater than existence in mind does not equal others perception of greatness. With doubts in Principle M and Principle G, I think Aquinas has a stronger position compare to Anselm does.

Andrew Carnegies Defense: The Gospel Of Wealth

Andrew Carnegies Defense: The Gospel Of Wealth During the Industrial Revolution, several changes shaped American society. Inventions such as the railroad and electricity contributed to the massive change in American life. A movement from the rural farms to the industrial cities and factory owners desire to maximize profit and minimize cost started the battle between laborers and large capitalist bosses. Throughout this era, daring entrepreneurs such as John Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Jay Gould, J.P. Morgan, and the Vanderbilt family helped shape the economy, and became known as the robber barons, because of their ruthless treatment of workers and underhanded business deals. Through their economic and political leverage, they accumulated massive amounts of wealth and had enormous influence. Robber barons utilized their wealth in a variety ways, such as purchasing extravagant mansions or hosting wasteful parties. However in the article Wealth, unlike the other millionaires of the Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie encouraged fellow cap italists to live humbly and use their excess capital to assist the unfit poor, but only because he felt that the millionaires were most qualified to help. In Wealth, Carnegie argues that the fit and wise rich men of American must be the ones who distribute the wealth because they have the essential skills to do so. He emphasizes that millionaire class, to which he belonged, is very skilled and elevates their status in society with his self-praising writing. For example he says, their talent for organization and management is rare among men and this talent, secures for its possessor enormous rewards, no matter where or under what laws or conditions.  [1]  The rich are again represented as greater than the poor by having superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer [wealth].  [2]  They are shown to have skills are unique and rare allowing them to do amazing things in all aspects of life-an indomitable group of people who can solve any problem. This resembles the widespread doctrine of social Darwinism, because if a person is fit by being skilled, it is natural that they will succeed and survive. Carnegie wrote that it i s because of their skill that only they must be responsible for the control and distribution of their wealth. While Carnegie elevates the richs image and portrays them as superior beings, he describes the poor as foolish, impudent, and unskilled. Throughout the text, Carnegie argued that it must be the rich classs responsibility to guide the poor, because their class can do for them better than they would or could do for themselves since the poor are, slothful, the drunken, the unworthy.  [3]  Carnegie demonstrates the unfit, foolish, lazy, and ignorant workers and laborers as the foils of the fit, skilled, wise, and hardworking millionaires. According to social Darwinism and Carnegies article, the poor at the bottom of society deserve to be there, because they are unfit and failed take advantages of their situation and earn millions of dollars, like the capitalists. By emphasizing the differences between the rich and poor, Carnegies article illustrates the prevailing belief of social Darwinism. Wealth was published during 1889 an era when public believed in the theory of social Darwinism. This belief stemmed from Charles Darwins theory of evolution and Herbert Spencer and William Graham Sumner used the popular catchwords of Darwinism, struggle for existence and survival of the fittest [and] applied [them] to the life of man in society  [4]  . Indeed Carnegie uses these terms in his article, as he says the law [of competition]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦insures the survival of the fittest in every department.  [5]  By applying Darwins biological theory to man and society, the fittest or strongest members of society should be at the top and lead society, while the weak, unfit should be on the bottom and allowed to suffer and die out. This is echoed in Carnegies article as the millionaires should have all the control and power of their wealth, while the poor must be changed and learn to be fit or be left to die out. Successful business and entrepreneurs apparently accepted almost by instinct the Darwinian terminology which seemed to portray the conditions of their existence.  [6]  For example, as a child Carnegie had to support his family and by taking advantage of the situations provided to him. By doing so, he was able to own the biggest and most successful steel industry. In his article, a businessmans success and money are rewards of being fit, while the poors lack of money is a symbol of their failure in society. By presenting the rich and poor as skilled and unskilled, wise and foolish, Carnegie is able to justify that the rich were the only ones who were knowledgeable enough to share and keep their wealth. Carnegie arrogantly says that, this wealth, passing through the hands of the few, can be made much more potent force for the elevation of our race than if distributed in small sums to the people themselves.  [7]  The few or the rich should must have the money, because they will be able to properly distribute it to the poor. If the people themselves obtained this money, they would not have as grand a result as the millionaires. In his article, Carnegie needed to defend their immense accumulation of wealth, before explaining the more efficient methods of helping the poor. During this era, there was a huge economic gap between the rich and poor. In 1890, 73 percent of the nations wealth was held by the top 10 percent of the population.  [8]  This disproportionate distribution of money caused the laborers and poor to see the wealthy and business as evil and millionaires as corrupt robber barons stealing their money. This distrust was inflamed by the immense differences in living conditions of each class. While millionaires lived comfortably in extravagant, laborers and factory workers lived in dirty and disease filled slums. However, in Wealth Carnegie attempts to bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship  [9]  and provides a humble interpretation of the rich as they are just a the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren.  [10]  He wishes to have peace between the two classe s and portrays the rich as helpful caretakers of poor. In their crusade in helping the poor become fit, the rich must have control over their capital in order to help them. Carnegie states that they would provide them with ladders upon which the aspiring can rise free libraries, parks, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ works of art,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and public institutions of various kinds.  [11]  He wanted to provide resources to those who will help themselves, just as he had brought himself up from working in a factory to owner of a steel factory. However, he would not just hand out money to the poor, because they would use it foolishly.  [12]  By providing with poor with these institutions, Carnegie hoped that they would learn how become fit and become more like the refined and educated millionaires. Even if the rich has so much, they should be willing to return some of their resources in the form of libraries and other services to assist the poor. By explaining that their wisdom and wealth will be used to assist the poor, the wealthy are given a legitimate reason to keep all their money and continue with the laissez-faire system of government. Even though Carnegie felt he provided the poor with ladders to success. The poor had no time to take advantage of them. As the wealthy obtained an immense amount of money, most of the population suffered in poverty. The poor had to work in dangerous factories in long 12 hour work days. After a day of hard work, laborers would barely make enough money to eat as Carnegies steel workers earned from $1.50 to $2.00 per day. While a family in the Pittsburg area needed $15 a week to live, most workers made less than $12.50.  [13]  Even if factory workers wanted to go to the local library they had no time or energy to do so. During this time, the wealthy were really not focused on relieving the needy with handouts. Carnegie felt that just giving foolish man money would cause him to spend it recklessly. He wanted to help the poor become more like the rich by providing them with the resources which would teach them how to be fit and if the poor really wanted to advance themselves, they wou ld go to a library and learn the skills necessary to do so. Given the circumstances, this would be unlikely, but Carnegie still proposes that this is a viable option, as he really does not know how the poor live. Since the government practiced laissez-faire politics which ensured that the government would stay away from business affairs, businessmen had full control over their finances and factories. If the government did interfere, they could only do so to benefit business, specifically those of the robber barons. Andrew Carnegies article Wealth supported this hands-off policy on business. As an article which drew heavily on the beliefs of social Darwinism, lack of government action would be beneficial to the evolution of society. The law of competition is not only beneficial, but essential to the future progress of the race and competition between these [businesses], as being not only beneficial, but essential to the future progress of the race.  [14]  Carnegie and many other businessmen believed that businesses should be free to compete against each other and that the government should stay out the way. If the government would get involved, they would only do so to protect competition between businesses. According to social Darwinism, competition would destroy the weak, leave only the fit in society. Thus, the skilled fit that remain are able to advance society and harvest their rewards. If the government created regulation that hindered competition between businesses, competition would be destroyed, and society would not be able to move forward. Therefore, any disruption or attempts to hinder the law of competition or defend the unfit were not allowed by the business owners. As Irvin Wyllie states in the article Social Darwinism and the Businessman, Herbert Spencer became the oracle of the age à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in defense of laissez-faire as he applied the idea of evolution and completion to society.  [15]  Social Darwinisms law of competition became a bulwark for a government which did not interfere with businesses and left workers with despicable work conditions. In Wealth, Andrew Carnegie use of the law of competition to support the laissez-faire image of g overnment helped protect the businessmens interest. In Wealth, Carnegie also supported millionaires decision to fight against unions desires. Due to the harsh conditions in factories, low wages, long workdays, and lack of help from the government, unions like the Knights of Labor formed in an attempt to obtain a shorter workday and better working conditions for workers. Eight work days and higher wages would increase the bottom line and lessen the businessmans profit causing create deal of resistance from businessmen. Unfit laborers are portrayed by social Darwinism and Wealth as lazy and deserving of their suffering giving the idea that factory owners do not need listen to them. In Wealth, the wealthy are portrayed as all-knowing, as they know the best interests of the race.  [16]  Indeed, in this era, millionaires found unions to be hindrances to their companies and had the full support of federal government in stopping them. By emphasizing that the poor are unworthy, lazy, and ignorant and the wealthy knew what they were doing, Wealth defended why millionaires disliked unions and did everything they could to stop them. Andrew Carnegies article, Wealth, was a result of prevailing belief of social Darwinism in the Gilded Age. The rhetoric of Spencer and Sumners view of social Darwinism are apparent in his work and though this belief, Carnegie is able to say that the rich were the most capable group of people to hold and distribute the wealth. Through his ingrained belief of social Darwinism, he was also able to defend the wealths large accumulation of wealth, the laissez-faire government, and their aggression toward labor unions found during the Industrial era. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) | Free essay | Management essays Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) | Free essay | Management essays Introduction KFC in the beginning was changing companies which belonged, since in 1964 Colonel Sanders first sold KFC. It was sold in a small group of investors who promoted KFC in public. In 1971 Heublein was highly involved in the day to day operations. However, R.J. Reynolds then acquired Heublein in 1982. R.J. took a more laid back approach and allowed business as usual at KFC. After that in 1986 PepsiCo bought this company and tried to grow it very fast and as well the restaurant segment even if KFC and PepsiCo had a very different culture and style which means that it was totally different. PepsiCo is a big company which recognized itself in 1985 and owns as well Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and now KFC. PepsiCo has a consumer product orientation and found that the marketing of fast food was very similar to the marketing of its soft drinks and snack foods. PepsiCo combines snack food, soft drinks and restaurants together and its a huge company in the world with many restaurants. Nowadays KFC belongs to YUM international and is the largest chicken restaurant in the world with over 32,500 restaurants with, AW All-American Foodâ„ ¢, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers and Pizza Hut in more than 100 countries. Today, some of the older KFC restaurants have become famous in their own right. One such restaurant is located in Marietta, Georgia. This store is notable for a 17m tall sign that looks like a chicken. The sign, known locally as the Big Chicken, was built for an earlier fast-food restaurant on the site called Johnny Rebs Chick, Chuck and Shake. It is often used as a travel reference point in the Atlanta area by locals and pilots. The original handwritten recipe is kept locked away at the KFC corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky as a closely-guarded secret. Only two members within the Yum! Corporation knows the recipe in its entirety. Mission and Objectives we find reasons to celebrate the achievements of others and have fun doing it The mission of the KFC is to sell food in a fast ,to have a friendly environment that appeals to pride conscious, to be in a health minded consumers. The objectives of KFC is to increase the variety of menu, to introduce desert menu and introduce buffet to restaurants. Another objective goal is to target Menu items of African Americans in major cities with the following foods: greens, macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler, red beans and rice. However there are also menu items which should be target in Hispanics major cities are the fried plantains, flan, tres Leches. The implementations on non-traditional units are including the shopping mall food