Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Research Proposal - Essay Example asingly information driven lives have further fueled a surge in the use of photography so much so that it is required to obtain professional training in order to pursue it as a career or as a serious hobby. As such, assuming that one has the required professional capabilities, establishing a business based on photography raises yet another important question with regards to starting and sustaining the business. The proposed project, whose purpose shall be further explained as part of this research proposal, is aimed at conceiving and developing a framework that will be assessed based on the intention of setting up a proposed photo studio as a feasible business option. The study conducted as part of the effort involved in setting up this photo studio in my town, to be known as â€Å"Brand Image†, will concentrate on identifying key areas such as potential sales opportunities, identification of industry competitors and general market averages, which will also be utilized as benchmarks for evaluating the worthiness of the proposed business. The proposed research aims to study ways in which the new studio will be able to exploit the visible market comprising of photographic artists, individual artists as well as those belonging to large studios as sources for producing photographic material. The business plan shall be developed keeping in mind the potential client base comprising divers e clients such as advertising agencies, public relations agencies and designers. Key services offered by the studio will cover many areas of the business such as Wedding / Portrait photography, Commercial / Industrial photography, Advertising / Fashion photography, and supplementary photographic services such as retouching & CGI. In brief, the proposed studio will work towards providing core services in the areas of Commercial, and Advertising photography. (1) Development of the business idea for the photo studio: wherein the effort will be focused on identifying the main consumer

Introduction to Business Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to Business Enterprise - Essay Example If the resources of the company are used for personal work whether nonprofit or profit making, then out and out it will be considered as nothing less than crime. First of all if they are used for personal benefit then it is resulting in individual benefit at the cost of the company that has nothing to do with the company profit. Again even it is used for nonprofit making purpose, the company is in no way is here to do charity in a competitive world. Daryl’s case can easily be analyzed at the light of the above discussion. The first offense that Daryl commits is that he is using company’s working hours to write a book for himself. The amount that he will eventually receive from the publisher after the book gets published and the successive royalties would be his sole property. Not a single penny earned in this manner will go to the company’s account. Even if it is considered that the book is written for aesthetic joy only and it has nothing to do with money, the a ction should be equally rebuked. The company pays him to complete the work that has been vested upon him, not to get indulge in creative joy that has nothing to do with the prosperity of the company. Daryl has even asked his subordinates to help him finishing the book. This is purely taking advantage of one’s higher position and a mark of unhealthy intra organization hierarchy. First of all the employees working under Daryl has no professional bindings to him so that they have to extend their helping hands towards Daryl that concerns his only his personal benefit. Again, the employees might have other works to do that are related directly with the company that will surely get neglected if they indulge themselves working with Daryl’s book. Daryl’s actions are purely unethical based on this. He should never have asked personal help to his fellow workers and even if he has to, he should have done that in their spare time. In Daryl’s shoe one should never min gle personal work with the official one especially using company resources and time if that only means for personal benefit. At most he can approach his immediate superior requesting his favor that whether he can write a book of his own if he gets some additional time left out of his official business. A discussion with co-workers regarding their spare time, work allocation and whether they would be interested to offer their help towards writing a book would also help to overcome any misunderstanding and will also earn respect for Daryl among his fellow workers. Once everyone starts considering Daryl as one of them, cooperation and coordination will follow suit even before one asks for them and will definitely lead to individual as well as social

The Liberal reforms of 1906-1914 Essay Example for Free

The Liberal reforms of 1906-1914 Essay To what extent could the Liberal reforms of 1906-1914 be described as a radical attempt to alleviate poverty? This essay will explore the Liberal reforms introduced between 1906-1914 and assess the governments efficacy in tackling poverty. In the early 20th century poverty was becoming an increasingly important issue and for a variety of reasons. Poverty had risen up the political agenda not least because of the advent of the Labour Party and their programme for social reform. At one end of the spectrum it is argued that the Liberal Government were crusaders for social reform, fighting oppression and poverty to emancipate the working classes. At the other end, the Liberals were seen as a Government with no plan or coherent strategy to deal with these issues and were not even united; with legislation being introduced piece meal as a response to individual crisis. At the turn of the century large numbers of men, women and children had to endure deplorable living and working conditions. The estimated unemployment rate for 15 to 64 year olds in 1902 was 69%1, although the unemployment rate as measured by those claiming unemployment related benefit was as low as 5%. However this raises questions about the accuracy of measuring and reporting conditions and begins to signify the potential numbers living on the poverty line. In 1900 trade union membership represented only 11% of those in employment and the impact of the Taff Vale2 judgement meant even the Trade Unions were powerless to improve the poor working conditions. Further, the school leaving age in 1900 was 12 and according to the 1901 census 10% (140,000) 10 14 year old boys were already working. The benefits paid by the state were in any event below subsistence level and these issues were compounded by poor housing and over crowding, poor diet and health. Together with lack of health care meant large numbers were living in extreme poverty. These conditions had prevailed throughout the 19 Century and there had been no concerted effort to tackle the issue. However, in the eight years before the First World War, the Liberal Government first under Henry Campbell-Bannerman and then Herbert Asquith embarked upon a sweeping programme of social and economic reform. New Liberalism advocated social reform, financed by higher taxation on the wealthy. Surveys concerning the poor by individuals such as Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree in York3 had revealed the extent of poverty and brought the problem to public attention. This could explain the burst of activity by the Liberal Government. In their studies they distinguished between families suffering from primary and secondary poverty. Such studies provided a wealth of statistical data on wages, hours of work, nutritional needs, food consumed, health and housing. Booth and Rowntree published a book4 illustrating the failings of the capitalist system and argued that new measures were needed to overcome the problems of unemployment, old age and ill health. Their findings highlight the reasons for Liberal reforms being made. Historians such as S. Reed Brett and Murray believe that the Liberal reforms of 1906 onwards were significant. They claim that by moving towards the State intervening in peoples lives and changing attitudes they laid the foundations of the welfare state today. One view is that Lloyd Georges reforms were the first real step to changing societys attitude to helping the vulnerable and poor. They convinced people that the governments role should be to help the poor and needy. This made it possible for later governments to bring in welfare reforms such as the National Health Service (in 1948). Murray illustrates this view in his work: The social reforms of the pre-war Liberal government had no opportunity to make a major dent in the extent of poverty before the Great War, but there is some evidence to suggest that they began to make a difference in the long term. (Murray, 1999) The Liberal reforms can also be considered in very different terms. Some contempories believed that the Liberals were only interested in Britains efficiency as a country. It can be argued that the Liberal government brought in their welfare reforms because they were afraid that a sick and badly educated workforce would leave Britain lagging behind other countries like Germany. If Britain was to compete and maintain its position as a world power, then it had to be run efficiently. This theory supported the belief that healthy, well-educated workforce was essential. (Murphy, 2000) Commentators are also of the view that political pressures from the left induced fear in the Liberal Administration, which ultimately forced or encouraged the government to embark on social reform. These conflicting interpretations will be reviewed in more detail when considering the effectiveness of the reforms The extreme poverty identified in the research conducted by Booth and Rowntree and the poor health levels of those conscripted for the Boer War5, proved to be a catalyst for the actions taken to improve health, education and the general welfare of the public. It is clear that many historians and commentators have conflicting views concerning the Liberal Administration and question the motives for reform. However, there is no doubt that the Liberals introduced a series of important measures. The social reforms to benefit the lowest classes were centred on three areas, children, elderly and poverty resulting from unemployment and sickness. The Liberal Administration was aware of how controversial such reforms were and started with attempts to improve conditions for working class children. Such children were the most vulnerable section of society, but also could not be held to blame for their predicament. Even so there was still opposition as some believed that parents were responsible for children and that government intervention would only undermine individual freedom and responsibility. Despite such beliefs there was a common consensus that the poverty experienced by the poorest working class children was a national disgrace and a range of measures were introduced. In 1906 the government introduced the Education (School Meals) Act, which resulted from the work of the Labour MP William Beverage. This gave local councils the power to provide free school meals for the poorest families. In many ways this was a great success. On the other hand, the Act allowed local authorities to provide meals, but it did not make it a mandatory requirement. In 1907 the Liberals, established compulsory medical inspections. This was owed to civil servant Sir Robert Morant. The checks were free, but in some areas they were carried out more thoroughly than others. Further, despite the introduction of the inspections, they were not a solution for all as the treatment was not free. Therefore the success of such inspections is questionable. This is illustrated by Murray; Both measures gradually had a major impact despite their opponents. Although the 1906 Act was at first permissive (Local Education Authorities were not compelled to supply school meals), by 1914 over 14 million meals per annum were being provide for 158,000 children. In a similar way, the 1907 Act did not compel local authorities to set up clinics, but by 1914 most were proving some medical treatment for children. (Murray, 1999) Later, in 1908 the government introduced the Children and Young Persons Act, due to the influence of pressure groups such as the NSPCC6. Children became protected persons, which meant that parents who ill-treated or neglected their children could now be prosecuted. The Act banned the sale of alcohol and tobacco to children and prohibited them from working in dangerous trades like scrap metal. Also, children who broke the law were now dealt with in specialist juvenile courts and prisons. These were clearly important measures to improve the welfare of children and help tackle child poverty. It can be said that these reforms were the Liberals principal achievement during their first tenure in office. The Liberals were fully aware that for many people the main cause of poverty was old age. In response to this they introduced Old Age Pensions in 1908. It was highly controversial because of the expected cost. It was also debatable because some people thought that old people were in poverty because they had wasted their money throughout their lives. Overall, Old Age Pensions were very well received and had support from most of the public. To qualify, people had to be over the age of 70. They also had to earn less than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½31 per year and have lived in Britain for 20 years. The number of old people who depended on charity or the Poor Law dropped dramatically as a result of this reform. Pugh clarifies this: The scheme was implemented in ways calculated to reassure the beneficiaries, that it promoted the independence of the elderly, that it reached more people than is usually thought, and that it helped to modify popular attitudes towards the state. (Martin Pugh 2000) However, the pension act was still a very controversial measure mainly due to the sectors of society excluded by the Act and the retention of the concept deserving and undeserving individuals. With regard to the unemployed Booth and Rowntrees investigations revealed that inadequate wages were another major cause of poverty and minimum wage legislation was identified as a radical step. The Liberals felt they had no option other than to address the problem and as a result passed the 1909 Trade Boards Act and the 1912 Mines Act. Although they were limited in scope and effect, the measures marked a shift away from the 19th century laissez faire attitude that the government should not intervene in the setting of wages. Some of the most far-reaching reforms introduced by the Liberals concerned working people. Throughout the early 1900s there were a range of different measures