courts, universities, hospitals, airports, stadiums, amusement parks, office buildings, mobile units. Pest analysis Political UK Government has launched a new corporate tax scheme in April 2008, in which the tax is to decrease from 30% down to 28%, helping revive the economy and boost competition (BBC, 2008, p.1). Fast food companies like McDonalds, KFC, etc. could save millions of pounds from this stimulus. The Government is considering a proposed ban on junk food advertising to billboards, computer games and cinemas act in the face of the public health of child obesity. A blanket ban would be a hammer blow to companies such as KFC, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Nestle, etc. (Mintel, 2009m, p.1) Economic As a result of the credit crunch and market instability, global markets are in disarray, deleveraging is under way (Kohler, 2009, p.27). The UK economy is now challenged by serious economic downturn. Latest Indicators published by Office for National Statistics (2009, p.1) states that all indexes are at negative interpretation, such as unemployment rate increased, GDP and national productivity decreased. The UK is heavily impacted by the economic downturn. Hickman (2007, p.1) argues that the era of spend, spend, and spend no longer exists. Britain shoppers habit of depending on credit cards is now forced to change. They have to cut back their expenditure since credit availability would be now a historic concept. Social Work mobility, working under pressure seems to force people to go out to eat and drink rather than cook at home for themselves (although this trend is moderated by credit crunch recently). People enjoy their spare time by spending hours in coffee stores, restaurants, cinemas, and fast foods are indispensable items in their orders. Bird and Hughes (1997, p.159) state that consumer is more and more concerning for ethical products. They are not only paying attention to products quality, but also ethical aspects of the goods purchased. This raises a question to all businesses, however, it is also an opportunity for those who care of their customers, their communities, like KFC, for instant. Customers concern about environmental issues in every item they buy (Mintel, 2009p, p.1). Environmental concerns are now a key priority among UK consumers and their importance is continuing to grow. Consumer concerns are encouraging retailers to introduce green products and to put their entire operations on a greener footing (Mintel, 2009c, p.1) Consumers may be increasingly turning to chicken outlets as a relatively healthy alternative to red meat, particularly on the back of recent government and health campaigners concerns over the nutritional content of fast food (Mintel, 2009a4, p.1) Attitudes towards burgers are changing. Burgers are no longer seen as should-be-avoid foods, but are positive ones instead (Mintel, 2009d, p.1). In addition, microwaveable burgers have been welcomed to serve a new snack-on-the-go audience (Mintel, 2009d, p.1). Technological and environmental issues The Internet is changing the way that many businesses are operating (Avinash and Minh, 2008, p.83). The Internet accounts for 8% of global advertising spend and growing rapidly (The Economist, 2007, p.124). It is an opportunity for fast food companies enabling its customers to order online easily via its website, creating competitive advantage for the company. Technology helps to shorten the geographic distance, booting business communication. Technology also helps to design and manufacture modern machines to produce high quality foods, saving time and human capital. Global warming, green house gas, recyclable materials are among most interests of environmental supporters. Swot analysis Strengths KFC has a very long history and has the most recognizable brand in chicken. KFC has name recognition around the world and has been globally positioned for many years. KFCs secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices has made it the leader in chicken for the last fifty years. KFC is the 2nd only to McDonalds in the UK and USA and ranks highest among all chicken restaurant chains for its convenience and menu variety. The quality of food is a key strength to KFC. The quality is defined by the YUM! and controlled by the local franchisees. There is a global standard, with regard to the quality of the KFC meals. The KFC recipes allow for quick a processing time, which makes it all the more convenient and more attractive to prospective clients. Customer-focused approach brings advantages to KFC. The company cares about the health of its customers. Recently, in 2008, KFC signs up to the Food Standards Agency commitment to providing healthier meals, helping its customers enjoy a healthier, more balanced diet. The commitments include: working with suppliers to reduce salt and saturated fat levels, dressings and frying oils for alternatives that are lower in saturated fat, increasing the number of healthier options on the menu and making nutritional information more readily available to customers (Mintel, 2009l). The company also puts nutritional information of its products online and in stores. KFC does business ethically and