undertaken by local authorities to help the sick and unemployed. The government supported many. However, by 1911 the Liberals were convinced that some kind of government-controlled national system was needed. As a result they created National Insurance in 1911. The National Insurance Act was in two parts. The 1st part dealt with unemployment, the second with health. Workers earning under à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½160 per year had to join the scheme. They paid 4d per week from their own wages into an insurance scheme. The employer added a further 2d and the government added 3d on top of that. In return for their contributions workers got sick pay of 10 shillings a week for 6 months and unemployment pay of 7 shillings a week for up to 15 weeks. As with the other Liberal measures, when the scheme was introduced there was a lot of opposition suggesting its radical nature. Many workers resented the money being taken from their wages and many employers resented the amount of money it cost them. This was a regressive measure. The policy could have been more radical and progressive by linking the sums payable in National Insurance to wages as opposed to one amount for all workers. However, this was arguably the most important of all welfare reforms. By 1913, 13 million workers were insured in the scheme and a very important safety net had been established. It marked a break with the past in establishing the principle that providing help for the unemployed was a national not a local responsibility. It was clear that the principle of individual liberty was now being challenged by a stronger emphasis on collective welfare rights. (www.NationalArchives.gov.uk) Pearce and Stewart highlight this: Although the Liberal government failed to make a popular impact at the time, a number of measures had particular significance because they showed that the government were prepared to intervene far more than had been the case in the past. This exemplifies a radical attempt to improve poverty: The effect of these social reforms meant a significant increase in government intervention. The state had now assumed an unprecedented degree of responsibility for individuals in the lower class of society. (Mike Byrne, 2005) The main criticisms of the Liberals reforms were the attitude towards welfare was generally too cautious. It can be argued that the Liberals reforms were little more than a response to economic and political circumstances. There were large elements of compromise and Victorian moral attitudes were still featuring in the reforms. Whilst it is accepted that, as a whole, the welfare package introduced by the Liberals helped to some extent alleviate poverty, it is also clear that many people continued to slip through the net and that the Liberals measures were very limited in scope and were capable of further extensions. For example the 1909 pensions excluded old people under the age of 70 and did not cover criminals, people continually failing to find work and drunkards. Workers outside the industries covered in the Labour Exchange Act and Miners Minimum Wage Act did not qualify to receive a minimum wage. Only c.13 million out of a total population of c.45 million were included in the National Insurance Scheme. The National Insurance 1911 act pension coverage was not universal and was aimed mainly at lower paid and manual workers. It did not provide support for dependants. (www.National Statistics.gov.uk) Further more Free medical care was available to only a wage earner, not the wife or children. To tackle poverty more effectively the reforms could have been universal without deliberately excluding thousands of people. This is expounded by Watts: Changes were often modest in scope and there was a number of areas which remained unreformed. (Watts, 1995) Most of the Liberal reforms depended upon local government and local services to deliver them. While this had the effect of removing the stigma of the Poor Law, it also depended upon the priorities of the local authorities. The provision of school medical services, for example, was made possible by central government but its implementation was patchy as it relied on local authorities, many having differing priorities. In effect this meant there was no coherent strategy or mechanism to implement the much-needed reform, which accordingly failed to achieve the desired outcome. The range of reforms introduced by the Liberals was impressive, but it was not the result of a preconceived programme. Historians often see the reforms as individual solutions to particular social problems, not as a wider radical movement. If they were to have come to power, with a formal programme for poverty relief the reforms may have been more radical and affected a wider section of society. The Government as a whole did not seem to be very committed to welfare reforms, apart from Lloyd George and Churchill. It is argued that the reforms were Lloyd George and Churchills response to what they saw as the challenge from the left. By stealing Labours thunder, they hoped to capture more working class votes. Watts illustrates this: Lloyd George and Churchill revealed a certain skill in adapting Liberalism to the challenge of the condition of the people question. In so doing, they retained some middle-class support and made a bid for the loyalty of the working classes. (Watts, 1995) By ensuring that reforms were as moderate as possible, they hoped to retain middle-class support. In other words, if the reforms are seen in terms of party political advantage, far from being radical, the reforms can be described as a conservative response to the radical threat from the left. When comparing the Liberal actions in light of later developments the reforms were not wholly radical and a great deal of key legislation was left undone. The legislation was hardly revolutionary. The state pension was free but not universal. Only around half a million of the oldest, poorest, and most sober elderly people obtained a pension, which was less than a bare subsistence income. (Tanner, 1900) When the Liberals came to power they had no preconceived strategic plan to tackle poverty and indeed right up to the eve of the 1906 General Election Campbell-Bannerman strove to avoid committing the Party to any measures to deal with unemployment, or even old age pensions. (Hay 1975) Policies to tackle social problems once they came to power were introduced piece meal, in response to economic and political circumstances rather than a coherent reform package. The reforms were very limited, confused and didnt always favour the poor. Thus, they fell short of a full-scale attack on poverty. Clarke comments on the Education and Licensing Bills, which had to be scrapped as a result of opposition in the House of Lords. Pearce and Stuart went further stating many national disaster areas remained untouched the problem of slum housing for example was not tackled. (Pearce and Stewart, 1992) However, many of the Liberal reforms introduced provided the foundations for a Welfare State and paved the way for subsequent social reform. There was a fundamental shift in social attitudes to poverty and welfare as they convinced people that governments should help the poor and needy. This was a significant achievement for the Liberal Administration, which should not be underestimated. The policies introduced were also successful in helping to alleviate poverty. The measures to introduce medical inspections and school meals argues Murray made a significant impact by 1914 over 14 million meals per annum were being provided for 158,000 children the 1907 Act did not compel Local Authorities to set up clinics but by 1914 most were providing medical treatment for children. Murray concludes the social reforms of the pre-war Liberal government had no opportunity to make a major dent in the extreme poverty before the Great War, but there is some evidence to suggest they began to make a di fference in the longer term. (Murray, 1999) In conclusion, the nature and success of the Liberal reforms has been the subject of keen historical debate and almost unparalleled scrutiny, resulting in many conflicting views. It cannot be denied there was scope for more radical reform. However, when taking in to account the contemporary, social values and norms, political climate, and the argument of the state versus individual responsibility this was a bold attempt by the Liberal Administration to introduce radical reform. Such reforms helped to alleviate poverty and paved the way for future reforms, even though the Governments motivation may at times have been based upon expediency and was not always entirely principled or purist. 1 This and the following statistics were taken from the Natioanl statistics website. 2 The Taff Vale judgement prevented Unions from picketing and any union could be liable to pay unlimited damages for losses caused by a strike. 3 Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree, undertook major investigations into the extent and causes of poverty in British cities. They discovered that up to 30% of the population of the cities were living in or below poverty levels and the conditions were such that people could not pull themselves out of poverty by their own actions alone. Booth and Rowntree both identified the main causes of poverty as being illness, unemployment and old age. 4 Charles Booth published, Life and Labour of People in London in 1889 and Seeboh Rowntree published, Poverty A study of Town Life in 1901. 5 The Boer War was an attempt by the British to re-impose its control over Southern Africa, and when Britain put pressure on the Boers they had little option other than to fight. The British public expected the war to be over in a few weeks as the Boers were inexperienced and badly equipped. However the defeat of 50,000 Boers took 450,00 British troops and before the end, it cost 22,000 lives and well over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200,000,000 of money. 6 The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). Bibliography From George III to George VI A brief history of Britain from 1760 to 1952 (S. Reed Brett) An illustrated history of modern Britain 1783 1964 (Denis Richards and J.W. Hunt) The origins of the Liberal Welfare reforms 1906-1914 (J.R Hay) Heinemann Advanced History: Poverty and Public Health 1815-1948 (Rosemary Rees) Access to History: Britain 1895-1918 (Mike Byrne) Life and Labour of People in London (Charles Booth 1889) Poverty A study of town life (Seebohm Rowntree 1901) www.LearningCurve.gov.uk www.nationalachieves.gov.uk http://www.nedrichards.com/docs/libsocref.pdf www.lednum.wordpress.com/2006/09/07/the-liberal-reforms-of-1906-1914/ www.liberalhistory.org.uk www.en.wikipedia.org www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk www.politics.co.uk www.statistics.gov.uk

A Brief History of Heineken Company Analysis

A Brief History of Heineken Company Analysis Heineken is one of the global leading brewers. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and spreads its business all over the world. In this report, we have taken a deep look into the Heineken Company. We will generally display the company portfolio, and then followed by the companys past 5 years performance. Afterwards, the report will focus on Heinekens international marketing activities with detailed explanations of its international marketing strategies. Ultimately, the report will extend to discuss miscellaneous topics of Heineken Company, and ends up with an exhaustive conclusion. Introduction Heineken is one of the worlds biggest brewers and is committed to remaining strong and independent. The brand is named after the founders name Heineken -can be found all around the world. Heineken has become one of the most valuable international premium beer brand since last century and it is still growing stronger. Heineken is also one of the experts of beer brewing and has built quite a number of specialty beers around the globe. In addition to the Heineken brand, there are more than 170 specialty beers which meet a variety of consumers needs from every corner of the world. The famous brands include Amstel ®, Europes third-largest selling beer, Cruzcampo ®, Tiger ®, Zywiec ®, Birra Moretti ®, Ochota ®, Murphys ® and Star ®. Heineken has wide international presence through a global network of distributors and breweries. Heineken owns and manages one of the worlds leading portfolios of beer brands and is one of the worlds leading brewers in terms of sales volume and profitability. History The Heineken story began more than 140 years ago in 1864 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken acquired a small brewery in the heart of Amsterdam. Since then, four generations of the Heineken family have expanded the Heineken brand and the Company throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Employees In 2007, the average number of employees employed was 54,004 170 brands Heinekens leading brand portfolio includes more than 170 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers. Our principal brands are Heineken ® and Amstel ®. We continually seek to reinforce our brands through innovations in production, marketing and packaging. 139.2 million hl The Heineken brand is available in almost every country on the planet. We own more than 119 breweries in more than 65 countries brewing a Group beer volume of 139.2 million hectolitres. Segments Heineken applies typical Global Area Structure to their organizational strategy. Global area structure is an organizational arrangement in which primary operational responsibility is delegated to area managers, each of whom is responsible for a specific geographic region. (International Business, 5th edition, Rugman Collinson). Heineken distinguishes the following geographical segments: Western Europe Central and Eastern Europe The Americas Africa and the Middle East Asia Pacific Head Office/eliminations. Segment information is presented only in respect of geographical segments consistent with Heinekens management and internal reporting structure. Heineken runs its business in five regions, which is in charge of regional presidents. Regional subsidiaries, which remain high responsiveness to the group departments,are responsible for management, risk assessment and operation efficiency. The distribution models of Heinekens is of a big variety. Goods are delivered in multiple ways in every country, depending on the countries conditions, usually direct to the wholesalers or via third parties. Hence, distributions diverse. The various distribution models are taken in charge by regional subsidiaries as well. In such a circumstance, no secondary segment information is in hand. Targeting Young adult consumers (core aged 18-25) around the world is the group Heineken targets at. Heineken is aware of the rise of popularity of mixers and other drinks in this market. Positioning