environmentally. KFC UK has promised to reduce packaging and waste by selling products such as its Fillet and Zinger burgers just wrapped into paper rather than in a cardboard box. The chain said it aimed to reduce waste by up to 14000 tonnes over 2009 (Mintel, 2009p). KFC has a strong development plan. In February 2009, KFC announced to open 300 new UK outlets between 2009 and 2014, creating 9,000 jobs. This expansion was designed to capitalise on really strong growth and customers increasingly turning to cheaper food options amid the credit crunch (Mintel, 2009q). Weaknesses Rumour: There is a rumour about using GMO chicken (Genetic Modification Organism). This arouses a great controversy in many places. For a developed market like the UK, this impacts negatively on KFC image since people think that the use of GM chicken will have great influence on the food chain which is very crucial to the environmental health and nature development. Legal issues: KFC has been ordered to pay a  £24,000 fine following the discovery of poor hygiene standards at its Bridgend branch in South Wales. The branchs staff did not wash their hands and wore dirty aprons, while the sites hot water was turned off, meaning that staff were also unable to wash food preparation equipment (Mintel, 2009k). Trans fats issues: KFC predominantly cooks its chicken in vegetable oil called trans fats, an unhealthy method of cooking (Oppapers, 2009). Lacking fun: Since majority of KFCs customers are people between 14 and 44, who are young, dynamic, and proactive, store decoration and atmosphere play a critical role for the companys success. Lack of knowledge about their customers: KFC does not have its own customer database. Opportunities The chicken and burger bar market reached  £3.6 billion in 2007 and is predicted to rise following years. The traditional low-cost fast food outlets are well placed to remain relevant as economic conditions tighten. The burger market reached nearly  £2.5 billion 2007 whereas chicken outlets were valued at nearly  £1 billion, however, the latter showed higher growth rates over the past six years. The takeaway market continues to outperform the eat-in sector (Mintel, 2009z). Despite the economic downturn, consumers are still likely to continue eating out, according to a survey of 1,000 UK diners by Survey Shack. 63% said price wasnt the major factor influencing whether they chose to eat out or not, and 77% said they would pay more if a meal was made from high-quality ingredients (Mintel, 2009y). Grab-and-go culture: The convenience of takeaway meals has a clear demographic bias towards men, younger consumers and those who are single. Factors such as lack of motivation to worry too much about nutrition (eg the absence of children) or that it is expensive or wasteful to cook for one-person meals will play a part in this motivation (Mintel, 2009c). Growth in the 15-24-year-old age group has benefited the chicken/burger sector as they represent the core market, however, the predicted drop in 15-19-year-olds in coming years will present challenges (Mintel, 2009a1). Threats Supermarkets and new competitors: Supermarkets own-label offerings have long been a significant part of the UK food sales, holding a share of nearly 29% and continuing growth in market share (Mintel, 2009a). The National Minimum Wage (adults now receive  £5.52 an hour) continues to have an impact on the fast food market. These increases can have a major effect on the cost base of the larger chicken and burger bar operators, particularly when you consider KFC has some 8,000 employees in the UK (Mintel, 209b). The introduction of the Licensing Act 2003 (for England and Wales) in 2005 has led to many pubs having extended opening hours, generating further competition for fast-food chains, both in terms of the later nights and daytime trade (Mintel, 2009b). Health trend away from fried foods: According to campaign group Consensus Action On Salt and Health, some meals from top fast food chains conceal shockingly high salt levels. The worst contain more than double a childs recommended daily salt intake in a single meal. Customers react negatively to this news (Mintel, 2009x) Recent survey by Mintel (2009) states that growth in fast food industry has slowed in recent years. It implies of an intense competition in the eating out market and the maturing of the. BCG MATRIX KFC uses large amounts of cash and is leader in the business so since it is a leader it should use a large amount of cash. The company has the worst cash characteristics of all, because there are high demands and low returns due to low market share. If there is not market share, question marks will simply take in great amounts of cash and when the growth will stop then there will be a dog. CASH COW Profits and cash generation should be high, and because of the low growth, investments were low. Keep profits high DOGS KFC should avoid and minimize the dogs in the company. As I mentioned before the BCG Matrix of KFC is depending totally from the YAM! Company which includes as well the other companies the referent standard is the industry growth rate measured against the SBUs growth rate. Product life cycle