The premium positioning of the Heineken brand is crucial to the growth strategy. Maintaining this positioning requires a combination of the highest quality brewing process delivering the highest quality beer and creative and compelling marketing. As the brand extends its global market share, and its positioning becomes more consistent, its marketing is becoming increasingly international. However, within the marketing mix, there will always be a requirement for locally driven campaigns and support. Product strategy Theory Product strategies vary depending on the specific good and the customers. Some products ca be manufactured and sold successfully both in the United States and abroad by using the same strategies. Other products must be modified or adapted and sold according to a specially designed strategy. A number of factors can compel an MNE to use moderate to high product modification. These include economics, culture, local laws, and product life cycle. Application A key strength for Heineken is the fact that the product is produced to be exactly the same, no matter which of 115 or more breweries it was produced at. The recipe has stayed the same for nearly 150 years, and Heinekens attractive packaging and red star are recognizable nearly anywhere in the world. Heinekens entire brand image is centred on it being a superior quality beer with exceptional taste. Heineken has also won many awards for its beer, which reinforces their claim that Heineken is a product of the highest quality. One potential weakness is that Heineken lacks a production base in many markets, which inevitably leads to higher costs associated with getting the product to market in these areas. However, the flip side to that is the consumers perception of premiumness that is often associated with an imported beer versus one that is produced domestically. Another important strength for Heineken lies in their innovation, as is evident by their recently released Heineken Draught Keg. Since the Heineken beer is recognized all over the world, and the product life cycle is quite short, there is no need to do large modification to the beer itself. Meanwhile, its package changes several times within a year, which makes it fresh to consumers and also a efficient way to promote their products. Company performance This report also analyzes the Heineken Company performance in a horizontal scope as well as a vertical scope. We will first measures its regional performance, and followed by a last 5 year performance evaluation. As we know, Heineken Company is a Multinational Enterprise. It has been doing business in different regions worldwide. Take appropriate measures when dealing business with typical customers is quite important. The financial statement of year 2009 will be released on March 20, 2010. So the analysis is mainly based on the data from 2004 to 2008. Key figures Revenue: In general, the Heineken Company enjoyed increasing revenues in last 5 years, from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 10062 million (2004) to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬14319 million (2008). EBIT: Earnings before interests and taxes (EBIT) is used as a primary measure of profitability, without taking interests and taxes expenses into consideration. The higher EBIT, usually, the better. The EBIT was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1348 in 2004, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1249 in 2005, reached its peak at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1832 in2006, and then decreased to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1418 in 2007, even declined further to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1080 in 2008, measured in millions. Net profit: Net profit calculated by profit before taxes minus taxes. The net profit has almost the same trend as EBIT: rose from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬642 million (2004) to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1211 million (2006), then it suffered a downwards shrink to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬807 million (2007) and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬209 million (2008). Dividends: Dividends is a portion of money a company paid to its shareholders. It can be used to measure a companys financial health. The dividends of Heineken kept growing from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬173 million in 2004 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬343 million in 2007. In 2008, it fell by a small amount to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬304 million. Net cash flow: Net cash flow is a part of cash flow statement, represented the cash receipts minus cash payments. Net cash flow was -à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬550 million in 2004, leaped to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬401 million in 2006, and dropped to -à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬227 million in 2007, finally climbed up to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬225 million. Regional analysis Western Europe Have an eye on Western Europe, Heineken is doing excellent: Heineken is Western Europes leading brewer and the region is the biggest contributor to Group profitability, thanks to the strong market positions and excellent brand portfolio. Heineken is Europes number one beer. Heineken has market leadership positions in the Netherlands, UK, Spain and Italy; and it is the number two player in France, Ireland and Switzerland. In the Western Europe, in the year 2004 to 2007, the revenues were around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5,400 million. However in 2008, it jumped to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7661 million. Heineken even generated à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬8,432 million revenue, with earnings before interests and taxes (EBIT) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬792 million in 2009. The total assets were à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3924 million in 2004, but almost tripled to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬11678 million in 2008. And the group beer volume has doubled in past 5 years, reaching 56,345,000 hl (2008). It takes up 38% of the Groups consolidated EBIT. Western Europe is Heinekens main market. Central and Eastern Europe Central and Eastern Europe is Heinekens largest region by volume. The business is benefiting from integration of acquired breweries and the outcome of portfolio optimization. The Heineken brand is increasing its popularity. The beer market there is largely influenced by financial crisis last year. The high price of our products can also be an influential fact. Within this region, the company earned increasing revenues between à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2,526 million and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3,687 million in last 5 years, and EBIT from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬254 million in 2004 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬389 million in 2009. The total assets have a 20% growth within 5 years. Group beer volume generated a 50% increase. Africa and the Middle East The improved political stability continues to drive economic development and improve purchasing power, making beer more affordable. The popularity of the brands and of Heineken beer in particular, is rapidly growing. Heineken is the number two brewer in Africa and the Middle East. The revenue in this region in 2009 was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,817 million, and EBIT was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬485 million. In the past 5 years, the revenue doubled and the EBIT tripled, total assets also grew from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬825 million to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1919 million. And the market volume is still rapidly growing. Heineken Company has a long-term orientation in this market. The Americas The economic downturn led to lower on-trade consumption and downtrading in the off-trade, especially in the USA. In the fourth quarter volume of the Heineken brand showed a positive trend in Canada, the Caribbean and South America. In 2009, the revenue was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1566 million while the EBIT was only à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬210 million. The revenue welcomes a peak at 2006, and has a moderate float in the rest of 5 years. EBIT tells almost the same story. Total assets have a 50% growth over 5 years. And the group beer volume up soared by approximately 5,000,000 hl. Asia Pacific The revenue in 2009 was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬309 million, and EBIT was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬103 million, the company also has a long-term orientation in this region. The revenue has a continuous decline, from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬471 million to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬297 million, with slight floating. EBIT began at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬63 million, ended at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬65 million, and topped at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬95 million 2006. Total assets experienced an upward trend from 363 to 552, measured in millions of euros. Management Heineken Holding N.V. controls the Heineken Company. The Heineken N.V. Executive Board has two members, CEO and CFO. And it is chaired by the CFO Jean-Franà §ois van Boxmeer. The CEO is responsible for Group Commerce, Group Supply Chain, Group Human Resources, Group Corporate Relations, Group Legal Affairs, and Manager Group Internal Audit. The CFO is in charge of Group Control Accounting, Group Finance, Group Business Development, Group Process Technology Directors, Group Strategy Director, and Group Strategic Partnerships. There are five operating regions, namely, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, The Americas, Africa and the Middle East as well as Asia-Pacific. Each region has a Regional President. The Executive Committee is consist of two members of the Executive Board, the five Regional President,s and five Group Directors. The Executive Committee supports the development of policy and ensures the alignment and implementation of key priorities and strategies across the organization. Segmentation: Heineken sells its beer all around the world and has a global market share of 7%. The prime market of Heineken is Europe, in 2008 almost 50% of Heineken its sales were in Europe. Asia-pacific and the Americas cover the other 50%. The Americas count for nearly 30% of Heinekens sales, and the Asia-pacific for 20%. Heineken has divided all the types of beer it sales into groups. Standard lager, premium lager are the hold most products sold all over the world for Heineken. Together they count for almost 85% of all sales of Heineken. With standard beer counting for 55% of the total sales. Furthermore Heineken has got the groups specialty beer, ales shouts and bitters, and low or no alcohol. The group specialty beer count for 10% of the sales, so ales shouts and bitters, and low or no alcohol are of hardly any part of the sales of Heineken. Targeting: Because Heineken is a beer brand it can only sell to people who are older that a certain age. That age is set by the governments. The general age set by the governments for people to buy beer and other alcoholic drinks is set at 16 years in and older to 21 years and older. So the target market of Heineken is everyone older than the age set by the government. In what way does Heineken target the separate markets within those markets? To target the young adults (age 18-30) Heineken uses music. Heineken organizes for example a deejay-contest a lot of young adults are willing to go to that party. Heineken makes sure that their name is all over the place and that the party is a huge success Only Heineken beer is sold on that party, their name Heineken is everywhere you look. In this way Heineken makes sure that their name is widely known. Their name is also associated with successful parties so every time those young adults go to a party they will compare it to the Heineken party. That is the way of getting a good reputation among young adults. Because of this reputation Heineken will sell more beer to those young adults, which is their goal. Beer is very often associated with football. Heineken is a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League. At the beginning and during a football match their name is on billboards on the sides of the field. Their name is also mentioned before the match begins, for example: this match is sponsored by Heineken. In this way Heineken associates itself with football. Their target market with this type of advertising are the man who like watching football and who are allowed to drink, which is a big group. They are indirectly targeting the young people who are not yet aloud to drink, because they are watching to that match to they associate watching football with Heineken, so when they are allowed to drink they will probably buy Heineken to drink during the match. To target the women Heineken introduced Jillz and beer that is less bitter. Jillz is a apple cider mixed with water and barley malt and fruit. It is developed especially for women, because most women dont like beer. When you look at the commercial of Jillz you see four good looking men picking apples. Because women like watching to those men they will buy Jillz assuming that by drinking Jillz they will encounter such a good looking guy. Another way of targeting the women is by introducing a beer that is less bitter. Heineken introduces products like Wieckse Witte a white beer, which is less bitter than normal beer and has got a reddish color. Heineken introduced this type of beer because they assumed that women dont like beer because of its bitterness. Positioning, Market entry and distribution strategies: Waar verkopen ze en hoe krijgen ze de producten daar en hoe zijn ze in die markten binnen gekomen? Heineken sell its products almost everywhere in the world. Because beer hasnt got a high value per liter. Distributing the beer by for example a tanker is too expensive, so Heineken has to have a lot of breweries to supply in the countries they sell their beer in. because of this Heineken has got approximately 120 breweries in more than 70 countries. Heineken mainly sell its products through supermarkets/hypermarkets, specialist retailers and on-trade business. 