All the products have their life cycle whether it is very successful or not. The life cycle has four stages. The first stage is the introduction of the product and such an example will be the hot wings. The second stage is the growth of the product and the product is the hot shots. The third stage is the maturity and the product is zinger, chicken mania, chicken burger. And the fourth stage is the decline which is the twister. Task environment My company diversified in many industries and for each industry has different suppliers. It audits its suppliers for compliance and non compliance. Kentucky Fried Chicken Garcia, Augie. Discussions, March 12, 1999 www.scribd.com applied marketing Mr. Muhammad Nouman BBC (2008). Call for corporate tax clampdown. Available at http://news.bbc.co. uk/1/hi /uk_politics/7681165.stm. Accessed 3 January 2009 Mintel (2009m). Proposed banned on junk food advertising could be extended. Available online at: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=118422/display/id=218594 Accessed 07 March 2009 Office for National Statistics (2009). Latest indicators. Available online at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/instantfigures.asp. Accessed 09 March 2009 Hickman M. (2007): First the credit crunch now the spending squeeze, The Independent on Sunday (2007) Thursday, 13 September 2007. Bird K and Hughes D. (1997). Ethical Consumerism: The Case Of Fairly-Traded Coffee. Business Ethics A European Review Volume 6 Issue 3,Pages159-167 Mintel (2009p). KFC reduces packaging. (27/1/2009). Available online at: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/showset_access_filter=all-ZUK/display/id=280379/display/id=227776/display/id=438171. Accessed 08 March 2009 Mintel (2009c). Internal market environment. Available online at http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/subject/view=reports_categorylevels=90849list=cat_itemscat=17lev=1/display/id=394656/display/id=442497. Accessed 07 March 2009. Mintel (2009a4). Chicken and Burger Bar UK March 2008: Market in brief. Available online at: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic//display/id=280379/display/id=329487. Accessed 07 March 2009 Mintel (2009d). Burgers UK 2008. Available online at http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/my_reports/display/id=227787anchor=atom/display/id=227776. Accessed 07 March 2009 Avinash, W. and Minh. Q. H. (2008) How Can Internet Service Providers Tap into the Potentially-Lucrative Small Business Market? International Journal of E-Business Research, 4(1), p.82-98 The Economist (2007). The world in figures: industries. The world in 2008. p124, 126.

Qualitative Research Versus Quantitative Research Essay example -- Res

Qualitative Research Versus Quantitative Research Quantitative research data is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data is utilised to obtain information around the world. Quantitative research is all about quantifying the relationships between variables such as height, weight. It is obtained by such things as questionnaires, official statistics and planned interviews and then from the numerical data we can identify trends and correlations and get an idea of the attitudes of large numbers of people which can be very helpful. It is obtained mostly in the form of numbers. They were originally developed in the natural sciences to study natural phenomena. Qualitative research data is all types of data that are not in the form of numbers including written sources, pictures, films, open-ended questions and unstructured interviews. Qualitative data can often provide a richer and more in-depth picture of social life. It was developed in the social sciences to enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena. Qualitative research uses unreconstructed logic to get at what is really real: the quality, meaning, context, or image of reality in what people actually do, not what they say they do. The advantages of a questionnaire which produces quantitative data are you do not have to pay interviewers and it is cheap to classify results. Fast and efficient analysis possible with pre-coded closed questions and answers can be easily quantified and entered straight on to computers. Also questionnaires do not normally need interviewers so you do not have the risk of the interviewer influencing the respondent'... ...ty as if another researcher did the same experiment would they get the same results as others. And if a group of researchers all researched the same topic would they all get different results? If so which should we believe. Researchers often combine quantitative and qualitative data in their research to get a fair and accurate result even thought quantitative is often more accurate than qualitative. The major difference between qualitative and quantitative research is the underlying statement about the role of the researcher. In quantitative research, the researcher is ideally an objective observer that neither participates in or influences what is being studied. In qualitative research, however, it is thought that the researcher can learn the most about a situation by participating and/or being immersed in it.