7% of its products is sold on a different way. Drawing a conclusion this mean that Heineken is depending on other retailers to sell its products. Heineken doesnt have got a shop that sell only Heineken products. The only way in which Heineken is selling its own products is though internet. People can order Heineken beer on the official Heineken site, for example on www.Heineken.nl. Product strategies: There are a lot of different types of beer; there are bitter beers, sweet beers, sour beers, beers with a different amount of alcohol in it and different colors. This are some things that Heineken can differ its beer in. This shows that there are a lot of types of beer, but beer doesnt need a lot of modification. Heineken has got many different types of beer, even in one country. Heineken has got a total of 200 different products. There are different reasons for those modifications. According to International Business a book from Alan M. Rugman and Simon Collinson, there are four points on which a product has to be modified: Economics, culture, local laws and product life cycle. Economics: In each country the customers have got different needs. People want different amount of beer in a bottle, or they want more alcohol in their beer. Because of all these different needs Heineken has got to make a lot of different products, products that differ in size, alcohol percentage and shape. In the Netherlands for example, Heineken sell their beer primarily through the super markets and in bars. So Heineken sells often sells its products in bottles in crates, and in casks. The amount of beer in the bottles is approximately 33 cl. Culture: The history of beer a country and the time beer is present in a country causes many different tastes for and in those countries. In Germany for example people like to drink light beer(white beer). So when Heineken wants to sell beer in Germany it should not come up with dark beer with a high percentage of alcohol. So the culture of countries causes a lot of different demands for beer. Local laws: The laws of a country are very important for the beer products. When Heineken is not allowed to sell beer with a high percentage of alcohol in it, or when they are forbidden to use a certain ingredient, Heineken has got to come up with different products. Product life cycle: This concept states that a product has got to develop in order to maintain its sales. So Heineken needs to modify the beer products in order to keep ahead of the competition. Another reason to modify is to try and come up with other types of product before the demand of other products has declined to much, and to try and get to new markets. An example for this is Jillz, Heineken wants to sell its product to women, it keeps ahead of the competition, because the competition didnt came up with the same idea, and it invents a new product before another product, Wieckse Witte, shows a decline in sales. Pricing strategies: According to International Business a book from Alan M. Rugman and Simon Collinson, there are four forces that influence the pricing. Government controls, Market diversity, Currency fluctuation and Price escalation forces. Government controls: The government in the Netherland raises an excise on products that contain alcohol. Because beer contains alcohol, the prices of Heineken beer are higher than they would have had without that tax. The excise on crates is the same for every company, so Heineken can compete to other beers. Because Heineken is a premium beer, the price for a crate of Heineken is a lot higher than other types of beer. Therefore Heineken competes with other premium beer brand. Market Diversity: The marker diversity between countries causes different prices between those countries. A premium beer a Heineken can encounter a low demand for its beer. Heineken is than forced to sell its products for a low price to gain market share or just to sell beer. Heineken doesnt really have this problem, because they have over 200 different types of beer, so there is a high probability that Heineken does have the taste the people in that country like. Currency fluctuations: The currency fluctuations between countries cause higher or lower prices for Heineken beer that is exported. When the value of a currency in a country, where Heineken has got a brewery, declines compared to an country where the beer brewed is exported to, the prices of Heineken beer will increase compared to local beer brands. Price escalation forces: When the prices of producing Heineken increase by 25 cents, Heineken will try to pass this along to retailers in the production cycle closer to the consumers. Every retailer in the production cycle wants to make profit, so they will add an percentage increase. This increase in price will be larger the closer the product gets to the consumer. The increase of 25 cents may increase the prices in the supermarket with 35 cents.

The Greek Economy :: essays research papers fc

The Greek Economy Agriculture The Greek economy depends a lot on agriculture. One quarter of the Greek workforce is engaged in farming, and agriculture constitutes about 15% of the domestic production. Not much attention has been drawn on the agricultural sector of the economy. The farms are pretty small, the division of inheriting land has reduced the average size to 3,4 hectares (8 acres) and it is really difficult to use mechanised equipment efficiently. Yields are also low due to the dryness and erosion of the soil. Let's take a look at the yearly output of some major crops: tobacco 142000, wheat 2.6 million, tomatoes 1.9 million, oranges 780000, corn 2.1 million, sugar beet 1.9 million, grapes 1.6 million, olives 1.5 million, potatoes 850000 and cotton 222000. Livestock included some 10.8 million sheep, 3.5 million goats, 800000 head of cattle, 31 million poultry and 1.2 million pigs. Forestry and Fishing The Greek government owns the two-thirds of the forestland and has materialised her plans i.e. to replace the trees that were destroyed during World War II. About 2.9 million cu m of timber were annually cut in the late 80's and approximately the 75% of the harvest was hardwood. Fish exports are limited because of the widespread consumption of fish products within Greece. However in recent years thousands of tons of fish are exported each year, due to the ever increasing development of fish farms in the country. In the late 80's the annual catch totalled 135000 tons, from which 80% was consumed within Greece. Sponges are the main marine product exported. Mining Mining is of little importance to the Greek economy. We should mention though the annual output of minerals in tons: bauxite 2.3 million, iron ore 1.3 million and magnesite 884400. Also, about 279200 cu m of marble were quarried. Petroleum, salt, chromium, silver, zinc were also produced. Manufacturing Approximately one fifth of the Greek workforce is engaged in manufacturing, which contributes 18% of the annual gross production. The manufactured products include: food, beverages, tobacco, textiles, clothing, chemicals, cement and wine. Athens is the manufacturing center of Greece. Currency and Banking The national currency of Greece is drachma. The central banking institution is the Bank of Greece. The biggest banks of Greece are the National Bank of Greece, with 470 domestic branches and the Agricultural Bank of Greece with 420 branches. Foreign Trade Generally Greece spends each year much more on imports than it receives from exports. This "imbalance" is offset to a certain extent by tourist revenues and by remittances from Greeks living abroad. In the 80's the imports totalled 3 trillion drachmas and exports earned 1.5 trillion drachmas.

life during wartime :: essays research papers

There’s nothing I can say about the parade of still pictures, the faces on the television – except, perhaps, that they all seemed to share a fierce pride in their eyes, photographed for the first time in their Marine Dress Blues. Surely their families are proud of them. I certainly am, and I never got to know any of them. And now, I never will. Names scroll in little yellow letters across the bottom of our glowing screens: Sergeants, and Captains, and Privates. These men have died for us. More will follow. We asked them to go, and they went. All across this nation -- here and there, sparkling across the map like fireflies on a summer night – sedans are slowly rolling to a stop outside of small, modest homes. Men in uniform emerge, straighten their tunics, and walk slowly up driveways. Doorbells are rung. Maybe here and there smiles will evaporate in shock and surprise as doors are opened, but more likely the face will be one full of stunned realization that the very worst thing in the whole world has happened. And children will be sent to their rooms. And the men will speak in somber, respectful tones. And sons and mothers and fathers and wives will be told that the one thing they love more than anything in this world has been taken away from them, that their sons and daughters will not be coming home, that their fathers or mothers have gone away and will never come back, not ever. Why do we do this? What could possibly be worth this? The war is an abject and utter failure. What everyone thought would be a quick, decisive victory has turned into an embarrassing series of reversals. The enemy, -- a ragtag, badly-fed collection of hotheads and fanatics – has failed to be shocked and awed by the most magnificent military machine ever fielded. Their dogged resistance has shown us the futility of the idea that a nation of millions could ever be subjugated and administered, no matter what obscene price we are willing to pay in blood and money. The President of the United States is a buffoon, an idiot, a man barely able to speak the English language. His vice president is a little-seen, widely despised enigma and his chief military advisor a wild-eyed warmonger. Only his Secretary of State offers any hope of redemption, for he at least is a reasonable, well-educated man, a man most thought would have made a far, far better choice for Chief Executive.

English Language Essay on Spoken Text

Text B is an interview on television show conducted by two presenters with the purpose being to conceive as much information as they can from J. K. Rowling, a famous author on her newest Harry Potter book. The audience here would predominantly be avid young readers of the book who want to know about the book and regular followers of the show. The dominant speaker in this text B would be the interviewers and the chat show is based on adjacency pairs.Using a false-start and contradiction in â€Å"no, I don’t – yes I do† illustrate aspects of spoken language although there are clear elements where the audience might know the interviewers had a basic idea of what was to be asked before-hand. The lack of non-fluency features more clearly suggest the questions were previously prepared, for example, when Richard says â€Å"All the papers that have been promoting this interview today clearly want us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This tells us research was undertaken on what sort of que stions the audience or readers wanted answered.The change of tone at the end of a sentence suggests spontaneity and cues the other speaker’s turn to speak. For example, â€Å"But of course the last one at the moment is residing in your safe†, portrays the change in tone at the end. Judy, the interviewer used more interrogatives like â€Å"two much loved ones? † while Richard uses ellipsis to try and create spontaneity and confidence, â€Å"you told your husband, obviously you confide in him all things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  allowing turn-taking.The interviewee also seems a little uninterested through her short answers such as â€Å"He did one of the, yeah†; to perhaps show she isn’t in the mood or the fact she’s trying to be careful so as to not reveal any information thus considering her words. Text C is a play script from American Buffalo by David Mamet, with the purpose primarily being to entertain. The audience here would be predominantly educat ed theatre going audience.The play script is structurally organized through the use of adjacency pairs, with interrogatives being a main aspect. Don is portrayed as the dominant speaker as he controls the conversation and asserts his position through speech. Don’s speech is also longer and more authorative to further portray his higher status than Bob. The use of turn-taking and the informal setting gives way to colloquialism such as â€Å"well she was real mad at him†, â€Å"jewed† and â€Å"yup†.Don also uses â€Å"Bobby† to show familiarity with the other character as well as it being a little patronizing to represent their distinctive positions and relationship. Don also instigates topic shifts structurally as he tries to teach Bob about business, â€Å"Things are not always what they seem to be†, shows how a cliche to perhaps portray Don’s maturity and wisdom in comparison to the youth and naivety of Bob.