Hidden Class Struggle in John Updikes A&P :: A&P Essays

The Hidden Class Struggle in Updike’s A & P Two Works Cited In John Updike’s "A & P," Sammy is accused of quitting his job for childlike, immature reasons. Nathan Hatcher states, "In reality, Sammy quit his job not on a matter of ideals, but rather as a means of showing off and trying to impress the girls, specially Queenie" (37), but Sammy’s motive runs much deeper than that. He was searching for a sense of personal gain and satisfaction. By taking sides with the girls, he momentarily rises in class to meet their standards and the standards of the upper-class. Sammy was obviously near the bottom of the class ladder, a place where he was extremely unhappy. His dead-end job at the grocery store, where lower class citizens are the prime patrons, was not a place he felt he belonged. He wanted to be a member of the family where the "father and the other men were standing around in ice-cream coats and bow ties and the women were in sandals picking up herring snacks on toothpicks off a big glass plate and they were all holding drinks the color of water with olives and sprigs of mint in them" (Updike 1028). Sammy realizes that Queenie comes from this sort of background, a very different one from his. When Queenie is being harassed by Lengel, Sammy sees that "she remembers her place, a place from which the crowd that runs the A & P must look pretty crummy" (Updike 1028). Queenie’s family was in the class that he envied, that he admired, that he wanted to become a part of. So Sammy quits his job to prove to himself, maybe to others, that he belongs in this "place." Quitting his job is his first step in achieving this goal. Sammy was obviously enthralled by the girls from the moment they walked in the A & P. He was not keen on the other two girls, but Queenie overwhelmed him. He may have even taken a liking to Queenie, but any average, nineteen-year old male would do the same after witnessing such striking beauty as is described. On the other hand, the average male would not quit a job and create such turmoil if first impression was the only cause. How interested could he actually be? In trying to figure out Queenie’s persona, he asks, "do you really think it’s a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?

Midterm Exam Essay

Utopian Stories After reading the short stories thought this semester, I have found that many of the Utopian stories are thematically the same. A Utopian story is a short story or novel in which someone pays the cost for perfection in society. There are three short stories that are most thematically alike those are: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson in 1948; The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin in 1975; and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1961. I have chosen these three stories because someone pays the cost in each of these stories and the results in each of them are the same. The elements of plot, characterizations, settings and symbols of each of these stories are alike. The story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is about village who stones a villager, old or young, once a year, for good crops and harvest. This person is chosen by a draw from a box. As in the lottery, the short story entitled The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin is about a community that isolates and eglects a child for a â€Å"perfect† community and in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. he community is restrained by handicap’s so that everyone can be equally perfect. All of these stories plots have the one person that is tortured or killed for everyone else’s happiness. Someone has to die or be neglected for perfection, they become sacrifices and not willingly. They are chosen unfairly or are held back of their gi fts. The characterizations in each of these stories are simply innocent. None of the main characters had a choice and if they rebelled they were still put to death. In The Lottery Mrs. Hutchinson seems to be a normal mother and a great wife. She was doing as women in that time should have done, and she was late because she was doing the dishes. She was innocent. In The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas a young boy is neglected and frowned upon as a sacrifice. It is not said that this boy had done anything to deserve this, or that he was chosen because of his behavior. He was innocent and very young, most likely pure. In Harrison Bergeron both the mother and father were a normal family however the father had to wear a handicap to make im less intelligent and Harrison was a normal boy that was smart and talented however he disagreed and paid a cost. I believe that all the characters were treated unfairly. They all seemed to be nice and normal. The settings and Symbols of each of the stories are in a small village or community. A smaller community is easier to control and persuade. I think that the symbols are similar they are all restraints in a way or isolation. Stones were used in the lottery and when thinking of a stone I think of something cold and hard and very uncomfortable. In the Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas they used a basement to keep the boy in. When thinking of a basement I think of a dark cold place also very hard and uncomfortable. In Harrison Bergeron they used handicap’s that were probably uncomfortable and the loud sounds in their all very uncomfortable. In conclusion I believe that these three stories were all thematically alike. The Lottery, The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas, and Harrison Bergeron were all great stories and I would recommend them to anyone who would like to read a utopian story.